Archive of Our Own ^beta

Prequel I

Chan has never done a press tour quite like this.

He’s used to the smaller interviews from the studios he works with, but due to his nomination, people wanted him in their events and part of the red carpet. He’s gone to exactly zero award shows and has had exactly zero brand sponsorship for his clothing so he’s feeling incredibly out of his element.

His manager, publicist, and friend Kim Seungmin however, is in his element, having him suited, styled, and smelling more expensive than Chan thinks is necessary and on the red carpet before he can really process anything.

He does 2 interviews alongside the director and producers and thankfully he’s not asked too many questions. However Seungmin has him slotted for other solo interviews with the reporters and journalists and MCs of the event and Chan is sweating in his Prada suit and makes a mental note to tell his stylist (because he now had one) to please have it laundered before having it sent back or whatever it was they did with brand sponsored clothes.

He feels wildly out of his element and maybe that was what was making some of the reporters and journalists ask him some rather condescending questions.

Just because Chan has never done a press tour like this doesn’t mean he doesn’t know his worth. He’s been nominated before, and has gained a notable international reputation over the years in the music scene, but as his name was now attached to an Oscar nominated movie and the song he made was nominated as well, he’s suddenly worth the time now.

Seungmin drags him over to one more interview and Chan, still keeping a smile on his face, tells Seungmin quietly, ‘Please no more I want to go hide in the men’s washroom for the next hour-!’

‘-last one, I promise, you’re doing great,’ Seungmin slaps his arm and gets him in line next for the interview and-

‘-you’ll be fine, you’ll enjoy this one.’

Chan doesn’t know what he’s talking about until one of the red carpet staff’s moves and standing to the side, 2 well angled lights around him and a camera to the side, dressed in a very elegant suit is Lee Minho.

But before Chan can process this properly, having no idea that Lee Minho of the Chicken Shop Date show was even here at this event, Seungmin lightly shoves him forward into the literal spotlight and-

Minho looks over at them, at him, recognizing him-!

‘And here is our next interview, Bang Chan-shii I hope you’re having a good time tonight so far-.’

‘I think you’re great- I really love your show.’ Chan sort of blurts out.

Lee Minho is at least 10 times more good looking in real life than on a compressed YouTube video.

‘What?’ Minho asks, genuinely surprise and delight in his tone, ‘Do you know who I am?’

‘I do,’ Chan nods, ‘I’ve actually watched Chicken Shop Date for a long time-.’

‘You’re kidding me-!’

‘No, I’m being for real-! I watched so many episodes! I’m genuinely a fan.’

‘-when Seokjin-sunbaenim used to host it?’ Minho looks quite pleased.

‘-from when Jessi used to host it!’

‘Wow,’ Minho laughs, ‘Well, we need to get you on the show immediately then.’

‘Oh yes! Please I really want to be a part of it!’ Chan laughs. He has thought about what it would be like to be on the show before but never actually thought it could become a reality.

‘Well, wanna go on a date with me then?’

It’s part of the show Chan knows this but he’s suddenly so flustered, he knows he’s gone a bit red.

‘You date a lot of people I think,’ is what he says instead of answering normally.

‘Yeah, and?’ Minho puts on his trademark deadpan expression that immensely tickles Chan to see it with his own eyes, directed at him.

‘No no! It’s great,’ Chan says hurriedly.

There’s a twinkle of amusement in Minho’s eyes despite his deadpan expression, ‘Well, if you say so. Well, you look amazing, very dapper. Have you been able to eat anything at all?’

‘Nothing,’ Chan wheezes, ‘I- I’ve been really kinda all nervous and stuff.’

‘Gummy?’ Minho actually pulls out a packet of sour gummies from his pocket.

‘For real?’ Chan gapes at the packet before he bursts out laughing, ‘Oh my god, thank you!’

‘These always help me.’

‘The secret to your success?’ Chan laughs, taking a couple of the sugary treats.

‘Exactly, who cares about fried chicken right?’ Minho grins, popping a gummy into his mouth as well, ‘All right, controversial question for you-.’

Chan immediately sort of internally winces.

‘-is a hotdog a sandwich, defend your answer.’

‘Oh-,’ Chan pauses mid-chew. ‘It’s not a sandwich.’

‘Because?’

‘It…it doesn’t feel right?’

They both share a look for a moment before bursting out into laughter.

‘I’m sorry, was that a lame response?’ Chan asks sheepishly.

‘There’s no right or wrong answer,’ Minho says, ‘But I agree with you, a hotdog is not a sandwich.’

‘Why?’

‘Because sandwiches are either rectangular or triangular.’ Minho states with a firm nod. ‘Everything else is a copycat.’

They both look at the SUBWAY ad placed to the side at the same time before they burst out into laughter again, looking away from each other.

‘All right, maybe a question this time which makes a bit more sense to you Bang Chan-shii,’ Minho says, clearing his throat and dabbing at the corner of his eyes, once again pulling in his usual nonchalant expression, ‘You don’t have to name any other nominee in your category, nothing like that, just tell me straight, a song that can completely alter your mood the moment you listen to it.’

‘Oh- ooh,’ Chan pauses, ‘Oh wow- uh.’

‘I’ve got one, maybe it can help trigger something for you,’ Minho tells him.

‘Oh-?’

Chan is not expecting the goodnight ojosama tune to play out of the phone that’s handed to him.

With a 100% serious expression and never breaking eye contact, Minho starts to do the motion for the dance and Chan is nearly doubled over as he laughs, trying to follow along the arm movements.

There’s a redness to Minho’s ears even though he’s keeping his usual unfazed expression when Chan manages to stand up straight.

‘I think this song really should serve as a reminder to stop us from night-time phone scrolling, they do have a point.’ Minho says seriously.

‘That- that’s true!’ Chan manages to rein himself in a little.

‘So, what song do you have in mind?’

‘Well, I guess I’d have to say, a bit cliché but I do love Day6 and-.’

Minho reaches his hand out in a high-five and Chan gladly slaps it.

‘Have you been to their concert? Best day of my life,’ Minho tells him.

‘I have! Last year!’ Chan says excitedly, ‘I won’t lie, best day of my life too.’

He feels a small nudge on his back and he also sees someone signal to Minho from the side.

‘Oh, it seems you have to go now,’ Minho declares, ‘Your manager is now giving me looks.’

Chan looks around and finds Seungmin definitely indeed looking mildly unimpressed as per usual.

‘That’s just his face,’ Chan tells Minho who laughs like he wasn’t expecting himself to laugh.

‘Good luck for tonight, I think you’re gonna win this.’

‘I feel like you say that to everyone here,’ Chan wheezes, taking a step back.

‘That’s because everyone should win,’ Minho declares, nodding pedantically.

‘You’re very cool,’ Chan tells him, ‘Thank you for having me!’

Minho looks slightly taken aback by the comment but nonetheless smoothly and professionally bows back though not before saying as he walks away, ‘I know!’

Finally he’s inside the venue after that and it’s less loud and thankfully warmer. Chan hadn’t realized he was feeling cold out there.

‘Feel better?’ Seungmin asks him, patting his shoulder.

‘Yeah,’ Chan nods.

‘I remember that you’re a fan of the show, and Minho-shii is a good interviewer, so I thought it would be a good way to end the red carpet for you,’ Seungmin tells him.

‘Thank you,’ Chan tells him earnestly, the horrid out-of-his-element feeling lining his guts have entirely vanished amidst all of the laughing.

‘-also seeing your online crush is at least one thing you can get out of all of this right?’

Chan sends him an unimpressed look that makes Seungmin laugh.

‘All right, let’s get you that award tonight shall we?’

Chan doesn’t win but he doesn’t really mind in all honesty. Competing against a line up of well established and known artists including but not limited to IU was already something of a weird honour for him so he’s just genuinely happy to be there. Until the after party. Then it’s back to feeling out of his element again.

For a while he’s just mingling with the producers of the movie but his social battery was severely running out and Chan goes to recover near the back where some tall stools were placed around standing tables. He grabs a glass of champagne more so to give his hands something to hold onto and to give himself something to do rather than stare blankly at the floor.

He’s only able to have some peace for a couple of minutes before someone approaches him. Chan is already wincing internally but a flood of relief washes over him when he realizes it’s Lee Minho. He’s not wearing his coat, slung over his arm and in just his button down and waistcoat. And Chan is very suddenly reminded of a small trivia he knows about Lee Minho and how he was actually a whole model, and was the global ambassador for Gucci. He still was right? Chan has no idea about celebrity culture in all honesty so he has no idea and-

‘How are you enjoying the spotlight?’ Minho asks him, starting conversation almost as though they never quite left off.

‘Not well,’ Chan winces, ‘I’m not used to this many people coming to just say anything I guess.’

‘I can go-?’ Minho says, his expression teasing but he can sense well meaning seriousness in his posture, leaning back away, giving him space.

‘I don’t want to take your time,’ Chan says sheepishly though he gestures to the stool next to him.

‘Nonsense,’ Minho shrugs as he takes a seat with a slightly tired groan, ‘Honestly I don’t really enjoy much of this myself. I’d rather be at home, in my pajamas, and disassociate.’

‘Oh me too, but my publicist says this is important. I mean I get it, but I’m also kinda- I guess too new to this. How uh, how do you do it?’

‘Pretend I’m someone else,’ Minho tells him as he reaches into his pocket to retrieve another packet of gummies and Chan immediately understands what he means. ‘You do get better at it after a while so you got this Bang Chan-shii.’

‘Oh, I’m- you can just call me hyung, it’s okay.’ Chan says, taking a gummy.

‘Hm,’ Minho narrows his eyes at him and it’s funny but also strangely attractive but also slightly unnerving.

‘Um, how are you enjoying the night? Other than not wanting to be here.’

Minho laughs, ‘They do have some good appetizers, but there’s only so much sweet pastry I can personally handle.’

‘Ah yeah, me too,’ Chan nods.

‘But it’s better than this one time I was at an after party that I won’t mention,’ Minho says before fake coughing, ‘Blue Dragon-!’ and continuing, ‘And they had these fancy uh, what’s that French word-.’

‘Hors d'oeuvre?’

‘Yes that, horse devours,’ Minho nods wisely, ‘They had those, and it gave about 25% of the people there food poisoning. So I guess pastries are a safer bet.’

Chan makes a mental note to not even touch a single savoury item just in case as he winces.

‘I hope you came out unscathed?’

‘Oh, I have the digestion of a god,’ Minho says in a comically pompous tone, patting his belly before holding the gummy out to him again, ‘I’m not about to pass up fancy free food.’

‘Is that why you host Chicken Shop Date? Free chicken?’ Chan chuckles.

‘Bang Chan-shii, you can’t just figure out my secret motives like that,’ Minho tells him with a dramatic sigh, ‘Now I have to kill you.’

Chan nearly doubles over as he laughs.

‘I swear I won’t tell anyone!’ he wheezes, ‘I’m food motivated too.’

‘Do you promise?’ Minho asks in a somber tone.

Chan holds out his hand with his pinky extended in answer.

Minho laughs like he wasn’t expecting himself to again, the sharpness of his features accentuated by his make up softening, his confident and striking aura replaced by a relaxed and comfortable stance. He extends his hand out, pinky coming around his and lifting his thumb up that Chan quickly meets with his own.

Just then someone walks up to him, a young man probably around their age, tapping Minho on the shoulder before giving Chan a polite smile.

‘Ah, I’m being summoned,’ Minho groans dramatically before giving him a short bow of his head and handing him the packet of gummies, ‘It was nice chatting to you Bang Chan-shii. Good luck for the rest of the award show season!’

‘Thank you,’ Chan replies earnestly with a short bow. ‘Your secret is safe with me! Have a goodnight!’

‘It better be!’

Feeling so much better, Chan sits at his spot for a while, mind feeling a bit clearer and snacking on the gummies which was adding to him feeling better. Maybe he just needed the sugar boost or something. Seungmin finds him a little later and tells him that they can leave, eyeing the gummies with a bit of surprise.

‘If there’s a way, I want to get on Chicken Shop Date,’ Chan tells Seungmin earnestly after they finish saying goodbye to the director and producers.

Seungmin gives him a sort of bemused expression.

‘I’ll see what we can do.’

*

GQ | Lee Minho Interviews Up and Coming Composer Bang Chan | YouTube Shorts

@bananasinice: Wow minho looks so handsome its so good seeing him succeed so well!

@featuringyourbias: It was really nice seeing minho interview chan so nicely! He wasn’t as sarcastic, or well, his persona from CSD wasn’t as strong here think he was genuinely making chan feel more comfortable as it was his first award show

@chloe910211: Giving him the gumimes was so sweet actually, I heard they’re really helpful in dealing with anxiety and stress

@Railway_10: Okay finally some fun questions for chan that weren’t cliche this was really nice

@wendi5354: I genuinely thought they might have been friends or knew each other they seem so comfortable with each other

@stuckinLimbo: You guys minho has been interviewing people for years now he knows what hes doing and he knows who can take on his humor and adjusts according to that

@lofirunsinmyblood: That edit of them after Minho talked about sandwiches with the subway logo coming in was hilarious like tell me neither of you have media training without telling me  you dnnt have media training

@whereThereisAwillThereisAnIam: That subway diss really got me good theyre literally a sponsor for the whole award show T_T

@maratee: They have really good chemistry I feel that was really nice would love to see him interview our Channie again in the future!

@CCB_TV: Oooo it’d be so cool to have him at the Chicken Shop Date!

Prequel II

Minho needs maybe 3 business days of shutting himself into his apartment, during which he is not required to see another single person, talk, or smile, and just cocoon himself in his warm bed with his cats and listen to crime podcasts.

But he can’t just yet.

He still needs to do this for another hour or so before he can go scurry inside and at least face-plant into a hopefully comfortable bench using Jeongin’s coat as a pillow before he’s dragged to the seats inside the concert stadium. Hopefully get something to eat because his stomach is already rumbling.

They’re in a smaller sectioned off tent area, where thankfully this time around there’s a space-heater aimed at his legs and Minho at least won’t come away from this with frostbite or something like last time.

A supervisor from PAPER magazine is sitting with his own space-heater, keeping notes on every interview so far, Sunmi the producer of Chicken Shop Date also sitting there as this was supposed to be a mini Chicken Shop Date like interview. And honestly Minho kinda feels more comfortable like this. At least he could sit, and a few of his female guests seemed to be sharing the same sentiment, gratefully taking a short break on the plastic stools mimicking a fried chicken roadside stall set up. Apparently they had considered serving chicken but felt it might not go too well so instead they have crackers shaped like chicken drumsticks that only a few people have munched on so far, fearful of getting crumbs on their very expensive clothing no doubt. Which is also exactly why Minho wasn’t snacking on anything just yet. The blazer he’s wearing would cost probably half of his yearly salary and he’s not about to get a mid-tasting snack stain on it.

A staff signals from the outside that they were bringing in a guest and Minho prepares himself and-

‘-it’s Bang Chan, Han Jisung, and Seo Changbin,’ the staff informs him and Minho gets up just as the three men duck inside.

Seo Changbin is already grinning at him, looking very much like the actor that he was and not a gym rat that he also usually was. Han Jisung looks nervous which was admittedly understandable as he was sort of thrust into this aspect of stardom rather abruptly from his usual indie-rock scene. And then behind them, looking considerably less anxious and less nervous is Bang Chan, also smiling brightly at him.

Minho has to admit the man had a lovely smile, the dimple really doing it for him in all honesty.

He’s heard a lot of people tell him that they’re fans, and that they’ve seen his shows, and he knows it’s mostly out of politeness, and he doesn’t really hold it against anyone, but Bang Chan had been very genuine and honest about being a fan of the show, which honestly did feel good.

Minho dug in a little more into Chan, just to update himself beyond the short summaries Jeongin had made for him regarding the people who would be at the events he was expecting to participate it.

He started as a composer and producer for idol groups and had an impressive record in that field of music, winning awards for Song of the Year and even producing whole albums for a lot of idols that went on to chart not just in the country but pretty much around the world. He had quite a following online too, and a lot of his fans had actually commented a lot on their interview, thanking him for being nice. It’s not the first time a fandom has reached out to him like this, but it was always nice regardless.

‘Welcome to the Chicken Tent, everyone I’m sure you all know Bang Chan, Han Jisung, and of course Hwang Hyunjin’s wife, Seo Changbin-.’

‘You look amazing.’ Chan tells him with more earnestness than Minho can actually process or handle at this current moment, bright light in his face, 2 cameras feet from him, wires ready to trip him everywhere.

‘O-oh, yes I know,’ Minho manages to hopefully not stutter. ‘What can I say, gotta do what you gotta do I suppose, I see you’re all looking event appropriate too, good job.’

Han Jisung laughs nervously, patting down his front, eyes a little too wide to be entirely comfortable as he takes one of the two seats set out, Changbin the other, while Chan stood behind them.

‘I’m kidding you all look very handsome tonight and unfortunately dateless I see, I expected better from you Seo Changbin-shii, your better half is not here tonight, which is a pity, i like him better.' Minho says, holding the guest mic out to him to take.

'Honestly me too.' Changbin replies before pointing down the camera from where he sits, ‘Hyunjin-ah, I’m on TV! I love you!’

Minho intentionally pulls a face of disgust that has Chan and Jisung laughing, the stiffness in the latter’s shoulders reducing a little. Changbin and Hyunjin, who was a friend, had met on the set of a movie they both starred in some years ago. They had amazing chemistry on set and that definitely carried on into their flirty push-and-pull friendship which then solidified into a relationship the whole nation was emotionally invested in.

'Well, we're in agreement on that.' Minho tells Changbin.

‘You love Hyunjin too?’

‘Yes.’ Minho deadpans before also staring down the camera, ‘Hyunjin-ah, I love you.’

'We can shake on that.'

And they do, making everyone laugh.

‘What can I say, he left an impression on me. I enjoyed my date with him,’ Minho grins.

‘He enjoyed his date with you too,’ Changbin laughs.

‘And I still haven’t gotten the memo for ours,’ Chan adds in.

‘Can I get a date too?’ Jisung chimes in.

‘Immediately,’ Minho nods at him and then pretends to look around the crammed tent, ‘Where is my producer, let me grab her and get her to schedule you immediately, we need chicken ASAP-!’

‘Wait, I was here first!’ Chan cries out with comic panic. ‘I’m actually a fan!’

‘I’m a fan too!’ Jisung argues at once, ‘Minho-shii, I’m your number 1 fan.’

‘I’m your number 1 fan too-.’

‘Name a song he’s sung,’ Chan demands at once.

There’s a very long second of silence and Minho’s head is completely blank before all 3 men burst into comic outrage.

‘Okay that’s it, none of you are coming to the Chicken Shop,’ Minho declares. ‘All dates cancelled.’

