When you look at me, sunflowers bloom ✿❀❁

“Are you sure I can come along?”

Hoshi looked at you in confusion. “Why would you even ask that? Of course you can come along.”

You shrugged. “I don’t know, I just don’t want to invite myself along…”

“First of all, you’re not inviting yourself. I’m inviting you. And it’s just the arcade anyway.”

“But they are your friends.”

Hoshi still didn’t seem to understand your worries. “Yeah. And you’re my friend too. It’s no big deal. And you already know them too, don’t act like a stranger.”

He was right, you’d met most of his friends at this point—but you weren’t a part of the friends group. You were just his childhood friend who happened to live in the same town again now, but they were his friends. Maybe that weird distinction only existed in your head, but tagging along to plans they made among themselves still made you feel like an imposter.

“It’s really okay?”

“It’s really okay.”

You nodded slowly. “Okay then.”

Hoshi smiled brightly at your words and then pulled you along to meet the others. 

They were already waiting outside the building and you felt even more nervous now, especially when Hoshi immediately mingled with them and made conversation. You’d hoped that maybe one of his roommates would be there too, since you knew them a little better, but it seemed like they wouldn’t be coming today.

“Sorry,” a familiar voice suddenly came from behind you, “Am I late?”

Jeonghan rested his hand on your shoulder in greeting, but his words seemed to address the group as a whole.

Someone made a complaint, but he didn’t mind it all that much and just laughed before turning to you, his hand still on your shoulder. “I didn’t know you’d be coming.”

“Hoshi invited me.”

“You didn’t need his invitation to come,” he winked playfully. “You’re always welcome.”

You knew better than to read anything into it—Jeonghan was always like this but there was no real meaning behind it. Still, you felt a little relieved to see him. While you wouldn’t say that the two of you were close, you at least knew him better than most of the others and it was good to know there was someone you were able to hold a conversation with without feeling awkward.

“Thanks,” you replied in lack of a better answer, shaking his hand off and following the others inside the arcade.

Jeonghan jogged up behind you with a sigh. “You’re always so cold, y/n. You wound me.”

Before you could answer, Hoshi bumped into his side, reprimanding him not to bother you. 

Inside, everyone naturally spread out, pursuing the games they were interested in. Hoshi immediately spotted a giant tiger that could be won at the basketball and rushed off to try his luck. You on the other hand were drawn to the claw  machines. Maybe it was childish or silly, but the small white rabbits were  just too cute to pass on and you desperately wanted one for yourself.

Though  after what felt like your zillionth attempt you started to realize that maybe you had to give up on it after all. No matter how hard you tried it simply wasn’t working out.

Your whole focus taken up by the plushie falling back into the pile over and over again, you hadn’t even noticed that someone had taken up the claw machine next to you until something white and soft nudged your shoulder.

“Is it this one?”

You turned around to Jeonghan in confusion who was holding up one of the little bunnies.

“The one you wanted, it's this right?”

Your eyes wandered between him and the bunny, still not quite grasping the situation and unsure how to react. Somehow you felt a little silly, being so passionate about getting a stupid plushie, that Jeonghan felt the need to get it for you. It shouldn’t matter but you couldn’t help wondering what he thought about it. Did he think you were childish?

“I just got a bit too much into the game. It’s not that I really want it that much. But since you already went through the trouble…” you mumbled with a weak laugh, reaching out for the plushie, but Jeonghan pulled it back out of reach.

“You don’t want it?” 

You didn’t like to admit to it but you also couldn't miss out on the plushie, so without meeting his gaze you reluctantly spoke up again. “Maybe I do want it,” you said, your hand still stretched out. “A little bit.”

“That’s better.” He easily handed it over now, briefly patting the round head before letting go. “Now, wanna do some car racing?”

With that he turned in the direction, but you stopped him, your fingers lightly tugging on his sleeve.

"Jeonghan?"

"Mhm?"

“Thank you.”

“Sure,” he replied nonchalantly, a small smile on his lips.

When you got back home that evening, you gave the little plushie a special place next to your pillow. Just because it was so cute, of course.

 You looked around the apartment in confusion. “Is Hoshi not here? He said he would be.” 

The question was meant for Woozi who’d opened the door for you and had still been in the living room half a minute ago, but it was someone else who answered.

“I’m afraid you’re out of luck. Though, I’m here so maybe it’s not so unlucky after all.” Jeonghan looked at you with the grin of a Cheshire cat. 

“It’s just—we agreed to meet,” you mumbled, walking to the kitchen again even though you’d already checked it before and knew Hoshi wasn’t there. “Guess I’ll come back another time then.”

Jeonghan followed behind with a small, unserious pout on his lips. “You can still stay.”

“That’d be kinda weird, wouldn’t it?”

“Why? You can hang out with me. Why are you only ever coming for Hoshi?”

“Because Hoshi is my friend?”

“Aren’t I your friend too?”

You didn’t know what to say to that—was he? Was he your friend? It’s not that you didn’t like him, you did. But friends still didn’t seem quite right.

“Either way, if Hoshi isn’t here it doesn’t make much sense for me to stay. He wanted to help me pick up a shelf since I don’t—it doesn’t matter.”

“I can help you.”

“Maybe I should try calling him,” you mumbled, barely acknowledging Jeonghan’s offer, but he didn’t seem offended. Instead he huffed and nodded.

“Right. You should try calling.”

“I’m so sorry,” Hoshi apologized the second he picked up. “I got held up, but I’ll be there in—uh—about an hour? Really, y/n, I’m so sorry.”

“No, don’t worry. Let’s just do it another time, don’t stress yourself.”

After the call ended (not without Hoshi apologizing another 73 times) Jeonghan was still standing there, looking at you.

