Don't Listen In Secret || Joshua Hong

second chance

 Author's pov:

some times things look prettier from a distance.

i guess it could be said about them too. from a distance, someone would see a bunch of young people enjoying a really late dinner. cracking jokes, laughing at each other and catching up on life. but it wasn't that simple.

amongst the 5 people, there were 2 who were feeling a heightened sense of uneasiness. they were avoiding each other's eyes, afraid that their vulnerability would be bared by prolonged eye contact.

their was an air of wariness between them. one was afraid of a possible heartbreak, while the other struggled to recognize his growing feelings.

joshua was suspicious of his own judgment. he had felt the butterflies and longing before. but all those beautiful feelings had faded away despite him trying his best to hold onto them and before he knew it, yeri was just a friend once again. 

he could no longer trust his instincts so easily. 

especially when it came to the girl who occupied every corner of his mind these days. everywhere he looked, he was reminded of her. in the falling rain or the glowing moon, she was all he could see. 

and yet ... his thoughts debated with each other, wondering if she ever felt this way for him. 

 it was as if he was given a really difficult puzzle to solve to save his friendships and his hopes at the same time. with mingyu's arrival everything became even more complicated.

mingyu: shua hyung, did you become friends with jihye?

joshua smiled stiffly, unsure if jihye considered him a friend or not. but betting on the sweet moments they had just hours ago, he decided to answer positively.

joshua: i have been hit a lot. so i would say we are friends.

seungcheol: what kind of criteria is that?

jihye: since we had so much fun today. i guess that makes us friends.

jeonghan and scoups shared an amused glance. even though initially jeonghan was reluctant about the whole ordeal, he had started to enjoy his job as the matchmaker. he thought that the awkwardness between joshua and jihye was romantic tension when in reality it was caused by them being unable to read each other.

joshua: coups weren't you going to sing for us?

seungcheol: when did i say that?

jeonghan: ah! i remember it too.

scoups looked between them alternatively. he was sure he never mentioned singing but the other two had cornered him.

joshua: oh and mingyu, you should twerk

mingyu: WHAT?

jeonghan: mingyu is twerking? i am so excited.

mingyu: when did i say that?

joshua: say what?

mingyu: i am going to twerk?

joshua: guys, mingyu said he is going to twerk!

mingyu stared at joshua with resentment and awe. he could never understand when joshua was joking and when he was seriously trying to make him suffer.

mingyu kept bickering with joshua on why scoups was the one who should twerk since he had more suitable body.

jihye: did you guys forget i am here or are you really shameless?

they laughed at the ridiculous arguments and continued the meal as if nothing ever happened leaving jihye amazed by how immune they were to embarrassment.