SECRET EMBRACE | Jeonghan X Joshua | JiHan

TWELVE

That evening, Jeonghan lay sprawled across his bed, his phone resting beside him as he scrolled aimlessly through his social media feed. His mind, however, kept drifting back to the unreadable look Joshua had given him earlier and the lack of a reply to his message.

There was a challenge in Joshua's indifference, a puzzle that Jeonghan couldn't resist. He grabbed his phone and opened the group chat for the physics project, staring at Joshua's last message. With a sly grin, he started typing.

Meanwhile, Joshua sat at his desk in his apartment, meticulously going over the slides he had been preparing for the presentation. He preferred to work alone, away from distractions, but his phone buzzed again, interrupting his focus.

It was another message from Jeonghan.

@Yoonjhan_n

Hey

Any updates on the slides?

Just checking in to make sure we're on the same page

Joshua frowned. This wasn't Jeonghan's usual playful banter; it was straightforward and to the point. Reluctantly, he set aside his work and replied.

@Josh.hong

I'm going thru them.

Will send you the draft by tomorrow morning.

Jeonghan, lying in bed, smirked when he saw Joshua's response. He wasn't sure why he enjoyed pushing Joshua's buttons so much, but there was something fascinating about the way Joshua tried so hard to remain unaffected. Now jeonghan knew how to play with Joshua.

He quickly typed back.

@Yoonjhan_n:

Great.

Let me know if you need help.

We're running outta time

Joshua sighed when he saw the message but didn't reply. He knew that the deadline was near the corner. Since it was already Thursday, they had left only three days.

---

The next morning, the campus was buzzing with activity. Students were rushing to classes, chatting in groups, and carrying books and laptops.

Joshua arrived early, his bag slung over his shoulder as he headed to the library to print out some notes. He was busy with his studies. He'd already decided to work on the presentation separately from Jeonghan, even if deep down, he knew working together would make things easier. But this was Jeonghan, afterall. and the idea of sitting together, hashing things out, felt more complicated than it was worth.

As he passed the cafeteria, he spotted Jeonghan near the entrance, lounging with his usual group of friends. Jeonghan, always the center of attention, had his friends laughing at something he'd just said.

The moment Jeonghan saw Joshua, his eyes lit up mischievously. Without hesitation, he waved dramatically, drawing even more attention.

"Joshua!" Jeonghan called out, his voice carrying across the room.

Joshua froze for a fraction of a second, debating whether to respond. Finally, he nodded curtly, his expression neutral, and continued walking.

Jeonghan's smirk deepened as he leaned back in his chair, clearly entertained by Joshua's cool dismissal.

----

"WOAH, WOAH, Woah! What just happened??" Mingyu exclaimed, clapping his hands in exaggerated amusement as he followed Joshua with his eyes, who had just walked out of the cafeteria without sparing Jeonghan another glance.