Kihyun sets the last of the food down on the dining table, smiling contentedly at the spread he’s concocted in just a few short hours. He hadn’t meant to make so much food, but his guilt at breaking Jaekwan’s heart today seems to have lit a fire under his . Or, rather, his guilt over his lack of guilt at breaking Jaekwan’s heart.

He wishes he felt bad, he really does, but this has happened so many times now he’s become desensitized to it.

“Wow, hyung,” Changkyun’s voice suddenly comments, earning a prompting glance from the older. Changkyun ventures further into the dining room, his smile growing impossibly wide at the sight greeting him. “This is amazing…” He then closes the distance between them, hugging the older from behind and nuzzling his face cutely into his shoulder. “You’re such a good cook, hyung~! I can’t wait until we can start eating."

Kihyun pushes an amused breath through his pursed lips, recognizing the cute ploy for what it is: an attempt to get some food into him before they’re actually supposed to start eating.

“To the living room with you,” Kihyun commands, prying the maknae’s arms off him and gesturing him away. Changkyun pouts, but complies with the older’s words, grumbling about how nicer he’d been when they were dating. Kihyun only rolls his eyes, completely ignoring the attempt at guilting him into complying with his request.

It’s a good thing Minhyuk-ah invited Hyunwoo and his roommate over, Kihyun thinks, though he’d never verbally admit it in a million years. He could just imagine how much crap Minhyuk would give him for it, and he’d much rather stick to his initial stance than have to deal with that.

As if on cue, Kihyun can hear the sudden swinging-open of the front door, and Jooheon’s terrified yell from the couch. He chuckles to himself, shaking his head as he leaves the room to greet the guests.

Hoseok follows Minhyuk and Hyunwoo from a distance, thinking it best so as to avoid Minhyuk’s swinging limbs. He pulls excitedly at Hyunwoo’s arm, jumps around the sidewalk, and exhibits all the behaviors of a child whose just had way too much candy. Not that Hoseok particularly minds, though. He’s always found his roommate’s boyfriend’s endless energy to be a sort-of comfort for him, reminding him of his own little brother back home.

They come to the apartment building soon enough, and Minhyuk leads them through the dingy lobby, past the questionable-looking elevator.

“That thing has been broken down for months,” Minhyuk explains at Hyunwoo’s questioning glance. “Luckily, we only live on the third floor, so it isn’t too much of a climb. I feel bad for the ers living up on the fifteenth floor…” He adds the last bit in a dark chuckle, and Hyunwoo and Hoseok share a questioning glance.

It isn’t often that Minhyuk shows his sadistic side, and it’s always a shock when he does. Hoseok’s left wondering if Minhyuk didn’t have it out for the residents on the fifteenth floor, and didn’t somehow sabotage the elevator to get back at them or something…

Minhyuk bursts through the fifth door on the left after they exit the stairwell, the door bouncing back on the wall with a slight thud. There’s a yell of surprise from the room, and Hoseok has to bite back a chuckle. He glances over to see Jooheon, holding a hand to his chest and his mouth opened in a wide oval of shock. Changkyun’s giggling next to him on the couch, hugging himself round the middle. Hyungwon doesn’t even glance up from the phone in his long fingers, as if this scene is nothing new.

“You’re gonna punch a hole in the wall if you keep doing that, and I’m not paying for anything you damage, Minhyuk-ah.”

Hoseok turns at the unfamiliar voice, and feels his heart clam up his throat. A slightly-shorter man is staring at him with an unreadable smirk, pink hair pushed back to reveal a widow’s peak. His eyes shine, and Hoseok finds himself gulping anxiously. He shuffles in his stance, chewing uncertainly on his bottom lip.

“You must be Hoseok,” the man says, closing the distance between them enough to extend a friendly hand. “I’m Kihyun, Minhyuk’s roommate. I’ve heard a lot about you…” There’s something different in Kihyun’s tone, something about the way he’s watching Hoseok… It’s enough to set the man on edge.

“L-Likewise,” Hoseok stutters out, mentally chastising himself for his own stutter as he takes the younger’s hand. Kihyun’s smirk only grows at hearing it and squeezes his hand. It suddenly becomes hard to breathe, and he drops the hold as soon as he can. Kihyun’s eyes remain on him for a moment longer before he glances to Hyunwoo, and says how nice it is to see him again. Hoseok doesn’t quite hear, though, the pleasantries sounding a bit far off.

God, this guy is gorgeous… I can see why so many are willing to get broken up by him.

Kihyun’s suddenly clapping his hands, and herding the others towards the dining room. Hoseok quickly moves to follow, if for nothing more than to get Kihyun’s oddly pleasing gaze off him.

Unbeknownst to him, Minhyuk and Kihyun are sharing an all-too knowing glance behind his back, a silent exchange only those two could understand.

After a successful dinner, Hyunwoo and Hoseok leave with Hyungwon, Jooheon, and Changkyun in tow. Minhyuk stays back to help Kihyun with the cleanup before heading over to his boyfriend’s place to spend the night, and a comfortable silence fills the kitchen.

At least, until Minhyuk has enough of it.

“I don’t want you going after Hoseok,” Minhyuk pipes up, setting dishes onto the drying rack after wiping off any excess water. Kihyun hums, though it’s about as noncommittal as he can muster. Minhyuk seems entirely unconvinced.

“He’s too pure for you,” Minhyuk goes on to defend. “He’s one of those types that wears his heart on his sleeve, as I’m sure you could tell by how he was staring at you all night… He’s never been good at hiding how he feels. He always falls hard, and falls fast. I don’t want you breaking his heart with your usual antics.”

“You make it sound like I do all this on purpose…” Kihyun grumbles. “I’m just having fun. It’s their fault that they get too attached.”

“And I’m telling you,” Minhyuk defends, “he will get attached. So, don’t. Even. Go there.”

“We’re two grown men,” Kihyun tells Minhyuk with a tone of finality. “If we end up hitting it off, then so be it. There’s no helping attraction.”

Minhyuk sighs loudly, very much not liking Kihyun’s answer, but leaves it for now. He’ll have to keep an eye on them, though, just in case…