WANTEEZ Episode 43
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@star-hwaa
WANTEEZ Episode 43
seonghwa's earlier engagements had wrapped up ahead of schedule, so he had some time to kill in the dressing room before their last assignment for the day: filming tiktok dance challenges. the singer loved making tiktoks, so he convinced yunho and wooyoung to make a video based on a popular trend.
they had just finished the last step of the video when seonghwa heard a familiar voice. "wah!" he jumped at first before laughing at the senior's choice of greeting. "jongin hyung, they didn't say you were coming today! it was great, but glad to be home." he waved at his members as they broke off to film their respective collabs, leaving him and the dancer to review the steps. "yes, it's the latest release. we've been promoting non-stop. do you want to practice a couple of times before we try to record?"
There's a jovial laugh that leaves him when he watches Seonghwa jump — sometimes he enjoyed teasing his juniors. "I told them not to, I wanted to surprise you." The man beams brightly, his eyes turning into half-moons. Jongin knows how hard it is to be away from home for an extended period of time and the man's expression softens slightly as he hums, "I bet. Nothing like your own bed to bring you back, right?"
The man remembers streaming the album and learning the choreography when they first released it but he doesn't tell Seonghwa that. It's better to pretend that Jongin didn't go overboard learning a new dance. "Sure," he pushes up the sleeves of his hoodie, shaking out his hands and quickly warming up as if he hadn't before.
Jongin follows Seonghwa's guidance, hitting every move on beat and showing that he most certainly did learn it already. One, two, bam. Four, five, bam. With smooth, precise movements, the dancer adds a little flair to the end, laughing as he does. "It's a very catchy beat. Anthem worthy."
seonghwa’s brows lift slightly, a flicker of surprise passing through his expression before it settles into quiet admiration. he lets out a small, controlled laugh, shaking his head like he’s trying to play it cool, but he can’t hide the respect in the way he studies jongin’s posture and timing. “hyung… that didn’t look like a first try,” he says, tone light but genuine, a hint of disbelief in his voice. he nods once, acknowledging it without making a big deal, lips pressed into a restrained smile. “and… anthem worthy, huh?” he adds, eyes briefly flicking to jongin, a subtle pride mixing with his respect, “glad you think our song’s that good.”
he steps back into position, rolling his shoulders once as he refocuses, more intent now that he knows the level he’s dancing with. “okay, let’s run it full out this time,” he says, voice steady, determination settling in as he cues the music. his movements are sharper, more deliberate, matching jongin’s precision while staying true to his own style, careful not to break the flow. he keeps his gaze forward, aware of jongin’s presence beside him, letting the senior’s example push him a little harder. when they finish, he exhales softly, glancing over with a small nod of approval. “that’s good… i think we’ve got it,” he says, more energized now, “let’s film before the energy drops.”
── 「 ✦ STARTER ✦ 」 for @star-hwaa
Jongin sneaks up behind the man, having been told that Seonghwa had been wanting to do another dance challenge with him. He wasn't going to say no, having enjoyed their last interaction, and wanting to catch up with him since their tour.
"Boo." He says, chuckling slightly before greeting everyone else. "I hear you have been pretty busy lately. How was your tour?"
One of the staff come forward and show Jongin the choreography that he needs to practice for the challenge, "is that the new song?" He asks, watching the video clip several times before passing the phone back.
seonghwa's earlier engagements had wrapped up ahead of schedule, so he had some time to kill in the dressing room before their last assignment for the day: filming tiktok dance challenges. the singer loved making tiktoks, so he convinced yunho and wooyoung to make a video based on a popular trend.
they had just finished the last step of the video when seonghwa heard a familiar voice. "wah!" he jumped at first before laughing at the senior's choice of greeting. "jongin hyung, they didn't say you were coming today! it was great, but glad to be home." he waved at his members as they broke off to film their respective collabs, leaving him and the dancer to review the steps. "yes, it's the latest release. we've been promoting non-stop. do you want to practice a couple of times before we try to record?"
there’s something delicate about the moment Seonghwa finds himself in this morning. no schedules, no urgency unlike the last several days. today there is only the soft sound of the waves, the warm aroma of coffee, and most importantly, hongjoong.
