smoke ° sunric

eleven

Unedited

°•°🌱°•°

Haknyeon sat at the table with his friends, noticing how different the air was.

"What is wrong with you guys?"

Juyeon glanced up stabbing his salad, Eric just let out a sigh. Haknyeon let out a huff, irritated.

"Everything okay here?"

"Younghoon? Don't you work in the kitchen," Haknyeon asked.

Younghoon nodded, "yeah but Hyunjae called out and Sunwoo is in the kitchen."

Haknyeon asked, "can I get a dessert? My friends need a little push."

Younghoon nodded before leaving. Haknyeon looked at his friends, Eric didn't even order anything this time.

"You guys better start talking, I have so many secrets to blackmail you guys with," Haknyeon said waving around his phone.

"Sunwoo is avoiding me."

"I kissed Hyunjae."

Eric and Haknyeon turned to Juyeon, "you kissed-"

"Shhhhh, not everyone needs to know," Juyeon said, raising his voice a bit.

"I need details," Haknyeon said.

"I went to join the team and just too many bad memories came back. I was angry and he tried to stop me, it just happened. I told him to leave me alone," Juyeon said.

"Wait, I think I'm the only one that doesn't know what happened between you and you know who," Eric said.

Juyeon shrugged, "I don't really talk about it. Hyunjoon was my best friend, my little brother. I practically raised him, he was young and I was his dance coach and guardian. A company scouted him and I was very proud of him, supported him in every way I could. Hyunjoon hurt his knee and he had to undergo surgery eventually but the company forced him back to work. There wasn't anything I could do, he wasn't allowed to contact me. Eventually, he felt like he was alone and had enough."

Eric pulled his friend into a hug, "it's not your fault, you did what you could."

"I sued them, but if I never let him go it would have never happened."

Haknyeon sighed, "Juyeon if you kept him from dreaming you would have killed him, you let him live and that's beautiful."

Juyeon sniffled, "I just get so emotional when someone mentions him and I can't control it."

"I think you should apologize to Hyunjae when you feel a bit better," Haknyeon said.

Juyeon sat back up his chair and nodded, "yeah, I was harsh on him."

Eric patted his back, "know what would make you feel better? Dessert."

Juyeon laughed a bit wiping his face, "you going to talk about why Sunwoo is avoiding you?"

"Well, I don't know why?"

Haknyeon watched the dessert get set down on the table, "maybe he's distancing himself."

"Why would he do that?"

"Do you like him?"

Eric nodded, "well yeah."

Juyeon shook his head at his dumb friend, "well them make him yours, if you guys are closer than just normal friends maybe he doesn't feel comfortable cause it isn't official."

Eric sat back, "that kind of made sense."

"Wait they kissed," Haknyeon asked.

"They even slept together," Juyeon whispered.

Eric hit his friend, "how did you know that?"

"Wait you guys did," Juyeon said.

Eric covered his face, "don't say anything, we were drunk."

"Oh My God! That day, you guys, no wonder he's acting like that," Haknyeon said.

"What do you mean," Eric asked.

"You guys slept together, aren't dating obviously he's confused on whether you actually like him or not. Sunwoo is waiting for you to say something," Haknyeon said.

Juyeon nodded, "I walked in on them one day."

Eric hit Juyeon, "shut up!"

Juyeon laughed, "listen just confess, you liked him forever."

Eric groaned, "I know, just leave me alone I'll figure it out."

Haknyeon rolled his eyes, "eat your part of the dessert or I'll eat it for you."

Eric pulled the dessert towards him, "back off."

°•°🌱°•°

Juyeon messed with his straw, holding a smoothie. The silence was unbearable but neither wanted to break it. Juyeon knew the other was uncomfortable, knowing that he was closer to his best friends.

Juyeon cleared his throat, "So Sunwoo, why did you invite me out?"

Sunwoo wiped his sweaty palms on his thighs," I uh, guess just needed someone to talk to."

Juyeon perked up a bit by that, he put his drink down on the table and leaned forward, "why didn't you go to Eric?"

Sunwoo scratched the back of his neck, "because it's about him."

Juyeon nodded with a small smile, "I'm listening."

"So, I don't know if you knew but, I have anxiety. Eric has helped me a lot with making me feel more comfortable while I'm out in public, places with traumatic energies turned to positive memories. I just don't know how to thank him," Sunwoo said.

Juyeon almost frowned not hearing the male admit that he liked his friend, "Haknyeon and I knew, Eric really took his time to educate us to help and make you feel more comfortable. Small things like Haknyeon and I not sitting too close to you or when I go and ask the people at the counter questions for you. Maybe you weren't aware but we will always be there for you and love having you around."

Maybe that was the first time he saw Sunwoo smile like that to him, it was precious.

Sunwoo took a breath, "to be honest, I really appreciate you guys."

Juyeon smiled, "don't worry about us, you should thank Eric."

Sunwoo looked down, "I just don't want to let him down, so much has happened between us already."

Juyeon nodded, "Don't worry about that either, I'm sure no matter what you decided to do for him. He will appreciate it because it will be coming from some he truly cares about and loves."

Sunwoo had a small blush come to his cheeks, "thank you if I need your help will it be okay to come to you again?"

"Sunwoo are you kidding? Haknyeon and I will not care, you can come to us whenever you want, you are our friend!"

Sunwoo smiled liking the sound of that, he had friends. real ones.