Sunoo looks beside him, giving Jungwon a judging stare as the latter was busy texting on his phone.
“This is why you’re acting salty,” Sunoo said.
“I’m not acting salty,” Jungwon argued. “I’m doing this for you. You’ve been practicing your speech in front of a mirror every night, I’m not letting all your efforts go to waste.”
“So you gave up your date with Jay?” Sunoo asked.
Jungwon elbowed him, “It’s called spending time.”
Sunoo only rolled his eyes at his best friend before he looked back to check on Riki who was standing behind them. The younger one has been giving him weird looks from the moment they met at the university gate. Now, here they were standing in the large space waiting for the festival to officially start.
Currently, a group of stand-up comedians are performing on the stage and Riki has his full attention watching them, laughing at the corny jokes at times. While Sunoo tries to calm his loud-beating heart.
+++
Jake sat on the couch, turning the television on as he sipped on his glass of fruit shake. It was only him and Sunghoon in the house and the latter is either busy doing his paper or is sleeping.
He sighed, feeling a little disappointed about Heeseung cancelling their date for today. Turns out the older one needed to sign some urgent papers from the veterinary clinic he did his job training, and up until now he isn’t back home yet.
Jake really wanted to attend the festival and he’s torn between coming without Heeseung or staying inside until Heeseung arrived.
“Lower the volume, please!”
Jake looked up to see Sunghoon peeking his head from the door of his room, the latter looked like he was disturbed from his sleep. Jake turned the television off, instead.
“I thought you had a date with Heeseung?” Sunghoon asked, walking out of the room.
“He cancelled,” Jake says, disappointment lingering in his voice.
Sunghoon sat beside him, “Why?”
Jake shrugged, “He needed to accomplish some important matters.”
“I don’t think so,” Sunghoon murmurs, but his voice is loud enough for Jake to hear.
“What do you mean?”
Sunghoon flatly smiled at Jake before looking away, making Jake more curious.
“We talked last night,” Sunghoon then says. “About you, me and him.”
+++
Heeseung wiped off the tears that fell from his eyes while the people that surrounded him laughed. The scene on the stage is funny, but Heeseung can’t find any reason to laugh.
He stood in the corner of the field, watching the people gather around before the show finally started. The sun’s already setting and it’s making the skies get a mixed hue of orange and pink.
It was selfish of him to attend the festival without Jake after cancelling their plans, although he knew how much Jake wanted to watch the show so bad. But he can’t continue what he originally planned for this date after Sunghoon came to talk to him last night.
“You don’t have any reason to feel jealous about me and Jake.”
“Because in the first place, I have liked you ever since we started talking in high school.”
“And I don’t have any intention to take Jake away from you.”
Heeseung should be happy about it, but he found himself hurting instead. He treated Sunghoon as a best friend, and hearing about his real feelings towards him made Heeseung feel bad. He realized how much he had hurt his best friend after all those favors he asked of him.
He realized he will hurt Sunghoon again if he continues asking Jake out tonight. Sunghoon is his best friend and he didn’t want to hurt him further, but Heeseung also didn’t want to give up on Jake.
What should he do?
+++
Sunoo looked around as the venue started getting crowded. Jungwon left earlier to meet with someone and he isn’t back yet, the show will start already.
Sunoo gets startled at the arm suddenly wrapping around his shoulder, he looks up to see Riki standing behind him.
“I got to make sure you’re not leaving me here alone,” Riki flatly smiled, pulling Sunoo closer to him.
“Can you not?” Sunoo asked, trying to get away but Riki was stronger. “It’s a little hot in here.”
“Let me at least hold your hand, then,” Riki said, removing his arms off Sunoo’s shoulder before intertwining their fingers.
Sunoo felt his cheeks heat up as he looked down to see their hands fitting perfectly with each other. He then refused to look back up to hide his blushing cheeks, missing to see the wide smile spreading on the younger's lips.
“Let’s give it up for our first guest! Tomorrow by Together!”
The sound of the drums syncing with the cheers and people’s clap made Sunoo look up. They were positioned a little closer to the stage but there were some tall people blocking his view.
I really hate the awkwardness, I just laugh
Baby, I know we were special
Only one in the world, special (Mm)
That look in your eyes, like an emptied gift box
You and I in the setting sun
Sunoo stood on his toes, placing his chin on Riki’s shoulder as he looked over the stage. He couldn’t get a proper view of the rookie rock band performing, but their voices echoing all over the venue piqued Sunoo’s interest.
He should put their group name on the list of his stand.
“What was their group name again?” Sunoo asked, standing normally again.
“Tomorrow by Together,” Riki answered. “If Heeseung only didn’t go with us, he could be a part of that group.”
“Really? But his group in our university is quite well known as well, why don’t they sign a contract?” Sunoo curiously asked.
Riki smiled, meeting Sunoo’s eyes, “Heeseung wanted to pursue veterinary more than performing.”
Sunoo nodded his head as he looked back up the stage. He had to stand on his toes again and support himself by placing his chin on Riki’s shoulder.
He felt Riki removing their intertwined hands before he supported Sunoo by placing his arms around his waist, carefully lifting him a little higher.
“Thanks,” Sunoo shyly said.
“You should’ve taken more height supplements when you were younger,” Riki replied.
Sunoo turned his head to look at Riki only to realize that Riki was looking at him too, their faces only a centimeter apart.
(But it's you) you're the one that I want
(You) everything that I want
(Blue) The blue that fell by my side
Everything changes
(But it's you) At 5:53
(You) This different world is beautiful
Riki’s eyes travelled from Sunoo’s eyes down to his lips, making the older unconsciously bite his lips in nervousness.
'Cause imagination
In that sky
The orange-glowing magic
Before it comes to an end
Sunoo hiccupped, making Riki laugh. The younger looked back up on stage while Sunoo tried to hide his blushing face by ducking his head down on the younger’s shoulder.
'Cause imagination
In that moment
Can you feel the rush? Can you feel the rush?
Freeze this moment
That voice!
Sunoo quickly looked back up, eyeing the five performers on the stage. He tried to look at their faces one by one. He knew no one from the four members, and it’s frustrating to look at the fifth member in the middle of the stage.
His long hair is covering his face and he’s not even trying to push it back. Sunoo can’t see his face, but the familiar voice is coming from him.
“Beomgyu…”
tengyu_