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Sucheon still wonders how things ended up like this. At what point on what day did the road twist so much to finally lead him to this moment.
Looking around the room littered with empty chip bags and soda cans, at least a dozen cats meowing and scampering across the carpet, and an outrageously large group of idiot boys swarming everywhere, Sucheon wondered for the umpteenth time how he ended up dragged into this.
He sighed. Because, after all, nothing could be worse than the warm, filial reunions he used to share with his grandfather when he came to his house to check on Suchan's progress.
In fact, the uproarious shouts and laughter of the group worked like an anchor that kept him standing in the present. These didn't prevent the throbbing of pain that threatened to take root at the base of his neck, though.
He raised a hand and scratched the back of his neck, wincing at the possibility of the onset of a raging headache.
"Go ahead," Jiwoo told him, smiling at him as he stepped aside to make room for him.
In all that time, Sucheon had been standing under the door frame, watching the swirl of arms and legs, junk food being thrown into the air, and loud laughter bouncing off his poor ears.
"I thought you weren't coming…"
Jiwoo's whisper snapped him out of his musings (which included running away from there). Seeing his expression gave him a pang of guilt that it had taken him so long to decide that he did want to accept his invitation. He didn't know what to say, so he just cleared his throat as he walked in.
"Oh Sucheon! What a surprise!"
That was Jisuk, who had specially turned around to greet him with a crooked smile and sparkling eyes. Sucheon decided to ignore him for his own mental stability.
"Did you get lost on the way?" That was Subin, arriving just in time to second his idiot twin. "What took you so long?!"
"You came just in time." Gangseok was by far the least irritating. "We were about to order food."
Reluctantly, Sucheon took off his jacket and left it aside, on one of the couches where he had just sat down.
"Let's order Jajangmyeon."
"This guy always wants Jajangmyeon!"
"Love his Jajangmyeon!"
He again decided to ignore the moron duo and looked around. There weren't only them (the Four) and other affiliated kids, but also the unaffiliated boys. When he made contact with Lee Jeongsu, Lee Jeongsu immediately looked away from him.
Sucheon had been a real bastard to that boy and he wasn't surprised that Lee Jeongsu now didn't even want to look at him. In fact, he didn't understand why Seo Jiwoo was being so nice to him after everything he had done.
After what his grandfather and his father had done to him.
What was he doing here? What did he hope to achieve by surrounding himself with these guys? With Jiwoo?
He inadvertently frowned, clenching his fists tightly. And he felt a hand touch his shoulder.
When he looked up, everyone was looking at him. The hand on his shoulder was Subin's.
"Soooo…?" she said, drawing out the word as she raised one of his eyebrows.
"What?"
He didn't know what had happened that all the attention was on him now, so he had no choice but to ask. With the rudeness of his tone, many pairs of eyes instantly turned away from him.
"You know how to cook, right?" Jisuk was the one who spoke now, while he drew a slow and terrifying malicious smile.
"The hell…?"
"¡C'mon!" Subin squeezed his shoulder as she smiled just like Jisuk. Damn idiot duo. "We know you do."
How the hell did they know that? He wanted to ask, but he swallowed the words as he bit his lip. These idiots. He then looked at Jiwoo, who seemed surprised by this revelation about his personal life. Even Lee Jeongsu was open-mouthed and was now looking at him without the slightest trace of discomfort.
"Tch." He stood up, being followed by too many pairs of eyes. "Fine, I'll cook." He cut them off before they started to say anything. "But this will be the first and last time I do it!"
"Oh, of course."
"Yeah, yeah. We won't bother you again, promise."
Those were again Jisuk and Subin being too brazen in their attempt to make him think they agreed.
And so…
"Do you know how to prepare Jajangmyeon?"
Wooin's always stoic face showed, for the first time in front of him, an expression of longing that caused Sucheon to blush slightly.
"O-of course I do!" he exclaimed, pointing his finger at him. "Bring the damn ingredients and I'll make the best Jajangmyeon you've ever tasted!"
Standing next to him, he saw Jiwoo smile at him. It was a kind and warm smile. Although it was a bit out of tune with the expressions of the rest, who were just raising their voices again as they listed the ingredients they were going out to buy.
Feeling his cheeks burning hotter and hotter, Sucheon could only think that he really liked that smile.
And that he didn't regret going, after all.
.
.