Archive of Our Own

Work Text

Seo Changbin was good at everything, even if it was just a little bit. He was a natural when he started playing soccer at five years old. He had a lot of energy as a child; his mom very quickly put him into sports to help with that. He found school easier than most of his peers and began reading several grade levels ahead early on.

Changbin found out he was gifted at writing during grade 3 when his class had a poetry class outside. He turned in his assignment and asked his mother for a notebook to write poems in that same night. He won first place in the poetry writing competition the next month.

When Changbin was in fifth grade, he started dancing on his school’s dance team. He didn’t think he was that good, but found he has a knack for memorizing tough choreography fairly easy. He still wrote poetry and he still played on the soccer team. He found that he was also really good at juggling things.

Changbin found out that he liked boys as well as girls when he was in the eighth grade and a new kid named Lee Minho transferred to his school. Minho was at the top of their class in no time, and Changbin was thrilled to finally have a rival at school. His thirst for rivalry with Minho became just a thirst for Minho.

The pair shared their first kiss under the bleachers at the last soccer game of the year. It was awkward and their noses smashed too uncomfortably with each other. They laughed off the kiss and soon their mutual crush faded until a solid friendship had been formed. Minho had a little brother named Felix that would often come hang around with them.

High School was scary for both of them, and they stuck together like glue. Minho had been dancing his whole life as well, and Changbin kind of lost his zeal for it. Still, he pressed on for his best friend. There was a boy in their class, named Wooyoung, that had a beautiful smile and sly eyes. Changbin practically fell in love with him automatically.

Wooyoung even set up Minho with his friend Seonghwa. The four of them often went out on double dates to the mall or to the movies. It was the first time that Changbin thought that he’d ever been in love. Wooyoung thought he was in love too.

Changbin and Wooyoung lost their virginity in the back of Changbin’s dad’s car in an empty parking lot when they were sixteen. They had become inseparable after that. Seonghwa and Minho had already beat them to doing it by a month and acted so wise when it came to giving advice.

Felix started at their high school when they entered into their junior year. He stuck quickly to his two friends named Jisung and Seungmin. Suddenly Minho wanted to put distance between himself and his younger brother. Changbin tried to ignore the look of hurt in Felix’s eyes.

Changbin was seventeen
when Wooyoung broke up with him over Summer break before senior year. He spent most of his summer sobbing into his pillow and writing angry poems. He suddenly found a passion for dark rap when he practiced saying everything he wished he could say to his ex-boyfriend.

Changbin quit the dance team because seeing Wooyoung there everyday was something like torture. Wooyoung appeared to be fine when Changbin still felt like there was a gaping hole in his chest. Minho tried his best to help his best friend, but it was hard when Seonghwa was still his boyfriend.

Senior year felt like it was going to last forever. Everyone wouldn’t shut up about things like prom, the senior trip, the yearbook and the last bonfire. It felt so trivial, when he used to be excited about it all.

Changbin didn’t start feeling like himself until a new guy named Choi Yeonjun transferred to their high school. Yeonjun was immediately drawn to Changbin, and suddenly his world felt bright again. Minho adored Yeonjun as well, so they fit right in. Yeonjun even managed to get Wooyoung and Changbin to reconcile before the end of the year.

Minho and Seonghwa broke up right before prom. Minho looked to have been handling the breakup much better than Changbin had. But the younger one knew how much Minho was hurting inside. Changbin didn’t ask what happened, and Minho didn’t tell. Minho just showed up to prom with his little brother in tow, because he wanted to go with someone he’d have fun with.

Minho and Changbin moved to Seoul together to attend SNU. Changbin wanted to major in music and Minho wanted to major in dance. It worked out well for them as roommates. They met another guy named Chan, from Australia, and quickly became inseparable.

A lot has changed for Changbin over the course of the last four years. He’s working at a major music label part time while he’s pursuing his bachelor’s degree in communications. He didn’t know exactly why he was choosing even more years of school, but here he was. As soon as he graduates, he’s going to work full time. Changbin at 24, nearly done with his program, was proud of himself for how far he had come.

“What are you still doing here?” Chan laughed as he stuck his head into Changbin’s office space. “I thought you’d be at home already,”

Changbin rolled his eyes and saved the files on the computer.

“Last minute changes,” He huffed. “We should both probably head out,”

Chan nodded in agreement.

“Lemme just grab my stuff,”

“Sure,” Changbin sighed. He checked his watch for the time. “I’m supposed to meet up with Mina for dinner in an hour and a half,”

Chan laughed awkwardly.

“Didn’t you guys just go out last week?”

Changbin rolled his eyes.

“We go out at least twice a week. That’s pretty normal for adults our age there, Channie. We all can’t be celebite like you. She just got back from seeing her family and she wants to have dinner,” The younger teased. “Besides, Mina’s cool. You liked her right?”

Chan tried his best to hide his grimace, but Changbin caught it. He huffed and grabbed his bag from underneath the office chair.

“Well…I mean… I guess,” Chan tried.

“Just say whatever you have to say, hyung,” Changbin rolled his eyes. Minho certainly had.

“She’s just soooo different from Chaeryeong, ya know?” Chan offered. “I just…I guess I didn’t expect you to start dating again so soon after that break-up. You know?”

Changbin shrugged.

“We ended on good terms, hyung.”

“You spent three years together. You lived with her,” Chan huffed.

“And now I live with you and Minho, once again.” Changbin rolled his eyes as he entered the elevator. He pressed the button when Jisung, Felix’s friend from high school, yelled for them to wait up. Chan held the door for the youngest while Changbin pressed the button to make sure it stayed open longer.

“Thanks, hyung!” Jisung smiled gratefully.

Changbin felt like he entered into a time-warp when he ran into Jisung again on campus a few years ago. He had not seen the younger since high school and was genuinely shocked to see how different he looked. Jisung’s body filled out and he lost some of the baby fat that was stored in his cheeks.

“Are you coming over for movie night, Sung?” Chan asked.

Jisung nodded enthusiastically.

“Felix and I will be there. Seungmin is busy tutoring so he won’t be able to come,”

Chan smiled warmly.

“That sounds great, Sungie.” Chan laughed. “Binnie here is ditching us for Mina,”

Jisung pressed his lips together before he could say something embarrassing.

“Ohhh…Mina…from Japan, right?”

Changbin furrowed his brows.

“Uh…yeah..her,” He stated. He looked between both of them. “Why do I suddenly feel like everyone is team I hate Mina ,”

Jisung raised up his hands and shook them.

“No no! We don’t hate her. Maybe not like, but definitely don’t hate,” He stated. “She’s….nice?”

Chan coughed and shifted back and forth on his feet instead of saying anything.

“Yeah, that.”

Changbin looked between both of them with a pensive expression. He was about to open up his mouth to speak when the elevator rang for their arrival on the ground floor. Jisung flew out of the elevator and started toward the exit. He waved over his head and called out his goodbyes as Chan and Changbin walked the opposite way to the bus station.

Chan wasn’t wrong, he did move on from Chaeryeong fairly quickly after their breakup. It was a hard break-up, but it ended up being a much needed decision. They had felt stuck in their relationship. They started off as very close friends that naturally blossomed into something more. They were good when it was good. Changbin could never say a bad word against her.

They just weren’t fitting together anymore. It wasn’t until he found Chaeryeong crying on their bathroom floor. Changbin scooped her up in his arms and she told him that she just couldn’t be with him anymore, but she still loved him deeply. Chaeryeong happened to meet a woman named Ryujin at her job, and she had somehow fallen in love. Changbin had kissed her tenderly and told her that he understood. He took the blame for the break-up publicly. They still have a bi-monthly catch up. Things just didn’t work, and that was okay.

Changbin was single for nearly a year when he started to see Mina. Mina was great, he really loved spending time with her. There were some parts of themselves that didn’t quite fit, but Changbin felt like they just still had to get to know one another. He moved slow with her, slower than he had moved with anyone else in his entire life. That’s why Minho didn’t think she was a good match for him; she didn’t excite him.

“Didn’t you go on a date with her friend Sana last week?” Changbin huffed. “And if I remember correctly, it went well.”

Chan smiled.

“It did go well, but I think it might just be a friendship thing. I still have my three date rule,”

“Who could forget about your three date rule,” Changbin said sarcastically as they climbed the stairs to the bus. Chan resisted the urge to punch his friend’s arm, but he knew that Changbin would likely put him in a chokehold, public be damned.

They fell silent on the bus, just like they did everyday on the way home from work. Chan put in his headphones and rested his head against the glass. Changbin reached for his phone to confirm that he was indeed still going out with Mina tonight. She responded with an enthusiastic yes. She had just gotten back from a quick trip to see her family in Japan, and Changbin couldn’t be honest and say that he didn’t really miss her.

“I swear, I was about to send a strongly worded email if you two didn’t show up,” Minho said angrily as he waved a wooden spoon around. “It’s movie night and I hear that you’re going out with Mina instead of staying in with us, Changbin-ah?”

Changbin huffed and took off his shoe quickly.

“News travels fast, I see,” He glared at Chan. “But yes, I’m going out with Mina.”

Minho turned around to stir the pot on the stove.

“Are you aware that this happens to be the third movie night you’ve canceld on? I’d hate to have to hurt you if you keep hurting Felix’s feelings like this,”

Chan oooed loudly while Changbin bursted out in laughter.

“The last time I told Felix that I wouldn’t make it, he just told me to have fun getting it,” Changbin rolled his eyes. “Try again, Min.”

Minho whirled around.

“Fine, I don’t like that,”

“If you wanted me around more, you should have just asked Minho.” Changbin sighed. “Seriously, why don’t you all like her?”

Minho looked down at the floor for a moment before looking back up at his oldest friend.

“Fine, it’s not her,” He huffed. “I just…the vibe is off, okay? The vibes do not vibe and I don’t like that,”

Changbin laughed loudly and shook his head. He walked over and gave Minho a quick hug, but otherwise did not entertain the idea. He was running late as it was for his date, and he still wanted to freshen up and look good. He even had enough time for a quick shower before he absolutely had to leave. The date wasn’t going to be anywhere crazy, just a cozy cafe, but it was nice enough to look good.

Changbin had just finished changing when he heard that Felix and Jisung had arrived. He was glad that the two of them had each other, just like how he had Minho. It was rare to see them without Seungmin by their side, effectively perfecting their trio. Seungmin rarely missed movie nights as well, so his tutoring session must be dire.

“Binnie! Save me!” Felix yelled as he ran to hide behind Changbin. “Please! Put those biceps to good use!”

Changbin laughed as Chan rounded the corner, covered in brownie batter already. He was holding up a spoon in a threatening manner.

“Oh no. Nope, I’m not getting in the middle of… this ,” Changbin stated, moving until he could toss Felix over his shoulders. Felix wiggled and yelled for him to stop, but Changbin just dumped him down in front of Chan without another thought. “Special delivery,”

Chan laughed maniacally as Felix tried to crawl away, but the older was able to scoop him up with one arm. Changbin walked into the kitchen to see Jisung carefully stirring the soup on the stove with Minho peering over his shoulder behind him. Changbin wanted to smack his best friend sometimes. The other had no idea how big the crush Jisung had on him was. Changbin really thought that it would go away by now, but it hasn’t. Felix let it slip that Jisung had liked Minho since middle school .

“Are you leaving now?” Felix huffed from over Chan’s shoulders. His freckled face was redder than a tomato, but his smile was still breath-taking. “Why can’t you just…not go?”

Changbin narrowed his eyes at him.

“They put you up to this, didn’t they?” He asked slowly. “How cruel can you beeee. Using sweet little Lixie against me like this? How…unholy.”

Minho snickered.

“Well I tried , now put me down, daddy.” Felix teased.

Chan’s eyes got wide and he all but threw Felix on the ground. Changbin reached out his arms to steady the blonde before looking over at Chan. His ears were turning just as red as Felix’s face was. Felix had no idea and turned to go help Minho and Jisung finish cooking.

“Not. A. Damn. Word,” Chan squeaked out.

“Whatever you say, daddy ,” Changbin teased.

Chan punched Changbin’s arm harder than he had punched him before. Changbin dramatically started yelling about this cruel world until they all but shoved him out of the apartment.

•••

“Ya know, if you actually tried to concentrate, I think your grades would improve,” Seungmin stated honestly as he looked over at the art major in front of him. “You seem to have a great grasps on the basics, but you lack direction,”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes.

“Wow, way to sound like every teacher ever,” He said sarcastically. “Congrats, you already got that part down.”

Seungmin pinched the bridge of his nose.

“How about we try this sentence again?” He tried.

“How about you go to hell?” Hyunjin said with the biggest fake smile on his face. “I don’t need this course to graduate and do art so really, this is just a waste of both of our time,”

“And what would you be doing otherwise? Sitting at home in the dark, trying your best to develop photos that no one will ever see? Painting yet another dark piece about being depressed in world that only values hard work? Give me a break, Hyunjin.”

Hyunjin angrily chewed on his cheek.

“Go to hell, Kim Seungmin.” He stated, moving to grab all of his things to shove back in his backpack.

Seungmin huffed and placed a hand around Hyunjin’s wrist.

“No, I’m sorry Hyunjin. Really. I didn’t mean to say something like that,” He apologized quickly. He had let his anger get the better of him.

“It hasn’t stopped you before,” Hyunjin retorted. “Or maybe you spent so much time around your new friends that you’ve forgotten what you used to be like. Tell me, are you having fun, pretending like your life is perfect?”

The younger boy winced at the harsh words.

“Hyunjin, really. I’m sorry,”

“Sorry for the seven years you’ve ignored my existence? Or sorry for the fact that you just ditched Jeongin and I when our grandma was dying? Or sorry that you have never, ever , tried to make it back up to us?”

Seungmin took a deep breath.

“All of it,” He said in a rush. “I’m sorry, okay? I was really, really out of line,”

Hyunjin scoffed.

“Sorry, I was out of line,” Hyunjin mimicked. “You just pretended like we didn’t exist anymore. Do you know what that did to Jeongin?”

“I moved to a new school, Hyunjin. I couldn’t just…be with you guys all the time. And it was nice, okay? It was nice to be the new kid that people actually liked to be around,”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes and leaned back in the seat. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked across the nearly empty library on campus. He didn’t want to be here during a tutor session, let alone with his former best friend and current arch nemesis. It made matters worse that Jeongin had actually started to casually say hi to Seungmin again whenever he saw the other in the hallways.

Nothing in Hyunjin’s life had ever come easy to him. His parents died in a drunk driving accident while coming home from their weekly date night. He had been seven years old, and his brother was freshly six. They were staying with their grandmother for the night and didn’t realize that they wouldn’t be leaving. Hyunjin sobbed for months, begging for someone to bring his parents back to him.

The kids at school looked at him weirdly because he had permanent circles under his eyes and constantly fell asleep in class. He was too small; too weird. He spent all of his time with a coloring book in his hand, and he always refused to share it. Hyunjin got made fun of for being a boy with long hair. He didn’t have the courage to tell the kids at school that his mom was the one to cut it, and he was scared to let anyone else do it in her place.

Hyunjin and Jeongin met Seungmin when his family moved in next door to their grandparents house two years after their parents passed away. Seungmin didn’t care that Hyunjin had long hair, was too quiet or never seemed to want to talk to anyone that wasn’t his brother. Jeongin looked at Seungmin like he hung the moon.

Hyunjin hated sports but he always went to Seungmin and Jeongin’s baseball games. He watched with envy as the team would always surround them after a game. He secretly longed for that type of comradery with his peers. Hyunjin just didn’t like anything that had to do with a team aspect. So Hyunjin decided that he was better off alone. He liked being alone.

Hyunjin wasn’t bullied at school for the simple fact that kids were scared of him. He had been odd since the beginning of their education, and he kept withdrawing the older that he got. Seungmin stuck around him, even when he could have easily been one of the most popular kids in their school. Jeongin stood next to Hyunjin because that was all he had.

Hyunjin was made aware that people found him attractive if he wasn’t so rude to others. This was news to him, because he never talked to anyone on purpose. How could he be rude when he didn’t ever speak to others out of the context of classes? Seungmin had tried his best to smooth it over, but the words had already latched deep into Hyunjin’s heart.

Hyunjin and Seungmin were in their first year of highschool when Seungmin’s parents announced that they were moving away. Jeongin had taken the news excessively hard, but there was nothing that Seungmin could say that would make it better. Hyunjin decided then and there that it was probably best for them all to have a clean break. He wasn’t going to be the one that ruined their friendship though, he just decided that it would happen naturally. He saw it sometimes, the way that Seungmin looked at both of them with pity in his eyes.

Seungmin didn’t show up to their grandma’s funeral when she passed. He sent a card of condolences, but Hyunjin felt the outrage. He had allowed them to drift apart, but there was some place deep within him that wished for better. He wished that Seungmin would choose better. Hyunjin had silently vowed to never trust someone like that again. He kept good on his promise so far.

Hyunjin got into art school by sheer determination and spite. He busted his ass in high school to learn techniques that others dreamt of. While his peers were off enjoying the whoas of high school, Hyiunjin was locked away in his room, honing in on his craft. He nearly shedded tears when he got the acceptance letter. His grandfather and Jeongin held him tightly and cooked his favorite meal the night he told them. And that’s all that he would need.

“Look, I don’t want to be here right now, either,” Seungmin admitted. “It’s hard to be around you, period. Being around you while having to tutor you is a whole other level. How about we just meet in the middle? You help me and I help you,”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes.

“What do you get out of this little ego trip?”

Seungmin huffed.

“I get paid to help, which then goes to help pay for my education. I’d like to graduate on time. I’d like to at least attempt to start out in my chosen career. My parents didn’t leave me a trust fund.”

Hyunjin’s jaw clenched tightly. It wasn’t worth explaining to Seungmin that he was upset when he found out that he did have a trust fund. He was angry that his grandparents couldn’t even touch the money, thus making some of their times really hard. They struggled a lot, yet there was this fund in his name for him to go to school or start some kind of career on the right foot. It felt like fate’s big fuck you, all over again.

Hyunjin got up and slammed his book closed.

“At least you have parents.” He stated, scooping up the book. “I’ll request a new tutor, and say it’s all my fault. Just…don’t talk to me again, okay? I actually have a job to get to,”

Seungmin could only sit and watch as Hyunjin walked away in an emotional fury. He buried his head in his hands. He knew that Hyunjin would be difficult. In fact, Seungmin wanted to request that someone else take him on the moment he found out who he would be tutoring. He had decided to try because of 1. The Policy, 2. Money, and 3. Jeongin. The younger of the siblings happened to be in his mandatory psychology class that he had been putting off for a while. Seungmin had been scared to approach the only empty seat next to Jeongin, but the other pretended like he didn’t even exist. Jeongin was easier to wear down than Hyunjin was. They were only a month into their new semester when Jeongin finally started to talk to him again.

Seungmin huffed and pulled himself back together. He’d have to go back to the tutoring center and tell them that he had to transfer and fill out an official form. It was going to be a headache, but Seungmin knew that he was not wanted. He wishes that he could have taken back the stupid decisions he made when he was fifteen. Maybe things would be different and he would still have both of the brother’s in his life.

He looked down at his phone and saw that it wasn’t as late as it felt like it was. If he wanted to, he could probably make it to the movie night at his hyung’s apartment. It was easier with them; more straightforward. They all had their trauma’s, but they weren’t the Hwang Brothers.

Felix was kinda ; open. Jisung was anxious like most of the time, but he was funny and always made people feel included. Chan wanted to take care of all of them, and he made sure that Seungmin always had someone to talk to. Minho made sure that he was eating more than just top ramen. Changbin made sure that he didn’t take himself too seriously. Seungmin liked who he was around them.

He just couldn’t forget the two boys that he felt like he left behind.

•••

Changbin was sitting at a table in the corner of a cafe, all alone, and still waiting for his girlfriend to show up. He got to the cafe on time, after confirming once again, and she still hasn’t walked through the doors. He went to order himself a cup of black coffee and a pastry when she didn’t show up after five minutes. It was odd, Mina was always on time. He wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt.

When the fifteen minute mark hit, Changbin just felt tired. He wasn’t angry at her, he just wished that he would have stayed for the movie night. He found it odd that the same day Chan and Jisung admitted to not liking her, she did something like this. Did he miss some red flags? He didn’t think so. Everyone was late sometimes, usually not Mina, but it did happen. He tried not to think too hard on it and pulled out his phone to maybe get some writing done while he waited. He decided that he would give her fifteen more minutes before he called it a night.

Changbin’s parents always told him that he had far more patience than he looked like he had. He didn’t really understand what that meant, until he got to college and his professors pointed it out again. He gave people too many chances sometimes, because he wanted to believe the best in them. He was too understanding, even when he knew logically that it was probably time to put his foot down. Changbin was only strict with himself.

Changbin’s attention was brought to the door when a tall guy with long hair, a beanie and glasses came stomping in. His bag swung heavily behind him, catching the attention of several of the patrons. The man behind the counter looked startled.

“Hyunjin, I thought you weren’t scheduled today?” He asked, looking confused.

“I’m not,” The man huffed. “Just got pissed off and needed a coffee,”

The man behind the counter nodded and motioned for the other to go sit somewhere and get comfortable. The grouch, Hyunjin, stomped over to a booth diagonal from where Changbin was sitting. He moved his bag in first before flopping down and burying his head in his arms. The man let out a groan for a moment, though it wasn’t too loud, and stayed there. The man from the counter came over with a laugh and placed a mug of something hot in front of him. The grouch looked up and mumbled a thank you to the other. He settled back in the booth and lightly held his mug in his hand.

Changbin was struck by how pretty this man must be if he would smile. He groaned at himself for such a thought, because he didn’t want to be one of those guys, and he just acted like one internally. He didn’t get a chance to think too closely on it, because Mina was suddenly sitting in the chair in front of him.

Changbin smiled wide at her, even though he should have been mad.

“Ughhhhhh. I’m sorry. I lost track of time and didn’t realize how long it would take me to get here.” Mina stated. “Have you ordered yet?”

He nodded and held up his cup.

“Do you want anything?” He asked.

Mina looked at him for a moment.

“No, I’m okay. How long have you been waiting here?”

“Nearly forty-five minutes,” He answered honestly. “What took you so long? I thought you’d beat me here.”

The woman in front of him blushed.

“I…yeah, about that. I’ve got something to tell you,” She said, cheeks red and hair messily falling over her face. She subtly pushed back her hair on one side to get it out of her face, and Changbin saw it .

There was a hickey on the side of Mina’s neck that was entirely too fresh and most definitely did not come from him. He only blinked and looked back up to her face. She didn’t seem to notice that he noticed. She was picking up the menu despite saying that she didn’t want anything. She started to ramble about how her trip was with her parents.

“Mina, do you want anything?” Changbin asked. “I’ll go order it for you,”

Mina stopped fidgeting and nodded her head.

“Can you get me a latte? Iced?” She asked, despite the fact it was nearly October.

Changbin nodded and mindlessly went to the register. He had seen what was on her neck, and she had said that she wanted to tell him something. There was probably a small window of time he had to plan out how he was going to react. He was in public, so she probably wouldn’t start shedding tears. Mina was also much too level-headed to start crying in public.

Once he had the iced latte, to-go, in his hand, he returned to their table. He slightly pushed it over to her and she smiled at him. That smile used to be what drew him into her orbit. Now her smile just made him feel sick. Minho was right, maybe the vibes were just off from the beginning and he didn’t see it.

“What is it that you wanted to tell me?” He asked, cutting right to the chase.

Mina looked down at her hands.

“Look, what we have is good,” She started. “I really like who we are as a couple. I think we work really well, you know? My parents like you, my friends like you. I don’t…I don’t have any complaints.”

Changbin hummed.

“I see,”

Mina didn’t seem to pick up his tone.

“It’s just…I don’t feel that…ya know, spark anymore.” She admitted. “We were really good together, but lately it’s like you’re not into it anymore?”

Changbin nearly jerked backwards.

“Why don’t you tell me the real reason why we’re breaking up right now?” He said calmly, and way more kind that she deserved.

“The spark is gone.” She firmly stated. “I don’t feel it anymore,”

Changbin bit the inside of his cheek to help him stay calm.

“And what’s his name?” He asked instead. Mina’s eyes widened in what looked like fear. She looked like she was about to deny whatever it was that she had planned to say. “Who gave you the hickey on your neck?”

Mina’s cheeks turned very red and her hand flew up to hide the mark on her neck. Changbin most definitely wasn’t seeing things. He waited patiently, not breaking eye contact with her while she sputtered, looking for an excuse.

“His name is Yuto. I met him through Sana and her family,” Mina answered quietly. “It…it wasn’t planned, Changbin. Please believe me. I didn’t plan on this happening when I went back to Japan,”

Changbin crossed his arms.

“But it did happen, Mina.” He stated. “Tell me, are you just dumping me because you have a guilty conscience and it helps to say that there isn’t a spark? Or have you been putting off a break-up for a while?”

Mina looked like she was struggling.

“What do you want me to say?” She mumbled.

“The truth, Mina.” He said firmly.

“It’s a little bit of both,” She admitted. “You weren’t extremely happy with me either,”

“But I was happy,” He stated. “You could have been honest instead of doing…this to us. That’s…you’re cruel.”

The woman across from him looked like she had been slapped.

“I…”

“Please leave. I have nothing more to say and I’d like to finish my things without being in your presence.”

Mina looked like she was about to protest when she looked down at her own drink. Changbin saw the moment that it dawned on her that he caught on before he ordered her drink. Mina at least had the decency to hang her head in shame. She took a deep breath and gathered her things. She managed to leave the cafe in the same hurry of which she came. At least he hadn’t said I love you to this one.

Once she was gone, Changbin felt like he could breathe again. He settled back into his chair and lifted the mug to his lips. His coffee was lukewarm, but it still wasn’t bad. His eyes flickered up and were met with the grouchy guy across from him. He was looking intensely before dropping his attention down to the paper that he was drawing on. At least the grouch got to witness his public humiliation.

Changbin got up and gathered his plate and cup. He walked over to the grouch’s booth and sat down without an invitation. The grouch froze in place, his entire body went rigid. He slowly lifted his eyes to look at the man across from him. Changbin caught his gaze.

“I don’t seem to remember giving you permission to sit there,”

Changbin looked down at the paper and found him looking at a rough sketch of himself.

“I don’t seem to remember giving you permission to draw me. I guess that makes us even,”

The grouch across from him slammed his notebook closed.

“What do you want, meathead?”

Changbin nearly sputtered.

“Why are you so rude?” He asked.

The grouch rolled his eyes.

“Call it a defense mechanism.” He stated. “I heard you get dumped. That must have hurt?”

“Do you love to kick people while they're down or is it just special to me?” Changbin said in a cheeky tone, even if the guy was crawling under his skin.

Surprisingly, the grouch laughed loudly and shook his head.

“Don’t flatter yourself beef cake,”

“ And a nickname? At least buy me coffee first,”

The grouch pointed toward his mug.

“You already have coffee, Changbin,”

Changbin’s eyes grew wide at the acknowledgment.

“How did you know my name?”

The grouch rolled his eyes.

“Literally everyone at SNU knows who you are. Surprise, you and your posse are all the popular crowd,” The grouch rolled his eyes.

Changbin laughed and shook his head.

“I think i’m a little too old to care about popularity,”

“Only someone who is well-liked would say something like that,” The grouch retorted. “But no matter what, you do you. Now, please leave,”

“What’s your name?”

“Don’t have one. Leave.”

“I’ll leave if you give me your name?” Changbin teased back.

The boy with long hair rolled his eyes.

“Fine. My name is Hyunjin. Hwang Hyunjin.” He stated, pointedly looking between Changbin and the door. “Now go,”

Changbin took the last drink out of his mug and stood up.

“Nice to meet you, Hwang Hyunjin. I hope to see you around.”

“I’d rather die,”

“That’s the spirit!” Changbin winked before walking out of the cafe without another glance in Hyunjin’s direction.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Changbin wasn’t surprised in the slightest by how happy Minho was for him to be single once more. His best friend didn’t exactly say it with words, but his actions would speak loudly. He prepared Changbin’s morning shake for him the next few days. He made sure to pack a bento box full of his favorites for lunch. He sneakily tried to hint at going out to the clubs at night. Minho overall seemed to be much happier with Changbin’s singleness. As long as he was getting free food out of it, Changbin didn’t care how Minho was acting.

Changbin started to throw himself into work. He was making songs, and perfecting the ones that he had already created. He was smashing out more finished, clean, productions than he had in the last year. He had no idea that a break-up that was harsh could help produce these kinds of results. Chan wasn’t looking at him with worry, so that was a bonus. Had he really been so blind to how he was with Mina that his friends were this happy?

Still, the only thing that really kept replying in his mind was the conversation that he had after the breakup. He felt like a stalker when he began trying to find any online presence of Hwang Hyunjin. He found a barely used instagram account and that was it. He hadn’t posted in nearly two years. Changbin felt like he was at a dead-end. He was sure he could go back to the cafe, but he really did not want to become a stalker. Stalkers are scary and not in a sexy kind of way.

Changbin got the strong feeling that Hyunjin needed a friend. He saw how the other carried himself, and it was worrisome to see someone so young be that closed off. There was a softness in the man’s eyes, even if Changbin only saw it for a second. He longed to help the other man out. He wanted to be someone that could help.

The only things that Changbin knew were these:

Hwang Hyunjin is an art major.

He hates people

Is in desperate need of a haircut

Changbin realized how superficial the last one was, but he looked like he was trying to hide behind his hair. Maybe not his length but least above his shoulders, maybe like Felix’s hair. His glasses were even cute. Changbin had to stop himself from thinking about the other too much. There was nothing that he could do to help at this moment, so he should just let it go. That part was harder than it appeared to be.

“Okayyy, I’m done with this,” Minho stood up suddenly, catching the attention of everyone in the room. “We can’t just stay in on a Saturday night,”

Jisung’s face contorted into a whine.

“Hyung, I don’t wanna move,” He stated. “This week has been hell. Don’t make me part with the couch.”

Minho pressed his lips into a thin line.

“I’m sorry, Sungie. Desperate calls for desperate measures,”

Changbin looked up at his best friend with a confused look.

“ What are you on about?”

“I’m sick of you pouting around here,” Minho stated, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s making Felix sad,”

Felix groaned.

“No it’s not, you psycho,” He huffed. “Channie hyung. Do something, please. I beg of you. Make it stop,”

Chan barely looked up from his phone.

“Oh no stop,” He said sarcastically.

Minho smirked.

“Chan’s on my side, Lixie,” Minho stated proudly. “Which means that all of you need to get your asses up right now. We need like…retail therapy,”

“I’ll look for retail therapy when I’m not drowning in debt,” Seungmin stated. “But I’ll go if you all insist.”

“We can go to the pavilion!” Felix shouted, suddenly on board with his older brother’s plan. “They still have it open at night. There were like art nights or something happening recently.”

Changbin perked up at the thought of finding art done by students , or his favorite mystery.

“That does sound good,” Jisung huffed. “I just need to not think about anything. I think I’d like the pavilion better than a mall right now anyway. There might not be as many people.”

Felix’s eyes softened. He reached out and grabbed Jisung’s hand to keep in his.

“I’ll stay by your side, promise,”

Seungmin said.

“Yeah, me too, Sungie,”

Jisung smiled softly and nodded his head.

“Perfect!” Minho clapped his hands. “Up we go, my children,”

“Can you please, for all that is sacred in this world, not call me your child?” Jisung added moodily.

Minho looked speechless for a moment. He nearly opened his mouth to say something else when Jisung rolled his eyes and muttered forget it , and was walking toward the door. Minho watched with his mouth hanging open as Felix and Seungmin scrambled up to follow Jisung out of the front door already.

Chan looked toward the way they went with furrowed brows.

“What was that about?” He wondered.

Hopeless , Changbin thought.

My friend’s are hopeless .

“I guess we should go,” Changbin huffed before standing up. “Let’s go, Channie hyung,”

“Oh no. You’re not going outside looking like a bunch of gym bros . Go change at once, you heathens.” Minho said firmly. “Neither of you are going to attract anyone looking like that.”

Chan looked down at his tank top and athletic shorts.

“What’s wrong with this?”

“Well for one it’s fucking October and for two, I can see your nipples through the side of your top. How you attract men at all is astounding,”

Changbin snickered and scampered off toward his own room to change before Minho could yell at him about what he was wearing. He quickly changed into one of his tightest black t-shirts, black skinny jeans and chunky combat boots. He ran some water through his hair to make it look better after being underneath a cap for most of the day.

Maybe Minho was right and he really did need a pick-me-up. He had been productive and enjoying his time, but he was still definitely sad. It didn’t feel good to have someone you trust to break that and then nearly lie about it to your face. He didn’t deserve that.

Changbin added a few chunky chain necklaces around his neck and put in his dangle earrings. He almost grabbed his leather jacket when he changed his mind and put on his dark gray waistcoat. Changbin checked his appearance one final time and went to look at himself in the mirror. He looked really good.

Chan had put on ripped jeans, the sadist, and a black crop top. Changbin knew that Chan knew what this look did to a certain brother of their certain best friend. Felix had complimented a crop top that Chan wore once, and suddenly it was like that was all that the other man owned. Chan liked the way that Felix would look at him, even if he’d never, ever say it out-loud. He followed a code about not dating his best friend’s siblings, and took it a little too seriously.

“Now, was that so hard?” Minho laughed. The man had also changed clothes, now wearing light wash, slightly baggy jeans, a cream white shirt and a tan peacoat over the entire ensemble. He looked gorgeous and expensive.
“You both look delicious. Now let's go get you both laid,”

Chan rolled his eyes behind Minho’s head as they walked toward the door of their shared apartment. Jisung was noticeably still upset, with his arms crossed over his chest. His plaid puffer made him look adorable despite the overall stoic look he was wearing. Minho went to open up his mouth to address Jisung, but Felix grabbed his brother’s arm. He shook his head no and tugged Minho down the hall first. Seungmin sighed and started to head down the hallway with Chan.

Changbin stood back until Jisung acknowledged that it was time to move. He seemed a bit out of it, so Changbin was going to give the other space. Jisung was the type to need to stew for a moment before he came back to them for a follow up conversation. Changbin reached out to squeeze Jisung’s arm slightly. The younger one actually managed a small smile before they were following the rest of their friends.

The sun was nearly set in the sky outside, turning the world around them into different shades of violet and indigo. Felix’s blue hair was blending in beautifully with the scenery as he led the group toward the pavilion. Changbin was grateful that they could at least walk, because taking the bus or a car with this many of them could be a nuisance.

“He doesn’t get it,” Jisung sighed out to Changbin as they slowed their pace behind everyone. Changbin didn’t have to ask to know that Jisung was talking about Minho. “He can’t even fathom why I’d get upset at him calling me his child.”

Changbin nodded and wrapped an arm around Jisung’s waist. Honestly, if Jisung wasn’t in love with Minho, Changbin would have definitely been interested.

“I’m sorry, Ji. Really,”

Jisung groaned.

“I thought it would be different when we got older, you know?” He asked. “I’m not chubby and I don’t have acne anymore. But…he still looks at me like the kid who stuffed ten marshmallows in his mouth for the chubby bunny challenge,”

Changbin laughed loudly.

“To be fair, that was epic. I’ve never seen you so determined to win before. It was funny,”

“My point stands, hyung,” Jisung sighed sadly. “I tried to tell him that I had feelings for him right before my birthday,”

Changbin stopped walking.

“Wait, really?”

Jisung looked down at his feet before slowly looking back up at Changbin. There were tears in the younger’s eyes. Changbin understood why Jisung could have been so upset with the context.

“I told him that I didn’t think of him as my hyung, but more. I said that he was so special to me and that I have liked him since middle school. I said, verbatim, ‘Minho hyung, I have strong feelings for you’ and do you know what he said?”

Changbin furrowed his brows. His heart broke for Jisung.

“I…no. What did he say?”

Jisung looked toward the others as they kept walking. No one seemed to realize that they were so far behind them.

“He said ‘That’s so cute, Sungie!
I feel strongly about you too. You’re like the other little brother I never had’ and promptly gave me a noogie on my head.” Jisung sighed, a few tears falling from his eyes. He quickly brought his hands up to wipe them away. “I hate men.”

Changbin laughed and wrapped his arms around Jisung. He brought the younger one into a hold so tight that Changbin hoped would put him back together again.

“Ji, I’m so sorry,” Changbin whispered into his hair. He looked over Jisung’s head and saw that the group finally noticed that two of them were missing. “That’s really shitty,”

“I gotta give him up,” Jisung huffed. “I just wish I knew how to fall out of love with him, ya know?”

“Unfortunately, I do know.” Changbin laughed. “C’mon don’t let him see you this hurt. He may or may not realize why, but you can’t let that stop you from living your life. I’ll stay by your side tonight, unless you wanna stay with Lix and Seungmo.”

Jisung huffed.

“I’m trying to give Felix space so he can spend time with Chan.” He stated. “They’re ridiculously stupid. I thought I was bad,”

Changbin didn’t want to tell Jisung that he thought that Minho did actually like him back. He didn’t want to get Jisung’s hopes up if Minho never decided to get his shit together.

“They are pretty bad,” Changbin laughed. He reached toward to help dry up the rest of Jisung’s tears. “Are you ready now? I promise I stick to you all night,”

Jisung winked.

“Don’t threaten me with a good time,”

Changbin tossed his head back and laughed. Jisung latched onto Changbin’s arm and tugged him toward the rest of their group. Changbin didn’t mind that Jisung got a little clingy sometimes. He loved Jisung very much, and it made his heart swell thinking about how much the other man must trust him. He worked hard to be someone that people trusted.

The others didn’t make any comments when they caught back up to them. It was likely Felix’s threatening that kept them all from making any sort of comments. It was rare, but in moments like that, it was evident that Felix and Minho were definitely related. No one is able to truly say no to Felix, but if he even demanded something, he was terrifying. Felix was insanely protective of his two best friends, and would gladly go to war with his own brother for them.

Changbin walked in silence with Jisung’s hands holding onto his arm tightly. They walked lazily behind everyone so that no one would try to attempt small talk with them. Jisung needed it much more than him. Changbin found the silence some-what maddening. All that continued to play on a loop in his mind was how he could find Hyunjin again.

The group started to split off once they reached the pavilion. Jisung tensed up when Minho walked over to the two of them. Minho tried to catch Jisung’s eyes, but the other kept them firmly down on the ground. Minho knew that Jisung really must have been upset, and he decided not to try again. He walked with them over toward one of the many tents set up around the park.

The yellow patio lights reflected off of the shiny white of covering over their heads. The stroll was nice, even if the weather was getting colder. Changbin looked closely for the art section, but they were still in the area where people were selling food. He guessed it fit the vibe of a fair, even if this place was usually empty during the days.

“Do you think you’ll attempt to start dating soon?” Minho asked while Jisung was getting them all popcorn at one of the food stalls. Minho was watching Jisung instead of looking at Changbin.

“I dunno…maybe. I just know that it will be easy when I do decide to start looking again,”

Minho gave him a look.

“Confident, aren’t you?”

Changbin huffed.

“C’mon, Min. You know that I can easily sweep anyone off of their feet. You said so yourself that I’ve got this charm about me,”

“Oh, is that so?” He rolled his eyes. “So what, you’re gonna try to win over Jisung?”

“What?” Changbin laughed. He waited for a moment for Minho to say something else, but the older one didn't. He looked entirely too serious about the suggestion, while Changbin thought it was a joke.
“You think I wanna sweep Jisung off his feet?”

Minho shrugged.

“You just said that you could sweep anyone off their feet,”

“I didn’t mean Ji,” Changbin huffed. Minho crossed his arms and looked over toward Jisung. He saw something in Minho’s eyes, but he didn’t know for sure what to call it. “I mean… I could definitely do it, if you wanna bet or something,”

Minho turned to look at him with narrow eyes.

“ Not him, you can’t. He’s like…our brother,” He huffed.

“Righttttttt,” Changbin rolled his eyes. “If not Jisung, I’ll find someone else. You know me, I’m only single because I want to be,”

“Fine. You’re on,” Minho smirked. “You make someone fall for you, and I’ll believe it,”

Changbin jerked back.

“Wait, are you serious about this?” He asked.

Jisung ended up walking back to them at the exact moment.

“Serious about what?” He questioned.

“Changbin bet he could sweep anyone off their feet,” Minho stated. “I don’t think that he can,”

The youngest looked between the two of them.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea?” He nearly whispered. “I mean think about what-”

“Done,” Changbin huffed. “I bet that I can sweep anyone off of their feet,”

Minho smirked.

“What’s the wager then?” He asked. “Because I have $50 that says you’ll lose,”

“Okay, $50 to the winner. I bet I can sweep someone off their feet by Christmas,”

Minho shook his head.

“That’s too far. Let’s say….by Wooyoung’s Halloween party,”

“That’s way less than a month,” Changbin argued. “Besides, isn’t it weird for me to introduce someone to my first love like that?”

“Guys I don’t think that this is a good idea,” Jisung interjected.

Both men ignored Jisung’s objection.

“I think Halloween is plenty of time. We can have check-points. We’ll make sure it’s working by inviting them to places. The first test can be if they come to a movie night with us,”

“Okay, that’s a good point,” Changbin huffed. “They have to also survive Chan’s birthday party at Club Venom,”

Minho smirked.

“Excellent,” He stated. “They’ll have to go to Wooyoung’s Halloween party in some couple’s costume,”

“Shouldn’t there be some better final event than a Halloween party?” Changbin asked with a frown.

“What about my birthday brunch?”

“That feels too casual,”

“No guys seriously, this isn’t going to end well,” Jisung pleaded again.

Minho shrugged, ignoring Jisung once again.

“Wait, doesn’t your company have some big gala in the middle of November?” He questioned.

Jisung groaned loudly. Changbin’s eyes went wide.

“We do… shit I forgot that I already RSVP’d for two people,” He groaned. “Okay, $50 to the winner. All four tasks must be completed, and the winner has to admit to me that they have feelings.”

“ Guys ,” Jisung tried again to no avail.

“How about instead of them just admitting it, let’s make the last step be a hard launch on instagram,” Minho shrugged. “That’s like basically admitting to falling in love, right?”

Jisung’s jaw dropped comically.

“Any more terms.” Changbin stated, holding out his hand.

Minho smirked.

“I get to pick out the lucky human,” He winked, because placing his hand in Changbin’s. “Deal?”

“Deal,” He laughed.

Jisung huffed loudly, causing them both to finally look at him.

“You both are so completely moronic if you think this is going to end well!” He was nearly seething. “Men are pigs!” He yelled, turning around to stomp away.

“Why is he so upset?” Minho asked Changbin.

“I dunno,” Changbin shrugged. “I wanna head toward the art section,”

Minho nodded and started to walk with Changbin. He was suddenly aware that Jisung had taken off with all three bags of popcorn in his arms. Minho didn’t really want to know why he was so upset, because that can of worms are too big for him to handle. Minho grabbed Changbin to stop at a cart to grab a potato twister before they lazily walked.

“Shall we start shopping?”

“What, now?” Changbin laughed. “We have time, Min.”

Minho tisked.

“Uh uh uh, you shouldn’t be so sure of yourself, Changbin-ah. There’s no time like the present.”

“What do you even get out of this besides maybe $50?”

The elder of the two chuckled for a moment before he decided what to answer.

“I don’t want to say the truth, because it’s honestly not very nice.” Minho stated. Changbin gave him a look of patience, and he knew that his best friend would never judge him. “Fine. I’m making the bet on the principle that I wanna see if you can do it or not. I’m curious to see if it’s possible. That….and I’m a little bored and want entertainment.”

Changbin dramatically rolled his eyes.

“You really should be looking for someone for yourself.” He stated. “How long has it been since you dated Kevin? Like two years?”

“I wanted to take my time to heal from that. I was really in love with him,” Minho sighed. “You know as well as I do what long term relationships suddenly ending is like,”

Changbin’s heart clenched. He knew how hard it was for Minho when Kevin moved back to Canada. They were together for six years, from 18 to 23, and planning their lives together. Kevin was really good to Minho. He was fun and bubbly. He got along well with Felix and the rest of them by extension. Kevin was liked by Minho’s parents, and vice versa. Minho’s cats even loved Kevin, not as much as they loved Jisung and Changbin, but close enough.

Kevin was the whole package, until he wasn’t. Things started to get bad when Kevin started planning his move back to Toronto. He didn’t even talk to Minho about it, because he said that he wanted to go back from the beginning. Minho just naturally assumed that when it became time, the two of them would talk about it again. Kevin didn’t really give Minho a choice in the matter. He was determined to move back, but he wanted to keep Minho in his life.

Minho never wanted to be a long-distance boyfriend, but he was so in love that he wanted to try. They tried for nearly a year. There were so many things that they missed; anniversaries, birthdays, holidays. Kevin started to get even busier with his work. Minho was becoming tired from the constant headache that was happening. He just wanted to get back to being happy.

Minho woke up one day realizing that he had been trying hard to save a relationship that he wasn’t invested in anymore. He was trying to save it because he loved Kevin deeply at one point and didn’t want to waste their six years together. It wasn’t until Felix had sat down with his brother and told him that he was sad for him that Minho listened. He called Kevin that night and broke things off, without giving an opening for a future of things changed.

“Yeah, I do know,” Changbin smiled softly, squeezing Minho’s shoulder.

Minho rolled his eyes.

“Enough with the emo stuff. The art is right there. I’ll go scope out the place while you look for whatever it is that you’re looking for.”

Changbin nodded with a smile as he watched his best friend wander around to look at people. He turned toward the start of the art walls that were hung up on make-shift wooden pallet walls. The art was decided by decided theme’s, each person getting to showcase what they could do. Some of the work makes sense, but some of it really looked like no one followed the theme at all.

Joy; Happiness, Sorrow;Loneliness, Greed;Envy, Anger; Resentment.

The themes of each wall were plastered in a large font on top of their designated wall.

Changbin stopped at the wall, where the theme was Joy;Happiness. There were so many creative works hanging up, yet only one caught his eye. Almost in the middle left, was a landscape painting that didn’t exactly evoke feelings of joy inside of him. Maybe the painting should have been posted on another wall. He felt great sorrow when he looked at the painting. He felt feelings of loneliness, but maybe that was the point, he realized. How sometimes solitude can bring joy.

The painting looked like wildflowers in the middle of a storm. The clouds looked dark and depressing, yet light was streaming down on the flowers. There was a vast lake behind the bank, mountains were barely visible in the back. It was almost as if the wildflowers were accidentally there; like they hadn’t meant to flourish amongst all of the darkness.

Changbin took in a huge breath and walked over toward the counter where some faculty were running the booth. He noticed that they had a paypal sign up in front of them. He showed them which painting that he wanted, much to the surprise of two out of the three. The third person just told him that the artist usually didn’t attract too much attention from students, but was popular with much older adults. She gave him a small envelope that had a small “About The Artist” and wished him a wonderful evening.

“I saw you bought a painting. That’s odd of you,”

Changbin laughed, awkwardly holding the wrapped up painting under his arm.

“It really spoke to me.” He stated. “I just…it broke my heart. I had to buy it,”

“Speaking of heartbreak, I found him.”

“Oh no…that was fast, Min.” Changbin huffed. “Where is this mystery man?”

Minho nodded his head in the direction just further down. Changbin looked around, but he couldn’t find anyone that really stood out. He was about to ask Minho, when there were clearly no viable options, when someone moved slightly on the bench. He was hunched over, intensely focused on the sketchbook, not a notebook as Changbin had mistaken the other one for,
in front of him. His long hair was falling over his shoulders and onto the paper. Changbin’s heart started to speed up. The man turned to look in his direction and their eyes met.

“That’s him. That’s who I pick,” Minho said behind him.

Hyunjin only looked at him for a moment before rolling his eyes and focusing once again on the paper. Changbin was sincerely regretting his life decisions. He turned to look at Minho and he started to shake his head. There’s no way he could choose him.

“No, absolutely not. Choose someone else, Min.” Changbin begged. “Literally, anyone but him,”

The eldest brushed his silver bangs out of his face.

“A bet is a bet, is it not?” Minho asked. “Plus, the harder it is, the more fun I’ll have,”

Changbin bit the inside of his cheek.

“He hates people, Minho hyung. Please, anyone else?”

“No, Changbin-ah. It’s him or pay up,”

Changbin most definitely should have just paid up right then and there.

“Fine, get lost.” He stated. “I’ll go over,”

The other man looked at him slyly.

“Good boy. Have funnnnn. I’ll be elsewhere. Take your time,”

Changbin resisted the urge to flip Minho off. It really was not his week. It was funny how Changbin found Hyunjin when he least expected to find him. It felt like a very sick joke from the universe. How many hours had he spent trying to virtually stalk him, only to find him in the wild days later? Changbin couldn’t lose his nerve now, and the bet now nestled into the back of his mind.

Hyunjin’s body language definitely screamed “GET AWAY”, and normally Changbin would be one to respect that. His stomach churned as he started walking toward the artist. The flags were waving in his head to back down, but the much bigger parts surged him forward. He wanted to talk to Hyunjin for more than the bet that was made less than fifteen minutes ago. Changbin rationalized that it was okay because he had been low-key trying to find him anyway. That was okay right?

Changbing knew it was wrong, but he kept moving away. He was so frustrated with himself that he wanted to cry. His painting that he was carrying suddenly felt like it was the heaviest thing in the world. He tried to shift it, so that it wouldn’t get clenched too tightly to his body. It wasn’t a cheap painting, even if it was done by a student. He took a deep breath in, trying to steel his nerves. Perhaps they could talk about the art that was displayed.

“What do you want, Seo Changbin?” Hyunjin sighed, not looking up from his sketchbook.

Changbin stopped in his tracks. He laughed at the irony.

“How did you know that it was me?”

Hyunjin paused his movements for a moment before continuing to draw.

“You’re the only one who would approach me when I’m sketching.” He said firmly. “No one else is that stupid,”

Changbin let out another giddy laugh before he sat down on the bench beside the artist. He carefully sat the painting down so it rested against his shins. Hyunjin only gave him a mildly concerning side-eye before his gaze turned back to what he was working on. Changbin counted that as a win.

“What are you working on?”

“It’s none of your god damn buisness,” Hyunjin stated firmly, looking up at him. “You can go now,”

Changbin tried to give him a small smile.

“You’re an art student?”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes.

“Obviously, or I wouldn’t be here right now.” He stated. Changbin must have look confused, because Hyunjin’s eyebrow twitched. “I’m here for extra credit, dummy.”

The producer nodded slowly before he turned his gaze toward the area. There were other art students that were willing about, taking turns behind the booth to take payments.

“Oh, I see,” He laughed. “I uh…bought a painting,”

Hyunjin looked back up at him in actual interest. His eyebrows were pinched together, and his mouth was slightly open. Changbin was suddenly distracted by just how plush Hyunjin’s lips seemed to be. He felt a little mesmerized, not noticing that he was staring until the other groaned.

“What do you want?” He asked. “I literally can’t put any thought into why you’re suddenly just at places that I wanna be,”

The bet.

You.

Changbin chewed on his bottom lip for a moment before sighing. He wanted to tell Hyunjin the truth already and call off this stupid thing he started with Minho. It wasn’t too late to back out. It wasn’t too late to pretend like Hyunjin didn’t exist, because Changbin didn’t even know of him until that night at the cafe.

“You look like you could use a friend,” Changbin said softly, making sure that no one else could over-hear. “I’ve been told that I’m pretty good at being a friend.”

Hyunjin slammed his notebook shut. He started to angrily pack up his things, and he moved to stand up when Changbin reached out to take his wrist lightly. Both men froze, suddenly unsure of what to do. Hyunjin normally would have yanked his arm and ran away. Somehow, he found himself frozen. He didn’t know what to say, because deep down he knew that Changbin was right.

“Why?” Hyunjin asked softly. His usual hostile tone was gone. He looked like a lost puppy for a moment.

Changbin’s heart was beating rapidly.

“Because…there’s something about you that I don’t want to ignore. I don’t know what that is, but I wanna find out,”

Hyunjin snorted.

“Right, sure,” He stated. He looked up and noticed that several people were starting to stare. Hyunjin’s insides twisted anxiously, and he felt like he needed to get out now. He looked back down at Changbin, and he had a hopeful look in his eyes. Hyunjin let his eyes roam over his face, as he thought about it.

“I won’t pressure you, Hyunjin,” Changbin whispered softly.

For all of the things that Hyunjin thought he knew about Changbin, he was surprised that this one was true. No one really told him that college would be a lot like high school, and he hated that it was true. The gossip just spread quicker, and it got more and more outrageous the more that it was shared. Naturally everyone had rumors about them.

Hyunjin heard that Changbin was one of the most caring people someone could meet. He heard that the producer was some sort of music prodigy. He heard that Changbin was bisexual, but he had only been with women in long term relationships for all of college. He heard that his best friend was the Lee Minho. He heard that Changbin beat up some guy for being sleazy. He heard that he also hooked up with members of girl and boy groups at his job. Hyunjin assumed that was the craziest rumor of them all.

“Fine. Prove it,” Hyunjin stated. “Prove to me that you really want to be my friend, and I’ll consider it.”

Changbin’s eyes grew wider.

“Of course, yes.”

“There’s this slam poetry night I’m doing at Haewon Cafe. It’s at seven on Tuesday night. Be there,” Hyunjin demanded. “Then maybe I’ll believe you,”

“I…yeah. I’ll be there,”

Hyunjin pressed his lips into a thin line. He nodded his head before looking around once more.

“I’m gonna go. Don’t follow me, stalker,”

Changbin flushed and laughed nervously. He knew that it was probably a joke, but man did he feel like one. Hyunjin rolled his eyes and walked away from him. Changbin felt floored from what just happened. He in no way, shape or form felt like he had any shot. He couldn’t believe that it actually happened. He rubbed his hand over his face. Maybe he was too deep in already? He took a deep breath before letting it out.

Minho was yet to walk back, so Changbin settled into the bench to read all about the artist who’s painting he bought. His chest tightened as he carefully opened up the envelope. His heart was beating really fast as he slowly took the cardboard paper out.

Hwang Hyunjin, 23.

Hyunjin is a fourth year art student at SNU. He loves working with oil paints the most.

When Hyunjin isn’t painting, he works as a barista and spends time with his younger brother.
Hyunjin has already accepted a position as an artist at a local gallery in Seoul, for after he graduates.

Hyunjin’s socials are @hyuniart2000

Changbin laughed loudly after reading the card three times. Not only had he found the man he was searching for, Hyunjin’s art had called out to him. The producer absolutely didn’t want to think too much about what that meant.

“How did it go?” Minho asked as he walked back up to Changbin.

I’m so fucked.

“He asked me to come to a slam poetry night as a trial run,” Changbin admitted, eyes wide.

Minho shook his head back and forth.

“You lucky basterd,”

Changin didn’t feel so lucky anymore.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hyunjin felt the panic licking at his heels as he moved through the pavilion in search of his brother. The thoughts in his mind were starting to get jumbled to the point where he wasn’t even sure he was walking in the right direction. He didn’t have friends. Hyunjin didn’t

make

friends, so why did his heart feel giddy at the idea of Changbin actually wanting to spend time with him? He blamed his stupid boy brain that went a little mushy at the sight of well defined arms.

Hyunjin had wandered until he got to the food market at the pavilion. Jeongin had told him that he would be there with a few of his friends from the drama department. It was easier for Jeongin to make friends, so he shouldn’t have been surprised when his brother told him that he was already going to be at the pavilion.

Jeongin was nowhere in sight, but Hyunjin slowed down his pace. His anxiety was making him nearly run through the area. It was definitely frowned upon to have a

grown man

running around like a maniac, just because he couldn’t find his brother. Hyunjin took in a deep breath. He knew that Jeongin was safe. He knew that his brother made good decisions. Yet, Hyunjin still was worried that he could forget about him.

Just as Hyunjin was about to have a full-blown panic attack, he heard Jeongin’s laugh coming from just a little ways away. The artist took a deep breath and walked slowly toward the direction of the sound. His peace only lasted for a moment when he realized that Jeongin was standing in a group of boys that included one Kim Seungmin.

Hyunjin seethed as he watched his younger brother’s face light up any time that Seungmin looked at him. It was so easy to see just how enamored Jeongin was with their former best friend. Hyunjin absolutely

hated

it. He hated what Seungmin had done to them, even if he helped him along the way.

Jeongin’s head flew back as he laughed at something else one of the boys around him said. There was a boy with blue hair that Hyunjin knew was called Felix. He had the prettiest freckles and the most charming smile. Hyunjin was jealous of Felix, especially after sharing a biology class with the blue-haired boy. He saw first hand how people adored him. He was the opposite of Hyunjin in every way.

The boy with long, black hair falling down to his chin playfully flicked Felix under the chin. This boy had ground cheeks that reminded him of a chipmunk, but there was something about him. He looked like there was something inside of him begging to get out. He looked like he had things that he wanted to say, but didn’t.

There was a man that was legendary on the campus, one way or another. He completed the trinity, with Changbin and Minho. His name was Bang Chan. He was known all over campus for his talent in production, but also his talent with his tongue. Hyunjin wished he had never been subjected to the amount of humans that seemed to have

something

to say about the Australian boy. Hyunjin didn’t know if half of what he heard about Bang Chan was true, just like with Changbin. He had an air of mystery about him, but not a single person he came in contact with said a negative thing about Bang Chan, ever.

Hyunjin was going to turn around and walk away like he was never there when Jeongin spotted him. His smile dimmed just a little, knowing what his brother was like thinking about. Hyunjin hated that he hurt his brother like that. Jeongin was one of the most important people in his life; if not

the

most important. Jeongin was his rock.

Hyunjin didn’t have time to think himself into a further hole when his brother was waving him over. What was with his luck lately? He suddenly can’t seem to get away from these people. He hadn’t had this bad of luck before. Did he piss off some deity out there, and now they’re coming for him?

“There you are,” Jeongin said softly, smiling at his brother. “I thought you’d be trying to get out of here soon,”

Hyunjin knew his cheeks were turning red.

“I got caught up with something.” He stated. “It was a nightmare,”

Jeongin laughed.

“Only you would think that socializing is a nightmare,”

Hyunjin was about to open up his mouth when the boy with long black hair did first.

“Acutally socializing really is a fucking nightmare. I just want to be in my bed,”

The artist raised an eyebrow.

“Finally, an intellectual human being,” Hyunjin huffed.

The guy’s eyebrows rose in surprise. He sputtered for a moment.

“H-hi. I’m Han…Ji-Jisung. Intellectual human being. Anxious extraordinaire,” He introduced himself, attempting to use humor to hide that he apparently hated social situations as well.

“Hwang Hyunjin,” He supplied. “I like to think of myself as an Anxious Mess Expert. I like your title better,”

Jisung cracked a small smile.

“We anxious beings must stick together,” He stated. Hyunjin gave him a very unimpressed look until Jisung was shifting on his feet again. “Or…not…”

Jeongin rolled his eyes.

“Ignore him, I usually do. He’s just going through a phase,”

Hyunjin was minutes away from claiming that it wasn’t a phase, but a way of living when the blue-haired boy smiled and stepped closer to him.

“Hyunjin, right? I’m Felix. We had bio together in our first year,” He supplied.

Hyunjin didn’t want to let the shock show when Felix seemed to remember him.

“You had black hair, right? And a knack for knocking things over,”

The blue haired boy smiled widely.

“Yeah, that’s me,” He admitted. He was known for being the most clumsy in their class at the time. “I’m not usually as clumsy anymore, at least not in science classes,”

The long-haired boy nodded once, not seeing the humor in his statement. Still, Hyunjin’s lack of response didn’t seem to dim Felix’s bright eyes. Hyunjin found that to be a super power.

“I’m Chan,” The music producer introduced himself. He didn’t reach out to shake Hyunjin’s hand, much to his satisfaction. “Were you just heading out?”

The artist nodded his head, very aware of Kim Seungmin staring holes in the side of his skull.

“Yeah, but I’m stuck in this weird loop where I can’t literally get out of here,” Hyunjin huffed. “It’s like my very own sleep paralysis demon.”

Chan laughed at his dark humor. Hyunjin made a mental note on that.

“We haven’t been here for that long when Seungmin ran into your brother. Do you guys know each other?”

Jeongin looked over at Chan with wide, pitying eyes. Poor Chan. Poor sweet, innocent Chan who had no idea what can of worms that he could possibly be opening at the moment. Jeongin watched as Hyunjin’s nostrils flared for a moment. His brother was usually good at controlling himself in public, but Kim Seungmin brought out an entirely different side to him. Jeongin knew that Hyunjin wasn’t

proud

of how he acts sometimes, but he also knows that Hyunjin doesn’t usually care enough to quit.

“That’s enough of that!” Jeongin jumped to the rescue, clamping his hand over Hyunjin’s mouth so that the other couldn’t respond.

Jisung laughed.

“Let the man speak. He can’t be worse than Minho.” The younger producer stated. He didn’t dare tack on Seungmin’s name as well, but everyone was thinking it.

Hyunjin’s eyes widened in surprise at Jisung defending him. Jeongin also was so shocked that he dropped his hand from his brother’s mouth. The younger brother swept his hand out as if to say

the floor is yours

. Hyunjin took a deep breath and tried his best not to fuck this up.

“Seungmin was our best friend when we were kids,” Hyunjin said, managing to keep the harsh tone out of his voice. “We grew apart,”

Seungmin looked at him in shock, but nodded.

“We did, when my family moved away we kinda lost contact,”

Jeongin panicked and looked at Hyunjin, and cut off his brother again.

“The rest is kinda boring. But here we are, all together again,” Jeongin joked, digging himself deeper.

“That’s so cool,” Felix smiled.

Hyunjin took a deep breath.

“Well that’s enough for me for one day. I’m gonna head home now, because I need to peel my skin off under the hottest water possible,”

“Mood,” Jisung huffed. His eyes lit up. “Hey! Can we exchange numbers?”

“Over my dead body,” Hyunjin stated before he turned to walk away from the group without saying another word.

The group was left in stunned silence. Jisung’s heart tugged in his chest, because he saw many parts of himself in Hyunjin. He didn’t know what it was, but he felt like they were kindred spirits. He felt like maybe the loneliness and anxiety he felt was

also

felt by Hyunjin. It was nice, not to be the only one with anxiety around in the group. Jisung suddenly felt validated, and he wanted to keep Hyunjin close to him. He made a mental note to talk to Seungmin about the other boy.

But first, Jisung had to figure out how to deal with Minho.

•••

Changbin felt like he was slowly losing his mind during a session with his solo artist who kept, once again, messing up the timing of the intro and the first vocal run. The girl was really nice, and he loved working with her usually. She didn’t always mess up like this, and that’s what made his day even more exasperating. He just wanted to get through this recording session so that he could make it to the cafe on time.

Changbin pressed the spot button on the recording, looking over at an equally exasperated Chan. Chan had his lips pressed into a thin line in concentration as the girl in the booth anxiously awaited their feedback. Changbin motioned for Chan to take the lead, because he was too irritated to speak. Jisung took a deep breath as Chan explained to the girl once again how the run was supposed to sound.

The next recording didn’t really go as planned either. Changbin wanted to rip his hair out, but had to remind himself that he most definitely wanted to keep his job. He liked his job. He got paid well, and they worked with his school schedule. Changbin turned around to face Jisung, who was sitting on the couch behind them.

“Do you think you can run into the booth and coach her on the part?”

Jisung’s cheeks turned a bright red, but he nodded in agreement.

“Jihyo, Jisung’s gonna come in and help, “ Chan said over the intercom.

The girl nodded, looking slightly defeated, but didn’t argue. Jisung bounced into the booth and had her jump around a minute to loosen up her nerves.

“Ji’s really good at that,” Changbin mumbled.

“Yeah, I think these next few are gonna be good,”

“Me too,” Changbin sighed. “At least, I hope,”

Chan reached over and gave his shoulder a squeeze.

“Are you still going to that thing tonight?” He asked curiously.

Changbin tried not to grimace. He nodded his head, and looked away before he could see the obvious disappointment in Chan’s eyes. Changbin felt like an utter fool when Minho was explaining the bet to Chan. The eldest absolutely did not agree with what they were doing. Changbin didn’t know how to voice that he was upset with himself about it as well.

The three older agreed to keep it a secret from the younger ones. Changbin conveniently left out that Jisung was physically

there

to witness the whole mess. He didn’t need another lecture about that one either. Chan just didn’t want Felix to know that the two of them could be so ridiculously idiotic. Changbin actually was kinda grateful for that, even if it felt weird to keep things from the younger Lee.

“Yeah, I’m gonna go,” Changbin sighed out. “If we ever get out of here,”

Chan’s nose scrunched up.

“She’s just having a rough one I think. Maybe we should cut it short after this one?”

“I think that might actually be the best,” Changbin sighed.

Jisung worked hard in the booth with Jihyo, but the girl wasn’t making the progress that they needed for the right take. She was full of fire and determination usually, but she just looked sad lately. Jisung could definitely relate to her. He gave her an encouraging smile as he left her alone to record. He knew that she could do it, but there was just a disconnect.

Chan announced that they would be ending the session early, much to everyone’s relief. No one who was trying at the moment was happy with the results. They all had worked together on the singer’s last single, and it had been a hit. They all partnered together for her first full-length album this time. Chan tried his best to keep their session light but something wasn’t working right now.

Jihyo looked incredibly sad to be stopping, but the look of determination came back to her. Jisung teased the girl lightly before she was batting his hand away. She vowed to do better in the next session, and took a file of Jisung’s recording home with her so that she could practice.

Changbin immediately started toward the elevator down the hall. He needed to get out of work as soon as possible if he was gonna make it in time to the slam poetry reading. He didn’t know if Hyunjin would actually show up or not. He hoped sincerely with this whole heart that the other wouldn’t stand him up.

Changbin felt guilty for feeling like that when he was using Hyunjin as a prop to prove something to Minho. His pride, the stupid, egregious thing that it was, wouldn’t stop him from making these foolish decisions. Changbin hated that he was doing something like this, yet he didn’t hate it enough to stop.

“Do you guys think it’s cool if I come over for a bit?” Jisung asked softly, as they all rode the elevator down toward the lobby.

Changbin was sucked out of his reverie by Jisung’s timid voice.

“Sungie, you don’t really have to ask, you know that,” Changbin said softly. “What’s up?”

“Minho’s going over to our apartment and I don’t really wanna be there,” Jisung huffed. “It’s weird, s’all,”

Chan looked at Jisung in concern.

“Are you okay? Why is it weird?”

Jisung looked like he’d rather fight a bear than answer Chan’s questions.

“I won’t be at home, but I don't mind. You can stay in my room,” Changbin stated, because Chan could ask any questions that would make Jisung cry.

“Really? You don’t mind?” Jisung asked quickly. “I promise I won’t break your stereo like I did when I was in middle school,”

“Ah Sungie, it’s okay,” Changbin laughed.

“Where are you going?” Jisung asked out of curiosity.

“I’m going to a poetry night tonight. It’s at this cafe. My uh…friend invited me.”

Chan scoffed.

“Friend, rightttttttt,”

Jisung’s brows furrowed as he looked between the two. He nearly yelled once he realized that

Chan

must now know all about the bet. Jisung hated them for making such an archaic decision so easily.

“Changbin hyung, you move fast,” Jisung huffed.

“You can come tonight if you want. I’m actually kinda nervous,” Changbin admitted. “I mean, I think he might blow me off,”

“I mean…you’d deserve that,” Chan interrupted.

Changbin threw a light punch, but it still caused the other man to wheeze upon impact. Changbin did not argue with his friends. He decided to keep his mouth shut as Jisung quickly switched the subject to one of the many songs that they were writing together. Chan offered actual helpful feedback, while Changbin zoned out.

Jisung followed him closely into the apartment. He was acting as if Minho would materialize right in front of him if he so much as thought about the older man. He didn’t want to be left alone with the dancer, and have another opportunity to be rejected yet

again

. Twice in his life by The Lee Minho was enough, thank you very much.

Changbin changed into something much more casual in record time. Jisung was grateful that he always packed regular shoes for his usual journey to and from work. He grabbed them out of the bag and looked down at his button-up shirt. He started to complain about the lack of casual wear he had before Changbin was throwing a regular white t-shirt in his direction. It was enough to shut Jisung up for a while.

The pair waved bye to Chan and quickly left to catch the bus. Jisung rang his hands nervously as Changbin’s leg bounced up and down rapidly. What a pair they made, Changbin thought. The anxious energy that was rolling off them in waves was enough to make anyone weary enough to approach them. Jisung was oddly scared about making a good first impression

Haewon Cafe looked exactly the same as it had the last time that Changbin was here. The bright open sign flashed neon red. The two men walked inside the cafe slowly, knowing that the show had already started. The tables had been rearranged into a semicircle setting, facing a makeshift “stage” with a microphone standing dead center.

“This gives me flashbacks to vocal try-outs,” Jisung shuddered.

The crowd was surprisingly large for a Tuesday night. He didn’t really know what to expect, but he didn’t think that this amount of people would genuinely show up. There wasn’t someone currently on the stage, but there was someone waiting off to the side with their notebook in hand.

Hyunjin was nowhere to be found. Changbin did find that he was a bit disappointed. He figured that the other wouldn’t really show up. He struck Changbin as someone who would rather eat knives than engage in polite conversation with another human being. He grabbed Jisung’s wrist and dragged him toward the counter. At least they could get iced americanos out of the walk here. Maybe they could even be able to scout some writing talent in the crowd tonight.

“Jisung?” A young man’s voice called.

Jisung’s eyes widened as he turned around to find the source. Changbin waited for his card to be charged before he turned around as well. In front of them was a rather tall, by their standards, boy with a slightly familiar face. His black hair was a little shaggy, but not long by any means. His eyes crinkled up when he smiled and Changbin felt his heart leap. This boy’s entire being just screamed joy to him. His dimpled smile was all too endearing.

“You’re Jeonin, right?”

The stranger blushed a little.

“It’s Jeongin,”

Jisung smacked his forehead.

“Jeongin, right. I’m sorry. Sometimes, I’m really not the best at names. This is Changbin. He’s like my big brother,”

Jeongin’s eyes got comically large.

“Can you adopt me too? I’m definitely looking for a new brother,”

Jisung and Changbin winced at the same time.

“He can’t be that bad, can he?” Jisung asked. “I mean a little rude…but ya know,”

“I think all brothers can be,” Changbin laughed. “But I don’t have that experience so maybe ignore me.”

Jeongin laughed.

“He’s an only child,” Jisung explained sadly, placing his hand over his heart.

“Good to know.” Jeongin brushed it off. “Do you guys have a spot? You can sit with me, if you want,”

“Thank you, Jeongin,” Changbin sighed. “I came here for…

someone

, but I don’t think he’s gonna show,”

The younger pouted and looked over at Jisung.

“What about you?”

“I came to be Changbin hyung’s emotional support,” Jisung stated. “Has it already started?”

“Yeah, two acts have gone on already. We have maybe like five before the next goes on. It’s my brother,”

“Your brother writes?” Jisung nearly yelled. “I knew that we were more alike than I originally thought,”

Jeongin nodded and Changbin’s order number was being called out. Changbin looked over to the side of the stage, where a person was standing to go on. He couldn’t tell in the dim lighting if it was Hyunjin or not. Changbin felt incredibly silly, thinking that just because he saw him twice, he’d be able to pick him out of a crowd. He grabbed his americano and followed Jisung toward Jeongin’s seat. There was another empty chair there that must have belonged to his brother.

Suddenly the lights went down and someone was stepping up on the stage.

“That’s my brother, Hyunjin!” Jeongin gushed, causing Changbin’s head to snap toward the younger. Jisung watched him, putting together the pieces as Changbin’s attention turned back toward the stage. Jisung watched in horror as a small smile found it’s way on Changbin’s face. Changbin had

that

look that he got whenever he saw someone or something that he liked. Jisung looked at Hyunjin on stage and was utterly confused. Hyunjin

wasn’t ugly

, but he didn’t look like the next top model either.

The bet

. It had to be the bet, Jisung concluded. He took a deep breath to calm his anger. Changbin hyung couldn’t really hurt someone like that. He had to believe that Changbin hyung was better than that. Hyunjin didn’t deserve it even if he was an asshole to most people.

“I’m Hyunjin. This one is called ‘Miss You’,” He stated up to the microphone. He closed his eyes and started speaking.

The stars embroidered in the sky

I try to draw you from the window

You who used to be so little

Must be the shiniest now

Changbin was mesmerized, unable to look away from the man standing on the stage. He was wearing a beret over his very long hair. He didn’t have it pulled back, and it looked much nicer than Changbin had seen it before. He was wearing a pair of thinner framed glasses. His plush lips were distracting with some kind of glossy bomb on them. His outift was clear of all paint, and didn’t look like his usual attire. He still was wearing clothes that were too big and not super flattering, but he looked like he put in effort.

I apologize to you

I know it was very difficult

But there was nothing I could do

Couldn't even laugh

Changbin looked around and saw how everyone was leaning into what Hyunjin was reading on stage. Changbin remembered that feeling. He remembered what it was like on stage like that. It’s one of the reasons why he got into music in the first place. He loved the connection that it gave people. He turned to steal a quick glance at the two men with him. Jisung’s mouth was slightly open and his eyes were bright. He looked so happy.

Jeongin’s eyes looked incredibly sad, tears welling up in them. Changbin didn’t know how to feel. He felt a little speechless. It was too good to argue.

That star

I hope my voice reaches to that star

No matter how much I scream

You have no idea how beautiful you were

Hyunjin finished on the stage and people started to snap and call in applause. Hyunjin bowed deeply on the stage before he looked up. He did what he always did and looked for his brother in the crowd. Jeongin was crying, as Hyunjin expected, but he looked so proud. Hyunjin was shocked to see that Changbin was sitting with his brother. Not only did Changbin come, Jisung had tagged along.

“Haewon Cafe, it looks like we have a new arrival!” Hyunjin stated, smirking directly at Changbin. “I was informed that this new arrival is

quite

the poetry enthusiast. Let’s give a big ole welcome to the stage, Seo Changbin!”

Changbin’s eyes grew wide as Hyunjin stared at him in a challenge. He wasn’t clearly gonna back down from this one. He wanted to embarrass Changbin. The producer took a deep breath and set back his shoulders. He didn’t really know what the protocol was, but he knew that he was good enough at this kind of thing to do it.

Jisung watched as Changbin stood up from his chair and made his way to the stage. Hyunjin did a fake bow to the other before quickly coming over to sit in the empty chair next to Jeongin. The brothers said nothing, but Jeongin squeezed Hyunjin in support. Changbin stood up on stage, and grabbed the microphone tightly.

“Uh..hi. I’m Seo Changbin, thank you for having me. Uh…I’m gonna call this one…uh….Doodle?” He took a deep breath.

It was like rapping. Changbin had made many poems before, but most of them he couldn’t remember while being put on the spot. He wasn’t the best at free-style rapping like Jisung, but he was

good

. He just had to remind himself that this wasn’t music theory. He just had to make up something.

Think about art. Think about life. Think about Hyunjin.

Draw a crooked line

A distorted circle

Even if my shoelaces are tangled, it's pretty like ribbon

Everyone talks about doing the basics all the time

But shove it

Freaking bucket list, erase it

This is my way, stomp on the tightrope

I ride the line differently, I'm crooked

Hyunjin took in a breath. He hadn’t expected whatever Changbin would say to actually be good. He felt silly for even putting the other on the spot. There was some part of his brain that sincerely hoped that Changbin would flub it up there. Hyunjin knew that Changbin had some fancy job, but he still didn’t expect this to come out of him.

My life's like a doodle

My style's like a doodle

Circle, triangle, square

Break the rules, doodle

My rhythm's like a doodle

My flow's like a doodle

I doodle on the walls of the world

Live like a doodle

Changbin stopped suddenly, because if he went any further, he’d have to actually finish it as a song. He felt himself getting too into it. He had leaned too far, and the words were just coming to him. He hoped that

someone

got what he did on video. The words stumbled around in his head as people started to snap and some even clap. He looked right over at Hyunjin, who was looking a little bewildered. He finally made eye contact with Changbin and he lifted his fingers to start snapping along as well. Changbin felt the pride of having earned Hyunjin’s praise, even if it was just a little bit.

Changbin hurried off the stage after a quick bow. He went straight to his seat to pull out his phone and type in what he just said on the stage. Jisung was beaming proudly and shaking him shoulders in congratulations. Jeongin even offered a few words of praise. Hyunjin sat with his arms crossed over his chest. He wasn’t going to give Changbin any more satisfaction.

Changbin quickly, and roughly, finished writing on his phone’s notepad before he gave his attention back toward the stage. Changbin made sure to be fully immersed in the performances. He wanted Hyunjin to see that he was serious. He knew that Hyunjin didn’t expect him to actually be interested in something like this.

Hyunjin got up to get them all some pastries before the last act. He shifted from foot to foot as he waited for Jongho, the barista on duty, to ring him up. The younger was rather stoic, as a literature major, but he was never rude to Hyunjin or Jeongin. Hyunjin was grateful that Jongho liked him enough to hire him as a part time staff member.

“Your friend was really good,” Jongho stated. “Is it his first time doing something like this?”

Hyunjin shrugged.

“I dunno if you’d call him my friend but…I dunno. Maybe he has. He

was

good, wasn’t he?”

Jongho nodded, but said nothing else as Hyunjin paid for the discounted items. Hyunjin felt something funny flutter in the pit of his stomach as he walked over to the table. He sat down a poppy seed muffin for Jeongin. He handed Jisung a cheese danish, the same dish he got himself. He handed over the chocolate chip muffin that Changbin had ordered himself last time. The producer’s eyes lit up as he sat it in front of him. Jeongin’s jaw dropped at the sight of the food.

“You were really good, Hyunjin,” Changbin said in the softest voice possible.

Jisung’s eyes widened. He

knew

that voice. He heard it when Changbin was talking to Wooyoung, or Chaeryeong or even fucking

Mina

. That was his charming voice. Oh, Seo Changbin meant business.

“You too, meat head,” Hyunjin huffed back, tucking into his danish so that he could avoid talking for as long as possible.

When the poetry night finished, Jeongin asked if they all wanted to walk toward the bus stop together. Jisung was enthusiastic about having new friends and said yes for both of them immediately. To everyone’s surprise, Hyunjin didn’t complain loudly. He just grabbed his bag from the back and met them outside.

Changbin naturally slowed his pace to match Hyunjin’s. Jeongin seemed to have some sort of clue about what was going on, and sped up naturally. Jisung followed him along, both of them deep into conversations about what documentaries they both liked to watch. Changbin was floored that Jeongin and Hyunjin were brothers. It was like night and day between the two of them. Jeongin was just so open and kind whereas Hyunjin…just was not.

“How did you find that place?” Changbin asked softly, scared to break the comfortable silence that settled between them.

“The poetry nights were my idea.” Hyunjin sighed roughly. “I’ve been working there for a while,”

Changbin nodded.

“That was good, what you did up there,”

“What about you? The whole doodle thing…I didn’t know you could say something that I could relate to so well. That…” Hyunjin struggled. “What you did up there was brilliant. I’m actually mad that you were good,”

Changbin chucked, knocking into Hyunjin’s shoulder lightly.

“See, you can be nice,”

Hyunjin pressed his lips into a thin line.

“It’s a fluke, I promise,” He stated.

“You know, you’re not as scary as you try to make everyone think that you are,” Changbin said softly. “Why do you try so hard to be mean?”

Hyunjin stopped in his tracks. No one had been that upfront with him before. He felt at a loss for words as Changbin pinpointed something that Hyunjin tried for years to cover up.

“Oh so you know me now?”

“I think I know a bit, yeah,” Changbin huffed. “It’s…you’re a good person Hyunjin. I can sense that. I’m really good at reading people. It’s easy for me to see that you’re….not really like this,”

Hyunjin crossed his arms over his chest.

“Says the man who got cheated on by a girl he’d been dating for a while?” He threw back. “Sorry, I don’t think you’re

that

good,”

Changbin took a deep breath and reminded himself that this was just a defense mechanism.

“Why don’t you let people in?” He asked.

Hyunjin dropped his arms. He took a deep breath and took off his glasses to clean them so that he didn’t have to look at Changbin in the eye.

“Because people suck ass and will hurt you deeply if you let them in.” He stated.

“But that’s the beauty of it. Some

won’t

hurt you,” Changbin said.

“But sometimes even those who don’t want to hurt you, will be the same people who are holding the knife in your back,” Hyunjin tossed back.

Changbin stared in awe at Hyunjin. The wind was pushing his hair back from his face. The gloss that was on his lips had rubbed away a little bit, but they were still so plush and inviting. There was a small, light, mole underneath his left eye. Changbin didn’t want to totally scare Hyunjin away by talking about his lips, so he chose the safer option.

“Your eyes, they’re really pretty. Do you wear contacts…like ever? I imagine drawing and painting with those can get annoying,”

“Yeah I have contacts, I just only use them at home cause…” Hyunjin trailed off. “Did you just say that my eyes are pretty?”

Changbin took in a quick breath.

“I….yeah. I did. They are, your eyes. I mean your eyes are beautiful.”

Hyunjin tossed his head back and let out a loud laugh.

“I knew that you were trying too hard before, but fucking

hell

. My

eyes

are beautiful? Do you use that line on everyone? You really brought out the big guns huh? It must work on those puny brained humans.”

“Wait, Hyunjin, it’s not like that,” Changbin tried, but maybe he was lying. “I just meant… that you’re pretty,”
Hyunjin made a loud noise of disbelief and turned around to walk away from him. “Wait! Hyunjin! Please don’t leave,”

Jeongin and Jisung stopped walking to watch the exchange. Jisung’s heart plummeted as he saw Hyunjin’s back. Changbin looked confused by the turn of events.

“No! You can go to hell, Seo Changbin!” He yelled before turning back to walk in the opposite direction.

Jeongin rushed past Changbin to catch up with his brother. Changbin didn’t dare try to follow Hyunjin, not tonight. Jisung walked up and put his hand on Changbin shoulder. The other didn’t shrug him off, but he felt an intense wave of remorse flow through him.

“This is why we don’t place bets on another human being, hyung,” Jisung said softly.

Changbin chose to ignore his words.

“Let’s just go, Ji.”

The younger nodded and walked toward the bus stop with him. Changbin didn’t know how he was going to fix this one, but he knew that he needed to, with or without the bet.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hwang Hyunjin absolutely hated to admit that he was wrong. He has hated apologizing ever since he was a child. He rarely wanted to share something with another human being, and rarely said sorry when he took his toy back.

Seo Changbin was the metaphorical toy that he wished he could take back. He didn’t want the toy because he actually wanted to play with it. He wanted the toy because it was his

first

. He didn’t necessarily need the toy. He just burned on the inside every time he saw Changbin with another boy from afar.

The jealousy that wrapped around his intestines, and sank its claws into his heart turned him green with envy. When he rarely gave the producer a second glance before, looking after him was

all

Hyunjin could do now.

The stupid fact was that he longed for Changbin’s attention, even after

Hyunjin

was the one who stomped away. Jeongin had given him an earful about being rude to their new friends. The apology that he gave his brother was sincere. He was sorry that he ruined the night by how he reacted when he got upset. He didn’t apologize for being upset though, and that was a huge difference.

Changbin had tried to apologize over his Instagram DM’s, but Hyunjin didn’t even open them. The artist hid any time the shorter man popped by the cafe to try to say sorry once again. He came back to Haewon nearly everyday and at the same time.

That was a week ago. A week of Hyunjin running the other way. A week of Hyunjin wishing that somehow he were different and could just be

normal

about it all. A week of Hyunjin hiding in the small employee bathroom in the back hall.

Changbin started to bring different men with him every time that he visited the cafe. The first time he came post apologetic saga, Jisung was in his flank. He came back the next time with Jisung

and

Chan. Felix made an appearance on the next visit, excitedly talking to Jeongin who happened to also be there.

Hyunjin almost shit his pants when Lee Minho walked into the cafe, looking every bit like the god he was. His skin was actually perfect, not a pore in sight. Hyunjin was convinced you could put Minho under a microscope and it would not find anything wrong with him.

So Hyunjin might have a small celebrity crush on Minho. No one could blame him. Minho was one of the most sought after choreographers in the industry. Hyunjin knows because he’s been obsessed with dance, very secretly, since he was a child. He wanted to be burned alive on the spot. It couldn’t get worse, he thought. Hyunjin was wrong.

Kim Seungmin walked into the cafe with Changbin, and Hyunjin did lose his cool. He put decaf espresso in

both

of their iced americanos. They both were too loud; too much. Seeing them together made the monster in Hyunjin’s chest seethe and snap until he was consumed.

Changbin just nodded politely at Hyunjin before he walked over to sit down with Jeongin. Hyunjin wanted to actually scream out-loud. Jeongin sent his brother a very *stern look, *threatening, that had him stopping in his tracks. He still gave them decaf regardless of Jeongin’s eyes burning a hole into his head.

“Ya know, he didn’t mean it in a bad way,” Seungmin huffed, effectively grabbing Hyunjin’s attention. Hyunjin raised an eyebrow at his mortal enemy. “He’s a simple man, look at his biceps. I think that’s where his brains are.”

Hyunjin’s face scrunched up angrily.

“Changbin is one of the smartest people in school. Isn’t he currently excelling at his cushy dream job and in a Bachelors program all at the same time? Don’t insult him like that. Aren’t you his friend?”

Seungmin smirked.

“Oh, so you

do

care. Noted.”

“What do you want?” Hyunjin asked in a clipped tone.

Seungmin pretended to think for a moment. His eyes went straight to Jeongin on the other side of the room. Panic started to rise up inside of Hyunjin. He felt that same fear of getting hurt again turned into fear of Jeongin getting hurt again. It was excruciating.

“I want Jeongin,” Seungmin answered simply, matter of fact, as he always was. “I miss him. Hell, I even miss

you

. Well the…you I used to know.”

“Jeongin can

not

get hurt by you again. I mean it, Kim Seungmin. He worshiped the ground you walked on. He cared so deeply for you. He hasn’t cared about someone else like that, like ever.”

Seungmin’s eyes softened.

“I know…I know he did. I know I hurt him. I don’t wanna hurt him like that again.”

“I don’t trust you.” Hyunjin crossed his arms over his chest.

“Do you trust Changbin?” Seungmin challenged the other.

Hyunjin took a deep breath to keep himself calm. There was something about the producer that made Hyunjin want to trust him. He didn’t want to admit that out-loud to Seungmin, and didn't want anyone to hear. Changbin definitely couldn’t know something like that.

“I don’t

know

Changbin!” Hyunjin snarled instead.

Seungmin’s knowing glance was more than enough for Hyunjin to want the ground to swallow him whole.

“That’s not what I asked, Hyunjin.”

Hyunjin stole a glance over at the table to see that Changbin was already looking in his direction. The producer smiled softly and raised a hand to wave over. Jeongin turned to look in their direction as well. Hyunjin watched his brother’s eyes light up when he looked at Seungmin. Jeongin still looked at the other man the same, after all these years.

“I have a proposition then,” Hyunjin said instead of actually answering the burning questions. Seungmin nodded and relaxed his posture. “I’ll let you near Jeongin, and myself by extension, again….if you agree to tutor me for real this time,”

Seungmin pressed his lips into a tight line.

“In that case, I have one more request if you’re making demands.”

“You’re on thin ice already with this one,” Hyunjin stated, looking down at the melting ice inside of the Americanos.

“I want you to talk to Changbin again. He’s a good guy, Hyunjin. He’s a great friend,” Seungmin proposed.

Hyunjin scrunched his nose.

“He can come over himself and ask me,”

“Has he not been doing this all week? Throw him a bone. He’s like a brother to me,”

Hyunjin pressed his lips into a thin line. He snuck another glance in the direction of the table. He was glad to see that Changbin and Jeongin looked like they were deep in a conversation.

“Fine. Okay. Deal,”

“Pleasure doing business. He wants to ask you to come to our movie night this week. I already invited Jeongin and he said yes. We can have one study session right before and go together. I think it would be good for us,”

Hyunjin nodded as he watched Seungmin pick up the decaf drinks, regret twisting inside his stomach.

“Minnie, wait,” Hyunjin huffed out. The old nickname caught them both by surprise. “Let me remake those,”

Seungmin stopped and looked down at the drinks. He didn’t argue but handed them back over to Hyunjin. The barista sighed and went to work on making

actual

iced americanos. Seungmin didn’t ask why Hyunjin wanted to remake the drinks, and Hyunjin was seriously grateful for his silence. He worked quickly, making sure to make the drinks with the upmost care. He handed them over and Seungmin nodded at him before he went toward the table in the corner.

Changbin stayed at the table until the end of Hyunjin’s shift. Seungmin and Jeongin went to get food an hour or so ago. Hyunjin tried his very best to control his annoyed expression, but he remembered the deal that he made with Seungmin. It was for Jeongin’s happiness that he got Seungmin back in his life. Hyunjin didn’t want to hurt his brother more than he already had. He tried to not question why Changbin stayed behind too much.

Hyunjin sat down across from Changbin with another chocolate chip muffin to hand over. The producer looked completely shocked to see the artist in front of him. Hyunjin took in a deep breath before he released it and sat back in the chair. The cafe had a few more hours left before it closed. He didn’t wanna go home just yet, because he didn’t wanna interact with Seungmin anymore.

The pair sat in silence, the air around them a little thick. The peace that had settled came at a cost; both of them were scared to talk. They didn’t want to disrupt the delicate balance that they created. Changbin watched Hyunjin with worried eyes. He had been worried that he completely blew it last week. Hyunjin called it a trail run, and he had failed miserably.

“Would you like to come to our movie night this Friday?” Changbin asked. “I think Jeongin is already planning on coming,”

“I…don’t know how to do this,” Hyunjin admitted. “I don’t

do

this,”

Changbin’s eyebrows furrowed.

“What? Have friends?”

“Yes…no. I… yes I’ll go, and yes I don’t know how to have friends.” Hyunjin huffed. He looked down at his hands. “Changbin, why are you wasting your time on me?”

Changbin’s heart clenched tightly in his chest.

“Heyheyhey, none of that. It’s not…you’re not wasting my time,” He stated. He hated how his voice sounded. He sounded much better than he was.

Hyunjin looked up at the man across the table from him.

“What are we doing?”

“I thought we were becoming friends?” Changbin said cheekily. “Or we were until you bolted,”

Hyunjin nodded.

“Okay.” He stated. “I can’t promise that I’ll be good at it,”

Changbin laughed.

“Okay, how about we start over? Like pretend that dumb conversation didn’t happen?”

Hyunjin had nothing but that dumb conversation playing over and over again in his head. He looked around nervously, suddenly aware that people could see them together. Hyunjin shouldn’t have felt as scared as he did to be seen with someone like Changbin.

“Can we leave and go somewhere else?” Hyunjin asked instead.

Changbin nodded and stood up to gather all of his things.

“Sure,”

Hyunjin felt like he could breathe again once they made it outside of the cozy cafe. Changbin stayed a respectful distance away from the artist, because he was scared of messing everything up again. Hyunjin opened and closed his mouth several times, unsure of where to start exactly.

“I don’t want to start over,” Hyunjin huffed out quickly. “I just want to move forward.”

“I can deal with that,” Changbin admitted. “Why did I upset you so much?”

Hyunjin closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath.

“I’ve only had one other person say something like that to me before. He was an older art student and I was starting my first year. He was…attractive in a conventional sense. He gave me attention, and it was something I hadn’t ever had. He said he respected me as an artist. It was…very romantic at the time. It turns out, he just wanted to fuck me and steal my ideas. He did both, by the way,”

Changbin stopped walking.

“Hyunjin…I’m so sorry. That’s a shitty thing to have a partner do to you,”

“It’s in the past. I’ve dealt with it, mostly.” He admitted, wrapping his arms around his waist. “I felt…like I was suddenly back there. Like I was being played with by someone who was so far out of my league that I must be an idiot to believe that it was real.”

This is a bet. I’m so sorry

, Changbin wanted to say.

This is real,

He thought again.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Hyunjin,” Changbin whispered instead, because it was a real truth that he could still grab onto. “Shit..I’m sorry. I really,

don’t

want to hurt you,”

Hyunjin turned to look at Changbin. His heart was beating wildly inside his chest.

“I believe you, Changbin,”

Changbin’s foolish heart leapt out of his chest cavity and danced along the asphalt as they continued on their walk in a silence that demanded not to be broken now. A treaty was formed between the two, and Changbin was consumed by his guilty conscience. He had to call off the bet soon.

