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Felix wiped at his bleary eyes and leaned his heavy head on Jisung’s conveniently placed shoulder. Hyunjin was impatiently taping his toes and Seungmin looked like he had already left this plane of existence, dilated eyes digging into Jeongin’s head as he stood as still as a statue. Changbin was the first to react when the door finally opened, letting out a long groan and a grumble as Chan’s head peeped out with a sheepish look.
“Hey sorry guys, you can come in if you want. But don’t judge! We just barely got the cat sitter found in time, so we weren't sure we should pack until this morning and- yeah it’s a bit of a process still.”
The responses ranged from an upbeat ‘We understand hyung!’ to an eye roll, but Chan supposed he would have to take it. He swung the door open and one by one they all shuffled in, a collection of sighs coming out at the splotches of clothes on the couch and the burst luggage on the hardwood floor.
“I don’t want to hear it. Packing is only as difficult as it is because I have to pack two of everything in case one of you idiots forgets something important- like you always do .”
Minho appeared from the hallway like a ruffled feline, his sharp eyes digging into each person as if he was daring them to speak differently. No one took him up on the challenge, and he just snorted and began sorting through the items sprawled before him.
“Chan did you remember the-”
“The extra toothbrushes and Epipen for Joengin in case he eats a peanut again? Of course. The real question is do you think we should pack lunch or get something on the way?”
Minho hummed and then looked back at their guests.
“What do you all think? Should I try to make some kimchi fried rice or would you rather pick up some take out?”
Felix was the first to speak, nods of agreement following his enthusiastic response.
“Your cooking for sure Hyung! I haven’t had a Minho lunch in too long!”
Chan reached over to ruffle Felix’s already unruly hair, and Minho just smiled the same way he did when Dori took her medicine right away instead of clawing him like usual.
“Alright then. Why don’t you all go and get us all some coffee in the meantime huh? God knows I don’t think Seungmin is ever going to return to earth without some caffeine in him.”
Hyunjin straightened up and grabbed the two nearest people beside him, corralling everyone to the door in record time. As they walked back to the doorway they could hear Chan’s loud laugh and then a “so whose underwear is this again?” that was only given an unsure hum in response.
They made their way down the beige apartment hallway and took the stairs to the first level, pushing out into the cold early morning air all huddled together. As they meandered towards the nearest Starbucks a few blocks away, Jisung was the first to speak, his voice just loud enough to be heard by the boys next to him.
“So, has anyone noticed that Chan and Minho seem a little… um how to say this- married?”
Hyunjin pipes up as dramatic as usual, voice a little shrill for sensitive ears.
“Exactly! I was just telling Changbin this- wasn’t I hyung?- they really have gotten more domestic than my own mother and father! I mean have you heard Minho’s rant on Chan’s sleep schedule?”
Nods all around, Changbin only sighing at the sharp elbow dug into his side. Seungmin speaks up next, eyes finally losing their glassy shine.
“I mean it is a bit strange that Chan hasn’t had a crush since they moved in together. That guy used to be a hopeless romantic, and yet I haven’t heard a word about a man or woman who has even caught his eye recently.”
Finally it was Felix who joined in, eyebrows pushed together as his voice was let out hesitantly.
“Yeah you know, maybe you're onto something. I mean Chan did tell me that Minho makes him lunch boxes on Tuesdays and Thursdays cause he knows Chan has a completely packed schedule, and Minho also told me that for his last birthday Chan surprised him with a video of Soonie growing up with an instrumental he wrote himself in the background. That is a bit suspicious.”
Felix looked to his side only to see that everyone was staring at him with blank faces, the whole group now come to a standstill on the sidewalk. Jisung’s voice was close to a shriek when he finally broke the stalled silence.
“ A LiTtLe SuSpiCioUs?! Are you kidding me? Oh my god they’ve probably already eloped and I didn’t even get to make my totally awesome embarrassing speech as Minho’s best maaaaan! This sucks.”
Hyunjin wiped around, luscious locks flowing like silk past his ears.
“Excuse me? Minho’s best man being you ? Who was it that met him first huh?”
“Yeah but he hated you so that doesn’t count.”
“Does too! And he thought you were also annoying for the first year!”
“At least he didn’t put bugs in my lunchbox because he wanted to see me cry!”
