Two Years Ago (Part 2)

The end of Jihoon’s gay romance did not mean the end of a newly-developed attraction to boys. The one that followed Baekho was none other than his fellow member, Soonyoung (or Hoshi, as Jihoon had to later call him).

The liaison started when Jihoon was still in a relationship with Baekho. Baekho was spending too much time overseas, and Jihoon felt ually deprived and was losing interest in him. Trainee Soonyoung was also just a young hormonal teenager as well, and so one day in their dorm shower, it just happened. And later it happened again. And again.

They were not lovers, rather ual partners that exist as such for the sole purpose of mutual satisfaction. They were friends as well of course, which made it all the most comfortable and convenient and deviant and therefore fun.

Hoshi insisted that he was straight, and Woozi had insisted that Hoshi was just a fling. There was not really much passion between the two to begin with, just lust. It worked well for both of them.

It was fun, mostly because it was a secret. It was fun sneaking away in a secluded corner of the Pledis building, frantically looking around to make certain that no one followed. It was fun sneaking touches at one another in the presence of other members, having to suppress the facial expressions and the sounds, and laughing about it later. It was fun waiting until last to shower just so that they could go in together in the end.

None of the other members had known out about it. One day, Seungcheol walked in on them in the shower (and immediately walked right on out). Hoshi was very embarrassed, but Woozi wasn’t fazed at all. Seungcheol was the last person who could judge them after all.

But, as it just so happened, Seungcheol did judge them.

“What the actual , you two?” Seungcheol asked them afterwards.

“What’s wrong?” Woozi asked. He honestly did not know why Seungcheol looked so angry about it.

“First of all, aren’t you dating Baekho?” Seungcheol asked, crossing his arms and raising his eyebrows.

“You know I’m not interested in him anymore,” Woozi replied.

“Still, you should at least break it off with him. What you’re doing is cheating, Jihoon.”

Woozi's jaw dropped. Was Seungcheol really lecturing him about cheating? Seungcheol? The one who slept with Junghan’s married mother? To be fair, Seungcheol had stopped since then, but it still seemed awfully hypocritical of him to criticize others of doing it.

Seungcheol caught on to what Woozi was thinking, and defended himself by saying, “Baekho is my friend, Jihoon. And I don’t like that you’re doing this to him. If you want to have relations with other people, break up with him or else I’ll tell him myself.”

“Fine, I’ll break up with him,” Woozi rolled his eyes, “anything else?”

“Yes. I don’t want any relationships within the members of Seventeen. So whatever thing you guys have going on, break it off.”

“Why?” Woozi asked.

“Because then you two become a twosome, which would affect group dynamics. I don’t want that to happen when we debut. Plus if you guys have a relationship, there are plenty of potential scandals just waiting to happen. I would rather not take that chance.”

“Well it’s not your decision.”

“It is,” Seungcheol replied, “I’m the leader, remember? If you don’t, I’m telling our manager and he’ll forcefully put an end to it. Even if that means kicking one or both of you out of Seventeen.”

“What the hell?” Woozi asked. Did he actually just say that?

“Look, Jihoon. If I was acting as your friend, I would have supported the relationship 100% and even agreed to keeping it a secret, as you so often have done for me. But now, I’m not acting as your friend, I’m acting as your leader. I’m thinking about the good of the entire group, and a relationship like this cannot be good. You understand right?”

Woozi did not understand, but Hoshi did. And so the obedient and dutiful Hoshi never agreed to doing anything like that with Woozi ever again.

It was not heartbreaking or anything; it had only been for them after all. But Woozi could not help but harbor some resentment against Seungcheol. Seungcheol claimed moral highground and criticized Woozi for the liaison, when he had had plenty of those himself. Woozi also could not forget that Seungcheol dared to threaten that he would be kicked out of Seventeen.

A/N: It's hard to imagine Woozi and Hoshi together like that ^^' ... but it works for the story so oh welllll