• stray kids ★ ateez ★ bts ★ txt ★ p1h ★ (and little by little I will add other groups)
• request are OPEN now (for moonboard and ff)
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RULES for ff:
• This blog is for adults only. NO minors. No blank blogs, no ageless blogs. if I think you're a minor, I'll block.
• you can make your requests in the box or in the DMs, BUT the same rule written above applies.
• I do accept requests but I write when inspiration strikes. I DO NOT write non-con, scat or vomit stuff, and “dark themes”. The latter because I am not capable yet!
• I generally write gn!reader , but if you have any specific requests I can do it!
• English IS NOT my first language, so if you see any errors you can tell me.
synopsis: Two old loves meet unexpectedly. A dialogue on emotions of the past and present will be born, exploring the lives of the two protagonists.
Warning: mention relationship between seungmin and minho! (but they are ex now) + characters ‼️(before reading, go and see the characters!!!!! )
a/n: hi hi! this is the first part, I don't know when I'll update (I hope soon) because I started university and it's a little difficult to keep up with a lot of things. but I hope you like the beginning !!
Minho was tired. Extremely tired. He had just left work with Felix and Hyunjin in tow and was heading toward their usual bar. To be honest, he didn’t feel like going out again; his friends had already dragged him out two nights in a row to “enjoy the evening together.” But Minho was tired and he wanted them to know it, even if Felix's sweet eyes and Hyunjin's gentle smile weren't helping. He didn't have much choice (his friends were very persuasive).
He shook his head, sighing, thinking back to Felix looking at him with that expression, and he perfectly understood why his only hyung could never say no to the blonde boy. Smiling, he opened the door to their usual bar, stepped aside to let his friends in first, and then entered himself, closing the door behind him. They approached the table where Chan and Jeongin were sitting and took their seats.
“Hi Min-hyung,” Jeongin said with a fox-like smile. “How was your day?”
“I don't understand how the guys can't take one step, it's so simple,” Minho grumbled, rolling his eyes.
“Hyung! That step isn't simple, Felix and I couldn’t get it either. It’s too fast a footwork for those poor guys who have you as a teacher,” Hyunjin laughed, watching the purple-haired boy sigh with a smile. Minho rolled his eyes and shook his head, thinking of when his students collapsed on the studio floor. He loved teaching dance, inventing choreography, moving to the gentle rhythm of music, the tender movements of hands, or the coordinated steps that could express the most beautiful or sensual form of love. He loved his lessons and wouldn't trade this job for anything in the world.
Chan waved a hand in front of his face and Minho blinked a couple of times, confused. He tilted his head toward his only hyung, who chuckled and asked him, evidently again, what he wanted since he was going to order at the counter. Minho smiled and replied that he would join him.
The two boys stood up and began a dance all their own to reach the counter without bumping into people or the poor waiters who were balancing drinks. Chan and Minho moved forward, dodging and dancing amidst the crowd with movements that were coordinated and messy at the same time, and when they arrived at the counter, they breathed a sigh of relief.
As soon as Chan managed to catch the bartender's attention, he smiled and began listing the drinks for himself and the other guys. Then he turned to Minho in a silent request. The purple-haired boy ordered a Long Island Iced Tea, to make the evening a little more lively than usual. The bartender, captivated by Chan's sweet, dimpled smile (Felix never stops talking about it), began preparing their drinks.
“So…” Chan began after making sure the bartender had understood everything. “I heard some rumors that you're thinking of moving.”
Minho smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I'm starting to feel suffocated in that studio apartment, and the cats are sighing a little too often, it's become a problem for them too.”
“And it has nothing to do with what happened almost three years ago?” Chan asked, not looking him in the eye. Instead, his gaze danced between the people standing and sitting in the bar, some laughing and some comforting, some flirting and some breaking up.
Minho lowered his gaze and a sweet smile began to form. He sighed and then looked Chan in the eyes. “What happened with Seungmin has nothing to do with it, Channie-hyung. Seungmin and I were good together, but we were two different people with clashing goals and ambitions. I don't regret my relationship with Seungminnie, we still care about each other, we're still friends, and now he’s doing well with Jisungie and Innie. He's happy, and I’m fine with that.”
Chan nodded slowly and looked him in the eyes. “Okay, if you’re sure. Just know that you don't have to face everything alone, Min. We’re here for you too.”
Minho smiled and nodded. He knew he was grateful for his friends. He was grateful for what he’d had with Seungmin. Their relationship hadn’t changed after they broke up. They had known each other since they were kids, were best friends, and then they didn’t see each other for a long time. Finally, they reconnected after many years at the same company. It had been natural to fall in love with Seungmin, really, but in the end, they both knew their hearts belonged to different people. Minho fondly remembers the evening they looked at each other and understood everything: there was no need for words, no explanations. There was no need to yell at each other, no tears or apologies. Minho knew that the other one loved Jisung and Jeongin, and Seungmin knew Minho loved someone else.
