In which she breaks down:

Minah's body aches, her head is pounding, her eyes sting with tears. It's been a long day. Everything seemed to be going wrong. It was closing to 7 in the evening and Minah desperately wanted to go home. 
Reyna is looming over her, throwing insults one after another.

But Minah can't hear anything. Only the faint buzzing in her ears. She was tired. So tired.

"Minah, what's your dad's number? I need to call him because you look like you're about to cry. OH WAIT! He left! Whoops." Reyna cackled, her goons giggled along side her.

Minah couldn't take this anymore, "HE'S DEAD YOU S."

That shut them up real quick. Reyna was gaping like a fish out of water, her minions were speechless for once.

Minah had tears in her eyes as she angrily shoved everything in her backpack. She turned to Reyna, eyes burning with fury, "He. Is. Dead. He died when I was ten. He was on the ing phone with me when he DIED."

Minah was breathing heavily. She needed to leave, to walk out of the cafeteria right now. But she also needed to see the guilt on Reyna's face. She craved that pained, weak look in her eyes, "Are you happy now Reyna? Happy that you found my weakness? Are you proud of yourself for weakening me? For reminding me of the loss of the only person I loved?"

"Minah I-"

Minah walked away, not wanting to hear Reyna's response. She walked, borderline ran home, ignoring the weird looks she got. Minah was proud to admit that she doesn't cry easy, but now. She was full on sobbing. She barely pressed the right floor number as her body racked with sobs. Minah ran to the apartment. The door was wide open, Yixing was probably cooking and wanted to clear the kitchen of the spice fumes. Minah ran straight in, ignoring the boys who were all spread out in the living room. She slammed the door shut and locked it, before letting out a loud sob.

"MINAH." She could hear Kris's deep voice yelling for her. His voice quivered with fear. Minah wanted to kick herself, she probably brought back bad memories of Tao.

Minah wasn't like this. She was strong, she kept her chin high. Her philosophy was, no matter how ty you feel, don't show it. It'll only burden the people around you. But Minah was only human. She had her insecurities, her fears.

Minah cried and cried, she couldn't even think straight anymore. Her mind was becoming the dangerous whirlpool of self-loathing thoughts.

She wasn't good enough. 
She could always do better.
She was a burden. 
She was annoying.
The boys probably didn't even like her.

Minah screamed, she wanted these thoughts out of her head.

"MINAH." She faintly heard Kris's voice again. Her door flew open, Kris must have kicked it open.

She felt a pair of arms around her. Minah looked up to see Luhan holding her tight, his playful aura now dampened. His eyes were starting to moisten as he stared at Minah.

Great, now she made Luhan cry.

There was a dip in the bed. Minah turned to see Yixing crawling towards her. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her with Luhan, "Minah what's wrong?"

The dam was cracked. Minah couldn't hold it in anymore.



 

Kris wanted to cry. Seeing Minah crawled up in a ball, her face dripping with tears.....it brought back unwanted memories.

"Don't worry about me Yifan. I'm fine!"

"Oh look at you Yifan! Always thinking about your Taozi, don't worry, I'll never leave you."

"I'm so sorry Yifan....I love you."

Kris mentally slapped himself. No. This is not the time to live in the past, Minah needed him. He watched as Yixing crawled closer to Minah, gently tugging her into his lap as he continued to hold her, her head comfortingly as he tried to calm her down, "What's wrong."

Kris's heart skipped a beat when Minah suddenly stopped crying.

"What's wrong?" She scoffed, yet her voice was dry of humor, "What's wrong? Me. Everything about me, I'm so scared...I'm scared that I'm not enough. That I won't be remembered. I'm feeling more and more stressed and I'm so tired....." Kris's heart ached when her voice cracked a bit at the end. She was hiccuping violently, a side effect of crying that hard.

Chanyeol was sniffing, the said boy was close to tears himself. He knew, very too well what the feels like. To hide your true emotions deep down and to carry on with a smile. Kris looked up to Chanyeol, the latter was so strong. Minah is stronger. Kris felt that she's been through too much, more than him or any of the boys. Kris snapped his fingers, "We should call your mom! Maybe you just miss her, she'll be able to comfort you."

Minah looked skeptical but nodded. Baekhyun grinned supportingly as he booted up Minah's laptop, clicking the little Skype button. Luhan stood up, giving Minah one last kiss on the forehead before joining Minseok on the office chair. Yixing slid Minah off his lap before gently wrapping her blankets around her. Yixing gave her a light squeeze before standing in front of Kris by the door way. Kris wrapped his arms around Yixing's waist, kissing the crown of the smaller's head. Baekhyun found the mom contact and pressed call, stationing the laptop in front of Minah before dashing out of view. Minah bit nervously at her bottom lip as he Skype ringtone echoed through the silent room.

"Minah? What's wrong."

Kris stiffened when he heard the familiar voice of Minah's
mom.

"Mom!" Minah choked out. Kris resisted urge to go and hug her.

"God child, what is wrong with you. Don't tell me it's your little breakdown again."

Kris frowned. Her mom seemed so...irritated, maybe it was a bad time.

Minah looked up, catching the eyes of the boys before looking down again, "Wait mom, can we talk."

"We're already talking now hurry and don't waste my time."

Minah nodded and gulped before repeating everything that she told us. Kris was frightened, on how similar Tao and Minah were. Tao himself came multiple times to Kris, talking about the same problems.

Expect they won't be the same. Kris swore on it. He's going to protect Minah and Yixing with his life. He won't let them feel any pain. They were angels and deserve the world, especially Yixing. Minah finally stopped rambling and looked nervously at the laptop screen. There was silence before her mom spoke up, "You done?"

Minah blinked, clearly taken back, "W-what?"

"I asked if you were done....you drama queen. I told you not to waste your time."

"W-wait but mo-"

"I don't care about your little nonexistent problems. Your making all of this up. So stop wasting both mine and your time and get your head out of the clouds. You're too old to throw a tantrum and you need to be focused on sch-"

Kris didn't let her finish. He slammed the laptop shut. He unplugged it and slid in under the bed, out of Minah's sight. Yixing clambered back on the bed, pulling Minah into his lap again. This time Kris joined them. Minah sat still, not even blinking as she replayed the conversation in her head.

She's didn't care
 

Her mom didn't care about her feelings.

Minah could feel the tears coming back up until she couldn't hold them back anymore. Kris broke all his rules of no touching when he heard Minah start to cry again. She buried her face in Yixing's shoulder.

"S-she doesn't care...I'm hurting and she doesn't even care." Minah sobbed harder, her fist tightening on Yixing's shirt.

Kris felt so bad. He rubbed her back as he held both Yixing and Minah close, "I know peanut and I'm so sorry...."

Kris was sorry.