Archive of Our Own

“You have to come, it's super important.” 

“I don't understand what's so ‘important,’ it's just another house party.”

“You don't get it,” Jisung whines over FaceTime, his slightly pixelated face forming a pout. “I convinced Seungmin to go.” 

Immediately, that piques Minho’s interest. “You convinced Kim Seungmin to go to a party?” 

“Well, I kind of had to agree to be designated driver, but I think it will be worth it.” 

Minho’s impressed, but still confused at Jisung’s adamance. “And why do you think Seungmin going would make me want to go?” 

“I’m sick of the little rivalry thing you have going on with him,” Jisung complains. “You're kind of an asshole to him, hyung. Then again, he doesn't act much better, but still. It's making the friend group awkward.” 

“And you're telling me this now? It's been a year since this started.” 

“It was kind of funny at first, but now it's just upsetting. I can’t even invite you over without Seungmin locking himself in his room. Is it really that difficult to get along?” 

“I’ll go,” Minho says, sighing, “but don't get your hopes up. I’m probably going to tease him the moment I see him.” 

“Please don't do that.” 

It’s exactly what Minho does. 

As soon as he spots Seungmin and Jisung in the kitchen, he grins, walking over and sliding between them so he can sit on the counter. “Hello, Jisung,” Minho says, smiling at Jisung. Jisung smiles at him in return, discreetly offering him a thumbs up. Minho ignores it, instead choosing to face Seungmin. “Kim Seungmin.” 

The aforementioned boy smiles brightly, but Minho’s seen it enough times to know it's fake. “Lee Minho,” he says, practically batting his eyelashes. Annoying. 

“I should've known you’d be in here,” Minho says, humming. “Too stuck-up to actually have a social life and have fun, right?” He knows Jisung is going to yell at him for that later, but frankly, he doesn't care. 

As if hearing his thoughts, Jisung speaks up. “Guys—”

“Seungmin and I can talk on our own,” Minho says before he can finish, still fully focused on Seungmin. Yeah, Jisung is going to be pissed. “Right, Seungminnie?” 

Seungmin exchanges a look with Jisung. “Sure,” he says, waving his roommate off. Jisung sighs, bidding goodbye to them both and disappearing into the crowd of people in the main room. 

“Gave into peer pressure and finally showed up to a party? Shocked. What did it take?” When Seungmin just ignores him, he frowns, a little thrown off. Usually, he'd fire back. His silence is unexpected. 

Rolling with it, Minho keeps talking. “Rude today, aren't we?” He says, sliding off of the counter and landing in front of Seungmin. Still no reaction. He makes the split second decision to steal Seungmin’s cup, bringing it up to his face and pretending to drink it. “Water, of course,” he says, pushing the cup back into Seungmin’s hands. 

Seungmin tosses the cup into the trash can next to him, then turns back to face Minho. “Please leave me alone,” he says, his voice clipped. “I’m not in the mood.” 

Odd. 

“I will, but only if you do one thing.” 

“What is it?” 

“You spend ten minutes in the main room with everyone else.” 

It's a foolproof plan, really. If he agrees to it, maybe he’ll loosen up a bit and have some fun. Maybe even make a friend. But there's a very low probability that he will agree, so maybe if he stays, Minho can take Jisung’s word and actually try to get along with—

“Fine,” Seungmin says, halting Minho’s thought process. 

“Really?” 

“Anything to get you out of my sight.” 

Minho opens his mouth to respond, but Seungmin is already walking away, pushing past him to go into the main room. For some reason, it hurts. Damn, he thinks, maybe I am an asshole. 

Without thinking, Minho hops down from the counter and follows Seungmin’s trail, maneuvering through the crowd. Rivalry be damned, he doesn't want to genuinely hurt Seungmin’s feelings. 

He's already forming an apology in his head when he spots Seungmin, and his heart drops to his stomach when he realizes what's happening. Seungmin’s got his eyes shut, hands clamped over his ears, looking like he's on the brink of hyperventilating. A panic attack. Minho immediately recognizes the signs, he's been in that position enough times to know. 

He quickly makes his way over, not caring about the dirty looks he receives when he pushes people out of the way — his one goal is get Seungmin out of here. Once he's close enough, he takes hold of one of Seungmin’s wrists, pulling the younger boy towards the back door he saw earlier. There's no resistance, which makes it easier, but it's still a bit difficult to navigate through the clusters of people. Regardless, he manages, relief flooding through his system as he exits through the back door and pulls Seungmin to a somewhat secluded area of the backyard. 

Minho lets go of Seungmin’s wrist, not expecting him to immediately fall into a sitting position, his knees tucked to his chest and his arms wrapping around his legs. Now that they're outside, Minho doesn't really know what to do. 

“Are you okay?” Minho asks carefully. No response. That was probably a stupid question. 

Minho bites the inside of his cheek, contemplating. Seungmin’s breathing seems to be getting better, so it's possible to just wait it out. Slowly, Minho sits down in front of him, leaving a couple feet of distance between them. It's probably bad enough that Minho is seeing him in this vulnerable state, so he tries to focus his attention elsewhere, absentmindedly picking at the grass. 

It's not until fifteen minutes later that Seungmin lifts his head up, and Minho’s guilt washes over him like a tidal wave. The younger boy’s eyes and cheeks are puffy and red, leftover tears shining in the moonlight. Seungmin squints at him, then his eyes widen. 

“What are you doing here?” Minho can barely hear Seungmin, but he just manages to make that out. He opens his mouth to respond, but Seungmin’s speaking again before he can get a word out. “If you're gonna laugh, do it now.” 

If he wasn't drowning in his guilt before, he certainly is now. “What the fuck are you talking about?” He asks, internally wincing at how harsh the words sound. “Dude, you just had a panic attack and you think I’m going to laugh at you?”

Seungmin says nothing, averting his eyes and shrugging as he fiddles with a string on his pants. He looks tired. Minho should probably call Jisung to bring him home. 

“Jisung is your ride home, right?” Minho asks, fishing his phone out of his pocket. “I can call—”

“Don’t,” Seungmin interrupts, his voice small. “I don't want to ruin his fun, we basically just got here. I can just call an Uber or something.” 

Minho sighs, slipping his phone back into his pocket. He’s not going to leave Seungmin in the hands of some random stranger when he's obviously not in a good state. Minho is the one who got him into this mess anyway, so he's going to do his best to help the situation. 

“I didn't drink tonight, so I’ll drive you,” Minho says. “You still live with Jisung, right?” 

Seungmin hums, and Minho rises to his feet, holding out a hand to help Seungmin up. The younger boy takes it, pulling himself up with Minho’s help. He's a little unsteady on his feet, so Minho keeps a hand on his arm to keep him balanced. Seungmin doesn't push him off, which is a good sign. 

The walk to Minho’s car is short, and as soon as they're both in the car, Seungmin starts talking again. 

“Please don't tell Jisung what happened,” Seungmin says. “He's the one who convinced me to come, I don't want him to feel guilty.” 

Minho frowns, chewing on his lower lip. “It’s more my fault than his.” 

“You couldn't have known what would happen,” Seungmin argues. “I didn't even know that would happen.” 

“Has that happened before?” 

“Plenty of times. I guess I’m kind of used to it.” 

“You know, I’ve had panic attacks before,” Minho says suddenly, hoping maybe Seungmin will find comfort in a shared experience. “They’re scary. I recognized what was happening and I just…” Minho swallows the lump in this throat, staring at the steering wheel. “I couldn't leave you there.” 

Seungmin doesn't say anything for a moment, and Minho moves to start the car, but Seungmin speaks up. “Thank you,” he whispers, genuine.

“It's no problem.” 

Minho puts his keys in the ignition. 

Seungmin’s asleep. 

His head is propped up against the window, his chest rising and falling rhythmically. There's still some puffiness to his face, but he looks better. More peaceful. Minho almost doesn't want to wake him up. 

Still, he has to. “Kim Seungmin,” Minho says, gently shaking the younger man. “We’re here.” 

Seungmin’s eyes flutter open, and he blinks a few times, groaning as he rubs his eyes. “Didn't mean to fall asleep,” he mumbles, his face scrunching up as he stretches his arms. “Sorry.”

