IMB/IBB 2013: Lovely Balcony (2/2)

[comebackmods]

The week went by quickly and Sunggyu found himself looking forward to lunch much more than he used to. He had learned so much about Woohyun in that short span of time and he nearly made him his best friend when he found the junior also loved Nell, if it wasn’t for his actual best friend being present and hearing the sudden declaration, earning him a very painful pinch to his side. He also found out the guy liked cooking, playing video games, working out, and that his passion for motorcycles wasn’t simply for show. Sunggyu found the last two hard to believe but he confirmed both on his own as he was doing nothing but lounging around like the lazy guy he was.
It was a Saturday morning, really early, or at least early to those that had no business waking up at eight in the morning, and Sunggyu found himself staring up at his ceiling. The house was quiet except for the occasional clink of plates. His parents were probably up already. He got up slowly and ran his fingers through his hair lazily, settling it into some semblance of control. Once he figured it was alright, he headed to his balcony doors and pulled the curtains open. It was a calm and clear morning. He opened the doors and slowly stepped outside. The balcony was cool and smooth against his bare feet. He couldn’t help but stretch all the kinks from his body that accumulated during the night as he breathed in the morning air. He let out a content sigh. He was glad his room didn’t face the sunrise. It was engulfed in shadows until the afternoon.
He caught movement out of the corner of his eye and he turned to the Nam’s backyard. He raised his brow when he noticed Woohyun and Myungsoo were already outside.
What are they doing…? He watched them silently. They seemed to be teasing each other. Woohyun kept pointing at Myungsoo’s stomach and kept trying to lift the plain white t-shirt up but the younger boy wouldn’t let him. They continued for a minute more before they seemed to reach an agreement.
Sunggyu’s eyes widened when both guys removed their shirts and he couldn’t help the low ‘woah’ that escaped his lips when he realized what they were talking about. His face flushed and he quickly turned away. Was that what brother’s talked about? Who had the better body? He swallowed as he slowly turned his attention back to the two guys down in the backyard.
They both looked incredible. ‘Those brothers look like they came out of a magazine.’ He wasn’t sure why that suddenly flashed in his brain but he vaguely wondered if those girls had already seen them shirtless.
“Hyung!”
Where and when is what he wanted to know.
“…Hyung…?”
If that was the case, then he could understand why the entire girl population at school was crazy about these two. What more could a girl possibly want?
“Sunggyu-hyung!”
He snapped out of his thoughts as he heard his name. He quickly realized he had been staring at them and looked away before trying a smile and waving at them, albeit shyly. He was embarrassed at his blatant ogling.
“Are you alright?” Woohyun yelled, concerned.
“I’m fine!” he waved at them again before hurrying back inside and throwing himself face-first onto his pillow.
What the heck was he doing?
*
Sunggyu was sitting at his electric piano sometime after midday. He was wearing big studio headphones so that the noise didn’t disturb anyone else. He was practicing for a presentation for his music class but quickly got distracted as he moved from the classical piece to one he was learning on his own free time. He was humming along to the lyrics in his head when he saw the eldest sister still living in the house, peek inside. He quickly pulled off his headphones when he saw her move her lips.
“Can I talk to you for a second?” she repeated.
“Yeah,” he took the headphones off from around his neck and placed them on the piano. He was sitting with his back to the desk. He watched as she closed the door behind her and locked it. He raised a brow at that, wondering what it could be that needed that much privacy.
“It’s about Yeunja…,” she stated once she was seated on the male’s bed.
“What’s wrong with her?”
Hanuel remained silent for a second, looking down at the carpet before finally sighing and looking up at the red haired teen, “She has bruises.”
“Okay…,” Sunggyu waited for her to elaborate.
“On her back and on her arms… both of them….”
Sunggyu was dreading where the conversation was going, “…Did she say how she got them?”
Hanuel sighed again, “She says she tripped over something and fell back against the lockers… but that doesn’t explain the bruises on her arms. She has them on the inside. I don’t know how anyone can hit themselves there while falling.”
“You don’t… you don’t think she’s getting bullied… do you?” Sunggyu asked, concerned.
“Maybe… but we can’t tell Mom and Dad, at least not yet. Just keep an eye on her and get your friends to keep an eye on her too. I know Dongwoo-yah knows a lot of people too.”
“Yeah, don’t worry. Thanks for telling me. I’ll keep an eye out for her,” Sunggyu gave her a reassuring smile and she sighed yet again.
“I never thought our little sister would be getting bullied…,” Haneul stated after a moment before getting up and unlocking the door.
Yeunja burst through the door the second Haneul pulled it open, “Hi oppa, let me just be a creeper for a second,” she walked straight to the balcony doors and headed outside, not hiding the fact that she was looking for the brothers in the slightest.
“Yeunja! Come on, we’re waiting on you!” they heard their mother yell from the base of the stairs.
The younger sisters huffed before turning to go back inside, “See you guys later,” she said as she rushed out of the room.
*
Sunggyu spent most of the early afternoon wondering about what Yeunja could possibly be getting bullied for. He discussed it with Haneul for a while, at least until Kkotip showed up to pick her up, but they came up empty handed. She wasn’t extremely popular but she was known as one of the brighter students in her year. She was never someone who looked for trouble either.
