His ears ring for a whole minute after that, Bobby standing up in utter disbelief.

"Did that just..?"

Hanbin swallows the lump in his throat as Bobby swallows the last of his . 

"Yeah."

Bobby helps him down as Hanbin's heart sinks. He thinks of all the people Donghyuk's already told. All the whispers and black eyes he's about to get.

"It's gonna be alright, okay?"

Bobby's helping him zip up without him even noticing. His hands are trembling but still warm. Burning. 

Hanbin takes a deep breath before he decides to face the truth. Face everything he's never had the courage to.

"I'm gonna go talk to him. Stay here?"

Bobby nods but before he can leave there are hands on his stomach and lips on his neck. 

"Don't fret about this too much okay. He's gonna..he has to be alright with this."

Hanbin nods without believing it. 

*
"Donghyuk."

The other's standing near the windows, hands in his hair and glasses tucker neatly to his front pocket. 

"It's uh..it's not what you think it is."

Donghyuk turns to him to roll his eyes. Hanbin winces and before he has the chance to continue, Donghyuk cuts him off.

"So my friend wasn't just your ?"

Hanbin winces again, trying to will away the shake of his hands and confront what's about to happen next. 

"I-yeah he was."

Donghyuk snorts and yet again continues for him.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

Hanbin wants to say something but his throat closes up before any words can pass his lips. He wants to tell him the truth. Tell him everything. But he knows what's going to happen if he doesn't behave. Knows how it'll hurt a lot more then what happened last time. So he tries to lie again. 

"I- we- it's new. And it's not what you think it is!"

He's raising his voice and then lowering it again, afraid someone'll hear. 

"Hanbin. Stop lying."

He squirms under the scrutiny of Donghyuk's stare. 

"Please just tell me if it's serious or not. I don't want you guys to be fooling around and breaking each others' hearts."

Hanbin feels his heart breaking already but doesn't mention it.

"It is serious."

When he raises his gaze, Donghyuk's already smiling and Hanbin has a hard time finding disdain behind those eyes. It takes him by surprise.

"That's what you should have said right away."

Donghyuk steps closer before he can budge, hesitating to put his arm on his shoulder. Hanbin hates how it makes him feel. 

"I'm glad you both finally got to your senses. And please don't worry, okay? It's fine. I'm fine with this."

Donghyuk rubs his shoulders so he'd get a smile out of him. Hanbin feels one appearing without his permission. 

"Are you-"

"Yes, I'm sure. I kind of guessed it but I'd really preferred if you'd have told me instead of-of..yeah. What happened."

Hanbin feels his cheeks burn at that as Donghyuk gives him a hug, still a bit stiff. 

"Tell Bobby that he at locking doors-" He pauses thinking of making a joke before he shudders his shoulders in denial " -and that we're good."

He lets go of him and walks off, leaving him a bit dumbfounded. Hanbin has no idea what just happened  there. 

*
"So what's the verdict?"

Bobby's still standing in the bathroom when he enters, hands trembling enough for the both of them.

"I honestly don't know. He- he seemed kind of weary but also.. he said he knew?"

Bobby's stepping closer, hands finding his to squeeze them until they turn numb. Hanbin doesn't mind it at all.

"Really?"

Hanbin thinks back to their conversation, still a bit shocked. 

"Yeah."

Bobby hums, thoughts running wild. Hanbin hopes that they aren't as grim as his. 

"I guess.. we're okay then?"

Hanbin nods, Bobby's fingers tracing their way up to his shoulders to pull him in close. He doesn't say it but the hug makes him feel closer to home than ever before. 

*
He keeps fretting about it all the way into Friday. Donghyuk doesn't text him and Hanbin wonders if he's possibly mulling over what he saw and ready to tell everyone.

He knows he's not that kind of a guy but a part of him doesn't dare to hope anymore. 

Bobby meets him by the gates, as always, his smile a bit shaky.

"You doing good?"

Hanbin nods not even believeing it himself.

"I texted you last night but I guess you were already sleeping."

Hanbin nods again even though he read them all. He just didn't have the stregth to answer. 

Bobby seems to sense that somethings off but leaves him alone for now. Hanbin hopes he'll never come back to this topic again. 

*
"Ya'll ready for tonight?"

