a reason to smile // seo changbin ✔️

chapter twenty-seven 🔞

you earned it

moon jieun - saturday (1:04 a.m. after the party)

"yeah— i'll just be with minho." jisung waves us off as we step into the elevator.

"minho isn't even back from the party yet." changbin cocks a brow at him. jisung only chuckles and holds up a key.

"that's why i have this." he waves the key in changbin's face, pulling a laugh from me.

"so you're crashing there?" changbin confirms, and jisung nods.

"so you two are free to do as you please." jisung winks as he motions between changbin and i. i roll my eyes.

"sleep, probably. i'm exhausted." i yawn, the effects of the few shots i had making me more tired than tipsy.

"me too." changbin nods, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"yeah, yeah." jisung chuckles as the elevator dings open. he steps out ahead of us, putting two fingers to his brow before moving them forward in a mock salute. "whatever you say." and with that, he was off down the hall toward minho's dorm.

"he's strange." i shake my head as changbin and i step out of the elevator, heading toward his dorm.

"he's a meddler." changbin clarifies with a chuckle, pulling his key from his pocket. he keeps his arm around my waist as he moves to unlock the door with his other. he pushes the door open, gently guiding me inside before closing and locking the door behind us. i instantly shrug off changbin's jacket, leaving me in my fitted white crop top. i lay the jacket across the back of the chair at changbin's desk, and slide my shoes off as well, resting them by the desk.

changbin clatters his keys along the desk, shrugging off his leather jacket as well, placing it over mine, along with his shoes next to mine.

"i actually had more fun than i expected." i tell him honestly. the party was a lot of fun, save for changbin's ex flaunting around all night. but she quickly got the hint that nothing she was doing was bothering changbin, so she eventually went to flaunt off for someone else. the rest of the party was spent getting to know his friends better. just like felix had predicted, i got along well with hyunjin despite his loud demeanor. he was actually very sweet and, much like everyone else i'd met, grateful that i seemed to make changbin happy.

"yeah? did you like all of my friends? i know minho and hyunjin in one room can be a lot." he laughs. i nod in agreement. the two of them seem to have some unsettled feud, though i was sure it was probably just a running joke, i think i heard minho threaten hyunjin with tissues and an air fryer at least four times.

"they were great, you're lucky to have such a big friend group." i smile at him. he grins, moving to wrap his arms around my waist, pulling me close. i wrap mine around his neck.

"it means a lot that you get along with them, they're like my family."

"i can see that." i nod, giggling slightly. "you guys bicker like siblings, but love like them too."

"and, i wanted to thank you again for what you did during spin the bottle." he adds. i shake my head.

"really, you don't have to thank me for that. i feel like that's just basic decency." i shrug. his grip on my waist tightens slightly.