Chapter Text
Hongjoong sighed as he stared at himself in the mirror, running a hand gently through his hair, watching it fall back into place the way he wanted. It was currently red, though the dye was slightly splotchy and uneven in places due to the difficulties of trying to dye your hair in a small college shower with your two semi-intoxicated friends offering little to no actual help. Still, he was partial to fun hair colors, and once his blue had begun to fade he’d wasted no time dyeing it red last weekend.
He was content with the way it looked, for all in all it was better than a lot of the dye jobs he saw on the other students on campus. Redirecting his gaze, Hongjoong made sure his very slight makeup was even, his outfit a simple long sleeved shirt and jeans. After all, he was only going out to the bar to look after his two lunatic friends, not to actually engage in any fun of his own.
Going out to a trashy college bar and dancing to outdated and unnecessarily loud music was not Hongjoong’s idea of fun, at least. Everyone was always sweaty and sloppy and the dancing was just straight up horrendous, not to mention the lack of personal space and self control that existed within most drunk college students.
He still couldn’t wrap his head around how he’d even become friends with Yunho and Mingi in the first place, for they were nearly his polar opposites. They were both incredibly social, eager to go out to the bar and meet people and generally held no regard for whatever embarrassing acts they would commit.
Though that was partially Hongjoong’s fault, for he always went with them out of fear of something happening while they were both drunk and unable to think straight. His continually sober presence allowed them to just completely drink themselves into insanity, for they knew Hongjoong wouldn’t let them do anything too humiliating.
Thankfully they were both perhaps the nicest people Hongjoong had ever met, for they never gave him a hard time even when they were hardly able to walk straight, always listening when he said it was time to leave. If he wasn’t friends with them, Hongjoong would likely never leave his dorm if it wasn’t to go to class or the library. He was kind of a social recluse, if he was being honest.
As he looked at himself in the mirror, he was happy enough with how he looked to finally push his hands back against the cold ceramic of the sink, bouncing back and turning around to exit the bathroom. It had to be past ten now, around the time they usually left, though Hongjoong wasn’t sure yet which bar they were actually going to.
Their campus was situated within its own little college town, full of convenience stores and cafes and bars that were only ever really full of students. It had its perks and downsides, but Hongjoong was at least grateful there weren’t random people crowding the bars. At this point, Yunho and Mingi knew most of the people they ran into there, and even Hongjoong was able to recognize a fair amount of them from his classes alone.
He strolled his way down the hall, sneakers lightly slapping against the wooden paneling of the floors. The three of them lived in their own apartment on campus, and though the space wasn’t very big it was kind of homey anyway. There was something about the constant creaks of the floors and random voices that were always passing from outside - as someone who didn’t go out much, Hongjoong found it comforting to never truly be in silence, even when he hid away in his room by himself.
Stepping into their small kitchen, Hongjoong smiled at where Yunho and Mingi were sitting at the table, flashing a thumbs up to indicate that he was finished in the bathroom. It wasn’t much of a kitchen - just a small table and a microwave with a stove that Hongjoong was pretty sure didn’t actually work, though they had never used it to begin with.
Yunho came from a pretty well off family, and although Hongjoong had often resisted when they’d first met, he now knew that one of his friend’s love languages was buying food for him all the time. And, it was hard to resist fresh, steaming takeout when it was already sitting on the table in front of you.
“Finally,” Mingi groaned, sitting up from the table and hurrying from the kitchen. Hongjoong rolled his eyes, for he’d only been in the bathroom for ten minutes tops, but Mingi loved to be dramatic.
Hongjoong plopped down into the now empty chair at the table, crossing his legs and leaning forward onto his arms. “You look nice,” Yunho complimented, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Hongjoong scoffed, pushing his friend’s arm in exasperation.
“Why must you always be so invested in my love life,” he complained, sinking down until his cheek was resting against the cool surface of the table. Yunho laughed, a cute sound that made Hongjoong smile.
He’d met Yunho their freshman year, when Hongjoong had suffered from an awful roommate and often spent his time in the library, focusing on his coursework to an excessive extent. Yunho was in the same chemistry class as he was, and he’d seen the boy constantly struggling at a table nearby, finally taking pity and helping him.
It had come up that Hongjoong was practically exiling himself from his room, and Yunho had invited him immediately to come to his and Mingi’s room whenever he wanted. Hongjoong hadn’t taken up that offer by choice at first, he’d rather been dragged there after chemistry most days, but eventually they became his actual friends. His only friends.
“Because, you seriously need to find someone. You’re attractive - guys are always staring at you,” Yunho pointed out, and Hongjoong focused his gaze on the wooden grain of the table, tracing it with his fingers.
“Those guys are never actually genuine - they’re always one step away from a black out and leering at anything that has a pulse,” he countered, and he knew he was right. If he had even wanted to find someone in the first place, which he certainly did not, the bars would be the last place to look.
Yunho shrugged, seeming to surrender on the topic for now, rather looking down at his own outfit. “Do you really think this shirt is okay, or should I put on the other one while I still have time?” Hongjoong merely shook his head, for the two shirts Yunho was referencing were the exact same style, just in two different colors.
“You’re ridiculous,” was the only response he gave, though Yunho still stared down at the shirt he was wearing with contemplation written within his features, as if this was a grave decision. “Yunho, this one is black. The other one is navy blue. There is literally no difference,” he continued, and Yunho looked appalled at the words.
“They are two very different colors!” He protested, standing up from the table and no doubt moving to get the other shirt from his room. Hongjoong focused back on the table, used to the antics of his roommates by now. They were always running into some kind of crisis that didn’t actually matter in the slightest.
A glance at the digital microwave clock confirmed that it was now nearing 10:30, and that they should probably leave in the next few minutes if they wanted to get there before the bar reached capacity. Luckily, Yunho was reappearing within moments, now dressed in the navy blue top. He spun around in the kitchen once, looking to Hongjoong for approval.
“Very nice, Yunho,” he conceded, though he really did look nice. The shirt was a flowy button up with ties that cinched the sleeves, and Yunho had left the top few buttons undone to show a portion of his chest. Not to mention his wide shoulders and towering stature, he was truly a sight to behold whenever they went out to the bar.
A sliver of light entered the hallway as the bathroom door opened before shutting more loudly than necessary, the sound of Mingi’s steps lumbering back down the hall. Hongjoong often felt slightly self conscious next to the two of them, for did he really have to befriend the two tallest students on campus?
Mingi was, however, much less graceful in his height than Yunho was, taking on more of the ‘bull in a china shop’ demeanor. Still, he looked great too, in a sleeveless black shirt and the loose style of pants he always wore. In comparison to them, Hongjoong looked incredibly plain, but that was sort of his goal. He had no desire to attract attention.
Hongjoong did have a pretty in depth interest in fashion, and Yunho and Mingi often came to him for help with their outfits, but he couldn’t bring himself to dress up just to watch over the two like some kind of parent. He preferred to lay low on nights like these.
“Ready?” Hongjoong asked once Mingi had stepped into the kitchen, shoes clunking against the floor. They both nodded eagerly, for the semester had only just begun, and it was sure to be crowded at the bar. Crowded places were Hongjoong’s personal nightmare, but his extroverted friends found them fun, so here he was.
Hongjoong grabbed his leather coat from the hook by the door, making sure his friends took theirs as well before they were exiting the dorm, Hongjoong lingering behind to lock the door behind them. The last thing they needed was a drunk student opening their door while they were gone and falling asleep on their couch. It had happened before, and Hongjoong had gotten the fright of his life seeing a random person standing in his doorway at three in the morning. Never again.
They left the apartment complex and made it out onto the campus street, already able to see several groups of friends heading for the bars just outside of campus. Hongjoong fell into step with his two friends, the three of them walking briskly due to the cold. It was the start of their spring semester, and the wind was chilly as it bit through their outerwear.
The walk wasn’t a far one, however, and before he knew it they were exiting the campus, stepping into the small town that surrounded their school. The bars were just across the road, and they crossed at the crosswalk, though there were no cars in sight as all of the students opted to walk since the dorms were so close.
The sound of blaring music and overlapping voices was already audible even from down the strip, and Hongjoong mentally filled his social battery for the night, for he knew it would be a long one. Mingi was practically skipping with anticipation, Yunho not far behind. There were lights strung up outside of the slightly decrepit bar, a neon sign in the window displaying the word ‘open’, as if it wasn’t evident by the noise.
They reached the door, ducking inside easily as the bouncers never carded any of the regulars, and Hongjoong unfortunately had the pleasure of being one, thanks to his reckless friends. It was like being hit by a wall that overwhelmed his senses, bass booming and lights flashing, the smell of weed and sickly sweet alcohol mingling in the air.
Yunho grabbed hold of Hongjoong’s wrist, tugging him over to their usual spot, a small table in the corner. There were already some people there, but to no one’s surprise Yunho and Mingi seemed to know them, waving and calling out greetings. Hongjoong sighed, leaving them to mingle as he went up to the bartender.
