Theme: First love feelings, butterflies, adorable tension.
Tone: Fluffy, heart-fluttering, playful and sweet.
Setting: Best friends turning into something more.
You and Minghao had always been just friends.
Movie marathons, late-night ramen runs, endless teasing, it was easy, effortless, perfect.
Until suddenly... it wasn't.
One day, you laughed too hard at something he said, and he swore his heart skipped a beat.
One day, he caught you tucking your hair behind your ear, and he had to look away before he smiled like an idiot.
One day, he realized; you weren't just pretty.
God, he needed to tell you.
But every time he tried, the words stuck to his tongue like gum on a hot sidewalk.
"You look..." he'd start, heart pounding. Then he'd chicken out, shoving a chip in his mouth instead.
"You're...cool," he blurted once, and immediately wanted to crawl into a hole.
You just smiled at him, clueless and sunshine-bright, and it made it so much worse.
One afternoon, you dragged him to a tiny carnival that popped up downtown.
The sun was setting, painting the sky in pinks and golds, and you looked so beautiful it actually hurt to look at you.
As you ran ahead toward a cotton candy stand, laughing, Minghao stared after you — heart in his throat, fists clenched at his sides.
"Say it," he muttered to himself. "Say it, idiot."
You turned back, grinning, waving him over.
And something inside him snapped.
He jogged up to you, a little breathless, and before he could lose his nerve, he grabbed your wrist, spun you around and said it.
Just the raw, messy truth.
You blinked at him. Once, twice, and then your cheeks flushed pinker than the sunset.
"Minghao..." you breathed.
And he smiled. That shy, boyish smile he only ever gave you and ducked his head.
"I like you," he added, softer this time. "A lot."
You just reached up, lacing your fingers with his, and squeezed.
And in that moment, under fairy lights and cotton candy skies, Minghao decided:
The world could fall apart tomorrow.