‘what do you want to do today?’
the question is expected yet he has no answer prepared. and joong, ever the expert on how seonghwa thinks, already has the counter argument for an answer he hasn’t even given yet. a soft, amused chuckle leaves his lips as he re-considers his response.
“I was thinking…” he runs a hand through the damn strands that stick to Joong’s forehead. “…we could go get one of those smoothie bowls for breakfast…” his other hand trails lightly down the leader’s arm as he takes a small step closer. “…then come back here and lay in the shade on the back porch…” another step closer “we can get some rest after all of the shows lately…” another step and they’re practically chest to chest “or not.”
the last words are spoken against the shell of hongjoong’s ear just in time for seonghwa to pull back and press a light kiss to the shorter man’s lips. “as long as i’m with you, i’m up for anything.”
Each suggestion landing with thoughtfulness, stepping stones toward something deeper neither of them names... yet. Hongjoong remains still, not interrupting the brush of fingers through his damp hair, the slow trail along his arm, the narrowing distance. Feeling it all at once. The quiet, the warmth. The plan unfolding in bits and pieces, comparable to how a Lego tower rises with the same set of careful and patient hands—foundation, walls and structure then interior and lastly, the exterior.
Well, in this case...
Smoothie bowls. Shade. Rest.
Or not.
A small, helpless sounding huff escapes pursed lips, though it never quite developed into a full audible laughter. Not when those earnest eyes look at him like that. Another step closing the distance again and sealing it with a soft, fleeting kiss. Letting it unfold, not chasing nor letting go as his own hand comes up, instinctively catching lightly at the curve of Seonghwa's wrist before it can even drift away. The rough callous of thumb pressing against the warmth of skin.
❝ Smoothie bowls for breakfast sound good. ❞ Corners of lips lifting just barely, mind indulging at the idea. ❝ Let's just.... take it slower today. We don't have to decide everything right now. ❞ That same thumb nudges, pulling the back of Seonghwa's hand closer, pressing a reverent kiss. ❝ Come. I'll drive. ❞
seonghwa leans into the touch, not quite ready to part from his boyfriend hongjoong. the hand in hongjoong's hair slips down to cradle his jaw and suspend them there for just a moment longer before the leader pulls back to speak.
we don't have to decide everything right now
he nods and follows the leader into the car and toward town. the beginnings of autumn flash past the windows, a beautiful backdrop for hongjoong's side profile while seonghwa drones on about the lego set he bought on a recent off-day. it's that or hyperfocus on the urge to pull the car over, reach across the middle console and kiss hongjoong senseless, so for their safety, he continues on about the millennium falcon lego set until they get to town.
in the shop, seonghwa plays the part of composed and polite. he orders and receives his acai bowl with a perfect smile, but every moment that he isn't engaging with the staff, he can't manage to tear his eyes from his leader. in this moment, he can't wrap his mind around the fact that they're... together. they eat together is comfortable silence amongst the other diners, the unusual normalcy of it all making the singer feel more at ease than he has in a long time.
"how's yours, jagiya?" seonghwa keeps his voice low enough that only hongjoong can hear him. "i like mine. want to try?"
260214 🩸 adrenaline
hwa: hi! how was Chile?
hwa: I saw a video from your performance :) it was great as usual
hwa: we’ll be in LA next week if you want to meet for another Korean lesson ;)
@azetrofalaihpos
"We're coming to the cottage." 🛖 | @star-hwaa
The luxurious cottage breathes quietly.
An unfamiliar feeling settling down at first before it soaks deep into your skin. For weeks and weeks noise had been a constant accompaniment. Crowds roaring like tidal waves in every filled stadium and arena, in-ears crackling as it dictate cues, the endless thrum of planes and vans from point A to point B. That even the silence in the backstage had always carried the aftertaste of pumping adrenaline.
Yet here... it's entirely different.
