The class, previously silent, was now groaning as soon as Mr Kang announced that their next project would be assigned pair work. Mino was no exception. Sure he was known for being a joker, but when things had to be done, he was serious; task-oriented. Being paired with a slacker would be immensely annoying, so he dreaded it whenever Mr Kang chose partners for them. You never knew what could happen.

He bit his lip as Mr Kang called his name. "Song Minho?”

the longer he surveyed the class for an appropriate partner the faster Mino’s heart started beating. "Nam Taehyun,” he said finally, before moving on to the next student.

Mino’s heart rate did not falter. Partially because he did not know Taehyun very well, and partially because, well, of the things he already knew about him.

Mino knew that Taehyun was the kind of kid that sat in class with one earbud in his ear, looking out the window most of the time, and then getting perfect scores on every test. Mino knew that Taehyun could sing really well in the school choir but almost never attended the sessions. Mino knew that Taehyun would go for break with the rest of the class just to buy a carton of milk and then immediately go back up again. Mino knew that Taehyun’s default face was "Please god get me out of here”, but as soon as he smiled you’d know he didn’t mean it. Mino knew he had a great smile.

He shook his head for a bit. His smile was alright, he corrected inwardly. But anyways, great smile or not, that was all he knew. Taehyun was a shadowy character; he never involved himself with a lot of things and probably never exchanged more than two words with Mino. He craned his neck to sneak a look at the boy’s seat at the back of the class.

Nam Taehyun was, as Mino predicted, listening to music secretly through one earbud, and ever so slightly mouthing the lyrics. The boy wasn’t paying attention to the world around him no matter how worked up everyone was getting at the announcement of pairings. Had he even been listening when his name was called? His eyes flickered towards Mino. No time like the present, Mino thought.

"Hi!!” Mino mouthed, turning more in his seat. Taehyun raised his eyebrows and waved slightly, confused. "We! Are! Partners!!” he continued mouthing. Taehyun took his earbud out, frowning in the kind of way where his eyebrows transformed into adjacent see-saws.

But Mino wouldn't give up, rocking himself backward to better face the boy. "You! And! Me! Are--"

It was then that Mino’s chair sent him crashing onto the floor. In a matter of seconds the whole class was howling with laughter, which was a norm to Mino of course, he loved making people laugh. But somehow among all the loudness, all he could hear was a small tinkling noise erupting from the back of the class. He looked up to see Taehyun hiding his whole face in his hand as he shook with laughter, eyes creasing into little crescent moons. One more thing he now knew about Taehyun: his laugh was pretty alright too.

Mino gathered his books as soon as school ended to get over to Taehyun’s table although the project was due in three weeks, but he thought he’d ought to get a head start, or something. But a shadow over his table interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see none other than Taehyun.

"Um hi,” Taehyun said, frowning a little, slanted eyebrows and all. "Are you okay?”

Mino stared at him blankly for a second. Well that was probably the first time he’d heard Taehyun’s voice in like, a year. He scoffed a little.

"Why wouldn’t I be okay? I mean I know we’re not the best of friends but I guess you know it’s just a biology project not like, I don't know, marriage or something-”

"Mino-”

“-and we’re pretty good at bio too! Well actually you are, I just kind of study when the tests come. But hey it doesn't mean I won't do the work okay we can split the work fifty fifty. Or like you thirty me seventy if you’re busy… what are you busy with anyway? Not that I'm questioning your choir attendance or anything-”

"MINO!” Taehyun exclaimed. "I was just asking if you were okay after falling."

After he realized he was talking about falling from the chair (what other falling could he have meant?), Mino mentally slapped himself. Well that was embarrassing. 

"Ah right... Yeah I'm fine it happened like an hour ago. Anything to make people laugh,” he added, hoping maybe Taehyun would laugh at that. He didn’t.