Junhoe seems incredibly enthusiastic and Hanbin has no idea why. He remembers the football game when Bobby smiles sincerely for the first time that day. 

"Kind of. I hope Yunhyeong here doesn't ruin it for us."

The other tries to slap Bobby over their table but doesn't succeed. Bobby laughs until he hiccups and Hanbin remembers how kisses make them better. He wishes he could chase the bitterness of dark chocolate on his tongue. He doesn't. 

"What'd you think if we go out for pizza afterwards? My uncle has this great pizzeria downtown-"

Jinhwan snorts and Junhoe looks at him incredulously.

"We all know June. You can't stop telling us about your 'half Italian' uncle. He's not even Italian!"

Junhoe fights back, voice suddenly high pitched and cheeks red from embarrassment.

"Yeah, he is! He lived in Italy for years!"

Jinhwan doesn't let it go and Hanbin finds himself smiling through their banter. 

"That doesn't make him Italian idiot."

Junhoe rolls his eyes, tucking his head down in defeat. 

"Yeah, whatever."

He keeps muttering something about his uncle as Donghyuk sits down next to Hanbin, plate in his hand shaking, trying to balance the countless amount of books he always carries with him and the food he never seems to eat. 

"What's this about Italy?"

Bobby and Yunhyeong scream at him to not bring it up as Jinhwan cackles with Hanbin. It feels nice and easy. As it should be. 

Hanbin thinks they might be alright after all until Donghyuk sees Bobby's fingers on his thigh and chokes on his soda. Hanbin winces as he realises they have a lot to discuss.

And he really doesn't want to.

*
"Bin, wait up!"

He's ready to go home and worry about telling the truth when Bobby stops him. 

"Can I come over? Let's do some physics and ."

He wiggles his eyebrows and Hanbin knows he wants to do more than physics. He's okay with it. 

"How can you expect me to tell you 'no' when you look at me like that." 

Bobby swallows his eminent arousal and makes goofy faces at him, asking if that's what he means by 'that' look. 

Hanbin wants to punch him but doesn't. Instead he kisses him on his doorstep, their shoes still on and backpacks slung down at their feet.

Bobby tastes exactly like he imagined him to during lunch and Hanbin would like to drown in it. Instead he tickles him and runs away before Bobby can retaliate.

*
"So..Donghyuk hasn't said anything since yesterday?"

Bobby's eating the last pieces of his chicken and Hanbin warns him that he needs to leave some for Hanbyul or she'll stop calling him prince Bobby. 

"Nope."

He tries to focus on the physics in front of them but Bobby's his fingers clean and it's distracting as hell. 

"And you're okay? With everything?"

Hanbin nods, still following the way his fingers leave his mouth with a bop. Bobby's eyes glisten with desire and Hanbin's really grateful for the change of topic. 

"I don't buy it."

Bobby's shifting closer, breath smelling like chicken and coke. Hanbin has no problems with it whatsoever. 

"You should. Cause I'm fine."

Bobby's basically on his lap by now, hands on either side of his face, body hovering over him. Hanbin swallows the lump in his throat and waits for him to make a move. 

"No you're not. I know you better than you know yourself. And the whole thing is bugging the out of you."

He sits down on him and Hanbin lets his mouth fall open. Bobby shudders and he feels it in his bones. It drives him mad. 

"No you don't."

Bobby's leaning down to his neck now, ghosting kisses on his skin. Hanbin grinds up into him, hoping it'd make him do something, anything.

"Yeah, you're right. I don't. You still haven't told me what's the deal with your family."

He bites into his neck as Hanbins' eyes fly open. 

"Way to ruin the mood."

He shoves Bobby off of him without a second glance, making his way towards the kitchen. Bobby follows like a famished puppy. 

"Look, how else am I gonna get you to talk about this."

Bobby tries to pull him in close but Hanbin won't let him. He's got enough on his plate already. The truth's out in the open and he doesn't want to let more of it slip. 

Bobby whines when he pulls away and starts making coffee.

"Look, it's-it's complicated."

Hanbin feels him shuffle closer again, hands going around him and this time he lets him. It makes him feel false security and he hates it. 

"It's always complicated with you, Bin. Just tell me.. does she have a clue?"

