HIRAETH | Minho XO, Kitty

CHAPTER EIGHT

It's just another normal morning in the dorm as I make my morning tea. The sunlight shines through the window, leaving the kitchen and main living area aglow. Kitty, Dae, and Quincy are somewhere else. That leaves the dorm to only Minho and I.

Sitting down on a barstool, I sip my barley tea until someone catches my eyes. I flicker over to the boy's bedroom, where Minho walks out. He's wearing nothing but his pajama bottoms, and it doesn't seem to bother him, even in front of me.

He leisurely walks into the room, his head tilting slightly as he looks at me. "You know, I've been hoping you'd catch onto my hints. We've been friends so long, it's getting harder to hide."

I blink three times, his words not registering with me. "What do you mean?" I ask, setting my cup down.

"You haven't noticed?" his voice softens with each step he takes toward me. "I agreed with your mother about us dating, held you arm when guys looked at you, and claimed you were my girlfriend at the party."

I almost laugh, but just keep a small smile. "Isn't that you being you, though?"

"When will these hints be enough for you to get it?" he asks, his voice dangerously low.

He steps closer, closing the gap between us until our faces are just inches apart. My breath catches as his proximity makes my pulse race. Without even realizing it, my arms lift and drape around his shoulders. His hands settle firmly on my waist, and before I can say anything, he lifts me onto the kitchen counter.

The distance between us shrinks, our faces so close I can feel his warm breath against my skin.

"Is this hint enough?" he murmurs, his eyes locked on mine.

We draw closer, the gap between us almost nothing. My heart pounds as our lips are about to touch, and then—

I jolt awake, gasping for air.

My chest heaves as I sit up, my heart pounding so loudly it drowns out everything else. I fly a hand to my face to slap myself, but my cheeks only burn. I can still feel his breath on my lips, the heat of his body so close to mine.

I groan and roll over, burying my face in my pillow. "I will never drink barley tea again!"

⸝⸝ ʚ ! ⌗ °• ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ *ೃ༄ + ꒰°｡

"Wonnie! Q! I have something to tell you," Kitty's voice says, as I feel my feet being repeatedly tapped. "Get up!"

I lazily flutter my eyes open to the sight of Kitty standing between the two couches. Quincy lays on the one adjacent to to me, just as he was last night when I left because of Kitty's snoring. I, on the other hand, lay on the arm chair, my legs dangling off the end.

My head is light from all the alcohol I had last night, so I'm surprised I can even tell what Kitty is saying as she looks at me with a worried expression.

"K— Kitty?" I manage to get out.

"Cha! Q! Did you drink my collagen water?" Minho's voice suddenly calls out from somewhere in the room. "Or was it you?"

"What? No," Kitty denies immediately

"My collagen water is meant to keep my skin dewy! Not rehydrate people who can't handle their liquor!" His voice gets closer, and then suddenly, he's peering over the armchair. "Whoa, you were out so drunk last night! I should take a picture," he laughs.

I groan, rubbing a hand over my forehead. "What the hell..." I mumble, trying to pull myself together. "It's way too early to be talking like this. I need more sleep," I add, lifting my hands to block out the sunlight.