28

Hyunseung has always thought he wasn’t someone easy to read or surprise. Not because he had an exquisite taste —it was rather the opposite, actually— but because he knew how to mask his emotions. It came in handy at times, especially when his grandparents’ friends tried to earn their favour by bringing him expensive gifts from countries which names he can’t pronounce properly. It was funny to see their faces fall when he said a plain thanks without a smile on his face. It also comes in handy when he receives an unexpected call from Doojoon in the middle of the class and he has to ask him teacher permission to go to the restroom. It was already unexpected for him to feel his pocked vibrating in the middle of the class since the only people who would call him knew where he was, and it was even more surprising that it was his Doojoon hyung. Without thinking twice Hyunseung raised his hand and excused himself to the restroom.

"Hyung?"

Now, Hyunseung would usually singsong his greeting; but he sensed something was off. For one thing, he was at school —currently, at Korean History class, which was his worst subject— and Doojoon knew it. It wasn't like Doojoon hyung to suddenly call him while he was at school. For another, Doojoon hadn't been himself lately. He often stared into space and zoned off constantly. If it were a dreamy look Hyunseung would think his hyung was in love. But Doojoon's look wasn't dreamy. If anything he looked tired, stressed and even worried. And as much as Hyunseung worried about him, Doojoon would always pretend he was fine.

There was silence at the other end of the call and Hyunseung wondered if perhaps Doojoon had left his phone unlocked inside his pocket and his number got accidentally dialled.

"Erm... is this... Seungie?" a man with soft voice, a bit nervous, with careful vocalization and that definitely wasn't Doojoon said.

Hyunseung checked his phone's screen again, and frowned when he confirmed that it was indeed Doojoon's phone number.

"Who are you?" He asked with curiosity in his voice. Did Doojoon Hyung drop his phone?

"Erm... this is.... hold on" there was a bit of rustling at the other end before the other "Y-yoon Doojoon-shi's phone"

"I know that. I asked who you are"

“Oh, right, sorry… erm… Seung-shi, my name is Yixing”

Hyunseung waited for the other male to continue speaking and tell him why he was calling him, but when Yixing didn’t, he decided to ask.

“Erm, ok. So, Yixing-shi, may I know why you have my Hyung’s phone?

"Oh, yeah, that. You see... right now, Doojoon shi isn't in the best condition to drive. Or take a cab. Or walk at all for that matter"

"What do you mean?" Hyunseung was a tad confused. He was about to get worried, but the man at the other line sounded quite calm, so as far as he knew, nothing serious had happened to his hyung.

"He's passed out" And then everything made sense. Just that it totally didn’t.

Yixing told Hyunseung that Doojoon had lunch with a businessman, but the other man left rather quickly. Doojoon, though, had stayed, and Yixing, as the waiter, went to check up on him half hour later just to find said man sipping on the last drops of wine. When Yixing asked if he needed anything else, Doojoon passed out on the table. Yixing fished for Doojoon's phone and called the first contact number —Gina’s— but it was send right to voicemail. That’s when he called Hyunseung, Doojoon’s second contact.

After listening to Yixing’s explanation, Hyunseung told the other he would go pick Doojoon up. However, before he was able to ask which restaurant was it, the line went death. Why, he didn’t know, but he guessed the battery had died out —his calls were redirected to voicemail.

Now, there were two clear and unavoidable facts: 1) Doojoon hyung was drunk and passed out at some restaurant he didn’t know where it was located, and 2) he was still at school, which represented a huge problem to solve the first one.

Why Doojoon Hyung was drunk was something he'll care about later. What he needed at the moment was an excuse to leave school earlier. Being the smooth liar he was —except when he had to lie to Doojoon— Hyunseung knew that his teacher would easily believe whatever he said, but he still needed an alibi and someone to confirm it. And he knew who was going to do the dirty job.

"Aren't you supposed to be at class?" was the first thing Junhyung said once he answered his phone. His voice was hoarse and Hyunseung could easily tell he had just woken up.

"Aren't you supposed to be working?"

Responsible adults aren’t supposed to be sleeping at midday. Junhyung obviously wasn’t one.

"I was until you called" Junhyung replied, and Hyunseung could almost listen to the older yawning.

