The sun was setting as Soobin and Beomgyu walked back home from the park, their fingers still intertwined. Beomgyu's face was flushed with excitement from their little ice-cream outing, and his eyes sparkled with the joy of the moment. Soobin couldn't help but feel a warm sense of contentment as he looked at the younger boy.

As they wandered through the warm night air, Soobin couldn't shake off a feeling of nervousness that had been building in him ever since his mother had mentioned dinner with her new fiancé. He knew he had agreed to it, but now that it was sinking in, he found himself wondering how he should feel about the situation.

"Soobin," Beomgyu's voice broke his reverie, "are you okay?"

Soobin glanced down at the boy beside him and managed a small smile. "Yeah, just thinking."

"About what?"

Soobin hesitated for a moment before deciding to share his thoughts. "About meeting eomma's fiancé."

Beomgyu's eyes grew wide, "Why?"

The blonde didn't feel like talking anymore, a sickly feeling washed over his body. He didn't want to dwell on the subject anymore. It wasn't his mother anyway, it was Songmin. 

Soobin's phone buzzed with a message notification. Thankful for the excuse to escape Beomgyu's curious glance, he opened the message. 

It was from an unknown number

"Hey, who's that?" Beomgyu asked, noticing the change in Soobin's expression.

Unknown number (+add to contacts)
on a date?
he's cute bin

Soobin sighed, his face dropping. "It's, um, an old acquaintance."

Beomgyu frowned, sensing the newfound tension. "Is something wrong?"

Soobin shook his head and shoved the phone in his pocket. "No, it's nothing."

He resisted the urge to look around, find out where the fuck Songmin was standing. Instead, he snatched Beomgyu's hand and started walking at a fast pace, eager to get out of there. He didn't want Songmin to catch up to them. Beomgyu seemed unconvinced, but didn't press further. He followed the boy without a sound. 

However, the peacefulness was short-lived. Because just as Soobin and Beomgyu reached the end of the street, a presence appeared behind them. A familiar face, as aggravating as it was. Soobin's heart raced, and he turned around, his hand holding onto the latter's hand, tensed.  

"Hey, Soobin," Songmin greeted with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. 

He continued to drag Beomgyu along, silently praying Songmin would give up. 

"Soobin?" Songmin called out loudly, drawing the attention of passersby. 

Soobin's heart sank, and he exchanged a quick glance with Beomgyu, who seemed curious but unaware of the underlying tension. "Songmin," Soobin acknowledged with a forced politeness. He didn't want the gazes of strangers to linger, it was embarrassing. 

Songmin's gaze shifted to Beomgyu, and his smile turned into a smirk. "You never introduced me to your new plaything. That's kinda rude, Bin."

Soobin's discomfort grew, hoping Songmin would leave as quickly as he'd arrived.

Songmin cocked an eyebrow menacingly. "I didn't teach you to be like that, did I?"

His eyes lingered on Beomgyu for a moment, before turning back to Soobin. The way he looked at the youngest made Soobin fume. Songmin loved pushing the blonde the wrong way. He could feel holes being burnt in the back of his shirt, and it made him chuckle.

He watched Soobin's lips purse into a thin line, "That's what I thought."

Soobin felt his cheeks flush, a mixture of anger and embarrassment rising within him. Why did he always let others treat him like shit? Especially this dick. 

"He's none of your business, Songmin," he spoke dryly, not having it. 

Beomgyu looked between the two, clearly clueless about the underlying tension. "Is there something going on, Soob?"

Soobin took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure. "No, Beom. Let's just go home."

Songmin's smirk grew, and he leaned in a little too close for comfort. "I guess you have a type now, huh? Cute and clueless."

The blonde clenched his jaw, frustration growing. Before he could say anything, Beomgyu spoke up, his tone laced with confusion. "Hey, why is he calling me cute?"

Soobin placed a hand on Beomgyu's shoulder, offering a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it, Beom. Let's just go."

"I'll see you again soon!" Songmin called out after them, wanting to have the last say. 

As they walked away, Beomgyu looked back at him with a puzzled expression. He could hear Songmin laughing to himself. "Is he always like that?"

The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a soft glow through the windows of Soobin's cozy apartment. Soobin and Beomgyu were sprawled out on the couch, after having walked home and changed into their pajamas. 

Beomgyu noticed Soobin's mood was a little uneasy, so he wanted to do something fun to make him happy. It was then he spotted an intriguing box resting under the coffee table, his lighting up with curiosity. "Soob, what's Clue-doo?"

Soobin sat up, glancing at what the boy had been looking at, confused. "Huh—oh, you mean Cluedo?"

"Yeah, that thing," Beomgyu nodded.

"It's a game, a mystery-solving game," Soobin explained, taking the box in his hands and placing it between them. 

"Ooh," the younger cooed, "games are good. I wanna play."

Soobin was not prepared to explain the ins and outs of how to play the board-game, so he opted for a few Youtube tutorials instead, placing his phone screen in front of Beomgyu's large, curious eyes. A few instructions later, they were ready to play. They settled down with the game set up on the coffee table. As they took turns unraveling the fictional mystery, their laughter and playful banter filled the room. Beomgyu's excitement was palpable, his reactions genuine and infectious. 

