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“I bought you flowers.”
Seungmin looked up from his book, eyebrows furrowing as he took in the sight of Minho standing in the doorway, holding a bouquet of small white daisies.
“For what?” Seungmin asked, his voice calm but laced with suspicion. He closed the book and set it on the coffee table, crossing his arms as he leaned back into the couch. Minho shrugged, leaning casually against the doorframe “There has to be a reason?”.
Seungmin raised an eyebrow. "Yes. Generally, people don’t hand over flowers without a reason. Did you do something wrong?"
"No," Minho replied with a smirk. "Why is that your first guess?"
"Because you have a history of using presents to ease the guilt," Seungmin pointed out.
Minho stepped further into the room, tossing the bouquet lightly onto Seungmin’s lap. “It's crazy that you're doubting my intentions when I'm trying to be thoughtful. Just say thank you and go on.”
Seungmin picked up the flowers, inspecting them. “Thoughtful, huh? You didn’t even bother to take the price tag off.”
Minho winced, his hand darting to his pocket. “Okay, fine, I bought them on the way here.”
Seungmin couldn’t help the small smirk forming at the corner of his lips. "So there is a reason. Spill.”
Minho let out a loud sigh and collapsed on the couch next to him. “These flowers caught my eye while I was in the store. They reminded me of you—they were a bit too perfect and overly neat.”
Seungmin blinked, unsure whether to feel flattered or insulted. “Wow….That might be the worst compliment I’ve ever received.”
“It’s not a compliment,” Minho shot back, his grin growing wider. “It’s an observation.”
Seungmin rolled his eyes, setting the flowers down on the coffee table. "You’re unbelievable." Minho leaned back and tossed his arm casually over the back of the couch, saying, "And yet you keep me around."
Seungmin glanced at the bouquet again, the corner of his mouth twitching upward in spite of himself. The sight of Minho pretending to be nonchalant while absolutely fishing for validation was painfully endearing and ridiculously annoying.
“You know,” Seungmin said, picking at one of the daisies, “If this is your idea of getting me to admit I like having you around, it’s not going to work.” Minho raised an eyebrow, feigning offense. “Who said I needed you to admit anything? I already know you like me. It’s written all over your face.”
“My face?” Seungmin echoed, deadpan. “Really? What does it say?”
“It goes like ‘Wow, This hyung is so charming and thoughtful. I’m lucky to have him in my life’” Minho replied, leaning closer with the most infuriating grin Seungmin had ever seen. Seungmin scoffed, pushing his shoulder. “You’ve clearly been reading the wrong thing.”
Minho, unaffected said “You love me. Admit it.”
Seungmin rolled his eyes, “Love might be a stretch. Tolerate, maybe. Barely.”
“Hmmm, Sure.” Minho shifted closer, their knees almost touching now. His voice dropped slightly, playful but softer, “You’re not fooling anyone, Seungmin. I know you.”
Seungmin froze and for a moment, they just stared at each other. The teasing tension in the air shifted into something heavier, something unspoken.
“Maybe I do,” Seungmin muttered, breaking eye contact as he plucked another petal from the daisy.
Minho blinked, his smirk faltering into something more genuine. “What?”
“I said maybe I do,” Seungmin repeated, his tone sharper to mask the flush creeping up his neck. “But if you make a big deal out of it, I’ll change my mind.”
Minho stared at him for a second before bursting into laughter, the kind that made his eyes crinkle and his head tip back. “Stupid” Seungmin muttered, though the corners of his mouth betrayed him, curving upward in spite of his exasperation.
“Sorry– Sorry” Minho said between breaths, wiping a tear from his eye. “It’s just…you’re so bad at this.”
“At what?”
“Pretend you’re not absolutely smitten with me.”
Seungmin glared at him, “Smitten? Who even uses that word?”
Minho shrugged, leaning back with a smug grin. “People who know they’re right.”
“You’re impossible.”
“And you’re adorable.”
The words hung in the air, unfiltered and genuin and Seungmin’s breath caught for just a second. He looked at Minho, who was still smiling but softer now, almost shy.
