“Good afternoon, how can I help-” Jisoo stopped his usual greeting when he saw who the customer was. “Oh, ehm, hey. What would you like?”

“Can I get a caramel latte?” Seungcheol answered.

“Of course, coming right up.” Jisoo smiled at him and he caught himself thinking that he somehow thought it was adorable that this intimidating guy drank caramel lattes. “Oh, I forgot to ask you if you want to drink it here or to go?”

“That depends. Do you have some time? I need to talk to you about something.”

“Ehm, sure I guess.” Jisoo had no idea what he could possibly want to talk with him about. Sure they had a good time at the club the other night (before the whole fighting incident), but they had rarely even spoken to each other besides that. However, there was probably no harm in hearing him out about whatever it was that he wanted to talk about. “Can it wait though? I get off in like 20 minutes.”

“I'll drink my coffee here then.”

A good thirty minutes later Jisoo walked over to the table Seungcheol was sitting at. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Is it okay if we walk around and talk instead of staying here? I don't really like hanging out here if I'm not getting paid for it.”

Seungcheol got up from the table and nodded, “Sure.”

“Do you want a piece of carrot cake? I was supposed to throw these away, but they're still fine. It seems like such a waste all the food we throw away. I'm not actually sure if I'm officially allowed to take them, but no-one told me I wasn't and I didn't ask, so...” He held out a small paper bag with cake inside of it and offered it to Seungcheol, but he didn't move to take it from him.

“No, thanks.” Was all the reply Jisoo got and he wondered where the charming man from the club had gone to. At that time they had talked, laughed, danced, flirted. Or perhaps that last one had been Jisoo's imagination fueled by alcohol. Now they were just walking in an awkward silence while Jisoo munched on his carrot cake. “So, ehm...what's up? You had something to talk to me about?” He turned his head to look at Seungcheol who was walking half a step behind him and found that his eyes were already on him.

When their eyes met Seungcheol's head made a weird jerk movement as if he was just woken up from a dream or deep thought. He quickly regained his posture, however, and finally started talking, “Yeah. First of all, sorry for showing up like that, but I thought it would be weird if I just sent you a message suddenly since you never actually gave me your number. I only have it from the group chat...”

“Weirder than you suddenly showing up at my workplace?” His voice was serious, but his eyes were smiling. Something that Seungcheol didn't pick up on as he looked like he was about to have a breakdown trying to explain why it wasn't weird that he just showed up. Jisoo chuckled, “I'm joking. Relax.” Jisoo slowed down so he was no longer walking ahead of him, “How do you know where I work anyway?”

“You told me. When we were at W-8. Don't you remember?”

Jisoo cocked his head to the side and thought for a moment, “Vaguely. I guess the alcohol and other events of the night overshadowed the rest a bit.”

“Well, you told me. You told me you got a job since you suddenly had all this free time and you didn't want to tell your parents you got expelled yet. You seemed seriously bummed about it so I fixed it.”

“Oh I see...wait, what!?” Jisoo stopped in his tracks and stared at him. “What do you mean you fixed it?”

“Your expulsion. You're no longer expelled. You should be getting an e-mail about it today actually and-”

“You just 'fixed it'? Just like that?”

Seungcheol didn't understand why Jisoo was getting mad. “Yeah, I mean, my old man is friends with some of the top people of the university and he's an alumni who donates a lot of money, so he has some strings to pull.” he explained. This didn't seem to be enough for Jisoo, however.

“Did he also have strings that pull the other way?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, and I hope you don't take this the wrong way, did you or your father also have a hand in getting me expelled in the first place?”

“Didn't Seungkwan already tell you that none of us had anything to do with it?”

“You can't really blame me for asking, can you? If it's so easy for you to fix something like this...”

“Could I have gotten you or anyone else expelled if I had wanted to? Probably, yes. Did I? No.”

“But you did go and got me un-expelled?”

Seungcheol looked away, not sure what to make of the other's reaction. He wasn't even sure what kind of reaction he had expected or wanted. “Look, it's no big deal okay? I just wanted to let you know. You'll probably have to do some extra work for the time you missed, but-”

“It is to me.” Jisoo interrupted him and Seungcheol turned to look at him, “It's a big deal to me. Even if it's not to you, why would you do this for me? We barely know each other.”

'I dunno...” And he really didn't. There was just something about Jisoo that made Seungcheol want to give him anything that he wanted.

“Well...I guess all I can say is thank you. So...thank you. Really.”

“You're welcome.” Seungcheol mumbled back.

Jisoo laughed at the tense air now hanging between them, he hooked his arm in Seungcheol's and started walking again, “Well, I hope you aren't expecting anything in return because I have nothing to give.”

“I didn't do it to get anything from you. I just wanted to-” He was cut off by Jisoo's lips suddenly on his own. Jisoo pulled back and had a shy smile on his face.

