*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: chapter twenty
You lay into your sofa lazily, switching between shows on Netflix to try and find something worth watching. Due to your exams, you hadn't been keeping up to date with any new shows and you were missing out on the new episodes of 'a business proposal' which had been coming out each week.
Your last two exams had gone much better than you had expected. Despite your mental state, you'd stuck in and done the work to a standard you were proud of, just like the boys had told you to. But even though you were finally free of exams, there was still something bothering you.
You made the decision to visit Hyunjin tonight, before dinner at Seungmin and Jeongin's tomorrow night. It had been two weeks, and had been playing on your mind consistently. You at least wanted to make amends to the friendship you'd lost because of everything.
You knew Hyunjin didn't finish work until around 7pm, so you were just waiting until then to go over to his. You were worried he wouldn't be in, but it was a Thursday night and you doubted he would be up to much. You considered texting him and asking if you could come round, but was quickly put off that idea when you thought he might either
1. Ignore your message completely or
2. Tell you he didn't want to see you.
Ultimately, you'd decided to fuck it and just force him to hear you out. There was nothing you wanted more than to fix things, whether that would allow you to be friends again or something more.
However, you were completely snapped out of your thoughts when someone knocked on your door. Sighing, you got up and opened it, standing back in confusion when you were faced with six grinning faces in front of you.
"What the -" you started, getting cut off by the bombardment of boys entering themselves into your apartment.
"Suprise!" Minho said with a grin.
"What are you guys doing here?" You asked, clearly shocked that almost all your friends had decided to show up to your apartment.
"We thought we would come and celebrate the fact your exams are finally over!" Seungmin said with a puppy dog grin.
"But I'm literally seeing you all tomorrow," you said in confusion.
"Yah! Just be grateful for once, hm? We've all come to be good, kind friends and congratulate you!" Jisung said dramatically.
"They're all liars," Jeongin laughed. "Felix and Minho made you a cake and everyone's been desperate to try it, so they forced them to bring it today rather than eat it tomorrow."
"Shut it," Chris said, nudging Jeongin. "We came for the scholar and the scholar only! How did they go, kid?"
You make your way through to the living room and move some of the things you had on your couch to make space for the boys to sit. "Hm, mixed bag. Some of them went well, one of them not so much. I'm just so fucking glad they're finished."
"So are we," Minho says as he places the box he was holding on your coffee table. "You've been nothing short of grouchy for weeks."
You shot Minho a glare, but he only smirked back. You noticed two of your friends were missing.
"No Changbin or Hyunjin?" You asked, looking towards Chris who only gave you a sad smile.
"Changbin's doing gross wedding stuff and Hyunjin said he was busy," Seungmin replied nonchalantly.
"It's not gross," Felix said to him. Before directing his attention back to you. "It's cute - they're going shopping for wedding rings!"
You stood up to head towards the kitchen and get plates for this cake the boys were talking about. "Already! That's quick."
"They're talking about making it a winter wedding," Chan said as you started to walk out the room. "Probably around the holidays."
"Romantic," you shout through, opening your cupboards to get out plates. You noticed that Jeongin had followed you through. "Hey Innie, miss me?"
"Nope," he said with a cheeky grin, helping you grab plates from the cupboard. He laughed when you nudged him. "Kidding, obviously. Think that was the longest we've not seen each other for years."
"It was only two weeks," you laughed. He was right though - the two of you always found ways to see each other as you often spent time together without the others. You'd found it weird not seeing him in such a long time. "But I missed you too. What have you been up to?"
"Oh, nothing much. Just work. Do you remember how you brought me lunch a couple weeks ago?"
You nodded your head. Jeongin had forgotten to bring his lunch with him to work and since it was a rainy day, he had to supervise his class indoors so he had sent an SOS text to the group chat and you'd pulled through, bringing something for him to eat.
"Well, my kids won't stop asking me about you - they keep calling you my wife," the younger boy laughs. You find it adorable how he calls his students his 'kids'.
"Your wife?" You join in laughing, balancing plates and chopsticks and making your way back through to the living room.
"It's so funny, I told them you were just my friend but they don't believe me. They keep asking when they can next see you," he giggled as he follows you.
