❄ Cold Relations ❄ [SEVENTEEN] ✓

Chapter 3: Nitpicking (i.e. Joshua's "It Don't Breakeven")

A couple drinks later, and they were all laughing at the slightest provocation. All but three of them, that is. Hoshi and The8 refused to touch the stuff and were off in the corner, trying to figure out why the jukebox wasn't working. Joshua, on the other hand, was still at the counter, his eyes distant, as he stirred a glass of water with a straw. Jun saw his next victim.

"How 'bout a drink?"

"No thank you," Joshua said politely. "I don't drink."

"What a better time to start than right now?" Jun studied him carefully. "For you, I'd recommend something light and American: a beer. Something your weak stomach can handle."

Joshua turned his head, accentuating his unique jawline. "I don't want a drink," he said calmly, "but thanks anyway."

Jun was ready to persist when S.Coups decided to step in. He could sense the tension between them and came to Joshua's aid before it could escalate. "Leave him be, Jun. If he wants a drink, he'll ask for one. Leave it at that."

"Sure thing," Jun scoffed, as he retreated to the far end of the bar. Within seconds, he had rejoined the inappropriate conversation breaking like waves over there.

"You okay?" S.Coups's face softened, though he spared Hong Jisoo his tender brown-eyed gaze.

Without looking up, Joshua shrugged. "I guess so. I just... I hate it when they make fun of my beliefs. I can't help it, you know. It's who I am."

"Jun was in the wrong," S.Coups said firmly. "And I agree that no one should ridicule what another person believes. When they do... it makes them seem a little less human."

Joshua's cat eyes crinkled at the corners. "You really get me."

"I'm your friend. What do you expect?"

"Thanks, Coups. For everything."

"No problem. And just remember that they don't mean it. Jun, he's just..."

"...Jun," Joshua finished.

"That's right—"

"HEY, GUYS!" Hoshi bellowed. Dodging the obstacles in the room, he came sprinting towards the counter. "WE GOT THE JUKEBOX WORKING!"

Woozi wrinkled his nose, his tone sprinkled with sarcasm. "What took you so long? Did you forget to plug it in?"

Hoshi paused, regarded him with a blank stare, and then said unconvincingly, "Of course not."

Woozi rested a hand over his eyes. "I swear that the more time passes, the more I rethink my career choices."

"It's too late," DK said cheerfully; he wrapped an arm around a distressed Woozi's shoulder. "You're stuck with us now!"

"Don't remind me."

"Any requests?" Hoshi asked eagerly; he was literally bouncing on the ball of his heels.

"'Breakeven, Breakeven, Breakeven!'" Seungkwan chanted.

Joshua's eyes widened with recognition of the first song he had learned to play well on guitar. "You guys told me you hated that song. I even stopped playing it because you complained so much."

"I don't know where you got that idea," Mingyu said innocently.

"It's a pretty good song," Woozi said, pursing his lips, "despite the fact that I didn't write it."

Mingyu snickered and gave Woozi a high-five. "Good one. Come on, Minghao. Play it already."

"I'm trying to find it now," The8 replied. "Who's the artist?"