“You have fallen in love, sweetheart. You can deny it a hundred thousand times, sweetheart. Darling sweetheart, this is love, sweetheart.”—Ho Gaya Hai Tujhko Toh Pyar Sajna

 

“How long have you two know each other—Sungyeol?” Jaejoong asked Myungsoo who was standing next to him in silence and intently staring in the distance at his laughing best friend; Sungyeol was being his normal jubilant animated self and unaware of the dark, quiet eyes passionately following his every exaggerated moment.

 

Jaejoong was on the large campus athletic field, red hat on shading his eyes from the unforgiving afternoon sun rays, ready for drill practice to begin.

 

Myungsoo blinked over at him, taken aback by Jaejoong talking to him and his question.

 

They shared an awkward look.

 

Myungsoo paused.

 

They have had not talked much since they began eating lunch and walking home together; they were practically strangers who went to the same school and orbited in the same friend circle.

 

Yes, Jaejoong has talked to Sungyeol a few times before, given they both were in the music department and the instrumentalist bright personality. They joined many of the same competitions, and they have had both been in the last annual musical—which they were in every year, due to their place in the performance sector of their school. Jaejoong had a small role in the play, no speaking role, just singing, and Sungyeol had been part of the musicians—they played the music for the show.

 

Jaejoong had also seen Myungsoo and Sungyeol around campus and during his mandatory YI trainings, it was hard to see one without the other, but he had never held a conversation with Myungsoo before a few weeks ago.

 

It was awkward.

 

Myungsoo set his melt dark chocolate, deadpan eyes on Jaejoong and softly dipped his head in greetings.

 

Handsome, nice, and polite. Like Yunho. Except Myungsoo is quiet and reserved. Nothing like hyper Yunho who burns like a dazzling star.

 

“We grew up together with Yunho and the rest of the guys.” Voice slightly deep with a dash of squeakiness, tone soft.

 

“Childhood friends, huh.” The singer linked his hands in front of his widened legs, to tautly hang, and tenderly bobbed his head.

 

Jaejoong’s voice, direction of his eyes, and shake of his body hinting his discomfort.

 

Great Jaejoong.

 

Jaejoong wished he had never initiated the conversation. Feeling uncomfortable was the understatement of the century for him at that moment.

 

Why did he do this to himself?

 

The male looked at Jaejoong with quizzical dark malt sugar brown eyes, making Jaejoong feel as if he had asked a rude question. Had he?

 

It wasn't impolite to seek after the status and background of people’s platonic relationships, right?

 

“Yeah.”

 

One—word answers, that was Myungsoo. But it made the atmosphere, at least for Jaejoong, more strained.

 

Jaejoong chuckled and smiled, feeling more uncomfortable.

 

He felt the need to add, “You two are just really close. And your relationship, I think...is really beautiful.”

 

He sounded creepy, and a bit desperate. He made it obvious that he observed Myungsoo and his friend a lot and craved for what they had. It was embarrassing.

 

The pretty male could hardly look over at Myungsoo who possessed equally pretty refined features.

 

When Jaejoong's eyes landed on the male with his toned, tanned body, and redrawn eyes that only warmed up when Sungyeol was on the receiving end, something odd skittered across his face, chin tight with tension. That something disappeared as soon as it appeared. It was replaced with impassivity.

 

Batting his dark, impossibly curly long lashes, Myungsoo visibly relaxed his chin, delicately sighed and offered Jaejoong a smile. It was gorgeous.

 

Jaejoong saw what Hyein meant when she said he was ‘ing handsome.’ He was. Even Jaejoong, who had been assured by Hyein that he looked equally as handsome and was even better looking, had to admire Myungsoo’s good looks.

 

“We've been together for a really long time.”

 

“Good.”

 

What else could he say? Jaejoong quietly pondered, grinning awkwardly at Myungsoo.