It was a normal summer evening. They were on the counter in Minho’s studio apartment, a beer in hand. They weren't talking about anything in particular, when at some point they looked at each other and smiled. A single glance was enough for the two boys to understand each other. They nodded and talked about who currently occupied their hearts and what to do. Seungmin left the next day, hugging his hyung, and Minho smiled. He patted his butt, as he usually did, and told him to "go catch his prey" (read: Jisung and Jeongin). Seungmin laughed and made him promise to answer his messages and calls, and to update each other on their lives at least twice a month, if necessary.
“Min, you okay?” Chan asked, waving a hand in front of the purple-haired boy's eyes again.
Minho nodded; he’d drifted too far into his mind and become absorbed. Tomorrow, he’d have to call Seungmin anyway. Chan squeezed his shoulder, as if he’d understood where he'd been, and Minho was grateful. Chan was his only hyung: with him, he didn’t always have to shoulder the responsibilities that came with his dance lessons. Chan was his safe harbor when he needed to feel vulnerable.
Finally, the bartender called their attention to indicate the drinks were ready. Chan smiled and thanked him, and Minho swore he saw the bartender's legs tremble. Yes, Felix was right about his hyung’s smile.
With extreme caution, the two friends managed to bring the drinks to the table without bumping into anyone or spilling the contents of the glasses. From a distance, they saw Felix, Hyunjin, and Jeongin engrossed in a conversation, and Minho sincerely hoped they weren't talking about work again that evening. When they reached the table and put the drinks down, they sat and listened to Jeongin talk about something that had happened with Jisung and Seungmin that week. Hyunjin tried to help him somehow, Felix was busy bothering Chan, and Minho watched the scene affectionately, grateful for this odd and messy group he had met a couple of years ago.
While listening to his friends' chatter, his eyes wandered around the tables and he sipped his cocktail, tapping his fingers on the table surface to create a light melody. Minho wasn't actively listening; he knew the conversation had moved on to the new 3RACHA album that would be released soon. What he didn't know, or hadn't grasped because he wasn't listening, was the release date and the tracklist. Anyway, it would be a fantastic album as always, and he would choreograph some of their new songs. Minho smiled again, took a sip of his cocktail, and savored the drink. He imagined the moment they would all get together to celebrate the album's release; he would see Kim Seungmin, Jisung, and Changbin somehow.
He sighed, thinking back to how he had met Jisung and Changbin after his previous relationship, at a time when all he could do was think about her. Minho had never talked about it and none of his friends knew the real face of that girl who had stolen his heart so many years ago. Damn, it seemed like ages had passed since he'd last seen her, but it had only been six years. The boy wondered what she looked like now, where she was, and what that person he loved so much he still couldn't talk about was doing.
She had left a wound too big for a bandage.
She was beautiful and so... so talented at everything she did. Their relationship was unique, they loved each other, and Minho never thought the time would come when they wouldn't see each other again. But fate laughs in the face of beautiful things that happen to the right people. They didn't fight, they didn't shout. She had been accepted to the University of California, Los Angeles, and he couldn't stop her: that was her dream, not Minho's, and he had no right to destroy it. They tried to keep the relationship alive, but the distance was too great, their schedules didn't align, and doubts began to arise on both sides. Minho didn't want this, and neither did she, so they decided to put a period to it.
Because in the end, a period had to be placed. At the end of a sentence. At the end of a story. It's called punctuation. Or, more commonly, courage. And a happy period is the one you place without anger, without resentment. Minho had agreed to place a happy period between them. But every year, every month, every week, every day, every hour, every minute, and every second... Minho missed her terribly, relentlessly.
Sometimes, when he was alone at home and it was raining, with only his cats for company and a hot cup of tea in his hand, he would look out the window. He watched the droplets run down the glass, racing to see who would get to the frame fastest (or slowest) that showed a slice of the world. That allowed Minho to see something different from his apartment and his work. Sometimes, he would stare at those tears of the sky descending freely, without worry, and he wanted, he wished, to be one of them. To not think, to not remember. To not remember that face, that dark hair that fell perfectly over her shoulders. To not remember how those eyes, which he loved so much, lit up when she smiled, when they were struck by the golden light of the sun. To not remember the warmth that body emanated when he held her close, when he hugged her, when he touched her. To not remember how perfect they were together, how well they fit each other, like a completed puzzle.
