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Wooyoung is practically buzzing with how excited he is as he is making his way to a building he had in the past only walked by without having known that Hongjoong is actually living in it.
Hongjoong who is one year older than him and who had invited him to his flat for them to work on their shared project together.
They had met in Wooyoung´s first ever philosophy lecture in this semester with the older studying the very same subject as him as his major.
They had sat next to one another, which had been pure coincidence, but not in the other following lectures. As then it had been pretty much on purpose with how much Wooyoung and Hongjoong had already connected.
Now, they are nearing the end of their semester, which also means them needing to do something to get a grade for a project their lecture requires for them to do. So, with how close they had grown and how good they get along, Hongjoong and Wooyoung had of course decided on being partners for said project.
Something the younger is more than just happy about with how much he had also grown to like the other.
As he is liking him a lot with how much he makes his heart race and him having to already smile so damn wide while only having to think about being able to see him again.
Same as he is having to smile as wide right now as he is making his way up to the elder´s little flat which he had been lucky enough to score right at the beginning of the semester and in which Wooyoung had not been in before.
They had not met up all in private yet, only in their seminar once a week and sometimes in the library on campus.
There is always a light, joking, and teasing mood between them and a kind of are-we-going-to-or-are-we-not atmosphere. As there are often small moments in which one can see that they are liking one another more than just two people who are only aiming for being friends.
Which is why Wooyoung is extra happy while now standing in front of the still closed front door of Hongjoong´s flat.
“Wooyoungie,” the older is letting out with a wide smile after having opened the door to him by now. “I´m so glad that we finally managed to meet up here.”
“Maybe you should have invited me over sooner then,” Wooyoung is directly teasing a now chuckling Hongjoong who is stepping aside to let him in.
“Yeah, maybe I really should have,” the older replies in the same manner before pulling him into his arms for their usual hello-hug. As yes, that is something that they do.
“You can leave your shoes in the hallway and throw your jacket wherever,” Hongjoong is then telling Wooyoung as they get further inside his flat. “We can work in the living room, which is also kind of the bedroom and kitchen, as there is only this one room and a separate bathroom.”
“All right, then we can work from there,” Wooyoung chuckles at that as he looks around a bit more. “You have it really cosy here.”
“Thank you, you can take a better look around while I will get us water and juice to drink.”
“I will, thanks,” the younger nods while his gaze wanders over everything there is. He also gets a glimpse into the bathroom and comes to one very crucial conclusion after he had done so; Hongjoong has way too many things which are speaking for him not actually living alone here.
There are two toothbrushes, two hairbrushes, two pillows on his bed and two blankets. There are also a few set of shoes which are seeming to have a bigger size than the others standing in the hallway. Same as some of the clothes he can see lying over the desk chair Hongjoong also has, although they are sitting on the couch themselves by now with wanting to work more comfortably from there.
A spot he is able to look even more around from and thus, with more and more details which are all also pointing towards Hongjoong not actually living here on his own, Wooyoung´s whole mood drops, as of course.
Of course someone like Hongjoong is not available.
Of course someone like him already has a significant other and by the way the shoes look like, the clothes, and the several hygienic products in his bathroom, it is pretty clear that said significant other is another guy.
Which means that Wooyoung would have an actual chance with a still single being Hongjoong, but not with one who is already in a relationship.
A serious seeming one with his boyfriend seeming to basically already live here with him or with them perhaps even having moved in here together right from the start.
Wooyoung had probably interpreted way too much into how they had always behaved with one another, as that is seeming to be how Hongjoong usually is like and not the older being interested in him in the very same kind of way.
At least that has to be the case with the older obviously being already a taken person.
Said discovery makes the whole atmosphere be an unusual tense one between them, as that had never been the case.
Not even when they had first met one another in their lecture.
They never had problems with finding something to talk or joke or tease one another about, but right now, Wooyoung has in fact some problems with it, as he can´t forget what he had all seen in the elder´s flat which had pretty much pointed to the fact that he can say goodbye to getting anywhere with his crush.
Something which makes him want for the time to just pass by so that he can get the hell out of here and back to his own shared flat in which he is living in one of the student dormitories on campus with Jongho and Yeosang.
Which is actually rather sad, as when he had made his way over, he had not been able to wait to finally be able to spend some time with the older again and that also with them being fully and completely alone during it.
He is just lucky that they are really all alone right now, otherwise he would have probably ended up meeting the elder´s significant other, which would have been too much for him to also have to handle right now.
What else which is too much for him to have to handle is to get hugged by Hongjoong once again when it is indeed finally time for him to say goodbye.
