Work Text:
If Olympic medals were awarded for sheer pathetic yearning, Eom Seonghyeon would be standing atop the highest podium, weeping through the national anthem, clutching gold to his chest.
At seventeen years old, Seonghyeon had accepted his fate. He was doomed. Doomed to spend the rest of his high school years and possibly the rest of his miserable, lovelorn life hopelessly pining after Kim Juhoon.
Juhoon was eighteen. He was a year older, a year wiser, and effortlessly, infuriatingly perfect. He played soccer, his hair always fell in that perfectly messy way that looked like it required zero effort but belonged on a Pinterest mood board, and he smelled like clean laundry and expensive citrus cologne. To Seonghyeon, he was the sun. To Seonghyeon, he was completely, terrifyingly unattainable.
And the worst part of it all? They were in the same friend group.
Seonghyeon groaned, rolling over on his bed and shoving his face into his pillow. His phone buzzed against the mattress. He cracked one eye open to glare at the glowing screen.
[braincells left the chat (5)]
martin: who’s hungry
martin: im starving
martin: james hyung buy us food
james: I am literally in a lecture right now Martin. A college lecture. That costs money.
martin: cool so ure rich. buy us food.
keonho: i could eat
martin: seonghyeon??? wya loser
seonghyeon: im alive. barely.
martin: dramatic
juhoon: don’t be mean to him martin
juhoon: seonghyeonie u wanna get food? i can come pick u up.
Seonghyeon stared at the screen. He stopped breathing. seonghyeonie u wanna get food? i can come pick u up. It was just a text. Just a normal, platonic text from a normal, platonic older brother figure who was just being nice because he was genetically predisposed to being a good person. That was all it was.
Seonghyeon’s thumbs trembled as he typed.
seonghyeon: u dont have to hyung!! i can walk
juhoon: it’s raining outside babe. i’ll be there in 10. get ready.
martin: ew why r u guys always like this
james: If Juhoon is driving, I’m not paying for gas. Just putting that out there.
keonho: see u guys at the diner.
Seonghyeon dropped his phone directly onto his own forehead.
Babe.
Juhoon had called him babe.
Seonghyeon rubbed his face, letting out a muffled scream. He had to calm down. He had to stop doing this to himself. Juhoon called everyone affectionate things, didn't he? Well, okay, maybe not everyone. He didn’t call Martin babe. But that was because Martin was a menace to society. Juhoon was just a tactile, affectionate guy who used Gen-Z slang ironically. Yes. That was it. It was ironic. It meant nothing.
Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. Seonghyeon, who had changed his outfit four times and applied tinted lip balm before frantically wiping it off because it looked 'too obvious', sprinted down the stairs.
He swung the front door open.
Kim Juhoon stood on the porch, holding a clear umbrella. He was wearing a vintage oversized leather jacket, a plain white tee, and faded jeans. He looked like an indie movie protagonist. Seonghyeon felt his soul briefly leave his body.
"Hey," Juhoon smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He reached out, his hand gently brushing a stray piece of lint off Seonghyeon’s shoulder. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah," Seonghyeon squeaked. He cleared his throat, trying to lower his voice by three octaves. "Yeah, Juhoon hyung. Let's go."
Juhoon chuckled, a low, warm sound that made Seonghyeon’s chest tight. He tilted the umbrella to ensure Seonghyeon was entirely covered as they walked to the car, leaving his own left shoulder out in the drizzle. Seonghyeon noticed. Of course he noticed. Eom Seonghyeon noticed every time Kim Juhoon breathed.
"You didn't have to pick me up, hyung," Seonghyeon muttered as he slid into the passenger seat of Juhoon’s dad’s sedan.
"I wanted to," Juhoon said simply, starting the engine. He reached across the console, his fingers brushing against Seonghyeon’s as he plugged in the aux cable. "Besides, I wanted to see you before we had to deal with the others."
Seonghyeon’s brain flatlined. He wanted to see me. He wanted to see me before dealing with the others.
Seonghyeon swallowed hard, staring fixedly out the rainy window. Stop it, he berated himself. He just means because I'm the quietest in the group and dealing with Martin and Keonho is exhausting. He's seeking peace and quiet. Not you, Eom Seonghyeon. Get a grip.
"How was your week?" Juhoon asked softly, glancing over as they stopped at a red light.
"It was okay. Mrs. Park gave us a ton of homework for AP History."
"Need help with it?" Juhoon offered. "I took her class last year. I still have my notes."
"Really? You'd do that?"
