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The dorm was too loud.
Not unusual.
It was seven in the morning, Chan had already been awake for hours, Hyunjin was dramatically complaining about his hair, Changbin was trying to convince everyone that protein powder absolutely did not taste like chalk, Felix was laughing at something on his phone, Jeongin was stealing pieces of toast off other people’s plates, and Han—
Han was standing on a chair in the kitchen.
“Everyone listen to me!”
“No,” Minho said flatly.
Han ignored him.
“I have made an observation.”
“You made a mistake,” Seungmin corrected.
Han pointed at him.
“See?”
Seungmin blinked.
“See what?”
Han grinned.
“The divorced couple thing.”
The room fell silent for exactly half a second.
Then Changbin snorted.
Felix immediately buried his face in his hands because he knew exactly where this was going.
Jeongin looked delighted.
Chan sighed.
Hyunjin gasped dramatically.
“Oh my God. He’s right.”
Seungmin stared at them.
Minho slowly lowered his coffee mug.
“No.”
“You’ve been bickering all morning,” Han argued.
“You literally told Seungmin not to put the milk back in the wrong place.”
“It was the wrong place.”
“It’s the fridge.”
“There are shelves.”
Seungmin crossed his arms.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was living with the refrigerator police.”
“You should apologize to the cheese while you’re at it.”
Changbin doubled over laughing.
“Divorced.”
“Oh my God,” Hyunjin wheezed. “They’re doing it again.”
“We are not divorced,” Seungmin said.
“You’d have to be married first,” Minho replied.
The entire kitchen erupted.
Felix nearly choked.
Jeongin looked like Christmas had come early.
Chan pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Can everyone please just eat breakfast?”
“No,” Han said. “We need answers.”
“There are no answers,” Seungmin snapped.
“We’re not a thing.”
“We don’t even like each other that much.”
Minho took another sip of coffee.
“Exactly.”
Something uncomfortable settled in Seungmin’s stomach.
He ignored it.
“See?” he said.
“We agree.”
Han looked between them.
“…That’s somehow worse.”
⸻
The jokes never stopped.
They hadn’t for years.
At first, it had been funny.
The way Minho and Seungmin teased each other.
The sarcastic comments.
The fake annoyance.
The deadpan responses.
The fact that they could argue about literally anything.
Who forgot to buy toothpaste.
Whose turn it was to wash dishes.
Whether pineapple belonged on pizza.
Whether Chan needed to sleep more.
Whether Han needed supervision.
It became a running joke.
The divorced couple.
At some point, the fans noticed.
Then the members leaned into it.
Then everyone did.
Usually, it didn’t matter.
Usually.
Lately…
It did.
“Seungmin-ah.”
“What?”
“You forgot your water bottle.”
“Oh.”
Minho handed it over.
Their fingers brushed.
Neither reacted.
“Thanks.”
“Hm.”
From behind them—
“Wow,” Hyunjin whispered loudly.
“The co-parenting is beautiful.”
Seungmin clenched his jaw.
Minho’s expression flattened.
“Shut up.”
Hyunjin burst into laughter.
⸻
It wasn’t just the jokes.
It was everything that came with them.
People assuming they hated each other.
People assuming every interaction was an argument.
People assuming none of it mattered.
Like the way Minho remembered Seungmin’s coffee order.
Like the way Seungmin automatically grabbed extra cat treats whenever Minho went home.
Like the way Minho silently handed him painkillers before Seungmin could even ask.
Like the way Seungmin noticed immediately when Minho was tired.
Nobody noticed those things.
They noticed the sarcasm.
The eye rolls.
The arguments.
So eventually…
Maybe Minho stopped trying.
Maybe Seungmin did too.
⸻
It started with rehearsals.
“You missed the timing.”
Seungmin looked up.
“What?”
“You were late coming in.”
“I wasn’t.”
“You were.”
“I checked.”
Minho stared at him.
“You were late.”
“No, I wasn’t.”
The dance room suddenly felt colder.
Changbin glanced up.
Hyunjin stopped stretching.
Chan looked between them.
“It’s not a big deal—”
“It is if we keep making mistakes,” Minho interrupted.
Seungmin’s mouth tightened.
“I said I checked.”
“And I’m saying you were late.”
Something sharp settled beneath Seungmin’s ribs.
“You don’t have to talk to me like I’m incompetent.”
Minho frowned.
“That’s not what I said.”
“Then what did you mean?”
“Exactly what I said.”
“Well maybe say it better.”
Silence.
Minho’s expression changed.
Barely.
But Seungmin noticed.
“Fine.”