Minho was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt a squeeze on his shoulder. He turned his head toward Hyunjin and raised an eyebrow.
“Hyung. Are you okay?” the younger asked. He nodded; he didn't want his friends to worry about him.
“Hyung is fine, Hyunjin-ah, I'm just a little tired,” he smiled at his friend, who nodded and said maybe it was time to go home. Minho looked at the watch on his wrist, which showed half past midnight. Tomorrow, he, Hyunjin, and Felix would have to start thinking about the choreographies to bring to the final showcase in a couple of months. So, he and his friends decided to head home, stood up, and walked toward the bar's exit. Chan held the door open for everyone, and one by one they stepped out, each heading toward their own car to say goodbye.
“Hyung, can you give me a ride home?” Jeongin looked at him with his fox-like smile, eyes almost disappearing, and dimples forming on the sides of his cheeks.
“Of course, go ahead Innie,” he said, opening the car door for his friend to get in. The dark-haired boy climbed into the passenger seat, while Minho got into the driver's seat. He inserted the keys, started the engine, backed up, and drove off.
They remained silent for a few minutes, then Jeongin turned on the radio and connected his phone so he could choose the playlist. Minho smiled at the gesture; his friend was always the one who was either in the front or playing the music, and if it were just him in the car, he would have the privilege of doing both.
“Hyung.”
“Hm?”
Silence.
And then again, weaker, quieter. Like a faint, tired request to be heard: “…Hyung.”
“Yes, Innie?” Minho took his eyes off the road to give the younger boy a brief glance. Jeongin wasn't looking at him; his head was bowed, and he was looking at his fingers.
“...Are you... are you really moving?”
Minho sighed. “Ayen, what are you worried about?”
Jeongin opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, inhaling and exhaling without making a sound. “I mean...”
“Ayen, if you think I'm moving to another apartment because of you, Jisungie, and Seungminnie, you’re wrong.”
“But...”
“Jeongin. That’s not why I’m moving. You know as well as I do that Minnie and I never fought, we always smiled, and he's fine with you two now, okay? I’m moving because I found an apartment closer to JYPE, because I was starting to feel suffocated, and the cats needed more space.”
Jeongin was silent for a brief moment, nodding jerkily. “But Hyung...”
Minho sighed again. “Innie?”
“Minho-hyung... I'm sorry.”
Minho shook his head. “Jeongin, I already told you. I'm not doing this because Seungmin and I broke up. I'm doing it just for me.” He slowed the car, stopping at the red light.
Jeongin nodded, unconvinced by his hyung's words, and the older one sighed. “Why do you think I'm lying, Ayen?”
“Hyung, I don't think you’re lying, it's just hard not to take the blame. What you and Seungmin had was beautiful, and then Jisung and I came along...”
The green light illuminated the younger boy’s face, and Minho, with a sigh, started the car again. “Jeongin. You and Jisung didn't suddenly appear like you think. Seungmin loves you, both of you, so much. What Minnie and I had is different from what you two have with him, and as fantastic as it was, as attentive as we were to each other, he and I weren't meant to be together.”
Jeongin nodded and took a deep breath before looking at his friend. “So, you’re moving for yourself?”
Minho nodded and turned left. “We’re here, Innie,” he stopped the car in front of his friend’s driveway and looked at him.
“Want to come in, Hyung?”
“Just to say hi to Sung and Minnie.”
The two got out of the car. They walked along the driveway, and Jeongin pulled the house keys from his jacket pocket and opened the door. He took off his shoes and hung up his jacket.
“Minho-hyung is here!” he shouted as he walked into the kitchen, leaving Minho in the hallway to take off his shoes and jacket. The boy placed his shoes on the cabinet nearby, hung his jacket on the coat rack, and followed the younger one into the kitchen.
“Minho-hyung!” “Hyung!” two voices shouted from the next room. Minho didn't even have time to respond before he saw a blur of color rush toward him: Seungmin jumped into his arms and hugged him. Jisung immediately ran behind Seungmin, his blue hair messy, and hugged Minho too.
“Everything okay, Hyung?” the blue-haired boy asked.
Minho nodded and smiled. “Of course, Sungie, you? Did I wake you up?”
Jisung shook his head with a yawn. “Minnie and I were watching a movie.”
“He was falling asleep, Hyung, but don't mind him. 3RACHA has been keeping late hours lately,” Seungmin chuckled.
Minho laughed, and Jeongin invited him to sit at the kitchen table, an invitation he gladly accepted. Seungmin handed him a glass of water, and Jisung asked if he wanted ice cream. Minho accepted. The four sat at the table and started chatting about Minho's new apartment, how they were doing, and what had been happening lately. Minho glanced up at the clock on the wall, which read 1:30 AM, saw Jisung yawn next to him, and smiled. “It's time to go, thanks for having me.” The other three boys nodded, Jeongin said goodbye with a hug, and Jisung waved, his eyes almost closed.
