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The gravel crunched under Hyunjin’s tires as he pulled into Minho’s driveway, his sleek black car looking comically out of place next to the weathered Toyota pick-up parked under the old oak tree.
The countryside air was fresh and open, a stark contrast to the smoggy breath of the city, and Hyunjin felt the tension ease from his shoulders the second he stepped out.
Minho was already at the gate, leaning casually against the post with his arms crossed, like he’d been waiting there just to see him.
“You know,” Minho called out, squinting at the sun but grinning, “every time I see that shiny thing roll up, I think the mayor’s come to inspect my land.”
Hyunjin scoffed as he approached, sunglasses still perched on his nose. “Please. I’m far prettier than the mayor.”
“That you are, my pretty boy,” Minho said, and his smile softened.
Hyunjin didn’t hesitate. He closed the distance between them and slipped his arms lightly around Minho’s waist, leaning slightly down to press a kiss to his cheek, then paused, smirking against his skin. “Hi handsome, you won’t make me do chores today right?”
“We’ll see,” Minho murmured, catching Hyunjin’s chin gently and turning his head for a real kiss.
It was brief, just a soft press of lips, but warm, comfortable and increasingly familiar.
They lingered for a moment before Minho tugged him into a quick hug. “Welcome back.”
“I’ll say it again,” Hyunjin said as he leaned back in his arms. “The breath of fresh air is nice but besides that.. this place is lucky to have me.”
“Oh yeah?” Minho tilted his head. “Lucky enough to deserve a surprise?”
Hyunjin narrowed his eyes, intrigued. “What kind of surprise?”
Minho just winked. “Come see for yourself.”
***
Minho led Hyunjin around the side of the small barn, the wooden boards creaking under their steps. The moment they turned the corner, Hyunjin halted with a suspicious look.
“What are you doing?” he asked, peering warily at the field ahead.
Minho gave him a sly smile and nodded toward the low wooden pen just beyond the barn. “You’ll see.”
As they got closer, Hyunjin spotted them, tiny, bleating bundles wobbling on spindly legs, nuzzling against their mother’s side. His eyes widened.
“Are those?”
“Baby goats,” Minho confirmed, his tone casual, like it was no big deal that he just casually had them in his back yard? Back barn?
“Neighbour’s goat gave birth a few days ago. They’re crashing at mine until she finishes her barn renovations.”
Hyunjin stared, hesitating at the gate. “They’re… cute. But this is mud. And hay. And poo.”
Minho laughed, unbothered. “Yes, your royal highness. Farms tend to have those.”
“I wore suede,” Hyunjin said, half a whine, glancing down at his expensive-looking shoes like they might disintegrate from the proximity alone.
Minho stepped behind him and slid an arm around his waist. “You’ll live.”
Before Hyunjin could protest further, Minho opened the gate and gently nudged him forward. “Come on. You don’t have to pick one up. Just pet them.”
“I swear, if something gets on me”
But then a tiny goat tottered right up to the edge of the pen, stubby tail wagging, and looked up at him with wide eyes.
Hyunjin froze. The goat bleated softly, nuzzling at the fence.
“…Oh my god,” Hyunjin whispered.
Minho bit back a grin. “You alright’ there?”
Hyunjin crouched slowly, carefully, like he was performing surgery, and extended one slim finger toward the baby goat’s head. It leaned into the touch.
“They’re… soft,” Hyunjin murmured, his voice gone tender with awe. “And so small. Like, stupidly small.”
Another goat approached, then another. Soon three of them were pressed against the fence, trying to climb on each other to reach him. Hyunjin laughed, warm and bright.
“They’re like little clouds,” he said, genuinely delighted now. “Oh my god, look at their little ears”
Minho leaned against the side of the barn and watched him with a soft smile.
Hyunjin’s face was lit up with joy, eyes crinkled and hair falling into his lashes as he tried to pet each goat equally like he didn’t want any of them to feel left out.
“Yeah,” Minho said quietly. “They’re cute.”
Hyunjin glanced back at him. “You’re not even looking at the goats.”
Minho raised a brow. “Aren’t I?”
Hyunjin rolled his eyes, but his smile lingered as he stood back up and brushed imaginary dust off his pants. “Okay, fine. That was a good surprise.”
“I knew you’d like it.”
“Don’t get smug.”
Minho stepped in close and brushed a bit of hay from Hyunjin’s sleeve. “Too late.”
Despite his complaints, Hyunjin lingered there with them for another 15 minutes, his features soft and open, brushing his fingers through baby fur with tentative affection.
Minho stood a little to the side, arms crossed, just watching him. Something in his chest tugged tight. He’d seen Hyunjin flustered and smug, worried and confused, but this, this gentle version of him, all heart and hesitant wonder, it was something else entirely.
And he knew then, without question: he was completely screwed.
