“I can’t stand you sometimes,” Kihyun mutters, staring hard at his phone screen as he types out a response to his most impossible dongsaeng. Minhyuk glances over, seeming almost offended, but merely ‘hmmphs’ at seeing Kihyun isn’t actually talking to him.

“Talking to your future husband, I see,” he comments as he lazily returns his gaze to the drama playing on the television. Kihyun scoffs at his roommate’s comment and rolls his eyes.

“Just because we bicker doesn’t mean we’re getting married,” Kihyun grumbles. “We bicker, too, Minhyuk-ah. Does that mean we’re getting married, too?” Minhyuk yelps out a laugh, shaking his head at the retort.

“Nah,” he replies. “We’re too similar for that to work out. Besides, Kyunnie is so much more fun to play with than you~.” He winks teasingly at his same-age friend, to which Kihyun can only roll his eyes. Kihyun’s phone buzzes again. He sighs heavily as he reads Hyungwon’s response.

God, you’re such an annoying know-it-all sometimes…

Yah yah! Don’t call your hyung an annoying know-it-all, it’s disrespectful, he quickly replies.

Yeah, yeah, Hyungwon quickly sends back. A second message comes in, and it reads, I’ve got to get to class, I’ll text you when I’m done… We still on for tonight?

I don’t know, Kihyun types. Apparently I’m an insufferable know-it-all… How am I supposed to show my face in public with this new identity? How are you going to recognize me? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Aiiish, honestly hyung…

“What’s tonight?” Minhyuk suddenly asks, breaking through the pleasant bubble of peace that’s surrounded Kihyun, much as it always does whenever he’s talking with Hyungwon. He leans away, feeling as if he should protect the screen of his phone despite the conversation being entirely innocent. Minhyuk blatantly reading over his shoulder tends to have that effect on him.

“We’re just getting together for a project,” Kihyun explains, locking his phone casually. He in a breath through his front teeth as he can practically hear the slightly-older waggle his eyebrows suggestively. He stands from the couch to go to his room, absolutely done with this conversation now.

“For what class?” Minhyuk asks, following the shorter. “Anatomy? Are you going to point out different parts of each other’s bodies~? Oh, or maybe it’s chemistry? You know, to—” Kihyun doesn’t bother listening to the ending to that, instead choosing to slam the door in his face.

The young man throws himself onto his bed with a sigh, holding his phone close to his chest. Honestly, Minhyuk can be so insufferable sometimes… It makes him wonder why he puts up with it, why he’s put up with it for all these years.

 

“Wonnie,” Kihyun sighs tiredly, “why’re you being so damn difficult? This shot is just fine for the project!”

“There’s this weird shadow on my face,” Hyungwon explains, sounding incredibly exasperated as he points out the way the shadow cuts off half his face for the umpteenth time. Kihyun groans, throwing himself back against the chair in which he sits.

They’d been going back and forth for the good part of an hour now, just trying to find that perfect shot to use for their joint project. The shoot itself had gone incredibly well, but that was to be expected. The two always work fantastically together when it came to the photoshoot aspect of their projects, which is why they always get the highest marks, but this part is always the most grueling.

“The concept is mysterious,” Kihyun tells him as he drags his hands over his own face. “The shadow on your face adds an air of mystery, which is what we need.”

“That’s what everyone’s going to go for!” Hyungwon bursts out, gesticulating wildly with his hands. “If you want to be predictable, then fine, choose the photo. But, I think we’ve got a real winner in there that you haven’t considered yet!”

“We’ve gone through every frame!” Kihyun fires back. “We’ve chosen all but the last photo. Please, just let me add this so we can leave…”

“You’re really so eager to leave my presence that you’re willing to sacrifice our grade?” Hyungwon asks, poking out his bottom lip in a pout. Kihyun rolls his eyes at the typical tactic, both at how expected it is and how much of an effect it still has on him.

“Fine,” the older grumbles, earning a delighted smile from the taller, “but I’m not continuing this argument with you tonight.” He begins closing down the programs on his laptop to shut it off, adding, “I’ll look over the shots again in a couple days, and we can meet up again about it. If we still can’t agree on anything, then we’ll just have to take some more shots.”

“Fine by me,” Hyungwon says with a shrug. He pauses, watching his hyung’s almost hasty movements. “What’s the rush?” he can’t help but ask. “Hot date tonight or something?” Kihyun pushes an amused breath through his pursed lips at the question.

“As if,” he tells him, completely missing the younger’s relieved sigh as he bends over to slide his laptop into his bag. “I just want to get all this put away to discourage you from arguing with me anymore tonight.” Hyungwon chuckles, albeit a bit tensely.

