Buzzing on a level such as this was something that he could never have achieved with any amount of beer. He had probably never felt so excited in his entire life, which in itself was a rather saddening thought to behold but he didn't allow for it to dampen his mood. The pretty lilac satin pouch in his hands was the only thing keeping him grounded to the Earth, otherwise, he would have started running around in all sorts of directions, desperate to tell anyone and everyone just what he was going to do and why. It was a big wish of his to one day have at least one friend who he could ramble to about all of his heart's grand escapades which were actually very few because there had only ever been one. Still was just one. The only person who had mastered such a captivating ability to make him fall vulnerable at their feet. Gosh, the thought of them made him flustered and he held onto the box a little bit tighter. Maybe one day he could have his nerves calmed by an eager best friend but for now, he would just have to endure it alone.
Again, Minho walked in through the gates without Jisung. He was probably going to have a bad habit of lying for the rest of his life from the amount he was beginning to do to his own best friend but it was for Seungmin's sake. If he didn't lie to Jisung, he wouldn't be able to meet his... almost-boyfriend in peace.
Gosh, what a pair of words those were: almost-boyfriend.
He never knew himself to get so giddy over something so simple but perhaps that was just the effect that Seungmin had about him, he had such an innate ability to just be so loving and sweet and to live rent-free in anyone's mind. In particular, Minho's. There's never been a time in his life he's gotten so genuinely happy to be getting together with someone before. He's always been quite the loner type, not trying to date but also not not trying either. It was just finally hitting him how much this all meant to him, to have found someone that just so quickly has become his everything. Someone he'd do anything to see happy while knowing that he could expect similar treatment in return, in Seungmin's own unique way.
Minho couldn't bother hiding his smile as he walked through the gates and onto campus. As usual, he spotted Seungmin by their favourite bench and quickly jogged over to the boy, beaming and riddled with excitement. He was waved over and given an impossibly cute smile in return, gosh what a smile. One he'd do everything in his power to see time and time again. This kind of puppy love was quite new to him, he's never had it this bad before. Then again, this relationship - it was kind of a rebellion. Not exactly but it rivalled what everyone thought of them as individuals. Everyone saw Seungmin as a good-for-nothing whore, someone who'd never settle down and was too busy doing shit he shouldn't instead of focusing on his degree. Meanwhile, all of Minho's friends thought he'd be lonely forever, that he was too average to get a lover that would challenge him in a healthy way, and that he'd live nothing but a subpar existence yet they hated Seungmin. They hated the one person Minho ended up... dare he say... loving?
Love. It was definitely much too soon to say such a word. Like but not love. He couldn't love Seungmin. Not so early, he'd break his own heart if he did but he couldn't stop himself.
He loved Seungmin.
"Hyungie!" That voice was a tad too chipper and Minho came to learn why as his almost-boyfriend leapt into his arms, cuddling him tight with his arms and legs. Minho was not at all prepared, groaning in agony for his precious spine and trying not to drop the even more precious boy in his hold. "Oh my god, I missed you!"
"Missed me?" Minho laughed, easing Seungmin down onto the bench before sitting down beside him too. The younger refused to let go of him, still clinging to Minho's neck with his arms and cuddling close as possible. "How can you miss me when I stayed at yours yesterday for dinner?"
"Dinner wasn't long enough, kitty..." Seungmin said with a cheeky pout accompanied by a sweet giggle, one that told how he knew exactly what he was doing and saying. It was so endearing and he couldn't help himself from hanging onto each word that left the other's lips, the sweet voice was so addicting to the ears. Minho slipped his arms around Seungmin's perfect waist, lulling him into a lazy little hug and even though the students could clearly see how close they were, he could care less, they should mind their own business at this point. Seungmin was not theirs at all for them to point at and gossip about, and he was driven to make sure that when they perhaps someday go public with this sort-of relationship he can be there as a support to get them to back off whenever it got too out of hand. "...I like you, like a lot, Minho hyungie."
"I feel the same, Minnie..." Minho around-aboutedly confessed back, feeling his face get a little bit pink. He wasn't ever going to get used to feeling embarrassed and flustered like this, that much he was certain. Only Seungmin so far had managed to do this to him and despite hating the way he always wanted to blush now, he loved it nonetheless. He leaned over and pressed a small kiss just behind Seungmin's ear, hoping that it would prove he meant it even though he found it somewhat difficult to properly articulate that through his words in public like this. It seemed to work because when he backed his head away, Seungmin was a giggly pink mess and quickly came closer, being far bolder and leaving a kiss on Minho's cheek.
