➷ Third Person
The foxy eyed Korean closed his shakespeare novel and lightly put it down at the table. Arms crossed over his chest and brows furrowing in annoyance.
"Whats wrong with these dumb couple, their faces are bothering my self-centered ego." muttered the foxy eyed, the prankster put down the card with a green reverse sign printed on it at the small picnic mat before he turned to look at the annoyed yedam.
"Don't mind them, its just an effect of hangover."
Yedam rolled his eyes at jihoon. "Stupid, theres no such thing. They should be fine by now, hangover only lasted for an hour specially if you mend it with some soup."
Jihoon is about to defend himself and prove a point when yoonbin interrupted.
"UNO! PAY UP BITCHES!" the squinty eyed guy half yelled conceitedly while moving his fingers as if gesturing them to prize drop. Yedam shake his head in disapproval.
"HEY THIS IS UNFAIR! YEDAM TALKED TO ME SO I GOT DISTRACTED!" the foxy eyed throw a look of disbelief to jihoon who's frantically defending himself in a foolish way.
"I'm pretty sure something happened last night." the tall korean whispered- eyes focused on his phone. Yedam turned to look at him before he continued reading the novel.
"You think so?" junkyu nodded even though he knows yedam can't see him.
"Have you seen how clingy they are to each other earlier this morning?" the prankster interrupted as he surrendered the key of his bugatti veyron to the squinty eyed since he lost the uno game together with junkyu, asahi, and yoshinori. Each one of them should do or give what yoonbin says, he rules the kingdom for a week since he won the game.
"But haruto goes back to his normal self." Asahi stated wearing his usual expressionless face.
Yoshinori squinted his eyes in slight confusion, yoonbin grinned at him while playing the keys on his lithe fingers. "Coquetting with pretty bitches."
Indeed, words that escaped from their mouths are facts based on observation. The foxy eyed heave a worried sigh followed by the concerned glance of the prankster.
"Keita will not be glad to know all of these."
Meanwhile at the west wing of the extravagant cafeteria, the tan-skinned korean unconsciously touch his lips remembering the hazy memory inside his head. He remembered how he brought haruto to the local food tent, the older ordered 6 sojus, they managed to knock down two bottles each and 'Damn it, did i just tell him i want to kiss him?!'
Jeongwoo sighed, realizing that he just made out with haruto last night, he didn't remember their exact conversation but he remembers that he somehow provoke the older to kiss him, he remembered initiating the last kiss before everything disappeared infront of his eyes. The next morning, he woke up lying on his bed with headache and slightly upset stomach.
"Are you done spacing out while touching your lips?" jeongwoo automatically pull his senses back when yeongue interrupted.
"S-sorry im just-"
"Your head still hurts?" yeongue ask, raising one of his eyebrows.
Jeongwoo shake his head. "No, im all go-"
"It should be hurt because its owner is slowly becoming stupid." the usually cheerful guy stated in annoyance.
Jeongwoo is slightly taken a back but he knows what the other is trying to say. "Gue its not-"
"Oh please Park Jeongwoo, don't get me started. I'm not blind nor stupid, i already know everything from the first glance and i didn't like it. Take it from me jeongwoo, i just don't want you to get hurt." yeongue explained, jeongwoo bit his lips lightly, trying his best to avoid yeongue's gaze.
"I won't gue, i won't get hurt. I'm aware we're just pretending, im not taking it to the heart and i don't put special meaning on his actions." jeongwoo answered hugging the slightly annoyed yeongue.
The cheerful korean rolled his eyes at the other who's wrapping his arms on him to pursue him, sadly, yeongue is not buying it. "Liar. How come i see the other way around? Jeongwoo you think haruto is going to take you seriously?"
Since their new grown friendship jeongwoo never felt annoyed to his friend for almost a month of getting along. Its the first time, he stayed silent and cross his arms over his chest. Yeongue lightly kick his feet under the table but jeongwoo didn't budge, he remained blank.
"Your bitch face won't work on me Park Jeongwoo, im not saying all of these to offend you. I want to be a good friend okay? Haruto is not someone you should entrust your heart into. He's not the guy you think he is jeongwoo, haruto is-"
The tan-skinned korean take that as an opportunity to cut yeongue's words off. "Thanks for caring Kim Yeongue but im fine, i know what im doing. I'm all aware and well-informed."
