Chapter Text
“They ditched us.”
Minho and Jisung skim the empty parking lot of their school. No vans, coasters, or even buses are present there. The place looks deserted, the atmosphere at 6 in the morning not helping at all. It looks post-apocalyptic, with no people in sight.
“They did.”
“And whose fault is that?”
Jisung turns to him in disbelief. “Yours!” He looks ridiculous in his puffy jacket while chewing on a large baguette that was held in his left hand. His pink nose, which probably resulted from the cold breeze outside, makes him look like a cartoon character. “You were the one who ran into me!”
Minho lets out a scoff as he jabs a finger on Jisung’s shoulder. “You were the one who was standing like an idiot on the sidewalk!”
The boy who is on the receiving end of Minho’s jab squints his eyes. He’s almost fuming because of how furious he is. Jisung takes a step closer and gestures at Minho’s hands. “You were the one who spilled his iced americano on my shirt.” Jisung points at his now clean shirt that was replaced earlier. “And it was a plain white one!”
“Look, shorty,” Minho grabs Jisung's shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. He heard something under Jisung’s breath along the lines of you’re only 3cm taller than me . He looked down at the boy with puffed cheeks out of anger. “Let’s just admit that it’s both of our faults. But the real problem is, how do we get to the venue?”
To sum up the situation they’re in: Jisung and Minho got ditched because they were an hour late. They were supposed to support their school’s basketball team’s game in a venue probably more than 1000 miles away.
Their reason for being late: Jisung, who was peacefully munching on his baguette (the one he got for half price) on the sidewalk, was waiting for his friend to come pick him up. The weather was good, but nothing over the top. It was a normal day, except the birds were louder today, the streets were less crowded, and only a few of the stores here were open. It was not as bright as yesterday was, and clearly, a boy crashing into him and spilling coffee on his shirt was something that did not happen every day.
Thankfully, the boy (Minho), was willing to lend him his plain white shirt. Which was great一 but the said shirt was not with him, nor he had been carrying it in his bag, rather, it was in his apartment that was 30 minutes away, but 15 minutes if we ran now , Minho said not long ago
Jisung agreed to go with him, but soon found out he did not have such impressive stamina compared to the boy he was with. Swallowing his pride, he suggested that they could just ride a bus to Minho’s apartment. Unfortunately, they got stuck in the middle of the traffic.
Eventually they arrived at the apartment and the white shirt was successfully given to Jisung. Jisung thought that maybe his predicament ended here, but as he was finished putting on the shirt, his phone rang which startled him. It was Jeongin, calling to notify them that if they weren't able to get there in 15 minutes, the bus would leave them.
Now, standing in the empty parking lot with Minho, he realizes that he probably committed an unforgivable crime in his past life for the Gods to punish him like this. It’s excruciating, the situation is excruciating. But nothing else matters because Jisung has the reliable, large baguette he is munching on and a clean shirt with nicer fabric compared to the previous one he wore (and Minho’s scent lingering on said shirt.)
This day is…great.
_
“You can’t just leave us here,” Minho nervously exclaims as he paces around the lot. Jisung, who is sitting on the curb, looks at him. “I don’t even have enough gas money.”
Jisung fiddles with his nails, listening to the conversation Minho has with his friend, Changbin. The sun is getting brighter, Jisung notes. If he is not mistaken, it is probably quarter to 7am. He shifts from his position and he suggests, “We can split.”
He hears Changbin on the line say, “Yeah, you can split.” Jisung notices that his voice is choppy. They are probably already travelling towards the north. He suddenly thinks about his friends, who he assumes are enjoying the journey without him.
“Look, can we just go already?” Jisung complains to Minho. The latter heaves a sigh and ruffles his hair. He seems stressed just thinking about the distance he will drive. After all, the people in the bus will have several days of rest inbetween the drive. Compared to the both of them, they do not look efficient and capable of driving to places probably a thousand miles away. Also, Hyunjin and Jisung’s other friends won’t even be driving. They have designated drivers for each bus.
Minho takes a sip of his iced americano and squats down to sit beside Jisung. He lets out a groan, ignoring Jisung’s words from earlier, and answers Changbin, “You know that I can’t drive for God’s sake.”
“You can. You are just lazy.”
Jisung thinks about the view they are supposed to pass by when they drive to the North. First, they will pass by the town center, then they will exit the city. Soon, they will be welcomed by the view of high mountains and woodlands— a contrast from the previous view.
Maybe it’s not that bad after all. You are in a private car without the presence of a boisterous group the principal assigned you to be a part of. You can also control the pace and maybe take a different route to your liking. It seems fun. Given that, you can just sit back and relax, enjoy the view, and accompany the man beside him who will be driving.
“Yeah, I think Jisung and I will be taking turns at the wheel.”
Jisung quickly looks at Minho in disbelief. “Why me?!”
Minho inches the phone away from them to avoid delivering loud ruckus on the line. “It’s impossible if it were only me driving!” He rolls his eyes to get back to Changbin again. He returns to his normal voice and replies, “Yes. I’m not— We will be careful driving. Stop complaining. I, yes, I do understand.”
