They gathered at Taehyun’s room after a super full meal. It was right to listen to Mino's suggestion. He was definitely more relax after spending the last hour eating n laughing at s goofing off. He was really feeling more at ease.

However, as he sees Mino sitting in front of his desk with the earphones plugged in and listening to his track, he feels a sense of nervousness settling in as he wonder what is Mino thinking right now.

Yet with this nervousness, he seems to be more aware of his surroundings or just the rapper that is sitting beside him right now to be more precise. Like how his hair is messy and semi wet since he must have quickly ran through his hair with his towel before coming to his room, how his loose singlet shows off his toned biceps or how the smell of his shampoo mixed with his soap gives off the scent that is uniquely Mino and Taehyun could recognise that is him even with the lights off.

If he shifts closer just a little more, he could put his head on Mino’s broad shoulders.

Wait a minute… What on earth are you thinking about?! Get a grip on yourself!

Taehyun stands up abruptly as his minds starts to fill up with thoughts about the rapper just beside him oblivious to the maknae's insane thoughts.

"Is everything ok, Taehyunie? You seem tensed." Mino asks as he is startled by the sudden movement from the maknae.

"Yeah. So what do you think?" Quickly changing the focus of the topic to music, hoping to get his mind off crazy things and shift back to the main purpose of both of them converging in his room at 3am in the morning.

"You are right though, it does sounds off. It does not sound like you. If you know what I mean... it as just you seem troubled and it is showing."

He answers the maknae, taking off the earphones and swiveling the chair so that he is facing the maknae directly. It is not unnoticed to him that the younger guy in front of him looks uncomfortable and a hint of embarrassment too.

"Nothing is wrong. I am fine." Taehyun answers curtly without meaning to.

"Stop lying. What is happening? You seem to be pushing me away again. We used to be able to share everything with each other."

Mino retorts not understanding why things have changed between him and the younger. Weren't they okay before? Something has changed the maknae and he is starting to get tired of threading carefully around the younger and being unable to read him.

Mino lets out a defeated sigh when he sees the maknae is silent and refusing to talk. He mutters a good night and left the younger's room, leaving Taehyun alone to sort out his thoughts and hopefully they will be back to how they are soon.

Taehyun lets out a breath that he was even aware he was holding in as he watched Mino leaving his room, leaving him to face his conflicting thoughts.

~~~~0~~~~

The unofficial cold war lasted for the next few weeks. Taehyun avoided Mino whenever he could. Offering short answers or smiling without quite reaching his eyes whenever Mino spoke to him. It was like they are playing a cat and mouse game with each other, both trying hard not to be at the same place at the same time.

“Is there something wrong with you and Mino, Taehyun-ah?” Jinwoo asks as they took a break after recording.

“Nothing is wrong, we are fine. Why?”

“Well, it is just that you both are avoiding each other. I thought you both are good friends. Well, I think you both should talk it out, I could tell he misses your company.” 

Taehyun sighs as he promised the oldest boy he will do something. For the oldest to point out that something is wrong, things are pretty bad since Jinwoo is the slowest to pick up on things.

Taehyun pretty much got it figure out he maybe liking the rapper a little too much to be still considered as acceptable within the confines of friendship. He figured that he needs to settle his current state of mind or risk losing Mino. The only way to do that would be to face the issue dead on.

“Hyung, are you awake? Can I come in?” Taehyun asks, knocking light on the door.

It was one of those nights where they came back early from their schedule. Seeing that the door to the rapper’s room was slight ajar, Taehyun decided to finally pluck the courage to talk.

“Sure, come in. So we are on speaking terms now?” Mino answered but was unable to stop himself from adding the last remark.

Taehyun inwardly flinched a little at Mino’s curt tone but who would be if the person whom they thought was their best friend suddenly pulls a 180?

“I am sorry for treating you like that. It was just I was confused and unsure about something but I have already gotten it figured out.”

“So what have you figured out?”

 “Well, I figured out that I like you a lot than a friend should for a while now. Or maybe it was ever since we got close but then again I was too clueless to pay attention to it. I am sorry for the way I have been treating you but I could not face you until I could come to terms with what I was feeling for you. So yeah, I guess that what I am going to tell you so I will go back to my room now.”

Taehyun answers quickly deciding the sooner he gets the words he wants to express the way the sooner he can escape to his room. Without looking at the stunned expression of the rapper, he quickly and soundlessly makes his quick escape.

As soon as Taehyun reach his room, he hears a quick shuffle of feet and the sound of his door closing with the soft click of the lock. Stunned, he turns only to see Mino leaning against the door and his expression was unreadable.

“Yah, Nam Taehyun! I was made to thread so carefully around you these past few weeks was because you figured you like me more than friends?!” Mino could not help but exclaim.

Now that Taehyun thinks about it, he realizes how childish he has been. However, before he could formulate any reply, he was pulled into Mino’s arms and was shocked when Mino suddenly leans forward to capture his lips in a kiss.

“I swear you will be the death of me, Nam Taehyun. I have been driving myself crazy because I have been wondering what I did to piss you off.” Mino breathes as he rests his forehead against the younger’s.

“I am sorry, hyung.” Taehyun murmurs, feeling the warmth from the rapper’s breath making him feel all dizzy and light headed in a pretty good way. His mind is hyper aware that Mino’s arms is still around his waist and if his mind is not playing tricks on him, they tightened slightly. He felt oddly secure with therapper's arms around him like it was meant to be so.

“So you have been liking me as much as I. I am happy to know that, Taehyunie. Very happy.” Mino says pulling back to look at Taehyun’s features that he has been missing for a while. He could not help let out a smirk and grins.

Taehyun nods as he lets out a sigh of reief knowing that his feelings are being reciprocated. He could not help but let out a smile as Mino leans in again to peck his lips in a chaste kiss. Feeling unsatisfied, Taehyun pulls Mino in for a deeper kiss as they reaffirm their affection for each other.

~~~~0~~~~

“You know I think you still need to pay for what you put me through the past few weeks. It was a mental tourture.” Mino tells the younger guy who was curled beside him on the bed, the younger’s back absently.

“Why? I have already apologized!” Taehyun looks up only to find Mino pouting cutely at him.

“Fine, if that makes you feel better.” Taehyun sighs and rolls his eyes. Apparently Mino is still pretty sore over that little incident.

“Promise me that you will always stay beside me no matter what happens.” Mino states with a completely straight face while Taehyun gags at his boyfriend’s cheesiness.

“I can’t believe you will something as cheesy as that. But oh well, it is a cheap price so okay I promise.” He chuckles as he leans in to give Mino a kiss to seal the deal.