♡︎|7

chapter seven—✧♡︎✧—

The evening was cold, and the sky above was already dark, with the faint glow of streetlights casting long shadows on the sidewalk. Hyunjin felt the weight of his thoughts press down on him as he walked home, the cold air not doing anything to chill the turmoil boiling inside of him. He had spent hours with Haeri, trying to calm her down, trying to make sense of her outbursts. And now, as he approached his front door, he felt like his heart was heavy with guilt and confusion.

She had told him, repeatedly, that he was spending too much time with Felix. That it wasn't appropriate, that it was making her uncomfortable. And the worst part? She'd told him that if he wanted to keep her in his life, he had to cut back on his friendship with Felix. That he couldn't touch Felix again. He couldn't hold his hand, joke with him the way they always had. He had to prove that he loved her—only her.

The thought made his stomach turn. Why was she so threatened by Felix? He couldn't understand. Felix is literally a guy, how could she be jealous of a guy hanging out with her boyfriend? Felix is someone he could laugh with, cry with, and just be himself around. Their friendship is so strong because they grew up together and been there together through ups and downs, so of course they are closer than usual friends. Haeri shouldn't worry about Hyunjin and Felix, because they are both just really good friends, and in Hyunjin's head are both straight. This really doesn't make sense to him.

Yet, there he was, trudging home with tears streaming down his face, his heart aching with the knowledge that Haeri wanted him to distance himself from Felix—someone he cared about deeply. The thought of having to be more distant with Felix, to cut him out in the way Haeri demanded, made him physically sick.

Hyunjin unlocked the door to his house and stepped inside, his heart still heavy, his chest tight from the tears that had yet to stop falling. He'd always been so careful with Haeri, doing everything he could to make her happy. She was the first person who had made him feel loved in a way he'd craved for so long. But now, he was questioning whether all of it was worth it. He wasn't sure anymore.

As he walked through the living room, trying to be as quiet as possible, he was startled to see his older brother Minho sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone. Minho's expression immediately shifted when he saw Hyunjin's tear-streaked face. Without a second thought, he put down his phone and stood up, his sharp eyes filled with concern.

"Hyunjin?" Minho's voice was soft but laced with concern. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

Hyunjin stopped in his tracks, his mind spinning, unsure of how to even explain what had just transpired. He was exhausted, mentally and emotionally, and he didn't even know where to begin. He had never been able to keep things from Minho, but this situation was different.

Minho, ever perceptive, closed the distance between them, his gaze unwavering as he studied his younger brother's tear-streaked face. "Hyunjin, talk to me," Minho insisted, a little more urgently this time. "What happened? Is it Haeri?"

The mention of her name made Hyunjin feel his chest tighten all over again, but he couldn't keep it in anymore. He sniffled and wiped his eyes, still standing in the doorway, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Yeah," Hyunjin finally choked out, his voice thick with emotion. "She... she got so mad tonight." He took a shaky breath, struggling to make sense of his own feelings. "She yelled at me for being too close to Felix. Said I can't hang out with him anymore. I can't even touch him—hold his hand—anymore. She said I have to prove I love her." His voice broke at the last part, and he felt the tears start to well up again, his heart aching at the thought of it all. "I don't know why she's like this. It doesn't make sense, Minho. Felix is my friend. He's literally a guy and just my friend! Like yeah, I would get it if he was a girl but he isn't so it doesn't make any sense."

Minho was quiet for a moment, taking it all in. His older brother, always calm and collected, now looked genuinely angry—not at Hyunjin, but at the situation. He took a deep breath, then let out a low, frustrated sigh.

"Hyunjin..." Minho said slowly, his voice serious and firm, "Haeri is a toxic bitch. I hate to say it, but she is. You don't deserve to be treated like this."

Hyunjin stared at his brother in shock, not expecting such blunt words. His eyes widened, and he blinked rapidly, the tears still clouding his vision. "What? No... hyung, I—"

"No, listen to me," Minho cut him off gently, but firmly. He stepped closer to Hyunjin, placing a hand on his shoulder, his expression now filled with concern rather than anger. "You can't let someone control your life like this, especially someone who clearly doesn't respect you. I get that you want to make Haeri happy, but if she's asking you to choose between your friendship with Felix and her, that is a red flag. I don't care how much you love her, no one should demand that kind of control over your relationships."

Hyunjin's breath caught in his throat as he processed Minho's words. A part of him had been afraid to admit it to himself, but Minho's bluntness cut through the fog in his mind. Could it be true? Could Haeri really be the problem? He didn't want to believe it, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Haeri had always been possessive, but this—this was something else entirely.

"I don't know what to do," Hyunjin whispered, his voice breaking once again. "I don't want to lose her. I love her, but... I don't want to lose Lix either. He's my best friend. He's been there for me when no one else was." He sniffled again, the weight of his emotions becoming too much to bear.

Minho's hand tightened on his shoulder, a reassuring squeeze. "You don't have to lose Felix. And you don't have to let Haeri manipulate you into choosing between the people who care about you. You deserve to be loved, really loved, and not controlled by someone who can't even trust you." He paused, his gaze softening. "You're not a prize to be fought over. You're a person with emotions. And you deserve respect—respect from Haeri, and respect from yourself."

