Changkyun shifts anxiously in his seat, twiddling with his thumbs as Jooheon tries to get Kihyun to speak. Hoseok looks over at him, recognizing his nervous tendency, and sets a gentle hand atop Changkyun's hands whilst trying to give him a comforting smile. Changkyun returns the expression as best he can, leaning closer to the older instinctually.  

"Are you okay, hyung?" Jooheon says, resting a hand on Kihyun's thigh. It's an innocent enough gesture between two boys who've known each other for as long as these two have, but, after what Minhyuk had said about Jooheon having a crush on the older, Changkyun can't help but raise a suspicious brow. Jooheon, of course, remains oblivious to it.  

"Yeah... Yeah, I'm fine," Kihyun replies, chuckling softly to himself. He sniffles a little, glancing over at Minhyuk. The black-haired man stands in the doorway to the living room, still heaving in air and giving off the impression he'd literally just run here from Hyungwon's place. Which is impossible, of course, as Hyungwon's apartment is all the way across town... But, then again, if anyone were able to pull that off it's Minhyuk. 

"Kihyunnie, did you not hear me?? He's packed! He's sitting there with one foot out the door! He—" 

"He made his choice!" Kihyun bursts out, turning with an icy glare set in his eyes. Changkyun literally shivers, shifting even closer towards his boyfriend. Hoseok wordlessly wraps an arm around him, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously. Kihyun stands from his seat, Jooheon watching him with frightened eyes. 

"God knows why you went over when I told you to keep out of it," Kihyun begins, his voice so low the others have to lean in to hear him, the venom practically dripping from his lips, "but just st—" 

"BECAUSE YOU TWO ARE BEING MORONS!!!" Minhyuk screams, completely exasperated.  

It's so quiet in the room you could hear a pen drop for a good minute or two, the same-age friends stuck in some sort of silent glaring contest. Jooheon glances between the two, struck suddenly by how similar they look like this: defiantly set in their own sides of an argument, equally deathly glares boring into each other's very souls.  

Finally, Minhyuk sighs, his eyes and shoulders dropping in a sort of defeated manner. 

"Look," he says, his voice much quieter than normal, "I don't want to kick you while you're down. But, please, go over there. Fight for him to stay... I can't watch you two throw away your chances with each other. I never would have thought it, but you two are really good together... Wonnie... I've never seen him as happy as he is when you two are together, and I've known him for years. You helped open him up to the world, to bring him out of that ty apartment and show him just what's out there. You made him care again. If you'd just—" 

"If he cared so much," Kihyun interrupts, his voice hardened to fight off the threatening influx of tears, "then he wouldn't be leaving for the entire summer. He'd try and fix this. But, instead, he's running away. So, please, just let it go. For real this time."  

Minhyuk chews on his bottom lip, everything in him telling him to try and fix this. But, what else can he do? There's no helping those who won't help themselves, no matter how much you want there to be... 

"Fine," Minhyuk mutters, turning to leave. "I hope you two wake up soon and realize what you're doing... before it's too late." He then marches out of the house, softly closing the door behind him as he goes. It's a much less dramatic exit than the one he'd performed at Hyungwon's apartment, but he feels it makes just as strong of an impact. 

Kihyun goes to sit back down next to Jooheon, practically deflating against the younger. His eyes flutter shut and his brow creases together, as if he's trying to collect his thoughts. Jooheon moves to wrap an arm around the older's waist, giving him a sort of half-hug. A certain kind of stillness overtakes the room, both Hoseok and Changkyun too nervous to say or do anything. 

Changkyun's phone, however, decides to shatter it after a moment, causing the boy to practically jump out of his skin in surprise. He glances down to see a message from Hyungwon, and can't help but glance nervously at Hoseok. Of course, Hoseok is blissfully unaware of the message, watching with a blank look how Jooheon begins to rub soothing circles into Kihyun's side. 

I'm leaving next Wednesday... I don't want a dramatic goodbye at the airport ㅋㅋㅋ but if u wanna see me b4 I leave, we can meet up 

I'm pretty sure Min-hyung is mad at me... but if he wants 2 come 2, it'll be ok 

Anyone's welcome 

Idk abt Kihyun... 

Depends on him 

Changkyun watches as the different texts come in, one right after the other. It's a telltale sign that the older is nervous about texting this, or, moreover, mentioning Kihyun's name even over text. He locks his phone, putting away the messages for now. He'll have to think about the best way to respond to that for a good long while... 

"Kkungie," Hoseok says suddenly, causing the younger boy to jump again. "Did you still want to go to the mall today?" Changkyun's brow creases in confusion, quite unsure what the older could be talking about. He never said he'd wanted to go to the mall... 

Hoseok quirks up his brow in a silent message, one that Changkyun immediately understands and has him agreeing. 

"Oh! Yeah, definitely," he says, quickly standing from his seat. He looks over to Kihyun, who's watching with a lazy sort of gaze, eyes barely open. "We'll see you later, okay hyung? Please, if you need anything, just text me." Kihyun smiles softly, a single chuckle slipping past his lips. 

"I'll be fine, Kyunnie," he assures his dongsaeng, though he can't much get the strength to move right then. "Thank you." Changkyun nods, as does Hoseok before the couple leaves him and Jooheon to themselves. Kihyun releases a heavy breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, pouting as he snuggles close to Jooheon. 

"I don't know what I did wrong, Heonney..." he mutters, hiding his face in the younger's shoulder as his voice breaks. Jooheon gulps nervously, unable to keep himself from hugging Kihyun even tighter to himself, his heart absolutely breaking for his childhood friend. 

"Absolutely nothing, hyung. You did absolutely nothing wrong." 

Changkyun hurries after Hoseok down the sidewalk, panting slightly as he reaches for the boy's hand. Hoseok takes it seemingly out of instinct, breathing deeply as he uses the touch to ground himself. 

"What's the matter?" Changkyun asks softly, recognizing the dark light in Hoseok's eyes. The older tries for a light laugh, but it comes out more pained than anything. 

"I just couldn't sit there and watch them be like that anymore," Hoseok answers, his voice deeper than usual. "Jooheon-ah couldn't have even waited a full forty-eight hours before making his move, could he?" Changkyun holds in his breath, recognizing his boyfriend's rhetorical tone. "I'm sorry, I know he's been your friend for a long time, but I just don't like how he's been all over Kihyunnie since he and Hyungwon split... It hasn't even been a week, and he's already moving in?? Hyungwon hasn't even left the country yet, for god's sake!" 

"Hyung," Changkyun interjects, his sense of defense rising for one of his best friends, "I'm sure Jooheonney-hyung doesn't mean anything by it. Or, at least, not for now. He knows better than to do that." 

"Then why did you react like you did when Jooheon-ah touched his thigh?" Hoseok asks bluntly, shooting the younger a skeptical glance. Changkyun blushes slightly, having not realized the older had noticed. He's always full of surprises, this one. 

"Those two have always been close," Changkyun says, not really answering the older's question. "Sure, when Kihyun and Hyungwon-hyung got together it sort of staved off, but they've always relied on each other... They've known each other for their whole lives, it's only normal that Jooheonney-hyung try to comfort him. It was a completely friendly gesture... I'm sure of it." Changkyun can't even tell if he's trying to convince Hoseok or himself, at this point, but his boyfriend seems to buy it, and that's good enough for him. 

Hoseok nods, humming at his words as he pulls Changkyun closer. The younger swallows down a ball of guilt, feeling as if he's just lied to his boyfriend, despite that not being his attention at all.