Chapter Text
Boo Seungkwan, in his whole life, had never had a best friend. True, he was a boy who was very cheerful and every single word that came out from his mouth managed to elicit laughter from people around him. He never complained though. He liked making people happy. He just loved the sound of laughter and knowing that he was the reason behind the laughter just made his heart swelled in joy. It was what he lived for. Boo Seungkwan was someone who couldn’t stand sorrowful and gloomy mood. That was probably why everything about him screamed happiness and glee and also probably why his favourite colour was pink (rose quartz to be exact).
It was kind of an irony because the 20-year-old boy disliked depressing stuffs but then he himself was feeling depressed. To be honest, it was nothing big. Nothing big that would make him jump off a bridge, no no he was not that dramatic (yeah, right). It was just that the thought of having no one to call as his ‘best friend’ had been living in his mind for the past few months and to be honest, it was killing him internally.
Back in his hometown, Seungkwan had a lot of friends. By ‘a lot’, he really meant a lot . He practically was friends with every single student in his high school. Aside from being popular for having cheerful and pleasant personality, he was also well-known for his voice. It was no secret to everyone that the chubby cheeks boy had a voice that could melt everyone’s heart and perhaps made some teared up a bit too. He was always invited to perform at every event in his school. His first-class singing skill did not only make him famous in his school but also in his whole district.
Every single human being in his neighbourhood knew who Boo Seungkwan was. Sometimes even when he was accompanying his mother at the market, few grandmas there would ask him to sing old evergreen songs that no teenager had ever heard of the song titles but even so, Seungkwan would gladly fulfill the request by singing the latest songs in a trot way. Though he felt bad for lying to the grandmas, but the old ladies still clapped and some even danced with him. It was the truth to say that everyone in his neighbourhood loved him.
Even so, Seungkwan never once had a best friend.
Yes, everyone loved him. But Seungkwan was always alone in everything that he did. He spent his break alone while waving and giving sincere smiles repeatedly to everyone who saw him. He walked to and back from his school alone while high-fiving and fist-bumping all the boys that he met on his way. He also had no one to study with during exam seasons. He always felt a bit sad every time he went to the library and noticed that almost everyone was in a study group meanwhile his only company was his pile of books. But, being the optimist that he was, he never took it seriously and brushed away all the depressing thoughts in his head because seriously he hated those shits.
Boo Seungkwan really thought the having-no-best friend problem was all settled when he moved to Seoul and further his studies at one of the universities here. After all, he had his group of friends too now. He no longer spent his break alone. His company during exam seasons was not only his books now that he was in a study group. Seokmin, Soonyoung and Mingyu might be troublesome, noisy and sometimes too inappropriate (read that as wasted) for him to handle but he was happy whenever he was with the trio. Seungkwan was usually the one who made the jokes but after befriended those three idiots (they really were, don’t blame him), his happiness just increased to a whole new level.
He also had befriended some of the seniors (courtesy of Soonyoung) and there was nothing that he wanted to complain because Jeonghan, Seungcheol and Jisoo had been nothing but caring, supportive and super-duper nice towards him. Especially Jeonghan who somehow had become like a mother-figure for him. The elder would always make sure that Seungkwan had eaten, Seungkwan was healthy, Seungkwan was okay, and more importantly, Seungkwan was happy. Seungkwan teared up that one time when Jeonghan said that he didn’t have to diet because he was perfect as he was.
He really , really loved his group of friends here in the university.
Still, it was inevitable for Seungkwan to not feel empty especially when all of his friends were older than him. Every day passed by calmly but he couldn’t help but felt like something was missing. Seungkwan felt as if there was a hole in his heart and even he himself didn’t know what could make his heart felt whole. He really hated the fact that no one from his group of friends shared a class with him. He had to sit alone in all his classes. Since all of them were his seniors so it was nothing he could do anyway. Seungkwan really tried his very best to not dwell on this ‘no same-aged bestfriend’ problem and he really, really thought that it was nothing much, he was just being overly dramatic and that was all.
But then something happened that made him suddenly felt like he should just grab anyone who was born in 1998 and asked them “Hey do you wanna be my best friend? I promise we’ll be happy forever.” But of course he didn’t because somewhere along the way, he was no longer the confident, sass Boo Seungkwan and he was now an insecure, timid and self-conscious Boo Seungkwan. Moving to Seoul and meeting a lot of people that were better than him in almost everything that he had talent of had somehow changed him.
Back to his problem, it all happened a few days ago when Seungkwan really really wanted to eat ice-cream. Yeah he knew he sounded stupid for this but he really couldn’t go against his tummy when it came to food (wasn’t everyone like that though?).
So, that day during their brunch break, he tried asking everyone in his group of friends to accompany him and every single one of them refused.
