Chapter 9

The Bet

It was finally Saturday and Jeonghan was sitting on his bed wondering what he should wear for his date with Seungcheol. He had considered going slightly casual with a simple t-shirt and some skinny jeans since he really didn't care about impressing his "date" but then he thought back to Sehun and how he absolutely didn't want to risk letting the senior down so he opted for something a little more dressy, knowing that with the way he looked, he would have anyone wrapped around his little finger. He ended up with a nice white button up shirt and layering a blue sweater on top as well as some nice fitting black skinny jeans that made he legs look great. He finished his look by tying his long blonde hair into a neat pony tail in a way that made him look both cute and pretty. He gave himself one final look in the mirror, smirking to himself because he knew Seungcheol would be awestruck with the way he looked, before he grabbed his phone and keys and then head towards the school where they had promised to meet.

It was already 5:54 when he left his house and it was a few minutes walk to the school gates so Jeonghan would have to walk pretty fast if he wanted to be there on time. IF he wanted to be there on time. However, Jeonghan wasn't really one for unnecessary exercise, it was a mystery how the boy was even on the soccer team, so he figured that Seungcheol could wait awhile for Jeonghan to meet him.

Jeonghan took his time, enjoying the slight breeze of the late afternoon, before he finally reached his destination. He was ready to fake some sort of apology for being late, only to realize that Seungcheol was not yet there. Jeonghan checked his phone and saw that it was 6:18. He figured that maybe the other was running late so he decided to give him a few more minutes. However, when it 6:30 rolled around and there was still no sign of Seungcheol, Jeonghan couldn't help but wonder if he had been stood up. It was almost an impossible thing to think about because nobody in their right mind would ever pass up an opportunity to date K-Star's angel, but as the minutes passed by Jeonghan wondered if that really was the case. The thought hurt his ego and if he were being honest with himself he would admit that he was a little disappointed. Not wanting to think about why he was feeling a little down, he chose to focus his mind on the anger he felt at possibly being rejected. The nerve of Choi Seungcheol! The guy had elbowed him in face on his birthday! And yes that may have been an accident and yes Seungcheol had apologized for it but he had also promised Jeonghan this date! What kind of man didn't stick to his word?

Jeonghan was pacing back and forth now, the clock now reading 6:45, and the long haired boy swore that he would give Seungcheol the biggest scolding of his life! He would make sure to yell at him and then he woul-

"Jeonghan? I am so sorry!" A voice said from behind him and Jeonghan turned to see a very tired looking Seungcheol who was also panting.

"What took you so long? Did you forget that we promised to meet up here at 6?!"

"No but I-" 

"Do you know how long you made me wait? I should've just left and then you would be the dummy waiting here wondering if I was ever gonna show up. You didn't even have the decency to call me you big oaf!"

"We never exchanged numbers." Seungcheol mumbled, looking to the ground guiltily and Jeonghan just stared at him.

"What?"

"I wanted to call you but I don't have your number. And then I wanted to call one of your friends but I don't have theirs either."

Jeonghan looked at him for a second before he got out his phone and shoved it into Seungcheol's hands. "Put you number in." He said with a sigh. "And give me your phone so that I can do the same. And I'm sorry for yelling at you like that...It's not your fault that you couldn't contact me."

When Seungcheol handed Jeonghan his phone, the long haired boy couldn't help but notice he was holding a rather old model of an iPhone... the iPhone 4 to be exact and Jeonghan had to wonder how long the other had this. Most kids their age were already switching to the iPhone 8 and some kids at their school already had the iPhone X. So it was strange to Jeonghan that the other had such an old model but he chose not to question it...maybe the other was just attached and preferred not to upgrade. So instead he made himself a contact in Seungcheol's phone, saving his name as "Jeonghannie" before returning the device to its owner. He also noticed that for Seungcheol's lockscreen, it was a picture of a cute puppy and Jeonghan had to chuckle because it totally didn't match the badboy image that Seungcheol had.

There was an awkward silence for a moment before Seungcheol asked him if he was ready to go. Jeonghan replied with his best smile and told the other to lead the way, not missing the blush came across Seungcheol's face when he moved to walk beside him. 