“What else are you doing tonight?” he prods, leaning forward in his seat curiously. “Do you wanna grab something to eat, or see if we can catch a movie or something?” Kihyun stiffens ever so slightly at the suggestion. He turns his gaze to his dongsaeng, studying his expression. He seems casual enough, as does his tone… No, he means nothing romantic by it, surely. After all, it isn’t the first time they’ve hung out after all these project-meetings.

“We could catch a late showing of that new horror flick,” Kihyun says with a shrug. He mentally chastises himself for reading too much into the invitation. Minhyuk’s words from earlier had definitely gotten to him. Hyungwon nods quickly, and Kihyun nods as well. They both stand, heading for the exit quickly.

 

Barely anyone is in the theater throughout the movie. Of course, that’s to be expected considering how late it is. Hyungwon takes the chance to cuddle with Kihyun, snuggling into the older’s side with a little huff. Kihyun smiles warmly at his infuriating dongsaeng, his heart growing at how cute he can be sometimes.

They get some greasy fast food afterwards, as neither had a proper dinner before the meetup. They’re, again, the only two in the restaurant. But, it’s almost 1 am, so they just feel lucky to have found somewhere open. They do their best to keep quiet so as not to disturb the employees, but when they begin to argue about a particular part in the movie, all bets are off and they end up shouting at each other in aggravation as always.

 

“It didn’t work because she wasn’t scared of her father anymore,” Kihyun tells his dongsaeng as they exit the restaurant. “She had overcome her fear of him when she left her house.”

“I get that,” Hyungwon says in a huff. “I’m just saying, if that thing was as powerful as he was supposed to be, it should’ve been able to find out her next fear. No one is fearless.”

“But then that’d have opened us up to the question of how she’d gotten that fear. It’d have been an open end.”

“So? What’s so wrong with open endings?”

“They already had an open ending,” Kihyun sighs. “It would’ve just been annoying to have another one, just like this conversation.”

“Fine, fine,” Hyungwon mumbles, crossing his arms over his chest to combat the cold of the night. Their breaths mingle together in huffs of smoke, and the tips of their noses and cheeks begin to redden despite the short amount of time they’d been outside. Kihyun glances around, frowning at how empty the street is.

“Want me to walk you home?” Kihyun offers, studying their surroundings in an almost intimidating manner. Hyungwon can’t help but smile at the typical behavior. He always gets overprotective like this after they watch a horror movie late at night. Hyungwon hums, going to his pocket for his phone.

It’s then he realizes the lack of a jingle in his pocket. He gulps, his eyes shifting down to the pockets of his jacket as he pulls them inside-out. He then frantically checks his pants pockets, but comes up empty once again. He checks the time on his phone, and huffs out a small whine. Jooheon and Hyunwoo are dead to the world by now… No way would he be able to get either of them up to let him in.

Kihyun raises an unamused brow at his actions, knowing all too well what it means. He swears, his dongsaeng can be so ditzy sometimes.

“Actually, hyung,” Hyungwon mumbles, smiling sweetly at the older, “could I crash at your place~? I seem to have forgotten my keys.”

“You’d forget that gorgeous head of yours if it weren’t already connected,” Kihyun says exasperatedly. He grabs Hyungwon by the arm and pulls him close, and then begins to lead them both in the direction of his apartment. “The least you can do to repay me is help keep me warm,” he grumbles, the cold around them seeping into his jacket and making it entirely ineffectual. If he’d have known he was going to be out so late, he’d have grabbed a thicker coat.

His bitterness makes him completely miss the way Hyungwon’s cheeks grow even redder at the contact.

 

The two reach Minhyuk and Kihyun’s apartment not too long after. They hurry into the warmth of the building, and climb the stairs to the fifth floor. They remove their shoes at the door and take off their coats, both breathing relievedly at the heat. The two then make their way to Kihyun’s room. Kihyun takes off his pants and shirt, and crawls under his sheets with a smile. Hyungwon takes a little longer, finding a pair of sweat pants that’s entirely too big for Kihyun to wear, and a shirt that’d also be a bit big on the shorter, but end up fitting him perfectly. He changes quickly and slides in beside his hyung.

Kihyun casually wraps an arm around the younger as he snuggles into his side, much like he’d done in the theater, like he’d done a thousand times before.

“Night, hyung,” Hyungwon mumbles thickly, obviously already falling asleep. Kihyun chuckles breathily, admiring for once how quickly Hyungwon can pass out like this.

“Goodnight, Wonnie.”

 

Later, they’ll describe this night as the most perfect first date they could have ever hoped for. But, for now, it’s just another typical night for them.