“Seungcheol, Jisoo and I have extra class this afternoon since our final exam is going to start earlier than you guys.” Jeonghan says while pinching Seungkwan’s cheeks. Seungcheol mouths ‘sorry’ while sending him apologetic looks.
The three of them are seniors and even though they have less papers than the others, their exam will start earlier since they still need to complete their final year project after the exam.
Seungkwan then turns to look at Soonyoung and the older clasps his hands while saying, “I really can’t my cutie. You know all the 96’ students need to gather at the hall today because we have to select our minors and all so I really can’t go with you. Sorry sunshine.”
Even with all the excessives, unnecessary sweet names that Soonyoung has been calling him, Seungkwan really can’t help but pouting while he changes his target to Seokmin. The tall boy who is busy slurping the last string of noodle from his bowl chokes when the first thing that greets him when he looks up is Seungkwan’s pouting face.
“Me?” Seokmin says while pointing to himself.
Seungkwan nods cutely.
“Ah you see,” Seokmin puts down the bowl, grabs a tissue, wipes his mouth and then scratches his non-itchy head before continues. “The second year students need to be at the court. They are going to announce our club for this semester.”
“It won’t take that long, right? I mean they will tell you what club you are in and that’s it, right? So you can still accompany me to eat ice-cream, right? Right, right, right?!” Seungkwan jumps in excitement while shaking Seokmin’s body vigorously.
Soonyoung massages his temple because he is starting to get dizzy after hearing too many ‘right’ from Seungkwan.
The youngest of them is now smiling so wide and-
Seokmin suddenly clears his throat and raises up his right hand. He hesitates at first and his face looks like he is constipated.
“Um actually, after they announce which club we belong to, all the club members need to gather somewhere to have a meeting? That’s what I’ve heard. They said we need to choose the president and all that? And also we have to discuss about the club’s plan for the semester.”
He looks at Seungkwan and sighs as he sees Seungkwan’s dejected face.
“I’m really sorry, darling. I really want to go with you. Heck, I actually don’t give a damn about all this club thingy but it involves our credit and I can’t just skip it. Sorry sunshine.” He looks at the others pleadingly as if asking for help.
Soonyoung nudges Jeonghan who then hits Seungcheol’s arm and the latter then raised his eyebrow at Jisoo who just shrugs because everyone knows he sucks in comforting people.
They stop whatever they are doing when they hear sniffles coming from the end of the table. All of them turn their head slowly and Jeonghan is the first to get up when he realises that the youngest of them all also known as his baby, is crying.
“I -hic- just -hic- I just want-” More hiccups. “-to eat” Cough. “-ice cream,” and suddenly Seungkwan wails and everyone is now staring at their table.
Everyone scrambles up from their seats and rushes to Seungkwan. Seungcheol and Jeonghan wrap their arms on each of Seungkwan’s side. Soonyoung and Seokmin both are blocking Seungkwan’s mouth and Jisoo is standing behind the boy while ruffling his hair affectionately.
“I JUST WANT TO EAT ICE-CREAM,” Seungkwan manages to wail even when there are two hands blocking his mouth.
Seungcheol mentally facepalms because now 100% of the people in the cafeteria are staring at them, even the cleaning lady at the far corner there.
Seungkwan is still crying out loud and the boys feel like crying too because this is too embarrassing for them to handle.
Jeonghan has been shushing Seungkwan and clearly it’s not working.
Seokmin is running out of tissues to use to wipe Seungkwan’s tears.
Soonyoung has started to feel disgusted because the amount of Seungkwan’s saliva that is on his hand is just unbearable.
Seungcheol is patting Seungkwan’s back while hiding his face in the boy’s shoulder because he doesn’t think he deserves this kind of embarrassing attention.
Jisoo is just there, still behind the boy and has stopped ruffling his hair because obviously it doesn’t help in calming him down.
The boys are all busy hiding their face from the stares and it takes them merely 30 seconds to realise that there’s no more wailing sound. They stare at each other for a while wondering why the humiliating sound can no longer be heard and everyone turn their heads almost at the same time.
There in front of Boo Seungkwan, is an ice-cream cone with a mixture of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate flavours on top of it. All of them look up and what they see is a boy with a dark blue hooded top paired with a pair of faded blue jeans. They all gape because the boy doesn’t look like he is Korean and damn, he is so freaking handsome. The boy is smiling sheepishly while holding out the ice-cream with one hand while his other hand is busy scratching his nape.
“Um?? Do you...want it? It’s melting,” the not Korean-looking boy said.
The boys’ mouths now have formed the O shape because wow. The handsome boy knows how to speak Korean.
All of them blink themselves out of their stupor and Seungcheol wants to say thank you to the boy and his hand is reaching out for the ice-cream halfway through when Seungkwan suddenly starts to cry again.
