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Seungmin didn’t think too much about Minho at first. Sure, Minho was funny, sharp-tongued, and carried himself with an air of effortless confidence that drew people in, but none of that felt out of the ordinary. Not until recently, anyway.
Lately, it felt like Minho acted... differently around him.
Seungmin sat cross-legged on the dorm floor, a pen between his teeth as he scribbled notes in the margins of his biology textbook. Minho was sprawled across the bed nearby, tossing a stress ball into the air.
The clock on the desk glowed at 11:17 PM, and Seungmin was about five minutes away from losing his mind.
“Hey,” Minho called.
Seungmin didn’t look up. “What?”
Minho caught the stress ball and smirked. “What do you think the odds are that you actually pass this class?”
Seungmin glared at him, pen still between his teeth. “Higher than yours if you don’t shut up.”
Minho chuckled, the sound low and teasing. “Relax. You’re the smartest person I know. Kind of.”
Seungmin rolled his eyes, but a small, unbidden smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “You’re distracting me.”
“Good,” Minho said, tossing the ball again.
“Why are you even here?” Seungmin asked, finally setting his pen down and turning to face Minho. “Don’t you have your own room?”
“I like yours better,” Minho replied easily, catching the ball again. “Better vibe. Plus, I’m the only thing keeping you from turning into a full-on hermit.”
Seungmin snorted, but he didn’t argue.
Minho watched him for a moment, the smirk fading into something softer. “You know, to think of it,” he said casually, “you’ve always called me by my name, but I’ve never called you by yours.”
Seungmin frowned, momentarily thrown off. “What?”
“You,” Minho said, sitting up and leaning forward slightly, his elbows resting on his knees. “You call me Minho hyung, but I always call you ‘hey.’”
Seungmin blinked. “Yeah, you do.”
“That’s my nickname for you,” Minho added, his lips curving into a smile that Seungmin couldn’t quite read.
“‘Hey’ is not a nickname,” Seungmin said, narrowing his eyes.
“It is when I say it,” Minho replied smoothly, tilting his head.
“That makes no sense.”
Minho’s grin widened. “Doesn’t have to. It’s special.”
“Special?” Seungmin echoed, skeptical.
“Yeah,” Minho said, leaning back against the wall now, his eyes glinting with something that almost looked like amusement—or maybe something else. “It’s just for you. No one else gets a ‘hey’ like yours.”
Seungmin stared at him, trying to decide if Minho was teasing or just being weird. Probably both.
“That’s... the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” he said finally, turning back to his textbook.
“Admit it,” Minho said, voice dropping a fraction lower, “you’d miss it if I stopped.”
Seungmin paused, but only for a second, before pretending to focus on his notes. “I wouldn’t notice.”
Minho laughed, the sound warm and too knowing. “Sure, you wouldn’t.”
A comfortable silence fell between them, broken only by the faint scratch of Seungmin’s pen against paper.
“Hey,” Minho said again after a while, his voice quieter this time.
“What now?” Seungmin asked, not looking up.
“Nothing,” Minho said, a smile tugging at his lips. “Just wanted to see if you’d respond.”
Seungmin had been looking forward to this all day. Midterms had drained him dry, and the promise of steaming hot ramen at the cozy campus cafe was the only thing that kept him going through his last lecture.
So there he was, seated across from Minho, slurping away at his bowl of ramen like it was the key to eternal happiness. Minho, meanwhile, picked at his plate of curry rice with a level of indifference that made it clear he was more focused on something else.
Seungmin didn’t think much of it at first. Minho always had that air about him—like his mind was running on its own wavelength, leaving everyone else a few steps behind. But the silence was suspicious, even for him.
It happened when Seungmin was mid-slurp, the noodles dangling precariously from his chopsticks.
“If we lived together…” Minho started, his tone casual but his words loaded. He leaned back in his chair, resting his elbow on the table as his gaze lazily flicked to Seungmin. “…one puppy and one cat. Which would you want to keep in your room?”
