Chapter Text
The idea came up two days later.
They’re in the living room after scrims, shoes kicked off, and brain is exhausted from thinking about the meta. Minseok is curled on one end of the couch with Sanghyeok’s arm around his shoulders, scrolling aimlessly on his phone. Hyunjoon is on the floor, leaning against the table. Hyunjun is pacing with a drink.
“So,” Hyunjun says, like he’s talking about the weather. “Double date.”
Minseok looks up. “What.”
Hyunjoon nods. “Us. And you two.”
Minseok blinks. “Why.”
“Because,” Hyunjun says, grinning, “we’re tired of pretending we’re not curious.”
Sanghyeok answers calmly. “Curious about what?”
“How you two act in public,” Hyunjoon says. “You’re disgusting at home. I want to see if it’s worse outside.”
Minseok chokes. “Hyung!”
Hyunjun laughs. “Relax. Dinner, ice cream, convenience store, just normal things.”
Minseok turns to Sanghyeok instinctively. “…Hyung?”
Sanghyeok thinks for half a second. “If you want to.”
Minseok hesitates. Then nods. “…Okay.”
“Yes,” Hyunjun says immediately. “Done.”
From the corner of the room, a small voice speaks up.
“…Um.”
Everyone turns.
Suhwan is standing there with his phone, clearly having heard everything. He freezes under the attention. “…Can I… come too?”
Silence.
Hyunjun squints. “Why?”
Suhwan fidgets. “…Because you said dinner. And I don’t have plans.”
Minseok’s face softens instantly. “You can come.”
Hyunjun opens his mouth.
Hyunjoon closes it for him.
“Okay,” Hyunjun sighs. “Fine. But if this turns into team bonding, I’m blaming you.”
It absolutely turns into team bonding.
They don’t even make it past the parking lot without Suhwan trailing half a step behind Minseok. Minseok keeps slowing down without realizing it. Sanghyeok notices and adjusts their pace automatically.
Hyunjun notices that too.
“Wow,” he mutters to Hyunjoon. “They’re married.”
♥
Dinner is loud.
Hyunjun and Hyunjoon argue about food. Suhwan listens more than he talks, nodding along, eyes bright. Minseok keeps checking that everyone eats enough. Sanghyeok keeps nudging Minseok’s plate back within reach when it drifts away.
Halfway through the meal, Minseok notices it.
A phone angled a little too long.
A whisper.
A familiar pause in the air.
“…Is that T1?”
Minseok doesn’t stiffen. He doesn’t freeze. This isn’t new.
Sanghyeok notices anyway and straightens slightly, his hand sliding off Minseok’s knee and resting instead on the edge of the table. Close, but careful.
Hyunjoon glances over his shoulder and sighs. “Yeah. We’re spotted.”
A moment later, two fans approach, hesitant but excited.
“Um, excuse me,” one of them says, bowing quickly. “Sorry to bother you… we’re your fans…”
Minseok smiles immediately, warm and automatic. “Ah… hello.”
The others smile and nod at the fans.
“Hi,” Hyunjun adds, already standing. “Do you want a picture?”
The fans nod frantically.
They move together, instinctively grouping up. Sanghyeok positions himself just slightly behind Minseok.
The photo is taken. Then another.
“I-If it’s okay… c-can we also get signatures?” one of the fans asks, holding out a notebook.
“Of course,” Minseok says easily.
He signs first, neat and practiced, passing the notebook along. Sanghyeok signs after him.
“Thank you for supporting us,” Sanghyeok says evenly.
The fans beam. “We’ll cheer for you! Good luck in the LCK Cup!”
“Thank you,” Minseok replies, bowing lightly.
They leave without lingering.
When they’re gone, Hyunjun collapses back into his chair. “Wow. No chaos. Disappointing.”
Sanghyeok glances at Minseok. “You okay?”
Minseok nods, unfazed. “Yeah. It’s normal.”
Sanghyeok hums, relieved anyway.
♥
After dinner, they walk instead of heading home right away. No destination. Just moving.
They keep a little space now, natural and unspoken. Not distant, just aware of their surroundings.
At a crosswalk, someone slows down, eyes widening.
“…Minseok-hyung?”
Minseok turns, smiling politely. “Hi.”
The fan bows quickly, nervous. “Hyung… I...I just want to say I really admire you.”
“Thank you,” Minseok says gently. “Please stay warm. It’s cold.”
The fan laughs, nods, and backs away.
Sanghyeok waits until they’re moving again before speaking. “You handled that well.”
Minseok glances up at him. “It’s part of the job.”
“Still,” Sanghyeok says, “you did well.”
They stop at a convenience store. Buy ice cream. Sit on the chairs outside.
Minseok leans against Sanghyeok’s shoulder, not fully, just enough to feel him there. Sanghyeok stays still, letting Minseok choose the contact.
Hyunjoon smirks. “See? Worse.”
Minseok hums, amused.
When they finally head back, it’s late. Everyone’s tired in a good way.
Suhwan walks a little closer to Minseok. “…Thank you for letting me come.”
Minseok smiles. “You didn’t tag along.”
Suhwan blinks. “…I didn’t?”
“No,” Minseok says gently. “You’re part of it.”
Suhwan’s ears turn red, but he smiles all the way back to the dorm.
Later that night, as Minseok and Sanghyeok settle onto the bed, Minseok murmurs, “That was nice.”
Sanghyeok presses a soft kiss into his hair. “We should do it again.”
Minseok nods, already half-asleep.
Team bonding, it turns out, doesn’t always mean planned outings or big events.
Sometimes it’s just being together.
and choosing to stay.