•••

Hyunjin didn’t think that he would be back in the library again, waiting for Kim Seungmin to show up. He must have been really losing it to ask Seungmin to tutor him again after the tantrum he threw. He really needed help in his English class and Seungmin was fluent. He was the best choice.

The nerves in Hyunjin’s stomach wouldn’t go away. He was too busy being worried about their movie night later to focus on much else. He let his leg naturally bounce up and down as he waited.

Seungmin and Jeongin arrived, hands linked and giggles spilling out of their lips. Hyunjin missed the memo that they were

actually

dating. He thought that it would take them much longer. It was like skipping scenes in a movie. The conclusion could usually make sense but he had no idea how he got there. The massive middle was missing.

Jeongin didn’t shy away from his, apparent, boyfriend the closer that they got to Hyunjin. Regardless of how his brother might feel about it, Jeongin wasn’t going to hide this part of himself. He

finally

got to have Seungmin. Hyunjin seemed to have formed some sort of truce with the English major, and that’s really the best case scenario for them.

Hyunjin found himself looking away when Jeongin swooped down to give Seungmin a quick peck on his lips. To Hyunjin’s utter horror, Seungmin was

blushing

when the other pulled away. He watched as his brother winked at the man in front of them and walked away into another part of the library.

“Don’t say a word,” Seungmin threatened, red cheeks getting impossibly redder. Hyunjin nodded his head, way too flabbergasted to even

think

about commenting on it. “Great, we’re gonna start with your essay on

The Taming of The Shrew

,”

Hyunjin scrunched his nose.

“Please spare me,” He begged. “That was a nightmare to write and even harder to understand the original.”

Seungmin nodded in understanding.

“I agree with you, for once. I think it’s outdated to read something that not everyone is fluent in. The translation doesn’t necessarily do it justice, but you did well with what you have. I’m just gonna go over the original with you, very carefully, so that you can re-write the essay for extra credit.”

“I repeat, why do I need this? I’m an art major,”

“Hyunjin,” Seungmin sighed. “You’re going to be working as an artist at a gallery. You’re

going

to have to know the references. Isn’t the gallery an international one?”

Hyunjin nodded.

“How did you know?”

“Unlike you, I look things up. That’s how I know them,” Seungmin teased sarcastically. “And Jeongin told me,”

“Of course he did,” Hyunjin smirked.

Seungmin was taken back by the sudden upturn of Hyunjin’s lips. He hadn’t seen his estranged friend smile in so long that he forgot what it was like. Seungmin wanted more than anything to have Hyunjin smile again. He wanted Hyunjin to be so happy that he didn’t try to hide himself behind snappy comments. He wanted better for his friend, and Seungmin was determined to help in any way possible.

“So in this first paragraph, you call Katherina pompous, but I think that the word you really meant was sharp or assertive. Being pompous doesn't equate to being shrewd. Shrewd is just another word for astute, or sharp…or clever. Katherina was known for her assertiveness,”

Hyunjin’s eyes lit up.

“Oh!” He laughed. “But, I thought she was a bit much. Doesn’t shrew mean like…catty?”

Seungmin nodded.

“Yes, but I would argue that Katherina wasn’t just catty, but she was intellectual and sharp with her judgements,” He agreed. He looked at Hyunjin up and down comically. “Like someone

else

we know, hmm?

“But that man, what’s his name, literally gas-lite her into the marriage and everything,” Hyunjin said, ignoring the other’s comment.

“

Exactly

, Hyunjin!” He said, happily. “Why didn’t you write that?”

“I didn’t want to be wrong,” Hyunjin admitted. “I wanted to not have to get a tutor, so I just thought I’d play it safe,”

“Petruchio, her husband, did manipulate her the entire time. He wanted a wife, but he wanted an obedient one that did everything that he said, which was very unlike her.” Seungmin broke down. “Write about that and how it made you feel in the essay.”

Hyunjin nodded and took his original copy from Seungmin. His teacher told him that he could be doing better than what he was. He didn’t really believe it and thought that he had done enough. It was funny how just half an hour with Seungmin and he was already seeing the assignment in a different light.

The two went over the rest of the play and media references to the original work. Hyunjin wanted to immediately start re-writing his original essay. He had ideas and thoughts floating around that he needed to get out. He was so focused that he didn’t even notice with Jeongin sat back down.

He purposely turned away when he saw them making heart eyes at each other in the library.

•••

“It’s off. The bet is off,” Changbin stated as he nearly slammed the money down in front of Minho. It was the night of their weekly movie night and he couldn’t bare to have Hyunjin in his home under any other pretenses than wanting him there. “I can’t do this anymore,”

Minho smirked, looking up at Changbin. He crossed his arms and settled back into the chair in the dining room.

“Can’t or won’t?” Minho asked.

“Won’t…both,” Changbin sighed. “He doesn’t deserve this, Min. I can’t parade around like I’m some god.”

“So you’re giving up? And I win?” Minho smirked.

Changbin sighed.

“Look, I still want to invite Hyunjin to all the things that we set before. I just want them to happen honestly. I don’t wanna feel like I forced his hand in any of this,”

Minho looked at Changbin carefully. He nodded his head and slid the money back over to Changbin.

“The bet’s off then, but keep your money,” Minho sighed. “I just wanted to see you get back out there. I didn’t want you to mope anymore about Mina. The best way to get you to do anything is by challenging you. I’m sorry too, we shouldn’t have done it,”

Chan sighed in relief.

“Oh thank god that’s done.” He stated.

“When did you walk in?” Changbin laughed.

“In the middle of you saying that you like Hyunjin,”

Changbin rolled his eyes.

“I wouldn’t say like. Care for, absolutely. I don’t know him super well, but we’re spending time together, I guess,”

“Stalking him at work doesn’t count,” Minho winked.

Changbin kicked his shin under the table. Minho looked stunned before his face transformed into the biggest, mischievous, grin he could muster. Changbin only had a moment to think before he was up and running away. Minho was faster than him, so it was no surprise when the dancer caught him. They both tumbled to the floor as the door slammed open. Chan yelled from the hallway for Jisung to be more careful.

Changbin pinned Minho to the ground and was attempting to wrestle with him when Jisung rounded the corner with Felix and Chan. Jisung made a very unhappy noise of surprise that caught both men who were wrestling off guard. Changbin looked up in time to see the hurt in Jisung’s eyes. Minho was none the wiser and kept trying to flip their positions so he could have the victory. Minho bucked his hips up, making it

look

like something else entirely was happening. Jisung shook his head and turned around to leave as quickly as he came.

“Ji! Wait!” Changbin called, getting up from a very confused looking Minho. “Jisung, it’s not what it looks like. Ji…c’mon don’t leave.”

Minho sat up slowly and looked around at his friends like they all had lost their minds. Felix looked incredibly upset and Chan looked about as lost as Minho felt. He slowly got up off of the floor and smoothed out his clothes.

Minho rounded the corner just in time to see Jisung’s upset face before Changbin was pulling him into a bone crushing hug. He couldn’t hear what Changbin was saying from where he was standing. The moment looked fragile.

Minho felt incredibly helpless as he watched Changbin comfort Jisung. It wasn’t surprising that Changbin was the one that people went to. He was just surprised that Changbin seemed to know more about what was going on inside of Jisung’s head than

he

did. He was surprised that Jisung was willing to cry in front of Changbin. He hadn’t even seen Jisung cry.

“Sungie?” Minho called. Jisung lifted his head and looked at him with a blank expression. “Please stay. We didn’t mean to upset you with our play fight. We called off the bet, and Changbin kicked me. So I had to defend my honor.”

Jisung clenched his jaw.

“Of course you think it’s that,” Jisung stated. He looked back at Changbin, looking for an answer. “Is it true?”

Changbin nodded and reached to hold Jisung’s hand in his.

“Yes. It’s true. I could never do that to you, Ji.” He stated. “Minho’s an idiot.”

Minho huffed.

“I’m literally right here!” Minho yelled.

Jisung ignored Minho and took a deep breath.

“Okay, I trust you,” Jisung sighed. “This has been really hard on me, hyung,” He muttered softly to Changbin.

“I know, Sungie. It will all work out though,” Changbin stated. “Do you wanna go to my room for a bit? Until everyone arrives?

Jisung nodded and stepped back from Changbin’s hold. He was only wearing one shoe, and the laces were haphazardly tied. Changbin laughed and kneeled down to help Jisung out of his shoe. Minho stood behind them, not moving a muscle as he watched the scene unfold. Something burned, but he didn’t know what it was.

Jisung stepped around both of them and disappeared down the hall. Changbin heard his door click shut and sighed out heavily. He ran his hand through his hair and pushed it back from his forehead.

“What was that all about?” Minho asked Changbin. “Is… are you interested in him?”

Changbin furrowed his brows.

“Oh…Min. Please get that out of your head okay? I’ve never liked Jisung like that and I won’t start now. Just… don’t. Okay?”

Minho nodded, but jealousy really wasn’t listening to him. Still, he pressed on.

“Okay,”

They were saved by the doorbell ringing. Changbin’s face broke out into a wide grin. He really hoped that Hyunjin would keep his word about coming tonight. Jeongin had promised that he would try everything in his book to keep his brother from backing out. The younger clearly thought that his powers of persuasion were to not be messed with. Changbin wasn’t sure about that, but if Hyunjin actually showed up, he might be inclined to agree.

“Hey,” Changbin breathed out quickly when he answered the door.

Hyunjin looked startled on the other side.

“Hi,” He said softly.

“Hey, hi, hello, get the hell out of the way so we can come in,” Seungmin huffed, lightly shoving Hyunjin inside.

Changbin moved out of the way of the door so that all three of them could pile in. Seungmin had his normal messenger bag on his shoulder and Jeongin holding his hand.

“Shoes go there on the rack,” Changbin pointed over. “Uh…you can put your backpack in my room, Hyunjin,”

Hyunjin looked up, startled at the offer.

“Oh, I don’t…it’s okay. I can just leave it here?” He questioned.

Seungmin rolled his eyes and lightly tugged Jeongin on into the hallway.

“It really isn’t a bother. I’ll take you there, and you can collect your thoughts in there if you need to,”

Hyunjin resisted the urge to say something snarky. He did actually

want

to be here. He nodded his head instead. Hyunjin turned around to see

Lee Minho

staring at them with his arms crossed over his chest. The artist tried his best not to show that he was scared or intimidated by the other. He bowed, like he was supposed to.

“I’m Lee Minho,” He stated. “I’m Changbin’s best friend, so I have to warn you not to hurt a single hair on his incredibly muscly body, okay?”

Hyunjin swallowed the fear.

“I’d rather not touch him with a ten foot pole, actually,”

Minho smirked.

“I like you, you’re snarky.” He stated.

Hyunjin shrugged.

“Take’s one to know one,” Hyunjin threw back. “I’m Hwang Hyunjin.”

Minho winked.

“I know who you are,” He stated. “We’ll be in the living room, Bin.”

Changbin nodded and lightly grabbed Hyunjin’s elbow to steer them into the direction of his room. Hyunjin tried to keep the surprised look off of his face when he saw how massive the house was. He figured that it had to be big to have three grown men living there. Hyunjin just didn’t think that they would be living in such luxury.

“Jisungie’s in my room, so just leave him for a bit,”

Hyunjin frowned.

“What happened?”

Changbin grimaced.

“There was a misunderstanding and it looked kinda bad. I…he should tell you if he wants. It’s kinda not my place. But we use my room as his panic room when he needs it,”

“That’s….oddly endearing,” Hyunjin nearly laughed.

“Thanks,” Changbin smiled softly before they stopped at the door. He lifted his hand and knocked three times, rapidly. “Ji, it’s me and Hyunjin. Is it okay if he comes inside to drop off his bag?”

Jisung didn’t move from the bed and instead texted a quick “yes come in” to Changbin. He was still a little embarrassed from his out-burst just a few minutes ago. Changbin opened the door slowly, taking in his friend with the black hoodie pulled over his knees. Jisung was sitting in the middle of Changbin’s bed, and his eyes looked a little red.

Hyunjin looked around the room nervously. It was much cleaner than he thought that it would have been. The bed was made neatly, even with Jisung on it, and the floor was clear of all clothes. Changbin had his dirty laundry neatly in the bin, and his trash wasn’t over-flowing. It was nice to see that the other actually did take care of himself.

There was something out of the corner of his eye that caught his attention. Hyunjin turned around quickly and gasped at the sight. There, on the wall adjacent from the bed, hung Hyunjin’s painting. He walked closer toward the canvas. Emotions started to fill him up, overflowing from every pore on his body. It was his joy painting. It was the one he painted when he thought about how maybe, one day, he wouldn’t be so alone in the world.

Hyunjin whirled around to look at Changbin. The producer looked like a deer in headlights. He slowly started to approach Hyunjin like he was a wild animal.

“Isn’t it nice? Hyung got it at the pavilion a few weeks ago. He saw it and instantly had to buy it. The dummy didn’t even look at anything else,” Jisung supplied, making the moment feel a little lighter than it was.

Hyunjin’s eyes roamed every part of Changbin’s face.

“You bought my painting?”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“You bought my painting?” Hyunjin asked, a confused look plastered on his face. Jisung was watching them stare at each other from his place in the middle of Changbin’s bed. “How?”

Changbin felt guilty, even if he didn’t know that it was Hyunjin’s work before purchasing.

“Yes,” He said back softly. “I didn’t know it was yours until after though,”

Hyunjin laughed, shaking his head.

“The universe has a sense of humor. You’ve been stalking me.” He said, smile slowly gracing his lips. “I know that you couldn’t have known it was mine…unless you bribed the other art students.”

Changbin shook his head.

“I couldn’t do that,” He admitted. “I just got it quickly.”

“The others told me that the person who bought it didn’t have to think very long before they did…” Hyunjin admitted. His face contorted in confusion. “I just…this is weird,”

Changbin pressed his lips together in understanding. It

was

a little strange.

“I’ll…just give you a few minutes here,” He said instead. Hyunjin got that look on his face that screamed

gotta blast

, before he usually bolted. Changbin didn’t want Hyunjin to feel confined by him, but he did want him to stay. He gave a small nod toward Jisung before he quickly left the pair inside his room.

Hyunjin dropped down onto the bed with a groan. He put his elbows on his knees and rested his forehead on them. His long hair cascaded down his arms, nearly in knots from how much he was tugging at it lately. He wanted to scream. He wanted to run out of the room, out of the house and as far away from Seo Changbin as he could possibly get.

Jisung watched as Hyunjin faced an internal battle, fighting all of his urges to reach out and pull the other into a hug. If it had been Felix or Seungmin, he wouldn’t have hesitated. Felix was

always

looking for a cuddle. Seungmin was always more reluctant, but he never turned Jisung down when he needed it. He questioned what the right thing to do was. Hyunjin always looked like he was ready to scream

get away

, but Jisung couldn’t help but feel that the other desperately needed a hug.

“I panicked because I saw Changbin and Minho wrestling,” Jisung admitted out-loud.

Hyunjin stopped tugging at his hair and lifted his head to look over his shoulder at the other.

“What?”

“I walked in when they were wrestling on the ground, and it looked like they were actually grinding.” Jisung sighed. “Now that I said it out-loud, I feel really stupid,”

“That

is

really fucking stupid,”

Jisung winced.

“Okay,

ouch

,” He huffed. “Minho bucked up and it looked bad, okay?”

Hyunjin turned so that he was facing Jisung. He carefully put out his legs in front of him.

“I’m not good at this,” Hyunjin said instead of apologizing.

“I noticed,” Jisung tossed back, dryly. “I got so upset that I wanted to leave, but Changbin chased me down and quickly settled me. At least enough for me to come to the panic room,”

“Why did you get so upset?” Hyunjin asked.

“You’re about as clueless as Minho,” Jisung huffed. “I’m sickeningly in love with him and he’s deliberately choosing to ignore me. It hurts, and well…Changbin is his best friend. I wouldn’t have been too shocked if it was real,”

Hyunjin nodded.

“Sometimes I need my own space like that when things get…intense,” Hyunjin admitted. “I have a painting room in the small apartment I share with Jeongin. Sometimes I hide in there until the anxiety stops. Sometimes I wreck things that I’ve created to make it better,”

The younger one looked up at Hyunjin in shock.

“Does that work? Wrecking them?”

Hyunjin shook his head and tucked his legs up to him, mirroring Jisung’s position.

“Never,”

Jisung laughed softly, the sound making Hyunjin’s lips twitch into a smile.

“Thanks,” Jisung sighed. “That made me feel less…pathetic,”

“Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s still pathetic to hid from Minho like this,” Hyunjin sighed dramatically. “I just…get it, I guess.”

“Ha ha ha.” Jisung stated sarcastically.

“You’re a good looking guy, Jisung,” Hyunjin rolled his eyes. “Don’t let whatever you feel for Minho stop you from thinking positive things about yourself,”

“How in the hell are

you

good at this?!” Jisung snorted, unfolding his legs. “Also it’s fucking

Minho

,”

Hyunjin groaned.

“I know, okay. He’s hot. I can’t even pretend like he isn’t a top tier,”

“Hey!” Jisung laughed, kicking Hyunjin playfully.

Hyunjin laughed in response to Jisung’s teasing. Jisung was made from the same cloth, they were one in the same in many ways. Hyunjin did recognize that in the other from the first time that they met. They might have very different personalities and ways of expressing it, but they shared so much. Hyunjin found that it was

easier

with Jisung than it had been with other people.

“I guess I should go show myself now,” Hyunjin sighed. “Will you come with me?”

Jisung
got up and walked toward the door with a new goal in mind.

“Of course! What else are friends for?”

Friends

. Hyunjin had only had one friend before, if you didn’t count Jeongin. He wasn’t used to being invited to things with a group of people. He wasn’t used to having someone else to talk to about things that felt a little too big to say out-loud. But there was Jisung, proclaiming that they were already friends. Then there was Changbin, sweet,

patient

, Changbin who declared that Hyunjin needed friends.

Jisung was walking out of the room before Hyunjin could spiral too much. He got up and followed the other man before his brain could convince him that this was a really bad idea.

Hyunjin kept his pace slow to keep his brain from going into overdrive. It was so incredibly easy for him to back out of the movie night. He knew he could get to the door before Jisung really figured out that he had left. But Hyunjin took a deep breath and kept moving one foot in front of the other. Jisung turned around and gave him a small, quiet smile that made Hyunjin want to keep moving toward the others.

Hyunjin quickly said hello to everyone and everyone shouted quick hellos back to him before resuming what they were doing. Like Hyunjin already belonged with them.

Felix was pushing up Chan’s hair into a little sprout pony tail at the top of his head. The older watched the younger affectionately, even as Felix’s eyes narrowed in concentration. His nose scrunched as he tried forcing the curls to obey his directions. The oldest of them just laughed along, happy to oblige the man in front of him. Hyunjin had to look away, because he felt like he was interrupting something incredibly private.

Jeongin was sitting on the floor, leaning back in between Seungmin’s legs as the other sat on the couch. Seungmin was lightly running his hands through Jeongin’s hair while the youngest listened to whatever Minho was talking about. The dancer was criss-cross in front of Jeongin, showing him photos that were unrecognizable on his phone. Jeongin was cooing at whatever was being shown on the screen.

Hyunjin’s heart twisted when he saw Changbin standing off to the side, staring at the screen in front of him. The producer looked like he was deep in thought, most likely scared of Hyunjin’s reaction. He didn’t want Changbin to worry about him like this; like he mattered just as much as all of his friends in this room did. He didn’t want to be a burden to Changbin.

Jisung squeezed Hyunjin’s shoulder before the artist could spiral any more than he already had been. Hyunjin nearly jolted, turning toward the smaller man. Jisung offered him another smile before jumping into the scene before them. He sat down next to Felix, and cuddled into his back. Felix just laughed, briefly gave Jisung a hand squeeze, before going back to Chan’s hair.

“I’m glad that you’ve decided to stay,” Changbin said softly. Hyunjin wasn’t surprised that the other was already there with him. “The panic room works,”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes.

“The verdict is still out. It could change before the end of the night, Seo Changbin,”

Changbin was not supposed to look at Hyunjin like he said the most romantic thing on the earth. His smile started out slow, but he was full on giggling before Hyunjin could even blink for help. Hyunjin watched as the producer’s eyes crinkled shut in happiness. His straight, perfect, teeth were bright even in the dim living room lights. Hyunjin’s heart sped up as Changbin’s arm muscles bulged when he crossed his arms over his stomach to stop the laughter. Hyunjin had to quickly get out of dodge. He moved as fast as he could to snag the empty space in between
his mortal enemy (Seungmin) and newest ally (Jisung.)

Anything

was better than getting caught in Changbin’s orbit.

“Now that we’ve all decided to actually show up, Chan hyung can start his stupid movie,” Minho said, voice falling into a hint of boredom. He had moved toward the loveseat that hadn’t been occupied yet.

Chan still laughed loudly at his friend, moving to look around Felix.

“Minho, you

love

staring at Ryan Reynolds just as much as we all do,”

Minho rolled his eyes playfully and tugged at Changbin’s hand until the other was moving to sit down beside him.

“Yes, Christopher, but we’ve seen it a

thousand

times already!”

Chan huffed.

“Okay okay, none of that. It’s Channie hyung’s birthday. It’s his choice, we all agreed to that,” Felix sighed, turning to give his biggest, prettiest eyes at his older brother. “It’s your choice soon too, hyung. We all agreed,”

“Okay, my birthday was literally last week,” Chan sighed. “But I guess so since Changbin canceled last movie night.”

“Exactly! And your party hasn’t happened yet, so hyung, pleaseeeee keep your promise to Chan,” Felix pouted again.

Jisung nodded, turning to

also

give Minho his biggest pout.

“Yeah, hyung. You promised,”

Hyunjin watched in horror as the man he thought he really knew turned to do the exact same thing. Seungmin even cupped his face for good measure.

“Hyungggggggggg, pleaseeeeee,” Seumgmin joined in.

Minho blanched at the combined power of the three and pretended to start retching over the side. Changbin’s laughter roared through the room, and nestled its way into Hyunjin’s heart. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to never hear it again or if he wanted to find ways to make sure that he always made Changbin laugh like that too.

“Honey, the kids are taking after you,” Minho said sarcastically to Chan. Changbin’s eyes widened and he roughly elbowed Minho in the side. The dancer punched him in retaliation. “You

ass

. Sorry, I meant Channie hyung the babies said that they chose your side and I must not argue,”

Jisung rolled his eyes and mumbled something that Hyunjin didn’t quite hear.

“Okay, Babies huddle then.” Seungmin sighed.

“You can’t just kick us out right now, Kim Seungmin,” Chan huffed.

To Hyunjin’s surprise, Felix crossed his arms over his chest.

“Sorry, Channie hyung. You know the rules. Babies honor,”

Changbin stood up and half dragged Minho into the kitchen with a sulky Chan following them. Hyunjin’s eyebrows knitted together in concentration as Felix and Jisung moved to the floor in front of the couch.

“Okay, Hyunjin, welcome to the Babies,”

“That has to be the dumbest name I’ve ever heard for…whatever this is,”

“Shush.” Felix stated, zipping his lips animatedly. “We have a code here. If we call a “Babies Huddle” then the hyung’s have to automatically leave. And…I’m sorry Jeongin but that includes you as well.”

Jeongin turned around to look at Seungmin.

“For real?”

Seungmin nodded.

“I’m sorry, Innie. It’s the rules. You can join the hyungs,”

“I don’t wanna. They probably only talk about protein shakes and what girls are hot,”

“He’s not half wrong,” Jisung laughed. “Sorry good sir. We will send word once the meeting is finished.”

Jeongin got up and headed toward the kitchen without any more resistance. Seungmin shifted his position and turned in toward where the other three were sitting.

“We call it a Babies Huddle because we’re all born in the same year,” Seungmin supplied. “It started off as a joke, because when Minho and Changbin were in high school, they’d be mega annoying about calling us small babies. We got sick of them saying things like “i’ll tell you when you get older” and such. So we made our own thing.”

“We also all went through a phase where we called each other baby as a joke because they both had boyfriends.” Jisung laughed. “So now we’re just….each other’s baby.”

“We use it exclusively when we want to talk about something serious or when we want someone’s time,” Felix added. “Like…. I’ll look at Jisung and say ‘Baby, let’s go for a walk’ when I wanna talk.”

Jisung nodded.

“Or ‘Baby, I miss you’’ when we want to convey that we want one on one time,”

“Or like we just did, ‘Babies Huddle’ which means that we need a meeting with just the babies. They all have to abide by it, because it’s been in place for

at least

ten years,” Seungmin added. He looked at Hyunjin apprehensively. “So uh…welcome to the club, Baby.”

“I don’t think I want to be a baby, thanks,” Hyunjin huffed. “No offense,”

Felix laughed and tackled Hyunjin and Seungmin to the couch. Jisung laughed and jumped on top, effectively squishing Hyunjin under them all. Felix’s small hands made quick work at tickling Hyunjin until he was actually giggling himself. Seungmin laughed in delight and joined in on the fight.

“Take it back! You’re baby now!” Jisung yelled, going toward Hyunjin’s feet.

Panic that could only be connected to tickling made Hyunjin make some desperate calls.

“OKAY! I'll take it back! It’s revoked!”

Seungmin smirked.

“Ohhhhh fancy word. I don’t think he means it though,”

“Kim Seungmin!” Hyunjin sneered as Jisung got closer to his socked feet. “I mean it! I do!”

“Say it louder!” Felix shouted, tickling Hyunjin viciously. “Proudly!”

“I’m BABY!” Hyunjin yelled. “I’m baby! Baby please stop tickling me!”

Seungmin, Jisung and Felix all stopped tickling Hyunjin. The oldest of the four stopped laughing and was able to finally catch his breath. He watched as the three of them shared a secret glance with each other before he was once again being tackled, but this time with hugs. Hyunjin tried his best not to squirm underneath them. He didn’t know if this was what

normal

friend groups did, but he was sure it was unique to them.

The three finally got up off of him and settled back into their respective spots. All started to catch their breath.

“Mandatory Babies sleep over at our apartment tomorrow night,” Jisung stated. “I have a code Mango,”

Hyunjin huffed, because really, what in the

hell

has he gotten himself into? He saw the concerned faces of the other two and figured that it had to have something to do with Minho. Something that Hyunjin wasn’t entirely privy to, but would be soon. If he survived the movie night.

“Perfect, now let’s watch this movie. The quicker it’s over the quicker we can watch that new drama that came out,” Seungmin stated. “Sungie call them,”

Jisung huffed before bellowing out-loud that the meeting was over. Hyunjin covered his ears and slid down into the couch further. He didn’t want anyone to notice how red his face had gotten; how happy he was. He felt so much like a pretender, like an impostor. He didn’t know what the right protocol was for things like this. Hyunjin must be doing something right, because Jisung squeezed his hand as he settled beside him and he decided that it wasn’t the worst form of affection.

Changbin watched Hyunjin far more than he’d admit out-loud. He kept glancing over at the younger, just to make sure that he was comfortable. The artist did look uncomfortable at first, but over the course of the night, he started to loosen up. Hyunjin even began sharing snacks with Jisung and whispering together during some parts of the movie. Changbin was elated that Jisung had taken Hyunjin into their friend group so quickly. Even Seungmin and Hyunjin seemed to have started on the mend to their fractured relationship.

Felix was the first one to fall asleep, thus breaking the after drama watching plans. Chan lightly ran his fingers through the blue hair as the movie came to a close. Minho pretended not to notice the affection that poured from Chan to his little brother. He pretended that he didn’t see the way that Felix always looked at Chan in return. Jisung watched Minho like his heart was breaking into pieces. Minho never noticed. Seungmin kept whispering something sweet to Jeongin, making the other look at him with hearts in his eyes.

Hyunjin watched this all happen, and was shocked to see that Changbin was too. The credits played but no one wanted to make a move to get up. The atmosphere was comfortable and calm, much like coming home. Maybe this could also be Hyunjin’s home.

•••

Changbin paced nervously outside of Haewon Cafe. Hyunjin was still inside, nearly done with his shift. He had gotten the artist to agree to eat with him before he dropped Hyunjin off at the Babies Sleepover. Changbin didn’t have high hopes, but Hyunjin was slowly starting to surprise him.

Changbin still felt guilty about how everything had started with them. He knew that while he had technically already met Hyunjin, that this bet business would eventually come out. He wanted to tell the younger, he

needed

to tell him. Hyunjin didn’t deserve to be in the dark. Changbin just didn’t know when or how to start that conversation.

Changbin no longer felt like an obsessive stalker, but like they were actually becoming friends. Hyunjin was opening up to him, and even allowed him to walk him home the night before. Seungmin kept his witty comments to himself, but his sharp eyes filled with mirth anytime Changbin flirted accidentally.

The cafe door opening made him jump at the bell. He quickly apologized to the college students walking out. With a red face, he ducked into the cafe to wait instead. Pacing in front of the door no longer seemed like a good idea.

Hyunjin’s eyes didn’t move from the customer in front of him, but he nodded in Changbin’s direction in acknowledgment. The artist had his long hair in a low bun today, a much more put together style than usual. Hyunjin had been seemingly putting more effort into how he looked as of late. It was subtle, but the lack of paint stained clothes made an impact.

Changbin had to keep telling his heart that Hyunjin wasn’t trying for

him

. He had to remind himself that Hyunjin needed a friend more than a lover. He kept reminding himself that he didn’t need to be involved with anyone right now anyway.

He kept reminding himself, but his traitorous heart never listened to him anyway. He kept telling himself that whatever was happening was too fragile. He couldn’t just dive back in when he didn’t know how deep it went.

“Let me grab my bag and I’ll be right there,” Hyunjin called from behind the counter. He didn’t wait for Changbin to respond before he was out of sight. The other baristas were trying their best not to look nosy as they started at him. He thought it would be over by now, but Hyunjin having a friend seemed to be big news to a bunch of students with too much downtime at work on their hands.

“Ready?” Changbin coughed awkwardly when Hyunjin finally appeared from around the counter. His usual bag was slung over his shoulder, but he wasn’t toting around his latest art piece this time.

Hyunjin nodded and led the way out of Haewon. Changbin found their silence nice. Sometimes the best part of his day was when he could say absolutely nothing and it was still comfortable. His brain was still working from the sessions he had with Jihyo. They hit another road bump this week, and he only wanted to

not

think about it anymore.

“Should we just get ramen?” Hyunjin asked out-loud as they walked closer to a small convenience store.

Changbin huffed.

“Babies night usually includes a ton of ramen. I want you to eat something other than that. Ya know, with actual nutritional value?”

Hyunjin scoffed.

“My body is ready for ramen, Changbin,”

“Too bad,” Changbin winked, and lightly steered Hyunjin away from the small corner shop the tall man nearly snuck into. “C’mon let’s go for fried chicken,”

Hyunjin stopped and raised an eyebrow at him.

“Fried…. Chicken?”

“It’s good on the occasional dinner!” Changbin defended. “You need it, Hyunjin. You’re wasting away.”

“That’s the most bullshit excuse I’ve heard from you yet,” Hyunjin sighed dramatically. “But if my hyung is taking me, I guess it’s a treat,”

Changbin rolled his eyes.

“Of course it’s a treat for you,” He stated. “You’re a broke art student,”

Hyunjin retaliated by smacking Changbin’s bicep,

hard.

The producer pretended that Hyunjin’s smack had done more damage than it actually did. Hyunjin’s laughter filled the space between them as Changbin kept whining about the pain he now had to endure.

“Oh my god,

shut up

,” Hyunjin laughed, clamping his hand down over Changbin’s mouth. Changbin’s eyes widened as he looked up at the artist. Hyunjin had a playful look of annoyance on his face, not the one that used to take over his features. The light was slightly reflecting off of his glasses, which were slightly tilting down the other’s nose. A few, very long, strands of hair had fallen out of Hyunjin’s low bun.

Changbin felt that familiar stirring in his stomach. He felt that urge to touch Hyunjin’s pillowy soft looking lips. He nearly did, several times. Every time Hyunjin ate a pastry and got flakes of it, Changbin nearly dared to wipe it off. He wanted so badly to reach up and lightly brush his thumb over Hyunjin’s lips. He imagined how red the taller would turn if he did. He imagined that Hyunjin would close his eyes softly at the contact, or maybe even press a kiss to the pads of his fingers.

Changbin wretched himself away awkwardly, out of Hyunjin’s grip, and continued walking. His cheeks felt entirely too warm, but Hyunjin’s maniacal laughter behind him let him know that he got the reaction that he wanted. Changbin just knew that Hyunjin didn’t know

why

he had panicked. He tried his best to keep his cool before he did something incredibly stupid, like kiss Hyunjin silly.

Hyunjin jogged to catch up and knocked into Changbin playfully. He felt lighter than he had in a while. He didn’t know what to call this really, this thing that’s starting to feel like comfort, between them. Hyunjin was just starting to feel more comfortable. He was terrified most of the night before at the movie night. He thought that maybe he’d really messed it up, but he felt accepted. Hyunjin had felt like maybe he really did belong with them. He didn’t feel as nervous about the sleepover as he did when they first mentioned it.

“This is it,” Changbin stated, motioning toward the hole in the wall chicken restaurant that Hyunjin had probably walked by a thousand times. “Have you been here before?”

Hyunjin shook his head, a slight pout on his lips.

“No, but I’m getting really hungry,” He stated.

“Me too,” Changbin laughed, opening the door for the younger.

“Hyung, you’re always hungry,” Hyunjin whined as he walked through the door. He left Changbin to sputter in the doorway while he grabbed the menu to look at what they offered.

Changbin huffed and joined Hyunjin, because he wasn’t entirely wrong. Hyunjin took some time to deliberate what he wanted. Changbin instantly knew what would be good, so he started to order first. He paused to look at the man beside him and saw a look of nerves on his face. Changbin hated that look.

“Order whatever you want. However much you want. I’m buying, Jinnie.”

Hyunjin’s shocked eyes turned toward Changbin. They both knew that he was more shocked about the impromptu nick-name than the offer of paying for them both. Hyunjin was too shocked to argue so he simply ordered what he had been eying on the menu. He stayed in his own head a little as Changbin paid and went to choose a spot for them to sit. He chose a booth by the back wall, far from other patrons.

“Why are you always so nice to me?” Hyunjin asked after they had cleared most of their plates. He looked toward the window to see that the sun was starting to lower in the sky. Soon they’d have to go their separate ways, but it was nice being together like this. Hyunjin really

liked

being around Changbin. “You have so many friends around you that just…do more for you than I can.”

Changbin’s eyebrows furrowed. Before he could second guess himself, he reached across the table and took Hyunjin’s hand in his own.

“Didn’t we have this conversation before?” He asked, confusion coming through his voice. “Hyunjin, I just like you, okay? I want to be your friend. You look like you needed a friend, or like six. Ya know, since we all kinda come with a big bundle. It’s just…ya know when you feel like….bridge between people?”

Hyunjin leaned forward as he nodded. He turned his hand around slowly, until he could properly hold Changbin’s hand back. His mind was yelling at him to run, but he forced himself to stay put. He was doing that a lot, making sure that he wasn’t running on sight.

“Yeah…”

“I felt that with you,” Changbin admitted. “I felt like, I dunno, Jinnie it sounds really stupid. But I felt like it was supposed to be you, you know? You were right there when Mina and I broke up. You just…you were drawing me before even speaking to me. It’s like you knew that I’d come over to you. It felt like I knew that I’d go to you as well. Does any of this make any sense to you?”

Hyunjin nodded his head.

“I couldn’t understand why someone like you could have such sadness in his eyes,”

Changbin’s heart clenched tightly.

“I think you’re one of the few people that I couldn’t fool from the start,” He admitted. “I like being around you, Hyunjin. All the…attitude and all,”

Hyunjin huffed and took his hand back. He wrapped his arms around himself as Changbin’s laughter filled the air.

“You just had to ruin it, didn’t you?” Hyunjin joked.

Changbin’s eyes crinkled.

“Can’t you just say that you like me too?”

Hyunjin’s nose scrunched up. He quickly moved his glasses up back to their proper place on the bridge of his nose. He moved the strands of hair out of his face as he watched Changbin’s face carefully. The other’s eyes tracked every movement that he made. Hyunjin hadn’t noticed; had Changbin always been like that? Had he always had his focus on Hyunjin with such intensity that it felt much deeper than the casual thing it appeared to be?

“I like you, Seo Changbin.” Hyunjin sighed out. “I like you so much,”

Changbin’s eyes crinkling in happiness was a sight that Hyunjin longed to paint.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Changbin kept good on his promise to take Hyunjin to Seungmin, Felix, and Jisung’s apartment for the Babies Sleepover. The bus ride was entirely too short for either of their liking. Hyunjin kept slowing down just to prolong his time with Changbin. The producer said nothing, just walked slower and complained that Hyunjin was still walking too fast.

Hyunjin complained about how heavy his bag was until Changbin offered to carry it for him. After the third time complaining, Hyunjin handed over his things, and took up carrying his takeaway bag himself. Changbin’s chest puffed up with pride that Hyunjin let him carry his things for him. He joked with the artist as they strolled under the setting sun at a pace that would have been considered entirely too slow for anyone else.

The apartment was barely a block away now, and Hyunjin was already late. They both picked up their pace when Jisung had texted Hyunjin to ask if he was getting there anytime soon. Changbin was already on thin ice when it came to canceling plans, so refrained from asking Hyunjin if he wanted to stay with him instead. He had a feeling that Hyunjin would have said yes.

Jisung nearly gave him a verbal beating when they arrived at the door ten minutes later. Changbin raised his hands in surrender while Hyunjin kicked off his shoes. Felix and Seungmin could be heard singing girl group songs, loudly, in the kitchen. Changbin nodded goodbye to Hyunjin and promised Jisung that he wouldn’t be that late dropping off Hyunjin ever again. Jisung shooed him away, taking Hyunjin’s bag from him, and shut the door before Changbin could say anything else.

Changbin caught a taxi back home, and thought about how much he still wanted to touch Hyunjin’s lips the entire time. Ever since he figured out how bad he had it for Hyunjin, it was getting harder and harder for him not to scare the artist off. He thought that Hyunjin would have left for sure after he grabbed his hand

Minho and Chan were sitting on their large sectional when Changbin got him. Chan was adoring his classic black beanie, and his face was hidden directly into Minho’s side. The dancer was reading on his phone and absent mindedly stroking up and down Chan’s back. Neither of them stirred when he sat down near their feet and flopped back on Chan’s lap.

The three of them cuddling together was rare, much more rare than seeing Minho smiling at Seungmin with pride or having Jisung latch himself to Chan’s back. Those things did happen, but typically no one else was around to witness it.

“Is this what we’ve come to when the babies are missing?” Minho sighed. “Three large potatoes?”

Chan sighed.

“Speak for yourself, I’m a happy potato,”

Changbin nodded.

“Hyung’s right, I quite like being a potato,”

Minho groaned and put his phone down beside him on the couch. He reached up to stretch before yelling so loudly that Chan moved a little bit away from him, or as far as he could go.

“We should go shopping for Chan’s birthday party,” Minho stated. “It’s literally next weekend”

Chan sighed and moved to sit up fully, knocking Changbin into Minho’s legs in the process.

“It could have been this weekend, if you didn’t have that shoot to do,”

Minho’s eyes narrowed.

“And I told you not to plan your birthday around me and my schedule,” He said firmly. “ Especially since it got canceled!”

“Boys, boys calm down,” Changbin laughed gleefully.

Planning Chan’s birthday party had caused quite the conundrum with all of them. They had originally planned to have it on the weekend before, but that had been the weekend that Seungmin was starting his new tutor position. They decided to put it on the weekend after his birthday, the current weekend, but Minho had a video shoot with a new group to film. Chan had wanted to make sure that everyone could make it, but Minho wanted Chanto be able to celebrate as close to his actual birthday as possible.

Chan had been incredibly stubborn and rented out a club, on the fourteenth of October, out of spite to make sure everyone could make it. He didn’t care that it was nearly two weeks after his actual birthday. He just wanted everyone there. It was incredibly funny to see the metaphorical smoke come out of Minho’s ears when Chan told them the plan. It got even funnier when his shoot was canceled and moved for a few days later because a group member got sick.

“The point is that we get to do it together,” Chan laughed playfully. “The babies will be mad that we went shopping without them,”

Minho rolled his eyes.

“They think that we can’t do anything for ourselves,” Minho stated. “I mean I literally dress you two most of the time. Don’t they trust my judgment?”

Changbin laughed.

“You have a point, they probably don’t trust your judgment.”

“Okay Himbo number one!” Minho laughed. “You’d just wear gym clothes!”

“He’s not wrong, Bin.”

“And you, Himbo number two, only own black everything. This is a nice club that we’re renting out. We actually have to look good or they have the right to kick us out,”

Chan’s eyes widened.

“They can’t….can they?”

Minho nodded sagely.

“They can and they will,”

“It looks like we need to get a move on then,” Changbin huffed. “I don’t have any club worthy clothes. I’ve got like nice…but not that kind of nice, ya know?”

“Okay, let’s go shopping. I’m gonna ask Jeongin if he’d want to come as well. The poor thing got left out of the Babies,”

Chan and Changbin wore matching, cringing faces.

“Yeah, that sucks. Give him a call,”

“Okay, now get off of me. We have shit to do and people to see,” Minho huffed.

Changbin and Chan quickly scrambled off of Minho and went into the kitchen, where it was safe. Minho didn’t take particularly long on the phone, but when he got an idea, sometimes he got a bit bossy. The two waited until Minho was walking into the kitchen and declaring that it was time to go before they did what they were told. Jeongin, bless him, was in for a real treat. Changbin quickly, and willingly, handed Minho his car keys.

“You have a car ?” Jeongin shrieked in lieu of saying hello when he met them outside of his apartment building. “Why have we been walking everywhere if there’s a car?!”

Minho chuckled, and motioned for Jeongin to put on his seatbelt instead of offering up an answer.

Changbin sighed, the truth would come out sooner rather than later.

“It’s mine,” He admitted. “I just..look I got really used to not having a car for the first few years in Seoul. I actually like walking,”

“Changbinnie likes to think he’s saving the planet by commuting with us,” Chan teased from behind him.

“Hyung!” Jeongin whined. “I hate walking. I never wanna walk again. Please, have mercy on me and my poor legs,”

“It won’t work, Jeongin-ah,” Minho called, voice filled with laughter. “We never take the car when it’s all of us, because there’s never enough room. He’d rather all go together, the sweet baby.”

Changbin rolled his eyes, but he didn’t deny the truth. He absolutely did prefer when all of them could go somewhere together. It was easier than trying to have half of them take the bus and the other half go with him in the car. It wasn’t easy to corral all six, now eight, onto a bus but it was easier than this. It felt more fair, as well.

Jeongin quickly jumped from the car subject to his school subjects. It was funny just how open the younger sibling was compared to his brother. Jeongin was snarky, like Hyunjin, but he had an openness about him that the other lacked. Jeongin was more likely to share details of his life, but just as unlikely to let you dig around in his personal business.

However private Jeongin was, he opened up immediately about Seungmin. Minho teased the youngest about dating their former baby of the group. Jeongin took it all in stride and even made fun of not only Minho being single, but all of them being single. Changbin roared in laughter at the youngest as he ribbed Chan for wasting his abs when he could be with someone new every week. Changbin forced himself to bite his tongue and to absolutely not insinuate Felix as the reasoning behind that particular subject.

Changbin thought about Hyunjin, about the shift that might have possibly, maybe, started to happen either that afternoon. He hoped that there might be something new to come out of it. Hyunjin did say that he liked him. Changbin wanted there to be more, to know more. Hyunjin was just so hard to read at most times. He felt that Hyunjin also didn’t want their time to end when it did. That had to count for something right?

He was knocked out of his thoughts when Minho started to tug him toward an expensive looking shop to find something suitable to wear for the party. Jeongin had declared that he was in charge of Chan’s outfit, because he believed that the abs needed justice. Chan was tugged off by Jeongin, looking increasingly panicked the further he got from Minho and Changbin.

“You should try this shirt on,” Minho said, holding up an almost sheer, black short sleeve button up. Changbin shrugged and reached out for the hanger. “What vibe are you going for?”

“I dunno, you’re the one dressing me, hyung.” Changbin laughed. “I was just gonna put on a nice t-shirt,”

Minho groaned and looked to the ceiling like it had all of the answers.

“I was thinking maybe making you look nice, like you might be dressing up for someone,” He said coyly, hand lightly running along the shirts on the rack. “You might have wanted to look good for one of the babies…”

“Minho,” Changbin groaned. “I told you, I’m not into Jisung like that. Let it go already,”

“I was talking about Hyunjin,” Minho clarified, taking a moment to swallow the feelings that were starting to rise up in himself. “But if you want Jisung-”

“For fuck’s sake, Minho.” Changbin stated, turning abruptly to face his best friend. “Would you have a problem with me if I did have a crush on Ji? I don’t know how many times I have to say that I don’t like Jisung before you will believe me. I don’t even know why it bothers you so much, but I have a few ideas,”

Minho took in a sharp breath and turned to look back at the shirts.

“I think we should stick to black, or maybe even this blush color. The pinks really look great on you,”

Changbin reached forward, slowly grabbing into Minho’s elbow.

“Min, c’mon. Talk to me,” He begged. “What’s really going on here?”

Minho was silent. Changbin was no stranger to Minho’s long pauses while he gathered his thoughts on whatever it was that they were talking about. He just had never been so anxious to hear exactly what Minho was going to say. Changbin isn’t stupid and he was usually right when it came to his best friend. He just didn’t want to push the other into a corner.

“I…Jisung just deserves the world, okay?” Minho said finally. He picked up a few more shirts to hand over to Changbin. “He deserves someone who would treat him really well. I know that you would treat him well, Binnie. It’s not a you thing exactly. It’s just…”

Changbin’s eyebrows furrowed as he took in Minho’s body language. He was moving nervously. His body was starting to turn away from Changbin, a sign that he was really shutting down. His hands slightly shook as they added more shirts to the pile hanging over his arm.

“It’s just that you think no one will be good enough for him,” Changbin finished.

Minho nodded once, looking at his friend once before turning away. It was all Changbin needed to see the look of fear in Minho’s eyes.

“I feel the same about Felix, and even Seungmin,” Minho defended. “Here try these on,”

Changbin nodded, lips pressed tightly together. Minho didn’t leave room for him to argue, walking away to another section to find himself something to wear. Changbin took a deep breath and turned to walk to the dressing room. There wasn’t going to be a follow up conversation, Minho would definitely make sure of that.

•••

Jisung wasted no time in dragging Hyunjin further in the modest apartment. Hyunjin barely shoved his feet into a pair of new slippers, purchased just for him, when Jisung was already leading the way. They had a simple gold framed mirror hanging up in the entryway, along with a shoe rack on the wall that held several pairs of slippers.

The small space was decorated nicely, using every inch of space possible to make it look bigger; broader. Hyunjin liked the pale blue that the walls were, much unlike the yellowy cream of the outside hallways. The color felt calming in a way that maybe the blue would have made him sad a few years ago.

“Felix and Seungmin are in the kitchen,” Jisung said, voice carrying over the girl’s voice that was coming through a speaker somewhere. “They're baking brownies. Have you baked brownies before?”

Hyunjin’s eyebrows pulled together.

“I can’t say that i’ve ever done that before in my life,”

Jisung’s eyes lit up.

“Perrrrfect. Lixie loves teaching newbies,” He admitted before abruptly walking again toward the loud music and even louder voices.

Hyunjin felt like he must have walked into a portal toward an alternate universe. The small kitchen was being occupied by both grown men, dancing around to a song that Hyunjin thought could have been Blackpink.

Felix was twerking enthusiastically in the middle of the kitchen, an oversized shirt pulled up to reveal a perfect set of abs. Seungmin was busy doing the full-on choreography, complete with hair flips and pouty lips. Hyunjin promptly turned around to leave, but was stopped by Jisung. The smaller man was surprisingly strong as he maneuvered Hyunjin to a stool at the island to the side.

“Hyunjin!” Felix yelled once he realized that the other man had finally arrived. He reached over to his phone to turn down the volume. Seungmin stopped dancing and walked over to check the temperature of the oven, as if nothing was happening. “You made it,”

Hyunjin forced out a smile.

“Changbin made sure that I made it here, personally,” He said instead of saying something rude. He really didn’t want to hurt their feelings, even if he was starting to second guess his place here. “I didn’t want to interrupt,”

Seungmin laughed.

“Don’t worry, Felix will twerk again at some point,” He stated. “It’s how he keeps his figure,”

Felix rolled his eyes.

“I study hip-hop dancing and I found a love of twerking, okay? Sue me,”

“You have no money, baby,” Seungmin sighed dramatically. “The oven is ready now,,”

Felix’s eyes widened.

“Perfect! Hyunjin, have you ever made brownies?”

Hyunjin slowly shook his head, scared of whatever might come next.

“No,”

“Okay! Great, come help me stir the batter again. You can taste test if you want too,”

“I thought I was gonna get too,” Jisung whined.

The blue-haired boy rolled his eyes and wagged a finger at Jisung.

“You eat soooo much of it every time. I banned you, remember?” Felix stated. “Plus, it’s his first time here. You can tell us all about the code Mango while we do it,”

Jisung groaned and let his head fall dramatically to the table. He wanted to forget all about the stupid reaction he had the night before. He just couldn’t get it out of his head, even if it was an entire misunderstanding.

“What exactly is a code Mango?” Hyunjin asked, oblivious to the sudden damper on Jisung’s mood. That or he didn’t care much about the other’s existential crisis.

Seungmin smirked over at them. He reached for the bluetooth speaker, and shut it off so that Jisung could have their full attention. Anytime one of them, usually Jisung, called a code, it was the protocol to stop almost everything for the other.

“A code Mango usually is a code Minho,” Felix answered. “We came up with it because Minho is actually allergic to mangoes,”

“Just like he’s allergic to Jisung’s affections,” Seungmin said solemnly.

“Hey!” Jisung cried, picking his head up. “We agreed not to be mean during codes, Kim Seungmin,”

To Hyunjin’s utter surprise, Seungmin quickly dipped a spoon in the batter and walked over to feed it to Jisung. The producer lapped up the batter quickly. Hyunjin was sure that he’d never look that cute or endearing while licking up chocolate. It was unsettling how adorable Jisung looked.

“I’m sorry, baby.” Seungmin admitted. “Please continue with the code Mango.”

Felix lightly grabbed Hyunjin’s elbow and directed him to stir the batter while Jisung grumbled about it. Felix was about to chastise his friend when the other finally started talking about what happened the night before. Hyunjin half tuned him out, because he got a front row seat in the panic room. He also felt like he was still intruding a little bit, even if they all deemed him worthy to be here.

“I just…he’s so stupid sometimes,” Jisung huffed out. “I’m always gonna be this….child to him. He’s never going to treat me any differently and I really need to get that through my thick skull. I swear I make up too many scenarios in my head where Minho suddenly pushes me against the wall and has his way with me. He’s not going to do that,”

Felix grimaced at the words.

“While I totally support Minho railing you into next week, he’s still my brother,” He huffed.

“Right, sorry Lix,” Jisung sighed. “I just can’t keep having these moments, ya know? I feel unhinged,”

Hyunjin chuckled a little bit. Everyone turned to look at him. He felt like maybe he shouldn’t have laughed.

“What is it?” Felix asked.

“It’s just…you look unhinged too,” Hyunjin admitted. “Like…mentally unwell.”

“I am mentally unwell!” Jisung cried, causing everyone to laugh.

“I just mean…maybe getting over Minho would be the best thing for you,” Hyunjin said softly, much softer than he had spoken to someone in ages. “It’s….baby, it’s sad to see you like that,”

Seungmin’s face beamed in pride at Hyunjin using the term of affection.

“I know, okay,” Jisung huffed. “I plan on getting over him. That’s why I called the code Mango. I need an operation to get completely and utterly over one Lee Minho.”

“Good luck with that,” Seungmin mumbled under his breath.

Felix shot a glare at Seungmin and wrapped his arms around Jisung’s shoulders.

“I’m proud of you for taking this step, Ji,” He admitted. “Anything you need, like at all. We’re all here. Babies honor,”

Jisung smiled sadly at Felix.

“Thanks, guys.” He huffed, looking between Seungmin and Hyunjin. “I think I’ll be able to hook up with Minhyuck again, at least,”

Felix’s eyebrows wiggled.

“Oh he’s so fine . I approve. If he wasn’t Channie’s friend, I would have tried to get him to pound me ages ago,”

Hyunjin choked on his own spit, causing them all to laugh once again.

“That’s all that you’re gonna do?” Hyunjin laughed. “But it didn’t work before?”

“I was only horny before,” Jisung explained. “Now I’m horny and sad. It’s perfect,”

“I don’t think that’s how that’s supposed to work, Sungie.” Seungmin sighed. “Historically speaking, what you’re doing rarely brings the results that you actually want. If you really, truly, want to get over Minho, it’s going to take some time. You’ve already admitted your feelings to him. There’s really nothing much else you can do. You just need space, Jisung.”

Hyunjin’s heart clenched in his chest as the joking smile on Jisung’s face slowly began to fall. He was nodding his head in agreement, but it must have taken a lot to get him to that place. Hyunjin was over-taken by emotion. He was struck once again, by how incredibly wrong it was for anyone not to fall in love with the other man. Jisung was one of the kindest, a bit abrasive, people that he’d ever met.

“I don’t know why Minho doesn’t see what we all apparently see in you, Jisung,” Hyunjin spoke before he really realized he was talking. “But you’re worth so much more than…whatever this version of yourself is. It’s really…sad. And that’s coming from me,”

Jisung’s eyes watered for a moment, before he was blinking them again. Felix’s hold tightened on him once more before he pulled away to look down at his friend.

“Hyunjin’s right,” Felix admitted, tossing a small smile the artists’ way. “Minho is gonna be Minho about it all. You should try to really move on this time, for yourself. You have so much to give to others.”

Jisung’s lip wobbled.

“Thanks,” He mumbled.

Felix pressed a small kiss to Jisung’s forehead before he tore himself away from the other. He went back to the mixing bowl that Hyunjin had abandoned in an effort to make sense of what was going on. Seungmin was the next to approach Jisung, hugging him tightly before moving to help Felix. Hyunjin only moved out of the way of the oven, but he didn’t move to comfort Jisung. He knew that if it was him in that situation, he’d want to not be touched. Something told him that Jisung had enough of their attention on him as it was.

Seungmin had asked for Hyunjin’s help with the bulk making of the ramen after the brownies were in the oven. Felix and Jisung had moved to the living room to start pulling out different assortments of skin care products. The two of them worked in the silence, like they used to when they were kids. Seungmin didn’t hover over him; Hyunjin didn’t address him with any other questions. They found a common ground, building up a new-found peace in their rocky history. Even when Hyunjin was starting to get annoyed, he had to remind himself that this was for Jeongin.

Hyunjin was floored by how easy it was to weave himself into the dynamic that was already present. His history with Seungmin surprisingly helped instead of hindered. He found himself shifting back into an ebb and flow with the other man. They were tentative friends again, and silently it was making Hyunjin happy. He was so tired of being angry, that he didn’t realize how exhausted that it had made him.

Hyunjin found it easiest to be in Felix’s presence. Felix was the least judgemental person he ever met. He didn’t look at Hyunjin like he suddenly grew an extra head when he admitted to never having a skincare routine. Felix simply smiled, picked up each product and explained them all to him. Seungmin and Jisung were too busy finding cute headbands for all of their hair to make comments. Hyunjin let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding when Felix didn’t make any snide remarks.

Jisung was the most like him, Hyunjin thought for the thousandth time since entering into their apartment. He was a little on the quieter side than he thought the other man would be originally. Jisung could be loud, but that wasn’t his natural state. He explained his lack of talking came from his natural, somewhat melancholy disposition. Jisung was sunshine, but he was also rain clouds. The man was happy with who he was, something that Hyunjin greatly admired and envied.

“So just leave these on for how long?” Hyunjin asked, trying his best not to move his mouth while they spoke.

“Twenty minutes, or until our skin has absorbed most of it,” Felix explained, wrapping his arm around Hyunjin’s. “Relax with me,”

Hyunjin nodded and allowed himself to be pulled back into Felix’s side on the old couch.

“Do you still have the hair appointment tomorrow?” Jisung asked as he was putting the face mask on Seungmin’s face.

“I do,” Felix confirmed. “You’re more than welcome to go with us, Hyunjinnie,”

“We’re gonna be shopping for Chan’s birthday party,” Seungmin said, trying to keep his mouth mostly closed like Hyunjin did. “If you didn’t wanna sit with Lix at the salon,”

“I mean…I’ll go?” Hyunjin said, sounding unsure of what the right answer was.

“Have you ever thought about cutting your hair, Hyunjin?” Felix asked innocently.

Hyunjin couldn’t get mad at Felix for asking such a simple question. He found himself bristling. He had to remind himself that Felix didn’t know why his hair was so long. He had to remind himself that Felix wasn’t asking to make fun of Hyunjin; he was asking because he was naturally curious. Felix wouldn’t bully him for something like that.

Seungmin took in a deep breath and didn’t dare to move as he watched the pair. He had been a witness to many verbal beatdown’s that Hyunjin had dished out to bullies when they were younger. He knew that Hyunjin’s hair had always been a source of a sore subject for him. Things were going really well, he didn’t want it to get messed up just because Felix didn’t know. He braced himself to defend his friends, just in case.

Seungmin was grateful when Hyunjin took a deep breath and replied in a soft voice, no anger leaking out into it.

“I…my mom used to cut my hair, because she passed away. I keep it long because…” Hyunjin took a deep breath. “Well it’s really silly actually. I-”

Felix squeezed Hyunjin’s thigh quickly.

“It’s not silly if it affects you,” He interrupted. “I’m sorry, please continue,”

Hyunjin nodded.

“My mom was the last person to cut my hair, besides Jeongin. He helps me keep it trimmed up. But…my parents were killed in a car accident when I was young. I think I used my hair as like a coping mechanism. It’s weird, but…it’s mine. I like to think all of the therapy has helped, but I still refuse to let Jeongin cut more than an inch at a time,”

Felix’s eyes filled with empathy.

“Do you think that’s because you’re scared of losing Jeongin too?”

Hyunjin made a shocked sound in the back of his throat, that traveled up and bellowed out like a laugh. Felix squeezed his hand this time. The blue-haired man turned to look at Seungmin and Jisung before they all were surrounding Hyunjin/

“Probably,” He laughed. “No one but my therapist has ever dared to say that to me before,”

Felix shrugged.

“I am minoring in psychology,” He admitted. The man reached forward to smooth down the facemask around Hyunjin’s mouth. “You’re not alone anymore, Hyunjin.”

“Felix is right,” Jisung muttered, easily wrapped his arms around the artist’s waist. “You’re not alone. We’ve got you. You’re one of us, Hyunjin.”

Seungmin rested his chin on Jisung’s shoulder.

“We got you baby.” He stated.

Hyunjin crying in front of all of them, face mask on and walls around his heart down, was certainly not on his bingo card for his first slumber party.

•••

Hyunjin shifted from one foot to another nervously. Felix was already sitting down in the chair just a few feet away. Jisung and Seungmin had gone off to go shopping for things to possibly wear to Chan’s birthday party. The anxiety that he felt being in the salon was nowhere near as high as he thought that it would be. Still, he was nervous.

“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to, Jinnie,” Felix said from where he was sitting.

Hyunjin nodded and looked at the stylist that was patiently waiting for him to decide if he was going to get a haircut or not. Hyunjin’s heart was beating too fast for him to make a real, rational decision.

“I…I need Jeongin here if I’m gonna do it,” He admitted. He looked at the stylist. “I’m sorry, really,”

“Do you want to book an appointment this week? I can squeeze you in,” She said with a smile. She looked like she wasn’t trying to freak him out.

“I…okay,” He said weakly. “My brother…he’s always said that I should go blonde,”

Hyunjin wasn’t sure why he said that out-loud. He blamed the nerves on that much. The stylist got a devilish look on her face as she sized him up. Hyunjin didn’t feel uncomfortable at that moment, which was another win. She looked excited to be working with him.

“We can do a strand test for the bleach now and see what you might want to do later this week?” She offered. “I’m okay with that if you are,”

Felix’s eyes gleamed with pride as he watched Hyunjin interact with the stylist.

“I…yeah, sure. Can my friends come too?”

The stylist beamed.

“Of course they can. Felix and his friends have been coming here for ages.” She stated. “Do you wanna get to the chair for the test?”

Hyunjin took a deep breath and nodded his head once.

“Yes,”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Changbin folded his hands in front of him, perching his chin on top of them. Jihyo had just nailed the song’s vocal run on her third try. This session, contrary to the ones they had been having, was going extremely well. The singer was hitting her timing perfectly.

Chan was pleased as well, grinning from ear to ear as his head booped to the playback. Jihyo was smiling and dancing along inside of the studio. Jisung was on a quick coffee run for the producers, but they couldn’t wait to show him the track.

Changbin was nervous about the rap parts that the girl insisted on doing herself. They had tried to convince her to bring in a rapper from the company, all three nervous due to their experience so far. She had executed the rap well, but the playback proved that a stronger verse was needed. If Jihyo insisted on doing it, then she would need to put in more work.

“What do you think, Bin-ah?” Chan asked, turning to look at the man beside him.

Changbin sighed and leaned back in his rolling chair.

“It’s good, but it’s subpar,” He admitted. “Her rap is throwing the entire thing off.”

Chan nodded, looking at the singer in the booth. The song was still playing on the second verse for her.

“I agree,” Chan sighed. “She’s not bad at the rap part though. I just don’t know how to tell her that it needs a different touch,”

Changbin nodded his head as he watched the artist carefully. She was so strong by herself, there was just something missing. He didn’t know how to break it to her, especially after all of her hard work. This was part of the process that he absolutely hated the most. He hated looking at the artist and telling them that their best just wasn’t good enough. He felt more so because Jihyo had been a tenacious force since the start of this project. She was putting everything into the album.

Jisung quietly entered into the studio with their coffee, as well as a water and dairy-free smoothie for the singer. He sat down on the chair on the other side of Chan.

“Can you play back the rap part again?” Jisung asked. “I just caught the end of it,”

“Sure, we need your opinion anyway.” Chan sighed. He reached to turn off the music in the singer’s headphones and leaned forward to give her a heads-up. “I’m running it all over again for Jisung,”

Jihyo beamed brightly, sending an enthusiastic thumbs up back to the producers. Chan restarted the entire recording for Jisung to hear. Changbin let his eyes roam carefully over Jisung’s facial expressions. If Jisung had any ideas, they would know in an instant. The younger one was a bit of a genius for parts like this. His musical abilities sometimes stunned Changbin into silence, which was hard to do.

Jisung reached forward and pressed a button to stop the music. He reached into Chan’s space, making the man roll back a little, and pressed the intercom button.

“I’m coming inside, is that okay?” He asked. “I’m gonna do the rap so you can get a feel for the flow of it all,”

Changbin smirked slightly as Jisung jumped up from his chair and made his way into the studio. Changbin himself had done the guide, but Jisung was probably the perfect fit for the section. Chan huffed a laugh as Jisung demanded that they start recording again. The two watched their friend in awe, as he used his own special style to put the spin on the rap. Jihyo’s eyes widened as she watched the producer. She refused to look away from him, even when he finished.

Chan laughed, as he finished recording the part.

“Now that was perfect,” He mumbled. He looked at Changbin slowly. “Should we play it for them?”

“I think this might be the actual winner, Channie,” Changbin sighed, smiling widely at the two others behind the glass. “We just have to convince Jihyo,”

Chan nodded, and let the two know he was going to press play. Changbin leaned forward once more, eyes laser focused on the two inside the studio. Jihyo started to dance around to the song, and before long she was grabbing Jisung’s hands to dance with him as well. Jisung laughed, eyes crinkling and head tossed back. He looked so happy to be creating music like this. He danced with Jihyo and twirled her around the small recording space.

Jihyo stopped dancing when Jisung’s voice came through with the rap. She turned her sparkling eyes on the young producer, watching his face for any sign of a reaction. Jisung was still dancing and laughing, rapping along to his own voice inside. Changbin’s heart twisted when he finally saw how Jihyo was looking at Jisung. She wasn’t going to need a lot of convincing.

The song ended and the two conversed on the inside of the studio before the woman was taking off the headphones to place them on the rack. Together they both walked into the studio space, still laughing like they were inside. Chan turned around in his chair and laughed with them. He was always unable to resist laughing with others.

“So, what did you think?” Changbin asked Jihyo.

The woman smiled shyly.

“I think that Jisung-ah would be a great addition to the song.” She admitted. “I know you both wanted to push for a feature, but I think he’s a really good choice,”

Jisung’s eyes got really wide.

“Oh…Noona, no. I don’t think I could do that. I’m…I’m just working on the songs right now. I’m a little more than a glorified intern.” He said, shaking his hands.

“Please, Sungie?” She nearly pouted. “It would really mean a lot to me if you did this. It just makes sense to me,”

Jisung chewed on his lips.

“How…how about we try it with BamBam first and see how that goes? If you still like mine, then I won’t…you can use me as a feature.” He stated. “Really, I’m just Jisung,”

Jihyo stepped up and grabbed both of his hands on her small ones. Jisung’s face got as red as a tomato. She peered up at him, barely shorter, and fluttered her eyelashes for a moment.

“Please?” She asked softly. “I’ll agree to letting BamBam record. But I want you on my track, Jisung,”

The producer sputtered for a moment, much to the shock of the other two in the room, before he was nodding in defeat.

“You have my word. If you like me better, I’ll be on the track.”

Jihyo jumped excitedly for a moment. She tossed her arms around Jisung and hugged him tightly. The younger man forgot how to breathe for a moment, with someone like her wrapped around him so tightly. He hugged back quickly, before the singer was putting space between them both.

“Are we done for today, then?” She asked.

“We are done,” Changbin smirked slightly between the two of them. “Good work today,”

Jihyo winked and picked up her drinks that Jisung brought.

“Jisung-ah, walk me out?”

Jisung’s face was bright red, but he nodded and walked the woman out of the studio. The moment that they were gone, Chan and Changbin’s laughter roared. The artists flirting with them sometimes really came with the territory. They were used to it after the first few years at the company. Jisung was still so green; so fresh. He had others flirt with him plenty of times, but this level was definitely new to him. Chan knew that he’d have to give the younger man a talk about the expectations moving forward, but he would let Jisung have this one moment. If the poor man didn’t figure it out now, he’d never learn.

“He has no idea what that was, does he?” Chan laughed.

Changbin shook his head.

“Not a clue behind those bright eyes,” He joked.

Chan nodded toward the studio.

“We have time, wanna knock out some demos?” Chan asked, which in Chan speak meant go in the booth, now, please? Changbin was happy to get back in. He took a long drink of his iced Americano, which he shouldn’t have done, and popped over into the booth. He pulled up his notes on his phone, but got distracted by a text message from Felix, asking if he could use the credit card for an emergency. Changbin said yes quickly, but made a mental note to ask Felix what the said emergency was.

Changbin got into his flow easily. It was second nature to him to be able to rap like this; like it’s an extension of himself. He found his words easily as he rapped the piece that he started in the cafe those few weeks ago. Inspiration had really worked for him and suddenly Doodle was an actual song. He had laughed for a solid five minutes after he finished the official lyrics. He had never meant to turn it into something, officially , like this where he would record a demo.

Changbin’s mind drifted to Hyunjin as he continued to rap. If Chan noticed his focus wavering from the recording, the other man said nothing. He thought about the Hyunjin that he first met. He was so different now, even if he still wasn’t fully open to him. Hyunjin had sent him a message a day ago saying that he needed a little bit of space for a few days. He claimed that it was because all of this was a little too new and it was a little too fast. Changbin said that was fine. He hadn’t heard from Hyunjin since.

Jisung did tell Changbin and Chan that Hyunjin was blending in beautifully to the Babies. Hyunjin was spending time with them when he wasn’t working at the cafe or at school. Changbin thought that maybe this was why he also hadn’t seen him. Hyunjin was the type of person to focus on one thing at a time. If he got overwhelmed, Changbin probably would have taken the brunt of it.

It didn’t make it easier on Changbin to know that Hyunjin was likely avoiding him on purpose. He had asked Hyunjin to go to Chan’s birthday party with him, but he had yet to see a reply. Changbin kept telling himself that it was because he was busy. It was because he had a lot on his plate. Hyunjin still liked him, Changbin had to keep reminding himself. He didn’t want to admit that he missed the artist.

Maybe Changbin felt left out, because Jisung seemed to know exactly what was going on. He wanted to call Hyunjin; just to hear his voice. He kept thinking that maybe Hyunjin found out about the bet that he made. Maybe Hyunjin didn’t want anything to do with him anymore, but was too polite to say anything.

Changbin had to shake himself out of the spiral that was happening. Hyunjin was not the type to just go completely ghost. If Hyunjin had enough of Changbin, the producer would have been the very first to know. If Hyunjin didn’t want to ever see him again, then Changbin wouldn’t be moping about in the studio wondering what went wrong. He would know, and he just had to trust that there was a reason for whatever is happening right now.

“I think that’s good, Binnie,” Chan called over the microphone after he finished recording the track. “Let’s go get some food,”

Changbin was hungry, and who could turn down food at a time like this? He quickly went into the room to scoop up all of his things while Chan made sure everything was saved. Chan grabbed his laptop while Changbin gathered all of Jisung’s things that were left behind. The pair moved quickly outside, but stopped suddenly when they saw a pacing Jisung in the hall. He was on the phone with someone, taking in hushed tones. The pair stayed back to give the man some space.

Jisung jumped when he realized that they were there.

“Hey! Wow, way to scare a man,” He joked. “Is that my stuff?”

Changbin furrowed his brows.

“What’s wrong, Ji?” He asked.

“Everything is apparently wrong, hyung,” Jisung rolled his eyes. “The shirt that I wanted to wear for Chan hyung’s party was clean, but one Kim Seungmin accidentally tossed it into the dryer and it’s absolutely trashed now. Felix is freaking about what to get Channie and well…the others are…that’s a bit complicated,”

Chan’s face dipped to look more and more concerned.

“Jisung, are you okay? Are they okay?” He asked. “Is anyone hurt?”

Jisung pouted.

“Just my pride, hyung,”

“Anything of substance, Ji?” Changbin teased.

Jisung raised his hand to punch his friend when his phone started vibrating again.

“Ugghhhhhhhh,” He groaned. “Apparently this is all a big ole Code Baby.”

Changbin couldn’t help but feel like Jisung might have been lying, just a little bit. Chan nodded in understanding while Changbin handed over the tote bag. Jisung bowed to them before dashing off toward the elevator. The two looked at each other for a moment before they were walking back to their offices to gather all of their belongings. Jisung’s jumpy behavior could be digested at a different time.

The producers had messaged Minho about joining them, but his dance class was running a bit later. He made them promise to bring him takeaway, leaving the two of them alone. Changbin ordered enough meat for two people. Chan ordered just the right amount for one person, but he’d probably try to bring some off of Changbin’s plate.

Changbin watched Chan as he talked about how excited he was to see people that he didn’t usually get to see again. He was happy, beaming with a wide smile and dimples on display. Changbin desperately wanted to ask Chan about Felix. It was rare that the two of them really got to eat alone, without prying eyes. He noticed the way that the other reacted whenever Jisung mentioned the blue-haired man.

“Hyung?” Changbin asked softly as the other cooked the meat for them over the grill. Chan didn’t look up, but hummed so that Changbin knew he was listening. “When are you gonna make a move on Lix?”

Chan’s smile turned into a line of pressed lips.

“Can we not talk about Felix right now?” He asked, turning over a few pieces.

“We never do get to talk about him,” He said softly. “Minho…he’d be upset, but he cares more about Felix’s happiness. He cares about your happiness as well,”

“Look, I can’t do that to him, Bin.”

“Chan, no bro code is worth both of you being this miserable,” Changbin huffed, bending his head down slowly to try to catch Chan’s eyes. “Felix is utterly crazy for you,”

Chan moved some of the finished meat onto Changbin’s plate.

“It’s too messy. There’s too many…Minho would hate me if I hurt Felix. I can’t do that to him. You know that I love you guys too much to jeopardize that,”

Changbin doesn’t exactly know what overcomes him, but he knows that he’s utterly angry on Felix’s behalf.

“You can’t just call that love!” He exclaimed. “You can’t say that you love someone so deeply while you’re putting them through this much turmoil. Felix is miserable because he can’t tell you how he feels. He hates not making a move because of his brother, but it’s mostly because of you . He knows that you’d reject him, regardless of how you feel about him. Please, hyung. Don’t do what Minho’s doing to Jisung to Felix.”

Chan’s eyebrows furrowed.

“I…what’s Minho’s doing to Jisung? What?” He stopped moving. “Felix is in love with me?”

“Jisung has confessed to Minho, only for Minho to reject him. He won’t acknowledge that Jisung loves him. And it’s killing Ji, Chan. He’s being ripped apart because of it. Felix won’t say anything to you, because he’s scared that you will do the exact same thing. I don’t know how Jisung is gonna recover from this. Haven’t you noticed? He doesn’t hug Minho anymore. He barely looks him in the eyes. He won’t come over just to spend time with hyung anymore.”

Chan finished putting the meat onto their plates in time for more meat to show up. They both thanked the waiters and went back to grilling.

“I…I really didn’t notice it until you said it,” Chan sighed out. “Does Felix genuinely feel that way?”

Changbin gave him such a dry look, that Chan burst out laughing. Changbin rolled his eyes and took the tongs away from Chan so that he could cook some meat while Chan got to eat.

“You know he does. So please just…do something about it,”

“I will, soon.” Chan sighed. “After my party. I promise, I’ll talk to Felix.”

Changbin nodded his head and handed over meat. At least he could help in this way.

•••

Jisung tossed himself onto the couch in the lobby of the salon the moment that he got there. Seungmin looked up from the novel that he was reading to acknowledge his existence. It had not been easy, evading Chan and Changbin to make it here. He knew that at some level, they must have caught onto his little white lies. Felix had told him to make something up, because he had already asked Changbin to borrow the limitless credit card for their endeavors. Felix had to remind him that it was for a worthy cause.

Jisung took out his notebook and started jotting down some lyric ideas while they waited for the rest of the babies and Jeongin to finish up. Jisung knew that somewhere in the salon, Hyunjin was getting a make-over. Felix and Jeongin had been there for emotional support. Seungmin showed up after one of his other tutoring sessions and made himself comfortable in the lobby.

“Do you think this is going to take much longer?” Jisung asked. “I’m starving,”

Seungmin rolled his eyes and barely looked up from his book.

“Felix said about another hour,”

“Cool, I’m gonna go pop over and grab some coffee. The usual?”

“Thanks, baby,” Seungmin mumbled, concentrating back on the book in front of him.

Felix popped over just as Jisung left to let him know that Hyunjin was nearly done. Seungmin didn’t bother telling Felix that he’d just missed Jisung before he was turning around to head back to where Hyunjin was in Minji’s chair.

Hyunjin was a mess of emotions. He had been banned from seeing his reflection until the stylist was completely done. Jeongin’s jacket was placed carefully over the mirror, making sure that Hyunjin couldn’t catch a glimpse. Felix and Jeongin themselves were placed strategically so that Hyunjin couldn’t see himself in any other mirrors that surrounded him.

The stylist, Minji, had to scold him more than once for bouncing his leg up and down as she tried to style his hair. She gave Jeongin a full rundown of what Hyunjin’s new hair routine should look like. His brother was taking notes with great focus, making sure that he got all of the details down. He made sure that he got the correct names of all of the products that she was also using.

His hair was finished, but now she was fussing with his face. Felix watched with pride in his eyes and took several photos to send to the Babies chat. His excited squeals were a bit distracting, but Hyunjin couldn’t find it in himself to be crabby about it. He was much too nervous to see the results. He even refused to look at the floor to see just how much of his hair was down there before she swept it all up. He just knew that it was much lighter than before.

Hyunjin wondered how long he could avoid Changbin before one of them caved. He was trying to stay strong, honestly, for the sake of the plan . The babies had concocted a plan to surprise Changbin with the make-over. Seungmin had said that nothing would make Changbin fall to the floor faster. Hyunjin felt so foolish for going along with the plan. He hadn’t spoken to him in days, and he missed the other’s presence so much that it felt unnatural.

Hyunjin did need to respond about Chan’s party though, lest Changbin revoke the invitation. He had voiced his concerns to Felix, who just cooed at him instead of responding, but he hadn’t texted back yet. What if Changbin did change his mind? What if Hyunjin was making a huge mistake in thinking that Changbin would be happy to see him after the lack of communication. What if…what if Changbin wouldn’t like him anymore?

“Okay, I’m done,” Minji stated, moving backward and looking over Hyunjin carefully. “Oh darling, you look like a doll. You’re so beautiful. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of this,”

Hyunjin felt himself getting a little emotional at her declaration. No one had ever, truly, called him beautiful. No one had taken the time to make Hyunjin really feel that way either. He could tell before he even saw himself that he did look beautiful. He saw it in the pride beaming on Felix’s face. He saw the way that Jeongin’s eyes looked suspiciously wet from tearing up.

Time felt like it was slowing down when Jeongin and Felix started to move out of the way. Hyunjin slowly put back on his glasses. Minji turned around and slowly took off his brother’s jacket from the mirror. The gasp that he heard when she moved out of the way came from his own lips. Hyunjin’s eyes roamed greedily over his own reflection. He felt like he was seeing an alternate reality in his reflection.

Gone was his flat, below his chest length hair. His hair was now cut right above his shoulders, lightly feathered layers falling effortlessly. His hair was now a pearly, ashy blonde. The part was just slightly off center, but Minji said that it could be changed easily to the side. She cut the pieces around his face to frame it nicely. She was sure to compliment his bone structure a thousand times.

Hyunjin slowly stood up and walked closer to the mirror.. He was in shock of his reflection; seeing himself up close was so different. Now that he could see the details more clearly, he understood why his brother was tearing up. Minji had placed a very pale, barely noticeable glitter shadow across his eyes. She used the makeup lightly to enhance his features.

For once in his life, Hyunjin felt beautiful.

“That’s me,” Hyunjin said reverently. “That’s actually me,”

Felix came up beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“No more hiding behind the hair, Hyunjin,” He stated. “You look so…free.”

Hyunjin actually felt free. He felt free from the weight that he had been carrying for so long. He finally felt free from the guilt that he used like a shield to keep people away. He felt free to do anything, be anyone that he wanted to now that he was hiding behind it. He felt like maybe, he could be someone worthy of the people’s love that was already surrounding him. He felt overwhelmed in the best way possible.

Hyunjin didn’t have time to question why he wanted to hug Minji before his arms were wrapped tightly around the stylist. She didn’t shove him away, either. She gripped him tightly and quietly made him promise to always come back to sit in her chair. She said that she was honored to be a part of his journey in this way. He pulled back with actual tears welling up in his eyes. She quickly lifted his glasses to blot the tears away so that he wouldn’t ruin the masterpiece already.

“I uh…brought your contacts, hyung,” Jeongin said softly. “In case you wanna wear them,”

Hyunjin found himself nodding and reaching for the case. Felix went to Minji to settle the payment, much to Hyunjin’s distress. He knew that his make-over was going to cost a pretty penny. He had made peace with the fact that he could spend a lot just to look like this. His cheeks heated up at the fact that Felix insisted that it wasn’t that big of a deal. It was to him, though.

“How do I look now?” Hyunjin asked, turning toward his brother.

Jeongin’s face contorted into a content smile.

“Happy, hyung. You look happy,”

Just a few more days, Hyunjin kept repeating to himself. Just a few more days and he could surprise Changbin and everything might just feel like it will fall into place, just like it’s supposed to.

Hyunjin and Jeongin walked toward the lobby, and thankfully Seungmin had taken the tray from Jisung already, because the other fell down comically.

“Hyunjinnnnnnn,” Jisung whined. “You’re the prettiest person that I’ve ever seen in my life,”

“Okay, calm down,” Hyunjin rolled his eyes.

At least Jisung proved to bring back some of his snark.

“You look like a Prince. Will you marry me, good sir?” Jisung asked, dipping down onto one knee.

Seungmin sighed and handed over an iced vanilla latte to Hyunjin. The other made a small pained face but took the drink regardless. He’d have to tell Jisung about his americano preference later.

“I’ve never seen you this happy,” Seungmin said softly. “The stylist noona did a really good job. This look fits you perfectly,”

Jeongin beamed.

“I think I’m a genius for saying that he needed to be blonde,” He stated. “And I’d also like to say fuck you to all of the babies for almost making me be excluded from this momentous occasion.”

Felix laughed, squeezing Jeongin’s shoulder lightly.

“Hyunjin would never let us exclude you from this,” He said softly. “Let’s go get some food though, I’m starving.

Jeongin nodded.

“Good, you’re paying for mine,”

Seungmin’s eyes lit up as Felix started to playfully argue with the youngest as they stepped out into the late afternoon air. Hyunjin cuddled his jacket tighter to his body, and Jisung quietly looped his arm through one of Hyunjin’s so that they could be linked together.

“How is he doing?” Hyunjin asked softly.

“He’s good. He looks annoyed, but I assume that’s because we’re keeping you to ourselves at the moment.” Jisung explained.

“I feel awful, Jisung,” Hyunjin huffed out a little. “Is that normal?”

Jisung giggled.

“It’s normal to feel that way when you like someone, Hyunjinnie.” The other stated. “Just throw him a small bone, and remind him that you’ll see him in a few days. He will be fine,”

“Okay…yeah,” Hyunjin huffed out a laugh. “Thanks, by the way,”

“For what?” Jisung questioned.

“For being nice to me when I was nothing but rude.”

Jisung shrugged.

“It was a feeling, okay? Babies gotta stick together,” He stated. “Besides…I think we’re just too much alike for our own good.”

“I think you might be on to something,” Hyunjin admitted, just for the two of them to know. Jisung squeezed his arm once before completely dropping it. Hyunjin was once again floored by how well Jisung already seemed to know him.

“Text your boy,” Jisung winked playfully, skipping ahead to nearly crash into Felix and Jeongin.

Changbin:
will you come to Chan’s party?

The text had been sitting for a while. Hyunjin didn’t want to wait anymore.

Hyunjin:

I’ll see you at Chan’s party

I miss you hyung

Hyunjin quickly pocketed his phone before he could press “unsend”.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hyunjin took one look at himself and groaned loudly. Jeongin cackled beside his brother and clapped a hand on his back. Jisung looked up innocently from the chair in Hyunjin’s room. Felix fixed him with a stern stare until he straightened up his back. Seungmin was lounging on his bed. None of them were helpful as all of them were conspiring against him. Not even his own brother would save him. The traitor.

“I look ridiculous,” Hyunjin huffed. “I have never in my entire life worn pants this

tight

,”

Jeongin cackled again.

“The leather looks really good on you, hyung,” He said sweetly.

“I’m not going to join a biker gang!” Hyunjin nearly yelled.

Jisung got up and circled him slowly.

“You look damn good, Hyunjin. Your ass may be flat, but your legs look a mile long,”

Hyunjin’s jaw dropped.

“Han Jisung! I thought you were here to help me!”

“I am,” He shrugged. “Look, I’m wearing the same pants okay? It’s a trend. We’re supposed to look like this. Is it your first time going to a club as well?”

Hyunjin gave him a dry look.

“What do you think, Ji?”

Jisung nodded and wrapped his arms around Hyunjin, trapping the taller man’s arms to his side.

“You look so good, Hyunjin.” He said earnestly. “The shirt really suits you,”

Hyunjin took in a deep breath as he looked at the mesh, cut-out monstrosity that they made him put on. He could see portions of his side, where the shirt was wrapped around his small waist. The black material was slightly sheer to begin with, leaving very

little

to the imagination. He was wearing very expensive, designer combat boots on his feet, via Chan. Apparently they wore the same size and the other man got a new pair for himself recently.

Jisung was true to his word, and was wearing the same pleather pants. The difference was that Jisung had a

body

that looked sinful in the tight pants. Hyunjin felt a burning rage of lust and envy. The producer's waist looked delicitable with the pants belted at

just

the right spot. The crop top that Jisung was wearing also cinched his waist in a combo that would make any human dizzy with attraction.

Seungmin was wearing black slacks that had a tight fit. He with a sheer black long sleeve shirt, unbuttoned dangerously low. Jeongin hadn’t taken his eyes off of his boyfriend since he walked into the small apartment. Jeongin was wearing tight, black pants, a see-through black shirt tucked in with a black, leather crop top over top of it. Seungmin also was having a hard time concentrating.

Felix had chosen the most risque fashion of them all with his outfit. His pants were a bit more pvc, shiny leather. His shirt was a see-through black material with roses embroidered on it. The cropped fit stopped at his chunky belt around his waist. He wore a black, cut out, leather jacket over top to cover up his nipples. Once they were inside the club, he had full range to take it off. His boots were taller, but the zipper down the back made for a quick escape.

Hyunjin tried his best not to compare himself to how his friends, and even his brother, looked for the birthday party. He tried to calm his nerves, because this was the first time that Changbin was gonna see him since he changed his hair. The artist was starting to feel a little out of his element, and insecurities that he rarely thought about were coming up again.

Hyunjin couldn’t overthink too much, because there was a knock at the door, signaling Changbin’s arrival. Everyone went into a flurry to make sure that they had everything that they would need for the short ride to the club. Jeongin had been whining about Changbin having a car, shocking Hyunjin, so much so that the eldest decided to foot the bill to taxi all of them there. Hyunjin was scared that his brother was definitely letting the power get to his head.

“I need a minute,” Hyunjin squeaked.

Jisung grabbed Jeongin and Seungmin to usher them out of the room. Only Felix remained, watching Hyunjin mess with his perfectly messy blonde hair. The blue-haired man had his hair styled in a similar manner, but had gone a little heavier on his eye makeup than he had done for Hyunjin.

“You look so good, Hyunjin.” Felix said sincerely. “You were excited earlier. What happened?”

“The leather,” He squeaked out. “The leather happened,”

Felix laughed.

“Changbin hyung is going to love the way you look. He’s gonna die the moment you come into view, I just know it.” He assured the artist. “You thought he stalked you before? That man will be relentless now. Especially since-”

“Since I’m pretty now,” Hyunjin rolled his eyes.

Felix furrowed his brows.

“I was gonna say especially since you’re

happier

now,” Felix stated. He gingerly cupped Hyunjin’s face. “You’ve always been pretty. Changbin thought so before and he still will now,”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes.

“Sure, Lix.”

“Do you remember when he said your eyes were beautiful?” Felix said, giggling.

“Does everyone and their mother know about that?” Hyunjin huffed. He gestured for Felix to continue on with his story.

“Well he said that because he panicked and wanted to tell you that your lips are pretty,”

Hyunjin’s mouth dropped.

“No he

did not

!”

“Yes, he did. Ask him once he’s had a few shots.” Felix winked. “I’m gonna go out there, and when you’re ready, come out, okay?”

Hyunjin nodded in agreement. Felix sent another small wave over his shoulder before he was talking out the door of Hyunjin’s room. The artist turned around to look at himself once more. He was struck once again with the feeling like he was playing dress up. He guesses that he was in a way. He had allowed them to dress him from head and toe and promised not to make too big of a fuss about it. He tried, really really hard, not to complain the entire time.

The artist picked up the pink lip tint and gave his lips another once over. The color looked completely natural, but somehow made his lips even more alluring. Had Changbin really been looking at his lips instead of his eyes? Hyunjin tried his best to remember, but he couldn’t at the moment. He just remembered getting so upset that he needed to be somewhere far, far away from the producer.

“Hwang Hyunjin! Get your cute butt in here!” Felix yelled.

Hyunjin jumped at the sound, but took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He looked at himself once more. His eyes were slightly smokey, thanks to Felix, cheeks slightly rosy and all around appealing. He could do this. He could play this part, even just for the night. Hyunjin squared his shoulders and walked out of his bedroom.

He was trembling as he stepped closer to the living room. He tried to focus on his footsteps, to distract himself from the inevitable. The loud gasp that could have only come from Changbin caused him to make eye contact that very instant. Hyunjin stopped moving as he took in the man in front of him. His pants were sinfully tight. The dress shirt, slightly sheer of course, hugged the man’s perfect muscles at every curve. His hair was parted and pushed mostly away from his forehead. His mouth was hanging open in shock.

Hyunjin took another step and stumbled. Changbin was there to catch him in an instant. Jisung’s small squeaks just felt like background noise as Hyunjin’s sole focus zeroed in on Changbin. The producer’s hands were on his bare waist. His own hands gripped the massive biceps in both hands. He felt like he would need to be pried away from the producer at this state.

“Hwang Hyunjin, you’re stunning,” Changbin whispered reverently, like his name was a prayer. “Fuck, Jinnie. You’re…blonde,”

Hyunjin laughed, the stupid spell he had been under was now broken.

“Nice observation, dummy.” He mumbled, letting go of Changbin’s shoulders. It took a lot to let go. “We should get going,”

Changbin nodded dumbly as he watched the rest of them slowly leave the living area. Jisung smirked at him and slapped his back to send him into motion. Changbin tried his best to think about anything other than having Hyunjin’s legs wrapped around his waist and hands clinging to his biceps.

Don’t think horny thoughts

, Changbin kept repeating to himself. He had to purposefully look away when Hyunjin ducked down into the taxi. He made sure that he was the last one inside so that he could be just far away enough from Hyunjin that he could think properly. Seungmin and Jeongin thought they were being slick, but their hands were already roaming places that they shouldn’t in a crowded taxi cab. Changbin begged that the ride would be over soon.

The club that Chan ended up booking for his birthday had a rather large VIP lounge for them all to stay in. He had made sure only his closest friends were allowed in the lounge, but Chan would be floating around like a good host. Changbin was shocked to see how many people were waiting to come inside for the producers party. Chan knew the whole industry and then some, it felt like.

“I’m gonna go get us drinks,” Felix yelled, grabbing onto Jisung’s hand to lead him to the bar. “Meet us there?”

“I’ll take them over!” Changbin called back, making sure that Felix knew where they were going before he started to take them toward the lounge upstairs. “Happy birthday!”

Chan stopped talking to a group of his friends when he heard Changbin. Chan turned around to greet them with a large smile. He downed the shot in his hand and waved them over to where he was standing. Changbin placed a hand on the small of Hyunjin’s back, leading them toward the chaos.

Chan met them in the middle.

“Wow! Hyunjin, you look great!” He yelled, looking at the artist up and down. “This suits you!”

“Thank you for the shoes!” Hyunjin yelled back, trying his best to blend in with the crowd that was here.

Chan’s dimple made an appearance.

“You two look great too!” Chan complimented Jeongin and Seungmin. “Where’s the others?”

“Ji and Lix went to get drinks,” Changbin said, noticing how there were plenty of waiters and their own bar in the room. “But I see that was probably not what they meant to do?”

Chan laughed and shrugged.

“Come meet my friends!” Chan stated. Changbin nodded, guiding Hyunjin still. The artist shifted nervously for a moment as they got closer to the group that Chan was with. “This is Peniel, Minhyuck and Eunkwang. They’re artists at a label that I interned at in college.”

Hyunjin’s eyes widened as he took in the three of them. He decided right then and there that

he

would also let Minhyuck rail him into next week. Well, metaphorically.

“Nice to see you again!” Peniel yelled, bro hugging Changbin.

“You too!” Changbin yelled back. “This is Hyunjin,”

Minhyuck smirked, looking at where Changbin’s hand was placed on the back of Hyunjin.

“Nice to meet you, Hyunjin,” He said, shooting a quick wink to Changbin.

“This is Jeongin and Seungmin!” Chan yelled, showing them each off. “Seungmin sings like an angel,”

Seungmin’s face turned red, even if no one could see it in the dim lighting.

“Hyung!” He yelled. “I’m a big fan, Eunkwang-ssi.” He bowed.

Eunkwang waved his hand.

“You can call me hyung. None of that business,” He laughed loudly. “Shots?”

Changbin nodded and reached for a shot from the group. Hyunjin looked around nervously, and even found that Jeongin had taken one as well. He took a deep breath and grabbed the glass from Peniel’s out-stretched hand. What could it hurt?

Hyunjin had to use all of his self restraint to choke down the shot. Jeongin didn’t so much as blink before handing the shot to a waiter that appeared out of thin air. Seungmin’s grimace made Hyunjin feel like he wasn’t so alone.

“It’s nasty the first few times,” Minhyuck smiled, making Hyunjin feel more at ease. “Where’s Jisung and Felix?”

