The next day after learning about Jeonghan’s feelings, Jisoo got a call from Seungkwan.

“Are you ready yet?!”

“Seungkwan, I said only yesterday that I needed a couple of days,” Jisoo laughs at the boy’s impatience.

“I know, but please!” Seungkwan whines.

“Soon, I promise,” Jisoo replies.

“Why am I friends with either of you?” Seungkwan sighs before hanging up.

Jisoo had been serious when he told the other boys that he needed a couple of days to prepare, however, it wasn’t that he actually had to prepare anything so much as him just needing constant pep talks from himself to help him build up the confidence.

He knew his worry was irrational. He had literally heard out of Seungkwan’s mouth that Jeonghan liked him but was simply too scared to ask him out on an official date, yet somehow Jisoo was still so unsure.

What if the Jihoon situation had made Jeonghan change his mind? Or, maybe Jeonghan just didn’t like him anymore? All Jisoo knew was that during the last couple of days the boy had seemed so distant, and their conversations were now filled with a new type of awkwardness.

But Jisoo told himself that it must be because of Jihoon, as he didn’t want to think about the possibility that Jeonghan might not like him anymore.

Jisoo knew that if he simply told Jeonghan how he felt, that he didn’t like the pink haired boy at all, but instead the long haired boy who was constantly on his mind, everything would be solved.

Yoon Jeonghan; the boy who makes him laugh but can also quicken his heart beat with a simple gaze. The boy who is willing to argue with him about the best types of dessert but also looked so beautiful under the streetlight as he said Jisoo’s name. The boy who somehow manages to always make his day a little brighter; the boy with a smile he could wake up to every morning.

If he told Jeonghan all this, the problem would be solved. So why was he still finding it so difficult?

Jeonghan had tried his best to avoid Jisoo as much as possible since the night he was now calling ‘The Pink Nightmare,’ but when you work at the same place and live next door to each other, it’s not exactly easy.

Jeonghan was at a loss, he didn’t know what to do. He hadn’t made another attempt at asking Jisoo and he didn’t know if he would ever be able to.

There was a strange tension behind their conversations now. Jeonghan couldn’t help but worry. Maybe Jisoo had decided that he didn’t want to be Jeonghan’s friend anymore now that he had Jihoon, or maybe he knew what Jeonghan was going to ask that night and wanted to make it clear that he wasn't interested.

He knew he was being childish, Seungkwan made that very clear; but every time he sees Jisoo, he feels as if he’s suffocating and he didn’t think he could take much more. Jeonghan didn’t want to think about how much he was hurting for a relationship that never was.

He wanted to tell Jisoo how he felt; it would be so much easier that way.

Hong Jisoo; the boy whose eyes light up when he’s talking about chocolate but also crinkle in the corners when Jeonghan makes him laugh. The boy who makes his breath catch in his throat and who can make him blush like a crushing school girl. The boy who is the first thing he thinks of when he wakes up and the boy he wants to be the last thing he sees before he goes to sleep at night.

If he told Jisoo all this, maybe Jisoo would tell him he felt the same way? But it didn’t matter because he liked Jihoon and it wasn’t going to happen.

He had told himself that it was better to be Jisoo’s friend than nothing, so why was he finding just being Jisoo’s friend so difficult?

Three days after Seungkwan had spilled the beans to Jisoo, Jeonghan gets ready for his first Jisoo free shift, knowing that he’ll simply use this opportunity to spend his entire time moping and complaining about Jihoon because that’s all he seems to do these days.

Jeonghan walks out of his apartment door to the one person he was hoping he wouldn’t have to see again, Jihoon. The pink haired boy was standing in the doorway of 116…talking to Jisoo. 

Jisoo was smiling tenderly and Jeonghan’s heart plummeted in his chest just as Jisoo grabbed the boy’s hand.

His heart felt as if it was no longer an organ but instead a heavy rock that was crushing his lungs; he couldn’t breathe and he had to get out of there.

“Jeonghan!” Jisoo calls as he notices the boy trying to race past.

His name on the boy’s lips no longer sounded like a gift but instead a taunt of what he couldn’t have.

“Jeonghan!” Jisoo calls, his voice more distressed this time, but Jeonghan still refused to turn around.

