look after you | hyunin

vii

the two finally arrive at the boba shop. the tense atmosphere has calmed down from how uncomfortable it had been before.

"what were you planning on getting?" jeongin asks curiously. his is mind already set on what he wants while hyunjin scans the menu.

"um- taro milk tea with boba, jisung let me try his one time and i was hooked. what about you?"

"brown sugar milk tea with boba, it's my favorite although i usually get a plain iced americano," jeongin explains.

"really? so do i! it's my favorite."

"my friends always make fun of me for being so obsessed with iced americano," jeongin giggles. "they say it's too bitter and plain."

"something about it is so addicting."

"you get it!" jeongin exclaims, the two giggling in sync.

eventually, the two order and get their drinks before going back out to hyunjin's car. "do you wanna talk about it n-" jeongin begins to ask as soon as the two get settled.

"yeah," hyunjin mutters.

"listen... i'm sorry for bringing it up. i should've chosen a better time to tell you-"

"it's okay."

"are you sure?" jeongin asks. his is tone soft and innocent, his brows furrowed with worry.

"yeah," the older mumbles, fidgeting with his drink straw. "i'm not mad that you told me. i'm a bit hurt and upset that i heard it from you and not him but i'm not mad.

"i just wish he'd told me. it's okay to move on, it's normal and it's apart of the cycle of relationships in your life. i just wish he maybe let me know, like 'hey, dumbass, i'm over you so stop pining over what we used to have' you know?" hyunjin explains.

"you want seungminnie to call you a dumbass?" jeongin snorts, giggling softly.

"that's not what i meant," hyunjin says, rolling his eyes. "i just wish the breakup was more than saying 'this isn't working.' i wish we had a heart to heart. i want to talk to him one last time about this. i want to hear it from him. that way i'll get closure and be able to properly move on."

"i agree, hyung, you guys should really talk about it. i may not know you well enough yet but i can already sense us getting closer and i hate seeing you hurt like you were earlier."

"do you just hand your heart to people like that?" hyunjin asks.

"hyung, what do you mean?"

"are you always so nice? do you always give people your love even if they don't return it?"

jeongin frowns, staring down at his drink.

"i- i didn't mean to sound rude at all, i'm sorr-"

"no, no you didn't, hyung. i was just thinking," the red haired boy says softly. "and... i do. i don't know why. it just comes naturally to me? i hate being an asshole and treating people the way i've been treated so i just... i don't know.

"it started with my childhood friends, then my parents, then any short fling i had with boys who were actually interested in me. and my friends... i treat them the way i've always been wanted to be treated by my parents or anyone in general," jeongin explains.

"that's really sweet... but please, put yourself first sometimes, yeah? giving all you have to people and getting nothing in return can be really damaging. you're important, too."

"on this episode of getting to know hyunjin-hyung... he's insanely corny!" the redhead exclaims.

hyunjin pouts in mock offense. he dramatically looks away like a child not getting their way with a soft scoff.

"that was mean."

"corny isn't always a bad thing, hyung!" jeongin whines.

"i'm just teasing," the older chuckles. "so, what should we do next?"

an idea pops into jeongin's head, though he knows hyunjin won't budge. instead, he grabs the older's phone, shoving it in front of his face to unlock it before going into his gps and entering an address.

"what are you doing, jeongin?"

"something~~" jeongin says.

"give me my phone-"

"here you go, hyung!" the younger beams, placing the boy's phone in the cupholder. "now follow the directions."

"wh-"

"no asking questions, just drive."

double update tonight!! enjoy :)) apologies for slow updates on this book