Ship/Member: Seokmin/Seungcheol
Major Tags: N/A
Additional Tags: modern au; allusions to drinking; not quite exes, not quite lovers
Permission to remix: Yes

***

A storm rolls in and nearly knocks out the power of the bar. The lights flicker, and the bartenders seem to take it as a sign to start breaking down despite the night still being young and Seungcheol, birthday boy, is nowhere near drunk. Of course, he tends to drink like a fish on nights out like this, but the smell of charcoal briquettes still sticks to his clothes and Seungcheol needs at least two more beers before he's ready to call it for the evening despite having an early day tomorrow.

Thunder claps and rattles the windows, and Mingyu is making a sheepish face like sorry hyung, we owe you one.

Oh absolutely, big time, he thinks, kissing his teeth before leaning out of the booth they'd crowded into—himself, Jihoon, who is nursing his flat Coke Zero with a solemn expression, sandwiched between Mingyu and Seungkwan who are having a heated discussion about…badminton? A handful of friends picked up from different places, like Joshua, who’d been circled in via Minghao after they'd met at a wine shop, and Chan, whose parents own the studio Soonyoung works at.

He'd been blindsided when Seokmin had arrived as Jeonghan's plus-one, a role typically filled by his on-again, off-again partner. Seokmin, who Seungcheol hasn't seen since he'd snuck out of his apartment some summers ago, pocketing their exchanged love confessions all the way to an internship overseas. The silence that followed after was deafening. It had continued for most of the evening, through toasts and gift giving, and impromptu karaoke that had other patrons of the establishment turning to stare at their ragtag group of inebriated miscreants.

what are you playing at yoon jeonghan

I don't know what you mean.
:)



Seokmin catches Seungcheol's eye halfway to the door that leads out to the alleyway. It's not intentional, but Seokmin must interpret it as intention—wriggling out from between Jeonghan and Jungwoo, heads bowed together in conversation—trailing behind Seungcheol when the doors close.

"You haven't spoken to me all night, hyung."

Seungcheol stuffs his hands into his pockets. The concrete floor is rain-slick despite the glass cover overhead. He can see a distorted version of his reflection in the enamel shine. The dark clouds hanging above. The longer he keeps quiet, the more Seokmin's softened features sharpen.

"You don't remember, do you?"

"Of course I do."

It's the only thing worth remembering in the last 3 years of his life. Every single excuse dries on his tongue, every apology souring before he can voice them. I didn't think I would miss you as much as I do.

"And...?"

"Seokmin," Seungcheol starts, head still bowed. "I don't know what you want me to say."

His stare is a knife.

"Well, okay. Fine," he says, reaching for the door handle. "Happy birthday—"

Seokmin doesn't get his hand to the door before Seungcheol is putting his body between them. The heat of him is familiar. The door is cool against his back. Seungcheol's gaze flicks up, meeting Seokmin head on for the first time all night. He'd spent a good amount of tonight watching him from the corner of his eye. How different he must be from the person he'd loved those summers before.

"I'm sorry," Seungcheol says, wincing at the roughness in his voice before clearing his throat. "I really am. I kept meaning to—"

Well-meaning intention doesn't mean anything if it's followed by inaction. They both know it, felt the tear of that silence. After everything.

Still, Seokmin looks at him, those sharp edges eroding away again. "I'm leaving again this weekend," he says, stepping away from the door. Away from Seungcheol. His face must fall because amusement sparks in Seokmin's eyes.

"You have until Friday to make it up to me."

"Are you giving me homework on my birthday?" Seungcheol doesn't mean to whine, but he does, leaning off the cool metal. The back of his sweatshirt is damp.

Seokmin hums. "Consider it a makeup test."