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With great power comes great responsibility.
That is Changbin's takeaway from the movie he last watched because he is bored and there's really not much going on in his life. Like, nothing. There is not much to do when you're not a protagonist—or a secondary character.
You see, Changbin is an extra.
The extra kind of extra. The blurred face in the background, walking past the corridors while the actual protagonists are having their moments. That level of extra.
His existence is a page filler itself like many other extras. Because there can only be at least two main characters but boy is the sky the motherfucking limit to how many extras there can be in the story.
Changbin is one of those. Luckily.
He really won't have it any other way. His life is easier. He doesn't have to go through the highest of highs and lowest of lows for character developments. He doesn't have to risk his life every three business days. He doesn't have to make life changing decisions that would cause a domino effect as the plot progresses.
He can just sit on his couch, eat tubs of ice cream, wear his ugliest pajamas and watch movies all day. He is literally living his best life without having to be thrusted into such an important role with mountains after mountains of responsibility.
Tomorrow is a Monday though which meant school so with a huff he hauled his ass off the couch, there is an indent on the cushion from where he was sitting for hours while binge watching his movies, as he turns the television off and makes a beeline to the bathroom. It's only ten in the evening but he needs to tuck himself to bed now because even though he's an extra, he still needs to have a healthy sleep routine.
As usual and as per his role, he went to school because his presence needed to be blurred out from the scenes that would be taken. Like he is there but you can barely make out that it was him because he is mostly a faceless figure passing by or a blurred entity lurking in the background.
He makes it past the school gates, pushing his hair back and loosening his tie for a show as he struts his way to his first class. Cheers erupted, girls were squealing their hearts out, boys are whispering at each other and the casting agents lined outside of the school stumbled on their feets, business cards in hand as they stepped on each other to get it to
Minho.
Yes.
The male lead. One of the protagonists.
Lee Minho. Even his name sounds perfect. Rolls off the tongue easily.
Like the famous actor he shares the same name with, Minho is also at insane levels of attractiveness. Changbin could swear that everyday he sees those casting agents from different entertainment companies try and fail to get him signed to them. He takes their business cards just so they stop following him around and discards them as soon as he reaches the nearest trash bin he sees.
He is that cool. He got everything in the palm of his hand. He got every heart laid on his feet for him to step on as he slowly makes his way to Jisung—the other protagonist and his love interest—as the story goes on.
In the current time, he really does make his way to Jisung because Jisung is at the end of the hall, looking all kinds of pretty and delicate in his pale yellow cardigan that swallows his body and goes past his hands only showing his fingertips while he clutches on his books to his chest while talking to his friends. His hair is a halo of chestnut curls, his eyes rival the Milky Way for the many stars it holds in it and his lips form into a heart as he smiles into what his friends told him before he turns around to see what the commotion is about.
Classic scene. They just have to bump into each other or something along the lines for the moment to become perfect.
Changbin moves a little to the side so he doesn't block anyone's view but as he does, he bumped against someone and dropped his phone. The swear word that he blurted caught Minho's attention and as if some last minute change of plans had been made, instead of helping Jisung gather his fallen books after they bump into each other, Minho swooped in and picked up the fallen device.
“Here,” he said. Extending an arm to Changbin with a smile on his face.
Wide eyed, Changbin gulps hard before turning into a sputtering mess as he takes his phone back. Holy shit. This is the closest he'd been to Minho and holy shit he really is fucking handsome.
“T-Thank you.” Changbin croaked, bowing his head and awkwardly straightening up. Yelping when he saw that Minho was still there and smiling at him.
“You're welcome.” Minho said, honey voiced and a sunny smile. His eyes glimmering with something soft, something unfamiliar.
By the moment he tore his gaze off Changbin, Jisung was already being ushered inside the room by his friends. Minho made to leave too but he stopped again and turned to Changbin to say
“See you around.”
Changbin felt chills zip up and down his spine.