"... Gosh, I feel like a silly high schooler!' Seungmin laughed, using one of his prettily manicured hands to hide his mouth as he did so. His nails were painted a light popping pink with a glittery gel painted over top, however, Minho noticed something new and reached to gently grab that hand and bring it closer to his own eyes to get a closer look. It caught the younger off guard and the shy laughter cut off, replaced by a confused and questioning gaze as he leaned to try and get a clue as to what the older was looking at. "What...? Why are you looking at my hand...?"
"You've never worn this ring before." Minho plainly replied as he delicately poked the ring in question while he continued to intently observe it. The band was a beautiful silver with three diamonds on either side of an incredible rose-cut pink gem in the centre. He'd never seen such a simplistic yet breathtaking ring in his whole life before and it matched his precious Seungmin so perfectly, he almost didn't want to look away but he did. Somehow he managed to tear his gaze away and lock eyes with the third year again, giving him a small but warm smile. "It's really pretty, it suits you a lot, you should wear it often."
"Really? Um... I actually have something for you now that you mention it." Seungmin said with a pretty grin as he reached into the pocket of his pastel pink tennis skirt, having to lift up the side of the pleated fabric along with the soft material of the grey hoodie that was hiding quite the majority of the already short skirt. Upon a slightly closer look, Minho's eyes landed on the embroidered flower on the chest of the hoodie, Seungmin was wearing the hoodie he had lent him. If his heart wasn't already buzzing, it sure was now, he loved the sight of the third year engulfed in his massive clothes. He'd definitely be lending plenty more in the future and if he's lucky then maybe Seungmin would wear them to uni or at least whenever he goes around to his home again. As soon as Seungmin finished fishing around in his pocket, Minho's eyes quickly flicked back to his hand, seeing a small white box with a cute pale blue ribbon tied around all four sides into a cute bow on top.
"What is it?" Minho asked, becoming even more confused as the box was placed into his own hands. He glanced between the box and Seungmin a few times before asking just to be sure. "It's... for me?"
Seungmin gave a very eager nod.
Bewildered, Minho carefully opened the box, undoing the pretty bow and popping the lid off. Inside was a velvety material the same shade of blue as the bow, and tucked between the small divot was a gorgeous, gorgeous ring. In so many ways it resembled the one that Seungmin was wearing, in fact, it was the same except the band was pale gold with diamonds leading to a rose-cut baby blue gem in the centre. He was... mesmerized by the beauty of the ring, slightly shaken by the way it was matching with Seungmin's. Were these promise rings? A subtle way to show they had something between them without actually saying it out loud?
"Are these...?"
"Hyungie, since we're almost-boyfriend's I wanted to get rings to promise that we will someday become real boyfriends..." Seungmin smiled, it was a gentle genuine little smile that brought warmth to Minho's heart. He loved when the third year smiled even more so when it was like this, a delicate one that he wanted to protect and kiss for days on end. The third year reached a hand over, clasping onto Minho's wrist with a firm grip and strength that commanded his sole attention. "Promise me, that when you wear the ring you're thinking about me and that... you'll always be caring about me, even when I can't be close to you, I can just look and see you wearing it and know that I'm not alone. That I have you..."
"Bubble..." Minho whispered, almost at a loss for words. He couldn't help himself from his feelings falling deeper, could he really be blamed? When the third year in front of him was so sweet and sentimental, so precious and vulnerable, his heart couldn't help itself from wanting to protect, guide and love. There's nothing in this world he wouldn't do for Seungmin, that much he is sure of. He barely believed that he thought so many cruel things about Seungmin once, he regretted all of it so much. He'd do anything to atone for it and if wearing a beautiful ring like this would help, he'd do it in a heartbeat without so much as a second thought in his head. "I'll always wear it then, I'll never stop. I want you to know that I'm always with you..."
Carefully, with a little assistance from Seungmin, Minho put the gorgeous ring onto his index finger. According to the younger, it was the finger for promises and was perfect for a ring like this to make sure that their promise to one another would never be broken. It didn't match his outfit at all, it stuck out like a sore thumb but that only made it more perfect for them. This was how their relationship must look to outsiders peering in, two complete opposites in appearance yet somehow they were talking and getting along, just about in love even. They looked mistakenly fit together but in reality, they were puzzle pieces meant to clip into place with one another even if it took until the end of the puzzle to realise.