“How is that my fault? Besides it just makes me and Minho’s friendship more remarkable!”
Felix leaned up to Changbin’s ear, lips almost touching the shining stud at the bottom of his lobe.
“You know you’d be Minho’s pick right?”
Changbin turned to give him a quick smirk and then whipped back to the front, arms coming out to wrap around each of the squabbling pair.
“Alright you two pack it up and make Minho listen to this shit. Let’s go get coffee so I can get through this trip with a shred of sanity.”
And off they went, the topic buried but not forgotten.
…
When they got to the resort they were sweaty, cold, exhausted, completely wired, and poor Jeongin was still sick to his stomach from the boat ride. Minho had one arm wrapped around him, hand rubbing his back as his head rested against Minho’s collarbone. Chan had gone inside to check them in and every second felt like a minute. Felix and Jisung were sprawled out on the ground with their head balanced on their luggage, simply looking up at the dark sky.
Finally Chan came out with an odd look on his face and waved them forward. They shuffled into the lobby and Chan stuck out a hand with three key cards in it, a little hesitant before he fully spoke.
“So, here’s the deal: We have the two connected rooms as expected, but for some reason me and Minho have gotten upgraded to a second room a floor above everybody. I’m really not sure why, honestly the receptionist seemed a bit dodgy just saying the representative I spoke to requested it for some reason, but I’m not about to question a good thing. Anyway since Changbin is the oldest and Jeongin moves around in his sleep the most, they will get the two single beds- no Hyunjin no objections right now- and the rest of you can share. Let’s just get ourselves up and go to sleep, it's been a long day.”
Chan had the tone of finality, and in the end they all moved along with only a few sighs. After helping the other boys settle in, Chan and Minho dragged their own luggage out the door and headed for the fourth floor with a quick parting goodnight. After a round of showers and a small fight over closet space, Felix and Hyunjin wrapped their arms around each other while Seungmin and Jisung turned to face opposite ways in the bed, and they all prepared to go to sleep. They only had three days here, and they were all determined to make the most of it.
…
The next morning they met at the lobby at 9 am sharp, probably only because Chan came loudly knocking on every door at 8:30. They were a colorful crew, Jisung’s fluorescent green board shorts like a beacon in the middle of the floor that made Hyunjin’s expensive sunglasses almost appropriate to wear inside. Felix’s eyes were barely open under the wide brim of his bucket hat, and Seungmin’s cardigan looked ridiculous next to the crew of beach ready boys.
Chan was decked out in a grey long sleeved sun shirt and regular black board shorts, Minho next to him in a straw sun hat and a floral white button up. Changbin was dressed more like Seungmin, wearing converse and light wash jeans rather than a quick dry outfit.
“Okay, so as far as I heard Seungmin and Changbin you guys want to go and shop along the main marketplace right? And the rest of you are coming to the beach with us?”
Jisung and Changbin gave him a nod, and Chan took that as overall consent, his hand moving to take out his phone.
“Alright then, you know the deal: send me your location just in case and be back here by four so we can eat dinner somewhere together. And if you buy too much stuff you better buy an extra bag too, cause I’m not letting you both fill up my suitcase until it's 50 pounds like last time!”
Seungmin and Changbin nodded demurely even though they both knew if push came to shove Chan would help them out, Seungmin fishing out his phone and linking his location for the day to Chan.
From there the group split, Changbin and Seugmin going left as the rest of the gang headed right. It was only a short 10 minute walk to the nearest beach, and Jisung cried out when he spotted the first glimpse of blue. Soon they all took off into a sprint, Chan playfully pushing Felix to the side to claim first spot. They dashed onto the pale yellow sand, hot grains sticking to the bottom of their feet as they shoved off their flip flops.
Tackled from the back, Chan and Jeongin went down in a heap, Jisung, Felix, and Hyunjin laughing until they joined on top. Crushing them all was Minho, who took a jump to get on the pile. Soon they all fell, sprawling out and panting up at the wide blue sky, golden sunlight searing into the back of their eyelids. The air tasted salty, and Chan felt more at home than he had in awhile. Spurred on by that thought he got to his feet preparing to go straight to the sea, only to be yanked back a second time.
Minho’s eyebrow was raised all the way to the middle of his forehead, hand like iron on Chan’s bicep.
