CHAPTER 45
Unexpected Confessions
The morning sunlight filtered through the streets, casting a warm glow as Hoshi and Woozi walked side by side toward the café. The city buzzed with weekend energy, a mix of leisurely chatter and clinking coffee cups from outdoor tables. Woozi, ever stoic, kept his expression neutral, but the warmth of Hoshi's hand intertwined with his was hard to ignore.
Hoshi's grip wasn't just firm—it was deliberate, possessive in a way that sent a clear message to any curious eyes watching them. To a casual onlooker, it was romantic, sweet even. But for those in the know, the gesture was unmistakably territorial. Hoshi wasn't just holding Woozi's hand—he was claiming him, a silent promise wrapped in unapologetic confidence.
"You don't have to hold my hand so tight," Woozi grumbled, though a faint blush dusted his cheeks.
Hoshi turned to him, his lips curling into a smirk. "And miss the chance to show everyone you're mine? Never."
Woozi rolled his eyes, his face heating up further. "You're ridiculous."
"And you're adorable when you're embarrassed," Hoshi shot back, leaning in slightly, his voice low and teasing. "Tell me again how you're the cold, untouchable Woozi."
Woozi huffed, tugging his hand slightly, but Hoshi only tightened his grip. The taller man's grin widened, clearly enjoying Woozi's flustered state. "Relax, Jihoon," Hoshi said with mock seriousness. "I'm just protecting what's mine."
Woozi shot him a glare, but the corners of his lips twitched upward despite himself.
The café came into view, bustling with its usual morning crowd. As they stepped inside, the warm aroma of freshly baked goods and brewed coffee enveloped them. The chatter and clatter of cups filled the space, creating a lively, inviting atmosphere.
No sooner had they entered than Seungkwan's unmistakable high-pitched voice rang out. "Hyung!" he shrieked, practically launching himself at Woozi.
Woozi barely had time to pull his hand free from Hoshi's before Seungkwan wrapped him in a tight hug. "I missed you!" Seungkwan exclaimed, his voice dramatic as always. "Why didn't you come sooner? Do you know how boring it is without you?"
"I was busy," Woozi said, his tone flat, though he patted Seungkwan's back in a rare show of affection.
Finally pulling back, Seungkwan's eyes landed on Hoshi. He tilted his head, curiosity lighting up his features. "And who's this?" he asked, his tone slightly suspicious.
"Just a—" Woozi began, but Hoshi cut him off smoothly.
"We're seeing each other," Hoshi said, a smirk playing on his lips.
Seungkwan's jaw dropped, and his eyes darted between the two of them. "What?!" he squealed before tackling Woozi into another hug. "Hyung, you didn't tell me you had a boyfriend! And this boyfriend is hot, too!"
Woozi groaned, pushing Seungkwan off him, his face crimson. "Can you not?" he muttered, glaring at Hoshi, who looked entirely too pleased with himself.
Seungkwan, unbothered, turned his attention to Hoshi, latching onto his arm. "How did you do it? Seriously, how did you melt that rock?" he asked, gesturing dramatically toward Woozi. "We've been trying for years, and here you come, swooping in like it's nothing."
Hoshi chuckled, his free hand resting casually in his pocket. "What can I say? I've got a talent for handling tough cases."
Woozi groaned louder. "I regret everything."
Sunlight poured in through large windows, illuminating tables filled with pastries, coffees, and weekend gossip. Amid this warmth and chatter, Woozi and Hoshi sat side by side, the contrast between their personalities glaringly obvious. Woozi sat stiffly, arms crossed as if trying to shrink into himself, while Hoshi looked utterly unbothered, lounging with his arm draped casually over Woozi's chair.
Seungkwan, as expected, had energy to spare. "I'll get coffee!" he announced dramatically, practically striding to the counter like he was on stage. Woozi just sighed, resting his head in his hand.
At the counter, Seokmin was busy arranging pastries on a tray when Seungkwan skidded to a halt, all but vibrating with excitement.
"Seokmin!" Seungkwan started, his voice a mixture of delight and scandal. "Guess. What."
