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"What are you thinking about, Jagi?" Minho asked, resting his chin atop Jisung’s chest as they lay in bed after being exhausted by the dance practice all day.
"It's just.. Do you ever think about.."
"Do I ever think about what?" Minho asked, sitting up beside Jisung. Jisung also sat up. He was fiddling with his rings as he continued.
"You know.. Like if we weren't- If this wasn't-" Jisung paused and sighed. "If we were not idols.. How it would be to live a normal life?"
Minho tilted his head, trying to figure out where Jisung was going with this conversation. There had been talks of contract renewal earlier that day. Did Jisung not want to do this anymore?
"I mean of course I do.. But Jisungie, I can't see myself doing anything else, now. Of course, it'd be nice if people weren't breathing down our necks anytime we went out but.. Life always has problems, no? I think.. I think this is what we were born to do."
Jisung bit his lip.
"Yeah.. I know but.. Sometimes, it's just so.. I mean aren't you tired of hiding all the time, Hyung?" Jisung asked, looking into Minho's eyes.
Minho's breath hitched.
"I.. I wish all the time, Jagi, that we didn't have to hide." He replied.
"Don't you think if we weren't idols.. We could just be us?"
"But Jisungie.. If we weren't idols, we would've never met."
Jisung bit his lip, again.
"Do you- Do you not want to renew the contract?" Minho asked, terrified of the answer, but he didn't let it show on his face. Yet, he thought Jisung could read him somehow. After all, he seemed to know Minho better than himself.
"That's not- I'm sorry, Hyung.. I love the guys, I can't even imagine not being Stray Kids anymore." Jisung replied, burying his face in his hands.
Carefully, Minho grabbed Jisung’s hands and pulled them away from his face, into his own hands, and caressed them softly.
"I just.. When they were talking about contract renewals, I thought.. We would be signing another stupid piece of paper that stops us from being ourselves." Jisung continued, blinking away the tears in his eyes.
"But I can't just.. not do it. I can't even imagine doing anything other than Stray Kids. At least not till I'm old and crusty." He smiled as a tear escaped through his eyelids.
Minho wiped his tears that didn't seem to stop and pulled his into a hug. Jisung didn't even realize when he had started sobbing.
"I hate it, Hyung. Why can't they let us be?" He cried, squeezing Minho harder.
Minho silently rubbed his back to comfort him. He had never been good at expressing his feelings through words.
The next morning when Minho woke up, he woke up with a mission. He didn't mind hiding their relationship as he wasn't a fan of pda. But he knew Jisung hated hiding it. And his anxiety was making it worse. He just didn't realize how much it affected Jisung. To the point where he was upset at the thought of renewing their contracts. So Minho had a mission. He didn't know how.. but he and Jisung would sign a contract and that contract would allow them to express their relationship freely.
"Who the f- Oh, Minho.. So early in the morning?" Chan said as he opened the door after Minho had knocked for 10 minutes straight. He had dark circles under his eyes that were blood red. He wasn't wearing anything but underwear which also looked like he'd just lazily put it on to open the door.
"Er sorry for waking you, Hyung. But I have to talk about something very important."
Chan rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, come on in." He yawned. Minho felt a slight pinch of guilt for ruining their leader's sleep, considering how little he gets.
"I'll just get some water and be right back."
Minho hummed and settled on Chan's bed.
"So, what's up? Everything okay?" Chan asked, sitting down in front of him.
"Um well.."
Jisung woke up alone in Minho's bed. "Hyung?" he called out, thinking Minho might be in the bathroom. When he got no response, he sat up and saw that Minho had placed a jug of water and glass next to the bed for him. He smiled as he sipped the water.
"Yongboks, where's Hyungie?" Jisung asked, as he walked into the kitchen where he had assumed he'd find Minho.
Felix shrugged. "He said he had to go do something important and left, hurriedly."
Jisung frowned.
"Oh, but not before asking me to feed you some breakfast." Felix added, turning to face Jisung. "Scrambled eggs." He said, presenting Jisung with a plate of scrambled eggs.
Jisung blushed. "Ah, this Hyung.. Th-thanks. You didn't have to."
