He loved kisses

      … Changbin just shook his head and went to Minho.              As the first person to notice the tension between Minho and Jisung, he decided to talk to hyung. Eventually, it is the responsibility of the elders to disclose conflicts and guide the younger ones, to look for compromises and lead by their example… Although he knew in advance that Minho, due to his stubborn character, was unlikely to do this, it still was worth a try.              “Minho, would you like to tell me anything?”       However, he was silent and clenched his fists so that his knuckles turned white.              “I can see that it's not just the quality of dancing that's bothering you right now,” continued Changbin.       “It’s just a nervous breakdown before the comeback. I. Want. Everything. To. Be. Perfect.”       Minho said through his teeth and threw a menacing look.       “Okay, let it be so, but the guys didn't deserve such a raised tone. They also put in the work to the point of exhaustion. I hope you've noticed that Jisung has been feeling unwell lately?”              Minho looked at Changbin with a question in his eyes. He thought he was the only one who noticed that. But it turns out that enough time has passed, and the others have also paid attention to it. Then he folded his arms on his chest and grinned, averting his glance:       “Maybe if he spent less of his energy playing with Felix and mess with the others, he would be able to concentrate better on rehearsals?”       “A-a-ah…” Changbin drawled sagely. “Or maybe you'll finally stop acting like an offended child and talk to Jisung instead of keeping your mouth shut. You know, in order to understand people and be understood correctly, you need to talk.” Changbin chuckled and left him.              Minho wanted to say something sarcastic, but at the last second, he realized that his friend was right. It's useless to get angry at the truth. But how difficult it was to remain calm when a person he loved gave his attention to everyone except him. Minho was definitely stretched too thin. And all his last patience snapped at that very moment.              His temples throbbed; his heart was pounding wildly. He was only able to see Jisung in another person's arms. The body seemed to have ceased to belong to itself and did not obey the mind. Only Han's loud voice helped him regain a sense of reality and control over himself. In such proximity, it was almost impossible to think about anything, but he and Minho succumbed to the pressure of feelings/ got carried away by the pressure of feelings. Words are, for sure, the best invention of mankind, but even they are not always able to solve the problem, and sometimes, due to the carelessness of the speaker, they can aggravate it. At that moment, words were superfluous, and the kiss told even too much. And none of them doubted it.

***

      There was very little time left before the comeback. After that kiss, the awkwardness did not go away, but the gap in the relationship between Jisung and Minho disappeared, and they interacted with each other again almost as usual. Almost… Until now, there was a depressing understatement, and as a consequence, there was also uncertainty about the correctness of guesses. It was mutually and tacitly decided not to return to this topic until the comeback.

