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Whenever his batchmates throw a party, Hyunsuk believes he will never get used to the loud music and flashing lights. It's not the first time he's been to a gathering like this, but this is one of those instances when his best friend Yedam has successfully dragged him to have a good time.
But he isn’t actually having a good time.
It’s been like what, an hour? The blonde thinks so. Despite the packed and hyped-up crowd, it's been a long and monotonous time for him. Well, he can't blame others because he's the one who's been wanting to go home ever since earlier, but he just really can't refuse his extrovert friend. If he leaves, Yedam will undoubtedly throw a tantrum.
There have also been several girls – and even guys – who have approached him and asked for a drink together. All of them were turned down by Hyunsuk. They evidently want to flirt, and he isn't clueless.Yer simply the thought of it makes him nervous.
Yup, he’s scared.
Despite his intimidating appearance due to his blonde hair and lip piercing (which, by the way, are entirely Yedam's ideas), Hyunsuk has never been in love or even flirted with. Many people have tried their luck by pursuing him, but it isn't his top priority right now. He recently graduated from college and plans to spend the next months studying for his board exams.
For the time being, Yedam wants them both to have fun, so he used his tricks to get his friend to agree, resulting in this current situation that the older is in. Looks like the other is the one who’s frustrated because of Hyunsuk’s non-existent love life.
“Hyunsuk hyung!” His junior in college called. Yedam is a few years younger than him, but he already has a lot more life experience than the older. Despite not being in the same department and grade level, they became friends during the orientation and instantly clicked.
“What?” He annoyingly replied, hoping that the other would get that he already wants to go home and cuddle with his bed.
“Why don’t you go inside? We’re about to play a game!” The brunette exclaimed, ready to pull his hand and drag him into this penthouse’ living room.
Almost every week, someone from their batch who is well-known and rich throws a party here. For some, including Hyunsuk, it's insane but for others, it's normal.
“What kind of game? Truth or dare? No thanks. I’d rather stay here.”
Yedam sulked and rolled his eyes immediately. Despite this, he grabbed his senior's wrist. Suk only let out a long sigh. Upon entering the room, they were welcomed by a group of ten or more people, many of whom are recognizable to the blonde. He's certain they're all from the university that he used to go to.
They sat down on the couch, and Hyunsuk wanted to argue with Yedam, but he decided not to because the game had already begun, and the bottle was currently spinning.
It pointed to a guy with a slit in his brow, who was also one of the persons who had wanted Hyunsuk's attention before. The name’s Jaehyuk and he chose dare. He was asked to do a body shot to the person sitting beside him.
Hyunsuk thanked the heavens that he was two seats apart from the guy.
After a few more rounds, the blonde realized that when you chose truth, the questions are just as fierce as the dares. The bottle hasn't pointed at him yet, but he can't conceive of what he'd do if it were already his turn. Regardless, he's doomed.
Two people even kissed in front of them when the player was dared to kiss the hottest guy in the circle they’re in. Hyunsuk, of course, looked away as it was different in movies and in real life. It was kind of gross. After that, Yedam was chosen, and he chose truth, to which he was asked if he was still enraged about his ex-boyfriend already having a new lover.
Yedam had a former love who was well-known to everyone during their sophomore year; they were a popular pair. But it barely lasted a year, and the next thing they know, one of the two suddenly had a new partner. They were all there to witness it – including Yedam, when Doyoung asked his new love interest if he might court him. He did it on the school grounds. At the end, Yedam answered that he had already moved on.
Going back, since a few of the players are already tipsy, the game’s getting exciting for them but the opposite for our main character. Hyunsuk has been heaving a sigh countless times already.
“Yah, Park Jihoon, you’re lucky tonight huh!” Yoshi, the game’s host exclaimed, looking at a certain guy with black hair and blue highlights.
The man remained silent. Hyunsuk had observed him for a brief minute previously, and he kept a straight expression throughout the game. Actually, right now he already looks like he’s not in the mood to even continue this game with everyone.
It's time to spin the bottle once more. Hyunsuk sat on the couch for a bit, relaxing his back. Yedam prayed silently for the glass to point to his friend. He had discreetly said to the host earlier a certain question and dare for the guy if ever Hyunsuk gets chosen.
This must’ve been a bad day for the blonde because a few seconds after, the top section of the bottle was already facing him.
“Yes!” Yedam was the first to celebrate, and the others also made noises after. Hyunsuk closed his eyes in dismay, clenching his fist.
“So, Choi Hyunsuk.” The red-haired host started.
He prepared himself, knowing that he would have to do anything they asked him to even if he didn't want to.
“Truth or Dare?”
You see, Hyunsuk prefers a low-key existence. Only Yedam recognizes him, yet he still doesn't know him very well because he's a recluse. He’s just glad that his friend understands. When it's Yedam who shares his life, he also opens up and makes sure to listen.
Anyway, the point is that the questions they throw in this game are too personal. And he doesn’t like it. Who knows? They might actually ask him about his first love or whatever.
