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During lunch, Mingi'd been playing a game on Seonghwa's phone that he'd downloaded himself since according to him 'video games maketh man', when the shorter spotted Hongjoong walking into the upper block that held the school library, his backpack in hand.

Instantly, Seonghwa's hands fisted, the boy beginning to play less and less attention to the artificial shooting effects and zombie gurgles coming from his phone. It transformed into background noise along with San's hurried commentary on Mingi's playing skills.

The three were seated under a large oak tree with roots thick and sturdy enough to support their combined weight. They weren't the only students around either, several teens choosing to camp inside the miniature park beside their school due to the afternoon heat.

"It's so damn hot today," San complained. His eyes were fully focused on the game though, his hands forming happy fists whenever Mingi scored a win. "It's fucking Autumn, not the middle of Summer."

Seonghwa couldn't help but agree. Lately it'd been so hot in the afternoons, only for the weather to do a complete one-eighty as soon as evening and night arrived. Nature was weird. Whatever.

However, he stood up, his movements gaining Mingi's attention instantaneously.

A booming FAIL seeped out of Seonghwa's phone speakers then, but only San seemed to be really affected by it.

"Where're you going?" Mingi asked.

Seonghwa stared at the block Hongjoong had entered as he searched his brain for a believable lie. "To the bathroom."

Fortunately, to get to the boys bathroom you needed to pass the library first.

"I'll follow you."

"That's fucking weird," San commented, his thumbs dancing crazily over Seonghwa's phone screen. Normally with anyone else, the dark haired male would've had a problem with them touching his phone. But he trusted San to be careful -- which he usually was.

"How the hell is it weird?" Mingi questioned, his tone bordering on offended. Before both teens could argue on it though, Seonghwa decided to step in.

"I'll go alone. Don't worry, I won't take long."

"It's alright, Hwa," Mingi said, "take as long as you'd like."

San advanced into another level. "Again -- Weird."

"I will smack you." No, he wouldn't. Seonghwa was sure Mingi wouldn't even hurt a fly.

"I'll get going," Seonghwa spoke.

San flashed him a distracted but genuine smile. "A'ight bye."

Seonghwa didn't waste time in entering the school and rushing up the many stairs. With him barely losing his breath or breaking a sweat, he sauntered into the library in hopes that Hongjoong would still be there.

And he was. Resting at some seat at the back whilst typing something on his phone, for once looking like the stereotypical disinterested teenager.

Briefly greeting the librarian, Seonghwa marched up to Hongjoong's table and sat himself down on the seat right across from him.

Hongjoong continued his typing, and once again, Seonghwa's frustration flared up.

"Phones aren't allowed in the library," was what he chose to say once the silence was starting to prolong.

"Good day to you too, Seonghwa." Hongjoong placed his phone on the table. The bracelets on his right wrist were numerous with varying shapes. They all looked childish but at the same time unique -- just like the owner.

"My eyes are up here," Hongjoong teased, tapping next to his eye once Seonghwa snapped out of his daze. This thumbnail was black like his entire outfit, but the rest of his fingers were painted in silver glitter.

Why was Seonghwa even looking?

"I see you like my nails," Hongjoong wriggled them, smirking when Seonghwa just glared at him. "Wanna paint your nails with me sometime?"

"Tell me why you were using your phone at the library."

"That again," Hongjoong sighed, his glossy lips forming a pout. Now that Seonghwa observed them enough, he realized there had to be some type of glitter there as well.

How could the shorter dress like that to a school where most people wanted to fit in instead of stand out?

"Mr Ahn and I are good friends," Hongjoong said as if announcing being best buds with your school librarian was the most normal thing to do. "Is that it?"

"No." Seonghwa shook his head, causing Hongjoong to let out yet another sigh. The sound was so uncharacteristic with Hongjoong's entire setup in the sense that it sounded...cute, unlike the owner.

Seonghwa cleared his throat. "How can you dress like...that to school?"

Hongjoong cocked his head to the side like a naive puppy, but his eyes betrayed the fact that he knew. "Dress like what?"

"...Like the way you do." Seonghwa stared at the shorter, trying to figure out if he was offended or not. But it was hard. Seonghwa thought only he could have the perfect poker face, but it turned out to be false at that moment.

Maintaining eye contact with Hongjoong was like staring into the eyes of a watching, waiting tiger. But Seonghwa wouldn't back down. For whatever reason, Seonghwa wanted to show Hongjoong that he wasn't scared of him.

"The trick is not giving a crap about what others think," Hongjoong replied after a minute of them staring at each other with crippling tension crackling between the two of them. "I treat people well, I'm nice when I wanna be. Clothing shouldn't dictate the kind of person I am. Although..." His yellowish eyes painstakingly ran down the slope of Seonghwa's body, causing the taller to stiffen, "sometimes clothes do showcase someone's character."

Seonghwa's Adam's apple bobbed. "The fuck do you mean by that?"

Hongjoong shot him a sharp smirk. "You dress boring... and you are boring."