As just how they always hug when seeing one another, they do the very same while saying goodbye.
A fact which is still making Wooyoung´s heart race, although he is leaving the elder´s flat and building with a sad smile on his face after what he had found out about him.
An expression which is still pretty much present when he is walking in his own flat where his two roommates are already busy with setting the table for them to have dinner together.
“Hey, Woo, how was being with your most favourite person?” Yeosang is directly wanting to know about it, as him and Jongho of course already know about the crush the other has on Hongjoong. “Did you two get all close again? Did something magical happen and you are now going to ask him out and- hey,” his tone turns a bit softer and is now sounding almost concerned after having noticed Wooyoung´s sad state. “What happened?”
“Yeah, hyung,” Jongho is now also speaking up. “Did it not go well at his flat?”
“No, at least not when it comes to me and my so useless now crush on him.”
“What?” Jongho asks confused. “What do you mean with that?”
“I mean that hyung is already in a relationship, so no, Sangie, nothing magical happened there.”
“Wait; did he tell you that?”
“No, he did not, as he did not have to,” Wooyoung states. “As I saw it myself in what he all has in his flat. As that looked like a shared one with a couple living in it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I am sure, Jongho!” Wooyoung has trouble to not hiss at the one year younger right now. “Everything is speaking for it. So I will just have to forget about me and hyung being anything more than just friends who are studying the same subject as their major.”
“Woo,” Yeosang sighs while Jongho is looking with pity at their roommate. “Maybe he is not actually in a relationship and you are just interpreting this wrong.”
“No,” Wooyoung is already shaking his head. “He sure is. As everything I have seen is one hundred percent speaking for it.”
Sadly, it does.
-
Wooyoung is having some real problems to not at first let Hongjoong notice how sad he is about the fact that the older is not available anymore.
But with how charming and still more than just awesome Hongjoong is, he is soon back to acting with him closely to how he had before him having visited his flat.
Well, his shared flat, but whatever.
By now, Wooyoung is just glad about still being able to see the older and to spend at least some time during the week with him on campus.
Although he also has some moments in which he totally forgets about Hongjoong already having someone, as the thing between them is still feeling pretty much flirty and teasing and all.
Especially the older loves to tease him as much as he can and he is also not holding back from being all touchy, which could be him just being like he usually is with his friends or someone he is growing closer with.
But still, something about it is feeling like more to Wooyoung, although he also tries to push said feeling down, as Hongjoong is actually never really doing something which could lead to them being something more.
So it is probably still just him interpreting way too many things into something which is not actually there, especially as Hongjoong himself is not even someone who is available and with how much Wooyoung despises anyone who cheats on their significant other, he will also not try to interfere with risking to play with fire here.
The thing is, Hongjoong had still not said anything about having a boyfriend, not even when they had been in his flat he had. And Wooyoung is also surely not going to ask him with not wanting to know even more about the guy who has who he himself would love to be able to call his very own boyfriend instead.
Only that said fact actually seems to be going to change pretty soon with Wooyoung being out with his roommates and them making their way to the nearest grocery store to do their weekly grocery shopping together.
As being in said store and already standing in line are Hongjoong and another guy who Wooyoung had never seen before.
“Oh, no,” he whisper-shouts before trying to hide between the two aisles closest to them. “That´s him.”
“Him who?” Jongho asks confused before getting pulled aside by his roommate, same as Yeosang with Wooyoung not wanting to risk for Hongjoong to turn and to see them standing there.
“Him Hongjoong,” he then hisses while still glancing through the shelves at the older and the tall and blonde guy still being right next to him. “And him his boyfriend.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I am sure, Jongho. I mean just look at them and especially at him; he is tall, which I am not,“ Wooyoung is whining now. “I am basically a gremlin next to that guy.”
“Woo, please don´t put yourself down like this. Also,” Yeosang sighs. “Maybe he is not actually his boyfriend and just a friend instead.”
“No, he is surely not,” Wooyoung is staying with his opinion, especially as he is now able to watch how the blonde is paying before taking the two packed brown paper bags from Hongjoong. As of course he is also seeming to be a total gentlemen. They would probably also hold hands if it would be possible for them to. “Hyung had two toothbrushes in his bathroom, two blankets and pillows in his way too big bed and also way too much clothes and also shoes which would be all too big on him,” he then lists. “He surely has someone living with him and that is that guy; his boyfriend. As you know as well as me how them behaving right now has looked like.”
As they had looked more than just domestic while probably having gotten groceries to cook something together in the flat they are sharing in a totally other way than Wooyoung, Jongho, and Yeosang are.
