(no) Strings Attached

Cracks in the Mask

Then, without warning, he pressed the heel of his hand against his eye, his head bowing slightly like he was trying to physically stop himself from breaking down.

And Hongjoong had never seen him look so fragile.

He felt like an intruder watching this, like he was witnessing something he was never supposed to see. Like he wasn't supposed to know that Seonghwa was anything but the perfect, untouchable person he always projected.

But he couldn't just walk away.

Not now.

So he stepped forward.

"Seonghwa."

The second his name left Hongjoong's lips, Seonghwa flinched. His mask snapped back into place so fast that if Hongjoong hadn't seen it slip for those few crucial seconds, he might've thought he imagined the whole thing.

"Hongjoong?" Seonghwa's voice was perfectly composed, smooth as ever. He turned with a practiced smile, slipping his phone into his pocket. "What are you doing here so late?"

And that was what did it.

The way he acted like nothing had happened.

Like his shoulders weren't still tense, like his fingers weren't still slightly trembling. Like he hadn't just been seconds away from losing his composure entirely.

Hongjoong's gaze dropped to the ground for a second. The mask Seonghwa had put on was flawless, but Hongjoong knew better now. He saw the slight tremor in Seonghwa's fingers as he slid his phone into his pocket. He saw the strain in his posture, the way he was still holding himself together.

Something in Hongjoong snapped.

But he, as much as he hates Seonghwa didn't have the audacity to make him feel cornered.

Not when to the boy's unawareness his eyes glistened. As if they had an extra layer of water that wasn't supposed to be there.

Instead he took a deep breath, studied the taller's face just for a moment.

Hongjoong didn't bring up the call.

He could've. He could've asked who was that?, could've cornered him into an answer.

Could've forced it out of him, knowing damn well that whatever had just happened had gutted Seonghwa in a way he was trying so hard to hide.

But that wasn't what Seonghwa needed right now.

So Hongjoong just looked at him instead. Took in the tightness in his jaw, the way his fingers twitched at his sides like they wanted to fidget but he wouldn't let them. The exhaustion hidden behind the careful smile.

"You okay?"

It was a simple question.

One Seonghwa had no reason to hesitate before answering.

And yet, for the briefest moment, he did.

Not long. Just a flicker of silence before the response came, just long enough for Hongjoong to know—

"Of course," Seonghwa said lightly, tilting his head in amusement. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Liar.

But Hongjoong didn't call him out on it. Didn't push.

Instead, he took a step even closer, studying Seonghwa's face, the way his eyes flickered for a fraction of a second—like he knew Hongjoong wasn't buying it.

"I don't know," Hongjoong murmured, voice softer now. "You just look like you've got a lot on your mind lately."

Another hesitation. Another flicker.

Then, Seonghwa's smile turned a little more real—not in the way that it was genuine, but in the way that it was resigned.

"You worry too much."

That was the answer he gave.

Not no. Not you're wrong. Just a dismissal, wrapped in that same perfect, practiced composure.

It pissed Hongjoong off.

Because now he knew.

Seonghwa was struggling. Maybe more than struggling.

And he was pretending no one could tell.

And it pissed Hongjoong off again; more than it should have.

But instead of pushing, he simply nodded. He wasn't going to push tonight. He wasn't going to force Seonghwa to say something he wasn't ready to.

But one thing was certain: Hongjoong wasn't letting this go.

Not now. Not when he knew that beneath the polished surface, something was breaking.

A/N
Oh my god you guys this is #3 in the Woosan tag. Thank you for taking interest of this.

I hope you liked this chapter too, even though it focuses on Seongjoong🥹🩷