“Hahaha, Seungcheol hyung is so dumb sometimes,” Dokyeom laughed.

“That he is,” Joshua added.

When the laughter subsided, silence fell over the room. It's not the awkward kind of silence, it's calm and comfortable.

Joshua glanced at Dokyeom, who is now packing his books, with a smirk he swiftly pulled him closer by the waist.

Surprised, Dokyeom let out a gasp. "J-Joshua?" He stuttered.

"Doveyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy," Joshua cooed, leaning his head on Dokyeom's shoulder, nuzzling into his neck, tickling him.

Dokyeom burst into laughter, wiggling in Joshua’s grip. “Stop! It's ticklish" he managed to say between his laughs.

But Joshua only tightened his hold, continued tickling until they both fell on the floor.

Dokyeom closed his eyes shut expecting to get hurt, but he felt softness beneath his head. Confused, he opened his eyes to see Joshua's hand beneath his head, preventing from hurting.

Joshua fell on top of him.

“You okay, Dovey?” Joshua’s voice was lower now, his expression filled with concern.

But Dokyeom’s focus was on his lips, how Joshua's perfect lips would feel on his. Then memories of their first kiss flashed through his mind, how everything felt right at that moment.

“You’re staring, Dovey,” Joshua smirked, noticing the way Dokyeom’s eyes lingered.

Dokyeom heard him but couldn’t look away. What if he just pulled Joshua closer and kissed him right now? Or maybe push Joshua back pressing him to the bed, straddling on his lap and kiss him? Or maybe..

Dokyeom's mind raced with endless wild possibilities of how he could kiss Joshua. Lost in his thoughts, Dokyeom bit his lip unconsciously staring at Joshua's lips.

A slow, teasing action made, but that simple action made Joshua lose his composure, as he gulped visibly.

Joshua leaned in, their lips just inches apart.

Dokyeom thought Joshua would claim his lips like a predator starving and finally found his prey, anticipation building in him, as he slightly parted his mouth.

But Joshua stopped right when they were about to connect.

Dokyeom's breath hitched, disappointed and confused, he stared at Joshua.

"Can I?" Joshua asked.

Dokyeom’s eyes widened in surprise. Joshua is asking for his consent, even when it is clear what they both wanted.

Warmth bloomed in Dokyeom’s chest.

"I love you" he whispered, his voice low and raw with emotion.

"I love you more" Joshua rebuted with his charming smile.

And Dokyeom closed the distance, pulling Joshua in by his neck.

The kiss isn’t soft. It is deep, passionate, and consuming. Joshua released his whole weight pressing Dokyeom against the floor. Dokyeom’s fingers tangled in Joshua’s hair, stroking gently as the kiss deepened.

And just like that they are so lost searching for the missing pieces of their life in the other. As if pouring every little emotion that they couldn't ever convey with the words into this kiss.

________________________

“Ma! Where are you?” Seungcheol yelled, searching the house.

“Where did she take Jeonghan?” he muttered, noticing the door to his mother’s bedroom slightly open.

Pushing it wider, he found his mother sitting on the bed with Jeonghan, flipping through his childhood photo album.

"Wow, that's such a mom move to pull" Seungcheol thought.

"Cheol ! I'm showing your father to Jeonghan" she said with a bright and innocent smile that made Seungcheol's heart ache.

He moved inside the room slumping beside her, Seungcheol hugged her from behind, resting his head on her shoulder.

Jeonghan noticed the shift in Seungcheol's expression. He doesn't need to say it out, just the mention of his father and seeing his mother like this made seungcheol feel bad and Jeonghan understood every bit of it.

"Wow Seungcheol I never knew you roamed around the streets with runny nose and little shorts" Jeonghan teased, pointing to a picture.

Embarrassment rushing over, Seungcheol immediately lunged forward to grab the album, but Jeonghan hid it behind him.

Watching them, Mrs. Choi laughed. “Seeing you both like this makes me so happy. Finally, I can be at peace knowing my little Cheol isn’t alone anymore.” She turned to Jeonghan, holding his hand. “Promise me, you’ll always stay by his side.”

Before Jeonghan could respond, Seungcheol interrupted. "Ma! What I said earlier is a lie! We were playing truth or dare."

Taken aback, Mrs. Choi tried to pull her hands away from Jeonghan's, "I'm sorry Jeonghan, I didn't know" she chuckled awkwardly.

Jeonghan held her hands tight not letting them leave, "It's okay Auntie. Even if what Seungcheol said is not true.. I can still promise you to take good care of him" he assured her with a genuine smile.

Mrs. Choi’s face softened as she pulled Jeonghan into a hug. Seungcheol seeing the interaction unfold before him, stood there staring at them.

Something different stirred in his heart, it felt so oddly comforting, so happy.

"Okay Jeonghan let's go back to my room, they both must be waiting for us" he said breaking their hug.

"Okay, we'll go upstairs Auntie" Jeonghan said with his smile.

As they reached the room, Seungcheol stopped a few feet away from his room turning to Jeonghan who was following him behind. "Jeonghan! I'm sorry if my mom caused any inconvenience, you don't have to take care of me, she's just worried" he said.

