#☀︎ — seonho & ophelia

[ameliiorate]

☀︎ — closed starter for @starlingisms from seonho jones to ophelia chay

"I wasn't expecting to see you here." It's not the usual greeting that he bestowed upon Ophelia, but he also hadn't been expecting this party at all. Even though it's being held in his own apartment. The disadvantages to having so many siblings who had their own set of keys include him not being able to stop them from throwing him a birthday celebration. "Mari didn't guilt you into attending this, did she? You don't have a show tonight, do you?" Seonho began to bombard her with questions. Their dynamic had been so different lately, and he had been giving her space. So it's a happy surprise to see her. "Not that I wouldn't have invited you! Didn't...know all of this was gonna happen." He waved his hand in the way of all of the decorations around them. Gold being the theme as his twenty-eighth birthday is his golden one. "And I know that your show is in the middle of its run. I am still hoping to have a chance to see it before it closes! But that's why I haven't text you as much lately. You know how off my routine is and I didn't wanna text you when you should be sleeping."

[ameliiorate]

☀︎ — closed starter for @starlingisms

Seonho isn't a frequent attender of parties. More often than not, at this time of night, he's the one picking up people his age who have more freedom to spend their time being a little more indulgent. Even now, on a night where he had taken an Uber rather than driven his car as a driver, Seonho is leisurely still sipping on his second beer in just as many hours. Being drunk isn't the objective for him tonight. He just wants to let loose a little bit since his siblings are at sleepovers, and he had only come at the behest of Ophelia, who is always insisting that he needs to get out more. When really he would prefer that it just be the two of him at his place.

The two of them aren't separated for long, and Seonho chooses to seek her out once he has built up the nerve to ask her to come home with him. He thinks that it's an offer that should be met favorably considering they have been hooking up for awhile, and Ophelia never seems to mind when he makes her breakfast in the morning. They're friends, and have been for a long time. So he should have known that what was brewing between them would boil over eventually, left standing dumbstruck in the hallway when he finds her locking lips with another man. His eyes tear away from her, falling down to the ground and his stomach sinking. He attempts to wander away unnoticed.

[ameliiorate]

"You didn't have to do anything!" He still insisted, laughing merrily. His birthdays would often come and go without fanfare, as Seonho quite frankly preferred it that way. For as much as he gave to everyone else, asking anything for himself made him uncomfortable, and he didn't want anyone to feel obligated. Having the company of his friends was more than enough. Presents were neither requested or expected. Having Ophelia there was a gift in its own, particularly considering how distanced they had been lately.

He had chalked it up to her spending more time blossoming her relationship with Percy. With that variable out of the equation, he had to acknowledge that both of them were avoiding being alone together. "Of course I will! I'm woefully behind on my scrapbooking, but this will give me another reason to get caught up!" Especially since the photos would be printed on the spot. He sets the camera carefully on his nightstand, all too eager to start using it.

But his attention was caught on the first present for only a beat longer, eyes sweeping up to search Ophelia's face. A second present has been promised, and he still hasn't clued together what it is. There's nothing in her hands other than his own, and he squeezes her fingers happily. Warmth spreads through him like a radiator, electricity still sparking between them. And it's impossible for him to continue to ignore when Ophelia's closes the distance of their mouths. Energy surges through him, as if he's waking up from a long sleep, curling his lips firmly around hers, mouth slack and open and inviting. It's only when their noses graze that he manages to pull himself from his daze, pushing back with his cheeks flushed. "Thank you, Ophelia. I'm really glad you could make it. Let's — let's try not go that long without seeing each other again, hm? I've missed you."

"It's literally your birthday, silly! Of course I had to get you a present!" Nearly lightly smacked him in the arm at the comment, but wasn't sure if she still had that right to breach that physical touch barrier with him anymore. Granted, Ophelia was the one who pulled away, but it was so she wouldn't drag Seonho down. So he could be free to pursue whoever and whatever he wanted. What partner would feel comfortable with a close girl friend always hanging around?

She watched him with bated breath, wondering if Seonho would like the present, let alone use it. But at his reaction, Ophelia felt a weight lift off of her shoulders. With a small laugh, she gave a little jump of excitement before her features softened. A warm smile on her face as she watched him look it over and gave the camera a hug. "You have to promise to actually use it, okay! Document all your memories! And not just for your annual Christmas card."

And suddenly Ophelia wondered if she should have said anything else about another present. Panic starting to set in but... this may be the last time she could do this. Consider it a farewell present? Or a... "thank you for everything" present. Gently, Ophelia took Seonho's hands in hers, her gaze drawn down as she summoned up the courage. To breach the physical touch barrier. Felt the heat rush to her cheeks as she decided to finally do it. "Happy birthday, Seonho." Leaned in and pressed her lips briefly to his.

