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Their initial impressions to each other were stale, it was nothing special. Nobody expected anything.
But now that they have known each other for years, the seemingly bland Junho was surprisingly a sweetheart; he was a witty, funny, and fun person to be around with, yet somewhat very wise for his age with his emotional maturity and everything.
Junho was like that to everyone, but it only skyrockets with this one guy as they get to know each other better;
He became especially close to Minseo and was even more of a sweetheart towards him. His “sweetness” towards Minseo grew even more that he became very nurturing to him.
People around them already used to their closeness and a little “too friendly” contact, everyone knew that they have a special place in each other’s heart.
And Minseo too, he became touch-friendly to Junho.
Additional information, no, both combined weren’t the touchiest between the 7 of them either. Was Junho alone the touchiest? Probably.
But Minseo? They highly doubt it. Minseo doesn’t enjoy people touching him that much unless the person was close enough to him.
Quite a surprise for everyone who knows that Minseo wasn’t the biggest fan of skin-contact. Between the two, skin ship has become next to nothing.
Frankly speaking, Minseo doesn’t mind for the 7 of them to touch him. But his closeness with Junho was something else. Minseo trust him and invariably willing to “lend” his body to Junho anytime, anywhere, and in any—external—way without thinking much.
But Minseo being Minseo, if he especially had something very important to deal with at a moment, he tended to avoid Junho at all costs especially when Junho was in his “very physical” mode. Minseo thought it was distracting. Not that he disliked it, but the timing wasn’t the best.
All in all, Minseo always hugs Junho like a girl hugs his boyfriend, whether they noticed or not. Which can look either very endearing or a little distinctive depending on the person who noticed.
Minseo’s figure was very lean compared to Junho. Junho was almost twice as big as Minseo with his broad shoulders and some noticeable muscles here and there, while Minseo weighs 53 kilograms with waistline as lean as Junho imagine a man’s body could get—not that Junho knew mens’ figures that much.
Some of his colleagues often joked, “What does Minseo’s waist feels like?” Junho was never the type to notice these kinds of irrelevant stuff, but those questions made Junho realized how often he grabbed Minseo by his waist. It was like a magnet.
Every time they hug, Minseo’s arms were always around his shoulder or his upper torso. That made Junho automatically—and unintentionally—circled his arms around his waist.
Not only hugs, but also other interactions. Like, when they’re walking side-by-side, Junho’s arms would just naturally curl around his waist as he pulled Minseo closer as they walk together.
Their comfortable nature with each other felt like a pleasant breeze.
Moving on to another thing about Minseo, occasionally, he got really shy easily. Minseo was prone to be more embarrassed than Junho quite significantly, but he always tried to hold it in and be present as best as he could.
Combined with his shy trait, Minseo was always very gentle with women. When a woman invited him to play and joke around, he will always oblige and gladly play along with them. Also, with small things like, giving and pulling a seat for them, holding the door, etc. Minseo was the type that was exceptionally careful with women.
Yet, at the same time, it was almost like he feared them. It happens very rarely, but on some occasions that involved Minseo and Junho to be in a circle with lots of women, and the attention was right on the two, Minseo tends to move his way gradually—or unconsciously—behind Junho.
Junho thought that two almost contradicting traits from Minseo surprisingly cute.
What Junho didn’t realize was that Minseo learned a lot of those gentleman things from watching Junho’s interactions with them. But the difference was, unlike Minseo, Junho didn’t have that underlying anxiety that Minseo had around women.
Now, on a different area of Minseo, he loves to skate. Junho doesn’t mind skating, he was quite indifferent with it and only tag along just because it was Minseo.
Junho remembered a time where they were supposed to meet at this huge ice rink place an hour ago, but Minseo was still not there. The 6 of them—Hyeop, Yunseong, Changuk, Dongyun, himself, and Alex—were starting to get bored and thinking about not paying for another hour to extend their session.
