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“I’m gonna do it.” Hyunjin says, for the third time. He nods to himself and slaps his thighs as he gets up. “Yep. Here I go. I’m gonna do it.”
“He’s pretty cute.” Jeongin sticks his head a little to see through the crowd.
“He’s hot, forget cute.”
“Sure, but… He looks a little lost.”
“He’s drunk.” Seungmin says.
They’re observing the guy who’s dancing by himself in the middle of the dance floor. He had a friend before with him and Seungmin was much more interested in the friend, but he disappeared and now it’s just this man by himself. He’s very pretty, Seungmin’s gotta admit. Little short, definitely shorter than Hyunjin. Black hair, black jeans, black button down. Seungmin can’t see much of his face from here, but his body looks amazing in tight clothes.
“You’re right.” Hyunjin sighs. “You’re right, I’m not gonna flirt with a drunk man. Do you think he needs help? Where did his friend go?”
That’s what I’d like to know Seungmin thinks. “Probably to the bathroom, or something.”
“I’m gonna ask if he needs help.” Hyunjin nods again, fingers nervously drumming against their table. “And then, like, ask for his number. For future reference. If he wants to go out when he’s sober. That’s pretty ethical, right?”
For all of his blinding beauty, Hyunjin has never been great at flirting. Which usually surprises people, considering he looks like sex on legs. His social awareness isn’t always the best, but it helps that people usually come to him, instead of the other way around. He’s the pursued, not the pursuer. Well, mostly not. The stranger is pretty hot, so Seungmin doesn’t blame him.
“Go for it, hyung.” Jeongin grins and Seungmin can already tell he’s loving this way more than he should.
Hyunjin detects no underlying meaning in their friend’s tone and takes a deep breath, before making his way to the all-black man. Seungmin watches, because he has nothing better to do. This could be good. If Hyunjin starts going out with him, Seungmin is bound to meet his beefy friend, right? He was short too and with even bigger muscles than this guy, cute face, black hair. Seungmin liked his laugh, when he could catch it as his friend told him something, before he disappeared.
But back to step one. Hyunjin walks up to him and doesn’t start dancing on him. Instead, he puts his hand on his shoulder and leans down to say something in his ear. The stranger listens and then nods, points behind himself. Then looks at the direction and when he doesn’t spot whoever or whatever he’s looking for, frowns and starts spinning in circles. He looks like a puppy chasing its own tail and Seungmin smiles.
Hyunjin says something else and then the stranger is speaking again, hand on his chest, before he’s pulling out his phone.
“Oh shit, it actually worked?” Jeongin chuckles.
“Um…” Seungmin watches as the guy doesn’t pass his phone to Hyunjin, but rather starts… showing him something? “What is going on?”
“I am so confused.” Jeongin says.
Hyunjin is looking down at the screen and nodding and then back at the stranger’s face, but he doesn’t spare him any attention. His eyes stay glued to his phone and he keeps talking and Hyunjin looks very lost. This goes on for over a minute, before Hyunjin points to their table and then they’re… oh, they’re coming this way. Okay.
Seungmin doesn’t have much time to overthink this, before he’s scooting away to give Hyunjin space to sit back down in their booth. The man is even prettier up close – dimples, warm eyes, full lips. Seungmin has never seen someone whose nose fits their face so well in his life.
“Hi, guys!” he greets them, far too loud out here where the music isn’t an issue, but it’s clear he’s at the point of drunkenness where he doesn’t recognize he should lower his volume. He’s grinning at them and waving and Seungmin is two parts confused and one part fond of a man he’s seeing for the first time in his life. “I’m Chan! Or Chris. That’s my English name. But you can call me either one, really. Also Bang Chan. But that’s what people at work call me. You must be younger than me, but I don’t care about honorifics, haha. My friends tell me that’s an Australian thing. Oh, I’m an Aussie, by the way! Sydney born and raised! Do you guys wanna see my boyfriend too?”
Jeongin is the closest to Chan/Chris/Bang Chan who is standing and bouncing on his feet a little, so he becomes his first victim, as Chan’s phone is shoved in his face. Seungmin turns his head towards Hyunjin.
“What is going on?”
“I asked for his number.” Hyunjin says. “And he said oh I’m flattered, you’re very pretty, but I have a boyfriend. My boyfriend is very pretty too, do you wanna see? and then proceeded to show me like, 10 photos of his boyfriend. His friend went to the bathroom so I figured I’ll bring him here until he comes back, since he wouldn’t stop showing me the photos, I dunno.” He shrugs.
