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Joochan walks into the cinema with two tickets, a bucket of popcorn, and a far-too sugary drink which will surely have him rolling on the floor sobbing in pain after he downs it all. But at the moment, it’s the least of his concerns, because he’s just had his heart broken!
He had bought two tickets for himself and his best friend (and roommate!) Donghyun, excited as he’d presented them to the other with a flourish. Except Donghyun had taken one look at them and immediately pulled out a plethora of excuses as to why he wasn’t going to go.
“I think you forgot that I’m never going to the movie with you again,” Donghyun had said. “Because last time, you wouldn’t shut your mouth and ended up getting both of us kicked out.”
Joochan had huffed in dismissal. “Yeah, but can you blame me? He left her when she needed him the most! And came back without even an apology! How do you expect me to let that slide?”
“And then the time before that, you made the drink machine explode because you kept jabbing at the buttons.”
“You and I both know that was a fluke in the machine.”
“Not to mention, when you dumped popcorn over the couple who was making out in front of us.”
“That was just disgusting, and you supported me!”
And then Donghyun had pulled out his trump card, the excuse to void all of Joochan’s arguments.
“I have a boyfriend now,” Donghyun had told him snootily, and Joochan had resisted screeching at him that he had been the one who had hooked up Donghyun with Bomin in the first place. “Maybe you need to start looking for one too.”
Joochan hadn’t been able to find anything to counter against that, so he’d given up and sulked in anger the rest of the day.
So here he is now, sadly trampling into the movie theater on his own, extra ticket clutched in his hand and feeling exceptionally single as he watches all the couples spill into the showroom, hanging off of each other and giggling. He sinks sullenly into his seat, tucking his chin into his neck. Maybe Donghyun had been right—maybe he needs to start looking for a boyfriend.
His mind wanders as more and more people begin to file in, aimlessly chomping on the popcorn in his lap. The popcorn is a tad bit salty and Joochan’s face scrunches up as he bites into one especially salty kernel, washing it down with a slurp of his drink—he’ll probably need more slushy to go with it later if he continues guzzling his drink at this quick rate.
Even if he does “look” for a boyfriend, where would he even start? Certainly not in their college. Joochan tries to imagine dating any of the boys who attend there and winces. He thinks not. No insult to Jaehyun and Jibeom, but he’d rather not. Maybe some blind dates?
The idea prompts another scrunch of his nose. Joochan’s always been a wistful romantic, imagining love coming to him of its own will, rather than him going out and looking for it, and the prospect of a blind date goes against every one of his (rather delusional, in Donghyun’s words) ideals.
Thoughts of finding a boyfriend meld into dreamy thoughts of having one. He’ll be… maybe tall as Joochan, or just slightly taller, so Joochan can easily smack a kiss onto his forehead, and strong enough to scoop him up into a hug. He’ll wear woolen sweaters and round, metal glasses and they’ll have cute dates in the coffee shop during winter, kissing each other for warmth and giggling afterward like mad. He’ll have… dyed hair, light most of the time, but maybe, he’ll dye it differently from time to time, and a pretty smile that shows off his teeth. Like a bunny. Because bunnies are cute, and Joochan’s boyfriend has to be cute.
He’s so caught up daydreaming he doesn’t notice the theater is mostly filled until someone taps him on his shoulder and he nearly tosses his popcorn across the floor. He doesn’t, managing to cling onto it at the very last moment before rebuking himself. Way to overreact!
“This seat isn’t taken, is it?” The person asks, pointing to his right, and Joochan follows his hand to where he’s pointing at, where Joochan’s drink lies innocently, where Donghyun had been supposed to be sitting. Sadness crashes over him at the reminder. Oh, woe him! His dearest friend had betrayed him when he needed him the most!
Pushing away his mournings over losing his only friend to a boy, he quickly shakes his head, snatching the cup out of the seat. “Sorry!” He says, hastily brushing off the bits of popcorn and the plastic wrapper of the straw he’d left scattered. “There’s no one-” As he speaks, he raises his eyes and-
Freezes in his tracks.
Is that boss music he hears?
The stranger blinks at him. “There’s-?” He prompts, and Joochan cowers back.
“Yes, there’s no one here! Go right ahead!” He squeaks, and the stranger thanks him. It’s lost to deaf ears as Joochan pushes himself as far away as possible while still being in his seat. His hands rest clasped in his lap, his posture suddenly rigid and back straight as a board. His mother would have been so proud.
Gulping, he sneaks a peek at the stranger again. His heart rate speeds up.