“I'll walk you to the door, Hyung.”
Minho nodded to Seungmin and headed toward the entrance with the boy following him.
“Thanks again for having me, Minnie.” He put on his shoes and looked at his friend with a sweet, light smile that illuminated his tired face.
The black-haired boy smiled and nodded. “Thank you for bringing Innie home and stopping by, Hyung. Should I call you tomorrow anyway?”
Minho sighed, trying to hide the smile that was creeping up. “Even if I tell you I'm working, you'll still call me, won't you?”
Seungmin, with a serious and solemn air, nodded. “Absolutely, Kitty-hyung,” and with that, he opened the door for the older boy.
“Take care of yourself, pup.”
“You too. And if you need help moving, call us; we'll all help without question, Hyung, you know that.”
Minho smiled, walked out the door, nodded, waved goodbye, and headed toward his car. Seungmin waved back, watched him cross the driveway, and then closed the door.
synopsis: Two old loves meet unexpectedly. A dialogue on emotions of the past and present will be born, exploring the lives of the two protagonists.
Warning: mention relationship between seungmin and minho! (but they are ex now) + characters ‼️(before reading, go and see the characters!!!!! ) + part 1
a/n: hi hi! this is the second part, I don't know when I'll update (I hope soon) because I have a lot of exams and I have to study. but I hope you like the beginning !
Minho started the car and left for his studio apartment a few blocks away. Fatigue was beginning to seep into the skin, to surround the bones clouding the mind. He parked under the building, got out of the car and headed toward the doors of the condominium. He took the keys from his pocket with a weary sigh. He had the bag with the change of clothes for work hanging from his arm in a precarious balance and went up the stairs until he arrived in front of his apartment, opened the door and entered, making sure to avoid Soonie, Doongie and Dori in front of him, and closed it behind him pushing it with the sole of his foot. He took off his shoes and placed the bag in front of the shoe rack. He dragged himself across the room shuffling his feet on the floor. The meowing of the cats woke him from the tiredness of the day. With a yawn he went to get the food for his furry friends from the highest cupboard, poured some into each bowl and sat on the ground stroking them. The boy remained sitting on the floor in the company of the meowing cats, opening his computer to work.
Minho was starting to feel tired when finally, he got up from the floor and decided to make himself an herbal tea. He filled the kettle, turned it on and sat at the table while he waited. With his elbows resting on the table, he closed his eyes and took his head in his hands. He shouldn't have been thinking about her. Minho remembered still the taste of her lips, relived that last day like an infinite loop. A bittersweet remembrance, that seems good when it is on the tongue but becomes acidic and nostalgic when it starts to go down the throat. The goodbye at the airport, the tears on the faces of both. Heremembered still the words they had whispered to each other, the noses brushing, the foreheads touching. The arms surrounding her waist, Minho forcing himself not to scream at her to stay with him, not to leave him; but he didn't want to hold her back in a place where she didn't feel at ease. He didn't want to lock her in a small space; he didn't want to hold back her dream. She needed that and who was Minho not to let her go?
The noise of the water finishing to boil woke him from the memories, he sighed. He took a cup and opened a bag of his favourite herbal tea, put it inside the cup and filled it with hot water. He remained watching the water colouring itself with the color of the bag, the smell of raspberries rising together with the light smoke from the cup filled his nostrils. Minho did nothing but sigh all evening, he felt ridiculous at alternating moments. He missed her, but he couldn't do anything about it, he didn't have her number, or a contact and his friends didn't know her.
With the cup in hand he went toward the wardrobe, took some comfortable clothes and changed. He sat on the bed, his back against the wall, the cup on the nightstand and the computer open with still some work to finish. He decided that he would work another half hour, maybe until he hadfinished the tea, and then he would go to sleep. It was already late and he hoped to finish soon; so, he did, he finished his hot drink, closed the laptop, lay down on the bed and closed his eyes trying to sleep.
Minho woke up at the sound of the alarm of his phone; he opened his eyes slowly. The heavy eyelids asking to be closed again. He sighed and, slowly, sat on the edge of the bed, raising his arms to stretch his bones. He rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hand and stood up, he dragged himself to the bathroom and threw himself under the shower after taking off his pyjamas. He washed the tiredness from his eyes and body, the scent of lavender that his body wash emanated managed to calm his mind. Shortly after he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower wrapping himself in the towel; he dressed and went to feed his cats, putting on the moka pot of coffee for himself and after having drunk it, he put on his shoes and jacket, recovering the bag for the lesson and going down the stairs of the building to go toward the car.