“And where do you think your going Mr. Crispy? You really think I’m going to let you leave without a single drop of sunscreen on you?”
Chan laughed, pulling off his black cap to give better access to his pale face. Minho unscrewed a big teal bottle and dumped a heavy amount in his hand, smearing the ivory liquid gently over Chan’s nose and cheeks. Chan’s scrunched up face looked like a put out child and unconsciously Minho began to smile, his eyes curving upward as he carefully covered Chan’s reddening ears.
Once he was done he turned back to see all the other boys simply watching them, some with smirks and others with genuine smiles. Quickly, Minho cleared his throat, narrowing his eyes at Jisung and Hyunjin in particular.
“What the hell are all you staring at? You think you're not next Mr. boiled-lobster-jin?”
The moment was dashed as they all broke into laughter, memories of Hyunjin’s shiny red skin and constant whines from their last beach day filling their minds. After a quick rub down of each boy, they all abandoned their stuff in favor of the glistening water in front of them.
Chan and Felix were first to dive into the water, moving through the waves like darting fish. Jisung and Jeongin were a bit more slow but still sure, gradually getting out to the same depth as the other two. Hyunjin and Minho stayed in the more shallow area, Hyunjin out of fear and Minho in disinterest. Sometimes the other boys would come back to splash them, although Jeongin regretted it when Minho caught him first.
The water was pleasant and the waves calm, but the constant activity and hot sun still sapped their energy like a sponge. After a couple of hours they were all ready for a break, and maybe a small treat to eat. Chan spotted something parked along the sidewalk up the beach, and he shouted out to the others.
“Hey I think that’s a shaved ice truck! I’m willing to buy, so tell me your order now or forever hold your peace.”
After a loud chorus of shouting, Chan had his regrets already. Beside him Minho let go of a long breath and tapped his shoulder.
“Hyunjin wants orangade, Felix melon, and Jisung and Jeongin want cream soda flavor. I’ll just come with you to order, so don’t bother with this memorizing shit.”
Chan gave him a quick thanks and the pair walked ahead of the rest, Chan stopping to grab his wallet before they made their way to the truck. While they were gone the rest of the boys got started on a game of Halli galli, each round intensifying until the whole thing was a mess of shouting and slapping. All the chaos devolved into silence once Chan returned however, each boy munching down on their sweet ice. By the time Hyunjin looked up he noticed something he just had to point out.
“So you guys decided to split one huh? And just eat out of a shared container?”
Chan and Minho looked up as well, both boys eating the same red ice from a medium sized waxed paper cup. Chan seemed a bit stiff but as always Minho moved right along, mouth always ready for a sharp retort.
“And? Can’t two people be both economical and environmentally friendly without being questioned by some nosy meerkat?”
The group dissolved into a few good hearted chuckles, but Jisung couldn’t stop himself from offering another small comment under his breath.
“Didn’t get me and Jeongin a shared one though…”
One look on Minho’s face shut Jisung up for good, the group going back to shoveling cool crunchy sugar down their throats.
…
By dinner time they were all too tired to want anything fancy, Minho and Chan simply ordering from a local diner and coming out with their food so they could eat on the picnic tables at the park. Jisung was helping Chan distribute the paper boxes, calling out orders so they could be claimed. After it seemed to be over he found one small box at the end. Glancing around it was clear everyone else had been served, so he peeked into the box with hesitancy.
Suddenly he burst into laughter, his body shaking so hard he almost dropped the box altogether. Hyunjin immediately tried to swipe it to see what was so funny, but he defended it with vigor, giggles finally dying down to let him speak.
“And guess what this lovely surprise is hmm? It just so happens to be a lovely slice of chocolate cake- for the newlyweds!”
He pointedly handed it to Minho and Chan, his grin so broad Minho could see every tooth he owned. Minho just groaned, Chan flushing a light red and shaking his head.
“Not again…”
Minho’s elbow dug into his side and Chan winced, just before he was blasted with a chorus of ‘AGAIN?’
“Well… okay here the thing, I guess this place is really famous as a destination for honeymooners. And, um, me and Minho may have been given the honeymoon suite.”
The rest of the boys were practically howling, Hyunjin and Felix taking turns slapping each other’s chest. Seungmin though just narrowed his eyes, digging deeper into Chan’s soul.
