Lost in Love [34/40]
Title: Lost in Love [34/40]
Author: ixjaydee
Rating: PG - 13
Pairing: Woogyu (Woohyun/Sunggyu);; Sungsoo (Sungyeol/Myungsoo);; Wooya (Dongwoo/Hoya)
Genre: drama, high school cliches, and the like.
Disclaimer: Reality is a cruel, cruel place.
Summary: Nam Woohyun: noun - [1] resident pretty boy and one of the most popular juniors in the entire school. [2] has a reputation of being a jerk, but only because most people don’t understand he doesn’t really mean his insults. It’s just how he shows his affection.
Kim Sunggyu: noun - [1] nobody. [2] a junior just trying to make his way through school and do bigger and better things with his life.
Woogyu: noun - [1] a name given to Woohyun and Sunggyu by his best friend Dongwoo, who happens to know that Woohyun has a crush on Sunggyu. [2] the reason Sunggyu gets crippled for life.
AN;; A mostly Myungyeol chapter. Let’s follow them through their average day, shall we? Lol. Next will be a day in the life of Wooya.
--
34
--
“Yah, wake up. You’re going to be late. I swear if you don’t get up, Sungyeol, I’m going to-” Sungyeol slammed his hand down onto his phone and groaned before bringing it to his face. Myungsoo recorded a voice alarm for him ages ago, and quite frankly, the only reason it was still his alarm was because he didn’t know how to change it.
He rolled out of bed and fell onto the floor before he sighed and dragged himself to the bathroom to get ready for the morning.
By the time he was done, he was surprised to see Sunggyu already awake and ready to head to school.
“This is certainly a surprise,” Sungyeol said as he hopped down the stairs. “You’re never ready before I am.” As Sungyeol got closer to Sunggyu though, he could see the dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep.
“Yeah. Decided to get up early today.” Sungyeol inwardly frowned. He knew Sunggyu well enough to know that that was code for ‘I couldn’t sleep last night and couldn’t stand to be in bed for any longer so I got up early.’
“Hey, are you okay? You’ve been a bit off lately,” Sungyeol said, sitting down next to Sunggyu. Sunggyu laughed, but it wasn’t a real one.
“A lot of things going on, that’s all.”
“Is it Woohyun?”
“It’s... It’s both of us.” They heard a car honk from outside. Sunggyu pushed himself up from the couch and limped his way out as Sungyeol looked after him with a deep frown on his face.
--
“I’m worried. I mean, I know I’m not supposed to like Woohyun or anything, but whatever is going on between them is affecting Sunggyu like no other.” Myungsoo was turned around in his seat while Sungyeol had his head on his desk.
“You tried asking him?”
“I did. All I get is that there’s lots of things going on. He did say that it had to do with both of them, though? I don’t know what could possibly come between them.” Myungsoo nodded quietly, pursing his lips.
“Well, there’s nothing we can do about it. We’re not master meddlers like Dongwoo and Hoya are. I guess all we can really do is offer moral support and hope everything turns out for the best. I hope it’s soon, because Woohyun’s been killing everyone on the team. His drills are going to kill someone.”
--
“Here, I’m not feeling hungry today,” Myungsoo said as he shoved his dessert over to Sungyeol. Sungyeol raised an eyebrow at him, mouth full of food. He chewed a few times before swallowing, nearly choking on his food. Myungsoo patted him on the back a few times until Sungyeol caught his breath.
“You always eat your dessert. What’s wrong with you? Is this spreading?” Sungyeol asked, looking over to the sullen atmosphere hanging over Woohyun and Sunggyu. They weren’t talking. They weren’t even looking at each other.
“No, it’s not that. If I eat too much, I’ll end up throwing it up on the field because of the hardcore practices Woohyun is dictating. I don’t know why Coach is letting him do this,” Myungsoo said quietly.
“Hey. Just because you aren’t planning to do soccer after high school doesn’t mean the rest of us aren’t. Sorry, if I want to make a good impression,” Woohyun snapped at Myungsoo. Sunggyu sighed as Woohyun got up angrily.