The red head gave up for the time being, deciding to head outside for a little while to get some fresh air but not before pouring himself a cold glass of lemonade Jinho and his mom had made earlier. With a book under his arm and the glass in hand, he made his way outside to the front porch where they had a nice swing installed.
He quickly lost himself in the book, hardly paying any attention to his drink that slowly grew hot on the table. It wasn’t until he could no longer feel his left leg (that he was currently sitting on) that he decided to look up. He did a double take when he saw Woohyun on the driveway of his own house. He was doing something to his bike.
What the… does he just randomly decide to come out when I’m outside? Sunggyu thought, slightly annoyed. He didn’t really have a reason to be annoyed but he was a bit put off by how model-esque the younger male appeared to be. He chose to ignore him for the time being and, after switching positions, continued to read. However his concentration seemed to have been completely broken. He couldn’t keep himself from glancing up at the male every few moments.
Five minutes passed and after realizing he hadn’t advanced a single page he let out a frustrated sigh. He folded the corner of the page he had been re-reading for a while and got up, getting ready to go inside when Woohyun called out to him.
“Hyung! Can you give me a hand, please?”
“Damn it…,” he muttered under his breath, before turning to face the other, “Sure…,” he tossed his book onto the swing before heading out into the sun. He noticed that he had an oil pan settled under the motorcycle and he quickly concluded that he was giving the deathtrap an oil change.
“What’s up?” he asked once he reached the younger male.
“Well, do you think you can rock the bike a bit?”
“…What?”
“Rock the bike back and forth. I need to make sure all the oil is out of it,” Woohyun explained again.
“What? I can’t do that! What if I tip it over completely?” Sunggyu questioned, alarmed that Woohyun would allow him to do such a thing.
“You won’t, hyung, come on. I’d do it but…,” he showed him his oil covered hands, “I just washed her. I don’t want to get her dirty again.”
The red head made a light grimace before sighing, “I take no responsibility for anything that may happen to your bike, do you hear me?” Sunggyu asked as he took hold of the handles, making the younger male chuckle lightly. He debated the possibility of mounting the bike for a split second before deciding against it. He slowly moved the bike back and forth and realized it wasn’t as heavy as it looked.
“A little more, Sunggyu-hyung,” Woohyun instructed.
“Okay,” the senior said as he tilted it over to the side away from him. He went as far as he could, without losing his grip but he quickly realized it was a lot heavier when it was tilted too far off to one side.
“W-Woohyun!” he yelled in panic as he tried to pull the bike back but was only able to hold it in place.
The owner of the bike was quick on his feet, pulling the bike back to its center stand, “Oh, that was close. I didn’t think you were mean enough to do that, hyung!” Woohyun teased with a smile.
Despite his quick response, he had made sure not to touch his bike and had taken hold of the older male’s hands on the handlebars instead, placing his greasy palms on top of the other male’s pale ones. Sunggyu had frozen in place for a second but he quickly retracted his hands when he realized Woohyun hadn’t moved his from place.
“Oh, sorry. I got your hands dirty. But it was either that or me demanding you pay for damages,” the younger continued to joke before kneeling and returning his attention to the pan, “But I think that did it. Thanks a lot, hyung!” he said as he took hold of the screw and began to put it back in.
“You’re welcome,” Sunggyu responded.
“All I need to do now is put some new one in. Say, hyung, you’ve never rode a bike before, right? What do you say you come-” he cut his sentence short when he realized he was talking to thin air.
*
Sunggyu sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time since the encounter with Woohyun. He was more than worried. He knew from the start that Woohyun was attractive. That was something that he couldn’t deny and could admit rather easily. That attraction was there from the beginning but he never paid it any real attention. The guy was straight and he wasn’t about to fool himself into thinking otherwise. But in the past weeks that he started actually talking to him and getting to know him, his attractiveness grew seemingly without his knowledge.
That beginning attraction had grown into a crush.
A crush.
He sighed again and Haneul let out a frustrated growl. Haneul and Yeunja had made their way into his room sometime in the late afternoon and had commandeered his game console. They were both convinced that guys liked girls who knew their way around all kinds of video games, especially guys like their neighbors, and had been panicking at the complicated controls of the first-person shooter game. However what brought upon that growl was not the game, but Sunggyu himself. She quit the game, making Yeunja complain audibly.
“What is it?” Hanuel asked her brother, ignoring Yeunja completely.
The younger sister quickly became quiet when she realized what was going on.
“Huh?” Sunggyu asked intelligently.
“You’ve been sighing since I got back, what’s up?” she asked again.
“Maybe our brother is in love?” Yeunja asked, a mischievous smile on her lips.
That only caused the red head to sigh again and look away.
“Woah, woah, are you serious?” she asked as she climbed onto the bed.
“It’s not love… It’s just… a temporary attraction,” he said matter-of-factly.
“A crush,” Hanuel stated as she leaned on the bed, her hand holding her head up.
“R-right.”
“Who is it?” Yeunja asked, not bothering to beat around the bush.
Sunggyu ran his right hand through his red hair before speaking, “You can’t say anything about it, okay? It’s not like I wanted to… it kind of snuck up on me…”
“Woohyun-oppa,” Yeunja stated.
It was not a question in the slightest. She said it with the confidence of someone who knew it all and he could only stare at her in surprise. Had he been so obvious? He would admit that he had been thinking of the possibility for a couple of days now but both incidents in that same day re-affirmed his conclusion.