“Idiot,” Seungmin muttered under his breath but the warmth in his chest betrayed him.
Minho tilted his head, his grin widening again, “You keep calling me idiot when I’m literally older than you,” only to have Seungmin glare at him playfully without saying a word.
Few quiet minutes passed by and Minho broke the short silence, turning his head to look at Seungmin. His voice was casual but tinged with that subtle and unmistakable concern that always caught Seungmin off guard.
“Did you eat anything today?”
Seungmin blinked, his fingers still idly plucking at the edge of one of the daisies. “What?”
“You heard me,” Minho said, sitting up slightly. “Did you eat anything? Or have you been running on caffeine and spite again?”
“I don’t run in spite,” Seungmin retorted, though the way he avoided Minho’s gaze betrayed him.
Minho narrowed his eyes. “That’s not a ‘yes.’”
Seungmin sighed, leaning back against the couch. “I had a roll of kimbap”
“Kimbap,” Minho repeated flatly. “When?”
“This morning,” Seungmin admitted, voice quieter now.
Minho groaned, standing up abruptly. “You’re the stupid one now, It’s 4pm now and the only thing you’ve eaten throughout the day was a roll of kimbap? You’re going to wither away before my eyes. Get up.”
“I'm not a dog….”
“Move your ass up, Kim Seungmin.” Minho said, grabbing Seungmin’s wrist and tugging him to his feet.
Seungmin groaned but let himself be dragged out of the apartment. “You’re so dramatic.”
“Me, being dramatic is saving your life?” Minho shot back as they stepped into the crisp evening air.
“Kimbap is enough, It’s not like I’ll die in starvation and need life support.”
“Don’t tempt me to get you both,” Minho quipped, his hand still loosely wrapped around Seungmin’s wrist as they walked.
Minho dragged Seungmin to a small sandwich store nearby. As they sat down in the small corner of the shop, Seungmin unwrapped his ham sandwich slowly.
Seungmin ripped off a tiny piece of his sandwich and murmured, “Don't look at me like that.”
“Like what?” Minho pretended to be naive as he mumbled around a bite.
“Like you’re expecting me to devour this whole thing in one sitting.”
“Well, that is the idea,” Minho replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You’ve had nothing but a kimbap today.”
Seungmin sighed, putting the sandwich down after only one bite. “I can’t eat too much. I’ve got a game in two days.”
Minho scowled and put down his drink firmly. "How is that related to anything?”
“I’m a pitcher,” Seungmin explained patiently, though he knew where this conversation was headed. “I can’t afford to feel heavy or sluggish, especially this close to a game.”
“You’re not going to feel sluggish from one sandwich,” Minho argued, gesturing to the sandwich like it was some sort of miracle cure. “You’re going to feel energetic.”
Seungmin gave him a flat look. “Do you even know how pre-game nutrition works?”
“I know you won’t be any good if you faint before the game even starts,” Minho shot back.
“Hyung, I won't pass out. I follow a routine.” Seungmin chuckled.
Minho leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, saying, “Your routine is stupid.”
Seungmin's eyebrow went up. “Pardon me?”
“You heard me, Stupid.” Minho grinned, obviously having fun now. “Even a baseball star needs more than these 6 inch sandwiches.”
“I’m not a star,” Seungmin grumbled, taking another tiny bite out of his sandwich just to get Minho off his back.
“You could be,” Minho said with a shrug, his voice softer now. “But not if you pass out because you’re too stubborn to eat.”
Seungmin paused, his jaw tightening slightly. He hated how Minho could shift from teasing to genuinely caring so effortlessly. It made it harder to brush him off.
“Fine,” Seungmin muttered, picking up the sandwich again. “I’ll eat half.”
Minho’s face lit up after he won the invisible argument. “That’s all I’m asking.”
“You can be quite annoying,” Seungmin said, taking a bigger bite this time.