“Woohyun, he didn’t mean it like that. Your practices have been a little bit more hardcore than the team is used to. I thought you guys were doing fine before-”
“Fine isn’t good enough!” Sunggyu flinched as Woohyun’s hands came down on the table. Woohyun blinked at him a few times before his face softened and turned to guilt. He sighed before turning and leaving the cafeteria without another word.
Myungsoo watched him leave and blinked a few times. Sungyeol could tell that Myungsoo was trying to act indifferent, but he was worried about Woohyun too.
--
“Do I have to go to practice today? Can’t I ditch? Pretend I’m not feeling well, and you had to come with me to take care of me?” Dongwoo asked as he, Hoya, and Myungsoo were changing in the locker room.
“Woohyun would throw a fit and kill you,” Hoya said, pulling his jersey over his head.
Sungyeol was settled on the bleachers without Sunggyu. Sunggyu took the bus to the music store down town. He was teaching guitar and getting some special vocal lessons from an instructor at one of the universities he wanted to attend.
He saw the team walk out onto the team where Woohyun was already warming up. Sungyeol could see the dread in all of their steps. A whistle blew, and Sungyeol knew practice was starting.
Scouts were in the stands as always, observing the practice and making notes. Sungyeol noticed that Woohyun seemed to be extra hard on Myungsoo, and Myungsoo was taking it quietly and doing his excessive punishments without protest. Sungyeol frowned. Was he going to have to beat some sense into Woohyun again?
--
Sungyeol barely had time to open the door before Myungsoo pushed past him and collapsed onto his bed. His bookbag hung precariously on the side of the bed until it slipped from his grip and landed with a thump on the floor.
“At this rate, my legs are going to fall off, or I’m going to fall asleep on the field,” Myungsoo said, voice muffled by Sungyeol’s comforter. He rolled over and covered his eyes with his arm as Sungyeol sat down at the edge of his bed.
“He was really on your case during practice today.”
“Woohyun does that now a days. Anyone who even says anything back to him gets harped on during practice. I don’t really care, because if I get punished, it means less punishment for the other guys that actually want to concentrate on soccer.”
“How noble of you.” Sungyeol laid down next to him. Myungsoo grinned and turned so he could prop his feet on the wall, his head on Sungyeol’s stomach.
“Someone has to be the sacrificial lamb.”
“Don’t those people usually have to be virgins though? Aren’t you damning them then?” Sungyeol said with a smirk on his face. Myungsoo shook his head.
“Nah. I’m sure we’ll be fine. That reminds me.” Myungsoo kicked against the wall a few times before moaning loudly.
“Oh, god, Sungyeol,” he yelled as loud as he could. Sungyeol rolled his eyes and brought a hand up to play with Myungsoo’s hair.
“You’re so ridiculous sometimes.”
“What? Just proving to him that I still have enough stamina for these things. But god, I think my legs are cramping up. Yeolie,” Myungsoo said, pouting his bottom lip out slightly.
“What?”
“Leg massage?” Sungyeol sighed. “Please? You give the best massages. Just saying.”
--
The first thing Sunggyu heard when he walked through the door of his house was Myungsoo moaning Sungyeol’s name.
“Good grief,” he said as he closed the door behind him. Woohyun was laying on the couch, staring out into the backyard.
“How was practice?” Sunggyu asked him as he made his way to his room to drop off his guitar and sheet music.
“Practice was practice,” Woohyun said from the couch. Sunggyu came back out of his room and stood awkwardly next to the couch as Woohyun stared off into the distance. Woohyun sat up and patted the empty space next to him.
Sunggyu sat down, and the both of them stared at the blank TV.
“Wait. I think I heard the front door close. I think Sunggyu’s home,” Sungyeol said, getting up off the bed without warning and letting Myungsoo’s head fall onto the bed.
“What? No massage then?” Myungsoo frowned and grumbled something under his breath as Sungyeol cracked his door open slightly.
“You’re not going to ask me how my lessons went?” Sungyeol heard Sunggyu ask.
“I figured you were going to tell me.”