Minseo wasn’t picking up their calls either since half an hour ago.
Even though he was grateful that the 6 of them were here, but if he knew that Minseo won’t be here, he would never come, just for today. White haze evaporated out of his mouth as he exhaled deeply when suddenly…
“Vamos, loser!” a very familiar, homey, voice yelled while gliding so fast passing Junho as he offered both of his hands behind him for Junho to catch. “Catch me if you can!” Minseo shouted again cheerfully.
That was the only thing Junho needed to hear before running his skate as fast as he could to chase Minseo.
Listening to his cheerful voice made his previous negative feeling vanished as if it was never there. He felt delighted just listening to his insults that were just full of fun, laughter, and easy feeling.
Junho was inches away to reach Minseo’s awaiting hands, but Minseo was still gliding too quick. He always thought that his figure contributes a lot to his agility.
Minseo looked back and had to stifle his laugh seeing a struggling Junho. He took pity on him and slowed down his pace as he waited for him with his awaiting hands without halting his skate.
Junho finally reached Minseo’s hands and Minseo took them.
Minseo squeezed Junho’s hands once Junho successfully grabbed his hands. While still gliding, he looked back and their eyes met. It was strangely dramatic, Junho thought, but nothing felt awkward.
This was one of the memories that Junho remembered the most because somewhat, in that evening, was the first time that he saw Minseo’s eyes sparkled. Junho wasn’t sure if it was literally the lighting or maybe was just his imagination, but it was truly…
Beautiful.
How he wished he could take a picture of that exact moment with his eyes. Those 4 seconds feels like minutes as the time feels like slowing down for him.
In reality, it is true, their eyes-locked moment turned out to be as brief. Minseo broke it after a few seconds to look forward and accelerates his pace once again with a single push from his leg, pulling Junho along with him.
It was quite odd because Junho was never the type to feel these “feely” kind of things, but the combination of the lights, the strong wind smacking their skin as they glide so fast, and Minseo, almost drives him insane in the best way.
Minseo led their pace as if they were figure skating athletes in their 6-minute warmups.
Then, Minseo started to think that other people would be scared that the two would clash onto them or something. Minseo promised that it won’t happen, but he didn’t want to worry anybody.
At the same time, Junho was also aware of it from the amount of people who stopped skating to “pull up” to the sides of the rink and watch them. Junho code Minseo to slow down by gradually pulling their still-conjoining hands.
Minseo brought their hands together up in the air and brought it back down gracefully as they slowed down and reached a normal pace.
They looked around and realized that all eyes were on them; people were watching.
“They looked really good,” “Are they athletes?” “Probably not, I’ve never seen them in any figure skating championships,” “Whoa, they’re the main characters,” people murmured.
Junho thought that Minseo would turn red right now, but he didn’t. Minseo seemed to be content with the spotlight they got.
“What was that for?” Junho asked, indicating his graceful “ending ment.”
Minseo shrugged, “aesthetic purposes.”
They looked at each other and held a straight face before breaking into laughter within the next few seconds. Junho attempted to ruffle Minseo’s hair and Minseo playfully avoided it.
Junho skates away, indirectly inviting Minseo with him. Minseo took the hidden invitation and followed Junho like a bee to its nectar.
The two looked very satisfying for the people who appreciate beautiful interactions. Once these people saw them interact together, they won’t be able to take their eyes off them soon enough.
There was something that felt appealing about the two.
Some people said that they “radiate a big fat gay energy,” whatever that means. None of them thought about it much as all they felt was content from their comfortable nature with each other.
One day, Minseo went through some changes in his life and seek help to process them. He reached out to a professional.
In this session, the consultant guided Minseo to breakdown his feelings. Minseo had a hard time articulating what he felt or what he thought because it was rather complicated, hence he was here in front of the consultant.
To make things easier for Minseo, the consultant asked him, “Do you have someone special in your life? It could be anyone,” and “how do you feel about them?”
