Archive of Our Own

To Minho, loving Seungmin is something that comes easily to him. Like caring for him is something innate, something he knows like the back of his hand. And even though there have been times when their thoughts and opinions clashed, Minho wouldn’t have it any other way. If given the choice to choose between Seungmin and having the perfect ideal relationship, Minho would still choose Kim Seungmin. Because to Minho, there’s no one else like him. Their bickering and differences make it all the more fun and enjoyable to wake up to Seungmin every morning. With Seungmin, no day is the same as the previous, each day is another adventure which Minho always looks forward to. 

Unlike the friendships they made throughout the years, Minho and Seungmin are different; their friendship formed when they were still young and innocent; blissfully ignorant of the struggles and obstacles they’d face later in life. When they were only kids, it was just Seungmin and Minho, and Minho and Seungmin. They were attached to the hip from the beginning, often finding comfort in each other's presence when things seemed to get overwhelming. With every year that passed, the two of them learnt about each other, learnt about themselves and formed a stronger bond that was hard to shatter. As they grew up, they experienced life together. They saw each other’s ups and downs, saw their ugly sides and their pretty sides, saw the goods and the bads. 

Minho wouldn’t change it for the world. 

***

When Minho was only 10, he was told they were going to move houses for the first time. It was out of nowhere, he thinks, one moment Minho’s having fun with his friends on their way from school, and the next moment his parents were telling him they’d be moving in a few weeks. It was a hard concept to grasp for 10 year old Minho. The whole concept of moving was exciting at first; he’d never moved houses before— he wondered what their new house would look like, would there be a park next to him? He was so excited he told his friends the news, but then they asked questions Minho didn’t have the answer to. Would he really need to switch schools if they move? Why couldn’t he stay in this school with his friends? Why does he need to move too? What will happen to his studies? The last question didn’t matter really, that was the least of his priorities to be honest.

In the last few days before moving, Minho sulked and moped all day around the house. Wherever his mum went, he followed right behind her with a small pout on his face resembling a lost puppy. But as much as a part of him didn’t want to move, he couldn’t deny the excitement was also beginning to rise as the day neared them. When his parents sat down with him late at night (late for Minho— really it was only 10pm), they explained why they were moving as much as they could for a little boy to understand. And he did. Though there were many questions still swimming in his head, he nodded and gave them a hug before returning to packing his last items so he could go to sleep as soon as he could. 

When they reached their new house, Minho felt lost and out of place. It was empty and lacked the touches that made it home. He wasn’t sure how long it would take him to get used to it, everything was so different now, yet not much has changed. He tried to see the good stuff about moving. Firstly there was the new park that was just a few minutes away from where they lived. This meant Minho could go every weekend if he wanted to. He also had a new room that he could decorate how he wanted. Moving also meant he could meet new people, and even though he’d rather just keep in contact with his old friends, he was always happy to make more friends.

Still, he missed his old friends, he missed the cats he used to feed every weekend, he missed the grandmas he always got candy from. A pout formed on his face whenever he remembered he needed to start all over again. 

On one particular morning, he must’ve made it apparent that the move wasn’t doing well for him— he wanted to go home back to his old life. His mum came and sat next to him on the sofa while he was watching one of his favourite cartoons (he tries his best to call his friends on his parent’s phone so they can talk about the episode that aired), and waited for his attention to be on her before talking. “Minho, don’t you have anything to do?” He turned to his mum and shook his head, his pout deepening unintentionally. 

“Your father is free for a few hours, do you want to go to the new park with him?” 

He brightened in a matter of seconds and was quick to jump out of his seat, already making a beeline for the door to slip his shoes on. 

“Can I take my ball with me too?” 

“Of course.” 

Turned out playing ball alone with his dad got boring quickly. He wished his friends were there with him, they could’ve had a competition and then had ice cream and then gone to one of their houses and played more games. But now that he’s moved houses they’re hours away and there was no way their parents would let them travel for hours just to see Minho. There were brief moments when he contemplated asking his dad to drive him back to their old neighbourhood sometime. 

Before he was able to think of a plan to convince his parents, there was a ball that rolled to his feet. It wasn’t his ball; his ball is blue and yellow, this one was black and white. He felt a tap on his shoulder when he was studying the ball with complete focus, the tap easily startled him out of this concentration.

“I’m sorry! I just wanted to ask if you could pass my ball.” There was a boy slightly shorter than him, cheeks puffed out just a little it made Minho want to pinch him. His brows were creased together in worry, lips forming a pout when Minho just stood and stared. “Please.” He added as an afterthought. 

Minho grabbed the ball besides his foot, extending his arms out so the boy could take it from him. But he doesn’t. Instead he stood in front of Minho with some sort of look. It looked a little funny; his entire face was scrunched up together and his eyes were narrowed in thought. 

“Do you want to play ball with me? I have no one to play with and my mum’s busy talking to someone.”

Minho’s dad was quick to encourage him to go ahead so he stood closer to the boy. Being nearer to him, Minho was able to see the boy just about reached his chin. Minho weighed his options despite the answer being clear. He could turn down the boy but… he really needed friends, and playing with his dad was beginning to get boring. 

“Do you want ice cream after?” The boy brightened at the mention of ice cream, nodding enthusiastically and grinning so widely Minho’s able to see where he’s missing a tooth. It made him smile too. 

“Okay. Well I’m Minho, you?”

“Seungmin!”

Minho found out quickly that their opinions on things differed at times. And Seungmin was just as passionate about his likes and dislikes as he was. Because of that, it often led to heated arguments, and Minho wasn’t someone who could see the things he liked being hated on so he stood his ground. They would only stop if one of their parents got in between before it could escalate. 

Still, they enjoyed the hours they played together at the park and soon found out they were neighbours too. The excitement and the adrenaline was still rushing through both of their bodies, when Seungmin asked if he wanted to sleep over, Minho couldn’t say no. 

The sleepover was the beginning of a friendship Minho knew he would cherish. When in the morning he found a snoring Seungmin with his body half across the bed, he knew he wanted them to be best friends for the longest time.

***

It was to no one’s surprise when Seungmin and Minho got closer with every day that passed. As they grew up, they shared everything with each other, regardless of how pointless it was. Whether it was a tiny secret about eating cookies when they weren’t meant to, or something huge like feeling insecure because of something someone said, Minho and Seungmin always confided in each other. So, when Seungmin ran into Minho’s room right after he had changed clothes back at his own house just to tell Minho about something that happened at school, it was a shock to no one. 

“Min, I have something to tell you.”

Minho looked up from the book he was in the middle of reading, grabbing a bookmark from his desk so he could mark his page before placing it faced down on his bed and giving Seungmin his attention. He leaned back against the headboard and looked at Seungmin with a look resembling boredom 

“You couldn’t just text me?”

Seungmin rolled his eyes and dropped his backpack in the corner of Minho’s room before inviting himself onto the elder’s bed. He ignored the strings of complaints and insults that left Minho’s mouth and made himself comfortable opposite him, his sock clad feet quickly positioning themselves one on top of another so he sat criss-crossed. His fingers played around with the loose strings of Minho’s plushie to which the latter slapped his hand away, muttering something about Seungmin being way too easily entertained by some tiny thread. 

To anyone else Minho’s behaviour would’ve seemed cold and unwelcoming, probably even on the borders of being uninterested in whatever Seungmin had to say. But he knew Seungmin knew, so he wasn’t worried about Seungmin taking it the wrong way. They were friends long enough for Seungmin to understand him, just like how he understood what Seungmin was like even before he said anything. 

He knew Seungmin enjoyed the pats on his head whenever he did something good with the way his head would tilt up a little and let out a quiet hum despite complaining about his hair being messed up. He knew Seungmin liked to spend an hour or so to himself when he was too overwhelmed with thoughts to the point where he was unable to filter anything out. At the same time, he also knew Seungmin liked to seek out Minho’s presence when things became a little too much and he needed a little grounding to keep him from being drowned by what’s happening around him. He knew Seungmin preferred sitting in silence and doing his own thing whilst Minho did his own, because he appreciated quality time and the peace that came with it more than anything. He knew when Seungmin was happy, there was nothing that could stop him from talking. And his giddy smiles and bright eyes and uncontainable giggles were so contagious, sometimes they even got Minho feeling joyful too. 

So when Seungmin came and sat right in front of him, with a wide smile barely hidden and bright eyes that spoke far more than words possibly could, Minho knew he was going to bring up something he wouldn’t stop talking about for a while. 