‘No!’ Chan laughs as Jisung falls into Changbin with the force of his laugh. ‘I want chicken!’

‘You should have thought about that before attacking me. In my own tent! Warming your knees on my heater!’ Minho gestures to the space-heater, ‘In fact, let me redirect it away!’

He doesn’t, but it has everyone in the tent chortling.

‘How are your cats?’ Chan asks out of nowhere.

Minho can’t help but be a bit taken aback, genuinely sort of just speechless for the first time in a long time.

‘They- wait hold on how do you know about my cats?’ Minho asks in genuine confusion.

‘You have cats?’ Jisung asks delightedly as he munches on the snack.

‘Yes- wait, now that you’ve mentioned them I must show you my cats,’ Minho declares, gathering his wits and Jeongin quickly hands it to him from the side. ‘Behold, aren’t they the most amazing-?’

‘-that one is Soonie right?’ Chan asks as they all lean in to look at his screensaver because of course his cats were his screensaver.

‘Wait wait wait-,’ Minho clutches his phone to himself, ‘Are you stalking me Bang Chan-shii?’

‘I follow you on Instagram!’ Chan laughs, ‘And you posted about Soonie last week right? I think you said he was feeling under the weather, I hope he’s doing well.’

‘He is!’ Minho nods, still somewhat taken aback, ‘Thank you for asking, he’s doing very well now, ordering me around as usual.’

‘Have you considered bringing him with you?’

‘What, to the red carpet-? I mean blue carpet,’ Minho grimaces at the blue velvet carpet again making the 3 men laugh.

‘Yeah- I think he’d steal all of the attention,’ Chan laughs.

He was definitely a lot more comfortable this time around, probably helped having his friends with him this time.

‘He would,’ Minho nods though the idea of Soonie terrorizing everyone here in their expensive clothes does make him want to cackle a bit, ‘But wait, let’s ignore the fact that Bang Chan-shii stalks me online, I have some mandatory questions I need to ask you guys because I am supposed to interview you and not just make conversation, so let’s get those out of the way- Han Jisung-shii, how does it feel to have an Oscar nominated voice.’

‘Oh-,’ Jisung’s eyes kinda go wide, not expecting the question to be worded like that, ‘Oh, well, very cool?’

‘You are,’ Minho nods. ‘Changbin-shii-.’

‘-Minho-hyung.’

‘-we’re professional right now,’ Minho tells him primly, ‘Don’t drop the act.’

‘Right sorry,’ Changbin puffs up his chest and tucks his chin in a bit, ‘Please ask me your question MC Lee Minho-shii.’

Jisung and Chan are shaking with laughter, lips pressed down trying not to laugh out loud.

‘You’re here to present the Best Supporting Actress in a Drama or Series, give us an update on a real life drama happening in your life.’

‘My wife went on a chicken shop date and I suspect he’s really taken with his date,’ Changbin deadpans without missing a beat.

‘Your wife has excellent taste,’ Minho winks badly at the camera before turning to Chan, ‘Bang Chan-shii, now that we’ve established you’re obsessed with me, what’s your favourite Chicken Shop Date episode and who out of all of your fellow nominees would you like to buy chicken for.’

Chan pulls a sort of amused look of incredulity before he starts thinking hard. Both Jisung and Changbin turn in their seats, munching on the snacks, anticipating his response and the man starts to blush at having everyone stare at him.

‘Uh- I think my favourite interview was with Lee Mijoo-shii, I think I laughed till I cried,’ Chan answers, once again surprising Minho because it wasn’t one of his more famous interviews he’s done or one where a specific clip went viral. ‘And I guess it would be my honour to buy chicken for IU-sunbaenim or Do Kyungsoo-sunbaenim.’

‘Please send them an invitation to the Chicken Shop Date then,’ Minho gestures grandly to the camera.

‘Wait, me ask them to come to your show?’ Chan asks with an incredulous laugh as Changbin and Jisung wheeze into their hands.

‘Exactly.’ Minho nods pedantically.

‘Um-,’ Chan pauses before turning to one of the cameras, his voice not quite catching on the mics so Minho leans in a little with his mic and Chan leans in past Jisung but doesn’t actually take it, his hand coming over his.

‘Hi uh, sunbaenims, if you have free time, please do the Chicken Shop Date with Minho-shii, he’s a really good show host and he’s very funny and takes really good care of his guests. He also has 3 cats so that’s a great bonus I think. And if you do go on his show, please recommend me to him as well, thank you!’

Minho pretends he’s not flushed at the, once again, shockingly genuine tone in Chan’s voice.

‘That was very touching Bang Chan-shii, I think my producer might want to talk to your manager about using that as the official slogan for the show,’ Minho sends Sunmi a comically calculative look through narrowed eyes.

Chan laughs, bending forward a little, holding onto his hand and arm with both of his hands before letting go.

‘And I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave my shop,’ Minho tells them, catching the staff member who gestures to him from outside the tent, ‘Thank you only Bang Chan and Han Jisung for dropping by-.’

‘I’m telling Hyunjin you ignored me,’ Changbin huffs petulantly before looking at the camera again, ‘Hyunjin-ah, your friend is being mean to me-!’

Jisung and Chan both grab Changbin and struggle comically to get him out, cheerily waving goodbye at him and at the cameras as Changbin continues to dramatically wail at Hyunjin through the cameras.

Minho takes a moment to snicker to himself, knowing Hyunjin was probably screaming at the TV screen even though the man was just as down bad for Changbin.

There’s no after party, officially or at least any that Minho is aware of, after this award show, so once it’s done, he makes his way home, disassociating to high heavens in the back as Jeongin yawns widely, scrolling on his phone.

‘People really liking the interviews,’ he tells him.

PAPER magazine did give him a good pay cheque so he had to deliver of course.

‘Your interview with Han Jisung, Seo Changbin, and Bang Chan is gaining a lot of traction.’ Jeongin informs him, ‘It has one of the most views.’

‘What?’ Minho blinks at him in surprise.

‘Yeah- it’s really funny,’ Jeongin chuckles.

‘Funny? What do you mean?’ Minho asks with a yawn of his own. He wants a nice hot shower and his bed asap.

‘You’re gonna have to check yourself,’ Jeongin chortles.

‘Ugh, fine,’ Minho grumbles.

‘But you did seem the most relaxed with the 3 of them, so maybe that was why?’ Jeongin ruminates.

‘Yeah? I dunno, I was just trying to get things going,’ Minho shrugs.

‘Bang Chan-shii is truly a fan.’

Minho chuckles, ‘Yeah I guess he is.’

‘I checked- he does follow you on Instagram.’

Minho doesn’t know what to do other than chuckle.

‘Will you follow him back?’

Minho thinks of the way Chan smiled at him and his genuine earnestness in expressing his love for Chicken Shop Date.

‘No.’

*

PAPER MAGAZINE X CHICKEN SHOP DATE AT THE BLUE CARPET | Han Jisung, Seo Changbin, Bang Chan.

@Friedbokkari: I know minho’s interviews are always funny but this one sort of takes it up the chaos meter a bit and im here for it

@limino: Ive been here for years and ONE MAN does it in TWO INTERVIEWS that should be ME making Minho BLUSH!

@DarkReaperGrim: i keep forgeting that minho and hyunjin are actually friends so this is hilarious to me

@ferretlover: hyunjin and minho being friends like how are these two with some of the most lethal face cards actually friends, like birds of a feather indeed

@whereThereisAWillThereisAnIam: wonder how it feels to love your significant other so much that youre willing to be a complete loser online love that for them wish itd happen to me too

@featuringyourbias: can't help but notice how mister bang chan seemed taken aback that changbin and minho somewhat know each other even if its through hyunjin, you guys think he looks a bit offended that changbin might have never mentioned it before?

@egadettu: i love how han jisung just stared at the camera as though asking US if we were seeing this too like buddy you're literally there this is not on us like yes your best homie IS flirting with the interviewer

            @Saki8652: @egadettu ppl really be saying anything these days what do you mean he’s flirting that was just him being nice

@hallucinatingtickets: chan really out there reaching for the mic but instead using it as an excuse to hold minho’s hand bro you’re not slick at all I see you

@minophering: CHAN REALLY FOLLOWS MINHO ON INSTAGRAM AND MINHO STILL HASN’T FOLLOWED HIM BACK IM CRYING

@srirachasaucetastesgoodwitheverything: I personally love how between the 3 of them they literally finished that bowl of chicken crackers im wheezing

@imanalien: Im o happy to see han blowing up like this, this man has the voice of a god and its SO right to nominate his song

@ultra-biceps: WAIT. CHANGBIN AND HYUNGJIN ARE MARRIED?!?!?

            @doodlingaway: @ultra-biceps No, but they jokingly call each other each others wife

            @ultra-biceps: @doodlingaway Jokingly

            @doodlingaway: @ultra-biceps Yeah listen I didn’t say it would make sense

            @ultra-biceps: @doodlingaway Ah okay cool thaks!

@stuckinLimbo: Chan really does sound obsessed. Well. Get in line buddy

@inthecourse: Not insane I just want to start with that, but chan’s hand was like significantly larger than minhos and my yaoi obsessed mind went there

            @chickenbreastproteinshake: @inthecourse Youre not insane I saw that too.

Prequel III

Chan is tired.

He had extensive meetings till late last night, an extremely early morning call from America that lasted more than he wanted it to.

And now this award show, the last ones he’s going to have to attend in the country before he leaves, was having him sit down for a pre-award show interview inside the green rooms of the venue so he had to get in early, and then come back out to do the actual red carpet, and then get back inside the venue.

The only good thing out of all of this was that Lee Minho was going to be interviewing him.

The interviews were being conducted by 3 different interviewers and the moment Chan found out Minho was amongst them he had Seungmin do everything he could to have him on Minho’s roster. Seungmin had been a little amused but didn’t tease him about it though he did say ‘fine I’ll get you to your crush calm down’.

And sure Chan can admit he’s got a bit of a crush on Minho, but then again who wouldn’t. Just visually speaking the man was stunning. But from that one instance of talking to him outside of an interview setting Chan had been somewhat surprised at how down to earth and relaxed the man was.

Of course he knew that his character in Chicken Shop Date was just that- a character. He didn’t expect to not see that later on, and it had been really nice talking to him in the after party- it was genuinely one of the only nice things he could properly recall from that night of pure anxiety and stress.

But today he’s much better- he’s gotten used to it a bit now and thankfully he’s dressed a bit more casual today so he does feel a bit better.

Seungmin guides him through the venue, making Chan wonder once more if he knew every place they were going to or was he just really good at estimating these locations and the rooms or something.

But they get to the green-room which isn’t green but instead a sort of warm white photo-studio with 2 comfortable looking chairs at an angle facing each other.

But they seemed to have arrived maybe at not the best timing. Chan can immediately tell there’s some sort of issue going on, because Minho himself, also dressed more casually but nonetheless very nicely, was standing to the side with the person Chan now knows was his PA, looking on a little worriedly as the venue staff and the award show staff sort of go over and around each other.

One of the managers spots them and Seungmin goes over at once. Feeling a little lost Chan sort of just stands there until Minho spots him.

Giving him a small wave he turns to his PA to say something and the man nods before making his way over to him.

‘Bang Chan-shii, nice to meet you, I’m Yang Jeongin,’ he says, ‘Please follow me, there seems to be some sort of issue but it’s being handled right now.’

‘Ah I see,’ Chan replies with a nod.

Jeongin leads him towards where Minho was sitting near a makeshift dressing area with mirrors and some makeup on the side.

‘Chan-shii, nice to see you again- sorry about all of this, seems we’re going to have to wait a little before we’re ready to shoot.’ Minho tells him.

‘It happens,’ Chan replies, taking the other stool.

‘I think let’s just sit and wait for them to sort things out,’ Minho tells him just as someone from the venue staff comes over to Minho, bowing to him also apologetically, ‘I’m so sorry Minho-shii, we’ll have this cleared up in 15 minutes. We’re rearranging the time with the other guests- we’re so sorry Chan-shii.’

Minho just nods in response and Chan realizes they’re waiting on him to respond now.

‘I guess some things can’t be helped.’

‘If you need anything, please let us know,’ the man tells them both before hurrying off.

‘Hm, this doesn’t usually happen,’ Minho tells him in amusement, glancing around the clear miscommunication going on, ‘So, how are you doing, now that this is your third award show- wait, fourth?’

‘Fourth,’ Chan nods, ‘You weren’t in the one last week.’

‘Which one was that,’ Minho asks with a wince.

‘I-…’ Chan feels every memory from last week escape him.

Minho wheezes at him but tries to contain it.

‘Oh this is so bad,’ Chan winces.

‘I’ll keep it a secret, no worries,’ Minho laughs.

‘Thank you, but uh, yeah, I guess um, feeling better? I mean, I think there’s that anxiety that comes with the idea of winning? And I’ve so far not won and weirdly it’s actually better.’

Minho gives him a look of dubiousness at that, ‘Well, I suppose I won’t be able to understand as I’ve never been nominated for an Oscar.’

Chan laughs, ‘Chicken Shop Date should be nominated for Oscars.’

Minho throws his head back with a laugh, whatever make-up they applied on his eyes shimmering subtly, ‘I’d be insufferable- not just me, the whole crew.’

‘I’d say deserved?’

Minho gives him an amused look.

Talking to Minho is incredibly easy. Chan has spoken to interviewers and MCs and hosts before and they were all fine, but maybe it was because Minho wasn’t exactly an interviewer by profession he just felt easier to talk to. Chan has read in the comments about how he was rather refreshing and fun to watch precisely because he seemed to lack the prim and proper media training of how interviews and the likes should go. He wonders if Minho is like this with everyone.

‘When will you be flying to the US?’ Minho asks him.

‘In 3 days, I have a couple interviews there,’ Chan grimaces.

‘Brushed up your English?’

‘Trying my best, I’m very rusty,’ Chan chuckles, ‘My manager is more than happy to fill in though.’

‘Surely you’ll be getting a translator?’ Minho frowns, looking worried, ‘We always had some level of translators for shows for runways and shoots.’

‘I guess I could wing some things, but do you have any advice?’ Chan asks.

‘Hm,’ Minho hums, ‘I guess always go for a slightly apologetic look any time someone remotely addresses you but never in a meek way- a language barrier is not a weakness and should never be used against you.’

Chan is not expecting the very realistic advice but he immediately agrees and appreciates the way Minho does not hold back, very much telling of his experiences as a model.

‘Do you miss doing runways?’ Chan asks before he can think much about it.

‘Hm?’ Minho looks a bit surprised at the question, ‘Well, not exactly I suppose- it was good while I did it, I have good memories, learnt a lot. But it was wildly unstable I guess- I also had a lot of miserable moments in it that I can look back at now without too much regret- ah, was that rather dismal, people expect models to have like, a glamourous life style and extravagant stories but honestly things were really hectic and a lot of times toxic.’

‘No no, this is really interesting- I, wow, thank you for sharing with me, I appreciate it,’ Chan tells him sincerely.

‘I’m guessing people also assume being in the music industry is very glamourous?’ Minho asks with a chuckle.

‘I think like most areas of work where your creativity is put into a schedule and subjected to very harsh criticism it kinda really sucks sometimes.’ Chan confesses.

‘I can imagine,’ Minho frowns, ‘The pressure must be horrible- is it weirdly easier doing soundtracks?’

‘Oh- I guess the pressure is different but yeah, for sure I think it is better in a sense.’

‘And then things had to get weird and you had to go and get nominated for an Oscar.’ Minho sighs out dramatically, shaking his head morosely.

Chan chuckles, ‘No that’s actually kinda true- I was both thrilled and then immediately like, gripped by this sense of anxiety, like now people are going to expect me to get nominated again or something.’

Minho gives him a look of understanding, nodding a little.

‘I personally do hope you get nominated again,’ Minho smiles, ‘I think you definitely deserve it.’

‘Oh,’ Chan squirms a little, ‘Thank you Minho-shii.’

‘Just Minho is fine,’ Minho tells him with a small shrug.

‘Then hyung is good too?’ Chan says with a smile.

‘Jury’s still out on that one,’ Minho replies pedantically before laughing, ‘Are you hungry or thirsty? We can offer some snacks at least I think, or water?’

‘Oh I’m good,’ Chan replies at once, ‘I got to eat before coming here.’

‘Ah, lucky you,’ Minho sighs.

‘You haven’t had the chance to eat yet?’ Chan asks in surprise, ‘You’ve been here a long time though I suspect.’

‘It’s okay- I’m about to eat my whole weight in meat the moment all of this is over and billing my PA,’ Minho looks over somewhere behind his shoulder, amusement heavy in his voice.

‘How are your cats?’ Chan asks.

Minho’s eyes sort of twinkle in that way Chan has seen in pet owners as he takes his phone out to show him his screensaver and-

‘-they wear clothes?’ Chan exclaims with a laugh, all 3 cats in a sort of dinosaur onesie.

‘Sometimes,’ Minho says, pleased at his reaction, ‘Out of all of them Dori is the only one who actually stays in it unless I change him out- Doongie will let you know he doesn’t like it.’

Chan chuckles.

He wants to ask Minho about the animal shelter charities he often donated to but doesn’t want to come off as an actual obsessed creep. It’s just that the algorithm on his social media pages seemed to pick up on his “crush” as Seungmin put it and threw all sorts of Minho content at him, including clips of him in different animal shelters. He had adopted all of the cats from shelters and frequently donated as well as bought merchandise that gave all of its proceeds to different animal shelters.

‘Who’s the best behaved?’ he asks instead.

‘They’re cats, there’s no such thing as best behaved,’ Minho chortles, ‘But I suppose as Soonie is the oldest, he’s the most relaxed? Dori still has a lot of that teenager energy I guess.’

‘I love when dog owners talk about their dogs and it’s like they’re talking about a literal angel, but when cat owners talk about their cats it’s almost like a constant struggle.’

‘I had a dog when I was growing up, and I can testify that yes, he was an angel,’ Minho tells him seriously, ‘But cats? Worlds apart. Have you had any pets?’

‘Oh, my parents have a dog,’ Chan pats his pockets for his phone, thankfully he still had it with him, ‘This is Berry.’

‘I won’t lie, I was not picturing this breed when you said your family had a dog,’ Minho confesses, breaking out into a smile at the sight of the very clean and very pampered dog. ‘She?’

‘Yes,’ Chan nods, ‘Youngest daughter, very spoilt.’

‘Rightfully so?’ Minho laughs.

‘Rightfully so,’ Chan nods. ‘I do want to have my own pets in the future, but right now with the way my life is, I don’t want to adopt a pet without being able to be there to help train and raise it I guess?’

Minho looks at him with a bit of surprise, ‘You’d be surprised that a lot of people don’t consider that, they just think of the benefit that pets come with, but don’t realize how much you have to work in order to maintain that.’

