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The elevator opened with a ding sound as Seungmin stepped outside with a groan, hands occupied with large boxes.
He hates his friends.
Especially Jisung. Because he didn't tell him that the apartment was on the 12th floor.
And on top of that, they ran off in the middle of the shifting because they had their so-called dates with their boyfriends.
Well, it wasn't his plan to move into another place at first. This reminds him of the day when he mentioned moving from his old apartment - which was only one month old - to his friends.
His old apartment was rumoured to be haunted, and Seungmin only found out about this after a week of living there, when one day, out of curiosity, he asked his neighbour who always gave him weird looks.
Whether the apartment was haunted or not wasn't the actual problem until the power cuts became frequent and
Seungmin started spending sleepless nights because of his fear of the dark.
And after one month of struggling, he finally decided to move somewhere else and asked his friends for help.
And that's when Jisung introduced him to Chan, who lives alone in a big apartment and was actually looking for a roommate.
Seungmin sighed in annoyance as he put the boxes down and stretched before composing himself again, so he didn't look like he was just cursing his life and his friends.
His hand hovered over the bell. He took a deep breath and pressed it.
He hadn't seen his roommate Chan before, but he knew about him.
Thanks to Jisung, who kept ranting about Chan non-stop. His new roommate, Chan, is a music major and three years older than him. He lives alone and is apparently working with Jisung and Changbin - Felix's boyfriend - to form a band.
The door opened with a click, and Seungmin forgot to breathe.
Chan stood there, hair messy and shirtless.
Like what the fu- calm down Seungmin, focus, focus.
"Oh... I'm so sorry, please come in," Chan began with an apologetic smile. "Jisung told me that you would be moving on Sunday," he said, stepping aside for Seungmin to enter.
"Tha-That's okay..." Seungmin stuttered, because this wasn't something he was expecting.
Seungmin doesn't mind Chan being shirtless. He had seen all his friends shirtless, even naked. But the problem is
Chan is hot. Too hot to the point Seungmin feels like he's having a heat stroke.
If Chan's gonna roam around the house like this, Seungmin might die because of a heart attack.
He hadn't expected his roommate to be an eye candy.
"Let me help you."
Chan helped him carry the heavy boxes, his muscles flexing.
Oh God, Seungmin had always been weak for muscular guys.
"Thanks." Seungmin smiled as Chan took all the boxes to the hall.
Such a gentleman.
And that's when Chan remembered that he was shirtless and the hall was messy.
"I'm sorry, it's a bit messy," he apologized while putting on a T-shirt.
Suddenly, Seungmin was hating the T-shirt. To the point he could tear it with his own hands.
But he calmed down.
"This will be your room," Chan pointed towards the room. "Tell me if you need anything, and by the way, I'm Chan."
"Seungmin." He bowed. "Nice to meet you, hyun- can I call you hyung?"
"Of course, Seungmin. I'll be in my room if you need anything."
"Sure. Thank you, hyung."
As Seungmin opened the door to his new room, the first thing he noticed was the view from the balcony.
It was mesmerizing.
Twelfth floor isn't bad at all.
Coming back to the hall to shift the boxes, Seungmin noticed how big the apartment actually was. The hall was really huge, with a balcony he hadn't noticed at first.
He wondered how Chan was living here all alone.
Thankfully, Chan helped him move the heavy boxes. Seungmin, being the neat freak he was, wanted to set up his room as soon as possible.
He doesn't like messy rooms.
But if it's Chan, he might let it pass.
He didn't even notice how much time had passed, but when he was done, it was already night.
A little knock on his door made him stand up, stomach growling.
Though he didn't even have the energy to lift a spoon, he was tired as hell and hungry as well.
Seungmin opened the door to see a fully clothed smiling Chan.
He was better shirtless, he thought.
"I made dinner. Thought you were hungry," Chan explained. "Come eat."
Seungmin couldn't be happier right now.
Chan literally saved his life because he wasn't in shape to make something for himself.
The table was full of food, and it all looked delicious.
Seungmin, who couldn't control himself anymore, practically jumped on the food.
"Eat slowly," Chan laughed as he picked up his chopsticks.
"It's so good," Seungmin almost cried.
The food was as delicious as it looked.
Seungmin volunteered himself to wash the dishes since now they were roommates and should split housework too.
But Chan, being the gentleman he was, denied it, saying, "Just rest. You must be tired because of the shifting."
If Seungmin could, he would've married Chan right now.
Chan is such husband material.
What good deeds had he done in his past life to get a roommate like Chan?
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
A month passed in a blur while adjusting to living with Chan, though it didn't take Seungmin much time to adjust to his new home and his new housemate.
Because living with Chan is easy.