Seungmin froze. The noodles slipped from his chopsticks back into the bowl, splashing the broth slightly. He blinked at Minho, his brain short-circuiting.
“What?” he managed to croak, his voice caught between confusion and disbelief.
Minho didn’t falter. “You know, like if we had a puppy and a cat in the apartment. Would you want the puppy, or the cat? For your room.”
It was the if we lived together part that made Seungmin choke. Literally.
He inhaled too sharply, and the broth he’d just swallowed went down the wrong pipe. Seungmin coughed violently, doubling over the table as his face flushed, a mixture of embarrassment and oxygen deprivation.
“Yah! Don’t die here!” Minho exclaimed, though there was a trace of amusement in his voice. He handed Seungmin a napkin and leaned closer, a devilish grin spreading across his face. “Did I say something shocking? You look a little red.”
“Shut up,” Seungmin wheezed, dabbing at his mouth. “Why—what—what kind of question even is that?”
Minho shrugged, stabbing at his curry as if he hadn’t just thrown Seungmin’s brain into disarray. “It’s a simple question. Hypothetically. But judging by your reaction…” He let his words trail off, smirking.
“I just wasn’t expecting you to—” Seungmin stopped himself, realizing anything he said now would only make things worse. He glared at Minho instead, though the faint pink dusting his cheeks betrayed him. “You’re so annoying.” Seungmin groaned, shoving another mouthful of ramen into his mouth just so he wouldn’t have to respond.
“By the way,” Minho added nonchalantly, “I’d take the cat. The puppy would probably like you more anyway.”
Seungmin nearly choked again.
Seungmin glared at Minho, his chopsticks trembling slightly in his hands. The audacity. The sheer audacity.
“I—” Seungmin stammered, trying to regain his composure. “The puppy wouldn’t like me more!” He could feel the heat spreading through his face again. He wasn’t embarrassed! It was just that Minho's words always had a way of catching him off guard.
Minho raised an eyebrow, looking entirely too pleased with himself. “Really? I don't know, Seungmin, you're pretty good with animals. I can already picture you getting along with the puppy.”
“I—”Seungmin began, only to be interrupted when Minho casually dipped a piece of his chicken into the ramen broth, seemingly unbothered by Seungmin’s distress.
“Imagine,” Minho continued, completely oblivious to the havoc he was causing, “you and the puppy would probably do everything together—go on walks, play fetch, snuggle. And the cat? I’ll just take the cat to my room. It can be my alone time buddy. Cats are good for that.”
Seungmin was half choking on his words at this point. “Are you—you—seriously suggesting we—we—live together?”
Minho's grin widened at Seungmin’s reaction, the playful glint in his eyes ever-present. “Well, if you want to get all hypothetical about it…” He leaned forward on the table, clearly enjoying this far too much. “It’s not like it’s impossible. We already spend so much time together, and we both need places to stay next semester, right?”
Seungmin’s brain was officially scrambled. The idea of them—living together was... absurd. No way. They were friends. Yup! As far as being roommates? Maybe. But living together and adopting pets? That was a whole different level of commitment.
- All i can think about is your face getting red on our first snow
The chill in the air wasn’t enough to stop Seungmin and Minho from walking side by side across campus after their performance at the university’s winter showcase. They’d been rehearsing for weeks for this—hours spent practicing, fine-tuning, and perfecting their set. The crowd had been small, but Seungmin could feel the energy in the room, and more importantly, the sense of relief that came after a successful show.
But now, walking back to the dorm, the quiet felt different—peaceful, yet somehow full of unspoken things.
“Do you remember our first show?” Minho’s voice broke the silence, soft but filled with a nostalgic tone.
Seungmin looked at him, surprised by the sudden question. “Of course, I remember. How could I forget? I almost passed out from nerves. I was so red.” He smiled sheepishly, recalling how he’d spent the entire performance trying not to let his anxiety show. He had barely made eye contact with anyone in the audience, too focused on staying upright.
