[A]romantic
[A] for Ace and Aro
Enjoy! (っ´ω`c)♡
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[3]“Today ,” Jeon Wonwoo, with his hands stuffed inside his pockets and hood hovering over his raven hair, mumbles begrudgingly to his reflection (and to a girl’s reflection who hurriedly walks away after noticing his not-so-good-nor-charming aura) on the library’s windows he passes.
Today, he thinks with contempt, the sky is clear (or he’d prefer say it superfluously clear) that it lets the sun shines too bright for his liking. No clouds in sight. Not a single one. At all. It makes him hisses and cusses to whatever deity being out there who sends this much light bathing him at once. He doesn’t get to wear his favorite hoodie around the school without sweating a bucket just like right now.
Talking about annoyingly much light, Wonwoo recalls something.
One day, in the middle of helping him get his home economics project done (because he and his partner for said project; Kwon Soonyoung, can’t cook even if their pitiful lives depend on it), Lee Seokmin—first grader—and Lee Chan—middle schooler—were having an intense discussion about whether Wonwoo is a ghastly being of the underworld by the name of Vampire or not. His hatred towards poor, innocent sunlight is too deep for a normal human being who can’t live without it even for a day. Not to mention he is always as pale as a two hundred years old living corpse and Heavens know his heart is always twice as cold as a block of ice.
Wonwoo was so pissed at that time because 1) he hates garlic with his whole being (another point to prove “Wonwoo-hyung is a vampire in disguise!” Chan exclaimed confidently and a bit fearfully maybe, or maybe not) and he was forced to peel at least a fistful of it 2) being able to use knife besides stabbing someone’s chest isn’t in the list of “Perks of Being Jeon Wonwoo”. That was why after twenty seconds—twenty freaking seconds; not even a minute of cutting things, he sliced his finger pretty bad. He tried blaming Soonyoung’s knife for acting stupid and ended up getting another cut.
“Hah! Karma!” Soonyoung had shouted at him that day but didn’t bother giving him a band-aid, that . If Jihoon isn’t his boyfriend, he’d love to throttle him to death.
Wonwoo was very miffed to the point of truly stabbing everyone in the chest. Repeteadly. But when the duo began to bicker too loud for his liking (the newest topic was maybe Wonwoo is a genius because he had lived more than average human—how dare they, he studied like mad to get his grades for the last eleven years of his life), Wonwoo got a better idea than to commit attempted murders to shut everyone up.
With fresh cuts still bleeding (it’s painful, but he had been through worse), he dramatically turned around so he is face to face with the other two who quickly went silent, knowing fully Wonwoo had overheard them. They both gulped quite loudly, visibly shaking, and that was when Wonwoo made a show of his bloody finger clean. He even added his killing smirk (his fan ever said so), baring his canine teeth naturally, then after he had finished, he walked away (to get a band-aid, but don’t tell Chan and Seokmin) as elegant as a Victorian noble vampire he ever seen in movies.
As expected (inserts evil laugh here), Chan and Seokmin lost their s and began screaming their hearts out while crushing each other in a big terrified bear-hug. They also started spluttering loud cry about not wanting to get dry although if Wonwoo was one of those mythological creatures, he was sure like hell he’d not get his fangs around them. Let alone their blood which he knows by look alone won’t taste any good. Yuck. But, sshh. He didn’t tell them so that’s that.
Ever since, that duo will always nervously shuffle as far as they could away from him every time they meet again, even after Soonyoung laughed hard like a madman to their faces about how freaking ludicrous they are.
Whatever, Wonwoo thinks. At least it’s funny when they start arming themselves with silver projectiles whenever Wonwoo (purposefully) inches closer to one of them. Soonyoung almost died from too much laughing (again) when they first did that. Good thing Jihoon was there to slap his boyfriend out of whatever insanity he was in before he truly knocked himself off from the lack of breathing normally.
Leaving his two morally questionable but lovable nonetheless dongsaengs behind, let’s get back to today and other things that make it for our miserable Jeon Wonwoo besides the fact that his sensitive skin burns and sweaty right now (yep, he’s still human).
First thing first, it’s a Thursday today and if you haven’t noticed already; Wonwoo hates a lot of things. Excessive amount of things. One of them is Thursday. Every Thursday ever except if it’s holiday because one of the answers as to why he hates Thursday is he doesn’t get to sleep at least ten more hours (this applies to every school day but still).
Being the human embodiment of one of the seven deadly sins he is (Sloth, but he can sometimes be Gluttony although his body remains thin like a stick), it’s to be expected of him to have trouble waking up from his comatose state. But when it’s Thursday, when he remembers his period after homeroom is P.E; it’s an extra hard to deal with.
I mean, Wonwoo argues with himself, I have just successfully (and forcefully) gotten out of my overly comfortable, safe, lovely haven and right after that, you force me to do some backbreaking sport activities? That’s brutal, man.
He inwardly nods (or more like bangs his head) to himself, completely supporting his (own) statements.
