“Please hyung. Please please. Pretty please.” Mingyu tried his best puppy eyes at their leader while tugging at the elder’s shirt.

“I don’t want to go, Mingyu. If you really want to, then go with Wonwoo and Vernon, stop pestering me.” Seungcheol pulled up his blanket, wrapping it to his body as he attempted to fall back into the previous state he was in before Mingyu came barging into his room asking him to go into another party, sleep.

“But Hyung! I told you it’s not a party, it’s just a simple get together.” Mingyu pouted as he softly pulled Seungcheol’s blanket which was now covering Seungcheol like a cocoon.

“Besides, they will be there. Jeonghan-hyung, Jisoo-Hyung and the rest. We get to only see them if we’re free and if they’re free.” Mingyu sighed, surrendering at the stubbornness of their leader. He was about to leave the room when Seungcheol threw a pillow, hitting Mingyu’s head.

“Ouch Hyung! What the-“

“Ok fine! We will go!” Seungcheol got up, stomping out of his room.

“I knew it! No one can resist Mingyu’s aegyo.” Mingyu chuckled.

--

The Aces arrived at the Hotel at around 9pm. They took the elevator going to the 17^th floor where their friends were currently staying. They hadn’t met them for almost a year now. Seungcheol can’t help but smile seeing how excited his dongsaengs were to meet their friends again. He watched as Mingyu and Vernon animatedly chat about the planned collaboration with one of the best duo in the music industry, Yoon Jeonghan and Hong Jisoo AKA the same people they technically grew up with. While Wonwoo, well, being Wonwoo. Just kept on nodding, shrugging and sometimes humming as the two youngest try to join him in their conversation.

“Ok kids, calm down. We’re here.” Seungcheol stepped out of the elevator while the other three trailed behind him.

“Room 1713.” Seungcheol read the number on the door. He knocked and after a few seconds the door opened as a smiling man hugged him.

“Cheol!” the man almost squeaked, almost, mind you, as he hugged his best friend.

“Jeonghan, stop hugging me like we hadn’t seen each other for eternity.” Seungcheol said, earning a hearty laugh from Jeonghan.

“But I missed you!” Jeonghan frowned, slightly punching Seungcheol’s arm, Seungcheol glared at him. Mingyu faked a cough gaining Jeonghan’s attention.

“Mingyu!” Jeonghan smiled again, motioning Mingyu, Wonwoo and Vernon to come closer.

“You’ve grown even taller Mingyu~ah.” Jeonghan embraced Mingyu who was beaming, Jeonghan patted Vernon’s shoulder and smiled at Wonwoo who simply smiled back.

“Please come in. Jisoo is in the kitchen preparing food.” Jeonghan led the way as he can hear the noise from the living room which came from the other people who were already inside.

“Jeonghan~hyung, is Chan here?” Vernon questioned as the mentioned man promised him to give the rap part he asked to be made for the new song he’s currently making; Vernon can also hear the loud voices coming off the living room. But one voice stood out and he’s sure that the voice didn’t come from one of their friends.

‘Accent.’

Vernon contemplated.

‘Jeju accent?’

“Yes. Chan is inside together with the others.”

The five boys were greeted by the aromatic smell coming from the kitchen which made Mingyu drooled a little bit. Several empty boxes of pizza and cans of cola were scattered and a group of people were busy playing cards on the floor. They noisily booed the maknae as they threw him the cards, accusing him of cheating, the other boys laughed as the maknae pursed his lips sheepishly. Seungcheol cleared his throat, informally announcing their arrival. The noise dissipated as the people on the floor stared at them.

“Hyung!” Chan, the maknae threw himself at Seungcheol who was caught off guard.

“Easy there, Chan.” The oldest patted Chan’s head as he laughed at the enthusiasm of the youngest.

The other people on the floor also approached them, giving the newly arrived group hugs and warm welcome. Vernon glanced at the person behind DK. He didn’t want to come off rude by asking the chubby blonde haired male, ‘who the hell are you and what the hell are you doing here?’ He looked like his soul just went out of his body when the four of them entered the room. He can’t blame him though, they’re the Aces. Did it become just windy by now?

The chubby cheeked male stared at Vernon, ogling as he struggled to say something coherent because of Vernon’s intense gaze at him.

He was torn between fanboying and just simply say his greetings like a normal person does. How should he react when he was face to face with the biggest Kpop boygroup. How? The fact that they are all beautiful, Seungkwan felt like his eyes were hurting because of too much beauty.

The tension as he and Vernon kept on gawking at each other was there, he doesn’t know what or why he felt that way, maybe because of the way the rapper stared at him, it felt like he was looking through him, his mind, his heart, his soul.

Or maybe because Vernon just wanted to know who the hell he was and what the hell he was doing in this kind of intimate gathering. At least there was a tension right?

Seungkwan inwardly sighed though he was smiling awkwardly at Vernon on the outside.

Jun who was practically all over Wonwoo with Mingyu beside the latter throwing daggers at his direction, sensed the staring game between Vernon and the chubby cheeked male, elbowed DK, pointing at the chubby male.

“By the way guys, this is Boo Seungkwan. He goes to the same school with Chan. He’s majoring in music and is a very good friend of mine. He’s younger than me but older than Chan. That makes him-“ DK thoughtfully thumbed through his hair as he was doing all the math in his head, there’s a reason why he’s majoring in music and not in mathematics.

“Yeah. That makes him as old as Vernon.” DK flashed his ever radiating smile, the sun became shy for a bit because DK’s smile just gave the whole world light.