Yeongue rolled his eyes for the third time. "I didn't mean to appear bad woo, im just worried. I care about you so much, you're a precious friend of mine and i don't want to see you all broke and hurt but if you're going to be like this then fine. Just let me remind you that being with Young Haruto should not be your comfort zone, everything is a facade jeongwoo. Don't ever take it to the heart and think that everything is real or everything is going to be real. Took a step and get out of your comfort zone, you'll understand what im trying to say. You two are just pretending, he's just a great pretender trying to portray real feelings with fake affection."
The cheerful korean walked out of the cafeteria, jeongwoo glared at the box of milk before he close his eyes and lightly pull his hair in frustration. His eyes squinted when he saw a figure flirting with some tourism student. The girl is plainly planting kisses to the japanese neck and the other looks like he's enjoying the whole thing.
Jeongwoo huffed and throw glares at the tourism student when their eyes meet, the female stop what she's doing and whispered something to haruto. Jeongwoo avoided his gaze when haruto turned to look at them.
"I see, fvck off." the japanese replied to the tourism student, the female immediately stood up in panic and left the cafeteria. Haruto walk towards jeongwoo took the seat across him.
"Did you get a good sleep baby love?" jeongwoo rolled his eyes to the japanese who's leaning down at the table with his chin rested on his palm.
"Don't tell me you're freaking jealous." haruto muttered with a sly grin.
"Dream on." the tan-skinned replied, lightly clenching his fist under the table.
Haruto smirked at the korean and drum his fingers lightly. "Good, i hope you don't see it the other way around. Specially last night we're just, you know- drunk."
Jeongwoo never felt so little in his whole life, something inside his body reacts. His eyes watering a little but he bit his lips harshly to prevent himself from an outburst of emotion.
"O-ofcourse, we're just d-drunk. D-drunk people is out of control." the korean stated, haruto stared at him blankly.
"Yeah, you're aware we're just acting right? The date, the dinner, th-"
Jeongwoo smiled widely. "I know, i know! Don't worry, what we did yesterday is all part of an act. No worries, anyway i have to go now Young Haruto. I still have classes."
The tall japanese just watch jeongwoo disappear from his sight. He buried his face on his hands, mumbling japanese profanities. While jeongwoo secluded himself to the garden at the back of the university where almost no student visited it. He flop down to the grass and hug his knees, tears started brimming down from his eyes.
Jeongwoo knows everything is a facade, he knows they're just pretending, he knows haruto is just acting, he knows they're just fulfilling the rules of the contract, he knows everything but he didn't know why it hurts so much. He didn't know why something inside him felt broken, he didn't know why he had to believe that everything has a meaning even just for a second, he knows they're just drunk but he didn't know why it felt so real. And he didn't know why he let someone break the wall he built to protect himself from all these hurtful things.
"He's not even my type but why am i crying like a stupid beggar. I hate this so much."
"I hate crying, i hate getting hurt."
"I hate everything about this."
Jeongwoo cried harder, burying his face on his knees- wanting to disappear.
"If it hurts so much then theres no other way but to quit, when everything doesn't feel right then we should give up and make it beneficial for us. No one should pick up a stone and bang it on their own head." the tan-skinned korean slowly look up and quickly wipe his tears when he saw the mahogany haired guy leaning back at the tree with his hands hidden on his pocket.
"Junghwanie" jeongwoo muttered, the younger smiled and sat next to him, offering a baby pink handkerchief which jeongwoo gladly took.
"Just quit." the tan-skinned korean turned to look at the younger as he stared at him in confusion.
"What do you mean?" junghwan smiled but it doesn't look bright, its more likely a smile of comfort and empathy.
"Hyung, you know what im talking about. Your fake relationship with Haruto, cut it, end it."
Junghwan reached for the older's hands and gave it a light squeeze. "Junghwan its not-"
"I hate lies hyung, i know you two are fake. I see it in his eyes. Its not glowing, its not affectionate, i don't see love, i only see a reflection of someone being stupid and letting himself suffer."
