You

20

After the tense encounter at the café, Minho and Jisung walked hand in hand back to Jisung's house, the cool afternoon breeze calming the lingering nerves. Minho squeezed Jisung’s hand gently, a silent reminder that he was there—always.

By the time they reached Jisung's place, the tension had eased, and they both felt lighter. Jisung kicked off his shoes and ran up the stairs, laughing as he shouted over his shoulder. “Min! Come on! We’ve got a suitcase to fill.”

Minho rolled his eyes but followed him, smirking as he reached the bedroom to find Jisung digging through his closet, throwing clothes into a chaotic pile on the bed. “You know, you could pack like a normal person, instead of making it look like a tornado hit your room.”

Jisung grinned mischievously, tossing a shirt at Minho’s face. “Where’s the fun in that?”

Minho caught the shirt mid-air and walked over, tossing it onto the pile. “You’re such a mess,” he muttered fondly before wrapping his arms around Jisung from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder.

Jisung leaned back into Minho’s warmth, a soft smile tugging at his lips. “Maybe, but I’m your mess.”

Minho kissed the side of his neck, his breath warm against Jisung’s skin. “That you are.”

They spent the next hour packing, with Minho folding clothes neatly while Jisung added items haphazardly to the suitcase. In between the packing, they stole kisses, laughed at silly jokes, and poked fun at each other.

“Oh my god, Jisung,” Minho groaned, holding up a bright, neon-green sweater that Jisung had thrown into the pile. “When are you ever going to wear this?”

Jisung gasped dramatically, snatching the sweater from Minho’s hands. “I’ll have you know, this is a *fashion statement*!”

Minho burst out laughing. “Yeah, a statement that says, ‘Please stop looking at me!’”

Jisung pouted, but the twinkle in his eyes gave away his amusement. “Fine, maybe it’s not my best, but I’ll wear it just to spite you.”

“You do that,” Minho said, pulling him into another kiss. This time, it lingered a little longer, their lips moving softly against each other as the teasing faded into something more tender.

Eventually, they finished packing, collapsing onto the bed with their arms around each other. Jisung rested his head on Minho’s chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. “Thanks for today,” he murmured, his voice soft and grateful. “For everything.”

Minho ran his fingers through Jisung’s hair, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “Always, Sung. I’m here whenever you need me.”

---

Meanwhile, across town, Felix, Chan, Seungmin, and Jeongin made their way to the cinemas, excited for a relaxing day out. The group was in high spirits as they bought popcorn, snacks, and drinks before heading into the theater. Felix, as always, was buzzing with excitement, bouncing on his feet as they found their seats.

“Can’t believe you guys picked an action movie,” Felix teased, throwing a piece of popcorn into Chan’s mouth.

Chan caught it effortlessly, chewing with a grin. “You love it, don’t lie.”

Felix rolled his eyes playfully, but the truth was, he was excited for whatever they were going to watch. Being surrounded by his friends—and his mate—was all that mattered.

Seungmin and Jeongin, on the other hand, were quietly holding hands, exchanging small smiles as they settled in to watch the film. The comfort between them was easy, natural, and as the movie started, they leaned into each other, completely content in each other’s presence.

---

Back at Hyunjin’s place, the atmosphere was much quieter. Changbin and Hyunjin sat together on the living room floor, each with a cup of tea in their hands. The air between them was gentle, calm, as they spent the day figuring out how to navigate this new, overwhelming reality.

Hyunjin, still hesitant but more open now, asked questions—tentative ones—about what it meant to have a mate. Changbin answered patiently, never pushing too hard, giving Hyunjin the space he needed to process everything at his own pace.

“I’m just... scared, I guess,” Hyunjin admitted softly, his fingers nervously playing with the rim of his cup. “This whole thing, it’s a lot to take in.”

Changbin nodded, understanding in his eyes. “I know. It’s a lot for me, too. But I’m not going to rush you. We’ll go as slow as you need, Hyunjin. I’ll be here, waiting.”

Hyunjin looked at Changbin, his heart softening at the sincerity in his words. “Thanks,” he whispered. “I’m willing to try... I don’t know what this all means yet, but I think I’m ready to figure it out. Together.”

Changbin’s wolf, though still longing for a deeper bond, felt some peace in those words. He gave Hyunjin a small, hopeful smile. “That’s all I could ask for.”

They spent the rest of the day quietly, talking here and there, but mostly just sharing the silence, letting the weight of their connection settle naturally between them. Both were comforted by the knowledge that, no matter how complicated things might get, they were in this together. Slowly but surely, they were beginning to understand each other in a way that went beyond words.

For now, that was enough.