After they had been in the store for a half hour, the door closed behind them and the sound of clinking dishes and light talk from the store faded into the street noise. Seungmin walked up the sidewalk at Minho’s calm pace, holding his iced coffee in one hand and shoving the other inside his jacket pocket.
The late afternoon sun cast long shadows on the pavement and the cool breeze tugged at the edges of their jackets.
“You know,” Minho started, sipping from his iced coffee as well, “for someone who claims to have a strict routine, you’re surprisingly easy to boss around.”
Seungmin shot him a sideways glance, his expression dry. “I wouldn’t call it bossing around. More like enduring your dramatics.”
Minho grinned. “Enduring? Is that what you were doing when you inhaled half that sandwich?”
“I didn’t inhale it,” Seungmin retorted, though his lips twitched upward. “I ate it like a normal person. Unlike you, who devoured your food like it was a competitive sport.”
“What can I say about that…” Minho shrugged while grinning.
They walked in comfortable silence for a moment, the occasional sound of a passing car or the chatter of nearby pedestrians filling the space between them.
Minho glanced at Seungmin, his expression softening. “So… big game in two days, huh?”
“Yeah,” Seungmin replied, taking a sip of his coffee. “It’s an important one. If we win, we’re going through to the finals.”
“How are you feeling about it?” Minho said lightly, though his tone held a hint of sincerity.
“Fine, I guess,” Seungmin said but the way he stared ahead, his jaw tight betrayed him.
Minho stopped walking, grabbing Seungmin’s wrist to make him pause too. “Hey.”
“What?” Seungmin asked, turning to face him.
“You’ll do great,” Minho said firmly, his gaze unwavering. “You always do. And if for some reason you don’t, it’s not the end of the world.”
“It’s the pressure,” Seungmin muttered slowly under his breath.
“What?” Minho raised an eyebrow.
“Nothing.”
“Stop talking by yourself alone, now tell me about it.”
“It’s the pressure,” Seungmin said slightly louder than before. “It’s not just about me. The whole team is counting on me to pitch well. If I mess up—”
“Yah.” Minho said and continued, “You’re not going to mess up.”
Seungmin frowned. “You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do,” Minho said firmly. “I’ve seen you. You’re annoyingly good at everything, and baseball is no exception.”
Seungmin’s lips twitched but he quickly suppressed the smile. “That’s not how sports work. Anything can happen out there.”
“True,” Minho replied. “But I also know you. You don’t just wing it. You prepare, you practice, you plan every tiny strategy detail until there’s no room for mistakes. Do you think I haven’t heard about Jeongin complaining to me that you keep the team overtime during practice?”
“Yang Jeongin complain things to you?—but anyways that doesn’t guarantee anything.”
“No, but it gives you the best shot,” Minho said, stepping closer. “And honestly, I think you’re going to kill it out there”
Seungmin let out a soft laugh, his shoulders relaxing slightly, “That’s a lot coming from someone like you.” making Minho playfully glared at him.
Seungmin’s place can be seen getting closer and closer and as they reached the front gate, both of them paused, neither seeming in a rush to end the moment.
Minho leaned casually against the gatepost, sipping the last of his now watery iced coffee.
“All right,” Minho said in a cheery voice, “safe and sound. Another escort mission that was successful.”
Seungmin chuckled softly as he fumbled with his bag strap. "You're acting as though I'm incapable of walking home on my own."
“Hey, you never know,” Minho replied with a smirk. “Danger could be lurking around any corner. A ferrel squirrel, a drunk man—”
“Stop it. It’s too early for people to drink alcohol,” Seungmin muttered, shaking his head though the corner of his mouth curled upward.
Minho laughed and straightened up, ready to say his goodbyes when Seungmin suddenly spoke, his voice a little too quick and a little too sharp.
“If we win the game…”
Minho froze, turning to look at him. “Huh?”
Seungmin’s eyes were fixed on the ground, his hand gripping the gate as if it might steady him. “If we win the game,” he repeated, quieter this time, “there’s something I want to do.”
“Okay, that’s sudden,” Minho said slowly, leaning in slightly. “but what’s that?”
