Monsta X One Shots

2. Competition // JooKyun

Two o'clock in the morning. It is the time when the sky is darkest and the moon is fullest and the bugs are noisiest...

Two o'clock in the morning. And Jooheon is wide awake lying on his bed worrying about things he shouldn't be worrying about as a college student.

Why am I so average?
Why can't I be more handsome?
Or more intelligent?
Why can't I be the one that gets surrounded by people everyday?
Why am I such a coward?

At that last thought Jooheon groaned in frustration and pulled the blankets over himself as if it wasn't already dark enough. He had a test tomorrow and he does not want to fall asleep midway like last time.

It's only two more weeks before summer, and Jooheon couldn't wait to get out of the hellhole and graduate.

But at the same time he doesn't want to say goodbye to his long time crush.

His crush who doesn't like him back.

Changkyun.

-

"Time's up, put your pens down and keep quiet until all papers are collected by the teachers."

Jooheon stretched after the two-hour long Business test. He thought he aced it. After the teacher came to his seat and took his paper, he stole a glance at Changkyun, who was only a few seats away.

The young one was smiling at someone else. And that someone else turned out to be Yoo Kihyun.

Jooheon felt his blood boil, and this isn't even the first time. He noticed the way Changkyun called Kihyun "hyung" differently. He noticed the weird glances and encouraging smiles they share every lesson. He noticed Kihyun's every interaction with Changkyun: hugs, hair ruffling, you name it.

Once everyone's papers were collected, Jooheon packed his stuff and left the examination hall.

"Jooheonie!" The one and only Minhyuk shouted right next to the poor scardey-cat's ear, causing him to jump into the air.

"What?" Jooheon mumbled, staring holes into Kihyun and Changkyun's back as they walk away together.

"Nothing, I just want to eat lunch with you... Hey why are you looking at Kihyun like you wanna eat him?" Minhyuk asked with innocence.

Jooheon sighed and just headed to the cafeteria. Unfortunately, a certain pair took up their usual spot. Minhyuk stopped walking, and followed Jooheon's gaze to the duo whom he call ChangKi. He looked back and forth between the table and Jooheon, and as if he finally understood something, he pulled Jooheon to the nearest vacant table.

"You got serious competition there, Jooheon." Minhyuk said, as he started to unpack his homemade lunch.

"Thanks for pointing it out." Jooheon muttered. He's so angry, but not because of Kihyun. He's angry with himself for not being good enough.

For most of their lunchtime, Jooheon and Minhyuk watched Changkyun and Kihyun feeding each other pieces of Kimchi and laughing like boyfriends.

-

The bell rang to signify school's end.

Jooheon slung his backpack over his shoulder and made a beeline to the school gates. Just as he was about to bid goodbye to the security guard, he heard his name being called out.

"Jooheon! Jooheon, wait up!" Jooheon turned his head to see Kihyun being drenched in sweat and panting like a dog.

Jooheon was shocked as they weren't even good friends, but he waited patiently for Kihyun to catch his breath. After all, Kihyun was a senior.

"Do you have time? I need to talk to you." Jooheon raised an eyebrow in confusion, but before he could refuse Kihyun pointed at a brown haired kid who was leaving. "It's about him. Changkyun, right?"

-

"Are you mocking me?" Jooheon didn't like Kihyun much in the first place, but now he dislikes the older even more.

"You should tell him how you feel."

Kihyun's obviously captured Changkyun's heart one way or another already, so the only reason he would say that to Jooheon would be to mock him, right?

"No I'm not. I've seen the way you look at him. And we both know our college days are ending quickly. Don't you want to at least confess so you don't regret?" Kihyun said, face serious and all.

"Well of course I want to, but you are stopping me."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you guys are dating aren't you?" Jooheon said, starting to be unsure of himself.

Kihyun burst out laughing and he couldn't stop until the café waiter had to quiet him down.

"Are you serious? He's three years younger than me. Plus, I have a boyfriend already."

Jooheon had his jaw hanging open but no words came out. "Really?!" is basically written all over his face.

That night, along with Kihyun and his boyfriend Hyunwoo's help, Jooheon was able to get Changkyun to meet up with him at the school fountain on the last day of school.

-

"Bye~"

"I'll miss you!"

Students are crowded around the entrance saying their final goodbyes. Jooheon styled his hair so his bangs were parted to two sides of his forehead, and he's leaning against a tree nervously waiting for his crush to arrive.

"Hyung?" A quiet yet deep voice sounded, and immediately Jooheon stood straight up.

"Changkyun! Over here!" Jooheon waved a small wave and smiled a little so his dimples just about show on his chubby cheeks.

Changkyun smiled back and ran to his side. "So why did you call me here?"

At first, Jooheon was being shy and he wasn't willing to even make eye contact, but he thought about the times he was being jealous of Kihyun, and he felt like this would be his last chance to tell Changkyun his feelings.

So he took a deep breath.

"I know this is sudden and it's the last day of school, but I want to tell you that... I've been having a crush on you since sophomore year."

Jooheon expected Changkyun to run away, or reject him, but instead, he felt a pair of arms wrapped tightly around his torso.

"Finally hyung. Finally I get to hear you say it in front of me. I heard all of your conversations with Minhyuk hyung. I've been waiting for you to confess, but you never did. I thought you moved on..." Changkyun started crying so Jooheon pushed him away to look at him.

"Why are you crying Changkyunnie? You dumb kid." Jooheon chuckled and embraced him again after wiping away his tears.

I'm not average anymore.
I'm not a coward anymore.
Changkyun being my boyfriend proves just that.

After that day, Jooheon never had trouble sleeping at night.

---

A/N: All of us are cowards at one time in our lives, right? But it's okay, because we all find our own unique ways to prove that we are not eventually.

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