𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍

seventeen.

⁺◟ chapter seventeen. . . ꜜ
❝ oh my gosh, he
did not just say
that, um— ❞

8 august 2020

eric jumps up the stairs of hyori's house, immediately opening the door, beaming. his smile falls down to the ground when he notices hyori and sunwoo cuddling on her couch, watching some random show or movie on her tv.

before he can contain his anger, eric scowls, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest. "i thought we were hanging out today, hyori?"

sunwoo and hyori untangle themselves.

"we are hanging out today," she says, quickly pecking sunwoo as he walks to the door, slips his shoes on, and leaves. "i didn't expect you to come so early... woo wanted to see me for a bit before heading out to pre-season practice his coach told him to attend..."

eric only scoffs.

hyori furrows her eyebrows. "'ric what's wrong?"

"what's wrong?" he asks, his anger boiling. "what's wrong? what's wrong is that you don't even spend time with me anymore! it's suddenly sunwoo this, sunwoo that! i'm sick and tired of this, hyori!"

the girl frowns. "eric," she began, "i still do spend a lot of time with you. did i not just spend two whole days at your house at the beginning of this month? did i not just go hang out with you and hyunjoon two days ago?"

"but it's not the same!"

"well, of course it's not the same. i have a boyfriend now. it's not the single trio anymore. it's the single duo and a non-single girl now," hyori chuckles, trying to lighten the mood.

eric groans. "you don't get it, hyori."

"i don't get what?" hyori stands up and walks towards eric, only for him to shake his head. she stands where she's at.

"why are you dating sunwoo of all people?"

hyori sighs. "is this what this is about?" she smiles softly. "he's not that bad when you actually get to know him, you know."

eric paces around the front door, rubbing his temples. "you've hated him since we were children, hyori! how come now, all of sudden after what, oh i don't know, about fourteen years of hatred, you start dating him?"

frowning, hyori walked up to eric, reaching out to grab his arm. the boy only knits his eyebrows together and steps away from her. hyori's eyes widen at the action. "i..." she pauses before continuing, "eric, people change and feelings change over time. why are you so upset—"

"because i like you, hyori!" blurts eric.

the girl stares at him wide-eyed. she opens her mouth to say something only for eric to speak again.

"i've liked you for so long, hyori," he says, his gaze falling down to the ground as he clenches his fists. "how come... how come you never noticed me?"

"eric—"

"i was always right by you, you know." eric looks up at hyori. "i did everything and anything to get you to notice me, to get you to even glance at me even if it was just for a second. i did everything, yori. i did everything to get you to look at me. how is it that sunwoo, the guy you hated since we were little, enters your life for a second as a mere friend, and suddenly gets to hold you and kiss you like i've always wanted to do? how come he gets to be your boyfriend after being your friend for a month while i've been your best friend since we were children? what... what does sunwoo have that i don't?"

everything's silent afterwards.

hyori gulps. "eric," she slowly says. "you don't like me."

eric scoffs. "i don't like you? you can't tell me what my feelings are when you aren't me, hyori!"

"no, eric, listen to me," she says, trying to grab his arm once more only for the boy to yank it out of her grip. "you think you like me because i suddenly have a boyfriend and i'm not spending as much time as i used to with you and joon. i know that you only miss me, your best friend, because i'm not with you as often as i should be. you don't like me, eric. you just miss having me around and you're jealous because i'm spending time with sunwoo. listen, i told you that this whole month we could spend more time together since woo has soccer—"

"i like you, hyori!" eric yells. this time, eric grabs her arms as he looks into her eyes with a pleading gaze. "why can't you just believe me, hyori?"

"because i know you and i know you don't like me, eric," she whispers.

the door to hyori's house swings open. hyunjoon walks in, whistling merrily to himself as he kicks his shoes off and strolls into the living room, only to stop when he sees eric and hyori.

"um, hey guys," he says, looking between the two awkwardly, "did i miss something?"

eric exhales heavily and storms out the house, hyori and hyunjoon looking after him. hyunjoon turns towards hyori with furrowed eyebrows. "what the hell was that about?" he asks.

"he told me he likes me."

"oh shit."