Hanuel gaped for a second, “But isn’t he-”
“Straight? Well, he certainly looks it… but you know, there hasn’t been a single day in which he doesn’t ask about Aecha. You know, the Sunggyu version,” Yeunja stated, wiggling her brows suggestively.
“But… don’t you like him…?” Sunggyu asked. He was surprised to see her like that. He was worried to reveal the feelings that had suddenly overwhelmed him because of her. Because he knew she liked the brothers.
“Let’s be real for a second, oppa. Woohyun has an obvious attraction to females older than him. He doesn’t see me as anything than a friend who happens to be his neighbor, whom he gives rides to on a daily basis,” she stated, “I was a lost candidate the moment he found out my age which kind of also happened to be around the time he laid eyes on you, our lovely unnie.”
The red head rolled his eyes.
*
It was Thursday and Sunggyu was anxious. He hadn’t heard or seen anything about Yeunja’s problem. He had even gotten Hoya to help him in keeping an eye out for her and nothing peculiar had come up. He wasn’t sure if he should be relieved at the fact or worried. If no one saw anything, they were probably cornering her somewhere out of the general student body’s line of sight. His only comfort for the moment was that Haneul hadn’t mentioned anything about any new bruises.
“Are you okay, Sunggyu-hyung? You’ve been out of it all week…,” Myungsoo stated as he picked at the food on his plate.
He hadn’t mentioned the incident to the brothers, figuring it wasn’t really their business to begin with. He had let Dongwoo know last Saturday and Hoya had been told Monday. They had known each other since elementary school and he knew he could count on them to help him out whenever he needed it.
“I’m fine,” he assured the tall male.
Hoya, who had been joining their lunch table all week, and Dongwoo could only spare the older male a glance. He was just worried over his younger sister but he quickly changed the subject, asking about how Myungsoo’s classes were going. Hoya was just as worried as the two best friends. He had practically grown up with her as well. His thoughts were interrupted by his phone.
“But I can’t do English well! Give me an English song and I’ll sing it for you word for word. I may not know what I’m saying, but at least I’ll be pronouncing it right!” Myungsoo argued.
“Being able to sing it isn’t the big deal! You can fully enjoy a song if you know what it is that you’re singing, am I right?” Sunggyu turned to Woohyun and Dongwoo who both nodded.
“I’d hate to interrupt your heart to heart, guys, but I think we’re needed on the second floor, outside the girls bathroom,” Hoya interrupted as he stood.
“Is it Yeunja?” Sunggyu asked quickly.
At the athletic teen’s affirmative, he quickly shot up and didn’t check to see if anyone was following him. If Yeunja was in trouble, he wasn’t going to stand by and allow it to happen.
*
“I’m sorry,” the girl that was currently starring Yeunja down said, “Did you just say something to me?”
“What’s the matter Gyuri, are your eardrums made of plastic too?”
The collective gasps and murmurs that left their audience of mostly girls didn’t deter either of them but instead served to fuel the other girl’s anger and Yeunja’s confidence.
“You really think you’re hot shit now, don’t you? Just because Woohyun takes pity on ugly girls like you doesn’t mean anything.”
Yeunja let out a mocking laugh, “Well at least he looks at me. He doesn’t need to look at you to know you’re fucking fake.”
There was a bit of encouragement from some girls until the sound of a slap resounded through it, bringing another collective gasp that silenced everyone again. Yeunja’s hair covered her face as her hand went to cup her cheek, the burning sting quickly spreading. She turned to look at the girl, obvious hate reflected in her eyes but there was a smirk on her lips.
“Even you know it’s true. He’s never even spoken a word to you. What makes you think you have to right to even utter his name?”
“Shut your mouth before I shut it for you!” The girl yelled as she moved forward again.
“Yeunja!”
“It’s Sunggyu!” someone said from the crowd and almost immediately after, the small crowd parted to let the senior through.
“What’s going on?” he asked, his eyes sending daggers to the girl standing in front of Yeunja.
“Oh nothing, we were just having a nice talk,” the girl sent the red head a smile, “Oppa, have I told you how great you look with that hair color?” she said, trying to act cute.
“Save it,” he ignored her as he took Yeunja’s hand, “Come on, you can’t be safe in a snake’s nest.”
“Snakes?!”
He ignored her as he pulled his sister away from the crowd that had also begun to disperse. It wasn’t until they reached the stairs that he stopped to face his sister. They had encountered Dongwoo and Hoya on their way back. He crossed his arms as he studied her but she refused to meet his eyes.
“What was that all about?” he asked, finally, “And don’t you dare say ‘nothing.’”
“… I don’t know what got into her, oppa. She just randomly came up to me.”
“Yeunja,” he warned before softening his voice, “Is she the one who’s been giving you those bruises?”
His sister looked alarmed, glancing at Dongwoo and Hoya, “We all know about it, so spill it.”
She groaned as she covered her face before looking up at her brother, “Fine. But you have to promise me you won’t get mad.”
He gave her a look but relented soon after. He knew she’d keep tight lipped otherwise. His sister had acquired that trait from their father after all. She fidgeted for a second, sparing glances to Dongwoo and Hoya.
“Because of… Woohyun…”
“…What…?”
“Because of Woohyun!”
“What do you mean ‘because of Woohyun’?” Sunggyu asked, confused.
