Love Contract | haobin

Twenty-Nine

"Good morning." Zhang Hao tells Ricky's who's in the backseat and Jiwoong and Matthew who are in the front.

"Good morning." They all say back.

"Wow, you and Hanbin aren't going to see each other for just a few hours. Why do you act like it'll be for days?" Ricky laughs.

"That's how you know they're so in love." Jiwoong tells them. "That's how people act."

Zhang Hao can't help but blush. "There's a new couple in our friend group though, so it's not just me and Hanbin."

"Wait, really? Who?" Matthew asks, curiously, as Jiwoong starts driving.

"Me and Gyuvin." Ricky tells him.

"Woah, really? I mean... it was kind of obvious you two-" Matthew ends up stopping himself, remembering Jiwoong is here too. He's Ricky's ex, so he wouldn't want to make this awkward. "I'm really happy for you and Gyuvin."

"Thanks." Ricky smiles and Matthew glances at Jiwoong who looks unbothered.

Ricky and Jiwoong broke up not too long ago. Matthew doesn't know how they were able to get over each other so fast... and how could they so easily stay being friends? He barely got over Hanbin a few weeks ago after liking him for so long. How could Ricky and Jiwoong get over each other in just a few weeks?

"By the way, happy birthday, Zhang Hao!" Ricky gives him a small hug, making Zhang Hao look at him with a confused look.

Wait, what?

Today's his birthday?

Wow, how could have Zhang Hao forgotten today was his own birthday?

"Oh, thanks." Zhang Hao smiles even though he's so confused right now. How could he forget?

"Happy birthday, Zhang Hao." Matthew and Jiwoong tell him and Hao thanks them as he picks his phone up to check the date. Wow, it's really his birthday today.

He just realized he never told Hanbin when his birthday was, so he doesn't expect him to know his it's today anyway.

"Wait, so where are we going?" Zhang Hao looks around once Jiwoong parks the car somewhere.

"Oh, we're going to the mall." Ricky tells him.

"Well, okay." Zhang Hao just nods, not questioning it, as they start walking over to the mall's entrance.

Jiwoong quickly rushes to open the door for Matthew. "Oh, thank you, Jiwoong." Matthew smiles and walks into the mall as the others follow behind him.

Ricky and Zhang Hao walk into a store and as Matthew was about to follow them in, Jiwoong stops him. "Have you been okay?"

"Yeah, of course. Why do you ask?" He smiles.

"It's just... the Woojae guy... did he leave you alone?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it, Jiwoong. I haven't seen him since that day. I think he's scared of you." Matthew jokes. "I wasn't even able to tell you that day, but you looked really cool."

"Really?" Jiwoong can't help but smile and Matthew nods.

"Thank you for not thinking of me differently after everything he said. I know it must've seen like I'm a bad person."

"You must've had your reasons. He's clearly the bad guy."

"But are you okay?" Matthew asks him and Jiwoong just looks at him with a confused expression. "Since Ricky moved on..." Matthew clarifies.

"Oh..." Jiwoong doesn't know what to say. He and Ricky were never in a real relationship, but they had agreed to not tell anyone about it. "Yeah, don't worry. The breakup was a mutual decision. I'm happy he has moved on."