Archive of Our Own

20, lean on me today.

Jisung is sitting in Felix’s well-decorated kitchen while he watches the freckled boy get the first batch of homemade brownies out of the oven. He came over to help him because he is doing a few for gifts, the big one being for Chan, Felix’s boyfriend, who is coming home for Christmas right now. 

But instead of helping, he is playing holiday music and chatting away with his friend.

“I really thought you were going to help me out,” Felix says as he leaves the tray of fresh brownies on the counter.

“First of all, if you want them to be edible for your boyfriend, and me, then it is better if you do it yourself, and I just keep you company,” Jisung crossed his arms above the surface within a safe distance from the heat. He is already salivating from the delicious smell. “And secondly, if you wanted to do something besides baking, I could have helped. Like last year when I helped you decorate the tree.” 

“That was just because we went to Australia at the beginning of December and didn’t have time to do it before. You didn’t help this year.”

“Yeah, because your parents wanted to decorate in November, when we were on finals, I…” The sound of a car passing by distractes him. His eyes are fixed on the window, waiting to see if it stops at the next house, but it continues down the road. When he turns his head back to Felix to start his ranting about when it is appropriate to start decorating for Christmas, the latter was looking at him with a raised eyebrow. “Don’t even…”

Felix raised his hands over his head before turning to wash them. “I was just going to say that his parents left not long ago, Ji.”

“I don’t know what are you talking about,” Jisung adverts his gaze and focus on which song is going to play next.  A chill Spanish ballad, he likes that one a lot. “I just wanted to see the car, that’s all.”

“And this is every year,” Felix sighs as he grabs a knife to start cutting the big brownie into small square pieces. “You wanting to ‘see the car’ is the same as you coming here to ‘hang out’ with me when in reality you are waiting for Minho hyung to come home.”

“It is just a coincidence that happens to repeat itself every year,” Jisung shrugs. His eyes follow the knife and he fights the urge to grab one piece. “Life is weird, man.”

“Repeats every year, huh?” His friend half laughs as puts the next tray in the oven. “Conveniently, it repeated itself for three years now, the same amount of years hyung has been away.” He opens the fridge door and gets out the frosting he made before Jisung got there. The brownies are still warm, but he is already preparing for the next step. “You are right, life is so weird sometimes”

Jisung grins at his friend’s sarcastic remarks. He knows he is right, but he is not giving up. Not yet. “You said it not me, Lix.” 

“Okay, so what if we go to the mall after the next batch is done?” Felix copies Jisung’s pose with a teasing smirk. “I can finish them later, Channie would not mind eating them without decoration.” He looks at his brownies, he hasn’t tasted them but he doesn’t need to. He knows they are good. “I mean, it is not like something is keeping us here, right?”

“I don’t feel like going out, but thanks.”

“Or…” Now he is walking around the counter to hug Jisung tightly. “We can go play games in my soundproof room, where we won’t listen to the doorbell…” He rocks him from side to side while pressing their cheeks together. “And even better, we can put our phones in silence so nobody can bother us.”

“Felix…” Jisung whines and hides his face between his hands. He can feel the deep-sounding giggles from his friend. He should have expected this, to be honest. Of their group, Felix and Seungmin are the ones who know the most about Minho and his thing, and they don’t bite their tongue. He is rethinking his choice of staying home and going to the same uni as them. “You are enjoying this, right?”

“I am. Now just say it.” He raises his head to face as he lets go of his embrace and goes back to his brownies. The blonde one rests his chin against his hands with a teasing smile. 

“Jesus, you are a devil in disguise.”

“I know, and so does Chan. I am not letting this go, say it.” Jisung looks around trying to find his way out of Felix’s eyes, but he knows him so well. “Do it, or you are not taking your part of brownies back home.”

“Fine,” Jisung mutters as moves his head down. Felix is not going to force him to look him in the eyes, he is content with the blush creeping down his cheeks. He clears his throat first before finally saying it. “Let me just say hi to Minho hyung and then we’ll do anything you want.”

“Anything I want?” The devilish grin on his friend's almost sent a shiver down his spine. Felix is sweet and literal sunshine but he can be cheeky and naughty when he wants to. Jisung is not risking it, especially with Minho arriving home any minute. 

“Oh, no. Nope, nope. Forget I said that,” he crosses his arms and looks at the ceiling with his lips in a straight line. Then he remembers the pile of dishes on the sink, the part that Felix doesn’t like about cooking or baking. “I’ll help you clean before you go, for real.” 

“I can do it by myself,” Felix leans to bop his nose. “You can go and confess to my handsome neighbour.” 

“That is it,” Jisung jumps from his place facing the window. He steals a glance at the house next door, no car yet. “I am going home.”

The freckled boy laughs before stretching to reach the frosting. “You are not, I am sure he is close, and you want to see him, hug him, and kiss him.” 

Jisung stares at his friend, his arms crossed. He is not denying anything, because he wants to but he can’t. “Are you done?” 

“Nope,” he exaggerates the ‘pe’ sound. “I am just getting started.”

He sighs before launching back into his seat. “I know you tease me every year about my tiny crush on him,” Felix stops from putting the frosting on the brownies to look at him. He doesn't even believe in himself, to be honest. “Well, not tiny, just small, BUT, damn, you are not letting me breathe this year.”

“I am just hoping that this year a miracle occurs and one of you does something.”

I don’t want to risk what we have right now, he wants to say but the words stay in his throat. Jisung can’t lose him just because he happens to have feelings for his best friend. “I just…”

“I know, I know.” Felix lets the frosting to the side to hold Jisung’s hand. “It was hard for me to cross that line with Chan, but now that I did it, I would do it thousand times again.” 

“Chan hyung was so damn obvious about being in love with you.” The difference is clear to him. Their hyung is affectionate with everyone but Felix is just different. And he didn’t keep it to himself the moment he realized he was down bad for the freckled boy. All their friend group knew before he confessed. Felix included. “And you know how Minho hyung is, he doesn’t do feelings.” 

“You are the person he is closest to and yet you can’t see it,” Jisung opens his mouth to protest but Felix covers it with his hands. He had to resist licking it because it smells so sweet from all the baking. “I am not having this discussion with you again. He likes you, we all can see it. But you won’t accept it until he tells you himself.”

“Which he is not doing.” 

Felix hums unimpressed. He grabs the frosting to continue the decoration and without looking up he says, “Sure thing. Because he totally did not tell me, before going back to uni, to keep an eye on you…”

“He is protective of me,” Jisung is trying to not let the fuzzy feeling in his gut show on his face. Minho had been the first of his hyungs in their friend group that he felt comfortable being open and vulnerable. He wasn’t over the top, he was just there and he appreciates it. And since then, he has been Jisung’s protector.

“Yes, I know, but then he said to no let any other pretty boy come near you.” 

Jisung tried to match the words coming out of Felix's mouth to the face he knew way too well. He can’t help to laugh at how unlike him it was. “He absolutely didn’t say that .”

“Of course not, but he meant the same thing,” Felix sends him a wink before continuing what he was doing. Jisung just shakes his head before starting to look for another of his playlists as a distraction to not think of the conversation they just had. 