Seungmin snorts. This kinda thing only happens in movies, right? But, as he looks back at Jeongin, apparently not. Chan is holding his phone for him to see and talking very enthusiastically, with that huge smile still on his face.
“…and this is him with a bare face, and like, after spending a few days at the beach, so his freckles got even darker. Did you know he hated his freckles when he was a kid? I was soooo sad to hear that, oh my gosh. How can you hate this? Look! So cute! They’re like… the best. I love Felix’s frec—Felix’s… oh gosh. It’s a tongue twister. Felix’s freckles! There, I made it! Love his freckles!” he switches to English halfway through, accent thick and Seungmin blinks at him in awe.
“Can I see too?” he asks, because what else is he supposed to do? He’s not gonna tell this golden retriever in a human body that he should fuck off and they’re strangers and it’s a little weird.
“Oh gosh, yeah, here!” Chan turns his phone.
Okay. Seungmin sees his point. If he had a boyfriend who looked like that, he’d also probably drunkenly tell strangers who’d wanna listen too. The guy is gorgeous. Not earthly type of gorgeous. Hyunjin type of gorgeous, where you look at him and wonder if he’s an angel in disguise. In the photo, the guy whose name is apparently Felix is smiling at the camera, wide and unapologetic. He does have freckles and they are pretty prominent, adoring his cheeks and nose. He also has blonde hair, long enough for a mullet probably if it wasn’t all damp and messed up. He’s can pull off a mullet type of pretty.
“Wow.” Seungmin nods, indulgent. “You’re right, he’s very pretty.” He feels like he’s talking to a child a little bit. A child who just showed him their drawing they’re very proud of. “And what did you say his name was? Felix?”
“Why are you encouraging this?” Hyunjin hisses under his breath, but it’s clear he’s amused.
“Hey, you’re the one who brought him here. This is my new favorite rejection story, I wanna soak up all the details.” Which is to say this is one of like three rejection situations when it comes to Hyunjin, because he’s Hyunjin. Seungmin will enjoy every second of this, because his life isn’t eventful and he’s bored.
Distantly, he wonders what a feeling it is, to have your boyfriend show your pictures to complete strangers at the club and wax poetry about your freckles. Imagine being that loved.
Chan nods. “Yeah! Felix is his English name. His Korean name is Yongbok. His grandpa gave it to him. Yong like dragon ‘cause he was born in 2000, year of dragon, y’know? Oh, and Bok like scent, so like scent of a dragon. It’s so cute, I tell him he’s my lucky dragon and he tells me to shut up and that I’m lame, but I know he secretly likes it. When he burps, he sounds like a dragon. He says he sounds like Godzilla.”
“Oh, cool! We were born in 2000 too.” Seungmin points at him and Hyunjin.
“Really? So I am your hyung, hehe. How about you?” Chan looks at Jeongin.
“Ah, 01.”
“Oh my god, you’re a baby!” Chan coos. “That’s so cute!”
“I am 23.” Jeongin whines, already used to this treatment from Seungmin who is only a few months older than him.
“Doesn’t matter, still a baby.”
“Show us more pictures of Felix, hyung.” Seungmin suggests with a smile on his face.
“Oh, you wanna see? Sick! Here, this is him with black hair…” he shows them another photo. “This is more him with black hair… Then this is him with pink hair… He dyes his hair a lot, by the way. Pink was pretty short lived, but I thought it was hot. This is him with an undercut, he pulls off any hairstyle, as you can see. Oh, this is him with silver hair. Funny story, I dyed it for him and our whole bathroom was a mess and he started crying because the color was veryyyy slow to wash out of my hands and he got scared I’ll have silver hands forever and that chemicals will just, like, seep into my skin, but I didn’t wanna wear gloves ‘cause his hair was so soft so I wanted to feel it properly, y’know?”
“Of course.” Seungmin nods. “By the way, who’s your friend? The one who was with you before?”
Jeongin snorts into his drink and Seungmin kicks his shin under the table. It’s worth a shot, okay? Chan evidently likes to talk, so maybe Seungmin can get some info.