"See, that's what happens when you teach seven year olds. Romance is ripe at that age," you say all knowingly. Jeongin just gives you a weird look and starts putting plates down on the coffee table.
"Excellent, I'm so excited to try this cake," Chris says as he rubs his hands together. Minho starts lifting the lid off the top of the box to reveal the cake he and Felix had baked for you. You laughed when you looked and saw the words, "Congrats on being smart' were written on it.
"What's so special about it?" You ask.
"They've not stopped talking about it since they made it yesterday," Jisung replies. "It smelled amazing when they were baking it, and a colab between Felix and Lino? Of course it's going to be amazing."
"I'm ruining my diet for this cake," Felix laughs, taking a plateful of cake that you hand him.
"As if you need to diet anyway, Felix. You're the most in shape out of all of us," you replied with a raised eyebrow as you handed him a fork.
"Speak for yourself," Chris said cockily as he flexed his arms, and you responded with a fake gag.
"Okay, dig in everyone!" Minho says. You tuck into the cake, taking a large bite. Your face screws up, however, when you taste something that does not seem normal.
"What do you think?" Felix looks at you with bright eyes and a smile. You notice he hasn't eaten his piece yet, and try your best to smile back.
"It's...it's -"
"It's what? Do you not like it?" Minho buts in.
You give him a half smile. "No, it's not that...it's just..."
"It's fucking terrible!" Jisung breaks the ice, putting his plate down dramatically. "What the fuck have you put in this thing?"
The other boys seem to hold the same agreement, but when you look to Felix and Minho they aren't offended as you expected they'd be. You watch as they share a look between them and burst out laughing.
"What?" Seungmin asks with a disgusted look on his face. "What's so funny?"
"We...the cake..." Felix says in between the literal cackling laugh he's producing.
"It's salt isn't it," Chris says as he sports an extremely disappointed face, shaking his head slightly. "You put salt in the cake."
You roll your eyes as Felix and Minho start rolling over your couch with laughter.
"Why the hell would you do that?" Jeongin says, his eyes wide. The boy had stuffed the whole piece of cake in his mouth - one of his weird ass eating habits. That's what happens when you're a middle child.
"No, we thought it would be funny to make a gag cake," Lino says, wiping tears from his eyes that had formed from laughter. "The real cake is in my car."
"Get it before I light you on fire," Jisung says with a deadpan expression as Minho gets up to get the proper cake. You could only assume he had been more than excited to try the cake.
"You have to admit, that was hilarious," Felix said as he started to clean up the plates with the fake cake. "It will be one of those moments we look back on."
"Oh yeah, remember that time you baked a rank cake and I beat you up?" Seungmin says to Felix, making a fist. You giggle at the exchange. Minho comes back holding a box with the actual cake he and Felix had made and you all start to eat it.
"Much better," Jisung says through mouthfuls of the chocolate cake. You had to admit, this cake made up for the disgusting one that was served before it. You all devoured your slices in minutes, most of the boys taking a second piece.
You were interrupted, though, by someone calling you. When you looked at your phone, you were surprised to see it was your mum. You hadn't spoke to her for a couple days so you answered the call.
"Hi mum!" You say in English.
"Hello my child! How are you - oh hello, everyone," your mum says when she sees the boys in the frame, switching from English to Korean. The boys smile and wave, greeting your mum formally. "Oh stop it, I've known you all since you were kids - stop addressing me so formally."
"Sorry auntie," Chris says with a grin. "How are you?"
"I'm good, Channie! Working hard and enjoying the Australian sun! Your family are missing you - even Berry!" She replies with a grin. Chan puts a hand to his heart.
"I'm missing them too, auntie!"
"Oh, is Changbin there? I wanted to say congratulations! His mum is already asking me what I will be wearing, and they've not even set a date yet!" She said, searching the camera to look for the man.
"No, he's not here mum, but I didn't know you were coming to the wedding?" You say, shocked.
"Of course I am! I couldn't miss little Binnie's wedding," she coos, making a cute face.
"We will be excited to see you!" Jeongin says, pushing into the frame so that he can see your mum too.
