Han had just stopped crying, when his phone started vibrating insistently in his pocket. The hill was dark and silent, Minho kept staring at the stars and Han didn't know how much longer they would stay on that grass. He was starting to get cold but honestly, he didn't care. He was strangely comfortable there, with that uncommon guy.

He picked up his phone, convinced he already knew who was calling him, and quickly answered his mother.

«Mom, I'm sorry, I stayed a bit with a... Friend» he said, faltering at that word. He hadn't said it in a long time.

«A friend? Who? Minho?» she asked from the opposite end of the phone, a shred of hope in her voice.

«Mh, yes» Han mumbled shyly.

«Oh my God, honey, invite him over for dinner!» she exclaimed, almost screaming, «I made all your favorite dishes and overdid it like always!» her voice was enthusiastic and Han knew she had cooked for at least ten person. He scratched his nose, embarrassed, and glanced at Minho who was observing him curiously:

«I don't know, mum, he's probably busy...» 

«Come on, ask him! It's your birthday!» the woman's voice was so ringing that Minho couldn't help but hear that last sentence. He almost turned pale.

«Is it your birthday?» he murmured, his eyes widening. He didn't know whether to think about the absurd coincidence of that date or the fact that, despite it being his birthday, Han was there with him, sitting in a damp park, staring at the stars. He glanced at the box Han had been carrying around all the time. Chan had made him bake a cake, it was obvious!

"How did I not notice anything?"

Han nodded shyly, «My mom asks if you have plans for dinner...» he added, looking at Minho from under his long lashes.

Did he do it on purpose to be so adorable?

Minho gave a hint of a smile and shook his head: «No commitment and I'm really hungry»

Han's mom squeaked from the other side of the phone: «Oh God, that's great! I'll be waiting for you, honey! I can't wait to meet him!»

Han blushed, hoping Minho hadn't heard those last sentences: «Okay, mom, see you later» he mumbled, cutting the embarrassing call short.

He turned to Minho and started stammering: «I'm sorry, you don't have to come, she gets carried away and-» 

«I want to come!» Minho snapped, annoyed that Han would even think that he was lying, «Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday?»

«I don't know...» he murmured, watching the dark lawn and nervously plucking a few leaves from the grass, «I haven't celebrated it in a while.»

Minho observed the boy's delicate features for a few moments. He was so beautiful and so sad at the same time, he seemed almost unreal. And Minho was too curious to know him for real, to know his story. He wanted to know what he did when he was alone, what made him happy, what dreams he had and also what his fears were.

Minho really wished he could make him smile again, but that day, on 14th September, he had certainly not been capable of it.

«And I wasn't exactly in the birthday mood, was I?» he added, sighing, «I'm sorry, Jisung. But let's fix it now!» he exclaimed, with a renewed energy that who knows where it had come from. He sat up and held out a hand to the younger one to help him up.

Han looked at him with his big squirrel eyes, surprised by all that enthusiasm and interest, and grabbed that hand, to stand up but he let it go immediately after. Minho's hand was soft and icy, while his was all sweaty and sticky. 

«So, you are turning 20» Minho smiled, following Han out of the park. The birthday boy nodded silently.

«Well, I didn't get you a present, so you can make a wish instead» he offered, observing the face of the younger, who was walking in that darkness carefully observing where he put his feet.

Han seemed to reflect for a moment and, as they finally exited the park, he raised an eyebrow with a grimace: «Change my contact's name then.»

Minho burst out laughing for that request: «You really don't like it, Baby Jisung, do you?» 

Han raised an eyebrow, annoyed. He tried to ignore the acceleration of his heartbeat at being called "Baby" by Minho, who was still laughing.

And, damn it, he was handsome when he laughed.

Han looked away and Minho took his phone out of his pocket: «Okay, okay, how do you want me to save your number?»

«Jisung» the younger ruled, keeping his eyes on the sidewalk.

«How boring...» snorted Minho, changing the contact on his smartphone, «And how did you save mine?» he asked, back to looking at Han.

The younger blushed, avoiding in every way to cross the older's eyes. Han was good at being standoffish and putting up barriers, but that night he had lowered several of them and Minho was about to spend his birthday evening at his house, with his mother too. And he still hadn't saved his number. That wasn't nice at all.

