Jihoon closed the door behind him, the weight of Minji's request hanging heavily in the air. As he walked down the hallway, he felt a mix of relief and concern. He had taken a significant step in the right direction, but the sight of Minji's troubled expression lingered in his mind.
He made his way to the living room, flopping down onto the couch. His phone buzzed in his pocket, but he ignored it, wanting to give Minji the space he had asked for. Instead, he stared at the decorations they had put up together for Christmas, the twinkling lights a stark contrast to the turmoil within him.
Minutes turned into hours as he replayed their argument in his mind, trying to understand how they had reached this point. He felt guilty for letting TaeHyun and Jamie into their lives, and while he knew he had made the right choice in blocking them, it didn't erase the hurt Minji felt.
After a while, Jihoon stood up, pacing the living room. He grabbed a blanket off the couch and wrapped it around his shoulders, trying to find comfort in its warmth. He could hear the faint sound of Minji's voice coming from upstairs, likely still on the phone with Yuna. It pained him to think of Minji feeling so upset, but he understood that he needed to respect his boyfriend's wishes.
Just as he settled back onto the couch, his phone buzzed again. This time, he decided to check it. It was a message from Hyeon, asking how things were going with Minji.
Jihoon hesitated, considering how to respond. He didn't want to burden his brother with the details of their argument, but he also didn't want to lie.
Jihoon: "It's been rough. We just had a fight. "
Hyeon replied almost instantly. "I'm here if you need to talk. Remember what I said about communication. Just give it some time, okay?"
Jihoon sighed, grateful for his brother's support. He replied with a simple thanks and put his phone down again. It was hard not knowing what Minji was feeling, and even harder not being able to help him at that moment.
After a while, he decided to make himself a cup of tea. Maybe the warmth of the drink would soothe his frayed nerves. As he moved to the kitchen, he caught a glimpse of the Christmas tree, adorned with their shared memories—ornaments they had picked out together and a star they had fought over for an hour before finally agreeing on one.
As the kettle boiled, Jihoon's thoughts drifted back to Minji. He had to do better. He knew that this was about more than just his past; it was about their future. And if that future was going to include Minji, he had to prove that he could change.
He poured the hot water over the tea bag and took a moment to breathe deeply, letting the aroma fill the room. Just then, he heard footsteps approaching. Jihoon turned to see Minji standing at the entrance to the kitchen, he looked fully dressed like he was about to head out.
"I'm staying with Yuna for a while, please don't call me or text me for the time being." He asked of him.
Jihoon's heart sank as he saw Minji standing there, fully dressed with a small bag slung over his shoulder. His tea sat forgotten on the counter, the warmth doing nothing to soothe the cold rush of anxiety that flooded through him.
"Minji…" Jihoon started, his voice soft but filled with a pleading edge. "Please, don't leave. We can talk about this."
Minji shook his head, his face unreadable. "There's nothing left to talk about right now. I just need space. Time to think. I told you this isn't just about today—it's been building for a while."
Jihoon took a step forward, wanting to reach out but hesitated. "I get that, I do. But leaving… it feels like you're giving up on us."
Minji's eyes softened, but there was still a firmness in his stance. "I'm not giving up. I just… I need to be somewhere where I can clear my head. I need to figure out what I really want. And you need to figure out how to show me that this relationship isn't just words."
Jihoon felt the sting of those words but nodded, knowing Minji wasn't wrong. He had messed up more times than he cared to admit, and this was the consequence. "How long are you going to be gone?"
Minji shrugged. "I don't know yet. Just until I feel like I can come back without feeling like I'm suffocating."
The silence that followed was thick with emotion. Jihoon could feel the desperation clawing at him, but he also knew that pushing Minji would only make things worse.
"Okay," Jihoon finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll give you the space you need. Just… please know that I'm not going to stop trying. I'll be here when you're ready."
Minji's eyes flickered with something—maybe sadness, maybe relief—before he turned and walked towards the door. "I know, Jihoon. I just need some time."
As the door closed behind him, Jihoon stood there, the sound of the kettle whistling in the background. The house suddenly felt too quiet, too empty. He glanced back at the Christmas tree, its twinkling lights now feeling like a mocking reminder of what was slipping through his fingers.
Jihoon sat down at the table, staring at the untouched cup of tea, the warmth from it already beginning to fade. He knew that this was his wake-up call, and he couldn't afford to ignore it.
————————
That same evening Jihoon got dressed and headed out the house, not wanting to feel the loneliness he drove to his family house.
