*triple update from chap 70 (´・ω・`)

Same but Different (ii)
(triple update, 70, 71, & 72)

Himchan leaves when it’s time for his tuition, Jongup tagging along with him. I’m left alone in the library with only a few students left, evening spilling over the windows and drawing a pretty glow over my books.

My parents just texted me that they’ll be staying over at our grandmother’s place. I heave, drawing circles into the table. It’s ten minutes to five and I’ve just finished my Math assignment. I still have my Biology practice paper and my Korean comprehension to do but I can leave that for tomorrow, since it’s a holiday.

I should go find Daehyun. I gaze out the window overlooking the car park for a while, admiring how soft the sunlight looks.

A pair of hands suddenly fall over my eyes and I flutter my lashes, bringing them down. I peer up to find Daehyun standing over me with a bashful smile, my mood instantly lightening.

“Did you really just do that?” I laugh softly, warmth spreading through my chest as I quickly get up.

Daehyun scratches his head and confesses with a rasp, “I, uh, saw it in a drama.”

I hold back an embarrassed laugh, amusement flooding me. “You ended class early?”

“Yeah.”

I look around in case anyone’s staring. A girl whips her head away when I glance over. It’s okay, right? I mean, we’re both boys, so she would think it’s just some fun between guys.

“Shall we go?” Daehyun breathes. I nod and swiftly pack my bag, leaving out a few to carry by hand. Daehyun immediately takes them before I can protest and scurries out of the library. He stands by the glass door and innocently peeks in while holding my books tight.

I don’t know if I should laugh or not. Swinging my bags over my shoulder, I pace out of the library and instantly try to wrestle my books back. Daehyun hastily turns away with a laugh, his reflexes much faster than mine.

“Daehyun,” I whine, “I can carry my own books.”

Daehyun keeps mum and avoids my grasp, keeping my books out of reach. Pressing my lips into a line, I point at Daehyun and yell, “Help! Thief!”

Daehyun snaps his head back with large eyes and I hurriedly grab my books. We end up tussling with one another and I nearly fall, Daehyun quickly looping his arm around my waist.

“Daehyun!” I smother back a chortle. Daehyun gleefully shakes his head and says, “Yongguk-hyung is waiting for us at the canteen. Let’s go.”

“Oh my god, I almost forgot. We better not keep him waiting.” I reach for my books but Daehyun ducks again.

“Let me carry it till after we meet Yongguk-hyung,” Daehyun proposes. “I… want to look like a good boyfriend.”

“Wow. You’re disappointing, Jung Daehyun,” I deadpan, much to Daehyun’s amusement. “What about me, then? I want to look like a good boyfriend too. Give me some of your books.”

Daehyun purses his lips and mumbles, “…You can give me a kiss in front of Yongguk-hyung.”

I wind past Daehyun into the hallway and walk ahead, sighing, “I guess I’ll just have to look like a bad boyfriend then.”

It takes just a few strides for Daehyun to catch up to me with a dazzling grin, carrying my books in one arm. I’m not sure if it’s on purpose but he likes to leave one hand free, particularly one that’s right by my side.

Our fingers touch delicately, Daehyun not shifting away as usual. "How was your day?" He hums.

"I went to school. I studied. I did homework," I jest. "How was yours?"

"The same," Daehyun cajoles. "Just that my boyfriend and I went to school together, and he bought me snacks to get me through the day."

"Wow, what a nice boyfriend," I puff. Daehyun shakes his head.

"No, he's not. He won't give me a kiss," Daehyun complains mischievously, earning himself a jab in the side.

"He shouldn't have to give you one." I stick out my tongue playfully. “By the way, my parents texted me a while ago that they aren’t coming home tonight. So I don't have to go home too early.”

“Oh.” Daehyun his lips and queries, “What will you be doing, then?”

“You mean, tonight? Homework, probably.” That reminds me—I’ve never met Daehyun’s parents before. I wonder how they’re like.

“You must be tired. I’d be sad to have extra classes on a long day,” I groan.

“I'm okay. The classes were kind of boring, but I had your snacks to keep me awake,” Daehyun chuckles. “I kept the rest under my table for tomorrow.”

“I should have bought you coffee too. Oh yeah, did Yongguk-hyung stay back just for us?”

“No, he’s studying in school till nine with the other seniors to study.”

“Oh, they're having that night study programme, right? For the entrance exams.” I remember Himchan told me about it. He didn’t want to join in because he thinks the school’s scary at night.

“Yeah. He’s taking a break right now,” Daehyun checks his phone and fills in.

