Chapter 35 - The Spaces Between Us

The morning was quiet.

Minho sat at the dining table, mindlessly stirring his coffee as he replayed last night's events in his head. Seungmin had left late, kissing him goodbye like nothing was wrong, but Minho felt off.

Something about the way Seungmin interacted with Hyunjin—it bothered him.

Not just the coldness, but the subtle, dismissive tone.

Like Hyunjin was less than.

Minho sighed, rubbing his temples. He didn't want to think about this. He didn't want to care.

But the more he tried to push it away, the heavier it sat in his chest.

A soft clinking sound pulled him from his thoughts.

Hyunjin had entered the kitchen, sleep still evident in his posture, his hair a mess of golden waves as he poured himself a glass of water.

Minho watched as he leaned against the counter, sipping slowly, eyes half-lidded.

And for a brief moment, something shifted in Minho's chest.

A quiet, foreign ache.

Hyunjin was beautiful.

Not just in the way people always said he was—but in the small things.

The way his shoulders curled in the morning. The way he blinked sleepily at his glass like he was contemplating the meaning of life.

Minho caught himself staring and immediately looked away, clearing his throat.

"Did you sleep well?"

Hyunjin hummed, setting his glass down. "Mm, kinda."

Minho raised an eyebrow. "Kinda?"

Hyunjin pouted slightly, rubbing his arm. "I had a weird dream. Nothing bad, just... weird."

Minho tilted his head. "Like what?"

Hyunjin hesitated before laughing softly. "It was about a cat. It kept following me everywhere. But every time I turned around, it would disappear. Then I'd find it again, but it would run away before I could touch it."

Minho frowned, something tugging at the back of his mind. "That sounds frustrating."

"It was," Hyunjin admitted, stretching his arms. "But I think it was lonely. I just couldn't get close enough to help."

Minho's grip tightened around his coffee mug.

For some reason, that dream unsettled him.

But before he could say anything, Hyunjin yawned and turned toward the fridge. "I'm making breakfast. Want some?"

Minho hesitated.

Lately, he'd found himself gravitating toward Hyunjin more than he should.

These small conversations. These subtle moments.

It was dangerous.

But instead of declining, he found himself nodding. "Yeah. Sure."

Hyunjin's face lit up. "Okay!"

And just like that, the morning felt lighter.

--

Later that day, Minho sat on the couch, flipping through his phone while Hyunjin worked on his laptop at the dining table.

It was quiet.

But not the uncomfortable kind.

The kind that felt... natural.

Every so often, Minho would glance up and catch Hyunjin biting his lip in concentration, his brows furrowed as he typed.

Minho wasn't sure when it started happening—this strange pull toward him.

Not just curiosity.

Something more.

It was dangerous.

"Minho?"

Minho snapped out of his thoughts. "Huh?"

Hyunjin giggled. "You're staring."

Minho stiffened. "I am not."

Hyunjin smirked. "You totally were."

Minho scowled, looking away. "You're imagining things."

Hyunjin only hummed, amused.

Minho could feel his ears burning.

This was bad.

Very, very bad.

--

That evening, Minho received a text from Seungmin.

Seungmin: [Are you coming over?]

Minho stared at the message, thumb hovering over the screen.

A month ago, he wouldn't have hesitated.

A month ago, he would've left without thinking twice.

But now...

Something held him back.

He glanced toward the kitchen, where Hyunjin was humming softly while washing the dishes.

Minho exhaled, running a hand through his hair.

Why was he hesitating?

Before he could dwell on it, Seungmin called.

Minho sighed and answered. "Hey."

"Hey," Seungmin's voice was light. "Did you see my text?"

"Yeah."

"...And?"

Minho hesitated. "I think I'll just stay in tonight."

There was a beat of silence.

Then—

"Oh."

Minho shifted uncomfortably. "It's been a long day."

"Right." Seungmin's voice was unreadable. "Nothing to do with him, I'm sure."

Minho frowned. "What?"

"Nothing," Seungmin said quickly. "Never mind. Sleep well, Min."

And then he hung up.

Minho stared at his phone, unease settling in his gut.

Seungmin had never acted like this before.

But more than that—

Why did it feel like Minho was the one doing something wrong?

--

That night, Minho lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

For the first time in a long time, Seungmin wasn't the one occupying his thoughts.

It was Hyunjin.

His laughter. His kindness. The way he cared so deeply for others, even when it was inconvenient.

The way he made a house feel like a home.

Minho shut his eyes.

He was getting too close.

He needed to stop this before it was too late.

But as he drifted off to sleep, the only thing he could think of...

Was how much he didn't want to.