Jihoon pulled into the driveway of his family's house, the familiar sight of the warmly lit home bringing him some temporary comfort. The driveway was lined with cars—his parents must have had guests over for one of their pre-holiday dinners. Normally, the thought of spending time with his family would lift his spirits, but tonight, it just felt like a distraction.
He walked up to the door, pausing for a moment to steady himself before he knocked. A few seconds later, the door swung open, and JaeHwa greeted him with a raised brow.
"Jihoon? Didn't expect to see you here tonight. Everything okay?" Baekhyeon asked, stepping aside to let him in.
"Yeah, just needed to get out of the house for a bit," Jihoon muttered, shrugging off his jacket. He wasn't ready to explain everything that had happened with Minji just yet.
As Jihoon stepped into the house, he could hear the sounds of laughter and conversation coming from the dining room. His mother's familiar voice rang out, teasing one of his cousins about something. It felt strange, walking into such warmth and joy while his insides felt hollow.
"You want to talk?" BaekHyeon asked, eyeing his brother with concern.
"Later," Jihoon replied, forcing a smile. "Let's just go see the others for now."
They walked into the dining room, where the rest of the family was gathered around the table. Jihoon's mom spotted him first, her face lighting up. "Jihoon-ah, you're here! Come join us, I thought you weren't going to come."
Jihoon plastered on his best smile as he greeted everyone, sliding into a chair next to his dad. As the evening went on, he tried to immerse himself in the conversation, but his mind kept drifting back to Minji. He wondered what he was doing, whether he had arrived at Yuna's yet, and whether he was feeling just as lost as Jihoon was.
At one point, BaekHyeon leaned over to him and whispered, "You sure you don't want to talk? You've barely touched your food."
Jihoon sighed, putting his fork down. "I just—Minji left."
Hyeon
frowned. "What do you mean he left? Like… broke up with you?"
"No," Jihoon quickly clarified, "he's staying with Yuna for a while. Said he needed space."
Hyeon nodded slowly, leaning back in his chair. "And you think he's coming back?"
"I don't know," Jihoon admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I hope so."
They sat in silence for a moment before Hyeon clapped him on the shoulder. "You've been through worse, Hoon. If you love him, you'll find a way to make it right."
Jihoon gave a small nod, though he wasn't sure he believed it. Right now, all he could feel was the weight of Minji's absence and the uncertainty of their future.
———————————
Yuna's apartment:
"Why do things have to be this way, I never wanted for this to happen." Minji cried. As they sat on the couch Yuna held him comforting him. "It's like I constantly have to compete for his love and attention, if I show I don't show effort he will look for comfort in another guy, but if I show to much effort he'll get tired and call me needy. There's no pleasing him." Minji sobbed.
"If TaeHyun told him to drop me he will in an instant but, when I told him too he hesitated he looked like I was ending his life line!"
Yuna hugged Minji tighter, rubbing soothing circles on his back. "Minji, you deserve better than feeling like you're in some kind of competition for his love. A relationship isn't supposed to make you feel this way."
Minji wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his hoodie, his voice shaky. "I know that. I do. But I love him, Yuna. I love him so much that it hurts. And I hate feeling like I'm not enough for him. Like no matter what I do, TaeHyun's shadow is always looming over us."
Yuna sighed, pulling away slightly to look him in the eyes. "You are more than enough. Jihoon should be fighting to keep you, not making you feel like you're constantly at risk of losing him. If he can't see how incredible you are, then maybe he's the one who needs to reevaluate things, not you."
Minji let out a small, bitter laugh. "It's just… he didn't even block TaeHyun right away. He acted like it was this huge decision, like he needed time to think about it. And then there's Jamie, who I didn't even know existed. What if there are more people like him from Jihoon's past? How can I trust him?"
Yuna frowned. "It sounds like Jihoon needs to figure out what he really wants. He can't keep dragging you through his unresolved feelings and old flings. You're his boyfriend now, and that should mean something. If he can't show that, then you need to protect yourself, Minji."
Minji leaned his head on Yuna's shoulder, his sobs quieter now. "I just don't know if I can handle losing him. But I also don't know if I can keep living like this."
Yuna stayed silent for a moment, then softly said, "Maybe some time apart will help both of you figure out what you really need. It doesn't have to be forever, but right now, you deserve peace. You deserve to be loved without all this extra baggage."
Minji nodded, sniffling. "I just hope he realizes that before it's too late."
Yuna pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "If he doesn't, then that's his loss. You'll find someone who sees your worth, and they'll never make you question it."
TBC