"What do you mean I don't have to take care of you Seungcheol! This ...isn't a burden or favor for me. I am doing this because I want to" Jeonghan said firmly.

Before Seungcheol could respond, a weird sound came from inside the room.

A moan?

Both of them froze in their tracks, exchanging a glance, Seungcheol slowly pushed open the door to see Joshua and Dokyeom locked in a passionate kiss on the floor.

Shocked, Seungcheol opened his mouth to say something, but Jeonghan swiftly covered it with his hand dragging him away.

______________________

Jeonghan dragged Seungcheol to his terrace.

Seungcheol pushed Jeonghan's hand off his mouth.

"Jeonghan! Did you see them?" he whispered, still in shock.

"Shh.. lower your voice" Jeonghan whispered back.

"Yes I saw" he said pushing his hair back walking to the edge of the terrace embracing the cool evening air.

"Why are you so calm about it?" Seungcheol asked blinking his eyes in disbelief.

Jeonghan turned around, leaning against the railing. “What do you expect me to do? Barge in and make it awkward?” Jeonghan raised a brow. “They’re adults, Seungcheol. They’re dating. What’s the big deal?”

After a moment of silence, Seungcheol nodded his head. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s not a big deal.”

“Hah!” He let out a long sigh.

"Pfft", Jeonghan laughed looking at him.

"What?" Seungcheol asked raising a brow.

"You seem like a little kid who just saw two adults doing naughty things in front of your innocent eyes" Jeonghan chuckled.

Seungcheol pouted at him before joining along with Jeonghan smiling.
"Who would’ve thought my innocent Dokyeom would be making out in my room?"

Silence settled between them as they watched the sunset.

Seungcheol sighed again. Then again.

By the fourth sigh, Jeonghan rolled his eyes. “Spill.”

“Huh?”

"What's bothering you? You've been sighing so much," Jeonghan asked.

Seungcheol gave a small, exhausted smile

"Is it because of tomorrow's exam?"

"That too, but..." Seungcheol sighed again. "You know we have the badminton competition after exams, right?"

Jeonghan nodded, listening intently.

"If we don't win, my scholarship will be in danger, and..." Seungcheol lowered his gaze, his shoulders slumping. "I don’t think I can win."

"And What makes you think that?" Jeonghan asked.

"Ah I don't know, I saw the game play of the other uni we are competing with and they have very good strategies" Seungcheol muttered pouting, his hands fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

"And you are intimidated by them? What if they have good strategies? You may not be able to grasp studies well but you are a genius on the court. You can always easily come up new strategies until the last moment, and not to mention how you've got a good control over your body that when you hit the shuttlecock the precision is so accurate that always leads you to win" Jeonghan reasoned seriously.

Seungcheol didn't expect Jeonghan to analyze his game so seriously. He thought just like other Jeonghan would just tell him to take it easy and leave it to fate. But this is different.

"Wait you- did you watch my previous matches?" he asked, surprised. Because the way Jeonghan laid everything felt like he knew Seungcheol's game play in and out.

"Every single one," Jeonghan said with a proud smug smile.

"You’re unbelievable," Seungcheol chuckled looking at Jeonghan.

"Well, isn’t this the bare minimum? Supporting you in your passion?" Jeonghan shrugged.

"Oh yeah? Then are you actually going to come to the match and cheer for me among the crowd?", Seungcheol asked with a smirk on his face.

"Of course I will, along with Joshua cause both you and Dokyeom will be playing, and we both will be cheering on you."

"And how exactly will you cheer for me?" Seungcheol raised a brow, smirking challengingly.

Jeonghan took a step back, inhaling deeply. He started jumping, "Seungcheol, fighting! Seungcheol, fighting! Seungcheol, fighting!" he chanted loudly before stopping, panting.
"Like this .." he huffed. "I'll cheer you like this."

Seungcheol burst out laughing.

He stepped closer, cupping Jeonghan’s face. "Oh my god, Jeonghan, you’re so adorable."

Jeonghan's breath caught in his throat at the sudden contact. His heart wilding with the lack of oxygen from jumping and He forgot to breathe until his lungs forced him to cough, turning his face away.

Seungcheol rubbed his back. "Are you okay, darling?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," Jeonghan muttered, moving toward the railings leaning against them.

"So..." Seungcheol started, catching his attention. "You’re really coming to the match to cheer for me, right?" His eyes were hopeful.

"Mhm," Jeonghan nodded.

Seungcheol’s face lit up. "Then promise me!" he let out his pinky finger, jumping and wiggling like a kid.

Jeonghan chuckled, finding cutie Seungcheol adorable. He linked his pinky finger with Seungcheol's.

"Promise" Jeonghan said.

And under the orange hues of the setting sun, a promise is made, A beautiful promise to support his future partner’s passion.

From that moment on the sunset from his terrace had never seemed more breathtaking to Seungcheol.

.
.
.
.

(I'm back from my hiatus and honestly ... I hoped for a parents update before going to hiatus and literally got soo much Jeongcheol content 😭 parents always find you right when you need them 😭

God just look at them 😭 made for each other 😭🫶🏻.. okay enough ranting.

Make sure to comment your thoughts on the chapter and I'm gonna update new chapters once a week from now on)