"i think i'm going to throw up." yeosang dramatically put a hand over his mouth.
"stop being a drama-queen." hongjoong deadpanned.
"you have no right to say that, non-single person." the chestnut haired crossed his arms.
the nine of them met up as wooyoung requested since it's been a while since they got together as friends.
the complaining from yeosang was the result of two couples being too affectionate for his liking and their youngest friend having his eyes glued on his phone.
"jongho, you seem busy." hongjoong pointed out which caught the boy's attention.
he quickly shook his head and put his phone in his pocket. "ah, it's nothing, hyung. minjee just keeps bothering me."
"who's minjee?" the blue haired male asked cluelessly.
"it's a girl he-" yeosang puts his fingers up in a quoting manner. "-hates."
"i do hate-" just then, jongho's phone buzzed, making him take it out. he stared at the screen and scoffed, but a little smile crept on his face as he went back to texting.
"ugh, you guys are hopeless." the brunette rolled his eyes.
"this was supposed to be a group hangout, not a double date and friends." yunho grumbled beside them.
"you've been awfully irritated these past few weeks. what's up?" mingi questioned even though he might have a clue why.
yunho finally softens his face into a pout. "you know yeona?"
the crimson haired boy gave a faint smile and nodded.
"well, we kissed."
"oh." mingi purses his lips into a thin line. "so? aren't you happy?"
the only response he got was a sigh and shaking of head.
"you didn't force her, did you?" he tried again.
"she's the one who initiated it." the blonde frowned. "said sorry, and ran away. now, she's ignoring me way worse than before."
"yikes." the other winced. "well, good luck with her." mingi gave him a little pat on the shoulder before jogging towards jihae and seonghwa.
mingi put one arm around each the couple's shoulders. "hyung! can i borrow jihae for a minute?"
not even waiting for a reply, the redhead yanks the girl away from the junior who could only awkwardly laugh, mumbling a small "be careful" as his girlfriend was getting dragged away.
"thanks, hyung!" were the words mingi said before leading jihae to what seemed to be a bakery. "we'll be back in a minute!"
yunho squinted his eyes at the pair, especially at mingi. she has a boyfriend and he's still taking his chances?
"awe, looks like poor lover boy's been left behind." yeosang mockingly says.
"why don't we go to a nearby arcade?" san suggested. "we could make some time pass and have fun."
"just say wooyoung wants to win you a plushie at that clawing machine." hongjoong teased.
"hey!" wooyoung exclaimed. "can't a guy just win a present for his boyfriend without being judged?"
"wanna bet how many coins he'll use up?" yeosang nudge jongho.
"huh? oh, um, yeah, totally." the coconut haired male cluelessly agree, looking up from his phone.
"well, let's go, then." the cinematography major gathered everyone.
he noticed yunho seemingly lost in his own world. "yunho? are you coming?"
finally snapping out of it, yunho faced the group. "yes, hyung. sorry."
he took one last glance at the bakery jihae went in with mingi and saw the two hugging quite tightly.
that's when he realized that he needed to talk to mingi about knowing his limits as a friend to jihae.
-
the day after, yunho had called mingi to the cafe near the school to which the latter happily agreed to.
this cafe is where mingi has always bought their macchiatos and where they would meet up just to hang out.
little did the redhead know what the computer science major wanted to talk about.
"yunho!" the redhead approached the table. "have you ordered yet?"
"uh, no. not yet." the blonde cleared his throat. "this won't take long."
"is it serious?" mingi pulled a chair for him to sit. "i'm not really good with that stuff."
"well, sort of." the taller put across. "it's about jihae."
"what about her? is something wrong? did hyung do something stupid again? if so, i'm ready to slap a bitch." mingi lifted one of his fists up.
yunho shook his head. "no, no. nothing like that."
the redhead tilted his head. "then?"
"it's about your feelings for her." the blonde remarks, causing the other to widen his eyes and jaw slightly drop.
