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Lee Minho has everything he dreamt of when he was still young and innocent.
Minho has always wanted to be a guitarist. He would spent hours practicing on his electric guitar, mostly in the evenings despite their neighbour’s complaints. He always just flipped them off, using practice as an excuse.
He remembers spending night after night dreaming about how it would be to be in a famous rock band, performing in front of a huge crowd cheering for them as they tour the entire world. He thinks about how it would feel to be famous, to hear people yell his name.
Becoming famous ended up being more difficult than it seemed, but Minho promised himself to never give up. He didn’t give up when his parents kept telling him he wouldn’t ever become famous, trying to convince him to work at his dad’s company instead. He also didn’t give up when he accidentally came out as gay to the entire school because some bitch from his class caught him kissing a boy and sent the picture she took to everyone at school. Playing the guitar was what he loved to do, he was not going to give that up so easily.
A few years later, he got what he wanted. He chased his dreams and became Lee Minho, guitarist of the famous rock band Elektra. He has everything he dreamt of as a little boy.
He has the fame. Elektra is definitely known worldwide. They’re always in the charts when they release new music, and they already toured almost the entire world.
When he started Elektra with Woojin, Chan and Changbin, he would’ve never thought they would become this popular. Now, he knows why Elektra is so famous. Chan and Woojin are the main vocalists, Chan singing more in their upbeat songs while Woojin sings more in their sentimental songs. Their voices fit amazing together, like a match made in heaven. Chan is also Elektra’s bassist.
Changbin is the drummer, who occasionally raps in their songs. He said he loves doing both but if he had to pick, he’d pick drumming over anything else. He started off young as well, dreams big and determination high.
And he’s Minho, Elektra’s blue haired guitarist who sometimes sings a line or two.
He has the money too, although money was never really important to him. It’s nice not having to worry about bills, but that’s pretty much it. He forces himself to stay down to earth, not letting the fame get to his head too much like what happens to most celebrities. He doesn’t want to become like them.
He has the attention, thousands of people screaming for them, yelling the lyrics of their songs. He can still go out, but there’s always a chance people will recognise him which isn’t as nice as young Minho thought it would be.
Despite all the fame and attention coming from left to right, he still feels lonely. The last time he dated someone was three years ago, just before Elektra really became known.
He’s always the third wheel. Chan and Woojin are together for years now, while Changbin is currently dating his best friend, Hwang Hyunjin.
He just wants to find somebody to love too.
—
“Hyungs, Hyunjinnie will be at the concert tonight and he really wants to meet you all”, Changbin announces when they’re in the dressing room.
“Finally!”, Chan says loudly. “We’ve been looking forward to meeting him ever since you announced you’re dating now, right Minho?”.
“I have not”, Minho responds, not bothering to look up from his phone.
“C’mon Minho hyung! He’s bringing his friends too, maybe you won’t be a third wheel anymore after tonight”, Changbin teases, earning him a glare from Minho.
“Give it a chance, Minho. Maybe you’ll actually find the love of your life tonight”, Woojin joins in, fixing his hair in the mirror.
Minho rolls his eyes. “Just because you all are hopeless romantics, doesn’t mean I am. Besides, I’m not looking for a relationship right now”. That’s a lie, Minho feels incredibly lonely in his big apartment, but he isn’t going to admit that to his lovesick friends.
“That’s a lie, I saw the stack of cheesy romcoms in your apartment”, Chan says, and he takes a sip of his water.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about”, Minho says coldly, pretending to be busy with his phone. Chan laughs at him, but doesn’t reply.
“Are you bringing them backstage before or after the show?”, Woojin says as he sits down on the couch next to Minho.
“After, so-“
“So Hyunjinnie can shower him with compliments”, Minho finishes for him with a smirk. He knows how whipped Changbin is for Hyunjin. It makes him cringe sometimes, but after everything the younger went through, Minho’s glad he found someone who makes him feel loved.
Changbin flushes red, and the others laugh. “I hate you, Lee Minho”, he mumbles.
—
Han Jisung is just your regular boy. He just finished school, and now works at the local convenience store. He’s also in a band with his best friends Felix, Seungmin and Jeongin.
His love for music started young, when he was browsing on the internet and stumbled across a video of someone playing the guitar. He was so entranced, he knew he wanted to be like the boy in the video.
He asked - begged - his parents to let him take lessons. His parents had sighed, but agreed. They even helped him look for a good school, and brought him every Thursday.
His first lesson didn’t go as well as he thought it would. Judging from the video of the boy he saw, he thought it wasn’t going to be that difficult, but he was proven wrong. He was almost about the quit already, but he didn’t, his desire to learn too strong. He started practicing almost everyday, to the point that his fingers were red and his parents had to tell him to stop late at night.
Six years later, and Jisung still never regrets his decision.
