Oneiric Tryst

27. At First Sight

By the time San texted Hongjoong that he had collected Wooyoung and was on his way, the man still stood in front of his closet. He had gnawed his lips raw with anxiety and couldn't help but scratch at his neck the whole time. His skin there had reddened angrily by now, and when he glanced at his phone and saw time running out, it just got all the worse. In a panic, he searched through the clothes he had been digging through for over an hour now, as if waiting for something new to appear there that would please his perfectionism.

He had got far enough that his legs were dressed in black jeans by now. The rest remained a mystery.

In a hurry, since San would be there in fifteen minutes, Hongjoong wracked both his brain and his closet. Usually, he never had trouble finding an outfit that fit his fashion sense, but his need to impress Seonghwa was impaired by the fact he couldn't just dream up clothing as he wished here.

Hongjoong wanted to sob and curl up on his bed. The fear that Seonghwa would lose interest had gnawed on him all day long and robbed him of his appetite and sleep.

When Hongjoong heard a car honk outside, he decided on a whim. He threw on a white shirt and a black jacket, accidentally reminiscing about the outfit he had worn on their date in Edinburgh. He slipped into his shoes and grabbed his wallet and phone before he stormed outside.

San waited in his car, currently jamming to the music that thrummed through the doors. Wooyoung at his side was entirely into it, and Hongjoong already dreaded the incoming headache.

When he crawled into the backseat, San threw him a brilliant smile. His dimples normally worked wonders in alleviating the pressure on Hongjoong's shoulders, but this time they merely elicited a weak smile from him.

"Hi, Hongjoong," Wooyoung grinned, too. His boyish smile was understanding as he turned down the music. Drained, Hongjoong slumped against the door at his side as they took off. San checked on him through the rearview mirror from time to time.

"Don't worry too much, captain. We'll be there to mediate."

Hongjoong's fingers cramped together in his lap.

"Maybe that's his dilemma," Wooyoung jested.

The two boys in front did their utmost best to lighten the mood and pressure on Hongjoong. He appreciated their attempts a lot, even if they couldn't entirely calm him.

The second they pulled onto the gravel of the parking spot behind the shelter, his heart jumped out of his chest again. Seonghwa was there already, he was actually there. He leaned against his black car with his back to them, not looking up from his phone.

Hongjoong was seconds away from a panic attack.

Desperately, he tried to regulate his breathing and remind himself that this was just Seonghwa. The same sweet man he had fallen for in his dreams, and his utmost source of happiness recently.

Wooyoung cheerfully waved at him when they rushed past so San could pull elegantly in a parking spot two lots away. Hongjoong eyed the leg space around his feet, wondering if he should duck there.

When Seonghwa put his phone away to watch them arrive, Hongjoong dodged his curious eyes. Instead, he met Wooyoung's comforting gaze.

"Hey. We're right here. I'm close to him, so don't be afraid to tell me if you need me to take over. He won't be mad." The man reached back to squeeze Hongjoong's leg comfortingly. Hongjoong took a deep breath and nodded. From his peripherals, he could spot Seonghwa coming closer slowly.

He reminded himself not to go too crazy. They were close. They had sex with each other on mutual terms. Hongjoong could do this.

San and Wooyoung emerged from their seats first. Both of them hollered greetings at Hongjoong. In the distance, a few dogs barked back in response.