"It's almost as pretty as you, hyung!' Seungmin giggled, in turn making Minho laugh a little too. The third year just had that effect. He was too good at making others happy.
"It'll never be as pretty as you, though." Minho flirted back before leaning to kiss Seungmin's cheek as he got up to his feet to leave. His friends were waiting for him and he'd definitely left them waiting long enough, as much as he didn't want to leave just yet he had to. Seungmin's neck and ears flushed a bright red at the flirt but he managed to get to his feet to give Minho a parting hug, hiding his face square in the centre of the older's chest. Almost like a child but far too endearing and close to ever be exactly like it. "Catch you later? You'll be at practice tonight, right?"
"Of course... do you have to go, though?"
"You know what my friends are like."
"True... See you soon then, kitten!"
Seungmin backed away and waved with a cheeky grin as Minho shook his head, waving back and heading on his way. As much as he liked the little courtyard he and his friends hung out in, in the past month he was really beginning to dislike it. Not that it had changed or anything of the sort, it was still the same old courtyard, still relaxing as it always had been but he craved to be around Seungmin more. That's probably why he didn't want to go to the courtyard, he didn't want to be surrounded by people that would never support him liking Seungmin even back when they were just friends. He wanted to imagine a world where he could eagerly just walk into the courtyard hand in hand with Seungmin and sit down at the picnic bench with his friends, not having to worry about them glaring or scoffing and muttering degrading words about the boy he cared the most about in the world.
Maybe he was just getting a little too far in over his head but was it really his fault? Was it so bad to feel so strongly for someone this quickly?
He tried not to clear his head the best he could as he caught eyes with his friends at the bench, seemingly in deep discussion about something serious based on the grim look on their faces. If something bad had happened, he hadn't been told and his curiosity was piqued as he sped up his walking, hurrying and slinging his back under the table as he sat down beside Chan.
"Guys, what's up?" Minho asked, flickering his eyes between them all as their faces became more downcast and almost threatening. Maybe they didn't want to tell him what was bothering them, he would respect it but that kind of thing was unusual between them. He couldn't help but feel oddly small when sat near them and the intimidating glare coming from Chan in particular beside him didn't help this feeling. Trying not to make his discomfort too obvious or noticeable, he shuffled a little away and clasped his hands nervously together on the table, wringing them awkwardly over the other repeatedly to keep himself from fidgeting with the rest of his body. "Um... Guys, what were you talking about? Is there something... Is there something wrong?"
"Hyung, where'd you get that ring?" Felix poignantly asked, pointing a finger at the delicate ring Minho had received just minutes ago. If his friends weren't so awful about Seungmin, then maybe right now he would have smiled and blushed as he tried to fumble his way out of mentioning how he now has an almost-boyfriend that bought him a promise ring, all while they teased and made fun of him in a loving way like he would do to them. However, something like that would never happen because he knew that they would just humiliate him and complain about the third year's promiscuity, how he was probably going to be forgotten about or whatever crap they could make up to turn him off of wanting to keep pursuing the only boy he's cared about in so long.
"What? Why does that matter?" He asked, hoping his lying wasn't terribly obvious. On any normal day, in any normal situation then he'd be able to lie with ease and he did just the same now yet held less confidence in himself. Especially with the way Felix was raising his eyebrows and glancing at Jisung while Chan huffed and squeezed his boyfriend's hand across the table. They didn't believe him, he knew it.
"... Minho hyung, I saw you with Kim Seungmin... I saw all of it." Jisung mumbled, out of the lot of them he seemed the most genuinely upset and saddened by something while the other two were mostly agitated. "Do you... wanna tell us what's going on with you two?"
Minho didn't know what to say.
Was he supposed to lie and continue to just deny, deny, deny until it was true?
Or should he just be up front and admit it, admit everything he did behind their backs and risk losing their trust for good?
He was so shit at making friends. These guys had known him for so long, he couldn't just have them leave him, having Changbin exit their circle was hard enough. He had felt like he was so lonely and hated himself for selfishly thinking about himself then when Jisung was in more pain about it what with being cheated on and dumped like that. Even so, if all of them left, what would he do? He didn't know the people Seungmin was friends with or if he had any real and close friends at all.
He hated this and his mind wasn't helping.
It was making everything sound so dramatic. For fucks sake, it was just friends being asses! Why was he getting so worked up about everything?
Minho sighed.
"We like each other. I'm going to date him."
~👠~