He met Felix, Seungmin and Jeongin when he joined their school’s music club. Felix was the first one to come up to him to introduce himself, and Jisung was only mildly shocked by the other’s deep voice because of his adorable face and bright personality.
Felix also introduced him to his friends, Seungmin and Jeongin. Seungmin was a bit shy at first, but now he knows better. Jeongin was like Felix, as he gave him his brightest smile (and Jisung almost cooed at him).
They also told him they’re planning on becoming a band. He found out Seungmin sings, Felix plays the guitar and Jeongin plays the drums. When Jisung first heard Seungmin singing, he was pleasantly surprised when he heard soft but powerful vocals. At first, he thought Seungmin didn’t really seem like someone who’d like to sing in a band, but that performance definitely changed his mind about the singer.
Hyunjin was the last addition to their (already extremely loud) friend group. He plays the keyboard, and was thrilled when they asked him to join their band. He told them he has always wanted to be in band, partly because his boyfriend is in one too.
Their first rehearsal together as a band didn’t go as smoothly as they all hoped. Hyunjin and Jisung just wouldn’t stop snapping at each other every time one of them made a small mistake. At some point, Felix got tired of it and sent them to another room to talk it out, which they really did.
Hyunjin and Jisung’s bond became a lot stronger after their conversation, and now they can’t stop clinging to each other.
They rehearse every Saturday, in Seungmin’s father’s garage, and Jisung absolutely loves it. This is what he dreamt of since we was little. This is what he wants to do his entire life.
—
“You guys wanna see my boyfriend and his band? They’re performing tonight”, Hyunjin says during lunch.
Felix’s face immediately lights up. “Of course! You said you were going to introduce us to Changbin forever ago”.
Jisung squints his eyes. “I still can’t believe you’re dating someone who has the same name as the drummer from the band Elektra. What a coincidence”.
When Hyunjin told them his boyfriend’s name, Jisung immediately suspected he meant Elektra’s Seo Changbin. Their other friends seem to be completely oblivious though, so he decided to keep his mouth shut until they meet, ready to brag about how ‘he knew all this time’.
Hyunjin chuckles (a bit nervously, in Jisung’s opinion). “Yeah, I wish”, he says. “Anyway, they’re performing at 8 so I’ll pick you all up at 7!”.
Hyunjin, known for always being late, picks them up at 7:30 instead. Jisung feels all giddy inside as they walk inside the venue. This is one of the places where he’d love to perform one day. He imagines himself standing on stage, looking over at the people yelling for them, singing loudly. He hears Seungmin’s soft voice, Hyunjin’s keyboard, Jeongin’s drums and his own guitar, just not loud enough to drown out the sound of the loud, enthusiastic crowd.
Jisung sighs, looking at the stage one last time before turning to his friends, who’re too immersed in their conversation to notice him spacing out for a while.
“I’m the confident gay in our relationship! Why don’t you believe me?”, Hyunjin says to Seungmin, the others stifling a giggle while Jisung just frowns, having missed most of their discussion.
“I just can’t picture you being a top”, Seungmin states simply. Hyunjin looks at him in betrayal. He opens his mouth to fire back, but then the lights go off and everyone starts cheering.
Jisung immediately turns his head to the stage with big eyes. He’s looking forward to meeting Hyunjin’s boyfriend, but he’s mostly looking forward to hearing them play. Hyunjin told them nothing about Changbin’s band, not even a band name, so he’s curious to see what kind of music they make.
When he hears the famous intro of Dream On by Aerosmith, he almost expects an unknown cover band to be revealed. But when the spotlights turn on and he sees the band’s blue haired guitarist, he gasps.
He turns his head to Hyunjin, looking at him in shock, his eyes wide. He already suspected Elektra’s Seo Changbin to be Hyunjin’s boyfriend, but he can’t believe he was right after all.
Hyunjin looks back at him, a smirk on his face as if to say ‘Jisung, you were right all this time’. But Jisung knows he’s not just smirking because of that.
He has ranted to Hyunjin about Elektra’s blue haired guitarist so much that Hyunjin just doesn’t bother replying anymore, just letting Jisung talk about ‘his stupid blue hair that makes him even more attractive than he already is’. He’s the only one who knows about his little crush on Lee Minho.
And he’s possibly meeting him and the other band members after the show.
Jisung’s eyes widen even further at the realisation. He’s seeing Lee Minho, in person, unprepared. How is he even going to survive that? He looks down at his outfit and groans, wishing he put even more effort into it. And if he wasn’t already freaking out enough, he’s also standing in front of the left side of the stage, Minho’s side.
He closes his eyes, and focuses on Chan’s vocals. He almost always likes the original more, but he can definitely appreciate a good cover once in a while.
When the song’s over, the band members introduce themselves shortly.
