it's not over until it's over | jihan

14

"hey joshuji."

his arm locks joshua's side body to his. his scent intoxicates the slightly shorter male.

joshua has to remind himself every time that it is not the older's fault. he knows nothing about joshua's secret.

joshua silently curses, "hey."

that's it. there's nothing more to say, anyway.

"why didn't you join us yesterday? it was a shame you were missing. if only you were there, it would've been perfect." jeonghan clings to him tighter. he is using his baby voice again.

no, you don't need me there. you have seungcheol. i'm just an extra character. "sorry, i was too tired to join. i told wonwoo though."

"yeah, he told us. i know you're not a fan of drinking but join next time, okay? because it's hard to hang out together now, unlike when we were high schoolers."

joshua only replies with a nod. just a simple gesture. he doesn't feel like talking.

jeonghan can sense that the other doesn't want to talk. he's not dumb; he can perfectly read the room. jeonghan observes the younger quietly. he wants to ask what's wrong, but knowing joshua, he won't let anything slip.

actually, there is something bothering jeonghan as well. he's not sure why he's bothered by it. he hates what he had seen. i can't. it's his privacy. the older opens his mouth and closes it. but i'm his best friend. it's normal to ask, right? it's normal to share those things, right?

truth is, jeonghan actually saw joshua at the convenience store last night.

yesterday, he forgot to buy hang-over drinks beforehand. they always drink hang-over drinks before they start the actual deal to prevent their heads from cracking open the next morning.

when they reached the bar, he informed the guys that he will buy the must-have drinks real quick and told them to start ordering. what he didn't expect to see when he was a few meters away from the convenience store though was joshua sitting there drinking. he questioned why joshua was drinking alone when he could've gone to the bar with them but that wasn't what bothered him.

what bothered him and dampened his mood was the scene of joshua happily talking and laughing with a stranger.

his best friend never talks to strangers so comfortably like that.

jeonghan unconsciously groan as he argues with himself in his head. joshua, seeing a distressed jeonghan, furrows his eyebrows. "you okay?"

"what? oh. yeah," the older fakes a laugh. great. you obviously sounded okay. ugh! joshua shrugs, letting it go.

the two enter the cafeteria and immediately spot the ten hungry males.

something is off. they both wonder why seungcheol at a different table. he is glaring daggers at the big table with the rest of the guys. he looks like a loner.

"cheol, why are you sitting there?" jeonghan questions as they get closer.

someone's ear perks up at the second eldest's voice. he whips his head behind him and plasters a fakest smile possible. "you're here? great! you can sit with your boyfriend over there," seungkwan gestures to the small table next to them.

"why?" the angel frowns.

"because i am still mad and you two are an eyesore."

"seriously? yah, we apologized already!"

"exactly! also, we brought you guys out to the bar last night, didn't we?! we made it up to you for keeping our relationship a secret over the break!" seungcheol joins.

joshua takes a seat next to wonwoo. over the break? huh.

a plate of pork cutlet appears in front of him. he turns to his right and finds the younger smiling at him. "eat."

the older lifts up a grateful grin, "thanks, wonwoo. enjoy your food." thank you, wonwoo. for acting like you don't know anything.

joshua and seungkwan share another class together this semester. since they major in biology, it's normal to take some courses together. also, that way the brunet can cheat off of the older.

joshua is sitting in his seat, waiting for seungkwan to finish packing. he knows the younger is purposely doing it slowly. seungkwan is not slow-witted. well, guess what? joshua is also not dumb.

let me see how you're going to get away this time. he narrows his eyes. seungkwan is probably sweating in nervousness by now. it's never a good sign when someone is mad, especially if it's joshua.

honestly, joshua is not mad at seungkwan. the brunet is nosy, yes, but he never means harm. the boy is the positive and innocent type, even though he acts sly. however, joshua is afraid at he might go too far. like, what if he says something weird to seokmin? what if he gives the new boy the wrong idea that joshua likes seokmin? joshua likes seokmin a lot, but only as a friend. the bambi boy needs to warn the younger to keep his mouth shut.

he's a little zoned out he doesn't notice a figure trying to creep away. upon realizing, he goes to catch the younger in a headlock.

"kwan, where are you going?" his gentle and smooth voice laces with a clear warning.

poor seungkwan faces the other with both of his hands clapped together, pleading. "i'm sorry! but i swear! i didn't say anything weird, promise!"

"you will tell me everything without leaving one single word out—" as they make their way out of the classroom, they find a certain someone leaning against the wall.

he's apparently waiting for someone. well, he is literally standing right outside of joshua's class so it's obviously who he is waiting for. but joshua does not want to jump to conclusion. he will not be bringing his hopes up. he could be waiting for seungkwan.

"hi hi~" jeonghan beams.

taking the opportunity to escape, seungkwan leaps over to the older. his playing cupid plan is going smoothly so far, and joshua will not be ruining it any time soon. seungkwan is doing it for the sake of joshua's love life, anyway.

"what are you doing here? just in case you've forgotten, your boyfriend's in the same department as yours." seungkwan is still holding a grudge despite clinging to jeonghan's behind to hide from joshua.

jeonghan glares at the male, getting annoyed at his ongoing petty remarks. yeah, jeonghan gets that it's not the best idea to hide their newly formed relationship from the group, but he told them in the end. it's not that big of a deal.

"you better stop," the angel warns. seungkwan mocks him with his tongue sticking out annoyingly.

"well? why are you here?" seungkwan repeats his question. jeonghan then locks eyes with the quiet guy in front of him. joshua hasn't made a sound since he saw jeonghan. "hey joshuji, can we talk?"

why is he still beaming? i'm not in the mood, damn it. joshua frowns a little, but it's unnoticeable. he internally sighs. i don't want to deal with you right now. please, jeonghan.