When he arrived at the JYP Entertainment building, he parked the car in the underground parking, took the elevator and pressed the button of the fifth floor. He sighed while leaning against the wall and closed his eyes.
Ting
Minho opened his eyes, the elevator had the doors open, but the number indicated was not that of his floor. He blinked quickly to focus on the illuminated number: three, he frowned and then he saw her.
She… she was beautiful.
They looked into each other's eyes, a slow smile forming on both. The doors started to close and for a few seconds Minho remained still, motionless. With a snap he put his hand in the middle of the elevator doors to make them reopen, to see if he was dreaming. It was impossible that she was there in front of him, they hadn't seen each other for so long, not… And yet, she was there still in front of that damn metal box, with her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open from the shock, she took a step forward and then another, another one and she was inside the elevator, still with their gazes glued to each other.
The automatic doors closed and Minho huffed a light laugh.
“Hey Y/N” it didn’t seem real to him, he felt his own breath failing, the words stuttering. Minho you are not like this, wake up.
She looked at him, he felt her gaze piercing his soul, those dark eyes that he continued to dream of at night were again in front of him.
“O-oh my god!” whispered the girl all in one breath. “I… um… you…?”
Minho smiled and nodded “I... um... work here as a choreographer, and um… you…?”
“I work here too, as a photographer and also a choreographer” she whispered.
Minho nodded, he looked at her again, she was so different from the last time he had seen her in that airport. The hair was longer and now it was black with some colorful strands here and there, she dressed in a professional way, she had her trusty camera hanging from her neck and the bag tight in her hand.
“Is that a Canon EOS R6 Mark III?” asked Minho.
“O-Oh um… yes, it is” she laughed “are you still interested in photography?” Y/N tilted her head slightly to the side, as she always did if something made her curious.
I still love you Minho wanted to tell her; I am still interested because it reminds me of you, he thought.
“Y-yes, I… every now and then I still take photographs”
Y/N smiled and nodded.
Ting.
The elevator doors opened to reveal the fifth floor and Minho smiled “It’s my floor”, she looked at him and turned to check the floor number.
“Oh, it’s mine too” she said while exiting the elevator, followed shortly after by Minho.
“Do you have rehearsals or a shooting?”
“I have rehearsals, in which room are you working today?”
“143, you?”
“200. Minho…” Y/N hesitated.
The purple-haired boy turned toward her and nodded as if to tell her to continue.
“I-I wondered if… if um… well… if you wanted to have a coffee during lunch break? Um… today?”
Minho chuckled and smiled at her “I would like that very much Y/N”
The next three hours Minho spent helping his students with the new choreography. Felix and Hyunjin were with him, all three together trying to monitor the boys, correcting the wrong movements and showing how they had to be done. Minho let out a long sigh when for the third time, the same boy got the same footwork wrong that Hyunjin had just finished doing again.
“Break! You have ten minutes” he called.
Hyunjin and Felix headed toward him at the corner of the large room.
“How are you hyung?” Felix started with his usual worried look.
Minho nodded slowly “A bit tired, yesterday I took Innie-ah home, and I stayed to chat with Sungie and Minnie.”
Hyunjin chuckled “Lucky you had to return home early to your cats, right hyung?”
Minho shook his head with a smile stamped on his face. “At lunch I am not with you”
Felix and Hyunjin turned their heads so fast toward him, that the purple-haired boy worried for their life.
“Oh? And who are you with?” they asked at the same time.
Minho shrugged his shoulders and looked at them “Um… a friend”.
Hyunjin and Felix looked at each other and then looked again at Minho.
“Um… I think I heard wrong… who are you with at lunch hyung?” asked Felix, again.
Minho sighed “A friend”
“Do you have other friends outside of us?” asked Hyunjin raising an eyebrow.
Minho huffed and threw the boy a glare “20 minutes at 180 degrees in the air fryer are enough for a crispy Hyunjin.”
Hyunjin laughed slightly and shrugged his shoulders.
Felix sighed slightly “Come on, let’s continue the lesson, before the boss throws us out the window.”
synopsis: Two old loves meet unexpectedly. A dialogue on emotions of the past and present will be born, exploring the lives of the two protagonists.
Warning: mention relationship between seungmin and minho! (but they are ex now) + characters ‼️(before reading, go and see the characters!!!!! )
a/n: hi hi! this is the first part, I don't know when I'll update (I hope soon) because I started university and it's a little difficult to keep up with a lot of things. but I hope you like the beginning !!
