Chapter Text
Seungmin was the spring flowers coming to bloom, covered in the gentle dew of the morning and swaying in the evening breeze. He was the sunlit showers in the afternoon, and the colors that spread across the sky in their absence.
Minho had a smile on as he traced every feature of Seungmin's face with his eyes. He traced his nose, the best place to press little kisses before bed. He traced his eyes, which sparkled with wonder when he was excited. He traced his lips, which would spread wide into a grin and let out the prettiest laughs. He traced his cheekbones and cheeks, which would blush a pretty pink whenever he got flustered.
Seungmin looked so peaceful like this, and Minho quietly decided to himself that he wanted to wake up to this every morning for the rest of his life.
He wanted to wake up and see Seungmin—to see him and be able to say that he was his. He wanted to see Seungmin, who had never done a single thing halfway in his life, and who felt so passionately and delicately at the same time. Seungmin, who sometimes had such a pure outlook on life, seeing the best in people and always trying to be the best version of himself. And Seungmin, who had a smile so bright and so impossible to look away from, because it radiated his warmth and anyone with the pleasure to bask in it was so, so lucky.
Drawing in a sigh and barely managing to hold himself back from waking Seungmin up with a kiss, Minho glanced back at the clock. It was almost noon, so he forced himself to get up. After washing up, he decided he'd make the two of them breakfast, hoping to let Seungmin rest and relax for as long as possible. Minho leaned down and pecked his forehead lightly, then left the room and closed the door quietly.
As soon as he stepped outside, Soonie and Doongie appeared, nuzzling against his leg as he crouched down to scratch behind their ears and greet them. “Hi, babies, did you sleep well?" He hummed, kissing their heads then getting up. "Want to help me make Seungminnie some breakfast?" A few meows. "Mm, what should we make?"
Seungmin may have been trying to hide it, but for the past few weeks, Minho had noticed him getting increasingly anxious about the outcome of his bar exam. Minho wasn't a law student, but he had seen firsthand the countless nights Seungmin had spent studying for the exam, how much he'd struggled but persevered because this was his dream, and he knew how important this was for him.
Minho felt a bit guilty because he felt like he hadn't been able to do much for the younger while he was waiting for the scores, so he tried to be there for him in the ways he knew how—one of which was cooking.
He looked through their fridge for some ingredients to make something simple, and decided on eggs and rice. Turning the stove on, he glanced over at the tacky apron that Seungmin had jokingly gifted him for his birthday last year, considering wearing it for a second, then snickered and shook his head. He would wear it—he really would—because Seungmin had been smiling so cheekily and had looked so proud of himself, but Minho wanted to hold out and tease him for a little longer.
Minho finished the eggs and set them out with napkins covering them in an attempt to somewhat trap the heat, and decided to scoop the rice later because God knew how long it would take to drag Seungmin out of bed. He then ventured off to their room and sighed, seeing Seungmin still asleep. He really didn't want to have to wake him, but he also wanted to make sure that he ate.
Minho sat down beside him on the bed and shook his shoulder gently. "Hey, come on, it's almost one," he hummed, rubbing his arm. "I made food. You have to wash up so you can eat."
Seungmin stirred, letting out a little whine as he rolled over onto his back. Minho smiled, kissing his cheek and laughing when Seungmin whined again, wiping his face. "Come on, sleepyhead," Minho continued, kissing him again and again until Seungmin was forced to open his eyes, a tired smile of his own spreading on his face.
"Okay, I'm up, I'm up," Seungmin mumbled, puckering his lips to get a proper kiss.
Minho sighed. He shouldn't. Seungmin hadn't even brushed his teeth yet, and Minho knew it'd make him want to stay in bed for longer.
He really shouldn't, but he was a weak man.
He leaned down to give Seungmin a little peck, but subsequently found himself trapped in his hold and pulled down with a yelp.
"You have to wash up—" Minho squeaked as Seungmin positioned him to lay against his chest.
"Mhm, and I will," Seungmin nodded tiredly, closing his eyes again, "But I want to cuddle first."
Minho tried getting up a few times, but ended up squished back against Seungmin each time, so he just told himself that staying here for a little bit would be okay. He relaxed in Seungmin's hold, closing his eyes for a few moments. He listened to the sound of Seungmin's heart beating steadily, feeling the rise and fall of his chest, and eventually turned his head to look up at him. The younger's eyes were closed again, but this time he had a soft smile on his face.