Seokmin glanced up with a bright, clueless smile. "Uh... they're giving free pastries today?"
"No, you muffin! Listen!" Seungkwan leaned in conspiratorially. "Woozi hyung... has a boyfriend."
Seokmin froze. "What?!" His tray clattered to the counter, a croissant bouncing dramatically onto the floor.
Seungkwan ignored the chaos, his eyes gleaming. "Yes, finally! Come meet him." He gestured grandly toward the table.
Seokmin blinked rapidly, mumbling, "Woozi hyung? A boyfriend? H-how? When? I need context!" But before he could recover, Seungkwan grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him toward the table.
Woozi, who had been glaring daggers at Seungkwan, groaned loudly when he saw Seokmin approaching. "Do you have to make a scene?"
"Yes!" Seungkwan replied cheerfully, plopping into a chair. "Hyung, introductions must be made!"
Seokmin, now sitting across from Hoshi, blinked like a startled puppy. "Uh... h-hi? I'm Seokmin. I didn't know Woozi hyung had a—" He stumbled over the word.
"Boyfriend," Hoshi supplied smoothly, his smirk playful. "You can say it. It's not a secret anymore."
Woozi turned sharply to glare at him. "Anymore? Since when was it a secret to begin with?"
Before Hoshi could reply, the café door chimed again, and the air shifted as Minghao entered with his usual swaggy aura. Wearing oversized sunglasses and a sleek black coat that swayed with every step, he looked like he was walking a runway instead of picking up coffee. The café staff barely blinked—they were used to him.
He strolled to the counter, his presence effortless. Mingyu, stationed behind the counter, perked up nervously. "Ah—uh—here's your coffee, hyung!" Mingyu fumbled the cup a little but managed to slide it across the counter without spilling it.
Minghao adjusted his sunglasses, sparing Mingyu a glance that seemed to say, You tried. "Good job not dropping it this time."
Mingyu's ears turned pink as he muttered, "I don't drop everything..."
Just then, Seungkwan's voice rang out across the café. "HAO HYUNG!"
Minghao paused mid-step, clearly regretting walking in at all. He turned, raising a brow above his sunglasses. "What now?"
"Come here!" Seungkwan waved him over excitedly. "You need to meet someone."
Minghao sighed, resigned, and sauntered to the table, where he was immediately introduced to Hoshi.
"Hao hyung, this is Hoshi hyung—Woozi hyung's boyfriend!" Seungkwan declared, his grin so wide it was almost unholy.
Hoshi gave Minghao a polite nod, but Minghao's gaze was sharp and assessing. "Interesting," he said smoothly, tilting his head. "Woozi, you always did like unique choices."
Woozi's eye twitched. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing." Minghao's lips curled into a smirk. "It's nice to see you softening up."
Hoshi chuckled under his breath, clearly amused.
after a brief moment he turned to leave. "I have a clinic to open. Enjoy the chaos."
As Minghao exited, the door chimed again, and Wonwoo and Vernon walked in. Minghao passed them, but Wonwoo muttered to himself as they crossed paths. "Jun would love to be here."
Vernon glanced at him. "Huh?"
"Nothing," Wonwoo replied, striding toward the counter with his usual intimidating aura. Mingyu froze when he saw him, his hands fumbling as he tried to prepare the order.
"Two americanos and cheesecakes," Wonwoo said, his voice deep and calm.
"Yes, yes—of course!" Mingyu stammered, grabbing cups and nearly dropping them twice. Seokmin, now standing nearby, face palmed. "Mingyu, are you okay?"
"I'm fine!" Mingyu replied, his face red as he handed over the tray. Wonwoo raised an eyebrow at him.
Mingyu's hands trembled as he placed the tray on the counter. He had managed to prepare the two Americanos and cheesecakes without disaster this time, but his nerves were still painfully obvious.
"Why do you drop everything?" Wonwoo asked, his deep voice carrying mild curiosity as he tilted his head slightly, one brow raised in that signature way that made him seem impossibly composed.
