On a Friday night, Minghao comes home hearing a muffled sound of someone vomiting coming from his bedroom.  Peeking his head as he opens the door, he calls, “Wonwoo-hyung?” Of course Wonwoo won’t respond, Minghao already expects it. He only hears more vomit sounds afterward. Noticing that the sounds are coming from the bathroom, he puts his bag on the floor and immediately heads to the bathroom. Still getting no answer even after he knocked the bathroom door, Minghao just swings it open knowing that it can’t be locked.

There he sees Wonwoo sitting on the bathroom floor, clinging his arm around the toilet feet, looking like his life is hanging on it too. The older looks pale and sweaty, his breath is short.

“Hyung, are you okay?” Minghao runs to Wonwoo’s side and softly rub his palm on the athlete’s back in shooting manner.

Wonwoo hums in response, but only a second after that he tightens his grip on the toilet and positioning his face on it. “I feel nauseous. I think I got a food poisoning,” he adds after he finally stops throwing up.

“What did you eat?”

“An instant ramen I brought months ago.”

“Months ago? It might be expired already, hyung. That’s why—“

“I know, okay. Stop lecturing me. Yes it was my fault, I was not being careful enough to look at the expired date before I cook it.” Wonwoo cuts, making Minghao gulp. The younger is getting used to it by now though. “Now help me to get up, will you?”

Minghao nods as he helps Wonwoo to stands up on his own feet. “Let’s go to the infirmary, shall we hyung? I’m afraid your condition will get worse if you don’t get treated soon,” the Chinese offers.

Wonwoo is ready to put an opposition, but the terrible grumble in his stomach says otherwise. “Okay,” he finally gives up and let Minghao drags him to the infirmary.

“You know you can always ask me to buy food for you,” Minghao says to Wonwoo after the latter received some lectures and medicines from the nurse. He holds Wonwoo in the waist, keeping him balance as both of them heading to their dormitory, “I can get some in my way home after my club practice.”

Wonwoo keeps his silence as he struggles to walk. Keeping whatever he feels like keeping, his balance, his composure, or even his pride.

“We are roommates after all hyung, I won’t mind helping,” Minghao whispers softly. But since there’s practically no gap between him and Wonwoo right now, there is no way the older can’t hear him. Some people say that silence sometimes means yes, but he is not quite sure if it applies on Wonwoo.

“Hey what happened? Is Wonwoo-hyung okay?” Minghao can hear Mingyu’s panic ballot while entering their dorm building. Both Mingyu and Seokmin are standing there in front of the elevator, waiting for it to pick them up and bring them to the 7th floor. Their faces look worried as Minghao and Wonwoo approach them to wait for the elevator.  Mingyu’s manner hands are reaching for Wonwoo, trying to help Minghao to hold the 3rd grader. But Wonwoo slaps his hand away, so the taller takes his hands back to his sides.

‘I’ll tell you guys later,’ Minghao is mouthing to his classmates behind Wonwoo’s back as they slide to the elevator. He runs to Seokmin and Mingyu’s shared bedroom after he put Wonwoo under his blanket.

“He’s so damn snarky eventhough he is not in good condition,” Mingyu complains.

“I thought you know him better though,” Minghao teases, gaining a glare from Mingyu. He giggles, and gains more glare.

“What is actually happening to him though? Were you guys just come from the infirmary?” Seokmin finally breaks the bicker between the two.

“Yeah, he just ate an expired ramen. How terrible is that!”

Both Seokmin and Mingyu gapes in synchronized. “Are you for real?”

“Yep, he did! I didn’t know that he is this careless either. That’s why I am planning to make him some soup tomorrow. I can’t keep seeing him eating junk food like that. Will you guys accompany me to the supermarket tomorrow morning to get some ingredients? I don’t really know the area around here,” Minghao stares alternately at Seokmin and Mingyu.

Seokmin’s expression suddenly falls. “Um, I’m sorry Minghao, as much as I really want to take you around, yet I promise my mom to go back home this weekend. I can’t join you. But maybe Mingyu can help? He is a good cook too, sure he can help you in preparing the soup. Right, Mingyu?”

The boy in question prepares to refuse, but these two pairs of eyes are looking expectantly at him. How can he reject that request then? “Fine, I’ll keep him company. But I’m not helping with the cooking, I have soccer practice in the noon!”

