Chapter 4

Finally they had it: a day off! Ricky and Chanjo were so happy to be out of the dorm and free on their own. It was a rare chance for them to be both off of work and not on dorm arrest. There were many times their manager forbade them from going out or even receiving guests. The boys knew they had to make the best of their new found freedom.

“YAYYY!” Ricky said, arms akimbo towards the sky as he and Chanjo stood in front of the entrance to the park. “This is great!”

“Changhyun,” Changjo looked at his hyung weirdly. “You’re causing attention. Do you want to be recognized?”

Ricky sheepishly let his arms dropped, “Sorry I’m just so excited.”

“So am I. And here stop making me hold your skateboard,” Changjo shoved the board into Ricky’s chest before he let his own down and skateboarded away.

“H,hey! Jonghyun-ah!” Ricky said, setting his board down and following.

He caught up and they skated along the sidewalk side by side.

“So what do you want to do first?” Ricky asked Changjo.

“I don’t know. How about a race,” Changjo suggested.

“Ok. What’s the prize?”

Chungjo thought for a moment then said, “How about we race to the ice cream place and the first one there had to pay.”

“Deal. Ready?”

“Ready!”

“GO!”

And with that the pair took off skating their way through the park towards the ice cream stand they both knew was on the other side. Neither were relenting, their inner spirit of competition came out full force. After all, they were both compared often for being maknae and dancing. It even felt they were at competition for lines. But despite that they were able to be closer for it rather than divided.

Finally they reach the destination with Ricky reaching it before Changjo by just a few seconds. Changjo collapsed against the curb of the street as Ricky did a victory dance around him.

“Yes yes! Ice cream is on you, Jonghyun,” Ricky cheered. “Booyah!”

“Wah, I want a rematch!” complained Changjo. “I could have won but a dog jumped in front of me you saw it!”

“Excuses. Come on I want my ice cream,” Ricky laughed and went inside the parlor.

Changjo sighed and dragged himself up and went inside as well. Ricky was already ordering when he entered. And Changjo joined and made his order as well. When they got their ice cream they went outside to sit on a bench and eat it.

“So what do you want to do after this?” Ricky asked.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to go to the skate store?” Changjo replied, mouth full of ice cream.

“Yeah but since Niel isn’t here I’m not really as excited,” Ricky sighed.

“I see how it is.”

“Hey! You know I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just going there is our thing, the three of us. But he’s not here so I’d rather just wait until next time.”

“Yeah I understand,” Changjo said. “I think I agree. So what about we just do something special just the two of us.”

“Ok, like what?”

“Well, I dunno. Isn’t that what we’re deciding now?”

“Oh right.”

Ricky paused while eating to think, his spoon was hanging cutely out his mouth and Changjo shook his head and pulled the spoon from Ricky mouth.

“Hey!” Ricky protested.

“What are you? 4 years old. Eat like a normal person please,” Changjo scolded.

“I am eating like a normal person,” Ricky protested trying to get his spoon back but Changjo pulled it away.

“You’re hopeless,” Changjo chuckled and dipped Ricky spoon in his bowl and then went and fed Ricky ice cream himself. “I guess I have to feed you then.”

“No you don—oomph!”

Changjo stuck Ricky spoon into his mouth and shut him up. When Changjo took the spoon back out Ricky ate the ice cream and Changjo went and scooped some more into the spoon.

“I think it’ll be fun to go play games at the game center. Oh and UFO catche,” Changjo suggested.

“Oh good idea—mmf,” Ricky’s browns knitted as more ice cream as scooped into his mouth.

“And then after that maybe I dunno… go shopping I want a new ring. And maybe we can get some other things too… And… hey don’t you have any ideas?”

Changjo took the spoon from Ricky mouth.

“Yes I have ideas! If you let me speak!” Ricky snatched his spoon back from Changjo hands, annoyed. “Let’s go eat meat!”

“Perfect let’s go!”

Thus that was how the pair spent their free day until the color of the blue sky began to be tinged with purple and orange.

They had went meat, then they went to the game center and after that they went to the grocery to buy another thing of ice cream for their members.

“I think everyone should be home by now,” Changjo said as he got a big tub of ice cream and handed it to Ricky. “So this should be good enough for 6 of us.”

“Are you paying for this one too?” Ricky asked and when Changjo looked surprised Ricky just laughed and went to the register and paid himself.

While happily returning home they chatted about their day.

“That meat was so good,” Ricky said. “I’m hungry again already!”

They were walking down the street. Ricky had one handle of the bag of ice cream and Changjo was holding the other.

“You’re always hungry,” pointed out Changjo.

“So are you.”

“I know.”

“I wonder what’s in the house to eat,” Ricky mused. “Maybe we should have bought something to eat other than ice cream.”

“There should be some noodles in there so we can eat that first. Then eat ice cream.”

“Oh yeah! Wow Jonghyun you really think of everything,” beamed Ricky happily.

Changjo just shake his head but he was smiling, “Right. One of us has to.”

“I wonder how Daniel is doing. Aish, I can’t believe he just hung out with Minsoo all day instead of with us. We’re his friends too,” Ricky pouted. But then his face got serious, “You know… I didn’t want to say anything but I’m worried about him.”

“Changhyun…”

“I know I know. You told me the other day it’s their relationship that’s why you didn’t intervene but… I can’t help it I’m really worried. Do you think that… that… well, the bruises and… you saw it like I did. Do you really think Minsoo hyung would really do that?”

“I can’t say what Minsoo hyung did or didn’t do. I mean, we just see the bruise we didn’t see what happened,” Changjo rationalized.

“But… but I saw Daniel on the floor. And then you know that time the other week he bruised his fingers? I think the other hyungs are suspicious about it as well but they won’t talk to it about me. I think because we’re younger.”

