There is minor mentions of physical abuse and neglect in this chapter, as well as some minor topics in regards of mental health. Please be advised and do not read any further if you are sensitive to these topics.

✧━━ .·:*¨¨* 𓆩♡𓆪 *¨¨*:·. ━━ ✧

❥ 𝐉𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕 •°. *࿐

For a quiet moment, all Jisung can hear is the pounding of his own heart.

His heart was racing, beating against his chest with a rapt chase, beating and pulsing with a new found energy that seemed to be spurred from a mutual feeling. Kissing Minho had been an impulsive decision on his end, but the longer the kiss lasted, the more Jisung felt assured in just how much both of them had needed this. Jisung was tired of feeling high-strung and stressed about anything and everything, while he was also sure that Minho just wanted his mind to succumb to silence.

Either way, whatever this kiss meant, Jisung's heart was racing, and he wasn't sure if he should panic, remain calm, keep composed, or simply shut his mouth in fear of ruining the moment.

"Jisung–" Minho breathed out the second their lips part, raising his hand timidly, cupping the edge of Jisung's jaw with careful hesitance. "I didn't mean to force this on you–"

"You're not forcing anything on me," Jisung says, taking a soft breath inwards. He takes a brief moment, studying Minho's expression, taking the chance to get lost in the depth of his eyes. Even in this low lighting, Minho was incredibly breathtaking, and this close proximity, swallowed by the warmth of their kiss, was slightly overwhelming, but Jisung didn't hate it. Rather, he wanted to get closer, and more importantly, he wanted to kiss Minho again.

"I'm sorry–" Minho starts, his cheeks lightly flushed with red. Jisung shakes his head, leaning into Minho's palm as the touch continues to linger.

"Don't apologize," Jisung says quietly, slowly feeling as his elevated heart rate begins to slow. "I think. . . whatever we have burning between us has kindled to more than just a match's flame, Minho."

Minho slowly smiles, glancing down for a moment before seemingly building the courage to meet Jisung's gaze again. There was something lingering behind his hues, a secret infatuation laced with relief, maybe something more, or Jisung supposes that he's reading too much into it. He didn't know, truthfully. All he knew was that the male he cared so much for was here, and whatever fire had been kindled between them was finally and truthfully aflame, igniting a feeling that Jisung swears he saw sparked in Minho's eyes.

"I've never seen your walls down like this," Minho admits, his smile lingering. "Did I finally sneak my way into your heart?"

Jisung smiles, placing a hand onto Minho's chest, pushing him away slightly. "Stop it."

"Aw, come on, Jisung," Minho coos, biting his lower lip. "Admit it, you're weak for me."

"You have such an ego," Jisung quips teasingly, rolling his eyes.

"And surprisingly, you seem to like said ego," Minho replies back warmly, leaning closer again.

Jisung smiles, letting his eyes flick down to Minho's lips slowly before leaning in, nodding his head slightly. "Yeah. I guess I just like you."

Minho closes the distance between them, pressing his lips to Jisung's again, letting the connection between them linger. Jisung feels almost as if his world is tilting on its axis, spinning round and round until reality sinks inwards, bringing him back to the pleasing feeling of Minho's lips on his.

Jisung has never longed for someone like this before, and he knows that he is likely out of his mind, or perhaps a little ambiguous, but adorning these feelings for Minho hadn't been something he anticipated. He knew that the male was different, not in terms towards him, but in general. Minho hadn't been like anyone he had met, and because of this, Jisung found himself overly infatuated with everything Minho was.

He was kind beneath the harsher tones of iciness, protecting himself from the unknown, even if a warmer side was hidden beneath it all. There was still a light blossoming within the depth of his hues, something glimmering beneath the armor that he wore heavily everyday. Jisung wanted to embrace all aspects of Minho, every single part and every little nuance; he just wanted him. He wasn't completely sure on how relationships worked, nor of their dynamics, having closed himself off from the mere idea of it a long, long time ago. But now, he finds himself yearning for more, to be a part of Minho's life and to be the anchor that Minho desperately needed to survive his tumultuous seas. Jisung knew he'd do anything to make Minho happy and to keep him happy, but he truly had no idea just how much he needed to breach across this impasse until now.