“H-hi. I am Boo Seungkwan! Nice to m-meet y-you all!” Seungkwan stuttered as he bowed at the Aces.

‘Jeju accent.’

‘It was definitely him’, Vernon thought.

“Hi Seungkwan-ie, Mingyu-hyung for you here.” Mingyu toothily grinned, winking at Seungkwan whose face was turning into pink.

Vernon’s eyebrow met, was Mingyu-hyung flirting at this certain chubby cheeks male? Uh no.

“I bet you know us, we’re the Aces.” Mingyu grinned as he walked towards Seungkwan who was nodding his head profusely.

“So may I ask who’s your bias?” Seungkwan glanced back at Vernon who stood in front of him poker-faced, Mingyu escorted him at the nearest table. They will just be getting to know each other, Mingyu playfully said, observing Vernon’s blank face turning into a grimace at the statement, unknown to him the other people around him also noticed it.

Vernon was dumbfounded as he watched his hyung flirting with the Jeju boy. He heard collective hushed laughs, he turned around and all of his hyung, Seungcheol, Jeonghan, Wonwoo, Jun, DK and even Chan were laughing, he lifted his eyebrow confusedly as if asking, ‘What the hell?’

“The two of you were so obvious.” Jun remarked.

“Mingyu is just teasing but by the look of it, you looked affected.” Wonwoo’s most of the time cold eyes were replaced with mischief.

“Vernon~hyung, you better step up your game. Look like Mingyu~hyung is trying to steal your fan.” Chan teased, earning a headlock from an embarassed Vernon.

The group was busy teasing Vernon when Seungcheol felt weird. He glanced at the boys around him who were still busy annoying Vernon when he caught a glimpse of a pink haired male standing at the corner.

The head of the male was tilted in a way that it looked like he was contemplating deeply while intensely gazing at Seungcheol. He occasionally but subtly bit his lower lip. Curiosity was written all over the pink haired male’s features.

Seungcheol offered a small yet friendly smile. The male noticed it and turned his head away, blushed crept from his neck up to his face.

‘Still so cute’, Seungcheol thought. He walked at the corner, the male still looking away.

“Oh hi. I think I saw you before?” did you think it sounded like some lame and cheesy one liner? If you did, then you’re right. It sounded just like that. Seungcheol mentally kicked himself. Nice one Coups.

“I think so?” the voice was soft but with a heavy accent.

“You’re from Busan?” Seungcheol smiled as he now noticed the huge height difference. The smaller male looked up.

“Uh- yes. How-“

“The accent.” Seungcheol shrugged as he stared at the smaller male in front of him.

What’s with rappers and their issues with accent?

“Oh. But I don’t have any accent though.” The smaller stared back, trying to hide his so-called accent though he believed he hadn’t had one.

“No please. Don’t hide your accent. It sounds really nice.” Seungcheol’s expression was appalled. The pink haired male can’t help but blushed a shade deeper at the comment.

“I’m Choi Seungcheol, and you are?” Seungcheol stared at the smaller male expectedly.

“I’m Lee Jihoon and I know who you are.” The smaller looked down, pulling the end of his oversized sweater which Seungcheol found adorable.

“Are you a classmate of Chan?” better be on the legal age or else, I might be going pedo over here and that wouldn’t be nice, Seungcheol thought.

Seungcheol was slightly taken aback when Jihoon suddenly looked up at him without the bashfulness from a while ago but with- was he mad?

“No. I am older than Chan and has the same age as Jun, not because I am small it does also mean that I am a kid.” Jihoon sharply spoke, his napoleon complex getting the best of him. Seungcheol stared at the brown orbs, full of determination and confidence. Feisty. He liked it.

“No! it was not because of that! It’s just you look so cute and has a youthful aura. I like it. I was just afraid that I can’t be with you if you’re too young for me.” Seungcheol’s eyes disappeared into tiny slits as he smiled at Jihoon from ear to ear. Jihoon didn’t even hear the last sentence Seungcheol voiced out as his brain was still processing the statement.

“No! it was not because of that! It’s just you look so cute and has a youthful aura. I like it”

“… I like it.”

“… I like it.”

I. LIKE. IT.

‘Stop Lee Jihoon! He didn’t even say he like you, you moron! Stop assuming!’ Jihoon scolded himself.

Jihoon was too busy processing the information when he felt a hand squeezed his.

“Jeonghan said that the food was ready. Let’s go and eat.” Seungcheol dragged him to the table where all of their friends were already occupying their own seats.

“Oh. I see. The two of you already met.” Jeonghan shot a knowing glanced at

Seungcheol as he noticed the linked hands. Jihoon noticed it and quickly pulled his hand away from Seungcheol’s, the older frowning at the coldness he felt. Although it’s just for a while he already missed Jihoon’s warmth.

Jihoon just nodded at Jeonghan’s remarked, he bowed at the Aces as Jeonghan introduced him at the other three, taking his seat between Seungkwan who was in a staring battle with Vernon, and DK who was busy chatting with Wonwoo.

Jihoon found himself under too much scrutiny as the leader of the Aces chose to sit across him, eyeing his every move. He couldn’t help but blushed and awkwardly cough, hearing a soft chuckle across him, he lifted his gaze and was met by Seungcheol’s smirking face while mouthing, ‘You’re so cute’. Jihoon blushed a tone deeper if that’s even possible, cursing under his breath.

“What did I get myself into?” Urgg.