Felix giggled. "It's okay just eat it before he returns and explodes because I couldn't even feed his Sungie." Felix said, ruffling Jisung’s hair.
Once done with breakfast, Jisung decided to call Minho. It was a day off. They were supposed to go on a date. But Minho was nowhere to be found. And he had gone without even leaving a text for Jisung. He never did that. Jisung was starting to worry, especially considering the conversation they had had before falling asleep.
Minho didn't pick up. Jisung bit his lip in worry. He left Minho a text asking where he was and then ran off to bother the maknaes.
"No, Sungie, I already told you what he said to me." Felix said.
"Maybe he told Innie or Seungmin?" Jisung wondered out loud.
Felix shook his hand. "Seungmin-ah went home last night and Innie's still sleeping."
Jisung pouted.
"Come on, play a game with me. He'll be back before you know it."
"You don't need to worry about it, Minho. This is my headache, now." Chan said, as he squeezed Minho's shoulder.
"Do you- Do you think its possible?"
"I told you not to worry, hmm? Just trust me."
Minho nodded.
"Now go back home before Han explodes your phone." Chan said, smiling.
"Yeah.. Thank you, Hyung."
"Thank me when its done."
"HYUNG!" Minho heard Jisung yell as soon as he entered his dorm.
"Where were you? Do you know how worried I was? Why didn't you answer my call? You didn't even text me! Are you crazy? Who does that? I could've-" Jisung was silenced by Minho's lips on his.
"Sorry, Jagi. I didn't mean to worry you." Minho replied, pulling back.
Jisung huffed. "Whatever.. I'm going home."
"Jagiiii!" Minho whined, pulling Jisung into a hug. "Hyung is sorry, don't go."
Jisung pouted.
"Please?" Minho said, making puppy eyes at Jisung.
"Only if you tell me where you went."
"Uh.. Well.. That's a secret."
Jisung stomped his feet like a child. "I hate you."
Minho smiled at his adorable boyfriend. "No, you don't. Hannie, trust me. I just don't want to ruin the surprise."
"Well, you didn't have to ignore me."
"I know. Forgive your Hyung?"
Jisung crossed his arms and walked towards the living room.
"Well, I guess I'll just eat this cheesecake by myself then?" Minho teased.
Jisung turned around in a flash.
"You brought cheesecake? Could've said that earlier."
Minho smiled.
"Come on, let's go to my room."
Jisung nodded and led the way.
"I really am sorry, Jisung. I promise I'll never ignore you, again." Minho said as he watched Jisung munch on the cheesecake.
"You better not. I was really worried for you." Jisung replied, placing his fork near Minho's mouth, offering a bite of his precious cheesecake. Minho let him feed him and placed a kiss on Jisung's cheek. He hoped Chan would be able to do what he asked of him. "Wanna watch a movie?"
Jisung perked up. "Could we watch-"
Minho giggled. "Howl's Moving Castle, I know."
Jisung's cheeks reddened.
"W-we don't have to watch it. You can put whatever you want."
"Don't be silly." Minho replied and set up the movie.
"Guys.. The company wanted to discuss the terms of the new contract." Chan said.
They were all gathered in the cuties dorm upon Chan's request. It had been a few weeks since his conversation with Minho.
Minho glanced towards Jisung who started figdeting with this sleeves. He put an arm around his shoulder and squeezed him.
"You okay?" He whispered.
Jisung nodded.
"I'm asking again.. Is there anyone who..Is there anyone who does not want to renew their contract?"
"Innie?"
"Hyung, I already told you. Of course, I'll renew it." Jeongin replied without hesitation.
"I know. I still need to be completely sure before we start discussing with the company, though."
"Seungmin?"
"Definitely, old man."
Chan rolled his eyes, fondly.
"Lix?"
"Yes sir."
Jisung’s squeezed his eyes shut.
"Han?"
Jisung opened his eyes and looked around. Everyone was looking at him expectantly. He felt Minho's hand rubbing his back. He took a deep breath and answered.
"Y-yeah. Of course, Hyung."
Chan smiled. Minho let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Hyunjin?"
"Duh."
"Changbin?"