Minho was tired. Extremely tired. He had just left work with Felix and Hyunjin in tow and was heading toward their usual bar. To be honest, he didn’t feel like going out again; his friends had already dragged him out two nights in a row to “enjoy the evening together.” But Minho was tired and he wanted them to know it, even if Felix's sweet eyes and Hyunjin's gentle smile weren't helping. He didn't have much choice (his friends were very persuasive).
He shook his head, sighing, thinking back to Felix looking at him with that expression, and he perfectly understood why his only hyung could never say no to the blonde boy. Smiling, he opened the door to their usual bar, stepped aside to let his friends in first, and then entered himself, closing the door behind him. They approached the table where Chan and Jeongin were sitting and took their seats.
“Hi Min-hyung,” Jeongin said with a fox-like smile. “How was your day?”
“I don't understand how the guys can't take one step, it's so simple,” Minho grumbled, rolling his eyes.
“Hyung! That step isn't simple, Felix and I couldn’t get it either. It’s too fast a footwork for those poor guys who have you as a teacher,” Hyunjin laughed, watching the purple-haired boy sigh with a smile. Minho rolled his eyes and shook his head, thinking of when his students collapsed on the studio floor. He loved teaching dance, inventing choreography, moving to the gentle rhythm of music, the tender movements of hands, or the coordinated steps that could express the most beautiful or sensual form of love. He loved his lessons and wouldn't trade this job for anything in the world.
Chan waved a hand in front of his face and Minho blinked a couple of times, confused. He tilted his head toward his only hyung, who chuckled and asked him, evidently again, what he wanted since he was going to order at the counter. Minho smiled and replied that he would join him.
The two boys stood up and began a dance all their own to reach the counter without bumping into people or the poor waiters who were balancing drinks. Chan and Minho moved forward, dodging and dancing amidst the crowd with movements that were coordinated and messy at the same time, and when they arrived at the counter, they breathed a sigh of relief.
As soon as Chan managed to catch the bartender's attention, he smiled and began listing the drinks for himself and the other guys. Then he turned to Minho in a silent request. The purple-haired boy ordered a Long Island Iced Tea, to make the evening a little more lively than usual. The bartender, captivated by Chan's sweet, dimpled smile (Felix never stops talking about it), began preparing their drinks.
“So…” Chan began after making sure the bartender had understood everything. “I heard some rumors that you're thinking of moving.”
Minho smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I'm starting to feel suffocated in that studio apartment, and the cats are sighing a little too often, it's become a problem for them too.”
“And it has nothing to do with what happened almost three years ago?” Chan asked, not looking him in the eye. Instead, his gaze danced between the people standing and sitting in the bar, some laughing and some comforting, some flirting and some breaking up.
Minho lowered his gaze and a sweet smile began to form. He sighed and then looked Chan in the eyes. “What happened with Seungmin has nothing to do with it, Channie-hyung. Seungmin and I were good together, but we were two different people with clashing goals and ambitions. I don't regret my relationship with Seungminnie, we still care about each other, we're still friends, and now he’s doing well with Jisungie and Innie. He's happy, and I’m fine with that.”
Chan nodded slowly and looked him in the eyes. “Okay, if you’re sure. Just know that you don't have to face everything alone, Min. We’re here for you too.”
Minho smiled and nodded. He knew he was grateful for his friends. He was grateful for what he’d had with Seungmin. Their relationship hadn’t changed after they broke up. They had known each other since they were kids, were best friends, and then they didn’t see each other for a long time. Finally, they reconnected after many years at the same company. It had been natural to fall in love with Seungmin, really, but in the end, they both knew their hearts belonged to different people. Minho fondly remembers the evening they looked at each other and understood everything: there was no need for words, no explanations. There was no need to yell at each other, no tears or apologies. Minho knew that the other one loved Jisung and Jeongin, and Seungmin knew Minho loved someone else.
It was a normal summer evening. They were on the counter in Minho’s studio apartment, a beer in hand. They weren't talking about anything in particular, when at some point they looked at each other and smiled. A single glance was enough for the two boys to understand each other. They nodded and talked about who currently occupied their hearts and what to do. Seungmin left the next day, hugging his hyung, and Minho smiled. He patted his butt, as he usually did, and told him to "go catch his prey" (read: Jisung and Jeongin). Seungmin laughed and made him promise to answer his messages and calls, and to update each other on their lives at least twice a month, if necessary.
“Min, you okay?” Chan asked, waving a hand in front of the purple-haired boy's eyes again.
Minho nodded; he’d drifted too far into his mind and become absorbed. Tomorrow, he’d have to call Seungmin anyway. Chan squeezed his shoulder, as if he’d understood where he'd been, and Minho was grateful. Chan was his only hyung: with him, he didn’t always have to shoulder the responsibilities that came with his dance lessons. Chan was his safe harbor when he needed to feel vulnerable.
