Minho looks dashing, even from outside where Kibum is frozen as he watches Minho through the window. He should have gone in already, should pull his wits together and just face what can be the first date of many, but Kibum is nervous.

He'd been standing out there in the slightly chill air for about ten minutes now. Minho keeps glancing down at his phone, and he's obviously getting a little anxious, but Kibum just can't seem to get his feet to move.

It's actually quite a surprise that Minho hasn't managed to spot him standing out there like a little coward by now. It's not as though he's blending in, after all. But between Kibum's lack of courage and Minho's lack of awareness, something has to give.

Something has to give, and Kibum knows it's him. Minho is the one who asked him out, after all, as well as the one who turned their date into a little challenge knowing Kibum would be unable to turn it down. Minho had already taken the first step, but it was up to Kibum to meet him halfway.

He forces himself to take a step forward, then pauses, loses his confidence, and takes the same step backward. This repeats quite a few times, until Kibum thinks he might just have to call it quits, because it has to be a sign.

Then, his thoughts turn back to Jinki, whom he had called a coward previously. Was this anything how he felt, when he had to come to terms with how he felt about his feelings for Jonghyun?

Feeling like maybe Jinki would be able to talk some sense into him or at least help him understand why he's so cowardly, Kibum takes his phone out of his pocket and calls the eldest of their friend group. It's highly unlikely he'll even ans-

"Bummie?" Comes Jinki's voice, soft and melodious and so full of concern,

"Bummie? Are you okay? Is Minho okay?"

And if it weren't for the reason why Kibum had called the elder, he'd smile at the barrage of questions that are being loaded into his ear.

"We're fine, hyung." Kibum tells him in an effort to reassure him, his own voice soft and uncertain.

"So you're calling me instead of going on your date because...?" Jinki trails off, in that annoying fashion of his, like he knows so much more than he lets on.

Kibum's lips purse together, and he's wondering if he's made the right decision after all. Maybe he's just being silly. He's known Minho for years, after all. What's the point of even really stressing out about whether or not things will go out between them?

"No one would blame you if you're not ready to date again yet, Bummie." Comes Jinki's voice, cutting in through Kibum's little mental pep talk,

"I think you know as well as I do that Minho would wait until the end of time for you."

Kibum breathes in, sharp. He's known that already, of course. He might pick on Minho for it if they were together, but the tall boy is fiercely loyal, almost to a fault. To top that off, he's also so patient that he really would have no qualms about waiting until the end of time if Kibum needed that much time to heal from his old wounds.

"I know, but..." Kibum trails off, and he doesn't know what it is he wants to say, or how to word how he feels in this very moment in time.

"But you'd rather get to the end of time together, instead of wondering if he'll make it to you. Right?" And he's surprised Jink even knows what he's trying to say when he himself can't seem to wrap his head around it.

"Yeah," he answers heavily,

"Yeah. That's it."

There's no answer. He supposes it's what Jinki had been meaning to do, after all. He's not the one with the answers, just with the tools to help the others get to the answers on their own. Despite seeming to know so much, Jinki would never flaunt what he does know over any of them. It's one of Kibum's favorite things about him.

"Go and fall in love, Bummie. You deserve it more than anyone." Jinki tells him, just as he cuts the line. The dial tone is left ringing in Kibum's ear, and the young boy smiles for but a moment.

He would have argued that Jinki deserved it more than anyone after his many tragedies, but he could appreciate the words of kindness during his moment of duress.

After he takes in one long breath to steady himself, he nods and pushes the door open. Minho turns the moment he hears the door, his eyes twinkling under the lights of restaurant. There's a spark of gratefulness in his eyes, and he's grateful that Kibum didn't abandon him on their date.

Minho stands as he gets closer, and the boy who is so much taller than Kibum looks so small, nervous. Kibum's heart flutters at the very sight of it, of knowing how much he can affect his roommate.

"Let me get your chair for you," Minho murmurs as he walks around the table and slides the chair out. They chose a relatively small cafe near campus so as to save them both time, and it's nearly empty aside from them and a couple of stragglers.

"Sorry I kept you waiting." Kibum tells him as he takes the seat. He's always known Minho as charming and gentlemanly, but not even Jonghyun had gone out of his way to be as chivalrous as to pull the chair out for him.

It's nice, he thinks, that Minho wouldn't mind lowering his pride just to make Kibum feel more comfortable.

"I wasn't really sure you'd show up, so I'm just glad I was wrong about that." Minho says with a little shrug, and there's a small smile stretching across his face. Kibum can't help the way he thinks about kissing it.

