Prompt 10 for: jajaiqma

genre: fluff,
pairing: jundong
prompt: junhoe and donghyuk had a quarrel and donghyuk was upset junhoe chose to ignore him and went to jinhwan

I kind of cheated on this. The requested scenario feels very familiar so I browsed by WIPs and lo and behold, I had one that's similar, I think. ^^;; So I finished it, revised here and there, and voila! (and this ended up being not-so-fluffy and farther from the request but there's still JunDong arguing and June going to Jinhwan, okay? *sweats profusely*)

Hope you guys and jajaiqma will like this! ♥

If Jinhwan is to name his role in Junhwe’s life aside from all the identifications known to the world, he would say that he is Junhwe’s overseer for his social relationships. But in more frank words, Jinhwan would say he’s Junhwe’s convenient bucket to which he spills the true yet unsaid things he keeps locked in the deep parts of his mind and heart. And it’s not the clean and graceful way of spilling, because Junhwe always beats around the bush expecting Jinhwan to get what he wants to talk about. A perfect imagery would be Junhwe crying and messily vomiting into a bucket, some bits and pieces spilling into the floor.

Not that Jinhwan is cynical or tired of it. He cares for Junhwe and will always be willing to listen to any story his dongsaeng would want to share; be the bucket for his vomit of feelings. There are still limits of course (such as when he’s playing in Overwatch) but if it’s Junhwe, he doesn’t mind setting aside anything else.

But only because Jinhwan’s very interested in the constant topic Junhwe discusses with him. The cause of the late night talks in his room:

Donghyuk. Anything and Everything about Kim Donghyuk. Donghyuk this. Donghyuk that.

“I think us idols shouldn’t care about our weight too much. I mean, fans always tell us to be healthy anyway. Food is one of the greatest pleasures of life.”

Junhwe always starts like this: blurting out something that calls for a moderately serious discussion. If Jinhwan isn’t so used to Junhwe’s pattern by now, he’d think the other male really just wants to talk about body image in the general sense.

There is a pattern though so Jinhwan knows better. He sighs a bit and pauses the movie he’s watching on his laptop. “I agree. But we can’t be careless about food and weight too, especially if our body is the type to gain weight easily.”

That’s Junhwe’s cue to be more honest, because there’s only one member of their group who gains weight fast. Jinhwan smiles sympathetically as the other admits being worried about Donghyuk’s weight.

“Yeah, he’s getting on the chubby side, but he didn’t have to do a hardcore diet. He looks good. He always looks good. Everyone likes him for who he is, not because of his body. I understand that he wants to feel confident, but still--

And there starts the figurative vomit of feelings. Jinhwan acts like the bucket as usual and just listens, nodding after each sentence and inserting his own thoughts once in a while. When Junhwe’s done, Jinhwan speaks out his usual final response.

“It might help if you actually tell Donghyuk your thoughts, you know.”

Junhwe glances at him then scratches his arm with a pout. “Bobby-hyung can’t even convince him.”

So what makes Jinhwan think Junhwe could? That’s the unspoken point. Jinhwan doesn’t argue and just watches Junhwe stand up and leave his room, purpose already done.

---

If Jinhwan is to describe Junhwe and Donghyuk’s relationship, he’d call it “special”. He wants to describe it as “frustratingly obvious” too but obvious only applies to Junhwe because Donghyuk hardly talks to Jinhwan about Junhwe.

Although, that’s one reason for “special”. Donghyuk is very open about everything with Jinhwan except if it’s about Junhwe. He’ll either talk in curt statements or will try to swerve the topic into something else. Junhwe is the only one who Donghyuk treats less nice as well. Their fans are right to speculate that the 97-line often argue with each other and like them, Jinhwan often wonders how Donghyuk really feels about the other.