Minho let out a quiet laugh, a teasing glint in his eyes. “I know. All I can think about is your face getting red on our first show. You looked like you might combust.”
Seungmin’s cheeks immediately flushed at the reminder. He rolled his eyes, trying to hide the embarrassment. “I told you, I wasn’t that bad.”
Minho shot him a look that said otherwise. “You were cute, though. I couldn’t help but notice.”
Seungmin tried to suppress a smile, but it tugged at his lips anyway. He wasn’t about to admit it, but he had noticed Minho’s focused attention during the show, too. The way he always seemed to be watching him, like he was the only one in the room.
The night air had grown colder as they walked, but suddenly, something else caught Seungmin’s attention. The sky had turned a deeper shade of navy blue and out of nowhere, snow began to fall—gently at first, then more steadily, blanketing the ground and covering the trees.
“Wow,” Seungmin whispered, lifting a hand to catch a snowflake. “The first snow.”
Minho stopped walking, looking up at the sky. There was something about the snow that made everything seem quieter, more intimate. For a moment, they both stood there, taking in the peacefulness that the first snowfall always brought.
But Seungmin’s attention quickly shifted to Minho.
Minho had his face tilted upward, his eyes closed for a moment, as if he were savoring the cold air. But it wasn’t just his face that caught Seungmin’s eye—it was his ears.
They were faintly pink.
Seungmin frowned, confused. Minho had been the one teasing him earlier about his own face turning red during the performance. So why was his face... and now his ears... turning pink?
“Hyung,” Seungmin said, unable to help his curiosity. “Your ears are red.”
Minho froze for a second, then quickly turned his face away, a small laugh escaping his lips. “It’s nothing,” he said but there was a slight nervous edge to his voice. “Just the cold. It does that to me sometimes.”
Seungmin squinted at him, unconvinced but Minho was already walking again, quickening his pace as if trying to brush off the conversation.
Seungmin couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off, but instead of pushing it further, he shrugged it off. “Okay, whatever you say,” he muttered, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
They walked the rest of the way in relative silence, the soft crunch of snow beneath their feet the only sound. When they reached the dorm, Minho gave him a quick smile.
“Well, this is where I leave you, I guess. Goodnight, Seungmin.”
Seungmin nodded, giving Minho a small wave as the older guy walked off toward his own room.
He stood there for a second, watching Minho disappear into the room. Something about the evening felt different. Minho’s smile, his teasing comments, and now the snow—it all seemed to have woven together in a way that left Seungmin with an odd flutter in his chest.
Shaking his head, Seungmin made his way up to his own room, the warmth of the building a welcome change from the chilly night air. He threw his bag onto his desk and plopped down on his bed, pulling his phone out.
Scrolling absentmindedly through Twitter, he stopped on a post that caught his eye.
First snow theory: When you witness the first snow with someone you like, it leads to falling in love and a lasting relationship.
Seungmin blinked at the post. He felt his heart skip a beat, the words suddenly feeling like they were meant for him.
He couldn’t help but glance back at his phone, the memory of Minho’s flushed ears playing in his mind.
“Couldn’t be,” Seungmin muttered to himself, shaking his head and trying to push away the thought as he stared out of his dorm window at the gently falling snow.
Seungmin’s head was buried in his notes, trying to focus on the final review of his paper. The professor’s lecture was starting to get a bit repetitive, and his mind wandered. He glanced up at the clock—five more minutes until class ended and he could finally head out.
As the lecture ended, Seungmin gathered his things slowly, a quiet sense of relief washing over him. He glanced out the window and spotted Minho standing against the wall just outside the classroom, scrolling through his phone, waiting.
Seungmin rolled his eyes and made his way out of the room, walking toward Minho with an exaggerated sigh. “I can’t believe you’re still doing this,” Seungmin said as he approached.