“Your pillow must hold many stories, then” He knew very well that the older was sleeping the hours he didn’t when Hyunseung had stuck to him. In his defence, Hyunseung had read that extra hours of sleep produces headache and deepens the eye-bags. He had just been trying to help Junhyung look his age and not twenty years older than what he was.

“You’re going to fail Korean history if you keep skipping”

“You’re going to miss the deadline if you keep lacking of”

“What are you? My wife?”

Thinking about it, Hyunseung might as well be it. He cooks for Junhyung, after all. Wives are supposed to prepare the food for their husbands, right? Then again, so does mother to their children. And Mothers to indigents, for charity.

Junhyung was not his husbands. Neither was he an indigent. And he definitely wasn’t Hyunseung’s child. So, why Hyunseung cooks for him was a wonder.  

He didn’t reply right away, but the words came out naturally, almost automatic.  

“As if, ert”

“Is this what you called for? To insult me?” Junhyung said with mocking hurt and Hyunseung had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Not the older would see him, anyway. He just tried to keep his unaffected façade. Something he’d been unable to keep since Junhyung appeared in his life.

“No, I also need you to help me”

“I’m sorry, I’m busy. Don’t wanna miss my deadline”

He should have seen it coming. Junhyung would never give in into Hyunseung’s wishes without making him beg for it. Well, Jang Hyunseung never really begged. It wasn’t in his nature to. If he could get something, he would. If he couldn’t, then he wouldn’t. He was never really bothered when he wouldn’t get something, not to the point to beg, that is. But Junhyung always managed to make him do thing he wouldn’t do with anyone else.

“Hyung is passed out at some restaurant” Hyunseung quickly said and continued explaining, ignoring Junhyung’s interruptions of ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘when’ “A waiter called me from Hyung’s phone and said Hyung passed out after drinking a whole bottle of red wine” There was no time to sugar coat things. He needed Junhyung to get him out of there and being direct was the only way to do it.

“Could have told me earlier, don’t you think?” Junhyung’s response was immediate “Where is he? I’ll pick him up”

Now, that was a rather good offer. It would obviously be hard to invent any kind of excuse to get Hyunseung out of school; but Hyunseung just didn’t want Junhyung to pick his Hyung. Don’t ever ask why. Hyunseung himself wasn’t sure.

“Ani, I’ll pick him up” He said quickly “I just need you to call the school and invent some excuse”

“And have Doojoon kill me when he finds out? Not gonna happen, kid. Tell me the name of the restaurant”

“And do as you say? Not gonna happen, gramps.” He didn’t add that he didn’t know the restaurant. It was a little detail Junhyung didn’t need to know.

“Why you—? Look, here, Hyunseung. This is no game”

“And I’m not playing. Call the school and get me out of here. I’ll tell you where Hyung is after that. If not, I’ll find my way out for which I’ll probably get detention and Hyung will definitely kill you when he finds out you ruined my perfect image at school”

Hyunseung threatened, but he, more than anyone, knew perfectly how an empty threat it was.

Perfect image? As if he had one. For one thing, his image had been ruined the day he was found out sleeping on the rooftop. He was asked why and he answered that he just felt like it. He had expected detention, but he got none —the perks of being top student, and maybe of being the grandchild of the school’s major donor. For another thing, Doojoon would probably praise him if he ruined his saint image. Like, seriously. Once, school called and informed Doojoon of Hyunseung skipping first period —it was the fifth time, if he remembers well— and, instead of scolding him like a responsible adult should do, Doojoon praised him. Hyunseung learned then that his beloved uncle had always somehow been bothered by his goody-two-shoes attitude. Honestly speaking, he didn’t know why, but he wasn’t going to complain.

“Fine!”

That was something he liked about Junhyung. Hyunseung could use the most stupid and idiotic reasons to blackmail Junhyung, and the older would gave in to him. However, he hated that he had to use Doojoon’s name for the threat to make effect. Sometimes he seriously wondered if Junhyung felt something more than friendship for Doojoon.

After finishing the call with Junhyung, Hyunseung went to his classroom and waited for Junhyung to do his part. However, when more than five minutes had passed and no teacher had come to call him, he started to worry. Honestly speaking, if he were Junhyung, he would have ignore the request and go find Doojoon himself. After all, there were just few restaurants with private rooms that Doojoon preferred to go for business meetings. It wouldn’t be that hard. And if he did it? If Junhyung went looking for Doojoon without him? What would he do?