He presses the end button and lets out an exhale. Then turns to Jisung, who is looking at him curiously. “Look. You have no choice but to substitute me on driving.”
“What if I told you that I can’t drive.”
Minho stares at him with a judgemental look in his eyes. “It’s easy. You can get the hang of it,” he nonchalantly says, not buying Jisung’s words. He stands up and dusts off his pants. Jisung shortly follows his actions.
“So… what’s the plan?”
Minho slings his black backpack on his right shoulder, then he tucks his left hand in his pocket. He gives Jisung a shrug and offers his iced americano. “I don’t know. I guess we can just freestyle drive.”
“Lee Minho, what the fuck.”
Jisung grabs the iced americano from his hands as Minho starts walking towards the gate with short steps. He follows him soon after, settling just a step behind him. Jisung stares at the coffee on his hand, then at Minho. “Are you clean?”
“W-what?” Minho turns to him, not expecting the sudden question.
“Can I trust you’re healthy enough to drink from your straw?” He squints his eyes at Minho and they both stop in their tracks.
Minho shrugs and answers, “Yes, you can.” They start walking again. At the same time, Jisung takes a tentative sip from the straw. The coffee is slightly bland, probably because the ice already melted. Minho looks over his shoulder to take a look at Jisung for a second. “Or maybe you shouldn’t. I could be carrying some contagious disease. Who knows.”
Jisung chokes on the coffee and glares at Minho. “I hate you.”
The boy only replies with a sly grin. They walk for about 5 minutes until Minho breaks the silence. “I realized that I hadn’t formally apologized earlier.” Minho now slows down his steps to settle beside Jisung, who is still occupied with his (Minho’s) drink.
“Lee Minho, Certified Dancing King. Professor Yoon’s favorite ‘goody-two-shoes’ student. Above that, a Dean Lister last semester, I’ve pardoned you.”
“Wow. You really are a stalker, huh.” He chuckles as he glances at Jisung. He is looking ahead, trying to avoid Minho’s eyes as much as possible. Minho hides the flustered reaction about the sudden information about him.
Jisung looks at him, squinting his eyes. “I’ve already told you earlier that it’s fine. Also, everyone knows that you are a great dancer.” He laughs as he recalls the words Hyunjin and Jeongin have always said to him.
“Lee Minho. Sophomore. He dances like a God,” said Felix in a dreamy way. They were just freshmen, trying to adjust to the university and familiarizing with the people. He was also a part of the dance team, not knowing that there was a certain Lee Minho there. Felix excitedly told Jisung about this one time during their lunch break as he rambled about how perfect he was.
Jisung laughs at the memory. Now, Felix only sees Minho as an older brother who is reliable. There were also times that Felix regretted drooling over him, as he does not like him (in a romantic way) anymore. Also, just after 2 months, he and Minho’s friend, Chan, had been hitting it off together.
There was also that time when Hyunjin gossiped that Minho was granted a full scholarship for representing the school’s dance team. Hyunjin actually envied him and was jealous because he has always stolen the spotlight effortlessly, compared to him who is struggling to do the same. Safe to say, those feelings are gone now. After all, they were just dumb, curious freshmen back then.
“You know,” Minho starts “I know a lot of information about you.”
Jisung stares at him, a little surprised. He is curious, so he asks. “Spill.”
Minho raises a single eyebrow to him. “You are the ‘Young Beethoven,’” he answers while raising both of his middle and index fingers to signify the ‘quote unquote’ symbol.
Although the nickname was unusual, Jisung is taken-aback for a moment, stunned by Minho’s words. He did not expect to hear those words, not even from him. He kind of expected to be labeled as someone who just loiters around the library, instead of what Minho said. From what he knows, he is not that popular in the university. He is not even aware of the said nickname he has.
He looks at Minho again, as they are both waiting for the lights to turn green to be able to cross the road. He throws the now empty iced americano into a nearby trash can, then wipes his hands on his jeans.
“So… where is your car?”
_
Jisung comes face to face with a sleek, black sedan. It is polished, and from the looks of it, it seems like it is being taken care of properly. He trails his index finger on the tinted windows of it, immediately removing it once he hears Minho clear his throat behind him. He wipes his finger on his pants and turns around to look at him.
“That’s my baby, Madonna.”
Jisung looks at him with squinted eyes, controlling himself from judging the boy. “You…” He looks at the car again, and back at Minho. “You named your car.” He trails slowly, as if he was not believing Minho either.
“Yes, I named her.”
Minho circles the car, grabbing the handle of the driver’s side door. He grabs his key, unlocking it, and stares at Jisung. “Won’t you come in?” He finally opens the door for himself and Minho sits on the black leather seat of his car.
The boy follows him, hesitantly. He yanks the door open and the car freshener immediately enters his nose. He takes a seat, and it’s comfortable. Jisung closes the door and looks at Minho, who is starting the ignition. “I really hate your car freshener.”
“Madonna’s freshener,” Minho corrects.