Minho looked up from his phone and smiled. “What? You’re not even surprised by now, are you?”
Seungmin raised an eyebrow, leaning against the wall beside him. “I don’t know. You’re like a broken record at this point. You’re always here, waiting for me.”
Minho shrugged nonchalantly. “We’re going in the same direction, aren’t we? Might as well walk together.”
Seungmin didn’t respond right away. He knew the routine by now. Minho was just being Minho—looking out for him, walking with him. But for some reason, today, it felt like there was more to it. Maybe it was the way Minho kept glancing at him or the way their shoulders brushed when they walked side by side.
He let out a laugh, shaking his head. “Hyung, I think you like me.”
Minho stopped walking and blinked at him, his expression incredulous. “What?”
Seungmin couldn’t help but grin at the way Minho’s eyes widened in surprise. “You know,” Seungmin teased, “always walking me home, waiting for me after class. I think you like me.”
Minho’s face immediately flushed a shade of red, and he quickly turned his head to avoid eye contact. “I think you’re crazy.” He laughed nervously. “I’m just being a good hyung, alright? I don’t know where you’re getting these ideas from.”
Seungmin raised both eyebrows, clearly enjoying Minho’s reaction. “Oh, I’m not the crazy one. You’re the one who shows up here every day just to walk me home. It’s almost like you’re too eager.”
“I’m not eager,” Minho replied quickly, though the defensiveness in his voice was clear. “We’re literally going the same way! It’s not a big deal.”
Seungmin chuckled, nudging Minho with his elbow. “Sure, sure, hyung. If you say so.”
Minho sighed dramatically. “I’m really not walking you home tomorrow if you keep making it weird.”
Seungmin smirked. “You wouldn’t dare. You like walking me home.”
“No, I don’t!" Minho protested. "I just—ugh, I don’t even know why I bother.”
Seungmin leaned against the wall again, amusement lighting up his face. “It’s cute how defensive you get.”
Minho huffed, muttering something under his breath about Seungmin being impossible, but the smile on his face gave him away.
“You can’t deny it,” Seungmin continued teasing, his voice playful. “You totally like me. No harm in admitting it, hyung.”
Minho rolled his eyes, trying to act unaffected, but his cheeks were still a little pink. “Whatever. You’re crazy.”
Seungmin grinned, feeling a lightness in the air between them, something more than just a casual walk home. They walked in comfortable silence for a while, until they reached the dorm building and Minho followed Seungmin to his room despite Minho’s room being a level below the younger man.
“Well, here we are,” Seungmin said, glancing over at Minho. “Thanks for the walk, hyung. Same time tomorrow?”
Minho’s eyes flickered to Seungmin for a brief moment before he nodded, his usual playful smirk returning. “Yeah, sure. Same time tomorrow. Don’t get used to it, though.”
Seungmin waved, and clicked his key into the keyhole. “I’ll see you tomorrow, hyung. Don’t be late.”
Minho watched him disappear into the room, his smile lingering long after Seungmin was out of sight as he proceeded to walk towards the stairs down to his room back.
and suddenly they ended up dating anyway.
- Did my heart ever stop because of Lee Know? Yes, many times.
Seungmin was sitting at their usual table in the cafeteria, tapping his fingers on the edge of his tray in impatience. It wasn’t like Minho was late, but today, the line at the counter had been ridiculously long. Seungmin glanced at his watch again, tapping it a few times as if willing the time to speed up.
He was starting to feel the first hints of frustration when he spotted Minho finally making his way through the crowded cafeteria, tray in hand. His eyes locked onto Seungmin's immediately, and a wide smile spread across his face.
Seungmin’s heart skipped a beat. Did my heart ever stop because of Minho? Yes, many times.
Minho’s smile was always enough to make Seungmin’s chest tighten, like the world slowed down for just a second when they saw each other. It was strange how something so simple—just the way Minho looked at him—could make Seungmin’s heart race every time.
