Chapter Text
The day they were all waiting for finally happened, but in a significantly less dramatic manner than Seonghwa had expected.
“Sannie,” Wooyoung said at lunch, “do you want to go to the Yule Ball with me?”
Seonghwa, who was sitting across from Wooyoung, nearly spat out his pumpkin juice. It went down the wrong pipe instead and Seonghwa forced himself to choke quietly – he would never forgive himself if he were the reason this sudden progress failed, breathing be damned.
San looked equally stunned, his food falling off his fork as he stared at Wooyoung. “Uh...” he stuttered eloquently, eyes darting to Yeosang and Seonghwa like a trapped bird.
“As more than friends,” Wooyoung elaborated. He had a confident smile on, but Seonghwa could see the uncertainty in his eyes, growing with each second that San didn’t respond.
Yeosang, who sat on San’s other side, poked him harshly in the ribs. “Answer him!” He hissed, grabbing the fork out of the frozen Slytherin’s hand.
“It’s okay,” Wooyoung forced out a laugh, “I just… it’s our last year, San, and I’ve liked you since forever . Like, from the moment I sat next to you right after our Sorting, and you smiled at me with your dimples and your eyes all scrunched. I love the way you laugh, and how you were shit at Transfiguration but practiced every night until you became the best student in the class, how you cried that one time we watched a Muggle film and let us hold and comfort you. Hugging you feels like coming home, whether it’s a happy hug or a sad and lonely one. I care so much about you, San, and you’re the only one I want to dance with at our last Yule Ball. I’m tired of dancing around it and pretending like I’m not in love with you. You deserve someone who will cherish you like the precious person you are, and I really hope you’ll let me be that person for you. So,” he cleared his throat, embarrassed but forging on, “will you be my date? And maybe my boyfriend too?”
San flung himself at Wooyoung, arms wrapping around the younger’s waist. “Yes, yes yes yes!” There was a flurry of pink and purple as the two hugged, gazing adoringly at each other while Seonghwa and Yeosang looked on like proud parents.
“They’ve grown so much,” Seonghwa sniffed, wiping away an imaginary tear. “Is it too early to start planning the wedding?”
“I’ve had a color scheme picked out for forever,” Yeosang smirked, fist-bumping Seonghwa with a proud look on his face. “Now they just need to kiss– oh, ok, they’re doing that. Nevermind. Ew ew ew.”
“Get a room!” Seonghwa hollered, but then remembered he shared a room with them. “Wait, no–”
***
Once the incident was over, Wooyoung and San were unbearable. Nothing much had actually changed – the two had practically been dating for years now, but what did change was how public they were about their… affections. It was like they couldn’t hold themselves back from shouting their affection, which was equally endearing and nauseating to see. Yeosang escaped by simply sitting at the Ravenclaw table for lunch, but Seonghwa was always cornered by the other two (and usually subsequently ignored in favor of each other).
“Maybe you’re just jealous,” Wooyoung snarked one day when Seonghwa was being dramatic and covering his eyes like a kid. “Go find someone and stop third-wheeling us then!”
“You think I want to third-wheel??” Seonghwa huffed in faux outrage. “All my friends are taken or in the process of being taken!”
“Not Hongjoong,” Wooyoung blurted, and Seonghwa’s thoughts came to a screeching halt. “Ow! Sannie, why’d you kick me?”
“They’re fighting, remember?” San hissed, as if Seonghwa couldn’t hear. His face burned red.
“Even if we weren’t fighting – which we aren’t, he just needs some time – I wouldn’t date him!” Seonghwa said hotly. Even if the Gryffindor was attractive, even if he was more understanding and thoughtful than Seonghwa could have imagined, even if his eyes took Seonghwa’s breath away–
Whoa. Seonghwa yeeted the thought away instantly. Where had that even come from?
“Hwa,” San said, his voice gently pulling Seonghwa out of his panic, “you never told us what exactly happened between you two.”
“Yeah, all we know is that you two suddenly became super chummy, then at the dance lesson he seemed pissed but also sad. The pranks stopped too,” Wooyoung said thoughtfully. Seonghwa was startled. Since when was Wooyoung so observant?
He hesitated. Hongjoong’s crush on Yeosang wasn’t really his thing to tell, but it could help to have an outside perspective provide insight on what exactly went wrong that day. He told them about the library incident, careful to keep Hongjoong’s crush anonymous.