“It's okay,” Minho says. “Do you want me to walk you to your apartment?” 

Seungmin makes an affirmative noise, unbuckling his seatbelt and opening the car door. Minho follows suit.

The trip into the building and up the elevator is quiet. Minho has his hands shoved into his pockets, feeling awkward, but Seungmin appears too tired to care. That eases his worries a bit. 

When they finally reach the door to his apartment, Seungmin stops in the doorway and turns to look at Minho. “Again, thank you.” 

“You shouldn't be thanking me,” Minho says. “I’m the one who got you into this mess.” 

“But you got me out of it, too,” Seungmin responds, a small smile on his face. “You still helped me, despite our bad relationship.” 

Minho returns the smile, albeit a little sheepish. “Get some sleep, okay?” 

“I will. Good night, Lee.”

“Good night, Kim.” 

The door shuts, and Minho exhales. 

When he gets back to his apartment, he pulls out his phone, sending Jisung a quick text. 

lee minho 

hey, just letting you know i saw kim seungmin leave 

pretty sure he got an uber 

so don't worry, he should be safe 

jisungie 

thank youuuuu

^__^

Minho breathes out a laugh, some of the tension leaving his body. 

Minho is really starting to regret going for a morning run to de-stress. He's managed to lock himself out for the second time this month, and Felix had stayed the night at his boyfriend’s house and won't be home for another few hours. Shit. 

He looks through his pockets one more time, despite knowing his keys most definitely aren't in there. He groans in frustration, leaning against the door as he pulls his phone out. 

lee minho 

jisung 

hey 

are you there? 

i need a favor 

i got locked out 

can i come over?

jisungggg 

:(

Minho groans again, exiting the chat to check what other options he has. Buried in his contacts, he notices a familiar name, and he stops. Kim Seungmin. 

He very vaguely remembers Jisung making them exchange numbers one time. “He’s my roommate,” Jisung had said, “if you need me and I’m not answering, just message him instead. Simple.” 

Jisung was probably just making an excuse when he said that, but it's actually the exact situation Minho is in. Funny. 

lee minho 

can i come over? i locked myself out of my apartment 

i tried asking jisung but he won't answer my texts 

i only need to stay for a couple hours while i wait for felix to get back 

Almost immediately, the message is marked as Read. The typing bubble appears and disappears a few times, and Minho bites the inside of his cheek, anxious. 

kim seungmin 

sure, the door should be unlocked 

knock if it isn't though 

Minho lets out a sigh of relief, quickly typing up his response. 

lee minho 

thanks, kim

kim seungmin 

👍

When Minho arrives at Jisung and Seungmin’s, he immediately sees Jisung in the living room, looking ready to head out. The younger man is staring at him with wide eyes, full of confusion. 

“Why are you here?” Jisung asks, cocking his head to the side. 

Minho mirrors Jisung’s action while he kicks his shoes off beside the door. “If you checked your phone, you would know. Good thing I had Kim Seungmin in my contacts.” 

“Oh,” Jisung says, fumbling for his phone and looking at his messages. “Oh, shit, sorry. I was on a call with Hyunjin, and for some reason during calls my notifications get messed up, and—”

“Jisung,” Minho cuts him off. “It's okay. Seriously.” 

Jisung smiles sheepishly, slipping his phone back into his pocket. “I’m gonna tell Seungmin that you're here, but I’m just about to head off to Changbin-hyung’s. I'll be right back.” Just like that, Jisung hurries to what Minho assumes is Seungmin’s door, knocking on it a few times. 

Minho settles himself onto the couch as Jisung tries knocking again, and the younger huffs before giving up and opening the door. Minho doesn't bother watching from there. 

He can faintly hear them talking through the door, but he can't make any of it out. Not that it matters, he's not that nosy. He busies himself with his phone for the next few minutes, and when Jisung exits Seungmin’s room, Minho looks up at him with a raised brow. 

“Seungmin’s probably just gonna stay in his room, but I’m sure that doesn't surprise you,” Jisung says, heading to the doorway to pull his shoes on. “I'll be back in a couple hours, Binnie-hyung wants my input on a few demos.” 

“Alright,” Minho says. “I probably won't be here when you get back, though. Felix should be home by then.”

“You can stay longer if he isn't.” 

“I know.” 

“Just making sure,” Jisung says. “Bye, hyung!” 

With that, the door shuts, silence blanketing the space. Exhaling heavily, Minho closes his eyes and leans his head back for a brief moment, then pulls his phone out of his pocket for something to do. 

And then, there's the click of a door, and Minho’s gaze immediately shoots up to where Seungmin is standing in front of his bedroom door, which he proceeds to shut behind him. A few beats of silence pass before Seungmin says a quiet, “Hey.” 

“Hi,” Minho replies, setting his phone down on the couch. Upon seeing Seungmin’s face, all of his guilt from the previous night comes flooding back. “Look,” Minho starts, “about last night, I’m really sorry about—” 

“Thank you.” The words shock Minho into silence, his mouth snapping shut. Seungmin continues, “For everything, really. You didn't have to do all of that for me, and I really appreciate that you did.” 

The words slip through one ear and out the other, and Minho has to take a brief pause before responding, because why is Seungmin thanking him? “I saw myself in you last night,” are the first words that come tumbling from his lips. “I know I told you this in the car, but I've had panic attacks before, and in similar situations. I should've known better than to pressure you into that, and I’m sorry.”

Seungmin's reply is quick. “It's not all your fault,” he insists, eyebrows furrowed slightly. “I was stupid for trying to prove a point, despite knowing that could've been the outcome.” The younger’s gaze flicks downward, then back up. “Either way, I forgive you.” 

Minho feels as some of the tension leaves his body, his shoulders relaxing as a disbelieving smile appears on his face. He doesn't know many people like Seungmin, that's for sure. “You surprise me more every day, Kim Seungmin.” 

The confusion on Seungmin’s face is almost comical. “What?” 

“Nothing,” Minho says. “You're quite tolerable when you're not looking at me like you want to kill me.”

Seungmin relaxes against the door, one eyebrow quirking up. “I wouldn’t let your guard down, Lee Minho.”

Minho playfully matches Seungmin’s expression, trying to force his features from letting another smile slip through the cracks. “Same goes for you, Kim.”

At that, Seungmin retreats back into his room, and Minho sighs, his body sinking into the couch. He feels stupid for holding a grudge against Seungmin all this time. Originally he'd thought the boy to be the type that thinks he's better than everyone else — always cutting in to correct people, being a stickler for rules, pushing away possible friends. But it's clear that he's empathetic and is able to acknowledge his own perceived wrongs, which is more than Minho can say for the actual assholes he's met. 

His phone pings, cutting off his thoughts. When he checks it, it's a message from Felix telling him he's home and can let Minho in. With a glance to Seungmin’s door, Minho pushes himself up to leave. 

You're not who I thought you were, Kim Seungmin, Minho thinks as he pulls his shoes on. I’ll do better. 

When Felix tells Minho that he wants to invite Seungmin and Jisung over to spend the night, Minho doesn't really know what to think of it. They've done it a few times before, and Minho tends to just avoid interacting with Seungmin, but he feels like recent events have pushed the two of them into a weird grey area. 

Turns out, it really isn't as awkward as Minho thought it would be. In fact, things are pretty much the same as always, minus he and Seungmin getting into an argument. Minho sits half-tuned into Felix and Jisung's conversation while Seungmin reads a book across the room. They haven't spoken to each other, really, but he supposes it's better than picking a fight. 

Eventually, Minho decides it's late enough, and he pulls himself up from the floor to go make dinner. “I’m making ramen,” he announces, voice a bit strained as he stretches his arms over his head. “Before you ask questions, yes, it's the kind you all like,” he adds, looking pointedly at Jisung when he speaks. 

After receiving some hums of acknowledgement, Minho starts walking towards the kitchen, but he's stopped in his tracks by a voice. “Minho-hyung, can I have an extra egg?” Minho blinks at him, brain trying to compute that Seungmin just called him hyung for the first time in… well, ever. To avoid saying something stupid, Minho simply gives Seungmin a thumbs up, then disappears into the kitchen. 