[ameliiorate]

Living with Seonho as a sibling rather than as a partner was a dichotomous thing, though his routines remained similar. Mari has griped to him many times about how he could be too hovering, how he could ask too many questions, and how he tried to take care of everything even though it wasn't possible to juggle literally everything. He had started to wonder if that was part of the reason that Ophelia had peeled away from him. Seonho was not ignorant to the fact that he was loud, boisterous, and he wondered if that meant that he could be too much for some people. He didn't mean to be suffocating, and he hoped that whatever Ophelia did next, that it was a fresh air for her.

So maybe that didn't mean that she ended up with Perry. Plenty of people would be lining up to try and win her affections, surely. And they could offer her more than a simple floral arrangement. Someone could attend every performance of hers. Someone could be there in the ways that he could not with all of his obligations. All he could be was Ophelia's friend. And he may be the friend that was also hopelessly in love with her, but that was her problem and not something for her to deal with. So he went along the rest of the party with a smile on his face, enjoying the company of the rest of his friends.

But also finding reprieve in Ophelia being the one to find him when he snuck to the sanctity of his bedroom for a moment. She was welcomed there, as she always had been, even if she no longer occupied his bed. He eyed the paper bag with a joyful gleam sprinkling his deep brown hues, chipper as he proclaimed, "Thank you! You really didn't have to get me anything..." Though her descriptor somewhat gave it away, his jaw falling slack and trying to will his eyes to not grow misty. "This is perfect..." And it really was. He held the camera to his chest briefly before he wiped at lids and placed it carefully on the top of his drawer. "Another present?" His laugh was wet, in disbelief and fondness leaking like a faucet. "You have already given me far too much...but of course I'd happily accept whatever you have to give me." The gaze upon her shone with gratitude and an affection that he failed to hide in the moment.

Ophelia had heard a little bit about what living with Seonho was like from Mari. Not that she was completely clueless to that. Granted, his sister's experience was vastly different from Ophelia's. Still, the domestic routines with Seonho tracked from the stories Mari had shared with her. "I would love that!" She was too scared to ask, or even suggest, that it just be the two of them. Was it presumptuous of her to assume that? Or should she have suggested bringing other friends too? In the end, Ophelia let her selfish desires win out this time and hoped if and when they got food together, it would just be them.

She was relieved that the topic of Percy didn't last any longer, and Ophelia couldn't bear to meet Seonho's gaze. It was embarrassing to have her friend see a failure on her part. But she didn't have much time to worry about that before Seonho was swept away. With a chuckle, she gave him a small wave with her fingers and nursed her somaek while catching up with old friends and meeting some new ones. It felt... strangled at times to introduce herself as just Seonho's friend, but that was all she was to him. Just a friend.

The rest of the party went by in a blur and Ophelia could slowly feel her social battery depleting. Not since her arrival was she able to spend any more one-on-one time with Seonho. But, as it grew later and as she grew tipsier, Ophelia finally felt emboldened to pull him aside. In the privacy of his bedroom, a space she had not been in for a while, she handed him his birthday present tucked inside a festive paper bag stuffed with colorful tissue paper. It took everything in her to not look around his room to explore what might have changed since the last time she was there. "Happy birthday," she said sheepishly. "There's also some film in there so you can start using it right away." Her eyes darted to his face, searching his features to gauge if he liked it or not. Actually liked it and not politely in the way someone offered when trying not to offend someone. "And um. I have another present for you, too, i-if that's okay."

[ameliiorate]

It wasn't supposed to come to this. The arrangement between them had fostered from their comfort with each other. But perhaps the physical intimacy had merely helped to unearth the emotional closeness that had existed there all along, underneath the surface. It had caused them to spend even more time together, after all, and it was as if those unintentional overnight stays had opened up Pandora's box. They got into a routine, and Seonho had started to think he could get used to this. That was a dangerous thing. Because nothing in his life ever stayed. Even Ophelia. As much as he wanted to believe that their friendship would be eternal, her career was taking off. She could leave him behind, and he would understand. A part of him wondered if that's what she should be doing to begin with.

A part of him had wondered if that's what the recent distance was leading to. And he worried that whatever existing strings that still tied them together was holding her back.

"She wouldn't be surprised!" Seonho insisted, holding his hands up in defense. "Living together the first time was hard enough for both of us." Though their relationship was not as rocky as it had once been. The improvement included them sharing friends, like Ophelia. "Once you have some time, we'll go!" Both of them were short on time, weren't they? It's just that before, they had made it a point to find the time anyway. That effort had dissipated. "Oh?" Brows raising, a tirade of questions raised in his head. None that he asked, as he could tell that Ophelia did not want to linger on the subject. "Well...I'm glad that you had some time to see me then!" He hands her the second drink, and then he was being dragged away by another quest. He threw Ophelia an apologetic look, squeezing her arm as he went.