He ordered a drink each for his friends, as well as a water for himself. Hongjoong was not a drinker, only engaging in the occasional night where he and his two friends got drunk alone in their room, away from the assault on the senses that existed within the bar. The space was confusing enough when he was sober - he couldn’t imagine trying to handle being drunk here.
Hongjoong thanked the bartender when he was handed three glasses, struggling slightly to hold them but managing well enough as he weaved between sweaty bodies to get to the corner table, seeing that it was now only Yunho and Mingi sitting there. “They went to dance,” Yunho explained before Hongjoong could ask, accepting the offered drink with gratitude.
Hongjoong handed the other one to Mingi, sipping his water slowly as he sat down at the table gingerly, scanning to make sure nothing had been spilled on the seat first. You could never be too careful, and his jeans were new. He had no desire to scrub an unknown stain out of them once they got back to their apartment.
Things went as they normally did - Yunho and Mingi made their way through a few drinks each before they were clearly intoxicated, stumbling onto the dance floor and calling out to all of their various friends that they came across. Hongjoong stayed seated, and it was surprisingly fine, for nearly everyone was swaying to the music and most of the seats around the bar were empty, so thankfully no one came to sit near him.
He just kept a trained eye on his two friends, who were easy to spot considering the way they towered over most of the other bodies on the dance floor, not to mention they were making quite the spectacle of themselves. That was nothing new, however, and Hongjoong just watched on as they danced together, other people cheering and forming a circle around them.
Yunho and Mingi were both trained in dance, and though Mingi’s style was slightly more hip hop, when it came to bar dancing they were hard to beat. The other people always loved it, and Yunho and Mingi both had the time of their lives, surprisingly decent despite being unable to see straight.
The nature of their relationship was a strange one, to say the least. Hongjoong still didn’t fully understand it, for the two hadn’t labeled it as dating, per se, but they never danced with anyone aside from each other. Or, at least, they would entertain a few friends with some moves, but they never danced like that with anyone else.
Still, as long as they were happy Hongjoong had no business trying to label something that didn’t need a definition. He wasn’t one for dating himself - it seemed boring, full of cliche meetings and cringe-worthy texting. Even his dates at the library with himself, his books, and his coffee were more appealing.
Hongjoong was on his second water, but he tried his hardest to ration how much he sipped, for he would do anything to avoid using the bathroom. There was almost always one of the following three things happening there: someone puking up their guts in the toilet, a couple making out at the very least, or people doing drugs. Sometimes all three, on a particularly chaotic night.
Still, any time he felt awkward it was instinct to drink from his glass, to appear like he was occupied by something. Hongjoong also had countless games installed on his phone, though he hoped it looked like he was texting or doing something much cooler than playing sudoku.
He was just about to complete the puzzle he was currently working on, sparing the occasional glance at the crowd to make sure his friends were still doing okay, when he heard uneven footsteps coming in his direction. Hongjoong looked up from his phone immediately, sliding it into his pocket as he realized it was Yunho approaching.
His friend looked quite drunk, to say the least. He was swaying slightly on his feet, a dazed smile on his face as he approached Hongjoong, grabbing onto his wrist and pulling on it insistently. “Hongjoong, can you help me get outside so I can be sick,” he whined, though the happy look on his face was a great contrast to the actual words he spoke.
Hongjoong’s expression went slack with surprise for a moment before he was standing up rapidly, twisting his wrist in Yunho’s grip so he could tightly grab on as well, guiding Yunho forward. They were in the corner, but from the other times they’d run into a similar situation Hongjoong knew his way to the back door even if he couldn’t physically see it through all of the writhing bodies on the dance floor.
As they passed by the crowd Hongjoong paused briefly, keeping a tight grip on Yunho as he scanned the crowd for Mingi’s head that towered above the others. When he found his friend he skirted around people between them, tapping the tall boy on his shoulder quite aggressively, for he knew it wouldn’t get Mingi’s attention otherwise.
Mingi whirled around, a wide smile on his face as he realized it was Hongjoong standing before him. “Hongjoong, you finally came to dance!” He cheered, raising his glass sloppily. Hongjoong winced as some of it splashed over the side onto the floor, for he could already see someone slipping in the liquid.
“I’m bringing Yunho outside, don’t go anywhere with anyone, okay?” Hongjoong yelled over the booming bass, waiting for Mingi to process the words and nod before he was satisfied. Hopefully this would only take a few minutes, and Mingi wouldn’t be able to ruin his reputation too badly in that time. Plus, if Yunho wasn’t there he would likely just socialize with other friends until he came back.
With that taken care of Hongjoong was turning around and tugging Yunho back away from the crowd, grimacing at the way he was holding a hand over his mouth, as if holding back the alcohol that would be making a reappearance on the lawn outside. If you could even refer to it as a lawn - the grass was entirely dead from the countless college students who had tossed up their guts in the back.
“You should have waited to drink more,” Hongjoong scolded as he moved towards the back door, the music slightly less deafening now that they had moved away from the speakers. Yunho merely groaned in affirmation behind him, likely not trusting himself to open his mouth to speak. Hongjoong was grateful for that, because he would be extremely unhappy if Yunho vomited on the back of his shirt.
He pushed open the back door, the rusted hinges creaking as it swung open easily, cold night air hitting them both as they stepped through the doorway and out onto the frozen ground. Hongjoong pulled Yunho over to the back of the yard, finding an open space away from the other vomiting students around them.
It was much quieter out here, and Hongjoong had to admit that it was a nice break from the chaos, even though he had to rub his hands together to keep them warm because he’d left his coat inside. “C’mon,” he beckoned Yunho forward, helping him stay stable on his feet as he leaned over, clearly about to hurl all over the ground.
Hongjoong rubbed his back gently, providing what comfort he could, even though he knew that Yunho would bounce back right after, ready to head back inside. This wasn’t anything new - Mingi always held his alcohol well, and Yunho was always the one who got sick, even when the three of them were just drinking together at their dorm.
Still, Yunho usually avoided the hangover while Mingi suffered, so he supposed there must have been some balance there. Either way, Hongjoong frequently ended up out in the back with Yunho, and he even recognized some of the other people nearby just from seeing them in this predicament before.
He sighed as he patted Yunho’s shoulders, hearing the telltale sound of liquid splashing against the lawn, even though he resolutely looked away. Hongjoong wasn’t necessarily squeamish, but that didn’t mean he had any desire to see Yunho’s food and drinks make a reappearance.
The hinges of the door squeaked again from the other end of the yard, though Hongjoong hardly registered the noise, for it was likely just another person stumbling outside to either vomit, make out with someone, or avoid the line for the bathroom and relieve themselves outside. College students were gross on principle, but add alcohol into the mix and it got much, much worse.
Yunho was finally beginning to slow down, coughing and spluttering to clear the rest of his airway now that he was likely feeling better. Just as Hongjoong was about to straighten up and help Yunho sit on a bare patch of lawn to recover for a minute, he was distracted by voices just over his shoulder, turning to see who was so close to them.
“Wooyoung, I told you it wasn’t a good idea,” one of the voices stated, his tone sounding somewhere between exasperated and worried. As he came into view, Hongjoong realized he vaguely recognized the owner of the voice, a tall student with long black hair that he’d definitely seen around campus before.
However, he looked much different than he did when going to classes, and Hongjoong averted his eyes quickly so it wouldn’t look like he was staring. He sometimes forgot how different people could look on a normal day as opposed to a night out at the bar.
From the corner of his eye as he tried to fixate on Yunho’s hunched form, Hongjoong noticed another boy there as well, a groan falling from his lips as he sagged onto the ground a mere few feet away from where Hongjoong and Yunho were. “Wooyoung, I - there’s people here already - I’m really sorry,” the same voice spoke again, though it took longer than necessary for Hongjoong to realize the apology was being spoken in his direction.
Hongjoong jerked his head to face the two newcomers, mouth slightly agape as he struggled to reply, for he wasn’t quite sure what the apology was for in the first place. “Oh, Hongjoong, right? And that’s Yunho?” The student with the long hair spoke the words, though Hongjoong’s confusion only deepened, because how on earth did this guy know who he was? Yunho was understandable, but no one knew Hongjoong.
Before he could try to formulate a response, however, more words were being spoken. “Sorry, I know you probably have no idea who I am. I’m Seonghwa, my friends are always hanging out with your friends, so I just know who you are, but I understand that I probably freaked you out,” Seonghwa chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “Anyway, I’ll try to drag Wooyoung somewhere else,” he finished, gently shaking the shoulders of his companion who was still collapsed on the lawn and whining in protest.
“It’s fine, you can stay.” Hongjoong finally worked out the words, and he turned away at the large smile of gratitude Seonghwa gave him in return, for he had a seriously nice set of teeth. Actually, he seemed to have no bad features, and Hongjoong was rapidly losing control of his already terrible social skills because beautiful people did not willingly speak to him. Ever.
