This is already the last regular chapter so next up is only the epilogue!

 

"So...I didn't realize that you and Wooseok were...", Hwanhee trailed off. He and Dongyeol were last on the way to the changing room. The others were too loud and too cheery at the thought of milkshakes to pay them any mind.

"Oh...yeah...is that weird for you? I mean after-" "No! It's okay. I'm glad you found somebody. I think I'll just have to get used to you being into guys...into Wooseok", Hwanhee said.

Dongyeol reached for his arm to stop him from walking. "Are you sure we're alright?" he questioned, looking his slightly older friend right in the eye. "We are! But...does Wooseok know about...", Hwanhee trailed off again. "Us kissing? He knows...I told him everything", Dongyeol answered his unfinished question.

Hwanhee gave him a confused look. "Then how come he doesn't hate me?" he asked. Dongyeol laughed and patted his friend's shoulder. "Because he loves me and he trusts me...and I'm very persuasive", he replied with a somehow devious grin on his face. Hwanhee wasn't sure if he wanted to know what exactly Dongyeol meant by that.

"Love? D-do you...-?" "Dongyeol, Hwanhee, hurry up or no milkshakes for you!" Wooseok called from the dressing room door. Dongyeol looked alarmed. "Let's go! We'll talk later" he said.

Hwanhee let himself get dragged along to the dressing rooms even though he didn't have to change. Of course, Dongyeol would never miss out on a chocolate milkshake.

~

Hwanhee tried not to stare at Wooseok and Dongyeol who were sitting across from him at the diner. Love... They couldn't possibly already be in love, could they? Did it go this fast? He wouldn't know...

Did Dongyeol's feelings for him just vanish and get replaced by that so-called love for Wooseok? Or did he just help him realize that he wasn't the right one for Dongyeol anyway? More importantly, why did Hwanhee care so much? His best friend was happy. That was a good thing...right?

'Oh great, they're kissing...' Something tightened inside Hwanhee's chest at the sight so he quickly averted his gaze and focused on his milkshake. "Get a room, you two", Gyujin said, laughing. 'Are you crazy? Don't let those two be alone together!' Hwanhee thought.

Why did he feel like this? Why was it so...painful to witness Dongyeol looking at Wooseok like he was the center of the universe? Why did his whole body ache at the thought of them kissing and doing god-knows-what else? He couldn't possibly...

"No, that's crazy...", he mumbled to himself. Dongyeol eyed him curiously. "What's crazy?" he asked. Hwanhee waved off and got up. "Nothing...I gotta run...", he replied and stormed off before his friends had the chance to ask him where he was going.

'Why now? You can't like Dongyeol! You're straight and he's your best friend! You rejected him and now he's taken!" Hwanhee mentally yelled at himself. He wasn't going to put Dongyeol through any more pain and heartache. And he wasn't going to test his friendship with Wooseok again. Even if he might have made the biggest mistake of his life by rejecting his best friend, he was too late now. He'd had his chance but he didn't realize that he wanted it...

And now it was gone.