"Okay then, when do you wanna meet to discuss the project?” Taehyun resumed his slanty-eyebrow expression. Mino’s face dropped slightly. The vibe he was getting from Taehyun was a very cold, don't-touch-me vibe, which . The laughter he’d witnessed from before felt like a dream. Maybe he’d imagined it. Maybe he’d never see it ever again. Unless of course--

"What about right now?” Mino asked. Taehyun bit his lip, but nodded. "Fine by me.”

The walk to the cafe nearby school had been a silent one. Taehyun had walked slightly more in front, but Mino was happy to be a step behind him.

"That’s all?” Mino asked after the waiter left, when Taehyun said he’d just get some fries.

"I don't like the food here,” Taehyun shrugged, folding the napkin on the table into a boat. The tan boy raised his eyebrows.

"Then why’d you choose this place?”

"Would you rather have walked here or all the way to like, the mall? In silence? With someone you don’t know?” 

"Well we know each other!” Mino laughed, a little wounded. Taehyun looked square into Mino’s eyes for the first time that day. Had he said something wrong?

"Who are you trying to kid, Mino. We’re classmates, not friends,” Taehyun said bluntly.

Okay, Mino was more than a little wounded now. It obviously wasn't just a vibe anymore. What had he been thinking? Or what had he been hoping for? He nodded.

"Then let’s get to work.”

They didn't speak for days. The first session had just been timeline planning and work distribution before they went their separate ways. No small talk. He realized that Taehyun wasn’t really a quiet person, just that if he didn’t find it pertinent to say something, he’d just shut up. 

And for the next few days, Taehyun had remained listening to music in class and drinking his milk during break. Unfortunately, though in denial, Mino wasn't exactly normal.

They weren’t big differences, but Mino would feel it adding up eventually. Maybe, the first place he’d always look at when he entered class was that back seat near the window, because the sun was shining really brightly. Maybe he’d turn around to ask Seunghoon for an eraser more times a day than probably necessary because he genuinely liked Seunghoon’s eraser, not anything else in the general vicinity of the back of the class. He swore he felt his stomach ache for a second there, so he stayed in class for break a couple of days, doing his homework at the near front of the class while Taehyun doodled in his notebook in the back. And maybe he wanted to take the wrong bus home that day. 

Taehyun just happened to be on it.

However all of this went unnoticed by Taehyun. His eyes were glued to his table in class and to his phone on the way home. It was frustrating! It wasn’t like Mino didn't have a bunch of friends, somehow he just wanted to be acknowledged by Taehyun. The fact that he was being so indifferent aggravated him. It left him pondering what Taehyun’s problem was, or where he’d gone wrong; what he could do to make him laugh that laugh again. He hated thinking about Taehyun so much when he knew the other party wasn't thinking of him at all. It got to the point where, that day, five days from their meeting, he decided to stop thinking and take action.

Mino faked a stomachache for maybe the third time that week, letting his friends go off without him during break. The buzz of hungry students slowly faded off till it was left with the ceiling fan whirring overhead. Okay now all he had to do was wait for Taehyun to come back with his milk. You can do this, he told himself. What’s the big deal? We’re classmates. Nothing to be afraid of.

Yet his heart was beating rather fast as the aforementioned classmate walked through the door, milk carton at hand. He stood up to approach the boy as Taehyun sat down.

"Oh hey Taehyun!” he greeted in the warmest tone he could muster. Taehyun looked up.

"Yes?”

Okay great, he was stumped. He hadn’t thought this through, and honestly he didn't think they’d get this far. He sat down in the chair in front of Taehyun’s desk to buy some time.

"Um how… was… your week?” he finally said.

"Why don't you tell me?” Taehyun asked as he played with his pen. "Since you were with me the whole time.”

Mino coughed. "I swear I took the wrong bus I didn't know you’d be on it! And I swear the staircase I usually take was wet that one time I went past the choir room and I- well I didn't think you’d notice-”

"I meant since we’re in the same class so you’d pretty much know,” Taehyun frowned. Mino was still for a second before he laughed, a little too loudly, finding the floor marvelously interesting. It was too quiet afterwards.

