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“So I was wondering if you had time next Monday,” Juyeon finishes what is probably a relatively thought out speech. Then he looks down at Sunwoo, one eyebrow raising slightly. “Sunwoo?”
Sunwoo wishes he's been paying as much attention as his friend deserves it's just…
“We have the whole thing planned already,” Jaehyun picks up the speech even though Sunwoo has never answered. “Kevin promised to bake something, Jacob said he's got us some of that good coffee from Canada—”
Sunwoo's eyes scan the sidewalk in search of something, his thoughts wandering, wondering.
Which color would Changmin like best?”
“—And then Chanhee is gonna dress as one of the cats from Cats and—”
At that, Juyeon chokes.
Sunwoo's eyes snap back to his friends.
“In your dreams,” he comments, taking a mental note to report this blasphemy to his best friend later.
“I think you mean nightmares,” Juyeon mumbles, and Jaehyun smiles at him softly.
“My guy, never believing I could be that deranged.”
Sunwoo snorts at the two of them, his eyes wandering to the ground again.
It's past the middle of October and the leaves have finally started to turn colorful.
There are various shades of yellows, reds, and browns around them, waiting to be picked up and taken home.
Yes, Sunwoo plans to take autumn leaves home.
He thinks they could serve as a perfect fall bouquet and if chosen wisely would complement the decorations Changmin has put up quite nicely.
Which color though?
“…And we have lost him again,” Jaehyun sighs and shakes his head lightly. “What are you looking for anyway, Sunwoo?”
“Leaves,” he answers simply.
Both Jaehyun and Juyeon raise their brows in question.
“I was thinking about bringing them home as a bouquet but I can't decide on a color.”
Jaehyun scans the ground underneath them, his gaze only stopping when it lands on a pile of golden leaves, some of them still falling down from a nearby tree.
“Get those,” he says and throws his best friend a knowing look. “The color is similar to sunflowers which we all know are his favorites.”
Sunwoo feels his neck turn the same shade of red as leaves at his feet.
“Just…” he looks at his friends, Jaehyun’s smug expression and Juyeon’s always friendly one, and sighs. There's no winning against them. “Help me pick the best ones and then maybe I’ll go to that party you keep talking about.”
Jaehyun and Juyeon exchange only partly fake surprise looks.
“So he was listening after all,” Juyeon states the obvious.
As if Sunwoo could truly ever ignore his friends especially when they were saying things as ludicrous as Chanhee wearing a Cats costume. The image will probably haunt Sunwoo forever.
“Yeah, yeah,” he mumbles and points to the ground. “Now back to work.”
xxx
“Changmin?” Sunwoo asks the empty and dark hallway that welcomes him when he opens the door to their apartment.
The air is eerily and a shiver runs down Sunwoo's spine as his eyes land on Chucky sitting on the shoe cabinet.
The doll's head is tilting to one side and it looks like it’s about to fall down and give Sunwoo a heart attack. He fixes it carefully.
A rustle to his left almost makes him jump out of his skin as if he’s the main character in a horror movie which, to be fair, isn't that unwarranted with the way their flat is decorated.
Sunwoo turns slowly, ready to be face to face with a serial killer or even a demon. You never know.
But it's just Changmin, standing in the middle of the now faintly lit hallway with his hair in disarray presumably from sleep.
Sunwoo takes in a shaky breath and lets out a soft laugh.
“Sunflower,” Changmin greets him, a soft smile on his face when he leans in and plants a quick kiss on Sunwoo's cheek.
“Hyung,” he breathes out in reply, his hands automatically coming up to Changmin's arms to make up for the lost contact. “Were you just sleeping?”
“Tiring day at the academy,” Changmin answers with a nod and lets himself relax against Sunwoo's touch.
The younger keeps them both upright.
“I got you something,” he softly pushes Changmin away so that he can reach inside his backpack and take out the leaves Jaehyun and Juyeon help him select and then carefully put between the pages of his notebook.
“What is it?” Changmin asks, suddenly fully awake.
“Just something I thought would compliment the current decor and season,” Sunwoo mumbles. suddenly shy under Changmin’s piercing gaze. “It’s silly.”
Changmin’s expression softens and he reaches out to grab the notebook. He flips through it, taking the leaves out at the same time and carefully arranging them into a bouquet. It’s all shades of yellow and gold.
Sunwoo makes a mental note to send both Jaehyun and Juyeon a thank you text later.
“You’re right, they do fit the vibe,” Changmin beams at Sunwoo. “I’ll go grab a vase to put them in. I think we still have that hideous skull one Chanhee gifted us once.”
Sunwoo nods. He knows for a fact that they have it, Changmin’s act of hatred for the poor thing is only a facade.
“It’s in the living room.”
Changmin nods and turns to leave.
“Oh, by the way, I love them, thank you Sunwoo,” the older looks back at Sunwoo with a warm smile. “They remind me of sunflowers.”
Sunwoo makes another mental note, this time to treat Jaehyun to a meal.
“Those are your favorites after all.”
“I know, sunflower.”
Sunwoo feels his neck burn and Changmin laughs at him.