He turned away.
“We’ll check the recording.”
Seungmin hated how relieved everyone looked.
⸻
The recording proved Minho right.
By half a second.
Nobody mentioned it.
Nobody had to.
Seungmin felt stupid.
Minho didn’t say anything.
That somehow made it worse.
⸻
Then Minho forgot Seungmin’s coffee.
A stupid thing.
A tiny thing.
Except Minho never forgot.
Chan handed Seungmin the cup.
“Oh.”
He blinked.
“This isn’t mine.”
Chan looked confused.
“Minho brought them.”
Minho glanced over.
“Oh.”
His voice was absent.
“I forgot.”
Forgot.
Seungmin stared down at the drink.
“…Okay.”
It shouldn’t matter.
It really shouldn’t.
Still…
The rest of the day felt wrong.
⸻
“You’ve been weird.”
Seungmin looked up.
Felix sat beside him.
“No, I haven’t.”
“You have.”
“I haven’t.”
Felix smiled softly.
“You know I’m good at noticing things.”
Seungmin sighed.
“I’m fine.”
“You and Minho hyung fought?”
“We didn’t fight.”
“You’ve fought three times this week.”
“We’re always fighting.”
“Not like this.”
Seungmin looked away.
“…Maybe he’s tired.”
Felix studied him.
“And maybe you miss him.”
“What?”
“You spend more time watching where he is than anyone else.”
Seungmin laughed.
“No, I don’t.”
Felix raised an eyebrow.
“You looked toward the kitchen four times while saying that.”
“…”
“…Five.”
Seungmin threw a pillow at him.
“Get out.”
Felix giggled.
“Nope.”
⸻
Meanwhile—
“Hyung.”
“No.”
Changbin blinked.
“I didn’t ask anything.”
“You were going to.”
“You and Seungmin—”
“No.”
“You haven’t even heard the question.”
Minho crossed his arms.
“I know the question.”
Changbin grinned.
“Then answer it.”
“We’re fine.”
“You’re not.”
“We’re fine.”
“You forgot his coffee.”
Minho’s expression froze.
“…So?”
“You’ve remembered it for four years.”
Silence.
Minho looked away.
“I’ve been busy.”
Changbin didn’t miss the slight hesitation.
“Right.”
“We’re fine.”
Changbin sighed.
“You know, for people who aren’t dating—”
“We’re not.”
“You act suspiciously upset whenever the other person is upset.”
Minho stared at him.
“Go away.”
Changbin smiled.
“Okay.”
He paused.
“Talk to him.”
“I said we’re fine.”
Changbin left.
Minho sat alone in the practice room.
And for the first time in years…
He wasn’t sure if he believed himself.
⸻
The misunderstanding that changed everything happened because of Han.
Which honestly surprised nobody.
It was late.
Everyone was exhausted.
They had finished another long day of rehearsals.
Seungmin walked toward the hallway outside the studio.
Then stopped.
Minho stood around the corner.
Talking quietly.
“…I don’t know anymore.”
Han’s voice answered.
“What do you mean?”
Minho sighed.
“It’s exhausting.”
Seungmin froze.
“I know everyone’s joking,” Minho continued.
“But sometimes…”
He paused.
“Sometimes I just wish people would stop making everything about me and Seungmin.”
Silence.
Han’s voice softened.
“You should tell him.”
“…Maybe.”
“You don’t hate him.”
“I know that.”
“Then talk to him.”
“I don’t know if it’ll change anything.”
Seungmin walked away before he could hear the rest.
His chest hurt.
Exhausting.
Would stop making everything about me and Seungmin.
He didn’t know if it’d change anything.
Maybe Minho was tired of him.
Maybe everyone had been right.
Maybe the jokes had stopped being jokes a long time ago.
And maybe Seungmin had been the only idiot who hadn’t noticed.
He went back into the practice room.
Smiled when people looked at him.
Pretended everything was normal.
And ignored the fact that, for the first time in years—
He didn’t know how to look Minho in the eye.
The next morning, Seungmin was polite.
That was the problem.
Not sarcastic.
Not teasing.
Not rolling his eyes.
Not muttering insults under his breath while passing Minho in the kitchen.
Just…
Polite.
“Good morning.”
Minho looked up from pouring coffee.
“…Morning.”
“Can you pass the sugar?”
“Hm.”
“Thanks.”
“…You’re welcome.”
Silence.
Across the table, Jeongin slowly lowered his spoon.
Han blinked.
Hyunjin looked horrified.
Chan glanced between them.
Changbin frowned.
Felix stopped chewing.
