Chapter Text
Seungmin doesn’t really get the other members’ fascination with Felix. It isn’t to say that he doesn’t like Felix; that’s probably a crime somewhere, most likely their dorm, but also not liking Felix is just not possible. Still, Seungmin likes Felix but he isn’t going as far as to say that Felix is his favorite member or the member he’s most whipped for. That title most likely belongs to Jeongin and a part of Seungmin is actually confused at how their youngest isn’t complaining that he isn’t the hyungs’ favorite.
“But I love Lixie hyung a lot too.” Jeongin would always say. It isn’t exactly an explanation.
Seungmin is a curious child by nature and he really wants to know why. So conducting an investigation to find the answer seems like the way to go.
--
Seungmin isn’t so sure how to proceed with his investigation. It seemed like a great idea when he was thinking of it but now that he’s actually thinking of doing it, he’s lost on what to do. It isn’t like he can just ask the other members why they liked Felix so much. He’ll probably be met with confused stares, judging looks or even a lecture about how dumb his question is.
In the end, he comes to the conclusion that he needs his investigation to start with people that won’t judge him and his curiosity, won’t necessarily think that loving Felix to that extent is a given. He’s going to ask Hyunjin and Jisung.
“Why do I love Felix?” Jisung repeats for the nth time since Seungmin has dragged them to their room.
Hyunjin is lying down on his own bed, humming as a sign that he’s still listening. The hyungs have taken Jeongin and Felix out for ice cream so Seungmin grabbed the chance to corner Hyunjin and Jisung, pouncing on the two before they can join the others. Jisung had scowled at him, reaching for Felix but Seungmin still managed to rope him back to their room.
“I cannot believe I had to miss out on ice cream and Felix and Lix eating ice cream for you to ask that question.” Jisung says with a huff.
Seungmin rolls his eyes. “I’ll buy you one later.”
“Me too.” Hyunjin pipes up.
“Ugh, yes, you too.” Seungmin groans. “Now, can you answer my question?”
“No because is that even a question?” Jisung huffs again. Seungmin is convinced that the rapper is just doing it to annoy him. Seungmin must have forgotten how attached the sunshine twins are.
Seungmin rolls his eyes again, kicking Jisung’s thigh. “If it wasn’t then why would I ask?”
“Because you’re dumb.” Jisung retorts, moving away from Seungmin’s leg.
“Nah, he’s not dumb, just curious.” Hyunjin says, rolling to his side. “Aren’t you, Minnie? You’re just curious why everyone loves Felix that much.”
“Yes! Finally!” Seungmin exclaims, crawling towards Hyunjin. “I knew you were smart, Jin.”
“Thanks, I try.” Hyunjin fixes Jisung a levelled look. “Not that Jisung is much competition.”
“Yah!” Jisung exclaims.
Seungmin moves to the side as he lets Hyunjin and Jisung wrestle. He taps his knee impatiently, knowing better than to interrupt the two when they’re mock fighting like this. It just ends with Seungmin getting roped in their fight and Felix coming in thinking that they’re ‘playing’ and jumping on the three. The image makes Seungmin smile.
“Eww, Minnie is smiling by himself.” Jisung’s comment brings Seungmin back to the present.
Seungmin shakes his head, focusing back to what he wanted to ask. “Shut up and answer me already.”
“Why are you asking though?” Hyunjin asks, pulling on Seungmin’s foot until the vocal is sandwiched between Hyunjin and Jisung. “Do you not like Felix?”
“Yah, Kim Seungmin, how dare you!” Jisung reacts before Seungmin can even respond. “Felix is the sweetest angel that has ever graced the planet. His cuddles are the best and he always does his best to cheer us up! Lixie always brings food to our studio when me and the 3racha hyungs are working.”
“I never said I didn’t like Felix!” Seungmin counters when Jisung pauses to breathe. “I don’t not like Felix because we all know that isn’t possible.” He chuckles when the two nod their heads in sync. “I just don’t like him… that much? Not to the extent you guys like him.”
Hyunjin and Jisung exchange looks. Hyunjin shakes his head at whatever went on in their silent conversation and turns back to Seungmin. “Well, what answer do you want?”
“Your answer?” Seungmin replies, a little confusedly. “What do you mean?”
“Then I’ll give you my shallow answer first.” Hyunjin says a little distractedly before he flashes a smirk. Seungmin feels a shiver crawl up his back. “For starters, Felix is cute. He has that cute smile that makes his eyes turn into the cutest crescents. When Lix is happy, his entire face lights up even brighter than normal. He has that kind of face that you just can’t help but smile back at him.” Seungmin finds himself nodding along to whatever the older is saying, Beside him, Jisung has turned to a bobble head. “And don’t even get me started on his freckles.” Hyunjin says, a sigh mixing with his words. “I can’t believe our sunshine boy has his own constellations.”