“Oppa! You know how popular he is with the girls! They’re just mad that he gives me rides after school and that we speak to each other like close friends…”
Sunggyu stared at his sister, his expression somewhere between confused and surprised. Didn’t stuff like that happen in those predictable teen movies with the popular girls and the un-popular girls? That was exaggerated in the movies, wasn’t it? Sunggyu turned to Hoya who shrugged.
He then turned to Dongwoo, “I hate the girls at this school.”
Dongwoo giggled as he remembered his first declaration of his dislike of the girls a while back.
“I guess you’ll just have to stop getting rides-”
“No! That’s admitting that I’m afraid of her! I’m not afraid of her!” Yeunja exclaimed, irritated.
“I don’t care if you’re afraid or not! Think of our parents!” Sunggyu argued back.
There was a moment of silence in which his sister seemed to want to shout her counter-argument as well but she took a deep breath instead, calming herself down. Sunggyu relaxed at seeing that.
“I am thinking of them. I could have just as easily pulled her weave off if I wanted to back there, but I didn’t. I don’t want to get in trouble over something like this. I can handle myself, oppa.”
Sunggyu sighed but was not the least bit satisfied.
“I gotta go. My teacher is probably mad I’ve been gone so long. See you guys later,” she said as she headed off to her right, opposite to where all the drama had taken place.
They watched her walk away silently. A dozen thoughts occupied Sunggyu’s mind. He was still in utter shock that this bullying thing was really happening with his sister all because of Woohyun.
What the hell is this guy doing to us? He couldn’t help but wonder. He was messing with their lives a little too much. Maybe they should put some kind of distance between each other.
“I’m sorry, hyung…,” his head snapped towards the direction of their object of conversation and a slight sliver of panic crossed his mind. Woohyun was standing at the foot of the stairs looking up at them.
“For what?” he asked, hoping he hadn’t been eavesdropping.
“I heard everything…,” Sunggyu sighed, figuring he probably had, “But you know she has a point. She can’t back off like that. She’ll become an easy target later on.”
Sunggyu glanced up towards the direction his sister had taken. She was no longer in view. He was satisfied with that as he began to climb down the steps, the other two following behind him. Woohyun did the same once they reached him.
“Then what do you suppose we do?” he asked.
“What if I pretend to have a girlfriend?” the junior suggested.
“You think that’ll work?” Hoya asked, raising a brow.
“Well, I’m pretty sure those girls know I don’t have anyone and that’s why they’re being like that with Yeunja,” he reasoned.
“Who are you willing to trust enough to do that?” Dongwoo inquired, already seeing a couple of problems with the idea.
“Well, she doesn’t necessarily have to be from this school… or actually real, for that matter. I can just say I’m dating an older girl,” Woohyun reasoned easily.
“Okay,” Sunggyu agreed, finding the solution to be way easier than he could have expected.
*
“Hey baby,” Sunggyu froze completely.
The phone almost fell from his grip as he felt his skin break into goosebumps. He almost made an unattractive, noncohesive noise. Dongwoo’s brow rose when he saw the blood rush to his best friends face.
“What are you up to?”
He swallowed around his dry throat and after a second, finally spoke, “W-what?”
Dongwoo was a little worried now, “What is it? Did something happen?” he whispered as he stood in his friend’s line of sight. The red head could only shake his head at the moment.
“Oh, you’re working?”
“What?” he asked again, his stomach twisting into a knot.
“Is it so shocking that your boyfriend is calling you?”
“M-my boyfriend?!” the red head nearly shrieked.
Dongwoo’s brows rose this time but he said nothing anymore, opting to wait until Sunggyu was kind enough to fill him in, despite the fact that he was about ready to snatch the phone from him and demand to know what was going on.
“Can’t you forgive your cute boyfriend?”
“Cute?” Sunggyu asked, his shock leaving him when he started to realize what was going on.
“I’m not cute?” he heard Woohyun ask.
Sunggyu could only roll his eyes, “Listen here Nam Woohyun, you are so dead when I see you.”
He heard the male chuckle, “I can’t wait to see you either.”
The senior groaned in frustration, “Why me? Why do I have to play the girlfriend? Couldn’t you have done it with your brother?”
“My brother? He’s right here with me. He’s doing well.”
“Right…,” Sunggyu answered as he face-palmed, “I hate you.”
“I love you, too.”
His skin broke into goosebumps again and all he could do was huff. He heard Woohyun chuckle again through the phone before he spoke again, “Are we done?”
“I know you’re busy so I’ll let you go.”
“Well I’m so glad you understand,” the red head said sarcastically.
The male on the other end chuckled yet again, “I’ll go visit you later, noona.”
“You little brat, you think I’m just gonna-”
“Love you too, bye!”
He froze for another second before sighing and mumbling under his breath, “Who does this idiot think he is?”
“Obviously he thinks he’s your boyfriend,” Dongwoo said teasingly but Sunggyu merely groaned.
“How can he do this to me, Dongwoo?” he asked, a hand over his chest.
He knew nothing Woohyun had said was said sincerely, yet still his heart had constricted in happiness when he heard him speak to him like that. It was like he was given a glimpse of something he could never hope to obtain.
“You really like him, don’t you?” his pink haired friend asked, his countenance turning soft.
