Untouched [minsung]

Chapter 60

Upon hearing that sentence, Changbin collapsed onto the floor. He fell to his hands and knees and began to sob as he gasped for air.

I dropped to the ground beside him and tried to lift him to a kneeling position. He fought me at first as he struggled to catch a breath, but eventually, he pulled his knees under him and wrapped his arms around me.

He just cried.

He had nothing to say to Lee Know. No bad words for Seungmin (yet). No questions.

He simply cried and cried until his eyes ran dry, and, even then, he continued to sob into my shirt.

Lee Know had stood awkwardly by watching us for a moment, but ultimately left to go back to the living room. He wasn't really close enough with Changbin to understand his emotions very well or how to help him.

I rubbed his back and after a while, he finally pulled away to look at me. His eyes were swollen and his face was wet with tears. He had snot coming out of his nose.

I reached for the tissue box on the counter and handed it to him. He blew his nose and exhaled heavily.

"What happened to Felix?" he managed to ask as more tears pooled in his eyes.

And so I made the executive decision to tell Changbin everything. We sat on the floor of the kitchen together, and I told him about his parents, my parents, Hyunjin's parents, Lee Know, Seungmin, Chan, and Felix. I told him how I really got burnt and about Jeongin. I told him everything that I knew about the terrifying world that he was unknowingly a part of.

Changbin absorbed everything quietly, gasping here and there in shock about the things we'd gone through or things his parents had done.

And, finally, after he knew the basics, I told him about Lily and Felix.

Watching his heart break for a second time over Felix was not something I'd been prepared to do. And he cried again as I hugged him to my chest crying for him. I didn't speak and allowed him to process everything he'd just heard.

I'd basically flipped his life upside down in the span of half an hour.

Changbin finally sat up and looked at me. His entire soul looked broken and cracked. I was sure if he were a glass doll, he'd be shattered in pieces on the floor right now.

"Felix lied?"

I could tell that he wanted confirmation that what he'd felt with him was real. Having been on the receiving end of a boyfriend-for-hire, I knew all too well how much he was second-guessing his emotions. Unfortunately, unlike Lee Know, it really was just a job for Felix.

I tried to tread carefully. I didn't want Changbin to be scared to love. He loved so deeply, and it would be a horrible thing for the world to lose someone so open and giving with their heart.

"Yes and no. Felix was married, and he loved Lily. But he told me and Lee Know multiple times that he loved you too. He just couldn't love you the same way."

"So it was a lie?"

I shook my head. "Lee Know told me that there was a time towards the end when Felix thought Lily was dead. Seungmin had told him your mother killed her. He had wanted to try to be with you for real once he grieved for her. He did love you, Changbin. Please don't doubt that."

Changbin nodded, seemingly believing me, and took several deep breaths. He looked into the living room at the others.

"I take it you didn't bump into Chan and Hyunjin at the cafe either."

I shrugged, and he laid his head on my shoulder as we sat with our backs against the kitchen cabinets.

"So what's the plan to stop Seungmin?" he asked.

"Nothing you have to worry about," I replied reaching out to hold his hand.

"I want to help," he argued. "I've been left out for too long."

"You can't. Your mom would have me killed if she knew I told you all of that."

"Like literally killed?" he asked with wide eyes.

"Yes. Literally killed," I sighed.

"Even though she's your mom too?"

I nodded.

"Okay. I won't say anything, and I'll stay out of it," he agreed

"Thank you," I exhaled in relief.

"On one condition," Changbin bargained as he held up a finger.

I rolled my eyes in response. Of course, there was a condition.

"You have to keep me informed now. Don't leave me out anymore," he pleaded.

"I won't. I promise."

"And you have to protect yourself, too. Don't be stupid."

"I won't."

"I'll protect him, too," Lee Know vowed as he gave me a soft smile. He leaned against the doorframe, and his waist was the tiniest bit exposed since his arm was resting near his head.

I eyed his waist and back to his eyes a few times so he would know but he just gave me a what-can-I-do-about-it dismissive expression. I felt proud of him for not covering up.

"You fucking better," Changbin grumbled beside me, snapping me back to the conversation.

"You okay?" Lee Know asked him.

"I've been better," he joked, and I relaxed into the cabinet. If Changbin was joking then he would definitely be okay.

I stood up and brushed off my behind and held a hand out for Changbin.

"Come on."

"Where are we going?" he grunted as he stood up as well.

"To watch a movie, duh."

"Weren't you guys in the middle of making some huge plot against Seungmin?"

"I think we could use a movie right now, instead," I answered as he continued to hold my hand on the walk to the living room.

"Me too," Hyunjin shouted. I wondered how much of the conversation they'd heard.

As we entered the room, it was obvious that Chan had heard everything and was not happy about me telling Changbin. He'd moved to the far corner of the sofa and had his arms crossed as he scowled at me in disapproval. Hyunjin was sitting on the floor in front of him between his legs and had found another bag of chips. He swayed back and forth as he ate them.

Lee Know, Changbin, and I joined grumpy Chan and cross-faded Hyunjin anyway and watched a movie that none of us would remember.

We all had too much on our minds, but, regardless, it was nice to just sit in silence with each other and avoid all of the problems we were supposed to be facing.