On Track | MINSUNG

It was so easy to see a future with Jisung, Minho thought, so easy it was hard not to see it as inevitable. They were moving around Jisung's room, putting their uniform on and chatting idly. Monday morning, it was the routine they'd fallen in to.

Jisung woke up at six every morning to take his anxiety medication, and while he went back to bed on weekends, during the week he didn't. Jisung's moving around usually woke Minho, who slowly got up. They were always ready by eight at the latest, sat at the table eating breakfast as they checked their phones, ready to leave for quarter past eight. Jisung liked to get to school early, so on a Monday, Minho was there early too. It wasn't that big of a deal, but come Tuesday morning, Minho was relieved when no one woke him up before his alarm.

But Minho looked forward to Monday mornings, because it felt like they were married, husbands getting ready for their day. It was so domestic, and Minho loved it. He could imagine them, in ten, twenty years, doing the same thing. The actions themselves, of getting up and going to school, weren't special. People everywhere did that every day. But it was doing it with Jisung, of waking up next to him, knowing he was waiting for him every Friday night, that made it special. It was knowing he was important to someone, knowing he was carried in someone’s heart.

Once they got to school, of course, the magic of it all faded and Minho remembered why he hated Mondays. But it was still a nice thought that kept him going throughout the week. Which he would really need, he realised, as he stepped into the food hall at lunch. He'd avoided it at break, trying to put off the argument he knew would happen, but he couldn't avoid it all day.

Within their friend group, they had smaller groups of closest friends, but now, their group was clearly split into two groups. Or rather, three groups. Changbin was sat by himself at the far left of the table, Jongho, Mingi, and Seungmin in the middle, and everyone else on the right. Except Hyunjin, who Minho couldn't see at all. Whatever was going on, Minho wasn't about to pick a side.

'Uh, hey, guys,' he said, feeling rather awkward. Standing in front of them like that, it was like he was being judged, like they were trying to gauge which side he'd pick. 'Is this over the Christmas thing in the group chat?'

'Basically,' San said. He pointed to Changbin. 'He doesn’t want to do anything for Christmas because we don't celebrate it. We want to, since Felix and Chan do celebrate Christmas.' He stood up. 'And I think this is stupid. We decide everything in the group chat, so to drag it into real life is just asking for an argument.' San looked at Changbin, who just looked tired. 'If you don't want to do whatever Felix plans, don't go. Simple. Let me know what you decide, I'm going to go hide in a toilet or whatever until you start acting your age,' San said, walking away. They watched the doors swing shut behind him.

And then everyone started talking at once, voices growing louder as they argued. Jisung curled into himself, pulling his legs in close to his body, his eyes squeezed shut. He clamped his hands over his ears, pressing his face to his knees. Felix put an arm around Jisung, and Minho went to them, his heart aching for Jisung. Minho couldn't imagine what life was like for Jisung, constantly anxious.

'Hey, sweetheart,' Minho mumbled, wrapping his arm around Jisung. Jisung trembled, his breathing fast and hard.

The noise needed to stop. Everyone needed to calm down. Minho let go of Jisung, standing up. 'HEY, shut the fuck up!' Minho shouted.

The voices petered out, and people from all over the food hall looked at him. Minho glared back. He sat back down, glancing at Felix over Jisung. Felix gave him a small smile; Minho returned it. In all honesty, Minho didn't know a lot about Felix, only that Jisung was really close with him. But right then, Minho was glad Jisung had Felix; it was obvious Felix cared a lot for Jisung.