“A thank you kiss.” Looking at Seungcheol's flustered face he unhooked their arms, “Sorry, I probably should have asked first before just kissing you. I'm sorry.”

Seungcheol slowly swallowed, “No, uhm...that's okay...bro.”

After a few moments of silence Jisoo smiled again, “I should probably get going...”

Seungcheol nodded, not looking at him, “Yeah, me too. Ehm, be sure to check your e-mail.”

“I will. Thanks again, Seungcheol. It really means a lot.” He made a move to hug him but decided against it, not wanting to make the situation more awkward than it already was.

After another nod exchange they each went their separate ways. Jisoo sighed. This day was just full of twists and turns.

A few hundred meters away Seungcheol was sitting in his car. Head resting on the steering wheel, feeling like an idiot.

<>

As had been his routine since getting his job at the coffee place he went to the Carrot hangout. Most of the time at least one of the others would be there too, but it was unusual to find all three of them there at the same time lately. It was a good thing they were all there this day, however, so he could fill them in on what had happened. He hung up his coat and sat down on the couch next to Jun. “Don't you guys have other things to do than hang out here all the time?” he asked, not being too serious.

“Yeah,” Jun said, “But we already did our other things.”

“Aren't you late?” Chan asked.

“Yeah...I, eh, sort of ran into Seungcheol.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah...or more...he came over to my workplace to talk to me.”

“Seriously!?” Hansol exclaimed, “What's up with that guy coming to people's workplaces and wanting to talk?”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing.” Hansol remembered he hadn't discussed Seungcheol offering him money to break up with Seungkwan, “It's just weird, that's all. What did he want?”

“He got me back into uni.”

“For real!?” Jun yelled.

Jisoo nodded, “Yeah, I got an official e-mail from the dean's office telling me to come by on Monday to be officially reinstated as a student and to discuss how I can make up for missed classes.”

“How did he do that?” Hansol asked.

“More importantly, why did he do that?” Chan asked before Jisoo could answer.

“Probably because he's like, in love with him or something.” Jun said and Chan thought that was, indeed, a good possibility.

Jisoo sighed, “I'm not exactly sure why he did it, but I think you're a bit off on the love part there, Jun.”

“I dunno, man.” Hansol said, “You two seemed to be really getting along at the club the other night and I honestly hope that it's something like that because I don't want to know what kind of other reason he might have.”

“...I kissed him.” Jisoo added.

“What!? Nooo.” Chan groaned, “Is this a thing now? Are all of you going to hook up with Ruby people?”

“I kissed him and he called me bro.” Jisoo continued, ignoring Chan.

“Ouch...” Chan said.

“Yeah...”

It was silent for a bit until Jun patted him on the shoulder, “But you can go back to university though! That's awesome!”

“It really is! I have my suspicions about all of those Rubies still, but...” Chan got up from his seat, “...this calls for a celebration! Who wants to open up an overpriced bottle of alcohol that we didn't pay for?”

Hansol also got up, “Jisoo, I'm really happy for you, but I gotta go. Seungkwan will be home soon.”

“So?” Chan asked, “Just tell him to come here.”

“Nah, he's busy and I just want to be with him at home.”

Chan clicked his tongue and made a whipping sound to the amusement of Jisoo and Jun.

“I'm not whipped! I just want to see my boyfriend who I've barely spoken to in days!” Hansol retorted.

“You guys still fighting?” Jisoo asked.

“We're not fighting...we're just...on low communication.”

Jisoo smiled and nodded, “Oh, I see.” But as soon as Hansol's back was turned he mouthed they're fighting to the other two.

<>

It was true that there had been tension in the apartment ever since Hansol had said that maybe Seungkwan shouldn't live with him anymore, but it wasn't like they were fighting per se. It was more that neither of them wanted to broach the subject again, afraid of what the outcome might be.

Hansol opened the door and found Seungkwan in the kitchen cutting up some vegetables. “Oh, you're home already? Sorry, I was with the guys and-”

“You don't have to apologize. It's not like you have a curfew or anything.” Seungkwan's reply was curt and Hansol knew that if everything was okay between them he would be whining at him for being late and making him cook dinner by himself.

“Can I help making dinner?”

“It's okay.”

“No, tell me what to do. You don't have to make it by yourself.”

“Really, it's fine, Hansol. It's just boring vegetable soup, not exactly a two man job.”

“That doesn't mean it's not more fun if we make it together...” Hansol mumbled under his breath as he sat down at their small kitchen table. He listened to the sound of Seungkwan chopping vegetables and dropping them in a pot of water until he stopped. Seungkwan put down the knife and took a deep breath.

“Hansol?”

“Yeah?”

Seungkwan turned around and leaned against the counter, looking at his boyfriend. “I've been thinking a lot about what you said. About how maybe I shouldn't live here.”

