It’s been over two weeks since they broke out into a fight in the park. To be exact, two weeks and three days since Seungyoon last talked to him. It’s not like Mino is counting the days intentionally. He just feels so empty that he starts noticing how agonizingly slow his time is passing without Seungyoon around.

To him, it already feels like years. He misses him so bad to an extent that it’s not just a pure desire of wanting to see someone. It has become something more. Like losing a part of himself and feeling incomplete kind of missing.

He wants to be able to talk to Seungyoon and spend time beside him like before. He wants them to be normal again. But what he did that day was not so normal after all.

He kissed him. And to top it off, he confessed that he liked him.

Mino kissed a guy.

As someone who identifies himself to be straight, that act is the polar opposite of normal. But he doesn’t hate it. AT ALL. To be honest, he enjoys it a bit too much. His heart flutters every time that memory pops up and aches terribly whenever he remembers that Seungyoon is with someone else now.

After the first week being deprived of Seungyoon’s warm presence in his life and after learning how painful it was for him, he defeatedly admitted that he was falling for his best friend.

It was hard for him to accept it at first. But as he sees Seungyoon trying hard to hide his sad look and running away whenever he sees Mino, he’s become more certain of his feeling. So, he resolves he needs to come clean. To explain to Seungyoon why he did what he did and that he sincerely meant those words. But with Seungyoon avoiding him and their secret rule to not talk to each other in front of other people is not helping at all. And Mino is so much of a coward to go find him in his place. He thinks he won’t be able to handle another humiliation in front of Seungyoon and his boyfriend.

 

So he waits and waits and waits for his chance to come.

 

And it finally arrives. Only in a way he didn’t expect.

 

It’s a Saturday evening. Mino drags his lazy arse out of his room to meet up with friends in the café near their university. Just after they have placed their orders and sit down, the chimes hung on the door rings softly. Mino absent-mindedly glances at the entrance, only to see the guy he misses the most together with the guy he wants to see the least coming in; Seungyoon and his boyfriend.

Mino doesn’t realize how long or how hard he’s been staring. The couple finally notice his presence. Seungyoon flinches visibly and his boyfriend’s jaw tenses when they see him. Seungyoon seems like he doesn’t want to be in the café anymore. He says something to the guy but his boyfriend shakes his head to him. Mino guesses Seungyoon must be asking to leave.

But in the end, they don’t.

The only place left in the café is the table near the wall right across from Mino, unfortunately? They are in his line of eyesight and he sees them even without trying. Mino has lost interest in whatever their friends are discussing. All his interests (and concerns) are on the couple the moment they came in.

Seungyoon puts down the tray with their orders on the table. The guy says something to him, he gets up and leaves the table. Seungyoon comes back with straws in his hand. He hands one of them and sits back down just to be asked again to go get something else at the counter. The guy has this annoying smirk on his face while sending Seungyoon on errands. It’s like he wants Mino to see who has the upper hand.

Seungyoon seems to know the motive of his boyfriend and yet, he still gets up and fulfils whatever he is asked to do without complaint. And that annoys Mino so much. He grabs the tissue paper and crumples it up into a ball. He almost throws it at the guy but he holds it in. Seungyoon would be mad if he does that. He reminds himself. He doesn’t wanna make him mad. Anymore. Cos he already did.

After a while, he comes back with a piece of cake. It’s only into a minute when the guy (obviously on purpose) slips and knocks the coffee cup over and spills it onto Seungyoon.

Seungyoon gasps in shock. He’s wearing light blue colored jeans and the coffee immediately stains the pants. He smugly hands out a tissue with a half- apology.

“Oops. Sorry! Didn’t mean to.”

What makes the matter worse is the guy not offering any help at all. Now the whole café’s attention is on the couple. They seem somehow curious that the guy is not helping but just watching calmly. Seungyoon’s face turns red from embarrassment. He lowers his head and hurriedly wipes the stain on his pants but it’s not working.

Mino’s anger aggravates. And he decides he’s had enough.

He clicks his tongue loudly that his friends eye him questioningly.

“Don’t you see that jerk? Someone needs to do something.”

He springs from his chair and heads toward the table. He hears one of his friends in the background pointing out_

“You guys don’t even talk anymore. Why bother?”

“Why bother?” Well because he’s in love with that guy. That’s why he must.

He doesn’t reply but will definitely say it out loud one day. He doesn’t care if their “we are strangers” façade would get exposed or it’ll be high school all over again. He doesn’t care.

From now on at least.

 

He strides towards them and stands beside the table. Seungyoon looks up. His eyes shocked and worried.

“Seungyoon, get up!” He grabs his wrist and commands.

