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Watching your popular best friend the weeks before prom would never be funny. No matter how often Dongju made fun of Geonhak for the way his locker was filled with love-letters or for all the girls who whispered about him along the hallways, he definitely enjoyed it far less than he led on.
Not only was he one of the people who nobody was interested in, but it also stole the attention he gained from Geonhak away. And Son Dongju very much liked attention. The whole ordeal made him moodier, he snapped at his friends and family and talked less. Of course Geonhak noticed after around a week, seeking out Dongju who was busy studying in the library, twisting a strand of his silver hair between his fingers.
When he arrived at the library, having received a tip from Seoho about where the younger boy was, he stopped at the doors, his gaze already on his friend. As always Dongju looked a bit ethereal and Geonhak would be lying if he said he wasn’t often caught staring at him. The way in which his friend was usually buried under wide and comfortable pastel clothes, silver hair styled with glitter and pretty braids, it was only natural people would stare.
Geonhak was startled when he realized Dongju had caught him again, the smirk on the other’s face very telling. The way he raised an eyebrow as if to say “Are you really staring at me again? You could take a picture, you know?”, made Geonhak’s ears heat up before he walked over quickly, sliding into the seat beside the younger, who promptly spoke up in a whisper so that he wouldn’t disturb other students.
“What are you doing here, Geonhak? You’re supposed to be at training, aren’t you?”
“We need to talk and it’s fine if I miss training once in a while.”
“You never miss training. You hate missing it.”
“I hate seeing you being all pouty and moody more so this is my priority.”
He would regret bringing this up if it wasn’t so important, for the way Dongju smirked threw him off a bit.
“Talk then.”
“What?”
“You brought it up so I imagine you would have something to say.”
Dongju was only met with silence and so he continued reading through his material he would be needing for an essay, simply waiting for Geonhak to eventually give him a response. It only must’ve taken around two minutes when he finally got one.
“You’ve been in a terrible mood and Seoho Hyung let me know it’s my fault. I don’t understand what I did though.”
“It’s not directly your fault but he’s also not entirely wrong.”
“Son Dongju, can you for once not speak in riddles and just let me know so I can fix it?”
Now Dongju was the one who needed some time to find his words but eventually resigned himself to give a clear answer, considering Geonhak actually looked a bit mad.
“You’ve not been giving me attention. You’re not even busy with exams, homework or anything but you’re constantly distracted and shooting down every attempt I make at hanging out with you outside of lunch breaks.”
The irony of his words became apparent when, before Geonhak could even attempt to answer, a girl, probably a bit older than Dongju, stepped up behind the older man, tapping his shoulder and drawing his attention away.
Dongju watched in silence when she bowed, holding out a letter and asking Geonhak with a quiet but firm voice if he would consider going to prom with her. It was clear that Geonhak was flustered, unsure of how to answer and Dongju didn’t want to watch anymore. Gathering all his belongings in mere seconds, he stood up, swinging his backpack over his shoulder and stormed off, not reacting to Geonhak calling after him in panic.
Rarely did Dongju rush anywhere but this time he tried to get away quickly, already passing the field where Seoho was running laps, just like what Geonhak should be doing. He even ignored Seoho’s calls when the older spotted him and broke into a run when Seoho called out for Geonhak, too.
Of course he couldn’t outrun his sports fanatic friend though. Geonhak’s strong hand grabbed his shoulder just when he reached the parking lot, yanking him into a halt. Dongju bent over, trying to catch his breath while Geonhak towered over him, barely affected if not for the way his chest was rising and falling a bit quicker.
“Damn it, Dongju! Why did you have to run off like that and ignore my calls? Stop behaving like a child!”
That made Dongju recoil and he looked up at Geonhak with hurt written all over his face. Realizing the harshness of his words, Geonhak carefully reached out, only for the younger to slap his hand away.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it…”
“Yes, you did! You always see me like a child and don’t take me seriously! This is part of the whole stupid problem!”
“I really didn’t… I don’t see you as a child, Dongju, believe me…”
Dongju hesitated, staring up at the disheartened expression of his friend. He wanted to see him smile again, liked it when that smile was directed at him but he also wanted to be taken seriously, to get the attention he so craved. If he was like one of those girls, whispering about Geonhak whenever he passed by them, he would’ve sneaked in a letter into his locker as well. Actually, Dongju had thought about it, had even started writing one before he had burned it in the sink, so no one could ever find out.
He wasn’t one to hide between pretty letters on a piece of paper, couldn’t just be as ordinary as all the others. But it annoyed him that Geonhak refused to see him as an equal to those girls. Dongju wanted him to take him seriously, to consider him as a partner for prom. All their friends constantly made comments about them seeming like a couple anyways.
Sometimes he wished Geonhak would just tell them they were instead of denying it feverishly, as if he could never even imagine dating his younger friend one day. But Dongju could, had even confided in Hwanwoong at one point, who had started dating Youngjo in secret a while ago. They had only told Seoho and Keonhee but Dongju wasn’t blind like Geonhak and had realized it on his own quickly enough.
“Just say it.”, he silently reminded himself. He knew he’d regret it if he didn’t.
“I like you, Geonhak.”
“I know that, Dongju. We’re friends, remember?”
The confusion on Geonhak’s face enraged him and he stomped his foot on the floor, shoving his friend with surprising strength.
“No, you don’t! I like you more than a friend, you stupid idiot! I can’t believe you… You’re so goddamn blind, you realize nothing. Everyone knows! Everyone can see it but you don’t even want to! I can’t do this anymore… you know what? Forget about all of this… go back to that girl from the library. She was pretty enough, she’d fit as your partner for prom.”
He turned around, ready to leave, feeling rejected enough for a lifetime, when Geonhak held him back yet again, this time quick to respond.
“Son Dongju, will you go to prom with me?”
“What?”
“I just asked you out… so will you?”
“This is not funny, Geonhak. Stop being so cruel…”
“I’m not being cruel, I mean it… I… I didn’t realize you liked me back. I always thought I wasn’t enough for your standards and so I didn’t say anything… and I didn’t notice you were jealous all this time since you were making fun of me for all the confessions I was receiving.”
Dongju was stunned, simply staring at Geonhak with wide eyes. He really liked him back. Geonhak, one of the most popular guys at school, who had also been his best friend for years, liked him back and had simply been too shy and oblivious to ask him out.
Geonhak yelled in pain when Dongju reached out for his hand, only taking it to bite right into it. Letting go after a few seconds, Dongju regarded him with a fierce grin.
“Ya! You better make this up to me with a Disney movie marathon. You buy all the snacks and we cuddle! And then we go shopping for prom so you don’t end up as a fashion disaster, you hear me?”
With a smile, Geonhak nodded, wrapping his arms around the younger to pull him closer and nuzzle their noses together.
“Kiss me, baby chick!”
“You’re the baby, Bambi… not me.”
“Shut up and do it or I’ll bite you!”
Knowing Dongju was pleased for once instead of angry, Geonhak leaned down slightly, meeting Dongju halfway and kissing him eagerly. It wasn’t magical or anything like so many novels and movies described, but rather comfortable, familiar and sweet in the way he had imagined it. Dongju felt like home, like comfort and Geonhak could tell the other felt the same way with him.
He was thankful for the younger’s courage though. Geonhak was probably a chick like Dongju had claimed. After all he had been trying to get himself to ask him out for prom for weeks, always chickening out at the last moment. Good for him, that his boyfriend demanded attention and would never back down when he didn’t get it.