Chapter 9:

“How are you doing?” Hyesung came to the balcony where Junjin was smoking. “I noticed you were staring at Andy,” the hyung said.

“I wasn’t staring,” Junjin claimed, chuckling. Smoke came out of his mouth after each sound. “I was just observing.” he continued.

“You cannot tell me that there is nothing you like,” Hyesung’s soft voice entered the younger man’s ears. He fished out his cigarettes and slipped one in his mouth. “I know you, Junjin.”

The said man laughed. “Well,” he damped the cigarette under his foot and looked at his hyung. “There is something in everyone I like.” he stated. “And in Andy it’s the fact that he is taken.” Hyesung snorted. “What?” Junjin asked.

“You wouldn’t have been staring at him like that if you only found that attractive in him,” Hyesung inhaled the smoke in his mouth and then exhaled it fast. “You don’t have to lie to me, Junjin,” he spoke. “We tell each other everything.”

Junjin turned so that his back was at the view. The glass doors showed what was inside the house. Andy was sitting next to Eric, laughing at something Junjin’s father said. Junjin felt his lips curving upwards. “Who wouldn’t like staring at him?” He interrogated out loud.

“Well, the fact that I am balls deep infatuated with your older brother,” Hyesung turned around as well, now staring at Eric. “You already know my answer.”

Junjin chortled.

“You know what hurts me the most…?” Hyesung whispered. Junjin didn’t know, so he waited for continuation. “Eric doesn’t even realise it…” Hyesung chuckled annoyed, but Junjin could hear the pain in the voice.

He shifted his head at his hyung and hugged him. Hyesung clawed the back and hid his face to the neck. “What is going on in here?” Eric’s voice startled them. “Back together again?” He was making a joke, but his voice sounded strange.

“No,” Junjin answered. “We were just…”

“We were just talking,” Hyesung smiled. “Something you don’t care about,” he tapped Eric’s shoulder and walked back inside.

Eric looked at Junjin, who lifted his arms up and mumbled, “I don’t kiss and tell.”

As soon as Junjin stepped out of the toilet, he bumped into Andy, who happened to have a big glass of wine in his hands. It seemed like such a cliché that the wine poured all over Junjin, but they had bumped into each other quite forcefully. The blue shirt was now purple. Junjin spread his arms and looked down. “Oh man,” he sighed.

“I’m so sorry,” Andy apologised. “I wasn’t looking,”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Junjin replied. “I wasn’t looking either.” he rubbed the wine stain, but it only spread out even more. “Ah, shoot.”

“Wine is impossible to get off clothing…” Andy murmured sadly. “I’m so sorry.” he bowed his head down.

“No, no, no!” Junjin repeated. “I will just go upstairs and change it.”

Andy looked at him. “Well, I should at least try to get the wine stain off your shirt,” he said, following Junjin to the stairs. When Junjin gazed at him, Andy smiled. “That’s the least I can do.” he spoke.

Junjin opened the door to his room, and Andy entered. He placed the empty wine glass to the nightstand and then went to the bathroom – yes, Junjin had his own bathroom in his room! Andy took some cloth and put water on it and then came back. Junjin removed his shirt and Andy had to look away. His cheeks flushed when the man revealed his stomach. Junjin passed him the shirt, and Andy started rubbing the cloth on the stain.

Meanwhile, the older man went to his childhood closet and searched for a shirt that didn’t have childish pictures on…or a shirt that actually fit him. “I will hang it in the bathroom,” Andy said, cheeks still red, and escaped to the bathroom.

Junjin was still trying to find a shirt to wear when Andy came back. “You can’t find anything?” he asked, diverting his gaze from the older man.

“I know I have a shirt here somewhere,” Junjin commented and rummaged through the closet.

“I can help you,” Andy stepped next to the tall man and helped him go through all the colourful clothes. “What about this?” he showed the man, but Junjin wrinkled his nose and mumbled something about Eric not taking him seriously in that. "What about this?” Andy asked, holding a light blue shirt.

“That’s not really my colour,” Junjin replied. “We will find something,” he promised.

Andy nodded, keeping his gaze sternly at the closet. He wouldn’t glance at the chest or the back or the tattoo – yes, he had a tattoo! He would not even look at Junjin and—their hands met in one of the piles. Both of them froze. Then Junjin turned his head at Andy. Andy turned his head at Junjin. The hands that had met in the pile were still holding onto one another. The long fingers entwined with the short