(OLD VER.) Avenue 17 | SVT ENSEM.

[ 十 ] TEN

[ "what? oh, this? yeah, now soonyoung's just being bullied in the chat." ]

bright and absolutely late on a wednesday afternoon, wen junhui woke himself up by nearly falling off the side of his bed. he silently cursed and grabbed his phone to check any messages, which there were a lot of. all from his group of friends spamming him with texts and missed calls alike, shouting and asking where he was. of course, late again.

if you don't want to come, you should've said it earlier.

but he did. right? junhui sat up straighter and sighed before going off to wash up and have a think about his situation. sure, he did treasure his friends but they just didn't feel like the kind of people he'd confide in a lot. especially because they themselves hadn't confided anything to him. not sure about to each other, though... he'd always felt a little out of place. just. a little. sure, he'd make jokes and they'd laugh (sometimes) and they'd make jokes and they'd all laugh together and it'd be a jolly ol time but...

ah, there would always just be the lingering feeling of not belonging. always whispering and making a ruckus in the back of junhui's mind.

by then, he'd dressed up and was waiting for an answer to his question on where they were. junhui decided he'd be the one to start the process of getting them all together and closer. he smiled as he straightened his jacket. the base of friendship is trust, so if he wanted their trust, he'd have to take the step to entrust then with something. but for some reason, he thought it was a good idea to just... come out.

【 ☆ 】

"let's be honest, did the video even work?" joshua said, palms resting on the counter in front of him as he looked out upon the... really dry sea of customers. seokmin mixed up an order of a green tea latte as he replied, "i can see more, at least. so yes," he poured it out into a cup. "it did work." and he rang the little bell, announcing the order. joshua went to wipe up the back counter where they made the drinks and hummed. "i dunno, we're gonna have to check with verkwan about the stats of that video... i haven't even watched it." seokmin zoomed past him as soon as he noticed a customer walking toward the register. "thank you!" he greeted as she left. he turned to look at joshua, "come on, now. let's be a little positive?" joshua couldn't resist a smile, not with seokmin's own hopeful one reflecting in his eyes, "alright then..."

【 ☆ 】

"what?" junhui was not expecting this reaction. weren't they supposed to trust and support each other? one of the boys scoffed, "first you show up late- which you have been for quite some time now- and then you come and tell us you're gay? wen junhui tell me you're joking."

"i'm... not?" he winced. really... really not expecting it. the three other boys seemed to discuss among themselves, leaving junhui standing awkwardly because there isn't a lot of comfortable space for four on a park bench. "we don't want any business with... your kind. just get out of here before something bad happens."

junhui was left in shock. "i...i thought you guys would be okay. i mean, you're my friends! aren't friend supposed to support each other?-"

"we're not your fucking friends, okay? god! how hard is it to understand."

a pang to his chest. a bullet straight through his heart.

"fine. fuck you."

and he walked away. except, one of them found more trouble with him. so junhui went home with colours blooming on his smooth skin. he didn't know what he wanted to do now. his head was spinning. did he want to cry? scream? fuck something up and break it?... call minghao?