And at this point, Seungmin thinks he could live with Chan forever.
Chan is understanding, caring, and a master chef.
Though Seungmin himself was really good at cooking - his friends always made him cook whenever they gathered - Chan's cooking was out of this world.
"Seungmin, can you help me?" Chan spoke from the kitchen, and Seungmin quickly walked towards him to help.
Apparently, Chan and Seungmin's friends had decided on a movie night, and they chose their apartment because of the huge space.
Besides Chan and Seungmin's rooms, they even had a guest room and a spacious hall for the boys.
Chan decided to make some snacks while waiting for them.
His gaze went towards the puppy-like boy struggling with too many things in his hands.
A chuckle left his mouth.
Seungmin is really sweet.
When Jisung first introduced him to Seungmin, Chan hesitated for a moment to offer his apartment without even meeting the person first.
But he trusted Jisung.
Jisung was right.
Actually, it turned out really well.
Chan never feels alone with Seungmin, and Seungmin is too understanding and caring.
And Chan found himself spending more time with Seungmin than alone - whether it was their movie nights after dinner, late-night walks in the park, or their drama marathon runs on weekends.
It was always with Seungmin.
And maybe that's what made the boy special to Chan in ways he couldn't describe.
But he's really fond of his roommate.
The sound of the doorbell made Chan snap out of his thoughts.
The boys are here.
Seungmin rushed towards the door with a half-annoyed expression.
Typical Seungmin behaviour.
"Yoo supp," Changbin announced with a cheeky smile, hand in hand with Felix, who quickly let go and hugged Seungmin instead.
Literally an angel.
Behind them, Minho was busy doing something on his phone while Jeongin helped him with it.
Meanwhile, Jisung and Hyunjin were arguing - God knows about what.
The boys stepped inside, leaving those two pabos behind.
"You two fight, I'm closing the door," Seungmin stated as he started closing it, but Jisung was faster.
Lastly, the two of them entered with grins while Seungmin just rolled his eyes.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
The boys settled in the hall while joking around and discussing what movie they should watch.
Chan joined them after setting the bowl of popcorn on the table along with other snacks before sitting on the couch beside Seungmin, who was looking through his phone with bored expressions.
"So what do you say, hyung? Which movie?" Jisung asked as he took a handful of popcorn, eating some himself before feeding a few pieces to Minho.
"I'm fine with anything you guys decide," Chan replied with a small smile.
"Let's watch horror," Changbin announced as he grabbed the remote and quickly went through the horror genre.
"No... Minnie doesn't like horror," Hyunjin added, head resting on Jeongin's shoulder.
Felix, Jeongin, and Han agreed with the statement as they all looked towards Seungmin.
Seungmin put his phone aside.
"First of all, I'm not afraid of horror movies. And I'm comfortable watching whatever you guys like," he replied with a bored smile.
But deep down, he knew he was afraid.
He just didn't want to ruin their movie night because of his small fear.
Well, the fear never used to exist.
Seungmin had only been afraid of the dark for as long as he could remember, and his previous apartment definitely did not help with that.
The power cuts, sudden voices at night, and the lack of people on his floor made him believe all those rumours.
It wasn't until one night, when the power cut out like usual because of the heavy rain and thunderstorm, that the voices suddenly came out of nowhere.
Seungmin had never been that afraid in his whole life.
He cried all night in the corner.
The next morning, he decided that he couldn't take it anymore and went to Jisung.
"Are you sure, Seungmin?" Chan asked suddenly, eyes filled with concern.
Seungmin nodded carefully, feeling a little guilty for worrying them.
Changbin selected a horror comedy because he didn't want Seungmin to feel uncomfortable.
Though he didn't know much about him personally, he'd heard a lot from his boyfriend about Seungmin.
Everyone relaxed as the movie played, focused on the screen, but Chan's eyes never left Seungmin.
He knew Seungmin was lying about being comfortable.
He had been living with Seungmin for a month now, and he knew that Seungmin had some kind of fear of the dark.
At first, Chan thought Seungmin studied late at night just to keep the lights in his room on, but later it turned out that Seungmin always slept with at least one light on.
He noticed how the younger flinched during sudden power cuts or whenever it rained with thunderstorms.
Seungmin avoided horror movies too. He always preferred comedy or thrillers whenever they watched movies or dramas together.
Chan started small.
Leaving the kitchen lights on at night.
Making sure to reach home on time whenever it rained so Seungmin wouldn't feel alone.
Soon, it turned into habits.
Neither Seungmin complained, nor did Chan stop his silent care.
He deeply cared about the boy.
Seungmin shifted a little, bringing his knees to his chest.