Just the soft surrender of wood grain as morning light pours in through the balcony doors, stretching across the wooden floorboards claiming the space before careful footfalls approach in hushed creaks. Hongjoong already awake. Leaning against the kitchen counter with mug warming within palms, strands of hair still damp from the shower—an old habit that's tough to break. Constant touring and various schedules have carved strange rhythms into the body enhanced more by jet lags, taking a while for it to loosen their grip.
The day comes slower here—no managers knocking, no alarms blaring just to snooze.
Just the ocean.
And Seonghwa.
❝ What do you want to do today? ❞
Porcelain tapping softly against the counter as the mug lands. Crossing the room slowly as there's no need to rush for once, no, just the soothing rhythm they mutually need and crave. Fingers already reaching out without thinking, brushing lightly through the soft fringe of Seonghwa's hair.
❝ Other than nothing. ❞
there’s something delicate about the moment Seonghwa finds himself in this morning. no schedules, no urgency unlike the last several days. today there is only the soft sound of the waves, the warm aroma of coffee, and most importantly, hongjoong.
‘what do you want to do today?’
the question is expected yet he has no answer prepared. and joong, ever the expert on how seonghwa thinks, already has the counter argument for an answer he hasn’t even given yet. a soft, amused chuckle leaves his lips as he re-considers his response.
“I was thinking…” he runs a hand through the damn strands that stick to Joong’s forehead. “…we could go get one of those smoothie bowls for breakfast…” his other hand trails lightly down the leader’s arm as he takes a small step closer. “…then come back here and lay in the shade on the back porch…” another step closer “we can get some rest after all of the shows lately…” another step and they’re practically chest to chest “or not.”
the last words are spoken against the shell of hongjoong’s ear just in time for seonghwa to pull back and press a light kiss to the shorter man’s lips. “as long as i’m with you, i’m up for anything.”
hwa: noona, we're in your hometown hwa: can i bring you anything from home? @rosieisroses
rosie: omg hwaaaaurrr you’re always so sweet 🥹
rosie: nothing really, just enjoy australia for me
rosie: but if you happen to see the double coated tim tams… i wouldn’t complain
rosie: how are you liking it so far? have you tried any meat pies yet? 🥧
hwa: i'll keep my eye out for them :) hwa: it's lovely. very hot compared to seoul, but i'll take it after the winter we've had lol hwa: meat pies? do they make steak ones? hwa: how was england? did you have fun? congratulations on your award btw!!
hwa: noona, we're in your hometown hwa: can i bring you anything from home? @rosieisroses
seonghwa smiles as they walk up to yunho's door. a red envelope in one hand and keys to a rental car in the other. a late seollal mixed with an early birthday celebration for the oldest child dancer. they considered sending a text to ensure yunho was actually home from milan, but if not today then the singer could easily come back another time.
they knocked once before realizing that the door was already open. "oh," they shook their head with a soft smile and let themselves inside, making a mental note to remind the boys about the importance of locking the door at a later time.
"yunho-yah," soft voice carries down the hall just enough to garner attention. "are you busy?"
@jyhss
seonghwa checked his phone for a response, though he already knew he wouldn't find one. he'd sent a text he knew would go unanswered, but that was an answer in itself. a soft chuckle left his lips as he turned his back on the butcher aisle. phone slipped carefully into his pocket as he made his way to the beers and pulled a case of hongjoong's favorite brand.
he considers texting hongjoong as he heads toward the company building. but he knows the leader well enough to know the answer to any question he'd potentially ask him at the moment. so instead, he stops at joon'gs favorite fried chicken shop and orders their usual. extra sauce and extra napkins. he cradles the bag to his chest to shield it from the wind until he's safely inside of the company building. it's all muscle memory, from the swipe of his company badge to the combination on hongjoong's studio door.
inside, hongjoong is exactly how how he expects to find him: headphones around his neck, hair tucked into a beanie, posture a mess from leaning too close to his laptop. the familiar sight makes seonghwa break into a smile on instinct. "hey, how's the track coming?"
