Sweet Rejection | seongjoong

Twenty-Three

"No, of course not, Hongjoong." Seonghwa shakes his head. "Why would I be with you if I still liked him?"

It's not that Seonghwa still likes Yeosang, it's just that seeing him in a place like this brought back memories. And seeing how Yeosang is handling this situation makes him feel worse.

Seonghwa never expected Yeosang to help him out like this. He expected him to scream at him and be angry. He expected him to even punch him in the face for hurting him back then.

But the fact that Yeosang put on a smile on his face and pretended to be okay for his best friends happiness, made Seonghwa feel even worse for hurting him back then.

It made him feel terrible that he was so scared of his father to the point of breaking up with someone he loved more than himself. And that only made him hate his father more...

He hates his father more than he hates anyone in this world.

And there's a lot of reasons why.

"I'd totally understand if you still like him. I mean... you two were together back then and broke up because of your father. Not because either of you did anything wrong." Hongjoong looks down.

"Please stop." Seonghwa puts his hands on his shoulders. "I only like you, Hongjoong." He tells him. "The only reason I reacted like that is because I feel bad. I know I hurt him back then and I just feel even worse since he's being so nice... more nice than what I deserve. I don't even deserve his kindness." He sighs.

"Yeosang's a really kind and forgiving person." Hongjoong nods.

"But why don't we talk about something else?" Seonghwa tries changing the subject. "I brought you something that belongs to you. Close your eyes."

"What is it?" Hongjoong tries seeing what it is, but gives up and closes his eyes.

Seonghwa smiles and takes the necklace out of his pocket before putting it around Hongjoong's neck. "And please don't return it to me ever again. You have no idea how much my heart hurt when you did."

"Okay, sorry. I won't return it to you again." Hongjoong looks down at the necklace and smiles.

"Now come on... I didn't realize it's kind of late. I have to go pick up Seongyoon and Hongseok from school."

"It's that late?" Hongjoong looks down at his watch.

"Yeah, let's go." Seonghwa takes his hand and they start walking towards his car.

-

When they arrive at the school and the boys get in the car, they give them weird looks.

"Joong, what are you doing with Yeosang's boyfriend?" Hongseok asks him after a while.

"Oh... he just saw me nearby and offered to take me home." Hongjoong lies.

"Oh..." Hongseok gives him a suspicious look, but then Seonghwa changes the subject.

"So how was school today?" Seonghwa asks them.

"It's was great!" Hongseok smiles. "I made a new friend." He looks at Seongyoon for a second and then looks out the window.

"It was okay." Seongyoon shrugs and looks out the window to hide his smile.

"Since we're near a restaurant, why don't we go eat?"

"Yes please, I'm so hungry!" Hongseok nods and touches his stomach.

"Hongseok..." Hongjoong gives him a look.

"It's okay." Seonghwa gives him a small smile. "Let's go."

-

As Seonghwa and Hongjoong are sitting across from Seongyoon and Hongseok, they earn weird looks as Seonghwa ended up putting some food on Hongjoong's plate.

"Why do you two seem so close?" Hongseok asks suspiciously.

Hongjoong hits Seonghwa's leg since he's being too obvious. "It's just that Seonghwa's always at Yeosang's house so we've kind of become friends."

Seongyoon and Hongseok give each other a look. "Oh really?"

"Yes, that's why." Seonghwa nods, trying not to look suspicious.

"If you two are in love, there's no need to hide it from us. We're young but not oblivious." Seongyoon tells them, making Hongjoong's and Seonghwa's eyes widen.

"You better not tell dad." Seonghwa tells him.

"It's not like I talk all that much to him anyway." He shrugs and takes a bite of his food.

"Please don't tell mom." Hongjoong tells his little brother.

"I won't... but then... what's going on with Seonghwa and Yeosang? Yeosang will be sad if he finds out you two are together."

"Yeah, I know." Hongjoong sighs. "But he already knows."

"Is he okay with that?"

"I think Seonghwa's and Yeosang's relationship isn't real." Seongyoon tells him. "My father is making Seonghwa marry him, but it's not because Seonghwa wants to."

"Oh." Hongseok nods, understandingly.

-

"These are the pictures I got, sir." One of Mr.Park's guards hands him some pictures. "He's been hanging out with Kim Hongjoong. He only has his mom and little brother. He works at his mothers jewelry stand and part time at a convenience store. He also happens to be Kang Yeosang's best friend."

"Yeosang's best friend? Interesting..." Mr.Park looks down at the pictures and raises an eyebrow. "Wow, Seonghwa. You really thought you could hide this from me?" He chuckles. "But I'll pretend not to know... for now."

"What should we do, sir?" He asks him as a few more guards walk in.

"Make sure to follow those three wherever they go." He smirks. "Who knows what else they're hiding." He looks down at the pictures again.

"It seems like Yeosang knows about them too. He was there with them as well." One of them says and hands him another picture, which has the three of them in it.

"He knows?!" Mr.Park stands up and throws the pictures on the floor in anger. "I didn't care about this before, but make sure to do a background check on him. Why would he be willing to hide Seonghwa's real relationship?" He crosses his arms over his chest. "How dare you all take me for a fool..." he takes one of the pictures and throws it again.

"Sir... I didn't want to say anything before, but this Yeosang guy looks familiar." One of the guards tells him, earning a slap on the face.

"You idiot! Why didn't you tell me?! What do you mean he looks familiar?! Go find out everything you can or you're dead!"