"my what?" he managed to utter.
as if the taller didn't see the confusion on the other's face, he continued. "i'm not telling you to stop whatever you feel for her but there should be boundaries now that she has a boyfriend, you know?"
too stunned at the sudden interrogation, mingi blinked while slightly shaking his head. "i.. i think you got it all wrong."
"your secret will be safe with me. don't worry-"
"no, yunho. you're really getting everything wrong " the younger stated more firm this time.
"then-" before the computer science major could say anything else that sounded foolish to him, mingi took a deep breath and exhaled.
"i like you."
"yeah, you like-" as if yunho just processed the words, he slowly looks at the redhead. "me?"
"yes." the strawberry haired boy sighed more audibly while avoiding eye contact. "i was actually just asking jihae for help. she didn't give me any false hope, though. she really is the best."
the blonde had his mouth agape and eyes not blinking. "you.. like guys?" stupid. yunho wanted to hit himself for asking that in this situation.
"and girls." mingi sadly chuckled. "but, you know... can't help it."
"mingi, i'm sorry. i can't return your feelings." yunho apologetically says but the other only shook his head.
"oh, you shouldn't be sorry for that." the musical theatre major gave his famous gummy smile but the older could tell it wasn't sincere. "i wasn't really expecting much."
"i'm so sorry. i shouldn't have made assumptions." yunho bows his head down. am i really that dense?
"as i said, don't be sorry." mingi waved his hands. "well, now that that's all clear, i guess i'll be going." he headed towards the exit.
"wait." yunho called, causing to halt but not look back. "can we still hangout like before?"
the redhead bit his lower lip. "i think i might need some time. is that okay?"
"of course, min. take care." a short pause was heard. "and thank you. you're a wonderful person."
with tears threatening to fall from his eyes, mingi croaked out a small "yeah" before speed walking to his car.
once inside the driver's seat, he took a deep breath as he rapidly blinked the tears away. "that was definitely not how i planned to confess, but i guess that solved my problem of being a scaredy cat."
he huffed before straightening his posture. "drive now, cry later." he murmured.
meanwhile, in the cafe, yunho watched as the car drove off and instantly called his best friends.
a few rings later, she picked up. "hel-"
"jihae, i fucked up."
-
"why would you even talk to him about that in the first place?" wooyoung asked the depressed boy sitting beside him.
"because!" yunho tries justifying himself. "he was always close with jihae and they clicked so well."
jihae gave him a dumb look. "that's your reason?"
"oh, come on. stop making me feel worse." the tallest rested him head on the table.
the three met up at the same cafe when yunho called and informed them what happened.
"look, you basically forced him to confess which is not exactly the most pleasant feeling and easiest thing to do, especially for people who likes the same sex." the silver haired boy spoke logically.
"yeah, yunho. i really can't defend you on this one." the girl scratches her head. "mingi's such a sweetheart."
"great. my two best friends are lecturing me, i lost a friend, and the girl i like won't even face me." yunho pouted, feeling guiltier.
"we're not lecturing you, just spilling straight facts." wooyoung did some weird gang signs, making both his best friends roll their eyes and question why he was there.
"and you whoever said you lost mingi? he said he needed time which is completely understandable." jihae remarked.
"as for yeona, why don't you just already ask yeosang for help?" the culinary major piped up.
"after i basically rejected one of his best friends, i don't think he will." yunho groaned.
"then, ask forgiveness from his best friend." the grey haired made it sound like his idea.
"i did, and he said he needed time." the blonde sighed.
wooyoung crossed his arms and huffed. "gosh, why can't you just like mingi back? he's adorable." he jokingly said.
"well, i'm sorry i'm straight, wooyoung."
"no, yunho. i'm sorry you're straight." that little teasing from wooyoung made jihae snicker until it became laughter which also seemed contagious to both boys.
"thanks a lot, you guys." even though he tried to sound sarcastic with a hint of annoyance, yunho very much appreciated these two.
though they can be a little dumb, they always know how to put him out of a bad mood.