Maybe things will change more than Minho thought they would. Seungmin using honorifics with him is a good sign. A great sign. He just isn't quite sure how to feel about it. Despite being forgiven, he doesn't know if he deserves the sudden respect.  

He can hear the three of them chatting in the other room, but he tunes it out, focusing on the food. Once it's ready, he brings all of it out to the others. The last thing he does is set down Seungmin’s eggs at his spot at the table. 

“Thank you,” Seungmin tells him. 

“I might've poisoned those.” 

“I'm flattered you spent extra time preparing the poison for me, then,” Seungmin replies easily, visibly trying and failing to hold back his grin. “I feel very special.” 

Not quite knowing what to say to that, Minho reaches out to tug on Seungmin’s earlobe, turning to move to his own seat without looking back. Jisung and Felix are too preoccupied by some sort of unserious argument to care about what Minho or Seungmin are doing, thankfully. 

When dinner finishes and Minho moves to clean up the table, Seungmin speaks up. “Let me help,” he says. Minho’s first instinct is to refuse, but when he sees the look Seungmin is giving him, he relents. It's quiet as they tidy up, but it's not awkward, and really that's all Minho can ask for. 

“Felix, you need to teach me how to cook,” Jisung says, “Seungmin won't let me in the kitchen anymore.”

As someone who has firsthand experience with Jisung’s attempts at cooking, Minho is glad for this development. He's about to voice this, when Felix speaks up first.

“You're better off asking Minho-hyung about that, not me.” Nevermind. “I don't know how well you'd live off of just brownies.” 

“I'd not live for long, but man that would be a good way to go.”

“You can't die yet, you still owe me money from a couple months ago.” 

Jisung’s smile turns sheepish as he turns his gaze over to Minho. “Damn,” he says, “I thought you forgot about that.” 

“A Scorpio never forgets, Ji.”

Felix perks up a bit at that, the chip bag in his hands crinkling. “Did Chan-hyung get you into astrology?”

Damn. Clocked. “I'm fully capable of gaining interests by myself, you know,” Minho grumbles. 

“That doesn't answer the question.” 

“Yes,” Minho admits with a huff, “he did.” 

Jisung bursts into laughter at that, but Minho, who has for some reason been way too aware of Seungmin sleeping on the beanbag chair nearby, shushes him before he even realizes he's doing it. “Be quiet for once,” Minho complains in a lower tone, “I think Seungmin's asleep.” 

Jisung and Felix both glance over at Seungmin, the youngest curled up with his eyes closed, breathing steady. When Jisung speaks up again, he's quieter. “You and Seungmin have been acting kind of weird today, hyung.” 

Minho doesn't need to ask what Jisung means. He's never this… polite when it comes to Seungmin, never has been. “I'm just being a decent human being,” he defends, but it sounds weak even to his own ears. 

“But you've never acted this way with him,” Jisung points out. “You haven't argued at all, you're being oddly considerate when you would normally try to mess with him, you’re just—”

“Can we not do this while Seungmin is right there?” Felix cuts in. 

“...Sorry,” Jisung mumbles. 

An uncomfortable silence falls over the room for a few moments, before Minho pulls himself up from the floor. “I’m going to bed,” he informs them. After a moment of consideration, he adds, “Make sure Seungmin doesn't sleep on the beanbag, it'll fuck with his back.” 

“The couch will fuck with it too, it doesn't matter,” Jisung brings up. “Bring out the air mattress or something. Let him sleep in your room.”

Minho nearly flinches at the prospect, but manages to remain outwardly composed, putting on a sigh. Without another word to the other two, Minho walks over to where Seungmin is curled up, not wanting to disturb him but knowing it's better in the long run. “Kim Seungmin,” he says, nudging the younger’s shoulder with his hand, “wake up.”

When Seungmin’s eyes open, he mumbles out an unenthused “what.”

Minho peeks back at Jisung and Felix, who quickly swivel their heads away and pretend they were talking. He rolls his eyes and turns back to Seungmin, another sigh escaping him. “Do you want to sleep on the air mattress?”

With a surprising lack of resistance, Seungmin agrees. 

Yeah, this was a bad idea. Minho has no idea how he's going to fall asleep when he's still got a lingering hypervigilance regarding Seungmin. 

He tries to do the sleeping techniques he employs on particularly sleepless nights, breathing in and out slowly as he relaxes his whole body. In, out, in, out, in—

“Last year you called me a ‘stuck-up-know-it-all, among other things,” Seungmin blurts out suddenly, scaring the hell out of Minho. “Do you still think of me that way?” 

Once Minho processes what Seungmin is asking him, a frown appears on his face, and a weird feeling of guilt settles in his stomach. He doesn't know what's prompted this all of a sudden, but it's probably something they should talk about, so Minho decides he should answer. 

“Until recently I did,” he says carefully. “I kind of thought you were being a dick about it on purpose, that you thought you were better than everyone somehow. I know I shouldn't have made assumptions, and I’m trying not to be so judgmental.”

It's the truth. They had gotten off on a bad foot—Minho was already having a bad day, and he'd snapped a bit at the annoying guy in his biology class who kept correcting people, himself included. Things got out of hand after that, with arguments starting between them any time they interacted for more than two seconds. Part of Minho found it amusing, but the other part was still convinced Seungmin thought he was smarter than him, and that pissed him off, especially when Seungmin made digs at him too. 

Despite learning that wasn't really the case when their friend groups became one friend group, Minho can be petty at the best of times, and either way he anticipated whatever witty response Seungmin was going to throw back. It became routine, as bad as that sounds. 

“Don't feel bad,” Seungmin says. “I thought you were an asshole.” Minho can't hold back the snicker he lets out at that, but reins it back when Seungmin keeps going. “I mistook your confidence for arrogance. I guess I've always been a little jealous of you, and that skewed my perceptions a bit.

That statement gives Minho pause. “Jealous? Really?” he asks in surprise. “You're at the top of all your classes, the professors all love you. You're set to become a doctor, Kim Seungmin. I’m just a vet student who’s barely passing.”

“Grades don't mean everything. You have passions. A social life.” 

Minho’s eyebrows furrow. “You have both of those, too.”

“Not quite,” Seungmin admits. “I only have friends because they approached me first, and half of them are because our friend groups merged. As for passions… I don't have any.”

Minho swallows the lump that’s appeared in his throat. “Not even medicine?” 

“It's interesting, sure, but I’m not overly attached to it.”

“Oh.” 

Minho doesn't know what to say to that—if he's supposed to say anything at all. He'd always presumed that Seungmin was really passionate about his major due to how well he was doing academically and how much he cared about information being correct. Having that assumption proved wrong has him feeling something he can't even describe. 

“Hyung?” Seungmin eventually breaks the silence. Something about his tone has shifted, like he's nervous about whatever he's about to say. 

Minho pushes aside the weird feeling from his previous words, trying to focus. “Yeah?” 

A beat. Then, “I’m autistic.” 

Oh. Oh. 

Minho supposes that it makes sense. From what he knows, one of the biggest things is a different perception and understanding regarding social situations, not really grasping the unwritten rules most people pick up on their own. That would probably explain why Seungmin used to correct people so much until the incident with Minho; it's not always intentionally rude, but people tend to take it that way more often than not. 

Realizing he should probably say something, he's quick to pull together a response. “Thanks for trusting me with that,” he says earnestly. “And if you're thinking that’s gonna change how I think about you, you're wrong,” he adds. “You're still Kim Seungmin.”

“The others still don't know.”

“Oh?” Minho finds himself more shocked about this than the actual news. Why is Seungmin telling him something so personal when he's the least close to him? “Why not?”

“What if things change?” 

“How so?” Minho wonders aloud. “Best case scenario, you tell them and they learn how they can accommodate you better. Worst case scenario, Jisung whines that you didn't tell him sooner.”

When Seungmin laughs at that, relief washes over Minho. He's glad that his reaction is seemingly being taken well. “I'll tell them eventually,” Seungmin assures him, and Minho believes it. 

A part of him is actually quite proud of Seungmin for this whole thing, knowing it probably wasn't something easy to admit. Unfortunately, that part of him briefly gains control of Minho’s brain-to-mouth filter and tears it to shreds. 

