Sweeter Reality

(Hyuken; au; 4000+ wc)

LeeChopper92: Hi, I’m back from another planet!!!!!

Hyuk practically dove to his desk as soon as he heard his laptop make that familiar message alert tone he hadn't heard in a long while. (Actually just a month)

HyukDi: Long time no talk, Ken hyung!! How did it go?

LeeChopper92: Made it! HAH! College here I come!

HyukDi: Congratulations!

LeeChopper92:  Thank you~

HyukDi: (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧

LeeChopper92:  How about you? Mr. Junior~

LeeChopper92:  Congrats Hyuk-ah!

HyukDi: I hate math

HyukDi:

LeeChopper92:  I haven’t met anyone who loves it. LOL

HyukDi: YOU DO!

LeeChopper92:  I DO!

HyukDi: HALPP MEH 

LeeChopper92:  PAY MEH!

HyukDi: TAKE MY MONEY!!!!!!

LeeChopper92:  LOL

HyukDi: I’m actually serious, hyung~~~~~

LeeChopper92:  You should’ve messaged me earlier then!

HyukDi: WHY?

 LeeChopper92:  I already got someone to tutor  this summer @_@ 

HyukDi: TRAITOR!

LeeChopper92:  It’s not my fault! You could’ve given me a heads up !

HyukDi: My future 

LeeChopper92:  Aww… You can do it, Hyukkie! Don't give up!

HyukDi: Teach me here, hyung. PLEASE!

LeeChopper92:  I can’t do that too...

HyukDi: WAE?  THIS SUMMER VACATION OFFICIALLY !

LeeChopper92:  SORRY HYUK!

LeeChopper92:  I wasn’t going to mention this until later because it’ll ruin the mood, but since it’s ruined now anyway I might as well say it

HyukDi: Glad you know… what is the rest of the bad news?

LeeChopper92:  I won’t be going online again after this. Besides taking the tutoring job, I’m also doing cram school the whole summer bec. MOM HAPPENED. I don't know if I can stay sane enough to log in.

HyukDi:  KEEL MEH NAWWW

HyukDi:  At this point, it’s safe to say we’re not going to the Comic con like we planned...

HyukDi: And we’re NEVER going to meet…EVER

LeeChopper92:  Hey don’t say that!

LeeChopper92:  We’ll find sometime! The future is vast!

HyukDi: My future is foggy!

HyukDi: The fault in my studies: MATH

LeeChopper92:  Lol?

LeeChopper92:  I love that movie though.

HyukDi: “Pain is meant to be felt”

LeeChopper92:  Okay.

HyukDi: Okay...

LeeChopper92:  Okay.

HyukDi: Ew… Are you flirting with me?

LeeChopper92:  LOL we’re dorks!

HyukDi: Argh… I’m going to miss talking to you like this again...

LeeChopper92:  Me too.

HyukDi: Hyung, can I ask you something?

LeeChopper92:  Yeah, sure.

HyukDi: Can I get your number?

HyukDi: So at least we can still, you know, keep in touch?

HyukDi: It’s honestly okay if you don’t want too.

LeeChopper92:  No, it’s fine! Hahaha. I’ll send it to your mail in a bit.

HyukDi: Sure!

LeeChopper92:  Anyway, I have to go now. Mom's here and I'm not allowed to use the computer at this hour! Peace!

HyukDi: LOL okay.

HyukDi: Have a good day, Ken hyung. 'til next time...

LeeChopper92:  You too.

LeeChopper92:  I’ll miss you.

LeeChopper92 has logged out

HyukDi: Me too.

As soon as Sanghyuk receives Ken's number, he plops back to his bed while excitedly staring at the digits like he had just got handed the winning lottery numbers. He couldn't believe he just successfully asked someone's number online when he can barely approach a person in real life. The fact that it wasn't just anyone's number but Ken's made it even better.

They actually met online three years ago over an anime site they frequent in, but even then they never really thought of exchanging numbers. It only crossed Sanghyuk's mind when they started chatting less frequently; like once a week, twice a month, up to the point that for the whole three months the other was nowhere to be found online all of a sudden. Sanghyuk felt horrible that time, thinking that he had lost a good friend, that he had gathered up all his courage to finally mail him in private (which was the first time he ever did) and check how he was and if they're still friends. 