‘Exactly! It feels unfair to just, leave them at a pet care center or something. What do you do with your cats?’ Chan asks.

‘I never leave them alone for more than a day,’ Minho replies, ‘To an extent in this regard, cats are easier to deal with than dogs. That’s not to say cats don’t have separation anxiety-.’

Someone walks over to them and Chan realizes he’s leaning way past his chair, listening intently to Minho who was also leaning in as they talked.

‘We’re good to go in a couple of minutes now Minho-shii, Chan-shii, once again we apologize for this delay.’

Chan feels rather put off as they get ready to head to the interview spot, Seungmin coming over with a sort of bemused twinkle in his eye. Where had he been this entire time anyway?

Minho’s PA walks over as well, a bottle of water in his hands for Minho, saying something in a low voice that makes Minho jab him in the ribs in reply.

He should ask Minho for his number.

Not for anything in specific- maybe he could ask him to hang out some time, go eat out, something. He should ask him for his number.

‘Here, let me get this,’ Seungmin says and he adjusts his hair a little, pulls out a powder puff from somewhere in his pocket and pats his nose a little with it before sending him off where the audio tech was waiting to hand him one of those awkwardly bulky taped up mics.

‘Ready?’ one of the staff calls over from next to the main camera.

Minho nods before looking over at him.

‘I’m good too,’ Chan nods.

‘All right- we’re recording in 5-! 4-!’

Minho adjusts himself a little, shifting the cue cards a little before he smiles in what Chan can now categorize as his professional smile as he reels off the intro bit and sponsors before finally turning to him.

‘Bang Chan-shii.’

‘Minho-shii.’

‘We’re meeting a lot. I think we need to stop.’

Chan wheezes, ‘I only ever want to see you.’

Minho does a double-take.

‘What-?’

‘-I meant- I mean that, wait no that came out weird,’ Chan tries desperately to correct himself. Honestly he’s not sure what he was trying to say either himself.

‘Chan-shii, I understand that you’re a big fan-.’

‘-I meant that I am happy to see you during these times that we do.’

Minho gives him a hilariously amused expression that feels rather genuine as though realizing that Chan really struggled with internal filters sometimes.

‘I can see that,’ Minho chuckles, ‘So how are you feeling tonight so far?’

‘I’m a bit hurt,’ Chan tells Minho.

‘Oh? What happened?’

‘You asked Changbin and Jisung on a date- I was hoping I was a bit special.’

‘Hey, you said it yourself, I date a lot,’ Minho shrugs before adding with his trademark nonchalance, ‘And you are special Bang Chan-shii.’

‘-oh I bet you say that to everyone.’

‘I don’t,’ Minho says firmly, looking at the camera and giving it a sly wink, ‘You’re the first person I’ve said that too. Tonight.’

‘In this event.’

‘Exactly- good job Bang Chan-shii, you’re starting to learn,’ Minho nods in approval before he switches back to his interview duties, ‘But you do look great tonight, who are you wearing?’

‘Ah, it’s really the suit and all-.’

‘-just take the compliment,’ Minho groans.

‘Okay okay!’ Chan chuckles, ‘I’ll make sure to wear something just as good for our date.’

‘Oh you better,’ Minho tells him pointedly, ‘I expect a full 3-piece suit.’

‘For a chicken shop?’

‘Especially for a chicken shop,’ Minho grins.

‘And will you also be in a 3-piece? I should say first though that you look amazing tonight.’

‘-I mean of course I do-.’

‘-but I think you’d look nice in anything so.’

‘-…well well,’ Minho pauses, squinting at him.

‘Take the compliment!’

‘Fine,’ Minho rolls his eyes but he’s smiling.

Chan will admit it if asked, but this was genuinely the only time he’s enjoyed himself so thoroughly in any interview he’s ever done.

Minho resumes the questions from his cue card, sticking mostly to the cards, probably required to do so as this was supposed to be a more technical interview of sorts, at least from what Chan understood when he reviewed the questions they had sent before hand. But Minho obviously puts a funny twist in some of the questions, sometimes putting him on the spot but it’s never in a rude way or inflammatory way; it keeps Chan on his toes in a way he likes and like his fans had commented on the past videos, he never really stops smiling when talking to Minho.

‘Okay let’s make a tiny toast,’ Minho declares and Chan is wheezing delightedly as he pulls up a tray from the side of his chair Chan hadn’t even noticed with miniature wine glasses as they come to the end of the interview.

‘Is- is that actually wine?’

‘Of course it is,’ Minho replies like it’s obvious, ‘Just don’t tell anyone or I might never be allowed back here.’

‘In that case this is just between us then,’ Chan grins, taking the tiny cup from Minho.

‘All right, here’s to our future date, hope to see you in a 3-piece suit,’ Minho raises his cup towards him and Chan clinks it, still wheezing.

‘To our future date, I know you’re going to look amazing as usual.’

‘Oh my god, okay that was Bang Chan, we’re moving on,’ Minho downs the grape juice like it’s actual alcohol before waving him away, ‘Go go, leave already.’

‘Call me!’ Chan grins as he gets up to move away from the camera, Seungmin waiting for him to the side, his expression unimpressed.

‘I’ll check my schedule!’ Minho calls back.

Chan doesn’t have the time to respond back, instead bowing in greeting to the next guest, one of the best-supporting actors Chan thinks, giving his mic to the audio tech.

Once again he follows after Seungmin and into a large sort of warehouse that was being used as a parking spot. Chan sort of spots random celebrities and people from the industry getting around, some smoking in one corner, but he’s more or less bundled up into the car waiting for him and they drive off slowly.

‘Glad you enjoyed your time,’ Seungmin says, not hiding his amusement. ‘You were talking quite a lot there. Discuss anything interesting? The weather? Brand sponsors? His phone number?’

Chan reaches over to shove Seungmin but without any real force. Damn, was he being obvious?

‘Should I ask for his number? I think I could talk to his PA,’ Seungmin tells him, half serious, half joking.

‘No,’ Chan says firmly before pausing, ‘I-…I’ll do it myself.’

‘So you are serious,’ Seungmin snorts, ‘And just so you know the after party we’re going to is only for producers and directors, Minho-shii will not be there.’

Chan sends Seungmin an accusatory glare.

‘Fine, be defensive,’ Seungmin snorts before slapping his back as they pull up to the red carpet entrance, ‘Come on, let’s win this one this time.’

To Chan’s absolute shock he actually does.

*

GDMA BEHIND THE CARPET INTERVIEW X LEE MINHO : BANG CHAN

@minophering: Guys I don’t know what’s going on but last time the question of whether or nt they were flirting was in the air but I think we can all agree that they were definitely Flirting™ right?

@2birdswith3stones: Those tiny wine glasses took me the fuck out

@Railway_10: Do we even know who bang chan was wearing because I think they missed that detail

            @Vienna0211: @Railway_10 I don’t understand, can someone explain to me thanks

@okamichan: Congratulations to Chan for winning!

@famouslynotfamous: DOES THIS MEAN CHICKEN SHOP DATE EPISODE WITH BANG CHAN????????? OMG PLEASE TELL ME THIS WILL HAPPEN IM CRYING

@stuckinLimbo: I feel like chan looks at minho with heart eyes that man does NOT look away from him like, he only ever looked at the camera ONCE mans was riveted

@ace88: I  love how minho manages to make repetitive questions fun, I think it might be why theyre bringing him in so much for all of these shows because he’s literally a breath of fresh air

TheOfficialGDA: Congratulations Bang Chan!!!

@wendi5354: No but listen I thought ppl were exaggerating how smoothly they talk to each other, like  yeah minhos good at interviewing people and leading the conversation but thre’s such a good rapport between the two of them its actually insane I want to listen to them talk to each other for like a full hour

@carbsforlife: One thing I like about chan is that he seems to just have a sort of positive energy to him- and I don’t mean like constantly happy un-grounded in reality sort of positivity but rather a genuine out look in life where he chooses to be more positive and I think taths really nice hes very lovely

@dwaekks: The way they’re leaned into each other as they were talking, have you seen the other clips? Minhos either sitting up straight or leaning back most times, in this he’s leaning forward on his arm idk its very telling to me that theyre somewhat into eah other

            @sumerXD: @dwaekks woah okay lets not jump to conclusions

            @dwaekks: @sumerXD not jumping, just kinda observing and translating things how I see it, you don’t have to agree with me

@CCB_TV: Okay but can bang chan actually show up to the chiekn shop date in a 3-piece suit I think that’ll be amazing

Chicken Shop Date

Minho is not looking forward to his next schedule.

But apparently this would be great and it was also a charity thing.

‘Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered,’ Jeongin tells him, handing him a packet of earplugs. ‘No ear infections this way.’

‘Thank you for your concern,’ Minho states dryly.

‘They should be here soon- breath mint?’

‘No, I had gummies,’ Minho replies.

‘How is that- okay never mind. Ready to flirt your ass off?’ Jeongin grins mischievously. Jeongin had been all too pleased for the past couple of weeks when they had confirmed Chan was coming to the show after the Oscars. Jeongin had teased him a little too much in fact, especially after the GDMA show, asking him if Chan asked him for his number or if he asked for his number.

And if asked Minho admits he would have given Chan his number if he had asked him for it.

The whole country had rooted for the movie and the nominations it got and while they did win best-supporting actress no one else nominated from the movie had won. It was still a massive win either way in many ways. Not that Minho would know the details, it’s not like he went through every article, it’s not like his eyes immediately strayed to Chan in the group photos, looking very dapper.

‘I always am-.’

‘-I think Bang Chan-shii enjoys it a bit too much- you know his manager personally contacted Sunmi to arrange for this right?’ Jeongin says with a knowing smile.

Minho does a double take.

‘What?’

‘Yeah,’ Jeongin nods, ‘From what I hear he had his scheduled redone to come for this one-.’

‘-and hyung shifted a ton for me to do this,’ Minho turns to narrow his eyes at his manager who was innocently scrolling on his phone to the side, munching on some fries already. ‘Which is why I’ll be full of chicken and being water boarded for the sake of charity.’

It made sense. This was publicity gold for both sides of the party.

‘Exactly- perfect way to think about it,’ Jeongin pats his shoulders before massaging them a little. ‘All right, ready to go?’

‘Might as well.’

Exiting the car Minho puts on his camera face and makes his way to the familiar family owned restaurant.

Bang Chan arrives 5 minutes later, his manager (Minho has learnt), stylist, and another staff member, following after him. It’s a surprisingly small crew of people, Minho has interviewed people who have brought more than a dozen people sometimes.

Chan looks good.

Much better than in photos and honestly that had taken him back a little when Minho had first interviewed him. As he wasn’t quite used to being “out” and around media, it was possible Chan just didn’t really know how to sit for the cameras because he tended to carry himself slightly awkwardly while on camera- or at least during red carpet interviews.

But here, in casual clothing, he looks comfortable and confident and-

‘Minho-shii!’

Minho walks over with a bow, extending his hand out in greeting. They get the obligatory polite greetings and Chan introduces his team to him and Minho is joined by Sunmi, the head writer, and the director as they talk over the interview briefly. They had already sent the briefing, well Minho guesses they have, he’s not in charge of that personally. A lot of Minho’s show and what made it so uniquely successful was that while they did have a script to follow, with key questions here and there to lead along the conversation, a lot of it was just adlib from his side and having his guests more or less, string along – that’s what made the show work. It’s how it was ever since Jessi hosted the show, following into Seokjin’s time, and now with him. They each brought their own twist to the show and Minho had been really apprehensive for the first year, but now in his third year doing this, things were becoming more natural as he was able to establish his own direction in the show.

‘I guess let’s sit in to check for lighting and audio,’ Sunmi smiles at Chan and he nods in agreement. Minho gestures to him to go first but Chan does the same to him in a much more courteous manner. They both laugh at that and Minho does it again and Chan steps forward to allow the sound tech to fit him with a mic. Jeongin does his mic, having done it for years as well.

The lighting is approved as their audio is approved too.

‘I’m a bit nervous,’ Chan tells him as the team start getting ready and the rest of the staff settle down.

‘Let me know if I’m making you uncomfortable,’ Minho tells him as he usually told everyone, ‘We tend to sometimes go off-script but just let me know if you’re not comfortable.’

‘Please let me know if I’m being boring,’ Chan winces.

‘I don’t think you should be worried about that,’ Minho laughs before he catches Jeongin signaling to him from the side, gesturing to the back of his hair. Minho pats the back of his hair and-

‘-you look good,’ Chan tells him.

‘Hm-?’ Minho does a double take.

‘All right, let’s take a few photos first!’ the director calls out to them as one of the cameramen comes forward with a phone.

They pose for a few photos, Minho switching a few times between his exaggerated persona versus a more natural smile; the social media director would choose the best one no doubt.

Their respective stylists come in one last time to fix some small things and they’re ready to go.

‘All right, the cooks are starting,’ the director calls out, ‘We’re ready in 10-! 9-!’

Minho looks back at Chan and gives him an encouraging smile and that Chan returns with a dimpled version.

‘-3-!-!’

Minho easily slips into his persona and Chan smiles at him delightedly at the change.

Out of the corner of his eye he sees the director give him the go sign.

‘Don’t do anything weird,’ Minho says first.

‘Hm-?’ Chan is already laughing.

‘Like, don’t bring out a ring, don’t get down on one knee-.’

Chan is laughing heartily, dimple too clear and charming.

‘-like quite frankly, I am not in the mood.’

‘Okay okay,’ Chan pats down his pocket like he actually had something there, ‘I won’t.’

‘Thank you.’ Minho adjust himself theatrically, ‘You’re not in a 3-piece suit.’

‘I’m not, I have a good excuse though,’ Chan pats down his nice sweater.

‘Oh yes? Let’s hear it.’

‘I don’t have a brand sponsor for this show,’ Chan tells him very bluntly. Minho thinks he catches sight of Seungmin palming his face to the side.

‘So that’s all you?’

‘All me, I thought that’d be a better approach for a date.’

‘You know what, that is good. I think I can forgive you.’

‘Is that all you?’ Chan asks, nodding to his outfit.

‘What do you think?’ Minho wiggles his eyebrows.

‘Regardless, you look very good,’ Chan tells him and Minho can immediately tell it’s not just something he’s saying for politeness.

‘I told you not to do anything weird,’ Minho tells him pointedly before continuing, ‘So. You’ve been nominated for an Oscar.’

‘Yeah.’

‘You didn’t win.’

‘No-,’ Chan breaks out into a wheeze, ducking to the side, ‘No I didn’t-!’

‘So when are you going to win an Oscar?’

Chan literally turns around in his seat, laughing heartily and Minho takes this moment to take a sip of his drink nonchalantly.

‘Would I be more attractive if I was an Oscar winner?’ Chan asks, dabbing at the corner of his eyes when he comes back around to sit properly.

‘Well. Yes.’

‘Oh no,’ Chan groans into his hands, ‘Ah, I blew my shot I see-.’

‘I mean you’re kinda attractive already so-.’

‘-kinda-!’ Chan facepalms, shoulders shaking from his laughter.

‘I mean think about it, Academy Award Winner Bang Chan, sounds good,’ Minho tells him, ‘But unfortunately you’re not.’

‘Oh no!’ Chan tilts his head back, hands on his head, ‘Ugh, now I have a new goal.’

‘What, just to impress me?’

‘Will it impress you?’

‘I mean, you winning an Oscar has nothing to do with me-.’

Chan had taken that moment to take a sip of his drink and he spits it out, a few drops spilling down the side of his chin. Minho gives him his best unimpressed look as he hands him a napkin.

‘Maybe an Oscar is one way to redeem yourself at this point.’

‘This is not a good start for me is it,’ Chan chuckles, patting his chin.

Minho wheezes.

‘Come on Bang Chan-shii, you’re an Oscar nominee, you’re cooler than this.’

‘Yes,’ Chan pulls a serious look, pretending to hype himself up, ‘I can do this.’

‘Great. So. Kiss, avoid, marry-.’

‘-oh already, we’re doing this already-?’

‘-Seo Changbin-.’

‘-what?!’

‘-Han Jisung-.’

‘-wait.’

‘-or me.’

‘Wait-!’ Chan grabs at his hair briefly and Minho can sense his stylist wincing at that.

‘What will it be Bang Chan-shii?’

‘I don’t want to avoid any of you really.’

‘Okay but you have to.’

‘Oh no, I can’t- I can’t do that to any of them,’ Chan groans, ‘I- I’ve known Jisung for years- and Changbin is my best friend-.’

‘-well, hearts are being broken either way-.’

‘-I’d have to avoid you then-.’

‘-what?!’ Minho gasps dramatically.

‘I can’t do that to either of those guys-!’

‘Wait this is not right I’m literally right in front of you, are you kidding me-?’

‘No I’m not kidding you, I’m gonna have to do it to you-.’

‘Oh wow, wow-!’

‘It’s called flirting Minho-shii!’ Chan grins, clearly having a fun time, ‘It’s called flirting-!’

‘Oh now you’re not invited to my birthday party.’ Minho says, crossing his arms and leaning away.

‘-oh- wait, I know your birthday is in October right?’

‘…you really are obsessed with me- first you know about my cats-.’

‘-what’s your sign?’ Chan asks relentlessly.

‘Next thing I know you’re best friends with my mother. Scorpio.’

‘Ah!’ Chan leans back on the chair, crossing his arms and smiling in a pleased manner, ‘My moon sign is Scorpio.’

‘Oh is it?’ Minho raises an eyebrow, ‘What does that mean?’

‘It’s good- it means we have a good connection. If your sun sign is the same as another person’s moon sign, then that’s good.’

‘I didn’t think you’d be into astronomy,’ Minho remarks.

‘Is that off-putting?’

‘I mean I couldn’t care less to be honest-.’

‘-that was very Scorpio of you.’

‘If you say so,’ Minho narrows his eyes at him, ‘Okay, other than astronomy what else do you believe in?’

‘Do you believe in fate?’ Chan asks immediately, smiling as he follows the script.

‘Yeah.’

‘You do? Give me an example.’

‘Hm,’ Minho leans back again, tilting his head a little in mock thoughtfulness, noting how Chan was doing his best not to laugh as he mirrored his posture as well. ‘When was the day we first met-?’

‘Hey!’ Chan laughs, ‘Oh come on, I really mean it!’

‘Well, so do I, you don’t think it’s fated?’ Minho demands.

‘Hm, I suppose so,’ Chan begins but he starts laughing uncontrollably.

‘Oh no,’ Minho sighs, looking at him with a sort of resigned expression. ‘Bang Chan-shii, please remain professional.’

‘No it’s just- it’s really funny, I go to a place and,’ Chan pauses to wheeze, ‘And you go like-.’

‘-oh I knew you’d do this,’ Minho points out at once.

‘What! Do what?’ Chan laughs.

‘I knew you would do this,’ Minho repeats again.

