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If Sejun had a dollar for every time someone referred to Byungchan as his boyfriend, he wouldn't be slaving away through his criminal law degree. He'd be in the damn Bahamas, living it up on his own personal island.
It's been going on pretty much since high school, no matter how many times both he and Byungchan insist they're just friends. Because they really are just friends and Sejun will never understand why people don't get that.
"It's because you act like you've been married for ten years," Sejun's roommate Seungwoo tells him. Seungwoo's a year older and the RA of the dorm, so normally on every other occasion Sejun trusts him. Now he just scoffs.
"We just act like how all best friends do," Sejun defends.
Seungwoo snorts, turning a page of his textbook. "No, you act like me and Sik. Face it Sejun, you're basically dating your best friend."
Sejun stops listening at this point, because that's just ridiculous. He has strong feelings for Byungchan, that's true, but those feelings are merely platonic. And they have been for years, so why would anything change now?
He decides to put it out of his mind and move on.
Sejun is familiar with Byungchan's roommate, a third-year dance major called Heo Chan. This is mostly because Sejun spends half his time in Byungchan's room, so he kind of has to acquaint himself with the roommate. Chan's also a really nice, smiley guy, and Sejun has deemed him suitable as a roommate for his best friend, which is a huge honour in his books.
In fact the only reason why Sejun isn't rooming with Byungchan is because he was lazy and missed the deadline for the dorm application. He's lucky to even be in the same dorm building as Byungchan, so he doesn't complain.
"You guys have like, nothing to eat," Sejun grumbles as he searches through the small mini-fridge in Chan and Byungchan's room.
"Just go to the pantry, you pig," Byungchan throws a pillow at him, annoyed because Sejun keeps getting up to hunt for food and interrupting their We Bare Bears marathon. "Or go bug Seungsik for sustenance like you always do."
"I'm lazy," Sejun whines, flopping back down onto the bed next to Byungchan. The other boy yelps and grabs onto his laptop to keep it from bouncing off the sheets.
"Then shut up and let me continue the show." Byungchan shoves him lightly. Sejun gives him a pout, but concedes and shimmies closer to wrap his arms around Byungchan's waist.
On the other side of the room, Chan looks up from his choreography notebook to see Sejun and Byungchan cuddling on the bed, both too intently fixated on the laptop screen to realize how much like a couple they look right now. Byungchan's fingers are carding through Sejun's hair, and their faces are so close that from another angle, they probably look like they're kissing.
"Well don't you two look cozy," Chan teases, enjoying how both of their heads snap up in perfect synchronization to stare at him. "Should I leave so you can do all your affectionate couple shit in peace?"
"We're not a couple," the reply comes in such unison, with the exact same tone of exasperation, that Chan is mildly freaked out. He knows this, of course, he's heard it way too many times before, but he likes making fun of them and their obliviousness.
"Sure," Chan rolls his eyes. "Whatever you guys say."
He goes back to his choreography notebook, but he keeps an ear on the two of them, because well life in university can get pretty dull sometimes so drama is always welcome.
"Junnie can you move over, your elbow's digging into my side," he hears Byungchan say after a few minutes.
"Sure baby," Sejun replies, sounding distracted, and Chan has to stifle his snicker.
Not dating, sure.
It's never been weird to Sejun that he calls Byungchan 'babe' or 'baby'. It's just one of the facets of their friendship, and he never means anything by it. It's like how Byungchan calls him Junnie, a nickname reserved only for him.
This gets easily misunderstood by everyone else, of course. The first time Sejun casually called Byungchan 'baby' in front of Seungwoo, the older boy had choked on his ramen.
It had been around midnight, some time before midterms, so of course both Sejun and Seungwoo were up studying, along with practically the rest of the dorm. Their room phone, the one linked only to the other telephones in the dorm, had rung and the older got to it first.
Then Seungwoo had held the phone out to Sejun with a smirk on his face, informing him, "It's your boyfriend."
Sejun rolled his eyes, taking it. "Byungchan is not my boyfriend."