Ken replied not even an hour later apologizing profusely to him and ranting about how busy he had been in school and how his mom had firewalled all the sites he frequents in besides his mail that's why he was nowhere to be seen. Sanghyuk couldn't careless about the content of his reply honestly, because the only thing that really mattered that moment was Ken even replying to him when he was so sure he wouldn't. Ken seemed like a genuinely friendly person that everyone would want, and Sanghyuk is just an online friend that he can always exchange for a 'real' one; but it wasn't the case. Ken had assured him that when he obviously tried to reply to him whenever he could back then to not worry him; although it did eventually ends up very much like what happened moments ago.

So, Sanghyuk thought he needs to up the ante if he really didn't want to lose his dear friend, and getting his number seemed to be a good plan. It may seem like an obssessive act, but he thinks Jaehwan is his first actual friend and he didn't want that friendship to end just because they lost communication. They haven't even met in person yet and he at least wants to spend a day with him and thank him for being the best company his introverted self could ever have. He honestly had been preparing for that day ever since they loosely discussed about meeting each other in a comic convention— the more appropriate place he imagined himself asking the other's number at. But since the odds were already hinting that it will be impossible to meet up, he should at least get his contact number now and keep in touch with him the best way he could with Ken's mom intervening their means of communication.

"Call or text him my number?" Sanghyuk stares at the message and call icons like his life depended on it. He knows what Ken would prefer but hesitates because he really wanted to hear the latter's voice.

"But it’s weird enough that I asked for his number—Aish, I’ll just text him—!" He accidentally clicks the call. 

One of One Piece OSTs started playing and he panics but got distracted by the chat alert sound that came all of a sudden. It was Ken online again.

LeeChopper92:  You’re the one calling, right?

HyukDi: Yes

HyukDi: Sorry I accidentally pressed the call button.

LeeChopper92:  Okay.

LeeChopper92 has logged out

Ken hangs up right after as expected, but Sanghyuk couldn't hide his disappointment at all.He gave his phone a dejected look that was short lived when he received his first message from Ken.  

My Ken: I’ll message you whenever!

Sanghyuk face instantly flushes, not because of the message but because of the shameful contact name he used for the latter. He doesn’t rename it though, just because he had long accepted the crush he also had for the other (if it's not obvious enough). It was probably the only good thing about them not meeting just yet because he couldn't imagine himself staying conscious in front of the object of his affecion, not like he had any experience of such a thing.

Hyuk laughs at himself incredulously, feeling the heat on his face burn just a bit more. He can’t see it yet anyway.

I’ll look forward to it.

"Hakyeon hyung!” Sanghyuk bellows, standing up on his chair violently.

“Look, Hyukkie,” The tan male, clasps his hands together and rests his chin underneath them. He looks totally unfazed by Sanghyuk's action. “I know you’re having troubles in Math, so I talked to your mom about it last week so that we can find you a study group that can help you as soon as possible.”

“Talk with MY mom? Not with ME first?!”

“Don’t feel so bad about it. It’s for your own good and besides you can meet more people that way—”

“Mind your own business.” Hyuk glares but internally flinches when he receives a glare back from the older male before him. The older was smaller in stature but Sanghyuk knows this person way back and he had seen scary things when someone challenges the other. 

“Procrastination is your enemy, Sanghyuk-ah. You’re a smart kid but you leave inside a box. It’s time for you to live in the real world.”

 “Well, thank you for saying that hyung.” Sanghyuk bitterly mutters, leaving the coffee shop in haste.  He didn't want to be there.

“Han Sanghyuk!”

Hyuk pretends to be deaf the whole day.

Sanghyuk grumpily looks at his phone and he’s growing more frustrated as days passed by. He hasn’t heard anything from Ken to make everything worse. He can’t even message him first too because he’s too upset at the moment and he's afraid he might just end up ranting like a kid with a very bad temper tantrum on the latter who was probably busy with his own chaotic life. He didn’t want to be pesky. He had attempted to do it though, several times, but he ends up deleting his message in the end and grumbling on his bed.

