Just "Acting" || HWITAE ✔

-bonus || rowoon's confession-

Seokwoo spent weeks planning how he was going to tell Chani how he felt. Did he want something straightforward? Serious? Cheesy? Did he want to do something big? Or something small and private?

In the end, he chose something big, cheesy, and straightforward. Maybe it's not the best way to go, but it'd be the most memorable. 

Should he be so nervous, though? The company said it was okay, but will he get publicly rejected? He wouldn't know unless he tried. 

Taeyang an Hwiyoung sat down, their faces bright red. If Taeyang could serenade Hwiyoung with pick-up lines, Seokwoo could tell Chani he was in love with the younger. Afterall, publicly confessing was his idea. 

And it's not like Chani didn't know his feelings. He's made it clear through his flirtatious manner. Even the other members noticed. So, the maknae had to have had some reason not to call him out on it, right? It was entirely possible Chani felt the same way. 

Seokwoo stood up, taking the microphone from Taeyang in the process. If this went wrong, things could be really awkward between him and his love interest. But if it went right . . .

He made eye contact with Manager Nim and shook his head. His manager rose an eyebrow. That was not the signal to start the video Seokwoo had took hours to throw together. It was the exact opposite. 

Seokwoo turned to his audience. "If it isn't too much to ask, could you guys keep your cameras put away." He laughed nervously. "What I'm about to do, I've been stressing over this for over a month. I lost a bet with Youngbin, and as a result, I"--he looked at Chani next to him--"have to declare my love for Chani."

Chani stared up at him. Seokwoo saw a lot of emotion flash through the younger's eyes, but surprise was not one of them. The other didn't know if that was a good thing. Complete silence filled the room. 

"If you didn't already know," Seokwoo continued, "I'm in love with you." There it was out. This could make him or break him.

Chani shooks his head, and Seokwoo felt like his heart would stop beating. "I'm sorry, Rowoon."

Those three words told Seokwoo everything he needed to know. 

❤‍🩹

Everyone in the penthouse was uncomfortable. Most fled to their rooms. Seokwoo and Youngbin were the only ones left in the living room.

"This was not how I thought things were going to go," Youngbin said. "I'm sorry, Seokwoo."

I'm sorry was the last thing Seokwoo wanted to hear. "I'm fine," he answered. 

"That was the worst lie I've ever heard."

"Okay, I'm humiliated and heartbroken. Is that a better answer for you?" the other snapped. Seokwoo leaned back into the couch and sighed. "Sorry, I didn't mean that."

"I think you should go talk to Chani. See how he feels," Youngbin suggested. "Technically speaking, he didn't actually turn you down."

"I don't know," Seokwoo said. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to try."

After Chani answered, Seokwoo played the whole things off as a joke, a random skit thrown in to entertain Fantasy. The real plan was to have Chani accept him, not the other way around. The older had to think quick for a solution. It was likely one of Fantasy was recording anyway and Seokwoo's public rejection was not something FNC Entertainment wanted trending on the internet. 

"I'd get this worked out before tomorrow," Youngbin said. "If we cancel the performance, then everyone will know that the confession was the real deal. And as your friend, it sucks to see you this way. You should be happy."

The younger nodded. "Okay, I'll go talk to him. Thanks, Youngbin."

When he walked in their shared room, Chani was laying facedown on the bed, his arms and legs sticking straight out in various directions. Usually, Seokwoo would lay or throw himself on top of Chani then say something funny or cringe-worthy, but instead, Seokwoo sat on his own bed across from the younger. 

"Are you asleep?" he asked. 

"No," Chani replied into his pillow. The smaller rolled onto  his side so he was facing his roommate. "I was actually waiting to talk to you."

"If this is about the fan-sign, I came to tell you-"

"It's not. Well, it is, but not what you think," Chani interrupted. He pushed himself up into sitting position. "I wanted to tell you that I feel the same way."

"Then what about earlier?" Now, Seokwoo was confused, and maybe it was a bad thing, but he was also getting his hopes up. 

"The company must not have known all of what the contract for my current drama called for, but one of the rules is I cannot date while filming," Chani explained. "I couldn't accept a public confession in front of Fantasy, even if it was from you. There was no way they were going to keep that to themselves if I said yes--which I really wanted to, by the way. Hwiyoung and Taeyang are already trending everywhere even though there's no proof that what they're saying actually happened."

"Wait. So you're telling me you said no in front of everybody because of a contract?" Seokwoo asked just to be sure he heard everything correctly. 

"Yes, that's what I'm saying. I feel terrible, and I wanted to say sorry."

"Oh my God, you have no idea how relieved I am right now," Seokwoo breathed. 

"We can't openly date like Hwiyoung and Taeyang or Inseong and Jaeyoon," Chani said, still apologetic. 

Seokwoo crossed the small space between them and enveloped the smaller in a hug. "I don't care if we tell everyone or not," he murmured. He pulled away. "But, I think you owe me."

Chani looked regretful. "What do you want?"

Seokwoo slipped past Chani and laid in the maknae's bed. He patted the spot next to him. "Lay with me," he said.

Chani rolled his eyes, but still laid with him. Seokwoo reached over him and turned off the lamp. They laid there staring at the ceiling. 

"You know, I could totally kiss you right now," Seokwoo mentioned. 

He felt Chani shift next to him. "I don't know what's stopping you," he replied. 

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a/n: SF9's manager in this story finally has a name lol