“We haven’t covered a song in a long time, but we got a request from a special someone, right Changbin?”, Chan says in the mic, looking at his band mate sideways with a grin. Jisung sees Changbin’s red cheeks, and immediately looks at Hyunjin next to him, who’s looking at his boyfriend with fond eyes and a bright smile.
Jisung softly smiles at the sight. He wishes he had a boyfriend he was absolutely whipped for.
Love was something Jisung never understood. He always questioned why his heart wouldn’t beat faster whenever he saw a pretty girl. He just couldn’t understand why his palms got all sweaty when he saw a handsome boy.
He finally understood everything when a boy in his class asked him out on a date, and eventually asked him to be his boyfriend. Unfortunately, they broke up after just two weeks of dating, when the boy blatantly told Jisung he’s too clingy. Jisung never dated anyone ever again.
He snaps out of his thoughts when Elektra starts playing their next song. He looks at the blue haired guitarist, although Jisung’s sure he’s actually staring in awe.
He looks up to Minho a lot. Whenever he watches videos of Elektra’s live stages, his eyes are always glued to the blue haired guitarist. It also doesn’t help that Minho is just extremely hot, his gaze intense as he plays with the biggest smirk on his face.
Jisung snaps out of his thoughts once more, before smiling and loudly singing alone, trying to suppress his nerves.
—
“I’m really looking forward to meeting Hyunjin!”, Chan says when they’re back in the dressing room after the show.
Woojin nods excitedly. “Me too, especially if he can make you as flustered as you were earlier on stage”, he says, and he pinches the other’s cheeks.
Changbin groans, and he slaps Woojin’s hand away. “I was not flustered”, he mumbles embarrassed.
Minho looks at him with a smirk, sitting down on his usual chair. “From what I saw, your ears and cheeks were bright red”.
Changbin whines. “He just has that affect on me, okay! I can’t help it I’m not a confident gay like Woojin hyung and Minho hyung!”.
Chan looks at him offended. “Are you implying I’m a panicked gay like you?”, he asks. Woojin immediately moves to stand in front of him to kiss him, but Chan backs away immediately. A pink shade starts to appear on his cheeks, and the other boys laugh.
A knock on the door makes them go quiet. “Come in!”, Chan says, cheeks still a bit pink.
The door opens slowly, revealing a tall boy with black hair and a wide smile. Behind him are four other boys, smiling awkwardly. Tall boy waves at them. “Hello! Are we allowed to come in?”.
Changbin immediately runs up to him to give him a hug. “Hyunjinnie! Did you like our show?”. Tall boy - Hyunjin - chuckles, and nods.
Changbin pulls away and drags him into the dressing room, giving him a kiss. Minho internally cringes before looking over at the four other boys, who followed the lovebirds into the room, looking around anxiously.
He catches the eye of the boy with grey hair and chubby cheeks, who seems to be the most nervous out of the four. He gives him an apologetic smile, which the boy returns.
“Can you two lovebirds maybe introduce us to your friends?”, Minho speaks up for the sake of all of them.
Hyunjin immediately pulls away. “Yes! I’m so sorry”, he apologises, and he walks over to his friends, stopping in front of the red haired one. “This is Jeongin, or Innie as I like to call him”.
He points to his brown haired friend next. “This is Seungminnie. Next to him is Felix, and Jisungie is the emo looking one”. Jisung glares at him, making Minho chuckle quietly.
He looks the grey haired boy up and down, and smiles. He looks cute in his white shirt and dark blue denim jacket.
“It’s nice to meet you guys! We’ve been begging Changbin to let us meet his taller boyfriend and his friends for a while now!”, Chan speaks up, as nice and enthusiastic as always. “You can sit on the couch with us, if you want?”.
Hyunjin immediately sits down on Changbin’s lap with a big grin on his face. The four boys roll their eyes at their friend, still a bit awkwardly, before taking a seat.
Surprisingly, Jisung grabs a chair to sit down next to Minho, who smiles at him before looking back at Changbin and Hyunjin being all lovey-dovey.
“I’m glad Hyunjin found Changbin”, Jisung says, quietly so that Minho is the only one who can hear him. He hopes it’s a decent conversation starter.
The elder nods. “And I’m glad Changbin found Hyunjin. Although it gets boring listening to Binnie rant about how attractive his boyfriend is everyday”, he says, and Jisung giggles, his head resting on his hand on the armrest of Minho’s chair.
“You guys were great today, like always”, Jisung compliments him. “I liked your cover of Dream On”.
Minho turns his head to him, leaning back a little because of how close they are. “You’re a fan of us?”, he asks the other, and Jisung nods. “I’ve been following Elektra for a year now”.
Minho raises an eyebrow. “You’re awfully calm for a fan who just met their favourite band for the first time”.