Good lord.
Leather jacket. Dark, smoky liner. Jawline sharp enough to cut like a knife. Piercing-lined ears. And creeping up his neck—is that a tattoo?
It’s as if every cliché Joochan has about bad boys has been rolled into one—he’s willing to bet the stranger has a motorcycle waiting outside for him, and perhaps a bat leaning against it too.
He swallows again.
Now, Joochan is the last person to judge on looks, but the man—boy?—next to him is undoubtedly scary. No—not scary. Intimidating. In the sort of attractive way, where you’re afraid they’ll pummel you if you try to strike up a conversation, but at the same time, you sort of want them to wrap a hand around your throat-
Joochan pulls up short. Wait. What had he been thinking? About a stranger he’d met hardly a minute ago, a stranger who’s completely the opposite of his type too!
He’s going to hell.
The stranger’s eyes slide to his and Joochan hurriedly looks away, growing immensely interested in his plastic drink cup. His palms are far sweatier than they had been a moment ago. Wiping them on his pants doesn't help.
Not for the first time, Joochan wishes Donghyun had been here with him. But this time, the wish is more desperate than before. If only the other hadn’t ditched him to go and make out with his boyfriend, Joochan wouldn't have been unlucky enough to end up sitting next to a borderline delinquent!
He’s only imagining the tension between them, right? Because all he’s done since the other has shown up is breathe, and there’s no way that alone could have angered him, right?
Right?
Distantly, Joochan wonders if he should have gone ahead and listened to the burial insurance ad that had shown up in his email after all. Just in case. But then he changes his mind—Donghyun can deal with the burden of taking care of Joochan’s funeral as punishment for leaving him stranded like this.
He’s beginning to wonder if it’ll be too obvious he’s about to shit his pants if he changes seats. Or if the other will take it personally if he straight up leaves. A number of scenarios run through his head, none of them faring well for him.
Or maybe, he’s imagining all of this—Donghyun does like to fondly remind him that his thoughts tend to spiral out of control and of his tendency to jump to farfetched conclusions.
But then again, Donghyun had said that when Joochan had insisted that Bomin was definitely into Donghyun, and now look at them. Disgustingly in love.
Just as he’s about to gather the courage to maybe shift away or run out of the theater screaming, the doors close shut as the last person enters and takes a seat. There goes his chance to get away.
The screen flickers on and Joochan forces him to relax and somehow succeeds. Well, succeeds in relaxing the best he can. Which means he’s still tensing up at every little shift and slight movement from the stranger.
But he’s waited all summer for this movie to come out and there’s no way he’s going to let a random stranger—a hot, intimidating stranger, but a stranger nonetheless—ruin it for him.
The movie eases into the plot and some of the tension begins to fade at the corner as his attention is ultimately taken up by staring at the screen, almost forgetting to blink as he’s hooked into the storyline. The presence of the stranger next to him is almost forgotten as he smugly thinks of how he’ll brag to Donghyun tomorrow of how amazing the movie had been and how he’d missed his chance.
It takes a turn for the worse and there it is, the familiar pricking behind his eyelids, the telltale sign that he’ll be a sobbing mess by the end of this. But not so soon—it’ll take more than this to truly reduce him to a puddle of tears.
There’s the sound of sniffles and that’s surprising—usually, it’s Joochan who’s the first one to be tearing up in the audience. Someone with softer skin than him?
There’s another sniffle, right by his ear. Joochan frowns. It sounds like it’s coming from—but no, that can’t be. Maybe he’s imagining things?
He refocuses on the film just as there’s yet another poorly held back sob, once again from his right. Which means he hadn’t been hearing things. But the one who’s seated next to him is-
Hesitantly, he turns his head to his right, where the “delinquent” is sitting. And jolts back.
Joochan doesn’t know what he had been expecting, but it had most definitely not been to find the other boy—who had intimidated him to the core—on the verge of tears, lower lip trembling and eyes swimming with tears, threatening to overflow. Now and then he dabs at his eyes with a sleeve, except, he’s decked out in leather, so it doesn’t do much. Joochan stares at him, mouth agape. He has a sneaking suspicion he had read the other completely wrong.
The sniffles had come from him after all.
Hesitantly, Joochan shuffles forward, cocking his head toward the other. He has half the mind to ask if the other is okay, especially as he restrains another sob. Joochan squints back at the screen, where the characters are camped out in a hotel room. Sure, the movie had gotten sad, but he hadn’t thought it had been enough to cry as dolefully as the other is-
Clearly-not-delinquent sniffs particularly loudly and it’s enough to prompt Joochan to lean forward and tap the other on the shoulder. And immediately regret it as piercing eyes snap to his.
