ahri would definitely like to argue when junhee says that it means nothing, that he’s only sulking this much over a ruined friendship. well, it might seem like that to others, but ahri would like to assume that she knows the person she considers her little brother a little better than this. at first she thought what bothered him was that he didn’t know exactly what he did wrong to suddenly deserve hyunsu’s hostility like that — and to be honest, even ahri is a little confused to why the other suddenly turned his back to junhee — and he couldn’t even apologize for it, try to fix it or make up for it since he doesn’t know what is wrong in the first place. but then the more she watched this whole thing go on, the more she was sure that there was something there that wasn’t a simple friendship.
but of course that she’d never force it on junhee even if she might seem to know where this is going, or at least where junhee’s feelings are going. she won’t guide him there since it just feels wrong that she steals the process from him. the younger boy will have his moment to realize his feelings himself and then decide what he’s going to do with them, so ahri just lets it go, resigns herself with the small pleasure of poking junhee a little bit, nudging him into the right direction at least, after all, they’re still friends and she can’t let him in this oblivious situation forever. besides, it’s always fun to see him blush even while trying to glare at her — and only confirms her own suspicions.
the design student is ready to nudge junhee a little more, to comment about how if it meant nothing then junhee wouldn’t be this worked up about it, or to point out how ridiculous the whole situation is. they’re both young adults now, they should be mature enough to sit do and talk about it, but then the tables turn with the mention of a simple name and it’s ahri’s turn to have a light shade of pink painting her cheeks, eyes narrowing at junhee because— “i know exactly what you’re doing changing topics like this.”
“i haven’t said anything because there’s nothing to tell, nothing is happening. just nothing is confusing because there’s nothing to be confused about.” she replies almost as defensive as junhee was moments ago, definitely repeats herself a little too much for it to be completely natural. “like what’s between you and hyunsu.” which is true in more ways than one. even if ahri herself won’t admit to her feelings. at some degree, she’s very much aware of them but she always push them down, ignores and denies them with everything that she has because her and kihyun are friends, have been since even before junhee came into the picture, because kihyun deserves someone better than her, someone nicer and that is genuinely sweet. he deserves a sincerely good person.
“we’re just friends.” she shrugs even if it’s a week gesture, her cheeks turning a little pinker when she remembers the night stroll they took together the other way, her almost sent message to his invitation, how he dropped his coat on her shoulders because it was a cold night and ahri didn’t bother with a coat herself, she never really did around him and there’s warmth on her chest thinking that kihyun doesn’t need those heavy coats, not when he controls ice, but he still wore those for her. “what is confusing about that?”
quite frankly, junhee welcomes ahri’s accusatory glare when she declares that she knows what she’s doing. if she’s occupied with that, then it means that it’s less time she’s spending trying to embarrass him. even if there’s no truth in her words, junhee always finds himself easily flustered by ahri. it’s partially because she’s, well, her — and she knows him better than most people. and the other part? well, ahri does specifically seek to make his life harder (in the most loving way she can manage, but still).
“you don’t sound very convincing, you know.” he replies with more confidence now that he’s no longer the centre of attention. junhee, despite being a princess, has never been one who has been completely comfortable in the spotlight. he’d much prefer to be on the side, letting other people shine, while he slips through life unbothered by drama and, well, following fate. “hyunsu hates me,” he says quietly, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. “or at least, he doesn’t like me much. we didn’t ever really make up, not like you and kihyun hyung. it’s different.” and we’re both boys, he adds in his head, although that thought wavers. he isn’t really sure anymore what the truth is. he’d been raised to believe that relationships and love were between males and females, but the longer he lives, the more he questions whether that’s really all there is to the world.
it’s all too clear to him that there’s a lot more going on between them, but if neither of them are willing to acknowledge it, then junhee isn’t sure what else he can do. the thing is, he wants them both to be happy. sure, it had been a big blow in his plans for the future when he’d realized that not only did ahri not believe in their destiny, but that she was in love with kihyun. it had seemed like all his dreams had crumbled to dust. he knows that she keeps promising him that if he really wants to, they can get married.
but it brings junhee no comfort to think that perhaps, even if they do follow destiny, he’ll be making ahri miserable. he doesn’t want that. he would never want that.
“i just think there’s more,” he murmurs softly, and he sighs a bit. “i only want you two to be happy, you know?” he says with wide eyes full of earnest appeal, glancing up at her before he directs his gaze back down to the menu. “anyways, what do you want to drink? and eat?”