The movie until now wasn't really scary or dark like most horror movies usually are. The characters were actually joking around.
Maybe that's why it's called a horror comedy.
Chan's eyes followed his movement before his phone suddenly buzzed.
Taking the call, he excused himself and walked towards the balcony.
"I've never seen hyung take a call other than from his parents during movie night," Han suddenly stated.
Everyone looked towards Chan, who was busy talking on the phone.
He looked surprisingly happy.
Seungmin shifted again on the couch, eyes never leaving Chan.
Jeongin paused the movie, a smirk appearing on his face.
Little devil of the group.
"I think hyung is in love."
"How do you know?" Felix questioned.
"I saw the caller ID. It's definitely a girl, plus hyung looks happy talking to that person... so doesn't that make sense?" the maknae explained.
Seungmin's hands tightened around his knees.
He felt a sudden pang in his chest.
The statement somehow made him uneasy.
Changbin hummed.
"Did you see the name?"
"Yes. Yoona."
"The music club president?" Hyunjin commented.
Minho hummed before speaking.
"I think it's her. Chan's been friends with her for a while. Maybe it's mutual between them."
"Oh my gosh, why did no one tell me about this?" Jisung whined, but Minho quickly shoved chips into his mouth, making the whole group giggle.
"I think it's good. Hyung's been single for so long, I thought he was gonna die single," Changbin said at last, making the whole group burst into laughter.
Except Seungmin.
He smiled when the group glanced at him, especially when Minho looked at him for a little too long.
Like he'd seen right through him.
Seungmin's shoulders tensed, but he didn't let his fake smile drop.
He's happy for his friend.
He should be happy for Chan like everyone else.
But then why does he feel like crying?
The paused movie never resumed.
They all waited for Chan to come back, ready to tease him.
And when Chan finally returned - which felt like an eternity for Seungmin - the whole group looked at him like he was prey.
Minho smirked.
Jeongin faked a cough.
Hyunjin cleared his throat.
Felix side-eyed him while Changbin and Jisung giggled beside him.
"What happened, guys?" Chan asked, confused by their sudden behaviour.
"Hyung... were you talking to Yoona? Music club president?" Changbin asked with a smirk.
"Yup," Chan replied honestly.
"Hyung, you never told me that you like someone," Jisung whined, making Minho facepalm.
"Wait... are you guys dating?" Hyunjin added in shock.
"I don't think so, Jinnie hyung. Guess they're still in the talking stage," the maknae replied to his boyfriend cutely.
"Then hyung, do you have a crush on her?" the Aussie asked in English.
The room fell into chaos.
Everyone questioned Chan while answering things themselves, not even giving him time to explain properly.
Chan glanced beside him.
Seungmin was the only quiet one in the whole room.
And he looked... kind of pale.
Uncomfortable.
Minho followed Chan's gaze, suddenly curious.
"Hyung. Explain," he announced, making
the whole group quiet down.
Chan sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted.
Seungmin didn't look good either.
"What were you all just saying?" he questioned, voice turning a little cold.
The boys glanced at each other.
The sudden shift in Chan's tone only meant one thing.
He was pissed.
"None of what you guys just said was true," he added, jaw clenched.
"It's alright, hyung. We know you're shy," Jeongin joked, making everyone laugh again and melting the sudden tension.
Even Chan laughed a little too.
He could never stay angry at Jeongin.
Maknae on top. Always.
Soon, the laughter faded.
Changbin resumed the movie, and everyone focused on the screen again.
The horror comedy played in the background while the others laughed at random scenes, occasionally throwing comments at each other. Jisung nearly jumped at one scene.
But Seungmin didn't pay attention to anything.
His mind kept circling back to that conversation.
To Chan's smile on the balcony.
To the possibility of Chan liking someone.
Time slowly passed like that. The boys slowly started losing energy as midnight approached, making the movie play quietly in the background.
Seungmin shifted on the couch before standing up.
Chan noticed immediately.
"You okay? You look pale," Chan whispered, not wanting to grab attention or disturb the others.
"I-I'm good," Seungmin hesitated before smiling a little. "Just wanted to use the washroom."
"Okay." Chan nodded, returning the smile softly.
When Seungmin returned after almost twenty minutes, the hall was half empty.
He sat on the couch beside Chan, a little closer this time.
It was already past midnight.
The lights weren't on anymore, not even the kitchen lights, and Seungmin - who already wasn't feeling good - felt even more uneasy.
"Where's everyone?" he whispered, leaning slightly towards Chan.
"Han fell asleep, so I told Lee Know to take him to my room. Jeongin and Hyunjin got sleepy too, so they took the guest room."
He explained as softly as he could before glancing towards Changbin, whose eyes were half-lidded while Felix curled up on his chest, breathing softly in his sleep.
