Kissing Habit: 3372

By the time Minghao comes home from class and his study group the apartment is boiling hot and he doesn't make it to the couch without shedding half of his clothes. Not unusual, the blonde is greeted by the sight of a half-asleep Soonyoung, the blonde's head drooping every so often before snapping up in an attempt to stay awake. “Hyung, maybe you should just go to bed,” Minghao comments flatly. Why does it feel like he's constantly having to baby the older male? Soonyoung just shakes his head though, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to wake himself up. It doesn't work.

“Junnie-hyung,” the blonde yawns as he stretches his arms above his head, “he's still out.”

Minghao clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Whatever, you're the one sacrificing sleep.” Just as Minghao turns to get a drink, he watches the corners of Soonyoung's lips turn up ever so slightly. Now that he thinks about it, really thinks about it, Minghao doesn't know much about his two roommates. Common sense, or perhaps politeness, would at least dictate for him to inquire what the two do for a living. And since Soonyoung is a full time student it's really on Jun he should be asking about. Let's see, Minghao thinks as he opens a bottle of water, Jun lacks common sense and is too rude to last in the customer service career field. It's highly possible the brunette is a model, but if that's the case than why has he never seen the guy?

He walks (drags his feet, really) towards his room and flops onto the bed. Fishing out his phone, he speed-dials '1' and waits patiently for an all to familiar voice.

“Hey, what's up Hao?”

Seokmin's voice is bright and lively even at night. It's something Minghao appreciates greatly. “Do you think Jun is a model?”

“Well, he is handsome like a model,” Seokmin offers slowly.

And yeah, Jun is handsome, Minghao can agree on that much. He turns onto his stomach as his legs dangle off of the bed, “But, like, I've never seen him on a magazine cover or anything...,” he trails off in contemplation. Seokmin chortles at the confession; however, choking on his words.

“You hardly look at any fashion magazines. The only ones you even pay attention to are the ones for school stuff.”

Minghao huffs but can't contain the grin on his face or the amusement in his voice, “Yah, I'll have you know I got 20% off my child development textbook by looking at those magazines!”

“Alright, alright,” Seokmin responds. The line goes into a brief silence as Minghao hears a stifled yawn on the other end. “You know,” the brunette starts again, voice considerably calmer with a tinge of exhaustion, “you could always ask Jun what he does.”

Yeah, and Minghao could also jump off a bridge.

“Oooor, I could not and say I did.”

A small shuffling greets him before Seokmin's voice buzzes again, “You know, you're going to live with them for a while. Maybe you should be nicer?”

Dammit, Minghao hates it when his friends are right. He huffs and sits up, folding his legs gently under him. Before he can make a snarky retort, Seokmin goes on, “Hey, I'm sorry but I'm really tired. I'm going to bed, alright? Maybe you should do the same thing too...”

“I'm not a child hyung,” Minghao whines, the irony of his behaviour flying right over his head, but Seokmin laughs nonetheless.

Saying their goodbyes, or as best as a sleep-deprived Seokmin can, Minghao hangs up the phone first. Instead of going back outside to join Soonyoung, who is still no doubt waiting for Jun, he instead turns on his lamp and looks out the large window of his room. The sky in Seoul is different from the one back in his hometown. Everything is bright with light pollution and the street lamps and signs of the city below outshine the stars. It's odd, ever since Minghao was little he always wanted to live in a large city, but now that he's here it feels surprisingly empty. The constant hustle and bustle, shoving through crowds, never more than a few hours of rest. There's no doubt that there's something beautiful about Seoul, but at the same time it's an artificial feeling; fake. Minghao isn't sure how long he stays rooted in the spot, but the sound of a door slamming shut jostles him out of his endless musings.

“Must be Jun,” he mumbles, giving his clock a quick glance. It's still midnight, which is rather early for Jun to be coming back.

Unlike before, Minghao doesn't stay in his room in hopes of avoiding Jun. Rather, he fixes his clothes and walks out the door with the full intent of chastising the older male from slamming it shut. They aren't moody teenage boys.

At least, that's the original plan. As Minghao draws closer to the main room though, his steps grow slower until he halts at the edge of the hallway. Jun and Soonyoung are exchanging words in hushed and rapid Korean. Every so often he catches some words in Mandarin, mainly 'stop' and 'later' but without context, there's no telling what they duo are talking about. What would Mingyu do in a situation like this? Minghao bites his lip and thinks. The large, puppy like male has awful timing so he'd most likely walk into the conversation making things awkward. Minghao decides to split the difference and peers around the corner, ignoring the voice in his head (that sounds suspiciously like Seungcheol) that badger about how eavesdropping is wrong.