“Seungkwan, I didn't mean-”

“Please let me talk, this isn't easy for me to say.” He took a breath and continued, “I've been thinking a lot and came to the conclusion that you might have been right. We moved in together so quickly and not because we had talked about it and decided that it was what we wanted, but because I had nowhere else to go. It would be a lot more practical if I just moved in with Soonyoung. I probably would have if we hadn't been fighting at the time.”

“Seungkwan...”

“I can come here on the weekends,” Seungkwan continued, “If that's okay.”

Hansol got up and walked over to him, he brushed a lock of Seungkwan's hair to the side.

“You know I never suggested you don't live here because I don't want you here, right? I was only trying to think about what is best for you.”

Seungkwan nodded.

Hansol didn't want him to live with Soonyoung. He didn't want to see him only on the weekends. He wanted to come home from work and have Seungkwan there. Or he wanted to be home before him so he could hear the front door opening and watch him walk through the door. He wanted to make dinner together or fight about whose turn it was to make dinner and then get take-out. He wanted to fall asleep next to him and feel him wrap around him during the night. He wanted to tell him to stay and that it'll work out somehow, but he bit his tongue because he knew it would be far easier for Seungkwan to concentrate on his education if he didn't have to worry about Hansol and his poor man problems.

Seungkwan, not being one to wait around after he decided to do something, moved most of his stuff over to Soonyoung's the next day. Hansol helped putting everything in the car. He closed the trunk and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I think that's it.”

Seungkwan forced a smile. “Thanks. I guess I'll get going then. You have to go to work, right?”

Hansol nodded.

“Oh...” Seungkwan took out his keys, “Do you want your key back or-”

“No, please keep it. You can use it when you can over or whenever you want.”

“Okay, thanks. So...see you Saturday?”

This time it was Hansol who forced a smile, “Yeah.” He leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “See you Saturday, Boo Seungkwan.”

<>

Soonyoung had been thrilled to have Seungkwan move in and Seungkwan had to admit that it was a lot of fun living together. But he missed Hansol. He wanted to go to him as soon as his last classes on Friday had finished, but he knew Hansol had to work the next morning so he focused on getting most of his assignments done before going there on Saturday afternoon. There was some awkwardness between them at first, but the first round of got rid of that and the rest of the weekend felt relaxing for the both of them. Overall the move was working out. It wasn't ideal, but their previous situation hadn't been either. Seungkwan felt a lot better mooching off of Soonyoung.

It had been a little over two weeks since Seungkwan had moved out when Hansol went to the Carrot hangout for their movie night and he was surprised to find his boyfriend there. He was sitting on the floor in front of the couch, talking to Jun and Chan. Jisoo didn't seem to be there.

“Seungkwan? What are you doing here? I thought you were busy with the school newspaper?”

Seungkwan turned his head to look at him and stared at him for a moment as if he wasn't sure what he was looking at before he smiled at him. “I was indeed.” he replied. “But I'm trying to be less of a control-freak about it and give myself a bit more flexibility by giving other people some responsibilities too. So when Jisoo offered to handle a few things I accepted. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad to have him back. So...I decided to come here because I knew you'd come here. Surprise!” He started laughing as if the word surprise was the funniest thing in the world. He looked up at his boyfriend's disgruntled face and started laughing even harder.

“Are you high?” Hansol asked with a stern voice. He had smelled the marihuana when he came in, but he had just assumed it was Jun or Chan.

“No...I'm sitting on the floor.”

Jun, also on the floor, spit out his drink and started snickering.“He's so funny, was he always this funny?”

“Aaah the floor.” Seungkwan laid down on his back and closed his eyes. He stuck his hand in the air and gestured for Hansol to come to him,“Hansollie” he said almost singing, “Come join me on the floor. It's super relaxing to lay down on this floor. It's like-”

“No!” He cut him off and turned his attention to his friends, “Dammit, I can't believe you guys got him high!”

“Don't make it sound like we forced him!” Chan replied, “He came here, despite what he says he was still super stressed out so I offered him a way to relax a bit. I think it's good for him. Look at him!”

“I am looking and my boyfriend is lying on the floor like some sort of idiot!”

“Hansollie~”

“If you won't join him I will!” Jun said as he crawled over to Seungkwan and dropped down next to him, swinging one leg over his body.

“Seungkwan! Get off the floor.”

“I can't! Jun is on top of me!”

“Jun, get off Seungkwan!”

“Seungkwan...” Jun whispered, “Hansol is mad at us.” Seungkwan opened one eye and peeked at Hansol before he looked over at Jun. As soon as their eyes met they burst out laughing.

“Dude, what's your problem? Do I need to remind you of the countless times you were high?” Chan, who seemed less affected by the weed, asked him.

“I...that's different!”

