Chapter 32

"Invite him for dinner," Sanghyuk's sister proposed. She did not even lift her gaze from her newly painted nails to see her brother's reaction. "It's not because I want to tease you, I just think that it's better to tell him what you really feel rather than saying it through the phone or something else. If he doesn't accept your invitation then tell him the next time that you see him. Alright?" She blew on her fingernails.

Sanghyuk buried his face on the couch's throw pillow, groaning. "It's difficult to face him! Because all that I'm going to think about is how much he likes me and how we probably can't be friends again because he sees me that way!" He lifted his head up a little. "Or! He was only messing with me! Yeah, that could be it!" Sanghyuk got up, abandoning the throw pillow that he had been playing around with ever since he started telling his sister about his problem with Hongbin. "I'm going to ask Sungjae –"

"No," Sanghyuk's sister hissed, her tone threatening. "You are not going to ask Sungjae or any of your friends anything. You will call Hongbin and ask him to come over for dinner. Do it or I will call him myself, Han Sanghyuk."

Sanghyuk frowned and whined, "Why do I have to be in this situation?" He stormed out of the room to look for their house's telephone. When he found it and picked it up, he bit on his bottom lip as he dialed Hongbin's number. For the first time ever, Sanghyuk wished that Hongbin would not answer his phone just so he could escape having to deal with his sister lurking around when Hongbin is over at his house. Unfortunately for him, after several rings, his 'boyfriend' finally answered the phone. Sanghyuk did the honour of speaking first, hoping that his voice would not give away his uneasiness, "Hongbin-hyung!" he greeted as cheerfully as he could.

"Ah... Hyuk-ah..." Hongbin mumbled softly that Sanghyuk immediately regretted calling him in the first place.

Regardless, Sanghyuk kept up with 'usual' tone, "Do you want to come over for dinner, hyung?"

"D-Dinner?" His 'boyfriend' asked. "Why? Why are you asking me for dinner all of a sudden?

"I... don't know... I kinda want to see you," Sanghyuk told him. And when Hongbin took a bit longer to respond, he tried to think over about his words and finally, he realised how stupid he was for choosing the wrong words. He thought then that he might have given Hongbin the wrong idea that he 'misses' him as his 'boyfriend.' Sanghyuk smacked a hand to his face. "Stupid... Stupid... Stupid..." He murmured under his breath.

"Okay... I'll come over. Ravi is out with Leo-hyung tonight and I'm bored. I don't feel like doing my work... You better have something nice to do when I come there or I will just go home!" Hongbin cried. "And I can't stay long, too. My mother will nag at me if I'm out until late."

"Alright. I understand, hyung." Sanghyuk looked up to the ceiling to recall some of the things that he had in his house and when he did remember, he enumerated each to his 'boyfriend,' "I've got some board games, a Nintendo Wii, PS4, Xbox... I also have plenty of movies in here too so I don't think you'll get bored!"

"I see..." Hongbin said and the conversation died out in an instant. It became unbearably quiet for a dragging minute before, he spoke up, "Well, I have to change clothes now so I can come over there. I'll see you later, Hyuk-ah... I... I want to see you too..."

'I knew it,' Sanghyuk thought, mentally hitting himself for not thinking about his words before blurting them out. "I'll see you, hyung! Be careful on your way here!" He ended the call as soon as he finished saying those words. Sanghyuk was already feeling uncomfortable with how his relationship with Hongbin significantly changed because he was too dense to have easily agreed to be his 'girlfriend' like an idiot. He put the phone back to its original place and was about to go back to the living room to tell his sister but she was already in the hallway, still drying her nails.

"I'm going outside. I'll let him in when I see him by the gate~" Sanghyuk's sister told him, walking past him.

"What?" He ran after his sister. "Why? It's cold outside!"

"I'm also waiting for a lost boy seeking answers about someone he misses," She giggled. "Don't worry too much, Hyukkie~ I'll go and fetch my jacket if I feel cold so sit still and wait for Hongbin, okay?" Sanghyuk's sister tiptoed and ruffled his hair.

Sanghyuk sighed. "I might lose Hongbin-hyung because of this..."

"Like I said, don't worry. You're still young and you'll meet more people as you grow older. Also, if you'd like, you can work for the company and I would be more than willing to take you in. I mean, our parents would very much like it if you take over but it's up to you really~" She smiled at him once again, her intentions crystal clear. "You are very talented, smart and handsome too! So choose whichever makes you the happiest because whatever that is, I'm sure you'd be able to achieve it!"

Her brother rolled his eyes. "I'll be in my room. If Hongbin-hyung comes, tell him to go to my room."

"Okay~ See you later~" Sanghyuk's sister waved at him before heading to their front door.

Sanghyuk woke up to the sound of several knocks on his door. He blinked a couple of times and remembered that he invited his 'boyfriend' over. Sanghyuk shook his head at the mere thought of their 'relationship' since never had he ever seen Hongbin in that way. Sure, he thought Hongbin was handsome and also charming, but that was all there is to it – nothing more and nothing less. Sanghyuk took a deep breath and exhaled. 'You just need to tell him how you feel or it would be forever awkward,' he reminded himself as he pulled his bedroom door open.

Hongbin had his head hanging down the moment he heard the door creaking. He wondered why he was nervous when it was just Hyuk – that kid who wears weird glasses and likes to eat gopchang –

"Hi, hyung!" Sanghyuk welcomed him with a smile on his face. Unlike what Hongbin expected him to, Sanghyuk was not wearing those bulky glasses. He bit on his cheek, trying his best not to think of how adorable the former looked without the spectacles.

"Do you want to come in? This is probably the first time that I'm showing you my room, right? I hope you came prepared!" Sanghyuk exclaimed but Hongbin noticed how h