Hyunjin disliked Jisung from the moment you dragged him into the garage, gushing about how he saved your team last minute and stole the Rainmaker from your opponents. From the moment he noticed the faint blush dusting your cheeks.
That inkling annoyed him, with his permanent inkbrush, which he knew how to use unfairly well, and his loud presence. The new kid; he became a valuable member of your squad in mere weeks.
He was blue, just like Hyunjin and you, and more often than not, you teamed up during battles — much to Hyunjin's dismay.
Perhaps it was the inevitable sense of competition he felt whenever Jisung stepped into the room. He was the one who made you smile and laugh, but suddenly, someone else could make you smile and laugh more.
It was unfair, Hyunjin thought. Who was Jisung to barge into your perfect friendship with his better hair and better jokes? He didn't recall asking for his friend to be stolen from him!
He supposed the helpless infatuation he garnered for you didn't help with the vines of jealousy crawling around his heart, threatening to grasp it completely.
That's why he found himself at the training arena, splatting plastic dummies and watching them spring back up. It was soothing, in a way.
He was consumed in inking every inch of the ground, trying to forget you, Jisung, and his silly feelings, when he heard something explode over his head.
Drenched in blue ink, he turned around to find you fiddling with one of your bombs, and a smile swiftly made its way to his face. It always did at a sight that made his heart flutter and his skin tingle. You.
"What are you doing out here?" You asked, throwing the Burst Bomb to the side to splat a plastic dummy. The ink was gradually seeping into Hyunjin's skin when he shook his head, "Nothing, just... thinking."
Of course, you'd know where to find him. Your five years of friendship would be at question otherwise. He wished he went for a random battle instead.
"About what?" You walked up to him, taking in all the inked ground. Something must be bothering him, you concluded, a lot.
"Silly things."
"They don't seem so silly." You pointed out, gesturing at the expanse of blue you stood in. "You didn't leave a speck of ground untouched."
Hyunjin only sighed, disappearing into the ink as he switched into his squid form and swam away. You didn't hesitate to follow him with a shake of your head. Typical Hyunjin.
He sprung back into his human form at a raised part of the ground and you did the same, asking when he began inking uncolored turf, "Are you going to stay here and waste all your ink?"
"Yes."
You closed your eyes with an exasperated exhale. "Will you not tell me what's wrong?"
There was a pause before your best friend spoke, "Jisung is what's wrong."
"What do you mean?"
Hyunjin kicked the ink, and you could barely catch his mumble amongst the splashing noises. "You like him, don't you?"
You furrowed your brows, "No, what?"
"You don't have to hide it." He rolled his eyes, giving you his back as he plodded away.
"But I'm not hiding anything! What has gotten into you?" You caught up with him, grasping his shoulder to make him face you. He only brushed your hand away, and you thought you heard a degree of bitterness in his tone, "Then why were you blushing the other day? You hang out with him much more than you do with me."
"Blushing?" You were baffled, but then a grin of mischief stretched your lips, "Are you perhaps... jealous?"
"Jealous? N-No, I'm not!"
"Why are you stuttering then— you are!" You poked his shoulder and he pouted, "So what if I am? You didn't answer my question."
"I don't like Jisung, Hyunjin," you sighed, "Besides, even if I did, it'd be unfair because I've liked someone else for a much longer time."
"O-Oh."
Heartbreak. Hyunjin decided he hated the way it felt, more than anything he'd hated before. "Do they not like you back?"
"I don't know. He's quite oblivious. Tell you what," you stood in his way. No, you wouldn't confess the reason you were blushing that day was that you were telling Jisung about him. Never. "let's go for some Splat Zone battles tomorrow. Best friends' time, okay?"
He found it hard to mirror the smile on your face. "Yeah. Sure."
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