He'd put the receiver next to his ear and went, "Hey baby."
Seungwoo's eyes had gone comically wide and he had an abrupt coughing fit. When he recovered, Sejun was still on the phone with Byungchan, though he gave Seungwoo a curious and concerned look.
'Not your boyfriend?' Seungwoo had mouthed, and Sejun just rolled his eyes again.
It's gotten to the point where Sejun just calls him that without even thinking about it. He knows objectively that it's a term of endearment people normally use for their significant other, but to be perfectly honest Sejun can't imagine calling anyone but Byungchan that. It's just a best friend thing, he thinks.
"Baby!" Sejun calls absentmindedly across his room. Byungchan is sprawled on his bed, typing away at an essay for his economics professor, while Sejun sits at his desk with his font-size 11 readings.
"Yeah?" Byungchan looks up, blinking blearily. He's one of those people that are adorable when they're tired, at least that's what Chan says. His dimples are so deep that Sejun can see the slight dip of one in his cheek even when he isn't smiling.
He realises that he's been staring just a little, and Byungchan is still looking at him expectantly. Sejun clears his throat. "Can you toss me the highlighter? To your left."
Byungchan complies immediately, then goes back to his essay. When his head is bent over his laptop again, Sejun finds himself sneaking another glance.
He has to agree with Chan. Byungchan is pretty adorable, no matter what he's doing.
Sejun has been kissing Byungchan since his freshman year.
There's nothing romantic about it. The first time it happened, they'd been playing Spin the Bottle at a frat party. They'd locked lips to a cacophony of catcalls and wolf whistles in the background, and that was it.
Afterwards, Sejun had a mild quarterlife crisis.
He'd always been somewhat aware of the fact that he prefers hard lines and muscle over soft curves and dainty limbs, but it's never come into focus quite so suddenly as it did when he kissed Byungchan.
Because kissing Byungchan was on a whole other level. His past experiences with his girlfriends couldn't compare. The way Byungchan's mouth feels under his own, his familiar warm hands fisting into the hair at the nape of Sejun's neck... it was honestly all Sejun could do to stop himself popping a boner.
It was lucky for him, then, that a week after their first kiss, Byungchan decided to kiss him again.
"What was that for?" Sejun had asked after they parted, his lips tingling and his face a deep shade of crimson.
Byungchan just shrugged nonchalantly. "It was nice. I just wanted to try it again." He'd peered curiously at Sejun, "Do you mind?"
Sejun shook his head quickly, eyes wide. "No. Of course not." Then he'd pulled Byungchan in by the back of his neck and pressed their lips together again.
So yeah. Sejun and Byungchan make out sometimes. It isn't a big deal, and they're still totally platonic.
Seungsik walks in on them once, Byungchan in Sejun's lap and their lips locked. He shrieks, drops his bag, and scurries out of the room sputtering apologies.
Byungchan and Sejun part, and exchange a look. Byungchan gets up and cracks open the door, sticking his head outside. "Um, Seungsik?"
"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you in the middle of your huge revelation or anything! I'll just leave and you can get back to, um, realizing you're basically a married couple!" Seungsik blabbers from outside, loud enough that Sejun can hear him.
"Um, we're not dating though," Byungchan informs him. There's silence on the other end, then Seungsik pushes his way into the room, a look of pure disbelief on his face.
"You mean you haven't arrived at your huge revelation?" he demands.
Sejun and Byungchan look at each other again, confused.
"No, we're just kissing. As friends," Sejun intones.
Seungsik groans in exasperation and drops to the floor next to his bag. "I can't believe you two!"
It's a Saturday when Sejun begins to feel the slightest bit of change in his emotions.
He's at the usual table in his favorite cafe, notes spread out in front of him and a chocolate milkshake in hand. Chan, who works in the cafe when he has the time, wanders over and plops down in the seat opposite him, the one meant for Byungchan when he finally arrives for their Saturday study session. It's a slow day, and Chan likes company when he can have it.
"Where's your other half?" Chan asks, a teasing lilt in his voice.