“Mr. Jang” suddenly the teacher called him, causing Hyunseung to snap out his thoughts. He turned to the teacher and noticed there was someone by the door. “Gather your things. You’re dismissed for today”

Hyunseung wanted to tell the teacher it wasn’t the army but he didn’t have time to waste with her. Masking his excitement perfectly, Hyunseung asked why —because who wouldn’t want to know— but she just said he would be informed at the teacher’s room. Without wasting time,  he threw his belongings —the history book he used as pillow and the notebook he used to cover his face— unceremoniously inside his backpack, zipped it up and hung it on his shoulder before making his way to the door.

While making his way to teacher’s room, Hyunseung started wondering what the reason Junhyung invented was. It must be something good; otherwise teachers wouldn’t have accepted it. Or maybe his teachers didn’t really care. Whatever it was, Junhyung did as he said he would. And there Hyunseung had been worried he wouldn’t. Maybe he should compensate the older.

Whatever thought about compensating Junhyung flew out of his mind the moment he opened the door of teachers’ room. He had been expecting to see Ms. Go, but what he found were Ms. Park and Junhyung happily chitchatting.

Ms. Park was his literature teacher and Hyunseung’s classmates’ favourite teacher. She was y according to the school’s male population—both, teachers and students— and never left homework for weekends. If she wasn’t at class, she was at teachers’ room and if she wasn’t there, then she was having a smoke in the rooftop —which is probably why she’s never told on students skipping classes.

She wasn’t Hyunseung’s favourite teacher, though.

 “What is this?” Hyunseung found himself asking. He couldn’t help but be bothered by the scene in front of him. She was half sitting on her desk, a cup of coffee on her hand and seductively blinking her long fake eyelashes; while Junhyung stood in from of her, a hand in his pocket and another one holding the cup to his lips.

Probably thinking that Hyunseung’s look was due to being suddenly called to teacher’s room, the teacher explained that Hyuna’s brother was assigned by Doojoon as his replacement tutor and that there was a family situation he needed to attend.

If he were in other situation —in which he weren’t desperately trying to save (as if) his hyung, for example— Hyunseung would have given Ms. Park his piece of mind —about how wrong she was for flirting with a student’s tutor or how he could be a serial killer for all she knew and yet she was allowing him to take Hyunseung with him—; but he opted for doing as she said. However, he couldn’t help but to roll his eyes as they exchanged numbers as Hyunseung waited for Junhyung in the car —she had accompanied them to the parking lot.

“Not a word” was the only thing Junhyung said as response to Hyunseung’s pointed look, which the later, of course, ignored.

“I thought you were more creative” the teen said as he turned to the window. He didn’t want Junhyung to see the upset frown on his face. “But, then again, maybe I just gave you the chance you’ve been looking for”

“You think I’m happy about it?” It was the scoff and disbelieve in Junhyung’s voice that made Hyunseung turn to look back at him.

“Why wouldn’t you? All the boys in my class like her —or at least most of them do.” Hyunseung’s classmates usually described her as the hottest teacher or something along the lines, and he’s seen their jaws reaching the floor whenever she walks by. Since she could cause such reactions, Hyunseung just assumed that Junhyung would feel the same way. “She’s hot. Who wouldn’t want a date with a woman like her?”

“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but not everyone likes women like her. I, for instance, don’t.”

Thought Hyunseung felt relieved that Junhyung didn’t like Ms. Park, he couldn’t help but be curious about two whys. Why Junhyung didn’t like Ms. Park —she was hot, according to his classmates— and why he felt relieved about it.

Were it be his Doojoon hyung, Hyunseung wouldn’t have to wonder why. He wanted the best for his Hyung and Ms. Park definitely wasn’t it.

But it wasn’t his Doojoon hyung. It was Junhyung.

Junhyung, as in Hyuna’s brother; as in his hyung’s best friend; as in the man who enjoyed bullying him and treated him as a kid; the one he cooks for and whom he’s done stupid things for —such as read every book and article his written, or do little jobs to get money to buy his work. The Junhyung he shouldn’t have a reason to be bothered about but who he worries about a lot.

