Hate You Love You

Chapter 9

Written by: Mj

Seungmin sat on the bar stool by the counter as he watches Hyunjin move around the kitchen. After Hyunjin's phone call with his mom, which Seungmin was able to hear, the atmosphere between them became awkward.




It was the growling of Seungmin's stomach that broke the awkward silence between them.




With a laugh for a blushing Seungmin due to embarrassment, Hyunjin told that they should go check the kitchen for what they could eat for dinner.




So here they are now, looking for food. Well, it was only Hyunjin who was rummaging in the kitchen, Seungmin is too afraid to touch anything in an unfamiliar house.




"I think we can have kimchi fried rice." Hyunjin said as he brought out a container that contains kimchi from the refrigerator, "with meat as well," he added as he brought out a pack of meat this time.




Seungmin nodded shyly and said, "Anything's fine to me," in a soft voice.




"Do you know how to cook?" Hyunjin asked as he brought out more needed ingredients from the refrigerator.




Seungmin shook his head. "No, but I could still help with chopping and stuff... I could wash the dishes too after," He told as he scratches the back of his neck.




Hyunjin nodded as he got all the ingredients. He got the kimchi, instant rice, sweet onion, garlic, and scallion and looked at Seungmin.




"Go drain and chop the kimchi, heat up the instant rice, and chopped these," Hyunjin gestured to the vegetables, "I'll go prepare the other ingredients for the kimchi fried rice and cook the meat," He finishes, turning around to start working.




Slightly baffled by all the instructions, Seungmin still managed to do what Hyunjin told him to do. He didn't notice Hyunjin checking on him while he chop the kimchi and the vegetables because he was too focused on it and careful not to slip or cut his fingers.





Soon enough, Seungmin was preparing their plates and utensils when Hyunjin finishes the kimchi fried rice. Finally, they sat side by side on the barstools by the counter, both not having the energy to actually move everything to the dining table.




"Thank you for the food," Seungmin told with a smile to Hyunjin who just nodded and said, "dig in,"




Seungmin took a spoonful of the kimchi fried rice followed by a piece of the meat. His eyes widened upon tasting them, they were just simple recipes yet Hyunjin made them so tasty. Seungmin can't help but hum as he continues to eat.




"I-Is it good?" Hyunjin asked hesitantly, he was unconsciously watching Seungmin all this time that he hadn't touched his food yet.




Seungmin turned to him and nodded, beaming as he swallowed the food in his mouth before talking.




"It's really good! I hope I can cook like this," Seungmin told happily as he took another spoonful of rice, "I can't even cook a sunny side up without burning it," He shook his head as he chewed his food.




"Don't talk when your mouth is full," Hyunjin scolded.




"Oh, yeah. Sorry," Seungmin apologize, blushing in embarrassment as he looks away.





Hyunjin smiled upon seeing the younger's action. Realizing what he had just done, Hyunjin was quick to frown and shook his head, looking away from Seungmin to finally pay attention to his own food.




God, what's wrong with me.





They both eat in silence while Hyunjin pondered about what was possibly happening to him. He did talk to Felix about actually knowing Seungmin and being kind to him, but he didn't expect that it would be like this. It seems like whatever Seungmin does or says, amuses Hyunjin and actually affects him in a way he can't explain.




I must be sick, I should go see a doctor some time.




"I'll go wash, you can go back to your room now and do whatever you feel like doing," Seungmin told Hyunjin as he picked up the plates and everything they used for eating to put them in the sink.

"If you say so," Hyunjin shrugged, turning around and leaving the kitchen to go back to his room.




Hyunjin looks around his room as he figures out what to do. His eyes then landed on his open math book on his study table. He walked and sat on his chair as he checked the last item that he can't still answer. He's been reviewing the previous lesson they discussed in math and so far, it was easy, it's just that this one practice item is extra complicated that he can't figure out what to do.




"The answer key says the answer should be negative eight," Hyunjin whispered to himself as he scribble on his notebook, "where the fuck did that come from," He groaned as he got another answer that is not the one that the answer key says.





"What are you doing?"




Hyunjin flinched as Seungmin suddenly spoke over his shoulder, taking a peek at his book. Hyunjin immediately closed his book as he gave Seungmin a glare and an irritated, "none of your business,".




"I'm done answering that practice exercise, and it sucks that the answer key for the last item was wrong. Why even make a book that has the wrong answers? They're just making students stress and confused thinking that they got the wrong—" Seungmin continued ranting about the book, not even noticing Hyunjin's dazed expression as he stares into oblivion.




"Negative 8 was wrong?" Hyunjin asked in disbelief as he scoffed, flipping back on his notebook to get his first answer.




"So the answer all this time is positive 8?" Hyunjin groaned. "Whom the fuck made a typo in a freaking math book," He continued ranting.




