"I missed you so much!" Jia exclaimed, launching herself at Wonwoo and hugging him tightly. Wonwoo stood there like a statue, feet shuffling backward as Jia made herself at home.
"Jia, what are you doing here?" Wonwoo asked, gently prying her off and holding her at arm's length. He looked at her in surprise, while Jia frowned and stared back, confused.
"What do you mean?" Her voice was a whisper, tinged with irritation.
"I-I mean, you didn't tell me you were coming," Wonwoo stammered, trying to smooth things over. The last thing he wanted was Jia getting suspicious. "I missed you too," he added, forcing a smile and pulling her into another hug.
"I knew it!" Jia beamed, rising on her tiptoes to plant a quick kiss on Wonwoo's lips. He let her, his mind racing to figure out how to handle this unexpected visit.
Wonwoo's mind raced as he tried to think of a way to keep Jia from noticing his anxiety.
"Did you bring any snacks?" he asked, attempting to sound casual.
Jia laughed, her mood lightening instantly. "Of course I did! I know how much you love those almond cookies, so I brought a whole batch." She pulled a tin from her bag and held it out like it was a treasure chest.
Wonwoo's fake smile became a bit more genuine at the sight of the cookies. "You really do know me well," he said, taking the tin.
"Wonwoo, I'm going—" Wonwoo looks up to see Junhui all dressed up, a sling bag hanging from his shoulder. Jun's eyes immediately land on the girl sitting beside Wonwoo, a little too close for comfort. He narrows his eyes at her.
"Who's this?" he asks, tilting his head in curiosity.
"This is Jia, my girlfriend. Jia, this is Moon Junhui, my roommate," Wonwoo says, still munching on a cookie, crumbs falling from his lips.
"Hello, nice to meet you," Jia says politely, bowing her head.
"Hi—HI!" Jun suddenly yells, causing Wonwoo to choke on his cookie. Jia's eyes widen in surprise.
"You are Jia!" Jun says again, a mischievous smile creeping onto his lips as Jia nods hesitantly. "Wonwoo talks about you a lot," Junhui smirks, leaning casually against the doorframe.
Wonwoo gulps, glaring daggers at Junhui, who simply winks back at him, clearly enjoying the situation.
Wonwoo hurriedly swallows his cookie, giving Junhui a look that could melt steel. "Jun, don't you have somewhere to be?" he asks, trying to steer the conversation away from dangerous territory.
Junhui chuckles, clearly relishing Wonwoo's discomfort. "Oh, I've got time. I was just about to head out, but meeting Jia here has made my day. Wonwoo really can't stop talking about you."
Jia blinks, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. "Really? What does he say?" she asks, curiosity piqued.
"Yeah, Jun, what do I say?" Wonwoo interjects, shooting Junhui a warning glance.
Junhui grins wider. "Oh, you know, just how amazing you are, how you're the best thing that ever happened to him, and how he can't wait to spend every waking moment with you." His tone drips with playful sarcasm, and Wonwoo can feel the embarrassment rising to his face.
About how he kissed your other boyfriend..
Jia giggles, looking at Wonwoo with a mixture of amusement and affection. "Is that so?" she asks, nudging him gently.
Wonwoo clears his throat, trying to regain some semblance of control. "Yeah, well, I might have mentioned a thing or two," he mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck.
Junhui claps his hands together, the sound echoing through the room. "Well, I should get going before Wonwoo turns any redder. Nice to finally meet you, Jia. I'll see you both later!" With that, he gives a jaunty wave and saunters out the door, leaving Wonwoo and Jia alone.
"Wonwoo, I'll be back in the evening. My shift ends really late," Jun says, heading toward the door. Wonwoo just nods, focused on finishing his cookie.
"Take care—" Jun begins, but as he opens the door, he's greeted by Mingyu's wide grin.
"—of yourself..." Jun's sentence trails off as he slams the door shut, leaning against it, eyes wide with panic.
What the fuck!
Jia is here.
Wonwoo is here.
Mingyu is here too.
Just great!
The doorbell rings insistently, and Jun's palms grow sweaty as he grips the doorknob tightly, as if his life depends on it.
"Open it, why are you standing like that?" Wonwoo's voice breaks through Jun's thoughts. He turns to see Wonwoo standing there, an eyebrow raised in confusion.
"No," Jun mouths, shaking his head, too shocked to form actual words.
"Why?" Wonwoo asks, his frown deepening.
"Mingyu is here," Jun whispers urgently, eyes darting toward the door as if it might explode.
"What..." Wonwoo bolts to the door, horrified, as he spins to face it. Jun nods vigorously, pointing to the peephole. Wonwoo squints through it.
"What are you gonna do now?" Jun asks, running his hands through his hair, clearly frazzled.
"I don't know," Wonwoo mumbles, his voice low. Jia is in his bedroom, and Mingyu is at his door. Just perfect. His girlfriend is inside while her boyfriend is outside.
"Send Mingyu away or at least take Jia out," Jun snaps his fingers, and Wonwoo nods, hastily yanking the door open and stepping out before closing it behind him.
"Hi—" Mingyu smiles brightly.
"What are you doing here?" Wonwoo asks, his voice strained and urgent. Mingyu's smile falters, a look of concern replacing it.
"Why? Are you angry at me?" Mingyu asks, looking like a kicked puppy.
"No—Lord, Jia is here!" Wonwoo exclaims, running his hands through his thick hair. Mingyu's eyes widen in shock.
"What?" Mingyu says, his voice incredulous.
"Yes," Wonwoo sighs, exasperated.
Mingyu's face darkens. "Right, I told her I had important work and couldn't go on a date with her. Maybe that's why she's here," he mutters, clearly pissed.
"What do we do?" Mingyu asks, turning to Wonwoo, eyes wide with worry.
"I'll take care of it," Wonwoo says with resolve. He heads towards Hoshi's room and knocks on the door. "You stay here until then, okay?"
Mingyu nods reluctantly. Wonwoo rings the doorbell, and Hoshi emerges, half-naked and looking utterly bewildered.
"Wonwoo? What the hell, man?" Hoshi grumbles, rubbing his eyes.
"Sorry, Hoshi, I need a favor," Wonwoo says, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice.
Hoshi raises an eyebrow, clearly not amused but curious. "This better be good."
"I need you to keep Mingyu in your dorm for a bit. I need to deal with something," Wonwoo explains quickly.
Hoshi sighs, grabbing a shirt and pulling it on. "Fine, but you owe me one."
"Thanks, Hoshi. You're a lifesaver," Wonwoo says, relieved.
He turns back to Mingyu. "Just hang out with Hoshi for a while, okay? I promise I'll come and pick you up later."
Mingyu nods, still looking a bit dazed. "Alright."
----
-Vaish