Seonghwa's frustration ebbed into full-fledged anger. His nostrils flared, but he promised himself he wouldn't let anyone ever see how he felt, most of all Hongjoong. "I'm not boring."

"Sure. Let's go with that." Hongjoong smiled, all straight white teeth and prominent canines. He looked wild yet...adorable.

Seonghwa looked away. He pulled out a neatly folded paper from his jeans. As soon as he opened it, he slid it over to Hongjoong.

"Ooh, words," Hongjoong sarcastically remarked. "Is it a confession letter?"

"Read it and answer the questions," Seonghwa replied, totally ignoring Hongjoong's words.

"But they're too long."

"No, they aren't."

"Your handwriting's ugly," Hongjoong muttered, giggling when he took notice of Seonghwa's less than amused face. "But I'll make do with it."

"Just answer the damn questions. I don't have all day."

Hongjoong rested his head on his small hands, his smile nothing less than coy. "How much time did you take writing this up? You were thinking about me that much?"

"I don't think about you," Seonghwa countered. Hongjoong kept staring at him though, and heat flourished over the apples of his cheeks. "Don't look at me."

"I'm just watchin'"

"I don't like it."

Hongjoong chuckled, biting his lower lip. His lips were naturally upturned at the corners like a curious kitten's, and for a second Seonghwa couldn't look away. When their eyes locked, though, Seonghwa focused his gaze elsewhere.

Hongjoong rose a questioning brow. "What?"

"Answer the questions."

"Alright. I'll answer one." Hongjoong zipped open his bag and pulled out a folded piece of clothing. Seonghwa's eyes narrowed when he realized what it was.

It was his hoodie. The one Hongjoong had ripped, only that it was newly bought and bright pink.

"What is this?" Seonghwa questioned.

Hongjoong grinned, a ray of sunshine from the opened windows crystallizing the golden flecks of his eyes like glass. "Felt a bit guilty about messing with your hoodie, so I decided to get you another one."

Seonghwa hadn't expected this, hadn't expected the shorter's generosity. But even with that, he couldn't help that little part of him that was wary about Hongjoong's true motives.

"I don't need it," Seonghwa replied.

"Why? 'Cause it's pink?"

"Because I don't need someone treating me like some charity project."

Hongjoong's fists clenched, but he settled the folded hoodie on the table with a tight smile. "I'm only trying to be nice."

"I don't need anything from you," Seonghwa answered. "I just want you to answer my questions."

"And I will answer one of them if you accept my little gift," Hongjoong argued. "So just take it and stop being a lil' twat about it."

Seonghwa sighed, taking in the shorter's frown and undoubtedly agitated tone. His eyes were as intense and as fear-inducing as they were the first night they'd talked. But they were also entrancing. Bewitching, even.

Gingerly, Seonghwa took the hoodie, the material a soft pink and warm to the touch. It was just like his previous hoodie, only better. His mother had always liked pink.

Seonghwa cleared his throat, detesting the lump that'd gathered there. "So, the question -- "

"This is where you say 'Thank you oh dear Hongjoong'," Hongjoong interrupted. He let out a breathy chuckle when the taller boy glared at him for what seemed to be the millionth time that single afternoon.

"Answer the question."

"Okay." Hongjoong's eyes ran over the taller's note. "I'll answer the one about the school." Of course he'd answer the one question that didn't even pertain to him that much. "We have someone for that."

Seonghwa rose an eyebrow. "Like, to clean up the scene and stuff?"

"Yes, something like that."

"What else do you do? Is your brother like you and are there other people that do the things you do?"

The bell rang then, loud and atrocious. It grated the insides of Seonghwa's eardrums and highly annoyed him. His eyes widened in alarm though as soon as Hongjoong promptly stood up, pushing all his stuff into his bag.

Seonghwa stood up as well. "Hongjoong -- "

Hongjoong took the list of questions, all pretty smiles and crinkled eyes. "Hey, I'll be taking this if you don't mind."

Seonghwa watched in a daze as little translucent droplets oscillated around the paper in Hongjoong's hand, soaking it out of existence. "What just happened?"

Hongjoong just pointed at the pink hoodie on the table. "Don't forget to put that in your bag. I think I'll really like it if I see you wearing it sometime. And -- oh," he snapped his fingers, "about question four: yes, there are others like me."

"Like Yunho?" Seonghwa asked. For once, he didn't give a shit about turning in late to class or not. There was just something in him that ached to know more about the shorter, because Hongjoong was different. And different was the one thing he so desperately needed right now.

But just like always, Hongjoong kept his answer as vague as he possibly could. "We'll talk later, Seonghwa."

"We're talking now."

"No." Hongjoong shook his head. "We're not talking. You're interrogating me, there's a difference."

"I don't care."

Hongjoong smiled. "I'll see you later, hm?"

With the sheer roguishness glinting through the shorter's irises, Seonghwa didn't know if he was ready for that.

⛓️

a/n: thoughts?