Jisung shrugs and reaches for the collar of his shirt, bringing it up to cover his nose. “I can’t believe you settled for the cherry scent.” He rolls his eyes as he shifts from his seat to lean against the window. “How basic of you.”
“Cherry is the best scent, in my opinion,” Minho feistedly answers. He throws a glare to Jisung as he rests his hand on the wheel, waiting for the car to warm up. The last time he drove this was 3 weeks ago, and it was to drive a drunk Seungmin home. Lucky for him, he did not throw up inside his car. He also notes that the cherry scent is stronger this time as the car hasn’t been used for quite some time.
“In your opinion.” Jisung throws a second eye roll this time. He thinks that he will not last long in this ride, as he already feels himself getting nauseous from the smell.
“This is literally my car, Mr. Han,” Minho snaps. He hears Jisung heave a sigh from his right side, so out of kindness, he picks up the car freshener. Minho opens the storage compartment located on Jisung’s side. The latter throws him a suspicious look as he sees Minho’s action. He pays him no mind as he dumps the can into the compartment.
In his peripheral view, he sees Jisung looking at him with a smug smile. His hand grips the steering wheel firmly, preparing himself to start driving. He presses the pedal and oh, Minho thinks to himself, it’s been a long time since he’s last driven.
Not being over dramatic, but Minho already became unfamiliar with driving a car. He presses the pedal again, testing the waters. This sends the both of them almost flying from their seat due to how hard he pressed. Minho gives Jisung a sheepish smile. “I’m not even religious, but if I were you…” Jisung waits for him to finish the sentence. His round eyes are more rounder out of curiosity. “You should start praying.”
“Minho, what the fuck,” Jisung curses him, his hands scramble to reach for the seat belt he forgot to wear. He puts it on quickly and gives Minho a light punch on his arm. Minho rubs the spot, exaggerating his expression to appear hurt. “Stop scaring me.”
“All jokes aside, I don’t drive that much and…” Minho fumbles with the buttons on his wheel, his thumb hovering above them. “It’s been so long since I last drove. At least for me.” He turns to look at Jisung who is staring at him with wide eyes.
He gets a slap on his shoulders by Jisung who is still glaring at him. “You are just scaring me.”
“I'm not even trying to scare you. I, myself, am even scared by my capability”
“Maybe we should take a stroll before driving on the highway?” Jisung suggests with a hopeful look in his eyes.
“It’s a waste of gas but…” Minho adjusts his seat, preparing to drive. “Yeah. I think we should.”
__
They are strolling in the town and there’s lots of red everywhere. It’s almost Valentine's Day, after all. There are hanging banners with hearts on them, and countless stores with discounts for couples. Several shops have roses on display and some are even giving it out for free. ‘Love is in the air,’ the poster they passed by read. He agrees with it as he watches couples of different ages being sweet to each other.
“Any plans for Valentine’s Day?” Minho glances at him as he takes a swift turn to the left. Jisung fondly stares at the couples in the street, for once not feeling bitter about not having a significant other.
“I don’t even know if I’ll make it out alive today.”
He hears Minho chuckles, and he does the same. He looks out of the window again, noticing a small crowd. Upon closer inspection, it turns out that a short-haired girl is serenading this other girl who seems to be holding back her tears. After the song, they both hug each other and the crowd cheers them on. Jisung sighs for the ninth time as they pass by the scene. “God, when?”
“Never.”
He hears someone beside him (who is really just Minho) sternly says. He looks up at the sky, his fingers caressing the window dramatically. “This is the sign,” he sadly whispers.
Minho, the oh so ever Minho, takes a sharp turn which makes Jisung stumble on his seat. He immediately composes himself and quickly slaps Minho on his forearms. “You just ruined my moment.” The boy only laughs at him, looking at him for a second before returning his attention to the road.
“My job is to let you suffer.” Minho giggles as he pats Jisung on his head. The boy’s frown becomes deeper as he lets out an involuntary pout. He dodges his head to avoid Minho’s hand and fixes his composure one last time before crossing his arms on his chest.
They fall in a comfortable silence as soon as their bickering ends. Jisung, who is still amused by the spirit of Valentine’s Day in their town, reflects on what plan he was supposed to have. He remembers, Hyunjin was supposed to set up Jisung and a friend of his from another university for a blind date. He had heard Hyunjin describe his friend as an outgoing, vibrant and a hail-fellow-well-met type of person. Jisung was more into people who are sharp-witted and a little mischievous for some spice, he had told him.
Not that Jisung is too keen on his ideal type of partner. One time, the summer before his freshman year, he had a fling, Gowon. She is the friend of Hyunjin’s cousin. In contrast to his preferred type, she was soft-spoken and feminine. They were hitting it off for almost a month until they mutually lost interest with each other romantically. More or less, they’ve become friends. It’s a shame that she goes to a university 3 hours away from them, that’s why they hardly meet up.
His friends, Hyunjin, Felix, and Jeongin, planned a two-day vacation before this big event came up. “Let’s go camping,” Felix had said while they were eating lunch one day in December. “We have to plan this early though,” he said while chewing the noodles he ordered, “it takes me 2 working months before my parents approve.”