Changbin rolled his eyes.

“Be on your best behavior tonight, hyung.” He jokingly threatened. “You can’t just flirt with Jisung until he becomes a tomato, okay?”

Hyunjin peered over at Seungmin, who gave him a quick look. Somehow Hyunjin knew what that meant; no one knew that Jisung had already been fucked five ways from Sunday by their friend. Interesting.

Minhyuck took the joke in stride and played along like he didn’t know any better. Hyunjin thought that it made him even more attractive. He was about to say something again when Minho made his entrance with a few other people Hyunjin didn’t recognise. The producers that were there seemed to know them, waving at the group. Minho made his way quickly over to them.

“Happy birthday, Hyung,” Minho muttered, shoving a gift bag at him. “Don’t ever say that I don’t do nice things for you,”

Chan rolled his eyes as he accepted the gift. Changbin hugged Minho before the dancer was saying hello to the rest of them. He stopped briefly at Hyunjin, eyes wide. He nodded in approval, hugging him quickly before he grabbed a shot of whatever it was that they were serving. For whatever reason, Hyunjin grabbed another one.

“Happy birthday!” A male with some of the most stunning features Hyunjin had ever seen before said to Chan. The man with a black and white split dye had gotten stopped by some of the other friends in the room already.
“Thank you for inviting us,”

“Of course! I worked with Joong so much, it just made sense,” Chan laughed.

“Good to see you again, Hwa,” Changbin laughed, hugging the other man.

Hyunjin was

not

jealous. Not at all.

“Binnie! How are you?” He laughed. “Woo was literally just right behind me,”

Changbin rolled his eyes.

“Looks like your group got caught up with some of the others,” Changbin laughed, motioning toward the other three men just a little bit away.

“Where’s everyone else?” Seonghwa asked. “Oh! I’m Seonghwa. I don’t think we’ve met before,”

Hyunjin nodded, shaking the man’s hand.

“I’m Hyunjin,” He answered.

“Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!” A boisterous voice laughed, throwing himself in between Changbin and Hyunjin. Changbin jokingly shoved the other man off of them, but a fond smile remained on his lips. Hyunjin’s flare of jealousy ramped up once more. “Wow, you’re beautiful. I’m Wooyoung. I’m the former love of Changbin’s life.”

Changbin huffed, elbowing Wooyoung.

“You literally

can’t

keep introducing yourself that way!” He yelled. “Yeosang! Come get Woo!”

A man that looked like an actual ethereal being, long dark hair framing his face shrugged his shoulders and went back to talking with the split dye man and the others.

“My beloved Fiance doesn’t love me,” Wooyoung whined playfully. “What’s your name, pretty?”

Hyunjin felt himself blush because

this

man was the one calling him pretty? This man that had his own unique beauty about him? The one whose fiance was walking around looking like that casually?

“This is Hyunjin,” Changbin said softly.

Wooyoung’s face turned devious in a moment.

“Oh so

you’re

the artist,” He teased. “Good to know. Do you want a drink?”

“Woo,” Changbin sighed in warning.

The other man rolled his eyes and smiled kindly.

“I will behave, but only after I have a drink,” He stated.

Minho walked over to them after he had a brief discussion with Peniel regarding new dances that were coming out.

“I thought he would have changed since High School,” He sighed dramatically.

“Yet here we are,” Changbin laughed. He turned around to grab two shots for him and Minho. “To being friends with our first loves,”

Minho nodded sagely.

“To being friends with morons,” He said in return. He took a quick look around the room before his eyes landed on Hyunjin. The artist didn’t realize that his brother and Seungmin had been roped into another conversation else-where. “Where is my brother and Jisung?”

Hyunjin shrugged.

“They said that they were getting drinks at the bar?”

Minho looked confused for a moment before the room roared with excitement at new arrivals once more. Minho’s jaw fell slack at the sight of whoever it was. Hyunjin furrowed his eyebrows, feeling concerned for the other’s sudden change. He searched Minho’s shell shocked face before he finally turned to see who had grabbed his attention.

Jisung was at the entryway, carrying two brightly colored cocktails in his hands. His crop top was riding up with his arms as he carried the drinks. The lights caught a brief sparkle of glitter on the other’s toned stomach. Hyunjin didn’t know when he put on the glitter. Behind Jisung, Felix came into view, playfully carrying three more drinks in his hands.

Chan practically ran to help Felix with the drinks. The blue-haired boy playfully giggled, but sent Chan to hand over two of the drinks to Seungmin and Jeongin. Hyunjin was impressed by how quickly the birthday boy did what he said. Felix winked at Chan and looped his arm around Jisung’s waist. They made quite the vision.

“Cat got your tongue, Minho-ah?” Minhyuck said playfully by his side.

Minho’s jaw snapped shut instantly and he shot Minhyuck a glare.

“Actually, I was wondering where to get those drinks. They look delicious.”

Minhyuck zeroed in on the two as they walked closer to them.

“They certainly do.”

Minho was about to say something extremely snarky when Jisung handed Hyunjin the orange drink, topped with a blue umbrella.

“It’s a Beach Rum Bum,” Jisung said, giggling already. “But drink it slow because it’s so good that you’ll forget it’s alcohol,”

Hyunjin nodded, taking a small drink from the straw. His eyes lit up as the taste fell on his tongue. The alcohol was there, but damn was it actually delicious.

“Jinnie likes it!” Felix laughed. “Here hold this hyung,”

Minho laughed and took Felix’s drink from him. Felix shrugged off his jacket, causing Minho’s eyes to widen hysterically wide.

“Felix!” He yelled.

“Yes?” He said, faking innocence.

“What are you wearing?” Minho demanded.

“Clothes, hyung,” Felix rolled his eyes. He looked around and smirked the moment he caught Chan’s eyes from across the room. “I have to go see the birthday boy, excuse me,”

Minho went to stop his brother when Changbin grabbed his arm. Minho gave Changbin a murderous look and was likely going to cause a scene when Minhyuck opened his mouth.

“You look stunning, Jisung,” He complimented.

Hyunjin thought that a war was going to break out by how quickly Minho’s head snapped toward Jisung and Minhyuck. He just noticed how close the two of them were standing. Minho felt his skin start to crawl with the way that the older man was looking at Jisung’s tiny waist.

“Let’s go dance,” Jisung said playfully, tilting his head to the side and slightly sticking out his tongue when he went to take another drink. Hyunjin watched in rapt fascination as both Minhyuck and Minho’s eyes followed his tongue. Jisung likely had an idea of exactly what he was doing. Hyunjin was proud of his friend when he didn’t even

look

in Minho’s direction. Jisung lightly grabbed Minhyuck’s hand and slowly pulled him toward the dance floor portion of their VIP lounge.

Minho went to step forward again, thunder in his eyes, but Changbin grabbed him once again.

“Leave him be,” Changbin muttered. “Go dance with someone else. Go have fun, but for fuck’s sake leave Ji alone.”

Minho veered back to look at Changbin. He looked like he just got slapped.

“

Leave

him

alone

? Are you kidding?! Did you see the way that Minhyuck was looking at him. Jisung has no idea what he’s getting himself into!”

Hyunjin snorted loudly, causing both men to turn toward him. They likely forgot he was still there, drinking down his drink silently. It really was that good.

“I think Ji knows

exactly

what Minhyuck wants to do to him,”

“What?” Minho nearly roared.

Changbin’s eyes slowly blinked.

“What?”

Hyunjin drank some more and giggled.

“Oh nothing nothing. I just heard that Minhyuck is the one to ask if you really wanna get dicked down. His dick is highly recommended…highly.” The artist stated, slaying a little to the beat of the song. “I think Jisung deserves to get railed by him again,”

“Again?! What the fuck!” Minho yelled.

Changbin grabbed Minho by the shoulders and dragged him off to a corner. He glanced back at Hyunjin for a moment before deciding that he was probably safe by himself at a place like this. Chan’s only friends with good people. They would look out for him while he tried to put out the fire that was burning in Minho’s chest.

Hyunjin finished his drink probably quicker than he should have. He stumbled for a minute, but found himself wondering over where Felix was running his hands up and down Chan’s chest. The other man looked tense, but also very happy to be under his affections. Hyunjin was happy for his friends.

“Lixie, I want more,” Hyunjin pouted, placing his chin on Felix’s shoulder.

The blue-haired man just laughed and poked his cheek softly.

“Did you finish already, baby?” Felix asked.

Hyunjin nodded his head.

“That good?” Chan asked, smiling softly at them. “Can I get you another one?”

“Please?” Hyunjin beamed.

“I’ll get right on it,” Chan winked before sliding over toward the bar.

Felix slowly turned toward Hyunjin.

“Where’s Binnie?”

“Calming down your brother,” Hyunjin rolled his eyes. “He’s got like a major stick up his ass, you know that?”

Felix laughed, petting his hair softly.

“He kind of does, doesn’t he?” He asked. “He hasn’t been able to really relax since his last break up. I was hoping that

something

would make it better, but…ya know,”

Hyunjin shrugged, looking around at all of the people. In the amount of time that they got to talking, the lounge filled up quite a bit. Chan was already making his way back to them with another drink in his hands. He handed the orange mixture to Hyunjin, making him giggle cutely. He saluted the pair and went to wander around to find his brother. He started drinking his second one even quicker than the first.

Hyunjin quickly changed his mind on finding his brother when he found said brother straddling his boyfriend’s lap and his tongue down his throat. He tried to make a mental note about never wanting to see that again and having a stern talking to with Seungmin. He wondered if he could even be stern with Seungmin now that he’s also Baby. Hyunjin finished his drink and left it by the small table with the other empty glasses.

“Do you dance?!” Someone yelled near his ear.

He found himself nodding before turning around. The pretty one, Wooyoung, was behind him with his fiance and the two others.

“I think so!” He yelled back. “Who are you guys?”

Split dye waved.

“I’m Hong Joong. I’m Seonghwa’s boyfriend,”

“Oh! The pretty one!” Hyunjin laughed. “Oh! You’re right there. Hello pretty,”

Seonghwa laughed.

“How do you know Changbin?”

“He stalked me!” Hyunjin yelled back. The others roared in laughter, but Hyunjin found himself pouting. “It’s true!”

Yeosang, wrapped his arm around Hyunjin’s shoulders.

“You’re gonna fit right in,” He stated. “Let’s dance!”

Hyunjin nodded, allowing himself to be pulled along to the dance floor by a group of basic strangers. He found that his brain was yelling at him to take it slow, but it was buried so far back that he didn’t want to listen to it. He found himself getting lost in the music, surrounded by nice people and twinkly lights. He was feeling free, or possibly dizzy. Definitely a little dizzy.

Across the room Changbin had settled on one of the many couches with Minho beside him. The other had his arms crossed tightly over his chest as he sneered toward the dancefloor. He could barely see Jisung and Minhyuck anymore, but he kept an eye out for them. Changbin groaned and downed another shot before waving down a waiter. He ordered a bottle of water for himself and a whiskey sour for Minho. He didn’t plan on being Minho’s keeper for the night.

Changbin found himself smiling as he watched Hyunjin dance with their friends. He never thought that he’d be able to be friends with Wooyoung again, but they had been since they both reconnected three or so years ago. Yeonjun really had no idea how much he had helped them back in high school. Especially after their break-up.

“Oh no you don’t,” Changbin said, grabbing Minho’s shoulder to shove him back down on the couch. “Stay,”

Minho groaned.

“I just saw Felix and Chan walk somewhere!”

“Probably to get some air,” Changbin lied. He figured that Felix had a plan when he walked in wearing what he was. He was not about to let Minho cockblock anyone, even if it was his younger brother. “Just sit, Min.”

Minho rolled his eyes and crossed his arms back over his chest. The waiter returned with their drinks. Minho downed the drink before the waiter could even walk away. He ordered another. The waiter nodded dumbly and went to go get the drink as quickly as possible. Changbin relaxed back on the couch and looked back on the dance floor for Hyunjin. He panicked for a moment when he couldn’t find him, but he had to remind himself that he wasn’t Hyunjin’s owner. He didn’t wanna act like Minho.

“This is so fucking stupid,” Minho muttered. “I’m supposed to be having fucking fun. This isn’t fun,”

Changbin snorted.

“And why do you think you’re not having a good time?”

Minho gave him a dry look.

“I’m literally in time out right now!” He yelled.

“It’s for your own good!” Changbin yelled back. He turned to look sternly at Minho. “You gotta stop trying to get involved in Jisung’s life like that if you don’t want him,”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Minho asked, raising one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “He can do whatever he wants!”

“But only if you approve,” Changbin said softly.

Minho looked like he was shot through his heart.

“I…I don’t want him to get hurt,” He argued.

“Minho….you’re the one hurting him,” The producer said softly.

And it was like the lights had finally turned on for Minho. It looked like the mystery had finally been solved in a long, twisted novel. Like he had finally connected the puzzle pieces and realized that the last one was still in the box.

Minho looked devastated.

The waiter chose that exact time to show back up. Changbin took the drink and one of the many shots from the tray. He turned toward Minho, nudging his knee lightly and handing over the drink. He didn’t state the obvious, instead he let Minho sit with the realization. The dancer tossed back his drink again, trying desperately to blink back the tears.

Minho’s attention was caught by movement on the dance floor. He wished that he wasn’t trying so desperately to catch a glimpse of Jisung. He

definitely

regretted it when he saw Jisung and Minhyuck wrapped around each other. They were pressed so tightly together that it was hard for him to tell where one person began and the other ended. He wanted that to be him more than anything.

Changbin watched Minho’s face crumple in hurt and rage when Jisung and Minhyuck started to make out heavily. Minho’s eyes were glued to them, unable to look away even as the hurt burned deep inside of him. He watched in horror as Minhyuck’s hands roamed freely all over Jisung’s perfect body.

A cacophony of cheers and laughter caught Changbin’s attention away from the scene in front of him. He looked up curiously and found a sight that he thought he’d never see before. He stood up quickly, mumbling a quick apology to Minho and was moving as quickly as he could to the crowd.

Hyunjin was dancing on top of a table. The cheers were cheers of encouragement. The people around him were having fun, but also actually

enjoying

Hyunjin’s dancing. Changbin had to admit that the artist was surprisingly good, keeping his rhythm. Changbin was just more worried about being asked to leave for being disorderly.

Changbin made it over to him just in time for Hyunjin to stumble a little on the table. He reached out, steadying the other man while everyone else was distracted. A dopey grin showed up on Hyunjin’s face as he found it was Changbin that grabbed him. He laughed, and sat down on the table, kicking out his legs over the edge.

“You saved me, my Prince,” Hyunjin laughed.

Changbin smiled softly.

“What are you doing up on the table, Jinnie?”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes.

“I’m dancing, what does it look like,” He stated. “Your

ex-boyfriend

said that you’d rather like it when he would dance on tables.”

Fucking Wooyoung

.

“Let’s get you off of there,” Changbin sighed, scoping up Hyunin easily. He carried the man in a bridal style until they reached a stool at the bar. He waved down a waiter for water. “You feeling okay?”

Hyunjin tossed out his hands.

“I’m getting

like totally

trashed!”

“Okay, can you sit here for a few minutes and drink water?”

“Don’t tell me what to dooooo,” Hyunjin sang, but thankfully didn’t move. He put his head on the cold surface of the table.

Changbin turned around to search for any of their other friends, but they weren’t easy to find. He reached in pocket for his phone and saw that Seungmin and Jeongin had already called it a night and left. They would have to hear about Hyunjin’s table dancing from second hand sources, it seemed. Chan and Felix were also MIA, but Changbin figured that both of their self-control had finally snapped and they were in one of the many bathrooms going at it.

Minho and Jisung were arguing loudly in the corner. Minhyuck had the decency to be standing further away to give them their privacy. Changbin couldn’t hear what was being said, but he had to be bad with how quickly Jisung’s hands were moving. Minho was shaking his head, but he didn’t look like he was helping the situation at all.

Jisung said one final thing before he was storming off, grabbing Minhyuck’s hand and disappearing toward the bathrooms. Minho watched helplessly as the other left. He looked around until he found Changbin’s eyes and made a bee-line for him.

“Get me the fuck out of here,” Minho stated.

“Let me get Hyunjin,” Changbin agreed. “Let’s go,”

Minho allowed himself to be tugged along until they found Hyunjin kneeling on the floor. Changbin’s eyes widened and he scooped the artist back up in his arms. He was suddenly grateful that he didn’t drink nearly as much as everyone else seemed to. Hyunjin complained in his arms until he was forced to put him down once they reached outside. He bent down, grabbing his knees to his chest and rocked himself softly.

Changbin bent down in front of him. He pushed his hair out of his face.

“Jinnie, you okay?”

Hyunjin’s face contorted.

“You’re so pretty, hyung.” He said. He hiccuped for a moment. “Sometimes I think about kissing you because you have a really pretty mouth. ‘Lix said you think my mouth is pretty too,”

Changbin’s heart filled with affection for the artist. He tucked his pale hair behind his ear and beamed at him.

“You do have a really pretty mouth, Hyunjin. I think about kissing you too,”

Hyunjin looked incredibly happy for a moment, but then his face twisted comically. Changbin stood up just in time.

“‘M gonna be sick,” He mumbled before he leaned to the side and started vomiting in the street. Minho sighed and moved to rub his hand up and down Hyunjin’s back. He helped pull the other’s hair out of his face. Changbin grimaced and pulled out his phone to call a taxi. He hoped the puking would be finished by the time it arrived.

•••

Hyunjin woke up feeling like the inside of a moldy shoe. His mouth tasted very stale, but not quite like the throw up from the night before. His body was in pain, but he wasn’t sleeping on the floor, so that was a plus. He scrunched his nose as he tried to get the room to stop spinning for just long enough for him to open up his eyes.

Hyunjin became aware that there was another person in the bed with him. He went rigid and tried his best not to freak out. He remembered most of the night before, with just some bits and pieces missing. He hadn’t

quite

blacked out with all of the alcohol he consumed. He knew that Changbin and Minho had taken care of him. He knew that he was likely in his apartment or theirs, because he didn’t really remember the ride home.

The blonde finally peeled his eyes open to see the wall across from him not the same color as his own. He must have been at Changbin’s house then. He groaned and blinked carefully until he was able to stretch his body out. He was then made aware that someone’s arms were wrapped around his waist. He looked down, finding Changbin’s fingers laced together.

It was nice to wake up like this, Hyunjin decided. He allowed himself to bask in the embrace for a moment. Being held by Changbin was something he hadn’t even allowed himself to want until recently. Slowly, he ran his fingers along the back of Changbin’s hand. Hyunjin felt Changbin tense up before he relaxed. They allowed themselves this moment, with Hyunjin’s hand lightly running over the back of Changbin’s.

The moment didn’t last for long, just as Hyunjin suspected it would. Changbin was already starting to move away from him slowly, taking his warmth with him.

“Good morning, Jin,” Changbin mumbled, rolling away from him. “Where’s Minho?”

Hyunjin rolled onto his back as well, now that he had room.

“I have no idea,” He mumbled. “I…just woke up,”

Changbin hummed, rubbing his hands over his face. Hyunjin allowed himself to take a quick look, only a brief one. Changbin’s hair was curly, a style that he rarely saw on the producer. He didn’t smell like vomit, so he probably showered before he crashed. Hyunjin wished that he could have more mornings like this.

“How do you feel?”

“Like the inside of a moldy shoe,” He admitted. He didn’t know if he’d ever get to be this close to the producer again. He studied Changbin’s face, letting his eyes roam everywhere before speaking again. “I don’t…taste vomit?”

Changbin chuckled, slowly sitting up. Just like that, the spell was broken.
He looked down at Hyunjin so fondly that his heart did somersaults inside his chest.

“Minho-hyung helped you brush your teeth,”

Hyunjin’s eyes widened.

“What?” He squeeked.

“He also helped you shower, since you nearly had a tantrum about not getting one,” He said softly. “I hope that’s okay?”

Hyunjin nodded, but he didn’t help the embarrassment go down. He thought that maybe it was one of the most embarrassing moments of his life. He had done a lot of things that could have been put into that category, honestly. There was one time where-

“Oh my fucking god, I danced on the table,”

Changbin’s laughter roared far too loudly in the mostly quiet apartment.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hyunjin’s face burned brightly with embarrassment, even in the dim lighting of Changbin’s room. He brought up his hands to hide his face as Changbin’s cackles filled the empty space. He started to shake Hyunjin just a little bit, trying his best to get the artist to stop hiding his face. Hyunjin’s own laughter joined soon enough, and he allowed his hands to be pulled from his face.

Changbin’s smile was dazzling. Hyunjin fell into another trance as Changbin started to shake his hands comically. The producer’s curly hair was bouncing along with every shake. His eyes were crinkling shut as the giggles penetrated every single piece of Hyunjin’s cold heart. The artist took a deep breath, and he was laughing too. Changbin dropped his hands and immediately went to tickling his sides.

Hyunjing thrashed around on the bed, trying his best to use his height as some sort of leverage. Unfortunately, he was no match for the muscled man. He easily grabbed Hyunjin’s legs and pinned them to the bed. Hyunjin wiggled as much as he could to keep Changbin away from his most ticklish spots.

“I’m gonna puke!” Hyunjin yelled, lying through his teeth.

Changbin sat back, hands instantly to himself. His smile disappeared, much to Hyunjin’s distress. He didn’t want the smile to leave Changbin’s face like that because of him. Worry started to form over the handsome man’s face.

“Jinnie, are you okay?” He asked quickly. He pressed the back of his palms to Hyunjin’s cheeks and forehead to check for a fever, even if it would have been from the alcohol. “I can get you a trash can,”

Hyunjin grabbed Changbin’s hand before he could get off of the bed.

“I’m fine, Changbin,” He whispered.

Changbin went to protest, but the look on Hyunjin’s face stopped him short. Hyunjin’s face was flushed, but most likely from the tickling and less from the alcohol. The artist had puked ninety percent of it out before they even got into the taxi. He had gotten the rest of it out after they made it back. He looked fine to Changbin, so he tried his best to let it go.

Hyunjin found himself reaching forward to press down on the worry lines between Changbin’s eyebrows. He traced both thumbs from the middle of the eyebrows, outward. Hyunjin traced his thumbs over the strong eyebrows and Changbin’s temples. Hyunjin rubbed small circles against the temples, causing Changbin’s eyes to fall closed naturally in relief. The artist trailed his thumbs down to the producer’s cheek bones, and softly over his cheeks. He brought his thumbs down to Changbin’s jawline, dragging them inward until they bet at the point of the other’s chin.

“Hyunjin,” Changbin sighed out.

Hyunjin would never get tired of Changbin saying his name like that. He found himself smiling, even if the producer had yet to open up his eyes again. He allowed himself this moment, taking in every single feature of Changbin's face when he was this close. He didn’t know if he’d ever be this close again.

“You don’t have to worry so much about me, hyung,” He whispered. “I just didn’t wanna be tickled anymore,”

Changbin’s eyes opened and he smiled so tenderly at Hyunjin. He felt like he was someone precious. He lifted his hand, lightly moving the hair away from Hyunjin’s face. The blonde hair was surprising soft, despite the drastic color difference from the last time that he saw the other.

“This really suits you, Hyunjin,” He said earnest. “Is this why you were hiding from me for so long?”

Hyunjin groaned and squeezed his eyes shut.

“Shut up,” He laughed. He peaked one eye open to see that stupid expression on Changbin’s face. “I hated not talking to you,”

Changbin smirked.

“It seems to me like you missed me, Jinnie.”

“I literally told you that I did!” Hyunjin laughed, lightly smacking Changbin. The other caught his hand, and brought it to the back of his lips. Hyunjin stared in awe as Changbin pressed a chaste kiss on the back of his hand. He held Hyunjin’s hand close to his lips, pulling them back only enough so that he could talk.

“I missed you more, darling,” Changbin answered.

Darling . Hyunjin’s eyes widened, but Changbin didn’t back down from the moment. He held Hyunjin’s eye contact and pressed more kisses on the back of his hand. He kissed his wrist, turning the artist’s hand over and pressing a kiss at his pulse point. Hyunjin felt like his heart was a jackrabbit, jumping aggressively around in his chest. Changbin always had that effect on him.

“Impossible,” Hyunjin muttered in response. “I…there’s no one I’d miss more than you,”

Hyunjin found that he wasn’t lying. Changbin was the only one that he had actively missed in a very long time. He always missed his parents, and that wasn’t going to change. He missed his grandma, especially on cold winter nights when he just longed for her cooking and warm hugs. Hyunjin could spend the rest of his life missing them. Missing Changbin was different. Missing the producer was like walking out of the house when it’s pouring the rain and then realizing that you don’t own an umbrella. He didn’t know that he needed Changbin until he couldn’t get to him.

Hyunjin having missed Changbin for six days felt so trivia. The amount of time was nothing compared to the entire span of his life, yet it felt wrong. He didn’t like keeping secrets from the producer. He didn’t like that he didn’t see his head popping into the cafe just to say hello. Hyunjin hated every little insignificant little detail that he didn’t get to share with the producer. It wasn’t like that was how their relationship was, but now it felt like maybe it should have been all along.

Changbin leaned down slowly, cautiously, until his face was close to Hyunjin’s. Hyunjin held his breath and begged anyone who was listening to let him have this one moment of pure happiness. He wanted Changbin to come closer, to press small kisses all over his face like he did his hand. He wanted to wrap his entire body around Changbin, pressing them together so tightly that they couldn’t tell the two of them apart. Hyunjin had not wanted anything more than the man in front of him to tell him how much he wanted to be with him. Because Hyunjin desperately wanted to be with him too.

A knock at the open door caused Changbin to put space between the two of them. Hyunjin sat up and was faced with Minho’s knowing eyes and playful smirk. The dancer’s silver hair looked entirely too perfect after having a night out like they did. Hyunjin was incredibly jealous for it, and incredibly upset that the other interrupted whatever it was that was going to happen.

“Breakfast is ready,” Minho winked before turning around and leaving the door frame free.

Changbin slid off of the bed and offered his hand to Hyunjin. They both were shocked when Hyunjin accepted the help, and even more startled when they decided to not let go. The artist grabbed his phone from the dresser and stuffed it into the borrowed pajama bottoms. He was sure that there was gonna be a lot to catch up on.

Changbin awkwardly led Hyunjin toward the kitchen, letting his hand fall behind him so he didn’t have to stop holding Hyunjin’s hand. Hyunjin kept his eyes glued to the floor so that he could try to get his blush to go down.

“This looks incredible, Minho,” Changbin stated. “What time did you get up?”

Minho’s face twisted into disgust.

“Whenever Chan hyung and his lover of the night decided that they wanted to fuck loudly.” He stated. “I don’t even know when he got home, but they were so loud. I think I should gift Channie a gag.”

Hyunjin’s eyes widened and he shook his head.

“Don’t do that, hyung. Please. We don’t need that,” He stated.

Minho mistook Hyunjin’s concern for being prude. He winked at Hyunjin before turning back to walk the plates over to them.

“Anyway, you both hogged all of the blankets last night. You,” Minho pointed a fork at Hyunjin. “Refused to let Binnie in the middle and started babbling about how he’s all yours. I don’t wanna take him from you. I just wanted his furnace like heat.”

Hyunjin’s cheeks burned crimson again.

“Oops?”

“Yeah! Oops. I was freezing most of this morning. And that was after I showered you and everything. Is that anyway to treat your father?”

Changbin groaned.

“Minho-ah, we talked about this! The babies are not your actual babies.”

“Right,” Minho sighed. “I’m teasing you, Hyunjin. I’m glad that you let go last night. That table dance was inspiring, really.”

“Yah!” Changbin yelled, reaching forward to punch Minho, but the dancer was more agile. “Get back here!”

“I was just paying him a compliment!” Minho yelled, dipping around the kitchen’s island again. “I meant it! Hyunjin’s a great dancer!”

“Thanks, hyung,” Hyunjin muttered weakly. He watched as Changbin and Minho started to get a little too animated about their play chase, so he grabbed out his phone. He took a deep breath before looking at all of the notifications that he had. There were more notifications today then there were in the last five years. He groaned and begged once more that no one got photographic proof of his table dancing activities.

The Baby Oath

Lixie:

UM I GOT RAILED LAST NIGHT

🥰🥰🥰

Minnie:

ig congrats loser

Sungie:

DUDE ME TOO TWINS FR

😏🍆

Lixie:

Twinning

Sungie:

Dicking 😮💨🍆🤤

Minnie: I regret my life decisions

Lixie:

LIAR

Sungie:

LIAR

Omg jinks

Lixie:

Minhyuck?😏😏😏

Sungie:

Yeahhhhhh

~sigh~

😮💨🥹😬🤤🌶️🍆

Jinnie:

Did you just sigh over text?

Also congrats

Minnie:

Don’t encourage them

Sungie:

You say that as IF you didn’t get laid

🥲

Lixie:

Fake 😒

Jinnie:

Please whatever you do

Don’t fucking remind me

That you rail my brother, thanks

Minnie:

Fine

Jinnie:

Thanks

Minnie:

I’ll just remind you that he

RAILS ME🤭🤭🤤

Lixie:

🥲

Sungie:

Got EM

Jinnie:

Ffs

I swear

Also how the fuck do you get Changbin

and Minho to stop fucking fighting?

Sungie:

🤞🏼🙏🏼

Minnie:

You don’t.

Hyunjin blinked in surprise at the incoming call from Felix. He looked up at the scene in front of him, the two wrestling on the ground over several spatulas, and pressed the answer button.

“Yes?”

Felix sighed out in relief.

“Thank god you answered,” Felix whispered.

“Why are you whispering?” Hyunjin asked with a heavy sigh.

“Well, you see…” Felix trailed off. “I’m in Chan’s room and I can’t risk my brother seeing me,”

Hyunjin coughed for a moment.

“You can’t be fucking serious?”

“I have a major code baby right now, Jinnie!” Felix hissed. “I have to get back to my apartment to change before Minho realizes it’s me in here. Please, baby. I need your help,”

“Okay, but if you get caught, this isn’t on me.” Hyunjin sighed. “What do I do?”

“Chan’s gonna go to the kitchen to try to distract them. I need you to help me get out of here by looking out while I run like hell,”

Hyunjin nearly scoffed.

“That’s your plan?”

“I never said it was good!” Felix panicked.

Hyunjin’s heart clenched in response. He didn’t want Felix to get caught any more than the boy did. He stood up from the stool and slowly went back into the hallway that led to Changbin and Chan’s bedrooms.

“I’m in the hallway,” Hyunjin sighed.

The line went dead immediately. Chan opened his door slowly, peaking only his head out to make sure that Minho or Changbin didn’t follow him. He sighed in relief, straightening out his posture. He gave Hyunjin a very apologetic smile.

“I’m sorry for getting you involved,” He said softly.

Hyunjin rolled his eyes.

“Don’t be, Minho’s gonna grill you because he heard you guys fucking,”

Chan’s face paled as he chanced a look back at Felix. The blue-haired boy certainly looked like he had a wild night. He was wearing what must have been Chan’s clothes while his clothes were stuffed inside a canvas bag that had Chan’s company written on it. Felix took a deep breath before pressing a kiss to Chan’s lips. Hyunjin quickly looked away to make sure that no one was there.

“Go. I’ll text you,” Felix promised.

Chan nodded, smiling sweetly at the boy before he forced out a loud laugh.

“The bathroom is that way, Hyunjin!” He yelled, stomping his feet for a minute to sound like he was walking. Well, trying to make it sound like he was walking. Hyunjin and Felix just watched the older man flounder for a minute in horror. “Yeah, that one mate,”

Chan motioned for Felix to walk out of the room, shutting the door to make it sound like Hyunin had “found” the bathroom. Chan turned and actually walked toward the kitchen this time, hopefully causing enough commotion that the other two wouldn’t become nosy enough to come around.

“Go to the door. I’ll make up an excuse about something,” Hyunjin huffed.

Felix wrapped his arms around Hyunjin’s neck, hugging him tightly. He pressed a kiss on his cheek and quickly pulled away.

“I owe you, big,” Felix muttered before he dashed to the end of the hall. Hyunjin watched as the other checked for the coast to be clear before he was making a run for the front door. Hyunjin hoped that the other would make it out quickly, because he didn’t want to get on Minho’s bad side so soon. He waited for what felt like an appropriate amount of time before he was opening Chan’s room again. He shut the door a little too loudly, hopefully covering any extra sound Felix would make.

Hyunjin returned to the kitchen to see that the three of them had collapsed into a heap on the floor. The artist huffed and nodded toward the dining room. He didn’t want to be near any tall chairs. The other three scrambled up quickly to file out behind him.

The Baby Oath

Lixie:

I MADE IT OUT ALIVE

HYUNJINNIE REALLY LOVES ME FRFR

🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

Minnie:

Um…what?

Sungie:

YOU DIRTY DOG

Hyunjin giggled and exited out of the chat as Changbin took a seat next to him. The other’s face was slightly sweaty from the rough housing, and he was breathing heavily, but he still looked at Hyunjin tenderly. The look didn’t change just because they woke up some more. Hyunjin had to quickly look away from the tender gaze. He made the mistake of looking right at Minho instead. The other man had his ever-present smirk on his face.

“So did we all see Hyunjinnie’s table dancing skills?”

Chan choked on his coffee, some of it dribbling out of his mouth and down his chin. Hyunjin groaned and laid his head down on the table. He was well aware that he was never going to live it down. Changbin made a warning to Minho to be nice, but it just caused the older man to kick Changbin under the table again. Hyunjin lifted his head back up slowly.

“Children, please,” Chan groaned, taking another long drink of his coffee. “It’s too early, and we just stopped,”

To Hyunjin’s surprise, both men stopped arguing and slumped into their seats.

“Yeah,”

“Sure, no problem,” Minho added.

“Thank you,” Chan smiled softly at both of them. He then turned toward Hyunjin. “Hyunjin, your hair color really suits you. Why did you decide to change it?”

“Jeongin’s always wanted me to go blonde,” He blurted. He mentally cursed himself for being so open with the oldest in the group. “I just…Felix and Jisung have really helped me lately. I mean Seungmin too, but in a different way. I dunno, it felt…like it was time?”

Chan nodded his head and scooped up more rice for himself.

“They’re really good at that,” Chan complimented the youngest. “I’m glad that you’re fitting in with them,”

“Me too,” He admitted. He stole a quick glance over at Changbin to see that the other was already looking at him. Hyunjin offered a small smile and turned back toward Chan. “I’ve…well my whole life has been hard. I’ve been having a really hard time lately, and they’ve really…shown me a lot about myself. Changbin hyung too. I’ve never…done this before or had friends like this…it’s…good, I think.”

Changbin reached over and took Hyunjin’s hand in his again. Chan smiled sincerely at Hyunjin, and Minho went to serve Hyunjin another plate of spicy pork.

“I’m glad that we met you,” Chan said softly. “Is it safe to assume that you had fun last night?”

Despite his blush, Hyunjin was able to tell Chan that he did actually have fun. He listened as Chan talked about his birthday, sans Felix parts, and found himself smiling a lot more than he had been. Changbin teased him about how he had to be carried out like a damsel in distress. Hyunjin found an unlikely alley in Minho, as the older started to tease Changbin relentlessly about the amount of times Minho had to carry out Changbin when they were in highschool.

Hyunjin felt like he belonged here. He felt like he had known them all for much longer than he had. He’s not sure yet when the switch was flipped, but it felt like a night and day difference. It was like he was sure he was all alone in a dark room, but once the light came out, he was surrounded by these people. He was accepted by these people.

Changbin announced that he was going to kidnap Hyunjin back to the dungeon for the rest of the afternoon and to not bother them. Hyunjin didn’t even argue as the shorter man dragged him back toward his bedroom to the sounds of laughter from the other two in the living room. Changbin giggled himself once they made it back.

“I just wanted you to myself today, if that’s okay?” Changbin asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as his ears turned a little red.

Hyunjin felt endeared by him instead of annoyed. He definitely must be sick if he’s thinking of these things as endearing instead of annoying.

“It’s okay,” Hyunjin mumbled, sitting down on Changbin’s bed.

“You’re free today right? I just wanted to be lazy and watch tv, but like…with just you,”

“I’m free,” Hyunjin said a little too quickly.

Changbin’s nose scrunched up and he danced cheekily in front of him.

“Hyunjinnie likessss me. He wants to spend time with meeee,”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes and tried his best to force the blush from his face. It didn’t work.

“I’ll stay with you all day if you stop doing that,” Hyunjin huffed, pretending to be annoyed at Changbin. The older man stopped dancing around and laughed at Hyunjin’s facial expressions. “What do you wanna watch?”

“I’m sure we’ll think of something,” Changbin smiled before he went looking for the remote to his smart tv. “You can find something, I’m just gonna go to the bathroom right quick.”

Hyunjin nodded and took the remote as the other walked toward the bathroom that was connected to his room. Hyunjin relaxed as much as he could on the bed. Hyunjin was taken back for a moment by how it didn’t feel weird for him to be making himself at home on Changbin’s bed. His body must have really been that tired if he was sinking right back into the mattress under him. He quickly shot off a text to Jeongin to tell him that he was putting his phone on silent and staying with Changbin today. He said the same to The Babies and they instantly started to tease him. He muted that chat rather quickly.

Changbin wordlessly slid into the bed beside Hyunjin. The younger pressed play at the start of a new drama that just came out. The producer got close, until their arms were touching. Hyunjin glanced at the other briefly, hoping to catch his gaze. Changbin was staring at the screen instead. Hyunjin tried not to huff in annoyance. He wanted to know what the protocol was here. He didn’t have a clue on what he was doing.

Slowly, Changbin’s left arm lifted and wrapped around Hyunjin’s shoulders. He lightly tugged the artist until they both were laying down further on the bed. Hyunjin tensed up for a moment before he allowed his head to fall onto Changbin’s muscly chest. The producer’s hand was lightly on his back now, resting in the middle and not daring to go lower.

Hyunjin found himself focusing on Changbin’s heartbeat instead of the show. He allowed his eyes to rest for a moment, closing them and letting the rise and fall of Changbin’s chest lull him to a drowsy state. He wrapped his arm around Changbin’s waist at first in an attempt to get more comfortable. Changbin hummed and moved to press his nose lightly against the top of Hyunjin’s head.

“Hyung?” Hyunjin asked softly, voice barely loud enough to hear over the drama.

“Yeah, Jinnie?” He asked back, running his hand up and down Hyunjin’s back a few times.

“I didn’t cut my hair for a long time because I was convinced I was betraying my mom if I did. I got bullied a lot in school for it. I’ve only ever had really long hair, and I really wanted to keep it that way. Seungmin was the only kid that was ever nice to me actually,” Hyunjin began. Changbin started to rub his back once more. “I hated everyone, I think I still do. People are so cruel, especially little kids. I didn’t understand that they were a product of their environment, just like I was. Both of my parents were kill in a car accident when I was really young. Jeongin was a little too young to remember them. I remember crying and begging for them to come back to me. I even promised that I’d never let anyone else touch my hair again, if it meant that I could see them again.”

“Oh Jinnie,” Changbin mumbled softly, actually pressing a kiss to the top of his head this time.

“Things didn’t get better the older I got. I became even more withdrawn, because I didn’t want to get close to anyone. I was sure that anyone I loved would leave me. Jeongin and I lost our grandma, and then Seungmin when he moved. It was so hard , hyung. It was the first time I really saw how grief had affected not only me but Jeongin as well. He was always the better socializer out of the two of us.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you,”

“Thank you,” Hyunjing responded, and he really meant it. “My art just kept getting darker and darker. Kids were scared of me. I mean I couldn’t blame them, I wanted to be scary to them. I worked really hard to get into SNU, and then Jeongin worked hard to come with me as well. I wasn’t kidding when I said that my whole life has been hard. I’ve mourned the loss of my childhood. I never really got to have one. It’s been…it’s been so hard being all alone all of these years,”

Changbin hummed and brought both of his arms around Hyunjing, tightly holding him to his chest.

“Keep going,”

Hyunjin huffed, but geared himself up to continue. He had already opened up the can of worms, anyhow. He might as well dive in. There was a part of him that was blaring loudly not to do it; not to open up. Hyunjin marked it up to the fact that he rarely explained this side of himself.

“I just…you were right , hyung. I really do need people around me. I just don’t really know how to do that. Since you met me at Haewon, you’ve seen right through me. I don’t know how you do that, but you just get me. You knew that I was hurting without me ever uttering a word.”

“It was just so obvious on your face, Jinnie,” He mumbled.

“Still, thank you,” Hyunjin sighed. “Thank you for stalking me and not letting me run away from you easily. Thank you for wanting me in your life. I don’t fucking know why, but I’m glad that you chose me, and Jeongin, to come into all of this. I….I’m gonna try harder, I promise,”

Changbin stifferend under him for a moment before his body was relaxing once again.

“Jinnie, I just want you to be happy. That’s all. You deserve to be happy,”

“I think you make me the happiest, hyung,” Hyunjin whispered even lower than he had before.

And Changbin reacted just like Hyunjin thought that he would. He resumed running his hand up and down Hyunjin’s back like he hadn’t dropped a huge bomb on him. He didn’t jerk back in response. He didn’t call Hyunjin names. He remained a strong, safe place for Hyunjin to lean on when he needed rest. Changbin was easy to be around, and Hyunjin wanted to make sure that he told him as often as he could. He wanted Changbin to know how special he was to him.

Hyunjin tried not to stare at his own painting on the wall for too long, because he felt like it was starting to see right through him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

People would not stop staring at Hyunjin. He felt the regulars at the cafe staring at him from the tables, even as he paid them no attention. He tried his best to focus on his job, but everytime someone sputtered out his name, it left him feeling hollow. He didn’t know how else to explain the phenomenon that was happening everywhere he went.

The fellow art students were much more open about their staring. There were a handful of students that blatantly congratulated him on “becoming hot” and ogled him like a piece of cake. He absolutely hated this sort of attention. He wished more than once that the stares of pity or of fear followed him around instead.

Hyunjin was flagged down yet

again

by a group of women in their early twenties, just for them to flirt with him instead of letting him do his job. He tried his best to stay polite, because Jongho would have his head if he wasn’t, but the clock was running out. His patience was beginning to get paper thin. He forced a smile on his face and took their orders once again, hating the fact that he couldn’t just do to-go orders.

“Um…excuse me?”

Hyunjin closed his eyes and took a very deep, calming breath before he turned around. A smaller woman that looked around his age was standing behind him. Her face was flushed pink, and she was rocking back and forth from heel to toe. He had never seen her at the cafe before. Hyunjin’s face burned brightly. Unfortunately

this

was a rather new development that came with the new look.

“How can I help you?” He asked, not sounding like he was panicked at all.

“I…well you see I was trying to get the courage to ask if you would mind getting ramen with me later? I know a really great spot,”

Hyunjin smiled softly.

“I…I’m sure that’s really nice, but I have other plans,” He responded. He wasn’t lying at all. He was going to have another sleepover with Jisung and Felix, so that Seungmin could come over to his apartment to spend time with Jeongin . Hyunjin wanted to puke at the thought of them defiling the place.

“Oh! That’s okay, maybe next time? I can give you my phone number and we can-,”

“Baby! I’m here!” Jisung called, walking toward him.

Bless Han Jisung and his incredibly comedic timing. Hyunjin couldn’t have planned it better if he tried. He saw the look on the girl’s face as Jisung came over to wrap him up in a back hug. Jisung had gotten very touchy since Hyunjin became an official member of their baby squad. Hyunjin had gotten used to it, mostly, but there were days he didn’t want to be touched.

Today, Hyunjin was grateful that Jisung’s actions were providing him with a way out.

“Hey baby,” Hyunjin smiled as sweetly as he could when he addressed the other. He turned his head toward Jisung as far as he could. “You’re early,”

“I couldn’t wait to see you,” Jisung huffed, letting him go. “And Changbin hyung was just as antsy. He’s parking the car,”

Butterflies fluttered in Hyunjin’s stomach at the mention of the older producer. Ever since the party, his stomach was doing weird flips every single time he thought about Changbin. He missed the other man, and it had only been days since they last saw each other.

“I’ll just go now,” The woman said meekly, brushing past them quickly to grab her things and her friends. Hyunjin only felt slightly bad as he watched the group of three quickly remove themselves from the chairs that they were taking up.

Jisung’s eyebrows furrowed together.

“What was that about?” He questioned.

Hyunjin shoved Jisung’s hands off of his waist and stepped away from the other man.

“You don’t wanna know,” Hyunjin mumbled under his breath. “Go sit, I’ll make your drinks,”

Jisung beamed, shooting finger hearts at him before he went to find an empty booth for him and Changbin to sit at while they waited for Hyunjin’s shift to finish. Hyunjin added their drinks to his already long queue. They were ridiculously busy for a Wednesday afternoon. He barely waved to Changbin when he entered the cafe.

Hyunjin found it all much more bearable, knowing that two people he deeply cared about were there. He tried to focus on his work and that he would get to be with them soon. He had to remind himself that people would lose interest in his new look and things would eventually return to normal. Customers and peers would get used to him once again and things would drift back to how they once were.

“Thank you, Jinnie,” Changbin said softly as Hyunjin sat down the Americanos in front of them. “How was your day?”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes.

“I’ll tell you all about it later,” He promised, promptly turning away from them and walking back behind the bar.

Changbin nodded a few times before we grabbed out his laptop to start working on class assignments. It wasn’t that Changbin’s grades were slipping per say, but he was starting to leave them to the very last minute. He had left several until the day that they were due to get them done. He had never been like that before, and it was enough to make him try to focus.

Jisung grabbed out his own laptop to work on some songs for his mid-term project. Changbin had gotten a chance to hear a few of them, and he wished that Jisung could just gain the confidence in himself to perform them. Baby steps were still required, but Changbin hoped that he could feel better about himself soon. He wanted the youngest to join him and Chan as full-time employees.

Hyunjin got off of work and slid into the empty chair at their table. He grabbed out his sketchbook to doodle while the other two were immersed in their work. He smiled softly at the scene in front of him and decided that it would be the perfect thing to draw. Hyunjin found himself really smiling for the first time all day.

Jisung and Changbin were two of Hyunjin’s favorite people. If he was counting friends, they were his closest. He felt safe with the two of them, not that he didn’t with the rest, and he didn’t want to take that for granted. Changbin might have made the first move to integrate him into their lives, but Jisung was the first one that Hyunjin let into his heart.

Hyunjin’s heart clenched as he tried to capture their faces of concentration. Changbin looked more stoic, eyes narrowing as he thought hard about something. Jisung was smiling and bopping along to whatever he was doing on his laptop. He looked carefree which was much different than how the other had been recently.

Hyunjin hadn’t been waiting patiently to hear all about the party from Felix and Jisung’s perspective. It had been half a week ago and he still hadn’t heard about it much other than the morning after. He was curious to see what actually went down when he was drunk and couldn’t pay attention.

Hyunjin had also been wanting to spend more time with Changbin. The older producer had declined his offer to hang out with him more than once already. Hyunjin really was trying to not let it get to him, especially since they spent all of Sunday tangled together on Changbin’s bed. Hyunjin would blush when he thought about how Changbin had held him. Then he’d smack himself in the head for feeling so attached.

“Can we go now?” Jisung asked, pout now gracing his face. “I can’t focus any longer. I hit my limit. I’m at my end.”

Changbin snorted, not even looking up from the rapid typing on his laptop.

“Sung, you’ve only been working for like half an hour,”

“Half an hour too long, hyung,” Jisung whined. “Besides, Lixie is waiting for us at the dance studio. I mean, well he’s dancing but…yeah,”

Changbin glanced up at them for a moment.

“With Minho?” Changbin asked. Jisung winced but nodded his head. “I’ll drive us then and take Minho with me. We’re supposed to go grocery shopping today,”

Hyunjin watched Jisung’s face shut down at the mention of the older man. The artist wondered why Jisung hadn’t called a Code Mango if this was the reaction he was giving to the mention of the dancer’s name. Changbin went back to his work like it was nothing, and maybe Jisung already told him something about what happened.

Hyunjin was incredibly confused.

“We can walk back after we pick up Lix,” Hyunjin said softly, smiling at Jisung in what he hoped looked like reassurance.Jisung nodded and saved his files before shoving his laptop haphazardly back in his backpack. Hyunjin winced at the treatment, the poor device definitely deserved some better love and care than that.

Changbin sighed and saved his assignments. He had gotten a lot done, and could actually afford to stop now. He looked down at Hyunjin’s sketchbook out of curiosity after placing his things in his bag. Changbin’s heart fluttered when he saw that Hyunjin was drawing them. He looked up at the artist to find him blushing and refusing to make eye contact.

“Let’s go,” Jisung huffed, getting up. “Wait, bathroom first. Be right back babies,”

Changbin rolled his eyes and laughed at the younger. He turned to see that Hyunjin was packing up his sketchbook, and placing it gingerly inside his bag. Changbin sighed happily, causing Hyunjin to look up at him with a startled expression.

“Stop staring, stalker,” He stated, but all the bite was missing from his voice.

“I’m sorry that I’ve been so busy lately,” Changbin said softly, reaching across the table to take Hyunjin’s hand in his. “I’m not trying to ignore you on purpose.”

Hyunjin huffed, leaning forward to get closer to the producer over the table.

“I know,” He stated. “I just…I miss you I guess,”

“Jinnie misses me?” Changbin beamed, grabbing Hyunjin’s hand and placing an obnoxious sounding kiss on the back of his hand. Hyunjin’s ears felt like they were on fire, and while he wanted to yank his hand away, he didn’t. They just looked at each other for a few moments. Hyunjin found it so easy just to

be

wrapped up in Changbin’s presence. He felt like it was only them, sitting at the table in an empty cafe.

“I do miss you,” Hyunjin said softly. “I don’t like feeling…rejected like I was…”

Changbin’s lips fell into a natural pout.

“I’m sorry darling. I’ll make it up to you, I promise,”

Jisung squeaked from behind Hyunjin, effectively puncturing a hole into their bubble that surrounded them. Hyunjin brought his hands into his lap, and looked down at them. He was suddenly all too aware of the piercing gazes from those around them. He couldn’t blame the others, people were too nosy, he’d spent most of his shift dodging people as much as he could. He had forgotten that they were not alone at all.

“Are we…ready?” Jisung asked, trying his best to pretend that he didn’t walk back to see them making heart eyes at each other. His two friends quickly got up from the table and headed toward the door. Changbin rushed ahead, claiming that he was going to go grab the car and for the two of them to stay there.

“Not a word,” Hyunjin threatened the moment he realized that they were alone.

“But Hyunieeeee,” Jisung whined. “This is exciting! You were holding hands!”

Hyunjin nodded his head once and refused to make eye contact.

“We’ve held hands before, Sungie.” Hyunjin said softly, nearing in a whisper.

“What?!” Jisung yelled. “Baby, you’re just now telling me this!”

“It didn’t come up,” Hyunjin shrugged.

Jisung turned toward Hyunjin and placed his hands on the other’s shoulders.

“Baby, this is huge news, okay? This is something that you text the group chat the moment that it happens.”

Hyunjin shrugged off his hands.

“I’ll tell you guys tonight. Seungmin already knows.”

“

Seungmin

already knows?! I thought that I was your best friend!?”

“Changbin hyung is my best friend,” Hyunjin stated automatically.

Jisung’s eyes got very wide at the admission. His jaw dropped and he was about to tell Hyunjin off when said hyung pulled up to the curb. Hyunjin rushed to get into the front seat and away from Jisung’s knowing eyes. Hyunjin buckled the seatbelt quickly and turned to give Changbin a small smile. The producer reached over and took Hyunjin’s hand in his, lacing their fingers together.

“Best friends my ass,” Jisung muttered from the back, not loud enough for either of them to hear. Jisung looked out the window as Changbin drove toward the dance studio. Maybe he was jealous, but something gross started to settle in his stomach. He couldn’t really place the feeling, but Jisung didn’t like it. He didn’t know why he felt hurt about Hyunjin and Changbin.

Changbin was smiling happily as he drove with Hyunjin by his side. He happened to wake up really late today and had to end up taking his car to work and to one of his classes. He made a mental note to take the car more often, especially since Hyunjin looked so pretty in the passenger seat.

Hyunjin squinted at the sun as it burned brightly at sunset. He debated on asking Changbin for his sunglasses for a brief moment. He reminded himself that Changbin definitely needed the glasses more than he did, but the other would gladly give them up if Hyunjin asked. He smiled to himself before slowly pulling down the visor.

A piece of paper fluttered out and landed on the floor beside his feet. Hyunjin slowly picked up the paper to find that it was definitely a photo. Changbin grunted at the tug on his hand. Curiosity got the better of Hyunjin, and he flipped it over. He was shocked to see a younger, skinnier version of Changbin smiling back at him. Perched perfectly on Changbin’s lap was a blonde boy, kissing his cheek.

Hyunjin allowed his thumb to run slowly over the aged photo. The edges were bent from time, and it looked like it had been folded in half for quite a while. It had to be when Changbin was in high school. The boy on his lap had his arms tightly wrapped around his neck, and Changbin was holding the boy’s waist so tightly that his shirt was raising up.

“Oh god that was forever ago,” Changbin laughed, stealing a glance at the photo in Hyunjin’s spare hand. The stoplight provided him with a moment at exactly the right time. “I forgot that it was even still in here,”

“What is it?” Jisung asked, peering up over Hyunjin’s shoulder. “You still have this photo, hyung?!”

“Of course, Ji. I don’t rip up or burn any of my photos with my exes,”

Wooyoung

, of course that’s who it had to be. Hyunjin should have realized that it was him when he saw the side profile, and it felt vaguely familiar.

“I mean…not Woo. But normal exes,”

Hyunjin’s eyebrows furrowed.

“What is a normal ex?” He asked.

“Ones that you don’t stay in love with for years and remain weird friends,” Jisung chirped.

Changbin’s ears were turning red, but his eyes remained on the road. Hyunjin slowly pulled his hand out of Changbin’s hold to put the photo back in the visor. He suddenly didn’t care if the sun burned his eyes, at least the image would get burned from his mind. Hyunjin missed the way that Changbin’s smile disappeared as he pulled away.

“Wooyoung seemed nice,” Hyunjin said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“He is?” Jisung laughed, looking utterly confused.

“He’s not my only ex that is my friend,” Changbin added softly. It felt like it needed to be said, even if Hyunjin was just his friend. “I’m still friends with Yeonjun and Chaeryeong,”

Hyunjin pressed his lips together tightly. He felt his emotions starting to boil on the inside and he had no idea what to do with them. He was thankful for Jisung’s presence in the backseat. He was glad that the younger producer was there to tease Changbin, because Hyunjin didn’t feel like he could trust himself at the moment. He was well aware that he looked like a child, pouting in the corner when something didn’t go his way.

Changbin pulled into the parking lot of the dance studio, and Hyunjin nearly bolted out of the car. The producer just watched the artist as he walked toward what looked like the entrance. Jisung furrowed his eyebrows and jumped out to catch up with Hyunjin. When Changbin was alone in the car, he pulled the photo from the visor. It was only there because Wooyoung had insisted that he keep it there forever, in memory of their hot, young love. Changbin did it to humor his friend.

Changbin laughed to himself, realizing that Hyunjin was likely jealous, but the younger man would never admit it outloud. The photo was one that he had cherished since they took it together. It was just after they started getting serious, and Felix had pulled out his new camera at one of their parties. He smiled fondly at the photo before looking up toward Hyunjin and Jisung. Hyunjin was shaking his head, but the smile was back on his lips.

Changbin made the decision to put the photo in the glove compartment, before he tugged himself out of the car. He jogged to catch up to the other two men. Jisung didn’t look anxious at all, he just looked incredibly tired. Changbin still had yet to pull what happened between Jisung and Minho at the party from either of them. He just hoped that this wouldn’t put a rift between the friend group.

Minho and Felix were dancing together when they found the studio room they were occupying. Felix was working on one of his final semester performances, and Minho was there to help him perfect it. They both were moving together so well, looking like water flowing with the beats. Hyunjin felt his jaw drop, because

this

is what he had always secretly wanted to do. He had always wanted to be able to move like that.

Hyunjin watched as Jisung became laser focused on how Minho was moving. His eyes tracked every movement and traced every line of Minho’s lilith form. Jisung couldn’t help the way that his heart started to race at the exposed skin every time Minho’s shirt moved up. A Code Mango might not have been called, but Hyunjin had a feeling that it should have been.

Felix was the first to notice that the three of them had arrived. He smiled widely, but continued to dance until the piece was over. He cut the music and downed water before he was running over to greet them all. Minho dragged his feet as he approached at a much slower rate.

“Looking good, Lix,” Jisung smiled, eyes only looking at Felix, even as Minho was standing right behind him. “It’s gotten much better since last week. The timing definitely looks like it fits the choreography better,”

Felix laughed and wrapped a towel around his sweaty neck.

“Thanks, Sungie. I think having Minho here has really helped,”

Jisung nodded once, eyes briefly flashing to the other. He looked just barely over Minho’s shoulder, forcing himself not to make eye contact. He looked back at Felix and Hyunjin.

“I’m sure,” He said softly. “Are you ready to go home now?”

“I was gonna have Felix run through it one more time,” Minho cut in. “He messed up at the beginning,”

“Well good thing you’re not Felix and don’t get to make decisions for him,” Jisung said sharply.

Changbin’s eyes widened at the tone in the younger man’s voice. He looked at Minho, noticing that the dancer actually looked hurt at Jisung’s words. Minho pressed his lips together tightly to keep himself from snapping back at Jisung.

“I’m gonna go take a very quick shower,” Felix interjected, hoping to calm down the tension in the room. No one argued with the dancer, so he scampered off to take the world’s shortest shower.

Minho huffed and shook his head.

“I’m not trying to make decisions for him, Jisung,” Minho said sternly.

Jisung rolled his eyes.

“Wouldn’t be the first time you did that, now would it,”

“Sungie,” Changbin warned.

“No, Bin-ah. It’s alright. Let Jisung say whatever it is he has to say.”

“No it’s fine,

Minho

. You’re just an asshole that wants to tell everyone what they can and can’t do. It’s nothing

new

. I’m just glad you’ve finally embraced it,

hyung

,”

Minho looked like he had been slapped.

“I…you were

drunk,

Jisung!” He exploded. “You were drunk and didn’t know what you were doing!”

Jisung saw red.

“I knew what I was doing! I knew precisely that I wanted Minhyuck to bend me over and fuck me. I knew

exactly

what I wanted to happen and I did

everything

to ensure that it did!” Jisung yelled. “And guess what? That wasn’t the first time Minhyuck has fucked me! It wasn’t even the second or the third! So get off your fucking pedestal and save your lecture for someone who actually gives a shit about what you have to say!”

Minho’s face went from shock to murderous in the span of time it took for Jisung to yell at him. He went to open his mouth to yell back when Changbin was wrapping his arms around Minho from behind.

“You know that you mean nothing to him, right? That he does this all of the time?! You’re noth-” Minho tried to yell back when Changbin’s hand clamped down over his friend’s mouth. He picked Minho up and the older man started to kick out in anger.

Hyunjin looked between the two men retreating and Jisung’s flushed, angry face. He grabbed Jisung’s arm to tug him off toward the hall outside. He didn’t want Jisung to be near Minho any longer. He didn’t think that it would be

this

bad, but something had to have happened. There was no way that Jisung went from being upset to being livid over something small.

Felix was running up to them just moments later. He grabbed Jisung’s cheeks and pressed their foreheads together.

“I’m so sorry, Sungie,” He whispered. “I’m so so so sorry,”

Jisung couldn’t stop himself and was sobbing within seconds. Felix let go of Jisung’s face and cradled his head in toward his chest. Hyunjin watched silently as Felix rocked Jisung back and forth. He felt incredibly angry and protective over his friend. He wanted to hurt Minho himself. He knew that he wouldn’t because Changbin would intervene before he could.

Hyunjin whirled around and stocked back into the dance studio room. Changbin was calming Minho down, using his most soothing voice that he could. Hyunjin didn’t care. He stomped over and grabbed Minho by the shirt, the sweat making it sticky in Hyunjin’s hand. Both men stared at him in surprise.

“If you ever fucking hurt Jisung like that again, I will end you,” Hyunjin threatened. “He loves you, asshole! He loves you so much and you keep on hurting him. Why? Isn’t he good enough for you?”

“Jinnie,” Changbin said softly, reaching out to help put distance between Hyunjin and Minho.

Hyunjin shrugged him off.

“No! He

knows

. He knows that Jisung is in love with him and he still chooses to treat him like this,” Hyunjin said, voice tight with emotion. He looked back at Minho. “Don’t you have any remorse? How…h-how could you treat someone who loves you so selflessly like that?”

Minho gaped, blinking at Hyunjin’s question. The artist was crying, gripping onto his shirt and demanding an answer. Minho didn’t have a proper answer yet. He didn’t know why he was being so mean, so cruel. He didn’t want to intentionally hurt Jisung. He

never

wanted to hurt Jisung.

“I…I didn’t know it was…” Minho struggled with his words. “I didn’t know he was hurting that badly.”

Hyunjin’s lips trembled in anger and in sadness. He felt the tears falling down his chin, and started to make a mess of his face. He shook his head and let go of Minho’s shirt. He looked at Changbin briefly, seeing his own hurt reflecting in the producer’s eyes. Hyunjin took a stabilizing breath to try to regain some of the emotional control he had over himself.

“You’re a coward,” He spat out before turning around and leaving the studio once again.

Felix and Jisung didn’t ask questions, they just tugged him into their group hug that consisted of more tears than anything else. They didn’t speak as they pulled away from one another and started on the short walk back to the apartment.

Hyunjin wondered if this was normal; if it was a part of growing up. He knew that Jisung must have been hurting deeply because of Minho, but for the first time he wondered just how long he’s been hurting because of him. He wanted to ask so many questions about how it got this far. He wanted to know how Jisung had powered through it for this long.

The look on Minho’s bewildered face told Hyunjin that the dancer had likely not thought about it that deeply. He hadn’t given Jisung the respect he deserved, and was so focused on himself. How could he not see that Jisung was hurting? How could the other man hurt someone as lovely and endearing as Jisung?

Hyunjin felt like an animal; wild and feral to his core. He felt like he wanted to rip Minho limb from limb and he probably would have if Changbin wasn’t there. He had wished so

badly

that Minho had to swallow his own vitriol and choke it down until he couldn’t breathe.

Hyunjin’s thoughts alone were enough to make him stumble on the street behind his friends. He wondered if all of the loneliness had finally boiled over or if this is what it meant to care deeply about others. He felt raw, like he’d been turned inside out, tossed into the washing machine and then rocket launched across a football field.

He was exhausted. He couldn’t tell if he was elated or aggravated that Jeongin and Seungmin were waiting at the door of the apartment when they got there. Seungmin didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around his two best friends. Hyunjin moved out of the way and toward his brother.

“Felix called, and he was distraught,” Jeongin whispered. “It wasn’t a code baby, but I’ve never seen Minnie like this,”

Hyunjin pressed his lips into a tight line.

“I’ve never seen them like this either,” Hyunjin whispered. “I’m glad you came… I…. Fuck I think I might have made it worse.”

Jeongin’s eyebrows raised high in question.

“What happened?”

Hyunjin looked worriedly over at the three of them.

“I think it’s possible the friend group might be done after this…”

Jeongin shucked in a quick breath.

“I’m sure it’s not quite that bad,”

“I think it is,” Hyunjin whispered as he watched Seungmin soothe both Jisung and

Felix with soft hushes. He wished that he never ran back inside. He wished that he could have held that stupid instinctive actions inside. He didn’t

want

to make an enemy out of Minho. Minho was

kind

to him lately. Ever since the party, it’s like the other finally accepted Hyunjin. Now, he’s not really sure.

“Let’s go inside,” Seungmin said softly before he made his way to the door. Jeongin latched onto Hyunjin’s arm as the trio entered first.

•••

You’re a coward

. Hyunjin’s tone, his angry face, were etched into every part of Minho’s mine. The way that the artist looked like a villain ready to eradicate revenge on a city that turned against him, sent chills down Minho’s spine. He deserved it, he knew that he did. He

had

been a coward, he’d even be willing to admit that he’d been one for years.

Of course he knew that Jisung was in love with him. He had tried his best to play dumb. He had tried to pretend like nothing had changed between them, but he knew that wasn’t true. Jisung had handed over his heart to Minho on a silver platter. Minho had metaphorically smacked it out of his hands.

Minho took in a deep breath, eyes starting to tear up as he watched Hyunjin’s back get further and further away from them. Changbin was frozen, but Minho knew that his best friend wanted to run after Hyunjin. He didn’t blame the producer, he wouldn’t want to be around someone like him either.

“I told you, Minho,” Changbin said, voice tense as he finally turned to look at his best friend. “I told you that you’re the one who is hurting Jisung the most,”

Minho ground his teeth together and tried his best to stop the tears that were welling up in his eyes.

“I didn’t want to,”

“But you

did

, Minho. You said those things knowing that it would cut him into pieces,” Changbin sighed heavily. Minho tried to blink the tears away, but they started to fall down his face. “C’mon, let’s get home. We’ll call Channie hyung and we’re gonna have a real fucking talk about your feelings and how you’ve nearly fucked this all up,”

Minho started to shake his head.

“No, no really I’m okay. I’m good. See no more tears,”

“Minho, that’s not going to work,” Changbin sighed. “Let’s go,”

Changbin didn’t give Minho much of a choice to follow him or not. The producer didn’t turn around to make sure that he was following behind. Minho doesn’t mind public transportation, but he’d rather be dead than have someone see any sign of vulnerability on his face. He followed Changbin based on his own self-preservation.

Chan was waiting on the couch for the two of them, a severe look on his face. Minho had enough decency to wince once they made eye-contact. He had disappointed Chan, which was on his personal list to never,

ever

do. The eldest had a fire in his eyes that terrified him to his core. Changbin clapped his hand down on Minho’s shoulder so hard that the dancer winced upon impact. He tried in vain to keep himself from getting closer, but he was no match for Changbin and his muscles.

Chan patted the couch cushion beside him and Minho refused to make a sex joke, because this was

serious

, but also he had eyes and Chan is attractive. Minho took a deep breath to steady his nerves, before he was slowly lowering himself onto the seat.

“Do you know what you’ve done?” Chan asked softly, but the edge to his tone let them know exactly how mad he was.

“I think so, but I’m also sure you’re gonna tell me,” Minho chirped, anxiety rising in his throat.

Chan huffed, leaning forward and placing his forearms on his knees.

“I’m not actually. What did you do?”

Minho took in a deep breath.

“I hurt Jisung,”

“And

why

did you hurt Jisung?” Chan asked.

Changbin sat down behind Chan, showing a united front to Minho. The dancer knew he was out-numbered, logically. It just really sucked for him to see it in action. Changbin’s jaw was set just as tightly as Chan’s was. His posture was a bit more open, but Minho knew he was fuming. He hadn’t said a word to Minho the entire drive back to their apartment.

Why had he hurt Jisung so badly? Minho tried to wrack his brain for a moment. He felt like his emotions had gotten so high that he forgot what was happening. His heart clenched when he remembered Jisung’s face, how angry and anguished it looked. He remembered

why

, he did. Minho just wished that he’d never have to talk about this out-loud. He wished he could stop it now.

“Because I was jealous,” Minho finally admitted, stomach rolling around in vicious waves. He cradled his head in his hands, trying to hid his face in shame. “I was so jealous of Minhyuck that I took it out on Jisung.”

“Why were you jealous, Min?” Chan asked, moving back to give the other man space. “Why did you break them up at my birthday party?”

Minho was utterly embarrassed, because

of course

Minhyuck would tell Chan what happened. He had blamed it on the alcohol, but the truth was way too clear for anyone to see. He absolutely hated the way that someone else’s hands were all over Jisung’s perfect waist.

Minho could continue to deny it until he was blue in the face. He could lie to them both, poorly, but he could make up another excuse. He had rehearsed for this moment in the privacy of his mind countless times. He had words ready for when he needed them. He had lied to himself enough to know that they sounded like the truth. He knew they worked, because even Jisung believed him when he lied to him.

Minho looked up at his two best friends, words ready to leave his mouth. Changbin narrowed his eyes at Minho, and suddenly the words were gone. Changbin had to have been trying to tell him not to make matters worse by lying. Chan looked like his ever patient hyung, but there was a lack of sympathy in his eyes. Minho wouldn’t, fucking couldn’t, lie to them.

“I’m in love with Jisung,” He sighed, tears angrily falling from his eyes once again.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Changbin rubbed his temples roughly to attempt to get rid of his pending headache. He watched as Minho’s face finally crumpled and contorted in anguish. Changbin knew that his best friend was finally releasing emotions that he hadn’t had the courage to release before now. Chan, the most physically affectionate of the three of them, held back his hand from trying to comfort the dancer. Minho needed to have this moment to help him get better. They couldn’t lie to make the other man feel better.

“How long have you loved him?” Chan asked softly, trying his best not to just reach out.

Minho rung his hands together, and refused to make eye-contact.

“I don’t know,” He answered. “Honestly, I couldn’t tell you when it started,”

“Minho,” Changbin said sternly, huffing out a breath.

Minho’s eyes snapped up to Changbin.

“Not everyone is like you, Bin. Not everyone is so sure of how they feel all of the time. I need you to respect that to at least try to help me figure this out. If you even want to help me figure this out.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry.” Changbin whispered.

“I forgive you. I’m sorry too,” Minho responded just as softly.

“I think the person who you need to apologize to the most is Jisung,” Chan interjected. “I mean…do you want to apologize to him?”

“Of fucking course I want to apologize. He probably will never want to see me again though,” Minho huffed. “Not that I blame him,”

Changbin rolled his eyes.

“Jisung is emotionally in tune with himself. He will hear you out, okay?”

“I don’t even know where to begin,” The dancer admitted. “Do I just say ‘Hey sorry, I’m a dick but I'm in love with you’? Because I doubt that will go over well with him. He’d probably kick me in the shins,”

“You would deserve that one,” Changbin laughed. Minho gave him a sneer but the other didn’t mind. What he was saying was undoubtedly the truth. “Minho, look, you are gonna have to put in a lot of work with Jisung. You really, really fucked it up. You’re gonna have to put everything you have into making it right.”

Minho pressed his lips into a tight line and lifted his eyes toward the sky. He did that every time he tried to stop himself from crying. Chan couldn’t handle it any longer, so he reached over and hugged Minho as tightly to his chest as possible. The dancer looked startled for a minute before he was hugging back just as tightly. Minho clung to Chan like a life-line. The tears finally broke loose and cascaded down his face.

Changbin watched helplessly as his oldest friend tried to come to terms with love. He had watched Minho struggle through different boy problems. Changbin was always so amazed by how collected Minho had always been. He used to think that maybe Minho was just really mature when it came to love and relationships. The reality of this situation had smacked Changbin in the face. Minho wasn’t any more wise than he was when it came to the matters of the heart.

Changbin had never seen Minho as broken up over loving someone as he did in that very moment. He had seen the nasty parts of Minho, parts that Changbin didn’t think existed. He didn’t know that Minho was capable of such venom due to jealousy. He had never seen Minho possessive. Changbin never, even would condone Minho’s behavior. He would never believe that someone being possessive equals love, but he understood that it could turn that way when someone doesn’t do the work on the inside of their hearts.

Minho hadn’t known that he was being cruel until Hyunjin had smacked him down a peg or five. It was Hyunjin; the sarcastic, aloof artist that saw right through Minho’s words. Hyunjin saw through them enough that he was willing to step up and say it. The artist had never been more beautiful to Changbin. Hyunjin had never been more loved by Changbin.

Changbin was in love with Hyunjin. The producer’s eyes widened and he started to laugh out-loud, because of course he was. He didn’t need months with the artist to know that he felt something so intense and rare. He had practically stalked Hyunjin, mind twisting with the need to know everything about him. He had been stupid to think that this whole situation wouldn’t have landed him in this spot.

“Stop laughing at me, you ninny.” Minho threatened as Chan pulled away from their embrace. “I already stupid enough,”

Changbin waved his hand as he came down from his revelation.

“It wasn’t you, Min.” He admitted. “I just had a thought. Don’t mind me,”

Minho narrowed his eyes at Changbin.

“I’m watching you, Seo.”

Chan lightly shoved Minho.

“Oh stop, you’re a big softy and we all know it,” He teased. “We need to get you a game plan together. You really gotta pull all of the big things out for this one,”

“Maybe we should consult my brother on this one,” Minho winced.

“I don’t think Lix is gonna want to talk to you right now,” Chan said softly.

“What does that mean?” Minho huffed, tossing his hands around.

“It means that I’ll call Hyunjin and talk to him,” Changbin stepped in. He needed to call the artist and talk to him about everything, anyway. “You, stay put and don’t do anything stupid.”

“Fine, dad,” Minho mumbled, crossing his arms as he relaxed back on the sofa.

“I’ll handle it, Binnie. Go call,” Chan said with his classic, reassuring smile.

Changbin didn’t need to be told again. He excused himself from the living room, booked it to his room and pressed on Hyunjin’s contact before they could say anything else to him.

Hyunjin picked up on the fifth ring.

“Hyung,” Hyunjin sighed out heavily. He sounded exhausted.

“Jinnie, hi,” Changbin sighed in relief. “How are things?”

Hyunjin was silent for a moment. Changbin could only hear breathing over the phone. He thought that maybe it wasn’t the best time to call the other.

“It’s…Jisung’s very upset with himself,” Hyunjin admitted. “Seungmin is calming him down and Jeongin is distracting Felix to keep him from marching over there. It’s been…chaotic, I guess.”

Changbin had only seen Felix angry once before, and his shuddered now at the thought. He never wanted to see the youngest Lee brother upset ever again. Felix had such a large capacity of empathy and love, but once he was crossed, he was terrifying.

“I’m sorry that Minho ruined the sleepover. And the youngest one’s date night,”

“It’s not your fault, Changbin.” Hyunjin said softly, but the firmness in his voice showed just how upsetting the situation was.

“Minho wants to apologize to Jisung. He knows what he did was wrong. He’s really torn up about what happened,” The producer revealed. “He wants to apologize now, but I’m not really sure that’s a good idea.”

Hyunjin groaned.

“Jisung also wants to apologize now, but I think he needs the night to really collect himself. None of us want him to jump to forgiveness just because he loves Minho. I think that it should wait until tomorrow. That way, everyone’s emotions can calm down,”

Changbin laid back on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

“I know, I agree,” He admitted. “You…I’ve never seen you like that before.”

Hyunjin went silent on the other end of the line. Changbin took in a small breath and held it. He would have rather the two of them talk this part out before the night was over. Changbin didn’t want to question Hyunjin, but he did want to know why it hurt Hyunjin so badly. The producer didn’t want to pry into the artist’s mind. He just wanted to talk it out, just in case it got much bigger.

“I’ve…never been like that either,” Hyunjin admitted. “I know that Jisung doesn’t need protecting, hyung. I know that. But…there’s this…I hated to see him like that. Then…like it was by someone he loved, ya know? I just…I hated it, Changbin. I hated every minute of it, and I hated that I reacted like a feral animal.”

Changbin could hear the fear in Hyunjin’s voice. He understood what the other meant.

“I feel the same way about all of our friends, Jinnie, especially Jisung. I’ve always felt that need to make sure that he was okay. I just happen to also care that same way about Minho. I know Minho more than Jisung. I knew that I just needed to separate them, because it could have gotten physical. Sometimes I forget that Minho is more of a verbal fighter,”

Hyunjin laughed.

“Minho hyung and I have that in common,” He admitted. “I…I scared myself, Binnie,”

“I know, darling,” He whispered. “I’m not upset with you. In fact, I’m grateful that I saw you that way. I know you care deeply for people, Hyunjin. You’re not as scary as you think you are,”

The artist scoffed.

“You’re not as badass as you think you are, Mr. Muscles,” Hyunjin teased right back. They scared a laugh at their playfulness. Then Hyunjin was crying from laughing so hard, and he didn’t even know why he was so worried about Changbin’s reaction to him in the first place. Changbin was never scared to approach him first. Hyunjin tried to remind himself of that since they got to the apartment. It was even better to hear it from the man himself.

“I didn’t lie, Jinnie. I still miss you. I promise that I will make it up to you tomorrow afternoon. Are you free? We can have a picnic at Hangang Park?”

Hyunjin’s eye roll was practically verbal.

“What are you trying to do? Wine and dine me? Make me fall for your irresistible charms” He joked.

Changbin gulped and took a deep breath.

“And what if I am? Would that be so bad?”

Changbin swore that his heart stopped as he waited to hear Hyunjin’s reply. He took long, deep breaths to keep his nerves in check. Just because he just realized that he was in love with Hyunjin didn’t mean that the other would reciprocate those feelings. He knew that it was likely, due to the nature of their dynamic, but he didn’t know. Changbin felt like he finally put it on the table for Hyunjin to see.

“I…no, Changbin. I don’t think it would be bad at all.” Hyunjin finally responded. “So are you trying to wine and dine me?”

Changbin’s giggles made Hyunjin’s heart pick up.

“That’s exactly what I’m trying to do here. Hyunie,” The producer stated. He slowly sat up back on his bed again. “So….what do you say? A date tomorrow, like officially?”

“It’s a date,” Hyunjin smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Bin.”

“Bye, darling,”

•••

Hyunjin returned to the living room, feeling extremely flustered from his conversation with Changbin. He could feel just how red his ears and his cheeks were. He knew that they would be able to tell something happened the moment that he sat down. He couldn’t even keep the smile off of his face, which was a far cry from how he looked when he excused himself. The Babies definitely will pry it out of him soon, even if he wanted to keep it to himself.

Seungmin was the first to notice Hyunjin’s return to the living room. He stopped petting Jisung’s hair, while the later laid his head on the former’s shoulder, and gave him an accusing stare. Hyunjin just shrugged and settled on the couch next to Jisung’s side. Felix and Jeongin were busy playing Mario Kart to really notice what was happening. Hyunjin was glad that it seemed to have calmed Felix enough to not commit murder against his brother.

Jisung lifted his head to look at Hyunjin. His eyes narrowed suspiciously at the artist. Hyunjin tried his best to make his face appear more neutral, but it just made him look more guilty. Jisung’s face broke out into a grin, the first all evening, and he was wrapping his arms around Hyunjin’s torso.

“Jinnie has news!” Jisung shouted.

Seungmin raised an eyebrow that Hyunjin barely saw over the top of Jisung’s head.

“Is this baby news only?” He questioned, taking a quick look at Jeongin.

Jeongin was already getting ready to stand up to give them their privacy.

“In-ah, don’t go,” Hyunjin sighed. “I’d tell you anyway,”

The youngest nodded his head and effortlessly pressed himself to Seungmin’s back. Seungmin beamed as Jeongin’s arms wrapped around his waist. He grabbed his boyfriend’s hands and gave a quick squeeze. Jeongin rested his head on Seungmin’s shoulder, pressing their cheeks together. Hyunjin wanted to snap a photo for them to keep forever.

“What happened?” Felix asked, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes the way that it normally did.

“Changbin hyung called to ask how we’re all doing,” Hyunjin stated. He took a deep breath. “The hyungs will all be coming over tomorrow to talk,”

Jisung reared back from Hyunjin’s chest.

“Tomorrow?! Why not tonight. I deserve tonight,”

Hyunjin sighed.

“Minho hyung said basically the same thing. The issue is that we all don’t think now is a good idea,”

“My brother isn’t as good at articulating as you are, Sungie,” Felix said softly, taking Jisung’s hand in his own. “And I really think you need to take tonight to ask yourself what you really want moving forward,”

“Lix is right,” Seungmin agreed. “It’s up to you, Jisung, but you and Minho hyung need to have a very open conversation. You need to tell him how hurt you are, but you also really need to listen to him in return,”

Jisung pouted.

“Can’t we just say sorry and move on?”

Hyunjin shook his head.

“I don’t think it’s going to be as simple as that. Binnie said that Minho’s taking it pretty hard. It may be something that is going to take time to work out. If you both want to stay in each other’s lives, it’s going to take time,”

Jeongin giggled.

“Look at my brother, growing up and making sense,” He teased.

Felix smiled sweetly at Hyunjin.

“That’s actually really good advice, Hyunjin,” He complimented.

Jisung took in a deep breath and forced out the air harshly.

“Okay, I can handle that.” He admitted. “So what made you so smiley then?”

Hyunjin had hoped that they forgot about that little missing piece of information.

“Well he’s blushing again.” Felix smirked. “I’d say…it has something to do with Binnie, don’t you?”

Seungmin grinned wickedly.

“Oh I’m positive it had something to do with Binnie. Maybe Binnie said some really sweet things to our Hyunjinnie,”

Hyunjin glared at Seungmin, but Seungmin just cackled. Jeongin was laughing again in the same tune as his boyfriend.

“What happened?” Jisung asked, pretending to be innocent. “Why were you all red?”

Hyunjin groaned and tossed his head back. He didn’t want to make it worse than it already was, but he felt the truth at the tip of his tongue. He wanted so badly to tell them, but he didn’t want them to poke fun at him. It was so embarrassing having friends to witness these moments. Hyunjin silently mourned his solitude. It would have been nice to have been alone after the phone conversation.

“Changbin hyung is taking me on a date…tomorrow…officially.,” Hyunjin rushed out as soon as he could.

Felix and Jisung were tackling him to the couch in excitement.

“Oh my god!!” Felix yelled. “Hyunjin! This is perfect! We’ll be dating best friends!”

“Felixxxxxx,” Jisung groaned. “That was my ear. Rest in peace me,”

“Sorry,” Felix laughed. “But that’s so exciting Jinnie! Did he ask you? Did you ask him? Was this out of the blue?”

“Let the man breathe,” Seungmin sighed. He reached forward as much as he could with Jeongin as a human backpack on him. He grabbed the back of their shirts and gave a tug. Felix didn’t even resist, and leaned back until he was practically in Seungmin’s lap. Jisung fought much harder, just on principle, but he moved back a little bit so that Hyunjin could sit back up.

“Now, answers please?” Jisung smiled. “Is Changbin hyung calling you darling a new development?”

Hyunjin laughed, he should have known that Jisung heard that much in the cafe.

“Kinda new,” He answered honestly. “And I think we both kinda asked for the date? I dunno, we were talking and then it was a date. I’m a little…nervous,”

“Don’t be nervous, hyung,” Jeongin stated. “Changbin hyung is disgustingly obsessed with you. Really. Anyone who still has his attention even after they threw up on him, well it’s practically love,”

Love. Hyunjin didn’t know if that’s what he was feeling. He guessed it could be on the verge of that feeling. He hadn’t really experienced it for himself, so he had nothing to compare it to. He’d only ever really dated one person, the person he thought loved him, and it turned out to be a disaster. His heart was telling him to trust, to fall completely in love with Changbin. Still, his gut told him to be careful, to be alert.

“I wouldn’t call it love…” Hyunjin started off. “But I think I could end up there,”

Jisung smiled brightly at Hyunjin. Felix grabbed his hand and held it tightly. Seungmin looked at him with pride. Jeongin was smiling so hard that his eyes were closed.

“That’s all you need,” Felix smiled.

“Don’t think I didn’t hear you refer to Mr. Bang as your boyfriend, Lee Felix.” Seungmin stated firmly. “What exactly happened at the party?”

Felix wiggled his eyebrows.

“I seduced my way into Chan’s pants,” He said proudly. “He was practically begging me to be with him before we even left his party. We’re…just not telling Minho yet.”

“That’s a dangerous game, Lixie,” Jisung stated. “Are you guys still sneaking around?”

The blue-haired boy nodded.

“We are…for now. Minho’s been…a little out of it this week.” He admitted. “We’re going to tell him when things calm down. But like…it’s so hot sneaking around,”

“You all are depraved creatures,” Jeongin sighed. “I love it here.”

Hyunjin felt his eyes roll aggressively but he had to agree with his brother, he loved it here. It loved that these people were becoming so important to him, despite his initial shock of it all. He found that he was wanting to do things that he had never done before.

And despite the emotions that ran so high so fast, Hyunjin knew that this was all worth it somehow.

•••

Minho:

It’s tomorrow….

Jisung squinted at his phone to see the best he could with the screen so low and without his glasses. Beside him, Hyunjin and Felix were quietly sleeping, tangled together without a care in the world. Jisung wished he could have been tangled up with them. He was fine, really, but he couldn’t get Minho off of his mind. He had too much that he wanted to say.

The time on Jisung’s phone told him that it was just past three in the morning. Minho must have had a hard time sleeping as well. Jisung’s anger and anxiety flared at the yelling match they had. He wished so badly that he didn’t spout those things off just because he was upset. He shouldn’t have kept them inside, but he also should have tried to at least remain calm.

Jisung:

So it is hyung

Minho’s response came almost immediately. Jisung clutched his phone to his chest and slowly slid out of his bed. He tried his best not to disturb his best friends. He quickly slipped into his house shoes and made it way toward the living room. He had a feeling like this would take a while.

Minho:

Can I come over now?

I don’t think I’ll sleep

Please? Unless you don’t want me too?

Jisung:

Ok. hurry.

Minho:

Omw

I’ll text when I’m outside your door

Wear a coat it's cold

Jisung’s fragile heart skipped a beat at Minho’s thoughtfulness toward him. His brain felt traitorous when it started to whisper thoughts about Minho not caring about him specifically; that he didn’t want Jisung to complain. Jisung shook his head and settled on the couch while he waited for Minho. He tried not to get ahead of himself, but he couldn’t help but have hope.

Minho has always been patient when it comes to Jisung. He had the power to help Jisung focus on his studies when he was in middle school and got too distracted to properly sit still. Minho helped him learn how to cook so that he wouldn’t starve when he went off to college. He showed Jisung how to budget when it came to his expenses when he was on his own. Minho did it all of his own accord, claiming that if he didn’t teach Jisung, then no one would.

Minho had always been thoughtful toward the youngest producer. He remembered his favorite sweets and picked them up for him before every movie night. He made sure that he cooked for Jisung at least once a week, just to ensure that he did have a home-cooked meal. He whined that his lessons went to waste, but they both knew that Jisung had taken them to heart and cooked for himself a lot.

Minho had also always been a little dismissive of tough feelings. When Jisung was crying, he was quick to try to cheer him up. If cheering him up didn’t work, he’d give Jisung his space. Minho would promptly cut off any conversation of romantic relationships that involved either of them before it got too deep. He would brush off Jisung’s confessions in favor of pretending like they don’t exist.

Jisung was tired of going around in this same old circle. He wanted answers, and he was determined to get them this time.

Minho:

Here

Jisung got up from the couch slowly. He stuffed his phone in his pocket and went to scribble a quick post-it note to leave just in case they stayed out way too early into the morning and everyone woke back up. Truthfully, Jisung was stalling. His confidence was starting to wane, despite his earlier bravado.

His phone vibrated to remind him that he hadn’t opened the message since he received it. He assumed that was a sign to get himself into gear. He grabbed a large coat from their coat rack, likely belonging to Seungmin, and stuffed his feet into Felix’s boots. He took a deep, calming breath and stepped outside of the apartment.

Minho looked just as exhausted and distraught as he did. He was wearing a large hoodie, sleep pants and a pair of sneakers on his feet. Jisung briefly was happy that Minho would suffer in the cold for a little while.

“Shall we go for a walk?” Minho asked softly.

Jisung nodded. He took note of Minho’s own swollen eyes. He looked like he had cried rather hard earlier. Good, Jisung thought. The dark bags under Minho’s eyes were obvious under the hallway’s fluorescent lights. Jisung looked down at his feet, and willed himself to walk faster toward the elevator to get out of the building.

“Let’s not go too far,” Jisung sighed, sleepiness starting to toy with the back of his mind. “We can stay in the playground to talk,”

Minho nodded, pressing the elevator to go down. They stepped inside, the doors closing in on their awkward silence. Jisung leaned his head back for a minute or so, until they reached the lobby. The security guard barely waved as they walked past the front desk. Jisung didn’t have the energy to wave back like he normally did.

“Here, this should be good,” Minho nodded toward the swingset. He plopped down on the swing, leaving no room for arguing.

Jisung agreed that it was a good spot, but he wasn’t going to tell Minho that.

“So…you wanted to talk…” Jisung trailed off.

“I did…I do.” Minho huffed, pulling his hands from his hoodie pocket to grab ahold of the metal chains. “I don’t know where to start,”

“Can we start by acknowledging the elephant in the room?” Jisung asked as he started to sway a little bit. He tucked his hands into the jacket pocket to keep them warm. Minho closed his eyes but nodded his head once. His hands had to be freezing. His breath came out, visible in the crisp air. “I love you, Lee Minho. I love you…like how two people in a deep, committed relationship love each other. I want to spend however long I can loving you, because I don’t think that this is going away any time soon. I’ve tried not to love you, hyung. Truly. Nothing has worked yet. I just want you, and only you, for the rest of my life.”

Minho’s eyes softened as he watched Jisung.

“Sungie…”

“I’m not done,” He stated firmly. “I’m not too young to know what I want. I know exactly who I want to be and who I want to be with. I don’t understand why you keep brushing me off and casting me aside before you decide that jealousy is going to be your new personal motto. I’ve been trying to tell you for years that I think we’re compatible. You’re just really…dumb, hyung,”

Minho laughed toward the end.

“I’m sorry for brushing you off and for not listening to your confession properly.” He said earnestly. Minho fought his natural instinct to look away and focused on making eye contact with Jisung. “I’m sorry that I’ve been pushing down my feelings so hard that they’ve spewed out in jealousy. I’m sorry that I hurt you because of them. I’m sorry that I couldn’t be someone that you deserve; I’m still not.”

Jisung tried to focus on what Minho was saying, and not the hope that was springing from his faint heart. He watched as Minho struggled to apologize; struggled to tell the truth. Jisung never thought he’d be on the receiving end of this type of apology. He couldn’t fathom Minho hurting so badly, that it all came to this moment in the early morning. Minho looked unfairly beautiful in the bright moonlight.

“You hurt me,” Jisung whispered, a few tears falling down his cheeks. “I thought I’d never talk to you again,”

Minho pressed his lips together and waited for Jisung to continue. The producer struggled with what he wanted to say next. He thought that maybe he had said his peace; that this was the end of it all. Jisung tried to shut himself off to hoping, but that just wasn’t who he was as a person.

“I want to be someone that you deserve,” Minho spoke when Jisung couldn’t. He stood up from the swing, hands shaking as he crouched down in front of Jisung. He slowly took Jisung’s hands out of the producer’s pockets and into his own, the cold meeting warm with a jolt. “I want to be able to be worthy of your love, Jisung.”

Jisung chuckled, tears falling down. His hands shook as he reached up to brush Minho’s hair away from his face. The dancer smiled sadly up at him. Minho looked like he was ready to get rejected. It was as if he thought Jisung could just stop loving him.

“What do you mean, Minho? I don’t want any more riddles. I don’t want you to talk like I can read your mind. I can’t read your mind, hyung. We may act like we can sometimes….but not with..not with us,”

Minho pressed his lips into a thin line and leaned down to press his lips against Jisung’s hands. He slowly pulled back, looking up at Jisung with an expression that Jisung had seen on Minho’s face before. He saw it when Minho talked about Seonghwa in high school. He saw it when Minho and Kevin talked about their future. He had pinned away for years, hoping that Minho would spare so much as a small portion of this type of look at him.

Minho looked at Jisung like he was in love.

“I love you, Han Jisung,” He said softly, eyes crinkling up in happiness despite the heaviness around him.

“Minho,” Jisung huffed before he was tackling Minho onto the mulch underneath them. Minho grunted upon impact, but his hands wrapped securely around Jisung’s waist to keep them pressed together. Jisung’s hands stung where they landed on each side of Minho’s head, and he was sure his knees might be scrapped up as well. “I love you,”

Minho breathed out, light and airy before he pressed a small kiss to Jisung’s frozen nose.

“We have a lot of work to do, don’t we?”

“We do,” Jisung agreed. “C’mon, we should get back inside before our toes fall off,”

Jisung stood up and started to brush himself off. Minho just watched him with a mesmerizing expression. Something was starting to switch in his brain, probably due to the honest conversation and a little bit to the fighting, but Minho found himself feeling lighter. Jisung reached down and Minho didn’t have to think twice about allowing himself to be pulled up from the ground.

They raced each other back to the apartment building, as the sky started to brighten up into morning. Jisung knew that they were going to be okay, especially if Minho continued to hold onto his hand like that. He was more worried about the verbal scolding that they would be sure to get when their friends realized that Minho was missing and at Jisung’s apartment.

