Archive of Our Own

⋆⁺₊❅.☃︎⋆⁺₊❅.

Looking into the living room to see his boyfriend, Chan, adding the finishing touches to their Christmas decorations, Hyunjin smiles to himself and continues walking through the house with his phone still pressed to his ear. 

“Yes, Jisungie,” Hyunjin chuckles as he interrupts the other’s rambling. “Even if you get here later than three, we won’t start without you.”

The sigh of relief he received was quickly overshadowed when Hyunjin heard a sudden clattering behind him.

“It’s fine! Everything is fine, baby!” Came Chan’s quick assurance. “Just dropped something but it’s alright, nothing is broken, there is no need to come in and check!”

Hyunjin pinched the bridge of his nose, already worrying about what ornaments could be in danger when Chan, Jisung, and Jeongin would all be in his house tomorrow. 

Instead of calling back to his boyfriend, Hyunjin rolled his eyes and cleared his throat as he then settled his attention back onto his best friend. 

“As long as you’re coming that’s all that matters,” Hyunjin spoke softly, the smile back on his face when Jisung gave another affirmation. “Great. I’ll see you tomorrow, Jisungie. Take care, I love you.”

After he’d received a similar farewell and their call had ended, Hyunjin dropped the phone from his ear and let out a deep sigh. 

The sound of footsteps approaching him caused him to lift his gaze from the floor, and Hyunjin pressed his lips together as Chan stopped in front of him with an uneasy look. 

“So, Jisungie said he’d be here?” Subtly, Chan’s shoulders raised in anticipation, his eyes mapping out every inch of his boyfriend’s expression to try and read his expression. 

“Yeah…” Hyunjin’s voice lightly trembles as he nods. “...It’ll be the eight of us again.”

Noticing the faint shine to Hyunjin’s eyes, Chan let out a small huff and walked forward until he could pull the other into his arms. 

“It’ll be okay, baby.” He soothes, pressing a gentle kiss to Hyunjin’s temple before he lets his chin rest on his shoulder while his hands tenderly smooth up and down his back. 

“I don’t like that they don’t know, Chan.” Hyunjin admitted, letting his body fall limp in the older’s arms. “Minho doesn’t know that Jisung will be here, and Jisung doesn’t know that Minho will be here.”

“I know that it’s tough,” Chan agreed, his body rising and falling with a soft sigh as he squeezes Hyunjin just that little bit tighter. “I’m sure it’ll work out.”

Hyunjin audibly hums in response, pulling back from the embrace so that he can cup his boyfriend’s jaw. Despite the anxieties still nagging at the forefront of his mind, Hyunjin feels the corners of his lips turning upwards as he sees the sincerity in Chan’s expression. 

“...I hope so.”

 ⋆⁺₊❅.☃︎⋆⁺₊❅.

Minho and Jisung, once hailed as a picture perfect couple, had been happily dating for four and a half years during their later years at secondary school and all through college. 

There was hardly ever a time in which the two of them were seen without the other, and the entire friend group had truly believed that they were ‘it’ for each other. 

However, there came a fateful day when an incident occurred that drove the couple apart. And although their friends never knew the reason for their split, all they did know was that it was big enough that Minho and Jisung never spoke again. 

Their breakup had, of course, affected the friend group massively. 

Despite their anything but amicable split, Minho and Jisung had never asked their friends to choose between them, and had instead decided to suck up their feelings of hurt and resentment and remain as a complete eight. 

In the time that followed there was never an explosive argument between the pair- yet the tension between them could always be felt whenever they were forced into close proximity. 

After finishing college, the members became busier with their personal lives; Hyunjin and Chan had decided to find a place to live together, Felix and Jeongin had started a relationship after confessing their feelings for each other- and, after a casual friends with benefits arrangement turned deeper than originally planned, Changbin and Seungmin had also wound up in a very serious relationship. 

Because of this, the time the eight spent together dwindled and dwindled until they were planning full group reunions once every couple months rather than spending time in each other’s company almost every day. 

Minho and Jisung’s presence, however, very quickly came to an end.

It had been just over two years since Minho and Jisung had last attended a reunion- but after a lot of convincing from the pair, they finally agreed to show up at Chan and Hyunjin’s house for the Christmas reunion along with their five friends who they’d truthfully missed seeing.

With the two of them looking forward to a gathering they believed would be free of their ex-boyfriend, they were both just that little bit more excited to reminisce about old- and possibly even create some new- memories. 

If only everyone had known just how truly memorable this Christmas was going to be. 

⋆꙳❅* •*❆ ₊⋆

 “Minho! Hey!” 

Chan’s smile was almost blinding as he opened the door wider and ushered the other man inside. 

At first, Minho had drooped his head back with a disgruntled look at having been swept into a bone crushing hug, but it was only a matter of seconds until he was breaking out into an amused grin and reciprocating the hug. He couldn’t deny that he’d missed his oldest friend. 

“Oh, wow.” Came Minho’s exclamation of awe while looking around the house’s interior, shrugging off his jacket which Chan was quick to take from him and hang up on the coat rack. “You and Hyunjin really went all out, huh?”

