Maybe, just maybe - Minsung

Chapter four

The small restaurant hums with anticipation, a small plastic table by the window serving as the battleground for today's event. It's time for the corn dog-eating contest, and of course, Jisung has dragged Chan along, both of them arriving with a drone of excitement. Hyunjin and Seungmin are here too, their presence adding to the pressure coiling tight in Minho's gut. He might not admit it, but there's something about their expectant gazes that makes him want to perform well, if only to save himself from their relentless teasing afterward.

The corn dogs are freshly fried, still steaming, and the faint scent of hot oil and batter clings to the air. Minho sits across from Felix, both of them poised for action, their gazes locked on the food in front of them. Their friends huddle around, restless, and eager for the spectacle about to unfold.

"Ready," Chan's voice cuts through the tension, carrying that slight grin of mischief Minho knows too well. "Set..." He pauses dramatically, dragging out the moment just to rile them up. "GO!"

The two contestants spring into action, hands darting out to grab their corn dogs. Minho wastes no time, wrapping his lips around half of it, teeth sinking into the hot, crispy breading. The sharp tang of hot sauce hits him a second later, burning his tongue. A small groan of discomfort slips out, but it's lost in the cacophony of cheers surrounding them.

"Come on, Minho!" Hyunjin hollers, fists pounding the table with a steady rhythm. "You've got this!"

Minho can barely hear him over the rush of blood in his ears, the burn of the sauce mixing with the sound of laughter and encouragement. But he doesn't miss the way Jisung is watching him, eyes tracing every movement, every twitch of his lips, every drop of sauce that slides down his chin. But he forces himself to stay focused-ignoring the heavy stare boring into him.

Across from him, Felix is just as determined, stuffing his cheeks with large bites of corn dog, eyes narrowed in concentration. The clock is ticking.

"Faster, Felix!" Seungmin yells over the noise, his voice sharp with urgency. "You're almost there!"

But before Minho can regain his momentum, a sudden burst of applause breaks through the noise. He looks up, mouth half-full, to see Felix grinning and dabbing at his mouth with a napkin. His plate is empty. Minho lets out a deep breath, a mix of defeat and mild relief washing over him as he finishes off his own corn dog, resigning himself to second place.

"Damn it," he mutters, wiping the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

Jisung moderately leans in from across the edge of the table, a smug grin curling his lips. "So," he drags out the word, eyes gleaming with lucidity, "anything you'd like to ask me, baby?" His voice is a low, teasing purr, and Minho immediately knows there's no escaping whatever Jisung has in store for him next.

Minho rolls his eyes as he stands up, exhaling as if this whole thing is beneath him. "I'm heading to the bathroom first," he announces, like it's the most casual thing in the world, like his heart isn't beating in his throat.

The group groans, collectively deflated. Drama? Postponed.

"Lame," Hyunjin drawls out as the door clicks shut behind him, echoing in the room like a missed opportunity.

Inside the bathroom, Minho heads to the sink. He keeps his movements slow, deliberate, but the act feels automatic-hands lathered in soap, water running in a steady stream, but there's a fringe, a tinge of awareness creeping up on him. Like he knows what's about to happen.

The door creaks open, the sound dragging across the tiled floor like a warning. Minho doesn't look up. Not yet.

Jisung enters with a sigh that's more amused than anything else, leaning against the doorframe as if he's got all the time in the world. His smirk is audible before it even fully forms. "Avoiding your punishment?" Jisung teases, stepping closer, like a predator toying with its prey.