***
By the time they made it back inside, Hyunjin had carefully washed his hands three separate times and whined about his shoes getting dirty.
Minho was still grinning as he handed Hyunjin a glass of water and flopped down onto the sofa.
He grumbled half-heartedly when Hyunjin tugged at his sleeve, eyes gleaming. “You said I’d get stories after you met Seungmin. You promised, Minho.”
Minho narrowed his eyes. “I don’t recall saying promised.”
“Well I do,” Hyunjin sing-songed, already pulling on his jacket. “Is Chan hyung home?”
Minho sighed in defeat. “Yeah. Chan hyung and Felix should be around.” He grabbed his house keys and muttered, “You’re going to be unbearable after this.”
Hyunjin only smiled brighter.
***
Hyunjin stepped carefully into Chan and Felix’s house, taking a moment to glance around before unbuttoning his coat and hanging it neatly by the door.
The interior was cozy in a way that surprised him, sunlight spilling through linen curtains, books and records stacked in corners, the faint smell of something citrusy and roasted floating through the air.
Felix waved from the kitchen, where he was slicing something with practiced ease. “Hyunjin! You made it.”
“Hi, Felix,” Hyunjin said with a sweet smile. “It smells amazing.”
“Hope you’re hungry,” Chan added, beckoning them in. “We weren’t sure what you’d like, so we made a bit of everything.”
Minho leaned down to whisper near Hyunjin’s ear, “They’ve never done this much for me, by the way.”
Hyunjin smirked. “Maybe because I’m charming.”
“You’re annoying.”
***
They all settled at the table, plates passed around, and Hyunjin thanked them again with the kind of politeness that had Felix grinning.
Once everyone had taken a few bites, Chan leaned forward and raised an eyebrow. “So I heard from a little bird that Hyunjin wanted some… old stories.”
Hyunjin blinked innocently. “Minho hyung said I was allowed to hear some, just for balance.”
Minho groaned immediately. “I did not”
“You absolutely did,” Chan cut in with a grin. “Okay, let’s start with an easy one. Did you know this guy once faked a sprained ankle for three days just to get out of PE?”
Hyunjin turned, delighted. “What?”
“He did the full limp,” Chan said. “Even got me to carry his bag for him.”
Felix chimed in with a shake of his head. “Only for one day! Then Chan hyung apparently caught him sprinting to the snack truck after school and dragged him to the nurse’s office to prove he was fine.”
Minho tried to defend himself, “I was thirteen!”
“You were sixteen” And was immediately shut down by Chan.
Hyunjin giggled. “Why the snack truck?”
“They had the good pudding,” Minho muttered with a small pout.
“Tragic,” Hyunjin teased, leaning his chin on his hand. “Anything else?”
“Oh, here’s a good one,” Chan said, lighting up. “He once printed off a fake horoscope that said ‘your soulmate is someone with a red sweatshirt’ just to try and flirt with this guy who worked at the local grocery.”
Minho dropped his fork. “Hey! He was very into that sort of shit. And I was just, engaging with his interests.”
“You taped it behind his till when he was on break,” Felix said, biting back laughter.
“It worked, didn’t it?” Minho muttered.
Hyunjin was laughing too hard now to respond, shoulders shaking.
Chan grinned. “And last one, I promise.” He cleared his throat, “I’m sure maybe you have noticed by now, but, Minho isn’t really someone who gets emotional easily so, tell me why I once found him crying over a perfume ad.”
Minho groaned again. “It was a short film! The dog got lost and then ran back just as the guy sprayed the cologne, he thought it was his owner but it wasn’t. They showed so many people spraying that damn perfume and the dog constantly getting disappointed until he finally found him and guess what! The owner was fuckin’ dead! It was not okay hyung. It was not okay.”
Felix covered his mouth, laughing.
“See, that one I respect,” Hyunjin said between giggles. “Didn’t expect it from you but I also would’ve cried. You’re quite sensitive and dramatic. I get it.”
“Am not but whatever. At least someone understands,” Minho muttered with a sigh.
By the time dessert came out, some kind of soft tart Felix made, Hyunjin was comfortable, leaning back in his chair, smile soft as he watched Minho joke with the people who had clearly seen him through so much.
When they eventually stood to leave, Hyunjin bowed his head politely. “Thanks for having me, really. I’m sure I’ll repay you for all the stories.”
“Oh please do,” Felix grinned.
“Next time,” Chan said, “I hope we can embarrass you both.”
Hyunjin smiled, eyes warm and heart full from being so accepted by Minho’s closest friends.
***
Back at Minho’s place, the late evening sun had switched into something golden and lazy, filtering it’s last light through the windows as the two of them kicked off their shoes and collapsed on the couch. Minho let out a long breath and tilted his head toward Hyunjin.
“You good?” he asked softly.
