He's in the Rain

chapter twenty-three

"hyung! wake up or you'll never get to see the sun rising again," beomgyu threatened the peacefully sleeping yeonjun early in the morning. today's another work day so yeonjun should be getting ready by now but here he is, still in dream land.

yeonjun groaned and covered his eyes as the sun was hitting his face directly with its rays. he sat up on the bed and rubbed his eyes to make his vision a bit more clear for he just woke up from his nap — a very different one. this is such a night to remember, he really couldn't believe such a thing would happen. that such a person would confess to him.

remembering what happened last night, yeonjun's cheeks started heating up, or as what they call it, he blushed. his heart started beating faster at that thought. why does he blush so easily? it's just soobin, and here is yeonjun being flustered because of that six-lettered name of a man he met on the streets under the heavy rain pouring down on them.

"hyung!" beomgyu called once again but it seems like yeonjun didn't care. he started to be nervous and was panicking on how will he be able to face soobin as if he wasn't blushing at all, on how will he be able to face him without bringing familiar awkwardness to their atmosphere. weird as it may sound, he was deep in those thoughts.

he slowly stood up from his bed, fixing it, then heading towards the cabinet to get a towel and his clothes that were prepared by beomgyu. he went out of the room only to find beomgyu, huening kai, taehyun, and soobin looking at him worriedly. what the hell.

"what?" yeonjun asked his friends. he tried to look at every person in their eyes but yeonjun couldn't just keep an eye contact with soobin for he was still embarrassed and flustered at his sudden confession. soobin finally confessed but yeonjun couldn't yet. he was still nervous. but why would he be nervous when he already knows that soobin feels the same way. or not?

seeing all of his four friends already dressed up, he mentally face-palmed himself for waking up late, letting everyone wait for him. he rushed to the bathroom to take a bath and get ready for work today. it's 45 minutes 'til the opening of the library. good thing they're not on opening duty today.

after taking a nice bath, he grabbed the clothes that beomgyu picked for him yesterday. it isn't that bad, it's actually yeonjun approved. today he's wearing white pants and white turtleneck long sleeves with a black blazer and white high cut rubber shoes. it's his type of clothing.

he went out of the bathroom and went inside the guest room where he slept last night and arranged his things in a bag brought by beomgyu himself. they were just going to leave the bags here today and just pick it up on their way back home later after work. yeonjun went downstairs to see taehyun, kai, soobin, and beomgyu together at the dining table, eating their breakfast.

"you didn't even wait for me," said yeonjun as he was about to sit down beside huening kai as beomgyu was beside taehyun and soobin was at the center.

"because you move like a damn turtle," beomgyu commented and rolled his eyes. yeonjun gave him a glare but he didn't even get scared of his own hyung like he doesn't care.

"shut it, twig." twig. what a nickname.

"i waited for you, yeonjunie," soobin suddenly said which made yeonjun and the rest of his friends look at him. soobin may have noticed that everybody was looking so he smiled at them even if he didn't know why they were looking at him like that.

yeonjun smiled awkwardly, "thank you, soobin."

while the atmosphere got awkward for soobin and yeonjun, it felt funny for beomgyu, kai, and taehyun. to contain their laughter, the three fake coughed at the same time, closing their eyes and trying not to make eye contact with those two love birds so they could prevent laughing. but it didn't work, beomgyu eventually gave up and proceeded with laughing out loud.

"what?" soobin asked beomgyu, but all beomgyu did was bite his lips, trying so hard to stop laughing. he just really found the whole situation worth his laugh. everyone knew what was happening, but does yeonjun really?

beomgyu didn't answer soobin. instead, he looked at yeonjun, grinning. "what now, twig?"

"stop being so damn awkward," beomgyu said while having the difficulty to contain his laughter. as yeonjun was trying to shake off his embarrassment, huening kai and taehyun finally joined in with beomgyu's laugh. the dining table was filled of both: awkwardness and laughter. that's it.

"i am not," yeonjun defended.

"you think we don't know?" yeonjun's right eyebrow raised as he heard what taehyun said to him. after thinking much, he finally realized what his friends were talking about. he slowly looked at soobin whose ears are now in a slightly red condition, showing signs of embarrassment.

the laughter continued until they finally finished eating and got ready to leave for work. they went inside the car, with yeonjun in the front passenger's seat and the rest of the friends at the back with soobin as their driver. soobin's driver would've been driving the car this time, but soobin politely rejected the driver's offer and just took the driver's seat. he said he could manage and just thanked his driver, giving him the day off. this man, isn't he heaven sent?

"guys." on their way to work, beomgyu suddenly called his friends who were busy vibing to the music. "i want mcdonalds."

"the hell? we just ate!" taehyun said after his palm landed at the back of beomgyu's head, hitting him a little hard. the usual hitting of heads will never be missing with this group of friends.

"i want mcflurry! come on!" beomgyu whined loudly, even louder than the music being played inside the car. he stomped his feet like a young one would do after their parents disagreed in buying something for them.

"it's too early for ice cream, twig," yeonjun commented from the front passenger's seat, not even looking at beomgyu who was pouting, playing with his phone.

"fine! but you owe me one later." no one responded. only soobin who giggled at beomgyu's childish but cute act.

arriving at work, taehyun and huening kai hurriedly went inside the cafe restaurant after saying thanks to soobin and bidding goodbye to him and the other two. yeonjun and beomgyu were still with beomgyu, thanking them as well.

"thank you, hyung! you really owe me a mcflurry!" beomgyu said while turning his back from soobin, ready to go up the stairs going to the second floor where the library is.

"yeah, sure. next year," soobin said as he laughed over his statement. he laughed harder when he saw beomgyu's facial expression, plus the glare he's been giving. "fine, later." beomgyu smiled and went upstairs.

and now, these two love birds are alone.

yeonjun wanted to finally talk so he could go to work already but the atmosphere is still the same — awkward. it feels like any second a crow will pass above them, reminding them of how awkward their situation is.

"aren't you going?" soobin finally ended the deafening silence he heard but he couldn't notice the awkwardness surrounding them.

he was confident with himself. he knows there is nothing to be felt awkward of because all of his intentions towards the man in front of him are all clear, as clear as a glass. he likes yeonjun, there's nothing wrong with that. his feelings are genuine, true, and undisputed.

"i am. thank you, soobin. i'll see you later, bye!" yeonjun said and turned around to start walking away but soobin grabbed his right hand, making yeonjun look at soobin again.

"you... you do remember what i said last night, right?" soobin asked the older, eyes straight to the eyes of the other. he didn't break the eye contact, and so did yeonjun. he was close to breaking it but managed not to. at some point, he didn't wanna break it even after feeling his cheeks heating.

"i... i do remember, soobin," yeonjun answered the younger. soobin was glad. 'at least he remembered,' said soobin in his mind. for soobin, it was alright if he didn't like him back, even if yeonjun wasn't feeling the same way. knowing and accepting his feelings were more than enough but of course, it would be a thousand times better to be liked back.

"and... the feeling's mutual."