Fragments of the Past

The days following the art exhibit felt like a small shift in the air. Minhyuk had stepped out of his shell just a little, and though he didn’t feel entirely comfortable yet, something inside him had begun to open up. He didn’t know if it was the quiet encouragement from Seoyeon and Yujin or the weight of the art exhibit, but the once unshakeable walls around him seemed slightly less imposing.

The next week at school was marked by the usual rhythm, but Minhyuk noticed the subtle changes in his interactions with Seoyeon and Yujin. They would seek him out more often, offering him small invitations or simply checking in. Seoyeon would sit beside him during lunch, chatting about her latest projects, while Yujin would occasionally nudge him, teasing him with a playful smile.

Yet despite their increasing warmth, Minhyuk couldn’t shake the feeling of being an outsider. The bond between them—especially with Seoyeon—was growing stronger, but there were moments when it felt like he was watching it all from a distance, like a spectator in his own life.

One afternoon, as Minhyuk sat in the library, trying to focus on his homework, his phone buzzed. He glanced down to see a message from Seoyeon.

**Seoyeon:** *Do you have time later? I wanted to talk about something. It’s important.*

His heart skipped a beat. There was something in the message that made him pause. He wasn’t used to the idea of being needed, of being important to someone else. It was one of the reasons he kept his distance from others—he wasn’t sure how to navigate the responsibility of someone else’s feelings.

Still, he couldn’t ignore it. He typed out a quick response.

**Minhyuk:** *Sure, I’ll be at the park after school.*

The message sent, and Minhyuk felt the familiar flutter of nerves in his chest. He wasn’t sure what this conversation would bring, but something told him it would be different from the usual casual exchanges they had.

---

Later that afternoon, Minhyuk sat on a bench in the park, his fingers absently tracing the pages of his sketchbook. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the ground. He had arrived early, wanting to prepare himself for whatever conversation was about to take place. But the longer he sat there, the more the uncertainty crept in.

He wasn’t sure if he was ready to hear whatever Seoyeon had to say. There was something about her that unsettled him—her ability to draw him in with just a smile, her way of making him feel like he belonged. It terrified him. How could someone so vibrant and full of life ever truly understand someone like him?

Seoyeon arrived a few minutes later, her footsteps light but purposeful. She smiled as she approached, her eyes meeting his with a quiet understanding.

“Hey,” she said softly, sitting beside him on the bench. “Thanks for coming.”

Minhyuk nodded, unsure of how to respond. He was still processing the fact that they were having this conversation. The weight of it settled in his chest, making it harder to breathe.

“Is everything okay?” Minhyuk asked, his voice betraying the unease he felt. He didn’t know why he cared so much, but something about Seoyeon’s demeanor made his heart race.

Seoyeon looked at him for a long moment, her expression serious yet gentle. “I just wanted to talk about you. About... everything.”

Minhyuk blinked, caught off guard by the sudden directness. He didn’t know what to say. He had always kept his thoughts to himself, never sharing too much with anyone. But Seoyeon’s gaze was unwavering, and he couldn’t help but feel like she was offering him an unspoken invitation.

“I don’t really talk about myself much,” Minhyuk admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I guess I’ve always been... more comfortable being quiet.”

Seoyeon nodded, her eyes softening. “I know. And I get it. But I also know there’s more to you than what you show on the outside. You don’t have to carry everything on your own, Minhyuk.”

He swallowed hard, feeling the weight of her words settle into his chest. He wasn’t sure how to respond, how to share the thoughts and feelings he had kept hidden for so long.

“I don’t know how to be part of a group,” Minhyuk confessed, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. “I’m not like you and Yujin. You both... you know how to connect with people. But I don’t. I don’t know how to let anyone in.”

Seoyeon’s smile was gentle, understanding. “You don’t have to be like anyone else. You just have to be yourself. And if you let us, we’ll help you find your way.”

Minhyuk looked down, the weight of her words sinking in. He had never thought about it that way—that maybe he didn’t have to change to fit in, that maybe he could be accepted as he was.

“I don’t want to be a burden,” Minhyuk said quietly, his voice shaky. “I don’t want to hold anyone back.”

“You won’t,” Seoyeon assured him. “You’re not a burden, Minhyuk. You’re part of this, part of our lives. And we want you here.”

Her words were simple, but they carried a weight that Minhyuk hadn’t expected. It was the kind of promise he hadn’t heard in years, and the kind he wasn’t sure he was ready to trust. But somehow, the sincerity in her voice made it hard to ignore.

---

Later that night, Minhyuk sat at his desk, staring at his sketchbook. The words from Seoyeon echoed in his mind, like a quiet hum beneath the surface of his thoughts. For the first time in a long while, he felt like maybe—just maybe—he wasn’t as alone as he thought.

But he knew that trusting them, allowing himself to be vulnerable, was going to take time. And that scared him. But for the first time in a long time, he felt like it might be worth the risk.

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