The weather had taken a turn for the worst by the time they reach the town, The bitter cold turning Taekwoons' nose a bright shade of red 

He feels a rush of guilt upon noticing this. Should he give him his scarf back?, he did say he wouldn't need it but on the other hand he probably didn't expect the temperature to drop this quickly. But what if he thinks I'm trying to baby him? maybe he's just too nice to ask for it back?

He gives him a pensive look as they walk side by side through the throng of people dashing to finish their Christmas shopping 

note to self: buy a damn scarf 

"Hakyeon you're giving me quite the look there. Something on your mind that requires such concentration that you have to stare at me for five minutes straight? Taekwoons comes to a stop right in front of him and it's takes him two seconds to realise he had just stopped him from walking face first into a lamppost 

He takes a step back and looks around at the bustling town "Damn, five minutes. that's a record, glad I didn't walk into anyone" he turns back to Taekwoon once again, ready to wave it off as nothing but, when his eyes meet his there's worry in them, enough to make him stumble.

Taekwoons hand goes out to steady him but he pulls back just before they touch and stares at him through squinted eyes. Taekwoon just stares back, eyes never leaving his, seeming to judge the weight of his soul right before him, unbounded and unrestricted. He doesn't like That, doesn't like that he's capable of seeing what he keeps hidden behind those walls that he put his blood, sweat and tears into fortifying 

"you're too nice" but I can't let you in. 

And then he's walking again leaving a puzzled Taekwoon to catch up "Okay first on the agenda. food, because I haven't ate in a year" 

"that's what you get for not making lunch and playing 20 questions all afternoon" Taekwoon snorts behind his zipped up jacket. though that itself being nothing the hide the chattering of his teeth, he's obviously a lot colder than he's letting on and this seems to be the last straw, there's only so much guilt someone can take. He removes the scarf and pulls Taekwoon to a halt, accidentally running into someone in his haste 

"ah sorry my fault" 

the man looks like he's about to start shouting but within a second he's stumbling over his apologies backing away ever so slowly and all he can do is blink owlishly at him

"what do you suppose that was about then?" he strides up to Taekwoon watching the man make a hastey retreat until he's lost in the crowd, when Taekwoon turns to him his expression is nutrual but there's a gleam in his eye that he can't put his finger on "who knows for sure" he walks ahead, a ghost of a smile lingering before he checks himself and turns back 

"here" he the scarf into Taekwoons hands waving off the look he gives him "yes you said you were fine and I appreciate the sentiment but I don't feel too good with the idea of you freezing to death while I have your scarf. I'll get my own" 

"but-" he fixes him with a pointed look and he's unsure if it's the look in his eyes or the unwillingness to fight him on the situation but, Taekwoon wraps the scarf around his neck and falls into place with Hakyeon. looking a lot less like an icicle now with an added layer of warmth 

He smiles to himself when he hears Taekwoon let out a content sigh 

yep. too nice 

elsewhere 

"COME ON"

"You CAN DO IT!"

"JUST A LITTLE FURTHER"

"Come on!, DON'T GIVE UP ON ME NOW"

The two droplets of water running down the window pick up pace as they both reach the bottom, one just slightly faster than the other and Wonshik let's out a victorious whoop while he crumbles to the floor weeping at his loss

"OH CRUEL WORLD HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME. HAVE I NOT BEEN GOOD ENOUGH TO DESERVE SUCH LUCK. I mean yeah sure I make Hakyeons life a living hell sometimes and put his life in mortal danger on the odd occasion and the one time I broke his nose because I thought he was a burglar, wait... what was my point?. I had a point" 

"and this is the person you chose to date Hyung" Hyuk throws and incredulous look over to Wonshik , who's sitting idle by the fireplace now enjoying the warmth 

"Nah, I didn't choose him. it's more like he fell out of the sky... and dropped his coffee all over me" 

"Hey!. I said I was sorry like a billion times" he puts his hands to his chest in mock hurt 

"I'm only kidding. you know that" Wonshik pulls him down to the floor and gives his nose a quick kiss turning his cheeks a deep pink 

"cute" he mutters, staring up at him with a lovesick grin

"ing gross" Hyuk fakes gagging 

"Oh come on don't be a ten year old. you could be like this one day" he giggles falling back against wonshik 

"I'd rather gouge my own eyes out" 

"i don't know, if you guys get past whatever kind of rivalry you got going on I think you and Binnie could be a great coup-" something smacks solid against his face before he can finish 

"Dont even finish that sentence. This is my sanctuary. I will not have that name taint these walls" he walks over to retrieve his naruto manga 'his weapon of choice' 

He let's out an ungodly scream when 
He lunges for him. sweeping his legs and bringing him down with a hard thump before straddling the younger 

"no hyung please" Hyuk begs. eyes going slightly wide with alarm 

"Oh no. too late to start respecting your hyung. you asked for this" he wriggles his fingers above Hyuks stomach and then let's loose an all out attack of tickles on his side's 

"no hyung HYUN- AHhahahAHAH- STOP AHAHAHA I'm sorry!. I'm so- AHAHAHA HYUNG!" With a sudden burst of energy Hyuk pushes him away and scrambles behind Wonshik for protection 

"Wonshik-Hyung. please you'll protect me right?" He asks hopefully, clinging to wonshik's arm like his life depends on it 

Wonshik looks back at him with such a gentle smile that for a moment he thinks he's in the clear, that he's going to stand up to his brute of a hyung and he's going to watch someone finally knock him down a peg but, then Wonshik slowly puts his hands up and backs up a seat. leaving him cornered with Jaewhan grinning at him like a maniac crouched on the floor like some sort of demon plucked straight from his worst nightmares and he barely shrieks out the word traitor before he's up and running. Jaehwan hot on his heels and it's doesn't take him long to wonder what's going on when there's a loud crash and Hyuks loud shrieks and pleads for mercy are heard again

the complete silence in the room brings his attention to the floor where Jaehwan's phone is vibrating and he picks it up to see "Mama bear" calling and he suddenly remembers the conversation with Hakyeon the previous night. it has to be Hakyeon 

"Jaehwan!. you're phone is ringing!" he shouts through the apartment and a second later Jaehwan is at his side alongside an out of breath and still giggling SanHyuk 

"hello you've reached Jaehwan" he chirps as soon as he answers "the residential disrespectful brat beater, how can I help you?" he throws himself onto the couch blowing a kiss to Hyuk for good measure 

"...your greetings get weirder and weirder every time you pick up a phone" Hakyeon mutters through the other side 

"ah my favourite best friend" he sighs wistfully 

"I'm you're only best friend, Jaehwan" Hakyeon laughs 

"what?! that is so not true that the level of untrue is offensive. now do you have any news that I do not already have knowledge of or are you just here to insult me?"

"Okay don't cry on me now. there's a red weather warning so make sure you get home before things pick up"

"yes mother" 

"don't get funny. you know I'll be worried sick if you get caught in that" The worry is evident in his tone and it takes all of him not too coo at him

"I know Yon. don't worry we'll be fine hyung" He states looking at his two companions who give him a thumbs up 

"we'll be just fine"