He snuck another glance, however, not actually wanting to look away. The only time he’d ever really seen Seonghwa was around campus before, and Hongjoong had a vague thought that he may have worked at one of the food places in the surrounding town, though he couldn’t be sure. Still, Seonghwa had always been wearing regular student clothes then, looking like he’d just rolled out of bed as they all usually did.
Now, however, he was certainly not wearing normal student clothes. As much as Hongjoong tried to avoid staring he couldn’t help it, though he tried to convince himself it was just because he had an appreciation for good fashion.
Seonghwa was wearing a skintight shirt, mostly black except for a white and blue stripe along the top. There was a delicately placed zipper along the collar, exposing his collarbones, and Hongjoong watched as moonlight seemed to pool along his skin. Leather pants hung loosely on his lower half, serving to bring attention to how small his waist was.
Hongjoong was embarrassing himself by how long he was looking, but thankfully Seonghwa was preoccupied by Wooyoung, his friend. “It’s okay, Wooyoungie. Just get it out,” he soothed, rubbing Wooyoung’s back as the boy began to divulge his stomach’s contents onto the cold ground.
It was honestly sweet, the way Seonghwa was tenderly rubbing Wooyoung’s back and whispering words of comfort, squatting down beside him to make sure he was okay. Hongjoong spared a glance back at Yunho, who was now fully straightened up again, looking slightly pale but otherwise okay. He couldn’t imagine treating Yunho the way Seonghwa was handling Wooyoung - Hongjoong was not great at the affectionate, comforting thing.
To be fair, Yunho didn’t really need it anyway, for he was looking positively cheerful as he grinned at Hongjoong. It was only once he began to wiggle his eyebrows the same way he’d done in the kitchen that Hongjoong realized why, and his cheeks flushed with embarrassment, for Yunho had definitely seen the way he had been looking at Seonghwa.
“Seonghwa,” a voice groaned, and Hongjoong was thankfully saved from Yunho’s imploring eyes as he turned to confirm it was Wooyoung who had spoken, clamping his hand down on Seonghwa’s wrist in a vice-like grip. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you.” Hongjoong realized then that Wooyoung looked awful - his skin pale and clammy, eyes slightly unfocused and hair wet with sweat.
Seonghwa merely cooed at the words, brushing back Wooyoung’s hair with such affection that Hongjoong felt like he was intruding. “It’s alright. We’ll get you home once you feel like you can walk, okay?” Seonghwa’s tone was impossibly warm, a soft smile on his lips as he watched Wooyoung fondly.
Hongjoong wondered if perhaps they were lovers, though he was pretty sure he’d seen Wooyoung dancing quite outlandishly with another guy earlier, so he suspected their relationship wasn’t all that different from his and Yunho’s. Wooyoung nodded softly, looking queasy at the movement, and Hongjoong looked away as he continued to be sick, not wanting to invade their privacy.
“Are you guys okay?” Seonghwa asked, and Hongjoong was taken aback by the question, struggling to respond before he was saved by Yunho.
“It was just me - I drank too fast, I think,” he explained, expression slightly embarrassed. “Hongjoong is fine though - he doesn’t drink anyway.” Hongjoong felt his face burn slightly, for he did not need Seonghwa to know that he was perhaps the only college student on the planet that didn’t drink at parties.
“Really? I don’t either, actually,” Seonghwa responded, looking up at them from his position on the ground beside Wooyoung. Suddenly, Hongjoong was no longer mad that Yunho had shared that piece of information.
Hongjoong nodded in confirmation, his eyes settling on the straight bridge of Seonghwa’s nose, for he couldn’t bring himself to hold direct eye contact just yet. “Yeah. Just here to look after my friends, because they have no self control,” he muttered, glancing toward Yunho to emphasize his point.
Seonghwa burst into light laughter at that, and it was a lovely sound. Hongjoong was strangely proud of himself for making him laugh, even if it was at Yunho and Mingi’s expense. “Tell me about it,” Seonghwa agreed, and he didn’t even need to gesture at Wooyoung, for it was clear who he was talking about.
Hongjoong was feeling strangely comfortable, which was practically unheard of considering it usually took him several encounters to even hold a conversation with someone, but he found himself sharing a small smile with Seonghwa. And it felt nice, not awkward like he was expecting.
“Wooyoung and San are my problem children, but at least they tend to stick together. Yeosang and Jongho are capable of handling themselves, but they can’t be trusted to watch the other two, so hence my role in all of this,” Seonghwa continued to explain, pausing to murmur something comforting to Wooyoung after a particularly grating cough.
Hongjoong winced in sympathy at the sound, for Wooyoung seemed to be in pretty bad shape. At his expression, Seonghwa resumed. “Don’t worry, he’ll be okay. He can’t have vodka, it always makes him sick, but he still got his hands on a shot before I could stop him,” he sighed in explanation, shaking his head.
“They never do listen,” Hongjoong agreed, if only to see the way Seonghwa’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “Yunho and Mingi are the same - if I didn’t watch them, I’d fear for their ability to make it back to the apartment alive.”
Yunho scoffed at the words, but he didn’t protest, for they both knew it was the truth. “I’m sorry,” Wooyoung breathed before coughing yet again, and Seonghwa shushed him gently. “San was the one who gave it to me,” he tried to continue, though the words were spoken in a rasp.
“Wooyoung, please, it’s okay. I’m not actually mad,” Seonghwa reassured, calmly running his fingers through Wooyoung’s hair. “You know I’ll take care of you.” Wooyoung nodded, slumping to the side slightly in his exhaustion, resting his head against Seonghwa’s shoulder.
Seonghwa held the boy close, though keeping his grip loose enough to allow him space if he needed to be sick again. “He’s a clinger,” Seonghwa explained, chuckling softly when Wooyoung whined in protest, though he burrowed deeper into Seonghwa’s hold.
Hongjoong found himself laughing softly at that. “It’s sweet,” he acknowledged, surprising himself with the words. He hated affection like that - never once in his life had he described it as being anything but oppressive and unnecessary. There was just something about how gentle Seonghwa’s touch was, the hint of worry present in his face even as he joked.
He knew Yunho would never let him live this down, for he was seriously not even trying to hide the way he was talking to Seonghwa, but Hongjoong found he didn’t care too much in the moment. It was worth it to see the way Seonghwa’s expression softened, the way his white teeth poked out from behind his lips slightly.
Seonghwa had really nicely shaped lips. Hongjoong couldn’t stop the thought in time, and he was forcing it out of his head immediately, focusing back on the words that were being spoken. “I’m glad you think so. He gives me a lot of problems, but I love him,” Seonghwa explained, affectionately patting Wooyoung’s arm. “It’s pretty much impossible not to.”
Hongjoong nodded, though he hardly knew Wooyoung and couldn’t confirm if that was actually true or not. “It’s true,” Yunho butted in, voice sounding much better now that he’d taken the time to recover. “Wooyoung is the best.” Hongjoong had figured they knew each other, though he didn’t know to what degree.
“Remember the get-together Mingi and I went to last weekend, the one that you were invited to even though you didn’t come?” Hongjoong nodded, for he obviously remembered the events of the week before. He still stood by his decision - why would he go to a random dorm party full of people he didn’t know?
“It was Wooyoung’s party,” Seonghwa finished, for he had clearly realized what Yunho was talking about. “You should’ve come!” The words were spoken casually, and Hongjoong knew that Seonghwa was probably just trying to be nice, but he still felt a tingle beneath his skin. It was honestly perplexing why someone who looked like Seonghwa was even speaking to Hongjoong, much less insisting he should have come to a small dorm hang out.
“Wait so you’re all like, actually friends?” Hongjoong asked dumbly, instantly regretting the question as soon as it left his lips. They were obviously friends, because it was normal for most college students to have friends outside of just their two roommates.
Seonghwa didn’t seem to find the question strange, however, which Hongjoong was eternally grateful for. “Well, we’ve hung out loads of times, but we met out at the bar like this, say, three semesters ago? Give or take?” Seonghwa mused, looking past Hongjoong to Yunho for confirmation.
“Yeah, I think so. Even though Seonghwa doesn’t drink, he at least dances with us,” Yunho jabbed, poking Hongjoong in the side. Hongjoong rolled his eyes, stepping slightly to the side to move out of his reach.
“How’d you know who I was?” Hongjoong asked Seonghwa, blatantly ignoring Yunho’s comment. He knew that Seonghwa had already answered the question when he’d first introduced himself, but he asked anyway.
Seonghwa looked pleased at the question, pondering his response for a moment before answering. “Do you think they don’t talk about you? I know probably more embarrassing stories about the three of you than you’d ever want me to know.” Hongjoong was smiling slightly when Seonghwa had begun speaking, but by the end his face was set in more of a shocked grimace.
He whirled on Yunho, who was wearing a look of falsified regret, for it was clear he was enjoying Hongjoong’s embarrassment. “You little-” he started, but Seonghwa cut him off before he could cause Yunho any bodily harm.