He hears another car passing by and he tries not to snap his head to check, but then Felix stops and listens. It sounds closer and slower. Jisung can feel his heart beating faster, more so when his friend is leaning to the side to peek through the window. The motor stops, and a door is open, and Lix smiles. 

Minho is home, he is back.

He turns around to see Minho taking his bags out of his car, but he can’t see his face. He wants to run out of the door and hold him close, but he can’t move. Jisung is frozen in his sit in the kitchen, just like every year. The anxiety is creeping in faster. 

What if he is different? What if Jisung changed now that is in university too? What if they don’t click anymore? What if Minho didn’t miss him as much as he did? What if…

“Sungie,” Felix appears next to him and wraps his arm around Jisung’s shoulders. “You should go and say hi.” 

“Nah,” Jisung gulps down all the what-ifs and rests his head in his friend’s arms. “He is probably tired. He just came home. Let him, at least, get his stuff to his room. Besides, he is really hungry right now. He texted me earlier that he forgot his snack in his apartment. I will wait about half an hour to casually mention that I am here, and if he wants, I will say hi. Or maybe…”

“I am pretty sure he knows you are here…” He turns so fast that he is surprised he didn’t feel dizzy. “And no, I didn’t mention anything.”

“How would he know then?”

“Because you have done it for three years. I am pretty sure he is expecting you here at this point.” 

“He is…” the music stops for a couple of seconds. Both Felix and Jisung stare at Jisung’s light-up screen on the counter. When the music continues, he stretches his arms slowly. “It’s probably just Hyunjin sending a photo of his dog.” 

Felix gets his arms off Jisung so he could peek over his shoulder. When he lifts it, the screen lights up again and Minho’s name appears on the notification. He could feel his stomach sink and his friend was chuckling behind him. 

He opens the message from a couple of seconds ago. 

min <3: hey, im home

“Told ya, he knows you are here,” Jisung exhales loudly. “I didn’t tell him anything or Chan, I swear.” 

His fingers hesitate on what to answer. It is just three words for him to read too much into it. He has no idea if the older knows or not. Maybe he should answer the way he does when his hyung tells him he is back at his apartment. Yeah, that is the safest way.

sungie: hey hyung!! 

sungie: im glad c:

sungie: how was the trip??

min <3: y don’t u come out of lix’s house

min <3: so I can tell u face to face

He gasps out loud before covering his mouth with his hand. His eyes are one second away from popping out of his face. Felix leans even closer to read Minho’s response. His reaction is laughing and clapping. Jisung lets a nervous giggle out as he is fighting a smile.

He knows. 

Jisung reads the last couple of texts over and over again. His friend snaps him out of the trance by tapping his shoulder a couple of times. “I told you,” he says as he is walking back into the kitchen to check the oven. “Now go and greet your man.”

“He is not my man.” 

“Yet,” Felix checks his watch to see the timer for the next batch. Jisung keeps stealing glances at his phone, and his friend notices it. “Look, Sung… with the amount of pinning you guys have done for years, everyone who had been in the same room with both of you would be sure that you are his and he is yours.”

He bit his bottom lip. It sounds way too good the idea to call Minho his. But the reality is that wasn’t the case. Their weird and strong dynamic wasn’t enough. “I don’t think that is how it works, Felix.”

“So, you are admitting the pinning.”

Jisung groans into his hands. As much as he is nervous about seeing Minho, he knows the blonde is not going to let him catch a break. “I am going to see to him.” 

“Go, go. Don’t keep him waiting,” the freckled boy sings songs as he puts the red and green sprinkles over the frosting. “Say hello to him for me.” 

“Y-you are not coming?”

“I can see him anytime, he literally lives next to me.” Felix smiles at him softly. “And the moment you two click, I became background noise.” 

As much as Jisung doesn’t like to admit it, Felix is right. From the very beginning, they got each other like nobody else. It was like they understood a different form of communication and loved to take advantage of that at any given opportunity. But Jisung couldn’t help to feel a little bit anxious about it all. 

“Lixieeeee…” he tries to put his best puppy eyes on his friend. Felix just sighs and puts the sprinkles on his back into the little mason jar.

“Do you want me to go with you?” Jisung nods eagerly. “Okay, head out first as I wash my hands.”

Jisung isn’t happy about getting out of the house alone, but he does it anyways. It's just Minho, he says in his head. Once he is in Felix’s front yard, he tries to shake any flour or sugar off his hoodie. 

When he gets out of the house, he sees him. Minho is leaning on his parent’s car while scrolling on his phone. Jisung’s heart is beating like crazy. How does he manage to look even better each time he comes home? God, even the soft brown hair suits him so well. And paired up with the blue sweater, it made him look so cosy. Jisung just wants to snuggle up with him. 

Before his imagination runs wild, the older looks up. He gives him a shy smile as he puts his phone back into his pocket. Minho walks towards him, only to stop when they are close. 

As he is wondering if they should hug, Minho grabs him in his arms. Jisung smiles before holding on to the older’s waist. God, he missed this. He missed him so much.

“How did you know I was here?” he says softly, not wanting to let him go.  

“I didn’t, I just hope,” Minho whispers next to Jisung’s ear before pulling back. He looks at him for a couple of seconds and then at something behind him. “Hey there, Felix.” 

“Good to have you home, hyung,” the blonde’s eyes stay on him before returning to the older. “You can have him now. All yours.” 

Jisung groans before rolling his eyes. It is not enough for his friend to see him blushing because Minho’s arm is still on his shoulder, he had to tease him.

Thankfully, Minho changes the subject but the grip is still on his shoulders. “How is Chan hyung?”

“He is arriving with Binnie later today, I will go to his parent’s house to wait for him in a bit.” 

“Good,” Minho moves his head and blinks a couple of times. Jisung knows he is too tired to have a decent conversation right now. The small talk is not really flowing right now. “This year's party is at his, right?” 

Felix nods and Jisung doesn’t like the awkwardness. He doesn’t know what to say. Minho is not going to help, so he makes pleading eyes to his friend. He doesn’t want to say goodbye so soon. His friend seems to get the message…“Well, I left the brownies in the oven.” Wrong, he got it wrong. Jisung is mentally cursing at him. 

“Do you want to come inside and keep me company while I unpack?” Minho turned towards him, his hand slowly tracing down into Jisung’s arm. He also doesn’t want this to end. But he just got back, he must be tired, he doesn’t feel like talking, and Jisung doesn’t want to be bothersome. He should probably go back with Felix and help him finish and clean… “Sung, Mom said you were welcome to come in, by the way, she said that when I came out here.” Jisung usually forgets how easily Minho reads him like an open book, even after being apart for months.

“My things are…” 

“Right here,” Felix comes closer with Jisung’s phone and bag. He didn’t notice the freckled boy had them on his back. He stares at his friend with his mouth hanging open. He only smirks. “Before going over to Chan’s parents, I will drop off some brownies, okay?”

“Thanks, Lixie.” Jisung feels tensed up as Minho wraps his arm around his waist to bring him closer. Felix watches them with an amused expression before nodding and waving goodbye. 

“C’mon, Ji. Let’s go inside.”