“Do you want a hug?” 

“What?”

“A hug,” Minho repeats, knowing it's probably weirder to backtrack. “Sorry, did I cross a line? I just thought maybe—”

“No, it’s fine,” Seungmin interrupts. “It just shocked me, that's all. Yeah, I’ll take a hug.”

There's a bit of an awkward shuffle when they get up from their respective beds and meet in the middle of the room, standing silently for a few moments. Deciding to just get on with it, Minho holds his arms out, to which Seungmin steps forward and accepts the hug. 

It's… surprisingly comforting. Seungmin’s tall with good shoulders, which make him a good hugger, at least in Minho’s opinion. Could he have imagined being in this position even just a couple weeks ago? No, not in the slightest. But people change, relationships change, and sometimes a hug from the guy you've spent a year arguing with isn't so bad. 

He feels the tension leave Seungmin little by little, and he huffs. “Are you about to fall asleep on me?” Minho teases lightly. 

“I might.” 

“I’m flattered, but you shouldn't sleep standing up.”

At that, Seungmin slowly extracts himself from Minho’s embrace. Minho swears the room was not this cold earlier. “Good night, Lee Minho,” Seungmin says as the two return to their beds.

“Good night, Seungmin-ah.” 

It's surprisingly easy to forgo Seungmin’s government name and attach a comfortable familiarity to it. As he falls asleep, he wonders why he's never tried it sooner. 

Minho’s in the middle of mindlessly scrolling his social media when a message notification comes through. He almost does a double take when he sees the contact name of who texted him, and he taps the notification without even thinking. 

kim seungmin

hey hyung, are you busy?

Minho has a feeling he knows the purpose of the message, but he doesn’t know why it’s Seungmin of all people sending it. Still, he’s bored and has kind of been wanting to talk to Seungmin again anyway.

lee minho

depends on who’s asking

kim seungmin

me, i’m asking, obviously

lee minho

hmmm

i’m not busy, why?

kim seungmin

wanna hang out? 

He had a feeling that’s why Seungmin was texting him, but it still feels strange to receive a hang-out request from him. He’s not going to refuse, though. 

lee minho

when & where

kim seungmin 

was kind of hoping you’d know a place

For some reason, Minho does know a place. All he can think about is that conversation from before, Seungmin’s admittance of his lack of a passion. Maybe there’s a way he can help with that. 

lee minho

of course i know a place, who do you take me for?

how about

dress comfortably, i’ll pick you up in 30

kim seungmin

…where are you taking me

lee minho

that’s for me to know and you to find out

kim seungmin

you’re going to kill me aren’t you

lee minho

maybe

see you in 30?

kim seungmin

see you then

Minho gets up from his bed, changing into a comfortable t-shirt and sweats. He also packs up his practice bag, securing his phone and any other essentials. When he deems himself ready he pops his head into Felix’s room, the younger playing something on this computer.

“Lix,” he says, “I’m going to the dance studio for a bit, I should be back in a couple hours.”

“Okay, hyung,” Felix responds. “Have fun.”

Once that’s covered, the last thing Minho has to do is call the studio and book his go-to practice room, before heading out and getting in his car.  

Seungmin is obviously confused by the destination—after all, the younger had never shown any interest in dance before, and Minho decides to mess with him a little by not telling him what he has planned. 

Eventually, though, Seungmin’s curiosity seems to win out. “Why did you bring me here?” 

Minho, finally having connected his phone to the speakers, sets the device down. He knows what he's about to say is probably cringey as hell, but still: “You said you don't have any passions, so I’m sharing mine.”

And it's true. While he doesn't expect Seungmin to suddenly develop an interest in dance, he at least wants to properly introduce him to something fun, something that doesn't require interacting with other people but still gets him out of his apartment. It seemed like a safe option. 

It doesn't seem as safe of an option anymore, though. 

“Hey, don't cry.” Minho’s voice comes out more worried than he thought, and he takes a couple steps towards Seungmin before stopping, not wanting to overwhelm him. To be honest, he's panicking internally, watching his entire—albeit short-lived—friendship with Seungmin flash before his eyes as tears drip down the younger’s cheeks. “Did I do something wrong?” 

Seungmin looks startled at that, his hands coming up to wipe at his eyes. “No, I’m just— touched,” he manages, and the relief that fills Minho’s body is immediate. He watches the other rub at his eyes until they're red, resisting the urge to reach out and do it for him more gently. “This means a lot.” 

Thank goodness. The smile that tugs at Minho’s lips is impossible to stop, and he takes a breath before returning his attention to his phone. He taps a song he feels is fitting for the situation, then sets the device down as the first notes flow through the speakers. 

Music, dance, yeah

Hands in the air, yeah

Music, dance, you too, dance

Hands in the air, stop right there

Seungmin looks almost like a deer in headlights, and Minho almost finds it cute. “I don't know how to dance.”

“Nonsense, everyone knows how. Just let your body move how it wants to. Watch.” Keeping to the beat, Minho starts demonstrating what he means—move however feels right. And sure, it's more fluid than most since he's trained in dance, but it's not like rehearsed choreography. It's just what comes to him first. 

Don't look away

I can only feel you right now

So baby don't stop now

With your gaze in pieces

You're sparkling and moving, ayy, ayy

He catches Seungmin’s gaze a few times, before eventually deciding to intervene, pausing his movements. “Come on, you try,” he urges. “You try. It's fun, I promise.”

Still looking hesitant, albeit curious, Seungmin says, “Can't I just watch?” 

“Here,” Minho says. His hands come out to take Seungmin’s before he can think too much about it. “Like this.” He carefully maneuvers Seungmin so he’s in a more natural positioning for dance, guiding him through some basic moves. Luckily, there’s no trip-ups or mistakes, which seems to give Seungmin a bit of confidence.  

I don't care, you can do it, let's dance

Don't be nervous, uh

It's only you and me, yeah, that's all you need

Stay right there, let's go

When Seungmin accidentally steps on Minho’s foot, he looks up at Minho with wide eyes, a bit like a deer in headlights. All Minho can do is laugh, which sends Seungmin into giggles as well. Minho readjusts their position so it doesn’t happen again, leading to no further incidents.

Tell me now you know

Round and round, we go

You know that?

Don't run away, stay right here, this moment is perfect

I feel something, breathe and shout, ayy, ayy

Seungmin has gotten the hang of it surprisingly quickly, so as the song goes on and he lets Seungmin lead more, he speaks up again, “See?” At Seungmin’s confused look, Minho continues. “You don’t have to be good at it to enjoy it. And the more you do it, the better you'll get. But you can have fun at any level, that's what makes it great.”

Seungmin just looks at him, with an expression Minho can only really describe as… awe? “You love dance a lot.”

“Of course.”

Hey, you're the star

Your way, whatever you want

Now look, that's you

As the song starts to end, Seungmin says, “You’re really good at it.”

Minho, for all he tries to be nonchalant, can feel his face warming up at the compliment. “I know,” he says, trying to counteract his blush with confidence. 

The song’s last notes play, and with it, the dance studio goes silent, though it’s not uncomfortable. 

“Any song requests?” Minho asks as he reluctantly lets go of Seungmin’s hands to return to his phone, scrolling through his music. “I can dance to pretty much anything.”

“I think you should pick.”

The next song that Minho plays has Seungmin letting out an amused huff as the older walks back to where he’s standing. “Let’s keep dancing, then,” Minho says, reaching out for Seungmin’s wrists again, only grabbing them when the younger holds them out properly for him to take. 

“This song, though?” Seungmin complains as the opening of Stereotype by STAYC plays. “Are you just going to embarrass me?”

“No,” Minho says, tapping his fingers against Seungmin’s wrists. “Just trust me, yeah?” 

Seungmin looks at him for a moment, though after a few seconds, his gaze redirects away from his face. That's to be expected, so Minho doesn't mind.

“I trust you,” Seungmin ends up saying. 

Something in Minho’s stomach flips. “Good.”

When Minho takes a step, Seungmin follows. 

Two hours later, Minho drives Seungmin home, both of them still flushed pink from dance. Seungmin looks almost… cute, like that. But he'd never say it out loud. 