"He said he's helping a freshman find his cat," Sejun answers absentmindedly, staring at a sentence in his notes. He's been reading it over and over again, but he doesn't seem to get it. Maybe it's because Byungchan isn't here, so his mind keeps wandering off to the other boy. He does always seem to work better with his best friend around.
Chan snorts. "Funnily enough, that seems like exactly the kind of thing he'd do." There's a note of affection in his voice. This is why Sejun approves of Chan being Byungchan's roommate.
The bell above the door to the cafe rings, and Sejun's head whips up immediately. He's heartened to see a familiar lanky figure coming in, before he notices the shorter boy with him.
"Who's that?" Chan cranes his neck to look as Byungchan and the newcomer head over to Sejun's table.
"How do you not know?" Sejun has to question, because Chan knows everybody. He could make friends with a dumpster if he tried hard enough.
Chan shrugs. "Never seen him around before. Must be a freshman."
"Hey guys!" Byungchan greets happily when he reaches the table. He pulls the freshman to his side, ruffling his hair affectionately. The freshman squirms, and Sejun and Chan stare. Byungchan is generally a touchy person (though not as touchy as Chan), but most of his affectionate gestures are usually reserved for Sejun.
"This is Subin. He's a freshman, just transferred, but he lost his cat and his roommate is scared of them so he won't help look, so that's what I've been off doing all morning!" Byungchan speaks cheerfully, arm still wrapped around the younger boy's shoulders. Sejun can't seem to take his eyes off it.
"Hi Subin," Chan, luckily enough, still has enough sense to wave. Subin returns it, smiling slightly. He's really cute, the kind of cute with squishy cheeks and innocent round eyes. Distantly, Sejun wonders if his own sharp jawline can be off-putting.
"So who's your roommate and why is he scared of cats?" Chan asks, getting out of his seat. Byungchan doesn't sit immediately, however. He takes the time to drag a chair over from the next table for Subin. It looks like the freshman will be joining Sejun and Byungchan's study session, then.
"His name's Hanse, he's kind of scary," Subin begins, but he doesn't get further before Chan bursts out laughing.
"Hanse? That idiot, he's scared of everything," he snickers. "He acts all cool but he's really a softie. Don't take it personally."
As Chan leaves to get their drinks, Byungchan's usual order of a strawberry milkshake and Subin's iced latte, Byungchan puts an arm around Subin's shoulders again. It doesn't seem to be anything more than a reassuring touch, but Sejun still can't help the coiled feeling in his gut.
He wonders what it is and why it's there, mouth going a little dry as he watches Byungchan and Subin converse in low voices.
Sejun is so busy questioning his own existence that he doesn't notice the way Subin keeps glancing over at Chan while he prepares the drinks, and the teasing glint in Byungchan's eyes when he talks.
Subin becomes a regular fixture in their lives from then on. He's shy and quiet at first, but he's actually pretty dorky when he warms up to them. Subin usually brings along his roommate Hanse when he joins them in the cafe , and Chan already knows him, so they all get along pretty well.
Seungsik loves Subin. He babies the latter to no end and is always buying him food or drinks. The kid is cute without even trying, so the general sentiment towards him is cooing affection and excess hair ruffling. Even Sejun can't help but fuss over him, despite the fact that Byungchan has attached himself to Subin almost the way he used to be only with Sejun.
It's a little uncomfortable, honestly, but Sejun knows better than to feel insecure. He's known Byungchan for years and it's not like their friendship is being threatened or anything. They still hang out a lot, still cuddle and watch movies, still have their Saturday study sessions. So he doesn't really know why every time he sees Byungchan wrapped around Subin, he has to look away.
It doesn't help that the two of them are pretty cute together and one just can't help but coo over them. Sejun doesn't know what's going on between them, if they're perfectly platonic or if there's something more there, but surely two people can't get so close all of a sudden without the effect of that something more, right?
