0.

it's noisy. clinks of glasses topped with alcohol, murmurs and laughter ringing off the walls, strong beats pounding out of the speakers as bodies dance along beneath the stage. jiwon's aching to get on stage, to perform and feel the cheers, especially those of jinhwan's and jiwon chances a peek though the side of the stage, only to get whacked in the back of his head.

"no peeking."

jiho reminds sternly and jiwon can only nod meekly because jiho's scary when he's running his business and no one wants to mess with him when he's in that mood. minho comes up behind him and claps him on his back, cheery laugh easing the tension in jiwon's shoulders and it almost makes him forget his soon-to-come performance, until jiho steps up on stage to introduce the opening acts as the owner of the club.

the opening acts pass in a blur as jiwon moves about the backstage restlessly, and jiwon tenses up even more when it's finally his turn to perform. but minho just thumps his back once more, and jiwon barely has time to respond as jiho grips his shoulders to say "don't disappoint me." teasingly and shoves him up onto the stage with a grin on his face.

the stage is dark, but jiwon's still able to see the audience and his eyes are drawn towards a small figure by the bar, seated with a few other bodies, slender fingers wrapped around a glass of champagne while enjoying the performances. jiwon just feels his nervousness seeping from his body while controlled confidence gets pumped in, the desire to perform well running higher than ever. eyes shut, jiwon takes a deep breath as he hears the signal through his earpiece. exhale.

and he starts, music and light flooding his senses at the sound of his voice. the cheers, screams, energy flowing in the club, they're incredible. jiwon rides that energy, gives it his all, and is utterly satisfied when screams pierce the club as jiwon pulls up his shirt to reveal his hard-earned chocolate abs that jiwon's so proud of. but of course, jiwon misses the slight frown crossing jinhwan's face and it's only when he hears his name as he prepares to leave the stage after his performance that he sees that jinhwan's near the stage.

and he's thoroughly shocked when jinhwan fists his shirt and pulls him down, tiptoeing to crush his lips against jiwon's amidst heightened screams and whistles, before breaking the kiss to breathe a "you're mine." by his ears, low and possessive, before pushing jiwon back up. and jiwon lets out a curse once he reaches backstage, collapsing onto the floor as jinhwan's words repeat themselves in jiwon's head. jiwon's hands come up to hide his burning face and he curses again and again, because jinhwan has just pushed his adrenaline running in his body to a whole new high and he'll be damned if jiwon doesn't take jinhwan when they reach home.

"woah...jiho-yah, how is 'okey dokey' gonna top that?"

"that, really is the top..."

"jinhwannie's...really, really the best."

and jiwon agrees wholeheartedly.

-1.

"you know, it's only going to be two weeks jiwon-ah."

"we'll see each other again in no time."

"seriously, you make me sound as if i'm the one leaving the country."

"but hyung, why couldn't you buy one ticket for yourself as well? i want you to meet my family..."

"because this trip is for you jiwon-ah. for you to spend time with your family and friends. besides, i can always meet them some other time you see, like when you bring them to korea!"

"don't worry about me, i'll be fine."

that's what jinhwan says before they're off to the airport and jinhwan kisses jiwon goodbye at the departure hall. jiwon hates how small and alone jinhwan looks as he waits for jiwon to disappear from his sight and jiwon can't wait to reach america, see his friends and family and call jinhwan. jiwon thinks it's funny how he always seems to be leaving something or someone important behind.

"and the food there is great, jinhwan-hyung, you've got to try it next time i bring you there. but i still miss korean food..."

jiwon's video calling jinhwan from his phone, fresh from the shower after long day at a amusement park with his cousins. he can see the light of the sun shining on jinhwan's hair and jiwon has to remind himself that he only has to get through just a few more days before he'll be back in their apartment, back in jinhwan's warmth. but he hears a voice and jiwon's puzzled because isn't jinhwan usually getting ready for work at this time of the day? why is there someone else with him?

"look at what yunhyeonggie prepared! korean food and none for you!."

jinhwan's voice sounds static as jiwon watches yunhyeong's dishes appear on his phone's screen, stomach rumbling even though jiwon has already had dinner. the food's blurry and shaky and jinhwan's delightful voice can be heard, but jiwon can't help but feel that something's wrong and he isn't aware of it.

