Chapter Text
Seokmin can make out the shape of Mingyu from a mile away.
Okay, that’s an exaggeration, and Jeonghan would roll his eyes at Seokmin if he heard such statement out of his mouth, but in a metaphorical sense it is true. Like right now, a figure sitting on one of the wooden benches in the quad, wearing a baby blue beanie that stands out from the rest of his all-white attire is very likely Mingyu. Seokmin is sure of it. And sure, maybe the baby blue beanie looks awfully similar to the one Seokmin gifted Mingyu last Christmas. And maybe Seokmin has learned Mingyu’s routine of hanging out in the quad before his next class—which is in one of the buildings surrounding the rectangular courtyard.
But never mind the reason for how he knows, the person Seokmin is watching from the window of the seventh floor of the university library is Kim Mingyu.
“Hyung,” Seokmin whispers, addressing Jeonghan next to him. “I’m going downstairs for a bit,” he tells his best friend, rising in his seat as quietly as possible.
“Mmkay, tell Mingyu hi,” Jeonghan replies without looking away from the screen of his laptop.
Seokmin feels his cheeks warming up. He’s just about to ask how he knows, but Jeonghan is already waving a dismissive hand, so Seokmin decides to table the question for later.
His smile widens as he steps outside and confirms that the person sitting on the bench with some papers in his hand is indeed Mingyu. He doesn’t notice Seokmin walking towards him yet, so naturally Seokmin stops to watch him from afar, admiring Mingyu’s attractiveness as he’s hunched over reading the paper with serious expression on his face. It’s an adorable view that Seokmin wants to keep forever, so he fishes for his phone from his jeans pocket and snaps a few pictures of Mingyu from the distance.
It’s while Seokmin is taking his pictures that Mingyu suddenly turns to his left, his gaze landing on Seokmin almost immediately. His slight frown is replaced with a surprise look that turns more relaxed as he recognizes the man taking his pictures. Seokmin captures all of that before he lowers his phone and continues his steps towards the bench, heart skipping a beat at the way Mingyu’s gaze fixed on him.
“Hey you,” Seokmin says with a small smile, lowering to sit on the bench and sliding close to Mingyu. There’s not many university students in the quad during this time of day and the bushes near Mingyu’s side of the bench kind of give them some sense of privacy.
“Hey,” Mingyu returns, smiling back and angling his body slightly left to face Seokmin better. It’s warm where their knees touch. “Thought you have a class right now.”
“Canceled, our prof is out sick,” Seokmin explains shortly, then he brings a hand to the back of Mingyu’s beanie. Stroking the knitted material, he leans in to whisper in Mingyu’s ear, “Bad hair day today?”
He pulls away as soon as he asks the question, a teasing smile sits on his lips when he returns his gaze to Mingyu. He laughs, light-heartedly, when the other nods with a slightly sheepish smile and confirms, “It’s horrible.”
“I don’t think the beanie helps,” Seokmin jokes, running his fingertips along the lining of Mingyu’s beanie once. When he drops his hand, it is to rest on top of Mingyu’s thigh for a half-second before Mingyu slides his left palm under it, lacing their fingers loosely. Seokmin reciprocates immediately, entwining their fingers a little more firmly.
“Do not insult the beanie my lovely boyfriend gave me,” Mingyu quips, the corners of his lips twitch as he struggles to conceal his smile. Lately he’s the worse one out of the two of them at keeping a straight face.
Seokmin squeezes Mingyu’s hand before he resumes his teasing. “Oh yeah? Does this boyfriend know with this beanie on, you look like a push-pin when seen from the seventh floor of the library?”
Mingyu’s eyes widen, slightly taken aback by Seokmin’s comment for a moment. Then he lets out a laugh, tugging at Seokmin’s hand and squeezing it hard. “Yah! A push-pin??”
Seokmin grins, can’t resist teasing Mingyu once more. “A cute, giant, baby blue push-pin.” Though he rubs his thumb gently on the back of Mingyu’s hand. He always likes the way Mingyu’s skin feel under the pad of his thumb; it’s warm, comforting. Familiar.
Mingyu furrows his brows and narrows his eyes, though the half smile and his clearly amused expression betray him. “I feel like I should be offended hearing this.”
“I did say cute,” Seokmin reminds him, then chuckles when Mingyu rolls his eyes, fondly, at him. It’s cute. Mingyu is one of the most attractive, sought-after male at their university, all long legs and ridiculously handsome, but Seokmin relishes in his boyfriend’s cute side a lot.
“So you saw me from the library?” Mingyu switches topic, and he adjusts his hold of Seokmin’s hand and repositions their still entwined hands so they rest more comfortably on Mingyu’s thigh.
“I did.” Seokmin glances at their hands briefly before looking up to see Mingyu doing the same. He smiles when Mingyu lifts his head and meets his gaze. “I was doing homework with Jeonghannie hyung.”
“You abandoned Jeonghan hyung for me?” Mingyu asks with this particular smug smile on his face. It's one reserved for whenever Seokmin chooses Mingyu over any of their close friends, but especially when it's Jeonghan.
Seokmin only laughs, though he doesn't deny Mingyu's remark. He does, however, ask about the papers Mingyu was reading earlier. Mingyu tells him about it, and Seokmin listens closely and gives reactions accordingly.
Their hands stay intertwined as they converse about anything and nothing for the next few minutes, enjoying each other company. Seokmin plays with Mingyu’s fingers while the other is checking out the pictures Seokmin took of him earlier, and Mingyu tugs at their joined hands and squeezes hard when Seokmin teases him about the push-pin look again.
It’s all normal and ordinary, and it’s not like holding hands is anything new to them, but when they finally have to part (Mingyu for his class and Seokmin back to studying in the library), Seokmin misses the warmth of Mingyu’s hand almost immediately.
Though it’s fine. They’ll hold hands when they see each other again anyway.
[bonus]
“Were you two kissing out there in the quad?”
“What? No!”
“Then explain this picture I took from up here.”
“That—you spied on us? Jeonghan hyung!”
“Seokmin, please. Don’t act surprised.”
“…”
“Well?”
“I—we were just holding hands.. Wait—I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
“Hm, you're right.”
“…”
“Ha-ha; don’t sulk, Seokminnie. Didn’t I take a nice picture of you two?”
“… guess you did.”
“Want me to send it to—”
“Yes.”