"For you? Always," Juhoon said, smiling softly.
Seonghyeon gripped his knees, his knuckles turning white. He’s just being a good senior, Seonghyeon chanted in his head, a desperate mantra. A good, helpful, incredibly attractive senior.
They arrived at the diner ten minutes later. The rest of the group was already in a booth in the back. James was nursing a black coffee, looking like a man who had seen the horrors of war (also known as a 20-year-old engineering major). Martin was aggressively shaking a bottle of ketchup, and Keonho was staring blankly at his phone a half empty plate of fries in front of him.
"Finally," Martin announced as they approached. "The married couple arrives."
Seonghyeon tripped over his own shoelaces.
Juhoon caught his elbow seamlessly, steadying him before sliding into the booth next to James. Seonghyeon immediately went to sit on the other side next to Keonho, but Juhoon caught his wrist.
"Sit here," Juhoon murmured, pulling Seonghyeon into the space right next to him.
Seonghyeon froze, then awkwardly shuffled into the booth. Their thighs were pressed together. The booth was designed for four people, five was a squeeze, which meant Seonghyeon was practically plastered against Juhoon’s side. He could feel the body heat radiating from the older boy.
"I’m not paying for everyone," James sighed, rubbing his temples. "I have exactly forty-two dollars to my name until Tuesday."
"It's fine, James hyung, I got it," Juhoon said easily. He looked down at Seonghyeon. "The usual?"
Seonghyeon nodded dumbly. "Uh, yeah. Please."
Juhoon ordered for the table without missing a beat, reciting Seonghyeon’s order (cheeseburger, no pickles, extra tomatoes, strawberry milkshake) from memory. Seonghyeon felt a pathetic little flutter in his stomach.
"So," Martin said, leaning across the table and pointing a fry at Juhoon. "Are you guys coming to James hyung's dorm this weekend? He said we can crash since his roommate is out of town."
"I did not say you could crash," James corrected tiredly. "I said I wouldn't call the police if you showed up."
"Same thing," Keonho chimed in, not looking up from his phone.
"We'll be there," Juhoon said, wrapping an arm around the back of the booth. His hand rested lightly against the nape of Seonghyeon’s neck. His fingers were warm, gently playing with the short hairs at the base of Seonghyeon’s skull.
Seonghyeon stopped functioning. He was acutely aware of every single nerve ending in his neck. He picked up a french fry with trembling fingers and shoved it into his mouth to keep from saying something incredibly stupid like, 'Please marry me.'
Under the table, he pulled out his phone with his free hand.
seonghyeon: keonho.
seonghyeon: keonho look at me rn
keonho: no
seonghyeon: HES TOUCHING MY NECK
seonghyeon: WHAT DO I DO
keonho: u could try acting like a normal human being
seonghyeon: I CANT IM IN LOVE WITH HIM
keonho: u are so annoying. just talk to him.
seonghyeon: AND RUIN OUR FRIENDSHIP? NEVER. ILL JUST DIE IN SILENCE.
keonho: pls hurry up and do it then
Seonghyeon scowled at Keonho from across the table. Keonho finally looked up, met Seonghyeon’s furious gaze, and slowly blinked before going back to his phone.
"Here," Juhoon murmured.
Seonghyeon turned his head. Juhoon was holding a strawberry milkshake, the straw pointed directly at Seonghyeon’s mouth.
"Oh. Thanks, hyung." Seonghyeon leaned forward and took a sip.
Juhoon’s eyes softened, a fond, ridiculously tender expression crossing his face. Then, without wiping the straw, Juhoon brought the cup to his own lips and took a drink.
An indirect kiss.
Seonghyeon felt his soul eject from his physical body, float up to the ceiling of the diner, and look down at his pathetic, blushing form. He’s so comfortable with me, Seonghyeon thought, his heart breaking a little. He really sees me as just a bro. He doesn't even care about indirect kisses because I'm just one of the guys.
If Seonghyeon had bothered to look at anyone else, he would have seen Keonho roll his eyes so hard he nearly pulled a muscle, James sigh heavily, and Martin snicker into his napkin. But Seonghyeon didn't look at anyone else. He was too busy grieving his tragic, one-sided love.
The week dragged on. Seonghyeon’s condition did not improve. If anything, his yearning intensified to levels that were frankly embarrassing.
It was Wednesday night, and Seonghyeon was lying on the floor of his bedroom, staring at the ceiling and listening to a playlist titled 'im sad and he doesn't love me' which was entirely composed of indie pop and devastating ballads.
