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"Okay," Seungmin said, pacing the dorm living room, "I'm going to do it."
"You say that every year," Chan replied from the couch.
"No this time is different! This time—" Seungmin turned to point a dramatic finger at Jeongin, "—I have a plan."
"You said that last year," Jeongin added.
"And the year before that," Hyunjin chimed in, filing his nails like this was a talk show segment. "Remember when you tried to 'accidentally' drop a heart-shaped note in Minho's hoodie and accidentally gave it to Chan-hyung?"
"That was a tragic day," Changbin said solemnly. "I had to witness Chan read a love note signed From: Your Secret Angel 😳."
"It wasn't signed like that!"
"Yes it was," Jisung said, not even looking up from his phone. "I still have the screenshot."
"ANYWAY," Seungmin barked, cheeks flushed. "This year will be different. Because this time, you're all going to help me."
Dead silence.
"...Or I'll tell Minho what you all did to his skincare shelf last week."
"WE'RE IN!" said everyone in unison.
"What says 'I'm in love with you' without actually saying it?" Seungmin asked.
"Matching rings," said Jeongin.
"A handwritten poem," said Chan.
"A mixtape of every song that makes you think of him," said Hyunjin, sighing dreamily.
"A full choreographed flash mob in the company lobby," said Changbin.
"Jisung?" Seungmin asked, ignoring everyone else.
Jisung looked up from his phone. "Get him a bag of shrimp chips and write 'I'm your snack if you want me 😘.'"
Seungmin blinked. "...That's horrifying."
"And iconic."
He went with the safe middle ground: a custom candle that smelled like Minho's favorite cologne and a box of heart-shaped cookies, half dipped in chocolate, all handmade (with Hyunjin icing them while yelling "I'M AN ARTIST, NOT A BAKER").
"Nothing cringe," Seungmin muttered, hunched over the kitchen table. "Just normal. Chill. Cool."
"Dear Minho," he wrote. "I like you. A lot. Please don't laugh."
He stared at it. Cringed.
Hyunjin came in, saw it, and gasped. "You cannot hand him that. That reads like you're writing to your dentist."
"Help me, then!"
Three hours later, the letter had gone through 12 drafts, four dramatic readings, and one incident where Jeongin tried to sneak in the line "I wanna be your Valentine and your forever-dine."
They settled on:
Minho-hyung,
I know we tease each other a lot. I know I act like I hate you.
I don't. I think I've been falling for you for a while.
And if you feel the same... maybe meet me on the rooftop after dinner.
Yours,
Seungmin
(P.S. Please don't laugh. But if you do, at least do it in my face so I can crawl away in peace.)
"Don't look at him. Don't be weird. Just slip it into his jacket," Jisung whispered.
Seungmin swallowed. Minho was across the dorm, yawning into a mug of tea, dressed in sweats and a beanie and looking painfully adorable.
He was doomed.
"Go," Hyunjin whispered. "It's go time."
Seungmin walked over, pretending to casually pat Minho's shoulder as he slipped the card into the pocket.
Minho raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"
"Nothing!" Seungmin squeaked, then scurried off like a cartoon mouse.
He waited.
The air was cold. The stars were out. The box of cookies was tucked under his arm.
He waited.
Then the door creaked open.
Minho stepped onto the rooftop, holding the letter in one hand.
"Is this some kind of joke?" he asked, but his voice wasn't cold — it was quiet, uncertain.
Seungmin's stomach dropped. "No—! I mean—unless you want it to be? Then yes?"
Minho blinked at him.
Seungmin fumbled the box open. "I brought cookies! Chocolate! And frosting! That probably melted on the stairs but it's fine because it's—"
Minho stepped closer and flicked his forehead.
"You idiot."
Seungmin blinked.
Minho held up the letter. "You thought I'd laugh?"
"I mean... maybe?"
Minho stared at him for a moment too long.
Then — finally — smiled.
"You really think I've been annoying you every day just to be a jerk?"
"Yes!"
Minho snorted. "I've been flirting with you for six months."
Seungmin's brain crashed.
"You WHAT?"
Minho took the cookies from his hands, popped one into his mouth, and muttered, "They're good. You're lucky I like you."
"You LIKE me?"
Minho rolled his eyes. "How are you so smart and so stupid at the same time?"
Seungmin gaped.
Minho looked back at him and grinned. "Come here."
And before Seungmin could squeak another word, Minho leaned in and kissed him — soft and slow, a little smug too.
When he pulled back, Seungmin was red to his ears.
"...So do I still have to eat dinner with the others?" he muttered.
"Nope," Minho said, grabbing his hand and tugging him toward the stairs. "You're officially on a date with your annoying, perfect, genius boyfriend."