And he was right, because as soon as he started talking, there was no end to it. 

“I think I like someone in class.” 

It was strange how Minho felt sick suddenly, like his food wasn’t agreeing with him so he put a hand over his stomach to somehow soothe the random ache he felt out of nowhere. He ignored it for the time being though, and disregarded the weird ache that crawled it’s way all over his chest and into his throat. It wasn’t painful, yet the numbing ache that ran through him felt worse than all the times he tripped and fell. He could ask his mum about it later, for now he wanted to just listen to Seungmin. 

“He’s this new guy in my class. He sat next to me today and we got along instantly, sure he was a little carefree and a bit annoying and loud but he’s really cute. We’re gonna hang out tomorrow...” 

The feeling continued getting worse, like a needle pricking all over his insides and especially at his heart. He watched Seungmin continue talking about his crush, the latter completely oblivious to the weird feeling Minho experienced. But he didn’t mention anything, Seungmin’s happiness meant more to him. Especially because it was his first ever crush and there was no way Minho would dampen his mood now. 

When a few weeks later Seungmin ran into his room like he had done previously to tell Minho his big news he couldn’t help the bitter feeling that was lodged in his throat. 

“Jisung asked me out! I said yes.” 

He should feel happy for his best friend. He knew that. This was his first boyfriend, his first relationship, his first experience at love and all Minho could do was feel jealousy and sorrow fill the pits of his stomach until it was drowning him to the point of suffocation. His mind was swimming with questions: would this mean he’ll spend less time with Seungmin? Is he going to lose his best friend to another guy? Wasn’t it meant to be Minho and Seungmin, Seungmin and Minho?

What happens now? 

But for Seungmin he pushed everything aside.  He brushed away his doubts and worries, the bitter and childish feelings and instead gave Seungmin a smile. 

“It was about time you stopped pestering me all the time about this Jisung guy.”

Later that day, Minho realised that was the first time he experienced heartache, a dull pain that shot through his chest for a split second only to leave a wave of melancholy in its wake anytime he heard Jisung’s name. What he least expected was for Seungmin to be the reason for the ugly feeling that brewed inside him but there was nothing he could do about it. 

***

Along with Seungmin’s first crush, and Minho’s first heartbreak came the younger’s first breakup far too soon after they started dating. 

Minho was busy studying for an upcoming exam when he heard someone open his door. From the corner of his eyes he saw Seungmin shuffling in but he gave it no thought, attention back to his textbook. 

“If you’re going to get on my bed I hope you’ve already showered.” 

He got no response but that wasn’t too uncharacteristic of Seungmin. There were times when Seungmin wanted to do nothing but nap in Minho’s bed because his room was often colder given the fact that his bed was beside his window. His focus remained on the words that were scribbled in his notebook, trying to cram in as much information as he could. That was, until he heard muffled sniffles coming from his bed. 

He turned around with urgency, eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the pile of blankets in the middle of his bed. “Are you crying in my bed?” He asked incredulously. 

He heard soft muttering coming from Seungmin and leaned closer to hear him, “I’ll wash your pillow and bedsheets after, don’t worry.” 

Minho rolled his eyes because of course Seungmin would tell him not to worry about his sheets rather than say he’s okay. 

“Scoot over.” 

Without uttering another word, Seungmin shuffled to one side. Considering it was only a single sized bed, there wasn’t much space for two growing boys to fit in but they managed just as they did every other time. 

“Now, why are you getting snot all over my pillows?” 

There was a silence that passed them for a second save for the occasional sniffles that filled the room. Minho considered getting out of bed and going back to studying to give Seungmin space just until he was ready to talk, but then the younger adjusted in the little space he had and started talking. “Jisung and I broke up.” 

Minho’s brows shot up in surprise, mouth agape as he tried to find the words to say. Seungmin didn't wait for a response though as he continued talking. 

“I thought things were going alright, we barely had arguments other than the lighthearted disagreements here and there. He called me this morning saying we should meet, I thought we would just watch a movie in his room, you know?” No, Minho didn’t. “And we did do that for like the first half of the movie, but then he just— blurted out that we should break up.” 

Seungmin takes a pause to wipe his nose, Minho openly grimaces and the younger notices, letting out a wet laugh. 

“He said we should break up because I—” he took a sharp pause, eyes widening for a split second before going back to normal, like he stopped himself from disclosing something to Minho midway. He sighed and scooted closer to Minho. 

“Nevermind. Is it weird I’m not too upset? Like of course there’s still that hurt because he was my first crush, and the first guy I ever dated so he means a lot to me, but I think I’d be able to move on in a few months. We even agreed to be friends after we’re both over each other and I was okay with that.” 

Minho hummed, raising his head from his pillow and resting it on his palm to have a better look at Seungmin. 

“It’s not weird, some people process emotions differently, you just happen to be more level headed and can understand things better. That’s not a bad thing either, being level headed helps you out a lot in life.” Minho lifts a hand and scratches Seungmin’s chin lightly, managing a small pleased hum out of him. “Such a strong Seungminnie, I know you’ll find your way out of this too.”

Among the things that described their dynamic, being overly touchy in any sort of situation wasn’t one of them. They showed their affection through the time they spent with each other, with small actions that could be passed off as nothing significant from an outsider’s point of view, with buying stuff that reminds them of each other, or their weekly movie nights. Cuddling or hugging or initiating anything to do with skinship was rare for them, and they found themselves not needing it to show how much they meant to each other. After Seungmin’s breakup though, Minho found himself pulling Seungmin into his arms and letting him hide his face in his neck. 

“You’re such an ugly crier.” His words were contrasted with the gentle touch against Seungmin’s back, rubbing soothingly when he felt the tears on his neck. His other hand was buried in Seungmin’s hair, blunt nails against his scalp acting as an anchor to ground him securely. “You can stay here as long as you want. Let’s not subject anyone else to seeing your crying face.” 

He heard a wet laugh coming from Seungmin, his hand curling around Minho’s t-shirt as he pushed his face further into his neck. Minho shrieked when he felt him rub his tear stained face against his neck, yet chose to stay in his place— though he doubted he had much of a choice. 

“Kim Seungmin!”

At the tender age of 17, Minho realised he liked feeling another body against his. He liked sharing body heat with another person and being able to hold them in his arms and play with their hair, and perhaps he even liked the idea of them falling asleep against him. He realised he liked it because it was Kim Seungmin he had in his arms, allowing himself to be vulnerable with Minho. He already knew how much trust the younger had for him, but this just solidified it and Minho couldn’t be even more happier. 

***

Minho and Seungmin’s families had been close ever since the two boys became best friends. It was normal for them to sometimes plan trips together since they were pretty small in quantity too. Often, they would plan beach trips for the summer, each packing their own bags with what they needed and then staying the night at a beach house they rented. Minho enjoyed those trips a lot; he was a pretty family oriented person, so to be able to spend holidays together really got him excited. 

The first day was spent as any other first days were spent. They settled in their designated rooms, (Minho and Seungmin’s rooms being side by side, no surprise there) and then spent the rest of the day either familiarising themselves with the place or simply sleeping in until lunchtime to preserve energy. Minho decided on the latter; sleeping now meant he wouldn’t be tired and on top of that he was only running on three hours of sleep, a sleep would really do him justice. 

When it was time for lunch he asked where they’d be eating. Seungmin shrugged, he had no idea either and Minho, still being half asleep, didn’t bring himself to ask his parents. When they all came to a halt, Minho looked around, confused. There were places to eat here but they were more snack stalls rather than actual meals for lunchtime. When he was about to voice his thoughts his parents started walking in another direction until the cable cars came into view. 

Ah. He took a nervous gulp, eyeing the height of the cable cars and the water underneath, and then he turned to see everyone else. They all seemed so excited, talking about how it’s been a while since they’ve been on one. Even Seungmin was looking up at the cable cars in awe, he doesn’t have the heart to mention it to anyone so he buries the fear deep within him. He watched as the line got shorter and shorter, their turn arriving sooner than what he would have liked. When he felt a nudge on his shoulder, he turned to find Seungmin already looking at him, brows furrowed in worry and lips turned downwards into a small frown. 

“You okay?”

The question startled Minho a little when he wasn’t expecting anyone to really pick up on how he was feeling. He would rather not ruin it for anyone, especially Seungmin who had looked excited when they were finally getting in line. Plus he’s 19, he’s an adult so he should be fine, a little bit of height won’t hurt him. Except that’s exactly what he was worried about, height and water isn’t a good mix, anything could go wrong. What if something does go wrong? He willed his mind to stop coming up with negative scenarios and gave Seungmin a reassuring smile. 

