THE BLOWS

“Grab me and my precious guest some drinks, will you?” Seunghoon asked Mino.

The latter’s gaze flickered to Jinhwan before he nodded at Seunghoon, even though it looked like he didn’t want to go and fulfill the request. However, it also looked like the freedom to decide wasn’t his to begin with.

Seunghoon raised his eyebrows at Mino in an inquisitive manner, almost as if to ask him what he was still doing there as Mino simply stood blankly. Mino looked at Jinhwan again, but the latter still hadn’t decided what the look meant when Mino walked out of the room, closing the door and leaving behind an almost palpable silence between the two, despite the muted noise coming from downstairs.

Seunghoon began to his shirt, removing piece of clothing after piece, until he was , open for Jinhwan to see but the smaller didn’t dare look. He trained his eyes to the door, or anywhere and everywhere but Seunghoon.

Seunghoon slipped into a pair of dark sweat pants, ruffling his wet hair dry as he walked towards Jinhwan, with absolutely no regards to the person standing in front of him, splashing droplets of water on the boy.

 “You said you like men,” Seunghoon began and Jinhwan shook his head.

“I never said anything.”

“That’s right. You never say anything,” Seunghoon agreed, nodding once. “But you do, right? You like boys. That’s gay.”

Jinhwan let out a sigh, hearing so much from Seunghoon and wondering what his point was.

Seunghoon held Jinhwan’s wrist and before he lifted it to his face.

"Don't I make you nervous?"

Jinhwan had to look at him then.

Seunghoon's damp hair fell around his face, just before it reached his eyes. Jinhwan never knew his hair was that long; Seunghoon always styled it up. There was a glint in his eyes as he fixed them on Jinhwan's, and the smug smile on his face only told Jinhwan that he was up to no good. Seunghoon was always up to no good.

"Really?" Seunghoon asked again but Jinhwan never even gave him an answer.

Seunghoon then locked his fingers on Jinhwan's, leading the hand to rest on the blotches of red and violet who-knew-who painted on the wide expanse of his toned chest.

"Because you make me excited."

And, as if to prove his point, Seunghoon rested Jinhwan's hand against his wildly beating heart. It was warm against Jinhwan's cold hand, and it had him pushing Seunghoon away, though to no avail since the taller had no plans of setting Jinhwan free from his grip.

"What do you want?" Jinhwan demanded, voice rising in volume and pitch.

Seunghoon fixed his gaze on Jinhwan, and the smaller felt like looking away but he couldn't, for some reason. It was like Seunghoon held him in place with just his intense stare.

Seunghoon let go of his hand then, and stepped towards Jinhwan as if he wasn't already close enough. Jinhwan kept his hand where Seunghoon left it, letting it act as a barrier in case something went wrong.

The taller looked down at Jinhwan, eyes glazed with something dark and heavy when they followed his finger as it traced the features on Jinhwan’s face and rested on the smaller’s lip.

“I want you,” whispered Seunghoon, hot breath ghosting against Jinhwan’s face.

Jinhwan visibly flinched and tried to push Seunghoon away, but he was weak, and Seunghoon only pulled himself closer. Seunghoon only inched his face closer to Jinhwan’s, and Jinhwan held his breath and looked down so that Seunghoon’s nose grazed his hair instead. The blood that ran in Jinhwan’s veins carried fear, and the feeling traveled all throughout his body. He wanted to get out of there but the cue to leave had already passed him. And he was also dead aware that neither Mino nor Seunghoon would let him walk out freely.

Seunghoon smelled of soap, and Jinhwan felt heady he had to hold onto the former to steady himself when he inwardly asked himself what happened. He was so determined just a few minutes ago. It almost felt like he wasn’t the same person who slapped Seunghoon for their well-executed prank. Where was that Jinhwan? What excuse did he have that he could only cower in fear?

This wasn’t the Seunghoon he was used to. Seunghoon was aloof, cold, but also domineering and insistent. Seunghoon sometimes laughed at the oddest of times. Seunghoon wasn’t violent, nor was he dangerous…until now.

Then Jinhwan remembered that time in the boys’ washroom when both Seunghoon and Mino made fun of him, and he questioned whether he got it all wrong. He got so used to the company that Seunghoon and Mino offered that he forgot he should always keep on his toes. He was blinded by their almost-kindness and their almost-friendship. Maybe the Seunghoon in front of him now was the real Seunghoon after all.

The door opened, and Seunghoon promptly stepped away, wearing a wide smile on his face when he looked at Mino and turned back to Jinhwan. “I want you to celebrate with us!” He exclaimed, beckoning Mino to come closer with just an arm.

“We did play that prank well and got you to save me, after all,” Seunghoon looked at Mino, seeking agreement and Mino nodded. “Even though you most probably hate us now,” he added in a smaller volume, and then he snickered.

Seunghoon took the bottle of wine from Mino and turned to the cabinet where he kept his glasses to pour their drinks. Jinhwan eyed the door, wishing it would be a success if he just upped and left, but Mino staring blankly at him told him he knew exactly what he was thinking and that it wouldn’t work.

Seunghoon handed them their glasses before taking one for his own, sitting on the bed and patting the empty space next to him.

“Come here,” he urged Jinhwan in a tone that told the latter he didn’t exactly have a choice.

Jinhwan sat next to him, discomfort seeping out his skin when Seunghoon held his shoulder and pressed his fingers in.

Jinhwan flinched and almost slapped Seunghoon’s hand away, “Don’t touch me.”

“You’re too stiff; relax!” Seunghoon lifted his hand off Jinhwan with a giggle. “Do I make you that uncomfortable? Or do I, perhaps,” Seunghoon paused to lean towards Jinhwan using one hand on the bed, “scare you?” He finished the question in a guttural growl.

“You think too highly of yourself,” Jinhwan scoffed, finding strength in putting up a front; it was the only thing he was good in.

Seunghoon backed away with a smug smile.

“Why don’t you drink up