He supposes that he should be happy for Byungchan. If his best friend has found love, then the appropriate response is support and happiness. But for some reason, Sejun just can't seem to get over the fact that if Byungchan gets a boyfriend, he won't have time for Sejun anymore. He won't be free at 1 in the morning to accompany Sejun to convenience stores because he's craving ramen, he won't watch all the new movies with Sejun first like they promised they would back in high school... he won't kiss Sejun anymore.
Sejun doesn't like that, but hell if he knows why.
It's getting to the point where he thinks about it even when he's hanging out alone with Byungchan. He's always wondering, in the back of his mind, whether he should be saying something. Like what, give his blessing to Byungchan? Throw a fit about them not supposing to have secrets? Ask him if he knows why Sejun is so frustrated seeing Byungchan and Subin together? Well, he does know Sejun better than Sejun knows himself, so maybe he'd know.
He's watching Byungchan scribble across his notebook across the table, the straw from the milkshake stuck in a corner of his mouth. His eyebrows are scrunched up in concentration, which Sejun privately thinks makes him look adorable. His free hand is flat against the surface of the table, his fingers tapping out a random beat. Sejun is struck by the sudden urge to reach over and intertwine their fingers.
So, because he has zero self-control when it comes to this relationship, he does it.
Byungchan glances up, but doesn't give a reaction other than blinking twice before going back to his scribbling. He does, however, squeeze Sejun's hand, and the latter basks in the feeling of how nice this feels.
He wouldn't mind doing it for the rest of his life.
Okay, Sejun has a problem.
He's been thinking about it for a while, tossing and turning in his bed at night while he mulls over it. Seungwoo's thrown a pillow at him before, trying to get him to stop rustling the sheets. Sejun doesn't get why everyone in his life enjoys throwing pillows at him, but that's the least of his concerns right now.
Honestly, this whole thing started in the convenience store he normally frequents with Byungchan. That night, however, Byungchan had been busy helping Subin practice lines for an acting class project, so Sejun was left to go get ramen on his own.
He'd been particularly mulish that night. He hasn't been in the store without Byungchan since that time the younger boy got sick with flu and Sejun had run frantically to the store in search of instant chicken soup and tons of hot packs. He's only a little bitter that this time Byungchan is perfectly fine, just spending his time elsewhere.
The little old lady who always manned the cash register had smiled at him when he put his ramen down on the counter. "Where's your boyfriend tonight?" she'd asked casually, scanning the ramen, and Sejun had replied without thinking, "He's busy."
Immediately after, he'd had a minor existential crisis over a few things. Firstly, even the little old lady thought they were dating. Secondly, Sejun hadn't even paused to question it, just accepted it. Thirdly, he'd indirectly referred to Byungchan as his boyfriend without a second thought, and unlike other times, he didn't really feel like denying it.
What does this mean?
That he'd like to keep referring to Byungchan as his boyfriend? That he wants Byungchan to be his boyfriend, that he wants little old ladies behind cash registers to keep thinking they're a couple? Sejun needs answers.
So he had paid, grabbed his ramen and ran out of the store towards the only person he thought would be helpful in this situation.
In retrospect, he doesn't know why he thought Seungwoo would be helpful. The older had just snorted in his face when Sejun had shaken him awake, on the verge of thorough panic. "You like him, duh. Can I go back to sleep now?"
Sejun had whined and poked Seungwoo until he grudgingly sat up again, rubbing his eyes while he explained himself to Sejun.
"Clearly you don't just want everyone to think you're dating. You want to actually be dating him. Like you have a crush on him. Come on, it took you long enough. And I bet you only had this sudden realization because he's been hanging out with Subin recently, right? But if you'd just asked anyone with eyes, they'd tell you that Subin has the most obvious crush on Chan I've ever seen, only you never seemed to see it because you apparently only have eyes for things related to Byungchan. Get it now?"
That had been a heck of a lot of information to take in. Now, a couple days later, Sejun is still thinking about it.
He's accepted that well, he probably does have a crush on Byungchan. A huge one, too, and that every time he convinced himself that what he and Byungchan did was platonic, he'd just been stupid. As for Subin's crush on Chan, he definitely sees it now. He hadn't even noticed how Subin never seemed to be able to keep his eyes off Chan, because every time they were all together Sejun had just been looking out for Subin and Byungchan's interactions.
