Chapter Three: The Aftermath

          Sungjong woke up early in the morning. He was already awake at 5 am. He was all alone on the dining area of their dorm, eating his favourite food bibimbap for breakfast.

          Wondering why he was wide awake at such an early hour?

          Well it is partly because he is avoiding his beloved Kim Myungsoo, but mostly it is because he does not want his six hyungnim to see his swollen eyes and worry about it. For sure four of them namely Sungyeol, Woohyun, Hoya, and Sunggyu would pester him until he tells them why his eyes were all puffed-up. And what would he tell them? That the reason behind his swollen eyes was because the man he treasures the most did not even let him confess his sincere feelings?!

          He sighed as he remembered the events that took place last night. Tears started to fall from his swollen eyes once again along with the pain pouring from his heart.

~Flashback~

Dongwoo came running to the rooftop. He was gasping for breath when he approached Lee Sungjong. Both of his hands were holding the gallons of ice cream Sungjong asked for.

          “J-jamkanman, here, sit here.” Dongwoo said, afraid that Sungjong would cry in front of him, he pulled Sungjong towards a bench and and forced their maknae to sit there.

He caught Sungjong biting his lower lip as he tried hard to suppress his tears from falling in front of his hyung. Dongwoo hurriedly opened a gallon of ice cream, picked up a large spoon, and scooped a big portion of ice cream. He held the spoon in front of the mouth of their maknae, asking him to open his mouth so he could feed him.

          Sungjong on the other hand ignored the ice cream, instead he hugged Dongwoo tightly and cried on his hyung’s chest.

“O-oi, Sungjongie.” Dongwoo protested, both of his hands were up in the air as if he was surrendering.

          S-Sungjong on the other hand continued on hugging his hyung both of his hands were clutching the back of Dongwoo as he shed tears.

“Hyung, *sob* it hurts, it hurts so much.” Dongwoo felt the heartache of Sungjong. His hands slowly embraced Sungjong, comforting him.

“Go on just cry, cry until tears fall no more.” And so Sungjong obliged.

After a couple of minutes, Sungjong finally let go of his kind hyung, both of his hands wiped his now red eyes and apologized to his hyung.

“Sorry h-hyung for disturbing you, i was only thinking of myself. I was being rude, I didn’t even ask if you’re doing something important. Mianhe Hyungnim.” Sungjong said before he stood up, faced Dongwoo, and bowed.

“That’s fine with me. Besides I came here on my own will. You didn’t forced me to buy ten gallons of ice cream either, that’s part of our deal right?”

Sadness and pain ensued on Sungjong’s face once again.

“H-hyung,I, I wasn’t rejected.” Sungjong confessed.

“Mwo?!” Dongwoo asked, baffled by what he heard.

“Myungsoo hyung, he did not even let me confess. He said he does not want to hear it.”  Sungjong’s eyes looked straight at Dongwoo’s eyes as he continued. “Before confessing, I already braced myself of what would happen. I knew that there is a possibility that he would reject me, but what I did not saw coming is that he won’t even listen to my confession. I didn’t know that that would hurt more than being rejected.” Tears started to form on Sungjong’s eyes again. “H-hyung, I hope, I wish that Myungsoo hyung rejected my feelings rather than ignoring it.”

Dongwoo stood up from his seat, and embraced Sungjong. His eyes caught a shoe of a certain someone but decided to pay no heed to it.

~End of flashback~

          “S-sungjong?” The spoon slipped from Sungjong’s left hand and fell on the floor. His heart throbbed rapidly when he heard the man he loves calling out his name. Anxiety took over Sungjong’s heart and mind; still not sure on how he will act in front of Myungsoo after what happened last night.

          Sungjong upon calming his heart hastily stood up from his seat and started walking out of their dining hall, keeping his head down, avoiding any unnecessary eye contact with his beloved hyung, afraid that Myungsoo would see his puffed-up eyes.

         He was about to leave the dining hall completely but Myungsoo grasped his left wrist, not letting him go.

          “H-hyung I-.” His calmed heart started to throbbed rapidly once again, Myungsoo’s gripped on his wrist was making his heart excited even if he does not want to.

          “Sungjong are you avoiding me?” Myungsoo asked.

          “Duh! Of course I would after what happened last night, how could I face and talk to you again.”  Sungjong contemplated, though he kept his thoughts to his mind alone. Instead he said “No,I am not. I just really want to go to bed now.”

          “Then why aren’t you looking in my eyes?” Myungsoo retorted.

          Sungjong, against his will, was forced to turn around and face his hyungnim. He raised his head with his eyes looking straight at Myungsoo’s eyes just like what his hyung requested.

          Myungsoo’s right hand instinctly reached out to caress the contour of Sungjong’s swollen eyes; concerned about the condition of his beloved maknae’s eyes.   

          “Mwo?” Sungjong asked, surprised by the concern being shown by Myungsoo.

          “Sungjong-ah why are your eyes like this? Did you cry yourself to sleep last night?” Myungsoo asked in full throttle, his right hand is still touching Sungjong’s face. Sungjong on the other hand averted Myungsoo’s sharp eyes and did not reply to his question.

          “Mianhe, I forgot it is because me.” Myungsoo apologized upon realizing that he is the one who made his much-loved maknae cry, his hands slowly withdraw from touching Sungjong’s beautiful face.

          Sungjong could not bear the guilt written on Myungsoo’s face. It’s breaking his fragile heart seeing his hyungnim being burdened by him.