A sense of déjà vu hits Minghao.

Soonyoung and Jun are invading each others bubble. Jun with his arms crossed, face annoyed and exhausted, while Soonyoung's reflects weariness and anger. It's an odd sight, seeing the blonde angry, and it sends a shiver down Minghao's spine.

Minghao's so caught in the lack of personal space, a nightmare for him, that he tunes out the conversation entirely. Soonyoung gesticulates comically, arms flying everywhere, and Jun just sighs while running a hand through his hair. The unexpected happens after that. Soonyoung barrels into the brunette, fingers twisting around pristine, white fabric, and yanks Jun down to eye-level. At this point, Minghao has to cover his mouth with a hand from gasping too loud. His muscles tense, ready to run and break them up just in case someone throws a punch, but it never comes. Instead, something much, much worse happens.

While Soonyoung, red in the cheeks and ears, prattles off heatedly, Jun closes the space and presses his lips against the blondes.

What. The. Hell.

Minghao leans too far and lands flat on the floor.

“M-Minghao,” Soonyoung squawks as he pushes Jun away, “a-are you okay? What were you doing?”

Jun huffs and follows after the frazzled blonde, not bothering to help Minghao but rather chooses to glare. “Were you back there? Did you hear us,” he demands gruffly, eyebrows knitted together and eyes slitted dangerously.

Time for those acting lessons Seokmin offered him to come in handy.

“Huh,” Minghao mutters as he looks around in a daze, “where am I...? I remember dreaming of running late to class and something tripped me.”

A wave of relief washes over Soonyoung but Jun doesn't look as impressed. “I didn't know you sleep walked.”

Minghao holds back the urge to roll his eyes, conveniently forgetting that—technically—he was in the wrong for peeping into the couple's—are they a couple?—conversation. To be fair though, Minghao wouldn't have done so if Jun didn't slam the door.

“It must have been from the stress of school and, well,” Minghao gestures to the duo before gently shooing Soonyoung's hands off of his body. “A-anyways, I'm going to go and take a shower. So, umm, yeah.”

Before Jun has anymore time to ask another question, Minghao stands up and runs back to his room as if the devil were on his heels. And it isn't exactly a lie because Jun is behind him.

“What's wrong with him,” Jihoon questions as he sits down at the crowded table. Mingyu, who is cramming for a psychology exam last minute like the horrible student he is, glances over to Jihoon's subject in question. The giant gently pokes Minghao with his chewed on pen before he shrugs.

“Well, he's not dead.”

The strawberry haired man snorts, “I could have figured that much, idiot.”

“Hey, I'll have you know I'm at the top of three of my classes,” Mingyu shouts louder than necessary, stirring awake a dead-eyed Minghao. The blonde rubs his eyes and yawns, moving his hand in a grabbing gesture towards Mingyu. The brunette puffs out his cheeks but passes over his chocolate milk. “So, what's wrong with you Hao? Tough night?”

A flashback from Jun and Soonyoung kissing flashes through his mind. He shivers and holds onto the milk carton tighter as if it was his knight in shining armour. The various conversations at the table come to a slow stop as eyes train on him. Well, it's bad for one's health to hold things in. Minghao inhales deeply and says carefully, “Is it normal for friends to kiss each other, like, on the lips?”

Jihoon chokes on his food.

“Hyung,” Mingyu says to a bored looking Wonwoo, “we've kissed before.”

Minghao feels that he should be falling out of his seat in surprise but honestly it seems like such a normal thing the two would do he doesn't even blink. Wonwoo, on the other hand, flushes a bright pink and punches the brunette on the arm. “Yah, I thought we were never going to talk about that!”

Jihoon raises a brow as he chews on a piece of pork, “Really? I'd like to hear more about this.”

“Don't you have to go and be a shut-in composer somewhere,” Wonwoo bites as he clasps a hand over Mingyu's mouth.

Deciding that enough is enough, Seungcheol interrupts the conversation with a wave of his hand. “Okay guys, let's just eat.” Jihoon and Wonwoo grumble but listen to the self-appointed father of the group. Mingyu, on the other hand, isn't easily satisfied (and also needs an excuse to not study) and pushes the topic forward.

“So, why do you ask? Did you want to kiss someone?”

