Rings and Hugs and So Much More

10.

Felix's PoV

"Listen Ji-hyung, haters gonna hate, potatoes gonna potate and Dua Lipa's gonna levitate. But you're gonna shake it off like Queen TS said," finished a very wise Jeongin after giving the poor quokka-like boy a ten minute-long lecture on why he should 'shake it off' - 'it' being his anger and grudge on his lover.

Personally, I would advice him to mix Minho-hyung's water bottle with vinegar and let him suffer for the rest of his day.

But I don't want him to limp for the rest of the week (for whatever reasons - you know what I mean).

Even though it was a four person committee consisting Hyunjin, Jisung, Jeongin and me, the only active members were Jeongin and Jisung. Hyunjin and Seungmin were responsible for recording the minutes and sharing it with each other to help us make progress with this 'couple counselling'.

And what about me? I did mental commentary and enjoyed my vanilla latte.

I couldn't help but laugh at how immature Jisung and Minho-hyung's arguments were. This time, Jisung had bought Minho a chequered jacket instead of a striped one. Minho loved stripes and this gift was supposed to be a test to prove how much they know each other. And obviously Minho-hyung won by baking him a cheesecake.

"You know Jisung, maybe both you should put this past you. I get that you got confused between chequers and stripes but let's be honest, Minho's love for you is unmeasurable. Just apologise and make a list of what Minho loves and hates. Easy," Hyunjin looked up and suggested after getting an update from Seungmin.

Jisung pouted and asked, "Will he forgive me? I mean, I looked like an uncaring boyfriend."

Okay, time for me to spread my infectious happiness. I wrapped my hands around Jisung and pressed my cheek against his, "Of course he will, pabo. He LOVES you to the power of infinity. I, Lee Yongbok Felix, give you, Han Peter Jisung, permission to make out with him even if I have to third-wheel."

Hyunjin gave me the grimacing look. I forgot that would also lead to him have to suffering in single-pringle-ness.

But Jisung seemed happy and that's what mattered.

The three of us wished him luck and exited his bedroom. Coincidently, Chan, Changbin and Seungmin also exited from Minho's bedroom. We exchanged thumbs up and left the dorm room to the two of them.

Why did I feel a tinge of emptiness when Changbin and Seungmin held hands and exchanged kisses? 

"Hey, can you two not eat each other in front of us? Some of us do not enjoy or appreciate PDA," Jeongin sulked.

That line just gave the couple more motivation to deepen the kiss. 

Jeongin just whined and ran to Chan's room knowing it was an innocent haven...for now.

Chan chuckled and followed the little guy to his room.

Hyunjin and I went back our own ways.

ʚ♡ɞ

Third person PoV

When Chan entered his room, he noticed Jeongin sitting on the couch with a pout very evident on his face. He looked genuinely upset about the fact that the happy couple did not consider his personal feelings.

"Y'know how they are, Innie. You don't have to feel sad about it," Chan tried to comfort Jeongin. But that sentence seemed to break something in Jeongin.

"I am not angry at them, hyung. I am angry at myself."

"Why, Innie?"

"Because I won't even be comfortable with kissing my loved one. They... they might stop loving me I if just give them hugs and cuddles and not kisses. They might not want to be with me once they find out I am ace. They might find me weird, Channie-hyung" Jeongin whispered to Chan. His eyes looked shaken and gave away how much he was troubled on the inside.

First, he had to listen to Jisung-hyung missing Minho-hyung's kisses. Then, he had to see Changbin-hyung and Seungmin embracing each other in front of him. And he had seen enough of Felix-hyung giving lustful eyes to Hyunjin-hyung.

The younger one felt out of place. They all felt an attraction to some gender or person in some way. But, he never felt that. Cupid's arrow seemed to go off track every Valentine's Day.

Chan understood what he meant. To not feel an attraction for someone you were supposedly in love with. His relationship with Sana faded due to this reason. He loved and pined for her at one point of time but as they spent less and less time together, his respective feelings also seemed to drift away. When they broke up, Sana made it abundantly clear that she had only felt attracted to Chan due to her quote-unquote sensual desires. She just wanted attention like the girl from Charlie Puth's song.

But Chan could not think of any words that could comfort the sad cub in front of him.

So he did the most sensible thing and hugged him.

For once, Jeongin didn't avoid his hug and melted into the warm embrace.

"You know Chan-hyung, I was talking to this girl in a park one day who happened to be ace as well. She said that we are ace because we ourselves are so pretty that we can't feel anything for anyone else. Yuna was pretty so maybe that worked for her but I don't know if that's true. I probably just am numb," Jeongin muttered as the two of them got into a more comfortable position of cuddling.

Chan never said so but these occasional cuddling made him love Jeongin even more. He felt special that only he was allowed in Jeongin's close proximity without him pushing the elder away. 

Jeongin felt a hand playing with his hair and calmed down. He nuzzled closer and hugged the broad chest as tight as he could muster. He felt warm and a bit happier as he felt being hugged back and caressed on his back. 

He looked up at the other male. 

He swore his hyung had the most caring dark brown eyes. And his black hair complemented them very well. 

Unknowing to him, Chan was thinking the same. How could someone hold so much curiosity in their eyes. 

Something caught his eye, it was an eyelash carefully placed on the blonde's cheek. He carefully picked it up and placed it on Jeongin's hand.

"Go on. Make a wish. And don't say it out loud," Chan whispered, his voice sweet and melodic to Jeongin's ears.

I wish I knew how to love.