 

And that was prime example of why Jaejoong didn't try to initiate socialization. He allowed people to come to him. When he tried, as he was doing and failing miserably at the moment, he always ended up feeling anxious, saying and asking inappropriate and unappreciated questions too easily.

 

“Jaejoong!” Yunho shouted, drawing his mind away from his dark memories of primary school and the thick atmosphere between him and Myungsoo in all of his glory.

 

Looking up, he waved at the sweaty general who looked dashing in his uniform with dirt on his cheek, hair glued to his scalp and nape, with his fringes spiky with sweat.

 

Yunho was just always dashing and a ball of loving sunshine.

 

There was something extremely beautiful about a dirty Yunho. Or it could simply be the fact it was Jung Yunho, his proportional clean features, or his cherubic personality. Whatever it was, Jaejoong found Yunho admirable—a true general—at that moment.

 

Yunho took his red YI—uniform—hat off and began fanning himself as he inched toward Jaejoong, beaming, eyes forming slits. “Ready for drills?”

 

“Yeah.” The corner of Jaejoong’s lips lifted, he nodded at Yunho who was leaning into Myungsoo.

 

Lately, Jaejoong had started looking forward to the three hours spent under the burning afternoon sun practicing concised, perfectly timed sharp movements, because he got to spend it all with someone who could take away his tiredness and his will to let go of life with one spark of a smile. Someone whose back he enjoyed fixating on and imagining...things with.

 

The cheeky teen, a few inches taller than Myungsoo, lowered his head on his friend’s shoulder.

 

The stilled male impatiently stared down at Yunho.

 

He grinned up at Myungsoo, all of his teeth in display.

 

“It is so hot, Myungsoo!”

 

“Right?” Myungsoo arched his eyebrow down at one of his oldest friend, voice heavy with sarcastic hints.

 

He had mastered the art of deadpan delivery, something Jaejoong was still perfecting.

 

“Save me!” Yunho pouted, acting cute. He batted his dark lashes innocently up at Myungsoo, puckering his plump lips.

 

“Fan me.” He handed Myungsoo his hat.

 

Yunho's friend looked at the teen's hat, damp with gross sweat, and slowly inched his amused eyes up to Yunho's smiling face. He scowled, eyes asking 'Really?’

 

Yunho nodded, pouting again. He looked more funny and sly than innocently adorable.

 

Jaejoong hid his chuckle behind a fist and choked cough. He drew both friend’s attention. Yunho’s eyes was alive.

 

Myungsoo cleared his throat, looked over at Jaejoong, yanked the hat from Yunho and handed it to Jaejoong. “Fan him.”

 

“It is okay.” Yunho laughed, he abruptly straightened his long body and reached for his hat, sending Jaejoong a sly grin.

 

“I would have done it.” Jaejoong said with his face blank just to throw Yunho off.

 

And he did. Yunho doubled over, eyes stretching in surprise and amusement.

 

Jaejoong knew how to tease too, though his humor was dry.

 

“Don't mind if I take you up on that offer.” It wasn't Yunho who said it but Changmin.

 

He had walked over to his congregating friends with a smirking Juhli and a crimson stained cheeks Sungyeol who mimicked Yunho by dropping on Myungsoo, arms hooked around his neck, begging him to cool him down.

 

“Am I a human fan? A/C?”

 

“Myungsoo, don’t be mean to me. Your cute...—friend.”

 

There it was—a quick pause, a catch of his tongue before he slipped. Only Jaejoong noticed it.

 

Myungsoo glowered at his friend and sneaked a furtive glance at Jaejoong—he quickly looked away—before he succumbed to his complaining friend's desires.

 

Jaejoong felt wrong staring at them. He felt as if he was eavesdropping on something intimate. Why?

 

Another quick glance confirmed that Myungsoo was indeed blushing.

 

Changmin made Jaejoong focus on him when he made to hand him his damp hat, saying, “Please fan me. Too hot.” He was already fanning himself with Yunho’s red hat.

 

Yunho intercepted and steered his friend away with a professional smile. “I'll do it.”

