Archive of Our Own

Minghao knew he shouldn't be eavesdropping on his friends phone conversation, but to be fair it wasn't his fault . He was on his way to the dorm room to grab his earbuds when he overheard a familiar language being spoken from the other side of the door. Peering in through the  crack, he saw Junhui standing with his back to the door, cell phone in hand, as he talked with someone in Mandarin. "I should really give him some privacy,"  Minghao thought as he pressed his ear against the door.  

"I really wish I could."  

Minghao smushed his ear closer to the door hoping to hear more from the person on the other line. While he managed to make out a few words like "celebrate"  and "sheep,"  as well as a few filler words here and there, the words all seemed meaningless.  

"The new year just isn't the same here."  

"Of course,"  thought Minghao.   

"What are you doing?" spoke a new voice in Korean, causing Minghao to jump. He turned, and swallowed nervously as he came face to face with  Seungcheol .   

"Uh, hi hyung," he replied while absentmindedly rubbing the back of his neck. When Seungcheol  glanced his eyes between the door and the sitting boy, Minghao gulped,  "Uh I was just...  looking... for... my... CONTACT, " he said nervously. "Yeah! My contact!  It's gotta be around here somewhere," Minghao  continued as he  dove to the floor, and began running  his fingers  through the carpet.  

"Minghao, you don't wear contacts."  

Minghao poked his head up, Fuck  he thought, "That's... because I lost them! "  

Seungcheol stared at Minghao for a few moments as the boy continued running his fingers through the carpet as if searching for something, "Right..." he trailed, "well good luck with that." It's not that  Seuncheol believed  Minghao, it's just that he knew Minghao wasn't going to actually tell him. Instead, Seungcheol just smiled and said "good bye" as he walked off in another direction.  

"Phew," Minghao sighed once Seungcheol was out of hearing distance. Just as he was about to continue eavesdropping, the door was slowly opened revealing a puffy eyed Junhui .  

"Hyung?" Minghao croaked. He reached out to touch Junhui  only for his hand to be softly pushed away. It's not like this was the first time Minghao had seen Junhui cry, but it still wasn't a happy sight. Junhui just smiled slightly, not enough to show his teeth, nor anything really genuine, but more a "hey don't mind me I'm completely all right" kind of smile. Minghao wasn't buying it.  

"Are you okay?" the younger boy asked, worry evident in his eyes. Junhui didn't say anything but merely nodded in response. Minghao knew that Junhui was obviously not okay, but he also knew that pushing the subject would only cause an argument, and the involvement of the resident relationship counselor,  Seungcheol. Instead, Minghao just smiled sadly to the older man before saying "Okay."  

Junhui  smiled as he patted the younger on the shoulder and made his way down the hall.  Minghao watched as  the older rubbed at his eye with one of his sleeves before turning around a corner.  Minghao  stood there, staring at the last place where he saw Junhui  until he too felt a tear roll down his cheek .  

---  

The Chinese New Year was fast approaching and Minghao was racking his brain over how to make this year's extra special. While he knew he would never be able to compete with back home, he still wanted Junhui to have a memorable New Year.   "Think, Minghao, think!"  he chastised to himself as he sat at one of the small tables in the continuously hit his head in frustration. 

"What are you doing?" as ked a voice from behind. As Minghao turned he was met with the seemingly indifferent eyes of none other than Lee Jihoon .  

"Uh, nothing hyung," Minghao replied, smiling nervously. While Jihoon was only just under a year older than Minghao himself, he had a way of making the younger nervous. It's not that Jihoon was mean, in fact he took really good care of everyone in the group, but Minghao always had a fear of lighting off the short fuse that is Jihoon's temper.   

"Yeah, I like to hit my head for no apparent reason too."  

"You shouldn't do that, hyung, you might hurt yourself."  

"I was being sarcastic, Minghao-ssi ." Minghao uttered a small "oh" in reply and dropped his gaze to his hands laying on the table. "What's wrong?" Jihoon continued, taking a seat next to the boy.  

"Junhui-hyung is homesick ," he confided, "He wants to go home for the New Year, but he knows he can't. "  

Jihoon smiled. "If Junhui-hyung can't go home for the New Year, bring the New Year to him."  

"How?"  

Jihoon pat him on the head and smiled more, "You'll think of something," he said as he rose from his seat.  