“The tension between them is making me feel awkward,” Myungsoo whispered behind Sungyeol. “You’ve been eavesdropping on them like this, and you still don’t know what’s wrong?”
“They both keep pretending nothing is wrong. If this keeps up, Woohyun’s face is going to meet my fist again. I don’t care if Sunggyu says they’re both at fault.”
“Oh. I’m teaching this little kid how to play guitar in between lessons. His brother drags him along, because he can’t be home alone. He’s pretty good at the ukulele.”
“I see.”
“But lessons have been good. The vocal instructor says I have a pretty good chance of getting a decent sized scholarship to the school.”
“Which school is this again? The far one or the close one?”
“The farther one.” Woohyun nodded.
“I’ve already been offered spots for a few different schools. One of them is around here. I’m still waiting for the scouts to my dream school to show up.” It was Sunggyu’s turn to nod.
“When’s the first game?”
“Next week. You’re going right?”
“I went to every game last year. I don’t know why I wouldn’t go this year.”
“Okay, seriously,” Myungsoo whispered. “They’re breaking my ice cold heart.” Sungyeol rolled his eyes before shoving at Myungsoo.
“If Sunggyu’s going to all the games, you’re coming too, right? So I have someone to point to and wink at whenever we win the game,” Sungyeol chuckled as Myungsoo leaned in to kiss his cheek.
“Myungsoo! Are you up there?” Woohyun yelled from the living room. Myungsoo sighed.
“Dear god. What else does he have to say to me,” Myungsoo heaved another large sighed before moving Sungyeol out of the way and opening the door. Sungyeol followed him downstairs, casting glances at Woohyun.
“Yes, oh mighty captain. You requested my presence?” Woohyun gave him a weird look.
“What was up with you during practice today? You know, if one person looks bad, then the rest of the team looks bad too.” Sungyeol’s eye twitched.
“Sorry I wasn’t performing up to your standard. Coach seemed pretty happy when I was actually practicing though, instead of running laps and doing lunge laps.”
“Are you talking back to me?”
“And what are you? My father? You’ve been acting like an asshole for the past few weeks, but no one wants to say anything. You’ve been treating Sunggyu like shit. Everyone can see it. I don’t know what the fuck your problem is, but would it kill you to not take it out on the people around you?”
“Myungsoo, really, it’s-”
“Bullshit. That’s what it is. Now, either tell us what’s going on, or stop being an asshole.”
“Fuck you. I don’t have to deal with this.” Woohyun got up from the couch and shoved his way through Myungsoo and Sungyeol, slamming the door as he left. Sunggyu sighed as he sat back on the couch.
“Do you know? What’s wrong with him?” Sunggyu blinked a few times before nodding.
“Then fix it! He’s making everyone’s lives miserable!”
“I wish I could,” Sunggyu said, turning his eyes towards the ceiling.
“The school he wants to go to is only accepting two new recruits for the soccer team. They’ve already got one filled up, so there’s only one spot left. Dongwoo and Hoya have resigned and applied to other schools with decent teams. But Woohyun... He really wants to get that spot. It’s all he’s been thinking about since he found out. He’s been losing sleep, so he’s cranky all the time about it.”
“That doesn’t give him an excuse to be an ass,” Sungyeol said as Myungsoo huffed.
“It’s a lot of pressure. I get it. I feel bad for him, but I can only do so much. Every time I try to take his mind off of it, he just snaps at me then feels guilty, so he feels even worse. I don’t know what to do with him. Times like this, I really feel like a bad boyfriend. I can’t just sing away his problems this time.”
--
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay by yourself?” Sungyeol asked for the fifth time. Myungsoo’s mother called and invited him over for dinner.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. It’s been a while since my mom and I had dinner together alone. It’ll be nice without you and Woohyun throwing food.” Sunggyu forced a weak smile on his face as Sungyeol sighed.
“Things will work out. As much as I hate to admit it, you and Woohyun are perfect for each other.”
--
“So how are things with you and Woohyun lately? I noticed you’ve been in a down mood lately,” Sunggyu’s mom said as they ate dinner together. It was quieter than usual, but the silence was empty. It wasn’t comfortable or awkward. Just empty.