After so many years of friendship, Ophelia didn't want things to stay weird between them. She still needed time and space to move on if things were to remain platonic between them. Even then, she wasn't sure if that was possible. Ophelia couldn't even remember the exact moment where she realized she had fallen for Seonho. At first, it had been only attraction and the sex was partially out of convenience to have her needs met. But little by little, more and more feelings came through. If she had to pinpoint the first time she thought about Seonho as more than friends... Ophelia had just stirred awake after spending the night. With a glance over at Seonho, still sound asleep, she recalled feeling a sense of calmness. Of home. He had felt like home. And that scared the shit out of her. He couldn't be her home, not when she was probably not his. It wasn't fair to him or to whoever he would actually end up with.

So maybe they were both to blame for the distance that had grown between them lately. But that was because Ophelia truly didn't want to hold onto someone that didn't belong to her. She had to be okay with just being friends.

"Don't let Mari hear you say that!" Ophelia gasped with a laugh, gently smacking her friend in the arm. And it wasn't like she had never entertained the idea living with Seonho and enjoying a domestic life together. They basically did a little bit of that already before... "Ugh! You're so right, and now I'm craving pork belly and lettuce wraps. One of these days we'll go out again!" Performance schedules really didn't give her too much free time, and what would it say if she spent whatever free time she did have with Seonho all the time. Color drained from her face at his question and Ophelia managed a tepid shrug. "He's fine, I think? Haven't really seen him around in a bit." She really didn't want to think about Percy and she really didn't want to talk about Percy with Seonho. It was just another reminder that she didn't know how to have a healthy relationship.

[ameliiorate]

The cliché had been proven true: sex complicated friendships. What confused Seonho most about it all was the fact that it didn't until they stopped having sex. And they hadn't even talked about it. Throughout the time they had been sleeping together, Seonho hadn't been happier, because it brought another level of closeness to someone that meant so much to him.

It was also what made him realize that he was in love with her. It had happened so gradually, the realization coming to him on a random morning when he had been making them breakfast and she had hugged him from behind wearing one of his shirts. He missed those quieter, tender moments between them. He missed her. If he couldn't make a show, he would send another bouquet of flowers on the finale night. She had his support in all of her endeavors, both career-wise and in her love life.

But he didn't stress about it. For the first time in a long time, his expression was care-free. Joy radiated from his pores. "Well, to be fair, I'd rather you move in than Mari." It was a playful dig to his younger sister who was doing well enough living on her own. Two of Seonho's five younger siblings remained under his care, his two youngest teenaged sisters, both at sleepovers for the night. "Cheers!" He downed it with as much fervor as Ophelia, laughing as he wiped at the sides of his mouth. "You flatter me!" Enough so that he began to make them each another glass. "This would be even more perfect with some pork belly. We'll have to go out for barbecue when you are done with your show to celebrate." He was tired of not seeing her and made the first move in making plans. "— How are things going with Percy?"

She had been at this party for less than five minutes and already Ophelia could feel the thrumming ache in her heart. The yearning had not dampened over all this time and spending time together again was growing a bit more difficult. It felt like an eternity since the last time they actually spent any time together, and not when they were hooking up or having an awkward encounter. Like actually as friends.

Her hear sank a little at hearing the possible hypothetical that Seonho might not be able to make any of her performances. After all, he had already sent her flowers for opening night, an incredible surprise to find in her dressing room. Maybe she shouldn't have offered tickets to her show again. Seonho had his own life and priorities and she knew ballet wasn't for everyone. But she didn't let her disappointment show on her face and instead nodded giddily. "I've already got tickets with their names on it!" Ophelia grinned.

Letting Seonho pull her towards the kitchen, Ophelia laughed as she let her friend's high energy take the lead. It was his birthday party and she couldn't be a downer and let her reciprocated feelings get in the way of the festivities. Like how she had been debating whether or not to return the key to his place when she really had no reason to keep holding onto it. "You say that as if I'm allowed to move right in or something," she joked. She watched with piqued curiosity as Seonho mixed somaek for her, something they had drank together far too often. It was a popular party drink. She shouldn't think too much into it. "Cheers!" voice pitched a little higher than expected before she downed her glass. Getting a little tipsy was surely going to lift her mood. "Mm! No man makes somaek like you do."

[ameliiorate]

He continues to try to convince himself that this is what is best for both of them. Ophelia being with someone else should force him to try and move on, yet Seonho finds himself dwelling often on the what-ifs and could-have-beens in their following days apart. And it makes him feel like a bad friend when he should be focused on supporting Ophelia in her dating pursuits, not letting himself get caught up on the things that he didn't say.

But it was undeniable that something had changed between them. While he had thought initially that it would be for the better, that their friendship could evolve into something beautiful, it somehow felt stained now. They used to have no filter around each other, and it feels like they are walking around egg shells instead. As if they didn't watch where they stepped, they would risk stepping on a landmine and blowing up everything that they have. And what they have is invaluable to him. He may never have her love, but he doesn't want to lose her friendship.

