“Sometimes you have to break a heart to unbreak your own.”

Jihoon had never felt so good. He thought so as he stretched on his bed; the 18-year-old hadn’t gone to school for two days in a row, and although he had frowned when the doctor told him and his parents that he had to rest until he recovered completely, all Jihoon felt when he heard those words was pure bliss. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go to school; Jihoon really wanted to see Joshua, who had worryingly messaged him on Facebook to know if he was still alive, and the Kwon Soonyoung problem had been solved already, but, again, staying warm under his blankets was something Jihoon would never decline, hence the reason he’s been cuddling with his pillow for the last two days and a half instead of going to school.

The 18-year-old sighed contently, shifting on his bed and fixing his pillows; ready for another day of watching movies and eating junk food, but as soon as he leaned to rest his head on the bed, the bell from the principal door rang.

Jihoon raised his eyebrows, thinking. Maybe his mom was done with the grocery shopping already, or maybe his grandmother had come by to say hi, Jihoon grimaced, and stood frozen in his bed until he heard a knock.

And then another, and another.

Jihoon was confused – usually his grandmother wasn’t so eager. He sighed, looking at his bed longingly after getting up from it, he’d have to be lazy on another time.

“I’m coming!” Jihoon yelled when the knocks got louder, opening his bedroom door and hurrying to the stairs.

Jihoon sighed again as he opened the door, expecting his grandmother’s smiling face and maybe some food she made for him – but instead of seeing the 63-year-old lady in front of him, he found a different person; Jihoon was definitely not expecting him in front of his door.

He didn’t want to see him, either.

Jihoon pulled a face at him.

“Seungkwan?” Jihoon asked dumbfounded, wondering why the president of the class was in front of his house at such an early hour.

Seungkwan looked at him upside down and cracked a smile, “… Aren’t you letting me in?”

“Why are you here?”

Seungkwan’s smile grew even wider as he entered through the door without much permission of the owner, who stood puzzled in front of him.

“Well, I’ve been thinking…

“And I have a great idea, Jihoon.” Seungkwan said scanning the house with his doe-like eyes, and deciding to walk towards the living room, Jihoon followed him.

“Kwon Soonyoung must die.”

Jihoon’s eyes grew wide, and sat uncomfortably on the sofa while Seungkwan smirked.

He was out of his mind!

“What are you even talking about? Killing someone?!” Jihoon yelled, startled by the fact that the innocent-looking boy in front of him would even think of something like that, Seungkwan only giggled.

“What? No! Not literally!

“I’m still too young for that.”

Still? Jihoon frowned, folding his arms across his chest and glancing at Seungkwan; he didn’t understand.

“Then what? I don’t get you.”

“Jihoon I’ve come to the realization I will not get over Soonyoung anytime soon – maybe I’ll never do it, and it hurts to know what he did, I mean we were best friends!” Seungkwan claimed, raising his tone and then clearing his throat, visibly embarrassed.

“What I’m trying to say is… I need a closure, something that tells me it’s over… and you have to help me with that.”

Jihoon nodded at his words, understanding (not completely, though; he’d never been through that) that it must be difficult for Seungkwan to keep going with his life as if everything was okay, like Seungcheol, who had been the less affected out of the three boys, but Seungkwan had spent most of his life pinning over Soonyoung, and two years dating him, so the 18-year-old though it was different. Jihoon frowned – he felt angry even just thinking of it, but stopped doing it when he heard the rest of Seungkwan’s sentence, because, how was he going to help him? Was he able to?

“I already talked to Seokmin and Seungcheol and they said-” A knock on the door was heard, and it interrupted Seungkwan.

“Oh, they’re here!” Seungkwan said excitedly, and ran to the door.

Jihoon stood on his place with a confused look in his face; he heard greetings and the voice of an overly-happy Seungkwan, and then saw the other two walking into the living room.

“Did you tell him already?” Seungcheol asked, sitting next to Jihoon with a cocky smile on his face.

