Minchan: Fighting The Storms With You

46

Lino stared at Chan, his eyes wide with surprise. The way Chan had said his name sent a shiver down his spine, but it wasn't unfamiliar—he had heard that name countless times in Chan's songs.

"Minho...?" Chan's voice trembled as he asked, his gaze distant and filled with a mix of longing and disbelief.

Lino, unsure of what was happening, noticed the dazed look on Chan's face. He quickly walked towards him, gently shaking his shoulder. "Chan? Are you okay? Should I call any of your friends?"

Chan seemed to snap out of his trance, his eyes focusing on Lino. His voice was barely above a whisper as he spoke, "Can you hug me?" His words were filled with desperation. "Please... just for a moment..."

Lino hesitated, taken aback by the raw emotion in Chan's voice. But the sight of Chan's teary eyes, the pain etched into his expression, was too much to ignore. Without thinking, Lino stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Chan, holding him close.

"Thank you... thank you, Minho. I've been dying for this..." Chan mumbled, his voice cracking with each word. Lino didn't understand what was happening, but there was something about holding Chan that felt strangely right, like he too had been waiting for this moment for an eternity.

They stayed like that for what felt like minutes, neither wanting to break the embrace. It was as if time had stopped, and in that moment, nothing else mattered.

A soft knock on the door eventually broke the silence. Lino slowly pulled away from Chan, his heart still racing from the intensity of the moment. "Come in," he called out, his voice steadier than he felt.

A maid entered the room and bowed slightly. "Young master," she began, her tone respectful. "Young master Jungkook has returned. He was asking for you."

Lino nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you," he said softly, and the maid left the room, closing the door behind her.

Lino turned back to Chan, unsure of what to say. The older man gave him a small, sad smile. "I'm okay now. You should go," Chan said gently.

Lino hesitated, searching Chan's eyes for any sign that he needed more comfort. But Chan's smile, though tinged with sadness, was sincere. Lino nodded, offering a small smile in return, and quietly left the room.

As he walked down the hallway, his mind raced with questions. Why did Chan mistake him for Minho? And why did holding Chan feel so... familiar, so right?

-----------------

Around 7 PM, Chan was awakened by a knock on the door. Groggily, he opened it to find Jungkook standing there with a warm smile.

"Hey, mate... Don't you want to have dinner?" Jungkook asked, his tone light.

Chan nodded, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"So, are you settled in? Need anything? You can just tell me... or ask the maid. Anything you need, buddy. And Lino mentioned you weren't feeling well," Jungkook added, his concern evident.

Chan shrugged, trying to downplay it. "It happens after dealing with a large crowd. Nothing to worry about."

Jungkook nodded in understanding. "Then let's go. Lino is waiting downstairs. Most of the dishes were made by our maid, but I cooked the pasta. And the soup is on the stove. Lino is making a fruit salad for dessert. I'm sorry—I didn't ask if you guys wanted anything in particular. I just thought you must be tired," Jungkook explained, a hint of apology in his voice.

"Oh no... I eat almost everything as long as it's not spicy," Chan replied with a chuckle as they started walking down the stairs.

"Well, Lino and I love spicy food," Jungkook said with a grin.