When he returned to the small circle of people who were sitting on the grass, Jonghyun saw that most of them were snickering knowingly.

“What?” He asked as he sat back down in his spot.

“Did you seriously ask for his name?” Aaron asked, not even trying to hide his smirk.

Jonghyun grimaced in confusion. “Yeah? We didn’t do the introductions when I knocked him over earlier.”

Eunbyul threw a pen at Jonghyun. “You ! You shouldn’t need introductions!” She exclaimed through laughter.

“I thought you were serious about becoming a trainee,” Hayeong added.

Twirling the newly acquired pen, Jonghyun looked between his four friends. “Can anyone just tell me what’s going on?”

“What they mean is,” Dongho spoke, being the only one to offer an actual explanation, “You just invited Choi Minki to a date. Choi Minki as in CEO Choi’s son. Pledis Entertainment? Remember, you wanted to audition there?”

Jonghyun suddenly realized that he’d deserved all the ridicule. He truly should have known. He turned around and glanced at the direction where Minki had disappeared. “But isn’t Minki supposed to be like... Eight?”

“He ages, you !” Eunbyul said, still snickering about Jonghyun’s obliviousness.

“It’s been a while since I’ve last seen anything about him!” Jonghyun defended himself.

“That’s because his family doesn’t want him to be harassed,” Dongho said matter-of-factly. “And we should respect his privacy.”

“Wait, wait,” Aaron cut in, sitting up from resting his head in Dongho’s lap. “Didn’t you ask him out because he’s CEO Choi’s son? I thought you knew!”

Jonghyun threw him a sharp glance. “You better not be suggesting what I think you are.”

Aaron shrugged.

“He’s right though,” Hayeong added. Her gaze was calculating. “The competition is stronger and bigger every day and newer idols are quite young. You’re on your way to missing your last opportunity.”

Jonghyun hung his head and picked at the grass he was sitting on.

It was true. Being an idol wasn’t his only option, but it was definitely the best option. It was something he truly wanted to do. He wouldn’t drop out of college if he became a trainee, even though he knew it would be difficult to stay on top of everything – he needed to be the best to keep his scholarship for this college he otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford. He would also have to work hard to make his debut, but after that point it would all be easier.

He glanced back again, even though Minki was long gone. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

 

While waiting at the park where he’d found Jonghyun earlier, Minki remembered to tell his friend that they wouldn’t be going home together – meaning, of course, that after walking to the Starbucks he gets a ride home in Minki’s car.

“Cheolsu,” Minki said as soon as the other picked up. “Don’t wait for me, I have something after school.”

“Something?” His friend questioned sceptically.

“Yeah, just...” Minki sighed. “I told you about that guy from this morning? He wants to take me out to make up for the whole thing.”

“So you have a date.”

Minki shifted from foot to foot. “I’m not sure if it’s a date—“

“I can’t believe this. It’s honestly amazing,” Cheolsu sounded like he was about to burst out laughing.

Minki stopped fidgeting momentarily and frowned. “What? Is it that impossible to imagine that someone wanted to go out with me?”

“No, no! It’s just that... Your parents and all,” Cheolsu explained, although it didn’t seem that genuine of an explanation.

“They won’t even notice! I’ll tell them I stayed behind at the library or something,” Minki muttered. “Also, now that you’ve mentioned it. If my parents ask, can you please say I’m with you?”

Cheolsu sighed so hard that he created a wind-like sound in the mic. “Fine, I’ll cover for you. Be careful, Mango.”

“I’m always careful,” Minki said. “See you tomorrow.”

Cheolsu, one of Minki’s two closest friends. Minhyun was the childhood friend who’s been with him through thick and thin even though now they don’t live so close nor do they go to the same college. Cheolsu was the newer friend whom he met on campus, who lives close and is always available for hanging out.

His parents would let him go out with the two every once in a blue moon, but even so they set curfews to make sure Minki is safe. Ridiculous, in his opinion. That’s why they usually hung out at Minki’s place.

Just as he hung up, Minki heard a voice carry across the park.

“Blondie!”

Minki scoffed.

Jonghyun was smiling and he was even ready for a hug until he saw Minki lean away. He didn’t make a comment about it, he just moved on.

“How was your day?” He inquired in a light tone, walking in the direction of the well known Starbucks.

“Kinda crappy,” Minki said honestly. He didn’t care about impressing this guy. He was feeling ty at the moment, so damn it all he would speak his mind about it.

Jonghyun didn’t seem to mind. “Oh. Why?”

“Because I’m going to have the stupidest 18^th birthday party in history.”

Jonghyun let out a chuckle but as he met Minki’s sharp gaze he realized that he was being serious.

“I know it’s stupid,” Minki snapped. “But it upsets me. I—Never mind.”