Seungkwan shook his head, “I was waiting for you.”

Seokmin tilted his head, furrowing his eyebrows and looking at him intently.

“I don’t think he’ll like the idea…” He admitted.

“And? He has to help us.” Seungkwan said after rolling his eyes.

Jihoon grimaced and scrunched his eyebrows.

“Help you with what? What are you even talking about?!”

And how do you know where I live, anyways?

Seungkwan sighed, and sat on the available spot next to him, “Look… Jihoon,” Jihoon flinched as Seungkwan tried to touch his shoulder – the scene felt oddly familiar, and Jihoon didn’t like that at all.

“Soonyoung… he has to- well, know how we feel!” Seungkwan raised his voice, taking a deep breath before talking again.

“The guys and I have been thinking about this since Monday… after you told us what was going on.”

Well it was kind of obvious but… okay, Jihoon thought and shrugged, nodding with his head to his words.

“But we can’t do it without you.” Seungcheol continued.

“You’re the only one who can do it!”

“Nobody knows you so…” Seungkwan murmured, to which Jihoon raised an eyebrow.

“That and the fact we think you’re capable of it.” Seokmin said, trying to fix Seungkwan’s comment and nodding his head in excitement.

Jihoon sighed, giving up to the battle in his head.

“What do I have to do?”

“Destroy Soonyoung!” Seokmin yelled and raised his fists to the air animatedly; Jihoon raised his eyebrows once again.

The 18-year-old fixed his gaze on Seungkwan, looking for answers, but the doe-eyed boy only gave him a smile.

“Break his heart.”

Jihoon knitted his brows, but didn’t say anything as he thought of it. The plan was simple, considering the fact Soonyoung looked like someone who would be attracted to anyone who was alive and had two legs and something between them, but Jihoon didn’t want anything to do with it – even if he was a specialist at breaking hearts (it was the reason he didn’t want to do it, actually.)

“Please?”

“I can’t,” Jihoon sighed, curving his shoulders forward, “I’m sorry guys. But I know someone and maybe–

“Jihoon, please!” Seungkwan interrupted, pleading with his eyes glassy and a pout in his lips, Jihoon’s mouth twitched.

“I need your help to move on…”

Jihoon looked to his left; in where Seungkwan was, and shook his head- he couldn’t do it, but Soonyoung deserved it… right? Jihoon thought, opening closing his mouth twice, looking like a fish out of water. He knew that he only had to look at Seungkwan’s eyes one more time to know what he had to do.

“Okay…” The 18-year-old said with uncertainty. He still felt like he was doing the wrong thing – but it didn’t matter, he guessed, because Soonyoung had ed up first.

“Okay?!” Seokmin asked hopefully, interrupting his thoughts.

“Yeah, I… guess, yeah!”

“That’s great, Jihoon! You’re just Soonyoung’s type!” Seokmin exclaimed, smiling broadly at Jihoon.

“Eh, well, you’ll do.” Seungkwan grinned as if he hadn’t been about to cry just a few moments ago.

“Seungkwan! I think he’s adorable!”

“Yeah, I think so too.” Seungkwan said and rolled his eyes, “He’s too adorable; he looks like he’s five!”

Jihoon frowned, and scrunched his nose; he was getting tired of them already.

“What?” Jihoon asked, “Look- I’m okay with helping you guys out but… can you leave? It’s too early for this.”

It’s too early for you.

“No! Jihoon, let’s start with the plan- Seokmin this is your entire fault!” Seungkwan yelled, pointing his finger at the tallest of them all.

Jihoon looked to his right, and found Seungcheol watching the scene in silence.

“Uh, no? It’s obviously your fault, Seungkwan,” Seokmin protested and took a deep breath, making it clear it was just the beginning of his bickering, but before he could say anything else, Jihoon interrupted; he wouldn’t allow that.

“Leave.” Jihoon said.

“Ji-

“Get out!”

“B-but the plan!” Seungkwan uttered, furrowing his eyebrows.

“Please, Jihoon, let’s start now!”