 

Changmin shrugged and gave his hat to his friend. It was too hot to be choosy.

 

Beaming, Juhli stood next to Jaejoong, her perspiration slicked bun on the center of her head bobbed slightly. “Hey.”

 

“Hey.” He nodded down at her.

 

The two friends silently watched as the four friends played around, their laughter unrestrained.

 

“Cute,” Juhli mumbled.

 

“Huh?”

 

She shook her head and grinned up at her handsome friend. “Their friendship is cute.”

 

Jaejoong nodded. “Right.”

 

“Ours is too.” She patted his back.

 

“Right,” he muttered once again, his eyes taking a detour to Myungsoo and Sungyeol—they were in their own little world.

 

“My arms hurt,” Yunho whined, continuing his fanning with both hands, which served to circulate warm air on Changmin. It did nothing.

 

“I am still hot,” Changmin labored, swishing his hand and Yunho’s hat in front of his face and lowering them to his neck in an up and down motion.

 

“Drill practice hasn't even started.” Yunho frowned worriedly down at his red faced friend. “Get some water, mate. I don't want you to pass out.”

 

“Great idea,” Changmin agreed, following after Yunho.

 

“We'll be back,” the general said over his shoulder.

 

“We'll come too.” Myungsoo included himself and his friend.

 

“Why don’t we all take a quick water break before practice starts.” Yunho waved for all of them to join, gripping Changmin’s arm to steady him.

 

Heat were common. He was just taking precaution.

 

“Cool,” Juhli tinkled, wrapping her fingers around Jaejoong's wrist and yanked him after Yunho and his friends.

 

Jaejoong found his mind circling as he looked at Yunho’s back. The way he stood, head held high, back straight, and the way he walked—light, long legged, even gaits. Something about it was attractive.

 

Everything about Yunho was attractive, he thought again, chagrined.

 

Hyein, who was sitting on the grassy ground with her other friends, saw her two friends and screamed for them to wait up for her.

 

Running with her heavy curtain of hair flowing behind her from its ponytail, she reached them and steady herself by grabbing Jaejoong’s arm, breathing wildly. She smiled up at Jaejoong.

 

“Where are you guys going?”

 

“You do not even know but you want to join us?” Juhli asked her friend, arching an eyebrow, amused.

 

The small young woman shrugged. “I want to be with you guys.” She smiled up at Jaejoong when she said that.

 

“Right.” Juhli cleared , rolling her eyes.

 

“We are friends, after all.” She paused and looked up at Jaejoong. “Right, Jaejoong?”

 

“Right. Umm, shall we go?” He asked, eyes glued on Yunho and his friend’s back.

 

“Right,” Juhli exclaimed.

 

“Where are we going?” Hyein began swinging Jaejoong’s arm, leaning forward on her tiptoes like an excited little bird.

 

“Water,” Juhli offered, switching sides to stand beside Hyein, sandwiching her.

 

“An adventure. Yay!” she squealed, chuckled and reached for Juhli's arm.

 

She has her cute moments.

 

“Too hot, Hye.” Though she complained, she still allowed the girl to clutch her arm.

 

How could you say no to cute, doll like Hyein?

 

Jaejoong liked the two girls. After all, they were sort of his best friends.

 

Jaejoong like Hyein, and on days she was not clinging to him and they were simply talking about anything and everything, he'd even consider his teammate a best friend. A good, close friend.

 

Juhli has just always been there and has always been his friend, and for what it was worth, would always be there and his friend.

 

He’s known the two since he entered secondary school, and that’s when he truly began making friends. The long laborious daily singing practices and late—night walks home created the perfect environment for them to grow close. He could not imagine being without them.

 

They somewhat made him...him.

 

Jaejoong one at a time looked fondly down at the two girls who were shorter than him—Hyein a breathtaking doll who filled his days with constant almond scent hugs, and random strings of long conversation, and Juhli who was quieter, with a blunt, sarcastic nature who could be damned annoying. But she was mostly level—headed and bright smiles.

