19 | minsung

31

that night, as minho lay in his room, the cool air nipped at him, urging him to cocoon himself in his blanket like a burrito. before long, he succumbed to the embrace of sleep and was whisked away to dreamland.

in this dream, jisung was a prominent figure. there he lay, head resting on jisung's lap, the latter's fingers delicately weaving through minho's soft locks, providing a soothing massage. the dream felt so vivid, so real, that minho wished to linger within its comforting embrace.

during his time at home, thoughts of jisung lingered in minho's mind. he often wondered about how jisung spent his moments alone in the dorm with him gone. initially, jisung had the dorm to himself, and minho convinced himself that jisung could manage just fine.

the inevitable end of minho's stay with his parents arrived. his parents drove him back to school, leaving some of his clothes behind while bringing fresh additions. returning to the university, minho arrived early and was warmly greeted by jisung upon entering the dorm. however, a subtle shift in jisung's demeanor caught minho's attention.

jisung seemed less gentle than usual, his bold and straightforward nature taking on a more pronounced edge. he shadowed minho closely, as if fearing that a momentary distraction would cause the older to vanish. jisung's eyes, once soft, now held a fierce intensity, tracking minho's every move like an eagle while retaining a hint of gentleness. 

despite the noticeable change, minho found himself unfazed. he cherished jisung's gentle side, but the newfound possessiveness made him feel loved and wanted, adding a different layer to their connection.

currently, minho found himself outside the campus, having made a quick stop at a convenience store to grab dinner for himself and his roommate. his original plan to return on sunday night had been altered because he couldn't bear to be without jisung.

earlier, jisung had insisted on joining minho, but the older reassured him that he wouldn't be gone long, leaving jisung with no choice but to trust him.

with a plastic bag in hand, minho was on his way back to the campus when he spotted the familiar beggar. he shifted his gaze forward, determined not to waste any time, knowing jisung was eagerly waiting for him in the dorm.

as minho walked past the beggar, a comment from them momentarily caught his attention. "he has marked you...be careful," the old beggar intoned in a foreboding tone.

minho glanced at the beggar, eyebrows furrowed, before deciding to continue walking. uneasiness welled within him at the interaction, though he tried to bury it in the back of his mind, focused on reaching the dorm where jisung awaited.

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when minho returned to the dorm, his attention was immediately drawn to jisung, who sat on the couch. jisung's dress shoe tapped restlessly on the floor, and his hands nervously scratched his legs.

minho approached him, extending his hand to gently rest on jisung's legs, halting his anxious movements. in response, jisung swiftly turned his head toward minho, his eyes trembling before settling into a glimmer of worry mixed with a hint of annoyance at the prolonged wait.

"you took so long," jisung firmly stated, gripping minho's hands without causing pain but ensuring the older wouldn't be able to escape.

minho set aside the plastic bag and took hold of jisung's hand, which was clasping his other hand, rubbing it in an up-and-down motion to soothe jisung and gently pry his own hand free.

"the line was a little long, but i'm here now," minho reassured, his gaze fixed on jisung's agitated state.

almost immediately, jisung began to calm, putting minho at ease. minho then extended his hand to jisung, signaling for him to stand up from the couch. jisung complied, following minho into the kitchen.