“Ah, yeah.” Chan replies through a laugh, leading Minho into the living room and rubbing his nape at a second noise of surprise. “I was tasked with decorating in here while Hyunjinnie did everything else. He’ll appreciate the compliment, I’m sure.”

“Who said it was a compliment?” Minho retorts with a raise of his eyebrows. “I said ‘wow’.”

Holding up a fist in warning, Chan then let it drop to Minho’s shoulder when Hyunjin, Felix, and Jeongin caught sight of the newest arrival- all of them quickly shooting to their feet in delight. 

Another round of tight hugs and warm welcomes were shared before Minho was allowed to breathe and take a seat next to Hyunjin on the couch. 

“You look great, Minho!” Felix awes, holding both hands out to gesture around his whole body. “I always told you growing out your hair would be a good look for you.” He then teases, flicking his long hair over his shoulder as though proving his point. 

“Yeah, well,” Minho slightly pauses, offering a small shrug as his voice softens. “Things change.”

Though his choice of words could be seen as rather pessimistic, the others simply gave nods of understanding before they jumped into catching up on what had occurred in each others’ lives from the last few years. 

Time seemed to fly by as the five friends finally reunited chattered away, and it was only when the doorbell rang that Minho remembered that two people were still yet to join the festivities. 

“Ah, that must be Seungmin and Changbin!” Minho exclaims as he hurries to his feet. “I’ll get it.” 

Unfortunately, he was out of the room before anyone could utter a word. 

Every ounce of excitement Minho had felt prior to opening the door immediately vanished when he swung it open only to be met with the sight of his ex-boyfriend. 

Before he could truly take in Jisung’s mirrored look of shock, Minho took a large step back and slammed the door in the younger’s face. 

In the living room, Hyunjin looked at the others nervously when they watched Minho storm through the hallway to make his way into the kitchen. 

“I’ll go.” Chan sighs, already hurrying to a stand while he points to the door. “Hyunjinnie, could you please go and let Sungie and the others inside?”

He briefly catches Hyunjin rushing to his feet, and soon enters the kitchen to find Minho with his head in his hands as he leans on the kitchen island. 

“What the fuck, Chan?” Minho asks when he registers the sound of footsteps and looks up to direct a glare at the eldest. “You completely failed to mention that he’d be here when you asked, practically begged, for me to come.”

Chan lets out another sigh, holding up his hand in a pacifying manner. “Min-”

“-I mean, seriously,” Minho interrupts, “I thought since no one told me he was coming that I’d actually get to enjoy seeing my friends again. Turns out this was just one big waste of-”

“-Stop right there,” The firm tone Chan had used eases slightly as his shoulders slump and his face grows a little softer. “Look, I admit that we kept Jisung being here from you, but there is no need for you to have acted like that and slammed the door in his face.”

Minho doesn’t dignify Chan with a response, and instead grumbles something unintelligible as he sulkily crosses his arms over his chest. 

Picking up on the sound of his boyfriend speaking softly while footsteps followed behind, Chan shuffled backwards to close over the door before he stood back opposite Minho. 

“When Hyunjinnie and I decided to host a Christmas reunion, we sent out the invite to everyone. It wouldn’t be fair for us to leave Jisung out, nor would it have been fair for us to leave you out.”

Although he understands the logic, Minho still drops his head back with a long drawn out groan. 

“Seungmin and Changbin called me this morning to say they’d pick Jisung up on their way since he was so excited and was so worried that he might arrive late,” Chan shakes his head slightly. “When Hyunjinnie and I realised that everyone would be coming, we were made up, Minho.”

Slowly lifting his head back up, Minho sets his attention on Chan and feels the slightest tug in his chest when he notices the small frown on his face as he continues. 

“Whether you want Jisung here or not, I am asking for you to suck it up for tonight- for a few hours. Not only is it unfair on Jisung, but it’s also unfair on everyone else here,” The stern tone is back in Chan’s voice, and his demeanour easily depicts how serious he is. “The six of us never, ever chose between you two, and we never will. We want both of you here with us, and I hope you realise that no one is asking for an explanation of what happened, nor for you to reconcile…”

Watching Minho’s expression closely to see how his eyebrows have ever so slightly furrowed together, Chan lightly sighs. 

“...All we ask, is that tonight can be enjoyable enough for everyone.”

Silence hung in the air for a few seconds as Minho processed everything Chan had just said. From the moment he chased after him Minho had known Chan hadn’t approved of his initial reaction to seeing Jisung- but now, Minho realised that it wouldn’t just be Jisung who would have been affected, but everyone who would have to sit in between the unspoken tension. 

“Fine.” Minho finally replies, rolling his shoulders back as though trying to prepare himself for what lies on the other side of the door. “I’ll suck it up- but I’m only doing this for your sake.”

“I know,” Chan softly nods, stepping forward to gently pat the younger’s shoulder. “Thank you, Minho.”

As the two walk back out to the living room, they’re met with a very familiar sight- Changbin whining to Jeongin, probably to complain about Seungmin tormenting him some way or another, whilst the tormentor in question was happily catching up with Felix while wearing an incredibly smug smile. 

However, Chan noticed that neither Hyunjin nor Jisung were amongst them, and met Felix’s eye as they paused their conversation. 

