Chapter Text

Movie Night: Part 3

Geonwoo’s POV:
Night; 11:30

Geonwoo finished up the rest of the food set up alone. Junseo and Leo were busy for a while, likely rounding up everyone in the dorm.

Everyone seemed excited for the movie night. Geonwoo wished he had the same sentiment but he could only think of Sangwon.

Just then Leo walked in. He was trying to check if everything was in place. He got to Geonwoo and stopped.

“Geonwoo… what are these?”



“The cookies, Leo-hyung!”



“You weren’t supposed to ice them like this… did you not listen to Junseo?”



“oh…”



“Geonwoo, can you not follow instructions!?”



“Leo-hyung, i’m sorry i was trying my best.”



“Geonwoo-ah it’s fine. Forget it. i was being hard on you. There are others that are alright looking.”



“Leo-hyung — I didn’t mean to—"



“Geonwoo-ah, just leave it. let’s just finish the last bit of the preparations.”

Geonwoo watched as Leo walked away angrily leaving him all alone, again. He looked to the side and saw Anxin and Sangwon standing by the corridor that led to their bedrooms. He looked away quickly.

Anxin walked past Geonwoo, likely to speak to Leo. Did he really make such a big mistake?

Leo had been going at him for a while. No matter what, it was never enough for him. Geonwoo thought about seemed it like Leo had something against him. Geonwoo quickly shut the idea down. There was no way his leader who had always been so friendly have a vendetta against him. He had hardly known him. Then he heard his voice…

“You know… they are that bad…”
Geonwoo turned around to see Sangwon. Geonwoo was surprised. Sangwon never initiated conversations.

“He can be a bit aggressive when he’s stressed. He means well.”

“I knew that. How could I make anyone mad?”

“Well… you have a look of mischief on your face constantly.”

“Hey!”

They shared a laugh. In the excitement of it all, Geonwoo had noticed just pretty Sangwon was. Then Geonwoo saw it, a smile. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen that smile. The one he spent many nights thinking about. He couldn’t help but smile back.

“You should go get the others.”

“Oh right, i’ll do that.”

As Sangwon was about to leave to fetch the others, Geonwoo grabbed his arm. Sangwon turned to see Geonwoo’s stronger hand around his arm and looked up to meet Geonwoo’s gaze.

“Sangwon… thanks.”

“It’s not a problem.”

Geonwoo watched as Sangwon walked away. Was this a step in the right direction? Was this a sign Sangwon wanted to try being friends again? Hopefully.

Eventually everyone had gotten comfortable with a blanket and a pillow. Conversions were going. Geonwoo observed as his roommates interacted. He was happy to see everyone seemed to be getting along well.

Geonwoo saw sangwon’s face turned pink as he laughed as he joked with sanghyeon and anxin. Something about sangwon’s face made his emotions show so clearly. Geonwoo found it so fascinating. He couldn’t help but stare.

“Geonwoo-hyung? Are you okay?”

Geonwoo turns to see Xinlong. He seems concerned.

“Ah! Xinlong-ah! I am well. How are you?”

“That’s great! I am excited about the movie night. I was just worried because you seemed to be zoning out. You don’t usually do that.”

Xinlong was quite observant because it was true. Geonwoo is a very big talker and is already friends with everyone in the dorm.

“Right… Sorry I am just a bit tired today.”

Xinlong formed a small smile.

“That’s alright. I understand.”

Geonwoo appreciated Xinlong’s concern. It’s been a long time since someone was so interested in his well-being. The last person who cared, well, they don’t talk anymore like they used to.

His eyes wondered off to Sangwon. He was smiling just as brightly as before. Sangwon seemed perfectly fine without him.

“Alright everyone! It’s movie time!

Everyone found their seats. They decided on an arrangement. They sat in the order:

Sangwon, Sanghyeon, Anxin were on the floor.
 Arno, Leo, Xinlong, Geonwoo and Junseo were on the couch.

Geonwoo didn’t mind sitting next to those two. They would likely watch the movie silently and Geonwoo really needed to be immersed in the movie to distract his mind.

The lights turned off. The only light that remained was the TV. Leo and Junseo gathered the cookies and popcorn. The boys were appreciative, and the cookies got lots of compliments.

The movie played and a steady flow of chatter and laughter started. Geonwoo was invested and enjoying his popcorn. In fact, he was eating mouthfuls.

