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“Yeah! And then, Kim Mingyu started sneezing and snivelling and coughing all over the place. Turns out he has pollen energy! Did you guys know that? Anyways, he had to be rushed to the infirmary, but he managed to ruin mine and four other people’s plants before he left. It was such a mess; his whole face was red.”
Jeonghan looked away from Seungkwan who was animatedly blabbering and narrating that morning’s incident, towards the Gryffindor table, and sure enough, he could not find a large head bobbing above all the others. He scanned once more to be sure, although he knew Mingyu was hard to miss. He just always stood out, mostly due to his height.
“Bet it matched well with his robes,” Jeonghan snickered meanly, and the group of students burst into laughter.
“How serious was it though? How long will he take to recover from it?” Jeonghan couldn’t keep his curiosity in check.
“It doesn’t take long at all, one dose of a Thiserry and garlic root concoction is enough to get rid of the symptoms.” Yena replied.
As if to confirm what she just said, Mingyu himself walked through the double doors of the great hall, grinning brightly towards his friends at the Gryffindor table.
Jeonghan looks back down to his lunch, a devious plan forming in his head.
“Oh no, what is that look, what are you planning now?” Joshua nudges him from next to him.
“It’s the perfect prank. You’re gonna love it, Joshuji.”
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After dinner, Jeonghan and Joshua catch Seokmin walking alone to the Hufflepuff common room. They both rush up to him, coming up on either side of him, each wrapping a hand around his shoulder, wearing matching grins.
“Ah, no. Please no. I hate those smiles.”
“Seokminnie~ Our beloved dongsaeng~ You’ll do your hyungs a small favour, won’t you?”
“Depends. Does it involve Mingyu?”
“WOW! You’re really smart. Hyung feels so proud.”
“No. Not again! Last time I got in so much trouble and Mingyu didn’t talk to me for a week!”
“It’s not that serious this time. We promise!”
Seokmin groans, “What is it?”
“Nothing big. You just have to give flowers to Mingyu!”
“I- what?!”
“Yep, that’s literally it.”
“I’m not gonna confess to Kim Mingyu, hyung. And what would that even accomplish?”
“Don’t worry about what it will accomplish. Come on Seokminnie, all you’ll have to do is give him some flowers. That’s really it. It doesn’t have to be a confession. Just an “All the best for the match against Slytherin” flowers. Remember, the benefits of helping your hyungs are endless. So are the consequences of rejecting us.”
“That’s not gonna be believable at all, hyung. You should find someone else. Mingyu won’t fall for it at all, if I suddenly try to give him flowers before a match. He’ll immediately realize that it’s another prank.”
Joshua and Jeonghan look at each other behind Seokmin’s back, silently agreeing on his last point, and finally let him go.
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“He was right, Jeonghan. Mingyu will know it’s a prank if Seokmin tries giving him flowers.”
“Yeah. Then who else should we get to do it? Hoshi? Yoona? Channie?”
“I was thinking, since Mingyu has already suffered from it, he’ll be really cautious about flowers near him. Whoever does it, has to make sure they’re near him long enough to take effect before he puts them away from himself. And besides, it’ll have to be someone unexpected for him to not realize immediately it’s a prank, so it can’t be anyone who we usually recruit. I think one of us should do it ourselves.”
“Okay. You do it then. He’s going to be so shocked,” Jeonghan lets out an amused laugh, thinking of Mingyu’s reaction to Joshua giving him flowers for a match against his own house. “I’ll get the flowers. You’ll be free before the match tomorrow, right?”
“No, I can’t, Hannie. I’m trying to get with Wonwoo, I don’t want any misunderstanding before anything even happens. And besides, He’s asked me to watch the match with him. I can’t go around giving other boys flowers right before that. You’ll have to be the one to do it.”
“Ugh, Joshuji,” Jeonghan sighs and runs a hand through his long blonde hair, “You and Wonwoo really get in the way of fun. I shudder to think how boring you’ll get once you get with him.”
“And I pray you find love too. You’ll learn a thing or two about not wanting to upset your loved ones and not crossing their boundaries.”
“See, this is why I’m going to stay single and fun as long as possible. Nothing can feel better than seeing Mingyu’s angry face glaring at you.”
“I’m sure. I can’t wait to see someone tame you with love, Jeonghannie. I hope I get front row seats to every single scene.”
“Ha-ha, sure. But, coming back to business, I cannot be the one to do it. I’ll be even less believable than Seokminnie. Mingyu won’t believe it for even a second, nor will anyone else on the planet. And I’m sure he’ll try to run the moment he sees me near him before a match. And the whole Gryffindor team will probably form a protective circle around him the moment I step foot in there.”