Jeongwoo smiled as a response but instead of his eyes forming into a crescent- tears fell from it. The feeling of getting hurt without actually knowing the reason why, the feeling of confusion and being all aware but choosing to believe a lie and that hurts him the most. The mahogany haired guy clench his fist tightly while his other hand wiping the tears brimming on the older's eyes.
"I can't believe someone remained color blind despite standing face to face with a rainbow." junghwan whispered, pulling the crying mess into his embrace.
"J-junghwan" the older called, his voice breaking and his hands slightly shaking. Junghwan hummed as he gently caress jeongwoo's back.
"We kissed." jeongwoo started off, junghwan remained silent as if waiting for him to continue.
"I told him i love him." the younger held the crying mess tighter.
"Did you mean it?" junghwan whispered softly, jeongwoo leaned more to the embrace- tears continously falling from his eyes.
"I-i don't know, i just let it escaped from my mouth but i don't know if i mean it." the tan-skinned korean felt the younger nodded. Junghwan rest his chin on jeongwoo's crown.
"What did he say in response?"
Jeongwoo let out a deep sigh before he wipe his tears. "I thought he said he loves me too but he mentioned a name later on."
The younger pulled away a little and lock eyes with him. "Do you remember the name he mentioned?"
Jeongwoo slowly nodded. "I think he said something like 'Keita'."
"Damn it." junghwan muttered, the korean's eyes widen a little as he lightly hit the younger for cursing.
"Hyung just end everything between you and haruto." jeongwoo sighed upon hearing the words from the younger. He is about to speak when a voice interrupted.
"Why would he listen to you? Who are you to command him?" the two guys stood up and jeongwoo keep his head hung low while junghwan just grinned at the tall japanese.
"Why would he stay with a jerk like you? Heartless bastard." the tall japanese smirked as he darted his eyes at the tanned korean.
"Thats very brave of you So Junghwan, you deserve a round of applause. Thanks for your suggestion but jeongwoo and i doesn't need a piece of your petite brain, right slave?" jeongwoo avoided haruto's gaze, he felt junghwan held his hands.
"Stop calling him slave because he's more than what you think he is." the mahogany haired guy muttered firmly, haruto grab jeongwoo's wrist while glaring at junghwan.
"Its none of your business kid. Mind your own, jeongwoo lets go." haruto replied, pulling jeongwoo but stop midway when junghwan pulled it back. The tall japanese glared at the younger.
"Hands off So Junghwan." the younger grinned and pulled jeongwoo closer to him.
"He's not coming with a bastard like you. You're just a piece of sht who thinks he's superior to anyone else, a jerk who lacks love and support from his gold-centered fami-"
"JUNGHWAN!"
The younger flop down at the grass when haruto landed his fist right in his face, jeongwoo immediately went down to check the younger. The tall japanese glared at the sight, he harshly pull jeongwoo.
"Lets go." the japanese firmly said, jeongwoo's gaze went down at the slightly bruised korean. He lightly pulled his hands back from the strong grip but haruto glared at him and harshly pushed him to the tree making him let out a pained groan. Junghwan immediately stood up and punch the japanese back making the japanese to stumble a little.
"YOU SH-"
"STOP IT! STOP! PLEASE STOP!" his voice echoed at the tranquil garden, haruto is about to get back to junghwan thats why jeongwoo shouted to stop the two from fighting.
Junghwan flash a blank expression when jeongwoo went to check up haruto but the japanese harshly shove his hands away.
"Lets go, we need to leave now." the japanese muttered, junghwan wipe the blood on the side of his lips.
"No one is coming with you." the younger stated firmly and pulled jeongwoo again, haruto pulled jeongwoo back just like earlier.
Haruto stared at jeongwoo's eyes, the tan-skinned korean lower down his gaze and bit his lips. The grip on his wrist became tighter and appealed more authoritative, he forced an assuring smile to the younger who's holding his hand. "Let go junghwanie, im going with haruto."
The younger blankly stare at him and soon, jeongwoo felt his grip loosen up. The tan-skinned korean felt guilty inside, he want to cursed himself for being the reason of the younger's blank and cold stare. "Fine."
They started walking away and no one dares to speak, he stared at his wrist— his is skin slowly turning red from the strong grip of the japanese.
'Its my fault for mistaking salt as sugar. It looks the same but taste different like love and pain.'