His phone rang. The caller ID flashed: Juhoon hyung ☀️
Seonghyeon scrambled up, nearly tripping over his desk chair, and hit answer. "Hello?" he breathed, trying to sound casual and failing spectacularly.
"Hey," Juhoon’s deep voice filtered through the speaker, instantly sending a shiver down Seonghyeon’s spine. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing," Seonghyeon said quickly. "Just... homework. Studying. Being productive."
"Hmm." Juhoon sounded amused. "You left your history textbook in my car, Seonghyeon-ah."
Damn it.
"I was doing... math."
"Right," Juhoon chuckled. "Well, look out your window."
Seonghyeon’s breath hitched. He walked over to his window, pulling back the curtain. Down on the street, standing under a flickering streetlight, was Juhoon. He was holding up a plastic bag from the convenience store and waving.
"I brought snacks," Juhoon said through the phone. "Can I come up?"
"Y-yes! I mean, yeah. Sure. Door's unlocked, hyung."
A minute later, Juhoon stepped into Seonghyeon’s bedroom. He looked perfectly at ease, kicking off his shoes and immediately flopping onto Seonghyeon’s bed like he owned it. He patted the space next to him.
Seonghyeon nervously walked over and sat on the edge of the mattress, keeping a safe six-inch distance.
Juhoon reached into the plastic bag. "I got the banana milk you like. And those weird spicy chips."
"Thank you, hyung," Seonghyeon said, taking the milk. His fingers brushed Juhoon’s, and he quickly pulled his hand back, heart hammering against his ribs.
Juhoon tilted his head, watching Seonghyeon carefully. "You've been kind of quiet lately," he observed, his voice dropping into a softer, more intimate register. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah!" Seonghyeon said, way too loudly. "Everything is totally fine. Never been better. Fantastic."
Juhoon shifted closer. He reached out, his hand gently cupping the side of Seonghyeon’s face. His thumb brushed against Seonghyeon’s cheekbone. "You know you can tell me anything, right? If you're stressed about school, or... if there's anything else."
Seonghyeon’s eyes widened. Juhoon’s face was so close. He could smell the subtle scent of laundry detergent and mint. His brain was screaming at him. Tell him! Tell him you're stressed because you're madly in love with him!
"I'm just tired," Seonghyeon managed to choke out.
Juhoon’s expression softened into something incredibly fond. He didn't pull his hand away. Instead, he leaned in and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to Seonghyeon’s forehead.
Seonghyeon stopped breathing.
"Get some rest, then," Juhoon murmured, pulling back slowly. "I'll help you study tomorrow. We can go to that cafe you like."
"Okay," Seonghyeon squeaked.
When Juhoon left twenty minutes later, Seonghyeon immediately grabbed his phone.
seonghyeon: HE KISSED MY FOREHEAD
seonghyeon: WHAT DOES IT MEAN
keonho: it means u should stop texting me at 11 pm
seonghyeon: WHY WOULD HE DO THAT
seonghyeon: IS IT A BRO THING? DO BROS KISS EACH OTHERS FOREHEADS??
keonho: seonghyeon. buddy. pal.
keonho: think very carefully about this.
seonghyeon: i am!! hes just so affectionate! he pities me because im younger and pathetic!!
keonho: im going to sleep. dont text me again until u grow a brain.
Seonghyeon threw his phone at the wall (it landed softly on a beanbag, he wasn't crazy). Keonho was useless. Nobody understood the sheer agony of his existence. Juhoon was just a naturally skinship-heavy person. It was European! It was cultural! (Never mind the fact that Juhoon had lived in Seoul his entire life). He was just a tactile guy. It meant absolutely nothing, and Seonghyeon needed to stop getting his hopes up before he irreparably shattered his own heart.
Saturday night arrived, bringing with it the dreaded sleepover at James’s apartment.
James’s place was a cramped, messy college dorm that always smelled faintly of ramen and desperation. When Seonghyeon arrived with Keonho, Martin was already there, loudly critiquing James’s lack of aesthetic decor.
"It's a dorm room, Martin, not an IKEA showroom," James snapped, tossing a controller at the younger boy’s head.
"Where’s Juhoon hyung?" Keonho asked, claiming the best spot on the couch.
"Parking the car," James said. "He brought pizza."
As if on cue, the door opened and Juhoon walked in, balancing three boxes of pizza. His eyes immediately found Seonghyeon in the room, and that soft, devastating smile appeared on his face.