“Because it’s not our business,” Changjo corrected.

“Whose side are you on?”

“I’m not taking sides. I’m just saying we shouldn’t jump to conclusions because of a bruise. Daniel and Minsoo argue sometimes, yes. And it can be really loud and a little scary but I have never seen Minsoo hit him. Have you ever seen him hit him?”

“But—“

“Have you seen it?” Changjo asked again.

Ricky looked at Changjo disapprovingly, “Well you know what I say?”

“What?” Changjo asked.

“I say go with your gut. And my gut says something not right.”

-----

Like all the other members Niel was happy for the chance for a free day. Ricky and Changjo were going out together and normally Niel would want to go too but it was also nice to spend a quiet day with his boyfriend. Plus he had double checked if Minsoo had any plans with his friends that day and apparently he was free until evening so it worked out for him anyway. He could spend the day with his lover and the evening with his friends.

After breakfast Changjo and Ricky left together and Niel went around looking for Minsoo. He went to the living room and saw L.Joe sitting on the floor eating cereal and watching television so he went to check C.A.P’s room instead and that’s where he found him sitting and reading his book.

“Hey hyung,” Niel said coming in and crawling in the bed beside him. “You ate breakfast so fast.”

“You’re really not going out with Ricky and Jonghyun?” C.A.P said putting down his book.

“I said I wasn’t last night, remember?” Niel reminded, propping himself up on his arms so he could look down at C.A.P’s face.

“Yeah but I guess I’m just surprised since you three usually do things together on days off.”

“Well I decided I’d spend the first half of the day with you. You know…,” Niel used his fingers to trace C.A.P’s collar bone through his tank top. “To make up for yesterday. I’m sorry about it, you know. I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s my fault.”

“And how do you suppose that?” C.A.P asked, reaching up and threading his fingers through Niel’s. “Things aren’t ever just one person’s fault. There’s always at least two people in each argument.”

“I know but I started it at least,” Niel said.

“It’s ok.”

Niel smiled and bit his lip before leaning down and capturing his hyung’s lips in a kiss. C.A.P quickly responded, kissing back heatedly and pulling Niel right onto his lap.

“It seems like we’ll both benefit from your way of making things up to me,” C.A.P said when they broke their kiss.

“Mm, yeah but do you really mind?” Niel asked, running his fingers up and down C.A.P’s chest.

“Not really. This is good.”

“Good,” Niel smirked, wiggling his hips and leaning down to kiss C.A.P again.

As they kissed C.A.P reached down to pull Niel’s shirt up and Niel sat up, stopping his hands.

“Hyung.” Niel protested but C.A.P sat up as well pushing Niel backwards so now he was lying with his back on the mattress. “Hyung please don’t.”

“Don’t what?” C.A.P asked pulling Niel’s hands off the hem of his shirt.

“Don’t look… it’s…”

But it was too late as C.A.P pushed the shirt up revealing the dark blue marks that had yet to fully begin their healing process. As C.A.P’s cool hands his ribs Niel’s back arched off the sheets as a surprised mewl ripped from his throat.

“But Niel-ah,” C.A.P said leaning forward still his ribs. “I think you’re really pretty. You know I do.”

“Stop lying,” Niel snapped, glaring up at his boyfriend.

“I do. You’re pretty no matter what.”

“Just… shut up. Please don’t look… just me.”

C.A.P just chuckled and pulling Niel’s hair back roughly began kissing at his throat. Niel moaned and his hands clutched at C.A.P’s back, pulling his tank top up. C.A.P detached himself from Niel long enough to get the shirt over his head and Niel deposited it to the ground before they began to kiss again.

Afterwards, C.A.P and Niel were under the blanket. Though still in the , C.A.P had returned to his book and Niel was reclining in the bed playing a game on C.A.P’s tablet.

“Hyung, what you want to do next?” Niel asked, not taking his eyes from the screen.

“Wanna do it again?” C.A.P asked, turning in the bed and setting aside his book.

Niel rolled his eyes, “Maybe. But for real we can’t just stay in the bed all day.”

“Why not?” C.A.P asked, burying his face in Niel’s neck.

“Because we should eat?” Niel supplied. “And…hey!”

C.A.P’s hand had slipped under the blanket and touched a still sensitive spot.

“Ok, we can eat then… and maybe… go to the arcade. Does that sound good?” C.A.P asked.

“Ok!”

“Great! So first let’s do it!”

“Wait no…haha!” Niel started to laugh as C.AP bean to attack him with kisses all over.

It was then that the door to the room opened and L.Joe walked in.

“Hey guys I—oh!” L.Joe said turning red as a tomato.

“ARG!!” Niel cried out pushing C.A.P away and pulling the blanket over his entire body including his head.

C.A.P had to resort to using a corner of that blanket to cover his lap.

“Uhh… Byunghun what do you want?” C.A.P asked.

L.Joe, who had at that point turned as red as a tomato and not knowing quite where to direct his eyes backed out of the doorway answering, “I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to disturb. It wasn’t so important. Pleaseee.. FORGIVE ME!”

With that the door slammed and C.A.P sighed and pulled the blanket off of Niel’s head.

“Ahhh I’m gonna die now!” Niel cried.

“It was just Byunghun,” C.A.P shrugged.

“No…” Niel whined sitting up. “Ugh so embarrassing! He better not tell anyone about it.”

C.A.P chuckled, “He will.”

“I’ve lost the mood. Wanna just go get lunch?” Niel asked.

“Sure. Whatever you want.”

And with one last kiss the pair decided to get ready to finally go out for the day.

To be continued…

AN - lol no ! anyway i put in this NAP to show the dynamic of the couple when they're not arguing. There's been a lot of tension in the fic so far so it's good to get a breathe of fresh air........ But you know what they say there's a calm before the storm!!