Chapter Text
“What if we dated?” Jungwon utters out of nowhere. Sunoo almost choked on his drink at the sudden question.
“W-what?” he stutters, yet to think of a proper response.
They first met 7 years ago when they were both in highschool, they became friends the second they talked to each other. Their friendship formed naturally with the help of very similar interests and perfectly fitting personalities. The idea of dating never came across Sunoo’s mind. Well, not until mere seconds ago when Jungwon had asked the question.
“I mean, wouldn’t it be a fun prank?” Jungwon smile’s mischievously, taking a sip of his drink before continuing. “Jake’s birthday is coming up so why don’t we tell him we’re dating?”
“No way he’d believe that.” Sunoo replies. He tried to not sound eager about denying that the idea wouldn’t work. His mind was pushing thoughts and scenarios of him and Jungwon doing romantic things together, he did not like what it made him feel.
“He kept teasing us about dating and getting someone else to hangout with so that we wouldn’t be stuck to the hip all the time.” Jungwon says. Sunoo didn’t get why the younger was speaking to him so casually about this when he himself couldn’t even maintain eye contact with him.
“Come on, it’ll be fun and then we’ll admit it by the end of the day.” Jungwon pouts.
–
“He fucking pouted!” Sunoo exclaimed, holding the phone near his ear.
“So?” Heeseung asked from the other end of the call.
“I swear he did that on purpose to make me say yes to his plan.” he sighs exasperatedly as he puts his bag down on the couch.
“And you said yes?” Heeseung asked again.
“Obviously!” Sunoo said matter-of-factly. “Come on, Hee. I thought you were the reasonable one out of the friend group.”
“Okay, I can feel that you’re rolling your eyes and I’m having none of that shit. You could have said no but you didn’t—”
“He pouted!” Sunoo cuts him off.
“You’re saying that as if Jungwon’s pout could move mountains and split oceans in half.”
‘Might as well be.’ Sunoo thought.
“What should I do? I’ve never been in a relationship before, I don’t know how to act all lovey-dovey and shit.” Sunoo air-quotes the lovey-dovey with his free hand.
“Just act like how you normally do.”
“Wow, thanks for the great advice. That really solved everything.” Sunoo deadpanned.
“You two basically act like you’ve been dating for years that sometimes I forget that you two are actually just friends.”
Sunoo gasped, “We do not!”
“Yeah, whatever. I have to get back to work.” Heeseung ends the call.
“H-heeseung? HEESEUNG!” Sunoo shouted but it was too late, the older had already dropped the call.
Sunoo sighs for the fifth time that day, three times on the train after his and Jungwon’s coffee hang-out. ‘If Jungwon and I are dating does that mean what we did earlier was a coffee date?’ Sunoo blushed at the intrusive thought.
“What is wrong with me…” he whispers to himself.
–
It was finally Jake’s birthday. Sunoo has never been as dreadful of an occasion as he is now. He stood outside the gates of his friend’s house, waiting for a certain red-haired boy before ringing the doorbell.
It only took a few minutes before Sunoo spotted a boy sprinting towards him. He could already tell that it was Jungwon just by looking at the radiant red fluff on top of his head, bouncing with every step that Jungwon took. In Jungwon’s left hand, Sunoo could only assume, was the gift that he prepared for the birthday celebrant.
“Hey!” Jungwon greeted him, the subtle dip appearing on his cheeks as a small smile was plastered on his lips.
“Hey…” Sunoo greeted back. Everything around him suddenly felt warm despite the cold air that November brought.
“We’re going to do the prank, right?” Jungwon asked, excitement evident in his tone. Sunoo nodded, unable to make eye contact with the boy in front of him.
As if the gods above thought that Sunoo’s suffering wasn’t enough for him, Jungwon suddenly leaned forward and held Sunoo’s chin, gently maneuvering it so that his eyes would come in contact with cat-like ones. “Right?” Jungwon asked again but in a softer voice.
Sunoo would have exploded if it weren’t for him pulling himself away from the younger. He made sure that he was standing at a safe distance from him. “Yeah…” he mumbled.
“Come on, Jake’s probably waiting for us already.” Jungwon said as he stabbed the doorbell located beside the gate. It only took a few minutes before they saw a small figure running out the door. Jungwon’s hand slowly made their way to intertwine it with Sunoo’s. He almost pulled away but Sunoo tried to compose himself while he tried not to make it obvious that he was flustered by the younger’s actions.
Now he knew why stories would describe touching as ‘electric’ and ‘warm’ because that is what he was feeling right at this moment. His entire body felt the heavy and quick pulse of his heart, it was a miracle that Jungwon hadn’t noticed that Sunoo was practically vibrating from where he stood. Everything was warm to the point that Sunoo would have mistaken it for a fever if it was any normal day but no — this wasn’t a normal day.
Holding Jungwon’s hand and malfunctioning was not normal.
He mentally shrugged away the thoughts piling up in his head, he was sure that it wouldn’t go away any time soon but he'd rather silently scream in embarrassment in the comfort of his own home than in Jake’s house.
“Thank God, you’re here! I was about to cry myself to sleep because my two and only friends didn’t show up on my 20th birthday.” Jake jokes with a smile so bright, it could put the sun to shame.