(Ding Dong)

He visibly shudders at the noise and he feels caged already. He mentally counts down. 1…2…3—

“Sanghyuk-ah! Come down and meet your tutor!”

The teen rolled his eyes in annoyance. Apparently, his mother's idea of understanding his isolated personality is by getting him a private tutor instead of a study group which only made him feel even more ridiculous. He practically drags himself out of bed with a clearly flustered look on his face, when his mother gave him the final warning.

“Don’t make me count to three, sweetie!”

“I’m heading down already!” He gritted his teeth but still found himself picking up the pace.

-*-

When Sanghyuk enters his room again, he's followed by his mom and his 'young-looking' tutor. He first, gestures his tutor to sit somewhere while he looks for his books diligently.

“Just tell me when you guys need more snacks, okay? I’ll be in the next room.” Mrs. Han cheerily says, placing her homemade cookies on the bedside table. He then turns to her son and softly taps his shoulder with a rather hopeful grin. “Don’t just eat, okay baby? Fighting!”

“Eomma, j-just go. Please. Thank you.” Sanghyuk face palms and busies himself with finding his math books again. When he finally heard the door closed, he slowly picks up the book he had been meaning to grab the whole time if only he wasn't trying to kill time for his mom to leave. He sighs in relief but was short lived when he hears poorly suppressed giggles from his tutor who looks like he already knew what he was trying to do.

Sanghyuk glares at him and the latter quickly a poker face, big eyes almost bulging out of its sockets as it scans the room instead. Sanghyuk would’ve found it funny but he was too annoyed at the moment to find the other amusing. He just clears his throat at the end, before passing the last book he thought related to math to the older lad.

“Uhm, before we begin let me properly introduce myself again. I’m Lee Jaehwan,” he holds out his free hand towards the younger. “Nice to meet you.”

Sanghyuk stares at him blankly. He thinks it was unnecessary to do introductions anymore because his mother was all ‘Jaehwan this and that’ when they had lunch together earlier. He almost thought his food was also named Jaehwan that time. He sighs, but shook the latter’s hand anyway. “Han Sanghyuk.”

“Okay...uhh... Han Sanghyuk-ssi, let me just check your syllabus for a bit. Just make yourself comfortable at your own bed first." Jaehwan turns towards his desk while fixing his glasses, looking more like the tutor he's expected to be. "You don't mind me using your desk, right?”

“Sure.”

-*-

Sanghyuk did end up eating the whole snack as Jaehwan continuously busies himself on his desk, scribbling what seems like test questionnaires for him. He internally grumbles, thinking it was too early to start that when he barely said anything to him for the past hour. 

“Uhm—“

“Here,” Jaehwan turns around from his swivel chair and hands him the papers suddenly. Sanghyuk reluctantly accepts it in surprise.

“These are your homeworks for today that I’ll be checking tomorrow at 9 a.m. sharp.” 

“You’re not starting today? You're not gonna teach me anything at all?” Sanghyuk asked bewilderedly. “You’re just going to leave me with these papers?”

“Those papers are your lessons for today. I have to know how well you can study on your own first.” Jaehwan explains thoroughly, grabbing his bag and seemingly looking less friendlier than he was earlier. He looks a lot serious too. “Don’t be pressured that you can’t answer everything and get the textbook because that’s where I come in. Answer as much as you can for now and prepare for tomorrow. Have a good day.”

“O-okay.” Sanghyuk muttered pathetically. He never met anyone as equally intimidating as Hakyeon for a very long time now and he's completely caught off guard.

“I’ll see you, Sanghyuk-ssi. Do your best.” Jaehwan squeezed his right shoulder firmly.

Sanghyuk anxiously looked up to him in response and almost choke on his spit when he finds Jaehwan smiling brightly at him.

“You really didn’t leave me anything to eat! I’ll tell Mrs. Han how rude you are!”

Jaehwan giggles and leaves just like that, leaving Sanghyuk daze and confused.

“Seventeen out of forty,” Jaehwan passes him his papers, as he adjusts his specs. “That’s not actually