“What? Come on, you can’t cut yourself off like that, now I’m interested,” Jonghyun said.

“There’s nothing to be interested about. It’s just the boring details of my life that you don’t need to find out about on a first date.”

“So it is a date,” Jonghyun noted, swiftly changing the subject because it truly seemed like Minki didn’t want the previous discussion to continue.

Minki’s gaze snapped up and his cheeks became a faint red. “Wait, I—What? That’s not what I meant!”

Jonghyun shook his head, chuckling. “I’m kidding, relax. It doesn’t have to be a date. We’re just hanging out.”

Minki shoved his hands in his pockets, averting his gaze.  As he did, he laid his eyes on the several Starbucks entrances that they passed one by one. He turned towards Jonghyun, eyebrows raised in confusion.

“We’re not...?”

Jonghyun threw a dismissive look at the last entrance that they’d just passed. “Nah, I know a different place. Not branded, but just as good. Even better I’d say.”

Minki just shrugged. It wasn’t that he only drank branded coffee or something like that, he just never really got to discover the lesser known places around the city.

As Jonghyun turned the corner into a smaller street with fewer pedestrians around, for a second Minki thought that one of the horrendous scenarios his parents had drilled into his brain would come true.

He slowed down and gripped his phone, but soon a small coffee shop came into view; red door framed with Christmas lights, a window that showed its cosy interior. Minki relaxed.

Jonghyun turned, since Minki had slightly fallen behind.

“You don’t like it?”

Minki quickly shook his head and jogged a few steps to catch up with Jonghyun. “No, no, it’s... It’s really cute.”

“Then let’s go!” Jonghyun said with a smile.

Standing in the line, Jonghyun turned to Minki. “Mind if I order for you? I have this thing where... I mean, certain people remind me of a type of coffee. Just tell me if there’s something you don’t like.”

“I’m okay with anything,” Minki said. “That’s.... Impressive. You’re serious about your coffee.”

Jonghyun chuckled. “I’m a college student.  Coffee and energy drinks are the biggest loves of my life.”

Minki smiled sympathetically, even though he couldn’t quite relate.

They sat in the corner, a cosy table for two. Minki was a bit fidgety because of the closeness – he was still quite cautious.

Jonghyun smiled faintly. “You know, you don’t have to do this.”

Minki frowned, looking up from his latte. “What? Do what?”

The elder shrugged. “Going out with me. I get it if you changed your mind.”

Minki shook his head quickly. “No! No, I do—I mean... Why would you say that?”

“You just look really uncomfortable and I don’t want to keep you somewhere you don’t want to be,” Jonghyun admitted.

And this felt like a kick to the gut. It unwound right in front of his eyes, just how much growing up the way he had had affected his life. He wanted to be out, he wanted to be with Jonghyun, but he couldn’t help being anxious.

“I’m not uncomfortable—well, not because of you anyway, I just...” Minki fell silent as he realized that his rambling wasn’t helping. “It’s just that I’m kinda anaemic and...”

“You don’t think you can trust me to take care of you if anything happens,” Jonghyun finished the sentence for him.

Minki pressed his lips together in a sorrowful expression. “It’s not that I can’t trust you, I’ve just never had to trust anyone with such a thing before.”

Jonghyun raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “But you must have. When you go out...”

Minki looked away.

“Don’t tell me that you’ve never gone out on your own.”

Minki huffed in frustration; it was difficult to explain. “Of course I have, just... Usually with people I know well or... supervision,” he muttered.

Jonghyun nodded understandingly. “Okay, I think I get it. Well, what I said still stands. You can trust me, but if you’d rather I take you home we can do that too.”

For a second Minki was truly considering it. But when he looked up the warmth in Jonghyun’s eyes put him at ease. When Minki stopped to think about it, Jonghyun was really kind and compassionate. He wasn’t the source of Minki’s anxiety, his built-in fear was.

“No, I’m good,” he said at last.

Jonghyun smiled brightly and nodded. “Good. Now that we trust each other and all, mind telling me your name?”

Minki then realized that he truly had never told Jonghyun his name. “Minki,” he said then bowed his head. “But that silly nickname... That’s good too.”

It was a delightful afternoon until his phone started buzzing. Jonghyun was in the middle of telling a funny story when Minki finally checked it out and saw a series of texts from his mom.

She was coming home early with dinner.

Minki cursed which took Jonghyun by surprise.

“Something wrong?” He asked, even though the answer to that was obvious.

Minki stood and ran a hand through his hair in distress. “I have to go. I’m so sorry, I really—“

“What’s wrong?” Jonghyun asked, getting up after him.

Minki his lips and sighed. “I didn’t tell you everything. I mean – there’s a reason I don’t go out other than the fainting and all that. I’m not supposed to go out – my parents, they’re really freaked out about it all, they’re afraid something will happen to me wherever I go—“

Jonghyun gave a small nod. “I get it. That’s why you were nervous.”

