just pretend.

50.

Minho woke up nestled between Jisung and Seungmin, their arms draped over him possessively, like they were claiming him in sleep just as much as they had done hours before. He swallowed hard, his eyes scanning their exposed bodies, his muscles still aching from the intensity of their encounter. Despite the soreness, a part of him already craved more. He couldn't deny it – he would do it again in a heartbeat. His body hummed with the lingering desire. Seungmin's warm breath ghosted over Minho's temple as he nuzzled closer, his grip around Minho’s waist tightening in unconscious possessiveness. Jisung lay on the other side, his hand resting over Minho's chest, fingers splayed out, while his leg was tangled with Seungmin’s. Minho should have felt cold in the early morning chill, but the heat from their bodies wrapped him in a comforting cocoon, warming him up from all sides. Yet, he still tucked the blanket up over them, covering their bare skin with slow, deliberate movements to avoid waking them. Despite his efforts, Jisung stirred beside him. His head shifted, dark eyes slowly blinking open as he turned his face towards Minho. “Baby”, he whispered, his voice soft, the familiar nickname sending a ripple of warmth through Minho. “Is something wrong?” Minho turned to face him, momentarily caught in the warmth of Jisung’s gaze, the room dimly illuminated by the soft glow of the sunrise and fairy lights strung up around the window. The lights cast a gentle reflection in Jisung’s eyes, making them gleam in the near darkness. Minho’s voice came out in a quiet breath. “No”, he whispered back, thankful his voice was still steady despite the whirlwind of emotions churning inside him. “Are you sure?”, Jisung asked, his voice low and laced with concern as he slowly propped himself up on one elbow. His gaze was intense, cutting through the sleepy haze that lingered between them. Minho nodded, unsure how to put into words the conflicting emotions racing in his mind. The intensity of the night still lingered in his body, and the weight of what had transpired hung in the air, yet he couldn’t bring himself to voice it. He glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand, the white numbers flashing in the dim light – six in the morning. Too early to think clearly, too late to ignore everything. “I’m hungry after..”, Minho’s voice faltered, trailing off as his cheeks flushed, the end of his sentence caught in his throat. Jisung’s lips curled into a teasing smile, clearly knowing what he meant. Minho let out a soft, embarrassed laugh, avoiding his gaze for a moment, suddenly shy after everything they had shared. Jisung chuckled, brushing his fingers gently over Minho’s cheek in a tender gesture. “Let’s get you something to eat then”, he said softly, his touch comforting. The teasing edge in his voice remained, but there was care there too. Minho nodded gratefully, but before he could move, he felt Seungmin shift beside him. His breath hitched when Seungmin’s voice, low and sleepy, whispered into his ear, sending a shiver down his spine. “And then we’ll talk”, Seungmin mumbled, his voice rough with sleep but laced with a seriousness that Minho couldn’t ignore. The words, though quiet, hung in the air, a reminder that the night’s actions weren’t without consequences. Minho flinched slightly at the thought of the conversation that awaited them, his heart speeding up. He nodded silently, feeling the weight of their unspoken emotions settle over him. Seungmin’s arms tightened around him briefly, and Minho’s breath caught in his throat. His mind raced, knowing the conversation couldn’t be avoided. What would they say? What did this mean for the three of them? He didn’t know the answers, but one thing was certain – they couldn’t go back to what they were before, whatever that was.

He watched Seungmin move around the kitchen with a quiet efficiency, his hands skillfully cracking eggs and slicing bread into neat, thin pieces. Every movement was precise, fluid, like he’d done it a thousand times before. The familiarity of it should have been comforting, but Minho’s stomach twisted with nerves. As Seungmin’s hands busied themselves with breakfast, Minho’s mind was still a mess, caught between the heated memories of the night before and the looming uncertainty of what came next. Just then, Felix stumbled into the room, his hair tousled and eyes still heavy with sleep. He blinked a few times, taking in the scene – Minho, Seungmin, and Jisung all within the same space, the weight of unspoken things hanging in the air. Felix’s lips curled into a teasing smile, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he connected the dots. Minho groaned internally, wishing he could sink into the floor and disappear. The flush of embarrassment was instant, creeping up his neck and settling in his cheeks. Without a word, Minho slipped off the barstool and made a beeline toward Felix, grabbing him by the wrist. He pulled Felix out of the kitchen, desperate to escape the weight of Jisung and Seungmin’s gazes following him. They hadn’t said anything, but Minho could feel the tension, the anticipation, and it was too much. Once they were in Felix’s room with the door closed behind them, Felix’s amusement bubbled to the surface. “So you, Jisung, and Seungmin..”, Felix started, his tone dripping with playful curiosity. Minho felt the heat rise to his face further, the situation almost too much to handle. It was as though Felix was determined to push him into an even deeper state of embarrassment. “Lix”, Minho whined, his voice barely above a whisper as he avoided Felix’s gaze, looking at the floor instead. He could feel the overwhelming pressure of his own thoughts, the weight of what had happened pressing down on him. His mind was racing, going through every what-if, every potential outcome, and none of them felt easy to face. Felix, however, wasn’t letting him off the hook so easily. He guided Minho towards the bed, gently pushing him down to sit on the edge. Minho’s legs gave in without resistance, his body too exhausted from overthinking to argue. Felix’s expression softened, but there was still a flicker of amusement in his eyes. “You really didn’t think this through, did you?”, he asked, his voice laced with understanding. Minho shook his head, feeling a pang of frustration with himself. Everything had been so overwhelming, the heat of the moment too intense to stop and think. Now that he had time to breathe, the weight of the situation hit him full force. He buried his face in his hands, groaning softly. Felix knelt in front of him, reaching out to take Minho’s hands gently. “Did you like it?”, he asked, his tone free of judgment. Minho hesitated, then nodded, despite the embarrassment still flooding through him. The truth was undeniable – he had liked it, more than he’d care to admit at this moment. Felix gave him a reassuring smile. “So what’s the problem?”, Felix continued, his voice calm and rational. “You weren’t officially dating either of them, and they both agreed to it.” His hands held Minho’s firmly, grounding him momentarily. “Stop overthinking everything and just let it happen. I’m sure they liked it just as much as you did.” Felix’s smile grew, turning into a sheepish grin that made Minho groan in frustration once again. Felix chuckled and cupped Minho’s face in his hands, pressing a light kiss to his forehead before standing up. “Come on”, he said, pulling Minho to his feet with an easy strength. Minho stood shakily, his heart still racing with everything he wasn’t saying, all the fears and doubts he didn’t know how to put into words. There were so many questions swirling in his mind – what if this changed everything for the worse? What if they regretted it? What if he did? The uncertainty nagged at him, making his stomach churn. But Felix didn’t give him time to dwell on it. Instead, he led Minho back into the kitchen. As they stepped through the doorway, Minho felt the weight of both Jisung and Seungmin’s eyes on him, watching him closely. The tension in the room was palpable, but Felix’s reassuring presence beside him kept him from bolting. Minho swallowed, his nerves on edge as he stepped into the warmth of the kitchen, the scent of breakfast mixing with the heavy, unspoken air between them. He didn’t know how to face them yet, but with Felix’s words still echoing in his mind, he knew he would have to – sooner or later.