Hanbin swallows hard at that. Bobby seems patient enough after it's been at least five minutes without an answer so he gives him one.

"Yeah. She knows about me and she's guessing hard about us."

It's all he can muster, body hunching over after he says it. Bobby's there to catch him though and Hanbin's got no clue how to feel about it. 

"What would she do if she'd find out?"

Hanbin almost drops the coffee. It's been a month since he's thought about it. Thought about his blonde hair and the way it all burned. 

"I'd never see you again."

Bobby makes him put the cups down before holding him tight. Tighter than ever and letting his nose bury itself in his hair. 

Hanbin would like his body to stop reacting and betraying him but it doesn't. He squeezes his arms as hard as he can, fingernails pushing painfully into his skin. Bobby's lips keep kissing that spot behind his ear through all the pain he's probably inflicting on him. It's twisted how much he loves it and how Bobby's still not letting go. How he never will.

He barely hears his voice but when he does he never wants Bobby to let him go. Wants his arms to be the home he's never had. 

"I won't let that happen. Trust me."

Hanbin tries his best to believe him. It's getting harder by the minute.

*
They end up playing video games in silence before Hanbyul gets home. Hanbin would like to call the silence comfortable but he feels Bobby's sorrow and his own. Feels how this is a turning point and there's no way back. 

He wonders if the laughter that Bobby kissed away was really a bad omen. He prays to god that it wasn't. 

"Bobby!"

She's happy to see him, as always. Their mother not so much. 

"Hi Bobby. What are you doing here?"

She smiles at him politely as Hanbyul tries to climb up his leg. Bobby laughs at her antics before taking her in his lap. Hanbin feels his heart soar and swallows the feeling when her stare is nothing but cold. 

"Hanbin helped me with physics."

He tickles Hanbyul and smiles up at their mom, trying to look his best. Hanbin would tell him he does, but nothing will ever change her mind about him. No matter how hard he tries. 

"Why didn't you ask Jeongyeon?"

She's putting away groceries and Hanbin helps. His hands tremble and he tries shaking it off. 

"Well we had a pretty bad break up and now that Hanbin likes her it's.. kind of awkward."

He stops washing the apples when he hears it. Hears how real it sounds. He wonders if his habits have worn off on Bobby too. 

"Oh, right. Sorry about that."

Her smile is anything but genuine as she leaves them alone to go and change. 

Hanbyul runs off to bring Bobby a painting she made for him and Hanbin has to suffer through a horrible emotional because of it. 

"I get what you mean. I really really do."

Bobby's stepping closer and Hanbin almost yelps when he thinks the other's going to kiss him. Bobby just chuckles, grabbing his hands and kissing his knuckles instead. 

"I'll always be here though. Don't worry about it."

Hanbin wants to tell him the same but he doesn't believe in it. Not yet. 

He kind of starts to when Hanbyul gives Bobby the unrecognizable portrait she made and he seems to tell the truth about putting it on his wall for all to see. 

*
It's raining when he gets to the field later. The guys are already on the bleachers as he arrives, waving toward him to hurry up. 

"I'm not sure who's gonna win today. This is going to be intense!"

Junhoe's eating something again and this time Yunhyeong's the one to try and steal, anxiety making him hungrier than ever. Hanbin grins at them as he makes his way towards Donghyuk who seems to startle when he sits next to him. 

"I'm not gonna bite you know."

Donghyuk seems on edge when he leans close and whispers and it kind of amuses him. But kind of scares him at the same time. 

"I know. The only one you wanna bite is B-"

Hanbin gives him a glare and Donghyuk quiets down, smile appearing on his face by now. 

"I-I- like guys yeah, but that doesn't mean I like everyone in that way."

Donghyuk nods along, eyes on the cheerleaders, unaware of his internal struggle. It's the first time he's ever said it out loud. It takes him aback and makes him miss Donghyuk's response.

"I know. You're in love and I'm happy for you. "

He catches the last few words and it makes him blush. He tries to hide it but Donghyuk's already seen. 

"But I'm not gonna lie, it was a bit weird seeing the two of you.. you know. I knew something was up but I didn't want to see it."