“Oh, that’s just Changbinnie.” Chan gestures with his hand and Seungmin would argue there was nothing just about that man. He waits for Chan to continue, but what he gets instead is another picture of Felix, this time sleeping on a plane. His lips are pouty and he has a sharp Cupid’s bow, but Seungmin doesn’t care about that. “This is Felix sleeping on the plane ride from Sydney to here, a week ago. He always says he’s not gonna sleep, but then just passes out. It’s so cute.”
Seungmin would say that’s just a fact, not a cute one, but it’s no use arguing with a drunk man. A whipped, drunk man. He sighs, feeling defeated. Jeongin catches his disappointment and like the little shit he is, smiles at Chan.
“Oh, does that include all travel, or just planes?” he asks.
Seungmin aims to kick him again but Jeongin has always been a fast learner, so he avoids it in time.
“Interestingly, no.” Chan raises his index finger and starts explaining.
“At least I got the time to ask for the guy’s number.” Hyunjin whispers into Seungmin’s ear, even though Seungmin doubts Chan would catch his words anyway. “All you got was a name. Maybe he won’t even come back for his friend. Maybe you’ll never meet him.”
“He’ll come back.” Seungmin insists. “He’s a reliable man. I can tell.”
Hyunjin snorts into Seungmin’s cheek and then stars wiping it off w his thumb. “Oh, yeah? How?”
“You seen the size of his arm? He’s very… dependable. Yes. I decided. One hundred percent.” Seungmin nods.
“Maybe he also has a boyfriend and he’ll show us all of his photos and tell us the origin of his name, as well as his childhood insecurity.”
“What are the chances of that happening to both of us?”
“This is me and Felix in Paris, in front of the Eiffel tower.”
“This is me and Felix at the restaurant. Oh, this is him grilling meat. He always whines he sucks at it, because he never got much practice and I tell him I’m happy to do it for him, but he insists he wants to learn.”
“This is him with his two sisters. He’s a middle child.”
“This is him with my sister and brother. They say they love him more than me. I think that’s fair.”
“This is… what is… oh, these are Felix’s brownies. He makes amazing brownies.”
“This is Felix with eye shadow and glitter all over his eyes. He’s really good with makeup, I dunno how he doesn’t poke his eye out. He painted my nails for me!” Chan excitedly shows off his black nails.
“This is Felix with my dog Berry. They’re so cute!”
“This is Felix back in college, after an all-nighter. He said he looked awful but I thought he was still very pretty, just a little sleep deprived. That’s why he looks like he wants to kill me. But he’d never actually hurt a fly, he’s the biggest sunshine! When people see us they assume I’m the big and scary one, but Felix actually has 63 medals in taekwondo! He did it for 12 years, can you believe that? Then again, he’s played League of Legends for 12 years too and he can’t move up from bronze… He doesn’t like it when I remind him of it, but I think it’s cute! Really, I like when he has fun, I don’t think being the best at something matters!”
From then on, it’s less pictures and more talk about Felix’s abilities.
“He can dance and he can actually rap, but he’s so shy. Oh my god, his voice! I didn’t tell you about his voice, but it’s like… woahhhh. I can’t describe it. You’d never expect it with a face like this, but it’s so deep! It’s insane.”
“He can bake a bunch of stuff, not only brownies, recently he’s gotten into cakes and I always get to lick up the bowl and stuff.”
“Oh, we have matching tattoos, lemme find the picture…” Seungmin locks eyes with Jeongin and he can bet his left arm he will find this cringe because matching couples tattoos are cringe in 99% of the cases. “Here! Here, see. I have a little sun, yeah? ‘Cause he’s such a cute little sunshine. And he has a little moon, because I’m an insomniac but he says it’s because we complete each other actually and that I wear so much black, so I’m like the moonlight when I smile, y’know?”
Chan is blushing a little and giggling and even Seungmin finds his hardcore cynicism melting a little. Chan makes it difficult to hate things with how earnest he is.
“Oh that reminds me! Fun fact, our moons are like… what do you call that? Like, the moon was 3% full when I was born and 97% full when he was born! Can you believe that? How cool is that? I never believed in soulmates before I met Felix. I never believed in fate, either. But, like, so many things align, that you gotta wonder, like, hmmm. Wow. This can’t all be a coincidence, y’know? Like, we live close to each other our whole lives in Sydney but we never meet and then we both meet when we’re in Korea? Like, c’mon. I truly believe we were meant to be.”
