Chapter XXI

“HELLOOOOOOOOOOOO GUYS!” One fineafternoon for everyone, Seokmin and Soonoung greet in unison with high energetic voice booming around as they enter the cafeteria not minding those students staring at them ─ mainly girls ─ with adoration and jealousy since you know, they are really cute couple to ignore; and embarrassed and disgusted looks from their friends. Did you know Jihoon is doing it both?

“Here!” Jeonghan shouts at them as he wiggles his arms in the air goofily and Jisoo does a face palm, literally. The two immediately spot their friends, quickly making their way to them.

“How’s ya meeting folks?” Soonyoung asks with kind of accent to his voice as he slumps his down beside Seungcheol, Seokmin sitting next to him.

“That Nayoung kid was really scared of Jihoon now. She looks like about to cry.” Seungcheol sighs.

“But she was obviously flirting with you yesterday!” Jihoon whines while crossing his arms on his chest.

“You can’t take accusations to her and then say something hurtful. Just apologize to her later.”

“But─”

“I will not talk to you tomorrow if you apologize later. End of the discussion.” Seungcheol’s expression and voice may look stern and serious but Jihoon’s almost crying state makes him very guilty but what he said is right.

“Ugh! Fine.” Jihoon groans as he rests his head on Seungcheol’s shoulder, snaking his arms around his waist.

“Ours was just fine I think. How about yours Jisoo?” Seungkwan asks.

“It was fine, except this Jeonghan here…” Jisoo points his boyfriend with full of accusation, “…kept asking this little Chan repeatedly about being his little baby. I think he freaked out and will never show to our next meetings anymore.”

Everyone look straight at Jeonghan and he nervously laughs, “What? He’s so adorable and I wouldn’t mind being him being my little son.”

“Well, I couldn’t agree more. Chan is very cute and adorable kid for his age.” Seungcheol speaks his thought honestly with a smile.

“Cuter than me?” Seungcheol looks down to see an innocently blinking Jihoon as he whispers cutely, staring straight to his eyes with filled hopes and he can’t do anything but to smile brightly to him.

“Of course, you the cutest baby.” Seungcheol whispers back while pinching Jihoon’s already squishy pink-shaded cheeks lightly before peppering him with kisses. Jisoo and Soonyoung do fake gags while Hansol immediately covers Wonwoo’s eyes who is sitting next to him.

“Of course you are cuter than Chan because he’s taller than─” Seungkwan is about to finish his sentence when he sees Jihoon turns his head stiffly and he hesitates to continue but because of being stupid and diva, “… you.” An empty bottle of water lands flat on his face, the edge hitting the bridge of his nose. Seriously Seungkwan.

“Where is Mingyu?” Wonwoo asks as he notice the tall boy is actually missing.

“I thought he’s following us when we went down here?” Soonyoung asks Seokmin in confusion.

“I don’t know?” It comes more like a question too than a concrete answer. “What I only is that he was just walking beside me then after ten seconds, he was long gone. I thought he came here first so shrug from asking.”

“I will find Mingyu first.” Wonwoo stands up from his seat then is about to hop out of the bench when Hansol stops him.

“I don’t think you need to find him.” Hansol pulls Wonwoo back again to his seat carefully not to stumble him before pointing the familiar tall boy. “He’s there.”

Everyone turns their head to where Hansol pointing is and they instantly notice the missing boy on the table and… he’s walking while talking with another familiar boy with clean blonde locks beside him. “Is that Minghao with him?” Seungcheol asks.

“Definitely the quiet Minghao.” Jeonghan retorts with a nod. They keep looking at them which is still unknown to the two even until the two boys are now finally in front of them.

Mingyu catches all their gazes, even Wonwoo’s, and he furrows his browswhile giving them a confused look. “What?” Minghao becomes very stiff and nervous with their gazes.

Seems like the awkward air breezes, Soonyoung coughs loudly to get their attention which is successful. They rapidly blink and erupt a roar sounds of laughter to lessen the solid stiffness of surrounding. “We’re sorry. We didn’t knew you two and Minghao are…” He looks at the puzzled Mingyu, pointing at him before slowly shifting to a bitnervous Minghao. “…kind of close?”

Seemingly Mingyu gets their intention, he joins laughing with them. “We just became close because of an unfortunate event happened last night.” Mingyu answers before giving Minghao a look to ease him from being nervous. “They are good friends of mine so don’t be nervous.” Minghao only replies with a quick nod.

“So, mind introducing him?” Jisoo inquires with a bright smile to Minghao.

Mingyu nudges Minghao, telling him to introduce himself alone. At first, he is very shy and nervous to talk since rarely talk to others but because of the others encouraging him, he quietly speaks. “I-I’m Xu Minghao.”

“Nice to meet you Minghao.” Everyone states in unison with smiles pasted on their faces that makes Minghao relax, cracking a shy smile and blushes lightly.

