“Hyung,” Wonsik asks, very nonchalantly. “If you had someone that you liked, what would you do about it?”

Hakyeon looks up from the script he’s studying and pauses for a moment before answering. “What do you mean? What exactly do you want to know?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Wonsik casually drapes an arm over the sofa back, leaning deliberately against the cushions in a manner that is meant to convey: I Am Merely Making Conversation. “Just asking. Out of the blue. For no reason. Just randomly curious. You haven’t dated in a while, and-”

“Is this about Hongbin?”

“No?!” Wonsik splutters, sitting up ramrod straight like he’d been shot in the . “What- Hongbin? Of course not. Why would you ask that?”

Nothing. Just asking. For no reason. Hakyeon carefully schools his face into a calm mask devoid of any amusement. “Sorry, my mistake. Don’t know why I said that. So what do you want to know?”

Wonsik is still looking at him in alarm and suspicion, trying hard to relax against the cushions once more to hide how worked up he is at Hakyeon’s one simple question. “Uh. Just, you know. In general. If you had a girl you liked.”

“Not a boy?” Hakyeon can’t help but ask, and knows he really shouldn’t enjoy the way all the blood drains out of Wonsik’s face like this.

“I didn’t know you swung that way, hyung,” Wonsik manages to squeak out, and Hakyeon finally takes pity on his idiot child.

“We-ell, I think that if you want to show interest you have to make it obvious, you know? Don’t overwhelm them, of course, but find ways to spend time with them, make it clear you like their company and want to get to know them better. Basically pay a lot of attention to them. Wouldn’t you like that if someone was interested in you and took the time to make you feel special?”

“So you would…-” Wonsik prompts.

“I’d find excuses to be around them,” Hakyeon shrugs. “Talk to them, text them, notice things about them. Give them my time and attention, basically.”

“What if, um,” Wonsik starts, then stops, clearly wondering how to phrase his next words without totally giving himself away. “What if you already spend a lot of time together?”

Like you live together in the same dorm, you mean? Hakyeon barely stops himself from rolling his eyes and clears his throat instead. “There’s still lots you can do to make someone feel like they’re special to you. Like do the dishes when it’s their turn. Go with them when they run to the store for groceries. Buy them little presents. Make time to come home from the studio early and see them before they go to bed. Like before midnight.”

Wonsik, blushing furiously, fixes his eyes on the ceiling. “That’s very specific.”

“I can be even more specific if you want.”

“No, no,” Wonsik swallows quickly. “I think I get it.”

*

“Hyung,” Hongbin asks around his mouthful of the burger he’s sharing with Taekwoon. “How would you show someone you like them? Romantically, I mean.”

Taekwoon looks at him for a long moment before swallowing. “Ignore them.”

“Ignore them? Why?” Hongbin asks, skeptical.

“Makes them more excited to get any attention from you,” Taekwoon replies, taking the burger back from Hongbin. “Makes them want it.”

“And that really works?” Hongbin takes a drink of his chocolate milkshake. “Like really.”

Taekwoon gets up slightly to throw the burger wrapper into their kitchen trashcan, smiling pleased at himself when he makes it. “Sure. Treat ‘em mean, keep ‘em keen.”

“That sounds like really bad advice, hyung,” Hongbin frowns. Taekwoon shrugs noncommittally as they both hear footsteps coming out from one of the bedrooms, and Hakyeon pokes his head into the kitchen beaming. “Thought I heard voices. When did you two come home?”

Hongbin turns around to answer Hakyeon while Taekwoon snags Hongbin’s milkshake, not giving any sign he’s noticed Hakyeon at all.

“Can’t you even say hi?” Hakyeon prods Taekwoon in the arm before coming round to drape an arm across Taekwoon’s shoulders, squeezing until Taekwoon acknowledges him briefly. Taekwoon then gets up to go without warning, leaving Hakyeon to immediately stand too and determinedly trail after him – but before Taekwoon exits the kitchen fully with Hakyeon half a step behind him he gives Hongbin a meaningful Look.