In conclusion, he's just a colossal idiot and now he doesn't know what to do with his crush.
"Tell him?" Seungwoo's tone suggested that he, too, thought Sejun was a colossal idiot.
Sejun tosses him a glare, not appreciating the tone. He's self-deprecating enough, thank you very much.
"Fine, whatever," Seungwoo sighs. "Don't listen to advice from me, Han Seungwoo, who's been in a very happy and stable relationship for three years. You do you, Sejun."
Childishly, Sejun sticks out his tongue.
Sejun mulls over it while he and Byungchan are studying in the latter's room, Chan stuck at the dance studio for another hour. Well, okay, Byungchan is studying. Sejun is lounging on his best friend's bed, thinking about his unfortunate attraction to said best friend. It is also freezing in the room, because the two Chans appear to share a love for keeping the room temperate at sub-zero levels.
He's voiced his concerns to Byungchan repeatedly, only to have the taller boy quip back at him, "Well, maybe you should pull your sweater up then."
Had it been anyone else, Sejun would have taken offense. This is his favorite sweater, it fits him like a glove and provides optimum comfort for study days... well, it used to, except it expanded in the wash and now is constantly in danger of falling off Sejun's shoulders. It also leaves a good deal of skin exposed, but Sejun can't bring himself to throw it out, which is probably why Byungchan keeps glancing over at him in exasperation.
Anyway, back to the recently dubbed "Sejun Wants The B in BF To Stand For Boy And Not Best" Situation (name courtesy of that moron Seungwoo).
He can't just tell Byungchan. Their entire friendship is at stake, here, and Sejun's not too sure he wants to put all that on the line for the sake of his stupid crush.
Of course, this is slightly difficult to remember when Byungchan glances over again, seems to reach a decision within himself, and gets up to throw himself on Sejun, slanting their lips together.
"Mmf?" Sejun makes a muffled sound of confusion, but he doesn't fight it, allowing himself to relax into Byungchan's mouth. The taller boy seems a little frustrated today, like his emotions have been pent up for too long. His arms are propping him up, on either side of Sejun's head, caging him in.
"Sejun," Byungchan mumbles against his lips, pulling away just slightly so that their foreheads rest together. "You good?"
It's all Sejun can do to nod, frantically, and curl his fingers into Byungchan's hair so he can slant their mouths back together. It's a messy fit, he's not in the right state of mind for accuracy, but it works. Byungchan responds with enthusiasm, biting down on Sejun's lower lip before gently coaxing his mouth open.
Sejun can't help the soft whimper that slips out from his mouth when Byungchan decides to move away from his lips, peppering light kisses down his jawline. The whimper grows in volume and intensity until he's moaning as Byungchan sinks his teeth into a particularly sensitive spot on his neck.
He feels Byungchan tense at the sound, lips stilling for a millisecond until he's attacking Sejun's neck with increased ferocity. He kisses his way down to Sejun's collarbone, littering the skin with little bites that will definitely purple later on. All the while, Sejun lets out little gasps and moans, clinging onto Byungchan for dear life. This is so not good—well, it is, but that's the problem. Sejun's body is reacting with more vigor than he's proud to admit, and if Byungchan keeps it up, it will not stay unnoticed—
"Jun," Byungchan glances up, catching Sejun's eye. There's something like a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Are you..."
Sejun attempts to look indifferent just to wipe the smugness out of Byungchan's expression, but that doesn't really work out when he's just so—he wants so much and—
A low groan tears itself from his throat when Byungchan purposefully reduces the distance between them, his hips grinding down onto Sejun's in one swift movement. Fuck fuckity fuck—
To be perfectly honest, it isn't the first time this has happened when Sejun and Byungchan are making out. It's just that whenever Sejun felt his jeans getting a little too tight for comfort, he always got up and ran out, telling himself that they'd just gotten carried away. Making excuses so he wouldn't feel so guilty when he had to stifle his noises with a towel in the bathroom, head spinning with fantasies starring his best friend.