When he finished, both of them stared at him. “What?” Seonghwa fidgeted, increasingly uncomfortable under their gazes.
“For someone so smart, you’re really dumb, Hwa,” said San. He sounded almost awestruck, but Seonghwa was offended.
“What in Merlin’s name does that mean?” He groaned. “I know I could’ve definitely phrased things better, but I don’t get why he got so mad. ”
“Seonghwa, he asked you to the ball. You said he only got really upset when you mentioned you were going with Yeosang, right?” Wooyoung asked.
Seonghwa wasn’t sure what they were trying to get at. “I suppose,” he said hesitantly.
“And you said Hongjoong said he thought he had a chance, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Seonghwa,” San said patiently, “I’m pretty sure Hongjoong meant a chance with you. As in, Hongjoong has a crush on you.”
It felt like the world had stopped spinning, or the sun exploded, or some equally world-ending event had just occurred. “That’s not possible,” he laughed, the sound hollow to his own ears. “No, Hongjoong can’t have liked me, he hated me–”
“I don’t hate you,” Hongjoong’s voice suddenly rang in his ears. No. No, it wasn’t possible.
“Alright.” Wooyoung leaned closer into Seonghwa’s space, the lilac-haired boy looking unusually serious. “We’ll let you think about that more later. The real question is, if you hadn’t thought Hongjoong had a crush on someone else, would you have said yes?”
“But I’m going with Yeosang–”
“Other than that,” Wooyoung said impatiently. “You’re free, and Hongjoong asks you to go to the Yule Ball with him. Would you say yes?”
It hadn’t really occurred to him before. When Hongjoong asked, Seonghwa had automatically thought he’d been asking only to be polite, or to ask about Yeosang in a roundabout way. Imagine if Hongjoong had asked Seonghwa genuinely to the ball…
Seonghwa thought of Hongjoong’s eyes in the afternoon light, his cherry red hair glowing brightly, his laugh untainted by malice, and thought the answer might terrifyingly be yes.
Apparently his thoughts showed, because both San and Wooyoung watched him with pity in their eyes. “Oh, Hwa,” San sighed, sliding over to wrap his arms around Seonghwa’s waist, “you should talk to Hongjoong.”
“No.” The word was out instinctively. “No, I– I can’t – when did I even start–”
But if he was being honest, he knew exactly when he started liking Hongjoong, or at least began thinking of him in a different light. That night in the Prefect bathroom, when Seonghwa had been so frustrated, and Hongjoong had respected his wishes and left him alone…
He thought back to the love perfume incident, when Hongjoong had actually talked to him, with no ulterior motive except mutual understanding, when he’d helped Seonghwa hide from the bespelled students…
But there was no way Hongjoong liked Seonghwa. Not when he’d pranked and taunted the Slytherin for so long, not when Hongjoong’s eyes were always on Yeosang.
Seonghwa didn’t know what to do. He buried his face into San’s shoulder and tried very hard not to think anymore of it.
***
The Yule Ball was finally here. Seonghwa glanced at his outfit laid out on his bed – was it too daring? Would Hongjoong like it? He and Yeosang had coordinated their outfits but only minimally – Yeosang was adamant that they shouldn’t match too much just in case Jongho got the wrong idea. “That applies to Hongjoong too,” he’d said sternly after Seonghwa told him about his realization. “We need to make sure he knows you’re still available – not too available though, maybe it’ll help to make him jealous. Well, jealous and hor–”
Seonghwa sighed and fixed his hair in the mirror, struggling to get it to fall just right. He’d gelled it up so part of his grey hair curled over one eye, revealing his forehead and undercut. It showed off his pink eye makeup, and the jewels he’d charmed under his eye sparkled nicely.
“Hwa, Yeosang’s here!” Wooyoung hollered from the Common Room. He and San had already gotten ready and were waiting on Seonghwa.
“Coming!” He yelled back. Throwing one last look of trepidation at the outfit, he shucked off his clothes and got dressed.
Yeosang was perched daintily on the edge of a couch when Seonghwa came down the stairs. He wore a sheer midnight-blue modern hanbok cinched at the waist with a thick satin belt, the dark colors making his white-blond hair stand out even better. His eyes widened when he caught sight of Seonghwa even though they’d purchased their outfits together, and he whistled lightly in appreciation. “Damn, Hwa, that will definitely get Hongjoong’s attention.”