Minho felt his heart burst with love and adoration, and he moved from where he was to kiss his cheek. Quickly after, Minho swiftly stood up, ignoring how Seungmin complained about how cold he was, but still slightly regretting how he'd let the moment slip so easily. He had a mission, though, to get Seungmin to wash up and eat.
"Yeah, yeah, come on, the food's getting cold," Minho said, taking Seungmin's arms to help him get to his feet. Minho pushed Seungmin and directed him to the bathroom, then closed the door and went back to the kitchen to make sure the food wasn't completely cold yet. He began scooping rice as he heard Seungmin finish washing up, and thankfully, he looked more refreshed and awake when he came out of the room.
He greeted the kitties a good morning, stopping for a bit to pet them and rub their bellies. Minho watched with a smile as Seungmin mumbled cute little things to them—random things that really didn't make much sense, but it was Seungmin and cats so it was cute and nobody in their right mind would (or could, Minho would make sure of it) criticize the scene.
After that, Seungmin didn't go straight to the table. Instead, he wrapped around the counter and latched himself onto Minho's back, breathing in slowly as he rested his chin on his shoulder. Minho felt his ears go red, leaning back a little in the embrace.
"Can I get a real kiss now?" Seungmin asked into Minho's neck, causing him to squirm a little because it tickled.
Minho pretended to think about it as he closed the rice cooker and put the bowls down onto the counter. He turned around, shrugging and resting his arms on Seungmin's shoulders.
"I suppose," Minho said, leaning forward to kiss him. Seungmin melted in seconds and Minho laughed a little into it as he felt how quickly the younger relaxed.
He eventually pulled away, but left one more on his cheek for good measure, before getting the bowls and nudging Seungmin towards the table. He set down the bowls and they both took their seats across from each other.
"Thank you," Seungmin chirped before he began eating. Minho only hummed in response, watching fondly as the younger took the first bite.
He had a look of contentment on his face, and Minho thought he was going to melt because of how soft and pretty he looked—barefaced with a natural blush on his cheeks, and his brown hair disheveled as he busily ate his food.
Seungmin wasn't always good at keeping track of eating throughout the day, caught up in his own mind or just losing track of time, but when he did eat, he ate well. Minho loved that about him. He loved it because he worried about him not eating when he'd get too focused on studying or work, and he loved it because Seungmin looked cute when he ate. Half of the early days of their relationship had literally been built on their shared love for food and the study nights they'd spend over small meals that reminded them of home.
At first, whenever he made something for Seungmin, he'd unconsciously watch his reactions to see if he liked it, but eventually it just dissolved into him wanting to watch him eat because it was adorable and he loved seeing him happily enjoying his food. When he first recognized the habit, he was horrified of himself, but now that they were actually together, Minho did it shamelessly.
Seeing Seungmin happy while he ate only began to bring Minho more joy as the younger had been plunged further into the study season. Seungmin had always tried his best to hide it when he was struggling, to put on a happy face even when Minho could tell he was exhausted. He tried to look reassured, but Minho knew how easily the self-doubt festered and grew in the pit of his stomach.
Seungmin looked content when he ate. His forehead wasn’t ridden with a frown, his eyebrows weren’t pinched in frustration, his lips weren’t jutted out into an absentminded pout. When he ate, instead of frowning or pouting, he would relax in his chair and allow himself a moment of well-deserved peace—
"You're staring."
Minho's blinking increased. He'd been caught.
Did he really care, though?
"And?" He shrugged, recovering quickly. "You're cute like this."
Seungmin nearly choked on his rice, coughing and smacking a fist against his chest. Minho's eyes widened, not having expected his reaction, and quickly rushed to get him a glass of water. The younger drank it desperately and the coughs settled down. When they finally stopped, he glared at him with watery eyes, and Minho could only laugh because he resembled an angry puppy.
"Cute, like I said," he repeated, reaching over to pinch his cheek.
Seungmin batted his hand away, but couldn't hide his own smile. "Eat your food," he mumbled into another spoonful of rice and egg.