“Huh,” Hongbin says after it has fully sunk in, feeling like he’s just been gifted with the secret to the universe.

*

“Binnie, hey,” Wonsik says, coming into Hongbin’s room with his phone and sits down at the foot of Hongbin’s bed. Hongbin looks up from where he’s lying down and texting Chansik, and has to force himself to only grunt in reply when Wonsik smiles at him.

“I thought you might want to listen to Haetnim’s new album together. I know you’ve already listened, obviously, but I haven’t. You can yell at me about how amazing he is after each song.”

“Hm,” Hongbin answers after a pause, trying to stifle what looks like a weird cross between a yawn and a gasp. “I’m kinda in the middle of something.”

Wonsik stares. “Something more important than listening to Hyoshin sunbaenim?”

“Of course not, but I’ve already listened to the album, like you said,” Hongbin says, eyes on his phone screen. “I’m talking to Chan right now. Maybe another time.”

“Oh. Well,” Wonsik begins, at a total loss. Hongbin not being a hundred percent enthusiastic and present any time Park Hyoshin is involved is a strange new concept. “Um. Can I stay here? And listen to the album? I won’t disturb you.”

“Whatever you like,” Hongbin shrugs, and resumes typing.

The album is roughly fifty-four minutes long. In fifty-four minutes Hongbin only glances at him once, when he sneezes; and he doesn’t talk to Wonsik at all, attention firmly on his phone and presumedly whatever amazingly enthralling things Chansik is telling him.

Wonsik clears his throat. Loudly. “Okay, I’m done. What’s your favourite track?”

“Hm?” Hongbin asks distractedly.

“Talk to me about the album. You know I always value your input on Haetnim’s music.”

“Oh, yeah, it’s great,” Hongbin answers.

Wonsik frowns. “That’s it?”

Hongbin looks up. “Didn’t you think it was good?”

“No – yeah, of course I did, but usually you- Look, will you stop texting for just one second?”

Hongbin raises an eyebrow. “What’s up your ?”

“What’s up my – okay, forget it. Um. You’ve got grocery run duty tomorrow, right? I’ll come with you. Things have been so crazy lately, it’ll be nice to get out and spend some normal time. Even if it’s just for an hour.”

“Mmhmm.”

“Binnie.”

“Mm.”

“Binnie.”

“What?” Hongbin finally looks up again, exasperated.

“Did you even hear what I said?”

“Sure. Groceries.”

“The groceries weren’t the point,” Wonsik tries, getting worked up. “Look, I came home specially early tonight. Did you notice?”

“Oh, did you?” Hongbin glances at his phone’s clock in surprise. “Cool.”

Wonsik can’t particularly mask the look of hurt that passes his face, but he tries anyway – picking up his phone and earbuds he gets up and makes for the door.

“Yeah, cool,” he replies, just before he disappears from sight.

Hongbin lets out a long painful breath full of regret and faceplants savagely right into his pillow. The next time he even thinks of taking advice from Taekwoon he’s going to throw himself into the Han river.

*

“I think he’s mad at me for something,” Wonsik says hesitantly. “Or I think maybe I can be – too clingy? Sometimes? Maybe?”

“You are too clingy,” Taekwoon answers flatly. “I’ve told you this a hundred times. Moderation is key.”

“But he’s never seemed to mind it until now,” Wonsik answers in a small voice. “He just seemed like he wanted me out of his room. He hardly even looked at me.”

“Well then just tone it down, it’ll be fine,” Taekwoon replies. “You guys never fight for long anyway.”

“Yeah,” Wonsik makes a sad face at the floor. “I had something else to ask you. I asked this to another person and – uh, I’m collecting different perspectives. What would you do if you liked someone?”

Taekwoon frowns. “You too?”

“Me too what?” Wonsik asks, nonplussed, as Taekwoon’s mental cogs crank into gear.

“Oh. Oh. This is still about Hongbin, isn’t it?”