"Oh shush you, such a cute boy you are Jeongin," she says, waving her hand. Jeongin just gives her a huge grin back.
"Okay okay, I've got places to be but I'll speak to you later," your mum says to you, blowing you a kiss. You tell her you love her before ending the call.
"Aw, it will be nice for you to see your mum again," Felix says to you with a smile.
"I know, I've not seen her in forever," you reply with a smile. "What are you guys cooking tomorrow night?" You ask, directing the question to Seungmin and Jeongin. They asked if they could do their cooking nights together, since they really needed the combined brain power to be able to produce an edible meal.
"It's a secret, but we are making ice cream from scratch for afterwards," Jeongin tells you, stuffing another whole piece of cake in his mouth.
"Why?" Jisung asks, intrigued.
"I got an ice cream making machine for Christmas and I want to try it out," Seungmin replies, and you raise an eyebrow at the strange boy as you start to clear the plates away.
"An ice cream machine?" You ask.
"Yeah, it's one of those old ones you see on adverts on tv for kids channels," Jeongin giggles. "His mum gave it to him."
"Hey, don't diss, I asked for it."
"Why did you ask for a kids ice cream machine?" Was the last thing you heard before you entered your kitchen.
"You okay?" Chris spoke behind you, surprising you.
"Jesus, surprise attack much. And I'm fine, Thank you," you answer him, placing the dishes in your sink. The man beside you leans against your countertop.
"I have no idea what Hyunjin's doing, by the way," he says out of the blue. You sigh.
"I didn't ask. But I would know, since I was planning on going to his before you all came over. Don't get me wrong, I'm really appreciative that you all came, but I just cant not focus on what's going on with Hyunjin right now and I feel like I just need to see him," you unload, letting Chris know what was on your mind.
"Shit, were you? Sorry, I'll try and get them to leave quickly. And I can give you a lift over to his, if you want. I don't doubt that he's just in his apartment moping."
"Thanks, Chris. Have you two made up yet?" You ask, remembering about their work problems.
"Yeah, we try to keep our work issues separate from our friendship. It got a bit messy for a while, and he's still not in a great headspace but we're okay. Now you just need to sort your shit out with him and we will all be one big happy family again," he says with a smile.
"Mhm, I hope so."
"Right, I'll get these idiots to make a move and take you round, yeah?" He says, getting off of the counter. You nod your head, abandoning the dishes you'll do later to walk back through to your living room.
"Time to go troops," Chris says, clapping his hands.
"We only just got here, though!" Jeongin whines. You smile at the younger boy who clearly missed you more than he let on.
"Yeah but we will see her tomorrow. Besides, you all have work tomorrow," he says, taking the role of the oldest of the group on wisely.
"I don't," Minho says like a disobedient teenager. Chris just brings a hand up, pretending to go to hit him and Minho laughs, standing up to gather his things.
"Anyway, morale of the visit is that we're all super proud of you," Jisung says as he gives you a hug before he leaves.
"You've done well at a super hard course and now you can relax all summer! Except when you're working for me, of course," Minho adds on with a smirk. You just roll your eyes at him.
"Yeah, thanks guys. It was nice to see you all, and I will see you again tomorrow night at Seungmin and Jeongin's," you say as they start making their way out the door. Chris hangs back so you can get your shoes and jacket on so he can give you a lift to Hyunjin's.
You wait for a couple minutes until the other boys leave to get into Chris's car (which he got back from the garage) and drive to Hyunjin's. It only takes a couple minutes, and when you arrive he gives your shoulder a squeeze.
"Knock him out. Or break a leg? I don't really know the right phrase, but you know what I mean," he says to you with a lopsided grin. You smile and thank him before getting out the car. Someone was leaving Hyunjin's apartment complex, so you just go straight in rather than pressing the buzzer.
You take the elevator in his complex, since his apartment is at the very top, and you tap your foot due to nerves the whole ride up. When you finally reach his front door, you take a deep breath before you knock gently.
Silence.
You decide to try opening it, and much to your surprise it opens straight away. You slowly push the door forward, ready to tell Hyunjin how you feel.
But you were not ready for the sight you walk into.