7. Jeongin

                                    

                                          
Today was the day. 
Jeongin was going to tell Hyunjin he liked him and ask him to be his boyfriend. It felt surreal knowing that by the end of tonight he could be holding Hyunjin in his arms and kissing him. Not even the rain pouring down outside could dampen his mood.
As he sits up in bed he grabs his phone and messages Hyunjin as per his plan.
Good morning Jinnie! I hope you're excited for tonight, just wanted to know if you needed a hand setting up for before everyone arrived? I'm free all day <3
Jeongin grips his phone in his hand as he waits for a response. Barely a minute passes before his phone alerts. Jeongin opens the message only for his heart to go cold and his body to droop in defeat as he reads the message on the screen.
Hey Innie, It's all good! Minhos over, he's helping me set up right now. So you don't need to worry. Just bring yourself when it's show time. I'll see you tonight x
That uncomfortable feeling in his chest. The one he felt the other day after Hyunjin's hockey practice returns.
Minho was over.
Hyunjin didn't need him.
Hyunjin had chosen Minho over him.
Jeongin begins to spiral. He knew Minho was Hyunjin's best friend too, but weren't they closer??? If Hyunjin needed help then why didn't he ask him over instead? Why wasn't he Hyunjin's first choice? Was it possible Changbin was wrong when he suggested Hyunjin liked him? Was it possible Hyunjin liked Minho instead?? They were pretty close...but then again didn't Minho like some other guy from his literature class? He could've sworn he heard Minho talking about his crush to Hyunjin, so surely Hyunjin would know he was off limits.
Jeongin sends back:
Ahh ok. I'll see you tonight :)
Although the very words pain him to type.
After telling his mum he no longer needed a lift to Hyunjin's, he spends breakfast angrily stabbing at his weetbix as he tries to come up with a new plan, and questions whether it'll even work to begin with.
How was he supposed to ask Hyunjin out now?? Hyunjin clearly didn't want him there, he'd given him no invitation to arrive early. Even if he did show up early regardless, he'd still have to deal with the fact Minho was there. If things went wrong Minho would be right there to swoop in and Jeongin would have to leave and go home with a broken heart.
Jeongin grips his spoon in his hand.
Telling Hyunjin he liked him was supposed to be easy. It was supposed to make him happy. But the very thought was not bringing Jeongin any joy, not when there was a possibility he'd gotten everything wrong. Maybe Hyunjin really only saw him as a friend? Maybe Hyunjin didn't even find him attractive?
Jeongin had always had a love-hate relationship with his appearance. Because of his crooked teeth growing up Jeongin for so long would keep his mouth shut but when he refused to smile people would tell him he looked sad and angry. So Jeongin would force a smile but then people started telling him he looked like a child because of his chunky braces. Even though he was 17, everyone including strangers still called him just that. A child. It didn't help that he was the only boy in his whole year to have braces, he'd had them since he turned 13 and he couldn't help but feel that they made him look goofy.
Hyunjin was the first person who never looked down on him or told him he looked like a child, and he never complained if he smiled or not. In fact Hyunjin would always tell him he looked nice or cute when they went out. But maybe he was just being polite?
Jeongin runs his tongue across his braces. More than aware of their presence. He then looks down at his sugar filled weetbix. His appetite gone.
Jeongin sighs and dumps the remainder in the bin before trudging to his room.
Despite uncertainties Jeongin still wanted to confess, he wanted to believe in Hyunjin, to believe in the feelings that were between them. 
Jeongin spends the rest of the day trying to accept the fact that he'd just have to find a way to pull Hyunjin away during the party. At least if things went wrong then he could slip into the crowd.
He hoped things wouldn't come to slipping away though. He wanted to walk proudly beside Hyunjin, not sorrowfully down the street.
~ • ~
A/n ok another filler but bare with me!!
Take the fluffy baby as consolation :)
And for the record his smile is adorable <3