Chapter Text
The chill morning air ruffled Minho’s hair as he stepped out into it, closing the door behind him. He took a deep breath in, and could tell fall was well on its way. Yellow had begun to sink into the trees, spotting leaves with familiar colors and pushing them to the ground. Minho stuck his ear buds in and queued up his workout playlist. Sticking his phone in the pocket of his shorts with finality, he took off from his porch at a jog. He did this every Sunday morning. School had just started up again, and Minho was beginning his junior year of high school. He’d heard many great and terrible things about junior year, but as usual, he was just throwing himself into it blindly and hoping for the best, because flying by the seat of his pants was just his style. When he thought about things beforehand he just ended up screwing them up more.
He took his normal route through the neighborhood, picking up and slowing his pace intermittently. Birds sang overhead, flying between branches. Minho got lost in the scenery, the music he was listening to taking him to an entirely different world. As he turned onto his street, nearing his house again, he thought he heard a muffled shout. He frowned, slowly being pulled from his day dreaming, when he was suddenly jerked back to reality by something hitting him in the side of the head. He pulled an ear bud out, looking toward the source of the object.
“Hey, watch it!” He scolded, still not sure who it was meant for, when he spotted a lanky figure on a bike.
“I said to watch out!” The red head on wheels responded. There were many rolled up newspapers in the basket of his bike, and Minho realized he must be the paperboy. He also noticed his British accent.
“Still, watch where you’re throwing, man!” He retorted, scowling at the scrawny boy looking back at him.
“Watch where you’re walking!” The paperboy turned his head back to where he was going, pushing the pedals harder to get up a slope. Minho just shook his head. What a dick, he thought, watching the retreating figure in a beige sweater continue to toss papers to doorsteps.
That week at school was normal, teachers beginning to give out heavier assignments now that the year was getting into full swing. Minho had the same free period as Thomas and Chuck, which was a huge relief, as last year he’d been alone. He ate lunch with his usual group, which included Thomas, Teresa, Chuck, and Brenda. Chuck and Brenda were having an enthusiastic conversation about the robotics club and the new people in it this year, Teresa listening intently, while Thomas’s attention was entirely focused on his slightly soggy sandwich. Minho was just staring off into space, half hearing what the others were saying. Suddenly, a flash of orange caught his eye, and he looked just in time to see a lanky red head disappear around a corner. That’s strange, Minho thought, he looks just like-
“Minho? Hello? Anyone in there?” Teresa was waving her hands in his face.
“Huh? What?” Minho blinked. Brenda snorted.
“You see a cute guy?” She asked.
“Pfft, no,” Minho scoffed, going back to his shitty school lunch pizza. Brenda cocked a brow, but didn’t say anything else.
The next Sunday, Minho was out on his morning run, when he saw the red headed paperboy again. This time he saw him coming, and they made eye contact for a moment as they approached each other, though on opposite sides of the street.
“Hey, catch!” The paperboy called out before tossing a bundled up newspaper across the street towards Minho. Minho caught it, only taking his eyes off the boy for a second.
“Nice throw,” he gave him a sly smile.
“Thanks,” the paperboy chuckled, watching Minho until he couldn’t turn his head back anymore. Minho watched him go, taking his appearance in fully, or as much as one could from a growing distance. Short, dusty red hair, slightly pointed nose, small figure, and he was wearing that same beige sweater. Long, slender fingers gripped the bike handles, grabbing and throwing papers with ease, balance never faltering. Minho laughed a little to himself, unable to keep the thought that the boy’s accent was cute out of his head. Maybe he’ll be seeing him more often.