I squirm as we near the canteen, chatter drifting over. “Daehyun, we’re really going to tell Yongguk-hyung?”

Daehyun abruptly stops. He asks in worry, “Do you not want to? We don’t have to.”

“No, no, I want to,” I assure, biting my lip. “I’m… just a bit nervous.” I let out an awkward laugh and mumble, “It’s stupid. I mean, Yongguk-hyung wanted us to be together, but I’m still anxious.”

Daehyun looks around and gently squeezes my wrist. “Don’t worry. I’ll tell him. If anything happens, I’ll protect you,” he breathes, voice low and firm.

“From Yongguk?” I laugh, pressing back the butterflies blooming in my stomach. Daehyun grins and nods enthusiastically.

“Thank you,” I wheeze and draw up a smile. “We should go.”

We buy a bottle of milk tea for Yongguk to encourage him through his studies. It must be a really stressful period of the seniors right now. I’m glad Himchan manages to ease out of all that tension; he looks much more relaxed nowadays. I check in on his progress often and he finishes his work fast, as expected of him.

We spot Yongguk at a corner of the canteen, talking to four of his buddies. One of them is this senior called Yifan, who was famed for his height and his foreign look. He was the vice-captain of the basketball team before he stepped down with Yongguk and officially left the team to focus on his studies, a custom for sports teams.

“Woah, Daehyun! I haven’t seen you in forever, you damn rascal,” Yifan exclaims before we even walk over. He waves Daehyun over and pulls him into a brotherly half-hug, prattling about training.

“Youngjae!” Yongguk slurs through his munches, a half-eaten custard bun in his hands. Even though his mouth is occupied, his mirth still shines through his eyes.

“Hyung, you look like you’re doing well,” I chuckle. “I was worried you may be stressed out.”

“Nah, I’m not that kind of person,” he garbles before finally swallowing his food. “Exams are just like indicators, you know? Like a weighing scale. They just measure your knowledge on a topic,” he waxes in a sage-like manner.

“Nah, he’s just saying that because he screwed up today’s test, right, Minhyuk?” The boy on the opposite side of the table snickers. He high-fives his friend.

“Shut up, Eunkwang. I’m still going to score better than you.”

Yongguk slaps my arm affectionately. “So, how have you been?” He smiles disturbingly and giggles, “I see you came to find me with Daehyun. At such a late hour, too. Did you two stay back for a long time together?”

“Daehyun had supplementary class,” I provide. Now that I’m aware Yongguk knows, I feel like a big dummy for not noticing the signs he’s giving. Then again, I did stupidly think that Daehyun liked Taemin for months…

My lips quirk mischievously and I mention, “I met Daehyun while I was looking for my girlfriend, hyung.”

Yongguk’s smile immediately drops and he parts his lips at me. “Wait, you have a girlfriend?”

“Yup!” I chime. Yongguk gapes at me and punches my shoulder.

“You never told me you had a girlfriend! How’d you guys meet? Is she nice? Did you tell Daehyun about her?”

“She wanted me to help design her album art. She’s a musician, hyung. Mm, she’s so kind,” I gush, letting out an infatuated sigh. “And no, I haven’t told Daehyun. We’re not that close, so.”

Yongguk nods gingerly and glances back at Daehyun still talking to Yifan, an adorably apologetic look scrawled all over his face.

“Congrats, man! Last long, okay?” He turns back with a delicate smile. “What’s her name?”

“It’s Bang Yongguk, hyung.”

Yongguk stares at me for a moment before it strikes him surprisingly late, Yongguk shoving a hand into my face. I squeak and release a buoyant laugh at Yongguk’s unamused face.

“That's not even funny, what the hell. This is why you will never get a girlfriend, Yoo Youngjae. Never.” He grabs my shoulders and shakes me hard.

A hand falls over my forehead and I realise Daehyun’s leaning over the table, pushing away Yongguk’s arms. Daehyun rubs my temple tenderly and frowns at Yongguk.

“Hyung, don’t do that. You’ll hurt Youngjae,” he scolds. Yongguk folds his arms and rolls his eyes exasperatedly.

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry for injuring your precious friend, Daehyun. I probably gave him a concussion, oh no. Maybe I should call an ambulance. I probably shook his spirit out of him,” Yongguk sarcastically intones.

Daehyun nimbly prods Yongguk’s head and the boy yelps, nursing his temple with a sulk. “Call yourself an ambulance, hyung,” Daehyun drawls, igniting a loud guffaw in Yifan.

“Didn’t you say you needed to tell me something?” Yongguk brings up. Daehyun nods and stands, walking over to my side of the table.