Hanbin keeps checking if the guys are listening. Instead they're fighting over who's gonna win and Junhoe's probably betting against their friends as usual. Yunhyeong's back from the changing rooms fairly quickly and now Hanbin's sure they're betting against him, his voice raising higher than his mothers'. 

"Yeah, I can imagine that to be uhh.. kinda awkward."

Donghyuk shakes his head in laughter.

"Kinda."

Hanbin elbows him in the ribs at that and Donghyuk yelps hard enough to get everyone to stare at them. 

They end up betting as well and Hanbin bets that his their team is going to win. 

They just have to.

*
Hanbin's not sure if he's seeing wrong or if he's actually distracting Bobby. 

He seems to be staring up at him whenever possible and Hanbin wants to tell him how it looks obvious as hell, sadly not able to shout it from the bleachers for all to hear.

He thinks it might have to do with the fact that his sweater's soaked through, clinging to his body, thanks to him forgetting his only umbrella at home. 

"Come on, Bobby!! They're beating your !"

Junhoe's swearing and Donghyuk glares at him, telling him there are children present. That makes him swear and yell even harder and Jinhwan can't stop laughing at it. 

They end up winning but not thanks to Bobby. Nor Yunhyeong. Some new kid on the team gains them three goals and a win, making both of his friends grunt in disbelief. 

Hanbin makes sure to take his time as everyone piles to the field. Bobby seems a bit grumpy and Hanbin decides to envelope him in a hug before anyone else can. 

"You did great today."

Bobby looks at him with a frown and Hanbin really wants to kiss it off his face.

"Stop lying to me. I !"

He grabs him close again, wet bodies heating up with each touch. 

"It was all your fault. You and your stupid wet sweater."

Bobby looks at him with desire, like he's accustomed to now, and makes his breath hitch with the action. He clears his throat to clear the doubts in their friends' minds. 

"Well now you know how I feel every time I come and watch you play."

Bobby whines against his neck as Hanbin makes eye contact with Donghyuk. Who seems really flustered and out of place by what he just saw.

Hanbin decides that they have to talk. All three of them. No matter how hard it is for him to confront his demons.

*

"Pizza's on Bobby and Yunhyeong since they failed us all."

Bobby smacks Junhoe and almost pushes him over causing Junhoes 'Italian' uncle to wave his finger towards them. And it doesn't look like a pleasant gesture. 

"It wasn't our fault that that new douche wanted all the spotlight for himself."

Yunhyeong's already digging into a pizza and Hanbin wonders where he got it from. Junhoe's easily behind him and looks like there's not going to be much left. 

"But we did . A little."

Yunhyeong gives Bobby a glare, squinting his eyes and hissing. Junhoe almost gags on his pizza, Jinhwan patting his back until his skin turns a healthy pink again. 

"And who's to blame for that?"

Donghyuk knows the answer but asks anyway. Hanbin wants to pinch him. 

"Jeongyeon probably. Did you see her screaming Bobby's name?"

Yunhyeong acts all 'scandalous' and earns a life threatening smack from Bobby. Hanbin feels pride bloom in his chest at that. 

"She wasn't even there?"

Bobby's gotten a piece of pizza and Hanbin's pretty sure he won't hear him talking for another half an hour. Nor see a plate full of pizza either. 

"Yeah she was. That's what you were staring at weren't you?"

Junhoe's quirking his brow and Bobby somehow manages not to choke. Hanbin pats his back in silent praise.

"I was staring at you guys, acting like your usual selves aka like fools."

Hanbin feels like he's the one acting like a fool when he can't stop staring at him, shoving piece after piece of pizza in his mouth. He can't help but find it adorable. But kind of gross too.

"So do you wanna come by Bobby's with me?"

The guys are ordering another pizza and he stays behind. Donghyuk looks surprised but Hanbin bets he isn't. 

"I-"

"Please."

Donghyuk nods and Hanbin lets out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. It's now or never and even though he tries denying it, he wants it to be now. 

*

"You're leaving already?"

Yunhyeong's just about ready to start partying when Bobby  on the other hand starts putting his jacket on. Hanbin follows.

"Yeah, the misses here is tired."

Hanbin smacks him but blushes anyway. 

"You should stop calling him misses. Maybe that's why he hasn't gotten laid yet."