Sunggyu explained what was going on without hesitation. His mother listened to the whole thing without a word and nodded when Sunggyu finally finished.
“What I think you should do,” she said as she dabbed at her mouth with her napkin, “is help him see that it won’t be the end of the world if he doesn’t make it into that school. He has other options. He’s a smart boy. It’s not like he has to stop playing soccer if he pursues another career.”
--
“So, Sungyeol. How’s school been for you?”
“School is school,” Sungyeol said as he passed the potatoes to Myungsoo. He and Myungsoo were so in sync with each other sometimes, it was scary. He didn’t even have to ask and Sungyeol knew what he wanted.
“Meaning?”
“He scrapes by his classes and doesn’t fail.” Sungyeol turned to glare at Myungsoo, who just smirked at him and chewed his food.
“My grades are good, thank you very much.” Myungsoo’s mom watched them fondly.
“You know, your dad will be home in a few weeks. Are you going to introduce Sungyeol to him?” Myungsoo swallowed, blinking a few times at the food left on his plate.
“Yes,” he said lightly. Sungyeol could hear something waver in his voice and raised an eyebrow at him. Was Myungsoo... afraid?
--
“Is there something I should know about your dad?” Sungyeol asked as he sat down next to Myungsoo on his bed. They’d just finished watching the dishes together while Myungsoo’s mom knitted in the living room. Dog was sitting on Myungsoo’s lap, half asleep.
“He’s... kind of hard headed. He won’t be happy to hear this, but it’s not like he didn’t know. He’ll probably throw a fit, get angry, try to get rid of you somehow. If we stand up to him, he’ll back off eventually. I don’t know if he’ll ever accept it, but he’ll back off at least.” Sungyeol chuckled to himself. He vaguely wondered how his parents would react if they found out he was dating Myungsoo.
“What about you? Are you ever going to introduce me to your parents?” Myungsoo asked, scratching Dog behind the ears. Sungyeol pursed his lips.
“Someday.”
Author: ixjaydee
Rating: PG - 13
Pairing: Woogyu (Woohyun/Sunggyu);; Sungsoo (Sungyeol/Myungsoo);; Wooya (Dongwoo/Hoya)
Genre: drama, high school cliches, and the like.
Disclaimer: Reality is a cruel, cruel place.
Summary: Nam Woohyun: noun - [1] resident pretty boy and one of the most popular juniors in the entire school. [2] has a reputation of being a jerk, but only because most people don’t understand he doesn’t really mean his insults. It’s just how he shows his affection.
Kim Sunggyu: noun - [1] nobody. [2] a junior just trying to make his way through school and do bigger and better things with his life.
Woogyu: noun - [1] a name given to Woohyun and Sunggyu by his best friend Dongwoo, who happens to know that Woohyun has a crush on Sunggyu. [2] the reason Sunggyu gets crippled for life.
AN;; A mostly Myungyeol chapter. Let’s follow them through their average day, shall we? Lol. Next will be a day in the life of Wooya.
--
34
--
“Yah, wake up. You’re going to be late. I swear if you don’t get up, Sungyeol, I’m going to-” Sungyeol slammed his hand down onto his phone and groaned before bringing it to his face. Myungsoo recorded a voice alarm for him ages ago, and quite frankly, the only reason it was still his alarm was because he didn’t know how to change it.
He rolled out of bed and fell onto the floor before he sighed and dragged himself to the bathroom to get ready for the morning.
By the time he was done, he was surprised to see Sunggyu already awake and ready to head to school.
“This is certainly a surprise,” Sungyeol said as he hopped down the stairs. “You’re never ready before I am.” As Sungyeol got closer to Sunggyu though, he could see the dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep.
“Yeah. Decided to get up early today.” Sungyeol inwardly frowned. He knew Sunggyu well enough to know that that was code for ‘I couldn’t sleep last night and couldn’t stand to be in bed for any longer so I got up early.’
