hanabi / 花火 ❦
🎆 #투민 & #2MIN
🎆 3.4k words
🎆 strangers to lovers, fluff
🎆 minho rescues a japanese boy from a bunch of bullies at the fireworks festival and the boy turns out to be taemin’s son.
illustration by @mushpotaeto, my forever beloved! ♡
links below!
also the idea of taemin appearing suddenly during minho’s brand debrief and going, “hi. i’m in for today’s photoshoot”, thinking it would piss minho off but the latter actually gets pleasantly amused because god now they’re closer in distance. it goes as planned 🌀🌀🌀🌀
except it was actually a compliment bc taemin IS too pretty and minho wanted to shoot his shot but then the disgruntled taemi was too adorable to waste so he decided to fuel it till the end…. that makes him an enemy instead 🤤😂
my fav trope sorry
then they met in the washroom. taemin was washing his hands when minho came in. they only crossed paths when taemin was about to leave and heard:
“i don’t know who you are, but you’re too pretty for this brand. they might not choose you. better opportunities outside, though.”
“no,” he deadpans and fixes his cap, this time glaring properly at his poster. that goddamn smile. “he’s doing it on purpose. when is the next casting event? see if there’s slot in any sportswear for me.”
“taemin—”
“dynafit,” taemin turns to his manager. “i want a slot there.”
then he grumbled to himself, turned on his heels and stomped out of the washroom.
taemin grimaces at the memory and rubs his face in exasperation. “he’s doing this on purpose.”
“…are you sure? tae, it might be coincidence or—”
“are you keeping tabs on me?”
“what the hell?” taemin groaned. “you’re sick in the head, i’m leaving.”
“okay, good luck with other beauty brands.”
“i’m leaving /this/ washroom, not the brand,” taemin hissed and lifted a fist as if to throw a punch across the distance.
“because i’m not as sporty as you are?” he knitted his eyebrows. “and not tall as you are? or loved as you are for being so goddamn alpha?”
“oh, your obsession is showing,” minho said through a smirk before turning around. he leans his hip against the sink and continues,
and taemin’s blood just boiled. he turned around and glared at minho thru the mirror whilst he rinsed his hands.
“what’s your problem?” he asked.
“i’m just saying,” minho answered before meeting his gaze thru the mirror. “you should go for skincare brands instead.”
then they met in the washroom. taemin was washing his hands when minho came in. they only crossed paths when taemin was about to leave and heard:
“i don’t know who you are, but you’re too pretty for this brand. they might not choose you. better opportunities outside, though.”
to be fair, though, they didn’t fight or anything. he only remembers meeting him one time for this model casting event—sportswear, fairs. and minho kept on staring at him from across the table, probably questioning his presence there.
again, it irritated him.
he’s literally the alpha figure of the public. everyone loves him to death, collapses at the mere prospect of coming across him in the streets.
so perfect that it irritates taemin so much.
they’ve been rivals since day one. granted, minho started his modelling career much, much earlier, and it pisses him off because he /is/ undoubtedly good-looking and masculine.
he’s tall, he’s kind (maybe), his voice is deep and manly, he’s sporty, he’s tanned.
situated just across his shelf is the men’s promotion ad, and the biggest segment goes to another renowned skincare brand ul-os.
and their current model is minho.
choi fucking minho.
he’s been giddy all over when his gaze skims over to the other gondola, and his eyebrows raise instantly.
“oh, no way.”
“what?” his manager asks. he follows taemin’s line of sight and his mouth opens promptly. “wait—”
“why is he right next to me?” taemin groans mutedly.
“look, your product placement is good this time!”
taemin tugs his cap forward and smiles shyly. he’s been the talk of the town despite being a new face in this industry. many brands reach out to him for ambassadorship, mostly because he’s “so profoundly pretty and sweet”.
naturally, he’s loved by many. what started as his complex becomes his strength, and he has come to love that about himself.
“i worked hard,” taemin tells himself and hums while checking the array of ahc products. “did i not?”
“you did,” his manager says, reaffirming it.
and it’s true. he’s got the pretty face, the lean body. his skin is gorgeously fair and clean, very much like porcelain. his eyes are round and the orbs shine - they shine so much that photographers needn’t retouch them in any pics. the flash would do its job, really.