Step aside school’s method of killing students slowly (or only Wonwoo, really) and Mother Nature being a meanie (no pun intended) to his vampire-like skin, there is another thing he has always wanted to throw into hell every time it happens, but no matter what he do, it still keeps on popping up. A very much annoying thing that extends the length of his ‘Thursday’s s’ list.
What is that, you ask?
Love letter. Or love letters.
Wonwoo is known around his school to be a quiet and calm person. He is not very outstanding around the social circles, but almost everyone knows him because of his good grades. Kind of introvert, but when you get to his good side, he’ll be warm and comfortable to be around. He doesn’t talk much, but he is polite. Meaning, if you go and talk to him first, he will most likely give you simple responses that he deems enough, not ignoring your words like an .
The majority of students think it’s his own charm, even if his dark outfits (i.e. beanie and hoodie and well, it’s not like every layer of clothing he owns is black) and his blank expression earned him a few people who labeled him as ‘emo’. But for pretty large amount of people, Jeon Wonwoo still gives the impression of a cool kid. The girls still swoon over him and that's pretty much why everyone put him into the list of most wanted men to date in their school.
Wonwoo always thinks it’s weird even after his hyung by the name of Hong Jisoo repeatedly convince him that his tired face is kind of hot (Jisoo just simply reciting what the fans say, really, with an extra bit of sweetener). Therefore means, it’s not that weird. Of course Wonwoo and his bullheadedness don’t believe him but after several days, he simply shrugged it off and be like: “Whatever. Let them say what the devil they please.”
His fans though aren’t as chaotic as the other members of said list, particularly the idol ones or their Student Council President namely Choi Seungcheol. They’re considerate enough to understand he doesn’t really like people buzzing over him but for an exchange, he always finds a pink (sometimes red, depends on who it is) colored envelope placed neatly inside his locker. Or if there isn’t any, somebody would directly ask him to meet somewhere after classes end. One person per week. He doesn’t know how or why this started and in all honesty, he doesn’t care about the start. All he cares about is when will it stop happening. But well, it has been months and looks like it won’t stop anytime soon. He has no choice but to just go through with it. So, being the polite man he is, Wonwoo grants their wish even though each one of them will always meet the same fate which is none other than rejection.
—Or in details, Wonwoo will listen to their heartfelt confession (if it’s a guy, lots of them will straight out ask him to be their lover) with blank facial expression on, hands stuffed inside his hoodie’s pockets (if that’s not a goddamn burning day) and after they have finished reciting everything that goes straight out of Wonwoo’s ears, he’d give them a flat “No” before walking the hell away without bothering to look at what he has done to the other person.
Besides emo kid, people also call him “Ice Prince” at some point.
That thing happens every Thursday like a sick circle over and over again. On certain occasions though, when it’s someone he knows well enough (usually classmates that still can’t be described as his friends because his friends would know better than to ask him out) he’d give them a bit kindness by explaining to them why it’s a no. Why he rejected them. He’d tell them that it’s because he is aromantic. Therefore means, he is not interested on whatever thing they say and offer him. Some of them would just shut up and quietly leave, while some of them will have a conversation that goes on like this:
“Aromantic?”
“Yes.”
“Aual?”
“Still not sure.”
“Then come with me and I’ll show you—“
“Are you a ?”
Well, he can be impolite at times but people love him regardless.
This must be some curse or something, Wonwoo faceplants himself on a wall numerous times every Thursday (when no one’s there to witness such an out of character thing) and no; don’t question him why it’s only happening on Thursday because frankly, he also has no clue regarding that . He could ask one of his classmate but he doesn’t care that much apparently.
Aside from those who accept their fate silently and the y type, there are also the curious ones (i.e. not really accepting the reality) that asked him why he declared himself as aromantic. Ordinary people love and delighted to be loved, so why is he different? Isn’t he attracted to anyone at all?
To answer the questions, Wonwoo would look at them in the eyes, making sure none of them taking his words as a joke, before telling them that maybe, he is not an ordinary people and he doesn’t have to be. He is different and he accepts that as himself. Also, it’s not like he doesn’t love anyone at all. He loves to be loved too, especially by the ones he care about. But it looks like they’re talking about different kind of love.
Aromantic means you experience little to no romantic attraction for others.
Love has a lot of types and meanings, but attraction is different from love.
Wonwoo loves a handful of awesome, precious people. He loves himself (not quite but he tries). He loves his parents, teachers, friends, pets and family. He loves them in a nonromantic way, but he loves them just as deeply, intensely and just as much as romantic people. Whether it friendly love, familial love, parental love, or partner love; nonromantic love can be as passionate and emotional for some aromantic people as romantic love is.
But to answer why, he’d just pass whoever it is a barely visible smile before slowly whispering to them that he might be a genius at some point, but he still has trouble telling the difference between a crush and a squish, or between romantic and aesthetic/ual/sensual attraction. At times, he even doubts whether crushes or love really exist, or if they’re just cultural constructs.