Minki shrugged one shoulder. “Amongst other things.”

“We better get you home in that case.”

They made it just barely. Jonghyun had to drop him off a bit further away from the house so that his car wouldn’t be seen.

It wasn’t the most romantic farewell, but Minki was in a rush. He gave quick thanks and a goodbye before running off.

 Minki didn’t know why he’d agreed to a second date. Maybe it was Jonghyun’s smile, or the softness in his eyes while Minki spoke and the fact that he seemed genuinely interested in what Minki was saying.

His excuse for agreeing was a bit different, though.

“I owe you for running away the other day,” he was saying as they sat together on their break.

The sly smile Jonghyun was giving him as he rested his cheek in his palm was doing things to Minki’s poor heart.

“So we’re only seeing each other because we continuously owe each other something?”

Minki huffed and crossed his arms. “Exactly! Why would I want to see you otherwise?”

Jonghyun shrugged. “My charm?”

“Shut up.”

“Well then, what do you want to do on our second date?”

Calling it a date was still making Minki blush but he didn’t comment on it. “How about you come over? Less chances for a catastrophe.”

“You still don’t trust me,” Jonghyun said in a light tone that held a note of sadness.

“I do. I mean... We did meet each other a few days ago. But I just thought we could avoid the risk of my parents flipping out for running away and breaking the most sacred rule.”

“No dating?” Jonghyun guessed.

“No going out,” Minki corrected. “For dates or otherwise.”

“Ouch.”

Minki sighed. “I know. But what can you do.”

 

When he arrived Jonghyun looked like a preschooler ready to take on the day. He was beaming, with his backpack and the hood of his hoodie up.

“Woah,” he said. “Your house. Wow.”

Minki shrugged innocently. He himself wasn’t very dressed up, he was in his pyjama pants and a loose sweater. He wore his favourite fuzzy socks that allowed him to slide across the polished floors.

“Yeah, I guess it’s...”

“Impressive,” Jonghyun interrupted, looking around. He was a bit stiff, feeling small in the large space. He had an irrational fear of messing something up –every object in the house looked like it was more expensive than everything him and his family owned.

“I spend way too much time here so I guess I can’t appreciate it properly,” Minki said dismissively. He gestured for Jonghyun to follow upstairs.

Minki slid across the entire hall and stopped in front of the door decorated with glitter. This action caused Jonghyun to burst into giggles.

“Be careful!”

“I do this all the time,” Minki replied reassuringly and open the door.

Jonghyun’s jaw dropped when he entered. The room was a beautiful balance of blue and pink, a fluffy rug was on the floor with a few beanbags on it. The king sized bed was framed with fairy lights and a few dreamcatchers hung around it. The ceiling over the bed had stars on it, the plastic kind that glow in the dark. One entire wall was dedicated to posters. The desk was elongated and went along one corner of the room. All three windows were as tall as the walls themselves and the stunning realization hit Jonghyun that one of those windows was the door to a balcony.

“Dude. Your bathroom is probably bigger than my entire dorm.”

Minki just shrugged.

“You live here alone?” Jonghyun asked after spinning around a full 360 degrees.

“Sometimes my friend Minhyun comes to sleep over a few nights,” Minki said. He walked over to his bed and picked up the bag of chips he’d started earlier that day.

Jonghyun walked over carefully and set his backpack on the floor before sitting on the carpet. “What do we do now?”

Minki smiled. “Anything. Movies, dance party, karaoke, board games, painting, you name it.”

At first they put some music on as Minki showed Jonghyun his manhwa collection. But soon enough they were singing along and Jonghyun got off the bed, pulling Minki along. At first they were yelling the lyrics while doing bad renditions of the choreographies that played on Minki’s TV, but soon a ballad came on and just as Minki was about to skip onto something more fun, Jonghyun took him by the wrist and pulled him in.

Minki’s breath was cut short and his heart sped up ridiculously fast. He wasn’t sure what to do with his own arms since Jonghyun’s had nicely settled around his waist.

It was the silly kind of dance where one only sways, clinging onto their partner for balance. But Minki’s mind was a mess, he could only think about how close they were, how easy it was to reach for Jonghyun, for his dark hair, for his cheeks, for his lips that were mouthing the lyrics.

Minki had to break the tension or he would explode. As their slow dancing lead them to the bed, Minki suddenly pulled back and charged, wrestling Jonghyun onto the mattress.

It definitely took him by surprise.

The older gasped, trying to comprehend what was going on but before he could Minki’s knee was on his chest, holding him down,

“VICTORY!” Minki marvelled.

Jonghyun burst out laughing, trying to throw him off. “You child! Get off me!”

