(LeoN/NEO) If You...

Chapter 13

* * * * * *

'Well?' Leo continued to question the silent Hakyeon.

I do. I do. I do and a lot too! Hakyeon was screaming his answer but only inside his mind. Something was holding him back.

'I... can't.' Hakyeon said regretfully.

'You can't? Or do you not like me. Was I wrong?'

'No! I like you! But... as a friend.' Hakyeon lied and averted his gaze from Leo's intense eyes.

'Only a friend?' Leo doubted.

Hakyeon nodded and Leo went silent for a moment.

'How can I change that?' Leo asked.

'Huh?'

'How can I change the way you feel about me to being more than just a friend. I can't do it, Hakyeon-ah. I don't want to be just friends with you after all. I've always admired your enthusiasm, your passion and your everything. But before I knew it, you became more than just a friend in my eyes. Even a lifelong friend isn't enough for me.' Leo confessed.

'But... we can't.'

'What do you mean?'

'I'm... a man.'

'And?'

'And? Don't you get it Leo? Two men can't be together. It's not... normal! Did you forget that Amelia had to run away because she fell in love with another female?' Hakyeon bursted aloud while he could feel his heart shattering while trying to reject Leo's feelings. At the same time, realizing the consequences of breaking the rules to what was considered 'normal' was too painful for him to endure. Especially when the words had to come out of his own mouth.

'I don't care what others think about us! I only need you.' Leo grabbed Hakyeon's shoulders so that the boy had nowhere to escape except accept reality.

'How can you not care? What about your friends? You father? Your everything?'

'Status, wealth, I don't need any of that. You are my everything Cha Hakyeon.'

'How can you be so certain? We barely even know each other long enough. You're just confused.'

'I'm not. As for friends, I only have Ken and he already knows about how I feel about you.'

'What?!'

'He said he's never seen me so stuck onto anyone before. So love-struck and so easily jealous whenever I see you become closer to everyone else but me...'

Hakyeon gulped. He loves Leo too but he would have never thought that Leo loved him this much. The way Leo looked straight into Hakyeon's eyes was so intense yet so sincere.

'I-'

'Dammit Cha Hakyeon! Stop lying to yourself. Seeing you hesitate like this just proves that you feel something for me as well. So why do you keep lying to yourself?'

'I- I'm not! I'm just shocked. I didn't think that you would... feel this way about me. That's all.'

Leo sighed.

'You keep trying to run away or lie to yourself. I may not have known you as long as Minhyuk or Sanghyuk but I can feel it. You like me too.'

Hakyeon was lost for words to argue back any further or even try to deny what Leo was claiming. He didn't think that the Leo who was in love could be such force and persistence.

Leo looked at Hakyeon. He knew he was coming in rather intense with his feelings for Hakyeon but he couldn't wait any longer. He couldn't hold back his feelings like he thought he could.