Minho opens the door for him, just like he had done every single time Jisung came over. It doesn’t matter if it was for welcoming him home, saying goodbye, watching movies, playing games or passing the time together. He knows this house so well, and all the worries he had been piling up throughout his first semester banish as the enters the living room. His family always take the cat theme very seriously through the holidays. The warm browns of the various cat figures match well with the Christmas red accents. 

As soon as the door is closed, Jisung hears the first meows. Three fur balls strut across the hallway to greet him. Soonie, Dori and Doongi are demanding his attention and he would never deny them, so he sits on the floor and starts showering them with love. 

Jisung had always found it funny how the cats accepted and remembered him so easily. With their other friends, it feels like an introduction every time. But he is always a wanting and welcoming face for the creatures Minho loves the most. With that, he has an advantage over whoever wants to approach his hyung.

“They missed you.” Jisung looks up at Minho leaning on the couch watching them. His eyes are full of love and fondness, and his stomach makes a little twirl. 

“I know. I missed them too,” he whispers as he continues to scratch Dori’s chin but his eyes are fixed on Minho. He nods a couple of times as he tries not to smile. Jisung pushes his hopes down so they don’t go up too high. It might be what Felix said earlier that it is messing with his head, but something feels different about the older.

And when Minho walks around the couch to sit on the floor next to them. Soonie instantly wants to be on his human’s lap. He holds him to his chest as he scops closer to Jisung. 

“I missed you too, Min,” Jisung whispers as he felt the older lean on his shoulder to rest his head. And he knows Minho missed him as much too.

♡♡♡

22, it’s cold outside, come to me. 

Jisung is excitedly bouncing his leg in the back of his brother’s car with Hyunjin’s present on his lap. They sorted their Secret Santa the last week of November through an app, so everyone had plenty of time to prepare. He dragged Jeongin to the art store so he can help Jisung buy the correct brushes that their artsy friend needed. In exchange, he offered his vast knowledge in Lee Minho, which the youngest denied. He said he had the perfect gift planned. 

Usually, Jisung would be the last one to arrive at any of their parties. But Jaesung, his brother, had something else to do, so he could only drive him early or way too late. He asked Chan, and the eldest said it would be nice to have some extra pair of hands for decorating the patio. 

Hannah, Chan’s little sister, opens the door for him and signals that his brother and Changbin are already setting up the lights on the back. Jisung thanks her as she runs upstairs. He makes his way through the house he knows well until he finds his friends. 

He tries to make his steps as quietly as possible. Thankfully the door is halfway open so he can pop his head out and see them. Chan is climbing the stairs as he sets up some fairy lights on the small roof. Changbin is holding the base of the stairs as he mouths the lyrics of the loud music. They don’t hear him. He grins. 

“Do you guys need some help?” His hyungs jump but don’t fall, thankfully. Their shared surprise, and a little anger coming from the shorter, melt the moment they see him. He can’t help to widely smile, he missed them so much.

“Sungie!” Chan quickly comes down and sprints to hold Jisung. He buries his face in the older’s cosy black sweater. It is his third year at university, but that doesn’t mean Jisung has gotten used to him being away. 

“Don’t give the old man a heart attack, I need someone to drive me back in January,” Changbin gives Chan two pats on his back. He wants his chance to give their friend a big hug as well, and who is Jisung to deny him. 

“How is uni going?” Jisung asks when Changbin doesn’t give any signs of letting him go. 

“We should be the ones asking that,” Chan picks up the fairy lights that are still on the ground after giving him a knowing look. “How is literature treating you?”

“Good, I mean. It was my first semester, but I am liking it so far.”

“Good to hear that, Ji.” Changbin ruffles his hair before going back to hold the eldest’s stairs.

“Yeah,” he whispers. He is not going to lie, he was hoping to have this conversation with Felix and Seungmin with him. It sounded more exciting to share their university experience together. Their friends want the fun details, not how many papers he wrote or the books he read. 

Minho wanted to know that, his mind remains him. He asked about it while they were sitting on the floor with his cats the day he got home.  

Jisung clears his throat, “What can I do for help?”

“Oh, can you put some of the paper decorations? The tape is over there.”

“On it.” Jisung walks to the table to take a look at the decoration and the space to put it. As he decides, he starts by cutting tape and putting it on the end of the table. 

“And how is Minho hyung doing?” He can hear Changbin’s grin without even seeing him. “Did you see him right?”

“How do you know I…” When he turns around, he sees them staring at him with blank expressions. “What?”

“It’s obvious. You two always see each other before we get together. And… Lix told me.” Jisung scoffs at that. His friend is not good at keeping things to himself, especially regarding Chan.

“Oh, yeah. ahm… Yeah. He, he is fine,” Jisung turns his attention to the repetitive action he was doing. “Happy to be back with his cats.”

“I bet it's not just his cats, he is happy to see,” he heard Changbin’s comment but decided to just ignore it. They all tease them, more towards Jisung than Minho. It is the same all year, and this one is not going to be any different. He hopes all the jokes could someday become something real, but they hadn't. 

Thankfully, the song playing was “All I want for Christmas is you” and the three of them are singing their lungs out in no time. Thanks to Mariah Carey for the distraction.

When they are almost finished, Jisung hears the bell and offers to go get the door. He opens it, and the first thing he sees is Hyunjin with his arms opened and one present in each hand. “Jisungieeeee.” He just laughs and lets his tall blonde friend crush his body into a shaky hug. Over his shoulder, he finds Minho holding a big pot. 

“Oh, hyung,” he gently pushes Hyunjin to the side to let the older in. “Sorry.”

“Alway preferring Minho hyung, I see.” 

Jisung stares at his friend and then points at the thing in their hyung’s hands. Hyunjin had always been their drama queen on and off the stage. “Hyunjin, he is carrying a big pot.” It took a while for Jisung to warm into it, but now he wouldn’t change it for anything. 

“You two move away if you don't want the ponche on your faces,” Minho’s threat makes them instantly get out of his way. 

Hyunjin struts his way to the patio after Jisung announced that that’s where Chan and Changbin are. Jisung follows Minho into the kitchen. When he gets there, he helps the older to lift the pot so it can rest on the stove, ready to be heated later.

“Hi,” Minho whispers when he turns around. 

“Hey,” he copies the older’s tone as he leans on the wall. 

“You came earlier than me, that never happens.”

“Never say never, hyung.” Minho comes closer to lean on the wall. His eyes shift from something playful to softness. With little distance between them, Jisung can help but let his gaze fall into the older’s lips. Then… the bell rings again. He is literally saved by the bell from doing something stupid like kissing his best friend in their other friend’s kitchen. “I…”, his voice sounds shakier than he would like. “I’m going to get that.”

Minho takes a step back and blinks rapidly. “Okay, let’s go,” he said as he interlocks their fingers. Before Jisung could even react, the older is dragging him out of the kitchen and into the living room again. He giggles when he feels the older tighten his grip. 

Minho opens the door to Seungmin holding a large piñata. He is giving his signature dandy smile but then his eyes drop down to their locked hands. 

“Let me help you,” Jisung lets go of Minho’s hand, who doesn't seem happy about it, to carefully grab the piñata. He definitely put some candy on there because it is heavy. Now with the thing in his hands, he tilts his head to look at his friend. “Hello, Seungmin. Long time no see.”