“Well, the sun is also a star. Maybe the other stars didn’t want to let go of Lix.” Jisung comments, looking thoughtful as he speaks.
Seungmin snorts at the answer. “Look at you using your sentimental brain right now.”
“Felix is the perfect sentimental muse.” Jisung says unabashedly.
Hyunjin snorts, pushing Jisung’s face. “Shut up and let me finish.”
“Eww, your hand tastes disgusting.” Jisung says, making a face as he pulls away. “It’s not like what you’re saying is important. You like Lix just because he’s cute? How rude.”
“I said this was my shallow answer. Plus…” Hyunjin pauses, looking at the two with darker eyes. “Felix isn’t just cute. Our sunshine baby is hot too.”
Seungmin thinks he hear Jisung swallow nervously beside him but he can’t make himself look away from Hyunjin, raptured by the way the older was speaking.
“So, Minho hyung and I were making some last minute changes to our choreography, right? And Felix just came from the studio after someone here kidnapped him.” Hyunjin pauses to throw a glare at Jisung but the dark look quickly flickers back. “Our baby Lix didn’t know that the aircon was broken in the practice room so he was wearing a black shirt of all things. Within half an hour, he was already complaining that it was hot. He said that and within one second, his shirt was off and gone.”
Jisung actually lets out a gasp at that, holding onto Seungmin’s arm. Seungmin would have pushed him off right now but he can’t move, too busy imagining the scene play out. It isn’t like seeing each other half dressed is anything new; privacy is nothing but a dream in this dorm. However, Seungmin is sure he hasn’t seen Felix half naked longer than a few seconds. The young Australian tended to be shy when it comes to things like that, always bringing his change of clothes in the bathroom.
“Well?” Jisung prompts, apparently snapping out of whatever trance he was in. “So you saw Lix half-naked and then what?”
Hyunjin rolls his eyes. “Impatient much?” He whines when Jisung halfheartedly punches his shoulder. “Anyway, so Lix removed his shirt and I swear you wouldn’t believe how beautiful he looked. I mean he already looked beautiful but his body! He’s not gonna win any arm wrestling contests against Changbin or Chan hyung anytime soon but Felix isn’t skinny. He’s actually pretty fit but lithe, you know. He has abs for crying out loud!”
Jisung, honest to god, whimpers at what Hyunjin has said and Seungmin is slightly worried with the way the rapper is digging his fingers into his arm but he can’t say he’s unaffected by Hyunjin’s statement. Minho has been teasing Felix about showing his ‘baby tummy’ to the group, even tugging on the younger dancer’s shirt but Seungmin thought that Minho was just being his playful self. It looks like he does have ground for that after all.
“So yeah, Felix has abs and he was all sweaty and stuff. I felt like a manga character watching him, to be honest. Not that Minho hyung was better but that isn’t for me to share.” Hyunjin finishes, patting Jisung’s knee. “Maybe you’ll get to see it one day, Sung ah. Maybe.”
“I’m going to your dance practice tomorrow!” Jisung announces. “Seungmin and I are going!”
“W-what?” Seungmin exclaims. “I never said I was!”
“Come on!” Jisung pleads, turning to him with puppy eyes. “Don’t you want to see that miracle for yourself?!”
(Jisung and Seungmin do, in fact, show up at the dance line’s practice the next morning with Jisung bouncing excitedly on the balls of his feet while Seungmin just stands there, willing himself not to blush when Felix and Minho both look at them in confusion. Felix does not, however, remove shirt throughout practice. Because there was no practice at all, just yoga. Hyunjin merely throws the two a smirk while Felix helps him do a difficult pose.
Jisung can only groan.)
--
Seungmin’s investigation is on pause because the vocal can’t look at Felix without blushing. He has to wait until he can actually be around the other without resembling a tomato. It takes quite a while but it eventually fades into the back of his mind so Seungmin continues on, cornering Jisung in the living room.
“Dude, what is it?” Jisung complains when Seungmin pulls the controller away from his hands. “If this is another stupid question, then please let me play in peace. I am frustrated.”
“Still haven’t seen Lix change?” Seungmin guesses.
Jisung throws his hands in the air. “How is it possible that we, his roommates, have never seen him change clothes properly? What did Hwang Hyunjin do to deserve that?”
“Better coordination skills, I think.” Seungmin sighs, pinching Jisung’s thigh. “You didn’t answer my question last time.”
“Uh, yes, I did?” Jisung says, rubbing his thigh. “Your pinches are more annoying than hurtful, by the way.”
“Shut up. And no you didn’t! You were busy drooling about Felix’s body.”
“You’re sounding a little jealous there, Min. I might think that you actually like Felix.” Jisung teases, ignoring Seungmin’s protests as he purses his lips in thought. “Why do I love Felix, huh? Other than the obvious answer of what’s not to love about him?” Jisung pauses long enough to look at Seungmin, humming when the younger nods. “Felix is my soulmate.”