He notices Seungmin’s silence, though, and it doesn't feel right. So, at a red light, he looks at Seungmin properly in the passenger seat, catching his attention. 

“Hey,” Minho starts, “you seem to be thinking pretty hard.”

“Are we friends?” 

The straightforward question shocks Minho for a moment, and it seems Seungmin didn't exactly mean to say it so bluntly, if the way he flushes a deeper red and averts his gaze says anything. 

Are they friends? Minho would like to think so, even if it doesn't seem quite right for what he feels. He enjoys being with Seungmin, even after their rocky start, and the thought of seeing him more in the future is a thought he likes more than he'd want to admit. 

As the light turns green, Minho forces his eyes away. “I think we can call ourselves that, yeah. Unless you don't want to.”

“I do want to. I just didn't know if it was too fast, y’know?”

“In my opinion, there's no such thing as becoming friends with someone too fast.” 

“But we didn't like each other, like, a week and a half ago.” 

“Do we still dislike each other?” 

“No.” 

“Exactly.” Some part of Minho feels disappointed as he pulls into the parking lot of Seungmin and Jisung’s apartment building. He wishes he could draw it out a little longer, but it's already been hours, and he doesn't want to be weirdly clingy. 

“Okay,” Seungmin says. “We're friends, then.” 

Minho's mischief brain kicks in at that very moment, and he bites back a smile. “We should freak our friends out by not telling them, but still acting friendly when they're around.” 

Seungmin laughs. “Sounds like a plan. I'll text you?”

“Of course. Bye, Seungmin-ah.”

“Bye, hyung.”

A good portion of the next couple weeks is, surprisingly, spent with Kim Seungmin.

They go to the studio a few more times, go on walks, get meals together, hang out at Seungmin’s apartment to watch dumb movies and chat since Jisung’s gone for a while. Even when they aren't together, they're sending each other stupid videos and texting about random things during the day. Minho doesn't know if he's ever spent so much time with an individual person in such a short period without getting sick of them. 

There's a particular day that Minho can't get out of his head, when they'd taken a walk along random streets, popping into convenience stores and stopping at stalls just to look, maybe grab a sample or haggle a snack. 

Towards the end of the walk, the sun had begun to set, and the mood was slow and warm, legs tiring and stomachs full from various food bites. 

Then, Seungmin stopped in his tracks. “Hyung, look,” he said, voice soft as he pointed at something near their path. 

It was a cat. A beautiful thing, its coat was a mix of oranges, greys, and black. Likely a stray, but clearly fed well by the locals, a healthy layer of pudge visible. It seemed docile, hanging out in the grass. 

Minho was nothing if not always prepared for a stray cat encounter, so he was quick to take a small tube of wet cat food out of his bag, peeling the top open. He hesitated for a moment, then handed it to Seungmin. When the younger just looked at him questioningly, Minho let out an amused huff. 

“Crouch down and call the cat over,” Minho instructed. “The smell of the treat should bring it over, too.”

Seungmin finally took the tube, then squatted down on the path near the cat. He made little tck tck tck sounds at the animal, which seemed to have done the trick, considering the cat meowed and slowly approached where Seungmin was sitting. Once it was close enough, Seungmin carefully held his hand out further, and the cat began happily lapping at the treat.

As it did, Seungmin giggled to himself, a sweet sound that did something to Minho’s chest, almost like his heart stuttered. The feeling got even worse when Seungmin looked up at Minho to make sure he was seeing what was going on, a bright smile on his face. 

“Isn’t it cute, hyung?” Seungmin asked, again looking at the cat, his hand outstretched to run delicately over the cat’s back. 

Minho could only swallow the lump that had formed in his throat. When he responded, he didn’t look away from Seungmin, fixated on the easy joy that enveloped everything about him in that moment. “Yeah,” he agreed, “very cute.” 

Once the cat finished off the food, Minho and Seungmin gave it some goodbye pats before bidding it farewell and returning to the path to Seungmin’s apartment. As they walked, Minho couldn’t get the image of Seungmin looking at him with wonder out of his head, dark brown eyes reflecting the setting sun even behind his glasses. His smile was so genuine, like there was nowhere he’d rather be than in that moment, petting a stray cat while Minho stood beside him. 

Now, days later, when it still hasn’t left his mind, he knows he’s screwed. 

“What did you guys get up to while I was gone?” 

Felix grins at Jisung’s question, not minding that the other’s legs have been haphazardly draped over his lap. “Minho-hyung was gone more often than not,” he relays, wiggling his eyebrows. “He was being all secretive about it, too.” 

Minho rolls his eyes at their nosiness, balling up a napkin and throwing it in Felix’s general direction. “I was not being secretive,” he says, trying to keep defensiveness out of his tone. “You were just trying to over analyze. I told you, like, ten times that I was at the dance studio.”

“Mm, sure.” 

“What about you, Seungmin?” Jisung asks, directing his attention to his roommate seated on the beanbag again. “Just the usual? Staying home?” 

“No, actually.” The look of surprise on Jisung's face at the younger's answer has Minho biting back a laugh. His next words, though, turn the laugh into a smile that he also tries to hide. “I hung out with someone for most of it.”

Jisung narrows his eyes. “Who?”

At that, Seungmin’s gaze shifts pointedly to Minho. Jisung clearly sees it, if the way his jaw drops is anything to go by. “Felix, are you seeing this shit?” he asks, sharing a scandalized look with the aforementioned. 

“You're acting like we just confessed to, like, being secretly married or something,” Minho complains, shifting his arms to lean back more comfortably. “All we did was spend time together.” 

“Wait,” Felix says, sitting up straighter, “doesn't that mean you lied about being at the studio so often, then?” 

“No, I took Seungmin with me.”

Looking between Seungmin and Minho, Felix sighs and leans further into the couch. “I’m not even gonna ask any more questions.” 

“Wait!” Jisung barely avoids a collision with Felix’s face as he sits up, legs falling from the other’s lap. “Is that why you two were acting so weird during our last sleepover?” 

“Not necessarily,” Seungmin answers before Minho can. The way he shifts and his eyes dart around shows that he's uncomfortable, at least from what Minho’s learned. “We hadn't talked it out yet, we only really talked that night.”

“So what happened before that?” Felix asks, despite his earlier desire not to pry any further. 

Minho, still fixated on Seungmin’s body language, cuts in. “Can we please stop?” The annoyance in his voice is more pronounced than he'd like, but oh well. “This is supposed to be a sleepover, not an interrogation.” 

Jisung huffs. “But—”

“Just drop it, Jisung,” Felix instructs gently, and Jisung pouts, but does as told. 

Wanting to change the subject, Minho suggests the first thing that comes to mind. “Hey,” he says before he can overthink it, “why don't we play a game of truth or dare?”

There's some expected pushback from the others, but they eventually relent after agreeing not to do any dares. It's somewhat silly to just ask each other questions, but the promise of a penalty when avoiding a question is still somewhat interesting. 

The game starts out pretty dull, in Minho’s opinion, which is technically his fault since he’s the one who asked the first question, but still. He’s really using the game as an excuse to get to know Seungmin better, which is why he doesn’t bother steering it in a more interesting direction. 

He ignores the looks Felix and Jisung give him every time he asks Seungmin a question instead of acknowledging either of their existences. They should just be glad Minho is on good enough terms with Seungmin to be so curious about him.  

And then one of Jisung’s turns comes around, and after complaining about the game not being “juicy” enough, he asks a question: “Minho-hyung, if you had to date one of the people in the friend group, who would it be?” 

That question grinds Minho’s thoughts to a screeching halt. Who would he date? 

Much to his dismay, an answer pops up without him even having to think about it. 

“That’s so much,” Felix pipes up, “obviously he's going to pass that ques—”

“Seungmin.” 

In his periphery, Minho sees the way Seungmin immediately stiffens when his name falls from Minho’s lips, obviously not having expected it. Minho tries his hardest to keep his eyes on Jisung, acting as nonchalant as he can. 

“What? Why?” Jisung’s eyes are wide, matching Felix’s slack-jawed expression beside him. “No offense, Seungmin,” he's quick to tack on.

“None taken.” 