@omgimtaller
Steady hand stays braced against the edge of the desk, the other hovering uselessly over the trackpad, completely forgotten what it's meant to do. Music still running low through the monitors, looping into the studio headphones, though ever busy mind remains half-submerged in stems and unfinished lyrics. Particularly presence cutting through, a cherished frequency, cadence that registers before anything else. Instantly recognized syncopated rhythm. Never bothering to be filtered out.
Then the smell hits him—
BHC fried chicken, hot ppurinkle...
Comfort.
Shoulders easing a fraction, breath leaving between slightly parted lips in a mixture of a half-laugh and half-sigh. Leaning back as the chair creaks in protest, beanie pushed too far back, hair springing free in uneven strands. Dark circles barely hidden beneath the studio's light, posture wrecked in that familiar way that would only mean hours spent too long yet doesn't regret a single second.
❝ Hey. ❞ Voice almost a rough rasp but warm, eyes flicking up to finally meet the direct source of familiar comfort. Headphones now sliding down, resting against the collarbone. ❝ The track's been... ❞ Consideration, maybe a sprinkle of hesitation with a tilt of his head. ❝ ...stubborn. It's close. Keeps circling the same set of bars like it doesn't want to move forward. ❞
There's a pause, the sound of chair rolling to give more space for him to step further inside hums in between. ❝ You didn't have to. ❞ Not a protest just pure acknowledgement rolled into gratitude. Hand reaching out without looking until it finds the edge of the bag, knuckle brushing against Seonghwa's wrist in passing. ❝ Let's eat? ❞
seonghwa pauses just inside the doorway, the door clicking shut softly behind him. the studio hums—machines alive, lights a little too bright—and his eyes go first where they always do: hongjoong’s eyes. bright regardless of the sleeplessness, warm despite the chill in the studio.
the smell of fried chicken follows him in, warm and unmistakable. he catches the way it reaches hongjoong before he does, the way recognition settles in his body without permission, and something fond curves quietly in seonghwa’s chest.
“i know,” he says when hongjoong speaks, voice gentle, unhurried. then, softer, more honest than practical—“i wanted to.”
he steps further in only when there’s space made for him, mindful, as always. when hongjoong’s knuckle brushes his wrist, it’s brief, accidental, and still enough to make seonghwa’s fingers tighten reflexively around the bag. he doesn’t pull away. he only lingers in the moment for as long as the leader will indulge him with the small show of skinship.
“you’ve been hiding yourself away again. forgetting the rest of the world,” he murmurs teasing, an observation offered lightly. he moves to the small table near the couch and sets the bag down, unwrapping things with quiet care, arranging them so hongjoong won’t have to think about where to put his hands next.
when he straightens, he lingers there for a beat, eyes on hongjoong now, expression open but restrained. affection sits easily on him; he’s learned how to hold it without forcing it forward.
“you don’t have to tell me about the track if you don’t want to,” he adds, then, as if correcting himself gently. “or you can. either way.”
a small tilt of his head toward the couch—not a command, just an invitation. “we can eat first.”
there’s something unspoken threading the space between them, familiar and changed all at once. seonghwa feels it, the quiet question neither of them has named yet. he doesn’t rush it. he’s content, for now, to bridge the distance with an outstretched hand, offering hongjoong as much or as little as he would like in this moment.
hwa: i think you are far from worrying about such things, noona hwa: and we both could use a little bit of indulgence these days hwa: i fear the rescue team is my kids. do you trust your fate in the hands of wooyoung and yunho? hwa: also knock knock i'm outside :)
APT. APT. 🏠 | @star-hwaa
rosie: knock knock? don't tell me you're the welcome gift and the delivery guy forgot to put a bow on you 😭 rosie: wait i'm fluffing the pillows and lighting my 9th candle!!! the apartment deserves to look like i have my life together for at least 5 minutes juseyo 💀 rosie: yunho and wooyoung? omg if they're the rescue team i better start writing my will stat 😭
Lock clicking open, the faint swirl of lavender and honey drifts through the doorway—one of the many candles which was part of the official welcoming committee. A last-minute panic, to be honest. As if the scent alone could erase the lingering traces of bubble wrap and endless rolls of kraft paper. Peering out, one fluffy socked foot peeking first then followed by a flushed-cheeked face framed by a messy half-up bun. Wine glass in one hand, phone in the other, cracking the door wider with that sheepish grin that makes her cheeks puff.
