Title: I want to protect you

Relationship:

Genre: Romance

Idol pair: HoPyo (Inho and Inpyo of Boys24)

Character setting: College students

Story and character description: Hwang Inho and Lee Inpyo are friends since young. Even they’re two years apart but they closed, like really close. Inho depended on Inpyo so much even though he’s the elder one. Not that Inpyo would complaint, because he loves that.

“Inpyo!” Inho skipped quickly as he saw Inpyo waited him at the usual place if his class ended late. Both of them took the same major but Inpyo was a year below him (the younger skipped a year in middle school thanks to his brilliant brain) so some of their classes aren’t the same. Inpyo smiled as he saw Inho.

“Inho hyung.” Inho slipped his arm around Inpyo’s with a big smile. “You looked happy?” Inho beamed.

“I got a great compliment for my presentation.” Inpyo smiled and ruffled Inho’s hair.

“Well, you’re a great talker.” Inho chuckled.

“I can’t deny that. How’s your day? You didn’t wait for long right?” Inpyo shook his head.

“I have discussion and just waited you about 5 minutes I guess. Nothing much fun for today class, but I heard news tho.” Inho raised his brow. “Remember Jihyeong?” Inho nodded. He remembered Jihyeong, one of Inpyo’s classmates back in high school. “He finally settled with Jinseob after such a huge drama.” Inho wrinkled for a while before gasping.

“Oh? Is this Jinseob the smartass first year back in high school? The one who also skipped a year like you?” Inpyo nodded. “The same Jinseob Jihyeong had been crushed on right?” Inpyo nodded again. “Wow, how that happened? I remember Jinseob rejected Jihyeong back in the school and dated one of our alumni…who is it again?”

“Doha sunbaenim.” Inho nodded eagerly. Inpyo smiled and pinched Inho’s cheek. Inho whined. “Sorry, you are just too cute hyung.” Inho pouted.

“I’m not cute!” Inpyo just chuckled.

“Anyway, Jihyeong told me it had been a while since Jinseob broke up with Doha sunbaenim, I heard it because that senior fell for someone else, and I don’t know the details about that. So, Jihyeong had been trying to win Jinseob’s heart and the younger finally accepted Jihyeong a week ago. Jihyeong told me Jinseob is moving in with him.” Inho smiled.

“Aww, that’s sweet. I hope Jinseob really have feelings for Jihyeong, not just some kind of escape from Doha sunbae.” Inho said and Inpyo nodded in the same hope. They walked to the parking lot and Inpyo unlocked a grey sporty car. Inho ran to open the door and got inside beside the driver’s seat. Inpyo just shook his head and got in at the driver side. “Inpyo, can you stop at the mart? We should stock grocery at home.” Inho said as Inpyo started the engine.

“Okay. We should.” Inho smiled. Inpyo drove away leaving the college’s ground. Inho was typing a message as he giggled after a reply. Inpyo glanced and realized Inho had been on the phone ever since he started driving. “What’s up?”

“Oh. It’s just Sungho.” Inpyo unconsciously gripped the steering wheel tighter. He didn’t really like that guy, one of Inho’s coursemates who obviously had some interest in Inho. He didn’t know the exact reason, but for him Sungho looked like a bad boy and he wanted to protect Inho from getting hurt. “…Inpyo? Are you listening?” Inpyo startled.

“Huh? Sorry, I’m focusing on the road just now. Tell me again.” Inho huffed but still repeated his words.

“Sungho asked me out.” Inpyo widened his eyes and abruptly went to the side, stopping at the road side. Inho wrinkled and turned to Inpyo. “Inpyo?”

“Say it again.” Inho stared at Inpyo, confused.

“Sungho asked me out.”

“Date?” Inho shied away.

“I guess so.”

“When?”

“He asked me after the class ends just now, before I went to you-”

“When?”

“Wh- when? Oh, um. This weekend.” Inho turned to Inpyo. He was confused with Inpyo’s behaviour at the moment. “Why you asked so much?” Inpyo startled.

“I- ugh. Um, look hyung. I noticed Sungho hyung has interest in you the first time I saw him. But I don’t really like him. He…he looks like a bad boy. No, I’m having a vibe he is indeed a bad boy. So, I-”

“He’s just nice to me. If you’re saying about his appearance, yeah he looked rough and cold but no, he’s just a sweet caring one. He’s softer than his looks, believe me.” Inho explained. Most of people misunderstood Sungho from his appearance, but Inho knew better after knowing Sungho for some time already. Inpyo’s sigh made Inho stared at the younger.

“No. If you’re asking me, I can’t let you go for a date with him. I don’t want you to hurt by falling more for him.” Inho blinked.

“Ah, wait. I didn’t say I like him already.” Inho said. Inpyo looked at Inho.

“But you’re agreeing to a date with him.” Inpyo said lowly and looked away, sad. Inho frowned.

“It- em, I just do it out of courtesy.” Inpyo was jaw-dropped.

“What? Why?”

“I don’t know.” Inho looked away. “Just because.”

“Don’t go then, cancel that. You’re going to give him hope. You don’t even like him. Don’t do something stupid. I won’t let you.” Inpyo said, his hands were ready to drive again. Inho’s face reddened a bit.

“Inpyo.” Inho called slowly. Inpyo just hummed with eyes on the road. “Do you like me?” Inpyo startled and accidentally hit the brake. They’re lucky that the road was empty, there’s no car behind or in front.