CHAPTER ONE | 장

❝OUR FEELINGS
WON'T CHANGE.❞

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At the end, M/n had no one to seek advice from. And it's not like there's someone who can actually give a good one.

School ended, M/n was walking towards the gates, ready to call it a day since he had no plans whatsoever. And it's been 3 days since Goo showed his face, the last time being that one scene from the front of the convenience store.

The blonde didn't contact him once since then.

Maybe what M/n said was stupid after all. He shouldn't have questioned Goo's feelings. Maybe the blonde got tired of him and loss interest, it was not hard to lose interest for someone as bland as M/n who basically has a restricted life.

Like they say, there are plenty of fishes in the sea. Goo probably caught a shark by now.

Halting on his walk, he looked down, hesitating on whether he should be the first to call. But what if the blonde was simply busy from work, he would only be disturbing him.

God was it hard to not know how much you worth to someone.

Suddenly, an arm weighted around his shoulder. It was a friendly gesture. The arm was too softer to be Goo's (who's arm was basically like metal), and the structure and school uniform was just not it.

"M/n, right? I heard a lot about you from Zoe!"

The boy turned to see the face and saw it was popular student, Daniel Park, the new student who is basically the star of the school. It was impossible to not know about him when students talk about him all the time.

"Huh? Yeah. . ." But why was he talking to him? They don't even know each other personally.

"Wanna join us? We're gonna eat out!" Daniel enthusiastically offered a very kind smile as he nudged his head towards the direction of his friends who were waiting by the gates.

M/n could identify a few of them, but the rest— he doesn't.

His parents wouldn't be home by tomorrow thanks to night shift, and he kinda needs something that will keep his mind off a few things. And Daniel's genuinely nice, Zoe will also be there.

He needs new friends too.

So, he nodded, not knowing the disaster that was to come later on.

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"Kimchi!"

Everything was distributed as they sat on one table by a local restaurant, it was a traditional korean eating spot and it seems like everyone was familiar with the place.

"Finally, I can taste some meat!" Zack groaned, making sure to huddle closer to Mira who seems to be too busy talking to Zoe.

"Oh? Vasco didn't come?" Daniel voiced out, looking around.

"Well, it's not the best idea. . ." Zack trailed off before he and Duke pulled out a set of Soju, their favorite alcohol. M/n glanced at it at the corner of his eyes.

20 was the drinking age in Korea, but M/n's not one to talk, he drank champagne in the karaoke despite only being 18.

"Underage drinking. . ." Duke mumbled, he genuinely thought it was just a set of soda just because Zack covered the front with a bag.

"Don't worry, we're basically 81 if you flip the numbers." Zack grinned.

M/n shook his head, finding amusement in their interactions. Zack was an idiot who wants to impress Mira, Daniel was a nice guy who has a rebel side in him, Duke was a great talented guy— and that was his opinion about them, so far.

"And it's just Soju, it'll be fine!" Zack assured.

It's just Soju they say, it will be fine they say.

And yet, everyone was slumped down the table, the sauce spilled everywhere while basically most of them were passed out. M/n then realized that the guys were lightweights with very low alcohol tolerance.

"I told them." Mira sighed, she was not happy with Zack drinking but she only noticed until she and Zoe came back after taking a stroll outside.

"Well, let's call it a day." Zoe nodded.

"I'll take Zack to his house." Mira was stressed with the male but M/n can clearly see just how much she cared for Zack. They were a nice couple.

"Oh! I can call fat Daniel to take Daniel." Zoe nodded eagerly, seemingly excited by the idea. Despite calling the person fat, she seemed very fond of whoever that person is

"I'm heading first." Duke came back from the bathroom after washing his face.

"Will you be okay?"

"I'll be fine!" He assured. "I didn't drink as much as those two did."

"Well, if you say. You're pretty responsible, Duke!" Mira praised, making the male bashful as he tried to deny it.

Well, that leaves M/n.

And did he mention that he was barely awake too?

"M/n! Are you okay?" Zoe asked in concern. "Won't your parents be mad? I'm sorry we dragged you into this!" She considers him a close friend.

"They won't be home until tomorrow." He mumbled, massaging his temples. "I think I drank a little too much."

"Is there someone I can call for you?" She asked.

M/n thought about it but there was basically no one. He would be insane to call his parents, and he's too stubborn to call Goo as well. And it's not like the man would rush here immediately in a sports car.

Well, maybe he would. But still.

The doors barged open and there came a rather overweight guy, panting on his knees before relief flashed on his eyes as he saw Daniel still sitting there.

"Fat Daniel!" Zoe greeted too enthusiastically.

"Zoe! Thanks for calling me, I was worried." He said, picking up Daniel to his back, in a form of a piggy back ride. "This isn't actually the first time. Where's Zack?" He noticed his slip up and fixed it. "I mean, I know him since Daniel talks about him all the time."

"That's nice to know." Zoe hummed. "But he already left with Mira. Duke went ahead as well."

