Jae Hyun thought he didn't hear correctly. Did Seo Joon just say he was in love?
He sat up abruptly, the sudden movement making him dizzy with emotions he couldn't quite process. Uneasy, he stared at the brown-haired boy who still had a wide grin on his face.
"Are you serious?"
"Yep."
Seo Joon sat up too, bringing them to the same eye level. Jae Hyun swallowed hard.
"I guess you can feel that way now... since the dating ban's been lifted," he said, trying to sound casual.
"She's really pretty."
She?
Jae Hyun's chest tightened. What had he been expecting? Of course, Seo Joon was straight. He was straight too... or so he thought. But despite that, an inexplicable pain settled in his heart.
"Her name's Lisa. I met her yesterday," Seo Joon continued.
Yesterday? Jae Hyun's stomach twisted. He met and "fell in love" with some stranger just yesterday? Seriously?
"Are you for real?"
"Yes. I really like her. There's just something about her that draws me in."
Jae Hyun rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his hair, licking his lips—a habit he always did when annoyed. "Where did you guys meet?"
Seo Joon scratched the back of his head, suddenly reluctant to answer. But Jae Hyun's curious expression made it impossible to lie.
"At a club."
Jae Hyun gawked. "Aigoo. At a club? You met your so-called soulmate at a club?" he yelled.
Seo Joon quickly covered his mouth with a large hand. "Yah, stop yelling!"
Jae Hyun yanked his hand away, seething. So Seo Joon had ignored him all day yesterday because he was busy entertaining some girl at a nightclub.
"She seems really nice. And she's a total fan."
Jae Hyun scoffed. "You barely know her. What makes you think it's love?"
Seo Joon grinned. "I'll date her and find out."
A heavy feeling weighed down on Jae Hyun's chest. Seo Joon was really going to date someone else. His stomach twisted with a mix of emotions he didn't even know how to label. All he knew was—he wasn't happy.
Seo Joon seemed to notice the shift in mood and the silence that followed.
"Jae Hyun, come on. I need your help here. You're my best friend. You know it's been ages since we had any contact with girls—since high school."
Jae Hyun sighed. He never wanted to be the reason Seo Joon was unhappy. He always gave in, even when it hurt.
"Alright," he muttered, "but I want to meet this girl and make my own assessment."
Seo Joon grinned, throwing an arm around him and kissing his head. "That's why you're my best friend."
"Aish... so childish," Jae Hyun muttered as Seo Joon hugged him tighter.
It hurt so much.
He didn't know why—but the thought of Seo Joon with someone else twisted something deep inside him.
"I missed you," Seo Joon whispered, his breath warm against Jae Hyun's neck, sending a shiver down his spine.
"Didn't seem like it. You looked like you were having a blast with your Beautiful hyungs and your new girlfriend."
"You said you wouldn't call me!"
"Yeah, but I never said you shouldn't call me."
"I thought it was a challenge."
Jae Hyun picked up a pillow and smacked him with it.
"Challenge my foot."
"Yah, Jae Hyun!"
"Don't do that again. I was really worried about you."
Seo Joon melted at the concern in his voice. "Okay, I promise I'll call you every day, every minute—every hour. You'll get tired of it."
"Yeah, right."
"Come on, Jae, smile for me. Show me that famous eye smile I love so much."
Jae Hyun folded his arms across his chest, pouting like a child.
"Jae..." Seo Joon said, wiggling his fingers before suddenly tickling Jae Hyun's sides. The room quickly filled with laughter.
Seo Joon paused, watching Jae Hyun's eyes crinkle into crescents. His heart skipped a beat. Every time Jae Hyun laughed or smiled, he looked... beautiful.
The door flung open, and Do Hyun poked his head in.
"Yah, Kim Seo Joon! Choi Jae Hyun! Keep it down, will you?" he barked.
"Sorry, hyung," they chorused, cheeks flushed. Do Hyun gave them a suspicious glance before closing the door.
Seo Joon rolled off the bed. "I need to shower and join the others. Haven't practiced much lately. I'll see you tonight."
Jae Hyun pointed at his ankle. "Can't walk, remember?"
"I'll piggyback you."
Jae Hyun blushed. "Oh... arrasseo."
Seo Joon smirked before walking out.
Jae Hyun had all his meals in bed that day. He hated being idle—he wanted to dance, tease Jace, annoy Seo Joon.
That evening, Kelly entered the room wearing a grin.
"Seo Joon's got a girlfriend. You should've heard them on the phone today—they were seriously flirting."
Jae Hyun tried to appear unaffected.
"I heard," he mumbled.
Kelly tilted his head. "You know, it's weird. I always thought he was..."
He stopped, chuckling to himself.
"You thought he was what, hyung?" Jae Hyun pressed.
Kelly opened his mouth, then shut it again.
"Tell me."
He sighed. "Well... I thought he was gay."
Jae Hyun laughed. "Gay? Seo Joon is straight as an arrow."
Have you seen how he looks at you? Kelly thought. Everyone could see it—except the two of them.
"If you say so," Kelly shrugged.
At 9 p.m., Seo Joon came to pick Jae Hyun up for their usual late-night hangout. He piggybacked him all the way to his mint spider car. They brought snacks and drinks, heading to their favorite spot—the bridge.
Night was their sanctuary. Their escape. A time to just be themselves.
Seo Joon Choied under the bridge and carried Jae Hyun bridal style from the car.
"You don't have to," Jae Hyun whispered, flustered. "I can walk..."
"You shouldn't put pressure on your leg. We're performing next week. Be careful."
Jae Hyun nodded. No argument there.
Seo Joon set him down on the car's hood and unpacked their food. They ate in silence, even feeding each other now and then.
"Seo Joon... what made you fall for that girl?" Jae Hyun asked suddenly.
Seo Joon sighed. "Honestly, I don't even know if it's love. I just feel drawn to her."
"Why?"
Seo Joon turned to look at him—and then it hit him. Those eyes. The same captivating eyes. He glanced at Jae Hyun's lips. Full, red, slightly parted. Yes, those lips too.
Jae Hyun noticed Seo Joon staring. His own eyes trailed to Seo Joon's lips. There was a pull. A gravitational force. They leaned in, closer... closer... until their noses bumped.
Jae Hyun snapped back. "Sorry..."
Seo Joon's face turned red. "Em... we should go."
"Yeah. It's getting... late," Jae Hyun said quickly, avoiding eye contact.
Seo Joon checked his watch. Barely an hour had passed.
What was that?
Had they almost kissed?
The car ride back was painfully awkward. Neither of them spoke. Neither could forget the moment.
Then Seo Joon's phone rang.
"Hey Lisa... yeah, I can see you tomorrow morning. Alright, bye."
It was a wake-up call—a reminder of where they stood.
Just Jae Hyun and Seo Joon. Members of the country's biggest boy band. Best friends.
Soulmates.
But nothing more.
They couldn't cross that line. Not now. Not ever.
Jae Hyun closed his eyes and rolled down the window, letting the breeze wash over him. He decided to sleep—not caring if Seo Joon carried him or not.
None of it mattered anymore.
Thanks for Reading. Hope you enjoyed. You can purchase the full print copy of this book, available on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FJ1QB1DV
You can also enjoy my Ai animated Bl stories on my youtube channell: https://www.youtube.com/@Blstories4u
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