Mixed Up | Yeonbin

21. snapped

Yeonjun had been off lately. Everyone in the group felt it, but no one had the guts to bring it up. It's like ever since that night at the club, something inside him just... flipped.

He was snappier now—more closed off. Soobin especially noticed how Yeonjun barely even made eye contact anymore. Which was fine. It's not like Soobin was looking for it. Not after... whatever that club night was.

He didn't want to think about it. About Hyunjin. About Yeonjun's stare burning through him.

He had to stop.

Soobin needed to stop this weird hope that maybe Yeonjun gave a damn. He had Yuna. That's all there was to it. He made his choice.

Soobin started showing up less to group hangs. He wasn't avoiding them exactly—just "busy." Busy trying to move on. Busy trying not to spiral every time Yeonjun walked into a room. He figured the space would help.

But if anything, it made things worse. He heard from Beomgyu that Yeonjun had been a whole different person recently. That he was short-tempered and constantly biting back at the group. But when Soobin was around, it was like Yeonjun became quieter, more withdrawn.

✩ ✦ ✩

Yeonjun was staring at the messages on his phone. Yuna had texted him five times in the past hour, all variations of "Are you okay?" and "I miss you, babe."

He didn't reply.

Instead, he shut his phone off and tossed it to the side of his bed. His head was already pounding. He didn't need Yuna's clinginess right now. He didn't need her at all.

Every time he saw her now, all he could think about was Soobin and Hyunjin at that damn club. His mind wouldn't let it go. The way Soobin looked with Hyunjin hanging on him, the kiss—God, the kiss. It felt like it burned a hole in Yeonjun's mind.

It didn't make sense. Why was he so pressed about it? Why did it bother him so much?

"Dude, you good?" Beomgyu's voice broke through his thoughts. Yeonjun blinked, realizing he hadn't heard a word his friend had been saying for the past five minutes.

"Huh?" He turned his head, barely registering the fact that Beomgyu was sitting next to him, watching him with one of those confused-but-annoyed looks.

"I asked if you're coming to the party tomorrow. You didn't respond like... three times."

"Oh, yeah, uh, sure. I'll be there," Yeonjun muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just—distracted, I guess."

"Distracted by what? You've been in a mood for days, man." Beomgyu's tone wasn't accusing, but there was this slight edge to it, like even he was getting fed up. "Is it Yuna?"

At the mention of her name, Yeonjun's mood soured even more. "No. Not really."

Beomgyu didn't push further, just raised an eyebrow and leaned back, clearly not convinced but letting it go for now. Yeonjun knew Beomgyu could tell something was off, but he wasn't about to spill his guts about something he barely understood himself. Not to Beomgyu. Not to anyone.

"Just drop it, okay?" Yeonjun snapped, sharper than intended.

Beomgyu blinked at him, taken aback. "Okay, geez, no need to bite my head off."

Yeonjun clenched his jaw, guilt creeping up, but he stayed quiet. His temper had been on a short fuse ever since that night.

He could tell it was pissing people off, but what the hell was he supposed to do? Every time he even tried to focus, his mind went back to Soobin.

And then there was Yuna. She'd been all over him lately, practically glued to his side every time they hung out. Yeonjun couldn't stand it. He couldn't stand how she acted like nothing was wrong, how she looked at him with those wide, innocent eyes, when in reality—he didn't even know what reality was anymore.

Was Soobin telling the truth? Was Yuna hiding something? It was getting to him, all these questions circling like a storm in his head.

✩ ✦ ✩

Later that evening, Yeonjun found himself sitting across from Yuna at a café. She had insisted on meeting, saying she missed him and wanted to "reconnect." He didn't have the energy to argue, so here he was, sipping his iced americano while Yuna rattled on about her day.

She didn't notice, of course, that he wasn't really listening. She never did.

"And then I was thinking maybe we could—"

"Why'd you do it?" Yeonjun interrupted, setting his cup down with a bit more force than necessary.

Yuna blinked at him. "Do what?"

"At the club," Yeonjun continued, his voice quieter now, more measured. "Why'd you kiss me like that? Right after I caught you staring at Soobin?"

Her expression faltered for a second before she quickly masked it with a smile. "I wasn't staring at him. I was looking at you."

"You're lying." The words slipped out before Yeonjun could stop them. "You saw me watching him. You did it on purpose."

Yuna's smile twitched, but she held it. "Why does it matter, babe? It's not like you care about what Soobin does, right?"

Yeonjun opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. He couldn't argue. Not without admitting to himself that he did care. Too much.

Yuna tilted her head, that knowing smile still plastered on her face. "See? It doesn't matter."

But it did matter. It mattered more than anything.

______________

a.n.

Making Yeonjun mentally suffer a bit because she picked Yuna over Soobin uwu anywaayyss don't forget to leave a vote guys, they give me validation HEHEHEHEHHE 🫶