❤️ Match Fixing ⚽

#4

All evening Hyunjin had been feeling a little irritated the way Felix and Binnie had been looking at each other across the table and smiling and flirting with their eyes. During the 3 months break that he had taken he had managed to convince himself that it was better to put a stop on his one sided crush for Felix instead of jeopardizing their friendship and he ending up losing Felix forever.

Though he had convinced himself the reason he had suddenly ran away that day had been to avoid confronting Felix with his feelings or because he had lost the half wing locket, deep in his heart he knew the real reason, which he was not even allowing himself to think about. Pretending what had happened later that night had not happened.

And yet kissing Minho a few hours ago had been like a slap of realization.

There was an uneasy tightness in his chest which was making him restless. He was pretending to listen to Felix chattering away about one thing or the other, but in reality he wanted to go back to the room and find Minho. Apologies to him for that night 3 months ago and for suddenly kissing him this afternoon.

But at the same time the thought of confronting Minho was sort of scary and nerve wracking. He had been sure Minho wasn't aware of what had happened later that night, but the way Minho had kissed him back this afternoon was making him rethink. Was it that Minho was pretending ignorance and was hatching some plan to get back at him. Or was he totally unaware and the response was just in the heat of the moment.

He heard San call out to Hwa and then he heard Minho's curt reply to Chan and for no reason the tempo of his heartbeat rose a notch.

Minho had suddenly sat down with a huff between Felix and Hyunjin, startling the latter.

Their eyes met for the briefest moment. Minho's filled with anger while Hyunjin's cool and shuttered.

Minho looked away first and turned his attention towards Felix who had shifted to make space for Minho.

Hyunjin glanced at Minho from the corner of his eye.

It wasn't difficult to figure out that Minho might have sat down between him and Felix in a show of temper over the crass way he had kissed him and then left him in the room and walked out.

But now he was looking uncomfortable and tongue tied. Minho had his head turned deliberately towards Felix.

Yunho another football player who was sitting next to Binnie asked Minho something and Hyunjin felt Minho stiffen a little before he replied in monosyllables.

Hyunjin knew that though people thought of Minho as some rude, cold, mean guy he was in fact a very shy person who was very uncomfortable in social gatherings and around people and his savageness was just a defense mechanism to keep people at arms-length.

Minho was starting to feel uncomfortable and a bit agitated. He wondered why he had thoughtlessly given into his anger and squeezed himself between Felix and Hyunjin. The introvert in him was starting to panic at being in such close proximity with other people.

Maybe he should go, he thought to himself as he discreetly swept the table to locate his friends. He tried to catch Hong's attention who appeared to be sitting the closest to where Minho was, but the latter was busy tossing back drink after drink. Han he couldn't locate at all.

He wondered if he should just get up and walk out. He might look a bit foolish doing that, but in the long run it would be better than making a complete fool of himself if he ended up having a panic attack in front of everyone.

Hyunjin sensing Minho's discomfort, hesitantly put his hand flat against Minho's stiff lower back and soothingly rubbed in a circular motion without moving his hand much.