Hanahaki Strings • seventeen jihancheol

Chapter 62: Of Finding out and Guarding Up

Joshua

"WHAT?!"

I closed my eyes as I grimaced at the loudness of Mingyu's voice.

"Tone down your voice, will you?" I hissed at him. 

He flashed me a sheepish smile while showing a peace sign, "Sorry. I was just surprised," he said. "But really? You already confessed and reconciled with each other but you're still not together?"

I sighed.

"There's a reason why, Mingyu," I said. "Do you want to know a secret?" 

His brows furrowed, "A secret? Out of nowhere?"

"It's part of the reason why Cheol and I didn't end up like how we wanted to be," I responded. "So, do you want to know a secret? Just make sure you won't tell anyone."

"Sure, hyung. You can trust me."

"Seungcheol also likes Jeonghan," I revealed while staring directly at Mingyu's eyes, waiting for his reaction.

But instead of getting shocked like how I expected, his face fell, "Is that the secret?"

"Why aren't you surprised?" I asked him, confusion probably written all over my face.

"Hyung, that is not a secret," Mingyu said. "All of us already knew that Seungcheol-hyung likes you and Jeonghan-hyung."

"WHAT? All of you knew?" I yelled in surprise.

He nodded.

So I'm the only one who didn't know? 

"How did you find out?"

He made a face, "Well, we're not oblivious. Plus, Seungcheol-hyung is very obvious, he's not great at handling and hiding his feelings."

I pouted, "Am I really that oblivious?"

"Yes, hyung. You are that oblivious that it's already so painful and frustrating."

"But at least I already knew now, right?"

Mingyu shook his head, "Back to what you were saying, that's the reason why the two of you decided to just remain... friends who have feelings for each other? Because the both of you like Jeonghan-hyung too?"

I nodded, "As much as we wanted to start dating, we both like Jeonghan as well. So much. But then again, we don't have any idea about Jeonghan's feelings. Cheol and I talked a lot about this. We both wanted Jeonghan, as much as we wanted each other. So we decided to give Jeonghan a hint, not directly confessing to him. We didn't want to overwhelm him nor creeped him out."

Mingyu palmed his face as he sighed, "Why do I have to be in this place?" He mumbled.

"What is it again?" I grumbled upon hearing him.

He shook his head, "I don't really know what to say right now, hyung. Seriously. I couldn't think of anything."

I pouted, "you don't have to say anything.  Cheol and I already got this."

He made a face but he didn't say anything. Silence ensued between us as we looked around the campus.

It was a few moments later when a phone rang and vibrated against the bench Mingyu and I were sitting at. It wasn't mine, so it's obviously Mingyu's. I watched him as he took it out of his pocket and then he mouthed 'Wonwoo-hyung' to me. I nodded in understanding as he stood up to answer it.

I heaved out a sigh as I watched the students walking around the campus, choosing what game they wanted to watch. It's getting dark already. All of them had something they wanted to watch and so we parted ways. I just happened to stumble upon Mingyu while I'm heading in the field after getting bored of watching basketball with Seokmin and Soonyoung and since he had nothing else to do anymore, we just decided to stay near the field.