“It was mostly Mingi,” he blurted, making Hongjoong stop in his tracks just before slapping Yunho square in the chest. He pulled back begrudgingly, but still gave Yunho a last glare before turning back to Seonghwa.
As he accidentally made eye contact, forgetting his resolution to only stare at Seonghwa’s nose, Hongjoong abruptly tore his gaze away to stare at his feet, pulse racing more than it should have been. “This is embarrassing,” he deadpanned. “I didn’t even know your name, and they told you everything about me. Why are you even talking to me?” Hongjoong’s voice had turned into a groan of sorts, masking the question with humor even though he did genuinely want to hear the answer.
Anyone on the outside would be confused at the sight of tall, handsome, stylish Seonghwa talking to a library obsessed recluse like himself. Seonghwa only grinned, however, looking down at Wooyoung while he spoke, for he was still calmly taking care of the boy. “I don’t know what impression you have of me, but my friends and I are no better than the stories I’ve heard about you,” he clarified, shaking his head slightly. “Outside of them, I don’t really socialize much.”
Hongjoong was shocked yet again, for how many times could his perceptions be proved inaccurate during one single conversation? He supposed that he shouldn’t have judged Seonghwa based on looks alone, because he was clearly much more than that. “Yeah, me neither,” Hongjoong agreed, feeling less self conscious now.
Seonghwa looked as if he wanted to say something more, but he was distracted when Wooyoung lurched from his position nearly on Seonghwa’s lap, bending forward and retching again, though not much came out aside from bile. Hongjoong felt his heart twinge in sympathy, for he knew Wooyoung’s stomach must have been rolling with discomfort.
“Just get it out, it’s okay,” Seonghwa soothed, rubbing small circles in between Wooyoung’s shoulder blades, and Hongjoong must have been crazy because even his hands were pretty. Never had he found himself appreciating a man’s nail beds before, but he supposed if anyone would garner that reaction from him, it would be Seonghwa. Everything about him was just so… elegant.
Wooyoung was practically whimpering now, dry heaving continuously while Seonghwa helped to support his trembling arms, expression laced with worry now. Hongjoong felt his own face fall at that, for seeing Seonghwa’s formerly pleasant expression fall away made his own happiness fade.
“Is he okay?” Hongjoong asked softly, voice nearly a whisper as he took in the way Wooyoung’s form shook with each heave, the way his clammy hand was clutching the fabric of Seonghwa’s shirt tightly.
Seonghwa sighed, not looking up as he spoke. “He’ll be okay, this is just worse than normal. I have to get him home.” His voice sounded distracted, as if he was too consumed in contemplating how he would make Wooyoung better to fully be present. Hongjoong worried at his own bottom lip, wanting to help somehow.
“We can help you bring him home, if you need,” Hongjoong offered, and though he hadn’t actually asked Yunho, he could see him nod out of the corner of his eye.
He was surprised at the disappointment that filled his chest when Seonghwa shook his head, gently brushing over Wooyoung’s cheek with his thumb. “It’s alright, you go have fun. Jongho and Yeosang can help me,” he declined, corners of his lips tightening at the way Wooyoung fell back against him, boneless once more.
Hongjoong was still hesitant to leave them there, even though Yunho had been back to normal for several minutes now. “At least let us help you bring him inside,” he pressed further, taking a small step towards the two still on the ground.
Seonghwa looked up at that, seeming to consider the offer for a moment before nodding, tensing as if he was planning to stand. He wrapped Wooyoung’s arm around his shoulders, bracing a hand around his waist as he moved to stand. Hongjoong had already moved, now at Wooyoung’s other side, and he positioned himself the same way until Wooyoung was fully upright.
Thankfully Wooyoung was not much bigger than Hongjoong himself, for it was pretty easy to carry his weight. His head was lolled against Seonghwa’s shoulder, and though he didn’t offer much help in terms of walking, Seonghwa and Hongjoong got to the door without much difficulty. Yunho was there to open in for them, and they awkwardly maneuvered inside, the bass blasting and instantly awakening a pounding within Hongjoong’s head.
“Over here,” Seonghwa yelled above the music, tilting his head slightly to gesture towards the tables lining the wall to their right. Hongjoong moved in that direction, and they were finally able to set Wooyoung down on a chair, Seonghwa instantly sinking into the one beside him. “Thank you,” he murmured, and though it was too loud to hear the words, Hongjoong nodded.
It was no big deal, after all. Just helping out a friend. Never did Hongjoong think he would be referring to someone as a friend after one conversation outside on the frozen lawn of the bar, but he’d been surprised more than once tonight.
Seonghwa smiled up at him, and though it was slightly strained with worry for his friend, it still made Hongjoong’s heart skip for a second. But then Yunho was tapping his shoulder, and Mingi was approaching them looking incredibly drunk and screeching above the sound of the music, and the moment was broken.
There were three other boys behind Mingi, one looking to be in much worse shape than the other two, but at least they were all up and walking. “Is he okay?” One of them asked, stumbling over to prod at Wooyoung’s cheek, eliciting a groan from the boy as he leaned against Seonghwa’s shoulder.
“He’ll be fine, San. We have to take him home now though, alright?” Seonghwa answered, and San took a moment to process the words before nodding, looking concerned for Wooyoung even in his clearly intoxicated state. The other two boys approached Seonghwa as well, the stronger of the two moving to help support Wooyoung.
Seonghwa again placed Wooyoung’s arm over his shoulders, and he stood yet again, murmuring soft words of comfort to his sick companion. “Thanks, Jongho,” he said to the other boy holding Wooyoung upright, and Hongjoong was just able to hear the name over the music. That must have meant the last boy was Yeosang, then.
Hongjoong was still standing awkwardly beside the table, and he quickly shifted back when they began to move, realizing he was blatantly in the way. “Sorry,” he blurted, bumping into Yunho in his effort to clear the area. He blushed, for they were all looking at him now.
“Don’t apologize, I really appreciate your help.” Seonghwa smiled as he spoke, holding eye contact and making the red of Hongjoong’s cheeks deepen. “Hopefully you’ll hang out with us, now that I’ve finally met the man behind all of the stories.” He winked at Hongjoong, raising a hand in farewell as he turned to guide Wooyoung and the others out of the bar.
Hongjoong continued to just stand there, lifting his hand to wave back much too late, Seonghwa already having turned around. The words probably shouldn’t have left him so dumbfounded, but it was the addition of the wink that had really made him freeze. Seonghwa was a force to behold, that was for sure.
A finger poked his side, making Hongjoong cringe back as he whirled around, met with twin shit-eating grins from his two friends. “Shut up,” he grumbled, for he already knew where this was going, and he had no desire to deal with their non-stop teasing, especially when they were both still drunk. If the universe was on his side, they’d wake up tomorrow with no recollection that any of this had happened.
“Made a friend, I see,” Mingi commented, looking much too pleased at what he’d walked into. “A cute friend. Seonghwa is a beautiful man - we all know that, but I’ve never seen you look so flustered at a simple goodbye.” Hongjoong rolled his eyes, plopping down into the chair Wooyoung had occupied just moments before.
“Just - go dance, idiots. Let me know when you want to leave,” he said, pulling out his phone again to resume his sudoku puzzle that he’d never gotten the chance to finish. Yunho always got a second wind after vomiting - he was sure it would be at least another hour before they were done.
Sure enough, they were both gone when he looked up again, though Hongjoong made sure he could spot them both in the crowd before going back to his phone. Normally he would’ve done the puzzle much faster, but he couldn’t stop thinking about a certain boy in leather pants and an artfully unzipped shirt. He was just excited to have met a potential friend, that was all it was.
Right?
~
It was the following weekend when Hongjoong encountered Seonghwa again, at the same bar as the week before. Though he wasn’t necessarily eager to be spending a Sunday night there, he had agreed when Yunho and Mingi had proposed the idea, and he couldn’t deny that he was slightly anticipating if Seonghwa would be there.
His last week had been a bit busy, for classes had started and it was his most difficult semester yet, but he’d finished all the work that was due, so there was nothing preventing him from making Yunho and Mingi happy. There was a nervous energy present in his bones that was normally never there, and he was standing in front of his closet for much longer than he usually did when choosing an outfit for the bar.
Hongjoong couldn’t help but want to look nice, and he knew it was because of the boy who’d been on his mind ever since they’d met out on the back lawn. He shook his head to focus, finally pulling out his favorite pair of black ripped jeans and a dusky blue satin shirt. It wasn’t anything crazy, but he knew that they were garments he looked good in, that complemented his frame nicely.
Just a few minutes later he was ready, his hair slightly faded from the intense red it had been last week, for the dye wasn’t entirely permanent. It was more of an orange color now, but he found he still liked the way the shade looked against his skin. Not to mention the contrast it created against the blue of his shirt, for Hongjoong was a sucker for contrast.
Yunho and Mingi were both thankfully ready as well, and they quickly left the apartment complex, following the same path as usual to get to the town surrounding the campus. “You look nice,” Yunho complimented once they were on their way, though there was a mischievous tone underlying his voice.
