THE DANGEROUS GAME

BRO MOMENTS

Jay leaned back on the couch, settling into a more comfortable position as Minho cleaned up the remnants of the first-aid kit. His arm still throbbed a bit, but the sting of Sunghoon's cut was now more an irritating reminder of the fight than actual pain. He glanced at Minho, smirking as he watched his friend meticulously clean each tool and place it back in its case.

"You know," Jay said, his voice smooth and teasing, "you're way too good at that. Been practicing for someone special?"

Minho shot him a deadpan look. "Yeah, you. Apparently, I need it with all the trouble you get into."

Jay chuckled, stretching his arm and flexing his fingers. "Trouble, huh? Last I checked, you were right there beside me. The trouble finds us both, Minho. Or maybe we're just good at attracting it."

Minho's lip twitched, his hands stilling on the first-aid kit. "Speak for yourself," he muttered, but even he couldn't deny it—the two of them seemed to be magnets for chaos. And, if he was honest with himself, he wouldn't have it any other way.

Jay leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. "You know, you're not half-bad at this. Taking care of people, I mean." He gave Minho a sidelong glance, his tone light but with a hint of genuine admiration. "Maybe you're in the wrong business."

Minho scoffed, shaking his head as he finished packing up the kit. "Trust me, I'm in the right business. But I'm only doing this because it's you."

Jay raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Oh? Is that right?" He leaned in, his smirk returning full force. "So, if it were Hyunjin with a cut like this, you'd just leave him bleeding?"

Minho froze for a split second, his eyes narrowing. "Hyunjin isn't as reckless as you are."

Jay chuckled, sensing an opportunity to press. "Not the question I asked, though." He tilted his head, feigning innocence. "Come on, admit it—you'd patch him up just like you did with me."

Minho let out a sigh, his jaw clenching slightly. "Fine. Maybe. But only because I'd rather not have to deal with his whining if he got hurt." He placed the first-aid kit back in the drawer with a sharp click, a subtle tension in his movements.

Jay laughed, leaning back again. "Ah, sure, sure. Whining. Let's go with that." He glanced over at Minho, his gaze challenging. "You know, for someone who claims to despise the guy, you sure do spend a lot of time thinking about him."

Minho crossed his arms, shooting Jay a cold look. "That's not true. I just keep an eye on my enemies."

"Keep an eye on him, huh?" Jay echoed, clearly enjoying himself. "You realize you sound just like a lovesick teenager, right?"

"Lovesick?" Minho huffed, crossing his arms defensively. "You're the one who practically melted when Sunghoon put that knife to your arm."

Jay's smirk didn't falter, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Maybe. But that's different. Sunghoon's...intriguing. Keeps me on my toes."

Minho scoffed, the faintest hint of a smile pulling at his lips. "Intriguing, huh? So that's what we're calling it now?"

Jay shrugged, unfazed. "You don't get it. There's something about him, you know? He's not just another pawn in the game." He paused, his gaze growing more contemplative. "It's like...there's a challenge with him. A thrill."

Minho watched him, a bit taken aback by Jay's candidness. "A thrill? For real?"

Jay chuckled, shrugging as if to brush it off, but Minho noticed the glimmer of something genuine in his expression. "Yeah. But don't go thinking I'm getting soft. Sunghoon's still a pain, just like Hyunjin is to you."

Minho smirked, leaning back. "Except I don't see you cutting Sunghoon out of your life any time soon."

Jay's grin widened. "And I don't see you doing that with Hyunjin either." He paused, giving Minho a pointed look. "It's almost like we need them."

Minho rolled his eyes, but Jay's words lingered, resonating with something unspoken. "Fine. Maybe they're good for...keeping things interesting."

Jay's laughter filled the room, rich and unapologetic. "See? You're finally admitting it." He raised his hand for a mock toast. "To interesting rivals."

Minho shook his head, reluctantly raising an imaginary glass. "To interesting rivals," he echoed, the barest hint of a smile finally breaking through.

Jay laughed, clapping a hand on Minho's shoulder. "See, that wasn't so hard." He leaned back, stretching out his legs, and for a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

After a moment, Jay looked down at his bandaged arm, his gaze softening. "Thanks, Minho," he said, his voice lower, more genuine.

Minho glanced at him, nodding. "Yeah. Just try not to get into too much trouble without me."

Jay chuckled. "No promises.