“Yeah, no shit. Hi, hyung.” The older just nods as he opens the door wider to let Seungmin in. Jisung had always loved the dynamics between those two. Minho is basically a cat, and their friend is a puppy. They bicker and banter more than Jisung and he does, and sometimes they joke that they barely tolerate each other. But Seungmin was the first to run when Minho fell off his bike, and the older cooked for the younger when he had his wisdom teeth out. 

Seungmin clears his throat as he looks between Minho and Jisung. “Well, congratulations to you two.”

“Huh,” The older furrows his brows in confusion. Seungmin and Felix are the ones that listen to him talk about Minho at every chance that he gets. He feels flushed. Of course, he thought something happened when they answered the door hand in hand. “Why?”

“Oh,” he read Jisung’s expression well. He tries not to laugh as he shakes his head. “Forget it, hyung. I see that nothing has changed.” 

Why can he just shut up, Jisung thinks with so much love towards Seungmin. 

Before the older can ask more questions, Jisung says he is bringing the piñata to the patio where the rest of them are. And he hopes Seungmin doesn’t run his mouth too much with Minho. 

Jisung gets out and Chan is immediately reaching to aid him. He goes next to Hyunjin to help him get the snack table to look pretty. When Minho and Seungmin come out, the first one offers to help the eldest. 

After a little bit, the remaining two of their friend group finally show up. The moment Chan sees Felix crossing the door, he jumps from his seat to his boyfriend. He lifts him before kissing him, without caring about being watched. The freckled boy only giggles and holds on tighter. 

Jeongin is standing inside the house with three boxes of pizza looking completely horrified by the public demonstration of affection. Although he should be more used to it by now, it is almost a year since Chan and Felix officially got together.

“I’ll get the pizza,” Changbin mutters with a grin, going to help the younger as the only couple in their friend groups keeps hugging each other tightly as if they hadn’t seen each other every day. 

Jisung knows someone should break the moment or they are going to keep going, but he can’t bring himself to do it. He knows how much Lix misses Chan during the semester. They deserve every minute they spend together clinging to each other. 

When he looks away, he finds Minho staring at him. His eyes are showing something he hadn’t noted before but can’t exactly decipher. And he doesn’t have time to do it because the other looks down at the snacks. Jisung isn’t sure but it looks like his ears are a little bit red. 

Chan and Felix finally break free, they greet the others. Then the older leaves them to grab some plastic plates and serve the pizza. The eight of them are sitting in a circle, catching up, asking Jisung, Seungmin and Felix about their first semester at university. 

It feels like every other time they have gotten together, but now it is a little bit more mature. They still laugh with fear of getting choked on food but now they are talking about future projects and big life decisions. Jisung leans on Minho like he does when he is anxious. He knows that the one thing that has been consistent in his life is him. The older gives him in return a small but sincere smile. The kind that he doesn’t give to anyone but himself. 

After eating, Jeongin decides it’s time to do the Secret Santa, and by the magical power of rock, paper and scissors, Chan goes first. And he hands Jisung his gift wrapped in pink and silver paper. He opens it carefully to the dismay of his friends who are waiting. 

It is two things: a black small leather notebook with a post-it that says ‘for your future poetry (or lyrics), bc x” and a beautifully illustrated edition of ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone’. Jisung holds both things close to his chest before looking at his friend. 

“Thank you, hyung,” Jisung gets up and hugs Chan tightly again. 

He grabs his present and put it on Hyunjin's lap before going back to his seat next to Minho. Once he sees the tall boy looking happily at his brushes, he goes back to stare are his book. His best friend leans in without saying a word, curiously looking at the illustrations with him. 

As background noise, he can hear Hyunjin giving Jeongin his gift, and the youngest loving his new jacket. The only thing he can focus on right now is how close Minho is to him. In the corner of his eyes, he can see his lips. He should move, and break the spell, but a part of him wants to let him be to see how far Minho wants to go. If the older wants to close the gap as much as he wants to. Jisung almost shivers when he notes that his eyes are not on the book anymore but on his lips. 

“Hyung,” Jisung quickly turns his head to Jeongin with a gif in his hands. Right, he already knew he was Minho’s Secret Santa, and everyone is looking at him. Minho stands up as if nothing happened. He gives the youngest a side hug and takes his box back to the seat next to his. 

Minho opens his present wrapped with paper filled with cats with red hats. His eyebrows raise as he sees the frying pan in front of him. Hyunjin starts laughing when Jeongin defends himself by saying that his hyung complained a lot about the quality of the only pan at his apartment. The youngest’s nervous smile disappears as the second oldest of the groups starts raising his hand with the pan like he was using it as a weapon.

“Nah-ah. Leave him, hyung,” Minho blinks a couple of times before lowering his hand. He mutters a shy thank you and how red his ears give away that he means it. 

Minho hands Seungmin his gift with a big bow. It is a mug with some lyrics from the other’s favourite Day6 song, and some expensive and strong tea that he loves. When the attention moves away from the elder, he passes his arm over Jisung’s shoulders. As Chan eyes his new black hoodie, he melts into Minho’s touch. 

In the end, it is just Felix and Changbin left. They hug each other and bounce a little bit on their place. Jisung turns checks on Chan. He isn’t expecting jealousy but neither is how much love his eyes are showing. His partner in crime and his boyfriend. He leans his head on Minho's shoulder. 

Felix gets a huge baking book full of recipes he is eager to try and Changbin opens some wireless headphones for his workouts. 

When everyone is talking about their gift and some funny stories behind it, he notices how Minho is focused on the details of the frying pan. He wouldn’t be surprised if he wants to use it for his family’s Christmas dinner. 

They continue to talk and sing along to the music Changbin chose. Hyunjin suddenly gets up mid-conversation and almost runs back into the house, and when he comes back to the patio, he is holding a bottle of Vodka. “Piñata time!!!”

“With Vodka?” Changbin looks at the tall boy and the bottle in his hand.

“Yes, one shot and then we twirl them around like ten times and then they are ready to hit it.” 

Chan scratches the back of his neck. “I don’t know about that…” 

“Don’t worry, baby. It is better than being blindfolded.” The sentence alone is quite normal until he winks at his boyfriend and the eldest goes red. 

“So, who is first?” Jisung starts looking around until he meets Jeongin. “Obviously you are not drinking, you will spin… 20 times.” 

Jeongin rolls his eyes but when he is about to protest, Hyunjin comes to him to sit on his lap. “This is the last Christmas without Jeongin drinking,” the blonde guy said whilst he wipes non-existing tears with his free hand. 

Seungmin takes another sip of the ponche before adding. “It’s also the last party, his birthday is in February, we are going to see each other until Easter Break, right?” Jisung wishes it could be sooner. It could be so much better for the eight of them to live closer. Like they used to. He looks around, everyone seems to be thinking the same thing. 

Thankfully, their local drama queen continues with his antics. “My baby has grown so fast,” Hyunjin fake cries and grabs the younger by his cheeks, completely ignoring his protests to let him be.

“You are not even a year older than me, just eleven months,” he reminds him but Hyunjin doesn’t listen. 

“Okay, I’ll go first,” Jisung volunteers and Felix claps before taking the bottle away from Hyunjin. 