“I really tried not to… but…,” he sighed as he stared at his phone before pocketing it, “Is this how you feel with Howon?”
It’s Dongwoo’s turn to sigh but it’s quickly replaced with a smile, “These are things we can’t control. So don’t hang on it too much.”
*
It was Friday after school and the entire school was already gossiping about Woohyun’s older girlfriend. It was safe to say that the four boys who had known of the plan were beyond surprised. Sunggyu had heard the girls buzzing about it all day and he couldn’t help but to feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. That girlfriend they were talking about at the moment was supposed to be him after all. He had texted everyone the news only to be told the same thing. Maybe that would shut Gyuri up once and for all.
“This worked a little too well, don’t you think?” Dongwoo asked once they were all standing outside around Woohyun’s bike.
“You underestimate the power of gossip, Dongwoo,” Hoya stated, patting the man’s shoulder.
“Well I’ve never been part of it, Mr. Popular,” Dongwoo retorted as he hit the hand away none too gently.
“Well, some girl was standing near me so I made sure she heard everything…,” Woohyun explained as he ignored the slight bickering of those two.
“Well, whatever the case may be, this worked. Good job,” Sunggyu praised, patting the younger male on the head, making him grunt in annoyance.
Myungsoo simply laughed at his brother’s misfortune. He had been filled in by his brother when they returned to lunch and so he was caught up with everything that was going on. He felt bad for Yeunja, especially since they had become close friends.
“Well, anyway, I think you should stop offering her rides,” Sunggyu said, all traces of playfulness gone.
They had all turned their attention to him. Woohyun sighed when he realized Sunggyu wasn’t going to drop it.
“Hyung, we already talked about this-”
“I want you to stop.”
“I’m not going to do it,” he answered, staring back unwaveringly, “I won’t until Yeunja decides it on her own.”
Sunggyu’s jaw tightened and his retort was forced down his throat as his sister showed up. She seemed worried. After greeting everyone, she turned her attention to Woohyun.
“So, Woohyun, I’ve been hearing all day that you’ve got a girlfriend. Is it true?” she asked, glancing at her brother to see his reaction. She was impressed that he could keep his poker face.
“Oh, you have? News gets around quick here. Yeah, I do,” he answered with a smile.
“Oh, really…? Is she older…?” she asked, wanting to get all the info at that very moment. She wanted to know what kind of women he liked. Maybe she’d be able to pick out similarities between his girlfriend and her brother.
“Yeah!”
“Is she prettier than Aecha-unnie?” she asked teasingly.
“Well… I don’t know about that…,” he responded carefully, suddenly very aware that Sunggyu was there. Dongwoo tensed up a bit and Hoya turned his attention to him too, wondering what Sunggyu’s reaction could be. He was surprised to see the red head flushing while glaring at his own sister.
“No one can beat her, right?” she asked as she nudged the male playfully.
Woohyun only blushed as he tried to rack his brain for something else to talk about. Sunggyu had made it clear that he wasn’t happy he was interested in his older and married sister, and Yeunja wasn’t helping his case at all. Sunggyu huffed loudly before turning away, not bothering to say goodbye to anyone as he began to walk home, completely forgetting about the argument he was having with Woohyun beforehand. It was odd how his sister could make him switch his anger to someone else so easily.
Dongwoo gave Woohyun a look, one that said ‘you screwed up’ before saying goodbye in a rush and taking off after his best friend.
Stupid Yeunja! The red head thought as he practically power walked the first block away from the school. She was being unfair.
“Hey! Gyu-yah! Hold on!” the red head sighed as he stopped, waiting for the pink haired male to reach him.
The male reached him moments after, his breathing a little heavy as he adjusted his backpack, “Quite a sister complex you got there.”
“It’s not a sister complex! Yeunja was talking about…!” he stopped his sentence when Hoya reached them as well. There was no way he was going to let Hoya know about how he was abused (well not abused but taken advantage of) by his own sisters. How pathetic was that?
“Wasn’t that a little extreme?” Hoya asked, a bit winded as well.
Sunggyu only groaned as he pressed his palms against his temples.
*
Hoya was laughing. He was laughing a little too hard. Sunggyu glared at him before taking his pillow and hitting him as hard as he could with it, but it didn’t help.
“Woo-Woohyun…!” he managed to say between his laughter before falling over on the red head’s bed, laughing some more.
Sunggyu sighed as he watched the other. His lips eventually quirked up as well as he realized how ridiculous the whole thing was. Woohyun falling for an Aecha impostor that also happened to be a guy dressed in drag. What kind of life was he leading, he wondered. He quickly discarded that thought from his brain as he finally asked something that had been bothering him for a while, the entire week to be precise.
“By the way, why the heck have you been stuck to us like a leech?”
“Yah, is that how you speak to your close friends?” Hoya asked, his laughter gone when he realized he was being compared to a parasite.
“Is that how you react to your close friends when they tell you a secret?” he countered.
“…Fine,” he relented, “It’s because I’ve been worried about Yeunja… She’s like my sister too, you know.”
Sunggyu didn’t say anything, simply nodding at the male, “But wow Gyu, I haven’t been here in a while…,” he had stood from the bed and was opening the balcony doors at the foot of the bed.
“Hmm, I wonder why?” Sunggyu said sarcastically, turning to Dongwoo in his mock wondering, “Why do you think so, Woo?”