‘What, just be aware of all of your moves?

‘Yes,’ Minho sighs. ‘I guess it is funny when someone sees it-.’

‘-sees you?’

‘-sees what I’m doing.’

‘-and naming it?’

‘And naming it.’

‘And calling you out on it?’ Chan grins into his plate.

‘Yes.’

‘And then your ears go red.’

‘What? No,’ Minho says at once, knowing full well his ears were red and immediately diverts, ‘So you really do watch this show.’

‘I do!’ Chan laughs, leaning back into his chair, ‘Why would I lie about that!’

‘I lie a lot.’

‘That- I don’t think that’s something you should be admitting-.’

‘-but that’s me trying to fix all the lying.’ Minho says smugly.

‘-by being truthful about lying.’

‘Exactly.’

'How about I ask you a question and you give me an honest reply?' Chan asks.

Minho doesn't know where this is going but he says, 'Sure, let's see what you ask me.'

'Wait- you can't make agreements like that-!'

'Bang Chan-shii, this is just the first date-.'

'-and you have to be honest!'

'Fine, do you kiss on first dates?'

Chan goes all red and ducks away to laugh as Minho gives the camera a sly smile.

'Do- do you ask all your dates that on the first date?' Chan wheezes.

'Well, I have asked out a lot of people like you mentioned before-.'

'-and I think that's very cool, very confident,' Chan nods.

'-and I ask a lot of questions and I do occassionally get a no-.'

'-in like, a real way or this way?' Chan asks, gesturing to the lights and mic.

'Well, this is real Chan-shii,' Minho says pointedly which makes Chan burst out into laughter again.

'You're really so cool Minho-shii,' Chan grins, 'It's bold- so you just go for it.'

'Yes, exactly,' Minho nods. 

Technically he doesn't always but for the show he's going to agree.

'That's really cool, kinda sexy,' Chan smiles cheekily. 'But is it like, discouraging to get a negative response back?'

'Oh for sure, but hey, a rejection doesn't mean something is wrong with me, at least I hope not,' Minho says that last part with comic suspicion, making Chan burst out into laughter again.

'But that's amazing, that's a really good mind-set I think,' Chan tells him, 'Accepting rejection or failure is part of having courage- and that's really cool Minho-shii.'

It all feels a bit too genuine and thankfully the chicken and fries are ready and they’re brought in.

‘I didn’t know you actually gave people food.’ Chan says with actual surprise.

‘You’re the first to actually eat.’ Minho tells him.

‘…for real?’

‘No. And yes.’

‘What?’ Chan laughs.

‘Some people who come in are on specific diets or are vegan or vegetarian. So sometimes it’s just me eating.’

‘So does that mean-?’

‘-don’t start feeling too special just yet.’

Chan groans, tilting his chair back a bit, ‘You’re mean!’

‘It’s called flirting,’ Minho teases before he takes the tray of sauces from the server who walks over, ‘Thank you, please try all of these Bang Chan-shii. I heard you have a low spice tolerance-.’

‘-I do yeah-.’

‘-so I thought you should try and correct that.’

Chan wheezes as he picks up his chopsticks and picks up a piece of chicken and his eyebrows go up in surprise, ‘Oh wow- that sounded crunchy just picking it up.’

‘Double-fry, makes it crispier,’ Minho tells him, waiting politely for the guest to take the first bite as usual.

'Do you know how to cook?' Chan asks with interest before biting into the chicken and exclaiming in relish.

'I do actually- but honestly who has the time or the energy,' Minho replies with a shrug as he takes a bite too. 'Everyday I think about how much cooking my mother did and go, absolutely not.'

Somehow it tasted even better today.

'So do you call her to thank her?'

Minho stares directly at Camera 1 before he says as he chewed: 'No.'

He does actually.

Chan wheezes into his plate.

'What about you? Do you cook?'

'I do sometimes,' Chan nods, 'I could cook for you.'

Minho chews for a moment before he says, 'Don't make this weird Bang Chan-shii.'

'I'm not!' Chan laughs, 'I mean it, second date, I could cook for you.'

'First date not over and you're already thinking of a second one?' Minho huffs, sliding the spiciest sauce over to Chan, 'Play it cool.'

Chan looks at the sauce with amusement as he says, 'I mean this isn't exactly a legit date though is it?'

'Why are you trying to ruin my show,' Minho deadpans.

'All right then, how about a first proper one? When are you free?' Chan asks, dipping his piece of chicken into the spicy sauce.

'I'm afraid I have other dates Bang Chan-shii.'

'Ah,' Chan says with a sort of knowing smile, 'I have competition I see.'

Minho makes a mental note to tell the post-editing team to edit the redness out of his ears.

Instead he looks expectantly at Chan before glancing at his chicken piece and then the sauce and back at him. Taking a deep dramatic breath Chan takes a bite of the chicken.

‘It- it’s fine right now,’ Chan declares, ‘I didn’t immediately die.’

‘We’d go viral for all of the wrong reasons, so if you could do me a favour and not die it’d be great.’

‘Wait- wait it’s hitting me now-!’

Minho pours out some more water for Chan and a server brings some banana milk as well which genuinely helped with spiciness.

Chan goes all red, a slight sheen of sweat on his brow.

‘Do you need a moment?’ Minho asks, partly in amusement, and partly in concern. He didn’t think Chan would actually eat the chicken with the spicy sauce.

‘No I’m good, please ask me questions and distract me,’ Chan says, eyes watering.

‘So, any plans on getting married any time soon?’

Chan is stuck between wanting to laugh and also maybe pant from the spice of the sauce so he does a weird sort of hiccup laugh instead before sipping on his banana milk rather desperately.

‘Well, it’s a decision that comes I think depending on a lot of various uh, factors,’ Chan sniffles, dabbing at the corner of his eye as Minho takes away the spicy sauce and places it next to himself and angles the soy sauce, sweet mustard, and mayonnaise towards him instead. ‘I guess I haven’t really thought about it too seriously.’

‘That’s fair enough,’ Minho acquiesces. 

‘What are your thoughts on marriage? Do you want kids?’ Chan asks instead, recovering quite well now that the initial overwhelming heat has subsided.

‘I’m not against either- but there’s a lot to consider I think for both, and currently I don’t think I could say one thing for certain,’ Minho finds himself saying. ‘A lot of things in a traditional sense of a marriage that I’m like, meh.’

Chan laughs.

‘Yeah? Like?’

‘Sharing beds,’ Minho declares.

‘Is this because you have terrible sleeping habits?’ Chan chuckles.

‘Oh I sleep talk,’ Minho tells him intently, ‘Sleep curse.’

‘Ooh,’ Chan pretends to shudder, ‘But I actually know what you mean, I think in my case I’m kinda self-conscious about the fact that I snore- worried I’ll disturb the other person.’

‘That’s very mature and considerate of you, you’re really proving yourself here.’ Minho tells him in his most deadpan tone, ‘But you know, earplugs exist.’

‘I could say the same to you, and sleep talking isn’t that bad.’ Chan points out.

‘You’ve never heard me sleep talk-.’

‘-I could eventually right?’

Minho stares blankly at Chan, ‘Bang Chan-shii-.’

‘-yes yesI’ll try and play it cool.’

‘Good.’

‘Wait, I’m so confused, you asked me out on this date! Isn’t it good that I’m flirting?’

‘Only on my terms,’ Minho wiggles his eyebrows before reaching into his pocket and pulling out the earplugs Jeongin had given him, ‘So here.’

Chan laughs so hard he nearly falls off his chair.

‘You never know when you might need it,’ Minho smiles benignly.

Chan actually has tears in his eyes, ‘Oh- oh this is so good- did you- wait this was nowhere in the script! Did you plan this-?!’

‘No my PA gave it to me as a joke- it’s actually for swimming,’ Minho wheezes, glancing over at Jeongin who is watching him with amusement.

‘Do you like swimming?’ Chan asks, perking up. ‘I love to swim.’

‘I can’t swim- hence the joke,’ Minho chuckles.

‘I could teach you.’

‘You’re offering a lot of things,’ Minho tells him.

‘Too much?’ Chan winces comically.

‘Hm, I dunno, is it?’ Minho grins, reaching for a fry and he makes the mistake of looking over at Jeongin and immediately looks away because he’s got that annoying smirk on his face.

‘Just testing to see,’ Chan replies enigmatically.

‘So is your love language acts of services? Because that’s what I’m getting here,’ Minho says, steering the conversation back around.

‘Hm, I guess so?’ Chan says thoughtfully, ‘I do like to do things for people.’

‘What’s your love acceptance?’

‘Love- love acceptance?’

‘Like, there’s love language where you like to do things for others, what do you like done for you in turn?’

‘Oh,’ Chan frowns, ‘Oh- I’ve never…never quite thought of that properly I guess.’

‘Who said this show didn’t offer amazing insight,’ Minho says haughtily, staring down Camera 1 again. ‘Take that all you people who say this show is pointless.’

‘That was very cool,’ Chan grins before looking at Camera 2, ‘See haters? We’re having profound conversations here.’

‘Not too profound I hope,’ Minho says before adding, ‘Well, it can’t be words of affirmation because you can’t accept a compliment.’

‘Ah,’ Chan actually squirms, ‘Yeah I can’t handle it-.’

‘-you’re handsome,’ Minho tells him quickly, ‘Excellent musician, clearly, I mean, nominated in almost everything. Multi-talented, we stan-.’

‘-oh my god-!’ Chan actually takes a napkin to cover his face.

‘-famously athletic too, we all saw you taking on that mountain-.’

‘-please stop-!’

‘-smart- multiple language skills-.’

‘-I’m going to die-.’

‘-you’ve got a great nose, the profile is very good-.’

‘-please stop, oh my god Seungmin please get me out of here-!’ Chan actually looks around wildly for his manager who isn’t even looking at him, sitting down with his back to them, clearly on his phone.

‘All right I guess we can’t afford a medical crisis,’ Minho relents, feeling very pleased with himself.

‘Please tell me there’s a way to turn this around against you, it’s only fair,’ Chan wails, unable to look at him, face flushed as he grabs another fry.

‘Tsk,’ Minho scoffs as he sees the director signal to him from the side, ‘This is my show Bang Chan. And it seems I’m being told we’re going past our time.’

‘Oh-,’ Chan blinks, genuine surprise in his expression as he looks around, looking almost surprised to find other people around them.

‘You can take the chicken to go if you want.’ Minho informs Chan with a grin because Chan very much looked like he was ready to continue through the whole basket of chicken.

‘For real?’ Chan looks at his basket like he’s seriously considering it.

‘It’s on the house. Well, it’s on me as I’m paying for the date.’

‘Next one I’ll pay,’ Chan grins.

‘Hm, we’ll have to see.’ Minho shrugs.

‘And that’s a wrap!’

Minho glances over at Sunmi who gives him her a very pleased nod of approval and then he turns to look back at Chan who was still looking at him, still holding that grin.

‘Do you actually want the chicken, they really do make it well,’ Minho chuckles, nodding at the basket, now suddenly feeling a bit out of it knowing they weren’t filming anything, suddenly not quite able to meet Chan’s eyes.

‘I genuinely am considering it,’ Chan laughs, ‘Maybe not the sauce.’

‘Okay but why would you go for it,’ Minho exclaims, putting the spicy sauce on the other table, ‘I was just doing it for show.’

Chan sort of shrugs, smiling to himself as he takes a fry.

‘Can we have these packed?’ Minho asks one of the restaurant staff who immediately nods, looking pleased that they weren’t going to be wasting much. Not that Minho’s show ever really did. The staff usually ate the chicken after the shoot and they actually had a meal here before wrapping up for the episode.

‘Actually can I have extra fries?’ Chan asks sheepishly, ‘I’ll pay.’

‘Oh please Chan-shii,’ Minho shakes his head quickly as he stands up, pulling out his mic pack, ‘That’s not necessary, it’s on the show.’

‘Then it’s on me next time?’ Chan says, also standing up. ‘I can take you to this really good Japanese restaurant that has really good kaarage in the city.’

Minho’s not exactly sure how to respond, Chan’s tone a confusing blend that suggested he was joking but also somehow genuine, so he just laughs, ‘I meant it when I said I have a lot of dates but sure, I’ll let you know.’

Chan smiles, pleased as he hands the sound technician his mic as well before he says, ‘I wanted to ask last time, but if it’s okay with you-.’

‘Hyung,’ Jeongin approaches quickly, Minho’s jacket in his arms, already bagged and coated himself, ‘We’re really pushing it.’

‘-oh, you have to leave?’ Chan asks, looking surprised as Seungmin walks over as well.

‘Oh no are we late,’ Minho winces as he looks at the time, taking his jacket from Jeongin before looking at Chan, ‘Well, I did say I have lots of dates-.’

‘-Minho-shii, thank you for your hard work,’ Seungmin says, bowing neatly, definitely prodding Chan on the back who also bows immediately.

‘Of course not, it was our pleasure, like Sunmi-noona said, not often we have Oscar nominees in the Shop, so thank you for choosing us, I really wish you the best,’ Minho says, also bowing.

‘Um, Minho-shii I was wondering if I could have your num-.’

‘-Chan-shii!’ Sunmi walks over with her pleasant smile and pats Minho’s arm, ‘Thank you for choosing us to round up your award season, I know I speak on behalf of everyone here but we really are feeling somewhat awestruck having you here.’

‘Oh, honestly I’m such a fan of the show-.’

‘-hyung, we gotta go,’ Jeongin tells him again, his manager in the back giving him a wincing look, tapping at his watch.

‘We’ll miss you in the after dinner Minho-yah, but we got this!’ Sunmi tells him, ‘I know we packed things really tight for this episode- go on.’

‘Thank you noona,’ Minho smiles, trying not to acknowledge that he wanted to stay back for the short talk he usually had with his guests after the show ended and even extending to eating with them sometimes but he really had to go, Jeongin pacing restlessly.

He follows after Jeongin and his manager, bowing in quick succession to everyone as he leaves.

Minho looks back as he reaches the door and finds that Chan is already looking after him, his manager talking to Sunmi.

Chan smiles, and it almost looks regretful, giving him a small wave.

Minho wants to do his usual, give a bad flirty wink but he finds he can’t, instead settling for a smile he knows has come out weirdly bashful, also regretful, ears turning red in a way that couldn’t be edited out before stepping out of the restaurant.

*

CHICKEN SHOP DATE – BANG CHAN

@gnabgnabgnab: I CAME HERE AFTER SEEING THEIR PHOTO TOGETHER I CRIED THEY ARE MY PARENTS THESE ARE MY DADS

@3Zones: Guys the chemistry is chemistrying

@itzitzytimez: I like how at times you can see Minho slipping out of his interviewer persona and actually enjoying the oncersation and then realizing he has a job to do

            @RJsbread: @itzitzytimez I think chan might have been doing that on purpose from what he said

            @itzitzytimez: @RJsbread wy would you put that in my head now I can’t unthink it thanks

@minophering: Your honour he’s not even trying to hide it I think chan actually likes him

@stuckinLimbo: I love how minho genuinely looks out of character for most of the interview for the first time and like actually charmed by Chan

@eyes_cream: I feel like minho’s praise section got way too specific to be random because girl what do you mean the profile of his nose

@dwaekks: Bang chan is really a fan of the show because he knew all of minhos act and was diverting away from it but I don’t think minho minded, he seemed to enjoy the challenge I think

@cattucino: Ive never seen minho this flustered

@inthecourse: THIS IS JUST A SHOW THIS IS JUST A SHOW THEY’RE FOLLOWING A SCRIPT THEY’RE FOLLOWING A SCRIPT AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

@iamPudding: How do I explain why my mental health relies on their potential to be an insanely dynamic couple to my chronically offline friends and family

@itsaSecretsecret: I feel like they edited the redness from Minhos ears out because mans could not look chan in the eye for long periods of time idk if anyone noticed

            @gangofwolves: @itsaSecretsecret No no, I noticed, trust me I noticed, ive watched a lot of chicken shop date and even when minho has great chemistry with other ppl and HE DOES. TRUST ME HE DOES, he’s always able to maintain eye contact- in fact other ppl have a difficult time maintaining eye contact with him- but this episde? No. the eye contact was making ME squirm instead

@starryraindrops: I NEED THE UNCUT INTERVIEW NOW

@itsaD2kindaday: I genuinely feel like this is something they could explore a little, like go on actual dates, I really REALLY believe they could work out, whose with me

            @ferretlover: @itsaD2kindaday Me

            @dwaekks: @itsaD2kindaday Me

            @OT7forlife: @itsaD2kindaday oh definitely me

@egadettu: I genuinely want to know how much of that was scripted and how much was just them going with the flow because that felt a bit TOO natural you know?

@supertuna: I need a marriage announcement YESTERDAY

Sequel I

Setting up an interview corner in a music award show was always a little more casual in a way- with idols and groups and solo artists showing up a lot of times in their concept outfits. Minho is grateful he’s hosting the Live Red Carpet Interview but at the same time he never wants to do this again.

The amount of legal documents he had to go through was insane. And the amount of idol group member names he has had to remember, the absolute terror of saying the wrong name and getting immediately cancelled by fandoms was not how he wanted to go out.

Nervousness at its highest, cortisol absolutely having a field day in his system, Minho is a handsomely dressed embodiment of high-masking anxiety. He’s dressed nicely but not in a way to possibly overshadow anyone and thankfully as they were indoors, he’s not shivering out in the cold.

There was an order in which the singers and idols and producers and composers and other celebrities who were invited to be announcers would be coming in and while he’s told that 95% of the time it would be exactly as listed, sometimes, some people did not show up in their slotted time and they just had to continue on. Minho is fine with that and uses the cue cards and schedule as a reminder more than anything else, his in-ear piece as well as prompter to the side a more accurate relay of information.

His feet were killing him, standing on these very nice shoes he did not have time to break into and were not made for this much standing, still smiling and joking and doing his best to keep a lively atmosphere despite the fact that so many of these people were exhausted and possibly very hungry because Minho is hungry too.

He finishes interviewing a group called ZeroBaseOne and he feels their names and faces slipping out of his memory as they leave to the screams of their fans.

‘-Minho-shii, coming up next is Bang Chan-shii, he’s here to present nominations for Best Producer and present Han Jisung’s performance in the second act of the show.’

Right.

Chan was going to be here. Minho knew that. And he can’t help but be somewhat nervous, somewhat anticipatory.

According to Sunmi, according to Jeongin, according to the entire internet apparently, they had the most insane chemistry and people were quite fervently shipping them. Apparently they were called MinChan and had generated a lot of social media buzz. There’s literally edits of them.

And honestly Minho absolutely sees it.