Then there’s Junhwe. Not considering his humorous awkwardness with Bobby, Junhwe is awkward with Donghyuk too but in a different way. In a way that screams, “I want to be super duper close to you but I’m also scared you’ll hate me instead, so might as well put a guard up.” Thus the small silences and tensed air between them when they aren’t bickering or teasing each other. These days it’s getting worse.

But Jinhwan only knows this because he’s Junhwe’s proverbial bucket. The other members mistake that tension as just a consequence of contrasting personalities, and the two seem to settle themselves with that interpretation quite comfortably. Jinhwan lives for the dramedy but at the same time, he wants to smack their heads. He’ll make sure to put more force on Junhwe’s.

“Ouch!” Junhwe scowls and massages the back of his head that Jinhwan did smack. “What was that for?!”

Jinhwan wishes they’re in his room so he could tell Junhwe how annoying he is right now. In this very moment, when they’re monitoring Donghyuk’s solo shots for a magazine photoshoot. ‘You look at him like he’s the answer to your decade-long prayers’, he wants to say. ‘Just do yourself, Donghyuk, and everyone else a favor by confessing your feelings’.

Instead, he settles with “Just felt like smacking you.” because they’re in a public place and let’s face it, he can’t even say those words either. He may be a confidante but Junhwe still hasn’t asked him straight up for his opinion regarding his feelings for Donghyuk.

Speaking of, Jinhwan stares at said member standing at the center of the photoshoot set. Donghyuk catches his eye and smiles, gaze averting briefly towards Junhwe. Jinhwan catches it and had to purse and bite his bottom lip to maintain his poker face. Junhwe isn’t doing so well with his, judging by his body tensing up so much like a stone.

“Donghyuk really nails these types of photoshoots.” Jinhwan comments, both as a sincere observation and a way to distract Junhwe.

His dongsaeng is silent for a moment before nodding.

“He does.”

“That’s all you gotta say? You usually have a verbal essay prepared.”

He lets out the smirk he’s holding back when Junhwe blushes and scowls again, only to drop it when Junhwe mutters that he’ll share the verbal essay “later”.

---

“Later” comes roughly a week after that photoshoot when the magazine forwarded to them a draft. Junhwe barges into Jinhwan’s room at his usual time, expression rather conflicted.

“, hyung.”

“Context for the cursing is appreciated.”

“The magazine.” Junhwe pronounces the word as if everything can be explained by it. Jinhwan stares blankly at him just for s and giggles.

Junhwe grunts and sits beside him on the bed.

“Donghyuk.” he tries again. Now that’s more like it. Jinhwan nods in sympathy.

“Yeah.”

Then Junhwe launches into his usual vomit of thoughts. This time it’s about the editorial staff knowing Donghyuk’s best angles “too much”, with a conspiracy theory of how it might be the start of Donghyuk being presented as iKON’s unofficial symbol. Wow, Goo Junhwe really went with that. He even blames himself for hyping up Donghyuk’s physical form, then proceeds to a lengthy tirade on how Dongyuk’s worth should not be locked with just his looks.

Jinhwan can’t help himself so he just blurts it.

“You’re being quite ridiculous right now just because you’re so attracted to him.”

Then he realized how blatant he was so he shuts himself up a second after. Junhwe stares at him like he’s been caught in a crime, and then,

“A-Am I obvious hyung?”

Jinhwan stares back at him, flabbergasted. He’s about to retort when there’s a knock and the door suddenly opened.

It’s Donghyuk.

“Hyung, I need that headset you borrowed-- Oh. Didn’t know June’s here.”

Donghyuk stands in the doorway in all his “unofficial symbol” glory, and it took everything of Jinhwan not to laugh out loud because the timing. The ing timing. And Junhwe’s red-as-tomatoes face.

Then Junhwe being Junhwe, clicks his tongue and frowns deeply as a way to save himself from embarrassment. That also means the rough voice and words.

“Don’t you know how to knock?”

Donghyuk narrows his eyes then quietly closes the door behind him. He looks around the room.

“I did knock.”