“Everything okay?” Chan’s attempt to try and think of a somewhat safe way to indirectly ask where the other two were caught everyone’s attention, and it was Seungmin who answered as he gave a soft scoff. 

“Hyunjin freaked out because there’s some kind of dessert that was forgotten- something about how it wouldn’t be Christmas without it.” As he shook his head and moved his attention back to Felix, Chan waved them off and turned back to Minho. 

“Any idea what he’s talking about?” The question was pretty much redundant, and Chan couldn’t hold back his laugh at Minho’s knowing sigh. 

“Of course I do,” Minho replies, struggling to contain his annoyingly endeared smile. “The packaging is pretty much burned into my memory at this point. Don’t worry your pretty little heads about it, I’ll run down to the store and pick one up.”

Receiving a grateful squeeze to his arm, Minho then walked back out into the hallway to grab his jacket and shoes. But what he hadn’t been expecting was for Jisung to be standing there, currently in the middle of doing the exact same thing.  

“Aww,” Minho mockingly coos, smirking when the younger looked up at him with a scowl. “Leaving so soon?”

Even though he had just promised Chan that he’d suck up any pettiness for the evening, Minho found no harm in it being done away from everyone else. 

“No.” Holding a slight snarl, Jisung let his eyes trail up and down Minho’s figure before he shrugged on his fuzzy black and white coat, “Hyunjin needs something so I’m running out to get it.”

Letting out a bitter scoff, Minho shrugged on his jacket after toeing on his boots. 

“No, you’re not.” He snarks, zipping himself up with an air of finality. “I’m the one who’s going.”

“Well, Hyunjin has asked for me to go and get it, so that’s what I’m doing.” Jisung answers harshly, pulling open the door and stepping out without another word. 

Using his quick reflexes, Minho catches it before it could close and shuts it firmly behind himself as he hurries down the driveway to match Jisung’s pace. 

“Like you could be trusted. It’s important to Hyunjin, so I’m not about to let you go out there and mess it up.”

“I’m not going to mess it up,” Jisung rolls his eyes, lifting his shoulders to his ears when the bitter chill billows right through him. 

“Well, whether you like it or not- I’m coming with you.” Minho retorts, giving one last look to the younger now beside him, only to swiftly fix his gaze forwards. 

“Please yourself.” Jisung mumbles, bringing the two into a very strained silence as they continue walking- subconsciously in a perfectly matched rhythm. 

⋆꙳❅* •*❆ ₊⋆

Sure enough, ten minutes had passed without any words exchanged as the pair had been trying to keep their attention on their surroundings and not how they were now back into close proximity with their ex-boyfriend. 

Having currently been watching what looked to be a happy couple walking side by side with their gloved hands swinging between them, Jisung suddenly jumped as he’d turned back forwards only to be met with Minho’s fist just inches from his own. 

It took him a few seconds for Jisung to realise that he was being offered a hot pack, but since he’d remained quiet he lifted his eyes up to the older to see a look of annoyance now Minho seemingly had to explain himself. 

“Your hands haven’t stopped shaking since we left and it’s irritating me.” Minho grumbles, keeping his gaze on Jisung’s wide, blinking eyes as he fights to maintain his scowl. 

Even though his hands had been shaking from the cold, Jisung hadn’t once complained- and he certainly hadn’t expected for Minho to do something about it. 

“W-what?” Jisung chokes out, looking back at Minho’s hands to find that Minho also isn’t wearing gloves, but that he also hasn’t lifted out a spare hot pack for himself. “But, then you won’t hav-”

“-Ugh, just-” Minho interrupts, taking a hold of Jisung’s wrist to forcibly thrust the hot pack into his palm. 

Before Jisung can say anything, Minho curls the younger’s fingers into a fists and drops his hand without looking at him, swiftly turning on his heel to begin walking away. 

Even though heat was enveloped in his hands, Jisung felt it travel all throughout his body, though quickly cleared his throat and spurred himself forwards to retake his place at Minho’s side. 

“Thank you.” He softly whispers, noticing how Minho only presses his lips together and offers a small nod before the two once again fall back into silence as they continue on their way. 

⋆꙳❅* •*❆ ₊⋆

The heat that blasted down on the two as they stepped into the supermarket was more than welcome, and two sighs of content are elicited as they walk into the entryway, taking care to stand to the side of the doorway as they look over the aisles awaiting them. 

“Wow,” Minho softly awes, “It’s been a while since I was last here.”

All he receives is a quiet hum of agreement- Jisung presumably also deep in thought of when the last time he’d wandered the shop was. 

“If I remember right,” Minho begins, having planned to turn to Jisung as he spoke. “The desserts should be-”

However, his words trailed off as he watched Jisung walk away from him towards a staff member wearing a reindeer headband. 

“Excuse me? Hi,” Jisung smiles as the worker turns to him with a customary ready-to-help grin, “May I ask where your desserts are, please?”

“Sure,” The woman nods, turning sideways as she lifts up her arm to direct. “Our bakery is on the upper floor so all of the desserts are kept in that one place.”

She turned back and directed a kind smile to Minho from where he’d walked over to be stood almost right behind Jisung, and turned back to the younger. 