“You look amazing!” San chirped from the other side of the couch, where he and Wooyoung were practically glued to each other. They wore matching outfits of satiny champagne, showing off San’s muscled arms and Wooyoung’s chest.
“It’s not too much?” Seonghwa resisted the urge to cover up. His outfit was also dark blue, like Yeosang’s, only instead of sheer satin he had thick velvet. The sleeveless top was open at the chest but clasped at the neck, a white teardrop-shaped gemstone hanging from it like a choker. His abs were exposed again, a peek of skin among the dark fabric. The top hung all the way down to his ankles like a cape, brushing against his dark-blue trousers. There were also green feathers and a silver brooch attached to his left breast for a little House pride – all in all it was fancy and flashy, and he couldn’t help but feel a little silly and overdressed. It was also the most skin he’d ever shown, and while it wasn’t uncomfortable for him, he couldn’t help but feel a bit shy.
“Trust me, Seonghwa, Hongjoong’s not going to be able to look anywhere else.” Wooyoung gave him a thumbs up and leapt off the couch. “Now come on, time to get your man!”
The Great Hall had been transformed into a ballroom as was tradition, and the ceiling was enchanted with snow that fell realistically but melted into nothing before it came into contact with anyone. A huge pine tree had been placed behind the Faculty Table, laden with silver and gold ornaments, and tables with powder-blue cloths had been placed around a dancefloor. All in all, the Great Hall looked like a wintry wonderland, and Seonghwa couldn’t help but gawk at all the shimmering decorations.
Yeosang, who had been holding onto Seonghwa’s bent arm, let out a shrill squeak. “Yeosang? Are you okay?” Seonghwa asked. He’d never heard that sound come from Yeosang before. “What happened?”
The blond’s mouth opened and closed like a fish as he stared into the distance; it would have been comical if Seonghwa weren’t so worried. “I– he–”
Seonghwa followed his gaze to find none other than Choi Jongho, wearing a modern hanbok in midnight blue – just like Yeosang. “Ah, good, he followed my advice,” Seonghwa smirked.
Yeosang whirled on Seonghwa. “Advice? What advice?” He demanded.
Seonghwa shrugged, sly smirk still on his lips. His friends often seemed to forget he was in Slytherin due to his ambition and cunning. “I merely let him know what you would be wearing, and that it might be nice to match. I also warned him about the Park Family Hex, the Jung Family Hex, and that San knows taekwondo.” Yeosang groaned at that, his face slowly turning red with embarrassment. “I also told him I thought he was a good guy, and that you just needed time and would talk to him. I think he was worried he messed things up.” Seonghwa genuinely liked Jongho – the boy seemed sincere, and during their conversation he’d simply asked if Yeosang was doing okay.
“You’re not off the hook,” Yeosang warned, though his blush detracted from the threat. “We’ll have a talk about this later.”
“Of course,” Seonghwa agreed amicably. “Now go get your man. The hanbok looks good on him, doesn’t it?”
Yeosang ducked his head shyly, much to Seonghwa’s amusement. It didn’t last long, however, as Yeosang raised his eyes and located a different target. “Hmm, you should stop paying attention to me and Jongho and see what Hongjoong’s wearing instead.”
“What–” Seonghwa looked, confused when he didn’t spot cherry red hair. “Oh,” he breathed, heart hammering in his chest as Hongjoong came into view.
Beyond a distinctly awkward night patrol a few days ago, Seonghwa had not seen Hongjoong at all – they’d had the week off of class and the atmosphere was still tense between them. Seonghwa suddenly felt hot all over as he watched Hongjoong laugh with Yunho and Mingi, head thrown back in mirth.
Because his hair was pink.
Not a bright pink like San’s, but a light pink that reminded him of cherry blossoms in the spring. Hongjoong had done it up to reveal an undercut, the hair fluffy atop his head. His eyes were dark and smoky with a subtle hint of glitter to match his outfit–
Seonghwa choked. That couldn’t be– Hongjoong was wearing–
“That skirt looks good on him, doesn’t it?” Yeosang parroted, lips curved in a teasing smile at Seonghwa’s helplessness.
Hongjoong was wearing a skirt. Not just any skirt – no, this one was made of dark green velvet, hugging his waist and flaring out at the edges, embroidered with swirling silver patterns. His top was a loose off-the-shoulder black button-down tied above the waistband of the skirt, and he wore a multitude of pretty silver earrings.