Seungmin’s grip tightened and for a moment, it seemed like he might back out entirely. But then he raised his head and looked directly into Minho's gaze. His cheeks were flushed perhaps from the walk, maybe not—but his voice remained clear despite the quietness.
“I want to tell you that I…” He hesitated, his breath hitching. “That I don’t want to just be friends anymore.”
Minho blinked, caught off guard, his coffee cup frozen midair. “What?”
“You heard me,” Seungmin said quickly, as if trying to rip off a band-aid. “If we win, I’m going to confess properly. I’m going to tell you how I feel. I just… I wanted you to know.”
Minho stared at him, processing the words. Then a lopsided smile slowly appeared on his face. He set his coffee down on the gatepost and stepped closer, his eyes searching Seungmin’s.
“Why wait for the game?” he asked softly, his voice teasing but warm.
Seungmin huffed, looking away. “Because it’s important. I’ve been thinking about it for a while and the game—it’s a big deal. I want to prove to myself that I can handle the pressure, that I can do something big. Then I’ll feel ready.”
Minho tilted his head, his smile softening. “So, you’re saying if you lose, I don’t get a confession?”
Seungmin’s ears turned bright red. “That’s not—”
“I’m kidding,” Minho interrupted, his grin widening. “Sort of.”
Seungmin groaned, burying his face in his hands. “This is why I didn’t want to say anything yet.”
“And yet,” Minho said, gently tugging Seungmin’s hands away from his face, “you just told me. So, what does that say about you?”
Seungmin glared at him but didn’t pull away.
“It says you’re brave, you’ve confessed to me about feelings and your worries all in one day. Do you know how amazing that is?” Minho continued, his voice quieter now. “And also maybe a little dumb for thinking I wouldn’t feel the same way.”
Seungmin blinked, his breath catching. “You—”
“Yeah,” Minho said simply, his eyes crinkling at the edges. “I’ve been waiting for you to figure it out, honestly. Took you long enough.”
Seungmin’s mouth opened then closed, his brain short-circuiting.
Minho chuckled, stepping back just enough to give him space. “But, fine. If you want to wait until after the game to make it official, I’ll wait. Just don’t make me wait too long, okay?”
Seungmin finally found his voice, his lips twitching into a small, genuine smile. “Okay.”
“Good,” Minho said, grabbing his coffee and turning toward the street. “No pressure but now I’m rooting for your team even harder.”
As he walked away, Seungmin leaned against the gate, his heart pounding in his chest. He watched Minho disappear down the street, a warmth spreading through him that had nothing to do with the setting sun.
He had two days to prepare—for the game, for the confession, for everything that came next. And for the first time, the thought didn’t scare him.
epilogue
Seungmin was still leaning against the gate, trying to steady the whirlwind of emotions in his chest when Minho suddenly turned back.
“Hyung? What’s wro—” Seungmin started but Minho closed the distance between them in a few quick strides.
Minho stopped right in front of him, a mischievous glint in his eye. “I forgot something.”
“Forgot what?” Seungmin asked, confused.
“This,” Minho said simply leaning in.
Before Seungmin could process what was happening, Minho’s lips brushed against his cheek, warm and soft. It was quick but deliberate, leaving Seungmin frozen in place.
Minho pulled back, his grin smug as he took in Seungmin’s wide-eyed expression. “For good luck,” he said casually, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
“Wha—” Seungmin stammered, his hand flying to his cheek. “What was that?”
“A little motivation,” Minho replied with a shrug, stepping back. “Win the game and maybe you’ll get more than just a good-luck kiss.”
Seungmin gaped at him, his face burning. “You can’t just—”
“Sure, I can,” Minho quickly said, already turning to leave. “Two days, Seungmin. Don’t let me down!”
Seungmin watched, completely flustered as Minho walked away again, his hand still pressed to his cheek where the kiss lingered like a spark.
“Unbelievable,” Seungmin muttered under his breath, though a smile was already tugging at his lips.