"But I'm really no-"

His finger pressed against your lips to shut you up. "No, you are not. I don't care how long it takes. I'm going to prove it to you. From now on, you're not allowed to say anything mean to yourself."

"Nope!" He squished your cheeks a little more. "No more self-hatred. It's going to take a lot, but from now on, we're unlearning it. No objections, you're not allowed."

"I think you're getting in over your head."

"Nuh-uh." He squished your cheeks a little more and laughed at your unamused look. "Look how cute you are." He cooed and pressed on your cheeks more. "Ohhh, you're so smart and cute." He moved closer and with a dramatic "mwah!" He plopped a wet kiss to the direct center of your forehead.

A blush smeared on your cheeks, you jerked back and swatted his hands away. He giggled and sat back down in his chair. "You're so cute."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"Say it."

"Huh?" You glanced up confused.

"Say you're cute."

"I'm cute."

"Yeah, you are."

Your cheeks heated up at his words. You picked up more noodles and playfully rolled your eyes. A grin revealed both dimples on Chan's face. No matter how unamused you looked, he knew his words meant everything to you deep down.

_ _ _

Minho:

Trigger warning: Brief mentions of angry family, walking on eggshells, and fear.

When surrounded by predators, a turtle tends to burrow into its shell. Curling up and cocooning in the hardened exterior kept it protected. No birds to peck at the leathered flesh. No stray animals can clamp onto exposed limbs and bite them off.

Growing up, you learned the same thing. When people were angry in your family, you learned to retreat. Silently, you made your way back to your bedroom because that was easier than having exposed flesh. Your family members, much like birds, would rip you apart when angry because you were an easy target.

When Lee Know came home from work with clenched fists, furrowed eyebrows, and a displeased frown, you retreated. You had seen him angry before and you knew he'd never purposefully take out his anger on you, but there was always a potential. You disappeared into your shared bedroom and preoccupied yourself with your phone while hoping he'd calm down.

When he showed up a few minutes later, you kept the conversation to a minimum and left the room. Anxiety caused your heart to pound and your hands to shake a little. You were tense and filled with dread. Every step you took, you didn't know if you'd step on a landmine.

Holding your breath, you snuck into the bathroom. When you shut and locked the door, you let out the breath you were holding. A bit of relief trickled through your body. The locked door created a safety barrier between the two of you.

Lee Know was aware you went into the bathroom after you left the bedroom. He plopped down on the queen sized bed grumbling beneath his breath about something that happened at work. He waited for you to come out because he wanted to preoccupy himself by talking to you more.

However, you never came out. Not after ten minutes, not after twenty-five, and by the time a half hour passed, Lee Know shoved himself off the bed. He had been scrolling through his phone when he realized how silent it was.

Getting up, he glanced around your shared place, but you were missing. He stepped up to the wooden bathroom door and knocked on it. He called your name and inside, you froze. You had been playing on your phone on the floor hoping the anger would subside.

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