“Sorry, I kept you waiting,” Minho said as he set his tray down across from Seungmin. “The line was insane today.”
Seungmin waved it off, unable to keep the smile off his face. “It’s fine. I wasn’t doing anything exciting anyway.” He nudged the other’s tray slightly. “Are you sure you want to eat that much? You always get so much food.”
Minho chuckled. “I have to keep up my strength for all the walking I do to keep up with you.”
As they dug into their food, there was a comfortable silence between them. Seungmin couldn’t help but notice how much more... effortless this felt now that they were officially dating. There wasn’t anything dramatic, no huge changes in how they interacted. It was just… better. Everything felt better.
And then, as if on cue, Minho’s gaze shifted to Seungmin’s cheek, a bit of sauce there from the pasta they were both eating. Without saying anything, Minho leaned forward, brushing his thumb gently against Seungmin’s cheek, wiping away the stray bit of sauce.
Seungmin froze for a moment, the touch sending a sudden warmth flooding through him. His heart did that familiar fluttering thing, the one that happened when Minho was close, when he did little things like that.
“I’m sorry,” Minho said, a bit of a nervous laugh escaping his lips as he pulled back. “I didn’t want you to walk around with sauce on your face.”
Seungmin blinked, a little dazed by the simple act, but he didn’t say anything right away. Instead, he glanced at Minho, seeing the same small smile tugging at the corners of Minho’s lips, a smile that was only for him.
“I—uh, thanks,” Seungmin said quietly, his voice suddenly a bit smaller than usual.
Minho just nodded, still with that faint smile on his lips, like he didn’t quite understand the effect his small gesture had on Seungmin.
But Seungmin felt it. The flutter in his chest. The way his heart skipped again, just from Minho being himself.
The rest of their lunch was filled with light conversation, teasing, and comfortable silences. Even as they ate, there were small touches and gestures—Minho’s pinky on his free hand randomly intertwined with Seungmin’s while they ate, the way Minho would place his extra shrimp onto Seungmin’s plate because he knows likes to eat them. They were so used to it now, these little moments of closeness. They weren’t just friends anymore, but even then, nothing felt much different. It was still them, just with that new unspoken understanding that something deeper was now there.
After lunch, as they walked out of the cafeteria, Seungmin glanced over at Minho, who was smiling to himself. There was something in his eyes, something soft, like he was thinking the same thing Seungmin was—how things had changed so subtly, but so wonderfully.
“Hyung,” Seungmin said suddenly, breaking the comfortable quiet between them. “I never told you this, but... you look really good today.”
Minho raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Oh? What brought this on?”
Seungmin shrugged nonchalantly, but the heat creeping up his neck gave him away. “I don’t know. You just... look good, okay?”
Minho’s expression softened and he leaned in a little, as if about to tease him. But then he stopped, and for a split second, Seungmin felt a strange pause in the air between them. It was a moment that hung there, delicate, like everything around them had quieted down.
Minho smiled, then, just for a second before leaning forward, pressing his lips against Seungmin’s in a soft kiss.
Seungmin’s heart skipped again, just as it always did when Minho kissed him. The kiss was brief, nothing too bold, but it was enough to make Seungmin’s chest tighten, a feeling that still felt so new yet so familiar all at once.
When Minho pulled back, he grinned, looking more than a little pleased with himself. “You know, you don’t have to say anything. I already know I look good.”
Seungmin laughed, swatting at his shoulder lightly. “Oh shut up, hyung.”
But even as he said it, Seungmin’s heart was still fluttering, just like it always did when Minho smiled at him or did something as small as wiping sauce off his cheek.
It was the little things, those small moments between them, that made Seungmin’s heart race every time.
Seungmin loved his routine. It was simple, predictable and calming until Minho started showing up more often.