“W-what? No! No, I just,” he looks around the cafeteria just in case Soonyoung happens to be close by. Deeming the coast clear, he continues in a hushed voice, “Did Jun and Soonyoung ever date before? Like, were they a couple?” Mingyu his head to the side, a habit when the puppy is confused, but offers no verbal response. Instead, he shrugs his shoulders. Minghao turns his attention from Mingyu to Wonwoo, eyes traveling through the whole group but the answer is still the same, a shrug of their shoulders or a shake of their head. It's Jihoon, unsurprisingly, who asks what's on all of their minds.

“Why, did you see them kiss?”

Everyone stares and Minghao can only blush.

“Oh my ing god,” Jihoon mutters in slight awe but mostly amusement, “you did. I knew it! I knew he was gay, ante up losers,” the short male boasts. Minghao watches in confusion as Wonwoo, Seungcheol, and Mingyu put money on the table.

“D-did you guys bet on this? Isn't that kind of rude.”

Wonwoo snorts and bites back, “Don't you hate him?” Although, the anger could be to losing money.

“You know who knows quite a bit about Jun,” Seungcheol starts off, choosing to ignore an overly joyous Jihoon and miserable Wonwoo, “Nana-ssi. You can talk to her.”

The name leaves an ominous silence that lingers in the air. Minghao has only encountered Nana a handful of times, most of them uneventful, but there was the last time he saw here, when there was news going around the school that he was dating Jun or something to that affect. Thank god that died down because him and Jun? Minghao scoffs.

“Hey, it was just a suggestion,” Seungcheol pouts.

“W-what? Oh, no, sorry hyung. I was just thinking about Nana-noona. She just kind of...freaks me out, just a bit.”

“It's alright,” Wonwoo offers with a lazy grin, “she scares Mingyu too.”

“You try being near her! She's the best in my psych class and talking to her is like, getting your head shrunk.”

Jihoon snorts, “Is that even a correct term?”

“How should I know?”

Everyone groans at the answer, including Minghao, but he smiles at the clueless brunette anyways.

“Hyung, you're the one majoring in Psychology.”

“Oh, right. I guess I should know that, huh?”

A snort follows and a joking air engulfs the atmosphere again. Lunch goes back to normal, except that even while Minghao talks he can't help but wonder just why Nana would know more about Jun. By the time everyone has to head back to classes, with his tray still full and food hardly touched, Minghao throws it all away and walks out the door to the library. The sun shines dimly under the grey clouds of the afternoon sky. As luck would have it; however, as Minghao enters the large building filled with books, he spots a pretty woman studying alone.

Nana is the type of beauty men rave over, calling her 'classic' while girls envy her effortless looks. Minghao isn't so sure what's so great about the caramel brunette. She has proportions of a model, yes, and she has great hair but her face isn't that remarkable.

Minghao, with much anxiety and hesitation, eventually takes a seat from across the older woman.

“Oh, Minghao, if this isn't a pleasant surprise,” Nana comments with a soft soprano voice and mirthful smile.

“H-hi, umm, I was wondering if you could tell me about Jun-hyung...?”

Nana grins even wider to the point Minghao's afraid her face might split in two. “Oh, what do you want to know about Jun?”

Alright, coming to Nana was a mistake. Shaking like a lamb in a lion's den, Minghao toys with his fingers.

“Did—are Jun and Soonyoung dating? Or, did they like used to date? Because sometimes they act really weird and when they think they're alone they get touchy like a couple and sometimes fight like a couple so yeah...” Minghao finishes with a tone higher than he started and eyes darting everywhere but at the female in front of him. Nana rasies a brow, dog-earring her book as place mark, before she leans her elbow on the table—eyes half-crescents.

“You said 'when they think they're alone' which tells me you saw something you shouldn't have, right?”

Minghao flushes.

Nana tsks.

“While I love teasing Jun, I think you should ask him.” Great, the one time for Nana to be remotely empathetic and she chooses now. “Tell him I said that if he didn't learn anything from the last time though, nothing will change this time.”

Minghao tilts his head slightly. Last time? He repeats in his head but decides not to interrogate any further. It's not like Nana would tell him what she was referring to anyway. Minghao finds himself back at step one and even though he has his book open, study material ready, he can only think about Jun and Soonyoung. Together, separate; it doesn't matter because both of them manage to confuse him no matter what.