"I had to call Jinki hyung for a pep talk." Kibum tells him, his chest feeling lighter even as he forces himself to laugh about it. Minho must think he's ridiculous, going to Jinki for advice.

Instead, when he looks up at Minho, there's an expression of surprise on the tall boy's face.

"You too?" Minho asks him, and then he tilts his head back and laughs hard enough that the other patrons shoot him a glance. Kibum can't tell if they're annoyed or amused.

Kibum joins in, and all of the tension and nervousness that had permeated the air around them is gone now. Just the one little reminder that they're not too different after all, that they both felt so nervous that they called Jinki for advice, is enough to loosen their nerves.

They order coffee and sandwiches, and then Minho surprises him by ordering the slice of cake that Kibum had been eyeing despite himself. It's such a sweet little gesture that when it's placed down on the table before him, Kibum takes a spoonful of the cake and holds it out against Minho's lips.

Minho stares at him, his eyebrows raised because Kibum really isn't much of the sharing type.

"You don't want any?" Kibum asks with a click of his tongue, slowly pulling the spoon away as he fights the embarrassment that's building in his chest. Why did he even think that would be a go-

Just before it can move out of his reach all together, Minho leans forward, wraps his mouth around the spoon, and eats the piece of cake that had been on it. His cheeks are a little red, but he maintains eye contact even after he pulls back and swallows it.

"Thanks, Bummie. It's sweet." Minho tells him, and he grabs a napkin to dab at his lips.

If Jonghyun were like a knight in shining armor, Minho was like a prince. All muscles and poise with enough elegance to put other men to shame. Watching him now makes Kibum's heartbeat quicken, especially when he realizes he can't look away from Minho's lips long after they had shared the singular piece of cake between them.

You're probably sweeter, is just what he'd say if he could work up the nerve to flirt with Minho without making an absolute fool of himself.

Had dating always been this easy? Where had all the fear about it being too soon gone? Where was all the reservation he'd felt when Minho first asked him out? Was he really this fickle, that just a little while into a date together would make him question his own earlier doubt?

Being with Minho is easy. It's easy because they can bicker without offending each other. It's easy because when Kibum finishes his coffee and looks down at it like it'll refill itself, Minho doesn't even need to be asked and he's already out of his seat to get him another.

It's so easy to be with Minho, and that thought is both exhilarating and terrifying. Minho can break his heart so easily, and he would let it happen.

And when Minho, who is at the counter paying for everything despite Kibum's insistence to at least split the check, turns to look at him from across the cage and smiles that little fond smile of his, Kibum is really ready to give his heart away.

On the other hand, Minho is a bundle of nerves. He's so busy second guessing every word and action he makes that he's not entirely sure if he's a good date or not.

Had he been attentive enough for Kibum? Did he get the right coffee for the boy? Was the cake to his liking?

Or, wait. Was he too attentive for Kibum? Did the slighter think he was being weird when he got up to get more coffee without being asked?

The sound of a chair scraping breaks him from his musings, and there's Kibum standing up next to him. He'd already said he'd pay and be right back. Did Kibum get tired of waiting for him?

Kibum is silent, but his cheeks are a little red as he reaches out and slips his hand into Minho's. The tall boy nearly collapses from shock, staring at their joined hands for longer than absolutely necessary.

There's a little squeeze, and Kibum ducks his head just a little, "Is this okay?"

And why wouldn't it be? Minho grins to himself as he squeezes the hand that's holding onto his, then brings it up to his mouth where he places a small kiss right onto the back of it. Kibum makes a small sound of surprise at it, but he doesn't make the effort to take his hand away like Minho was worrying he would.

He pays for their little date, and they walk outside together. The nighttime air is a little brisk, and both Minho and Kibum are shivering as they head back in the direction of campus. Neither had thought to bring a jacket, but the blushes on their cheeks are keeping them warm enough without any.

"Thanks for going out with me." Minho tells him, his voice just barely carrying over the sounds of cars passing them by and blaring their horns.

Kibum turns his head to look up at him, and his eyes are a little narrow. What he's thinking about is a mystery, but when his lips stretch into a small smile, Minho decides he's not too worried about it.

"It wasn't too bad for a first date," Kibum tells him, and he squeezes at Minho's hand again,

"Maybe we can do it again sometime?"

Wait.

Is Kibum asking him on a date? Is that what Minho's hearing?

He coughs to cover up the way he's blushing, but he knows it's a futile effort. There's no way to hide how nervous Kibum is making him right now.