Minseo was reluctant at first, but with help, the story goes.
It felt liberating. He finally let out all the feelings he always felt around this person that he barely realized and often took for granted. He was very happy telling her all that, it felt therapeutic.
“Good,” the consultant muttered while jotting on her paper, “seemed like you’re in a happy relationship with your valentine.”
“Valentine?”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but were you talking about a special someone that you’re in a relationship with?”
“I-I’m not dating anyone,” Minseo stuttered.
Minseo was talking about Junho all along.
“Okay, then,” The consultant said, clearing her throat. She carried on guiding Minseo to continue with his articulation, but Minseo was stuck.
The consultant tried again but Minseo wasn’t as expressive as he was before she mentioned the valentine thing. She inhaled deeply.
“I’m sorry. I wanted to make this easier for you, but it didn’t end up the way we wanted to and that’s okay,” the consultant sighs as she jot down something, “Now, I want you to…” she continued with a changed, easier approach for Minseo.
After that session, Minseo partly forgot the main reason why he was there and suddenly it mattered less. All in his head right now was Junho and the novel-like, kind of obscure feeling about Junho he didn’t realize he always has.
He was debating if he should confront. But what to confront when he wasn’t even sure if that something was in there. It was very confusing he thought he was going crazy for this, but Minseo, being the turbulent guy he was, kept it all in.
In Minseo’s “keeping it in” period, Junho voiced out his concern quite invariably. He was aware that Minseo got distant and wasn’t as content with him as he used to, but Junho decided to brush it off as the time goes.
Minseo had something he didn’t want to share and Junho respects his decision.
“Share anything with me as you please, I won’t judge you,” Junho said to Minseo in the stretch of this period. Not only that sentence was redundant in Minseo’s head, but Junho also repeated that sentence like a mantra from time to time whenever Minseo was feeling better just to remind him.
It took time until he was back to “normal,” and they were at their comfortable state with each other again.
In the end Minseo never actually confront to Junho if he also felt like the way he felt with him, or that it was a typical feeling that people felt with their closest friends. He let it pass.
He wasn’t sure if it was there within him. Even if it was there, he still wouldn’t mind, but right now he was not sure if it was there. He didn’t want to think too much of it if it would just going ruin their good-natured relationship.
A couple of months later, Junho got an offer for a very good position in a big-name multinational company that everybody in South Korea knows was so hard to get into. Minseo was very proud of him but working there also means international rotation that last up to a year per country.
Minseo tried not to think about it much and just hoped that it would come so much later.
Until the day that Minseo wished wouldn’t arrive the most finally came,
The sun had just set, the seven of them were at this annual autumn festival that was filled with carnival games, food stands, lights, and premature winter chills.
“I’m going to Toronto, and this is the last week that I’m going to be here with you,” Junho said to Minseo after he pulled him a few meters away from the group—as the five were waiting for their hot beverages—to a less crowded area.
It took a few seconds for Minseo to process the information before he broke down to tears. Minseo knew what it meant. He genuinely felt happy for him but at the same time it crushed him that they won’t be able to meet for none-of-them-knows how long.
“You’re the worst!” Minseo yelled in a light-hearted manner amid his crying, enticing sad chuckles from Junho who saw the tears coming out from Minseo’s eyes first-hand even though Minseo was trying hard to stop them.
“Come here,” Junho said as he pulled Minseo to his embrace. Minseo automatically buried his tear-streaked face in his chest. Junho was inches away from crying too, but he didn’t because he felt the need to be strong for Minseo in that moment.
They forgot that they were in public, they just remembered that they weren’t the only ones there as passer-by with full autumn attire watched them in shock. What happened to that guy? Why did he cry so hard?
Turned out, they didn’t only grab random visitors’ attention, but also Yunseong’s, Hyeop’s, Changuk’s, Dongyun’s, and Alex’ who were with them at the festival and was only about 5 meters away. Only the five of them had the clue of what happened from the sight.