          “Ya Myungsoo hyung who said the reason is you?” Sungjong asked with a cute pout on his lips. “I cried myself to sleep last night because Dongwoo hyung did not buy my favourite ice cream, that is why don’t be too cocky.” Sungjong reasoned out pretending to be annoyed by the words that came out from his hyung’s mouth.

          “T-then about last night.”

          “Ah, hyung, about what happened last night, let’s just pretend that nothing happened. I was out of my mind when I tried to give you a chocolate; really Dongwoo hyung’s weirdness is beginning to influence me.” Sungjong suggested, interrupting what Myungsoo’s about to say, thinking it’s the best thing for them.

          “But Sungjong-”

          “Really hyung, it’s better for us to forget about what happened last night.” Sungjong stated before pulling his left wrist out of Myungsoo’s grasp.

          Sungjong quickly walked away, heading towards his and Dongwoo’s room as fast as he could afraid that tears would fall over again, afraid that Myungsoo would see his tears and be guilty about it.

          “Ya Lee Sungjong this is your entire fault! What were you thinking confessing abruptly last night? You did not even consider what Myungsoo hyung would feel about your confession. Now look at what you’ve done, look at how burdened Myungsoo hyung is because of you!” Sungjong mentally scolded himself as he grabbed his white teddy bear buddy and hugged tightly, as soon as he reached his bed inside the room he is sharing with Dongwoo.

0.0.0.0.0

          “Sungjongie sure is kind eh.” Myungsoo turned around to see who it was, Sungyeol appeared on his sight. Apparently Sungyeol is also inside their dining hall, concealing himself from his and Sungjong’s view.

          “What are you talking about?” Myungsoo asked his hyung, baffled by what Sungyeol is saying.

          “After you brutally disregarded his should be confession last night he is still concern about the guilt you’re feeling inside your heart.” Sungyeol answered.

          Confusion is written all over Myungsoo’s delicate face. He is surprised to know that Sungyeol knew what took place on the rooftop last night.

          “I just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and witnessed Sungjong trying to hand you a heart-shaped chocolate. Myungsoo, I heard he himself baked it just for you, so why didn’t you accept it?” Sungyeol asked, direct to the point. His eyes were sharply looking straight at Myungsoo’s eyes.

          Myungsoo opened his mouth to speak but Sungyeol interrupted him.

          “What? You’d tell me that it is troublesome? That you can not accept his chocolate and his heart because he is a guy just like you?” Sungyeol flashed a mocking smirk before he continued. “Come on Myungsoo don’t give me that crap!”

          “I don’t know what you’re trying to say Sungyeol but the reason why I didn’t accept his chocolate and his feelings does not concern you anymore.” Myungsoo answered, his face was not showing any emotion.

          He started to walk away but Sungyeol stopped him.

          “Fine, you can be a jerk and give me that crap. But what I can not comprehend with is the fact that you did not even let him confess to you! Ya Kim Myungsoo, do you know how much it’s hurting Sungjong! Do you know that it would’ve been a lot easier and less painful for Sungjong if you just listened to his confession and rejected him?!” Sungyeol shouted at him, ignoring the fact that someone might wake up.

          “I told you hyung, it is none of your business.” Myungsoo said as he continued to walk away.

          “Your calm, collected attitude and your poker face really piss me off! Do you know how much pain Sungjong’s heart is feeling huh? Kim Myungsoo-ah I’m not telling you to accept Sungjong’s feeling, what I’m asking you to do is to at least hear him out!” Sungyeol continued shouting, venting his annoyance and irritancy he is feeling towards Myungsoo.

           “Heartless, demon, pabo, , stupid, merciless, cruel, mean, cold-hearted, selfish...” Sungyeol said, trying to describe who Myungsoo is for what he’d done to Sungjong.

          “D-don’t just say whatever you like!” Sungyeol stopped calling Myungsoo names, for he was taken a back by Myungsoo’s  sudden out burst of emotion. “Ya hyung don’t you think it’s hard for me too?! I-if I let Sungjong confess his feelings, if, if I my hands were to touch the chocolate he baked for me then, I wouldn’t have had the confidence to reject his feelings!” Myungsoo reasoned out, frustration was visible on his handsome face.

          “C-could it be, Myungsoo-ah do you feel the same way Sungjong is feeling?” Myungsoo looked away and did not answer Sungyeol.

          “If that’s the case I don’t see any reason to reject him then why-.”

          “H-hyung, I can’t, if the fans were to find out our would-be relationship they would just be disgusted at us, our group’s popularity would go down and worse fangirls might make fun of Sungjong and bully him. If that were to happen to him, then I’d rather not hear his feelings. Besides, besides-.”

          “What’s with that half-assed reason? You said you’re trying to protect him from being hurt but Myungsoo why can’t you see that it is you who is hurting him the most ah?!” Sungyeol scolded him.

          “Myungsoo you are indeed a hypocrite.” Sungyeol added before leaving Myungsoo alone on the dining hall.

                   Kim Myungsoo on the other hand sighed and remained at the dining hall, contemplating to the words Sungyeol said to him.

          “Mianhe hyung, but I can’t, I just can not love Sungjong even if I already do.”  Myungsoo sadly whispered as a single tear run from his left eye.

~.~

A/N: There you have it chapter three is done yippee! Sorry for making Sungjong cry and Myungsoo a little bit stupid. Anyhoo I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter and please feel free to drop a comment. Thank you!