1.2 | The Night and Its Stars ⌜ yeosang ⌟

THIRTEEN | CONSPIRACY

She reached for Jisoo's hand subconsciously, needing to be reminded that she was here and safe. Not at the Gamma Iota house. Not at her apartment alone. Not being followed.

If she was, what she was planning to say next could easily be her last few words. But for better or worse, she trusted Jisoo with her life and keeping it in was rotting her inside out.

Min blurted, "I think that Somin never jumped."

"What?" Jisoo flinched, her breath pointed and sharp. She dropped Min's hand roughly.

"Someone at that party pushed her." Min felt a tear slip down her own face. She wanted Jisoo to grab her hand, hold her, anything to keep her mind from floating up into that abyss.

But she didn't.

"What are you saying? No. No," she stood, paced the floorboards at the foot of her bed. "She killed herself Minni."

"She didn't."

"She did!" Jisoo realized how loud she'd gotten and paused, catching her breath. When she continued, she was calmer. "Look, you need to stop. She was a horrible, horrible person and she's dead now. No amount of pity will change that."

Min felt something inside herself stir and shift out of place.

She didn't, but even if Somin had jumped, it still wasn't her own fault. She still didn't deserve the kind of treatment she got. No one did. The Night would still be guilty and everyone else at NHU would be too for letting it happen. For being thankful that it had.

"I know you hated her. I did too, but I was there, Jisoo. I watched her fall from a building. I saw-" Min sniffled, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. "I saw her bleeding out on that car. Her legs were fucking backwards and I couldn't do anything to stop it."

"Fuck," Jisoo rasped, shuffling over to Min's hunched form. She sat on the edge of her bed and opened her arms. "Sorry. I'm sorry. Come here."

"This is so..." Minni mumbled into Jisoo's shoulder.

"I know." Jisoo's hands were shaky as she rubbed circles on her back. "It's late. You should stay here tonight."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to blindside you."

"Don't apologize. You've always got a place with me." The words made her relax marginally, but guilt flooded in with it. "That said, did something happen?"

"I-" she sighed heavily. "I got a death threat today in the mail. They know where I live. I didn't want to be alone."

Jisoo pulled away sharply with a frown. "What? Where's Kevin?"

Min wished she knew the answer to that. Ever since their argument earlier that day, more and more of his things had seemed to disappear in the time that she had been out meeting Yeosang. His instrument, some of his clothes, his bags. She was getting the feeling that she might not see him for a while.

"I don't know. He wasn't home."

Jisoo glowered at a blank space on her wall. "He's such an idiot."

Min kept her breathing even despite wanting to scream, tilting her head to face Jisoo. As bitter as she was, she needed to know. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if he wasn't okay. "You heard from him?"

"A little." Jisoo shrugged. "He's an emotional wreck, but he's being selfish. I told him as much. He just doesn't want to hear it right now."

"I don't know where I went wrong."

"You didn't. He's just been through a lot here and he's taking everything personally. He'll come around."

Jisoo helped Min get ready for bed, giving her a change of clothes. The two ended up in her bed, silence settling. For the first time in a long time, she felt warm and completely safe. Even if only temporarily.