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Minho refuses to go to summer camp. He doesn’t understand why he has to go there when he can just play with friends in the neighborhood. But even after giving his parents his best set of puppy eyes with a matching pout, they were still adamant about sending him there. Minho wants to throw a fit, but he knows that wouldn’t go anywhere, so he settled on sulking.
Even as they’re driving to the campsite, he has a pout on his face, arms crossed and refusing to look at his parents.
When he steps out of the car, he hears the other children laughing from afar. Taking in the site, with lots of other children- playing and roughhousing, Minho suddenly feels overwhelmed. He unconsciously reaches for his mother’s hand and attempts to hide behind her.
He feels his mother cup his cheeks. He looks up at her with teary eyes, murmuring he’s scared and wants to go home.
“Oh, baby, don’t cry. It’s okay. You’re going to play and meet new friends. Doesn’t that sound fun?” His mother says, wiping his tears. Minho only cries harder, reaching to hug her mom. She rubs his back, whispering comforting words. Once he calms down, she pulls from his embrace.
“It’s okay, baby. You’re going to be fine.” She cups his face once again, wiping his tear-streaked face. Minho sniffs and carelessly wiped his tears.
“Mommy, I don’t want to go.” He whines in his mother’s arms again.
Minho then feels a heavy hand on his shoulder. He turns to his father, who is looking at him sternly.
“Minho, it’s just for the summer. You can handle it- you’re a big boy, aren’t you?” His dad says.
Minho reluctantly nods, still sniffling.
He looks at his mother, who gives him a comforting smile, kissing him on the cheek.
A counselor ushers him to the campsite, his parents waving at him when he looks back. He feels smaller when he reaches the group of people on the grounds. When he turns back, his parents are long gone.
The counselor reaches out his hand, Minho takes it, and the man gives him a bright smile. “Ready to make some friends?” He asks cheerily. Minho gives him a curt nod, nibbling on his fingers. The counselor lets out a fond laugh, wiping stray tears on the kid's face, and takes him to where the other kids are.
He’s sitting on a bench where the counselor told him to wait when a boy approached him. He had crescent eyes and a toothy smile, and Minho thought he wouldn’t like him.
“Hi!” the kid waves at him, and Minho returns it albeit indifferently- at least he did, just like his mom always tells him. “I’m Hyunjin! I’m four years old!” Hyunjin continues, proudly holding up three fingers. “What about you?”
“I’m Minho. I’m six.” He answers, eyes squinting at the sun. When he looks back down, he sees the other boy still standing there, looking at him.
“Do you want to be friends?” Hyunjin says with a pout.
Minho doesn’t. He doesn’t really care because all he wants to do is go home and play with his toys. Regardless, he says yes. The younger lights up and lunges forward, hugging Minho.
“We’re going to be best friends forever!” The younger shouts near his ear. Minho doubts that. Still, he pats the younger’s back in the hug, just to be polite like his mother said.
Throughout that summer, Hyunjin stuck to him like glue. Paired up with him for activities, slept over his bunk, and held his hands whenever he could- in no time, the duo was inseparable. From that summer to the next, and the next, and the one after that.
Now, Minho is 18, and he’s still stuck with Hyunjin. They go to the same high school, him as a senior, the later a sophomore. He thinks after all those years- he still doesn’t like him. The way the younger hangs his arms around his shoulders, saves him a seat during lunch, stays behind with him when he practices till late to dance - everything. He doesn’t like it.
“Hyung!” He hears Hyunjin call from behind, bumping his shoulder when he catches up to him. “Can I come over?” Hyunjin asks.
“Would you not if I say no?” Minho asks back, eyes still set on the road. He hears a bright laugh from the other, then feels the familiar weight on his shoulder.
Hyunjin falls on Minho’s bed before the older even puts his bag down.
“You’re sweaty. Get off my bed.” Minho says, throwing a hoodie in the younger’s direction. He hears Hyunjin groan but could see him slipping out of their uniform to change.
