Puppy Love • Seungchan

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Chan taps at his phone screen, swiping through his feed. He stops. Looks at the time...there was still 5 minutes before Seungmin's shift was over. Chan groans. 5 minutes was too long.

Chan clicks the lock button and faces his phone screen down, determined not to look at it again like his life depended on the small numbers ticking away at the top of his screen. Deep down, Chan knew as soon as 6 o'clock arrived his life was about to change unexpectedly...because Seungmin just admitted to liking him and knowing his own feelings, he was 100 percent sure he wasn't going to let him go.

The first time Chan met Seungmin was after school, and like his own younger brother Jeongin, the boy was only 12 at the time. Jeongin had determinedly pointed him out, claiming that the boy was his stalker. Chan simply chuckled. "In-ah, it's only your second week of highschool, the poor kid probably wants to be your friend!" Jeongin had simply rolled his eyes, "Who would even want to be friends with me? Everyone here is like red velvet cake, and I'm just a boring bread roll..."

About a fortnight later, as Chan sat next to Jeongin at home after school, watching old 90s reruns, he'd tossed a stray kernel of popcorn at the younger. "What was that for?!" Jeongin had grumbled at him. "Just wanted to get your attention. ANYWAY how's the stalker sitch going? Has that kid gouged your eyes out or anything yet?" Jeongin stared at him in horror, "What?!?! No?!? Why would he gouge my eyeballs out???" Chan had shrugged, "Cause he's your stalker, I don't know." Jeongin tossed a kernel back at him smacking him in the face. As Chan rubbed his cheek Jeongin answered. "I don't think he's a stalker...like you said. But he's got a weird way of going about being my friend. He keeps showing me his test results." That made Chan laugh, "Show him yours then? Maybe you gotta match his weird friend vibe?"

1 month passed after that conversation, and a lot changed in that month. Chan liked to keep an eye on his brother, make sure he was doing ok, and sure enough he was. Chan would watch briefly as Jeongin bantered with his new friend. He'd soon find out that the boy's name was Seungmin, he'd just turned 13, and that apparently he was like an oversized puppy dog. "Just like you!" Jeongin would laugh. "Except where he's a puppy, you're more like an pint-sized wolf"

Despite Jeongin not admitting it outright and constantly referring to Seungmin as his stalker or his nemesis, Chan knew for sure that Seungmin was his friend. As the days passed the nicknames Jeongin threw around became more of a joke than anything. Their whole friendship was based on a childish playfulness; most presently their constant battle for top grades. It seemed their need for A's in every class they shared was the very glue that held their friendship together. Chan didn't really care too much for grades, as long as he passed he was happy, but he loved both boys' spirit.

It would take another 8 months, almost practically the whole freshman school year, before Jeongin finally invited Seungmin over. It was a Saturday, not cold, but not warm either. To put it simply it was an ordinary day. Seungmin arrived with a cheerful smile on his face, dressed in a boyfriend-style graphic tee and skinny jeans.

Jeongin spent the day chatting and playing games with Seungmin in his room. Even from downstairs Chan could hear the pair laughing. It was endearing and part of him wanted to go up and pop his head in, see what all the laughter was about, but he didn't want to intrude. So he waited until the two came out of their cave for snacks. Chan had quickly zoomed out of his room as they came down the stairs and into the kitchen. "What are you two laughing about?" Chan had asked as he tried to casually lean on the counter. "Just stuff," Jeongin had said as he rummaged through the pantry. Chan had looked over at Seungmin, "Hey, I've seen you with my brother at school but I don't think we've ever formally met! I'm Chan, In-ah's brother." "I'm S-Seungmin. Kim Seungmin," Seungmin had replied. Chan had then thrust out his hand in an act of friendship but Seungmin shook like a leaf in response. So Chan quickly dropped his hand away.