(three years later)

Woohyun sprawled all over the couch, munching on Doritos and watching some random variety shows. It was another weekend and just like the previous ones, he preferred to stay put during the day and do nothing. It was either sleeping or lazing around the house. He was about to fly to dreamland an hour ago when his stomach started to produce weird sounds so he forced himself out of bed to feed. Now that he was full, he could not go back to sleep.

“Can’t they make something for fun and less dumb than this?” He complained, slightly annoyed on how stupid the variety show turned to be. He heard that it was the current trending show and now he wondered what a weird taste did the teenagers had. Why would they even like a show like this? “I really want to sleep now.” Woohyun checked up on the clock. It was ten minute before six. He guess he indeed should go to bed because he would be going out later at eight. “Only two hours?”

It was not like Woohyun did not get any wink of sleep from morning. He came home from nightclub around five and went straight to sleep. His housemate woke him up for breakfast at eight in the morning. Still being grumpy, Woohyun did as told because he knew his housemate would never leave him alone until he actually leaves his bed. After he was done, Woohyun returned to sleep until one hour ago because his stomach screamed for food again.

“Ah, you’re still awake?” Woohyun diverted his gaze from the clock to the man who was trying to get out of his shoes at their hallway. He gave him no answer, just a mere shrug that he was not sure whether the other male saw it or not. Anyways, it was not that the other was expecting an answer for him anyway. “Then, I guess you aren’t going out tonight?”

Woohyun can see how the other’s face brightened up as he asked the second question. The other male took a seat on a sofa adjacent to where Woohyun was sprawling on. “It’s school’s break. You know I am still going out no matter if I slept or not, hyung. Why bother asking?”

The other male pouted, obviously was not satisfied with the nonchalant answer from the younger. “Fine, you never listened to this hyung anyway, like ever.”

“What’s with that face?” Woohyun rolled his eyes, tried to feign an annoyance act as the older was being childish but that was just for a brief. He can never able to ignore the unhappy face the other male put on, even though it was just a fake one. He sat up and leaned until their shoulders were bumping against each other. “Stop with that face. Of course I’ll cook for you before I go out. When did I never?” Still pouting, had Woohyun sighing. “Aish, Gyu hyung.” He eyed the other male but soon he was smirking at him. “I think I’m going to make some spicy soup, or maybe radish soup.”

That was all it took to break the other’s sulking. He was now all smiling again, even wider than he did before. “Really? You’re going to make me radish soup? Beef radish soup?” Woohyun snorted but still nodded, trying to hold in a grin, hiding the satisfaction of being able to make the other smiling this wide. “Oh my god, Nam Woohyun. You’re the best! No one will ever understand me better than you do, not even that little brat.”

Woohyun felt something tugged at his heart, his breath hitched but he tried to cover it up. The younger stood up and gave his back to Sunggyu. “I-I’ll go do the prep now.” He left his housemate there, wondering why suddenly Woohyun was in rush.

Woohyun bit his lips as he watched the other male from the kitchen. It hurt so much inside. He felt like crying so badly but he could not do that. If he started to grief on his feeling, he could never stop, he can never move on. He had been trying to push it away, for three years already but he still failed to do so. What a loser he was.

“You always say that I am way better than him, that I understand you more that he did,” He sighed, wilding his eyes around just so that he can stop his tears from forming. “But why you still choose him over me? Why, Sunggyu hyung?”

Woohyun spent two hours more than he usually did at the nightclub and only arrived home at seven in the morning. The moment he walked into the apartment, he saw Sunggyu was already sitting at their dining table, about to dig into what he guess to be a bowl of cereals. The other male smiled at him and ushered him to join in.

“You stayed long tonight.” That was the first thing Sunggyu said when he sat the opposite of him at their dining table. Sunggyu reached out for the cereal box and poured a generous amount of into Woohyun’s bowl, followed by some milk. “I thought you were already home. I kept knocking on your door like a mad man.” Woohyun managed a smile back but said nothing. He continued to dig in his breakfast, occasionally stealing glances from Sunggyu who seemed to be immersed in taking in food.

The list for upcoming enlistment was out yesterday and turned out it was finally Woohyun’s turn. His and Sungyeol’s name were up on list last year too but Woohyun had to apply for extension due to some unavoidable causes. Sungyeol went and his friend was halfway finished. He guessed he should go to, but his heart would not let him leave this particular person who currently was busy stuffing his mouth with corn cereals.

“Something came up, so I stayed a little longer.”

“Got some chicks?” The smile Sunggyu had on was a teasing one. It broke Woohyun’s heart that he almost cried at the spot. How can Sunggyu be so oblivious of what he was having inside. But Woohyun nodded, lying at the older. It was not that he can bluntly tell Sunggyu that he dunked bottles of alcohol last night to drown his sorrow and ended up too wasted to go home. Joining army meant leaving Sunggyu behind.

It was bad enough that the other male was going out with someone else right now but to stay apart from him for two years… Woohyun had no idea how he going to cope with it.

“I wish I can go a few years back. When I was in college, I was kind of popular with girls too. Now that I am working, it is hard to have fun or to hit the club, especially when in a relationship. Wah, I am so envious of you, Woo-ah.”

Woohyun forced a smile. His heart hurt, as if something just shot through it. He bit his lips and took a quick breath in then looked aside in case his eyes were already red. He would not want Sunggyu to see. The area was filled with silence and Woohyun could feel the other’s stare on him. Sunggyu was staring at him, curious about his sudden withdrawal. Woohyun sniffled quietly and brought his head up again, putting a playful smile.

“Does that mean that you somehow have the intention to hit the club again, hyung? You want the chicks to swarm all over you? Aww, I got to tell Myungie about this.” He chuckled when Sunggyu’s face changed at the mention of his stepbrother.

“Oh god, you evil brat, I did not mean it that way.” The panic was obvious in his voice, as much as it was in his eyes. That was funny and Woohyun could not help but laugh. He then gulped down the last spoon and stood to bring his bowl to the sink. “You won’t tell Myung for real, will you?”

Woohyun cocked his brow at Sunggyu who was now standing beside him by the sink, dropping his bowl in hope Woohyun would help him cleaning it. “Of course, I wouldn’t. I am not that bad.”

“Oh, thank god. You know how grumpy Myung can be when he gets jealous. I really don’t need another fight with him.” Sunggyu chirped, sounded very much relieved to hear that Woohyun would not sell him out. The other male the