“you’re a mess, darling,” and soohwa does mean it in the nicest way that he can, even if he still internally winces at his choice of the words but it isn’t like the head student feels like he can be too picky about it, not when hyunki is so ready to bolt out. “just stay at least until you’ve calmed down?” he offers, holds onto the same covers that hyunki is but doesn’t reach out for him, eyes as pleading and worried as he sounds. “i’m worried about you going out like this, please, i will do anything, i’ll leave myself if you want to be alone. calm down first and then we’ll do whatever you want, i give you my word.” and indeed, soohwa would go grab the sun if that was what hyunki asked of him to make him stay, soohwa would take his own heart out with his own hands if that was what it took to make the other to stop crying. “just don’t go, please.”
he’s only half listening to soohwa. his words don’t sound mean, he doesn’t sound mad and there’s no harsh edge to his tone. it’s different. hyunki knows he’s different, but it’s just something he can’t shake, can’t get rid of so easily.
and so he’s almost out of bed, feet on the floor when he realizes that, really, soohwa is right.
if the following buzzards after his were anything to go by, it would just do more damage if he was out in the halls, out on campus with teary eyes and a breaking voice. it wouldn’t help, another thing he knows. but the urge to run is still there, the urge to separate himself, put distance between them.
he needs there to be space.
so at the end of the bed he stays, fingers curled into the covers as he tries to work down his sobs, to get over himself. and it should be a little ridiculous, this whole thing. soohwa begging him to stay and trying to comfort him when he’s the one who should be the most upset, and hyunki, shying away from the other boy, crying his eyes out in his underwear.
it should be funny, but there’s not a single thing he can find to laugh about.
in reality, he doesn’t know how long he’s sitting there, wiping at his eyes every so often, but the other stays true to his word. soohwa doesn’t move toward him and he doesn’t try to touch him.
the little things, hyunki supposes.
it isn’t until cookie is popping his head over hyunki’s knee that he can finally calm himself enough to speak clearly, can’t quite get rid of the shakes or look the other in the eye, but it’s a start.
“um...” and his voice is rough, hoarse and it makes him wince. “i...” but he also doesn’t know what to say. “i deleted it.... i deleted it as soon as i realized...” which was much too late. “i’m-- soohwa, i’m so sorry...”