🐈🐈🐈

      Their new album and concerts made an unprecedented sensation! The guys gave their all and were very happy with another success. And finally, it's time for a well-deserved rest. Some of the guys decided to stay in the dorms, someone decided to go on a little trip to another city. Jisung had not been home for a long time and decided to visit his family. Minho also went to his place because three beloved cats were waiting for him there. He missed them so much.       The vacations were quite long, so Minho decided to invite Jisung to visit him. In fact, this happened quite often. Han loved pets very much, and a little cute puppy lived at his home. He also loved cats incredibly and joyfully came to Minho to play with three of them! Soonie, Doongie and Dori, as their owner called them, mutually loved Han, fawned over him and willingly played.       Minho, in turn, was glad that cats liked his friend (their opinion was always taken into account by the owner). Although, for the most part, he invited Jisung for his own personal interests – even during the holidays he wanted to spend time together, at least as friends.       He liked to watch Jisung completely give himself up on playing with cats, hugging them, kissing their noses. He liked watching emotions change while playing the console or watching anime. All this further rooted the love for Jisung in Minho's heart.       This time, he invited Jisung out of habit. And only after he heard a positive response, who was also glad to meet the cats, Minho remembered their kis… unfinished… not even started the discussion. He wanted to clarify the situation. After all, he was the initiator, and he must be responsible for his actions. He did not know how to start a conversation, and already felt awkward in advance.              “Jisung didn't push me away then… and even kissed back! Does it mean he feels the same way? And what if it seemed to me and everything is wrong? Or what if I just imagined it? What if he's disappointed in me and stops communicating with me at all?! I don’t want to lose him so badly… I want to be together, at least as friends… But if I don't talk to him, things can get worse, no doubt… I hope there will be an opportunity… Or maybe I'll just have to take the situation into my hands,” Minho tried not to get worked up in advance, although he hasn’t succeeded.              Jisung, while going to Minho, also remembered about it and had absolutely no idea how he should behave when meeting. Of course, he came up with the idea that he would try to do everything as usual… But when he entered the apartment, his confidence shattered in front of Minho's direct gaze.              “Hi, Hannie! Come in!” Minho made an inviting gesture and continued to keep an eye on the guest.              “Ah!... Yes! Thanks! Hi!” Jisung chattered loudly. And realizing that it clearly looked out of the ordinary/usual, he slightly blushed. At this time, Doongie quietly and creep up on and rubbed against the guest's leg in greeting. “How timely! Thank you, Doongie!” Han mentally pleaded and took the cat in his arms, turning all his attention to him.              It's not that Jisung avoided Minho. He really didn't want to repeat that history of silence and surveillance. He also meant to talk, but could not mentally gather himself. And when Minho was right in front of him, all thoughts completely left his head under the drum of his heart.              “Doongie, hi~~~! Long time no see~~~! Let's find out how are Soonie and Dori. Where are they?” Jisung used baby talk to the cat and hastily went to look for rest two.              All emotions were written all over Jisung’s face, and for Minho it wasn't difficult to read them. So almost everything became clear to him, and this performance caused him only a condescending smile. He liked to watch the confused Jisung.       As a hospitable apartment owner, Minho could not leave Jisung without tea and snacks. And the guest was satisfied to have found all cats and finally sat down at the table with a feeling of a duty fulfilled. Minho, standing back to him, was trying to make tea with slightly shaking hands. Jisung took advantage of the moment and did not take his eyes off the one who kept him awake for so many nights, coming into his dream world.       "how I want to go up to minho right now, hug him from behind around the waist, breath in the scent of a familiar perfume and kiss his neck, then bite his earlobe..." At this thought, Han had to slap his cheek otherwise he wouldn't have sat in the kitchen for a long time at such a pace.              The clap gave Minho a startle.       “Hanie, is everything fine?”       “Yeah, I’m okay. Never mind. What kind of tea did you choose?” Jisung tried to switch subjects.       “Green tea that we usually drink. It goes best with cookies.”       “That’s true!”              Minho put the cups on the table and sat down in front of the guest. The moment of silence has come. Before, the guys could be quiet for a long time without feeling awkward, but this time it caused outright discomfort.       Minho finally got a grip and, on the advice of Changbin, decided to start first:       “It's probably too late,” Minho started uncertainly, “but I still want to apologize for… yelling at you that time at rehearsal… I really didn't want to…”       “Oh, come on! It was so long ago, everything is okay, that's all because of the tension before the comeback,” behind the plenty of words Jisung unconsciously tried to hide his awkwardness.       “Yeah, nervous tension…” faltered Minho “but honestly speaking, not only because of this.”              And then it dawned on Jisung that the moment of truth had come! Right now, he will finally receive all the answers to his questions. But along with interest, there was also fear… The fear that their friendship, which already had become fragile, could blow to smithereens. He didn't even want to imagine what would happen next… More precisely, after that, there was no future at all. More precisely, after that, there was no future at all.       Jisung began nervously picking at the tabletop and without looking at the interlocutor, quietly asked:       “Th-then how come?”       “It seems that you were absent-minded while training, but at the same time, you had too much fun with the othe…”       “No.” Han interrupted him. “Why did you pull me out of the hall then and… ugh… k-kis..”              Minho really enjoyed watching the embarrassed Jisung. It was something new that he had not seen before and he really wanted to put this image in his memory. In the hope that there would be a chance to embarrass him, Minho focused and preferred to bring the matter to an end, because if not now, then it would be almost impossible to return to this conversation.              Minho carefully took Jisung‘s hand, with which he mercilessly spoiled the condition of the tabletop. Han shuddered and looked at his hands first, then into the eyes of the man he had been keeping an eye on and the man whose gaze he had been trying to avoid all this time. He felt a slight shiver – obviously, Minho was no less worried. Jisung couldn't help but admire his friend's courage because there was only determination in his eyes.              “I'll only say it once. I admit, it was jealousy.” Jisung tried to figure out the reason, then remembered that Minho had mentioned Felix before.       The elder one continued:       “I know that you are cheerful and easily find a common ground with everyone around you. And I also understand that you and Felix are good friends. But… but it started to upset me so much when you started coming up to me less… I was waiting for you… it sounds so childish though…”              Jisung listened to this chaotic monologue and tried to connect all this information, although it turned out with variable success. And yet he tried to object:              “I just couldn't understand at all from your reaction whether you were okay with it or not. So, I decided not to bother you once again…”       “Well, it doesn't matter what I said before. Except for ignoring me, I like everything you do, Hannie. And you too, I like you. For a long time already. That's why I kissed you then. If you don't feel the same, I won't insist, and I hope…”              The words “I like you” literally pulled Jisung out of his thoughts, and without waiting for the end of the phrase, he asked again:              “Sorry, what?” he definitely couldn't believe his feelings were mutual.       “I told you I'd only say it once.”              Jisung, still not fully believing in the words he heard, jumped up from his chair, ran around the table, and tightly squeezed, taken aback Minho.       “Hyung, is that true? Is it? I’m not dreaming?” Han was almost squeaking at Minho's ear. Then he stepped back a little, letting Minho stand up, looked at him, patted/tapped him on the shoulders, and examined the profile from one side, then from the other.              “how have I not noticed? what a perfect profile he has! and shoulders! they are wider than mine… it makes me a little jealous… wow! his ears turned red! so cute!”              Minho ceased to understand what was going on and just watched Jisung jumping around him. And he stared so intently that he almost missed the moment when Jisung hugged him again and kissed him on the cheek and burst out:       “Hyung, I like you too! Very-very much!” Han quickly jumped back and ran to the cats in the living room so as not to scare off such a realistic "dream" and stay in it at least a little longer. Minho remained standing motionless, trying to comprehend the new information.       