“Stop staring” The sound of Junhyung’s voice broke the silence that Hyunseung just realized had fallen between them. Since when they were in silence, he wasn’t able to tell, but it must have been a while since, he noticed, they were a good few blocks away from school. It also made him realise —also because Junhyung said it— that he had been staring at the older, probably since they left the school grounds. “And in case you’re wondering —which I know you’re doing—, she’s not my style. That’s why”

That’s another thing Hyunseung hated about Junhyung. How easily he could read him. Although the older hadn’t known him for quite long time, he already knew him like Doojoon did. Maybe it was because, as a writer, he was able to see what other people couldn’t. What it was, Hyunseung had no idea, but there definitely was something.

Instead of feeding Junhyung’s ego by digging deeper into his so called style, Hyunseung decided to concentrate in finding Doojoon, which was the main reason Junhyung had gotten a date with Ms. Park.

“Ok, so where to, now” Junhyung asked as he put the car on movement again. “Where’s Doojoon?”

Crap. Hyunseung hadn’t really thought about it until then. He had been busy thinking whether Junhyung would arrive or not, and then about Junhyung and Ms. Park, and then Junhyung alone. He suddenly hated the older. It was his fault he was distracted. And there he goes again. Great.

“Namsan” Hyunseung said without thinking.

“Doojoon is at Namsan tower?” Junhyung asked doubtfully with a raised eyebrow, his eyes still on the road.

“No, the Chinese restaurant near it” Hyunseung gulped. He didn’t really think about it. He just said the first thing that came to his mind. “Hyung is probably there”

The shrinking sound of tires against asphalt pierced the silence that followed his words. Junhyung had suddenly stopped the car and Hyunseung knew he wouldn’t like what was about to come. On the bright side, the traffic light where they had just stopped turned red, so no risk of any accident there. Yei. 

“What do you mean probably?” from the corner of his eye, Hyunseung could see Junhyung griping the steering wheel tightly while slowly turning to him.

Hyunseung gulped —for the third time in less than ten minutes— keeping his eyes ahead. He knew Junhyung was looking at him with that are-you-kidding-me-now face of his and he was a tiny little bit afraid to face him.

“You said you knew where Doojoon was” Junhyung’s voice was calm, but Hyunseung knew better than that. Though he wasn’t looking at him, he could tell the other was staring holes in his face.

“The call was cut before the waiter could tell me where it was” he said confessed guiltily, his eyes fixed on the unmoving road ahead.

“What?!!”

“I lied, ok” He half shouted and crossed his arms over his chest, protectively, before turning to Junhyung with slightly frowned eyebrows and matching pout “You wouldn’t have agreed to help me otherwise”

“Of course I wouldn’t” Junhyung was fuming “You’re a minor; and I lied in order to get you out of school —which is illegal because I’m neither your tutor nor anyone blood related to you”

 “As if you hadn’t done anything worst” Hyunseung retorted defensively, though he knew there was true in what Junhyung said.

“Not anything that could get me into jail!” Junhyung growled exasperated, which made Hyunseung flinch in his sit and his pout to deepen. He hadn’t thought about that. He hadn’t thought about a lot things actually and just now he was seeing the problem with that.

“I-I’m sorry ok! I didn’t think it could be that serious” he half shouted guiltily, but at the same time honestly “I just wanted to help hyung but I didn’t know how” he added softly as he lowered his face, fixing his eyes on his lap.

“I could have picked Doojoon on my own, you know” Junhyung said after releasing a deep sigh.

Hyunseung knew he was right at that, but he just didn’t want it that way.

“I didn’t want you to” His mouth always moving before his mind processed what he was going to say.

“Why?” Junhyung asked and Hyunseung felt like asking himself the same.

Why.

It seemed like every question related to Junhyung started with that word. Why. Why he didn’t hesitate before calling Junhyung; why he cooked for Junhyung; why he worried about Junhyung; why it bothered him that Junhyung had a date with his teacher; why he cared who Junhyung’s style was; why he didn’t want Junhyung picking up his drunken Hyung. Why, why, so many whys Hyunseung really couldn’t answer.

“He’s drunk and you might take advantage of him” he said instead. It wasn’t a lie per se. There was a small chance that Junhyung might have feeling different than friendship for his Hyung and Hyunseung seriously didn’t like the idea. Add it to another why on his list.