Nor does he want to take it, or Opehlia, for granted. So when she asks him to go out for coffee, he can't turn her down. Some more time is needed, he knows, for him to properly stitch up his heart, and he just has to hope that the wound doesn't bleed out everywhere and leak further into their interactions with each other. The smile that he greets her with is characteristic of him, and it grows upon her extending the bag of chips to him as he grabs them from her.

"Thank you! You know I like to keep my car packed with snacks, and these will be a perfect add to my stockpile," Seonho mentions, grateful and his heart stirring at the implication that she does still think about him. Then he moves to give her a side hug in proper greeting before opening up the door to the cafe so that she could head inside first. "So what have you been up to this week?" It's unusual at this point for him to not know, for him to not be aware of her schedule, because the last handful of months, they had spent more time together than not. His apartment had almost been like her second residence.

"Right," she swallowed, unable to look at him. The moment sobered her, especially as he hadn't offered to take her home as he normally would have, and she managed to shakily call for a ride. "I'll text you when I get home?" and without waiting for a response, she left to wait for her ride outside and forcing herself to keep some distance from him.

Had she hoped Seonho would say anything else to her about their situation? About Percy? About her? Of course, but she knew that wasn't fair to put that on him. So instead, she acted in a way she thought would be the fastest solution to getting over her best friend. She cared so much for him that she ended up falling head over heels for Seonho. Despite how much she tried to convince herself that something was there, she just wasn't sure. She just felt... like a friend.

A few torturous days passed before Ophelia caved and asked if Seonho wanted to get coffee during the following weekend. Their last interaction plagued her day and night and she wondered if she had completely ruined their friendship. Things felt different... tense... yet she couldn't quite figure out why. Maybe she shouldn't have brought Percy into the picture because now she felt like she was being forced to pick between allowing herself to move on or remaining stuck with unrequited feelings.

"Hey," she waved when she spotted Seonho approaching their meeting spot. Ophelia managed a small smile, the sight of him pulling her back from her reverie. "Oh, and I saw these new pack of chips at the market yesterday that I thought you'd like," she added, handing over a paper bag with a few packs of chips inside.

[ameliiorate]

He would never let this be their end. Not unless Ophelia saw it for this to cause them to separate, and that he would understand. People left Seonho. That's how it had been his entire life, whether that leave was voluntary or not. He was used to it by now. That didn't make her absence hurt any less, a whole in his heart that he was still trying to patch up even with her now being in front of him. Because she owned his heart, and he knew that there was nothing to do about that. He didn't expect to get it back, to be over her, for a long time.

Especially not when with every new encounter, he was reminded of why it was that she held his affections. "If I can't make it, I know that they will. Mari, Hana, and Melody were already talking about it." But he did want to come. Sending her the flowers on the opening night was not enough. He wanted to support her. Not just her career, but her decisions, including how she chose to move forward with her love life. What they had was only meant to be temporary, after all. And while they had never discussed it, it seemed to be something that was done, an era of their friendship that was over.

Yet he still wanted her, and not just for the sex. "Great! We have multiple things to drink for then." For her successful run, and for his birthday, something he continued to underplay. "C'mon then! Let me mix something up for us." He didn't hesitate to reach for her hand to tug her toward the kitchen. "You are always welcomed here, you know that. You have a key, after all." One that he had made up for her when they had been hooking up. He mixed up a blend of soju and beer for them, offering her one of the glasses and raising his own. "Bottoms up!"

Ophelia had felt the space between them for a while, worried that it might keep growing until the two drifted apart. And yet, with everything that had been on her plate lately, she hadn't been able to bring herself to face Seonho about this. Hell, she was sure he'd just brush it off with a laugh. Besides, like she said, the two of them were busy individuals. Still... his absence was constantly on her mind.

She squealed at how tightly he hugged her back. It almost ached her to pull away but people were watching and there was still a whole party to enjoy. Another laugh spilled from her lips at Seonho's infectious excitable energy. "I know and you know and it's all just a whole mess," she laughed with a shake of her head. "But the offer is there and always is there for you and your sisters. Tickets whenever you want." She hoped her invitation wasn't desperate despite how often she reminded him of it. Knowing he was in the audience always made it an extra special show for her.

"I can have a drink," she giggled, amused with the question. "Performance isn't until the evening so I have plenty of time to recover in the morning, but um..." It had been a while since she last stayed over at Seonho's. The question stirred up a lot of memories and feelings, the very things she had spent so long trying to stamp down. "I uh yea would love to stay over if um if I end up having too many drinks tonight. And we should start with one! Right now to celebrate you turning another year older!"

