milk. | tbz nyukyu

21.

"hey."

changmin greeted chanhee happily the moment he entered the gym so that they can practice.

chanhee, who looks like he's been waiting for him, approached him and grabbed changmin's hand. the orange-haired boy noticed the expression in chanhee's face. a mixture of sadness and anger is evident in the boy. "chan? is something wrong?"

"can we talk for a minute?" the older asked him and changmin nodded. chanhee looked at kevin—who's looking at them confusedly—and nodded, asking for permission to go out of the room. kevin can't help but just nod.

chanhee brought him to the mini garden near the gym. this is where students who don't like the library or cafeteria go to eat and study. but since it's a saturday, the garden is vacant, leaving the two boys to talk about whatever they have to talk about.

chanhee wasted no time and asked changmin. "is it true that you rejected younghoon's feelings?"

oh. is this the reason why chanhee suddenly grabbed his arm and dragged hin somewhere? changmin titled his head. "i did, because i know that i don't like him back."

chanhee felt relief and happiness. changmin didn't fell for younghoon's 'perfect boy' charms like what he's fearing. but that is not what's important right now.

"you didn't even give him a chance? chang, the boy likes you for so long! can't you at least try to like him?"

changmin clicked his tongue, suddenly annoyed at how chanhee is clearly pushing him to like someone. "why would i give him a chance? chanhee, like i said i don't like him! why are you forcing me to like someone else when clearly it is you that i like!"

chanhee widened his eyes while changmin placed a hand on his mouth upon realizing his mistake. he was about to run away when he remembered hyunjoon and juyeon's advise. it's now or never. it's either he run away and never tell chanhee his feelings or he confess now and hope for the best.

"i rejected younghoon because i like you! ever since i saw you sing last year at the school festival, i fell in love with you. i don't know how but you really pulled me in and make me happy even without doing anything. i was scared to tell you that i like you, because i know you like younghoon. so imagine my happiness when we became close friends. i was contented to be at least friends with you."

changmin glanced at chanhee's still shocked face and sighed. "you must be very surprised. it's fine if you don't feel the same way. i hope we can still be friends though."

the smaller boy was about to walk away when chanhee grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "changmin, wait."

"yeah?" changmin prepared himself for another heartbreak. he closed his eyes and winced but opened them again when he heard nothing from chanhee after a few seconds. he saw the older biting his lip, clearly agitated as if he's struggling to tell changmin something.

"look, i like you too." chanhee stared and changmin's eyes widened. "that was the reason why i suddenly avoided you like a plague. i just realized my feelings for you that time and i don't know what to do. my bestfriend likes you too and i'm not even sure if you're into guys. that's why i distanced myself so that i don't fall deeper."

"do you really like me?" was all changmin could say. this time, he's the one who is shocked.

"i do." chanhee admitted.

the orange-haired boy quickly pulled the older into an embrace. after the hug, changmin draw his face closer to the elder, smiling cheekily. "would you go out with me?"

chanhee, who was smiling widely, immediately drop his smile and look away. "i can't."

"why?"

"younghoon likes you, chang. he's my bestfriend and i don't want to hurt his feelings. besides, if we get together, it'll make me look like a snake who stole you from him."

"so you're afraid of hurting his feelings? what about mine? i like you a lot, chanhee, and rejecting me will hurt my feelings too." changmin grabbed both of chanhee's hands and made the older look at him. "and i don't belong to younghoon. you are not stealing me away from him because from the very start i am already yours."

chanhee bit his lip. he doesn't know what to do. should he reject changmin and hurt him? or should he accept him and let younghoon be hurt in the process?

"younghoon will get over me soon. we don't even know if its love he's feeling for me. maybe it is just infatuation. but there's one thing i'm sure of; what i'm feeling for you is love." changmin convinced chanhee.

chanhee looked deeply into the younger's eyes and heaved a sigh. he have finally decided; he will follow changmin. he nodded and changmin smiled widely.

changmin pulled him again into another hug and this time, chanhee didn't just stood there and let the boy hug him. chanhee buried his face into the younger's neck and let himself be sorrounded with the boy's strawberry scent.

however, chanhee still feels bothered. what he did was right, and yet it feels so wrong. he's afraid to break down the news to younghoon. but he will worry about that later. for now, he just let himself be engulfed in a hug by changmin.