It Began With a Text

Escape

     Out of all the people Hyunjin expected to see today (which was really only Han and Felix), Kim Seungmin had never even crossed his mind once.

     So when his eyes went over to the person whose head was rested on the table, he didn't think twice about it, except for the fact that somebody must be having a bad day.

     The minute that person's head went up, Hyunjin couldn't believe his eyes. His feet moved on their own.

     Hyunjin didn't know what he wanted to accomplish. All he knew was that today, for some reason, his path had aligned with Seungmin's. He had to make the absolute best of it.

     "... Seungmin?" Hyunjin cautiously asked once he reached the table.

     "Hyunjin."

     The bitterness in Seungmon's tone hurt Hyunjin, even though he should have been expecting it. Hyunjin had really missed Seungmin, yet he should have known his old friend wouldn't feel the same way.

     "What are you doing here?" Hyunjin asked, not sure where he was going with this.

     "None of your business."

     Ok, small talk wouldn't work. At this point, Hyunjin knew the only way he would be able to even get anywhere with Seungmin before Han and Felix arrived.

     "Please, can we talk?"

     "About what?" Seungmin asked coolly.

     Hyunjin remained silent, figuring he probably didn't even need to answer that question. Finally, Seungmin sighed.

     "Fine. Talk, and I'll listen. Just keep in mind that I'm meeting a friend soon."

     A friend? Hyunjin decided not to ask and instead took a seat. That's when he noticed that aside from looking angry, Seungmin just seemed really sad, his eyelids drooping. Hyunjin remembered how he had been laying his head on the table just a few minutes ago.

     "Are you ok?" Hyunjin asked.

     "Huh?" Seungmin said, who clearly had not expected the question.

     "I don't know, you just... seem really gloomy," Hyunjin said.

     "Oh, I'm sorry," Seungmin said harshly. "Your old FRIENDS were just in here. I don't expect to be the happiest person in the world after having to hear the sound of their voices."

     Seungmin didn't know why he had decided to tell Hyunjin all of that. He wanted to forget about the encounter, forget about all those people.

     Or did he actually want to bring it up, to get answers? What did Seungmin want?

     "Really!?" So the old gang had been in here. It still made Hyunjin's blood boil that he hadn't been able to see his friends for who they really were until it was too late. "That... must have been rough."

     "Gee, what makes you think that?" Seungmin said, sarcasm dripping in his words. He hadn't wanted to talk, but there was too much on his mind to keep silent. "And it was quite interesting how one of them told me you apparently ditched all of them for my sake."

     Seungmin looked directly at Hyunjin and Hyunjin didn't understand why he looked so hurt.

     "So first you're so sure of your so-called friends that you're willing to side with them and basically make me an outcast, then you're then so sure about me that you ditch all of them? Just make up your mind, Hyunjin." Different events were colliding in Seungmin's mind and none of it made sense. He wanted it to make sense.

     "I-" Hyunjin never expected for things to take this turn. "I made a mistake, Seungmin. Am I not entitled to them?"

     "So that's what it is to you? A simple mistake?" Seungmin didn't even know what he was saying anymore. A small rational part of his mind agreed with Hyunjin. Everyone made mistakes. All Seungmin had to do was to forgive one. It was so simple, wasn't it?

     But no, Seungmin wasn't thinking rationally. He was just... so confused! He didn't want all the hurt he had felt over the years to be labelled as a 'mistake'.

     He looked at the boy in front of him, who had been such a big part of Seungmin's past. Was he a friend? An enemy? What were his intentions? Seungmin was so tired of never knowing what was on people's minds. How would he ever know who to trust anymore?

     Hyunjin was a part of so many of Seungmin's happy memories. But he had also caused him so much pain. And that pain was the only thing burning in Seungmin's mind after all of today's encounters.

     Seungmin stood up. He had to get out of here. He was a mess, he clearly wasn't ready for any of this. He would call Minho after, coming here had been a horrible idea.

     "Seungmin, wait!" Hyunjin felt his heart sink as Seungmin got up to leave. He couldn't leave things like this.

     In his anger, Seungmin didn't even bother to navigate his way to the front of the shop. The back door was right there and he stormed right through it, nobody batting a single eye. Hyunjin didn't hesitate to follow.

     They were in an alley behind the shop which Hyunjin never knew existed. He sped up to keep up with Seungmin, who was speed walking away, determined to get away from Hyunjin.

     "Seungmin, please listen to me!" But Seungmin never stopped.

     Until he did. So suddenly that Hyunjin almost bumped into him. Hyunjin looked to see why Seungmin had stopped in his tracks and he gasped.

     There was a person lying face down on the ground. He wasn't moving.

     "Uh, excuse me, are you okay!?" Seungmin ran up to the person and Hyunjin stayed in his spot, unsure what to do in this sudden situation.

     "OH MY GOD, MINHO!"

     Hyunjin snapped back to reality. "What!?" He ran over.

     Oh my god, it was Minho.

     "What the hell happened!?" Hyunjin had never heard Seungmin sound this panicked in his entire life. Seungmin rested Minho's head on his lap and put his hand on Minho's forehead. "It's burning hot! He's not responding, is he even breathing, why didn't I call him when he was late, why didn't I check to see if he was coming, how did this happen, I-"

     Seungmin stopped talking and put his head down, his breathing coming hard. Gosh, he was so tired.

     "Seungmin, calm down."

     Seungmin looked at Hyunjin as if he had forgotten he was there entirely.

     Usually, Hyunjin was the drama queen in every situation. But not today. He was in shock, but he HAD to be calm. For Seungmin's sake, he had to be the one to remain in control.

     "Ok, I need you to take a deep breath," Hyunjin said. Seungmin obliged. "You took first aid in middle school. Check Minho's pulse, see if he's breathing."

     Seungmin again listened. After a few seconds, he meekly nodded. "He still has a pulse. He's still breathing."

     "Ok, so he's still good, ok?" Hyunjin said. He took out his phone. "I'm going to call 119 and tell them we're here." Quickly, he made the call.

     "They're on their way." Seungmin didn't say anything to that.

     Hyunjin hesitated, but then put his hand on Seungmin's shoulder. "He's going to be ok, ok? You had no way of knowing this would happen, but we've found him now. So stay calm, it's all going to be all right."

     Seungmin only nodded. The two boys waited in silence.

     A dire situation and a friend in need put a pause to the tensions of these old friends.