Ship/Member: Seokmin/Minghao Major Tags: N/A Additional Tags: getting back together, childhood friends, friends to lovers to exes to lovers, small town vibes Permission to remix: Yes
*** Seokmin sees him first.
Eclipsed between the aisles, Minghao wrapped in a long scarf rifling through the boxed teas. He watches him take his pick and come down the aisle towards him and feels tacky all the sudden, skin prickling with nerves and discomfort, like he might sweat through his uniform despite the overhead AC pumping cold, dry air all around him.
When Minghao meets his eyes, Seokmin is trapped under the weight of his gaze—surprise, brows rising and eyes widening at the sight of him, then briefest look of anger before his face settles into a guarded blankness. It takes all of Seokmin not to run, to keep his shoes planted on the tiled floors and to spout his customer service spiel.
He hefts his basket wordlessly onto the checkout counter. They carefully avoid looking at each other.
Before Seokmin can finish bagging his groceries, he blurts out impulsively that his shift is ending shortly, that maybe he and Minghao can catch up over coffee if he’s willing to wait. Minghao just looks at him and Seokmin gears himself up for his rejection, but then Minghao looks away and tells him to meet him at an uptown café that Seokmin’s familiar with. *** He starts after a tense pause. “I didn’t know you were back in town.”
“Yeah, just for the weekend.” Minghao nods, not quite looking at him still. “You won’t have to worry about running into me or anything, I can keep out of your way.” His voice takes on a deprecating lilt, Seokmin feels like it’s meant for the both of them.
Seokmin looks at him now, shocked. “Myungho, that’s not what I want. I was—I wanted for us to stay friends.”
Minghao doesn’t reply, staring through the table with a petulance. So, he tries again.
“I heard you got selected for the exchange program.” Seokmin says. “That’s nice.”
Minghao pauses from where he was mixing his coffee, letting the spoon clatter against the rim. “Why the sudden interest?” he says, mouth pursed in an unhappy line. “I thought you didn’t want to have anything to do with me.”
Seokmin can’t refute that, not when he just up and left. Submitted a dropout form and begged for Mingyu to take over a box of Minghao’s things from his place back to Minghao’s, then fucked off back home without as much as a notice. Now there’s nothing left but to be honest.
“Look, I just didn’t want you to think that it was anything you did.” Seokmin all but pleads. “Myungho, I was going to lose my scholarship.” His eyes widen at that, nodding and urging for him to go on. “I would have had to move out and lose my allowance, there wasn’t—I didn’t know what to do.”
Seokmin exhales shakily, then looks up and let his eyes catch on Minghao, who’s significantly more sympathetic and is handing him tissues. He hadn’t even noticed the wetness around his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, I’m sorry too.” Minghao says, offering his hand across the table and Seokmin meets him halfway, overcome with emotions all the sudden. “You can tell me anything, Seokmin-ah, I’m here now, I’m your friend.”
[FILL] right where you left me
Major Tags: N/A
Additional Tags: getting back together, childhood friends, friends to lovers to exes to lovers, small town vibes
Permission to remix: Yes
***
Seokmin sees him first.
Eclipsed between the aisles, Minghao wrapped in a long scarf rifling through the boxed teas. He watches him take his pick and come down the aisle towards him and feels tacky all the sudden, skin prickling with nerves and discomfort, like he might sweat through his uniform despite the overhead AC pumping cold, dry air all around him.
When Minghao meets his eyes, Seokmin is trapped under the weight of his gaze—surprise, brows rising and eyes widening at the sight of him, then briefest look of anger before his face settles into a guarded blankness. It takes all of Seokmin not to run, to keep his shoes planted on the tiled floors and to spout his customer service spiel.
He hefts his basket wordlessly onto the checkout counter. They carefully avoid looking at each other.
Before Seokmin can finish bagging his groceries, he blurts out impulsively that his shift is ending shortly, that maybe he and Minghao can catch up over coffee if he’s willing to wait. Minghao just looks at him and Seokmin gears himself up for his rejection, but then Minghao looks away and tells him to meet him at an uptown café that Seokmin’s familiar with.
***
He starts after a tense pause. “I didn’t know you were back in town.”
“Yeah, just for the weekend.” Minghao nods, not quite looking at him still. “You won’t have to worry about running into me or anything, I can keep out of your way.” His voice takes on a deprecating lilt, Seokmin feels like it’s meant for the both of them.
Seokmin looks at him now, shocked. “Myungho, that’s not what I want. I was—I wanted for us to stay friends.”
Minghao doesn’t reply, staring through the table with a petulance. So, he tries again.
“I heard you got selected for the exchange program.” Seokmin says. “That’s nice.”
Minghao pauses from where he was mixing his coffee, letting the spoon clatter against the rim. “Why the sudden interest?” he says, mouth pursed in an unhappy line. “I thought you didn’t want to have anything to do with me.”
Seokmin can’t refute that, not when he just up and left. Submitted a dropout form and begged for Mingyu to take over a box of Minghao’s things from his place back to Minghao’s, then fucked off back home without as much as a notice. Now there’s nothing left but to be honest.
“Look, I just didn’t want you to think that it was anything you did.” Seokmin all but pleads. “Myungho, I was going to lose my scholarship.” His eyes widen at that, nodding and urging for him to go on. “I would have had to move out and lose my allowance, there wasn’t—I didn’t know what to do.”
Seokmin exhales shakily, then looks up and let his eyes catch on Minghao, who’s significantly more sympathetic and is handing him tissues. He hadn’t even noticed the wetness around his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, I’m sorry too.” Minghao says, offering his hand across the table and Seokmin meets him halfway, overcome with emotions all the sudden. “You can tell me anything, Seokmin-ah, I’m here now, I’m your friend.”