1 is Greater Than 7

I Choose...(Minhyuk)

Taliah POV

I don't know how late it is exactly, but I can't go back to sleep anymore. Nightmares torment me every time I close my eyes. At least the party granted a bit of solace from my own thoughts. I heat up some tea in the kitchen and head into the living room. I sit down on the couch and the tears start to flow, some even into my tea. These feelings were too much to bear sometimes; the sadness, the despair, the guilt.

It was hazy, but I remember being in a desperate situation before, I was right in this same spot, on this same couch, on New Years I think. Yea, it's coming back to me now. At first I was alone, not knowing what to do, but someone came to help me. Someone saved me, and came to my aid, but who?

"Taliah." A voice called out from behind me.

In that moment, it was almost like a veil was suddenly removed from my mind. I turned around and saw Minhyuk standing there, at the end of the hallway. He looked at me with such concern. Now I remember. Minhyuk is the one who picked me up and put me back together piece by piece that might. And just like then, it was like he was the only one who heard my heart's silent cry.

"Minhyuk." I say. I couldn't keep my voice from cracking. He rushed over to me, and when he got closer, he saw my wet eyes and tear stains. "What's going on? What's wrong?" He dropped to his knees to look at my face more clearly and took my hands in his, gently rubbing circles on them. "Talk to me. Please. What's going on?" he asked again.

"It's just the same ol same ol Minhyuk."

"Nightmares?" he asked. I just nodded my head. He pulled me in, holding me gently and patted the back of my head, humming a soft melody while I cried my heart out. I think it was honestly a miracle I didn't wake anyone, but at the same time, they're heavy sleepers and they might've already seen Minhyuk was with me.

I was emotionally and mentally drained, but I still didn't want to rest, just so I could avoid my demons. Once I had calmed down fully, I eased myself off of Minhyuk and looked at him, giving him a weak smile. "Thanks Minhyuk." I said, "Go back to bed. I'm gonna be up for a while."

"I'll just stay with you." he replied, but I shook my head.

"I'll probably be up until who knows when. I won't sleep tonight. I can't. You have things to do tomorrow, so go to bed!"

"And if I do?" Minhyuk asked clearly annoyed, "Do you think I'll actually be able to sleep? I'll be up anyway worrying about you so I might as well just stay here."

And with that he went back to his room, coming out not too long after with a blanket and a pillow. He layed the blanket over both of us and layed down on his pillow at one end of the couch, while I was at the other. We turned the tv on, to a random drama, and turned the volume down so as not to disturb the others.

After a while, I glanced over to Minhyuk to see he still had a sour expression on his face. "Are you mad at me?" I asked. He shot his eyes over to me and let out a sigh, "I'm not mad, but frustrated. You do this more and more now; trying to solve all these problems on your own. You don't open up to us anymore, not like you use to."

"I'm sorry." I say, "It's just, I've made you guys worry so much lately. So much so that you had to throw a party to try and cheer me up! I didn't want to worry you guys anymore."

At that Minhyuk grabbed my hands and came closer, "You don't have to be sorry Taliah, but when you don't say anything, it makes us worry a lot more than if you had. At least if you do say something, we can try to work through it together. We're here to be your support! You can lean on us. You can lean on me."

I knew that I could, something in me would want to call out for help, but at the same time I was scared. Maybe I've spent so much time dealing with my problems, that I'm scared opening up to others about them might actually help fix them. I just nodded my head and moved closer, leaning over onto Minhyuk's shoulder. "Can we stay like this for a while?" I asked.