Taming the Green Eyed Monster

We've Always Been This Way

Ding.

[Ye Jun-ah, let's have dinner]

Ye Jun looked at the text message from Ji Soo, not quite registering the words. He was tired; midterms were finally over and he had just finished presenting his final project. And those distraughtful dreams had been ceaseless.

Ding.

[Jong In and Si Woo oppa will be there too. Hwan said he'll be late. Come on – we hadn't seen you in weeks. I know you're Mr. Popular and all but don't forget about your roots!]

He sighed. Her words were true. He hadn't seen the group in more than two weeks. While they were technically part of the same department, his major was more so aligned with the business school than computer sciences so there weren't many opportunities for them to meet or for their classes to overlap.

And probably more importantly, he wanted to see them. He was getting a little tired of his new friends and the countless number of new girls they brought into the group at the latter's request.

He sighed again. At the same time, he was apprehensive. The dreams were relentless. They were erotic, intense, and vivid. And they happened each and every night without fail. He feared the reason why but he could no longer deny it.

He was attracted to that sunbae. He wasn't sure how he'd react when he came face to face with him.

And even more disconcerting, he wasn't sure how he was going to face Jong In, his childhood friend, his best friend, a man who was in love with him.

He groaned.

Ye Jun had always assumed that if he could be attracted to men then it would have been Jong In. Being attracted to another guy felt like he was betraying him. All the times he had hurt him inadvertently by dating women, the excuse was simply that he was straight. But now it seemed like that wasn't the case any longer....

Ding.

[I am going to take you reading my message but not responding as you coming. If you don't deny it in 1 second, I'm telling everyone that you are. I'm telling Jong In that you are coming.]

Ding.

[Oh, 1 second passed. I guess I'm seeing you tonight at YYY Restaurant!]

Ye Jun set down his phone. It was obvious that Ji Soo was tired of his crap and had taken upon herself to take the decision out of his hands. If only he could figure out what to do before dinner came around.

~

Ye Jun walked through the doors of the restaurant. He looked around, searching for that familiar green jacket. It was the visual key that he had always relied when it came to this group of friends.

When he spotted it, Ye Jun stopped in his tracks. Jong In was listening intently to Si Woo, whose body was slightly turned toward his, his chin on the arm he had propped up upon the table. Whatever the topic of conversation was, it was obviously interesting enough for them to not notice Ye Jun's oncoming presence.

It irritated him.

Why the hell did they have to be so close to each other?

"Oh, Ye Jun!" said a voice from behind him as a hand slapped his back. He didn't have to turn, he knew the voice. A second later, Ji Soo's lanky frame passed his. "Thanks for gracing us with your pretty face, punk," she said with a wide grin.

Jong In looked up immediately, cutting the conversation he had been having with the sunbae short.

Ye Jun's mood suddenly lightened.