Also the whole point of his show was to sort of cater this sort of flirting chemistry with his guests, it was literally his job. And he hates the cliché of it but somehow it was definitely different with Bang Chan. Minho had thought for a while that due to his constant exposure to scripted flirting and the expectation from him to deliver that and to also, frankly speaking, expect it, really muddled his radar for people actually showing interest in him, to genuinely flirt with him.

But each time he’s talked to Chan, everything felt genuine from the man.

And even more telling, everything felt more genuine from himself. Jeongin had even remarked on it, saying he hadn’t seen Minho actually genuinely flirt in earnest or actually struggle a little with a guest in a sense. His previously teasing remarks turning to one of calculative curiosity that Minho doesn’t know if he appreciated or not.  

And honestly he’s thought too much about Bang Chan than he would ever admit. He had found his Instagram and goes through several stages of disbelief at his feed that barely has the man in it. Or maybe that was better for him.

He’s still not following back of course. Even if he did like the photo he uploaded the day before of Soonie’s extremely aesthetic side profile during a rare golden winter sunset.

Instead both Han Jisung and Seo Changbin have more photos of the man on their feed and Minho clicks out very fast when he spots what appeared to be a gym photo from Changbin’s page. Chan’s been entirely covered in full sleeves every time they’ve met, always wearing a buttoned up blazer as well.

So Minho is not expecting the man to step up to the stage, a fitted open blazer over an equally fitted vest, the white button down open more than what Minho thinks is necessary, and his hair fucking blond.

Chan normally wore his hair down, covering much of his forehead but tonight it’s swept up, the length shorter, it’s a bit too attractive-

‘Ladies and gentlemen, let’s welcome Bang Chan to the stage- please stand for a moment and wave to the cameras Chan-shii,’ Minho says, getting a grip, or at least trying to get a grip.

Chan looks sort of embarrassed, hands behind his back as he smiles at the cameras and Minho reads through his cue card without seeing any of the writing in it.

‘Please look to the left,’ Minho calls out as usual so that he could angle himself to face the news outlets and media sites snapping away. ‘To the center now, please give us some finger-hearts.’

Chan’s face flushes with colour, giving him a slightly embarrassed smile as he does so anyway and Minho can barely contain his own smile.

‘All right, please come up over here,’ Minho calls to him, gesturing to the well-lit corner where he was hosting the short interviews.

‘You stood me up.’ is the first thing Chan says once he’s handed the mic.

‘What?’

‘I asked you on a date-.’

A lot of the gathered fans there, who hadn’t paid much attention to him though he recognizes a couple of his fansites in the background, were now seemingly adding two and two together, undoubtedly picking up on the fact that some level of internet gold was being made, and their phones all start going up, recording this even though it was a live event.

There’s a few oooh from the crowd and Minho knows his damned ears have gone red and this time he doesn’t have a team to ask to edit the redness out. Chan of course immediately notices.

‘-we did go on one, and I paid,’ Minho tells him and Chan laughs good naturedly though he has a bit of a look that immediately makes Minho look back at his cue cards.

‘Chan-shii, you’re here to present the nominations for Best Producer of the Year- do you have a producer you’re personally rooting for?’

‘Ah, I’m afraid I can’t answer that,’ Chan replies, ‘I don’t want to be biased, but I am definitely here to support Han Jisung.’

‘Of course- okay I’m going to ask you a question and you cannot say Han Jisung or any of his songs, but which song amongst the nominations do you really like?’ Minho feels himself sweating a little at this basic question. He’s asked nearly half of the people this all while constantly remembering their names. But he’s suddenly so nervous now.

‘Ooh,’ Chan strikes a thoughtful expression, bouncing a little on his toes before he says, ‘I’d have to go for Taeyeon-shii, I loved Heaven a lot.’

Under normal circumstances Minho would have probably said something along the lines of being here with you is heaven for me or some equally atrocious flirtatious line but he can’t.

‘What about you Minho-shii? Which song from this years nominations did you like the most?’ Chan asks unexpectedly.

‘Like I told Han Jisung when he came by, my favourite song this year was Maybe,’ Minho replies at once.

‘You can say Jisung’s song was your favourite but I can’t?’ Chan teases.

‘Yes, because I’m not biased,’ Minho points out.

A good number of fans go oooh at that and Minho immediately jumps to the next talking point, ‘You’ve produced many songs that have been nominated in multiple categories here in the past few years, which song, and it doesn’t matter if it won or not, was your favourite?’

‘Ah, that sort of question is almost like asking me if I love my mum or dad more,’ Chan winces but says, ‘I guess one that feels quite personal to me is Streetlight- it was my first song to be nominated.’

‘Oh, so you love your mum more.’

The crowd laughs as Chan splutters, quickly looking at the camera and saying, ‘I love you both mum and dad!’

‘We all heard you loud and clear Chan-shii,’ Minho says with a sort of relief, realizing now that he could let Chan go and move onto the next person or idol group. ‘You cannot lie to us I’m afraid.’

‘Oh, I don’t think I could lie to you Minho-shii, I think we have too much of a connection where I could do that.’

Minho is honest to god stuck for words and he hopes he hasn’t gone completely stunned for too long before he laughs and it at least sounds not forced as he says, ‘If you put it that way, then maybe we can believe you, isn’t that right everyone?’

Thankfully the crowd did seem somewhat invested in them and they reply in unison a confirming and weirdly damning yes back at him.

‘I hope you enjoy the rest of the night Chan-shii,’ Minho tells him as the stage staff appears to guide Chan through to the exit out of the stage, waiting for the mic.

‘I don’t think anything can top this right now but thank you!’ Chan grins, clearly intent on flustering him live on TV.

Minho thinks he hears the crowd of fan-girls all sort of gasp in unison at that so he turns to them.

‘Can you guys believe this?’ he addresses them, ‘Be careful who you go on chicken shop dates with guys.’

Chan leaves the stage laughing and the whole crowd seem to really like that bit so at least that was one thing.

Wow.

Honestly it felt a bit like Chan seemed to have the higher ground here, poking small fun at Minho in a place he couldn’t retaliate really.

But Minho was not one to be trifled with.

Because two could play this game.

*

The thing is Chan did mean it. He had meant it about asking Minho on that date. But he also knew the chances of it actually being taken up was very slim. Especially after he wasn’t able to get his number.

It was a little funny but also mostly confidence boosting when he had seen Minho’s unchecked reaction to his “makeover” as Seungmin had put it.

And he can tell.

He can immediately tell that Minho likes it.

Losing that bet to Changbin was maybe absolutely worth it.

Thankfully it came out looking quite nice and Seungmin had told him as much which from him was the best compliment Chan could ever receive.

Nearly as good as the way Minho looked him up and down twice, his usual confident persona shifting a little, ears permanently red, unable to look at him for too long, instead always looking at the cue cards which he rarely did in the many times he’s now interviewed him.

It sort of made Chan feel bold, bolder than he actually is in a way. But it was fun seeing Minho react the way he did.

He just didn’t think Minho would retaliate and it most certainly was not backstage.

Chan finishes announcing Jisung to the stage, feeling a rush of pride as his friend takes the stage. He still had to make the announcement for the Best Producer nominations after Jisung’s performance and so he’s taken to the green rooms in the back to wait it out. He can hear preparations being made, vocal warm-ups, coming from around him as he and Seungmin and his stylist take a moment to sit around for a while, watching Jisung on the wide TV screen. Chan takes a few photos of his friend, grinning ear to ear.

After Jisung an idol group head up to perform and Chan pokes his head out to cheer his friend who was quickly shuttled into another green room though not before cheerily waving at him before disappearing.

He’s called out for his announcement around 5 minutes later and once he’s done escorted back. But due to a literal backlog of idols and their many staff members in the back, Chan has to wait a while by himself before the prop management quickly and safely remove the extensive stage props the group had used as well.

He nearly jumps when a hand lightly comes to the side of his arm and all too close, out of nowhere, Minho is too close to his face, allowing Chan a vividly clear look at the man’s long lashes, the soft colour used to accentuate his eyes, his cheeks, his lips, stepping around the narrow pathway he was waiting in to get to the waiting area to head up the stage.

‘Sorry Bang Chan-shii,’ Minho says quietly, his lips ghosting past his ear, stepping past him, just inches from him, ‘Just need to make my way over there.’

Chan nearly combusts and he’s not sure if he manages to say anything in response, whole body electric as Minho’s hand glides down his arm briefly before entirely stepping away.

Seungmin looks at him with suspicious eyes when he comes back, very flushed and jittery but doesn’t ask questions as they’re all escorted back to the seated area and Seungmin and his stylist head towards the staff waiting zone in turn.

Chan barely remembers the rest of the award show but he finds out he’s invited to the after party which was more for the executive level of the music industry and more like an actual party than the more corporate-like events he’s attended so far. He’s been to one of these before and hadn’t particularly cared much for it though he knew it was a good time for socializing amongst peers and other people in the industry so he’s not about to waste this opportunity.

Chan finally has a moment to himself and he heads for the bar to get a drink when he realizes that Minho was at the end of the L-shaped bar with a group of other people including the woman Chan knows as the producer of Chicken Shop Date.

Chan orders his drink and weighs in walking over to Minho and ask him if he could buy him a drink.

His own drink is ready and when Chan looks back finds that Minho has just seen him.

His expression shifts from his professional persona to one of genuine surprise before he smiles at him. It’s not his pleasant professional smile, and it’s not his laughing smile either, it wasn’t his shy one either that he’s replayed in his mind a thousand times after the Chicken Shop Date. No, this smile feels a little coy, a little like a smirk, a little knowing.

And Chan finds that he really really likes it.

Minho seems to chuckle a little under his breath, head tilting just a little before subtly raising one eyebrow at him, and it feels very much like a conversation. A very subtle and dare Chan say flirty conversation. And it wasn’t flirty in like the way he was in Chicken Shop Date or when he was hosting. This was different.

And as though he was being pulled in, Chan turns, taking a step in Minho’s direction.

Minho also turns, smile on his lips pulling up a little bit more before he blinks, smile falling as he spots something-?

‘-Chan-ah!’

Chan could scream. But he doesn’t.

‘Park PD,’ Chan does his best to smile as the older man squeezes his shoulders.

‘Come on, I have someone you have to meet!’ the older man throws his arm around his shoulder and drags him away. Chan sort of desperately looks back around, finding that Minho has a small smile on his lips, shrugging his shoulders a little as though to say too bad before he turns around, joining the conversation with his group again.

Chan sighs out, allowing Park PD to drag him away.

Maybe next time.

*

MMA RED CARPET LIVE BROADCAST WITH LEE MINHO: BANG CHAN

@freezeMafiaAU: I think I had the same reaction as minho when chan showed up with that blond hair because what the fuck

@JYPSplasticpantslover: Guys do you think he actually meant it when he asked him out and minho didn’t realize it because he thought he was just like on script or something im going to lose my mind

@iamPudding: NOT THEM AGAIN UGH MY ALGORITHM WANTS ME TO SUFFER I JUST NEED THEM TOGETHER I CANT STAND SEEING THEM SKIRTING AROUND EACH OTHER NOW JUST KISS

@itsaSecretsecret: The blond hair is doing things and I don’t know if I appreciate it

            @oddinarily: @itsaSecretsecret You and minho both, did you see that fancam of him when chan first came up

            @itsaSecretsecret: @oddinarily WHAT WHERE IS IT

            @oddinarily:@itsaSecretsecret Here bestie, enjoy

            @24TWO25: @itsaSecretsecret Bro was speechless

            @oddinarily: @24TWO25 Oh he’s gone gone

            @itsaSecretsecret: @oddinarily I’m crying real tears

@whereThereisAwillThereisAnIam: Omg his ears were so red you couldn’t quite see on the main broadcast becase the camera was focused on the guests only

@maratee: The chemistry was literally on fire the tension was so thick guys wtf not only did I feel like a thirdwheel I felt like a voyeour like what

@Divingoffthedeepend: LMAO I KNOW ITS NOT RELATD TO THIS VIDEO BUT I LOVE HOW THE CAMERAMAN FOUND BANG CHAN’S SITTING SPOT WHEN MINHO WENT UP TO ANNOUNCE THE NEXT ACT CAMERAMAN KNOWS WHATS UP

            @CCB_TV: @Divingoffthedeepend Chan’s whole face was red too like bro knew exactly why

@Ohtapemix: I loved that moment when minho sort of stared at the NCTizens in the front as though asking THEM what was going on

            @neoncitygreen: @Ohtapemix The wrong ppl to ask lbr

@hallucinatingtickets: If I had been in that crowd I would not have survived witnessing that yo uguys

@wolfbit: GUYS THEY BOTH UPLOADED A SUPER RARE SELFIE ON THEIR INSTAGRAM PAGES DO YOU THINK THEY’RE FLIRTIG THEY’RE FLIRTING AREN’T THEY THEY’RE TOTALLY BAITING EACH OTHER BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME BOTH OF THEM HAVE POSTED SOMETHING THAT WASN’T AN OBLIGATORY POST ON EITHER OF THEIR COMPANY’S SOCMED ACCOUNTS AFTER AN AWWARD SHOW

            @itscheesyinhere: @wolfbit I think you’re on to something and I like it

            @isitcoldordamp: @wolfbit I wont lie those photos really looked a bit like thirst traps if you ask me

            @violethaze4031: @wolfbit I don’t get it can someone explain to me

@muddiedwaters: If we pretend nothing has happened then maybe things will just manifest, like lets not scare this sacred occurence we’ve had the fortune of witnessing so far

            @okamichan: @muddiedwaters Youre right, like who and what is minchan idk

Sequel II

Being an adult meant being extremely familiar with the layout of your supermarket and being unreasonably upset over things being moved. Especially when things didn’t make sense.

So it’s twice as disconcerting when you go to a different supermarket of the same chain and it has a wildly different layout that honestly made no sense. Because why was Minho finding himself in the laundry detergent section right behind the oil and condiment section. He sort of figures out where he needs to go next, he now sees that his mother had made the list in accordance to the layout of the store but he had just gone ahead without realizing the layout in here would be different.

He needed to pick up a marinating sauce from here, and then move down the aisles to get some dried goods. He contemplates between two sauces, both the same company and seemingly the same but not exactly matching the one his mother had written out for him when a trolley comes around and Minho, still looking at the sauce, planning on taking a photo to ask him mother which one he should get or just get both he hears a very familiar voice call his name.

‘Minho-shii?’

Minho looks up from the bottle he was holding and-

‘Oh-,’ Minho’s eyes widen, ‘Bang Chan-shii!’

‘Minho,’ Chan gapes at him for a moment before he breaks out into the most delighted smile anyone has ever had upon seeing him, ‘Hi, oh wow, so weird running into you here!’

‘Um- yeah,’ Minho agrees, wildly wondering if he somehow got roped into a hidden camera show, ‘You- do you live around here?’

‘Yeah,’ Chan replies with a nod before he frowns a little, ‘Uh, I’m guessing you don’t?’

‘I don’t,’ Minho nods in confirmation, ‘My parents live nearby.’

‘Ah,’ Chan nods and for a fraction of a second it’s awkward.

Chan’s dressed in an oversized parka over what appeared to very much be home clothes; just a hoodie and sweats, a beanie pulled over his hair. Minho himself wasn’t dressed up particularly either- in fact he’s very dressed down in his dad’s coat over his home clothes too. His parents place was literally 5 minutes away and he’s just wearing crocs.

This was not how he would want anyone to see him, let alone Bang Chan.

Because after that night at the music award show, a very palpable tension between them that ultimately lead nowhere, Minho was sort of expecting Chan to maybe reach out to him.

He doesn’t.

Technically Minho himself could. He doesn’t think Chan would mind in the slightest.

However this was just around 2 weeks ago and neither of them had reached out even though Jeongin did ask him if he should contact Chan’s manager.

Minho had concluded that maybe, unfortunately, that was it.

He had to agree that they had really good chemistry- it was very easy talking to Chan, and it was fun hearing him talk too. They both had a lot of similarities but also had unique perspectives and in many ways Minho felt like they both somehow seemed to be in balance with each other.

Minho won’t lie, he did watch Chan’s other interviews. And he wasn’t being biased or anything but Chan did seem much more comfortable with him, more inclined to laugh, more inclined to just stare at him. He had seen a comment about how Chan barely ever looked away from him and that while that was normal considering he was being interviewed, it had been rather noticeable.

When he looks at Chan now, he knows- he knows Chan’s thinking the same.

Minho has no idea how to move on from that because it did sort of feel like missed opportunity. And he has no idea if that had all sort of been leading up to a point as a result of well, a high of the events, adrenaline, being caught up in the whole motion of things so to speak- it wouldn’t be the first time for Minho, he’s been asked out, putting it mildly, a few times by people he’s interviewed in these sort of events in the past and they normally just sort of fizzled out after moving out of the glamourous occasion.

‘You’re visiting?’ Chan asks, looking at his cart briefly.

‘Yeah,’ Minho nods, ‘My place has been compromised actually- some sort of issue with the plumbing so we don’t have water in like, half of the building.’

‘Oh, yikes,’ Chan winces, ‘Do you at least have like, an estimated time of how long that’ll be?’

‘2 more days- so I’m basically doing groceries for my stay,’ Minho huffs in amusement, waving his list a little.

‘And your cats,’ Chan grins, nodding at the bag of cat food.

‘Exactly,’ Minho nods, ‘Grocery run for you too?’

‘Yes, trying not to rely too much on take away even though it’s easier honestly.’

Minho hums in understanding.

There’s a short pause and Chan looks down, smiling a little, making to step away when Minho finds himself saying, ‘You know this store right? The layout?’

‘Yeah,’ Chan nods at once, a sort of hopefulness in his eyes.

‘It’s nothing like the one near mine,’ Minho tells him, ‘And I’ve been through these aisles twice now, and I can’t find what my mum’s listed.’

Chan grins, ‘I’ll help you.’

Did Minho figure out the layout already? Yes. But did he also sort of want to see how things would progress with Chan in the most unglamorous location he could think of? Yes.

Chan picks up his items too as they stroll through the aisles together. Minho asks him what he’s been up to and Chan tells him he’s working on an album for idol group but would only start actually working on it next month as they were still going through finalizing their concepts and ideas. Chan asks Minho in turn and as they were currently on a bit of a break for Chicken Shop Date, Minho was also taking a sort of short holiday.

The shopping takes longer than it would have taken him had he just gone about by himself, but what was the fun in that when he can make fun of Chan’s spice intolerance and Chan points to the toy section they walk past (for no good reason) and asks him if he needs the arm floaties.

They also spend way too much time in front of the protein drink section discussing their own personal favourites as well as horrible ones they’ve both had the misfortune of experiencing.

They both run out of things to buy at the store and a few store assistants were now giving them weird looks because they’ve sort of gone through all the aisles 3 times by now.

They go to make their payments, using counters next to each other. They both finish around the same time and come together past the counters with their reusable shopping bags in their hands.