“Deal!”

-------------------------------------------

“You care about him that much, huh?” Mingyu questions when Minghao won’t stop blabbering about Wonwoo during their supermarket visit.

Minghao stops pushing the trolley and intensely looking at a rack full of vegetables, contemplating hard which carrot he should pick. Once he decided which one would suits his soup the most, he faces Mingyu and answers, “How many times I’ve told you and Seokmin about this already. Yes, he is basically my Idol, of course I care about him a lot.”

“Well I mean not as someone who you are looking up to, but as someone you like romantically?”

Minghao was about to answered Mingyu, when a blonde boy with western-looking face waves enthusiastically at him.  Minghao gasps seeing the approaching boy and suddenly runs to him, leaving Mingyu and the carrots behind. “Hansol-ah! What are you doing here?”

The boy called Hansol giggles and hug Minghao in a friendly manner, putting his hand on the Chinese’s back and caressing it. “I’m doing good, I am just strolling around here with Sophia,” they break the hug, then the blonde boy points at his little sister in front of the biscuits rack.

“Cool, I haven’t seen Sophia for ages too, glad to know that you two are doing well,” Minghao says as he and Hansol continue conversing with each other. The two seem to have a good bond, not a mere acquaintance judging by the way they giggle and put their heads on each other’s shoulders. A little bit too intimate. They only stop when Minghao heard Mingyu making coughing sounds behind him.

As Minghao turns, he saw Mingyu fidgeting in front of their trolley while making a bored expression. When the giant noticed that Minghao is finally giving him some attention, he mouths ‘I am still here.’

Minghao releases a genuine laugh before he calls Mingyu over, “Hansol, this is Mingyu my current classmate. And Mingyu, this is Hansol my ex— I mean, my former schoolmates.”

Hansol suddenly bursts out laughing, “But I am indeed your ex, no need to correct it though.” That statement apparently acquires a slap on the shoulder and a ‘Silly!’ from Minghao.

The two former classmates are still laughing hard, leaving Mingyu in an utter confusion. When Hansol finally waves them a good bye, he decides to asks, “Was he really your ex?”

Minghao giggles but admits, “Yeah, he was my boyfriend during the freshman year. But he got a new man now, I think.” Seeing Mingyu actually frozen after listening to his answers, Minghao holds his giggles and tilts his head, “Is something wrong? You are not a homophobic, right?”

Mingyu blinks, and slowly shakes his head, “No, I am not. It’s just a surprising news to me, I guess.”

“What is surprising? That I am a gay? I thought you can notice it the moment I won’t stop talking about Wonwoo-hyung,” Minghao stops the trolley again, this time picking some sauce.

“So I was right, you like Wonwoo-hyung more than a favorite athlete. You see him in a romantic way, don’t you?” the taller snaps excitedly, sounding like he just found out the answer of some unsolved mystery.

Minghao shrugs, “You guess.” Mingyu finds it weird that this friend of his doesn’t even put a defense up like he usually does.

-------------------------------------------

Wonwoo is studying in his study desk the moment Minghao entered the room and put a tray on his desk. There are a bowl of fish soup, a bowl of rice, a glass of water, and a plate filled with apple on top of the tray. “What’s this?”

“A dinner for you. Don’t worry, it won’t be expired like your instant ramen,” Minghao giggles, but suddenly restrains it when he notices that Wonwoo is glaring at him.

Wonwoo touches the end of the tray and pulls it closer, trying to take a better look at the dishes given to him. “You made it?”

“Nope. Mingyu gave me some leftover soup he made this noon, so I asked him to give some for you too.” Minghao sigh. He knows better that he just has to lie to Wonwoo to keep the older’s pride. He might not want to eat the dishes at all if he knows that Minghao purposely made it only for him.

Wonwoo nods as he slowly pushes his book and pencil aside, grabbing the bowls and starts taking a bite. He instantly scrunches his nose as he munches at the large piece of fish while mumbling, “Mingyu’s food usually tastes better than this. What is wrong with him?”

Minghao chokes at the athlete’s statement. “Um-uh, maybe because he was in a hurry while making it? He got a soccer practice after that!” Minghao shrugs, tries to hide his sudden embarrassment. Heck, Mingyu did not even tell him the recipe properly, the giant just ran to the soccer field as soon as they came back from the supermarket. How can one expect him to make a super delicious soup only with some blur notes from Mingyu?