“Hyung,” Minghao shouts as he opens the door only for a blast of heat to hit him, “it's too hot again! It's not that cold yet,” he whines as he immediately sheds his jacket and sweatshirt. Pulling his thin shirt down, Minghao turns only to see an empty room. Frowning, Minghao steps over to the couch and sighs as he sees Soonyoung gently snoring away. “Hyung,” he calls gently, moving the blonde's shoulder, “hyuuuuung,” he drawls out a tad more impatient, his shaking getting more vigorous. After ten more shakes, the blonde's eyes open. Immediately, Soonyoung springs up and shoots the younger a dazzling grin. It reminds Minghao so much of Seokmin that it slightly freaks him out. He can only handle so many sunny people in his life and so far he's at the max with two.

“You're here early,” Soonyoung comments with a tiny yawn.

Early? Minghao squints his eyes in confusion but his mouth quickly opens into an 'o' shape. He's been going to study groups right after classes and has been returning back home one or two hours later than he originally would be.

Sighing, Minghao checks the time. “Go to your room if you're going to sleep, hyung. I'll make dinner,” he says breezily, trying not to flush at the way Soonyoung stares at him like he was the sole reason the sun rose in the morning. It's a look he isn't used to at all and while it isn't necessary unpleasant, it's wholly uncomfortable.

Surprisingly, Soonyoung listens to him and ambles off into his own room without much noise except for the occasional grunts of running into furniture.

Minghao shakes his head and pulls the ingredients out for dinner. For the past week or two the trio have been living off of fast-food and while Minghao tries to get the occasional salad, all the sugars are really piling up and making him feel gross. He thaws out the round disks of rice cake and makes a mild sauce (curse Soonyoung and his inability to handle spices) along with chopped vegetables. The dish is fairly easy and Minghao washes the large leaves of lettuce as he lets the stew simmer. By the time it's done, Minghaos' phone reads nine twenty-three.

“Ooh, that smells good,” Soonyoung's voice travels in the air, “is it done?”

Minghao shuts off the stove.

“Yeah, help yourself,” he replies, taking three dishes out because of habit. Soonyoung; however, doesn't bring this up and stars piling food onto the plate along with a side-plate of the lettuce.

“Umm,” Minghao starts after a few minutes of eating in silence, “you know I can stay up and wait for Jun-hyung. You look like you could still use some sleep...”

Soonyoung looks up from his phone, eyebrows knitted and pupils swimming in confusion. “Are you sick?” Despite the joke at his expense Minghao offers a smile. It does sound weird now that he thinks about it. “Nah, I'm good I can-”

“I mean it Soonyoung-hyung, I have...I have some things I need to talk to him with anyway.”

A hum is the elder's only reply.

Surprisingly, it was rather easy to get Soonyoung to not wait up for Jun, perhaps a little too easy. The next part of Minghao's plan; however, definitely isn't. He drums his fingers against the kitchen isle, staring at the door intensely all the while. What is he going to say to Jun? 'Hey, I was eavesdropping yesterday and I saw you kiss Soonyoung. What's up with that?' Yeah, while he's at it he might as well wear a suit made out of steak and walk into mountain lion country.

After waiting four hours for the oldest male to come home, Minghao's about to call it a night but a banging on the door grabs his attention. Carefully making his way to the monitor, he immediately sighs as he sees a swaying Jun.

“Hyung,” he answers blankly as the brunette tumbles in. The tall man barely makes it three steps before falling over himself. The sight is so different than what Minghao's used to, he isn't quite sure how to react. “Hey, are you okay,” Minghao asks as he kneels down to Jun's level.

Jun whines while shaking his shoulders, “Minghaoooo, you love me, right?”

“Hyung, you're drunk.”

Minghao struggles trying to get Jun's paws off of his person. It suddenly clicks that he's never seen the brunette so inebriated before.

“Minghao,” Jun says again, much softer and less giggly than before.

With a very exaggerated sigh, Minghao gives up and lets Jun fall back to his sitting position, mirroring the hammered man as he criss-crosses his legs as well. “What is it, hyung?”

Jun must really hate using his words because the next thing Minghao feels is a pair of lips on his own.  

A/N: Hey guys! Did you miss me :P Because I missed you all and this story!!! So, just a quick fyi fillers do not follow the story timeline at all. Anyway, a lot happened in this chapter! Mainly you probably shouldn't live with people without getting to know them but Minghao was desperate, plus Jun and Soonyoung are too handsome (and idiots) to be serial killers. Minghao is still caught up in his own world though but SoonHui will no doubt try and bring him out of his small circle. Don't forget to please comment/subscribe if you like this work!

PS: Would you guys be mad if Minghao doesn't end up with SoonHui?