"He's dozing off too," Chan pointed out, making Seungmin giggle quietly.
Chan smiled at the sound.
Nothing's cuter than Seungmin's giggles.
So soft and fragile.
And suddenly, the power cut out.
Seungmin's body ran cold.
His hands clenched around the hem of his T-shirt as panic surged through him, freezing him on the spot.
He couldn't even reach for his phone.
He couldn't move.
"Seungmin, I'm here."
Chan's voice came soft and slow through the darkness.
Seungmin quickly grabbed Chan's hand tightly and moved closer.
"Don't worry. Let me look for the candles," Chan said sweetly while holding Seungmin close.
"N-No... don't go. Stay," Seungmin mumbled, trembling hands gripping Chan too tightly.
Chan stilled at Seungmin's request.
Though he knew it would be better to find some light, he couldn't move.
He couldn't leave Seungmin like this.
Not when the boy was asking him so vulnerably.
Chan carefully loosened Seungmin's grip from his hand before pulling the younger fully into his embrace, half seated in his lap while Chan leaned back against the couch.
Seungmin buried his face in Chan's chest, breathing softly.
His panic slowly dissolved as Chan caressed his back gently.
The warmth felt pleasant.
Chan's presence alone calmed him.
He doesn't need anything else right now.
This is enough.
Chan is more than enough.
Melting into the warmth, Seungmin slowly drifted off on Chan's chest, soft snores leaving him every now and then.
Chan found it cute.
He was glad Seungmin was finally able to sleep peacefully.
And before he knew it, Chan drifted into dreamland too.
The two of them slept tangled together on the couch.
Unbothered.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
The morning brought chaos.
Felix, who had slept in the hall, was the first one to notice the two of them.
He smiled immediately.
Admiring them before quietly taking a picture.
Changbin woke up soon after, but Felix pinched him before he could shout, telling him not to disturb them because they looked too cute.
The others slowly came out of their rooms too.
Only Minho looked fully awake out of all of them, taking a good minute to realize what Felix was smiling at so much.
Hyunjin and Jeongin stilled.
Now fully awake.
Jisung's eyes widened before he smiled too.
The others cooed softly.
Seungmin was sleeping like a baby, curled up completely on top of Chan with his face buried in Chan's neck.
Chan held him securely, one hand resting on Seungmin's back while the other stayed around his waist.
Chan's face looked calm.
For someone who always had trouble sleeping, he looked surprisingly peaceful.
And that was what shocked the others the most.
Jeongin giggled softly at the sight.
Felix still wasn't done taking pictures, and Han quickly joined him.
Changbin nearly dozed off again.
Hyunjin gave a proud thumbs up.
A small smile appeared on Minho's face as he glanced between Seungmin and Chan.
"So he wasn't lying last night."
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
The little noises from the kitchen were enough to wake Chan from his sleep. He stirred slowly, feeling a weight upon him before realising it was Seungmin.
His eyes opened slowly. Seungmin was still sleeping. His face was peaceful, different from last night when he had looked so scared and panicked.
Chan's mouth curved into a smile. Seungmin wasn't heavy at all. In fact, Chan liked his weight upon him. It made him feel... warm.
And the fact that he, too, had slept so peacefully last night. If Chan had to describe himself in one word, it would be insomniac. He could count on his fingers how much he slept on a daily basis.
Working so hard, keeping himself busy at work, no matter how tired he got, his lack of sleep didn't vanish.
It was quite surprising for him. But Chan didn't put much thought into that, his hands wrapping around Seungmin a little more as he focused on the soft sound of his snoring.
He liked this.
The way Seungmin's head was tucked under his chin, all his weight upon him. He could feel the soft rhythm of Seungmin's heartbeat. It was more peaceful than he had ever felt.
Someone cleared their throat.
The sound tore Chan's gaze away from Seungmin.
Minho stood only a little away from the couch, his face plain.
"If you're up, then come eat breakfast," he said as softly as he could, not wanting to wake the little puppy all curled up on Chan's chest.
"Sure," Chan replied, his voice hoarse from sleep.
His voice made Seungmin stir.
Seungmin's mind was still half asleep, just like his eyes. All he could feel was a nice warm embrace and a big hand slowly stroking his back.
His head buried against something soft.
His eyes shot open when he realised his position.
He was practically sleeping on top of Chan.
Seungmin flushed. As much as he was freaking out inside, he acted calm. He only opened half of his eyes, pretending to still be asleep.
This was good.
If he acted like he was still asleep, no one would pay much attention to his flushed face.
He got up slowly and, without a word, padded towards the bathroom.