Which makes Wooyoung later on leave the very same grocery store with his mood not being in any way positive anymore when it comes to the older who he is still having a very, very big crush on.
As now he had actually seen said elder´s boyfriend, which is making things so much worse and way more official.
A mood drop which does sadly not change and get at least a tiny bit better at all.
Not with the universe seeming to only have had waited for Wooyoung to finally see Hongjoong with the guy he is in a relationship with, as right after, the younger is seeing them basically everywhere.
Be it during him walking to his next seminar or him getting a coffee to go at one of the many cafes. Or even with him having been shopping in his most favourite store; Hongjoong and the tall blonde are always within reach.
Hongjoong is never actually spotting him, but Wooyoung can see them clearly and after also seeing them walk to the elder´s building, he has the final confirmation of them definitely dating and also living together.
After that, it is difficult for him to still act like he usually had when a teasing comment or tickle of his side had come from Hongjoong.
He is sure that the older had long noticed that he is not behaving like he usually is, but with what a sweetheart Hongjoong is, he does not seem to be taking it personally.
He is still his teasing and cheery self while trying to get Wooyoung to leave their lecture with carrying an honest smile on his face.
As that is how damn perfect he is and how much Wooyoung is also aware of said fact with his feelings for him not having gotten less because of Hongjoong being already taken by someone else.
Someone who Wooyoung had managed to never actually run into, especially not with Hongjoong also being there.
But he is seeming to be running out of his luck, as after having to sit through a way too long lecture in the other subject he is studying, Wooyoung is only wanting to get a coffee and to leave right after, only to end up seeing a certain tall blonde sitting in the chosen café he had just walked into while being busy with exchanging salvia with someone.
Someone who is not Hongjoong, but another guy who is having short black hair and a smile which is lighting up his whole face after they had slightly parted from one another again.
“Are you out of your mind?!” Wooyoung is not even thinking while directly addressing who is clearly cheating on Hongjoong right now. “What do you think you are doing?!”
“Excuse me?”
“You are cheating on your boyfriend!” It just keeps on exploding out of him. “Your boyfriend who does not deserve this at all! Not with how sweet he is and basically perfect! So how can you just do this? How can you cheat on him while he is probably already waiting in your shared flat for you and-“
“Wait, are you talking about Hongjoong-hyung?”
“Of course I am!”
“You do know that me and hyung are not together,” The blonde gets out while still seeming pretty shocked by what the hell had just happened. “Right?”
“W-what do you m-mean?” Wooyoung stutters out. “Of course you two are together.”
“No, we are not,” the other states. “As I would surely know if it would be otherwise.”
“But I saw you and you were all domestic and cosy with one another and stuff.”
“And? That does not make us boyfriends, as we are not that.”
“So you are not cheating on him with sitting here and having made out with that guy?” Wooyoung asks while also pointing at the second person sitting at the table. “Like at all?”
“No, I am not cheating on him. I am not cheating on anybody with that guy actually being my boyfriend.”
“Oh,” Wooyoung lets out at that before letting his gaze fall onto the side and with it onto the tables next to theirs where a few students are looking at them with having heard his rather much loud outrage. “Just so you all know, he is not actually cheating on his boyfriend. Sorry, my bad,” he feels the urge to let them know before he turns back to the tall blond and the black haired again. “I´m sorry, it´s just that- I mean I saw your things in hyung´s flat, at least I think that I did. Also, you were always together whenever I saw him these days.”
“Hongjoong-hyung is just my best friend. One I had since kindergarten,” the blonde explains while his actual boyfriend is having to chuckle with how amusing he is thankfully seeming to find everything while he also glances past Wooyoung now. “And my things are only at his because I am having some real problems with no currently running water in my poor excuse of a dorm room.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh,” the other sighs. “I´m Yunho, by the way. And this in amusement laughing guy sitting across from me is my boyfriend; San. Someone who only today came back from being gone for a while with having needed to help his parents out in his hometown.”
“Well, I´m-“
“Wooyoung,” Yunho finishes. “Yeah, believe me, I do know.”
“You do?”
“Yes, I do, as I already heard about you.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really with hyung not being able to shut up about you.”
“Are you meaning that in a positive way or a negative one?”
“Positive,” San is the one answering while now carrying a kind smile on his face and looking directly at Wooyoung with it. “As I also already heard about you from hyung and that plenty with him not being able to stop gushing about that certain fellow student of his.”
“Oh, that is nice to hear,” Wooyoung can´t help but to smile too before shyly ducking his head next. “You two are seeming like a very cure couple, by the way,” he tells them with feeling bad for having thought that they are not actually just that. “You just fit, you know?”