Mingyu froze, the question landing like a brick on his already fragile composure. "I'm not that clumsy!" he blurted defensively, his voice cracking slightly. He avoided Wonwoo's sharp gaze, focusing intently on the coffee machine like it held the answer to life itself. "It's just—" he sighed, voice trailing off into a mumble, "you're kind of intimidating, and I get nervous suddenly, okay?"
Wonwoo's lips twitched, the barest hint of amusement peeking through as he watched Mingyu crumble under invisible pressure.
Mingyu, face flushed red, muttered under his breath as he wiped the counter with unnecessary aggression. "I mean, why is he so handsome, though?"
Wonwoo heard it, of course. He picked up the tray with one hand, his other stuffed casually into his pocket, and shot Mingyu a smirk. Not a word left his lips, but the way his eyes glimmered made it worse—he knew exactly what Mingyu had said.
Mingyu all but hid behind the espresso machine, mouthing curses at himself. "Why am I like this..."
Meanwhile, Wonwoo made his way to the table where chaos was already brewing. Hoshi sat next to Woozi, the former completely unbothered, his hand draped lazily over the back of Woozi's chair as though he belonged there. Woozi, on the other hand, looked mildly irritated, though he didn't move to shove Hoshi's arm away.
Wonwoo stopped a few steps from the table, squinting at the sight. His brain clicked through the information like a slow-loading computer. Hoshi. With Woozi. Sitting close. Hand on the chair.
"Wait. Hoshi? With Woozi? How?" Wonwoo's voice was slow and deliberate, but the disbelief was unmistakable.
Seungkwan, sitting beside Vernon, sensed an opportunity for peak entertainment and immediately pounced. "Wonwoo hyung!" Seungkwan called dramatically, waving him over like an overexcited kid. Before Wonwoo could even react, Seungkwan grabbed his arm and pulled him into the seat beside him.
Vernon, who had been peacefully sipping his coffee, scooted a little to the side to avoid getting tangled in Seungkwan's dramatics. "Hyung, calm down," Vernon muttered, though there was a fond smile tugging at his lips.
"Did you hear? Woozi hyung has a boyfriend!" Seungkwan announced, his voice theatrical enough to warrant side-eyes from a few café customers.
Wonwoo glanced at Woozi, then at Hoshi, who was sitting with the same serene expression as if the declaration hadn't been made. Hoshi lazily took a sip of his coffee, his eyes meeting Wonwoo's coolly.
"Nice to meet you, too, Wonwoo-ssi," Hoshi said, voice smooth and completely unaffected.
The corner of Wonwoo's mouth lifted in a smirk as he leaned back in his chair, his gaze flickering between Hoshi and Woozi. "Boyfriend, I see," he said, a teasing lilt to his voice. His eyes darted to Hoshi's hand still resting on the chair behind Woozi. "Interesting."
Woozi, already anticipating the teasing, shot him a sharp glare. "What's so interesting about it, Wonwoo-ssi?" he retorted, his tone dry and unimpressed as he leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. His narrowed eyes practically dared Wonwoo to say more.
Seungkwan, never one to let silence linger, perked up with curiosity practically written across his face. "Wait, wait, wait—you two know each other?" His voice went up an octave, and his eyes darted back and forth between Hoshi and Wonwoo like he was watching a tennis match.
Hoshi set his cup down delicately and raised an eyebrow at Seungkwan, who was practically vibrating with excitement. He didn't answer. Instead, Vernon sighed quietly, knowing someone had to defuse the bomb before Seungkwan's curiosity exploded further.
"He's our brother," Vernon said, his voice low and casual, though the slight awkward laugh that followed gave him away.
Seungkwan froze, his mouth falling open in cartoonish disbelief. Even Woozi paused, his sharp eyes snapping to Vernon for confirmation.
"Omg, you're brothers?" Seungkwan finally gasped, his tone a mix of shock and newfound fascination. He shoved Vernon's arm lightly as though that would shake more answers out of him. "You don't look anything like each other!"