"Hey," Juhoon said, walking straight past Martin (who was trying to steal a slice) and setting the boxes down. He walked over to Seonghyeon, who was standing awkwardly by the kitchen counter, and ruffled his hair. "You look cute today."
Seonghyeon choked on his own saliva. Cute. He called me cute. Like a puppy. Like a small, pathetic puppy. "Thanks, hyung," he croaked.
The night devolved into a chaotic Mario Kart tournament. James and Martin were screaming at each other over Rainbow Road, while Keonho ruthlessly blue-shelled everyone in silence.
Seonghyeon was sitting on the floor, his back leaning against the base of the couch.
A few minutes later, Juhoon sat down on the floor right behind him. He spread his legs, boxing Seonghyeon in, and leaned his chest against Seonghyeon’s back. Juhoon wrapped his arms lazily around Seonghyeon’s waist, resting his chin on Seonghyeon’s shoulder to watch the TV.
Seonghyeon turned into a statue.
He was entirely enveloped by Kim Juhoon. He could feel the steady beat of Juhoon’s heart against his back. He could feel Juhoon’s breath tickling his ear. The arms around his waist were strong and warm.
"You're tense," Juhoon murmured directly into Seonghyeon’s ear, sending a jolt of electricity straight down his spine. "Relax."
Relax? Seonghyeon thought hysterically. I am currently being held hostage by my own unrequited feelings, how do I relax?!
Juhoon’s hands gently massaged Seonghyeon’s waist, pulling him back closer so there was absolutely no space between them. "Did you eat enough pizza?" Juhoon asked softly, completely ignoring the screaming match happening two feet away between Martin and James.
"Y-yeah," Seonghyeon stammered.
"Good." Juhoon shifted, burying his face into the crook of Seonghyeon’s neck. "I'm sleepy."
Seonghyeon’s eyes darted frantically around the room. He made eye contact with Keonho, who was sitting on the couch just above them.
Seonghyeon mouthed, with sheer panic in his eyes: HELP ME.
Keonho looked down at them, looked at Juhoon nuzzling Seonghyeon’s neck, looked back at Seonghyeon, and slowly took a sip of his soda, mouthing back: Suffer.
Seonghyeon remained frozen in place for the next two hours. Juhoon actually fell asleep, his heavy, warm weight entirely supported by Seonghyeon’s back. It was heaven. It was absolute hell. Seonghyeon spent the entire two hours overthinking every single interaction they had ever had.
He thought back to three months ago. The Han River. It was the night Seonghyeon had realized his feelings were too big to hold inside anymore, and he had almost confessed.
Flashback: Three Months Ago.
They were sitting on a picnic blanket by the river, just the two of them. The city lights were reflecting on the water. Seonghyeon’s heart was beating so fast he felt sick.
"Hyung," Seonghyeon had said, staring at his shoes.
"Yeah?" Juhoon was looking at him with those gentle, attentive eyes.
"I... I really like spending time with you. Like, more than anyone else. I just... I want to be by your side. All the time. You mean a lot to me."
It was a cowardly confession. He hadn't used the word 'love', he hadn't used the word 'date'. But it was all he could muster.
Juhoon had smiled, reaching out to hold Seonghyeon’s hand. "I know, Seonghyeon-ah. I like you too. More than anyone else. Let's stay by each other's side, okay?"
End of Flashback.
Seonghyeon sighed silently, feeling Juhoon’s chest rise and fall against his back. That was the night Seonghyeon had accepted his place in the friendzone. Juhoon had so masterfully, so gently friendzoned him. I like you too. Let's stay by each other's side. It was the ultimate 'bro' vow. Juhoon had understood Seonghyeon was getting too attached, and had kindly established that they were best friends.
And ever since that night, Juhoon had been extra affectionate, probably because he felt bad for Seonghyeon. It was pity skinship.
"Okay, I'm kicking you all out," James announced loudly, pausing the game. "It is 2 AM. My roommate comes back tomorrow and if this place is a mess, he's going to kill me."
Juhoon stirred against Seonghyeon’s back, letting out a sleepy groan. He slowly unwrapped his arms, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Seonghyeon immediately missed the warmth.
"I'll drive you guys back," Juhoon said, his voice raspy with sleep. He stood up, offering a hand to Seonghyeon.
Seonghyeon took it, letting Juhoon pull him up.
"I'm staying," Martin declared, wrapping himself in a blanket like a burrito. "I live too far and I don't want to move."
"You are not staying," James glared.
"Try to move me, old man."
"Fine, Martin stays, Keonho, Seonghyeon, let's go," Juhoon said, grabbing his keys.