Minho works on his assignments while Hyunjin scrolls through his phone. He works in silence, that is until Hyunjin groans out he’s bored. Minho suggested he starts his homework too, but Hyunjin scoffs at that, like the thought of doing school work offends him.
He hears Hyunjin walk to him and rests his chin on his shoulder. Minho could feel the younger’s breath right at his ears.
“Hyunggggg- let’s do something funnnnn~” the younger whines.
Minho sighs and closes his workbook. He turns to the other, their faces only inches away from each other- far too close. Minho clears his throat and looks away when he realizes he’s been staring for too long.
“What do you want to do?” Minho says, putting away the rest of his things.
Hyunjin stands straight. “Well, we could go to the arcade downtown?”
Minho just nods, and the younger goes straight to picking up his things.
“Hurry up, old man.” Hyunjin calls from the door, a playful smirk on his face.
Minho thinks he doesn’t like it- Hyunjin being so close, him always being there- and the fact that he can’t deny any of his requests.
After lounging at the arcade, they go out to get food.
“Where do you want to eat?” the younger asks.
The older just shrugs and lets himself be dragged to a food stall. When their orders are handed to them, they thank the vendor and walk on the way to Minho’s house.
When they reach the door, Minho turns to the younger to invite him, but the younger is quick to say goodbye. Hyunjin gives him a quick hug and playfully ruffles his hair before going his way.
And Minho watches him till his figure is no longer in his line of sight. He decides he doesn’t like it.
At 21, nothing much has changed, except now Minho’s rooming with Hyunjin, fresh out of high school. Hyunjin’s parents proposed that he rooms with someone he knows and could help him with college, and the younger thought- Who better than his friend, his best friend, of 15 years?
So, here they are now, a not too shabby apartment for two broke college students.
Hyunjin calls for his attention. “Hyung- do you want to go to a party?”
Minho sighs- here we go again. “My answer is the same as the last 50 times you asked, Hyunjin.” He answers without even looking up from his material.
He hears Hyunjin whine from his bed. “Hyung, you never go out, like ever. Your college days are wasting away, and you’re still reading your materials.”
“Yes, that’s what you’re supposed to be doing in college actually.” Minho rolls his eyes.
“But you gotta have fun sometimes! Look at you-“
Minho side-eyes him. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks incredulously.
“Nothing.” Hyunjin clears his throat and is quick to steer the conversation back to his initial intent. “Anyway- you have to go out with me tonight! There’s going to be a lot of people, and you can make lots of friends!”
“I already have plenty of friends.”
“Really? Name five of them then.”
“Chan…” Minho glances at the other, he’s sitting up, arms crossed, and raising his brows, urging him to continue. “You…”
“See. That’s not even a social circle.”
“Yes, it is.”
“No, it’s a social triangle.”
“What the fuck are you even saying?”
“I’m saying you need more friends.”
“No, thank you.” Minho turns back to his material, but he feels his bed dip, and all of a sudden, Hyunjin weight is crushing him.
“Hyunjin! Get off!”
“Not until you say you’re going to the party with me.” Hyunjin says, face only inches from him and Minho freezes.
At that moment, all he can hear is the rapid beating of his heart, and yet, his focus was on the younger; his crescent eyes, his dimple, high nose, soft smile, and plump lips. Minho gulps and jerks back to reality when he feels something jab at his side.
“What?”
“I said, go to the party with me! It’s gonna be fun, promise!”
“Fine.”
Hyunjin lights up at that. “Really?” He asks with a wide grin.
“Get off before I change my mind.”
Hyunjin chuckles at that and gets up. “Okay, then Mr. Grumpypants. Be ready by seven.” He says, grabbing a pillow and playfully shoves it the older.
Minho moves to grab him, but the younger is quick to slip away. With a breathy laugh, Hyunjin says he’ll be out for a class and come back in time for the party.
Minho knew Hyunjin was attractive. He could give people plenty of reasons why his friend was conventionally appealing, but right now, he’s speechless. Hyunjin’s long hair slicked back, his lids dabbed color for a smokey look, and his lips just the right shade of red. The younger turns to him, and Minho takes the rest of his look, a white button-up, the first two buttons free, and slacks that hug his body in a flattering way.