By Merlin, Seonghwa did not think he would survive this night. Not with Hongjoong standing so close yet so far, eyes full of merriment and looking so ethereal, he reminded Seonghwa of ancient fairies who spirited away humans for entertainment…
He blinked, breaking himself from the spell. Yeosang had abandoned him to his gawking, the blond already making his way towards Jongho. Seonghwa snickered to himself as he saw the redhead’s reaction, the Hufflepuff’s eyes widening comically as he took in Yeosang’s appearance. They would be alright, Seonghwa decided.
Wooyoung and San were, as expected, already on the dance floor. They’d made a beeline for it as soon as the four of them stepped into the ballroom and were dancing in the middle of a crowd, clearly having fun. He thought about joining them when he felt someone’s gaze on his back.
Seonghwa turned and made eye contact with Hongjoong. The other’s expression didn’t change – Hongjoong’s face was completely blank and devoid of emotion as his eyes flicked up and down Seonghwa’s outfit, and the Slytherin fought down the urge to blush. Instead he lifted his chin, daring the Gryffindor to look his fill, his tongue darting out to wet his dry lips. Hongjoong looked away then, eyes landing on–
Oh. Seonghwa’s giddy heart instantly sank as he noticed who Hongjoong was looking at. Yeosang. Hongjoong stared at Yeosang and Jongho with a deep frown, attention entirely taken away from Seonghwa. He suddenly felt small and cold.
So his friends had been wrong after all. Hongjoong didn’t like Seonghwa like that, had never liked Seonghwa like that. He was probably judging Seonghwa’s outfit, not admiring it. He couldn’t believe he’d been so stupid.
Seonghwa forced his bitter thoughts away, ignoring the pang of his heart. It was just a silly crush that he hadn’t even known about until this past week, so what was he so upset for? His feet carried him to the dance floor and he put on a smile, letting the music sweep his emotions away.
***
“Seonghwa, Seonghwa,” San giggled as he batted at Seonghwa’s feathers, half-lying on his lap. There was no actual alcohol provided (after all, this was still a school dance), but San always got giggly and touchy when he was having fun. “Seonghwa, I did a thing!”
“You did?” Seonghwa asked, more to humor him than out of curiosity. Wooyoung had gone to fetch them all more punch, so Seonghwa was the unfortunate subject of San’s clinginess. It was nearing midnight but the ball showed no signs of winding down, which was good since San and Wooyoung still had so much energy to spare.
San nodded sagely. “I hung up a mistletoe for Yeosangie and Jongho. One that will make them kiss! They just need to stand under it.” He giggled again, clearly pleased with himself.
“You what?” Seonghwa could only blink in shock. It was the plan he and Yeosang had joked about executing for Woo and San, but they hadn’t needed to since Wooyoung finally asked San out.
“I’m not dumb, Hwa, I literally heard you and Yeosangie talking about it all the time,” San smirked.
“I don’t think they’ll need it though, look–” Seonghwa pointed at Yeosang and Jongho, who were sitting at a different table so close together they were practically one person. “I think things are going well.”
“Yay!” San cheered quietly, flopping his head back down onto Seonghwa’s lap. “Now it’s just you left, Hwa. Let’s get Hongjoong over here!”
Something in his gut churned unpleasantly. “Let’s not,” he managed to say, stroking San’s hair. “I’m fine just like this, with you and Wooyoung.”
San frowned, noticing the change in mood. “Hwa–”
He was interrupted by Wooyoung, who was struggling to balance three cups of punch. “Here you go!”
“Thanks Woo, but I think I’ll just head back to the dungeons. I have an essay I need to finish for Charms,” Seonghwa smiled. He wasn’t really in the mood to see Hongjoong stare at Yeosang – yes, the Gryffindor seemed to be watching him every chance he got – and he didn’t want to spoil the mood any further. “Have fun you two, don’t get into any trouble. And no PDA!” He said sternly, the two dissolving into giggles.
“Bye, Hwa,” they chorused, and Seonghwa left with a more real smile on his face.
As soon as he left the ballroom, he felt oddly empty. “Stop it,” he muttered to himself. So what if Hongjoong didn’t like him that way? It was better this way, Seonghwa could get rid of those pesky feelings now and focus on his grades again. There was no room in his schedule for dating anyway.
Why did he feel so empty?