It wasn’t like Seungmin was complaining. Honestly, it was nice having Minho around. They’d been dating for a little while now, but things between them hadn’t changed much. Minho still spent a lot of time in his own room, but he started hanging out in Seungmin’s room a lot more, like it was his second home.
Today, Seungmin had decided to take a long, hot shower after a long day of classes and Minho was sprawled lazily across Seungmin’s bed, lost in a series of ridiculous cat videos on his phone.
“Minho hyung!” Seungmin shouted from the bathroom, making sure his voice was loud enough to be heard. “Can you pass me a towel?”
A beat of silence passed before Minho’s voice came from the bed, muffled by his laughter. “Did you forget your towel in the bathroom again?”
Seungmin groaned, rolling his eyes. “It’s not that. I’m literally standing here half-naked. Please just pass it to me.”
Another pause. Then Minho replied, clearly teasing, “What’s the magic word?”
Seungmin, now growing impatient and very aware of the cold air hitting his damp skin, sighed dramatically. “Please, Minho hyung. I’m freezing out here.”
Minho chuckled to himself as he slowly got off the bed. “Fine, fine, I’ll save you from your frozen misery.”
He reached over to the chair beside the bed, grabbed the towel, and tossed it over to Seungmin’s hand in between the crack of the bathroom door. “Here you go.”
Seungmin quickly caught the towel and wrapped it around his waist, feeling a little more comfortable now that he wasn’t shivering. But as he thought about Minho, still chuckling to himself, an idea popped into Seungmin’s head. He couldn’t resist.
With a devilish grin, Seungmin walked out from the bathroom and stood directly in front of Minho, making sure to stand a little too close for comfort. He had no shirt on, only the towel around his waist and his skin was still glistening from the shower.
Minho looked up from his phone, his eyes widening when he saw Seungmin standing in front of him, his toned stomach slightly visible through the damp towel. “Seungmin—what are you—”
Seungmin didn’t give him a chance to finish. He simply leaned over, resting his arm across the bed headrest, and gave him a playful wink. “Minho hyung, whom I love. Can you pass me a towel?” he said in an exaggeratedly sweet voice, mimicking Minho’s earlier teasing tone.
Minho blinked several times, trying and failing to hide the flush spreading across his face. “What... are you doing?”
“I’m just following your example,” Seungmin said with a sly grin. “Seems like you think I’m cute when I ask for things, so I thought I’d try it out.”
Minho, clearly flustered now, tried to cover it up with a playful shove, though his hand lingered a little longer on Seungmin’s broad shoulders than necessary. “You’re crazy, you know that?”
Seungmin’s grin widened. “I think you’re just too shy to handle it, hyung.”
Minho, looking slightly defeated, rolled his eyes. “Okay, okay. Enough teasing. Go put on a shirt already. I can’t concentrate with you standing without clothes on.”
Seungmin snickered, giving him one last wink before retreating back to his side of the room to get dressed.
Seungmin had just finished slipping on a simple white t-shirt, and as soon as he caught sight of Minho still sprawled out lazily on the bed again, continuing to be absorbed in the cat videos. With a mischievous grin tugging at his lips, he sauntered back over to Minho, who was too distracted by his phone to notice.
“You're still watching those stupid videos?” Seungmin teased as he leaned over, his hands landing playfully on Minho's sides.
Minho didn’t even look up from his phone, his lips still curled into an amused smile from the previous video. “What’s wrong with my cat videos, huh?”
Without warning, Seungmin pounced. He threw himself onto Minho's chest, pinning him down as he let out a loud, exaggerated sigh.
“Seungmin—what the hell?!” Minho grumbled, his free hand swatting lazily at him, but he didn’t make any real effort to push him off. Seungmin had his legs tangled with Minho’s, his arms resting on either side of Minho’s face, a playful smirk plastered on his own.
“Thanks for the towel, hyung,” Seungmin said in a mocking, sugary tone before he leaned down and planted a quick kiss on Minho’s cheek.
