“Should I cut my hair?” Jeonghan lifted the edges of his long hair, letting it fall against his shoulders.

Joshua hummed as he flipped the pages of his book, not even acknowledging Jeonghan.

“Shua,” he snapped. He didn’t like not being paid attention to when he was talking.

Looking up from his book, Joshua turned his head, leaning up on his elbows. “What Jeonghan?”

“I asked you if I should cut my hair? Seohyun said I should.” Jeonghan’s newest girlfriend was a lovely girl, but she didn’t like his current style.

He sighed. “If you want to cut hair your hair do it. Don’t cut just because your girlfriend wants you to.”

“But she doesn’t like it,” he murmured.

Snorting, Joshua went back to his book.

“What?” Jeonghan asked. The fact that they had been friends for nearly four years meant that Jeonghan could hear the words that Joshua didn’t say but wanted too.

“Nothing,” he said. Most likely rolling his eyes, but Jeonghan couldn’t make sure since he was looking at the dried ends of his blond hair.

“Tell me.”

“You have a habit of doing what your girlfriends want you to do,” he paused his reading to turn his judging eyes on Jeonghan. “You let your hair grow for Bora. Dyed it for Jooyeon. Now you want to cut it because Seohyun said it looked bad.” Joshua sat up, swinging his legs to the floor. “Why don’t you, for once in your life do what you want to do for yourself. Not because someone told you to.”

Jeonghan frowned, the cogs in his head moving.

“And before you say you didn’t you should ask everyone else too. They’ll tell you something similar.” He stood up, taking his book into his hand. “Do what you want because you want it. Not because someone asked you to.”

“What’s wrong with trying to please people you love?”

Moving over to his stuff, Joshua grabbed his bag, shaking his head. He swung his bag over his shoulder. “You don’t get it. There’s a limit. But whatever, I’m going home. I’m not going to play soundboard for you anymore.”

“But you’re my best friend,” Jeonghan sputtered.

“And I’m my own person,” Joshua shot back. “It’s out of my own free will to leave and I will. See you at school tomorrow.”

“You dyed your hair again,” Seungkwan asked, pointing to the brown shade on Jeonghan’s head.

“Cut it too,” Seokmin added.

“Yea,” Jeonghan said, brushing his hand through his hair. “I thought I needed a new image.”

Joshua snorted from his position on the grass.

“You have something to say Joshua,” Jeonghan asked through gritted teeth.

“Not at all,” he replied blithely. “You can do what you want. Your hair after all.”

Sometimes Joshua’s little passive aggressive game pissed Jeonghan off. Right now, was one of them. But he wasn’t going to prove Joshua right. Even if he had gotten it cut because of Seohyun. It was just hair. Not like it was something huge.

“Anyway,” Joshua said, “I’ve got class so see you all later.” He backpedaled, “Maybe. I might have something coming up,” he added with a frown.

“Bye hyung.” 

Jeonghan privately fumed. Joshua was never like this to him. What the hell was up?

“Where’s Joshua?” Jeonghan looked around the table, his arm around Seohyun’s waist.

“He’s a big boy,” she said. “He’s probably hanging out with someone else.”

Seungkwan shrugged. “He hasn’t texted or anything.”

“That’s unlike him,” Jeonghan muttered.

“He said something about meeting up with someone,” Seokmin said. “He passed me by earlier and we stopped and talked.”

“See,” she said, “he’s fine. Now let’s see your hair. It’s so much better like this.”

Jeonghan smiled at her. “Sure baby.”

The other two shook their head and started to talk amongst themselves as Jeonghan and his girlfriend made googly eyes at each other.

“Oh my god,” Seungkwan said, slamming his hands down on the table, jarring the love birds.

“What?” Jeonghan held in a wince as Seohyun had pulled on his scalp.

“Look,” he hissed. “Shua hyung at 3 o’clock.”

“With Kim Mingyu,” Seokmin whispered, his hands on his cheeks.

“Really?” Seohyun let go of Jeonghan’s hair and whipped her head around.

Jeonghan turned as well, his jaw dropping. There Joshua was walking next to Kim Mingyu, who was freaking holding his hand. “When did he— “

“When did he get together with Kim Mingyu,” Seungkwan gasped. “And not tell us. That little— “

“He’s your hyung,” Vernon interrupted. “And they’re like not together but sort of are. Or so they said.”

“What do you know,” Seungkwan said, pouncing on Vernon.

“Just that they’re doing stuff,” he said, pushing him back.

“Doing what?” Jeonghan asked, his voice icy cold. Which was odd since Jeonghan was never the jealous type. Joshua could do what he wanted. It was rare for him to get together with people anyhow. He ignored the way his heart thudded in his chest and a strange feeling surge from his stomach as he watched Mingyu lift Joshua’s hand and kiss it.

Vernon shrugged. “What do healthy, young, good-looking dudes do with each other? They’re probably ing or something. No big deal.”

“Yes, a big deal,” Jeonghan said. He growled, “Joshua’s the commitment type. He’ll get his heartbroken.”

Seokmin snorted. “I think Shua hyung knows what he’s doing. Look.”

 They all turned to see Joshua kissing Mingyu on the lips. In broad daylight. And Mingyu’s hand was right on his , groping Joshua’s perky behind.

This had Jeonghan standing up to go like rescue his friend. Right, rescue Shua from public humiliation and having his heart broken.

“Jeonghan,” Seohyun said, “what are you doing?”

“Rescuing my best friend.” He just had his legs out of the bench before he was pulled back down.

“He won’t like that,” Vernon said. “He looks happy enough to me.”

“You’re not his boyfriend,” Seohyun said. There was an underlying message there. Her eyes broadcasting how she didn’t like how he was acting.

“Not like he asked either,” Seungkwan said. “Joshua can hold his own.”

Clearing his throat, Jeonghan nodded, settling into his seat. “You’re right. All of you. He’ll be fine.” So why did it feel like Jeonghan wasn’t going to be fine