He remembers the look of disappointment on his friends’ face when the chancellor announced in late January that they will be supporting their university’s basketball team who reached regional level. He was also informed that everyone who attended and came to cheer them to the venue would earn extra credits for this semester. Jisung, a boy who does not waste any chances to strive for a higher GPA, naturally agreed.
“Do you have plans, as well?” Jisung finally stops his thought and returns to Minho, who was driving peacefully. He notices as well that in 5 minutes, they will have exited the town and been driving on the highway.
Minho spares him a glance then replies, “Not much.” He adjusts his wrists so that they can rest comfortably against the steering wheel. “We will just probably eat out and have a movie marathon.” He brings up his hand and ruffles his hair. “Same old, same old.”
“With who?” Jisung curiously asks him.
Minho, who was distracted by the bird that flew over their car for a moment, replies to him, “With my friends.” With this information, Jisung sits up properly. He squints his eyes at Minho, who looks at him weirdly in return. “What’s with your face?”
“I thought you were supposed to go out with your girlfriend,” Jisung mutters. He is still looking at him weirdly as if something’s wrong with the information Minho had given.
“I don’t have a girlfriend,” Minho announces.
“You’re joking.”
“I don’t have a girlfriend, Han.”
Jisung playfully scans Minho up and down with his eyes. “That’s predictable.”
Minho scoffs and faces Jisung properly. “There are tons of people lining up for me.” He throws a smirk as he brings up his hand to caress his own jaw, striking a pose as the sunlight enters the window and hits his face. “I am single by choice”
Jisung, who is dumbfounded for a second by the stupid gesture Minho made, quickly snaps out of it. It’s funny how some people make countless attempts to look good, meanwhile the man beside him is effortlessly gorgeous and good-looking while doing that action. He is also probably not aware of it. Jisung rolls his eyes at him, laughing at Minho’s words: to cover up.
“Besides, I’m not into girls,” Minho adds with a suggestive tone as he wriggles his eyebrows up and down.
__
“Are you ready?”
The car halts to a stop as the traffic light turns red. They are about to drive on the highway. Their windows are both rolled down, and the wind is entering the car, messing up both of their hair.
“Me?”
Jisung confusedly looks at him, his eyebrows furrowed. “Uh, who else?”
Minho laughs to himself, eyes wandering from the road in front of them, then back at Jisung. He smirks “I should be asking you that.” In return, Jisung rolls his eyes at him.
He huffs and looks at Minho, who was checking out the stores by the road, again. “Hey,” he called out. Minho hums at him, but his eyes are not on him. “I’m hungry.”
Minho looks at him with a teasing smile. “Already?” Jisung gives him a nod with a sheepish smile. Without complaints, Minho reaches over to grab the plastic bag in the backseat. He takes the first thing his hand touches and when he brings his hand back, he gives him the snack. It is a chocolate bar.
Jisung’s eyes light up and he quickly snatches the bar from Minho’s hand. He quickly tears the packaging, excited to have a taste. “It’s my favorite brand!” He snaps a piece and brings it to Minho’s lips. Instinctively, he parts his lips to consume it. Jisung, with expectant eyes, is waiting for Minho’s reaction from the taste. “It’s delicious, right?” he asks.
Minho, who does not have a soft spot for sweets, instantly melts at the taste. He looks at Jisung with wide eyes, surprised by the sweetness. “This is good!”
“Right?!” Minho stretches his arms again and gets the chocolate bar sitting on Jisung’s lap. He breaks a piece and devours it. After that, he offers Jisung a piece as well. He brings it to his lips, pushing, so that they will involuntary part. Jisung accepts it and quickly savours it.
“Hey, can you play some songs?” Jisung asks out of nowhere. Agreeing, Minho pulls out his phone from his pocket, then unlocks it. He notices that in his lockscreen, there are three (or two?) cats. He hadn’t seen it clearly because of Minho’s phone brightness. Dismayed, Jisung takes a peek at his phone, but Minho has already unlocked his lockscreen. “Were those cats?”
“Huh?” Minho asks, puzzled.
“The image in your lockscreen, I mean,” Jisung mutters.
“Oh.” Minho presses a button which turns off his phone. He presses the same button again, the screen lighting up, showing a now, clear photo of his cats. Confirmed, there are three cats. Minho’s thumb hovers above the first cat— the one with orange stripes. “This one is Soonie.”
“Soonie,” Jisung follows.
There, in the middle, Minho points to the one with grey fur. “This is Dori.” He uses his thumb to caress the head of Dori’s. Jisung does the same. “He is the youngest.” Jisung nods as he gives the kitten a last pat on his head.
The last one is a cat similar to the first, Soonie. It’s fur is colored with white and orange as well. This one though, is mostly white. The recognizable feature it has is it’s orange nose. This serves as a distinction, as well, to the both of them. “Doongie,” Minho says with a soft voice. “Also, all of them are boys.” Jisung’s lips formed an ‘o’, fascinated by the information Minho mentioned. “I am their hyung,” laughs Minho.