Hyeop was the first one to speak as they approached the two, “Junho?.. Oh no.. Is it what we’re thinking?” Junho nodded, still hugging the crying boy, validating Hyeop’s indirect question. Junho was caressing Minseo’s hair as the guy was a sobbing mess in his chest, soaking up his coat.
“When? Where?” Now it’s Alex’s turn to sound out his thought. Junho was thinking of a way to answer Alex without inducing Minseo’s crying even more. But Minseo heard him, he pulled away from Junho and faced Alex.
“Next week, Toronto,” Minseo answered briefly before breaking down again even harder. Junho caught him back into his arms. Minseo was scrunching Junho’s clothes like no other. Hyperbolically, Junho wouldn’t be surprised if Minseo rip the thick fabric.
It was actually a good news because it means that the firm gives him a promotion, it means more success, money, and all. But it was honestly a bittersweet moment for all of them. Couples of them smiled with a quite pronounced underlying sadness in it; Junho, Hyeop, Dongyun, and Alex. The rest of them didn’t even bother to fake it and didn’t smile at all; Minseo, Changuk, and Yunseong.
Minseo had asked Junho if he would mind if he gradually distanced himself from Junho throughout the week in order not to be surprised as much when D-Day comes. It was the cutest yet saddest thing coming from Minseo since that evening at the festival, Junho thought.
He said yes to anything that makes Minseo more comfortable.
The week was filled with little to no texts, calls, or hangout together.
They waved their last goodbye at the airport on Sunday morning before Junho’s flight. Minseo’s plan worked, he didn’t cry at all at the airport because he was “practicing” for the whole week.
Minseo expected that Junho wouldn’t have a lot of time to call or text him since he would be even busier than when he was in Korea.
Minseo was right. While Junho was in Toronto, they barely contacted each other to the point that they didn’t talk for months now. Minseo understood and hoped all the best for him and his career endeavours.
One day,
The boys—6 of them—are at Changuk’s.
Doing what? Celebrating his birthday.
Which Minseo thought was bizarrely weird because Changuk was never the type to care about birthdays.
Like, ever.
It was so strange that all sudden, Changuk and everyone was so pumped to celebrate his birthday and act as if they do this every year.
Naturally, Minseo was suspecting something. But he didn’t want to expect that much.
The first flag was nobody brought Changuk a present except Minseo. They have this agreement where they don’t give each other presents for birthdays. But since it’s unusual for them to celebrate Changuk’s birthday like this, Minseo thought that they should have prepared something special for him.
The birthday was fun though; it had been 3 hours, yet it didn’t feel like it. They talked about everything and played video games on Changuk’s new TV that was almost twice the size of his old one and Hyeop was checking his phone almost every 10 minutes.
Sometime later after they ate, Dongyun said, “I’m bored, let’s play again.”
“Again? We played for hours already.”
“What other things you guys have in mind?”
“Let’s go bowling!”
“I don’t know, let’s watch something on KBS.”
The conversation felt unnatural, Minseo thought their conversation was completely rehearsed. Especially when the four glared at Alex for being “out of script” with the bowling stuff and clashed with Changuk’s KBS response.
“What on earth are you guys trying to do?” Minseo half groaned as he threw his head back to rest on the couch, indicating to the five that they didn’t need to fake it anymore.
“What are you talking about?” Hyeop asked, an attempt to fix the situation.
“Shut up, Hyeop, he knew. Let’s just be quick,” Dongyun said.
“Okay. Yunseong, do your thing.” Hyeop said. Yunseong took the remote and does his magic with the television.
They watched Yunseong doing his thing in silence, except for Minseo who keep guessing internally of what they had in their sleeves.
“I-it’s not working,” Yunseong muttered mildly stressfully.
“Yunseong, really, now?” Changuk said in annoyance.
“Come on, he’s waiting!” Alex blurted.