Hyunjin, who has always been the hopeless romantic in their little group, is listening with rapt attention, head on his hand, nodding, eyes wide. Seungmin has always believed that if soulmates were real, they weren’t born. They were made. You meet someone and you work on things and you learn how to become the best version of yourself for the person you love and vice versa. He can appreciate the dreamy tone of Chan’s voice as he keeps telling them all of this, though.
“Hyung!” Jeongin elbows Seungmin. “Look!”
Seungmin casts a glance back at the dance floor and spots the short, reliable man looking for Chan. He slaps Hyunjin’s knee to move his model worthy legs out of the way so he can get to him before he disappears out of sight. He hears cackling behind himself, but he doesn’t care.
Maybe he’s feeling a little… encouraged. Okay? Maybe listening to Bang Chan tell him about his lovely, talented, pretty boyfriend Felix has Seungmin feeling a little bold tonight. A little optimistic. He’s never picked up anyone at the club before, but hey! Maybe he’ll get a chance to tell some unlucky strangers about his boyfriend Changbin in like 5 years. Who knows?
“Hey!” Seungmin yells over the music. Same case as with Chan – he’s even prettier up close. “Changbin-ssi?”
Changbin blinks at him. “Um, yeah?”
“We have your friend.” Why does he sound like he’s got Chan tied up in a trunk and is gonna ask money for him? “I mean, um. Chan? Bang Chan? The guy you were with before? He’s with us, I’m assuming you’re looking for him?”
“Oh my god, what has he done?” Changbin gapes at Seungmin.
“Nothing, nothing! Don’t worry. I mean… not nothing. Like, he’s been showing us pictures of his boyfriend for like half an hour, but that’s all.”
“He’s been…” Changbin sighs. “This is his first time getting drunk, can you believe it?” Seungmin can appreciate sarcasm in a man. He laughs. “Please, take me to him, oh my god.”
If Seungmin was someone else, he’d grab Changbin’s hand to lead him through the crowd under the excuse of not wanting to lose him. He’s seen people do it. As it turns out, his courage only goes so far. He walks Changbin back to their table.
“Hyung! What the fuck are you doing?” Changbin yells.
Chan turns around and his eyes sparkle when he recognizes him. “Changbinnie! Hi! Where have you been?” he wraps him in a hug which has Changbin stumbling a step back, gripping their table. It takes strength to unbalance a man this sturdy.
“I went to see if Jisung was okay, I told you already. He was sick? In the bathroom? I told you to wait for me there, I’ve been looking for you!”
“Oh no, Hannie is sick?” Chan pouts, eyebrows shooting up in concern and he looks like this is his first time hearing of it. “Is he okay?”
“He’s fine, Minho-hyung is taking care of him. We’re all heading home, what are you doing?”
“Oh, I was showing them Lix’s pictures.” Chan beams, pride rolling off of him in waves.
Changbin looks at the three of them and then back at Chan. They’re still in a half hug. “You just… walked up to a table of random people and started showing them Yongbok’s photos?”
“No! No, Hyunjinnie here came up to me to ask if I need any help and then he asked to give me his phone number but I said I can’t do that, I have a boyfriend! Then I remembered how pretty he is and I showed them!”
Hyunjin lets his head fall to the table, groaning to himself.
“Oh my god…” Changbin looks back at them. He’s so cute. “I am… so sorry. He’s usually not like this, I promise. He doesn’t even drink.” Back at Chan. “You do this first time you get wasted?”
“Hey, I’ll have you know some people get into fights and become really mean when they get drunk! All I did was show them how pretty Lixie is, what’s wrong with that?”
He’s pouting now and he looks every bit a kicked puppy and this might be one of the best nights in Seungmin’s life, which is really sad.
“It was cute!” Hyunjin insists. “I promise. He didn’t bother us. I mean, I figured maybe he’d be better here with us than alone there, so I basically dragged him, really. Also, we loved learning all the fun facts about Felix.”
Changbin laughs and shakes his head fondly. His arms are the size of Seungmin’s thighs. Bigger? He’s also wearing all black, but it’s a T-shirt hugging his torso and it’s tight and saliva honest to god fills up Seungmin’s mouth. This is embarrassing.
“That’s cute and all, but we gotta go, hyung.”
“No.” Chan shakes his head and peels himself off of Changbin’s body sculpted by gods. He sways a little on his feet but leans on the table safely. “No, these are my new friends. You left me. They didn’t leave me.”
“They couldn’t leave. You occupied their table.”
“They could’ve told me to fuck off. They didn’t. You left me!” he points an accusatory finger at Changbin.
