"wait, xu minghao by any chance?"
minghao felt all courage he built up to meet junhui's friends sinking down all the way to his feet, not able to stammer out the slightest verbal reply. it was chan who had recognized him as one of the idols he sincerely looked up to, because of his unique dance style and the way he used it to express his feelings like none other could.
junhui felt instant regret slipping in his system. how unthoughtful of him to let such crucial detail slip in his and chan's previous phone call, when they had gone through the entire plan. if only junhui had though about mentioning minghao's full name, or at least the fact that he's still an idol with a rather large base of fans, who were all waiting for him to get back from his mysteriously announced hiatus.
even when junhui had never heard minghao's name before, as he wasn't even close to a typical fanboy, junhui should've reminded himself of chan being one, with many beloved idols he looked up to.
and just when he thought things couldn't get any more uncomfortable for the boy who clenched his hand inside his grasp, soonyoung pushed past his friends to stand next to chan.
"wow, it is you right?" he enthusiastically exclaimed, shamelessly letting his eyes wander over minghao, who helplessly looked up to junhui.
of course. with soonyoung being a passionate dancer as well, how on earth wouldn't he recognize a role model like xu minghao. yet junhui knew that he would only worsen minghao's current reaction if he got too much into it. so going with his first intuition, knowing that else minghao might never warm up to them, junhui said the first thing that crossed his mind.
"i prefer him as xu minghao, junhui's boyfriend." he calmly replied, eyeing the boy beside him as he slipped his hand from minghao's grasp and placed it on the small of his back. "right, hao?"
yet still both soonyoung and chan didn't seem to understand the hint that had been given, as they were struck with at least a million questions they wanted to ask. "but.. you're also the famous dancer, right?" chan continued happily, his level of excitement visibly at its max.
even when junhui was scared for the worst scenario, he got surprised by a sudden chuckle coming from the boy beside him. "well well calm down, i wouldn't call it famous myself." minghao answered, modest of his talent, even with the two boys in front of him who seemed to be entirely enchanted by his unexpected appearance. "but yes, i'm that xu minghao."
"now, the real question is.." jeonghan called out from the spot.
"jeonghan i swear for once in your life, don't you da-" "did the two of you have sex already?" even when jisoo tried to refrain him from ending his sentence, they were all convinced jeonghan was a lost cause at this point, as the almost eldest of the group grinned mischievously.
now this time minghao had to swallow as his eyes widened, visibly not expecting such blunt question to be spoken out loud. even doc had to comprehend the words that had been spoken out loud in his adulterous presence, finding the blonde boy quote courageous to speak such thing out loud.
"i could have expected this.." junhui let out a playfully disappointed sigh, shaking his head in disapproval. "but no jeonghan. unlike you and seungcheol i won't rush hao in any way. and i'm not exactly planning on taking someone else's and my own virginity in a hospital lake house."
"who says i'm still a virgin?" minghao defiantly said, which caused a reaction among the teens who had been observing the couple the entire time.
"didn't you say that.. what was it, three days ago or something?" junhui turned about ninety degrees so his shoulder was facing the group and they weren't able to overhear their conversation, collecting his facts as he tried to recall the night when minghao had said that to him. "wait, wasn't i supposed to say that?"
"it wasn't necessary?" though minghao wasn't able to restrain his typical contagious giggle, reassuring junhui who was scared he might've said the wrong thing.
"i'll keep that in mind next time. now if jeonghan could also keep that question to himself? we would all really appreciate that!" junhui, who had lowered his volume to have a small conversation with minghao, now raise his tone up again, getting the entire group to laugh and agree with his request.
"just keep it in the bedroom!" mingyu smacked jeonghan against the back of his head, draping an arm around wonwoo's waist the minute after.
"what?" jeonghan innocently asked, acting entirely oblivious. "a man can be curious, can't he?"
"he can, but know your limits and keep that nasty shit of yours in the bedroom." wonwoo hissed, protecting mingyu who was first to make a comment about jeonghan's blunt comments.
"well guys, i'm certainly glad that you all arrived. but how about we stop standing in the middle of the living room and make ourselves comfortable? who would like a cup of coffee?" doc gestured for the maroon couches around the fireplace, wanting them to feel at home.
"what type of coffee machine do you use? if it's okay with you, maybe you can teach me some of your techniques?" seungcheol found interest the moment he heard the word coffee being spoken out loud, wanting to have more experience and knowledge he could use in his own cafe in the future.
"you must be the owner of the cafe, i assume? didn't you name it after your boyfriend?" doc was a pro at remembering every little detail of what people told him, simply because he payed interest in whatever people their passion was. after all junhui's stories about his friends, doc considered himself a step ahead of everyone when it came to meeting the so called toe cult.
"i did, actually. as cheesy as it might seem, but han has really been my savior back then. if it wasn't for him, i wouldn't be the proud owner of my own cafe right now. it's called han cafe, if you ever have time you should totally pay a visit! coffee's on the house for you." seungcheol followed doc to the open kitchen, disappearing behind the counter to be taught a world of new techniques.
"that's a wonderful story, seungcheol. let's take a look at what i can help you with, shall we?"
with a happy sigh, junhui eyed them from afar, admiring his friends being so polite and totally fitting in without hesitance. "now come on guys, let's take a seat. we shouldn't be standing all day, right?"