“If you go up in the lift, the dessert aisle is right on your left as you walk out- can’t miss it!” 

Immediately, Minho’s heart jumped in his chest as he snapped his attention to Jisung, noticing how his shoulders had raised upwards to his ears. 

“I-I see,” He answers, swallowing down the sudden lump in his throat as he attempts a weak smile. “Um, is there a problem with the stairs?”

“You could say that,” The employee chuckles, shaking her head lightly. “We have Santa visiting today and part of the upper floor has been turned into his grotto. The stairs are absolutely jampacked with families slowly losing their patience, so people not here to visit him have been taking the lifts to avoid trying to battle that queue,” She leans forward and lowers her voice in a comical manner. “You know how some people with kids are with wanting them to meet Santa.”

Sure enough, as Jisung and Minho looked over to their right, they were stunned to see the entire staircase was filled with people practically stationary as they tried to make themselves slightly bigger- clearly to avoid anybody possibly jumping the queue to make them lose their spot.”

Attempting to keep his voice level, Jisung thanks her and she offers the pair good luck and a Merry Christmas before she hurries off to another aisle. 

Even though nothing is now keeping them moving, Jisung remains perfectly still. 

Minho lets out a gentle sigh and walks around to stand in front of Jisung. Subconsciously, his mouth draws into a light frown when he sees Jisung is staring at the lifts. 

“Look, I’ll get it and you can just wait here.” Minho’s suggestion is instantly waved off when Jisung appears to snap out of his daze. He audibly scoffs and narrows his eyes into a glare when he looks back at Minho. 

“No, I will.” He retorts, trying to stop his eyes from mapping out the other’s face. “You’d probably forget what one we even came for…o-or something.”

Just as he was about to argue, Minho bit his tongue as Jisung lightly pushed past him and stalked off towards the lift on the opposite wall to them. Taking a deep breath, he then followed behind Jisung with a slight distance between them- but, when he noticed how small the lift looked, he could only imagine how uneasy Jisung was going to feel throughout the short journey. 

And, as he watched the way Jisung took a shaky breath before he pressed for the doors to open, Minho could already detect the feelings of worry creeping into his mind. 

When the lift dinged and opened for them, Jisung didn’t move. 

Instead, he remained rooted in place and anxiously drummed his fingers against his legs. 

Minho didn’t dare rush him, and he tried to keep his body perfectly still to make sure Jisung was aware of it. 

After a brief moment, Jisung raised his shoulders to his ears and took several determined steps into the lift, immediately turning around to face the doors as a quiet exhale escaped him. 

As soon as Jisung had crossed the threshold Minho had been right behind him, not wanting to force the younger to endure one of his biggest fears for any longer than he had to. 

It was slightly awkward when Jisung once again froze, chewing on his bottom lip as he could already feel the way his heart had began to quicken in his chest. 

“Um-” Minho quickly snapped his mouth shut, deciding against making Jisung do anything- and so he carefully reached across Jisung's front to press the button for the first floor. 

Frustrated that he’d been so lost in his mind he hadn’t even thought to actually make the lift move like it needed to, Jisung bitterly scoffs and directs his eyes to the floor, digging his fingers into his palms as the doors closed, and the lift gave a sharp lurch before slowly beginning to rise. 

“...It’s okay, It’s okay, It’s okay.” Jisung whispers, almost like a mantra to himself as he tries to fill his mind with anything but the fact that he’s currently standing in what sounds to be a very rickety lift. 

The moment the lift made a screeching nose before coming to a premature stop, Minho hears Jisung softly gasp and looks over to see how his knuckles are turning white at his side. 

Realising what had happened, Jisung lets out a small whimper, and swallows harshly to try and clear his throat. 

“Jisung,” Minho attempts to move, “It might just take a second to move agai-”

“-Don’t.” Jisung counters, closing his eyes and shaking his head. “Please, don’t.”

“But-”

“-I’m fine.” Jisung snaps as he forces open his eyes to look over at him. However, he only gets as far as Minho’s torso before he draws in another shaky breath and moves his head back down to stare at his feet. 

“Jisung, I know you’re not fine.” Minho speaks gently, trying to keep his voice level even though he’s noticed Jisung’s chest has started rapidly moving. 

“H-How do you know?” Though he’d tried to sound strong, the slight wobble to his voice and the way he’d sniffed back the beginning of tears did nothing to hide his struggle. “Maybe I’m not scared anymore. M-Maybe I’m just uncomfortable being trap- fuck- being in here with you.”

Knowing that Jisung was just deflecting, Minho shook his head and pointed to Jisung’s hands now tapping at his thigh. 

“Your left hand probably has your thumb tucked under your fingers for pressure, and I can see your right tapping that same rhythm to the song we’d always- I mean,” Minho swiftly coughs. “You’re tapping a song rhythm on your thigh…You’re bordering a panic attack, Jisung.”

Unable to hide it any longer, Jisung feels the first tear roll down his cheek which he quickly wipes away with his right hand. 

“Fine, okay!?” He cries, feeling heat rise to his cheeks in embarrassment as the tears continue to fall. “M-Make fun of me all you want.”

