the view | minsung

12

the group reached a decision to head to the mall, following jisung's suggestion. after the comical suggestion of hyunjin holding minho's other hand, the two eventually agreed, probably due to jisung seeming to be on the verge of tears while being stared at by them.

minho's grip on hyunjin's hand turned out to be a tad too firm, leaving the latter to silently cry inside, his inner voice whimpering, "h-hyung, can you at least not hold so tightly?" hyunjin's whispered plea fell into deaf ears.

walking down the rainy streets while holding hands like kids, the three of them presented an odd picture, to say the least.

"captain, i can see the mall!" jisung's excited exclamation drew attention as he pointed towards the distant mall.

in response, he quickened his pace, inadvertently pulling minho along, and subsequently, minho tugged hyunjin a bit too forcefully.

in a short span, they arrived at the mall, jisung taking in every detail with evident fascination. fortunately, the mall wasn't too far from their hotel, ensuring an easy return once they're done.

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the trio entered the building, minho promptly releasing his grip on hyunjin's hand. dramatically, hyunjin blew on his reddening hands, playfully exaggerating the effects of minho's firm grasp.

minho's attention shifted to jisung as he asked, still with his hand subtly intertwined with the younger's, "where would you like to go first, jisung?" he scanned the array of shops within the mall.

"i'm thinking of getting a scarf. the weather here is still chilly, and i feel like i really need one," jisung replied, scanning the surroundings for a suitable store to purchase a scarf.

as a group, they began to explore the mall, hyunjin trailing a step behind the other two. eventually, they located the store where jisung could find his desired scarf.

inside the store, jisung surveyed the various scarf options, considering which one to purchase. this would be the first item he bought in japan, a memento to take back home to korea.

jisung soon spotted a scarf that caught his interest. he picked it up, momentarily letting go of minho's hand in the process. minho subtly frowned at the loss of warmth, although only he was aware to this discomfort.

"hmm, captain, does this look good?" jisung asked, wrapping a fluffy chocolate-brown wool scarf around himself, seeking minho's opinion.

at the sight of jisung wearing the scarf, minho's heart fluttered, like little flips within his chest.

"you look so tiny," he remarked, barely managing to suppress the smile that had been tugging at his lips.

jisung huffed in response. "hmph, i like this one. it's making me much warmer," he declared, briefly removing the scarf so he could pay for it at the counter.

however, before finalizing the transaction, jisung seized a similar scarf, differing only in color. this one was a soft shade of gray.

raising an eyebrow, minho asked, "you're getting two?"

jisung's reply was tinged with bashfulness. "well, this one's for you. since i borrowed your coat, i thought i'd buy you a scarf as a thank-you and replacement."

a small smile broke through minho's lips, his impulsive thoughts taking over when he ruffled jisung's hair affectionately. "thank you."

caught off guard by the sudden gesture, jisung blinked, surprised. yet, he couldn't help but return the smile, his cheeks warming as a result.

observing from a distance, hyunjin decided to join the interaction upon learning that jisung was getting a scarf for minho. he playfully whined, "jiii, what about me?" he gave the younger a pair of puppy dog eyes for added effect.