Jisung took the post-it note and tossed it into the trash. Minho was already laying down on the couch, and covering himself with a blanket that he grabbed from their hallway closet. The dancer looked like he was going to doze off any minute, but Jisung wanted to be close to him. Minho’s eyes flew open when Jisung slid onto the couch with him, tossing a leg over Minho’s waist. He wrapped his arms around Minho’s waist and blinked up at him shyly.

“They’re gonna kill us if they see us together,”

“Let them see,” Jisung yawned. “We’re gonna be a package deal now anyway. We need time to figure it out, ya know? Which means I need all of your attention,”

Minho wrapped his arms around Jisung, and pressed light kisses to the top of his head.

“You do. You have all of it,”

“Night, Minho,”

“Goodnight, Sungie,” Minho whispered before he finally allowed himself to sleep.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Jinnie-ah….” A voice called. Hyunjin’s nose scrunched and he tried to get away from the noise. “Jinnie-ah, Jinnie-ah…wake up…Jinnie-ah…”

Hyunjin groaned and tried his best to tuck himself back under the blanket. A blanket that got pulled away from him lightly. Hyunjin felt the edges of his dream world melting away. He was cold, probably because the blanket had been hogged all night or because it was colder in the room than he anticipated the night before.

“Goaway,” Hyunjin mumbled, trying to press himself further into the mattress.

“Darling, please get up,'' the voice asked softly. Hyunjin’s eyes flickered open once he realized exactly who had been trying to rob him of his beauty sleep. He rolled over slowly and found himself face to face with a fluffy-haired, smiling Changbin. His smile got impossibly wider when he realized that Hyunjin was now awake. “There you are, Jinnie,”

Hyunjin groaned, unable to handle the other man’s sweetness this early in the morning. He flopped onto his back and stared up at the ceiling as Changbin cackled. He was entirely too loud for Hyunjin to enjoy. He wanted to actually throttle the older man for being so loud.

“What time is it?” Hyunjin huffed out, voice thick from sleep.

“It’s a quarter past nine,” He answered. “Everyone else is in the kitchen,”

Hyunjin huffed and slowly pulled himself to sit up.

“Why is everyone here so early? Why can’t you all be normal and come after twelve?”

“Well, it seems that Minho snuck out in the early hours just to talk to Jisung,”

“What?” Hyunjin huffed.

“Found a post-it note this morning so Chan and I came straight here. Jisung and Minho were cuddling on the couch so it must have went well,”

“Oh….kay…” He trailed off. “That’s…good? I guess,”

“I guess too,” Changbin laughed. “We’re gonna have breakfast and then you and I can go to mine to pack for our date,”

Hyunjin blushed, but nodded his head in agreement.

“I don’t have like…date clothes,”

“It’s a park, so no pressure,” Changbin laughed. He offered his hand to Hyunjin once the other man had figured out how to make his limbs work again. He really didn’t want to get out of bed. Hyunjin smiled shyly, but allowed his fingers to intertwine with Changbin’s. A thrill went up and down his spine when he realized how well their hands fit together. Hyunjin’s hands were slender, fingers long and bony. Changbin’s hands were shorter, more meat on his fingers. Their hands just felt right, twined together and pressed tight.

The kitchen was way too lively for 9:15 in the morning, in Hyunjin’s humble opinion. Jeongin and Seungmin were singing along to some old love song his parents played when he was a kid. Their voices actually sounded nice together, if Felix and Chan’s laughter wasn’t drowning them out. Jisung and Minho were quietly making breakfast together, neither straying very far without the other following behind. Hyunjin watched them in fascination, as they moved like they had only one body to share between the two of them.

“It’s normal,” Changbin whispered into his ear. “That’s what they used to look like before…what happened.”

Hyunjin turned to look at Changbin, only to find the producer was smiling directly at Minho and Jisung. The artist had never been around the pair when they were at their best. Hyunjin had only known Jisung at his, in his own words, absolute worst. Hyunjin got to know about how Jisung processes things. He got to understand how his mind works when he’s by himself. Hyunjin found something so in common with Jisung, something that he had not found in another human soul.

This Jisung, the happier version, was a sight to behold. His smile was wider, impossibly so, and his eyes were practically twinkling as he spoke quietly to Minho. Hyunjin noticed how the dancer had less tension in his body. He didn’t think that Minho could smile that brightly, or speak as softly to someone else as he did. Hyunjin felt like he was intruding as he watched the two of them, off in their own little world.

Hyunjin wondered if he could share this happiness in common with Jisung as well.

“I didn’t know he could be so happy,” Hyunjin muttered back, eyes tracking how they moved in tandem.

“I thought I’d never see it again,” Changbin admitted, looking at Minho just as Hyunjin was. “Let’s go help,”

Hyunjin didn’t have much of a say when Changbin had a grip on his hand. He smiled and allowed the producer to pull him further into the kitchen. Minho immediately set them on dish duty, both setting the table and cleaning them after they all ate together. Hyunjin thought about how at rest Minho looked. He hoped that Minho had truly learned something through the whole ordeal. He also secretly hoped that Jisung would hold out for Minho to really prove himself worthy of his love. He didn’t hold his breath for the latter.

Seungmin and Jeongin did a wonderful retailing of the previous night's Mario Kart adventures. Jeongin had serious skills in the game, and he had knocked Felix from the top spot. Felix only playfully punched Jeongin a bunch before he kissed his forehead. Seungmin jokingly pulled Jeongin closer to him, and said mine .

Chan grinned widely at the three of them. Hyunjin noticed how much he doted on Felix, regardless of the nature of their relationship. Felix wasn’t blushing as much as he did before. The blue-haired man only accidentally played footsie with Hyunjin twice, instead of Chan. He still was giving his brother the cold shoulder, but that was something for the two of them to work out amongst themselves.

Changbin made sure that he was touching Hyunjin in some way. The artist found that when it was the producer, he didn’t mind as much. He was grateful that the older one was taking some much control over their dynamic. Hyunjin probably wouldn’t have thought to hold Changbin’s hand at the table, even if he likes to hold his hand in general. A pleasant feeling settled into his stomach every time Changbin’s arm brushed along his shoulder blades.

Minho and Jisung remained the quietest among them all. Minho would whisper lightly to Jisung when he had a question that he didn’t want all of them to hear. Jisung would only blush for a moment before whispering right back to him. The others around the table tried their best to give them space, but the tension was slowly rising as their plates were cleaned.

Minho cleared his throat.

“I know…I know that I’ve been a little unbearable lately,” He started off. Felix scoffed, but Minho tried his best to ignore his little brother. “I wanted to apologize for that,”

“And…” Jisung prompted from beside him.

“And I didn’t mean to cause any of you hurt while I was hurting,” Minho added. He huffed out a breath. “Sungie, isn’t that enough?”

Jisung gave him a firm, cute, look.

“Feelings are hard,” He said softly, but his eyes were just as sharp as they were when Jisung got fired up about something.

“I promise that I didn’t have ill-intent,” Minho added, eyes leaving Jisung’s to look at every one of them for a moment. Hyunjin was left in shock when Minho’s gazed ended up on him. “I’m sorry for the things I did when I shouldn’t have. You were right, Hyunjin. I was a coward. I’m going to try not to be anymore,”

Changbin squeezed his thigh lightly.

“I forgive you, Minho hyung,” Hyunjin said, to the surprise of everyone. If he was this far ahead, he had to keep trucking. “I think you’re still one of my favorite people. You’re compassionate, and I think you don’t always know how to express that,”

Changbin squeezed his thigh again. Jisung’s smile beamed all over his face.

Minho swallowed some water harshly.

“Thank you, Hyunjin-ah,” He said once the truth was digested. “I’m sorry Felix, for hurting your best friend.”

Felix’s eyes still focused on the plate in front of him.

“You hurt Jisung so badly.” He mumbled, but it was still loud enough for them all to hear it. “I dunno how to forgive you for that, and that upsets me, Minho. I don’t know how to forgive my own brother,”

Minho pressed his lips together harshly. He didn’t have much to say, because Felix was right. Only his changed behavior would help mend the broken bridge between the two of them. Minho would really have to put in the hard work and show Felix that he really did mean what he said.

“I’ve forgiven him,” Jisung said softly. “Babies, the Mango is ripe,”

Seungmin laughed loudly.

“That’s not how the codes work, Sungie.”

Jisung rolled his eyes.

“Just let me have this one thing, Kim Seungmin,”

“Never,” Seungmin huffed. “But do go on,”

Minho chuckled as Jisung waved his chopsticks at Seungmin in a threatening manner.

“Whatever! Anyway, Minho hyung really apologized to me. I will not tolerate any rude behavior toward him, okay? We’re good. And even if we weren’t on good terms again, it’s still my fight to fight, okay? I don’t need protection, though I do sincerely appreciate that everyone was willing to pumble him for me,”

“And I’m grateful that everyone cares that much about Jisung,” Minho added. “We’re going to be making this between the two of us from now on. I don’t want to…like isolate Sungie from his friends, but please respect our privacy. I think that maybe things got worse because we didn’t communicate. We need to learn how to do that right now. I hope that’s okay?”

Changbin was the first to respond.

“That’s exactly what needs to happen,” He spoke for the first time in a while. “You guys need the space to figure it all out. As long as an apology has happened, I’m okay. We’re all okay,” He said and he gave a very stern look at everyone at the table until all were nodding in agreement.

The remaining breakfast felt awkward, even with the open communication. Hyunjin hated the feeling like things weren’t just back to the way they were. He wanted them to feel normal again, desperately. He wished that Felix was smiling and talking with his brother. He wished that Jisung would be talking rapidly like he usually did. He wanted Chan to crack some awful dad joke. But no one did anything except eat and talk quietly. Even Seungmin wasn’t trying to pick playful fights anymore.

Hyunjin was knocked out of his reverie by Changbin’s hand on the small of his back. He turned to look at the man beside him, and found comfort. Changbin was already smiling softly as he watched Hyunjin come back to earth. Hyunjin never wanted to tire of this. He loved being the center of Changbin’s focus. He loved the feeling of his hands on him or arms around him. Hyunjin was lucky to have him.

“Are you ready, hyung?” Hyunjin asked softly.

Changbin’s smile widened even more.

“I will be the fastest dishwasher you’ve ever seen,”

“Good, put those muscles to good use.” Hyunjin teased back.

“Only for you, Jinnie-ah,” Changbin wiggled playfully, pulling a full on laugh out of Hyunjin.

Hyunjin always wanted to laugh because of Changbin.

•••

Changbin didn’t know he was so nervous to finally have a date with Hyunjin. He had practically been courting the man for weeks as is. They had already spent time together without the others. They were a pair more often than not, but this still felt different. He took a deep breath as he spread out the picnic while Hyunjin took photos of the scenery on his polaroid camera.

Changbin was probably nervous because this was their first official date. They both had asked for it to be one. Changbin was shocked when Hyunjin was the one to really ask. He had wanted to ask the artist out for weeks, but he didn’t want to rush him. Hyunjin was always one to do it in his own timing. Changbin really admired how the artist would always walk to the beat of his own drum. Hyunjin really knew himself well, more than any of the others that Changbin had found himself in a relationship with.

Changbin took a deep breath to calm his nerves. It excited him that Hyunjin was just different , more compatible, with him than he had ever experienced before. He was ready to really dive in, but he knew that Hyunjin did things slower. He was more meticulous than Changbin was in general. Still, Changbin was ready to give Hyunjin his whole heart if the man would let him.

The producer got lost in watching the way that Hyunjin took photos of everything. He stopped with the polaroid to save film, and had switched to his phone. Changbin knew that at some point, the artist would drag out his sketchbook to doodle while they relaxed in each other’s company. Changbin loved watching Hyunjin.

“Hyunjinnie, come back to me,” Changbin called playfully.

Hyunjin turned around to look over his shoulder at him. His smile widened, eyes crinkling shut as a belly of laughter made it’s way out of him. Changbin wanted to squeeze him tightly to his chest and never, ever let him go. The artist turned back around to snap a few photos before he was making his way back to their blanket.

“Such a good hyung, making sure everything looks perfect,” Hyunjin teased as he slipped out of his shoes to sit on the blanket. It was getting colder, so his socks were the bulky, warm kind. He sat down closely to Changbin, leaning into his side as he pulled a blanket over both of their laps.

“I’m glad you like it,” Changbin smiled. “I got us some salads because we ate so much earlier. I tried my best to pick out all of the eggplants.”

Hyunjin’s eyes went wide.

“You…picked out the eggplants?”

“I…Am I not supposed to? I thought you hated eggplants?” Changbin stuttered. “You went on a rant when we went to that one place to eat so I…just assumed,”

Hyunjin shook his head.

“Sorry, yes I hate eggplant. I’m just…I dunno… shocked that you did it for me,”

Changbin smiled softly, searching for Hyunjin’s hand underneath the blanket.

“Of course I did it for you. I’d do anything for you,” Changbin declared.

Hyunjin’s nose scrunched at how cheesy Changbin was. He normally would have scoffed, but somehow it became rather charming to him.

“Okay Romeo,” Hyunjin sighed heavily and reached for his camera. “Let’s take some photos,”

“To celebrate our relationship?” Changbin teased, smirking playfully at the artist.

Hyunjin laughed again.

“Sure, why not?”

“Did you just agree with me?!” Changbin shouted excitedly. Hyunjin grimaced and held his hand over his ear closest to the producer. The man at least felt a little bad about it. “Sorry, volume. I know.”

“It’s okay. I did agree with you,” Hyunjin sighed. “Now can you smile for me?”

Changbin beamed brightly, leaning in close to Hyunjin. The artist clicked the first photo and quickly hid it under the dark blanket. He pressed himself closer to Changbin and leaned his head on his shoulder for the second photo. Changbin giggled gleefully and wrapped his arm around Hyunjin’s waist to bring him closer. Before Hyunjin snapped the last photo, he turned his head and pressed a kiss to Changbin’s cheek.

“You’re so romantic when you want to be,” Changbin complimented as Hyunjin hid the last photo under the blanket with the other two. “I haven’t been this excited to date someone in a while. I haven’t been nearly as comfortable either,”

Hyunjin smiled softly at Changbin.

“Well you did stalk me until I said yes,” Hyunjin teased. “But, I’m glad that you did, hyung. I don’t remember if I said thank you or not yet. You brought the best people in my life, and…I’m happy about it. I mean I’m really happy,”

“I’m happy too, Hyunjin,” He responded softly.

Hyunjin smiled at his lap and took a peak at their polaroids. He pulled the developed pictures out and showed them proudly to Changbin. Hyunjin took the first one for himself and handed the other two photos to Changbin.

“You can keep these. Put this one in your wallet,” Hyunjin instructed as he handed over the second photo to Changbin. “And this one in your car. Preferably above the visor,” He finished by handing over the photo where Hyunjin was kissing his cheek. Changbin’s smile was so bright and wide that his eyes were scrunched closed. He looked happier than he had been in a while.

“Of course, darling,” Changbin responded. “Any particular reason why?”

Hyunjin nodded as he sat the camera down safely.

“That way you can replace the other photo that’s there. It’s old anyway…”

“Jinnie, are you jealous?” The producer asked playfully.

“Yeah,” Hyunjin huffed. “Who wouldn’t be jealous? Have you looked at Wooyoung? And to have you carry that photo for so long? I need you to have ours up there now,”

Changbin made sure to wrap both arms securely around Hyunjin’s body.

“Would it make you feel better if I told you in rigorous detail about all of my past relationships?”

Hyunjin pouted.

“Maybe,” He mumbled.

Changbin watched Hyunjin for a moment before he took the chance. He started telling Hyunjin about all of his past relationships. He told him about how Wooyoung had actually broken his heart when they were teenagers. He told Hyunjin about how long it took before Changbin could even look at him in the eyes. He explained how they became friends again, even telling him about the brief fling he had with Yeonjun. He told Hyunjin about how he had known that Yeosang was the one for Wooyoung when the pair broke up the first time. Wooyoung had an intense love affair with someone named San, but eventually realized that it was Yeosang. They’re all on good terms.

Changbin told Hyunjin about his early days in college and how he went a little wild with the partying before Minho had sat him down to have a stern talking to. Changbin agreed to join a poetry club and that’s where he met Chaeryeong. Their relationship had been incredibly easy from the very beginning. He told Hyunjin about how similar they were, how good they worked together. If Hyunjin wasn’t so sure of how they worked, he probably would have been more jealous.

Hyunjin already hated Mina, but listened to Changbin talk about her anyways. He sounded more bitter about the woman than he did any of his other exes. Hyunjin used to worry a little bit about how soon they had found each other. He had worried that maybe the timing was all off and maybe they should stop while they were ahead. However, hearing Changbin talk about her put his mind at ease.

Changbin never let go of Hyunjin the entire time that they talked. He listened when Hyunjin admitted to only having one, terribly failing, relationship in his life. He told Changbin about his art instead. He talked about what inspires him the most, and why his paintings veered more toward dark and angst. Hyunjin felt the familiar unsettling come up in his chest when he talked about his artwork, but he forced it down so he could open up to Changbin.

Hyunjin didn’t want to tell him the amount of beautiful landscapes that he had been working on. He didn’t wanna admit that he started to dabble in painting flowers of various kinds. He wasn’t ready for that yet, but maybe he could show Changbin his studio one day. He pushed through his own turmoil just enough that he could tell Changbin about it, but not enough to want to show him.

“Do you think that people get to choose who we fall for?” Hyunjin asked softly as they watched the sun start to set slowly over the horizon. “Do you think we have any say in it at all?”

Changbin snuggled closer, pressing kisses to Hyunjin’s cheeks. Something painful pinged deep in his chest as he thought about Hyunjin’s question. Changbin always felt like love is a choice. He always felt that regardless of how compatible he could be with someone, there are many others that he could also have chemistry with. His past relationships are all proof of that.

“I believe we get a choice,” Changbin sighs out softly. “I think that we can choose many different people, but it comes down to committing to that, regardless of the other possibilities,”

Hyunjin hummed and lightly traced his fingers over Changbin’s arm that was around him.

“I see,”

“What do you think?” Changbin asked, despite being scared of the answer that Hyunjin would give.

The artist took a deep breath and leaned further back on the producer's chest. They fit together nicely, Hyunjin thought, regardless of their height difference. He was able to tuck himself against Changbin’s broad body like it was made for him. He was able to fit his hands perfectly together with the other’s, even if his hands were smaller. Changbin’s warmth meshed well with Hyunjin’s icy heart.

Hyunjin didn’t have to even think about his answer.

“I don’t think we get as much say in it as we like to think. How many times people, the right people, just waltz into our lives? I don’t think I have many choices like that, where I can just pick up anyone that might look at me in a kind manner,”

Changbin hated to even think that he disagreed so adamantly with Hyunjin. He feels almost like he was struck at the sound of borderline despair in Hyunjin’s voice.

“I don’t think it’s like that at all, Hyunjinie,”

“No?” Hyunjin chuckled softly, but it sounded sad.

“Not at all. I mean…look at us, right? I chose you, Jinnie. I really wanted to get to know you. I want to spend time with you. I’m not leaving, even if you were mean to me at first,” Changbin teased to try to lighten the darkening mood.

Hyunjin laughed, but the joy was lacking in it.

“What about Jisung?” He asked. “Jisung never asked to fall in love with Minho. And no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t stop loving him. Jisung tried everything he could so that he wouldn’t feel the pain of being in love with Minho hyung anymore,”

“I feel like that’s different,” Changbin said softly.

“How so?” Hyunjin asked, turning his head slightly to catch a glimpse of Changbin’s handsome face.

“I think Minho hyung didn’t have much of a choice about it either. It’s like there’s this thread tying them together. They’re meant to be, I think,” Changbin said softly.

Unknowingly, Changbin confirmed something inside of Hyunjin’s heart. He swallowed around the truth thickly, but it still caused tears to prick in his eyes.

“Like soul-mates,” Hyunjin supplied.

Changbin laughed, but all humor was gone.

“Yeah, like soul-mates,” He agreed. Changbin tried to snuggle closer to Hyunjin, even though he felt like the man was lightyears away from him. Hyunjin allowed himself to be pulled closer, but his eyes looked glassy and vacant. The producer didn’t want to interrupt whatever the artist was thinking about. He felt like he already said the wrong thing, yet he couldn’t figure out what that wrong thing was.

Hyunjin felt like he didn’t get a choice in falling for Changbin. He felt like it would have happened, even if he started to come around to the idea. He felt like Changbin blew into his life with a purpose, and that he would be there for a long time. Hyunjin thought that maybe he could never get over Changbin, just like Jisung couldn’t get over Minho. Hyunjin thought that the two of them fit together so perfectly, that it had to be fate that brought them together.

Hyunjin started to think that maybe they could have also been soul-mates. Now he wasn’t so sure. He didn’t have the luxury that Changbin did growing up. He didn’t get to choose to be happy with other people. Hyunjin had to fight and claw his way to having a some-what normal life. Hyunjin felt the most normal he had ever felt, but he was coming to realize that it was because Changbin had decided to go after him. Just like Changbin could choose one day to leave.

Hyunjin felt tears prick at his eyes but he hid them quickly under the guise of enjoying the moment that they had.

“This is nice,” He hummed lightly, enjoying Changbin’s arms. He decided that he would enjoy what Changbin might give him, even if it’s all just temporary. Hyunjin would enjoy all the time together they could have.

Changbin pressed more kisses onto Hyunjin’s cheeks, and he didn’t dare say anything else. He didn’t quite understand what was happening. He knew that Hyunjin was likely having some inward battle that he’d never be privy to. He just wanted to offer the safest place for Hyunjin. He wanted to let the other man know how deeply he felt about him, but the timing went off course. Changbin could settle for just this. Hyunjin would take some time, and he vowed to be a patient man.

Changbin tried to understand what could have caused Hyunjin to go so quiet. The artist hadn’t joked around much while they packed up. He half-heartedly punched Changbin in the shoulder after he made a stupid pun. The artist stared out of the window of Changbin’s car as he drove him toward the younger man’s apartment. Hyunjin still smiled, and held his hand, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

Changbin walked Hyunjin to his door, and wrapped the other man tightly in his arms. Hyunjin was slow to move his arms around Changbin’s neck, but eventually he did. Hyunjin pressed himself as close to Changbin as humanly possible while the older man rubbed soothing circles up and down his back.

Hyunjin felt silly for being upset, and even dumber for not wanting to talk about it just yet. He didn’t know how to tell Changbin that he felt like he was his soul-mate. No one wants to tell someone something like that and get rejected because they only think of you as an option. Hyunjin knew that Changbin wasn’t like that, but he had never felt this way before with another human being before.

“Let’s go on a lot more dates, Hyunjin,” Changbin said softly as he pulled back to look at Hyunjin’s eyes.

“Promise me?”

“Of course I do. You can’t get rid of me easily,” Changbin teased. He leaned forward and placed a very soft kiss on the corner of Hyunjin’s plump lips. “I’ll always choose you, Jinnie.”

Hyunjin smiled, leaning forward to place a small peck on Changbin’s lips. It was quick and chaste, but not unpleasant. Hyunjin was pulling himself out of Changbin’s embrace before the elder could do anything about it. He turned toward his door and unlocked it quickly. Changbin assumed that Hyunjin was too embarrassed to face him.

Hyunjin turned back around quickly, catching Changbin by surprise.

“I don’t think I ever had a choice with you,” The artist admitted softly. His eyes shimmered prettily as he looked at Changbin. “Goodnight, hyung.”

Changbin beamed at him.

“Goodnight, Jinnie-ah,” He said sweetly as the blonde entered his apartment without another glance backwards.

Changbin felt a little giddy, and a little lost at the same time. He was glad that Hyunjin lived on the first floor. He sighed happily before he went back to his car before he got a ticket for parking in a loading zone.

It wasn’t until Changbin was parking his car that the point Hyunjin was trying to make really started to sink in. The producer didn’t understand the depth in what Hyunjin had said, and what he alluded to with their relationship. He felt frozen in guilt, letting his head fall to the steering wheel. Changbin was just careless enough to let Hyunjin know he didn’t feel the same way, even if that felt further from the truth.

With his mind and stomach in knots, Changbin felt the first prickle of tears gather in his eyes.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“I’ve decided that Romeo is a piece of shit,” Hyunjin huffed, pulling the empty chair out from under the table. Seugmin jumped at the sound of Hyunjin’s voice, and turned to look at the artist. Hyunjin’s hair was all pulled back to a small, low ponytail. His glasses were actually on his face, which had become rare, and sliding down his nose. Hyunjin nearly dropped his books down next. The canvas falling on the ground was just as loud. Seungmin flinched when they landed with a loud thug, and took a quick survey of the library.

“Shhhh,” He shushed softly. “This is a public place, Hyunjin,”

Hyunjin raised an eyebrow at his friend, looking around at all of the empty tables around them.

“No one is here, Seungmin.”

Seungmin’s eyebrows furrowed.

“What’s wrong, baby?”

“ Nothing , Romeo’s just an ass and Juilet deserved better,”

“I’m not disagreeing with you,” Seungmin said softly. He looked down at where Hyunjin was tapping his fingers along the table rapidly. Seungmin knew these signs, and took Hyunjin’s hand in his own. “But something has worked you up. You’ve been like this for the last few days,”

Hyunjin huffed out the breath he had been holding and looked at Seungmin slowly.

“I just want to go home and paint,”

“You can do that after we finish our tutoring season. You don’t have work right?”

“No,” Hyunjin huffed. “I already told Changbin that I won’t be coming to movie night tonight,”

Seungmin nodded slowly.

“Okay, it’s good that you told him. I won’t call a Code Baby just yet. You’ve started reading Romeo and Juliet, I see,”

“It’s one of the few works that I have actually read before,” Hyunjin admitted. “I just…I’m seeing it in a bit of a different light now, I guess?”

Seungmin nodded and pulled out the borrowed book from his bag. Hyunjin was already flipping to one of his doggy-eared marked pages. Seungmin tried not to cringe too much at the state of the literature. Hyunjin paid his reaction no mind and started to read one of Romeo’s monologue’s to himself.

Seungmin tried to remain patient as Hyunjin grumbled under his breath about the character. Hyunjin had been pretty distant lately, and even Jeongin didn’t understand why. Seungmin thought that things were gonna be easier now that Changbin and Hyunjin were seemingly a couple. He didn’t expect another turn, making Hyunjin irritated again.

“Hyunjin, what’s wrong?” He asked softly. The artist froze, eyes glued to the page before him. Seungmin didn’t press further, but he refused to go back to the reading without a response.

“I think that Romeo makes rash and fast decisions,” Hyunjin stated. “I think he chose Juliet because she was pretty and she was there , not because he genuinely fell in love with her. He was literally moping about Roseline, and acting like he’d never love again. He never loved her,”

Seungmin nodded along to show that he was paying attention.

“I agree,”

“Then there is Juliet, who just falls head over heels in love with him,” Hyunjin huffed. “It’s like she…didn’t have a choice in who she loved,”

Seungmin furrowed his brows at Hyunjin’s angry expression.

“Baby….what happened?” He asked softly. “You….this sounds more personal than an assignment. I thought you finished it and I was going to proof-read?”

Hyunjin closed his book, and took a deep breath. He didn’t know what to tell Seungmin, because he didn’t even know what the actual words to say were. His feelings felt like they were all jumbled up inside of him again. How could he begin to directly explain it all without telling too much? He didn’t exactly want to admit that maybe he was in love already. Especially to someone who wasn’t Changbin.

“I…I don’t know what to say,” The artist admitted. “I don’t know how to begin either. I mean…I guess I just realized that maybe how Romeo loved Juliet wasn’t the most pure form of love. I used to think it was romantic. I would daydream about romances like these. They’re so passionate and full of desire. Yeah, they killed themselves, but they did it for love. At least that’s what I used to think.”

“And now Romeo’s a piece of shit?”

“And now…I see how it’s not all of those things, to me anymore. It’s like I finally realized that they’re just two young kids with too many new and exciting emotions. Romeo jumped from missing Roseline to dying for Juliet. It’s such a drastic jump that now it doesn’t feel authentic. I feel like he just went after Juliet for his bruised ego,”

Hyunjin left out of the part where he felt like Changbin did the same thing with him.

“You’re a romantic, Jinnie,” Seungmin responded. “It’s good that you’re talking about this…even if I know it’s something else deeper. Does this have to do with Binnie hyung and Mina?”

The artist closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Seungmin waited for Hyunjin’s nod before he pulled the artist into a hug. Hyunjin didn’t resist, allowing himself to be pulled in and smothered with love. Seungmin’s hands were comforting on his back as they rubbed up and down slowly. Hyunjin could allow this comfort, because he was desperately tired of living like he was all alone.

“Changbin and I have different views on love,”

Seungmin chuckled lightly.

“That’s it?”

“I think that he just jumped toward me because I was there when Mina broke up with him,” Hyunjin admitted.

“You were?” Seungmin asked, shock all over his face when he pulled back to look at Hyunjin.

“I was. It was a kinda shitty way to meet. I was doodling, but it turns out that I was doodling him. He noticed me, which I thought I was invisible, and came over. He kinda stalked me after that. He hasn’t left me alone since then,” Hyunjin said for the first time out-loud. “Being around him can be really overwhelming. At first, I would just be annoyed with him. I didn’t take it much more than that. I felt like he would stop. Then I met you again…and everyone else. I started to feel better, ya know?”

“I’m glad that you did,” Seungmin added quickly.

“I was too, am too. I thought that maybe this was a good thing. I can’t stop thinking about him, Seungmin. I can’t control myself anymore when I’m with him. I don’t feel like I have to be in control anymore. It’s discombobulating,”

“That you feel so much that you can’t control?”

“ Yes , and the fact that he thinks that love is a choice. Like he can choose to love someone…like he chose me. While I feel like I had no choice,”

Seungmin nodded.

“Like Jisung?”

“Exactly like Jisung with Minho.” Hyunjin huffed. “What if I really, really love someone who can never love me like that back?”

“I think that you’re overthinking. Your brain is going into overdrive and you’re chasing yourself in circles. The only thing that I think you can do is talk to Changbin. I know hyung well. He would never, ever love you because he feels obligated too. That’s not who he is. He wouldn’t trick you into loving him like that,”

The pit in Hyunjin’s stomach twisted in fear.

“You think so?” He asked softly.

“I do. I see the way that he looks at you, Hyunjin,” Seungmin affirmed softly. “Please, don’t try to sabotage this before anything truly goes wrong,”

Seungmin’s affirmation was enough to calm Hyunjin’s nerves down, even just a little bit. He found himself hugging Seungmin once again before he could fully pull away. Hyunjin didn’t know what he would do without Seungmin to help him make sense of his mind. He probably would have spiraled even more. He didn’t know if he really was trying to sabotage himself or not.

After the tutoring session, Hyunjin packed up his things quickly. He was glad this canvas wasn’t as large as the others he usually had. He really did want to paint, because it always helped clear his mind. He felt things that he just needed to release on canvas. He always wanted to see Changbin immediately, but only him. He didn’t think that he had the energy to be around everyone as a group. He had already committed to going to Minho’s birthday brunch.

Hyunjin sent a quick text to Changbin, an invitation, and went on his normal route home. He felt antsy the entire time, even if it was only fifteen minutes away. Changbin hadn’t responded yet, and likely was either working in the studio or at home preparing for the movie night. Hyunjin just hoped that he would respond soon.

Jeongin was still at the apartment when he arrived. The younger brother jumped in shock when he saw his brother coming inside like a tornado. He jumped up from the couch to help Hyunjin carry his things inside, noticing his behavior. He didn’t ask Hyunjin questions as he helped put the canvas down softly on their carpet.

“Thanks, Jeongin,” Hyunjin sighed. His eyebrows furrowed. “Why are you still here?”

“I had to finish one of my assignments first,” He answered. “Homework comes first, hyung,”

Hyunjin laughed loudly.

“You’re right,” He agreed. “Are you heading over there soon?”

“Probably,” Jeongin responded. “Are you sure that you don’t want to come with me? I know it’s been a weird week, but I think it would be good for you,”

Hyunjin shook his head slowly.

“I have some painting that needs to be done. Be sure to tell everyone that I wish I could be there tonight,”

“And Minho’s brunch tomorrow?”

“I will be there,” Hyunjin admitted with a small smile. “I just really need to be alone for a little bit. This has been a very disorienting week.”

Jeongin nodded slowly in agreement.

“I’ll tell them that you just needed some time in solitude. They’ll understand that, I’m sure,”

Hyunjin smiled softly at his brother.

“This has been hard,” He admitted. “I wish I could have…just turned off my brain enough to enjoy the movie night. I feel… I don’t know how I’m feeling right now,”

“Enjoy your painting, hyung,” Jeongin said softly, placing his hand on Hyunjin’s shoulder. “Please stop trying to force yourself too much. Everyone will be there when you need to talk. It’s not that complicated at all. I also got you and Changbin hyung a gift. It’s in your room”

Hyunjin wanted to groan because it did feel that complicated. He felt like he didn’t know what's what anymore. He felt unsettled and he had no clue why he did. He felt helpless as he watched his younger brother shove on his shoes to leave their shared apartment. Jeongin looked so much more carefree, much happier lately. Hyunjin knew he had been looking that way as well. He knew that these things were good.

Why did he feel like it wanted to destroy something instead?

“Enjoy your night,” His brother winked obnoxiously.

Jeongin left with a quick wave and Hyunjin hadn’t moved at all from the spot he was in.

•••

Changbin felt nervous as he walked into Hyunjin’s apartment building. He had made the last minute decision to accept the invitation of joining the artist for the night. He nearly didn’t respond at all, because he was too busy running over scenarios where Hyunjin dumped him for good. The tension between the two of them since their first date hadn’t been good.

Chanbin was anxious, to say the least. He didn’t really know what to expect from the evening. All the text from Hyunjin had said was “ come over tonight? ” with no other context. He had worried that maybe he had really blown his shot, for real this time. He wrestled with the decision for well over an hour before he texted back an acceptance. The others didn’t even blink an eye when he told them that he was going over to spend the night with Hyunjin.

Hyunjin opened the door quickly after he knocked. He looked a little more relaxed than when Changbin had briefly seen him at the cafe the day before. The bashful smile the artist gave him made his heart sore. Hyunjin’s glasses were falling down his nose slightly, paint smeared lightly on his cheeks. His hair was as pulled back as he could get it with the shorter locks. The producer smiled widely and wrapped Hyunjin up in his arms. Changbin’s anxiety had disappeared the moment he saw Hyunjin’s smile.

“I missed you, hyung,” Hyunjin whispered as he wrapped his arms around Changbin’s broad shoulders. “I’m sorry,”

Changbin pulled back to give Hyunjin a look filled with confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“I got into my head too much,” He sighed. “Come, I wanna show you something,”

The producer nodded slowly, and dropped his hands from the artist’s waist. Hyunjin grabbed his hand and pulled him to the small kitchen. He already poured two glasses of wine for them. Changbin wasn’t the biggest wine drinker, but he could appreciate it every now and then. If Hyunjin wanted to have wine with him, then he would drink wine.

Hyunjin led the way down a narrow hallway with his glass in one hand and Changbin’s hand in his other. He lightly kicked the door open, revealing the room in low, yellow lighting. Changbin couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped his throat as he took in the room. Canvases of all sizes scattered the place, but even the walls had turned into art with paint splattered all over them. There were only a few easels pushed out of the way to hold drying artwork.

Changbin was in awe. He slowly started to look at the pieces. The emotions that Hyunjin could convey was unmatched. He felt the way that he did when he first saw his painting at the festival, but times a thousand.b He felt like he was looking into the deepest parts of Hyunjin’s soul. He wasn’t sure that he deserved the honor of doing so.

Hyunjin watched as Changbin tried to come to terms with his emotions. He loved that most about the producer; he wasn’t afraid of being sensitive. Changbin was never a mystery when it came to how he felt. Hyunjin felt utterly foolish to believe that Changbin would say or do anything other than what his heart and his gut told him to do.

“Jinnie…these are…” Changbin trailed off, laughing half-way through. “I don’t even know what to say,”

Hyunjin nodded, walking over to join Changbin. He took the other man’s hand again and led him toward an easel that was tucked behind the door. Changbin noticed how dark the colors he chose were, compared to the few that he saw near the lamp.

“This is one of the last paintings I did before I met you,” Hyunjin started. “It was for one of my classes, and they asked me to paint something that I truly loved. I…I couldn’t answer it properly. I agonized over it for weeks as I tried to pour my heart into it. It just came out like a warped night sky. It didn’t make sense.”

Changbin nodded as he looked at the canvas in front of him. Nothing about it screamed love , it just looked like confusion to him. He took a long drink of his wine.

“It is jumbled,” Changbin agreed. “The message isn’t even there,”

Hyunjin smiled softly at him.

“You get my art very well,” He admitted. “You understand me,”

“Jinnie-ah,” Changbin sighed out his name like a prayer. “I want to be an expert on you,”

“Come,” Hyunjin lightly tugged Changbin toward the next set of canvas paintings. The colors were starting to get brighter in the abstract pieces. There was a landscape painting of Haewon and small figures that were placed near the windows. “These are right after I met you,”

“They start taking shape,” Changbin responded. “Like…the feelings are starting to sort themselves out…”

“Exactly. It’s like the first canvas as the before and now we’re getting into the process of growth,” He nearly whispered.

Changbin took a quick glance back at the first easel near the door. He took in the jumbled colors and directionless feeling of it. He turned to look at the current easel in front of them. It had the same colors, but the night sky with the city behind it started to make more sense. He knew that that canvas with the cafe was the next one, but it didn’t have it’s own easel.

Hyunjin was tugging him toward the next group of paintings. The painting with roses starting to bloom made Changbin excited, warmth flooding through himself. He wanted to reach out and touch the work, but kept himself from doing it when another one caught his eyes. He was shocked to see his own room painted in soft, light colors. It didn’t look like an exact replica, but he knew it was his room. The words Safe Zone were etched across the wall about the bed.

“Hyunjin…” Changbin’s voice croaked, full of emotion. He felt it in his chest, how the art was connected and intended for others to view it. Hyunjin had an incredible gift for story-telling through his art.

Hyunjin remained coy, pulling Changbin to the final easel that he had currently been working on. The canvas was half-painted and half sketched out. There were two figures, one blonde and the other brunette. The arms of the blonde were wrapped around the brunette’s figure. The arms of the brunette were well defined, much like his own. The couple was kissing amongst the stars.

“Hyung, you’re the most important person in my life,” Hyunjin said softly. He sat down his wine glass and took Changbin’s as well. “I said I was sorry about getting too into my own head…but I wanna tell you why. I got upset because we view falling in love differently.”

Changbin nodded in understanding, the anxiety of the conversation slowly creeping up once again.

“I think I understand,”

“I’d rather tell you so that you don’t misunderstand, even a little bit,” Hyunjin sighed. “I think these paintings have represented falling in love…with you.”

“With me?”

“Yes. I got upset because what you said made me feel like you could replace me at any moment. I know, look I really know that you’re not the type to do that, but this is how I felt. You’re so strong in your beliefs and your opinions. I really love that about you. It really hurt me when you kept saying it was a choice because I’ve been falling in love with you since the moment I saw you staring at me in the cafe,”

Changbin turned fully toward Hyunjin and reached out for his other hand. The producer brought both hands up to his mouth to kiss them lovingly.

“Darling, I’m so sorry that I made you feel that way,” He apologized.

“I know you are,” Hyunjin responded promptly. “I’m sorry I ignored you for the last few days,”

Changbin nodded in understanding.

“This is us, isn’t it?” He asked about the last canvas.

“Yes,”

“We look like we’re so in love,” Changbin responded, voice barely above a whisper.

“Because we are,” Hyunjin said, shocking both men. He had known for a while, Hyunjin thinks. He might have only been able to admit it to himself recently, but Hyunjin knew that he probably loved Changbin from the beginning. Even when he was running away from Changbin, getting caught up in his orbit felt inevitable.

Changbin stepped closer to Hyunjin and pulled him into his arms. Hyunjin went easily, blushing rapidly when Changbin’s hands slowly cupped his face. Changbin’s thumb toyed with his bottom lip lightly before brushing over his cheeks. Hyunjin gripped the other man’s waist like a life-line.

After what felt like eternity, Changin was finally kissing him. Hyunjin’s eyes fluttered closed as his lips moved naturally with Changbin’s. He tilted his head just slightly to deepen the angle, and something feral came alive in his chest. Hyunjin pressed himself closer to Changbin, trying his best to devour everything that the producer would give him. He felt himself groan when their bodies pressed together, but not as tightly as he would have liked.

Changbin moved first, letting his tongue guide Hyunjin’s along his. He felt his body respond to every little moan that came out of Hyunjin’s mouth. He felt devine, and Changbin wanted to worship him. He moved his hands down to Hyunjin’s back, pressing until there was no more space between them. Hyunjin moved his hips shyly as he tried to get some friction.

Changbin pulled back but only long enough to take his shirt off.

“Oh fuck me,” Hyunjin sighed. “Why do you look like that?”

The producer flexed for him, but only long enough to see the artist drop down to his knees in front of him. Hyunjin’s determined fingers tugged at his jeans until they were sliding off of him. Changbin tried not to move as Hyunjin played with the waistband of his boxers. He tried not to think about how perfect Hyunjin looked from this angle. He could write songs about it later.

Changbin carefully tried to remove Hyunjin’s glasses, but made the other man huff in response. The artist carelessly tossed them to the side of the room, out of their way. He lifted his own t-shirt off of his body. Changbin was struck by how stunning Hyunjin was. His skin was as soft as it looked. He left his hands lightly trace Hyunjin’s collarbones as the artist pressed soft kisses on his hipbones.

“Jinnie, are you sure you wanna do this?”

Hyunjin looked up at him with an aggressive pout.

“Hyung I’m literally about to suck your dick and you have the audacity to ask me if this is what I want?”

Changbin blushed.

“Consent is sexy!” He blurted. “Consent is good .”

“I’m consenting to you doing whatever you want to my body right this very moment,” Hyunjin said sincerely. “And if I change my mind, I’ll tell you,”

“Me too.” Changbin agreed.

“Now can I please continue?” Hyunjin asked, giving Changbin his best puppy dog eyes. Changbin was nodding enthusiastically before he could even finish the sentence. Excitement fluttered in Hyunjin’s stomach. He wasn’t new to this per say, but he was terribly far from being experienced. His hands only shook a little bit as he slowly pulled Changbin’s boxer brief’s down.

Changbin’s eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head when Hyunjin’s lips wrapped around him for the first time. He took a deep breath to keep himself from getting too excited too quickly. He slowly opened his eyes as Hyunjin’s mouth took more of him in. His focus zeroed in on Hyunjin’s mouth moving up and down his shaft with eaze. Changbin moaned ridiculously loud at the sight.

Hyunjin picked up his pace, using his hand to wrap around Changbin’s cock where he couldn’t reach. The noises that Changbin was making spurred him on. He wanted to be good for Changbin. He wanted the other man to forget everything except for his name. Hyunjin pulled back to look up at the man in front of him. Changbin’s eyes were sharp, never leaving his face. Hyunjin licked lightly at the head, earning himself another heavenly moan.

“Hyunjin-ah…” Changbin sighed. “You’re so good,”

Hyunjin smiled before he wrapped his lips back around the head of Changbin’s cock and he sucked hard. The producer’s knees nearly buckled. The artist pulled back and shuffled away to give Changbin space to sit. Hyunin waited as patiently as he could for the other man to get comfortable.

Hyunjin pushed at Changbin’s shoulders until the other man was laying down on the tarp he was painting on. He quickly got rid of his own boxers and crawled over him until he was straddling Changbin’s thick thighs. The producer’s hands flew to Hyunjin’s waist the moment he swiveled his hips.

“Binnie,” Hyunjin called softly, moving his hips slowly so that their cocks could rub together. It still wasn’t enough, even with Changbin’s hands guiding his movements. “Binnie, please touch me. Please ,”

Changbin’s lust riddled brain caught up to Hyunjin’s words and he wrapped his hand around both of them, jerking them slowly. Hyunjin sighed, leaning his head back and allowing his hips to move without thinking about it. His stomach was starting to coil tightly. He whimpered as Changbin thumbed over his tip, pushing his hips forward into the other man’s hand. Another whine was coming out of his mouth when Changbin removed his hand from them to grip his hips.

“Y-you’re unreal,” Changbin huffed, guiding Hyunjin’s hips along his slowly. “Jinnie, I’m so so close,”

Hyunjin tapped on Changbin’s hands until the other let go of him. He used all of his brainpower to pull himself off of Changbin’s lap. Changbin watched Hyunjin walk out of the room quickly without another word. Changbin wanted to get up, but his legs felt too shaky to move. Before he could worry too much, Hyunjin was slipping back into the room. He locked the door before walking back just in case.

“Sorry, but we probably need these,” He stated, sitting the bottle of lube and a few condoms down next to Changbin’s body. “God you look like your carved out of marble. How are you built like that?”

Changbin laughed loudly.

“I spend time at the gym, Hyunjinnie,” He teased, reaching for the other man. “How do you wanna do this?”

“In theory, I’d like you to break my back,” Hyunjin huffed.

“Okay, I can do that,” Changbin said softly, leaning forward to press soft kisses to Hyunjin’s cheeks. “Lay down for me so I can make you feel good,”

Hyunjin nodded and quickly laid down beside Changbin. He didn’t stay quiet for long, as he noticed paint splatters all over Changbin’s back. The elder turned toward him with a puzzled expression before Hyunjin ran the tips of his fingers through the paint. He looked down on the tarp to find where the painting palette was now smeared with various colors.

“How?” He laughed, moving the palette out of the way. “This was under you?”

“To be fair, you’re distracting, Jinnie,” Changbin shrugged. He ran
his left hand through the colors before smearing some of them on Hyunjin’s bare chest. “Even,”

Hyunjin’s giggles filled the room and Changbin was kissing him all over the face with affection. The artist’s arms wrapped around Changbin’s body, pulling him close once again. Changbin adjusted himself until he had enough space to move his hand. He made quick work of opening up the bottle of lube and coating the fingers of his right, clean , hand before he slowly moved toward Hyunjin’s body.

Hyunjin’s legs twitched at the cold feeling of the lubed finger pressing against him. Changbin pressed firm kisses to his lips until he was pilant with want once again. His tongue swiveled in rhythm with his fingers as he slowly pressed into Hyunjin. The artist whimpered, pressing himself against Changbin as much as he could. He felt so good.

“More,” Hyunjin whispered, trying to press back against Changbin’s hand. “ Please ,”

Changbin nibbled on Hyunjin’s ear as he pressed another finger inside. He moved slowly, allowing Hyunjin to get used to the stretch. Hyunjin’s body was responding well to his ministrations. He scissored his fingers until he could fit more in. Hyunjin’s cock was red with need, but the artist gripped Changbin’s biceps instead of touching himself.

“Are you ready, Jinnie-ah?” Changbin whispered, pressing kisses to Hyunjin’s neck as he kept moving his fingers inside of the artist.

Hyunjin nodded aggressively.

“I’m ready,” He admitted, opening his pretty eyes to look at Changbin. “I want you, hyung,”

Changbin groaned, slowly pulling his fingers from Hyunjin. The artist laid down, shuffling until he got comfortable. Hyunjin finally started to jerk himself off, moaning Changbin’s name as he did. His own cock was aching. He just wanted to be inside of Hyunjin already. He fumbled with the condom for a moment before he was able to rip open the package.

“You’re beautiful, my darling,” Changbin said as he rolled the condom onto himself. He gave his own cock a few jerks and added a bit more lube to make it easier.

Hyunjin watched through heavy-lidded eyes. His hands ran slowly over Changbin’s shoulders as the older man settled himself in-between his legs. Hyunjin spread himself wide, feeling the most vulnerable he had ever felt with another human being before.

He felt the most love he had ever felt before. Changbin lifted his hips a little, helping Hyunjin move to be more comfortable. The producer maintained eye contact as he slowly slid inside. The burn wasn’t as bad as Hyunjin had tried to anticipate. Changbin had been through when he stretched him. Changbin kissed him fiercely as he slowly slid all the way in. Hyunjin moaned softly when Changbin finally bottomed out.

“Oh fuck,” Hyunjin babbled, wrapping his legs around Changbin’s. “Move, please, Binnie. I need you,”

Changbin grunted as he started to thrust shallowly inside of Hyunjin. It was perfect, he was so tight and warm around him. He looked down at the blonde and was in awe of him. Changbin had never been this connected to someone so quickly. His hips snapped and Hyunjin’s head tilted back as he let out the sweetest sounds.

“Jinnie you feel so good,” He mumbled, kissing every inch of Hyunjin’s face that he could get.

“Faster,” Hyunjin instructed, gripping onto Changbin’s arms.

Changbin snapped his hips faster, rocking them both forward. Hyunjin’s fingernails started to dig into his shoulder blades. Changbin lifted Hyunjin slightly to hold his body close to his own and to be able to have a better grip when his hips moved forward. He felt it, the words that they both were too scared to say. There was no doubt about how utterly in love they were.

Hyunjin’s hands clawed down Changbin’s back as he bucked into him hard and slow. Hyunjin tried chasing Changbin with his own hips, needing all of him. Changbin gripped one of Hyunjin’s thighs and brought it up higher to change the angle. The artist’s back arched as he panted. Changbin could tell that he was close.

Changbin reached in between them to grip onto Hyunjin’s cock. He gave it a few tugs before the artist was batting his hand away. He stopped thrusting and Hyunjin whined so loudly that Changbin nearly pulled out.

“Not yet,” Hyunjin huffed. “C’mon Bin harder ,”

Changbin thrust back inside of Hyunjin as hard as he could. He repeated the motion until all he could hear was their skin slapping together obnoxiously. The blonde’s nails raked up and down his back, through the painted mess. Changbin reached down to hold Hyunjin’s hips still. The artist tried his best to wiggle free but Changbin pressed harder. He was briefly worried that Hyunjin didn’t like it, but the artist moaned louder every time he did.

“Wanna cum for me, darling?” He whispered into his ear. Hyunjin nodded aggressively as he lost himself in pleasure. “You look so good like this, Jinnie-ah. Like you’re made for me. Look at how well you take my cock,”

Hyunjin’s breathing quickened as he looked down at where Changbin was pounding into him. He felt so close that he could almost taste it. He didn’t want this to ever even, but he felt too good to make it stop.

“Make me cum, hyung,” Hyunjin whispered, biting on Changbin’s ear for a moment. “ Please ,”

All it took was for Hyunjin to beg quietly for Changbin to press Hyunjin’s arms to the ground and fuck into him as quickly as possible. His rhythm became sloppy, but his only focus was making sure Hyunjin got to cum before him. He swiveled his hips one more time and Hyunjin was releasing messily between them. Changbin thrusted a few more times before he was cuming into the condom.

“Holy fucking shit,” Changbin groaned, pressing his face into Hyunjing’s sternum. He let got of Hyunjin’s arms, and let his body weight fall on the man underneath him. Hyunjin laughed, wrapping his now free arms around Changbin’s shoulders. They panted together, not caring about the mess that they created. Changbin couldn’t even pull out yet.

“Holy fucking shit is right,” Hyunjin sighed as he pressed a long kiss to Changbin’s forehead.

•••

The Baby Oath

Jinnie:

How mad is Minho that

Binnie missed last night?

Sungie:

Mid?

Lixie:

Things are still awks. So..

Minnie:

He’s fine. Kept his complaining to a minimum

He’s being good

Sungie:

For ME

God i love him

So Binnie hyung went to yours?

Hyunjin paused whatever he was writing, attention drawn automatically to the water dripping down Changbin’s back. They just finished their shower, in which nothing much got done other than getting each other off. Hyunjin blushed at the memory of last night, his body now littered with small bruises as a reminder. He had nearly scrubbed Changbin’s back raw to get off the lingering paint. Then Hyunjin rode him slowly on his bed before they passed out.

The artist shook his head before trying to focus back on the text messages. He knew that he would tell the babies about this eventually, and the pain in his back was going to cause concerns and teasing anyway. He might as well get it over with already. They had to leave for brunch soon or else Minho really might kill him for that.

“Are you ready?” Changbin asked softly.

Hyunjin found himself beaming at the other man naturally.

“Yeah, I finished while you shaved,” He admitted, looking down at his soft, cream colored sweater and black slacks. “Is this fancy casual enough?”

Changbin nodded and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

“I’m going to dry my hair and then I’ll be ready,”

“Okay,” Hyunjin said softly, watching Changbin move back toward his smaller bathroom.

Jinnie:

Yeah he stayed the night

I showed him my art room

Minnie:

I’m proud of you for that

Good job Hyunie

Sungie:

That’s cool!

I bet hyung was all 🤩🤩

Jinnie:

Code Barbell

Lixie:

BARBELL 🤣😉😛

Minnie:

Barbell?

That’s the best you got?

Jinnie:

He’s literally here what else am

I supposed to do??? ffs

Lixie:

I love it Jinnie.

Please continue with the code

Jinnie:

I need a Babies Honor

Sungie:

SOMEONE is being particular🧐

Minnie:

Sung

Sungie:

Right. Babies Honor

Lixie:

Babies Honor

Minnie:

Babies Honor.

What’s up Jinnie?

Jinnie:

I’m pretty sure I bared

my soul to him

Minnie:

I’m proud of you

Jinnie:

Then he fucked my brains out

Lixie:

THATS MY BOY

ATTA BOY

WOOOOOOO

😏🤤😈🥵

Sungie:

I’m the only one who’s bitchless huh?
☹️😪

Minnie:

Yep

Lixie:

Ew. you’re dating my brother.

Sungie:

PRE dating your brother.

But fr Jinnie yay for getting that dick

🍆💦💦

Lixie:

Did he hold you down?

I bet he held you down

Chris holds me down 🤤

Minnie:

I swear nothing is scared here

Jinnie:

I’ll update you soon.

We’re leaving now 😘

“Ready?” Changbing asked as he rolled up his sleeves and gathered his bag. He came prepared to stay the night just in case Hyunjin wanted him to. He didn’t expect last night to go as it did, but he wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Hyunjin nodded, getting up from his bed to walk out first. He really would have to do something nice for his brother, as he was the one that left them supplies in Hyunjin’s room. He would have been more embarrassed if Jeongin had given it to him in person. He half expected his brother to give him a sex talk , even if he was the older sibling. He would never, ever live that one down. Jeongin has a way of making sure he never forgets things like that.

The drive to the English style restaurant was quick, much to Hyunjin’s relief. He was anxious about facing everyone, but Changbin had reassured him that no one was mad. Hyunjin just wanted to get there as soon as possible to get the scary parts over with. His leg kept bouncing so much that Changbin reached over and placed his hand on his thigh.

“Did you put our photo up here?” Hyunjin asked, pulling it down to see the polaroid flitter down onto his lap. He smiled wider when he realized that it was the only one up there.

“Why did you ask if you were going to check anyway,” Changbin laughed teasingly. “My Jinnie is so jealous, isn’t he,”

Hyunjin pouted a little bit.

“I told you before, Wooyoung is like…really pretty,”

“No one holds a flame to you, Hyunjinnie,” Changbin said in a scarine sweet voice. He reached over and laced his fingers through Hyunjin’s. “We don’t have long to talk, but I hope this means you’re my boyfriend now,”

“Duh,” Hyunjin huffed, looking out the window to try to hide the ridiculously big smile on his face. Changbin let him get away with it. He pressed a kiss to the back of his hand and turned down the street for the valet parking.

Hyunjin now understood why they had to look so nice. The restaurant had bottomless mimosas and special plates. It reeked of expensiveness the moment that they walked inside. Their friends looked very nice grouped together at a large table. Hyunjin panicked for a minute because his barista salary wouldn’t cover this without some heavy budgeting.

“Don’t worry, everything is paid for already,” Changbin whispered before placing a small kiss on Hyunjin’s cheek.

Hyunjin felt out of place, but he felt better once they joined the table. No one looked quite like themselves, but like they were all big kids playing dress up. Minho and Changbin looked the most self-assured. Jisung was tucked to Minho’s side, practically in his lap, looking like a lost little squirrel. Chan looked like he was trying his best and Felix just watched him sweetly. Jeongin actually looked like he belonged in the restaurant, but Hyunjin could tell how nervous his brother was. Seungmin wrapped his arm around him tightly.

“Thank you for joining us,” Minho said with a teasing tone. “I expect a very good explanation for missing movie night,”

“Oh it’s a good one,” Seungmin pipped up. “Really, something that only should be done alone,”

Hyunjin shot Seungmin a glare. There was a code .

“That’s right,” Jisung laughed. “Hyunjin finally showed Changbin hyung his art studio. Artist stuff about being vulnerable,”

Minho looked over them briefly.

“I’m sure they were very vulnerable,”

“Hyung,” Jisung hissed, pinching Minho.

Hyunjin found himself grinning widely despite the teasing. He leaned into Changbin’s side and allowed himself to enjoy these moments. He allowed himself to feel the love that radiated off of his friends. He was lucky that they all found him when they did.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“I have zero ideas for Halloween,” Felix huffed, tossing himself onto the couch beside Jisung and Hyunjin. His fresh, platinum hair swished with him as he sat down. The color looked nearly identical to Hyunjin’s own hair. It really looked good on the man.
“It’s not like I can just match Channie. That would be suspicious,”

Jisung rolled his eyes.

“Oh no you can’t dress in a couple’s costume with your secret boyfriend because your brother will kill you oh noooo,” Jisung teased.

Felix took the decorative pillow and chucked it at Jisung’s hand.

“Don’t be a dick, Sungie,” Hyunjin sighed. “And Lix, just go look at the stores or something. Maybe you’ll get inspired?”

The other blonde’s eyes grew wider.

“Excuse me?”

Even Jisung looked shocked at Hyunjin’s response.

“We can’t just throw together an outfit, Jinnie,” Jisung sighed.

“It’s just Halloween,”

All hell broke loose. Jisung and Felix started going on two, very different but similar, rants. Hyunjin didn’t really know who he should be paying attention to when they both were vying for his attention. Jisung’s hand moments got increasingly erratic and Felix was giving him the saddest puppy eyes he’d ever seen. He heard words like it's a test, this party makes or breaks it, and Wooyoung will kill you.

Hyunjin was trying to ask questions, but Felix went to grab his laptop for “important information” while Jisung sat with his arms crossed, muttering to himself. The artist felt like he had seriously missed the plot through all of the yelling. Thankfully, his savior known as Kim Seungmin came home at that exact moment.

“What happened?” He asked, slightly panicked. “Where’s Felix?”

“Here!” Felix called, walking back with his laptop in hand. “Hyunjin doesn’t know about Halloween,”

Hyunjin’s eyebrows furrowed and he turned to look at Seungmin. He expected the other man to come back at them with a witty remark, but he was shocked to see the other looking at him in disappointment.

“Oh sweet, naive Hyunjinnie,” Seungmin sighed. “Let me go change and I’ll be back for the slideshow.”

“A slideshow?!” Hyunjin yelled after him, but it fell on deaf ears. He looked back at his friends, not understanding the dread in their faces. “What is happening right now?”

Jisung looked at him sadly.

“You’ve gotta get caught up to eight years worth of history,” He said, placing a hand over his heart.

“You have lost it,” Hyunjin huffed. “I thought we were gonna have a nice, comfortable night in for once. I thought we had no more existential crisis on our hands? Didn’t all the codes come to a close?”

Felix laughed, smiling sweetly at Hyunjin. It unsettled him deeply.

“Sweet Hyunjinnie, aren’t you aware that we’re in our twenties? It’s just all a big existential crisis after another from here on out,”

“Until the end of eternity,” Jisung said softly.

“Okay, point made.” He huffed. “But we’ve got a nice night ahead. Why are you guys acting like I sawed off my own hand?”

“You might as well have,” Seungmin sighed as he came back into the living room. He looked comfortable in a large hoodie that Hyunjin was sure belonged to his brother. “Everyone’s significant other has to pass the Halloween Test in order to truly be accepted by everyone, like permanently.”

Hyunjin huffed.

“I thought I was done with these stupid things. I mean even Minho invited me to his birthday brunch. Isn’t that like…it?”

Felix shook his head slowly.

“Wooyoung has been hosting our Halloween Parties since High School. We all went even before he started dating Changbin. We kept going afterward. It’s a night where we all get together with our friends and have a big bash, basically. What makes it a make or break, is the fact that a lot of us are exes. We are still friends with our exes.”

Hyunjin cringed.

“Don’t remind me,”

“I’m just saying that being in a room where your partner has seen multiple people naked can really put a strain on anyone,” Felix added. “We have this unspoken thing that if an ex can’t handle Halloween, they probably won’t be around for the next one. So far the theory works , if they even make it to Halloween.”

“And this is your first Halloween,” Jisung added.

“There’s a lot that goes into this,” Seungmin added. “There’s a costume contest, bobbing for Apples, candy cocktails. You know, the whole cliche party scene in teen comedies.”

“Great,” Hyunjin sighed.

“Costumes are mandatory. If you don’t have a significant other, you just join a group. Yeosang’s really particular about this. He’s a design major and his mom is a well known designer.” Seungmin explained. “You get automatically entered into the contest when you arrive,”

“This feels like a lot because it is,” Jisung said softly, grabbing his hand. “It’s fun and silly for us. We got all out because we love our friends. I can imagine it’s a bit tough to be new into the group. We love you Hyunjin and nothing will keep you from us,”

Hyunjin let out a sigh of relief.

“Yeah regardless, you’re Baby,” Felix agreed.

“We take that oath far more seriously,” Seungmin said softly.

“But we can’t just toss on costumes, and you need to really go all out. You’re like the showstopper, baby,” Jisung added. “Lixie keeps a catalog of what costumes we’ve all done together. We can recycle the costumes after two years. It’s a rule for everyone, so don’t worry.”

Hyunjin was most certainly worried. He didn’t have anything that would remotely look like a good costume for himself. How was he supposed to help Felix when he didn’t even know where to start? Felix didn’t seem as stressed out as he originally was, putting on a happy face to share his presentation with him.

Hyunjin watched silently as the three friends laughed about their past Halloweens. They talked about their favorite ever costumes, and the ones that made them feel the most uncomfortable. Seungmin pipped up that he was excited because he was going as an official couple for the first time. Hyunjin couldn’t totally share the same sentiment.

“Is it too late to figure out a couple’s costume with Binnie?” Hyunjin asked, looking with his best pout.

Jisung flicked him on the nose.

“Your boyfriend has already purchased a full matching outfit with Chan-hyung already,”

“That’s really unfair. Felix, why can’t you…I dunno pout and make Chan change his mind?”

Felix laughed.

“Because Channie and Changbin hyung are two of the most stubborn people I know,” He stated. “Neither of them will change their minds at the moment. They’ve already committed,”

Hyunjin sighed heavily.

“C’mon it won’t be that bad,” Seungmin said softly, knocking his shoulder into Hyunjin’s. “You just gotta think about what you might already own?”

“Or we can just go shopping,” Jisung shrugged. “I need to get fake blood for me and Minho,”

“And I need a lab coat,” Seungmin smirked.

“I mean… I guess..” Hyunjin sighed.

Felix snapped the laptop with a little too much force and tossed it on the couch beside him. He stood up and reached out his hands for someone to take them. Hyunjin didn’t think much about it before he was getting tugged up from where he was sitting. Seungmin and Jisung followed closely behind them as they made their way toward the door.

Seungmin politely asked if they minded if he invited Jeongin, and of course no one could say no. The surprise was when Jeongin politely turned down his boyfriend because he was actually hanging out with the hyungs for the night. Hyunjin would have rather spent time with his boyfriend, but Jeongin was always the more respectful of the two.

Hyunjin found himself missing Changbin when they were together. They had been inseparable for the last four days. Changbin slept over at his apartment most of those nights. Hyunjin blushed at the memory of the producer pushing him face down in his sheets just last night. He shook his head, and Jisung laughed loudly at him. Jisung was tugging him onto the bus before he could come up with a good excuse.

Seungmin navigated himself toward the coat section the moment they found the Halloween store. Jisung laughed, walking after the man as quickly as his legs could carry him. Hyunjin felt a little overwhelmed, but Felix was wrapping his arm in his own and tugging him down the starting aisle.

“So things with Changbin hyung are good?” Felix asked with a sweet smile.

“They are,” Hyunjin huffed. “Like…scary good,”

Felix squeezed his arm lightly.

“That’s good, Hyunie.” He said softly. “So the thing that was there got resolved?”

Hyunjin laughed and nodded along, looking at the plethora of capes they were walking beside.

“It did, communication and all that,” Hyunin sighed. “How’s the whole…secret love affair going?”

Felix smirked wickedly.

“Oh it’s going incredibly well. Now that Minho is slightly more distracted with Jisung, we’re able to get away with a bit more. Chan…he enjoys sneaking around more than he lets on,”
Felix explained. He stopped them briefly to eye two beautiful velvet, black capes. The other blonde looked between the capes and Hyunjin for a moment. His eyes lit up with glee. “Vampires! Jinnie, it’s perfect,”

Hyunjin grimaced.

“Really?”

“But like really sexy vampires,” Felix laughed. “Like a sexy white shirt, leather pants kinda thing. We can even get contacts!”

“I…I guess so?” Hyunjin didn’t sound sold. “I just don’t want to look cheesy, Lixie.”

Felix was shaking his head.

“No, baby. You won’t, I swear.” He promised. “We just have to get our shirts from somewhere a bit less…costumey to make it work. You still have those pants from Chan’s birthday, right?”

“I wish I didn’t,” Hyunjin retorted. “But yes I do,”

“Perfect. We’ll just grab these capes then. We can do better with actual items than these costume kits,” Felix said firmly.

“Uh…sure,” Hyunjin nodded.

“So back to me and Channie hyung. It’s going really well. He’s my actual boyfriend. He cried when he fucked me the night he asked. He’s really soft and squishy inside. I wish he’d let people see how soft he is more,” the dancer continued. “He really wants to tell Minho when the timing is right.”

“Is there a right time for that?” Hyunjin asked seriously. “I think…Lix I think the longer you both wait the worse it will be. If Seungmin and Jeongin had done that to me…I don’t know how I would forgive them.”

Felix’s nose scrunched up.

“You’ve got a point. It’s just that…well it still feels more complicated than that. I dunno how to explain it, but it feels like Minho’s gotta be like… extremely happy when he finds out,”

“Are you scared?”

“Half and half. Minho is stern, but he isn’t unkind. He’s just…it’s hard to gauge how something will make him feel because we never see it on his face,”

“Unless it’s with Jisung,”

“Exactly,” Felix nodded in agreement, steering them toward the area that Jisung and Seungmin had disappeared to when they walked in. “Either way….I have to be okay with the consequences,”

Hyunjin gave Felix’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

“I’ll always be by your side, Lix. Babies Honor.”

Felix beamed brightly.

“The same goes for you, Jin. Babies honor,” He huffed, emotions feeling up his body.

Hyunjin accepted the arm full of Felix, nearly able to anticipate it before it happened. At least he could say that it was growth.

•••

Changbin adjusted his costume for the fifth time in a minute, anxiously waiting for the Babies and Jeongin to make it to the apartment. His uniform top was sleeveless, showing off his best assets for everyone to see. Hyunjin would definitely be hanging off them for the rest of the night. Changbin found out that his boyfriend actually had a thing for his arms, so he was determined to flex as much as possible to get his attention.

Chan was debating on if he was going to wear the obnoxious hat that came with the costume or not, and he had already gotten Minho to crop it for him. His black slacks were nearly skin tight as it was, but Chan fretted whether they were tight enough . Minho was carefully applying his white colored contacts as the two of them flitted around the apartment.

Changbin decided to go with a pair of leather skinny jeans instead of the slacks. His thighs fit way too uncomfortably in them for him to feel like it was a safe option. He had also decided to forego the hat, because his hair was looking immaculate. He wanted to show off how good he looked, because he knew that his boyfriend would look even better.

Chan put the hat back on his head once again when the group knocked on the door before walking on in. He was grateful that they had a system, but the system didn’t afford him time before they all gathered together in the living room.

“Hyung! You look sexy!” Jisung yelled, looking at Chan and not Minho. He whistled lowly. “You look like you’re gonna make a man very happy tonight,”

Said very happy man, Felix, swooped around Jisung, and Chan’s retort got caught in his throat. Of course Felix looked ethereal; he was Felix. The man who he would probably chase in his dreams, looked way too good to be real. His new, platinum hair stood out against the black, ruffled shirt hanging off his frame. The buttons were unbuttoned to nearly his navel. The black pants look like they were painted on. The red eye contacts gleamed dangerously.

Chan gulped. He didn’t stand a chance.

“Nice hat,” Felix smirked, shooting him a cheeky wink before he walked away like nothing happened.

“Hyunjinnnnahhhh,” Changbin called, flexing his arms. “Do I look cool? Sexy?”

Hyunjin schooled his expression to one of almost indifference. He tucked a strand of his own platinum hair behind his ear and looked at Changbin up and down slowly. The producer wiggled a little bit, feeling the full heat of his boyfriend’s stare.

“That’s an awful lot of bare arms there, officer,” He said innocently, tilting his head to the side.

Changbin shook playfully before wrapping his boyfriend in his arms. He pressed a firm kiss to his lips.

“Thank you. You look ravishing, darling,” Changbin muttered, pressing more kisses to Hyunjin’s lips.

“Ew make it stop,” Jeongin huffed, moving to get a bottle of water from the kitchen. “My
eyes can only handle so much,”

“I literally walked in on you going down on Seungminnie,” Jisung huffed. “Zip it,”

Outcries of protest filled the air. Seungmin’s own call of does it ever cease louder than the rest. Changbin couldn’t care really, he was too focused on Hyunjin’s costume to give it much thought. Hyunjin’s white shirt was billowy in all the right places. His collarbones, Changbin’s personal favorite besides Hyunjin’s lips, were visible with a light shimmer on them. He was even wearing a cumberbun, making his lithe waist look even smaller in comparison. Changbin briefly wondered if he could convince Hyunjin to wear a corset.

“Thank you,” Hyunjin smiled back softly, gripping Changbin’s biceps again. “You look good too,”

Changbin preened under his boyfriend’s attention. His red eye contacts felt more intense than his normal eyes. They made Changbin squirm, but because he really liked them that much.

“You look scary, hyung,” Jeongin laughed loudly, taking the couple out of their moment. They turned to look at the direction of Minho’s cry out outrage. His zombie make-up looked really realistic, compared to Jisung. “You should fix Jisung hyungs, his flesh looks more like toilet paper than yours,”

“Hey!” Jisung called, pouting as he walked over toward Minho. He was going to protest some more, but the closer he got to Minho the more he could tell the difference. “I…hyung do you have time to fix me up?”

Minho stopped tapping fake blood over the latex on his face and looked up at Jisung.

“Of course, Sung. I always have time for you,”

Jisung beamed brightly and immediately sat down in the chair beside Minho.

“Great because I think my flesh wound is starting to just look like soggy toilet paper,” He admitted.

Felix took the moments that Minho was distracted to look Chan up and down. He loved looking at Chan, he considered it his favorite pastime, and his costume did not disappoint. Felix couldn’t wait to shove him into the nearest, empty bathroom, as soon as they got to the party. Waiting was never his strong suit and Chan was not very good at denying him either.

Seungmin and Jeongin started to tell the group their costume ideas in detail. They were Dr. Frankenstein and his monster, but make it sexy. Jeongin made sure that they all knew it was supposed to be sexy. His visible skin was mostly green, with fake bolts glued onto his skin. Jeongin used his stage makeup skills to make the stitches and bolts look more realistic. He was wearing a black, cropped tank top with a fishnet long sleeve over top. His jeans were overly ripped with fishnets and green skin on display. He was wearing platform Docs.

Seungmin was wearing a torn up lab coat over a simple black shirt and ripped jeans. He looked like he was going mad, with his hair in every direction and glasses half broken. He made sure to really try to play up the mad part of the costume. He really wanted to win this year, but he would settle for another free bottle of whiskey for the runner up. Wooyoung always bought the best whiskey.

Hyunjin’s nerves were still present as he tried to focus on Changbin. He had been trying to remain in the headspace of this being fun , but ever since the babies informed him of the unspoken rule, he had been a mess. He kept replaying scenarios in his head where Wooyoung out-right told him to leave and never come back.

“Hyung, they’re gonna kill you if we are late,” Changbin huffed, checking his phone again. “We have to leave right now ,”

Minho finished dabbing the fake blood on Jisung’s newly done wound. He looked at Changbin and nodded his head in acknowledgment. Jisung smiled happily at Minho as the man quickly cleaned off the dining room table. Felix had to grab him out of his chair, otherwise he wouldn’t have moved unless Minho himself made him.

They had to get to the party after-all.

•••

Kang Yeosang answered the door dressed head to toe as Harley Quinn, horrible wig and all. Hyunjin was taken back for a moment before everyone was ushered inside the mansion. He thought that everyone was joking when they told him the house was immaculate. The artist tried not to feel small, but it was hard when there was an entire Monet hanging in the foyer. He tried not to stare at the chandelier hanging above them.

The music started to grow in volume, and Hyunjin could feel himself starting to loosen up a bit. Yeosang was writing down their names and costumes by group before putting them into a large fishbowl. The others hadn’t explained that part to Hyunjin yet.

“It’s for prizes,” Changbin whispered lightly into his ear. “You get them randomly sometimes throughout the night. It was Wooyoung’s idea,”

Hyunjin nodded in understanding before Yeosang’s voice caught their attention again.

“We have the same rules as every year, but I must reiterate them once again. Absolutely no jumping off the balcony into the pool. Do not attempt to go into the bedrooms in the west wing. You break something in here and you are responsible for it,” He listed off. “Also for the love of god, don’t make a mess if you have sex in a bedroom. The last time Harin had to clean up after-”

A scantily clad Wooyoung, dressed as Poison Ivy, sauntered up and placed his hand over his boyfriend’s mouth to stop the rant in it’s tracks.

“The most important rule is to have fun.” He said, tossing his vibrant red wig over his bare shoulder. The green tank top was covered in ivy vines, wrapping around his neck and down his arms. He was wearing sheer green pants, over a pair of rather tight shorts, with ivy stuck all over them. His makeup was done just as well as Yeosangs, sparkling even with the dim lighting.

“Yes,” Yeosang sighed. “Have fun, please. Dance, drink and do whatever you want within reason,”

Wooyoung walked over and grabbed one of Hyunjin’s hands and one of Felix’s.

“I’m stealing these two,” He winked before the two were being lightly tugged along behind the menace. He skipped the massive living room, where most people were gathered and took them straight to the kitchen. Felix was happily trailing along, swinging his hand with Wooyoung’s while Hyunjin felt a bit more stiff. “What’s the drink of choice?”

Felix’s eyes light up.

“I’m feeling like it’s a marg night,” He stated. “Like strawberry?”

Wooyoung winked.

“Coming right up! What about you Hyunjin?”

Hyunbin tried not to shift uncomfortably.

“I well..I don’t really…party much,” He stated. “I just…what do you recommend?”

“Two strawberry margarita’s coming right up,” He winked before he went to the other side of the at home bar to make the drinks. “You liked what you had at Chan’s birthday bash, yeah?”

Hyunjin found himself nodding.

“It was good,”

“Good, I think you’ll like this too,” Wooyoung commented.

“Woo makes the best drinks,” Felix said sweetly.

“It’s because of my training,” He sighed before giving Hyunjin a soft smile. “I’m a chef. In culinary school, it was required that I take mixology classes. I interned at a few bars and boom, now I have serious skills.”

“How do you keep up with making everyone drinks?” Hyunjin laughed.

“I only make drinks for my favorites,” He winked. “Or if I want to get to know someone. That’s why I’ve got you and Lixie here. Lix is always my favorite and you…well you’re my Changbinnie’s boyfriend. I gotta give you the talk ,”

Felix laughed loudly, causing the tension to somewhat break.

“Changbin could literally break people apart. And look at Jinnie, he’s not gonna harm him,” Felix retorted before turning toward Hyunjin. “Jinnie, don’t listen to him. He’s teasing,”

“I am,” Wooyoung laughed loudly. “But I do feel protective over him, you know? He was my first love and he’s still one of my best friends.”

“I think I get it,” Hyunjin admitted, reflecting on how he felt about Jisung sometimes. “You want to protect him because you love him,”

Wooyoung nodded, handing over Felix his margarita first.

“Exactly,” He stated. “But in a very platonic way, I must add. I’ve…never looked back after our break up. I couldn’t, because it just didn’t feel right anymore,”

Hyunjin looked away for a moment, hating that they were all alone in the kitchen.

“How do you know what you have right now is it?” He asked.

“I feel stupid with love when I’m around Yeosang,” He admitted. “We’ve been together for what feels like a very long time. I just…I knew when I met Yeosang that he was it for me. I even followed his stupid ass to Paris for a year because he was going to intern with a renowned designer. I spent most of my days strolling around the city and sitting in cafes. I did my work online. I never got bored though. That’s when I knew,”

Wooyoung handed over Hyunjin’s margarita. The brilliant red drink went perfectly with his costume.

“How long have you been together for?” He asked, wanting to know more about the mysterious man in front of him.

“About six years. I met him straight out of high school. We started dating almost immediately. It felt…I dunno like I couldn’t stop it. It’s like I just need him, you know?”

“Absolutely,” Felix agreed.

“Yeah…I get that,” Hyunjin added. He drank his margarita down quickly, as did Felix, and Wooyoung was quick to make them again. He laughed and told them both enjoy the drinks more the second time around.

Hyunjin no longer felt the need to either strangle or run from Wooyoung. Instead, he suddenly felt like he had a new-found connection with him. Wooyoung must have felt it too because he was wrapping Hyunjin in a tight hug briefly. He squeezed Felix for extra measure before he went back to making two more drinks.

The three men left the kitchen to find the rest of the guests. Hyunjin was impressed by the number of guests and the fact that everyone seemed to have an immaculate costume on. He didn’t doubt his friends and their
honesty about the party, but he wanted to believe that someone had embellished the stories even a little bit. He was pleasantly surprised that they fit the descriptions given to him.

“We have to dance together this time,” Wooyoung demanded. “We all were robbed at Chan’s party,”

Felix smirked, but was nodding his head along.

“Hyunjin can really dance, hyung,” He gushed. “Like, I swear. I was so shocked.”

“Then we have to see,” Wooyoung demanded as they found their friends. “Yeobo,”

Yeosang’s head turned toward them the moment he heard Wooyoung call him. He walked over, kissing him softly before taking a drink from his hand.

“Thank you,” He said softly.

“Miss me that much?” Wooyoung teased, taking a long sip of his own drink.

“Always,” Yeosang shrugged, all of his usual bite gone from his voice.

“My love, you’re drunk already,” Wooyoung teased. “He’d usually smack me by now,”

Hyunjin laughed, feeling his own heart jump as Changbin’s arm wrapped around his waist. He didn’t feel jealous of Wooyoung anymore. He wondered if Changbin had been the one to facilitate this, because he gave Wooyoung a look. Hyunjin wasn't fluent in Changbin’s mannerisms just yet, but he’d get there. He was determined to get there.

After hearing how Wooyoung talked about Yeosang, Hyunjin decided that it was the kind of love he wanted. He wanted to do things like follow Changbin to another city, on another continent. He wanted to host ridiculously large parties with all of their friends. He wanted this for a long, long time.

“What are you thinking about, darling?” Changbin whispered, pressing light kisses on his collarbone for a moment. Changbin was nursing a beer, one that Hyunjin didn’t recognize.

Hyunjin was about to answer with an embarrassingly sappy response when the song changed. His drink was removed from his hand and he was dragged toward the dance floor by Felix and Wooyoung both. He laughed loudly at Changbin’s shocked expression, but as soon as his brain caught up, he realized why he got dragged.

He could never resist dancing to Love Shot, especially when Felix wanted him to. His body started to move, muscle memory kicking in. He tried his best to keep eye contact with Changbin with every move. He rolled his body slowly, lapping up the shocked expression on his boyfriend’s face. He smirked, dancing in perfect timing like it was something he was born to do.

Sometimes, Hyunjin felt more connected to himself when he was dancing than when he was painting. He felt more free , especially like this. He felt empowered, like he was the only person who could enchant Changbin like this. The song ended too quickly, but his boyfriend was on the move.

Changbin handed Hyunjin back his drink before pulling the man into a siring kiss. He let his tongue trace Hyunjin’s mouth, begging for entrance. The two kissed messily on the floor, but no one cared. Hyunjin relaxed, letting his empty hand run through the back of Changbin’s hair while Chanbin’s arm was wrapped firmly around his waist.

Hyunjin felt wanted. He felt loved. He felt safe to be himself. He just wished he wasn’t so paranoid that it would all go away. He distracted himself by getting lost further in the kiss. He didn’t realize they were swaying until they knocked into someone lightly.

“Let’s finish our drinks and then we can dance,” Hyunjin whisepred, already sounding wrecked from just making out with his boyfriend.

“Okay,” Changbin agreed, smirking as he took a long swig of his beer.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The lights were bright and shiny through Chan’s blurry gaze. He wasn’t sure how long ago Felix had disappeared to the dance floor with Hyunjin and a few others. Chan lost count already. He had been left with Yeosang and a few more of their friends. He had several drinks, more than he usually did, and it was getting harder to tell. Chan could barely tell Yunho and Mingi apart, especially since they wore identical costumes this year.

Someone to his left was laughing, and it took Chan a moment to realize that it was Jisung. The younger zombie was talking with San, dressed as Watson, when Sherlock Holmes had slipped away into the crowd. Chan didn’t catch his name, but he thought that he looked an awful lot like Yunho when he first saw him.

Chan tried his best not to pout, in the absence of Felix. He really did. He wanted to be lively and bright, but he just didn’t feel up to it. His costume really was a hit with everyone, but Changbin didn’t stick to him like they planned before Hyunjin entered the picture. Chan couldn’t fault his friend for that, Hyunjin was a gem. Hyunjin was like one of those gems you had to really dig for to see, but once you did, they outshone everything else.

Well except for Felix. Felix with his platinum hair and his freckles. Chan could spend hours tracing every bit of them over his face and shoulders. Felix would squirm and laugh, trying to pull away playfully, but Chan knew better. Felix would yank him right back in if he ever let go.

“Hyung, are you okay?” Minho yelled as he sauntered back with drinks, Felix and Wooyoun in tow. He handed one over to Jisung, making the other zombie flustered.

“Where’s Binnie and Hyunjin-ah?” Chan asked instead.

Minho pointed behind him where a police officer, Vampire and Sherlock Holmes were currently standing. Hyunjin’s hands were waving around as he talked. Changbin’s arm was wrapped around his waist.

“Apparently, Hyunjin knows Sherlock,” He said loudly.

“That’s Jongho!” San yelled, slightly over the music. “He’s my roommate,”

Wooyoung wiggled his eyebrows.

“ Roommate ,” He teased.

“And my brother,” One of the Hufflepuff Wizards stated. “They work at Haewon together,”

Chan snapped.

“Right!” He laughed.

Felix laughed, nudging Chan’s side.

“Hyung, are you okay?” He teased. “You haven’t been this silly in a while,”

“He’s floaty,” Mingi laughed. “He couldn’t tell us apart for a minute,”

“It’s your fault for going as the exact same thing as your boyfriend,” Wooyoung sighed. “We will make an exception this year, but next you are not safe,”

Yeosang nodded sagely.

“That’s right,” He easily agreed.

Chan tried his best not to attempt to lean into Felix’s side, but it was just too difficult. He thought he should be allowed to hold onto his boyfriend in public, but he knew he couldn’t. Chan just couldn’t figure out why he couldn’t.

“Where’s Hong Joong?” He asked, scanning the other party-goers like he could really see them all.

Someone snorted before placing their hand on Chan’s shoulder.

“He doesn’t even remember I greeted him,” Hong Joong, dressed as a pirate, sighed. “Are you okay, hyung?”

“He looks like he’s feeling the drink already,” Seonghwa laughed, the perfect First Mate to Hong Joong.

Chan nodded his head many times before letting a smile fall over his features.

“It’s just been a while since I let loose,” He said to the group. “Ya know, work is driving me insane,”

“It’s the album,” Changbin supplied as he walked up with Hyunjin and Jongho. “It’s been kicking our asses,”

“Jihyo seems to really like our Sungie though,” He teases cutely.

Minho turned to raise an eyebrow at Jisung.

“Is that so?”

“What? No, of course it isn’t,” Jisung laughed. “She’s just like…really nice,”

“Sure,” Changbin teases. “She just thinks you’re nice,”

Jisung squeaked.

“She does!”

The group teases Jisung a little bit more about the potential crush the idol might have on him. Yeosang and Wooyoung disappear to facilitate the bobbing for apples contest. Changbin dragged Hyunjin away so that he could show off in the competition for his boyfriend. Jongho leaned into San’s side for just a moment to whisper something before he was off again. San watched him go with a look in his eyes.

Chan used to be incredibly jealous of San. Felix used to have San on his boy rotations a few years ago. It was hard for him to hear all about how good San was, how well he knew Felix’s body. It would burn him alive, but he couldn’t exactly tell anyone about it. Chan very much wanted to keep his relationship with Minho alive.

Felix had been his sun the moment he met the other man. He could only deny it for so long before he was ass over tits for the dancer. He would literally do anything for Felix, all the other man had to do was snap his fingers. Chan believed he was capable of it, regardless of the request.

Chan didn’t realize when Seungmin and Jeongin joined again with one of their other friends that he didn’t catch the name of. He looked familiar, long hair and puppy eyes, but he couldn’t place him. Jeongin even offered to take his drink away and give him water. Chan just found himself nodding along.

Felix’s hand skimmed the top of his waistband, on the small of his back. Minho and Jisung were too busy talking with the others to really even notice. Felix lightly used his nails to scratch against his heated skin. Chan felt himself squirm, just thinking about how many times Felix has used those to mark up his back. He couldn’t concentrate as it was, and it took all he had not to grab onto Felix in public.

Chan took a deep breath and removed himself from Felix’s hold. He knew that his boyfriend wouldn’t be mad; this was a part of their game. He needed to sober himself up if he wanted to last until the end of the party. He quickly, and carefully made his way to the kitchen to grab another bottle of water and some food he missed because they came a little later.

The back patio was still lively, as the bobbing for apples contest was underway. Chan saw Hyunjin leaning against the railing, and slid up beside the artist. Chan sighed and started to eat his food, hoping that it would soak up a good amount of alcohol in his system. It wasn’t that he was a lightweight, he just didn’t eat yet

“Are you having fun?” Chan asked softly, starting toward the area where Changbin’s head was currently in a barrel full of water and apples.

“I am, surprisingly,” Hyunjin admitted, drinking from his own bottle of water.

“No table dancing this time, then?”

Hyunjin shook his head.

“That was a one time deal, hyung. A birthday present, if you will,” He joked. “Not that you were there to see it. How’s Lixie?”

Chan’s cheeks burned.

“He’s good.” He admitted. “Honestly the whole sneaking around thing is fun , but I’m getting tired of it,”

“I think you should just tell Minho, rip the bandaid off,” Hyunjin stated, looking back toward Changbin. “He’s going to feel worse the longer that you wait to tell him,”

Guilt twisted in Chan’s stomach. He knew that Minho would eventually come around. He just wished that he would have done things differently. He wished he would have actually talked to Minho about Felix, even if the former was being a little unhinged at the time.

Chan briefly wondered if Changbin has told Hyunjin about the bet that started his relationship. He figured that Changbin had to have told Hyunjin by now. Or maybe Changbin didn’t think that it mattered all that much anymore since his feelings were genuine.

“I wanna tell him as soon as possible,” Chan said.

“Good. Hyung’s better than I. I don’t know if I could forgive someone from withholding information like that,”

Chan opened his mouth to ask Hyunjin how he forgave Changbin so quickly when he the man of the hour bounced back up onto the porch to wrap Hyunjin in his arms. The artist tried his best to shove his boyfriend away, but his bright smile showed just how much Hyunjin loved the attention. The words got caught in his throat when he realized that maybe he should keep his mouth shut.

Something internally told Chan that the bet hasn’t been brought up yet. He certainly isn’t going to be the one to break the news to Hyunjin. Chan sincerely hoped that things wouldn’t get as bad as his imagination would allow. Hyunjin has had such a transformation that he’d hate to see the backlash of it all coming down on Changbin’s shoulders. So he just watched the couple as he ate his food and sobered up.

His resolve broke when the hosts called for everyone to join them in the living room for the costume contest winners announcement. He made his way back into the house with Changbin and Hyunjin. He didn’t really care about the contest this year, he just really cared about talking to Felix before the night ended. He found his boyfriend with Seungmin and Jeongin standing around in the kitchen.

“Hey, costume contest time,” Chan announced as he walked up to them. “Are you guys going in?”

Jeongin nodded.

“Yeah, we were just waiting for a few minutes with Lix,” He stated.

“But now that you’re here, we’re free to go,” Seungmin teased, winking at them both when Jeongin wasn’t looking.

Chan made sure that no one was around when he pressed a small kiss to Felix’s lips.

“Let’s go talk,”

“Bathroom,” Felix laughed, lightly shoving Chan toward the hallway.

Chan let himself be playfully pushed into the bathroom and kissed silly once they were alone. Felix sighed the moment Chan’s hands cupped his face. Chan could never get tired of Felix’s soft lips and deep sighs.

“This isn’t talking,” Chan mumbled between kisses.

Felix pulled away to look at his boyfriend’s flushed face. Chan’s eyes were so bright as they looked back at him. He brushed his fingers over Chan’s cheeks slowly.

“I just missed you,” Felix said, low voice rumbling. Chan could feel it in his chest. “Are you feeling better?”

Chan sighed.

“It was like one and a half drinks on an empty stomach. I ate and had water. I’m fine now. Things are clearing up and all that,” He stated. He let his hands migrate from Felix’s waist to the small of his back. Chan pressed the dancer closer to him. “I missed you too,”

“You looked sad,” Felix said softly, slowly removing the Police Captain’s hat from his head. He ran his fingers lightly through Chan’s dark curls. “Channie, are you okay?”

Chan leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Felix’s lips. He hoped to reassure his boyfriend, but he just found eyes filled with worry when he pulled back.

“We have to tell Minho, Lix.” Chan admitted. “I can’t take the guilt anymore. I don’t know how…others live with this guilt,”

Felix’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“What do you mean by others?”

“That’s not important, I’ll tell you about it later,” He brushed it off. “But I want to tell Minho. He’s my best friend, Lix.”

Felix looked down at their bodies pressed firmly together. He didn’t want to express his thoughts, but he knew that if he didn’t, Chan might misunderstand.

“I don’t want him to hate you, Chris,” Felix said, voice as meek as Chan had ever heard it. “I don’t want him to resent you or exile me just because we’re in love,”

“That won’t happen, baby,” Chan promised, leaning down to catch Felix’s gaze. “C’mon, be brave with me, yeah?”

“Okay,” Felix agreed, looking back up at Chan. “But tomorrow, okay? I just wanna be with you right now,”

Chan saw the determination in Felix’s gaze. He felt the way that Felix’s hands were starting to roam over his body. Maybe this was a distraction technique that Felix was using; it certainly has been used before, but Chan wasn’t upset. He guessed that they would have to have a long talk about that as well, but for now, he would enjoy his boyfriend’s hands on his body.

Chan didn’t think to lock the door behind them, even when Felix was dropping to his knees.

•••

Hyunjin wrapped his arms around Changbin’s wide shoulders, bringing his boyfriend’s back to his chest. Changbin didn’t even flinch, reaching up to grab Hyunjin’s arm to hold it across his chest. The artist snuggled in, letting his chin fall onto Changbin’s shoulder while they waited for all of the costume contest votes to be counted. Hyunjin honestly didn’t care if he won or not, but Changbin was excited at the prospect of it. The producer hadn’t own in a few years and desperately wanted a re-do.

Yeosang and Wooyoung were talking back and forth on the actual stage built up for the event. Hyunjin tuned them out, but he was sure what they were saying was very funny. He felt his social battery running out, and he really just wanted to be back in his pajamas. Plus, his eyes were starting to hurt from the red contacts. He didn’t understand how Felix was so unbothered.

“Can we go after this?” Hyunjin whispered for only Changbin to hear.

Changbin nodded his head and pressed a small kiss to Hyunjin’s cheek, while still listening to whatever it was that Minho was saying to him. Sparks of happiness shot through him every time Changbin did something so minute but so sweet. He might have teased Changbin about getting him dirty from the water earlier, but truthfully Hyunjin loved that Changbin was so open about their relationship.

