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Minghao and Junhui had always been opposites, like oil and water, destined to clash but somehow never parting. If their dynamic could be compared to anything, it was like Tom and Jerry — Minghao, the quiet but sharp-witted one, always finding ways to slip out of Junhui’s grasp, and Junhui, relentless and determined, always chasing after him. But instead of cat and mouse, it was more like a dance — an unspoken rhythm they fell into from the day they met.
It all started in their first year of high school, when Minghao transferred from another city. He was quiet, mysterious, with a presence that made people wonder but never approach. Except for Junhui. Junhui was the kind of guy who couldn’t resist a challenge, and something about the way Minghao seemed to fade into the background while simultaneously standing out pulled him in.
“Hey, you’re Minghao, right?” Junhui said one day after school, falling into step beside him.
Minghao barely looked his way, his eyes fixed ahead. “Yeah, that’s me.”
Junhui grinned, unfazed by the cold response. “I’m Junhui. You seem cool. Wanna hang out sometime?”
Minghao’s steps didn’t falter, but he shot Junhui a side glance, his brow slightly raised. “I’m good, thanks.”
Most people would’ve taken the hint, but Junhui wasn’t most people. “Aw, come on. I don’t bite,” he said, leaning in slightly, that playful smile never leaving his face.
Minghao sighed, already realizing this guy wasn’t going to give up easily. “You’re persistent, aren’t you?”
Junhui shrugged. “Just interested.”
And from that day on, their odd relationship began. Minghao was always just out of reach, quietly slipping away from Junhui’s teasing advances, but never too far. Junhui chased him, not literally, but in every conversation, every glance, every touch that lingered just a little too long. They were constantly at odds, but it wasn’t hostility. It was… something else.
Despite Minghao’s constant dodging, he didn’t push Junhui away completely. It was as if he secretly liked the chase — the attention, the way Junhui never seemed to give up no matter how much he deflected.
Junhui, on the other hand, was relentless. It wasn’t that he enjoyed annoying Minghao, but there was something in the way Minghao always kept his distance that intrigued him. It wasn’t rejection; it was like Minghao was waiting. Waiting for the right moment. Waiting for Junhui to catch up.
Their friends often watched their interactions like they were in a sitcom, exchanging knowing glances whenever Junhui would sneak up behind Minghao, only for Minghao to dodge his touch with a smirk, or when Junhui would throw out flirtatious comments just to watch Minghao’s calm mask crack for a split second.
“You two really are like Tom and Jerry,” one of their friends, Soonyoung, had laughed one day after watching Junhui fail to catch Minghao’s attention yet again.
Junhui had grinned. “Yeah, but you know how that show ends, right? The cat always catches the mouse eventually.”
Minghao had overheard, shooting Junhui an amused look. “We’ll see about that.”
Despite their banter, it was clear to both of them that their relationship was shifting. Beneath the teasing and the chasing, there was something deeper — something that neither of them had dared to address directly.
It wasn’t until their second year of high school, late one evening after a group study session, that the tension finally broke. Everyone else had left, and Junhui found himself alone with Minghao in the quiet classroom. The air between them was thick with the unspoken, the quiet hum of anticipation that had been building for months.
“You know,” Junhui started, leaning casually against a desk, “I’ve been chasing you for a while now.”
Minghao, who was busy packing up his books, didn’t look up. “And yet, here I am. Still not caught.”
Junhui chuckled, though there was an edge to his voice. “That’s because you’ve been running.”
Minghao paused, his hands stilling on the strap of his bag. He didn’t respond right away, but when he finally spoke, his voice was quieter. “Maybe I have.”
Junhui’s heart skipped a beat. This wasn’t part of their usual back-and-forth. Minghao was always calm, always composed, but there was something different in his tone now. Something vulnerable.
“What are you afraid of?” Junhui asked, stepping closer, his voice softer than usual.
Minghao finally looked up, meeting Junhui’s gaze. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes — they were filled with something Junhui hadn’t seen before. Fear, maybe. Uncertainty. But also… hope.
“I’m not afraid,” Minghao said quietly. “I just don’t know if you’ll still chase me if I stop running.”
Junhui’s chest tightened. This was it. The moment he had been waiting for — the moment Minghao finally stopped pulling away. Slowly, he reached out, gently touching Minghao’s arm, his fingers brushing against the fabric of his sleeve.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Junhui whispered. “I’ve never wanted to catch anyone as much as I want to catch you.”
For the first time, Minghao didn’t flinch away from his touch. Instead, he let out a small, almost imperceptible sigh, as if the weight of something heavy had finally lifted from his shoulders.
“Then maybe…” Minghao murmured, stepping just a little closer, his eyes never leaving Junhui’s, “I’m tired of running.”
Junhui’s heart raced, but he didn’t push further. Instead, he waited, giving Minghao the space to come to him. And when Minghao finally closed the distance, their lips brushing in a soft, tentative kiss, it felt like the chase had finally ended.
But it wasn’t the end of the story — it was only the beginning.
From that moment on, their dynamic shifted. Junhui was still the bold one, always teasing, always initiating, but now there was a softness to it. And Minghao, while still reserved, no longer ran. He let Junhui in, little by little, revealing pieces of himself that no one else had ever seen.
They still bickered, still pushed each other’s buttons, but now there was something more beneath it — a connection that was stronger than words. They were still Tom and Jerry, but the chase had turned into something else. Something deeper. Something real.
And for the first time, they weren’t running anymore.
They were together.
They weren’t alone.
