Author's Note: 

Guys, your comments are so cute. <3

You guys make me really happy, and someone from Tumblr even messaged me telling me how they made an account just to read this story! You don't understand how happy that makes me, omfg. :') 

→ A U T H O R

"Jongin, I need you to focus." Jongin's dance instructor, Mr.Jang, snapped.

Jongin shook off his thoughts and stared at the mirror, a reflection of someone he didn't know was looking back at him. He couldn't even recognize himself. 

There were light bags under his eyes, his hair was slightly messy, and he was skinnier than skinny. He was tired, weak, broken, and emotionally drained. He had spent nights crying himself to sleep, crying until it wasn't possible for tears to come out anymore, just leaving him with the pathetic sound of himself whining and sobbing.

Mr.Jang pulled Jongin into a corner of the dance studio, "Are you okay, kid? You look like you haven't gotten any sleep in days." 

"I'm fine." Jongin said, weakly. 

"Don't lie to me. I've been alive for many more years than you have, and I've never seen anyone so un-focused before. There's something bothering you, isn't there?" Mr.Jang asked.

Jongin sighed and nodded.

"It's a girl, isn't it? Kids these days, it's always something about love. What'd she do? Cheat on you?" Mr.Jang asked.

Jongin shook his head, "We never dated."

Mr.Jang looked at Jongin in the eye, observing the younger male. The boy was really off, today. This kid..

"Well then, what's wrong?" 

Jongin felt hot tears run down his cheek.

"It's too late..." he mumbled. It burned him on the inside and out, and Mr.Jang could see it. He could see the young boy's pain.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but no matter what, it's never too late." Mr.Jang comforted Jongin, seeing that he was crying. Never in his life had he ever had one of his male students crying to him, but he guessed that there was always a first time for everything.

Jongin sniffled and wiped his tears, "I-is it okay if I leave early?

Mr.Jang nodded, "Here." 

He handed Jongin some money, which resulted in Jongin immediately denying it.

"I-I could never take your money."

"It's not taking, if I'm giving it to you. It's yours. Go use it to buy yourself some food and then go home and rest. Next time you come to my studio, you better be looking healthy and focused, alright?" Mr.Jang patted Jongin's back.

Jongin nodded, "Thank you." 

Jongin walked out of the dance studio with his head hung low, not even bothering to say another word to anyone. He didn't even say goodbye to Hye Ri.

As he walked out, he could feel people staring at him. He knew he looked terrible at the moment, and he knew that he was only making it worse for himself by staying up and crying. But he just couldn't help it.

Whenever he closed his eyes, there would be this burning pain there. He didn't want to go to sleep, because either way, the pain was still there. Staying up and facing reality was better than sleeping and fanticizing and then waking up to realize that he'd have to face reality, again.

He didn't know what was happening to him, anymore. He just needed someone to be there and comfort him. He needed you. 

*

"..Jongin," your mother answered the door. "Oh, sweetie. What happened to you?" 

She observed the dark-haired boy carefully, noticing his features. He looked skinny, his bones were noticable, his eyes were droopy and he had bags under them. Seeing Jongin as her own son, she couldn't help but feel guilty. 

"Is Minho-hyung here?" Jongin asked, his voice soft and weak. He fought back the tears that he felt forming.

He felt like he was such a bother, disrupting your mother at a time like this. The worst part was, she reminded him of you, which made his knees tremble and his heart break.

Your mother nodded her head, "He's here. He's in his room. Would you like to speak with him?" 

Jongin nodded his head lightly, his head hung low as your mother let him in and he walked to Minho's room.

"Don't bother knocking, just go on and walk right in, okay?" your mother said, patting him on the back.

Jongin nodded obediently. Although your mother told him not to knock, he still did it anyway. He didn't want to barge in, just in case Minho was busy.

Your mother stared at the boy from the living room, noticing how drained he looked and noticing that he had knocked on the door, regardless of what she had told him. She laughed to herself. 

"Come in," Jongin heard Minho's voice call from the other side of the door. The younger male slowly opened the door, and cocked his head in.

"You busy, hyung?" Jongin asked.

Minho shook his head, "Not at all. Come in."

Jongin slowly walked into the room and closed the door behind him, noticing that the room hadn't changed very much. There were still photos of you and Minho all around the room, and then there were some of him and Yuri.

The walls were painted in a dark blue, and now, there was a desktop added in the very cor