Perfect Illusion // MATZ

Lunch Date

"Where are you going?" Hyunjin whined, sitting on the couch in our shared dorm.

"Me and Minho are going out to dinner tonight to get to know each other a little better." I was rushing back and forth from the bathroom to my bedroom, making sure I looked my best. "What do we think?" I stood in front of him, pointing to my outfit.

"I think you're in the way." He rolled his eyes, trying to pause the TV. With me being in the way, the sensor wasn't working so he just had to suffer until he gave me an answer. "You look good, you always do."

"Thank you." I smiled, finally stepping out of his way. "This is so exciting, I finally have someone to talk about Seongh-"

Hyunjin groaned, successfully pausing the TV this time. "First off, I'm trying to watch something and you keep yapping. We've talked about this. TV on? No talk. Got it?" I shyly nodded, understanding his rule. "Second, what do you mean you finally have someone to talk about Seonghwa with? I take great offense to that."

"Well, you let me talk about him." I awkwardly mumbled, shrugging my shoulders. "But you don't obsess over him like I do."

"Yeah, well that's because I'm not a crazy, psycho fan. I'm afraid you've reached a point of no return. Kim Hongjoong, I hate to say this, but I believe you have brain rot."

"Shut up, I do not."

"How many times have you fantasized about Seonghwa singling you out in the crowd and falling in love with you afterwards, huh?"

"Not once actually." I denied.

"More like fifteen."

"You don't get how fantasies work. I have a plot running through my head every night, it helps me sleep. It's like a continuing story, you know what I mean?"

Hyunjin looked at me like I was psychotic. "Actually, I don't know what you mean. Like I said, you have brain rot. Now go have fun with your new best friend."

"Are you jealous?" I gasped, not expecting something like that out of him.

"I have every right to be." He crossed his arms and looked away from me.

"I'll bring home some bubble tea for you, sound good?"

"Yes, I'd like that very much." He answered, still in the same position.

"Bye, Hyunjin." I smiled, shaking my head at his dramatic antics.

I was finally on my way to see Minho. We've constantly been talking every single day for the past week. It'll be nice to finally see each other outside of practice so I'm excited.

"Hongjoong." Minho waved his hand up for me to see, already sitting down at a table for two inside the cafe. "I thought you were ditching me for a second, I got nervous." He instantly started to smile once I took my seat across from him.

"Sorry, I have a bad habit of staring at that Seonghwa billboard." I embarrassingly confessed.

"Is that why you're late sometimes?" He laughed.

"Yeah." I admitted, hiding my face in my hands.

"It's okay, I've done that too. It always pisses my boyfriend off. I asked him if he wanted to go to the concert with me, but he had no interest. But now he's afraid that Seonghwa is going to see me and fall in love. I always try to tell him - we don't even know if he's actually gay or not. There's nothing to worry about."

Boyfriend? He never said anything about a boyfriend. Wouldn't that be some vital information to bring up when you're talking to a guy? Or maybe I misread everything entirely and we were just friends from the start. It was stupid of me to assume this was a date. Well, at least we're still going to the concert together.

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend, what's his name?" I asked, trying to seem as intrigued as possible.

"Jisung." He nodded. "It's going to be a year in December. I actually live with him."

"Oh, is he a trainee too?"

"Yeah. He's not in the advanced classes so you've never seen him." He took out his phone, then slid it towards me with a cute picture of the both of them. What a great way to rub it in.

"Aw, he's cute." I smiled. "Where did you guys meet?"

"At JYP. What about you and Hyunjin? How did you guys meet?"

Asking about him confused me for a moment. He doesn't think we're more than friends, does he?

"At JYP too." I nodded.

"When did you guys get together?"

Damn it.

"Oh, no, no." I shook my head and laughed nervously. "Hyunjin and I are just friends."

"Shit, I'm sorry for assuming."

"No, it's okay. Him and I are close, I can see how you'd think that. I just don't have any other friends so that's why we're attached at the hip."

Hearing that seemed to make him sad. I personally don't mind being on my own most of the time. I only need to look out for one person and stay away from any type of drama. It's a very peaceful way of living.

"We're friends now, aren't we?"

"Are we?"

"I mean, I asked if you wanted to join me for lunch, didn't I?"

"You did." I smiled, feeling a little shy. Obviously if he invited me to hang out, we were friends. I'm just not used to this sort of thing. My attention has always been on debuting and training. The only distraction I allow myself to have is Galaxy Star.

"Then that means we're friends. You're still coming with me to the concert next week, right?"

"Of course I am, are you kidding?" I beamed, getting my energy back. Just the mention of it makes me happy.

"I have a plan. Are you ready for it?" I nodded for him to continue. "Okay, we need to get to the arena early. Merch sells out fast so that's important. Then after that, we rush inside and try and get as close as we can to the stage."

"Perfect, I'm all for it."

"If we're lucky, Seonghwa will look at one of us."

"If he doesn't fall in love with me, then I've failed at life."

"I'm sure you're exactly his type, I think you have a shot."

I'm glad I have someone that's willing to fuel my delusions. Of course it's all in good fun. Realistically, I know I'd never have a chance. Minho knows that too, but not once has he ever put me down like Hyunjin has. I know he's just teasing and being playful, but sometimes it really upsets me. Having this new friendship feels refreshing.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see."