Jisung just shrugs. “I was nervous when I found out I was meeting you guys today, but then I realised you’re also just human. And you’re Changbin’s friends, who just so happens to be my friend’s boyfriend”, he explains, smiling afterwards. In reality, he seems calmer than he actually is. He’s still talking to his celebrity crush after all.
Minho looks at him, baffled. They’ve met a ton of fans, but none of them reacted this calm. He likes meeting fans, but he doesn’t always like how they treat him like he’s more important, or like he’s different because he’s in a famous band.
The way Jisung treats him like a normal person warms his heart. He gives the boy a grateful smile. “Thank you”.
Jisung smiles back knowingly before dropping the topic. “Elektra’s the reason we formed a band too!”, he continues their conversation excitedly.
“Oh? What instrument do you play?”, Minho asks immediately. He sees the way the grey haired boy’s eyes light up even more at the question, and Minho’s heart warms up.
“I play the guitar, like you!”, Jisung replies happily. “I also sing and rap sometimes, but Seungmin is our official lead vocalist. We’re just a cover band for now though, but we’d like to write our own songs soon”.
Minho hums. “If you want, you guys can play for us sometime so we can give you advice”, he suggests, and Jisung immediately nods. “That would be great, actually”.
“I’m sure Hyunjin would appreciate it too”, Minho adds with a wink, making Jisung chuckle. He gets his phone out of his pocket, and hands it over to Jisung. “Give me your phone number”, he says. “We can meet up and discuss this over coffee”.
Jisung nods calmly - although he’s definitely biting on the inside of his cheek to keep himself from freaking out - and puts his phone number in the other’s phone. He gives it back to Minho, and looks over to his friends. He locks eyes with Hyunjin, who smirks at him knowingly.
—
Minho agrees to meet up with Jisung on Wednesday, right after the younger’s classes.
He doesn’t know why but he doesn’t feel nervous at all, even though it has only been a few days since he met Jisung. Minho immediately felt the warmth radiating of the younger that night, a comfortable feeling washing over him as they joked around. They’ve been texting ever since that day, Jisung making Minho smile with the silliest texts as they quickly become even more comfortable talking to each other.
When he hears a bell ringing, he quickly looks up. He feels a weird feeling forming in his stomach when he sees Jisung, dressed in a fluffy pink sweater and black skinny jeans, cheeks flushed red from the cold. The younger smiles brightly when he spots him in the corner of the cafe.
“Hi Minho hyung!”, Jisung says brightly, sitting down on the chair across of him.
“Hey Jisung”, Minho says, a soft smile on his face as he watches the younger struggle to take off his jacket. He giggles quietly, and takes a sip of his coffee.
Jisung pouts at him, setting his jacket down on the chair next to him before fully focusing on Minho. “I’m sorry I’m a bit late, my teacher suddenly wanted to discuss my project with me after class”.
Minho shakes his head. “It’s fine, I have nothing better to do today anyway”, he assures him. “What do you want to drink?”.
“Hot chocolate, please. I don’t really like coffee that much”, Jisung says, secretly a bit embarrassed. Minho nods, getting up from his chair, but he stops in his tracks when he feels Jisung’s hand wrap around his wrist, looking up at him. “You really don’t have to pay for me!”, he says, removing his grip on Minho’s wrist to grab his wallet, but Minho already walks away with a grin before Jisung can hand him the money.
Jisung’s eyes follow the blue haired boy, and he playfully shakes his head at him. He turns around and smiles down at the table.
When Minho returns with a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream, he grins at a pouting Jisung. “Don’t worry, Jisungie. I suggested to meet up, so I pay. Besides, I don’t mind paying if it means I get to hang out with pretty boys like you”, he says, winking at him, making the younger blush immediately. “You’re such a flirt, Lee Minho”.
Minho grins, but doesn’t comment on it. “So, when do you guys normally rehearse?”, he asks, eyes following Jisung as he takes a sip of his hot chocolate.
“Every Saturday in Seungmin’s garage at 2 pm”, the younger answers. “I can text you the address later”.
Minho nods. “I think we’re all free this Saturday! And knowing Changbin, he wouldn’t miss the opportunity to see his boyfriend’s band play”, he says, snickering.
Jisung giggles, and nods. “They’re so fucking cringy sometimes”, he admits. “But I’m happy for them both”.
“How about you? Are you dating someone at the moment?”, Minho asks him, and Jisung immediately shakes his head. His cheeks are flushed red, but he blames it on the cold from earlier.
“I’m not dating anyone right now”, Jisung says, and a few seconds pass before he speaks up again. “...I actually haven’t had a boyfriend in a while. You?”. He doesn’t know why he decided to add that, but he feels like he can trust Minho.
“I haven’t, either. The last time I dated someone was three years ago”, Minho admits. He hears Jisung breathe out a wow.