“I didn’t—You know what, fine. Will you please drink some water?” he offers him a bottle Seungmin didn’t even notice he was carrying with him until now. Crazy. Must be all the skin on display. Which is, like, half a forearm each. Suddenly, he understands Victorian men drooling at the sight of an ankle. “Drink some water.”
“No.”
“No?”
“No.” Chan shakes his head. “Water is overrated anyway.”
“This coming from a guy who can’t drink coffee or carbonated drinks and always nags me about staying hydrated?”
“I can drink other stuff! I like the… what’s it called? The pink one Minho ordered me? I like that one. Bring me that, I don’t want water.” He turns his head to Jeongin. “Felix doesn’t like coffee either. He always tries when our friends order it and always makes this disgusted face. It’s so cute. Oh, maybe I have pictures, hold on!”
Changbin sighs. His chest rises and falls, as it naturally does when one breathes. Seungmin knows that. He took anatomy. He’s fine.
“Okay. Okay, wait here.” he turns to Seungmin and smiles apologetically. “Is it okay if I make you babysit him for a little longer? I promise I’ll be right back.”
“Sure.” Seungmin nods and smiles.
Changbin returns him a smile.
“See, you’re leaving me again!” Chan whines, but makes no attempt at following Changbin who rolls his eyes and disappears into the crowd.
“You’re right, he’s cute.” Hyunjin tells Seungmin.
“Right?” Chan smiles at them and Seungmin realizes that he did in fact manage to find a picture of Felix scrunching up his nose, disliking whatever he just tasted. “He’s sooo cute, I told you.”
“When am I gonna find someone who’s gonna be this obsessed with me?” Hyunjin sighs. “This is so cute, look at him. Like a fucking puppy.”
“Oh, Felix says I look like a puppy too! But I think I’m too big to be a puppy, no? I tell him I’m his guard dog and he says I’m like those dogs who got big but aren’t aware they’re too big to sit on their owner’s laps anymore and do it anyway. I think it’s funny ‘cause it’s usually Felix sitting on my lap, not the other way around, haha.”
Seungmin is suddenly very grateful that Chan is not the type of person who overshares sexual details of his relationship. Or maybe he is and they just haven’t reached that stage yet. Seungmin is not sure if he’d be curious or scarred.
He wants Changbin to come back.
On cue, Changbin is walking back to their booth, but he’s also with someone. It takes Seungmin two blinks to recognize that it’s the love of Chan’s life, his soulmate, his sunshine. He feels a little like meeting a celebrity after having so many facts about Felix shoved down his throat while the man in question isn’t even aware of Seungmin’s existence.
“Baby.” Felix says and wow, okay, yeah. Chan was right. What is that voice? “Binnie tells me you’re bothering these nice people?”
Sadly, Binnie taps Felix on the back and tells him something Seungmin doesn’t catch before he’s gone again. Seungmin feels like a deflated balloon as he slumps back in his seat.
“Baby!” Chan all but yells and if Seungmin thought it looked funny when Changbin took Chan’s drunk hug, Felix’s thin frame both disappears when Chan wraps his arms around him and he almost genuinely falls backwards, but Chan stays stable enough to hold him. “I missed you, are you okay?”
“I’m okay.” Felix giggles, hand coming to comb through Chan’s hair. “I’m okay, I was with Hannie in the bathroom, he wasn’t feeling well. Are you okay?”
“I’m great!” Chan picks Felix up and spins him around once, biceps bulging. Seungmin misses Changbin. “I was already great before, but now I’m perfect when you’re here. Oh, guys! This is Felix!” he turns to them and smiles, still holding him up by his thighs and it’s like he’s showing off a prize he’s won.
Which, from what Seungmin has learned about Chan in the short period of knowing him, is probably exactly how Chan would describe his boyfriend.
“I’m so sorry!” Felix laughs, embarrassed. “Babe, put me down, come on.” Chan doesn’t seem too happy with that but he obeys. “Changbin told me he, um. Yeah. This is so embarrassing.”
“It’s not.” Hyunjin reassures. “We do know you have a black belt in taekwondo and what your favorite smoothie is, while you don’t know our names, but it’s okay. I’m Hyunjin, by the way! I asked your boyfriend for his number, now that’s embarrassing. I just wanna get that out of the way as soon as possible.”