"Oh." Fat Daniel nodded. "How about him, will he be okay?" He asked, pointing towards M/n who's face was planted first on the table.

"That's the thing."

"I can help him home!" Fat Daniel exclaimed, feeling the obligation since he was the one who dragged the poor boy in.

"No need." M/n groaned out as he raised his hand, dismissing them. He slowly picked his head up, running his fingers through his hair in attempt to get ahold of himself.

His phone rang by the side again. It's probably the 7th time now, and Zoe didn't want to point the obvious out since it seemed like M/n was purposely ignoring it.

"I already called someone. They'll be here in a minute, you can go ahead." M/n lied, assuring them. He doesn't want to bother them and he can for sure walk himself home once he calms his spinning head in like a few minutes.

"Are you sure? I didn't see you call anyone."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't worry, I called them beforehand incase anything like this happens." M/n told, slipping yet another lie.

"If you insist. . ." Zoe hesitantly trailed off.

"We're closing now— go home, you troublesome teenagers!" The owner of the restaurant shoo'ed them off.

M/n stood outside the building, yawning as he rubbed his eyes to keep them from drooping all the time. He was exhausted, he wants to sleep already. And not to mention, being drunk was not his favorite thing, especially now that he experienced it firsthand.

It was troublesome.

Zoe and the two Daniel left already, and M/n was simply waiting to sober up since he can't walk down the busy road recklessly. He might loose his steps and fall to his death.

This is way too troublesome.

But hey, he enjoyed the day, at least. First time going out with a group of friends, eating, and well. . . Drinking. Though it was worth every second, he got to experience what a hangout with friends was like.

Suddenly, his phone went off again. But this time, M/n picked up as he raised it to his ear.

"What is it?" He asked, his tone lazy and lacked the proper sharp tone that he intended.

"Why won't you pick up? Did something happen? And why do you sound like that?" Came Goo's voice from the other line, his tone suddenly full of worry towards the end.

"It's nothing." M/n shook his head. "And why are you calling me this late? Don't you have work? Or aren't you busy?"

There was silence.

"You're outside."

"Huh? I'm not!"

"Don't lie, I can hear the cars from the background. And is that the 7/11 background music?"

"I'm not outside." M/n denied again. "It's my curfew, I can't go out at this hour."

"We know that's bullshit. Where are you now? I'll come pick you up."

"You can't."

"And why not?"

"Well. . . I'm mad at you."

"M/n, you're drunk."

He's been found. M/n internally curses himself, why can't he control the words that comes out of his mouth?

"I'm not!"

"I know you are. You're slurring. That gives me more reasons to come pick you up. Where are you?" Goo repeated calmly.

"No need. I'm sober now. I'm going home, have a good night."

"You're not going anywhere. Don't hang up the call." Goo basically pleads over the phone. And having his world spinning around him— M/n couldn't earn the courage to disobey.

There was a long pause, and M/n knows that Goo was walking right now. Maybe he was near?

"Hey, Goo." M/n starts, earning a low hum of response from the other end. "Why did you decide to call now?"

"I was busy the past few days. I'm sorry I didn't get to call you."

M/n bites his bottom lip as he stops himself from looking like a weirdo in front of the whole street.

"You're an idiot, Goo." He shakes his head. "You're always so patient. . . So nice to me. I can't stay mad at you when you're like this."

M/n curses himself inside his head. Why did he have to be an emotional drunk? He can't stop himself from confessing every word that runs through his head.

"Well, the thing is, M/n. I really, really, really love you."

"You do?"

"Yes."

"Then, I really, really, really love you too." M/n confessed. Fuck rational thoughts, Goo was making him feel things and what idiot would he be not to say it back?

Soon, he can hear footsteps approach him. Raising his head, he saw the familiar blonde hair, the classic glasses, and the expensive-looking clothes he wore. It was unmistakably the man he has been thinking about lately.

"Goo." He smiles, eyes drooping as he immediately fell into Goo's arms that securely wrapped around him.

"Found you."

"You actually did."

"You smell like cheap alcohol." Goo chastised lightly, making M/n weakly chuckle as he feels the sleepiness seep in. "You did a good job of staying in one place."

M/n nodded.

"You have no idea how worried I was."

"I was worried too." M/n interjected. "I thought you were mad at me. . . And that you loss interest."

"Mad at you? Loss interest? Now what made you think that? I'll never get mad at you, and I'll never lose interest."

"Really?"

"Really." Goo confirmed seriously. "No matter the distance, our feelings won't change."

"Our?"

"Yes. I won't let you go."

It was a serious statement but M/n didn't mind. He didn't mind it if it was Goo.

"Now, let's take you home. It's dangerous out here." Goo proceeds to carry M/n on his back. "Oh, you should introduce me to your new friends as well. I just need to make sure of something."

And the rest of the night, M/n felt at peace. He really did miss Goo despite how the blonde can get.