“Doesn’t it ever get lonely? You live alone, right?”, the younger asks him, looking at him with wide eyes.
“I have three cats, so I’m not totally alone”, Minho says, not answering the other’s question and avoiding his eyes. He doesn’t want to admit it just yet.
“You have cats?”, Jisung asks excitedly. Minho looks up again, and smiles brightly when he sees the younger’s eyes sparkle. “I do! Their names are Doongie, Soonie and Dori”.
He shows Jisung his lockscreen, which is a picture of, as he likes to call them, his three children. Jisung cooes. “They’re so cute! I want to meet them and pet them!”.
Minho chuckles. “You can come visit them whenever you want”, he says, and Jisung’s face lights up even more. “Really?”, he asks in disbelief, and the elder nods.
Minho shows Jisung even more pictures of his cats, watching the younger’s face carefully, his chest aching seeing the grey haired boy swipe through the pictures with possibly the brightest and most beautiful smile he has ever seen. And maybe, Minho can get used to seeing that smile more often.
—
“Are you sure this is the right house?”, Woojin asks when Chan stops in front of a house with a big garage on a Saturday afternoon. “Imagine if an old lady opens the door instead of Seungmin”.
Minho snickers quietly in the backseat. He can already imagine an old lady opening the door and staring at them, four emo-looking guys, in shock, immediately slamming the door in their faces.
“This is the location Minho sent me”, Chan says, turning off the car. They all get out of the car, and stop in front of the door. Three heads turn to Minho, who sighs loudly before knocking on the door.
The door opens almost immediately, revealing a smiling Seungmin. “Hi guys! We were already expecting you!” he says excitedly. He gestures at them to follow him to the garage, where Jisung, Hyunjin, Felix and Jeongin are already waiting for them, instruments ready.
They all greet each other - Changbin and Hyunjin giving each other a kiss - before Seungmin speaks up. “The song we’re going to play for you guys is Follow You by Bring Me The Horizon, which is a song we actually haven’t covered before!”.
The other four hyungs clap, incredibly excited to hear them play. “I love that song. We should cover it sometime too”, Chan whispers to Woojin. Minho looks at Changbin standing next to him, and already sees him looking at Hyunjin with lovestruck eyes.
Soft vocals fill the room, and Minho smiles. Jisung already told him Seungmin has a beautiful voice, soft but powerful. He gets the urge to just close his eyes and take everything in. He stops himself though, eyes flickering to Jisung instead.
A bit of Jisung’s hair has fallen into his face, but he seems too focused to care. Minho feels his chest aching again, something that happens every time his gaze lingers on the younger a bit longer.
And when Jisung looks up, he looks him straight in the eyes, showing him a soft smile. Minho blushes, and he ducks his head down to hide his embarrassment. Lee Minho, you just fucking blushed.
He looks at Seungmin again, focusing on his vocals until the song comes to an end. I will follow you, I will follow you.
A few seconds of silence pass by before the four band members clap loudly, all with wide smiles on their faces. “That was really great, guys!”, Chan speaks up first. He approaches Seungmin to give him a pat on his shoulder.
Minho walks to Jisung, whose eyes follow him, showing him a shy smile. “So, what do you think?”, he asks, looking forward to hearing Minho’s opinion.
Minho smiles, and nods in acknowledgment. “You guys are extremely talented”, he says. Jisung’s smile widens, his chubby cheeks standing out even more. Minho has to repress the urge to poke them.
“I’m so glad you liked it!”, Jisung says happily. “I caught you looking at me, too”. He winks at him, and Minho chuckles lowly. “Maybe it’s because you look too good to ignore”, he replies playfully, grinning widely when he sees the younger’s rosy cheeks.
Before Jisung can fire back, Seungmin’s voice echoes through the garage, telling them to come inside the house for snacks. Jisung pouts at him, his cheeks puffing out, and Minho laughs, poking his cheek before following the others into the house.
—
“We need to get these boys a gig”, Chan suggests during Elektra’s weekly meet-up the next day. “They’re incredibly talented, and have the potential to make great music”.
Woojin nods. “I agree. I complimented Seungmin yesterday, and he’s very eager to improve even more”, he tells them. He then turns to Minho. “Minho, didn’t you mention Jisung sings too?”.
“He sings sometimes, but Seungmin is their official lead vocalist. I haven’t actually heard him sing yet”, Minho replies, fumbling with his phone.
Woojin hums. “I can offer them vocal lessons? I’d like to hear Jisung sing, too”.
Minho’s phone lights up, displaying that he just received a text from Jisung. He drowns out Woojin and Chan’s conversation, and smiles at the cute cat picture the younger sent him.
Changbin stuffs a fry in his mouth, and looks over at Minho. “Ya! Lee Minho, why are you smiling?”.