“I’m fine.”

He seemed unconvinced at first, teetering between asking again and leaving it alone. He went with the latter eventually and Minho was beyond relieved; he didn’t want to ruin it for anyone, and he knows what Seungmin was like. If Seungmin knew he would have wanted to go somewhere else despite the previous excitement. 

They got on after what felt like hours. Minho doesn’t feel much difference at first, he was still near the ground, he could change his mind if he wanted to but he doesn’t. When the car started moving and making its way higher and higher, that’s when Minho began to feel a little nervous, curling up his fists into tight little balls. 

Everything was beginning to look tinier by the second as if they were little toys made for a dollhouse, and with the height they were at now, Minho could see clearly the sun beaming down at them with no cloud to shield him from the harsh rays. He tried to convince himself it’d be over with soon, but time suddenly stretched incredibly long, it felt like they’d already been there for over 30 minutes when it was only 5. He forced himself to look away from the window, engaging in conversation with anyone who was available but all he could think about was how high up they really were. 

“So I recently started watching this anime, they have an octopus looking creature for a teacher.”

Minho looked at Seungmin with confusion. “Are the students aliens as well or something?” 

“No,” Seungmin leaned back in his seat, and Minho followed. “Everyone else is human. They had like a secret mission to kill the teacher because he was a threat. Would you have done it?” 

Minho looked up in thought, “did they get something in return?” 

“Money.”

He looked back at Seungmin and shrugged, “yeah maybe I would’ve done it.”

Seungmin nodded in agreement and then looked down at his hands before looking at Minho’s. 

“My hands are bigger than yours.” Minho goes to say no because there’s no way that was true, but before he could do anything like that Seungmin was already lining his left hand up against Minho’s. “See.” 

It was only bigger by a bit but it was enough to have Seungmin bending the tips of his fingers against Minho’s smaller ones, giggling to himself when Minho made a sound of protest. 

“You play baseball, that's why they’re big.”

“I didn’t know that was a thing.”

“Well now you know.” 

He wasn’t sure how it happened, one minute they were comparing hand sizes, and the next minute Seungmin was slotting his fingers between the digits of Minho’s hand. The grip was gentle but firm, a thumb mindlessly rubbing in small circles as reassurance. When Minho looked up at Seungmin he was already looking back at him with a tender smile and soft eyes that matched. Without another word about their hands, Seungmin dived into another topic, squeezing Minho’s hand every now and then whenever he felt him tensing up beside him. 

Seungmin held Minho’s hand for the remainder of the journey and the older found it worked as a great distraction; although he was still worried about being up so high, he felt safe and comforted by Seungmin. The way Seungmin’s hand engulfed Minho’s hand made it look like it was meant to be this way, like Minho’s hand was made to be held by Seungmin. It made Minho smile. 

While skinship wasn’t always their thing, Minho had to admit the first time Seungmin held his hand he knew he’d be addicted. From the way Minho’s hand was completely covered by Seungmin’s, to the way Seungmin grabbed it a little tighter every time Minho found himself growing a little tense from the sudden reminder that they’re still up in the air. Minho was pleased to discover his enjoyment for holding hands, more specifically Kim Seungmin’s hands. Regardless, Minho wouldn’t tell anyone about it, there was no need for anyone else to know, so he did what he did best and kept it inside beside another steadily growing secret he kept from his best friend. 

***

Minho moved out when he was 21, despite being a family person he always wanted to experience what it would be like to live independently and grow as an individual. He split the rent between another friend he met through university, both deciding to get a somewhat cheap but decent looking apartment not too far from home. Seungmin sulked a little when he first heard the news, even almost going as far as not wanting to speak to him. Minho’s heart ached a tiny bit at that; he wanted to move but not if it’ll leave someone upset, so he made a deal with the younger, that he could visit whenever he felt like it. It took a little longer than usual to convince Seungmin which, to Minho, seemed a little out of the ordinary but he chose not to say anything about it. 

The first week mainly consisted of making himself at home at his new apartment along with Changbin, his university friend. It was a tough chore; moving his furniture around his room and trying to find a way to fit everything while still making time to complete assignments and making sure there was food for the two of them. They managed though, after a week of toil and trouble they figured out a schedule that would work for both of them. During that week though, Minho barely had time to call anyone or to text Seungmin, it made him feel horrible and guilty especially when he promised to call at least once. 

It was hard getting used to at first with no Seungmin barrelling into his room at random hours of the day or climbing through the window when it was so late at night that no one would open the door. There was a specific silence that loomed over his room that he couldn’t ignore no matter how much he tried. It was a silence that was often filled by the delightful sounds of laughter from Seungmin or the random songs he would sing or the times when he felt proud of what he learnt on his guitar and was insistent to show Minho and give him a little performance. He missed that. He missed Kim Seungmin. Minho, at one point, considered it a bad idea to move out. But he couldn’t move back now, not when he’s already put in so much time, money and effort, he would just need to suck it up and get used to it. 

On one particular day, when he was busy with completing an assessment, his phone started incessantly pinging, the vibration caused it to begin teetering towards the edge on the verge of falling. With a sigh, he picked it up to check what was going on only to be met with a series of messages from Seungmin. When he was about to click the notifications, an incoming video call from Kim Seungmin himself interrupted him. 

He closed his laptop and pushed it away for now, he deserved a break anyway, and picked up Seungmin’s call and was met with the image of the younger’s messy soft hair. He missed running his hand through that. Seungmin seemed to be outside, judging from the sky in the background but he couldn’t pinpoint whereabouts he was. 

“Hi Seungmin. Eager to see me?” 

He heard a scoff coming from the other line and didn’t need to see his face to know he was rolling his eyes. 

“Not at all, I was calling for Changbin.” 

It didn’t take long for Changbin to become a close friend to both Minho and Seungmin. When Minho introduced him to the younger they immediately hit it off, their friendship purely being built on excessive teasing and fake annoyance. It was funny to watch sometimes, it was always a cycle of Seungmin pretending to ignore Changbin, Changbin annoying him and whining and then begging for hugs, and then Seungmin finally indulging him. Minho felt a little childish for getting a little jealous over that but he was quick to come to terms with it when he reasoned with himself that he has no right getting jealous over this; he’s too old to be getting jealous of Seungmin’s attention being on someone else rather than him. 

“If you wanted to talk to Changbin you would have just called him instead of disturbing me.”

“I know you’re thrilled to be talking to me right now, it’s an excuse for you to take a break but you’d rather pretend that I interrupted you.” 

Minho looked over at his closed laptop and this time it was his turn to roll his eyes. 

“I saw your messages, when are you coming over?”

“In about…” Minho heard the doorbell ring and a muffled shout from Changbin’s room asking him to get it. “Now.” 

He didn’t bother saying bye, instead he dropped his phone after ending the call and ran to the door, barely being able to conceal his excitement. When he finally opened the door he was face to face with Seungmin and immediately he felt a rush of butterflies swarming his stomach and running all over his body until he was nothing but full of tingles. Despite it not being too long since he last properly saw Seungmin, Minho found himself a little breathless when the younger made eye contact with him. 

“Did you like my entrance?” 

“I didn’t.”

“You’re no fun.”

“I’ve been told.” 

A silence ran over them for a moment but it was nothing they couldn’t find themselves relaxing into. Minho opened the door a little wider and let Seungmin in. They both sat next to each other on the couch, both having so many things they wanted to say but no place to start. Seungmin eventually eased them out of their comfortable silence, sitting up straighter and picking at the tears of his jeans. 

“I missed you.” 

A smile graced Minho’s lips, the urge to say something witty ready at the tip of his tongue. But instead of going for that, he shuffled closer to Seungmin, a silent offer for him to lean against him if he wanted. He grabbed the hand that’s picking on the threads and intertwined them together, giving it a light squeeze. 

“Me too.”

They spent the rest of the day catching up on what they’ve missed. Seungmin mentioned there was another boy around his age that recently moved into their neighbourhood and that he had seen him a few times in college as well. Minho suggested he befriended him and to later introduce him to the other guy when he had a chance to visit home. Seungmin was quick to agree, already making plans on how to approach him without seeming creepy or stalkerish. Changbin joined them later on after getting off call with his classmates about an upcoming project and all three of them settled to watch a movie. 

