"Have a good holiday, you two!" Hoseok calls from the doorway, waving at his only two dongsaengs left in the dorm now. His Santa hat flops to the side when he whips his head away, gleefully turning to face his week of freedom as he closes the door with a resounding thud.

Minhyuk and Changkyun glance to each other, a question hanging in the silent air.

What to do now?

The older chuckles a second later, turning and flopping down on the sectional.

"All alone, now~" Minhyuk says, a smirk painting his handsome features. The sight alone is enough to make Changkyun melt. It practically makes his heart stop mid-beat. Changkyun gulps nervously, muttering some excuse about having lyrics to write, and escapes from the room without waiting for a response.

Minhyuk only watches him go, amusement sparking in his eyes. Before, he’d been questioning his decision to not leave the dorm for the holidays. Now, after seeing the maknae reacting so nervously to him, he knows he’s made the right decision.

 

I don’t know if I can do this, hyung…

Changkyun stares intently at the text he’d sent to Jooheon a whole two minutes ago. God, why has the older picked today of all days to take a century answering the simplest of texts??

Finally, just before the maknae sends another desperate plea for help, a new message comes in.

We’ve discussed this, Kkungie… You get alone with Minhyuk-hyung, tell him how you feel, and everything will be alright again. So, man up and do it. God knows the group has been suffering because of this…

He’ll say no, hyung. I know he will. Then it’d have just been better if I stayed quiet…

Changkyun-ah, stop that right now. You’ll do fine. Just… idk… plan something special and work from that. Pay for dinner, put on some music… Let loose a little ;)

Changkyun pauses, very much unsure if Jooheon had truly been the one to send that last text. His suspicions are confirmed at the next message.

Srry Kkungie… Kihyunnie-hyung stole my phone

You can’t say it was bad advice! comes a second later, only this time from Kihyun’s own phone. Jooheon answers back a second later complaining about the older butting in on a private conversation, to which Kihyun fires back a defense about having to because Jooheon had been ignoring him. Changkyun sighs exasperatedly, locking his phone and setting it aside. Of course those two were still together… They’ve been together for only a month, so they’re still in that honeymoon phase.

Changkyun just can’t wait until Jooheon gets put out by Kihyun’s incessant nagging and breaks up with him. He’s missed having his favorite hyung by his side…

The maknae pouts, staring up at the ceiling. He’s got to admit, Kihyun’s advice had struck a chord with him. Maybe if he were to order some of Minhyuk’s favorite pizza for dinner, and maybe put on some music… Maybe then he’d be able to get this thing off his chest he’s been hiding for months.

 

Hours later, there’s a knock at the front door. Minhyuk glances up confusedly from the television, frowning at the unplanned interruption in his regularly scheduled programming. He’s just about to drag himself up off the couch to answer when Changkyun suddenly bolts through the room, flinging the door open, and flinging money into the stranger’s hands only to receive a pizza box in return.

Minhyuk’s heart just about flips over in his chest at the sight, and his mouth immediately begins to water.

“What’s this, Kyunnie?” Minhyuk asks as Changkyun walks over with the biggest pizza Minhyuk has ever seen in all his life in his arms. It smells delicious, all that cheese and bread and sauce mingling together to create the best of aromas.

“I thought you might be hungry,” Changkyun explains, a slight blush coming to his cheeks, "so I ordered us some dinner." Minhyuk coos, moving over to make room for the younger. He reaches over to pull at Changkyun's chubby little face, only releasing his grip once he's decided the maknae's whined enough. Then they dive in, all thoughts of teasing thrown aside by the sight of the fresh pizza.

 

One thing any member can say about the other: when food is in the picture, you're sure not to get a peep out of anyone until it's all gone. Which doesn't take long, mind you, as all the members are used to starving themselves during promotions. Some don't even do it on purpose half the time. They're just all so busy they don't even think to eat until it's too late.

Once the pizza is sufficiently devoured, Minhyuk wipes his greasy hands off on his jeans and sighs contentedly as he turns his attention back to the television.

"That was a great idea, Kkungie," Minhyuk compliments, smiling a little as he watches Changkyun pick at the box nervously out of the corner of his eye. He's so cute when he's so nervous, the older can barely even stand it without kissing him right then and there.

