DINO / LEE CHAN ONESHOTS [✓]

72.

Requested By: zyanneherrero 🌼

Minghao is ignoring Dino because he likes him and thinks that the younger might not like him. He is afraid that if he keeps talking with him, he might end up confessing and might lose the friendship with him.

Minghao had always been good at reading people, or at least he thought so.

After all, that's what years of dancing taught him, understanding the subtle shifts in body language, how the movement of muscles could communicate more than words.

But reading people and interpreting emotions were two different things, especially when the person in question was Lee Chan.

These days, Minghao found himself avoiding Dino at every turn.

It wasn't as though he wanted to. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Every time Dino's bright laugh echoed through the practice room or the younger boy flashed him that easy smile, Minghao's stomach twisted in knots.

But lately, his fear of messing everything up had taken over, and now he couldn't even meet Dino's eyes.

"Hyung!"

Dino's voice was cheerful as always, light and energetic.

He bounded over like a golden retriever, unaware of the storm brewing in Minghao's chest.

Minghao's hand froze mid-air as he stretched, his back to the door.

For a brief moment, he considered pretending he hadn't heard Dino.

He could already feel the heat rising to his face, the inevitable tension crawling up his neck whenever Dino got too close.

"Minghao hyung, did you hear me?"

Dino was closer now, his voice tinged with confusion.

Minghao straightened up and turned, masking his nerves behind a neutral smile.

"Yeah, sorry. What's up?"

Dino tilted his head slightly, his smile faltering just a bit.

"You okay? You've been... distant lately."

Minghao mentally cursed himself. Of course Dino had noticed.

He always did, paying attention to details with a surprising intensity for someone so carefree.

But how could he explain that the distance was deliberate?

That the only reason he wasn't being his usual self was because being around Dino made his heart race, made his thoughts scramble into a mess of feelings he was too afraid to confront?

"I've just been busy,"

Minghao replied, forcing a shrug that felt unnatural.

"Nothing to worry about."