celestial strings | h.js

one.

One thing that was definitely right, though, which he and Hyunjin both agreed on when they were chatting during an after-school walk, was that better communication should have happened. Regardless of the agitated emotions and who was right and wrong, Jisung should have clarified for the pessimistic you, and you should not have assumed the worst knowing Jisung's loving nature.

And you had been gone for weeks. Felix has been without a reliable friend, and Hyunjin has been without a pseudo-sibling. Seungmin has been without his best friend, and Jisung without his soulmate.

If you were here, like Jisung assumed, everyone would want to know.

"I'm not waiting for anyone," Seungmin said. "I really just need to talk about my grade."

"Seungmin, your grades are fine," Jisung huffed in faint annoyance.

Jisung hadn't been able to study well, nor had he been able to study at all. His bedroom had long lost its comfort. It was just a cell of memories with you, trapping him in and torturing him every single night. He still hasn't rolled up the mattress on the floor and refused to wash the shirts you've worn before.

Hurting you was so easy for him that day. He just had to speak and walk away. He should have turned around. He should have emphasized that he still loved you and was only angry for now. He was negligent of your habits with human complications and made a mistake that cost him every ounce of peace.

"Okay," Seungmin replied. "I still have to head back to get my stuff from the locker."

"Then go," Jisung said. "We'll wait for you here."

Jisung's irritability has been putting a strain on everyone's mood, and there is only so much one can handle before the awful truth comes out and kills everyone. But Seungmin has someone else he has to worry about; he looked to the side slightly as if to give you a signal to follow him if you were even here in the first place, then he exhaled in annoyance.

"Fine," Seungmin muttered. "I won't be long."

He went through the school building and headed to the backyard, where they usually had lunch. Standing by the familiar spot, his eyes squinted in concentration. He couldn't even be sure if you were really at the front gate or not, and he couldn't be sure if you followed him to the back either, but he felt the obligation to give it a try. As your best friend, he had to at least try to see if you would receive his support.

Besides, he hated the idea of leaving that petty map argument unresolved. He hasn't apologized to you yet, nor have you to him.

"[Name]?" he called out softly, standing on his spot and looking around, feeling like an absolute idiot. "You can come out if you're here. It's just me."

A ghostly breeze brushed past his face, blowing at his bangs to caress his eyes. Seungmin closed his eyes at the wind. His lips pursed into a gentle frown. Footsteps slowed down before him as his temporary blindness faded, and he found himself looking at you with your hands clasped before your chest. You smiled faintly at him, eyes filled with recognition of your friend's face.

Seungmin softened, as did you. You looked the same, understandably. It has only been a couple of weeks since he last saw you, but you appeared exhausted. And you found him stoic and angry, which he usually was if he made no attempt to put expressions on his face. But as he looked at you now, he was a gentle boy.

His hand paused mid-air when he was about to brush at a piece of your hair away from your face, his movement stuttering before he clenched his fist and let it drop back to his side. You looked down at his hand and back up at his face, your eyes widening slightly at the unusual gesture.