The intimidation meter is off the charts, and he has not thought this through.
Swallowing, he tries to push off the sudden fright creeping in. “Um…” He begins tentatively, voice small. “Are you… Are you okay?”
There’s a beat of silence in which the stranger and Joochan stare at each other. An uncomfortable feeling crawls up Joochan’s neck. He regrets every minute he’s spent in this movie theater, and he’s beginning to think again that he should have prepared that grave.
When the other doesn’t answer and only continues staring at him, Joochan leans in a little closer, waving a hand in front of his face. “Hello?”
He bursts into tears.
Joochan doesn’t. The stranger does. What Joochan does is nearly fall out of his seat in surprise, a yelp escaping him as he catches himself in time. Crying— why is he crying? “W-what, w-why are you-” His voice is drowned out by the boy’s sobs. He hadn’t signed up for this!
People are staring at them now, irritated that they’re disturbing the silence of the movie theater and Joochan’s hands fly in panic, fluttering over the stranger’s back in hopes of consoling him in some way. He offers the elderly couple seated behind them a nervous smile and they glower back. A friendly bunch, aren’t they?
“Kids these days with no manners,” the old woman mutters, and Joochan’s sense of morality leaps up in protest. Manners? Joochan is the epitome of manners! Old people love him- “Breaking up with their partners in the middle of a film, souring such a lovely experience.”
Joochan’s mouth unhinges.
They think—they think they’re dating. “No, you’ve got it wrong-” He splutters in a whisper-shout. “I don’t even know his-” He trails off when it becomes clear they’re not listening to him.
Shit! Now they think he’s a douchebag as well!
Hurriedly, he turns his attention back to the boy next to him, who’s still crying. His hands furiously dig through his pockets until he finds what he’s looking for—a wad of tissue, scrunched together and balled up but contrary to popular belief, clean.
He offers it to the other, thumping his back awkwardly all the while because he’s not sure what else he can do. “Are you alright, sir-”
The boy takes the offered tissue and wheezes into it. “Sungyoon.”
Joochan blinks, surprised. He hadn’t expected to have a name to put to his face. “O-oh. Sungyoon. Are you alright, Sungyoon?” The question only seems to bring forth another set of fresh tears and Sungyoon buries his face into his hands. Joochan curses mentally. He’d messed up again!
“H-He sacrificed everything for h-her-” Sungyoon blows his nose into the tissue again, “-a-and now t-they’re running a-away together, it’s so-” He dissolves into sobs, and Joochan increases the pace of his awkward thumps.
“I-it’s okay,” Joochan says, in a tone which he had intended to be soothing but really, all it is is incredibly awkwardly. “They’re just animated characters, it’s not real."
His words of comfort fall on deaf ears. Joochan can feel the judgmental gazes of the elderly couple burning holes through the back of his head. He fumbles.
What else can he-
His fists close around his bucket of popcorn. Of course! Food! Food is sure to calm anyone down, right?
B-but—he frowns. It’s his precious popcorn, and the popcorn is overpriced here to boot. Sharing means he won’t have as much for himself…
He casts a look at the teary boy. Deep breaths, Joochan. This is for the greater good. And surely, Sungyoon will refuse. It’s just an offer out of politeness, Sungyoon won’t actually take him up on it-
It takes every last bit of his willpower to shove the bucket toward Sungyoon, every muscle in his body locked up in unwillingness. “U-um, would you like some-” The words die on his lips as Sungyoon unceremoniously shoves a hand into the bucket and grabs a fistful of popcorn. And shoves it into his mouth, all the while still sobbing. Joochan stares at where a rather large fist-shaped dent has been left in his popcorn.
“M-my popcorn-”
“Thank you,” Sungyoon says, words heavily muffled by the mouthful of popcorn. Joochan hurries to disguise his disbelief, shoving his gaping mouth shut.
“Of course! My pleasure,” he chirps, when really, he wants to dump the entire bucket on the other’s head and shout at him for stealing his food. Sure, Joochan had offered him it, but-
Maybe Donghyun had been onto something when he’d refused to come to the theater with Joochan.
He somehow manages to restrain himself and not dump the bucket onto Sungyoon’s head, because one, he’d rather not be banned from yet another movie theater, and two, at the expense of his precious popcorn, Sungyoon finally seems to calm down. Slightly. He’s still sniffling and rubbing at his eyes.
