summary: while sitting on the floor together, finding solace in folding clothes, you stumble across an photo album. three of the pictures triggering childhood memories.
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the moon cast a soft glow through the windows, illuminating the cozy living room of your apartment.
minghao and you sat cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by a mountain of freshly laundered clothes. the repetitive sound of fabric being smoothed out filled the room as you worked side by side.
"can you believe how much laundry we go through in a week?" minghao chuckled, breaking the comfortable silence.
you smiled in agreement, "i know. it's never-ending,"
as you reached for another shirt, your hand brushed against something tucked away in the small cupboard below.
curious, you opened it and found a dusty photo album nestled among old magazines and knickknacks. minghao glanced over, setting aside the shirt he was folding.
"hey, look what i found," you said, pulling out the album and flipping through the pages until you came across an old school picture, where you both were no older that 6.
"wow, i haven't seen this picture in years," minghao remarked, studying the photo of his younger self surrounded by classmates.
"do you remember anything from that day?" you asked, curiosity piqued.
minghao paused, memories flickering across his face. "actually, yeah. it was the day of the puzzle challenge in class,"
"and do you remember what you did to my puzzles?"
"yeah," he chuckles, "you were so close to finishing it, and i..."
"complete the sentence, xu minghao,"
the scene shifted to a flashback of a younger you sitting in a classroom, surrounded by scattered puzzle pieces. the puzzle neared completion, every piece fitting snugly into place.
just as you were about to place the final piece, minghao swatted it away, causing you to gasp in horror as minghao grinned mischievously.
"...and i poured water on your hard work. hey, don't tell me you're still mad at me for that,"
"i'll never forgive you," you say jokingly.
"sorry, couldn't resist," he teased.
as you continued to flip through the pages of the dusty photo album, your eyes landed on another school picture. this one of you and minghao, holding hands and smiling brightly at the camera.
"hey, look at this one," you said, a fond smile tugging at your lips as you showed the photo to minghao.
minghao's eyes widened in surprise as he took in the image. "i remember this," he murmured, a nostalgic warmth spreading through him.
the scene shifted to a flashback of a younger minghao and you standing in the schoolyard. tears glistened in minghao's eyes as he held both his ears, his lower lip trembling. "i'm sorry, y/n," little minghao said, his voice choked with emotion.
"it's okay, minghao," little you replied softly, reaching out to comfort him.
with a deep breath, minghao wiped away his tears and took your hand in his. together, the two of you ran outside to where your parents were waiting, eager to show them that you had made up and that you were friends again.
minghao took the album from your hands, his fingers tracing the worn edges as he flipped through the pages.
memories, both cherished and forgotten, came flooding back as he scanned each photograph.
then, he stumbled upon a particular page, and his breath caught in his throat. there, captured in the photograph, was a moment that seemed frozen in time.
a soft chuckle escaped minghao's lips as he stared at the image. "i remember this," he murmured, his voice filled with nostalgia.
you glanced over at him, curiosity evident in your expression. "what is it?" you asked, leaning closer to see what had captured minghao's attention.
a rush of memories flooded your mind as you took in the scene.
there you were, a younger version of yourself, wearing a tiara and holding a delicate flower in your hand. with younger minghao beside you, leaning in to kiss your cheek.
minghao's voice broke through the nostalgic haze, bringing you back to the present. "do you remember the context behind this picture, y/n?"
you nodded, a soft smile playing on your lips as you recalled the childhood promise made in innocence.
"you will marry me when we get big," young hao didn't even ask. he simply declared, "promise me, y/n,"
"i promise, hao," little you said, "pinky promise,"
minghao's gaze softened, a tender smile gracing his lips. "you kept your promise, y/n." with that simple acknowledgment, a sense of warmth and contentment washed over you both.
hand in hand, you closed the photo album, knowing that some promises made in childhood endure a lifetime.
and as the moon continued to cast its gentle glow, you and minghao shared a moment of quiet gratitude for the memories woven into the fabric of your lives.