“Thanks,” Hongjoong responded flatly, for he already knew where Yunho was going with this. They had unfortunately woken up the morning after their last trip to the bar with a full memory of the night, both of them practically leaping awake as they recalled how flustered Hongjoong had been.
He’d been forced to listen to Yunho describe their trip outside to Mingi, greatly overexaggerating the entire story and making it sound like Hongjoong had been practically drooling at Seonghwa’s every word. Every day since then, he’d been subjected to nonstop teasing, both of them urging him to act on his “newfound feelings”.
There were no feelings, Hongjoong didn’t even know anything about Seonghwa, but no matter how many times he tried to explain that they weren’t having any of it. Instead, they’d taken it upon themselves to tell him all about Seonghwa, telling him countless pieces of random, useless information. But as much as Hongjoong wanted to hate it, he found that everything he learned only made him more interested, more eager to see Seonghwa again.
He would never admit that, though. Certainly not to Mingi and Yunho, at least. “I’m sure Seonghwa would agree,” Mingi chimed in, eyes scanning Hongjoong’s body with absolutely no subtlety.
Hongjoong rolled his eyes, opting not to respond, but that only seemed to encourage them further. “I wonder what Seonghwa will be wearing tonight,” Yunho mused innocently, though Hongjoong felt the eyes on his face, watching for some type of reaction.
“We don’t even know if he’ll be there,” Hongjoong reasoned, purposely making his voice sound unbothered, like he didn’t care either way. Even though he definitely did care, perhaps more than he should have.
Yunho chuckled at that. “Yes we do, silly. He texted me earlier today, asking if we were going. If you were going.” Hongjoong’s feet stumbled slightly, though he quickly regained his footing, cheeks burning as he knew that his friends had noticed.
“Aw, he’s nervous,” Mingi cooed, reaching out as if trying to pinch Hongjoong’s cheek, though his hand was slapped away before it ever reached its destination.
Hongjoong scowled, picking up his walking pace to avoid further conversation. They were extra annoying lately, if only because they were right. There was muffled laughter from behind him, but Yunho and Mingi seemed to let the subject go, walking beside Hongjoong again and breaching normal topics instead.
They reached the bar after a short walk, the scene no different than it had been the week before, though Hongjoong felt like tonight held a lot more promise now that he knew Seonghwa would be there. His heart was beating a bit faster than normal, but he was surprised that it was just simply nerves, not the social anxiety he usually felt when he knew he’d need to socialize for a while. It had been easy with Seonghwa the other time, he supposed that was why.
As they stepped inside, Hongjoong was scanning the room instantly, searching for a familiar face. Yunho and Mingi had already begun to walk forward so Hongjoong opted to follow, realizing they were simply heading for their usual table in the back. He was slightly disappointed, though he shouldn’t have assumed they’d be finding Seonghwa right away, so he weaved through the crowd with his two friends.
However, when they finally passed through the mob of people, a voice called out Yunho’s name. It came from their usual spot, and Hongjoong felt his thoughts stutter as he realized that Seonghwa and all his friends were lounging in the chairs at the corner table, as if they’d been waiting.
The three of them headed for the table, and Hongjoong couldn’t help the way his eyes stuck on Seonghwa. He was wearing an all black outfit, and though Hongjoong could only make out the upper half over the table, he still felt slightly entranced.
Seonghwa was wearing a thin jacket that hung from his wide shoulders, but through the opening he could see the sheer shirt that clung to the skin beneath, his chest clearly visible through the fabric. It seemed to be patterned, though Hongjoong couldn’t quite make it out with the jacket covering so much of it.
The outfit was beautiful, and Hongjoong admired it with slight awe, for he couldn’t imagine anyone else being able to pull it off so effortlessly. Seonghwa was sitting with Wooyoung beside him, the boy looking worlds better than he had the previous weekend, though Seonghwa still had an arm around him protectively, no doubt keeping an eye on him.
Hongjoong again felt his heart warm at Seonghwa’s caring nature, for something about it was incredibly genuine even to his unfamiliar eye. “Hey, you,” Seonghwa spoke in greeting, jolting Hongjoong from his inner tirade as he realized he’d been staring.
It took every ounce of self restraint he had to reign in the flustered feeling that filled his body. “Hi,” he responded meekly, half raising his hand, though he wasn’t sure if he was trying to wave or not, awkwardly lowering it right after.
“Cute,” Wooyoung cooed, and Seonghwa patted the empty seat beside the two of them, clearly beckoning Hongjoong to sit there. He glanced to the side, noticing that Mingi and Yunho were shifting to sit on the other side of the table, and so he sank down into the offered seat as well.
Seonghwa smiled kindly at Hongjoong before turning to address his friends at the table. “This is Hongjoong,” he introduced, gesturing at him as he spoke. “Though I think you all know that already anyway.” Hongjoong felt a few pairs of eyes land on him, the same boys from the previous week. San, Yeosang, and Jongho, he remembered.
Hongjoong appreciated Seonghwa’s introduction, for he would have been much more reluctant to introduce himself. None of them remained staring at him for long, just nodding and smiling their greetings, introducing themselves in return before rejoining their former conversation.
San was sitting all the way back against the wall beside Wooyoung, and Jongho and Yeosang were on the other side of the table with Yunho and Mingi. San and Yeosang seemed to be arguing about something, with Wooyoung bursting into peals of laughter nearly every time either of them said anything. It wasn’t a serious argument, that much was obvious, for they both had playful looks in their eyes. He suspected they were just doing it for Wooyoung’s amusement at this point.
“You look really nice,” Seonghwa complimented, drawing Hongjoong’s gaze away from the others. He felt his face heat up, for though he was still wearing his leather jacket, it was unzipped and clearly displayed his clothing beneath. Hongjoong was not one to easily accept compliments, especially from beautiful and kind hearted boys who had long black hair and were sitting directly beside him.
“Um, thanks,” he stuttered, cursing his own voice for sounding so garbled. “So do you.” Hongjoong knew that it was the customary response, but he truly did mean the words, so much so that he couldn’t help but continue. “I’m not just saying that, I promise.”
Hongjoong internally cringed at his own persistence, but Seonghwa smiled brightly, which quickly dissuaded the feeling. He would say it over and over again if it meant Seonghwa would smile like that. “Thank you,” he said warmly, eyes impossibly shiny beneath the dull lights of the bar that hung above them.
Just as he was about to say something else to further the conversation, there was shuffling from over Seonghwa’s shoulder, both of them looking to see San and Wooyoung attempting to shuffle out from behind the table. Mingi and Yunho were moving as well, and Yeosang and Jongho were beginning to shift too. “Already?” Seonghwa asked, for they were clearly heading for the dance floor. “You’ve hardly even drank anything yet.”
“Well, where do you think we’re going first?” Yeosang quipped back, finally scooting out now that Yunho and Mingi were fully up from their seats.
“The bar!” San cheered, his arm easily laying over Wooyoung’s shoulders as he giggled. Hongjoong rolled his eyes at the way Mingi and Yunho were eagerly nodding, and he was sure Seonghwa’s reaction was quite similar.
Hongjoong turned to look beside him as Seonghwa’s voice reached his ears. “Wooyoung,” he warned, and Hongjoong wanted to laugh at the admonishing expression on his face.
“I promise, I won’t drink anything strong,” Wooyoung replied instantly, eyes wide and innocent as he tried to appease Seonghwa’s well placed worry. “Please,” he added, drawing out the word a bit excessively.
San looked earnest beside him as well, nodding along in agreement. “He’ll be fine, Seonghwa,” he contributed, but they both still waited for Seonghwa to respond, as if they truly did want to make sure of his approval. Hongjoong still couldn’t understand how Seonghwa had wound up with specifically these two boys entirely wrapped around his finger, no matter how disobedient they seemed.
“Fine,” he conceded, though he still didn’t look entirely pleased, a bit of worry lingering in his expression, no doubt directed towards Wooyoung. “But be careful!” He shouted after them, for they had all headed straight for the bar at the initial answer, leaving Hongjoong and Seonghwa at the table alone.
Hongjoong sat back against his chair again, still able to follow the path of their friends as they maneuvered towards the bar, San leaning up against the counter to order the drinks. “They seem to enjoy giving you a hard time,” he mused, holding back a quiet laugh as he beheld the disgruntled look on Seonghwa’s face.
“Yeah, trust me, they do,” he agreed, leaning back with a sigh. “I don’t even understand how I wound up being their mother, but here we are.” Hongjoong did laugh at that, just a small sound, but it made Seonghwa’s lips turn upwards just the same. “But from what I gather, you don’t have it easy with Yunho and Mingi, either,” he continued, fixing his gaze on Hongjoong.
Hongjoong shook his head slightly, for he could hear Mingi’s loud laughter even from their table. “They’re not so bad, in all honesty. Just very loud, and they live to tease me for the smallest of things.” Seonghwa grinned, nodding along.
