"You can continue anytime now" Hongbin drawled lazily sending a pointed look toward his rehearsing partner, which by the moment has a faraway look in his eyes.
"huh? Yeah where was I?" Hakyeon flipped through the script pages absentmindedly, seemingly not up to do it anymore. Hongbin shifted his eyes to his watch and noticed how fast the time went by.
"Ugh it's already 11:24. Let's stop for today" The man sighed nodding as he closed the script and put it down beside the bed silently, he was about to suggest making dinner together when his phone buzzed with an incoming message.

From Wonshikkie: 11:24 PM.
Hyung, can you come over?
There's something important I want to tell you.
It's very very important!
I'll be waiting!

Hakyeon frowned noting the urgency in his friend's words, and without missing a beat he found himself reaching for his keys and coat heading to the door.
"Where are you going?" He stopped turning around once again.
"I need to go somewhere"
"This late at night?!"
"Wonshik said it's important" Just like that the curiosity in hongbin's expression drastically changed into a hostile one.
"What does he want now?" Hakyeon rolled his eyes at the way he spat 'he' like it's the most disgusting thing in life. Maybe he shouldn't have told him since hongbin wasn't a big 'fan' of wonshik, but at the same time hakyeon never felt the need to lie to his childhood friend about anything for the past 17 years, so why should he now?
"It won't be long don't worry"
"I'm not! Go spend the night with your boyfriend" Hongbin was now holding his phone trying to act indifferent but hakyeon knew better. He bite his lips to stop from smiling as he walked back into the room throwing himself on the sulking man, hugging him sideway.
"Awww don't be jealous. You'll still be my valentine date tomorrow"
"I'm always your Valentine date you loser. AND I'M NOT JEALOUS"
He fought to get away from the steel like grip halfheartedly, knowing how it's almost impossible to do that when hakyeon is in the mood for smothering the hell out of him.
"You're sooo jealous"
"I'm not!"
"Yes"
"No"
"yes"
"No" Hongbin growled, finally getting some air into his lungs making the older of them by 2 years chuckle heartily.
"Be careful if people heard you they'll totally think you have feelings for me" Hongbin huffed glaring at his screen obviously avoiding the eye contact.
"You wish" I do. Hakyeon turned his back again hiding the grimace that immediately appeared on his face, and said in an overly cheerful tone.
"See you later hongbinnie"
But hakyeon never returned that night.
____________________________________
"I hate you" Hakyeon groaned the next morning holding his head between his hands as he sat on the table in wonshik's kitchen. He watched as the man in subject sent him a sheepish smile before putting some pills and a glass of water in front of him.
"Sorry I was so nervous yesterday and didn't know you wanted to return to your apartment"
"Hongbin must be so pissed off that I stood him up, " He continued to glare at him even when wonshik avoided his eyes to look at everything in his kitchen as if seeing it for the first time.
"A little bit of alcohol never harmed anyone, and we were celebrating hyung, remember?" Came the overjoyed voice from the doorway making hakyeon wince at how loud jaehwan was.
"I'm a light drinker, you should've stopped me after the first bottle!" Jaehwan rolled his eyes and walked till he stood in front of wonshik, and without hesitation he reached up and kissed the side of his lips whispering a 'good morning' and making the tall man blush like a high school girl. Even after witnessing that hakyeon couldn't believe that his two best friends from college are officially dating, and maybe yesterday's turn of events was partly because of it. That made him think of his life, he never felt the need to date anyone, and he still remembers the first few years he explored it dating different people, he ended up breaking up with them immediately after a week of going out with them. And three years later he came to a conclusion. That he didn't need anyone, because no one can ever replace the person who has always been beside him since they were in elementary school. Hakyeon might never know if what he has for hongbin was that kind of love or not, but he kept comparing everyone with that boy it almost sounded stupid for him to do that, but he couldn't help it. He was dominating every thought he possessed.
Hakyeon sighed and walked toward the living room where his phone was charging, he the device praying that he won't find angry messages from the abandoned boy. And there were 5 missed calls and 3 messages. Great!