"i don't have work today and yunhyeonggie agreed to cook! lucky~"

"i just said i miss korean food and you show me this? hyung, how could you!"

jiwon fakes hurt while yunhyeong dashes into the screen to tease jiwon, pressing close to a giggling jinhwan by his side. just a few more days, jiwon can't wait to get back to jinhwan.

except that jiwon didn't expect to see an injured jinhwan waiting at the arrival gate, holding onto chanwoo for support, careful not to place pressure on his bandaged ankle while yunhyeong waits by their side. and jiwon goes a little stunned with shock because whatever happened during his stay overseas?!

"jiwon!"

jinhwan practically flings himself onto jiwon when jiwon reaches them, short arms tight around jiwon's neck as jinhwan buries his face in jiwon's chest and his heart almost flies out and melts at the same time because he misses jinhwan so much but he's injured for goodness sake! so he opens his mouth to chide jinhwan when jinhwan offers a tiny apology, and the words just died in his throat.

"sorry, i just didn't want you to worry while you were having fun."

"what happened?"

jiwon asks instead, so so so weak against jinhwan. jinhwan's smile turns embarrassed, and jiwon doesn't know whether he should laugh or cry with how clumsy jinhwan is.

"i tripped while chasing bap around the store..."

heaving a great sigh, jiwon can only shake his head while yunhyeong chuckles softly. and jiwon kneels down then, patting his shoulder and indicating jinhwan to hop on his back because there's no way jiwon's letting jinhwan walk in that state.

"i can walk jiwon-ah."

and as if to prove his point, jinhwan walks, no, limps a short distance before staggering a little and jiwon thanks the heavens for chanwoo, who had an inkling and rushed to his hyung to caught jinhwan before he fell.

"you let him limp here?"

yunhyeong looks affronted at the accusatory tone jiwon, and if not for the fact that yunhyeong knows how sensitive jiwon is about jinhwan, he'd have lectured jiwon already.

"hyung wouldn't let us carrying him!"

yunhyeong replies, still slightly miffed, and jiwon can only send him an apologetic look, before releasing his hold on his luggage to walk towards jinhwan and chanwoo, grabbing jinhwan's arms and practically hauling him up on his back as jinhwan lets out a surprised yelp. jinhwan, surprisingly, doesn't fight jiwon and turns pliant, resting his head on jiwon's shoulders. and jiwon turns around with a victorious grin to face an amused yunhyeong, luggage already in his hands, who leads the way to his car with chanwoo following beside jiwon as he looks at the couple with a soft look in his eyes.

"jinhwan-hyung was so excited you're coming back that he couldn't sleep."

chanwoo informs jiwon, glancing at the small hyung who's dozing off already on jiwon's back and jiwon grins. it's good to be back by jinhwan, he thinks.

-2.

"jinhwan-hyung, when are you free tomorrow?"

"i have some things to do in the morning, so jiwon you can come at around one?"

"sounds good, hyung."

"wait hold up, what's this? you guys are planning to go out without inviting us?"

jiwon feels as if hanbin has disturbed their own bubble when jinhwan turned at his voice, surprised at the sudden teasing intrusion. hanbin takes a seat by yunhyeong, who's playing with his phone, half-listening to jinhwan and jiwon converse, and junhoe slides into the seat next, one hand picking at a grape while the other whips out his phone. and jinhwan steals one too, popping it in his mouth before answering.

"oh no, i'm just moving my stuff over to jiwon's."

"what for though?"

"hyung's going to live with me from now on!"

jiwon cuts in excitedly, but honestly he's not expecting the exclamations from his friends, and he can tell jinhwan's shocked, though not less any amused, with the response as well. yunhyeong's offer of "hyung if you need a place to stay you can always come to junhoe and i!", hanbin's stunned "jinhwan-hyung, do you know how messy bobby-hyung actually is?" and of course, junhoe's desperate "why bobby!". okay, but jiwon's offended, truly, by junhoe's tone.