“What…I-I’m not going to make fun of you,” There was a noticeable edge of hurt in the older’s tone, and his lips slightly trembled before he continued- speaking quieter, but much firmer. “I’d never make fun of you for this.”

As Jisung takes in another shaky inhale, and his whole body jolts from the force, Minho knows what he needs to do and moves to take a step closer to Jisung when he suddenly screams. 

“Don’t!” He pleads, holding up his hands. “Minho, please, don’t move.”

Suddenly becoming all too familiar of the ‘What ifs’ now running through his mind, Jisung begins to hyperventilate, wrapping his arms around himself as he tries to find some form of comfort. 

Feeling a lump settling in his throat, Minho carefully takes a step forward and ever so gently pries Jisung’s hands off of his shoulders to instead interlock their fingers- letting his steady hand guide Jisung’s trembling hand into his. 

“We’ll sit down together, okay?”

Hearing what sounded like a noise of hesitation, Minho reaches for Jisung’s other hand and pulls them both between their chests. 

“We’ll do it at the same time, and I’ll keep you really close to me, o-okay?” Minho’s voice wavers as Jisung’s body turns to him yet he keeps his head bowed in fear. 

No matter what feelings might have been shared between them since their break up, Minho could never forget just how much it pained him to see Jisung cry. 

Jisung reluctantly lets his hands drop to Minho’s chest as they crouch together, eventually making their way to a seated position. 

Once they were as settled as possible given the situation, Minho flattens one of Jisung’s hands to settle over his steady heart beat, and directs the other one to rest over one of his crossed legs. 

With a hand free, Minho brings it around Jisung’s body, settling it between his shoulder blades to gently push Jisung forward into his body. 

“You’re okay.” Minho whispers, leaning forward to rest his chin atop of Jisung’s head as he tenderly rubs over his back to try and soothe him further. 

Listening to how Jisung’s breathing slows ever so slightly, Minho lets out a long sigh as he tries not to let his own tears fall. Only once before has he had to comfort Jisung in this exact situation, and it was the moment that Minho still held dearest to his heart. 

It had been the moment in which everything had seemed to fall into place. 

“Jisungie?”

Though his face was hidden in the older’s chest, Jisung still responded with a light hum- neither of them commenting on the slip up. 

“I’m going to take my hand from your back, but I’m only doing it so that I can reach my phone and call for help, okay?” Feeling a weak nod, Minho moved as quickly, yet still as carefully, as possible. 

For the entire time Minho was on the phone Jisung blocked out every word exchanged. Instead, he tried to move his body even closer to the older whilst attempting to channel all of his attention onto the calm rhythm beneath his hand. 

Having explained their situation to the local fire department, Minho pocketed his phone and shuffled minutely, planning to settle back into the comforting position they’d found themselves in. However, when he registered how Jisung had raised his body only to immediately set it back down, Minho realised what the younger might have been subconsciously about to do. 

“Were…” Minho pauses for a brief moment, “...Were you just about to sit in my lap?”

“N-No.” Trying to sound incredulous, Jisung kept his face hidden from Minho’s view- unwilling to let the older see the heat that had instantly risen to his cheeks. 

Knowing Jisung all too well, Minho couldn’t stop the corners of his lips turning upwards in a slight smirk once he realised Jisung was now sulking. 

“Jisungie,” He gently chuckles, “It’s okay if you wanted t-”

“-I wasn’t going to!” 

Hearing the subtle whine in Jisung’s voice, Minho had all the confirmation he needed. 

“...You really weren’t?”

Silence. 

Then, the smallest little huff sounds before Jisung’s quiet weak reply reaches the older.

“I’m scared, Minho.” 

The smile was wiped from Minho’s chest as his heart wrenched in his chest. 

“Jisungie.” He murmured, moving his upper body back just enough to catch sight of Jisung pulling his hands away to cover his face. 

Devastating sniffles and sudden, sharp gasps filled the silence, and Minho frowned while trying to wrap his arms back around the younger- still making sure not to move too quickly to scare him even further. 

Being as careful as he could, Minho then lifts Jisung up while pushing out his legs- allowing Jisung to sit comfortably astride his thighs. 

Jisung immediately pushes his face into the crook of Minho’s neck, keeping one hand pressed over his face while the other moved down to fist the older’s shirt so he could keep Minho as close as possible. 

“I’m here, Jisungie,” After a moment of hesitation, Minho smooths his hand up Jisung’s back to settle in his hair, letting his fingers card through the loose strands just above his nape while his other arm curls around his waist. 

At the feeling, Jisung began to cry even harder as he realised what Minho was doing. 

Minho was holding him exactly like he used to. 

Listening to how much the younger was suffering, Minho felt completely powerless at the thought that what he was doing wasn’t comforting Jisung in the slightest. 

“I-I’m sure they won’t be that much longer,” He attempts to reassure, lifting his arm a little higher as a means to block out Jisung’s sight of the lift encasing them. “We’ll be out of here soon enough.”

Jisung, however, shook his head in response- almost as though Minho’s words were the last thing he wanted to hear.”

“...Fuck,” Jisung curses, forcing out his next words, “Why did you leave me, Minho?”