"Hyunggggg," Minghao whined, "what do I do?"  

"Decorations and food, " he replied, and with that, Jihoon turned on his heel and walked out of the room, presumably to his studio to do more work on the upcoming album.  

"Of course,"  thought Minghao. The answer had been a simple one but it gave him plenty of ideas to start with.  

---  

It wasn't easy setting up for a Chinese New Year celebration by himself. Back home, his whole family would assist in the decorating and cooking, but being in Korea he didn't have his family to help him. While the other members of Seventeen would have helped Minghao if asked, he thought it best to keep the preparations a secret lest Junhui catch wind and spoil the surprise.   

---  

It was the day before the lunar New Year, and everything seemed to be in place. Minghao had awoken extra early to finish hanging the remaining lanterns and couplets outside the door. While the other Seventeen members were a bit suspicious of all of the Chinese decorations, they brushed it off as one of  Minghao's "moments."  

The day was progressing like any other day; the individual team's practiced in their separate studios, followed by a group practice, before everyone went about their separate ways come evening. Jihoon slinked into his closet to continue his compositions,  Seokmin and Mingyu raced to the kitchen, and Minghao didn't even want to think about where Jeonghan and Jisoo  went off to (probably putting their vocal abilities to good use).   

Minghao was in the dorm room setting a low sitting table for his upcoming meal when he heard a squeaky sound emanating from the door. As he turned, he was met with the curious stares from Junhui .  

"Junhui-hyung!" he exclaimed as he stood from the table, wiping his hands on his knees.  

"Minghao, what is all this about?" Junhui asked, a slight laugh in his voice as if something funny had happened.   

"What do you mean, hyung?" Junhui merely laughed in response, making Minghao furrow his brow in confusion. "Do you not like it?"  

"What are you trying to do?"   

"I wanted to surprise you..." Minghao trailed. While Minghao didn't quite know what he was expecting, he had thought the response would be a  little more... enthusiastic? Junhui stopped laughing and looked at his fellow Chinese dongsaeng with curiosity.  

"I overheard you on the phone the other day," Minghao continued, "You said that you wished you could go home for the New Year." Junhui's mouth formed an "O" shape as he remembered the conversation. "If you couldn't go home, I thought I'd bring the New Year to you." Minghao kicked at the floor awkwardly, dropping his gaze as to not look at his friend in the eye.   

"Minghao," Junhui said as he walked over, placing his hands on the younger's shoulders. Minghao looked up to meet his gaze and saw tears forming in his eyes.   

"Don't cry!" Minghao blurted in Mandarin (a language that they rarely used to speak to each other in fairness to the other members). "I'm sorry, I know it's dumb. I'm sorry!" Minghao was panicking, he couldn't stand seeing his hyung crying again, this time over something that is undoubtedly his fault. Junhui just laughed and pulled the younger into a tight hug.  

"Shhh," Junhui  whispered , holding the younger close to his chest, "Thank you." He pulled away slightly to look at the other, watching as the younger's face contorted into an adorably confused expression.  

"Wait, what?" Minghao asked. "You're not upset?"  

"Why would I be upset when you went through all of this effort for me?"  

"B-but you were crying."  

"Those were tears of joy, you  pabo," Junhui said as he playfully hit Minghao on the back of the head. He once more tightened his arms around the younger and pulled him closer to his chest. Minghao snuggled into the warmth, holding Junhui just as tight. They stood there for a moment, neither wanting to be the first to let go, when the sound of rumbling emanated from both of their stomachs.  

"Maybe we should eat?" Minghao asked, pulling away slightly to look at the others face . Junhui nodded as his stomach rumbled a second time, and they both released one another.   

---  

"Thank you," Junhui said as they laid on Minghao's bed, stomachs stuffed from the amount of food they had eaten.   

"Are you still homesick, hyung?" Minghao asked, turning slightly to get a look at Junhui's face.   

Junhui laughed as he tugged Minghao by the shirt so that he now laid on top of the older .  

"I -- uh," Minghao stuttered, blushing profusely, as he laid on top of Junhui. The older just smiled as he sat up slightly to place a chaste kiss on Minghao's nose.   

"Surprise," Junhui whispered. The two stayed in that position, as they fell asleep in each other's arms.