Jisung repeats their names, and he tries to get used to it. “Soonie, Dori, Doongie.” For a show, he points to the cats with their corresponding names. In return, Minho gives him an impressive expression and a clap. He feels proud of himself.
“They are all cute,” Jisung utters, “but I like Soonie the most.” He gives a last look at Minho’s phone. “He is a chonky boy.”
Minho chuckles and playfully slaps him on his arm. “Hey! We don’t tolerate favoritism in this house.” He feigns an authoritative voice to intimidate Jisung.
Jisung giggles, then he becomes conscious of the reason why he made Minho show him his phone in the first place. “We almost forgot about the music.”
Minho, who is compliant, connects his phone to the speakers. He quickly opens his playlist and presses shuffle. A familiar beat bounces in the car. Jisung recognizes the drums in the intro he knows all too well. The snares follow soon and as quickly as the song progressed, the lyrics come after.
“All I am, is a man-”
Jisung rapidly turns his head to Minho, giving him a look. “Don’t tell me…”
Minho, who is amused by his expression, presses his index finger to Jisung’s lips. “Yes, just enjoy the song,” he shushes Jisung. They both laugh and proceed to sing the lyrics together.
__
“Say, Minho,” Jisung starts as his eyes dart to the dashboard clock which reads 10:48 AM. The numbers, which are colored in neon blue, blink repeatedly at him, as if it is mocking him. “Will we be having breakfast soon?”
Minho’s gaze shifts to the dashboard clock as well. “Didn’t you already eat that big baguette for breakfast?” he says with a teasing look. His right hand snakes around his own pants, patting the pockets as if he is searching for something. He pushes his hand inside his left pocket, then retreats it with a closed fist. He opens it in front of Jisung and there, it revealed a packet of gum.
Delighted, Jisung takes it and gets himself a piece. He starts chewing it and his expression turns different. Surprised by the flavor he had not expected, he turns to Minho with wide eyes. “You know,” he chews a bit more, savouring the flavor, “they don’t really sell cinnamon-flavored gum in our area.”
Minho turns to him with an amused look. “Really?” He sets his eyes to the road again and continues, “That’s my favorite flavor.” Minho recalls the time he first tasted cinnamon-flavored gum. That time, his mother went to a different country for a business trip. He was 10, and requested for a lego set from his mom. Minho was playing with his toy cars when his mother came back and hurriedly went to Minho’s room and peppered him with kisses. There was an unfamiliar scent in her mouth though, and when he asked what it was, it turned out to be the scent of the gum she was chewing. Later that night, the box of legos were left untouched, and the packet containing the cinnamon-flavored gum was empty.
“Oh really? Mine’s watermelon,” Jisung confesses.
After a few more minutes, Minho slows down and parks in front of a diner. The diner has a cozy vibe in it. The overall color theme consists of brown, cream, and a little bit of green. There, in the sign right above the door, is the name of the diner. Beside the door, there is a propped-up chalkboard stand with menus written on it, to which Jisung is impressed by the calligraphy and the complementary splashes of hues.
“Is it fine for you to eat here?” Minho asks Jisung. “Or do you prefer fast food?” he adds.
Jisung quickly shakes his head to Minho’s question. “No, it’s fine,” he refuses. “Besides, it’s been a long time since I ate a proper meal,” he chuckles.
Minho chuckles with him and they finally enter the diner. Minho opens the heavy and squeaky door for Jisung, and thanks him after. “What do they even serve here?” asks Jisung to Minho, who does not seem like a first-timer here. They proceed to the general direction of the counter, taking a closer inspection of the menu and prices. “I thought we were supposed to sit down and wait for the servers to take our orders.” Jisung seems confused, because for a place like this, it looks like an old casual-dining restaurant.
“Are you that spoiled?” Minho playfully pokes at Jisung. Then, he takes a look at the area. “I also thought of that the first time we ate here,” he agrees. They both take a seat in the interior of the diner. Although this place looks a little old, it has somewhat nicer and fancier furniture than most of the restaurant Jisung has been to.
Jisung’s eyes landed on the menu board again. There are appetizers, full-course meals, salads, and even desserts. “Hey, are you sure we can afford this?” He looks at Minho worriedly. Sure enough, he knows that the pocket money he only has right now is enough for 3 days if he sticks to fast foods― not these kinds of foods that a normal university student would eat on a daily basis.
“Relax. This is slightly more budget-friendly than you think,” Minho assures him. He takes out his leather wallet from his pocket and opens it. For a second, Jisung catches a glimpse of a film strip in it until Minho closes it again. “Or I could just pay for your meal,” he suggests.
Jisung’s eyes widen, not expecting the offer from Minho. “Wha- No!” He takes a look at the menu board again, eyes landing on a certain menu which costs $30. “You can’t just easily do that to me!”
“Why not?”
“You’re too nice.” Minho quirks his eyebrows at that. “And it’s scaring me.”
Minho laughs at what the other boy says. “Okay, so you are scared when I do something naughty, but you are also scared whenever I do nice acts?”