 

He loved both of them.

 

He had his friends as Yunho did.

 

He also had his ‘cute’ friendship, as Juhli described Yunho’s relationship with his friends.

 

“Yunho.” Juhli folded her legs and unscrew the cat on her water bottle.

 

The teen nodded at her.

 

Their lunch break had just begun.

 

“Heard you are having a tea party?”

 

“Huh? Tea party?”

 

She bobbed her head, pretty eyes slitting.

 

“Ooh! The tea. No. It is not a party, actually. I just invited a few of my friends to come over and try Poppi’s tea.” Yunho paused, eyes resting on a beaming Juhli. “You are invited, too.”

 

“That's exactly what I wanted to hear.”

 

She raised her hand for a high five. It took Yunho a moment to deduced that. He raised his hand a moment later and pressed it against hers. She cocked her head back and laughed before quickly wrapping her fingers around his long, well—shaped fingers and gave them a light squeeze and scooted back, dropping her hand to her lap.

 

He chuckled.

 

Yunho studied his surrounding and asked, “Where is Jaejoong?”

 

“He is buying something. Drinks, I think.” She finished with a large smile. “But I can keep you company.”

 

He laughed. “Sure, thanks. I was getting scared for a moment that I would be all alone until Jaejoong joined me.”

 

Yunho was easily the guy with the most friends in their large group.

 

“I am captain—save—all—loners.” Juhli continued the joke.

 

They shared a pure, genuine smile.

 

Juhli’s eyes glittered with stars.

 

With the duty to prepare for the festival taking priority, students were not expected to come in for combat and weapon handling training for that part of the summer. But, Yunho and a few other YI members would sometimes stay after training, if they were not completely exhausted, and do YI practice for a bit—they mainly practiced their weapon handling and engage in friendly competition.

 

It could be fun—practicing without a demanding instructor. Plus, it was a great way to hone their skills for the next annual Youth Infantry games. The games took place every year, with the sports played separated by seasons. The teams would compete against local schools until the winner of each sixty departments would meet nationally and the winner would be crowned the state winner for the year until the next games. The national games were streamed all over the country and most of the country tuned in.

 

Students who were not part of their school YI could try out for the different teams, and if they meet requirements would be allowed to join.

 

Yunho was on three of his school YI team: the archery team, shooting team, and the soccer team—which measured agility, speed, and strength. He excelled in shooting and most of his gold medals had been won for it with a few from archery.

 

Yunho had an affinity for guns. And that love had manifested in perfectly aimed, clean shots using all models.

 

Many students favored shooting guns, spears, arrows, and tridents—these were some of the most popular sporting games.

 

Jaejoong did not like weapons, because he didn’t like what they meant—death. But, it was required of citizens to at least know how to operate a gun and be able to make clean shots. Therefore, though Jaejoong was not a member of the YI, other than his required trainings, he would sometimes join the evening training sessions when he was invited by his classmate(s) and practice in perfecting his aim.

 

Yunho informed Jaejoong that he would be staying after for an hour to train during lunch. He gave Jaejoong a heads up because they walked together in the evenings.

 

Juhli overheard the conversation and asked Yunho if she could join, he said it would be his pleasure with a large smile that ate his face.

 

Jaejoong actually planned to go home without Yunho, but when he looked at him with eyes filled with expectations after his friend’s request to join him, Jaejoong found his wrists cuffed.

 

Sighing, massaging his forehead where he felt a headache of exhaustion coming he mumbled, “I’ll join too.”

 

He really did not want to and wished Yunho would be a bit preceptive at that moment and released him from his promise. Yunho didn’t.

 

Yunho wanted to be with Jaejoong and would take every opportunity he was presented.

 

Yunho quickly grabbed his wrists, face pleased, eyes gleaming with excitement. “Yay! I cannot wait to see your weapon handling skills.” He added, biting his bottom lip.

