Chapter 43: Shifting Tides

Minho lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling long after his call with Seungmin ended.

Something about the conversation left an uncomfortable weight on his chest. Seungmin's words, You're not getting too comfortable with Hyunjin, are you?—echoed in his mind.

Minho scoffed at himself, rolling onto his side.

He wasn't. Right?

But the way he had started noticing Hyunjin's little habits, the way he had found himself enjoying their quiet moments, the way his chest had tightened at the sight of Hyunjin sleeping peacefully beside him the night before—

Damn it.

Minho groaned, running a hand down his face. He was overthinking. That was all. He just needed to get some sleep.

But the moment he closed his eyes, all he could see was Hyunjin's smile.

--

The next morning, Minho walked into the kitchen to find Hyunjin already making breakfast, his usual soft hum filling the air.

Hyunjin turned when he noticed him, his lips curling into a smile. "Good morning."

Minho froze for a split second before mumbling, "Morning."

Hyunjin, oblivious to Minho's internal turmoil, turned back to the stove. "I made an extra serving today, so don't complain about the portions."

Minho sat at the table, watching as Hyunjin moved effortlessly around the kitchen. It was so natural now—them eating breakfast together, sharing the same space.

Minho never thought it would be like this. When they first got married, he expected tension, distance, an unspoken resentment.

But instead...

Instead, it felt normal.

And that scared him more than he was willing to admit.

--

Classes were uneventful, and Minho kept to himself more than usual, lost in his own thoughts.

It wasn't until the afternoon that something snapped him out of it.

Hyunjin was sitting with Felix and Jisung, chatting animatedly. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he laughed at something Jisung had said, his entire body radiating warmth.

Minho had seen this before—Hyunjin laughing with his friends, being his usual bright self.

But today, something was different.

Because when Jisung reached out to ruffle Hyunjin's hair, Minho felt a sharp, unwelcome sting in his chest.

He frowned.

Why did that bother him?

He forced himself to look away, but the feeling didn't fade.

It got worse when Hyunjin suddenly whined, "Jisung, stop messing up my hair!"

Minho felt his fingers twitch.

It was irrational. He knew it was.

But he hated seeing someone else touch Hyunjin like that.

And that realization made his stomach churn.

--

That night, Minho sat on the couch, flipping mindlessly through TV channels. He wasn't paying attention to anything, his thoughts a tangled mess.

Hyunjin walked in with his phone pressed to his ear, giggling softly.

Minho glanced at him. "Who are you talking to?"

Hyunjin looked up, startled. "Oh! Just Felix."

Minho hummed, pretending to focus on the TV.

But then, Hyunjin spoke again, voice light and teasing. "No, Jisung, I am not bringing you food. You have legs, go get your own."

Minho stiffened.

Jisung.

He bit the inside of his cheek, an unfamiliar irritation bubbling in his chest.

Hyunjin let out another soft laugh before saying, "Alright, alright, I'll see you guys tomorrow."

When he finally ended the call, he plopped onto the couch beside Minho, stretching his legs out comfortably.

Minho didn't even realize he was clenching his jaw.

Hyunjin noticed the tension almost immediately. "Are you okay?"

Minho scoffed. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Hyunjin tilted his head. "You just look... annoyed."

Minho clicked his tongue, looking away. "You're imagining things."

Hyunjin blinked, then shrugged. "Okay."

Minho expected him to ask more questions, but he didn't.

Instead, he just sat beside him, flipping through his own phone as if everything was normal.

Minho exhaled slowly.

He needed to get a grip.

This wasn't jealousy.

It couldn't be.

Right?