“The sooner we do it, the sooner you’ll be done with this,” Seokmin added, nodding to Seungkwan’s words. Jihoon considered it for a few seconds… now, that was true…

Jihoon tilted his head, curious.

“What’s the first step?”

Seungcheol smiled and stood up, offering Jihoon his hand.

“A makeover.” He finally spoke, and Jihoon stood in his place, dumbfounded.

“A makeover? For me? What’s wrong with me?” The 18-year-old asked innocently.

Seungkwan sighed exasperatedly, and cocked an eyebrow, making Jihoon feel like his question was a joke. 

“Your hair is too long, your clothes are like, two times bigger and you wear fedoras.”

“So? What’s the problem with that?” Jihoon pondered. He’d never been too interested in fashion; he had always left that to Ming Ming, but he had always thought his sense of style wasn’t that bad.

What was so wrong about fedoras, anyway?

Seokmin gasped.

“Everything!”

“Let’s go to the shopping mall to change your look!” Seungkwan smirked, rubbing his hands in an evil fashion – creeping Jihoon out in the process. “It’s on me.”

“Uh I… don’t know?” He grimaced and then sighed, hesitating. “I mean, it’s kind of early but…

“… Okay.” He stood up and fixed his tousled hair with both hands, ready to go out.

Jihoon bit his lower lip and looked at the rest, who looked back at him judgingly, and for the umpteenth time of the day, he didn’t understand what was going on.

“You might want to change, though.” Seungcheol said jokingly, making Jihoon look down to his clothes.

He was still in his pajamas; which weren’t pajamas at all, just a black shirt and boxers; Jihoon cursed under his breath and felt his cheeks going hot.

“I’ll be right back!” He mumbled, embarrassed, rushing to the stairs and blocking the laughter that came from Seokmin’s mouth with his mind.

It didn’t take Jihoon a lot of time to change into decent clothes and tie his hair in a ponytail, but he stared self-consciously at his reflection in the mirror for a couple minutes.

Jihoon shook his head and took a deep breath; he didn’t need any changes on himself.

Right?

Jihoon furrowed his eyebrows, grabbing a random snapback and putting it backwards on his head. He hated how his mind never stopped thinking sometimes…

After grabbing his phone and some money, Jihoon opened the door and walked downstairs, only to find the three boys waiting patiently (impatiently for Seokmin) in front of the door. The 18-year-old smiled at them once their heads turned to look at him.   

“So…?”

Seungcheol smiled back, “Let’s go, my car’s parked in front of the house, c’mon.”

Jihoon nodded and ignored Seungkwan’s loud gasp.

“You have a car?”

Seungcheol tilted his head, but Seokmin spoke before he could say anything.

“Yes! He brought us here!” Seokmin said excitedly.

Seungkwan raised his eyebrows, and opened the door to get out of the house; followed by the rest.

“Why are we going to the mall so early, though?” Jihoon wondered, “Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”

“Why would we be in school at 5:00 p.m.?” Seokmin asked, laughing awkwardly and looking at Jihoon as if he had grown two heads.

Jihoon frowned, 5:00 p.m.? He thought, surprised by the fact he had been sleeping until Seungkwan arrived.

“Anyways… ” Seungcheol smirked; walking towards a car that Jihoon assumed and was his’. “Get in losers, we’re going shopping.”

“Oh my God,” Seungkwan said, “Mean Girls, really?”

Jihoon cracked a smile, shaking his head slightly.

❀ ❀ ❀

When they arrived to the shopping mall Seungkwan literally dragged Jihoon to the first clothing shop he saw; according to the brunette, it was his favorite one, and Jihoon could tell it was true by the amount of clothing he had chosen since they got there. Soon after they arrived to the shop, a mountain of tight jeans in small size and huge knitted sweaters started building up in the register. Jihoon had tried to stop Seungkwan, but the latter just ignored him and said it was his money after all.