The funny thing is, his best friend doesn't seem to mind, now when it's actually happening. In fact, the smug look on his face only grows, and something flips in Sejun's stomach when he sees how dark Byungchan's eyes have gotten.
"Want me to keep going?" there's a huskier tone to Byungchan's voice, and Sejun is only mildly ashamed to admit that it makes his body respond.
Byungchan must feel him, because his grin gains a Cheshire edge. Before Sejun can stutter out anything, anything at all, his best friend has started a steady rhythm going, undulating his hips again and again against Sejun's.
"Byung," Sejun breathes out, stifling a cry at the friction. He's craving it, wants more, wants Byungchan to hold him down and—his hips arch up of their own accord, and Byungchan makes a noise that Sejun stores away in his memories for later. He's beautiful like this, Sejun thinks dazedly. With his hair all messy, lips kissed swollen, teeth digging into the bottom one as he focuses on his rhythm.
The banging on the door effectively ruins the moment. Both of them freeze without question, and turn their heads as one to look at the door.
"Hey! Are you two in there?" Chan's voice drifts through the plywood. "Open up!" There's silence for a few moments. Sejun can't even make himself breathe.
Chan seems to reach a realization. "Oh... uh! Never mind! Just don't fuck on my bed, you heathens!"
Loudly exaggerated footsteps head away from the dorm room. Sejun lets out the breath he'd been holding. He doesn't dare to look Byungchan in the eye.
There's utter silence for a few moments. Sejun can feel Byungchan inhaling and exhaling, the rise of his chest pushing against Sejun's. Then... Byungchan pushes himself off the bed and brushes imaginary specks of dust off himself.
"Maybe now you'll pull your sweater up," his voice is low, but steady. Sejun sits there trying to make sense of it all, while his best friend heads back to the desk he was working on before.
Out of curiosity more than anything, Sejun glances in the little mirror propped next to Byungchan's bed for when he needs to make sure his hair looks good. His cheeks heat up immediately at the sight of little purple bruises all over his neck, clearly exposed by his stupid sweater.
Blushing furiously, Sejun burrows under the covers of Byungchan's bed, leaving only his head out. "Did you have to do that?" he mumbles, attempting to sound annoyed but obviously failing.
Byungchan spares him a glance, a little smile appearing on his red lips when he sees Sejun all covered up. "Good. You were distracting."
What Sejun cannot hope to fathom is how life seems to go on afterwards. Is it perfectly normal for your best friend to kiss you and give you multiple hickeys which are in plain sight whenever he wears a top with a collar lower than Dracula's cape, while grinding against you?
Because Byungchan acts like it is. That idiot just goes around like normal, smiling at everybody and cuddling up to Sejun, while the latter practically has a mental breakdown every time he even thinks of what happened. Is he just making too big a deal out of it? What is the appropriate response to such a scenario? Nobody prepared him for this.
Seungwoo snorts. "Well, you wouldn't listen to me. Now you're even more confused."
"Don't be mean, babe," Seungsik slaps his boyfriend on the arm. For the effect, Seungwoo winces and Sejun rolls his eyes.
Sejun has dissected the situation several different times, often with an unwilling Seungwoo and much more compassionate Seungsik listening in. Unfortunately, their differences in regard to the matter ended there. Both of them have the same advice to give: tell Byungchan.
"It's better than him not knowing and pulling this shit, and then you running around like a headless chicken trying to analyze it and figure it out," Seungwoo informs him.
"I don't look like a headless chicken," Sejun murmurs in reply, self-consciously patting his head to make sure it's still there.
Seungsik has to slap his hand over Seungwoo's mouth to keep him from screaming.
Everything happens on a Wednesday evening, when Byungchan and Sejun are trudging into their favorite convenience store for ramen and Coke. Byungchan is chatting away a mile a minute about a class he particularly likes, and Sejun just nods along while privately thinking how cute Byungchan looks bundled up in his too-big hoodie.