"We can do this whenever you want to, Bummie," he answers, the fondness evident in his tone. He'd be a fool not to want to go on hundreds or even millions of dates with Kibum.

Kibum stops walking, turning his head to look up at him. It's so sudden that Minho is yanked to a stop when he tries to continue forward on his own. Confused and maybe a little alarmed, Minho turns his head to look at Kibum and ask what's going on.

But Kibum has plans already. The moment Minho stops to look at him, Kibum's free hand comes up to cup his face; and though his fingers are cold to the touch, he feels himself leaning into it.

Its obvious where this is leading to, Minho thinks. Kibum leans up, he leans down. Their eyelids shut. They meet somewhere in the middle, noses brushing first. Minho brings his own hand up and uses it to gently tilt Kibum's head.

Their first kiss is tentative, hesitant. There's a little jolt of electricity that courses through Minho's body, he's left gasping as they pull apart. His eyes flutter open, and he watches as Kibum's do the same. They hold eye contact for a moment that stretches out for an eternity.

"Was that okay?" It's Minho's turn to ask. He's sure Kibum would have pushed him away if it weren't okay, but he can't help the little thoughts of anxiety that swirls around in his mind.

Kibum's eyes, ever so soft, sparkle under the twinkling sky. He still has a hand on Minho's face, and uses it to tilt his head back down and brush their lips again. Once, twice. Many times, over and over like they fit so well together.

"I guess it wasn't too bad," Kibum tells him with a cheeky little grin, which comes a little too late considering how many times they've swapped saliva by now.

But still, the little acts of affirmation soothe him. If this is really something Kibum wants, if he is really something Kibum wants, he's more than willing to give all of himself away.

"'It wasn't too bad,' huh?" Minho asks, and he knows his grin is wide and full of mischief,

"And how can I make it the perfect first date for you?"

Kibum rolls his eyes and reaches up to push him by the forehead, "Of course you would treat it like a challenge."

He attempts to walk away, but Minho tugs him back so quickly that he spins right back into Minho's chest. The tall boy wraps his arms around Kibum's waist and holds him close, their bodies swaying together like there's no one and nothing around them.

"You like it, don't pretend you don't." He says into Kibum's ear, and he pretends he's not affected by the way Kibum is shuddering against him.

If this is enough to get Kibum flustered, he can only imagine how Kibum would react if he did more.

Maybe Taemin's evil is rubbing off on him.

Speaking of Taemin...

He just happens to notice the younger boy's fluffy head of hair from across the street. He's not alone, of course, Jongin's beside him and they look like they're so in love with each other as they wear matching dopey grins and their hands swing between them. Jongin's roommates are with them, too, but they're more or less ignoring the couple that's walking behind them.

He thinks about telling Kibum, about causing harmless mischief by teasing the youngest of their friend group, but he ultimately decides against it. It won't be worth it, he thinks, by turning the full force of Taemin's wrath onto them.

"What do you say we go home?" Minho murmurs instead, and he is almost too fast in turning Kibum towards the direction of campus again.

"Why are you in such a rush?" Kibum asks with an eyebrow raised. Minho thinks about telling him one more time, but when he risks taking another glance in the direction of Taemin's little friend group, his gaze crosses paths with Jongin.

Jongin, ever the more level headed of the pair, seems to understand what Minho's trying to say through his eyes alone, and he's pointing in the opposite direction of where they're facing. The rest of the group seems interested in what he's pointing in, but Taemin grows suspicious and glances in the direction that Jongin is facing.

At the same time, Kibum turns in their direction.

There's a wicked little smile on Taemin's eyes as he spots them, and Kibum inhales sharply from beside Minho.

"Do you think if we run fast enough we can outrun whatever Taemin's planning right now?" The slighter asks in a whisper, and Minho mentally weighs their options.

They are fast, but Taemin is faster. Even Jongin wouldn't be able to slow him down.

Still.

"Let's run." Minho suggests, and the two break into a run in the direction of campus.

"Hey! Kim Kibum! Choi Minho!" Taemin calls out after them, and a look over Minho's shoulder shows that Taemin really had chosen to give chase to the two of them.

Jongin is merely being dragged along by the wrist, but he's still laughing like he's having the time of his life. The two of them are meant to be together, Minho thinks. Evil people flock together after all.

Kibum is just a step behind him, Minho realizes, but their hands are clasped together. He's not even sure when their hands even joined together, or who had closed the distance between their hands.