The whole thing becomes chaotic way too quickly. He only manages to hit the piñata three times before he gets dizzy. As everyone takes their turn, more giggles, and claps are getting morphed into the song they are supposed to be singing. By the time it’s Jisung's turn again, he hits it once and then he is launching into the ground to grab candy mixed with grass and dirt. 

Minho is fighting with a tipsy Hyunjin over some gummy bears. He ends up losing the fight and is coming to Jisung’s side with sad eyes. He hands him the one that he caught. The older stares at him like he hung up the world. 

Then the song changes. Jisung asks him to hold his candy for a second as he runs where the grass is. Everyone is looking at him, but he doesn’t care. The alcohol in his system is pushing him to give the best performance of ‘You are a mean one, Mr Grinch’. He moves every inch of his body as the Grinch would do it, but sexier. He is aware Minho is filming him but that would be a problem for future Jisung. 

The song ends, and he has no time to breathe when Felix, Hyunjin, Changbin and to his surprise, Minho runs to the ‘stage’ as ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ starts playing. His friend hands him back the candy plus his own before taking his spot. Now Chan is proudly filming his boyfriend. Jisung takes a mental note to ask for the video later. 

The mini-talent show continues randomly. Hyunjin and Felix are the ones that keep standing up. Jisung does at the beginning but the night is growing colder and his hoodie is not warm enough anymore. So he moves closer to Chan and whispers into his ear. “Hey hyung, do you have some blankets? It’s getting a bit chilly…”

“Oh yeah, one is in the living room. I’ll go…” the song ends and Felix launches into his boyfriend's lap. Chan groans in response and tries to have some space between them, but Jisung knows it is not going to work. Felix is tipsy and clingy. 

“Don’t worry hyung, I’ll get it.” Chan nods in response before burying his face in Felix’s neck. Jisung lets them be and quickly made his way inside. 

As soon as he closes the door, he sighs to the warm. If he wasn’t having a good time with his friends, we would probably stay here for a bit and just scroll through his phone. So he walks to the living room and starts looking for the blanket, he wants to be back outside quickly. 

“Sung?” Minho’s voice echoes through the hallway. He smiles to himself. Not even five minutes have passed, and the older is already looking for him. 

Before responding he sees a blank on the loveseat and goes to grab it. “In the living room.”

He hears Minho approaching. “Hmmm… Do you want more ponche?” Jisung turns around with a raised eyebrow. It is clear by the way the older is playing with his hands that he didn’t think it through before coming. But he is going to spare him from teasing… this time. 

“Nah, I’m good. I’m a bit cold, so I asked Chan for a blanket,” he raises the one he has in his hand. It is really big but it’s the only one in the living room. 

“You could just ask me and I will hold you,” Minho says while looking down. Jisung is not sure if the older is joking or not. “Or bring you more of my delicious ponche.” 

“What if I want both?” What if I want more than that? 

Minho’s eyes darken as he smiles like a cat. It feels like there is nothing around them. “All you have to do is ask, baby.” The pet name sends a shiver through Jisung’s body. When they were younger, they would go around calling each other silly cute names like an old married couple. He should be used to it by now, but there was no denying that it feels different now. 

Jisung is about to open his mouth to respond when a loud crash startles them. They lock eyes filled with worry before turning back into the patio. Jisung knows they will have more opportunities to talk and maybe the next time he will be braver. Right now, they need to see what happened.

Minho comes out first, he freezes for a second before he starts laughing. Their friends are on the ground in a huge pile. Apparently, Jeongin and Seungmin fell while they were trying to dance together. He doesn’t have time to react before Minho is dragging them to lay on top of everyone. Groans, screams and laughter come from each one of them. 

Eventually, they calm down and launch on the floor trying to catch their breaths. Chan goes to get more blankets. Changbin and Minho refill the ponche. All of them are sitting and snuggling with each other. Jisung is between Hyunjin and Minho, but the first is leaning more toward Jeongin. To his surprise, the older lets his head on his shoulder. It is usually the other way around. His heart is doing a silly dance in his chest. And he lifts his hands to pet Minho’s hair. He shuts down his eyes as he moves to be closer. 

He could stay like this forever. 

Jisung looks up. In front of him, Chan is cuddling his boyfriend but his eyes are settled on Minho and him. He winks at him before averting his eyes. He feels the blush on his cheeks, but that doesn’t stop him from giving the older a silent kiss on the top of his head. 

♡♡♡

23, I want to run all night.

One of the first things Jisung and Minho bonded over was their liking for casually watching movies and doing passionate commentary while they do it. That was when he missed the older the most. Every time he comes home, they do a movie marathon. Usually, they would decide on a theme. Comedies, musicals, horror, suspense, romance. During their winter break, it was always the same: Christmas movies. 

Jisung was looking forward to his year’s marathon, he even made a list for Minho and him to choose from. And to say that he was a little heartbroken that it wasn’t going to happen is an understatement. 

This year, Minho’s mom is hosting the Christmas dinner for her side of the family, so she needs so much help from his son. He is a really good cook, and she requires extra hands. Especially because the dinner is tomorrow. Jisung gets it, they can have their New Years' movie marathon in a couple of days. 

He gets into his room with some snacks and a hot choco. His parents are at his dad’s Christmas dinner with his coworkers, and Jaesung is out with his old high school group. So Jisung is home alone. His plans are: to chill in his room and finish the anime he’s been watching. He lets his stuff on the bedside table before getting his laptop ready. 

Once he’s settled on the bed, he checks his phone before ignoring the world for the night. Minho sent him a text half an hour ago.

min <3: hey, u up?

sungie: u know i am

min <3: u weren't answering there

min <3: i thought u died

sungie: nah, just getting snacks

Jisung rolls to the side and takes a people of the pics of what he brought to his solo anime binge-watch. It might a close-up, but in the picture, it feels like the snacks are for more than one person. It is not even close to what they get when they are together, but he hopes the older one gets the same impression. 

sungie [attach a photo].

min <3: huh

min <3: are u alone??

sungie: hahaha

sungie [sent an emoji].

min <3: can i call u?

He grins to himself. He can picture Minho sitting by the kitchen waiting for whatever they are doing to be done, killing some time by messaging him, but now he must be frowning imagining Jisung is doing their tradition with somebody else. He feels a little bit guilty because it is not Minho’s fault.

His fingers are typing a ‘yes’ when his screen changes to Minho’s name. 

“So, you were just asking out of politeness, you were going to call anyways,” Jisung puts the call on speaker as he leans back into his pillows. 

“Hello to you too. I am fine, thanks for asking,” Jisung just laughs and he can almost hear the smile on Minho’s voice as he continues, “I needed to hear for myself how you were betraying me.”

“You seriously thought I had someone over?” he laughs at Minho’s shy grunt. “Who could come anyways? It’s the 23rd, everyone is going crazy.”

After a couple of seconds of silence, Minho mutters, “I would have come, but…”

“You couldn’t, I understand, I am not mad, Min.” The older must be nodding but Jisung isn’t sure. It sounds awfully quiet on the other side of the line, so he is not in the kitchen or out with his mom. He is about to ask about it when he hears some noise and then a soft sigh. 

“And… you were going to watch a Christmas movie by yourself?” The tone of Minho’s voice is different. Is something between hopeful and nervous, but also incredibly soft. He is for sure alone in his room too.