He ever tried reading romantic novels that Yoon Jeonghan—one of those people he regards as friend and even goes as far to family or Mother, to be precise—suggested him. He only lasted for a couple of chapters for each novel before he found the context to be boring although he would admit they’re all well written. He has always been confused as to why other people make such a big deal out of having crushes or falling in love. It doesn’t seem to be interesting for him. He often finds it weird why people do ridiculous, irrational or over-the-top things in the name of love.
But no matter what he said to everyone he rejected, the others would keep on asking him out alternately. When he complained about this to his beloved hyungs—Jeonghan, Jisoo and Seungcheol (the three are inseparable unless it’s in a bedroom then Jisoo would be the one locking the door from the outside)—they even suspected that maybe his fans are all a swarm of masochist or suchlike because there is no way on earth the rumor about Wonwoo’s real orientation hasn’t spread out to the whole damn school already. No way.
Now though, after years of believing his heart (well, people say ‘heart’ is the lovely thing that responsible of feelings and emotions) has died (or never even alive in the first place) for romance bulls, Wonwoo starts doubting himself. Especially after that day when he had his first encounter with that guy which was like a few weeks ago. The guy that everyone loves and , I’m not ‘everyone’, am I?
Wonwoo would like to think that maybe he just admires that guy or wants to be his friend, exactly like in several occasions from before. Maybe he just admires his inhumanly perfect features and the way he talked to him before. And maybe his strong jaw too. His tall body, sun-kissed skin, warm smile and his voice—
Wonwoo groans aloud this time. It’s not like that was the first time he met the incarnate of Adonis or someone with excellent social skill so it confuses him to hell and back that he just can’t this guys out of his mind. And he accidently met him just once. Only once. They don’t talk to each other beside that but every time he sees that guy roams around, Wonwoo couldn’t help but feel there is something else.
Is that guy using some kind of wicked magic on me or what?
When he told the trio hyungs about that (he doesn’t really have that much people to listen to his daily complaints, remember?), they just gave him this knowing look that made him felt peeved up so much and maybe stomping his feet like a bratty kid. None of them bother explaining what the heck was that look for, simply shutting him up with: “You’ll understand it yourself later, sweetheart.”
That was Jeonghan’s sweet words of course and that didn’t sound so bad. At least not until Seungcheol snickered beside him and added, “Sweetheart? More like sourheart—“
Wonwoo was beyond pissed after that. He refused talking to the trio for three days straight until Jisoo (oh, the angel) treated him a pile of cheeseburgers.
Now though, he has zero belief that he ‘will understand it himself later’, especially when he remembers accidently seeing that guy several moments ago as he was about to fetch Boo Seungkwan—his bothersome but kind of amusing junior that he easily labeled as friend the second time they talked to each other—from the library.
Wonwoo always has this suspicion if he and this guy meet again, he will be so whipped. So, just like every time they cross path, Wonwoo threw himself to the nearest hiding spot in a blink as to not being caught by him. But Wonwoo also always has this odd urge to land his eyes on the perfect figure as long as possible. Not to admire his perfectness. It’s more because of things he himself can’t understand yet. So, like the manly man he is, Wonwoo peeked out of his place several times, secretly watching the guy enter the place he was supposed to be in.
Good, of all place provided by their school, that guy chose the library.
Hastily and a bit hesitantly because he had no exact idea as to why on earth he is doing this crap, Wonwoo followed him inside without being noticed like a pro stalker. That guy didn’t go to fetch book or something, but instead just stood there talking with the librarian as if waiting someone to go out and meet him.
Wonwoo frowned to himself, already thinking how stupid of him to act like this. He didn’t even know what he expected to see (he did, but he didn’t want to acknowledge it), so he decided to go find Seungkwan. Well, that is if only he didn’t witness that sight. The very sight of said guy smiling to the librarian, showing off his pearly teeth and perfect canine (Wonwoo swears if someone is a vampire in this damned school, it must be this guy), and suddenly Wonwoo wanted to poison himself with cyanide because there is something in his stomach that did this annoying fluttering thing he couldn’t name.
Wonwoo remembered ever came across that kind of thing when he read the books Jeonghan recomended him. He also remembered it was described as “there are butterflies in your stomach”. Instead of butterflies, Wonwoo has this suspicion that it was just worm trying to do something funny in his tummy. Well, damn if it is, then. Wonwoo hates worms too if they don’t help him fertilize the soil for his beloved plants. Specially the radishes. (Sshh, our emo kid here is actually a garden fairy. Don’t tell anyone.)
Yes, that is another thing that makes this Thursday a total crap.
“Today so freaking much.” All the while stomping his feet and jolting everyone that comes across his way, Wonwoo grunts and sighs tiredly as if declaring a truce (not surrendering, excuse you) against the world, he is just so ing done already. He might as well kicking innocent thin air for all he cares until someone clicks their tongue and chides his childlike behavior.
“Careful, hyung. You’re slipping with the speed of light to Jihoonie-hyung’s level of grumpiness. That’s so going to be fatal.”
Wonwoo sends his company a nasty glare. “Careful, Seungkwa
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