“Thank you,” San is replying again. “We have been together for almost a year by now.”
“Oh, really? That´s nice,” Wooyoung states before clearing his throat and addressing Yunho next. “So, uhm, with you being hyung´s best friend and with what I just found out about you already knowing about me.”
“Yes?”
“Well, do you think that I would maybe perhaps actually have a chance with him?”
“Well, I don´t know. Why don´t you just ask him that yourself?” Yunho lets out with a sudden pretty much teasing look in his eyes as he is now also glancing past Wooyoung which San had already done earlier, which leads to them both being able to watch how a now starting to panic Wooyoung is slowly turning around.
“H-hyung,” he is only able to stutter with the older being suddenly right there in front of him. “When did you get here? J-just now?”
“No, not just now,” Hongjoong answers while carrying an expression on his face which Wooyoung is not sure how to interpret yet. “I was actually pretty much right behind you when you walked into this café. But before I could address you, you were already directly making your way over to my best friend.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh,” Hongjoong repeats before he has to shake his head while letting a thankfully amused sounding chuckle out. “Gosh, Wooyoung, you really caused for quite a scene here.”
“I did not mean to. As all I did was just trying to-“
“Look out for me?”
“Yeah, that.”
“Listen, why don´t we talk about this where two way too curious friends of mine are not able to hear everything?”
“Oh, yeah sure,” Wooyoung stammers before turning back to said two way too curious friends. “Again; sorry for causing such a scene, as that was indeed totally my bad.”
They are both waving said apology of his off with a meant smile on both of their faces as they are now watching how Hongjoong grabs Wooyoung´s hand to lead him to another area in the café.
“So,” the older lets out after sadly having already let go of the younger´s hand again. “You really thought that Yunho was my boyfriend?”
“Well, yeah,” Wooyoung admits. “I mean all his stuff in your flat and then me seeing you with him basically everywhere; it all lead to said conclusion of mine.”
“I did not even think about his things being all spread out in my flat and especially bed. As I was just so, so happy about you being there, so I totally forgot about it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” Hongjoong nods with a shy smile. “Really.”
“So you wanted me there?”
“Yeah, a lot even.”
“Well, I kind of wanted to also be there a lot too.”
“Yeah, I figured,” Hongjoong giggles, which is way too cute and making Wooyoung´s heart jump so damn high in his chest. “At least now everything else makes way more sense.”
“What do you mean?”
“You suddenly being a bit distant and also not as happy as usual anymore,” Hongjoong explains. “I thought that there was probably another reason, so I did not address you about it and just tried to cheer you up a bit instead.”
“Which was very sweet of you, but which also made everything a bit harder on me with how much I already liked you before I found out about your boyfriend. I mean your not actually existing one.”
“So again, you really thought that Yunho was my boyfriend?”
“Yeah, I truly did, especially after I saw you with him at that one grocery store.”
“Well, it´s a good thing that I don´t actually have a boyfriend then.”
“Yeah, a really good thing indeed,” Wooyoung states before having to swallow with being nervous now, although if he believes what Yunho and San had said, he has no real reason to. “Listen, hyung, I-“
“Yes?” Hongjoong asks as he takes Wooyoung´s hand into his again and looks at him with that so blinding and beautiful smile of his. “You?”
“I was wondering, I mean we are already here, so-“
“So?”
“We are already here in a café and I was wondering if you would want to stay here with me at a shared table with me paying for it?” Wooyoung is stammering. “You know, like a date?”
“You know what?” Hongjoong replies while now also squeezing his hand. “I would love to.”
“Really?”
“Really, really.”
“Great! Then how about you already taking a seat and me taking care of our drinks and also something sweet to eat?”
“I would very much love that too.”
“Ok,” Wooyoung can´t help but to let out with the widest smile ever. “So what would you like?”
“The caramel latte macchiato please,” Hongjoong has to smile too. “And one piece of their chocolate cheese cake.”
Wooyoung only nods at the elder´s choice and wants to turn to make his way to the register to order for them, but before he can actually do so, the hand still holding his own is pretty much holding him back from it with the older not seeming to want to let go yet.
And that for a very good reason and one he welcomes very much, as what happens next is Hongjoong pressing a kiss against his cheek.
Something which makes him blush and shyly have to duck his head again with how fast his heart is also racing right now.
“Okay,” Hongjoong is also looking a bit shy after what he had just done. “Now you can go. But don´t take too long.”
“Don´t worry, as I will be right back here to be with you.”
As he would be dumb to not want to be exactly that with him finally having gotten what he had so desperately wanted; to be on a date with Hongjoong.
Hongjoong who is not actually already taken by someone else.