He opened the messages feeling guilt fill his insides as he read them.

From Hongbi: 1:55 AM.
Where the hell are you? It's so late!

From Hongbi: 2:24 AM.
Hakyeon I swear if you don't call now..

From Hongbi: 3:45 AM.
Don't come home tonight I have a date.

Hakyeon reread the last one over and over trying to detect what was the wrong with it, and when he finally, really, understood his headache intensified and his hand clutched the device painfully. In a second he dialed hongbin's number and waited, shaking his leg anxiously thinking how he must read it wrong, better, maybe he was still sleeping.
"What?"
"Yah I've never liked the way you joke!" What are you saying idiot??
Hakyeon rolled his eyes at himself, and he heard the other man let out a confused 'huh' followed by a stretching silence before he heard a huff and again, hongbin's deep voice filled his ear.
"It's too early for that! And I wasn't joking so spend a happy valentine with your wonshik and I'll spend it with my new date. It's a win win" HOW IS IT A WIN WIN? Hakyeon wanted to scream feeling his head nearly split in pain.
"I don't care if you're going on a date I'm spending it at home as usual an-"
"No don't come, we're spending the date inside"
"LEE HONGBIN! YOU AREN'T LETTING ANYONE INSIDE OUR HOUSE ON VALENTINE DAY. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OUR DAY!"
Hakyeon heard what sounded like snickering but couldn't really tell from how much his head was pounding.
"Hyung chill. I get it we won't do anything-"
"YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT DOING SOMETHING?"
"AS I SAID we won't do anything so don't worry and have fun there"
Hongbin now sounded more awake and more cheerful it pissed him off somehow. He had a date, he's breaking up their tradition of spending the whole night stuffing their mouths with chicken and chocolate ice cream, laughing while making fun of sappy and cringy romcoms. The reality dawned on him all of a sudden.
"You're kidding me right? Say you're kidding now and I'll forgive you"
"You sound jealous?" The grin in his tone didn't go past him and it made him angrier that he longed to see that dimpled wide smile on hongbin's face even now.
"Happy Valentine's Day hyung, don't forget to use a " The line went dead and the older man stood a long torturing minute staring at the screen. Use a ? Why the hell would he ask him that? Hakyeon saw a movement at the corner of his eyes and saw the couple watching him warily.
"Is everything ok hyung?" Wonshik's voice cleared up his mind, and for once all the comments about the droopy eyed man being his boyfriend, which hongbin never failed to throw at him whenever he announced he was going to meet him, finally made sense.
"That idiot!"
___________________________________
Hongbin was avoiding the apartment like it was the plague. He spent the whole morning at the gym trying to not think about how he acted nonchalantly with hakyeon this morning. The man sounded pissed off but hongbin was amazed that hakyeon didn't caught on yet on how a mess his actions actually were. After the gym he went to hyuk's apartment, who humored him and they spent the whole afternoon playing video games. The 2 years younger kid didn't comment on how weird of hongbin to ditch his nest on valentine day, he knew him long enough to keep in mind how sacred this day was for him. But hyuk being silent didn't mean Taekwoon who was glaring at him from across the room will be as understanding.
"Go back"
"I don't wanna"
"Whatever happened between you two keep it that way" Hongbin narrowed his eyes at his hyung contemplating whether he wanted to point out that sadly there's nothing between hakyeon and him, or if he should just ignore him. The man's feral eyes went back to his phone as he shook his head slightly and hongbin wondered if he was standing in the way of the love birds' plans.
Duh genius, no one is as pathetically lonely as you. Even hakyeon has someone.
Hongbin gritted his teeth watching hyuk take down the enemy easily while he stood there unmoving. Why is he here again?
"Fine!" He threw the controller down and stretched watching as taek's eyes lit up not so discreetly. Hyuk closed the game and stood up looking at him.
"You've got to communicate hyung" The giant kid said exaggeratedly, he made it sound so easy but again hongbin was known for over analyzing every silly thing.
