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Silent...

"Huh?"

An over-pouring silence...

Sehun, peripherally, gazed at the tears shimmering in Minhyuk's eyes and felt a pervasive sense of guilt weighing on his heart. He knew all too well the profound agony of loving someone who did not love you back.

Sehun, thus, was resolute in his decision to make this ride unforgettable for all the right reasons.

"Minnie, let's run," Sehun proposed, his spirits lifted by the exhilaration of the rushing wind, propelling them forward.

"Are you sure? I don't want to disrupt the mood, I am sorry if I am being too much," Minhyuk responded, battling to regain composure over his emotions.

"Indeed, let us go, Minnie. Let's just pause and breathe for a moment..." he declared, nodding towards the path leading to a scenic field nearby.

Leading the way, Sehun raced forward with Minhyuk trailing closely behind, experiencing the cool breeze ruffle through his hair. The fields, larghetto, blurred by.

Upon reaching the enchanting fields, Sehun abruptly stopped. "Wow," Minhyuk murmured, awestruck by the majesty of the scenic view.

Sehun eased onto the grass, beckoning towards the spot next to him, patting it.

"What?" Minhyuk chuckled, embarrassed.

"Come here," Sehun patted the place again, "It feels too nice. Just come."

"No I..." Initially Minhyuk acted hesitant, but he had to give in, "Alright, fine."

Minhyuk reclined beside the brown barnets relishing the time of his life, and the blades tickled his face. For a few heartrending moments, they lay there in silence, blissfully immersed in the splendour of nature- a moment that would not come too easily.

Sehun turned to Minhyuk, seized by a decisive moment. It was now time to take matters into his own hands, putting it off or turning a deaf ear towards would only intensify,

"Minnie, I understand that you love me, and I have no intention of causing you any anguish. But I cannot offer you what you yearn for. I hope you can forgive me..."

Minhyuk's heart skipped a beat, knowing the inevitable was to come. "I appreciate your honesty, Eve. I had seen this coming, but it still hurts. I promise I will never cross my boundaries with you, unless you assent. But at the same time, I can not turn off my feelings, it's...it's just not possible. I don't want to lose you just because of my fondness for you. We can still be acquaintances, right?"

"Let's run again, Minnie ..." Sehun exclaimed, bouncing upright from the grass. "This time, let's race to the river."

So they took off, sprinting and vying with one another towards the riverbank, their laughter ringing in the air, the wind lashing through their hair. It was a moment of pure elation, and Sehun vowed to unearth joy for both of them, despite the trying circumstances- neither could alter anything again...

The sun cast a warm, soothing glow over the scene. It was a moment of serenity to cherish, they, in unison, collapsed onto the soft grass by the river, panting and gasping for air,

"I LOOOOOOVE YOUUUUUUU SEHUNNNNNN," Sehun yelled, squeezing a trickle of laughter, "Don't stare at me. Say it, Minnie!! It feels too nice."

"No," Minhyuk lowered his head, "Not now."

They lingered there for a little while more, content in each other's presence, observing as the sun waned and incandescent hues filled the sky.

-

Minhyuk and Sehun had long embarked on their leisurely stroll through the enchanting and romantic avenues of the city, an overwhelming sense of tenderness enveloping them. The world seemed to glow with a luminous aura, as if everything had been meant for them.

"Eve, would you just feast your eyes on this awe-inspiring view," Minhyuk said, sweeping his hand towards the vast panorama of the sprawling cityscape, bathed in a soft crimson light- a dreamlike reality.

Sehun tightened his clasp on Minhyuk's hand, fingers entwined as one, taking in the opulent beauty before him. "It's simply breathtaking, Minnie. I feel like we're standing on top of the world," he said, spellbound by the scene. "I don't know but I am feeling the happiest today. I have never been so happy before..."

A beaming smile lit up Minhyuk's face, "I'm simply dying to capture this moment. So that it remains etched in our memories forever," he said, springing into action, retrieving his phone from his pocket.

Sehun nodded with eager anticipation. "Let's take a selfie. For together, we can make the world pause," he captured the moment with a finger camera, tilting his head to the side, "Perfect, isn't it?"

The two of them positioned themselves against the magnificent skyline, Sehun diagonally holding ahead the front camera. "Say cheese, Minnie," Sehun cried out joyfully, waltzing away with the camera.

They smiled for the picture, capturing the enchantment of the moment, the world standing still for one brief and charming instant. Sehun snapped the photo, and Minhyuk was overjoyed by the outcome.

"Shall we take another?" Minhyuk asked, exhilarated by the splendour surrounding them.