“Hey, are you okay? You’ve been a bit off lately,” Sungyeol said, sitting down next to Sunggyu. Sunggyu laughed, but it wasn’t a real one.
“A lot of things going on, that’s all.”
“Is it Woohyun?”
“It’s... It’s both of us.” They heard a car honk from outside. Sunggyu pushed himself up from the couch and limped his way out as Sungyeol looked after him with a deep frown on his face.
--
“I’m worried. I mean, I know I’m not supposed to like Woohyun or anything, but whatever is going on between them is affecting Sunggyu like no other.” Myungsoo was turned around in his seat while Sungyeol had his head on his desk.
“You tried asking him?”
“I did. All I get is that there’s lots of things going on. He did say that it had to do with both of them, though? I don’t know what could possibly come between them.” Myungsoo nodded quietly, pursing his lips.
“Well, there’s nothing we can do about it. We’re not master meddlers like Dongwoo and Hoya are. I guess all we can really do is offer moral support and hope everything turns out for the best. I hope it’s soon, because Woohyun’s been killing everyone on the team. His drills are going to kill someone.”
--
“Here, I’m not feeling hungry today,” Myungsoo said as he shoved his dessert over to Sungyeol. Sungyeol raised an eyebrow at him, mouth full of food. He chewed a few times before swallowing, nearly choking on his food. Myungsoo patted him on the back a few times until Sungyeol caught his breath.
“You always eat your dessert. What’s wrong with you? Is this spreading?” Sungyeol asked, looking over to the sullen atmosphere hanging over Woohyun and Sunggyu. They weren’t talking. They weren’t even looking at each other.
“No, it’s not that. If I eat too much, I’ll end up throwing it up on the field because of the hardcore practices Woohyun is dictating. I don’t know why Coach is letting him do this,” Myungsoo said quietly.
“Hey. Just because you aren’t planning to do soccer after high school doesn’t mean the rest of us aren’t. Sorry, if I want to make a good impression,” Woohyun snapped at Myungsoo. Sunggyu sighed as Woohyun got up angrily.
“Woohyun, he didn’t mean it like that. Your practices have been a little bit more hardcore than the team is used to. I thought you guys were doing fine before-”
“Fine isn’t good enough!” Sunggyu flinched as Woohyun’s hands came down on the table. Woohyun blinked at him a few times before his face softened and turned to guilt. He sighed before turning and leaving the cafeteria without another word.
Myungsoo watched him leave and blinked a few times. Sungyeol could tell that Myungsoo was trying to act indifferent, but he was worried about Woohyun too.
--
“Do I have to go to practice today? Can’t I ditch? Pretend I’m not feeling well, and you had to come with me to take care of me?” Dongwoo asked as he, Hoya, and Myungsoo were changing in the locker room.
“Woohyun would throw a fit and kill you,” Hoya said, pulling his jersey over his head.
Sungyeol was settled on the bleachers without Sunggyu. Sunggyu took the bus to the music store down town. He was teaching guitar and getting some special vocal lessons from an instructor at one of the universities he wanted to attend.
He saw the team walk out onto the team where Woohyun was already warming up. Sungyeol could see the dread in all of their steps. A whistle blew, and Sungyeol knew practice was starting.
Scouts were in the stands as always, observing the practice and making notes. Sungyeol noticed that Woohyun seemed to be extra hard on Myungsoo, and Myungsoo was taking it quietly and doing his excessive punishments without protest. Sungyeol frowned. Was he going to have to beat some sense into Woohyun again?
--
Sungyeol barely had time to open the door before Myungsoo pushed past him and collapsed onto his bed. His bookbag hung precariously on the side of the bed until it slipped from his grip and landed with a thump on the floor.
“At this rate, my legs are going to fall off, or I’m going to fall asleep on the field,” Myungsoo said, voice muffled by Sungyeol’s comforter. He rolled over and covered his eyes with his arm as Sungyeol sat down at the edge of his bed.
“He was really on your case during practice today.”
“Woohyun does that now a days. Anyone who even says anything back to him gets harped on during practice. I don’t really care, because if I get punished, it means less punishment for the other guys that actually want to concentrate on soccer.”