He groaned, throwing his head back in frustration–
–and caught sight of a glittering plant above his head.
Oh no. It must be the enchanted mistletoe San had hung up for Yeosang and Jongho, twinkling tauntingly above him. Seonghwa’s suspicions were confirmed when he pulled and tugged at his immobile feet uselessly; knowing San, there would be no countercharm except for its intended one: someone else kissing the trapped person.
He thought through his options frantically. Yeosang was with Jongho now, hopefully talking through their feelings (or possibly making out – not a possibility he wanted to think much about). Wooyoung and San were definitely making out, if the looks they were giving each other the whole night were anything to go by. This was a relatively unused corridor except by Slytherins, most of whom were still at the ball. The chances of someone else leaving soon were not high, but Seonghwa had to be optimistic. He just prayed no one from his so-called fanclub found him – he’d take literally anyone right now except for one of them.
He quickly revised this thought when none other than Hongjoong rounded the corner. The Gryffindor hadn’t noticed him yet – when he did, his eyes lit up with a familiar mocking gleam, though his smile seemed a little forced. “What are you doing all alone out here, Park? I think your date’s being entertained by Choi Jongho right now, while you’re loitering like a weirdo in the empty halls.” Even his insults were lackluster, like he was grinding the words out to act normal, but Seonghwa didn’t pay it much mind – he was desperately trying to figure out how to keep Hongjoong away from the mistletoe’s range.
Not that he would really mind kissing Hongjoong–
No! Bad Seonghwa! He mentally smacked himself, realizing Hongjoong was still waiting for a response, head cocked cutely to the side. “Ah, I was heading back to the Slytherin dorms,” he said. “And I’m glad Jongho is with Yeosang.”
Hongjoong looked taken aback. “What? Why?”
“Because Yeosang likes Jongho,” Seonghwa said. “And Jongho likes him back.”
“But Yeosang came with you.”
Seonghwa sighed, his exasperation at the situation finally finding an outlet. “True, but that’s because Yeosang wasn’t sure about his feelings for Jongho. We came just as friends, so I’m glad things are working out for them now.”
“Oh.” Hongjoong seemed rather puzzled still but nodded along anyway. “Are you feeling alright about that?”
Seonghwa frowned. “Shouldn’t I be asking you–” Too late he realized the Gryffindor was about to step into the mistletoe’s range. “Hongjoong, stay–” Whoosh. “–back,” he groaned as the enchanted plant worked its charm.
Hongjoong’s eyes widened. “Is that–” He tried to lift his feet but they were stuck fast to the floor.
“Yep,” Seonghwa said grimly. “That’s how I got stuck here, I was hoping someone other than my fanclub would find me. Well, I was actually hoping you wouldn’t find me either.”
“How come?”
Because you’ve been avoiding me the whole night–
Because you look like a fairy and it’s not fair–
Because I think I want you to kiss me–
Seonghwa’s lips parted, but couldn’t voice any of his thoughts. Hongjoong was close enough that his skirt brushed Seonghwa’s thighs and it was far too distracting, Seonghwa had to fight to keep the blush off his cheeks. “Uh,” he said eloquently. The Slytherin floundered for a moment before settling on the first thought. “You were avoiding me the whole night. Every time I so much as looked at you, you turned away. I thought you were still upset at me.”
Hongjoong sighed. “I thought it would be best to avoid you. You know, because of what happened in the library. I didn’t know what I’d do if you came and talked to me, looking like– like that ,” he gestured vaguely at all of Seonghwa.
“Like… what?” Seonghwa looked down at himself. “What’s wrong with my outfit?”
The Gryffindor groaned. “You just strutted into the ballroom with your stupid velvet outfit and stupid hair–”
Okay, now he was offended. Seonghwa had worked hard on his hair and makeup, damnit. So what if it was a little more styled than normal? Was it a crime to want to look good at the event of the year?
Alright, so maybe he’d wanted to dress a little nicer because of a certain Gryffindor, but that clearly backfired. Stupid? Stupid? He opened his mouth to make an angry retort.
“You look too good, okay?” Hongjoong blurted.
Oh.
What?
What?
“I… you… what?” Seonghwa didn’t think this was real anymore, this must be some strange dream or hallucination. Maybe San put the wrong charm on the mistletoe.
Hongjoong’s cheeks were redder than his shirt now. “You look… really good tonight,” he muttered, eyes focused on the floor. “Not just tonight!” He added hastily, “but… you look especially nice.”