If Seungmin had found out how good he was at acting before, he would've probably considered it as a career option.
As he walked towards the bathroom, he could feel gazes on him.
Especially Minho's.
Minho wasn't someone you could lie to flawlessly. He was too good at seeing right through a person, and it was one of the things that made Seungmin both respect and fear him more.
"Wash your face and come eat," he heard Minho say before he entered the bathroom and closed the door.
Seungmin sighed in relief.
Minho glanced at Chan.
Something flickered across his face, but he remained silent.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
When Seungmin returned from the washroom after a good twenty-three minutes-yes, he counted. Counting every second was easier than counting his own heartbeat.
Last night's incident rushed into his head again.
Seungmin wanted the earth to swallow him alive.
It was embarrassing.
Okay, maybe not that much. Panic and anxiety shouldn't be something to be ashamed of. And maybe it wasn't his panic itself, but the fact that it had happened in front of Chan.
Seriously.
Kill him.
Although Chan hadn't said anything to him about last night. (More like Seungmin didn't give him the chance to.)
It was embarrassing and sweet how Chan had taken care of him, held him, and reassured him.
And how Seungmin had just clung to him because... well, he had actually been really scared.
Chan's reaction wasn't something he had expected. Still, he found himself leaning on that. Leaning on that touch, that embrace, and that warm feeling he hadn't felt in a while.
But then again.
Chan must've helped him because he pitied him.
Chan had always been the one to help others. It was in his nature. He was kind to everyone, and there was no way Chan hadn't helped him out of kindness too.
Not after what Seungmin had heard and observed last night.
The mere thought of Chan being with someone else still ached.
But there was nothing he could do about that.
It was hopeless.
A slight crush on his roommate because he had been kind to him all this time.
Yeah.
It's just like that.
Seungmin straightened himself, now fully awake, before sitting down beside Chan. It was the only empty seat.
He stared down at the plate in front of him.
Toast and omelette.
Seungmin took a bite. Although he wasn't feeling very hungry, he liked it when everyone ate together.
Though he would've liked it more if his mind wasn't such a mess.
"You guys looked too cute," Felix said as he showed the photos he had taken earlier.
Seungmin froze in his seat.
Heat rushed to his face, turning it crimson as he stared at the photo.
It was so-fucking-embarrassing.
It was a relief that no one asked him anything. Just some compliments.
But they weren't helping either.
Chan stayed silent throughout breakfast.
Seungmin felt as if Chan didn't like it.
Maybe he didn't.
The way they all were calling them cute wasn't good.
Chan liked someone else.
Of course he hated it.
Seungmin's mind panicked at the thought of Chan hating him even slightly.
Would Chan hate him forever?
Even the thought of Chan hating him sent shivers down his spine.
Chan immediately noticed the uncomfortable look on Seungmin's face.
Sensing something was wrong, his hand instinctively found Seungmin's under the table, intertwining their fingers.
Seungmin looked up too quickly.
There was concern in Chan's eyes.
He then looked down at their intertwined hands, Chan's thumb stroking his skin.
He stared at their hands more than he should have.
Maybe Chan didn't hate him.
Yeah.
But Chan didn't like him the way Seungmin liked Chan either.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
The past few weeks couldn't have been more difficult for Seungmin than they already were.
His plan to get over his stupid crush on Chan had failed miserably.
Even if Seungmin put his feelings aside, Chan's actions weren't helping much.
He was sweet.
Sweeter.
After that night, Seungmin thought Chan might distance himself from him.
But the truth was, Seungmin had never felt this close to Chan.
All of this was making Seungmin paranoid.
And making him question himself again and again.
Does Chan like him?
Of course not.
He likes Yoona.
The way he smiled whenever her name was mentioned, the way his words hesitated before speaking about her.
Seungmin had been paying attention to all of that, even though he tried to avoid it.
So maybe Chan was just being kind.
More kind after that night.
Yeah.
Chan just pitied him.
Like any other person would.
And since Seungmin wasn't just a roommate but also a friend, Chan was simply paying more attention to a friend.
Just like others would.
Being kind to your friend.
The word "friend" left a sour taste in his mouth.
Was he really just a friend and nothing more?
Or more likely, could he never be more than that?
Seungmin shook off his thoughts as he looked at Chan approaching him.
After a long while, they had both decided to play games today since tomorrow was the weekend.
Chan grinned as he picked up the controller and gave Seungmin a smirk.
"I won't go easy on you, Min," he said, grinning even wider.
"We'll see about that. I'll win for sure," Seungmin announced with a small smile.
Times like this always made him relax.
Like they took him away from all his thoughts.
Just him and Chan.
Seungmin took the controller, giving Chan one last glance before the game started.
