Puppy Love • Seungchan/Chanmin

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After waving goodbye and blowing more than enough kisses at Chan from the front doorstep, Seungmin turned to head inside. His heart was still gooey from their time together and his thoughts still tumbled and swirled rapidly with all the details Chan had felt comfortable enough to share.

Seungmin had no idea that Chan, this older, confident man he'd fallen for, had been scared of intimacy, that in prior relationships it'd been what had scared him away. Seungmin would never have even suspected such a thing, he'd simply written Chan off as a gentle giant. But now his tentativeness made more sense, and the tender kiss they'd shared on the park bench felt even more special knowing that was Chan breaking out of his shell not just for him but also himself too.

Learning this about Chan was a small reminder that they really needed to take this opportunity to understand one another, to get to know one another on a deeper level. Despite their very present feelings they needed to take things slow, at least for these first three dates anyway, then maybe once they'd talked not just with each other but with Jeongin too, things could move forwards. Whether that be full steam ahead or slow going, was another story.

It was still so strange to think that only a week ago he'd been kissing Jeongin, and now he was once again falling madly for his brother. One might think it was history repeating itself, but Seungmin liked to think of Jeongin as a glitch in the system. Seungmin was just glad on both occasions they'd parted on amicable terms.

Seungmin pulls off his beret and ruffles his hair as he clicks open the front door. But his moment of calm resolve bursts as he meets the eyes of his mother, leaning on the frame of the staircase, a steaming cup of coffee in her hand.

Seungmin's heart startles and he quickly picks up his beret off the floor as he glances back at the door and then up towards his mother. She simply tilts her head, signalling him to follow.

Seungmin sighs as he shuffles after her small form and into the living room.

Seungmin was sure his mum, Mrs Kim, must have been sitting in her nook at the window sill. She always said she liked to sit there to do her crosswords and read her magazines, but in truth she was just as hungry for gossip as he was. Her nook in the lounge had an excellent view of the street, perfect front row seats for any neighbourhood tea. Normally she would have been in bed by now, but it was Friday and Friday was the best day for street shenanigans. Unbeknown until now, apparently that included himself too.

"How much of that did you see?" Seungmin pouts as he puts his rose on the coffee table and flops into an armchair. There was no use denying it.

Mrs Kim settles herself on the couch, her coffee momentarily sitting in her clasped hands, atop her crossed legs. She looks briefly towards her nook then back towards Seungmin. "I stopped watching after your boy started blowing kisses into hearts."

Seungmin blushes and uses his beret as a shield. If she'd seen Chan blowing hearts then she also would have seen him blowing them up himself and throwing them at Chan to catch. It had been so random but Seungmin couldn't help himself, not after he'd blown a kiss in goodbye only for Chan to catch it and eat it. His cute reaction sent Seungmin into cuteness overload.

"So, tell me about him? I don't think a boy has ever dropped you home, or given you a rose. Judging from that smile on your face he must be pretty special?" Mrs Kim suggests before taking a sip of her coffee.

"H-he is." Seungmin says as he slowly brings down his beret, "-and his name is Chan"

"-and how long have we known this Chan boy? He looks...older?"

Seungmin meets his mom's eyes, and he knows there is no way of cutting corners. Whether it be now, or tomorrow over breakfast she'd be digging for details, once her curiosity peaked there was no chance of stopping her until she got her fill. Usually, she wasn't as interested in his dates, but he knew his own expression and what she'd just witnessed was enough to get her hooked.