"But I did notice.”

Mino looked up earnestly upon hearing probably the best news that whole week. Or like, year. And Taehyun had cracked a full-on smile, with teeth. Mino couldnt believe he’d accomplished such a feat and, god, it was just adorable.

They spoke (well, mostly Mino) about the upcoming workload they had, and about the changing seasons and the teachers’ affairs (“Even I can see that they’re dating and I don’t pay attention in either class,” Taehyun had mused).

He realized he was speaking more than half the time, but Taehyun smiling in response was enough input for him.

"Did it bother you?” Mino finally asked, referring to him following around those few days.

"Oh yeah immensely."

"Well you're gonna be absolutely ticked off this Saturday!" Mino said gleefully, hoping the paler boy's response was a joke.

Taehyun looked up suddenly. "Wait what’s this Saturday?"

"Um, our next project meeting?" Mino winced.

"Oh no my mom told me to keep an eye on my brother! Oh my god I completely forgot... I can't go out," Taehyun said apologetically.

Mino flushed at this. Apologetic Taehyun was pretty cute. But more than that, he put two and two together: if he couldn't go out, maybe he could still do the project at home. With Mino. At Taehyun's... Home. He gulped.

"Well maybe..." he took a deep breath, "Wecouldmaybedoitatyourhouse?"

"Huh?"

Mino groaned inwardly. Why was this so difficult. 

"Maybe we could... Do it at your house, or something. If you're cool with it."

"My mom might not allow friends over-"

"Hey, we're not friends right?" Mino smiled bitterly. He thought for a second Taehyun looked sheepish.

"I guess not," he smiled, another blow to Mino's already punctured chest. Whether it was his words or his smile, that left him pondering once more.

A few days of accidentally meeting Taehyun on the bus and stomachache-filled breaks later, Saturday arrived. Their friendship hadn't exactly progressed; Mino still spoke for about 90% of their conversations. But, Taehyun didn't show any resistance at Mino constantly trying to talk to him, which the tan boy regarded as a sliver of hope to go forward. It was the little things like a surprising smirk at the end of a sentence or a sudden grimace that could pass for a smile when Mino greeted him that left him intrigued, and his heart aflutter.

He found himself at the doorstep of the other boy’s home. It was redbricked and huge, with white orchids lining the windows. There was a small, blue soccer ball in the front yard. It was probably Taehyun's brother's, but he imagined for a second the life Taehyun led when he was alone. Did he secretly practice soccer on his own? Did Taehyun water these orchids in his free time? Every little thing about this boy was a mystery that he somehow longed to solve.

The person who answered the door was sort of Taehyun and sort of wasn't. Instead of the school uniform, he was decked in a loose black v-neck and black sweats, showing off his pale, porcelain skin; and his hair was tied up in a tiny ponytail. His features were the same but the aura he gave off was so much more different; he seemed happier at home than school. Well duh, he thought. School . But he kind of wished Taehyun would look happy around him too.

"Oh hey you’re early,” Taehyun mumbled, stepping aside to let him in. Mino laughed, stepping in cautiously, hating the silence.

"Um,” he struggled to find something to say. "You look good.”

What the hell. He shut his eyes as soon as he said it. Look good? Taehyun was in his home clothes for god’s sake. Yeah okay even if he did look pretty good. Weird thing to say, Mino, he cursed himself. He turned around to face the other boy, whose lips were pursed in amusement.

"Very funny,” Taehyun brushed off, leading them up the stairs.

There were a few things Mino noticed about Taehyun’s room. He had a keyboard, which was strewn with scribbled-on paper, next to his desk, which was super neat; perhaps untouched. His walls had lots of those abstract artwork thingies, paintings and tiny sculptures alike, and above his bed hung a single frame with the words "Stay Gold” in huge block letters.

"Don't mind the mess… and yeah sorry it’s pretty embarrassing,” Taehyun closed the door behind him. "We can do it downstairs if you want-”

"I like it,” Mino reassured. He examined a small, intricate figurine of a cat on Taehyun’s desk.

