Trust? - LuWoo ✔︎

Chapter 21

Lucas' hands were shaky, palms sweaty as he made his way to the location Chaemin had instructed to meet him at days after the agreement was made with her. He could almost feel stares on him and he swore his so-called friends had followed him to the destination, somehow having figured out where he was headed.

It didn't matter though. He was going out with Chaemin and there was nothing to fear, for now.

He couldn't see or hear anything, simply focusing on the task of finding a place to wait. As expected from a wealthy person, she had chosen a fancy looking location but surprisingly, it was only the rich aesthetic that made it look pricey when it really wasn't.

He'd wait for her and just hope he wouldn't freak out for no reason.

The entire ordeal was nearly unsettling to him. Nearly. But knowing that he was with someone that he didn't like made it worse and though he desperately wanted things to be different, the recurrence of the problematic people around him and the small nagging at the back of his brain saying his parents would hate him and cut him off from their life made him force himself to be there and try to be calm.

"Hey, Lucas, I'm glad you made it," Chaemin called out, Lucas blinking into reality upon seeing her,

He could admit, she was stunning but that could hardly matter.

"Hello. You're looking nice," Lucas decided to compliment, realizing it wouldn't hurt.

"Thanks very much, you're looking quite nice yourself."

And a silence settled, Lucas feeling horribly awkward as Chaemin tapped her foot on the floor nearly impatiently, making the male feel almost embarrassed that he didn't know how to entertain and right when he was about to ask her the most random ass question, his eyes caught something that made his words freeze in his throat.

Walking in was no one but that fucker Euntae clinging onto Jungwoo. He saw fire, stars, glitter, whatever the hell sparkled brightly but it didn't matter because he saw it all.

"What the fuck?" Lucas whispered, his hands gripping the sides of his thighs tightly and he remembered, he had no reason to feel that way. Jungwoo wasn't his and he wasn't for Jungwoo. No hard feelings were allowed because it was all his fault. He could date whoever he wanted.

"What?" Chaemin asked, pretending she didn't know what made him react that way. Lucas shook his head to signify to ignore him but she knew and though she had intended to make it a smooth beginning, she couldn't help it. She had to get right into it. "Yknow, Lucas, you can speak to me. I'll help."

"What're you talking about?"

"Lucas, I really want to call Jungwoo my best friend but I'm not sure if he sees me like that but, I know. I know what happened between you two and, what's it been? A few days? A few weeks? Only a week? I don't know and I don't particularly care about the length but I do care about you two being happy together," Chaemin chattered, bringing herself to take a deep breath. "And I want to help."

“I don’t think you can. It’s too late. He’s probably found himself someone else. Someone better.”

A stinging feeling tingled on Lucas’ cheek, a slap had been placed but it wasn’t harsh. It was kind of like a wake up slap to force him to look at what he was saying instead of a bitch slap. It didn’t hurt but it sure as hell woke him up.

Lucas could only stare at her for a moment before breaking his gaze to look at the pink haired and he could feel his insides shatter. He could see the forced laughter, the way Jungwoo picked and pushed the appetizer the waitress had brought, refusing to eat, he could see the tired eyes, the rumpled hair, and the hurt.

They had been best friends before they had been something more and mayhaps not being close to him really was what had hurt them most. The fact that he couldn't even play a card game with the usually bright yet shy male.

It all hurt deeply but he realized, Chaemin had appeared willing to help and if she could somehow make his worries disappear in some god-like miracle, he'd accept.

“I’ll help,” she insisted and really, Lucas had to agree because there was no other way for himself.

"Okay. But there probably still isn't anything you can do."

And she had told him she'd listen to his troubles and see what she could do and that's what he did. On and on he told her about the so-called friends he had made and the threats they gave, he told her about his own parents and his fear of being rejected, he told her about his love for Jungwoo, and she listened in return.

So as Lucas spoke, Chaemin's mind churned to make what she had planned come to light and on the other side of the room, Jungwoo watched in pain in his chest.

Euntae, in all his excitement, had begun to rattle off to Jungwoo about all that he could, knowing it'd probably be a one time thing. He hadn’t been stupid to not notice Lucas upon entering nor about the way Jungwoo kept glancing at him and in a way, it was almost unnerving but hey, here was his once in a life time opportunity.

Jungwoo seemed to simultaneously be listening to him while nodding his head every now and then, but also ignoring whatever he said with the way he pushed his food as if it were disgusting before glancing up to look at Lucas on the other side of the room. One hand held a napkin as fingers absentmindedly crumpled and smoothed it out again on his thigh.

"Have you- you ever tasted charcoal soap?" Jungwoo suddenly asked, interrupting whatever the hell Euntae was saying.

For a while, he seemed to think Jungwoo was stupid for asking such a random question but then he pushed it away and he beamed.

"Actually, yeah! Once I tasted it and it tasted like-"

Jungwoo stopped listening. He knew what it tasted like but if he allowed Euntae to rattle off about something that he knew everything about, there would be a higher chance he'd understand what he was talking about once he snapped back into reality from subtly watching Lucas and hoping Chaemin would fix his problem.

But then, half way through sulking to himself, he realized something. He was technically cheating, wasn't he? Yeah, they weren't together but mentally, they were. Both could agree to that and though Jungwoo clung to that more than Lucas, it hurt all the same. No matter how he looked at it, he brought himself to the same conclusion, in his heart, although not literally, he cheated. Cheated on Lucas just like the way he'd always cheat in Uno. All he was, was a cheater.

The thought alone was enough to make himself want to leave. He had served his purpose. He had arrived with Euntae with the intent to make Lucas jealous and whether it worked or not, he had had enough time out of the house. He had Mr Fuzzy at home. The only one who wouldn’t abandon him no matter what and more than anything, snuggling up to the stuffie seemed like the best thing to do for that evening.

Wordlessly, Jungwoo arose from his seat, throwing Euntae an apologetic look before patting his shoulder and thanking him for his time although it probably hadn't been anything what the male had been hoping for.

Unbeknownst to Jungwoo, Euntae thought the short time together was better than he hoped and he'd never complain again. He'd live happily now.

Jungwoo made his way out, Lucas' eyes trailing him and Chaemin simply gauging his reaction.

As expected, his eyes held hurt and longing.

She'd use her cousin, Taeyong, and hopefully by the time she was done, the Earth would be a better place.