“Okay and now it’s time to announce the winner. Our lovely Watson here will bring me the envelope,” Yeosang stated, holding his hand out comically for the small piece of paper.

“And honestly it’s a shame we can’t enter, isn’t it, baby?” Wooyoung cooed from beside his fiance. “We’d clean house, I’m afraid,”

Yeosang teased Wooyoung by pretending to hit him, but the other just took it in stride.

“Okay, drumroll, please,” He said, deep voice dipping lower.

Everyone, sans Hyunjin and a few others, started to pat on their thighs rapidly. The sound roared until Wooyoung made a cut sign with his hands. Everyone stopped, the room eerily quiet. Hyunjin looked around and saw that all of his friends were waiting on the couple on stage like a dog waiting for a treat.

“The Costume Contest Winners are…” Wooyoung nearly yelled.

“Dr. Frankenstein and His Monster!” Yeosang yelled. “Seungmin and Jeongin please come get your prize!”

Seungmin picked up Jeongin for only a moment, because he nearly dropped him. Jeongin laughed, easily lifting Seungmin up bridal style and carrying him to the stage. The couple nearly tripped on the first step, so Jeongin put down his boyfriend so they could go claim their prize.

“They’re so happy,” Changbin sighed. “I’m happy for them,”

“Even if you didn’t win?” Hyunjin teased.

“Even if I didn’t win,” He nodded. He turned toward Minho, who was pouting, and laughed. “Jinnie and I are heading out now. Tell everyone bye,” He stated.

Minho stopped his fake pouting and went to hug them both.

“We will see you guys at home,” Minho stated. He gave them a quick once over before he went right back to his previous conversation with Seonghwa and Hong Joong.

Jisung turned around to hug them too, before shoving them toward the general direction of the door.

“Go and have sex quickly. We don’t want to hear it when we get back. The movie is still on for tonight!” He nearly shouted.

Hyunjin rolled his eyes, but took Changbin’s hand in his so that they could make a quick exit. Jisung watched his friends leave from the crowd so that they could be alone for a bit. If he was being honest with himself, Jisung was also feeling quite overwhelmed. He wanted more than anything just to go home and get out of the zombie makeup for their movie night. It wasn’t that late either, only nearing eleven.

The reason why Jisung couldn’t just leave was because Minho. They had promised that they would stick together tonight. Minho had even sworn to Jisung that if the other wanted to leave at any point, he would go with him. Jisung just didn’t want to pull Minho away from talking with Seonghwa and Hong Joong, because he hadn’t seen them in a while.

Jisung felt a little awkward just standing there now that Changbin and Hyunjin have left. Seungmin and Jeongin were caught up in a conversation with some of Jeongin’s acting friends. Chan and Felix were nowhere to be found, but that didn’t surprise him too much. His face was starting to itch from the make-up on his face.

Minho turned to look at him for a moment, easily picking up on his anxious energy. The couple with them asked about Jisung’s job and his studies. The producer was grateful for the momentary distraction. He nearly cried in victory when Mingi came over to sweep his two hyungs away for a group game with the hosts.

“Sungie, what’s wrong?” Minho asked, eyes wide and he searched every inch of Jisung’s face.

Jisung nearly melted.

“The makeup is just really itchy. I want to take it off now,”

“Okay…let’s find a bathroom. I need to get these contacts out anyway. Hyunjinnie was right, they’re not really comfortable,”

Jisung smiled, pressing a small kiss to Minho’s cheek. He couldn’t help himself.

“Of course,” Jisung sighed, grabbing Minho’s hand and walking them in the direction of the bathrooms. They got stopped a few times by their acquaintances, but Jisung nodded and kept pushing ahead. The sooner he got off his makeup, the sooner that he and Minho could just leave already.

As they nearly made it to the bathroom, Minho got caught up by another friend, one from his dance club in college. Jisung rolled his eyes and just kept going. Minho would only have to step about ten feet or so and be with him anyway. The first bathroom door was locked, much to his annoyance, but he wondered just a little bit down to the other door. Jisung quickly opened the door, but stopped suddenly at the scene in front of him.

Jisung might have heard several times about how Chan rails Felix into next week, but he never wanted to personally witness it in action. He was frozen in horror as he took in the sight. Felix was bent over the bathroom sink, Chan pushing him to the surface. How did he not hear the moans from the hallway? They both were incredibly loud, the sound of skin slapping skin and the cabinets being hit over and over again were enough to cause a sane human not to walk in.

“Sung?” Minho called from down the hall.

“Oh my god!” Jisung’s voice finally found him. “Lock the door!”

Chan’s hips stopped moving, making Felix whine.

“Shit,” Chan huffed, looking at Jisung in horror.

Jisung spun around in horror, yanking the door closed behind him. He jumped when he came face to face with a concerned Minho.

“Sungie…what’s wrong?” He asked, grabbing Jisung’s hand. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Jisung squeaked. “Let’s not use this one,”

Jisung tried to stay put until Minho would move along, but Minho was planted firmly.

“What’s….what’s happening. Did…”

“It’s nothing, hyung! Let’s go to this one, come on,” Jisung stated, waving his hand. “After you,”

Minho started to move, but turned back around and looked at Jisung.

“What are you hiding, Jisung?” He asked softly.

Jisung closed his eyes and prayed that Felix and Chan had already locked the door. He took a deep breath and was able to answer when Minho was moving him out of the way. Minho looked far too concentrated, like his mind was somehow picking up on the situation without any real clues or answers.

Minho’s gasp when the door swung open made Jisung cringe. He hoped that they were at least decent. He quickly moved behind Minho, peeking over his shoulder. Felix’s pants were still undone, he was shirtless and trying to clean cum off of himself. Chan wasn’t much better, as his top was still unbuttoned and his hat was crumpled on the ground.

Jisung looked over at a frantic looking Felix. He was quickly trying to get himself dressed. Chan’s face looked miserable, like he was trying very hard not to cry. Minho was standing as still as a statue, unsure of how to react. Jisung grabbed his hand, but Minho didn’t grab back.

“H-hyung,” Felix’s voice trembled. “Minho hyung, please…”

“How long?” Minho said, voice barely above a whisper.

“Minho-”

“I was talking to my brother,” Minho cut Chan off. He looked at Felix with much softer eyes. “Lixie, how long?”

Felix closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“A while,” He stated.

Minho looked at Chan, betrayal heavy on his face.

“He’s my brother ,”

“I know. I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you,” Chan pleaded. “Please, can we go home and talk about this? Please?”

“Why?” Minho responded.

Jisung felt panic start to tear into his chest, so he wrapped his arms around Minho tightly. Minho stiffened for a moment before he held onto Jisung’s arm. Jisung took a deep breath and lightly let go so he could pull Minho out of the bathroom and into the hallway. Felix sent him a quick thank you look before he looked back at his brother.

“ Please, don’t hate him,” Felix begged. “It’s not his fault,”

Jisung took in a sharp breath because even he knew that Chan had a part to play.

“Let’s go, Min. Please,” Jisung whispered, lightly taking Minho’s hand in his own hand.

The atmosphere grew very intense as Minho battled internally about what to do. Felix and Chan had finished getting dressed. Minho was staring them down with a piercing glare. He felt a
betrayal that he didn’t know how to voice. He didn’t know what to think, but he knew that he couldn’t blow up again, not like he did at Jisung.

“Okay. At home. You guys go first,” Minho sighed, closing his eyes. Chan and Felix quickly left the bathroom and made their way toward the front door. Jisung stood still, not knowing what Minho would need most in this moment. “You knew,”

Jisung looked down and nodded his head.

“I did,”

“Why didn’t you…Babies code, right?” Minho asked, a small smile on his face. “Your code that you take seriously kept you from spilling,”

“Yeah,” Jisung sighed out. His insides were trembling.

“I’m so mad,” Minho stated, finally looking Jisung in the eyes. “Let’s get this stuff off us and then we can go,”

The producer nodded once.

“Okay, hyung,” He whispered, walking into the bathroom with Minho in tow to clean off their faces and take out the contacts.

But no matter how much Jisung scrubbed his face, he didn’t feel clean.

•••

Hyunjin loved the way that Changbin tasted on his tongue, but he honestly might love the way that Changbin’s mouth sucks around him more. Changbin wasn’t the type to swallow, but he did allow Hyunjin to cum all over his face. It was one of the prettiest sights that Hyunjin had ever seen. He helped clean his boyfriend up before they both laid boneless on the bed.

“I don’t think I’ve made you cum that fast before,” Changbin huffed, running his hand up and down Hyunjin’s thighs.

They had been laying down for the last fifteen minutes, unable to move.

“It was the outfit, officer,” Hyunjin smirked before earning himself a smack on the thigh. “Ow!”

“And the knowledge that we had to be quick?” Changbin added. “What has it been? Fifteen minutes?”

“Longer than some women get to experience pleasure,” Hyunjin huffed, turning to look at his boyfriend. “You…your tongue is good. Ten out of ten stars,”

Changbin winked at him.

“Just wait until I eat you out,”

A pleasant shiver went up Hyunjin’s spine.

“No one has ever done that for me before,”

“It’s a shame they haven’t. You deserve to be writhing on my face.” Changbin laughed, earning himself a smack from the artist. “Okay, I give. I’ll stop.”

Hyunjin’s face glowed in his dim bedroom lights.

“Good,” He stated. He ran his hands through Changbin’s hair for a moment. Changbin looked so soft, gazing at Hyunjin like he was a deity of sorts. Hyunjin smiled softly, pressing kisses all over Changbin’s face.
“I love you, Binnie,”

Changbin sat up abruptly. Hyunjin’s eyes grew wide as he realized that he said it out-loud. He sat up quickly as well, unsure of what to do. The couple stared at each other for a few moments without saying anything. Hyunjin felt the words on the tip of his tongue, he was ready to take them back. He was ready to get up and walk out of Changbin’s room without a second glance.

Changbin recognized the look in Hyunjin’s eyes. He reached forward and pressed a small kiss on his boyfriend’s lips.

“I thought I’d be the first to say it,” He whispered softly.

“You’re not upset?” Hyunjin whispered back.

“Darling, I love you too.” Changbin laughed. “Why would I be mad?”

Hyunjin had a few thousand thoughts running through his head. He was angry at his stupid boy brain for not allowing himself more time before blurting out the words. He was upset that he hadn’t said it earlier. He was even mad that he probably said it way too early.

“Cause I am,” Hyunjin laughed, hiding his face in the crook of Changbin’s neck.

“I’m not,” Changbin said back, voice firm. He wrapped his arms around Hyunjin, bringing him closer until Hyunjin was straddling his thighs. His cock twitched in interest and he tried his best to calm himself down. Hyunjin laughed at the feeling, but didn’t move to make it better or worse. Changbin pressed a kiss firmly over Hyunjin’s heart. “I love you,”

Hyunjin smiled, adjusting himself so he could kiss Changbin back.

“I love you,” He whispered, reaching between the two of them to take Changbin in his hand, stroking him until he was hard again. “I love you,” He said again as he blindly grabbed for another condom on the bed. He pressed kisses to Changbin’s mouth, slowly moving their lips together as Hyunjin slowly eased himself down on Changbin’s cock, until he was pressed all the way down and full. “I love you ,”

Changbin whined, wrapping his arms around Hyunjin’s torso to pull him as close as possible while Hyunjin grinded his hips back and forth. He pressed kisses on every available surface of Hyunjin’s skin he could reach.

“I love you, Hyunjin,” Changbin sang like a prayer.

Hyunjin started to move himself up and down Changbin’s cock as fast as he could. He felt another orgasm already building inside his body. He chased the feeling, tossing his head back as Changbin started to thrust to meet him half-way. His body was feeling heavier, but he didn’t want to stop. He wanted to show Changbin how much he loved him, how much he wanted him.

“Fuck,” Hyunjin moaned when Changbin hit his prostate. “Fuck, Binnie. More,”

Changbin groaned, low into his ear, causing Hyunjin to squirm some more. He let go of Hyunjin’s back in favor of laying down. He pressed his feet to the bed, gripped Hyunjin’s hips and started to thrust up into him faster. Hyunjin became spineless, letting Changbin move him as he pleased.

“I love you,” Changbin huffed, letting Hyunjin fall back down on his cock. Hyunjin whined, grabbing into Changbin’s shoulders. The producer took the opportunity to flip them over so he could thrust into Hyunjin faster. The artist moaned loudly when one of Changbin’s hands lightly gripped his throat. He didn’t put a lot of pressure, just enough so that Hyunjin’s eyes rolled to the back of his head. “I love you,”

“Changbin,” Hyunjin whispered, opening his eyes to look up at his lover. Changbin gripped his neck just a little tighter, thrusted a little bit harder, and Hyunjin was cuming once again between them.

Changbin released his boyfriend’s neck and dripped down to press kisses all over, sucking on his collarbones as he finally came inside Hyunjin. His body felt like it was on fire, the love that he had for the other man consuming him from the inside out.

“You killed me that time,” Changbin huffed, removing his sweaty forehead from the pillow so he didn’t suffocate.

Hyunjin’s laugh filled the room, making Changbin laugh as well. He started to shove his boyfriend off of him so that he could clean himself up once again.

“That was incredibly hot,” He huffed out a breath. “Though, I think I’d actually like to take my time next time,”

The front door opened and slammed loudly throughout the otherwise quiet apartment. They both shared a confused look. The door was to not be slammed.

“We should get up then,” Changbin laughed before slowly pulling Hyunjin up with him. They both grimaced at the discomfort of pulling apart. The couple moved as quickly as possible to Changbin’s bathroom to shower.

Neither of them expected to walk into a house full of their friends, but no one was talking to each other.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Hyung,

please

slow down,” Jisung begged as he tried his best to keep up with a fuming Minho. Minho had been calm, deadly calm as they cleaned up bits of their faces. Minho barely flinched when he removed his eye contacts. He really didn’t even say anything to Jisung other than holding out his hand as an olive branch.

Jisung was having a hard time keeping up with Minho’s strides from the bus stop to his home. He had stayed quiet, accepting that his part in this was hurtful to his

almost

boyfriend. Jisung had foolishly hoped that Minho would have never found out about his involvement like this. He had really wanted to believe that Chan and Felix would have come clean sooner.

“Sorry, Sungie,” Minho mumbled, slowing his pace to one that wasn’t a sprint. “Just…shit on my mind now,”

Jisung’s face scrunched up in hurt.

“I’m sorry, hyung. I am,” He said for the tenth time since leaving the party.

Minho stopped walking, causing Jisung to comically jerk back to face him. Jisung’s heart twisted under the intense gaze from the elder.

“I’m sorry doesn’t make this all better. It’s not going to help me right this very moment. I

know

that you’re sorry. I’m….I’m so angry that you hid it from me.”

“It…it wasn’t like that,” Jisung said weakly. It sounded like a lie even to his own ears.

“Then what was it like?” Minho asked sincerely. “I want to know why my brother and my best friend decided that fucking in secret was better than talking to me,”

Jisung chewed on his bottom lip. He had already torn off some skin, teeth burning where it touched the raw surface. He wished he could have had a better answer for Minho. He wished that he could have said something that didn’t make it sound as harsh as what actually happened. Jisung took in a deep breath and decided to just be honest with Minho.

“You were not being nice.” Jisung said firmly, squaring his shoulders back. “Felix didn’t want to tell you because of how you were acting about me. He has been terrified of making a move on Chan, but Chan has been even worse than that. They really, deeply care about each other, hyung. No one knew how you would take it, and everything with us is so…fragile right now. Like…I don’t even know if you want to attempt to even be with me anymore after this. Part of me doesn’t blame you,”

Minho’s anger melted away for a moment.

“Jisung…” He said softly. “I…I’m angry, but I still want you,”

Jisung looked up in surprise.

“Oh, okay good. Glad that’s out of the way,” He stated. “I still feel like I’m going to slam a door,”

“Hyung,” Jisung huffed, pulling lightly at Minho’s arm. “C’mon we have to see them eventually. We all are like a package deal anyway,”

Minho allowed Jisung to pull him along at a much slower pace. He was grateful that Jisung was there to help him calm down, but he still wanted to throw punches. He wished that he wouldn’t have pushed past Jisung. Part of him wished that he would have never found out. Maybe them keeping the secret from him was a

good

thing.

The thought left his head as quickly as it came. Jisung’s hand in his hand felt so incredibly right. He had promised to be better for the producer. He intended to keep that promise. He didn’t want to fight with anyone else and risk losing everything. Minho didn’t know how to do that just yet. He wanted so badly to do the right thing. He wanted to make the right decision for the sake of friendship and keeping those he loves close to him.

But how could he do that when they had broken a vital part to all of that; trust. Minho didn’t know if he could trust either of them again.

Minho was so mad that he didn’t realize that he slammed the door behind him and Jisung. The producer winced and pulled him into a hug for a moment. Minho barely could pay attention to whatever it was that Jisung was saying. He was only focused on being held by him.

“It’s gonna be okay, hyung,” Jisung promised, pressing a kiss to Minho’s cheek. “But also be prepared for a lecture about the doors,”

Minho laughed for the first time in hours. Jisung’s anxiety settled just for a moment before he turned to lead them both toward the living room. It wasn’t a shock that Felix and Chan were already sitting on the couch. They both were wearing Chan’s clothes, and their faces were washed clean. Jisung gripped on Minho’s hand tighter, hoping that he was helping Minho.

The four of them looked back and forth between each other, but no one really had the right thing to say. Chan looked far more upset than he did at the party. Felix looked like he had been crying, but Chan’s arm was wrapped protectively around the young dancer. Minho didn’t dare to open his mouth just yet; too scared of what might come out.

Changbin and Hyunjin appeared quickly, looking completely disheveled.

“Yah! Why did you slam the door?” Changbin yelled. He was about to open his mouth again, but was stopped by Hyunjin’s death grip on his arm.

“

Changbin

,” He hissed, forcing Changbin to turn and look at him sharply.

Changbin looked back at the four men in the living room, all refusing to make eye-contact with each other. He felt his own anger rise up upon seeing Felix’s red-rimmed eyes.

“What

happened

?” He asked, moving around to stand where he could look everyone in the eyes properly. Hyunjin followed closely behind, but he let his boyfriend go this time. “Why are you crying, Felix?”

Hyunjin looked around quickly, before looking back at how distraught Felix looked. His heart sunk down to the bottom of his feet. He wanted to wrap Felix up in a tight hug.

“Um…Chan hyung and I are a couple,” He laughed, coughing a little on the soreness of his own throat. “Minho found out.”

“Jisung knew the entire time. I’m sure Hyunjin did too,” Minho said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Changbin’s eyes widened as he turned to look at Chan. Chan only looked a little guilty, but a fierce determination was settled onto his face. There was no way he was going to back down from this conversation and leave Felix to fend for himself. Changbin didn’t exactly mean

this

when he had told Chan to really go for it. He had hoped that his friend would have at least spoken to Minho in a timely manner.

“I…Where are Innie and Seung?” Changbin asked instead.

At the mention of his younger brother, Hyunjin went back to the bedroom to grab his phone. He was grateful for the excuse, even if he really was worried about his brother. He took a deep breath in relief as he saw a text from Jeongin about staying with Seungmin at the older man’s apartment. Truthfully, he wasn’t that worried about Jeongin and Seungmin as he used to be. He knew they were probably the least dramatic of all of them.

The group was silent once more when Hyunjin returned. Changbin was sitting down on Felix’s other side, his arm around the younger like Chan’s arm was. Jisung was holding onto Minho’s shoulders, plastering himself to the elder. Hyunjin took a deep breath before huffing it out, loudly snapping the weird energy that was building again.

“I’m going to make everyone tea now?” Hyunjin said, several eyes snapping toward him. No one objected, so he looked up at Minho. “Minho-hyung, please help me?”

To his shock, Minho nodded and quickly walked past Hyunjin to go into the kitchen. Hyunjin gave Changbin’s shoulder a squeeze before following the dancer. The silver-haired man was already putting the kettle on the stove. Hyunjin moved to grab the mugs from the shelves, considering he was the tallest. Once the water was started, Minho was reaching for the various teas in the cabinet beside the stove.

“You’re a great dancer, Hyunjin,” Minho complimented.

Hyunjin jerked back, unsure if he had heard Minho properly.

“Thank you?”

“Have you danced for long?” Minho asked.

“Hyung, you’re kinda freaking me out.” Hyunjin huffed. “Aren’t we like…in the middle of something serious right now?”

Minho sighed and took a seat on the stool next to the island.

“This is helping me remain calm,” Minho answered honestly. “I really….I wish I could go to the studio if it wasn’t so late,”

“The one that Felix uses?” Hyunjin asked, internally grimacing at the memory of their fight. “Have you been dancing there for a long time?”

Minho smirked, but it was missing the usual confident edge to it.

“It’s my studio,” Minho admitted. “But again, how long have you been dancing?”

Hyunjin shrugged.

“I only really dance on my own or with the babies. I’ve never had like…classes or anything,”

“Would you be interested?” Minho asked.

“In taking lessons?” Hyunjin laughed. “I mean, of course I would, but with what free time? Classes are…classes. I can’t really afford to take them with my schedule right now. I have an art show coming up at the end of the semester,”

Minho nodded slowly, turning around to turn off the burner.

“Dancing helps me clear my head. I wish I was there now, but…anyway.” Minho sighed again. “Please feel free to use it any time that you need to go and just…be. If you ever change your mind about the lessons, just let me know. We can figure something out,”

Hyunjin furrowed his brows in confusion.

“Why are you being so nice right now?”

“Because I’m so tired of fighting and we’re gonna have to go out back there soon. I’m exhausted and I actually

like

you, Hyunjin,” The dancer stated, working on making the tea for Felix and Jisung first. Hyunjin studied the other man for a moment before he moved to stand right next to him. Hyunjin started to make tea for Chan and Changbin.

“I like you too, hyung,” Hyunjin admitted. “You’ve really worked hard to show Jisungie that he means a lot to you. That means the world to everyone. Don’t tell him, but I’m pretty sure Jisung is like my best friend. I don’t count Changbin hyung in that anymore, because he’s my boyfriend.”

Minho smirked at Hyunjin, eyes returning to their cunning nature.

“They’re both really lucky to have you, Hyunjin-ah. We are all, actually,”

“We’re lucky to have you too, hyung,” Hyunjin said, taking in a deep breath before putting his tea bag down to turn toward Minho. “I’m so sorry that we kept the secret from you. I’m sorry that you found out tonight,”

The dancer nodded and gripped Hyunjin’s shoulder lightly.

“Thank you, Hyunjin-ah.” He said sincerely. “I’m trying to keep calm, but I’m feeling a lot of feelings,”

Hyunjin nodded. Minho grabbed a small tray to carry three of the mugs, and handed an extra to Hyunjin. He turned away from Hyunjin to exit the kitchen while Hyunjin debated if he should say anything else or not. He hesitated, but took a deep breath.

“I can’t imagine how you must feel. It must really suck to have the people you love the most hurt you this deeply,”

Minho stopped abruptly. He tried to control his facial features as he turned back toward Hyunjin. He nodded his head, taking in Hyunjin’s sincere expression. Minho wondered if Hyunjin was talking from first hand experience or not.

“Thanks, Jinnie,” Minho responded, using the nickname affectionately. He nodded toward the living room before he turned around to leave. Hyunjin was glad that he apparently didn’t say the wrong thing.

The atmosphere wasn’t as horribly tense when Hyunjin walked back in with tea as he had been when they left. Minho was now sitting on the end of the couch with Jisung, both turned toward the four of them. Changbin had backed away from Felix, but Chan was sticking to his boyfriend like glue.

“I can’t take not talking any longer,” Chan sighed heavily. “Minho-ah, I’m dating Felix. I really,

really

like Felix. We did not want you to find out how you did tonight,”

“How long has this been happening?” Minho asked, bringing his mug up to his lips. He took a sip of the scalding liquid, like a psychopath, and placed his mug on his knees.

“I really jumped him during his birthday,” Felix sighed, voice even lower due to the crying. “I’ve been half in love with Chris since we all met him,”

Chan reached over and squeezed Felix’s thigh.

“It’s mutual,” Chan admitted, looking Minho square in the eyes. “I love you, but I can’t let Felix go, Minho. I can’t go back now. The only thing I, we really regret is not telling you sooner,”

“We only waited because it never seemed like the right time to tell you,” Felix sighed. “And honestly Chan wanted to tell you more than I wanted to tell you. I didn’t wanna keep it from you, hyung, but I knew that it wouldn’t…you wouldn’t be happy,”

Minho leaned back in surprise.

“Why do you think so little of me?” He asked, sounding incredibly honest. “I..I don’t hate either of you. If you would have just

talked

to me, it would have been different. I only feel betrayed because you didn’t tell me,”

“We’re so sorry, hyung,” Felix apologized.

“You both didn’t even give me the chance to have a normal, healthy conversation about this. It didn’t…” Minho huffed, closing his eyes. “No, I’m not gonna say that because it isn’t right either. Just…next time, please talk to me. Just…that’s all I want,”

Changbin reached over and grabbed Hyunjin’s free hand. The artist smiled softly, linking their fingers together.

“We will. I swear,” Chan promised.

“That goes for all of you,” Minho sighed. “For all of us, for everything that’s going on.”

“Of course,” Jisung mumbled, pressing a small kiss to Minho’s shoulder.

Minho leaned back into Jisung’s touch. As soon as Minho visibly relaxed, everyone else did as well.

•••

“Hi hyung,” Jisung smiled, poking his head barely into Changbin’s office space. “I just wanted to let you know that I’ve finished parts of my recording sessions with Jihyo,”

Changbin was grateful that the album was almost done, but he felt like it was still dragging out far more than it should have been. Getting Jisung to agree to jump on for the sake of saving time was the biggest help to them in the studio.

“That’s great, Sungie.” He sighed. “Thank you for telling me,”

Jisung nodded.

“We’re still waiting to hear back from BamBam, right?” He asked.

Changbin sighed.

“Yeah, but I think Chan hyung is going to need to pull some strings for it to happen. He’s not answering the company emails,”

“That really sucks,” Jisung sighed.

“Would it really be so bad for you to be the one on the track?” Changbin asked.

Jisung’s eyes grew incredibly wide.

“I’m not an

idol

, hyung,” Jisung nearly whined. “We don’t want her album to flop!”

Changbin laughed so loudly that his sides started hurting. He never even considered the possibility of the album flopping. He really knew that it was going to be a hit for Jihyo. Her fans were anxiously awaiting her upcoming album. The fact that they were the writers and producers, there was no way that the album would flop.

“We can ask Chan to suck up his pride and just text BamBam.”

“That’s the spirit!” Jisung yelled. “What’s the point in having friends if they can’t help you?”

“I’ll remember that when you ask me for any favors,” Changbin smirked, leaning back in his chair. “Are you going to lunch soon?”

“I have to be in the meeting on the 8th floor in half an hour,” Jisung pouted. “I can’t wait to graduate and not have to be the errand boy anymore,”

Changbin smirked, knowing exactly how Jisung was feeling.

“Soon, Sungie.” He promised. He looked down at his laptop in disdain. “I’m trying to actually finish an essay right now for one of my classes.”

Jisung put up his small fist and shook them a little bit.

“Fighting!” He yelled.

Changbin tossed up one of his hands in a fist.

“Fighting,” He mumbled back.

Jisung gave him a pitying look before he disappeared from his office space. Changbin resisted the urge to slam his own head down on the desk in front of him. He didn’t lie to Jisung, he really was trying to write his essay, but he happened to finish and was just trying to proofread it. He absolutely

loathed

that part, and tended to drag it out just on the principle of not wanting to do it.

Changbin was trying desperately not to think about his boyfriend. It couldn’t be helped that Hyunjin was

Hyunjin

and simply didn’t know the power he had over the producer. Hyunjin had firmly stated that he needed at least two Changbin-free days. He needed to prepare his final pieces to submit for his class, and had admitted that Changbin was incredibly distracting lately.

Changbin couldn’t help that he was so in love. He was terrified at first, especially after Hyunjin had said it first. The producer honestly thought that he would be the first to speak the words. He couldn’t have thought that Hyunjin would beat him to it. He wouldn’t take it back though, the moment was forever etched into his heart. He had never been so entranced by another human being before.

Changbin knew that they were moving fast, but it felt so natural. He couldn’t believe that it’s barely been a month since knowing Hyunjin when it felt like they always had. He had never told a significant other that he loved them as quickly as he did with Hyunjin. He had never been quite so obsessed with them either.

Changbin would have to tell his parents about Hyunjin soon, because his mother was incredibly

nosey.

She figured out that Mina existed months later and Changbin never thought he’d hear the end of it from her. She wanted to meet Mina, but he wanted to wait it out a little bit longer. Changbin was glad that he didn’t introduce them, because looking back at their relationship now, his mother would have not approved.

“Focus, Changbin-ah,” He muttered to himself as he sat up properly in his chair. He scrolled all the way up to the top of the page so that he could start over. He shook out his shoulders and was about to start reading once more from the top when Chan was knocking lightly on the divider.

“I come bearing a gift,” He said with a bright smile. He pulled an iced americano out into view. Changbin nearly cried at the sight of the gift. “It’s from your boyfriend. He told me to say ‘Binnie, it’s just a paper. Stop whining’ and to enjoy,”

Changbin gave him a death glare.

“No, he didn’t,”

Chan laughed.

“You’re right, he didn’t say that. He said you probably needed this,”

Changbin melted on the spot, closing his eyes for just a moment. Chan sat the iced americano on the desk as Changbin took a moment.

“I love him so much,” He sighed. Changbin’s eyes flew open and saw Chan’s look of shock all over his face. “I…clearly didn’t mean to say that out-loud,”

“Uh…I can…I can pretend that I didn’t hear anything,” Chan laughed awkwardly, but his eyes were filled with panic. “This is normal…totally normal,”

“Super normal,” Changbin mumbled, taking a long sip from the drink. “Could you actually send me the files from the title track for Jihyo? And could you also read this fucking thing to make sure it’s not just random words.”

Chan nodded, grateful that Changbin was giving them both an out of the conversation.

“Yeah sure. I’ll go do that right now. Send me the file on over,”

“Also can you pull the friend card with BamBam? He’s not responding to the emails.”

Chan groaned heavily, tossing his head back. His to-do list just kept piling up.

“Bam hates emailing details. Didn’t we send it to his assistant?”

“They said that they were

looking into it

, or whatever that means,” Changbin huffed. “Honestly, we might have to shop around for someone else.”

“I’ll give him a call and see what he says,”

“Thanks,”

“Unless Jisung wants to actually use his voice?” Chan offered. “I mean…weirder things have been done before,”

“I think we should give up on getting Jisung to officially feature…” Changbin sighed before an idea wormed its way into his head. “Wait…what if we reached out to someone else that we know?”

Chan nodded, leaning against the desk for a moment.

“I was trying to play around with ideas to see who would be good for the song. I mean, I think we’d even have to change the part for Bam.”

Changbin chewed on his bottom lip.

“What if…we ask Minhyuck?”

“That’s absolutely batshit crazy, Bin,” Chan huffed. “Minho would blow a gasket if he finds out that Jisung is working with Minhyuck in a professional setting,”

Changbin crossed his arms.

“Look, we have to give Minho

some

sort of credit here. He did really well with the news about you and Lixie.”

“But you know he goes all…

unhinged

when it comes to Sungie,” Chan said seriously. “I…let’s talk to Minho tonight about the possibility and go from there?”

“Okay, I guess. He’s either going to be scary calm or blow a fuse.”

“I know,”

Chan sighed before standing up from the desk he was leaning on. He gave Changbin one more supportive smile before he was walking back toward his own desk. Changbin quickly emailed the file he was working on to Chan’s email to get the other man to read over it to make sure everything made sense. For such an easy office day, his brain felt entirely too scattered.

Changbin made sure to send a quick thank-you text to Hyunjin before he pocketed his phone. He was nearly done with the lyrics to a song he was writing for a boy idol group, and they were coming close to the deadlines. Truthfully, it came at a good time for Hyunjin to ask for a few days. Changbin hated to admit that he was starting to get swamped at work and with school. He had always been diligent, but he’d just rather spend time with Hyunjin than do any of those things.

•••

“Abso

fucking

lutely

not

,” Minho stated, eyes sharp and tone finite. “There’s no way I’d ever be okay with Jisung working with Minhyuck. Isn’t there like some sort of laws about that?”

Changbin winced as Minho stared across the dining room table at the two of them. Chan sighed and shook his head once more.

“There’s laws for working together and canooding at the same time. Jisung and Minhyuck aren’t even involved like that, Minho.” Chan stated softly.

Minho’s brows furrowed.

“They have slept together, Channie hyung,” He sighed. “I just…I don’t like the idea of them working together,”

Changbin reached forward to stop Minho’s hand from fidgeting.

“Minhyuck hyung knows about you and Sungie. He’s not going to try to get inbetween that,” Changbin promised. “He’s not that kind of guy. You know that. Minho, you

know

him.”

“Changbin is right, Minho-ah. You’ve known Minhyuck for years. You know he wouldn’t ever intentionally do that do you both,”

Minho sighed, relaxing in his chair for a moment. He looked around the room, trying his best to keep his mind calm. He didn’t want to come off as a possessive asshole, but there was something about Jisung that evoked feelings inside of him that he didn’t know how to control just yet.

“What does Sungie say?” Minho asked, voice tired.

“We haven’t asked him yet,” Chan answered.

“We didn’t want to put your almost relationship in any more turmoil than it already has been through,” Changbin added.

Minho turned to look at his best friends.

“I wanna talk to Jisung about this privately, if that’s okay with you both. I’d like to hear what he thinks and then we can go from there,”

“I…of course,” Changbin assured. “We just have a deadline,”

“I’ll talk to him tomorrow then. It’s Babies Night,” He sighed. “We’ve ruined too many of those lately. Jisung came come to you both with a decision in like…two days. Is that okay?”

“Yes,” Chan said firmly. “Thank you,”

Minho nodded.

“I know that I’m not in charge of Jisung and what he does. Still, it means a lot that you wanted to know my opinion about the matter,”

“We just want you and Jisung to be okay,” Chan said softly. “How are…things going?”

“They’re good, Channie. Really, really good,” Minho sighed. “I think I’m going to ask him out officially soon,”

“Good, put him out of his misery. And rail him,” Changbin smirked.

Minho promptly threw one of his chopsticks at Changbin, but the producer managed to dodge it.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Do you guys think that Minho hyung knows how badly I want him to break my back?” Jisung sighed, putting down the textbook he was reading for one of his classes.

Seungmin groaned, putting his head down on the dining room table. They were attempting to study together, as a Babies activity, and Jisung had just made it an hour in without talking. Hyunjin huffed, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose to give his friend a stern look. Felix just rolled his eyes and went back to writing out his homework for a class where his professor was ridiculously picky about assignments.

“Jisung,

please.

I need to finish my mid-term paper before midnight,” Seungmin pleaded.

Jisung shrugged.

“Look, I just want to know what you guys think,”

“You want to stop doing your homework,” Hyunjin rolled his eyes. “That’s not the same thing,”

“Can’t a man want both?” Jisung asked, pulling his textbook close to his chest. “Like, we’ve established that he loves me, right?”

Felix pressed his lips together tightly and looked up at Jisung sternly. He looked like he wanted to say something, but kept his mouth closed long enough for Seungmin to step in.

“

Yes

, we have. We know how he feels about you. He looks all pouty and mad when you leave his side for too long,” Seungmin stated.

“So why doesn’t he want to fuck me into next week?” Jisung whined loudly.

“

Ask Minho

,” Felix stated, standing up from the table. “I’m going to my room,”

Jisung, Hyunjin and Seungmin watched Felix grab his things and move toward his bedroom at lightning speed. The three friends shared shocked looks between each other, unsure of what to really say.

“What was that?” Jisung whispered, looking at the other two.

Hyunjin shrugged.

“I dunno,”

“I guess his week has been really tough?” Seungmin twisted around to pop his back. “Maybe he’s just really tired? He’s been dancing really late at night,”

“You guys have been busy in the studio. How has Channie hyung been?”

“He’s been himself,” Jisung sighed. “We’ll have to do the Babies Intervention in an hour if he doesn’t come out,”

Hyunjin nodded slowly, but looked at Seungmin for confirmation. The youngest nodded his head in agreement with Jisung. Hyunjin leaned back into his chair to finish his latest English report. He actually didn’t need Seungmin’s help to make sense of the material this time around. His in class assignments were going really well, not perfect, but well enough to be self-sufficient. They didn’t even need to schedule their tutoring session for the assignment.

Jisung really tried to get back to his textbook, but nothing was making a ton of sense to him at the moment. He was trying,

really,

but between the pining for Minho and upsetting Felix he couldn’t really focus anymore. Jisung’s focus really wasn’t award winning anyway. He was a good student, diligent, but this study session was definitely for the others and not himself.

Hyunjin finished his assignment under the next hour limit that they set for themselves. The moment he started packing up his things, Jisung had sprung up to take his textbooks to his bedroom. Seungmin sighed heavily, rubbing his temples at the movement. Hyunjin watched his friend in concern.

“Are you okay, Minnie?” He asked softly.

Seungmin jumped at the sound of his voice, despite Hyunjin speaking so low.

“I’m just really tired of the…dramatics as of late,” He said carefully.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s just that things have been so tense for the last month. I’m getting really tired of it. If it isn’t Jisung and Minho, it’s Felix and Minho or Felix and Chan or even Jisung and Changbin. Or when Changbin was with Mina, it was all of us and Changbin,”

“Have you talked to them about this?” Hyunjin asked carefully.

“I’ve talked to Jeongin about it. That’s why we kinda keep to ourselves,” He sighed. “Look, I’m so glad that you and Changbin figured out what was going on. You’ve been much more…chill and calm.”

Hyunjin tried his best not to feel offended and to hear Seungmin out. Clearly these things have been bothering him for a while and he left them unsaid.

“Are you tired of the Babies abusing the Huddle system?” Hyunjin asked, sparing a glance toward the hallway where their rooms were.

“Honestly,

yes

,” Seungmin huffed out. “Not everything is a code. We shouldn’t have to drop everything just to give the rest of the babies attention when it actually isn’t an emergency. Do you know how many dates I’ve been pulled away from Jeongin for that

weren’t

actually emergencies?”

“I’m so sorry, Minnie,” Hyunjin whispered. “I didn’t know…”

“I didn’t tell you guys,” Seungmin stated, shutting his laptop firmly. “I think that we need to redo the babies code now that you’ve joined anyway,”

Hyunjin nodded in agreement.

“We can do that tonight, but we need to get to the bottom of Felix’s reaction first. Do you wanna go grab him?”

“Sure, you get Jisung,” Seungmin nodded, getting up promptly to go to Felix’s room.

Hyunjin got up much slower and walked to Jisung’s room. He knocked once before Jisung was yelling at him to come into his room. The producer was laying on his stomach on the bed, typing rapidly on his phone. Hyunjin slumped down beside him, and nudged the other man. Jisung looked up at him, annoyance clear on his face. Hyunjin rolled his eyes and nodded toward the door.

Jisung slowly pulled himself from his bed. He pocketed his phone in his hoodie and walked out of his room. He knew that Hyunjin would follow him, so he didn’t bother to wait. Hyunjin was close on his heels by the time they reached the living room. Felix and Seungmin were already sitting on the couch when they got there.

“I’m sorry that I got upset,” Felix said first, before Hyunjin could even sit down on his other side. “I just really don’t want to talk about my brother right now, Sungie,”

“Why were you upset?” Jisung asked Felix directly. “What made you react like that?”

Felix took a deep breath and tried his best to fight the nerves inside his body.

“What happened with Chris and Minho is still really fresh. I know my brother took it well, seemingly, but I’m still kinda scared the other shoe is going to drop. Honestly, I’m still scared he’s going to mess it up with you again and we’ll be back to square one. I really

do

want my brother to rail you, Sung. I just…I just think that I need space with it right now,”

Jisung nodded slowly.

“I understand what you’re saying,” He admitted.

“While we’re kind of on this topic, I think we all need to admit that we need new Babies Boundaries,” Seungmin stated. “Hyunjin’s new and I think our new rules need to incorporate us as adults now. We haven’t revisited them since High School,”

“I didn’t even think about that, sorry Hyunjinnie!” Felix stated, eyes wide.

“Honestly, hard agree,” Jisung admitted.

“Okay, then let’s start,” Seungmin sighed. “I’ll go get the notebook,”

Hyunjin resisted the urge to laugh. He knew that for the three of his friends this was such a big deal, but it just felt a little silly to him. It wasn’t silly in the childish kind of way, but in the way that it felt like the rules were treated with almost a sacred manner. They were, he supposed, because he had been overwhelmed when they tossed them his way. Virgos are gonna Virgo, Hyunjin thought.

Hyunjin was grateful when Seungmin came back and ripped the rules out of an ancient looking notebook. Seungmin grabbed his laptop to type up the new rules for all of them to get sent to their email. It felt much more adult and efficient that way.

“First new rule, please don’t send me explicit details about your respective boyfriend’s sexual kinks,” Hyunjin huffed. “I don’t

care

if Chan wants to be called Daddy. I just don’t want to know, sorry Felix.”

Felix shrugged.

“I’m not offended. I just don’t have a big filter,”

“Well now it’s time to learn how to exercise,” Seungmin stated. “I’m with Hyunjin on that one,”

“I don’t like calling Babies Huddles when we’re hanging out with everyone,” Jisung admitted. “I mean, all of us have done it except Hyunjin. We should try to be more…discreet about it. I’ve been annoyed at myself for doing it a lot,”

“I think a group text would suffice,” Felix responded.

“But we have to be understanding if one of us can’t respond right away,” Hyunjin added.

“Absolutely,” Jisung agreed.

“I absolutely

hate

being pulled away from Jeongin for emergencies that aren’t like medical emergencies.” Seungmin said softly. He was having a surprisingly harder time with this new rule that anything else. “I love the babies, I really do. I’d kill for you all in a heartbeat. But…I love Jeongin and I want to be with him when I’m with him. He’s so kind and patient, much more than I deserve sometimes. I don’t want to lose that time with him,”

Jisung’s face crumpled.

“Oh, Minnie. I’m

so

sorry. I didn’t even realize that we were doing that,”

“Yeah, Seungminnie. I’m really sorry,” Felix added. “I didn’t realize we were pulling you away like that,”

Seungmin shrugged once, looking down at the laptop for a moment to calm his bubbling emotions.

“It’s honestly gotten better since you’ve both been involved with Chan and Minho,” He admitted. “You like…call me freaking out less, which is nice,”

“I promise I won’t pull you away either,” Hyunjin said, hoping to lighten up the environment a little bit.

“Thanks,” Seungmin smiled at all of them. “So we have no Babies Huddles when we’re all together. No emergency calls unless it’s an actual emergency. No calling away from dates or significant others. Is there anything else?”

Hyunjin held his breath as he watched the three of them softly. He really, truly loved his friends. He loved that this was how they chose to resolve disagreements instead of fighting or ignoring each other. Hyunjin felt a phantom ache from long ago when he iced Seungmin out. He never really apologized in full for doing that to the other man.

“Let’s keep this as an open discussion,” Felix sighed. “I’m okay for now, but yeah…”

“Yeah, I agree,” Jisung added.

Seungmin nodded, typing out what they agreed to before looking back up at Hyunjin.

“Can we…can we say that we’ll always be friends, no matter what?” He asked. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I wanna keep you guys, even if things don’t work out the way that I want them too with Changbin hyung,”

Felix squealed and grabbed Hyunjin’s arm.

“Is this a confession?”

“You guys already know we’re dating!” Hyunjin laughed. “What more do you want to know?”

Jisung smiled.

“We just want you guys together for a long time,”

Hyunjin’s heart melted.

“Me too, Sungie. Me too,”

•••

“Are you sure that you’re fine with this, Minho?” Chan asked their friend for the third time in an hour. The dancer just rolled his eyes aggressively. Chan tossed up his hands in surrender. “We just want to be sure,”

Minho sighed.

“For the last time,

yes

I am okay with it. I told you, I talked to Jisung. I don’t want to get in the way of his work, or yours as well. I want you guys to succeed, ya know? I’m not gonna put my own feelings above that,”

“Thank you,” Chan smiled sincerely. He was honestly still feeling a little off since Halloween, but things were getting better.

If anything, Minho was totally, incredibly normal. He didn’t treat Felix or Chan any differently than he did before, other than teasing them lightly. Minho couldn’t handle heavy petting in front of his eyes just yet, but he was trying his hardest.

“I trust Jisung,” Minho said firmly, looking between Changbin and Chan. “I know how much he loves me, and I believed him when he told me everything.”

Changbin resisted the urge to coo out loud when his friend was being so mushy openly. He hadn’t seen Minho like this in a very long time, if ever,”

“Good, he loves you,” Changbin agreed. “He’s really excited to not have to feature on the track himself,”

Minho’s semi-stoic facade cracked for just a moment, a coy smile brightening up his face.

“I can’t wait to hear that mixtape you’re all working on,”

“We’ll show you as soon as it’s finished,” Chan laughed.

“Good, I’m excited for it,” Minho nodded. “I gotta go. I have classes to teach with a girl group.”

Changbin wrapped his arms around Minho in a quick hug.

“I’m proud of you, Minho.”

“Someone has to be,” He huffed, shoving Changbin away playfully. “I have to go now. Be good, don’t bully Sungie too much and for the love of all that is pure and holy, make sure Jihyo doesn’t strain herself too much.”

Chan nodded in agreement while Changbin’s heart melted at how caring his friend is. Minho has always had the biggest heart, but he’s always been the most reserved in his expression of it. Changbin loved these moments, the ones where he got to witness how deeply Minho’s feelings went. Chan seemed moved, but kept himself from making comments when the dancer left the house officially.

They were almost done with Jihyo’s album. There were a few final, finishing touches on the tracks that would only take a little bit of time to finish. Changbin finally felt like he could breathe, with such a big project behind him. His focus was so divided lately that he found it hard to believe it wasn’t taking longer on his part.

Changbin hated that he hadn’t seen Hyunjin in days. He made sure to text the artist multiple times a day, Hyunjin always responded quickly, but it was different than being with him in person. Changbin absolutely longed to hold Hyunjin. He was practically burning in need, just wanting to look at Hyunjin and kiss him deeply. He respected that Hyunjin needed a few days by himself. He knew that they couldn’t always live out of each other’s pockets. He just wished they could, is all.

“Changbin-ah, focus please,” Chan sighed again as they worked on their laptops in the studio to finish the title track. “We’re getting so, so close. Please, think about Hyunjin later,”

Changbin’s cheeks flushed warmly.

“Try staying away from

your boyfriend

and then come talk to me,”

“I literally had to hide my relationship. You don’t get to talk,” Chan threatened playfully. “C’mon, Bin. Focus,”

“I cannnnnn’tttttttt,” Changbin whined loudly. He looked at Chan and pouted obnoxiously. “I need him,”

“You’re going to dinner with him tonight!” Chan laughed, shaking his head. “C’mon, I really need you to focus. We have an actual deadline with these tracks now,”

Changbin sighed heavily, swiveling in his chair back and forth.

“Fine, but I’m not happy about it,”

“I know,” Chan laughed.

Changbin was actually able to put his wild thoughts to the side for the sake of his work. He turned his phone onto airplane mode so he wouldn’t be tempted to text his boyfriend. Chan was right; the man usually was. He had been working way too hard, for months, on this album just to lose focus at the very end. He wanted to do right by their artist and their company. Changbin had a reputation that he very much wanted to keep.

Jisung and Minhyuck were in a creative meeting with Jihyo to discuss the track that he would be featuring on. Chan watched them closely at first while Changbin still couldn’t get his mind around the fact that the two of them had slept together. Minhyuck and Jisung were incredibly professional with each other, and Jihyo was none the wiser.

Minhyuck ended up being an incredible fit to the song. He was able to flow along with Jisung’s guide, but really made it his own. His years in the industry really proved to be a huge help. Jihyo had a determined look in her eyes that the producers hadn’t seen before. She was more determined than ever to finish the album. She wanted to make them all proud.

“Am I free now?” Jisung sighed, tossing himself down on the couch behind the two chairs.

Changbin laughed, swiveling around to face their youngest.

“Was it really that difficult?”

“Every moment I was in there with them, I felt like Minho was watching me from behind. I’m lucky to be alive right now,”

Changbin rolled his eyes.

“He promised not to interfere,”

“That doesn’t mean that I don’t know how anxious he is about Minhyuck.” Jisung sighed. He smiled softly though, when he thought about Minho. “I’m proud of him, ya know? He didn’t have to be as understand as he was about the situation with Minhyuck. Hell, if he said the words, I probably would have stepped back while Minhyuck recorded the parts,”

“I’m really proud of him too, Sung,” Changbin admitted. “I’m glad that he let you make your own decision and that he didn’t try to purposefully sway you,”

Jisung huffed.

“Me too, hyung. I truthfully think that could have been the last straw if he did,” the youngest admitted. “But he trusts me and I trust him. I don’t wanna let Minho down any more than he wants to let me down again,”

Chan smiled, looking down at the keys of his laptop as he typed.

“I’m glad that things are going well, Sungie,” Chan said softly, saving the track that he was looking on. He turned in his chair just like Changbin had. “Did you finish the recording officially?”

Jisung nodded, stretching his arms above his head.

“I did. I emailed them to you like twenty minutes ago,”

“Good, thanks mate.” Chan said, nodding toward the door. “You can get out of here if you want. I know that Minho’s probably stress cooking at home already,”

“Thanks, hyung,” Jisung nodded solemnly before perking up and grabbing his things that he just tossed down. “Are you and Lixie having dinner with us tonight?”

Chan cringed and shook his head.

“Felix still needs some time, I think,”

Jisung’s face fell once more. He sighed heavily, but nodded in agreement.

“We’ll have that double date eventually,” He stated. “What about you, hyung? You and Jinnie coming over?”

“We have our own date night planned, Sung. I don’t know if Hyunjin’s going to want to come back with me tonight or not,” Changbin smiled apologetically. “But I promise that we will all be together for the next movie night. Jinnie’s just got a lot on his plate with the new art show happening and a new exhibit coming up as well,”

“You’re such a good boyfriend, hyung. Never change,” Jisung winked before waving at them quickly and ducking out of the door.

Changbin turned his chair back toward Chan. The eldest ignored his staring, pulling the files that Jisung sent to give them a listen.

“Is it just Felix that isn’t ready?” Changbin asked softly.

“Can we not talk about this, Bin?” Chan asked back, eyes never leaving his laptop.

“They’re brothers, Chan. And regardless of how much you love Felix, you still hurt Minho. I know that everything got hashed out but…are you still being too hard on yourself? It wasn’t just you who made that decision,”

Chan sighed, turning to make eye contact with Changbin.

“Felix never really cared if Minho knew or not, Bin. He didn’t care about getting caught; I did. It was

me

who kept Felix like some shameful secret. I know that there was a part that didn’t want to tell him, but I don’t think it was because he didn’t want to tell Minho,”

“No-hyung,”

“Changbin-ah, nothing is going to change over-night,” Chan huffed.

“But you can’t carry all of the blame,” The younger man argued. “That’s not healthy, hyung,”

Chan nodded.

“I know that, but that’s where we’re at. It’s going to take us time to sort through this all, yeah?”

“Yeah, I guess,”

“I mean, it’s not like we’re not working through it all. These things happen in private, just like how you and Hyunjin handled the whole

bet

thing,”

Changbin’s heart plummeted to his stomach.

“W-what?”

“Ya know, I’m still a little surprised that Hyunjin took it so well,”

“Chan I-”

“Hyunjin has changed so much as well. It feels like he’s really grown up and I’m just glad that things did work out for you both,”

“Wait- hyung. No, I think you’ve got the wrong idea,” Changbin took a deep breath. Chan’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked at Changbin like he hadn’t looked at him before; with disappointment.

“The bet wasn’t about Hyunjin?” He asked slowly.

“No…that part you got right,” Changbin shuddered a little. “Just…Hyunjin doesn’t like…

know

,”

Chan reared back, but he wasn’t totally surprised about the revelation. He figured as much when he spoke to Hyunjin at the Halloween party. He had hoped with everything that was in him that Changbin

had

told Hyunjin about his childish gamble.

“Hyunjin…doesn’t know?” Chan laughed, but it came out all wrong sounding. “Bin, that’s a huge fucking deal! You can’t just…leave him in the dark.”

Changbin put his elbows on his knees and rested his chin in his hands.

“I was hoping that everyone would forget about it. Hell, even I fucking

forgot

about it. I forgot because we call it off. It wasn’t like I want to like…hurt him or anything,”

“But it will, Bin.” Chan said softly. “You have to tell him, Binnie. He needs to know,”

“I was going to take it to the grave with me. Minho too,”

“You can’t do that to him, Changbin,”

Changbin put his head in his hands for a moment. He tugged on the ends of his hair, causing the curls to go in different directions.

“I know, I’ll tell him soon,” Changbin vowed. “I just… I love him, Chan,”

Chan barely managed to conceal his shock.

“Oh…oh, Bin. Fuck,”

“Yeah, fuck,” Changbin let out a shaking laugh, void of all joy that it usually carried.

•••

Hyunjin tugged on one of Changbin’s sweaters over one of Changbin’s t-shirts. His boyfriend said he was on his way to pick him up, and to dress comfortably. Hyunjin made it very clear to Changbin that he wanted nothing more than to just grab dinner at a casual place and keep it simple. He had been drowning in his art. If he hadn’t finished the final piece earlier, he likely would have canceled their plans.

The artist made sure to leave the window open and the door closed to his art room. Regardless the fumes were pretty nasty with how many hours he had spent locked away. His professor was at least very impressed with how far along his art was coming this year. She kept making sure to tell Hyunjin just how impressive he was every time she checked in on his work.

Hyunjin pulled his hair half back, because he couldn’t handle it being in his face anymore. He had taken to wearing headbands while painting, but he didn’t want to look like he didn’t put in

any

effort for their date. He still wanted Changbin to know that he cared about him, even during their small break apart. Hyunjin had half a mind to wear sweats, but he forced himself to put on a pair of somewhat nice jeans.

Changbin came to the door like he always did, but he looked just as exhausted as Hyunjin felt. The artist didn’t wait, he wrapped his arms around Changbin’s shoulders and buried his head in the crook of his neck. Changbin’s tense body immediately went limp and he let his arms loosely wrap about Hyunjin’s waist. It took a minute before Changbin was pressing kisses on the top of Hyunjin’s head.

They stood like that for far longer than two should in the hallway, just falling into each other’s presence again. Hyunjin didn’t want to let go. He forgot how much Changbin seems to calm down his anxiety when he’s next to him. Hyunjin took a deep breath, pulling himself up to look at his boyfriend. There were bags under his eyes.

“Have you been sleeping, hyung?” Hyunjin asked softly, swiping his thumb slowly underneath his eye.

“Not really,” Changbin laughed, but it sounded all rung out. “Have

you

been sleeping?”

Hyunjin shook his head slowly.

“No, not really,” He answered. “I missed you…a lot,”

Changbin managed a smile, one small enough for Hyunjin to see how genuinely happy he was.

“I missed you too, darling,” He admitted. “Are you ready to go now?”

Hyunjin nodded before pressing a small kiss to Changbin’s lips. Changbin was smiling when he pulled back, eyes roaming over Hyunjin’s face.

“Let’s go,” Hyunjin sighed. Changbin let him go so that he could properly pull the door closed behind them. They waited to hear the lock turn firmly into place before Changbin was reaching for Hyunjin’s hand to hold. “Can we go back to yours afterwards? I don’t wanna look at my apartment for at least twenty-four hours,”

“Don’t you have class tomorrow?” Changbin laughed.

“Yeah, but I can just wear your clothes,” Hyunjin shrugged. “Or you can bring me back here before taking me to school,”

“Oh so that’s how that’s gonna go?” Changbin teased. “The things I do for you, Hyunjin-ah,”

Hyunjin smiled brightly.

“Thanks, hyung,”

Changbin longed to tell Hyunjin about the bet. Now that Chan brought it back up, it was like an itch that he couldn’t scratch. He really

wished

that Chan hadn’t brought it up. He didn’t even know where to start. He knew that he wanted to wait until after midterms were through. He wanted to make sure that he had the right words, so that he didn’t lie to Hyunjin about how he felt.

The truth was tricky, because what he and Minho did was bad. Changbin

knew

that it was wrong; that’s why he called it off to begin with. How could he really explain to Hyunjin that the feelings he had were genuine despite the bet? Could Hyunjin even accept it as it was? He didn’t think so, but he really hoped. He hoped that Hyunjin would still love him, regardless.

After midterms, Changbin thought. After the album is released, he would tell Hyunjin the truth. He would just have to bear the consequences, regardless of how it all turned out.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“What are you working on now that the album is nearly done, hyung?” Hyunjin asked as they walked through the pavilion. Their hands swung in-between them as they strolled underneath the warm lights.

“I still have other artists to work with, and I was getting a little behind with my studies. I’m supposed to graduate this winter,” Changbin laughed.

Hyunjin hummed and looked around the nearly empty pavilion. There were a few couples wondering about just like they were. Nothing really exciting happened until the weekend, anyway. It felt nice to be in the quiet, together. Changbin’s heart squeezed in his chest everytime Hyunjin’s eyes crinkled.

“Want me to come to your graduation? I’ll bring a banner with your face on it. Or I’ll bring loads of flowers, ya know, to embarrass you,”

Changbin laughed, tugging Hyunjin closer to himself so that he could slide their hands inside of Hyunjin’s pocket.

“If you want to make a banner, you can. I think everyone loves flowers too,”

Hyunjin’s nose scrunched cutely.

“I’d embarrass myself more with the banner than I would embarrass you,” He admitted. “But…if you want me there, I’ll go,”

“Darling, I want you to come,” Changbin laughed.

Hyunjin smiled and looked away from Changbin and toward the walkway in front of them. He cuddled in closer to Changbin, because his boyfriend was like his very own radiator. Changbin sighed, loving how affectionate Hyunjin could get.

Changbin nearly laughed when he saw the benches that Hyunjin had stomped off from him when they first met. It felt like a lifetime ago, not a month, that the artist hated his guts. Hyunjin rolled his eyes as they passed the bench, but he didn’t say anything.

“Would you come to my art exhibit?” Hyunjin rushed out, not sparing a glance at his boyfriend. “It’s coming up, and I think I’d really like you to be there,”

“It’s
in a week, right?” Changbin asked, trying his best to remember,”

“Yeah, it’s at the studio that I’m going to regularly have my art at after I graduate,” Hyunjin admitted. “I have like…clients that already buy my stuff. I’m nervous for what they’ll think about my latest works,”

“I’m sure that they will love them, Hyunjin-ah,” Changbin reassured his boyfriend.

“You really believe in me too much,” Hyunjin sighed, tugging Changbin a little faster. “I’m cold, let’s go,”

Changbin laughed.

“I believe in you because I’ve seen what you’ve done with your art,” He answered. “I don’t believe in just anyone,”

“Jisungie told me about how you told him you didn’t like a few of his songs one time and it devastated him,”

“Exactly, so don’t worry if I don’t like them,” Changbin teased. “Let’s go get you somewhere warmer,”

Hyunjin let Changbin drag them back to the elders car at a pace that he would never do himself. Hyunjin was practically out of breath by the time they made it back, leaning over and huffing while Changbin laughed. The producer at least had the decency to open the door for Hyunjin to slide into before he went to the other side.

Changbin grabbed the take-out boxes from his seat and slowly moved them to the back so that neither of them had to carry it. Hyunjin had chosen a simple ramen place where they could get pretty full, but wearing their hoodies wasn’t so taboo. They sat side by side for the first time before deciding that they both liked their space and to not try that again. They ended up ordering extra to bring home.

Hyunjin held onto Changbin’s hand and he drove them back to his apartment. The producer turned the music on low and pressed small kisses to the back of Hyunjin’s hand every now and then. The artist watched the city lights, breath fogging up the window from the cold. The date night was one of Hyunjin’s favorites so far.

“Did you get enough to eat, Hyunjin-ah?” Changbin asked softly.

Hyunjin nodded and yawned.

“I did, hyung,” He admitted. “I just wanna go to sleep now,”

“We can do that,” Changbin quickly affirmed. “We can do whatever you want,”

“I just want to be with you,” Hyunjin admitted in the quiet of the car. Somehow, the admission felt more important than telling Changbin that he loved him. It felt like there was just a little bit more weight to the words. He actually

always

wanted to be around Changbin.

“You have me, darling,” Changbin said back just as quietly.

Hyunjin wanted nothing more than to be in Changbin’s arms. He tried his best to wait patiently while Changbin grabbed a few things from his car. Hyunjin had the food and was stepping back and forth quickly. He didn’t want to

rush

the producer, but they hadn’t been around each other for days and it felt like weeks instead.

The apartment was quiet when they got back. Minho was supposed to be out for dinner with Jisung, and Chan was over at Felix’s apartment for the night. Hyunjin happily put the take-out away before he grabbed a few waters from the fridge. Changbin was putting tupperware away from his lunch, arms flexing as he opened one of the containers. Hyunjin shook his poor, horny brain. He needed

sleep,

not to ride Changbin until he was drunk on him. Though, Hyunjin really did like that thought as well.

Hyunjin didn’t really question his motives as much with Changbin anymore. He was learning that it was okay to

want

and

desire

Changbin. He was learning that it was okay that he wanted to be in Changbin’s presence. He tried his best not to question himself too much, especially when he wanted to drape himself over the producer. Changbin

loved

when Hyunjin would cling to him.

So Hyunjin went over and wrapped his arms around Changbin’s torso, pressing himself firmly to the producer’s solid back. He nuzzled his nose into the back of Changbin’s neck and stayed there for a moment. Changbin’s laughter squeezed Hyunjin’s tender heart with love. He was so utterly in love with the older man that it scared the living shit out of him.

“I love you, Changbin,” Hyunjin whispered, pressing a feather-light kiss along the base of his boyfriend’s neck.

Changbin slipped his fingers between Hyunjin’s, clasping their hands together over his toned stomach. He melted into his boyfriend’s touch, allowing every moment of happiness to seep into his soul.

“I love you too, Hyunjin-ah,” Changbin laughed, swaying them side to side. “Why the affection, all of the sudden?”

Hyunjin shook his head, barely pulling it away from Changbin’s neck.

“I don’t like taking time away from you,” Hyunjin admitted. “It was terrible,”

Changbin’s chuckle reverberated in Hyunjin’s chest. It felt like it belonged there, inside his body, like he was always meant to be this close with Changbin.

“I didn’t like it either.” Changbin admitted. “Do you want to go watch tv and fall asleep?”

“

Please

,” Hyunjin begged, slowly removing himself from Changbin’s body. He moved away just enough to give his boyfriend space to turn toward him. Changbin cupped Hyunjin’s jaw and pressed a very light kiss on his lips. Before Hyunjin could even really react, Changbin was walking past him and out of the kitchen. He watched Changbin disappear around the corner, and sighed softly with eaze.

Changbin was already changed into comfortable pajama bottoms and an old t-shirt when Hyunjin entered the bedroom. He had laid out similar items for Hyunjin to change into for the night. The producer was brushing his teeth in the bathroom, so Hyunjin just started to change in the bedroom. Once he was finished, Hyunjin went to do his nightly routine. His toothbrush that Changbin bought him was sitting on the counter for when he decided to stay over.

“Do you want to do face masks while we watch that drama you wanted to see?” Changbin asked.

Hyunjin’s eyes smiled, while he was busy brushing. He nodded his head in agreement, and that was enough for Changbin to wink and go put a few face masks in the fridge to cool them down. The producer wasn’t quite picky enough to have his own skin care refrigerator.

“Binnie, we can just talk, if you want,” Hyunjin called. “I dunno if I can focus on a show right now,”

Changbin laughed in response, but Hyunjin knew that his boyfriend would give in to anything that he wanted from the older man. The artist finished some of his skincare before he went to get in the bed. Changbin was likely still in the kitchen, trying to be patient for the masks to cool down. Hyunjin wrapped himself in the blankets and inhaled deeply. He relaxed enough more, feeling the tiredness settle into him like it hadn’t before.

“Here you go, darling,” Changbin said, handing out a mask to Hyunjin.

The artist looked at him lazily, and snuggled further down in the bed. Changbin laughed, tossing the masks on Hyunjin’s lap. He crawled into the bed, snuggling close to Hyunjin. He pressed kisses over as much of Hyunjin’s face as he could.

“Face-mask time,” Hyunjin laughed, shoving Changbin away for a moment. Changbin didn’t mind though, far too enthralled with being beside Hyunjin again to care. He was starting to really get embarrassing, though. His self-restraint really was waning by the day. All Hyunjin had to do was ask, and Changbin would do anything for him.

Nights like this was exactly what Changbin wanted in a relationship. He wanted so badly to feel this comfortable with Mina. His relationship with Chaeryeong did eventually get to where they could do these things together, but nothing could compare to this.

Nothing could compare to Hyunjin. Changbin knew that maybe, just maybe, this was it for him. He didn’t usually consider himself a romantic, but he wanted to give

that

to the man beside him. Hyunjin wasn’t easy, even now that they were together, but he was worth it. Hyunjin made him want things that he didn’t think he wanted until much later on in life.

Changbin turned toward Hyunjin, as the movie he couldn’t remember played on. He wouldn’t be able to place any of the actors. He didn’t even really realize it was on. They took off their face-masks a while ago. Beside him, Hyunjin breathed softly. The producer smiled, rolling over to hold him tightly to his chest. Hyunjin wiggled a little bit, but settled down quickly.

“Jinnie-ah, I have something to tell you,” Changbin said, voice coming out all breathy. Changbin’s chest tightened up. He knew that no matter what, things were going to be different afterwards.

“Okay, hyung,” Hyunjin said in a tired voice.

Changbin took a few moments to prepare himself for the fall-out. He hoped that the overall solution would be a good one; one that he could still keep Hyunjin close to himself.

“When I first met you, I was kinda all over the place,” Changbin started.

“Freshly dumped,” Hyunjin yawned.

“Right, yes thank you for the reminder,” The producer laughed softly. Hyunjin gave his arm a small pinch, making Changbin roll his eyes. “Freshly dumped, but admittedly, I wasn’t okay for a little while before that as well. I liked to pretend that I was. I thought that if I could make things work with Mina that everything would be okay, right? I felt…so lost for a long time. I already told you about the relationships but…I didn’t tell you this,”

Hyunjin was still in Changbin’s arms, so Changbin steamed full force ahead. He was on a roll, as it was.

“Anyway, I really wanted things to work out, but not really because I was deeply in love with her or anything. This last year has been hard, Hyunjin-ah. I’ve been…I have never really been one to be overly self-conscious. I became borderline paranoid with how I looked physically. I’ve had a love affair with the gym for years now, but I got a little out of control. I think that’s why Minho and Chan really didn’t like her. It wasn’t really her fault, but it happened when I was with her.”

Changbin closed his eyes and prepared himself for the next part.

“That’s why I think I felt so prideful about myself. I’ve never truly been rejected before, and Mina cheating really hit me in a spot that I couldn’t put a name to. When Minho convinced- no sorry. When Minho challenged me, I couldn’t refuse him. I made a stupid bet, Jinnie-ah. I let my insecurities

and

my pride take over and I agreed to the dumbest thing I think I’ve ever done. I made a bet and it was on you. And I know that’s foolish. I deserve you to hate me for not telling you until now and…Hyunjin, I’m sorry,”

Changbin rushed out the words as fast as he could. He tried not to make excuses. He tried his best to be both honest and sincere. He felt like his heart might fall out of his chest at any moment. Hyunjin didn’t shove him away, and he wasn’t yelling yet. Changbin closed his eyes and braced himself for the horrid moment when Hyunjin silently leaves his bed.

Changbin’s eyes flew open not because of Hyunjin’s sudden movements, but because of the ridiculously loud moans echoing through the house. He jumped when Hyunjin got up, face screwed up in annoyance. He started to type rapidly on his phone before he shut Changbin’s door fully. It helped to block out most of the noise almost immediately. Changbin didn’t even notice that the door had been left open.

Hyunjin huffed after texting Jisung to

shut the fuck

up,

please

, and crawled back into bed with Changbin. Hyunjin looked over his boyfriend’s body language and he sighed heavily.

“Hyung, I’m sorry but I think I fell asleep,” Hyunjin huffed. “You were saying something about being self-conscious after Mina or something like that?”

Changbin blinked slowly, looking at Hyunjin like he might throw up.

“Oh,”

Hyunjin pouted, crawling back into bed and draping himself over Changbin.

“I’m sorry, hyung. I was just so tired. I don’t even remember where you started your story.”

“Hyunjin-ah,” Changbin breathed softly.

Hyunjin buried his head into Changbin’s chest and didn’t lift it again.

“Go to sleep, hyung. You can tell me in the morning,” Hyunjin mumbled. “If they ever stop fucking now,”

Despite how he was feeling, Changbin laughed. He didn’t even realize that Minho and Jisung had made it back. He didn’t think that the sounds of the two of them having sex would interrupt their conversation either. Changbin really didn’t think that Hyunjin would sleep through it, rendering his words useless. Changbin felt like the biggest fool.

“Good night, darling,” The producer whispered, turning up the sound on his tv just a little bit to help cover the sounds. “I…I love you,”

“‘Veyoutoo,”

Changbin took in a shaky breath, knowing that Hyunjin had no idea what he had just confessed.

•••

Hyunjin woke up before Changbin did, rolling over to snuggle closer for just a moment. The older man grumbled, but wrapped his arms around Hyunjin anyway. The artist had a thousand things to do today that he didn’t want to get out of bed for. His alarm had already gone off a few times, and he hit snooze every time.

Hyunjin was able to finally pull himself from Changbin’s embrace twenty minutes later. He grabbed the shirt and hoodie that he wore last night. Changbin rolled over, his broad back now turned toward Hyunjin. Hyunjin smiled at the sight. His boyfriend was so patient with him, even when he fell asleep mid-conversation. Hyunjin smiled fondly anyway; Changbin will tell him later.

“I love you,” Hyunjin whispered as he pressed a small kiss to Changbin’s cheek. His eyes fluttered just a little bit, but he stayed asleep. Hyunjin kissed his forehead next, and walked out of the bedroom as quietly as possible.

Han Jisung was in the kitchen, shirtless, and putting together some coffee at the counter. Hyunjin stopped in shock at the sheer

amount

of hickeys all over his torso and chest. Jisung didn’t notice him, too busy looking down at the coffee mugs and making sure they were made right. Hyunjin leaned lightly against the island, smirking at his friend.

“Minho mauled you,” Hyunjin stated.

Jisung jumped at the sound, eyes wide as he looked up.

“Shit! Jinnie!” Jisung laughed. “What?”

“You’re uh…covered in hickeys,” Hyunjin stifled a laugh. “Like you look like you were

claimed

, ya know,”

Jisung’s face got increasingly more red. He looked down at himself, seeming to have not known that they were there.

“He…like did I guess,” Jisung stammered. “I…fuck, Jinnie it was so

good

. He was perfect, so so so perfect,”

Hyunjin smiled and started to respond when his phone’s alarm was starting to blare again. He groaned and turned it off again.

“I’m glad for you, Sungie,” Hyunjin smiled sincerely. “I gotta go now, or I’ll be seriously late. I have to turn in my art today,”

“Do you need help? I can get ready to go,”

“No, stay with Minho. Enjoy your..afterglow and all that,” He smiled.

“Okay, text me if you change your mind,”

“I’ll bother Binnie first,” Hyunjin teased. “Byeeee Sungie.”

“Bye Baby,” Jisung smiled, holding up both coffee mugs.

Hyunjing hurried out of the apartment. He really was running a little late already. He decided to call a car just to get back sooner. He had an hour to get everything done that he needed to get done. He started bouncing his leg up and down anxiously, thinking about his list of things to do.

Jeongin and Seungmin were in the kitchen having breakfast when he came rushing inside. Jeongin kept quiet about Hyunjin’s obvious clothing choice, but Seungmin’s eyes twinkled with mischief. Hyunjin muttered for them to be quiet and breezed past to get his remaining work from his bedroom.

“How’s Changbinnie hyung?” Seungmin called teasingly.

“Shut up!” Hyunjin yelled back, as loudly as he could. He could hear his brother and Seungmin laughing in the kitchen as he started to gather the three remaining big canvas’, and a few of the smaller ones that fit inside a tote bag. He gave his painting room a once over, just in case he was forgetting something again. Hyunjin took a deep breath and quickly shut the door behind him. His arms were full, but he could make due.

The couple helped Hyunjin get his things to the door before Jeongin was hugging Hyunjin tightly.

“Good luck today, hyung,” Jeongin smiled brightly as he pulled away from his older brother. “I know you’re gonna blow them all away,”

“I can’t wait to come to the exhibit,” Seungmin added softly, a smile playing on his lips.

“Let’s just hope that Mr. Kim approves of them to actually

sell

in his studio, first. Professor Lee already approved of them for my final project,”

“Fighting!” Seungmin yelled, tossing up a fist and shaking it lightly.

“Have a good day, hyung!” Jeongin yelled out as Hyunjin left the apartment. “Does he know that he’s wearing Changbin’s clothes?”

Seungmin’s infectious laugh could be heard outside in the hallway.

Hyunjin was done with carrying his things by the time he got to the street. He didn’t want to bother Changbin, because it was his only morning to really get some rest. Hyunjin didn’t think he’d have any luck catching a taxi, as he usually didn’t, but he thrust out his hand anyway. He was completely shocked when one stopped for him almost automatically.

The cab driver wasn’t too thrilled to be carrying around so many items along with Hyunjin. The artist apologized to the grumpy man several times, before he deemed it a lost cause. The man dropped it after Hyunjin stopped responding to his remarks. The silence

finally

gave Hyunjin room to think.

Hyunjin knew that whatever Changbin had said was important. Changbin rarely wasted his breath on unnecessary words in general. If he was talking about insecurities, Hyunjin couldn’t help but feel bad that he fell asleep. Changbin was usually a man that didn’t shy away from hard conversations, but something in his voice told Hyunjin that it was hard to say. He cursed himself a thousand times for falling asleep during such a moment.

The artist wished that he could go back and sit up to hear the producer. Changbin didn’t like to leave things unfinished, but he probably would wait again until the most opportune moment came about. Hyunjin smiled at the thoughtfulness of his boyfriend. He wanted to give that same kind of support to Changbin in return.

•••

People had been staring at Hyunjin all day, and the artist had about had enough of it. His classmates in his first class kept mentioning how

great

the music production program was and how

talented

most of them were. Hyunjin nodded in agreement, because his friends and boyfriend went through the program. His classmates just gave him confused stares at the simple “

Yes it is,”

response he had.

In Hyunjin’s English class, a few girls grouped around him to ask about his friends and if they’re going to host another party soon. They asked why they hadn’t seen them at the house parties more often, and Hyunjin replied with a simple “

I don’t like parties and they haven’t been throwing them

” response. He didn’t even know how these girls

knew

his friends.

By lunch time, Hyunjin had enough of the feeling of constant whispers behind his back. He felt like he did when he got his hair done, but somehow this was much worse. He slumped down in the chair at the empty table where he was waiting for those said friends to show up. It barely worked, seeing as he drew more attention to himself by slumping down.

“Thank thank fuck,” Hyunjin muttered to himself as Felix and Jisung bounced over to him. They sat down quickly, eyeing him strangely from where he was nearly hiding under the table.

“Jinnie, what are you doing?” Felix laughed, smiling at him like he didn’t look insane.

“Bro everyone is looking at you,”

“I

know

!” Hyunjin bursted out. He winced at the sound of his voice. “I know,” He said in a softer tone.

“What’s up, Babies?” Seungmin asked, sitting his tray down beside Hyunjin. “Why are you on the floor?”

Hyunjin quickly pulled himself up, but tried his best to duck down out of view.

“Everyone is staring at

me

,” Hyunjin said, exasperated.

“Oh,” Jisung laughed, shaking his head. “That’s…well I can’t help with that,”

Felix smacked Jisung’s arm.

“Ji, be nice,”

Jisung pouted, cheeks puffing out. Briefly, Hyunjin was overcome by the urge to squish and he felt better. Then the feeling was gone again and replaced by despair.

“Where’s Jeongin?” Hyunjin muttered to Seungmin.

“He’s running lines with a few of his classmates during their lunch. The production is the second week of December,”

“Oh good,” Jisung laughed. “Permission to speak about Minho?”

Seungmin nodded and raised his hand.

“All in favor?”

“Go ahead, Sung,” Felix smiled.

Jisung wiggled in his chair, winced and smiled brightly very quickly.

“First off, Minho is now officially my boyfriend. We are deeply in love,” Jisung sighed.

Felix started shaking Jisung back and forth excitedly while Seungmin just clapped. Hyunjin crossed his arms over his chest, and smirked at his best friend.

“And?”

“

And

he

finally

railed me into next week,” Jisung fake cried. “I am no longer a delicate flower in need. I am a sated man now. I’m very much tied down and Minho definitely wants to tie me down,”

Hyunjin laughed.

“Congratulations, Han Jisung. You are now a certified simp like the rest of us,” Seungmin sighed, picking up his chopsticks to eat his japchae. The three friends stared at him in horror,
causing the man to sigh heavily. “You’re all going to sit there and tell me that you wouldn’t go running if your boyfriend’s said too?”

Hyunjin huffed.

“I wouldn’t

run

,”

“You literally ran out of the house in Changbinnie hyung’s clothes, and you didn’t change

out

of them,” Jisung said, glaring at him playfully.

Hyunjin choked on his iced americano.

“I didn’t have time to change,”

“Yes you did,” Seungmin laughed. “If you had time to come all the way back to the apartment without waking your boyfriend, you had time,”

“Minnie is making a good point,” Felix laughed. “He’s right anyway, we can’t say no to save our own skin.”

“I very much would lose my skin if I said no,” Jisung sighed. “Minho hyung is still…Minho hyung,”

“Wait, how do you know I’m wearing Changbin’s clothes?” Hyunjin laughed.

Felix rolled his eyes.

“Oh please, Jinnie. He’s had that hoodie for like four years. It

says

his name on the back. We’d know it anywhere,”

Hyunjin’s face paled.

“No it doesn’t,”

Seungmin nodded solemnly.

“It says Seo Changbin right there on the front, Jinnie,” He said, pointing toward the left side of the hoodie, right over his heart. “The back has the production program on it. It’s his,”

Hyunjin buried his head in his hands.

“No wonder why people have been so weird,”

“You like…just announced your relationship to the whole school,” Felix winced. “Which isn’t bad, but there’s easier ways to do that.”

“Of course they couldn’t be a normal couple and just drop photos on instagram,” Jisung sighed heavily. “Point is, now loads of people probably know Jin.”

“Or they think I’m so weirdo who has stolen his clothes,”

“Both can coexist,” Seungmin smirked. Jisung kicked him under the table. “OW! Sungie,”

“Be sensitive,” Jisung hissed. He reached over and grabbed Hyunjin’s hand. “It’s not like the people that care about you hate that you made it official. Changbin hyung has nothing to hide with you. Just keep being yourself, and fuck the rest,”

Felix clapped and whipped fake tears away.

“From our wisest Sungie,” He said. Felix tucked his hair behind his ear and gave Hyunjin a smile. “It’s going to be easier from here if you take off the sweatshirt,”

Hyunjin’s eyes widened. He dropped his head to his hands for a moment.

“I can’t even do

that,”

Hyunjin whined. “I’m wearing his

shirt

,”

“Ouch,” Felix winced. “Decisions were made today, weren’t they?”

Hyunjin nodded before he started to dig into his food. His friends teased him a little bit more before the conversation drifted toward Jisung’s work and the upcoming gala in under a week for the label he worked for. He told them how he had already asked Minho to go as his plus one. Felix jumped to tell them that Chan had already asked him to go as well. Hyunjin tried not to pout at the fact that Changbin has yet to bring it up.

Jeongin came to collect Seungmin, but ended up sitting on his lap for at least five minutes while they explained the hoodie to him. Two girls, different from the ones that Hyunjin talked to earlier, came up to talk to Hyunjin. Hyunjin vaguely recognized the two of them, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

“Are you close with Seo Changbin as well?” One of the girls asked him, making everyone’s attention go toward him. Hyunjin searched all of his friends' faces for a brief moment. He knew that they weren’t secret, just private. Still, it felt weird to admit to others who had no business asking.

“What do you mean?” Hyunjin asked.

“Momo, c’mon,” Another laughed, tugging at her arm. “Sorry guys, just it’s been the talk of the day,”

Seungmin nodded.

“It’s okay. It’s Sana, right?”

The girl nodded and brushed her hair back behind her ear.

“Yeah, that’s right. How’s Chan doing?”

Felix laughed, smiling softly, but his eyes were calculated.

“He’s good! I’ll tell him you said hey,”

“Thanks. It’s Felix?”

Felix nodded, but the other girl, Momo, jumped back into the conversation.

“I just know that Changbin can be kinda reserved sometimes. He’s really diligent and all that,” Momo stated, nodding toward the hoodie. “It’s surprising, ‘s all.”

Hyunjin looked down at the font on the front once more. He allowed himself to smile a little bit.

“My boyfriend is like that, isn’t he?” Hyunjin smiled back up at the girls. “Don’t be fooled though, he’s a big softie. He’s really romantic,”

Momo’s eyes widened and she nodded.

“I see,” She said. “Well we gotta go, places to be and all that. It was good to see you guys again!”

The group waved the two girls away, and Hyunjin relaxed back in his seat. He didn’t know how he was going to survive working. He half-finished his food before he got up to go to his next class. His day felt like it was getting longer and longer, but at least he knew now why he was getting talked about so much. Hyunjin is going to
have to pay more attention to what clothing items he decides to take from his boyfriend from now on.

Despite the embarrassment, there was a sense of pride that welled up in Hyunjin’s chest. There was something there that said

yes, I am Seo Changbin’s and he is mine

so loudly in his mind that he felt giddy. He had been walking around with his boyfriend’s name on him, slapping the label on them publicly. Hyunjin should probably upload one of their really cute selfies to his instagram account just for fun. He’d have to text Changbin about it though, just in case.

Hyunjin didn’t have to wait very long, Changbin responded by sending Hyunjin his favorite selfies of the two of them. Hyunjin smiled lovingly down at his phone. The photos were ridiculously cute, no matter which one he chose. He quickly wished Changbin the best of luck with his work meetings. His boyfriend sent him a thousand cheesy emoji’s in response.

Hyunjin chose out some of his favorite photos that he took as well before he uploaded them on his instagram. He tagged Changbin in the photos, and simply put a heart emoji in the caption. Before he could lose his nerve, he pressed post and quickly pocketed his phone. Not many people followed him anyway, but at least now he could make it official.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

When Hyunjin got to work, Jongho was at least acting normal. He smirked at the hoodie, but said nothing as Hyunjin pulled it off of his body and left it in the employee locker. The shirt was still massive on him, but the apron he put on made it a little bit better. The cafe seemed pretty packed, and it was good to get things off of his mind.

People he vaguely recognized were now sitting at several different tables. Hyunjin tried to shrug off the feeling that something about it was wrong. Haewon was usually busy with college students, on most days. He tried taking several deep breaths between running orders out. They were too busy for him to solely focus on making the drinks.

A group of three girls walked into the cafe, and Hyunjin immediately recognized two of them as Momo and Sana. The third girl felt familiar, but in a way that Hyunjin couldn’t precisely place. She was beautiful, he could admit that she was probably one of the prettiest people he’d ever seen. She made eye contact with him, never wavering as they walked over to the nearest table. Momo and Sana tried to make it look like he wasn’t getting stared down.

Hyunjin seemed to have an even bigger audience now, or maybe that was his anxiety talking. He had only an hour left to go before his break, and he was dying to be alone. Jeongin and Seungmin came in only to change their orders to go. He wished that he could have just gone with them.

“Is it just me, or are people staring more than usual?” Hyunjin mumbled to Jongho as another barista took orders while they worked. “Like this is unusual, right?”

Jongho sighed.

“Normally it is your anxiety, but I think you’re actually right. It might have something to do with that instragram post,” Jongho admitted. “Table Five can’t stop looking over here,” He stated.

Hyunjin grimaced.

“That’s what I thought. Two of those girls came up to me during lunch,”

“Do you even know them?” Jongho huffed.

“No,” Hyunjin admitted. “They know my friends though, and apparently Changbin hyung,”

“You know that everyone knows Changbin hyung,” Jongho laughed. “It’s rare I don’t see him here when you’re here,”

“He’s working, but I think he’ll probably pick me up after my shift,”

“He’s good to you,” Jongho smiled sweetly. “Sorry, but Table Five’s orders are ready,”

Hyunjin groaned internally before he grabbed a small tray to take the drinks out of them. He wished that they would figure out a better system for when things get busy, because Hyunjin is tired of being a waiter as well. He’d been working at the cafe for so long though, he didn’t want to give it up.

Hyunjin gave the drinks over to the table, barely making any eye contact with the girls at all, before rushing to bust a freshly vacated table. He kept telling himself over and over again that he could just make it to lunch. That’s all he needed. He could do it, honestly.

Table Five called him back over when he barely made it back to the drink bar. The pretty girl, whose name he didn’t know, stared at him; cold and calculating. She asked for water. Hyunjin wanted to tell her to get it herself, but the water jug was empty. He tried to hide his grimace and got her water. When he returned to the table, they asked for extra honey.

“Can’t they get it themselves?” Hyunjin mumbled, grabbing one of the many honey jars on the side of the pickup counter. Jongho shot him an apologetic look from behind the espresso machine. “Here you go,”

“Excuse me, do you think you can bring us napkins as well?” She asked.

Hyunjin took a deep breath to calm himself. It didn’t go unnoticed to him that her eyes lit up at his response. He tried to make a mental note to not react. She clearly was messing with him, and her friends were doing nothing to stop her.

“Sure,” He shrugged, trying to make it seem like he was calm and collected. He purposely slowed his stride down to the end of the bar. He grabbed the entire container that held napkins before dropping it on the table lightly. This time, Hyunjin promptly turned around and ignored her calls for something else. He strided over to bust another table and avoided eye contact with everyone else. It felt worse now than it did when he had on Changbin’s hoodie.

Jongho, bless his soul, had made Hyunjin an iced Americano to drink once he was back behind the safety of the bar. He ducked down quickly to check the water bucks from under the small sink that cleaned the milk pitchers. They were nearly full, making Hyunjin groan.

“We’ll get Lia to do that,” He stated, moving around to call one of the few freshmen that works with them to empty out the buckets. Hyunjin wished that they would fix the plumbing already.

Hyunjin got a few minutes of peace behind the bar, as Jongho went to the register. They were expecting another employee soon, but it felt like the tasks were never-ending. Lia got back and Jongho sent her out to deliver drinks so Hyunjin wouldn’t have to for a little bit. He was grateful for the small break, but he knew that eventually he would have to be the waiter again.

“Lia’s drowning out there,” Hyunjin huffed, placing a few drinks on a tray. His own Americano remained untouched beside him. “I’ll switch with her, it’s fine,”

“Are you sure?” Jongho asked, moving to take his spot.

“Yes,” Hyunjin sighed, making sure he had all of one order before he was back in the danger zone.

Table Five didn’t even wait three minutes before he was being ushered over there again.

“Can we get a water refill? And some ice, please?” The girl asked.

Momo looked between them, and Hyunjin thought he saw apprehension there.

“Sure,” Hyunjin picked up the glasses and sat them on the tray. He moved quickly, because if he could just get away from them he could be fine. Jongho shot him pity looks, ones that Hyunjin didn’t have time to decipher. He filled the glasses quickly, and got them back to the girls in record time. “Here you go,”

“Wait,” Sana said, voice surprisingly soft.

“Yes?” He asked, taking a deep breath.

“You said Changbin’s your boyfriend right?” She asked.

Hyunjin furrowed his eyebrows and nodded slowly.

“I did.” He agreed. “I believe I told you that at lunch today?”

Sana nodded, holding her hand over her cheeks.

“Silly me!”

“Oh that’s fi-” Hyunjin was just off mid-sentence when a plate broke near his foot. He jumped in surprise before looking down at the pretty girl who was making his life a living hell.

“Oops,” She said softly, excitement gleaming in her eyes.

Hyunjin clenched his jaw tightly.

“I’ll be right back to clean this up,” He said, turning quickly to go grab the small hand broom and dustpan. He took deep breaths.

Hyunjin was no stranger to being bullied. He knew well that there were many different kinds of bullying. There are those that bully because of their insecurities or because they’re scared of people being too different. Bullying others because that’s all they’ve ever been taught. He knew how to deal with them, and people usually left him alone now that he’d older. This though, he wasn’t used to the kind of bullying that was both subtle and obvious at the same time. He didn’t even know what he did.

Hyunjin ducked down and started to sweep up the shards of porcelain on the ground. He grimaced at the bits that briefly brushed against his skin because he was working too fast. He tired to have patience as the girls laughed, the pretty one laughing the most obnoxiously.

“Has he taken you to the park yet?” She asked, forcing her voice to go all soft.

Hyunjin furrowed his brows as he peered up at her.

“What?”

“Changbin-ah. Has he taken you to the park yet to watch the sunset?” She asked, smirk firmly in place. She looked down at the table for a moment. “That was our spot to go too. He’s romantic, right?”

The artist insides churned, but he forced himself not to rise up to the bait.

“He is,” Hyunjin agreed, looking back down at the ground as he swept up the mess.

“Too bad you’ll never meet his parents. He only thinks those who are worthy get to meet them,” She said, voice unwavering.

“Oh really?” He asked. He was proud of himself for keeping his voice steady. “I guess I’ll see,”

The pretty girl hummed and said nothing else for a moment. Hyunjin went back to cleaning when he felt ice cold water fall from the top of his head all the way down his back. The ice cubes hit the floor only to ricochet away. He stayed still, completely in shock of what just happened.

“Mina!” One of the girls yelled.

“My hand slipped,” She giggled.

Mina . The last person that Changbin was dating. The girl that cheated on Changbin without much thought. The same girl who sat in this very cafe, hickeys on her neck, pretending like Changbin was the problem. Hyunjin had hoped that he never saw her in person. He had hoped that he continued to remain blissfully unaware. He wished that he would have been right.

Hyunjin slowly stood up to his full height. He dropped the dustpan, letting the shards splatter to the floor again loudly. Mina peered up at him with an innocent smile planted on her face. He wanted to ruin her life in ways he couldn’t imagine at that very moment.

“Are you happy?” He asked softly.

“What?” She laughed.

“I said, are you happy ?” He seethed. “Are you happy to be sitting here, making my life miserable knowing that I won?”

Mina looked taken aback for a moment.

“Excuse me?”

“Are you happy that you threw away the most amazing person over a fling that apparently doesn’t bring you any satisfaction? You’re happy that you had to cheat and lie your way to what you have now, right?”

Sana looked horrified and Momo was speechless.

Mina squared her shoulders.

“You should really be more careful with designer shirts. I picked it out for him,” She snapped back.

Hyunjin laughed hysterically.

“And he took it off of me last night.” He lied, although Changbin had taken it off of him several times before. He turned around to leave the table, hoping to put the entire mess behind him. He suddenly was aware of how quiet the cafe had gotten, of how everyone really was watching them now.

“You think he really cares about you? That’s so sweet,” Mina sighed. “He’ll leave you soon. You’re a nobody. No one even cared to look twice at you before him. You’re a waste of space,” Hyunjin closed his eyes tightly, shoulders shaking for just a moment. “Are you going to cry?”

Hyunjin half turned toward her, tears actually pooling in his eyes.

“Thank you,” He huffed out. “For a moment there, I forgot exactly why I avoid people like you. You can’t stand the fact that I’m the one he fell for. He doesn’t care about you anymore, and he never will again. I’m done entertaining you,”

Hyunjin turned around and left as quickly as he could. He could feel his tears already start to stream down his face as Mina yelled something else that he couldn’t hear. Jongho didn’t try to stop him as he pushed past the door to get back to the employee lockers. He reached a bench and broke down crying. His hands were stinging and his heart felt heavy. He just wished that such a big scene hadn’t been caused. She wasn’t worth it, he knew it, but it still hurt.

For a moment, Hyunjin wished that he was invisible to everyone again. He wished that he still hid in his paint covered clothes and his outdated glasses. He wished that he had the ability to go back, even for just a moment. He thinks that maybe he should have stayed in bed with Changbin today.