Sunoo fondly rolled his eyes at the older’s joke. “No one would assume you’re 20 when you act like such a big baby all the time.” he quips.
“You love me.” Jake teased as he opened the gate.
Their conversation only distracted Sunoo for a few minutes before he was painfully aware of he and Jungwon’s interlocked fingers again. Jungwon had given it a small squeeze as he went inside, dragging Sunoo with him. Jake stayed by the gate as they went in and he swore that he saw how Jake eyed their hands. If Jake actually did, he did not say anything about it which Sunoo is thankful about.
They went inside without any fuss. Jungwon held his hand the entire time, only having to let it go when he took off his coat but it didn’t take long until Jungwon’s hand was once again occupying his right hand. Basically everything they would normally do in Jake’s house, they did together — while holding hands.
“Don’t you think that we’re trying too hard to make it obvious?” Sunoo whispers to Jungwon who was sitting beside him on the couch.
Jungwon shifts his attention from browsing movies on Netflix to him. Sunoo flinched at the close proximity when the younger turned his head to look at him. They were always close but even the familiarity of his friend’s touch was not enough for him to, yet again, put himself in a safer distance. A distance where their noses didn’t touch and where he felt somewhat sure that his heart wouldn’t explode.
“What do you mean? We’re not even starting yet.” Sunoo’s jaw dropped at what the younger said, he stared at Jungwon’s expression long enough to come to the conclusion that the younger was not at the slightest bit joking.
“W-we’re not?” Sunoo stutters over his words.
Jungwon shakes his head slowly, eyeing him questioningly. “In fact, it’s kind of weird that you’re not touchy today.” If it was possible, Sunoo’s jaw would have dropped to the floor right now.
Just act like how you normally do.
“Come on, let’s pick a movie before Jake can come back with the food.” Jungwon leaned back on the couch, lifting Sunoo’s legs and placing it on top of his. Sunoo felt Jungwon’s hand resting on his hip, his arm wrapped around his waist.
You two basically act like you’ve been dating for years that sometimes I forget that you two are actually just friends.
Sunoo has now realized what Heeseung meant.
It didn’t take long before Jake walked in with the food and drinks. He took a seat on the armchair just beside the sofa where he and Jungwon are situated. Sunoo peered at Jake, trying to see if there was any signs of bafflement or even just a twinge in his expression when he comes and sees them cuddled up on the couch. There was none.
Jake didn’t act weird or robotic like how Sunoo thought he would. In fact, the eldest of the three was already asking them if there was any luck finding a decent movie before he could even set the food down on the coffee table.
“We should just watch some Disney movies.” Jake suggested in which Jungwon responded by screencasting his phone on the smart TV and opening an illegal site for movies.
“Tangled.” Jake says.
“Frozen.” Jungwon and Sunoo said at the same time. Their eyes meet for a brief moment before averting it with a scoff.
Jake playfully rolls his eyes, “Frozen and then Tangled.” The two hummed in approval and Jungwon started the movie soon after.
The three of them fell into a comfortable silence. From time to time, Sunoo’s eyes would drift from the screen towards Jake or Jungwon. As expected, both were engrossed in the movie.
This time, when Sunoo decides to pull his attention away from the show, he is met with cat-like eyes staring deeply as if it was exploring his soul. Sunoo gulps watching the way Jungwon’s eyes drift downwards from his eyes to his lips.
He suddenly felt conscious of their nearness, he would have distanced himself if it wasn’t for the gentle grip Jungwon had on his side. The younger’s thumb rubbing against the fabric of his sweater, moving up and down softly on the curve of his waist.
Before he knew it, Sunoo felt the faintest tingling sensation on his cheek from where Jungwon’s breath had tickled him. He was so close, Sunoo could almost feel the tip of their noses brushing against each other.
Closer and closer…
Until…
“I would highly appreciate not having to witness you two make out on my couch on my birthday.” Jake interrupts. Sunoo frantically pulls away, going as far as the other end of the couch would let him.
Sunoo’s was breathing heavily, he clutched the fabric of his sweater tightly over his rapidly beating heart and meeting Jake’s nonjudgmental gaze. In the eldest hand was the remote that he used to decrease the volume of the TV.
“W-we’re no —”
“Is there something you two want to tell me?” Jake cuts him off.
“Yes.”
“N-no.” They say at the same time.
Sunoo moves to look at Jungwon, the younger’s appearance is calm and sort of indifferent. He instantly knew that it was just a front, the prank had already started.
Witnessing Jungwon pull pranks on people wasn’t really something new to Sunoo. But still, he would still catch himself surprised with how natural it is for Jungwon to trick people. He was, as what Jungwon dubs himself as, ‘The Master Prankster.’
He somewhat agrees on the name regardless of how ridiculous and childish it sounds. Though, being the younger’s closest friend gave him the ability to know when Jungwon’s pranking someone or not; faster than any other person at least, he still falls for the redhead’s trap sometimes.
“If you two want to lie to me, you should be more subtle with it and get your answers in sync.” Jake crosses his arms cutely, whether it was intentional or not, it was cute.
“The truth is…” Jungwon reaches for his hand. “We’re dating.”