“That’s not the point,” he responds. “It’s just that, we just met-”
“We’re acquaintances. We’ve met before,” corrects Minho.
Jisung rolls his eyes jokingly and starts his sentence again. “This is the first time we are alone together and you are already doing nice things to me. Not that it’s bad. It’s just that, I feel like you are, uh, trusting me too easily.” Jisung shifts his eyes. “What if I am actually a serial killer.” He tries to lighten the mood a bit.
“Aren’t you already one right now?” Minho rides with his joke. “Anyway...” Minho changes the topic. “We could just eat at another restaurant.”
“Don’t worry, it’s fine,” Jisung assures. “I will just order a dessert. I have a sweet tooth, and I am not that hungry anyway.”
Minho looks at him weirdly. “No you can’t. You’ll be hungry throughout the ride.”
Right before Jisung can refuse, a server approaches them. “Good morning!” She hands them a list of menus and Minho takes it from her. Jisung tries to ignore the big ‘Valentine’s Day Discount for Couples’ placed at the center. “We have a discount for couples this Valentine’s season.”
Oh no. He knows where this is going.
Both Jisung and Minho share a look with sparkly eyes, seemingly knowing what will happen next. Jisung looks away, feeling his cheeks heat up and he feels Minho, who has a cocky expression on his face, step closer to him until their shoulders are touching.
“I’m assuming that you are a couple.” The lady flashes them a hopeful smile.
Minho, without missing a beat, slings his arms on Jisung’s shoulder, pulling him closer. He looks up at Minho, not expecting the action, feeling the heat creep up his neck. “We’ve been together for almost 3 years now.” Minho looks at Jisung with a fond smile. “Up to this day, I don’t know how I managed to stand him and his temper.” He ruffles Jisung's hair and boops his nose after for an added emphasis.
Jisung gives him a (pretentious) pout and puffs his cheeks out to act cute for Minho. He ignores the heat on his cheeks and the stare of the lady in front of them. “Great!” she speaks again. “You can browse the menu and just present it to the cashier. I hope you stay strong.” She gives them a last smile as she walks away, approaching a couple, who looks real this time, and presumably talks with them the same way she did to Minho and Jisung.
“Isn’t that great?” asks Minho. Jisung, who still hasn’t recovered from his previous flustered state, gives Minho a shaky chuckle. Minho, whose smile drops, slowly removes his hands from Jisung’s shoulders. “I-I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable,” he apologizes.
Jisung quickly turns his face to him, confused. “Who said you made me uncomfortable?”
Minho looks at him with a shocked, but nonetheless relieved expression. “I assumed you did not like how I acted earlier.” He brings his right hand up and scratches his neck.
Jisung gives him a pat on the back. “Don’t sulk. We still have to act more,” he encourages. Minho tries to stifle a laugh as the tension between the two of them is eased. Jisung grabs Minho’s hands with his right and interlaces them. He gives him a squeeze to alert him.
Minho looks down at their interlocked hands before removing his after that. For a moment, Jisung thought he fucked up and crossed their boundaries until Minho moves from his place to settle on his left side. He grabs Jisung’s left hand and laces them together again. “I prefer holding hands with my right.” Minho shoots him a sheepish grin.
Minho notices Jisung’s hands are bigger. His are also softer and free of calluses, unlike Minho’s. There is a ring on his thumb, and there is one on his ring finger. Minho looks down and observes the ring. They are both bulky and silver and while the other ring has a round emerald placed on the center, the other has somewhat an analog clock on the center. The rings are interesting and he reminds himself to ask Jisung about those later.
The person in front of them is done ordering, and Jisung and Minho move to take their place. Jisung looks at the discounted menu on Minho’s hand, settling for the 40% off unlimited mozzarella sticks and fries, and a cheesecake for some sweetness. Minho also skims at the menu and he chooses beef broccoli, and a crepe for dessert.
“That will be $34 all in all.”
They both reach for their wallet at the same time, until Jisung stops Minho. “Don’t worry, it’s my treat.” He is about to refuse but Jisung already gave his $50 to the cashier. She gives him the change and the receipt with a smile.
Minho and Jisung proceed to look for available booths in the restaurant. They find one beside the large window and sit down. “It was cheaper than I thought it would be.” Minho starts as he sets his wallet and phone on the table. “Why did you pay for my meal?”
Jisung shrugs his shoulders. “I just felt generous.” He scratches the wooden table, feeling the texture of the surface beneath his fingertips. “Besides, it doesn’t hurt to treat your boyfriend. Right?” He giggles and looks at Minho.
“I am glad that I still haven’t broken up with you.” Minho plays along with him. “If I had, I wouldn’t get to eat this meal, and I would starve to death. Kudos to you.” They both laugh together loudly, but not loud enough to gain the attention of the customers in the diner.
A server approaches them with a pitcher of water and 2 glasses in his hands. He just gives them a smile, and sets down what he was holding. Then, he is strutting away from them as quickly as he approached them earlier.