“Hey.” The younger greets him.
Minho looks up at him, and he sees the same person, the same Hyunjin- but in a new light. There’s an air of confidence around him, something Minho thinks fits him.
“Hey.”
“Ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Hyunjin snorts at that and nods his way towards the door. With that, Minho walks after him, grabbing the key to their apartment.
When they enter the fraternity house where the party is, it's already in full swing. People dancing, screaming and doing something all over the place.
“Hyung!” Hyunjin calls him over the music, reaching out for his hand. Minho takes it, and they squeeze through the sea of bodies together. They reach the kitchen, and the younger lets go of him, grabbing a drink for the both of them. Minho thanks him and scans their surroundings while taking a sip of whatever cheap beer handed to him. Hyunjin enjoys his drink beside him until he spots someone in the crowd. With a quick, “I’m gonna dance!” Hyunjin practically leaps away from Minho. He sees him approach a guy, most probably around their age, hands adorned with accessories, face lined with color as well. Minho observes the tattoos on the man’s upper arm when Hyunjin’s hands made their way there. Something inside Minho churns, and he fights it with another chug of beer, downing the can in his hand. He watches as the two burst into a fit of laughter, Hyunjin nudging the other man’s shoulder. They dance, and Minho stares. When the other man settles his hands on Hyunjin’s waist, he couldn't take it.
Before Minho realizes it, he’s standing in front of the two. Hyunjin looks at him, confused. He is too, actually, but he knows he wants to get out of there with Hyunjin. So, he snakes his arms to the younger’s waist and faces the other man, who looks at him with the same confusion as Hyunjin.
“I’m sorry, I’m gonna have to borrow him.” He says to the man with a forced smile and curt nod.
Once they’re out of the house, Hyunjin stops Minho.
“What was that about?”
“It’s getting late.”
“We were in there for 20 minutes.”
“It was boring.”
“You could’ve danced w-“
“I don’t like it.” Minho says through gritted teeth.
“Don’t like what?” Hyunjin asks incredulously.
“The way that guy was touching you. Hell, do you even know who that was?”
Hyunjin doesn’t get why Minho was so mad about, but he thinks he doesn’t deserve to be yelled at. “Okay, first of all, I do know him. He’s my friend Minho. And second, what are you so mad about? We were just having fun. Something you could use.” He huffs.
Minho is red, from anger and embarrassment, but his temper isn’t letting him back down. “So, you’re just gonna let him touch you like that?”
“Like what?
Like he owns you. Minho thinks.
“Well?” Hyunjin asks, impatiently. But Minho couldn’t bring himself to open his mouth. The younger sighs. “You know what? Talk to me when you’re done being a dick.”
Hyunjin turns to walk back to the house, and a part of Minho wants to stop him, to grab his hand and tell him something he’s repressed for the longest time, but he doesn’t. All he could do was watch him leave, he still hates it.
Minho went straight to their apartment after their quarrel. He plops down his bed, tired. He sighs as he thinks about the younger’s words earlier.
"What are you so mad about?”
“Talk to me when you’re done being a dick.”
Why? Why was Minho so mad? Simple, he loves Hyunjin, he always had. From the time Hyunjin always goes up to him and holds his hand at camp, looking at him with his bright smile and crescent eyes- he was already fond. During high school, when Hyunjin falls asleep waiting for him, he spends a few minutes just admiring him before waking him up. And now, he finds himself feeling warm every time the younger is pressed close to him.
He finds that everything he doesn’t like about Hyunjin, he loves.
He doesn’t know why he even tried to deny it all these years. Was he scared of rejection? The possibility of running their friendship? Well, he took care of that without having to confess.
Minho buries his face into his pillow, screaming as if it’ll solve his problems. He let out a deep sigh after a while and unconsciously slept- he was tired.