Jongho popped into the back to bring his Americano in a to-go cup. He promised Hyunjin that he could take off the rest of the afternoon. He apologized profusely, and vowed to step in next time when someone else started to bully one of the employees. Hyunjin understood, really, because the business could start to go under from a few bad reviews. He swore that it was fine, but Jongho refused to let him get back to work. Sometimes the other man felt like he was years older than Hyunjin rather than the same age.

Hyunjin sent a quick text to Changbin and let him know that he was okay, but he got off of work early. His boyfriend was likely still in his business meetings for the company and wouldn’t reply for a while. He also sent a quick text to his brother and the Babies group chat. They all were still in their late classes. He couldn’t help but feel a little lost, tears filling up his eyes once more.

His salvation came in the form of Lee Minho. He texted the dancer last minute to see if he was still at his dance studio and if the offer to come by was still open. Minho only took three minutes to respond about being on his way there now. Hyunjin sighed heavily in relief, but it was short-lived when Minho called him because he didn’t respond fast enough.

“What’s wrong?” Minho asked automatically, skipping the greeting. “Are you okay?”

Hyunjin took a deep breath before he was crying again. Minho was silent on the other end of the line as Hyunjin tried his best to explain what happened. He barely told Minho where he was before the dancer stated that he was on his way and hung up the call.

The artist stood up and went to go search the lost and found for anything that would be wearable in the cold Seoul weather. He was frustrated that there was nothing but a pair of sunglasses, a personal planner and a light cardigan. He deemed his search unuseful and sat back down on the bench while he waited for Minho to show up.

•••

Changbin heard about what happened at the cafe via a very distraught text from Momo and Sana. He was angry that the other girls did nothing while Mina apparently made Hyunjin’s life a living hell. He was livid , because it made them just as guilty. They rapidly texted him, telling him how Hyunjin had handled it well, but they wanted to apologize for Mina’s behavior.

Changbin left them on read.

The producers of the company had a meeting that went entirely too long, and Changbin had a deadline to submit a track for another group. He was having an extremely hard time focusing, but Minho had promised that he was taking care of Hyunjin for the time being. Even Hyunjin texted him after he got to the dance studio with Minho, and told him that he was safe.

Changbin didn’t think he could feel the emotions that were currently running through his body. He thought of himself as a man who typically had his head on his shoulders right. His parents had always praised him for how level-headed he was. He certainly didn’t feel like that right now. He wished he could have dumped a whole latte over Mina’s head, simply because she deserved it.

Chan kept shooting him concerned glances, Felix had informed him of the incident, and it made Changbin feel bad for his lack of focus. He knew that they had deadlines. He knew that he definitely needed to finish the song before sending it over to the higher ups for approval. He had a good feeling about this one too, so he definitely didn’t want to rush the process.

He ended up rushing the process regardless. Chan finally took pity on him and offered to help end the song that Changbin was working on so he could leave early. Changbin absolutely hated to do that, but the thought of Hyunjin being upset and hurting took urgency over it. He hoped that Chan could understand that.

Changbin tried his best not to speed through every red-light that he came upon. He was counting his lucky stars that he took his own car this morning after his boyfriend left. He nearly hit another car when they stopped too quickly, so he took several deep breaths to calm himself down. His hands were shaking from where they were on the wheel. He took deep breaths to regulate his emotions. It helped, but just barely.

Hyunjin and Minho were dancing to a girl group song when he found the studio they were in. Changbin paused outside the door, taking in the sight. Hyunjin and Minho were laughing and moving together well at the same time. Changbin’s heart settled inside his chest. Hyunjin was okay, he was going to be okay, and that’s all that really mattered at this very moment. He didn’t need to rush into the room like a man on a vengeance plan, though he desperately wanted to end Mina for the hurt she caused.

Changbin slowly opened the door as the song came to an end. Minho went to his phone and stopped blaring the music from the speakers while Hyunjin grabbed a water bottle to catch his breath. The producer walked forward a little bit, but froze when Hyunjin’s eyes made contact with his through the mirror. The artist whipped around and Changbin’s feet moved to meet him halfway.

Changbin had his arms full with his boyfriend, body stumbling just a little from the impact. His hands wrapped tightly around his boyfriend. Hyunjin pressed his nose into the crook of Changbin’s neck. The relief they both felt was evident, bodies starting to relax despite being pressed so tightly together. Changbin pressed a few kisses to Hyunjin’s head before he looked up at Minho. His best friend was smiling sadly at them.

“Thank you, Min.” Changbin sighed.

Minho nodded, turning away from the couple to give them some space. He had helped get Hyunjin out of the cafe through the back door. He brought him a change of clothes, that were definitely Changbin’s, and invited him into Minho’s private space. The dancer isn’t the most affectionate, but his love for others was evident when it showed.

“Can we go home?” Hyunjin mumbled, lifting his head to look at Changbin. His eyes were still really red from crying.

“We can do whatever you want,” Changbin whispered back, pressing kisses to his cheek and then his lips. “Seriously, whatever you want,”

“Okay, let’s go home then,” Hyunjin sighed, leaning back for a moment. “Your home, I mean,”

Changbin smiled softly, nodding in agreement. He combed some of Hyunjin’s slightly damp hair out of his face. He would be more than happy to take the artist wherever he needed to go.

“Are you coming with us, Minho?” Changbin asked, looking back at the dancer, who was putting his things away in a tote.

“Yeah, lemme just pack up,” He admitted. “Should we call everyone over tonight if they aren’t busy?”

Hyunjin hesitated for just a moment.

“I…maybe later? I just need a few hours, I think,”

“Of course,” Minho smiled softly. “Just tell me when and I will send out a group message. You don’t have to do anything,”

“Thank you, hyung.” Hyunjin breathed easier.

Changbin’s heart swelled with pride at Minho’s easy smile. The dancer gave Hyunjin’s shoulder a squeeze before he finished picking up the things he needed. Hyunjin still hadn’t left Changbin’s embrace. He half-thought about just clinging to him like a barnacle for the rest of the night.

•••

“Hyung?” Hyunjin called from inside Changbin's bathroom. Changbin had drawn a bath for the artist, complete with bubbles and aromatherapy oils. The younger had originally asked to be alone, but Changbin made sure Hyunjin knew that he could call for him if he needed. “Binnie?”

“Yes, darling?” Changbin asked, head poking into the bathroom.

Hyunjin’s heart stuttered for a moment.

“Do you wanna join me?”

Changbin got a goofy grin on his face. He didn’t even respond, he just burst into the bathroom and shut it tightly behind him. Hyunjin watched as Changbin tripped over his own clothes as he tried to quickly take them off. His big build seemed incredibly small when he blushed like that.

“I thought you’d never ask,” Changbin sighed as he slowly started to climb into the tub. “This water is really hot, Jin,”

Hyunjin nodded and adjusted himself so he was leaning fully back against Changbin’s chest. The producer wrapped his arms around Hyunjin to secure him in place. It was only after that Hyunjin started to truly feel relaxed in the larger than necessary bath.

“How did you end up with this room and not Minho hyung? I imagined he would have killed for this,”

Changbin laughed softly, running his sudsy hands up and down Hyunjin’s chest.

“He got a really massive shower,” Changbin admitted. “And I kinda bought the house first kinda thing,”

Hyunjin felt confused for a moment.

“But you lived with Chaeryeong for years?”

“But I lived here first,” Changbin laughed. “Minho and Chan basically pay me rent,”

“That sounds excessive,” Hyunjin joked.

“Not really, they got a really good deal.” Changbin teased. “They pay about the same as Felix, Jisung and Seungmin do,”

“What?” Hyunjin laughed, turning abruptly toward Changbin as much as he could. “How?”

“I paid in full,” Changbin shrugged.

“Are you a Chaebol?” Hyunjin huffed.

“I guess you can see it that way, but not really,”

Hyunjin froze.

“Hyung, I was kidding,”

“My parents are well off,” Changbin admitted, voice smaller than it was just a moment ago. “I’m not gonna….inherit a company or anything, but my dad is a businessman. He also likes to box for fun and he’s really good at it. He teaches classes at a gym in my hometown. My mom is a nutritionist,”

“Everything about you is really starting to make so much more sense than it did before,” Hyunjin laughed. “What are they like?”

“Disciplined,” Changbin laughed. “But kind-hearted. I love going to dancing classes with my mom,”

“That sounds lovely,”

“I think they’d really like you, Hyunjin,”

The artist turned to look at him slowly, bodies sliding together easily.

“You really mean that?” He asked. He didn’t want to hope for too much. He didn’t want to believe the best of the best, especially with Mina’s words echoing in his head from earlier. “Do you think they will?”

“I do,” Changbin admitted. “I really want you to meet them? It will probably be a few weeks after the gala. They’re really busy, but I think my mom would kill me if I put it off any longer. If that’s okay with you?”

Hyunjin took a deep breath before leaning forward and sealing their mouths together. Changbin reacted immediately; gently. His hand came up and cupped Hyunjin’s cheek, wetting just a few strands that were hanging down from his bun.

“I’d love to meet them,” Hyunjin said honestly, pulling his lips away for just a moment. “I love you,”

“I love you too,” Changbin chuckled. “I’m sorry about Mina,”

“I’m used to it,”

“That doesn’t make it okay, and that doesn’t mean you should be used to it,” Changbin cut in, pulling away just a bit more. “Will you promise to tell me if anyone acts like that toward you again? I’ll find a way to deal with them,”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes, but in his heart he felt a sense of peace wash over him.

“Okay, big guy,” He laughed.

“I’m serious,” Changbin admitted, pressing another kiss. “Promise?”

“I promise,” Hyunjin responded, because he had no reason not to. Changbin had proven that he’d go to great lengths just to be with him.

Hyunjin didn’t plan on looking for reassurance physically, but he couldn’t help himself when he kissed Changbin deeper. He let his emotions guide him, dragging him deeper into Changbin’s orbit. He kissed the producer like he was a lifeline. His hands ran all over Changbin’s arms and chest, squeezing lightly and making Changbin moan. The producer was very easy on an average day.

“Turn back around,” Changbin muttered, helping Hyunjin move until he was sitting back between his legs. Changbin’s erection was pressing firmly into Hyunjin’s lower back.

Changbin’s hands moved until he was reaching between Hyunjin’s legs to get better access to his body. The blonde let his head fall back against Changbin’s shoulder and his legs fall further apart for better access. He moaned softly when Changbin loosely gripped his cock, moving up and down slowly.

“Binnie,” Hyunjin sighed softly.

“Let me take care of you,” Changbin mumbled, pressing kisses to the back of Hyunjin’s neck as his hand picked up speed. Hyunjin tried to keep his body from reacting too much, but it was very difficult when Changbin’s other hand came up to tweak his nipple. “You’re so good baby,”

Hyunjin moved his hips a little bit, because the friction wasn’t enough under the water. Changbin laughed, pumping harder as Hyunjin writhed in his lap. He tried to keep his own hips from grinding against Hyunjin. This was about his boyfriend, he wanted him to feel as good as possible.

“M-more,” Hyunjin stuttered, turning his head to give Changbin better access to leaving kisses on his neck. “Baby, please ,”

“Of course,” Changbin said, letting his hand trail down until his fingers found Hyunjin’s hole. The muscle fluttered at the feeling of Changbin’s finger at the entrance. “Are you okay with this?”

“Please don’t make me beg, I can’t handle it right now,” Hyunjin begged despite his words. “Oh fuck,”

Changbin’s finger slid into Hyunjin with ease. The bathwater and oils helped tremendously. He easily was able to push all the way in before pulling back again. Hyunjin shook on his lap. Changbin pressed kisses more firmly to the base of Hyunjin’s neck as he pressed back in, and pulled back out a little faster this time.

Hyunjin wiggled a little bit, and Changbin knew that he was ready for another finger.

“Jinnie-ah, you feel so good,” Changbin praised as he pressed two fingers inside, scissoring them lightly. “You’re taking my fingers so well.”

“Wanna be good for you,” Hyunjin mumbled, pressing a kiss to the underside of Changbin’s jaw. “Fuck, Binnie,”

“What do you want, baby?” Changbin asked softly, moving his hand quicker. “Want me now?”

Hyunjin nodded his head quickly.

“Want you so badly. Want you to fuck me now,”

Changbin found Hyunjin incredibly endearing when he started to turn into a mess over his fingers.

“In here?” He whispered, slowly pushing in a third finger.

Hyunjin shuddered.

“Changbin,” He moaned, swiveling his hips. “Please, please now. I can’t wait. Please,”

“Baby, patience,” Changbin mumbled, but in all honesty he was also at the end of his rope. “I’ve never had bathroom sex before. What about the condom?”

“I haven’t either,” Hyunjin stated. “Just…fuck it. Just don’t use one,”

“Are you sure?” Changbin asked softly, stopping his ministrations for just a moment. They had talked about the idea of having sex without a condom. They had been tested and they were exclusively sleeping with each other. Still, it felt suddenly.
“We definitely can try this later. We can get out and go to the bedroom,”

“I’m sure,” Hyunjin smiled. “I wanna ride you, Bin. Can’t I?”

Changbin let his head fall back on the porcelain edge.

“ Yes, please ,” Changbin nearly begged. He twisted his fingers again and Hyunjin arched off of him.

“ Now , Bin.” Hyunjin demanded.

Changbin mourned the loss of Hyunjin’s tense body around his fingers. He gripped Hyunjin’s hips softly and helped his boyfriend move himself until he was sitting right over his cock. He was facing away from Changbin, Hyunjin took a deep breath, reached behind himself to help press the blunt tip against his entrance. Changbin choked on his own saliva when Hyunjin sunk all of the way down in one motion.

“Hyunjinnnn,” Changbin moaned, hips snapping up for a moment. “Shit shit”

Hyunjin swiveled his hips, forcing moans out of both of their mouths.

“Hold me, Hyung,” Hyunjin whispered.

Changbin tried his best to set a brutal rhythm, but it was all up to Hyunjin. He loved to ride Changbin slowly, dragging out their pleasure for as long as he could. The artist picked himself up and dropped down slowly, moaning Changbin’s name every time. Changbin felt like he was going to bruise his hipbones.

“Fuck Jinnie,” Changbin laughed, wrapping an arm around Hyunjin’s waist. He reached up slowly, letting his hand lightly rest in the edges of his hair. The artist moaned louder and moved quicker, trying to chase his own release. “Good boy,”

Hyunjin’s moment stuttered, but he roasted his hips again. Changbin’s hand fell from his neck and to his hips. He planted his feet on the floor of the bath and started to thrust up as much as he could.

The floor was covered in the water that sloshed over the sides.

“Close,” Hyunjin mumbled, moving to no particular rhythm. “Harder, baby,”

Changbin quickly pulled out and manhandled Hyunjin until he was bent over the edge of the bathtub. He entered him again in one thrust before he started to set a brutal pace. Hyunjin gripped the edges of the bathtub and arched his back.

“Fuck Hyunie you feel so good.” Changbin praised again. “You’re fucking made for me,”

Hyunjin reached down and grabbed his own cock with his hand to stroke himself in time with Changbin’s thrust. His boyfriend was close too, hips falling in and out of their rhythm again. It only took five more thrusts, five more tugs, because they both were coming at the same time.

Hyunjin’s body sank against the bathtub while Changbin rested against his back. He felt all of the tension finally melt away from his body. He was safe, well and truly safe. He had someone who loved him deeply, and showed him how much he cared consistently.

“I love you, Bin,” Hyunjin mumbled. “Thank you,”

“I love you, too.” He sighed before wincing. “Jin, I think I died,”

Hyunjin was pretty sure everyone would be able to hear their laughter from lightyears away.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hwang Hyunjin had never been so nervous preparing for an exhibit before in his life. Mr. Kim had already set the pieces in his gallery for the showing to Hyunjin’s preference. He had listened well and intently when Hyunjin explained the story behind the collection. This collection was originally only supposed to be for his final project, and another was for the exhibit. He always had buyers from his previous internship he did with Mr. Kim. The other artist was absolutely thrilled with Hyunjin’s change of direction.

Kim Taehyung was just a few years older than Hyunjin, but he was more well established. He grew up traveling from Seoul to Paris, and it showed in his art. Hyunjin had been quite a big fan of the elder since he started to see Taehyung’s pieces pop up online and in a few galleries he visited. It just so happened that his teacher knew Mr. Kim, and helped introduce Hyunjin as a promising art student. He greeted Hyunjin warmly and welcomed him into his space.

Hyunjin didn’t expect the invitation to join his staff full-time after college to come out of his internship. He hadn’t expected Mr. Kim to be as kind as he was, but the elder had endless patience for him. He was able to mentor Hyunjin in a way that no one else really had before. Some people, Jeongin, would argue that Mr. Kim was the only person Hyunjin was nice to before he started hanging around their friends.

“Hyunjin-ah, take a deep breath,” Taehyung laughed, shaking his head.

The eccentric artist was just wearing his loosest pair of brown pants, an argyle brown sweater and matching brown loafers. The brown beret on the top of his head was slightly skewed to the side, and his glasses were falling down his nose. He reminded Hyunjin of his grandpa and not some twenty-nine year old.

“I’m trying,” Hyunjin admitted, pulling his hair half-up into a ponytail. “I’m just nervous, that’s all,”

Taehyung’s eyes sparkled with mischief. He wiggled his eyebrows playfully and nodded toward the last painting.

“Is it because your lover is going to be here?”

Hyunjin grimanced.

“Can you not make it sound like an affair?”

Taehyung laughed, shaking his head, almost as if he was muttering “kids these days” to himself.

“That doesn’t answer my question,”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Hyunjin said coyly. “He’s seen all of them anyway,”

“That’s so sweet. I used to not show my Bun anything until it debuted,” Taehyung sighed wistfully. “He sees it now, it’s hard to hide that kind of thing from a husband…or equivalent to husband.”

Hyunjin nodded, smiling fondly. Once upon a time, he was incredibly jealous of the easy love Mr. Kim had with his partner, Mr. Jeon. He couldn’t have imagined that he would find a love like that in his lifetime. Hyunjin used to accidentally walk around the corner too quickly and see them sharing quick moments together. He longed to have someone who would stop by just to say hello, just because he could. Mr. Jeon sometimes even brought him coffee when he came by as well. He would whirl Mr. Kim into a dance, which caused the other artist to laugh with joy.

“He’s never really asked to see things before I finish them, but I know my art speaks to him. He bought one of my school paintings before we even knew each other,”

Taehyung’s eyes looked far away and dreamy.

“Hyunjin-ah, that’s so romantic.” He sighed. “Is that why you haven’t bothered to bother me as much? I thought you were working more hours at that cafe,”

Hyunjin blushed, but nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, I spend a lot of time with him,” He admitted. “But I’ve also been having to take mandatory tutoring sessions for my English course.”

“Good, at least some work is getting done,” Taehyung winked playfully. “So relax! Shall I get my lover to bring us some coffees and takeaway before tonight?”

Hyunjin was about to refuse when his stomach growled in response. Mr. Kim laughed loudly and walked away quickly to call his partner to demand some food be dropped by. Hyunjin turned back around to look at his art hanging on the wall. He loved these pieces from the bottom of his heart. There were only a few that he didn’t want to sell, but he felt a duty to his art to leave them be. He wanted to keep creating art like this forever. He wanted someone to be so moved to tears that they wouldn’t be able to live without the art.

Hyunjin tried not to tug at his hair too much, because he had to style it in just a little bit. Felix was supposed to come by the art gallery early to help him with his makeup as well. He knew that his friend would fuss over him just a little bit, but he needed all of the support he could get.

For the first time in Hyunjin’s artist journey, he has friends who are attending opening night. He is scheduled to attend for the entirety of the night, but Mr. Kim isn’t making him stay around every day for the duration of the exhibit. It was nice, considering he still has school and work to attend.

Mr. Jeon arrived just a short while later. He was in his work-out clothes, as he owned his own mixed martial arts gym. His hair still managed to look neat. He had an eyebrow piercing that had once made Hyunjin’s knees go weak. He remembered blushing brightly when they first met. The tattoos on his arm, well that made Hyunjin realized he very much likes the bad boy type of look. He wondered if Changbin would consider getting tattoos.

“You’re blonde!” Jungkook yelled the moment he saw Hyunjin. “Wow! I love it. It’s different,”

“Thanks,” Hyunjin smiled, but he didn’t blush and stammer this time, so he must be growing as a man. “It took a while to get used too,”

“It suits you, Hyunjin-ssi,” Jungkook smiled, nose scrunching up. “Where is that man of mine?”

Hyunjin shrugged.

“He mumbled something about getting inspired and rushed away. You know, typical,”

Jungkook’s eyes melted at the mention of his partner. His smile grew, and the man didn’t care that anyone else saw how happy the mere mention of his partner made him.

“That sounds like my Taehyungie,” He admitted. He started to set out the food on the reception desk. If anyone else did this, Taehyung would have had their heads. It was different for his Bun. “He just…teleports to a different world when he has to create. Is it like that for you?”

Hyunjin thought for a moment.

“Kind of,” He admitted. “It’s almost like I focus in so hard that I only see what’s right in front of me,”

Jungkook nodded.

“I understand that,” He admitted. He leaned back for a moment before bellowing “Taehyungieeeeeeeee.”

Hyunjin covered his ears. Were all cute, muscled men this loud?”

“I’m here, Kookie,” Taehyung smiled softly as he came back to the front of the studio. He made a brief disapproving face at the food on the desk, but grabbed his takeaway back anyway. “Did our Hyunjinnie tell you about his lover?”

“My boyfriend,” Hyunjin huffed.

Jungkook’s eyes sparkled.

“Oh! Tell me about him? Do I need to give him the Talk? I can beat him up, look at me,” He said proudly, flexing his arm.

Hyunjin grimanced.

“His biceps might actually be bigger than yours,”

Taehyung froze, looking between the two of them.

“No,” Jungkook nearly whispered. “ How ?”

“He lives at the gym, sir. He’s like….massive, I’m serious. I think his dad is even bigger, he’s a boxer. I mean I’ve never met him, but I could…imagine,”

Jungkook groaned.

“That was my one shot at doing the thing!” He whined, looking at Taehyung. “I can never be the good hyung, can I?”

Taehyung shook his head fondly.

“It’s not meant for you, my love,” He said softly. “Just be yourself. I’m sure you can talk about dumbbells together,”

Jungkook rolled his eyes, but there was no heart in it. Hyunjin smiled, enjoying the interaction between the couple. He knew that they cared for him, but it took a very long time for Hyunjin to get comfortable with them. They were patient with him. They played off his rudeness well when there wasn’t an excuse. They didn’t shove him away, even when he kept denying their invitations to hang out with them. They wanted to be his hyungs. He just wasn’t there yet at the time.

Hyunjin felt his throat start to close up, emotions rising on the inside of him.

“Taehyung hyung?” Hyunjin called, causing the two men’s attention to snap toward him. “Thank you,”

Taehyung launched himself at Hyunjing, wrapping his arms around the younger man’s shoulders.

“I’m his hyung!” He yelled, rocking Hyunjin back and forth. “I made it ! I’ve peaked in life!”

Jungkook shook his head, but his smile betrayed his features.

“Jungkook hyung is also my hyung,” Hyunjin muttered, because he might as well rip the bandaid off while he could.

Suddenly, Hyunjing was being shaken around by the couple, but he couldn’t help laughing loudly anyway. He allowed the couple to coddle him for a little bit too long, but It seemed that they needed it more than he did. He could give them this, Hyunjin decided. He could let them in more, be kinder, and show that he did enjoy their time.

“We’re happy for you, Hyunjin-ah,” Taehyung sighed as he finally pulled away. Jungkook gave him one more squeeze before he was letting go and scooping up his coffee to drink. “You look happy,”

Hyunjin looke down at his food for a moment.

“I am,” He admitted before looking back up. “I’m really, really happy,”

That was enough for the three of them to start eating before the exhibit. Hyunjin was able to eat maybe half when his nerves had him stop. It started to feel real when Taehyung began draping a covering over the pieces. This was the owner’s way of “preserving privacy” before the event actually could begin.

Jungkook excused himself to go home to change and to pick up Taehyung’s outfit for the evening. Taehyung pressed many, aggressive looking kisses all over his partner’s face. The most surprising part was that Jungkook still blushed profusely, regardless of the many years together.

“You’re so gross with him,” Hyunjin teased for the sake of it.

Taehyung winked.

“Just wait and see, Hyunjin-ah.” He stated. “One day, you’ll wanna kiss every inch of your partner’s face and never let them go,”

Hyunjin shook his head as Taehyung winked and walked back toward his office. Hyunjin knew that the owner was also nervous about the exhibit, but he’d never let it show. He looked down at his phone and decided just to call Felix and see where he was at.

Hyunjin should not have been surprised when Felix arrived with Jisung in tow. His heart squeezed tightly in his chest as he went to go unlock the door for the two of them to come inside. Jisung was carrying the bag that held his very expensive exhibit clothes. Jeongin must have passed it to Jisung and given him a serious run down, as Jisung’s face looked extra concentrated on how he moved.

Felix set up a make-up station in the small room that was used as a break room when Jungkook didn’t take over the reception desk. Jisung ended up delicately laying the bag on the group and pulling a chair to drop his bag down in.

Felix cupped his chin softly, tilting it up to get a better look at him.

“Your dark circles are less dark than they were a few days ago,” He commented. “This must have been really stressful,”

“It was,” Hyunjin admitted, “But the whole being away from Changbin and Mina in the cafe thing…I mean it didn’t help,”

“Hyung did terrible at work too,” Jisung piped up. “He couldn’t focus on any taste. Chan had to practically send him home a couple of times,”

“Channie said that he had to finish a few of his songs, but that Binnie has been better for a few days,” Felix said as he lightly applied concealer under Hyunjin’s eyes.

“I don’t think I can really isolate myself from him anymore,” The artist admitted. “It was shit for both of us.”

“We know,” Jisung teased. “We all had to suffer through it as well. Minho spent more time with Binne hyung than with me ,”

“I know you were too busy as well, Ji,” Hyunjin laughed.

“Ah ah,” Felix chastised. “Don’t move, Jin,”

“Sorry,” Hyunjin mumbled, resolving himself to be as still as a statue.

Jisung started talking about the gala coming up while Felix worked diligently on Hyunjin’s hair. The artist closed his eyes and listened to his best friend talk about the record company. He was excited and even asked Minho to be his plus one. He was just going to ask Seungmin to go, but things worked out well for them. Felix admitted that Chan had already asked him as well.

Hyunjin tried not to burn in jealousy because Changbin hasn’t asked him yet. The nasty monster yelled that he wasn’t important enough or good enough to go with his boyfriend. He had to take deep breaths and remind himself that Changbin loves him. He was chosen by Changbin, and his boyfriend isn’t going to just up and change his mind.

The exercise was harder than Hyunjin thought it would be. He had these kinds of thoughts in his head in the beginning, but Mina was bringing out a whole other level of it than before. Hyunjin hated to admit that the woman’s words were that powerful; he wished they weren’t. He wished that he were stronger; that his resolve was unshakeable. He hated admitting that he wasn’t as strong, or as stubborn as he liked to make people believe that he was.

Changbin knew that he wasn’t who he tried to show people he was. The producer kept reassuring him, even after they left the bathroom the night before. Changbin tightly held him in his arms and pressed soft kisses upon every available inch of skin. Hyunjin even allowed himself to cry, in the soft quietness of Changbin’s room. In the dark, Hyunjin allowed Changbin to see deeper parts of himself. Changbin reassured him of everything.

“I’m finished now,” Felix said with a sweet smile. “You look stunning, Hyunjin.”

The artist smiled and reached out to hold Felix’s hand in his.

“Thank you, Lixie,” He said sincerely. He looked over at Jisung, who was carefully pulling Hyunjin’s outfit from the garment bag. “You too, Ji. I love you guys,”

Jisung froze, turning slowly.

“I love you too, Jinnie.” Jisung beamed.

“I love you, Jinnie,” Felix added, pulling Hyunjin up slowly to wrap his arms around the taller man. Jisung carefully put the clothes back down before joining in on the group hug.

“You mean the world to us,” Jisung reassured. “Now let’s get you dressed. It’s almost time,”

Hyunjin nodded, allowing his friends to dote on him as he started to get changed. Felix fussed with the loose white shirt he wore while Jisung was inspecting his overcoat for any stray pieces of lint or fuzz. Taehyung knocked and popped his head inside to let Hyunjin know that doors were almost open. He thanked the other artist and gave his best friends quick hugs.

Hyunjin squared his shoulders back as he walked back toward the main area. Taehyung was waiting with Jungkook. They both were wearing matching black and white suites for the occasion. Jungkook cooed and squeezed his cheeks for a moment, reminding Hyunjin of all the neighborhood grandma’s that he and Jeongin grew up around.

“You’re going to do wonderful,” Taehyung reassured. “Are you ready?”

Hyunjin clasped his hands behind his back and nodded. Felix and Jisung stood a little behind the artist with Jungkook as the owner went to unlock the doors. It wasn’t surprising that there was already a small queue lined up outside. His pieces have sold at this studio before. He did have regular buyers. Still, Hyunjin was scared that no one would show up.

Jeongin was the first of their group to walk in, coming in with their grandpa. Seungmin was walking slightly behind the pair, hair pushed back out of his face. Hyunjin’s grandpa walked right up to the artist and wrapped him up in his arms. Hyunjin felt his nerves settle a little bit before he squeezed back tightly.

“I’m proud of you, Jinnie-ah,” His grandpa said, pulling away and smiling up brightly at him. Jeongin had their grandpa’s smile.

“Thank you, Harabeoji” Hyunjin whispered. “There’s snacks on the other side,”

Grandpa winked at him.

“Innie-ah, take me to the cheese,”

“Okay, Harabeoji,” Jeongin laughed, offering his arm to the elder.

Seungmin stayed behind to give Hyunjin a big hug.

“Happy exhibit, Hyunjin,” He said. “I’m also really proud of you,”

“Thank you,”

“Chan and Minho should be here soon. Changbin is parking,”

“Thanks, Minnie,”

Felix, Jisung and Seungmin walked away with small waves toward their friend. They went to go check out the actual collection, as Hyunjin had kept it hidden from all of them. It wasn’t long before Minho and Chan were walking through the doors. Hyunjin tried not to be disappointed that it wasn’t Changbin first.

“Congrats, Hyunjin,” Chan smiled, handing over a small box of his favorite sweets. “These are from me and Minho.”

Minho shook his head, but surprised Hyunjin by going in for a hug.

“We’re proud of you,” The dancer whispered. “Let’s go eat after this?”

Hyunjin nodded as his friends walked away from him. He wasn’t that shocked that Chan went right up to Jungkook, hugging him enthusiastically. Jungkook looked genuinely shocked to see his friend at the exhibit. Hyunjin shouldn’t have been so surprised, Chan knew literally everyone and their brother.

Changbin walked through the doors right as Hyunjin turned to look for him. Hyunjin’s heart stuttered as he took in his boyfriend. Changbin was wearing an all black suit, down to his tie and his shoes. His hair was slightly messy, but the waves were pushed out of his face. He had even put on some make-up, eyes slightly smokey. Hyunjin tried to keep himself from crying as he spotted the bright red roses in Changbin’s hand.

Changbin walked toward Hyunjin, and it felt like everything was in slow motion. Hyunjin’s face turned bright, open, so much that Changbin felt like he had been hit in the gut. He was overcome with the love he felt for the artist. He felt like sprinting, but his legs kept him from making a fool of himself in the studio.

“Hello, darling,” Changbin grinned, smiling stupidly at Hyunjin. “I’m sorry that I’m a little late,”

Hyunjin huffed a laugh.

“It’s okay, love.” He responded. “Are those for me?”

“These?” Changbin teased. “No, they’re for your harabeoji,”

“You’re an idiot,” Hyunjin teased. “They’re beautiful,”

“I’m really glad that you like them,” Changbin admitted.

“I’ll be right back. I’m going to go put them in the back,”

“I’ll stay right here,” Changbin promised.

Taehyung walked over to Changbin the moment that he was alone.

“So it’s you who has stolen our Hyunjin’s heart, huh?” He teased playfully. “I’m Kim Taehyung. This is my studio,”

Changbin bowed quickly.

“It’s nice to meet you. Hyunjin talks highly of you,”

“Good,” Taehyung teased. “He has a lot of admirers who shop at my studio. I’m pretty fond of him myself. I would give the teasing hyung talk, but I’m pretty sure you could handle yourself. Plus, my lover seems to know your friends already,”

Changbin turned his head in confusion until Taehyung turned to look over at Chan and Jungkook.

“Oh! Chan and I go to Jungkook-ssi’s gym sometimes,” Changbin admitted. “Are you his partner?”

Taehyung nodded proudly.

“I am,” He admitted. “Don’t tell him, but he couldn’t really hurt you if he tried. He’s too kind,”

“I’d have to do something terrible, I guess,” Changbin laughed.

“I suppose,” Taehyung sighed. “Have you seen the exhibit yet?”

“Actually, kinda.” Changbin admitted. “Are they all up to sale?”

“They are,” Taehyung winked. “Would you like to buy one?”

“Yes. I want the final piece, the one with the couple painted,” Changbin admitted without hesitation “I’ll pay the asking or more if you want,”

Taehyung nearly swooned. The producer did remind him of his own love-sick gym rat.

“Deal. I’ll mark it in my book as sold,” Taehyung stated. “You’re lucky you got it first. There’s a collector that is eying it,”

Changbin felt his chest boom with pride, and suddenly Hyunjin was back by his side. He knew that he was lucky to have gotten to meet Mr. Kim so quickly upon his arrival.

“Taehyung hyung, this is Seo Changbin. He’s my…lover,” Hyunjin hesitated.

“We just had a lovely conversation. Keep this one close, Hyunjin-ah,” Taehyung teased. “Have fun, kiddos.”

Hyunjin shook his head at the owner before he turned around to look at his boyfriend. Changbin was beaming up at him. Hyunjin didn’t even think twice before pressing a small kiss to his lips. He pulled away and Changbin offered him his hand.

“Let’s go look at your hard work,” Changbin smiled.

Hyunjin took Changbin’s hand, lacing their fingers together. There was no use in trying to pretend that they weren’t something other than what they were. Changbin took the lead, slowly taking in all of the pieces that Hyunjin had spent so much time on over the last month.

•••

Hyunjin and Jeongin walked their grandpa slowly to his hotel room while Seungmin and Changbin waited in the lobby of the hotel. They all came back to eat close by, but parted ways after paying the check. Everyone was extremely proud of Hyunjin, and the artist felt lucky to be surrounded by those he loves.

“Come on in for a few moments,” Their grandpa said, ushering his grandsons inside. “I didn’t pay all this money just to be completely alone all night,”

Jeongin quickly went to the kitchenette area.

“Do you want tea?”

“Please,” Grandpa called. “I packed some green with me.”

“I found it,”

Hyunjin sent Changbin and Seungmin a quick text to let them know they might be with their grandpa for a while. Changbin responded quickly that the two of them would wait. Seungmin added that they decided to check out the bar.

“Thank you Innie-ah,” He called back. “That was quite some exhibit you had tonight,”

Hyunjin nodded, suddenly feeling shy.

“Kim-ssi seems to have been pleased with the outcome,”

“Are you pleased with it?” His grandpa asked, a knowing glint in his eye. “That Changbin-ssi seemed rather taken with it as well,”

Hyunjin blushed.

“He was,” Hyunjin laughed. “And I am pleased with the outcome. I think it might be my most successful yet,”

His grandpa nodded his head slowly and leaned forward a little bit in his chair.

“It certainly is your happiest,”

“I… yeah, it is,” Hyunjin admitted. “I’ve never been like this…. happy before. The creating process felt easier too,”

Grandpa reached over and grabbed his hand.

“I approve, son,” He said softly. “Your halmeoni would have loved Changbin too,”

Hyunjin wasn’t prepared to feel the rush of emotions at his grandfather’s confession. He didn’t expect to feel relieved, or overjoyed. He didn’t think his heart would twist this violently in his chest as he thought about his grandmother.

“He’s…so special. I think he would have loved her too. He likes to go dancing with his mom,” Hyunjin rambled before closing his mouth in embarrassment.

Grandpa chuckled.

“Is that so?” He asked. Hyunjin nodded once, causing him to beam.

Jeongin came back with three cups of tea for the three of them.

“They really love each other well,” Jeongin agreed as he came down. “It’s really cute to watch, usually. Sometimes it’s too sweet and I have to leave.”

“Don’t think I didn’t catch on to you and that Kim Seungmin,” Grandpa teased as he took a slow sip of his green tea. “I’m proud of you boys. You’ve grown so well, even though I hate that you’re too far from home.”

“We told you to move closer,” Hyunjin teased.

Grandpa rolled his eyes.

“I don’t wanna harsh the vibe,”

Jeongin rolled his eyes playfully. Their grandfather reached to lightly smack the back of his hand.

“You could never,” Hyunjin admitted. “Sometimes, I just really miss when it was the four of us together,”

Grandpa’s eyes misted over for the briefest moment.

“I miss it too,” He admitted. “I didn’t expect that feeling of longing to come back after so many years. What has it been? Nearly ten? When Jeongin finally moved out, I think that’s when I started to feel it come back,”

Hyunjin’s heart twisted at his grandpa’s words. Jeongin reached over and clasped his hand softly.

“I think I spent way too long holding on to how badly I was hurting,” Hyunjin admitted, heart trembling in his chest. “I really, really , felt like I carried it for entirely too long. I got really bad, Harabeoji. I was starting to even hate to exist…”

Jeongin tried his best to hide the fact that he was silently crying over Hyunjin’s confession.

“I was scared that I was going to lose him forever, too,” Jeongin admitted. “But, then we met our friends,”

Hyunjin laughed, but the tears were escaping from his eyes again.

“Then I met Changbin,” He admitted. “He brought me to them. I think we would have eventually come together anyway, considering Seungmin also came back into my life at the same time,”

Their grandpa smiled softly at his two grandsons. He felt more pride for them than he thought he ever could have. His love kept growing, even with the death of the love of his life. He still had a capacity to love.

“I’m glad that you both are doing better. I couldn’t have picked better partners for the two of you. Now, no matter what, I’ll love you both always. Please don’t worry about me too much. I still have game nights with my friends, and I got to dog parks just to pet the animals. I’m doing well. I might make the move soon though, because it seems you both miss me too much,”

Hyunjin laughed, nearly spilling his tea.

“I do, harabeoji. I miss you too much,”

Grandpa reered back to look at Hyunjin directly.

“I never thought I’d hear you say something like that so sincerely and without prodding,”

“I think I’m trying to unlearn some really bad habits that I had before.”

“Keep that boy of yours close to you, Hyunjin-ah. It seems that you make each other better,”

Hyunjin thought about how true that was. He thought about how vital it had become to have Changbin in his life. Hyunjin didn’t feel like he needed to be by Changbin every waking moment. He didn’t feel the need to know exactly where he was or when he’d return. He loved that they had their own things, separate from each other. Being away from one another was just hard, because they genuinely love being together. Changbin makes Hyunjin a better person and vice versa. It was freeing to see their relationship that way.

Jeongin and Hyunjin finally bid their grandpa goodbye and went to the hotel bar to pick up their boyfriends. Seungmin was in an interesting conversation with the bartender, only speaking in English, while Changbin was laughing on the stool beside him. Changbin caught sight of the brothers first and popped up from the stool so fast that he nearly fell. Hyunjin laughed when the producer made grabby hands at him.

Seungmin was grumbling as he paid the tab, because apparently the conversation was riveting. Jeongin sighed, but remained patient with his boyfriend. Once the older man had gotten a few drinks in him, he really went down rabbit trails easily, and Jeongin only could wait for him to come back again. Changbin had snuggled most of his body to Hyunjin’s side, tucking under the younger man’s arm and wrapping his arms around his torso.

As they walked out to the street and flagged down a taxi, Hyunjin thought about how much his grandpa’s words started to weigh down on his heart. He wanted to keep Changbin close to him like this, for however long the producer will allow.

“Jinnie-ah?” Changbin called.

“Yeah?”

“Will you be my date to the gala thingy? It kinda donned on me that I never asked ya,”

“Yes, Binnie,” Hyunjin smiled, affection coloring his tone. “I’d love to go to the gala with you,”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Seo Changbin absolutely hated formal wear. He hated how tight the jackets were across his body. He hated that he felt so constrained that he couldn’t breathe. He was glad to dress up for Hyunjin’s exhibit, but having to get a proper suit fitting for the gala was an entirely different circumstance. He knew that the day was coming up, and the suit would be ready relatively soon, but there’s only so much more patience that he had.

Chan was taking the entire fitting sessions in stride, unlike Changbin. He was a good sport about it, as per usual. He was asking thoughtful questions to the tailor. Chan was used to these fittings, as he’d been in the industry for a while, and he knew the process like the back of his hand.

Changbin sighed in relief as his personal tailor told him that he could take a ten minute break before he had the final fitting for the jacket once more. He bowed politely and went to change out of the pants as soon as possible. He checked his phone to see that the rest of their party was on their way. Jisung had made an appointment for Felix, Hyunjin and himself just a little later so that he could finish at the studio.

“They’re on the way,” Changbin said as he walked back out of the changing room.

Chan smiled at him brightly.

“That’s good!” He stated. “I can’t wait to see Felix in a suit,”

“They’re going to look really good,” Changbin admitted.

“Have you heard from Minho?” Chan asked. “He was toying around with the idea of getting another suit, just because. I think he really wanted to match Sungie, though,”

Changbin snorted.

“Probably,” He admitted as his phone vibrated. Minho had texted him.
“Oh, he’s going to be here around the same time they get here,”

“Good,” Chan chuckled. “Are you excited to see Hyunjin in a suit?”

“Dude, I think I’ll actually

die

when I see him in a suit. I told him to just pick whatever he wants. He’s going to look incredible,”

“I thought the same about Felix. It’s hard to wrangle him into anything that isn’t slightly sheer,”

Changbin checked his messages and his emails while he enjoyed his small break. He nearly grumbled when his tailor came back and told him that it was time to get back into the clothes, but all of them. Changbin was respectful on the outside, but he felt like a child wanting to throw a tantrum. He knew better, though. The tailors also knew what they were doing, so there was no need for him to be worried. The other fitting went just as fine.

Changbin finished getting dressed, and soon was standing on the small platform beside Chan.

“We look like we’re going to be in a wedding,” Changbin sighed.

“I don’t think Lix would let me wear this at our wedding,” Chan joked.

Changbin shot him a surprised look.

“Have you already talked about a wedding?”

“Of course we have,” Chan laughed. “I think he’d really like one on one of the beaches in Australia. There’s one I grew up going to and I just know that he’d love it,”

“Nice,”

Changbin shouldn’t really have been as shocked as he felt. He

knew

logically that a lot of adults start thinking about things like that, especially with serious relationships. He just thought that maybe it felt sudden, because of everything that’s happened over the last month. Chan was logical though, and he really did like to think and have things planned out before doing them. Felix was very similar in that regard, but he tended to be a bit more loose and free.

“I think we talked about marriage on our second date,” Chan admitted. “I think I just knew, mate. I like to think I knew the moment that I met him that I wanted to spend forever by his side. I just didn’t really think that I could have him like this, ya know?”

“I do,” Changbin nodded. “I can’t believe a month ago you were too scared to even make a move,”

“Hey! I like to think I could have gotten there, even if Lix didn’t seduce me at my own birthday party,”

Changbin rolled his eyes. He was about to open up his mouth to snark a retort when Hyunjin came into view. Changbin’s words died in his throat and he beamed happily at his boyfriend from across the room. Hyunjin rolled his eyes playfully but blew him a quick kiss. Changbin caught it dramatically, making the tailor reprimand him.

“Wow,” Jisung whistled. “Look at the two of you,”

“Thank you,” Chan smiled.

“You look stunning,” Felix said softly as he came to get a closer look at Chan. “How am I supposed to be the arm candy when you look so…so..this?”

Chan laughed, shaking his head.

“Get a room,” Hyunjin sighed, before he walked over to look at Changbin closely. “Hi, hyung,”

“Hey baby,” Changbin beamed. “How does it look?”

“Like the buttons are going to pop off in a good way,” Hyunjin teased, making everyone around them groan.

“And I’m the one he wants to get a room?” Felix playfully muttered.

Minho entered the room with an assistant just a few moments later. The assistant gathered up the new arrivals, minus Jisung, and took them toward the showroom to find a good fit for the three of them. Jisung was whisked off to change into his suit to make sure everything was good for the final fitting.

“You’re very lucky that Hyunjin has the body of a model, hyung, or I’d personally throttle you,” Jisung stated matter-of-factly. “Who in their right mind asks their partner to be their plus one a

week

from the gala?”

“Seo Changbin doessss,” Chan sang teasingly.

Changbin’s cheeks flushed furiously.

“It slipped my mind! Hyunjinnie had his exhibit and work wasn’t exactly slow, okay?”

“I’m giving you this one pass, hyung,” Jisung teased, but the threat was very much real.

“What would I do without you, Jisungie?” Changbin said sweetly.

Jisung rolled his eyes and turned toward the tailor’s voice as he moved Jisung into place. Chan and Changbin were permitted to change out of their clothes as the final fitting went swimmingly. Changbin couldn’t wait to get back into his own sweat pants and t-shirt. He had showered at the gym and drove straight here, so the collar of his t-shirt was still a little damp. He grabbed his hoodie and tossed it over his arm.

Changbin joined Chan on the waiting chairs while Minho stepped out of one of the dressing rooms. Jisung’s jaw fell slack at his boyfriend’s attire. The tailor had chosen to pair a bubblegum pink shirt to match the pocket square in Jisung’s otherwise black ensemble. Minho was wearing a delicate ribbon tied around his neck in a loose bow as opposed to an actual tie.

“Hyung, you’re beautiful,” Jisung whispered reverently, causing Minho to blush.

“Thanks Sungie,” Minho laughed. “We match,”

“We do,” Jisung agreed dumbly as Minho stepped up onto the platform. “You…just wow,”

“We tried,” Minho beamed, shyly looking away from his boyfriend.

Changbin watched in fascination at the couple. Not much at all has changed with the pair, but this was very much new. Changbin wasn’t used to seeing Minho shy about

anything

. He usually played it off much harsher than this. The dancer blushed, tucking his silver hair behind an ear and looked away to calm his heart. Jisung couldn’t look away from him.

Felix and Hyunjin came back shortly after Minho got the okay to step down off the small platform. The tailor didn’t have to do much, as the sizes they carried were perfect for Minho’s lithe shape. The same couldn’t be said for any of the producers. Jisung’s coat and pants had to be shaped to fit his insanely small waist. Chan’s broad shoulders and large ass couldn’t accommodate the regular suits either. Changbin, well his arms and chest threatened to burst out of nearly everything that they carried.

Felix was wearing a black suit with a white shirt. A beautiful silver necklace had been chosen to put under his collar instead of a tie. Getting him in a suit was hard enough, but the tie was out of the question. Chan looked like he wanted to cry at the other man’s beauty. Felix gave a spin and Chan promptly whistled at him.

Changbin felt like he was going to die when Hyunjin stepped out of his changing room. The suit that he wore looked like it was made just for him. It was shimmering black, almost like it had sequins all over it. The double breasted top showed off just enough of Hyunjin’s chest. The lack of shirt didn’t go unnoticed.

Changbin felt his stomach twist because of how heart stoppingly beautiful Hyunjin is. The blonde stepped up on the platform, and the other tailors stopped to look at him.

“This one is made for you,” One of the men stated. He circled Hyunjin slowly. “The cut looks exquisite. Quite frankly, I don’t think you need any alterations done. The pants are the perfect length, the jacket fits over your shoulders just right,”

Hyunjin breathed a sigh of relief before he smiled softly over at Changbin.

“How do I look, hyung?”

Changbin couldn’t speak. He scrambled up and over toward his boyfriend. The tailors stepped away for just a moment, to give Changbin space to circle his partner. His jaw was dropped the entire time. He looked up at Hyunjin like he was a deity; one that Changbin would be able to worship for the rest of his life.

“You’re beautiful,” Changbin choked up, feeling tears start to prick at the corner of his eyes. “Jinnie, you’re stunning,”

Hyunjin’s confidence waived for only a moment when he made eye contact with his boyfriend’s watery gaze. He always felt the most beautiful in front of Changbin. He felt the most loved. Sometimes the weight of those emotions hit him too hard and he felt like he could cry just from the sheer size of it. He only managed to fake confidence until he looked into Changbin’s eyes. The real feelings soon started to spring out of his chest.

“Good, this is Versace,” He mumbled.

Changbin knew that when they paid at the counter that he would cry a little bit at the price. He committed to memory how Hyunjin looked, because that would be worth every single penny that he owned. He nodded in agreement that the suit was perfect for the artist before he was quickly changing back into his clothes from before.

Felix had declared that it was movie night tonight, as soon as he changed back into his regular clothes. Since they hadn’t had a proper one since before the Halloween party, everyone agreed regardless of how busy their schedules were. Jeongin and Seungmin, even though they’d been a big MIA, also agreed within moments of the texts being sent to them.

Changbin was surprised how easily everyone was willing to say yes to the movie night. Things weren’t bad, but the tension was taking longer than expected to dissipate. Seungmin and Jeongin had become a little bit more withdrawn. Jisung and Minho were very deliberately wrapped around each other, closer than they’d ever been. Chan and Felix spent almost every night together.

Hyunjin was elated that things weren’t going to stay awkward forever. He half thought that he would have to beg Jeongin and Seungmin to show up. He still had to pop over to the studio to make a small appearance tonight, but after that he was free.

“I’m taking Jinnie to the studio. I can pick up pizza if we order before we leave,” Changbin stated.

“Our sugar daddy has returned,” Minho smirked. “You know what I like,”

“Hyunngggggg,” Jisung whined, tugging at Minho’s arm. “C’mon Binnie’s a taken man now. Stop flirting with him, Jinnie’s right there,”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes at their antics. He pulled up his notes app and handed the phone over to Felix.

“Type it in, please,” He instructed, completely unbothered by their friends.

“Changbinnie hyung, I am desperately broke after my suit,” Felix pouted. “Can I get extra meat?”

Changbin rolled his eyes, but nodded his head.

Chan shook his head in endearing exasperation at his boyfriend.

“I try so hard to be a good sugar daddy to you and this is the thanks I get,”

“It’s hyung’s biceps, baby.” Felix teased with a wink. “I wrote down your order.”

Chan beamed and pressed a kiss to Felix’s forehead as the younger passed the phone to Minho and Jisung. Minho typed quickly as Jisung clung to his back, resting his head over his shoulder. Hyunjin got his phone back and typed down what Jeongin and Seungmin would most likely want.

“Okay, I can order it while you drive?” He asked, looking at his boyfriend.

Changbin nodded and reached to take Hyunjin’s hand lightly.

“Sounds good, baby,”

•••

Changbin stood by the receptionist desk patiently while Hyunjin did a quick sweep of the exhibit. The sun was just about to set, casting a gorgeous glow across the light interior of the studio. Mr. Kim was walking with Hyunjin as they slowly went from piece to piece again. Hyunjin’s smile never left his face, so Changbin assumed it was good news.

The producer couldn’t wait to take the art home whenever the exhibit was finished. He had paid a hefty price for the painting, but it was worth every penny. Taehyung chose not to make him pay more, another buyer wanted to bid on it, and allowed him to be the one purchasing. Hyunjin still hadn't a clue as to who bought the art. Changbin couldn’t wait to frame it and hang it up.

His phone started to vibrate in his back pocket. He hoped that it was the pizza place, calling to let them know that their order was ready. He tried to calm down when he saw that it was his mother. He took a deep breath and stepped outside.

“Eomma?” He answered.

“Changbin-ah!” She called, enthusiastically. “How have you been, sweetheart?”

“I’m good. I’ve been busy with work. I’m actually a little busy right now,”

“Too busy to call me?” She asked, sounding aghast.

“I’m at this art exhibit right now, and I can’t really talk….”

“Bin-ah, what are you hiding from me?”

Changbin groaned and took a deep breath.

“Nothing,”

“Seokie!” she yelled at her husband. “Changbin-ah is hiding something!”

“Calm down, Yumi-ah,” His father sighed heavily. “I’m sure he’s not-”

“Who is it?” His mother demanded.

“Eomma! Appa!” Changbin laughed. “Why do you think I’m hiding someone?”

“I talk with Minho-ah regularly.” She said, sounding proud. “There’s been an alluding to a

someone

special,”

Changbin groaned again, because of course it was Minho.

“I wanted to properly introduce you both to him soon,” He sighed. “Things have been really busy with us lately. He’s been focusing on his art and I’m at the studio more than I feel like I’m at home,”

“Are you at

his

exhibit?” His father asked.

Changbin cursed both of his parents for being nosy. He understood, really, but it could get exhausting.

“

Yes

,” Changbin hissed. “I wanted you both to meet him, after the gala for work,”

“After the gala?” His mother called. “Changbin-ah, how long have you been keeping him from us? You haven’t been together long, have you?”

“It’s been…not too long,” Changbin admitted. He turned his head to look back into the studio, to see Hyunjin waiting by the door on the inside for him. The artist smiled and went a shy wave that Changbin returned. “I l-love him though,”

His parents' cheers and cries of excitement were so loud that he had to pull his phone away from his ear.

“You should have told us sooner, son,” His dad called.

“How could you have gone and fallen in love already! And kept him away from us? Changbin-ah, we raised you better,” His mother nagged.

“Soon, okay, I promise,” He stated. “He’s really special,”

“Then you won’t mind coming home with him this week,” His father stated. “We will clear out an evening,”

“No you don’t have to do that,” Changbin groaned.

“Trust us, we do,” His mother stated. “I’ll text you the date, now go have fun with your partner!”

“We love you!” His dad yelled before the line was cut off.

Changbin groaned loudly, before he put his phone back in his pocket. He walked back inside the studio to say goodbye, because he

did

actually have some manners. They left quickly to go get the pizza after that, because Changbin then did receive the notification that their food was ready.

“What was that all about?” Hyunjin asked after they got into the car with the food. “The phone call, I mean.”

Changbin sighed.

“What night are you free this week before the Gala?”

“I’m not totally sure, but I can check my calendar. Why?”

“My parents have demanded to meet you, but like as soon as possible,”

Hyunjin’s eyebrows rose.

“Like, this week?”

“This week,” Changbin confirmed. “If that’s okay with you. If it isn’t, I’ll tell them no. We can meet them another time, if you’re more comfortable with that,”

Hyunjin shook his head.

“No, it’s okay. We can meet them. You’ve met my harabeoji after all,”

“Only if you’re sure,” Changbin said softly. “I want you to meet them on your terms,”

“I’m ready,” Hyunjin nearly whispered, reaching over the middle console to give Changbin a kiss on the cheek. “I’m ready to meet them,”

Changbin beamed, nodding his head once.

“Okay, I’ll tell them,”

“Okay,”

•••

“Guys, Jihyo just asked me what I’m wearing to the Gala,” Jisung said, adorably pout on his lips. His pizza sat half eaten on his lap.

Felix’s eyes widened as he looked over at his brother for a reaction. Chan tried to muffle his giggles behind his hand. Hyunjin’s legs were carelessly tossed over Changbin’s lap, but his boyfriend’s body language told him that he was going to open his big mouth. Hyunjin’s hand quickly flew over Changbin’s mouth with a loud pop. Their pizza nearly fell from Hyunjin’s lap at the movement.

“Sorry, hyung,” He mumbled. “Don’t speak.”

Changbin looked extremely confused as to why his boyfriend was physically shutting him up. Hyunjin nodded toward Minho, who was looking at Jisung intently. Seungmin and Jeongin looked like they were trying extremely hard not to speak as well.

“What were her exact words?” Minho asked, voice steady. The look in his eyes seemed a little too intense.

“She said…cutely?” Jisung looked confused, looking up at everyone. “What is going on?”

“Read it to us,” Felix smirked playfully, sending an eyebrow wiggle to his brother when Jisung wasn’t looking.

“It says… ‘Jisungieeeeeeeee, what are you wearing to the gala? Shall we dance together?’ and then a few cute emojis…”

“She likes you, Sungie.” Minho sighed. He reached forward to brush some hair off of Jisung’s forehead. “I can’t blame her for it, though.”

“She

doesn’t

. Channie hyung, Changbin hyung back me up here,” Jisung laughed.

Chan’s giggles finally managed to escape his mouth.

“Sorry, Sungie.” He apologized, laughing even more.

“

What

?”

“Noona is totally into you, Ji.” Changbin sighed. “And like Minho said, you’re a catch. Of course she’s into you,”

“

Into me

?!” Jisung sputtered. “I don’t even

like

women! I mean…ya know they’re great, I’m just not attracted to them,”

“I don’t think she knows that, baby,” Minho snickered, a smile finally adorning his features. “She’ll certainly find out at the gala though,”

Hyunjin sighed, finally deciding to talk.

“Or you could just tell her now?” He stated, as if it was obvious. “Why would you just wait for her to find out?”

“Hyunjin’s right,” Jeongin popped up. “If she’s being forward, it’s more polite to tell her you’re taken,”

“You should just send her a text of Minho after you maul him,” Seungmin teased. “I think she’d get it then,”

Minho smirked.

“I like the way you think, Kim Seungmin,” He admitted.

“

No

, I’m not doing that,” Jisung huffed. “I just don’t think that’s what’s happening,”

“That’s exactly what’s happening, Ji,” Felix said softly. “You just have to tell her that you’re not interested when she asks you out, or you can tell her that you’re matching your outfit with your partner. If it makes you uncomfortable or confused, you should probably set the record straight,”

Minho snorted.

“Yeah, and it’s that you’re

not

straight,”

Jisung pinched Minho’s thigh, causing him to dramatically fall to the side.

“You’re so funny, hyung,” Jisung rolled his eyes before looking back down at his phone. “Thanks guys. It’s still too weird to believe, but…thanks,”

“Sung, it’s been happening for months,” Changbin added. “It’s basically a rite of passage as a producer. These things happen often in our field. We can’t exactly make it stop all together,”

“And it’s

Jihyo

as your first one?” Felix whistled. “Sungie, that’s a compliment.”

“Does it happen often?” Jisung’s wide eyes filled with concern.

“Yeah, more often than we’d like,” Chan admitted. “But the gala will help set things straight. That’s why I have me and Felix as my laptop background. I make sure to bring him up, things like that,”

Hyunjin looked over at Changbin.

“Do you do that as well?” He asked softly.

Changbin looked offended.

“Of course I do, darling!” He nearly yelled. “All I could talk about was your art exhibit and how talented you are,”

“And how plush your lips are. How pretty you are. How lovely and wonderful you are,” Jisung teased.

“So what I’m hearing is that you don’t talk about me?” Minho said, but the smirk on his face betrayed his teasing. He wasn’t mad at Jisung, not even in the slightest.

“Hyung I will literally print a photo of your face and put it on a shirt and tell everyone that I belong to you,” Jisung stated. “Just like Hyunjin did,”

“Hey!” Hyunjin yelled, but Jisung wasn’t wrong. “Let’s get back to your crisis, and leave me out of it,”

Jeongin snorted.

“Just tell her the truth, hyung. Nothing really bad will come of it,” He begged.

Jisung sighed, finally relaxing back into the couch beside Minho.

“I will, don’t worry. She’ll see Minho at the gala as it is. Can’t really run from it, can I?”

“That’s the spirit,” Minho winked, stealing a quick kiss from Jisung’s pouting lips. “Now onto bigger matters….what are we watching?”

Everyone groaned in unison.

Jisung thought over what to say to Jihyo. It wasn’t that he hated his friend’s advice, it’s just that he didn’t want it to sound robotic. He wanted to be kind, but also not make her sad in any way. He hated disappointing people, especially people who adored him. He didn’t want the singer’s opinion of him to change. It was silly, because she was flirting. It wasn’t like Jisung did something terrible; he just happens to be gay and in a relationship. It was just never going to work.

Minho sighed beside him, and gave his hip a small squeeze. Jisung melted into the touch. Minho had been showing Jisung how much he cared about him every day, this was no different. It was nice to see that Minho could handle a situation maturely. Jisung

knew

that Minho was kind to his core. It was nice to see the real Minho again, though the small possessive streak he had was nice when it was just between the two of them.

Jisung peaked up at Minho through his lashes, face burning red when he caught Minho’s smoldering gaze staring back at him. Jisung was sure Minho would ride him with every inch of his life tonight. He was bossy no matter the position they found themselves in. They loved trying new things and the fact that they both were flexible

really

came in handy.

“That’s it, I’m picking,” Jeongin huffed as he stood up to grab the remote from Felix’s hand. The older one just let it go. “Can’t trust my hyungs anyway,” he muttered.

Jisung didn’t care, as long as Minho kept trailing his hands up and down his spine, he’d watch the worst movie in the world.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hyunjin checked his reflection for imperfections for the twelfth time as he got ready. His hair, roots freshly bleached and toned, shimmered prettily as he tucked pieces behind his ears. He was wearing simple diamond studs in his ears. He put on the smallest amount of make-up over his eyes. He didn’t want to look like he was trying too hard, but also that he didn’t care at the same time.

The artist blotted his lips for the third time, after changing the lip stain he was wearing once again. He wanted it to look as natural as possible. He nearly dropped the wand on his beige shirt, before changing into a red sweater, just in case. He tucked the front part into his black slacks, and hoped that he looked presentable enough to meet The Seos.

“Hyung, Changbin hyung is here,” Jeongin called loudly through their apartment.

“ Shit ,” Hyunjin hissed, running a Q-Tip underneath his eyes lightly to clean up his work. He hadn’t quite perfected make-up yet, and this was his first true run through without Felix. “I’ll be out soon!”

Hyunjin quickly brushed through his hair, being as delicate as he could, and gave himself a once-over. He looked comfortable, but still nice enough for a dinner party. Changbin had tried to tell him countless times not to be nervous, but Hyunjin could see how nervous his boyfriend was himself. This was a big step in their relationship; they both knew it was important.

The artist quickly went to the bathroom again as the nerves made him pee more than usual. He washed his hands and fussed with himself a few more moments before he found himself getting angry at himself. He tried his best to shake off the feelings of himself and how he looked. He tried to tell himself that he didn’t look like a child playing dress up.

Changbin was waiting with Jeongin in the living room when Hyunjin finally made his way there. Changbin’s smile widened considerably, and Jeongin rolled his eyes because nothing else mattered to the producer anymore. Jeongin would tease them more, except he really loved seeing just how in love his brother was with the producer. It was also incredibly funny to see Changbin fall all over himself.

“You look beautiful, Hyunjin-ah,” Changbin sighed, pressing a kiss to his boyfriend’s cheek. “I…wow… I mean…you’re stunning,”

Hyunjin felt some of the panic wear off under Changbin’s beloved glaze.

“Thank you, my love,” Hyunjin sighed back. “You look so handsome,”

Changbin beamed and his chest puffed up a little bit with pride. Hyunjin laughed, smacking his chest before wrapping his arms around Changbin’s shoulders. He leaned in as close as he could get, and rubbed his nose against Changbin’s jaw in place of a kiss. He didn’t want his tint to rub off as it hadn’t completely dried yet.

“Are you ready to go?” Changbin asked softly. “Just say the word and I’ll tell them something came up. We can stay here and watch movies in our pajamas. Or play board games, or paint or ya know…whatever else,”

Jeongin scoffed.

“No, you absolutely must go out for the night. Seungmin’s going to be here after his tutor session. I won’t have anyone ruin our date night, okay? It’s hard enough to schedule alone time with all of us…being all together and such,”

Changbin rolled his eyes.

“Innie-ah, just admit that you are sexually frustrated like the rest of us and demand privacy,”

Jeongin sputtered.

“ Hyung! ” He yelled. “Don’t make it sound so gross!”

“A healthy sex life is good for you,” Hyunjin said sagely. “I just wish it wasn’t with Kim Seungmin,”

“Leave my sexy boyfriend out of this,” Jeongin teased, a menacing look returning to his eyes.

“We promise not to return here if we decide to run off. I swear to you,” Changbin laughed. “Please, enjoy your night with Seungmo.”

“We will,” Jeongin winked.

Hyunjin grimaced.

“Disgusting,” He mumbled.

“You and Changbin hyung literally fuck on every avaliable surface! I literally don’t want hear it!” Jeongin yelled, causing Hyunjin to gasp.

Changbin cackled loudly.

“ Okay, we’re going now. Have fun! Use protection!” The producer yelled as he stirred his boyfriend toward the door. “Or don’t if it’s safe and consensual!”

Hyunjin huffed, but he didn’t really have another response so he went along with Changbin to get out of the apartment.

The nerves that Hyunjin felt in his stomach were majorly subsiding the longer he held Changbin’s hand in his. The producer informed the artist that they would not be meeting his parents at his childhood home. Changbin was from just right outside of Seoul, so they were coming to meet them at a nice restaurant that wasn’t too far out of the way. Somehow that made him feel better, well until he looked up the place that they were going.

“I’m doomed,” Hyunjin called, dramatically flopping against the passenger seat of Changbin’s car. “Goodbye my love, tell everyone that I’m better than them,”

Changbin snorted.

“If you go, I’m going with you, darling.” He insisted. “That’s only fair,”

“Binnie, this dinner is going to cost more than my entire week’s check,” Hyunjin huffed. “Why did you consent to this place?”

“First off, as if you’d pay,” Changbin started. “Secondly, my parents don’t care about the price. They just love this place. Honestly, they would have gone even if we didn’t show up,”

Somehow, Changbin’s words brought comfort to him. He felt weird not paying his own way, but being with Changbin was slowly teaching him to be okay with it. He was getting better, honestly. It was just hard not to totally freak out every time someone else so much as paid for him. His family was never like this. Going to a nice restaurant was really unheard of, unless they won a meal voucher in a contest.

Changbin placed several kisses on the back of Hyunjin’s hand. The artist was able to relax just a little bit better. Hyunjin had to remind himself that this was a good step in their relationship. There was no way that two people who brought up one of the best human beings in the world could be cruel.

Hyunjin shouldn’t have been surprised that both of Changbin’s parents hugged him, completely for-going a handshake. He was so stunned he barely hugged Changbin’s mother back. His father was even larger than Changbin, much to Hyunjin’s shock. Changbin definitely got his looks from his father. He was a handsome man with an extremely kind smile. His mother was so small in comparison.

“Changbin-ah has told us nothing about you!” His mother nearly yelled as they sat down. “Do you know how upset I was that he was keeping a gem like you from us?”

“Eommaaaaa,” Changbin whined. “ Please ,”

Jung Yumi gave him a very stern glance before turning back to Hyunjin and beaming widely.

“Hyunjin-ah, our son tells us that you’re an artist,” She started.

Hyunjin nodded his head.

“Yes, ma’am, I’m currently interning at Vante Studio,” He stated. “I just had my first exhibit there,”

Yumi gasped.

“Oh, Seokie, we have to go,” She stated, turning toward her husband.

Seo Dong Seok smiled lovingly at his wife. Changbin got that from his dad as well.

“Of course, my flower,”

Changbin cringed at the pet name, having heard it nearly a million times already.

“Hyunjin-ah really works hard on his art,” Changbin added. “You really are going to be impressed,”

“We already are,” Dongseok laughed. “Forgive us for being a little zealous, Hyunjin-ssi. Our son rarely brings people to meet us these days. The last partner we met was years ago, so we’re happy that he’s happy enough to do so,”

Hyunjin nodded, blushing permanently on his face.

“It’s okay, it’s nice to see how much Changbinnie is loved,” He responded softly. “He’s….he’s so special,”

“How are your parent’s, dear?” Yumi asked softly.

Changbin panicked, because in the midst of it all, he forgot to mention to his parents not to bring it up in conversation. His heart started to beat faster as a wave of emotions flashed over Hyunjin’s face. He slowly smiled, though, making eye contact with Changbin’s mom.

“My parents passed away when I was much younger. It’s me, my brother and our harabeoji,” He admitted softly. “He lives in Busan,”

“Oh, dear, I’m so sorry. That must have been really difficult to endure,” Yumi said softly. She reached forward and grabbed Hyunjin’s hand in her own. “You let me know if you need anything, promise?”

Changbin smiled as he watched his boyfriend nod his head in agreement.

“His harabeoji really makes the best kimchi that I’ve ever tasted,” Changbin complimented. “It’s rivals yours,”

Yumi laughed, shaking her head for a moment.

“Of course it does,” She teased, winking at her son. “I don’t make good kimchi, Hyunjin-ah. My boys love to remind me of it all of the time,”

Changbin’s dad shook his head softly and waved down their waiter so that all of them could order.

“Has our son been supportive of your dreams, Hyunjin-ah?” Dongseok asked.

“Yes, sir. He’s actually inspired a lot of them,”

“He’s special, isn’t he?” Dongseok laughed, playfully teasing his son. “How long have you been seeing each other?”

Hyunjin gulped, and looked at Changbin in a panic. The producer just smirked and shrugged in response.

“Abeoji, it hasn’t been long, but we care for each other deeply,” Changbin admitted, suddenly sounding more formal. He had already told his parents on the phone about how he felt about Hyunjin. It just felt different admitting it to their faces.

“It’s been a little over a month since we met,” Hyunjin added. “But…it happened really fast. One moment I was alone and the next, well I couldn’t get him to leave me alone,”

Yumi laughed, clapping her hands together in glee.

“That’s the Seo men for you!” She said, delightfully. “Seokie proposed after six months of us knowing each other.”

Dongseok shook his (massive) shoulders softly.

“I knew it was you, Yumi-ah,” He pouted. “She refused me until I started my official job in the office, though.”

“I knew who you could become,” Yumi sighed lovingly.

Hyunjin felt himself relax fully in the presence of the Seos. Changbin had helped him pick out a dish for himself while his parents bickered about what they wanted to drink. Hyunjin was struck by how welcoming both Dongseok and Yumi were to him. Changbin eventually relaxed back into his seat when they started to eat.

Changbin reached under the table to grab a hold of Hyunjin’s hand. The artist smiled, and clasped the producer’s hand tighter. Dongseok asked Hyunjin about different types of paintings and why Hyunjin preferred some over others. Changbin’s father listened in rapt attention as Hyunjin explained, softly, how he preferred to take on his art. Changbin tried to keep his eyes off of Hyunjin, but he couldn’t. His mother certainly noticed it right away.

Changbin finally, really , understood his father’s love for his mother. He got why his father had jumped the gun and asked Yumi to marry him so soon. He understood the unwavering affection that his father held for his mother. He had always wanted something close to that for himself. He wanted a love that made no sense, but fit him like a well worn glove.

Hyunjin laughed along to stories about Changbin as a child. The way that Yumi told stories made the artist feel like he was actually present when it happened. He leaned into every word that the woman said, engrossed in the way she recounted the past. The nutritionist really could have easily been a novelist. Changbin got his writing abilities from her.

Dongseok was nothing like Hyunjin pictured. He had an inkling that Changbin’s parents were well adjusted. He just thought that they would be polite. Hyunjin didn’t think that his boyfriend would be a carbon copy of his father. They talked the same way, moved like an extension of the other, and carried themselves in a similar fashion.

Hyunjin pushed down the feelings of inadequacy. He forced himself to really focus on the people he had just met and try not to look too much into it.

“Please, take care of him, Changbin-ah,” His mother whispered as they were parting ways. “There’s no one else like him,”

Changbin felt himself tearing up at his mother’s words.

“I’m going to try my best,”

“Good,” She sighed, hugging him tightly. “I can tell how much you love him, and how much he loves you,”

“Eomma,” He whined softly, trying not to attract too much attention to himself.

“Bring him around for Christmas,” She ordered, sending a wink to him before she zoned in on Hyunjin.

Changbin watched both parents fawn over Hyunjin for what felt like the thousandth time. He decided that he never, ever , wanted to see them like that with anyone else. He wanted every holiday, birthday and special occasion to have Hwang Hyunjin with him and his family. He had a sneaking suspicion that his mother felt the same way, as she hugged Hyunjin tightly again.

•••

“You all really look like you’re actually professionals or something,” Seungmin snickered, sitting on the arm of the couch in Changbin, Minho and Chan’s living room.

“Minnie, be nice,” Felix sighed, adjusting Chan’s tie for the third time.

“He’s not wrong,” Jeongin sighed, leaning into his boyfriend’s side as he sat on the actual couch. You know, like a normal human. “I don’t think I’ve really seen Changbin in anything other than work out gear,”

Changbin huffed.

“That’s because I’m always relaxed around you guys!”

“Hyung is lying,” Seungmin supplied. “He’s always working out,”

“ Fine .” Changbin huffed, buttons clinging for dear life as he did. “But I wore nice clothes to Hyunjin’s art gallery. I wear jeans around you guys sometimes!”

Hyunjin smirked down at him as he tried to put a little bit of eyeshadow on his boyfriend. Changbin looked up at him with a pout, and Hyunjin couldn’t refuse him. He placed a small kiss on Changbin’s lips, making Seungmin boo loudly.

“Hyung, you do look good,” Hyunjin whispered. “Don’t listen to Minnie. He’s just jealous that he doesn’t get to go,”

Seungmin rolled his eyes and flipped his bangs out of his face for a moment.

“I’m really not, Jinnie,” He argued. “I get an entire evening, completely uninterrupted, with my boyfriend.”

Jeongin nodded firmly.

“We’re finally finishing our minecraft house,”

“Jeonginnnnn,” Seungmin whined, embarrassment all over his face. “You promised you wouldn’t tell them!”

Jeongin smirked.

“I did not, Kim Seungmin and you know it,”

Minho appeared behind Seungmin and immediately started rubbing his hands all over the younger man’s hair. Seungmin started swatting at the hands, but Minho just laughed maniacally behind him. The younger one jumped up from where he was and turned toward the dancer.

“Don’t touch me,” He huffed.

“Don’t sit on the arm of my couch like a hooligan,” He stated firmly, not backing down from the challenge. “If you do, I’ll be forced to air fry you,”

Seungmin huffed and sat down beside Jeongin, on the couch this time. He started mumbling something about Minho being crazy, but the dancer was already helping Jisung with his jacket.

“Anyway, I hope you guys have fun and drink so much that you puke,”

“Stop being rude,” Jeongin elbowed him. “They will for sure try to ruin our night.”

“No we won’t,” Jisung huffed, rolling his eyes. “We actually do have a new code, remember ?”

“I’m actually really excited to get to go this year,” Felix said, beaming brightly at Chan. “I know you hate these types of things, but now we get to dance together and drink together. That will be fun, won’t it?”

Chan’s smile melted Felix’s heart.

“Of course it will, baby,” He said sincerely, pressing a small kiss to Felix’s cheek. “Are we ready to go?”

Changbin looked down at his suit, making sure that there was not a single piece of fuzz or lint on it.

“I think we’re ready,” He answered, checking Hyunjin for confirmation. The blonde nodded in agreement.

“We will see you all tomorrow,” Jeongin announced as he stood up. He dragged Seungmin, as the other was still complaining about being left out. Jeongin whispered something in his boyfriend’s ear, causing him to bolt up immediately. “Right...try not to need us,”

“Minecraft,” Seungmin mumbled, eyes looking far away. Jeongin cackled and pushed Seungmin further toward the door. “Don’t forget your coats and an umbrella!

“Sometimes their dynamic astounds me. Other times, I’m severely disturbed,” Jisung admitted out-loud. “Right now, I think it’s a bit of both,”

Hyunjin hated to admit that Jisung was correct.

“It’s always a bit of both,” He agreed.

Minho clapped his hands together.

“Are we ready to go now? We are boarding on fashionably late and insufferably tardy,”

The panic in Chan’s eyes was enough to get everyone moving out the door. The group separated temporarily for their travels. Felix called a car for himself and Chan while the other four were going to be taking Changbin’s car.

Changbin kept drumming his hands on the steering wheel nervously as he drove. He really wasn’t even sure why he was so on edge. The Gala wasn’t something to fear really. He was probably just nervous about the fact that the album Jihyo had been recording also drops at midnight. The company has a lot riding on the comeback. Changbin already doesn’t want anything looking for failure in their work.

Hyunjin grabbed Changbin’s right hand, and held it tightly in both of his. The artist wanted desperately to remind his boyfriend to breathe. He had never had the pleasure of attending such an event, but he didn’t think it was worth this amount of nerves. He tried to understand, though, the same way that Changbin had been supportive of his exhibit.

Felix and Chan were waiting under their umbrella, outside the steps when they all arrived in the front. The valet parker quickly hopped into the driver’s seat after they all had gotten out to greet their friends. The producers grouped together for a moment before slowly walking their dates with them. Chan made sure to go in first, hand steering Felix in the correct direction with a hand on the small of his back. The rain made them shiver, even under the extra coats that they grabbed.

The event hall was gorgeous, basically a large ballroom. Hyunjin tried to keep his jaw from dropping at the sight. His hand was lightly looped around part of Changbin’s bicep, holding onto the inner part like an anchor. Theoretically, Hyunjin knew that the company his boyfriend worked for was rich. He knew that the producers got paid well. He was still entirely too shocked to see the sheer amount of idols and stars just casually walking around.

Hyunjin watched Park Jihyo make a bee-line for the three producers. Changbin squeezed his hand before walking to greet the idol in a respectful, yet entirely casual way. He was shocked to see the woman wrap her arms around each of them in a surprising hug. She hugged Jisung last, gripping onto him for just a little bit longer.

It became evident that Jisung had yet to talk to the singer, just by the way she was looking at the youngest producer. She did have stars in her eyes, not unlike how Felix looked at Chan. Minho did a very good job of staying a respectful distance away. The elder dancer found it mostly amusing to watch as Jisung floundered in front of her.

“This is real character growth, Minho hyung,” Hyunjin muttered from beside him as they watched the producers.

“I trust Sungie,” He admitted. He looked around for a waiter for a moment before flagging one day.

“Good, because you have nothing to worry about,” Felix sighed. “Has Chan always been this popular, or am I just now seeing it?”

Hyunjin’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he looked at the pinched look on Felix’s face. He followed the line of sight, noticing that a few more idols had started to flock the producers. The three had gotten roped into more conversations, and Jihyo still clung to Jisung’s side.

“Should we interrupt?” Hyunjin questioned out-loud. “I really don’t know how to boyfriend properly at a social event like this,”

Minho snorted.

“No, we should just let them be,” He sighed. “Besides, I know a bunch of these idols. They’re pretty good kids,”

Felix rolled his eyes.

“Just wait until they notice that you are you , hyung,” Felix stated.

“We’ll loose you to the wolves as well,” Hyunjin said solemnly. “Lixie and I all alone in this world. What should we do?”

Felix laughed, shaking his head.

“We can dance?”

“We can,” Hyunjin agreed just as the waiter showed up with three glasses of champagne.

“Minho-ssi!” One of the idols practically yelled.

“Ah…here it goes,” Minho sighed. “Jeongyeong-ssi, hello,”

Hyunjin watched as Minho got roped into the chaos by Jeongyeong. He laughed at something the girl had said, causing Jisung’s attention to be diverted directly to him. Jisung sighed, moving to lighty take Minho’s hand in his. Like this, Hyunjin thought, there was no denying that they were a couple. Felix leaned into his side as they both watched as Jihyo’s face fell in pain.

“He should have told her,” Hyunjin whispered.

“She probably feels embarrassed now,” Felix agreed. “She made such a display earlier,”

Hyunjin nodded.

“What’s our plan, Lixie?” He asked. “Do we divide and conquer? Or do we hit the dance floor?”

Felix took a deep breath and squared back his shoulders.

“We divide and conquer,” He stated firmly before he headed right toward Chan.

Hyunjin had a harder time asserting himself, but all of that was gone when he watched someone he didn’t recognize wrap their arm around Changbin’s bicep. Hyunjin moved quickly into the line of fire. His boyfriend’s face lit up the moment he saw him. He reached for Hyunjin, gripping him tightly to his side, and proudly introduced him to the idols standing around.

The meal wasn’t so bad, in Hyunjin’s opinion. The CEO’s long speech after the food was served was by far the worst part. He kept checking his phone, sending games back and forth with Felix while the rest of their table listened. Even Minho looked like he was paying attention to the obnoxious man on stage.

“Oh thank fuck,” Hyunjin muttered when the CEO finally walked off stage and couples began to get up and dance.

Changbin turned toward him with a raised eyebrow.

“Don’t think that I didn’t see you playing games on your phone, Hwang Hyunjin.” He teased. “Do you want to go dance, darling?”

“Yes,” Hyunjin sighed in relief. He needed to stop sitting as soon as possible.

“Changbin-ah, don’t dance too hard or you’ll throw up,” Minho smirked.

Changbin rolled his eyes.

“That was one time in high school, Min!” He laughed. “I’m a big boy. I can handle the food, alcohol and dancing.”

Minho’s eyes brightened at the tone of Changbin’s voice.

“ Noooo ,” Jisung groaned.

“You wanna bet, Changbinnie?” Minho teased.

To Hyunjin’s horror, his boyfriend smirked devilishly back at him.

“Yeah, Min. I bet you that I can hold it all together. I’m a grown man now,”

“I bet that you’re crying by the end of the night because you couldn’t handle it,” Minho stated firmly, standing up to walk in front of Changbin. “What do you say, Binnie?”

“Bet,” Changbin laughed, clasping Minho’s hand in his own. “Where shall we start?”

“By the bar, Mr. Seo,” Minho teased, motioning for the two of them to head on over to the bar. “We will be back, Hyunjinnie,”

“I’ll go dance with Lix and Ji,” He sighed, looking over at his friends.

Jisung’s face was pinched up, like he suddenly ate something terrible. Chan was looking down at his hands, as if they were the most interesting things in the world. Felix looked slightly lost, but not completely out of the loop.

“They make the stupidest bets,” Felix sighed as he stood up. “Ready, Jinnie?”

Hyunjin nodded as he went around the table to go to the dance floor with Felix. There was a nagging sensation in the back of his head. He couldn’t quite figure out what it was, and the frustration started to rise every moment that he couldn’t find a conclusion.

The pair danced together, sans Jisung who was still at the table with Chan. They both looked incredibly worried about something. Felix kept looking over, but he didn’t have any more answers than Hyunjin did. They made it through three songs, watched Changbin and Minho down two martines from afar, before they decided on a bathroom break.

“Do they do this kind of thing often?” Hyunjin asked, deciding to break the ice as they walked into the back hallway. “The bet stuff?”

Felix huffed.

“It used to be like wayyyy more frequent. They were horrible in high school, like more teenage boys are. It’s been kinda calm for the last few years…”

“But?” Hyunjin asked, pushing open the bathroom door. Thankfully, they were all alone.

“But they always bet over the dumbest things now. Sometimes it gets too serious, which is why I try to stay out of it. I got really upset at them a few years ago.”

“What happened?”

“They bet on whether they could pull one of my friends from my dance program or not,” Felix huffed. “I told them to leave me out of all of their bets since then.”

Hyunjin winched.

“Sorry, Lix. That sounds terrible,”

“It was. The person thought it was my fault and decided that they hated me after that.” Felix admitted.

The pair quickly went to use the bathroom, and washed their hands before heading back out of the bathroom. Hyunjin couldn’t say if this new bet was on that level of stupidity, but he understood Felix’s frustration. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to bring it up to Changbin or not. Was it really his place to say something? He didn’t really know. Hyunjin settled for just wanting to ask Changbin about why they make stupid bets.

Changbin and Minho were now eating the snacks that got passed around as well as drinking another drink. Hyunjin didn’t recgonize it, but he figured that he’d ask Chan to drive them home now instead. The artist sighed, but he didn’t find himself that upset. It was nice to see Changbin being playful with Minho again.

“I don’t care if they called the bet off early, hyung. It’s wrong,” Jisung’s voice carried as Felix and Hyunjin walked closer.

“Sung, I know,” Chan agreed. “I hate it too, but I promised Bin that I would keep my mouth shut,”

“He’s still keeping it from him?” Jisung’s voice wobbled. “ No ,”

Felix and Hyunjin exchanged worried looks as they got closer.

“I thought he told Hyunjin weeks ago, Sungie,” Chan huffed. “Listen, it’s wrong. We all agree that it’s wrong, but it’s over, yeah? We can just…move on from it?”

“Move on from it? Hyung, they’re dating . Doesn’t Hyunjin deserve to know the truth?”

Hyunjin felt his heart start to speed up. His eyes snapped from Felix to Changbin and Minho, to the back of Jisung and Chan’s heads. The panic that he initially feels when he meets strangers felt like it was coming back, but a thousand times stronger. He knew . He knew something was wrong and he had ignored it.

“W-what do I deserve to know?” Hyunjin’s voice betrayed him. It cracked in the wrong places, making him feel just a vulnerable as it sounded.

Jisung’s head whipped around to stare at his friends with wide eyes.

“N-nothing! I just…ate too much cheesecake?”

“Sung,” Felix’s deep voice called, sounding heartbroken.

Felix sounded like he had already caught on where Hyunjin was lagging.

“Hyunjin…” Chan said softly, standing up from the table. “I promise, we wanted to tell you. We wanted Changbin to tell you from the start,”

Jisung jumped up as well, coming close and grabbing his hands. Hyunjin’s mind felt like it was crawling through fog, but there was a small light bulb carrying him home. He was almost at the conclusion, but he couldn’t figure it out.

“Tell me…” Hyunjin trailed off, looking over at Minho and Changbin once again. “What’s going on, hyung?”

Jisung squeezed his hands.

“I thought that Changbin told you weeks ago. I’m sorry, I should have stopped them from the start,”

From the start. Hyunjin looked over at Jisung’s wide, empathetic eyes and he felt like the ground was going to swallow him whole. He looked at Chan, seeing a nearly identical expression on his face. The way that Chan was talking to him at the Halloween party suddenly made a lot of sense. Changbin saying that he had to tell him something really important. Minho’s knowing smirks that he sent to Hyunjin from the beginning. It was starting to make sense.

Felix gasped beside him, tugging on his arm.

“Jinnie..let’s go. Let’s get out of here.”

The rage started to fill up Hyunjin’s body in a way that he had never experienced before.

“Let go of me, Felix.” Hyunjin said, voice sharp as a knife. Felix instantly let go of his friends’s arm. “Did you know?”

Felix was shaking his head quickly.

“We agreed not to tell Felix,” Chan sighed. “Well, I made them. It’s upsets Felix-”

“ Upsets Felix ?!” Hyunjin laughed, feeling the anger start to secrete from every pore on his body. “You didn’t want to upset Felix more than not telling me ?”

Jisung took a step forward.

“Jinnie, I swear I tried to get them to stop it,”

“Yet you knew the entire time?!” Hyunjin asked, feeling his voice raise again. “How…how could you allow me to fall for him like that…knowing that…”

Hyunjin couldn’t finish the sentence. He looked at the three people in front of them. He had never seen such expressions up close and personal before. He had seen this sort of thing on dramas, but he never thought that he’d get to experience this first hand. Hyunjin opened his mouth and closed it again. No one moved, understanding that this moment was pivotal in Hyunjin’s life.

“Darling! I’m on my way to winning the bet…” Changbin said, trailing off. He was behind Hyunjin, the artist could feel how close the producer was now standing to him. Chan was trying to communicate with his eyes. Jisung was already crying a little bit. “Jinnie-ah?”

Hyunjin closed his eyes and took a deep breath before whipping around to face his boyfriend. Changbin and Minho startled for a moment, trying their best to take in the situation before them.

“Bet?” Hyunjin said, voice low.

Minho looked between them.

“You heard it Hyunjin-ah,” Minho teased, trying to ease the tension. “I bet Changbin that he-”

“Is it true?” Hyunjin cut Minho off. “Am I a bet?”

Changbin nearly choked on the air he breathed in.

“Jinnie-”

“Am I a bet? Am I a fucking bet ?!” Hyunjin seethed.

Changbin took in another deep breath. He tried to keep himself calm, feeling the typhoon of emotions rolling off of Hyunjin in gigantic waves. He barely registered with his friends concerning faces. He couldn’t be bothered to care about the neighboring tables around them, if they cared to eavesdrop at all.

“Yes,” Changbin said softly, unable to deny the truth. His heart felt like it was shattering at Hyunjin took in the answer. He looked around at their friends, seeing their faces. Hyunjin’s eyes turned cold, calculating as they looked back at Changbin.

Hyunjin didn’t have to utter a word for Changbin to know the damage that the truth had done. The artist turned and very quickly started toward the exit. Changbin’s heart broke as he watched Hyunjin rush away from him. He turned to look at his friends, eyes landing on Felix. Tears were streaming down his face.

“Hyung, how could you?” He whispered in disappointment.

Changbin opened his mouth to explain, but realized that Hyunjin was the one that needed to hear it the most. He turned around and ran off toward the direction that Hyunjin had gone in.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Hyunjin!” He called, seeing the blonde at the end of the hall. “Hyunjin,

please

,”

The artist didn’t stop when he was called. Changbin broke out into a run, determined not to lose track of the artist. Hyunjin was lost, evident by his sudden stopping at the end of the hall. He couldn’t find the coat rack that they stopped by when they walked in. He was sure it was this way, but now he couldn’t tell.

Changbin caught up to him, and lightly took his wrist.

Hyunjin ripped his arm from his grasp.

“Fuck you,” He seethed. “Leave me alone,”

“Jinnie, please,” He begged. “

Please

, let’s talk about this,”

“Talk about this? You want to

talk

about the fact that you placed a fucking

bet

on me?!” Hyunjin yelled again. He shook his head and turned away from Changbin once more. “Leave me alone,”

Hyunjin started moving again, jogging away from Changbin. He caught sight of the room of coats.

“We called it off at the beginning as I was getting to know you, Hyunjin,” Changbin called, picking up his pace. “It was stupid to even make a bet,”

“What was it on then? Bet the scary art major would be pretty if he just took off his glasses? Bet that you could make me into the perfect boyfriend? What was it? What were the stakes for you?” He snapped, not daring to look back at Changbin.

“Minho just bet that I couldn’t make anyone fall in love with me. I…bet that I could.”

“Perfect,” Hyunjin laughed, the sound grating even to his own ears. “You proved that I could, congratulations. Thanks for manipulating me,”

Changbin huffed.

“It wasn’t

like

that,”

Hyunjin suddenly turned around to face the producer. Tears were streaming down his face.

“Then what was it like? What could you possibly say that will make it all okay? That you could treat me like…an object,”

Changbin tried to reach out to Hyunjin. The artist took a step back. Changbin whipped his own tears from his face. He hadn’t realized he was even crying.

“I liked you before Minho chose you. He chose you without knowing we’d already met. I meant every single word that I’ve ever said to you, Hyunjin. You…you really looked like you needed a friend,”

Hyunjin shook his head and looked up. More tears fell from his eyes. He took a deep breath in. Things, sadly, really started to add up.

“You made me need you,” Hyunji huffed. “To stroke your own ego. You made me love you to prove that you can make anyone love you, most of all someone who wanted nothing to do with you. You’re…unbelievable. I can’t believe I let myself…I can’t believe you made me need you,”

Hyunjin turned around and shoved the door open to hurry down the steps outside the building. The cold Seoul air pierced their lungs as they stepped into it.

“Hyunie… I didn’t… I didn’t mean to make you need me,”

Hyunjin whirled around and stalked toward Changbin. He couldn’t stop the venom from pouring from his own lips. His heart throbbed in his chest, hoping that this was all such a terrible dream.

“I never wanted to need you! I never even wanted to be near you the entire time that I’ve known of you, Seo Changbin. You were nothing to me before you… before you did this to me. And for WHAT?! So you could prove that anyone would fall for you? You’re selfish, and cruel. How could I ever love someone like you?”

The rage was evident in Hyunjin’s eyes, but Changbin couldn’t deny the immense pain that blurred over the others eyes and fell in fresh tears down his cheeks. Even when his heart was breaking, Hwang Hyunjin was the most beautiful being he’d ever seen.

“I’m sorry, Jinnie,” Changbin whispered, bringing his hand toward Hyunjin’s face to wipe away the tears there. Hyunjin allowed it only for a moment before he was shoving Changbin away from him with starling strength.

“Don’t call me that. And don’t ever call me again. I hate you,” Hyunjin whispered, voice crackling before he turned around and started to run down the wet street, dressed in his Versace suit.

Changbin watched as his heart was ripped from his chest. He walked back until he could lower himself onto the cold concrete stairs. He didn’t care that his suit would need some major care after the night; he just wished that he could rewind to the beginning. He wished that he would have told Hyunjin. No, he wished he’d never agreed to bet on Hyunjin.

“Hyung,” Jisung whispered, coming over to hold an umbrella over his head. “Hyung, c’mon let’s go inside. You… you’ll get sick,”

Changbin shook his head as he heard more footsteps approach him from behind. He let his head fall into his hands and the sobs suddenly started to rip through his body. He was cruel, so very cruel for not telling the truth.

