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Sieun stared at the person sitting across from him. Geum Seongje was smiling — too wide, too amused. The kind of smile that didn’t reach the eyes. It made him look untrustworthy, like someone already amused by a joke no one else had heard yet.
“What do you want?” Sieun asked coldly.
“Yah. Yeon Sieun, is that how you greet your friend?” Seongje whined mockingly, though the smile had already shifted into a smirk.
“We’re not friends, Geum Seongje.”
“Tch. So cold. I already consider you one, Sieun-ah.” He slouched back against the chair as if he had all the time in the world.
“Don’t call me that,” Sieun muttered. His eyes never wavered. If Seongje wanted discomfort, irritation, or embarrassment then he would find none.
The cafeteria was still bustling. The buzz of chatter filled the air, overlapping voices blending into a steady hum. Somewhere in the corner, a chair scraped loudly against the floor. Students passed by their table, some slowing down, some openly staring. It wasn’t often they saw this pair sitting together. The contrast alone drew attention.
“But we used to spend time together all the time,” Seongje continued lightly. “That can be considered friendship, Sieun-ah.” He said the nickname again on purpose.
Sieun’s jaw tightened. “We were group mates. That’s all. That’s not enough to be considered friends.”
The smirk widened into a grin, and a mock chuckle slipped out. “You’re so strict.”
“Just tell me what you want, Seongje.” Irritation pressed faintly at his temples, but Sieun kept his expression flat. He would not give Seongje the satisfaction of visible annoyance.
“Okay.” Seongje leaned forward this time, folding his hands on the table like someone about to negotiate. “I want your friend. Introduce me to him.”
Sieun frowned. “Friend? Who?”
A wide smile spread across Seongje’s face. “The hot one.”
His frown deepened. “Who?”
“Ah. Of course you wouldn’t consider him hot,” Seongje said with an exaggerated sigh. “Otherwise you’d have a crush on him.”
“Just tell me, Seongje.”
He grinned,“Ahn Suho.”
The name settled between them.
Sieun’s gaze hardened instantly. “No.”
Seongje rolled his eyes. “I knew it,” he exhaled dramatically.
Someone bumped into their table and apologized in a hurry before walking off. The plates rattled slightly. Sieun didn’t break eye contact.
“You know,” Seongje continued, tilting his head, “I can just make a move on him without your permission. You realize that, right?”
“Then why did you ask?”
“Because I appreciate you. You’re his best friend.” He lowered his voice slightly, as if sharing something confidential. “And mine.”
“We’re not friends,” Sieun repeated. It irritated him — not the word itself, but the way Seongje kept using it like a tool. Like he was trying to force something into existence through repetition.
“That’s exactly why I asked you,” Seongje continued, ignoring the protest entirely. “I mean… what if one day you see me and him together? What would you feel if you saw your friend and your best friend in a relationship without telling you?”
A heavy breath slipped out of Sieun before he could stop it. He didn’t have the energy to correct the “friend” part again.
Instead, he glanced to his right. Two tables away, Baku, Juntae, and Hyuntak were watching them openly now, brows raised in question. He gave them nothing. No signal. No explanation.
“So… can I?” Seongje’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
Sieun’s gaze returned to him, hard and steady. “Why him?”
“I told you before, didn’t I? He’s hot.”
“There are many hot guys in this college. And I thought you were into women.”
A chuckle escaped Seongje. As if on cue, a girl walked past their table and lightly patted his shoulder. He glanced up at her with easy familiarity before looking back at Sieun. “I’m into hot people.”
Sieun rolled his eyes. Of course he will answer like that.
He genuinely couldn’t stand him. No wonder Seongje didn’t have many friends. Though, to be fair, neither did he. The difference was that Sieun never tried to charm people into staying.
“Then find another hot person.”
The smile on Seongje’s face faded slightly. “Why are you forbidding me? Do you forbid other people from making a move on Suho?”
“No. Just you.”
A snicker slipped from Seongje. “Why?” he asked, amused.
“Because you can’t be trusted.” The answer came flat and immediate.
“Ah, come on, Sieun-ah.” Seongje whined lightly before slouching back into the chair again.
Maybe he should just leave. Go back to his table. End this conversation. But Sieun didn’t move.
“Suho isn’t innocent or fragile,” Seongje continued. “You know that.”
Yes. Sieun knew. There were rumors about Suho — always had been. He knew about Suho’s exes. He knew Suho wasn’t shy when it came to relationships or whatever he did in them. He’d even told Suho to shut up more than once when the details became unnecessary.
Suho wasn’t fragile.
“So you’re only physically attracted to him?” Sieun cut in.
The annoying grin returned. “Of course not. He has a lot of qualities that make me want to date him seriously. If I only wanted to fuck him, I wouldn’t need your permission.”
Sieun’s jaw tightened again. He really should leave now. Walk away. End this. But he still stayed. Because this involved Suho.
“What qualities?” Sieun asked evenly. “What qualities does he have?”
Seongje pursed his lips as if thinking deeply. The pretending was obvious. “Well… he’s nice. Loyal, for sure. He’s fun. We share the same sense of humor.” He tilted his head slightly. “He has some good qualities. Like me.”
“He’s not the same as you.”
A low laugh slipped from Seongje. “You know we’re alike, Sieun-ah”. His fingers tapped lazily against the table.
Sieun sent him a sharp glare. “How would you know? You’ve never talked to him.”
The grin widened. “What if I have?”
“Suho would’ve told me.”
A small click of Seongje’s tongue. “You’re right. I haven’t.”
