Chapter 22

The two finished eating and were now heading back, but suddenly, Ju-woon stopped walking

"Min-ho, I'm going for a walk. Head back if you want, or whatever. I don't care."

Min-ho, of course, followed him. "Aw, why would I leave my sweet darling—"

Min-ho was about to continue his usual teasing, but something stopped him. It felt strange to talk to Ju-woon like that today. Why? What was it about now that felt different? Min-ho frowned, trying to ignore the unease in his chest.

Ju-woon side-eyed him, clearly trying to figure out what Min-ho was up to. He probably had some theory in his head about what kind of game Min-ho was playing today. He always did.

"Ju-woon?" Min-ho said, voice a little quieter than usual. "Can I hold your hand?"

Ju-woon didn't say anything at first, just stared at him with a blank expression, but then, to Min-ho's surprise, he reached out and took his hand. Just like that.

Min-ho blinked, his heart racing for a second. Ju-woon actually took his hand?

"Why do you always ask me that?" Ju-woon said, not even looking at him, his tone neutral. "Are your hands always cold?"

Min-ho was so caught off guard, he didn't even know what to say at first. What the hell was going on? Why didn't Ju-woon resist like he usually did? He couldn't help but feel a little flushed, even if he tried to hide it.

"I mean, it is pretty chilly today..." Min-ho muttered, trying to brush off the weird feeling creeping up his spine.

Ju-woon didn't pull away. Instead, he interlocked their fingers. The action was so casual that it made Min-ho freeze for a moment. What the hell was going on today? His heart was beating faster than usual.

He glanced over at Ju-woon, but the other boy wasn't even looking at him. His attention was somewhere else, probably thinking about anything but the hand he was holding. Yet Min-ho couldn't ignore the way the warmth of Ju-woon's hand felt against his own. It was almost too much to handle.

Ju-woon, as if noticing the sudden shift, looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Min-ho, are you sick? Your face is red."

Min-ho wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment or something else, but he couldn't shake the strange feeling that was inside him. He instinctively squeezed Ju-woon's hand, his own fingers gripping tighter than he intended.

"It's alright… I'm not sick," Min-ho muttered, though he wasn't entirely sure if he was talking to Ju-woon or to himself.

Ju-woon seemed genuinely confused by his sudden outburst, tilting his head as if trying to figure out what was going on. His other hand raised, brushing against the back of Min-ho's cheek. "Are you sure? You're acting weird today."

Min-ho's eyes widened at the touch, his pulse quickening. There was something different in the air now.

Before Min-ho could say anything, Ju-woon let go of his hand. It wasn't dramatic—he just casually pulled his hand back. Min-ho didn't like it.

He quickly grabbed Ju-woon's hand again, holding it tighter this time. "Why'd you let go of my hand?" Min-ho asked, trying to sound casual, but his voice betrayed him. "I'm still cold, you know."

Ju-woon shrugged, though there was a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah, sure."

They kept walking, but the atmosphere between them was far from normal. It was strange, but not in the usual way they were used to. It was something softer, something new. Min-ho couldn't quite put his finger on it. Neither of them said anything for a while.

As they walked, Ju-woon checked the time on his phone, and then glanced at Min-ho. "Min-ho, it's late. God don't tell me you're staying over again."

Min-ho smirked, acting like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Aw, Ju-woon, you know me so well. Of course, I'm staying over."

Ju-woon groaned, though his tone was amused. "At this point, you basically live with me."

Min-ho laughed lightly, a teasing glint in his eyes. "why want me to move in?"

Ju-woon made a face at him. "Hell no."

Min-ho's smile softened, and for just a moment, he leaned in a little closer. "Aw, so mean."

The playful exchange felt different somehow, more intimate than usual. Neither of them acknowledged it, but the air between them was thicker now.

The walk back felt longer than it should have. Min-ho didn't want it to end, and though Ju-woon seemed indifferent, Min-ho could tell that he wasn't in any rush either. The night had gotten late, but they were both content to just keep walking, as if the act of walking together meant something.

"Ju-woon, do you have alcohol at home—" Min-ho began, his usual mischievous tone creeping in.

"Min-ho, shut the fuck up," Ju-woon interrupted, clearly annoyed. "At this point, you're a walking whiskey bottle."

Min-ho huffed dramatically. "You're so mean."

As they walked through a dark alleyway, the sound of their footsteps echoed off the walls. Ju-woon was scrolling through his phone, oblivious to the fact that Min-ho had been glancing over at his screen for a while. It was just the usual—boring posts, art projects, and some random singers.

Then, suddenly, something caught Min-ho's eye.

A picture. A girl.

Min-ho didnt think of what he was doing, he pinned Ju-woon against the wall.

He didn't even think—his hand shot out and snatched Ju-woon's phone right out of his grasp.

"Min-ho, what the fuck?!" Ju-woon's voice was sharp, full of surprise and annoyance.

Min-ho didn't care. "Ju-woon, who the hell was that girl?"

Ju-woon blinked, clearly confused by Min-ho's outburst. He tilted his head to look at him. "Are you seriously asking me that? What the hell's your problem?"

Min-ho's chest tightened, that strange feeling he couldn't ignore rising again. Jealousy. What the hell was this feeling? Why was it so intense?

"Who was she?" Min-ho repeated.

Ju-woon sighed, his tone shifting into one of mild annoyance. "I don't know why you care. That was my sister, alright? Now give me my phone back."

Min-ho's face flushed a little, embarrassed by his own outburst. His sister? That made sense, but for some reason, the whole situation still bothered him.

"Well, she definitely didn't get the good genes..." Min-ho muttered under his breath, the words slipping out before he could stop them.

Ju-woon flicked his head in response, annoyed but not particularly offended. "How annoying."

Ju-woon snatched his phone back, slipping it into his pocket. Min-ho was left standing there, his chest still tight. For a moment, there was an awkward silence between them, but it wasn't the usual tense silence they usually had after a fight. It was different. More comfortable, but just as uncertain.

They didn't say anything more about it. Instead, they walked the rest of the way in relative silence, talking about random things as if nothing had happened.

When they finally reached Ju-woon's apartment, neither of them seemed ready to call it a night.

"So, what do we do now?" Min-ho asked, a playful glint in his eyes, trying to steer the conversation somewhere lighter.

Ju-woon shrugged. "Don't know, don't care."

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