“How about me~”A muffled small voice has been heard by everyone sitting on the table and they instantly stop from talking, turning their heads everywhere in bewilderment to find where that voice came from.

“Who’s that?!” They ask repeatedly, making loud commotion.

Mingyu just laughs loudly while Minghao quietly chuckles, “OMG! I forgot to introduce another one to you.”

They look again at the two with confused looks until a head with a very cute face peeks behind Minghao’s side, shy smiling at them and his eyes are making crescent shapes. “Hi, I’m Lee Chan~” He waves at them.

They first fall in a silent, processing what just happened but as if on cue, everyone shouts happily at the very adorable person with very cute personality. Well, of course Jeonghan is not on the exception.

Jeonghan holds Jisoo on his shoulders rapidly before turning him face-to-face forcefully. Jisoo feels something unpleasant will happen─ “Oh my god our son is very cute Jisoo! He is so adorable YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS!” He begins to shout while shaking him back and forth with much force, to his lover’s dismay. They all laugh at the sight until Soonyoung volunteers to stop him since Jisoo looks like to puke in no time.

“Just be thankful I love you or else I will break all your bones in no time.” Jisoo hisses at his boyfriend as he engulfs the water Seungcheol passes to him. Rather than receive verbal response, he receives a quick peck from Jeonghan and he blushes lightly due embarrassment while the others look grossed.

“Please sit now the three of you.” Jihoon demands as he shifts to give a space for them, patting the unoccupied ones.

“Channie~ please sit between your mom and dad~” Jeonghan squeals very loud when Chan gives him a hesitating nod, giving space between him and Jisoo and everyone does fake disgusted expressions.

Mingyu quickly sits next to Jihoon while Minghao next to him, the end part of the bench. Unfortunately to Mingyu, Wonwoo and Junhui are in front of him talking like they are on their own world. More like Junhui keeps talking non-sense things.He would like to disturb them but now he’s not in the mood to make silly stunts.

The whole lunch time, Mingyu falls into straight silence, just eating and looking to his conversing friends which is very rare to him. He doesn’t know what he feels but right now, he just really misses Wonwoo’s consistent presence beside him. Sure they still hang out but their used to be 24/7 time becomes more limited, almost no time, and their talks become more forced conversations for him. Their supposed regular greetings every morning become infrequent. There’s no time he never tried his best to keep talking to Wonwoo but the latter is the one always end it, always excusing himself (let’s not forget this -Junhui-block guy who keeps interrupting anything).His allotted time now is now either he’s busy for some things or busy with this new annoying transfer student. It constricts his heart painfully to death, really. And the worst part he ever encountered is that, he smiles often when he’s with Junhui, not with him anymore. All he can do is to look at them from afar with jealousy. Everything is slowly drifting apart between them. That makes him clench his fists tightly as it turnspale white, blood unable to circulate. He may be act like immature but he still has feelings to consider. Okay, stop the drama. Cut─

“Mingyu! Hey Mingyuuuuuu~” Mingyu blinks rapidly as he comes back from his deep thought when he hears someone calling his name and a poke on his nose. He looks up from the table instantly and sees Wonwoo leaning on the table wearing worried expression. “Are you okay?”

“Uh… uh…” He looks on his both sides and seems like everyone is also staring at him. He sits straight before looking back again to Wonwoo, “Yes I’m fine. I’m just uh… tired?”

“Oh. Good. Please rest well more.” Wonwoo smiles brightly at Mingyu, pink sprinkles dusting his cheeks which he really loves to see before going back to his seat. Hesitantly, he picks a piece of his homemade sushi on his lunchbox using his chopsticks before lifting it and pushing it near in front of Mingyu’s mouth. “T-Try this.” He said in a whisper tone.

Mingyu’s eyes widen at Wonwoo’s sudden affectionate action, his heart starts throbbing fast and wild. Doesn’t feeding someone is a way of affection, right? He face cracks a smile when the blush on Wonwoo’s face starts to grow darker but what makes him smile wider is the intense gaze from Junhui. He does an innocent yet mocking blinks as a way of teasing him before opening his mouth and chewing the delicious sushi, his face starting to become hot too. He notices the smirks from Jisoo and Jeonghan’s smug face, confused and interested looks from the others but he just shrugs him. He also notices the happy look from Seungcheol through the corner of his eyes while repeatedly chanting of ‘Feed me too Wonwoo~’. And disgusted expression of Jihoon.

He keeps munching the food in a childish way, showing his chubby cheeks and crescent shaped eyes more and on his side is Minghao chuckling silently at his behavior. Whenever his and Junhui’s eyes meet, he sticks his tongue out then quickly hides it again and looking away, like a spoiled brat he is.

Junhui: 1 point

Mingyu: 1 ing almighty point

[A/N] wHAT DID I JUST WRITE LOL i'm sorry for making you wait I'm just busy kkkkkk I really don't know what to write and this is the result~

Anyway, Seventeen is gearing up for their comeback while The Ark... NOOOOOO #StayWithTHEARK