F L O W E R | seongjoong

s i x

hongjoong walked up the stairs of his apartment complex with a heavy body.

the inspector approved the building and hongjoong could open any time he wanted now.

but why did he feel so dull?

was it because he saw seonghwa with soobin?

he had no right to feel that way as he didn't know the pink haired guy well.

he didn't even know what he did outside of work.

he thought he was selfish for feeling that way.

in reality it felt like a hallway crush to him. the ones you would see every once in a while, or the opposite. suddenly seeing them everywhere you go. the ones you know so little about it. the ones where your stomach turned, and your palms started to sweat every time they would come in sight. but reaching for them was impossible.

he sighed and felt around in his pocket.

he grabbed the box and tapped the top of it making one of the sticks popping out.

he wasn't much of a smoker and only resorted to having a cigarette once a blue moon whenever he felt overwhelmed to let his thoughts leave through the smoke cloud.

he pulled out a lighter and cupped his hand around the flame to block out the wind.

he inhaled sharply and exhaled with a light cough. it's been a while.

"you know those things kill you right," a deep voice spoke out.

hongjoong tilted his head to the direction of the noise, and was met with seonghwa staring straight at him with a frown on his face.

hongjoong chuckled and inhaled once more before burning the ash on his palm.

"doesn't that hurt?" seonghwa asked again.

"i have a high pain tolerance love," hongjoong said.

seonghwa tensed at the nickname with red ears. he looked to the side and stuffed his hands in his pocket.

hongjoong leaned back onto the railing and tilted his head up to the sky.

the wind blew gently across his face, making his hair flow in the wind.

seonghwa looked at him with wide eyes. he looked ethereal.

hongjoong swiped his tongue across his bottom lip to fix his piercing he had on, which was moved by the previous cigarette he had taken.

"i knew I wasn't tripping when I saw pink hair that one night here," hongjoong broke the silence.

"what?" seonghwa asked confused.

"i saw you one night when I was coming home but i thought I was sleep deprived and imagining things," hongjoong said turning his head back to face seonghwa. seonghwa really took in hongjoongs expression. he looked vacant, the blank expression on his face confused seonghwa.

"oh," was all seonghwa said as he was trying to read hongjoong.

"well pretty barista i think it's time for me to head back in," hongjoong said pointing at his apartment door. before hongjoong could go inside seonghwa called out for him.

"wait hongjoong," seonghwa abruptly said.

hongjoong hummed and turned his head to face his direction.

"are you okay?" seonghwa asked quietly, but loud enough for hongjoong to hear.

hongjoong let out a laugh through his nose and shook his head.

"ill be fine," hongjoong said.

"can i come in?" seonghwa insisted. the question threw hongjoong off. he froze in place before contemplating whether to let him in or not.

"sorry, that was sudden ill just see you some other time," seonghwa said with shame. he mentally slapped himself for seeming to invasive and was about to turn around before he felt a hand grab his and pull him into the apartment.

"don't make me feel bad," hongjoong said in a joking manner.

seonghwa gently smiled and looked around the place.

the space looked almost like his only slightly bigger.

the space had a few decorations scattered around. it had an artistic vibe to it.

there was a piano that was by the tv, and a large painting hanging above the couch.

"woah," seonghwa said out loud taking a good look at the painting.

"it's one of my biggest pieces," hongjoong said while taking off his jacket.

"you made this?" seonghwa said in awe with wide eyes, and a gaping mouth.

hongjoong chuckled and nodded.

seonghwas eyes widened once again upon seeing hongjoong without his jacket on, he's never seen him without one so seeing his arms covered in tattoos shocked him.

seonghwa was only able to see the few tattoos he had on his hands and neck but not the ones on his arms.

the neck tattoo was nothing too big, it was marigold flower outline on the side of his neck with very subtle color.

hongjoong had a full sleeve on one arm and a couple on the other.

the one that stood out the most to seonghwa was the one on his bicep that read "no1likeme"

the previous events left hongjoongs head but had gotten reminded after seeing seonghwas hand. he had a wrist band that looked like entry to a festival. his face dropped and he turned around pretending like he was looking in the fridge.

seonghwa took notice of it and was about to speak up before hongjoong said, "water? coffee?" seonghwa opted for water.

hongjoong returned to the living room with the glass and gestured seonghwa to sit.

the air was tense around them. it was awkward and heavy.

"hongjoong," seonghwa began earning the attention of the male. "you don't seem like your usual self," seonghwa said fiddling with the hem of his sleeves.

"you don't know me," hongjoong said. it might've come off as rude in a way, but he meant it. the two of them were strangers.

"i know, but usually your bright but now you just," he paused and gestured towards hongjoongs face, "you look upset."

"you're right about that," hongjoong said crossing his arms behind his neck. it took everything in seonghwas power to not let his gaze wander onto his arms.

"you can talk to me," seonghwa said in a tone that was laced with genuineness that hongjoong has never heard before.

hongjoong looked into his eyes and saw stars.

it felt like the first time you see a constellation in the sky. overturned emotions flowing through his body, feelings you've never felt before. feeling of overwhelming emotions like the first emotions you feel as a child or teenager. seonghwa was truly a star.

hongjoong didn't know why he felt so inclined to this stranger. he felt as if he had known him for years. perhaps they knew each other in a past life.

seonghwa took notice of hongjoongs stiffness, he felt the boy go under intense thoughts.

seonghwa grabbed hongjoong by the bottom of his shirt and pulled him onto his chest.

hongjoong froze.

what?