❝ Welcome to my box kingdom~ Population: me, my commitment issues and my beloved first born, Hank. Come in, take a deep breath and please try not to judge me for having a box labeled as 'emotional support mugs.' ❞
"wow," seonghwa lets out a soft gasp as the warm smell and the warm smile of his friend greet all of his senses. he follows the older idol inside and slips off his shoes like second nature. "i love your place." he follows the singer further inside, the bottle of wine he'd brought suddenly replaced with a glass before he even realizes it. not that he'd ever complain about such things.
he giggles and steals a glance at the aforementioned box of mugs. "you know i would never judge you for something like that." hank's paw at his leg brings his attention lower. "hey there, handsome." with his free hand, he reaches down to pick up the pup. "speaking of things i wouldn't judge you for, i noticed you were talking to jungwon at that party." he takes a sip of his wine and watches her reaction from over the brim of the glass.
seonghwa checked his phone for a response, though he already knew he wouldn't find one. he'd sent a text he knew would go unanswered, but that was an answer in itself. a soft chuckle left his lips as he turned his back on the butcher aisle. phone slipped carefully into his pocket as he made his way to the beers and pulled a case of hongjoong's favorite brand.
he considers texting hongjoong as he heads toward the company building. but he knows the leader well enough to know the answer to any question he'd potentially ask him at the moment. so instead, he stops at joon'gs favorite fried chicken shop and orders their usual. extra sauce and extra napkins. he cradles the bag to his chest to shield it from the wind until he's safely inside of the company building. it's all muscle memory, from the swipe of his company badge to the combination on hongjoong's studio door.
inside, hongjoong is exactly how how he expects to find him: headphones around his neck, hair tucked into a beanie, posture a mess from leaning too close to his laptop. the familiar sight makes seonghwa break into a smile on instinct. "hey, how's the track coming?"
@omgimtaller
seonghwa turned at the sound of his name, surprised but quick to soften his features into something welcoming. sophia was familiar. he remembered brief greetings backstage at other shows, and he loved her group’s music. now, she was standing a little closer, her expression poised, though there was something behind her eyes that flickered quick and nervous. seonghwa smiled, dipping his head slightly. “yes?” his tone was gentle, inviting her to continue. he nodded along as she proposed dinner, the thought of helping a junior warming him. when she asked for his number, he didn’t hesitate. “of course,” he said, his smile reassuring, as though to ease whatever worry had tightened her words. “if it helps you, i’ll do my best. conversation over a meal can be good practice.”
he took her phone delicately, the smooth weight of it settling in his hand. out of habit, he entered his full name rather than just seonghwa, making sure the spelling was correct in english as well as korean. “there,” he said, passing the phone back with both hands. “you can send me a message when it’s convenient for you, and we’ll find a time that works.” he could remember his nerves to speak to his seniors in past interactions, so he gave her hand a soft squeeze before pulling away. he was about to ask why she was asking him of all people when his manager told him they had to leave. he gave her an apologetic smile and small nod of his head. a quick “i’ll look forward to your message,” before he was led away.
her phone felt heavier in her hand, like it was carrying the whole world inside it now. his name—park seonghwa, typed neatly in hangul—sat in her contacts list like something unreal. she scrolled up and down just to see it again, as though it might vanish if she blinked too long. she replayed it all in her head, again and again. the way he’d looked up when she called his name, eyes steady, a small, almost shy smile tugging at his mouth. he’d tilted his head a little when she spoke, listening so intently it made her skin warm. and when he’d handed her phone back—god, the way his fingers had lingered for that half-second longer than they needed to. she could still feel that faint brush against her knuckles, electric and soft.
her chest felt too full. she kept her smile small, not wanting to look ridiculous in the hallway, but inside she was fizzing like soda. she’d done it. she’d actually asked. sophia tucked her phone into her bag, pressing it close to her side as if that could anchor the feeling. seonghwa’s manager had pulled him away too quickly for her to say more, but maybe that was for the best—if she’d lingered another second, she might’ve blushed too hard, or laughed, or done something that gave her away completely. she held out on texting him until she'd gotten back to her dressing room, but when the girls were turned away, she typed and deleted a handful of times before she finally messaged him.