Minho immediately looks up, seeing three set of eyes staring at him now. “I-I was just texting Jisung”, he splutters, a bit perplexed he got caught.
The other three boys stare at him for a few minutes before continuing their conversation. “Anyway, I think we can get them a gig at that local bar near our favourite convenience store. I heard they’re looking for a cover band”, Chan suggests.
“That’s great! Do you think you could convince the owner to let them play?”, Woojin asks, hopeful.
Changbin snorts. “I think he’ll agree the moment Chan suggests it. He’s a big Elektra fan, remember?”, he says jokingly.
Chan smirks. “I also secretly recorded them yesterday. I’m sure he will love them”.
—
The nine boys meet up again a week later, after Chan invited them all to his house. What the younger boys don’t know, is that they’re going to be surprised today.
Once everyone’s settled down either on the couch or in front of it on the floor with a pizza slice in their hand, Chan clears his throat.
“We wanted to tell you boys something”, he starts, looking at the younger boys sitting on the couch, who have stopped chewing and are now looking back at Chan with curious eyes.
“We see how much potential you have as a band, and we wanted to help you start out a bit. I managed to get you guys a gig at a local bar in two weeks”, Chan announces.
It’s silent for a while, as the five boys all stare at Chan with a shocked expression, mouth open. Minho looks at them amused, trying hard not to giggle.
Hyunjin is the first one to snap out of his trance. “A-Are you serious? Is this some kind of prank?”, he asks, looking at his boyfriend for confirmation. Changbin shakes his head, and smiles widely.
“We’re gonna be playing in front of an actual audience? Not just our family and friends?”, Jisung says, eyes flicking between his four hyungs, who are all smiling at him.
“Yes Jisungie, on an actual stage in front of an actual audience”, Minho says, winking at him.
“Thank you so much, oh my god”, Seungmin says. “This has been our dream for so long, we just didn’t think it would actually ever happen”.
“How did he bar owner agree though? He never heard us play”, Jeongin asks, gaze fixed on Chan, whose ears turn pink.
“I may have recorded you guys while you were playing for us last week”, he admits. “I’m sorry”.
“Why be sorry when you just gave us a big opportunity? We’re all extremely thankful!”, Felix comforts him, and the other band members nod.
“Also, Seungmin and Jisung, I’d like to give you vocal lessons, if you’re up for it?”, Woojin suggests. Seungmin and Jisung both nod excitedly. “We’d love to, actually!”, Seungmin says.
“Do you boys think you’re able to prepare a full gig in two weeks?”, Changbin asks a bit concerned. He knows how nerve wrecking a first gig can be, the pressure to do perfect high. He doesn’t want his younger friends to experience it the same way he experienced it.
Jisung nods. “I think we’ll be fine, we have a list we made of songs we’d like to perform on stage one day. Guess it wasn’t such a bad idea after all”, he tells them.
“And remember you can always ask us for help or advice!”, Minho reminds them. “A first gig can be scary, but I’m sure it’ll all be okay!”.
He looks at Jisung, who looks back at him with the brightest smile ever, eyes shining from excitement. Cute.
—
The five boys immediately start practicing, the urge to do well prominent. Thankfully, there have been no fights so far, and everyone is trying their hardest to make sure everything is perfected.
But with the day of the gig nearing closer, Jisung can feel himself getting more anxious everyday. His nights are spent thinking about how to improve instead of sleeping, and soon enough the dark circles under his eyes are so visible that everyone’s starting to get worried.
Minho has tried meeting up with Jisung the last few days, hoping the younger would accept so he could relax a bit. The others told him about how he’s practicing till early in the morning, and he’s concerned for the younger.
He texted Jisung a few hours ago asking if he’s alright, but he hasn’t received a respond yet, and it’s making Minho nervous.
When he still hasn’t gotten a response after dinner, he decides to visit Jisung. He knocks on the younger’s door, anxiously tapping with his foot. When the door slowly opens and Jisung reveals himself, Minho’s eyes widen in shock.
Jisung doesn’t look like himself at all. He doesn’t look like the happy, cheery boy he has grown to know the last few weeks. He looks so incredibly tired, eye bags puffy and a frown visible on his face. “Hyung? What are you doing here?”.
“I just want to spend time with you”, Minho replies, which is partly true, but it’s not the only reason he came here.
Jisung looks at him with wide eyes. “I’m actually kind of busy right now...”, he says, sounding almost guilty, and he looks down at his feet.
“Please don’t tell me you’re still practising”, Minho says, but when he looks down at Jisung’s hand, he already knows the answer.
“I-I am, actually. I’m fine, I just want this gig to be perfect”, Jisung mumbles, still not looking at Minho.
“Jisung, you need to rest. Please, let me in”, Minho pleads.