“Jisungie’s right, Bin-ah. Let’s get back inside,” Minho said softly, wrapping Changbin’s forgotten coat around the producer. “You’ve had too much to drink and it’s freezing.”

“Leave me alone,” Changbin mumbled, shrugging Minho off.

Jisung looked between the two best friends, feeling completely hopeless to the situation. Minho looked angry, but also mostly concerned. Jisung felt angry at them, they had done this to themselves in the first place. Honestly, Jisung had all but forgotten about it in the midst of his own Minho drama. He wished that he paid more attention to his surroundings. He wished Hyunjin never overheard them.

Felix lightly tugged on the elbow of Jisung’s coat to get the other’s attention. He nodded toward the entrance, suggesting that they go back inside. Chan was already walking closer to them, presumably to take Jisung’s place as the umbrella holder. Jisung took in a deep breath and eventually let go once Chan had a hold of it. Jisung allowed Felix to tug him back inside.

Jisung looked over his shoulder, taking in the three roommates. He felt bitter, because he knew that nothing was ever going to be the same again. After tonight, the very fabric that holds them all together might just be torn into two.

“At least one of the three of you should be inside when they celebrate,” Felix mumbled as they walked the long hallway back to the main event room. It felt much longer walking back than it did when they all collectively decided to run after Changbin and Hyunjin.

“Yeah,” Jisung said sadly.

Jisung didn’t find joy in his achievements at this very moment. He didn’t feel like he could properly celebrate when his two best friends just had their hearts ripped open. Jisung knew that the couple had fallen in love; he just hated that he got to witness first hand how love can tear people apart. He didn’t want to have to take a side in all of this. The truth was, Hyunjin would likely never want to speak to him again.

Jisung found himself accepting a small dance with Jihyo as Minho finally made his way back to their table. Chan and Changbin were noticeably missing. Felix was turned away from his brother in anger, at least that’s what it looked like when he whirled past them with Jihyo. Everything felt wrong, like he shouldn’t still be here given the circumstances.

After the song, Jisung respectfully declined further dances with the singer and went to sit beside Felix. Minho looked hurt, but Jisung couldn’t bring himself to be near his boyfriend at the moment. He wanted to be there for Felix, who was blindsided by it all as well.

“We should call our car,” Minho said softly, in between songs playing. “It’s getting late,”

“Yeah,” Felix agreed, standing up and walking away without waiting for the other two.

Minho walked around and reached for Jisung’s hand.

“I’m sorry, Jisung,” He said sincerely.

Jisung took in Minho’s remorseful expression. He

knew

his boyfriend was sorry. He knew that Minho truly didn’t mean any harm to Hyunjin or Changbin. He knew logically, still he couldn’t stop his feelings from wanting to lash out at the dancer.

Jisung sighed.

“Let’s just go, hyung,” He said, entirely too tired to fight.

•••

Hyunjin ran straight to the nearest bus station that would take him as close to his apartment as he could get. His lungs burned from the running and from the cold. His throat felt scratchy from the yelling, probably the crying too, and he just longed for his bed. His anger was starting to simmer, but only if he tried to tune it all out.

Everything that had happened between Changbin and him suddenly felt like a lie. He felt there were things that were right in front of his face the entire time and he was just too blind to see them. He thought about how adamant Changbin was about saying that he chose Hyunjin. It made more sense now. Hyunjin had been chosen, just not in the way that would make it all okay.

But sometimes even those who don’t want to hurt you, will be the same people who are holding the knife in your back

Hyunjin’s eyes pricked with tears once again. He knew better than to let others into his heart like this. He knew from the start that this all was a terrible idea. He

had

been waiting for the other shoe to drop, and the more it didn’t, the more he could pretend that he deserved to be that happy. He was too tired to do anything other than cry.

The bus finally pulled to a stop near his apartment, and he forced his legs to move so he could get out. There was a part of him that never wanted to get off the bus, he wanted to be welded to the seat for decades to come. He would have loved to be anywhere else other than there by himself.

He didn’t have the energy to call his brother to let him know that he was coming back. He assumed that Seungmin and Jeongin had gone to Seungmin’s apartment for the night. He hoped like hell that he could be all alone. Just for the night, at least. He needed just the night.

The apartment was dark and silent when he arrived. Hyunjin sighed in relief, because at least now he could cry in peace. His legs burned in protest as he nearly ran to his room to peel off the rain-soaked suit. He would have to send it to get dry cleaned.

Hyunjin turned off his phone and shoved it underneath his pillow. He lost all motivation to shower, and instead just sat on his bed in his boxer briefs. The rage was sure to come again, but he just felt like everything was zapped from his body.

Hyunjin wanted to toss the shirt that lay rumpled on his bed away. He wanted to set fire to every part of himself that belonged to Changbin. He wished he could get rid of the producer's presence automatically.

The artist stood up and dug through his drawers to find something that didn’t remind him of Changbin. He tossed shirts left and right until he found one that wasn’t tainted by his memories. He pulled it over his body, and left his room without looking back.

Hyunjin wanted to rip up his artwork, but he knew that his grades and future depended on it. He wished he had the guts to dye his own hair, longing for a creative release, but he knew that he loved his blonde hair. He shoved down the urge to buzz it all off, because that would just cause more mental problems.

Hyunjin wanted to do a lot of things, but he chose to wrap himself in a blanket on the couch and try to shut his eyes. His heart aches deeply, because try all he might, he did need Changbin. He didn’t need him in the sense that he couldn’t function. Hyunjin might have preferred that. He needed him because regardless of how much pain he was in, that’s who his heart had longed for.

As hard as he tried not to think about it, Hyunjin felt the memories run at him at full speed. He remembered his heart jumping the very first time Changbin even looked at him in that coffee shop. He could admit to himself now how happy he was to have been seen by Seo Changbin. His traitorous heart leaped, while he snapped and tried to keep the producer away from him.

Tears started to fall down his cheeks and onto the fabric of the old couch. He didn’t try to stop them this time. He allowed himself to deeply feel the love that he had lost. He allowed himself to mourn at the loss of his friends, his partner and his self. He didn’t know what he was going to be like now that it had been ripped from him.

Hyunjin wanted to blame himself. He wanted to put the burden on his own shoulders, because

he knew better

. He knew that was wrong; there wasn’t anything he did other than fall in love. He didn’t do anything to deserve the betrayal. He didn’t ask for this kind of pain.

But still, as Hyunjin laid crying on his couch, he felt the weight settle onto him and the guilt wrap around his heart.

•••

“I know you’re upset Bin, but I don’t think I should leave you alone tonight,” Chan admitted, as he parked Changbin’s car in the designated spot.

“I don’t want you near me,” Changbin said bluntly, eyes emotionless. “I don’t want

anyone

near me, hyung,”

Chan studied the younger producer's face long enough for the tears to start streaming down his face again. Chan was at a loss for what to do at the moment. Changbin hadn’t been the one to show such a vulnerable side to himself before. Chan knew that his friend had a high level of emotional intelligence, and he usually had his head on straight. He wished that he could see into his thoughts as they sat in the dark.

“Binnie, it’s going to work out, even if you don’t like the results,” Chan said softly. “Hyunjin might never forgive you, but you should at least explain it all from the beginning,”

Changbin scoffed.

“He said that he hates me,”

Chan winced, because he had missed that part.

“Binnie…”

“The worst part is that I don’t blame him!” Changbin laughed without humor. “Everything that Hyunjin said to me, I know that I deserved it. I should have told him from the very beginning. I should have called off the bet, because I

knew

hyung. I

knew

that I was instantly drawn to him. He was there at Haewon the night that Mina and I broke up. I looked up and I

saw

him. I tried finding him everywhere and then…he was there when Minho…”

Chan’s heart twisted as he watched his best friend cry in the seat beside him. Changbin didn’t push his hand away when he reached over to hold Changbin’s hands. The producer started to cry in earnest. The sobs wracked through his entire body. Chan didn’t know that all of those things had happened in Changbin’s mind before the bet. He felt bad, because it probably made everything worse.

“Bin-ah, you gotta apologize sincerely,” Chan said softly. “Not now, give him a few days, but you gotta be honest, mate.”

Changbin closed his eyes and took a strangled breath in.

“Hyung, he was the love of my life and I royally fucked it all up. I don’t know how to apologize,” Changbin admitted.

“We can talk about it later. You need to go inside now and lay down. Maybe drink some water,” Chan tried to coax. “I promise that I will leave you alone, if you want,”

Changbin looked up at his friend.

“You should talk to Felix,”

“I will, promise. I’m just worried about you,” Chan said softly.

The younger producer nodded once and looked away from his friend’s intense gaze. Chan was way too good for him. He didn’t deserve his friend’s kindness, yet Chan was promising not to leave his side. Changbin nearly wanted to take him up on the offer, knowing that Chan could go full on mother hen if need be.

“Text Felix, and if he said go, you should go to him,” Changbin settled.

Chan helped him to his room. The alcohol from the evening, mixed with the emotions coursing through his veins, made him feel discombobulated. The Aussie walked him to his room, and helped him get changed despite his protests. Chan brought him water to drink so he wouldn’t have that big of a headache later. Changbin tried to keep his tears in as Chan picked up a few of Hyunjin’s things and put them away so he wouldn’t see them.

“I’m staying here tonight,” Chan announced at the doorway of Changbin’s bedroom. “Please text me if you need something, yeah?”

Changbin nodded once, wrapping his blanket around him and turning away from the door, on his side. Chan sighed before turning off the light and leaving him to his own thoughts. He thought back to the night where he actually confessed to Hyunjin. He wondered what would have been different if the artist had only been awake. He wondered if Hyunjin would have gotten up out of his bed and walked away then.

If Changbin was in Hyunjin’s place, he knows that he would have left just like the artist did. He knew that he probably would have felt the anger too deep and maybe he would have thrown something. He definitely wouldn’t give someone the time and day to apologize.

Changbin tossed himself onto his back, and stared at his ceiling for entirely too long. He didn’t even know how he could start to fix everything; he didn’t even know if that was possible. Hyunjin was so headstrong, a beautiful force to be reckoned with. He didn’t stand a chance if he didn’t properly prepare to grovel when the time came.

If only he hadn’t let his pride get in the way, things might have been different. If he had talked to Hyunjin organically, would have they fallen so hard in love? Changbin thought so, because of how he saw Hyunjin before he even started everything. He huffed out as he started to cry again. The room was feeling spinny and his emotions certainly weren’t making it better.

Changbin didn’t know how he could possibly pull it off, but he decided that his misery wasn’t going to be the end of them. He was going to sincerely try his best, regardless of how horrible he felt.

•••

Hyunjin felt like he had been emotionally run over when he woke up. His apartment was quiet still, no signs of his brother being home. He rubbed his eyes, wincing at the soreness. His back was aching terribly from the position he was in.

He rose from the couch slowly, wrapping the blanket around him so the only part of him that showed was his eyes. The artist made his way to his room to finally turn on his phone.

Hyunjin felt guilty at the amount of text messages that came through. A few were from Taehyung about his exhibit, so he would definitely have to respond to those. He wanted to ignore everyone else.

Hyunjin was both relieved and enraged that Changbin didn’t even tried to call him. His heart throbbed at the mere thought of the producer. Hyunjin tried to focus back on his tasks instead of cry again, but the tears started flowing again.

Jisung had sent him a long, lengthy apology. Hyunjin cried harder when he saw his best friend grovel and agonize over withholding information. He didn’t know what to

do

in this situation. He wasn’t equipped with the tools to navigate it.

Felix told Hyunjin that he would always be there for him. Hyunjin smiled a little, remembering back when Felix had sworn to always be in his corner.

Hyunjin sent the other man a simple heart emoji to convey his sincerity. Felix was the only one who wasn’t involved.

Chan and Minho’s messages were short and simple. Chan kept apologizing and saying that it wasn’t his place to have talked about it in the first place. Hyunjin understood the eldest, but he was also too angry to respond.

Minho’s message was simply an apology and a request to speak in person about the matter. He wanted Hyunjin to have all of the facts first. Hyunjin turned his read receipts on for Minho so the dancer would know he read the messages.

Jeongin and Seungmin hadn’t messaged him either. He was grateful for that. He didn’t want to drag them into all of it when they just wanted an uninterrupted night together.

Hyunjin huffed in annoyance at himself for wanting something he shouldn’t. He nearly slammed his phone down on the bedside table and crawled into the center of his bed.

Maybe if he went to sleep, he’d wake up from the horrible dream.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Hyung?” Jeongin’s voice called through their apartment. He had rushed back as soon as the Babies, and Minho, told Seungmin and him what had happened. Jeongin was upset, incredibly so, but he was much more concerned for his brother. “Hyung?”

Jeongin lightly knocked on Hyunjin’s bedroom door. The artist didn’t answer from the other side. As softly as he could, Jeongin opened the door. The room was dark, despite it being the early afternoon. Hyunjin was hidden underneath a pile of blankets on his bed. He didn’t look up when his brother came closer.

“I’m fine, Innie,” Hyunjin mumbled, voice tough and cracking.

Jeongin’s heart shook at the sound.

“No, you aren’t,” He whispered. “Hyung,”

“I’m fine,” He responded. “Just need to sleep,”

The younger Hwang brother stood at the side of his brother’s bed. It was clear that Hyunjin had spent some time crying, the crumpled up tissues on the nightstand and the floor were evidence of that. Hyunjin didn’t usually cry like this. He didn’t ever really show his emotions that well and it was concerning.

“Hyung…” Jeongin trailed off. “Do you need anything? I can make you some food…I can-”

“I’m not hungry, Jeongin-ah,” He huffed horsley. “Please, just let me sleep,”

Jeongin chewed on his bottom lip.

“I’m…I…hyung,” He struggled with what to say.

“ Please ,” Hyunjin begged, voice echoing loudly in his dark room.

“Okay,” Jeongin sighed out softly, backing away from his brother’s bed.

Hyunjin didn’t offer up any more words, so Jeongin slowly made his way out of the room. The moment the door shut, Jeongin allowed tears to well up in his eyes. His brother, The Hwang Hyunjin, was the strongest person he knew. He was the one to face their problems head on. He was the one that held Jeongin when he was a mess. Jeongin didn’t know what to do in this situation.

Jeongin hated that his friends did this to his older brother. He felt torn in two when Minho had explained everything in detail in the Babies’ kitchen when he came limping slightly in behind Jisung. The youngest producer looked a little too happy and proud of himself despite the situation. Apparently the couple had reconciled pretty quickly, as a result of already having in-depth conversations about the betting when they first got together. Once Jisung saw Jeongin still there, his face twisted in remorse. Felix looked pretty bad off, and it was clear he wasn’t happy with the eldest friends. Chan wasn’t there, backing up Jeongin’s theory.

When the truth came out, Jeongin moved without much thought toward Minho. He swung his fist toward the other, but Seungmin had pulled him rapidly by the waist at the same time Jisung wrapped his arms around Minho and tugged him out of the line of fire. Jeongin felt the fire in his veins and Seungmin had to make sure he calmed down before he left.

“I don’t know what to do, Minnie,” Jeongin admitted over the phone to his boyfriend. “I really want to help him,”

“It’s bad then?” Seungmin asked with a sigh. “I’m currently in Felix’s bed with him. He’s sleeping, but he got in a fight with Minho earlier after you left”

Jeongin sighed deeply.

“Good.”

“Jeongin…” Seungmin warned.

“Continue,”

“Look, Felix loves Hyunjin a lot. We all do. Of course Felix is going to side with Hyunjin.” Seungmin admitted. “Jisung and Minho worked out whatever they were fighting about, but I can tell that Jisung is really hurt still,”

“Have you heard from Changbin hyung?” Jeongin asked softly. Even when he was mad, he still held a soft spot for the producer. He felt blindsided because of how much Changbin loved his brother.

His boyfriend sighed heavily.

“He hasn’t left his room all day. Chan hyung said he can hear music coming from the room, so hopefully that’s a good sign,”

“I hope he stubs his big toe,”

“Jeongin,” Seungmin huffed.

“And I hope that his bus card runs out of funds at the most inconvenient time, when he decides not to drive. I hope that every single Americano he drinks has expired espresso in it. I hope that he-”

“Jeongin, he’s in a lot of pain because of his actions too,” Seungmin sighed. “We shouldn’t choose sides here,”

“I don’t care if he’s in pain. He deserves it,” Jeongin said firmly, but he still winced at his own words. “And I will choose to side with Hyunjin.”

“I wouldn’t wish this pain on anyone,” Seungmin said, voice straining with emotion. “I just…I think about losing you like this. I think that it would tear me into two. I wouldn’t be able to function for a few weeks, let alone days, Innie,”

Jeongin’s face screwed up tightly.

“I…I’m so mad,” He admitted. “I don’t know what to do and that makes me even more upset,”

“I know…look, this is going to take some time. I don’t know how much time, but I think that hyung is going to apologize to Hyunjin. He loves Hyunjin with his whole heart,”

“Then why would he do this to Hyunjin?” The younger asked out of exasperation.

“He didn’t mean for it to go this far,” Seungmin’s voice came softly. “Minho filled in some gaps, but it’s still true that Changbin fell ass over tits in love,”

Jeongin took a deep breath.

“He will need a miracle to fix it. And I’m not going to help him,”

“I know, baby. Me either,” Seungmin agreed. “It’s….this entire situation sucks, but somehow it’s all gonna work out,”

“What happened to the Seungmin that would say we’re doomed?” The youngest huffed out a laugh.

Despite not being able to physically see him, Jeongin knew that the other man was smiling softly.

“I fell in love, I guess,”

“Boooooooo,” Jeongin called teasingly. “Thanks for talking to me,”

“Anytime. I hear Minho leaving, so I’m going to get up soon. Hyunjin’s not responding to anyone, so….just tell him that we love him still, and that’s not gonna change,”

“Okay,” Jeongin added softly.

Jeongin got up from his bed and went to the kitchen to start making some tea. He started to pull leftovers from the refrigerator to heat up for Hyunjin, despite his brother’s protest of not needing help. He worried over the artist, but there wasn’t much more he could do other than try his very best to be there for him.

Once the soup was heated up and a cup of tea poured into a mug, Jeongin arranged everything onto a lap tray to take to Hyunjin. He leaned against the door for a moment, listening to see if he could hear signs of movement. There was nothing, so Jeongin took a deep breath.

“Hyung, I brought you food and tea,” He called.

There was no answer, which Jeongin expected. He sat the tray down on the ground and tried to turn the knob. Jeongin was shocked to find that Hyunjin had locked his door. Tears of frustration started to well up, because he just wanted to help .

“Leave it at the door,” Hyunjin’s muffled voice came from the inside.

Jeongin looked down at the tray in disdain. He turned around to shut himself in his own room, his anger evident in the way that he slammed the door.

•••

Changbin pulled himself from his room when he couldn’t handle the hunger in his stomach anymore. His eyes were stinging at the light change, making him groan as he walked through the hallway. He thought about ordering take out, but quickly changed his mind when he realized that he’d have to interact with people. He’d have to take the risk of seeing his roommates over that.

Chan and Minho were standing in the kitchen when he walked in. For a moment the three of them just stared at each other back and forth. No one knew what to say. Minho didn’t even have his signature playful smirk on his lips. He looked just as tired as Changbin felt like he was.

“We’re thinking about ordering food. You in?” Chan asked softly, the first to break the slightly tense atmosphere.

“Sure,” Changbin agreed easily, because now it meant that he wouldn’t be the one interacting with other humans. “Did you come home last night, Minho?”

Minho shook his head slightly.

“No, I stayed with Jisung,” He admitted. “He chewed me a good one,”

“He also fucked the shit out of you,” Chan snickered.

Minho elbowed Chan harshly.

“Not now, Channie hyung. There’s a time and place ,” Minho hissed. “But Sungie is very upset with us, mostly you, but all of us. We’re going to give each other some space this week. Not a break or a break-up. But space,”

“Felix said he doesn’t want to look at me right now,” Chan said softly. His big brown eyes showed how incredibly sad he was. “He feels really betrayed by us all, I think,”

“You think? He threw a salt shaker at me,” Minho huffed. “We’ve done worse as kids, but still,”

Changbin winced.

“This is why I didn’t want him to know either,” He admitted. “Great, so everyone is upset. Rightfully, but..”

“I wouldn’t expect Jeongin or Seungmin to be on our side,” Minho huffed. “Jeongin’s pretty livid. The kid tried to punch me on sight,”

“How’s Seungmo?” Changbin asked softly, ignoring the fact that Jeongin nearly started a fight.

“Probably just as upset, but like silently. He’s with Felix now. Jisung went to the studio.” Chan updated.

“H-has..” Changbin’s voice cracked and he couldn’t finish the sentence.

“No one has heard from Hyunjin yet,” Minho whispered, almost acting as if saying Hyunjin’s name would be easier. “Jeongin said that he’s sleeping in his room. Seungmin updated me,”

Changbin nodded, fresh tears coming to his eyes. He looked up at the ceiling, blotting them away. He didn’t deserve to cry, after putting Hyunjin through all of that. Chan reached forward and squeezed Changbin’s shoulder. He didn’t promise him that everything would work out, again. He left the words unspoken.

“At least he has all of them,” Changbin breathed out in relief. “I…how are you going to make it up to Felix, Channie hyung?”

Chan bit his bottom lip and shrugged his shoulders in defeat. Minho looked between the two of them, but he felt at a loss. He didn’t have any wise advice to give. He just had to communicate with Jisung to get the other to open up to him. Minho didn’t have an easy time, but it was easier because he did actually talk about the serious bet stuff before. He had already sworn to Jisung that he wouldn’t make serious bets anymore.

“I…I think maybe just have a serious conversation with Lix about why you didn’t tell him. I think that might have hurt him the most,” Changbin said before Minho could voice any words. “You’re so earnest with everything that you are, Chan. You both are like that. You might have to re-work on building trust with him, but that’s gonna take time,”

Chan nodded and blinked back his own tears.

“Mate, you give great advice but you’re shit at following it,”

Minho snorted a laugh.

“He really is,” He admitted. “Lix will listen to you, hyung. He probably won’t open his ears to Changbin for a while, but we can cross that bridge when we get there,”

No one had to mention that Hyunjin would be the biggest hurdle. Changbin knew though, that it would take a while. Hyunjin wasn’t the easiest to get to know before they fell in love. He would probably take even longer this time around. Changbin wanted to jump in and go to Hyunjin’s apartment now. He wanted to bed on his hands and his knees for forgiveness. He also knew that if he did that, Hyunjin wouldn’t hesitate to have him escorted away.

The three of them finally piled onto their living room couch as they waited for the food that they ordered. Changbin sat in silence as Chan and Minho started to plan their upcoming weeks together so that Changbin wasn’t really left alone. He loved his friends dearly, but there was a nasty feeling growing in his chest that told him he didn’t deserve this. It was different when they did this for him after his breakup from Chaeryeong.

Changbin finally got the courage to turn back on his own phone as they settled down with a movie. There were only a few text messages, none from their friends, and several emails to respond to. Changbin barely skimmed the email he received from Vante Studios, having purchased Hyunjin’s art, enough to know that he had another two weeks before he could come pick it up.

He had never really felt like a horrible person before. He had made mistakes and done things he wasn’t proud of. He had even said things that he wished that he could have taken back. This was by far the worst thing he could have ever done to someone that he loved. He did love Hyunjin, so much that it scared him sometimes. He felt powerless, like there was nothing he could say or do that will ever make them okay again.

Changbin would have to live with the consequences. Despite how optimistic he felt the night prior, he no longer felt like reconciling was possible. He felt like there was nothing he could say or do that will make things better. He would grovel, beg and explain, but he felt a weight in his heart that knew Hyunjin needed and deserved more than he could give. Hyunjin would have to decide what was best for himself, and Changbin would live with those results.

He didn’t want to love Hyunjin selfishly anymore. He wanted to love Hyunjin for whom the other was. He wanted to love him through all seasons and all circumstances. He wanted to cheer on the artist as he grew. He wanted to love him despite the hardships and the wins of his life. He wanted to become his biggest cheerleader simply because Hyunjin deserved it.

•••

Hwang Hyunjin woke up and decided that he wasn’t going to skip school or call off from work. He decided that he was going to get up and act as if the last month had never happened. He knew that it wasn’t going to be easy, but he wasn’t going to let a man ruin his future. He had deadlines to meet and exams to study for.

Hyunjin quickly picked out an outfit and showered. He brushed his teeth, did his skincare routine and carefully fixed his hair. He went into the kitchen with purpose, causing Jeongin to jump at the cacophony of sound. The younger brother watched him with lazer sharp eyes as he moved around to grab some coffee for himself.

“You’re up?”

“I’m up,” Hyunjin admitted, sending his brother his best smile. “What time does your first class start?”

“Uh…” Jeongin looked down at his watch. “In an hour?”

“Great, let’s go together,”

Jeongin watched his brother as he disappeared back down the hall to pick up his things. An unsettling feeling filled Jeongin’s body. The Hyunjin that had just appeared before him was nothing like the brother he encountered the night before. He shook his head and downed the rest of his coffee. He could already hear Hyunjin moving back through the hallway.

“Have you talked to Felix yet?” Jeongin asked softly as they put on their shoes.

“Nope,” Hyunjin stated, shrugging as he shoved his sneakers on. “I don’t know when I’ll talk to him. I mean, he’s not really obligated to be my friend anymore,”

“Obligated?” Jeongin asked, confusion evident in his tone. “Felix is one of your best friends…”

“Felix is Chan’s boyfriend, Minho’s brother and Changbin’s friend, Jeongin.” Hyunjin said quickly, the tone of his voice suddenly harsh. “He no longer has to tolerate me,”

“Tolerate?” Jeongin huffed, but Hyunjin had already rushed out the door. Jeongin shook his head in annoyance, and left to catch up with his brother. Hyunjin was acting unhinged, in a way that was slightly concerning. He wished he understood fully what was going on in his head.

Had Hyunjin not realized that the entirety of the Babies had his back? Didn’t he know they were upset with the hyungs too? Jeongin quickly texted the Babies, because there was no way he was going to let his brother self-destruct to this level.

Hyunjin took the moment alone to close his eyes and take a deep breath in. He knew he was acting out. He knew that he probably looked mentally unwell in Jeongin’s eyes. He just wanted to make it through the day, and he thought that this might be the easiest way to do so. If he didn’t care, maybe he wouldn’t burst into tears randomly.

The brothers made it to campus in mostly silence. Jeongin kept looking out the window and texting on his phone. Hyunjin tried not to invade his brother’s privacy, but he knew that it was likely about him. He tried to remain with a smile on his face. Every time that he felt like going back home, he had to remind himself of why he wasn’t wallering in his bed in the first place.

Hyunjin had more to lose than Changbin did. He lost his friends, probably, and he would lose his new reputation. He had lost his first love. He didn’t know how much he could take, so he tried to just suck it up. Maybe he could really make it through afterall.

Jeongin waved at him as they parted ways. Hyunjin’s brother barely smiled as he said he would meet him at lunch. Hyunjin just nodded and turned around to go his own way. He pretended that he was fine just long enough to know that Jeongin was gone in the other direction. He sighed heavily, letting his shoulder’s drop down. His face fell from a smile to one that screamed don’t talk to me . Hyunjin felt his old mannerisms fall over him like an old coat, or a warm glove. It fit him in all of the right places. He knew this feeling like a friend.

Yet, the facade felt like despair. It felt incredibly wrong, despite being familiar. He could wear it, but since he had known real happiness, he didn’t want to anymore.

When lunch rolled around, his pretend happy mood had been flushed down the toilet. He had nearly snapped at a few students for asking him if he was okay. He knew he looked rough, based on the concerning gazes that came his way. He shouldn’t have been surprised that Felix was waiting for him outside of his English class once it was dismissed.

“Hyunjin,” Felix sighed in relief, pushing himself to a full standing position. “Can we…talk? Please?”

Hyunjin’s stared pierced through Felix’s heart.

“Say what you need to say and then leave,”

Felix winced. Hyunjin felt bad for a moment before the other blonde was squaring his shoulders and looking directly at him.

“I found out the exact same time that you did,” He stated firmly. “I had no clue what had been going on, I swear. I’m so…I’m so incredibly sorry that this is happening to you. I wish I could offer up more, but I’m just so angry with them. I’m not talking to Chris right now,”

“Congratulations. Do you feel less guilty now?” Hyunjin huffed, pushing past Felix and bumping his shoulder.

Felix grabbed his forearm.

“I understand you're mad, but you don’t have to be a dick to me of all people.” Felix said firmly. “I promised you that I would be on your side, and I am . Hyunjin, you’re one of my best friends,”

Hyunjin closed his eyes, soaking in the other’s words. Felix didn’t let go of his arm, the younger’s thumb rubbed soothing circles across his skin. Hyunjin felt a few tears start fall from his closed eyes.

“I’m really angry, Lix.” He whispered, opening his eyes again. “Please let me go,”

Felix let go of Hyunjin’s arm, but he moved until he was standing in front of the artist. Felix took a risk and cupped Hyunjin’s head in his hands. The artist was too stunned to shove him off. Felix started to wipe his tears, and smiled sadly at him.

“I want you in my life, Jinnie. Always,” Felix promised. “I’m so sorry that this has happened, but I’m so glad that it brought you into my life.”

Hyunjin was freely crying now. He didn’t register when the dancer brought him into a bone crushing hug, he just knew that he was being surrounded by comfort.

“I hate this,” Hyunjin cried.

“It’s okay. Let’s go outside so you can let it out,” Felix stated. “Or we can stand here,”

“Outside,” Hyunjin mumbled, pulling away so that they could walk together.

Felix’s arm looped through his own just like he did two days before when everything was fine. Felix kept praising him softly, telling him that he was doing a good job just by putting one foot in front of the other. Hyunjin wanted to be mad, but in the deepest part of his heart he knew that it wasn’t Felix’s fault. Felix was also a casualty of everything.

Hyunjin shouldn’t have been surprised when he saw Jisung, Seungmin and Jeongin standing around and waiting for them. Hyunjin laughed out-loud, causing them all to turn toward the two blondes. He wanted to be upset, but it was incredibly smart to send in Felix to retrieve him. Felix was the most likely person to keep Hyunjin calm enough to do so.

“We’re sorry,” Seungmin stated first. “For whisking you away like this,”

Hyunjin nodded once. Jisung handed over a pack of tissues for him to use to clean up his tears.

“At least it was Lixie,” Hyunjin admitted. He sighed heavily. “Seungmin, do you want to go next or should I just jump to Jisung?”

Jisung pouted at the mention of his name.

“I’m sorry, Hyunjin. I had no idea that my idiot hyungs made a bet at your expense. I would have attempted to poison them both, if I would have known,” Seungmin said, voice serious as could be.

“I accept your apology,” Hyunjin huffed. “I’ve known you too long to know when you’re lying. And I know you well enough to know that you would poison them,”

“Oh, that was quick,” Seungmin chuckled, looking around at the small group.

“I believe you when you say it,” Hyunjin admitted. “You’re a terrible secret keeper,”

Jeongin winked at Seungmin.

“That’s true,” The English Major nodded in agreement.

Jisung stepped back and forth, anxiously watching for any cues that it was his turn. Hyunjin didn’t even want to look at him. He had anticipated that talking to Jisung would hurt him nearly as much as talking to Changbin. Felix slightly shoved Hyunjin toward the youngest producer. Jeongin grabbed Seungmin’s hand and started to lead them away from it. Jisung sent them a nod of thanks.

“We’ll all be over there,” Felix said softly, waving toward the direction the other two went. “Just talk to each other, please ?”

Hyunjin looked up at Jisung. The producer was trying to smile, but he failed miserably. He looked just as exhausted as Hyunjin felt on the inside. Despite everything happening just two days ago, it felt like a lifetime since he’d last seen them all.

“Jinnie, I’m sorry ,” Jisung said first.

Hyunjin crossed his arms.

“Is that all you have to say?” He said harshly.

“I…no.” Jisung shook his head. “Did you read my text?”

“No, I didn’t,” Hyunjin lied.

“Well…I…Jin, I really never meant to keep the bet from you?”

“Then why did you, Ji?” Hyunjin groaned, throwing his hands back. “Why did you hide something like this from me? Why would you betray me like this? Don’t you understand what I had to lose during all of this?”

Jisung’s jaw squared, sensing that Hyunjin was starting to gear up for a fight.

“Because you’re a complete dick sometimes, Hyunjin!” Jisung nearly yelled. “There’s so many parts of you that I understand within the depths of my soul, but that isn’t one of them! You were getting to know us. You were bonding with us! Why would I ruin something that looks like it’s actually doing you some god damn good?”

Felix stepped forward and grabbed Jisung back this time.

“ Me ? You didn’t say anything for my sake ? Get over yourself, Jisung!” Hyunjin yelled. “This happened to me , and I get to decide how to go on from here!”

Jisung shook his head.

“It’s always been about you and your delicate feelings, Hwang Hyunjin.” He said firmly. “No one deserves to be treated this way, but maybe you should stop and think about why everyone was so scared of your reactions.”

“Sungie…” Seungmin stated, standing up.

Jisung shook off Felix’s hands.

“It’s…call me when you really want to talk things out and not just yell at me, okay? You know, like grown men,”

Jisung turned around and walked away faster than Hyunjin had seen the younger man move before. Hyunjin stood with his jaw slack, watching until Jisung disappeared inside of a building. Felix had wrapped his arms around him from behind, and used soothing tones to keep him calm. Jeongin looked very confused, as if he was trying to make sense of things while Seungmin chewed on the inside of his cheek.

Hyunjin remembered a long time ago when he got into a fight with Seungmin about something and similar words were said. It was likely that Seungmin was thinking about that exact same instance. Hyunjin had said hurtful things that he didn’t mean and Seungmin had called him selfish and said he was acting like a victim. It had taken him a while to realize that fight was a wakeup call.

Emotions rushed at him from all sides. He couldn’t understand why Jisung felt that way. He didn’t get how Jisung could know the entire story and still choose to say something like that. What was it that Hyunjin was missing? Wasn’t he the one that was betrayed? Wasn’t he the one that had been wronged and now deserved an apology?

Hyunjin might have been blindsided by the bet, but he felt even more discombobulated when he realized that maybe how he handles something is also a part of the problem. He had gotten better, truly. He had grown and gotten friends that he now could admit he wanted for a long time. Why did it feel like guilt burrowing it’s way into his chest.

Hyunjin dropped down to a squat, dropping his hand in his hands as he cried. He was overwhelmed by the mean things he had said to his friends. He was embarrassed by the tone his voice sometimes took. He wanted to justify his actions, but he found that just because he was hurting, that didn’t excuse his behavior. Just because he was hurting didn’t mean that he had free reign to lash out.

Hyunjin cried earnestly, because Jisung, despite his sloppy delivery, had been undeniably correct.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hyunjin had hidden himself away in his art room the moment that he got home. Felix had walked him back so that Jeongin didn’t skip his last class of the day. He wanted to be by himself, and now he realizes that maybe he should have stayed home today in the first place. He really tried to convince himself that he would be okay if he pretended like he was.

His argument with Jisung kept replaying over and over again in his head. After Hyunjin stopped crying, he began to assess what was actually happening in the moment. Hyunjin knew that Jisung’s reaction was probably based in anger. He thought back to the second time he met the youngest producer. Jisung had been in Changbin’s room as the “panic room” because of something that had to do with Minho.

Hyunjin huffed to himself, and continued to sketch out the canvas in front of him. He wasn’t responsible for Jisung’s reactions. He was only responsible for how he handled them. Hyunjin just hurt. He loves his friends, despite how reluctant he was at first. He wanted to know the real reason why Jisung said those things.

Hyunjin felt like he was going through the emotional ringer. He felt like the little silver ball in a pinball machine. Every corner felt like he was getting shoved in another direction before being flung up in the air once again. His life had been turned upside down, and he didn’t know how he was supposed to move forward.

The doorbell rang, causing Hyunjin to sigh and drop his pencil. He was too tired to face whatever was waiting for him. Begrudgingly, he stood up and cracked his back. He silently hoped that whoever was behind the door chickened out and left. He made sure to pull the headband from his hair as he walked toward the door.

Hyunjin wasn’t surprised to see Han Jisung standing on the other side with tears down his face. However, he was shocked to see Minho behind Jisung. Hyunjin sighed, entirely too tired to shove them away. He stepped to the side and allowed both men to walk into his home.

“Tea?” Hyunjin asked them both, voice lost all fight in it.

“I can make it while you two talk,” Minho offered. “Then we can talk?”

Hyunjin pressed his lips into a thin line, but found himself nodding in agreement.

“I’ll show you where everything is,”

“Thank you,” Minho said softly, following Hyunjin into the small kitchen area.

Hyunjin quickly grabbed out everything that the elder would need to make tea. He took a deep breath and went to meet Jisung in the living room. The producer was biting at the cuticle on his thumb, a nervous habit, when he walked in. He sat down a few spots away on the couch from Jisung.

Jisung jumped a little at Hyunjin’s presence. His eyes were raw from the crying. His throat hurt from raising his voice and he knew that he looked physically worse than Hyunjin did. He didn’t know where to even begin with what he wanted to say, but he knew that he needed to say it. The embarrassment burned, but the regret burned even worse.

“First off, I am incredibly sorry Hyunjin. I’m sorry for the things that I said and for not telling you about the bet,” Jisung started, sincerity tumbling from his being.

Hyunjin nodded once, seeing the apology for the truth.

“I’m glad to hear that,” He said, face blank as he did.

“I…was wrong,” Jisung added, needing to expand. “I was wrong in my delivery and how I spoke to you. I promise that I wasn’t going into it thinking that I was going to try to manipulate you. I shouldn’t have tried to make you feel like all of this was somehow your fault. It was wrong of me,”

Hyunjin let out a breath that he didn’t know he had been holding. His eyes started to well up again.

“You really made me feel like I deserved all of this. Well, I was already thinking it and what you said somehow made me believe it was true,”

“Baby, it’s not,” Jisung said urgently, heart twisted up at the ugly words he had tossed. “I…fuck this is so hard. I’m…I’m a bit jealous of you, Hyunjin.”

“I…” Hyunjin cut himself off from interrupting. “Go on,”

“I…have issues regulating my emotions. You…you handle all of your feelings so well and keep them close to your chest. I was envious of you. I didn’t tell you not because you’re overly emotional, but because I can’t always read you, and I didn’t want to see the fall out. It was a me issue, Hyunjin. Not you. It wasn’t you and I’m sorry,”

“I didn’t know,” Hyunjin responded. “Well…I guess that makes things make more sense,”

Jisung nodded his head.

“Yeahhhh…It’s not an excuse for my behavior, but it’s the truth. It’s been something that I’ve been trying to work on for years. I used to get into the stupidest fights when I was in middle and high school. Sometimes I forget that I still need to work on it. I’ve been doing well for years, but…well you know how many code Mangos that I pulled. I’m not really good at it yet. When I had such intense emotions about what happened, I lashed out and tried to make it seem like it was your fault. That was easier than admitting that I was a part of the problem. It wasn’t your fault Hyunjin. I swear that I don’t actually think it was your fault.”

Hyunjin closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“You were a real ass, you know that?” He huffed out, tears falling down his cheeks. “Like you were gaslighting me into thinking it was me,”

Jisung looked down at his hands, completely ashamed.

“I apologize for that as well. I…I was wrong and spiteful. I shouldn’t have treated you that way. I did not want to own up to my mistake,”

“Did the guilt eat you alive?” Hyunjin asked, crossing his arms.

“ Yes ,” He breathed out. “I couldn’t believe I said it the moment the words left my mouth. I…. Seungmin lashed into me. Then Minho did. I…fuck I don’t know what to do other than apologize profusely and sincerely. And to never do it again,”

Hyunjin nodded, understanding what Jisung was saying. He rubbed his eyes for a moment before looking back at Jisung. He hadn’t known him long enough, but he knew that Jisung was usually sincere with everything that’s inside of him.

“I accept your apology, Ji,” Hyunjin whispered. “I can’t lie and say that I’ve never done that. The words I yelled at Changbin were untrue and harmful, because I was angry. You just have to promise me that you will try to never speak to me like that again. I want to know the real reason why you kept the bet from me,”

Jisung opened and closed his mouth a few times. He wanted to pry and ask Hyunjin what he had yelled at Changbin, but
Minho walked in with two mugs of tea for them. He sat them down before disappearing to the kitchen again. Hyunjin handed over some tissues so he could wipe his face.

“I didn’t tell you partially because I didn’t want things to go bad or to hurt you,” Jisung admitted, instead of asking. “I was going to tell you, but then you comforted me in the panic room. I decided that I actually didn’t want you to go away. It was selfish, but we love having you around Jinnie. I genuinely wanted you and Changbin hyung to be happy. I just decided to keep myself out of it. When you opened up, I really hoped that hyung had talked to you. It wasn’t until the Gala that I found out that you didn’t know from Chan hyung,”

“You should have told me,”

“I know I should have. I should have told you the day I realized what was happening. I even tried to stop Changbin and Minho from making the bet in the first place,”

“Never withhold information from me again. Ever.” Hyunjin said seriously. “I understand the emotional things are not so black and white and need time. Don’t gaslight me again. This withholding information…this is a hard line, okay? If you cross it again, we can’t be friends,”

Jisung nodded several times.

“Absolutely, I understand. And I promise that I’m not just saying this, but I will be talking to my therapist about this all. She helps me track my progress and helps me see things that I usually don’t,”

Hyunjin nodded a few times. He had been in Jisung’s shoes before.

“Okay, Sungie.”

Jisung looked down at his hands again. He gripped the tissue three times before he looked back at Hyunjin. He didn’t want to say something that sounded wrong again. He didn’t want to say words that maybe would make him sound like he was trying to be manipulative. He thought for a moment before he could look Hyunjin in the eyes again.

“I understand if you still need space from me during this time. Please contact me when you’re ready,”

Hyunjin nodded in agreement.

“Enjoy your tea. I think I should go talk to your boyfriend,”

“Now?”

“I might as well rip that bandaid off since it’s right in front of me,” He sighed, getting up and getting his tea.

Minho was sipping on his own cup when Hyunjin walked into the kitchen. Minho stared at him for a moment before putting his cup down. Hyunjin mirrored his position. Minho sighed and leaned against the counter.

“Are you ready to talk, then?”

“Yes,” Hyunjin said firmly. “I know that you already apologized, but I couldn’t accept it at the time. It was too fresh; it still is. I don’t know what you need to say, but I’m willing to hear you out,”

“Okay, let me start by apologizing. I’m sorry, Hyunjin. I’m sorry for betting on you, for not telling you and for not being a good hyung about it all.” Minho said softly. “You did nothing to deserve all of it. I chose you because you were there. It wasn’t a personal attack, yet I know better than to bet on human beings.”

Hyunjin nodded.

“Why did you choose me?”

“Because you were sitting in front of us while we were looking. There wasn’t this vendetta or anything like that. It was supposed to be to help Changbin get back out there and not feel so down. It wasn’t supposed to be at your expense, but I could tell that you didn’t like people. I thought it would be finished and called it quits after you turned down Changbin the first time. No one really thought that you guys would fall for each other. Which, okay that’s not really nice either. I’ve promised not to bet on others again like that. Jisung ripped me apart when we first got together about it,”

“When did he call it off?” Hyunjin asked. “When did he say that he couldn’t do it anymore?”

Minho smiled sadly.

“The night you came to your first movie night with us,” Minho admitted. “He came home and demanded that it get called off before anyone else got to our apartment,”

Hyunjin felt laughter bubble in his chest.

“ God we’re such idiots , aren’t we?” He laughed. “This..this is all a bit..”

“Juvenile?” Minho offered. “I agree. It’s…I don’t know how to make it up to you, Hyunjin. I’m not as sentimental as my brother or as good with my words as Chan,”

I’m not as soft-hearted as Changbin went unsaid.

“I…fuck you,” Hyunjin laughed, but the threat was empty. “I just need some time, okay? I need to see that you guys mean it, that you are sorry and that you do care about me.”

Minho nodded.

“Okay, I agree. Do you want Jisung and I to leave now so you can have some space?”

“Yes, please,” Hyunjin smiled sadly. “After you finish your tea,”

The three men ended up sitting in slightly awkward silence as they drank either tea. A small, hopeful, part of Hyunjin was glad that a truce had been met. He felt like at least one weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Hyunjin didn’t have an owner’s manual on making up with friends, but he thinks he might be going in the right direction.

•••

The days started to pass slowly for Changbin. He was beginning to wonder if this hell week was ever going to end. His emotions felt everywhere, even if he was incredibly diligent not to let them interfere with his studies and work. He felt like an absolute wreck, at any part of the day. He was supposed to go pick up the painting he purchased from the studio in a few week’s time.

Four days had already passed and he had yet to reach out to Hyunjin. He had started writing message after message to the artist only to start completely over. It felt wrong to even start with a message, but the last thing that he wanted to do was show up at his home or place of work uninvited. Changbin might have gotten friendly with the other baristas, but they would undoubtedly throw him out.

He was in the studio more days that he was home. He had been pushing himself at the gym. He had pushed himself in his studies, and now he was focusing on his music. He had been writing a lot of songs, most of the lyrics were coming out quickly. Chan had suggested that he actually record a few of the demos. Changbin wanted to, but he knew that ultimately that wouldn’t be the thing that made him feel better.

“Do you wanna go get barbeque tonight?” Chan asked, swiveling around in the studio chair beside him.

“Should we invite the others?” Changbin sighed, knowing that it was futile.

“Mate, Felix is barely sending me goodnight texts right now,” Chan sighed, stress clear in his voice.

“At least he said that he’d forgive you,” Changbin shrugged

“That’s true,” Chan agreed. “Have you spoken to any of them at all?”

“Besides Jisung?” Changbin winced. “No, but I did try to talk to Seungmin,”

“Sorry,” The older man sighed and turned back toward the computer in front of him to compose some beats for Changbin’s newest creation.

Changbin thought for a moment before he took a deep breath and reached for his phone. He knew that it was really doubtful that any of them besides Minho and Jisung would join them, but Changbin tried texting the oldest group chat. He extended an olive branch, inviting the three youngest to free barbeque and a promise of an apology. He didn’t dare send the invite in the newest, yet dormant, group chat that included Jeongin and Hyunjin.

“There, maybe they’ll come,” Changbin sighed. “I gotta start somewhere, right?”

“For what it’s worth, I think Jisung and Hyunjin are still taking some space,” Chan said softly. He looked back at his computer. “Hey, what if we did this here,”

Changbin allowed his attention to fully get swept up by music. He rapped alongside the music that Chan was working on to see how the flow worked. They stopped and started several times. Changbin changed a lyric here or there, and made a few suggestions that Chan ended up agreeing with. It wasn’t long before they had nearly completed another song, Changbin only had to lay down the rap and vocal part of it.

Jisung poked his head inside the studio just as they were wrapping things up for the day.

“I hear the promise of meat?” He said shyly, the bags under his eyes told them that he was still probably losing sleep.

“Yeah, if you want,” Changbin promised, eyes softening as he looked at his friend. “I’m buying,”

“Yeah, I’ll go. I don’t know about the rest but…”

“It’s okay, Sungie.” Changbin sighed. “I’m not gonna force anyone to go,”

Chan clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“That’s right. No worries if they can’t,”

Jisung nodded his head, and pursed his lips together.

“Let’s get out of here,” Changbin mumbled, making his way to his desk to grab his things.

Jisung really wanted things to go back to how they used to be. He was angry that he had gotten so upset at Hyunjin, and had done things he wished that he didn’t.. Felix seemed to still be upset with the hyungs. Seungmin felt the most neutral, but he was always with Hyujin and Jeongin now. Jisung didn’t know if he was really ready to try to put these things behind him, but he was glad that Changbin had extended the invitation.

Hyunjin had texted him a few memes and Jisung had jumped at the chance to send his own back. He was trying his best not to wallow in his guilt, but to accept what Hyunjin was giving him; a second chance. Jisung had thought too long and too hard about how things had escalated. He thought about how his harshness had nearly torn them apart for good.

Jisung looked down at his phone to see that Felix had accepted the invitation of meat. The youngest producer breathed out a sign of relief. When Jisung had gotten home from Hyunjin’s apartment a few days ago, Felix was there to listen. He punched Jisung’s arm and then wrapped him tightly in a hug. Felix cried just as much as Jisung did, because there was no actual manual on how to be an adult properly.

Jisung packed up his small desk and waited for Chan and Changbin to finish so that they all could go together. Changbin was looking rough, but at least he was functioning better than expected. Jisung made a resolution to keep his mouth shut when he had bigger feelings. He wanted to be like Changbin in that way. Chan seemed to be smiling brighter than he had in a few days. Jisung hoped that Felix was ready to forgive Chan, because Chan deserved it most out of all of them.

Changbin drove them all to pick up Minho at the studio. He slid into the back seat and pressed a small kiss to Jisung’s forehead. Felix stated that he would meet them all there, because he needed to drop his things off at home first. No one argued, or tried to suggest they pick him up. They didn’t want to pressure Felix.

The blonde was waiting at the doors when the four of them arrived. Felix gave Chan a small kiss on his jaw when they hugged, causing Chan to giggle out-loud. Minho rolled his eyes affectionately and grabbed Jisung inside first.

“Go,” Felix said softly to Chan. “We’ll be right in,”

Chan nodded, giving Changbin a thumbs up before he disappeared inside.

“Are you ready to talk now?” Changbin asked softly.

Felix nodded, moving to sit on the bench outside. He patted the spot next to him.

“I want to hear from you,” Felix admitted. “This shit is a big mess, hyung,”

“I know, Lixie,” Changbin said softly. “I…there is no excuse for my behavior. I knew that the bet was wrong the moment Minho and I made it. I was drawn to Hyunjin from the very start, from before we even made the bet on him,”

“You met him before?” Felix asked, voice cracking.

“It wasn’t like that, Lix. He was there when Mina and I broke up. It…I became a little obsessed with him. I followed his instagram because I started stalking him, lowkey,”

“You’re ridiculous,” Felix laughed a little. “So w-why did you go through with the bet with Minho?”

“I didn’t expect him to pick Hyunjin. I thought it was going to be less serious than it became. I really became serious about Hyunjin early on…” He trailed off, sighing before he continued. “I canceled the bet and everything,”

Felix sighed.

“That’s what Minho hyung told me,” He admitted. “I’m gonna have a hard time trusting the two of you now, you know?”

Changbin’s heart clenched.

“I promise you, Lix. We will stop the betting about…about everything , if we have too. We don’t want something so stupid to get in the way ever again.”

“It was so stupid ,” Felix groaned. “Something this….idiotic shouldn’t be able to cause as much damage as it did.”

Changbin rubbed his eyes.

“I’m paying for it, so I’m really reaping the consequences of my own actions,”

“Good.” Felix huffed. “You deserved it,”

Despite the weight of the conversation, Changbin found himself laughing.

“Yeah, yeah I did, Lixie.”

“I forgive you, because I’m sick of feeling this way and I get no joy in seeing you suffer. And you are suffering, I can tell.” Felix admitted. “Just…no more bets. Ever.”

Changbin nodded his head as he stood up with Felix. They shook hands before hugging each other tightly. They walked into the restaurant and joined their friends. The drinks and sides had already arrived. Changbin was happy to see that they were smiling. He felt another piece of his heart start to heal when they laughed together.

Changbin didn’t know how things were going to work out from here on out. He was hopeful, but he still longed to talk to Hyunjin. He knew that now wasn’t the right time. He wanted to, desperately, but he wanted to give the artist time to think first. Hyunjin had said things to him that made him scream in agony in his sleep. He never wanted to see that side of the artist ever again.

“I’m here for the free meat,” Kim Seungmin stated as he walked up to the table. Changbin’s head whipped around and took in their original youngest. He looked tired, but well-kept. His eyes looked sad, but exhausted. “I’m also feeling generous enough to accept apologies, so feel free to shower them.”

Felix erupted into giggles as he pulled his friend down beside him. Minho flicked him on the forehead before bluntly apologizing for the pain and grief that he had caused. Everyone, sans Felix, offered up heartfelt apologies until Changbin was saved for last.

By the time Changbin was done begging for forgiveness, Seungmin was crying. He tried to play it off as smoke in his eyes, but everyone knew that the apology meant a lot to him. Seungmin switched seats until he was mostly cuddled into Changbin’s side.

Everything felt like it was back to how it was before, but the missing presence of the Hwang Brothers made itself known. There was a space carved out for the two of them, and everyone wanted them back.

“If you want Jeongin to forgive you, you have to prove to him and to Hyunjin that you love Hyunjin,” Seungmin said after their plates were starting to get cleared away. “I don’t want to help you, because I am on Hyunjin’s side, but I think we’re all too old to get caught up in things like this. I want a resolution . I want things to have worked out, no matter which way they go. Jeongin is fiercely protective of Hyunjin. Show him that you love Hyunjin and want to make things right, and he will forgive you,”

Changbin’s eyes softened.

“Thank you, Seungmin.”

“I did this for my boyfriend and for Hyunjin,” Seungmin said firmly. He tried to remain sharp, but his eyes softened while looking at his friends. “And I guess for all of you too,”

•••

Jeongin should not have been surprised that he was getting a call from Seo Changbin. He huffed and hit decline before continuing on his walk home. Seungmin had already told him that he went out to eat barbeque with them , much to Jeongin’s dismay. He tried to be upset, but he knew how much the group of friends meant to Seungmin. They were his family.

Jeongin didn’t want to admit that he was also missing the others. He wished that he didn’t, but he found himself missing them randomly popping up to the apartment. He missed having lunch with them. He missed getting rides to school in Changbin hyung’s car.

The phone started ringing again and Jeongin huffed, pressing decline once more. He was just trying to get to the cafe to study his lines a little bit before going home with Hyunjin. He started walking faster, almost at a jog, to reach his destination.

The phone rang again and Jeongin didn’t have self control.

“Stop calling, asshole!” He yelled and then hung up before Changbin could even speak. He felt better, having gotten that out of him. He also felt a little bad, because Changbin was still older than him and was a pretty good hyung before all of this happened.

When Changbin called again, Jeongin didn’t have the will to fight anymore.

“Before you yell again, I’m incredibly sorry, Jeongin. What I did was wrong and I will not be doing something like that again,” Changbin rushed out. “How can I make it up to you?”

Jeongin chewed on the inside of his cheek.

“You’re gonna have to really make it up to Hyunjin first,”

“That’s why I need your help,” Changbin sighed out. “I….I want to apologize to him properly. I don’t want him to feel like I’m just covering my own ass when I do it.”

“Aren’t you?”

“ No ,” Changbin huffed. “Jeongin, I’m in love with your brother. He deserves the best apology in the world, but I’m unsure of how to do it. I need help. I dunno how to do this by myself,”

Jeongin closed his eyes and stopped walking. He took a deep breath.

“Why should I help you?”

“I think that what Hyunjin and I had was something special. He adds so much color to my life. He’s someone that I want to share every little detail of my life with. I want to shower him in love, like all of the time. He’s the most talented person I know. He like magic with everything he touches. Jeongin, he hasn’t left my mind for a single second since I laid my eyes on him,”

Jeongin’s heart warmed at Changbin’s earnest thoughts.

“I will help you, but if Hyunjin says no, that’s his choice, okay?” Jeongin stated, accepting the apology. “Look, I know that you’re not actually a bad person, hyung. I know that you do care for him. I just can’t understand the whole bet thing. But I do know that you both were really good for each other. Hyunjin has never looked that happy before, and it’s been so good to see him like that,”

“Yeah,” Changbin sighed, emotions clear in his voice.

“I’ll send you my location. You can pick me up and I can help you figure out how to properly apologize to Hyunjin.”

“ Thank you , Jeongin,”

“Don’t thank me yet, hyung. You’re life might just get a bit more harder,”

“Whatever it is, I’m willing to do it,”

“Good. I’ll see you soon,” Jeongin huffed, pressing the end button before Changbin could respond.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“You look like shit,” Jeongin said as he slid into the passenger side of Changbin’s car.

Changbin shook his head, a small smile on his face. Jeongin grimaced, but said nothing snarky.

“Where to?” The producer asked as Jeongin secured his seatbelt.

“You can take me to get cake and then home, I guess,” Jeongin responded, crossing his arms over his chest. “Did you grovel today?”

Changbin snorted a small laugh.

“Yeah, I did some groveling,”

“Good,” Jeongin sighed out. “Imagine that, but times like a thousand, and then Hyunjin might possibly forgive you,”

Changbin nodded in agreement. Jeongin turned his head away to stared out at the city lights as he drove them to their destination. Changbin was just glad that Jeongin was willing to talk to him. It was surprising that the younger one even gave him the time of day.

“I’m trying to prepare myself for the possibility that Hyunjin will never want to see my face again.” Changbin admitted. “I just…I’ve got to at least

try

,”

“Have you?” Jeongin asked. “Have you tried to talk to him?”

Changbin sputtered for a moment.

“Well no, I just..I thought about it a thousand times. I just.. I thought he needed space, you know? He said that he

hates

me, so..yeah,”

“You haven’t even

tried

yet? Hyung, you idiot!” Jeongin laughed, despite the seriousness of his words. “What’s wrong with you?”

“He was really mad. I’ve never seen him like that,”

“No wonder why he’s been unhinged! You haven’t even said sorry!” Jeongin tossed up his hands. “And your friends validated that

this

was the move?”

The producer sighed, turning into a parking lot.

“Jeongin, my friends barely have started talking to me again,” He said. “I haven’t been dragging them into it, because it’s already too complicated.”

“You have to at least

try

to apologize to him,” Jeongin begged. “

Please

?”

“I thought you were on his side?” Changbin teased to hopefully lighten the mood. It didn’t work.

Jeongin looked down at his hands for a few moments. He nervously flexed his fingers a few times before clasping them together. Changbin parked the car, but left it running to keep the heat on.

“I am on Hyunjin’s side. I just happen to know that he was so in love with you that being apart is hurting him more,”

“You think so?”

Jeongin closed his eyes and nodded his head.

“I hear him crying at night, hyung,”

Changbin’s heart felt like it stopped in his chest. He felt anxious, nerves pulled aught to the point of nearly ripping. He rested his forehead on the wheel of his car and took deep breaths to calm himself down. He knew, metaphorically, that the break up had been extremely difficult on each of them. He

knew

that it wasn’t going to be easy by any means. Hearing how Hyunjin was doing from Jeongin felt like he was swallowing ice shards and his throat was getting ripped apart as they went down.

“What can I do?” Changbin asked weakly, his voice clear with emotions.

“I don’t

know

,” Jeongin emphasized. “But I think you should at least send him a text to see if he at least reads it,”

“Okay, I’ll do that now,” Changbin rushed to pull his phone from his jacket pocket.

Jeogin would have laughed, if the situation wasn’t so serious. He hoped that Hyunjin would at least read the message. It was probably killing him inside that almost everyone had reached out, except for the one person he wanted to hear from the most. Hyunjin probably wouldn’t respond though, not that Jeongin blamed him.

“Okay, at least that step is done,” Jeongin stated. “Let’s get some deserts and then we can talk strategy when this fails.”

Changbin turned off the car and watched as Jeongin got out. He took in a deep breath and looked down at his phone again. He had sent the message mere seconds ago, so it wasn’t likely that Hyunjin would have even read it yet. He was working, and he was good about not checking his phone too much. He wished he could tell if the artist had read it or not.

Jeongin waited patiently for Changbin to get out of the car so they would get some pastries for themselves. He had a few ideas brewing already, just in case his brother was harder to crack than a sincere apology. He’d have to come up with an excuse as to why he never showed up at the cafe, but for now, he looked forward to mooching off of his hyung’s funds.

•••

Binnie:

Hyunjin-ah, I’m incredibly sorry for what

I’ve done to you.

I miss you

Hyunjin stared at the text message with a blank expression on his face. He hadn’t ever expected a text from Changbin, especially days after the actual break up. He thought that he had better chances of Changbin showing up in person than a text message. Hyunjin rolled his eyes and shoved his phone back in his back pocket. He was

only

checking his phone to message his brother.

Hyunjin was angry. He tried not to let the text message affect him, but he could feel the rage start to boil in the pit of his stomach. He

knew

that Changbin was likely giving him space, for the sake of his own mess of feelings. He knew that the other was likely sorry. He absolutely

hated

that it took the producer days to reach out to him.

The artist's movements were getting choppy, a sure sign that he needed to stop moving and take a few deep breaths. He nearly burned the milk as he frothed it for a latte. Hyunjin took a breath through his nose, feeling the agitation rise at the silly mistake. He slowly breathed out, focusing solely on the milk.

“Do you need a break?” Jongho asked softly.

“No, I’m fine,” Hyunjin lied, just like he had been lying all week.

“Are you sure?” The other barista asked. “You’ve been all…weird,”

Hyunjin pressed his lips into a thin line as he cleaned the wand of milk.

“I’m…fine,” Hyunjin tried again.

“Look, it’s not that busy. You can take a ten if you need it,”

Hyunjin struggled to make a heart with the milk, but it was passable, so he put a small plate under the mug and called out the order. He was acutely aware of Jongho watching him carefully. He counted backwards from ten in his head, enabling him to loosen up his tense body.

“I don’t want a break right now,” Hyunjin answered, finally turning toward his friend. “I just…I need to keep working, if that’s okay? I can take my break at my usual time,”

“If you’re sure,”

“I am,” He lied.

Jongho watched him for a moment, letting his eyes take in Hyunjin’s exhausted expression.

“Okay, but promise to tell me if you need a break sooner?” He asked. Hyunjin nodded in agreement. “Good, you look like you could really use the night off, though. Is everything going okay?”

“I just have a lot of assignments and last minute things to do,” Hyunjin tried to force a smile.

“Is your boyfriend taking care of you?” Jongho asked seriously.

Hyunjin’s expression fell off of his face immediately. He turned around to work on the next drink.

“I don’t have one anymore, actually.”

Jongho didn’t respond for a moment. Hyunjin held his breath as he pressed the tamper down on the espresso. He whipped off the excess when Jongho placed his hand on Hyunjin’s shoulder.

“I’m so sorry to hear that,”

Hyunjin clinched his eyes closed.

“Me too,”

Luckily, Jongho backed off after his confession. Hyunjin was able to put his focus into making the drinks while Jongho took the orders. They were abnormally busy for a Thursday night. Hyunjin was more than happy to throw himself into making sure the customers were happy. He braved his best face for them, even raking in a few more tips than normal. The others left him alone, and he was fine, really.

Hyunjin convinced himself he was fine until he saw Momo and Sana waiting at the register to order. The artist groaned to himself, and looked away quickly so that they wouldn’t catch him. He really felt like his luck was going to run out soon. It seemed that today was his day. He made himself busy by cleaning up the bar until Jongho handed over their orders to him.

He shouldn’t have been surprised when they waited for him at the end of the bar. Both girls stared at him, neither of them making it easy for him to ignore them. He was busy with the milk when one of them cleared their throats. He looked up at them, raising one of his eyebrows in a challenge.

“Uh..we just wanted to apologize,” Momo started. “How Mina acted was really uncalled for,”

“Mina should be apologizing then,” Hyunjin responded cooly.

“I know, but…we still let it happen,” She continued. “And we’re sorry about her,”

“We’re also sorry that we contributed,” Sana added. “We really shouldn’t have entertained her ideas.”

“No, you shouldn’t have. It was childish,” Hyunjin agreed, finishing up the fern on one latte.

“We really didn’t want it to go that far,” Momo said. “We…we were wrong, Hyunjin. We’re sorry that it happened. We should have spoken up,”

“I’m surprised that you didn’t, if you’re really friends with my friends,” Hyunjin added, omitting the fact that everyone was still on thin ice with him.

“Mina doesn’t like the fact that Changbin loves you,” Sana explained.

“Changbin cares so deeply for you, and we should have respected that. Instead we sided with her.” Momo added.

Hyunjin took a deep breath.

“Thank you for apologizing. You’re a little late though,”

“It wasn’t easy admitting that you also deserved an apology from us,” Momo said. “We needed to really see how wrong we were,”

“Changbin told us that you deserved the apology though, so he did speak up. We just…we were stubborn,”

Hyunjin laughed at the irony.

“Okay, I accept the apology,” He said. He did it more so that they would stop talking and leave him alone than anything else. “Please enjoy your lattes,”

Both women nodded, seeming to feel better about the situation automatically. Hyunjin didn’t feel that way. He turned and immediately went to Jongho to ask him for his break. The barista nodded, not entirely surprised that Hyunjin was already begging to go to the back.

Hyunjin went to hide in the room with the lockers. He sat down on the bench, and pressed his hands into his eyes. He wished he could stop crying already. The last time he hid in the room was after the incident with Mina. There was a small part of him that wished he would have let himself get scared off by her words. How different would things be if he had just left Changbin first?

Hyunjin looked down at the text message again. He didn’t have the energy to respond. He knew that if he would do so now, all that would spew from him would be anger. There was no winning; he was livid at any point. Changbin could show up and Hyunjin would have had the same response. Well, he probably would throw something at the producer at this point.

The artist was angry that it took Changbin this long and angry that he didn’t wait longer. He was furious that Changbin did it over text, but if he called he wouldn’t have answered. Hyunjin didn’t

know

what the correct answer was. He just knew that he wished he could fall asleep and not wake up for a while. He wanted to ignore everything until it all became a distant memory that he could tell another lover one day. He would tell them all about the boy that broke his heart for the first time.

Hyunjin wanted to run away. He wanted to take a bus back to Busan and spend his days playing card games with his grandpa. He wished he could waste away by the beach while his heart took time to heal. He wanted to forget that everyone he loved belonged to Changbin first, and that he would never be able to fully avoid him.

He tucked his chin over his knees and blankly stared at the lockers across from him. There were entirely too many for the amount of people that actually worked in the cafe, but the owners had really high hopes. He wondered if he could stay inside the cold room for the rest of the night without anyone coming to look for him.

Hyunjin’s break flew by, and he found himself dragging his feet back outside. He had dried his eyes once again, cursing his contacts when they got itchy. He had forgotten his eye drops at home. He had asked Jeongin to bring them by, but his brother texted him to tell him that he wasn’t going to the cafe anymore. His choices weren’t that favorable, but he felt numb to them. He just wanted to make it through the day.

Felix and Chan walked into the cafe an hour after his shift was supposed to end. Hyunjin barely spared them a grimance. Felix had barely just forgiven Chan, and Hyunjin had yet to even respond to the other man’s text message. The eldest producer was carrying a small bouquet of flowers. Hyunjin’s heart thumped at the white and yellow hues. Felix stayed back and shoved Chan forward, making the man stumble.

Chan smiled softly and walked toward the counter with the flowers held toward his chest. Hyunjin spotted white tulips and the bright yellow of the daffodils, and he couldn’t stop the small smile from forming on his face.

“These are for you,” Chan said softly. “Felix helped me pick them out,”

Hyunjin nodded slowly.

“They’re beautiful,”

“I’m deeply sorry, Hyunjin.” Chan sighed out. “I am sorry for holding in information and for knowing that it would hurt you. I hope…I hope that these show you how sorry I am. I’m not really good about flower language and all that, but Lix said you would understand my feelings this way,”

Hyunjin looked over Chan’s shoulder to where Felix was watching them anxiously. He gave Hyunjin a thumbs up and smile for encouragement.

“Thank you for apologizing,” Hyunjin said. “I’m going to accept it, because I know that it’s sincere. You’re not a bad guy, Chan. I think you just made a really terrible call. But I understand why you didn’t say anything,”

“Thank you,” Chan whispered. “We miss you, Jinnie.”

Hyunjin winced.

“I’m going to tell you the same thing I told Jisung and Minho. I need time and space right now. I forgive you, truly, but I can’t just jump back into things. Give me at least a few weeks, and we can go slowly from there,”

Chan nodded slowly.

“I know that it’s not all linear.” Chan admitted. “I just hope for the best in the future, because I know that you’re always going to be a part of my life.”

Hyunjin nodded in agreement.

“Whatever you do, never do something like this to Felix.” He warned. “He loves you too much to hurt this badly,”

“I promise,” Chan whispered softly. “I shouldn’t say this…but he wants so badly to make things better. He’s not doing well, and honestly I hate to see him like this. He’s never…Changbin’s never loved someone like he loves you. I’m sure you’re sick of hearing that by now. When he apologizes to you,

please

just hear him out,”

Hyunjin shoved down the anger that started to spark on the inside of his veins.

“You’re right, you shouldn’t have said that,”

“Then accept that as a part of my apology as well,” Chan said softly, finally handing over the bouquet. “I’m sorry, Hwang Hyunjin,”

“I forgive you,” Hyunjin answered, taking the flowers and holding them tightly. Chan nodded, turning around to walk back to Felix when Hyunjin felt words starting to bubble up in his throat. “Chan?”

The producer turned around and looked at Hyunjin curiously.

“Yeah?”

“Take care of him, please,” Hyunjin rushed out before he could fully comprehend what he was asking. “Make sure that he’s okay,”

Chan smiled sadly and nodded his head.

“I will, Hyunjin-ah,”

Felix sent Hyunjin a small wave as he walked out of the cafe hand in hand with his boyfriend. Hyunjin watched in envy as the couple made their way down the street with smiles on their faces. Felix had told him about how Chan had planned a very sweet, thought out date night for his apology. He told Hyunjin about how the elder man had written out a list of promises that he would be keeping from now on. Hyunjin didn’t blame Felix for forgiving Chan, especially since his own apology was well thought out.

Hyunjin helped clean the cafe, his own heart heavy in his chest. He thought about how things might be different if he was someone else. Would this have been such a big deal if he had an easier life? Would his trust be broken so severely if he hadn’t always been abandoned? He wanted to be someone else, someone like Felix. He wanted to be able to forgive easier, because it wasn’t in his nature to hold grudges. Hyunjin wasn’t like that at all.

Hyunjin looked at the text message for what felt like the hundredth time as he rode the bus home. He started typing out a response, but he kept deleting everything that he wanted to say. He wanted answers, but he wanted to be held by Changbin more. He wondered if that made him weak, to want the love back more than the apology. Hyunjin knew it was fleeting and he’d be upset again tomorrow, but he just allowed himself to think about what it would be like to just forget everything had happened.

Jinnie:

I expect more than a text from you.

Finally, Hyunjin sent a message and shut off his phone. He rested his head against the cold window and shut his eyes. He was careful not to crush his flowers in his bag as he wrapped his arms around the tote. He didn’t have long, but he wanted to keep this moment to himself. He tried to turn off his brain, but the dam was finally starting to break.

The bus announcing his stop caused him to jerk up in his seat. He quickly exited and nearly turned on his phone again before stuffing it down in his bag. Hyunjin knew that he didn’t have long before he would meet Changbin again in person after he sent the text. The producer wasn’t patient enough to let things go like that, especially if Hyunjin responded.

“You’re home,” Jeongin said softly, coming into view of the entryway. “I tried to call,”

Hyunjin sighed heavily and tried his best to ruffle Jeongin’s hair. The younger man made a half-attempt to dodge away.

“You didn’t come by the cafe,” Hyunjin said airly, walking to find a vase for the flowers.

“Practice took longer than I expected,” Jeongin lied easily. “Who sent you flowers?”

The artist sighed as he began to pull things from the cabinets.

“Chan did,” He admitted. “I couldn’t say no to flowers.”

Hyunjin’s back was turned toward his brother, so he missed the way that Jeongin’s eyes lit up, ideas brewing in his head to pass onto the producer.

“Do you know the meaning of them? Do they even have a meaning?”

“The white tulips mean forgiveness, consideration, honor and respect. The daffodils mean truth, honesty and forgiveness. Chan was trying his best to say all of those things. He actually did really well. I forgave him,”

“What about the flowers that you painted for your exhibit? What did those mean?”

Hyunjin turned around and narrowed his eyes at Jeongin.

“You’re being really nosy. Unbelievably so,”

Jeongin tried to hide his nerves with a half shrug.

“I’m trying to be romantic for Seungmin,” He lied easily, though Seungmin probably would like flowers one day.

“I painted a mixture of tulips, roses and lavender,” Hyunjin said sadly. “I’m going to go to bed now, okay? It was a very long day today,”

Jeongin allowed his brother to wrap him up in a hug.

“Goodnight, hyung,”

•••

“I apologized to Jinnie tonight,” Chan said as he stood in Changbin’s doorway.

Changbin sucked in a breath behind his teeth. He pulled his hands from his laptop to give Chan his full attention.

“I did too,” Changbin admitted. “It went about as well as I had hoped,”

“Can I come in?” Chan asked, looking apprehensively between Changbin and his computer.

“Sure,” Changbin sighed, swiveling around in his chair.. “How did you apologize?”

“With flowers,” Chan admitted. “Lix helped me with them,”

“How did it go?” Changbin asked softly. “Was he okay?”

Chan shrugged as he sat down in the middle of Changbin’s bed.

“It went better than I thought it would. He accepted my apology, but I can tell he’s having a really difficult time with everything. How did

you

apologize?”

“I sent him a text message because I couldn’t wait,” Changbin admitted.

“A

text

? Bin-ah, come

on

,”

Changbin held up his hand and shook his head.

“It was just part one of apologizing, okay? Jeongin is now on board to help me with it. He said that he wants to see Hyunjin happy again, even if he’s mad at me.” Changbin explained. “Of course I’m going to go in person, but I didn’t want to overwhelm him, you know?”

Chan nodded his head in agreement.

“He has been bombarded with everyone in person so far,”

“Exactly,” Changbin nodded. “He’s told everyone that he needs space, right?”

“I think so,” Chan winced.

“I’m trying to come up with ways to apologize from afar until he’s ready to have a conversation with me,” Changbin admitted.

Chan pressed his lips together.

“Look, I don’t know what the right move here is, okay? I just feel like you should apologize urgently.”

“I don’t want him to feel like I’m trying to convince him to be with me,” Changbin nearly snapped. “I want him to feel

ready

,”

“I know, but….” Chan struggled with what to say next. “Bin-ah, he needs to hear from you,”

Changbin clenched his jaw tightly, trying not to lash out at his friend. Chan

was

trying to help him, and he had successfully apologized to Hyunjin. Chan grabbed his friend’s hand and gave it a squeeze. Changbin felt his frustration start to build up even more, because he really didn’t know if this was the right move.

“I will, hyung. Soon. I promise,” Changbin vowed. “I can’t last much longer without him either,”

It felt simple, yet entirely impossible, to plan out his next move. Changbin really did get a lot of advice from Jeongin that would be helpful. The producer really wasn’t stupid when it came to the artist, because they knew each other well. Everything that Changbin thought of just wasn’t good enough, and he was starting to think that nothing ever would be.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Changbin paced nervously around his bedroom as he tried his best to formulate some sort of plan. He could plan, really, but it wasn’t his strong suit. Hyunjin had given him a life-line, whether the artist did it knowingly or not was up for debate, but he was going to take what he could get. He had re-read the message a dozen times before he got the courage to call Jeongin for advice again.

It had already been over a week and a half since everything happened. He had talked to himself in circles going over what the right move was. He had a half-baked plan already, nothing entirely concrete, but he was impatient. He felt the anxiety bubbling inside of him, and he knew that he wouldn’t be able to take too much more of this isolation.

Changbin was waiting for Jeongin to arrive before they could solidify the next step. The youngest was starting to warm back up to Changbin, thankfully. The truce was tentative and entirely relying on the reaction that Hyunjin may have. Changbin was trying to prepare for everything, despite how positive Jeongin seemed to be about everything.

The doorbell shocked Changbin out of his pacing. He moved quickly down the hall and flung open the door only to have his face fall in disappointment.

“Don’t look so sad, hyung,” Felix sighed. “It makes me wanna be on your side too,”

Changbin stepped aside to let Felix into the entryway.

“You never knock,” Changbin laughed awkwardly.

Felix shrugged.

“It feels weird to just barge in right now,”

Changbin nodded in agreement. They had reached a point where things were still rather awkward, even if the apologies were accepted. Felix always looked guarded around the three of them now compared to how bright and open he used to be. Changbin didn’t want to force anything out of the younger anymore.

“Are you here to see Chan?” Changbin asked, filling up the awkwardness with a painful laugh.

Felix nodded once.

“We’re going to the movies tonight,” He admitted.

“Oh, that sounds like fun,” Changbin bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from asking about Hyunjin.

“Should be,” Felix shrugged. “I’m gonna go to Chris’ room,”

“Right,” Changbin nodded.

The two awkwardly looked at each other before Felix was moving toward Chan’s room without another word. Changbin huffed out the air that he had been holding inside the moment that he was alone again. He went to the couch to plant himself until Jeongin was sure to arrive.

The doorbell scared Changbin, much like Felix’s knocking did. He scrambled up off of the couch and yanked the door open. The force made the hinges screech slightly. Jeongin’s eyes widened at the sound. He looked between Changbin’s white knuckle grip on the door and the man’s panicked face.

“Oh…kay. I sense some tension. Are you okay, hyung?”

“No,” Changbin laughed. “Do you wanna stay here or leave?”

“What has you freaked out?” Jeongin laughed instead of answering.

“Felix just got here and I wasn’t expecting it,”

Jeongin winced.

“Enough said, let’s get out of here,” Jeongin suggested.

It felt silly to sneak out of his own house, but Changbin didn’t want to run the risk of seeing anyone else before he did. Jeongin took it all in stride and asked Changbin to drive so that they weren’t seen together in public. In public, Jeongin was very much known as Hyunjin’s brother. He didn’t want to run the risk of Hyunjin finding out he was fraternizing with the enemy.

“So this I know,” Changbin huffed as he drove them toward the nearest park. “Hyunjin loves flowers and their meanings, right?”

“Chan apologized with flowers, like I said,” Jeongin nodded.

“Right,” Changbin agreed. “So what if I show up with flowers at the cafe?”

“No offense, hyung, but that’s literally already been done. Hyunjin would just roll his eyes at you,”

“He’s going to roll his eyes at me regardless,” Changbin argued.

“I think you should send him flowers, but like with a hand written note.” Jeongin said honestly. “Send them to our apartment, or I’ll actually take them with me. He’s really soft about hand-written notes.”

“I’m terrible with notes,”

“You’re literally a song writer!” Jeongin yelled, smacking Changbin’s arm. “If you can’t write a letter with a sincere apology, I might actually start to question your credibility,”

“Hey! Respect your elders, brat,” Changbin huffed, merging into another lane safely. “Do you wanna get street food?”

Jeongin looked at Changbin seriously.

“I literally always want to get street food,”

Changbin laughed, shaking his head as he headed toward the pavilion. Jeongin happily started to chat about his production that’s coming up soon. The young actor was really excited, because he was actually given the part of a lead in their play. It was his first leading role since High School and it was a really big deal to him.

Jeongin chatted about how Hyunjin was in high school after Changbin had asked out of curiosity. The producer didn’t realize how much he really didn’t know about his ex. They talked about the really important stuff during their relationship, but there was something so special about learning about his version of Hyunjin. He had rarely gotten the opportunity to talk to Jeongin outside of a group setting as well.

Changbin learned that Jeongin’s love and admiration for his brother went bone deep. He smiled as the younger praised his older brother for his talent. Jeongin talked about seeing Hyunjin learn about art as they were kids. Jeongin was there for the long nights of Hyunjin’s projects. He told Changbin about how many times he had to go wake his brother up so that he could move to their shared bedroom. Changbin laughed at the cute image that his head conjured up for him.

“He hides in his painting room sometimes,” Jeongin admitted. “He hasn’t been doing that in the recent months, when he was with you, but yeah. He’s started to just…rot away in there again. I’m honestly not surprised, but it’s concerning, you know? To see someone revert like he has?”

“How often did he hide from others back then?” Changbin asked, slightly avoiding the topic of an avoidant Hyunjin.

Jeongin sighed.

“More often than he would paint, hyung,” Jeongin answered softly. “Lately, he goes in there late at night to cry, I think,”

“Oh…” Changbin sighed out heavily.

Jeongin nodded.

“I’ll go get us some food, hyung,” Jeongin said softly, gripping Changbin’s shoulder for a brief moment.

Once Changbin was alone, the nerves started to come back full-force. He had to do it anyway, despite how scared he was. He searched for local florists in the area and how quickly he might be able to get the flowers. There were only a few options that were still open, but
Changbin felt a little excited at the possibility of finding what he was looking for.

“Thank you,” Changbin said as Jeongin handed over food that he had bought. “So does Hyunjin have a favorite flower?”

Jeongin smirked.

“He does,” He said simply. “But I think you need to go visit his exhibit one more time to gain some inspiration,”

Changbin left out the bit where he had to go pick up the art piece he purchased.

“You really think that this is going to work?”

“I do, hyung,”

“Okay, then.” Changbin huffed out. “Let’s do it. We have an exhibit and florist to get to,”

•••

“You did really well on your exam,” Seungmin praised Hyunjin as he looked over his scores. “I think you’ve honestly improve enough that you’ll pass your English course with a decent grade,”

Hyunjin sighed, leaning back in the chair.

“At least that’s one stressful event out of the way,”

“True,” Seungmin sighed. “I think I’m gonna miss our tutor nights, Jinnie,”

“You say that like I won’t ever need help again,” Hyunjin rolled his eyes. “And now we might be able to actually work at your home,”

“Hey, I still need money,” Seungmin huffed. “But…yeah, that would be more comfortable, I guess,”

Hyunjin watched as Seungmin started to pack up his things. Hyunjin really was proud of himself. He had managed to get at least a 90% on his exam, a far cry from the 68% he had gotten on the mid-term paper. He didn’t want to admit that Seungmin was a great teacher at first.

“For what it’s worth, I think you’re going to be a really good teacher, Minnie,” The artist admitted.

Seungmin smiled one of his rare, genuine smiles.

“Thank you. That really means a lot coming from you,”

Hyunjin nodded, smiling softly as he started to pack away his things as well. It was Friday night, and Hyunjin was itching to ask about the movie nights. He wondered if now that things were starting to mend that the group was back to doing regular things together.

“Hey…are you going to the movie night tonight?” He asked, finally gaining the courage.

Seungmin stopped putting his books in his bag and looked up at Hyunjin slowly.

“We haven’t started them back yet. Why?”

Hyunjin shrugged a shoulder.

“I was just wondering, because I know you guys are all talking again,”

“It’s been weird between all of us though,” Seungmin admitted. “I don’t know if we’re going to be doing that anytime soon…”

“Right.” Hyunjin nodded. “So…are you free tonight?”

Seungmin nodded his head.

“I am,” He agreed. “Do you want to come over?”

Hyunjin took a minute to swallow his pride and nodded in agreement.

“I would like that, please?”

“Are you okay with seeing Jisung?” He asked.

“I feel like it might be good for me to get used to seeing him again,” Hyunjin admitted. “I don’t want to avoid him forever,”

“Good, because I know you both miss each other,” Seungmin sighed. “Ready?”

“Yeah,” Hyunjin nodded, grabbing his things.

Seungmin sent a message to the Babies group chat to let them know that Hyunjin was coming over. Felix sent back hearts and crying faces, because he was going to the movies with Chan instead. Jisung sent an excited face, but nothing more than that. Hyunjin took it for what it was. He didn’t know how to feel exactly, either. He just missed his best friends.

Jisung had already ordered food for all of them and set it up on the table when they arrived. He smiled sheepishly, but Hyunjin yanked Jisung in until they were hugging. The younger producer tensed up for a moment before he was wrapping his arms around Hyunjin’s middle. They hugged tightly, neither of them wanting to let go first.

They awkwardly pulled away from each other, looking anywhere but the other. Seungmin stood off to the side, arms crossed over his chest. He huffed, rolled his eyes, and started to grab some food for himself. Jisung sprung into action after him. Hyunjin felt a little more dazed and took a few extra minutes to get himself readjusted to the environment.

“I missed you, Sungie,” Hyunjin whispered to his friend as Seungmin picked out a movie for them all to start. “A lot,”

“I missed you too,” Jisung whispered back before leaning his full body weight into Hyunjin’s side.

Hyunjin wondered if this was the right thing to do. He wondered if he was forgiving too easily and moving on too quickly. He had driven himself insane by asking himself if he was making the correct decisions. Hyunjin was sick of going around and around and not having any more answers than he did before. He just decided to be.

Hyunjin leaned back into Jisung’s side and rested his head on top of his friend’s. He didn’t trust that things couldn’t go bad again, but he had hope. Hyunjin hoped like hell that his friends wouldn’t betray him like that again. He hoped that the love he genuinely had in the pits of his stomach wouldn’t lead him astray.

This time, Hyunjin felt different. He felt lighter than he did when he first got to know his friends. He didn’t have that feeling of dread in his gut anymore. He did feel like the trust needed to be rebuilt, but he also realized he needed to be with them in order to rebuild.

Hyunjin was tired of isolating himself from those he loves and who loves him in return. He really did forgive them for their involvement. He decided that for himself, this was the best way to move forward. He wanted them back, and really it didn’t have to be that much more complicated than that. He just had to try .

•••

“Welcome back, little Hwang,” Mr. Kim teased as Jeongin and Changbin walked into the art studio. “Oh! And Mr. Seo. Are you here to arrange a pick up date?”

Jeongin looked at Changbin with a confused face. The producer’s face turned extremely red under the attention.

“We just wanted to see the exhibit one more time,” Changbin explained. “But I can also arrange a pick up. Is it okay if I have a third party come and pick it up?”

“Of course,” Taehyung laughed. “You just have to be present to sign a form or two the day of,”

Changbin nodded.

“Thank you,” He responded. “I’ll come by the end of the week, when the exhibit ends?”

“Let me go grab my planner and laptop,” Taehyung winked before whisking himself away quickly.

“You bought one?” Jeongin asked in awe.

“Yeah,” Changbin sighed out-loud. “I had to, I couldn’t help myself,”

“Aren’t these hella expensive?” Jeongin asked. “They have been paying our rent for like a year and a half, ya know?”

“It was worth it,” Changbin ducked his head for a moment. “C’mon time is wasting,”

Jeongin shook his head and made a beeline for one of the many paintings that Hyunjin did. Changbin stood in silence as he took in the art once again. His chest twisted violently as he saw their love stories through Hyunjin’s eyes. The artist had such a beautiful and unique way of seeing the world, even if it did used to be a bit grim.

Changbin stepped forward, as close as he could, to examine each piece once again. He walked slowly, reverently, as he took in every color and stroke. His eyes started to sting under the weight of the love that the artist carried for him. Hyunjin loved him with all of his being and Changbin had been too prideful to give him the honest truth.

Jeongin gripped Changbin’s shoulders lightly and helped steer him toward a particular painting. The producer whipped his eyes, though it was in vain, and focused in on the piece that was in front of him.

“I think these are the flowers that you should give him,” Jeongin whispered softly. “He mentioned them by name, but I think there was a reason why he painted them,”

“I know shit about flowers,” Changbin laughed, shaking his head. “I’m so fucking in over my head,”

Jeongin gave him one more squeeze before releasing his shoulder.

“Yeah, but I think you’re doing pretty well, hyung,”

Changbin nodded his head in gratitude before looking over the rest of the paintings. By the time Taehyung came back with his planner and laptop, Changbin had dried up his tears. The artist talked briefly about the pick up process and the releasing of the work to him as the new owner. Changbin promptly asked for the information to be emailed to him. Taehyung just nodded and laughed before he was sending a copy. Jeongin offered to also help him pick up the art, and Changbin was grateful for that.

They managed to narrowly avoid a lengthy conversation with Taehyung by Jeongin faking a phone call. Changbin sighed in relief once they were back inside his care safely. Jeongin didn’t want the night to get any more off plan than they already felt like it had. They narrowly made it inside the floral shop before it closed. Changbin felt like he should be buying flowers for the shop keeper as well.

“What are you trying to convey?” The shopkeeper asked Changbin after Jeongin showed him a photo of Hyunjin’s painting. “Does this person love this piece of art and you think it’s a nice connect? Do you want to show them your affections?”

Changbin grimaced.

“A little bit of both. Also, a bit of I’m sorry for being a dumbass?”

She snorted, shaking her head.

“You’re lucky that you’re charming,” She said airly as she moved around the shop to pick out flowers for him. “I think you should be thinking about more than one bouquet,”

“How?”

“I believe this person deserves apology flowers as well as these that replicate a great love confession,”

“But he’s already received apology flowers from one of our friends,” Changbin said, looking lost.

Jeongin sighed and shook his head.

“But he hasn’t gotten them from you,” She winked, whisking around her shop. She pulled a few pink flowers that Changbin didn’t recognize and handed them over in a bundle. “These are pink carnations. They represent love and devotion but they also express regret and seek forgiveness. I think this is the first bouquet you should give to him,”

Changbin took in the beautiful flowers and looked up to the woman’s smiling face.

“But…what about the others?”

“How bad was it?” She asked him, reaching forward to squeeze his hand.

“He’s gonna need a whole lot more bouquets for that,” Jeongin huffed.

“Well, we are open six days a week,” She winked before moving once again to grab more flowers. “I think you should also do a mixture of daisy and sunflowers to show that you are happy with him. That you look toward the future, brightly and together. Maybe do those after,”

Changbin looked at Jeongin but the younger man just shrugged.

“How do I keep them fresh? I… I mean I’m pretty sure I will kill them,”

The shopkeeper laughed.

“I will hold them for you until a certain pick-up day, if you pre-pay for them.”

“Okay, deal,” Changbin huffed. “And the bouquet we came in for…what do those mean?”

“Well, the red roses symbolize love, it’s the most obvious. The pink tulips represent perfect love. They were used to declare your love for another. Lavender can also mean serenity and calmness in addition to purity and devotion. It sounds to me like the artist who painted that piece is quite the romantic. They were openly declaring their eternal love for whomever it was painted for,”

“I need that one,” Changbin said firmly.

“I think that one should be either first or last,” She recommended. “It’s the most intense, the deepest of the emotions. Regret is a powerful thing, but so is an eternal love like that,”

“We will take them,” Jeongin spoke up. “Can we take two bouquets tonight and pick up the other another day?”

The shopkeeper sent him a small smile.

“Of course, I’ll finish preparing these,”

“Thank you,” Changbin sighed heavily. “And you too, Innie. Thank you for helping me with this,”

Jeongin nodded.

“After hearing what those meant to Hyunjin…I knew that helping you was the right thing to do,”

Changbin didn’t blink an eye when he paid for all three bouquets. Jeongin was impressed by the fact that the other didn’t even have to think twice about the amount of money that he was spending. The florist made Changbin promise that he would bring back Hyunjin for a date night where they could build bouquets for each other. The producer didn’t hesitate to promise he would if things went well.

•••

Hyunjin let his bag fall to the floor as soon as he stepped inside his apartment. He felt the exhaustion finally kick in. He had even fallen asleep on the couch cuddled up to Jisung before Seungmin woke them both up when the movie finished. Hyunjin hugged them both tight and left quickly because he just wanted to be back in his bed.

Hyunjin took off his shoes slowly and stuffed them into his slippers. He thought about leaving his bag in the entryway, but decided that Jeongin would probably throw a fit if he did. He bent down, groaning to pick up the bag once again. He huffed in annoyance at the amount of lights on in their apartment. He assumed Jeongin was studying his lines in his room.

“I’m home!” Hyunjin called, a small smile forming on his face. It was the first time in a while that he didn’t feel like immediately hiding himself away in the studio to relieve his emotions. “Jeongin?”

The silence felt unnerving to the artist. He slowed down, his heart pounding inside his chest the closer that he got to the main living area. Hyunjin walked cautiously until he could see the full view of their shared living space. He jumped in shock to see Changbin standing there, flowers clutched tightly in his hands. Hyunjin froze immediately, unsure of what to do. He felt completely caught off guard.

“I’m…I’m sorry, Hyunjin,” Changbin spoke softly.

“What are you doing here?”

“Jeongin let me in…” He trailed off.

Hyunjin walked over to the couch to dump his bad down before he turned to look at Changbin. He crossed his arms over his chest, and tried his best to look at the other man in the face.

“Talk,”

“You were right, you did deserve more from me,” Changbin answered automatically. “You deserve more than what I could give you in the form of an apology. I don’t know how to do this really, but I’m going to try to say everything that you deserve to hear,”

Hyunjin nodded, looking down at his feet for a moment.

“Okay,”

“I’m so incredibly sorry, Hyunjin. I’m sorry that I agreed to the bet and I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you about it. I’m sorry that I didn’t call it off immediately. I should have told you about it sooner. I should have, knowing that I was already low key stalking you, told Minho that I already had my mind made up. It was you from the start, Jinnie. I wish I could have said that sooner. I did, well kinda still do, believe that love is a choice. But I think that was probably before I met you,”

Hyunjin felt his eyes prickle with tears. He pushed his glasses up further on his face.