He doesn't really mind, though, when Kibum tugs him into a darkened alley and presses himself against the wall. He presses himself against the slighter, head ducking down to rest against his shoulder. They're both made exhausted by the chase, panting against one another and utterly silent as they listen to Taemin and Jongin run right past them.

"You think we lost them?" Kibum asks between shallow breaths of air.

He doesn't answer. Doesn't find the need to answer. He just cups Kibum's face in one hand and leads him into a kiss. They're both smiling into it, into the memories of a first date that went a lot better than either could have thought of.

"Taem I need a break!" Jongin pants as he stops where he is. He's panting hard from exertion, gripping tightly onto Taemin's hand in case he isn't paying attention.

Taemin frowns as he stares off in the direction Minho and Kibum had disappeared in. They can't have been that far, right? He's not done terrorizing them yet! Of course it can wait until he gets home, but there are so many hours of the day. Surely he can fill them by being his hyungs' worst nightmare?

He looks back at Jongin and his plans of terrorizing the two lovebirds disappear. Jongin's out of breath, and he definitely looks like he can use the break after all.

Reaching out with one hand, he rubs Jongin's back as his partner remains bent forward, then crouches just enough to look into his eyes.

"I guess I have enough to pick on them for," he relents, and Jongin looks up to shoot him the tiniest and most grateful of smiles,

"Should we head back to the others?"

Jongin, after catching his breath, is quick to agree as he stands to his full height. They'd come out with some of his roommates and spent a good portion of the evening at the local bar with them. They'd been on their way to a karaoke bar when they ran into the older pair.

Who were finally on a date, Taemin realized. It's taken them two years to even realize they wanted each other in that way. He knows he's in a similar boat with Jongin, but he hadn't realized his entire friend group was made up of so many oblivious people.

"Remind me not to go running after drinking so much anymore." Jongin tells him, rubbing his stomach.

Taemin winces in sympathy. Jongin and Sehun had been victim to a lot of funny but unnecessary challenges by the rest of their roommates. Taemin hadn't been too concerned until he had realized that Jongin nearly finished an entire bottle of soju by himself.

He had snickered for the briefest of moments but had to stop it from happening. After all, he wouldn't want to share a bed with a shaking, hungover Jongin the next morning.

Though, he's sure he can get Jonghyun to vacate the room so he can dump Jongin on his bed.

"What are you thinking about?" Jongin asks, and he takes Taemin's hand in his own, guiding their joint hands into the pocket of his jacket.

The little act of romance makes Taemin's heart feel light. Jongin tries not to let it show, but he's naturally very soft-hearted and loves to take care of Taemin. Taemin would never say no if Jongin wanted to take care of him, either.

"Just how I ended up with a friend group full of the oblivious type of people." Taemin answers with a little grin.

Jongin looks at him, bemused. It's obvious he also realizes that Taemin had been just as oblivious until he made the first move on that day. Who is Taemin to be throwing that word around when he's just as bad.

"I'll text Baek and see where we need to meet up with them," Jongin tells him, just as they're passing an alley that they'd already passed before.

Except as they pass again, Taemin spots Minho's blonde hair shimmering under the starlight. And he's pressing Kibum against the wall.

"Sorry, Jongin." He murmurs, and he sees the way Jongin looks at him in confusion and then away to where Taemin had been looking.

He sighs when he spots them, then chuckles that fond but exasperated chuckle of his.

"Go easy on them, Taem." Jongin says in a murmur, the tone almost a plea to behave.

Taemin doesn't answer. He just releases Jongin's hand, walks over to Minho and Kibum, and says,

" any harder and his face will come off, hyung."

He doesn't make it clear as to which one of them he's talking to, but he enjoys the way both startle apart and Kibum even yelps a little bit.

"Why are you hanging around us like a ert, Taem?" Kibum demands, his face burning red even in the darkness of the night.

For Taemin, seeing a confident and self-assured Kibum flustered like this is an endearing sight. Minho seems to think so, too. Even if he's horrified to be caught, he's looking at Kibum with those moon eyes that make Taemin want to gouge his own eyeballs out.

"Why are you still following us, anyway?" Kibum questions him, now that some of his wits have returned to him.

Minho, like he's just realized the same thing, narrows his eyes in Taemin's direction. He's not entirely sure that Minho won't punch him for ing when Minho's waited years for this.

"It's not my fault you decided to lock lips instead of go home." Taemin counters with a scoff, and he jerks his thumb over his shoulder to where Jongin is still sheepishly standing with his hands tucked into his pockets,

"We were going to do karaoke with his roommates. Do you want to join us?"