sophia: hi it's sophia :) do you have dinner plans on friday?
the message from sophia came when the van hit a long stretch of traffic.
seonghwa glanced down at his phone, blinking once at the unfamiliar notification before remembering—ah. she had said she would text.
hi it's sophia :) do you have dinner plans on friday?
his thumb brushed the edge of his phone as he considered his schedule. if she wanted conversation practice, he could make time for dinner. it wasn’t the first time someone younger had asked for help.
seonghwa: hi, sophia-ssi. friday should be fine for me. would 7pm work for you?
by the time they returned to the dorm, he slipped inside with that familiar bone-deep tiredness that tended to settle after long filming days. hongjoong was already on the couch, curled into one corner with a blanket over his lap, the television flickering muted blues across his face. seonghwa toed off his shoes and crossed the room, lowering himself onto the couch without a word and let his shoulder rest near hongjoong’s, close enough to feel the faint heat of him. his eyes fluttered half-closed, allowing the sound of the show to blur into something soothing. here, on the couch beside hongjoong, he felt himself exhale fully for the first time that day.
friday evening
seonghwa arrived a few minutes early. he always did. standing just outside the restaurant she’d chosen, he adjusted the fall of his coat and glanced at the soft reflection in the window—checking, not for vanity, but to make sure he didn’t look too tired, too closed-off.
he wanted to be welcoming. approachable. he sent a message in the group chat that he would be gone for dinner before walking inside to wait for his dinner companion.
the words pull him back to himself—soft, almost teasing, but carrying that quiet care hongjoong always forgets leaks through. seonghwa freezes without meaning to, the instinct to obey kicking in before thought can catch up. "sorry, ja-... joong-ah." he feels the air shift between them, hongjoong’s breath close enough to stir the fine strands of hair near his temple, the faint scrape of a ring brushing against fabric as those careful hands reach for him.
hongjoong’s focus is absolute—eyes narrowed in concentration, lips parted just slightly, tongue pressing against the inside of his cheek as he fixes the wing’s delicate structure. seonghwa’s heart stumbles at the sight. it’s always like this, watching him work—precision wrapped in chaos, somehow both divine and human in the same breath.
and there it is. the kind of line that sounds simple on the surface, but lands somewhere deep. something in seonghwa’s stomach flips; he looks away before he can be caught staring, though the corners of his mouth threaten to give him away. "i don't?" he shouldn’t, but he reaches up, fingertips brushing lightly against hongjoong’s wrist as if steadying himself. the touch is fleeting, barely there, but it’s his way of holding on. "careful, you'll make me believe you mean that."
The apology slipping through the air, soft and instinctive. Yet why does it land heavier than it should? As it doesn't have a place right here, where they both are, as if forgetting it shouldn't even exist. A laugh almost escapes. Almost. Its sound gets stuck somewhere in his throat, right where Seonghwa's very voice had settled moments before. ❝ Sorry... ❞ repeating the word under his breath, letting it stay until it decides to fade. ❝ Don't be. ❞
Fingers moving light, one last thread looped and tightened. Watching as a feather falls perfectly in place as though it had always belonged there. Hands still hover in the air. Habit, a rather bad one. Always the hovering. Before one finally dares itself to land against Seonghwa's shoulder. Focus lingering on the wing. Over the craftsmanship, on the perfection one doesn't usually admit he keeps on chasing. And perhaps, that's the problem. Beauty is way easier to look at when it's built by his hands—and not when it's staring right back at him.
❝ Careful.❞ Word lacing with a small smirk curving across his lips. ❝ You and I both know I never lie about art. ❞
[ I meant it too much, maybe. ]
Shifting slightly, setting the final feather in place, fingers brushing along the arch of the wing. It catches on the slab of glue, on the pulse just sitting just beneath skin. Movements staying careful and precise, yet there's something quieter...