When it was finally getting too late for any of them to keep their eyes open they all retreated to their rooms— or well, Seungmin followed Minho into his. Minho said nothing of that, instead he pulled out a spare pillow from his closet and threw it to Seungmin before grabbing his things so he could wash up before heading to bed. When he was finally out, Seungmin left to do his own thing too leaving Minho to settle down, Seungmin came out moments later and without a word he crawled in besides Minho, already pulling the blanket up to his neck. 

Minho tugged his side of the blanket up to his shoulders, the position that they laid in made it so that only Seungmin’s eyes could be seen. Minho lowered himself on his pillow so that their faces were levelled, he gave Seungmin a smile when he noticed him watching him with an unreadable expression and as a result Seungmin broke into a small smile of his own.

“Hi.” 

It was so quiet Minho almost missed it. They were deep into the night, almost nearing 2am, the roads were pin-drop silent save for the rare cars that passed by. Minho's curtains were closed completely yet the moonlight from above managed to seep through the small gaps and coated Seungmin with a pale light giving him an untouchable look. Seungmin's eyes were normally full of emotion, always giving away what he was thinking, and it was the same this time too except now they were swirling with more intensity Minho almost felt like looking away.

"Hey."

Seungmin didn't say anything for a bit, Minho watched his pupils shake with emotions that he couldn't begin to explain. He waited for Seungmin to carry on talking but he barely moved, his eye contact remained fierce yet gentle at the same time it pulled Minho in and made it difficult for him to look away. 

Sharing the same bed again took Minho back to the days when they used to sleep over at each other's houses every other weekend, and sometimes even the weekdays. They would spend the hours of the night with their sheets over their head and a reading light just barely lighting up their faces. Minho remembered cracking little jokes that he knew would get Seungmin giggling, knowing full well it ran the risk of one of their parents knocking at their door and telling them to sleep. There were some nights when their stomachs would start grumbling from hunger and they would barely be able to keep in their whispers as they tiptoed their way to the kitchen to find something to eat. Most of those instances their parents would find them on the kitchen floor and would prepare something light to eat before sending their butts back to bed.

"I really missed you back home." Minho was about to tell him he'd visit more often but was cut off by Seungmin beginning to talk again. "It's not the same without you. At first I just brushed it off because we've been friends since we were kids, you know? So I thought maybe it's just that. But even weeks after you moved, everything felt so quiet and empty without you."

Seungmin took a deep breath and Minho waited for him to continue talking, obviously having more to say.

"I tried to distract myself every single time I thought about you but that was proven useless quickly. No matter what I did my mind was always drawn back to you like you were some sort of magnet."

Minho snickers a little at the comparison, "is this the part where you say you're attracted to me."

It was a small joke to help ease Seungmin out of whatever gloomy mood he was getting himself into. Instead, Seungmin looked like a deer caught in headlights, his bottom lip was trapped between his teeth and his eyes were wide in surprise. Minho inhaled sharply and tried not to let his mind fabricate any sort of ideas, but it was hard when Seungmin wasn't saying anything to shoot that suggestion to the ground.

"Seungmin, what are you trying to say?" That seemed to snap him out of the frozen state. He let out a shaky laugh, still looking at Minho with wide eyes, a nervous smile now appearing on his face. "I need you to tell me what you're trying to say, I don't want to be under the wrong impression."

Seungmin visibly swallows, like he's trying to get rid of the knot that was beginning to form in his throat and nods. He takes another deep breath, this time seeming a little unsure but still he kept the illusion that he was confident in whatever he was about to say.

"Your joke ruined everything, I had a whole speech ready but you threw me off kilter." Seungmin huffed as he tried to calm down again and regain his momentum. "Yes, Minho. As you so brightly joked, I am attracted to you. I was gonna get there eventually but you just— Minho! Stop laughing!"

Minho felt an arm slapping him but did nothing to stop him. His mind was swimming with relief, giddiness overflowing and leaking onto his face, he felt like he could cry. A stray drop did end up escaping his tear ducts but he was quick to wipe it away, leaving no evidence behind.

"I just wanted to let you know about my feelings, I felt like I was going to explode if I didn't tell you. You don't need to feel obligated to reply or anything, if you want we can even go to sleep, I really don't mind honestly—"

"Seungmin," Minho rested a hand on his shoulder, willing the younger to stop talking, "take a breath, I don't want you passing out on me— not before I confess too."

"You- I- What...?"

Minho hums, his hand trailed down to find Seungmin's and linked their fingers together, caressing the little skin his thumb was able to reach, "Yeah. I'm attracted to you— like a magnet." He felt Seungmin try to punch him with his other hand from where it was squashed between their bodies. "Alright, alright, I'll stop saying that, now stop hitting me, I'm gonna have bruises all over my arms. These aren't the type of bruises I want on me."

"Oh my God." Seungmin let out an exasperated sigh but remained in his place, a small smile beginning to tug at his lips.

"I'll stop now. I'm just so happy, I've been waiting for so long you don't understand." He pulled Seungmin into his arms. It reminded him of the first time when they were in this position, that time it was a bad moment for Seungmin, he needed comfort and Minho was there to provide him with it. Back then, Seungmin hid his face in the crook of his neck to hide his tear stained face, but now he buried it to hide the blush that was beginning to paint the apples of his cheeks.

"Waiting for so long?"

Minho hummed in response, "maybe since you first started liking Jisung, or maybe before I'm not too sure."

Seungmin practically flew out of Minho's arms at that, mouth wide open barely finding the right words to speak. He sat up in surprise and looked down at Minho "How long did you just say?"

Minho shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing and sat up so he was now sitting criss-cross opposite Seungmin. He ducked his head to hide his sheepish grin and clamped his hands together.

He cleared his throat and scoffed lightly, "don't let it get to your head. I didn't mean to start liking you, it just happened and next thing I know I can't get over you no matter how hard I try."

Seungmin lessened the gap between them and pried Minho's hands away from each other, engulfing one in his own, "I could apologise for never noticing, but I doubt you want to hear that." Minho nodded in agreement. "I'm here now though."

Minho nodded again, unable to take his eyes off the gentle but reassuring grip Seungmin had on his hand. "Yeah," Minho said in a tone that was almost easy to miss.

When he lifted his head again, Seungmin was already staring at him with gentle eyes that helped him relax his shoulders which he didn't realise were stiff with tension. Now that they were sitting up, the moonlight was hitting Seungmin's face even more and Minho felt like everything was being sucked out of him leaving him breathless; Seungmin's beauty was enhanced under the spotlight provided by the moon. He couldn't help but let his eyes roam around Seungmin's face as if he would disappear at any given moment. He brought a hand up to the younger's face and let it sit delicately at the curve of his jaw, Seungmin leaned into the touch making Minho smile at the action.

He wasn’t sure who started leaning in first, whether it was Seungmin or himself, or maybe it was both of them at the same time. They eventually reached a point where their lips were just about touching, Minho could feel the faint puffs of air that Seungmin was letting out. Out of habit, he wet his lips and watched Seungmin subconsciously copy him, he could feel Seungmin's grip on his hand tighten just barely and he felt his heart pick up at that.

"Can you kiss me already?"

It was a demand disguised as a question and Minho was more than happy to oblige. With no further prodding from Seungmin, Minho let himself finally feel the small cracks of Seungmin's lips, his hand immediately going for the younger’s chin to hold him in place. It was everything Minho could have possibly imagined and more, Seungmin tasted like the minty freshness that belonged to his toothpaste and the contrast between his soft lips and Seungmin's slightly more chapped ones made it all the more better. He felt Seungmin bring his free hand to wrap around Minho’s neck, pulling them even closer until there was barely any space between them. 

Minho tried portraying everything into that one kiss, from all the years of pining over Seungmin, he finally let himself fall deep into the feeling of having Seungmin against him, his feelings just as strong as Minho’s. No rushed kiss with any of the random uni students could amount to the rapid blaze that lit inside of Minho now that he could finally surrender himself to the intense feeling of having Seungmin near him. The feeling swarmed him to the point where he felt suffocated, butterflies and fireworks swimming their way into his throat, yet he couldn’t bring himself to part. 

It remained slow and steady, both just choosing to bask in the gentleness that was brought on by the other. Their fingers remained entwined against Minho's mattress, tender squeezes that made Seungmin begin to go lax in Minho's arms. Seungmin trailed his other hand to Minho’s shoulder before he reached the back of his neck again, seemingly not being able to comprehend what he should do. His fingers made themselves at home in a small area of Minho's hair, twirling the tuft of strands around his digits before gripping gently around it. 

