Paper cuts & Paper rings | JayWon

21. Already

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When the next day approaches, Jungwon decides to bring Heeseung and Jake to his table of friends at lunch. He wasn't sure how to approach them but since he and Jake had had the same lesson the period before lunch, it was easy enough for him to pick up a conversation and soon there were seven...

"Jake? Heeseung?" Sunoo squints his eyes, "You guys are friends?" Jungwon opens his mouth to speak but is met by Sunoo's questions and now has a few questions of his own.

"I suppose we are," Jake flashes him a quick smile as he adjusts his position, tucking in his chair and making himself comfortable. Jungwon examines their interaction, trying to decipher their relation to each other.

"You all already know each other?" Riki shakes his head while Sunoo shrugs and pulls the paper straw away from his lips to elaborate on his response.

"Me and Jake went to the same services until he moved, we always went to the same school, but we know each other like that I guess," Jake nods along as he chews on his crips and Heeseung is also slightly surprised to know.

"Where's Sunghoon and Jay?" Jungwon suddenly asked when he noticed how spacious the table seemed even with the two new additions to the table.

"It's Saturday school, our schedules are almost always weird," Riki points out and only then does Jungwon realise what day it is. His eyes widen.

"It's Saturday? Already?" He exclaims and Sunoo chuckles quietly to himself.

"Why – do you have somewhere you need to be?" Jake raises an eyebrow at him, and he quickly brushes off his concern.

"You know... just the normal -- I'm gay and my boyfriend is gay and my parents are trying to convert him and we can't be seen together, that stuff," Jungwon states quickly and all in a single breath. Jake looks at him with a confused, almost disgusted expression and Jungwon feels his heart drop.

He desperately looks at Heeseung for help who is just laughing unlike everyone else on the table, "You know about... us right?" Jake is startled and only then does he realise how his silence may have come off, quickly apologising.

"Yeah, I know." Jake smiles simply and an air of relief follows. "Heeseung is my best friend no duh I know," and Jungwon smiles shyly at him when he pats his shoulder.

"So, just to be clear, you're all queer?" Riki quickly shakes his head.

"I'm straight, Jungwon is unlabelled (he's only ever been attracted to Jay so maybe gay but I dunno), Sunoo is bisexual and Heeseung is bi I think, and you are?" Riki manages to sputter out and it takes Jake a second to comprehend his question.

"Straight, like you," He chuckles, and Sunoo shakes his head with a warm grin that makes Riki worried, not knowing what Sunoo will pull on him.

"Our two token straights," Sunoo sighs out with a lot of exaggeration and Riki just shakes his head, "I mean-"

"Don't even start," Riki lulls his jabbering away by covering his ears with his hands. He pauses and turns to Jake, lowering his hands when he notices Jake finding their bickering amusing and he shrugs. "He's only really like this to me, so you don't have to worry,"

"I figured as much," Jake leans against his palm with a half-smile, "but maybe I will be the new target of his jokes since heterophobia and all," Riki chuckles and finds himself amused by Jake's way of talking.

He quickly turns to Sunoo, "which is obviously not a real thing and is a clear joke, just to state the obvious." He chuckles nervously and Sunoo pats his shoulder reassuringly.