They dropped Keonho off first. As Keonho stepped out of the car, he leaned back into the window, looking directly at Seonghyeon in the passenger seat.
"Seonghyeon," Keonho said flatly. "If you don't use your words tonight, I'm going to block your number."
"What?" Juhoon asked, confused.
"Nothing. Goodnight, Juhoon hyung. See you, loser," Keonho said, walking into his house.
The car was quiet as Juhoon drove toward Seonghyeon’s neighborhood. The rain had stopped, but the streets were still slick and reflecting the amber streetlights.
"What did Keonho mean?" Juhoon asked, glancing over.
"Nothing!" Seonghyeon said quickly. "He's just... being Keonho. You know how he is. Weird. Cryptic."
Juhoon chuckled, reaching across the console to rest his hand on Seonghyeon’s thigh. "Okay."
Seonghyeon stared down at the hand on his thigh. Large, warm, long fingers. He couldn't take it anymore. He just couldn't. It was too much. The forehead kisses, the waist-grabbing, the pet names. If it was just pity, it was too cruel.
Juhoon pulled the car up to Seonghyeon’s house and put it in park. He didn't move his hand from Seonghyeon’s thigh.
"Hey," Juhoon said softly.
Seonghyeon looked over. The lighting in the car was dim, but Juhoon’s eyes were incredibly intense.
"Next weekend," Juhoon said, his thumb lightly stroking Seonghyeon’s jeans. "It’s our 100 days."
Seonghyeon blinked. "Huh?"
"Our 100 days," Juhoon repeated, smiling softly. "Since the Han River. I know we didn't really make a big deal out of it back then because you seemed shy about the whole thing, but I want to take you somewhere nice. Just the two of us. I was thinking that aquarium you mentioned, and then maybe dinner in Hongdae?"
Seonghyeon stared at him. The cogs in his brain were turning, but there was no oil, and everything was grinding to a halt, emitting smoke.
"Whose 100 days?" Seonghyeon whispered.
Juhoon’s brow furrowed slightly in confusion. "...Ours?"
"Ours?" Seonghyeon echoed. "100 days of... of what, hyung?"
Juhoon laughed, a slightly nervous, breathy sound. "Seonghyeon. What do you mean what? Since we started dating."
Silence descended upon the car. It was a heavy, suffocating silence.
Seonghyeon felt the blood drain from his face, travel all the way down to his toes, and then shoot back up to his head at the speed of light.
"Dating?" Seonghyeon choked out. His voice cracked terribly.
Juhoon’s smile vanished completely. He pulled his hand off Seonghyeon’s thigh like he had been burned. "Wait. Are you joking right now?"
"Hyung. When did we start dating?!"
"At the river!" Juhoon looked genuinely panicked now, his cool, confident demeanor shattering. "Three months ago! You literally confessed to me! You said you liked me and wanted to be by my side all the time, and I said I liked you too! We held hands!"
"I THOUGHT THAT WAS A PLATONIC FRIENDSHIP VOW!" Seonghyeon shrieked, pressing his back against the car door.
"A PLATONIC FRIENDSHIP VOW?" Juhoon yelled back, entirely losing his composure. "WHO MAKES A PLATONIC FRIENDSHIP VOW WHILE CRYING OVER A PICNIC BLANKET AT NIGHT?!"
"BROS DO! VERY EMOTIONAL BROS!"
"SEONGHYEON, I HAVE BEEN CALLING YOU BABE FOR THREE MONTHS!"
"I THOUGHT YOU WERE BEING IRONIC WITH GEN-Z SLANG!"
Juhoon stared at him, his mouth open in absolute disbelief. He looked like he was witnessing a medical miracle of stupidity. He ran both hands through his perfect hair, tugging at the roots.
"You thought... I was being ironic. When I kissed your forehead."
"Bros kiss each other's foreheads!" Seonghyeon defended weakly, his face burning so hot he thought he might spontaneously combust.
"No, they do not!" Juhoon dragged his hands down his face, letting out a sound that was half-laugh, half-sob of frustration. "Seonghyeon, I literally held you for two hours tonight while you sat between my legs. What part of that is bro behavior?"
"I THOUGHT YOU FELT BAD FOR ME!"
"FELT BAD FOR YOU?!"
"Because I liked you so much!" Seonghyeon slapped a hand over his own mouth. He hadn't meant to say that out loud.
Juhoon froze. The panic in his eyes stopped, replaced by a sudden, intense stillness. "Wait. Say that again."