To Minghao surprise, eventhough Wonwoo keeps complaining about the fish soup taste, yet he finishes a whole bowl of it. “Tell Mingyu that I am thankful for the leftover dinner.”  

“Sure hyung,” Minghao answers as he slides to his bed, preparing to sleep.

“Hey Minghao,” Wonwoo calls a minute later, bringing Minghao back to the reality.

Minghao hums as he peeks from under the blanket.

“Thank you too for asking Mingyu to left some and bringing it for me,” the older genuinely utters.

An instant heat creeps Minghao’s body, blood rushing to his brain, and face flushed red by a mere thanks from Wonwoo. “I told you hyung, you can always ask me,” Minghao replies, trying his best to sound as composed as he can.

“Yeah thanks,” Wonwoo fidgets, contemplating whether he has to enquire the question he has been having for some days already. “By the way, I hear you joined the athletic club?”

Minghao is wide awake now, no more feeling sleepy. He throws his blanket away and sits straight on his bed in the upper bunk and leans his body toward the bed’s rail, facing Wonwoo who is still sitting in front of his study desk. “Yes, I do. Seungcheol-hyung even already makes me compete for two categories for my first competition next month.”

Wonwoo laughs sarcastically, “Really? How desperate Seungcheol is.”

“I know right?” Minghao says, pausing when he saw Wonwoo’s mouth form a little grin. “But I don’t mind it because I have confidence in running and I have been loving athletic since I was a kid.”

“Yeah, I can see it from your sports magazine collection.”

Once again Wonwoo has put Minghao in a state of panic, “What? You saw my magazines collection?”

“Yes, you just carelessly put it on top of your study desk. I am not peeping, but I can see it clearly everytime I pass your desk,” Wonwoo’s lips making a thin line as he continues, “And I saw most of it has me as the cover.”

This is actually a God given chance for him to finally admit that he has been admiring the older ever since his younger day. But Minghao finds it hard to suddenly saying it out loud, so he stutters, “W-well you are my favorite sprint athlete, If I can be honest. A-and I have been admiring you for more than two years now.”

Wonwoo hums, and there’s a sudden smirk in his face, an arrogant one. “I am rooming with my fan then. Hopefully you are not a sasaeng,” he adds.

“Of course I am not!” Minghao shouts to hidden the red blushes on his cheeks. He then suddenly asks Wonwoo some tips for creating a good record in short distance race, definitely converting the topic of discussion.  Finally, it is the very first time he ever has a decent conversation with Wonwoo. And it amuses him so much knowing the fact that Wonwoo nicely replies to any given questions to him, though as long as it is regarding athletic. The athlete still leaves these typical cold and rude comments everytime the younger talking nonsense, but Minghao takes what he can get.

The next morning, Minghao is woken up by Wonwoo’s shout saying that he’ll leave for a jogging. Noticing that the clock hanging on the wall telling that it’s 7:45, and he has a club meeting in fifteen minutes, the Chinese rushes to the bathroom only to find a Kim Mingyu sitting peacefully on his toilet while humming, or singing, he doesn’t even know.

“Yo, my friend! Wonwoo-hyung already gave me a permission to use the toilet, so you can’t protest now.” the giant claims triumphantly.

“Whatever,” is all Minghao say as he slides into the shower stall.

“By the way, why was he thanking me for the soup? He looks so cheerful this morning though. What did you do?” Mingyu then lets Minghao know that he just met Wonwoo in the hallway before he left for jogging.

“I gave him the soup last night, remember?” Minghao sighs. “Hmm, he maybe thanked you for the soup recipe,” and Minghao just has to lie again. Too lazy to explain why he had to lie to Wonwoo last night.

“Oh, you made a progress in interacting with him then?” Mingyu stands as he flushes the toilet, setting up to leave the bathroom.

Minghao chuckles. Chuckles that comes with a genuine happiness, Mingyu can tell. The new transfer grins widely before answering,” Yeah, I talked quite a lot to him last night. I am so happy, Mingyu. He finally starts to open up to me.”

Mingyu’s hand is on the bathroom door handle, he tightens the grips before saying, “Glad to hear that. Tell me more later, Hao! I’m in rush right now.” He slams the door and runs back to his room. Something in Mingyu’s gut is kicking him.