Not Just Fan Service

Stage 8: effort

★·.·'𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚊𝚗 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚌𝚎'·.·★

A sigh, one again, found its way past Jisung's lips as he scrolled through what was now his and Minho's shared Instagram page; looking through all of Minho's posts. He scrolled all the way back to the older's first post after the others had made their own. He couldn't recall why he decided to do that, but there he was, scrolling away like he wasn't feeling anything while simply looking at pictures of the very person who seemed to be the source of the unidentified feelings.

The producer caught himself smiling at all of the pictures he scrolled through which puzzled him since he'd seen the pictures before and maybe he had smiled a little, but Jisung would've remembered staring for way too long at the photo of the older with a towel on his head from when they filmed the SKZ-SAUNA videos. Would've remembered wanting to (and he did) screenshot the photo of Minho and his balloon roses. He was sure of it.

He would've remembered feeling his heart break as scrolled through Minho's posts about his final broadcast of Music Core. And sure, he'd felt heartbroken at how sad Minho was after doing his final show, but this...this feels different. Why does it feel so different?

He scrolled through the posts a second time, trying to engrave each picture of the older into his brain and trying to figure out what it was that he wanted to do such a thing in the first place. All he knew for sure was that's what he wanted to do and that he thought it might help him feel better and prepare him for their New Year's Eve dinner.

He'd never been so nervous for a simple dinner before. Never been so nervous for a simple dinner with Minho before. He wondered if he was only nervous as a result of the feelings, he felt due to the older, or if the nervousness was just a new feeling, he was experiencing with the rest of them. Both were entirely plausible and completely terrifying.

Jisung kept wondering why it was that for some unknown reason, the idea of having dinner with Minho seemed suddenly different. Just like everything else had changed. And of course, just like everything else when it came to Minho, he couldn't place just how it felt different. And thanks to Changbin, he was able to put the pieces together as he was in the bathroom, once again spending too much time on his hair as the older asked him, "what are you getting all dressed up for?"

"Minho and I planned to go out for New Year's dinner," the younger replied and really took a look at himself in the mirror because it wasn't until Changbin had asked the question that he realized he was really kind of dressed up. It was simple so why was he trying so hard? What was wrong with him?

Changbin furrowed his eyebrows, "is this like a date?"

Jisung's eyes widened, looking over at the older, "it's just a dinner, why are you making fun of me?"

"I'm not making fun of you, I was genuinely asking," Changbin replied, raising his hands in surrender, "you're just getting all dressed up, sorry for assuming. But you guys have fun."

Jisung looked back at his reflection as Changbin then walked away and the younger swallowed nervously, should I change? Why am I trying too hard? Is he gonna think I did too?

"Hey, Ji?" Minho suddenly called out, causing Jisung to cringe for just a second, "are you ready to go?"

Jisung shook his head as an answer to himself, but left the bathroom anyway, freezing in the middle of the hallway as he saw Minho talking to Changbin by the door. Minho wasn't super dressed up, but he still looked nice. So nice that Jisung felt a little anxious to even take another step. He was in simply black jeans, matched with a simple black Mahagrid hoodie layered underneath a white fluffy coat since it was obviously cold outside. It was a more practical outfit for the weather, and simple in the grand scheme of things, but something about the way Minho looked while wearing it surprised Jisung? Was that all it was? Surprise? But why was he even surprised?