Soobin felt himself beginning to tire of the game, but he kept up appearances for Beomgyu's sake. He was so happy to see the boy enjoying himself. In fact, he'd never seen someone so excited over a game like Cluedo. As the game progressed, he found himself stealing glances at Beomgyu when he thought the younger wasn't looking, captivated by his dancing gaze and cheery smile.

Beomgyu's eyes widened as he made a breakthrough in the game. "Soob, I think I've figured it out!"

His sudden outburst jolted Soobin awake from his daydream. He leaned in, genuinely interested that the boy, who hadn't played such a game in ten years, had managed to solve the mystery. 

"Really?! What's your theory?"

Beomgyu explained his deductions with earnestness, so proud that he'd figured it out. 

"Miss Peacock killed him in the kitchen with the candle-stick," Beomgyu said, grinning to himself. He placed his cards down for Soobin to see. The blonde's hair fell across his eyes as he looked across them.

"Let me check the case file," he said with a vague tone. He opened the small paper envelope they'd placed off to the side, staring inquisitively. He took his time to tease the younger. Beomgyu was squirming in his spot on the floor, waiting for an answer.  

"Hurry up Soob," he whined, rocking back and forth. 

Soobin stared blankly at the cards, trying to think of what to say.

Beomgyu was way off. 

But he was so enthusiastic, it pained the boy's heart to even think of telling him he was wrong.

"You were right!" He cried out happily, quickly hiding the cards away again. Beomgyu didn't need to know it was actually Miss Scarlett in the study, with the gun. 

Soobin chuckled, seeing the boy grinning from ear to ear. "You're a natural detective, Beomgyu."

Beomgyu's cheeks tinged pink, and he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Thanks, Soob. You did well too." 

After packing the game away, they sat back on the couch, a comfortable silence settling between them. Yet there was something in the air that was different. Beomgyu felt it, but he was too clueless to tell what it was. He just felt like there was some kind of tension or something. He didn't want to rock the boat, so he remained quiet.

Soobin, on the other hand, was painfully aware of the tension in the air and he knew exactly what it was. There were many things he wanted to say right now, but he was afraid Beomgyu wouldn't understand. 

"Soob?" Beomgyu whispered, eyeing the boy's blank stare.

"Huh?"

"I like you."

"I like you too, Beom."

"Does that mean we can be boyfriends now?"

Soobin felt a laugh get caught in his throat. "Not quite, being boyfriends means you love each other, remember?" 

Beomgyu cocked his head to the side, "Well, I love you then."

"Really? Why?"

"I don't remember a lot, but being with you feels good. I'm learning lots, it's like I'm discovering fun for the first time again, and it's all because of you." Beomgyu rambled off in a spiel. 

Soobin fell quiet as he processed the confession of sorts. The boy had been to hell and back, having to relearn the world around him made him so vulnerable, and Soobin had this undying need to protect him. Beomgyu was too innocent, and he didn't want him to get hurt. 

He hesitated, searching for the right words. "Loving someone, Beom, is about more than just the fun times. It's about being there for each other through thick and thin, and ultimately building a life together. You can't just decide on the spot."

Silence coated the room again as Beomgyu tried to understand what the latter had said. A fleeting "Oh," fell from his lips, his voice quiet as a mouse. 

Soobin's chest felt slightly tight, concerned that his words might have inadvertently hurt Beomgyu. But as he observed Beomgyu's expression, he noticed a thoughtful curiosity, rather than any signs of distress. I mean, he isn't crying, so...

"Do you love me, Soob?" 

The question was direct, eyes earnest as they locked onto Soobin's gaze. It caught him off guard. Not because of its nature, but because of its raw sincerity. Beomgyu's eyes remained fixed on Soobin's, absorbing every word with a quiet intensity.

"I—I don't know," Soobin muttered, "I care about you, of course. You have such a great way of finding joy in the simplest things, and it's... refreshing. It's like you're teaching me to appreciate life all over again."

"So you love me?" Beomgyu's voice suddenly teasing, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"What—that's not what I said." Soobin's cheeks tinged with a light blush, his attempt at seriousness undermined by Beomgyu's lightheartedness.

"C'mon, you know you do," he insisted, dragging his words out.

Soobin let out an exasperated sigh. "Beomgyu, when did you get this bratty?"

"What the heck does bratty mean?"

Soobin shook his head in disbelief. "Never mind. You're something else, you know that?"

Beomgyu's smile grew, his eyes filling with mischief. "Yeah, and that's exactly why you're falling for me."

"Seriously, where did you learn all this terminology?"

"That box with the people on it," Beomgyu rolled his eyes.

Oh, the TV.

a/n: hello, huru is back! i hope this chapter was light-hearted. I'm not really good with fluff, I'm more of a darker person ykk. anyways, vote and comment. i luv reading your comments. lemme know any theories for what might happen down the line hehe >>>>

I've currently been obsessing over monsta x, especially changkyun. like ESPECIALLY. I'm a real simp for people with deep voices and his is no exception fr.

so have a changkyun on ur way out <33