 

The look in his eyes and playful bite of his full bottom lip did things to Jaejoong he rather forgot. He was too tired for this butterflies business .

 

“Don’t hold too much expectations.” His tone was bland, coated with fatigue. He freed his arms.

 

Yunho dropped a hand to rest on Jaejoong's knee, his body warmth seeping through to seared Jaejoong’s flesh, making him jittery.

 

Hyein overheard part of the conversation between the males as she dropped next to her friends, newly bought bottles of juice in her hands. Juhli, closest to her, quickly reached for her own juice.

 

“What are you two talking about?” she asked, handing Jaejoong his lemonade and Yunho his orange juice.

 

“Thank you.” Both boys said in unison. Yunho searched for Jaejoong’s eyes and they shared a soft smile at their synchronization.

 

Yunho started removing the soft plastic cap and answered Hyein, “We’re staying after for YI practice— weaponry handling. Want to join us?”

 

She looked at Jaejoong who was quietly sipping his cold drink.

 

Yunho slung an arm around Jaejoong, bringing him too close. He could smell the saltiness on Yunho’s skin and feel the warmth radiating from his handsome friend’s firm body.

 

Mother Nature, why him?

 

“He is staying.” Yunho added for an overheated Jaejoong.

 

“I will too, then.”

 

And so Jaejoong found himself watching Hyein hit objects after objects with her gun and bow and arrow, moving from the different stations in the school spacious, luxurious Training Center.

 

The weapon room was stacked from top to bottom with a wide variety of weapons, from the sophisticated to the crude. It mirrored what most campus Training Centers weapon room.

 

The weapons were not the only things sophisticated, the different training stations were built for all imagined scenarios.

 

Students got the chance to shoot at moving and stilled objects—the models looked like humans and bleed red when hit and killed. Seeing the red was celebrated. The hunting and killing of animals during the Youth Club camping trips has desensitized many students to the act of killing and death. Life that that did not belong to Peyisivil did not matter to them. Life had lost its pure, fundamental meaning.

 

Hyein, though tiny and cute like a fairy, was agile and dangerous.

 

Something that half surprised and terrified Jaejoong.

 

The look of pure glee in her countenance with each drawing of the artificial blood made the scared feelings take precedence over admiration.

 

He asked her what he was thinking. “Heyin, why didn’t you join the Youth Infantry?”

 

Letting her arrow fly to its target, right in the eye, red spilled out, Hyein stepped back and flipped wavy strings of hair over her delicate shoulder. She looked up at Jaejoong, smile secretive. “I like singing better. I got to choose. Though, I had to sign up to be a first responder.” Her tone denoted that she did not believe there would ever be a need for her to be called on to go to battle.

 

That quiet confidence she exuded commended admiration.

 

“Good shot.” Yunho howled, cupping his hands around his heart shaped lips.

 

The two looked over to where Yunho stood next to a beaming Juhli, but he was looking at Jaejoong and his small companion.

 

Yunho caught the two’s gaze and waved, patted Juhli on the shoulder and ran to Jaejoong and Hyein.

 

“Are you two practicing hard?” he asked, and—as Jaejoong expected, given he already tensed up—Yunho slightly stepped behind him and wrapped his arm around his shoulders, pushing his red snapback hat back, his short fringes glued to his forehead with sweat. The sportive teen rested his chin on top of Jaejoong’s shoulder, and shock Jaejoong when he actually sniffed him.

 

Yunho had done that by mistake. Jaejoong’s lemongrass scent was simply comforting.

 

Yunho’s whole essence encompassed him and his stomach clenched, his world whirled, giving him whiplash and taking all of his oxygen.

 

The vocalist thanked Mother Nature that Yunho was not pressing his front on his back side. He does not believe he would have been able to endure that.

 

Jaejoong was too tired, and his body’s unconscious reaction tired him more and angered him. He scowled.

 

“Yes, we are, general.” Hyein saluted, beaming, and Jaejoong elbowed him.