‘Which way do you live? Well, your parents,’ Chan asks as they slowly head for the doors.

‘Down the street to the right,’ Minho explains.

‘Ah, I’m this way,’ Chan nods towards the left, up the street.

They both stop once they leave the market, sort of just pausing for a moment but Minho doesn’t know what to say anymore. Maybe this was it. He knows he enjoyed this unexpected market meet up, and as usual talking to Chan was very enjoyable and he feels that connection here too, that spark of something.

But now he’s not too sure if Chan might feel that way too.

‘Better get going then,’ Minho smiles, ‘Thanks for showing me around Chan-shii.’

‘I- yeah,’ Chan smiles with a nod, ‘Couldn’t have you getting lost in there.’

Minho chuckles and with a small bow of his head he turns, feeling that same dejection and regret from the night of that music show but somehow it’s worse and-

‘Minho-shii!’

Minho turns around so quickly he hits himself with the reusable bags as Chan jogs towards him, expression determined, a little hesitant, but mostly determined.  

‘Minho-shii, I uh-I did mean it by the way.’ He tells him, breath white in the dimming evening light.

‘Mean- mean what?’ Minho asks, somewhat scrambling to remember what they just talked about.

‘About cooking for you,’ Chan clarifies.

If Minho’s heart could beat any faster it would.

‘Um, you can absolutely say no, I won’t- I won’t like, take it bad or anything, truly- but uh, if you’re okay with it and uh, you don’t have any plans, I could cook for you. Dinner.’ Chan sort of shuffles side to side, probably not realizing he was doing it.

‘-oh. Oh, tonight?’ is all Minho can say.

Chan looks like he’s close to panicking, ‘Um- tonight if you’re free, or tomorrow too, I uh, as you know, I’m not on any schedule right now, I mean I understand if you don’t have time-.’

‘-yeah okay.’

Chan doesn’t blink, staring at him for a few solid seconds before asking, ‘Tonight?’

‘Yeah,’ Minho nods, heart really racing here, a sort of delight spreading through him.

‘Oh.’

Chan breaks out into that pleased wide grin that really deepens his dimples, eyes turning into crescents.

‘Yeah, okay- um, wow- uh wait do you have any allergies?’

‘No,’ Minho chuckles, ‘No allergies.’

‘Okay okay- cool, um- can I have your number so I can text you the location-?’

Minho nods, chuckling as he puts one bag down and takes his phone out and unlocks it before handing it to Chan, ‘You can call yourself.’

‘Okay um- I’ll be done cooking by 7 but you can come earlier if you want,’ Chan tells him as he hands him his phone back, his contact created with the chicken drumstick emoji next to his name.

‘Ooh, and watch you cook?’ Minho grins.

‘I-,’ Chan’s face flushes briefly with colour, ‘You can come do that too, it won’t be impressive or anything.’

‘I’ll be the judge of that,’ Minho tells him in an intentionally haughty tone, making Chan laugh. ‘Should I bring anything-?’

‘No no- I mean, if you want to bring yourself a drink or something then yeah, but uh, no need, I said I’d cook for you, so um. Yeah.’

Minho chuckles, his ears were definitely rosy, ‘Okay.’

‘Do you like ice-cream?’

‘In this weather? Absolutely. Do not serve mint-choco I will leave.’ Minho warns him, picking up his other bag.

‘I’ll do that if I have reason to kick you out,’ Chan grins, walking backwards, smile never leaving his lip. ‘See you later Minho-shii.’

‘Bang Chan-shii,’ Minho bows his head in mock formality.

When he gets home he helps his mother put away the groceries as his father prepared the vegetables for their dinner.

‘I’m going to eat out with a friend,’ Minho informs his parents.

‘Will you be late? Do you want a key?’ his mum asks at once.

‘No- just for dinner,’ Minho replies, ‘I’ll be back before bedtime.’

He didn’t bring a lot of clothes with him- he was just spending a couple of days here at his parents place so there was no need for him to dress “nice”. But this was definitely a date.

At least some form of date.

Right?

He had to look nice. Or at least some sort of nice.

But Minho doesn’t have a lot of options so the best he can do is be clean, smell nice, style his hair, and kiss his cats for luck.

Chan lived maybe 15 minutes on foot from his parents place which was a bit surprising. Minho expected Chan to live in a much more glamourous location- no doubt his agency would be more than willing to set him up in a snazzy part of the city, close to all of the music labels. But Chan was living in a rather middle-class residential area. Minho didn’t live in a particularly expensive part of the city either but it was close to his agency’s office mostly for the sake of considering traffic conditions and the like.

The walk helps him with his nerves a bit because here he was, nervous about all of this.

It was actually really happening.

The security in Chan’s building was definitely better than his parent’s place as Chan had to first clear him before security opened the door to let him in, a faint look of recognition in the security guard’s eyes as he thanks him politely.

Chan is waiting for him at the elevator when he makes his way up to his floor.

‘Hi.’

‘Hi.’

They both sort of wheeze at their awkwardness. It wasn’t bad or uncomfortable, just somehow nerve-wracking, a little laced with anticipation, a bit of eager hope, a whole lot of butterflies now that Minho is standing in front of him.

Chan’s changed as well, clearly more put together than his outfit from the supermarket, definitely dressing for the occasion but also definitely not trying to overdo what was clearly meant to be a casual dinner.

But he looks good.

His head was no longer covered with a beanie and it’s still blond but not as crisp as the first time he saw it. The roots had grown out a bit but it didn’t look bad, and it was styled down but clearly somewhat hastily pushed back probably while he was cooking.

‘I didn’t bring anything.’ Minho declares.

Chan laughs, gesturing down the hallway with his arm and they start walking.

‘Good- I have dinner nearly ready, and there’s ice-cream in the fridge for dessert.’

‘What flavour?’

‘Double chocolate with chips.’

‘Safe selection, but always appreciated.’ Minho says pedantically.

‘That’s what I thought too,’ Chan grins before pausing at a door, ‘Please make yourself comfortable.’

It’s a nice space. A little bigger than his parents flat. It’s also not decorated in that cliché bachelor pad way nor is it the sort of standard beige/grey interior but genuinely an amalgamation of things Chan most probably personally bought and set up. It’s by no means a highly decorated space but it’s comfortable and definitely lived in.

‘It smells great,’ Minho tells him as he takes off his shoes and slips into the slippers Chan has already set out for him.

‘Ah, I hope it tastes as good as it smells then,’ Chan chuckles, ‘It’s nothing fancy-.’

‘-oh no,’ Minho bemoans tragically. 'What will I do now!'

Chan laughs delightedly at that before saying as he gestures to his apartment, ‘Please make yourself comfortable. Can I get you something to drink?’

‘What do you have?’

‘Uh-,’ Chan goes to his fridge and opens it, ‘Zero sugar option for nearly everything, beer, soju, cold-pressed juice, a protein shake?’

Minho snorts, ‘I’ll just have some water- not cold.’

Chan gets him a bottle and he takes a seat at the dining table which seated 4.

‘Are you usually this clean or did you sort things out because you knew you were gonna have guests?’ Minho asks in amusement.

‘It’s always surprising to people that a single man living by himself could possibly be clean,’ Chan wheezes as he checks on the pot that was simmer before getting him a glass. ‘But I like to believe I’m tidy- I don't like clutter around me much.’

‘Considering I’ve seen the absolute mess that some single men call their flats consider me pleasantly surprised.’ Minho says darkly, ‘My PA’s flat has never seen a vacuum I think.’

‘When I invested in a Roomba I felt my life shift gears,’ Chan tells him with comic seriousness before asking, ‘Is it tough with 3 cats?’

‘At first yes,’ Minho tells him, ‘But it’s been like 7 years now with all 3 of them, I’ve got it pretty under control I think. But if I have somehow shed cat fur around your furniture, let me know so I can send you lint rollers in apology.’

Honestly it was more like you had to keep clean with cats because they were just out and about doing whatever they wanted and if something important broke or was bitten or scratched it was ultimately your fault so Minho has come to embrace a much more minimal approach to his own home.

Chan giggles at that.

‘Can I help in any way?’ Minho asks as Chan switches off the heat on one of the burners.

‘No no,’ Chan replies predictably, ‘I thought you were here to watch me cook.’

‘You’re right, just give me a moment-!’

Minho gets up and walks over and stares point blank at Chan about a foot away.

With an embarrassed yelp Chan gently shoves him away, face turning red.

‘I’m just doing what’s expected of me!’ Minho laughs.

‘Why are you standing close enough to be a fire hazard-?’

‘-because I’m hot-?’

Chan has him sit down and tells him to select music for background noise, clearly just to give him something to do and not distract him.

‘Can I still stare but from a respectable distance,’ Minho grins.

‘I- yeah, I guess so,’ Chan sighs out but he’s clearly trying not to smile.

Minho finds a random lo-fi playlist and after connecting successfully to Chan’s Bluetooth sound system gets up once more.

‘2 meters please!’ Chan says at once, eyeing him suspiciously.

So Minho does exactly that, standing politely at a distance as Chan’s face goes more red.

‘Should I bring out the choco-mint ice-cream?’ he threatens as he switches off the last burner.

‘You wouldn’t,’ Minho gasps dramatically.

‘Yeah,’ Chan chuckles, looking over at him, ‘I wouldn’t.’

It’s Minho’s turn to go a bit red but Chan employs him once more to just take out the utensils as he picks up pot and heads to the dining table. Chan asks him if he likes the blue dishes or the mossy-green ones and Minho picks the blue ones and they’re ready to eat.

‘I adjusted the salt to uh, my preference, but there’s more here if you want to add a bit more,’ Chan tells him, pushing the salt shaker towards him before he starts serving.

‘This really does look nice Chan-shii,’ Minho tells him.

‘Hyung- call me hyung,’ Chan tells him.

‘I feel like you’re a bit too eager for that so I won’t. Just yet,’ Minho grins.

‘Gotta earn it?’ Chan asks as he hands him his bowl of rice.

‘I dunno, might surprise you.’

Jeongin once told him that his flirting style sometimes came off a bit hostile and maybe a bit mean- it’s that exaggerated version that honestly got him his fame through Chicken Shop Date. And Minho knows that a lot of people sometimes were a bit put off and even offended sometimes by that. But Chan? The man seemed to revel in their flirting rapport, reacting to Minho’s potentially mean flirting with something akin to fondness which isn’t a reaction Minho got a lot.

‘All right then, let me know what you think Minho-shii.’

‘Oh, you don’t have to be formal with me,’ Minho tells him.

‘Yeah?’ Chan grins, ‘Okay Minho-yah.’

‘Actually, I take it back.’

‘You know, my manager asked me if he should ask your manager for your number,’ Chan tells him sheepishly once he’s done sorting out the food between them.

‘What?’ Minho laughs.

‘Yeah- uh, but I said that I wanted to try myself first.’

‘Oh yeah? What was your game plan?’ Minho asks interestedly.

‘Um, considering there were no more award shows and I kinda lost my chance during the Chicken Shop Date, I was somewhat manifesting it,’ Chan tells him with an embarrassed smile, ‘I thought of messaging you on Instagram, but you don’t follow me and only people you follow can message you.’

‘I don’t plan on changing that.’

‘Following me or changing your privacy settings?’

‘Yes.’

Chan chuckles, putting his chopsticks down so he could lean back and he just looks at him, that fondness in his eyes sparkling again.

‘Eat your food Bang Chan-shii,’ Minho tells him, not looking up from his bowl.

Dinner is good. Chan clearly put a lot of effort into the dishes and Minho lets him know he appreciates it.

It’s comfortable with Chan and Minho finds himself also crossing his legs on the chair, enthusiastically telling him about some unimportant detail related to something he won’t be able to really recall, and how they had a hilariously heated debate about foam pillows.

They’re just poking around their empty ice-cream bowls when Minho’s phone hums and he realizes it’s his mother who’s texted him. And that’s when he realizes it’s nearly 10 and definitely about to be the time his parents went to bed.

He had completely lost track of time.

‘I’ll walk you back,’ Chan tells him at once when Minho says he should get going.

‘Oh, you don’t have to,’ Minho replies at once mostly out of politeness. 

‘Mostly for digestion,’ Chan teases, taking his bowl as they stand up.

‘I suppose that is important.’

Very gentlemanlike, Chan helps him with his jacket and Minho does the same to him, causing him to giggle, exaggerating his movements a little and giving him a smile that Minho tries not to find too endearing.

Chan tells him in hushed tones about how there was a rumor about how one of the flats on the floor below his was supposed to be haunted and Minho tells him they need to go now and investigate, reaching for the elevator buttons.

‘I genuinely don’t know if you’re kidding or just joking,’ Chan says, bodily blocking the elevator panel.

‘I am a multi-faceted man,’ Minho tells him morosely. ‘Keeps you on your toes. Though I mean, I am taller-.’

‘-not by much!’ Chan says at once, ‘Honestly, negligible difference.’

‘That’s exactly what the shorter person always says,’ Minho scoffs haughtily.

It’s predictably very cold out and Minho does his best to stay snug in his thick coat, half his face covered with his scarf that Chan had very carefully adjusted for him and Minho totally didn’t blush at that.

‘You sure this cold was worth the digestion?’

‘I couldn’t let you be the only one getting all of this benefit from the cold? Isn’t there that new craze about like, cold plunges?’ Chan asks.

Minho snorts, reaching out to jab Chan’s arm with his elbow, causing the man to skip a little, wheezing.

‘I like walks, though Seungmin tells me I shouldn’t do them so late because he doesn’t want to wake up in the middle of the night to hear that I was in some late night robbery or assault.’

‘Seungmin-shii has a point.’

‘Don’t tell him that.’

‘I will immediately tell him that, what’s his number, I’ll call him right now.’

‘Hey! I promised to keep your free-chicken motivation a secret! You have to keep this one!’

‘I think this is blackmail but yeah sure,’ Minho sighs dramatically, reaching out his ungloved hand (very brave of him actually), extending his pinky out.

‘Minho-!’ Chan gasps, taking his hand in his quickly and shoving their hands into his pocket. ‘It’s cold-!’

‘-you’re not wearing gloves either,’ Minho points out, trying not to think much about how nice this felt, their arms now pressed up.

‘I always run a bit hot.’

‘Oh I bet you do.’

Chan squeaks out a funny sound, squeezing his hand gently.

Minho’s hand is in Chan’s hand, in his pocket, until they reach his parent’s complex.

‘Thanks for walking me,’ Minho tells him, taking his hand away gently and pocketing it to save all of the warmth.

‘It was for digesting,’ Chan teases.

‘Ah right, I forgot,’ Minho chuckles before adding, ‘Thank you for dinner, it was really good, I mean it.’

‘Hehe,’ Chan looks like he’s squirming a little, ‘Thank you for agreeing to come even though it was all kinda out of nowhere.’

This was definitely just more than luck or chance, if Minho is being honesty. He’s about to say that he would cook for them next time when Chan speaks up again.

‘Can I take you out for proper dinner some time?’

It’s suddenly too warm and Minho is fighting a smile.

‘Oh yeah? A proper date? Will you show up in a 3-piece suit?’

‘I can take you to a place that would require us to wear a 3-piece suit if you want?’

Minho doesn’t doubt it.

‘No, no need for anything super fancy.’

‘So, can I ask you out on a third date?’ Chan grins.

‘Yeah I guess so.’

Chan looks down to laugh a little.

‘Great.’

‘Great.’

‘Are you free this coming Friday?’

‘Yeah I think so,’ Minho nods, knowing full well he was very free this coming Friday.

‘Okay, I’ll come pick you up, if that’s okay with you?’

‘Hmm,’ Minho rocks a little on the balls of his feet, ‘I’ll have to think about that. Text me the details?’

‘Of course.’

‘I look forward to it, might add you to my Calendar,’ Minho can’t keep up the act anymore, wheezing the last few words.

‘I’m incredibly honoured.’

‘You should be.’

Chan grins as he walks backwards, looking so unnecessarily attractive in his oversized jacket, windswept hair, hands in his pockets.

‘Watch where you’re going,’ Minho tells him.

‘I like the view better like this,’ Chan winks.

‘Oh my god,’ Minho turns around and heads up the steps to the building doors.

‘Goodnight Minho-yah!’ Chan calls, smile evident in his voice.

‘Goodnight Bang Chan-shii!’

Sequel III

Chan doesn’t necessarily think he’s a romantic in any one specific way. He also doesn’t think he’s particularly a strictly practical thinker, but he can’t help but feel that there was a lot that happened to bring him to this point, and most of it he had nothing to do with personally.

His and Minho’s paths seem to cross at so random at first, and then continuously, over and over again like the universe was just bringing them together.

It was when he met Minho at the supermarket near his apartment that really sort of fully closed the deal for him. And it was what drove him to ask Minho to dinner.

It was a big risk- he could have just asked for his number, it would have been a simpler and safer method for sure. But Chan wanted Minho to know- and in turn check to see if maybe, maybe, Minho would want to take this step with him.

Because Chan can’t deny the connection they had, magnetic almost.

And then Minho said yes.

And boy was he going to do everything to make sure that they would both explore this connection and well, basically see where things would go.

And he really really wants to see where things would go, and he really really hopes it goes somewhere good, somewhere he can get to know Minho more, learn more about him, laugh with him, cook with him, for him, fail hopelessly in predicting what he’ll say next, figure out what made him blush because it looked so pretty on him; Chan really wants to know more about him and he hopes Minho feels the same too.

He’s never really felt this strongly about wanting to know someone more- sure there’s moments of brief attraction every now and then when meeting with new people but Chan’s never actively felt the desire to pursue something, someone like this.

He just really wants to know more about Minho and he hopes he’ll let him.

He dresses up very nicely for the date. Minho had texted him his address and Chan’s not about to be late or look bad. He briefly wondered asking his very nice stylist for some tips but Seungmin would definitely hear word of it and he doesn’t want that. Not just yet.

The restaurant he was taking him to had much more nicer tables that offered some level of privacy without it being weird. It was a fine-dining restaurant but not to the point where you were completely lost looking at the menu. Chan does not want to have to Google half of the menu to know what was being served.

They would be indoors most of the time, it was genuinely too cold for going on a post-dinner stroll and it would very crowded and also Chan has to contend with the fact that they were both famous, Minho more so recognizable and he doesn’t want to cause problems for him.

He’s not in a 3-piece suit but he does occasionally dress well and so he does exactly that.

He had recently touched up his roots because he still can’t get the way Minho looked at him when he first saw him with his blond hair out of his mind. So sue him for wanting to continue to appeal himself to the man of his increasing affection.

They obviously got to messaging each other. And Minho is hilarious over text. They don’t overdo the texting, neither of them spamming updates or questions and Chan really doesn’t know if he’s just seeing all of this with rose-tinted glasses but Minho was genuinely so funny, he can sometimes hear his intentionally bland tone in some words, or Chan’s favourite slightly snarky teasing tone.