“No, I am finishing the anime I told you about a week ago.” 

“Oh, Pochita,” Jisung laughs softly as he looks over the laptop. The chapter he is currently watching is paused in a frame showing the character Minho was interested in, even without watching the show himself. “Ahm… If you want to watch that is fine but…”

“But…” he is sure his smile can be heard. 

“My mom and I finished sooner than we expected, but she was tired and went to bed earlier,” he can hear the older clearing his throat. “I can’t go to your house and I am not asking you to come, it’s cold. But maybe we can watch a movie like this.” Jisung doesn’t need to hide his smile as he is looking at his ceiling. “Please say something, Sung.”

“You are cute,” he mutters without thinking, but he doesn’t regret it because the older is groaning. 

“I am hanging up.” 

“You are not, because we are watching a movie,” he sits upright. He reaches for his computer, closes the tap and opens up Netflix. It is better to watch something there while being long distance, or well, not in the same space. Minho’s house is just a five-minute drive from his. “You have something in mind?”

“Yes,” Minho says way too quickly. “Just let me double-check the name.” A couple of clips. He had his computer ready before he called him. The older starts making weird little noises with his mouth as he browses through the catalogue. “Oh, yes. Klaus.”

“Klaus,” Jisung repeats as he types the name. When he sees the thumbnail, he gets flashbacks of their last Christmas movie marathon. “Min, we watched that last year.” Jisung loved it so much. The animation was so good, and the story was different but meaningful. It was on his list, but he didn’t have hopes for the older one to choose it.

“I know, it was good.” 

“Okay,” he bites his lips. He is thankful that it is a voice call and Minho can’t see him. Last year he said he wanted to watch it again, and he remembered. “Just that one, or do you want to pick the next one?”

“I can’t promise to be awake for that,” Minho says shyly. Their marathon works because they are constantly eating and if Jisung catches the older getting sleepy, he would talk, bounce and move more, anything to get his hyung’s energy up. Not being in the same place always made it more difficult. And he must be tired of preparing stuff for tomorrow. 

“Fine, a one-movie marathon is enough.” 

Minho hums from his side, “Send me the link, Ji.” 

“I’m on it.” 

And the movie started, comments flowing from each side. They had to pause it a couple of times because someone was laughing way harder than they should have. Minho had a break in the middle of the film because he was tired of hearing how much Jisung was enjoying his hot choco, so he went and me himself some. 

Jisung remembers more of the movie than Minho does, he gets to enjoy the reactions of the boy on the other side of the line. It would be better if they could see, and feel the warmth of each other. 

When the movie ends, they continue to talk about all and nothing. It just feels right to lay in bed in the company of your favourite person, even through the phone. 

Jisung takes a break from the speech he is doing about a Christmas song he heard and can’t get it out of his head, because he can pick up the soft and deep breaths on the other side of the line. Minho fell asleep somewhere in the middle of it. 

He smiles before turning to end up the call. He hesitates for a moment, he doesn’t want the thing saying how long the call has been to stop. He gives himself a couple of minutes. The song is still in his head, anyways. 

Jisung hums the parts he is not sure about the lyrics, but what he does know, he sings softly. “It’s cold outside, come to me. 24 to 25, bae, just stay with me.”

♡♡♡

24 to 25, this precious moment with you.

After hours of looking pretty in the living room and eating so much delicious food, Jisung finds a couple of moments to sneak into his room and just breathe. He loves the holidays but the main event, the Christmas dinner, drains him so much. He just needs a moment to recharge. Because music is still playing, and the dessert is not even out yet. As is father said, the night is still young.

Jisung lets himself lie on his bed. His phone is dinging with notifications from his friends and classmates, all wishing each other a Merry Christmas. He would probably answer them in a couple of hours once the family karaoke starts, and he requires a distraction.

He sees the hour on his phone, only fifteen minutes left of the 24th of December. He takes deep breaths and promises himself that he would be there for five more minutes and then come back down to his family. That is until his brother knocks. 

“There is someone at the door waiting for you, Sungie.” Before the younger can ask something, he is out. Jisung checks his phone, and no one has said anything about coming to his house. 

It's probably Felix, he thinks as he walks down the stairs. He probably wants to share some of what he baked for tonight, or he made cookies for everyone and now is delivering after dinner. That sounds like something their local sunshine would do. 

He passes the living room where his parents are browsing for a Christmas movie for their dessert, which they would probably not finish tonight but tomorrow. Jisung mutters that he is just going to get the door.

“Good luck, bro.” 

He stops dry and looks at his brother with worried eyes. “Why?”

“Let him be, Jaesung.” He stares at his family members one by one. His dad was looking at the TV trying his hardest to not get involved but he is hiding a smile. His brother is grinning and when their eyes meet he winks at him. He knows who is at the door. The only thing keeping Jisung from snapping is that his mom is just calm. 

“Okay, I’ll just… go see who it is.” 

When Jisung opens the door, he is still expecting to see Felix holding a pretty box in his small hands. He gasps and holds the door tighter when he sees Minho standing there looking amazingly handsome. He is biting his lip and blinking rapidly. He is nervous. But when he looks up. He tries to play it cool. 

“Hi, Jisungie,” he rolls his shoulder before giving him a tight smile. “I know it’s not Christmas, it is like fifteen minutes or something, but… Merry Christmas.” 

“Hello, hyung,” he whispers. It feels wrong like he should not be standing there. “Ehm, merry Christmas to you too…” Minho nods before looking back down. He is expecting him to say more but the older stays silent staring at his hands. He is nervous, but why? Did something happen? They were fine when they last talked. 

Before his mind goes into a rabbit hole, he gulps down his nervousness and prompts his friend to start talking. “You… you didn’t say anything about coming over. Why…?”

“I…” Minho looks up but when his eyes meet Jisung’s, he freezes with his mouth hanging open. 

“Min, what’s wrong?” Jisung takes a step closer while looking around, wondering if whatever conversation the other wants to have should be happening in the street. “You are scaring me hyung, what happened?”

“Nothing! It’s not bad, I swear.” He takes a deep breath as he shakes his hands. He is not sure if it is because it’s cold or the nervousness. “It’s just that I am really bad with this, I am sorry.”

“Do you want to come inside, we have…”

“No! Sorry, I don’t have that much time…” he turns to the side as the points out a white car. “I paid my cousin 20 bucks to bring me here and she agreed with the condition that we have to go back for dessert.”

“Oh,” Jisung frowns. Nothing is going in the direction he is expecting. He leans on the front wall of his house. He doesn’t know what else to say. This has never happened between them.

“Just let me talk first and then you respond if you want, if not. I’ll just go.” 

“Hyung, you are this close to start rambling,” Jisung hopes that making a light joke is breaking the older’s nerves a little bit. Seeing Minho like that is not something he enjoys. “That is my thing, though.”

“Shit, sorry, I know. I… Okay. Last night, I fell asleep, right? And you started singing before you ended the call. It was the song you were talking about. I don’t remember much of it, but the lyrics said something about staying for the 24 to 25, and like, my mom would kill me if I missed out dinner, but at least I wanted to come here…”

Oh.