 

“Hey.” Yunho chortled, snorting a bit, stepping back to grab his abdomen.

 

Jaejoong took in a light breath of relief at the distance between them.

 

“It’s too hot, and you—” Instead of reprimanding Yunho for smelling him as he had, Jaejoong ended up stammering, flustered, cheeks darkening.

 

Yunho’s smile slowly left when he saw his friend’s stiff, troubled expression. And the way he was avoiding his gaze, staring at Hyein instead.

 

“Hey, sorry. I’ll stay away.”

 

“You can lean on me, Yunho. Wait.” Hyein put up a finger, taking in the boys’ expressions outlined with surprised and corrected herself. “I can lean on you. I am as touchy as you are.”

 

An understatement.

 

Yunho laughed first. Hyein was the second to follow. Jaejoong was frozen.

 

“No thanks. I fear I would crush you.”

 

Yunho warmed up to Hyein then. She was a card. He liked comedic people, reason he loved Sungyeol in all his annoying glory.

 

“Say what!”

 

While the two played around, Jaejoong retreat in his shell.

 

Yunho noticed his friend’s knitted eyebrows and the weary look in his eyes.

 

Do Jaejoong truly not want to be here?

 

Yunho opened his mouth to say something when someone shouted “Stop!”

 

Everyone that was in attendance stilled and looked at the owner, to everyone’s shock it was Myungsoo. Standing in front of him was Jihun clutching Sungyeol’s arm, taking a slight step back, dragging his talkative friend with him.

 

“Wow.” Jaejoong’s utterance of surprise broke the spell that was over Yunho.

 

Yunho asked, jogging toward the trio, “What’s wrong?”

 

Looking shamed faced, Myungsoo shook his head. “Nothing. We are fine.”

 

“Sorry,” Jihun said, fingers cuffed around Sungyeol’s wrist he yanked the lanky teen with the guilty eyes and tiny grin after him.

 

“Are you sure you are fine?” Yunho confirmed, looking away from his departing friends.

 

Inhaling, Myungsoo nodded. “Yeah. Just Sungyeol being his normal self.” He flipped away from Yunho and positioned his revolver and arms and fired three shots, one after the other, and they all hit the moving targets on mark.

 

He was angry.

 

“And Jihun?” Yunho submitted.

 

“Him too,” Myungsoo mumbled, before he readied his revolver and sent bullets flying again.

 

Yunho knew his friend would not be adding anything more.

 

“Okay.” He applied light pressure on Myungsoo’s shoulder and walked back to where Jaejoong and Hyein were. On his way back, he saw Changmin next to Juhli. They were smiling and laughing as they talked/bantered.

 

“Is he okay?” Hyein quickly asked, all the while focusing on her target.

 

“He said he is.”

 

She let go of her arrow at the same time as he began his answer and hit the target, a bit off the center when he concluded.

 

“Good then,” she said, looking up at him with a light smile.

 

Yunho shook his head.

 

Jaejoong inhaled, gripped his gun, lifted it and position to practice.

 

“Can you make the center three in a row?” Yunho asked, lurking over Jaejoong’s shoulder.

 

His hands trembled. He wished he could tell Yunho to step back. Give him space to breathe and think.

 

“Prob not.”

 

“I don’t believe you,” Hyein said, focusing on him now.

 

“Don’t have high expectations,” he grumbled and inhaled again— mistake because he inhaled in Yunho’s musky scent. He was too damned close.

 

Jaejoong steadied his arms and legs. “Here I go.” He said. Unblinking, he pressed the trigger.

 

He made one bull-eye, two of the others were slightly off, hitting the top of the shoulder and bicep.

 

“See,” he deadpanned, voice devoid of feelings and looked at Yunho and Hyein.

 

“For someone who said to not have high expectations, you’re pretty good.” Yunho said, slapping him on top of his shoulder.

 

“That’s at least to be expected from a citizen.”

 

Hyein and Yunho shared a look and chuckled at the truth of his statement.

