campfire | seventeen au

𝖼𝖺𝗉𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗅𝖺𝗀? 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗉𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗆𝗒 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍

"seungcheol, you were chiding me last time we played nametag ripping, right?" jeonghan said, sneaking up to the older. "now look who's organised capture the flag. no problems there at all, i assume."

seungcheol jumped, looking absolutely terrified. "oh—jeonghan! hi, hi."

jeonghan scrunched his nose. "fucking weirdo, what's up with you? is it guilt? you should always listen to me, choi."

"yeah, maybe," seungcheol brought his hand up to the nape of his neck. "you're always right, yoon."

"huh, it sounds nice hearing you finally admit it," jeonghan triumphantly grinned.

seungcheol looked away. seeing jeonghan be so happy to be right made him wonder if maybe, his thoughts weren't irrational after all.

"hey, cheol, i was just kidding," jeonghan reached out. "you okay?"

"yeah!" seungcheol faced jeonghan with a cheery smile, unnerving the man.

"we're clearly not on the same page here. what's up?"

"nothing, i swear," seungcheol exhaled.

he caught sight of seokmin, who was wandering towards them. "hey, seokmin!"

"yeah? i can't help, sorry, i'm with shua hyung setting up the prizes right now."

"oh? shouldn't you go and help shua too? maybe he wants your hand with things," seungcheol suggested.

jeonghan blinked. "i'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on. you've been acting terribly weird for the past few days, cheol. it's not fun with you avoiding me like this."

"i—i just remembered i have to clear out the shed," seungcheol picked up his planner, bumping into the table. "i—oh dear. pick the markers up, will you? and fix the timetable! thanks, yoon, i love you!"

"...i love you too?" jeonghan tilted his head.

seokmin looked back and forth between them. "no one's using the shed today though?"

"oh, you don't know, weird kids hiding in there, haha," seungcheol sheepishly grinned. then he made a run for it, jeonghan just staring at him in confusion.

"is it just me, or has he—" seokmin started.

"fucking lost it?" jeonghan completed.

"did you say something to him?" 

"no?" jeonghan wondered about all their conversations in the past day. "one day he just snapped. hasn't talked to me properly since then."

"do you think it's the entire mess you guys have going on?" seokmin vaguely gestured, but jeonghan understood.

"maybe? i'll try to get something out of jihoon. he seems to be cheol's go-to rant partner these days," jeonghan huffed.

"oh? are you jealous?"

"i just miss him. i can't afford to lose my best friend twice," jeonghan muttered. "is there something wrong with me?"

"i'm sure there's a reasonable explanation to it all, don't worry. whatever hyung's going through, he'll snap back soon enough."

"i hope so," jeonghan pressed his fingers to his temples. "forget about me, what's up with you? maybe i've been too self-absorbed these days. that must be why seungcheol's acting this way."

"no, that's endearing about you. i don't mind it," seokmin waved. "i was just planning on finding soonyoung. so we could hatch a game plan."

"you're on his team?" jeonghan smiled.