“You could have knocked two times more.”

Jinhwan inwardly cringes. He stands up from the bed, telling Donghyuk the headset he’s looking for might be inside his desk drawer. He makes his way there but Donghyuk is faster.

“It’s on top of your desk, hyung. Thanks.” he says with a smile as he grabs the earphones. There’s a pregnant pause before Donghyuk moves to leave.

He throws a hard look at Junhwe. “Sorry for disturbing”, he says then exits the room with a firm closing of the door.

Jinhwan stays still until Junhwe plasters both hands on his face, a groan being muffled.

“I ing .”

The mat-hyung sighs heavily, grabs his Pepe the Frog plushie, and throws it at Junhwe.

---

Donghyuk is avoiding him. Jinhwan doesn’t have concrete evidence but he’s sure.

They still talk, still joke around and still work fine. But Donghyuk is less affectionate with him now and less open. He spends more time with Bobby or Yunhyeong than before too.

Jinhwan’s also sure it has something to do with that mini confrontation in his room.

Junhwe might be his sort-of closest dongsaeng, but the last thing Jinhwan wants is for the saving grace of all his dongsaengs to treat him differently because of some kind of misunderstanding. So when recording is done and Donghyuk announces he’ll stay behind for an hour or so to practice dance, Jinhwan quickly seconds the motion.

“Donghyuk-ah.”

He nudges the younger male on the side as they sat on one of the benches, huffing and wiping the dripping sweat off their heads. Looks like he really needs to practice dance more because, damn. Donghyuk’s leaving him in the dust.

“Yes, hyung?”

“I just want to know what I can do so you’ll stop avoiding me.”

“What?” Donghyuk gives him a quizzical look. “I’m not avoiding you.”

“Yes, you are. I know it’s because of that night when you barged into my room looking for your headset.” A pause. “And you bickered a bit with Junhwe.”

That last bit isn’t necessary but Jinhwan can’t resist it again. Because really, aside from the need to fix whatever’s needed to be fixed with Donghyuk, this is also the perfect opportunity to get a scoop on how Donghyuk really sees Junhwe. It’s kind of a trap but he needs it okay? Just being Junhwe’s bucket to spill isn’t going to be enough.

“I always bicker with Junhwe though.” And Donghyuk catches the bait! “I’m not avoiding you, hyung. Seriously. Just thought I should give you and Junhwe space to… you know. It’s bad enough that Junhwe’s always annoyed with me, and I don’t want that to worsen.”

Oh my god, what is Donghyuk’s talking about?

He grabs Donghyuk’s wrist to catch his full attention before telling him that, no, Junhwe is not annoyed with him. Okay, Junhwe is annoyed sometimes but not in the context Donghyuk thinks. He also tells the other that there’s no need to give him and Junhwe some “space” because they aren’t in the kind of relationship Donghyuk’s assuming.

“Okay…” Jinhwan wants to groan out loud because Donghyuk sounds unsure. “But I think I’ll just step back still. Even if Junhwe’s not annoyed with me, we still argue over the smallest things and it’s stupid.”

Donghyuk chuckles humorlessly. “I don’t understand myself too, when it comes to him. Why do I even talk back when I could just laugh his retorts off. It’s like… it’s like I actually enjoy it. Like I enjoy having his attention on me. And his reactions. I kind of find them… cute.”

Then Donghyuk blushes. Blushes. And Jinhwan wants to scream because Donghyuk just gave him a pretty solid implication without meaning to. As if that’s not enough, Donghyuk scoots closer to him and whispers.

“Is that weird, hyung?”

These two. This 97-line dongsaengs of his. What are they doing to him? Why him? Does he really feel like a convenient bucket for everyone to pour out everything?

Sheesh, they should be thankful he cares so much about them (and he’s admittedly a 97-line enthusiast now) because if not, he’ll just stay at the background and watch.

“Will you still find him cute though, if he isn’t frowning or pouting at you?”

