Secrets

No

The last meeting of the conference was incredibly important but Seonghwa only had one thing on his mind: Kim Hongjoong.

As he tried to keep his eyes focused on the presentation in front of him, his pupils slowly made their way back to the angelic visuals to his left.

They traced his soft lips, remembering how hungrily they savored his skin. Traced his firm thighs, remembering the feeling of them under his clenched palms. Tracing the deep V of his button-down and wanting to run his fingers down the soft flesh on his exposed neck.

But then he would force his head back to the presenter.

He needed to be focused. He would be CEO one day. If he couldn't make it through a two-hour seminar on international marketing, how would he ever survive days on end of ten-hour conference calls?

It relieved him a bit to know his lack of focus had nothing to do with the material presented or his lack of expertise.

It was entirely due to the breathtaking human being sitting beside him.

Not that it didn't still mean he was unfocused.

Thankfully the presenter finished early and everyone was free to head home. Though it would be a long bus ride back, Seonghwa felt himself looking forward to it.

After all, he might actually sit next to Hongjoong this time. If he was okay with that.

He started to remember the last bus ride and realized it felt like centuries had passed. Yet it was only a few days since Hongjoong had flung him into the aisle, not even wanting to look him in the eye.

How things had changed so quickly.

As he boarded the bus, he walked to the end and set his suitcase in the upper storage bin. He moved to get into his seat but paused when he felt a light tug on his coat. He turned to see Hongjoong, wrapped tightly in a scarf and puffy jacket looking up at him with puppy dog eyes.

His heart almost exploded.

"What is it Joongie?" he smiled, feeling the nickname was appropriate for the adorable human beside him.

"Can you put my bag up there, too?"

Seonghwa realized the shelf was just out of Hongjoong's reach. He considered teasing him but thought better of it and nodded, taking the bag from his hands. He cleanly stacked it next to his own and turned back with a sigh.

Hongjoong smiled, a smile so pure and full of light. His nose scrunched and his eyes shrank to little crinkly lines.

"Thank you, Hwa."

"You're very welcome."

"I'm gonna barf."

Seonghwa looked up to glare at the voice but quickly realized it was Jongho. As much as he wanted to joke with him, he remembered how broken he'd seemed the other night. He was doing a great job of hiding it as he smiled innocently after his joke, but Seonghwa worried. No one had ever made Jongho cry like that. Not in front of him before. Jongho had never cried in front of him before.

Seonghwa gave a playful glare, not wanting Jongho to think he was worrying about him but his heart wasn't in it. He would have to talk with him again to check on him. If he would even open up again. That was rare for Jongho.

It probably didn't help that Seonghwa's relationship had clearly been fine. He was probably a bit envious.

Seonghwa bit his lip, feeling guilty, but took his seat beside Hongjoong. Immediately, little hands wrapped around his bicep and Hongjoong snuggled close.

Seonghwa couldn't believe a person could be so sweet and childish yet so incredibly seductive. The clingy and cuddly Hongjoong on his arm was almost a different person than the one he'd showered with this morning.

He gave him a soft pat on the head before remembering Jongho to his left.

But as he looked over again, his worries only increased. He saw Jongho staring at the front of the bus. At where Yeosang was entering.

Seonghwa watched Yeosang, wanting to hate him for what he did. But something seemed off about him. Normally Yeosang wasn't all that expressive but he seemed at least cheerful.

Not today.

His eyes were drowning in dark circles and didn't look up from the ground in front of him. He seemed almost—sad.

Yet Jongho had said he admitted he didn't care about Jongho at all. He'd told him it was all a lie.

Seonghwa was starting to think that wasn't true.

Yeosang made his way to the back of the bus and Seonghwa felt his chest tighten. He didn't want to see this showdown.

Yeosang cautiously approached Jongho's row and stopped, his eyes still on the ground. Jongho had since averted his eyes, his face pointed out the window.

"No."

Seonghwa flinched a bit at Jongho's sharp tone.

"Jongho I just wanted to—"

"No."

Yeosang stood by the aisle for a minute, waiting. Slowly his eyes moved up and gazed at Jongho. Seonghwa could feel the regret pouring out of them. Why was Yeosang the one he felt pity for?

This must be the true mastery of deception. It must be how Jongho had fallen so easily for his tricks.

"Please—"

"No."

All of a sudden Yeosang straightened and a smirk came across his face. It took Seonghwa a moment to process the sudden change in demeanor.

"Fine. Then you'll never get to know what I have to say. Your loss."

Seonghwa watched as Yeosang sat two rows ahead of him by Wooyoung and San, who gave him puzzled looks. Yeosang laughed brightly, telling them he and Jongho simply had a heated argument about their presentation topic, and that Jongho was sulking because the panel had chosen his idea.

Seonghwa was stunned by how easily he lied. But he couldn't shake the feeling that Yeosang really did have something to say. He wanted Jongho to give him a chance. It didn't seem possible to fake that flood of emotion in his eyes. That emptiness.

What had he wanted to say?