Over Books and Coffee (Seongjoong)

Part 5

"Come on! You're single aren't you? I'm attractive, go out with me!" The same guy who had been pestering Hongjoong all week said. His name was Baekho, and apparently he had gotten the impression that Hongjoong was interested in him one day, and ever since he had been trying to get him to go out with him. Hongjoong, being Hongjoong, declined.

"If I say yes will you quit bothering me?" Hongjoong told him, partially sick of his pestering, and partially trying to find something to distract him from the ship that wasn't going to sail. If Baekho was the way to achieve that, then so be it.

"Wait seriously?" Baekho asked, surprised.

"Yes, seriously. How about tonight?" Hongjoong suggested, packing his bag.

"That works! Meet in front of the pizza place down the street at six?" Baekho suggested.

"Sure." Hongjoong replied.

"See you then!" Baekho winked and left. Hongjoong sighed.

"I can't believe you just agreed to go out with that guy. Apparently almost all the girls here like him." Hongjoong's other friend Yunho said, approaching from behind.

"Well, he seems nice. Besides, everyone says I should be more social." Hongjoong told him.

"Just be careful. If he turns out to be a creep, run. Ok?" Yunho said seriously, not breaking eye contact.

"O-ok Yunho I get it. Why are you being so intense all of a sudden?" Hongjoong asked his friend, who was normally as cheerful as San. Though, in a cuter and less tiring way.

"Dunno. Anyway, have fun!" Yunho said, leaving Hongjoong to his own thoughts.

It had been an hour and a half of pleasant conversation over some food, and honestly the date was going a lot better than Hongjoong thought it would.

Until around five minutes ago.

"So, do you work?" Baekho asked Hongjoong as they walked down the street.

"Yeah, at a restaurant part-time. How about you?"

"Oh yeah I work. So they must pay you pretty well then, if you only have one job." Hongjoong narrowed his eyes. Did he just avoid the question?

"I worked my ass off in highschool and my first two years here, which is why I don't have to worry as much anymore." Hongjoong told him.

"That's pretty interesting. Hey, do you hang out with those two guys like, all the time? Don't you have any other friends?" Baekho asked. Hongjoong stopped walking.

"Excuse me?" Hongjoong asked, a bit offended. Though, he may not have meant any offence. Hongjoong thought about Seonghwa, and whether they were friends or not. Then he noticed that they were standing outside of the library.

"I asked if you always hang out with those two? Seems a bit sad, don't you think?" Ok, Baekho was either trying to pick a fight, or just plain stupid.

"I don't see how you're in any place to decide that." Hongjoong fired back, starting to get annoyed.

"I'm just saying. You're lucky you're cute. An antisocial kid like you probably wouldn't catch much attention, but hey." Baekho shrugged.

"You know, I thought you were nice. But now you're acting pretty rude..." Hongjoong started to back up, remembering Yunho's advice to run if things got bad.

"Rude? I'm not rude. You're the one being rude by saying that." Baekho started to walk closer to Hongjoong as he tried to put distance between them.