"I'm more of a dog person, though,” he joked, causing Taehyun to bite back a smile.

"I used to collect artwork, but I don’t draw a lot myself,” he explained, sitting on his bed. "I kind of just- do that.” he gestured to the keyboard and tons of messy sheet music. Mino looked over a paper or two, trying to decipher what the scribbles were supposed to mean.

"I like making music more than singing it out though,” Taehyun continued. "Which is why I hate the choir. They give us lame 1920s music or something, I don't know.”

Mino grinned. This had been the first time he'd seen Taehyun speak so many words in a minute. His eyes sparkled as his tongue rattled on, words the other boy didnt know existed like "soprano" or "accidentals". He didn't bother to interupt though, because this might have meant he was getting comfortable; and Mino held onto this piece of wishful thinking harder than he’d ever held anything.

"Hey why don’t you sing something?” Mino suggested.

Taehyun shook his head. "I'm really no good.”

Mino scoffed, sitting down opposite him. "Yeah right man. I heard you during choir that one time when I walked past coincidentally, and it kind of blew me away-”

He stopped short because Taehyun was full on laughing now, half hiding his face in the palm of his hand. Maybe it was out of embarrassment, but he didn’t care. He savoured that moment right there, because god knows when it would happen again.

"Has anyone else heard you sing?” he asked after a while.

"My mom and my brother.”

"I mean like friends from school!”

Taehyun stilled. "I think we should get to work.”

Mino felt sick from the sudden tension in the room. They sat working in silence, but sitting opposite Taehyun on the bed was a sufficiently difficult and worrisome process. Maybe he was too close or maybe Taehyun didn’t like the sheets getting rumpled, he didn’t know what would set him off. So he decided to look strictly at his biology book for the next hour or so.

But then Taehyun let his hair loose from his ponytail. He shook it around, eyes closing as he did so; allowing Mino to stare at him all the while. Mino felt his throat tighten as he watched Taehyun part his lips; his soft, long fingers run slowly through his shaggy dark hair. When had it gotten this long? Why hadn’t he noticed it? Why hadn’t he noticed Taehyun at all?

And when his eyes fluttered open, Mino didn’t break eye contact. He was tired of Taehyun pushing him away and having to go along with it. "Mino?”

"Why don’t you like me?”

Taehyun averted his gaze. "What do you mean?”

Mino sighed. "Yeah you probably don’t notice because you don’t really care, but I- I feel like I'll never be a friend to you. And I don’t know why. And I guess- I guess it would be nice to find out.”

It was too late to take it back. Mino held his breath as Taehyun lolled over what had just been said, the words still hanging in the air between them like dirty laundry Mino very much longed to take down.

"If it annoys you so much,” Taehyun said curtly, "Why don't you just leave me be like everyone else does? I wasn’t on my own by choice, Mino. And now that I'm used to it, I really don’t want anyone ruining it for me. So just bear with this for a few more weeks and go back to your life with the cool kids.”

"Well maybe I don't want that,” Mino said, exasperated.

"Why the hell not?”

"Because-”

Mino stopped to look at the scene in front of him. Taehyun’s eyes were glittering; eyebrows furrowed with annoyance. His petite mouth was still parted from the words he’d just spoken. The scene was angry, the scene was hurtful. But the scene was really pretty.

"I'm sorry,” Mino got up abruptly. He picked up his things and started for the door, leaving the scene he was not ready to face, and the sentence he was not ready to finish.

A week passed. Taehyun had, as Mino expected, resumed his life as per normal. And although Mino tried the same, every ounce of effort he put into not thinking of Taehyun bit at his chest. He looked at the ground while entering the class, followed his friends during break. He faced forward at all times and always took the correct bus home.