The group then went to another shop, this time Seungcheol’s favorite, and although Seungkwan complained at first about the clothes that they sell there, he ended up buying Jihoon a few snapbacks and shorts if Soonyoung ever wanted to play basketball with him. They didn’t go to Seokmin’s favorite shop, since both Seungkwan and Seungcheol thought his fashion sense was almost as bad as Jihoon’s, but they went back to the first shop to buy a shirt Seungkwan had been eyeing before.

In the end Jihoon ended up with his hands full of bags and his stomach empty, he groaned, feeling the material of the bags burn the palm of his hands.

“Hey, let me help you,” Jihoon heard, and turned his head to the right to find Seungcheol looking funnily at him.

Jihoon nodded, and handed him a few bags, sighing in the process, he was dying.

“Are you hungry?” Seungcheol asked, speaking loudly so the three boys could hear him.

Seungcheol smiled when everyone nodded eagerly with their heads, and titled his head.

“Okay, let’s grab something to eat, I pay this time,” Seungcheol said, glancing at Jihoon with a grin on his face.

“Can you?” Seokmin wondered, opening his mouth wide after doing it; apparently, he hadn’t wanted to say that. “I- mean, you know… can you… afford it? Because I heard… uh-

Seungcheol laughed, “That I sold my own kidney last year to afford my car?” He guessed, raising his eyebrows questioningly.

Seokmin gasped, “So it is true?”

“What? No! Come on, who wants burgers?” He gave Seokmin a toothy grin and a roll of eyes, and started walking towards the food court.

Jihoon eyed Seokmin curiously, wondering how the idea even got to his head, and then looked at Seungkwan, who seemed uncomfortable. Before Jihoon could ask what was going on, Seungkwan cleared his throat.

“Oh, by the way, Jihoon… I was thinking,” he started, looking into Jihoon’s eyes.

“If you’re going to help us you have to commit completely to your role,” Seungkwan continued (to which Jihoon thought he didn’t have any other alternative), raising his index finger, “Is Hong Jisoo your boyfriend or something?”

Jihoon frowned- Hong who?

“I don’t know him?”

Seungkwan rolled his eyes, “I forgot he likes to call himself Joshua… Is he your boyfriend?”

“No! We just met each other, we’re friends!” Jihoon said, “Why are you even asking me that question?”

“He’s been bothering me non-stop because of you since yesterday,” Seungkwan answered, folding his arms, “He thinks I killed you or something.”

“What?” Jihoon laughed, furrowing his eyebrows. He could definitely see Joshua doing that, “Didn’t you tell him I fainted on Monday?”

“Didn’t you?” Seungkwan asked, “I mean, I did, but he thinks I threatened you and that that’s why you’re not telling the truth.

“I wouldn’t do that!” The brunette pouted, and Jihoon laughed once again.

Seungkwan kept sulking until they arrived to an available table, and the group of four found themselves in an uncomfortable silence as they sat on the chairs.

Jihoon sighed contently; his whole body hurt for having been so active for the past few hours, and his stomach begged for attention and food, the 18-year-old looked around, only to find Seungcheol smiling at him.

Seungcheol smiled even wider after Jihoon saw him and stood up, “Four burgers and fries?” He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“And a milkshake,” Seungkwan said, smiling even after being elbowed by Seokmin.

Seungcheol frowned, but nodded with his head anyways and went to buy the food.

When the older was out of sight, Seungkwan turned to Seokmin and furrowed his eyebrows.

“What was that for?!” Seungkwan asked.

“You’re really insensitive, Seungkwan!” Seokmin claimed, squinting and shaking his head in disapproval.

Jihoon widened his eyes, “Guys…”

“Me? You’re the insensitive one, Seokmin! Did you really think he had sold his kidney? Honestly?” Seungkwan asked once again.

Seokmin rolled his eyes, “Shut up.” The tallest boy out of the four said, and then glanced at Jihoon.

“Jihoon, if you didn’t know, Seungcheol doesn’t have a lot of money- so he has to do… strange things to earn it.” Seokmin explained, making Jihoon frown.

