picture perfect || minsung ✔️

five

As soon as the last bell rang, Jisung bolted out of class and waited at the flagpole. He stood there nervously, wondering if he should've gotten something for Minho, like flowers or chocolate. Before Jisung could do anything, he spotted a pretty ginger boy walking up to him. Jisung's pulse immediately picked up, and his eyes flashed with excitement and a little bit of anxiety.

"Hey," Jisung called, waving to Minho, who politely smiled and returned the greeting. "So, I was thinking we could just go to the cafe nearby? They have really good cheesecake and ice americano."

Minho seemed satisfied with that, and he nodded. "Sounds good, Jisung."

The walk to the shop was only about ten minutes, and there were so many pedestrians on the street that walking in silence wasn't awkward. So, Minho and Jisung walked down the street, side by side, silent. Jisung kept sneaking glances at the ginger haired boy, and everytime, he was left in awe.

Minho wasn't really paying attention much to Jisung during the walk, but Jisung didn't really mind. It was fascinating seeing Minho lost in thought, staring off at something that Jisung couldn't pinpoint. However, Jisung was entranced by the focus in Minho's eyes and he couldn't help but wonder what Minho could be thinking about. He admired Minho's side profile, with a pretty little sloped nose and soft lips. His long eyelashes flicked every so often as Minho's dark eyes flickered between the different sights.

When they arrived, Jisung held the door open for Minho, which earned him a small smile from the older. They were standing in line, reading a little menu, when Jisung asked, "So, what do you want? I've tried the cheesecake, and it was the best cheesecake I've ever tasted. I haven't tried the other pastries, but I'm sure they're good as well. The coffee here is also good, but I would stay away from the latte. Way too..." Jisung trailed off, realizing that he was rambling a bit.

"Too sweet," Minho mumbled as he continued to peruse the menu. He paused, then thought back about what just happened. His eyes widened slightly, but he continued reading the menu as if nothing happened. Jisung was taken aback, too, surprised that Minho had been thinking the same thing and voicing it on top of that.

"Right," Jisung said sheepishly. "Well, just let me know what you want."

"Actually, you don't have to worry about paying for me, Jisung," Minho said matter-of-factly. "I'll pay for myself."

Jisung was not expecting this response. It was a date, right? Jisung should pay for Minho since he asked him out. "No, really, it's okay, I can-"

"Don't worry about it," Minho said simply, quieting Jisung, who complied out of shock and not knowing what else to do.

Minho ordered an ice americano, and Jisung ordered a cheesecake and an ice americano. They each paid and recieved a small platter with their orders. Together, Minho and Jisung found a quiet table towards the back of the quaint cafe.

It was quite a cute cafe, with simple yet adorable patterns adorning the wall and a warm atmosphere. The cafe was very cozy, but it still had its chic features, such as an LED fixture with a quote on the wall, where there was a small line waiting to take Instagram pictures in front of. The cafe was busy, but most of the conversations surrounding the pair were drowned out to a low buzz.

Jisung sat down across from Minho, who took a sip of his drink.

"How is it?" Jisung asked.

Minho swallowed, then looked a bit surprised. "It's actually really good," he said happily. "Ice americano is my favorite."

Jisung grinned. "Me too!"

They both stilled for a second, eyes lingering on each other for a moment too long. Minho quickly cleared his throat and straightened up.

"Uh, Jisung, I just wanted to set things clear before it got too far," Minho said firmly. He looked into Jisung's eyes, his gaze sharp and steady. "I'm not interested in dating anyone right now. I'm sorry, Jisung, but that's just not what I'm looking for at the moment. This is more like a hangout rather than a date. I paid for my order, so we're even."

Jisung took that in, his cheeks full as he worked on his piece of cheesecake. "Okay, I respect that," Jisung stated, his eyes wandering among the couples in the cafe. "But, that's not going to deter me." He met Minho's surprised glance. "I'm pretty sure I like you, and I'm not going to give up that easily. Maybe I can change your mind." There was no sarcasm or joking in his voice or his gaze, just pure determination was glittering in Jisung's dark brown eyes.

Minho shrugged. "Okay, I guess I'll have to accept that. But, can I ask you a question?" Jisung nodded.

"Why? Why are you interested in me?" It was quite a direct question, and Jisung blinked blankly at Minho.

"Well, I guess it's because you helped me in the hallway. You were kind, and when you called my name, your voice was alluring. Then, I started to notice you more in class and saw that you're charismatic and funny. And, I don't know, I just wanted to be a part of it," Jisung shrugged, stating it calmly. He smiled. "You're also very good looking."

Minho couldn't look back at Jisung, his cheeks rosy. He tried to hide a shy smile, but Jisung could tell that he was trying not to act flustered. It made Jisung giggle.

"Okay, whatever," Minho huffed, taking a sip of his coffee to hide his blush.

They began getting to know the small facts about each other, like their birthdays, over the next hour. When their date was over, Minho figured he could call Jisung an acquaintance after their chat.

"Do you have a ride home?" Jisung asked. "I can give you a ride, but you'll have to sit through a car ride with Hyunjin and Seungmin." Jisung rolled his eyes.

Minho shook his head. "I'm okay. I live nearby the school. I'll just walk. See you, Jisung," Minho waved before turning and walking away, quickly blending into the rest of the pedestrians walking on the busy sidewalk. And just like that, he was gone.

Jisung heard a loud honk behind him and saw Seungmin's car pull up behind him. The passenger window rolled down, revealing Hyunjin, who was wearing a pair of sunglasses. A few girls standing behind Jisung were staring at Hyunjin, their jaws hanging open due to his handsomeness. Hyunjin seemed to have that effect on most people. "Get in, loser." Hyunjin smirked at Jisung, who stuck his tongue out at him.

"So, how was your date?" Seungmin asked as he pulled away from the cafe. He glanced at Jisung through the rear view mirror.

"I think it went okay. He told me that he's not interested in dating, though." Jisung stated, staring out the window.

Seungmin laughed, but he was smacked by Hyunjin. "Shut up, don't hurt poor Jisungie's feelings."

"Ugh, I'm going to jump out of this car if you don't stop flirting," Jisung whined, which caused both Hyunjin and Seungmin to straighten up and look straight ahead.

"We weren't flirting," Seungmin said stiffly. Hyunjin nodded.

"Yeah right," Jisung huffed, resting his head on his hands as he stared out the window. "Anyways, talking to Minho only makes me want to know more about him. He's got a tough exterior, but I want to see what's under it," Jisung said dreamily, thinking about how he spent time with Minho.

"And how are you going to do that when he clearly told you he's not interested?" Hyunjin asked skeptically.

"I think I'm just going to keep going at it. If I stay by his side long enough, he's bound to let me in," Jisung thought aloud.

"Damn Jisung, if you had been this profound before, you wouldn't have failed your literature project." Seungmin snickered. "How come you're being a romanticist and a playwright now, when you're talking about a boy rather than when you're presenting your project on Shakespeare? If you hadn't botched that presentation, we could've gotten a hundred on that group assignment."

Jisung laughed, flicking Seungmin's arm from the backseat. "Let me tell you, Minho is way more interesting than any of Shakespeare's plays." Their playful bantered continued all the way back home.