“Trust me, I understand that,” he said, and Hongjoong couldn’t help but appreciate how nice it was to talk with someone so similar. He loved Yunho and Mingi, and they were amazing friends, but they were very different from himself, which was perhaps the reason why they’d bonded in the first place. Hongjoong had desperately needed outgoing friends who would push his comfort zone, as much as he hadn’t wanted to admit it at the time.
Now, however, he enjoyed the comfort he felt around Seonghwa, for he normally suffered immensely when trying to communicate with new people. “Didn’t they say last time that you still dance with them and stuff?” Hongjoong asked, trying to recall exactly what had been said.
“Yeah, usually I stick by them to make sure they’re alright, but I can have a little fun too, you know,” he answered cheekily, and a part of Hongjoong wondered what it would be like to watch Seonghwa dance. Considering everything else he’d seen, he would assume it would just leave him feeling surprised yet again. “What about you? Don’t dance?”
Hongjoong shook his head immediately, quite the forceful movement. Seonghwa nearly choked on a laugh at his reaction, clearly not expecting him to be so adamant. “Well, what do you usually do when you guys come here, then?” Seonghwa’s voice was full of amusement, but the question was a genuine one.
He was a bit hesitant to answer, for how was he supposed to tell someone like Seonghwa that all he did was play games on his phone and sip a glass of water? Still, he couldn’t exactly lie either, so he just cleared his throat before responding. “I, um, usually play games on my phone. Lame, I know, but I don’t exactly like to socialize,” he chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Crowds aren’t really my thing. Yunho and Mingi are, like, my only friends, so… yeah. Why am I even telling you this, my god,” he rambled, unable to stop the nervous word vomit.
Hongjoong purposely stared at where he was picking small pieces of lint off of his pants beneath the table, not eager to see Seonghwa’s expression. Any facade of normalcy he’d given off before was definitely gone now, that was for sure. “There’s nothing wrong with that,” Seonghwa said thoughtfully, and Hongjoong jerked his head up at the unexpected words.
Seonghwa was smiling at him gently, no hint of judgment anywhere on his face. “It’s really kind of you to come here and make sure Mingi and Yunho are okay despite all of that. Don’t be embarrassed.” His voice was dripping with honesty, and Hongjoong felt warmth bloom in his chest. He was about to say something in return, until he realized Seonghwa wasn’t done yet. “Plus, they aren’t your only friends anymore. You have me,” he finished, bumping his shoulder against Hongjoong’s in a gesture that made his heart nearly explode.
It meant more to him than he could possibly put into words, so he just returned Seonghwa’s smile gratefully, bumping his shoulder in return. “Consider yourself lucky. It took months for me to finally refer to Yunho and Mingi as more than mere acquaintances,” he joked, feeling satisfied at the way Seonghwa laughed.
“I know I’m lucky,” he responded, though he didn’t elaborate as he pointed at Hongjoong’s phone. “What games do you play?” Hongjoong would have suspected he was just being nice if it wasn’t for the clear curiosity in his tone. He turned the device on, placing it down flat on the table so they could both see.
His screen saver was a picture of Yunho and Mingi both wedged into a shopping cart - it was a long story - but Seonghwa seemed to find it hilarious, laughter only deepening at the photo. “Do I even want to know?” He asked, and Hongjoong just shook his head, sparing Seonghwa the chaotic story. Perhaps another time.
He unlocked his phone to reveal the pages of apps he had downloaded, full of various games that went from sudoku and word puzzles to a build your own farm game he’d been heavily invested in since high school. It was quite the collection, and Seonghwa’s eyes scanned through them all with interest, reading the app names and asking Hongjoong questions about some of them.
“Which one do you play the most?” He asked, expression inquiring as he looked up from the screen. Hongjoong pondered the question, swiping through the apps until he decided on an answer.
“I play this one a lot,” he said, opening the app as he spoke. “It’s a word game - they give you a set of letters and you have to make all of the possible word combinations. I know it sounds boring, but it gets really frustrating when you can’t find out the last few,” he explained, demonstrating how the game worked with his finger.
“Oh, I know this!” Seonghwa exclaimed, sounding much too excited as he shifted so he was sitting on his legs, leaning over the table eagerly. “How on earth is your level this high? I’ll help you if you want, even though you’re definitely smarter than me,” he offered, and Hongjoong smiled at how willing he was to indulge Hongjoong’s usual bar activities, not forcing him to dance or do anything aside from what he normally did.
“It’s just because I play it so much,” he excused, blushing at the compliment. “Are you sure you want to, though?” No sane person would want to play a word game in the corner table at a college bar, but Seonghwa was apparently not sane, for he seemed scandalized that Hongjoong thought he didn’t want to play.
“Of course I want to, what kind of question is that?” He scoffed, already pressing Hongjoong’s next level and scanning the set of letters. His focused expression was cute, brows drawn in slightly and lips parted in thought. Hongjoong vaguely realized he should probably be looking at the game instead of staring at Seonghwa, so he redirected his gaze, contemplating the set of letters himself.
Time passed much faster than it usually did when he was at the bar alone, for it was surprisingly fun to play the game with Seonghwa, both of them getting unreasonably invested in finishing the levels they worked on. They made a good team, bouncing words off of each other and cheering each time they got a particularly hard one correct.
Hongjoong knew they were being louder than they likely should have been considering this was a game that was played mostly by middle aged moms, but he lost any sense of inhibition he had as soon as Seonghwa started getting riled up, not at all concerned with the noise he was making.
Nearly two hours had passed when their friends eventually returned, tearing them away from Hongjoong’s phone when they noticed they were no longer alone. Both of them had been periodically looking up to make sure their friends were doing okay, still worried for their well being even amidst their own fun.
Now, they all looked sweaty and disheveled from dancing, expressions alight and voices loud as they stopped at the table. “Seonghwa!” Wooyoung practically yelled, falling into Seonghwa’s arms easily, his cheeks red from the alcohol.
Seonghwa sighed, though it was an affectionate sound, and he brushed Wooyoung’s slightly sweaty hair out of his face. Wooyoung clearly enjoyed the touch, his smile bright as he looked at his friend. “You’re okay?” Seonghwa asked, though he didn’t seem concerned, for it was clear from Wooyoung’s demeanor that he was nothing beyond tipsy.
Wooyoung nodded in response, and Hongjoong couldn’t help but smile at how content he seemed to be in Seonghwa’s embrace. Even though he hardly knew the boy, it was quite obvious that he thrived off of physical affection, and he watched as Wooyoung leaned forward to bite Seonghwa’s head.
Seonghwa jerked back with a yell, pushing Wooyoung back to his feet. “Stop biting me!” Hongjoong giggled at the protest, and the others seemed to find it funny as well, raucous laughter coming from everyone except Seonghwa. He eventually gave in, however, slapping Wooyoung’s arm lightly.
“You guys look like you’re having fun over here,” Yunho commented, giving Hongjoong a look that was the farthest thing from subtle. He prayed that Seonghwa would not notice, considering he was still dealing with Wooyoung and now San as well, both tormenting him with poking and biting and other childish antics.
“Just playing a game,” he answered cautiously, raising his phone from the table to show them. Yunho winked but thankfully didn’t say anything more, just turning to Mingi to whisper something that Hongjoong was glad he couldn’t hear.
Seonghwa was shifting in his seat to get away from his two assailants, his side pressing into Hongjoong’s, the entire area lighting up with a tingling feeling that spread along Hongjoong’s spine, his heart skipping slightly. “Stop tormenting me,” Seonghwa whined, pushing them away as best as he could.
Hongjoong saw Jongho shake his head at Seonghwa’s protest. “Do you seriously think anything you say will ever stop them?” He asked, and Seonghwa scowled.
“You’re not helping,” he dismissed, to which Jongho raised his hands in surrender, his expression eliciting another laugh from the group. Hongjoong felt strangely at home, laughing along with them and not feeling out of place as he usually did when he found himself surrounded by a friend group he wasn’t really a part of. A part of him could see himself being a part of it, an image he’d never actually been able to envision before.
After a few more moments of watching Seonghwa struggle, Yeosang tugged both Wooyoung and San backwards using the back of their shirts. He must’ve been stronger than he looked, for he yanked their weight away from Seonghwa easily. “Is picking on him at the dorm not enough?” Yeosang’s voice was exasperated, but he quickly continued to speak when Wooyoung tried to answer. “Don’t answer that. Anyway, do either of you want a drink?”
The question was directed at Hongjoong and Seonghwa, a surprisingly kind gesture. Were they all just insanely nice people, or what? Hongjoong was confused, though perhaps that was just his internal pessimism talking. “A water would be nice, thank you,” he answered, and Seonghwa nodded from beside him, indicating that he wanted one as well.