“For the nth time, I’m not interested in Doojoon in that way” Junhyung said exasperated.

The traffic light changed at that moment and he started the car.

“Not anymore” Junhyung added in a barely audible whisper, but Hyunseung still managed to catch it. He turned to Junhyung with wide eyes.

“W-what?!”

“It’s all in the past, now. I haven’t seen Doojoon under that light since I boarded the DooSeob ship long before you did, ok? Ok” Junhyung hurried to explain himself and then asked without taking his eyes from the road. “Now, what makes you think Doojoon is that restaurant near Namsan?”

He looked slightly flushed in Hyunseung’s opinion, and for some reason that bothered him. He didn’t like he was feeling like that, so he decided to concentrate in his Hyung already.

Although Hyunseung had just mentioned that restaurant on a swift of the moment, he actually managed to fit few pieces of information that connected with that restaurant. The guy that called had a Chinese name, he used a weird accent when he spoke and he said Doojoon was at a private room. There was a Chinese restaurant near Namsan Tower that had private rooms. It was an exclusive restaurant —not cheap at all— and his grandparents liked it for two reasons: the food was delicious, and it was well known for keeping secrets —with a high cost too, of course. He wasn’t sure Doojoon wanted to keep the meeting secret or why would he want to, but he knew his Hyung wouldn’t —couldn’t— afford to drink to oblivion anywhere else. Maybe he was pushing his luck too far, but beside the guy that called and the restaurant’s fame he had no other clue.

He shared his thoughts with Junhyung and although the older didn’t agree completely with his deduction, it was their best shot.

As they rode in silence down Sowol Ro, Hyunseung couldn’t help but enjoy at the view. The trees at both sides of the street and the lack of vehicles —probably due to the hour— made it his new favourite place to ride. He rolled down the window and let the wind wash his face. He finally understood why dogs liked to sit by the windows —it was really nice, even when it rustled his hair into different directions.

For about ten minutes, none had said a word, and it was Junhyung the first one to speak.

“You look like a dog” he said with a chuckle.

Hyunseung turned to the older startled and he couldn’t help but to blink at the older in surprise. Not surprised that he suddenly spoke or at what he said, but surprised at the sight of him widely smiling. It definitely was something he wasn’t used to. He was used to Junhyung’s smirks and maybe his slight smiles, but they usually lasted one or two seconds before he recovered his composed, cool face. The smile the older was sporting at the moment was a toothy smile that reached his, one that Hyunseung hadn’t seen before.

He wanted to say something back, but wasn’t able to as they reached the restaurant just then.

It was Hyunseung’s first time there, but by the way the lady at reception greeted him with so much familiarity, Hyunseung could tell it wasn’t Junhyung’s. Junhyung told her their situation and, luckily for them, they were at the right place. She said that she had informed of the situation and soon after, she showed them the room where Doojoon —as Yixing had said before— was passed out.

Hyunseung couldn’t help but wrinkle his nose at the strong smell of alcohol that filled the air in the room. Nonetheless, he helped Junhyung move Doojoon’s dead-weight into the back sit of the car. Once they were done, Junhyung told Hyunseung to stay in the car as he paid Doojoon’s bill at the restaurant.

Was it needed that the lady from reception followed him to the parking lot? Hyunseung was sure it wasn’t, and yet she did it. They were talking, laughing at the falling leaves and swirling wind, and for some reason it made Hyunseung frown. He saw her whispering something to Junhyung, while looking at Hyunseung with a slight smile on her lips —which pissed him off since he felt she was mocking him— and then he noticed Junhyung blushing, probably from whatever the woman said.

“What?” Junhyung asked half bemused half irritated at the look Hyunseung was giving him. The younger had his arms crossed over his chest and he was looking at the older with a bored expression.

“So… you’ve got another date?” Hyunseung tried to say jokingly, but as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t mask his voice. He just hopped it didn’t sound half accusatory as he felt them.

 “What?!” If Junhyung had been drinking water, he would have spurted it all out. Or that’s what Hyunseung thought. “Of course not. What kind of image do you really have of me?!”

Hyunseung shrugged off and looked outside the window before replying.

“You looked pretty friendly there, to me, so I just assumed—”

“Well, you assumed wrong” Junhyung said defensively and kind of mad. “Jia is my friend from college. And she’s married. She asked me to catch up with her and her husband who happens to be my friend too.”

