Chapter Text
“Wonwoo finally asked me out to be his prom date!!!” Mingyu held Minghao by his arms and mercilessly shook him back and forth as he was telling his best friend the good news, “he just asked me yesterday! I was so nervous when he said he wanted to talk, turns out he just wanted to ask me to be his date. Staying up late was so worth it.”
“He asked you through what?” Minghao uninterestedly asked.
“He texted me yesterday.”
Minghao rolled his eyes and smirked. “He just asked through text? Where are his balls, Gyu? He can’t even ask you personally.”
“Like as if you can, Hao. You can’t even ask Ju-“ Minghao kicked him on the shin before he could even finish his sentence.
“Say one more word Gyu and I swear you’ll end up regretting it,” he snapped.
It’s not that Minghao can’t do it, it’s just that he doesn’t care. He doesn’t care about the nervous students getting anxious to ask their crushes to be their date. He doesn’t care about the busy student council preparing and putting on decorations for the event. He doesn’t care for the loud music and sweaty high school students. He doesn’t care for the dance. At all.
Or at least, that’s what he keeps telling himself.
As they were approaching their lockers, the universe must not have been on Minghao’s side lately when a certain chestnut brown-haired boy is approaching the same direction too. It was when Mingyu, who was recently glued on his phone, realized Minghao’s internal dilemma when he noticed Minghao stopped right in his tracks.
Unfortunately though, the brown-haired boy noticed them too and called for their attention.
“Haohao! Mingyu! Good morning,” the brown-haired boy, Junhui, greeted them with a smile so bright it might blind Minghao’s eyes.
Wen Junhui, a Chinese foreign student just like Xu Minghao, is a year older than Minghao and Mingyu, yet he knows them well. Junhui helped Minghao adjust to the school’s environment during his first year as a student, he must’ve also felt Minghao’s struggle and frustration since he was once in his position before. Jun left a strong impression on Minghao though, and they have been friends ever since. Not like close friends, but a healthy hoobae-sunbae relationship. Minghao felt at ease and home whenever he’s with Jun, yet never hoped for too much since he assumed that it’s in Jun’s nature to be friendly and welcoming. Minghao wanted to be more than just friends though.
“Jun-sunbaenim!” Mingyu enthusiastically greeted back.
“Jun-sunbaenim,” Minghao flatly greeted back.
“Haohao.” That. That’s what Jun always call him, and it makes him feel things. “Just the man I’ve been looking for,” he continued.
Minghao was visibly dumbfounded by the mention of the nickname again, yet he became even more immobile when Jun said he was looking for him.
Sensing Minghao’s distress and being a good friend that he is, Mingyu told him, “Hao, I gotta go. Wonwoo just texted me.”
Minghao did nothing but stare at him with disbelief and in utter betrayal as his own best friend ditched him. Mingyu sheepishly grinned at him and excused himself, flashing one more smile at Minghao with two thumbs up for support.
Thanks, Gyu. He could only roll his eyes at him.
“Uhm, Hao?” Jun asked to get his attention.
Minghao stared back. He can’t even utter proper words to answer Jun, and if he does, he’s sure his voice would just waver and betray him just like what Mingyu did, so Minghao decided to shut up let Jun do all the talking.
“You know prom is coming, right?” Jun asked again.
He nodded. Oh shit.
“Do you have a date already?”
He shook his head. This is it.
Jun stared at him for what it feels like three seconds. Three full seconds of tension just between them. When Jun was about to open his mouth and say something, the sound of the school bell filled the whole hallway that made the two of them jump in surprise.
“Nevermind, I know you’ll find someone,” Jun assured him.
I don’t want someone, I want you.
“Yeah, you too, sunbaenim.”
Jun chuckled. “Call me gēge, Haohao. It’s awkward for the both of us to speak in Korean.”
Minghao was taken aback with the lack of honorifics, but muttered, “Yes, gē.”
“You’re cute when you’re flustered, Hao.” Jun put his left arm around Minghao’s neck and rubbed his hair with his right fist. Minghao was as red as a Chinese lantern due to Jun’s actions.
“I’ll go to class now, yeah? You want me to drop you off to yours?” Jun offered.
“N-no thanks! I’m fine, gē. Thanks for the offer.” Minghao tried to smile but deep inside, thousands of butterflies are wilding inside his stomach.
“You sure? Wouldn’t want you to get lost again just like your first day,” Jun giggled.
Minghao rolled his eyes, but stopped when he realized what he just did. “I’m sorry, sunbaenim! I mean, gē! I swear I wa-“
“Don’t sweat it, Haohao. I know you’re just nervous,” Jun grinned, “I don’t blame you though.”
“Don’t you have a class to attend to, gē?” he boldly asked.
“Aww, is my Haohao concerned about me?” Jun pouted.
“No, I’m concerned about me,” Minghao emphasized, “I will be late for my class, Wen Junhui.”
Jun raised his arm and looked at the time on his wristwatch, they’re two minutes late for their respective first classes. “Aw shit, I didn’t notice,” he dropped his arm, “at least let me drop you off, Hao, to compensate for making you late.”
Minghao was turning his back against Jun and starting walking to his class. “No thanks, gē.”
But Jun was fast to pick up Minghao’s pace. “Too late, I’m going with you.”
The jet black-haired boy could only do nothing but sigh in defeat as he let Jun follow him towards his class. Jun was polite enough not to invade Minghao’s personal space during their walk, he was also quiet the entire time, which Minghao appreciated.
“That’s me,” Minghao turned and pointed the classroom door with his thumb when they already arrived, “thank you, gē.”
Jun is going to regret all his life decisions when he decided to:
- grab Minghao by his arm;
- swung him so that he is facing Jun;
- hugged him tightly right in front of the door for all of his classmates to see; and
- said, “Bye, Xiaoba. See you later” loud enough (!!!) for everyone to hear.
Minghao was just as astounded as Jun was. They both stared at each other (again!) when Minghao’s adviser, Mr. Han, cleared his throat loud enough, not only for the whole class to hear, but also enough for Minghao and Jun to break eye contact.
“Mr. Xu, it would be much appreciated if you just come inside and say good bye to your,” he took a glance at Jun before returning his gaze at Minghao, “boyfriend, right there.”
Minghao held out a small but audible yelp. “Sir! He’s not-“
“Just come inside, Minghao.”
“Yes, sir.”
He turned and took one last glance of Jun before residing to his seat. “I gotta go now,” he mouthed Jun.
Jun just stood there motionless, perhaps ashamed of what he just did. So what Minghao did next is just as regrettable as what Jun did.
“I gotta go now, Junhui-gē. Want me to drop you off to your class too?” Minghao said loud and clear enough for everyone to also hear, earning a murmur of snickers from his classmates and friends.
“Oh yeah, I’m sorry.” He seems to be back from a trance. He turned his gaze to Mr. Han, “I apologize too, Mr. Han, for the interruption.”
The teacher only nodded at Jun and gestured Minghao to take his seat.
When Minghao resided his seat, Mingyu, not just his best friend but also his seatmate, had a sly smirk plastered on his face and his eyes are full of mirth from what he just witnessed.
“So what was that all about?” Mingyu asked while wiggling his eyebrows at his best friend.
Minghao peeked at the door again, Jun is already gone.
He rolled his eyes. “Oh shut up, traitor.”