Seonghyeon squeezed his eyes shut, wishing he could sink into the leather seat and disappear into the upholstery forever. "Nothing."
"Eom Seonghyeon. Look at me."
Seonghyeon slowly opened his eyes. Juhoon had leaned across the center console, invading Seonghyeon’s space. He was so close Seonghyeon could feel his breath.
"You liked me?" Juhoon asked, his voice dropping low again. "Past tense?"
"No," Seonghyeon whimpered pitifully. "Present tense. Very... very much present tense. Like, ruin-my-life present tense."
A slow, dazzling smile spread across Juhoon’s face. It was the most beautiful thing Seonghyeon had ever seen, and it made him want to punch a wall.
"So," Juhoon said softly, "Let me get this straight. You have been madly in love with me for three months."
"More like a year," Seonghyeon muttered, looking away.
"A year," Juhoon corrected, clearly delighted by this new information. "And for the last three months, you thought I was just aggressively buddy-buddy with you, while I thought I had the shyest, most conservative boyfriend in the world who wouldn't even hold my hand in public?"
"I'm not conservative, I'm traumatized by my own yearning!" Seonghyeon defended.
Juhoon laughed, a bright, joyous sound that filled the small car. He reached out, taking both of Seonghyeon’s hands in his. "You are an idiot. You are the biggest, most oblivious idiot I have ever met."
"Don't be mean to me, hyung, I'm fragile."
"I'm not being mean, babe," Juhoon said, and this time, the word 'babe' hit Seonghyeon like a freight train because he finally, actually knew it was real. "I'm just amazed."
Juhoon let go of one of Seonghyeon’s hands to gently cup his cheek. He stroked his thumb across Seonghyeon’s cheekbone, just like he had in the bedroom a few nights ago. But this time, Seonghyeon didn't have to panic. This time, he leaned into the touch.
"Can I kiss you?" Juhoon asked softly. "Like, on the mouth? So there is absolutely zero confusion about whether or not this is a bro thing?"
Seonghyeon’s heart hammered a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He looked at Juhoon’s lips, then up to his eyes. "Yeah. Please."
Juhoon leaned in and closed the distance.
The kiss was soft, sweet, and incredibly warm. Juhoon’s lips moved gently against his, tasting faintly of the pizza they had eaten earlier and mint gum. Seonghyeon’s brain completely short-circuited. He brought his trembling hands up to grip the lapels of Juhoon’s jacket, kissing back clumsily.
When Juhoon finally pulled away, he was smiling so hard his eyes were closed. He rested his forehead against Seonghyeon’s.
"Definitely not a bro thing," Juhoon whispered.
"No," Seonghyeon agreed breathlessly. "Definitely not."
Juhoon pulled back a little, still holding Seonghyeon’s face. "So. The aquarium. Next weekend. It's a date. Officially. For the record."
"For our 100 days?" Seonghyeon asked, a nervous laugh escaping him.
"Well, considering we apparently just started actually dating five minutes ago, maybe it's our day one," Juhoon teased. "But I'm not giving up my three months of seniority. We are celebrating 100 days."
"Okay, hyung. Aquarium."
Juhoon kissed his nose. "Get inside, loser. It's late."
Seonghyeon stumbled out of the car, feeling like he was walking on clouds. He waved at Juhoon, watching the older boy pull away and drive down the street before finally walking into his house.
He closed the front door, slid down against it, and pulled out his phone.
[braincells left the chat (5)]
seonghyeon: guys.
seonghyeon: you are never going to believe what just happened.
martin: let me guess. u realized juhoon hyung thinks u guys have been dating for 3 months?
seonghyeon: WHAT
seonghyeon: WAIT
seonghyeon: YOU KNEW?!
keonho: obviously we knew u absolute moron.
james: Juhoon literally texted us in May saying "he said yes". I bought a cake. You ate the cake, Seonghyeon.
seonghyeon: I THOUGHT IT WAS A CELEBRATION FOR PASSING MIDTERMS
martin: u failed ur midterms u idiot
keonho: im so glad this is over. u owe me for my emotional labor.
juhoon: leave my boyfriend alone guys.
seonghyeon: BOYFRIEND
seonghyeon: HE CALLED ME BOYFRIEND
keonho: im blocking u.
martin: im blocking u.
james: Goodnight.
Seonghyeon locked his phone, grinning so hard his cheeks physically ached. He was a loser, yes. But he was Kim Juhoon’s loser. And honestly, he would take that gold medal any day of the week.