Minho shrugs, still refusing to look over at Seungmin. “You two have boyfriends, Chan and Hyunjin are your boyfriends, Jeongin is like a little brother to me, and Changbin is… well, he's Changbin.”

That's part of the truth, but it isn't the full thing. 

The reality is, over the past couple weeks, Minho’s felt the telltale signs around Seungmin. Heart racing, stomach fluttering, skin flushing, the inability to stop himself from smiling or laughing. A baseline nervousness just from being around him. 

It doesn't help that Seungmin is seriously his type. Minho has always had a weak spot for cute, nerdy guys; it was only natural he'd develop an attraction to him in time. 

Jisung clearly isn't satisfied with his partial explanation, though. “Who would you pick if we didn't have boyfriends?” 

“What, are you trying to date me?” Minho jokes, though he's subtly glaring at Jisung to cut it out. “Still Seungmin,” he answers regardless. “He's the neatest, and we have really similar tastes.”

Jisung squints at him, unconvinced. “Would you date him in general?” 

What’s with this weird line of questioning? “That wasn't the question.” 

Felix opens his mouth to add something, but Seungmin standing suddenly has him shutting it, all eyes in the room turning to him. “I’m going to bed.” His voice is a touch louder than usual, the words clumsy yet forceful. 

“Seungmin, wait—” Jisung starts, but Seungmin’s already exiting the room, disappearing into Minho’s room where he knows the air mattress is already set up. 

Minho feels a muscle in his jaw tick as he directs his attention back to Jisung. “You pushed it,” he scolds, though he keeps it gentle. “Why were you so insistent?” 

Jisung chews his lower lip, eyes downcast with guilt. “I didn't mean to make him upset, I wasn't paying attention to how he was reacting,” Jisung says. “I’m sorry.” 

It isn't an answer to why he was insistent, but Minho can't stay mad at him. In his defense, he wasn't looking at Seungmin either. “Just… don't ask questions like that again when it isn't established that it's an okay topic. It could make someone uncomfortable.” 

Jisung nods at Minho’s words. Satisfied for now, Minho pushes himself up. “I’m gonna head to bed too,” he announces. Jisung and Felix don't question him. 

When he makes it to the doorway of his room, he stops there, observing where Seungmin is lying flat on his back on the air mattress, staring intently at the ceiling. 

“Are you okay?” Minho asks. 

Seungmin’s reply is soft. “Yeah.”

Minho nibbles on his lower lip, stepping into the room properly and shutting the door. “Sorry if all of that made you uncomfortable,” Minho says as he sits on his own bed. “I’m honestly kind of glad I had an excuse to leave. I can only handle so much of those two, y’know?” 

The laugh Seungmin lets out is more of a quick exhale than anything, but it relieves Minho all the same. He watches as the younger folds up his glasses and sits up briefly to move them to Minho’s desk. 

“Yeah, I know,” Seungmin responds, settling back down. “And I wasn't uncomfortable, I just wanted to be done with the conversation.” 

Minho doesn't know if he fully believes that, but he chooses to trust him at his word anyway. “Good. You should get some rest, you seem tired.” 

“I will. Night, hyung.” 

“Night.” 

Minho turns the lamp off, plunging the room into mostly darkness. 

It's silent for a few moments. Minho feels too restless to sleep, turning from one side to the other. He can hear Seungmin shifting too. 

Then: “Hyung.” Seungmin’s voice is nothing like earlier; now, it's shaky, rushed. Like even breathing to speak takes effort. “Hyung, I think I’m gonna have a panic attack.” 

“Shit.” Is there anything Minho can even do in this situation? How is he meant to solve this? Taking a slow breath to calm himself down, he poses: “Do you want to lie with me?”

Seungmin doesn't answer, but in the dark, Minho can see him push himself off of the air mattress and stumble his way over. Minho has his blanket open to welcome him as he reaches the bed, making sure there's enough room as he settles in beside him. 

“Squeeze me,” Seungmin requests, barely more than a whisper. “It's, like, deep pressure therapy. It helps.” 

“Okay.” Minho doesn't hesitate, especially because he's heard of deep pressure therapy before. He circles his arms around Seungmin, holding him tighter than he usually would hug someone, knowing that's what's needed in this scenario. With the way Seungmin buries his face in his chest and grips his shirt, he knows he's at least helping somewhat. 

As Seungmin’s body starts to lose its tension and his breathing switches from shaky to something more regulated, Minho’s hand naturally finds its way to Seungmin’s hair, running through the dark brown strands. “You're okay,” he mumbles as he smoothes down a tuft of his hair sticking up from when he'd laid down earlier, then tucks Seungmin closer to himself. 

Seungmin’s arms eventually snake around Minho’s waist, the movements hesitant, but when Minho doesn't move or say anything, Seungmin melts, his grip getting tighter. “Thank you,” Seungmin murmurs into his chest. 

His voice seems normal again. Minho doesn't realize he'd been holding his own breath until he lets out a slow exhale. “You good?”

“For the most part, yeah.”

Okay, good. Good. As he stops mentally freaking out about the situation and grounds himself back into the present, he picks up the feeling of Seungmin’s heartbeat between their shirts, steady. Concrete proof that Seungmin’s fine. 

“What triggered that?” Minho asks as he twirls a piece of Seungmin’s hair between his fingers. “It seemed very sudden.” 

“Panic disorder,” Seungmin replies. Despite some muffling, Minho can make out his words pretty clearly. “Sometimes I just have panic attacks for no reason, but I didn't have a full one just then, only the beginning of one.” 

Minho doesn't have the time to dwell on the swirl of something in his chest as he hears that the panic attack was cut short. Likely due to Minho’s help. Instead, he's made to focus on how Seungmin shimmies himself up to look at Minho properly, their faces ending up dangerously close. 

“Hi,” Seungmin whispers, and it's so him that Minho can't help but laugh quietly, his hand drifting from Seungmin’s hair to the nape of his neck, running along the skin there. 

“Hi,” Minho echoes. 

There's a certain look in Seungmin’s eyes. It feels like his throat is closing up as the younger studies his face, gaze trailing over every part of it; he makes no effort to hide what he's doing, either. 

“Seungmin-ah.” The name comes out without Minho even meaning to. He doesn't even realize what he's about to ask until he says, “Promise you won't see me differently after I ask this.”

Despite the suddenness of the request, there's barely any pause before Seungmin answers. “I promise.”

He's so scared of breaking the trust that Seungmin has so generously given him, after everything. But he manages to push that aside for at least this moment, even as his own heartbeat roars in his ears.

“Can I—” Minho’s voice catches, and he clears his throat. “Can I, um, kiss you?” 

Seungmin says nothing. He just… looks at him, for a little while. 

Then, softly: “Yes.” 

Really? 

Minho only realizes he voiced his disbelief aloud when Seungmin hums in confirmation. Still, the entire thing feels so surreal that he can't help but continue his search for consent. “I mean, I don’t want to pressure you into anyth—”

Soft fingers grip his jaw and even softer lips meet his own, swallowing down any lingering uncertainty. His brain takes a moment to catch up, but when it does, he uses the hand he has on Seungmin’s nape to bring him even closer, eyes fluttering closed as he melts into it. 

Any doubt he’d had about his feelings for Seungmin disappears into thin air. 

He’s kissed a few people in his life, but he doesn’t remember it ever feeling like this. There’s no fireworks, no fairytale feeling, no expectation of something after. Instead, it’s just warm, stealing his oxygen to breathe life into whatever connection is forming between them. 

The way Seungmin pulls back briefly only to kiss him again has him smiling into it, infinitely endeared by him. When he pulls back for the final time, cheeks rosy and lips plump, Minho trails his fingers back into his hair to smooth down where he’d messed with it earlier.

“Seungmin,” he says, “sleep here tonight. If you want to, that is.”

“Of course I want to.” As if to prove his point, Seungmin slots an ankle between Minho’s shins, foot hooking around his leg and anchoring there. “I’m not going anywhere, hyung.”

I’m not going anywhere.

Minho knows he doesn’t just mean for the night. It’s a promise that even in the morning, even in the days following, he isn’t going to pull away and flee. It’s reassuring in ways he didn’t even realize he needed reassurance in.