There was no conversation for a while before Jeonghan asked why Seungcheol was so late. 

"I had something to take care of while I was at home and by the time it was almost 6, I got on my bike only to realize that someone had slashed one of the wheels. I couldn't really do anything to fix it since I didn't have a spare on me so I had to run to the nearest bus stop. And the bus took 15 minutes to show up so that also delayed me. I'm really sorry for making you wait."

"It's fine, I'm over it anyway. I was just curious....Do you know who slashed your wheel? Maybe you could report it?"

"Nah, police won't do anything and those things are kinda common in my neighborhood so it could've been anybody. It's no bid deal. I'll just replace the wheel later."

"But still-"

"It doesn't matter." Seungcheol waved him off and Jeonghan just pouted but decided to change the topic.

"What did you have to do at home that was so important?"

"Just stuff." Seungcheol replied vaguely.

"What stuff?" Jeonghan pushed.

"Stuff that I'd rather not talk about."

"Alright fine, don't tell me. How about instead you tell me what you have planned for this date?"

"Wait, I had to plan this thing?" Seungcheol asked in shock.

"Duh! It's my birthday!"

"Your birthday was days ago!"

"I get a birthday week. Now tell me!!" Jeonghan whined.

"I don't know...I guess we could...watch a movie or something?" Seungcheol suggested and Jeonghan let out a little chuckle.

"You've never done this before, have you?" Jeonghan asked, and Seungcheol looked embarrassed but nodded.

"Fine. I'll choose what we do today but you have to plan the next date."

"There's going to be a next date?" Seungcheol asked, stopping in his tracks.

"Well, that'll depend on today. If you can keep me entertained then I might consider a second date." Jeonghan replied with a teasing smile and he had to hold back the smirk when he realized that maybe Seungcheol was interested in him after all.

They continued to walk as Jeonghan thought about what they could do on a Saturday night. He decided on going to the Banpo Bridge so that they could walk along the Han river and enjoy the different LED lights that colored the water from the fountain. From there they could probably enjoy some street food and relax on a bench when their feet got too tired. Seungcheol was quick to agree and then they both set out towards the nearest bus stop. 

While they waited for a bus that would take them to the Han river, Jeonghan tried to start up other small conversations but Seungcheol never knew how to keep them going. Jeonghan wasn't sure if the other was being a jerk or if he was just bad with people and that he genuinely didn't know how to carry out a conversation. Either way, it resulted in a very quiet bus ride to the river, both boys either looking out the window or playing with their phones.

When they reached the Han river, they had decided to walk along the bridge, enjoying the view and the rush of wind as the cars drove by.

"This was a good idea." Seungcheol commented. "I didn't realize how calming it was just to walk along this bridge at night."

"That's why I like coming here." Jeonghan replied. "Me and Dokyeom usually take strolls along here whenever we need to relax. It's a great way to clear your mind and I always feel so much better after coming here. Even just staring at the water can be therapeutic."

"You come here often?" Seungcheol asked.

"Sometimes. Whenever I need to relax and I don't feel like staying indoors. Sometimes I'll walk along the bridge or I'll just sit on one of the benches and gaze at the water."

"That sounds nice." Seungcheol said, looking towards the water as if he were trying to find his own peace of mind.

"You could join me." Jeonghan offered. "It's always better to come with someone else."

"Wha- No, I don't..."

"Come on, I'm not saying that it has to be an everyday sort of thing. Just when we need it...we could keep each other company."

"But-"

"Unless...you don't like spending time with me?" Jeonghan teased, knowing that wasn't the case at all.

"No, it's not that. I actually...really like how the evening has gone so far. I just...didn't think you'd want to spend more time with me. I know I've been awkward all night and I at conversation so I didn't think you'd want to torture yourself by doing this again." Seungcheol said while stuffing his hands into his pockets, sounding so genuine that Jeonghan had to stop for a second.

"Tonight hasn't been so bad for me either. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself." Jeonghan said, surprising himself with how soft his tone had gotten. 

They walked in silence some more after that until Seungcheol's stomach growled. The other was clearly embarrassed and he apologized while Jeonghan just chuckled.

