Stray Kids Oneshots

Why Do You Suddenly Care So Much?- Minchan

duo- Minchan
trope- enemies to lovers
word count- 1254
contains- angst, fluff, swearing
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Minho was seen as mean, cold and as a person who hated everything and everyone. That was mostly all lies, he could be sweet, kind and he didn't hate everything and everyone. Just one thing. His roommate at university.

Chan would never shut up, never leave Minho alone and would never stop talking about some Felix guy he knew from Australia. He was too perky for Minho's liking.

He never stopped smiling.

That was until everyone came back to university after Christmas break. It was a cold January morning when Minho awoke and he expected to be bombarded with chatter and sunshine from his roommate from the second he opened his eyes.

He was left nothing but confused as he stretched, had a shower and got dressed for the day. After he had made his bed and took his usual lazy stroll into the living area, he finally found Chan. He wasn't smiling, nor talking Minho's ear off about a freckled Australian boy. He didn't even make coffee for the two, which was something that Minho usually silently appreciated.

Minho decided to ignore it that day, thinking he was just tired and maybe jet-lagged still after travelling all the way from Australia.

It was the same the next day though, however he still ignored his roommate's odd behaviour.

He started to feel very slightly worried (although he wouldn't dare to admit it) but still continued to ignore it.

And the next day...

And the next...

And the next...

And so on, until an entire month without Chan's smile and spark had passed. Minho couldn't take it. He didn't realise how much the little (and big) things Chan did meant to him. Now he did, he felt... lost.

It was around 9pm on a February evening, Chan was sat at his desk silently working away (he normally talked as he did whatever assignment he had due). Whilst Minho curled up on one of the bright coloured bean-bags (of which Chan insisted on buying one time and were now mostly used by Minho) reading a book, Animal Farm by George Orwell, to be exact. He had a thing for political allegories or old British books.

Normally he'd be interrupted by Chan when reading and he'd get annoyed and maybe even snap at his roommate. Yet, somehow, he couldn't focus on the book, only Chan. He found himself staring at him, when the male turned around and looked back at him.

"What?" Chan asked, almost a scowl on his drained features. He drooped his head down to look at the floor, hating the idea of eye-contact at that moment.

"What's wrong?" Minho spoke, ignoring Chan's short question. Minho's voice was gentle, it sounded a way Chan had hardly ever heard it. Except the one time Chan had a panic attack and Minho helped him through it.

"What do you mean?" Chan lifted his head again, getting locked in Minho's orbs. Neither of them could look away. Neither of them knew why.

"You know what I mean. You've been acting off for about a month now, what's happened?"

"Why do you suddenly care so much?" Chan snapped. He didn't understand why Minho cared, Minho never cared.

"I just want to know where your smile has gone." Minho muttered, he felt something inside of him changing. Almost like a realisation. Of feelings Minho never even wanted to admit to himself and therefore pushed down until they disappeared, which they never did.

"Why? You never smile." Chan was right, Minho never smiled around him. At least not when he was looking.

"I know, but I'm asking you." Minho emphasised the 'you' part by pointing his finger in Chan's direction. Unintentionally at Chan's heart. He stood up and stepped closer to the male, who stood up too but with more frustration.

Chan just burst.

"Well when everyone treats you like a problem and get annoyed with the way you are and you can't even control it, it sucks. When your best friend walks right out of your life because he hates you for chasing your dream, it sucks. And when you're completely alone, it sucks."

"You aren't completely alone..." Minho mumbled, loud enough for Chan to hear. Minho absorbed every word Chan spoke and each thing he said shattered Minho's heart. "You... have, me?"

"What? The person who looks pissed off at every nice thing I do? The person who yells at me for everything I do that I don't mean to do because I'm a freak!" Chan's voice was raising higher and higher in volume with every word. "MINHO! YOU HATE ME! AND YOU MAKE IT PRETTY FUCKING OBVIOUS!"

"I don't hate you, Chan." Minho spoke, sounding like a mouse compared to Chan moments before and somehow calming the intense atmosphere. "I could never hate you. I just hate myself. And the way I run from my feelings."

When Chan just looked into Minho's eyes, slowing getting lost in them, Minho saw it as a cue to continue.

"I never realised how much you meant to me, Chan. Not until I started to miss your dimpled smile and your sweet laugh. I miss how you talk my ear off and how I feel every emotion in your voice! I smile and chuckle and feel happy at things you do I just never show it. Because I was so scared to admit I loved you." Chan let out a small gasp at the last words that Minho spoke, who had a grin Chan had never seen before on his face through every sentence.
"I never meant to hurt you but Chan you need to know that, I'm right here. Now, at least. And, honestly? I love you, I'm in love with you and fuck that feels great to say!"

"Minho..."

What he had just told Chan suddenly hit him, like a shockwave.

"No, no, sorry. Forget what I just-" Minho panicked, looking around to escape but somehow not moving. He felt Chan take his hand softly.

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" Chan whispered, coming closer and closer to Minho.

"I was scared... to lose you. Because having you and making you, and myself in some ways, believe I hated you, was better than not having you here at all. I know what it's like to be lonely, Chan."

"Can we be lonely together?" Chan whispered again, his breath brushing against Minho's lips. That was how close they were.

Minho merely nodded, before adding a few words with a small smile, "I'll still tell people I hate you, though." His eyes flickered from the Australian's eyes to his lips.

"Yup..." Chan dragged off at the end of his reply, "Can I just kiss you already? I can't wait any longer!" He chuckled softly.

Minho didn't speak, he just slid his hand into his roommate's hair and placing his lips onto his.

It was like they were magnets, they were opposites who were just looking in the wrong direction all this time before they could connect.

The moment seemed to last forever, they were lost in eachother and lost in time. It was like they had been longing for this forever, but just feared the worst too much.

From there on, they weren't just roommates.

Minho's list of things he hated was narrowed down from just 'Chan' to 'seeing Chan sad'.

Chan's smile was larger than ever and he still would never shut up. Minho loved it.

They were lonely together. It was okay.

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