At this point, Seungmin was glued to Minho's lap. His leg was stretched out to Minho’s side, half sitting on him and half on the bed, Minho pulled him closer by the thigh. His hand rubbed circles against the soft fabric of his pants and Minho was sure he felt Seungmin shiver and softly sigh onto his lips. 

When Minho began feeling floaty from the lack of air and could feel himself getting overwhelmed by the intense amount of emotions he was feeling, he pulled away from Seungmin who only chased after his lips when he no longer felt them on his. He sighed deeply and felt the way his lips stretched into a smile. Seungmin still looked dazed and barely present, his eyes were half-lidded and his lips were still left ajar. Minho let his eyes scan over Seungmin’s face again, eyeing particularly at the saliva-coated lips, a pretty red from the little nips and bites Minho left every now and then. He found himself laughing a little bashfully, bringing up a hand to close Seungmin's mouth.

"Don't want flies in your mouth now do we?"

"Shut up," Seungmin grumbled, letting his head fall onto Minho's shoulder, "I really liked that."

Minho hummed and ran his hand through his hair, the blunt nails working diligently against his skull resulting in another soft sigh from the younger. 

"Let me take you out on a date tomorrow."

That night was the first time Minho finally admitted his feelings for Seungmin in the open. No matter who he spoke to or who he was set up with by his friends, it always came back to Seungmin. He was the first person Minho ever confessed to, and he’s sure he would be the last person too. That night they both fell asleep wrapped tightly around each other, a mirrored smile on both of their faces because this felt right, this was home. 

***

Minho wasn't sure what he was actually expecting when they first started dating. Really, he thought there would be some sort of change in their dynamic, even if it was something small, but that idea was thrown immediately out of the window when, a few months into dating, they still continued to tease each other and show their love through the small everyday actions. He soon learnt he still liked it just as it was. There was the usual messing around, the usual buying food for Seungmin when he was craving snacks, the usual buying things that reminded them of each other. The only thing that was added were the tender kisses that they would share and the increase in backhugs. Minho even started looking for more recipes to learn when he wasn't busy just so he could feed Seungmin whenever they were together and to watch his face light up incredibly when the taste would match what he was craving. 

Minho liked it as it was. Seungmin often stayed with him when he was on school break, Changbin voiced his complaints a lot whenever they decided to watch a movie together, stating that there shouldn't be any funny business going on. Minho was fine with that, they didn't often go beyond their heavy makeout sessions, either being too busy to do anything more or being interrupted by something. They were okay with that for most of the time.

Seungmin's birthday arrived a few months after they started dating. Minho knew he wanted to make it special for the latter. Not only was it the first birthday they were celebrating as boyfriends but also Minho had been busy with work a lot of the time, he couldn't give Seungmin as much as he wished he could. Minho wasn't much of a romantic person, they both knew that. He preferred silent nights together, reading a book on the side while Seungmin went through his phone and showed him a video whenever he found it funny. Seungmin was similar to Minho in that sense, although going on dates and spending the day stuck in their own bubble sounded fun, he enjoyed staying in bed with Minho, having a pillow fight that he initiated and then wrestling with Minho until it ended with them piling on each other and sharing tired, lazy kisses.

"What should I do for his birthday?" Minho asked Changbin, a few weeks before Seungmin's birthday. Changbin chewed on his food slowly, eyeing Minho up and down.

"You want to do something special for Seungmin on his birthday?" Minho nodded slowly, taking a bite from his toast.

"Yeah. Why do you sound so doubtful?"

Changbin shook his head and got up from his seat, grabbing the bag next to him and throwing it over his shoulder as he eyed Minho once more. "I'm sure anything you do for him, Seungmin will consider special. That guy has hearts in his eyes whenever you're around him and even when you’re not there and he’s just talking about something you guys did together. It's like you're both in your honeymoon phase except it's known to everyone but you both."

With that Changbin left, leaving Minho to plan on his own.

The night before Seungmin's birthday he stayed over with Minho, when Changbin returned from work that day and found the younger sprawled across their couch, his legs slung over Minho’s thighs while he watched television, drool beginning to collect on one of their couch pillows and a hoodie that looked suspiciously like Minho's thrown over his figure, all Changbin did was shake his head and grab a snack before heading back into his bedroom, muttering something about them already acting like a married couple most of the time. 

Minho smiled looking at the way his boyfriend’s hair looked feathery under the light and how his mouth was slightly open, little snores falling out every now and then. His eyes lingered a little longer on Seungmin’s sleeping expression, almost finding it hard to believe that they were really boyfriends now. When Seungmin began stirring awake Minho averted his eyes back to the television so as to not be caught staring. He felt Seungmin mutter something under his breath and gave him a side glance, heart rate quickening and skipping a beat at the sight of Seungmin beginning to sit up all in his post nap glory, still half asleep with his hair running all over the place, and already staring at Minho with fondness despite being on the brink of falling asleep again. 

“Hi sleepyhead, your legs are heavy.” 

“Yeah? How about this?”

With no further warning, Seungmin piled onto Minho, the force making him fall onto his back as a groan escaped his lips. He could feel his boyfriend trying to drop all his weight on him if the mischievous smile that was beginning to appear on his face was anything to go by. Minho huffed and tried to push him off which only caused him to latch on tighter so he gave up, deciding it’d be more fitting to let him stay as he was until he was tired of it. 

“You’re so annoying.”

“You love me anyway.” 

Minho didn’t bother responding, instead he groaned again when Seungmin accidentally elbowed his stomach when he positioned himself upright so he could see Minho’s face. He had a childish grin on his face that Minho had the urge to wipe off with a kiss, it didn’t help that Seungmin kept leaning in with a teasing glint on his eyes— as if he was waiting for Minho to fall into his trap so that he could pull away last minute and laugh in his face. He would know because he’d fallen for it several times since they started dating. 

He grabbed Seungmin’s face in both of his hands and pulled him in so they were face to face. With this, Seungmin was unable to tease him, instead his mouth fell open at the sudden change of pace but he remained where he was and eyed Minho’s lips. Minho let Seungmin make the decision, giving him a choice to back off if he really wanted to but Seungmin only leaned in closer until the gap between them was reduced to nothing. 

The kiss didn’t last long seeing as they weren’t home alone and they didn’t want to subject Changbin into seeing anything. Still, their lips lingered close to each other’s, leaning in every few seconds to steal another kiss until they were finally sated. 

For the rest of the day, they lazed around on the couch and exchanged kisses every now and then. Changbin joined them later when he deemed it was safe enough for him to come out. When their stomachs started growling, Minho complained about needing to make enough food to feed a table of 6 but got to cooking regardless. He heard footsteps trailing behind him and didn’t need to ask who it was when he felt familiar arms wrap around his waist and a face making itself home against his shoulder. 

“You guys are such a married couple it disgusts me.” 

Minho heard Changbin gag from where he was but he continued chopping the vegetables instead of looking at his best friend and replied, “well if we’re a married couple, would that make you our son? Considering the fact that I feed you everyday and constantly need to remind you to clean up after yourself?”

Changbin made an audible disgruntled sound before he walked away, he felt Seungmin snickering to himself, barely being able to contain his laughter and it made him smile in success. 

When all their stomachs were full with the delicious food made by Minho, Changbin retreated back to his bedroom after wishing them both goodnight and an early happy birthday to Seungmin. The couple followed in his footsteps a while later, the older kept an eye on the clock as they lounged in bed after doing their nightly routine. 

“I forgot something in the living room. I’ll be back in a second.”

Seungmin hummed and nodded without a second of questioning and he got comfortable in bed with his arms up in the air as they held his phone up while he watched a video. Minho took one last glance at his boyfriend before he left their room and headed to the living room to grab what he was looking for. He searched behind the jar that he kept on the shared bookshelf, it was a normal looking jar where they’d often leave their little earrings or other pieces in when they would constantly forget to take back to their room after a long day. Minho grabbed what he was looking for and hid it in his pockets, eyeing the clock one more time before returning to his room.

It was Seungmin’s birthday.

The nerves he was feeling in the morning were returning at full speed, the jittery feeling that he was able to forget about in the presence of Seungmin made their way back to his legs making him feel like they could lose strength any second now. He took tentative steps through their hallway, from his left he could hear the sounds of beats occupying Changbin’s room as he worked on another project of his. A few steps later he was face to face with his door, he took one heavy gulp and opened it slowly, peeking his head through the gap first to see if the latter was asleep. Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate he’s not sure, but the second Seungmin heard Minho, he quickly raised his head from the pillow, the blanket did a good job at covering the majority of his face making only his eyes visible to Minho. It was a sight that truly swelled Minho’s heart and made him feel more endeared than he already was. He made his way back to their bed and sat on the edge, Seungmin seemed to understand he wanted him to get up so he sat up so he was now face to face with Minho.