Jisung stays quiet for a few seconds. He knows Minho is right, he just doesn’t want to admit it to himself just yet. He sighs deeply before fully opening the door to let Minho in, who lets out a relieved breath.
He takes off his jacket and shoes, and takes a seat next to the younger on the couch. He looks at Jisung, who looks down at the floor.
“Everyone’s worried, Jisung. I’m worried. You’re overworking yourself”, Minho says concerned. “I came here ‘cause I wanted to check if you’re okay”.
Jisung takes a deep breath before looking at Minho, tears visible in his eyes. “I just want this gig to be perfect, Minho hyung. I can’t stop thinking about what would happen if I mess up. It would ruin the band’s reputation. We’d never get a gig again”.
Minho moves closer to him to wipe away the tear rolling down his cheek. “Do you want to know how Elektra experienced its first gig?”. Jisung nods, looking up at Minho with glazed eyes.
“All four of us were extremely nervous. I threw up right before the concert, and Changbin had a panic attack. My heart was beating so fast, I felt l was going to cry from anxiousness. But once we were on stage singing our first song, all those nerves seemed to fade away. Nothing compares to the adrenaline that flows through your body when you hear the crowd screaming for you”, Minho tells him.
“What I’m trying to tell you is that it’ll be fine, Sungie. It’s normal to be nervous, but please don’t overwork yourself. It hurts me to see you this sad. Your eyes have lost its sparkle”.
More tears stream down Jisung’s face, and Minho pulls him on his lap, wrapping his arms around him and letting the younger’s tears fall down on his shoulder. He quietly shushes him, repeatedly telling him it’s okay.
This is exactly what Jisung needed. He just needed someone to care, to understand what he’s going through.
“T-Thank you hyung”, Jisung stammers through his tears, clinging even tighter to his hyung. Minho just feels so comforting and warm against him, it helps him calm down.
Minho smiles, even though Jisung can’t see him. “I’m always here for you, Jisungie”.
And with the help of his friends, Jisung knows he’ll be okay.
—
“One hour till the gig!”, Hyunjin yells enthusiastically. He happily skips around the room to his boyfriend, who rolls his eyes at him.
Jisung, who is currently getting his makeup done by Minho, giggles at his best friend. “He doesn’t seem nervous at all”, he says to Minho.
Minho smiles, currently applying pink eyeshadow on the other’s eyelids. “Everyone handles things differently. Are you nervous, Jisungie?”.
“A bit, yeah. This is our first gig after all. Though I’m not about to throw up anytime soon”, Jisung replies, earning him a slap on the shoulder from Minho, and he laughs.
“You’re a brat. Do you want some clear lipgloss on those pretty lips of yours?”, Minho asks, tube with clear gloss in his hand.
Jisung wiggles his eyebrows. “Pretty lips?”, he answers cockily. Minho rolls his eyes, and he puts the gloss on the boy’s (very nice) lips.
“Are you two almost done flirting? I’d like to get my makeup done too”, Changbin yells from the other side of the room. Minho just flips him off, and applies some lipgloss on his own lips as well.
Once everyone’s makeup is done and it’s almost time for the boys to go on stage, Jisung can feel himself getting more nervous again. He wishes Minho was here, but he already left to cheer them on in front of the stage. The younger takes a deep breath before slowly breathing out again.
Hyunjin, who’s standing next to him, pats him on his back. “It’ll be alright, Jisung. I know you’re gonna do great tonight. We will rock this”, he assures him. The other three boys, having turned around now too, nod.
They do their usual group cheer, before finally going on stage. Jisung takes a look a quick look at the crowd, and he has to stop himself from looking visibly shocked. Quite a lot of people have showed up tonight!
He also spots their hyungs all the way in the front, and when he makes eye contact with Minho, the older shoots him a thumbs up. And somehow, that’s enough for Jisung’s nerves to melt away.
When the familiar tune of Maniac starts and Seungmin sings the first line, Jisung has never felt this confident.
Minho watches him from the crowd with a bright smile on his face. He notices how the boy gets more comfortable with each line Seungmin sings, and Minho is happy to know that Jisung is truly enjoying himself.
And oh, is he enjoying the show too. Minho seems to be unable to look at anyone else. This Jisung is so different from the Jisung he knows off stage, his tongue poking out every once in a while and his gaze wild. It makes Minho hot all over.
But what really leaves him speechless, is when Jisung smirks and winks at him right when Seungmin belts out ‘She’s a maniac, maniac on the floor’.
And before he fully realises it, the song has ended and Minho’s eyes are still glued to Jisung, even when they’re all introducing themselves.
—
“That was amazing, you guys! I loved your version of Wind of Change!”, Chan compliments them after the gig, and he gives Felix a pat on the shoulder.
Minho immediately goes up to Jisung to give him a hug. “You did amazing!”, he tells him excitedly.
