LADY LIBERTY :: minchan ✔︎

wednesday ~ 3:25 pm

"were you avoiding me yesterday?" chan asked, sitting down on the park bench next to minho. "or did you take the day off, and i was only hallucinating?"

chan was the last person minho wanted to see at the moment. they hadn't known each other for more than a week and a half, yet minho was already managing to screw the friendship up by feeling something around chan.

he couldn't tell chan about his feelings; they wouldn't be reciprocated. the trust they'd built would be ruined, and minho would lose his closest—and only—ally in his fight against a monotonous life.

"no, i took the day off. maybe the coffee finally got to you."

chan laughed, looking down at the cup in his hand. "funny thing—i didn't start drinking coffee until last year. it never really appealed to me since i already had trouble sleeping. now, though, i've somehow managed to control my sleep schedule. most of the time, at least. i still have off days and off weeks."

"ha, can't relate. i've been drinking coffee since the days i still danced," minho said.

"wait." chan leaned forward, making his nose stop mere centimeters away from minho's. the younger boy felt his spit get stuck in his throat as air refused to enter his lungs at the sudden, close proximity. "you're wearing the sunscreen! it looks good on you; i can see more of your lovely face."

minho thought that chan was purposefully messing with him but decided not to voice his thoughts. "why, thank you, but lovely face, who? not i. i think i'm done for the day, anyway."

"does this park bench turn you into a rhyming machine?" chan asked, maybe just the slightest bit envious of the easiness with which minho created rhymes. "you could write a book containing all your bench rhymes."

minho paused for a moment, a wise, contemplative look settling over his still-young features. "i do not think it is the bench in this park. rather, i think it's the oppressed song within my heart." he chewed his lower lip. "that wasn't a perfect rhyme, though. please say it was good. i beg you; don't say no."

chan's laugh bubbled out of his throat. he didn't think he'd felt so comfortable with someone in years, yet this friend of just over a week managed to lift his spirits.

"let us, um, get me some coffee. if, of course, you are willing to pay the time fee?" the last rhyme came out as a question and a quirked eyebrow from minho, who had offered.

chan took minho's hand in his own, casually bringing him along as they went to get the younger man something to drink.

minho's heart decided to pursue a career in acrobatics the whole way there, while chan's heart only began beating a little faster.

both boys had fallen for each other faster than they would've liked to admit.