Curiosity killed the cat, they say; but then again, at least it died knowing whatever it had wanted to know. Hyunseung was indeed one curious cat and at the moment he was curious what Junhyung’s expression was. He wondered whether or not the older was being honest and, although he might sound arrogant, he was confident he knew enough about Junhyung to read him right.

And so he turned to look at him.

Raised eyebrows with matching frown on the lips, and wide eyes— that was Junhyung’s exasperated face —or his really-frustrated-with-you face too— but there was honesty too. Hyunseung wouldn’t be able to answer how he knew that even if you asked him. He just did. However, there was still something he was curious about.

“Then” he motioned his face drawing circles with his index in front of it, making sure to lock eyes with Junhyung “what’s with the blush?”

And for the second time that day, Junhyung blushed —deeper than before, he may add.

“That’s…” He opened his mouth once, twice, like a fish out of the water, without actually saying anything. “None of your business” he said finally, and then he started the engine.

It was obvious Hyunseung wasn’t going to get an answer anytime soon, but that just made him more curious. What could have Jia —as Junhyung had called her— said to make the older blush like a High school girl? If Hyunseung wasn’t wrong, it was the first time he had seen the older like that. It was funny, though, to see someone like Junhyung blushing. It was definitely a sight Hyunseung never expected to witness. Well, he wasn’t exactly sure what he expected of the older, after all, they had only know each other for less than three months.

Since the older decided to ignore him, Hyunseung decided to fix his eyes on the road instead. It was the same view —lots of trees and a nice breeze, but the amount of cars took the fun out of it. There was more traffic, which made them go slower. He thought about rolling down the window again to feel the wind on his face, but then it would be more noisy —due to the traffic— and it would probably wake Doojoon up. The older was comfortably resting in Morpheus’s arms and Hyunseung wanted him to sleep until the next day.

“Yah, that was our exit” they had left Sowol ro long ago and they took the main road after that, but Junhyung had just passed his exit.

“I know that. We’re not going to your place yet”

“We aren’t? Why not?”

At that, Junhyung gave him a pointed look. “How do you plan to get him upstairs?” he asked and it was Hyunseung’s turn to give the older a pointed look.

“I won’t. He’s staying in the living room”

Back at the restaurant, it had been the security guard and a waiter who carried Doojoon to Junhyung’s car, and both men had been quite bulky. Hyunseung knew for sure he lacked the strength to drag carry Doojoon to his room. If he ever managed to do it, it wouldn’t be without the older getting any bruise —he would probably drop him midway. With Junhyung helping him, it should be easier, but the older didn’t seem to want to break a sweat.

He was just being realistic.

But Junhyung just laughed at him.

“No, you heartless brat” Hyunseung pouted at that. He wasn’t heartless.

“Then what do you suggest?”

“I suggest we let him sleep his hangover off and go eat something. He should have woken up by the time we’ve finished.”

Oh, that was also a good idea.

And so they did.

Junhyung drove them to the nearest Pared restaurant and bought jjangjamyeon, dukbokki, mandus and dimsuns, curt radish and hobbangs. It was a lot of food, but Junhyung already knew Hyunseung had big appetite and he also hadn’t eaten since the day before, so it all was probably good enough for both of them. If they didn’t finish, then Doojoon would have something when he woke up.

They parked outside the restaurant and from there they could see the television inside, where they were playing a movie in which a professional thief fell in love with a girl but kept his dark story secret from her. Someone inside changed the movie to the sports channel and Hyunseung couldn’t help but feel disappointed. The movie seemed interesting and he wanted to continue watching.

“That’s selfish” Junhyung suddenly said, though he didn’t sound quite serious. Hyunseung looked at him with a questioning face and waited until he continued, which he did “He knows he’s putting her in danger by being with her, and still he does”

“Well, she could be in danger if he leaves her” Hyunseung reasoned. As far as they watched, the other guys in the protagonist’s band hadn’t liked the idea of him leaving them. If they found out about her, they could use her against him, so she was probably safer with him.

“And he knows that” Junhyung added “that’s why he shouldn’t have approached her in the first place” well, that’s true too, but Hyunseung believed in second chances. 

“But he’s changing. He wants to change for her”

“That doesn’t change the fact that there’s a bounty on his head” but apparently Junhyung didn’t.