“We’re gonna talk about this, right?”

Minho hums at Seungmin’s murmured question, tugging the blanket more over them with the hand not in Seungmin’s hair. “We have to sleep first.”

“I know.” Seungmin’s eyes close, eyelashes fanning over his still-rosy cheeks. “Good night, hyung.”

“Good night, Kim Seungmin.”

Minho wakes up around sunrise, still curled into Seungmin. As much as he’d like to stay, his morning routine calls to him, and he manages to maneuver himself out of the younger’s grasp without waking him. 

A little while later, Jisung and Felix enter the main room, making an impressive amount of noise as they grab their shoes near the door.

“Morning, hyung,” Felix greets, surprisingly cheery given the early hour. “Where’s Seungmin? Still asleep?”

“Yeah,” Minho confirms from his spot on the beanbag. “Where are you two going?”

“Breakfast.” Jisung almost eats shit as he stumbles while getting one of his shoes on. It’s such a common sight that nobody comments on it. “Wanna come? Maybe we can wake Seungmin up, too.”

“I’ll pass,” Minho says, even as Jisung pouts at the answer. “Seungmin probably needs the sleep, and I don’t want him to be alone when he wakes up.”

Felix wiggles his eyebrows. “How considerate of you.”

Minho barely resists the urge to throw a pillow at him. “Go eat your breakfast, dummies.”

Jisung slaps a hand over his heart. “I never thought I’d see the day where you’re more nice to Seungmin than us. I can’t believe we’ve been officially replaced.”

“Go.”

Jisung and Felix giggle to each other as they leave, the door shutting behind them with a click and sending the main room into silence once more. Felix is probably going to pester him at some point about how he’s been acting regarding Seungmin, but that’s a problem for future him. 

Not too long after, Seungmin walks in, and it takes every fiber of Minho’s being not to stare at the way his shirt rides up around his waist. “Good morning,” Seungmin greets as he plops down on the beanbag chair next to Minho despite there not being much space. Their sides press together, warm radiating from the spots where they touch. “Are Jisung and Felix still asleep?”

“They went out for breakfast a while ago, actually,” Minho informs him, turning off the silly mobile game he’d been playing before Seungmin came in. “They invited me, but I wanted to wait for you.” Minho probably would’ve never admitted that last bit had it not been for last night’s circumstances.

“Do you want to go somewhere with me for breakfast, though?” Seungmin asks.

“Yeah, but let’s wait a bit so we don’t run into Jisung and Felix.”

“Running into them wouldn’t really be a big deal though, would it?”

“No, but I want to spend time with just you.”

Maybe it’s embarrassing to admit, but the way Seungmin’s face goes entirely red is definitely worth it. “Oh,” Seungmin says. Then, he briefly breaks Minho’s brain with his next words. “Like a date?”

“If you want it to be,” he manages.

“I do.” Seungmin’s eyes drop to Minho’s mouth for a brief moment. “I want to go on a date with you.”

Needing something to do with his hands, Minho uses his left hand to brush Seungmin’s bangs out of his eyes. “As friends?” His voice is teasing as his hand moves down to Seungmin’s chin, guiding his face closer.

“As more than friends.” Seungmin clarifies.

“Oh, so best friends?” 

The punch Seungmin lands on Minho’s shoulder is so light he barely feels it. “Shut up and kiss me, Lee Minho.”

“So demanding.” Despite his words, he obliges, catching Seungmin’s mouth in a soft kiss.

Throughout breakfast, Minho finds himself caring for Seungmin in little ways—letting him pick his seat first, giving him his fried egg, refilling his water for him; things like that. He doesn't know if Seungmin notices, but he doesn't do it to be noticed, he does it because he wants to. 

Afterwards, they wander until coming across a small park, settling down on the bench. It's comfortable, and contrary to what some may say, Minho does enjoy leaving the house and getting outside. Especially with Seungmin.

They'd agreed on the way to the park that they'd have a talk. Mostly because Seungmin had expressed having something important to say, and Minho would never refuse that. 

Seungmin is, clearly, worried about whatever it is he wants to say. His hands are wringing together in his lap, he's avoiding eye contact even more than usual, and his lip was bitten red before they’d even sat down. Minho wasn't going to push him, though, waiting patiently and taking in the nature around them so as to not pressure him. 

“I need to tell you something before we have this talk,” Seungmin eventually says. Minho’s attention was already on him, but he's laser-focused now. “As in, it could affect whether or not you actually want to try dating me.” 

“Not much could sway my decision, but go ahead.”

“Have you ever heard of asexuality?” 

Ah. So that's what this is about. 

“Isn't it, like,” Minho tries to find the right words, “not feeling sexual attraction?” 

“Yeah,” Seungmin confirms. “I’m—I’m ace.” He stares down at his hands as he speaks, voice a little shaky. “But, like, I’m sex neutral, I guess? I mean, I’m not too opposed, but it's not very important or necessary for me in any relationship,” Seungmin doesn't seem to recognize that he's rambling, words picking up speed and sentences running on, “and I think it would be rare for me to actually want it. And I’ve never looked at someone and thought that I wanted to, like, you know. So if that's a dealbreaker, then—”

“Seungmin,” Minho interjects gently. “Look at me.” 

It takes a moment, but Seungmin manages to look up and make eye contact, bottom lip tucked between his teeth. “Yeah?” 

Minho reaches out to take one of Seungmin’s restless hands into his own, locking their fingers together. “You're stuck in your own head right now. Take a couple deep breaths.” 

Minho makes his own slow breathing look more exaggerated, and Seungmin ends up mirroring it. They take a few breaths together, and to Minho’s relief, he can see some of the tension leave Seungmin’s shoulders, his anxious energy petering out. 

“I'm sorry for rambling,” Seungmin says after a couple minutes of that. He squeezes Minho’s hand. “But I’m seriously a piece of work.” 

Minho can't stand the way Seungmin laughs self-deprecatingly. It’s as if he thinks his inherent traits make him unlovable, undesirable. If only he knew that Minho hasn't desired something the way he desires Seungmin in a long, long time. 

“You're not a piece of work, you don’t need fixing,” Minho insists. “Besides, we have all the time in the world to figure out our dynamic. I’m not going to suddenly ditch you because of stuff like this.”

“You're sure it isn't too much for you?”

“I’m still sitting here with you, aren't I?”

Minho only gets a brief glimpse of the way Seungmin’s eyes well up, because Seungmin is pulling Minho into a tight hug, his face finding its place in Minho’s shoulder. Fingers dig into the back of his shirt, but Minho doesn't mind, he could never mind. 

“I really like you, Lee Minho,” Seungmin murmurs into his shirt. 

Carefully and somewhat reluctantly, Minho pulls back so he can see Seungmin’s face. He places his palms on the younger’s cheeks and jaw, swiping away any stray tears with his thumbs. 

“I like you too, so don't worry,” Minho confesses quietly, proving his point by planting a brief peck on Seungmin’s lips. “I'm willing to figure out what works best for us. Okay?” 

“Okay,” Seungmin breathes out. “Thank you for listening, and being patient.” 

“Of course.”

Seungmin’s the one who initiates the next kiss; it's deeper, more meaningful. Like he's confirming that this is real. Minho knows because he's confirming the same thing, leaving another peck on his lips as they part. 

As they return to the apartment, their hands don't separate from each other’s. 

Once Seungmin and Jisung have left for their own apartment, Felix corners Minho in the living room before he can escape to his bedroom. 

“Hyung,” Felix says, tugging Minho down next to him onto the couch. “I know that look. What happened?” 

Minho purses his lips. Caught. “What look?” 

Felix crosses his arms over his chest and raises an eyebrow like a disappointed mother. Minho almost feels like he's being scolded for not doing his homework. 

“This is the look you have when something goes well,” Felix clarifies, uncrossing his arms to gesture vaguely at Minho’s face. “You had this same look after your latest dance showcase. And when you were told you got your job.” 

Damn. He didn't realize he was being that obvious. 

“So,” Felix continues, “did something happen with you and Seungmin?” 

Minho feels too bad to lie to Felix’s face. The best he can do is shrug. 