Unsure whether he’d heard Jisung correctly, Minho felt his entire body freeze as he replayed the question in his mind, wondering whether he’d misinterpreted a significant word. 

“...What?”

For a strained moment, Jisung didn’t say anything. 

It was only just when Minho was beginning to mentally work himself up that Jisung summoned enough courage to pull back and meet Minho’s eyes. 

“Why did you break up with me?” He asked, his voice just as timid as before. 

Minho parted his lips to speak, but it took him a few tries before he managed to choke out anything coherent. 

“You’re…y-you’re asking me this now?”

“You’re comforting me instead of laughing at me.” Jisung retaliated- and, for the first time since the two had sat down, his voice had the slightest twinge of strength. “You’re holding me like you don’t hate me,”

He pauses to shake his head, giving a weak, almost pitiful laugh. 

“What are you doing to me, Min?”

“I-” Only being able to blink as he struggled for what he could possibly say, how they could be talking about a topic that hadn’t been verbally revisited in years. Eventually, he let out a deep exhale and offered a defeated shrug. “...I was told that you didn’t want me anymore.” Minho didn’t look up to see Jisung’s reaction. “That-...That you’d found someone better and we’re through with me.”

Almost as though he had completely forgotten where they were, Jisung recoiled in shock, acting against better judgment to bring his hands to Minho’s face and direct his gaze back to him. 

“What?” Speaking almost in a whisper with how taken aback he was, Jisung shook his head as his eyebrows furrowed. “Who told you that?”

Nibbling anxiously on his bottom lip as he remembered that day, Minho averted his eyes to stare down at Jisung’s torso. 

“...Your parents.”

The way Jisung looked back at Minho with so much sadness had Minho turning away the second he’d tried to look back at him. 

“They said that you’d been talking about there being someone else for a while and…a-and that you were going to leave me for them.” He explains, struggling to fight back tears as one slides down his cheek. “You’d been telling your family that I wasn’t enough for you anymore- that you knew the person you truly wanted would be so much better for you, and that-”

Swallowing hard, Minho couldn’t bring himself to continue and fully turned his head to the side. 

“Hey, wait,” With barely any force, Jisung directs Minho’s face back, his voice small at having to endure Minho looking so vulnerable. “...And what?”

After a clear moment of hesitation, Minho pushed past the ache in his chest and answered, 

“And that you didn’t love me anymore.”

There was silence while Jisung took in everything Minho had just said. 

“Min,” Jisung eventually mumbles- a humourless laugh passing through his lips as he lowers his hands to rest at Minho’s shoulders. “If only you told me sooner, I could have explained everything.”

Minho waited with bated breath, wondering if whatever Jisung’s explanation would be was only going to cause him more hurt. 

“...I haven’t talked to my parents in almost three years.”

When he realised the significance, Minho’s attempt to speak was quickly halted as Jisung raised his hand and lightly shook his head, taking a deep breath before speaking again. 

“I didn’t tell my parents that you’d broken up with me and cut contact until a few days after. They…never really wanted me to talk about our relationship, and always shut me down whenever I’d try.”

As Jisung continued, a sense of dread began to creep into Minho’s mind. 

“When I finally did tell them that you’d broken up with me, they seemed to suddenly be fixated on what I planned to do next,” Scoffing, Jisung shakes his head and moves his eyes to his hand as he smooths them across Minho’s top line. “Not even a week later, I came home to find my parents talking with a man and woman I’d never seen before in my living room, while a girl my age was sitting on the couch next to them.”

Minho’s whole body ran cold. 

“...Jisung…”

Nodding, Jisung sucked his bottom lip beneath his teeth to stop it from trembling. 

“They tried to push me to date her…”

“Fuck,” Minho curses, feeling another wave of tears slide down his face as he drops his head backwards. 

“...And told me that she’d be so much better than…t-than the boy who used me and broke up with me when he realised I wasn’t good enough anymore.”

Noticing the wetness in Jisung’s voice, Minho brings his head back to face forwards, his eyes rapidly moving as he takes in every inch of the man he'd missed so much in front of him. 

“It turns out that my parents had been hoping that meeting her would finally ‘snap me out of such a ridiculous phase’, and that I would realise I was wrong to give in to ‘unnatural behaviours’,” Jisung continues, still recognising the ache in his heart at the harsh words spoken to him by his parents. “When it hit me that they’d never actually accepted that I was only into men, and that they’d been hoping that our relationship wouldn’t last, I confronted them and yelled at them for ever making me doubt that you…y-you really did love me.”

Jisung chokes back a sob as he watches Minho’s shoulders slump forward- his whole body jolting as he draws in a sharp breath. 

“And so I thought I was too late in realising,” Jisung continues in a small voice, unwillingly letting all the anguish he’d been keeping pent up inside seep into his words. “I’d even told myself that it would be too late for me to beg for you to come back into my life.”

The second Jisung had stopped talking, Minho acted without thinking and threw his arms around Jisung's waist, pulling him into his body as he sobbed against his shoulder.

"i'm sorry," the younger apologised, tears once again cascading down his cheeks as he firmly held his palm against the back of Minho's head. "Minho, I'm so fucking sorry."

All Minho could do in that moment was cry in the arms of the one he still loved. 

