Changkyun watches with watering eyes as Kihyun saunters off towards the kitchen to freshen up their drinks. His chest hurts and his face burns, but he isn’t stopping yet. He has to get this out tonight, one way or another. And, if that means drinking himself stupid, then so be it.

Jooheon, his roommate, suddenly pops up at his side, chuckling knowingly.

“You don’t look too good, Kkungiiie,” the older male says simply, albeit through slurred words. Changkyun glances over at him, his vision swimming ever so slightly, and a high-pitched giggle escapes his pursed lips.

“Hyuuuung, you’re -faced~” he teases, pushing Jooheon off him. Jooheon pouts at this, leaning closer to his ear.

“I’m taking a paaaage from your bOOk, Changkyunnniieeee,” Jooheon whispers into his ear. Or, at least, he thinks he’s whispering, but really he’s shouting about as loud as he can to be heard over the roaring blood in his own ears. Changkyun in a sharp breath, his hand flying up to his lips.

“You mean you’re gonna tell hyung how you feel???” he asks surprisedly, his own shock causing him to fall back against the couch. Jooheon chuckles and nods, but then pouts again in confusion.

“Wait, which hyung?” he asks, utterly befuddled as to who the maknae could be referring. Changkyun only laughs at this, feeling it pretty obvious who he’s referencing. After all, Jooheon’s only been following one hyung around like a lost little bee for the past few weeks, and that’s Minhyuk.

“You look like you’re having fun, Jooheonney,” Kihyun comments, reappearing before the two youngest of their group with drinks in his hands. Jooheon hums, beaming from ear to ear to reveal his dimples. He stands then, wobbling a bit at first before regaining his senses and stomping off, muttering something about having to find a certain blue-haired boy. Kihyun laughs to himself, shaking his head at his dongsaeng. He retakes his seat beside Changkyun and hands him the drink, which Changkyun takes gratefully.

He drains at least half of it before he realizes it’s water he’s now drinking instead of that questionable punch from before. He raises his eyebrow questioningly, looking to the older for an explanation. Kihyun merely gives him a small smile, resting a hand atop his knee and squeezing affectionately.

“You need to pace yourself, Kyunnie,” he tells him gently. “I don’t want to have to drag your home across campus again, even though I will…” Changkyun’s heart swells at this, and it could be the drinks from before, but he feels himself falling for his hyung all over again.

He’s known Kihyun for almost two years now, but he’s loved him, or has only been aware of such feelings, for the past couple months. Something about his caring nature, and how he’s so unapologetically brash when need be just did something to Changkyun that made him fall hard and fast.

Changkyun has had plenty of opportunities, mind you, to confess his true feelings. After all, they live in the same dorm building, and they’re in the same fraternity together… But, the younger man just could never find the nerves to confess to Kihyun just how he feels. He’d come up with this plan as a last-stitch effort, of sorts. Or, at least, Hyungwon had come up with it.

“You gotta just tell him how you feel already,” his lanky friend had demanded whilst they played video games only the day before. “There’s a party tomorrow night, and there’ll be plenty of booze to give you the courage to do it. You just gotta rip off the band-aid, at this point.”

And so, here Changkyun is, about to rip off the proverbial band-aid.

His skin tingles at the gentle, familiar touch on his knee, though it could very well be from the liquor. He watches Kihyun as he curiously watches the goings-on around them, how their friends Hyunwoo and Hoseok watch everything go on from the front door. Nothing too bad ever happens at these parties thanks to those to guardians always watching over all the guests.

Orange and purple neon lights pound over the dance area, reflecting on the white streamers of ghosts hanging from the ceiling. Changkyun’s gotta hand it to Minhyuk… He sure does know how to decorate for a Halloween party last minute.

The smallest of smiles plays across the older’s face, and Changkyun’s heart beats about twenty times faster than before. He’s pretty sure he’s about to have a heart attack, or throw up… or probably both.

“Hyung,” Changkyun says, knowing it’s now or never. His blood pounds in his ears, and he’s pretty sure he’s about to vom any second now. His grip on his cup of water tightens, and he downs the rest of it to wet his drying mouth. Kihyun turns to him curiously, and raises a single brow to prompt him to go on.

“I…” the younger mutters, chewing on his bottom lip. He focuses impossibly hard on his own coherency, having to get all this out just right in his overly-inebriated state. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, after all… “I’ve really enjoyed having you as a friend for all this time, getting closer with you… and I… I think… I know… that my feelings for you have grown to more than just friendliness.”

Kihyun chuckles under his breath, and Changkyun’s stomach drops. He’d known this would happen, but it doesn’t make the rejection any easier to handle. He kneads his bottom lip between his teeth, his gaze falling to his lap. A soft hand takes hold of his chin, though, and pulls his eyes back up to his friend.

“I know, Changkyunnie,” he tells his dongsaeng, his dazzling smile causing Changkyun’s breath to hitch, and the younger doesn’t even have time to catch it before Kihyun’s kissing him.

It tastes of tequila, lime, and cookies… and ends all too soon. Kihyun’s eyes twinkle affectionately at him, and Changkyun almost forgets there’s anyone else on the planet. All that matters is he’s just told Kihyun how he feels… and he wasn’t rejected. Hell, it was even accepted. This is the best thing to happen in his entire life!

Kihyun laughs breathily, and only pulls Changkyun closer to himself.

“Lie down, Kyunnie,” Kihyun instructs softly. Changkyun silently complies, setting his now-empty cup on the floor as he uses Kihyun’s lap as a pillow. The liquor is definitely getting to him now, and he’s grateful for the short reprieve from the incredibly difficult task of sitting up. Kihyun’s fingers play with his hair, and Changkyun hums at the wonderfully comforting feeling as his eyes fall shut on this most glorious Halloween night.