❤❤

"You're in love."

Jeonghan leans sideways, enough for Jihoon to hear. The younger stiffens, his body rigid and the eating grin that is subconsciously plastered on his face freezes, turning it into an awkward twist like he has a bad stomach ache.

Jeonghan harshly elbows Jihoon, earning a soft ouch from him.

"What are you talking about?" Jihoon whispers nonchalantly, but his eyes wander around them. Checking if somebody is eavesdropping or at least heard Jeonghan and his unstoppable mouth. The other occupants of the room are still busy hollering and cheering for the two men arm wrestling in the middle of the room.

Jeonghan's eyebrows shot up. He shakes his head in pity.

"You're too obvious."

Jihoon clicks his tongue. Why is he being subjected to this? He didn’t sign up for this.

"You're mistaken, Hyung." Jihoon says in defiance.

Jeonghan turns to Jihoon. Jeonghan stands there, with his arms crossed against his chest and that bored look gracing his beautiful face. He looks at the younger man from his shoes to the top of his head then back at Jihoon’s face.

The way Jihoon's shoulders squared, his left eyebrow lifted showing the uneasiness he definitely feels now and his mouth pouted. Definitely lying.

"Should I let him win?"

Their leader's voice echoes, his hand clasped with Soonyoung's as the latter looked like he is about to die, they are having an intense arm wrestling, or at least to Soonyoung. The older man looks like someone who is not bothered by Soonyoung’s attempt at bringing his arm down.

The other men are gathered around the two playing. They are either cheering for Soonyoung or laughing their hearts out at the scene playing in front of them.

"Should I let him win? He's working so hard for it." Seungcheol laughs, his eyes twinkle and his dimpled cheek pinkish like he is glowing.

It has been a while since he last saw Seungcheol this genuinely happy and playful. Their leader had a hiatus because of anxiety and everybody was relieved when their leader came back healthier and full of life.

Jihoon unconsciously smiles as he watches.

"You cannot hide it from me, Hoonie. If he can't see it. I definitely can." Jeonghan says, his demeanor more imposing now.

Jihoon knows that Jeonghan is just teasing him but damn, is he too obvious?

"No, I am not."

Jeonghan just nods, getting in Jihoon’s nerves more. Jihoon rolls his eyes but thinks about it.

He is in love?

Wow.

Just, wow.

How can he be in love with Choi Seungcheol?

How can he be in love with Seungcheol’s jet black hair that frames his God sculpted face with thick eyebrows and big brown doe eyes, his high nose, the dimpled cheeks and red pouting lips? His blinding smile that came straight from the depths of heaven, his laughter that caused the flowers to bloom, how?

How can he be in love with this tall man with thick arms that Jihoon is sure can crush him to pieces or maybe carry him around if he is too lazy to walk and those thighs, please don't make him start to think about those.

How can he be in love with Choi Seungcheol, a loving and humble person with a heart of gold?

"I am not in love."

Jihoon lazily slumps on the floor, watching the men still going at it. Seungcheol is still teasing, unbothered by a trying hard Soonyoung on the other side of the makeshift arm wrestling stage.

"Oh, please, he is heaven and earth for you. Don't try to hide it." Jeonghan sits beside him.

"No man is deserving of being compared to my heaven and earth." Jihoon's eyebrows meet.

"Even if he is Choi Seungcheol?"

"Even if he is..."

Seungcheol chances a glance at their direction, catching Jihoon's eyes. Jihoon’s heart beat climbs a knot higher just by meeting Seungcheol’s eyes. The older grins and Jihoon smiles back all mirth and blushing.

"What are you saying again?" Jeonghan presses his lips together, forming a thin line. He tries to hide the knowing smile but Jihoon catches it anyway. Jihoon groans and buries his face in the palms of his hands.

"It's okay. You're in love. Why do you keep on denying it?"

Jeonghan softly caresses Jihoon's head like the younger is a child crying because he was denied of chocolates.

"I think it is just too cliché. Besides, I am really bad at relationship, you know that." Jihoon sighs, remembering all his past relationships.

His first relationship was with a girl, a noona or an older girl he really liked back when he was in Busan. They hit it off alright but after a while they both realized that what they felt for each other was just sibling love and called it quits. Soon after that, Jihoon realized that he is gay.

His second relationship was with a sunbae he met while in training. He was a sunbae that Jihoon looks up to and aspires to be. Jihoon found out that his attraction to the man was just plain fan to idol love and end it right after their third date.

His last relationship was with a fellow trainee who didn't get to debut with them because he left pursuing what he really wanted which is to be an actor. The other boy loved him and Jihoon loved him too. Or so they thought. Because all they had was just a friendly love, the love you feel for your friend, mistaken as a romantic one.

