Transfer My Heart || ATEEZ

CH 8: Questions and Answers

"From the moment we met, I've been drawn to you," Jongho said, his voice thick with emotion. "And at first, I wanted to ignore it because I thought I would never see you again and you're," he winced. "Well, you're human, so I thought I was wrong. But then, you kept coming to the cafe I worked at and I saw you a few times at some events and at the shops and the more I was around you, the more I couldn't ignore that pull to be near you, to protect you." Jongho stared at Yeosang earnestly.

Jongho glanced away, seemingly taking a moment to collect his thoughts. Yeosang had the distinct feeling that he was missing something- that he wasn't picking up whatever Jongho was putting down. What was he trying to say?

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Yeosang

Yeosang's hands clenched and unclenched, his fingers fiddling with his bracelet - the one Wooyoung gave him for his birthday last year - while he walked. His nerves had been building all morning. At first, he had been confident in his agreement to meet for lunch and had planned to make it clear to Jongho that he wasn't interested in him as anything more than a friend. But, as he watched the clock on the wall in loungeroom, anxiety bubbled in his stomach. And now, something akin to dread writhed in its place with every step he took towards the cafe. They had agreed to meet at the cafe when Jongho's shift ended and then take the bus to the city for lunch. 

His mum had sensed that something had changed between him and Jongho. Maybe it was obvious when Yeosang came home barely four hours after going to Jongho's, clearly lost in his thoughts. Or maybe it yesterday when she'd asked Yeosang what was bothering him and he snapped at her. He hadn't meant to. He was just so frustrated and confused. He had no clue what Jongho meant by what he said.

No, that was a lie. He knew exactly what Jongho meant. He just didn't want to acknowledge it. He didn't want it to be the truth because if it was, how oblivious had he been? Was he just like Wooyoung? Leading his friend on with his own obliviousness? Did everyone else know that Jongho liked him? Was that why everyone kept joking about them acting like an old married couple? 

He frowned as he thought back to his interaction with Jongho and Hongjoong. Had Hongjoong known? Could he smell it in Jongho's scent? Wolf hybrids could smell changes and meanings in scents, right? Yeosang's brows twitched as he thought over Hongjoong's behaviour that day. Hongjoong had been acting a little different, right? There were little things he did that he didn't usually do... Was it in an effort to annoy Jongho? 

Yeosang couldn't understand why that thought irked him, but it did. He didn't like the idea of Hongjoong purposefully upsetting Jongho. Yeosang's body flushed with an angry heat. Maybe it was because Wooyoung had done so much to upset him, even if not on purpose, that he didn't want anyone else to suffer from something similar. 

Or maybe it was because his heart beat just that little bit faster around Jongho like it had for Wooyoung... 

No. Yeosang cast the thought aside. That was silly. He didn't like Jongho as anything more than a friend. If his heart beat a little faster when he smiled or laughed or excitedly greeted him, then it was just because Jongho was a potential danger. He immediately cringed at the ridiculous thought of Jongho being a threat. He was so playful and kind. Even if he was an alpha, it didn't mean that he was inherently dangerous. Yeosang chided himself for having such a backwards thought.

He frowned when the cafe came into view. He began to drag his feet. His eyes automatically searched for Jongho through the windows out of habit while he approached the cafe. He paused by one of the trees planted in the strip of grass between the curb and sidewalk. Inside the small building, Yeosang could see Jongho laughing. He could almost hear the hearty sound that could send warmth blooming through his chest.