“That’s okay, take your time,” Minseo said as he snuggled to the couch to wait for Yunseong. Minseo intentionally let his senses be indulged by the couch because part of him was anxious about the “surprise” the boys are preparing.
“I’m sorry, Minseo, it worked smoothly when we tried this morning.” Yunseong mumbled; eyebrows curled as his focus heightened while setting the television.
Minseo took his phone and was about to open Twitter when he heard,
“Hi, Minseo! How are you? It’s very early here,” A home-like voice greeted him from the television.
“What… is this?” Minseo muttered in disbelieve as his eyes glued to the big screen, phone fell and forgotten on the couch.
“It worked!” Yunseong shouted in victory. The four—Hyeop, Changuk, Dongyun, and Alex—hushed him aggressively and forcefully pulled him to the side of the room so that none of them was in the way between Minseo and the big screen—that was Junho.
Minseo couldn’t believe it. “Oh, my god!” he covered his mouth.
It was a video message of Junho that the five had prepared for Minseo.
“It’s very early here, it’s very early,” Junho continuously said. He was at the balcony of his apartment, and from the skyline behind him, it was probably moments before the dawn over there.
Junho looked contradictive; he looked neat yet all over the place, tired yet gratified. Guessing from the expired formal attire he wore, he seemed to have a late work event the previous night.
Minseo knew Junho was not a morning person to say the least, and the fact that he did this at that hour must’ve been taken quite a toll on him—hence the redundant and seemingly unconscious “it’s-very-earlies.”
“Go to sleep, then! What are you doing?!” Minseo jokingly shouted at the screen, not that Junho could hear him anyway. Deep down, Minseo felt bad for Junho for “making him” did this. He felt bad for the five too, for taking their time and effort to do this. Honestly, they don’t really have to.
“What? I’m doing this for you, silly! What are you talking about? Go to sleep?!” Junho shouted back.
Wait…
Minseo’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stood up from the couch, “t-this is a video call...? Junho, you can hear me?!”
“Yes! I can even see you from here,” Junho said just in time the wind blew quite hard, “you look good in that blue shirt!” Junho shouted in hope that his voice could be clearer than the wind.
“H-how.. where’s the camera.. O-oh my god,” Minseo muttered as his voice cracked at the last syllable. Eyes turning glassy, he was in a brink of crying.
“Oh, no, don’t cry. I’m not there to offer you my chest like I always do,” Junho said pulling one side of his blazer, showing his button-up shirt underneath, indicating his chest.
Minseo burst out laughing yet his hands were busy wiping out the tears that succeeded to escape his eyes like a waterfall.
Meanwhile Junho just stood there watching him, smile as sad as it gets. How he wished that he could be in that room with Minseo right now to physically soothe him.
Minseo was still forcing himself to laugh in hope that it will distract him enough to stop crying, but the tears just wouldn’t stop. Then, sniffling sound—other than his—was heard from the left side of the room. Hyeop was crying too, and Minseo had just remembered that he wasn’t alone in the room.
“Minseo,” Junho called, purposefully distracting Minseo from looking at the five. Junho wants all of Minseo’s attention on him right now, just for a while.
Junho successfully got his full attention, now Minseo was able to admire him properly for the first time; Junho looked effortlessly breath-taking in his tux with messy hair that subtly moves along as the wind blows.
“I bet it’s cold out there,” Minseo said in the midst of his light sniffles.
Standing at the balcony of his apartment complex, behind Junho, was the beautiful night view of the city’s skyscrapers.
“It sure is, but I don’t mind,” Junho had something to add in that sentence in mind but didn’t say it as he didn’t want Minseo so to break down in tears again.
“T-thank you, thank you so much,” Minseo muttered as he literally did a full 90 degree bow to him.
Junho laughed but didn’t comment anything about it. It’s been so long, the months probably made Minseo forgot how he usually function around Junho.