“Say, Jisung.” The mentioned boy who was pouring water in both of their glasses looks up to him with curious eyes. “Let me rephrase, pardon me.” Minho pretends to fix his collar and his hair. He clasps his hand together. “Say, boyfriend.” The sudden title makes Jisung crack up again and he finally sets down the pitcher since he was done. “Would you like to keep this act?”
“What act?”
Minho examines the whole diner, keeping an eye for the servers that they deceived earlier. “This.” He gestures to the both of them and Jisung finally understands what he was referring to and gives him an “ah.”
“I'm not sure.” Jisung plays hard to get with him to see what his reactions will be. “I don’t think there are perks, anyway.” He challenges Minho with a smirk. He anticipates for his answer, knowing that he never runs out of witty comments.
“One,” Minho starts and he lifts his index finger. “We will have endless discounts that are really helpful for our budget.” Point taken, there are many shops they passed by and almost all of them have discounts for couples since Valentine’s Day is nearing. Jisung gives him a nod and a hum, signifying for him to continue his words. “Secondly.” Minho raises his middle finger, now accompanying his index. “You get to enjoy my company and the warm feeling your boyfriend gives you.”
“I like the first perk, but the second seems like a disadvantage.” Jisung shoots him a smirk as he drinks from his glass.
Minho raises his eyebrows, looking at him amusedly. He crosses his arms as he observes Jisung, who is staring back at him challengingly. “You know,” Minho trails and he grabs his glass and drinks from it as well, copying Jisung’s action. “You suck at playing hard to get.” He finishes drinking, and wipes his lips using his thumb. Then, he leans forward, wiping Jisung’s upper lip, which is also wet from the water, as well. “It’s so evident how flustered you are.”
Jisung, who was frozen, fixes his composure. He leans as well, cupping Minho’s cheeks. The boy is taken aback, not expecting that Jisung is brave enough to act like this. “Min-” before Jisung is able to continue his words, a server interrupts them as she serves their food.
“I apologize for disrupting. Here’s your food.” She gives them an apologetic smile as he sets their food on the table. They help her place the foods on the table, setting them one by one. “I hope you’ll stay together until the end,” she says after she is done.
They both returned to the car, stomach full. Minho opens the door for Jisung, and Jisung steps inside. He stretches his body, grunting, “I ate too much.” He rubs his belly for an emphasis. “I usually feel sleepy when my tummy is full.” He gives a last pat and he turns to Minho, who was watching him with an amused expression.
“Gas stations are few in this area.”
“Hey!” Jisung slaps Minho’s shoulder.
They continue the ride. The only accompaniment they have is the radio that blasts out songs from the early 2000’s. It’s silent, until Minho speaks up. “Hey,” he calls out to Jisung, and glances at him to make sure he hasn't fallen asleep.
Jisung answers with a hum. He was playing with the seatbelt, clearly looking bored from the radio.
“We are now boyfriends, but the only thing i know about you is your name.” Minho laughs and swivels the car to the empty lane to drive faster. With this, Jisung shifts from his shift, propping his hand up on his thighs.
“You don’t even know my major?” He squints his eyes at Minho.
“You major in music, sorry, I forgot about that.” Minho gives him a look before he speaks up again. “I think you know mine, too.”
Jisung responds with, “Obviously.” He pauses, rethinking if his next words are fine with Minho. He eventually decides that it is fine so he says, “Can we play 21 questions?”
Minho gives him a question straight away. “What is your zodiac sign?”
“... Let’s skip the basic questions. Tell me, what is the color of your underwear right now.” Jisung did not notice how vague his question was, but when he does, his eyes become wide. He turns red, stuttering while trying to apologize to Minho, “Wh- I mean-”
“Wanna see?” Minho never becomes flustered, Jisung decides. There is a sly smile on his face as he pretends to look down on his pants. “So that I don’t have to tell you.” Jisung slaps him on his shoulder again. “Oww.” He pretends to be hurt, which is ridiculous, since Jisung only slaps him lightly. It was barely a slap. “Anyway, it’s grey.”
“Minho!” Jisung covers his face as it turns red. It becomes redder when Minho sends him a wink. He seems unaffected, unlike Jisung, from what they talked about earlier, so Jisung tries to look calm and cool. “Mine’s yellow with the Spiderman prints on it.”
“Oh really?” Minho gapes at him with a funny expression. “Peter Parker. Peter Han. Spiderman suits you.” They both laugh together. “But honestly, I think Ben10 underwear suits you more.” He earns a light hit from Minho who accepts it. “Are you actually serious about that?”
Jisung stares at him with squinted eyes, expression shifting from being bright to now, dull. “You actually believed in what I said?” He points his index finger at him, feeling offended.
Minho looks at him with a teasing glint on his eyes. “Of course,” he confidently states. He struts his chin, pretending to focus on driving. “You look like you own those kinds of pairs.” His (pretentious) serious demeanor is ruined as he has a laughing fit over what he said. Jisung joins him.
“Mine’s actually black,” Jisung comes out with. Minho stares at him with a funny look and they both crack up for the nth time.
For the next question, Minho asks him, “What’s your favorite book?”
