4:33 | l.hs & k.sn

n i n e t e e n

may 8, 2020

jungwon and ni-ki broke up. that is the first thing jungwon relays to sunoo during lunch break.

sunoo studies his bestfriend. for someone who just got out of a relationship, jungwon looks eerily calm and level-headed. "jungwon, you okay?"

"hmm?" jungwon pauses from devouring the stir fried beef. "of course i am."

sunoo tries to observe him for any hint of a lie but to his surprise, he actually believes jungwon is telling the truth. "i'm happy you are but should i be concerned at your lack of emotional reaction right now? you recently just got broken up? people usually cry their eyes out."

the corner of jungwon's mouth rises. "that's a tad bit dramatic. told you you should lay off the sweets. not everyone cries over a break up, sunoo-hyung." the little shit had the audacity to grin at him.

"were you just fawning over how ni-ki looks good in his new hair the other day? and if i remember correctly, you almost kissed heeseung-hyung just so ni-ki would notice you?" sunoo is genuinely curious. how could jungwon go from being head over heels over ni-ki to barely even caring at all?

"feelings change, hyung. it was fun and i really liked him but it's not like ni-ki and i will get married and buy a house in the next 10 years. we were bound to break up. i'm surprised we even lasted this long. besides, it was a mutual break up. he got over it pretty quickly." jungwon shrugs and resumes eating.

"so i just have to wait this out then," sunoo mutters to himself, taking a sip of water and letting his thoughts drift to the constant occupant in his mind. heeseung is probably working his shift at the restaurant with that waitress. sunoo blanches at that, his stomach churning despite being full.

jungwon throws him a knowing glance. "that would be a waste."

"so you keep telling me."

"yet you still don't listen. sometimes i think you're impulsive then the next you hesitate to take even a small step, hyung." jungwon puts down his chopsticks, having lost interest in the food. he levels sunoo with a scolding gaze, his favorite look to give.

sunoo shrugs. he does not even have the energy to take offense. "i like to think things through now. it's more reasonable."

"really? because i think you're being stupid."

"stupidity is second nature to man."

"not this. you're intentionally being stupid, wasting a good opportunity to be happy in a relationship and for what? because heeseung-hyung will be leaving? everyone leaves, hyung. it's a common reason why most high school couples break up. it did not stop them from enjoying each other now, didn't it?"

"i know that, jungwon-"

"precisely."

"-it's just that i don't want to do it, okay? it's going to hurt and to be honest, what doesn't? but i can't put myself through it nor would i want heeseung-hyung as well. he deserves better for his first actual relationship. i think he'd find someone in college, and their relationship would last. there are a lot of boys and girls there."

sunoo gets it. he knows it is a stupid move not to tell heeseung he likes him back. it is a stupid move thinking things would go back to how they were before. it is a stupid move but hey, ignorance is bliss but why the hell is he feeling so miserable?

jungwon heaves a long sigh, the strong air of disappointment wafting off of it. "i give up, hyung. you need to figure this one out by yourself because clearly, you're being stubborn."

jungwon shakes his head and resumes eating, clearly fed up. sunoo does not blame him at all. jungwon has been trying to knock some sense into him since forever and though some of his plans and advice never work, jungwon is still the more reasonable one of the two and he's usually patient as well but sunoo guesses no one can endure his stubbornness. not even jungwon. not even sunoo, his more sane side, himself.