“What if I do find someone else?” Kihyun muses aloud, sounding only slightly spiteful. It's an idea he hasn't been able to shake since Hyungwon had called Jooheon the previous week. He looks questioningly at Jooheon and Changkyun, who are both frozen in the middle of taking long slurps of their jjajangmyeon. Kihyun purses his lips, his brow creasing. "If you try to slurp up that much at once, it's going to make sauce splatter everywhere and I absolutely refuse to clean that up." 

The two gulp nervously, setting down their chopsticks simultaneously.  

"Um... What do you mean, hyung?" Changkyun asks, trying to get the older's accusatory glare off him. It's making him sweat worse than a sinner in church. The question seems to sufficiently distract him, as Kihyun's shoulders fall and he releases a long breath. 

"Wonnie's worried I'm going to go out with someone else while he's gone," Kihyun goes on to say. "He even called Jooheonney about it... So, what if I do? What if I find someone else while he's gone? It isn't as if he technically even he wanted me to wait for him. He just said 'maybe when I get back we can fix things'… Why am I wasting my summer just waiting around for him? He's the one who wanted space, not me. So, why should I be the one feeling alone and shoved to the side just because he wasn't ready to man up and tell me how he feels??" 

Kihyun's very aware that he's ranting now, and that these two don't know the extent of why he and Hyungwon began arguing in the first place. So, really, they don't have a clue as to where that last question came from. 

"This is the last summer of my high school career, for god's sake!!! I shouldn't be sitting around here moping! I should go out, have fun... Hell, I should get laid!" 

Jooheon chokes on his own spit at this, a wild blush blooming on his cheeks. Changkyun presses his lips together in dismay, watching the two carefully as he pats Jooheon on the back. Kihyun merely chuckles at Jooheon's reaction, rolling his eyes. 

"I'm n-not sure that's the best way to think about it, hyung," Jooheon finally manages to say, chewing on his bottom lip thoughtfully. "I mean, if you feel like you should date around while Hyungwon-hyung is gone, you should, but I don't think you should just walk around looking to get some action, you know? The world's dangerous, and—" 

"Aiiiiiish, Jooheon-ah," Kihyun sighs loudly, leaning back on his hands. He tilts his head to the side, frowning a little. "I was only joking about that last part... kind of." 

Jooheon barely manages to meets Kihyun's eyes, and when he does his blush only worsens. His mouth goes dry, and he gulps loudly as his entire body goes rigid. There's something... unreadable in Kihyun's gaze, and Jooheon can't help but try and find the hope in it that the older is trying to suggest something about them, in particular.  

Changkyun frowns openly at this, dropping his hand on Jooheon's back and sitting back a couple inches. He clears his throat, crossing his arms over his chest. His two friends jolt to attention, blinking repeatedly as if they've just been snapped out of a daze. 

"Technically," Changkyun huffs out, hating himself for saying this, "unless you two explicitly said that you wouldn't date anyone else on this break, then you're okay to date someone else... But, I don't think it's a good idea. I highly doubt Hyungwonnie-hyung is even thinking of dating anyone else while he's in Japan." He doesn’t mean for that last statement to be such a guilt trip, but, hey, whatever works to keep Kihyun from acting on any wild notions works just fine. 

Kihyun sighs loudly, collapsing against the couch behind him. He leans his head back, staring up at the ceiling thoughtfully. 

"I'm not saying this to be mean," he tells his two friends, his voice a bit subdued. "I just... I feel so lost right now... I really thought things would work out with Hyungwonnie, and then they just fell apart so fast, and all because of—" He pauses then, going still as he realizes he was about to divulge too much information.  

All because of me... he silently adds, truly believing it. Jooheon can see the self-inflicted guilt as clear as if the older had said it, sorrow and regret shining in the boy's eyes. It's enough to make his heart break. 

"Hyung, I've told you," Jooheon can't help but say, leaning forward to stare intently into the older's eyes. "You didn't do anything wrong. You didn't cause this, you didn't—" 

"You don't know the full story, Heonney," Kihyun chuckles ruefully, his gaze falling. He can't bear to look into the younger's eyes, so full of honesty and undying loyalty. 

"I don't have to," Jooheon insists. "I know you. I know you'd never do anything to self-sabotage, it's not in your nature. You wanted things to work with Hyungwon-hyung, and wouldn't have intentionally done anything to risk that." 

Kihyun can't help but smile, though it's a faint whisper of the expression. He's so touched by the younger's words, by his earnest gaze, that he can't bring himself to say anything for a moment. Luckily, he doesn't have to. 

"I've gotta go," Changkyun suddenly interjects, standing from the table. Kihyun glances over at him, frowning at his tone. He sounds much tenser than before, his shoulders hunched forward and his entire torso rigid. 

"You okay?" Kihyun asks in concern, quirking up a brow. Changkyun only nods in reply, and mutters out some halfhearted excuse about needing to meet up with Hoseok before rushing from the room. Kihyun and Jooheon share a confused look, frowning after the maknae. 

Changkyun's first thought is to call Hyungwon and tell him to get his lanky back to Korea as fast as he can. Then he thinks that that's too dramatic, and that maybe he should call Minhyuk and fill him in on the situation... but then realizes that'd result in something much worse than if Hyungwon were to come back. 

I can't just sit by and do nothing, Changkyun thinks, replaying the scene he'd just escaped from. There had been... sparks there between his two hyungs.  

What the hell??? What was that??? As far as Hyungwon knows, Kihyun's patiently awaiting his return... But, clearly, Kihyun has different ideas. 

He has to fix this. He has to keep Kihyun from throwing everything away because of his broken heart. After all, that's got to be what this is. He's just hurt and confused and alone and is just looking for comfort wherever he can find it.  

So, with that in mind, he quickens his pace, a clear destination now in his mind.