“Yes, I landed safely, and yes, I’m fine, Bran. Geez, you worry like a mom…” Joshua’s voice carried a teasing lilt as he glanced at his phone, Brandon’s video call flickering on the screen.
He navigated the stairs effortlessly, his gaze bouncing between the steps and his friend.
“You brat! I’m just worried about my best friend!” Brandon’s voice boomed through the crackling connection. Joshua chuckled, collapsing onto the couch, setting the phone a few feet away.
“I know,” he said softly, watching as Brandon’s face pixelated, the weak signal blurring his features.
“You should’ve come, you know. It’s fun here…” Joshua’s tone shifted, a playful edge underlined with something quieter. Brandon stiffened, a flash of unease crossing his face.
Seoul.
It was fun—until it wasn’t.
Until a certain bodyguard decided that leaving without a word was a better option than saying goodbye. John, who never bothered to inform him, left Brandon to hear it second-hand from Joshua.
Maybe John just didn’t care. Maybe it was only Brandon wasting his thoughts on someone who wouldn’t spare him any in return.
“LA suits me just fine,” Brandon finally said, his voice tight, unwilling to crack. Joshua fell silent, his expression shaded, blonde strands tumbling into his eyes as he leaned closer.
“Do people get stupid when they like someone?” Joshua asked, brow arching with casual mischief. Brandon shot him an offended look.
“Excuse me?”
Joshua rolled his eyes. “You’re not fooling anyone, Bran. You like John. I could set you up, you know? Nicolas is a bitch anyway.” Joshua wiggled his eyebrows, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Brandon scoffed, his eyes darkening, a mix of anger and something unsaid flickering beneath the surface.
“I have zero interest in chasing after some guy who thinks disappearing is okay but loves to play hero whenever it suits him. I don’t like him, and I sure as hell don’t like his cold, pretentious ass. John can go fuck himself.” Brandon’s words were sharp, his expression stony.
Joshua’s smirk widened, his eyes narrowing with a knowing glint. “You actually like him.”
Brandon’s cheeks flushed red as he flipped both middle fingers up at the screen. “I don’t. And fuck you, Hong.”
Joshua just grinned, eyes gleaming with the secret they both refused to speak aloud.
Brandon’s angry gestures filled the screen, his frustration spilling over the poor connection. Joshua merely leaned back, his expression settling into something softer, more knowing.
The kind of look that only came from seeing through a friend’s bravado, right down to the feelings they were desperate to bury.
“You can lie to yourself all you want, but you’re not fooling me, Bran,” Joshua said, his voice carrying that infuriating mix of sass and sympathy.
“You like him, even when he’s being a cold, unapproachable bastard.”
Brandon’s jaw clenched, his hands fisting in his lap where Joshua couldn’t see.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered, eyes darting away from the screen, unable to meet Joshua’s piercing gaze.
“Right.” Joshua’s tone dripped with sarcasm, but his eyes softened as he watched Brandon’s guarded expression.
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Arrange Devotion | SS
FanfictionBOOK #2 They say love heals scars, but Seokmin's scars were lessons-bitter reminders that twisted him into a creature of darkness. His life was a series of brutal lessons that shaped him into someone who burns with an unquenchable fire. Protecting...