Soonyoung and Seokmin grunt in annoyance and Jeonghan is panicking (again).
Seungcheol buries his face deeper in Seungkwan’s neck and he’s starting to consider moving to another college. He is the basketball team’s captain for god sake!
Jisoo who is the only sanest person at the moment, pats Seungkwan’s back lovingly and asks the boy softly.
“Why, honey? You don’t want it anymore?”
“I-” Hiccup. “-don’t-” Hiccup. “-like-” Cough. “-strawberry.” Seungkwan cries even louder while his index finger points at the ice-cream cone.
Soonyoung mutters something about ungrateful brat under his breath and Seokmin facepalms (literally).
The not Korean-looking boy chuckles at the response and he brings the cone to his mouth and proceeds to lick the melted ice-cream.
“Well then, cutie. Please wait here. I’m going to buy another one for you.” The boy grins before continues, “-one that doesn’t have strawberry flavour on it.” He then turns around and walks away to the counter.
Seungkwan has stopped crying but the hiccups are still there and his eyes are now staring at the boy’s back. Now that the puffy, red-eyed boy has calmed down, he realises that people are still staring and oh god , can he just die right here right now.
He really, really didn’t mean to be over dramatic but these past few weeks, his emotions are all over the place, he feels lonely and he is tired of feeling lonely so when his friends refused to go with him even though it is just to eat ice-cream (stupid, yes Seungkwan knows), he can’t help but feel dejected and that’s how the tears suddenly appear on his beautiful cheeks.
He sees the boy’s figure coming to their table and Seungkwan doesn’t really feel like eating ice-cream anymore. He just wants to hide.
So that’s what he does. He scurries off his seat and looks around frantically trying to search for a spot to hide his humiliating self.
He hears footsteps nearing and Seungkwan doesn’t think twice before he pushes all his friends and proceeds to hide under the table, crouching. He hugs his knees tightly against his chest and bites his lips nervously. His arms are busy giving sign to Seungcheol and Seokmin (because they have the biggest body among all of them. Where is Mingyu when we need him the most?) to cover him from the boy’s view but all of his friends just stare at whatever drama Seungkwan is showing right now. Seungkwan panics because no one wants to cover him so he closes his eyes and repeats the words “don’t come here” like a mantra.
His hiding spot isn’t very well-hidden (duh, obviously) so it comes to no surprise when he feels something wet on his cheek.
It is the ice-cream, this time with only chocolate and vanilla flavour on it.
Seungkwan opens his eyes slowly and his hiccups are here again because the handsome foreign-looking boy is now copying his pose and the smile that he flashes to Seungkwan is so so bright. Seungkwan mentally reminds himself to get his eyes checked later on because they are starting to get blinded with how bright the boy’s smile is.
“You don’t really know how to play hide and seek do you?”
The boy grins even wider and Seungkwan feels like fainting.
He is handsome and cute at the same time. The world is so unfair. Seungkwan pouts at the thought.
“Ooooookaaaaay cute boy stop pouting like that. I don’t think my heart can’t take any of your cute adorable fluffy actions anymore.”
Soonyoung and Seokmin scoff and Jeonghan is clasping his hands, a habit that he always does when he is watching sappy, romance movies. Jisoo is just crossing his arms while leaning his back against the wall, completely uninterested with the whole event and Seungcheol is still trying to hide himself from all the weird stares by using Jeonghan as his shield.
Seungkwan? He hics.
His hiccups still refuse to stop even after he hits his chest repeatedly.
Seungkwan’s action however stops abruptly when a hand grabs his, stopping him from hitting his chest over and over again.
The chubby cheeks boy looks up and his eyes meet the handsome boy’s and Seungkwan suddenly forgets how to breathe.
It is the boy’s hand.
“Stop hitting yourself like that. Hmm?” He smiles and Seungkwan thinks that the smile is the sweetest smile he has ever seen for his whole life.
The boy is still holding to Seungkwan’s hand and then he continues, “Um even though you look really really cute, crouching and hiding like this,” the boy pauses and smirks when he notices that Seungkwan’s cheeks are now as red as tomatoes. He then continues, “but my legs are starting to get numb and also your ice-cream is melting so let’s stand up?”
Seungkwan nods furiously as if the action can hide his flaming cheeks and he tries to pull his hand from the boy’s but the latter tightens his hold on Seungkwan and proceeds to pull Seungkwan up from under the table.
Seungkwan doesn’t really want to admit that his heart flutters crazily when the boy covers his head to avoid him from hitting his head while trying to crawl out from under the table.
After Seungkwan is out from his ‘hiding’ spot, he takes a look at his friends who are now gaping at them because really, the hell just happened?
The Jeju boy then looks at the boy who is still holding his hand and he still has that smile that makes Seungkwan’s heart to skip a beat.