Minho stretches when he wakes up, groaning still half asleep. He glances towards Hyunjin’s bed, finding the younger sprawled on his bed, a leg off the bed and blanket on the floor. Quietly, he makes his way over to the other, carefully putting his leg on the bed for a more comfortable position and covers him with his blanket. The younger only sighs in content, still deep in sleep.
The older trudges to the kitchen, thinking he could apologize to Hyunjin by making him breakfast.
He fumbles through the cabinets and finds bacon and eggs in the fridge. He figures he’d make fried rice as well since the younger loves them.
He hears footsteps as he’s setting the table, looking up, he sees Hyunjin rubbing his eyes with a yawn. Minho is contemplating on greeting the younger when he suddenly feels arms wrap around his waist.
“Whatchu’ making?” the younger mumbles over his shoulder. Minho was confused, to say the least, but he can’t actually complain when it’s the younger who approached him despite being a dick.
“Eggs and bacon. I made fried rice too.”
Hyunjin hums sweetly and gets cutlery and bowls for them.
When they finish setting up the food, they eat in silence, and Minho doesn’t know if he should still bring up what happened last night.
Asshole, you need to apologize. He thought to himself. So, he looks over the younger, who seems to be eating- with his eyes closed?
“Jinnie?” Minho says hesitantly. Hyunjin hums questioningly, looking up, his eyes still shut. “I’m sorry.”
Hyunjin just scrunches his brows together and tilts his head asking, “For what?”
“Last night- for what happened at the party?”
The younger furrows his brows further in thought until his mouth forms a silent “oh” in recognition. “It’s okay, hyung. I honestly forgot about it.” He says with a chuckle. Then he pinches his brows once again. “But if you snap on me like that again, I’m gonna be mad.” Hyunjin says through a mouthful of food, cheeks puffed.
Minho found it endearing, rather than intimidating, like what he assumed the younger was going for.
“Yeah. Promise.”
Minho is itching to rest. He’s dead tired from class and still lacks sleep from his and Hyunjin’s movie night. But when he enters his room, he’s surprised to see a box on top of his desk. It’s big and is moving? Confused, he carefully lifts the lid of the box and he hears his gift inside before he sees it. Big round eyes look up at him, the kitten puts its paws on the hand he had on the corner of the box, and Minho softens at the sight. He carefully picks it up, cooing at the little meows the little angel lets out.
“Happy birthday.”
Minho turns to the familiar sound of the voice.
Hyunjin is looking at him from their doorframe, smiling fondly.
“You forgot didn’t you.” The younger jokes lightheartedly.
Right. Minho is 22, today.
Hyunjin reaches to pet the little cat in Minho’s hand.
“Is he mine now?” Minho asks, hopeful.
The younger nods, “He’s a rescue.”
“Thank you…”
“What are you gonna name him?”
“Uh- Minho Jr.?”
“I’m taking him back.”
“Hey! Minho Jr. isn’t that bad…” Minho says sitting down on his bed, hugging the kitten protectively.
“I will take him back if you don’t stop, hyung.” Hyunjin says, sitting down next to him and resting his head on his shoulder.
“Fine. I’m gonna name him Dori.” Minho grumbles, still staring down at the little thing. Dori purrs while resting on his lap, and Minho can't help but frown in adoration- still rubbing the kitten's ear lightly.
“Cute.”
“Yeah…”
“You. You’re cute.”
Minho looks up, but before he could say anything, the younger beats him to it.
“Hyung... I like you.”
And for a second, Minho’s mind fails to register what he heard.
“And before you say anything else, I don’t mean it like a friend.” Hyunjin sighs, bringing his hand together. “I don’t expect you to-”
Minho cuts him off with a chaste kiss. Hesitantly, he meets the younger’s eyes. “I like you too...”
And Hyunjin gives him the brightest smile he’s ever seen.
The way Hyunjin’s face lights up, the way his soft lips feel against his, and the way he looks at him like he holds the stars in his eyes-
At 22, Minho admits that everything he doesn’t like about Hyunjin, he loves.