Chapter 36: C-34

C-34

"Minho..." I groan as I lie on my back, panting and sweating heavily.

"Come on, Y/n." He's catching his breath as well, but he still has his sly grin on. "Just one more round and we're done."

"I can't even stand properly now, my whole body's sore."

He lifts me up and checks all the reddish marks that he did to my body. It's more like my fault, but I'm just a beginner compared to him.

He didn't even make me stretch and adjust, he just went all in!

"You suck." He laughs.

"You keep teaching me moves for professionals!"

"They're so basic!"

"I thought my bones dislocated with your basic steps."

He shakes his head amusedly and guides me to sit on the comfortable pillow fort, and then he takes a piece of pain relief patch from the whole packet Chan so discreetly put with the snacks we bought earlier. He slaps it on my swollen ankle.

I just found out that Minho dances, but I didn't expect him to be so good! He's so smooth with his movements and my bamboo-like body can't relate.

We started with a slow dance and he taught me the basics of it, where he held my waist and guided me to move with his body. We were so close that I don't know how I managed to breathe properly, but then he started spinning me around like crazy for his amusement! He apologised by teaching me the choreography to 'Dance the Night Away' by Twice. He thought it'd be easy, but I immediately collapsed. We switched to 'Just Right' by Got7, but I twisted my ankle. He just laughed at my face before finally showing me an easier dance choreography that he called 'Get Cool'.

I don't know why I'm so beaten. Maybe I should start exercising. I gulp the drinks in a second whilst Minho scrolls through his phone.

I can still feel the warmth of his hands that I got too familiar with. He held me so many times today, but I'm not complaining! I suppress a smile and try to focus on Minho as he plays another song.

"Maybe if you showed me first then I might get it."

"As you wish." He taps my chin and guides me to look at him as he moves back. "Watch me, hm?"

Minho's body immediately reacts when the beat drops. The movements he makes are sharp and sensual as it flows with the saxophone tune. His hips roll perfectly with the instrumental and I can feel the room getting hot.

That's weird because the air conditioner is on.

His gaze is intense and I catch a small smirk on his face when he sees me staring. He bites his lip as he seems to be drowning into the moment of voluptuous melodies, then he drops down and smoothly thrusts on the floor.

I had to look away because my face is burning and I feel weirdly hot.

I think he looks... sexy?

Oh my god! I need to go to church tomorrow for my unholy thoughts.

He flops on the pillow fort across from me and downs a whole bottle of water, taking a few deep breaths to stabilise his breathing.

"How was it?" he asks.

"I don't think I can do that..." I clear my throat to steady my weird thoughts. "Why don't you show other people your talent? I'll be your number one fan! You're such a great dancer but if you didn't show me, I wouldn't have believed it."

"No one really knows except for the guys, and now you too."

"Thank you for sharing it with me." I smile at him.

"It's not much but for me, this place is everything. I only discovered it a few years ago." He blinks as he looks around. "Dancing feels like I've finally found the one thing I like that no one can take from me. When I can't express in words how I feel, I let it out through dancing. That way I'll feel more relieved and relaxed."

I watch him in awe as he talks about his passion. I'm glad that I'm here right now to witness this.

"Minho..."

"Hmm?"

"I like you more now."

He chuckles. "No, you don't."

"I do!"

"No."

"Fine! Let's just say we like each other the same."

"This is a competition and I'm not going to lose." Minho scrunches his nose. "I like you more and that's final."

I can't seem to reply to his words as my whole face burns in shyness.

"Did I make you blush? You get so flustered easily." He pokes my cheeks.

"N-No..."

"Oh, yeah?" He moves his face closer. "Why are you so red now, huh?"

"I... I..." I gulp and cover my face. "I'm shy..."

"What for?" He peers at my face with a playful grin. "You weren't so shy earlier when you told me about your big crush."

"M-Minho!" I push his face away with an angry pout. "Why am I suddenly the topic? Just answer my question!"

"Fine." He chuckles and lies on his back, closing his eyes with a little smile. "They don't deserve to witness my greatness and I already have you. I don't need other people's attention."

He's right about me. I'm glad he has his eyes closed, so he can't see how I got flustered with his words again.

"But I don't want them to see you as a cold and mean guy forever... You're more than that."

"It's their loss and I don't care. Your clichéd opinions are the only stuff that matters," he mumbles.

The bad boy really likes me.

Oh no... I really like him too.

ʕ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ

I woke up to find the pillow fort beside me empty.

Did Minho leave me?

I stand up and fix myself, catching my reflection on the surrounding mirrors. The spare clothes that Minho lent me drowns my body. I look small, but his oversized shirt smells so good so I won't take it off. I grin at the thought of keeping it. He won't mind, right?

Where did he go, though? I don't know where this place is and I need him to take me home before my mother notices that I'm not next door.

I decided to leave the dance studio. When I exit the door, a sofa and an open television greet me.

