Healing

VI - comfortable

         As they walk, Jaebeom receives a call. At first he ignores it, although Jinyoung doesn't mind but he understands the older wants to be polite. However, whoever is calling him is clearly in dire need to communicate because they insist. It's at the fourth call that Jaebeom looks at Jinyoung with an apologetic expression as he mumbles, "I'm sorry, I have to pick this up."

Jinyoung gestures to go ahead and continues walking, trying not to pay attention, and honestly, it isn't hard. The streets are loud, with those store assistants inviting everyone in to see their amazing deals. Yet, his ears perk up when he hears his name.

"I'm with Jinyoung right now, I can't just go because you're bored, Jackson," Jaebeom says, looking mildly irritated.

"YOUR JINYOUNG?!" screams someone on the other end of the line, so loud Jaebeom has to pull the gadget away and Jinyoung can hear it over all the noise of the streets. "You promised us a double date why didn't you tell us?"

Jaebeom gives a side look at Jinyoung, face all red in embarrassment and his expression is mortified when he realizes that yes, Jinyoung totally heard that.

I'm sorry, he mouths, so embarrassed even his ears are red.

"Jackson!" the older hushes, stern and demanding. "I never promised you such a thing, you demanded it and I never agreed."

Jinyoung is infinitely curious. He assumes this Jackson must be a friend of Jaebeom, a friend that clearly knows about him and for a while, which is odd considering they met the night before. Given, Jaebeom seems very into Jinyoung and acts straightforward, but isn't too soon to tell his friends about the boy he met at the Han River?

Jinyoung feels this warmth creeping from his neck to his cheeks, and he doesn't even know why.

"I keep demanding to know him!" Jackson is, clearly, not a quiet person and doesn't understand he's being too loud. Jaebeom is desperately trying to lower the volume of his gadget, but Jinyoung is now paying attention. "Just one double date. I promise it'll be fun and we'll help you! Totally innocent and fun and..."

Jinyoung can't hear anything else, Jaebeom has lowered the volume so much he can't pick up anything else from the conversation, and based on how Jaebeom doesn't say anything, Jackson had a lot to say.

"No, Jackson. It won't happen."

"Why not?" Jinyoung finds himself asking, maybe echoing what Jackson says on the other end because Jaebeom looks utterly confused. "Your friend?" he asks, almost whispering and watches how Jaebeom nods his head, still a bit flabbergasted. "Sure, why not?"

"No, no, no, no," Jaebeom mutters, shaking his head vehemently.

"Why? I thought you said you liked me, shouldn't I meet your friends, then?" Jinyoung arches his eyebrows, questioning and challenging.

Honestly, he doesn't understand why he pushes Jaebeom like that, why teasing him like this comes to him so naturally as if they've known each other for a while already. Jinyoung doesn't have friends, or hasn't had for quite a while.

Everything is so odd about Jaebeom, the way he makes him feel, how he acts and just how, weirdly, everything seems all right.

"If you hold my hand like this I think the next step is meeting your friends, don't you think?" And to illustrate Jinyoung raises their hands that in fact Jaebeom hasn't released since he took it like three blocks away.

The younger did not believe Jaebeom could blush more, but he is surprised to see the older so red even his neck is coloured, eyes wide open and mouth slightly hanging open.