“Why? Honestly, your reaction to this is very unlike you.”

Hansol didn't say any more. He knew it was unlike him. Normally he'd probably find this situation funny, he'd probably agree with his friend that it wasn't a bad way for Seungkwan to relax at all and get high with them. But after what Soonyoung had told him he didn't like the idea of Seungkwan involved with any kind of drugs. At the same time, seeing Seungkwan on the floor, laughing like there was no tomorrow, made him feel like he was overreacting. Getting high was something he and his friends did quite regularly so who was he to tell Seungkwan he couldn't. He sat down on the couch and lightly kicked Seungkwan with his foot, “What's so funny, Boo Seungkwan?”

“Jun...” Seungkwan said between laughs, “He's whispering jokes in my ear. It's in Chinese so I have no idea what he says, but he's hilarious.”

“You're hilarious.” Jun said. “And so...huggable...I just want to...” He didn't finish saying what he wanted to, but apparently it was pulling Seungkwan on top of him and hugging him tight. Seungkwan couldn't stop laughing as Jun was swaying him from side to side. “Aaah, Hansol, I'm so jealous. I want a squish boyfriend to hug, too.”

“Hansol, help.” Seungkwan said, still laughing.

Hansol sighed and shook his head as he got up. He thought it was better to pull Seungkwan off before he threw up all over his friend.

“Aaaw, dude, why did you pull him off, now Jun will come for me!” Chan wasn't wrong as Jun was already rolling over the floor to get to him. Not that Chan put up much of a fight. He was used to Jun turning into an affection monster when high.

Seungkwan placed a sloppy kiss on Hansol's lips before he jumped up, “I'm so hungry, oh my god.”

Seungkwan went to the kitchen area, roaming for food. He opened the fridge and let out a scream. He triumphantly held up a bag of carrot-sticks, “What the , who even has ing carrot sticks! I can't even...carrot sticks.” He almost ran out of breath from laughing, but somehow made it to the couch where he started to eat the whole bag.

They had started to watch a movie and their highs were wearing off when Seungkwan's phone rang. He picked up after checking the caller ID and yelled happily at the person on the other end, “Mingyuuu!”

His face turned serious very quickly as he listened to Mingyu talking. “Okay, yeah, no of course. I'll be there as soon as I can.” He covered his mouth with his hand and whispered, “Is it okay if I bring Hansol? Okay see you soon.” He ended the call and turned his attention to his boyfriend, “Babe, I need to get home to Soonyoung. You can come too.”

Hansol scoffed, “You mean I have to come because you can't drive right now.”

“Okay, that too, but come on let's go.”

“What's the sudden rush though? We're in the middle of the movie.”

“Please, I promised I'd get there asap.”

Hansol got up, “Fine. Sorry, guys.” He apologized to the other two.

“Can we come?” Chan asked.

“Ehm, sorry, it's just that-” Seungkwan started, but Chan was quick to cut him off, “Nevermind.”

“Sorry...”

“What about that whole 'let's become closer as a group' thing?” Jun wanted to know. “Does that only count if we're willing to hook up with one of you guys or something?”

“What? No, of course not, but-”

“But what?”

“Something happened and I think Soon wouldn't be comfortable with so many people there right now, okay?”

He wanted to explain further but Hansol took his hand, “It's okay. Let's go.”

<>

Hansol drove them in Seungkwan's car, leaving his bike over at the hangout.

“Are you going to tell me what's going on or am I just driving you?”

Seungkwan sighed and started talking. “Soonyoung's father had an affair many years ago and he's the result of it. He was raised to believe his father's wife was his mother until he found out the truth. She never accepted him and was very cold to him. He has never met his real mother. Anyway, what's important right now is that this was always a secret. A large part of the community and investors, stockholders and what not are very conservative and a thing like this would be a huge scandal and could easily inflict some serious damage to their company and their reputation. But now a high profile magazine has somehow gotten hold of this information and printed a big story about it causing quite a stir as it seems.”

“Damn. How is he taking it?”

Seungkwan clicked his tongue, “Obviously I don't know that, Hansol, since I haven't spoken to him yet.”

“Sorry...I was just asking.”

“No, I'm sorry. It's just...it would be nice if we didn't have to deal with drama all the time. Especially him...about this...I can't be sure how he's taking it, but most likely not very well. Mingyu said he saw the magazine and rushed over there and found him playing pool by himself. Apparently he hasn't said much and Mingyu wanted me and Seungcheol to get there before trying to talk with him.”

Hansol pulled up in the driveway of the house and turned off the engine.

“We're here.”

________________________________________________-

-No Daebak gang this chapter, they're busy...
-How are we feeling about Seungkwan moving out?
-I don't know what happened with high Seungkwan, but it was kinda fun to write so...whatever lol
-Should Seungkwan have allowed Jun and Chan to come too?