Hyunjin stood there, still trembling, unsure of what to feel.

"Maybe... maybe you're right," Hyunjin whispered, finally looking up at his brother. "But what if I can't fix this? What if I can't make things right with her?"

Minho gave him a soft, understanding smile. "You can't fix someone who doesn't want to be fixed. And if Haeri really cared about you, she wouldn't put you in a position where you have to choose."

Hyunjin nodded slowly, his heart still heavy, but now with the weight of realization instead of confusion. "I don't know what I'll do. But I'll figure it out. I need to... I need to talk to her."

Minho gave him a reassuring smile and a small pat on the back. "Whatever happens, I've got your back."

Hyunjin took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. His tears had finally stopped, though his face was still warm from crying. He wiped at his damp cheeks with the sleeve of his hoodie before slumping onto the couch beside Minho.

Minho stayed quiet for a moment, just watching him with that knowing older-brother look—the one that always made Hyunjin feel like an open book.

A silence stretched between them, not uncomfortable but heavy with unspoken thoughts. Then, in an attempt to push the lingering tension away, Hyunjin cleared his throat.

"So... what are you even doing here? I thought you were staying with dad this weekend," he mumbled, leaning back against the couch.

Minho smirked, stretching his arms over his head lazily. "Change of plans. Dad had some work stuff, so I figured I'd come over and remind mom who her favorite son is."

Hyunjin scoffed, rolling his eyes. "She literally called me her 'angel baby' this morning. Nice try."

Minho gave him a look of pure disgust. "Ew. You're, like, eighteen—why is she still calling you that?"

Hyunjin smirked, shrugging. "Some of us are lovable."

"Some of us are delusional," Minho corrected, shaking his head before nudging Hyunjin's knee with his own. "Anyway, what's been going on with you lately? Besides, you know... Haeri being a toxic menace to society."

Hyunjin sighed but let out a small laugh. "Nothing much, just school, the usual." He paused, his lips twitching slightly. "Oh, and Felix is helping mom with some wedding design stuff."

Minho raised an eyebrow, interest piqued. "Felix? Since when?"

"Since always," Hyunjin said, perking up almost immediately. "Mom loves him. She calls him her 'third son' and literally asks for his opinion on everything. Like, she trusts his taste more than mine—can you believe that?"

Minho hummed, watching the way Hyunjin's face lit up the second he started talking about Felix. The way his entire mood shifted from exhausted and emotional to completely animated. And that was when Minho knew.

"Oh, I can believe it," Minho said casually, eyeing Hyunjin closely. "Felix does have good taste."

"I know, right?" Hyunjin continued happily, completely missing the pointed look Minho was giving him. "He's so good at picking out color palettes and flower arrangements—it's kind of impressive. And he's just—" Hyunjin suddenly stopped himself, catching how excited he was getting. He quickly cleared his throat and looked away, face warming. "I mean... yeah. He's cool."

Minho's smirk deepened. "Uh-huh."

Hyunjin shot him a glare. "What?"

"Nothing," Minho said, dragging the word out way too much to mean it. "It's just funny how you were just having a full-blown breakdown, but the second I mention Felix, you turn into a golden retriever."

Hyunjin groaned. "Shut up."

"Nah, this is too entertaining" Minho teased, laughing at how flustered Hyunjin was getting. "Dude, you should see yourself. You look like you just got asked to prom by your celebrity crush."

Hyunjin shoved him. "Felix is just my friend, Minho. And I'm straight."

"Yeah? You sure about that?" Minho just sat back smugly, watching his younger brother absolutely struggle to come up with a solid denial.

"Shut up," Hyunjin finally muttered, crossing his arms.

"Didn't deny it, though," Minho singsonged, grinning.

Hyunjin groaned again, throwing his head back against the couch dramatically. "I hate you."

"No, you love me," Minho corrected, patting Hyunjin's head like he was a little kid. "Not as much as you love Felix, though."

"Minho hyung, I swear—"

"Look, I'm just saying," Minho continued, completely ignoring Hyunjin's protests. "If you weren't so obsessed with convincing yourself you only love Haeri, maybe you'd realize what's actually going on."

Hyunjin stiffened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Minho just gave him a look. A very pointed look.

Hyunjin hated that look.

"It means," Minho said slowly, "you might want to start asking yourself why Haeri's jealousy bothers you so much. And why the thought of losing Felix is making you cry harder than the thought of losing Haeri."

"You're reading too much into it. Haeri's my girlfriend. l love her, she's...pretty"

Minho didn't look convinced. "If you say so."

"I do say so," Hyunjin huffed, shifting uncomfortably.

Minho just smirked, like he knew something Hyunjin didn't. Like he already had all the answers Hyunjin wasn't ready to face yet.

And that made Hyunjin so mad.

So he did what any rational younger brother would do—he grabbed the nearest pillow and smacked Minho in the face with it.

"Okay, okay! Chill!" Minho laughed, swatting him away. "Damn, you're really getting defensive, huh?"

"I hate you," Hyunjin muttered for the second time that night, burying his burning face into his hands.