The traffic conditions are thankfully good so far, and Chan makes it to Minho’s address with some minutes to spare. He messages him to let him know he was there, telling the security guard he was here to pick up someone before he drives up the driveway. He only has to wait a couple of minutes before Minho appears, wrapped up in an elegant and subtly stylish coat with a very soft and warm looking scarf around his neck.

He’s already smiling as he walks to his car, and so is Chan.

‘Bang Chan-shii,’ he says as he gets in, smelling very nice but not overwhelmingly. ‘Nice to see you here.’

‘Indeed, what are the chances,’ Chan chuckles.

Minho laughs, putting his seatbelt on, ‘All right I’m ready to go eat.’

Chan had let Minho know in advance where they were going and Minho had been quite pleased with his selection because he’d been there before and enjoyed their food. So Chan can rest easy that at least in terms of food they were definitely covered.

‘I already know what I’m going to eat,’ Minho tells him as they drive out, ‘I’ve been dreaming of sea bass for days now.’

‘If that’s the case, isn’t it like, a lucky sign, dreaming of fish?’

‘Are you trying to imply that you’re lucky?’

‘I mean, considering I’m taking you out to dinner I’d say I am-!’ Chan breaks out into laughter as Minho groans loudly at his intentionally cheesy remark, arms flailing as safely as they could inside the car. ‘I’m sorry! Too good an opportunity to pass up!’

‘I knew you were going there the moment I said it,’ Minho sighs out, ‘Maybe you should host Chicken Shop Dates from now on, damn.’

‘Is there an audition? Maybe I’ll try.’

‘Oh, I’m blacklisting you at once,’ Minho threatens him in his mischievous tone that really tickled him.

They get to the location and having already made his booking there’s a parking spot ready for him too at the back, covered in wide awning so his car was protected from any potential snow that was supposed to fall any day now.

They make their way inside and Chan gives his reservation details and they’re shown to their table and chairs near a nice window that had a view of the garden outside, past which they could make out city lights. It’s a very charming location and while definitely offering privacy, not completely isolated.

Chan quickly removes his coat (absolutely aware of how Minho’s gaze tracks down his being, head to toe) and of course goes to remove Minho’s coat for him, which makes him chuckle, lowering his arms so that Chan could slide the coat off. He’s not expecting so much neck when Minho unfurls his scarf.

Chan finds himself sort of speechless as he looks him over and Minho is clearly expecting this reaction, has clearly dressed to provoke a reaction like that, but he pretends he doesn’t notice, instead making small needless adjustments before sitting down.

Chan goes to sit and their server brings the menu over. Minho clearly already went through their menu, ordering his main meal, appetizer, barely looking at the menu. Chan sort of already knows what he’s going to order so he’s quick to order as well.

‘You look-.’

‘Respectfully looking, you look great,’ Minho says in a comically deadpan tone.

Did he intentionally choose this turtle-neck sweater not just because it actually provided warmth but it also accentuated his shoulders and arms? Absolutely.

Chan smiles, pulling up his sleeves not because he had to but he’s been told he has nice forearms and he’s about to put them to good use. He even accessorized with some nice bracelets.

‘Thank you, you do too. Really nice, respectfully, of course.’

Minho’s eyes track his movement, one eyebrow going up just a little before he smiles too, meeting his eyes and maintaining the contact before he runs his hand through his perfect hair, leaning back at an elegant angle that would be haughty on others but it just screams sensual elegance on Minho, elongating his unfairly smooth and long neck, collarbones on full display accentuated by the simple chain and locket.

Chan is very suddenly reminded that Minho is a model, he still was, and of course he would not only meet Chan head on but most likely out maneuver him and Chan is more than happy to watch him do it.

They both burst out into laughter, so aware of each other’s moves and intentions behind it.

‘Thanks for reminding me you’re an international model,’ Chan groans into his hands.

‘And thank you for reminding me you’re a gym-rat,’ Minho chuckles as he sits back normally, eyes twinkling with mirth.

As Chan was driving he doesn’t drink and Minho seems to choose to do the same out of politeness, his mocktail set down before him.

Minho asks him about his bracelets and they easily slip into conversation.

Chan sort of intentionally chose a more fine-dining setting because he knew it took time to prepare the food and it usually came in an order as well, giving them time to talk. This was a date, and he wants time to be able to talk and get to know Minho more, just look at him for longer in this lighting, framed by deep sea-green curtains behind him, the thin chain and locket around his neck catching the lights each time he moved.

When their appetizers are delivered Chan realizes that once again he sort of loses track of time. He also realizes he’s leaning against the table, chin on his hand, just focused on Minho as he told him about his weirdest encounters while hiking, which was something he really enjoyed doing.

If Seungmin were there he’d probably give him a look of disdain and disappointment.

‘This is so good,’ Minho hums, gesturing to his dish, ‘Fancy food that actually tastes good and substantial? Unbelievable.’

Chan laughs, knowing exactly what Minho meant.

‘I once went to this very fancy restaurant when I was in France,’ Minho tells him, ‘This was years ago, and I still don’t know if what I got was like, the actual proportion or if somehow, because well, it had been a sponsored dining event hosted by a fashion house, but I literally waited 30 minutes for a plate larger than this, and on it a smear of sauce, 3 onion rings, 5 flowers, a blob of some sort of paste, and one mussel.’

‘What?!’

‘That’s exactly what I was thinking!’ Minho exclaims, still affronted by this years in the future. ‘What a joke- I went back to my hotel room and ordered three steaks.’

Chan wheezes before he cuts a portion of his own dish.

‘Try mine, it’s really good too.’

‘If you try and feed me I will stab you with this fork,’ Minho threatens him and it’s only mildly alarming and mostly endearing. And it clearly showed in his expression because Minho follows it up with it, ‘Why do you look like you thought that was cute- I just threatened to stab you in public.’

‘I dunno,’ Chan replies honestly before he thinks of something that makes him hesitate, ‘Oh, do you not like uh, being called cute because-.’

‘-no,’ Minho replies at once, ‘I never said that.’

Chan just smiles at him and Minho points at him with his fork again as though reminding him of his threat before reaching over to taste the piece he put to the side for him.

Minho cuts him a piece from his own plate too and lets him taste his selection and smiles when Chan nods in agreement.

Chan comes to find that Minho liked to occasionally go out to eat fine dining mostly as a way to discover something new. He also liked going to random new places just to taste and see what specialty they offered. But more often than not Minho liked eating simple hearty meals and when he had the time, genuinely liked to cook for himself, picking up recipes he found interesting.

‘Baking is a little scary to me,’ Minho tells him as their main course is set before them.

‘How come?’

‘Cooking is like, you can wing it- you can make adjustments to what you like to an extent,’ Minho explains, ‘Like you could completely skip out one ingredient if you want, or add a whole new one. But baking? You get one milligram of something wrong next thing you know you’re on a heap on the floor questioning your self worth.’

‘I-…is it that extreme?’

‘It was very natural to me at that time, but looking back at it now, I suppose I might have been a bit dramatic.’

‘I’ll take your word for it, I’ve never tried baking and now I guess I’m not going to try even more.’

‘You don’t need to bake, you’re sweet enough,’ Minho grins, giving him an extraordinarily bad wink.

‘Minho-shii, please, control yourself,’ Chan tells him, suppressing his laugh.

‘My apologies Bang Chan-shii.’

For dessert they both decide on the tiramisu and both secretly agree it was a bit too sweet but overall fine. They stay and talk for so long that Chan doesn’t realize that the restaurant was starting to get ready to close, literally just them remaining now.

They both realize at the same time and sort of chuckle sheepishly, getting up quickly and gathering their things.

Chan helps him with his coat and takes his scarf too, not attempting to mask his smile or awareness of how Minho’s ears were steadily getting rosier, the man himself intentionally not looking at him.

‘You’re cute,’ he tells him.

Minho flaps a hand at him, waving him away though he doesn’t move away.

‘I was hoping for hot but-.’

‘-literally? The ears I suppose so-.’

Minho swiftly jabs him at his ribs and Chan only just manages to catch his hand as he steps away, squeezing it gently before letting go.

If Chan takes a longer route for the sake of “lesser traffic conditions” Minho doesn’t point it out, instead just continuing their conversation lightly, now Minho telling him in earnest about that one time he had oysters and the food poisoning from it literally traumatized him so now the very idea of it makes him want to cry. Chan has had sea-food related food poisoning before and he absolutely agrees that it was at a different level of trauma for sure.

He slowly pulls up the driveway up to Minho’s complex. Before he even has the chance of getting a word in Minho turns to him abruptly.

‘You wanna come see my cats?’ he asks, expression blank.

They look at each other for 3 whole seconds before Chan breaks out into fits of wheezes.

‘I didn’t mean it like that!’ Minho reaching to the side to slap his chest before he laughs, ‘Fine, goodnight or whatever-!’

‘I wanna meet them!’ Chan says hurriedly with a short laugh, ‘I was just teasing.’

‘Good,’ Minho says while he narrows his eyes at him threateningly, ‘No funny ideas Bang Chan-shii.’

Parking his car in the building’s allotted space for visitors Minho leads Chan up to his apartment, giving him a quick explanation on how to approach the cats for maximum possibility of them not immediately running away from him or scratching him.

Chan is hell-bent on remembering all of his instructions and suggestions; he knows pet owners always had the tendency of basing their own judgment of you on their pets reaction to you.

He needs these cats to like him or at least not immediately run away from him.

Even though he’s never had a cat before, he has friends who have cats and he’s been around them before. He knows they’re very much not like dogs, and could not be treated like dogs, and had to, weirdly enough, be ignored and allow them to come to you.

His understanding of cats falls in line with what Minho tells him as they walk out of the elevator lobby and into one of the hallways.

‘All right, ready to meet my masters?’

‘Honestly this is going to be the highlight of my night,’ Chan tells him.

Minho looks extremely pleased at his answer.

Nothing dramatic happens.

Out of the cats, only 2 come approach them, meowing softly at Minho and sort of appraising him cautiously but at least no one hisses or jumps away from him.

He hangs up his coat and scarf as well and Minho hands him some indoor slippers, one side of the pair having clearly been through one of the cats judging by how frayed it was.

‘Wanna come to me?’ Minho asks softly, as the cat Chan recognizes as Doongie rubs himself on Minho’s legs as he removes his coat and Chan is reminded once more how pretty Minho’s neck was. Doongie meows up at Minho and he scoops him up in to his arms and Chan has the urge to snap a photo.

‘Look, this is Bang Chan, he’s an Oscar nominated music composer, which means nothing to you right?’

Doongie just nudges his face against Minho’s in response.

Chan’s about to laugh when he feels a small form brush up near his feet.

‘Oh-,’ Chan looks down at Dori, the grey and white cat, who was now looking at him and clearly inspecting him, ‘Hi Dori.’

Minho goes to his kitchen and takes out something that makes all of the cats immediately look over at him, clearly knowing where the snack drawer was and gives him those small packets of paste cats seemed obsessed over.

‘I’ve been restricting their diet a bit- they normally gain a lot of weight any time we’re over at my parents,’ Minho informs him, ‘But I guess you can be the exception and feed them a little.’

Chan is practically vibrating as he takes the packet from Minho.

He goes and sits down on the rug on the living room floor where a very nice cat-tree was set up, and Soonie watches him with interest.

‘Just squeeze out a little, no need to extend your hand out, they’ll come to you, these greedy little gremlins.’ Minho chuckles, placing Doongie down who immediately comes to him as Dori sniffs him more enthusiastically.

‘Hi guys,’ Chan grins at them, approaching him cautiously but also motivated by the cat-treat. ‘I’m Bang Chan, you can call me hyung, or do I have to earn that too?’

‘Obviously,’ Minho snorts before saying, ‘I’m going to change, do you want to borrow something or-?’

‘I’m good,’ Chan replies, glancing up from the cats, ‘I’m very very comfortable right here like this.’

Minho laughs.

Soonie makes his way down, watching him from the edge of the rug as Chan manages to get both cats somewhat on his lap, taking turns on the treat. With his free hand he manages to gently pet the two cats and neither of them brush him off so Chan takes that as a massive success.

Minho comes back out in a couple of minutes in a soft and worn sweater that’s not as wide necked as his previous top but there’s a sort of intimacy in how he looked now like this, sitting back on the couch before him, legs crossed under him, wearing colourful fluffy socks.

Soonie goes to him at once as though to ask who the stranger was.

‘I don’t usually have too many people here,’ Minho tells him, ‘And Soonie’s always been the most cautious.’

‘I hope you don’t mind me Soonie-yah,’ Chan addresses the cat who was giving him the worlds most side-side eye. ‘Your dad invited me up, so you can blame him.’

‘Wow,’ Minho exclaims, shaking his head in disdain.

‘I like your place-.’

‘-you can be honest, you’re surprised it doesn’t smell like cat-piss.’

‘I-…well, yes, it doesn’t, but! It is nice.’ Chan wheezes.

It definitely had a sort of theme that’s only punctuated by the plethora of cat-related items like the cat-tree, the multiple cat-beds, floating shelves that are definitely meant for the cats, curtains adjusted to work around the cat-windows installed on the wide panes. But it’s definitely intentional, a nice warmly decorated place with no sharp corners and edges but all practical and definitely cat-approved. Minho has many plants around which surprises Chan as they don’t seem to have been attacked by the cats, flourishing nicely in their pots at random around the place.

Chan smiles to himself because he already has cat fur on his clothes.

‘Do you want something to drink? Tea?’ Minho asks as he gets up to head for the kitchen.

‘Um- yeah, though I don’t know much about tea to be honest.’

Minho chuckles, ‘Me too, but a friend of mine is really into tea and she gave me some and I’ve actually kinda come to like them, especially after eating.’

The tea smells fragrant, almost like berries and Minho added honey to it too because we’re not tea enthusiasts, we need the sweetness and Chan appreciates that. The cat-treat seems to do the trick, and Doongie and Dori are near him, inspecting him some more and even asking for pets. Soonie follows after Minho, clearly still not fully accepting him just yet.

‘Can you tell me about when you got them?’ Chan asks when Minho settles back down on the floor in front of him.

It’s so evident Minho adores his cats, very eagerly telling Chan about how nervous he’d been adopting Soonie, his oldest, and how much comfort he provided him during difficult times in his life. He even shows Chan a ring he had made with 3 small gem stones from each cat’s birth month.

It’s the cutest thing Chan has ever heard and he’s careful as he handles the ring, giving it back reverently.

Chan tries to get Soonie to come to him but the oldest cat is unswayable.

‘Come sit here,’ Minho pats the spot next to him, ‘I’ll hand him to you. Promise not to do the Simba pose, he will not appreciate it.’

‘This sounds like you’re speaking from experience.’

‘I am.’

Chan wheezes, coming to sit next to Minho, their knees touching, arms brushing.

‘Listen,’ Minho tells Soonie who actually turns to look at him as though understanding him, ‘When will you have the opportunity to have an Oscar nominated composer give you ear-rubs hm? I know you don’t care and that’s very cool of you, but you can use this in your social circle.’

Chan nearly falls sideways, wheezing at Minho’s loud whisper.

Once he’s contained himself Minho scoops Soonie into his hands and places him on his lap.

Soonie stays for exactly 5 seconds before making his way back to Minho.

‘I guess he’ll only come to me once I win an Oscar,’ Chan laughs.

‘Now that’s something you should definitely use as motivator.’

They end up facing each other, nearly mirroring each other in their pose, arm resting over the seat of the couch, supporting the side of their head. Only Minho has Soonie on his lap and Chan takes sips of his tea as they talk about everything and anything.

Chan’s telling Minho about his experience with hiking which had been for a program over on KBS where they put inexperienced people into specific scenarios as he reached over to scratch Soonie’s chin every now and then. For some reason Seungmin and his agency thought it’d be fun to have him climb mountains and Minho is doing his best not to laugh at his incredibly basic mistakes which in hindsight Chan could have definitely avoided.

‘I had the weirdest sunburn pattern from that day,’ Chan tells him despondently, ‘Like come on, I’m at an age where skin cancer is definitely growing on my list of legitimate concerns!’

‘I know exactly what you mean,’ Minho tells him seriously, ‘I think like, 2 years ago? I found an extremely random spot on my shin- here, I’ll show you.’

Minho pulls up his pant leg to show him the back of shin, ‘See that?’

Chan squints a little and spots the small mole Minho is pointing at.

‘Yeah.’

‘I never saw that before,’ Minho tells him, ‘And I remember this so clearly because I had pulled a muscle on my leg and I was on a foam roller- it’s not funny, stop laughing Bang Chan-shii.’

Chan presses his lips down hard, nodding in response because the story was coming about so chaotically.

‘So I was working my muscle on the foam and I sort of freaked out because I had never seen this mole before,’ Minho continues, ‘And it wasn’t this small either, it actually bulged out and had texture.’

‘Wait what?’ Chan frowns, looking at the mole that honestly could just be a large freckle.

‘Yeah- so I went to my dermatologist and I was mentally ready for like, a cancer diagnosis,’ Minho snorts, ‘Obviously it wasn’t- it was some form of very common benign skin lesion and I didn’t have anything to worry about.’

‘It shrunk by itself?’ Chan asks, wondering if he should now be worried his own moles though he didn’t have all that many.

‘I had it removed,’ Minho tells him seriously, ‘It kinda freaked me out in a way- like how and why did it grow out of nowhere like that you know? So this is just a small scar from that.’

‘Yeah I get it,’ Chan nods just as Doongie suddenly approaches him, looking at him with intention.

Chan looks at Minho and then at Doongie and back at Minho again who just smiles before giving him a small nod.

‘Hi,’ Chan mimics Minho and softens his voice the way he does, ‘Wanna come sit with me?’

And Doongie does, meowing quietly at him before settling on his lap.

‘Oh wow,’ Chan whispers, ‘Oh thank you buddy.’

Minho chuckles softly.

Chan’s undoubtedly covered in cat fur now but he really doesn’t mind in the slightest, Doongie is warm and purring on his lap, under his hands and Chan feels like his insides were vibrating.

‘He’s going to fall asleep on you,’ Minho chuckles.

‘Is it your bedtime already Doongie-yah-?’ Chan stops as he looks around at the clock.

It was past midnight. Chan sort of balks at the realization, time once again sort of just flying past really.

‘Oh- I should get going.’ He says, the lateness of the hour really dawning on him.

Minho looks like he also sort of jolts out of whatever quiet shared space they had been sharing, blinking rapidly before looking at the clock, his eyes widening.

‘Oh- oh no, yeah of course,’ Minho says at once.

‘Hey buddy, I’m sorry but I have to leave now,’ Chan tells Doongie who limply tolerates Chan lifting him up and placing him on the couch before getting up, Minho also getting up with him, Soonie still in his arms. Dori twists around to look at them, clearly wondering why they were moving, showing his belly to them as he stretches before getting onto his feet.