Now, Changbin, as mentioned earlier, is very much content with his role. As an extra, he doesn't get any moment to shine. Okay? But he also got to keep himself and his life private. Meanwhile the entire school talks about Minho like they know the ins and outs of his life.
If Changbin lingers long enough in the locker hall, he will surely hear someone talking about how Minho joined the football club, or how he got a new bike last week, or what he ate for lunch. That is just the normal stuff. The not so normal ones would be heard once the crowd dissipates and there are only hushed whispers of how Minho is the son of the leader of the organized crime group that runs the city, or that he is actually a prince, or that he actually owns the school or something like that. Changbin isn't really paying attention to details that much.
He collected his stuff and shut his locker close. Jumping out of his skin and blurting out a cuss word after seeing Minho's face behind the door.
“Great morning to you too.” Minho said, smiling as he leaned against the locker.
Again, classic move from a male lead.
Changbin is not impressed, though. Face void of any emotion as he blinks at Minho. “Uhh… great morning, I guess.”
“Are you off to your class? You're from 4-B, right?” Minho asked, adjusting his bag as he straightened his body.
Confusion evident in his face, Changbin vaguely nods his head. “Yes? How do you know?”
“... “
“... “
“I just know.”
There was a lengthy pause that stretched into almost a minute before Changbin deemed it enough. “Okay… I gotta go though…”
Minho's arm shot out and in a blink of an eye, he already had Changbin's wrist clasped on his hand. Changbin almost got a whiplash from how fast he turned, eyes almost bulging out of its sockets.
“Let me walk you to your class.” Minho said with the handsomest smile on his face.
Changbin felt the air around him pulsate and shifted and frantically looked around. What? What's happening?
“Let's go?” Minho asked, which earned him a faint yes as Changbin looked around warily even as he was being dragged by the hand.
In class, Changbin sits in the middle row because there is a rule that says that protagonists should always get the window seat so they can stare outside and at the falling leaves from the trees while they daydream.
So, yeah, middle rower Changbin takes his seat and readies his stuff on the table. And oh, yeah, he almost forgot to tell you. He is classmates with Chan—the second lead.
Chan is the perfect second lead. He is nice, handsome, strong, athletic and is in an eternal state of being friend zoned, bro zoned, best buddy zoned by the protagonist Jisung.
Honestly, Changbin kinda feels bad for him sometimes because the guy is putting in the work, exerting effort and going the extra mile to get Jisung to fall in love with him but it's just not for him.
The second lead never gets the love interest.
So he just stands there and watches as Jisung fawns over Minho like everyone in the school does. Poor guy had to be there standing with his heart in his hand only to be told by Jisung that he is his bestest friend forever and ever.
“Settle down, guys. Mr. Park is coming.” Chan tells his classmates then he smiles when he sees Changbin.
You see, Changbin took so much pity on the guy that he had to befriend him. Yes. He is friends with Chan. Which is, if you think of it, not much of a thing because even second leads need their own friends too.
They hang out sometimes when Chan is not busy trying to take over Minho's role. They had similar interests and had stuff to talk about and Chan is just really nice to have around. He talks a lot, is respectful, has dimples pressing on his cheeks each time he smiles and seriously, Changbin would have fallen for him already if he is allowed to. That is why he can't believe why Chan is just a second lead but maybe that is why he is the second lead because the second lead won't be able to go up against him if he is the male lead.
During lunch, Chan and him sit together in the cafeteria because Jisung is busy being a main character and doing stuff that makes him a main character and as usual, he listens to him ramble about stuff until the conversation steers into Jisung. Jisung's smile, Jisung's laughter, Jisung's love for cheesecake and anything and everything more about Jisung. Changbin may not be personally acquainted with him but he feels like he knows him a lot now because of Chan.
Soon, class ended and Changbin was taking his usual route home when someone popped out of the shadows and blocked his way.
“Minho?” Changbin has his fist raised and ready to swing but he puts it down when he sees who it was. “What are you doing here? Don't you live in the opposite direction?”
