Past Me was a Fool (2min)

Label or None

Minho's voice is heavenly, so so gentle to his ears and very very pleasing to drown into. Seungmin decides that he likes listening to his husband talking. Even though the older speaks in monotone majority of the time, Minho's way of speaking is uncommon, a mix of nonsense and logic to summarise perhaps? Seungmin is endeared all the same.

The younger thought nothing else would happen that could affect his heart aside from the small talks they have become comfortable in doing. Well, he thought wrong. Seungmin never could have imagined a flushed Lee Minho, averting his eyes away every few seconds as he explained why he bought a lot of goods from the bakery.

Seungmin is witnessing a flustered Lee Minho.

"It's just because, I don't know what you like. I don't know if you're allergic to anything and, and you weren't answering Jisung so I uh," Minho cleared his throat. "I just get these. If there aren't any that you like, I'll buy–"

"Minho," Seungmin grinned, unable to tame down the growing warmth in his chest that has mercilessly spread to his face. "Thank you."

Picking up one of the goods that caught his eye since the beginning, Seungmin waved it lightly, "I do love eating this one."

"You like green tea flavoured cakes?" Minho is now calmed, leaning on the table with his crossed arms as support.

Chuckling at a memory, Seungmin then nodded his head while opening the wrapper, "Yes. Hyunjinie, my best friend, regretted introducing me to this. I was obsessed with it for quite a while that time."

"I see."

The recognition in Minho's eyes, upon hearing Hyunjin's name, did not deter Seungmin's mood. Although Minho did not disclose that he had done a background check on him, Seungmin understands why he did, if Minho really ran it on him. He is sure his own father might also know when Minho's parents got married or how many cars the Lee Family owns in their main house, or something.

"You seem to be talking with Wonwoo-ssi a lot recently," noted Minho.

Seungmin had come down from his room, fetched by Wonwoo as usual, for their tea time. When has it become some sort of ritual is a mystery to him but is he complaining? Not if he gets to witness Minho in his night clothes, all bare face and guard down most of the time. Although it is the time of the day Seungmin finds it hard not to yearn.

Sending a glance to the direction Wonwoo had disappeared into, Seungmin then relayed that they were discussing on a module that they shared, "I have a major assessment coming and Wonwoo hyung explains the contents better than my professor."

He took a few sips of the tea, relishing on the soothing warmth spreading all over his exhausted body. The studying he had done after dinner drained much of his energy. When he realised the silence stretched for a bit too long, Seungmin looked up from his cup, to a still Minho.

"What's wro–"

"Hyung?" Minho picked at the handle of the cup, eyes watching the reflection of light on the tea. "Though he is your butler, and the youngest of the others hence the reason I assigned him to you, I didn't know the both of you grew this close in just a little over a month."

Seungmin blinked once, and twice at Minho, before letting his gaze fall to somewhere on the table, "Am I not allowed to use that honorific?"

"No, no– I didn't mean that," there was a hint of urgency in Minho's tone but Seungmin kept his eyes downwards. He suddenly felt pathetic, felt like a petulant child being scolded for saying the wrong things. "I only meant to ask how you two became comfortable. You live here and I intend for you to feel at ease."

Learning that Minho wants to know the reason does not make it any less difficult for Seungmin to compose himself. There is a reason for his insistence in addressing his butler with the intimate honorific. However, it is a personal reason and despite Minho being his husband, supposedly being the one he can share personal stuffs with, Minho is also the one collaborating with Chan.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, Seungmin," Minho's voice was gentle, a little hesitant but more determined. "And nothing is wrong with calling Wonwoo-ssi as you preferred. I'm sorry if–"

Why is Minho apologising? Seungmin immediately looked up and shook his head, "No, please don't apologise. I just- you didn't say anything out of the line. It's just...I don't know how to say my reason properly. Uhm, Wonwoo hyung takes care of me well like everyone does but maybe it's because of his age? And how he makes me be more like myself comfortably. I just felt that he's reliable, dependable and- and, a warm person..."

Like a hyung I never had.

Minho was quiet for a moment, which set Seungmin on edge. Did he really say something wrong now? Was he being too unprofessional or whatever it is the rich usually do with their employees? He didn't imply he is cheating with his butler, did he?! Oh my god–

"Do I not make you feel comfortable like Wonwoo-ssi does?"

"You do, in your own way," Seungmin breathed out after a second of successfully wringing back his emotions. There is a genuine smile on his face, that softens when the older mirrored it.

"I'm glad to hear that, Seungmin. I do want you to feel at ease while you're here."

The relief from the previous statement made his heart warm but the genuine hope from the latter statement made his chest ache. Right, he will leave this place one day. It hurts him but instead of showing it, Seungmin replied with a light tease.

"Should I call you hyung too, then? You are older than me," he finished with a chuckle just to avoid from letting his voice tremble.

Minho seemed to genuinely laughed though, a soft laugh that tickled Seungmin's stomach yet stings his heart, "No, no. Friends call each other comfortably, right?"

The light reflecting from the silver on his left ring finger seemed to burn the back of his eyes, like how the beautiful smile of the person in front of him blinded him with a merciless feeling of adoration. Of course, all of it is just him. Minho doesn't adore him, not like that, not at all maybe.

They are just that, a beneficial situationship trying to get along. Or friends, as what Minho wants to call them.

And what Minho wants, Seungmin wants to indulge him. Even if it meant pretending to be unaffected every time his eyes caught the bare fingers of the older, and going along with the current flow.

With all the burn and ache, Seungmin smiled, one that almost reached his eyes but genuinely accepting nonetheless.

Besides, being friends is better than having no labels, right?

"Right."

••••••••
A/N
Cause I'm right here waiting for us–

My brain has been worming even more from all the 2min interactions from the FM and I'm lovin' it <3