"I know right? I was pretty sure I got the right answer, so when I saw that the answer key was different from my answer, I told our math teacher and I was right that it was a typo," Seungmin agreed to Hyunjin.




"You were that confident that your answer was right?" Hyunjin turned his swivel chair to face Seungmin, crossing his arms over his chest.




"Of course, I followed the equation correctly, why would I get it wrong?" Seungmin answered nonchalantly. "Besides, if our math teacher said that the answer key was right then I'm the wrong one, I'm just gonna repeat the process again to get the right answer." He added.




Hyunjin simply glanced at Seungmin, shaking his head, and stood up, defeatingly muttering, "Whatever, you genius freak," as he grabbed a towel and headed to his bathroom.





Seungmin just stood in the midst of Hyunjin's room, blinking in uncertainty as he tried to figure out why Hyunjin's mood had suddenly changed. He just shrugged and took his phone from his backpack, sat at the foot of Hyunjin's bed, and messaged Changbin about his current circumstances, as well as alerting his parents that he couldn't go home tonight.



Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Hyunjin stands under the shower as he thinks to himself how academically incomparable he is to Seungmin. He understands how he's only always second to Seungmin.




"I think I hate myself more than I hate him," Hyunjin whispered to himself as he goes on with his shower routine.



Hyunjin dries his hair with a towel as he went out of the bathroom. He saw Seungmin being busy on his phone, not even noticing him.




"Aren't you gonna shower?" Hyunjin asked.




"I took a shower this morni— what the heck!" Seungmin almost drop his phone when he looked up to see Hyunjin.

"Why aren't you dressed?" Seungmin questioned hysterically as he looked everywhere but Hyunjin who was just in a towel wrapped around his waist.




"I'm used to putting on my clothes here after I shower, so I forgot to bring clothes with me earlier," Hyunjin explained while making his way to his closet.




"T-Then do you have an unused toothbrush? I gotta brush my teeth," Seungmin inquired hesitantly.




"There's an extra toothbrush in the cabinet under the sin—" Hyunjin didn't even finish his words because Seungmin practically dashed towards the bathroom and closed the door immediately with a quick thank you.




Hyunjin raised his brow, shrugging as he proceeded to get into his pajama. He then opened the lowest cabinet of his closet to take out a futon.




Don't get him wrong, it's not like he doesn't wanna sleep with Seungmin on the same bed, it's just that they're not closed in any way and it would surely be uncomfortable for the both of them so he's just gonna prepare the futon where Seungmin could sleep. He originally got the futon for Felix, but his friend prefer to sleep with him on the bed so they could cuddle when Felix sleeps over in the house.




Hyunjin was already on his bed, reading a book when Seungmin went out of the room, an obvious blush on his cheeks. Seungmin turned to Hyunjin when he saw the futon with a pillow and blanket on the floor.




"You prepared the futon? You should've waited for me so I could do it," Seungmin told softly.




"You can fold the futon back and prepare it again if that makes you happy," Hyunjin responded, flicking another page of the book instead of looking at Seungmin.





Seungmin pouted. "Geez, can't you be kind even for a second?" He remarked as he dropped himself on the futon, sighing at how soft it was.




Seungmin checked the time on his phone and it says 8:30 pm. Still too early for Seungmin. Normally, if he's in his room, which is not now since he's staying over at Hyunjin's house, he usually revises his notes or just spends time watching Netflix if he's not too busy. He really can't do any of those in here right now.




Seungmin sighed.




"Can't sleep?" Hyunjin asked.




"Of course, it's still too early, I normally sleep at 10 or 11 when I'm not studying for a quiz or exam," Seungmin answered.




Hyunjin didn't respond after what he said. Seungmin huffed as he grab his phone to play the offline game he downloaded before just in case he don't have internet and gets bored.



Seungmin was closed to beating a certain level when Hyunjin suddenly spoke. Seungmin took a peek of Hyunjin and saw that he was no longer reading a book, instead, just looking at the ceiling even though there's nothing particularly interesting in there.



"Earlier..." Hyunjin started.




Seungmin closed the game and turned off his phone, putting it beside him as he mimicked what Hyunjin was doing, staring at the ceiling, as he listens to Hyunjin.




"When my mom called, you heard everything, right?" Hyunjin continued.




Seungmin hummed. "Yeah, I heard."


"I'm sure you now have an idea why I hate you so much," Hyunjin said with a broken laugh. "It sucks when you're already trying your best yet it's not enough to satisfy the people you want to please."




Seungmin stayed quiet, he didn't dare to say anything and just listen.




"You're so perfect,"



"And I hate you for that,"




That night, Hyunjin was the only one who talk while Seungmin just listens.




Both weren't sure when they fell asleep.