“Hmm… maybe because he’s a whore and dumped us for a whole team,” Dongwoo said without any heat but definitely in a teasing manner.
“Hey, I like a little variety. I had to change it up a bit, you know,” he answered back in the same manner.
Sunggyu scoffed, “What an ass. Do they treat you better? Do they do the things we did for you?”
“They’re a little rough, but it’s okay, I like it. But you guys know ya’ll are my number one right?” Hoya asked, sending a couple of suggestive looks their way.
“Woah, woah! I think we should stop there, this is getting a little weird,” Dongwoo interrupted with a fit of giggles.
Hoya laughed as well before walking out into the balcony. The afternoon was slowly turning into evening but the sun was still up high in the sky. Hoya remembered the afternoons they used to spend playing video games or playing with Sunggyu’s sisters. The red head’s house was always lively with so many people living in it. He remembered liking that about visiting him and staying over but once he found his own hobby, he gravitated towards it. He never really felt himself lonely after that. He had an older brother, six years older, and he already had his life made. He had his own life to attend to and no longer had time for his younger brother. His parents weren’t workaholics and they had always been there when he needed them, but it was still lonely when there was no one his age around to play with.
He owed a lot to Dongwoo and Sunggyu, even if they had no clue. He could make a bigger effort to hang out with them. It seemed that Sunggyu’s house hadn’t changed at all since the last time he was there and that made him happy. He had been greeted by everyone like family. He remembered why Dongwoo and Sunggyu had been his best friends. He smiled slightly.
“That’s kinda creepy, man,” he heard someone say and he looked around.
The voice sounded awfully familiar and the owner of the voice was confirmed when he turned to the neighbor’s backyard to see Woohyun standing there.
“I’m creepy? What the hell are you doing here? Spying on Sunggyu’s sister?” he asked, a little disturbed that Woohyun would be sneaking into people’s backyards.
“I live here, dumbass,” Woohyun muttered the last word.
Hoya stared at him for a second before disappearing into the house, making Woohyun raise a brow in question.
“Woohyun’s your neighbor?!” Woohyun scoffed, a smile on his lips when he heard that. For a pretty cool guy, Hoya could be quite dramatic at times.
“Yeah…?” Sunggyu answered, giving him a look as well.
“Why didn’t you tell me?!”
“It slipped my mind…?”
“Well now I understand why he gives her rides on a daily basis. I thought he was pinning after her!” Hoya exclaimed, the expression on his face declaring the epiphany he had at that moment.
It made Sunggyu giggle, “You’re an idiot.”
“Yeah well, thanks for filling me in with the details,” he said, giving him a glare.
“Speaking of details, Mr. Witchcraft down there only likes older women,” Sunggyu declared.
“Older women…?” a poorly contained laugh escaped the athlete’s lips before he began to laugh at full blast, “You mean like you?” he asked between breaths.
“Yah!” Sunggyu yelled, annoyed. He was glad the male found it so funny. It weakened him enough to be thrown out into the balcony. He made sure to lock the door and draw the curtains before turning to Dongwoo who was laughing at the situation.
He sighed dramatically, “You guys were made for each other.”
Hoya sat on the dark wooden beach chair that was out on the balcony. It was generously cushioned and he leaned back, letting out a sigh as his body relaxed from all the laughing. He couldn’t help the fact that he thought it funny. Woohyun looked and acted like any normal guy, so to know that he had fallen for another guy at a glance was hilarious, at least to him.
“Did you just get kicked out of the room?”
The dark haired male sat up and looked over the balcony railings. Woohyun was still standing there, next to the trash bins. So the guy had been taking out the trash. Cute.
“Say, why don’t you come over?” the other asked, ignoring the question.
“I don’t think Sunggyu-hyung wants to see me right now,” the junior stated.
“Bull,” Hoya waved his hand in dismissal before an idea popped into his head, “He actually threw me out here to ask you to come over.”
Woohyun’s brow rose in obvious disbelief. He’d never been invited over before. He didn’t see why that would suddenly change out of nowhere.
This guy is pretty smart, Hoya thought, “He says he feels bad for overreacting and he’s being a little…uh stubborn about how to apologize. I’m making this easier for him, man.”
Woohyun looked off to the front of the house, a car had just passed by their quiet street, before making up his mind, “Alright. I’ll be there in a bit.”
Sunggyu sighed as he stared at his hands, absentmindedly picking at his nails. He and Dongwoo were having a serious discussion and he was nervous at what the conclusion to it was going to be.
“This is a big deal, you know?” the red head finally said, in a low voice, “The only ones who know are my family and you. I don’t want this to go public.”
“I know. I’m on the same boat as you,” Dongwoo assured him, “but I don’t think it’s a good idea to let him know… at least not yet.”
“So… I guess we should keep our preferences to ourselves for now then?” Dongwoo nodded and just as Sunggyu got up to go open the balcony doors to finally let the jock in, there was a knock at his door.
“Who is it?” he asked as he changed his direction. He opened the door to reveal the object of his frustrations.
He was about to close the door on him again when the younger guy quickly spoke, “Hoya told me you wanted me here.”
That definitely stopped his movements, “That bastard,” he mumbled before turning and heading to his original destination.
“Come in. You play video games, right?” Dongwoo asked as he stood from the desk’s chair he had been residing on and grabbing two controllers.