“Well, no one is perfect, right? You can’t just keep what you like of someone. If you love them, you have to accept the whole package.”

"Oh, so you would be fine dating a dealer"

"Of course not" why did Junhyung suddenly turned it to him?

"But love is about acceptance, isn't it? You have to take the whole package" he repeated Hyunseung’s words in a mocking way.

"Yes, it is. But there's a difference between dating a dealer and dating someone who used to be a dealer"

“Someone who repents of their crimes won’t suddenly turn good, seung”

“It’s not about good or bad people. It’s about people’s actions and decision. Sometimes those actions can be mistakes harmful for others, but it doesn’t mean they can’t repent. Sure, they should take responsibility for their actions, but it doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a second chance. How do you expect someone to change if you don’t give them the chance to do it?”

After his sudden passionate outburst, Junhyung looked at him as if he had grown mushrooms on his face and Hyunseung couldn’t help but turn beef red. He believed what he said, but saying it like that in front of Junhyung made him feel self-conscious. What did the older think of him? Did he think he was stupid for being so trusting, or that he was an immature romantic? And why did Hyunseung cared about it???!

“I’m glad to hear that” suddenly Junhyung said as he put a big mandu in the younger’s mouth, cutting off Hyunseung’s trail of insane thoughts as he was forced to chew on the snack.

Not quite understanding why, Hyunseung looked at the other with his questioning face, and as a good Hyunseung-reader, the older answered the unspoken question.

“Someday I’ll make a big mistake” he started while putting a piece of dukbboki his own mouth “I’ll do something bad”

‘So what?’ Hyunseung tried to say, but only incoherent sounds left his mouth. He was having difficulties with the mandu he was forced to eat, but the older seemed to enjoy his struggle. Before he was able to completely pass the mandu in his mouth, Junhyung shoved a piece of dukbboki into his mouth. He wanted to complain but another piece was pushed into his mouth again, and then again.

He could barely contain the food in his cheeks, when Junhyung tried to shove a fourth piece of dukbboki, but this time Hyunseung turned his face to the side and shook his head to avoid more food getting shoved into his mouth. As a result of it, he got sauce on his face.

“Kyopta” was the last thing Hyunseung heard before he got blinded by the flash of Junhyung’s phone camera. By the time Hyunseung was able to finish the food in his mouth and clean himself, the older had taken many pictures of him and laughed to his heart content.

“You still have sauce here” Junhyung said as he motioned his left cheekbone with his finger. As if he were a mirror, Hyunseung cleaned the right side of his cheek and asked Junhyung if it was clean already, to which the older laughed. He took the tissue of the younger’s hand and cleaned the stain himself. However, the sauce stain wouldn’t give in.

Positioning himself more comfortably in the seat, he moved closer to Hyunseung and held the younger’s face with his left hand and, using his fingers instead of a tissue, he rubbed soft circles in his skin.

Slightly rough. That’s how Junhyung’s hands felt. Since he was a writer, Hyunseung had expected his hands to be softer, maybe like Dongwoon’s, but instead Junhyung’s hands were slightly rough, and yet they were gentle on his face. Just as his expression. As Junhyung cleaned his face, Hyunseung noticed the elder’s features carefully. There was as very light frown on his face and his eyes were slightly squinted in concentration as he worried his plump lower lip between his teeth. Hyunseung hadn’t really noticed before but he found Junhyung quite handsome. Or maybe he had noticed it, but he hadn’t really cared then.

Wait? Does that mean he cares about it now? Why would he care? What changed?

“There you go” Junhyung’s voice startled him. It seemed to be doing the same quite a lot these days “Your pretty face is clean again”

“I’m not pretty!”

And that’s how they started another discussion —Hyunseung defending his manly features and Junhyung agreeing with him, but also pointing his resemblance to Korean beauties. Hyunseung was glad Junhyung didn’t mention his mom. People seemed to agree he resembled her a lot, and, though it really shouldn’t, it depressed him when they did.

From his beauty they jumped to Junhyung’s and how he and Hyuna didn’t resemble each other. Junhyung also had to agree at that, and he said he resembled their father more and Hyuna resembled their mother. And talking about Hyuna, Junhyung told him her birthday was the following week, which —funny enough— happened to be the same day of Dongwoon’s birthday. He said he had no idea what to give her for her birthday and he asked Hyunseung for suggestions.