“If only you didn’t have a reputation for sabotaging Mingyu before and during matches.”
“So what now?”
“Jeonghan, there really is no way around this. It has to be you. I’m sure you can find a way to sneak under the whole team’s watch and shove some flowers into Mingyu’s face. Especially since it has to be right before they step onto the field. I doubt anyone else can pull it off.”
Jeonghan mulls over Joshua’s words. He was right. No one else would be able to pull it off, it was indeed quite a tricky prank to pull.
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Jeonghan smells the bouquet of red roses as he walks to the left entrance of the Quidditch pitch where he knows the Gryffindor team will be gathered. The bouquet is big and matches the exact shade of Gryffindor’s house colour. It was expensive, of course, but it’ll be worth it. It’ll get the job done perfectly.
Jeonghan takes a deep breath, poking his head in through the door, immediately catching sight of Mingyu’s head sticking out of the bunch.
Mingyu’s eyes stray to him the moment he steps inside.
“Jeonghan hyung…?” Mingyu’s voice is wary, his eyes suspiciously glancing towards the big bouquet in Jeonghan’s hands.
Immediately, the whole team’s attention is on Jeonghan, their gazes accusing before he even opens his mouth.
“Yah, what are you doing here right now? I swear, you little poltergeist, if you try anything…”
“I just, um, wanted to give this to Mingyu.”
“What?! What on earth for? Mingyu, don’t take it.”
Jeonghan grits his teeth. He knew Seungcheol was going to be a problem. Jeonghan had tried asking Joshua to lure him away while he gave the bouquet to Mingyu, but Joshua had immediately refused. Jeonghan didn’t blame him.
“Sheesh, Seungcheol, I come in peace. Can you give me a little grace?” Jeonghan walks closer to Mingyu, even as the rest of his team members cautiously edge towards him, not stopping Jeonghan, but looking ready to pounce.
Jeonghan glances around at the team, sighing internally. He kind of wishes he had taken care of his reputation a little.
The memory of Seokmin calling it a confession springs to his mind.
“And what do you think it’s for? There’s few meanings to a bouquet of red roses.” Jeonghan’s face is a perfect mask of bashfulness as he shyly glances away from Mingyu, biting his lip.
A stunned silence echoes around the room.
Jeonghan glances back to see Mingyu’s face is a mixture of amazed and disbelief. There is an intense look to Mingyu’s stare that gives rise to that familiar feeling in Jeonghan’s stomach, making him swallow tensely.
A loud voice calls for the teams to get on the pitch, and Jeonghan sighs.
“You know what, never mind,” he mutters, deciding to give up on this prank.
“Wait, no.” Mingyu calls as the rest of his team moves towards the entrance of the pitch, and he moves instead towards Jeonghan.
“This,” Mingyu’s voice is soft and astonished, “this is really for me?”
Jeonghan’s eyes widen, and he thinks, No way . Is Mingyu really buying it?
“Well, that’s what I said, didn’t I?”
“And, um, just to confirm, this is from you?”
Jeonghan scoffs, “As if anyone would ask me to deliver flowers to you on their behalf.”
Mingyu gives a light laugh, which comes out way too shy for Jeonghan’s liking. Merlin, I hope he isn’t taking this too seriously. Does he actually not realize…?
“Um, Jeonghan hyung. I don’t want to read this wrong. What does all this mean?” Mingyu sounds cautious, careful not to step too close.
Ah, so he does have his doubts. Not a complete idiot then.
“Do I really have to spell it out for you, Kim Mingyu?”
A loud yell calls for Mingyu from outside. Jeonghan urgently steps closer and pushes the bouquet into Mingyu’s chest.
“Just take it.”
“Jeonghan…” Mingyu breathes, holding onto the bouquet and looking into Jeonghan’s eyes.
“Do they smell good?” Jeonghan pushes it forcefully into Mingyu’s face.
Mingyu buries his nose into the roses and takes a deep breath, smiling at Jeonghan.
“Yes, they smell great.”
Jeonghan holds back a smirk, looking into Mingyu’s bright eyes. What a colossal fool.
Mingyu’s name is called again in a loud bellow, and his eyes widen.
“Shit, I have to go, but,” A sneeze interrupts him, but he continues, “Thank you, hyung. I’ll find you after the match, okay?”
And he runs off, giving one last smile to Jeonghan over his shoulder.
Jeonghan watches him go, a smirk appearing on his face. It’s showtime.
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A show it is, indeed.
Mingyu is a complete mess during the match, Sniffling and sneezing, nose red. Jeonghan’s eyes follow him around, watching his broom destabilize with every sneeze that shakes his body.