“Of course. He’s cuter when he’s smiling.”

“And you’ll still enjoy it if you two are laughing instead of bickering?”

“Definitely. I’d like that more actually. Who doesn’t want to laugh and have fun with someone you love?”

Oops.

Donghyuk’s face turns red, as deeply as Junhwe’s face when he barged into his room that night. Jinhwan takes two seconds to breath and calm down. , he can literally hear himself scream “Oh my god” again and again in his head.

“Hyung!” Donghyuk grabs his hands, squeezes, then shows him his puppy dog eyes that are as illegal as him being iKON’s Unofficial Symbol (© Goo Junhwe, 20XX).

“Please don’t tell June! I didn’t even realize-- , I feel so stupid. What should I do?”

What should he do? He should get out now, confront Junhwe at the dorm, and tell him straight up. There’s only one way it could go, anyway. But that’s just Jinhwan.

“What do you want to do?”

And like he expects, Donghyuk bites his lip, looks away, and doesn’t answer. Very understandable, given how this whole revelation went.

“It’s okay. Take your time to think. Hyung is here for you okay?”

---

And as a reliable and concerned hyung, Jinhwan confronts Junhwe himself that same night, when his dongsaeng goes in again for his usual therapy session. He places a hand on Junhwe’s shoulder and levels a serious gaze with his eyes.

“Donghyuk thinks we’re in a relationship.”

Junhwe instantly pales.

“But don’t worry. I already fixed it.”

“Thanks hyung.” Junhwe heaves a sigh of relief. Jinhwan sighs too and pats the other’s shoulder two times.

“He doesn’t dislike you, won’t ever be disliking you in the future, and wants to laugh and have fun with you. Think about that hard and deep.”

He stands up and wears his jacket, grabbing both wallet and smartphone. Junhwe doesn't say anything, but Jinhwan knows his words had struck something inside him.

Taking a breath, he exits his room. Hopefully, Bobby is just lazing around because he needs to get some sort of therapy himself and drinking or doing karaoke alone is too pitiful.

---

Expecting things to finally be resolved right away is too much, Jinhwan must admit. Yeah, he has some kind of hope for a change, yet Junhwe and Donghyuk are still the same. They still tease and bicker with the frowns, pouts and amused smirks. Nothing out of ordinary. It’s like Donghyuk hadn’t accidentally realized his feelings last week, and Junhwe hadn’t stopped going to his room.

Yes, Goo Junhwe has stopped visiting him late in the night to talk about Donghyuk. A relief? Kind of. Jinhwan still has a small worry, but he wants to believe Junhwe’s going to step up now. As for Donghyuk, Jinhwan knows he’s figuring things out for himself too.

But Jinhwan should have known that the lack of change is just the calm before the storm. Because 4 nights later, during the time Junhwe visits him in his room for their Donghyuk Talk, the regular topic himself barges in demanding for his same-aged group mate.

“June! You don’t get to walk out when you--! Oh. It’s just you, hyung.”

Never mind the fact that Donghyuk thinks Junhwe will definitely be in his room (which Jinhwan can’t blame him for), he sacrifices his Overwatch game and stands up to face his dongsaeng.

“What happened?” He bites his lip in worry because Donghyuk looks like he’s holding back tears. What the did Junhwe do?

He strides to close the door and pulls Donghyuk down to his bed, repeating his question.

“It’s just a stupid fight.” Donghyuk tries to laugh it off, but he ends up sounding awkward. “It’s really just something stupid, hyung. You know, the usual.”

And the “usual” needs to stop. Jinhwan isn't going to be just the bucket this time. He wraps an arm around Donghyuk.

“No, it’s not stupid when you have tears in your eyes. What did you and June fight about? Did he say too much again? I’ll scold him for you.”

