University was a strange place in many ways. A brief respite before the responsibilities of being an adult kicked in. It was like being in a massive club. Excitement, freedom (imagined or otherwise), random strangers and loud voices all rolled into a nice little contained academic dance floor.
They made new friends, lost touch with old ones and kept in touch with a few. It was great not having to wear uniforms. They discovered thankfully that they could indeed live together without killing each other.
"What should we do this weekend?" Jeonghan asked cheerfully as he set two cups of coffee on the table. They had both found it difficult to get out of bed before noon. The joys of being university students.
Seungcheol drank the coffee gratefully and then replied, "What do you want to do?"
His lover leaned onto the table and asked mischievously, "Take me out on a date? We haven't seen each other much this week."
That was true since they belonged to different faculties (Jeonghan in languages/linguistics and Seungcheol in economics) and clubs (they couldn't understand each other's choices so had agreed to disagree).
"How about a movie?" Seungcheol suggested.
Jeonghan's face lit up. "You're serious about this!"
Cheol was sometimes still embarrassed by the whole relationship stuff - he was obviously not raised in this sort of environment.
"Fine if you don't want to," he managed.
"I want to go on a date! I don't think we've ever been on one."
Cheol gave him an incredulous look. "What are you talking about?"
"It's not same," Jeonghan insisted. "Oh wow, this is amazing. We need to make it memorable. It's our first date, Ddaddu!!"
"You're crazy Hannie," Cheol shook his head.
"I'm spontaneous,"Jeonghan retorted. "Come on, be serious about this."
Seungcheol resigned himself to listening to the plans forming in Jeonghan's imaginative mind.
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"You seem to enjoy university."
"Yes, it's been awesome."
"Are you sure the flat is suitable?"
"Mom, I'm sharing it with Seungcheol. It's perfectly fine. Don't worry!"
"I see."
Jeonghan held in a sigh as he nibbled through the exquisite slices of beef on his plate.
"Soo-hee, independence is good for him," aunt Sunmi interjected.
"But he is working part-time as well," his mother frowned. "Must you, Han?"
It was his mother's way of making up to him – what she couldn't give in terms of maternal affection, she tried to overcompensate financially. Jeonghan understood that it was also her way of showing love.
"I really like recommending books to customers," he explained. "Besides, it's nice to hang out with my co-workers too."
"He will have to enter the workforce one day," his aunt remarked dryly. "Might as well start now."
"I suppose," his mother lifted an elegant shoulder and took a sip of tea, signalling the end to the topic.
Jeonghan exchanged a helpless smile with his aunt.
Halfway through the courses, his aunt excused herself to go to the restroom. Jeonghan suspected that it was intentional since his mother waited for the door to the private room to close before beginning hesitantly.
"How is your friend? Is he coping well with school?"
"Seungcheol?" Jeonghan was confused. "He's excelling. He's very driven, mom."
His mother paused for a moment, as if to consider her next words.
"That's good to hear. Now that you're both adults, you also need to reconsider the situation."
"What's there to reconsider?" Jeonghan stared at her in surprise. "Mom, you know that-"
"I know," she cut him quietly.
It reminded Jeonghan of the silent agreement in the family. His mother and aunt sunmi knew all about their relationship. Whereas aunt Sunmi has accepted it and only cautioned discretion, his mother chose neither to object nor to approve openly.
"Then what's the problem?" he challenged, feeling irritation beginning to rise.
"You met when you were so young. People change, Han. The world is also not always so accepting."
Her tone was even and her face was impassive. However, Jeonghan saw the slight sheen in her eyes.
His mother was truly worried. Jeonghan felt his anger diminished.
"We'll figure it out," he smiled slightly, trying to reassure her. "If there is trouble, I'll come home, alright?"
She looked at him for a moment and nodded.
Aunt sunmi chose to return to lunch just then. His mother changed the conversation immediately.
Jeonghan exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding.
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"Hey, over here!" seokmin shouted
Jeonghan waved back and went to the table where his friends were waiting. They were meeting at one of the new cafes downtown since they were all in different universities.
"How's life?" mingyu asked right after they've ordered drinks.
others just teasingly grinned at him.
Jeonghan groaned. "Come on, guys."
"now dino is the only one who doesn't have domestic bliss," seungkwan commented and everyone laugh at sulking dino.
He fessed up to his friends just before high school graduation when they were discussing accommodation plans for university. everyone had taken the news with relative calm. They were even supportive from the outset, for which Jeonghan was enormously grateful. Although Joshua continued to abuse him for lying through that one summer at his family's inn.
"You all are in college too," jeonghan shot back. Then he asked. "Where's Jinseo?"
all of them gave each other an awkward glance.
"He's not coming. Busy or something," vernon mumbled.
Jeonghan tried to hide his disappointment. Jinseo had been rather uncomfortable after he found out about Jeonghan and seungcheol. He never said anything about it but ever since then, he hadn't spoken properly to Jeonghan.
"Forget about him,"woozi exclaimed loudly.
"Yeah, he's boring anyway," wonwoo agreed.
"So, back to you. How's life?" Hoshi repeated the question innocently as the waiter placed their drinks on the table.
Jeonghan knew they were trying to make him feel better about Jinseo's distance. Jeonghan waited for joshua to take his first sip.
Then he announced, "The sex is great. Better than at the Joshua's inn, you know."
everyone burst out in laughter as Joshua choked and sputtered.
"You bastard!!!Yoon jeonghan!!"
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FORTUNE!!|| JEONGCHEOL||
Fanfiction"It's a set," jeonghan whispered. "We have to keep them together. Always." The same words. seungcheol remembered how small jeonghans voice was back then. The hope in his eyes. The nervousness in his hands. He also remembered the tightness under his...
