Han made his way up the stairs to the second floor. He hadn't stopped to look Minho in the eyes since it had been decided the older was staying for the night.

Minho wondered if he was wrong to accept Haru's proposal, as he watched Han open his bedroom door with a shaking hand.

Was he that worried of sleeping with him? What was he scared of?

Not even Han knew what he was afraid of, but surely it was all too much for him. He had never slept with any friend other than Seojun in Malaysia and he had never invited anyone to his house there in Seoul. And everything was happening way too quickly.

«I'll give you a gym suit, I hope it fits you.» he murmured, furiously rummaging through his closet and handing Minho clean clothes without meeting his gaze.

«Go to the bathroom, I'll change here. Second door on the left.» he said, then walked away from the older who didn't move an inch.

«Jisung?»

«Mh?» the younger answered, without even looking at him.

«I can sleep on the sofa» Minho offered, with a kind voice.

«And why on Earth?» Han asked, his voice shaking as he turned his back to Minho and put his phone on charge, pretending he had something important to do on the smartphone.

«You seem to be uncomfortable, but you don't have to worry. I won't touch you.» Minho said, convinced he was saying something reassuring.

But Han felt his stomach twist. He was convinced up to that moment that Minho was flirting with him, romantically, and that he found him at least cute. He was worrying about how he was going to fall asleep that night without disturbing Minho, to not make strange noise or things like that. But after that sentence he thought he had misunderstood everything. Minho didn't find him attractive at all. He would have never touched him and Eun was fucking right.

He also thought back to all the compliments his mother said about her son in front of the boy and he felt like an idiot.

"Sure, Han, you're ugly, remember?"

«Of course» he snapped, gritting his teeth.

Minho looked at him puzzled. He didn't get what was going on in that boy's head and he wasn't okay with that. He wanted to understand him.

«Jisung, tell me, what's wrong?» he asked, approaching Han, «I feel like I'm ruining your birthday...»

Han was surprised by that sentence and looked up, finally meeting Minho's eyes:

«What are you saying?!» he snapped, feeling slightly guilty. Minho had been perfect all evening, despite having had a rough day. He didn't want to make him feel that way!

«I would have spent a shitty evening without you!» he added, blushing immediately afterwards.

Minho held back a smile and came even closer to the boy: «Then, tell me, what are you worried about?» he asked, stroking his forearm.

Han shivered at the touch but didn't move. It was pleasant, after all. 

«I don't know, I'm just agitated!» Jisung blurted, tired of keeping it all inside, «I haven't had friends in years and I haven't slept with anyone in a long time.» he finally confessed, keeping his eyes fixed on his own hands.

«Oh, for that matter, neither do I, Ji.» Minho said, with a reassuring smile. Han immediately noted the nickname.

«But it's just you and me.» the older added, «We can't do anything wrong.» he said and Han felt comforted by those dark eyes. They were so reassuring, it was as if he had known them forever.

He finally nodded and seemed to relax a bit. «Do you want to see a movie?» he asked, gesturing to the computer on his bed.

«Don't you have to work tomorrow?» the older asked, concerned.

«Yes, but I suffer from insomnia, I wouldn't sleep that early anyway» Han explained, shrugging.

Minho held back a worried look. He had promised: no questions that night.

Shit, that was such a hard promise to keep.

«Fine, choose the movie, I'm going to change» he smiled and disappeared into the bathroom.

Han quickly changed into his pajamas, thanking his mom for throwing out the one with the teddy bears months ago. Before opening Netflix, he grabbed his notebook from the desk and wrote a simple phrase that had been buzzing in his head for hours:

 "Met a lot of people, but nobody feels like you."

He quickly closed his diary and slipped under the covers, slightly shivering. September was cold that year in Seoul, the air was fresh and the leaves were starting to turn yellow. Autumn was anticipating its arrival.

Han chose an action film, not knowing Minho's tastes, and waited for him, trying not to fuss again.

«Here I am» His guest returned to the room and closed the door behind his back. Han stood for a few moments staring at the older: he was wearing Jisung's clothes and it felt somehow intimate.

He felt butterflies in his stomach and stared back at the computer screen, pretending to adjust the volume or something.

«It smells delicious» Minho said, slipping into bed with Han, not getting too close to him. He didn't want to make him uncomfortable.

«What?» Han asked, puzzled.

«Your t-shirt» Minho smiled, «it smells good»

Han blushed but tried to play sassy as usual: «Ask my mom what kind of softie she uses then» he joked, looking for a comfortable position so that both of them could watch the computer.

Minho saw him struggling and grabbed the MacBook from his friend's hands. He sat down with his back leaning against the headboard, the laptop on his legs: «Is it okay?»

