flower boy | seungjin

12

At midnight, the apartment is surprisingly quiet. Hyunjin was sure that after waking up thirsty, he'd bump into Jeno still watching TV or Mark sitting in the kitchen whilst he ventured to get himself a drink. Instead, there's no one. The only thing giving him company is a prickly breeze that slithers beneath his loose fitting t-shirt, pinching at his skin until he starts shivering.

Goosebumps raise on his arms, and he leaves the tap running to go and find where it's coming from. A window is wide open in the living room, as if someone had used it to escape out onto the fire escape. Whatever - Hyunjin tugs it shut and thinks nothing else of it.

Once Hyunjin has filled up a glass with water and headed back to his room, the still lingering bite of cold clinging to his body refuses him sleep so he just bundles himself in blankets and waits to warm up.

But before Hyunjin can fall asleep again, his phone suddenly lights up with a notification. He squints through the light and fumbles to pick it up, almost dropping it as he does.

He waits for his eyes to adjust to the light so he can read the text message displayed on his screen.

Flower Boy

I dunno if you're awake, but any chance you could meet me at Days Gone By?

About to reply, his eyebrows furrowing, a second text pings through.

Flower Boy

I kinda need someone to talk to

Okay, this makes Hyunjin even more confused. Why would Seungmin ask him of all people? What happened to that guy he claims to be best friends with - the guy who literally works at the diner he's asking to meet at? And why is he even there, alone, at gone midnight?

What's going on?

Before he's even made a final decision, Hyunjin pushes himself out of his cocoon and starts getting dressed.

As he softly shuts the door to his bedroom behind him not two minutes later, a thumping sound comes from the room across the hall. Hyunjin freezes, waiting for a face to appear in the darkness, but thankfully all that follows is a whining, drawn out groan from an unconscious Jeno. He sighs, and inches towards the front door.

When he was just getting a drink, Hyunjin had no problem walking round normally, but for some reason now that he's sneaking out, he feels the need to tiptoe everywhere. Why? he thinks. Jeno isn't your overly demanding parent that you have to hide stuff from. It doesn't do anything, and he creeps out of the front door, only sighing and straightening up once he's locked it behind him.

For once the streets are quiet, leaving Hyunjin to walk wrapped in solitude, with nothing but the wind curling around his ankles. Now that he's wearing clothes suited for it, it's actually pretty warm out.

It doesn't take him long to get to the diner - unlike last time he actually knows the way and isn't relying on his phone to get him there. Stopping outside the front, he immediately spots Seungmin sitting towards the back, leaning against the wall with his legs pulled up on the seat. The dampened lights cast a glow over half of his face, the other half staying shrouded in shadows. A pang goes through Hyunjin's chest. Although he can't see too well from here, Seungmin's eyes don't seem as bright as they were yesterday, and his hair is tousled and unkempt. He looks tired.

For some reason, Hyunjin doesn't want to see him like that.

When he gets close enough to the table, Seungmin's gaze rises and they make eye contact. The younger offers Hyunjin half a smile as he sits down. Hyunjin notices how he doesn't say anything. The exhaustion on his face is clear, showing in his sunken eyes and slumped shoulders. Hyunjin mirrors his position before speaking softly.