Minho’s eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t react as much as Seungmin expected. Instead, he grumbled again, the corners of his lips twitching upward in the beginning of a smile. “Seriously, stop it. You’re embarrassing me.”
But Seungmin wasn’t done. He planted another kiss on the opposite cheek this time, his lips lingering for a moment longer than before.
Minho scoffed but didn’t push Seungmin off. Instead, he just shifted slightly to make himself more comfortable, letting out a quiet sigh of defeat. “I’m not dealing with this right now, Seungmin.”
Seungmin chuckled and leaned in for yet another kiss, this time on Minho’s forehead, before flopping down beside him, still lying across his chest with one arm draped lazily over Minho’s shoulder.
“You’re so cute when you get flustered,” Seungmin muttered, teasing him as he made himself comfortable.
Minho finally lowered his phone, glancing at Seungmin with a fond, resigned smile. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”
“I know,” Seungmin said, completely unbothered, as he nuzzled into Minho’s chest. “But I’m your ridiculous boyfriend, so deal with it.”
Minho chuckled softly, shaking his head but still not making any real move to get Seungmin off. His arm snaked around Seungmin’s waist, pulling him even closer. “You’re lucky I love you,” he murmured, his voice warm and affectionate despite the teasing.
Seungmin grinned, looking up at Minho with wide eyes. “Did you just admit that?”
Minho paused for a beat, before dropping his head onto Seungmin’s, sighing heavily. “I guess I did. Now, stop kissing me like that. People are going to think I’m whipped.”
Seungmin laughed and gave him another quick peck on the cheek, just to prove his point. “What can I say? You are whipped, hyung.”
Minho let out a dramatic sigh, but Seungmin could see the fondness in his eyes. “I’m never going to hear the end of this, am I?”
“Absolutely not,” Seungmin answered, his voice playful. “Get used to it.”
For a few moments, they simply lay there together in a comfortable silence, the soft sound of Minho’s cat videos still playing in the background. Seungmin could feel the steady beat of Minho’s heart beneath his cheek and it made him smile.
Minho had always considered himself an exceptional boyfriend. Emphasis on exceptional. He listened to Seungmin’s oddly specific rants about specific biology books are getting expensive than other subjects, refrained from making fun of his sock-with-sandals (for the most part) because he’s too lazy to wear shoes yet wants to feel that extra cushioning, and even pretended not to hate Seungmin’s favorite indie films that seemed like they were made by someone holding a camera for the first time.
So when Jisung leaned across the library table one afternoon, smirking like he was about to start some nonsense, Minho knew he’d regret entertaining the conversation.
“Hyung,” Jisung started, “How do you know Seungmin actually loves you?”
Minho blinked, setting down his pen. “What?”
“Like, how do you know? What if he’s just…tolerating you?” Jisung grinned like a kid stirring chaos in a hornet’s nest.
“Oh, Jisung," Minho said sweetly. “What if I’m just tolerating you?”
“You’re scary…” Jisung shot back. “Just answer the question.”
Minho leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Because I’m me, obviously. Seungmin loves me. Why wouldn’t he?”
Jisung snorted. “That’s not proof.”
Minho tilted his head, lips curling into a smug smile. “Do you want proof? I can give you proof.”
“Oh, this I’ve gotta see.”
Fifteen minutes later, Minho dragged a very disgruntled Seungmin into the library, plopping him into a chair across from Jisung. Seungmin looked annoyed (his default expression) and slightly confused.
“What,” Seungmin began, adjusting his hoodie, “is this?”
Minho ignored the question and pointed dramatically at Jisung. “Tell him you love me.”
Seungmin blinked, glanced at Jisung, and then at Minho. “What?”
“Tell Jisung that you love me,” Minho repeated, leaning forward like this was a courtroom drama.
Seungmin sighed deeply, his gaze flicking to Jisung, who was clearly enjoying this far too much. “Minho hyung,” he said slowly, “we’ve been dating for six months. Why does he need to hear this?”