Han nodded and made the movie start, positioning himself near Minho. Their shoulder were touching, their thighs were inches apart and Han's heart was racing. It was pounding so hard that Minho could probably hear it too.

"Damn, how I'm going to get through this night."

A few minutes later, Minho was asleep, his head resting on Han's shoulder, who was petrified. 

"Ok, calm down, Han Jisung" he repeated to himself, watching Minho's hands still gripping the computer, "He's sleeping, you can do it."

He gently took the computer from Minho's legs and placed it on the bed, without making sudden movements. Then he took the older's face from his shoulder and tried to make him lie down, without waking him, but the boy suddenly opened his confused eyes.

Han froze while Minho watched his friend's face, he got the situation and settled down on the pillow: «Sorry, I fell asleep» he mumbled, closing his eyes again.

Han resumed breathing, put away the laptop and turned off the light. He lay down too, staring at the dark ceiling in complete silence.

«Jisung?» Minho's voice was almost a whisper. He was fighting against the tiredness.

«Mh?» Han turned around a little, looking at Minho's features in the half-light of the night. His eyes were closed, his face relaxed and no irritating grin was visible on his lips. He was even more beautiful than usual.

The older let out a small sigh, rolled up in the covers clutching the pillow like a cat and, before finally falling asleep, he mumbled something that finally made Han smile.

«Happy birthday, Ji.»

.           .           .

The next morning Minho was already in the bathroom when Han opened his eyes. He had slept better than he had in a long time, contrary to his expectation. No nightmare and, above all, no embarrassing movie scenes where a boy wake up in the other's arms.

«Woah, good morning!» snapped Minho, returning from the bathroom. He was wearing his own clothes from the day before. «How can your face be so beautiful in the early morning?» he asked.

Han blushed suddenly: «Stop it» he mumbled, not understanding if there was any irony in that sentence.

«Look at you!» Minho insisted, with a smile, «You have a mirror right there»

Han looked at the object on his bedside table and sighed: «That's for when I have nightmares, not for looking at myself in the morning» he let slip.

Minho sat at the end of the bed, looking at him worried. That boy had just turned 20. He didn't know much about him yet, but he got that he didn't sleep well, that he had nightmares often and that he had no friends.

And it was then, in the morning light, that he finally saw them clearly: Han had several scars. The ones on his wrists went up halfway up his forearm and there was also one on his furrowed forehead.

Minho had to fight the urge to hug that boy and kiss his scars. He wanted to know the story behind them, he wanted Han to no longer feel alone.

Jisung felt observed and arranged the bangs on his forehead, where it should have been, then he crossed his arms over his chest to cover his cuts. 

«Sorry» Minho murmured, understanding he'd been watching him too much, «Do you want me to let you change?» he asked, not knowing how to act.

«Ah, well, if you don't want to stand by and watch me» Han snapped ironically, not thinking he was giving Minho a golden opportunity.

«I'd like that» the older sneered.

«Stop it, Minho» Han snapped again and the other smiled, thinking that the younger didn't like that kind of flirting sentences. He could never imagine that Jisung actually thought that no one in the world could find him attractive.

«Okay, I'm leaving.» Minho announced, getting up from the bed, «But you have to know that my scar is bigger.» he added, as if it were a contest and he was the winner. He stormed out of the room, heading downstairs, leaving a stunned Han.

Did Minho have a scar? Hadn't he been impressed by his cuts?

That boy was weird. For real.

But Han liked him, he liked him for it.

.          .          .

Minho

"I hope you slept well tonight"

Jisung 🖤

"Quite well"

Minho

"I knew it! You snored a lot!"

Jisung 🖤

"I don't snore!"

Minho

"So maybe it was your mom"

Jisung 🖤

"Moron"

"Are you being serious?"

Minho

"Ahahaha no way"

"You looked almost kind while you slept, like a little angel"

Jisung 🖤

"Stop talking bullshit"

Minho

"I can stop saying them, but it's what I think"

"You are breathtaking since the morning"

Seen

"I'll leave you alone now, I'm going to the agency."

"I'll stop by the Café later"

Jisung 🖤

"All right, I won't wait for you."

.          .          .

He had already been working for several hours, the Café was full, yet Han felt full of energy. Chan looked at him with a smile, wondering what had happened the day before to make him so radiant; but he decided not to poke him, to avoid making him frown again.

However, he didn't have to wait long to figure out who was responsible for that relaxed expression on Han's face: when a certain trainee boy entered the Café, Han blushed profusely.

«Ehy, Minho!» Chan greeted him, «We're cleaning already, would you like a coffee?»

Minho had a gorgeous smile on his lips and couldn't stop staring at Han, who kept ignoring him. The younger looked intimidated and it was certainly better than the ostentatious indifference and coldness of the previous weeks.

