Past Me was a Fool (2min)

Clouded Sky

As much as Seungmin planned to wrap up his works before the sun sets, he could only plan. It was nearing eight in the evening when Hyunjin called a taxi for him, and hauling him out of the university twenty-four hours café just to push him into the back seat of the said taxi.

"You have the entire next week to finish the papers, nerd," Hyunjin reasoned before Seungmin even comment on anything. "Your brain will be fried before you could submit them if you don't get some rest in the nearest hour. Eat dinner, shower and go to bed, okay sweetheart? Good. Drive him home safely, ahjussi!"

And the taxi drive away, taking with it the chance to retort to his best friend. Seungmin just chuckled to himself at Hyunjin's mother hen tendency but could not help the warmth blooming in his chest. He is reminded of the fact that Hyunjin is the older one between the both of them.

Resigning his fate to follow Hyunjin's demand, Seungmin exhaled longly, breath a little stuttering, and rested his head back, letting his eyelids drop. Was it three days? Five? That he had not really properly talk to, or see Minho. Funnily enough, he does crossed paths with the older every morning and every night, before both of them attend to their respective agendas.

Though the only thing Seungmin has enough ease to do is bid his husband a good morning and a good night. He decided to stay behind the line, until he is sure his heart has gathered its bearings. Besides, lowering his expectations helps keeps his chest free from the tightness that comes up whenever he faced Minho before.

Like right now. He had arrived and seated himself inside the dining hall, door wide open to have the hallway in full view. A warm cup of tea in his hands as he entertained himself with the dancing steam, vanishing as they crept higher. He knows it is almost half past eleven, about forty minutes since he shooed Wonwoo away, with a promise to not do the cleaning himself, to his quarters after the butler served him the tea Mrs. Yoon made.

About forty minutes past Minho's usual time of coming home.

He's late again, Seungmin passingly noted, tracing his thumb along the crest on the cup's handle. Well, it's Saturday tomorrow.

Seungmin recalled the articles he came across while checking the SNS, informing him of the increasing popularity of LiNOVEL Hotel construction that is set to finish within the next few months.  Along with the good reviews about the progress of it, the owner of it becomes the hot topic of the community too. The ends of his lips tugged upwards, albeit a little bit.

Who can ignore 'the pretty LiNOVEL CEO'?

"–for Tuesday. Another interview and a shareholder meeting for Wednesday. Monthly site inspections for Thursday. Lunch with ArchiTXTure, hi-tea LiNOVEL management meeting and dinner with SVTechnology for Friday."

That is unmistakably Jisung's voice, reciting Minho's agenda for the next week. Seungmin finished the last of his tea before pouring some more, waiting for the two of them to be done so Minho can walk past the dining hall and catch Seungmin's eye, for Seungmin to be able to bid him good night.

"Oh for Saturday, next Saturday, you have an appointment with Bang Chan-ssi–"

For some reason, Jisung's voice halted and Seungmin willed his eyes not to stray towards the palm Minho raised to his assistant. Seungmin maintained his eye contact, not letting them see his...displeasure upon hearing the name of the person Minho would be with on the weekend. Maybe it was another assumption of his that Minho have a 'no work on the weekends' policy.

"You're back. Have a good night, Minho-ssi."

Seungmin smiled at the older man, and again I expected something from him when I said I wouldn't.