His hair was messy from where he was laying on his pillow, it looked fluffier than usual because of the shower he took hours before they got into bed. With Minho’s desk lamp behind Seungmin, it created a silhouette of the younger’s figure and the glow made him look even more angelic, even more ethereal. It took Minho’s breath away, no matter how long they’ve been dating or how long they were friends even before that, Minho could never get used to how gorgeous the younger man was. They stared for a few seconds without talking, Minho watched Seungmin gently smile at him and reach out so he could hold his hand, Minho let him do as he pleased before he finally spoke up.

“Happy birthday, Seungminnie.” Seungmin looked slightly startled until he took a quick glance at the clock and gasped when he realised it was past midnight. A bright grin overtook his features when he looked back at Minho and tackled him into a hug. After months of dating it would’ve been assumed that Minho was finally used to Seungmin’s random bursts of affection but they always managed to take his breath away— quite literally. 

Seungmin’s gift sat heavily in Minho’s pocket, he angled his body so the younger wouldn’t accidentally feel it and masked his expression into something positively neutral, hoping his face wouldn’t give away how nervous he truly was. The nightly glow on Seungmin’s face and the tender smile that was evident on his face was enough to calm him down. It made him smile how much he truly loved Seungmin, every day that passed was a reminder that his waiting was worth the while, every minute they spent together told Minho he wouldn’t have it any other way, watching Seungmin get up to his usual shenanigans tugged at his heart because Seungmin chose Minho. Seungmin was happy with Minho and Minho was happy with him. 

Minho took a deep breath before meeting Seungmin's eyes once again, he gave him a smile of his own so the younger wouldn't be worried.

"Close your eyes."

"Hm?" Seungmin cocked his head to one side, the action reminding Minho of a puppy trying to learn how to use its limbs for the first time, he complied easily anyway and shut his eyes, waiting for whatever Minho wanted to do. It made Minho smile at how much trust Seungmin had in him, even if it was something as simple as this, he couldn't help himself when he leaned in and stole a kiss from his boyfriend, earning a shy giggle from him.

Minho kept his eyes on Seungmin to make sure he wouldn't try peeking through his eyelids as he got the gift out of his pocket. He eyed it for a second and it made him nervous all over again. He shook his head and inhaled again, releasing all the tension that was building up in his body all at once. He was confident about this; this wasn't anything huge, it was just a promise and it was Seungmin's choice if he wanted to accept it or not, and he was completely fine with that. Leading up to now Minho was confident in his choice, in his opinion this was special and he was sure Seungmin would want this too—hopefully.

With one last glance at Seungmin's face, he felt himself at ease again. He brought out the box from his pocket and opened it in front of the younger man. This was Seungmin he was worrying about, his best friend since he was 10, the same best friend who held his hand when he was worried about the cable cars and distracted him the entire time, the same best friend who told him home didn't feel like home without him there anymore.

"Open your eyes, Seungminnie."

He was eager to comply this time instead of questioning it and he was quick to notice what was held in front of him. His eyes widened in surprise and seemed to be rendered speechless, if the slightly open mouth and silence was anything to go by. It made him slightly nervous but he didn't let it get the best of him—he couldn't back down yet.

"This isn't a proposal just yet, not for now—I just wanted to make a promise to you that I'll love you for as long as I can, until death even. I promise to be by your side for every milestone in your life. I want to be able to support you and hold your hand through thick and thin because I love you so much and you mean so much to me. Seungmin, I want to be able to call you mine for as long as you will let me and, this isn't a proposal yet, I want to make that even more special for you because you deserve the best, but this is a promise that I'll give you everything and more, if you would let me do that."

By the time he was done talking he was breathing heavily, his eyes refusing to meet Seungmin's, not being able to handle any sort of rejection. Seungmin was still quiet, not once did he utter a word and Minho wasn't ready to hear what he wanted to say.

"You don't need to accept this now—hell you don't need to accept this ever, but I just wanted to tell you that Kim Seungmin, I am so in love with you, and I'm more than ready to live the rest of my life with you."

He heard a choking sound coming from Seungmin and his head shot up immediately only to come face to face with a teary eyed Seungmin. He dropped the ring onto the bed and reached out for his boyfriend, both of his hands cupping his face and wiping away the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Why are you crying?" He cooed quietly, like the conversation they were having were for their ears only.

Seungmin's lips trembled slightly and it looked like he was doing everything he could to keep the tears at bay. He blinked rapidly to get rid of the tears and ducked his head from Minho. At this point the nerves were long forgotten, tucked away at the back of his head for a later time, for now his main worry was trying to figure out what triggered the waterworks. He placed his thumb and index finger on Seungmin's chin and gently lifted it up so he could see Seungmin's face.

"Seungminnie," he whispered. "Will you tell me what's wrong?"

He sniffled once more and let out a weak and wet laugh, "I'm not even sure why I'm crying," he gave Minho a small smile but it wasn't very convincing. "I just love you a lot and got a little emotional after you started talking I guess."

Minho cooed once more, still cradling Seungmin's face in his hands, his thumb rubbed soothing circles against his cheekbone as he spoke, "you're okay, I've got you."

After a few minutes of trying to calm Seungmin down, his tears finally stopped trailing down his cheek and his sniffles were almost nonexistent. Minho pulled away slightly and picked up the box again, "do you want this? I still have the receipt, if I go back tomorrow I might be able to get a refund."

A bright smile broke onto Seungmin's face and he playfully hit the elder's shoulder, "if you take it back to the shop I might just break up with you." He joked, quickly dissolving into giggles when Minho scoffed and rolled his eyes. His neck started showing hints of red when Minho finally slipped it onto his finger, looking a little bashful as he watched the elder.

“I feel like I just got proposed to.” He heard Seungmin mumble to himself, flexing his finger to see the band shine slightly under the light. Minho smiled to himself and couldn’t resist the urge to tilt his face up again and to capture his lips into a slow and soft kiss. Seungmin melted against him with an arm around Minho’s shoulder keeping him up, a sigh escaping his lips. 

Minho pulled away enough for him to be able to talk. “I’ll propose even better when the time comes.” 

With that, Minho closed the gap between their lips, his hand trailed down Seungmin’s arm causing a shiver to run through his body and stopped when he reached the hand occupying the ring. He gently pried Seungmin’s fingers open until he was able to fit his own in between them, clasping around his hand and acting like a safety net. He felt Seungmin reach closer to him until he was straddling Minho, knees at each side of his thighs and Minho’s other arm rounded his waist so as to pull him impossibly closer. 

There was something different about this kiss compared to the many hundreds they’ve shared in all the time they’ve been together. Maybe it was the fire that lived in the pit of Minho’s stomach that was being encouraged by Seungmin’s reaction to his promise to take a leap of faith. Maybe it was the way Seungmin sighed into Minho’s mouth and pretty much melted into the elder’s arms as if he was trying to become one with him. Maybe it was the was Seungmin’s fist tightly curled around his t-shirt as if begging Minho to stay close to him. The kiss felt deeper than usual, more passion was being poured into it than ever before. The way their heads tilted to perfectly slot their lips together only worked as the driving force that helped Minho push Seungmin onto his back without pulling apart for too long. 

After what felt like minutes in heaven, Minho pulled back but he quickly made work with Seungmin’s neck, littering the area with soft kisses and nips and bites when he managed to bring out a particular pleased sound he was looking for. When he lowered his lips to reach his collarbones he was met with the loose fabric of Seungmin’s t-shirt and he lifted his head whilst tugging at what covered Seungmin’s top half in a silent question. The response was almost instant, Seungmin pulled off the t-shirt and threw it away, not really caring where it would land and stared up at Minho with a look full of want. 

Minho was positioned between Seungmin’s legs now, a hand was brought up to his thigh so he could rub gentle circles. From where he was sitting, Minho could see the way the light shone against Seungmin’s face, creating an otherworldly appearance. His hair was ruffled and messy from when Minho let his fingers run through the soft strands. His eyes were half hooded yet he could see the dark warmth that was swirling around in his pupils. His lips were red and swollen from Minho tugging at the bottom lip with his teeth before going back to give it extra care and attention. Seungmin looked beautiful under him like this and it only caused another wave of overwhelming love to flood Minho’s body and take over him. He let his thumb swipe across Seungmin’s bottom lip, wiping at the saliva that remained from when Minho was there and watched in awe as Seungmin simply stared back at him, his mouth falling open slightly at the pressure of Minho’s thumb. 