"You're back!" the old lady behind the cashier smiles when she sees him. She catches sight of Byungchan and only grins wider, "Oh, and you're with your boyfriend too!"
Sejun freezes, because he doesn't want to crush the old lady's dreams, but how is he going to get away with it when Byungchan is standing right there?
Except, to his absolute surprise, Byungchan doesn't falter. Doesn't flinch, doesn't show any reaction besides putting his arm around Sejun's waist and resting his chin on the shorter boy's shoulder. "Yep! I was busy last time, but I'm here now," he flashes the old lady a charming smile that has a similar but unintended effect on Sejun.
Clearing his throat, Sejun tries to smile and hopes he doesn't look too constipated. "Uh. Yeah. He's here. So how are you, ma'am?"
They make small talk for a while, until the lady waves them out with a cheeky wink, saying they probably have other things to be doing. Once they're out the door, Sejun expects Byungchan's arm to drop back to his side, but it never goes. Instead, the other boy just starts up where he left off about his class, and Sejun is left reeling.
"Byung," Sejun stops in the middle of the pavement, forcing his friend to stop too. Byungchan looks down at him with a quizzical look, eyes questioning his sudden pause.
"What was that?" Sejun asks, because he feels like he's going to burst if he doesn't. "Why did you do that? In the store? And-and now?"
Byungchan's expression changes from curious to alarmed. He snatches back his arm like he's been burned. "O-oh, sorry, I didn't—"
But Sejun's breathing has gotten heavier, his vision a little blurry. He has to say this, right now, because he's not sure when else he'll ever be able to. "No, why do you keep doing that? You make it so difficult, seriously, sometimes you act like we're best friends and then sometimes you leave hickeys all over me and keep touching me! What is with you? Why are you making it so hard to get over you?"
By the time his little rant is finished, he's red in the face and Byungchan is just staring at him. Vaguely, Sejun wonders if he's just ruined the best friendship he's ever had.
"Get over me?"
Oh. "Yes, you idiot. I..." Sejun hesitates, then throws all caution to the wind. "I think I'm in love with you."
"Shit," Byungchan breathes out, and he's not storming away from Sejun in disgust. "Really?"
"Duh," Sejun mutters, stuffing his hands into his pockets. Then, for good measure, "Idiot."
He's just wondering whether he can still get Byungchan to let him keep both their portions of ramen so he can eat away his depression if the taller boy decides that their friendship is over starting right now, when he's enveloped in a giant bear hug. With his face mushed against the baby pink of Byunchan's soft hoodie, he can only make unintelligible grunts and hope he doesn't drop the plastic bag.
"Huh?" Sejun manages, his cheek pressed against Byungchan's shoulder.
"You know," Byungchan sounds happy. Elated, even. "I never thought you'd ever like me back."
Double oh.
"Huh?" Sejun repeats weakly, and Byungchan pulls away to give him an exasperated but cheerful smile.
"I think I'm in love with you too," is all he says before he leans down and connects their lips.
"So when you were kissing me the other day..."
"Yeah?"
"What were you trying to accomplish?"
"Oh my god, you're oblivious."
"Well, it only took them several years and a huge bunch of misunderstandings, but they got there," Seungsik says brightly, leaning against Seungwoo's chest.
"I always knew they'd be the cutest couple," Chan says teasingly, eyeing Sejun and Byungchan's connected hands.
They hadn't let go of each other properly since... well, since the Ramen Revelation Night (once again, courtesy of Seungwoo). They hadn't even let go in the shower, but that's an entirely different story. Sejun blushes thinking about it.
"Not any cuter than Hanse and Jaws, though," Subin snickers.
"Say that one more time and I'm walking out of here, Jung Subin," Hanse warns, though Chan laughs.
"Hmm," Sejun exchanges a look with Byungchan at that, twin smiles blooming on their faces.
"So, I guess now that this is done," Byungchan gestures to his and Sejun's hands, a mischievous undertone to his voice. "Looks like you and Subin are next, huh Chan?"
Sejun has never seen Chan's face turn that red.