Seungmin competed like a champion, but Chan was too good at video games.
Sometimes he thought they should all have a tournament at their apartment with all their friends.
Sounds fun.
Watching himself lose, Seungmin smiled mischievously before grabbing Chan's controller and stealing his attention.
Though Seungmin did his best to cheat, because the game wasn't fun if he didn't cheat.
Yet he still lost.
Chan shouted in victory before pulling him into a tight hug.
Seungmin's breath hitched for a moment before he smiled.
Times like this were absolutely his favourite.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
The café smelled like coffee and chocolate. The view was too good, and so was its setting.
Seungmin liked this café too much. He was the kind of person who stayed loyal to his favourite places.
The café was quite famous, and it was hard to find a spot there on weekends.
A hand waved at him from afar.
Seungmin walked towards the table.
His friends were there.
"Took you long enough, Min," Hyunjin said with an eye roll. Apparently, they had all been waiting for Chan and Seungmin for half an hour.
"I said, it was traffic," Seungmin tried to defend himself.
"Alright, let's sit down."
Chan took his hand as he took a seat, and Seungmin settled beside him.
His hand was still held by Chan.
Seungmin wondered if his friends had noticed his crush on Chan.
Maybe not.
Seungmin had always been good at keeping secrets, especially when they were related to his feelings.
But sometimes he felt he was too obvious about it.
The way his eyes lingered on Chan more than they should because he just couldn't look away.
The way his face suddenly flushed around Chan.
It was embarrassing to admit, but sometimes Seungmin felt like a teenage girl blushing over her crush.
Maybe not a "crush" anymore.
He might be a secretive person, but he had always been honest with himself.
His feelings for Chan weren't just a crush anymore.
Seungmin could feel that.
And he wasn't going to lie to himself about it.
Maybe he could never tell Chan, but at least he could be honest with himself.
"Min... Min..."
Seungmin tore his gaze away from the hand Chan had held a while ago and looked towards Felix.
"Yeah?" he asked, surprised.
"What do you want to order?" Felix explained.
Seungmin quickly chose his regular drink.
It was his favourite café after all, and after spending half a year coming here and trying every drink, Seungmin had found his absolute favourite.
The group got busy chatting again.
Jisung talked about the new song he had written and how Changbin and Chan were helping him with it.
Minho looked proud watching Jisung like that.
Felix shared one of his recent baking stories.
Apparently, he had tried teaching Changbin how to make brownies, but that just... didn't end well.
Changbin laughed far too much at that.
Hyunjin ranted about his visit to an art museum, though not without flirting with Jeongin every now and then.
"There were so many artworks, but my favourite art is still you."
Jeongin spilled his drink and burst into laughter.
Surely, Hyunjin was embarrassed by his own cringe line, but he laughed it off anyway.
The group remained more hyperactive than the rest of the people in the café.
It was as if they were the only ones there.
Too much talking.
Too much laughter.
Yet somehow never enough for the group.
Chan, being the good dad of his kids, listened well, laughed when it was appropriate, and spoke when he should.
It was a good evening.
His eyes lingered on Seungmin more than on the table.
Minho noticed it all.
Chan startled when he caught Minho looking at him.
That damn stare.
Apparently, no one could escape Minho's stare.
Not even Chan.
It was like Minho had figured everything out.
He actually had.
They had exchanged a few words about it before.
About Chan's feelings for Seungmin.
Minho had never encouraged him to confess.
Instead, he had simply told him to tell Seungmin the truth.
And for Chan, that was the hardest part.
As much as he wanted Seungmin to know how he felt, it hadn't taken him long to realise that his fondness for his roommate was far more than fondness.
But it was impossible for him to say that to Seungmin.
Getting rejected wasn't even the reason he was afraid.
Chan could admit he was a little greedy.
It was the first time in his life that he had felt something this strong for someone.
And he was terrified.
Because sometimes the truth could shatter long-term bonds.
And the mere thought of Seungmin leaving him and never looking at him again was unbearable.
So Chan thought it was alright.
Things were good as they were.
Clinging to the fragile hope that he would somehow make it through.
The table erupted with noise again.
Chan caught a very familiar voice.
Yoona.
She was approaching them from afar.
Maybe she was here alone.
There was no one with her.
But why was she looking at their table?
Minho gave Chan a small glance.
A smirk appeared on his face.
Before Chan could understand what he was planning, Minho invited Yoona to their table.
Wow.
Chan shot a quick glare at Minho.
He didn't hate Yoona or anything.
She was a nice and sweet girl.
But he hated when his friends tried to ship them together.
Chan wasn't even a little interested in her.
She could be a good friend, but besides work and singing-club-related things, they had never really talked.