Before Minho could go back to leaving wet kisses against his collarbone and the rest of his body, Seungmin cupped his face in his hands and brought him back for another bruising yet passionate kiss. It wasn’t intended to be this way, not that night at least but somehow, the quietness of the street and the dim glow in their room, the closeness of their bodies and the soft sounds that filled their room, it all fit like a puzzle just like Minho and Seungmin and the elder was more than happy to comply. It was intimate beyond words, tender to the point where it felt like it was only them in the world, whispered praises and the soft lingering touches that felt like no one else was allowed to see this— no one else could see them in this way where it was just them and their raw emotions. 

That night Minho and Seungmin felt the closest they could possibly be; their bodies mingled together until it was difficult to decipher where Minho’s limbs ended and where Seungmin’s limbs start. Under the nightly hours, when the rest of the street was asleep, Minho found himself fitting his hand around Seungmin’s positioned close beside his head. Every once in a while Minho would squeeze in gently, an unspoken reminder that Minho was there, he would take care of Seungmin, he would love him forever. And if Seungmin found himself slowly tearing up at the slow paced movement and the loving words of affirmation that spilled out of Minho’s mouth like he had no filter on what he was saying, then no one had to know. 

It was their first time being so attached to the point of their bodies being meshed into one. Their first time feeling how much they loved each other in another way, it was probably the most intimate someone could get with their partner, because it was more than just two people sleeping together. To Minho, it was the unspoken idea that Seungmin trusted him enough to let himself be seen as vulnerable and open. It was the idea that Seungmin loved him enough to let their bodies touch in more ways than one. It was the idea that Seungmin trusted himself to feel safe around Minho and to let him take care of him. The thought of it was overwhelming and there’s no denying that, because it meant there was another person who was willing to show him a part of them that’s locked away from public eyes. This was a side of Seungmin that not just anyone is able to see, it was for Minho’s and Minho’s eyes only. 

Later that night when they were cleaned and wrapped up in bed, Seungmin's top half was barely being hidden away by the covers as he clinged onto Minho. His eyes blinked up at Minho slowly, like he was fighting against the sleep so he could watch the elder. Minho pulled him closer into his arms until the younger’s face was tucked in the crook of his neck and he felt a quiet sigh escape his lips. 

Minho planted a soft kiss against the exposed skin of Seungmin’s forehead and let his lips linger for a while. As he felt Seungmin’s limbs becoming heavy with sleep, he pulled away slightly, bringing up a hand to push back the random strands that were getting in the younger’s eyes. 

“I love you, Seungmin.”

The tell-tale signs of a smile spreading across Seungmin’s face that Minho felt against his collarbone was all he needed to know Seungmin didn’t fall asleep before he could hear his confession. “And I love you, Minho.” The words were muffled and mushed together, if it weren’t for their proximity he probably would’ve missed it completely. He smiled in content and let his eyes slip shut too, the sounds of Seungmin’s peaceful breathing and having him tucked in his arms, a weighted confirmation that Seungmin was really there and loving him, helped lull Minho to sleep. 

***

Being in a relationship wasn’t easy, they were both aware of what they were getting into when they first agreed to being boyfriends, they knew there would be moments where they disagree, knew there would be times when they might argue and might not talk to each other because their viewpoints were too different. But despite all that, they also knew they were levelheaded people, they knew when to put aside their stubbornness and to listen to what the other had to say, they knew when to be mature and compromise so that they were both satisfied with the end results. 

It helped in the long run when Changbin one day told them he would be moving in with his boyfriend, Hyunjin and Minho suggested Seungmin moved in with him now that he was pretty much engaged to him (Seungmin responded with a pillow to Minho’s face and almost a trip to the hospital when the elder fell off the bed from the impact). The first time they had a disagreement was when they were both tired from work and wanted nothing but to eat takeaway and sleep the rest of the night away. That night when Seungmin returned from work after Minho, he dropped himself on the elder and immediately seeked comfort. Minho, who was in a foul mood from work, ended up pushing him off a little too hard. The night ended in tears and heartfelt words when they both gave each other space for a few hours until Seungmin timidly entered their room and Minho promptly opened his arms to welcome his lover back. 

They were smart individuals, they knew what they wanted but they also knew when to sit down and come up with alternatives that they both would like. It came into play often when they wanted to go on dates but they had different ideas on what to do, but they were always able to figure out something that they both enjoyed—usually it included doing a mixture of what they both wanted. There were times when they’d insist on doing what the other wanted which would end up in an argument completely different from the rest but it would be long forgotten after the kisses they would share in the middle of talking. 

“It’s amazing how quick you guys solve your problems,” Changbin mentioned after he witnessed the rare moments when Seungmin stormed out on Minho when he went too far with his teasing only to find them cuddling on their couch a few hours later. Minho was lying down on his back with Seungmin clinging on top of him, the elder was busy reading a book with a hand mindlessly running through his boyfriend’s hair while the younger looked like he was close to dozing off. 

“Seungmin loves me too much to stay away from my sexy piece of ass.”

With his eyes closed, Seungmin reached up to slap Minho, grumbling about how that was a lie and he only came back because it was quiet in the apartment. Hyunjin scoffed from where he was sitting by the television and paused his game to give the pair a look of disbelief. 

“Seungmin you literally came back with Minho’s favourite drink and,” he took a pause to point in their general direction, “might I remind you the book he’s reading right now is the one you bought him when you were cooling off  because Minho ‘mentioned it once and you saw it on your way back.’” 

Seungmin was up in seconds, leaping towards Hyunjin to tackle him to the ground who only screamed louder begging his boyfriend for help. Changbin walked over to him and easily pulled the two apart, Hyunjin immediately hid behind him for protection. Changbin eyed the plate that was left on the table and looked up at Minho. 

“Hey Minho, isn't that the green cake thing you said you were practising for Seungmin?”

It was safe to say the day ended with the couples teaming up against each other in a complex game of pillow fight. (Hyunjin and Changbin lost; Minho found them making out when they were meant to be hiding and swiftly separated them with a pillow to their heads.)

Despite their little disagreements, Minho and Seungmin’s love continued to flourish every day and only continued to get stronger when they would sit down and talk out any problems they had. They were keen believers that communication is key and it was obvious from the way they refused to let any of their issues dwell or linger for too long to the point of causing high tension in their home. 

Aside from those moments, things were normal for the couple—as normal as it could possibly be in the life of Seungmin and Minho. They went on dates when they were up for it, teased each other at every opportunity they got, bought funny gifts on a whim only to end up treasuring it, but with all things lighthearted there were moments of vulnerability when all they did was seek each other out simply to be held late at night and to fall asleep after speaking about their worries.

If Minho noticed Seungmin being a little more secretive after a few years of moving in with him he didn’t think of it too much. He trusted Seungmin with his entire life, he knew more than anything that Seungmin wouldn’t do anything that could possibly hurt either of them whether it was mentally or physically. And even though Seungmin didn’t verbally mention it, he still had his ways to reassure Minho that everything was okay. Minho was fine with that. No matter how long they’ve been together, they’re still individuals with their own thoughts and opinions, Seungmin can have his share of secrets so long as it was nothing that harmed either of them.

Minho had his own secrets too. Like how at one point he resorted to practising in the mirror when he couldn’t figure out how to gift Seungmin the first time he spent money on him, he eventually spent a couple of hours trying various approaches to find one that would seem casual enough. He found himself inwardly cringing any time he remembered that specific memory, trying his best to lock it away deep in his mind. He swore to himself that Seungmin would never find out about this, if he did then Minho would probably never hear the end of it again. 

Minho’s 25th birthday was fast approaching, not that he really cared. As each birthday passed, Minho grew less and less enthusiastic about it. It was funny to think when he was only a young teenager he would always look forward to celebrating another year of growing older. But he was content with everything in his life now; he had his best friends reminding him that they’re always there for him, he had his parents’ unconditional support no matter what he wished to do, he had Seungmin, the love of his life, his anchor, his soulmate and best friend, who never failed to reassure Minho he would never leave him. So when his birthday was only a week away and his friends were all spread out across their living room and the topic of celebration was brought up, all Minho could do was blink rapidly and stare at them. 

