The Fake Boyfriend (Monsta X)

We Could Date

I walked out of my English classroom and nearly screamed when Changkyun pushed off the wall across the hall, startling me. He chuckled as he draped an arm over my shoulders and steered me towards the door.

"What the hell," I complained and halfheartedly pushed at him. He continued to laugh.

"I need to talk to you," he said once he calmed down.

"About what?"

He looked around and shook his head. "Not here. Can we go back to your room? Will your roommate be there?"

Butterflies took up residence in my stomach. Changkyun never asked to talk to me alone. We never really interacted outside our group of friends. What was he up to? What did he want?

Why was I suddenly so nervous?

"Um, yeah. Alexis shouldn't be back for another hour. Why? What's up?"

"Not here," he repeated, sounding annoyed. Oh boy. What could it be?

My mind spun with outrageous ideas the entire walk to our dorm building. I lived on the second floor; the guys were a floor above me. In fact, Minhyuk, Changkyun, Hyungwon, and Wonho shared a room directly above mine. Shownu, Kihyun, and Jooheon were in the room across from theirs with a guy named Jaehyun we never saw. Apparently, he had a girlfriend who lived off campus.

Changkyun's arm slid from my shoulders as we entered our dorm building. He seemed to get more fidgety as we climbed the stairs and walked down the hall to my room. I glanced at him as I dug out my key and unlocked the door. He raked a hand through his hair and blew out a breath. He glanced around before following me into my room. Because we were on a girl's floor and boys weren't allowed behind closed doors, I shut mine as much as I could without the RA stopping in to interrupt us.

I dropped my bag by my desk and sat in the chair. He dropped his and sat on the edge of my bed, elbows on his knees.

"So, what's up? You're making me a little nervous," I admitted. That got a smile out of him.

"How long have you been in love with Minhyuk?" he asked.

Oh. "How did you know?"

There was no point in denying it. But if he knew.... "Who else knows?"

"I don't think anyone else knows. They're all wrapped up in their own lives. So, how long?"

"Um, two years? I don't know. I just really like him."

I raked a hand through my hair and then clasped my hands in my lap, looking down at them. "It doesn't matter anyway," I added quietly. "He's in love with someone else."

"What if you could make him fall in love with you?"

My head shot up, my face full of surprise. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Wouldn't you rather he was dreaming about you? Don't you want him to fall in love with you?"

I frowned. "I don't know. Why does it matter to you?"

I studied him, noticing the way his fingers fidgeted with the cuff of his sleeve. He wouldn't meet my eyes. This was his suggestion, so....

Wait. "Are you in love with him too?"

His head shot up this time, his cheeks pink. He still wouldn't meet my eyes. I giggled then clapped a hand over my mouth.

"Not with Minhyuk," he said quietly. His eyes finally met mine, begging me to know what he wasn't saying. My mouth opened in a silent O as I realized what he meant—or rather, who.

"Jooheon," I whispered. He nodded. "But how long? Isn't that wrong? Won't that hurt Minhyuk if you try to steal Jooheon away?"

"Minhyuk and Jooheon have been friends the longest out of all of us. If they were going to have a relationship, they would have had it already. Look at Hyungwon and Wonho. They finally got together last year after ages of them pining for each other. Nothing is ever going to happen between Minhyuk and Jooheon. They just don't see it."