Both Minho and Kibum raise an eyebrow at that. While Taemin is close to Jongin's friends, they don't typically interact without the dating pair. They don't hate each other, just don't seem to go out of their way to interact.

"Now why would we do that?" Minho asks him, challenge in his eyes,

"We can just go home, grab some soju, and have a karaoke session at our suite."

Which makes sense. While Taemin doesn't mind spending time with Jongin's friends, he would also prefer to be at home if they wanted to make fools of themselves.

He glances at Jongin, who glances back at him. His mouth opens and shuts like he's thinking about it, and then he pulls his phone out and shoots a quick text. Probably to Joonmyeon, so he doesn't worry about them.

"Let's go home!" Taemin hollers, jovial, as he grabs both Minho and Kibum by the crook of their arms and pulls in the direction of campus.

The elder pair allows him to pull them along, even as their faces contort into grimaces. Jongin follows after them, casual and unbothered, until Kibum turns and holds a hand out to him.

"Come on. You're part of the family now." Kibum tells him, like they've gotten married already and they're in-laws.

Which is ridiculous in theory, since none of them are actually related. But they've been so close for so long and Taemin really does often feel like they've raised him.

Jongin seems to think so, too. His head ducks momentarily, his eyes meeting Taemin's so shyly from beneath his eyelashes. There's so much adoration in his gaze alone that Taemin is fighting the urge to abandon his plans and drag Jongin off somewhere for privacy.

"You really love him a lot, don't you?" Minho asks all of a sudden, and his voice is quiet and gentle in the night.

Kibum and Jongin don't seem to notice, because they're so entranced by their own conversation about what they're both up to during the school year. Taemin glances back to them, noting the way they're huddling together as they walk to share bodyheat.

"He brings the best out of me," Taemin replies with a nonchalant shrug. It's the absolute truth, after all.

Minho grins, using his free hand to ruffle Taemin's hair. In comparison to Taemin's easy love story, Minho's had a rough time even getting this far. Taemin would appreciate his patience if it weren't for the fact that the only thing that had ever stood in his way was his own cowardice.

"What does this mean? Wedding after we graduate?" Minho asks him, and Taemin stops to actually think about it.

Would he? Of course he would. Not without a doubt. But there's definitely a pair that he thinks should be the ones to get there first. If only because of the hard time they had gone through to get together.

"Before Jinki and Jonghyun?" He asks the elder with a little shake of his head,

"Wouldn't that be so embarrassing for them?"

And Minho cackles. He's so loud that both Kibum and Jongin stop talking and turn to them like they've gone crazy.

Taemin thinks about telling them, but then decides against it. It'll be a nice little inside joke between him and Minho, he thinks.

But he does release Minho and Kibum's hands and practically pushes them at each other so he could walk with his boyfriend instead. His boyfriend, Jongin, who looks so fondly done with him and his friends like he really can't tell why he spends any time with them whatsoever.

Jonghyun is furious. He's furious, jealous, and sulking, because Jinki is with Changsun and they're laughing at jokes that aren't actually funny. Not in the slightest.

He'd been cuddling with Jinki on the common room's sofa, his head on the elder's chest as Jinki's fingers sifted through his hair. Occasionally, he'd tilt his head down and press a little kiss to Jonghyun's crown, but they were silent as they watched Bae Suzy's newest drama.

And then he'd gotten a text from Changsun. Jonghyun knows it's him because Jinki's got a different ring tone for Changsun than he does for everyone else. Like he needs another reason to be jealous.

"Why don't you change that?" Jonghyun asks, hoping his request is subtle. It might not be, but Jinki is oblivious to the jealousy in his tone.

He hums, taking his phone out of his pocket so he can check his messages, "Should I? I don't know how. Can you help me change it?"

Which probably shouldn't make his heart flutter the way it does. Jinki is awful with technology, so it's likely that Changsun himself had changed the ringtone on Jinki's phone. But the very fact that Jinki's willing to change it now and even ask Jonghyun to help him do it is a big thing for Jonghyun.

But he's silent, because he doesn't want to seem overly eager or controlling towards Jinki. Instead, he pulls back and leans against the sofa with his arms crossed over his chest as he pretends he's not watching Jinki.

"." Jinki says all of a sudden, and he stands up so abruptly that the blanket that had been draped around them falls to the floor,

"I forgot I said I'd help him with his theater project."

Of course. Of course Jinki is going to help Changsun with his homework. It's not a secret that Changsun had help, seeing as he spent more time socializing than working. They'd never said anything about it, but Changsun was definitely using Jinki's kindness.