"I'll keep that in mind" He bent down putting his sneakers on and before he wore his coat and went out a hand stopped him in the doorway, and he turned back to see taek staring at him with kind eyes.
"Just remember why you stayed with him all these years, and why you gave up on a lot of things to be with him. The same for hakyeon too" Hongbin looked down at the ground not knowing what to say, but taek as always understood him without uttering anything.
"Happy valentine's day binah. Stay happy" His big hand ruffled his hair and a small smile graced his lips giving reassurance that maybe, everything will turn well at the end.
"Call me if you're doing the deeds tonight" Hongbin had wondered when satan will go back to his usual self, and he glared at the eating grin on hyuk's face.
"I hate you"
"aish don't lie"
___________________________________
Upon opening the door to their shared apartment, hongbin noticed the lack of hakyeon's presence in it. He sighed hanging his coat and leaving his shoes neatly on the side before entering the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator only to see the pack of beers and two boxes of their favorite ice cream in, waiting to be devoured. He stood there for a minute before taking out his phone to send a message to hakyeon, he is done being stupid and he only hopes that hakyeon didn't really take him up for that suggestion.

To Hakyeonie: 6:02 PM.
Change of plans, I might be the one in need for a .

Not even a whole minute after came the replay and hongbin couldn't stop the giggle escaping him.

From Hakyeonie : 6:03 pm.
I'M ON MY WAY DAMN IT.

"So easy" hongbin snorted then started setting up the living room with blankets on the couch, a big glass bowl with ice and beers in and of course the list of movies opened in front of him. Fearing that the ice cream will melt he decided to leave it in the refrigerator, and put the bowl of chicken on the table. He then took a quick shower and wore his favorite sweater, a navy blue knitted one that hakyeon bought him for his birthday, and dark ripped jeans. Usually he wouldn't care about what he wears for hakyeon has seen him in his worst and they even used to shower together when they were children, but today was different. Hongbin could feel it and it sent an excited tremor down his body, his smile never leaving his lips.
And even if it wasn't, hongbin is adamant to stand up for once and do that himself. He was swaying to the melody playing inside his head when the sound of key jiggling in the lock caught his attention, his body immediately fell down on the couch, his shaking hand went through his hair trying to tame the rebellious locks back to place. He looked around noting everything in its place before he stopped and kicked himself mentally.
Man, you're helpless.
___________________________________
The first thing that hakyeon did after entering the apartment was looking around in an urgent manner.
"Where is he?" He saw as hongbin, who was sitting tensely on the couch, shifted slightly to the edge.
"Who?" Hakyeon gave him the stink face and went to hongbin's bedroom, his own bedroom but didn't find anyone. His legs took him to the living room again and before he said anything his eyes roamed around the place, noting how familiar it was. Confused, he sat on the couch beside hongbin whose blank face was starting to make him worried.
"Where's your date?"
"There's no one" The frown only intensified.
"But you told me-"
"I made it up" He simply replied cutting him off, still not looking toward him. The older man sat there quietly observing hongbin, there were times when words weren't the best way to force the younger to express himself, actions affected him more and that's why hakyeon found himself biting back the string of questions bubbling inside him.
He only needed to count to ten, when hongbin sighed and leaned forward taking a hold of the remote control and started scrolling through the list.
"I was angry that you promised to return yet you stayed there"
Hakyeon winced at his words and thought how it was the first time he didn't hold up to his promise. Maybe he deserved being ignored by him.
"I got drunk celebrating and I ended up passing out on his couch"
Hongbin paused for a second before and biting his lower lip making hakyeon's eyes follow the movement absentmindedly.
"Celebrate what?"
"Wonshik finally not being boyfriendless" Hongbin's head whipped around, looking for the first time since he came back, at him with shocked eyes.
"What?" He sighed nodding his head before letting out a tired chuckle.
"You should've seen the idiot, he was so smitten"
"B-but what about you?"
"What about me?" Hongbin searched his face for whatever he thought he'll see, but seemingly failed he instead looked at him incredulously.
"You're ok with that? Him being someone else's boyfriend?"