"I can't believe you keep. . . doing that," Jisung breathes out, his hand moving upwards to gently touch his bottom lip, only a few inches away from Minho after they had parted. "You kissed me."

"I did," Minho laughs quietly, reaching over to grab Jisung's raised wrist, thumb brushing against his skin gently. "You know how many times I've thought about that?"

"We're getting honest, are we?" Jisung smiles, looking up at Minho before leaning away.

"You make me want to be honest, to be myself," Minho says with a seemingly relaxed exhale, a familiar glimmer of something settled within his hues, something that felt similar to adoration, or even more so, a mirrored infatuation.

"I want you to be who you are, because I like you for everything that you are," Jisung coos quietly, gently pulling his wrist free of Minho's grasp before catching his hand within his own, squeezing softly.

"You like me as I am?" Minho curiously inquires, though the slight tease accompanying his tone was completely obvious to Jisung.

"I've always liked you for who you are, Minho," Jisung admits softly, though he felt as if Minho knew that subconsciously. "I never fell for your tough guy facade, and you know that."

"That's what I like about you the most," Minho says with a certain fondness, something that makes Jisung's heart stutter against his chest. "You can see right through me, and you just. . . understand."

"Because I've always paid attention, Minho," Jisung replies. "I might be quiet and a bit of a loner at times, but you were the one thing my mind could never rid itself of."

"Ah, so you're just obsessed with me?"

"Minho'ah!" Jisung chastices, gently smacking Minho's arm. "You're ruining the moment."

Minho laughs, his smile genuine, the sound of his laughter warming and relieving. Jisung smiles back, unable to control the quiet bouts of his own laughter to mingle within the sounds of Minho's.

"I can't help it," Minho says. "Teasing you has become my favorite pastime."

"Find a better hobby," Jisung retorts teasingly, folding his arms against his chest in faux-disappointment.

"I'd really like to develop a habit of kissing you," Minho says lowly, his voice tender and soft, his eyes catching Jisung's gaze the moment the younger looks up with a faint blush warming his cheeks. "Am I allowed to do that?"

Jisung's breath hitches subtly, and for a moment, Jisung truly ponders about what words could ever fit to describe the true, genuine response he wished he could muster. For once in his life, Minho had truly rendered him wordless, caught in a state of wanting to usher an accepting and resounding yes over and over again, yet somehow being unable to. Instead, all he does is nod, watching as Minho's eyes flick down to catch a glimpse of his lips before shooting back upright, catching and holding Jisung's gaze with intent.

Jisung is pliant as Minho leans closer, his breath warm on Jisung's lips as his tone reverberates with a sudden lilt that composed itself in a teasing manner.

"I want you to realize that I've never felt like this about anyone, Jisung," Minho says, raising his hand, trailing his fingertip along the line of Jisung's jaw. "You make me want to be better."

"Better how?" Jisung asks, his eyes never leaving Minho's.

"Better in every sense of the word," Minho's voice shakes slightly as he speaks, but he doesn't once let his tone waver. "I want to be better for you."

"Don't be better for just me," Jisung says, pressing a flat palm against Minho's chest, feeling the soft cotton of his shirt press back against his hand. "Be better for yourself, too."

Minho nods, rather than expressing anything he simply smiles and looks at Jisung, reaching his free hand over to gently grab the younger's, a comfortable silence hanging in the space between them.

"You know," Jisung begins, feeling Minho's thumb smooth over his knuckles. "You don't have to leave tonight if you don't want to."

"I know," Minho says, his smile fading slightly. "But I should. I can't avoid him forever, and I can always sneak out before he wakes up. I'll be safe."

"I worry," Jisung's voice drops into a mere whisper, hoping that his concern for the male would entice him to simply stay, but Minho seemed rather rooted into his idea.

"I know you do, but I promise you that I'll be fine. I'll stay for a bit longer and go back home, but I'll wait for you tomorrow at the intersection that's a few houses down from here. I'll walk with you to class tomorrow, how about that?"

