LUDUS

nine

a month and a half

hwitaek hadn't expected for there to be traffic driving to work, it was only a 10 minute drive and no he didn't just walk because he is an adult with a car. an accident had blocked up one of the main streets and thus causing hwitaek to consider actually getting out of his car and smashing on some hoods but he was not a maniac so he didn't of course. but he was depressed and lonely and had a leftover quesidilla in the employee break room which he didn't eat breakfast for.

he also hadn't been expecting to run in his store with apologies running from his lips to see hyojong.

after so many weeks the man looked different, a new tattoo on his neck but hair still a messy blond. eyes still just as piercing, presence just as alluring as the first time he had stepped in and played with fucking pop-tart boxes. hwitaek was still captivated.

he felt undeniably hurt.

"hey hui, can we talk?" his voice was still so high.

wooseok and jinho were watching them and he glanced at his friends to see their awestruck faces.

and really, hwitaek had nothing to lose.

"okay,"

they didn't move.

hyojung just smiled— that dumbass blond idiot in the movies sort of smile that hwitaek wanted to just feel a twinge of annoyance at but only felt pure infatuation for. it felt like there was nothing to talk about actually; he wanted to skip to the part where they make out again.

"let's go to that restaurant then." hyojung said, walking with a small shrug as he opened the door for hwitaek. a limp in his step— worry blurred out the owner's senses.

"are you okay?" he asked, gesturing to the petite man's legs and the vague images of his head in between them making him hot.

hyojung sucked his teeth. "that's what i wanted to talk to you about... did you know that when you're really high on endorphins you can't feel pain?"

"yeah, there was this kid in high school who cracked his skull jumping down the staircase and didn't even notice there was blood running down his face until he walked into the gym." hwitaek rambled.

walking beside hyojung felt like trying to walk on a tilting ship.

hyojong laughed, "sounds like a charmer."

"...It was me."

more laughter and their shoulders are brushing against one other, pure fire crackling along hwitaek's side like he was made of it.

"well, turns out running to the hospital and after having the best orgasm of your life makes you clumsy." hyojong smiled, hwitaek's breath catching in his throat at the mention of last time. "i fell and dislocated my knee."

"that makes you fall off the face of the earth for almost two months?" hwitaek raised an eyebrow, hostility a whip that actually made hyojong show more than his usual two emotions. the blond stiffened, pausing in his step with a grimace.

"you're right about that... but then a lot more stuff happened." hyojong sounded uneasy to continue. hwitaek couldn't hide his smile.