“Then how—” Sieun stopped mid-sentence. His brows pulled together as a different thought surfaced, one aligned with the rumors surrounding Seongje. “You stalk him.”
“I observe,” he corrected smoothly, though the pride in his smile remained. “When I’m interested in someone, I pay attention.”
Seongje tilted his head slightly. “And you know what? You’re right. I don’t need your permission. The important thing is that you already know my intention.”
The scraping sound of a chair echoed through the busy cafeteria as Seongje stood. “When we meet again,” he said lightly, adjusting his bag over his shoulder, “I might already be dating Suho. You can count on that.”
Sieun didn’t respond. He simply watched him with a steady glare that didn’t flicker as Seongje gave him one last wide smirk before turning around.
And almost bumping into someone.
“Oops. Sorry,” Suho’s voice heard
Sieun lifted his gaze immediately. For a brief second, the noise of the cafeteria seemed to dull. He watched the quiet exchange between them.
“It’s my fault,” Seongje said smoothly. “Didn’t see you there.”
If Sieun allowed his face to move freely, it would have twisted in disbelief. Cringed to the situation in front of him.
Seongje admitting fault?
Impossible.
During every group assignment they had shared, Seongje had mastered the art of redirecting blame. He could reverse guilt effortlessly, make others question themselves, make them feel responsible for his mistakes.
Yet here he was, apologizing first.
“Our fault then,” Suho replied with an easy smile. “I wasn’t careful either.”
Sieun wanted to gag. But instead, he exhaled slowly.
Seongje nodded once. “Okay. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Seongje walked away. But Suho didn’t look away immediately.
A few steps later, Seongje turned back slightly and gave another small bow. Suho mirrored it without hesitation. Then Seongje finally left, disappearing into the crowd.
Sieun didn’t need to see his face to know he was smiling.
The chair across from him scraped again.
Suho sat down in the exact seat Seongje had occupied moments earlier. A wide smile spread across his face, eyes gleaming with open amusement.
Sieun knew that look. He recognized the slight curve of Suho’s lips, the brightness in his eyes, the way his posture loosened when something — or someone — caught his interest. It was the expression Suho wore when he was attracted.
Another scraping sound surrounded them as Humin, Hyuntak, and Juntae gathered closer.
“What did he want?” Hyuntak asked.
“Nothing,” Sieun replied shortly. His gaze dropped to the chopsticks now in Suho’s hand — and the food that had once been his.
“You’re not going to finish this, right?” Suho said casually before shoving food into his mouth.
“That’s my leftover.”
“Yeah.”
“You’re disgusting.”
Suho only chuckled, chewing shamelessly. “I’m dieting. I can’t eat my usual portion.”
“Then get a new one!” Humin cringed. “Your habit is really weird, Suho-yah. I know you and Sieun are close, but this still amazes me… in a weird and disturbing way.”
Suho ignored him completely. In a few quick bites, the plate was clean. He gulped down the water from his bottle and placed it back on the table with a soft thud.
“Sieunie,” Hyuntak tried again, “Seongje must want something. Do you have any group assignments with him?”
“No.”
“Because they're friends,” Suho said lightly, still smiling. “Maybe he just wanted to talk.”
“We’re not friends,” Sieun repeated, this time looking directly at Suho. “And you know that.”
“I think he’s not that bad,” Suho shrugged.
“Have you ever talked to him, Suho-ya?” Juntae asked while stacking the empty plates.
“No.” Suho shook his head easily.
“Then how do you assume he’s not that bad?” Hyuntak narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
Suho leaned back in the chair, hands resting lazily on the table. The posture, the confidence, the faint smugness that curved at the corner of his lips. For a brief second, the image overlapped with the person who had been sitting there just minutes ago.
We’re alike, Sieun-ah.
The words from Seongje echoed in his mind.
Sieun had noticed some similarities before. He wouldn’t deny it. But he wouldn’t admit it to Seongje. Because Suho was warmer, kinder, better, and less annoying. He could tolerate Suho but not Seongje.
“I just know,” Suho answered lazily, smile still in place.
“You like him,” Juntae stated bluntly.
Baku and Hyuntak gasped in exaggerated shock. “How?”
A soft chuckle escaped Suho. “Not that deep… yet.”
“But why?” Hyuntak demanded, genuinely distressed.
“Yes, why?” Humin added.
Suho tilted his head slightly. “He’s… hot.”
A collective groan erupted. Another ridiculous similarity between those two idiots.
“There are many guys hotter and sexier than him — and less annoying!” Humin protested.
“I know,” Suho said, amused.
“Then why?” Hyuntak and Humin chorused together, making Juntae laugh.
Suho shrugged again. “He just seems interesting.”
A disappointed grunt spread across the table.
Suho only smiled wider before glancing at Sieun. “So. Can I?”
Sieun leaned back slowly in his chair. “Can you what?”
“Can I make a move on him?”
“Why do you need to ask me?”
“Because he’s your friend—”
“He’s not my friend,” Sieun cut in, firmer this time.
“Okay, okay. Chill.”
Sieun exhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose. He lowered his hand and looked at Suho again. “Even if I say no, will you listen?”
Suho answered with a wide grin. Of course he wouldn’t.
Sieun exhaled again, the fight draining from him. “Then do whatever you want.”
“Thanks, Sieun-ah,” a wide grin spread across Suho’s face.
And Sieun knew. In less than a month, Geum Seongje would be sitting at this table like he belonged there. And Sieun would have to tolerate him. For Suho’s sake. Whether he liked it or not. He just needed to prepare himself — physically and mentally.