Felix rolls his eyes, but the beginnings of a smile give away his lack of disappointment. “Fine, keep your secrets,” Felix says, standing from the couch with a stretch. As he leaves the room, he turns and offers Minho a little wink. “Nice lip balm, by the way.” 

Minho’s immensely grateful that Felix left the room before seeing the way his face went beet red. It should be an innocuous comment, but…

Minho doesn't wear lip balm. Seungmin does. 

Thankfully, he's distracted by his phone pinging a little while later, his heart doing something stupid in his chest as he sees the contact name. 

seungminnie<3

hey hyung 

jisung is gonna invite you over tomorrow

do you think you'll come?

lee minho

yeah, i'm not busy

you'll be there, right? 

seungminnie <3

i'll be in my room 

but you're welcome to join me

although jisung wants to watch a movie with you 

so i doubt you'll have many chances 

lee minho

i'll find a chance

i'll make sure to see you before i leave

i want to actually talk to you about something

seungminnie <3

and that is? 

lee minho

i know we aren't dating but

i think it would be useful to set boundaries

so we know what we're both comfortable with

and how we want to define everything

seungminnie <3 

oh okay

that sounds really good 

i'll see you tomorrow?

lee minho

i'll be there

♡ 

When Minho shows up the next day, he's slightly early, and Jisung is nowhere to be found. He'd expected that, since Jisung had informed him he'd be running a couple errands and wouldn't be at the apartment for a while. It isn’t intentional, but it gives him plenty of time to speak with Seungmin in his room. 

“So,” Seungmin starts, body turned to face Minho as they both sit on the bed. “Do you want to go first?” 

“If you want me to.”

“Go ahead.” 

Minho thinks it over for a moment. He knows what he wants to say, but he wants to make sure it's clear and he says what he needs to. “I don't have a lot of explicit boundaries, I’d say,” Minho starts after a brief pause. “I’m fine with a lot of things, but if something comes up, I won't hesitate to tell you. I’m fine with PDA but not too much of it, I don't really care if our friends know about our relationship or not, and I’m happy with the boyfriend label if that's what you want too.”

One trait Minho admires about Seungmin is that he usually stops to think. He doesn't rush to reply or fill the sometimes awkward silence that comes from just sitting there saying nothing after someone speaks. So when Seungmin goes a bit without any words, Minho isn't perturbed by it. 

“I feel like—I think everything you said, I also agree with,” Seungmin eventually says, “but I want to just say something extra. I’m fine with kissing, making out, whatever. But nothing past that unless I explicitly tell you I want it, and that's going to be rare, so bear with me.”

“That's alright with me.” 

“You're sure?” 

“Yes, Seungmin.” 

Seungmin’s resulting smile makes all of Minho’s decisions completely worth it. “So, does this make us boyfriends?” he asks timidly. 

Yes. Please. Yes, yes, yes. 

“If you want that, then yes.”

“I do want that.” 

Minho can't help his own matching smile, and he shifts closer to Seungmin, resisting the urge to tackle him in a hug and knock him over. “So, boyfriend,” he teases, reveling in Seungmin's resulting blush, “are you sure you don't want to join me and Jisung for the movie?” 

“Maybe for a little bit,” Seungmin concedes. “I'm pretty tired, I've been studying all day.”

An idea pops into Minho’s head. “When’s Jisung coming back?” 

“In thirty minutes, probably?” 

Good enough. Minho pushes himself off of the bed, nodding his head in a gesture for Seungmin to follow. “Come take a quick nap on the couch with me.” 

So, Seungmin ends up with his head cushioned in Minho’s lap, fingers brushing through his hair as he dozes off, chest rising and falling slowly. Minho would play on his phone or prep the movie, but he can't help but study Seungmin, wondering how he managed to redeem himself enough to end up here. He thanks whoever he was in a past life for granting him good karma. 

Inevitably, Jisung comes back from his errands and locks his eyes on the couch. He tugs his shoes off and puts down the plastic bags in his hands on the counter, eyes not leaving the interesting scene. 

“You two look cozy,” Jisung comments, voice low so as to not wake Seungmin. 

“I was too lazy to grab him a pillow,” Minho lies. He's not even trying to be convincing, he knows there's a pillow barely an arm’s reach from him. 

“Right,” Jisung deadpans. “Just set the movie up, hyung. Your lovesick expression is weirding me out.” 

Minho should've known from his encounter with Felix that his feelings for Seungmin are blatantly obvious, even just from his face. 

Minho shoots Jisung a middle finger anyway. 

after (post-movie)

children in their 20s (8 members) 

seungminnie <3

minho-hyung and i have an announcement

old-hyung

please tell me you're actually friends now
this better be a friendship announcement 

lee minho

oh, it isn't
we aren't friends 

bread

chan hyung idk why you had hope for them 

lee minho

seungminnie and i are boyfriends actually

6 people are typing…

A giggle comes from beside Minho. “We're going to need to address that eventually, you know.”

Minho pulls Seungmin a bit closer, giving in to the urge to peck the corner of his mouth. “Wanna place a bet on who shows up knocking first?”

“Oh, please, we both know it'll be Jisung. He lives here.”

Before Minho can reply, sharp and quick knocks sound on Seungmin’s bedroom door. “Kim Seungmin, Lee Minho, you better get your asses out here and explain this!” 

Minho and Seungmin fall over each other with how hard they laugh at Jisung’s accidental comedic timing. Jisung lives his life as though he's in a sitcom, truly. 

“He's gonna break the door down if you don't let him inside,” Minho points out, raising his voice over Jisung’s incessant pleas to let him in. 

Seungmin kisses him in lieu of a response, which Minho can't complain about, because why would he? Pulling back with another giggle, Seungmin says, “He knows how to pick locks, he’ll be in here in a minute or two.”

Well, who cares. He kisses Seungmin again, a hand coming up to cup his jaw, directing the kiss to deepen. If Jisung walks in, that's his own problem for picking the lock. 

bonus 

Against all odds, Minho finds himself at another party with Kim Seungmin. 

It's a lot less chaotic than last time. The music is softer, and there's fewer people, but it's still big enough to warrant being a bit worried about Seungmin. Even if going to the party was Seungmin’s idea. Miracles do exist. 

“You feeling okay?” Minho asks, hands placed reassuringly on the younger’s knees. This time, it's Seungmin perched up on the counter; Jisung isn't anywhere to be seen, having already disappeared into the other room with Hyunjin. 

“I already told you I'd tell you if I don't,” Seungmin assures him. To punctuate his statement, he leans down to kiss Minho. For what it's worth, he does seem alright, even if Minho can feel the tension radiating from him. Seungmin knows his limits, that's the whole reason he wanted to try another party. 

“Ew,” a voice comes from near them. “What happened to shame?”

“Jeongin-ah,” Minho says to the newcomer, wrapping one arm around his shoulders to invite him into the conversation. “Your homophobia knows no bounds.” 

Jeongin rolls his eyes, but he's grinning, clearly pleased to see the two of them getting along. “My homophobia only extends to you two, I think there's plenty of bounds.”

“Not Jisung and Hyunjin?” 

“...Not as many bounds, then.” 

Seungmin laughs, a gentle, carefree sound. A glimpse at him shows that despite his tension, he's having a genuinely good time. 

He knows this is a big step for him, even if the stakes aren't as high as that initial party. Putting himself out there isn't easy, Minho knows that, but here he is enjoying himself despite it all. 

The rest of the party, Minho doesn't stray far from Seungmin. And once Seungmin reaches out for his wrist and says he's ready to leave, Minho holds onto his hand. 

“I'm proud of you,” Minho whispers to him once they're outside and walking to the elder’s car. 

Seungmin presses closer to Minho’s side, nudging their shoulders together. “Couldn't have done it without you, hyung.” 

“I think you could've.” 

“Just take the compliment, hyung.” 

Minho childishly sticks his tongue out at him. Seungmin takes the opportunity to nip at the air as if he's going to bite his tongue off, which has Minho falling over in response. Seungmin fully belly-laughs at him, to which Minho pretends to kick him in the shin, but he's laughing too. 

Curse you, Kim Seungmin, Minho thinks as Seungmin extends a hand to help him up from the ground. It's so easy to fall in love with you.