[ameliiorate]

It's not what he wants, but Seonho is used to not getting what he wants. That's why he tries not to want anything at all. And he had gotten too greedy with Ophelia. He had thought, for a brief moment, that perhaps that they would naturally fall into being something other than friends. Something more than friends with benefits. But that had been a foolish notion on his part. They couldn't be something concrete without solidifying what they have been doing and what they are, and neither of the had been willing to take that step. Seonho had been lying in waiting, searching for any indication from Ophelia that their connection was something other than friends who had great sex, but in response, she had found someone else to satisfy her needs, and that is a deafening answer to him.

"It's what's best," is what he says instead of any of the protests rattling in his chest. He doesn't say it just as a courtesy to whatever Ophelia has brewing for Percy, but as a way of trying to convince himself of that, too. It's for the sake of their friendship as much as it is for Ophelia's potential relationship. If she's not willing to take the risk between them, then that's just how it is. He will encourage her regardless of her choices and, to him, it seems like her choice is Percy. Or at least that her choice is someone else other than him.

"I guess we should..." He doesn't offer to drive her home though he could. The distance is something that is good, yet bad. An ache blossoms, and his smile is brittle. "I missed you too. But it's good hat you're spending your time...socializing and not just burying yourself in your practices and performances. I'm glad that you're getting yourself outthere."

Ophelia swirled the cup in her hand though she stared at it without really looking at it. It's all she can do while she sat there listening to Seonho--his words causing yet another fleeting look of disappointment across her features. But why should it be disappointing? She had never expressed anything aloud to Seonho about how she felt; how could he possibly know? In fact, she knew it was unfair of her to use Percy this way, too--to attempt to rile up some sort of response from her own friend. She's unable to look at him when he shared those thoughts. Instead, she took another deep sip of her cup, the drink now lukewarm, to prolong the moment.

"If that's what you want." Her words were soft and murmured, but Ophelia attempted them with a strained smile on her face. It's all she can really manage to say without spilling her truth and ruining everything with Seonho. Had she really carried any sort of real affection towards Percy, Seonho's words would be considerate and, frankly, the most logical next step. But that was the reality she was operating in.

"Guess we should probably head home, huh?" The party's still going but Ophelia didn't feel up to any more socializing. Pulling her phone out, she quickly fumbled over calling for a rideshare. "I have missed you, you know," she finally admitted, offering the only bit of truth she can muster without breaking her entire dam.

[ameliiorate]

What's Seonho supposed to do, throw a tantrum? It takes effort for him to mask his inner turmoil over this new development, and while he accepts that he cannot control how he feels and that he shouldn't belittle his feelings, he doesn't have a right to be upset, does he? Their arrangement had always been designed to be temporary. A heads up just would have been nice so that he could better mentally prepare himself, but he's not owed anything. And it would be wrong for him to say anything. The feelings that had been sparking will simply just need to be snuffed out. It may take some time. He would get there because he has to, because he needs to preserve his friendship with Ophelia above all else. So he opts to be encouraging, even if it pains him to literally push her into another man's arms.

Percy suddenly has to leave, and he waves back to the other man even as his stomach sours. "Nice meeting you, too," he aims for sincere, and thinks that he manages it. He had been wanting to go home, so this hastens that process, at least. He had come to hang out with Ophelia, but there would be other opportunities. Maybe. When she's not busy hanging out with her new guy, and when he's more prepared to face her.

Yet his honesty can be both a good and a bad thing, accepting his vape back with a smile and immediately stepping back so that he can take a hit of it and exhale the vapors away from her. "It's fine. No harm done." There's a pause that lingers in the air, and Seonho pivots on his feet. "Though, now that you mention it, we do have to do stop doing some things to each other. I get that."

Just a small, subtle message that he gets that they can no longer fool around with each other. That Percy would be her late night calls and not him. He pushes a smile on his face. "Did you want to finish that," he points to her sweet drink, "Or are you gonna go home? I should get to bed soon." He will not be sleeping anytime soon.

She's all too caught up in her own awkwardness to notice how Seonho seemed to have some discomfort of his own with this whole situation. Maybe Ophelia shouldn't have brought Percy and Seonho together; her stomach wrenched each time she glimpsed at her friend and he seemed to have no reaction to her having a new... beau? Internally, she cringed at herself for even caring about what Seonho thought or that she was even concerned about his thoughts in the first place. It drove her nuts that despite it all, even though she had already convinced herself that Seonho wasn't interested in her. Clearly, he must not have if he seemed so unaffected by the fact that she blatantly brought some brand new random guy into the fold.

"Good effort, both of you," Percy laughed. "Thought you'd have the upper-hand of two versus one, but who knew Ophelia was playing baseball instead of cornhole," he teased since the ballerina had far overestimated some of her throws despite mild improvement throughout the game. Ophelia merely pouted before laughing. However, her heart sank a little at, again, how easily Seonho seemed to push her towards Percy. How happy he seemed for the two of them.