Minho had his hands in his pockets, tongue in cheek and eyebrows drawn together. His gorgeous features twisted in an expression that resembles that of annoyance. Pissed off. He looks pissed off.
“Minho? Did you hear—”
“Don't hangout with him."
Okay..? But what happened to hi? Hello? How are you? Do we just go around and tell random people what to do now? Isn't that rude?
“Huh?” Changbin gawked at him.
Minho takes a step forward, Changbin takes a step back.
“I said,” there's a glint of danger in Minho's eyes as he looks at the extra. “Don't hang out with him.”
“Dude, what the hell—” Changbin laughed. Slapping his knees and doubling over. “That's a good one, man. You almost got me there.”
He clapped a hand on Minho's shoulder which is a wrong move because Minho grabbed his hand and held it. Eyes narrowing again as he speaks with a calm yet stern voice.
“I'm serious, Binnie.”
Fuck, what now? What is he getting serious about? And what is with him always grabbing Changbin's hand?
With a grunt, Changbin managed to extract his hand out of Minho's grip. He has been holding him so tight that he almost thought that it left a bruise. Thank God it didn't.
“Binnie? Who the hell is Binnie? I know no Binnie!” He yelled, taking another step back only to find himself backed against the wall.
Crap.
“Binnie,” Minho called softly. “Just listen to me, okay? If you want I'd hang out with you, I'd take you to any place you want, I'd buy you any food you want. Just don't—don't hang out with him.”
Minho has a few inches on him and Changbin has to crane his head to look at him while he talks him into free food and transportation. In all honesty, free food alone is enough for Changbin but he reminds himself to not get swayed by the offer.
Focus, Changbin. You can't let him get his way.
He cleared his throat and looked away but the moment he does, a hand slams on the wall beside his head as Minho levels his gaze with him. Caught off guard, Changbin cusses.
“What the fuck, man? Are you for real? Are you trying to get me killed?” He yelled at his face.
Minho's gaze turned inquisitive, tilting his head to the side in wonder. “Killed?’
Panicked, Changbin looks around and reduces his volume into a hush. “Yeah, killed. She's going to kill me if you don't stop doing this!”
As if he is not getting what Changbin is trying to tell him, Minho straightens up and looks around. Making a show of searching for something, someone even though he clearly doesn't know what he is looking for.
“She? Who is she? I don't see any women around? In fact, there is no one here but us.”
Changbin gestures for him to keep quiet with the motion of zipping his mouth shut. Minho raised a questioning brow.
“Look, Binnie. I don't know who she is but whoever that person is,” he paused to collect Changbin's hands again. “I won't let her hurt you.”
“Dude, tell me you're joking. Tell me. Tell me that you're joking, there's no way that you don't know her!” Changbin yelled out of frustration. Now he is the one getting pissed off.
An impassive look remains on Minho's face and Changbin wants to scream. How come this idiot doesn't know who he is talking about? He is literally a male lead! A protagonist! There's no absolute way that he doesn't know about ‘her’! The one who created him and everything in this goddamned universe!
“Binnie.” There goes the look and the voice again. If he continues to do this, Changbin is going to need some divine intervention. “I swear, as long as I'm here, no one can hurt you, okay?”
A sob almost made it past Changbin's lips. At the rate Minho is going, he is going to need to subtly hint about his character's imminent death to his friends and family just in case he doesn't show up in the next chapters because it seems like Lee Minho is on a mission to purge his character.
As days go by and as the pages of the story have been flipped, Minho kept chasing Changbin and Changbin kept on running away from him.
Like it is some sort of a game to him, the more Changbin runs away the more Minho chases after him. Completely abandoning his role as a male lead and not tending to Jisung. Leaving the lovely brunette all by himself and with Chan as Chan shoots his shot and misses every damn time.
All the shooting skills in the world and still can't get a ball in Jisung's court.
“Binnie! Let's walk to your class!”
That is on Monday.
