Chanyeol has never been more uncomfortable in his life. Scratch uncomfortable. He's petrified.
Sat still, eyes going back and forth the tv and the younger male staring straight at him, he shifted in his seat and sucked on his breath.
A cough resounded, or so it appeared, making him flinch and flicker his gaze at Sehun who painted a stoic expression, so unreadable, so lethal it could knock the air out of him untouched.
What's this guy's deal? Is it about the phone? Is he upset about having to go all the way to Gimpo just to get Chanyeol's phone? Does he want something? Why won't he just kill me with words?!
Chanyeol opened his mouth to finally speak when a notification bell rang from his phone. He glanced at it and found Heejung's name as the sender and a nerve-wrecking message on the bottom of the name. He felt the hairs on his arms rise.
Heejungie
we need to talk.
Why does it feel like I'm being cornered? Chanyeol forced a smile as he looked back at Sehun who cocked a brow.
"W-what do you want?" The older choked out the words despite wanting to come off tough and unfaltering. He skimmed the living room and no one was around to save him from what Sehun could possibly do to him any moment now. The door to Minseok's room was just right across him; he's seated on the center couch. He could make a run for it. But Sehun is sat on the left couch which is closer to the door.
I'm trapped. God, just shoot me now.
"Do you want to run?" Sehun asked, and it is so calm that it terrifies Chanyeol even more.
Chanyeol faked a laugh but eventually ended in a cry. "I'm sorry! Whatever I did, I'm sorry!" He moved to sit next to the younger, grazing his hands against each other, pleading to be forgiven for whatever charge it is Sehun has against him.
Sehun sighed, shutting his eyes in distress. "Hyung, stop. It's okay!" He shouldn't have scared him like that. He didn't intend to.
"But you're mad. I'm sorry! I'll do whatever you want, I promise."
"I'm not mad." A half lie. Sehun grabbed the latter's wrist to stop him from doing the hand motions. It was unnecessary.
"Then why are you glaring at me like that?" Chanyeol hiccupped, pouting like a lost puppy.
"Because you didn't tell me something."
"What didn't I tell you..." The older pondered, tracing back the previous events in the last hour, from last night, or yesterday. It can't possibly be the ice cream he finished this morning, Sehun's not that shallow. Or is he?
"I'll just buy you another one." He let out a rough exhale.
Sehun clicked his lips in irritation. His hyung obviously doesn't know what he's saying and what this is about. Chanyeol winced knowing he was mistaken.
Sehun sighed. "Try again," he firmly said.
Another text message. Chanyeol glimpsed at the screen and it's her again.
Heejungie
where are you?
are you busy?
this is important.
The period at the end of her sentences are making him even more anxious than he already is. What is wrong with these two? Chanyeol cried. It felt as if they're both wringing him to speak of something they both want to know. But what does Chanyeol know? What could they possibly want from him?
And then it clicked.
He blinked a couple of times, slowly raking his gaze at Sehun who had his arms crossed, quietly observing how his emotions went on a rollercoaster over the last minute.
"Oh my gosh."
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry I didn't know." And the endless apologies and cries looped in Sehun's ears. Last night was a blurr. Suho's birthday party remained lingering on the back of Chanyeol's head that still experiences slight flickering of the events that happened. Sehun's cold treatment towards him since this morning puzzled him up until now.
"No, Hyung. Please stop saying that, it's not your fault. I just..." Sehun paused. "I just want to know why you didn't tell me earlier."
"Sehun, I swear I didn't mean for any of that to happen. It slipped from my mind that she was there, and that you're going there." He sighed. "I'm sorry."
The younger shook his head, telling him it's fine. Another half lie. He wasn't really angered by the fact that Chanyeol missed something very vital for him to know—well, it still played a part. But if anything, he is more angered on himself for acting so foolish earlier in front of her, and now being so worked up over accidentally seeing her, unprepared. He should have known — she's in Korea. And he knows she's in Seoul, making their world smaller than it already is.
He should've checked her Instagram more. He should've just manned up and pressed on the number one Instagram story that lights up every time he opens the app. Just to be aware of any precautions about her.
Despite everything, it comforted him in some way that she didn't know it was him from earlier. Thank the heavens for masks. He just saved himself from embarrassing himself further.
A notification bell came off the third time causing them both to gaze at it. His interest peeked at the name flashing on the screen, a knowing grin making its way to his lips at the cooking idea.
Sehun turned to Chanyeol who grabbed his phone and began tapping away on the screen.
"You said you'd do anything, right?"
//
A frown was lining Sangjun's face as he bobbed his head on the beat. It was a good frown. A satisfying, eargasmic, good frown.
Heejung felt as if she's elevating at the praises she's receiving from Sangjun and the other two producers listening to her project. They had just informed her that her song will be used for NCT's comeback this year. All those sleepless nights that stretched her senses to its limits to create this masterpiece was definitely worth it.
Jiyoon nudged her on the side, sending her a proud smile to which she returned with a beam.
"Thanks for writing the lyrics for me, Unnie."
"Anything for my bun-bun." Jiyoon ruffled her hair before pinching her cheeks.
"Bun-bun." Heejung snorted at the nickname. Sounds like bread.
Now that just made her crave for some.
After some exchanges about the start of recording with the artist chosen, Heejung was finally free for the rest of the day. She's thinking of dabbling around Hangyul's studio or Macies, but she's leaning more on the former as she remembered that Macie's catching some deadlines and might not want to be interrupted.
Jiyoon decided to come with Heejung outside to buy some bread just a few blocks away. It was a little stuffy inside the house anyway. A little walk wouldn't harm.
The bakery was busier that specific hour as it was round the time people go home from work. Heejung and Jiyoon stepped on the bottom of the line and waited for their turn. Heejung has been checking her phone for countless times, and Jiyoon's starting to notice that there's something odd with the girl since she saw her this morning.
Whilst Heejung was beginning to endlessly tap on the screen of her phone, Jiyoon studied the frown on the latter's face that spoke of irritation.
"What's up?" Jiyoon voiced, making Heejung flicker her eyes up to the older and shake her head.
"I'm just talking to someone."
"Did that someone do something?"
Heejung pursed her lips into a thin line. "He did."
"Mhm." Jiyoon hummed, assessing the atmosphere as Heejung kept clicking her lips.
Their turn finally came, and that exact second came a reply. Heejung immediately told the cashier her order, and signaled Jiyoon that she's just going to head out to talk to the person guilty of the cause of her agitation.
Chanyeol Gongwon
Sorry
Are you still at the Song Camp?
what
of course. why?
dude
u have some serious explaining to do
had hangyul not tell me it was him yesterday, i wouldn't even know
why didn't u inform me?
you know what forget it
I'm omw
wait what
WHY
Seen.
hello?
????????
nice. good talk.
👀