Joochan does his best to not ogle him incredulously. Who would have thought that someone who seems so intimidating with his sharp, bold features and even bolder articles of clothing is actually a big softie?
He can almost hear the sound of his primary school teacher’s voice chirping in his head. Don’t judge a book by its cover!
A gasp rises from the audience and Joochan’s attention snaps back to the movie. Right, he’s in a movie theater. He’d been so distracted by Sungyoon he’d missed a good chunk of the movie. Cursing under his breath, he tries to piece together what he’d missed with what he’d seen last.
All because he’d got caught up with fussing over the other. How irritating.
Just as his attention is melding back into the screen, there’s another sniffle next to him. Joochan screws his eyes shut, breathing out slowly.
Not again.
In the end, his popcorn gets devoured by Sungyoon. And his drink too, because at one point, Joochan had shoved it towards the other, if only to get him to quiet down.
It’s when the ending credits are rolling and the audience is sobbing around him and Joochan doesn’t have a single tear in his eyes he realizes he’d been so busy worrying over Sungyoon, he hadn’t watched a single full minute of the movie past the first dozen.
Not only has he wasted one ticket, but he’s also wasted two , Joochan thinks mournfully.
Next to him, Sungyoon rubs at his tear-stained face once again and Joochan’s eye catches onto the smudge of black staining his cheek, presumably from his dark eyeliner. Even with how bitter he is over at the other, he’s fishing out yet another tissue before he can think, pointing it out. “Oh, you have-”
Sungyoon turns his head just as he leans in to dab at it with his newly-retrieved tissue, and Joochan realizes two things at once.
One: Sungyoon is really pretty. Like, really, really pretty. The type of pretty that has people seeing stars and swooning. The type of pretty that could stand perfectly still and pass off as a doll. The type of pretty that Joochan daydreams about when he fantasizes about his dream boyfriend.
Two: Joochan is so, so gay.
Oh, wait. There are three things.
And three: he regrets.
His hand freezes on Sungyoon’s cheek as he realizes what he’s doing. Oh my God. He’s—wiping at a stranger’s cheek. A stranger whose name he knows, but a stranger nonetheless. Heat rushes to his face.
“Oh my God, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, I just-” He blubbers away, apologizing profusely as he yanks his hand away.
He’s going to get up from his seat and go find a hole to bury himself in. And never come out of it.
Joochan’s blabbering screeches to a stop as Sungyoon’s fingers grab at his wrist, stilling his movements. His wide eyes meet the other’s.
Earlier, he’d heard boss music when he’d looked up and met Sungyoon’s eyes. But now, a chorus of angels and harmonies play in his ears as Sungyoon smiles, eyes crinkling.
Is Joochan seeing things, or are those sparkles and flowers nestled around him?
“It’s fine,” Sungyoon says, smile widening just a bit and if Joochan had been standing, his knees would have surely gone weak, because bunny teeth! Sungyoon has bunny teeth and suddenly every sliver of annoyance dissipates into nothing. And to put the cherry on top-
Sungyoon’s smile turns into something a little shyer, more embarrassed as he lowers his eyes. “Thanks.”
Cardiac arrest. He’s going to have a cardiac arrest.
“Y-you’re welcome,” Joochan chokes out, his mind spinning with dozens of thoughts. Most of them are about how Sungyoon is pretty. And hot. And has bunny teeth. Which means he’s cute. And automatically qualified to be Joochan’s boyfriend.
Wait.
He jerks up, Sungyoon staring at him in confusion. He takes no notice of it as his eyebrows draw together. Where had that last bit come from?
Sungyoon is—Sungyoon is the polar opposite of his type. He wears leather jackets and silver chains, not warm, woolen sweaters-
But he has bunny teeth.
And has tattoo and piercings, not round glasses-
But he has bunny teeth.
And sports a head of dark, inky hair, not the light, dyed hair he’d envisioned-
BUT HE HAS BUNNY TEETH-
“Shut up!” Joochan shouts, heart pounding against his chest, and then conveniently remembers he’s in a public setting. Thankfully, most of the people have filed out of the theater, and those who haven’t just throw him a distasteful look.
“Kids these days, don’t have manners, arguing in public,” the elderly woman says, shaking her head as she steps out, and Joochan’s eye twitches.