To say that Jihoon cannot distinguished if what he is feeling is a platonic love or a romantic love is an understatement. His relationship started by saying those three words just to punch him straight on his face that he mistakenly used those words.

“I thought my heart learned its lesson. All of my relationships started good but ended up bad. I am just too tired to cry my heart out every time.”

"But this one is different, right? What you are feeling for Seungcheol is different from the others, right?" Jeonghan bites his lower lip. Jihoon stares at him, weighing every word Jeonghan says.

"Maybe? I don't know? I get the same butterflies I felt from my first relationship whenever I see him. He is really passionate when it comes to his work and I really admire him for that and he has been a really good friend of mine for 10 years now." Jihoon blabbers, earning a soft chuckle from the man beside him.

"Well, you got it bad. I am telling you, Hoonie. You. Are. In. Love." Jeonghan says like he is sure more than Jihoon.

Jihoon doesn’t know what to say. He admits, he has a crush on Seungcheol but who doesn’t? He is Choi Seungcheol for Pete’s sake! Everybody has a crush on him. But, love?

“You can deny it to yourself every time but we are not buying. We saw you hit the ceiling. Everybody knows you’re in love.” Jeonghan snaps, his stare probing Jihoon and the younger knows that he is at the losing end of this talk.

“Okay, I’m in love.” Jihoon whispers to himself. Jeonghan needed to move a few inches near Jihoon just to hear it properly. Jihoon hears Jeonghan squeal beside him.

Jihoon is sure that his face is as red as am over ripe tomato. He exhales through his mouth and fans his face with both his hands. His cheeks are burning and he is sure that the tip of his ears are also red.

The arm wrestling finishes and Soonyoung wins. Just because Seungcheol has a heart of gold.

“Why don’t you tell him?” Before Jihoon can stop him, Jeonghan waves at Seungcheol. The oldest runs towards their direction and Jihoon wishes the ground to swallow him whole, right there, at that very moment.

“Cheol, Jihoon will tell you something.” Jeonghan winks at Jihoon, the younger’s eyes almost bulge out of his head. Jeonghan excuses himself and joins the other members.

“What’s that, Ji?” Seungcheol asks, all silky and smooth. Jihoon’s knees buckle, thank goodness he was able to stand still.

“Uh. Yeah. Um.” Jihoon can’t find the right words, he is tongue tied during this one scene he daydreamed enough every day that he thought if this happens in real life he will know what to do. He guesses not, because it is happening now and yet he doesn’t know what to say and do.

Jihoon catches Jeonghan at the corner of his eyes. Mouthing something.

“Bu-burger?” Jihoon lip reads Jeonghan. Seungcheol laughs and Jihoon stares at him, his beautiful doe eyes looking at him.

“Do you want burger?” Seungcheol asks, still smiling that smile of his that melts Jihoon.

Jihoon nods slowly. Seungcheol ruffles Jihoon’s hair and grins at him.

“Okay, let’s have burger. After this?” Seungcheol asks, there is a scared nervousness in the way he tilts his head. Like he is afraid that Jihoon will say no.

“Okay.” Jihoon mumbles. Seungcheol breathes out like he was holding his breath.

“It’s a date then.” A dust of pink coloring Seungcheol’s cheeks.

 

❤❤

“So, you’re telling me. Seungcheol likes-“

“correction! loves” Seungcheol interrupts Jihoon mid-sentence. The younger rolls his eyes though his heart is beating in pure happiness.

“I stand corrected, Seungcheol loves me and doesn’t realize it that’s why you, Jeonghan hyung, made it your mission to get us admit our feelings for each other?” Jihoon can’t still believe his ears though it came straight from him.

“The two of you are dancing around each other for 10 years now and it was hard to watch for every one! That’s why I took the initiative to tell both of you that you love each other. The two of you were a piece of work, especially you Jihoon.” Jeonghan frowns.

“Until the last minute you can’t tell Seungcheol that you love him.” Jeonghan laughs good naturedly. Jihoon’s cheeks burn in embarrassment.

Seungcheol who is beside him cages him in a hug and whispers.

“I love you, Lee Jihoon.”

Jeonghan hears it and lifts a brow, waiting for Jihoon’s response, goading him.

Jihoon steals a kiss on Seungcheol’s cheek. The older laughing but his eyes are shining with too much love.

“See. You cannot say it.” Jeonghan coos. Jihoon pouts, still embarrassed at the sudden public display of affection coming from him.

“At least out loud, I won’t say I’m in love.”