“Can you come with us for a while?”

“Oh , Daehyun, are you going to murder Yongguk?” Yifan gawks. “He’s annoying but it’s not worth it to go to jail for this .”

Yongguk promptly points the middle finger at Yifan, the two glaring playfully at each other. We bid goodbye to Yongguk’s friends and Yongguk follows us, curiously peering at us two. Daehyun holds on to my elbow securely as we wind out of the canteen to a secluded area by the stairs.

Silence layers the air thickly. The only noises that can be heard are distant footsteps heading the other way, this corner obscured by the adjacent wall.

“What’s up, guys?” Yongguk’s intrigue dwindles into consternation as he scrutinises us. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it is,” I assure, fidgeting while Daehyun’s grip falls lower. We both glance at each other and Yongguk’s expression grows more worried.

“You can tell me if it’s something’s wrong. I’m your senior; I’ll help,” Yongguk readily offers, sincerity shimmering in his eyes.

Yongguk is a really kind person. I feel so bad for even doubting him in the first place. When I couldn’t contact Daehyun after Beacon, he helped me ask Daehyun's friends if they knew where he went. The day after, he even called to ask if everything was okay. What made me think he’d suddenly turn his back on us?

I look into Daehyun’s eyes and Daehyun squeezes my wrist comfortingly. He glimpses at Yongguk and his lips, breaking out into an earnest smile.

“Hyung, Youngjae and I are dating.” Daehyun’s eyes crinkle along the side with joy, like he’d been waiting the whole day to say it to someone. His hand falls to grasp mine and I nervously interlock our hands.

Yongguk peers at us with an unmoving, blank expression, his lips pulled into a line. He shakes his head briefly, flickering his gaze down to our intertwined hands and back up to us.

“Could you, ah, say it again?” He asks.

“We’re dating, hyung,” I laugh shyly, rallying some courage to look him in the eyes.

As the words sink in, Yongguk’s jaw slowly slackens as though he’s caught in slow motion, his eyes nearly bulging out of his sockets. He starts gaping like a fish out of water, opening and closing his mouth as he tries to find his words.

“Oh my f**king god,” is the first thing Yongguk blurts, comically ogling at our intertwined hands. “What the f**k? Are you kidding me?” His voice jumps a pitch and he starts flailing, trying to gesture at us. “Are you guys serious?”

I nod and press back a chortle behind my hand.

“But how? When? How? I didn’t even know you guys were at that point? To consider dating!? I thought you didn’t even know, Youngjae! That Daehyun…” He splutters, utterly flabbergasted.

“The week before the last,” Daehyun provides gleefully. “I… confessed to Youngjae after Beacon. Sort of.”

Yongguk gawks at us and his astonishment seeps away into an impossibly wide grin, his mouth still hung open. “Oh my god,” he breathes, gesticulating at our entangled hands and looking at us as though asking if we’re seeing what he’s seeing.

Yongguk abruptly lunges at us and nearly tackles Daehyun and me to the ground, hugging us tight. “Seriously, what the f**k,” Yongguk blathers into our ears and nearly squeezes the air out of us. His happiness becomes mine in an instant, sweet laughter overcoming me as I embrace Yongguk back.

“I’m so damn happy for you guys.” Yongguk lets go at us and exclaims, his tone filled with awe. “Congratulations!” He suddenly pulls us into another hug and I bask in Yongguk’s warmth merrily.

“Thank you, hyung,” I chuckle, resting my chin on his shoulder.

We fill in the events of that night to Yongguk, leaving out the embarrassing parts about us sobbing our eyes out in front of one another. He listens intently with a starry-eyed look, interrupting numerous times to demand more details.

Yongguk reluctantly leaves when Daehyun reminds him that his friends are probably still waiting for him, making us promise we’ll meet him another day to tell him everything. He comedically skips away, bouncing past a few girls who giggle at his behaviour.

The way Yongguk reacted is so, so heartwarming. All this time, I’ve been scared to let people know I’m dating Daehyun. It feels really great that Yongguk’s so happy we’re together.

Daehyun and I pace out of school together, marigold hues waltzing over us along with a serene quietness. We happen to look at each other coincidentally and share a small smile, Daehyun going closer. Our shoulders brush while several freshmen barrel past us cheerily, yelling at one another. Were we that small?

"Oh right, my books," I mention. Daehyun instantly holds the books away from me as I extend an arm.

"I thought you said you'd hold it until after we meet Yongguk-hyung," I remind.

"When we get home is after we meet Yongguk-hyung too."

I pinch Daehyu