Who would even want to declare they've never been in a romantic relationship in front of folks who are party animals and professionals at courting and relationships?
“Dare.”
“Alright! You see that room?” Yoshi pointed to a door on their left side. Everyone’s eyes immediately darted there.
“To whoever this bottle pointed to, you’ll be locked up in that room with him for 7 minutes.” After the host’s last word, everyone shouted and even laughed.
“Wait, seven minutes in heaven?!” One of them asked. Yoshi nodded while looking at the blonde.
Hyunsuk was already perplexed, finding himself just staring at the spinning bottle and not doing anything to oppose it at all.
As soon as it stopped, they all looked at the person who’ve been chosen.
“Park Jihoon!”
The room was already shut and the only thing the two could hear outside were muffled noises. Hyunsuk is sitting fairly far apart from the other, both not saying a word.
But he prefers this over doing other things.
Park Jihoon's expression remained unchanged. The blonde, on the other hand, sensed something. He had a gloomy aura.
“Quit staring.”
The smaller guy jolted in his place, he didn’t even realize that he had his eyes on the latter. He felt embarrassed.
“For someone who has blonde hair and lip piercing, you look like a shy high schooler.”
“E-excuse me?”
A smirk appeared on the taller's face. At that point, Hyunsuk only proved that he really look like a shy high schooler due to the way he felt his cheeks getting warmer simply because of a smirk.
“Not like you need to know, but I heard some guys talking about you earlier.” Jihoon stared at the ceiling as he played with his car keys.
“What did they say?” The other relaxed his back for a bit.
“Some lines along I think Hyunsuk never had a boyfriend and it’s because he’s playing hard-to-get.”
Hyunsuk wasn't really surprised, but he couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. He doesn’t understand if Jihoon’s saying these things to also make fun of him.
“They just don’t get it. They’re used to a love that’s only fooling around and not serious. Maybe it’s them who never experienced having a deep connection with someone.”
The blonde was left with no words. So, Park Jihoon doesn’t actually intend to tease or annoy him.
“Is it wrong to set high standards?” He asked.
“No, it just means that you really know what you deserve.” The raven-haired looked at Hyunsuk again as he said those words.
It’s as if he meant them.
“I guess not everyone thinks like you do. They truly don’t get that I’d like to receive a cup of coffee from someone rather than an alcoholic drink.”
Surprisingly, the two chuckled at what the smaller said. The awkward atmosphere is slowly fading away.
“But you know, even deep connections don’t last. Despite knowing someone well and hoping that they’re already ‘the one’, one morning, you’re still the one they love but the next they already threw everything that you had just like that.”
It sounded personal and rooted from the heart. Jihoon… he looked like he’s in pain. It’s as if his facade faded away.
“Maybe you loved the wrong person?”
“I never labeled someone as a right and wrong person. Instead, I lived my life wanting to be the right person for them. And have the right love.”
For a brief while, the room was deafeningly quiet. How long has it been? They don't hear anyone checking on them or even opening the door.
“I may not know anything about love, but I watch movies. And I have watched some where it tackles the point of view of those who left and hurt their lover.”
“What do the movies say?”
“That they always have a reason.”
At those words, Hyunsuk heard Jihoon’s chortle filled with bitterness.
“Or they did it just because they wanted to.”
“We don’t get to force someone to be with us forever. To be the person who will spend this lifetime with us. We have to live with that reality.”
The blonde noticed how the other nodded his head in agreement.
“You can open the door for a new person when you’re ready, Jihoon. Take your time.”
“You might also want to apply that to yourself, Hyunsuk.”
Two years later.
“Babe! Your coffee’s on the table. You need to get up now, it’s raining. I cooked soup.” The guy in his red apron called from the kitchen.
His lover is still plopped on the bed. Because it's raining cats and dogs outside, they'll work from the comfort of their own home today.
But, oh well, Hyunsuk can't seem to get enough of the fragrance of coffee.
Especially when Jihoon is the one who made it.
He knows the right formula. Just like how he knows the way to the smaller’s heart.
“Morning, Hoonie!” The now black-haired greeted. Meanwhile, Jihoon dyed his hair brown.
The taller didn’t greet back with words but with a quick peck on his lover’s lips.
“Thank you for the coffee and breakfast.”
Finally, the couple sat at their dining table and started eating. Hyunsuk sipped on his coffee, suddenly remembering the lines he said two years ago.
“They truly don’t get that I’d like to receive a cup of coffee from someone rather than an alcoholic drink.”
Jihoon remembered.
Because they met at a coffee shop on a frigid morning a year ago, and the taller handed him a cup of Americano, saying,
“Can I have a drink with you ?”
“What are you thinking?” Jihoon held Hyunsuk’s hand from under the table and kissed the other’s shoulder.
“Nothing. It’s just that I want you to be my person forever.”
“But I thought you said we can’t force it?”
“I’m not forcing it. I’m just saying I can’t love anyone else like this aside from you.”
“Then i’ll stay. As long as you want me to.”
END.