"Hmm I don't know.."
Everyone snapped their heads towards Changbin.
Changbin giggled. "Got y'all. Of course, why wouldn't I?"
Seungmin smacked his arm and he whined, rolling his sleeves up.
"Hey! No fighting! Minho, what about you?"
"Uh, yeah." He replied.
"What about you, Hyung-nim?" Felix teased.
"Obviously."
"There is not stray kids without our best leader!" Changbin yelled, making everyone whine and rub their ears.
"Okay now that we're all on the same page.. The company wants us to go and finalize the terms of the contract, tomorrow. So be ready at 9."
"Hyung?" Jisung whispered. Once everyone had gotten tired and Changbin, Hyunjin, and Chan left to their dorm, Jisung and Minho had retired to cuddle in Minho's room, leaving the maknaes playing games in Felix's room.
"Hmm?"
"I love you."
"I love you, too.. Why the sudden confession?"
"I don't know, I just.. You're just amazing."
"Leave some compliments for later, Jisungie."
"No, it's just.. Sometimes, I can't believe I have you. How did a silly dude like me find someone so perfect like you?"
Minho smiled. "I feel the same way about you, Jagi." He replied, pulling Jisung into a kiss.
"Most clauses will be the same except for a few changes, we've listed them here. And if anyone wants to propose anything, now is the time to do so and we will try our best to negotiate."
Everyone nodded.
"What about the thing I discussed?" Chan asked. Minho's looked up from the piece of paper that listed the new clauses he was reading.
Jisung looked towards Minho and raised his eyerbrows. Minho shrugged.
"Yes. After discussion with Chan-ssi, we have negotiated another clause related to relationships."
Jisung’s eyes snapped towards Chan. Minho slipped his hand over Jisung’s under the table and squeezed it.
"What's going on?" Jisung whispered.
"Chan-ssi, we have accepted your proposal. By signing this contract, you all are free in your relationships. There will be no pressure from anyone in the company to any of you in the matter of romantic relationships. That is to say, you can be with anyone publicly or privately and will not be forced to hide or lie to the public unless you want to. Moreover, the ban of dating anyone within the band will be lifted as well."
Jisung did not hear the rest of it as he stared at Minho who passed him a small smile.
The first thing Minho did when the staff left was run up to Chan and pull him into a hug, surprising everyone including Chan.
"Thank you so much." Minho mumbled, burying his face in the crook of Chan's neck to hide the tears that were forming in his eyes.
Chan smiled and hugged him back.
"Minho. You don't need to thank me. I love you guys so much.." He looked towards Jisung. "Hannie.. I'm sorry. I should've thought of it myself. Minho shouldn't have had to come to me for this, I'm sorry."
"Minho..?" Jisung mumbled, realizing what he meant. Felix, who was next to him, put a hand on his shoulder.
"Why are you sorry, Hyung? Don't be stupid." Minho said, pulling away from Chan.
"Yah, we're renewing our contracts! It is time for celebration, stop with this sadness and lets go get food!" Changbin yelled, trying to lighten the mood.
"Yeah! Y-yongbok, why are you crying?" Hyunjin exclaimed.
"I don't know, I just- I love you guys."
Everyone giggled.
"Yah, come on. Group hug." Chan said, wiping away his own tears.
Jisung dragged Minho along who was trying to escape.
"Yah, I had enough hugging for today!" He whined but let Jisung pull him into the hug.
"Hyung, you're the best. I love you." Jisung whispered, softly into Minho's ears that immediately turned red.
To no one's surprise, Jisung declared Minho as his boyfriend during the Music Core prerecording after they'd released their new album, ATE.
However, stay were used to Minho and Jisung acting lovey dovey and pretending to be a couple so they didn't realize Jisung was actually serious.
Backstage, Minho peppered his face with kisses as he pouted because no one had taken him seriously.
"They're never going to take us seriously, Hyungie!" Jisung whined.
"Well, then we'll just have to show them, won't we?" Minho replied, with a glint in his eyes.
"Eh, what are you planning, Lee Minho?"
Minho just smiled and pecked his lips before running off. After all, he still had MC duties.