Breaking the Silence

Minhyuk’s attempt to sketch a face became a recurring challenge over the next few days. Every time he tried to bring it to life, he found himself erasing the lines, frustrated by the gap between his vision and the reality on the page. His thoughts, too, were harder to erase.

The thought of making real connections, of letting people in, felt like a foreign language to him. He had been fine alone for so long. People like Seoyeon and Yujin, with their constant attention, their effortless charm, seemed like an entirely different world.

But as the days passed, he began to notice the subtle shifts in the way they interacted with him. It wasn’t anything dramatic—just small gestures of kindness, invitations to join them at lunch, or casual conversations in the hallways. They weren’t forcing him into anything. They simply existed in a way that made him feel... seen.

One afternoon, after school, Seoyeon approached Minhyuk again. This time, she wasn’t alone. Yujin was with her, her usual cool demeanor softened by the warm spring air.

“Hey,” Seoyeon greeted, her tone casual. “We were wondering if you wanted to come with us to a café. We’re just going to relax for a bit.”

Minhyuk hesitated, the instinct to refuse bubbling up in his chest. But for some reason, he didn’t. Maybe it was the way Seoyeon was looking at him, or perhaps it was the lingering thought that he’d regret turning them down.

“I suppose,” he said quietly, finally looking up at them. “I can come.”

The café was small, tucked away between two shops on a quiet street. The atmosphere was cozy, and the chatter of other patrons blended with the soft clinking of cups. Seoyeon and Yujin led the way to a table by the window, the sunlight casting a golden glow on their faces.

Minhyuk followed them, sitting down hesitantly. He felt out of place at first—his usual solitary nature clashing with the energy the two girls brought to the table. But Seoyeon and Yujin didn’t seem to mind his silence. They chatted easily, sharing stories from their respective worlds.

“Did you hear about that drama Seoyeon’s doing?” Yujin asked Minhyuk, a smirk tugging at her lips. “It’s going to be a huge hit. I bet her fans are already planning a fan club meeting, huh?”

Seoyeon rolled her eyes. “Not everyone is obsessed with that, Yujin. Some of us just like to act without expecting the world to notice.”

Minhyuk watched the back-and-forth with quiet amusement, a small smile tugging at his lips. It was hard not to be drawn in by their dynamic, by the ease with which they could tease and laugh. They didn’t need to ask for his participation—they simply made space for him in their world.

“You should visit the set sometime, Minhyuk,” Seoyeon added casually, her eyes sparkling with that same enthusiasm. “It’s always a bit hectic, but it’s fun. Maybe you’ll find something interesting to draw while you’re there.”

Minhyuk paused, his mind racing. He had never considered visiting a film set, much less one as high-profile as Seoyeon’s. He had always thought of his drawings as something private, something that existed only in the quiet moments when he was alone.

“I might,” he said slowly, unsure of the offer but also intrigued by the idea. “I’d like to see it.”

Yujin raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “We’ll make a fan out of you yet, Minhyuk.”

Despite the teasing tone, there was something warm in her voice. Something that made him feel like he was starting to belong, even if just a little.

As the afternoon wore on, Minhyuk found himself becoming more comfortable with their company. The quiet distance he had once kept was slowly being bridged by their patience. By the end of the day, when they stood to leave, he realized he didn’t want to go back to his lonely routines.

---

The next day at school, Seoyeon and Yujin continued their efforts to draw Minhyuk out. Seoyeon sat beside him in the library during lunch, occasionally glancing at the pages of his sketchbook, while Yujin sat nearby, fiddling with her phone.

“So, what are you going to draw next?” Seoyeon asked, her voice light. “Any more landscapes? Or maybe a portrait of me?”

Minhyuk blinked, slightly thrown off by her comment. “Portraits? I’m not really good at those... I don’t think I could—”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Seoyeon interrupted with a teasing grin. “I bet you could do it. You’ve got the talent. All you need is to try.”

Minhyuk hesitated, glancing down at the empty page in front of him. “Maybe I’ll try,” he murmured.

The words felt strange, like they were opening up something he had kept hidden. But as Seoyeon smiled at him, her approval more than enough, he found that he wanted to try.

---

Later that evening, as Minhyuk sat alone in his room, he opened his sketchbook once more. This time, he didn’t just sketch an outline. He began to form the details of a face—a face that wasn’t Seoyeon’s, but one he had seen earlier in the day, a face he had glanced at in the hallway. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start.

Maybe, just maybe, making connections wasn’t as impossible as he had once thought.

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