“Binnie, I heard you like French fries. Here, I brought you some.”
That is on Tuesday.
“Binnie! There's a newly opened amusement park in the city, how does the weekend work for you?”
That is on Wednesday
“Binnie! Wait for me! I'll walk you home!”
That is on Thursday.
Now Friday is a gym class day.
Which means they will play sports.
Mr. Park talked Mrs. Lee into letting her class play dodge ball against his class which meant Class 4A versus Class 4B.
Which meant the two class representatives would go up against each other. Minho versus Chan. Two of the most competitive motherfuckers in the school.
There is literal opposing energies zapping between them as they engage into a heated glaring contest. Minho's ever sharp gaze sharpens even more as if to pierce into Chan's very own dark one's that also got darker when it landed on Minho.
Since 4B had more students in it, some of the students there were transferred to 4A for the game so the teams have an equal number of members. One of them is Changbin who again is just another blurred face in the background as Minho stood front and center.
Behind Minho stood Jisung. Timid, delicate Jisung whose knees bent inwards as he let out a high pitched scream when Chan started throwing the ball. Purposely aiming for Minho who dodges the ball effortlessly, moving like a cat. Flexible and cool even under pressure.
Changbin has been watching the shit happen from the side like the extra that he is but one specific throw of the ball went past Jisung's head and curved towards Changbin's direction. He had half a second to react but Minho needed none of that as he threw himself in front of him, using his entire body to shield him from the ball. Landing on the ground with a loud thud.
For a moment there is only the sound of labored breathing as sweat rolled down the side of Chan's face. Jisung had a hand clapped on his mouth, wide eyed.
“M-Minho!” Changbin heard himself call, rushing to his side and worriedly cradling his head on his lap to check if the idiot cracked his skull.
Jisung and Chan and the rest of the field stood frozen on their spot.
“Minho!” Changbin calls for the second time. The boy in his lap stirs awake, groaning as he cracked an eye open.
The pained frown on his face quickly changed into a smug smile when he saw that it was Changbin holding him.
“I told you I'll protect you, didn't I?”
What the hell is wrong with this dude?
Changbin clicked his tongue, carelessly pushing Minho's head off his lap and stomped out of the field. Minho yelped, rushing to his feet as Mr. Park and Mrs. Lee asked him if he needed to be taken to the infirmary. He glanced at the direction that Changbin took, smirking as he says
“No, I'm alright. Let's continue.”
The game continued. The cheers can be heard all the way to the restroom where Changbin hides inside one of the cubicles. Clutching on his racing heart. Damn, Lee Minho is really going to be the death of him.
Since then, Changbin did his utmost best to avoid going through another Lee Minho crisis.
In fact, he is avoiding everyone including Chan. He can't be more involved than this. He already took a lot of spotlight from Jisung. He is not even a secondary character, he is nothing but a mere extra.
One of the many blurred faces in the crowd.
And he is literally fearing for his life now. Like, for real.
He woke up covered in sweat thinking that he died already. He felt immense fear shrouding him anytime he is around any of the lead characters especially around Minho.
And, he is doing great in this little hermit mode of his.
No Lee Minho in sight for days. No Han Jisung. Chan is another thing because they're literally classmates but he still got the message that Changbin wants to be alone and respects that.
Seo Changbin lived his little life as an irrelevant extra in peace for days. Weeks even. Binge watching movies, eating tubs of ice cream in his most comfiest sleep shirt on the couch.
He was in his third installment of the XMEN movie franchise when the doorbell rang. Thinking that it was one of those delivery guys that got his sister's package, he opened the door.
Lo and behold, Lee Minho all drenched in rain as he stood across Changbin.
Where did the rain even come from? It's literally sunny outside just minutes ago.
“What are you doing here? How'd you know where I live?” Changbin asked, suddenly very aware of how he looked. Which is shit. He looks like shit at the moment. No shower. No clean clothes. No comb has touched his mess of a bedhead that day.