🐈❤️🐿

      While Minho was cleaning up the kitchen, Jisung was gamboling with Soonie, Doongie and Dori. The new houses were appreciated. They played with balls and brushes, ran around the apartment one after another. After some time of such an active pastime, a flushed, breathless, shaggy, but satisfied Jisung was lying on the floor right in the middle of the living room. The cats were also tired and took a fancy to Han – Dori was lazily walking around, Doongie lay down on his chest and purred, and Soonie kept coming up and poking his wet nose into his cheek, then into his nose. And Han stroked him with his free hand, scratched behind his ear, and responded to cat kisses.              Minho couldn't take his eyes off this picture, but he still came closer, leaned to Jisung, slightly narrowed his eyes, and purred with such a cat-like satisfied smile:              “Hannie, and what about me? Did you totally forget about me?”       “You are my most beloved cat!” Jisung held out his hands to hyung, as if calling him to get down closer.              No one wanted to put out the half-asleep Doongie away, so Jisung remained to lie down, and Minho sat down next to him and this time, as he promised himself before, kissed not just a friend but his boyfriend already as warmly and tenderly as possible.              Jisung closed his eyes in pleasure and still couldn't believe the reality of what was happening. It was too unusual, too strange, because, at the beginning of the day, they still were considered each other friends… And Minho's kiss was so soft, almost ephemeral, that everything felt like a dream. Therefore, when the elder pulled away, half-asleep, Jisung opened his eyes. He slightly tidied Minho's bangs, which fell over his trembling long eyelashes, and put a hand on his cheek. He stroked it with the thumb to check if his hyung was real, and almost into Minho’s lips, he whispered:              “Hyung, is this really not a dream?”              Minho smiled, covered Jisung's hand with his own, slowly, as if giving time to feel more, kissed the palm.       “Hannie, of course, it’s not a dream.” In the same split second, Minho welcomed a brilliant guess. “Ah, yes, you said that I shake your nerves in your dreams … So, what was I doing there? Mm?”              Han's eyes opened eyes wide, and he jerked in an attempt to get up and run away. But his hand was firmly held by Minho, and Doongie was lying on his chest, so the attempt was unsuccessful. The cat, of course, woke up, stood on his chest, stretched, and lazily descended to the floor. Jisung didn't want the cat to leave, because it was his opportunity to hide, so he reached out his hand for the cat:              “No, Doongie, don’t leave me!!!” his eyes darted around, and blood rushed to his cheeks; he wanted to hide far away. But Minho put his other hand on Jisung's shoulder and pinned him back to the floor, and at the same time throwing his leg over his waist so that he wouldn't run away.       “C’mon, Hannie, Doongie has his private affairs full. And you, don't get away from the question,” Minho continued insistently, without taking his piercing gaze away from Jisung.       “Ah, no-no-no, that was just a figure of speech… he-he…” with an awkward laugh Han tried to avoid answering. Because of his embarrassment, he couldn't look at Minho, so he turned away his gaze, staring somewhere at the wall.              Minho touched Jisung's chin and turned him back, although the younger's gaze was still wandering on the wall.       “Hannie, darling, it’s not good. You should look in the eyes of a person you are talking to.”       It sounded like Minho was lecturing the younger, but he was joking. His gaze was like that of a child who got to his favorite toy.              But for Han, it was like he could watch his whole life on the film strip rolling through the light surface of the walls. They both almost whispered, but especially that “dear” was ringing in his ears. He did not intend to confess at all costs. The heart was beating a chaotic, fast rhythm. And this burdened the situation, especially self-control suffered. All thoughts are scattered in every direction. He was still able to shift his gaze to Minho, but it was too embarrassing to look into his eyes.              “I remember you didn't feel well at the rehearsals before the comeback…” Minho decided to take a different approach.       “You're back to it again! It was a long time ago. Well, I just worried and had a lot on my mind.”       “You can be frank. Everyone noticed that you were pale and tired.”       “Really?” Han thought he was hiding his condition well enough.       “Yeah. Your eye bags were so big that they seemed to pull you to the floor, preventing you from dancing.” Both giggled.       “Okay-okay, I really didn't get enough sleep.” Thanks to the dialogue Jisung has already relaxed and even sometimes began to look eye to eye. He had clearly lost his vigilance.       “Hmm… Then, how about this...” Minho moved away from Han's face and, without breaking eye contact, sat on his hips. He took his hand, smiled conspiratorially, and kissed the back side of the hand. “Hot? Cold?” And inly added, “I'll definitely find out what things were on your mind.”       “What?”       “Doesn't feel like a dream – cold; do feel alike – hot.” Minho explained calmly.       “Hyung, don't even think about it! You won't succeed. I'll deny everything!” There was still hope that the elder would stop teasing.              But Minho acquired the taste and was not going to stop the fun. He enjoyed teasing Han terribly. So, he kissed him on the crease of his elbow and, exhaling a little into it, asked again:       “And now?”              But Han frowned and chose the tactics of silence, but continued to monitor Minho's actions beadily. Minho did not intend to deviate from the plan. Sliding his breath down his arm further, he left an almost hesitant kiss at the edge of the sleeve of the T-shirt.              “Hannie, here is where you were aiming when I caught you, isn’t it? Or was it just my imagination? Mm?”       But he was adamant and only chuckled. Minho made a cat-like, haughtily pleased look and abruptly approached the face of Jisung, who, of course, instinctively closed his eyes. The thought that the elder wanted to kiss his lips even flashed through his mind. And to be honest, he wanted and hoped for it. But Minho obviously noticed this and was in no hurry to fulfil the wish. He was sneaky shifted to the side, gently blew into his ear, and bit his earlobe. That made Han feel tingles down his whole body. And in surprise, he gasped with an unusual voice for himself. With his round, wide-opened eyes, he tightly pressed his lips together.              “And now? Cold? Or rather hot?” He whispers in the ear.              Hardly breathed, Jisung shook his head and said with a strangled voice:       “Cold.”       “Is it? And it seemed to me that at least "warm"…”               Minho left a trail of wet kisses leading down his neck to his collarbone. The distraction worked, as it took Jisung a moment to realize that the elder's hands had crawled under his T-shirt and were wandering over his belly and thin waist.              It's getting tough. If Jisung had allowed this to continue, Minho would have definitely felt it. He was sitting on it and without a drop of embarrassment, continued touching everything he came across under the T-shirt. Jisung couldn't let that happen, at least not now, as he ensured he would not betray his thoughts. Now it was a matter of principle.       “What do they say? The best offense is a good defense?” With this single sober thought, against the background of the desire to feel Minho's kiss on his lips, he grabs him by the forearms and pushes him away to be able to take a more upright position. It turned out better than he expected. Now he was sitting and did not feel like a "hunted victim". Minho also wasted no time, and, although he did not expect such an overturn, he firmly locked Hannie in the grip of his strong dance legs.       “his hips are gorgeous,” Jisung thought, and passed his palms over them. He didn't even notice himself to have stuck out the tip of his tongue – he was so borne away. A soft chuckle sounded nearby.              “Do you like it that much? My dear Hannie,” Minho wanted to tease him.       “YES!” Jisung stared at Minho with an overly confident look. “You're not the only one who paws over” he grinned and lightly pinched the elder's buttock.              Minho could only flutter his long eyelashes in surprise; he couldn't even imagine such a side of Hannie! His ears were burning! Jisung had noticed such a reaction the previous time, and now it was especially pleasant for him to feel that it came from his actions. He touched them with his fingertips and outlined the shape of the auricle, stopping at the neck.              “Anyway,” Han continued. “If I hadn't stopped you, you would have continued to kiss and touch everywhere. It's embarrassing.”       “Well, I just love kisses!”       “But not as much as I do!” Jisung pulled Minho's face closer, and they touched with their lips. The kiss was almost innocent but conveyed all the tenderness of feelings. Finally, Jisung allowed himself a little trick – he licked the tip of the elder's nose with a short "meow". At the same time, Soonie meowed shrilly from the kitchen, demanding food. And Doongie had been circling them around for some time already. Minho, probably for the first time, did not respond immediately to the cat's request and woke up from the obsession only when Doongie started tapping his leg with the paw.              “Hyung, it seems the cats want to have lunch… Hyung?”       “Uh? Ah, yes, lunch…” He let go of Jisung and stood up. As if on autopilot, he headed to the kitchen.       “Hyung…” Han called out to him. “…it was only "warm" now. And about that you wanted to know. I'd rather not tell but show you someday!”       Jisung watched the blush that had already appeared on the cheekbones of the elder and began to trill with laughter. Minho couldn't take his eyes off him.              “at any cost, I will smother him with kisses! he loves kisses!”