Junhoe laughs at them but Hanbin doesn't find it funny at all. Neither does Jinhwan nor Donghyuk. It makes his stomach turn.

They're halfway out the door when Donghyuk finally joins them. Hanbin sees Bobby squeeze his shoulder and he does the same. Donghyuk seems to relax a bit and he hopes he'll feel at ease after they've talked. 

*

"I made us some cocoa."

Bobby's back from the kitchen, the awkward silence in the living room now filled with slurps. 

Hanbin sees the line of foam on Bobby's upper lip before it even gets there and he fights the urge to it off. 

"So I'm guessing you uh-might have questions for us?"

Bobby's almost done with his cocoa, the line still on his lip. Hanbin finds it harder to ignore than the ball of nerves in his stomach. 

Donghyuk looks at the muted TV screen before he opens his mouth. 

"I don't really know where to start?"

Hanbin answers before Bobby can.

"Neither do we."

It breaks the tension a little. The knowledge that they're all just as confused and just as curious. 

It takes him a minute or two before Bobby starts speaking. Eases him into it with telling him about Jeongyeon and all that he's always tried to ignore. It's nothing like he told him. It's a summary, a simple version of events.

It lacks the heartache and the doubting. Hanbin doesn't mind hearing it like this at all. 

"Wait so you're telling me that's what happened during that rainstorm??"

Bobby nods, shy smile on his face. Hanbin can't wait to kiss the corner of it. 

"And then I was kinda emo and Hanbin was kinda emo but we worked it out. And here we are."

Donghyuk seems surprised but slightly more comfortable than he was half an hour ago. Hanbin likes it. He takes another cup of cocoa and this time with cinnamon.

It reminds him of Bobby's freckles and he turns to him to stare. The other's already staring back. 

"So..the talk I had with you in the sauna.. it worked?"

Donghyuk's smiling at them and Hanbin finds it to be the sincerest thing he's ever seen. He hates how he's blushing though and so is Bobby, both of them betraying that something else happened there that night.

"Yeah, your help was uh.. very useful."

Donghyuk hides his eyes behind the frames of his glasses, cocoa cup in his hands half empty. 

"You know that was the first time I really realised that there might be something between you and it wasn't just my imagination. And also I can't believe you took my advice!"

He's laughing now and Hanbin finds himself returning it. 

"And you!" He points at Bobby, startling him so that he almost jumps on Hanbin. "You had second thoughts. I can't believe you'd second guess being with this handsome bastard over here."

Bobby smothers a laugh and tells him about the jealousy he had and how it made them say their 'i love you's. 

Donghyuk seems to sense that the moment is only theirs after that. Excusing himself to the bathroom.

Bobby's staring straight at him when he turns his head.

"You've had foam on your lip for over an hour. It's driving me crazy."

Bobby's smile is devilish when he answers.

"That was my intention."

He shuffles closer so that they're pressed next to each other. Shoulder to shoulder, thigh to thigh, knee to knee. 

"It worked. Oh how it worked."

Hanbin kisses it off of him. Kisses him until their both out of breath and he wonders why he was so afraid of this. Why he'd ever doubt Donghyuk's intentions and most of all Bobby's. 

"You seem thoughtful again."

They're nose to nose and Hanbin has no intention of moving. 

"Yeah. Just thinking about how scared I was of this. Of us."

Their breaths mingle as Hanbin's words get lost inside Bobby's mouth. 

"You aren't anymore?"

Bobby presses his smile against his skin and Hanbin can't help but shiver. He looks at him when he answers.

"I really don't think so."

Bobby's responding smile could blind the sun. 

"I've never told anyone about who I am. I've never.. talked about this. It's the first time I'm speaking to someone about me being - you know - and that someone isn't my partner or the person I'm crushing on."

Bobby's thumbs caress his chin and Hanbin lets his eyes fall shut. 

"And now it's out in the open. And I haven't been crying myself to sleep because of it." 

He takes a deep breath and opens his eyes. 

"It's weird."

He could never decipher the look in Bobby's eyes but Hanbin imagines it to be something similar to unconditional love. 

"I wouldn't want to interrupt or anything but you guys look like you're about . And I really don't want to see that again."