“That’s not even it is it?”
Chan paused, Minho’s eyes widening as he opened his mouth once more.
“Well, there was also the shaved ice guy… you see me and Minho were arguing about what flavor we should get-”
“Because you always get vanilla and then eat a ton of my chocolate!”
“Which is why I always just ask to split a swirl- whatever, it's not important. Then the guy interrupted us and said he had a special just for us. And then he… gave us ice with a red heart dyed into it and a little decoration that said ‘congratulations’.”
Minho groaned and sunk his head into his hands as cheers and laughter broke out once more. Slowly the jeering dissolved into a long off key harmony of congratulations, all the kids holding hands and spinning around the two people in the center like it was ring around the rosy. Chan and Minho could just chuckle, soon joining in to the spinning for the heck of it. After that they all talked and ate some more, a few teasing remarks rounding out the evening. By the time they were all in bed though, a new mood had taken over. The boys were determined.
….
That next morning Felix, Hyunjin, and Jisung were quick to pull Minho into their plan to go to all the best bakeries in town, their triple puppy dog eyes too much for any one man to handle. Changbin, Seungmin, and Jeongin also enacted their part, insisting that they were dying for Chan to teach them how to body surf. Never one to turn down a friend in need, Chan was strolling down to the beach before he knew it.
And at first they did just surf: Chan instructed them on how to look for a good wave, when the timing was right to start paddling, and how to keep their body straight. Even Suengmin got invested in it, struggling until he finally mastered his first wave and was swamped with three other wet bodies in a group hug. By the time lunch rolled around however, all three boys were back on track.
They all sat around a white plastic table, greasy pizza in hand and a wave of nods going on around Chan’s oblivious head. Changbin spoke first.
“So, Chan hyung, we couldn’t believe the whole honeymoon story. I mean three times!”
Chan laughed good naturedly, and finished chewing his bite of pepperoni.
“Yeah it's hard to believe. What can you do though you know? At least it's saving us money!”
All three boys sighed, and Seungmin spoke next.
“True but it's just interesting, I wonder what made everyone think that about you two.”
Chan shrugged and glanced back at the sea, curly blond hair bouncing in the breeze.
“I mean it's not hard to guess, we are pretty close and keep going in alone to pay for stuff. Plus this place is prone to seeing a lot of couples.”
They all stared long and hard, Jeongin finally speaking up last.
“Maybe but maybe not. I mean you and Minho are awfully close and-”
“You can just ask ya know? If I’m in love with Minho or not? You really don’t have to do this little interrogation routine although it's kind of cute I’ll admit.”
That cut through the conversation real quick, and Chan laughed at his companions faces, chewing another bite before speaking again.
“And the answer is… yeah. Yeah I am. I’ve known it a while and I wouldn’t be surprised if he knew it too. There's really only so many times you can almost lean in for a goodbye kiss before you have to question something. And I’ve thought about it but… here’s the thing: the third time me and Minho ever hung out we watched this romcom, one about a couple that meets young and has to sacrifice important opportunities to be together. And after we got out Minho told me that would never be him. He said that he didn’t want to fall in love in college, because that would just limit what he can do with his life when he gets out. He’s mentioned before that he’s grateful not to be tied down, that more than anything he values freedom in his life. I’m just being honest, I’m not sure it would work out.”
Once again silence prevailed. Chan wasn’t sure if it was shock or just nothing else to really say that held their tongue, but he figured it was time for a subject change.
“Come on now! We will always be good friends still, you guys know that, and that’s what really matters. Now let's get going, I haven’t even told you about how to identify a swell from way out deep!”
Cheered enough to follow along, the boys returned to the beach.
4 Blocks north and 6 blocks east, the other crew was making their way to the next shop, cookies still in hand. Minho and Jisung were discussing the merits of a Minotaur that was half man half bear, and Hyunjin and Felix were trying to find out who had the most chocolate chips in their cookie to see who would have to buy who a pastry at their destination. After a victorious cheer from Felix and a disparaged cry from Hyunjin, the results were obvious.
They reached a wonderful smelling place with a pink theme and cute stickers on their boxes, and Hyunjin was so endeared he bought everyone their order. They sat down at a table outside, all four smashed onto the shaded portion of the bench. Hyunjin looked up from his flaky biscuit, and gave Jisung a less than subtle wink. Jisung nodded, and gave a full on two finger salute back.
