#lmh

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~

you never knew rumors could fly so quickly. the first thing stray kids tells you as you enter is, “have you seen what comes up when you search up lee know?”

“what are you talking about?” you ask flustered, tucking a loose strand of you dark hair behind your ear. 

“so, you know how yesterday we went out,” hyunjin begins. you nod, lashes flickering.

“lee know didn’t come back right away,” he says, raising a brow inquisitively. you stare at him blankly, fighting down fiery emotions flaring up in your chest.

“what are you talking about,” you echo again flatly. seungmin snorts. “stop playing dumb yn, everyone knows minho has it soft for you.”

“the hell?” it escapes your lips quickly. seungmin made the conversation turn quickly. everyone stares at you and that’s when you realize lee know isn’t there.

“he was with me,” you mumble, your cheeks turning a vibrant shade of red. “i knew it!” seungmin crows, flashing you an evil smirk.

you flick your fingers at seungmin’s eyes and he ducks. “so what do his lips taste like?” seungmin asks. your mouth falls open and your eyes flash.

“WHAT IN THE ACTUAL–KIM SEUNGMIN!” you shout, whirling around to face him. you cross your arms over your chest, ready to yell at him some more when–

“what’s happening here?” a cool voice asks calmly. you freeze right away.

“nothing,” seungmin and you sing in chorus as you glare at seungmin in the corner of your eyes. he beams at you proudly.

minho gives both you and seungmin the best side-eye ever. “okay,” he says, not convinced. “so have you seen–”

“have i seen all the stuff people are saying about us,” you cut him. felix gives you a shocked expression.

“so you did know!” he accuses you. you shrug, and look at lee know.

“yeah. they think we’re dating,” lee know says casually, running a hand through his hair and you feel like you’re drowning just standing there. a small smirk plays on his lips as he runs his eyes over you. 

“alright i think we’ve had enough of minyn minyning,” seungmin interrupts. “minyn?” jisung questions.

“minho plus yn, so minyn,” chan says tiredly, frowning at seungmin. “it’s there, i don’t know, official ship name now?”

“what’s a ship?” jeongin asks.

“it’s when you combine two–” felix begins.

“it’s a boat,” lee know says, his eyes sparkling. “huh?” now everyone turns to stare at him. “what?” he protests.

the next day flies away so quickly you didn’t even have time to blink. you have the day off and soyeon is out, so you decide to swing by your favorite boba shop to start off the day.

“oh my goshhhhh,” a snarky voice remarks behind you. you turn around to face a group of a few girls.

“is that lee know’s girlfriend?” another girl whispers loudly as if you weren’t right there, whipping out her phone to compare you to whatever picture was circling social media.

“he could do sooo much better,” the first girl sneers, tossing her hair, flashing her freshly manicured nails.

“like you’re any better?” you retort, tilting your head back with an air of superiority, hoping the girls would go away. the girls giggle noisily and the first girl steps forward, closer to your seat in the corner. you can smell her strong perfume and fight the urge to sneeze.

“i’m kim hyeon, and all my girls agree that i’d be so much better for lee know,” hyeon says smugly. “and he even said i was cute at a fanmeet,” she adds, a small smile on her face.

when? and i thought he said he only ever liked me… god, i’m so naive. it’s not like i care, right?

“do i look like i came here to hear how much you’re in love with minho?” you sigh, rolling your eyes, turning back to your phone. hyeon mock-gasps. 

“actually, i came here to tell you that he’s mine,” hyeon snaps threateningly while all her friends start nodding like puppets.

you widen your eyes. “oh, i didn’t know minho went to you and told you he was yours,” you counter casually as you run a hand through your hair. 

hyeon bristles angrily, her lips pursing. “ugh, i don’t get how he even likes you,” she says. “you aren’t even pretty. maybe just decent. like, ugh.” her words cut through your skin like knives and bury themselves into your brain. WHY AM I LETTING HER GET UNDER MY SKIN, you yell at yourself internally. I’M SUPPOSED TO BE STRONGER THAN THIS.

hyeon gives you one last glare as she turns on her heel and flounces off. literally. a few of her friends mouth “ugly” to you before following her.

you roll you eyes, trying to shake off the feeling of how she was kind of right. why did lee know choose you? you weren’t special. you were just a normal person that happened to be stray kids’ makeup artist. 

the chances.

“i’m fine,” you say aloud to yourself, tugging at the strings of your sweatshirt, but hyeon’s words rang in your ears. 

you’re not even pretty. not even pretty. not. even. pretty. maybe just decent. decent. you’re decent. why does he even like you?

you shake your head. “shut up,” you hiss to yourself, clenching your fists. i’m so weak, you think to yourself as tears start to sting your eyes. you try to blink them away but they persist.

stupid useless overacting emotions why do you exist, you yell at your heart. how could minho love somehow that breaks at the mildest comment?

a quiet sob escapes your lips and you cover your mouth right away. you fumble and bring your phone up to your ear. you hate the way your voice cracks as you speak but you can’t help it. you really aren’t feeling it right now.

“minho? can you come? please?”

~

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