Mixed Up | Yeonbin

32. unknown rival

Yeonjun slouched back in the salon chair, running a hand through his overgrown hair.

He needed something different, something bold to match the chaos of his life lately. The mirror in front of him reflected someone he barely recognized anymore. He was exhausted—emotionally, mentally, and physically—but a fresh look might be the small spark he needed to feel like himself again. Or someone new entirely.

He barely noticed when the door to the styling room swung open behind him. But when he glanced in the mirror and caught sight of the stylist, his heart sank a little.

Of all the people in the world... it had to be Hyunjin.

Hyunjin, the one person he didn't want to be reminded of right now, especially with Soobin on his mind. That kiss between them, the one that had been gnawing at him ever since he saw it...

Yeonjun had been playing it cool, but the moment Hyunjin walked in, all of that unresolved jealousy stirred up again.

Hyunjin, oblivious to Yeonjun's inner conflict, flashed him a bright grin. "Hey! You're my canvas today, huh?"

Yeonjun forced a smile. "Yeah... I guess."

They went through the usual consultation routine—colors, styles, how much to cut—but Yeonjun was barely paying attention. His mind kept drifting back to the one thing he couldn't shake: the image of Hyunjin and Soobin, lips locked in some spur-of-the-moment kiss.

Soobin had brushed it off like it was nothing, but how could Yeonjun believe that when the thought still lingered in his mind?

As Hyunjin started cutting away, the silence between them began to feel unbearable. Yeonjun's fingers drummed nervously against the armrest, trying to push away the question that had been sitting on the tip of his tongue since the appointment started.

But finally, he couldn't keep it in anymore.

"So... you and Soobin," Yeonjun began, his voice a little rougher than he intended. "Are you guys, like, a thing?"

The sound of the scissors snipping abruptly stopped, and Hyunjin's expression in the mirror turned into one of pure confusion. Then, out of nowhere, he burst into laughter.

"Wait, what?! Dude, no! God, no," Hyunjin wheezed, leaning on the back of Yeonjun's chair as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard. "Soobin and me? Hell no. Don't get me wrong, he's cute and all, but no, not my type."

Yeonjun blinked, caught off guard by how hard Hyunjin was laughing. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "But you kissed—"

"Yeah, that was, like, one of those 'in-the-moment, no-brain cells' kind of things," Hyunjin interrupted, shaking his head as if the idea was ridiculous. "Zero feelings. Trust me."

Yeonjun didn't know whether to feel relieved or more confused. "Oh."

Hyunjin smirked, turning back to his work with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Besides, Soobin's got a huge crush on someone else. A serious one."

Yeonjun's stomach dropped. "What?"

"Yep," Hyunjin said, his tone casual, like he was talking about the weather. "But, y'know, not my place to say more." He hummed to himself, running his fingers through Yeonjun's hair to check the length. "Soobin's a sweet guy, though. Whoever he's crushing on is lucky."

Whoever he's crushing on? Yeonjun's mind spun, trying to process what that even meant. Soobin had a crush? On someone else?

The idea is eating at him—who was it? Why hadn't Soobin mentioned this? Was this why Soobin had been acting so weird lately?

He wanted to ask more, press for details, but Hyunjin's carefree energy made it clear he wasn't going to spill. Yeonjun sighed internally, feeling more confused than ever.

Eventually, Hyunjin put the final touches on Yeonjun's hair and stepped back, admiring his work. "Alright, done! Take a look, bro."

Yeonjun glanced in the mirror, and for the first time in weeks, he didn't mind what he saw. His hair was chopped in messy yet intentional layers, bright orange standing out like a neon sign, but it worked. It was bold, just his style, edgy—exactly the kind of change he needed.

"Damn," Yeonjun muttered, turning his head side to side. "This is fire."

Hyunjin grinned. "That's what I do. You look like a whole new person."

Yeonjun chuckled, standing up and running a hand through the wild mess of orange locks. "Thanks, man. Appreciate it."

"No problem! Just remember—Soobin's crush? You didn't hear it from me." Hyunjin shot him a playful wink.

Yeonjun rolled his eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yeah, sure."

Soobin has a crush?

_____________

a.n.

How oblivious can one be?