A thousand roses | SS

Chapter 14: Small yet meaningful

Seokmin sighed, hitting the enter key on his laptop, irritation creeping across his face. It wasn’t every day that Seokmin got frustrated with his work, but when his manager dropped an urgent email out of nowhere, asking for a product review, it made his skin crawl.

He had promised to take Joshua out for dinner tonight. It had been two days since his mother and Seungkwan left. They stayed for a week, and it was fun having them over, despite the constant bickering between Seungkwan and Seokmin—typical sibling behavior.

Seokmin glanced at the clock and groaned. Time was slipping away, and he still had to finish the review before he could even think about leaving. He rubbed his temples, trying to shake off the annoyance.

As he typed away, his mind wandered to Joshua. They hadn’t spent much time together lately, and tonight was supposed to be special. Joshua had been understanding about his work, but Seokmin knew he deserved more than rushed dinners and tired conversations.

The sound of an incoming message jolted him back to reality. It was his manager, reminding him of the deadline. Seokmin muttered under his breath, wishing he could just log off and leave this stress behind.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he hit send on the email. He leaned back in his chair, letting out a long breath. His eyes drifted to a photo on his desk—a candid shot of him and Joshua laughing together. It was a reminder of the joy he found in their moments together, the kind of joy he desperately needed tonight.

The creak of his door made Seokmin turn his head, spotting Joshua walking in holding a steaming glass. Joshua’s lips curled into a smile as their eyes met.

"Are you done?" Joshua asked, moving towards Seokmin's desk.

Seokmin sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair. "Some of it is still pending. I'm so sorry, Josh. This was supposed to be our time, and now my stupid work is ruining it," he said, rubbing his face in frustration.

"It's okay," Joshua replied softly, placing the glass down in front of Seokmin. The familiar, comforting aroma of his favorite hot chocolate wafted up, and Seokmin felt a pang of gratitude. Joshua always made him hot chocolate when he was stressed.

"I made you hot chocolate," Joshua repeated, gently pushing the glass toward him.

Seokmin's lips curled into a small, tired smile. He swiveled his chair around and tugged at Joshua's hand, guiding him to sit on his lap. Wrapping his arms around Joshua's waist, he buried his head in his back.

"I'm sorry," Seokmin murmured against Joshua’s shirt. "I promise to make it up to you. Maybe we can go out once I finish my work?"

Joshua turned in Seokmin's lap, facing him. "Hey, Seokkie, it's really okay," he said, cupping Seokmin’s cheeks in his hands. "Don't stress yourself out. We can have dinner another time. What matters is that we’re together now."

"But you were so excited about it, and now this," Seokmin said, his voice tinged with regret.

Joshua smiled, his eyes softening. "Yes, I was excited. But plans change, and that's okay. What's important is that we find moments like this, even when things don't go as planned. We’ll have plenty of other dinners and nights out. Tonight, let’s just enjoy each other’s company."

Seokmin sighed, leaning into Joshua’s touch. "You always know how to make me feel better," he said, a bit of the tension melting away.

Joshua leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to Seokmin’s forehead. "That's what I'm here for," he whispered. "Now, drink your hot chocolate and take a moment to relax. We have all the time in the world."

Seokmin nodded, feeling a bit of the weight lift from his shoulders. He took a sip of the hot chocolate, savoring the warmth and the familiar taste that Joshua had perfected. It was a small gesture, but it meant everything to him.

Joshua stayed perched on his lap, his fingers lightly running through Seokmin’s hair. They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, just enjoying each other’s presence. The soft hum of the laptop and the muted sounds of the city outside created a soothing backdrop.

Joshua glanced at Seokmin, who was busy typing something on his laptop, his face locked in one of the most serious expressions Joshua had ever seen. His eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes unblinking as they stared at the screen, and his lips pressed into a thin line. Even his cheekbones seemed tense. Joshua couldn’t help but giggle, the sound breaking the quiet of the room.

Seokmin turned towards him, a small smile forming on his lips almost involuntarily. It always did whenever Joshua was around. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," Joshua replied, now giggling uncontrollably.

Seokmin laughed too, the sound easing the tension in his shoulders. "Then why are you giggling?" he asked, still chuckling as he continued to type.

Joshua took a deep breath, trying to calm his laughter, and wrapped his arms around Seokmin's neck. "Nothing, it's just... you looked so focused just now, and it was cute," he said, resting his chin on Seokmin's shoulder.

Seokmin smiled, his heart warming at Joshua's words. "Cute, huh? Well, I guess I'll take that as a compliment," he said, pausing his work for a moment to savor the closeness.

Joshua nodded, his giggles subsiding into a contented sigh. "Absolutely. You’re adorable when you're all serious," he said, his voice soft and affectionate.

Seokmin turned his head slightly to kiss Joshua’s temple. "And you’re adorable all the time," he replied, earning another giggle from Joshua.

For a few minutes, they stayed like that, finding comfort in the simple act of being together. Seokmin returned to his work, but the atmosphere was lighter now, filled with the warmth of Joshua’s presence.

As Seokmin typed away, Joshua remained close, his arms still around Seokmin's neck. "You know, I love moments like this," Joshua murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Me too," Seokmin agreed, his fingers moving swiftly over the keyboard. "Even when I'm busy, having you here makes everything better."

Joshua smiled, pressing a kiss to Seokmin’s shoulder. "Can we watch Nemo after this?"

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-Vaish

Sometimes soft moments like holding hands, cheeks kisses or even as small as setting alarm for your partner makes a huge difference in relationship.. be happy and healthy guys 😸❤️