Seungkwan scratches his nape with his free hand before mutters slowly, “Um, can I- ah.. Can- I- um-” He can’t continue his word because god damn it he is so embarrassed.
The boy, who Seungkwan notices is taller than him by a few centimeters now that they are standing side by side, tilts his head cutely because he doesn’t get what Seungkwan is trying to say.
Stay still, heart. Why are you like this?
Seungkwan then shyly points at his hand that is in the boy’s hold.
“Um, can I have…” Seungkwan trails off.
The boy then looks at what Seungkwan is pointing to and Seungkwan can’t help but notices that the boy’s face just turns crimson with embarrassment.
Glad to know that I’m not the only who is blushing like crazy here. Seungkwan thinks to himself.
The boy clears his throat and before he releases Seungkwan’s hand, he puts the ice-cream in Seungkwan’s grip.
“You should eat this quickly.”
Seungkwan nods and he licks the now flowing ice-cream.
He then looks at the boy and smiles.
“Thank you. I- I’m sorry for all the ruckus. T-thank y-you.” Seungkwan stutters. He wants to say more but his heart is trying to jump out of his chest since just now and his brain can’t think of more words to say.
“Nah, it’s okay. It is kind of chaotic though especially when you started to cry. But you look cute so it’s okay. Everything is okay.” The boy has that teasing grin again.
Seungkwan pouts before he retorts, “I’m not cute.”
The boy shakes his head. “God, you are so cute. What do I do with you?” The words come out as a whisper but Seungkwan can hear every of it clearly and he believes that his cheeks are now even redder than his sister’s lipstick.
The boy reaches out his hand to Seungkwan and the latter raises his eyebrow at the gesture.
“Name is Hansol. Chwe Hansol. First year. Music composition.”
First year? Seungkwan is a bit taken aback with the information because if this boy, Hansol, is a first year, then it means that he has the same age with him.
Seungkwan has no time to have an internal debate with himself because the boy’s hand is still waiting for him so he shakes the unnecessary thought away and reaches out his own hand to shake the boy’s.
“Name is Boo.” What? No!
“Boo?” Hansol repeats.
“No no no. I mean- um Boo is also my name. But-” Seungkwan splutters.
He fans himself with his other hand as if to lessen the nervousness that he is having before continues.
“Boo Seungkwan. My name is Boo Seungkwan. First year too. Literature.” Seungkwan releases a sigh of relief.
Seriously, can he be more embarrassed?
Hansol then shakes their hands slightly as if they are securing a deal. He still has that stupid smile that makes all the butterflies flutter crazily in every corner of Seungkwan’s body.
“Oh we’re the same age then!” Hansol looks excited with the news.
“Yeah I think so.” Seungkwan smiles.
There’s sound of someone clearing their throat from behind and Seungkwan doesn’t have to turn around to know the owner of the voice.
Jeonghan steps closer to the two boys who seem like they are in their own world.
“Sorry to interrupt you lovebirds but the break is over 5 minutes ago and if you guys don’t mind….” The older trails off and points at their entangled hands and both the same aged friend immediately releases their grip on each other’s hand.
Hansol scratches his nape and clears his throat.
“So I’ll see you around?” Hansol asks him and Seungkwan catches the uncertainty in the former’s tone. As if he is not sure that Seungkwan wants to see him again.
Of course Seungkwan does.
And so he gives his sincere smile and nods. “Yeah, sure.”
Hansol nods and before he turns to walk to his next class, he says softly.
“Don’t cry again like how you did today. Find me if you want to go eat ice-cream or whatever it is that you feel like eating. Or doing. I will go with you.” The last part comes out as a whisper but Hansol is still standing closely to Seungkwan and the latter smiles when he hears it.
“I will. Thank you, Hansol.” Seungkwan replies earnestly.
“Good,” Hansol says that one last word before turns around to a table at a secluded corner of the cafeteria, grabs his bag and slings it on his shoulder and Seungkwan watches as the boy disappears from his view.
He feels an arm around his shoulder and turns to see Jeonghan smiles at him.
He cranes his neck to look at his other friends but everyone is no longer there except Soonyoung who makes a throwing up noise.
“I think I had enough drama for this week. Jesus.” He then walks out of the area while waving at the two boys.
“Found your best friend already?” Jeonghan asks.
Seungkwan smiles.
Chwe Hansol.
Boo Seungkwan used to have one problem.
He had no same-aged friend that he could call as his best friend.
But then Chwe Hansol happened.
And Seungkwan no longer had any problem.
He was no longer depressed for no reason.
He didn’t have to wail now to eat ice-cream or anything else that he wanted to eat or do, as what Hansol had said.
His problem was solved.
He was now happy.
Little did Seungkwan know, that that happiness was not going to last forever.