“No, hyung.” Wonsik says icily.

“Ah. Okay, so you’ve got someone you like, and you want to show interest?”

“Not me,” Wonsik protests. “Just in general. General curiosity.”

Taekwoon stares at him.

“What, hyung? Put it into words. I can only read your mind to a small extent.”

“I see. This is a bit of a move, but it works – put them down. It doesn’t have to be drastic, but do it so that they end up wanting to do whatever they can to win your approval. Just make them want to be seen as cool or attractive by you. I think it has some psychological effect on making them like you.”

“You weren’t kidding about it being a move.”

“I’m serious. It works.”

“What, you’ve tried it?”

“Sure.”

“And it actually works?”

“Amazingly.”

“I don’t think I can do that,” Wonsik says, half to himself before remembering to play it cool once more. “I mean. If I ever have a chance to. In future.”

“I’ll give you examples from my daily life,” Taekwoon smiles. 

*

“Oh god, I blew it,” Hongbin flops back on Hakyeon’s bed. “Totally blew it.”

“What did you blow?” Hakyeon asks innocently. “Or whom-”

“Don’t, hyung. This is really bad. I think I honestly hurt him.”

“Hurt who?”

“Wonsik. He was trying to be nice and spend time with me and he even wanted to listen to Haetnim with me, oh god, and I was trying to take stupid Taekwoon hyung’s advice about acting all chill and ignoring him in order to make him more interested in me – I’m such an idiot.”

Both of you are, Hakyeon thinks, and dies a little inside from all the secrets he has to keep. If only I could just TELL THEM –

“Why on earth were you taking dating advance from Taekwoon of all people?”

“Um,” Hongbin suddenly becomes very interested in the carpet. “He showed me something that convinced me he knew what he was talking about.”

“What did he show you?”

Hongbin makes an awkward face. “I’m not sure I can tell you.”

“Why not!”

“You should ask him. Yourself.” Hongbin purses his lips and refuses to say any more and Hakyeon rolls his eyes hard.

“Don’t take advice from Taekwoon. He doesn’t know anything about anything. Listen to me, if you want to fix this you need to be extra nice to Wonsik. You know he’s like some kind of love sponge – soak him in it. Drench him with love. Pour your love all over him-”

“I’m going to throw up soon if you don’t stop.”

“Marinate him in compliments. Shower him in smiles. Roll him in praise.”

“Okay.”

“Baste him with your affection. Drown him in-”

“Okay!”

*

“Hey,” Hongbin slings his arms over Wonsik’s shoulders from behind, holding him close. “I’m sorry about the other day, I was just really tired. If you still want to come with me to the grocery store later I’ll be really happy. You’re so thoughtful to offer, you know? You’re such a great person. I’m so happy you’re in my life.”

Wonsik disentangles himself from Hongbin, putting clear space between them. “What’s this all of a sudden? You’re being weird.”

“Oh,” Hongbin laughs self-consciously. “Sorry? Sorry. Hey, I really like your shoes. You know, you always have such good taste in shoes. And clothes. You always look so good.”

“Yeah, not like you,” Wonsik laughs. “What you’re wearing right now is really ugly.”

“Really?” Hongbin looks down at his feet in dismay. “But you bought me these.”

“…Oh. Uh,” Wonsik swallows. “Well. They – they don’t look that good on you.”

“Then why did you buy them for me in the first place?”

“I don’t know,” Wonsik says desperately. “Anyway, anyway – I don’t want to go to the grocery store with you.”

“What? Why not? I – I really want to go with you.”

“Because it’s you. I’d rather go with anybody else.”

Hongbin stops and frowns deeply at Wonsik. “What the hell?”

“You have stupid hair!” Wonsik panics and blurts out, and then claps his hands over his mouth.

“You don’t want to go to the store with me because I have stupid hair?”

“No, that’s not-”

“You know what? I hate your dress sense. All those ridiculous shorts? And the stupid high socks? You’re the one who has stupid hair!”