Jisung pulls back and smiles brightly at him. “Thank you so much! I have never felt happier in my life! I can still feel the adrenaline rushing through my body”.
Minho laughs. “I’m sure you will still feel that for an hour or two”, he tells him. “Also, your cover of Maniac was great!”.
Jisung grins. “Is that because I winked at you?”, he asks him teasingly. Minho tries his best not to look embarrassed right now. “Partly, yes”, he answers, and he winks at him.
“Really? I guess I’ll have to wink at you more often, then”, Jisung says, clearly not done teasing him yet.
Minho smirks at him, before grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him closer. He hears the other’s breath hitch slightly when he leans forward. “Come home with me tonight”, he whispers in his ear, before letting go and walking away with a cocky expression on his face, leaving an astonished Jisung behind.
Jisung does end up going home with Minho, both boys sitting next to each other on the couch, drink in hand and Cigarettes After Sex softly playing in the background.
“I didn’t expect you to like slow pop songs. Especially because Elektra’s music is almost the exact opposite. I don’t think you guys have one slow songs”, Jisung tells him.
Minho shrugs. “It’s nice to unwind with Cigarettes after Sex playing in the background after a gig”, he admits. “Besides, I’ve talked to Chan about releasing a slower song before but he refused. Said something about fans not liking it when bands go soft all of a sudden”. He shakes his bottle before taking a sip.
Jisung hums. “Yeah, I’ve read about that too. I actually like it when bands aren’t afraid to try out different sounds. You can’t keep making the exact same music for forever when deep in your heart, you know you’d like to experience more”.
Minho hums in agreement, raising the bottle to his lips to take a sip, but he doesn’t. Instead, he turns his head to Jisung, who has his eyes closed as he concentrates on the singer’s beautiful vocals.
Minho’s chest aches seeing Jisung fit in so well in his cosy living room. It feels so domestic, just listening to music together, no words spoken.
Most nights are spent in bed, trying desperately to fall asleep, since there’s not much for Minho to do anyway. He thought having an apartment to himself was going to be great, with absolutely no one to tell him what to do. He now realises how wrong he was. He considered getting a cat, but he’s only really home at night, so he decided against it.
This place only reminds him of how lonely Minho really feels, no matter how cozy it looks with all the decorations his band members helped pick out when he had just moved in.
But with Jisung sitting next to him, he feels comfortable. He feels fully at ease in a place he normally tries so hard to escape. His apartment actually feels like home now. That’s the effect Jisung has on him.
Being with Jisung feels like coming home. From the moment they first met, Jisung has always treated him like an equal, despite Minho being quite known. Talking to Jisung was never awkward or uncomfortable, because they know they wouldn’t judge each other.
And from the moment they met, Minho knew his love for Jisung would never stay platonic. Not when his heart beats faster when the younger smiles at him. Not when he watches Jisung’s eyes light up when talking about something that excites him. And especially not when Minho’s gaze would drop to the other’s lips, suppressing the urge to kiss him.
He has fallen so hard for this boy.
Minho turns his head to look at Jisung again, who apparently was already looking at him with a fond smile on his face. “I can practically see the gears turning in your head”, Jisung says, voice a bit raspy. “What were you thinking about?”.
Seeing the younger look at him with such sincerity in his eyes, makes Minho’s head spin a bit. He takes a deep breath. “I’m in love with you”.
Jisung’s smile doesn’t falter upon hearing the words. He puts the almost empty bottle down on the table next to him before moving towards Minho and sitting his lap. He wraps his arms around the other’s neck and leans in, until their lips are almost touching.
Minho’s breath almost hitches. He knows Jisung is teasing him, trying to get a reaction out of him. He grins before leaning forward, finally kissing him.
Jisung lets out a surprised noise, not expecting Minho to make the first move. He grins for a second before kissing back. Despite the tension earlier, the kiss is slow and tender, their lips sometimes just slightly brushing, and it makes Jisung’s head spin.
He tries to deepen the kiss, but Minho pulls away before he can, smirking at the younger. Jisung pouts at him. “I hate you”.
Minho laughs. “I know you don’t, baby”, he replies teasingly. He leans in again, pressing harder this time to immediately deepen the kiss. And if Jisung’s head wasn’t already spinning, he’s now sure he’s losing his mind. All he can think about is Minho, Minho’s lips, Minho, Minho, fuck.
“I love you”, he breathes out against the other’s skin. He whines when Minho bites down on his bottom lip in response, hands tightening in the other’s hair. Soon enough Jisung pulls back for air, letting out shuddery breaths.
Minho looks at him lovingly, running his hands through the younger’s hair who leans into the touch. “Please, stay with me”, he whispers, almost desperately.
Jisung smiles affectionately. He grabs Minho’s hand from on top of his head, and intertwines their fingers. “I’ll be giving you all my love. Always”.