stars and whispers // minsung

chapter sixty six

"Well, well, well... Look at this perfect starry night."

Minho's voice was warm as he held Jisung's hand, guiding him across the rooftop. 

The cold air wrapped around them, but neither seemed to notice, too captivated by each other and the moment. 

Snowflakes gently fell from the sky, adding a soft, glittering layer over everything, including the untouched snow beneath their feet.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Minho asked, his breath visible in the cool night air as he looked up.

Jisung followed his gaze to the stars that stretched across the endless sky. 

The quiet of the night contrasted the distant hum of the party below, but up here, it was just the two of them. "It is," Jisung replied, his eyes sparkling with awe. 

He squeezed Minho's hand a little tighter.

They stood there, hand in hand, staring at the sky in silence for a while, just enjoying the shared tranquility.

"You know you just left your own party, right?" Jisung teased, breaking the silence, a smile playing on his lips. 

He squeezed Minho's hand playfully, looking at the older boy.

Minho turned his head, smirking. "Yeah, but I don't care. Being here with you is better than any party," he said, his voice low but full of sincerity.

"I'm having mixed feelings about that since I'm the one who organized the party," Jisung chuckled, his smile growing wider.

Minho shook his head, a fond smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Don't be. You did an amazing job, but this," he gestured to the night sky, the snow, the rooftop, "this is perfect."

They moved over to the lounge chairs, which were dusted with snow. 

Despite the cold, they didn't seem to mind as they sat down together. 

Minho pointed up at the moon, which hung low and full in the sky, casting a soft glow over everything. "Look at that. The moon, the stars... it feels like everything's perfect tonight."

Jisung smiled, leaning back. "Yeah, it does. Almost like something out of a dream."

Minho leaned back too, his smirk turning teasing. "Such a romantic scene... don't you think?"

Jisung rolled his eyes but smiled, nudging him. "Oh, shut up..."

They both fell into a comfortable silence, but it wasn't empty. 

It was filled with the unspoken connection between them—the warmth of being together, of sharing something intimate that words couldn't quite capture.

After a moment, Jisung broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. "Why do you like me?" 

His words carried a weight, as if he wasn't sure he was ready to hear the answer.

Minho turned to him, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "Why do I like you?"

"Yeah! Don't laugh about it," Jisung protested, his cheeks flushing. "I'm being serious."

"Okay, okay," Minho said, shifting to face him more fully. His tone became more sincere. "You want the truth?"

Jisung nodded, biting his lip in anticipation.

"I like you because... you're you," Minho said quietly, his gaze softening. "You're real. I liked you before we even spoke for the first time. You stood out to me in ways I didn't understand back then. I knew you were different... in the best possible way."

Jisung listened intently, a small, shy smile forming on his lips as Minho's words touched him deeper than he expected.

"And then I got to know you, and you turned out to be so much more than I'd imagined. You surprised me, challenged me. At first, I didn't know how to act around you. I think that's why I was a bit of a jerk sometimes... because being near you confused me. I didn't know what to do with how I felt."

Jisung's smile faltered slightly as memories of Minho's distant behavior surfaced, but he didn't pull away.

"I'm sorry for how I treated you," Minho said softly, his voice full of regret. "I was stupid, but it was because... I didn't know how else to deal with it. But that doesn't excuse it. I'm really sorry, Ji."

Jisung, feeling the emotion in Minho's words, got up from his chair and squeezed into Minho's, curling against him. 

"It's okay," he whispered, his face close to Minho's. "Keep going."

Minho wrapped an arm around him, holding him close. "I realized how much you meant to me one night when I noticed Hyunjin had a crush on you. It made me... jealous, I guess. I hated the idea of him being close to you when I wasn't. It made me realize how much I wanted to be that person for you."

Jisung chuckled softly. "So you are the jealous type..."

Minho blushed slightly but smirked. "Maybe... a little."

Jisung laughed and nestled deeper into Minho's chest, feeling the warmth of his body against the cold night air.

"And then, that night we came up here... when I saw the stars reflected in your eyes, I think that's when I realized just how much I liked you. Everything about you made sense to me then."

Jisung's expression softened, his heart swelling with emotion as he remembered that night too.

"And then, I found out about... your struggles," Minho said hesitantly, glancing at Jisung. "I already knew a little... but when I read your journal..."

Jisung froze, his body tensing. His heart clenched at the mention of his journal, the painful memories it held. 

He wasn't ready for Minho to know the worst parts of him.

Minho sensed the change in his demeanor and tightened his grip on Jisung, holding him close as if to protect him. 

"I read it, and I knew I needed to be there for you. I wanted to help you, Ji. Not because of pity, but because I cared."

Jisung's eyes filled with unshed tears, and his voice cracked as he whispered, "Even knowing all of that... you still like me?"

Minho looked down at him with unwavering eyes. 

"Always. No matter what you've been through, no matter what you carry, it doesn't change who you are to me. I see you for who you are, not just your past. I'm proud of you, Ji. And I'll always be here, no matter what."

Jisung felt the weight of his emotions crash over him like a wave. 

He couldn't hold back anymore. "Minho..." he whispered, his voice trembling. "You really mean that?"

Minho nodded, leaning down to kiss Jisung's forehead. "I do. Always."

Jisung smiled through his tears and pressed a soft kiss to Minho's lips. 

It was gentle at first, filled with emotion, but then deepened as Minho responded, holding him close. 

The kiss felt like a promise, like something neither of them wanted to break.

When they pulled away, Minho whispered with a teasing smile, "So... are you going to be my boyfriend now or what?"

Jisung laughed, the sound light and full of joy. "I was thinking the same thing... maybe you should be my boyfriend."

Minho grinned. "We'll argue about that later... right now, I just want to hold you."

Jisung leaned into him, resting his head against Minho's chest as they gazed back up at the stars, the world feeling right for the first time in a long while.