We Used To Be Friends

chapter 9

Thankfully, the following days, since the last time he saw Gemini, were occupied with him preparing for the concert. His days were filled with practising choreo, vocal lessons, and avoiding calls from Gemini. Although the former didn't give up sending him food, which Fourth will not admit to eating and one time he sent him a bouquet of sunflowers and Fourth will never admit to anyone that they actually made him smile.

Fourth didn't understand what Gemini's intentions were. Maybe Gemini wanted them to be friends again, Fourth didn't like that idea because he was far too old and tired to be stuck with pinning for Gemini again. To pretend that he just wanted to be friends with Gemini when he actually wanted to kiss Gemini until he was breathless and flushed red.

He was busy going through choreo when Hana walked in with a bouquet of daisies and a lunch box, flashing him a knowing smile.

"What's this? Flowers? For me? Oh noona you shouldn't have." Fourth said with a teasing smile as he took the flowers from his manager and inhaled their sweet fragrance.

"As if I would buy a menace like you flowers. They are not from me. Neither is this lunch." Hana said, lifting the plastic that held the lunch box up.

"Oh. Who are they from then?" Fourth asked curiously. They couldn't be from Gemini, could they?

"From Gemini. You know from the animosity you treat him with. I didn't think you two could actually be such good friends." Hana said, pressing the plastic on Fourth's chest.

"Gemini and I are not friends." Fourth replied with a roll of his eyes. Which is true. Gemini and him were not friends and haven't been in more than half a decade.

"What are you then?" Hana asked, sitting down on the wooden with grace, while Fourth sprawled down on the floor after delicately putting the flowers aside.

"We are just colleagues." Fourth replied, which also was true.

"Ah. So this has nothing to do with the fact that you two used to be so infatuated with each other?" Hana said, making Fourth sputter indignantly.

"What are you talking about? I- We... Gemini and I were never infatuated with each other." Fourth replied with an indignant scowl. Okay, maybe he had been infatuated with Gemini, but come one shouldn't Hana save him some face?

"Oh? The behind the scenes of my school president were so convincing. The chemistry you two had had me swooning, and as you know, I don't swoon." Hana said, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Noona! While I was slaving away, you were watching BL's?" Fourth replied, trying to deflect from this situation, but alas Hana was always too smart. The one thing that Hana liked to do was tease Fourth.

"Of course! How could I not? After watching the behind the scenes I went to down a worm hole of tiktok edits and so much more. Fourth, really, you two were so smitten with each other. I always thought Yechan being a shameless flirt was rubbing off on you, but who knew you were the shameless flirt between the two of you." Hana continued teasing him because she was cruel like that.

"Noona!" Fourth said, burying his face in his hands to hide the blush creeping up his on his face.

"Okay, I will stop teasing. Make sure you eat, okay?" Hana said, gently patting Fourth's head.

"I will. I promise." Fourth replied, peeking through his fingers.

"Good. Otherwise I will call your hyungs and tell them you are not taking care of yourself." Hana threatens with a smile.

"Noona!" Fourth whined as he watched Hana walking away laughing that maniacal laugh of hers. Fourth loves her so much!

Fourth does end up eating the lunch Gemini had sent him, and he smiled when he read what the card said, although he will never admit it to anyone, especially Hana. Who knew that the strict yet sweet manager that Fourth first met was such a menace? Teasing Fourth every chance she got.

The next day, Hana came in with a package, and that smile of hers Fourth knew that Gemini sent him something. Even if he hated to admit it, Gemini's persistence was impressive, especially considering the fact that Fourth has literally been ignoring his calls and texts. And true to his predictions, Gemini had sent him a package of dried fruits and some dragon's beard candy.

"Another delivery from your not a friend." Hana said with a cheery laugh.

"What is he trying to do? Fatten me up?" Fourth mumbled, biting the inside of his cheek to suppress a smile.

The night before the concert Fourth found a bouquet of deep red carnations with a card that simply read, "My heart aches for you." That made Fourth's heart melt. Even if Fourth wanted to pretend that he had no idea why Gemini was pestering him. This whole gesture was loud and clear. Gemini wasn't seeking him out to mend their friendship but for something more, for something that Fourth had ached for all those years back. 

The question was whether or not Fourth wanted to allow for that to happen. He had worked so hard trying to move on from Gemini to mend his broken heart as best as he could. Was Fourth willing to let Gemini in his life once again? To allow him to break down every wall he had carefully constructed around his heart?

When he got a call from Gemini that night, instead of ignoring it like he usually would. He found himself answering it. Although he didn't know for certain if he was willing to let Gemini in his life again he found himself willing to try.

"You answered." Gemini's voice rang out through the speaker, he sounded surprised almost awed.

"You were pretty persistent." Fourth replied, failing to suppress a smile.

"You could've blocked my numbers." Gemini replied and Fourth could somehow tell that Gemini was smiling just from his voice.

"I could have." Fourth replied with a grin. Thankful he was alone in the privacy of his hotel room.

"And yet you didn't." Gemini said sounding way too amused for Fourth's liking.

"What do you want Norawit?" Fourth asked instead of dignifying Gemini's statement with a response.

"I wanted to hear your voice." Gemini replied and Fourth found himself grinning like the idiot he was. If Yechan saw him now, he would probably get scolded for sure. Even Daeyol would, but not Yuzuka because Yuzuka was an angel.

"Well now you did." Fourth said, hoping the fondness in his voice didn't give him away. Gosh! Why was he such an idiot where Gemini was concerned?

"Well now I did. Thank you for answering. Goodnight Fotfot. Good luck for tomorrow." Gemini said sounding so soft, so fond and so incredibly sweet that Fourth's heart skipped several beats.

"Goodnight Gem..." Fourth replied equally as fond.

Fourth did not scream into his pillow that night but it had come close to that. Damn Gemini for always finding a way to crawl his way into Fourth’s heart.