Yeosang nodded with a smile, pulling Wooyoung along with him to give Seonghwa a moment of peace. Hongjoong found all their different dynamics to be quite interesting, for it was clear that Yeosang was used to dealing with Wooyoung’s antics. “They’ve known each other for years,” Seonghwa said, as if seeing exactly where Hongjoong’s mind had gone.
“Wooyoung still likes me better though,” San butted in, puffing out his chest dramatically, making Seonghwa roll his eyes.
“He’s dating you, Sannie,” he responded in a deadpan, though the affectionate nickname took away from the attempted sarcasm of the words. Hongjoong was rapidly understanding that Seonghwa would clearly do anything for these boys, even if it meant tolerating their teasing. It was really, really cute.
Another interesting thing - Wooyoung and San were dating. Hongjoong wasn’t necessarily surprised, for he’d seen the way the two had been dancing together most of the night, but he found the news endearing. He’d have to ask Seonghwa about it another time.
Once Yeosang and Wooyoung came back with the water, the group of them departed again for the dance floor, still full of energy and eager to have fun together. Hongjoong smiled as he watched them go, partially because he enjoyed seeing them happy, but also because he was looking forward to continuing to talk with Seonghwa.
“Can you believe it’s almost one in the morning?” Seonghwa asked, eyes open wide when he saw the time on Hongjoong’s phone. Hongjoong was taken aback by the time as well, for it didn’t feel like it had been almost three hours since they’d arrived. He didn’t even feel tired, which was surprising considering he had fallen asleep late the night before.
It was half past two in the morning when the others returned yet again, now clearly exhausted and ready to go, as the crowd had begun to dwindle significantly. Hongjoong and Seonghwa had stopped playing the word game about an hour ago, as his phone battery had been entirely drained, and they’d just been talking ever since.
Seonghwa asked Hongjoong a lot of questions, all about school and his family and his hobbies. He seemed genuinely interested in the answers, and Hongjoong felt comfortable going off on small tangents and telling stories that made Seonghwa laugh. Seonghwa made him feel important, like the things he was saying were significant. He was watching Hongjoong with a steady gaze, hand leaning up against his hand elegantly.
Even just sitting there at the bar table, Hongjoong found him beautiful, his face much too pleasant for such a dingy environment. That was perhaps part of the beauty, however - Seonghwa made it worth being there, made the bar seem a lot less dreary than it usually did. Hongjoong was almost disappointed when they had to get ready to leave, shrugging his jacket back on and draining the last of his water.
The group of them all departed the bar together, walking back to campus in one big cluster. Hongjoong enjoyed listening as the others told them random stories from their night, though it was a bit hard to follow considering they were all still drunk and interrupting each other to add their own two cents. Hongjoong suspected that some of the tales they told were exaggerated, and he knew Seonghwa thought the same as the two of them walked side by side, exchanging knowing glances every time Wooyoung or Mingi would butt in with some outrageous addition to the story.
When their apartment building was finally within sight, once they were back on the main campus, they all bid each other farewell, for they lived in different buildings. Hongjoong was slightly overwhelmed when he saw them all dramatically hug each other goodbye, for he was not a fan of hugging anyone who wasn’t Yunho or Mingi.
Still, when Wooyoung practically jumped on him, wrapping his arms around Hongjoong tightly, he laughed at the contact, surprisingly returning the hug despite his former reluctance. After that, the others seemed to realize he was not off limits, and they all pulled him into their overly dramatic goodbyes. It was entertaining, and Hongjoong hardly realized that he had gone through everyone except one person until he was standing face to face with Seonghwa.
For some reason the nervousness returned full force now, for the thought of hugging Seonghwa while he was wearing that sheer shirt was far beyond his expectations for the night. Despite his reservations, when Seonghwa opened his arms he stepped into them, returning the gesture.
Hugging Seonghwa was different - Hongjoong’s heart was racing, and he sent up a desperate prayer that Seonghwa wouldn’t be able to feel it through both of their jackets. His hug was warm, so full of care that Hongjoong didn’t want to let go, and he again understood why Wooyoung was always launching into Seonghwa’s arms. It felt safe, and when they did pull away, there was a light flush on the tops of his cheeks.
Seonghwa’s cheeks were a bit pink as well, which only added to his beauty, standing out against the dull glow of the streetlights. They stepped away from one another, Hongjoong joining Yunho and Mingi to go back to their apartment, calling out farewells and walking while still facing the others until they eventually rounded the corner, losing their view.
As they walked to their room, Hongjoong finally felt the exhaustion seep into his bones, all adrenaline leaving his system and leaving him impossibly tired. They usually never stayed out this long, and it was clear Yunho and Mingi were spent as well, a comfortable silence falling over the three of them as they walked.
Hongjoong couldn’t help but think about Seonghwa, about how he’d actually enjoyed going to the bar for the first time ever. He even found himself wondering about when they would go next, eager to see his new friend again.
~
The next morning, Hongjoong was forced awake by the sunlight streaming in through his window, for he’d forgotten to close the curtains amidst his exhaustion the night before. He groaned in protest, but he knew he was up now, as he was never able to fall back asleep once he’d been woken up.
He sat up with a hand pressed to his forehead, a pounding feeling already building within his skull. It was only eight in the morning according to the clock on his phone, and he didn’t even have class until eleven. Safe to say, he was irritated, rolling out of bed and not bothering to change out of his pajamas as he went to the kitchen.
Neither Yunho or Mingi would be up for a while, he assumed, because they didn’t have class until the afternoon. Normally Hongjoong was up well before his class anyway, but even on nights where he stayed up late he was never this tired in the morning. He grumbled as he meandered around the kitchen dazedly, needing to make coffee in order to function a little better.
The day seemed to be against him already, however - they were entirely out of coffee grounds, rendering Hongjoong’s precious coffee maker entirely useless. He groaned, sinking into one of the chairs at the table and letting his head fall into his hands, massaging his temples. Eventually, he stood up again, going back to his room to change before packing up his bag, figuring he would just stop for coffee and go to the library until his class started.
Hongjoong left a scribbled note stuck to the fridge for Yunho and Mingi before heading out the door, locking it behind himself and leaving the building. It was cold outside, and he bundled his coat closer around his torso, breath coming out in visible puffs. He should’ve worn a hat, but he was too lazy to go back inside now.
Usually Hongjoong went to the cafe on campus to buy coffee when he didn’t make it himself, but he knew the line would be absolutely horrid as nearly every student who had morning classes always stopped there. He opted to instead go to one of the convenience stores just outside campus, making it there in a few minutes and hurrying inside to get out of the cold, the bell over the door jingling with his arrival.
Hongjoong hurried to the coffee station at the back of the store, desperate to have the hot beverage in his hands to warm them up. It was a self-serve area, and he made it to exactly his liking, taking an experimental sip before putting on the lid and heading to the register to pay.
There was a man in front of him on line, and he seemed to be quite impatient as he called for an employee to come to the vacant register. Hongjoong wasn’t really in a rush, so he didn’t mind waiting, and he winced at the irritation in the man’s tone. The store was probably run by mostly college students - he could stand to cut them some slack.
“Sorry!” A voice exclaimed, and a familiar face came out from the back room, moving to stand in front of the register. Hongjoong was beyond startled, confused as to why this hadn’t come up when they’d spoken the night before, for the slightly frazzled employee was Seonghwa.
Hongjoong was standing behind the burly man in front of him on line, and he knew Seonghwa hadn’t seen him yet, too preoccupied with appeasing the irritated customer at the register. “I’m very sorry, sir, my coworker was supposed to come in but called out last minute, so it’s just me here right now,” he explained, and Hongjoong felt his heart ache slightly at how tired he sounded. When had his shift started - they hadn’t gotten back from the bar until almost three in the morning.
“That’s not my problem, is it? You could stand to do your job,” the man grumbled back, and Hongjoong felt his skin prick with rage at the words. Seonghwa continued to apologize, looking increasingly flustered as he scanned the man’s items, face turning slightly red.
Seonghwa seemed like he was about to speak again, but the man cut him off before he got the chance. “I don’t want to hear your lousy excuses, alright? You college students are always so ungrateful, think you’re above us all. Just wait, you won’t make it beyond this lousy convenience store anyway,” he sneered, and Seonghwa gaped at him, pausing as he was about to bag the items.
When Hongjoong saw the tears build behind Seonghwa’s eyes, he couldn’t stand to watch any longer, stepping around and in front of the man to get between him and Seonghwa. “Don’t speak to him like that,” Hongjoong snarled, voice coming out perhaps harsher than he’d mean for it to, but he didn’t really care. This man was a total asshole.
“Get out of my way,” the man spoke, voice full of anger. Hongjoong didn’t move, however, even at Seonghwa’s soft plea from behind him.
“He’s running a store by himself right now - cut him some slack. I don’t know who shoved a pole up your ass this morning, but don’t go taking it out on everyone around you. Move on with your day,” he continued, taking the bag of items off the counter and shoving it into the man’s chest.