Felix truly is the sweetheart Chan made him out to be, because he just laughs at that. “Please, you’re fine. I was gonna say I’m Felix, but I guess you guys already know that… Jesus. What are your names?” he smiles kindly.
“Seungmin.”
“Jeongin.”
“Right. It’s nice to meet you.” He turns his head to Chan. “What were you doing, huh?” his accent is also really strong when he switches to English and Seungmin has a thought that they resemble a couple of cartoon characters like this, standing out.
Felix is even more beautiful in person than through photos, which doesn’t come as a surprise. His still blonde hair is done and he has sparkly makeup, he’s wearing light jeans and an equally sparkly white crop top, that has more skin uncovered than not.
“I was just telling them how much I love you!” Chan says. “And how cute you are! And that you make amazing brownies.”
“We have also seen you shirtless.” Seungmin adds.
Felix’s face is bright red but they’re so cute. He’s not mad at Chan, it’s clear he’s just embarrassed but also so fond it’s disgusting to look at. Seungmin guesses he’s as gone for Chan as his boyfriend is for him and thinks how nice that must be.
“Again, I’m sorry about that.” He shakes his head and then shakes a water bottle in front of Chan’s face. “You gotta drink some water, honey.”
Chan sighs and he looks like he’s in pain. “Do I have to?”
“Yes.”
Seungmin expects Chan to put up more of a fight, considering he outright refused the same request from Changbin. Stupid, really. If Changbin told Seungmin to drink some water, he’d be good and drink it.
Instead, Chan takes the bottle from Felix and nods. Like it’s a simple fact if Felix said it – Chan must drink water now, but it wasn’t when his friend tried the same thing. If Chan was Seungmin’s friend, he’d never let him live this down.
Chan drinks half the bottle and then stops. Felix shakes his head and strokes Chan’s cheek with his thumb. “Nuh-uh. The whole thing.”
“Do I have to?” Chan repeats his earlier question.
“For me?” Felix smiles gently at him and oh. He looks at Chan how Chan looked at his photos. Something weird and sharp curls inside Seungmin’s chest, something lonely. He swallows and ignores it.
Chan looks conflicted for half a second before he nods again and resumes drinking his water. It’s kinda cute. This buff guy who looks like he could break your arm (but doesn’t really look like he would) in his all black attire, crumbling when his tiny boyfriend bats his eyelashes and tilts his head encouragingly. Seungmin wonders how often does Felix use this power and for what.
Chan finishes the bottle and grins, showing it off to Felix triumphantly. “All done!”
“Great job!” Felix smiles back and reminds Seungmin of how Chan gushed about most mundane things when it comes to Felix and called them adorable. Maybe they really are soulmates.
“Kiss?” Chan asks.
Felix rolls his eyes but presses his lips against Chan’s nose and Chan giggles, delighted. Felix turns his head away and sneezes into his elbow. Concern colors Chan’s face immediately.
“Oh no, you’re cold!” and then he actually starts unbuttoning his shirt and Seungmin panics for a second because would he really go so far as to strip in public in order to keep his Felix warm?
Felix’s eyes widen and he grabs Chan’s wrists, pulls his hands away. “Ooookay. If you’re really so worried about me being cold, maybe we should head home, hm?”
Chan nods immediately and Seungmin thinks Felix is a very smart man. He stands behind Felix and starts rubbing his hands up and down Felix’s bare arms.
“Once again, I am so sorry.” Felix tells them.
“Once again, it’s fine.” Seungmin assures. “It was fun.”
“You guys are so cute.” Hyunjin says.
“Thank you.” Felix ducks his head shyly and wraps Chan’s arms around his waist from behind, holds them there. “We really gotta go now.”
“Wait!” Chan says and gets his phone and for a second, Seungmin expects more Felix photos or anecdotes. “Can you guys give me your phone number? I really like you, I’d love to get to know you more!” Seungmin would argue Chan has nothing to like about them considering he hasn’t let them talk the entirety of the time he was here. Chan turns to Hyunjin. “Oh, but not like that! I have a boyfriend.”
Hyunjin looks at Seungmin and buries his face in his shoulder. “Kill me. Kill me now.”
“Christopher!” Felix gasps. “Be nice.” He gives Hyunjin a look. “I am so fucking sorry. I promise it’s fine. But please do give us your number so I can treat you to a meal as an apology for all this. That is, if you aren’t completely weirded out and don’t ever wanna see our faces again, which I would totally understand.”
“Chan told us your mom is an interior designer.” Hyunjin says as he takes Chan’s phone.