“Why are you talking like coworkers?” Han finally asked.
“We always talk like this,” Seungmin replied.
“No, you don’t,” Jeongin said immediately.
“You sound like two strangers waiting in line at the bank.”
“We’re fine.”
Minho’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“…Yeah.”
Felix looked like he wanted to cry.
“Oh, no.”
⸻
It continued.
And Minho hated it.
He hated that Seungmin stopped stealing bites of his food.
He hated that Seungmin stopped making sarcastic comments whenever Minho criticized something.
He hated that Seungmin stopped sitting beside him during breaks.
He hated that Seungmin started asking Chan for help with things he’d usually ask Minho.
He hated that Seungmin smiled at everyone else easily but became carefully neutral around him.
It was ridiculous.
Because wasn’t this what people wanted?
Wasn’t he tired of everyone assuming they revolved around each other?
Wasn’t he exhausted by the jokes?
Then why did the distance feel worse?
“Seungmin.”
“Hm?”
Minho stood in the doorway of the practice room.
“You forgot your jacket.”
“Oh.”
Seungmin took it without meeting his eyes.
“Thanks.”
“…That’s it?”
Seungmin blinked.
“What?”
“You don’t have anything else to say?”
“What should I say?”
Minho stared at him.
“…Nothing.”
He turned and walked away.
Seungmin watched him go.
His fingers tightened around the jacket.
⸻
“You’re being weird.”
“I know.”
Felix sat cross-legged on Seungmin’s bed.
“You know?”
“Yes.”
“Then fix it.”
Seungmin laughed bitterly.
“It’s not that simple.”
“It usually is.”
“It isn’t.”
Felix hesitated.
“What happened?”
“…Nothing.”
“Seungmin.”
The younger idol looked down at his hands.
“I overheard him talking.”
Felix’s expression softened.
“What did he say?”
“…That he’s exhausted.”
Felix waited.
“That he wished people would stop making everything about us.”
“…Okay.”
“And?”
“And he didn’t know if talking to me would change anything.”
Felix stared.
“…That’s all you heard?”
“Yes.”
“…Did you hear the rest?”
“There wasn’t a rest.”
Felix opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
“Oh no.”
“What?”
“That sounds like something taken out of context.”
Seungmin shook his head.
“You don’t understand.”
“No, I do understand,” Felix argued.
“I also understand that Minho hyung looks miserable.”
“Maybe he’s miserable because of me.”
Felix sighed.
“And maybe you’re both idiots.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
⸻
Meanwhile—
“Fix it.”
Minho looked at Changbin.
“No.”
“You keep staring at Seungmin.”
“No, I don’t.”
“You walked into a wall yesterday.”
“…”
“You’ve never walked into a wall.”
Minho glared at him.
“Mind your business.”
“You are my business.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Changbin leaned forward.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“He just…”
Minho frowned.
“He started acting differently.”
“Did something happen?”
“I don’t know.”
Changbin looked at him for a long moment.
“…Have you tried asking him?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“…”
Minho looked away.
“What if he doesn’t tell me?”
Changbin blinked.
“You’ve never cared before.”
“I care now.”
“…Why?”
Minho didn’t answer.
Changbin’s eyes widened slightly.
“Oh.”
“Don’t.”
“You like him.”
“Shut up.”
“You actually—”
“Shut up.”
Changbin burst into laughter.
“You are so screwed.”
⸻
Days passed.
Then a week.
The atmosphere shifted.
Everyone felt it.
Chan became more watchful.
Felix looked concerned.
Hyunjin started trying to force interactions.
Han pretended not to care while caring deeply.
Jeongin placed bets on who would snap first.
Changbin had lost all patience.
“Okay,” Han announced one evening.
“We’re fixing this.”
“No,” Seungmin said.
“No,” Minho said.
“You don’t get a choice,” Hyunjin replied.
“You’ve infected the dorm with sadness.”
“We’re not sad.”
“You look like divorced parents splitting custody.”
“We’ve always looked like that,” Seungmin argued.
“Not like this,” Chan said quietly.
Silence.
Chan looked between them.
“You don’t have to tell us what’s going on.”
“But whatever it is…”
“Talk.”
Neither moved.
Eventually, Minho stood.
“I have schedules tomorrow.”
Then he left.
Seungmin remained frozen.
A moment later, he stood too.
“I’m tired.”
The others watched him disappear.
Han groaned.
“We’re doomed.”
⸻
The explosive fight started with something stupid.
Because they always did.
The comeback showcase was approaching.
Everyone was exhausted.
Sleep-deprived.
Stressed.