By the time they arrived at the Yoon residence, they had expected Doojoon to have woke up already, but Hyunseung’s uncle was still deep asleep.

At the end both of them had to carry Doojoon to the living room —they couldn’t go further— where they accommodated him and covered him with a blanket.

It was already past 6pm and although Hyunseung wanted Junhyung to stay longer and the older didn’t really mind, he knew Junhyung had to finish another book review by the weekend and he didn’t want the older to end like the previous time.

“Call me if you need anything” Junhyung said Hyunseung saw him off at the door. The younger had wanted to accompany him to the car, but the older refused. ‘What’s with everyone following me to the car today?’ he had said, and though it took he a little bit of time, Hyunseung understood what he meant by that. Both Ms. Park and Jia had done it, for different reasons of course, but it kind of bothered Hyunseung that he wasn’t allowed to. He had to settle with waving from his doorstep. He stood there until he couldn’t see the elder’s car anymore and just then he got into the house.

Usually, when he was at home and had finished his homework, he would have dropped into the couch to watch some variety show, but Doojoon left no space for anyone else and he didn’t feel like sitting on the floor. Another thing he would do instead was read, but he had already finished Junhyung’s books and he hadn’t brought anything from the school’s library.

Well, since there was nothing really he wanted to do, he decided to take a shower and go to bed early —he had been sleeping too late the previous nights. Hoping up the stairs he went to the bathroom and took a long hot shower. Once he was done, he went to his room and changed into sweet pants and a lose t-shirt, before plopping himself onto his bed. As he did it, Hyung and his phone got catapulted out of the bed and landed on the floor. Thankfully Hyung cushioned his phone’s impact so it didn’t land directly on the floor. When he moved to pick them up, Hyunseung noticed he had a message from Junhyung.

‘Have fun admiring yourself.’ It said. When he opened it, Hyunseung wasn’t sure if he should laugh or cry. Junhyung had sent the picture he took that afternoon.

His cheeks were so full of food they were about to explode at any minute, his eyes were closed tight as he concentrated on chewing the food, and he had sauce all over his face —lips, nose, cheeks; he was surprised he had none on his eyebrows.

‘You’ll pay me that back’

He replied and fifteen seconds later, his phone went off.  

It took Hyunseung two seconds to answer, but it had been enough to make his heart beat faster, to question himself why and to dish the previous question to finally answer.

However, to his disappointment, it was Hyuna, who called to invite him to Jeju Island the following weekend. Apparently she had convinced Junhyung to take her and Kikwang —and now Hyunseung too— to spent her birthday there.

He let out a heavy sight after he hung up, and once again, he another question formed in his head

Why.

Why did he feel disappointed it was Hyuna and not Junhyung? Why did he expect it to be Junhyung in the first place? Why had his heart beaten faster when he thought it was him?

Why, why, why?!!

There were so many now that he could barely list them.

Hyunseung had always found answers in books, but he wasn’t sure they could help him with these questions.

Not wanting to think on those questions anymore, Hyunseung forced himself to sleep —thought it took him longer than expected.

Hopefully, hopefully he would be able to solve them the next day. Or at least someday. 

A/N: ARRRRRRRRGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FINALLLY!!! i FINISHED IT!! Writing it was so freaing dificult!! TT____TT 

I still don't have a computer (my brother said he'd buy me one, but aparently he forgot or something and I'm not one to ask for it) and I've been lucky my boss went on vacation and allowed me to take the laptop from work to my place (suppously to work). 

anyway, erm, I know I said it was going to be Dooseob chapter and it WAS going to be it, BUT if it was a dooseob chap I would have had to write two pov in a chapter and I don't really feel comfortable with that. You know, It's not my style not-so-smoothly-quoting-Kris

aaaanyway, I hope you like it. Personally I like to write about junseung in this story. Hyunseung is just too cute :3

Oh and shamelessly advertising because it's my fic and I can check out my not-so-new oneshot Side Effects. It has a part 2... no, part -1 that will be hopefully posted someday  soon Sixth Wheel

As always, thanks for reading :3 

Don't forget to comment and upvote if you like it :)

Saranghae~~ and Happy new year to everyone <3