A few seconds into the match, Mingyu’s eyes find Jeonghan’s, and he sends a happy smile at him. Jeonghan narrows his eyes, does he have some revenge up his sleeve already? Or wait, did he one-up Jeonghan, saw the trick and let Jeonghan fool himself into thinking he won?
Jeonghan’s mind runs a mile a minute, playing the past five minutes in his brain, trying to catch if Mingyu somehow pulled one sneakily on him. But he finds nothing.
Mingyu doesn’t look like he’s doing too well on his broom either. He’s having a hard time keeping the broomstick under control, and is very distracted by Jeonghan for some reason, turning his head every few seconds to look at him and send him weirdly sweet smiles.
Jeonghan’s apprehension grows with every smile sent his way, but he cannot catch anything that seems out of place.
Mingyu turns for the thousandth time to look at Jeonghan and their eyes lock. Mingyu doesn’t look away until Jeonghan’s eyes widen as he sees a Slytherin player rushing to collide into Mingyu’s body with her broom. Mingyu’s head turns back at Jeonghan’s alarmed look, and sees the other team player rushing at him.
Before he can make to move out of the way, a harsh sneeze rocks his body, his eyes squeezing shut, broom shaking with the force of it, and the Slytherin player crashes into him, hard. Mingyu’s broom goes spiralling down with him, falling to the floor with a sickening crash that has the entire audience wincing.
Jeonghan looks over the railing down at Mingyu’s crumpled body on the ground, his eyes wide. A few students and professors rush to help him up, and they carry him off to the hospital wing.
“Ouch. He’ll need at least a few hours to recover from that .”
Jeonghan’s eyes follow Mingyu being carried away, guilt churning in his stomach.
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Jeonghan steps into the infirmary, eyes easily finding Mingyu’s bed. He’s having his arm put back in place, eyes screwed shut in pain.
Jeonghan hesitates at the entrance, wondering if he should go in. Before he can make a decision, Mingyu’s eyes land on him and he brightens up.
“Oh, Jeonghan hyung, you’re here!”
Jeonghan stares at Mingyu like he’s grown two heads. Shouldn’t he be mad at Jeonghan? Jeonghan knows Mingyu is usually a good sport about Jeonghan’s pranks, but he expected at least the slightest outrage from Mingyu, considering how offensive this prank was.
“....I’m here.” Jeonghan replies, unsure what to reply to such a statement. “That was a terrible fall.”
Jeonghan cringes internally, knowing it came out as if he was trying to gloat in Mingyu’s face. Jeonghan wants to apologize, but he cannot find it in himself to say sorry. He’s never said it to Mingyu, despite feeling on multiple occasions that Mingyu deserved one. But Jeonghan never says it, and Mingyu never holds it against him.
“Eh, I’ll be fine. Healer Lee says I can be out and about by dinner time.”
“Good, that’s good.” Jeonghan says, meaning it. “Um, Gryffindor won, by the way.”
“Really? Wow, this day just keeps getting better and better.” Mingyu replies, sending a cheesy smile towards Jeonghan.
Jeonghan blinks in confusion. Is he okay…?
“What, are you upset because Slytherin lost? Cheer up hyung, this wasn’t an elimination round.”
Before Jeonghan can reply, loud conversations and cheers reach them, and Mingyu and Jeonghan turn towards the entrance to see the Gryffindor team at the door. They all stop in their tracks seeing Jeonghan there, a few eyebrows rising high, and Jeonghan takes that as his cue to leave.
He looks back at Mingyu, whose face has reddened, a flustered smile on his lips.
“Well,” Jeonghan says awkwardly, “take care.” And he’s out of there before Mingyu can reply.
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Jeonghan is relieved to see Mingyu laughing and chattering at dinnertime. Mingyu catches Jeonghan’s gaze on him and holds the eye contact, his laugh dwindling down to a tender smile. Jeonghan blinks, looking away from him, his stomach twisting in a not-really-bad way.
An hour later, when Jeonghan is sitting on his bed going over some coursework, an owl flies in and drops a thin strip of parchment onto his lap.
Central tower rooftop. — Mingyu ♡
Jeonghan narrows his eyes and scoffs at the heart. I bet he thought that was so funny.
He gets up and puts on a jacket, wondering if Mingyu had called him to pull a prank on him. Yes, that was surely it. What else would it possibly be?
Nevertheless, Jeonghan feels excitement bubble up in him. He always looks forward to Mingyu’s pranks, even if they sometimes leave him simmering in fury.
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Jeonghan cautiously enters into the open archway of the rooftop. And stops in his tracks at the sight of Mingyu looking out into the sky, his back turned to Jeonghan.
There is a small round table and two chairs next to him, a candle lighting up the table, and some other items on the table Jeonghan can’t make out.