Woozi squinted, his analytical brain kicking in as he scanned the three of them—Vernon, Hoshi, and Wonwoo—with laser focus. His expression was deadpan as he crossed his arms. "He's right. You're all... weirdly different."
Seungkwan, his attention zeroing in on Hoshi like a detective with a breakthrough. "So you're the middle one?"
Hoshi, unfazed as always, nodded slightly. "Obviously."
"Obviously?" Woozi repeated, his voice flat as he raised an eyebrow. "Nothing about this is obvious."
Seungkwan, now fully invested in the mystery of the brothers, gasped dramatically. "Hold on! Who's the oldest? Is it Wonwoo hyung? He gives off 'broody eldest brother' energy."
Wonwoo, who had been quietly observing the exchange with his trademark calm demeanor, tilted his head and smirked. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Seungkwan clapped his hands, his excitement doubling. "I knew it!"
"You didn't know anything," Woozi muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes.
As Seungkwan continued spiraling with theories, Hoshi turned to Woozi with the faintest glimmer of amusement in his eyes. Leaning slightly closer, he murmured just loud enough for Woozi to hear, "We're definitely the most normal ones here."
Woozi shot him a glare, cheeks faintly pink. "Shut up."
Hoshi only smirked and took another slow sip of his coffee, perfectly unbothered.
Across the table, Wonwoo watched the silent exchange unfold, his sharp gaze noticing the faint blush creeping up Woozi's neck. He hid his amusement behind his coffee cup, sharing a quick glance with Vernon, who seemed equally entertained.
Seungkwan, meanwhile, was still holding Vernon's hand as though he might bolt at any moment. "I need more details. There's no way you guys are actually related—"
"Seungkwan." Vernon groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I'm just saying!" Seungkwan replied, undeterred. "The world needs answers!"
"Or you need to calm down," Woozi deadpanned, shaking his head as he slumped back in his chair.
And so, the chaos continued, the group's banter filling the café with laughter, disbelief, and a fair amount of exasperation
Wonwoo leaned back in his chair, fixing Hoshi with a calm but piercing gaze. "No wonder the names were on the hard drive. Makes sense."
Seungkwan gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "What hard drive?! Is there a secret mission happening without me?"
Woozi groaned, muttering, "Why do I even come here?"
Meanwhile, Mingyu and Seokmin had finally joined the table. Mingyu pouted dramatically as Seungkwan and Woozi began teasing him mercilessly for his earlier clumsiness.
"I'm not clumsy!" Mingyu insisted, only to bump his fork onto the floor. Everyone stared.
"A tall, intimidating guy with a pout. Interesting," Wonwoo said under his breath, smirking faintly. Mingyu turned red, muttering under his breath as Seokmin patted his back sympathetically.
Before more chaos could ensue, Wonwoo checked his watch and sighed. "We have to go. It's getting late."
As they stood, Hoshi suddenly tugged Woozi forward into a desperate kiss in front of everyone. The table fell silent, Seungkwan's jaw dropping dramatically.
Hoshi pulled back and kissed Woozi's forehead softly before turning to leave. "Let's go."
Seungkwan broke the silence, shrieking, "WOOZI HYUNG! What was that?!"
Woozi glared at Hoshi but couldn't stop the blush spreading across his face.
Seungkwan, clutching Vernon's hand, pouted dramatically. "Don't leave me alone with these crazy people!"
Vernon ruffled his hair with a bright smile. "You'll survive."
And with that, Hoshi, Woozi, and Vernon left, their expressions hardening as they walked toward their next destination. Behind them, the café remained in chaos—Mingyu whining, Seokmin panicking, and Seungkwan demanding answers about hard drives and romance.
The day wasn't over, but for now, the scene was pure comedy.
Their expressions hardened as they made their way to the mansion, the weight of the upcoming afternoon meeting settling heavily around them.
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been too long mah fellas.......
lovely to be back with another unnecessarily long chapter ( why did i write it this long again? I'm sorry T_T
I'll try and make regular updates from now on
yours lovingly
<3 Author <3
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