Roller Coaster || Seongjoong ||

27.

Seonghwa checked his appearance for the tenth time in his entrance mirror. He shouldn't even be worrying about it. But how is he supposed to take so casually the fact that his best friend told him the rest could walk together to school and instead of you coming over to walk with them, he wants to come over and walk with you to school?

The boy wasn't even aware of the track of time until the phone in his hand vibrated with a message of a certain someone already waiting for him outside.

"Hurry, it's cold out here" Hongjoong jokingly complained as Seonghwa closed his main door.

"I'm coming, you desperate minion."

"Yah, I'll hit you" The younger of the two threatened.

"If you even reach first" Seonghwa followed, now both walking together in between laughs.

And maybe even after a couple of minutes of more bickering and teasing, they stayed in silence, quite closer to school as the time passed.

"Oh! I forgot I wanted to give you this" Hongjoong exclaimed, looking for something in his backpack. "I know we joke around and stuff, but maybe it was gonna be quite embarrassing if I gave it to you with everyone present, so..." He pulled a shirt and handed it to the opposite boy.

"I-I...Oh! Tha-Thanks" Seonghwa managed to answer, confused to his core by the way it suddenly made sense.

But is he serious? Seonghwa kept thinking as they continued walking, it's not like the black-haired was expecting more, was he?

It just made more sense Hongjoong would do this instead of wanting to walk to school with him just because.

It was just confusing why it got him thinking so hard about it when it was completely easy to understand.

"Hwa..." Siyeon called softly. "Seonghwa?" She insisted once more, shaking him gently as the boy didn't seem to hear her.

"Hm?" He finally snapped.

"You've been unusually quiet today, I-I...thought something may be happening?" The blonde girl spoke, quite shy in her words as she seemed intimidated by the taller boy's expression.

"I-I...No, I'm alright..." He shook his head, rubbing his face to snap out of whatever trance he was. "Would you mind having a heads up in Art class? I'll go in a minute" he asked, his finger signaling the way to the restroom, to which the girl only nodded and walked away at her own pace.

Seonghwa kept repeating in his head he only needed to wash his face and focus on his remaining classes, just that and he could clear up his mind in his own solitude of his room.

"Hyung!" He heard behind him, a couple steps before even reaching the restrooms.

"Jjong? What are you doing here?" The oldest frowned, looking at all directions after the youngest was on the halls of the last year students, an almost restricted area for students in grades like Jongho's. "Shouldn't you be in class?"

"Well, yes..." He started, a little embarrassed to be reprimanded, but he lifted his head up. "I needed help with something."

"Hm, is that so?'' Seonghwa lifted an eyebrow.

"My class is working on the field instead of the gym today and my teacher asked me to get some of the materials...''

"...And you wanted me to help get them for you?'' The youngest nodded before adding.

"I don't know where the rest of my hyungs are, and I'm too embarrassed to ask the teacher in front of the whole class, please, hyungie'' Jongho making puppy eyes was certainly something impossible to refuse, even more when the kid was always so squishy and adorable even if it wasn't his intention to.

Seonghwa, even if he held his own heart in his hands trying to say no, he could only nod in surrender as he walked behind the younger, looking around in distrust. However, he realized he probably should've listened to his instinct once he picked up some of the materials to hand them to the boy, but before he could even turn around, the door was getting shut close.

He started to panic, knocking on it and letting Jongho know whatever prank he was pulling was not appropriate nor funny, not one bit. On top of it all, the sound behind some of the balls startled him, almost rushing his heart outside his own body before realizing the familiar figure tied up to one of the shelves.

"Oh...Oh my god, Hongjoong is that you?''

"These littles shits!'' The boy grunted, not wasting time to breathe once the tape was taken off his mouth, which startled the taller. "God, they use their brains when it's convenient for them'' He continued as he was getting untied.

"For now I'm just cursing whoever made these doors only accessible to open on one side only'' Seonghwa said, doing his best to somehow force the door open.

Hongjoong wasn't even going to try, he only sighed with both hands on his hips.

"Let's just hope someone needs their P.E materials before we start seeing each other as food.

Seonghwa hated the way he giggled at how witty the comment was.

"Why the hell would they do this?'' The black-haired gave up, frustrated.

"I have my suspicions'' The opposite answered under his breath.

"They took your phone?'' Oblivious, Seonghwa asked.

"Close, but no, I left it in my backpack'' He lamented. "You?''

Nothing but empty taps around his pockets.

"I probably left it in mine as well, must be in art class'' He sighed, closing his eyes as he remembered Siyeon having his belongings. "At least they should've chosen a less stinky place. I can smell all my past generations here''

He sat in any place his butt could find in the darkness of the room, followed by Hongjoong, who sat by his side.

"So...you'd be alright to be locked with me as long as it doesn't stink'' The younger mocked, silently grinning as he saw the opposite's eyes roll in a playful way only he would understand.

"You know what I meant, you idiot'' He answered, sitting straight.

"Oh, then you wouldn't even want to if the smell of the place was one of the best'' Hongjoong continued.

"Oh, come on!'' Seonghwa giggled. "When did I say that? There would be no need to be locked in the first place''

"Sure, obviously'' The blonde nodded in agreement.

However, both their heads went in opposite directions as the giggles died down, almost leaving a deadly silence in between them.

"God, they're so slow'' Wooyoung whispered, rolling his eyes as he pulled back from listening through the wall.

"Where's the rest?'' Yunho asked, the only one present without listening nor peeking through whatever hole Jongho swore he was seeing them from.

"Hyung told me they would all finish later, they might let us know at what time should we open the door.'' The youngest, Jongho, said. Not for a second stopping in trying to focus his right eye on whatever was happening inside.

"So...any plans for birthday? Is getting quite close'' He awkwardly tried breaking the silence.

"Honestly, I have no idea, maybe just a simple hangout with you guys'' Hongjoong shrugged.

"Are you serious?!'' The black-haired apparently did not like the answer at all. "You can literally ask for whatever you want from us! Maybe bake you a cake or something to-...''

Even though the room was dark, Hongjoong could see his friend's bright smile, his eyes full of stars that could illuminate even the darkest room, yet when those eyes crossed his own, it was as if he could feel the universe within him, every given corner of the galaxy could be felt from his heart to his mind. Hongjoong loved that, it only made him want to forget the consequences and commit the sin of kissing him as if he had never done it. He grew addicted to the sweet taste of Seonghwa's lips from that day in the parish, and as contradictory as it may seem, he cannot repent for a second of that.

"Seonghwa...''

"Hmm?''

"Can I kiss you again?''