Sleeping together had changed something, in short. For both of them.

«Thank you so much, Chan-hyung, but I'm just here to walk Han home» he said, observing the reaction on the face of the younger one.

Han jerked his head up, dropping into the sink a glass which luckily didn't break.

«What?» he asked, trying to appear pissed off.

Chan had started to chuckle, enjoying the show, while Minho held Han's gaze confidently and gently.

«Can I walk you home?» he repeated, kindly.

«I'm not a baby, do you know?» Han grumbled, finishing arranging the last few glasses.

«Of course I know. I'm not much of a babysitter» he smiled.

Han bit his lip to keep from laughing. He couldn't give in to that boy's charm so easily.

He hadn't stopped thinking about Minho in his bed all day and about how peacefully they had slept together too, but he didn't want to show it.

«Well, if you insist...» he said, feigning indifference, «I'll take my things»

«Have fun!» Chan giggled, taking off his apron.

Minho greeted him with a wink and Han joined the hazel hair boy at the door. They left the café together and headed for Han's house. It was at least a 15 minute walk and Han's mind began to travel.

What could they talk about all that time? What if he talked too much? What if Minho get bored?

«Are you okay?» Minho asked, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk.

Han nodded and tried to silence all those questions. He turned to Minho and saw him holding a red gift package with a too much pleased expression. His new friend just stood there, silent, blinking at him.

«What is this?» Han asked, taking the gift in his hands, with a shocked expression.

«For your birthday» Minho said simply.

«Aw, there was no need, Minho!» Han moaned, stamping his feet like an excited child, «We already celebrated it yesterday!»

«Oh...» Minho pouted, holding out his hand to Han, «If you don't want it, give it back to me» he sneered, raising an eyebrow with a challenging look.

«I'm opening it!» Han said quickly, pulling away from Minho, that smiled cutely.

The younger sat down on a bench not far from his house and began to tear the paper. Minho sat next to him and looked at him fondly.

It was a cute beanie. Warm, black and with fur on the outside. Han stroked its softness immediately, looking at it with sparkling eyes. If he had seen it in the shop, he would have bought it himself.

«I wanted something to keep you warm» Minho spoke, not getting any feedback from his friend, «but if you don't like it, we can chang-»

Han jerked his head up and shook it rapidly: «No, no, no! It's beautiful!» he exclaimed, putting on his hat immediately. 

«It must be washed first!» Minho grumbled, but he couldn't help smiling as he saw the boy's face framed by his new hat.

«Mh, I do not care» the younger said, churning out a squirrel-like expression that Minho had never had the honor of seeing. Han also pulled up the hood of his sweatshirt and the older couldn't stop staring at him.

"He looks so small..."

«Does it fit me?» Han asked, hinting a smile.

«You are so cute.» Minho let out, blushing a little soon after. Han bit his lower lip and swallowed conspicuously, appreciating the compliment.

«Wait!» Minho said, searching something in the pockets of his hoodie, while Han was watching him curiously. The older takes his phone out and quickly takes a photo of Jisung.

«Hey!» the younger grumbled, «Delete it!» he yelled, trying to grab the phone. 

Minho turned it to show him the photo, but moved his hand away to prevent him from stole it: «Look at you! So cute!» he repeated.

Han looked at his own photo and blushed hardly.

It was true, the hat suited him and his face was tender. Was that how Minho saw him?

«Okay, okay, if you keep teasing me, I'll take it off» he mumbled. Minho stroked Jisung's head or, rather, his new soft hat.

«Come on, let's take you home» he said, extending his hand to Han.

Jisung didn't say anything, he grabbed it and, after throwing away the papers that covered the gift, they set off for home, again in comfortable silence.

The closer they got to Han's house, the more he wondered if he should invite him to stay, to thank him for the gift. It had been so nice to have dinner with him and sleep together, but that would have seemed like an excessive request, wouldn't it? He couldn't already have developed an addiction to his presence. Right?

«Here we are!» he simply said, stopping in front of the door, «Thanks for the hat»

Minho smiled, twirling his phone between the fingers: «I earned a photo in exchange»

Han tried not to blush again and huffed in response, «See you then» he added, turning towards the front door.

«Ji?» Minho called him, using that abbreviation again, «Can I pick you up tomorrow too?»

Han felt a lump in his throat and his heart leapt. Did Minho want to see him tomorrow too?

"Don't get used to it, Han, don't kid yourself"

«Okay, but don't get used to it» he answered, making Minho smile.

«Bye!»

Elle's note:

How are you, babies?

Here I am with a loooong chapter, I hope you like it!!

Let me know with some comments <3 

P.S. Han is so perfect, that hat is so cute omg *-*