𝐉𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 ║ ᴍɪɴꜱᴜɴɢ

Chapter 6. Stuck

"You'd look good in a jersey, hyung. You should come to a game with me."

Minho would laugh, roll his eyes and deny it. "I am not going to wear a jersey for you, Seungmin. Let it go."

Seungmin would keep bringing it up as baseball season strolled closer, and Minho began to find it hard to keep denying the younger. So, sometime close to the end of Seungmin's freshman term, Minho surprises the younger and buys him two baseball game tickets and offers to learn the rules only if Seungmin would agree to going out on a date with him.

"Isn't the baseball game a date? Isn't that why you're asking?"

Minho's face will flush, and he'll look away, laughing with quiet embarrassment. "If you want it to be, then let's make it one."

That's exactly what they did. Minho was nervous as hell, strolling through an unfamiliar atmosphere filled with cheering fans and loud music playing through overhead speakers. He's a bit timid, eyes glancing around at passing faces and cheering fans from either team, watching Seungmin's eyes light up joyfully the moment he views the field. Seungmin takes Minho's hand and leads him around the familiar stadium, talking about the history of the team and certain features of the guest area on the first level before leading the elder towards their seats near third base. Seungmin would go on and on about which players were good and who he was looking forward to seeing, cheering loudly when an underdog from the team scores his first homerun of the season, a beaming smile spread across his lips the longer the game would go on.

Around the sixth inning, Minho and Seungmin were in the middle of sharing some type of fried finger food, watching each team take a short break to gather their thoughts for the final three innings. The home team, which was Seungmin's team, was in the lead, but only by a point. Anything could change at any time, and that's what Seungmin loved the most. He found the sport exhilarating and lively, keeping its watchers on their toes as they watched each hitter try to hit the ball hard enough to land somewhere on the other side of the fence; praying for an easy score. Other times they swing and swing, stealing bases from under the opposing team's nose to linger closer to home base, waiting for the prime opportunity to walk across the white plate to score for their team.

The innings drag on, hit after hit, score after score, ultimately to end up tied in the ninth inning. Seungmin was on the edge of his seat, metaphorically and literally, hands gripping the plastic, foldable seat anyway he could as he leans forwards, muttering chants beneath his breath. Minho watches amusingly, giggling any time Seungmin reacted negatively to something that happened within the inning, until a look of pure excitement rang through Seungmin's expression. His favorite hitter catches a fastball with the underside of his bat, swinging upwards and sending the ball further and further, dropping and dropping until it ultimately lands beyond the wall. The player makes his rounds around the bases, jumping for joy and raising his fists, listening to the crowd beyond him chant his name. Seungmin was standing, clapping his hands overjoyed; engrossed in the end of the game as the player finally steps on home base. The crowd roars with cheers and Minho stands, clapping along as he feels the thrill of the game cultivate in his veins. Minho couldn't lie, he did enjoy himself, but as he looks at Seungmin with unwavering eyes, he finds himself smitten.

Seungmin turns around, eyes catching Minho's in a quick glance, but the younger presses close and kisses him quickly; barely a peck, but enough to catch the elder off guard. They blink at each other wordlessly after Seungmin leans away, almost afraid of Minho's reaction to the sudden press of lips against his, but Minho reaches for his shirt and pulls him right back.

They went on dates every Friday, always picking one thing for them to enjoy together, holding hands and kissing as if they'd never see each other again. For a while they kept their relationship secret, away from the prying eyes of Seungmin's overbearing friends and Minho's annoying roommate, before finally deciding to come out to one person at a time.