 

Jaejoong was right. They've had their hands on deadly weapons since they were six-year-old. The least expected from him as a Peyisivil citizen was to be able to use numerous of weapons with ease and to be able to hit a target—moving or stilled.

 

“What about you, Yunho?” Jaejoong smirked at Yunho who returned his smile, holding Jaejoong's playful gaze.

 

Was that mischief he saw in Jaejoong’s eyes? Yunho wondered, fired—up.

 

“What about me?”

 

“As the general of our school YI, I expect you to be able to hit the bullseye every time with ease?” He cocked his head, grin smug, extending his hand with the gun hanging.

 

“Yes, general Jung.” Hyein teased in a deep singsong voice, wiggling her eyebrows.

 

“Of course.” Yunho accepted Jaejoong’s challenged.

 

Holding his gaze, Yunho reached for Jaejoong's rifle and took it. Taking position, he lifted his arms and the gun.

 

“Don't hurt your jaws.”

 

Jaejoong chuckled. “Don’t worry. We will not be gasping in awe.”

 

Hyein sidestepped Yunho and clung next to Jaejoong, crossing her arms over her small chest, watching a confident Yunho free his first bullet.

 

With complete ease, as if he was not being closely watched, Yunho let the bullets fly, the stink of gunpowder increasing in the Center. His bullets hit different spot of the body, but he made a killing when two of his bullets smashed in the two different eyes of the dummy, and one hit its temple.

 

“I feel impressed and scared at the same time.” Jaejoong chuckled awkwardly, clearing his throat.

 

The same fear he felt toward Hyein filled him, scrambling his belly in a ball of nervousness.

 

“Be impressed. I am a good asset to have in dangerous situations. I am also good with many other weapons.” He winked at Jaejoong.

 

Hyein was impressed and pulled Yunho in a conversation, which quickly tumbled into a friendly competition.

 

Changmin and Juhli joined up with them and cheered the duo on as they competed to show who was superior.

 

After practice the group grabbed dinner from the family restaurant they frequented.

 

Sungyeol and Myungsoo silently fought over whatever angered him during training.

 

Whatever it was did not appear to bother Sungyeol because he clung to Jihun, which seemed to anger Myungsoo more. But Sungyeol appeared to thrive off that anger, and seemed to want to fuel it.

 

After dinner as they walked home and began separating, the best friends started verbally fighting. Sungyeol screamed something that did not make sense and Myungsoo imprisoned his wrist and dragged him away into the darkness. They didn’t say goodnight.

 

“Will they be okay?’ Hyein asked, furrowing her delicately shaped eyebrows.

 

“Yep.” Changmin jubilantly nodded.

 

“That’s just them.” Jihun grinned down at the tiny girl who gave him the stink eye.

 

“You angered him. Did you apologize?”

 

“Wha—? I didn’t. He just...You know Myungsoo. That one is sensitive.”

 

“Make him apologize,” Hyein shouted, grabbing Jihun’s wrist painfully. She was stronger than she looked. The boy’s grin was too wide to hint at any remorse.

 

“, you are strong.”

 

Hyein’s grin was scary. “I know.” She gave his wrist a squeeze, making Jihun grin deeper.

 

“They will be fine.” Yunho waved Hyein’s concern away with a confident, reassuring look.

 

She stared at him for a few seconds before she shrugged and muttered, “Okay.” Freeing Jihun she dusted her fingers.

 

“Excused you?” Jihun arched an eyebrow. Hyein rewarded him an unimpressed look.

 

“If Sungyeol didn’t want to talk to him he would have not let him dragged him away,” Changmin loudly said, answering Juhli’s quiet question to him.

 

“Are you sure they’re fine?” Jaejoong reiterate Hyein’s previous question in a softer tone.

 

Yunho simply nodded, eyes warm.

 

Myungsoo and Sungyeol would be alright. They always were.

 

No one was worried.

 

"Tomorrow you'll see."