Featuring Minhyuk & Eunkwang (BtoB)
Genre: slight angst + fluff
Title: Then Don't Be

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It was sunny day out at Hongdae and Minhyuk had gone to pick up his college girlfriend from school for some coffee at the closest café. She came out all smile-y and sunshine-y as she looped her arm around his.

“Oh, Eunkwang oppa, you’re here too?”

A blondie stepped out from behind Minhyuk and smiled brightly. “Hello, Hyunjoo! Yeah, the other boys are all out and Minhyuk here said I could come, if I didn’t mind being a third wheel,” he joked.

Hyunjoo’s face brightened a bit more, but she kept a modest smile on: it always managed to fool other people. She didn’t want to fool her boyfriend, but there were certain things she has unsettled within her that has to be kept to herself.

“You ready, Joojoo?” teased Minhyuk and pinched his girlfriend’s cheek gently. She nodded.

Later at the café, there was no trouble on awkward third-wheel-problems for this blonde head because if Minhyuk weren’t talking, Eunkwang would immediately take the stage. The boys would tease and make fun of each other and the other members and had Hyunjoo clutching her sides laughing. Suddenly, Minhyuk’s phone rang and Hyunjoo heard it.

“Minhyuk oppa, is that your phone?”

Minhyuk reached in and took it out. “Oh shoot. I forgot to tell my dad I’d take you home!”

“Jeez, what sort of a boyfriend are you?” teased Eunkwang with mock head-shaking.

“At least I am one,” countered Minhyuk and a smirk. “Burn!”

Eunkwang pouted and Hyunjoo reached out to poke his cheek. Good thing she caught herself before she touched him and mentally face-palmed herself.

What am I doing? Eunkwang oppa is cute but OMG I have my own boyfriend! What’s wrong with me?

“Joojoo baby, I really have to go,” said Minhyuk and turned to his girlfriend. “Could you go home on your own?”

“Of course, oppa,” Hyunjoo said and smiled. “I’m not a baby.”

“You’re my baby,” said Minhyuk. He leaned in to kiss her forehead and smiled gently. “Take care, okay? I love you.”

“I love you too, oppa,” said Hyunjoo and watched him leave. Then she turned back and sighed. Eunkwang leaned forward and stared at her.

“Want me to take you home, then?” he asked, oblivious.

Hyunjoo blinked. “You’d do that?”

Eunkwang sat back and shrugged. “Yeah, sure. Minhyuk’s like my brother, and you my sister. I don’t mind doing him favors, especially when it comes to you. And besides, the other boys won’t be coming home till later tonight.”

“Oh. Okay.”

While walking, Hyunjoo was as quiet as a mouse, so Eunkwang took on the role of starting the conversation.

“I’ve always known what a ‘fluffy’ person Minhyuk is,” he began, “but I’ve never seen as much display of affection on the other girls he’s dated a long time before, as he did on you.”

Hyunjoo nodded without looking up. She knew somewhere inside her that if she did and found herself looking into Eunkwang’s face, she’d do something wrong.

“You sure are lucky to have a guy like him, and he’s lucky to have you too. You know what differentiates you from the others?”

Hyunjoo shook her head.

“There are two reasons. One: Minhyuk sees himself being with you for a very long time. And two: he’s sure that he is your only one, as you are his.”

Hyunjoo stopped all of a sudden, allowing Eunkwang to walk a few paces ahead of her. He turned and stuck his hands in his pockets and wore an inquisitive expression.

“Hm? Joojoo? Are you okay?” he asked.

“Don’t call me that.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t think only Minhyuk could call you that,” he joked and walked closer to the girl.

“Stay back!” Hyunjoo accidentally raised her voice. Eunkwang was taken aback.

“Woah, girl. What’s wrong?” he asked, really concerned now.

Hyunjoo paused and thought over her next few words. “I’m sorry, Seo Eunkwang, but I’d like to walk home alone now. And from now on, please refrain from seeing me. Avoid any circumstance in which I might see you. I shouldn’t have let you take me home in the first place. Good night.”

With that, Hyunjoo briskly walked past Eunkwang. He grabbed her wrist, but she shook him off as if he’s electric. Eunkwang was confused.

What’s gotten into that girl, now?

That night, Hyunjoo couldn’t sleep at all. She had put her phone on silent mode and missed Minhyuk’s 21 texts and 5 calls. She was being cruel to her boyfriend for ignoring him like that, but as long as she didn’t solve within herself what she really wanted, she could be compared to a heartless jerk.

Hyunjoo rolled on her stomach and hugged her pillow tightly. Tears started accumulating in her eyes and rolled off her face onto the sheets. It’s difficult to have mind wars with yourself, after all.

Minhyuk is your boyfriend.

I am very much aware.

What’s this drama over Eunkwang, then?

I don’t know! But whenever he’s around, I feel happy. Not happier than when I’m with Minhyuk oppa, probably, but—

Are you sure?

I… I don’t know anymore! I love Lee Minhyuk, but I’m almost sure I’m infatuated with Seo Eunkwang. They are both precious, but there’s something different about Eunkwang that…

That…?