Jeonghan didn’t even reach the bottom of the stairs before the tears started to flow. He wiped at his face, angry that he would shed tears for this. Jeonghan knew he was being ridiculous; Jisoo could choose to date whoever he wanted…but Jeonghan had hoped that that person would have been him.

Jeonghan normally meets someone who strikes up a conversation and by the end he’s got himself a date; he’s not used to this and he isn’t sure what to do with himself. He certainly can’t walk into work in this state, and so once he’s outside of Pledis he walks in the opposite direction to 10:04, just needing to get lost for a while.

As soon as Jeonghan is out of sight, Jisoo runs his hands through his hair and lets out a frustrated groan.

He knew what Jeonghan would have seen; he would have seen Jisoo grabbing Jihoon’s hands as if there was something going on between them.

“Are you okay?” Jihoon asks, gently touching the boy’s shoulder.

Jisoo shakes off the boy’s touch, knowing that he was being unreasonably cold to someone who was simply worried.

“If Jeonghan thought I loved you before, now he’s going to think we’re getting married,” Jisoo tries to joke but his voice betrays him, breaking slightly.

Jihoon nervously laughs, “Wait? What?”

Jisoo sighs, knowing that he’s going to have to explain the story.

“That night we helped you carry your equipment, Jeonghan was about to ask me out on a date, but you dropping the amp interrupted him. And then because we were talking about music and you invited me to see your studio, he got it into his mind that we are now madly in love.”

Jihoon snorts, “Are you sure you want to date him? He doesn’t sound particularly smart.”

“Yes, I do,” Jisoo says a bit too forcefully.

“I was joking, I was joking,” Jihoon says quickly, obviously seeing Jisoo’s glassy expression.

“It’s just that I don’t understand how he could think that? Seriously, in these couple of minutes it’s pretty clear how much you like him. How could he not see that? Besides, you were only saving me from my inability to think,” Jihoon waves his hand in evidence, which is now neatly bandaged.

Earlier that evening, Jihoon had knocked on Jisoo’s door with a grimace on his face after a hurried attempt to cook ended in accidentally picking up an oven tray without mitts. Apparently Jisoo came across as the sort of person who was trained in first aid (which he was) and so Jihoon came to him for help. Jisoo had quite a task cleaning and dressing the burn, even when the boy snapped at him because of the pain.

Jisoo was teaching Jihoon how to care for his new injury and giving it a last check over when Jeonghan walked out of his apartment to see the pair.

While it was innocent, Jisoo saw how easily it could have been misinterpreted.

He groans once again, his head in his hands, not quite believing his bad luck.

“As if we could ever make a good couple,” Jihoon laughs, still not being able to believe the situation.

“Besides, you like Seungcheol anyway,” Jisoo adds, nonchalantly.

“I-I what?!” Jihoon looks shocked at the sudden comment.

“Was I meant to believe that you’ve never bothered to eat at 10:04 before and suddenly you’re there everyday?” Jisoo stares at the boy, making it very clear what he believes.

“It’s the food,” Jihoon protests.

Jisoo just raises an eyebrow.

“Maybe, I’m there for you?” Jihoon smirks.

Jisoo shakes his head, laughing at the boy’s stubbornness. Jihoon may refuse to flirt back to Seungcheol, but Jisoo was observant. He saw the smiles that Jihoon would try to hide until he thought Seungcheol wasn’t looking and the blush that could rival his hair colour that would creep up uninvited.

“Why are you even talking about this with me? You should be with Jeonghan?”

Jisoo’s eyes widen, realizing that Jihoon is right. How did he let Jeonghan run off like that? He can’t hurt him anymore. Today was the day he told Jeonghan his feelings.

“We haven’t finished talking about this though,” Jisoo shoots Jihoon a forceful glance, before racing to the stairs that Jeonghan had disappeared down.

I still can't believe I wrote this to be honest, why can't I give poor Jeonghan and Jisoo a break?? I was definitely not planning for so much drama...but just be patient, promise !!! :) 
Honestly I'm preparing for the pitch forks again but at least you know Jihoon likes Seungcheol so there's that one positive... 

(In other news, I've been uploading this story for a month now !!! Like wow it doesn't feel like that long !!! Thanks again to everyone who subscribes and comments !!!)