Jisung does not expect him to ask that question. He hasn't mentioned to Minho that he has a soft spot for books. He excitedly jumps on his seat, clasping his hands. “The Empress of Salt and Fortune!” He decides to not expand the details about the book, so he asks Minho about his.
“I’m really picky about what I read, so let’s go to the safest route. The Harry Potter Series.”
An ‘o’ forms in Jisung’s mouth. “Ooh. How was it?”
Minho shrugs with a sheepish smile. “I don't really know.” Jisung turns to him with a confused look, subtly judging Minho. “I haven’t read any of it.” A ridiculed expression washes over Jisung’s face and Minho giggles about it. He pinches Jisung’s left cheek, only for it to be swatted away.
Changing the subject, Minho says, “Alright, next question. What is your ideal type?”
With that, Jisung becomes taken aback with the question. “Why so sudden?” Minho gives him a shrug, focusing on the drive and anticipating his answer. Jisung leans back in his seat. “I like gentlemen.” Minho looks at him, one eyebrow raised, and his lips turning into a grin. “I also like people whom I have similarities with.” Jisung turns to Minho. “How about you?”
The boy, expecting the question (since his response sounded rehearsed), answers with, “I like cute boys.” He sends Jisung a smirk. He brings his right hand, resting it on his own thigh, while his left hand remains on the steering wheel. Jisung accidentally notices the prominent veins on his hands, bulging whenever he tightens his grip. “Let me rephrase. I like cute boys who get flustered easily.” He then speeds up the car, overtaking the white SUV in front of them.
“That’s cool,” Jisung agrees with a nod, “but that’s too basic.”
Minho turns to him with an offended look, “What do you expect me to answer?” He chuckles as he ruffles his own hair with his hand. “Do you want something specific?” Jisung gives him a nod with pursed lips, making his cheeks look chubbier. Cute , Minho thinks to himself. “I like cute boys with Spiderman underwear.”
“Minho!”
The clock on the dashboard beeps, and both of their eyes shift to it. It is already 3pm. “Time flies so fast,” Jisung says, surprised.
“You sound so melancholic.” Minho grins at him and Jisung rolls his eyes in return. “Time really flies fast when you are with your loved ones.” He cracks a laugh and brings his right hand, pressing the button to stop the beeping.
Jisung crosses his arms and proceeds to look away. “I hate you.”
Suddenly, something pops in Minho’s head, eyes turning sparkly. “Do you wanna watch the sunset?” he suggests to the boy. Ever since he was a kid, he had always loved watching the sky― whether it will be the sunset, sunrise, meteor showers, gloomy clouds, or even just airplanes. When he was 15, in their backyard, he would dance in the rain. The way the droplets touch your body, how it rolls down, and how it complements his sharp moves, fascinates him. Although he would always have a scolding later that night from his father, it was all worth it.
“I’ve always loved watching sunsets,” Jisung replies dreamily. “Can I tell you something?” he suddenly opens up. Minho gazes at him, feeling interested. “If I didn’t major in music…” he pauses, looking straight into Minho’s eyes, “I would take astrology.” He takes a peek, expecting to be laughed at. It’s always been like that. Whenever he told someone his interest and fondness for astrology, they would simply laugh at him as if he was telling a joke.
However, Minho’s reaction is not what he totally expected. The older is gazing back at him with a fond smile. For a moment, Jisung is drawn into his eyes, forgetting about everything around them, until Minho speaks. “I also love astrology.” Jisung snaps out of it, and quickly nods, listening to his words. “At first, I was ashamed of the adoration I have for it.” His fingers fidget around the steering wheel. “Because people have always found it ridiculous since it is, apparently, a useless major.” Jisung keeps nodding. His words are awfully familiar and he hears those on a daily basis. If he had a dollar every time someone told him that, he would probably be a millionaire by now. “But then, I realized. Why would I be ashamed of my interests?”
Jisung keeps glancing at Minho. He bites his lips, anticipating the next words that are about to come out of his mouth. “Think about it. There are people who have diverse hobbies and interests.” Agreeing, all Jisung can do is nod. He looks down, focusing his sight on Minho’s knee, barely covered by a rip on his jeans. “I’ve met a girl who likes painting, which is common, but still impressive. Then at the summer camp, I met a girl who likes collecting different kinds of rock.” They both chuckle at the unique hobby she has. “Painting is more widely accepted and normalized than collecting rocks,” Minho states, “still, both of them are as important as each other. As long as you find yourself enjoying something that doesn’t negatively affect people, you don’t have something to worry about.”
Jisung’s smile widens at his words. “I never knew you had those kinds of words in you, Shakespeare.” He nudges Minho’s right shoulder, while the other boy just laughs. “I’m- Thank you for that advice. My perspective changed because of you.” He looks at the other boy fondly.
“In a good way or bad way?” Minho teases.
“Of course, in a good way!” Jisung playfully pinches his forearms.
Suddenly, a beep comes from the dashboard. It’s not the clock. This time, it signalizes how low the fuel is that they have right now. “Oh, “ Minho says, distracted, “I guess Madonna is running low on fuel.”