As fate would have it, the opportunity to talk came sooner than the pair expected when Hoony and Mino were bunked together for the next leg of the tour. It was the morning after their San Francisco concert and the two were lounging in their respective beds, taking their sweet time preparing for the scheduled sightseeing that day.

The conversation had started slow and awkward. Clearly, both rappers weren’t accustomed to probing and sharing feelings with one another. But when he felt his dongsaeng begin to really open up, Seunghoon allowed himself to ask questions that had plagued him ever since he caught the mojiri in Jinwoo’s room.

So how did it happen? Like, since when has this been going on?

Mino paused to think. I’m not sure it was one big ‘aha’ moment. It was a million things that eventually piled up. And then, next thing I knew, I was like. I mean. You know. Mino responded, unable to say out loud the four letter word in front of his hyung who had begun teasing him with an impromptu performance of WINNER’s Millions.

But, no pun intended, it really was a million little things. Some were mundane and ordinary like the way Jinwoo would hold Mino’s thigh or hand when he laughed, or the little lines that appeared by his hyung’s eyes when he smiled. There were moments captured on screen like his genuine shock in seeing Jinwoo for the first time dressed as a girl. He had first tried to capture his face with his phone and when that didn’t give the Imjado prince’s beauty justice, he took on photography and invested on more sophisticated equipment. The hobby had given him the perfect excuse to shoot his favorite subject whenever he pleased. Mino always found Jinwoo prettier than most girls even without the wig on.

There were also instances unbeknownst to the public like how the eldest member would accompany him to the hospital every time his neck acted up, and the many times he secretly showed up in most if not all his music show solo performances. Waking up as early as four in the morning to show support and help him through his nerves. But there were also a lot of unpleasant ones like how jealousy consumed him when the two older members started growing really close, or how he was plagued with worry and separation anxiety every time Jinwoo had to shoot Wizard of Nowhere. Or the hundreds of Inigkayo sandwiches intended for Jinwoo that he had stealthy intercepted and disposed.

His personal favorite, as most fans probably would have guessed, was the punishment after the Hongkira radio guesting. Mino had always wondered what it would feel like to kiss his hyung’s creamy white neck. He knew it was an odd choice, and wasn’t surprised when Hoony called him out for it. But if it was going to be his only chance to kiss Jinwoo's nape, he was willing to take the risk and just chalk it up as fan service.

So when the moment came, Mino had expected his heart to burst.

But to his complete surprise, he was relaxed throughout the entire thing.

Kissing Jinwoo’s forehead, tenderly holding his smooth neck, and having his hyung’s hands on his tummy as he tiptoed to peck the rapper’s cheek were the most natural things in the world. It felt right. Jinwoo's hands, his lips. They belonged nowhere else. And when things are as they should be, Mino discovered that there was no adrenaline, no palpitations but a satisfying calm - that all was right in the world.

It was a real turning point for the rapper. After that moment, Mino had started to become greedy. His hyung’s friendship and affection weren’t enough. Jinwoo’s hands, his laugh, his touches, his eyes, his savageness, his heart. He wanted him, his aurora, all to himself.

Okay, so explain this to me Mino. Does this mean you like guys and girls now? Seunghoon asked, breaking Mino’s reverie of the past.

Hell no! You, Yoon, Jihoon, Zico. I still think you guys look like sh*t. Mino exclaimed, which instantly earned him a pillow on the face.

It took me years to come to terms with this hyung but I don’t like anyone else – both boys or girls. Just him.

When Seunghoon didn’t respond, Mino glanced his way and saw him staring back with his signature deadpan face. That’s cheesy as hell. I shouldn’t have signed up for this.

Mino’s laughter filled the room, overwhelmed and grateful for his hyung’s friendship.

TBC