Sehun chuckled, drawing Minhyuk even closer to him. "Sure. This time we'll go top to toe, and make it silly."

They snapped another picture, mugging for the lens- Sehun captured their carefree and goofy sides to perfection.

Sehun beamed with elation, his eyes sparkling, "This is too crazy, Minnie. I love this!!"

Minhyuk's fingers danced across his phone's screen, skimming through the various pictures of himself and Sehun, "Thank you, for choosing to stay with me,"

Each image was a treasure trove of cherished memories for Minhyuk, every smile and every loving gaze, a glance into their beautiful bond. The photographs captured the unending sweetness of their love.

The moment felt surreal- because it was so...

The serenity of the moment, however, was soon interrupted by a pang of sorrow when Minhyuk's thoughts swirled, about Wooshik.

The vibrant hues of the photographs jumped out of the screen, screaming of tenderness and intimacy.

"Please, just knock some sense into that moron. How much big of a fool is he?"

Minhyuk sent a silent prayer to the universe, wishing with all his heart that Wooshik would finally come to his senses and confess his love for Sehun.

Sparing any more thoughts twice, Minhyuk sent the selfies to Wooshik's private Instagram account, the text reading, "Look at us," followed by a winking emoji- "Feeling jealous yet?" And yet another smirking emoticon.

"Good. Sehun looks happy," Wooshik had written.

Although it was not exactly what Minhyuk had wished for, he could sense a tinge of envy in Wooshik's words- Wooshik was not that kind of person who would let his emotions dictate him.

"What are you doing?" Sehun looked suspicious, "Why are you smirking so much?"

"Just wait...and watch."

Minhyuk's phone then rang- what he had been anticipating, "Look who is calling. Oops!" Minhyuk teased, "I smell something burning," jerking the phone before the younger one.

"C- Captain? Why is he calling? What are you exactly doing, Minnie?"

"I said just wait and watch, Eve," Uncertain of how to feel, and yet unable to escape the allure of hope, Minhyuk took a deep breath before answering. "Hey," he said, projecting a false sense of composure.

"Minhyuk, what are you doing?"" Wooshik's voice was skying.

There was a pregnant pause laced with trepidation until Wooshik finally broke the silence in a whisper. "I think...I think I really can not stand seeing the one I love being happily with somebody else. It's not just you," he admitted, and Minhyuk felt a hollow ache slowly spreading across his chest, imprisoning his heart.

An ominous feeling had already crept up on Minhyuk earlier, though the reality of the matter still landed like a punch to his gut. "I see," he croaked out, struggling to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. "Then, why aren't you moving forward? At least let me see him happy."

"I know how you feel about him, Minhyuk. And I'm sorry, but I had to tell you the truth," Wooshik added hastily, sounding contrite.

Succumbing to the trepidation that had been mounting in him since the phone rang, Minhyuk attempted to maintain his facade of calm. "It's okay, Wooshik. I saw this coming," he managed to say, his voice filled with a tinge of bitterness. "Good luck."

"What's wrong, Minnie?" Sehun endeavoured to understand the gravity, "You looked happy just a moment ago."

Finding it hard to reconcile his conflicting emotions, Minhyuk hung up, "Good luck, Eve!"

However, Wooshik's words, "I think I'm in love with Sehun," continued to echo around Minhyuk's head. He knew it was time to let go, but his heart still couldn't help but ache at the thought of Sehun being with someone else...

"Let's get home, Eve."

-

The bike roared through the winding roads, the sound echoing through the lush forest. Minhyuk's grip on the handlebars tightened, and kept tightening.

Minhyuk took a deep breath and turned the bike in the opposite direction from where he had earlier taken Sehun to- a place no better than Omelas. He had a destination in mind, a place that always served as a refuge for him.

After a few minutes of driving, Minhyuk pulled up to a treehouse that was nestled in the lush greenery. The wooden structure stood tall, like a beacon of hope in the middle of the forest. "Eve, this is where I come when I need to clear my head. I've always been fond of treehouses," he said, smiling weakly.

Sehun looked at Minhyuk in genuine surprise, his curiosity piqued. "You have a treehouse?" he asked. "That is...amazing!!"

Minhyuk nodded, leading the way up the creaky wooden stairs that led inside. "Do you need my help?"

"No, I am fine. Thank you."

The interior was a cosy haven, complete with twinkling lights, soft blankets, and a small kitchenette. The atmosphere was serene and comforting, a stark contrast to the chaos that had befallen them on the road.

Sehun looked around in wonder, Minhyuk sat down on the couch, clutching his stomach. "There is something I have to give you," he said, his voice strained. "Now is the time."

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