It was silly that Taehyun was afraid of letting him in just because he thought he’d leave him. Mino genuinely could not imagine leaving the other boy, even now when he’d so curtly pushed him away. And to think he’d thought they’d progressed in their friendship… he sighed. Maybe he really did have to let go.

Which was incredibly difficult. Every corridor he turned had something reminding him of Taehyun: a boy with the same hair colour or a kid with the same school bag; the milk carton at the grocery store or the song he’d sung at choir playing in some elevator at the mall. Taehyun was everywhere, but nowhere he wanted him to be.

He only came into contact with Taehyun once, at the restroom. Taehyun was walking out when he’d wanted to enter, bumping into each other as a result.

"Sor-” Mino had begun. They stood there for a solid second, fidgeting a little, before carrying on. Mino stood still as soon as he entered the restroom out of Taehyun’s sight. God, It felt like seeing a stranger. Which, Mino guessed, was what Taehyun wanted. And it was what he wanted too, he reminded himself. But what was incredible was that Taehyun had stared back with an unrecognisable glint in his eyes that he struggled not to think about the rest of the day.

One night, while working on his literature assignment, he let go and thought whatever he wanted to think about Taehyun. Why was being friends with him so hard, but leaving him alone even harder? Why did the thought of him always cause sadness to pool at the pit of his stomach?

He knew he was avoiding Taehyun because he was afraid of the end of that sentence- that he didn’t want to just leave Taehyun alone because he was… kind of in love with him.

He bolted upright. So this was it. This was why. He was in love with Taehyun. He was in love with Taehyun, who bit his lip to hide his smile, the way he covered his face when he laughed and the way he answered him flatly yet wittily enough to make him smile. Who never acknowledged him in school but was all he could ever think about. Great. He was in love with Taehyun, who would never in a million years return those feelings.

Mino crumpled his draft for the lit assignment and started afresh, a new idea in mind.

Taehyun was almost always the earliest to be in school. He watched out of the corner of his eye as the people he hated filed in. Jinwoo, who’d been his best friend in elementary school, would walk in with a flock of other footballers, talking about something brainless like girls or sports. And maybe Seunghoon with a girl or two, who’d befriended him briefly in middle school before everyone found his great potential in performing; leaving Taehyun to fend for himself, friendless yet again.

He’d watch Mino walk in, though he didn't hate him, through the reflection in the window. Mostly because for some reason Mino would usually be looking at him first. It was weird and unsettling, but it made his heart a little warm.

Taehyun knew he’d been getting warmer and warmer as Mino started accompanying him during break (in silence but still, his presence was felt) and talking to him at the bus stop (although he was sure Mino lived on the other end of the neighborhood).

Mino was confusing, and he hated that. He liked how nice he was, but Mino practically had the whole class at his fingertips. He could have Jinwoo, he could have Seunghoon, he could have anyone. He definitely wouldn’t want to befriend lonely Taehyun and if he did, he probably wouldn't want him for long.

So that moment at his house was burdensome. Mino told him he’d rather befriend him than go party with the cool kids but hadn't gotten to telling him why. As Taehyun had expected, Mino went on with his life afterwards: cracking jokes and eating at the cafeteria during break.

He tried not to let it bother him- it didn't, he thought firmly. But Mino had made him smile a lot, which was something he hadn’t done in school for the longest time. Mino had lent him an umbrella when it started raining at the bus stop and saved his when he couldn’t answer a math question. He just felt really safe with him for a second there- just a second.

Maybe he missed him. He didn’t want to admit how attached he’d gotten to his company; and how he relentlessly tried to make him laugh. It was crazy that someone who had everyone else was paying so much attention to him. He did like it, but well, he knew it was too good to be true.

Mino had proven he didn’t care anymore, so there was nothing left to do but not care as well. Now, the boy walked in just as class began, with his eyes to the floor as usual.

"Okay class!” the literature teacher announced cheerfully. "Hope you’ve all done the homework; writing a poem about an animal you like, easy-peasy right? Who’d like to present?”