Donghyuk clears his throat and they jump apart. He steps inside as Hanbin tries to hide his blush, Bobby's knees colliding with his arm. They boath moan in pain and Donghyuk laughs. He looks at them fondly for a minute, silence invading the room. Hanbin wonders how come he didn't tell him earlier. He really should have.

"So.. I was meaning to ask this and I guess now's the time. When are you gonna tell the guys?"

Bobby looks over at him for an answer and Hanbin doesn't know. He really doesn't.

"Look I-It's already hard enough for me to talk about this with Bobby and even harder to tell you. So I'd like to wait a while before we tell them. Is that okay?"

Donghyuk rolls his eyes.

"You don't have to ask my permission. It's your relationship and I support it either way. I'm just asking so I wouldn't accidentally slip out that 'hey! bobby and hanbin are doing the nasty!'"

Bobby throws a pillow at him for it and they all laugh. The night goes by faster after that, Donghyuk telling them about his drama club and how he's got his sight set on the college his dad went to. That college being Harvard.

Hanbin is suddenly very aware of how much he'd miss him if he went and he tries to will away the ache in his chest and be happy for him. Cause that's what friends do. 

*

Donghyuk leaves about an hour later, yawning his way out the door and cursing himself for staying up late.

Hanbin apologizes but Donghyuk doesn't look like he actually meant it. When Bobby goes to the kitchen to pack him some cheesecake that 'i swear i didn't make!' Hanbin's left alone with him in the hall. 

It's kind of awkward again until Donghyuk speaks up.

"You know, I'm real glad you finally trusted me enough to tell. I know it was partly because of uh.." He smiles sheepishly and Hanbin ducks his head, ears burning from the memory "..what happened but I'm still glad. You know you can always come to me if you want to talk about anything else, right?"

Donghyuk's putting on his shoes, eyes still looking up at him. Hanbin sees the earnestness in them and hates how he didn't open his mouth nor his heart earlier. Hates how he could've been living without lies for months now. Not without fear though. 

"Yeah. Thanks for everything."

Donghyuk smiles and then stumbles with a loud chuckle. Hanbin quirks his brow.

"Gosh..wasn't it awkward at the party? I kind of kissed you in front of your uh-"

Donghyuk hesitates for a second. 

"Boyfriend, yeah."

Hanbin helps him out and Donghyuk keeps smiling. 

"In front of your boyfriend. Jesus, tell Bobby I'm sorry."

Hanbin snorts as the other makes his way towards them, cheesecake tucked firmly under his arm and hair tucked behind his pink tipped ears. 

"Here you go. And remember I did not-"

"Make this." 

Donghyuk smiles, grabbing the box. 

"Got it."

He leaves, looking at Bobby's head on his shoulder, sighing dramatically. Hanbin likes how it makes him feel. 

For the first time ever, he actually has someone to be affectionate with and that affection is reciprocated. And not looked down upon. He snuggles further into Bobby at that thought. 

*
When he gets home later that night, after trying his hardest not to fall asleep on Bobby's bed, he gets a text from him.

'see that wasnt so bad was it?'

Hanbin thinks of how Bobby's snuggled under his blankets, warm and sleepy. The thought makes his chest ache. 

'It wasnt. Im glad we talked.X'

Bobby responds in seconds and Hanbin tries to hold in his smile. He doesn't manage for long. 

'yeah, hopeflly dh doesnt walk in on us anymore. id h8 having to talk him out of his awkwardness again :(('

Hanbin snorts and imagines Bobby's eyes falling shut. His own are too. 

'Dont jinx it!X' 

Another buzz. 

'i wont :) gnite boo' 

Hanbin is willing to admit that he loves any nickname that Bobby bestows upon him. 

'Gnite, hun.X' 

Bobby doesn't text him back and Hanbin takes the pleasure of imagining him falling asleep with his phone still open, smiling as he awaits a response. 

He's almost asleep himself when another notification comes in. He's been added to their group chat by Donghyuk.He does fall asleep then, with a real smile on his face this time. It's the first in months.

*

He wakes up the next day feeling better than he has in a while. A long long while. 

He makes himself some coffee before getting out his physics books for some gnarly exercises before Jeongyeon gets there later. He's halfway through looking at all of the 100 texts Junhoe and Yunhyeong have exchanged when there's a knock on his door. 