"Come on, we can grab some street food and hang out on one of the benches by the river bay." Jeonghan said, grabbing Seungcheol by his arm and dragging him towards the main street where old women were selling fish cakes and other delicious treats.

The two boys ate happily, finding comfort in the hot food and suddenly they had a lot to talk about as they went on and on about their favorite street foods and where was the best places to get them from. The conversations were flowing pretty smoothly after that and Jeonghan had to admit that he was having fun....that was until a particularly strong wind came by, blowing his hair right in his mouth as he was about to take a bite of his fish cake. The worst part was he had drenched the food in ketchup so now he had the condiment all over his bangs. Apparently Seungcheol found that hilarious because the boy couldn't stop laughing, and if it weren't for his hair now being gross, Jeonghan would've found the sight cute. But considering that Seungcheol's enjoyment was at his own expense, Jeonghan just glared and pouted. 

"Well I'm glad you found that funny." Jeonghan huffed. "Ugh, I hate getting stuff in my hair because it's always a pain to get out." The younger complained, looking at his bangs in disgust. He reached for a napkin on the stall when Seungcheol had finally finished laughing and stopped him from doing anything.

"Here, let me." And before Jeonghan could question him, Seungcheol had reached for the water bottle they had bought at a convenience store and wet a napkin before running it through Jeonghan's bangs. He did this a couple of times until his hair was wiped clean and Jeonghan could only stare at Seungcheol with wide eyes as the other looked so focused while cleaning his hair. When Seungcheol was happy with his results, he offered Jeonghan the brightest smile the other had ever seen and gave a cheerful "Done!" before throwing away the used napkin.

Jeonghan could only mutter a small thanks as he tried to calm down his rapidly beating heart. That smile should be illegal he thought as he ran his fingers through his now wet bangs and tried to fight the blood rushing to his cheeks.

And of course, this didn't go unnoticed by the woman running the stall and she just had to comment. "Oh my, your boyfriend takes care of you so well." She gushed and both boys immediately separated, now noticing how close they were standing to each other.

"Oh...He...he's not my boyfriend." Jeonghan said as a reflex, correcting the old lady but he not missing the sad look that flashed across Seungcheol's face.

"Oh..well I just thought...nevermind. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. I hope you boys enjoy the rest of your night." The woman said before turning her attention to another customer that had stopped by her stall.

The boys then paid for their food and then headed towards an open bench by the river in silence.

"Hey Seungcheol..." Jeonghan started, but he wasn't sure what he wanted to say. 

"The stars are pretty tonight." Seungcheol suddenly said, refusing to look at Jeonghan and instead staring up at the night sky.

Jeonghan looked up as well and noticed that the sky was covered in stars. It really was a beautiful sight and Jeonghan could only stare in wonder.

"Nights like this are my favorite." Seungcheol said again, and Jeonghan wasn't really sure if the other was speaking to him or just speaking out loud but he replied anyway, asking why. "Because...on a clear night like this...there's no chance for rain or storms. Only peace."

"Oh? Is the big bad Seungcheol afraid of a little storm?" Jeonghan teased.

"They're not my favorite." Was Seungcheol's only reply and Jeonghan just nodded. 

"What else do you like?" Jeonghan asked, now looking at Seungcheol's face and Seungcheol just stared back at him.

"Why the sudden interest?"

"I don't know...I'm bored." And when Seungcheol didn't answer, Jeonghan pushed more "Come on, we've already talked about some of our favorite foods. What about books? Music?"

"Those sound like long conversations." Seungcheol replied, yawning and then stretching as he spoke. "It's getting late. Maybe we should head back?"

"Ugh, you're no fun."

"Fine. My favorite books are the Lord of the Rings series and my favorite color is White. Happy?"

"Huh...I prefer black. And Harry Potter is way better than Lord of the Rings."

"Never read it." Seungcheol replied as he stood up from the bench and Jeonghan could only gasp in horror.

"How have you never....Oh we have to change that!" Jeonghan insisted and Seungcheol just groaned.

"It's not that big of a deal."

"Seungcheol, that is a crime against humanity!"

"I watched the first movie!"

"That's not the same!" Jeonghan cried out, looking like Seungcheol had just insulted his mother.