«Mh, how do you want me to save it?» he said, trying to sidestep the question, grabbing his phone. But Minho had already noticed his embarrassment:

«I knew you were an asshole!» he sneered, «Save me as My favorite boy» he then added, with a serious expression.

Han rolled his eyes and quickly changed Minho's contact: «I will go with Minho-ssi» he threatened. 

«No, no, no, please» the older stopped him, placing a hand on Han's, «Minho is fine» he added, while Jisung was watching that hand remain on his for a few seconds before it moved.

Why was his heart beating so damn fast in his chest?

Han saved the contact and stared at his phone screen. He had a new friend or so it seemed.

"Minho" he thought, with just the slightest hint of a smile, then he locked the screen and put the phone back in his hoodie pocket.

The hazel-haired boy hadn't let that smile slip away. Han was really glad he was there, he wasn't pushing him away anymore.

«Can I add a heart next to your name?» the older asked, «A black heart, of course» he added, noticing Han's murderous glare.

«Don't you dare.» the younger one snapped, pointing a finger at him, «Do you want to have dinner tonight?» he threatened him again.

Minho laughed and nodded. He would have changed the contact the day after anyway.

«Do you have siblings?» he asked then, to make conversation.

«I don't like the question game, I already told you, right?» Han muttered, keeping his eyes on the road.

«Mh, okay, no questions» Minho granted him, «at least for tonight.» he then smirked.

«That's a real birthday present!» Han joked, «Well, better than the ones I got for my eighteenth birthday» he added, frowning.

Minho scanned his face, illuminated by the street lamps scattered around the avenue they were walking along. He wanted to ask for more, he wanted to let Han know that he wasn't alone, not anymore... But he had promised. So, not knowing what else to do, he grabbed Han's hand, entwining their fingers. He had already noticed in the park that Han's hand was sweaty. Was he that agitated in his presence? 

Han froze in the street and looked at their hands. His heart seemed to run away, his breath stopped. He didn't look up, didn't meet Minho's eyes. He just sighed and resumed walking, keeping his hand hooked to the other's. 

He didn't want to held it, he didn't want to give him access to his heart like that. It was all too fast for him. But he needed that contact, that warm and comfortable hand.

And that was the best present he had received in recent years.

.          .          .

Without speaking they arrived at Han's house and Jisung broke that contact.

«My mom hasn't seen my friends in too long» he started, scratching his neck in embarrassment, «so she's going to be clingy as an octopus. Forgive her.» he added, staring at the toes of his shoes.

«Jisung?» Minho called him, to get his attention. Han lifted his head making their eyes meet.

«There's nothing she or you could say that will scare me.» the older said, fighting the urge to grab Han's hand again, «Did you get me?»

Jisung felt a lump in his throat and looked away to escape those sincere and reassuring eyes. Seojun's were too, after all. Eyes can lie too.

«I didn't say that you would be scared» he muttered, turning away from the new friend and opening the front door.

As soon as the lock clicked, a soft sound reached them: «Honey?» Han's mom's voice came from the kitchen and Minho smiled.

He looked around: the house was very warm and welcoming. Not particularly large or modern, not very tidy, but it smelled like home. Something that Minho hadn't ever had.

«Here we come, mom!» Han made his way to the kitchen first, while Minho took off his shoes in the hall. The younger gave the cake to his mom who began a long rant about how good a boy Chan was and how nice it would had been to invite him too. But before Han could even snort Minho joined them and she froze.

«Minho, she's my mother» Han introduced them.

«Ji» the woman gasped, without taking her eyes off the newcomer, «you said he looked like an idol but I didn't imagine he was so stunning!»

«Mom!» Han interrupted her, blushing sharply.

Minho laughed and shook hands with the woman.

«Please, call me Haru, my dear» she said, with a sweet look. She had the same round eyes as Han and also the same little nose.

«With pleasure, Haru.» the boy smiled kindly, «I'm Minho and thanks for the compliment» he laughed. 

Han glared at them both. That damned guy was good at making himself adored and his mother was the most suitable person to embarrass his son. That would have been a long night!

