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Jihoon’s experienced a lot of things in the short span of his life so far. He’s learned that the quiet Jisoo actually never shuts up once he’s comfortable, that Minghao has a filthy mouth, that guitars can be used as an extremely dangerous weapon, and that Mingyu is a very strict dom (he still wishes he could forget walking in on them).
But tonight’s something new. Tonight he’s seated across a bright eyed baby faced man, who just doesn’t seem to shut up.
Ever.
“... Jihoon are you okay?” Seungcheol stops his monologue halfway and looks at the blonde haired boy curiously.
Jihoon sighs. This was all a huge mistake, but how do you tell someone that their blind date stood them up? He just wanted a quiet dinner at his favourite restaurant. Owning his own music store isn’t easy, and he just wants to be able to chill. Jihoon's sipping on his juice when the bright eyed dark haired boy, Seungcheol, as he later learns, walks in and waves. At him.
He’s so confused, and before he can process anything else the man seats himself at the table and is apologizing for being late.
“Hi, I’m Seungcheol. Did you have to wait long? I’m so sorry I’m late. My friend set this blind date and insisted I go, so what’s your name?” He grins, and Jihoon grudgingly acknowledges that he’s cute.
“Jihoon. I-uh, no I haven’t been waiting long,” he smiles nervously back, wondering what the fuck he’s doing, pretending to be someone’s blind date.
Seungcheol’s sweet, Jihoon will give him that. He even orders for Jihoon, and asks for another orange juice for him. The waitress, an elderly lady, smiles sweetly at the two of them, and even compliments that they look adorable together.
“E-Excuse me, I need the bathroom,” Jihoon stammers, feeling his cheeks heat with embarrassment at the compliment, and stands up abruptly, grabbing his phone and texting Jisoo for help.
From: [Jihoon]
To: [Jisoo]
Some guy thinks I’m his blind date. Should I just go along with it or shut him down?
Jisoo reads the text and bursts out laughing. Only Jihoon would land himself in a situation like that. He nudges Jeonghan, who’s lazing on Jisoo’s lap, and smirks.
“Tell him to just go along with it. If he’s cute then it won’t hurt now will it?” Jeonghan drawls, and Jisoo shrugs, sending the message along back to Jihoon.
From: [Jisoo]
To: [Jihoon]
If he’s cute then go along with it - Jeonghan
Jihoon sighs. Of course Jisoo and Jeonghan are together right now. The two are practically attached at the hip. He sighs again, running his hands through his hair.
I can do this. It’s just one date, right? He shakes his head, glaring at the mirror and his reflection and exiting the bathroom before he chickens out.
Seungcheol grins as he waits for the adorable blonde to return. It’s been a long time since he last ended his last relationship with Doyoon, and Seungkwan has tried to set him up with so many people, but this is the first time he’s felt excited for a blind date. Lee Jihoon is... a mystery, and Seungcheol wants to be the one to figure him out. Seungcheol wants to get to know his little enigma better, and hopes to whoever’s listening that Jihoon feels the same (or at least doesn’t completely hate him). He beams even wider when Jihoon returns, looking slightly less uncomfortable than when he first sat down.
He’s such an angel, Seungcheol thinks, and frowns in confusion when Jihoon’s ears turn scarlet.
“Stop it or I’ll hit you with my guitar,” Jihoon warns, biting his lip and looking down at his food to stop the reluctant smile from growing any wider.
Did I say it out loud? He looks so adorable with his pretty pink tipped ears, Seungcheol thinks again, and Jihoon glares at him.
“I said stop it,” he grumbles, and Seungcheol’s eyes widen.
“Sorry… I didn’t mean to say it out loud,” he grins cheekily and Jihoon just rolls his eyes, contemplating the many various ways to brain himself while not trying to turn into a tomato. (He would never admit it, but he thinks the comments are endearing.)
The rest of dinner goes like that, with Seungcheol’s thoughts ‘accidentally’ being said aloud, and Jihoon progressively turning more and more into a human tomato. It’s not until they’re on dessert that Seungcheol notices something’s wrong.
“... Jihoon? Are you okay?” He asks softly, gripping his hand across the table, and Jihoon’s eyes flit to his in surprise.
Jihoon finds himself wanting to tell Seungcheol the truth, but he also doesn’t want to hurt this overeager hyung when he finds out that his blind date stood him up, because Jihoon actually liked this… accidental date.
“Uh, yeah, I’m fine,” he grunts, but Seungcheol’s not buying it and just raises an eyebrow at Jihoon.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You look a little green,” Seungcheol grins cheekily and Jihoon groans internally. “Is it because you’re green with envy?”
“I’m not really your blind date you’re mistaken but you just sat here and I don’t know why but I didn’t want you to go and I don’t know how to tell you I enjoyed myself without looking like an idiot,” he blurts, and turns so red Seungcheol can’t help but laugh.
“Jihoonie, you’d never look like an idiot. I figured out somewhere halfway that you weren’t my date, when Seungkwan texted me asking if Soonyoung was a good blind date,” he chuckled, and Jihoon glared.
“Asshole,” he grumbles. “Why didn’t you tell me? And why are you paying for my food?” He snaps, pouting, and Seungcheol just coos (internally of course, he’d like to keep his body in one piece) at how cute Jihoon looks.
“It’s a date, and a hyung always pays for his dongsaeng,” Seungcheol grins down at Jihoon. “You can pay for the next one,” he shrugs as he hands the money over to the cashier.
“Oka - wait next one?” Jihoon raises an eyebrow, at Seungcheol. “You’re quick to assume hyung,” he snarks, pretending to be disinterested (keyword - pretending).
“Of course next one,” Seungcheol grins. “My darling, dear, ange-ow!” Seungcheol winces when Jihoon hits him on the arm (mainly because he can’t reach Seungcheol’s head but he’s not admitting that). “Okay okay, Jihoonie ah, would you go on another date with me?” Seungcheol grins cheekily and Jihoon can’t bring himself to say no.
“Fine,” he huffs, rolling his eyes at his excited hyung (he’s excited too but he’s gotta keep up his impression).
It takes only two more dates for Seungcheol to ask Jihoon to be his, officially at least, but it takes two more months for Jihoon to admit that Seungcheol is a decent boyfriend (or at least that he’s a good guy to date).