STRAIGHTIES - a Stray Kids × Ateez fanfic

INTERMISSION II

Felix couldn't believe his eyes. Han...talking to Seonghwa...smiling. They had never exchanged a word before, never even stood close to each other, and now...Now things were getting a little suspicious and he knew he had to tell Hongjoong about this.

the day after

"So"

Hongjoong started walking around the room in a steady rhythm, his hands behind his back and all, having lost his composure a long, long time ago. Han swallowed thickly and looked at Seonghwa, who seemed awfully calm.

"Do you know why you're here?" Hongjoong asked.

"Uh...no?"

It could't be, no. How could they possibly have found out already? It had barely been twelve hours since then.

"Really? How about you, Seonghwa? Anything you wish to say?"

"I...I don't think so. Why? Did we...do anything wrong?"

Han could't believe the nerve of this man. There was a 99% chance of getting in trouble for dating and he was there ASKING if what they were doing was wrong. Of course it was, on so many levels.

But wait a minute. Why did they have to care about their stupid rules that actively ruined their personal lives? Seonghwa was right, what they were doing wasn't remotely bad and the fact that he had the guts to admit it made Han like him even more than before.

His thoughts were interrupted by Hongjoong.
"Wrong? You have the audacity to say this all the while Felix saw everything." He was fuming again.

"That's right. I saw you chit-chatting like lovebirds yesterday. Care to explain, Han?"

Han clenched his fists and decided that he had had enough. He wasn't going to let anyone bash him about his lovelife. He grabbed Seonghwa's hand and said firmly:

"Yes, Felix. We are dating"

"We are?" Seonghwa spat out.

"I knew it!" Hyunjin suddenly exclaimed, struggling to keep quiet all this time.

"Shut up, Hyunjin" Felix shushed him.

"For how long?" Joong asked in desperation.

"Literally less than a day. Why are you guys so caught up in this?" Seonghwa was starting to get annoyed by the whole situation.

"BECAUSE I WASN'T MEANT TO LET THIS HAPPEN. I WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT ALL OF YOU"
Hongjoong's leader nature took the best of him and he miserably sat on the floor, putting his head in his hands in an effort to calm down. Why, why, WHY was everything going to literal shit?

"A-all of us? What do you mean?" Han was geniunely confused.

"Don't tell me..." Seonghwa looked around the room and something clicked inside his brain. "Oh, ho ho. Now this...is getting hella interesting."

Hongjoong side-eyed him but didn't say anything.

"Ahem"

Hyunjin stepped forward, after a small push from Yunho, and hesitantly said:

"I might have...initiated something yesterday...at the awards"