Forget about old people loving him. He’s going to go up to that granny and tell her exactly why she’s the one with bad manners, assuming things about random people she doesn’t even know-
He hasn’t taken a step when there’s a hand snagging at the sleeve of his sweater, pulling him back. Joochan blinks behind him to be met with Sungyoon’s open face. Oh, right. He’s still in the midst of experiencing his gay crisis with Sungyoon.
Sungyoon, who has let go of his sleeve, and is now awkwardly fiddling with the sleeve of his leather jacket. It’s truly a strange contrast. “Look,” he starts, voice rough and almost threatening. Joochan tilts his head. He can’t find it in himself to be intimidated by it anymore, not when he’d spent the last two hours dealing with a sniveling Sungyoon and then had been blessed by the sight of his smile.
“...I’m looking,” Joochan says. “But I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be looking for.” Maybe it had been the wrong thing to say because Sungyoon eyes him like he’s stupid.
“Can you…” His voice is lower now, harsher. “Can you forget everything you saw today?”
Joochan blinks. “Saw today?”
Sungyoon blushes, fiddling even more with his hands now, twisting the rings on his fingers, and if that isn’t a sight to see. “My…” He winces. “...reactions?”
It clicks. “Oh! You mean how you were constantly sobbing as if your dog died?” He says, and Sungyoon makes a strangled noise. Is he… embarrassed? A kernel of endearment squirms its way into his heart.
“Yes… that." He’s definitely embarrassed now, fingers nervously dabbing at the sides of his face as if he’s wiping away sweat. “If you could, I’d appreciate it.”
Joochan absorbs his words slowly. He’s embarrassed… Over being a slobbering mess… and wants Joochan to pretend as if it never happened…
He stops himself before he squeals at the cuteness.
What he isn’t able to stop is the snort of laughter that escapes him. Sungyoon’s eyebrows shoot up in alarm. “I don’t know,” he says, and he doesn’t know if it’s the absurdity of the situation or the sugar from his drink or maybe even his leftover annoyance towards the elderly couple that sends a rush of giddiness through him, but whatever it is, it manifests itself in a spurt of courage. “You did eat all my popcorn. Maybe, if you treat me to a meal, I’ll consider erasing my memory.”
No sooner has the words left his mouth, he wishes he had never said them.
Sungyoon’s frowning at him, brow creased and Joochan’s suddenly reminded of how the other is surely capable of making sure he never speaks again. “I-I mean,” he stammers, scrambling to amend himself. Shitshitshit, what had he been thinking! “Just a joke! Of course, I’ll forget-”
Sungyoon stands up and all of Joochan’s gears screech to a stop. He’s suddenly acutely aware of how the other is just slightly taller than him, just enough for him to look down. “I think I’ll take you up on that offer,” he says.
Joochan stares at him.
No… way…
There’s no chance to gather himself together because Sungyoon’s smiling at him, but it’s not the sweet, pretty smile of gratitude he’d given Joochan earlier.
No, this smile is all sly quirks to his lips, amused glint in his eye, and arms crossed over chest. Joochan’s ears feel unbearably hot. “But I think I’d need to get your name first.”
It takes three blinks before Joochan processes what Sungyoon’s saying. “Oh! Right! I forgot!” Hastily, he inclines his head into a bow. “Joochan. Hong Joochan. I didn’t even realize I didn’t-” He stops when he notices the sparkle in Sungyoon’s eye, amused at his flustered state. “Y-yes. Um. Right.”
Sungyoon laughs, and there it is again: his bunny teeth poking out. The possibility of Joochan’s type changing to fit that of someone who has dark hair and dresses in leather and chains is looking more and more likely with every passing second. “Alright, Hong Joochan. I’ll pay you back for eating all your precious popcorn-” Joochan's cheeks pinken, “-and take you out on a date.” He digs out something from his pocket before holding it out—a sleek phone.
Feeling very much like he’s stuck in a dream, Joochan punches in his number, then his name. Joochannie. And then, as an afterthought, he adds a fox emoji. Because of course. A huff of laughter leaves Sungyoon when he notices it, and Sungyoon enters his own number into Joochan’s phone as Sungyoonie with a bunny emoji. It takes every last bit of Joochan to hold back his coo.
“Thank you again for dealing with me,” Sungyoon says, and he’s rubbing at his sideburns again—is it a habit of his? If it is, it’s terribly endearing. “I’m sorry for causing you trouble-”
There’s a stupid, stupid grin on Joochan’s face as he waves away Sungyoon’s apologies. “No, no, it’s nothing at all. Since I got a date out of it…” The last bit is a mumble and he smiles brightly when Sungyoon asks him to repeat himself. “It’s nothing! Um…” He pauses, shifting. “You’ll text me?”