Hyunjin smiled and nodded, resting his head back on the cushion. “Yeah. It was… nice. I like them.”
Minho grinned. “They like you, too.”
“Chan hyung is funnier than I expected.”
Minho snorted. “He’ll be unbearable if you tell him that.”
Hyunjin turned to him, lips tugging into a sly smile. “And you’re even cuter when you’re embarrassed.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Mm-hm.” Hyunjin leaned closer, knees brushing. “Like when you started explaining why you cried over a perfume ad.”
Minho narrowed his eyes, amused. “You laughed too hard at that. And it wasn’t even an ad. You’ll pay for it.”
Hyunjin tilted his head, smile still playing at his lips. “How?”
Minho leaned in, caught his chin between two fingers. “Like this.”
He kissed him, slow and a little playful at first, then deeper when Hyunjin shifted closer and tangled his fingers into Minho’s shirt.
They moved together easily, like they’d been doing this forever now, Minho’s hand sliding around his waist and tugging him halfway into his lap.
In between kisses, Minho mumbled, “Shower?”
Hyunjin pulled back just enough to raise an eyebrow. “Together?”
Minho’s grin turned wicked. “Unless you’re scared again.”
Hyunjin rolled his eyes. “I’m not scared. I’m just particular.”
“Particularly clingy I hope.”
Hyunjin smacked his arm, but he was already getting up, pulling Minho with him.
***
The shower was warm and a little foggy, the two of them pressed close in the narrow stall. Water streamed over their shoulders as Minho’s fingers skimmed up Hyunjin’s spine and Hyunjin clung lazily to his shoulders, humming when their bodies touched again.
Hyunjin’s skin was dewy and flushed from the heat, eyes half-lidded. “Your hands are magical,” he murmured.
“Glad to hear it,” Minho replied smugly, brushing wet hair from his forehead and kissing him again.
There was laughter in the space between them, light and soft and real. And when the steam got too thick, they finally stepped out, drying off together with bold touches and sleepy smiles.
***
Later, they lay side by side in Minho’s bed, hair still damp, the night cool against their bare arms. The sheets soft, their limbs tangled just enough, and the only sound was the quiet hum of crickets outside the open window.
Hyunjin spoke first, his voice low. “You know… I think I like it here more than I ever thought I would.”
Minho glanced at him, surprised. “The goats convinced you?”
Hyunjin scoffed. “No. Well… maybe a little. But it’s more than that.”
He stared up at the ceiling for a moment, thoughtful.
Minho shifted closer, brushing their knees together beneath the blanket.
Hyunjin’s smile softened. “It was really nice today. I think I’m starting to like the countryside.”
Minho gave him a look. “Really?”
“Well, you being here helps.” Hyunjin reached over to tap Minho’s chest. “A lot.”
There was a pause. Minho’s expression changed, gentler than before, the teasing melting into something fond and quiet.
“You really like me, huh?” he asked, voice low.
Hyunjin raised a brow. “You just figuring that out?”
“No.” Minho licked his lips. “But I like hearing it.”
Hyunjin leaned in, brushing his lips over Minho’s in a fleeting kiss. Then another, slower this time, drawn out until Minho sighed against his mouth and tugged him closer by the waist.
They kissed lazily, like they had all the time in the world, no rush, no pressure. Minho’s hand slid up Hyunjin’s back, anchoring him, and Hyunjin’s fingers curled into Minho’s damp hair. It was warm and quiet and easy, like slipping into a dream.
When they pulled apart, Hyunjin’s cheeks were pink and his eyes bright.
“I like you so much it’s actually getting embarrassing,” he whispered.
Minho pressed their foreheads together. “Good. Makes us even.”
After a bit Hyunjin continued, “I used to think I’d always be too… too much for a place like this. Too soft, too picky, too used to having things a certain way. But I don’t know. It feels… nice here. Peaceful.”
Minho’s voice softened. “You’re not too much for anything. And I like the you that still yells when mud gets on his shoes.”
Hyunjin turned his head back up to the ceiling. “I didn’t yell.”
“You yelped.”
“Minho hyung.”
Minho grinned. “Yes?”
Hyunjin didn’t answer for awhile. He just reached across the space between them, tugged Minho’s hand into his own, holding it there.
Hyunjin hesitated, then said, “Thanks. For today. For the goats. For the company. For making it feel like…”
Minho turned his head to look at him. “Like?”
Hyunjin met his gaze, eyes softer now. “Like I belong here.”
Minho reached over, brushing a thumb gently across his cheek. “You do. You stick out like a sore thumb but I promise, you’re perfect for this place.”
They lay like that for a while, eyes drifting closed, fingers tangled loosely. The sun had dipped below the hills by now, leaving the room in a soft gray wash of dusk. Outside, crickets chirped faintly. Inside, was just them within their little bubble of peace.