I don’t think… I'm not in love with you

“Wake up, Lee Donghae. Throw away that nasty attitude of yours. Is there something wrong with your nervous system? Why are you unable to smile? Lee Hyukjae's tastes are becoming worse.” The male scoffs to himself in the mirror, sneering at his ugliness. For some unknown reason, Donghae feels his eyes stinging, and he blinks rapidly to get rid of the burn. No doubt that this is the him he hates the most. Why is he so frail over such a trivial matter? Shouldn’t he feel happiness for his best friend instead of this bitter, sour and heavy flavour in his stomach? Hyukjae's going to be married one day, and he’s going to become used to the lack on the male, and learn to be independent from his reliable best friend. jjjjjhgjbjvujvugbjhjvv

Yeah, that’s right, best friend.

“Even if Lee Hyukjae is like all the other men in this world, what’s it to you? Why should you care that Hyukjae prefers young and brainless women? It’s none of your business.”

Donghae finished wetting his hands with cold water and now leans on the edge of the marble panel of the sinks, gazing at his dishevelled look in the mirror. When did he stoop so low in life? What happened to the confident Lee Donghae during high school?

“Now smile, okay? Be happy for yourself, and for Hyukjae.”

The restroom door closes with a soft thud, the empty whispers being locked inside the grey panels and tiles with the faint lingering scent of chlorine. Donghae's footsteps slowly disappear as those vows turn into evaporated lies.

•••

The rest of dinner passed smoothly, with Donghae making an effort to contribute in the conversation. Although, it was mainly the male asking himself to tolerate Jieun’s behaviour and keep his unnecessary and sarcastic comments in.

When it was time to leave, Hyukjae immediately offers himself to walk Donghae home after sending Jieun off. Yet, something as simple as putting Jieun before himself ticked Donghae off, the male not knowing why he hates being anything below first on Hyukjae's list of priorities.

Seeing Hyukjae so conflicted, Donghae speaks up. “It’s fine, just take her home. Don’t create trouble for yourself.”

Hearing this, Hyukjae perks up and disagrees vigorously. “What do you mean by ‘trouble’? It’s no trouble at all, we’re all going to the same way anyway.”

“It’s really fine with me. Anyway, I've got a friend who’s coming to pick me up. Look, he’s here.”

As if on cue, the friend Donghae talked about emerges from a little down the opposite road, and on seeing Donghae, the male runs over at a fast pace and is next to Donghae in record time.

“Hi.” Sehun says, a little breathless. “Sorry, you must have waited long.”

“Not at all.” Donghae replies with a smile that was absent from his face since Jieun entered the scene. Hyukjae shifts on the balls of his feet, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

“This is Hyukjae, and this is Jieun. This,” Donghae gestures to the lanky boy wearing a sleeveless top, “is Sehun.”

After this introduction, Sehun sticks out a hand towards Hyukjae, whom stares with mild surprise. They shake hands, and Hyukjae swears Sehun's voice dropped an octave lower on saying ‘hello’.

“Then…we’ll go now? Because of the late dinner, I want to have an evening stroll first. Now, if you’ll excuse us.”

“Let’s eat lunch together some time.” Hyukjae drops the statement to Sehun, whom catches it with ease and replies with a yes. Donghae has a firm grip on Sehun's slightly toned arm, and steers the boy around and begins walking.

“Mhm, then…should we go as well?” Jieun asks, whilst Hyukjae only nods absentmindedly.

The four people walk in sync, with two pairs at the front and two a little distance away towards the back. By now, the streets of Seoul are close to vacant, and the only signs of human life are the bright and flashing coloured lights from different shops. Hyukjae watches Donghae and Sehun speak quietly, but could not hear past Jieun’s monologue.

“Um, sorry for calling you out so suddenly and late to help me out. I really appreciate it. I don’t know what is wrong with me these days, I must have been out of my mind.” Donghae murmurs, digging his cold hands into his trouser pockets.

“It’s absolutely fine. Like I said last time, whenever you feel yourself stuck in a situation like this, just contact me and I’ll save you.” Donghae warms up a tiny bit after hearing that reassurance.

“Have you eaten?”

“Yeah,”

After a moment of silence, Donghae says, “Listen, Lee Hyukjae is only my best friend. We’re not- uh, romantically involved or—”

Sehun chuckles humorously, eyes twinkling like the starry sky they are under and states peacefully. “Why are you so nervous?”

“I- I- I’m not nervous!” Donghae stubbornly replies. By now, the couple in front have stopped walking, and Donghae once again clears his relationship status with Hyukjae, as if Sehun did not hear the first time.

“Okay then, I’ll turn off my thoughts.” He says cheekily.

Donghae blushes, and barges past the boy as he continues walking. Sehun smiles to himself before catching up.

“The night time of Seoul is really pretty.”

Donghae hums with agreement. “It is, and it also feels like walking under another country’s night sky.”

“We should amble more like this, given the chance.” Sehun invites daringly, as whatever words Donghae is about to say clogs up in his throat. They’ve stopped again, and Sehun pretends to take a picture of Donghae with his hands forming the shape of the camera, and making Donghae smile at his childishness. A trait I'm beginning to like, Donghae ponders. Hot, heated skin comes in brief contact with Sehun’s cool and smooth skin, and Donghae actually jolts his hand back, covering it up the next second by pretending to look for his wallet.

“So. How much?” Donghae abruptly cuts their previous atmosphere, taking out several notes worth thousands of won. “Your taxi fee to get here?”

“Wait. Are you paying me overtime?” Sehun asks in disbelief, shown from his expression.

“Well I can't have you add money in can I? It just doesn’t sit well with me.”

“So technically I am working overtime right now?” Sehun has an unreadable face, and Donghae is slightly afraid he has offended the younger. Since the topic is already open, Donghae might as well dig deep.

“You know,” Donghae allows the wallet in his hands to drop, “I’m really curious as to whether you are this…responsive to your other bosses?” The elder is sick of playing this game, he must know what the boy with coloured hair’s intentions are.

“Am I not supposed to..?” Sehun's face replicates that of a child’s, when being interrogated when the mother finds the cookie jar half-empty. The face melts Donghae's harsh interior, but at the same time it hardens Donghae's determination to find an answer. Just why is Sehun so, so considerate? Past the boundary of co-workers but rather into an intimate relationship?

“Are you supposed to?” Donghae challenges.

“Actually, I'm not