05

"What about this?"

"It's adorable."

"Hyungggg. You call everything cute. How will I buy gifts this way? I brought you here because you know her choices well." Han whined

"Because all of them are. How can kids clothing not be adorable."

"Damn! You are confusing me even more. What do I do?"

"Ok calm down. Let's go with this black onesie. Everyone likes black."

"Hyung, you are literally obsessed with black. 95% of your wardrobe is black. Also, babies should wear bright colours. So, no. Try something else."

"Then let's get this green one. It's bright and adorable."

"Hmm? It's cute. Let's take this. If we don't find anything better, we'll get this one."

"Hanieeee!!! We have been doing this for almost an hour. Our movie is starting in almost 20 min." Minho's voice came out quite louder than he expected it to be.

"Ah, really? I'm so sorry. I lost track of time. Let's get this one then and then go quickly."

Minho felt bad seeing the forced smile on younger's face again. He understood that Han misunderstood his playful whining as something serious. The younger rarely got excited and today was one such day. They planned on buying some gifts for the first birthday of Minho's nephew and then watch a movie. He didn't want to ruin it.

Minho pulled the younger by the cap of the hoodie who was walking towards the billing counter.

"You know what? We can look for 10 more minutes. Let's go over to that section. Maybe they'll have something."

"Ah no, hyung. This one's pretty. We don't-"

"You're not troubling me, Han-ah. I was just kidding."

"No. I'm not mad or anything. I understand you're tired-"

"Come with me, you idiot. We are looking over that section." Minho swiftly grabbed Han's palm and dragged him to that section knowing well that they'll spend the remaining time arguing otherwise.

"Hyungggg! See this yellow one. That's so pretty. Let's get this one." Han couldn't argue with Minho as his eyes landed on a particular onesie. Minho was happy to see the younger satisfied with the purchase.

By the time they got free from the billing counter, the movie was already started. They literally ran to the theatre with their hands conjoined. They didn't leave the hands ever since.

-

"Oh my god, Jisung-ah. You didn't have to get so many gifts."

"I was confused about what to give so I got him all of them." Han scratched his neck while smiling shyly.

"Honey, look! Jisung brought such a pretty Hanbok." Minho's cousin called her husband to show the adorable  clothing Han brought.

"Thanks Jisung. You really have an eye for clothes." The said male said with a genuine smile.

"There is a reason he is a designer in my company." Minho exclaimed proudly.

"Really? I didn't know that!! How long has it been?" Minho's cousin interrupted.

"Almost 4 months now." Han said totally embarassed. He wasn't used to being appreciated in public. It felt that the words were huge in comparison to his talent. He didn't think he was talented enough to be spoken about so highly. It was all Minho's kindness.

"Damn!! You must be really good then."

"Oh my! Look at this handsome guy here."

"Mommm! Stop embarassing me here." Minho deadpanned.

"Who's talking to you? I'm talking to this cutie." Mrs. Lee said while pinching Han's cheeks.

"Hewwoo Mom and Dad" Han said with his cheeks still being under his mother-in law's grip.

"Hey sung!" Mr. Lee greeted warmly.

"Hello Uncle, hello aunt." The couple standing beside Han greeted the new guests.

It was then Mrs. Lee's focus went to the birthday boy smiling brightly in his mother's arms. The lady immediately cooed and made grabby hands to hug the boy and being the cheerful boy, the one year old immediately went to the lady's arm.

"Oh my god! He's adorable. Can I get a photocopy. I wanna take it home." Mrs. Lee said humorously.

Minho looked fondly at the scene unfolding in front of him but Han's heart sank.

'They look so happy. If Minho hyung married a woman, he could also get a child of his own, right? After all , he did say that he wasn't into boys. That would have been the proper thing. Was he pressured into marrying me?'

With these heavy thoughts, Han spent the entire afternoon in guilt. He couldn't focus at the dinner time even when he was sitting in his favourite restaurant with his favourite dessert on the table.

-

After dropping his parents, Minho drove back to their house. Han absent- mindedly got out of the car and went inside the house. Minho was getting more and more worried every second. The boy barely smiled the entire dinner with his parents and he had no idea why.