The older was reminded of that comment right before hongbin hung up on him this morning, and he couldn't help it when his hand reached up to neck shop the man with as much power as he can put without actually hurting him. And hakyeon really was tempted to do that.
"Awww what was that for!!"
"For being an idiot! How could you think that there was something between me and wonshik. He's practically my younger brother!"
Hakyeon couldn't believe this day, he really was exhausted all of a sudden.
"I thought…" Hongbin trailed off looking down at his hands guiltily, and as much as his hyung wanted to keep being angry at him, one look to his shaky hands made his insides melt with fondness toward the silly boy.
"You'll be the death for me one day. I lost many years of my life span today" Hongbin rolled his eyes.
"You don't really have much left" Of course he received another hit.
"Don't worry you're stuck with me for a long time lee hongbin"
Hakyeon smiled at the hint of dimple showing on his pale cheek and he took the remote from his hands ushering him toward the kitchen.
"Go bring our ice cream babes"
___________________________________
"She's going to get her heart broken" Hongbin noted.
"Nope. She's going to live happily ever after" Hakyeon replied with a small smile making the younger one roll his eyes.
"Stop fighting me about everything"
"Stop being so negative about everything. Life can surprise you sometimes" Hongbin shook his head and took another spoon full of the ice cream, he'd be lying if he said his full attention was on the TV screen. If anyone asked him what he remembers from now, it'd be how y hakyeon's lips were stretched around the spoon, well, he doubted anyone would want to know that.
"Pay attention" That snapped him out of the gutter and he stared dumbfounded at hakyeon.
"What? I'm paying attention!" He saw hakyeon's eyes twitch as he let out a low hum.
"You pay some attention" He remarked happy with his comeback.
"I caaan't, you're distracting me" Hakyeon all but whined turning his head just in time to catch hongbin's eyes coming to stare at him like a deer caught in headlights.
"W-wha-" Hakyeon's eyes cut him off as they, like hongbin's did before, searched his face for something.
"S-stop looking at me like that"
"But I love looking at you like that" Is he playing with him? Hongbin rolled his eyes again, he does that a lot with this man, and continued watching the TV ignoring him.
"Were you always jealous of Wonshik?" He braced himself not to show anything on his face, any reaction could give him away with someone as observant as his hyung, but isn't that what he needed? To change things between them?
"I was feeling neglected since for a long time I've been your only best friend" That was hard to admit but even though, hongbin knew that was a cowardice escape, he has always been a man who faced his problems straight ahead and never liked running away. He wants to move on from this damn spot in their relationship but at the same time he feared the change, what would assure him that he won't lose hakyeon for good if he admitted his real feelings? Or treat him differently, because he knew hakyeon wouldn't reject him in fear of hurting him. He cherished their friendship so much to let it turn upside down for a bunch of emotions, so he should be satisfied, right?
"Is that all what it was about?" Hakyeon sounded neutral, hongbin couldn't read him this time. When he didn't say anything hakyeon continued to speak.
"What's your ideal date hongbinnie?" The question was so sudden it took him off guard, ideal date? Why? He voiced his thoughts only to receive a shrug.
"I don't know but for the 17 years we've known each other we never discussed such things so I’m curious" He turned his eyes to him and asked again with a low tone.
"What's your ideal date, hongbin?" The younger gulped and shied away from his piercing gaze to look at the TV again, he took his time turning his words in his head before answering hesitantly.
"I..you know how I like to go sightseeing? So maybe a walk in the park? Taking photos of each other and I don't know, eat some ice cream?" He sounded nervous all of a sudden, hell he felt shaken a little bit as if he was laying himself bare to the world to see. It didn't make sense, since it was always easier for him to talk with hakyeon from anyone else, but maybe because it was him this time that made it all so different right now? Hongbin felt as if his mind is going to explode.
"hmm" Hakyeon all but hummed vaguely, his eyes still heavy on the side of hongbin's face making him fidget on his seat.