"Minho–"

"Hey–" Minho raises his hands, cupping Jisung's face, forcing the younger to meet his gaze with a gentle smile. For a moment, Minho remains quiet, searching Jisung's eyes and expression with a quiet bout of hope and relief, or something in between that, a silent plea to trust him. "I'll be okay."

Jisung takes a silent breath inwards before nodding subtly, sensing the genuine plea roll off of Minho's tongue. Jisung wanted to hope that he'd be okay, but he truly didn't know what Minho's father was capable of. He knew that their relationship was on tumultuous grounds, seemingly worsening with every passing day, and the last thing Jisung wanted to do was to place himself in the middle when he didn't know the depth of everything.

He could assume that Minho's father was holding a grudge about his wife's death, as Jisung still knew little to nothing about the entire ordeal of Minho's complete past. He didn't want to pry, as he'd rather Minho express the details of what happened on his own terms, but in feeling like this, feeling this fear and this anxiety about letting the elder go back to his abusive home, he couldn't help but fear the worst.

Whatever relationship had defined them now mattered not to Jisung. He wanted Minho to be safe and to be careful, as Jisung didn't want to see him covered in so many scars. Minho's arms were messily marked with bruises and burns, as well as his hands, but the scars that adorned his neck remained a mystery, and Jisung couldn't help but wonder if his father were to blame.

Jisung slowly looks down before blinking back up, trying to settle the unease filling his chest as he sits next to Minho, wondering if he could sense the high-strung nerves radiating off of him like a heater.

"Let's watch the movie we talked about," Minho suggests, a soft tone accompanying his words. "I don't want to leave when you look this concerned, Jisung."

"I'm sorry," Jisung murmurs, frowning.

"Stop it," Minho retorts, brushing his thumbs against Jisung's skin. "I want to stay with you. So, let's just try to forget about the worry and the concern for now, and focus on the movie. Can you do that?"

"Yeah," Jisung says, almost unconvincingly, trying to hide away his emotions for the sake of savoring their evening.

"Okay," Minho smiles, though Jisung has a feeling that Minho could see right through him just in the way he had been able to see through the elder.

Jisung has never cared this much about anyone, and he finds himself complacent, worrying irregardless of Minho's wishes. He didn't know what it was like to be terrified of your own home, let alone your own parents, but he knew all too well of the emotional disconnect one can feel with parents who simply did not understand. Jisung wanted Minho to be okay, and if Minho wanted to ignore reality and sink into the depth of some dramatic movie, then so be it. He'd do anything to protect Minho's peace, even if that meant ignoring his own concern for the time being.

"Are you sure that you have to go?" Jisung asks, watching Minho gather his things.

"Unfortunately," Minho says, glancing at the younger with an almost saddened expression. "But I promise, I'll wait for you like I said."

"You don't have to do all of this–"

Minho shakes his head with a soft smile, setting down his bag before turning to face Jisung properly, extending out his hand to offer it, an open extension of reassurance. Jisung takes it, feeling as Minho squeezes hand almost instantly, trying to soothe the nerves he surely felt stored within.

"I want to do all of this. I know this. . . adjustment to our dynamic is hard for both of us, and it's unknown territory. But trust me when I tell you that I've never felt like this with anyone. I just–"

"Don't know where to go from here?" Jisung asks, settling on the edge of his bed, squeezing Minho's hand back, letting his gaze drift to where their hands were joined. "Yeah. . . me either."

"It's scary, I'll admit. I'm scared of messing this up because this just feels like the one good thing I've had in a long, long time. I know myself, and. . . for once in my life, I'm terrified to lose someone."

"Minho," Jisung says quietly, looking up to spot Minho's gaze casted elsewhere, as if the admittance itself was hard enough to express. "I'm right here. Why would I leave now, after everything?"

"Everyone always leaves me, Jisung," Minho expresses quietly, averting his gaze. "But you're the one person that I don't ever want to lose."

Jisung wants to plead for him to stay, and more than anything does he wish that Minho would see how concerned he was, but he doesn't want to seem overly attached when they weren't even technically in a relationship yet.