“What – I – I do not have stupid hair! And you’re not that goodlooking!”

“What?”

They stand there, staring at each other, mutual blood pressure rapidly mounting, before Wonsik cracks first.

“I’m sorry,” he manages, and then runs away, leaving Hongbin speechless.

*

- I think Sikkie has finally gone mad.

- y?

- He told me I’m not that goodlooking. And a lot of other really weird things that were super out of character for him.

- maybe its not his brain but his eyes we need to check

- Hyung, I think I’m going to be alone forever.

- nuuuuuuuuuuu cmon bin u could have anybody u wanted

- Apparently not.

- i feel like this is a more specific convo than i realise what is this about suddenly?

- Nevermind, hyung. I’ve got free movie tickets. You want to go see anything?

 - u should put the tix to good use! ask someone out n take advantage of the dark theatre ;)

Hongbin puts down his phone for a moment in order to fondly roll his eyes at Jaehwan.

- You really think so?

- ofc no better way to seduce someone than in a dark cinema oh oh choose a horror movie!

Hongbin taps his phone against his lips, thoughtful.

*

­- Jaehwanie hyung :(

- what?

- I made a huge fool of myself today and I think I need to go become a hermit in Bukhansan for the rest of my life

- is this about hongbin?

- NO IT IS NOT ABOUT HONGBIN. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU.

- all of us?

- Nevermind. Hyung, listen – I’m seriously asking you this, okay? And I need you to give me actually good advice. Do you understand?

- yeah?

- what is your best dating advice?

- take them to see a movie and in the cinema start getting handsy :DDDD

- HYUNG.

- what??? i’m telling you it’s super exciting. try to put ur arm around their shoulders or hold hands or even better if its the kind of cinema where u can put up the armrest in between you hoho

- And this actually works? Like really?

- ofc!!

Okay. Wonsik takes a deep breath. Okay.

He glances over to where Hongbin is seated, waiting his turn in the photoshoot in the studio with Wonsik while some of the others are shooting outside the building. He’s tapping his phone against his lips, like he’s thinking really hard about something, and his profile is so stunning in this light that Wonsik wants to cry. The thought of every stupid thing he’s said and done in the past two days also make him want to cry, but now is hardly the place or the time. Also, he can always kill Taekwoon and Hakyeon hyungs later.

He walks over to Hongbin, trying to look casual; he notes the look of apprehension Hongbin gives him when he approaches and does his best not to cringe.

“Hey,” he says sheepishly, and Hongbin, thank all the gods, gives him a small smile. “Look, I know I said some things-”

“You said a lot of things,” Hongbin nods.

“And I deserve to be chopped into tiny pieces for all of them, Binnie, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Please forgive me. Like, please just – erase the memory of whatever I said, okay?”

“I think we should both erase the last two days, honestly,” Hongbin twists his mouth wryly. “We’ve both been – uh, going through a weird patch.”

“Yeah, I agree,” Wonsik says fervently. “The past two days didn’t happen.”

Hongbin smiles at him then, wider, more true, and it’s the familiar feeling of sunlight breaking through the clouds Wonsik always experiences when Hongbin turns one of his megawatt smiles on him, as sappy as he knows that is. He thinks of Taekwoon’s voice saying ‘in moderation!’ but chooses to blithely ignore it.

“I’ve got movie tickets,” Hongbin is saying, and Wonsik quickly makes himself pay attention. “We can go and watch that new horror movie that’s out. What do you think?”

“Oh, great,” Wonsik beams. “A movie. Together. Sure. Late-night movie?”

“As usual,” Hongbin agrees. “I’ll book? For… Thursday?”

“Yeah,” Wonsik grins. “Great. That’s so… great.”

*

“I’m so sorry,” Wonsik apologises, for what must now be the hundredth time. Hongbin just waves a dismissive hand at him and tries hard not to think of the congealing soda that has soaked through his jeans. “I’m so – I can’t believe this. I’m so sorry, Binnie.”