“I miss you,” Minseo confessed, “so much.”
Junho’s smile faded but still smiling, nonetheless. “Me too, more than anything in this world right now.” If he was in the same space with Minseo right now, he would take another step forward and ruffle Minseo’s hair.
“Aww,”
“Hyeop, shh! Stop it!”
Minseo laughed more genuinely this time, Junho too, hearing their friends’ small bicker.
“Oh, yeah, tell Changuk I said happy birthday to him,” Junho said, changing the subject.
“He’s still in this room...?” Minseo told Junho in a weirded-out tone, nose still stuffy. “You can say it to him right away,” Minseo continued as he was approaching Changuk to pull him into the screen.
“I know, don’t really want to see him,” Junho said hurriedly, stopping Minseo mid-way.
“You guys have a beef or something?” Minseo asked as he stopped and cleared his throat.
“No,” Junho exhaled, blowing white puffs out of his mouth from the cold. “You’re right in front of me, why would I want to see him?” He continued in a matter-of-fact fashion while looking away.
“Junho, stop, seriously,” Minseo muttered while pinching the bridge of his nose, as he heard Changuk scoffed. Changuk’s scoff made Minseo smile in embarrassment as he glanced to the five on the side of the room; they were still being watched.
“We haven’t met in decades, let me have fun with my pick-up lines!” Junho said as he put his hand in his pocket and ran through his hair with the other one.
Minseo laughed because Junho seemed really embarrassed saying that, but he played it cool.
The five—Yunseong, Hyeop, Changuk, Dongyun and Alex—caught Minseo’s attention as they slowly walked into the screen.
“Hi, Junho! We meet again after 13 hours!” Yunseong greeted him first.
“You looked better in front of those lights and buildings than when I saw you this morning,” Hyeop added. Yunseong, Hyeop, and Changuk met him first to rehearse their technical stuff.
“It’s a long time no see, for me!” Alex exclaimed.
“Me too!” Dongyun agreed as he curled his arm around Alex’ shoulder and brought him close. “You looked exactly the same as you were almost a year ago but with fancier clothing,” Dongyun commented, eyes glued to the screen. Junho jokingly rolled his eyes hearing that comment.
“I’m just going to stay off the screen since you don’t want to see me,” Changuk teased as he walked out of the screen.
“I was kidding! Come back here!” Junho cheerfully exclaimed, inducing laughs from them as Minseo pulled Changuk back on screen.
The 7 of them continued their conversation for the next 30 minutes.
“Well, alright then. You two have fun, we’ll be out for a while,” Yunseong said as he patted Minseo’s shoulder, closing their talks.
“Until when?” Minseo asked, face contorted by their sudden excuse to leave.
“Depends on you, text us when you’re finished,” Changuk said, caressing Minseo on the back as they were about to walk out.
“You really don’t have to,” Minseo pleaded, holding one of them from leaving.
“No, take your time,” Alex said, shutting him up as he slides away from Minseo’s grasp.
Junho stayed quiet in content as he watched the scene unfold before him through the screen, lips curled into a slight smile.
“Bye, now. You two have a pleasant conversation!” Dongyun waved before being the last guy who left the apartment.
The door was closed. Both looked at each other again through the screen, followed by an awkward silence right after.
“Uhm,” Junho hummed and faked a cough as he scratched the back of his neck.
“Y-yeah,” Minseo stumbled with his word as he looked at the ground, crossing his arms.
10 seconds in and none of them started. Minseo decided to break it, “It’s beautiful.”
“What…? Oh, the view! I thought you were talking about me.” Junho was messing with Minseo.
“Yeah, that too, if you insist,” Minseo attacked him back in a laid-back manner, arms still crossed.
Junho smirked yet didn’t say anything as he turned around to overlook the city. “I heard you love city lights, you once told me, I guess.” Junho shrugged. “I don’t quite remember, maybe it was a gut feeling?” Junho continued as he put his hands back in his pockets.