“So Minho, you and Chan having fun on your honeymoon huh?”
Minho didn’t even look up, just reaching a hand out to loosely smack at Jisung’s head. Hyunjin’s voice sounded out, each word curling at its end.
“Oh yeah sorry to barge in on it, I mean I knew you and Chan were married but I thought that happened ages ago!”
Minho rolled his eyes into the back of his head, letting out a little ‘very funny’. Felix spoke in a tone more careful, with eyes that shone sincere.
“We don’t just mean to make fun Minho, I think we all simply see the chemistry between you two and wonder. Maybe I’m overstepping, but if I found someone that looks at me like you two look at each other, then I would have a ring on my finger no question.”
Of course it was Felix, ooey gooey good boy Felix, that knew how to cut a man right in half. With sweet eyes and a smile like a minor god, he silenced the whole table. When Minho spoke next, it was a quiet and gentle tone.
“I know we have something between us. And if you need me to say it then- yes okay I love him. But there's so many unknowns and so much at stake and-”
“But hyung you shouldn’t let that-”
“And! And he told me once that although he's definitely attracted to men, he always imagined that he’d end up with a woman long term because he loves kids so much. And I know that’s one thing I could never give to him, and that hurts. It really- yeah. It sucks. So let’s just move on.”
Everyone stared at the flaky crumbs on the table for a while, a weight settling on the table. Minho took a long breath in, and an even longer breath out, and smiled.
“Alright come on now, there's still two cake shops in this tiny town and I’ll be damned if we end this before I start burping pure sugar.”
It was enough to break the thin film of ice over the group, each boy standing up to march on, light chatter taken up once more.
…
That night all the boys gathered on Changbin’s bed (much to his frustration), and discussed the details of the day.
“Wait so Chan said he loved Minho but he thinks Minho loves freedom too much? Cause Minho didn’t even mention that shit! He just talked about how Chan wanted a wife so he could have kids…”
Seugmin leaned in as Hyunjin spoke, his mind spinning with this new information.
“No, Chan never mentioned that, only the stuff about Minho. It makes me wonder if this crap is even holding the other back at all, or if it's all in their head.”
Felix hummed, his thumbs fiddling with the string of his hoodie and his eyes cast down at the maroon duvet below them.
“I mean I have heard Chan say something like that before. But it didn’t seem like that was a huge deal to him- just kind of how he pictured it going. I could see how that would make Minho hesitate though.”
Jisung piped up from under Changbin’s arm, head nestled between his folded arms which slightly muffled his voice.
“I’ve heard Minho say that shit since middle school too. It might be true but it might also be a little defensive, I mean he’s always been a bit insecure that he’s never even had a crush before this. Chan could buy into it though, especially since Minho’s pretty good at hiding feelings when he needs to.”
There was a lull, each boy turning over this new complexity in what seemed like a simple situation. Finally it was Jeongin who straightened up and raised his voice, head tilted forward as he opened his mouth.
“Well so what! What does it matter if their doubts are reasonable, they love each other, and in the end that’s what really matters. There’s no guarantees in love, but they should at least have an honest discussion on the possibility.”
As he looked around, Jeongin found nods all throughout, even Changbin looking moved by his speech. It seemed a new plan was to be had.
…
Their last morning there, none of the boys were to be found. Chan went down to knock on their door only to find a note, telling him they were already gone and to check his messages. There in his inbox was a link for Changbin’s location for the day and a message that read ‘It’s time to buckle up cowboy’ with an ungodly amount of emojis next to it.
When he made his way back to the room Minho was already ready outside of it, watching him return with tired eyes.
“Let me guess, they weren’t there and they sent you a message about us needing to have a long chat.”
“Mmm something like that yeah. Want to take a walk along the water and get some ice cream? There’s a self serve place along the way that will let me get both vanilla and chocolate.”
Minho relaxed his tense back and offered up a boxy smile, already walking past Chan to the stairway. They made their way to the sea in comfortable silence, this time moving past the more populated sand bank and reaching the rockier cliff side.