Han was already in his room when Minho entered the house after parking the car in garage.

"Hannie?" Minho knocked the younger's door.

He knocked two more times but got no response. Something inside him told that Han is not gonna open the door easily.

"Hannie, my phone's charger is in your room. My phone's battery is dying. Please give it to me" It was partially true. Minho did lend his charger to the younger last night.

After a few shuffles,he heard the door unlocking, letting him release the breath he was holding.

Han opened the door and gave him the charger without looking into the elder's eyes.

Minho instead of grabbing the charger grabbed Han's wrist and gently pushed him inside making his eyes go wide.

"What happened?" Han's eyes were red. He either cried or was the on the verge of crying and Minho didn't like either possibility.

"Nothing. Just tired. I'm going to sleep." Han tried to get out of the elder's grip but Minho wrapped his hand around his waist and encaged him. Minho knew that if he allowed him to go any further, the younger would just throw him out of the room and cry to sleep so he had to use physical force to be there for him.

"Hannie!" Minho shouted with his brows furrowed.

Han looked at Minho again and the dam of his tears broke. Unknowingly, tears started falling out of his eyes dampening his chubby cheeks in the process.

Minho regretted raising his voice seeing the boy so broken. He had never seen him like this, not even with his parents.

"Why did you marry me, hyung?"

Okay, this wasn't what Minho was expecting.

"What?"

"It's obvious hyung. You are not into boys then why marrying me? You're fond of kids and I can't even give you that. Were you pressured into marrying me? Are you....... Tolerating me for some reason?"

Minho immediately took two steps back with a dumbfounded expression.

"What? What kind of rubbish is that? Who fed these stupid thoughts in your head?"

"Answer me, hyung."

"What can pressure me into this marriage, you idiot?"

"Then what was the point of marrying me? You said that you aren't into guys."

"You stupid squirrel, I said that I was never been attracted to a male in my teenage years but that doesn't reduce my capabilities. Just because I have not eaten cabbage in my life, doesn't mean I can't eat them at all. What the fuc?

"Then why experimenting it with me? You should have gone out and dated some boy,  not directly marry one, you idiot?

"Is it my fault that I got the offer for marriage directly and not  for dating."

"Did you hit your head somewhere or what? You could have rejected me easily if you didn't want to. What the hell?"

"Why would I do that? I was getting a pretty, cute, charming and sincere partner all in one. Why would I let go such a person?"

Han was flabbergasted. Did Minho just compliment him in the middle of the fight?

"I a-am a man. You won't marry a dog just because it is cute , sincere and loyal then why marry a man?"

"Jesus, Han. Of course,I won't  marry a dog because I know that I'm not into dogs or animals of any kind. The fuck am I saying. I already told you that I am very much aware that I have the capabilities to like a man romantically. I can picture our future together. You have everything I want in my partner. What part of it is difficult to understand?"

Both of them were getting borderline crazy. One with extreme rage because of the utter bullshit the younger was spewing and one because of the newly found information.

'what? Hyung sees a potential romantic relationship between us?'

"Speak up, you dimwit. Do you want me to kiss you to make you understand that I married you because I wanted to."

Han's eyes turned wide and he got out of whatever trance he was in.

"No, I understood. Thank you for your service. Bye." Saying this, he rushed Minho out of his room leaving him speechless for the second time.

-

Han woke up pretty late next morning as he spent the entire night tossing and turning on th bed, thinking about whatever Minho said. Now he was embarassed to create such a scene . He was worried about facing the elder the next morning.

He heard a loud crying noise coming out from the living room and went outside to check the source. He was not expecting the elder to be there considering the time so he was tad bit scared of the noise.  He grabbed a comb to throw as a weapon before exiting his room.

Han's eyes immediately met the elder's as soon as he reached near the kitchen and he felt like digging himself right then and there. His dramatic self last night  flashed through his eyes and all he wanted was to pack his bags and leave the country forever. He was busy being embarassed when the loud mewing sound caught his attention.

"Hyung. What's that sound?"

"You said that you can't give me a kid, right? I got us one." Minho said while pointing at an orange cat sitting beside his leg making angry noises to get food.

Thoughts?