After Sungjong left, Myungsoo permanently moved into Sungyeol’s house. When Sunggyu saw how dejected he was, he granted him permission to stay with his friends. He knew how much Myungsoo missed Sungjong, even though they regularly talked over the phone and Skype and exchanged emails all the time.

Myungsoo acted normally; he would joke around with Sungyeol, stop Woohyun and Sungyeol’s fights, argue with Howon about Yearbook photographs. You could only say something was wrong with him when he would just stare blankly at Howon, which Howon found seriously disconcerting.

“Myungsoo, why are you staring at Howon again?” Woohyun asked him one day.

“I miss Sungjong.”

“So?”

“So, Howon is Sungjong’s brother,” Myungsoo said as if the answer was obvious.

“Do we even look alike?” Howon asked.

“More than you think.” Myungsoo sighed.

Sungyeol started laughing.

“Why don’t you kiss Howon then?”

“Who told you I kissed Sungjong?” Myungsoo snapped.

“So you did kiss Sungjong?” Woohyun said.

“Eww, gross,” Sungyeol scrunched up is face.

“My innocent brother!” Howon exclaimed.

“You guys are just assuming things,” Myungsoo shrugged nonchalantly.

“So you didn’t kiss him?” Sungyeol asked.

“Why are you guys so invested in my relationship with Sungjong?”

“He’s my brother, I should know.”

“Then you probably should know what we did at my place during the nights when he stayed over,” Myungsoo said seriously.

Howon and Sungyeol threw pillows at him simultaneously. Howon’s pillow brushed over his head while Sungyeol’s soared right out of the door.

“Wow jerk, nice aim.” Woohyun scoffed at Sungyeol.

“I was aiming for the door.”

“Sure prick. And brighten up Howon, if they had really done anything, Sungjong wouldn’t have hidden it from you.”

“For once, I agree with Mr. Shorty here,” Sungyeol said.

“You should always agree with me because you’re too dumb to think.”

“Says who? The Dwarf King?”

“Says me—someone who doesn’t fail all the tests.”

“Shinwoo hyung, dinner time!” Myungsoo and Howon shouted together, stopping their friends from bickering through the night.

“Howon, are you ok with this though?” Sungyeol asked him one day when it was just the two of them. Woohyun and Myungsoo had gone to check out a new coffee shop.

“With what?” Howon asked, frowning.

“Myungsoo and Sungjong. Myungsoo seems pretty serious and I don’t think Sunggyu has any objections.”

“Do you?” Howon asked.

Sungyeol squirmed uncomfortably.

“I-well, I don’t know. I mean Myungsoo is a great guy and Sungjong’s also great but I’m not sure they are right for each other.”

“Why?”

“Umm, because they don’t fight?”

“What?” Howon said, laughing.

“I’m serious Howon. I read a book once and they said in relationships, it’s important for the people to fight. Or else love does not bloom.” Sungyeol blushed for some reason.

“You read a book?” Howon asked suspiciously.

“Ok fine, I watched it on TV.”

“So that’s why you fight with Woohyun so much?”

“What? No, absolutely not. You think we are—gross!” Sungyeol threw his hands up in frustration and pretended to vomit.

“Oh please, as if Myungsoo and I don’t know.”

“What?” Sungyeol asked, stupefied.

“Don’t insult our intelligence.”

“Did you guys talk about it?”

Howon raised an eyebrow.

“Of course not. But that’s not the only way we can hold a conversation.”

“Right, what luck!” Sungyeol said. “Do you think Woohyun also…”

Howon laughed.

“I don’t know if you guys watched the same TV show or not but yeah, Woohyun definitely feels the same.”

“Howon, I umm thought…well, it had occurred to me, I mean it might seem to some that you…umm, we know each other since we were kids and…”

“You think I like you?”

“I-I you don’t?”

“Sungyeol, you’re my best friend ever but I can’t kiss you, I promise.”

“We didn’t kiss!” Sungyeol said, but he looked relieved all the same.

“I didn’t say you did. Just relax ok?”

“Thanks. And please don’t tell Woohyun alright?”

“Ok.”

“And what about Myungsoo and Sungjong?”

“What about them?”

“You’re Sungjong’s older brother.”

“I know, but I’ll let Sungjong decide on this one.”

Sungyeol nodded.

“I see. Myungsoo is very persistent though. And he’s a good guy. Truthfully, I’d rather it’s him than Woohyun. ”

Howon rolled his eyes at Sungyeol and he added hastily, “Not because I-it’s because, you know, none of us treated Sungjong that great!”

“Yeah, I’m glad it’s him as well.”

“What are you two glad about?” Woohyun’s voice sounded through the door.

“That Myungsoo has good eyesight or he’d lose you in the crowd since you’re so short,” Sungyeol barked.

Woohyun drawled, “Oh so you were actually concerned about me getting lost? Bad news brainless—even if I get lost, I know the way back to this place.”

“Why didn’t you leave him there, Myungsoo?”

“It’s 5 already, Sungjong should be on Skype.” Myungsoo ignored the others and ran towards his room.

“He’s got a bad case of it,” said Woohyun, shaking his head.

“Bad case of what?” Howon asked.

“It’s new in town and it’s the rave. The love flu, that is.”