"I'll always stay," Jisung says, feeling as Minho's hand squeezes his own before letting go. "Just as long as you promise to come back to me, then I'll always be here, waiting for you."

Minho's lips curl into a soft smile before he turns to glance at Jisung, then looks down at his bag, resuming his momentary packing.

"I like that you're so poetic," Minho coos. "Makes me really like your nerdy brain rather than be envious of it."

"Why would you ever be envious of me?" Jisung laughs quietly as he speaks, watching Minho shrug his bag over his shoulder.

"Because you're smart, and you're getting scholarships and full rides–" Minho takes a breath, shaking his head slightly again. "I know I'll graduate, thanks to you, but I'm not sure if college is in my future."

"Well, we don't have very long until we graduate," Jisung sighs, pushing himself off of his bed. "I can always help you look into things as far as college goes, but I won't force the idea on you. It's not for everyone, and I'm not much sold on the idea either."

"Isn't that what you've been working so hard for?" Minho asks, raising a brow.

"What? College?" Jisung watches as Minho nods, earning another sigh in return. "Yeah, well, listen– it's not what I want, it's what my parents want. It's hard living up to a doctor and a nurse and trying to express that you'd rather have a career in something else, like literature or the arts itself, because they'd claim that my talents and my brain would go to waste."

"That's not fair," Minho says quietly, frowning subtly. "Are you really giving up what you want just for the sake of their desires?"

"I have no choice," Jisung says with a breath, waving Minho's concern away. "It's fine, Minho. Everyone is happy this way, and I'm okay with that."

"Yeah, that might be the case, but you're not happy," Minho replies, causing Jisung to pause in his steps.

He truly hadn't thought of that, well, not really, and knowing that Minho understood what Jisung had failed to really struck a nerve, but not in a bad, reactive way. He rather felt himself wondering how he himself didn't realize such an obvious thing, but Minho could notice it readily, really brought Jisung's mind to a sudden standstill.

"I–" Jisung pauses again, his lips parted in an effort to speak before they suddenly close, feeling as if the words fail him completely. "Yeah. I. . . I guess I know that deep down, but it's not important right now. It can all be figured out later."

"It's important to me, because it's important to you, even if you won't admit it," Minho responds carefully, taking a step closer. "Don't undermine yourself or place yourself second to anything else. You should always come first, not your parents or their own happiness for your future."

Jisung smiles at Minho, his head slightly tilting. "What happened to the bad-boy Minho? The one who gave me so much trouble about studying?"

"He's still here," Minho shrugs, leaning closer. "I suppose you just make me want to be softer than I was."

Jisung smiles as Minho presses a kiss to his forehead, then motions towards Jisung's bedroom door.

"Are you sure your parents aren't home?" Minho asks, earning a nod from Jisung.

"They're working twelves, so they won't be home until after midnight," Jisung affirms, starting to move towards his bedroom door. Minho responds with a soft okay, almost drowned out by the sound of Jisung opening his door, revealing a darkened hallway and living space, just as he had left it.

The pair travel through the apartment, their steps muffled by bundles of carpet and the quiet hum of the air conditioner, leading them towards the front door where Minho's shoes rested. Jisung watches as Minho puts his shoes on, a sad smile curled on his lips as he watches the male move about. He had grown attached to him in ways he hadn't been able to express, and beyond all of the fear and concern about Minho's safety, lay the urge to express that he'd just simply miss him.

"Alright," Minho says with a breath. "I'll see you in the morning at the intersection. Don't forget."

"I would never forget," Jisung assures, smiling as he opens the apartment door. Minho takes a few steps out, standing almost in the doorway, turning around to look at Jisung with a soft smile.

A silent conversation passes between them, a means of saying see you soon without fully expressing it. However, before Jisung could say anything, Minho steps forwards and pulls him closer by the back of his neck carefully, pressing their lips together in a tender kiss.

They part away, eyes finding one another's gaze with their breaths intermingling, both of them not completely ready to part away yet. But, with a tentative step backwards, Minho is the first to speak, allowing himself to begin to walk away.

"Goodnight, Ji."

Jisung's heart flutters. "Goodnight, Minho. Be safe."

