𝙱𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚁𝚞𝚕𝚎𝚜 || c.ch × k.sw ||

[Thirty T.wo]

"brown? i would have never thought you'd agree to going back to this color!" juyeon handed chanhee the helmet and he quickly put it over his now light brown hair.

"they dyed it before i even realized what was happening!" he said exasperatedly, "they just said i stood out too much because of my pink hair and preferred a more natural color for the models." 

juyeon waited for chanhee to sit properly on the vespa and then hold on before speaking again, "does that mean you're in? they can't just dye your hair and not give you a significant part."

"i think i have a good chance, i can't wait to meet the artist though. especially after they made me dye my hair to fit his preference."

-

eric back in juyeon's apartment had finished cooking ramen (not the ones he favored) and let everyone eat while he sat back on the couch and waited.

"why aren't you eating?" asked changmin, getting a chopstick-full of noodles and devouring it in seconds.

"i'm waiting for juyeon to come back," he checked his watch, "it's been like 20 minutes... i don't want to eat without him."

"understandable," changmin replied, "why aren't you eating, sun?" 

sunwoo broke free from his negative thoughts when he heard his name, "huh? oh- just got distracted a little." he didn't have an appetite due to his constant worrying so he only stirred the noodles around.

"you're waiting for chanhee aren't you? must be nice... younghoon wanted to come but i didn't get to ask juyeon- since it's his apartment after all. also, hyunjae would be left alone since sangyeon isn't here either."

"i can't believe he really chose work over us. his new boss sucks i want to celebrate our win with my boyfriend." hyunjae complained as he ate his ramen with an attitude.

the four of them sat on the couch as they expressed different levels of annoyance when suddenly the front door open to reveal none other than juyeon himself.

"about time!" eric jumped from his seat and ran to the kitchen where he was secretly preparing ramen for just juyeon and himself.

"yes, yes i'm back." juyeon set his keys down and shortly after chanhee followed behind, his new brown hair obvious in the living room lighting.

"hi guys! it's good to see you all again." he greeted everyone in the room but they all hesitated in responding, all of them fixated on his new look especially sunwoo.

"you look good!" eric broke the silence as soon as he walked back, then came everyone else's compliments after.

"i never thought i'd actually see you without pink hair." changmin was shocked.

sunwoo on the other hand was completely silent, his facial expression doing all the talking. his eyes were wide yet checked chanhee up and down. his mouth was agape and his tongue glid over the back of his top teeth. he was looking... respectfully.

"thank you guys!" chanhee was flustered as he took a seat next to sunwoo, returning his gaze. "no opinion from you, sunnie?" he pouted, "i was looking forward to what you had to say the most."

he kept his mouth shut and shook his head, afraid of what might come out if he spoke. not for everyone's ears.

"you left him speechless, that's a first." hyunjae teased, but it was true.

"i- i was just taking it in! i was in awe because chanhee looks amazing and i support this hair color change. why'd you do it anyway?"

"uh," chanhee tugged on a few strands of his own hair, "my roots were growing in and i didn't want to bleach again. but, enough about me- are you guys ready for tomorrow?"

his change in subject was so smooth, not even sunwoo suspected anything when chanhee scooted closer to him and even rested his head on his shoulder.

"i think we're ready!" changmin exclaimed, setting his now finished cup-ramen down on the coffee table. "juyeon caught onto our style quickly and, no offense hyunjae, but he's probably better than sangyeon."

"ah, none taken. he was always a better leader than player, so when we actually needed him to take action we didn't do so great. juyeon is good at both. i think we have a good chance of winning this time."

juyeon was grinning ear to ear as he overheard their compliments, "ayyyeee, you guys are way better than i am. you don't have to say such things." he and eric had finished cooking up their second batch of ramen and joined everyone else on the couches.

"you deserve it, though! this is what you wanted right? can't wait for you to surpass my follow count." 

"surpass?? you have hundreds of thousands, chanhee! you're going to get even more now that you're-" 

chanhee signaled him with wide eyes, he was so close to spilling!

"a- a brunette now! y'now? i think a new image is going to bring a lot of uh, attention." that was close.

he mentally facepalmed in his head at juyeon's almost slip-up and tried to change the subject once again. it felt too early to suggest to sunwoo they should go to his apartment... was 4pm too early?

his hand slipped into sunwoo's subconsciously as different scenarios played out in his mind. everyone continued to converse for what seemed like the longest time before he felt a nudge against his arm and he looked up to meet eyes with the redhead.

"you look like you don't wanna be here, are you okay?" hands still intertwined, he put his arm over his shoulder and looked at him with worry.

chanhee shook his head, "i'm just tired, i woke up early this morning for... my hair appointment." another lie, they were small but they were building up. "i think i should go soon, you guys need to practice and do some more bonding."

he stood up from the couch but sunwoo refused to let go, "already? you just got here. plus, i'm sure i've seen juyeon way more times than i've seen you."

"stay a while longer!" changmin requested, "i haven't seen you in ages either."

chanhee pouted, "awww, i wish i could but i have to wake up pretty early tomorrow."

"it's only 5pm? how early are you waking up?" the confusion was evident in hyunjae's voice but he ignored it.

instead, chanhee just tugged sunwoo up from the couch and pulled him towards the front door.

"you're acting really suspicious-"

"come home with me."

sunwoo had to reorient himself after hearing that, "excuse me?"

"come with me to my apartment." he elaborated, "i can drive you back here in the morning on my way out. i just thought- like you said- that we haven't spent that much time together in a while and-"

"well what are we waiting for? are we taking the bus? taxi?"

"relax." he had to physically restrain sunwoo from running out the door that second, "we're taking juyeon's ride. he let me borrow it." 

he grabbed the keys from the counter and waved everyone else goodbye before walking out together. he had driven the vespa before but of course only with juyeon so riding with sunwoo was going to be a little nerve-wracking.

"so how does this work? do i just hold onto you?"

"at least put your helmet on, dummy." chanhee opened the basket attached to the vehicle and pulled out both helmets, handing one over to sunwoo before he threw his leg over and took a seat in front of him.

sunwoo listened and fastened the helmet on before then wrapping both arms around him tightly, "is this good?"

chan loosened his arms a little, "like this, perfect! ready?"

sunwoo held his thumb out and that was it. chanhee revved up the engine just a smidge and he drove off in the direction of his place. it was all smooth sailing from here.