“Min.. Mino. It’s ok.”

“Ok my ! You’re not Ok. Lucky the coffee is not hot.”

He gives his wrist a light pull and Seungyoon stands up from his seat. The brown stain on his pants becomes more obvious. Mino quickly takes off his jacket and ties it around Seungyoon’s waist. He pulls him toward the door when the guy grabs Seungyoon’s free hand.

“Where do you think you’re going? Sit down.”

Mino sends Seungyoon behind him and breaks off the hand that is grabbing the latter.

“Back off!” He snarls.

“You back off! I am his boyfriend. Not a coward who wouldn’t dare speak to him in public.” The guy retorts pointing his finger at his chest. He feels like that finger is not poking his body but his insecurity and wound. And at that, Mino loses his mind. He swings a punch at the guy’s face and the guy falls over.

He’s so enraged that doesn’t even realize what he did or what happened. When he notices, Seungyoon is already grabbing his hand and running in front of him, away from the café.

They stop when they reach an alley. Both out of breath from running. Seungyoon lets go of his hand. They ask each other in unison_

“Why did you hit him?” “Why did you run away?”

Seungyoon glares at him but his expression doesn’t hold any anger. Mino feels his heart lighten cos at least Seungyoon is talking to him again. He becomes hopeful. He responses_

“He’s bullying you. I saw everything.”

“It’s not really serious. I can handle that. He’s.. He’s just jealous of you.” Seungyoon kicks the pebble under his foot and answers hesitantly.

 “Jealous? Jealous for what? He’s your boyfriend. I should be the one jealous.” He responds, cannot believing what he hears. 

“Tsk!” Seungyoon clicks his tongue in frustration. “You don’t know.”

“Yeah. I don’t know and that’s why I’m asking.”

“Nah. He’s just crazy.” Seungyoon dismisses the question wanting no more probing.

“Yeah, he must be crazy to treat you like this. If I were him, I would pamper you, treat you like a princess.”

Seungyoon snorts at that but his face breaks into an adorable smile. His eyes crinkle.

“What kind of nonsense is that? Why am I the princess?”

Mino’s heart overflows with affection and warmth to finally see that smile again. He holds Seungyoon’s shoulders with both hands.

“I don’t know. The only thing I know is that I like you so much Seungyoon. More than a friend.”

Seungyoon’s smile melts into a frown. He sputters_

“But you.. you are not even gay Mino. It’s possible that you feel jealous cos I’m dating someone now and you thought we won’t be close anymore. And lose your best friend to someone else and.. and”

Mino interrupts_ “Well, I see you know a lot more about being gay. So answer me these. Will you call me gay or straight when I wanna kiss my guy friend’s lips and can’t stop thinking about it all the damn time? Or when I feel like holding him close to me just to feel his warmth and his scent? Or.. what else.. When I feel aroused to see him wearing that y.. hmphh”

He cannot finish as Seungyoon presses his lips onto him. His best friend Kang Seungyoon is frigging kissing him!

So he returns the kiss.

His heart beating wildly in his ribcage and his stomach doing summersault out of joy.

When they break the kiss, Seungyoon whispers breathlessly_

“Yes! That does sound gay.”

Mino pecks his lips again and smiles. “So?"

Seungyoon questions with feign innocence_ “So what?”

“So what do you think of me?”

Seungyoon rolls his eyes.

“You’re so dense. Why do you think my boyfriend is jealous of you? It’s because he found out his boyfriend is in love with his best friend aka you!”

Mino’s eyes widen. He gapes at him silently not knowing what to say. Seungyoon continues_

“Today is our last day together cos I’m breaking up with him. That’s why he’s making me do all those petty things. And I did cos I felt bad for him.”

So after all, his best friend likes him too. His Seungyoon likes him back. As the realization dawn, his head feels light and woozy. He feels like dancing in the middle of the street like in those musicals.

He excitedly asks_

“So we are a couple now right?”

Seungyoon gasps dramatically_

“NO! I don’t date Pabos.”

Seungyoon jokes and Mino pouts cutely. He knows Seungyoon is weak to his aegyo.

“But I’m only Pabo for you.”

“Yes, you’d better be.”

Seungyoon intertwines their fingers and drags him out of that alley.

“Let’s go eat something my Pabo boyfriend. I’m hungry.”

Mino follows him, grinning like a fool at the term of endearment.

 

 

_______________________________________________________

“Why did you make me run away earlier?”

“Because that guy is a Taikwondo black belt. He can beat you up into pulp.”

“Oh my god! He’s from our University right? Should I quit school?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

“Imm~ please protect me princess.”

“YA!!!!”