His phone flashes an incoming call at three in the morning - on a Friday morning. Minho should just ignore the call but knowing the person at the other end of the line, he should probably just take it.

'Guess who.'

"Your number's registered on my phone, idiot."

'Oh. Right. Sorry about that.'

"It's three in the morning, Jonghyun. I barely had any sleep and if it's not important--"

'I'm home.'

Minho straightens up and checks the calendar on his desk, "From the Philippines?"

'Yeah. I just wanna let you know and you have to free your night because we're gonna grab a drink, got it?'

"Got it. Do you need me to pick you up?"

'No need. Go back to sleep.'

"All right."

-----

They've always been friends since middle school and still hang out together in high school - only because there's no way they can actually escape each other.

Jonghyun, Minho, Taemin, Kibum, and Jinki all live in an apartment complex just a little outside of Seoul. It isn't a bad city and they all loved it there. It's their last summer in high school, except for Taemin and Jinki, and they're all hanging out by the public pool and eating ice cream to beat the heat.

"Promise me you'll come visit me at Konkuk, you know, if I do get in." Minho tells them and the other four laughs, "What?"

"You're really clingy." Jonghyun punches Minho's arm and the other retaliates by slapping the back of his head. "Says you, who's actually aiming for the same university."

"Not in the same department, okay?" Jonghyun frowns, "And I won't go there for you, ew. I came for the university's program."

"I'll be going back to Chungwoon after the summer. You know, being  older than all of you." Jinki adds, "So we should do a lot of things together. Like getting drunk."

"I'm still a minor." Taemin laughs, "We all are."

"Sorry grandpa, you're on your own with that." Kibum teases him and Jinki chuckles, "Aren't you of legal age already, Jonghyun?"

"Yes. Last April."

"I keep forgetting that you're behind by a year." Jinki smiles and Jonghyun nods, "Since we went back here quite late for me to enter middle school."

"Then we should drink." Jinki smiles again and Jonghyun shakes his head, "That will be boring if it's just us."

"Wait until next year, hyung." Minho grins and Jinki sighs in defeat.

"You have to wait two more years if you want to include me." Taemin laughs and Jinki sighs again, "Fine. But when the three of you graduates next year, come on, a celebratory toast?"

"Fine. We can do that." Kibum grins, "I'll be legal by September and Minho by December anyway."

"Yes!" Jinki whoops and slips from his chair, "You didn't see that."

"We can pretend we didn't but they probably can't." Jonghyun points to the direction of a group of girls laughing on the other side of the pool and Jinki hides his reddened face behind Taemin, "Let's get outta here."

-----

Minho and Jonghyun are walking back to the apartment after cram school on a cold December night when the shorter male stops, "Hey."

"What?"

Jonghyun punches Minho hard by the arm and grins, "Happy birthday!"

"You never fail to be my first birthday punch." Minho laughs then ruffles Jonghyun's hair, "Thanks, man."

"No more hyung?" Jonghyun frowns and Minho laughs, "At the moment we're the same age. Maybe in April."

"Idiot." Jonghyun rummages his bag then hands Minho a gift, "Don't say anything. I gave Kibum a gift last September too."

"Thank you!" Minho hugs Jonghyun then they start walking again, "By the way, Jonghyun..."

Jonghyun slaps the back of his head and Minho laughs, "Hyung. I got in."

"Konkuk?"

Minho nods and Jonghyun tackles him into a hug, "Congratulations, you frog!"

"I got the letter earlier today. Have you gotten your letter yet?"

Jonghyun shakes his head after releasing himself from his friend, "I got the letter from Myongji though. I'll be going there instead, with Kibum."

"Oh?" Minho feigns wiping tears from his eyes and even sniffs. Jonghyun punches Minho's arm and laughs, "Don't cry. We can hang out on weekends."

Minho headlocks Jonghyun and laughs loudly, it echoes across the deserted street, "I'm so glad you won't be in Konkuk! I get all the girls!"

"I'd probably get them even while I'm in Myongji!" Jonghyun yells as he struggles to break free from Minho's grasp and when he does, he kicks Minho's shin, "Let's go home."

-----

Of course, meeting on weekends was a joke. They barely see each other during the first year of university - even Kibum and Jonghyun rarely see each other in campus.

The last time they met as a group was during Minho, Kibum, and Jonghyun's graduation and sometimes they briefly see each other in the city to drink.

By the middle of the semester, Jonghyun starts a part time job to be able to rent a small apartment and move out of the university dorms. It's one of those rare nights when the three of them are together having a drink.

"My roommate's hobby is to fart, every ing hour." Jonghyun wheezes as he downs a shot of soju. Minho pours him another glass and he drinks that too. "I swear, I need to move out of the dorms by the end of the month or my head will explode with all the gas."

"I'd offer to be your roommate but I live at grandma's house at the moment so I actually have no problem with living space."

Jonghyun frowns at Kibum, "Thanks for the help."

"Can it wait for another month?" Minho asks and Jonghyun raises an eyebrow, "Why?"

"I'm looking for an apartment too and since I just started with my part time--"

"Yes. I can wait at least another month."

"Good. Let's find some place in between our universities."

"Ohhhh. We'll have a place to thrash once Taemin graduates and comes to the city. Jinki will be so pleased." Kibum claps his hands and Jonghyun hits his arm lightly, "You're looking too far ahead."

As promised, after two months, they move in together in a small apartment near Euljiro. It's quite small but it offers two bedrooms, a shared bath, a small living room, and a kitchen. They both have to take the train or the bus to get to their campus but for them, it's home.

"You just tell me when you're bringing girls over and we're all good." Jonghyun tells him as he puts the last of his box inside the apartment. Minho grunts in response as he struggles to bring inside his study desk, "I should say the same to you."

-----

It's been two years since they've been living in the same apartment and it hasn't been so easy. Sometimes they fight over the pettiest of things but they always make up by the end of the day anyway.

It's one of those days when Minho is free and was lazing on the couch when Jonghyun saunters in from his class.

"What's up?"

Jonghyun plops down next to him and sighs rather loudly. "I have to leave."

"What?"

"It's a two-year student exchange program. We're required to go to a certain country. We've been given choices and I don't know where to go."

"What are the choices?"

Jonghyun rummages his bag and hands Minho a piece of paper, "There."

"Why not go back to the Philippines? I'm sure you missed the country."

"Well, yeah. I mean, I lived there when I was younger."

"It's an obvious choice."

"But I kind of want to try another country, like Thailand."

Minho wraps an arm over Jonghyun's shoulder and pulls him closer, "I'm sure you still know how to speak the language so it will be easier for you to fit back in the Philippines."

Jonghyun gets comfortable and sighs, "That's true too. I still have communication with my friends back there."

Minho laughs and bops his  head on Jonghyun's very lightly, "I won't be there so you need common friends."

"What makes you think I'm dependent on you? I'm older." Jonghyun grunts and slaps Minho's thigh, "It's you who's actually dependent on me."

Minho chuckles and lies his head on the back rest of the couch, "Whatever you say."

So Jonghyun flies to the Philippines a month after the end of their second year in the university. The first few days, they talk to each other via Facetime just so they can tease each other endlessly. Jonghyun even introduces Minho to one