"yah, i'm older than you goo junhoe, stop disrespecting me! you too kim hanbin!"

but it's a futile effort in making his dongsaengs listen to him, when all they can see and hear is their beloved hyung jinhwan's wide wide grin and his amused giggle, and even yunhyeong is of no help to jiwon at all.

"thanks for your offer yunhyeong-ah, but i don't mind though? jiwon's fine the way he is."

his heart shouldn't flutter, jiwon knows his heart really shouldn't flutter but jinhwan's answer, complete with a crinkling eye-smile and a cute tilt of the head, makes jiwon want to pounce onto jinhwan and smother him with hugs and kisses. and he does just that, minus the kisses, but jiwon does drape himself all over jinhwan and nuzzle into the top of his head, much to the silent amusement of yunhyeong, hidden jealousy of hanbin, undisguised horror of junhoe.

"get off jinhwan-hyung!"

junhoe cries a little too dramatically, and engages himself and hanbin in a squabble with jiwon, jinhwan having disentangled himself quietly from the arms of jiwon and is now sitting on the sidelines with yunhyeong, sipping on his packet milk while watching the boisterous boys fight.

"jinhwan-hyung, do you...do you like bobby?"

yunhyeong takes the chance and asks, but when jinhwan doesn't answer, yunhyeong thinks that maybe his words has flittered by jinhwan like the wind, or maybe jinhwan just doesn't want to answer, either way, yunhyeong doesn't press on. but jinhwan turns to him with a soft smile, and replies with a voice a tad louder than a whisper.

"i don't know."

but yunhyeong's positively certain that jinhwan does like bobby with the way his eyes soften as he gazes at the victim of the bullying duo, trying his best to fight off hanbin and junhoe. and yunhyeong wishes for jinhwan to clear up whatever confusion he has, for bobby to finally realise he's fallen in love since the first time he's set eyes on jinhwan, and get together already, because honestly, the pair is just too cute to not be true.

-3.

jinhwan's crying. jiwon blinks again and shakes his head a little, and yes, jinhwan's crying. he panics a little, a lot, and throws his bag by the side of the door and rushes to jinhwan's side.

"hyung!"

jiwon's all prepared to comfort jinhwan, maybe wrap his arms around jinhwan's tiny shoulders and sway gently side to side to make jinhwan feel better, but jiwon doesn't expect jinhwan to crash into his arms, burying his head into his chest and jiwon stills, because yes they are close to the point of casual arms around the shoulder, suffocating short hugs and nuzzles here and there.

but it's not to the point where jinhwan's practically lying on jiwon's torso, nor to the point where jiwon's able to count the tear droplets on jinhwan's eyelashes when he looks up and jiwon just forgets how to breathe.

"what-what happened?"

jiwon manages to croak out, voice shaking and heart thumping, and jiwon just hopes that jinhwan's too distracted to notice the wild beating of his heart.

"i watched this really sad movie and..."

and jinhwan's voice breaks off, before burying his head once more into jiwon's chest and jiwon lets out a short laugh. a typical response of jiwon would be to laugh even more and tease jinhwan, as jinhwan is expecting, but right now, jiwon's body seems to be on auto-pilot as his hand comes up to jinhwan's head and his fingers start to card through jinhwan's soft, black hair, patting jinhwan's head as jinhwan's cries slowly die down to a hiccup.

"there's nothing wrong with crying over a movie, though that depends on what movie you were watching."

jiwon says lightly to a tear-streaked jinhwan and jiwon decides then and there that he hates to see jinhwan's tears, be it happy or sad tears. he eases himself away from jinhwan, before walking to jinhwan's room and back to wrap jinhwan's blanket around his hyung, ignoring the puzzled gaze and occasional hiccup.

"dealing with the after-effects of you crying."

jiwon grins at jinhwan, now tucked snugly in his light blue blanket, who sniffles at him and pouts. and jiwon leaves and returns with tubs of ice-cream in his hands, heart warming up at he sees jinhwan's face light up, eyes sparkling for a different reason than before and yes, jiwon definitely like a smiling jinhwan better.