Sungyoon’s lips quirk up into a smile, bunny teeth and all. “Of course. I have to erase your memory after all. I’ll see you then?”
Joochan nods so vigorously his head spins. “Of course!”
Sungyoon makes a move to leave but then pauses, lingering. His eyes dart between the exit and Joochan as if he’s weighing his options and Joochan watches, mystified, as he changes course, strutting briskly towards Joochan.
Suddenly, he’s right there, in front of Joochan, breath ghosting his face.
“If you don’t mind,” Sungyoon says, words an airy murmur. “I’ve always preferred to kiss on the first date.”
And then he’s pressing his lips to Joochan’s, quick, short, tasting of the sweet blue raspberry slushy Joochan had given to him. He pulls away, eyes creasing up once more. “I’ll see you.”
With that, he brushes off the last crumbs of popcorn off his pants and disappears out the doors, but not before casting one more meaningful look in Joochan’s direction, grinning.
Joochan stands there, frozen. He doesn’t trust himself to move his limbs because he has a suspicion he’ll go flailing if he does.
In the span of two hours, his life has been turned upside-down, inside-out. Someone clears their throat, and he turns to find an employee looking at him meaningfully, broom in hand. He stares.
“Do I…” he starts, slow and full of disbelief. “Do I have a boyfriend?” The question is directed at the employee, who blinks, taken aback.
“It seems that way?” She says hesitantly, and Joochan stares at her a little bit more.
A slow, thrilled smile unfurls across his face, brighter than the sun.
In two quick strides, he’s approaching the employee, grabbing her by the shoulder. She yelps in surprise, blinking rapidly at him.
“I have a boyfriend!” He squeals, uncaring of her surprise. He lets go of her, racing out the door, leaving her blinking in his wake.
All at once, everything in the world is more beautiful than it had been when he had entered the theater. The sun, which had been shining brightly enough to give him a severe burn, now seems to be smiling at him from above. The honks of cars are now an orchestra to his ears. Even the wilting flowers he had crossed seems to be blooming, colorful petals unfurling and dancing in the wind.
Even his anger at Donghyun-
His sneaker catches on a rock and he nearly goes crashing to the street. Right, Donghyun! He fumbles for his phone. He has to let him know!
Somehow, he manages to successfully punch in his pin (his birthday, of course) and maneuver to Donghyun’s contact, but not before giggling for an unhealthy number of seconds at Sungyoon’s number in his contacts.
Donghyun picks up on the third ring. “What.”
As cold as always. It does nothing to deter Joochan’s excitement. “Donghyunnie! You won’t believe what happened-”
“Let me guess,” comes Donghyun’s dry voice. “Your favorite character died.”
“No-” Donghyun doesn’t let him continue.
“You maxed your credit card on popcorn again?”
“No! And I never did that-!”
“Did you kick the head of the kid in front of you again?” Joochan puffs his cheeks.
“That was one time! And it was an accident!”
“Did you-”
Before Donghyun can make another ridiculous and obviously baseless claim, Joochan cuts in. “I got a date, okay!” He eagerly listens with bated breath for Donghyun’s reaction.
There’s the sound of shuffling and then Donghyun’s voice is on the phone again. “Bomin says we have to go on a double date. So he can, in his words, ‘show him what will hit him if he dares to mess around with you.’” Joochan imagines Bomin, Donghyun’s sweet and angelic boyfriend, meeting Sungyoon, pierced in metal and decked out in leather, and holds back a snort.
“Brilliant idea! But don’t you want to know about my date?” Donghyun pauses, and by the sounds of slurping from the other side, he must be drinking something.
“Not really.”
“Hey!” Joochan exclaims, slightly hurt.
He can hear the eye roll in Donghyun’s voice. “Fine. Tell me about whoever this person is, whose taste is bad enough they took an interest in you.” Joochan makes an affronted noise.
“Excuse me, I’ll let you know that I’m a catch-”
His excited chatter about Sungyoon are lost to the wind as he hops onto the train back to his dorms, smile threatening to split his face, and he doesn’t stop even as he steps back into his room, Donghyun wheeling around to pin him with an unimpressed frown, phones still to both of their ears.
Joochan walks into the cinema with two tickets, a bucket of popcorn, and a far-too sugary drink, and he walks out of the cinema with one ticket, a new number sitting snugly in his contacts, and a boyfriend.