Betting on Love [JEONGCHEOL] ✓

Chapter Eighteen: Closer than before

"Are you avoiding me?" Seungcheol asks, his voice firm as he finally catches up to Jeonghan. He’s been searching for him ever since Seokmin handed over a coffee and disappeared. Something about Jeonghan’s behavior has been bothering him, and the flicker in Jeonghan’s eyes when he saw Seungcheol with Seokmin didn’t go unnoticed.

Jeonghan sighs, meeting Seungcheol’s gaze. "No, I’m not avoiding you. I just needed some time alone," he replies, though his tone lacks conviction.

Seungcheol studies him for a moment, clearly not buying it, but doesn’t press further. "Okay. Did you get enough time now?"

Jeonghan chuckles softly, stepping a little closer. "Yeah, I did."

Seungcheol doesn’t back away, his eyes locking with Jeonghan’s. The air between them shifts, growing heavier with an unspoken tension. For a brief moment, it feels like something more intimate is building, the distance between them shrinking.

But then Seungcheol breaks the gaze and says, "Maybe you should work on your part of the project. It’s due in two days."

Jeonghan rolls his eyes, stepping back with a slight smirk. "I already finished my part."

Seungcheol raises an eyebrow, surprised. "You finished?"

"Now," Jeonghan says with a playful glint in his eye, "how about I take you out?"

Seungcheol blinks, taken aback. "What?"

Jeonghan chuckles, leaning casually against a wall. "You know, to hang out. Grab a bite, maybe."

That’s definitely not what he meant, but as long as Seungcheol believes it, Jeonghan isn’t going to clarify.

Seungcheol hesitates, then nods slowly. "Um... I’ll think about it."

Jeonghan watches Seungcheol's reaction with amusement, his lips curling into a satisfied grin. "You do that," he teases, pushing off the wall. "But don't take too long to decide. I'm not one to wait forever."

Seungcheol rolls his eyes at Jeonghan's playfulness, feeling a strange mix of frustration and curiosity. "I'll text you if I’m free."

"Great," Jeonghan says, taking a step backward as he starts to leave. "I’ll be waiting."

As Jeonghan walks away, Seungcheol finds himself rooted to the spot, watching his retreating figure. His heart thuds in his chest, a little faster than it should, and he's not sure why. He blames it on the moment, on the lingering adrenaline from their conversation, but deep down, it feels different—something he can't quite name.

There’s something about Jeonghan that’s always been unpredictable, an effortless confidence that catches Seungcheol off guard. He’s used to Jeonghan’s teasing, his easy smiles, but today… today felt different. The way Jeonghan had closed the space between them, his eyes locked on Seungcheol’s, it was more intense than usual. For a second, Seungcheol had forgotten where they were, the noise of the world fading out, leaving only the two of them.

And now, as he stands there, watching Jeonghan’s figure disappear into the distance, Seungcheol can’t help but feel a strange pull, something in his chest that tugs him forward. It’s confusing, unsettling even, this unfamiliar feeling that rises every time Jeonghan gets close—like there’s something more to the way his heart races, to the way his stomach twists in knots.

He brushes it off, trying to convince himself that it’s just Jeonghan being Jeonghan—always bold, always pushing boundaries. But the more he thinks about it, the more he starts to realize that it’s not Jeonghan who’s changed.

It’s him.

Without meaning to, without even realizing it, Seungcheol’s starting to wonder if there’s something more between them, something beyond the teasing and the jokes. It’s a thought he doesn’t want to entertain, not yet, but it lingers there, just out of reach, making his heart race all over again.

Shaking his head, Seungcheol forces himself to look away, but the warmth in his chest remains, refusing to be ignored.

Jeonghan, on the other hand, glances back once, satisfied with how the conversation went. He’s determined to make this dare work, and it’s clear Seungcheol is finally starting to feel something—even if he doesn’t realize it yet.

As Seungcheol heads back to the library to study, his mind drifts. Jeonghan’s offer hangs in the back of his head, and despite his initial hesitation, the idea of spending time with him doesn’t seem so bad.

Maybe… just maybe, he’ll say yes.

Later that evening, Seungcheol sits in his dimly lit apartment, staring at his phone. He’s already opened and closed Jeonghan’s contact several times, his thumb hovering over the screen as doubt creeps in. The tension from their earlier conversation still lingers, making him question his next move.

He sighs, running a hand through his hair before finally typing a message.

Seungcheol: Are you free tomorrow?

His heart beats faster the moment he presses send, and he sits there, second-guessing himself. Just when he thinks about putting the phone down, it buzzes with a response.

Jeonghan: For you? Always.

Seungcheol chuckles, the corners of his lips twitching into a smile. Of course, Jeonghan would say something like that. Without thinking much further, he types back.

Seungcheol: Take me out then.

The words leave him before he realizes the weight behind them, and for a moment, he wonders if he’s not just playing along anymore.

A few seconds pass, and Seungcheol’s phone lights up again.

Jeonghan: I thought you’d never ask.

Seungcheol can’t help but smile, the subtle warmth of excitement spreading through him. He leans back on the couch, staring at the screen, trying to keep his cool. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was expecting, but Jeonghan's flirtatious responses always manage to catch him off guard, leaving him in this odd space between amusement and something deeper.

He hesitates, fingers hovering over the keys, before finally typing back.

Seungcheol: Where will we go?

The reply is immediate.

Jeonghan: It’s a surprise. Just dress nice.

Seungcheol rolls his eyes but feels a small flutter in his chest at the thought of spending more time with him. He didn’t think much of their interactions before—Jeonghan was always unpredictable, bold, and slightly overwhelming. But now, he’s noticing things he hadn’t before. The way Jeonghan looks at him, the way his playful teasing feels a little more personal, and how the idea of tomorrow is filling him with anticipation.

He puts his phone down, exhaling deeply, a soft smile tugging at his lips. His mind drifts to tomorrow, and he wonders if maybe—just maybe—there’s more between them than he thought.