"Is that why you were persistent on having ice cream in our ritual for valentine day?" The younger frowned but before he asked him what he meant hakyeon shifted his eyes to the bowl of chicken.
"Mine is chicken"
"Chicken?" Hakyeon nodded as he sat on the edge of the couch touching the bowl with a small smile.
"I have always had this clear image in my mind, I mean my ideal date, since I was old enough to know about dating. It's simple but it never failed to bring joy to my heart”
"What is it?" Hongbin whispered not truly noticing how he edged closer to the other as his eyes remained on hakyeon's lit up face.
"Me and my date, sitting on a cozy couch in a cozy room with chicken and ice cream within reach, turning on TV to watch movies only to spend half of it chatting with each other and playing around distracted"
The silence that was stretched after went unnoticed by the loud hearted man. His heart was pounding so hard, and his breathing got faster upon locking eyes with hakyeon. No one said anything for the longest time, maybe feeling satisfied with the amount of eye talking they did. But of course, like everything good in life, their moment was ruined by the buzz of hongbin's phone announcing an unread message.
The young man jumped feeling the vibration in his pocket, he reached his hand to take it out only to be stopped by the other.
"Leave it"
"But.."
"Hongbin-ah" His tone was final so hongbin sunk in the couch with a slight pout, making hakyeon chuckle a bit. He reached out and ruffled his soft hair with a teasing grin.
"Good boy" Hongbin rolled his eye and swatted his hand away. His heart was still pounding but not as threatening as before, and his lips twitched with a hint of smile. he felt giddy all of a sudden, but can anyone blame him? It might not have lasted more than few seconds but that moment he shared with hakyeon was different from anything he experienced before. He felt scared but more hopeful.
"So THIS is your ideal date?" His words were bold, challenging, as if he dared him to say otherwise and hakyeon must have caught it because he nodded, his lips perking up on the side.
"Why are you sharing it with me then?" He kept pushing and the older man went along with it.
"Do you even have to ask at this point?"
"I just don't understand why"
"Maybe it's for the fact that everyone I came across never made me want to do these things with except with you" Hakyeon inhaled sharply with hongbin mirroring his action.
"Maybe, I don't want anyone but..you"
___________________________________
The raw emotions that swelled in his chest caught him off guard, he has always been an emotional man but to actually feel his eyes sting a bit threw him off. The things hongbin make me feel, he thought embarrassingly. Said man was still in shock, looking at him with wide eyes and dropped jaw, hakyeon wanted to laugh because it took him a long time to say these simple words for the clueless boy to notice his feelings. Yes hongbin was a sharp person, but not when it comes to realizing someone else's feelings toward him and hakyeon had to deal with witnessing that for the past years alongside many other heartbroken pursuers. He's so clueless about what draws people to him and it makes hakyeon's heart swell with fondness.
"Huh?" Was the young man's reaction, hakyeon sighed exaggeratedly and shook his head.
"What to do with you Lee hongbin" Hongbin made a face at him, his lips moving to talk only to stop and frown.
"What?"
"Since when?" Hakyeon shrugged.
"Beats me. It was like how I became aware of things as I grew up, my feelings were there too" He couldn't believe it, how he's sitting there discussing his feelings almost openly and more, how hongbin took everything in without escaping and running away from him.
It felt surreal and it scared him a bit to be honest.
Hongbin shifted in his place pulling his legs up, his slightly shaking hands wrapping around his pulled up knees to clutch at his forearms tightly. It was a normal position but hakyeon knew better, hongbin was losing himself to his thoughts.
"Stop overanalyzing everything" He whispered inching closer to him, his arm resting over the back of the couch and was so pleasantly surprised when hongbin leaned closer, pressing his side to the older man's chest.
“I can't help it, everything right now feels unreal” Tell me about it. Hakyeon kept looking at his perfect side profile until the young man raised his eyes shyly to him.
“Are you sure about it?” He would've laughed if the situation wasn't serious, but he knew hongbin very well and he knew he needed reassurance.