It's the middle of the afternoon when everything changes.

"What-"

Bobby's storming in, a bit disheveled and Hanbin's worried in seconds. 

"I-I told him."

Hanbins' heart sinks. 

"Told who? Told what?"

Bobby's stepping closer then and Hanbin sees how worried he looks. He really doesn't want to keep guessing at this point.

"I told Jinhwan."

There's silence and Bobby stops pacing in front of his door and looks at him. Waiting for a response. Hanbin's not sure he even has one.

"You..what??"

Bobby keeps mussing up his hair and Hanbin wants to grab his hands to stop him but doesn't. Instead he steps closer and looks him right in the eye. Bobby reminds him of a scared puppy and that makes his heart sink further. 

"I told Jinhwan. About us. An hour ago."

Hanbin feels his breath hitch as he grabs Bobby by the elbow, dragging him to the living room. Hanbyul and his mother are thankfully out, buying fresh products from some market she's told him several times about. Hanbin doesn't care to remember it's name.

He's got a lot of burning questions in his mind and he's not sure where to start. Doesn't know if he even wants to. It's all over now anyway. 

"Why?"

Bobby's deciding whether to sit down or not. He looks up at him and lets himself fall under his scrutinizing stare.

"Look, I went over there trying to fix us. You know we've been kinda distant and even told me to fix it!! So I wanted to and then-"

Hanbin's legs jitter but he keeps standing.

"So the best way to fix it was telling him?? You know how he felt about you."

Bobby lets his eyes fall shut and sighs. Hanbin hates how angry he sounds so he takes a deep breath and sits down. Thinking of all the people that know about this already. And hoping that his mother isn't next. Praying that she'd never be. 

"I didn't want to tell him!"

Bobby opens his eyes and jolts when Hanbin's sitting next to him and not peering down angrily. He seems to relax at the change, letting his fingers play with the hairs on his arm. Hanbin shivers. 

"So why did you?"

Bobby looks at him sadly and explains it all. Hanbin would like nothing more than it to be a bad dream. It isn't. 

"He was mad as hell. Asked me if you and I are totally ignoring him now. I was confused and he mentioned yesterday with Donghyuk and Hanbin-you-he.. he just looked so sad thinking we preferred Donghyuk over him."

Hanbin's taking it all in and letting himself be lulled back into a false sense of security by the sound of Bobby's deep voice. 

"And he started accusing me of abandoning him and then I just.. I kind of snapped and told him that we had a reason to invite Donghyuk over and it's not because we like him more. And of course you know Jinhwan, he couldn't take that vague answer. So I just spilled.. I told him Donghyuk found out about you and I. About us being.. together."

Bobby squeezes his arm and Hanbin feels guilty about his first reaction. That he didn't think of how Bobby's feeling. Jinhwan's his best friend for life. Things like that just don't change over night. 

"Together together. And then he kinda.. fell silent and was just.. the look on his face was horrible Hanbin. It was like I literally broke him. And I didn't meant to do it."

Bobby's eyes are teary when he looks in them and Hanbin kisses the tip of nose. It doesn't take the sorrow away. He sighs.

"I know. I know you didn't meant to hurt him or tell him." 

Bobby's wiping his eyes with the back of his trembling hand. Hanbin wants to make it better for the both of them but knows he can't. Bobby'll feel guilty about betraying him and Jinhwan and he'll feel guilty for ever having to hide this in the first place. 

"Yeah but I did, didn't I?"

Bobby's swallowing his tears bravely but they fall anyway, when Hanbin leans closer and kisses him. Lets his lips convey how he doesn't hate him for it. Not a little bit. Not at all. 

They keep sitting there in silence, Bobby's tears chasing each other on his neck, like raindrops. Hanbin wants nothing more than the game to end as he puts his arms around him and keeps holding on for dear life. 

*********

..Okay so im really sorry about the wait!!! I had a crucial math exam so I needed all of my focus to be on that and then I kinda wanted to post yesterday but I just didnt get anything right and this is my fourth rewrite of this chapter gaahhh

I know it's shorter than what I've been putting out these past few weeks but I hope you like it! and yes.. i know that literally nothing happens in this chap.. dont remind me of it ughh

lets just kinda pretend this chapter isnt blatant filler.. okay?