Sweater Paws | Banginho

Chapter 5 - Something

It was strange, but he started to see it. The way Minho's eyes sparkled when he smiled, his gentle voice when he spoke. The boy he wrote about didn't exist. He didn't. He couldn't. Boys like that were too good to be true. Then he saw it. Minho's nervous habit: when he pulled his sleeves over his hands to stop himself fidgeting. Sweater paws.

Minho tended to dance his feelings out. It helped him to take his mind off things, which was what he needed at that moment. Chan was similar, in the sense that he took to writing music to calm him. So much for forgetting about him. Chan was all he could think about; he felt guilty. He didn't want to hurt anyone. Just don't say it, he told himself, he doesn't need to know.

Minho spent a hour dancing, stopping when his phone rang. It was Chan. He picked up the phone. "Hi?" He said, not entirely sure why Chan would be calling at this time.
"Are you home?"
"No. Why?"
"Can I come over? Something... something happened"
"Oh"
"Please? I need to talk to someone"
"Ten minutes" Minho said, despite knowing that it takes him fifteen to get home. He ran back; he wanted- no- he needed to see Chan. The older boy saying things like that worried him. He got home to see Chan waiting by his door. His eyes were red and puffy. He'd been crying.

He sat Chan down on the sofa, sitting himself next to him. "Chan, what's wrong? What happened?" He was worried, to say the least. What could have happened? Before Minho could think about that, however, Chan answered if for him. "Woojin... I broke up with him"

Minho couldn't understand. Why would he do that? Why would he do something like that knowing he would hurt afterwards? Chan wasn't stupid; Minho knew that. So why?

"Why?" The younger boy asked, "What happened?"
"I don't know," Chan replied, "It just didn't feel right anymore"
But if he knew it would hurt him... why do it? Minho thought. He wanted to kiss him softly and tell him everything would be okay. But he can't let his own feelings make it worse. In situations like these, being Chan's best friend should come first. Although, to Minho, Chan always came first.

It soon became apparent to Minho that Chan himself didn't know why, and that he wasn't really up for talking about it either. Minho had to distract Chan from it all somehow, so he put on a movie for the two to watch together. It was the only thing he could think of. Chan was slowly calming himself down, head on Minho's shoulder, and Minho found the courage to put his arm around him. Feelings or not, Chan was still his best friend.

It wasn't until halfway through the movie that either spoke. "Hey Minho?"
"Hmm?"
"Can you promise me something?"
"Promise you what?"
"Promise me you'll never get involved in meaningless relationships ever again, okay? I know it hurts you."
"Never again. I promise." There wasn't a shred of a lie in there; he would never do that again. Not as long as Chan was still with him.

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A/N: Cringe and badly written but cute Banginho 😃