The group gave Chan knowing looks, waiting for a reaction.
Chan gave them none.
Though his grip tightened around his coffee cup.
Yoona sat beside Chan.
Suddenly, the whole situation felt awkward.
Seungmin's shoulders stiffened.
This wasn't the simple evening he had imagined.
The group once again dived back into the conversation, this time introducing themselves to Yoona.
Yoona knew only a few of them.
When Seungmin's turn came, he introduced himself with a polite smile.
And Yoona returned the gesture.
She's sweet, Seungmin thought.
Beautiful, polite, talented, and everything that would make anyone fall for her.
Chan and Yoona would make a good couple.
The thought sounded bitter in his mind.
Seungmin gave himself a sad smile.
Chan's eyes lingered on Yoona more than on Seungmin.
She was behaving strangely.
Not suspicious, but different.
When Seungmin introduced himself to her, her sole focus had been on him.
She even stuttered while talking only to Seungmin.
And whenever her gaze landed on him, she looked flushed.
It gave an ugly feeling to Chan's stomach.
By the time they were all done, Chan was tired.
He just wanted to go home and sit on the couch with Seungmin, watching a movie with him.
Domestic and peaceful.
"How will you get back?" Changbin asked Yoona.
Just like Chan, she knew Changbin too, but they had only exchanged words for work purposes.
"Maybe I'll book a ca-"
"Chan hyung will drop you," Hyunjin said with a grin.
Chan hid his irritated look and nodded.
Even though he didn't like the idea, he still couldn't let her go home alone at night.
Seungmin stared blankly at his shoes.
He didn't know if he should go with Chan and Yoona.
But he didn't know where else he should go either.
And as if Felix had heard his thoughts, he quickly grabbed Seungmin and dragged him towards his car.
"Min will go with us," he told Chan before sliding into the car.
Chan looked a little displeased with the idea, but he figured it was better to let Seungmin go with Felix than sit through the ride with him and Yoona.
Seungmin looked outside the car window, catching only brief glimpses of Chan before the car started moving.
He was the only one who didn't say much during the ride.
But to his surprise, Changbin and Felix didn't push him either.
He was a person who didn't talk much, but once he started, it was hard to stop him.
And his friends, fully aware of his nature, never forced him to be part of any conversation.
And that's why Seungmin always considered himself lucky when it came to his friends.
It didn't take long for him to reach his apartment.
He bid a small farewell to Changbin and Felix, thanking them before turning towards his apartment building.
The weather was strangely dark and cold.
Seungmin could only hope it wouldn't rain.
And if it did, he wanted Chan to be beside him before that.
Yoona's house was on the opposite side from where Seungmin lived.
Thanks to Changbin, he had found that out.
And that was pretty much the reason why Chan had personally gone to drop her off.
Gentleman gestures.
.....
Chan felt uncomfortable inside the car.
Like he couldn't breathe.
Neither of them was speaking.
Yoona was silently scrolling through something on her phone while Chan kept his eyes on the road.
A wave of relief flashed through him when Yoona's place came into view.
She lived really far away.
Chan felt exhausted.
The car stopped in front of a house.
A rather big house.
Yoona stepped outside, and Chan followed her.
"Umm... Chan..."
She spoke hesitantly.
Chan quirked a brow but remained silent.
She was really acting differently today.
"So... you and Seungmin are... roommates?"
"Yeah," he replied calmly.
He wasn't liking where this was going.
"Umm... like... do you know if he has a partner? Or... like... if he's in a relationship or something?"
Yoona blushed.
Her eyes sparkled.
Chan's face turned to stone.
His jaw clenched.
His eyes went cold.
"Yes, he's in a relationship," he replied sharply.
An expression flickered across her face.
Maybe disappointment.
But she didn't stop.
"Umm... like, can you give me his-"
"I think I've already made it clear that he's in a relationship," Chan replied irritably.
He was pissed.
"Yeah, but that person-"
"Enough."
Chan almost shouted.
He never behaved like this.
But Yoona kept speaking without thinking, and Chan had never felt this on edge.
Then a sudden clap of thunder swept away all his anger.
Before Yoona could say anything else, Chan slipped back into the car and started it.
He didn't look behind.
His focus was on the road and his mind was on the boy who might be curled up in a corner, crying.
Chan gritted his teeth.
Why hadn't he noticed it before?
Shit.
It was his fault.
He shouldn't have let Seungmin go home alone.
He should've checked the weather.
He shouldn't have wasted time arguing with Yoona.
He sped up as the empty road stretched before him.
Frustration burned in his chest.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
Seungmin thought it was okay.
He could manage on his own.
He wasn't a baby or a child who couldn't do anything and got scared during thunderstorms.