“I did tell you that. A couple of times, in fact,” Minseo chuckled.
“Of course,” Junho said a little more cheerfully as he turned his back again to face the screen that was Minseo. “With that particular information in mind, I chose the view from my balcony for you.”
“You really don’t have to, especially when it’s so cold outside,” Minseo said.
“I’m getting used to it,” Junho eased. “This kind of cold is nothing compared to the winter here.”
“Still, don’t pressure yourself doing extra stuff for something like this,” worry lingers Minseo’s tone for the first time. “Come on, it’s just me.” He pleaded, he felt exasperated with all these efforts.
Junho laughed, how he missed Minseo’s scolding. He couldn’t believe he finally got to meet his soulmate in forever.
Inside, Minseo too, still didn’t believe that they’re talking now. But here he was, standing in front of Junho through the screen. None of them was dreaming after all.
The rest of their conversation turned out lighter and lighter as Minseo’s sniffling had completely gone. It was light and deep at the same time, filled with occasional timidness from Minseo because somewhere during their conversation Junho would throw in something really cheesy. Minseo seemed to forget how playful Junho could be.
The sun has shine in the city, between the skyscrapers behind Junho. Glancing through the window, it was also getting very late outside Changuk’s apartment. The five were still out and Minseo—being Minseo—seemingly started to worry if the boys waited too long.
“Don’t worry, I bet they just ordered a karaoke room or something,” Junho predicted as he watched Minseo grabbed his phone from the sofa.
“Bingo, they just booked a karaoke room for 2 hours,” Minseo said out loud as he read Yunseong’s message on his phone. He heard Junho snickered on the screen as he put the phone in his pocket. “You’re a psychic now?” Minseo asked, smile as wide as it gets.
“We’ve been together for what, almost 7 years now. How come you didn’t see that one coming?” Junho mocked light-heartedly, “They’re so predictable.”
Minseo looked away; he was hiding something. “Junho, to be honest, I’m not worried about them. Pft, they’d probably will still be out there until 2,” Minseo snickered. “But you desperately need a whole lot of rest,” Minseo’s features gradually contorted as he voiced.
“I don’t,” Junho sounded pissed-off, Minseo’s excessive worry towards him annoyed him to some extent, he didn’t want to end the call just yet.
On the other hand, Junho didn’t want to ruin the mood by being mad. So, he took a deep breath.
“Well, if that would make you feel less concerned, then,” he calmly said as he exhaled. There was a pregnant pause between them, and Junho felt like it affected Minseo more than he thought.
Minseo noticed and didn’t know what to say. He knows well if Junho was feeling angry and insincere with his words. Junho had forgot that Minseo was like a sponge in this kind of situation.
“No, no, but you’re right, I definitely can use some rest to function properly for Monday,” Junho quickly corrected himself in a more genuine way. Just because he was scared that Minseo would cry in seconds—even though he knows it won’t happen for stuff like this. “I feel like I can sleep standing-up right now,” Junho said as he yawned and stretched his body.
Minseo giggled, followed by a yawn. Looking at Junho yawning made him yawn as well. “Go to sleep!” Minseo cheerfully exclaimed.
“You seemed to be needing a whole lot of rest, too. It’s getting late there isn’t it?” Junho asked as he looked at the watch that was still on his wrist from the previous night.
“It is,” Minseo said as he nodded and looked out the window, mood falling with the idea of closing the call. “So, bye, then?”
Junho shrugged as he smiled slightly, “Bye, for now.”
Minseo prolonged their goodbyes, “See you again, I hope soon enough,”
“Yes, so, goodbye kiss?”
“I’m sorry?” Minseo laughed.
“Goodbye kiss! Like this,” Junho kissed the tip of his fingers and threw Minseo a kiss goodbye with both of his hands.