“What do you mean?”

“I think we might be soul-mates, as silly and frivolous I once thought that term was. There’s no one who understands me like you do. I believe that I understand you pretty fucking well too. It feels like fate brought us together, because how else could we have met at the cafe the night Mina and I broke up. I had never stepped foot into that cafe before and you weren’t scheduled to work. I never told you this, but I could feel it in my gut when I looked at you for the first time. I feel like that’s how you felt when you looked at me too,”

The artist pressed his lips together to keep himself from saying something impulsive, just because Changbin was there.

“I always felt like I didn’t have a choice in falling in love with you,” He said instead, tears already streaming down his face. His glasses were fogging up annoyingly quick. He took them off to rub his eyes.

“Now that I’m here,” Changbin sighed. “I don’t think I ever stood a chance against it as well. I have never been in love with someone like this before. That’s why I was so scared to tell you, Jinnie-ah. I wanted to so many times, but I got terrified that I would lose you. Fuck..I knew that I would regardless,”

Changbin’s tears were falling down his face freely.

“I would have run either way,” Hyunjin admitted in defeat. “I would have ran from you regardless if you told me the first week or in six months.”

Changbin stepped forward, despite how scared he was to get closer.

“Regardless, you lost your trust in me. I earned that, and I’m incredibly sorry that I ever made you feel like you deserved any of this. I’m sorry if you felt like you couldn’t trust anyone ever again. I’m sorry if you feel like I proved you right in a terrible way. I’m sorry ,”

“I know,” Hyunjin cried harder. “I’m sorry too. I was so fucking mean to you. I said really hurtful things,”

“I deserved it,”

“ No ,” Hyunjin hissed. “Just because I was hurting doesn’t excuse my behavior either. You aren’t a cruel man, Changbin. You made a horrible call, but you're not intentionally cruel. I know, trust me, now that you didn’t want to hurt me,”

Changbin had to look away from Hyunjin’s face for a moment. It twisted his insides to see Hyunjin cry like this.

“You deserved better from me,”

“Then show me that you can be better,” Hyunjin begged, feeling desperate. “I can’t keep living my life like you didn’t fit inside my chest like you always belonged there,”

Changbin took a tentative step forward, and when Hyunjin didn’t back up, he quickly closed the gap until he was right in front of him. He sat the flowers down softly on the counter before he was reaching up and softly pat the tears away from Hyunjin’s eyes. The artist cried harder.

“I never wanna be the reason why you cry again,” Changbin whispered. “I know that this process is going to be slow, and I know it’s going to be hard. But getting to love you has been the greatest honor.”

Hyunjin wrapped his arms around Changbin and buried his head in the crook of the shorter man’s neck. Changbin’s strong arms held Hyunjin tightly as they both cried together. Hyunjin felt something in his heart start to heal. He felt like he was finally coming home and he realized it was because of Changbin.

“I forgive you,” He whispered. “I missed you so much that it hurt. I still need time, but please don’t stay away from me. I need you,”

Changbin slowly pulled away. He wiped a few strands of hair from Hyunjin messy, wet face.

“I’m not going away, Jinnie.” He vowed.

“We have to go slow,” Hyunjin said firmly. “I need to see the work, Bin,”

Changbin slowly backed away and nodded.

“We will,” He promised. “I brought these for you. I have a card as well. Please read it later, when you’re settled, okay?”

Hyunjin nodded.

“I promise,”

Changbin smiled sadly.

“I think I’m going to go now, if that’s okay?”

“I think it’s a good time for you to leave,” Hyunjin agreed. “I’ll walk you to the door,”

“Okay,” Changbin sighed.

The pair walked slowly until Changbin reached the door. He quickly slipped on his shoes that Hyunjin had been too preoccupied to notice when he first got home. The producer gave him a small smile and a wave before he quietly slipped out of the apartment. Hyunjin stood, watching the door like he hoped that Changbin would walk right back inside and into his arms. He didn’t.

Hyunjin went back to the kitchen in a daze. Jeongin was now standing at the counter with a vase filled with the flower mixture and water waiting for him. Hyunjin didn’t have the heart to scold his brother, not when he had clearly been a part of the apology. The artist slowly put the pink carnations into the vase. He took the letter, in a small brown envelope, and stuck it in his back pocket.

“Thank you, Jeongin,” He said softly, putting his glasses back on his face.

“Anytime,” Jeongin answered. “I just want to see you happy,”

Hyunjin smiled, genuinely, and wrapped his brother up in a bone crushing hug.

“I’m so lucky to have a brother like you,” He admitted.

“I love you, hyung,”

“I love you too,”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hyunjinnie,

I bought these flowers because I didn’t know how else to say I was sorry.

Chan gave me the idea, but Jeongin reminded me that it was a good idea.

I hope that I can convey the words that I desperately need to say.

These days without you have been like a blur. I don’t know where to turn to.

I don’t know who I am half the time, but when I look at you, I remember.

I am yours, Hyunjin

For now and forever, I am yours.

If you’ll have me, that is.

Love,

Changbin.

P.s this isn’t all please let me continue to prove myself to you.

Hyunjin pinned the letter on the corkboard in his room, above his desk. He cried ugly, fat tears when he first read it. Changbin had left, yet his mind was keeping him awake into the early morning hours. He felt silly for being so extremely happy to have seen the producer in person again. He woke up, but he didn’t feel groggy in the slightest. He felt eager to get up and get his day started when his first alarm went off.

Hyunjin quickly made breakfast for himself and Jeongin. This time, he really did feel better. He didn’t feel like he was trying desperately to cling to normalcy. Hyunjin didn’t know what the rest was going to entail, but he knew that he didn’t have to wait for another apology from anyone else. The final piece of the puzzle was fitting in to make a complete picture.

Jeongin was mumbling and half asleep when he tumbled into the kitchen. He was dressed, but he still looked rumpled from sleep. He accepted the breakfast, but grumbled about having to wait for coffee until they went to the cafe. Hyunjin shook his head and ruffled Jeongin’s hair before he went to finish getting ready.

Hyunjin took another look at the carnations on his desk and his entire being filled with unbridled joy. He loved that Changbin apologized with flowers, even if Chan did as well. He changed quickly into his work clothes and rushed out of his room to finish his food. Hyunjin wasn’t surprised to find Jeongin had already finished his food quickly.

“What time are you coming home, hyung?” Jeongin asked, trying to remain innocent.

“Hmmm…I dunno yet,” Hyunjin shrugged. “I’m at the cafe until seven, because we’re planning another poetry night in a few weeks. Do you have rehearsals?”

Jeongin shook his head.

“No, but I do have a date with Seungmin. Next week is hell week,”

Hyunjin grimaced.

“I’m sorry,”

“Don’t be. Everyone hates tech week,” He shrugged. “But I have tickets for everyone, if that’s okay?”

“Everyone?”

“I got them before everything happened,” Jeongin half-lied. He definitely could have changed the quantity of free tickets he got but he didn’t. “Is that okay?”

Hyunjin thought about it for a moment. He took a deep breath and nodded his head.

“That’s okay.”

“Cool,” Jeongin huffed.

They bused to Haewon, and Jeongin nearly bulldozed people out of the way as they walked inside. Jongho looked up abruptly as the youngest Hwang tripped over his own shoes. Hyunjin quickly caught his brother and bowed to a few people on the way as an apology. Hyunjin went right to the back to put away his things while Jongho started on Jeongin’s coffee.

Hyunjin felt happy, as he let his arms swing as he walked. He laughed to himself as he pulled on his apron and adjusted his name tag. He took a big, deep breath and allowed himself to feel at peace with his decision. He was incredibly proud of himself for his personal growth. He was proud of himself for deciding to open up again despite how hard it probably was going to be moving forward. He would take one day at a time, just as his therapist used to encourage him to do, and decided to be happy today.

Jeongin was whining to Jongho when Hyunjin returned. The oldest sibling rolled his eyes and started working on making his own drink for himself. Jongho seemed to be listening intently at what Jeongin was saying about his play, but Hyunjin tried his best to tune him out once again. He had gotten to be on the receiving end of Jeongin’s rants already and he was sure that his brother just needed to tell someone new.

Hyunjin grabbed his drink and walked over to the counter to level his brother with a look.

“Aren’t you supposed to be going to classes now?” He asked, raising one eyebrow.

Jeongin rolled his eyes.

“I still have plenty of time to do that, thanks,” He smiled brightly, but Hyunjin knew it was to make himself look more innocent. “Plus, hyung was listening to me,”

Jongho sighed.

“If I didn’t do theater for so long, I would have walked away,” He teased. “But you really should be looking over your lines.”

“I don’t want to,” Jeongin whined.

“You should do it now instead of waiting until later,” Hyunjin insisted. “You have a date, and your boyfriend is gonna be upset if he knows you didn’t study properly,”

Jeongin pressed his lips together tightly.

“One apology and you’re back to your normal nagging,” He sighed. “I should have never meddled.”

Hyunjin shook his head.

“Just go before you’re late,”

“Fineeeee,” Jeongin sighed, taking his drink and standing up straight. “I will see you later. Please be safe, you know how it is out here now,”

Hyunjin gave his brother a puzzled look before he was turning around and practically running out of Haewon.

•••

“I’m assuming that the apology went well?” Chan asked as he walked into the studio to see Changbin furiously writing in his open notebook. Changbin jumped at the sound, having had all of his focus on the words in front of him. He looked confused between Chan and his notebook for a moment. “You’re writing again?”

Realization hit Changbin quickly, and he was nodding his head aggressively.

“Yeah! Well, it went better than I thought that it was going to go,”

“You did go no contact,” Chan said sternly.

Changbin pressed his lips together tightly for a moment.

“Look, I understand that it looks like that was what was happening,” Changbin stated. “But that was never really what was going on,”

Chan looked confused for a moment.

“Explain it to me then?”

“Hyunjin needed space from me,” Changbin said in a firm tone. “He also said really nasty things to me. I understand he was hurt, and I probably earned some of them, but he still said some things. I know Hyunjin and I know that he needed his space. I know that he would have probably gotten more upset if I tried to contact him. He was mad that I did over a text,”

“There’s no real winning then?” Chan laughed awkwardly. “But a text mate?”

“We’ve been over this,” Changbin sighed heavily. “I did my best with what I had in the moment and it worked. How I chose to move forward was worth it, because he wouldn’t have heard me out until now. I can’t explain myself anymore, I’m just happy that things are going in a good direction,”

Chan nodded, sitting down beside him in the other chair.

“That’s all that matters then right? That you’re working to make it better, even if no one else understands,”

Changbin sighed in relief.

“Thank you, hyung.”

“So…you’re writing again?” Chan tried again. “I’ll listen this time,”

“Yeah, I started writing again.” Changbin admitted. “Well, at least it’s not going to be super dark lyrics.”

“Yeah those you were writing was…something. They weren’t bad! They just…sounded like you were going through it,”

Changbin rolled his eyes and smacked Chan.

“Do you want to read this or not?”

“I thought you would never ask me, Binnie,” Chan sighed dramatically, batting his eyes at the other man.

“I called it Sorry, I Love You,” Changbin explained. “I think I’m going to send the lyrics to Hyunjin,”

Changbin sat anxiously as Chan read over the lyrics. He really tried to pour his heart out on the page. He tried to express his sincerest form of regret. He wanted Hyunjin to know how much he meant to him the entire time.

“I think you should record it,” Chan urged, eyes flicking up to look at Changbin only for a moment before he looked back down at the paper in front of him. “Do you have any recording sessions to do today?”

“No, I was just making guides,”

“Great, I’ll stay out here if you wanna get into the booth,”

Changbin sighed, shoulders slumping.

“I dunno hyung,”

“I have a good feeling about this one,” The older man stated, looking back up at Changbin. “Just give it a try and if it doesn’t work, you don’t have to do anything with it,”

Changbin thought it over for a moment, before he found himself agreeing with Chan. He didn’t have much left to lose anyway. Hyunjin might find it really cringy because Changbin had never shown his raw demos before, but he really wanted to do this. He felt like he needed to do this.

Chan supported Changbin from the other side of the studio, helping him when he felt lost. Changbin hadn’t felt so blissfully free in the studio in some time. He always had songs to finish or to record with other artists. Changbin didn’t realize how much fun his work had been lacking lately. He wondered why it was starting to feel a lot less like his passion and more like his day to day clock in. He hated to think that he was only making music when he got paid for it.

Jisung popped into the studio to help sing some of the other parts of the song for Changbin. The writer stood on the other side, behind Chan, and listened as they created someone new together. He felt whole again, renewed, as Chan told Jisung how well he had done on the vocals. Changbin was bouncing on the balls of his feet as Jisung and Chan switched places. He waited until Chan was situated before he sat down in the seat once again.

One song bled into three more while they were all together. The three producers were able to actually get work done and feel the rips in their hearts slowly start to mend. Changbin forgot about how much he had been hurting, even if it was this small amount of time. Before he could spiral too much, Jisung grabbed his hand for a moment.

“Jinnie is at the cafe late today to set up for another poetry night that’s happening soon. He might have forgotten to eat again,” Jisung said softly. “In case you didn’t know,”

Changbin thought about the second bouquet, the ones that replicated the painting, sitting in Hyunjin’s room already, and thought maybe it wasn’t a terrible idea to start taking care of him again.

“Thanks for telling me, Sungie. I was just going to call him after, but now I know he’s busy.” Changbin replied. “How are things with you guys right now?”

Jisung smiled sadly.

“It’s going slow, but we missed each other. We’re slowly gonna find our groove back, hyung. Just like you will,”

“Thank you,” Changbin huffed a laugh. “Do you think that you could help me with this other song I’m working on for a girl group?”

“Always,” Jisung sighed out, sending a secretive wink over Changbin’s shoulder to Chan.

The oldest producer watched two of his favorite people work from the sidelines. The tension in the studio had all but disappeared, making their work flow. Maybe it was the time they spent apart that helped. But maybe it was probably the willingness to look inside and see the dark parts of themselves that they didn’t like, and work on those.

•••

Hyunjin huffed as he finished moving around the chairs so that they would be able to bring in the small stage once again. He was sweating, but he felt satisfied as he stood up and stared at the cafe. He whipped off his forehead with the back of his hand and grabbed a towel to dry off said hand. He was excited for this poetry night, as he finally wrote something new for it.It was easier to get his mind back into gear when he had something to focus on.

Hyunjin looked up when Jongho called his name out from behind the counter. The artist lightly jogged over, seeing the other man bent down and inspecting the drain. He looked frustrated, and Hyunjin felt agitated as well.

“This is the second time it’s gotten backed up again since we fixed it,” Jongho huffed out. “We can’t keep hashing out money like this,”

Hyunjin shook his head playfully.

“You’re complaining like you have to foot the bill,”

“Hey, I actually would love to buy this place in a few years, and I’d like to be in one piece,” He argued. He looked around for a moment before whispering. “That’s why I pester them until they do it,”

“Of course you do,” Hyunjin shook his head. “Should we up the recommended donation price for people coming into the poetry night this time?”

Jongho sighed and waved his hand.

“Do whatever you want, but please can you go get the big buckets again?”

“Yes, sir,” Hyunjin teased, bowing at his manager. Jongho looked like he was gonna smack him so he ran to the back while the other cleaned up the mess of water and different types of milks on the floor.

When Hyunjin made it back, Jongho was mopping up the last of the mess. There was a small line of customers waiting at the register, but it couldn’t be helped that things were going the way that they are. Hyunjin quickly apologized to the small line and then rushed to help. He made sure that the hose was now properly pushed into the empty bucket. It was a shitty solution, but at least they had one.

“Thanks,” Jongho mumbled as he wheeled the mop and bucket past him.

Haewon had been busy all day until it slowed down an hour before. Hyunjin was hoping that it would stay slow, even if it meant he couldn’t finish the set up. He got lucky, that things were so slow he did finish. That didn’t mean that they weren’t busy again, it just meant that Jongho was too stubborn to ask for his help.

Hyunjin quickly took the orders, letting the cups start a line
beside him until Jongho could come back. He tried not to let the few angry customers upset him; nothing could beat Mina in that department. He smiled as politely as he could and rang them up as quickly as possible.

“That was terrible,” Hyunjin muttered under his breath as he started the espresso shots.

“I fucking hate our plumbing,” Jongho muttered back as he poured milk to start steaming. “If it wasn’t winter, we wouldn’t have such a huge problem,”

“If it wasn’t for shitty plumbers, we wouldn’t have one,” Hyunjin sighed.

“We deserve a raise,”

“We don’t get paid enough for this,” Hyunjin huffed, delicately pouring espresso into a hot cup. “This guy wasn’t nice, by the way,”

“I’ll burn his milk,” Jongho responded, instantly deciding to steam the milk until the steamer started to screech loudly. “There it is. Hot, burnt milk for him,”

“My savior,” Hyunjin sighed dreamily. He turned to make the rest of the drinks as quickly as he could, and if he took too long to pull a shot, that was no one else's business. He wasn’t a complete lunatic, just enough to give someone a crap cup of coffee.

Hyunjin was wiping down the counter when the door chimed, signaling someone walking in. He called out a greeting, but let his eyes travel up for a moment. He stood straight up, grabbing the nasty towel in both hands. Changbin smiled softly, walking down the stairs and toward the counter. He had a bag of take out containers in his hand.

“Hi,” He said softly.

“Hi,”

“Ji told me about the poetry night coming up.” Changbin said. “I wanted to make sure that you are eating.”

Hyunjin’s eyes widened as Changbin handed over the food to him. He dropped his towel and reached for the food without thinking. Changbin’s eyes widened and he smiled, genuinely happy that Hyunjin wasn’t ignoring him.

“I did forget,” He admitted. “There’s this plumbing problem..and yeah. Jongho and I have been dealing with it so..I forgot,”

Changbin smiled and nodded.

“There’s food for both of you in there,” He said happily. “Can I get a calming tea?”

“Of course,” Hyunjin said softly, turning around to put the bags of food on the back counter. “Have you eaten yet?”

“Minho is cooking at home tonight,” Changbin responded. “I just wanted to make sure that you were taken care of first.”

And there it was, that dull fluttering that never seemed to really leave Hyunjin starting to come back to life at the weight of Changbin’s confession. His heart, however fragile it was, was longing, yearning to feel like this again. It was in moments like this that Hyunjin fell for Changbin in the first place. Hyunjin could feel his cheeks flush, but Changbin didn’t seem in a rush to embarrass him this time.

“Thank you, hyung,” Hyunjin smiled. “It means a lot to me that you take care of me,”

“I never want to stop taking care of you, for however long I can,” Changbin said sincerely, much too earnestly, in the semi-busy cafe.

“I…I can take a small break.” Hyunjin huffed. “Give me a minute,”

“Take your time,”

Hyunjin found himself quickly making Changbin’s tea and searching for Jongho. The other man was still on the phone, and there was no telling when he would be back.

“Well, actually, Jongho is taking care of something. I can come over when your tea is done,”

“Perfect.” He sighed. He reached out to hand over his card.

Hyunjin shook his head.

“This one is on me,” He said with a small smile. “Go, I’ll be right over,”

“Okay,” Changbin sighed out softly, before he turned to go find a booth to sit in, if one was available.

The artist turned around to see if Jongho was off of the phone yet, only to see the man looking inside the takeout boxes. His phone was still pressed to his ear, and he turned to look up at Hyunjin. He made a comical gesture of looking over Hyunjin’s shoulder, toward the direction that Changbin went. He shrugged back before Jongho pulled the phone away from his ear.

“That looks suspiciously like the boyfriend you claimed to no longer have,” Jongho stated. “I knew you were lying, because neither of you bothered to delete anything and here he is…delivering food once again.”

Hyunjin didn’t have the heart to argue and point out how bad he had been. Instead he rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Can I take my break now?”

“Might as well. It’s already a circus in here,”

“That’s the spirit,” Hyunjin winked and joined Jongho to look inside at the food. He shouldn’t have been surprised when he saw his name in Changbin’s writing on one of the boxes. He carefully tucked the box under his arm and grabbed the tea and saucer with both hands. He walked as slowly as possible to the table where Changbin was waiting.

Changbin quickly grabbed the saucer and mug from Hyunjin’s hands so that he didn’t drop his food all over the floor.

“Thanks, hyung,” Hyunjin sighed out in relief as he sat down on the opposite side of the table.

“You’re welcome, Jinnie-ah,” He smiled. “I know you don’t have long but I wanted to check in on you as well,”

“Thank you for that,” Hyunjin said sincerely. “Today has been a little crazy. We have a lot to prepare and my mind has been elsewhere…”

Changbin studied Hyunjin’s face as he looked out the window. His mind suddenly looked far away from there. The tightness in Changbin’s chest returned. He slowly reached over and laid his hand on top of Hyunjin’s on the table. Hyunjin jumped for only a moment.

“I know that it’s going to take some time,” Changbin admitted out-loud.

Hyunjin turned slowly to look at their hands on the table.

“I wish it wouldn’t,” He admitted. “I wish that we could just jump back to what we were. God, I miss us , Binnie. Fuck that it’s only been a couple of weeks now. I hate this.”

Changbin squeezed Hyunjin’s hand under his and looked out the window for a moment.

“I miss us, too.” He admitted. “It feels wrong to jump back in just as much as it feels wrong to stay like this. I don’t know what the right answer is,”

“I think we just have to do what we think is best, but together. We have to be on the same page,”

“I agree,” Changbin sighed out. “Eat, you’ll feel a little bit better,”

Hyunjin smiled softly and nodded in agreement. Changbin pulled away so that Hyunjin could focus on his food. He slowly drank his tea, lavender that Hyunjin chose, and watched the man in front of him eat.

Jongho signaled for help behind the counter, so Hyunjin started to pack up his box. Changbin smiled softly at him as he waved shyly. The producer tried not to say anything too forward in fear that he’d chase Hyunjin away. But fuck , Changbin loved him with everything that was within him.

Changbin finished his tea and took the dish to the counter. Hyunjin smiled at him from behind the counter in thanks. Changbin waved before slowly turning around and walking out of the cafe. The brisk air hit his lungs harshly, but he didn’t care. He kept walking with a light bounce in his step.

Changbin was suddenly happy that he didn’t drive his car today, and enjoyed the walk to the bus stop much more than he did on the way there. Things were going in a good direction, and honestly that’s all he could ask for right now.

Minho was cooking in the kitchen with Jisung plastered to his back when Changbin got home. He decided to leave them be until the food was ready. He went to his room to drop his bag off. Changbin looked around the room, and his eyes stopped at the painting of Hyunjin’s he bought.

The melancholy in the painting gave Changbin hope, just like it did when he first saw it. The feelings he felt made him feel determined; unyielding. He was going to make it up to Hyunjin, in every single way that he could, until Hyunjin was satisfied. He owed him that much.

Changbin looked over his walls and tried to mentally decide where he was going to put his new painting. He didn’t exactly have the dimensions yet, but he wanted to have an idea at least so he could get right to work in it.

“Hyung?” Jisung’s voice called from the other side of the door. “Hyung, food’s ready!”

“I’ll be right there, Ji,” Changbin called back.

Jisung’s feet shuffled toward Chan’s door and called the eldest out of his room. Changbin shouldn’t have been surprised to hear Felix’s deep voice following the others. He was just glad that things were looking up.

Changbin was starting to feel joy again, and it was more than welcoming.

•••

Hyunjin felt a satisfied kind of tired when he finally got home to his apartment. Even with the fiasco at the cafe, it felt good to get things done and to do them well. He sat his bag down and pulled his food out to put in the fridge. He lingered at the counter, unsure of what he was going to do now that he was home. He started with a glass of water, because he needed it for the amount of americanos he ingested earlier.

Hyunjin would allow himself ten minutes to be a blob of a man. He tossed himself down on his bed just to be there. He let his eyes close and tried allow his body to let go of the day. He breathed slowly and felt every part of himself relax. He felt calm, for the first time since the break-up, Hyunjin felt at peace with himself. He felt like he was coming back to himself, in a good way.

Hyunjin turned to look where he had posted Changbin’s letter on his corkboard. He smiled, having practically memorized the letter. He felt loved by Changbin, regardless of everything. He knew that he was loved, which he thinks was probably the hardest part of everything. Changbin was keeping his promise to make it up to him, just as Hyunjin had hoped that he would.

The artist pulled himself up until he was moving around the room to change into some old, painting clothes. He hadn’t actually painted anything that he was proud of, but maybe now was a good time to try again. He quickly found his rattiest clothes and pulled them on. He made his way to the other room with a small skip in his step.

“Yah, Seo Changbin!” Hyunjin yelled loudly, as he saw a vase of flowers sitting on his wooden stool. He smiled, heart beating quickly in his chest as he walked over to get a better look at the flowers. He felt himself tearing up and smiling at the same time, as the flowers were the same ones that he painted when they were first falling in love.

Underneath the flower vase was another note. He picked the flowers up delicately and reached for the note. He was careful to lower the flowers again on the stool, before unfolding the paper.

Jinnie-ah,
I love you, darling. I thought that there was no better way to say this than to try to replicate how you showed me you loved me first. I started working on a new song, and I’ll send it to you once it’s done. But here’s a part of it, it’s called Sorry, I Love You.

Trying to break down the wall between us just brеaks my heart

While making my mind up, I missed thе most important one, you

I’m sorry that I missed you, darling.

Please forgive me for that one, too.

Yours,

Changbin.

Hyunjin shook his head but clutched the piece of paper tightly to his chest. The fluttering that started to unravel earlier was now a full-blown hurricane in his chest. He looked at the flowers, knowing exactly how much Changbin was wanting to express himself. He just knew , even without the letter, how much he was loved by the producer.

Hyunjin just wanted to bask in that love again.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Changbin didn’t know why picking up an art piece made him so incredibly nervous. He figured it could be because the piece was expensive. It could also be because it’s something that is delicate, and easily ruined if you’re not careful. He sighed heavily, because that seemed more like a metaphor for Hyunjin in general, so of course it’s connected to his art. He guesses that the main reason why he’s nervous is because this is wholly his and he gets to keep it forever.

He paid for the visual representation of his love that he shared with Hyunjin. He feels giddy on the inside, because it’s

finally

time to bring the piece home. Somehow, with everything that’s going on, it feels like a fresh start. Hyunjin and Changbin have started to embark on their new beginning, together, and that’s the most terrifying thing he could think of.

This time, things were starting to feel different. He was allowed to feel giddy and nervous at the prospect of purchasing Hyunjin’s art rather than feeling guilty and embarrassed. Changbin smiled to himself, because this time there would be nothing in between them. This time, he felt he could be one thousand percent honest. Changbin knows he’s an honest person, but he also knows that keeping the secret for so long was harmful to them both.

He drummed his hands on the steering wheel of his father’s SUV. He had barely given his parents any details regarding his relationship, but he did tell them that they were taking a small break from each other right now. His mother cried when he said that he didn’t know if Hyunjin would actually be joining Christmas activities in a few weeks time. Still, they lent him the vehicle so that he could pick up the art piece.

Jeongin was waiting outside the library on campus with Seungmin when he pulled up. The youngest kissed his boyfriend sweetly before he jumped into the passenger seat. Changbin tried to duck the best he could so that the other man wouldn’t see who was in the driver's side. Jeongin quickly put on his seatbelt and demanded that Changbin drive.

“Why are we being so secretive again?” Changbin asked.

“I don’t want Hyunjin to know that I’ve meddled,”

Changbin laughed.

“I think he already does, Innie,”

Jeongin’s nose scrunched at the nick-name.

“I didn’t give you permission to use that nick-name,

hyung

,”

“Right, right. I’m sorry, young one,” He said sagely. “But seriously, tell Seungmin. He’s barely warming up to me again. I was his favorite hyung,”

“You still are,” Jeongin huffed. “Which I think that’s why he was so affected,”

Changbin hummed.

“That does make more sense now,”

“I’ll text him if it will make you feel better,”

“It will. I want no more secrets, even if they aren’t bad ones,”

“Even if it’s for a surprise?”

“Yeah, let’s just say even then,” Changbin laughed. “Thank you for volunteering to help me, Jeongin-ah. It means a lot to me that you’ve gone this far for me and Jinnie,”

Jeongin shrugged his shoulders as his fingers typed quickly over his phone’s keyboard.

“I love you guys being together more than I enjoy you not being gross apart,” He sighed. “Seriously, you’re both really good for each other. I wanna see Hyunjin that happy again,”

“Thank you,” Changbin said sincerely. “Do you think we’re gonna get roped into another whimsical conversation with Mr. Kim?”

Jeongin nodded slowly.

“The only one that can stop him is his partner, Mr. Jeon. And I fear that if he’s there,

you

will become the one that ropes them into a conversation,”

Changbin laughed loudly.

“Yeah, probably,”

Changbin was grateful that he was able to find street parking right in front of the studio, to make loading the painting up much easier. Jeongin jumped out and paid for the parking on his own, making Changin’s heart squeeze in affection for the younger man. He took a moment to prepare himself for the possibility of a long conversation with the eccentric artist.

Changbin and Jeongin both breathed a sigh of relief when the receptionist announced that Mr. Kim was out for an early lunch with his partner. He sent his apologies for not being there, but all of the paperwork was officially done anyway. Changbin was only slightly concerned that the owner was so relaxed about just letting them in.

“It’s because you’re Hyunjin’s.” Jeongin sighed. “He trusts my brother to run this entire place by himself so I’m assuming that’s why. Hyunjin has always talked about how neurotic Mr. Kim can be when it comes to his business. That paired with the fact that you are gym bros with his partner…I dunno makes sense to me,”

Changbin nodded for a moment.

“Okay, point made. I feel less weird now,”

“This isn’t the usual protocol,” The receptionist smiled softly as she rose from behind the desk. “He really did apologize profusely, but it seems that Mr. Kim thinks that you’re trustworthy enough to pick it up without him here.”

“I…Thank you.” Changbin responded. “We can get it now, if that’s okay?”

“Of course. Do you want a dolly to help?”

“I believe we can lift it,” Jeongin smiled. “Right, hyung?”

“Yeah,”

The piece wasn’t that large that it needed two people to carry it. He could have done this by himself, but he felt better having Jeongin there as a watchful eye to help in case something went wrong. The two of them were able to effortlessly get the painting into the backseat of the SUV without any major accidents happening. The producer finally let his shoulders relax and he sighed out in relief.

They quickly said goodbye to the receptionist and hopped back into the car. After a quick discussion, they decided to drop the painting off in Changbin’s room and pick up Seungmin before they went to eat. He’d return his dad’s vehicle after he treated the two youngest to something good to eat.

“Hi hyung,” Seungmin said softly as he slid into the backseat. “Jeongin tells me that you bought a painting?”

“Yeah, it’s in the very back,” Changbin nodded, pulling safely away from the curb.

Seungmin looked back at the painting and tried his very best to hide his pleased smile.

“I’m glad that you did,” He admitted. “I think Hyunjin’s gonna be happy to still see this piece,”

“I sure hope so,” Changbin laughed. “I’m gonna put it either in my room or in the hallway. I haven’t decided yet,”

“I’m sure he’s gonna be pleased with anything,” Seungmin stated. “He’s been in a better mood lately, hyung,”

“I’m glad to hear that. He’s working hard at the cafe, right?”

“Yeah, now that his show and exam is over, he’s trying to focus on that,” Jeongin responded.

“He got a decent grade in his English, so we’re not doing mandatory tutoring sessions anymore,”

“That’s good,” Changbin smiled to himself.

“Yeah and soon you can stop kidnapping my boyfriend at every turn,” Seungmin said playfully.

Jeongin cackled at the remark.

“I

volunteered

to help hyung,”

“Same difference,” Seungmind sighed dramatically. “Can we get hotpot? It’s cold and I’m craving it,”

“Oh! That sounds good,” Jeongin agreed.

Changbin smiled softly, enjoying the moment.

“Should we? Let’s do it,”

•••

“Are you finishing up soon?” Felix asked, eyes wide as he took in Hyunjin’s messy state.

The artist nodded his head as he finished wiping down the table.

“Yeah,” He sighed. “I’m almost done,”

“Are you sure that you’re still okay to go to the studio?” Felix said, voice dropping a little lower. “I understand if you still don’t want to be around Minho hyung right now,”

Hyunjin nodded and huffed out a small laugh.

“I think it will be good for us, yeah?” He asked. “Didn’t you both start to heal when you started to dance together again?”

“Yeah, but we’ve been doing that most of our lives,” The other blonde laughed.

“Well it couldn’t hurt me to try, right?”

“Right,” Felix beamed at him with pride. “I’ll text him and let him know that we’re both still planning on showing up,”

“Thanks, Lixie,” Hyunjin smiled softly.

Truthfully, the day had been exhausting and he was just working a half-shift. He was supposed to have all day off but Jongho called him in to cover while the plumber worked on the pipes once again. They now had a working drain, but Hyunjin was tired from all of the running back and forth that he did.

The artist finished his tasks and got the okay from his manager to clock out already. Jongho looked more stressed than he did, but he practically shooed Hyunjin out from behind the counter. The artist quickly grabbed his things from his locker, almost forgetting his apron in the process and ended up a little tangled. He laughed to himself before slowly removing the offended garment from his body.

Felix was waiting patiently with his bag hanging loosely from both arms in front of him. He looked a little bit like a lost kitten until he saw Hyunjin coming towards him. A smile brightened on the dancer’s face and he opened up his arms for a hug. Hyunjin laughed for a moment before deciding to indulge Felix for just a few moments.

“I’m so excited,” Felix sighed as he pulled away from Hyunjin. He knew that the artist was probably at his physical touch limit.

“I’m a little nervous,” Hyunjin admitted.

“Did you already dance with hyung once?”

“Yeah, but now it’s different,” The artist sighed out. “I think the dynamic is a little messed up now,”

Felix nodded slowly as they walked toward the bus stop.

“I think I understand that.”

“The last time I saw Minho was when he apologized,” Hyunjin admitted. “And it went well, but still.”

“The movie night with Sung went well, though,” Felix pointed out. “Minho is like an extension of Jisungie now,”

“They’re still different people,” Hyunjin laughed.

Felix shook his head.

“They could have fooled me. They talk in this weird language when they’re together. It can be unsettling,”

“I’m sure he thinks the same about you and Chan hyung.” Hyunjin teased. “How is that going now, by the way?”

“Chris is perfect,” Felix gushed. “He’s become a bit softer with me, after all of that,”

“How did he apologize to you?”

“He quite literally got down on both knees and begged for forgiveness. He swore to me that he would never do something like that again, even if he wasn’t directly involved. I believed him, because he can’t lie. He’s a terrible liar,”

Hyunjin laughed.

“I don’t know if I could resist the urge to shove Changbin down if he did that sort of thing,”

“You and Minho hyung have that in common.” Felix laughed loudly. “Apparently Minho’s apology to Jisung included a lot of food and sex,”

“Why am I not surprised,” Hyunjin huffed.

“Right? At least we try to not be home at the same time,” Felix huffed. “It’s getting tricky because we all are so intertwined now. I can’t just text Jisungie and Minnie not to come home because they have boyfriends that live with other people too.”

“I haven’t seen Seungmin in a while. Jeongin has been plotting with Changbin,” Hyunjin admitted. “It’s actually kind of cute to see my brother trying so hard to help me,”

Felix squealed.

“That’s so

cute

,”

“I know. I wanna squish his cheeks and tell him thank you. He’d hit me over the head though, and I like the remaining brain cells I have to stay in tact,”

“Amen,” Felix nodded sagely as they slowly got on the bus.

Hyunjin slowly put in his earbuds and rested his head against the window. Felix did the same, except he went to type on his phone to text Minho that they were on the bus. The two allowed themselves a moment to be comfortable in the silence together. Hyunjin loved this about Felix. The other man was sunshine, but he was really good at reading Hyunjin’s moods nowadays.

Hyunjin hated to admit that the good thing that came out of all of this was a deeper friendship with Felix. He had always liked the other man, ever since he dogpiled on top of him at the movie night, but now their connection felt deeper. Felix now felt like someone that Hyunjin could

deeply

rely on. He hated that it took something like the bet to make Hyunjin see how loved he was.

“Thanks, Felix.” Hyunjin said softly, unsure if the other would hear him.

Felix smiled, because of course he heard Hyunjin’s soft admission.

“You’re welcome, Jinnie,”

The bus ride was only a quick fifteen minutes, but Hyunjin was already feeling more relaxed and ready to meet up with Minho. He wasn’t surprised to find the older dancer at the stop when they got off. He smiled briefly at them before they all fell into step together to get to the studio.

Hyunjin felt a swirl of emotions as they danced together. He felt relief, fear, pain and joy all at once. He allowed himself to feel things that he had tried so desperately to shut off during the moments he should have felt them. He allowed himself to breathe and to finally just

let go

of the heartache. He danced like he was dancing for an audience. He danced like he never really tried to before.

He danced like he was hoping for more; like he was beginning to see a brighter future ahead. Hyunjin felt inspired, words starting to spiral in his head about Changbin. Words that he didn’t pen down on paper just yet, but he knew that he wanted to share for the poetry night. He felt them come to him as the song changed into a slower, more sensual one. He had more clarity now than he did before.

Hyunjin guessed that this was his version of growing up and growing into someone that he wanted to be. He didn’t want to be someone that held grudges anymore, and the only way to do that was by actually letting them go. He didn’t want to hold

anything

over anyone’s head anymore.

When Hyunjin danced beside the Lee brothers, he finally felt

free.

•••

Changbin checked his reflection

again

in his small mirror behind the visor. He made sure to brush his fringe off of his forehead, messy just as Hyunjin loved it. He was taking a chance showing up at the dance studio, but Minho kept sending text messages until he got up from his laptop and got ready. His assignment was nearly finished and the deadline wasn’t for a few days. Academia could wait,

Hyunjin

could not.

Changbin took another deep breath and flipped the visor up aggressively, the sound making him vince for a moment. He placed both hands on the steering wheel for a moment, because he needed something to grip tightly. His knuckles turned white and he released the wheel, and his breath, out quickly. He had a plan, and if it went south, it went south.

Seo Changbin was about to ask Hwang Hyunjin out for a first date, for the second time. He got his last bouquet in the passenger seat, ready to hand over to the blonde man. He was excited about truly trying to romance Hyunjin from the start, this time around.

Changbin was going to romance the shit out of Hyunjin. He squared his shoulders, gave himself a smile in the rearview mirror before grabbing his things to leave his car with. Minho had told him how Hyunjin was already showering and Felix was sneakily placing a cute date outfit in the locker room with his things. He didn’t know how Felix planned on getting Hyunjin into the new outfit, but he knew that the dancer was a bit of a miracle working in that regard.

Minho was already changed and showered when he walked into the front lobby. He was standing behind the counter with the receptionist as he clocked off for the day. Changbin stood out of the way while Minho worked, bouncing on his heels. He tried to remind himself not to squish the bouquet of daisies and sunflowers, wrapped in a creamy yellow paper and tied with a white ribbon.

“I’m glad you actually came or the plan would have been ruined,” Minho sighed as his receptionist walked out of the doors. “Do you know how hard it was to plan on a whim?”

Changbin smiled softly.

“Thank you, hyung,” He said sincerely.

“Lix would have just kept the clothes in his bag, if it didn’t work out,” Minho teased. “Well, he still might,”

“We won’t know until they come out,” Changbin rolled his eyes. “How was it today?”

Minho’s smile softened.

“It was really,

really

good, Bin-ah. I have a good feeling for you,”

Changbin beamed, suddenly feeling more hopeful than he did before. He tried his best to listen intently as Minho talked about how incredibly freeing it was dancing with Felix and Hyunjin. He told Changbin the smallest details of how the artist moves like an unsettling combination of water and grit. Changbin tried to focus on the sound of his best friend’s voice, hoping to calm some of his nerves.

“This is why you’re being weird,” Hyunjin sighed as he walked into the lobby with Felix. He wasn’t dressed in the outfit that Felix picked out for him, instead he was wearing his sweats.

“Okay now that you’ve seen, would you

please

put on the outfit?” Felix begged, eyes turning all shiny in the way that Hyunjin couldn’t resist.

The artist looked between the three men, before he sighed. He nodded and reached for the bag that Felix had on his arm. Felix practically thrust it in Hyunjin’s direction before the artist was turning around and walking back to the locker room.

“He’s stubborn,” Changbin sighed dreamily. “I bet he took a long look at the outfit before he was getting dressed again,”

Felix laughed loudly.

“It’s creepy how well you really know him,” He admitted. “He just shook his head at me and muttered about meddling,”

“It worked though,” Minho nodded in the direction that Hyunjin walked. “He’s going to change,”

“Yeah, he is,” Changbin sighed again.

Minho furrowed his brows at him.

“You’re getting weird again,”

“I’m literally

always

weird about him,” Changbin defended himself. “I just figured that I have no pride left to lose,”

“Get yourself together, man” Minho teased him as he dug for his keys.

“I think it’s sweet to see them like this again,” Felix said, looking pointedly at his brother. “And we’re gonna be happy for them,”

“Even if they start making out on the couch again?” Minho huffed.

“Even then,” The younger brother said firmly, crossing his arms over his chest. “As if you don’t make everyone miserable when you’re with Jisung. You can’t even separate yourself long enough for him to breathe,”

“Sungie and I are perfectly normal,”

“For mentally unstable people,”

“I will fry you so fast, you won’t be able to ask me how crispy,”

Changbin’s retort got stuck in his throat when Hyunjin walked back into the lobby. The other man was wearing light wash jeans, a white t-shirt and a creamy, cozy cardigan sweater. He had put a little bit of eyeshadow on over his eyes and a tinted lip balm was definitely added this time.

“You look beautiful,” Changbin said, nearly speechless as Hyunjin walked closer.

The artist tried his best not to preen under the compliment, but his cheeks betrayed him as they turned a rosy hue.

“Thanks, hyung,” He sighed softly. He looked down directly at the flowers. “Are those for me?”

Changbin nearly threw them at Hyunjin in excitement to hand them over. Hyunjin flinched and fumbled the flowers, causing Felix to laugh loudly.

“Pull yourself together, Seo Changbin,” Minho teased affectionately.

“I can’t, look at him!” He whined. He paused for a moment, trying his best to save himself, but it was too late. Hyunjin was looking at him with a mixture of embarrassment and confusion. “I mean, you’re gorgeous and I’m very easily distracted, darling,”

It took all Hyunjin had to roll his eyes, even if his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to rip from his chest. He tried to shake his head, but the tell-tale signs of a smile was beginning to tug at the corners of his lips. He blinked slowly, looking at Changbin, and he

knew

that the producer

knew

that he was utterly smitten. Changbin’s smile widened, happily stepping toward Hyunjin like he just won the lottery.

“Let’s just go,” Hyunjin stated, trying his best to keep his tone neutral. He failed miserably as Changbin reached for his hand. He gently picked up Hyunjin’s hand and gave it a small kiss on the back. Felix could be heard cooing in the corner, but Hyunjin’s eyes never left Changbin’s as the producer swiped his thumb over the portion of skin he just kissed. Hyunjin nearly choked when Changbin kissed his hand again.

“I think you’ll like this date, darling,” Changbin said confidently as he started toward the door with Hyunjin’s hand still in his own.

“You two crazy kids have fun!” Minho yelled after them as they left the dance studio.

Hyunjin allowed himself to be led toward Changbin’s car with their hands still clasped tightly together. Changbin opened the car door for Hyunjin, just like he used too. He made sure that the artist was safely inside before he ran to the other side.

Hyunjin looked down at the flowers in his hands while the other entered the car. The colors of his outfit matched them perfectly, an act that Felix helped pull off, no doubt. He didn’t feel overwhelmed by Changbin’s affection, instead he wanted to drown in it. He closed his eyes and pressed the flowers to his nose. He really, truly felt the love and the intention down to the deepest parts of his soul.

“Thank you, hyung,” Hyunjin whispered, looking over at Changbin, knowing that he was waiting for him. “Thank you for doing this the best way possible for us,”

Changbin smiled softly at Hyunjin.

“I’m just doing the best I can, Jinnie,” He admitted, letting the emotions sound through his voice. “I just…I never want you to doubt how I feel about you. I don’t want you to constantly worry if I’m telling you the truth or not. I want you to see that I’m trying,”

Hyunjin nodded softly.

“You know that there’s going to be a part of me that will think you’re lying to me for a while now…right?”

Changbin nodded slowly, eyes growing sad as he looked away from him and toward the darkening skies of Seoul.

“I know that. I expected that. I just…please be gentle with me, too,”

Hyunjin nodded once.

“I’ll be as gentle as I know how,” He promised. “I can’t promise that I won’t hurt you,”

“Me too,” Changbin agreed. “But I can say that I’ll try to never hurt you like that again,”

“Good,” Hyunjin responded, joining Changbin in looking forward, out in front of them. “I know I said that I was sorry about what I said. I tend to lash out when I’m hurt deeply,”

“It’s all water under the bridge,” Changbin promised. “I…we move forward starting today, okay? We’ve accepted each other’s apologies and we’re both probably really tired of wallowing in them,”

“I am,” Hyunjin laughed. “Are you ready to continue to make it up to me?”

“Of course!” Changbin huffed, turning to finally look at him again. “I finished you the song. I want to know if you want to go out to dinner with me tonight?”

Hyunjin’s heart did a somersault.

“Yeah, hyung. I do, but….on one condition?”

“Anything,” Changbin swore.

“You have to come to the poetry night, and you have to sit through every single performance,”

Changbin’s eyebrow twitched in the challenging tone Hyunjin took on.

“I will. I’ll show up, and I’ll bring our friends,”

Hyunjin’s laughter filled the air.

“Good, I can’t wait to see it,” He stated. “Can we go now? I’m really hungry,”

“Of course, darling,” Changbin sighed before turning on the car.

Hyunjin smiled to himself as he arranged the flowers on his lap so they wouldn’t move while they drove. He tried not to keep stealing glances at Changbin every chance that he got, but he couldn’t help himself.

Love

. It was love that kept them together, even when other people would have stopped where it started. It was true, unrushed, affection that wrapped around them like an old, worn scarf. It kept them warm when everything around them felt so frigid.

Hyunjin reached up to the visor and pulled it down to see if the polaroid was still there. Changbin chuckled as Hyunjin did, knowing that the artist had an undeniable jealousy streak. Hyunjin admired the photo for a moment, because it was the day that he knew there was no going back for him.

He only wanted to look forward now.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hyunjin felt like he was floating on a cloud as he walked from one class to the next. The semester was wrapping up and soon he’d be close to finishing his studies completely. He wondered briefly if Changbin was still going to have a winter graduation or a spring, like he was. Changbin was ambitious and always striving for more. While Hyunjin didn’t see him do his course work often, the producer

still

had one of the highest GPA’s in the program.

The artist tried to concentrate on his English course. He had been doing so much better, thanks to Seungmin actually tutoring him. He understood much easier as well. He just wanted to get his grade up a

tiny

bit more. He tried to keep his mind on what his professor was saying, but he was preoccupied with thinking about the producer,

again.

Changbin had taken him to one of their favorite places to eat. It felt like there wasn’t anything else stuck between them. He felt like the gap was closing to the point that they would be able to be together again. He hoped that they could make the final leap soon.

Hyunjin didn’t realize how much of a hopeless romantic that he was until he was falling ass over tits in love. He didn’t think that he had it in him to paint the collection that he did for the studio. He didn’t think that he’d be able to understand

Shakespeare

on the level that he was starting to get to. He didn’t think that he’d be writing a poetry piece for Changbin, and not from the melancholy lens he used to see the world in.

The man sitting beside him politely cleared his throat, causing Hyunjin to snap back to reality. The professor was writing something on the board quickly, so he grabbed his pen to copy down the notes. He didn’t realize he’d been so zoned out that he’d missed a lot of the lecture. The man beside him slowly pushed over a copy of his notes to him. Hyunjin quickly jotted down what he missed.

“Thank you,” He whispered.

The man beside him nodded.

“You’re welcome,” He responded before the professor was whirling around and making her ending comments. “You look like you’ve been going through it,”

Hyunjin nodded his head slowly.

“I was for a bit there,”

“Is everything okay with you and Changbin now?”

Hyunjin jerked back, looking at the man’s face. He felt vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t put his hand on it.

“How?”

“Oh! Right, I’m Mingi. We met like once or twice. At the Halloween party, for sure. I’m Jongho’s brother’s boyfriend,”

Hyunjin tried to piece together the blurry memory.

“You were a wizard, right?”

Mingi smiled widely.

“Right,” He laughed. “I thought at first you were just rude by not recognizing me at the party, but I think I realized that you’re just kinda…aloof,”

Hyunjin’s cheeks burned.

“No, I was. Mean, that is. I intentionally didn’t interact with anyone that wasn’t in my direct line, you know?” He explained. “Like I’m just now realizing that you’ve probably been in this class the entire time,”

“I have. I failed last semester so I had to take it again so I can actually graduate.” He agreed. “I usually sit up front,”

“Gotcha,” Hyunjin laughed. He kept his head down and in the middle or back the entire time. “Thanks for letting me use your notes. I really wasn’t thinking,”

Mingi shrugged.

“It’s okay. It’s actually easier to take notes this time around. Any friend of Jongho is considered a friend of mine. Yunho doesn’t like to go to the cafe too often because he doesn’t want to embarrass Jongho.”

“I can’t

stop

my brother from coming around to embarrass me,”

“It’s Jeongin, right? The drama department? He won the costume contest at Halloween?”

“Yeah,” Hyunjin nodded, a smile forming on his face. “That’s him,”

“I bet you’re glad that attending the play can be added as extra credit. I mean I’m glad because I

really

need to pass the class. They’ve been working hard on it for

months

,”

Hyunjin jerked back.

“Extra credit?”

“Yeah,” Mingi nodded toward the board. “She wrote it up there. We just have to check in with her at the ticket booth. And extra points if we take pictures of the playbill and stub.”

Hyunjin blinked a few times.

“I’ve never been happier to have not paid for a college production in my life.

And

I can get extra credit?”

Mingi laughed, packing up his things. Hyunjin jumped up to also quickly grab his own.

“I’ll see you there?” The taller man asked.

“Yeah, I’ll be with my friends,” Hyunjin admitted, loving how the words sounded.

“I’ll see you then!” Mingi called, waving to him before walking the opposite direction as him.

Hyunjin was stunned, but waved back at the taller man. His stomach rumbling broke him out of his daze though, causing him to pick up his feet as he walked to meet his friends for lunch. He smiled as he saw them, Jisung’s head flung back in a boisterous laugh. Seungmin was smirking slightly and Felix’s eyes were crinkled shut as he laughed as well. Hyunjin’s heart warmed up, and he jogged over to their table.

“Hey!” He said, breathless as he plopped himself down beside Jisung.

“Baby!” Jisung yelled, much too loud for sitting right next to him. The producer wrapped his arms around Hyunjin tightly.

To everyone’s surprise, Hyunjin leaned into Jisung’s side until his head was resting on top of Jisung.

“What’s so funny?”

“I was just telling them how I watched one of Jeongin’s tech rehearsals and he had to kiss a girl,” Seungmin explained. “He cringes every time they pull away and the director gets mad at him,”

“I’d cringe too,” Jisung laughed. “How is he gonna pull it off if he’s

still

doing it?”

Seungmin shrugged.

“I don’t want the love of my life to fail at it, but on the other hand, it would bring some life to the play,” He admitted, but Hyunjin could tell how nervous Seungmin really was.

“I love Shakespeare,” Felix sighed. “I just hope that Jeongin gets the love and recognition that he deserves. He’s been working so hard lately,”

“Maybe you can set up a reward system for him, Minnie,” Hyunjin teased. “He’s very goal motivated and if there’s something in it for him…he might be persuaded to fix it,”

A mischievous look flashed in Seungmin’s eyes.

“I like the way that you think,” He winked playfully. “Did you bring your lunch?”

Hyunjin sighed dramatically.

“I left it in my fridge this morning,” He admitted. “My mind really wasn’t all here,”

Jisung lightly pinched his arm.

“I can tell, you’re willingly cuddling me in public,”

“We call this character growth, Jisungie,” Hyunjin teased. “Maybe you should try it,”

“I’m wounded, but I know that I am loved by you,” Jisung joked back, giving Hyunjin a squeeze around the middle.

“Here, have some of mine,” Felix sighed. “Hyung sent too much with me, and Jisung already bought something to eat,”

Hyunjin perked up.

“Minho hyung cooked?”

“My sweet lover boy,” Jisung sighed, finally letting go of Hyunjin to nudge him into a full, upright position. “He’ll be sad if Felix had left overs,”

“Oh no booo,” Seungmin said sarcastically, but picked up his chopsticks to help them eat it. Jisung even abandoned his own food to help out the other three in eating the dish that was made with love (and probably spite.)

Hyunjin happily listened to his friends talk about their studies and their love lives. He felt connected to them once again. Even if he felt some tension with Jisung every now and then, Hyunjin was learning that maybe this is what an adult friendship can be. They were more cautious of each other, but not in a bad way. Hyunjin had more hope for them, knowing that he wanted them in his life for a very long time.

Hyunjin blushed as he told them about the date night he had with Changbin. He spared them few details, making Felix coo at him every three minutes. Hyunjin admitted that he was even feeling like he was ready to move forward with the producer. He was scared to completely dive back in, but he desperately wanted the man back, permanently.

“I’ve just basically decided that this is it,” Hyunjin finished up telling them. “If it doesn’t work this time, there is no getting back together. But…if it does…he’s it for me. He’s my..,”

“Jinnie?” Felix asked softly, reaching across the table to hold his hand. “What were you going to say?”

Hyunjin’s face burned brightly.

“I know that I play hard to get…” He started.

“Play?” Jisung teased lightly.

“We know that you really love romantic stuff,” Seungmin added quickly.

“I just feel like maybe..he’s like my soulmate…a little bit,” Hyunjin tried to shrug a shoulder nonchalantly.

Felix broke out into another thousand watt smile. The smile that could cure illnesses and make babies giggle.

“

Jinnie

!” He gushed. “That’s amazing!”

“Changbin hyung definitely needs someone like you,” Seungmin added. “I think you guys are absolutely perfect together,”

“He loves you more than he’s ever loved anyone else,” Jisung agreed. “Trust us, we’ve known him for a really long time. He’s different when he’s with you,”

Hyunjin’s nose scrunched up cutely.

“I’m different when I’m with him too,”

•••

Changbin adjusted his jacket over his arms once again while he checked his reflection. He tried to look nicer for the play, technically Hyunjin, and the jacket wasn’t sitting right over his button up. He groaned in frustration as he shrugged his jacket off and went looking for a different shirt. He didn’t have long before the rest of his friends would be piling into their place to leave.

Changbin pulled the button up off of his body and grabbed a trusty black t-shirt. The fit was tighter in areas, making his body really stand out. He smirked to himself as he looked at his outfit. His muscles looked damn good, worth every second spent in the gym. He tried his black bomber jacket on over top and agreed that he looked presentable enough. Satisfied, he shrugged the jacket off and fixed his hair for a moment.

The producer found a pair of nice platform boots, tossed his jacket over his arm and finally walked into the living room where a few of the others were already waiting. Chan was sporting a leather jacket that fit him nicely, and Minho was applying a little bit of eye shadow to Chan’s eyes. Minho turned to look at him, and the dancer smirked at him.

“You look good, Bin,” Minho complimented, turning back toward Chan. “Getting boyfriend’s is the best thing you two could have done. I was tired of picking up all of the weight when it came to your fashion choices,”

Changbin whined, putting his jacket and shoes down.

“It wasn’t that bad,”

“Chan thought wearing sweats in public was acceptable,”

Chan pinched Minho’s side. Minho immediately smacked his head.

“It

is

acceptable,”

“Not on certain occasions!” Minho argued. “I stand by what I said,”

“Right, all knowing and wise One,” Changbin mumbled under his breath.

The doorbell rang and Changbin quickly went to open it to get away from Minho’s retaliation.

“I heard that!” He yelled after him.

“You were meant to,” Changbin mumbled, because he didn’t totally have a death wish.

Felix, Jisung, Seungmin and Hyunjin ushered inside and took off their shoes. Changbin moved so they would hurry in a few minutes. Felix squeezed his shoulder as he passed and Seungmin pinched his cheek. Jisung wiggled his eyebrows at him before Hyunjin stopped to stare.

Hyunjin was a weak man when it came to Changbin. His eyes roamed over the man’s wide shoulders and chest. The t-shirt pulled tightly over the muscles and Hyunjin wanted to rip it off of him. He wanted to also drop to his knees, but that wouldn’t be productive. He looked down at Changbin’s waist, down to his sturdy legs and back up to his face. Changbin’s gaze was arresting; stopping Hyunjin’s heart in its tracks.

“You look good,” Hyunjin said breathily. “

Really

good,”

Changbin smirked, and Hyunjin wanted to wiggle from how needy it made him feel.

“You look beautiful, darling,” Changbin complimented, raking his eyes over Hyunjin’s similar ensemble. “C’mon, let's go round everyone up,”

Changbin offered his hand to Hyunjin, and the artist easily intertwined their fingers together. Hyunjin was grateful, because he was sure he would have been stuck in the same spot if it wasn’t for their joined hands. Felix beamed at them when they came into view. Jisung looked like he was about to start clapping his hands but he stopped himself at the last moment.

“We’re ready,” Minho announced as he finished pulling on his pea coat. “We

are

ready right?”

“We just have to remember to grab the flowers for Jeongin,” Changbin said firmly, nodding toward the fridge.

“Hyung, did you pick up mine for him as well?” Seungmin asked nervously.

“Of course Seungmo,” He laughed.

“Great,” He huffed. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous for him,”

“It’s a college play, it’s probably gonna be the same old same old as all of the rest,” Jisung shrugged. “We’re just going to support Jeongin,”

“I can’t believe he got me to go to a school play,” Minho sighed dramatically. “But we’ve gotta go now,”

“I made sure to put your name on our gift, baby,” Jisung called as Minho went to grab the flowers.

Chan, finally released from Minho, went to wrap his arms around Felix. The pair were already kissing each other like they hadn’t just spent the night in the same bed together.

“Are we taking your car?” Hyunjin asked softly, tugging on Changbin’s hand.

“I didn’t plan on it,” He admitted. “Why? Do you wanna take the car?”

Hyunjin nodded slowly.

“Kinda, yeah. But I just wanna be alone with you for a bit,”

Changbin smiled sweetly at Hyunjin. He reached up slowly and pressed a kiss to the taller man’s cheek.

“Okay, darling. We’ll take the car,”

Seungmin was the first one to head toward the door, because he refused to be late to the play. He didn’t want to get stuck with terrible seats. Jisung and Minho agreed to ride with him in the car that they called. Felix and Chan were walking a little bit slower, but they still needed to go get Jeongin something before they went.

Hyunjin held the flowers delicately as Changbin held his other hand. It was nice to be alone like this, steps falling in line with the man that he loved. Changbin opened the car door for him, just as he did the night before and made sure that Hyunjin was in before he jogged around.

“These are from the same florist that you got mine from, right?” Hyunjin asked, looking at the small bouquet in his hands.

“Yeah, they are. I took Seungmin to get his flowers this morning from there. Jeongin really fell in love with it,”

“The flowers are well put together,” Hyunjin agreed.

“The shopkeeper made me promise that we’d go there together and make something for one another. I was thinking that we could after the holidays?” Changbin asked.

“Yes,” Hyunjin huffed out shaking his head. “Why did you even ask? Take me now,”

Changbin pressed kisses to the back of Hyunjin’s hand as they drove toward the theater. Hyunjin was excited to get extra credit, but he really was nervous for Jeongin. He was so stressed about the play in general. His brother

loved

being on stage. Hyunjin wanted to see him exceed no matter what.

“Is Harabeoji coming tonight?” Changbin asked as he pulled into a parking spot.

“No, he’s coming to one of the matinees coming up,” Hyunjin admitted. “He doesn’t like traveling at night. Jeongin also begged him not to come opening night. He’s weird and superstitious,”

“Is that normal?” Changbin laughed.

“It’s Jeongin’s thing,” Hyunjin shrugged. “Harabeoji has never been to an opening night, per Jeongin’s request,”

“You’re the opposite,” The producer laughed. “I guess that works out well if you both have something happening at the same time,”

“Usually,” Hyunjin agreed. “Wait,”

Changbin paused, hand on the door as he was about to get out of the car. He turned slowly toward Hyunjin, looking over the other man’s face carefully. Hyunjin reached forward, brushing some of Changbin’s bangs from his face. Changbin smiled slowly, gazing up at Hyunjin so intensely that he felt his heart might not ever recover.

“Better?” Changbin asked softly.

“Almost,” Hyunjin promised before moving slightly forward and kissing just the corner of Changbin’s mouth. “Now, it’s better,”

Hyunjin made a very quick exit of the car, leaving Changbin in a state of shock. The producer giggled loudly, feeling warmth spread all over his body once more. He sighed to himself before he jumped out to join Hyunjin. The artist was waiting for him behind the car, and took Changbin’s hand in his once again.

Seungmin, Jisung and Minho were waiting in the lobby for them when they arrived. Seungmin was dancing around nervously, eyes constantly looking around for the missing friends.

“Thank god you made it. He’s losing it,” Jisung whispered out once they were close enough to talk to them.

Hyunjin dropped Changbin’s hand to walk closer to Seungmin. The anxious man didn’t really acknowledge him, still looking out for Felix and Chan to arrive. Hyunjin sighed and joined Seungmin in looking pointlessly through the lobby.

“So do you think that Jeongin is going to play a shitty Romeo?”

“What?” Seungmin huffed, turning toward Hyunjin. “What are you talking about?”

“Is he going to do a good job as Romeo? You know how much I disliked the play,”

“I thought that was because you were upset at Changbin hyung?” Seungmin asked, finally turning his attention toward Hyunjin. “I know, I do agree with you about the character being trash,”

“So, my question still stands,”

Seungmin turned to look at Hyunjin, eyebrows furrowing together.

“Of course Jeongin is going to kill his performance,” He said.

“Then why are you so stressed out, baby?” Hyunjin asked, placing a hand on his arm. “You’re going to crush the flowers before he even gets them,”

Seungmin looked down at the tight grip he had on the flowers, and made a conscious effort to loosen his hold.

“I’m just nervous for him, that’s all.”

“Why?”

“Because I know how worried

he

is, and how hard he’s worked all this time for it. He didn’t say it a lot, but he really wants us all to enjoy the play,” Seungmin stated. “Even if it

is

a college play,”

Hyunjin smiled at him.

“Jeongin’s really lucky to have you as a partner, Seungmin.” He admitted.

“T-thank you, Jinnie,” Seungmin sighed out softly.

“I really should have told you earlier how I felt about it all,” Hyunjin started off. “At first, I really only wanted to put up with your presence because I know how much my brother loves you. I didn’t want to deal with the complicated feelings that our past had. I just wanted to pass my classes and steer clear of you. But, what I really didn’t tell you is that I am glad it’s

you

that Jeongin loves. I’m glad that he has someone who loves him so fiercely and so deeply.”

Seungmin’s eyes roamed all over Hyunjin’s face, searching for some sort of sign that this was a real moment. He found no hesitation in the artist’s eyes.

“I do. I do love him that much. I want to see him succeed in everything he does, because he’s really talented. He’s so kind and thoughtful. He doesn’t like to say it out-loud, but Jeongin has the biggest heart of everything I’ve ever met,”

“Which is why I knew that eventually, I’d have to accept you back in my life,” Hyunjin teased. “No one in the world makes him happier than you do, Seungmin. He’d either smack you for being so nervous, or crush you because he feels too much for you,”

“Probably both.” He agreed. “You know, this is the first time I’m getting to see him act since we were practically kids?”

“Do you feel guilty?”

“Incredibly so,” Seungmin admitted. “I had so many opportunities to go to his productions, but I was too scared to show my face again. I want this time to be special, you know?”

“It will be, Minnie,” Hyunjin agreed. “So

please

relax,”

Seungmin rolled his eyes playfully.

“Who would have thought that Hwang Hyunjin would be the one telling

me

to relax?”

“Right?” Hyunjin laughed.

They were interrupted by Felix and Chan nearly sprinting into the lobby to find them. Chan was busy fixing his hair while Felix started to explain how terrible the shops were and how late their second driver was on the way here. Seungmin, to everyone’s surprise, just started laughing and teasing them about being late. Jisung watched his friend in horror, hoping that Seungmin wasn’t seriously snapping. Minho eventually put his hands on Seungmin and Jisung’s shoulders to lead everyone toward the doors.

Hyunjin handed over the flowers to Changbin to hold while he grabbed their tickets from his pocket. He passed them out for everyone and made his way to his Professor’s table. She looked surprised to see him at the production but wrote down his name for extra credit. He silently cheered as they all moved to find their seats.

“He’s going to be incredible,” Changbin whispered.

All Hyunjin could do was nod in agreement.

•••

“You were incredible!” Seungmin yelled, crashing into Jeongin with such force that it was a miracle that neither of them went falling over. “You did so well. Your lines were said perfectly and you didn’t cringe!”

Jeongin’s laughs echoed in the lobby, despite the amount of people still lingering around after the play. He had his arms wrapped securely around Seungmin’s waist, and nose pressed into his neck.

“Thank you,” He whispered in relief. “All thanks to you,”

Seungmin squeezed Jeongin once more and pulled away to look at him.

“

No

, it’s because of your hard work. You were incredible because you’ve worked long and hard to make sure that you could act to the very best of your ability.

And

the kisses weren’t awkward!”

Jeongin smiled warmly.

“Chaewon was happy that I finally managed to get them right,”

“Oh and she was fantastic as well!” Seungmin gushed. “I’m so proud of you,”

“Thank you,” Jeongin responded, meaning it from the deepest parts of his heart. “Are these flowers for me?”

Hyunjin nodded from where he was holding two bouquets behind Seungmin’s back. He had nearly tossed them in Hyunjin’s direction before attacking his boyfriend. Hyunjin was happy though, because Jeongin looked incredibly happy. Seungmin slowly took the flowers from Hyunjin and handed them over to Jeongin.

To Hyunjin's surprise, his brother was blushing. He almost wanted to open his mouth to tease him about it when Seungmin was rushing forward and pressing kisses all over Jeongin’s face.

“Well that’s different,” Chan laughed, shaking his head at the youngest couple.

“Yah! Kim Seungmin, give him room to breathe!” Minho yelled, catching the attention of a few others walking around. He didn’t even look ashamed, even a little bit.

“I’m proud of my boyfriend,” Seungmin sighed, pulling away from Jeongin. “My boyfriend was Romeo,”

“So we saw,” Felix smiled softly. “Congratulations, Jeongin. This is from Chan and I,”

“Thank you,” He smiled, eyes nearly disappearing.

“We also got you something,” Jisung smiled, handing over another bag.

“We’re proud of our baby,” Minho said, uncharacteristically soft with the youngest. He gripped Jeongin’s shoulder once before handing over a card. “Read by yourself or get stuffed in the air fryer,”

Jeongin nodded seriously.

“Your secret is safe with me, hyung,”

“Jinnie and I also got you flowers,” Changbin stated. “And Mrs. Yang from the flower shop said to break a leg,”

“She’s the real one,” He laughed. “Thank you both, I promise to not let them die too soon,”

“Good,” Changbin said sternly.

Chan smiled, stepping in to give Jeongin a big hug.

“I’m so proud of you,” He stated. “I want to treat you to whatever you want tonight. You earned it after all of that.

Jeongin looked around at all of the people he loved dearly.

“Anything that I want?”

“Within reason,” Chan winked.

Jeongin didn’t even have to think about what he wanted, not really.

“Honestly, I just really want to order pizza and have a movie night in with everyone. We haven’t done a movie night in so long, that I just want to,”

Hyunjin felt how everyone’s attention slowly turned toward him. He looked at everyone, meeting their silent questions head on.

Was it too soon?

Are things going to be awkward?

Is it really going to go back to how it was?

Hyunjin didn’t know how to answer them, but he found himself nodding his head in agreement.

“Yeah, honestly that sounds really good,”

•••

Changbin stared at the painting from Hyunjin’s exhibit for entirely too long, wondering if he placed it in the perfect spot or not. His room was large, the largest in all of the house, so he had plenty of space. He originally wanted to hang it beside the very first print he bought, but it felt too cluttered. He kept the art placed safely in the corner until he could decide what he actually wanted to do with it.

He hid it in his closet for the movie night so that Hyunjin didn’t see it before he was ready for him to see it. It had only been a few days since and now the poetry night had arrived. Everyone had decided to show up to support Hyunjin since Changbin didn’t give any of them a warning for the first one. Jisung liked to gloat that he had already been to one.

Changbin huffed before he decided to put the painting on the opposite wall, so it could hang proudly beside his computer set up. He figured that it would be the best place for it, considering that Hyunjin really inspired him most of all. The artist had crawled his way into the very fabric of Changbin’s being. There was no separating them, ever again.

Even if everything fell apart again, Changbin was sure that he’d never recover. He is certain now more than ever that Hyunjin was

made

for him. He was sure that the very essence of their souls were so deeply intertwined that they would find each other in every universe.

There is no Changbin without Hyunjin and no Hyunjin without Changbin.

The realization scared him at first, when he really started to accept it. He was terrified when he realized what he lost. No once had he felt a pain like that before, one that he didn’t

know

what to do with. He just wanted to make it right, because he felt like he was being burned alive to be apart from the man that he loved.

Changbin tried to hang the art piece by himself, but he found it difficult, because he couldn’t tell how level it was. He kept stepping up and down the small ladder so many times that he was getting frustrated when he saw it still wasn’t hanging right.

“Channnn!” Changbin yelled at the top of his lungs. He waited to see if the other producer came running or not. After a moment of silence he took a breath to yell again. “CHANNNNN!”

Chan came barreling in with a confused looking Felix behind him. Felix’s shirt was inside out and hair all over the place. Chan wasn’t

wearing

a shirt, as usual, but there were red marks blooming all over his chest.

“Bin! What’s wrong?” Chan asked, fretting over his friend. He walked over and cupped his face for a moment.

Changbin rolled his eyes and shrugged the older man’s hands off of his face.

“I’m fine, I’m just mad,” He huffed out. “I can’t get this fucking thing on the wall straight and it’s pissing me off,”

“Oh,” Felix sighed softly before he was laughing. “Binnie hyung, is that what I think it is?”

Changbin closed his eyes, frustration getting the better of him, and he nodded. He felt his eyes sting for a moment before he opened them to look at the couple in front of him.

“I can’t get it level and I’m starting to feel destructive,”

Chan slowly started to pry the hammer away from his hands.

“How about I hang it up, and you both tell me where to move it? I think the more eyes on it, the better,” He suggest.

“Please,” Changbin nearly whimpered, exhausted emotionally.

Felix gave his arm a squeeze.

“It’s going to make Jinnie so happy that you own this one. I think it was probably the hardest for him to let go of,”

“I couldn’t let it go either,” Changbin admitted, smiling slowly. “Thanks,”

“Anytime,” Felix promised.

“How does this look?” Chan asked, as he moved it slightly up.

“I think it looks slightly more crooked,” Changbin admitted.

Felix stepped back a few steps, scrutinizing the position of the art. He bounced on his tip-toes for a moment before stepping closer. Changbin watched in confusion as Felix passed him to get closer. He looked up at the painting, nearly at Chan’s side, before turning around to walk back to Changbin.

“It’s crooked,” Felix agreed. “I think it needs to be lowered like an inch on the right and a quarter on the left,”

Chan nodded, moving as directed. Felix stepped back once more and Changbin tried his best not to throw a fit. He just wanted it done, quickly.

“I think…it looks better?” Changbin sighed. “Right?”

Felix pressed his lips together tightly as he peered at the painting. Chan huffed, making sure to secure the nails and to hang it up safely. He stepped off the ladder and joined the other two.

“It does look better,” Chan agreed. “Lix?”

“It’s perfect,” He sighed, turning to look at the two of them. “I think that this is probably the best spot for it,”

“Maybe we should ask Minho as well?” Changbin asked.

“I think you just need to eat before you have a meltdown,” Felix sighed. “C’mon we can make some ramen,”

Changbin wanted to argue with the dancer, but he felt his stomach aching in protest. He definitely needed to eat. He was already well on his way to hangry when he started putting up the art in the first place. So, Changbin nodded in agreement at Felix’s suggestion.

Chan clapped his hands together.

“Perfect, it’s settled,” He stated.

“Sorry for uh interrupting, I guess,” Changbin laughed as they walked toward the kitchen.

“Do you know how often they have sex in this house?” Minho asked as he turned on the couch. “It’s a miracle Sung is still napping through it,”

Felix shrugged, hoping up onto one of the stools in the kitchen.

“He’s a heavy sleeper,” Felix stated. “Besides, we thought that only Binnie hyung was home,”

“I took a half-day so that I could go to the poetry night on time,” Minho explained, fingers lightly combing through Jisung’s hair as he slept on Minho’s thighs.

Chan nodded, ruffling Minho’s hair as he passed him.

“We’re making ramen before we go. Want any?”

“Yeah, and some for Sungie too,” Minho agreed, turning his attention toward Changbin. . “Why were you yelling?”

Changbin huffed as he sat on a stool beside Felix.

“I couldn’t hang the art piece I bought properly and I was about to have a meltdown,”

“He’s hungry,” Felix stage whispered to his brother.

“

And

it was super hard for me to see if it was level or not, because well…I had to keep getting off of the fucking ladder and..yeah,”

Minho nodded.

“Looks like you’ve got some big feelings there, buddy,”

Changbin looked at him in horror.

“

Not buddy

,” He hissed. “My how the mighty have fallen,”

Minho rolled his eyes and looked back at his brother.

“So Bin was hungry and needed to be rescued,”

“Pretty much,” Felix agreed. “The painting

was

really crooked though, so Channie fixed it for him,”

Chan winked over his shoulder at Felix.

“You guys are gross,” Changbin mumbled.

“You’ll get plenty of time to be gross with Jinnie later, don’t pout,” Jisung mumbled from Minho’s lap.

The dancer looked down at his boyfriend, whose eyes were still shut. He traced Jisung’s face, from his cheeks to his jaw, and back up over his forehead. Slowly, Jisung opened his eyes and beamed up at Minho.

“He’s right,” Felix assured, squeezing Changbin’s shoulder.

“Is Minnie coming here?” Jisung asked as he slowly sat up on the couch. “Also, is Chan hyung making ramen?”

“Yeah!” Chan yelled from the stove.

“No, Jeongin and Seungmin are meeting us there,” Changbin answered. “They’re going to help pass out a few flyers before,”

Jisung nodded, leaning his full body into Minho’s side.

“Jinnie is going to do so well. You guys are gonna see how good he is. It’s insane,”

“I remember, you both wouldn’t stop talking about his poetry after the first one,” Chan admitted. “And Changbin got rejected, but that was funny,”

Changbin huffed.

“Don’t remind me,”

“It’s okay, hyung,” Felix patted his thigh. “Jinnie always had the hots for you. He was just a little guarded,”

Changbin raised an eyebrow at Felix.

“A

little

?” He laughed. “I love my Hyune, but he was a fortress that most men don’t make it close enough to engage, let alone live to tell the tale,”

Minho rolled his eyes.

“You’re both dramatic and you belong together. It makes me sick,”

“It’s romantic, hyung,” Jisung whined.

Chan sighed.

“Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. We gotta eat and then get ready so we can at least make it one time, yeah?” He stated, grabbing bowls for all of them. “C’mon, it’s almost done.”

Everyone scrambled to get up quickly.

•••

“We finished handing out the flyers, hyung,” Jeongin stated as he walked back toward the counter, Seungmin in tow. “So hopefully the night gets filled,”

“Thanks, Jeongin,” Hyunjin huffed, dropping his rag onto the table he was cleaning. “I toasted some sweets for you both, and Jongho can get you coffee,”

Seungmin nodded, heading on over to the end of the counter to grab the pastries. Jeongin lingered a moment, like he wanted to say something to him.

“You’re going to do really well tonight, hyung,” Jeongin stated. “Even if I haven’t heard this piece yet,”

Hyunjin nodded, eyes softening.

“Thanks, Jeongin. That means a lot to me,”

Hyunjin would be lying if he said that he wasn’t nervous. He’d never performed this kind of poetry at the nights at the cafe. He felt like he was taking a big risk for doing something different. He knew that he was a good writer; knew that his work spoke to people. Hyunjin knew that sometimes his art brought emotions out of people because of the depth of his grief. It was something that people could hold onto, something to connect.

Hyunjin hoped that people could connect to this part of himself as well. He hoped that people could feel how much he felt while writing it. He didn’t want to have people talk about him like he’d lost his touch. He was terrified of standing on the stage and to only receive scrutiny in return. He felt the weight of his reputation on his shoulders in a much different way than he did with his art.

Hyunjin thought briefly about whether he should just perform something else instead. If he wanted to, he could pull something that he wrote long ago. He could easily scroll through his notes app and choose something that wasn’t as fresh; something that wasn’t as personal and wild. He felt like he was going to expose the deepest parts of himself in front of the man he loved.

Hyunjin felt like he was taking a gamble by writing about Changbin. The producer showing up tonight made him feel more unhinged. He knew that regardless of how nervous he was, Changbin’s presence alone was enough to send him over the edge. He was about to really risk his

artistic reputation

for the man. Hyunjin could be losing it all tonight, the horror.

The artist took a deep breath to calm himself down. His mind was trying to run too far away from him because of his nerves. He shook his head and looked around the cafe. He hadn’t even noticed that people were starting to come in and find seats for the main event. Hyunjin took in another deep breath through his nose once more and released it slowly. He just needed to bust a few more of the tables before he could go back behind the bar again.

It wasn’t long before his friends had arrived and found a table to sit. Hyunjin was busy behind the counter making drinks for the customers. Being on the espresso bar did wonders for his mind. He was able to focus on his tasks and less about the scenarios that he kept making up inside his own mind. He was able to take a step back to reassess how he was doing mentally.

Mentally, he was completely bricking it already.

“Hey, after you deliver the drinks to your friends, you can clock off,” Jongho said, walking up to him. “Junhan just clocked in,”

Hyunjin nodded in agreement, finishing the latte by making a heart design on the top. He carefully grabbed a few of the drinks to walk over with Jongho coming with the rest behind him. His friends had congregated around the largest table that they could. They looked rather funny with the amount of chairs stuffed as tightly as possible into the space. Felix was practically on Chan’s lap, though the man wouldn’t have minded, and Chan was squished in beside Changbin. Jisung was talking rapidly with Jeongin while Seungmin and Minho enjoyed being silent amongst their friends.

“Okay, I have your drinks here,” Hyunjin announced, causing the conversations to get paused around them. He handed them out quickly before checking his watch. “I’m gonna clock out and change. I’ll be right back, okay?”

Hyunjin hadn’t changed so quickly in his life. In the past he

sort

of tried to make himself look a little more presentable than he usually did in his day to day. That was before he went and turned himself into a blonde bombshell, as Jeongin reminded him of earlier. He asked his brother for help in what to wear this time instead of Felix. He didn’t really want to wear a crop top to a poetry night.

Jeongin had picked out a very simple outfit for him. He was wearing black pants that clung to his legs that flattered his shape. The white Burberry shirt he pulled on

definitely

screamed Jeongin, but he’d let it slide. He stared at his wavy blonde hair and huffed in annoyance. He didn’t have time to completely style it, but it didn’t looked terrible. The black jacket he pulled on over the white t-shirt made him feel a bit more comfortable.

Would people even recognize him when it was time to go up on stage? Hyunjin shook his head of the thoughts and started to focus on what made him feel good about himself. He pinned some of his hair back behind his ears and let little strands fall forward to frame his face. At the last minute, he decided to add the tiniest bits of glitter to his eyes.

“I’m back,” Hyunjin huffed, sitting down in the empty seat beside Changbin.

Changbin smiled widely at him.

“Welcome back, darling,” He said softly.

“It’s good to be back,”

Despite Hyunjin’s earlier nervousness, having Changbin beside him neutralized his fear. He was able to jump into conversations with his friends about their days. They easily made plans for another movie night after the whole thing ended. Hyunjin’s cheeks hurt from how much he was smiling; how much he was allowing himself to smile.

The night was coming to an end just as quickly as it had started. Hyunjin had enjoyed every minute of it, hand in Changbin’s the entire time. The nerves in his stomach started again as the person before him got half-way through their reading. There wasn’t much more time left, before he ripped the last metaphorical bandaid off.

Hyunjin’s heart hammered loudly in his chest as Jongho called him to the stage. He stood up with wobbly legs, and slowly made his way. He was used to people snapping for him as he approached the stage. He just hoped it could make it through the entirety of the evening. He nearly begged for it to be easier as he stepped up in front of the microphone.

He took a deep breath and let out a laugh.

“Before I start, I just want to thank everyone for showing up once again. It means a lot to us here at Haewon that you all want to support us and to show up for your local artists. So please tip the barista’s generously tonight,” He laughed, loosening up a little bit. He paused for a moment, finding Changbin’s smile in the crowd. He nearly faltered. “I-I wasn’t originally going to participate this evening, but I think I’ve decided that I’ve got something new to say. For those of you who know me and know my work, I hope that you like this new side of me. For those of you who are new here, welcome. Thank you for letting me share my art. This one is called What I Hate About You,”

People clapped lightly, mostly snapping, and Hyunjin smiled at them. He took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before releasing. There was no stopping him now, anyway.

I hate the way you talk to me

And the way that you do your hair

I hate the way you drive your car

Hyunjin’s eyes met Changbin’s in the moment. Changbin’s gaze looked unreadable, but his eyes were filled with pain. Hyunjin knew that it would hurt him to hear how he had been feeling. Hyunjin’s own pain burned back in his gaze.

I-I hate the way you stare

I hate your big dumb combat boots

And the way you read my mind

Hyunjin didn’t mean to start choking up on his emotions, but it happened anyway. His throat squeezed roughly as he tried to speak and cry simultaneously. He could already feel a few tears falling down his face, but he couldn’t look away from Changbin. The producer’s elbows were on the table and his lips were pressed to his clasped hands in front of him.

I hate you so much it makes me sick;

It even makes me rhyme.

I hate that you’re usually always right,

Even when you said you’d make me fall.

I hate it when you lied.

Hyunjin closed his eyes for a moment, catching his breath. He opened his watery eyes back up, locking his gaze back on Changbin. The man he loved looked like he was in unspeakable amounts of pain.

I hate it when you make me laugh,

Even worse when you make me cry.

I hate it when you’re not around,

And the fact that you didn’t call.

The tears were already coming out slowly, and his voice was begging him to stop talking. The lump in his throat throbbed in the need to sob.

But mostly, i hate the way that i don’t hate you

T-the way I could never hate you

Not even close,

Not even a little bit

Not even at all.

Hyunjin didn’t wait for the lights to dim before he was booking it off of the stage. His chest burned as he ran toward the back, into the locker rooms so that he could be by himself. He had never, not once in his life, laid himself so bare in front of so many people. He had never felt more exposed, to have been known for what exactly resided inside his heart.

A sob wrecked through Hyunjin’s body the moment that he was alone. He allowed the weight of it all to finally come crashing down at once. He allowed himself one huge, glorious moment to feel all of the melancholy that he could. He wallowed in it for a moment before he decided that this was the end of the pain. He took in a deep breathe, allowing the fear to be felt from the top of his head to the bottom of his toes.

“Hyunjin,” Changbin called, wild and desperate. Hyunjin laughed, tears streaming down his face, because of course Changbin ran after him. The producer came closer to him, not longer treating him like a wounded, wild animal. He wrapped Hyunjin up in his arms, crushing him tightly to his chest. “Hyune…it’s okay. I’m here,”

Hyunjin allowed himself to be scared.

“But what if you’re not? What if you change your mind?” Hyunjin asked. “What if you wake up five years from now and decide that you never want to see me again? What if you decided that this isn’t worth all of it. That I’m not…worth it,”

Changbin’s heart filled with panic.

“Jin, that’s

not

going to happen. I swear to you that it won’t,”

“You

can’t

swear that, Changbin. That’s the point,” Hyunjin sobbed. “I’m terrified of losing you. I’m terrified that you’re going to up and decide that someone is better for you,”

“Baby,” Changbin’s voice cracked. “Oh, darling, that’s

never

going to happen,”

Hyunjin trembled in his arms as Changbin rocked them back and forth. He buried his head into Changbin’s shoulders, gripping so tightly onto his shirt that he would have to be pried off of the producer to let go.

“You don’t know that,” Hyunjin whispered.

“I think you’re my soul-mate,” Changbin said firmly, pulling away from Hyunjin enough to try to get the artist to look at him. “Jin, please look at me, darling,”

Hyunjin slowly pulled away enough to look at Changbin in the eyes.

“Binnie…” He trailed off.

“I know what we’ve gone through has been hard,” He whispered. “But I made a promise to you that I’m not ever going to do that again to you. I don’t care how long it takes to show you that you’re all that I’m going to ever want or need. It’s

you

, Hyunjin. You and everything that comes with that. I knew that it wasn’t going to be easy but god dammit at least give us a try,”

Hyunjin was nodding his head aggressively.

“I only want you,” He said, finally able to stop the tears from flowing. “God, I know I said we’d move past this and here I am,”

Changbin shook his head, cupping Hyunjin’s cheeks. He softly tried to brush the tears away, but it ended up making Hyunjin’s face more red.

“This is going to be a process of trust, Jinnie,” Changbin said firmly. “From both of us. We’re going to have to find a way to navigate it, but we’re both in the same place. We don’t want anyone else, so the only way is through,”

Hyunjin nodded, reaching up to wipe his face. Changbin let go of the artist so that he could start to compose himself. The producer stayed right by his side as Hyunjin applied a little bit of concealer over the redness on his beautiful face. He only stopped for a moment when he caught Changbin’s reflection. He smiled, turning around and looking at the other man.

“I love you more than I can ever put into words, Changbin.” Hyunjin sighed out. “I love you so much that sometimes I feel like I could rip apart the universe just to find you again,”

Changbin’s face morphed into a look that only Hyunjin could understand.

“I love you too, darling. I’d fight everyone in the world, if I had to, just to be able to stand next to you again,”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes.

“You promise me right now that you mean it. Forever, that’s what I’m after,”

Changbin nodded.

“Forever. I promise you,”

The very last of Hyunjin’s self-control snapped as he wrapped his arms around Changbin, and melded their lips together for the first time in weeks. Changbin’s hands gripped his hips so tightly that he hoped bruises were left in their wake. They felt

alive

for the first time since they were ripped apart.

Hyunjin’s hands greedily roamed all over Changbin’s body. He gripped his pecs, shoulders, waist, forearms, neck; wherever he could reach. Their lips moved together with a fierce pace that made them both dizzy. Changbin’s tongue traced Hyunjin’s bottom lip, causing the younger to let out a broken moan.

Changbin reached down, hoisting Hyunjin up and forcing the taller man to wrap his legs around his waist. Hyunjin let out an embarrassing sound, but he was drowned out by his back hitting the lockers. It sounded much louder than it actually hurt, but Hyunjin didn’t care as he lapped up the feeling of Changbin’s body against his once again.

“Um…it’s against company policy to fuck in the locker room, just a heads up,”

Changbin pulled his lips away from Hyunjin’s abruptly. The artist's eyes went wide, but he caught himself when Changbin dropped him lightly. Changbin’s cheeks went a deep shade of red, all the way up to his ears. There was no denying that they had gotten caught red-handed.

Hyunjin clearned his throat.

“Right, sorry, Jongho,”

The other barista didn’t look surprised, but he shook his head at the two of them.

“Just leave before you fuck in here, okay? I don’t wanna deal with it,”

“Sorry,” Changbin blurted out, bowing toward the barista. “It won’t happen again,”

Jongho shot an amused expression at Hyunjin, but the artist just shrugged.

“Right. Okay…have a good night, then,” He sighed before turning around and leaving the couple in the locker room once again.

Hyunjin’s cackles filled the space, echoing loudly. Changbin joined him soon after, unable to be serious because of the situation. Hyunjin doubled over for a moment before he slowly pulled himself up. He looked over at Changbin, fondness coming off of him in waves. He grabbed his tote bag from the locker and offered his hand for Changbin to take.

Hyunjin couldn’t keep his smile off of his face as they all made their way back to Changbin, Chan and Minho’s for the evening. He swung their hands together as they walked, but he talked to Jisung enthusiastically about the new songs Jisung was writing. Changbin watched on, happy that the best friends had patched things up nicely.

“I’m in the mood for something romantic,” Felix said as they all filled into the house. “I really can’t do another super hero movie right now,”

Jisung started to open his mouth.

“Horror is out of the question too,” Seungmin said firmly.

“How about Felix picks out like three good ones and we vote?” Chan asked.

“Anyone oppose it?” Minho asked, looking around. No one did. “Okay, sounds good. I’ll order the food,”

Changbin picked up Hyunjin’s hand and pressed kisses to the back of it.

“Jinnie and I are going to take some time together before the food gets here,”

“Good, get it out of your system so you can pay attention to the movie,” Jeongin huffed.

Hyunjin nodded his eyes at his friends, but they really knew them just as much as they knew themselves.

“If I have to watch them grope and heavy pet much longer, I will need to be sedated,” Minho winked.

“Okay, we get it!” Hyunjin nearly yelled, tugging Changbin toward his room already. “Bye, see you in an hour!”

“Be safe!” Seungmin yelled.

“Use lots of lube!” Felix encouraged.

“Please, kill me,” Jeongin begged. Seungmin elbowed him in the ribs. “I mean, please don’t be too loud?”

Changbin shook his head and kept walking toward his door, until their voice became one big cacophony of sound. He

almost

warned Hyunjin of the art hanging on his wall, but he decided against it at the last minute. He held his breath as Hyunjin barged into his room, tossing the tote back he had to the side. The producer slowly shut the door behind him, pressing his back against it as he watched Hyunjin start to take off his clothes.

“What? I need to change,”

Changbin smiled softly.

“You’re beautiful,”

“You’re being weird,” Hyunjin rolled his eyes, going toward Changbin’s closet to grab a t-shirt for him to wear. He wasn’t really paying attention but something caught his eyes from the corner of it. He tugged the t-shirt down and turned toward the opposite wall. Hyunjin’s breath caught the moment he laid his eyes on his artwork.

Changbin stepped forward, slowly taking off his jacket. He watched as Hyunjin slowly approached the art hanging on his wall. The artist acted like he wanted to touch it, to trace every single brush stroke with his fingertips. He stopped, turning toward Changbin.

“Do you like it?” Changbin asked.

“You bought my painting?” Hyunjin asked softly. “The one of us?”

The producer nodded.

“I decided that I couldn’t let either of us live without it,” He said.

“When?” Hyunjin demanded.

“I bought it the first night of the exhibition,”

Hyunjin’s eyes widened. He looked from the painting to Changbin and back again.

“You really bought it,”

“I did,” Changbin sighed, reaching forward to gently take Hyunjin’s hand in his own. He leaned in, placing a delicate kiss on Hyunjin’s lips. “Do you like it?”

“Yes,” Hyunjin sighed, pressing himself against Changbin once again. He kissed Changbin like he had been parched, desperately kissing him with everything. He felt the fever from the locker room start to return. Changbin kissed him back just as enthusiastically. “Don’t think that you can just go buy my most precious artwork every single time you mess up,”

Changbin laughed, brushing Hyunjin’s hair out of his face.

“No, of course not. There’s always buying out a whole exhibit, maybe a few of our poems and if you’re really lucky…I’ll also buy you more flowers,”

Hyunjin smacked Changbin’s shoulder.

“Fuck you,” He laughed.

“I love you,” Changbin said instead, kissing Hyunjin until he was lying flat on his back.

“I love you, too,” Hyunjin whispered as Changbin’s hands reached under the shirt and up his slides. He shivered at the contact, but he tried to stay as still as possible to enjoy the touch. Changbin’s shirt was being pulled off of his body in record time. Hyunjin tried to quickly work on Changbin’s pants while the producer took off his own shirt.

Changbin stared down at Hyunjin reverently, promising silently to always worship at his altar. He kissed Hyunjin exactly how the artist loved to be kissed. He started to trail his hands down until he was tugging off Hyunjin’s own jeans. Changbin’s hand lightly grazed Hyunjin’s hipbones, making the artist really squirm this time.

Hyunjin felt like the last wall to his heart had finally been torn down as Changbin entered him with practiced eaze. There was nowhere for him to run and to hide anymore, and why would he want to when Changbin loved him so ardently?