"You're leaving?" Jonghyun asks, and he tries so hard to mask his disappointment. It fails, since he'd waited all week to get some time with Jinki.

The elder notices his tone this time and pauses, and he sits back down, cupping Jonghyun's face and bringing him close for a sweet little kiss. There's a spark of apology in his eyes when he pulls back just slightly.

"You can always come with me, Jjong. It won't take too long, I'm just helping him write a script."

Which makes Jonghyun crinkle his nose. Everyone has a differing writing style, so why did Changsun seem to think Jinki could help him with this?

But Jinki did say he could come too...

Which brings him to his current fit of jealousy. They're not even really doing anything. They're all sitting around Changsun's suite, and there's plenty of space between the two, but Changsun often gets distracted from his work and brings up a story that only the two of them know.

And then the two would burst into laughter and Jinki would nearly start crying from how hard he laughed, and the work that likely should've been done within an hour is still going, just slower.

Changsun isn't flirting. Jonghyun knows well what a charming flirt Changsun can be, and knows Jinki is the same way. If there were a chance he'd be flirting, he's not sure Jinki would be the choice for it. Changsun is, however, inserting cryptic words here and there that sound harmless enough until Jonghyun decides to pick them apart.

They're thinly veiled insults at Jinki's behest. Jinki doesn't really pay attention to them, or he just doesn't care that someone he considers a best friend can so easily throw around insults about how his hair's looking sloppy or his teeth need to be whitened soon.

Really, Jonghyun thinks, maybe he shouldn't have tagged along. It's not like he's ever thought they'd flirt or cheat on him, but there's no denying the fact that he really can't stand the way Changsun treats someone as kind and loving as Jinki.

Jinki shoots him another glance. He's done this several times throughout the night, his eyebrows furrowed and his lips twitching like he wants to ask what's going on in Jonghyun's head. Changsun's more or less ignored his very presence, and had only grunted a hum in response when Jonghyun had showed up with Jinki.

Its almost as though Changsun dislikes him as much as he dislikes Changsun.

"Hey. Stop goofing off and finish this dialogue." Jinki tells Changsun, and his voice is light and playful but there's the slightest edge of frustration in it.

Which is hot. Jinki in his serious 'teacher-mode,' with his face set and his hand pointing directly at the paper like it'll get Changsun to focus on it is doing something to Jonghyun he should likely not think about.

"I can't help it," Changsun nearly whines, and it's a sound that's grating to Jonghyun's ears. Changsun throws himself into Jinki's lap, his head pressed into Jinki's stomach like he's a child having a tantrum,

"The words just aren't coming to me, Jinx."

And that nearly makes Jonghyun lose his composure. The closeness, the way he so easily throws himself at Jonghyun's man, the way Jinki just chuckles in exasperation and uses the same hand he'd used to Jonghyun's hair to pat Changsun on the shoulder.

Jinki looks like he's about to say something, but his phone buzzes and he fishes it out of his pocket. He unceremoniously dumps Changsun off of his lap and stands up, pressing the phone against his ear and hurrying off to find some privacy to answer the call.

It sounds important, Jonghyun thinks as he watches Jinki disappear. He wonders if it has to do with his throat.

"You finally grew balls and asked him out, didn't you?" Changsun asks, and Jonghyun looks over to where Changsun is laying on the other sofa. His eyes are still closed, but there's the smallest smile on his face.

Not a smirk. A bittersweet type of smile. Jonghyun had only seen it on his face once. It had been on their first and only date, and Changsun had asked about his friendship with Jinki.

They'd gone to a relatively quiet ramen shop, and Changsun had offered to pay for their dinners. The date itself was more or less uneventful. Changsun had flirted in his extravagant way of his. Jonghyun had been smiling and flirting back, not because he was flustered but because he felt obligated. Dating Changsun had felt unnatural for him, but he'd figured he had nothing to lose by at least attempting it.

"You and Jinki, you're pretty close, aren't you?" Changsun had asked, and he's not even looking at Jonghyun.

He looks pensive as he swirls his chopsticks in the broth remaining at the bottom of his ramen bowl. There's nothing but a few stray pieces of fish cake and scallion floating about, but he's acting like that's the most incredible thing he's seen all day.

Jonghyun, on the other hand, was still in the middle of eating one last piece of pork belly when asked that question. He looks up, surprised.

"He's my best friend. Why?" Jonghyun asks, and the pork in his mouth drops into the bowl with a plop. A drop of broth flings outward, landing on his cheek.