“How noble of you.” Sungyeol laid down next to him. Myungsoo grinned and turned so he could prop his feet on the wall, his head on Sungyeol’s stomach.
“Someone has to be the sacrificial lamb.”
“Don’t those people usually have to be virgins though? Aren’t you damning them then?” Sungyeol said with a smirk on his face. Myungsoo shook his head.
“Nah. I’m sure we’ll be fine. That reminds me.” Myungsoo kicked against the wall a few times before moaning loudly.
“Oh, god, Sungyeol,” he yelled as loud as he could. Sungyeol rolled his eyes and brought a hand up to play with Myungsoo’s hair.
“You’re so ridiculous sometimes.”
“What? Just proving to him that I still have enough stamina for these things. But god, I think my legs are cramping up. Yeolie,” Myungsoo said, pouting his bottom lip out slightly.
“What?”
“Leg massage?” Sungyeol sighed. “Please? You give the best massages. Just saying.”
--
The first thing Sunggyu heard when he walked through the door of his house was Myungsoo moaning Sungyeol’s name.
“Good grief,” he said as he closed the door behind him. Woohyun was laying on the couch, staring out into the backyard.
“How was practice?” Sunggyu asked him as he made his way to his room to drop off his guitar and sheet music.
“Practice was practice,” Woohyun said from the couch. Sunggyu came back out of his room and stood awkwardly next to the couch as Woohyun stared off into the distance. Woohyun sat up and patted the empty space next to him.
Sunggyu sat down, and the both of them stared at the blank TV.
“Wait. I think I heard the front door close. I think Sunggyu’s home,” Sungyeol said, getting up off the bed without warning and letting Myungsoo’s head fall onto the bed.
“What? No massage then?” Myungsoo frowned and grumbled something under his breath as Sungyeol cracked his door open slightly.
“You’re not going to ask me how my lessons went?” Sungyeol heard Sunggyu ask.
“I figured you were going to tell me.”
“The tension between them is making me feel awkward,” Myungsoo whispered behind Sungyeol. “You’ve been eavesdropping on them like this, and you still don’t know what’s wrong?”
“They both keep pretending nothing is wrong. If this keeps up, Woohyun’s face is going to meet my fist again. I don’t care if Sunggyu says they’re both at fault.”
“Oh. I’m teaching this little kid how to play guitar in between lessons. His brother drags him along, because he can’t be home alone. He’s pretty good at the ukulele.”
“I see.”
“But lessons have been good. The vocal instructor says I have a pretty good chance of getting a decent sized scholarship to the school.”
“Which school is this again? The far one or the close one?”
“The farther one.” Woohyun nodded.
“I’ve already been offered spots for a few different schools. One of them is around here. I’m still waiting for the scouts to my dream school to show up.” It was Sunggyu’s turn to nod.
“When’s the first game?”
“Next week. You’re going right?”
“I went to every game last year. I don’t know why I wouldn’t go this year.”
“Okay, seriously,” Myungsoo whispered. “They’re breaking my ice cold heart.” Sungyeol rolled his eyes before shoving at Myungsoo.
“If Sunggyu’s going to all the games, you’re coming too, right? So I have someone to point to and wink at whenever we win the game,” Sungyeol chuckled as Myungsoo leaned in to kiss his cheek.
“Myungsoo! Are you up there?” Woohyun yelled from the living room. Myungsoo sighed.
“Dear god. What else does he have to say to me,” Myungsoo heaved another large sighed before moving Sungyeol out of the way and opening the door. Sungyeol followed him downstairs, casting glances at Woohyun.
“Yes, oh mighty captain. You requested my presence?” Woohyun gave him a weird look.
“What was up with you during practice today? You know, if one person looks bad, then the rest of the team looks bad too.” Sungyeol’s eye twitched.
“Sorry I wasn’t performing up to your standard. Coach seemed pretty happy when I was actually practicing though, instead of running laps and doing lunge laps.”
“Are you talking back to me?”