“You’re not doing anything for your birthday?” Changbin asked curiously, with no hint of judgement behind his tone but Minho knew he probably wanted an answer. Minho only shrugged his shoulders and leaned back on the couch, a hand loosely holding the controller. 

“I was just thinking of spending some time with everyone and then probably going out on a small date with Seungmin. You guys know I don’t really care about celebrating my birthday anymore.”

“You’re such an old soul Minho. You’re turning 25, not 80.” Minho narrowed his eyes in Hyunjin’s direction but the latter refused to make any eye contact.

“Yeah, yeah I’m an old soul. I prefer to just hang out and relax instead of going all out. It’s just another normal day anyway. It doesn’t matter.”

It had been a few days since that conversation and Seungmin was beginning to act weirder than usual. Sure he had his moments where even Minho couldn't understand what was going inside of that brain of his, but this time he was more fidgety in his spot, a little more quiet, yet constantly jumping from one topic to another as if trying to distract himself from something. Minho asked if everything was okay and Seungmin simply nodded and gave him a tight lipped smile. He let it go after that, if it was something serious he knew Seungmin would come talk to him if he needed to, for now he only kept a closer eye on him.

As he had already planned, he spent the morning of his birthday visiting his parents and later joined his friends for a small dinner at a nearby restaurant, promising to pay for them all since they insisted it was his day so he should feed them all (he would’ve paid for them regardless). When the sun began to set and everyone had already left, Seungmin suggested they should spend the rest of Minho’s birthday at the park and grab ice cream while they were at it. The elder easily agreed, there was nothing more he could possibly want on his birthday than spend the day with everyone he loved and end it with some ice cream and a walk at the park. 

After a couple of minutes of mindlessly walking through the public space, one hand holding an ice cream cone while the other firmly held onto Seungmin’s free hand, he began to notice Seungmin seemed a little nervous if the furrowed brows and the seemingly permanent pout and the forgotten ice cream cone were anything to go by. He led them to a nearby empty bench and pulled Seungmin to sit down next to him. When Seungmin realised they were no longer walking he turned towards Minho to ask him. Minho beat him to it, asking the question that’s bubbling at the tip of his tongue. 

“You’ve been acting a little weird lately. Is everything okay? Usually I stay out of it and let you come to me when you’re ready instead of bombarding you but it’s making me a little worried now. Did something happen?” 

Seungmin slumped in his seat slightly and bit his lip, the ice cream was beginning to melt down his fingers but he seemed to pay no attention to that. Minho took it upon himself to grab a napkin that he had picked up from the ice cream stall and gently take the cone out of Seungmin’s grip so he could wipe the stickiness off. 

“Talk to me, Seungmin.” 

Seungmin inhaled through his nose and out of his mouth, eyes closed for a brief second before he made eye contact with Minho. There was a slight shift in Seungmin’s demeanour, he seemed a little more confident, a little more certain and it made Minho raise an eyebrow at the sudden change. 

“You make me extremely nervous, I haven’t felt this way since I pretty much confessed to you that night.” He laughed shakily but his posture remained stiff like a statue. “Ever since you made me that promise on my birthday I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it, the idea of living the rest of my life with you seems so thrilling and perfect. I feel like there’s no other person I’d ever trust or love enough to consider spending the remaining time of my life with.” 

Minho stared at him wide eyed, speechless but he let Seungmin continue talking. He felt Seungmin intertwine their fingers together and he couldn’t help but look down at where their clasped together hands rested on Minho’s thigh. 

“Getting married is a huge commitment but I’ve been thinking about it every single day and it feels so right when I think about waking up every day to you by my side, going to sleep in your arms, cooking meals together and eating while we talk about our days, going on holidays and travelling. To be honest, a lot of it we already do since I moved in with you and I love it so much but it would be so much more better if I could do all those things with you, as your husband.”

Whilst Seungmin was talking he managed to pull back his hand from Minho’s and searched his pocket for what he was looking for. By then, Minho’s heart was hammering against his chest, ready to burst out. This sounded an awful lot like a proposal and while Minho already promised Seungmin on his birthday, he was sure he would be on the giving end not the receiving so he was unprepared to say the least. 

Seungmin was on one knee in front of Minho and the suspicions Minho had were growing more and more correct. When Seungmin took out a small velvet looking box it took everything in him not to burst into tears because of all the overwhelming emotions swimming inside him. 

“You gave me the best birthday gift and now I want to take it to the next level on your birthday. So what I want to ask is, Lee Minho, will you marry me?”

The tears Minho was trying to hold back failed to stay within the barriers of his eyes. By the time Seungmin was done talking he had trails of tear tracks cascading down his cheeks. He furrowed his brows and looked at Seungmin with narrowed eyes. 

“Since when did you get so sappy?” 

Seungmin groaned but remained where he was, “can you answer my question? This is so nerve wracking.” 

Minho let out a wet giggle and wiped his eyes before pulling Seungmin onto the bench. He didn't give the younger a chance to speak as he wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. He hid his face against his arm, mumbling a quick yes loud enough for Seungmin to hear. 

“You stole my thunder. I was meant to propose.” Minho said while staring at the ring Seungmin slid onto his finger after he calmed down. 

“Yeah well. You were moving at the pace of a turtle.”

“Hey! Have you never read the tortoise and the hare as a kid? Slow and steady wins the race.” 

They spent the rest of Minho’s birthday hand in hand as they walked through the park. When they returned home Minho was quick to call his parents, too giddy to keep the news from them. He received a text from Changbin a few hours later asking if he can congratulate them now and Minho let out an exasperated sigh as Seungmin gave him a sheepish smile and explained why he had been so secretive with Changbin. 

Minho turned 25 when his first and only love of his life proposed to him. Minho was content with how things already were, he had his friends, his parents and his boyfriend. Now there was the additional piece of information of being able to call said boyfriend, his fiancé, Minho was beyond over the moon. The ring on his finger was a reminder that it wasn’t a fever dream and they were to get married one day. 

***

“Hey, what are you doing here?” 

Minho feels two arms wrap themselves around his waist and a chin rest on his shoulder. He turns his head to the side and smiles at his husband who looks too tired to be standing on his two feet. 

“It’s morning, I’m doing what anyone else would do in a kitchen and preparing breakfast.”

Seungmin whines and buries his face in the crook of Minho’s neck, “come back to bed. Let’s have a lazy day, we can go out for brunch later or something.”

“Okay but I have to feed Sora first.” 

“Sora’s not even awake yet you can feed her a little later. Come back to bed, it's cold.”

As if to emphasise how cold it was, Seungmin wraps his arms tighter around Minho and shivers. Minho sighs and pivots on the spot so he can see Seungmin. The younger pouts at him and moves his arms so that his hands are now resting on Minho’s hips. 

Minho reaches up to cup Seungmin’s cheek and smiles softly when he feels his husband lean into the touch. He closes the gap for a brief second and lays a quick kiss on Seungmin’s lips. 

“Fixing her bowl of food won’t even take long. Wouldn’t you rather sleep uninterrupted instead of having a face full of fur when she wakes up and looks for us for breakfast?” 

He watches as Seungmin contemplates in silence before sighing and stepping back to let Minho do his morning duties. 

“Can you be quick?” Minho senses his husband following right behind him as he grabs the cat food from the cabinets and starts pouring a sufficient amount into the bowl. 

“I’m being as quick as I can.”

“Can you be quicker?” 

Minho shakes his head in fondness and bites his lip to suppress the laughter that was threatening to slip out. 

“When did you become so impatient?”

“Ever since my husband left me in bed to freeze to death.”

Husband. No matter how long they’ve been married for, Minho can never get over how much he likes Seungmin calling him his husband. To this day it still gives him butterflies and he’s not certain it will ever go away. 

“I told you sleeping in shorts wasn’t a good idea.”

“Not the point!” 

Minho carries on with what he’s doing and sees Seungmin still trailing behind him out of the corner of his eyes, “I don’t remember adopting a lost puppy.” He ignores Seungmin’s whines of protest and sets the food packet back in the cabinet. He washes his hands and turns to look at Seungmin who’s already giving him an expectant look. 

“Bed?” 

When Minho moved houses at the age of 10 he would have never expected how far he would come with the boy who asked if he wanted to play with him. Now at the age of 28, Minho is living with his childhood best friend, adopted a cat with him and gets to call him his husband. Minho couldn’t be any happier than he is now. 

He grabs Seungmin’s hand and watches as his lips split into a wide grin. “Yeah, bed.”