Chapter 115 (1/2)

"You know?  I don't think you ever had a chance to meet Jeonghan at the party."  Seungkwan thought back.  Seonghwa looked at the male that was in the audience.  "Oh yeah, no, he was busy with something if I remember right."  He followed Seungkwan down the aisles. "Jeong-dad, this is Seonghwa.  He's part of the music class."  He introduced.  "Seonghwa, my dad."  He looked at the taller.

Seonghwa bowed to the older.  "Nice to meet you."  He said.  "Is it true that you really poured hot coco down Jae's shirt?"  He asked with wide eyes. Jeonghan scratched his cheek.  "Yeah.. It was a phase I was going through.."  He muttered.  "Anyway, I can't say I liked your makeup in Seungkwan's first play."  He was quick to critique. Seonghwa chuckled.  "I figured, it was about a kidnapping and possible murder.  Why not go with something scary, right?  The Joker's pretty scary."  He explained himself. Jeonghan grimaced.  "It's like you took the Joker and put him in an early 1900s film.  Where was the color on your face?"  He asked. "Oh.. We were short on red paint.. too much blood, you know?"  Seonghwa chuckled. Jeonghan huffed.  "Anyway, where's your Jongho?  Isn't he supposed to be helping out with the play?"  He asked, looking at Seungkwan. "He said that something came up,"  Seonghwa answered, "he's a weird one, no offense, Seungkwan."  He put his hand up. Seungkwan shrugged.  "You know, eleven other people judge me for dating him, what's a twelfth.."  He looked down at the floor. Seonghwa folded his arms.  "Well something about him always makes me want to punch him for some reason.. anyway, I need to go home.  I'll see you next time, Mr. Yoon."  He bowed. Jeonghan smiled.  "Good bye."  He waved.  He then looked at Seungkwan. "What are you doing here?"  Seungkwan asked, slowly walking out of the theater with him and San. "I was bored at home,"  Jeonghan shrugged, "are you upset?"  He asked.

Seungkwan shrugged.  "I don't feel the best kissing someone who's not Jongho, you know."  He said.  "You can kiss Jae all day, but it's just.."  Jeonghan chuckled.  "One, I don't kiss Jae's lips.  Totally different."  He started.  "But the other thing is, I don't have any romantic feelings for Jae.  I kiss him out of family feelings like I kiss Cheol's parents or my sister."  He explained, walking on the sidewalk. Seungkwan hung his head low.  "Yeah but.."  He sighed. "It was acting, there's nothing bad about that."  Jeonghan said.  "Hyungwon is right, you're going to hug and kiss a lot of people in your career unless you only choose roles that have no romance at all."  He said, keeping an eye on San behind them. Seungkwan nodded.  "I know.. but the thing is.."  He looked up at Jeonghan.  "I kinda liked the kiss."  He admitted. Jeonghan stopped walking, causing San to bump into him.  "What?"  He raised an eyebrow. "I've kissed other actors before, so don't even think it's like that."  He waved his hand.  "Sungmin's been adding romance to our repertoire."  He explained as Jeonghan continued walking. Jeonghan furrowed his eyebrows.  "You're with Jongho, Seungkwan."  He said sternly. “I know,”  Seungkwan sighed, “but this felt so much better..”  He said, looking at the pavement.

San looked around.  “You shouldn’t talk about that here,”  He said, “he might be listening.”  He whispered. “Didn’t he go home or something?”  Jeonghan asked. San narrowed his eyes.  “Trust me, it’s much safer if we leave campus.”  He said in a serious voice.

Jeonghan pursed his lips and tilted his head.  “Alright, let us three go to the salon.”  He said, linking his arms with the boys.  “Maybe you can get a little something done with your hair too, San.”  He winked. San blushed and Seungkwan nodded.  “I need some relaxation..”  He agreed.

At the salon, the three were together getting their hair trimmed or colored.  “So, continue what you were talking about.”  Jeonghan encouraged.  “Jongho.. He seems like an anime girl with her senpai.”  Seungkwan tried to explain.  “Like there’s no actual love, he just wants to have me, the popular boy, as his boyfriend.  Sort of like a good luck charm.”  He said, closing his eyes as the woman comes to the front to style his bangs. Jeonghan hummed.  “And what’s his deal with avoiding us too?”  He asked.  “Cheol said he saw Jongho exit the store when they walked in at the same time but in different doors.”  He mentioned, letting the woman put his hair in foil. “I’ve been doing research and watching Jongho.”  San spoke up.  “There’s nothing too suspicious about him other than he literally follows Seungkwan all day.  I’m surprised he even gets grades in his class.”  He said, looking at the color palette the woman has in front of him. Jeonghan looked at him through the mirror.  “Follow?  You mean like how Yeosang stalked Woozi?”  He asked. “Woozi asked for Yeosang to constantly follow him,”  Seungkwan said, “that was kinda like their little game.”  He explained. “Jongho literally is like that anime girl.  But I can tell he’s in love with Seungkwan.”  San said, pointing at the blue color.