Donghyuk sniffs a bit and shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t really get what the fight’s about either. We were just practicing a routine, we talked about the repetitive questions we get in magazine interviews, and I said I wished they’ll stop asking us who we’ll date if we’re a girl. He said I shouldn’t even complain since I always say I wouldn’t date anybody anyway.”

Being Junhwe’s listener for many, many months, Jinhwan instantly knows what the issue is. Donghyuk, still clueless, can only shake his head.

“He just suddenly became upset. He has this look on him, staring at me, and I know I said I enjoy having his attention, but I don’t like that look. He even accused me of lying because I mentioned Bobby-hyung a few times in interviews. That pissed me off, so I told him it’s not even a big deal and not to call me a liar. But he insisted I admit I like Bobby-hyung’s company more than anyone else.”

Jinhwan grimaces. He swears, if Junhwe doesn’t fix this now…

Donghyuk suddenly scoffs. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say he’s upset I often mention Bobby-hyung and not him. What, is he jealous?”

He is. Junhwe actually is jealous. Isn’t that obvious given how their fight went? Maybe Jinhwan should give Donghyuk a smack on the head as well.

Instead, he clasps a hand on his dongsaeng’s shoulder and gives him a firm look. Donghyuk gulps.

“Hyung?”

“What if he is?”

Donghyuk blinks twice. “What?”

“What if Junhwe really is jealous? That he’s just actually really bad at expressing his true feelings? Do you know what we actually talk about whenever he visits me here?”

Jinhwan tightens his grip on the other’s shoulder. “You. Goo Junhwe won’t shut up about you. Think about that, Donghyuk-ah.”

He can see how his words settle in Donghyuk’s mind. There’s that slightly confused expression, his eyes widening when it finally dawns on him, then the red flush blooming on his cheeks.

And then, the door opens again, and in comes Bobby. With Junhwe.

---

“What is happening, man?” Bobby whispers to him as they enter his room. “June barged into my room a while ago, looking for Dongie. He said he thought he’ll be here.”

Jinhwan almost let out a laugh. Ah, how in sync those two are.

“And?” he climbs onto Bobby’s bed and grabs a One Piece manga volume near the pillows. “Did June say something?”

Bobby winces and climbs as well to sit beside him, legs crossed. “That’s the thing. I thought he’ll just leave but he went in, sits, and stares. It’s so weird. He was just there...” the rapper points to a spot beside his computer setup. “...not saying anything, so I just continued reading manga. But he’s so tensed so I said, I think I heard Donghyuk go into your room.”

“So you brought him in?”

“Yeah.” Bobby scratches his cheek. “But before that, he asked me something.”

If Jinhwan’s right (which he’s sure he is), Junhwe definitely asked Bobby what he thinks about Donghyuk.

“He asked me if I like Donghyuk.”

Close enough.

“And what did you say?”

“I said I like him and he said, okay.”

Jinhwan groans again. This time, with more frustration. He raises the manga book to slap it on Bobby’s arm, but the shouts from the room beside Bobby’s, his room, stops him.

“... just want to know what you really think…”

“... said sorry…. don’t have to know…”

“, are they fighting?” Bobby gives him a panicked look. Jinhwan shushes him and leans his ear on the wall. The rapper mimics his actions.

“Knowing what I think and feel doesn’t make a damn difference. Just drop it.”

“You’re not the one who decides that! I want to know because you’re honestly making me confused with how you act towards me.”

“Yeah? Well, you’re making me confused too. You keep on staring at me these days!”

“W-What?”

“You think I didn’t notice?”

“...What’s that got to do with you being jealous over Bobby-hyung?”

Said person’s jaw drops, mouthing a “what”. Jinhwan shuts him up with a look.

“I-I’m not jealous!”

“You are! I thought it’s far-fetched but turns out it’s not.”

There’s a pause and though there’s a (thin) wall separating him and Bobby from the 97-line, Jinhwan can feel this is the moment of truth.

“So what if I’m jealous? You still like Bobby-hyung and he likes you back.”