"H-Hyung..." Changkyun mutters, chewing on his bottom lip. Minhyuk hums for him to go on, but the younger doesn't seem to be able to even look in his direction. Instead he looks over at the sparkling Christmas tree Kihyun had insisted they put up before everyone left in the corner, and then at the tea lights and holiday-scented candles he's sure Minhyuk had lit while he was hiding in their room. Kihyun is always sensitive to smells, and doesn't like it when Minhyuk lights things like this when he's around...

Of course, that could also just be because it's Minhyuk that's doing it, as he never has issue with Hoseok's different candles...

There's a soft tune playing on the television in front of them, and between that and the dim—some may say romantic—lighting, Changkyun suddenly feels a swell of pride within him. He returns his eyes to Minhyuk, smiling as he does so. The expression seems to lighten up the whole room, in Minhyuk's most unbiased (completely biased) opinion, and he finds himself smiling in return.

"Do you wanna dance, hyung?"

Minhyuk can't help but laugh at the seemingly silly question. But, he nods before he can talk himself out of it, deciding to go along with the maknae's suggestion. He stands, holding out a single hand only half-hidden by his overly-sized sweater. Changkyun's grin only grows as he takes it, and lets the older lead him closer to the hall where they'd have more room to sway about.

Changkyun can swear Minhyuk can hear his heartbeat as he's pulled close to the older's chest. He's suddenly very thankful for the dim lighting, as it helps to hide his growing blush at their proximity. The sounds of the emotional scene pour out from the television, and Changkyun can't help but gulp loudly as the male lead begins to pour his heart out to the beautiful woman in front of him. He his lips nervously, pulling away slightly mid-sway to meet Minhyuk's warm gaze.

"Hyung..." he murmurs, feeling the older's grip tighten on his waist. He takes comfort from the touch, using the pressure to ground himself in the moment. "Hyung, I like you. I like you as more than a friend, as more than a bandmate... I like you more than I know I should, but I can't help it." Minhyuk remains silent, just smiling down at his dongseng and showing no sign of having heard him. Changkyun frowns a little, wondering of the older had even listened. "I'm sorry if this affects our friendship negatively, or if you're angry with me because of this. But, I can't help it. It's how I feel, and—"

"Changkyun-ah," Minhyuk chuckles out finally, a hand drifting up to cup the younger's cheek. His eyes are shining brighter than any Christmas light Changkyun has ever seen, and the gaze leaves him breathless. "You don't think I know? I'm sorry to break it to you, but you're a very easy man to read. I could tell the moment you became attracted to me."

Changkyun gulps nervously, replaying all the times since he's come to the realization of his own feelings Minhyuk has given him side-glances, winked at him, made less-than-family-friendly jokes to him... He'd never dared to hope all that had been this beautiful man's attempts at flirting with him... Minhyuk's repeated laughter brings Changkyun's mind back to the present, and he playfully slaps at the older's chest.

"Why didn't you say anything, then?" he demands, pretending to be upset despite them both knowing how truly relieved he is.

"Because I knew you wanted to tell me yourself," Minhyuk tells him simply, shrugging. "I didn't want to take the moment away from you."

"I wish you had," the younger mumbles, his eyes falling to Minhyuk's sweater. "This was so nerve-wracking," he admits, earning another laugh from his hyung.

"Well then," Minhyuk says, his index finger hooking under Changkyun's chin and forcing him to look up. "Allow me to lift the burden a little~" He then leans in and kisses the younger, a swift, simple brush of the lips that makes the maknae's heart practically burst from his chest. He pulls back all too quickly for the younger's taste, earning an even bigger pout than before.

"You really think that'll make up for playing with me all this time?" Changkyun asks, already leaning up on his tiptoes to get closer to Minhyuk again. He goes in for only their second kiss, his eyes falling shut as he presses himself as close as he can get without knocking the man over with his body. Minhyuk laughs amusedly against the kiss, his arms dropping to loop around the younger's waist.

 

The two wander back over to the couch, their lips practically glued to each other as they go. Their hands wander around each other's bodies, seemingly trying to map out every curve and slope they'd only glanced at before. They get to know each other better without words but with action, the drama still playing before them but long-forgotten.

 

Eventually, the drowsiness from eating such a heavy dinner hits them, and they're left a bit breathless from their silent conversation. They still peck at each other's lips and skin, not wanting it to end, but with less of a curiosity than before.

They fall asleep like this, cuddled up together on the sectional, holding onto each other like their lives depend on it. When they wake up they can't tell for a moment if they're still dreaming or not, the events of the night before all seeming like a wonderful dream they never want to wake up from.