His heart wrenched as he realised how their manipulation and lies had hurt them both- acting so deceitful that it had driven the two apart and forced them into thinking that the other wanted nothing to do with them, when in fact it was the complete opposite. 

For too much time after their split, Minho and Jisung had been living with broken hearts- unable to even be in the same room as each other as it caused too much pain. 

But now, with their bodies pressed together and their holds on each other unwavering, they both knew that they never wanted to be apart again. 

Finally lifting his head up, Minho chokes out a sob and looks into Jisung’s eyes the best he can despite the tears obstructing his vision. 

“Jisungie, I-I don’t think I can apologise enough,” He cries, swallowing harshly to take a shuddering  breath. “This is all my fucking fault.”

Shaking his head in disagreement, Jisung carefully brings his hands back up to cup Minho’s face. He delicately holds his tear stained cheeks, and uses his thumbs to wipe away the stray tears. 

“We’re both at fault, Minho, but I don’t think we can truly blame ourselves because of my parents actions,” He speaks in a calm voice, almost as though all the tension is releasing from his body. “I know we could have communicated a hell of a lot better- but, now we can really move forward now we know the truth.”

As a sense of hope began to overtake his chest, Minho was looking at Jisung with full expectancy. 

“A-And?”

A little confused, Jisung tilted his head to the side. 

“And?” He repeated. 

“Well,” Minho had to clear his throat, awkwardly gesturing with his hands while he tried to build enough courage to ask, “Where do we go from here?”

Taken completely aback by the question, Jisung’s eyes widen almost comically as he stares, open-mouthed, at Minho. 

“You…would you want me back?” 

"Jisung, are you-, of course I want you back!" Minho gave Jisung an incredulous look as he lifted his hand to Jisung's face and habitually tucked his hair back behind his ears. "Jisungie, just being here with you now makes me remember the exact moment I knew I'd fallen in love with you."

Then, a soft gasp escaped Jisung. 

“The cable car in Namsam tower…” Jisung trails off, remembering how Minho had comforted him in the exact same way.

“You didn’t want to tell me that you were terrified of small spaces, but when you realised how long the trip actually was, I suggested we sit on the floor, just like this, and you got through it without too much fear.”

“I was so sure I’d ruined that date.” Jisung blissfully sighs, letting out a small laugh when Minho squishes his chubby cheek in his fingers. 

“And after that date, I knew just how easy it was going to be to fall in love with you.”

As his eyes mapped over Minho’s face, Jisung was almost overwhelmed with the sheer fondness reflected in the older’s eyes and easy smile. 

“Minho,” Jisung’s smile lightly drops as he nervously runs his bottom lip under his teeth, “Do you really think you could love me again,” He took a noticeably shaky inhale, slightly worrying for the answer, “E-Even after all of this time apart?”

"Jisungie," Minho sighs through a smile, sliding his hand a little higher up Jisung's cheek, beginning to lean in as he ever so gently shook his head. "I’ve never really stopped loving you."

Their lips met in a gentle kiss, and it was almost like their surroundings didn’t matter to Jisung anymore. 

Jisung pulls Minho in just that little bit closer, bringing a hand to his sharp jawline while the other curls into his coat. 

But, the moment that Minho coaxed Jisung’s mouth open and was about to deepen the kiss, the lights flickering caused Jisung to jump back in fright, and he immediately pushed his head back into Minho’s neck. 

A fond laugh escapes the older, and he slides his arms back around Jisung’s waist, letting his chin drop to his shoulder as he holds the man he loves as close as he can. 

It was only a couple seconds later that Minho heard muffled voices, and realised there was actually still a world outside of his little bubble with Jisung. 

“Hey,” He calls softly, urging the younger to move much to Jisung’s disapproval. “I think the fire brigade has arrived.”

Sure enough, Jisung listened out and felt his heart skip in hope when he also registered voices outside, yet he didn’t move himself from Minho’s lap and instead shifted just enough so he could sit sideways. 

Suddenly, his shoulders shot up to his ears in alarm as a crunching sound resonated through the lift. 

“It’s just the doors, Jagi.” Minho soothed, biting his lip to contain a soft chuckle when the nickname coloured the younger’s cheeks a soft pink. 

When the doors finally separated, Jisung and Minho were faced with a firefighter who held a gentle smile as he took a step forward.

Due to the position of the lift, the two realised they would now have to crawl out from the lift rather than being able to walk since they were stuck between the floors. 

“Are you two okay?"

As Jisung could only manage a weak nod, Minho smoothed his hand up his back and looked at the firefighter.

"Neither of us are injured- But I don't think we'd like to stay in here much longer." He replies lightheartedly, coaxing a smile from the firefighter. 

"Understood,” He answered with a firm nod, “We'll get you two out as quickly and as safely as we can."

The firefighter then turned back to his team and directed for four of them to stand at the front to help the pair down.

Minho ushers for Jisung to go first and watches as one firefighter begins to help him down, while another stands close by to make sure he wasn't dropped.

Once he was back on the ground, Jisung let out a relieved sigh and made sure to apologise to the man for the death grip he'd had on his arms.

The firefighter laughed it off and began to assure Jisung that he was fine, and that he was incredibly brave for enduring the situation for so long.