The man looked murderous, ripping the bag from Hongjoong’s hands and turning away, muttering angrily under his breath as he left the store, pushing the door open with much more force than necessary. As soon as he was out of sight Hongjoong spun around, turning to face Seonghwa and feeling a pain in his chest at the sight of his friend.
Seonghwa had turned slightly, blocking his face from view, but his posture was hunched and he looked incredibly dejected even from the back. He was wearing a simple shirt with the store logo on it tucked into jeans, and he looked so small that Hongjoong wanted to hide him away, to protect him from rude customers who took advantage of his kindness.
“Seonghwa,” he called softly, reaching over the counter to tug at his shirt. Seonghwa turned back around at the touch, and Hongjoong’s own face fell at the sight of his watery eyes, rimmed with red. “Oh, don’t be upset,” he murmured, voice tender as he pulled Seonghwa out from behind the register so that there wasn’t a whole checkout station between them.
Seonghwa didn’t say anything, just sniffled softly, and the sound was enough to break Hongjoong’s heart. “Come here, it’s okay,” he soothed, pulling Seonghwa into a hug. Hongjoong was surprising himself with how affectionate he was being, but he couldn’t help it when Seonghwa was so visibly hurt by the encounter.
He lightly ran his fingers through the hair at the base of Seonghwa’s neck, simple motions to help calm him down. “I’m sorry,” Seonghwa whispered into his shoulder, voice thick with his emotion.
Hongjoong tutted at that, holding him even tighter. “You have nothing to apologize for, Seonghwa. That guy was a complete asshole, and nothing he said about you was true, okay?” He waited for Seonghwa to nod against his shoulder before he continued to speak. “It’s okay to be upset, I know that confrontations like that can be hard.” Seonghwa seemed to sink into him even further at that, and Hongjoong felt his sympathy surge.
“You must be exhausted,” he said in an undertone, for he’d seen the dark shadows beneath Seonghwa’s eyes, and normally he was so collected and calm.
“Shift started at 5:30,” Seonghwa said by way of response, his voice muffled but still audible. Hongjoong’s concern grew at the words, for he must’ve gotten absolutely no sleep in order to get to work on time.
“When does it end?” He asked gently, rubbing Seonghwa’s back, for he was trembling slightly. It must’ve really affected him, and his exhaustion had no doubt made his reaction worse. He needed to get to sleep, hopefully sooner than later.
Seonghwa showed no indication of wanting to let go anytime soon, and thankfully there were no other customers in the store to see them embracing for so long. “10:30, but I have physics after,” he answered, shifting his head slightly to nestle better in Hongjoong’s shoulder.
“Physics?” Hongjoong asked, jostling him slightly so he could meet his eyes. Seonghwa looked down at the floor as he nodded, and Hongjoong couldn’t bear to see him like this for another second. It was heartbreaking, and someone so kind hearted shouldn’t ever be so sad. “I’m in it too - I’ll send you my notes. Just go back to your dorm after your shift, okay?”
Seonghwa finally met his eyes at that, if only so he could begin to protest, shaking his head at the thought of taking Hongjoong’s work. “I’m fine,” he mumbled, pulling back from the embrace slightly as if trying to emphasize the fact, though the wetness around his eyes clearly said otherwise.
“Seonghwa, please - just let me do this for you, okay? You need sleep, it’ll make you feel better.” He seemed reluctant still at the idea, and Hongjoong sighed, stealing the phone from the pocket of Seonghwa’s jeans in one fluid motion. Seonghwa protested weakly, but he still unlocked the phone for Hongjoong, allowing him to put in his contact information.
“There,” he said when he was finished, pressing the device back into Seonghwa’s soft hands. “Just text me so I can save your number, and I’ll send you the notes. Easy as that,” he explained with a soft smile, moving against his own judgment to lightly grip Seonghwa’s hand. It was bigger than his own, the skin warm and smooth beneath his fingers. “Okay?” He asked, not willing to let go until Seonghwa agreed.
He eventually nodded, and Hongjoong retracted his hand, missing the warmth as soon as it was gone. “Thank you, Hongjoong,” he murmured, eyes overwhelmingly genuine.
“Anything for a friend, right?” Hongjoong smiled back, shifting to stand in front of the register once more. “Now, can I buy my coffee?” Seonghwa returned his smile at that, expression moving back to the one he was used to seeing.
Perhaps some might think crying over a rude customer was an overreaction, but Hongjoong had worked his fair share of shitty jobs. He knew that all it took was one comment to break the dam when you were already having a rough day, and he suspected that was exactly what had happened to Seonghwa. Hongjoong was at least happy that he had been here to help, to defend his friend.
He’d gotten angrier than he would have expected from himself, but there was just something about seeing Seonghwa upset that felt so wrong. He was normally so happy, so kind and open even when he’d just met Hongjoong. No one should ever be able to rid him of that happiness - it made Hongjoong mad even just thinking about it again.
Seonghwa pressed a few buttons on the register, inputting the cost of the coffee before accepting Hongjoong’s extended cash, placing it within the drawer and retracting his change, moving to hand it to Hongjoong. “Keep it,” he said, stepping back to indicate that he didn’t need the money. “I don’t have my wallet anyway.” That much was true, as he’d only stuffed some cash into his pocket that morning, but he wouldn’t have accepted the change either way.
Seonghwa opened his mouth to protest, but he seemed to understand from Hongjoong’s expression that he wouldn’t be taking no for an answer, so he just placed the change back into the register before pushing the drawer shut. “Thanks,” he said with another small smile, one that tugged at Hongjoong’s heart in more than one way. How did he manage to look so lovely even after crying?
Hongjoong just nodded, holding his coffee within his hands and blowing on it to cool it down. “Mind if I stick around until class?” He asked, turning around and eyeing the small table that stood by the front window of the store.
Seonghwa took a moment to answer, seeming surprised at the question. “You want to stay here?” The perplexion in his tone was kind of adorable, and Hongjoong shrugged, for he supposed the store was probably quieter than the library, anyway. There were always groups of loud students hardly doing any work there, and he would be too late to secure a good, secluded spot.
“Yeah, why not? I don’t have anything else to do before then,” he answered, moving to sit at the small table and setting down his coffee, sliding the straps of his backpack off of his shoulders. “Do you have any duties to attend to, or would you care to join me?” He asked, gesturing at the other seat by the table.
Seonghwa grinned, shifting to sit down in the offered seat. “Of course I would,” he affirmed, leaning back against the chair and yawning wide. “You know, they don’t make it seem like convenience store jobs would be this stressful, but I’m practically running this place myself.” Hongjoong hummed in sympathy, unzipping his backpack to pull out his physics notebook.
“I bet the other workers don’t pull off the uniform as well as you do,” Hongjoong remarked, only saying it to hear Seonghwa’s laugh, though he really wasn’t lying. This was the first time Hongjoong had really seen Seonghwa with everyday clothes on, and he still looked just as good as he did when he was dressed up for the bar.
There was a certain appeal to both situations, for though Seonghwa looked amazing in the dressy outfits, he also looked ethereal in just a convenience store uniform. His long hair was framing his face flawlessly, skin golden and even in complexion. He was even wearing small earrings, just dainty little studs, but Hongjoong noticed them.
The uniform shirt was tucked into his jeans in such a way that accentuated his impossibly small waist, and it draped over his shoulders really nicely. If anyone would look this good in a lousy convenience store t-shirt, it was Seonghwa, that was for sure. Perhaps that was just Hongjoong’s internal bias speaking, but he didn’t think so.
“I’ll wear this next time we go out to the bar,” Seonghwa joked, eyes crinkling at the corners. Hongjoong laughed, leaning his head back. He was pleased to realize that he liked convenience store worker Seonghwa just as much as he liked dangerously beautiful bar Seonghwa. He suspected that he would come to appreciate all versions of Seonghwa that there could possibly be, for he couldn’t imagine any of them being any less incredible.
The two of them sat there for the next two hours, talking casually about all sorts of things, Seonghwa getting up every now and then to help a customer. It was really nice, and Hongjoong was already eager to come back, to sit at the same table while Seonghwa worked. He hadn’t had a new friend like this since Yunho and Mingi, and it was truly an exciting thing, for it felt like there were so many possibilities that there hadn’t been just a week before.
Eventually the time came for Seonghwa to get off work and Hongjoong to go to physics class, though he hung back to wait for Seonghwa to clock out so they could leave together. Once he was ready, they strolled back towards campus together, and though Hongjoong had class in a matter of minutes he didn’t feel any sense of urgency.
He walked with Seonghwa to his dorm building, not far from Hongjoong’s own, bidding his friend farewell before heading off to class. Just as he was about to step into the classroom, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket, a notification appearing on the lock screen.
Hongjoong quickly chose his usual seat within the middle rows before peering down at the screen, cheeks flushing slightly as he read the notification. It was a text from an unknown number, but he knew exactly who it was.
He read the text, murmuring the words under his breath as his heart skipped at the question. “Play your word game with me again this weekend?” The resulting smile that rose to his lips didn’t fade for the entire class period.