The sincerity in Jisung’s voice is enough to make Seungmin blush even though the words aren’t directed to him. “You’re such a sap.” Seungmin says, voice a little too soft to actually be annoyed.
“Thanks.” Jisung chuckles. “But kidding aside, I mean it. Felix is my soulmate. Maybe it’s being born a day apart but still. Felix just gets me, you know. He never judges me for anything I say or do. I don’t have to be all responsible when we’re together; he lets me have my fun, indulging me with all my whims.” Jisung grins. “It’s like having a partner in crime but nicer. When I want to work on the lyrics though, he still stays with me, even helping me with a few of his own.”
“You guys still talking about Felix?” Hyunjin’s voice startles Seungmin and it makes the taller snicker. “You looked like a child listening to Jisung, Minnie.” He teases, ruffling the vocal’s hair as he settles on the couch.
Seungmin feels himself flush, shaking his head. “S-shut up, Jinnie.”
The dancer merely flashes him a grin. “And you, you disgusting sap…” Hyunjin says, poking Jisung’s forehead with a finger. “Why does your tone only get like that when you’re talking about Lixie hm?”
Seungmin might have let out a little gasp when Jisung actually blushes, ducking his head shyly. “Ah, well, it’s just… it’s Felix, you know.” The rapper gestures around feebly, hands moving in the air with no purpose. “I mean, even just the mere thought of him is enough to make me feel soft.”
“Yeah.” Hyunjin agrees, leaning back against the couch with a dreamy sigh of his own. Seungmin feels a little lost.
Jisung suddenly jolts up from his spot, running off on his own. Both Seungmin and Hyunjin stare at his retreating back, waiting for him to come back and explain. It takes a few minutes but the rapper eventually does return, clutching a notebook and taking his own spot back. Wordlessly, Jisung opens it, prompting his fellow 2000 liners to read.
The notebook is littered with Jisung’s familiar scrawls, lyrics mixing with one another that Seungmin has to wonder how Jisung actually makes sense of anything in here. But Seungmin knows that it isn’t why Jisung is showing them this. It’s in the cleaner lines mixed in between the messy scrawls, characters written carefully, almost hesitantly. Hyunjin slides down from the couch, peering in closer to read it better. The writings are a mix of Korean and English jumbles, with a few doodles as well. Seungmin particularly likes the small comic panel that Felix has written. It takes up an entire page of the notebook and the little flower characters are oddly cute and amusing.
“Lixie is so cute.” Hyunjin coos, probably reading the same thing and Seungmin finds himself nodding.
Jisung chuckles, closing the notebook and hugging it to his chest. “He is. I have two more notebooks like this. It’s why I never throw my old notebooks away. Other than the lyrics, I have a small part of Jjix in them.”
“Yeah, blame Lix on your mess.” Hyunjin says fondly. “Jisung’s answer is so much better than mine, huh?” The dancer says, turning to Seungmin.
Jisung laughs. “That’s because it’s your shallow reason!”
“Yeah, Jinnie, it’s your shallow reason. I want to hear about your proper reason too.” Seungmin insists. “It’s not like Jisung has a shallow reason.”
Hyunjin snorts, laughing as he shakes his head with Seungmin joining along. However, the two of them fall silent when they notice Jisung blushing beet red. The rapper has clutched the notebook tightly against his chest, biting his lower lip to prevent the smile threatening to breakthrough. It isn’t really that successful of an attempt.
“Han Jisung, what are you hiding from us?” Hyunjin says, squinting his eyes.
Jisung let out a nervous laugh. “Uh, well…. I love Felix too because he has really soft lips?”
Seungmin blinks, certain he’s heard wrong. “Excuse me?”
“Felix has really soft lips.” Jisung repeats, sounding more confident than before. “He’s a great kisser.”
“YAH, HAN JISUNG!”
(Hyunjin drags Seungmin from their spot on the floor, calling out Felix’s name. The young Australian sleepily walks out from their room and asks what the fuss is all about.
“I want a kiss! You kiss Jisung!” Hyunjin accuses, no shame whatsoever. “Seungmin wants a kiss too!”
“I never said that!” Seungmin retorts, feeling his face heat up. The other members are all watching them in amusement.
Felix shrugs. “Is that all?”
Seungmin’s brain absolutely short circuits when Felix casually leans in to peck Hyunjin’s lips before doing the same to Seungmin. He thinks Hyunjin may have been a little broken, given the odd noise coming from the back of the dancer’s throat.
“Can we cuddle now? I’m still sleepy.” Felix asks, voice still husky from sleep.
Hyunjin almost trips on his feet as he hurries after the rapper.
Seungmin is still stuck on processing what happened.)