❝ You say things like that, and I end up proving you right. ❞
hongjoong’s words settle into him, soft but charged, and seonghwa feels that familiar ache at the center of his chest—the one he’s been pretending isn’t there since the hotel. since their mouths found each other like it was inevitable.
he draws a slow breath, trying to steady himself, but hongjoong’s hand is still on his shoulder and the warmth of it keeps undoing every attempt at composure. still, he lets that warmth in. lets it anchor him instead of scare him.
“you… do that a lot,” seonghwa says quietly, eyes tracing the line of hongjoong’s jaw before he catches himself. “prove me right.”
he means it more tenderly than he can safely admit, but he doesn’t look away this time. doesn’t hide. the studio lights catch in hongjoong’s hair, on the curve of his cheekbone, on the small streak of shimmer he must’ve brushed against while adjusting the wings—and something inside seonghwa softens further, impossibly so.
his hand lifts before he even thinks about it—slow, careful, giving hongjoong every chance to step back. when he doesn’t, seonghwa lets his fingertips brush just under the sleeve seam at hongjoong’s bicep, thumb resting lightly against warm skin. not clinging, just touching. grounding them both.
“joong,” he murmurs—gentle, almost steady despite the tremor in his ribs. it’s not a question, not yet, but the name carries too much truth to be casual.
“thank you,” he says, voice low but clear. “for… being this careful with me.”
his thumb grazes once, barely anything, but the affection in it is unmistakable.
“i notice,” he adds, almost a whisper. “even when you think i don’t.”
he could say more. there’s so much more hovering at the back of his throat, pressing to be named. but for now, he lets this be enough—the closeness, the softness, his hand resting over hongjoong’s arm like a question he’s too afraid to voice. "you should know... i'm not so fragile as you might think." there's the smallest hint of mischief in his voice, an invitation not quite extended by presented to the other. "should we leave soon?"
seonghwa's smile grew when the door opened, a soft chuckled slipping past their lips at the baby's cry. "well, hello to both of you." shoes were slipped off and homemade seaweed soup found a place on the counter by the time minnie had returned with the baby in her arms. "oh," the softest sound of endearment left the younger idol's lips. "hi sleepyhead." they took a step closer and glanced at the couch. "should we take a seat? i'm sure this little one keeps you on your feet a lot."
minnie came back into the room with james nestled against her shoulder, his tiny face scrunched as he let out another faint whimper before settling again. her hand moved in slow, instinctive pats on his back as she smiled at the sight of the container on the counter. "you really didn’t have to bring that," she said, voice soft but sincere, a hint of gratitude threading through her exhaustion. "but thank you, seriously. i think i’ve been surviving on coffee lately." she glanced up at seonghwa’s gentle expression, the corners of her lips lifting just a little more. "yeah, sitting sounds good," she admitted, nodding toward the couch. she shifted towards the couch. once seated, she tilted her head slightly toward james, her tone quieter now. "you want to say hi to your uncle seonghwa?" she murmured, brushing her thumb over his tiny fist before looking back up at the other. "you can hold him, if you want. he’s been on his best behavior today, which probably means he’s plotting something for later."
the comment about the soup makes him shrug. "i wanted to," he gently assures her. "you're still recovering, and seaweed soup is supposed to be one of the best things you can eat during this time." a playful tsk slipped past his lips. "you need to take care of yourself so that you have the strength to take care of others. i'll be sure to scold your husband for not feeding you well enough the next time i see it." an empty threat, but he hoped it would make her smile.
he follows her to the couch, one arm extended behind her as she sat down in case she needed steadying. just the idea of holding the angel makes his grin split his face. "if that's okay, i'd love to." he extends his arms out to received james, and seonghwa feels as though he might melt into the floor when minnie hands him the baby. it takes most of his self-control to not squeal with fondness over the tiny person in his arms. "hello sweetheart," he coos softly. warm eyes take in every detail of james, his small hands clenched around nothing, pink cheeks perfectly full and soft. "i take it sleep training is taking some effort?"
SEONGHWA The Show 240604 — WORK Ending Fairies 2/8