“Want me to help now?”

You contemplated for a moment, unsure if it was okay to take the offer. It was one thing to ask your long time friend to help you with an errand like this—but Jeonghan?

Then again, who knew when Hoshi and you would find another date that would work for both of you?

“Only if you’re really free—I don’t want to be a bother.”

Jeonghan grinned, already snatching the car keys from the hook. “You could never be a bother.”

Just a little later you were sitting on the passenger seat of  his car  Jeonghan waiting for you to buckle up before he started the motor and backed out of the lot. For a while, aside from the playlist running in the background, the ride was quiet. You thought you should say something, but somehow it felt hard to break the silence.

"Jeonghan?" You eventually started  your voice a little too soft.

"Mhm?"

“Thanks for coming along. I know you barely have any time too.”

“If you’re the one who’s asking I’ll make time,” Jeonghan grinned, as he stopped the car at a red light. “Should have just asked me from the start.”

You chuckled and shook your head lightly. “Sure, sure. I’ll do that next time.

“‘l’lI take your word for it. I’ll be jealous if you don’t.”

“Mhm, stop joking around already and focus on the road. It’s green.”

Jeonghan looked at you for another moment, the playful grin no longer on his lips. 

“I’m serious.” His voice was calm and low. “Ask me next time.”

Feeling the heat rise to your cheeks, you quickly turned your head away, staring out of the window instead. You knew he couldn’t mean this, you knew Jeonghan simply enjoyed taking jokes a little bit too far. But why did it not feel like a joke anymore? And why did that thought get your heart racing?

“Okay,” you pressed out.

“Okay,” he repeated, his tone light again as he started up the car.

When you stood in front of your apartment door, Jeonghan holding onto the huge cardboard box with the shelf in it while you were supposed to unlock your door, you realized you hadn’t thought this through.

“Actually, until here is enough. I think I can handle the rest.”

He looked confused. “What? Why? I have time today, I can help you with assembling it too.”

“No, really,” you insisted, your mind stuck on the fact that you hadn’t cleaned up your flat and maybe it wasn’t the best time for a first visit. “It’s fine.”

There was a small frown on Jeonghan’s face now, clearly unsatisfied. “I bet you wouldn’t say that to Hoshi.”

“Well, but Hoshi is—he’s seen it before.”

“So, let me see too.”

“I didn’t clean.”

Jeonghan chuckled. “Oh, come on, you’ve seen our apartment in all kinds of states. It’s only fair if you let me in too.”

When you contemplated for a moment longer, his features softened up a little. “I wouldn’t judge. I promise.”

With a sigh you turned back to the door and typed in your code. “Remember,” you warned before letting him in, “you promised.”

While you closed the door and hung up your coat, Jeonghan already carried the box to your bedroom where you wanted the shelf to go. 

“Oh?” You heard him exclaim the moment he stepped inside, and you started feeling a little alarmed.

Hastily, you followed him to your room and found him sitting on your rug, the box on the floor beside him and the little white bunny he’d gifted you in his lap.

“You kept him,” He smiled as he moved him around by his little arms.

You felt caught; you’d completely forgotten that of course it had still been sitting on your bed, right next to your pillow like some treasured item.

“I mean—you’d already gotten him for me so I would have felt bad to throw him out,” you defended yourself.

“Mhm,” he grinned. “Sure.”

“Don’t make fun of me.”

“I’m not.”

“Whatever.” You didn’t look at him, maybe because you didn’t know how to or maybe because you wanted to hide your flushed cheeks. Instead you crouched down next to the cardboard box and started to open it. 

“You can go, if you want. I’ll just ask Hoshi to help me build it next time,” you said with a pout but you weren’t entirely serious.

Jeonghan came over, holding the bunny up in front of his face.

“Don’t be angry,” he made the plushie say in a high pitched voice, but you barely spared him a glance so he set it aside. 

“I’m not,” he repeated, with more determination this time. “I’m not making fun of you. I was just happy you kept it. So, don’t be angry.”

“...Okay.”

“And don’t ask Hoshi to help instead.”

You looked at them, unable to stop yourself from huffing a laugh. “Is that really that important to you?”

“I told you I’d get jealous.”

Before you could reply, he rested his forehead against your shoulder, his voice soft when he continued. “Please don’t make me jealous.”

For a moment you forgot how to breathe, caught off guard by the sudden proximity, and even more caught off guard by how serious he sounded.

“Why?” you pressed out, barely audibly. “Why would you get jealous?”

He let out a weak chuckle before raising his head to look at you, his face way too close to your own. “Do you really not know?”

You thought maybe you did. But it couldn’t be. No way it could be.

You shook your head.

“But I don’t think I can say it. Won't you run away if I do?”

Your mouth felt dry. 

You shook your head again.

“I won’t.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“I like you, y/n.”

It was the answer you’d expected and the answer you’d hoped for. And yet, now that he’d actually said it you didn’t know how to react. Him having feelings for you just seemed so unreal, so impossible.

“Okay.”

“What kind of answer is that?” His voice wasn’t offended or demanding, instead it was soft, just a whisper so close to your face that you felt the words on your skin. “Just—okay.”

“Okay as in noted?”

You couldn’t help yourself from staring at his lips, mere inches from your own. If you moved in a tiny little bit—

“Okay as in let’s try this.”

He couldn’t hide the smile that was spreading on his face as his own gaze shifted between your eyes and your mouth. “Yeah?” 

Your heart was hammering in your chest like crazy as you leaned in, carefully, hesitantly brushing your lips against his.

“Yeah,” you whispered, before you finally dared to kiss him for real. “Let’s try this.”