“Oh my god.” Felix groans. “Did you give them my social security number?”
“I don’t know your social security number.” Chan says simply.
“I’m just saying, ‘cause I’m into it as well.” Hyunjin clarifies and returns the phone once he’s done. “So I’d love to see you guys again. I mean, maybe we can all do something? All of us, plus your sick friend. And that poor Changbin guy too, you know?”
Seungmin considers kicking Hyunjin but he can’t be a hypocrite and attack Jeongin for trying to shift the conversation from his interest and then do the same to Hyunjin for making effort that Seungmin possibly sees Changbin again in the future.
“I’d love that!” Felix smiles. “We’ll text you, yeah?”
“That’d be great!” Hyunjin smiles back.
“Why don’t I know your social security number?” Chan pouts, chin resting on Felix’s shoulder, looking genuinely distressed over it.
“Chris.” Felix twists to look at him. “I wanna go home now.”
If Chan had ears, they’d probably perk up right about now. Seungmin is starting to understand the whole guard dog thing. He nods and then smiles at all of them.
“Bye guys! Thank you for listening to me!”
They bid their goodbyes and then Chan stops to look at Felix, really look at him. Eyes softening in real time, lips stretching into a close-mouthed smile. So damn lovesick and fond that Seungmin feels that same vicious thing from before squeeze his heart. It feels too intimate, like they’re intruding. Yet, Chan and Felix seem unaware of anyone else in the crowded club but each other.
“What?” Felix smiles gently, hand on Chan’s shoulder.
“Nothing.” Chan tells him and tucks his hair behind his ear. “I just love you so much. That’s all.”
“Oh.” Felix gasps like he’s genuinely surprised, which—how? How could he be? Chan seems like the type of person who tells him that every hour. He certainly spent a generous amount of time telling them about it. Does Felix react like this every time? “I love you too.”
Chan nods and kisses his forehead. “Let’s go home, baby.”
He bends down and wraps an arm around Felix’s thighs, picking him up. “I can walk!” Felix complains.
“Yeah, but you don’t have to walk when you have me!” Seungmin hears Chan reason as they leave.
“I’m so single I’m gonna kill myself.” Hyunjin sighs, head in hands.
Seungmin blinks and feels a little suffocated, sitting between his two friends. He clears his throat and stands up, sliding out of the booth. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom.” He says and blinks a few more times than necessary on his way to it.
He’s not gonna let two strangers reconstruct his whole concept of love in one night. Seungmin is a realist. He’s a logical human being. He’s gonna have a boyfriend eventually. It might not be a boyfriend who shows his photos to guys who ask for his number and goes on and on about how talented and interesting and pretty Seungmin is, but a boyfriend nonetheless.
He’s not gonna die alone. That’s ridiculous. Where did that thought even come from?
Seungmin stares at his reflection in the mirror as the water drops down his chin. He’s fine.
The door opens and he hurries to get a paper towel. His eyes are closed when he registers whoever just walked in is talking to him.
“Hey.”
He turns around and thinks maybe Bang Chan’s enthusiasm is contagious and he’s caught it, because there stands Changbin in all of his 5’4 tall glory and Seungmin feels himself smile instantly, like an idiot.
“Hey.”
“Sorry about my friend.” Changbin says.
“It’s okay. It’s kinda cute.”
“Try living with it every day. Guaranteed it gets less cute really fast.”
Seungmin laughs. He throws away the paper towel. “Yeah, no. I can see your point.”
“So, are you into drunk fools? Since you found hyung cute. If so, it’s not my lucky night. I’m the designated driver and 5th wheel to my annoyingly in love friends.”
The thing lets up, Seungmin’s heart relaxes before it skips a beat. Maybe he shouldn’t fancy a man who might give him a heart condition. Maybe Changbin is trained in PCR? Would he break one of Seungmin’s ribs if he tried to revive him? Would Seungmin even be mad?
Wow. Maybe Chan’s enthusiasm isn’t the only thing contagious.
“I’m into sober fools too.” Seungmin says. “Also, I didn’t find him cute. I found his devotion cute.”
“Got it.” Changbin nods, a smile on his beautiful face. “Well, we’re best friends. Lots of his personality traits rub off on me, you know? I can be very devotional.” He winks.
Seungmin snorts and shakes his head, but he bites his lip and feels a little something bloom in his chest. And it’s not loneliness this time.