A sudden buzz sounded from Percy's pocket, causing him to pull his phone out. "Shit. Actually, I gotta run. Manager's asking me to help with this shift. Something about a wild bachelorette party at the bar." With a sigh, Percy gave Ophelia a quick kiss before turning to wave at Seonho. "Nice meeting you, man. And Ophelia, I'll text you when I'm off if you're still awake."

And suddenly the two of them were alone together again. "Oh uh here's your vape back." Ophelia offered back the little device to Seonho, realizing that, by taking it earlier, she crossed a boundary she probably shouldn't have and shouldn't keep doing to someone who only saw her as a friend. "I should probably stop taking your stuff."

[ameliiorate]

He bats back at her playfully, unaware that he's giving off any kind of vibes. Seonho can be a good liar when he puts in the concerted effort. It's just that by nature, he's far more of an honest fellow, and he's glad to be around Ophelia at all after the brief time apart, having thought that he had done something wrong.

Now he knows it's not that. It's just that Ophelia would rather spend her time with someone else, and he will work on making his peace with that. If all Percy is is a hookup, then that does sting a little bit, but he tells himself that there's no reason to feel that way. It's okay if what he had to offer hadn't satisfied her. They are friends first and foremost, and he should encourage her other pursuits. He sticks his tongue out at her, his stomach churning as Ophelia fumbles a little bit too, attempting to play it off. That confirms that she doesn't want Percy to know they had swapped spit, and other bodily fluids.

He focuses on the game as best he can, clapping his hands. "Good job, Phe!" he encourages, and waits for Percy to take his turn, sweat pooling at his temples. When the end of the game comes, no matter the result, he pulls Ophelia into a one-armed hug without thinking about it. "Great game!" It ends too soon, with him pushing against Ophelia's back after spinning her around like she's on the dance floor. "But you should go to your guy now."

Even from the opposite side of the cornhole set, Percy caught a glimpse of something in Seonho's expression. It really must have been an eventful friendship, after all. Instead of carrying on that conversation, though, he pocketed that thought for later.

"Alright, don't rush me," Ophelia shushed Seonho, playfully batting him away with a hand. Plucking her beanbag up, she eyed the board on the other end, seeing that Seonho's attempt had been pretty close. "Cooties?" The word has her spinning on her heel to laugh at Seonho. "We've shared plenty of 'cooties' at this point if you really are that scared of them," she said before turning back, realizing that Percy was in earshot. Face instantly flush pink as she stammered over rambling explanations. "We share food a lot. Though not drinks, especially not my drinks. Anyways." Attempting to move on, she tossed the beanbag, this time a much better throw than her first one. It slid across the bottom of the board, though not quite making the hole.

"Okay, not a winning throw, but at least I'm on the board. Sorta," she said, turning back to Seonho to pluck her drink from his hands.

[ameliiorate]

"Ohhhh. Nice." He hadn't known that Ophelia had been looking, but that's none of his business, either. The way that Percy is speaking makes it seem like things between the two are casual, and if that's the case, well, that's fine, too. Ophelia is free to sleep with whomever she wants. They had never talked about being exclusive while they had been hooking up, after all. So maybe Percy isn't the only one that she has been 'seeing' though that would not explain why there had suddenly been a dip in communication from Ophelia. Maybe that's all something that he made up in his head, insecurities running amok. Just because he had detected something changing between them doesn't mean that she had. It should be a relief, but it's not. Seonho is still confused, perhaps even moreso after this brief conversation with Ophelia's...guy? Whatever he is.

"She does, huh?" That's gratifying, at least, a joyful smile playing at Seonho's lips. He would have thought that she might not have spoken of him at all. He wonders what it is hat she says about him, but he'll never know as Ophelia rejoins them as if on cue, and he nods n her direction. "Ask nothing. We were just chit-chatting," he attempts to wave off the previous topic with a wave of his hand. "Your turn, and I really need you to at least land this one close if we are gonna have a chance of catching up." He's not competitive in the slightest and does not care if they lose. It's just nice to focus on something that isn't his confusion.

Blinking, he holds her drink diligently. "Okay, I'll won't." He pauses, reaching and trying too hard now to make it seem like nothing exists between he and Ophelia. "I wouldn't want to catch your cooties anyway." It's an uncharacteristic thing for him to say, but he pulls it off with his signature smile.

It's not as if Percy is asking questions digging around for anything specific, nor did he feel threatened by Seonho. When it came to Ophelia, their situation was casual and friendly. Going out to a party together didn't mean anything serious to him--why would he turn down free alcohol and possibly ending the night with a pretty girl in his bed. But there was something there between these two, and Percy couldn't chalk it up to 'just friends.' Perhaps it was unrequited or unspoken feelings. Maybe one of them had confessed not long ago and now things were... weird. It would explain the timeline of his relationship with Ophelia. "Never dated, got it," he replied with a smile. "We met on a dating app couple of weeks ago," though from the way Percy said it, it insinuated that their first meeting was intended to be only just the one with a particular purpose.