Minseo laughed even more. For a few seconds, he genuinely contemplated to do that to Junho as well but then shook his head because of how silly it is. They are not children anymore, right?
“C’mon, give yours to me!” Junho tried to reel Minseo in.
Minseo couldn’t resist and blew a kiss to Junho with his hand. Second-hand embarrassment followed him right after.
“Yes! There we go!” Junho revved him up.
“Ugh, you’re making me very embarrassed today,” Minseo said dropping his head.
There was a not-so-pregnant pause as Junho took a step forward and slightly smirked. “But you’re enjoying this don’t you?” Junho asked.
Minseo looked up to the screen again, feeling content. “Y-yeah… I love it,” he muttered, “I love that it’s you who did it.”
Deep down Minseo hoped that Junho noticed the ambiguity in his words.
Junho smiled and didn’t respond. “See you again, then?” Junho said.
“Yeah,” Minseo said as he exhaled deeply. “See you again, I hope soon.” Minseo said again for the second time.
“One last kiss?” Junho asked.
“W-what..?” Minseo stuttered, quite taken aback. “Oh,” Minseo mumbled as he caught what he meant.
Minseo beamed so bright as he returned the goodbye kiss with both of his hands and threw it to Junho.
Junho jumped and made a gesture of catching his virtual kiss before “putting it to his pocket.”
Junho took another step forward and now was only a meter away from the screen. He was, reluctantly, preparing to disconnect the call.
Minseo wasn’t completely aware that he also took a few steps forward, approaching the screen as well. He felt like he was under Junho’s spell, there was something about Junho and his actions that was so Hypnotizing to him that night.
Junho smiled endearingly watching Minseo unconsciously mimicked his action. “Bye, then,” Junho said, waving his hands goodbye; he tried to look cute.
Minseo took a pause for a few seconds before whispering, “Bye.” He wasn’t sure if Junho heard him, but that’s the only thing he managed to say aloud for him not to break down into tears once again from a whole different reason than the previous one.
Disconnecting the call means not meeting each other again for an unknown period. Minseo didn’t even know when they will be able to speak again.
But it’s getting late for Minseo and the sun has shone a while ago for Junho. Minseo felt like Junho need a break from whatever his event was the previous night from the way he dressed, he looked so tired but forcing himself to hold up.
Junho blew a kiss to him with his hand for the last time, not to forget making an exaggerated smooching sound along the way.
Minseo laughed watching him.
The second time once the screen finally reads “disconnected” was the second his eyes turned into waterfalls.
Minseo cried pretty heavily right after. It took him almost two minutes of breathing exercise to calm himself down after a good few minutes of letting out his emotion.
Minseo waited for 15 minutes to get himself fully composed before calling one of the five to inform them that they were done and that he couldn’t thank them enough for this.
They excitedly asked, “how was it?” And Minseo nailed answering them in an equally excited tone as them, as genuinely as he could. His response induced gratification among them.
They informed that they will still be out for the night and invited Minseo to come along and meet them there. Minseo would love to, but he had to go home as soon as possible because his mom had a small emergency with the tap that needs his help, or so he said.
Minseo had to lie because, truly, he didn’t want to ruin the mood. They seemed to be having so much of fun.
With that, they exchanged goodbyes and hung up. Minseo put on the hood of his jacket as he walked out of Changuk’s and locked the door behind him after making sure nothing was forgotten.
None of them know when they would see or even talk to each other again, but Minseo could imagine a day where they got to finally meet in person; Minseo would run to him, Junho would catch him, and the sparks will fly.
If that day finally come, Minseo hoped with all his heart that he wouldn’t cry as much or even at all. Everyone in the group knows that Minseo was a tear-jerker and he had been working on it.
But whenever that will be, right now, Minseo felt grateful. Because everything seemed to be in the right place. The six of them were still here together acing their career endeavours. Junho being there, also acing his. They’re reaching their different goals together just in different places.
With that in heart, Minseo patiently waits for that day to come.