“I know it is cheesy and totally not my thing, but I can’t dance around anymore”, Minho reaches to take Jisung’s hand. “You don’t need to reciprocate or anything but I really can’t keep hanging out with you and pretend that I don’t like you as something more than a friend. Because I do.”

“Hyung…”

“I mean it, Sungie. You don’t have to reciprocate or force yourself to do anything for me. I promise I would not make things weird. I just wanted to say it, that’s all. And today is a special day and it felt right but now I am not sure. And…” 

Jisung pulls Minho down by his neck to kiss him. 

At first, neither of them moves. He is starting to regret it but the older melts. He grabs his waist and starts moving his lips tentatively. Jisung responds by getting on his tippy toes and bringing them impossible closer. 

“You talk too much, that is my job,” Jisung whispers when they break the kiss. His eyes are still closed, and he can feel Minho’s accelerated breath on his. 

One of the older’s hands caresses his cheek softly. “So what is mine, then?” 

“Right now?” Jisung looks again at Minho’s slightly parted mouth. His lips are looking a little bit red, and it is because of him. “To kiss me.”

Minho grins before coming back for more. It is addicting how good this feels. How right it is for Jisung to feel his best friend’s body pressed against him. For the tip of the older’s tongue to tease him. To love him more than what they did as friends. 

Jisung easily loses track of time because he doesn’t want to stop. It is Minho who forces them to catch their breaths, but they don’t pull completely apart. Their foreheads are touching while they breathe each other in. 

The moment is broken by someone clearing their throat behind Jisung. He jumps away from Minho when he sees his mom standing in the doorway. They weren’t doing anything bad, and he knows she is not mad by the fond smile. But still, he hopes she didn’t see much. 

“Mom! Sorry, I…”

“It’s my fault, ma’am…” Minho interrupts while holding Jisung’s hand. 

“Nonsense. I just came here to say that it is cold and we are waiting on you, Jisung. Minho, dear, you can come in if you want…” Minho opened his mouth to refuse again. He had a feeling the older was already missing the dessert. “Or you can’t stop by tomorrow to eat leftovers with us.”

“Really?” Jisung’s parents barely invite anyone outside the family on Christmas Day, so Jisung was more surprised than the boy standing next to him. 

“Yes, son. We want to meet officially Minho as your boyfriend.”

“Mom!” Minho just confessed and they kissed. Talking about their relationship was next. He doesn’t want to rush into anything, or to make him feel pressured just because his mom is saying stuff. 

But then, he holds his hand tighter while smiling. “I’ll come, thank you. Do you want me to bring something?”

“Whatever you want to share with us, don’t worry about it, dear.”

“Okay, thank you, Mrs Han,” he bows before turning to Jisung with soft and happy eyes. “See you tomorrow, Ji.” Minho leans in to kiss his cheek, and it takes every ounce of self-control to not kiss again in front of his mom. 

Jisung and his mom stare as the white car drives away. She hugs him as they both walk inside the house. She doesn’t say it, but he can feel she is happy for him. All of this family are. They know how much Minho means to him, and now… it is so much more.

When Jisung gets out his phone to record his brother singing, he notes Minho sent him a text. It is a photo of the cheesecake. 

min <3: we made it in time hehe

min <3 [sent a sticker].

sungie: save some for me 

sungie: jagi

sungie: omo that felt nice 

sungie [sent a sticker].

min <3: hahaha

min <3: I’ll give u some tomorrow

min <3: if…

min <3: if u kiss me again

sungie: I’ll do that even without the cake

He locks his phone before his parents scold him for not being present during this important family time. He doesn’t miss the hour though, 00:19. He really spent the end of the 24th and the beginning of the 25th with Minho. 

Jisung smiles brighter than he had done in the last couple of hours. He can’t wait to have him back later today. To kiss him stupid and officially call him his .

♡♡♡

26, just stay with me. 

The eight of them are sitting in a circle around a little bonfire at Changbin’s parents' house. His sister gifted them a two-day trip for their anniversary. So they have the house for themselves. Changbin suggested in the group chat to do something chill at his place. Nobody said no, of course. 

Jisung came in a little late, so everything was sorted. The fire, the seats, the blankets. All he had to do was snuggle up beside Minho and accept the ponche that Changbin’s mom made before they left. His boyfriend wraps the blanket he is using so they can share. He’s aware of how much the others are looking at them, so he mutters a ‘thanks’ before kissing Minho’s cheek, causing the older’s neck and ears to turn a reddish colour. 

The reaction is immediate. Screaming, whistling, clapping, laughing. His boyfriend next to him giggles as he holds him close by his waist. Jisung just covers his face with the blanket and leans on the older’s shoulder. All of them keep saying stuff at the same time, but the one exclamation he, and probably everyone, can hear perfectly is Changbin’s. “Fucking finally!” 

“I need details,” Felix wiggles on his seat trying to lean closer but Chan’s arms around his waist don’t let him go far. The older is smiling at him, his eyes forming two small crescents moons. “All of it, spill. Now.” 

“I went to his house on Christmas Eve, kiss him and went back home to eat cheesecake.” Jisung laughs at the oversimplification of their coming together moment. Everyone knows Minho is not going to be detailed about what happened, even less with all of the eyes focused on him. But Felix also knows that the moment they are alone, Jisung is going to tell him everything.

“Minho hyung, I hope you were more romantic than that.” Felix’s fake serious voice is cute. He is trying to be a threat, to be protective over Jisung’s feelings, but there is no need, and Minho knows that. He just holds his tiny waist closer and stares expectantly at the freckled boy. “You know more than anyone here how many series and movies this squirrel consumes daily, it’s absurd.” 

“Felix!” a high-pitched complaint came out of Jisung’s mouth. It was more than enough of his brother and mom embarrassing him yesterday. He doesn’t need his twin to also do it.

“No, he is right.” Seungmin sits upright and points to him while looking at Minho. “Sung is the definition of hopeless romantic, but like mixed with a crying baby.” Everyone nods in agreement as he closes his eyes trying to keep himself calm. That doesn’t stop his friend. “He was trying so hard not to cry on campus the other day because of a drama he was watching.”

Jisung opens his eyes to stare at Seungmin but he gets distracted by Minho. He is looking down at him with something in his eyes that he isn’t sure the others can read. But he can. His boyfriend is saying that he knows about all of what they are saying and he couldn’t care less. The older squizz his waist as he could read his mind. Jisung bites his lips to not smile so widely. 

“I am transferring universities, you two are insufferable.” 

“Hey, don’t tease him…” Minho puts his other arm around Jisung's head so he could lean more into the older’s chest. He doesn’t resist it, instead, he beams as his boyfriend defends him but then, “... too much. That is my job.”

“Hyunggggg,” Jisung whines and the whole group laughs. When he lifts his head, he is well aware that he is pouting. Minho coos at the sight before patting his head and bringing it again even closer to him. He shuts his eyes as Felix is giving them and Chan ideas for possible double dates. 

Thankfully, Seungmin chimes in to say the day and asks Chan about his Christmas drama with the dinner they bought and rarely came. 

After a while of talking, Minho moves a little to detach himself from Jisung's embrace. He grabs his cup. “Who wants more ponche?” Felix, Hyunjin and Seungmin raise their hands. When he sees his boyfriend struggle to get the three cups plus his one, he stands up. 