"Nice throw," Percy said, returning the compliment after Seonho finished his turn. Plucking up another beanbag, Percy shifted it back and forth between his hands. "She speaks pretty highly of you, so thought I'd just ask."

"Ask what?" Ophelia chimed as she returned just as Percy threw his bag and watched it land just to the edge of the hole next to the other beanbag. "Ooh, so close," she said before taking a sip of her sugary drink. "My turn? Can you hold this, Seonho? Don't drink that--you would definitely not like it."

[ameliiorate]

It's not all in Ophelia's head. Seonho had been purposeful in the distance that has wedged between them, thinking that it was a needed thing if she were to be able to spread her wings properly. If she could do that, he assumed, she could fly to success. Fly away from him, when his own wings were clipped and he was stuck watching from the ground. He would not be an anchor on her ankles, a weight that kept her from soaring to the heights she could achieve.

The hug that he was greeted with was a welcomed balm to his aching heart, laughing heartily and arms wounding about her to squeeze her tight. "Okay, that's the one thing I forgot to say!" In the word vomit that he had just bequeathed her with. "I have missed you!" He didn't know if that much was obvious, but it was as true as the steady beat of his heart. "But you know that I understand how it is when you are knees-dip in a show. I get it, and I would never get in the way of that." He'd never get in the way of her path to success.

He scratched his cheek. "Thank you! Have you had a drink yet? Can you have a drink?" He hesitated, and then, "If you have no show tomorrow and want to let loose, you know you always have a space to sleep here."

Mari's call to Ophelia about Seonho's surprise birthday party had not been unexpected. Even though she and Seonho had been at a very awkward stage in their friendship, Ophelia hadn't really confided in Mari about any of that, and she wondered if Seonho had mentioned any of it to his sister. Or maybe all of that was presumptuous for Ophelia to even assume that Seonho thought there was anything weird between them and it was all just in Ophelia's head.

With her gift already passed off to Mari to place with the rest of the presents, Ophelia quickly found Seonho. Before she could greet him, her lips curled into a wide smile as her friend threw a string of questions and updates at her. Once he finally caught a breath, she laughed and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "I've missed you too," she giggled, letting her embrace linger a moment longer than she should have, ignoring the feelings she had thought she had pushed deep down and away. "I know you're busy and you know how I am once a show starts." That's how it had always been with them, right? Not texting didn't mean they weren't thinking of the other person.

"And! Happy birthday, of course!" she squealed.

[ameliiorate]

"It's not been...uneventful..." Seonho just wouldn't know where to begin and where to stop. Once he starts talking, he could yammer on forever, and he doesn't know what kind of details Percy might be looking for when it comes to his friendship with Ophelia. It feels like the other man is fishing for anything juicy that might have happened between them, but that just has to be his nerves getting the best of Seonho's thoughts. There's no reason, he thinks, for Percy to think anything had ever happened between them that hadn't been totally platonic in nature. "We've never dated, if that's what you think." And they haven't, so it's the truth. Seonho takes another long gulp of his drink, dismayed when it's empty.

He has to keep ahold of his thoughts, though, and needs to stay sober enough to bolt out of there as soon as he gets the chance. "Good job with the throw, by the way!" He attempts to deflect the topic of their conversation to the game at hand, using his turn to toss his bag onto the board in front of him. His lands close to the hole, but doesn't go in. His smile is forced, tight. "Anyway, I don't know what vibe we are giving off, but you have nothing to worry about, so...I wish you two all the best." His eyes search around, waiting for Ophelia to save him and spare him this conversation. For the umpteenth time that night, he wishes that he hadn't come at all. "So...how did you two meet?" He needs to show an investment in this new relationship so that he can truly be happy for his friend rather than envious.

His answers seemed straightforward enough, but Percy had thought Seonho would say more, especially if they really were just friends. Perhaps more about their history and friendship instead of just "met in high school." "That's a long time to know someone and have a completely uneventful friendship," he said, letting the comment come across as innocently as possible. With a toss, Percy sent his beanbag flying. It hit the top of the board before sliding down to the hole. It hung there without completely falling in. "Just asking, man. Wasn't sure if there was some sort of vibe I was picking up between the two of you."

From afar, Ophelia has gotten a red solo cup full of whatever deranged mix was in the punch bowl. Jungle juice maybe? Whatever it was, it smelled sickly sweet and deceptively strong, but it was better than grabbing a bottle of beer. Looking over her shoulder, she could see Percy and Seonho continuing the game, though she can't help but wonder if it was a good idea to leave them alone. She hadn't told Percy anything about her history with Seonho, only that he was one of her closest friends. She watched for a few moments longer, battling with the feelings of seeing Seonho again. This was what was best; she needed to move on to avoid complicating their friendship when there was nothing there between them, not matter how much she had fallen for him. No, she can't admit that she had fallen for him. There was nothing there.

