"Oh but Sunoo! Good luck on your test today!"
"Mom! The examinations are done, I'm getting the results today! Do you have short term memory loss?"
"Ah, sorry Ddeonu! Just know that as long as you did your best, I am so proud of you!"
"Mm, I know. Do you take your pills?"
"Yes, Son. Now go hurry, you'll be late for school! No getting of girlfriends yet!"
"Mom! Shh, I like someone already!"
"REALLY?! Why, who is the dear woman that took my son's heart?! Is she beautiful? Does she have manners?"
"Uhm, I'm getting no signal! AgHhA I'm losing connection!"
Sunoo ended the call with a big smile on his face, putting his foot inside his shoe holes.
It was the first long call he had with his mom ever since he moved back to Korea, and it gave him so much happiness and relief that his mother was doing okay.
Sunoo put his hand on the door knob, his eyes gazing at the bracelet on his wrist.
He suddenly remembered the crying boy he met at the playground years ago back in Japan, curving up a small grin as he puts his fingers on the bracelet.
"Hm.." Sunoo takes the charm off his wrist and places it on the small table by his door.
"I'll leave it for today." Sunoo happily said, thinking of not wearing the accessory as to not bother a friend of his.
-
"They fought?!"
"Wait, ARE THEY DATING?!"
"Poor Jungwon-ssi.."
Sunoo raised an eyebrow at people whispering his friend's name, walking up to his locker.
"SUNOO!"
Sunoo hummed and turned around to see Heeseung and Jake panting in front of him.
"Were you guys running?" Sunoo asked them whilst putting books inside his compartment.
"Have you seen Jay and Jungwon?!" Jake asked worriedly, making Sunoo more suspicious.
"No, why?" Sunoo replied in concern.
"Jay took his frustration out on Jungwon and he ran off! He missed the morning attendance and we've been looking around the school!"
"They fought?! Aish..maybe check on the rooftop?"
"Good idea. See you later!" Heeseung waved as Jake followed him.
Sunoo deeply sighed and closed his locker, thinking about where his dongsaeng may be.
Jay always loved Jungwon, and Jungwon always loved Jay. It's a surprise to hear that the two didn't get along for the first time.
-
Sunghoon panted and stopped right in front at the empty gym.
Or so he thought was empty.
"YAH!"
The basketball bounced back on the ground with a load bang as the figure in front of the hoop turned around.
"Get lost."
Jay coldy spoke, taking the ball from the floor onto his hand as his body turned around by Sunghoon grabbing his shoulder.
"What were you thinking lashing out on Jungwon like that?!" Sunghoon showed as much concern as he can on his tone, sounding soft but aggressive at the same time.
"It's none of your business." Jay's stern voice got Sunghoon's breath to hitch, grabbing him by his other shoulder before he could turn around.
"I get you're frustrated for some specific reason but take it out on something else! I don't know, basketball? Just not to someone that dearly loves you! Do you know how much pain you caused Jungwon? You literally pushed him on the ground, said horrible things to the boy and now he's probably crying his heart out to some abandoned location, and all for your childish actions?!"
Sunghoon shouted to his heart's content, his voice echoing all throughout the whole gym as Jay groans and pushes the basketball to Sunghoon.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Sunghoon stares at Jay's orbs as he notices his eyes started to pour water down his cheeks.
For almost 10 years of friendship, never has Sunghoon seen Jay cry his heart out like this.
"J-Jay hyung.." Sunghoon stutters, slowly walking to his crying elder and crouching down to pat his back.
"I hate myself.." Jay mumbles, making Sunghoon's eyes look around.
"Y-yah..Don't say that!"
"I'm forced to run my dad's company when we graduate. But I wanna do basketball. I can't go home, and now I also can't talk to my home. Jungwon is my home. He's always there for me. But I messed everything up..Didn't I?" Jay's words mumbled on Sunghoon's shirt as the younger felt his clothing get wet by the older's tears.
"Yeah. You did."
Jay lifts his head up and looks at Sunghoon, before holding his hands on his, catching the younger off guard.
"What should I do?"
Sunghoon gulps and smirks, gaining self confidence.
Jay was always the romantic and relationship expert of the friend group, but now that the 'master' was weak, Sunghoon thought it was time to claim that spot as the 'relationship expert'.
"Buy him flowers, chocolate, a car, a watch, anything! But I think a sincere apology and a warm hug will cheer him up." Sunghoon smiles as Jay wipes his tears.
"Thanks man!"
"Hey no charge!"
"Thank you so much!"
"Nah give me 10,000 won."
"NO!"
"20,000 then."
"Are two tens okay?"
-
"GO!" Sunghoon pushed Jay to the table where their friends sat, as everyone looked at him except...Jungwon.
"Hey guys." Sunghoon greeted everyone, pulling Jay on the seating bench by the back of his collar.
Sunghoon elbowed Jay's arm, making Jay take deep breaths before he slid a soda can by Jungwon's tray.
Jungwon glanced at the soda and back to his food, before sighing and standing up with the food tray in his hand.
"Psst. Dude. Do something?!" Jake nudges Jay's elbow, making Jay panic as his mind was too pressured on what to do.
Standing up furiously, shouting out 5 words than made everyone in the cafeteria stop their actions.
"I love you, Yang Jungwon."
Jay shouts across the cafeteria, making everyone gasp. Some were recording, some where angry, some were squealing, some were weirded out.
Niki snorted from the cringiness as Heeseung kicks his knee by the bottom of the table.
Jungwon stops walking as well, the corner of his eyes turning itself as far as it can but his body didn't move a single inch.