While they were talking, Minho was helped down by another two, both of them making sure he wasn't physically hurt before both women allowed for him to walk forward and join Jisung's side.

"Thank you so much for your help," Minho smiles to the team in front of him, bringing Jisung under his arm as he noticed how exhausted he was after being in such a high state of fear for so long. "You arrived at the perfect time." He adds, smiling to himself as he subtly cuddles Jisung closer.

"Really, thank you," Jisung agrees, feeling nothing but sheer relief that everything had been resolved.

"It's no trouble at all," The chief waved off as he smiled at them both. "We're glad that you two are okay, and we hope that you can get yourselves home safely. If you need transportation sorting, or anything else, we'd be glad to help."

Turning to Jisung, Minho was met with Jisung holding a slight pout. 

Nodding his head as though he knew exactly what Jisung was going to say, Minho looked to the chief with a thankful smile.

"Thank you, but I'll be okay getting us home."

 ⋆꙳❅* •*❆ ₊⋆

With Jisung's arms around his neck, and his legs wrapped tightly around his waist, Minho had carried him back to their friend's house with a wide smile plastered on his face for the entire walk.

Now that the surroundings were much more calming, Jisung and Minho had been able to talk more about them.

It was clear that they both still had feelings for each other, but had tried their best to suppress them due to the lies they’d been fed- and so after they’d both apologised again, they both expressed just how much they wanted to be with each other again. 

Once they arrive back in the familiar neighbourhood, Minho carefully helps Jisung to his feet before he turns round and takes his hands into his own.

“Han Jisung,” He begins, watching Jisung bite his lip to contain his excitement and to hold back from interrupting Minho. "Would you take me as your boyfriend again?"

"Lee Minho," Jisung giggles at the playful formality, taking one hand out of Minho’s grasp to gently let his rest at his cheek, tenderly smoothing his thumb along his cheekbone. "I would love nothing more."

Before Jisung could lean in to softly press their lips together, Minho smirked as he moved his head back out of his reach. 

“What about me?” He teases, “Don’t you love me?”

Jisung narrows his eyes into a glare, but the force of his smile is impossible to conceal. 

“Yes,” He answers with a playfully harsh tone, “I love you more than anything.”

Without giving Minho a second to think up some other witty remark, Jisung pulls Minho forward by his jacket to press their lips together in an unhurried kiss that spoke a thousand words. 

It was only when a chilly breeze washed over the pair that they shuddered and broke apart, breaking out into soft giggles at the situation. 

"I think we ought to get ourselves back and tell everyone the news," Minho proposes, grinning as he watches Jisung's eyes light up. "As much as I'd love to keep you all to myself and kiss you absolutely senseless right now, I'm freezing."

Lifting out the hot pack Minho had given him from his pocket, Jisung waved it in his face just to tease, immediately turning to run towards the house while Minho chased after him- nothing but the sound of faux apologises and boisterous laughter following them. 

With a few houses still to pass, Minho and Jisung soon fell back into a peaceful walk- their fingers now intertwined with the hot pack pressed between their palms as their hands happily swung in between their bodies.

As soon as they were standing back on the driveway, Minho pecked his boyfriend on the cheek and gestured for him to enter the house first.

Once they'd taken off their coats and shoes, they'd walked into the living room only to be met with the concerned looks of their friends.

“Finally!” Felix cries, sagging back against the couch as a deep, clearly relieved, exhale escapes him. 

Changbin’s shoulders dropped in similar relief as he looked between the pair. “We almost sent out a search party- what the fuck took you guys so long!?”

The others jumped into agreement- everyone now talking over each other as they each expressed how worried they all were. 

However, Hyunjin remained quiet as his eyes were fixated on one thing. 

"Hang on-" He spoke over everyone, gesturing his arms out for them to be quiet before he pointed between Minho and Jisung. "...You're holding hands."

Just then, Jeongin gasped. “And, you’re smiling!”

Chan’s eyes widened when he noticed Minho’s red ears- realising now that it being cold outside wasn’t the only cause. 

“Well,” Jisung drags out, ducking his head shyly. “It’s part of the reason we took so long."

Noticing how Seungmin pulled a slightly suggestive expression, Minho’s free hand shot into the air as he waved it around rather aggressively. 

“No! Look we- ugh.” Minho rolls his eyes when he sees Felix is also sporting a knowing look. “We’ll tell you everything in just a minute, but the important thing is,”

Minho pauses as he looks to Jisung, shamelessly letting his eyes trail over the younger’s fond expression before he grins and turns back to the others. 

“Jisungie and I are back together.”

Immediately, Hyunjin and Felix jumped to their feet, squealing and bombarding the reconciled couple with questions that were too incoherent to be deciphered. 

Soon enough, Chan, Changbin, and Jeongin joined in with giving their congratulations, deciding to playfully coo over the pair still holding hands just to fluster them even more. 

However, once the initial excitement began to settle, Seungmin cleared his throat to regain everyone’s attention. 

“As sweet as this all is,” He sighed as he then gestured between the two. “Where’s the dessert you went for?”

Silence immediately washed over the room as Minho and Jisung snapped their heads to look at each other.

“...Shit.”