It's momentary, but Changsun smiles that smile that's bittersweet like he's holding something back, and he reaches out with a napkin to wipe the broth off of Jonghyun's face.

He'd never actually answered why back then, just changed the subject so fast that Jonghyun hadn't really thought about it.

"Why do you care so much about me and Jinki?" Jonghyun asks now, but the frustration is evident in his tone. He's no longer feeling the need to hide it, seeing as Jinki isn't even in the room with them.

Changsun cracks an eye open and turns it to him, and Jonghyun finds an eye full of something negative looking back at him. It might be disdain, it might be pure hatred.

"You're not good enough for him," Changsun says, like it's so simple.

He says it like it should be obvious, like he doesn't care if his words hurt Jonghyun.

"Excuse me?" Jonghyun asks, the words small in his ears.

He's having trouble even processing the words. What gave Changsun the right to decide if he was good enough for Jinki, anyway? Especially when he treats Jinki so badly?

"You heard me, Kim." Changsun retorts as he sits up, his eyes narrowed in Jonghyun's direction,

"I'm not even convinced you know what you want from him now. You spent three whole years dragging him around by the hair because you couldn't admit to yourself that you had feelings for him. And what? Why now? Because Jinki's feeling so low about his voice that you pity him?"

Stunned by Changsun's outburst, Jonghyun is silent. He stares, his eyes feeling watery and his teeth already chattering as he holds back his sobs. How had he never even seen the situation from an outside perspective?

Was it true? Was he really not good enough for Jinki?

And then Changsun goes a little pale, and his mouth opens and closes, possibly in shock. Jonghyun doesn't even have to turn to know Jinki's joined them, and that he's heard the entire thing.

There's nothing that comes from his mouth for a long moment. He walks over, clasps a hand around Jonghyun's wrist, and pulls him off the sofa.

"You do not get to speak for me, Changsun." Jinki tells him, his voice laced with venom.

Its rare to hear Jinki so upset, and he's shaking by the shoulders with rage. Jonghyun's still reeling from Changsun's words, but finds himself worried that Jinki may hurt himself.

"I'm done. Figure your own out for once." Jinki says, and then he pulls Jonghyun out of the suite.

How does one even find the audacity to decide if someone is good enough for another person? How did Changsun of all people think that it was okay to tell Jonghyun, the love of Jinki's life, that he wasn't good enough?

Jinki is seething, even as they get to their dorm building and inside. The lights are on and the others are home already with bottles of soju all over their common room, but he can't even process them just yet.

"We're doing karaoke," Kibum says, because he's yet to see Jinki's thunderous expression,

"Did you two want-"

And then he turns and he sees Jinki's expression. He falls silent. They all do. The last time Jinki lost control of his emotions, a fist fight had broken out. They're likely a little afraid something just as bad or worse can happen.

"Hyung." Jonghyun calls out. He'd been so silent on the way home, downcast, that Jinki had worried Changsun's unfounded bull had really messed with him.

Jinki turns his head in Jonghyun's direction immediately, his anger melting as he sees the concern on that beautiful face. His eyes are a little red and there are still a few tears on his face.

"It's not worth it to be so mad." Jonghyun tells him with a shake of his head, like Jinki doesn't know that already.

"He made you cry, Jonghyunie." Jinki reminds him, tone carefully blank. He could take anything else when it came to Changsun, but he couldn't even stand the idea that he could so easily hurt someone he knows Jinki loves so much.

The rest of the boys are still there and staring at them, but they seem to clue themselves in about what they're talking about. None of their friend group is exactly fond of Lee Changsun, but Jinki had only chalked that up to not knowing him well.

How could he be friends with someone who would so easily make another cry? It's not fair. He should have known better, should have seen the signs before they turned into alarms.

"Let it go. Please?" Jonghyun asks, and he raises a hand to squeeze at his shoulder. He sounds exhausted, which makes sense. He doesn't do well with criticism, even by those who don't know how hard he works.

"Jonghyun," he says, but it's too late. Jonghyun's already heading to his room with the briefest wave at the rest of his boys. He might be going to bed, or readying for a shower before bed.

It's unsure, but Jinki watches with his heart sinking in his chest. How could he possibly make Jonghyun feel better? Should he go back and beat Changsun into a pulp?

He gets back into motion as Jonghyun enters his bedroom. He can't just leave it like this, watching Jonghyun wipe at his eyes and pretend not to be affected.

Jinki manages to get in just before the door shuts, and he's left to stare at Jonghyun. The younger isn't even really looking at him, eyes fixed at a point on Jinki's chest.