"Whatever. Can we go? It's getting super late and I should really be home right now." Seungcheol asked again and Jeonghan, being the little that he was, just had to tease.

"Why? Got a curfew?" He asked and Seungcheol groaned yet again.

"I will leave you here alone." Seungcheol threatened and Jeonghan just laughed as he also stood from the bench so that they could leave.

They then cleared up their trash and luckily they didn't have to wait long for a bus to arrive. Jeonghan thought that they would talk some more on their way home but he guessed that Seungcheol really was tired because the boy fell asleep only a few minutes after they were seated. Jeonghan thought about maneuvering the boy's head so that he was resting on his shoulder but eventually decided against the idea and instead busied himself with his phone.

He was scrolling through his instagram when they finally approached the stop closest to his house and Jeonghan thought that it would be a good idea to wake up the sleeping boy beside him.

"Hey....Seungcheol." He nudged. "Time to wake up sleepy head." He singsonged. And when that didn't work, he played an alarm on his phone and put it right next to the boy's ear.

It made quite a bit of noise and Jeonghan had to send apologetic looks to the few others that were also on the bus, but it did the trick because Seungcheol was startled awake.

"Rise and shine sleeping beauty."

"Where are we?" Seungcheol asked sleepily, ignoring Jeonghan's comment.

"We're almost reaching my stop. I just thought it'd be a good idea to wake you up before I left."

"Oh..." Seungcheol said, taking a moment to process everything through his sleepy mind. "Let me walk you home then." He offered.

"No, it's okay...You don't have to. Really." Jeonghan tried but Seungcheol was insistent and Jeonghan eventually agreed.

The two boys got off the bus and they walked close together as they reached Jeonghan's house. They kept quiet until they reached the front door, both thinking of what to say.

"Hey, listen-" They both said at the same time.

They both smiled.

"You go first." Jeonghan offered.

"I had fun tonight. So...I guess I just wanted to say thanks." Seungcheol said and Jeonghan just smiled.

Seungcheol then waited for Jeonghan to speak but it looked like the other was thinking of what to say, so he waited patiently.

"Seungcheol...about earlier...with the old lady at the stall...I'm sorry if it sounded like I was rejecting you." Jeonghan started. "It's not that I wouldn't like you being my boyfriend...but this is just a first date."

"You don't have to explain anything to me Jeonghan....I'm still surprised you even wanted this date. And I know I shouldn't expect anything else, especially since I was such lousy company tonight."

"Hey, that's not true! Believe or not, I did enjoy myself tonight." Jeonghan tried. He needed to convince Seungcheol that he was interested in him or all of his hard work would go to waste. "Look, Why don't we go on a couple of dates first...test the waters and then we can talk about being boyfriends. Deal?"

Seungcheol eyes then lit up and his smile was just as bright. "Really?"

"Absolutely." Jeonghan replied and he didn't think Seungcheol's smile could get any bigger than it was...but it did.

Seungcheol then bid him farewell, giving him one last smile and a small wave, before Jeonghan entered his house and closed the door behind him. Jeonghan couldn't help his own smile that formed on his lips. It seemed that everything was falling into place.

 


A/N: I'm gonna be honest, this update was more for myself than anything else. And if anyone else can seek any form of comfort or distraction from this then I'm glad.

Writing this last part is hard for me but I feel like I need to say this somewhere. I never thought I'd ever have to go through this. I've dealt with loss before but never like this. And I NEVER want to wake up to news like that again. If one thing can come from his passing, and I pray with all my heart, I wish that all that he strived for won't go to waste. Shinee's Jonghyun was more than just an idol. He was brother, a son, a friend and an inspiration. He spoke up for the minorities and he was an advocate for mental health. In a country as conservative as South Korea, he gave hope to people of all races, gender, ualities and mental conditions. He helped so many even when he needed it the most and it breaks my heart thinking about his final words in his letter. He did so well. He did more than a good job. And he did suffer.

All he wanted was acknowledgement (for his achievements, his pain and his very existence) and it hurts thinking about how long he was in that dark place within his mind. How long he cried in silence, begging for someone to reach out to him while also having to force a smile on his face. My only hope is that now he's in a better place where that beautiful smile can come from his heart and that it never leaves his face. I hope he rests well and I hope that he knows he's loved (truly and genuinely loved) by millions. 