“Binnie…”
That just got to be the saddest Binnie he ever heard come out of Minho's mouth.
“Binnie…” Minho called again, voice breaking like it physically pains him to be so near yet so far from him.
Before Minho could even do anything more stupid than finding his home and going there all soaked in rainwater, Changbin closed the door but the door didn't shut because Minho managed to wedge his arm in between.
“Get your hand off the door, moron! You're gonna break a bone!” Changbin yelled.
From the other side, Minho yells back with an “I don't care if I get hurt! I'm already hurting!”
They continue their little struggle of push and pull from either side. The movie playing in the living room served as a background noise to their struggle.
“What the fuck are you on? Let go now!”
With that, Minho stops struggling. Letting his hand fall and leaning his forehead on the door instead. Droplets of water fall from his damp hair as he sags forward. Seemingly losing all strength in his body.
“You're hurting me, Binnie. Why are you doing this to me? Why are you avoiding me? I can't take it anymore, Binnie. I feel like I'm going to die if I don't see you now.”
Changbin scowls, hitting the door and jostling Minho from the other side. “If you don't quit this shenanigans of yours, you're not the one that's gonna fucking die!”
“Binnie, please…”
“You have Jisung! Why don't you go after him instead?” Changbin is seriously getting frustrated now. Why should he be subjected to this?
There's silence that stretched for so long that Changbin almost thought that Minho left already until he heard sniffing sounds.
“Why are you telling me to go after him? He's not who I want, Binnie!” There's an obvious strain in Minho's voice as he says this as if he's struggling to speak.
Changbin is rendered speechless like someone held a gun at his face and threatened to pull the trigger.
A beat of silence later and as the ending credits of the movie started rolling up, Minho leaned his back against the door and tipped his chin to the sky. Eyes falling shut as he takes a shuddering breath before speaking again.
“It's you, Binnie. You're the one that I want. No one else. So please don't do this to me. I really like you, I really really like you so please don't do this to me. Don't tell me to go for someone else, please.”
The speed that the bullet went with when it was fired from the muzzle of the gun had Changbin's chest caving in, knocking the air out of his lungs with no time to process the shock that he felt upon the confession.
This is it. He's really going to fucking die now.
He felt his strength left his body, his grip on the doorknob loosened. His hand fell from where it was holding the door closed and soon it opened and Minho quickly slithered out of it and to him, enveloping him in a hug.
“I miss you.” Minho said, nuzzling on his hair.
If his sister did not arrive and saw him with Minho, he would have just brushed it off as a dream.
But his sister is there and she can confirm everything she saw. Her baby brother is in an act of embrace together with the pretty boy at the doorstep of their family home.
So, Changbin went to bed when ten in the evening struck and woke up the next day with the sound of small rocks being thrown at his bedroom window.
He groggily went to see who the fucker that's disturbing his sleep is and saw a smiley Minho, grinning from ear to ear and standing beside his big bike outside his house as he says
“C'mon down, Binnie! We're going to get late!”
Grumbling, Changbin slammed the window shut and beelined to the bathroom to get ready for school. Minho is right. They're really going to get late if he doesn't hurry his ass up. He snatched a slice of bread from the pantry and bit it while wearing his backpack.
Minho was twirling a helmet when he went out and he quickly got Changbin to wear it.
“To protect your pretty head.” He said while clasping the straps. Changbin rolled his eyes at that.
The rumors are true though, Minho really did get a new bike but he walked Changbin home a lot of times before. There's really a lot of things wrong about this guy.
“Hold on tight.” He said while guiding Changbin's hands around his waist when he felt him hold onto his jacket.
Changbin is practically hugging him now and he can smell the expensive cologne he put on. The engine roared and soon they were speeding away. Changbin's hold on him gets tighter as they round a corner. Minho talks nonstop about the newly opened ice cream parlor that they should definitely try, according to him.
Behind him, Changbin finds the camera and looks at it with a pleading look on his face as he mouths
Please save me.