The Weight of the Truth

The days were blurring together, each one a mix of routine and uncertainty. Minhyuk had slowly begun to let himself trust Seoyeon and Yujin, but each step forward felt like a delicate balance, as though he was constantly on the edge of falling back into his old habits. He wasn’t used to being cared for, and sometimes, the kindness they showed him felt like a weight he didn’t know how to carry.

It was another quiet afternoon when the truth finally began to reveal itself. He’d been pushing it to the back of his mind for so long, focusing on his sketches and the brief moments he spent with his friends, but it wasn’t something that could stay hidden forever.

The school bell rang, signaling the end of the day, and Minhyuk slung his bag over his shoulder, preparing to head home. He could hear Seoyeon’s laugh echoing through the hallway as she spoke to some of their classmates. Yujin wasn’t far behind, already gathering her things in a hurry to make it to her next schedule. Minhyuk’s footsteps slowed as he thought about joining them. He wasn’t sure if he should, if he was ready for another evening of easy conversation and shared laughter.

“Minhyuk, wait up!” Yujin called, spotting him in the crowd. Her voice cut through the noise of students bustling through the hallways.

He turned, offering her a small smile. “Hey, Yujin. What’s up?”

Yujin jogged over to him, her usual enthusiasm tempered by a certain seriousness. “Seoyeon’s already outside. She wanted to grab coffee. You coming?”

Minhyuk hesitated. He wasn’t sure if he could handle more of the quiet smiles and friendly banter right now. “I think I’ll pass today,” he said, his voice softer than he intended.

Yujin didn’t push him, but the concerned look she gave him made his heart tighten. “You sure? We could use your company, you know.”

“I’ll be okay,” Minhyuk replied, though he wasn’t entirely sure if he believed his own words.

Yujin studied him for a moment before nodding. “Alright, well, if you change your mind, we’ll be at the café. You know where to find us.”

Minhyuk watched as Yujin walked away, her easy confidence fading into the distance. He stood there for a moment, the hallway growing emptier with each passing second. The weight of everything—the distance he kept, the walls he had built—was beginning to feel unbearable. His thoughts drifted to the truth that had been gnawing at him for weeks now, the knowledge he couldn’t escape any longer.

He was sick.

It wasn’t just a cold or something that would pass with time. It wasn’t something that could be fixed with medicine or sleep. It was a truth he had accepted long ago, but had never fully confronted. And now, it was catching up with him.

His body was beginning to fail him, little by little. He had started to notice the changes more clearly now—how his breath grew shallow when he walked too fast, how his hands trembled when he tried to hold a pencil, how his mind seemed to drift into exhaustion even when he was awake.

But there was one thing he hadn’t yet admitted to himself: He didn’t want to say goodbye. He wasn’t ready to leave.

The realization hit him harder than he expected. There was a part of him—small and fragile—that wanted to hold on. He wanted to stay with Seoyeon and Yujin, to be a part of their world, to let them see the version of him that wasn’t defined by his illness. But he couldn’t bring himself to tell them. Not yet.

Instead, he turned away from the door and walked toward the quiet solitude of his room, where he could hide from the world for a little while longer.

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That evening, Minhyuk sat alone at his desk, staring at the blank page of his sketchbook. He didn’t feel like drawing anymore. His pencil lay untouched beside the open pages, as though the weight of everything he was hiding had drained the creativity from him.

The doorbell rang, breaking the silence of the house. Minhyuk’s heart skipped a beat. It was too late for someone to be visiting, and he wasn’t expecting anyone.

He stood slowly, his legs feeling heavier with each step. When he opened the door, there stood Seoyeon, her familiar smile dimmed by an expression of concern.

“Minhyuk,” she said softly. “Can we talk?”

His throat tightened. He hadn’t expected her to come. Not when he had been so careful to keep his distance. But now, standing before him, Seoyeon looked at him with a quiet determination, as if she already knew.

He stepped aside, allowing her to enter. She walked in, her gaze sweeping over the room before landing on him.

“You’ve been distant lately,” Seoyeon said, her voice gentle but firm. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m not going to pretend I don’t notice. We’re your friends, Minhyuk. You don’t have to do this alone.”

Minhyuk swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest. The walls he had spent so long building were crumbling, and the truth he had hidden for so long was suddenly within reach.

“I’m not... not okay,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “I didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want to burden you.”

Seoyeon took a step closer, her hand reaching out to rest gently on his arm. “Minhyuk...”

He couldn’t stop himself anymore. The words spilled out, raw and desperate. “I’m sick, Seoyeon. I don’t know how much time I have left, and I don’t want you to... I don’t want to be a burden.”

The silence that followed was heavy, the weight of his confession pressing down on both of them. Seoyeon’s eyes were soft, full of understanding and something deeper—something that made Minhyuk’s chest ache.

“You’re not a burden,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “You never were.”

For the first time, Minhyuk felt like he wasn’t carrying this alone. And for the first time, he allowed himself to hope—just a little—that he didn’t have to face the rest of it alone, either.

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