There they simply enjoyed the puffs of cool wind and the rushing noise of the sea. Chan felt calmer than he had in a long time, the familiar feel of sand between his toes and the tang of salt on his tongue grounding him in the moment. When he broke their long stretch of quiet, his voice was smooth and strong.
“I don’t know if they told you, but they asked me yesterday if I loved you. Well maybe they actually clumsily implied it more than asked, but you get the picture. They looked so hopeful, they seemed so sure it would be as simple as the fact that I do love you, but I wasn’t convinced. I know you crave your freedom, and that life still could take so many turns, it just feels like such a big risk to bet we could make it long term.”
Minho’s hair flew through the wind like petals, and it gleamed in the light like a crown. His deep brown eyes could swallow Chan whole when they stared at him like he was the center of the world.
“Chan can I ask you something honestly- could you picture us married? On a honeymoon, maybe thinking about adopting a kid or something?”
Chan’s whole face softened, as if the scene was playing out right in front of him.
“Of course I could. You don’t think I’ve already imagined you playing with our child a million times? The way you would scold them but never let them cry alone, the baby talk you make to Soonie but times it by ten, all the cute lunch boxes and bad artwork on our fridge- I’ve thought about it all, Minho.”
Minho swallowed, something new growing in his eyes. He leaned forward like a magnet, face so close Chan could see the light freckles on his nose bridge.
“Then let's take a chance. Because the truth is that I haven’t imagined a single future without you in months. I used to dream of cafes in Paris and late nights drinking in Japan, and now I can’t even conjure it unless I think of you by my side. Who else am I going to turn to when I want to mock pretentious french coffee names? Who else would drag me out of the bar and straight to the nearest fried chicken stand? Who else could I love as much as you Chan?”
Chan placed a scorching palm on Minho’s cheek, and his eyes instinctively slid shut. The next thing Minho felt was the firm press of lips against his own, his arms coming to wrap around Chan’s neck as Chan held him by the waist. The moment stretched forever and yet felt like a second, wind and sea drown out by the beat of his heart and the fire in his lungs. When Chan pulled back they just smiled like fools at each other, stupid enough to be in love.
…
When they arrived back at the hotel, the boys were nervous as hell. It was already past sunset and they had given the pair the whole day to sort things out, but who knows what they would find back here. Seungmin was first through the door, as always the bravest of the bunch. Slowly the rest trickled in behind him, and they all glanced around for the missing pair.
Just as Jisung pointed out the two of them sitting at a bench on opposite sides, they both stood up, slowly making their way back to the main crew. The boys held their breath as Minho and Chan approached with serious faces, Minho’s mouth in a firm line as he spoke.
“Well, we certainly got the hint that you all dropped, and finally talked about it.”
Hyunjin’s gasp was dramatic, but even Changbin had to admit he was tense with anticipation.
“After really discussing the possibilities, we have decided it would be best to remain just friends. While we certainly care for each other, it's just not enough to risk it all.”
Chan nodded, and each boy’s eyes dropped to the floor. Jisung sniffled suspiciously, and Felix held his hand in a tight grip. Changbin just swallowed and nodded, disappointed but not totally surprised. Jeongin seemed the most upset, clinging on to Seungmin’s arm in a rare show of vulnerability. Suengmin clenched his teeth, and just had to speak one last time.
“Really? It ended just like that?”
Minho shut his eyes tightly, and then opened them again as the corners of his mouth pulled up into a full grin.
“No you dorks, your little parent trap crap worked and me and Chan are together now. But I couldn’t just let you off the hook after all your meddling.”
Chan broke out into a chuckle and took Minho’s hand in his, the pair flashing each other a fond smile.
Just like that all hell broke loose, Hyunjin screeching at the top of his lungs as Felix full on sobbed, this time with a huge smile on his face. Jisung jumped up and down like a maniac and Changbin just laughed and laughed, relief clear on his face. Seungmin melted into a puddle, eyes fixed on the joint of Minho and Chan’s hand in awe, and Jeongin? Well he immediately began trying to attack the pair, until he was subdued by a firm hug.
Quickly each boy joined the huddle, all of them smashed together like they were trying to merge into one. After a while they broke apart slowly, peeling off until they were all once again staring at Chan and Minho, still hand in hand. Chan spoke while keeping his grand grin, face beaming like he had just won the whole world.
“So, who's hungry?”