Why is there a living room here?

I walk further back when I hear a faint rustling.

"Damn this fvcking thing."

Minho hisses as he withdraws his hand away from the hot pan where he's cooking spicy rice cakes. He turns off the stove and transfers the food into two separate bowls.

Why is there a kitchen here?

"Minho, where are we?"

His head whips to my direction and he looks at me like I grew another head.

"What are you... doing here?"

"I thought you left me, so I went to look for you."

He sighs, making me sit down on one of the chairs at the dining table and putting a bowl of spicy rice cake in front of me.

"You aren't supposed to see this, but welcome to my place." He motions to the whole huge area.

"Your place?!" I take a second look around to check if I'm dreaming. I'm not. "Is this why you made me wear that blindfold?"

"Chan gave me the idea. I'm not even sure why I went with it." His ears are red as he scratches his nape. "I didn't want to scare you off. You freaked out the first time I told you that I'd take you to my place."

"Of course, we're still not that close back then!"

In other circumstances, I'd be creeped out, but I just feel honoured in this one. I think I'd be fine wherever he takes me. What can I say? He's Minho.

I watch as he works his way in the kitchen, fixing the side dishes and arranging the counter. I suddenly feel the urge to hug him from behind as he makes food for us... but that would be weird.

Oh no, I've become too attached!

"Changbin stole my grocery when we went last time so that should suffice for now." He places a carton of milk on the table and sits beside me.

We both take a spoonful of the spicy rice cake, only for us to stop at the same time. We look at each other, taking the spoons out of our mouths and forcing the food down our throats, then we both burst out laughing.

"Did you wash the pot before cooking?!" I say through my fits of laughter.

"It tastes like damn coins." He throws his head back, laughing like a little kid.

"It's alright, the iron adds to the taste."

We laugh again and continue eating.

"Where are your cats, by the way?"

"They're at home with my parents. I visit them sometimes when I have time."

"Can I see them?"

Minho takes out his phone and clicks into the camera roll. He has a whole album for his cats.

"That's the latest picture of Soonie when I went home last week."

Soonie is wearing a beret and it's too cute for my heart to handle. I think I need to buy stuff for Dori too and dress him up a little.

What if I ask Minho to come with me so we can have a family bonding with Dori? But what if he gets tired of my face since we hangout too much?

That's horrifying! Never mind.

ʕ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ

Minho's POV

I tried not staring at Y/n as we ate. Is this how those guys from books and movies feel like when their girl wears their clothes? Or maybe it's just Chan's bad influence seeping through. I feel an eye twitch as I remember the thing he slipped in the paper bag with the drinks. Just because he's a whore doesn't mean he should infect others with it. It's a good thing Y/n thought it's a pack of pain relief patch or Chan would be dead tomorrow. I just confessed and he almost scared her away.

I shake my head to focus on Y/n and not on the old creep.

She looks so good in my shirt right now... but she looked the best under the fairy lights last night. In my favourite place with my favourite person, we had so much fun living one of her dreams. I'm glad I brought the stars to my moon.

I suppress a smile as I catch her trying her best not to tear up because of the spicy rice cake.

Y/n cries at the simplest things. Her happiness is too shallow. I don't know how I'll do it, but I'll protect her at all costs, like the way she's protecting me just by staying by my side.

Without her, I'll be the same old Minho with no life except for fights and my cats. I sound so sappy but she really made me feel things again. It's been so long since I felt so alive. For the first time in years, I have someone who I don't hate.

She made me realise that there are good and bad in everyone and that I shouldn't beat myself up for the mistakes that I've made.

I'm not there yet, but I'm starting to forgive myself.

"You look constipated," I tell Y/n.

"It's too spicy!"

"Drink your milk."

"I need more," she says after taking her milk in one go.

I give her mine and she releases a deep breath once the spice seems to tone down in her mouth.

I laugh at her red face. She's flustered again.

"If we're at your place, why didn't we just sleep in your room?" she asks so nonchalantly.

Sometimes you'll just facepalm when you're with her.

"Why? Do you want to sleep beside me?"

"N-No..."

I smirk when she starts stuttering. She's so naïve with this stuff that I just want to fix it sometimes.

I shake my head at the thought. It's risky enough that I associated myself with her, I can't afford to destroy her innocence too.

Back then I had a friend, but things with us didn't end well because of a fight. Our friendship was destroyed and I lost not only him, but also the person that we both treasure a lot.

He said he'd never forgive me.

I'm scared to lose Y/n too... She has become so special to me.

We we're too young, dumb, and reckless back then.

I didn't mean to kill her.

••••••••

What were you guys thinking that would happen, huh? You have to wait a few more chapters for that heh. 😼

By the way, I have a really important question (not really).

When it comes to having biases, do you notice any pattern of yours or what type of personality/vibes you go for? I just noticed mine and let's just say that I might have a type.

Who are your biases? Guess who's mine~

The Soonie pic: