▲▼▲ WOOHYUN & LUCIA - CACTUS

“Sehun, do you want to know something?” his table partner asked as they worked on their project at his kitchen table.
“What?” he answered back, looking at Minyoung with a smile.
Minyoung smiled slightly, “You’re the first classmate in my life to help me with a project.”
Sehun chuckled, “This isn’t the first time. Remember that first week of school of mine? Speaking of that, I still haven’t received my thank you yet.”
Minyoung rolled her eyes, “Thank you, Sehun.”

Sehun’s heart fluttered, not because of her, it was because of what she had just said. “Thank you...” he echoed her. “I haven’t received a sincere thank you in such a long time...” He looked at Minyoung who continued to work on their other half of the project. “Thank you.”
Minyoung looked up at Sehun, blinking in confusion, “Why are you thanking me?” she asked, with a half laugh.
“For being there for me, and believing and trusting me,” he says as he stares at her. “I like that feeling of having someone by my side and not against me. Thank you,” he repeats.
Minyoung looked down at her project and sighed. “There’s no need to thank me for that. I didn’t do much,” she said truthfully. “Besides, the best feeling is knowing that you’re okay. Not the feeling of company.”

Sehun just smiled as he got back to work. Minyoung looked back up at Sehun. The atmosphere around the two started to turn differently, something that they haven’t experienced in a long time. The feeling of a warm friendship. “Sehun.” The boy looked up at Minyoung once again, but this time no longer smiling. “You could have just been better on your own...” Sehun pressed his lips into a straight line, and averted his attention towards the project again. “If you had just thought about your problems instead of running away from them. Running away from your problem isn’t the right choice, you know.”

“If I never met you,” Sehun started as he looked down, “What do you think my life would have been like?”
It took Minyoung a while to reply. “You wouldn’t still be caught on the problem. The problem would have been solved.” She exhaled as she started writing again. “You know Sehun, you’re different, but in a good way. You’re the kind of person who would think about their problems more, but you feel too pushed down and you don’t get enough appreciation and praise to let out your deep thoughts. You’re also afraid that people will only misunderstand you. You’re too sensitive and easily get hurt and offended by other’s comments. Little did you know that you’re letting yourself down as well.”

“How do you know so much about this?” he asked.
She looked up at Sehun and gave him a small, but kind smile, “I’ve been through it all.” Silence grew in between them for minutes, until Minyoung spoke up again, “You shouldn’t let other’s words choose your path for you. Your decision, thoughts, and comments are more important. Remember when I told you to look in the mirror and to praise yourself? Like I said, your comments about yourself is more important. Why go through your whole life, hearing the same comments that others make about you every day and every single minute of your life? You already heard it once, you don’t need to hear it again. But you need to hear it come out of your lips. At least you know what’s true and what’s not true. Just know that whatever people say about you is false. Only you know you, but you don’t really know yourself fully because you’re hiding secrets from yourself too.”

Don’t be afraid to stand up in front of your uncle. You’re more powerful than him because you can control yourself and your life, not him. If they can’t accept that then, oh well. It’s not their life anyway, it’s yours.” Minyoung paused for a second as she ripped out a piece of paper and gave it to Sehun, ‘But the truths that you tell yourself are all lies, not the truth.’
Sehun looked up at the girl as she got back to her work. He scooted closer to her to only wrap his arms around her waist and hug her tightly. He felt like bawling, and hid his face in her shoulder. “...I know.”

▲▼▲▼▲

Sehun sighed as he walked down the corridors of the school. He glanced at his wristwatch, only thirty minutes until school started. He thought about what Minyoung told him that night before. The paper that she had given him was still in his blazer pocket. He furrowed his brows as he thought and thought and thought continuously. “Sehun, you alright?” Sehun looked up, seeing his fellow classmate, Ilsung.
“Oh, yeah... I’m fine,” he lied.
Ilsung sighed as he stuffed his hands in his pockets, “Lately you and Minyoung have been acting the same. Spacing out, in deep thought... There’s something on your mind that’s bothering you, huh?” the taller male asked.
“I said I’m fine,” Sehun said in a cold, sharp voice before brushing his way past his classmate and towards the restroom.

Sehun sighed as he slouched over the sink. He closed his eyes and breathed in and out slowly. His eyes shot open when he heard the doors of the restroom slammed open as well. He turned around, and bit his lip and exhaled once again. “Leave me alone,” he says.

I don’t put enough cliffhangers so. failed it too. Also a little “pep” talk from Minyoung. I’m ready to get this story ended. Only around maybe 20 chapters left? I don’t know how much I want to extend it to.