Finally, the bartender called their attention to indicate the drinks were ready. Chan smiled and thanked him, and Minho swore he saw the bartender's legs tremble. Yes, Felix was right about his hyung’s smile.
With extreme caution, the two friends managed to bring the drinks to the table without bumping into anyone or spilling the contents of the glasses. From a distance, they saw Felix, Hyunjin, and Jeongin engrossed in a conversation, and Minho sincerely hoped they weren't talking about work again that evening. When they reached the table and put the drinks down, they sat and listened to Jeongin talk about something that had happened with Jisung and Seungmin that week. Hyunjin tried to help him somehow, Felix was busy bothering Chan, and Minho watched the scene affectionately, grateful for this odd and messy group he had met a couple of years ago.
While listening to his friends' chatter, his eyes wandered around the tables and he sipped his cocktail, tapping his fingers on the table surface to create a light melody. Minho wasn't actively listening; he knew the conversation had moved on to the new 3RACHA album that would be released soon. What he didn't know, or hadn't grasped because he wasn't listening, was the release date and the tracklist. Anyway, it would be a fantastic album as always, and he would choreograph some of their new songs. Minho smiled again, took a sip of his cocktail, and savored the drink. He imagined the moment they would all get together to celebrate the album's release; he would see Kim Seungmin, Jisung, and Changbin somehow.
He sighed, thinking back to how he had met Jisung and Changbin after his previous relationship, at a time when all he could do was think about her. Minho had never talked about it and none of his friends knew the real face of that girl who had stolen his heart so many years ago. Damn, it seemed like ages had passed since he'd last seen her, but it had only been six years. The boy wondered what she looked like now, where she was, and what that person he loved so much he still couldn't talk about was doing.
She had left a wound too big for a bandage.
She was beautiful and so... so talented at everything she did. Their relationship was unique, they loved each other, and Minho never thought the time would come when they wouldn't see each other again. But fate laughs in the face of beautiful things that happen to the right people. They didn't fight, they didn't shout. She had been accepted to the University of California, Los Angeles, and he couldn't stop her: that was her dream, not Minho's, and he had no right to destroy it. They tried to keep the relationship alive, but the distance was too great, their schedules didn't align, and doubts began to arise on both sides. Minho didn't want this, and neither did she, so they decided to put a period to it.
Because in the end, a period had to be placed. At the end of a sentence. At the end of a story. It's called punctuation. Or, more commonly, courage. And a happy period is the one you place without anger, without resentment. Minho had agreed to place a happy period between them. But every year, every month, every week, every day, every hour, every minute, and every second... Minho missed her terribly, relentlessly.
Sometimes, when he was alone at home and it was raining, with only his cats for company and a hot cup of tea in his hand, he would look out the window. He watched the droplets run down the glass, racing to see who would get to the frame fastest (or slowest) that showed a slice of the world. That allowed Minho to see something different from his apartment and his work. Sometimes, he would stare at those tears of the sky descending freely, without worry, and he wanted, he wished, to be one of them. To not think, to not remember. To not remember that face, that dark hair that fell perfectly over her shoulders. To not remember how those eyes, which he loved so much, lit up when she smiled, when they were struck by the golden light of the sun. To not remember the warmth that body emanated when he held her close, when he hugged her, when he touched her. To not remember how perfect they were together, how well they fit each other, like a completed puzzle.
Minho was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt a squeeze on his shoulder. He turned his head toward Hyunjin and raised an eyebrow.
“Hyung. Are you okay?” the younger asked. He nodded; he didn't want his friends to worry about him.
“Hyung is fine, Hyunjin-ah, I'm just a little tired,” he smiled at his friend, who nodded and said maybe it was time to go home. Minho looked at the watch on his wrist, which showed half past midnight. Tomorrow, he, Hyunjin, and Felix would have to start thinking about the choreographies to bring to the final showcase in a couple of months. So, he and his friends decided to head home, stood up, and walked toward the bar's exit. Chan held the door open for everyone, and one by one they stepped out, each heading toward their own car to say goodbye.
“Hyung, can you give me a ride home?” Jeongin looked at him with his fox-like smile, eyes almost disappearing, and dimples forming on the sides of his cheeks.
“Of course, go ahead Innie,” he said, opening the car door for his friend to get in. The dark-haired boy climbed into the passenger seat, while Minho got into the driver's seat. He inserted the keys, started the engine, backed up, and drove off.