“Because Jisung thinks you’re just tolerating me,” Minho replied, faux offense dripping from his tone.
“Oh, for—” Seungmin pinched the bridge of his nose before looking Jisung dead in the eye. “Seungmin loves Minho.”he said flatly. Then, for emphasis, he gestured at Minho. “Happy?”
Jisung was about to respond, but Minho wasn’t done. “No, no,” Minho interrupted. “Say it properly.”
Seungmin groaned. “What does that even mean?”
“Say it like you mean it.”
Seungmin shot him the most exasperated look Minho had ever seen—and that was saying something. But then, to Minho’s surprise, Seungmin leaned closer, his voice softening.
“Minho hyung,” Seungmin said with a small smile, “I love you. Even though you’re an absolute idiot.”
Minho froze, not expecting the sudden sincerity. His ears turned red as he tried (and failed) to keep his smug composure.
Jisung burst out laughing. “Oh my God, He’s blushing!”
“Shut up,” Minho muttered, trying to glare but failing miserably.
Seungmin smirked, clearly enjoying the upper hand for once. Minho scoffed when he saw the look on Seungmin’s, looking away. “Yeah, yeah, don’t let it go to your head.”
Minho also refused to let Jisung’s cackling ruin what was supposed to be his moment of triumph. Sure, Seungmin had turned the tables with that annoyingly soft declaration, but Minho was still the star of this show.
“See?” Minho said, straightening up and flashing a victorious grin. “Seungmin loves me. That’s all the proof you need.”
Jisung wiped at imaginary tears of laughter. “Oh, no, no. That wasn’t proof, that was pity. I’ve never seen someone look so reluctant to say ‘I love you.’”
“Reluctant?” Minho repeated, offended. “That was a performance! Seungmin practically oozed affection just now. You’re just jealous no one loves you like that.”
“Bold of you to assume I’m unloved,” Jisung shot back.
Seungmin raised a hand, silencing both of them. “Okay, enough. Can we end this before I regret my life choices?”
“Nope.” Minho leaned toward Seungmin, locking eyes. “Say it again. This time, louder and prouder.”
“Hyung.” Seungmin’s tone was that of a man teetering on the edge of walking out. “I just said I love you. Twice. You’re not getting a third one.”
“Why not?” Minho asked, pouting in the way he knew annoyed Seungmin most. “If you really loved me, you’d want to say it all the time.”
“Hyung, you’re my boyfriend,” Seungmin deadpanned. “Not a pet.”
“That’s debatable,” Jisung muttered, earning himself a sharp kick under the table from Minho.
Seungmin sighed, rubbing his temples. “Fine. I love you. There. Happy?”
“Ecstatic,” Minho said, grinning like a kid who’d just been handed a lifetime supply of candy.
Jisung rolled his eyes. “You’re so smug, it’s disgusting.”
“And your ass is still single,” Minho quipped, smirking.
“Hey! I’m going through some romance crisis, I’m currently one of the popular bachelors in this university!” Jisung whined.
Seungmin stood, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “I’m leaving before I’m roped into any more of this nonsense. Hyung, you coming?”
Minho leaned back, arms crossed. “Say it one more time, and I’ll consider it.”
Seungmin stared at him, clearly debating the merits of abandoning him right then and there. Finally, with a long-suffering sigh, he leaned down and whispered, just loud enough for Minho to hear:
“I love you, you dramatic idiot.”
And just like that, Seungmin walked off, leaving Minho to bask in his victory.
Jisung watched him go before turning back to Minho. “You know,” he said jokingly, “you really don’t deserve him.”
“I know,” Minho replied with a grin, standing up and grabbing his stuff. “But he loves me anyway.”
With that, Minho strode out of the library, smug as ever, catching up to Seungmin and make their hands intertwined, because at the end of the day, there was one undeniable truth:
Seungmin loved him.