[ameliiorate]

When Ophelia's bag lands on Percy's chest, even Seonho chuckles, though he hides the laughter behind his sleeve that he brings up to his mouth, neither wanting to embarrass his friend not disturb what might be a moment between the budding couple. He may have his own troubling feelings, but the last thing that he ever wants to be for anyone is some kind of hindrance or obstacle. He can't let himself stand in the way of whatever is brewing between Ophelia and Percy. She's his friend above all, and she has every right to explore. Perhaps Percy ends up being the love of her life.

It's only when Ophelia then leaves the two men alone that he is uneasy, nodding at her as she goes and taking a long swig of his beer. He has to pace himself as this is the last drink that he will have, limiting himself so that he can drive later. But he's admittedly nervous being left with the other.

"Our deal?" Seonho blinks, repeating the question back, his own bean bag in hand, awaiting his turn. "Me and Ophelia?" He doesn't compute, evasive. "We're friends? We met in high school." Maybe the familiarity intimidates Percy somehow, so he finds himself wanting to assure the other man that nothing else is going on. It's none of his business, he reasons, to know that he and Ophelia had been sleeping together, unless she decides to disclose that to Percy herself.

"Thank you," she replied with a playful giddiness as she took the bean bag from Seonho. Bringing it up, she tried to gauge how hard she would have to throw in hopes of getting it to land in the opposing board. But after a couple of practice swings, her actual throw came harder than expected and it flew right into Percy's chest. Thankfully, he easily caught it and shook his head at Ophelia. "You gotta work on your aim," he remarked.

Scrunching up her nose, Ophelia sighed. It was definitely not her best effort. "I think I'm going to get a drink so I can be mortified alone for a few minutes," she decided. Plus, she had a while before it was going to be her turn again. "Be back in a bit. Don't have too much fun without me."

Percy gave her a small wave as he laughed to himself. Picking up the his bean bag, he held it up to aim it onto Seonho's board. Before throwing the bag though, he cocked his head and raised a brow without looking at the man. "So what's your deal, you two?"

[ameliiorate]

When Ophelia snatches his vape from him, Seonho's face turns crestfallen, affronted yet not surprised that his friend would be so bold. And he recognizes that her concerns are valid. Still, he needs a hit of nicotine for a variety of reasons. It's a habit (addiction) that he has never been able to break. "I know, but it's not like I do it all the time," Just when he's alone or when he's outside, so frequently enough and multiple times throughout the day. When he gets stressed, or needs to be more awake, or needs to curb his appetite, the nicotine serves multiple purposes as his crutch. And this is a situation that he would like to use it to alleviate some of the pressure on his chest.

He looks over at Ophelia curiously, and it feels like she's taking pity on him. He hates that, his smile brittle. "Yeah, sure, we can do that, that will be fun..." Of course, he remains agreeable anyway, having to continually watching Percy and Ophelia exchange an easy affection and sighing heavily, exhaling a breath and running a hand through his hair. Standing next to the other end of the corn hole, he waits for Ophelia to join him there, bobbling his head in forced enthusiasm. "Yeah! We are gonna beat him easily..." He's not really a competitive person, and prefers to just have a good time. But he can't see himself actually having too much fun now.

So he has to play pretend, reaching down to scoop up a bag with a free hand, bringing his beer can to his lips once more as he hands it to Ophelia. "Here. Ladies first."

As they stepped out towards the cornhole set up, Ophelia frowned at Seonho. "You really should vape less, you know," she said out of concern, grabbing his vape and stuffing it in her own pocket. Percy offered his own hand towards Ophelia to take, and though she grabbed without hesitation, she knew in her heart that it was not the hand she wished to hold. She couldn't help but look over at Seonho, an almost apologetic, regretful look in her eyes. But Seonho wasn't hers to begin with and it was selfish of her to try and hold onto him. So instead she held onto a hand that felt foreign in her own.

"We can also just switch partners; I can be on your team for a round and then on Percy's for the next," Ophelia suggested. Her eyes were hopeful as she looked over at Seonho, not wanting him to feel left out especially when she had been the one to invite him. Percy eyed the two of them and nodded. "Sounds like a plan. You can join Seonho first then. My victory against you will be just as sweet," he teased, pulling Ophelia in tightly to give her a kiss on the cheek, before gently pushing her towards Seonho. He gave the man another look, a knowing, mischievous glint in his eyes, and walked over to his end of the corn hole field.

"Pretty sure we've got the advantage, Perc," Ophelia retorted with a laugh. "Right, Seonho?"