They remained silent for a few minutes, then Jeongin turned on the radio and connected his phone so he could choose the playlist. Minho smiled at the gesture; his friend was always the one who was either in the front or playing the music, and if it were just him in the car, he would have the privilege of doing both.
“Hyung.”
“Hm?”
Silence.
And then again, weaker, quieter. Like a faint, tired request to be heard: “…Hyung.”
“Yes, Innie?” Minho took his eyes off the road to give the younger boy a brief glance. Jeongin wasn't looking at him; his head was bowed, and he was looking at his fingers.
“...Are you... are you really moving?”
Minho sighed. “Ayen, what are you worried about?”
Jeongin opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, inhaling and exhaling without making a sound. “I mean...”
“Ayen, if you think I'm moving to another apartment because of you, Jisungie, and Seungminnie, you’re wrong.”
“But...”
“Jeongin. That’s not why I’m moving. You know as well as I do that Minnie and I never fought, we always smiled, and he's fine with you two now, okay? I’m moving because I found an apartment closer to JYPE, because I was starting to feel suffocated, and the cats needed more space.”
Jeongin was silent for a brief moment, nodding jerkily. “But Hyung...”
Minho sighed again. “Innie?”
“Minho-hyung... I'm sorry.”
Minho shook his head. “Jeongin, I already told you. I'm not doing this because Seungmin and I broke up. I'm doing it just for me.” He slowed the car, stopping at the red light.
Jeongin nodded, unconvinced by his hyung's words, and the older one sighed. “Why do you think I'm lying, Ayen?”
“Hyung, I don't think you’re lying, it's just hard not to take the blame. What you and Seungmin had was beautiful, and then Jisung and I came along...”
The green light illuminated the younger boy’s face, and Minho, with a sigh, started the car again. “Jeongin. You and Jisung didn't suddenly appear like you think. Seungmin loves you, both of you, so much. What Minnie and I had is different from what you two have with him, and as fantastic as it was, as attentive as we were to each other, he and I weren't meant to be together.”
Jeongin nodded and took a deep breath before looking at his friend. “So, you’re moving for yourself?”
Minho nodded and turned left. “We’re here, Innie,” he stopped the car in front of his friend’s driveway and looked at him.
“Want to come in, Hyung?”
“Just to say hi to Sung and Minnie.”
The two got out of the car. They walked along the driveway, and Jeongin pulled the house keys from his jacket pocket and opened the door. He took off his shoes and hung up his jacket.
“Minho-hyung is here!” he shouted as he walked into the kitchen, leaving Minho in the hallway to take off his shoes and jacket. The boy placed his shoes on the cabinet nearby, hung his jacket on the coat rack, and followed the younger one into the kitchen.
“Minho-hyung!” “Hyung!” two voices shouted from the next room. Minho didn't even have time to respond before he saw a blur of color rush toward him: Seungmin jumped into his arms and hugged him. Jisung immediately ran behind Seungmin, his blue hair messy, and hugged Minho too.
“Everything okay, Hyung?” the blue-haired boy asked.
Minho nodded and smiled. “Of course, Sungie, you? Did I wake you up?”
Jisung shook his head with a yawn. “Minnie and I were watching a movie.”
“He was falling asleep, Hyung, but don't mind him. 3RACHA has been keeping late hours lately,” Seungmin chuckled.
Minho laughed, and Jeongin invited him to sit at the kitchen table, an invitation he gladly accepted. Seungmin handed him a glass of water, and Jisung asked if he wanted ice cream. Minho accepted. The four sat at the table and started chatting about Minho's new apartment, how they were doing, and what had been happening lately. Minho glanced up at the clock on the wall, which read 1:30 AM, saw Jisung yawn next to him, and smiled. “It's time to go, thanks for having me.” The other three boys nodded, Jeongin said goodbye with a hug, and Jisung waved, his eyes almost closed.
“I'll walk you to the door, Hyung.”
Minho nodded to Seungmin and headed toward the entrance with the boy following him.
“Thanks again for having me, Minnie.” He put on his shoes and looked at his friend with a sweet, light smile that illuminated his tired face.
The black-haired boy smiled and nodded. “Thank you for bringing Innie home and stopping by, Hyung. Should I call you tomorrow anyway?”
Minho sighed, trying to hide the smile that was creeping up. “Even if I tell you I'm working, you'll still call me, won't you?”
Seungmin, with a serious and solemn air, nodded. “Absolutely, Kitty-hyung,” and with that, he opened the door for the older boy.
“Take care of yourself, pup.”
“You too. And if you need help moving, call us; we'll all help without question, Hyung, you know that.”
Minho smiled, walked out the door, nodded, waved goodbye, and headed toward his car. Seungmin waved back, watched him cross the driveway, and then closed the door.