He was wrong.
When the first sound of thunder came, Seungmin froze in the kitchen.
His heartbeat quickened.
He tried to calm himself.
But then came another.
And another.
The sounds grew sharper each time, making him crouch down and cover his ears until he curled up in the corner of the kitchen like a ball.
Then came the rain.
The lights went off.
So much darkness.
Before he knew it, he was crying.
His tears soaked his own T-shirt, his head buried in his knees.
The fact that Chan wasn't there made him even more scared.
The thunderstorms didn't stop.
Neither did Seungmin's tears.
Then slowly, the door clicked open.
For a moment, Seungmin thought he had imagined Chan opening the door and walking towards him.
"Min."
A soothing, familiar voice came, and Seungmin looked up.
Chan stood there, completely drenched in rain.
Seungmin's hands shook with the urge to cling to him.
But Chan was faster.
He quickly crouched down to Seungmin's level and pulled him into a warm embrace.
A sob escaped Seungmin's mouth before he buried his head in Chan's chest.
His scent healed him.
"Shh, it's alright. I'm here," Chan said, his hands stroking Seungmin's back.
Seungmin nodded in response.
It took almost an hour to calm him down.
Chan picked up the clingy puppy in his arms and sat him down on the couch.
Seungmin waited patiently while Chan changed out of his rain-soaked clothes.
Realisation hit him a few minutes later.
He buried his face in his hands, feeling more than embarrassed.
"Seungmin."
Chan spoke, handing him a glass of water.
Seungmin chugged it quickly.
Chan sat beside him on the couch, maintaining a reasonable distance between them.
Seungmin gulped as he looked down at his hands.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled under his breath.
Chan frowned.
"I'm sorry. I kinda... ruined your date with Yoona."
"What? Listen, Min-"
"No, I know I'm a terrible person. I ruined your date. I'm such a crybaby. I always bother you. I'm not a toddler who's afraid of thunderstorms and blackouts. I'm so sorry, Chan hyung. I don't want to be a burde-"
Chan cut him off by pressing his lips against Seungmin's.
His eyes widened.
His face grew hot.
He couldn't believe this was happening.
His hands gripped a fistful of Chan's T-shirt.
Chan pulled away soon after.
But the kiss lingered, and Seungmin was still in a daze because of it.
Chan took both of Seungmin's hands and held them gently.
"First of all, you're not a terrible person or a burden. Second, your fears don't make you a toddler or anything. Everyone has their own fears to fight too."
Chan smiled.
Seungmin nodded.
"And lastly... you didn't ruin any date. In fact, I was the one who rushed back to you."
Seungmin looked at Chan.
He felt a pang in his chest.
"You're too kind to me. You shouldn't have done that... she must be upset."
His voice cracked.
Chan smiled to himself.
Seungmin was too good for his own sake.
"Do you know what the first thing she asked me was when I dropped her home?" Chan asked, leaning a little closer.
Seungmin shook his head.
"She asked me if you had a partner or if you were in a relationship."
Chan laughed at Seungmin's reaction.
His boba eyes were completely widened.
"What?... Then... what did you reply?"
"What do you think?"
"I... I don't know..."
"Honestly, I was really pissed at that moment, so I told her that you're already in a relationship," Chan replied with a grin.
"Why did you say that? And who is that person supposed to be?" Seungmin asked as his confusion grew.
"Well, that's actually a difficult situation..."
Chan made a thoughtful expression, enjoying every reaction from Seungmin.
"Let's do something about that."
Seungmin frowned in confusion.
"Kim Seungmin."
Chan squeezed Seungmin's hands.
"I'm practically... in love with you since the day you moved in here."
A blush appeared on Seungmin's face.
"See, I know it's sudden, and you don't even know how much courage I had to gather just to say this one line. My heart is beating so fas-"
This time, it was Seungmin who cut Chan off by pressing their lips together.
It was a short kiss.
But it held all the answers Chan needed.
"I love you too, hyung. So much."
"Now that's the kind of answer I was expecting."
Seungmin slapped him on the chest.
"Seungmin, I might be the kindest person in your eyes, but trust me, baby, I'm not. I have my own flaws, and never once have I done anything for you out of pity. It was always affection from me. Because it's always been you, no matter what. You're always on my mind, Min."
Chan leaned in again.
The kiss lasted until they had to pull apart to catch their breaths.
Chan hugged Seungmin close.
And Seungmin curled up against his chest, his face buried there as he breathed in the familiar scent.
"I love you, Seungmin," Chan said again, hugging him tightly before placing a kiss on Seungmin's temple.
Seungmin smiled with his eyes closed.
"I love you too, hyung."
The End.