Chapter 8

Choi Seungcheol sat at the back of Joshua Hong’s Ferrari with a grudge. He had half a mind to bring out his own car just to show the guy he wasn’t the only one with a sports car. Mingyu on the other hand decided to talk to break the silence.

“So how old are you, Joshua Hong?” Mingyu asked him. Joshua chuckled at his question; Seungcheol wanted to strike smash Joshua’s face onto the steering wheel.

“I’m same age with Honey, but you can call me by my name only. I find being called hyung a little weird.” He answered. Mingyu gaped at him.

“Wow, that’s exactly what Jeonghan told me when we first met.” Mingyu commented. Seungcheol wanted to smash Mingyu’s head on the window for saying what he did.

“Well. We’re really destined. Me and Honey.” Joshua replied. At this, Seungcheol really wanted to take the wheels and run over Joshua Hong.

“Why do you call him Honey? Are you guys really in a relationship?” Mingyu asked the driving boy.

Scratch that, I’ll run over Mingyu together with Joshua! Seungcheol thought bitterly.

“We are not in a relationship, Mingyu-ya.” Jeonghan answered instead. Seungcheol’s ears perked up when he heard his voice. “My American name is Honey Yoon. My uncle called me Han-nie all the time as a nickname; it kinda picked on and soon it became Honey. They registered Honey as my legal American name after that.” He explained. Seungcheol’s spirits soared because of that mere explanation.

“Or you can just say that you’re My Honey.” Joshua interjected, speaking in English.

“Shut up and look for a parking space, Doofus.” Jeonghan snapped at him in the same language. It was the first time Mingyu and Seungcheol heard him speak in English and they were silently impressed at his fluency in it. He’s like a native. Seungcheol thought.

“Nice car, Joshua.” Mingyu complimented the car, changing the topic. Joshua looked for a spot before answering.

“It’s Honey’s actually. I am just his driver.” He answered. Seungcheol tried his hardest not to laugh., but the others must’ve noticed him.

“Yah, Choi Seungcheol, before you have any thought of investigating him, I’m telling you Joshua is rich.” Jeonghan turned back to look at him. It was the first time he spoke to him directly and Seungcheol smiled because it wasn’t fake polite. He saw Joshua’s brow raised curiously. “His father gave this car to me because I let his son stay with me.” Jeonghan explained.

“So he’s the son of your L.A. uncle?” Mingyu asked him. The longhaired boy nodded,

“Your uncles are really rich, hyung; they give you apartments and sports car.” Mingyu commented. Seungcheol knew Jeonghan’s guardians are rich. It was still a question that lingers on his mind. Just how did Jeonghan have such guardians? He thought. Jeonghan just smiled at his remark and didn’t say anything. Seungcheol didn’t fail to notice the far away look on the longhaired boy’s eyes when he looked away.

“So you’re just gonna drive Jeonghan around? Don’t you study or do anything productive?” Seungcheol asked Joshua. He aimed to be a bit rude because he knew it would distract Jeonghan from his sad thoughts. He knew the guy was thinking about his lack of parents.

And it did the trick. Jeonghan turned around and glared at him; Seungcheol couldn’t help but smile widely. Silently congratulating himself.

“Yah! Do you have to be rude again? For your information, Joshua has been working under his father’s company. He works as a music director and producer. He came here because his father insisted that he works too much.” Jeonghan defended his friend. “But if it would make you feel any better, Shua will be entering our Uni in the Music Program. He’s like going to college for vacation from his work.” Seungcheol watched Jeonghan explain and all he could think of was how cute he was when angry.

“Yes, Han-nie. That does make me feel better, thank you!” He said, flashing the other his dazzling smile. Jeonghan seemed shocked at this because a blush tainted his cheeks. Again, Seungcheol felt like dancing.

“You’re impossible, Choi Seungcheol.” He said. They finally parked and they got off.

Jeonghan went away with Joshua while Wonwoo stayed behind with Seungcheol. When the two were far enough, Mingyu came near him and wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

“Meet me at lunch, hyung. I have something to tell you.” Mingyu said before following Jeonghan, not even letting him speak.

***

Wonwoo left the apartment early; he just had so many classes that day and he needed extra time to study. He sat at an empty bench behind the Law building alone and free. Hanging out with Mingyu the night before definitely distracted him enough to study. He thought back on Jeonghan and Seungcheol’s words. He realized that he was the one crushing on Mingyu. It wasn’t the other way around.

After realizing his feelings for the younger, he began to see how Mingyu saved him that night under a different light. He romanticized almost every interaction they’ve ever had so far. Everything was fluff and sweet until a thought came to mind.