And as someone who is working to be a psychologist to prevent this very thing from happening, I hope that this was a wake up call to South Korea and every single person who calls themself a kpop fan. Mental health is a real thing and I hate how it's seen as a joke in east/southeast Asian countries. South Korea alone has one of the highest rates of suicide for children and young adults. If that wasn't enough of a red flag then maybe this is. It sounds bitter, I know, but what else will it take for them to see that this is a real issue? It's not something to brush by and it's not them being dramatic or seeking attention. It's a problem that needs to be addressed without feeling like there's shame and judgment that will follow if they ask for help. I hope this mindset to ignore them is changed. And I hope from here on out that things will get better.

And finally, for anyone that needs someone to talk to, you can always message me. Either on here on AFF or on my twitter: @elf_hahmed or on my tumblr: @ame-0nna.tumblr.com
My inbox is always open and I'm here if you need someone to listen to you.

One last thing...I'm still grieving but I want to remember Jonghyun for all the reasons that he made me happy. I still remember being new to kpop in 2011 and discovering this pretty boy group name SHINee. I remember watching the Hello MV for the first time and falling in love with his vocals. Having so much trouble picking a bias because all 5 of them were just so amazing. His smile always stuck out to me. Ugh and then how funny he was on Hello Baby. "Was this the reality you wanted" was my life motto for like a year because it was just too funny. How he would look right into the camera and just say it when things were getting chaotic, just making everything so much more hilarious. That was when I REALLY started to like him. He was so funny and he made everyone happy, no matter where he was. And he always blew people away with his amazing vocals and his even better personality. (His acoustic version of Juliette at the 2009 SBS Gayo Daejun will always be a fave) He was such an amazing person with a lot of love and I am so glad I can say that I was his fan. I still am. "A star that shined brightly on stage for 10 years is now a star of the skies." Rest well angel. You did well. You did a good job. I love you. Goodbye for now.

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IonaLenz
#1
Chapter 11: The more their relationship grow, the more I dreaded the storm that surely will come...
ownwingstofly #2
Chapter 11: I love it!!!!!!!!!! Im really happy because they finally kissed! but I'm sad because I know cheol will find out about this bet and he will be heartbroken. Anyways, cant wait!!
BabyM00n #3
Chapter 11: Cute cute cute
mitchiliz
#4
Chapter 11: I'm feeling so bad for Cheol right now. ;(
mitchiliz
#5
Chapter 10: Somebody's falling. Hihi.

I'm not a fan of Jonghyun, but I praise how he works hard and excels in what he does. I was so shocked with the news and wouldn't believe at first. I thought he's a happy kid. I am so sad realizing that he's so good at pretending he's okay when he's deeply suffering inside. It hurts even more because I can imagine how helpless he must have been. May it be a lesson to all agencies to take care of their talents' mental and physical well-being.
kirayrinnie
#6
Chapter 10: Welll,u wrote out my feelings there..so well...and i feel d same way too..just d thot of him suffering all alone all these years is really heartbreaking i wish evrryone has somebody to lean on for real..i wish humanity retain its trur nature amidst these heartless self loving world.....i still remember being totally blown away by his vocals in d 2009 era and has been rooting for them eversince....its still quite a shock to hear this tragic happening...but we're all humans right.......and thank u for d update and ur reassuring a/n at the end...its calming,soothing to hear words like urs for a fellow mourner....he was so much of a big heart but the world did not see the pains the chains that had locked him up so bad.....a very kind soul....and now he is free....r.i.p jonghyunah....(im sorry of my emotional,mourning rant but i feel so happy to read ur a/n)
Gabbiehunt #7
Chapter 9: Poor Cheol,,, when's Jeonghan gonna see the truth about Sehun and realize the sweet little feelings he has for Cheolie.. I really want this to go well but... angst... Thank you for writing this by the way! I love it
ownwingstofly #8
Chapter 9: I feel bad for seungcheol ㅠㅠ but it was so cute, I cant wait for the date!!