Laughing like crazy, Minki moved off of Jonghyun and dropped on the bed beside him.

“That was really childish,” the elder said and rolled on his side.

The sudden contact made Minki flinch. Jonghyun waited for Minki to relax before he placed the back of his palm to Minki’s cheek again.

Minki stared up at the stars on the ceiling above him. He could hear his own heartbeat drumming in his ears. He tried not to think about Jonghyun’s gentle touch, his thumb ghosting over Minki’s bottom lip.

He couldn’t handle it. He sat up, startling Jonghyun a bit.

“Dance off,” he announced and bounced off the bed. “Let’s see your skills!”

Even if Jonghyun was disappointed, he didn’t show it. He went along.

When Jonghyun wasn’t messing around his voice was actually really good. Minki liked it, maybe he was purposely keeping it down to hear more of Jonghyun’s singing. Their voices matched oddly well.

But the excessive jumping they did for the choreographies got to Minki at some point. He swayed, backing up until he was able to sit on the bed.

“Minkiah?” Jonghyun called worriedly and kneeled in front of the younger.

“I’m fine. I just gotta take it slow for a bit,” Minki mumbled, closing his eyes to ease the dizziness. This made him all too aware of Jonghyun’s hands on his knees, how close he really was. Minki couldn’t think. His head was spinning and his heart was racing.

“Minkiah...”

As nervous as he was, Jonghyun’s presence, his touch, it was helping ground Minki. The elder sat beside Minki and let him lean against him.

It took a few minutes, but Minki’s eyes fluttered open and as it hit him how close he’d gotten to Jonghyun – willingly –he sat up.

“Let’s get something to eat,” Minki suggested and got off the bed, taking Jonghyun’s hands to pull him up.

Jonghyun was still a little baffled by this constantly happening, but he followed downstairs nonetheless.

Once in the kitchen, however, Minki froze and let out a little yelp.

Jonghyun peeked over his shoulder and saw the source of Minki’s distress.

“I thought you and dad would be out late,” the younger said in one breath.

Jonghyun hesitantly rested his hands on Minki’s waist, hiding behind him.

“There was a change of plans,” the woman said in a gentle tone, wiping her hands with a towel.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Minki asked, starting to tremble with embarrassment.

“You sounded like you were having fun.”

Jonghyun seemed to share Minki’s embarrassment because he pressed his forehead to the younger’s shoulder, hoping to just disappear.

“You brought a friend,” Minki’s mom noted, changing the subject.

Jonghyun stepped out from behind Minki and bowed. “I’m Kim Jonghyun, nice to meet you,” he blurted out the formal greeting.

As soon as his mom introduced herself, Minki started pushing Jonghyun back towards his room. “We should go then,” he hummed.

“But I made dinner—“

When they were back in Minki’s room, Jonghyun looked like he just ran a marathon.

“Are you okay?” Minki asked, a smile playing on his lips.

Jonghyun nodded and picked up his backpack. “I should probably go...”

Minki didn’t want him to leave, but neither of them were quite ready for what had just happened so he figured it was for the best. He took Jonghyun to the front door and it would have been easy if they hadn’t run into Minki’s father on the way.

This greeting made Jonghyun even more nervous than the one with Minki’s mother; by the time it was finished he was hardly breathing.

“What’s wrong?” Minki asked, looking down at Jonghyun as he put his shoes on.

He straightened up and staggered a bit, resting his hand on the wall to keep his balance. He smiled faintly. “Nothing! I just—Wasn’t expecting...”

Minki shrugged. “It’s just my parents.”

“Of course.”

Jonghyun paused, hesitantly looking at Minki. He leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to Minki’s cheek, then bolted out the door.

 

It was an awkward family dinner. His parents kept asking about Jonghyun and Minki wasn’t really up for it.

But it was all more or less bearable until his mom asked the question.

“Do you like him?”

Minki nearly dropped his chopsticks. “I—Mom! He’s a friend from uni!”

“He’s got a good voice,” Minki’s father noted.

“Wha—How long have you been—Never mind. Just, dad, please don’t scout my friends,” Minki said bitterly.

His father shrugged but gave no further comments.

“You should invite him more often,” his mom then continued.

Minki huffed.

This caused his father to look up. “If you have something to say, say it. Don’t give us that attitude.”

Minki pressed his lips together. “It’s not even worth saying.” As he started to get up, his father said,

“Minki,” in a sharp tone.

He sat back down and balled his fists. “I don’t want to just... Invite him over every other day. I wanna go out with him. Sometimes. At least once.”

“Why do you keep bringing that up?” His father snapped. “You know why you can’t, you know we’re just keeping you safe!”

“I know,” Minki mumbled. “That’s why I didn’t want to say it. Can I go now?”