since our eyes first met - Minsung

챕터shopping

Jieuns POV:

I had firmly decided not to buy any gifts this year, maybe for my parents, siblings and my bestfriend Yeona but not for all my friends. Christmas had always been a stressful time for me, and somehow the whole gift-giving thing always felt too commercial. But then Minho had asked if I would accompany him to buy gifts – and somehow, I couldn't say no. It was already strange being here with him, considering we'd only known each other for a few months. We were just friends, but if I'm honest, I had been spending a lot of time with him lately. Minho was the kind of guy who could shape the world with a smile, and being around him often made me feel carefree and... understood. But just friends. Nothing more.

I zipped up my beige jacket all the way and pulled my white hat further down as more and more snow fell from the sky, covering Seoul with a white blanket.

I had left early on purpose, hoping to have enough time to look around. But when I arrived at the mall, there was no sign of Minho. I stood by the entrance for a while, looking at my phone. A message from him. »Sorry, I'll be there soon! I had to grab something for the guys.«

Minho and I had always gotten along well, but there was still so much I didn't know about him. Like his band. Stray Kids.

I still couldn't quite believe that I had the number of an idol and was friends with him. No, actually, with two. If I told anyone, they'd probably just think, yeah right, who hit you on the head?

Honestly, I had no idea what it meant for him to be part of this group. But he talked a lot about the guys, especially Jisung. It was kind of obvious that Minho was very close to him. Too close to just admit it.

After another fifteen minutes, Minho finally showed up. He looked a little flustered, his coat crooked, and his hair, which was probably supposed to be hidden under his hat, hung messily over his forehead, as if he had rushed out of the house.

»Sorry, really! I forgot I had to pick something up for the guys,« he said, and I couldn't hold his smile against him. It was charming, as always, but at the same time, a little uncertain.

»No problem. Come on, let's grab a few things for you before you have to run off again,« I replied, trying to make it clear with my look that it was okay. I knew he had a lot to do – for Stray Kids and for himself.

»Thanks, Jieun. You're a lifesaver,« he said with an even bigger smile and winked at me. I couldn't help but smile back.

So we set off to visit different stores, and Minho looked for gifts for the guys. With every band member he focused on, I noticed how he took his time, selecting everything with great care. He was relatively quick with Felix and Bang Chan, but when it came to Jisung, everything changed.

Minho suddenly seemed much more thoughtful. As he passed the shelves with bracelets, he stopped briefly and examined some of the simple but elegant designs. »I don't know... Jisung is hard to shop for,« he murmured, staring thoughtfully at the display.

»Why? He's always so open and nice,« I said, trying to help him. But somehow, the conversation felt different. Minho wasn't just uncertain, he seemed almost... nervous.

»Yeah, but he's so particular, you know? He likes everything that's unique and special. I want to give him something that will really impress him,« Minho explained, picking up a silver bracelet.

I watched him silently as he put the bracelet back and searched thoughtfully near the pendants. Suddenly, he pointed to two small charms – a quokka and a rabbit. »I think this could work,« he said quietly, and his voice had something soft, almost tender, that caught my attention.