Aquarium of Us

Chapter 15: Electric push and pull

In the days following that night on the living room floor, Minho and Jisung's dynamic shifted in ways they couldn't ignore-and neither could anyone else. Every glance seemed to linger a beat too long, every touch felt charged, and the air between them hummed with a tension that was impossible to hide.

The others started noticing almost immediately, exchanging knowing smirks or shaking their heads at the way Minho and Jisung seemed glued to each other's side. At practice, Chan watched in mild amusement, arms folded, as Minho draped an arm around Jisung's shoulders, leaning close enough that his lips brushed against the shell of Jisung's ear. Jisung's entire face went red, his eyes wide, and he laughed a little too loudly, betraying his flustered state.

"Seriously, are they still pretending they're just friends?" Chan muttered to Hyunjin, who raised an eyebrow with a grin.

"They're torturing themselves," Hyunjin whispered back, barely hiding his laughter. "Just look at them. Minho barely has to look at Jisung, and he's practically melting."

But Minho was struggling just as much. Every laugh, every accidental touch, every stolen glance between them made it harder to keep his cool. His mind was flooded with images, fantasies he couldn't shake. He wanted to pull Jisung close, to feel his warmth, his heartbeat, his lips... Every time he saw Jisung smile, it was like he could feel the blood rushing to his face.

During one practice break, Jisung sat cross-legged on the floor, scrolling through his phone, his lips curving into a grin as he read something. Minho found himself staring, utterly captivated by the soft arch of Jisung's lips, the way his hair fell messily over his eyes. He looked up and caught Minho staring, eyes wide in surprise, cheeks coloring just a little.

"You okay there, Minho?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant but failing spectacularly as his voice caught in his throat.

"Oh, I'm great," Minho replied, his voice low, a teasing glint in his eye as he leaned down, bringing his face close to Jisung's. "Just... thinking."

Jisung's eyes darted away, his cheeks flushed a deep pink, and he laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. The others stifled their laughter, watching them with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

"Honestly, they're killing me," Chan whispered to Hyunjin, shaking his head.

Hyunjin smirked. "I give them a week before one of them snaps."

But it didn't take that long. The tension grew so thick it was almost comical. Every interaction felt like it was teetering on the edge of something-something neither of them seemed brave enough to confront head-on, though both clearly wanted to.

Finally, it all came to a head. Minho couldn't take it anymore. His desire to hold Jisung, to feel his heartbeat close, overwhelmed every ounce of restraint he'd been clinging to.

After practice, as the others filtered out, Minho grabbed Jisung's wrist, stopping him in his tracks.

"Minho?" Jisung's voice was breathless, barely a whisper.

Minho didn't respond, simply tugging him down the hallway toward one of the practice rooms that was rarely used. He didn't let go of Jisung's wrist, his grip firm, insistent, almost desperate.

As soon as they were inside, Minho shut the door behind them, pressing Jisung back against the wall. The room was silent, the air thick with anticipation, and Jisung's breath came in shallow, quick bursts as he looked up at Minho with wide eyes.

"Minho...what...?" But he couldn't finish the sentence; Minho's hands were on his wrists, lifting them above his head and pinning them to the wall. Jisung felt his pulse quicken, his heart racing as Minho leaned in close, their faces inches apart.

They were so close that Jisung could feel Minho's breath on his skin, the warmth of his body pressing against his own. The intensity in Minho's gaze was almost too much to bear, and Jisung felt his own breathing grow unsteady, his heart hammering in his chest.

"Jisung," Minho murmured, his voice a low, husky whisper. His eyes flicked down to Jisung's lips, lingering there for a moment too long. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"

Jisung's face turned an even deeper shade of pink, and he opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. His mind was blank, overwhelmed by the feeling of Minho's hands on his wrists, the press of his body, the intensity of his gaze.

Minho leaned in even closer, so close that their noses brushed, his lips a mere breath away from Jisung's. The temptation was almost unbearable, and Jisung felt his own resolve slipping, his heart pounding as he stared back at Minho, caught up in the moment.

It was like time had slowed down, every second stretching out as they hovered on the edge of something neither of them could hold back anymore.