“Wow, what’s all this, Kim Mingyu,” Jeonghan calls out in a teasing tone he regularly uses while talking to Mingyu.
Mingyu spins around, and Jeonghan finds himself staring at Mingyu’s artfully styled hair and lightly tinted lips.
“Hi, hyung” Mingyu’s voice is gentle, a sweet smile growing on his face, eyes looking warmly at Jeonghan. “Um, I didn’t really get the time to prepare something extravagant like you did, but I hope you’ll still like this.”
Mingyu’s hands extend towards Jeonghan, and he looks down to see a single rose being offered to him.
Jeonghan stares down at it in confusion, wondering what elaborate prank Mingyu has planned, not able to make sense of what’s going on. He glances back up at Mingyu questioningly, and at Mingyu’s encouraging nod, hesitantly takes the rose from him, his guard up. He cautiously studies the flower, feeling wary, expecting a toad to jump out at him and bite his nose off at any moment.
When nothing happens, he looks back up at Mingyu suspiciously.
“That was really brave of you hyung. I could have never done that, what you did, even though I’m supposed to be the courageous and chivalrous one.” Mingyu lets out a little laugh. “But I’m really glad you did, hyung, because otherwise I could never dare to imagine you felt the same.”
Jeonghan’s mouth falls open.
“Wait, what?!”
“I really, really like you too, Jeonghan hyung. In case that wasn’t clear. Or should I just say ‘I really, really like you’ rather? Since you didn’t exactly say it, you know?” Mingyu says teasingly.
“Wait, wait. Mingyu, wait a second.”
Mingyu looks at Jeonghan quizzically, tilting his head slightly.
“What is all this…?” Jeonghan’s voice comes out weak.
“An answer to what you did earlier today before the match…?”
Jeonghan stares back at Mingyu in disbelief, not able to form words to reply properly.
Mingyu’s smile slowly disappears as he takes in Jeonghan’s frozen expression. His eyes roam Jeonghan’s face, searching for something.
“Was that…” Mingyu swallows hard, “Was that not a confession?”
“It was, um.” Jeonghan’s gaze flits around uneasily.
“It was what?” Mingyu’s voice is a whisper.
Jeonghan answers after a horrible pause, his voice even quieter.
“It was a prank,” He fidgets uncomfortably.
Mingyu stares, not reacting.
“Um, I- I heard you were, um, allergic to flowers…”
Mingyu lets out a long breath.
“Oh. Oh. Oh, wow. I see.”
Jeonghan’s stomach is swooping uncomfortably, his hands sweating.
“I-”
“Hah, you totally got me, wow. That was really good, hyung. It was a really funny prank. Ha-ha.” Jeonghan’s stomach sinks at Mingyu’s hurt voice.
“Mingyu, I-” Jeonghan starts apologetically, but gets cut off.
“No, don’t. You win this one. It was actually really good. I didn’t realize it at all! You can gloat and laugh over this.”
“I’m-”
“I have to go now though. I’ll see you around.”
Mingyu speedily walks past Jeonghan, but Jeonghan reaches out and grabs his arm.
“Listen, Mingyu, wait-!”
Mingyu snatches his arm out of Jeonghan’s grip, a frustrated scream tearing out of his throat.
“No! I didn’t mean it either, okay? This was a prank too! So let’s just call us even.” He sounds completely heartbroken, and Jeonghan’s regret eats him up.
“I really am-”
“You should see your face, hyung. How can you fall for the same prank you pulled on me?” Mingyu says, letting out an emotionless laugh. “Anyways, this entire thing has been really funny, but I have somewhere to be. Bye!”
Jeonghan watches Mingyu run out of the archway and disappear down the winding staircase, feeling terribly cruel.
He shuts his eyes, trying to calm the havoc within him.
Opening his eyes, he looks up at the clear sky twinkling with stars, a bright crescent moon leaving a romantic feel to the night. Mingyu’s face flashes in his mind – bright, open and hopeful, and then heartbroken and hurt. Jeonghan’s fists tighten, the stem of the rose in his hand breaking. He looks down at it. It’s the colour of Gryffindor’s robes.
Jeonghan’s eyes go to the candle-lit table, and he walks the few steps to reach it. He stares at the pair of empty glasses and plates with forks and spoons in front of each chair. There’s a jug of butterbeer at the centre of the table, along with a closed box.
Jeonghan opens it, and his heart skips a beat at the small, heart-shaped, red velvet cake with the words ‘ Be mine? ’ written in silver icing. Mingyu’s face flashes in his mind once again, looking completely crushed. The pang of guilt cuts deep, and all Jeonghan can do is pick up the box and jug, and carry them away with him along with the rose clutched between his fingers.