But the sudden hands wrapping around his waist and chin resting on his shoulder, Jungwon's cheeks turned red as it puffed as well, making him gulp big.
Runa entered the cafeteria and saw the scene, glancing at the group's table to see Niki laughing but Sunoo who was sitting beside him grabbed his ear and kicked his knees.
Runa scoffed quietly, ignoring the ruckus and turning back to the line to grab herself a food tray.
"Make up! Make up! Make up!"
Everyone in the cafeteria started chanting, making Jungwon's cheeks puff from embarrassment again.
Heeseung sighed and went up to them, grabbing the tray out of Jungwon's hand and turning him around as Jungwon's eyes glanced at Jay's but looked away immediately.
"I'm sorry. For the pain I caused you earlier. I'll never do the same mistake ever again. As a person, as a friend and..
As a boyfriend."
Jungwon bites his lip and glances at Heeseung, seeing him aggressively try to threaten him if they don't make up.
"I-I guess.." Jungwon mumbled, making Jay's small smile appear.
"You guess what?"
"I-I guess I forgive you.."
"And?" Jay added.
"I-I guess I'll be your boyfriend.."
Jay's wide warm smile appeared as he bear hugged Jungwon, making Jungwon smile softly.
The cafeteria loudly cheered for them making up. Some girls that had a crush on Jay got angry and tried to ruin the moment but Sunghoon booed them and threw...vegetables on their faces.
"So is everything okay between you two now?" Heeseung reassured.
"Mm, yes." Jay glanced at a smiling Jungwon as they returned back to their seats, receiving compliments from people they passed by.
"Wah! That was truly brave and romantic of you, Park Jongseong! YAH! If you don't do this to me on valentines day, you're dead meat. GOT ME?!" Jake pointed a finger at Sunghoon, making Sunghoon chuckle and take the finger down.
"But baby, we aren't even going out yet. Are you that desperate to date the Park Sunghoon?" Sunghoon teased, making Jake surprised.
"B-baby?! You're out of your mind, Park!" Jake bonked the top of Sunghoon's head, making Sunghoon chuckle and poke Jake's cheeks.
"Hey!" Runa spoke as she sat down in the middle of Sunoo and Niki, placing her food tray on the table.
"That was a scene you made there by the way." Runa reminded, taking a bite off her food as Jay and Jungwon smiled at each other.
"But it was a cute scene, right Won?" Jake nudged Jungwon's shoulder as the younger blushed and nodded.
"Hm, I don't know."
Everyone turned their heads to Runa as she spoke those words, even Niki looked at her surprisingly.
"I feel bad for those girls who can't be with you, Jay. If I were you I'd choose them instead." Runa said in some sort of apologetic tone, making Jay raise his eyebrows.
"What do you mean by 'instead'?" Heeseung spoke sternly, making Runa chew on her food more.
"A-ah, I'm sure she didn't mean it in a harmful way, right..Runa?" Sunoo spoke and tried defending her, as the bell rang to which was to Runa's luck.
"Oh! I have history next, see ya!" Runa grabbed her tray and waving before taking her food in the back of the cafeteria.
Jay and Jungwon looked at each other curiously, making Jake cough.
"L-let's just ignore that. I'm sure she didn't mean to hurt you guys..
Right?"
-
Sunoo closed his locker and turned right to see Runa's figure walking away to the exit of the department.
"Runa!"
Runa hummed and turned around to see Sunoo panting in front of her.
"Oh, hi Sunoo! Is there anything you need?" She asked innocently.
"No, just...what was that?"
"What was what?" She chuckled.
"The thing you said to Jay back in the cafeteria. That if you were him you'd date those girls instead?"
"Ah, that..well.."
She walked closer to Sunoo and hugged him, making Sunoo jump in a pool of confusion.
"If you think boy to boy relationship is adorable then.."
Sunoo looked at her and lightly pushed her off.
"Why...didn't you finish your sentence?" Sunoo stuttered.
"Hm..well I have a part time job to do. Talk to ya later!" Runa ignored his question and waved, before turning around only for her smile to change into a poker face.
Sunoo gulped and rested his back on the lockers, watching Runa's figure go away.
What's with her today, Sunoo thought.
I'm sure she doesn't mean to hurt us. she wouldn't hurt my friends.
Sunoo forced a smile and saw Niki coming his way, waving at him.
"What's up?" Sunoo asked.
"Did Runa leave?"
"Mm, yeah. Why?"
"Good. Stay away from her."
Sunoo stumbled back and looked at Niki.
"W-why?"
"What she said there back in the cafeteria, are you really going to let that slip?" Niki said in a stern tone.
"I-I...I'm sure she doesn't mean to hurt them-"
"It was obvious Sunoo hyung, can't you notice that? There's always been something off about Runa."
Sunoo's cheeks puffed, as his hands put itself in his pockets.
"How would you know, Niki? You barely talk to her!"
"It doesn't matter if I talk to her or not. I'm not letting her hurt my friends. She hurt me already, I'm not letting someone I love get their feelings played, and yes that includes you."
Sunoo's hands slowly drifted off his own pockets, looking concerned at Niki.
"She..hurt you?" Niki coughed at Sunoo's reply.
"Nevermind.." Niki tried walking away but Sunoo grabbed his wrist.
"No, is there something you're not telling me?" Sunoo asked.
"No, just..worry about yourself more than me. I'm going home." Niki let out a very small smile before shaking his wrist off Sunoo's grip and heading out of the school building.
Runa..hurt Niki?
Sunoo thought it would always be the other way around but he guessed wrong.
Now he doesn't know who to trust and comfort.
The girl he's been crushing on for the past months or the rude guy he met on the plane and is now the guy he has mixed feelings for?
-