If I retain these feelings for Eunkwang oppa, I wouldn’t be an honest and good girlfriend to Minhyuk oppa. If I break up with Minhyuk oppa, it’s worse than killing him and I’d have no one at all, considering the fact that Eunkwang oppa only sees me as his little sister. But If I stay…

Stay, Kang Hyunjoo. You loved Minhyuk first and once you stop seeing Eunkwang you’ll be able to see clearly. You love Minhyuk.

All the same… It will take a while to forget Seo Eunkwang. His bright eyes, his dazzling smile, his dorky-ness…

Start by not thinking of those things, girl.

The next day, Hyunjoo prepared breakfast and packed some for Minhyuk. She went to their place since she knew that he slept there last night instead of their dorm. She took care of hiding the bags under her eyes with BB cream before going.

It was 8 AM in the morning and Minhyuk’s father opened the door.

“Oh, Hyunjoo!”

“Good morning, Mr. Lee,” said Hyunjoo and bowed low. “I prepared some breakfast for Minhyuk this morning, because I heard he stayed up late last night. I prepared enough for all of you.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you,” smiled Mr. Lee. “Good thing Mrs. Lee hasn’t cooked yet.”

He let Hyunjoo in and she helped Minhyuk’s mother to set the table. Then she requested to bring up some for Minhyuk, and they let her.

Minhyuk’s room was the first door to the left of the stairs, and Hyunjoo knocked thrice before coming in.

Minhyuk is a neat freak, and one could easily see that in his organized bedroom. The only messy part of the room is his bed, which were a bundle of sheets and a mop of brown hair. Hyunjoo smiled softly and put the tray down. Then she quietly went to his bed and lay down next to him. She pulled the comforter over both of them and gazed at Minhyuk’s peaceful sleeping face. She felt her love for hi swell up.

She let her fingers brush away the hair out of his face and trailed her fingers lightly down his nose then over his soft pink lips. It must have tickled him because he scrunched his nose up and he opened his eyes slowly.

Hyunjoo giggled. “Good morning, baby.”

Minhyuk rubbed his eyes and they focused on Hyunjoo. “Hyunjoo! What are you doing on my bed? When did you get here?”

Hyunjoo pouted. “Should I get up then?” She started to get up, but Minhyuk wrapped an arm around her waist and stopped her.

“No, of course not,” he cooed. “But you confused me, Joojoo. Why didn’t you answer my calls or messages?”

Hyunjoo’s face fell and she avoided his eyes. She debated on whether to make up a story or not.

Don’t lie to this angel, Kang Hyunjoo.

Hyunjoo, still avoiding her boyfriend’s eyes, spoke softly that Minhyuk had to scoot closer to listen. “I was having a debate with myself last night. And I’m such a jerk to you, oppa.”

Tears started running down from her eyes and dropped on Minhyuk’s sheets. Minhyuk was taken aback and wiped the tears away with his thumb. “Don’t cry, baby. What’s wrong?”

“If… If I t-tell you, you might be angry with me…” sobbed Hyunjoo. She wanted to curl up against his chest but she was at fault here.

Minhyuk did her the favor and hugged her tightly. “Have you tried?” he whispered.

So in between hiccups and sobs, she told him of her forbidden love for his best friend, Seo Eunkwang. She told of how it came to be, and how she was intending to stop it, and how sorry she was, and how confused she was all the while.

“I’ll understand if you hate me, and if you break up with me. But I love you so much and I don’t know what to do,” finished Hyunjoo. But her tears won’t stop.

Minhyuk remained quiet for the longest time and Hyunjoo was growing afraid of his coming reaction. Then he spoke.

“I won’t hate you, and neither will I leave you,” he whispered. “I’m thanking you for being honest with me. You showed me that even if there are other people around you that you can possibly like more than me, you still chose me because you really do love me.”

Hyunjoo was stunned. “I-I thought you’d loathe me. Even having those feelings for Eunkwang oppa is wrong. Why are you…?”

“My arms never slacked in hugging you while you told your story, did I? Same as that, I’ll never let you go for some mistake you didn’t mean.”

Minhyuk put a finger under her chin and lifted it for him to see her eyes and for her to see his.

“Your decision in telling me all this only proved that you loved me as much I love you. So stop worrying, because I intend to live and love you for a very long while.”

Hyunjoo was overwhelmed by his reaction that she didn’t expect. And he caught her in surprise all the more when he kissed her lips gently and hugged her closer.

“Eunkwang would be rather down, though,” said Minhyuk when he broke off. “He was very amused with you.”

“I’ll tell him,” said Hyunjoo cautiously. “It was rather rude of me to leave him behind when he volunteered to walk me home the other night. Could you…come with me?”

“Sure thing, baby,” he said and nuzzled her nose with his.

They stayed still for a while, enjoying being in each other’s arms. Hyunjoo felt relieved that her boyfriend didn’t hate her and wrapped her own arms around his waist. Then she remembered something.

“He was right in one thing, you know,” she said. “Eunkwang oppa was very right.”

Minhyuk looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Hyunjoo giggled softly.

“He was right when he said I am very lucky to have a guy like you. I love you, Lee Minhyuk.”

“I love you too, baby Joojoo.”

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A/N: Another fluffly attempt, but angst always gets in the way, lol. And this is my first BTOB story, yey! :)) Eunkwang is my bias but Minhyuk seemed to fit better in the story. And if you research the lyrcs of this song, it's actually very sad.