flowering // tbz k.sw x male reader

eighteen //

[m/n] stared out into the distance blankly, as he had just woken up. Everyone else was asleep, since he had fallen asleep quite early, but he remembered that he had to help with preparing the ingredients for breakfast and stood up, pulling his blanket with him accidentally.

"Where are you going...?"

[m/n] turned to Jungmo, sitting down on his bed and running a hand through his hair. "I need to help with breakfast. It'll be ready in an hour."

Jungmo hummed, lifting a hand to hold [m/n]'s. "Good luck, [m/n]. Fighting~"

[m/n] hummed with a smile, stepping outside and putting his shoes on after picking up his utility bag. The morning air was cold, and he was quick to put on his padded jacket. A few teachers were awake, and he bowed at them as he made his way to the kitchen. He stopped, his eyes falling on a familiar brunette boy.

"You're up early."

[m/n] smiled slightly, yawning as he walked forward. "Morning, Sunwoo-ya. I'm going to brush my teeth, I'll be back in a moment to help."

"There's no rush," Sunwoo replied, turning around to walk to the kitchen. He suddenly turned around to face the other. "By the way... you look cute when you're sleeping. Really pretty."

[m/n] suddenly felt more awake, his cheeks burning as Sunwoo looked down shyly. [m/n] laughed, turning around quickly. "I'll meet you in the kitchen later!"

•

By the time it was 7:30am, most of the students were awake, including [m/n]'s main friend group. Breakfast was done, and [m/n] had just finished eating. He had already showered as well, so he was waiting for the next schedule to start. As far as he knew, they were going to head in groups of 10 on a tour of the countryside, moving with a teacher with them.

"[m/n]-ah, you coming?"

"Coming, Baejin-ah!"

"why are you taking so long?!"

[m/n] closed the door behind him, quickly pulling his sock up properly before scurrying after his friends. "Sorry, my shoelace loop kept coming loose."

"Ah, our cute, clumsy [m/n]," Jungmo sighed, ruffling a hand through the shorter's hair. "Life would be easier, but boring, without you."

"Easier?!" [m/n] exclaimed in disbelief. "Yah, I'll let you know, I'm an amazing person!"

"Yeah, okay, you're amazing," Jihoon cooed, pressing a hand to [m/n]'s cheek. "Come on, we're in group B and they're meeting at the entrance. We're really late."

"I hope Hyunjin is in our group," [m/n] muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

Jinyoung looked at him with a frown. "Hyunjin? Why?"

[m/n] shrugged, looking up at the taller boy with a smile. "He's busy these days, so it'd be nice to just spend time with him."

Jinyoung and Jungmo looked at each other with a sigh. Jinyoung pressed his lips together in thought. "[m/n], don't you think Hyunjin just... I don't know... feels differently...?"

[m/n] stopped walking, his gaze falling to the dry grass beneath his feet. He heaved a sigh, nodding his head. "Yes, actually. I'm not too hopeful when it comes to him, despite how much I genuinely like him."

"Well, what if he genuinely didn't like you back?"

"Jinyoung," Jihoon hissed, widening his eyes in shock. "You can't just say someth-"

"If he doesn't," [m/n] said quickly, interrupting the other's words, "then I'll probably be more at peace than what I am right now. It'd be easier to endure if he just... rejected me, you know? Instead of... lying to everyone and himself."

Jinyoung's expression was rather illegible, while Jungmo didn't even try to hide his emotions, which were mainly shock. Jihoon, who hadn't been there for the talk the previous night, was still a little confused. Jinyoung chuckled, his gaze following [m/n]'s to the ground. "Someone likes you way more than Hyunjin will ever like you. I wish you'd let go of this... hope that you'll be with Hwang Hyunjin. He's a nice guy, and he's just nice to everyone. Don't take if personally."

"He treated me differently from how he treats everyone else, and I guess I just loved that feeling of affection. I'm not dumb, though - I can read between the lines," [m/n] smiled. "Besides, he's really attractive, too. Not as handsome as my Jinyoungie, though."

Jinyoung's expression turned smug, earning a laugh from Jihoon and a grimace from Jungmo. "Blegh. Anyways, I think we've established that Hyunjin doesn't feel the same way as [m/n], so let's get going to the other team, please."

Jihoon and Jungmo ran off and [m/n] was just about to join them, but Jinyoung grabbed his wrist. "[m/n], wait." The other stopped, frowning at him. "You knew Hyunjin didn't like you? Why'd you keep clinging onto hope, though?"

[m/n] looked away, his cheeks burning a slight red. "I liked him a lot, and he made me feel special. I guess him knowing how I felt must've made him uncomfortable and he felt obligated to show affection as well. I should apologise for making him uncomfortable. I thought I could... convince him to feel the same. To help him grow feelings as well by being more affection. But not only was he lying to himself, but I was lying to myself as well."

"In what way were you lying?"

"I like Kim Sunwoo, don't I?"

Jinyoung smiled at those words as [m/n] looked away. "Why push him away, then?"

"Because he's not my type," [m/n] answered quickly. "But yet... he makes me feel special too. He's a sweet, caring, loving giant idiot... and while he may not be the reserved, intelligent guy I was looking for, he's definitely something different. I like him as he is."

"Well, then tell him!" Jinyoung urged, grabbing [m/n]'s wrists. "There's nothing more I want than for my dear best friend to be happy, and Sunwoo really seems to make you happy - even if you hide it behind this tsundere facade. He's a good guy too, and keeps sacrificing himself because he thinks you like Hyunjin more than him."

[m/n] widened his eyes. "I don't, though..."

"Well, you did go on a date with him and not Sunwoo," Jinyoung said, crossing his arms. "Take any opportunity to show Sunwoo your feelings - at the end of this trip, I want you to confess your feelings to him or you buy me lunch every day until you tell him."

"Lunch?! Yah, Bae Jinyoung, you're richer than me!"