“I’ll help you,” Jisung reaches out so they can carry two cups each. Minho frowns a little bit while looking into his eyes. He can’t help to feel his heart fluttering at how easily he pulls them both into their own bubble.

“Don’t you want some?”

Jisung shakes his head, “It’s okay, we can share, right?” His boyfriend smiles shyly before nodding. He copies his smile. But then the moment is broken by some gagging sounds next to him. 

“They are disgustingly in love,” Jeongin says before covering his eyes with the knitted blanket he is sharing on his lap with Seungmin. “Oh, no. Now we have two couples.”

“Let them, Jeongin-ah.” Chan taps his shoulder twice before getting up to fix a log on the bonfire. “They are on their honeymoon phase.”

“They have been since we were kids,” the youngest responds in a matter-of-fact tone. Jisung would refuse because they haven’t. They were friends with feelings, and now nothing is stopping him from taking Minho’s hand, kissing him, and just being clingy and affectionate. This is just the beginning. 

“You are still a kid, my Innie.” Hyunjin rests his head on the palm of his hands as he flutters his eyelashes to the youngest. 

“Shut up, hyung,” he crosses his arms in front of his chest and launches back into the chairback. Seungmin raises an eyebrow at him, especially when Hyunjin grins at his reaction. 

When he is about to ask about it, Minho holds Jisung’s forearm with his empty hand. “C’mon, jagi,” he whispers and signals the door that leads back into the house. He follows Minho into the living room and then the kitchen. 

It’s very elegant and spacious. Jisung is afraid of staining the counter with ponche, even though he knows Changbin wouldn’t be mad. He had done so much worse. Minho walks straight into it. 

Jisung stares at his back for a moment. Wide shoulders, and built muscles hiding under his white sweater and red vest. He bites his lips as a cheeky idea crosses his mind. He doesn’t think twice before getting closer and sliding his hands slowly to hold the older’s waist. Minho stops the spoon mid-air. The younger smiles to himself when he feels his boyfriend shiver as he noses his neck. There are so many little reactions and he gets to discover now, and he is so excited about it.

“Let me do it, hyung,” barely a whisper and Minho nods once and moves to the side, handing him the spoon. Jisung already is missing the contact. 

He starts pouring the ponche into Hyunjin’s cup. He has a little frown at how much he is concentrating on not spilling anything. Until the older does what he did just a couple of seconds ago. But because he is Minho, he is not afraid of going a step further into the game Jisung started. 

“Do you like it?” Minho whispers against his neck. Jisung grabs the spoon a little bit tighter. It is not a good idea to just melt against the older in front of a hot pot. “The ponche, I mean.” 

“Yes,” he responds almost inaudibly as he finishes serving the first mug and puts it next to the stove. He reaches for Seungmin’s. He is thankful his hands are not shaking. 

The grab on his waist turns tighter as Minho comes even closer. “Better than mine?” 

Jisung stops reaching for the mug and puts the spoon next to it carefully to not stain the counter. He turns around. Minho is still holding him by the waist. His eyes are soft while he studies Jisung’s face. The younger circles his arms around his boyfriend’s neck to bring him closer to his face. 

“Never,” his eyes drop down to Minho’s lips like they did so many times before. For longer than he would like to admit, he had daydreamed about the feeling of Minho’s fuller upper lip against his. He grins without looking up, “Just don’t tell Bin hyung’s mom.” 

Jisung connects his lips before the older can even smile. They had been kissing for a day and some hours, but he hasn’t gotten used to it yet. It feels so good how easily their lips find a rhythm. It is not like he is moulding to what Minho likes or vice-versa. They meet in the middle and dance around it. 

Minho pulls his waist and moves them to the side without breaking contact. Thankfully one of them is not as drunk on the other to think about the hot pot and the stove. Jisung can’t think of anything but him. 

Minho. Minho. Minho. 

More so when he is pressing him against the counter. His fingers swim on Minho’s light brown locks, which he hums in appreciation in the middle of their kiss. Just like before, his boyfriend follows him through. The older’s hand find their way under Jisung’s blue hoodie to touch the skin of his tiny waist. He gasps, and Minho grins before leaning back to kiss him again.

How could he ever stop kissing him when it feels so right?

“Oh my god!” Both Minho and Jisung jump away from each other at the scream of the youngest. It was his fault for asking, but he didn’t expect Jeongin to walk in on them making out.

Their youngest friend looks at them horrified. Both with kiss-swollen lips, Jisung’s hoodie looking as messed up as Minho’s hair. When Jeongin lifts the empty snack plate to cover his eyes, he realizes they are still in Changbin’s kitchen. 

“Not in a public space! C’mon!!”

Jisung feels his face so warm, but he isn’t sure if it is because of what just happened or the fact that they just got caught by their only friend that still is in high school. He looks back at Minho, who seems way calmer than he is. 

“Jeongin-ah,” he says calmly without letting his boyfriend go. “This is Changbin’s kitchen, it is not a public space. It’s private property.”

“Changbin hyung!” he shouted back into the opened door. “Minho hyung and Jisung are making out in your kitchen!” In another circumstance, he would remain Jeongin that he is his hyung also, but right now Jisung wants to hide on Minho’s neck. And his boyfriend lets him.

He feels the older shake from silent laughter, as the youngest stomps out of there. He hits him lightly on the waist without separating his face from the warmth at Minho’s neck. 

“We should finish with the ponche and go back, jagi,” he murmurs so close to Jisung’s mouth. He doesn’t want this moment to end, or let go of him, but his head is telling him to. At the end of the day, they came here to hang out with their friends. Once it is just the two of them, it will be different.

“I know, but you are distracting,” Jisung pouts and gives him innocent eyes as if he wasn’t the one who initiated the whole thing. Minho leans to give him a quick kiss. 

“We should bring some snacks with us because Jeongin clearly couldn’t.” He hides his face between his hands suppressing a whine. It’s really embarrassing to be caught in such a vulnerable position. “Hey, Sung,” Minho peels his hands, his eyes fixed on his. “They’ll get used to us, okay? Nothing to be embarrassed about.” 

“Used to us?”

“We are not going to see each other every day, but when we do…” the older grabs his chin to connect their lips for a sweet and gentle kiss. Jisung smiles when they pull apart. He doesn’t need to say more, he gets it. “Now, let’s go. You finish with the ponche and I’ll do the snacks.” 

They sort it out quickly, and when they get out of the kitchen, they see their friends in Changbin’s living room instead. Apparently, Felix was cold, so Chan made everyone go inside to watch some videos of the plays they made as kids that he has on his tablet. 

Jisung hands Seungmin and Hyunjin their cups before returning to his boyfriend's side. Jeongin rolls his eyes as he begins eating the snacks. Minho is taking a sip of his warm ponche by the back of the couch, he sighed contentedly before letting the cup down. He places his hand on his boyfriend's shoulder before leaning on it. 

They are looking down at Changbin and Chan trying to connect the tablet to the TV, as Felix is back hugging his boyfriend, only letting go to take a sip of his refilled ponche. Hyunjin is, again, clingy to Jeongin who is trying to squirm away. Seungmin records them with a fond but teasing smile on his face. They will probably watch that clip in a couple of years.

And Jisung feels so warm and happy.