With that, Minho turns and leaves, escaping from view before Jisung closes the front door and locks it. He turns, leaning against the closed door with a breath, his eyes widening as he tries to unravel all of the events of the last few hours.

He kissed Minho, and more importantly, Minho kissed him back.

It wasn't a reality he had ever thought possible, but now that it had happened, he couldn't stop himself from thinking about it, let alone the smile and faint rush of heat that rises on his cheeks.

Morning comes in an eventual, slow crawl, sunlight peeking through Jisung's parted curtains to dance along the edges of his furniture and floor. Jisung wakes before his alarm, turning it off before it has the chance to annoy him this early in the morning. As he tosses his legs over the edge of his bed, a realization dawns on him; Minho would be waiting for him.

With that thought in mind, it propels him through his morning routine, brushing his teeth and messing about with his hair before dressing himself, grabbing his bag and belongings before striding into the kitchen, taking an uneasy breath in a fickle attempt to smooth over his nervous exterior.

"Good morning," Jisung's mother greets, a warm smile raised on her lips. "Hungry?"

"No time to eat, unfortunately. I've got someone to meet with before classes start," Jisung explains, moving towards the refrigerator.

"Is it one of your new friends?" She asks, a slight hum following her tone. She's overly curious, and Jisung can sense just how much she wants to pry into his newly forged social life.

"Yes," Jisung acknowledges, grabbing his pre-packed lunch that he had made for himself before heading off to bed last night. "He's waiting for me, so I've got to run."

"It's not Minho, is it?"

Jisung hesitates, closing the refrigerator door before responding as calmly as he could. "It's Felix. He's a close friend, mom, you'd like him. He's super nice."

"Ah, okay," she nods, resuming her shuffling of bills and envelopes that she had busied herself with before Jisung even came out of his room.

"Dad's already gone?" Jisung asks, moving towards the front door.

"Emergency surgery, you know how it is–" Jisung's mother sighs, setting down the envelope in her hand. "He'll be home for dinner. . . I hope."

Jisung rolls his eyes, setting his bag down to unzip it in an effort to place his lunch tote inside. "Are you even going to be home?"

"Unless I get called into the ER, then I will be. You know how it works, Jisung."

"I didn't say that, you know that I understand," Jisung corrects calmly, zipping his bag back up. "I'll be back later, though. I've got an exam, so wish me luck."

"You'll do amazing, I know you will. Have a good day," she says warmly, offering a wave before looking back down, forcing her attention back onto her bills and files, leaving Jisung the opportunity to leave without another word.

As he exits his complex, Jisung takes a breath, glancing down at his phone to see no messages from Minho. He was truly concerned that Minho wouldn't be waiting there for him, maybe having been wrapped up into Mingi's schemes once more and abandoning his promise. Jisung couldn't help but worry about the unknown as his walk continued, listening to the morning songs of nearby birds singing overhead.

As he approaches the intersection Minho mentioned, Jisung's stomach begins to twist with worry. Every step was slightly quicker than the last, passing by familiar houses he strode past on his everyday commute but now he had turned a blind eye to, glued into an unfamiliar haze of longing and anticipation. His eyes scan the area, not seeing any trace of a familiar face and comforting figure, that is, until he rounds the bend properly, and his eyes land on the sight of Minho standing there, his gaze and attention pulled into his phone.

Jisung's heart swells as a smile curls on his lips, striding closer with quickening steps.

"Minho'ah," Jisung calls to him, biting his lower lip, watching as the male turns towards him, immediately smiling. Jisung closes the distance between them quickly, stopping just a few inches short, looking up at Minho.

Jisung wants to express that he was happy to see him, and more importantly, he was happy to see that Minho was unharmed. His eyes were slightly tired, but he adorned no new marks of harm, which brought a flood of relief to shoot across Jisung's skin. Before he could even begin to explain just how much he missed Minho, the elder leaned closer, cupping Jisung's jaw, connecting their lips in a warming, longing kiss.

They part away after a moment lost between them, Jisung's face flooded with hues of red as Minho looks down at him slightly, his messy dark hair hung in front of his gaze.

"I've missed you too, Ji."