“How dare you invite people into my room!” they heard Sunggyu yell once he was outside, making the two guys that were inside giggle.
“It’s almost like watching a drama,” Woohyun commented when he heard Hoya apologize before yelling for help.
*
It was another Thursday after school. Hoya had made it his duty to follow Sunggyu and Dongwoo home every day. As a result, they all ended up in Sunggyu’s room, some doing homework, others playing video games and sometimes watching some sort of anime or movie. Woohyun and Myungsoo had been over all week as well.
The bullying incident had seemingly blown over. Hanuel had mentioned to Sunggyu that Yeunja was fine. She didn’t see any more bruises on her. Everyone was gathered around the brother’s bikes. They were waiting on her to show up so that everyone could get going. Dongwoo and Woohyun were talking about a show they had just started the night before while Hoya and Myungsoo talked about the computing class they had together, with Sunggyu occasionally throwing in his two cents.
There was a sudden commotion by the side doors of the school, around the area where they were all waiting. The red head turned only to see that a large crowd had formed a little ways away from the school building. Students were rushing in from all sides, trying to see what all the fuss was about.
“A fight?” Hoya asked no one in particular as he craned his neck to try and see who it was. He left the group to approach the mob but stopped a little ways away when he caught someone’s arm.
“Ilhoon-ah, what’s going on?” the dark haired male asked the lower classman as he let go of his arm.
“It’s Gyuri. She’s picking a fight with the junior again,” the guy answered as he made signs with his hand, telling his friends to wait for him.
“Again?” Hoya asked, not liking the immediate conclusion he drew.
“Yeah, you know, the same one from last week?”
The senior groaned before thanking the teen. He quickly turned to the guys again, “Sunggyu-yah! It’s Yeunja!”
“You are such a slut,” Gyuri told the younger girl.
Yeunja sighed as she turned to face the girl, her expression a clear sign that she wasn’t the least bit amused.
“Yeunja, be careful,” the junior heard one of her friends say to her.
“Don’t worry,” she answered back as she continued to give the girl before her the same bored stare.
“He has a girlfriend and you’re still clinging onto him like a pathetic little whore. Are you that desperate? I bet you’ve already offered yourself to him and that’s why he’s keeping you around.”
Her expression didn’t really change except for the smirk that had involuntarily found its way to her lips, “So that’s why Doojoon is still keeping you around. That makes sense now. But you can think what you want about me. You’re not nearly important enough for me to care,” she gave her a smile, “Now if you’ll excuse me, those guys over there? Yeah, they’re waiting for me, bye!”
She barely turned on her heels when she felt her long black hair get pulled forcefully, making her let out a slight yelp in pain.
“You’ll go when I say you can go,” Gyuri gritted out before turning her around forcefully by the same hair she had in her hand, letting go when her attention was on her.
Yeunja was in slight shock as her hand went to soothe the abused area of her scalp. Her expression changed quickly. She was seething. She removed her backpack before tossing it to one of her friends.
“I don’t have time for your shit,” was her only warning before a full, unobstructed punch sent Gyuri to the floor. She hissed when she felt the pain on her hand and she cradled her hand for a second before spitting on the ground and turning around, getting her bag back, “I’ll see you tomorrow! The guys are probably getting tired of waiting.”
The crowd practically parted for her, amazed that the studious, intelligent, cheerful girl could actually knock down the most popular girl in school with a single hit. She was surprised when she was ambushed by her brother as soon as she was in sight.
“What happened?” he asked as he tried to look over the many heads behind her. They had closed off the little path already and he couldn’t see what was going on.
“Nothing oppa, we should get going,” she said as she pressed her right hand against her body. The pulsing in her right hand was painful and she regretted using all her force to throw the punch.
“What’s wrong with your hand?” Woohyun asked, almost sure of what it was that happened.
“Why didn’t you say it would hurt this much, Woohyun?” she asked as she flexed her fingers.
He laughed as they made their way back to the bikes, “A half-assed punch would have done nothing.”
“Punch…?” Sunggyu asked, shocked.
“She asked for it, oppa,” the girl explained simply, studying her knuckles that were turning red before looking up, a smile on her lips, “Let’s go, I’d rather not fend off all her friends, you know?”
There was no argument that he could make with that so instead he pulled her along, “Hurry up. Mom and Dad are gonna be so mad when they find out!” he said, mostly to himself. He couldn’t keep the praises his friends kept giving her and all the high-fives she kept getting from Woohyun.
“You are officially my sister, if you need me for anything, just let me know,” Woohyun said, half-jokingly, making the rest of the guys laugh.
“Hurry up! You can celebrate at home!” Sunggyu urged.
“Alright, alright,” Woohyun said as he quickly turned his bike on, Myungsoo doing the same.
They took off almost instantly. Sunggyu didn’t wait for anything else as he quickly began to walk home, his two friends behind him.
“Listen guys, I don’t think it’s a good idea to come over today. If the school calls home… I don’t want anyone to hear it...”
Dongwoo pouted. He wanted to know all the dirty details about the ordeal but he understood what Sunggyu was saying. He relented, Hoya following along. He tried to think of some sort of excuse, anything to try and make the situation not sound as bad as they may picture it. However, he draws a blank as he finally reaches his house. Woohyun and Myungsoo are sitting outside on their porch, probably waiting for everyone to get there. He could see Woohyun crane his neck to see if there really was nobody with him. The red head simply shook his head as he headed up the path to his own house. The only thing that was left to do was to wait with bated breath.