“And what are you? My father? You’ve been acting like an asshole for the past few weeks, but no one wants to say anything. You’ve been treating Sunggyu like shit. Everyone can see it. I don’t know what the fuck your problem is, but would it kill you to not take it out on the people around you?”
“Myungsoo, really, it’s-”
“Bullshit. That’s what it is. Now, either tell us what’s going on, or stop being an asshole.”
“Fuck you. I don’t have to deal with this.” Woohyun got up from the couch and shoved his way through Myungsoo and Sungyeol, slamming the door as he left. Sunggyu sighed as he sat back on the couch.
“Do you know? What’s wrong with him?” Sunggyu blinked a few times before nodding.
“Then fix it! He’s making everyone’s lives miserable!”
“I wish I could,” Sunggyu said, turning his eyes towards the ceiling.
“The school he wants to go to is only accepting two new recruits for the soccer team. They’ve already got one filled up, so there’s only one spot left. Dongwoo and Hoya have resigned and applied to other schools with decent teams. But Woohyun... He really wants to get that spot. It’s all he’s been thinking about since he found out. He’s been losing sleep, so he’s cranky all the time about it.”
“That doesn’t give him an excuse to be an ass,” Sungyeol said as Myungsoo huffed.
“It’s a lot of pressure. I get it. I feel bad for him, but I can only do so much. Every time I try to take his mind off of it, he just snaps at me then feels guilty, so he feels even worse. I don’t know what to do with him. Times like this, I really feel like a bad boyfriend. I can’t just sing away his problems this time.”
--
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay by yourself?” Sungyeol asked for the fifth time. Myungsoo’s mother called and invited him over for dinner.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. It’s been a while since my mom and I had dinner together alone. It’ll be nice without you and Woohyun throwing food.” Sunggyu forced a weak smile on his face as Sungyeol sighed.
“Things will work out. As much as I hate to admit it, you and Woohyun are perfect for each other.”
--
“So how are things with you and Woohyun lately? I noticed you’ve been in a down mood lately,” Sunggyu’s mom said as they ate dinner together. It was quieter than usual, but the silence was empty. It wasn’t comfortable or awkward. Just empty.
Sunggyu explained what was going on without hesitation. His mother listened to the whole thing without a word and nodded when Sunggyu finally finished.
“What I think you should do,” she said as she dabbed at her mouth with her napkin, “is help him see that it won’t be the end of the world if he doesn’t make it into that school. He has other options. He’s a smart boy. It’s not like he has to stop playing soccer if he pursues another career.”
--
“So, Sungyeol. How’s school been for you?”
“School is school,” Sungyeol said as he passed the potatoes to Myungsoo. He and Myungsoo were so in sync with each other sometimes, it was scary. He didn’t even have to ask and Sungyeol knew what he wanted.
“Meaning?”
“He scrapes by his classes and doesn’t fail.” Sungyeol turned to glare at Myungsoo, who just smirked at him and chewed his food.
“My grades are good, thank you very much.” Myungsoo’s mom watched them fondly.
“You know, your dad will be home in a few weeks. Are you going to introduce Sungyeol to him?” Myungsoo swallowed, blinking a few times at the food left on his plate.
“Yes,” he said lightly. Sungyeol could hear something waver in his voice and raised an eyebrow at him. Was Myungsoo... afraid?
--
“Is there something I should know about your dad?” Sungyeol asked as he sat down next to Myungsoo on his bed. They’d just finished watching the dishes together while Myungsoo’s mom knitted in the living room. Dog was sitting on Myungsoo’s lap, half asleep.
“He’s... kind of hard headed. He won’t be happy to hear this, but it’s not like he didn’t know. He’ll probably throw a fit, get angry, try to get rid of you somehow. If we stand up to him, he’ll back off eventually. I don’t know if he’ll ever accept it, but he’ll back off at least.” Sungyeol chuckled to himself. He vaguely wondered how his parents would react if they found out he was dating Myungsoo.
“What about you? Are you ever going to introduce me to your parents?” Myungsoo asked, scratching Dog behind the ears. Sungyeol pursed his lips.
“Someday.”