Minho was revising his notes and digging through his textbook when he heard the front door swinging open. He frowned, freezing for a moment as he listened to what sounded like Seungmin's frantic movements. An uneasy feeling bubbled in his chest, wondering if something bad had happened. Before he could do anything, though, his own bedroom door was thrown open.
Minho startled, dropping his pen and cursing under his breath. He ignored the pen and looked up at Seungmin, feeling his throat close up.
Seungmin was holding an envelope in a trembling hand, and his chest was rising and falling erratically compared to its calm movements earlier this morning.
It was his score.
It was the score that he'd been dwelling over for the past two and a half months, the score that had kept him up several nights, the score that Seungmin felt everything was riding on.
"Come here," Minho said, standing up and calling him over to his bed. Seungmin shakily followed him and allowed himself to be seated.
They sat there for a good amount of time, Seungmin leaning against Minho's chest as the older rubbed his back and held one of his hands, tracing circles in his palm.
Minho knew he had to be patient with Seungmin. He wasn't going to force it out of him because he understood how big of a deal this was, and he deserved to take it at a pace he wanted. He'd wait as long as Seungmin needed before he felt ready to open the envelope.
"What if... what if I failed?" Seungmin breathed out at some point, voice nearly inaudible but breaking through the silence.
Minho hummed quietly, giving his hand a little squeeze. "Don't think like that," he said, wincing at his lacking response. "You've worked so, so hard for this, and if anyone can do it, it's you. I don't know how to explain but... but I've got this feeling, like a feeling that you passed. You're incredibly smart and hardworking and anyone with eyes can see your passion for this. I don't doubt for a second that you passed."
"And, I'll—I'll be here for you no matter what, okay?" He added, kissing his forehead. "You'll always be determined, smart, hardworking Seungmin, and this score won't change that."
Seungmin's expression mostly remained ridden with worry, but Minho saw his eyes go misty and his lips quirk up at the corners a little.
"Okay... okay." Seungmin muttered to himself, breathing in as he looked back down at the envelope.
Minho let his hand go and gave Seungmin a bit of space while he carefully opened it. As he slowly slipped the piece of paper out of the envelope, Minho felt his own chest tighten and his own heart feel like it was about to beat out of his chest.
Like he'd told Seungmin, he didn't doubt for a second that he passed. He could easily be biased, yes, but he'd seen Seungmin work and give up so much for his studies. He'd given this his everything, and Seungmin deserved this and he'd worked so incredibly hard.
Yes, he was worried for the slight sliver of a chance he was wrong, because he wasn't sure what he'd do if he saw Seungmin's reaction. But Minho willed the thought away, blinking quickly to stop himself from thinking like that.
Seungmin was going to pass. He was Seungmin, and he was going to pass because he was capable and intelligent and the most passionate human being Minho had ever had the pleasure of knowing personally. He had seen firsthand how dedicated Seungmin was to learning, and how much of himself he put into working towards his dream career.
Minho sucked in a breath as Seungmin unfolded the paper. He used the best of his eyesight to squint, reading the tiny text on the paper.
He was surprised his heart hadn't broken through his chest when he read over the words.
And then Seungmin let out a sob, and he did a double take to make sure he hadn't read it wrong.
"Oh my god," Minho breathed out. "Oh my god."
Seungmin let out another cry, and Minho broke into a watery smile as he pulled the younger into his arms, hugging him tight. Minho took the paper from Seungmin's hand so he wouldn't crumple it (they had to frame it later, obviously), and focused on the younger. Seungmin gripped his sleeve, letting out all the emotions of anxiety and worry and nervousness he'd kept pent up as he sobbed in relief.
"I'm so proud of you, baby," Minho beamed. "You're so fucking incredible."
Minho rocked them back and forth as if he were putting a baby to sleep, waiting as Seungmin's cries eventually dissolved into a sniffle, and then a wet laugh. Minho pulled away slightly, looking down at his adorable mess of a boyfriend. Minho wiped his wet face with his sleeve and smiled at him.
"You're amazing, you know that?" Minho mumbled, barely able to finish his sentence before Seungmin pulled him into a kiss.
He melted against his lips, hand coming up to cup his neck with the other still around his waist. Seungmin kissed fervently as if he'd been starved of his lips, and had to gasp away for air with another laugh.
"I love you," he uttered out, still trying to catch his breath.
Minho's own breath hitched. "I love you too."