The whole class stilled, including Taehyun. Class presentations were gross and scary, to him especially. A thousand people trying to make eye contact with you? No thanks. He prayed for someone stupid enough to go up and volunteer.

That someone was Mino.

The tall boy got to the front of the room, visibly breathing deep breaths. Taehyun’s stomach felt queasy as he looked up, Mino's eyes briefly landing on his own, before shooting back down to his paper.

He cleared his throat nervously. “I was never a cat person, by Song Minho.” He ignored the titters from a few classmates and began.

"I was never a cat person,

But things got out of line

When I came across

This really great feline.

It flinched when I came near

So I came to a verdict:

That cats didn't like me,

Or maybe I was allergic?”

A tumble of laughter erupted from the class. But Taehyun stared at him meaningfully, because Mino, on the contrary, had gotten more and more serious with each progressing word.

"I think I wouldn't have minded

If it were any other animal in the zoo;

So I guess I realized...

I only wanted you."

Taehyun's heart nearly stopped.

"But there would always be

That allergic reaction.

Cats didn't like me;

Not... not even a fraction."

He looked up then, swallowing. His eyes were pained as they locked on Taehyun’s, and neither couldn’t bring himself to look away.

"What I feel- I can't show you.

"So when you're around, I won't.

But just because you don't want me to,

That doesn't mean I don't."

Folding his paper into half, marking the end of his poem, Mino resumed his seat, oblivious to the class which was now roaring with applause. The sounds of the classroom paled significantly in comparison to the erratic beating of his heart. Taehyun was listening to the same beating coming from his own chest. He was still stunned, still confused. Had that poem been directed towards him?

Did Mino… like him?

As he had said; Mino was confusing, and he hated that. But right now, maybe he didn’t hate it as much.

Mino couldn’t sleep that night. Yeah, it was only like nine, but he didn’t wanna be awake for long either. When he was awake he’d start to think of Taehyun, which just made him feel all queasy inside.

He didn’t know what he’d been expecting. For Taehyun to go up there and kiss him in front of everyone? The day had continued as per normal; nobody spoke about his poem, and Taehyun, as always, hadn’t spoken at all.

The doorbell ringing coincided with Mino’s dozing off. So he was really annoyed when his mother yelled at him to go get it. He trudged down the stairs, ready to yell at whatever salesman or girl scout that was awaiting him.

However he opened the door to nothing but a small box with a cat figurine on top of it on his doorstep.

The box contained a completed biology project (which they’d planned to finish off together a day or two previously but couldn't due to circumstances) and a note.

"I'm sorry for my (cat)titude. Hope we can be friends,” it read in a familiar scrawl. A wave of emotions flooded Mino. He read and reread the note again, looking through the project work but not really thinking about biology. He felt high on the fact that Taehyun had completed the work for them, sent it to his home, and to top it all off, apologized. And said he wanted to be friends. Mino felt a familiar pang inside of him. He couldn't let things end like this. And that was when he dropped the box onto his living room floor and dashed back out, spontaneous but sure, taking a route he’d taken only once, but somehow known by heart.

"Whatever you’re selling we don’t-” Taehyun stopped short when he’d opened the door fully. Mino was before him, panting, dressed in only a pair of sweatpants and wifebeater. There was a look of longing in his eyes that Taehyun found uncomfortable to look at. He wanted to slam the door on him because he’d already internally died of embarrassment sending that box over, but Mino spoke first.

"Taehyun, I don’t want to be friends with you.”

Wow, okay. He began to shut the door but Mino stopped it with his foot. He looked him dead in the eyes.

"I told you we could be friends, isn’t that what you wanted?” Taehyun breathed, his heart falling to the pit of his stomach. “Just leave again, you’ve done it before.”

"Taehyun, listen to me,” Mino said softly. He grabbed the door open and yanked Taehyun by the wrists. He was still high off a mixture of something - adrenaline, happiness, sadness, love? He didn’t know. But he had to end this there and then.