Another silence. Bobby suddenly moves to get out of the bed but Jinhwan grabs his wrist and pulls him back.

“Stop! Don’t go there!” he whispers with a small glare.

“But I need to clear things up!” Bobby whispers back then pulls his hand away.

“There’s no need to! They’ll fix this.”

And just as he said it, Donghyuk speaks again.

“You noticed me staring at you but you still haven’t realize what I really feel? And Bobby-hyung? He likes Hanbin-hyung!”

Bobby blushes. Jinhwan gives him an amused look then gets back to eavesdropping again.

“W-What? But he told me… anyway, I don’t get how I should tell you--”

“God, you are so infuriating! Just shut up and listen. I’m in love with you, idiot!”

“Yeah? Then you’re also an idiot because guess what? I’m in love with you too!”

Then silence.

Finally. ing finally. Jinhwan grabs a pillow and muffles a squeal into it. Bobby blurts out “Oh, ” then proceeds to repeat it for three times. They exchanged glances before plastering their ears on the wall again.

“...Really?”

“Y-Yeah… I love you. I’m stupid and I so much at expressing my feelings, but I really do love you and I’m so sorry for being such a jerk and--”

There’s nothing after that sudden cut-off, but Jinhwan’s pretty sure he heard Junhwe grunt softly. Bobby grins at him and wiggles his eyebrows.

“That’s my bro Donggu. Going in for the kiss right away!”

Jinhwan snorts then grins back. He pulls away from the wall and lets himself fall on Bobby’s sheets, taking one deep breath. Junhwe might permanently stop going in his room now. He’ll miss having his dongsaeng spill his love frustrations on him almost every night like a convenient bucket, but that’s alright.

That’s definitely, absolutely, alright.

---

Maybe Jinhwan should seal his fate now. Seems like he’s destined to be Goo Junhwe’s (and sometimes Kim Donghyuk’s) trusted listener his whole life.

“Donghyuk’s lips are so soft Iike, they feel like marshmallows. I can’t get enough.”

Jinhwan averts his gaze from his phone to roll his eyes.

“And I love how he pats my cheeks softly whenever I pout. He says I’m cute but he’s the one who’s cute. And y. And beautiful. And his voice? I really, really, ing love his voice--

“You know,” he interrupts. He rests his hand holding his phone on his thigh and gives his dongsaeng a deadpan look. “Why don’t you tell Donghyuk these things? I’m sure he’ll love to hear them.”

“...but that’s embarrassing.”

“Is it more embarrassing than gushing to me, an outsider, of how much you love him?”

Junhwe shuts up at that, cheeks red.

There’s a soft series of knocks on the door, before it opens. Donghyuk peeks at them then grins.

“Hi, hyung. Thought June will be here.”

“About time! Take your boyfriend away from me now. He can’t shut up about…” Jinhwan sends Junhwe a smirk. “...things.”

Junhwe scowls and glares at him while Donghyuk laughs. The shorter of the 97-line approaches them and holds out his hand for Junhwe to take. Junhwe takes his hand, of course, laces their fingers, then moves so he’s the one leading Donghyuk out of the room.

“Good night, hyung!”

“Good night, Dongdong-ah! Remember, the walls are thin~”

Donghyuk hangs his jaw at him, blushing, while Junhwe gives him an embarrassed glare.

“W-Whatever! ‘Night, shortie!”

“What did you just say, you punk?”

Jinhwan throws a pillow at them but the door closes before it could even reach. Pouting, he grumbles about ungrateful dongsaengs and turns his attention back to his phone. A few seconds later, Donghyuk sends him a selca of him and Junhwe, a message saying “We love you” below.

Oh, well. Jinhwan smiles then replies with a selca of him giving them a finger heart.

.

.

.

All the prompts are done now! I enjoyed this round as much as I enjoyed the first. Thank you to the five people who gave me their ideas, and of course to everyone who read and commented! ♥♥♥