“I won't talk about ten years from now, I’ll just let everything go with the flow. But right now, in this moment, I’m done with running away from my feelings” His hand played with hongbin’s soft hair lightly as he asked him the same. Hongbin only kept looking at him until his eyes flickered down to his lips and hakyeon’s heart started to pick up in a dangerous speed. Oh boy.
Suddenly, tension shifted in the living room, both of them felt almost breathless from the small space between them as they kept looking at each other's lips. With their breathing mingled, hakyeon had to clutch the back of the couch to stop himself from decreasing the distance and finally tasting his plush lips, hongbin hands weren't doing any better as he squeezed his arms tightly, he noticed.
Why are you still holding back idiot?
Hakyeon looked up for a sign that he finally can do what he dreamed about doing his whole life, he watched as hongbin's eyes rose to meet him only to flutter shut a moment later, his long eyelashes resting on his reddening cheeks. Hakyeon took that as his cue and he dove in.
The moment their lips met in the middle hongbin inhaled sharply taking hakyeon's own breath away, literally. Hakyeon's pulse skyrocketed insanely, his lips pressing on hongbin's without moving nor deepening it, the older man felt frozen in that moment. In the back of his mind he registered the fact that he was the one with the most kissing experiences between the two, hell, he wasn't even sure if this kiss wasn't hongbin's first but for some reason he felt like all the courage he summoned today to confess disappeared in thin air. He felt scared less and it made him retreat a bit losing the warmth of his lips. But as soon as he did, he felt a warm and slightly shaken hand rest lightly on the back of his neck stopping him from going any further. He opened his eyes to see hongbin studying his face before a small smile with a hint of dimples graced his expression.
“Who’s the one overanalyzing it now, hyung?” Without any other words he closed the space once again but this time, he was the one that took it upon himself to move his lips against hakyeon's frozen one, forcing him to comply and finally start kissing back. An experimental kiss turned into a deep and heated one as hakyeon's hands circled hongbin's lain waist and pulled him even more closer nearly dragging him into his lap. Hongbin's own hand went around his neck, his fingers tugging softly at his locks while he continued to drive the older man crazy with his lips. Where the hell did he learn how to do that? Hongbin let out a tiny sound as hakyeon bite his lower lip softly only to moan and tug harsher reflexively on his hair when he bite his lips again, this time more hungrily. He needed to clear his head from this fog, with the lack of oxygen and the small y noises hongbin was letting out every few seconds made him almost explode.
He never regretted wearing jeans until now.
“H-hongbin let's s-top” He panted in between hongbin's attack on his lips but the latter didn't hear him or pretended not to until hakyeon drew back breathlessly.
“Wait I..” His eyes swapped all over the heavy lidded beautiful man in front of him, and when his eyes noticed the bulge in his dark jeans his mind went blank all of a sudden and he couldn't do anything but to pull him over his lap and press his face in his sweater cladded chest, his hands tightening around his waist.
He wanted him, hongbin really wanted him and he wasn't dreaming. He could hear his heartbeat from how close he was and he felt hongbin's hands go around his shoulders and hug him tightly as if he didn't want to let go of him forever. He felt the same, and felt so many things that made his chest swell so much it hurt.
“this is the best valentine ever” He could almost sense hongbin rolling his eyes as he replied.
“yeah yeah whatever” He giggled when hakyeon drew back to send him a glare.
“you just ruined it you know?”
“I’m not even sorry” hongbin retorted cheekily while he pulled his legs closer leaning his side to hakyeon’s chest comfortably. The latter only smiled as he hugged him allowing him to snuggle closer. He pecked his nose only to have it scrunching with distaste.
“Get used to it hon”
“Omg you did not just call me that!” Hongbin looked scandalized which made him laugh heartily at him.
“I certainly did” Hongbin elbowed him in the rips earning a pained groan.
“you jerk!”
“bastard” the young one bite back smugly before taking the remote and starting the movie again, hakyeon fake pouted before sighing in contentment and snuggling back to him like many times before but this time he knew things have changed. He didn't know what their future holds but he wasn't worried about it at all because deep inside he knew, both of them will never change and they’ll be fine.