«Okay, I'm getting diabetes. Shall we eat?» he snapped, walking into the living room. His mom had set the table as if it were Christmas. She had used the "good one" tablecloth, the set of glasses for special occasions. There were candles too, a bouquet of flowers on the table and a gift bag at Han's place. 

«Mom, there was no need...» Han muttered, amazed. He was embarrassed but also glad that he could have something minimally similar to a party.

Minho watched his face with curiosity, picking up every reaction of the birthday boy. He knew that under that hard shell there was a little squirrel looking for affection.

«Come on, let me celebrate my beautiful son!» she snapped, hugging him and planting a kiss on his cheek. They didn't hug often, Han didn't like physical contact much. But that evening something was different, he felt an unusual warmth, so he smiled and hugged her back before taking his seat at the table. 

«Should I open it now?» he asked, gripping the package in his hands.

Haru nodded excitedly. She couldn't afford much since her husband had died, but she hoped she had chosen well.

Han opened the package and found a professional microphone in his hands. He opened his mouth and stared at the object, saying nothing.

«Do you sing?» Minho asked immediately, amazed.

«If he sings?» Haru chimed in, seeing that Han seemed to have ended up on another planet, «He has one of the most beautiful voices on this Earth!» she exclaimed, excited.

She knew that Han didn't talk about his passion often, especially after Seojun disappeared from his life, but that was an important part of him. She knew he would never completely abandon music and if Minho was going to be friends with him, he had to know about that too.

Han didn't take his eyes off the microphone and quickly wiped away a tear that threatened to leave the corner of his eye. He had a wonderful equipment years ago. He and Seojun promised to make music together, to release some of the songs they recorded and to go to a Music School after they graduated. Too bad Han had to abandon his own dream because they were out of money. His mother had never worked and they found themselves with their father's debts that they did not even know existed.

«Do you like it? Did I choose well?» she asked, worried.

He just nodded and hinted a smile: «It's perfect, mom.»

.          .          .

The dinner continued between laughs, dirty looks from Han at his mom when she said embarrassing things about his childhood or exaggerated with compliments, and sweet smiles from Minho. The boy watched everything curiously, happy to have finally entered Han's life. He didn't know if that guy would have put up dozens of other barriers, if he would have pushed him away other times, if he would have put big limits on their relationship. But at the moment he just wanted to enjoy the little smiles Han managed to crank out, his goofy expressions and the blush on his cheeks when he was shy.

Because everything was wonderful about him.

«It's getting very late, guys.» Haru said, starting to collect the dishes from the table, «I'll start tidying up here, you can go to Ji's room»

Han blushed at the thought and got up from his chair: «But mom, we'll help you!» he snapped, Minho stood up nodding too.

«No way, Jisung, I'll put away the bulk of this but I'll sort it out tomorrow after work. It's your birthday, anyway!» she snapped, putting on a stern expression that didn't suit her sweet face at all.

Han sighed and looked at Minho: «I think it's better for you to go. It's really late, I don't want to keep you any longer»

Minho shook his head: «Oh, don't worry, I have to go late to the agency and-»

«Han Jisung!» his mother snapped, making both boys jump, «It's very late and you want to send him home like this?» she asked, bringing her hands to her hips menacingly.

Then she smiles and turns to the guest: «Minho, please, stay for the night.»

Minho tried to hide his surprise at that request and immediately shifted his gaze to his friend, followed by Haru's.

Han's eyes were wide open and his face was purple: «Mom, what-»

«If Jisung gets embarrassed like a teenager in heat, I can open the sofa for you. It's very comfortable» she added and Minho couldn't hold back a smile.

«I'm not embarrassed!» the younger snapped, «Surely Minho prefers to sleep at his house!» he added, looking at his new friend and hoping not to be contradicted.

Instead Minho smirked, pretending he didn't notice Han's agitation:

«Actually, I accept your mother's proposal, if it's okay with you. My house is quite far away»

Han glared at him and sighed.

«Well, sleep here then.»

Elle's note:

Hi babies!! 

I'm really really busy these weeks, so please, tell me if there are mistakes!! 

I really hope you like this chap, tell me what do you think about it! Comment and vote to support me as always <3 

L