Past Me was a Fool (2min)

Over Tea

His last paper was on Thursday but Seungmin decided to spend a few days for himself. To gather his thoughts, to make sense of his emotions and of course, to rest his eyes and body. It has been an awfully challenging and exhausting few weeks for him, he believes he deserves to take time for himself first.

When he goes back to the mansion, it is at around nine in the evening, on a Saturday. The night is calm, and Seungmin took a moment to take in the lack of presence in the dimly lit dining room. It is not that overwhelming to find Minho not there sipping on a warm cup of tea like he would be when Seungmin was.

He barely remembers the last time they properly did a week ago, and he was already out of it then.

"Young sir."

Seungmin halted in his steps from going to the stairs to retire as he heard the delighted voice of the head maid. Turning around, he offered a smile, "Good evening, Mrs. Yoon."

In her hands is a tray that holds the unmistakably familiar tea sets, for two, along with a wide plate of sliced fruits, peaches this time, and Seungmin almost shied away from the knowing look on her face as she extended the tray towards him. His heart is beating too loud, he hoped the head maid did not hear it.

"I shall trouble you to bring this to the personal living room, young sir. The laundry needs to be ironed." Both of them know the laundry has long since been folded and is awaiting to be organised in their closet the following morning, but Seungmin gladly played along anyway.

Now here he is, eyes trembling, greedily taking in the defined facial features of his husband that are highlighted by the warm glow from the low lights. Minho looked serene, cozy, as he read on his iPad while letting the television run as white noise. Seungmin takes a breath, parts the sliding door wider, and pads inside.

He watched the older slowly looked up with his lips parted, probably ready to thank the head maid, but instead, he then stilled. There was nothing that gave his emotions away besides how Minho's eyes dart around ever so carefully as they trace his face. Seungmin felt watched, felt exposed, but he does nothing and simply waits.

And when Minho speaks, it was with a tone that is feather light, like a breath that somehow escaped, "You're home."

Now with warm cups of tea in their hands, Seungmin steeled himself under Minho's heedful gaze, and said everything he wanted to say. From mentioning his estranged relationship with his father, Bang Hyuk In, and the old man's persistent 'reminders' on how he should not be a disappointment that would ruin the family's reputation, to his reason for keeping to his own apartment and eventually, how it came to their bitter exchange.

"Because of my father, the very mention of my brother irritates me, sours my mood. I'm aware how you're eager to take over the hotel but you talk about it, about Chan, during our meals, during these hours," he weakly lifted the tea cup and its saucer. There was a trembling smile on his lips as he continued, "And that drains me. I wished you would not bring him up every time, but you always do. Watching you leave with him annoys me even more– I needed to get away, want to be away from both of you."

He recalls the times he went out early and came home late, purposely, with the goal of not crossing paths with his brother. Only to have Minho talked about him after.

"But I didn't plan to stay the night at my place that day. I don't remember much but Hyunjin said I passed out," from the corner of his eyes, he saw the way Minho straightened his back but Seungmin refused to lift his head up. "And that morning...my father came by and mentioned about Chan hyung and, stuffs. So everything was all over the place for me and then– you came by."

"Seungmin," Minho's voice was small, and it warrants his attention. The way the other is looking at him is making his heart rate picked up. His eyebrows are slanted, the corner of his lips are lowered, and his eyes are downcast. Minho looked like a kicked puppy and Seungmin restrained his hands from cupping his husband's face and caress those cheeks to rid of that expression.

"You didn't come back that night. You didn't come back when the sun was up," Minho broke their eye contact and set his tea cup on the table. "During lunch break, Jisung reserved me a table at that fancy diner that you criticised, and that was my last straw."

Seungmin's eyes cannot help but to soften, "I should've still leave a text or two. I didn't mean to go m.i.a like that."

"And I," Minho exhaled and make their eyes meet. "I never doubted you, Seungmin. I can't deny that I look forward to having Chan-ssi lost his authorisation over the hotel to me, but knowing you're okay– knowing we're okay, only then I can focus."

Hearing what Minho has said stutters Seungmin's breath. Is it possible for someone to recruit this much feelings after just two and a half months of knowing each other? More so, when the said person did not have any intention of investing into a serious relationship in the beginning?

Do friends speak like that? He is aware of the natural considerate nature of the older so would it be reckless of him to assume that Minho might catch a tiny fraction of non-platonic affection for him?

"So if the price of my greed is your wellbeing, then I won't go any further. They might tie you to me as their tool but I regard you as your own person, Seungmin."

I'm not going to force you to continue, was left unsaid but Seungmin heard it clearly. He consciously clenched his fist around the tea cup handle.

"Then what about you? What will you do then, if I– if I break free?" He felt the words formed a lump in his throat, a lump that in turn, suffocates his chest.

Despite seeing the tensed shoulders of the younger, and the hardening expression of his, Minho offered a small smile, "Until I miraculously obtained full authorisation and credit of my own projects, then Lee Miyeon won't be going away any time soon."

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A/N

Writing each chapter is actually challenging when it doesn't quite convey what I want them to convey but I am fond of this book like it's a way for me to have alone space :)

The upcoming chapters will be better, promise!