*
“Sunggyu~!” His older sister, Hanuel, sang as she knocked on the door to his room, “I know you’re available right now~,” she continued.
She opened the door to see her brother laying back against his bed, propped up by numerous pillows and his phone in hand. He spared her a glance before asking what she wanted.
“Oh, you know… my assessment is next week and since you don’t have any friends over today… Could I borrow you?” She asked, trying to use her aegyo.
Sunggyu didn’t lift his gaze from his screen as he swiped at it quickly. He was probably composing a message, “…When do I ever have a choice…?”
She simply smiled at her brother and placed the desk chair in front of the vanity mirror in his room, “You’re a life saver, brother dearest.”
A few minutes later and he was sitting on the chair with his sister scrutinizing his appearance. Sunggyu backed away from her, she was too close. She then poked his jaw and he winced in slight pain.
“That’s a pimple… Are you stressing?” she asked, a little worried, “Is it because of Yeunja?”
He stared back at her, unsure of what to answer. He didn’t want to give anything away if she didn’t know what was going on. He wanted to keep it a secret, at least until everything blew over.
“What’s wrong? You two have been on edge all afternoon. Why?” she looked through her things to begin applying the make-up.
“…Don’t tell anyone, okay?” he said, trying to make sure that she wouldn’t accidentally comment to anyone about it.
“Yeah, okay, what?”
And then he proceeded to relay Yeunja’s adventure. He had gotten the full story from her after getting home and pulling her into his room. He had been really worried but once his sister assured him that there wasn’t a scratch on her except for the dull throb in her hand, he was relieved. He was also annoyed at the fact that he couldn’t be mad at Woohyun for teaching her how to throw a proper punch. It had come in handy.
“Don’t you think Woohyun deserves some kind of reward?” Haneul asked as she gave Sunggyu the last touches of blush.
“No,” he said simply.
“Oh, come on. You should at least let him get a glance at you again! He’s completely taken by our Aecha-unnie!” she teased as she allowed him to examine his appearance in the mirror.
He wasn’t sure what kind of technique she had used but he was surprised at how slim his face looked. His face was round, his cheeks somehow still full with baby fat, so it was new seeing it so different. They caught some sudden movement by the door and they both glanced towards it. The gasps and expressions of shock that graced their features matched almost exactly as they caught sight of Nam Woohyun.
It was shock that the junior felt when he saw the pretty face gazing back at him. It’s her! Were his initial thoughts, until he realized that she was wearing Sunggyu’s clothes. And then he realized it wasn’t even a she to begin with. It was Sunggyu. He doesn’t give them a chance to say anything as he turns back around and practically flies out of the house.
*
He’s sitting against the bed again later at night, only this time he has a pillow between his arms and he’s listening to his iPod. The soothing voice of his favorite singer filling his hearing as he silently sings along. It was safe to say that he was a little depressed and too much of a coward to even consider texting Woohyun. Dinner had been over two hours ago and he had been sitting in the dark for just as long. He hadn’t even texted Dongwoo. He was just worried over what would become of his and Woohyun’s friendship. He doesn’t realize he’s dozing off until his phone vibrates against his chest, alerting him of a new text message.
His eyes widened slightly. It was Woohyun.
So… interesting hobby you have
Sunggyu nearly face-palmed but he resisted the urge as he answered, It’s not a hobby…
A few seconds and a new message came in, Lifestyle…?
No! I told you once that my sister was evil
I wasn’t kidding
He could only imagine what kind of answer he’d get after that.
I didn’t think you were serious! D:
But you’d make a pretty handsome girl hahaha
Sunggyu glared at the screen for a second before a smirk crossed his lips, Apparently, since you kept thinking I was my sister. But I’m not taking any suitors right now. Hahahaha
There was a long wait between the next message and the red head wondered if the other was in too much of a shock.
WHAT?!!
The senior giggled at the response and took his headphones off, stopping the music soon after.
THAT WAS YOU?
HOLY SHIT
You actually look like a girl…
‘Is she prettier than Aecha-unnie? No one can beat her, right?’ He hated the fact that Woohyun’s reaction to those questions flattered him more than he cared to admit. It was probably the only time he’d ever see Woohyun be flustered over him. He stood from his bed and headed towards the balcony, suddenly wanting to see the few stars that the night sky offered to him.
You’d totally be my type if you were a girl
Sunggyu rolled his eyes, failing to keep his heart from skipping a beat, Shut up before I offer you up as the next sacrifice.
He leaned against his door, staring up at the sky. He could hear crickets and cicadas, the usual sounds of a summer night reaching him.
You wouldn’t…!
I WOULD
There was a long pause and the red head thought that the junior had forgotten he was texting him. But he didn’t really care. He was just glad Woohyun was talking to him. He felt like the incident from earlier had never happened. He was completely unaware of the younger male that was watching him from the front porch of his house.
There was a certain charm Kim Sunggyu had that Woohyun had slowly started to discover over their friendship. It seemed a lot more clearer at that moment.
You really are pretty…, he tapped the send button and waited for the other’s reaction.
A big smile graced Sunggyu’s features as he read the message. Everything suddenly seemed just a tad bit brighter.