“Why the hell aren’t there any cabs!” Wonsik turns his embarrassment and frustration on the road outside the cinema, dying a little more inside every time his brain replays his epic fail attempt at trying to stretch his right arm to subtly drape it over the back of Hongbin’s chair – if it’s such a cliché it just means a lot of people actually do do it, right?? – but miscalculating the distance between his elbow and Hongbin choosing just that moment to pass over the soda. Elbow – cup – soda – Hongbin’s jeans. And probably underwear.

They hadn’t even gotten through half the movie.

He sneaks a glance over at Hongbin who’s looking supremely uncomfortable due to the sticky mess that his lower half is currently being – and imagines that this is probably one of the top ‘most pissed-off Hongbin moments’ he’s ever witnessed. Hongbin hates getting dirty, and the thought of him having to stay in wet cold sticky jeans for the whole ride home must be killing him.

Wonsik finally manages to flag down a cab, and miserably sits next to Hongbin in the backseat. This date was a disaster – he’d started to think of it in his mind as a date, and that is probably how he jinxed the entire thing.

He turns to Hongbin once more and –

“Don’t say it,” Hongbin tells him.

Wonsik closes his mouth dejectedly.

“Next time-” Hongbin starts, and then falters, looking out the window to take a deep breath. “Next time instead of spilling a whole cup of soda on me just hold my hand when we’re watching a movie, okay?”

Wonsik isn’t very sure he’s heard correctly. “Hold your – hand?”

“Yes,” Hongbin says, still looking out the window.

“Why?”

“What the hell do you mean, ‘why’?”

“Why do you want me to hold your hand?”

“Do you not want… to?” Hongbin’s voice has gotten really small, and the smell of soda is overpowering.

“You mean you want me to?”

“Only if you want to.”

“But you want me to?”

“Oh my god,” Hongbin closes his eyes, and grabs Wonsik’s hand. He forcibly entwines their fingers tightly and sets their joined hands on Wonsik’s thigh, uncorrupted by Coke.

“Oh,” Wonsik stares at their hands, feeling like small fires have been set in his feet and are slowly making their way up the rest of his body. “Oh, Bin.”

“I should have just done this from the start instead of listening to the hyungs,” Hongbin mutters. “They’re all lunatics.”

“You too?” Wonsik gasps. “So did I-”

“Taekwoon hyung is the one who told me to act all cold towards you. And then Hakyeon hyung told me to be super crazy affectionate. And then Jaehwan hyung-”

“Told you to put the moves on me in the cinema?”

“Unbelievable,” Hongbin shakes his head. “Unbelievable.”

“Taekwoon hyung told me if I was mean to you it’d make you like me more. And Hakyeon hyung-” A thought occurs to Wonsik. “Actually, Hakyeon hyung’s advice wasn’t bad. Taekwoon hyung is the weird one.”

“Well,” Hongbin laughs shortly. “It seems to be working well enough for him.”

“What do you mean?”

“His object of affection has been responding very well to his nonsense courtship. Just… watch Hakyeon and Taekwoon hyungs with his advice to you in mind.”

“No way,” Wonsik breathes, scandalised.

“Yes way,” Hongbin answers. “Also, I think we should kinda get back to talking about us.”

“Oh, right, right,” Wonsik quickly agrees. “Well, I’ve been in love with you forever. What about you?”

“I think pretty much same?” Hongbin says thoughtfully. “Yeah, close enough.”

“Cool,” Wonsik beams. “Binnie, could you hold my hand a little less tight? I’m losing feeling in it.”

“Oh, sorry!”

“It’s okay. I love you.”

“I, uuuuuh, I love you too. Wow that’s embarrassing to say.”

“No, it isn’t. It’s wonderful. I can finally stop pining after you. I’m so relieved right now I feel like I’m melting into this taxi seat.”

“Do you think everyone knows?”

“About us? Nah. Even we didn’t know.”

“True. They’re going to be so surprised. I can’t wait till we tell them.”

“They’ll never see this coming.”

*