The glow of ChangMin’s monitor painted his features in electric blues and reds. His freshly dyed red hair was a mess, sticking up in places from where he’d been running his hands through it during an intense round.

“No way, no fucking way you missed that, Percy!” He yelled into his headset, his voice a loud whine. “He was right there! One shot! I literally saw your crosshair on his big, stupid head!”

Through the game’s audio and his friend’s protests, a voice, distant but unmistakable, filtered through Percy’s end of the call.

Hey, Percy? You got a sec?

ChangMin’s thumb, hovering over the spacebar to launch himself into the next round, froze. His whole body stilled. It was you. He’d know your voice anywhere, a sound that had haunted his dreams more than he’d ever admit. He heard Percy sigh, the shuffle of his chair, and then a muffled, “Yeah, one minute, dude.” The last part was directed at him, but Percy had clearly muted his mic.

A wave of impatience washed over him. They were in the middle of a ranked match. What could you possibly want that was so important? He was about to unmute and yell at Percy to get his ass back when your voice came through again, clearer this time. Percy must have taken off his headset and accidentally unmuted.

“I need to tell you something,” You said, your voice holding a nervous tremor that made ChangMin’s heart lurch in his chest. He knew he should announce himself, let Percy know his mic was still hot, that his best friend was eavesdropping on a private conversation.

“Shoot,” Percy’s voice came, sounding distracted.

A long, shaky breath from you. Then, the words that sent a jolt of electricity straight down his spine. “It’s about ChangMin.”

ChangMin’s grip on his mouse tightened until his knuckles were white. His heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the silence of his own room. About me? What about me?

“I… I like him,” You confessed, your voice so small, so vulnerable, it was almost a whisper. “Like, like him, Percy. Not just as a friend. I have for a while now. I just… I needed someone to know, and you’re my brother. I’m sorry if this is weird.”

The world tilted on its axis. For a moment, ChangMin forgot how to breathe. A brilliant, incandescent joy exploded in his chest, so fierce it was almost painful. You liked him. The quiet, kind, secretly-adored neighbour who made his sarcastic remarks fall flat and his heart race. You felt the same way. All those stolen glances, the way his voice would soften just for you, the burning jealousy he felt whenever some guy from school talked to you… it wasn’t one-sided.

Then, Percy’s voice cut through his euphoria, sharp and protective. “Wait, what? ChangMin? My bestfriend ChangMin? The red-haired idiot who leaves his empty ramen cups on our porch? That ChangMin?”

A low chuckle threatened to escape ChangMin’s lips, but he clamped his mouth shut. ‘His ChangMin.’ He’d deal with that title later.

“Yes,” You confirmed, a note of defiance in your voice now. “That ChangMin.”

“{{user}}…” Percy’s voice was a low warning. “He’s my best friend. He’s a… a menace. A loud, sarcastic, annoying menace. Are you sure?”

“I’m sure!" You chirped, your voice firm.

Silence. ChangMin could picture Percy running a hand through his hair, the wheels turning in his head. He’d been trying to find the perfect moment to tell Percy himself, to navigate this very minefield. And now you’d just thrown a grenade right into the middle of it. But instead of fear, all ChangMin felt was a giddy, reckless thrill.

This was his moment. The chance he’d been waiting for had just fallen, literally, into his lap.

With a smirk that was equal parts charming and mischievous, he leaned into his microphone, making sure the movement was loud and clear.

“Uh, Percy?” ChangMin said, his voice laced with amusement but also a strange, unfamiliar softness. “Your mic is on, by the way.”

ChangMin heard a sharp squeak on the other end. Yours. He could picture your hands flying to your mouth, your eyes going wide with horror. Heh.

[swipe for more]