𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 | 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐝𝐬

𝟏𝟏: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞

In these past few days, it had been really stressful for the both. And nothing really changed, they both ignored each other like usual. It was like they had their own lives going on even though they were in the same university and dorm.

It's a Friday night. Lee Know went outside just to catch some fresh air again, and Chris is left alone in the dorm. It had been almost been about 30 minutes, and Minho isn't back. He's sick worried. He decided he should take a short nap first before he'd heard some sniffling in the staircase. They were faint, but Chris's sharp senses could still hear it. 


He abruptly opened the door and went out the dorm, only to be met with Lee Know breaking down in the staircase. He was stunned, he's never seen Minho in this state before.
"...What's wrong?" Chris approached the sniffling Minho, making him startled.
"What do you want?" He wiped away his tears and stood up, trying to cover the fact his eyes were red from crying.
"I don't want anything. I'm asking you what's wrong." He took a few steps closer.
"...Nothing. I stubbed my toe." Minho mumbled. "You're wearing sneakers." Chris responds.
"Just leave me alone." He sighed, rubbing his forehead. Chris was stubborn, he knew something was going on. He walked towards Lee Know and grabbed his shoulder, Minho immediately slapped it away.


"Ugh, just WHAT is your problem!? Why are you like this?!" Chris yells at Minho, and for the first time, Lee Know is scared of Chris. He whimpers the moment he yelled at him, making Chris realize he went a bit too far.

"..." The both of them look at each other in silence. Minho wiped some tears away and stood up,
"...I'm sorry--" Chris apologizes, and Minho stops him.
"No need. I'll....I'll sleep in my friend's dorm tonight." He mumbled, and the other one was stunned as Minho walked away. He was... actually being serious.


Chris couldn't even try to stop Minho in his tracks, he truly felt bad for screaming at him. Chris went back inside the dorm, biting his fingernails.


The only thing he could do was sleep to remove all the worries away, he rolled and tossed around his bed like crazy that night. Chris regrets being too harsh.

Next... Next day... Minho still hasn't come back.

Chris turned on the shower and shrieked at the cold water cascading down on his body, still he felt like he deserved having to deal with this shitty, cold water anyway. 
Somehow, the day felt boring. He hasn't even gotten the chance to bump into Lee Know in the hallways of the dorm, he wish he would though.

That's pretty much it for the day. All Chris needs to do is just get in his sweater and curl up in his bed, scrolling through his phone for the whole afternoon. And at night, he studies a little. 
"Ugh.." Chris groans, the urge to just text Lee Know right now is truly tempting. He decides, Fuck it! Putting down his ballpen, he grabs his phone and starts tapping on the keyboard.

Lee Minho

Christopher Bangchan:
Can we talk?

And he's been ghosted. Left seen.

Christopher Bangchan:Can we talk? In real time?Give me a chance, please? All I need is 5 minutes from you.I won't bother you ever again afterwards.

Lee Minho:
...
Meet me outside.

And with that, Chris rushes to grab his coat and out his dorm he goes. He goes down the hallway, running down the staircase.  One step outside, he already sees Lee Know in the distance. He runs and pants heavily once he's reached an appropriate distance in between the both of them.

"Ahh.. haa... Lee Know!" He says in a breathy tone,
"5 minutes." Minho shows his phone, the timer already set up. He puts his hands in his pockets and stands there, looking down at Chris coldly.
"What do you want to tell me?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

Chan's heartbeat accelerated at the sight of Lee Know, he clenched on his chest and lowered his head, knowing his own mistakes he took a deep breath. "Lee Know... I'm sorry. I really am, I didn't- I didn't think it through! Look, I just can't... I just can't live in regret. It was already so hard for me to sleep last night," He paused, "...I scared you, didn't I?"  He bit his own lip, looking away with guilt.

"...Yeah.." Lee Know says as he tightened his grip on his phone. Minho maintained his gaze.
"And if I say... I don't forgive you, what are you going to do?"

Chris looked up at Lee Know, taking yet another deep breath. "...I'd understand. I wouldn't... forgive myself either if that were the case. If you're still hurt, I can't do anything about it. 

"I let my emotions come over. But what I wanted to know, and what I really wanted to ask- Why you distance yourself away from me. When I touched your shoulder for just a second and you slap my hand away, I felt that my presence just made you uneasy or uncomfortable. Please tell me what troubles you."

The timer rang, and Lee Know sighed. "Exactly 5 minutes." Chan and Lee Know look at eachother's eyes.

A little later...

They both went out for Starbucks and Chan bought Lee Know an Ice Americano.
"You remembered... Is this your way of bribing?" 
"No, not at all. I just wanna see you enjoy the drink."

The two went on a quiet journey, talking a walk back to their dorm and kicking rocks. They arrive at the staircase again and sat down. Lee Know took a sip out of his drink.

"I guess I'll answer your question now." He sighed, "I always thought... you only wanted to criticize my every move and tell me what to do. I don't like it when someone wants to control me, especially my decisions. I'm not going to lie, but, I hated you for that. I thought you were cold and heartless. That's why I avoided you so often..

I'm glad to say I was wrong. I could see through you, and you were... genuine. And just worried."

Chan was shocked but also relieved, but he understood. "...I'm assuming you felt vulnerable around me, too. Realizing it now, I didn't make a safe space for you. I didn't welcome you every time. It makes me regret everything now, really..." Chan smiled, covering his face and sighing. "Why did you cry, though? I know I should've asked it DURING the moment, but you get what I mean.."

 "Ahh...well.. I was stressed out since I had to study, and I really missed my eomma." Minho groaned.
"...And I'm a dancer myself. I could only let out my frustrations whenever I practiced dancing, but I just needed to let out some tears for a second at the time. Plus the auditions are about to come up... I'm nervous and I trained for so goddamn long-- But I'm hoping it's going to be worth it."

He smiled, his bunny teeth showed and his eyes became like a moon crescent. It was mesmerizing sight for Bangchan and he couldn't help but show his dimples.
"That's why you go out often... It all makes sense now. I didn't know you could dance. Wow.. that's really... I'm impressed."  Chan giggles, and Lee Know gave a small chuckle.
"...Mhm..." Minho held his drink tightly.