Geonwoo watched intently. The current scene portrayed an interaction between the main female and male characters. There was clear tension between the two. Up until this point in the movie, the viewers hadn’t yet seen any sign of interest between the two. It was in the words they said and the looks they shared.

*Nudge* *Nudge*

Geonwoo looked in the direction of the sudden force he felt to his side and found it came from Junseo.

“Familiar don’t you think, Geonwoo-ah?”

Geonwoo, startled by the sudden comment, started coughing. Everyone turned and looked at Geonwoo. Geonwoo felt each pair of eyes looking at him. He felt incredibly embarrassed.

“Ex- Excuse me. I am going to get some water.”

Geonwoo got up and carefully walked out of the lounge, ducking to avoid blocking the TV. He went to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

He turned the tap and drenched his face in water, desperate to wake himself from this awful dream. How did he find out? Geonwoo and Sangwon were able to evade being found out throughout the duration of the show. He figured that it was the fact that they now shared a dorm and needed to be around one another often. The proximity made everything more clear to him and apparently others too.

Sangwon’s behaviour could be dismissed as him being polite and Geonwoo knew that but something in his heart told him that there was more to it. Maybe it was wishful thinking or maybe he was really perceptive. It didn’t matter because the man in front of the mirror lost Sangwon once already. Who was to say he will ever get him back?

“Geonwoo-ah?”

Junseo was at the door looking at Geonwoo with concern in his eyes. He seemed apologetic.

“I’m sorry. My comment was forward. I didn’t expect you to react the way you did. I saw you two and I had to talk to you. I just wasn’t sure how to bring it up. I meant well, honest.”

“It’s alright and I know.”

Junseo smiled a half smile at the response and walked into the bathroom.

“i promise this will stay between us. I am really sorry.”

“It’s alright, Junseo-hyung. Thank you.”

Junseo smiled that smile again showing his uncertainty about whether that was good enough of an apology and if he was allowed to leave after that.

“How’d you find out?”

Junseo was just about to leave before he stopped and turned around. He looked Geonwoo dead in the eye.

“Your eyes. They say a million words. It’s the not the same look you see in movies. it’s more honest and pure. You look at him as he was the prettiest person you have ever seen.”

“That’s cause he is. He’s the most gorgeous person I ever laid eyes on.”

Junseo eyebrows raised in shock.

“You really do like him, huh?”

“I do, don’t i?”

Junseo sighed. “Well, i should head back. Geonwoo-ah, i am here if you need anything.”

Junseo left the bathroom and closed the door.
Geonwoo felt the door closing and the world caving in. He had to be more careful now that someone knew.

Back then, they had agreed to not let anyone know.

(Flashback)

“Sangwon-ah, last night was amazing.”

Geonwoo heard Sangwon laugh through his nose cutely over the phone.

“It was. I couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

“Me, neither.”

“I can’t wait to tell my friend, i have been going on how i liked someone and now i can finally say we-“

Geonwoo felt time freeze. He felt scared. He didn’t want anyone to know. If people found, he would lose opportunities and he will lose his manly persona he carefully curated.

“Sangwon-ah, please don’t tell anyone. Let’s keep it secret while we figure it out.”

Geonwoo could hear the moment Sangwon’s smile dropped. He suddenly went quiet after talking so much.

“oh. sure. I had no idea you wanted it to be a secret.”

“Well honestly, I am not sure how i feel. Up until last night, i didn’t expect we would ever be a thing.”

Geonwoo realized what he said after he said it. He meant it differently.

“I mean- I didn’t think-“

“No I understand. I felt the same way, Geonwoo.”

Geonwoo sighed. He had to fix this. He heard the sadness over the phone.

“I’m coming over later. is that okay?”

“Sure. I’ll see you later.”

“Bye Sang-“

Sangwon hung up the phone.

(Back to present)

Geonwoo should have known… he should have been more certain before he kissed Sangwon. If only Geonwoo had been more secure in his feelings towards Sangwon. If only he knew how he actually felt back then. If only he didn’t care what would happen. If only there were no stakes involved.

He couldn’t let his unrequited feelings get in his way. Junseo promised he wouldnt say anything. He just had to trust him. He cleaned his face once more before heading back to the living room. There was a movie to watch and a role he needed to act.