martyrs & maniacs. | tbz jujae

O8.

Chanhee's new profile picture is adorable. His blonde hair is styled nicely, slightly matching the light blue frosting on his cheek that seemed to come from the cake he is holding. Juyeon doesn't know what was the occasion, but seeing Chanhee happy with no sign of emotional pain in his face gives Juyeon a weird feeling.

"What did I tell you about acting like a still-lovestruck idiot?" Eunseo appears in front of him, her hand situated in between Juyeon and his phone.

Juyeon sighs and says nothing, instead opting to give the younger girl his phone.

Eunseo pockets the phone. "We went here to shop for drinks for Younghoon's party. Not check on your ex to see how he is coping. Hyunjae, tell this man how stupid he looks right now."

"I'm older than you. Call me oppa first."

"I show no respect to people like you." Eunseo looks at him from head to toe. "Cowardly simp."

Juyeon doesn't really get what Eunseo meant by that, but he laughs anyway. He picks up a packet of plastic cups and places them in his shopping cart. Hyunjae follows behind him.

"You're still having a hard time, don't you?"

Juyeon looks back at him. "What?"

"Moving on. It isn't easy, isn't it?"

"Of course. I really thought that he was the one."

"Well," Hyunjae trails off. He holds onto the cart's handle, hand resting barely a centimeter beside Juyeon's. "They say that the first step of moving on is to find someone new, right?"

Juyeon looks at the contrast of their hands in terms of size before he arches a brow at Hyunjae. "I'm pretty sure it's something along the lines of accepting that the break up happened."

"Well in my book, it is. Maybe I can teach you a thing or two about it."

♡

Juyeon is drunk. Like i-have-a-low-alcohol-tolerance-but-i-still-drank-one-bottle-in-one-go drunk.

It has been a few weeks since Juyeon and Chanhee's break up, and Juyeon is glad to announce that he is coping really well. Well, sort of. Although there are still some instances where he breaks down especially when he sees Chanhee in the campus premises with Changmin by his side, Juyeon's friends are always on his side to keep him grounded.

The feelings are still there and they probably won't go away anytime soon, but give Juyeon more time and someday he'll get over it.

The semester is about to end and Younghoon suggests throwing a party to celebrate it. Juyeon thinks that he should hold one after it ends, but both Hyunjae and Eunseo want it as well and so he can't really say anything about it.

Cue some planning and some shopping and he's now here, leaning against Younghoon's kitchen counter with a drink in hand. Swirling whatever is inside the cup Eunseo gave him, he bites back a chuckle. It feels like déjà vu. It has only been months since Younghoon's last party, where he is also looking at his cup, looking very out of place amidst the people dancing and drinking their hearts out. Back then his and Chanhee's relationship wasn't any better, but at least they were still together. Back then Juyeon wasn't in the mood to party, disappointed that his boyfriend chose his best friend over him. Back then Hyunjae was still a stranger in his life. It's crazy now that he realizes just how a lot really happened after Younghoon's last party. This time though, Juyeon is determined to not let some stupid boy affect him.

He laughs loudly when he spots Eric already passed out on the couch, a clueless Sunwoo sitting on his legs while making out with another boy. Juyeon laughs, shouts and drinks some more. His friends, including Hyunjae, are nowhere to be seen, but that's okay. Juyeon's fine with himself, anyway. He's having fun. In fact, he gave one of the cheerleaders a peck in the lips. Juyeon thinks of it as an improvement in his whole "moving-on-from-Chanhee'' thing.

Younghoon mentioned to them that he strictly told anyone to not invite Chanhee and Changmin to the party which the latter two didn't mind, opting to stay in Changmin's apartment to hang out instead. That fact hurts Juyeon even more than intended.

Ha. Is he really that easy to replace?

Whatever. Juyeon takes another sip.

"You're so wasted." Hyunjae appears beside him. He's holding a cup as well but unlike Juyeon, he isn't shit-faced. He trips on his steps a little and there is a light blush on his cheeks but Hyunjae can still pass as sober.

Juyeon grins. "Obviously. Do a shot."

Hyunjae only snorts before stealing Juyeon's cup and gulping it in one go. It is a dumb idea, because some of the contents ended up spilling on Hyunjae's neck and Juyeon, drunk as fuck, takes his time watching the droplets make their way down, down, down.

"How's your process of moving on going?"

"Still barely halfway there. But I'm getting there soon." Laughter escapes from both of their lips.

Hyunjae chugs down his own drink. "Is there a possibility that you'll get back with Chanhee again?"

Juyeon lazily stares at Hyunjae, a brow raised. He's about to ask him what's with the sudden mention of the other's name when he finally notices the outfit the older is wearing. Hyunjae is undeniably good-looking than usual today, dressed in tight leather pants and a silk shirt whose first three buttons are opened. Hyunjae is actually really hot, who knew? Juyeon suddenly wonders what it will feel like to run his large hands down the expanse of the older's chest and taste those lips that are glistening because of the beer.

"You're hot." Juyeon, already gone with no working brain-to-mouth filter, voices out his bizarre thoughts. "I'd bang you, not gonna lie."

The blonde looks at him as if he grew another head, and Juyeon sobered up enough to realize just how weird the words that he told his best friend sounded. "Fuck, sorry. I'm not in the right state of mind to think right now and—"

"Then do it."

This time, it's Juyeon's turn to look at his friend, gawking. "Excuse me?"

Hyunjae only shrugs. The older boy leans into the counter and rests his chin on his hand. Juyeon gulps when he notices the intensity of Hyunjae's gaze, eyelashes fluttering suggestively at him.

"I don't see why not?"