"Can we please just -"

Whatever Jonghyun is trying to say gets cut off when Jinki cups his face and pulls him into a deep kiss. The kind that leave them both gasping for air. Jonghyun tries to fight it at first, when relents when he realizes Jinki won't, their lips sliding together so easily that it nearly erased all of the night's events.

"I love you, Jonghyun." He says as he pulls back, and his thumbs are brushing the tears on the younger boy's face,

"You are more than good enough. You've always been more than good enough. I don't know what bull he was sprouting or why, but don't let him make you think we're not worth it."

And he knows he's probably rambling. Both out of nervousness and desperation. But he can only hope the plea in his voice is heard, that Jonghyun understand that what Changsun said isn't what Jinki feels.

"So you... you know? That I'm not with you because I pity you?" Jonghyun asks, his voice hoarse from a lack of use.

And Jinki can feel the way his heart shatters. Why would Changsun even put that idea in his head?

"Jonghyun you don't have it in you to pity others." Jinki says, which is true. Jonghyun wears his heart on his sleeve and has enough compassion to last him lifetimes, but he doesn't pity anyone. He'd rather look for solutions and suffer together until then.

Jonghyun crumples, his hands finding purchase on the chest of Jinki's hoodie. He pulls, more like yanks, and Jinki goes willingly as their lips crash against waxy other's once more.

"I don't want to be controlling in our relationship, hyung," Jonghyun tells him against his lips, his tone soft and fragile and yet so loud all at once.

So he'd let Jinki continue the friendship with someone that made him cry just because he doesn't want to seem like the controlling type.

"And I appreciate that, Jonghyun," Jinki answers as he pulls back, using his hand to brush a strand of hair out of Jonghyun's eyes,

"But Changsun knew how much you mean to me. He's always known since I figured it out. I can't be friends with someone who uses that knowledge to make you cry."

There's a spark of something in Jonghyun's eyes that Jinki can't really decipher. It looks a little sad, or maybe alarmed? He's about to ask about it, to see if there's a solution they could come to for it together, but the bedroom door opens right into Jinki's back.

"Hey. Can you two quit it with the melodrama and already?" Taemin asks, then slams the door shut and returns to the common area.

They were likely eavesdropping. They definitely are that nosy, especially because of that one time they fought at the beach. There really is no other reason Minho and Kibum's voices can be heard so close together from the other side of the door.

Jinki scoffs, turning to leave the room and give them a piece of his mind for snooping, but he's yanked to a stop when Jonghyun pulls him back by the crook of his arm.

Jonghyun presses him up against the door, mouth insistent and hot against his own as a hand fists through Jinki's hair.

With even this, Jinki can tell what's in Jonghyun's heart. There are apologies, for years wasted when they didn't know about each other's feelings. And forgivenesses, for the outburst of anger back at Changsun's suite. There's love. So, so much love. It feels like it'll seep out from all of Jinki's pores.

Someone is calling them from outside the room, but Jinki's mind is too hazy to even really pay attention to it. How can he ever let his attention drift away from Jonghyun?

Jonghyun, whose hand dips further and further along Jinki's torso until they find their way beneath his waistband. Jonghyun, who kisses him with so much intensity because Changsun's words made him promise himself he's never going to let Jinki slip away again. Jonghyun, who drops down to his knees mere minutes later to sear into Jinki's mind that no one could be better for him than Jonghyun is.

Like Jinki could ever even pretend to think that way.

They miss karaoke nigh, and when Jinki walks back to his own room, leaving a sated and sleepy Jonghyun on his own bed, he feels a little bad about the way Taemin and Jongin are sitting up on the sofa and sleeping.

Or, at least, they look like they're sleeping, until Jinki walks by and Taemin tilts his head down in order to fix Jinki with a stern but proud smile.

"We never expected you to stand up to Changsun, it must not have been an easy choice to make," Taemin tells him with that little smile on his face.

Jongin stirs a little beside him, but is quick to fall back into a peaceful sleep.

"It's never been a choice for me," Jinki answers as he slips into the privacy of his own bedroom,

"I would never choose anyone over Jonghyun."

Yikes for the second late update. Sorry guys. I'm currently doped up on NyQuil. :'-) being sick isn't fun. I think we're going to be wrapping this story up soon. Not because of anything else but it's pretty much got most of its loose ends taken care of so there's no point in drawing it out. I'm already working on other ideas so I think that if you like what I've written here you might like what else I'm working on. Anyway. Have a nice weekend, everyone. I'll see you next week! :-)