The pressure sat heavily on their shoulders.
Seungmin was reviewing vocal notes when Minho entered the practice room.
“You skipped lunch.”
Seungmin didn’t look up.
“I wasn’t hungry.”
“You need to eat.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’ve said that every day this week.”
“I’m fine.”
Minho’s jaw tightened.
“No, you’re not.”
“Since when is that your problem?”
The words slipped out before Seungmin could stop them.
Silence.
Minho stared at him.
“…What?”
“You heard me.”
Something cold spread through the room.
“You’ve barely looked at me for two weeks,” Seungmin continued.
“You don’t get to suddenly act concerned.”
Minho’s expression hardened.
“I’ve been trying to talk to you.”
“When?”
“You keep avoiding me.”
Seungmin laughed.
“You think I’m avoiding you?”
“You are.”
“You literally told Han you were exhausted by me!”
Minho froze.
“…You what?”
“You said you wished people would stop making everything about us.”
Realization flashed across Minho’s face.
“You heard that conversation.”
“Enough of it.”
“Oh my God.”
Minho ran a hand through his hair.
“You didn’t hear the end.”
“There doesn’t need to be an end.”
“Yes, there does.”
“No.”
“You made assumptions.”
“You said you were exhausted!”
“I said I was exhausted by everyone acting like they knew what we were to each other!”
Seungmin’s breathing hitched.
“But you said—”
“I said I didn’t know if talking to you would change anything because I didn’t know if you’d listen!”
“Why would I listen?!”
“Because every time I try to talk to you, you shut me out!”
“You stopped trying!”
“I forgot your coffee once!”
“It’s not about the coffee!”
The words echoed through the room.
Silence crashed down around them.
Minho stared.
Seungmin’s eyes widened.
Neither moved.
Then—
“What is it about?”
Seungmin laughed shakily.
“I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do.”
“No.”
“Seungmin.”
His voice softened.
“What is it about?”
Seungmin looked away.
“It’s about the fact that everyone thinks we’re a joke.”
“…”
“It’s about the fact that I didn’t care until I thought maybe you agreed with them.”
His voice cracked.
“It’s about the fact that I thought maybe you were tired of me.”
Minho’s expression shattered.
“I thought maybe I was the only one who…”
Seungmin stopped.
“…Who what?”
“…”
“…Seungmin.”
The younger idol finally looked at him.
His eyes were red.
“I thought maybe I was the only one who cared this much.”
The silence that followed was deafening.
Then Minho took a step forward.
“…You idiot.”
Seungmin let out a disbelieving laugh.
“Excuse me?”
“I’ve been miserable for weeks.”
“You called me exhausting.”
“I called the situation exhausting!”
“You never said that!”
“You never let me explain!”
“You never chased after me!”
“I shouldn’t have had to!”
“Why not?!”
“Because I thought you knew!”
“Knew what?!”
Minho’s composure finally snapped.
“Knew that I love you!”
Silence.
Outside the practice room, seven people collectively stopped breathing.
Because apparently no one had realized the door wasn’t completely closed.
Inside, Seungmin stared.
“…What?”
Minho looked equally horrified.
Then angry.
Then terrified.
“I said what I said.”
“…”
“I remembered your coffee for four years because I knew exactly how you liked it.”
“…”
“I noticed every time you skipped meals.”
“…”
“I stayed awake waiting for you after schedules.”
“…”
“I got angry because you stopped talking to me.”
His voice broke.
“I thought you didn’t need me anymore.”
Seungmin’s eyes filled with tears.
“You absolute idiot.”
Minho blinked.
“What?”
“You thought I stopped talking to you because I didn’t care?”
“…Yes.”
Seungmin laughed through tears.
“I stopped because I thought you hated me.”
“…Oh.”
“…Yeah.”
Outside the door—
Han whispered, “Oh my God.”
Chan covered his face.
Hyunjin cried.
Jeongin collected money from Changbin.
Felix sniffled.
Inside the room, Minho and Seungmin stared at each other.
Years of misunderstandings.
Years of sarcasm.
Years of caring in quiet ways.
Years of never saying it.
“I love you too,” Seungmin whispered.
Minho’s eyes widened.
“…You do?”
“You’ve ruined my life.”
“…”
“You forgot my coffee once and I nearly had a breakdown.”
“…”
“I hate you.”
Minho let out a wet laugh.
“No, you don’t.”
“…No.”
For the first time in weeks, Seungmin smiled at him.
Small.
Real.
“I really don’t.”
And Minho crossed the distance between them.
Outside the practice room, seven grown men screamed.