“Such as selling his kidney,” Seungkwan continued, sarcasm dripping in his words.

“Yes! I heard he was on prison, too. But that’s another story for another day,” Jihoon doubted that what Seokmin was telling him was true; Seungcheol was nothing but nice to people, and even if he did seem like a tough guy, Jihoon was sure he hadn’t been in jail before.

That was just… impossible.

“Listen to me, Seokmin; that didn’t happen!” Seungkwan scrunched his face, slightly annoyed.

“How do you know?! A friend told me he stole cigarettes and beat up an old lady with his friends!” Seokmin raised his eyebrows, startled when a hand touched his shoulder.

“I don’t smoke, though?” Seungcheol said, laughing just like he had done before, before sitting next to Jihoon, “The burgers will be out in a minute, I think.” He smiled.

“And then we’ll go to a hair salon,” He continued, touching a strand of hair that had been bothering Jihoon all the evening, surprising Jihoon; Seungcheol didn’t seem bothered at all for what Seokmin had said, and instead, was smiling broadly at them, “Seungkwan and I know what to do with this already.”

Seungkwan nodded, “And Seokmin will pay.”

Jihoon laughed when Seokmin didn’t say anything; still frozen, and raised his eyebrows when he remembered something.

“Hey, I know that we have the clothes and the hair already, but after that what happens?” He asked, curious as to how their plan was going to be.

“Right…” Seungkwan said, “You just have to do what we tell you okay?” His smile made Jihoon smile back.

“You have to pretend you’re uh, different, you know, to attract him more.” Seungcheol added.

“Different how?”

Seungkwan shrugged, “Your personality is kind of plain… no offense.” He commented, “Knowing what Soonyoung likes, I think you should act cute, be affectionate!”

Jihoon gulped at the last word.

“Laugh at everything he says,” Seokmin added, getting into the conversation.

“Yes! Be sweet, too.” Seungkwan said, nodding, “Don’t worry a lot for the personality, though. After this makeover, even with your real personality he’ll fall in love, for sure!”

Jihoon smiled, not sure if he had to be offended by that or not, and nodded with his head.

“Remember Twinkies are memorable for their outer packaging and not their inner depth!” Seokmin continued, touching Jihoon’s shoulder reassuringly.

The 18-year-old nodded once again, this time a lot less convinced of their words.

“Are you comparing me to a Twinkie?” Jihoon frowned, “Wait- do you want me to be a ?” He gasped loudly.

A loud laugh was heard on the table, and everyone turned their heads to look at Seungcheol, who raised his eyebrows guiltily.

“Sorry- I, um- I’ll go for the burgers,” he said, standing up again and letting his full laughter once he was away from the table.

❀ ❀ ❀

The smell of products for hair and nail polish made Jihoon feel nervous; he was sitting on a white sofa as he waited for the stylist to wash his hair once again, he didn’t have to look to the floor to notice they had cut a lot of his hair, he didn’t have to look at the mirror to know they had turned it to a different color, too (and he definitely didn’t have to look at himself in the mirror to know he looked really stupid at the moment. Seokmin had been taking pictures of Jihoon since they had gotten to the hair salon, laughing and asking the stylist if she’ll take a lot of time. The last time he asked, the stylist smiled and said it was only a matter of minutes until she was done with his hair.

Jihoon had gulped at this.

Jihoon sighed, bored. Even though Seungcheol had kept him company in the sofa next to him, their conversation was still short and awkward, finding themselves on an uncomfortable silence at the moment.

The 18-year-old heard footsteps and a blow-dryer, and closed his eyes as the stylist washed his hair, dried and styled it – he wasn’t ready to see himself with another color that wasn’t blond.

Jihoon bit his lower lip when the stylist touched his shoulder softly and told him he could open his eyes, squinting and opening them slowly.

He found himself looking at the mirror with a shocked expression, and saw Seungkwan’s surprised face and Seokmin’s smile. Jihoon gasped.

“Pink?!”