Kim Mingyu likes Jeonghan.

Or if not, he’s just not interested in Wonwoo. He knew that he couldn’t blame the guy for liking his hyung, but it also hurt to see the one you like go after another. He suspected that Mingyu liked Jeonghan since he met the blue haired guy again as his hyung’s roommate. He saw that Mingyu had his eyes trained on Jeonghan even from far away. He saw how his eyes dilated at the sight of his hyung.

A hand waving in front of his face brought him back to reality. He looked up to see who the hand belonged to and saw it was his study buddy.

Lee Seokmin.

With his eye smile, Lee Seokmin looked like a cute toddler more than a law student. With his long legs, good stature and handsome face, he was the charmer of the Law Department in Hangguk University. They’ve been seatmates since the start of the year and they decided to study together to help each other when they don’t understand something.

He sat opposite to Wonwoo and smiled at him.

“What are you thinking about, Woo?” He asked him. “I was waving my hand like crazy but you wouldn’t see it. You must be in some deep thought.”

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Wonwoo denied, smiling.

“Its definitely not nothing. Something bothering you?” Seokmin asked him, taking Wonwoo glasses from his face and wiped it clean. Wonwoo was used to this by now because the dude was an absolute neat freak. He hated that Wonwoo is too busy reading to clean his reading glasses.

“I told you its nothing. I was just resting my brain.” He said, making an excuse. “You know that it gets pretty crowded in here.” He pointed to his head. Seokmin looked convinced as he shrugged.

“Well, I know for a fact,” Seokmin said as he carefully placed Wonwoo’s glasses on his face, resting it on his ears. “That you looked a bit delusional as you stared into nothingness.” He uttered, now staring straight into Wonwoo’s eyes.

Wonwoo didn’t know why but he felt warm under the strong gaze of the other. Seokmin putting his glasses on for him suddenly felt more intimate. He looked away to hide his embarrassment, when he looked again; the other was smiling with his eyes again.

“So, are we gonna study or are we gonna eat first?” He asked Wonwoo.

“I haven’t had breakfast yet, so lets eat!” He answered; Seokmin gasped at him.

“Its way past noon and you haven’t eaten anything? No wonder you looked brain dead earlier!” Seokmin nagged, standing up. He gathered Wonwoo’s things for him and put it inside his bag. When he was finished, he grabbed Wonwoo by the wrist and dragged him away.

“I’m gonna feed you properly, Jeon Wonwoo. Your chocolate bars aren’t enough to sustain you with our intense classes for today!” Seokmin declared, making the other laugh.

Wonwoo was so distracted by Lee Seokmin that he didn’t notice a head of blue standing near the bench they just left.

***

Jeonghan showed Jisoo the Music Department before going to his own classes irritated. He was just so annoyed with Seungcheol earlier. It was like he was back from the jerk that he first met and not the childlike guy that he’s come to know.

And in all honesty, Jeonghan was thankful for that.

He’s been getting close with Seungcheol; a little bit too close for what Jeonghan could handle. After Jisoo, there hasn’t been anyone else. He was just so afraid to fall in love again and be forced to fall out of it.

His breakup with Jisoo devastated him; it was intense because their relationship just popped like a bubble. One day they were together, and not the next. Jeonghan didn’t get the chance to get over it when he was forced to act like nothing even happened at all. They only started to get along again. Things were just going back to normal; it took him a long time to unlove Jisoo and he didn’t want to just fall in love with anyone again. He left L.A. because of him and he became more alone than he was because of that.

He learned to be alone; a lone wolf. He didn’t have his best friend to support him when he’s feeling down. He got used to it, and Jeonghan thanked the heavens for it; it was a blessing in disguise. It became easier for him to go from one country to another; to be the new kid time and time again.

And now Choi Seungcheol, someone he hated at first meeting, started to barge in his lonesome lifestyle. Jeonghan is slowly losing the new kid status, and he’s getting close to a lot of people now. He thought that maybe he should try making friends again because he’s here in the country for few years. He was open to the possibility of friendship.

But Choi Seungcheol was different. At first, he thought that he just became a novelty to Seungcheol because he didn’t fall for his fame and money; but now is getting close to Jeonghan.

It scares Jeonghan; it scares him that Seungcheol might make roots on his life when he knows that he’ll leave one day and have to have his heart broken by uprooting it all.

So Jeonghan having a spat with Seungcheol was a breather. He didn’t mean to make their misunderstanding such a big one, but he had no way out. He wasn’t really offended that he had to ring te