“O-oh,” Seonghwa stuttered, feeling rather off-balance. “You look good too,” he added, biting back the words he really wanted to say.
A blush dusted Hongjoong’s cheeks but he continued staring at the floor like it was the most interesting thing in the world. “Thanks.”
A tense and awkward silence followed, and Seonghwa desperately fought to hide how much the compliment had affected him. Hongjoong didn’t mean it that way, he couldn’t have…
“Look,” Hongjoong broke the silence, “I’m sorry about being weird and avoiding you lately. I just… really needed time to myself.”
Seonghwa frowned. "I should be the one apologizing. I didn't realize how harsh I sounded until after," he chuckled wryly. "I should've been gentler about it. Maybe I could've just told you Yeosang liked Jongho, instead of that weird 'there's another person' thing–"
"Hang on," Hongjoong interrupted, eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, "Why would you bring up Yeosang and Jongho?"
What? It was Seonghwa's turn to be confused now. "Why wouldn't I bring them up?" He asked slowly, not entirely sure what was going on anymore. "You liked Yeosang, but he likes Jongho, so I was trying to be gentle. That didn't really work though," he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
Hongjoong stared at him, mouth open in what looked like shock. "Yeosang," he repeated. "You thought I liked Yeosang?"
What?
"Did you...not?" Oh Merlin, Seonghwa was about ready to die of embarrassment. Maybe a freak bolt of lightning could conveniently strike him down. Had he really incorrectly guessed who Hongjoong liked? Then what was with all his staring at Yeosang earlier?
If not Yeosang, then who could the Gryffindor possibly have a crush on? He tried to stifle the rising hope in him.
"You–" Hongjoong laughed, disbelieving and a little unhinged, "you're really something else, Seonghwa."
"What do you m–"
And oh . Those were lips.
On his lips.
Hongjoong's lips.
Kissing his lips.
Hongjoong's lips.
They felt just as soft as they looked, pressed gently against Seonghwa's own with the faintest hint of strawberry punch. It felt like flying, like Seonghwa was weightless and would float away if Hongjoong's warm hands weren't holding his hips.
This didn't feel real. Hongjoong was kissing him. Him. Seonghwa's brain finally caught up and moved his frozen limbs, pulling the shorter boy closer and tangling his hand in his hair. Hongjoong was so warm and pliant against him, both of them melting into the kiss, ignoring the need for oxygen–
Suddenly Seonghwa was cold and gasping for breath. Hongjoong was breathing hard too, eyes roving over Seonghwa's face like he was searching for something–
The Gryffindor booked it down the hall, practically sprinting into the distance. Seonghwa was too shell-shocked to even stop him, just staring blankly at the spot Hongjoong had stood in. His lips were tingling and he touched them, trying to preserve the feeling of Hongjoong–
Hongjoong kissed him. Kim Hongjoong, who Seonghwa thought liked Yeosang and hated Seonghwa for it, had put his lips on Seonghwa's lips and held him like he was a precious thing–
And immediately ran away, Seonghwa remembered, his giddy thoughts screeching to a halt.
Why did he run? Wait… so then…
Seonghwa was no longer trapped by the mistletoe, but he felt so weighed down that he couldn’t move even if he wanted to. He replayed the disastrous conversation with Hongjoong again, this time with him as the object of the Gryffindor’s affections, and let himself believe what San and Wooyoung had said. “Shit,” he swore under his breath. His head swam with the newfound knowledge. Hongjoong must have thought Seonghwa was rejecting him, when Seonghwa had thought he liked Yeosang .
So Hongjoong needing space was because he wanted to get over Seonghwa , not Yeosang… but then the kiss…
Doubt crept into his mind. Maybe Hongjoong had kissed him only so he could escape the enchantment, but the look in his eyes… they had been blazing with warmth.
Seonghwa felt like he was living in a parallel universe. He’d come to terms with his own attraction to Hongjoong, and the kiss had been brilliant, but…
He just couldn’t stop wondering what the other was thinking. Why did he run? Why didn’t he stay? Did he still like Seonghwa that way?
Heart heavy, he trudged towards the Slytherin dorms. There was no use pondering that now, not when he was still reeling from the emotional rollercoaster of the night.
All he could do was wait for morning, and pray that Hongjoong wouldn’t disappear.