"I think about you all the time and it because you never think of me. It that I have to stay away from you in case I annoy you even when all I want is to sit by you and make you laugh. It drives me absolutely crazy. Because I knew that whenever I thought I missed your voice I knew you’d already forgotten mine. So no, we can’t be friends because-”

Mino could not continue yet again, for the same reason as a few days ago. Taehyun had begun smiling and the giddying sight of it made him forget what he was about to say, but Taehyun hadn’t.

"Because I like you more than a friend?” he finished for him, eyebrows raised.

Mino’s eyes flew wide open, his grasp on Taehyun loosening. "You do?”

"Well actually I was just finishing your sentence for you,” Taehyun shrugged. Mino winced. He felt a thousand mental slaps pummeling his brain. Of course he was, Mino, what the hell.

"Oh,” he said dejectedly, letting go off Taehyun altogether, taking a step back.

"But… I think. I don’t know,” Taehyun mumbled, and Mino watched as his gaze dropped to his shoes. "I think I might. I do. Like you. And the way you treat me. More than… a friend.”

Mino’s eyes lit up.

"What you said… that’s not true. I do think of you too,” Taehyun laughed shakily. "More than I like to admit."

Had he heard correctly? Nam Taehyun thought about him? It was then Mino realized that there could be a lot more under the surface than what people let off. So all this time Taehyun had made it seem like he didn't give a crap about him when actually-

"You like me,” Mino repeated, beaming hard enough to light up the whole town. Taehyun rolled his eyes and bit back a smile, his cheeks flushing pink at the honesty of the words he’d just spoken. God, he reminded him of an excited puppy dog.

"Yes, Mino. But you know what I like more? Sleeping early. It’s ten o’ clock and-” 

He couldn’t continue. Mino had taken a stride towards Taehyun, ending up too close on accident; close enough that their breaths mingled together. His big hands were suddenly around his neck, gentle, sending goosebumps down his spine. The night air around them was suddenly still, their breathing the only thing audible, and every ounce of feelings they’d hidden from each other hung in the mere distance between their lips.

Mino had felt confident before but right now, with Taehyun milimetres away from him, he felt his mouth getting dry.

"Um... I don't really know how-"

"God, Mino,” Taehyun sighed, but he was smiling. He gently pulled Mino by the neck and crashed their lips together; the sensation soft and passionate. Mino wrapped his arms around the shorter boy’s slim waist and deepened the kiss. All those days of being with Taehyun and all those days of avoiding him were all due to this one thing they were feeling right here. Sharing it now felt so right, more comfortable than anything.

And as Taehyun pulled away slightly, Mino couldn't fight the urge to follow him with his lips.

"Can I see you tomorrow?” Mino asked.

"Yes, Mino, there’s school,” Taehyun laughed. Mino had a feeling he’d be hearing more of that soon. He felt weak in the knees at the thought of it.

"I mean like this… kissing,” he smiled anxiously, gesturing to the limited amount of space between their faces.

Taehyun pretended to think about it. "If we get an A on the biology project.”

Mino grinned, nodding. He placed one last shy peck on Taehyun’s lips, and reluctantly slipped away from him before starting off back home.

If they get an A on the project, he said? Mino laughed to himself.

Yeah, he was definitely going to get that kiss.

A/N: sooo this was my first ever namsong fic, im sorry that it huhuhu please leave your comments and criticism below! :(

but yeah I really grew to love them in the short span of time I've been getting to know winner!! I just love how taehyun is so quiet but he seems to be rly open with mino, so cutes wtheck?? So two things:

1. I tried incorporating mino’s rapper-ness by making him recite a poem, but it is such an insult to his rapping skills!!! please don’t hate for the poem because I wrote it huhu but the last paragraph is borrowed from lang leav’s “just friends” :)

2. taehyun’s laugh in this story is inspired (this gif)!

alrighty leave a comment/suggestion below! and maybe a prompt for what I should write next! haha or you can drop by ask.fm/minosongs to ask any questions :)

see you soon! <3