Making sure he still had everything he needed with him, Chan puts his shoes on and wears his coat as Minho stands at the edge of the entrance, Soonie still in his arms, the two other cats standing politely next to him.

‘Drive safe-,’ Minho starts to say but Chan’s distracted by how just so perfect everything appeared right now; a sort of regret filling him at having to leave.

Soonie twists a little in Minho’s arms, looking at him and Chan makes up his mind.

So he leans in and yes this was very risky in many ways, being so close to a cat who hasn’t fully accepted him but thankfully Soonie doesn’t swipe at him, instead his furry feline face wrinkling as Chan nudges his nose down his head between his ears.

‘Thanks for having me here Soonie, Doongie, and Dori, I appreciate it,’ he tells them.

And then because he was already this close, and because Minho is looking at him with a sort of expression that Chan thinks he might get away with what he wants to do he leans in bumps his nose against Minho’s too.

He hears Minho sort of inhale a soft breath, but he doesn’t move away or flinch, doesn’t push Chan off or anything.

‘Thank you for introducing me to see your kids,’ he tells him as he moves away, noting the way Minho’s lashes fluttered, the was his pretty mouth parted.

‘I- yeah,’ Minho nods, cheeks and ears getting rosy, clutching onto Soonie. ‘Thank you for dinner, tonight has- tonight’s been wonderful. I’ll cook for us next time.’

‘I can’t wait,’ Chan replies earnestly.

Waving goodbye to the cats Chan takes his leave, feeling all sorts pleased and delighted, just smiling to himself.

He’s at the elevator lobby counting the numbers as it climbs up to him he faintly hears a door open from down the hallway and he doesn’t really pay much notice, the elevator door opening. He steps inside just as-

‘-hyung!’

Chan does a sort of shuffle backwards, hand coming to slam against the elevator doors to stop them from closing.

‘-Chan-hyung-…’ Minho stops, looking a little breathless.

‘What? What is it?’ Chan asks, for a brief moment all sorts of wild scenarios of some emergency playing through his head before he can register that Minho called him Chan-hyung.

‘You- you uh,’ Minho just sort of stares at him for a moment before he says, ‘You forgot something.’

‘Hm-?’ Chan pats his pockets, he’s sure his keys were in his pocket, his wallet and card safely inside, his phone too-

Minho takes a step closer, reaching for the front of his coat and gently tugging him further out of the elevator doorway and kisses the side of his mouth, so close to his lips, right over where his dimple usually popped out.

How Chan did not see this coming when it was the cheesiest and most common and most cliché move in the world he has no idea. But Minho takes a step back, looking quite pleased with himself, at what he just did.

‘Okay,’ he says, ‘All good.’

Chan thinks he hears Minho gasp out a laugh before he closes the gap between them, hands coming to gently hold Minho’s arms, and kissing him softly.

They both end up breaking the kiss because they’re smiling.

‘I forgot something too?’ Minho asks, lips brushing against his with how close they were.

‘No,’ Chan shakes his head minutely, ‘But just in case.’

Chan kisses Minho before he can laugh again and Minho tugs him closer, arms coming around his waist briefly before he pulls away with a slightly alarmed look in his eyes.

‘Oh- I’m sorry-?’ Chan says at once, unsure if he had overstepped or something when Minho shakes his head before bumping their foreheads together.

‘There- there’s a CCTV right there,’ Minho says breathlessly, their noses still touching.

‘O-oh, um,’ Chan winces a little, mouth tingling.

‘But there are no CCTVs in my apartment and-!’ Minho starts to say, grinning against his mouth when Chan crowds around him, shepherding him backwards to his apartment.

‘You’re supposed to play it cool Bang Chan-shii,’ Minho laughs, arms coming up around his shoulders, hands cupping the back of his head, allowing Chan to basically walk him backwards without any worry.

‘I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I’ve never once had a cool moment in front of you.’

‘I’m glad you’re aware.’

They don’t do anything more than kiss, curled into each other on the couch (because Chan told Minho that he absolutely respected his decision if he didn’t want him in his bed just yet regardless of if it was just to sleep or cuddle), an extremely soft and warm blanket thrown over their legs that were completely overlapped (Chan did change out into comfier clothes, Minho giving him, with some amusement on his part, Chicken Shop Date merch to wear), arms around each other, hands touching each other in some way (Minho telling him quietly that he had been aware of the time, but didn’t want to tell him about it because he didn’t want him to leave but just didn’t know how to ask him to stay). The lighting is subdued, the apartment is quiet and the cats were scattered around them, randomly purring from where they slept.

It all felt undeniably right.

‘I know this is…this might be too soon to say anything for sure,’ Chan tells Minho softly, his hair a wondrous mess, the rosiness of his cheeks so soft and warm only rivaled by that of his lips that are kiss-swollen.

God, he’s beautiful.

‘Hm?’

Minho is slowly combing through his hair and it feels heavenly.

Time has slowed down here in this space, setting a new timeline from this moment, the minute hand moving alongside the pace of their breaths, slow and content.

Being here felt blissful and right in a way Chan can’t quite explain.

‘But I think I might be falling for you.’

They could take their time now, because that’s what it was- their time, starting from something they both wanted and were in no particular rush to dive into, instead just simply holding hands and slowly wading out into what promised to be something.

‘Yeah?’ Minho smiles, just a little sly, just a little bashful, and just very very Minho, and Chan likes it so much.

‘Yeah.’ Chan nods.

‘Good,’ Minho leans in to kiss his nose, ‘Me too.’

Appendices

Felix is a little nervous. He’s seen episodes of this show and he’s not sure if he’s witty enough to make it interesting. But talking to Minho he seemed very nice and had him laughing in seconds as they were introduced to each other by their respective agents/managers.

They had prepared fried tofu that genuinely looked a lot like fried chicken as he was vegetarian and honestly Felix does not care about his diet this current moment because it smelt so good. He would put in extra work at the gym or whatever, this all smelt too good.

Mouth watering smell aside the staff are all really nice and he’s accommodated very nicely and it genuinely did feel like a bunch of coworkers coming together for a meal, with all of the staff set up in surrounded tables nearby. The only difference being there were lights and mics and cameras pointed at them.

‘You can ask me back any questions- the format really is a bit like people going on first dates,’ Minho tells him as they settle at their table, ‘And if you don’t want to answer something I’ve asked then you don’t have to- don’t worry about it.’

‘Oh, yes, thank you so much Minho-shii.’ Felix replies earnestly.

‘And if you don’t understand something, again, please let me know, it’s completely fine- we also have a translator just in case.’

Felix nods gratefully. When he was nervous he sometimes easily got confused especially if people talked quickly. And from what he’s seen Minho spoke quite quickly.

But things go well. In fact things go really well and Felix guesses that the show really didn’t just rely on edits or timing on things because while Minho did follow the script and questions they had sent them a week ago, he naturally adlibbed into other topics and of course flirted in his somewhat deadpan sarcastic way which Felix was starting to really find fun now that he was opposite the man.

‘Is there a genre of movies you want to try?’ Minho asks him as they eat the tender and delicious vegan fried chicken.

‘I really want to star in rom-coms,’ Felix tells him earnestly.

‘Are you a romantic?’

‘Well- I mean, I guess we all are to an extent?’

‘I suppose that’s true enough,’ Minho says thoughtfully.

‘You’ve been on a lot of dates-.’

‘-yes, everyone tells me so,’ Minho stares over at his camera as though to say not this again.

‘-have you ever felt like you’ve found a romance you want to maybe get into?’

‘Hm, I guess you could say that,’ Minho nods.

‘Oh!’ Felix exclaims, genuinely invested even if he has no idea if Minho was being truthful. ‘Recently?’

‘Something like that,’ Minho nods, ‘It’s taken a while, also because it’s a bit nerve wracking isn’t it?’

‘Oh absolutely,’ Felix nods at once. ‘Can I ask why this one was different for you?’

‘Ooh, asking me questions?’

‘In a date we both ask each other questions?’ Felix quips back at once.

‘Lee Felix, I’m going to have to be careful with you,’ Minho hums, narrowing his eyes. ‘But well, I suppose the universe really just loops you in a cycle sometimes, and you have to take a step back and wonder why.’

‘Did you figure it out?’

Minho grins, looking down and not looking like he was engaged in his interviewer persona, ‘Yeah I did.’

‘So it worked out?’ Felix asks eagerly.

‘Well, I am going on a date after this so,’ Minho wiggles his eyebrows.

‘Oh!’ Felix finds himself bouncing a little on his seat, ‘Oh a real date?’

‘Well, this is a real date- or you just pretending?’ Minho shoots back.

‘Oh no of course not,’ Felix says quickly, ‘I just meant- well, without all of this. Cameras and things.’

‘Some people are into that.’

It takes Felix a long moment to get what Minho is saying and he knows he’s gone bright pink as he bursts out laughing.

‘But maybe I won’t- now that I’ve had this date with you, I think I’m happier than ever.’

‘Hmm,’ Felix narrows his eyes at Minho who just blinks innocently at him, eyes gleaming, ‘I’m glad to hear that.’

‘Yeap,’ Minho nods, ‘I’ll just go home, bask in the memories of this moment, tell my cats about you.’

‘Oh I heard you have cats! Can I please see some pictures?’ Felix asks excitedly.

‘You don’t have to ask,’ Minho replies solemnly before saying, ‘Wow, this might be the best date ever Felix.’

And honestly Felix feels like he could whole heartedly agree.

*

CHICKEN SHOP DATE - FELIX

@gnabgnabgnab: Wait WAIT HOLD THE FUCK UP WHAT DOES THAT MEAN

@eyes_cream: GUYS IM CONNECTING THE DOTS THE DOTS ARE CONNECTING

@wendi5354: Am I being delusional or was minho talking about bang chan

@itsaSecretsecret: WHY IS THIS COMING UP 2 MONTHS LATER I’M CRYING

@felixnavidad: Im so happy they adjusted to Felix’s preference and served him a vegan option like you could tell me those were real fried chicken and id believe it!

@minophering: HES GOING ON A DATE WITH BANG CHAN I FEEL IT IN MY BONES UGH IM DYING WHAT ARE PAPARAZZI DOING WE NEED TO KNOW MORE okay im actually kidding they should have their privacy BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@Railway_10: He has to be talking about chan. right? Like come on

@Friedbokkari: This Felix guy really doing gods work questioning minho like that I love him he’s an angel

@hengbokkie: This is the most comfortable ive seen felix in an interview

@LixieTheAngel: From voice acting to advertizements to supporting lead role in a successful movie hes doing so well im so happy theyre promoting him correctly! CSD was perfect for him!

             @hengbokkie: @LixieTheAngel fr whoever is Felix’s PR team, give them a raise

@laughsinhidden: I came here for Felix content but now I’m invested in MinChan can someone give me a quick summary

             @oddinarily: @laughsinhidden Are you sure you want this to consume your life because its consumed mine and idk if were ever gona get any form of updates

             @laughsinhidden: @oddinarily Absolultey

             @oddinarily: @laughsinhidden Don’t say I didn’t warn you but here, check these links out and I think you’ll see what I mean

             @laughsinhidden: @oddinarily Okay sweet thanks man

             @oddinarily: @laughsinhidden You’re gonna take that back so quickly

             @laughsinhidden: @oddinarily I take it back right now

             @RJsbread: @oddinarily It didn’t even taken op 10 minutes to come back here and reply to you

             @laughsinhidden: @oddinarily WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE HAVE NO UPDATES FROM THEM ANYMORE THIS IS THE WORST

             @oddinarily: @laughsinhidden Welcome to our lives

Behind the Scenes

Lee Mijoo nods at the signal from the staff member to the side and faces the camera, mic ready.

‘-and we’re here tonight at the amazing Busan Film Festival Red Carpet- we’ve had such an amazing line up of movies this whole year- and one I’ve been really into has been Levanter, of course, which is why I am so excited to have Bang Chan who composed the music and OST for this amazing movie! Welcome Bang Chan-shii!’

‘Thank you so much,’ Bang Chan walks over, looking somewhat embarrassed but he looks relaxed.

‘It feels as though this year has really been your year- tell us how you’ve been doing? Any new exciting projects you can tell us about?’ Mijoo asks, holding the mic out to him.

‘Ah, nothing I can talk about,’ Chan smiles, ‘But I’m already working on something right now, you’ll have to see next year I suppose.’

‘That’s amazing, Chan-shii I am absolutely not lying when I say that Waiting For Us is literally in my top 10 most played songs of this year-!’

‘-what? No way!’

‘I can prove it to you!’ Mijoo declares, ‘Where’s my phone- oh, wow here it is, let me show you right now Chan-shii, my top 10 song-! There!’

‘Oh my god!’ Chan has his hands over his mouth, eyes wide in delight, ‘Thank you so much Mijoo-shii.’

‘I’m going to be very upset if you don’t win Chan-shii, I can tell you that much,’ Mijoo tells him warmly.

‘I’m honoured, thank you so much.’

‘This is the second time you’re working with Director Kim, people are calling you both a dream-team and whispers of possible Oscar nominations are going around again, do you have any inside information perhaps?’

‘Oscar?’ Chan’s eyes widen like it’s the first time he’s ever heard of it, ‘Oh- oh wow, I don’t know, I mean, it would be amazing, Director Kim has such a mastery and his vision is really what’s guiding all of us, not just in musical composition but for the actors no doubt, and he deserves the recognition for guiding us all with him to make this movie.’

‘Chan-shii I love how you didn’t really answer my question but it was so genuine I will let it go,’ Mijoo laughs.

There’s a bunch of screams suddenly and Chan looks around, his eyes lighting up.

‘Oh I do believe Lee Minho has come up to our section of the red carpet, as you all know, we do have a bit of history together and-!’ Mijoo is starting to say when Chan waves his hand.

‘Oh- doesn’t he look amazing,’ Chan smiles back at Mijoo who does a double take before managing to address the camera.

‘Let’s see if we can get Lee Minho here-! Minho-yah! Minho-yah, a word please-!’

Chan reaches his hand out and Lee Minho steps into frame, holding Chan’s hand and stepping up to his side.

‘Noona, it’s good to see you again after so long,’ Lee Minho smiles charmingly as he bows shortly.

‘It’s been too long! Please say hi to our viewers and a small message and only then we will let you go.’ Mijoo smiles her best.

Both Chan and Minho laugh at that, the former standing a little at the back, eyes only on Minho who finds the camera and gives a small wave.

‘Viewers of GQ, it’s funny coming here this year as a presenter, but I hope you enjoy the award show and all your favourites win,’ Minho ends with another charming smile.

‘All their favourites? How would that work?’

‘By everyone winning,’ Minho nods, ‘I’ve always said everyone deserves to win.’

Chan grins fondly at that, and Minho looks back at him, as though sharing an inside joke.

‘And you’re so right for that, thank you again Bang Chan-shii and Lee Minho! Hope to see you both inside and good luck!’

‘Thank you!’

‘Thank you noona!’

‘Well, what can I say, I’m a little overwhelmed seeing them together- the internet really loved them together and here they are just arriving together it seems? Is that- is that right?’ Mijoo asks someone past the camera. ‘I just- wow! Iconic I would say. Looking stunning, with no warning, amazing- was that- did they just launch their relationship here? Were we the first to get them together? No? Oh come on-! Ah, yes I know, we have to move on but still! Wish we had more time with them. But moving on, I think I spy someone very interesting coming our way but first a short message from our sponsors!’

*

BIFA RED CARPET X GQ | LEE MIJOO: BANG CHAN AND LEE MINHO

@iamPudding NO ONE TOUCH ME - BEING DELUSIONAL ACTUALLY WORKED BEING DELULU IS THE SOLULU

@gangofwolves: I’ve lost my fucking mind omg I’m fucking insane right now im so fucking insane right now

@Ohtapemix: WHEN CHAN REACHED OUT HIS HAND AND MINHO APEARED I ACTUALLY BLACKED OUT I’M NOT EVEN GONNA LIE

@inthecourse: It desn’t matter if Bang Chan won or not because mans just won in life fr

            @97BC: @inthecourse He did win actually

            @kratosfatheroftheyear: @inthecourse I love how the camera found minho at that and he immediately started booing theyre so annoying I love them together already so much

            @inthecourse: @kratosfatheroftheyear FR IM SO SICK OF THIS T_T

@featuringyourbias: My mental health depends on them as a couple

@whereThereisAWillThereisAnIam: I cant believe im so happy about two dudes who don’t know I exist

@hallucinatingtickets: WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY’RE HOLDING HANDS WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEYRE TOGETHER WHAT DO YOU MEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN

@wolfbit: THE FACT THAT MINHO STILL REFUSES TO FOLLOW BANG CHAN ON INSTAGRAM THOUGH EVEN THOUGH I CAN NOW DEDUCE HE’S BEEN IN HIS POSTS A FEW TIMES NOW THOUGH UGH HE’S SO DEDICATED TO HIS CONCEPT

            @cattucino: @wolfbit omg that one post from minho I thought it was him holding his cat but I always felt it didn’t quite look like minho even if it was only his arms and chest

            @wolfbit: @cattucino I AM VINDICATED

@starryraindrops: I love how Mijoo had to do her best to stay calm because girl I’d have died right then and there

            @thisishowitstarts: @starryraindrops Ikr the way her eyes popped out when she saw minho approaching them

            @cattucino @starryraindrops I feel like every other interviewer was reacting the same but with Mijoo you can see how her soul momentarily left her body while trying to process the fact that this red carpet just got an insane scoop

            @oddinarily: @starryraindrops They literally hard launched their relationship like it was nothing I love it

            @isitcoldordamp: @starryraindrops Mijoo is right, it was iconic behavior

@4-cutphotos: GUYS THEY’RE ON EACH OTHERS INSTGRAAMS THEY HAVE A PHOTO TOGETHER IM SCREAMING

            @dreamingtomorrow: @4-cutphotos My god they’re so besotted UGH GOD I SEE WHAT YOURE DOING FOR OTHERS

            @stuckinLimbo: @4-cutphotos I just came back after seeing their photos and what do you mean ppl are saying they’ve been dating for months now

            @4-cutphotos: @stuckinLimbo Apparently some ppl saw them together a few times but never thought much of it?????????

            @stuckinLimbo: @4-cutphotos THEY DDNT THINK MUCH OF IT?????????????????

            @4-cutphotos: @stuckinLimbo I think that’s how ppl who aren’t chronically online would react bud

            @stuckinLimbo: @4-cutphotos Damn youre right guess I should go out more and thatd increase my chances of seeing minchan irl

@egadettu: Minho still doesn’t follow Chan I’m crying T_T

@chickenbreastproteinshake: Next thing we know they’re married