Jeonghan hummed and looked at Seungkwan.  “Do you love Jongho?”  He asked the boy next to him. “I do..”  Seungkwan replied, signaling the woman that the length of his bangs was perfect.

“Do you like Seonghwa?”  Jeonghan asked. Seungkwan pursed his lips as he put his hand on the brace for the woman to shape his nails.  “I don’t think it’s a like, per se..”  He answered.  “You know how you would like someone but wish their smaller traits could be changed?  Not changing the person completely, but the small things.”  He explained the feeling. “I would like it if Mingi would stop calling himself a waste of space.”  San gave his personal example. “Exactly,”  Seungkwan agreed, “if he stopped saying that, it wouldn’t make him an entirely different person.”  He said. Jeonghan hummed and sat down in the drying chair.  “So what do you want to change with Jongho?”  He asked. “I wish that he wouldn’t hold me certain ways or obsess over me so much.”  Seungkwan said, closing his eyes as he felt his nails being polished.

San raised an eyebrow.  “You said he’s not abusing you.”  He said, feeling his hair being wrapped in foil. “He’s not,”  Seungkwan put his free hand up, “he’s just.. He needs to learn how strong he is.  It’s like he’s holding me like he just saved me from being run over by a train.”  He tried explaining the feeling. “Desperately?”  Jeonghan asked.

Seungkwan nodded.  “Yes, that’s it.”  He widened his eyes.  “But Seonghwa.. When he held me, it’s like he was preventing me from going near the tracks.” “Protective..”  Jeonghan muttered.  “So Jongho needs to learn his strength?” He asked. “Yes.”  Seungkwan admitted.  “He always acts so surprised when I tell him his grip is too strong.”  He stated.

Jeonghan hummed and watched San walk to the dryer chair next to him.  “What I want you to do is text him saying you want to meet him for dinner at KFC.”  He instructed. “Then what?”  Seungkwan asked, moving his other hand to the woman. Jeonghan smirked.  “When he gets there, he’ll see me sitting there instead of you.”  He chuckled. “Seriously?”  Seungkwan widened his eyes. “I’ll be in the restaurant too,”  San said, “just in case things get ugly.”  He continued with a serious eye.

Seungkwan looked down.  “I just hope he doesn’t think this is an attack on him..”  He sighed. “Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything to him.”  Jeonghan said.  “I want him to know that he can’t hurt my baby - accident or on purpose.”  He smiled.

Seungkwan smiled sadly as he looked at the counter.  “Thanks..”  He muttered. “And if he turns around and leaves, then I’ll take that as he’s breaking up with you.” Jeonghan said sassily.  “At that point, you can ask Seonghwa if you two can date.”  He gave his blessing.

Seungkwan widened his eyes.  “Seriously?!  You’re already ready to replace Jongho?” He laughed.

“Seonghwa seemed sweet,”  Jeonghan replied, “kinda cute too.  So if Jongho doesn’t work out, try him out.”  He winked. San smirked and shook his head.  “You just keep getting more interesting, Mr. Yoon..”  He said. “Stick around for longer, you’ll have ice water down your shirt.”  Jeonghan winked.

***Minghao looked up at the afternoon sky with a smile. He then looked at the girl next to him who let him hold her hand.

"I told you that I wanted to invite you to the park for us to work on an art project," Minghao started while continuing to walk with Tzuyu, "but really I just wanted to walk with you." He blushed.

She laughed and nodded. "I figured, but I really want to do my project." She stopped their walking and sat him down on a bench.

"What did our teacher task you with?" He asked with raised eyebrows, a smile still covering his face and body language.

She giggled. "It's not a project for school, but a personal project." She said, reaching into her purse. "I'm making something special, but I need your input." She took out her small kit.

Minghao saw string and beads on the bench. He moved to sit better on the bench so that he could look at the project. "You're making a necklace?" He asked, looking back at her.

"I'm making bracelets, but I need help on what colors they should be and what charms should go on." She said, showing what she had.

Minghao spotted two pretty colors next to each other. "How about pink and blue? These colors are soft." He tapped on the containers that had the colored beads in them."That would be pretty," She opened the small containers, "I was thinking about diamonds as the charm." She said as she threaded the beads.

Minghao hummed and picked up the other precut thread. "I'll do this one, diamonds would be pretty." He commented, reaching his fingers into the containers too.

Tzuyu smiled as they often met each other's fingers. "Should they be silver or gold toned diamonds?" She asked.

"I think gold toned." He answered. "I think gold would shine better on your skin." He continued, putting a bead down the thread.

She blushed and began tying her bracelet. She clipped the excess and then did the same for Minghao's bracelet. "So now that's finished.. the one I made is for you." She said, taking his hand and putting the jewelry down his wrist.

He had a surprised look on his face. "F-for me?" He asked.

"I wanted to make couple bracelets with you." She said softly.

It was Minghao's turn to blush. "I.. I don't know what to say." He laughed.

"How about you ask if I can be yours forever?" She asked with a sweet smile.