“Ugh,” Jonghyun groaned in annoyance as his noisy alarm went off. He reached over and hit it until it finally shut up. As he was about to drift back off to sleep he suddenly remembered the beautiful boy sleeping on his cough. He got out of bed and slowly tiptoed out his room and down the hallway that led to the living room.

He peeked his head around the corner and saw that Changhyun was fast asleep. He knew he shouldn’t but still he quietly crept closer to him, he just wanted a better look. The boy was beautiful. Even more beautiful than he was last night. The urge to curl up next to him, and wrap his arms around him were overwhelming. But he knew he couldn’t. He hated that he couldn’t.

And he hated that he felt that way because it made no sense at all. You can’t fall for someone you don’t even know, things like that don’t happen in real life. But it had and he knew it. There was something about Changhyun that captured him the moment they met. He knew it was serious because any other time he’d have given up the moment he knew he wouldn’t be getting into his pants that night. It wasn’t just physical, no matter how much he wished it were.

Changhyun was shy yet witty, mature yet innocent, intelligent as hell, and Jonghyun couldn’t ever remember seeing someone so gorgeous, y, and cute in his entire life. The boy was perfect in every way and he hated it. He hated how he loved it and what it was already doing to him. And what he hated the most is that soon it would be gone. Changhyun would go home to his boyfriend, and possibly out of his life forever.

He tried to put those thoughts out of his head as he crept back out the living room and into the bathroom to shower and brush his teeth. After he was done with that plus getting dressed he made his way to the living room again. The boy was still sleep. He knew it was time to get up but he couldn’t make himself disturb him. So he hoped the smell of breakfast cooking would do it for him.

Which did the trick, because it wasn’t too long after he started that he saw a sleepy Changhyun poke his messy head into the kitchen.

“Good morning hyung. Did you sleep well?” Jonghyun asked him with a smile as he was mixing pancake batter.

Changhyun yawned and rubbed his eyes, “Yeah, I slept okay.” More than okay actually. It was the first peaceful night’s sleep he’d gotten in a long time. It was nice to go to sleep without worrying about a drunken boyfriend pouncing on you in the middle of the night.

“Hey if you want, you can go take a shower while I make breakfast. I think there’s an unopened toothbrush under the sink.”

“Yeah that sounds nice, thank you.” He went into the living room to get his clothes that he folded up the night before and went to the bathroom to shower. After showering, changing clothes, and brushing his teeth he tried his best to make his hair look as normal as he could. Last thing he wanted was to go home to Jongdae looking like spent the night sleeping. That wouldn’t end well.

After he was done he came out to find that breakfast was done and Jonghyun already had his plate on the table. He had made pancakes, bacon, and sausage, and it all looked delicious.

“You really didn’t have to do all this Jongie-yah.” He said as he sat down at the table (mentally scolding himself for using the nickname from last night).

Jonghyun never realized before just how beautiful that nickname had sounded, “It’s nothing hyung. I hope you like it.”

“Oh it’s great!” He said with a mouth full of food (he again scolded himself for his bad manners). “I didn’t know you could cook.”

“Well, ya know, I’m good at a lot of things.” He said with a wink.

Changhyun rolled his eyes at the innuendo and threw his balled up napkin at him.

“Haha, sorry! That’s kind of a bad habit of mine.” Changhyun only rolled his eyes at him again. They made small talk until they finished eating and then gathered the dirty dishes to put in the sink.

“So um,” Changhyun felt awkward all of a sudden, “I should probably get going now.”

“Oh yeah, of course. Let me go grab my keys.”

“Jonghyun you really don’t have to take me home, you’ve already done enough for me.”

“Naw, it’s okay, I don’t mind. I’ll be right back.” He then left towards his room.

Changhyun had started to think about what he was going to tell his boyfriend when he got home. Though it was ridiculous to him, because none of it was even his fault to begin with. But still he knew better than to think any of that would matter. Changhyun sat down on the couch as he rubbed his temples. He had felt so much peace since he came home with Jonghyun last night and now it was slowly fading away.

And part of that was from knowing he’d probably never see the other again. He already had a boyfriend so he couldn’t date him. And why would he want to just be his friend when he wanted more? At least he seemed like he did……He’s way out of my league anyways. Plus, there’s no way in hell he could ever be friends with him anyways, Jongdae would probably strangle him if he even tried.

Jonghyun came back out with his keys in hand, “I’m ready, let’s go hyung!” He said as he started towards the door, but Changhyun had lightly grabbed his arm before he reached it. His heart started racing as that hand slid down his arm to grab his hand.

“Hey, um,” Jonghyun stepped closer to him and whatever Changhyun had in mind to say somehow got lost in the redhead’s chocolate brown eyes, “I just wanna, you know, say thanks. For…………everything.”

Jonghyun smiled at him and squeezed his hand, “You don’t need to thank me. I’m just glad I could be there for you.” He began rethinking decision not to kiss him. Why not? It’s not like he’d be seeing him again. He stepped even closer so that there was hardly any space between them. An adorable blush spread across the boy’s face but he neither moved back nor pushed him away, so he took that as a green light.

Oh my God, is he gonna kiss me? Changhyun couldn’t move………..though he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

Jonghyun had barely started to lean in when suddenly there was a loud click. He turned to see the door open and his roommate walk in.

“Uh, hey hyung.” He greeted him as he quickly stepped back from Changhyun and let go of his hand. “Um……is Jiyeon noona doing okay?”

“Ha, yeah once she stopped throwing up.” He flinched as she came up behind him and pinched his arm.

“Pabo, don’t lie on me! I did NOT throw up Jongie. I can hold my liquor pretty well thank you very much!” She sent a glare Minsoo’s way before noticing Changhyun, “Oh hi there!! Jongie, who’s your cute friend?” Changhyun blushed at her words.

“Yeah Jonghyun-ah, who’s your friend?” He repeated her question with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m Yoo Changhyun,” he said with a bow, “it’s nice to meet you.”

“Same here, so where do you know Jonghyun from?” He was eyeing them both suspiciously.

“Well, I um…..”

“School,” Jonghyun chimed in, “he’s uh, in my class”. “We have to get going now, I need to drop him off at home, come on hyung.” He grabbed Changhyun’s hand and quickly dragged him out the door. He was pretty sure Minsoo suspected that Changhyun spent the night (in a less than innocent way) and he didn’t want him asking any embarrassing questions.

“School?” Changhyun asked him once they were inside the car.

“Well, it was the best thing I could think of!” The other replied while buckling his seat belt as Changhyun did the same, “He shouldn’t be so damn nosey.”

“You can’t blame him for asking, I mean I am a stranger in his house.”

“Please, you don’t know how many times I’ve come home to “strangers” he’s left there. And usually I’m the one who ends up taking them home!”

“Oh……I see. Sorry.” Changhyun didn’t exactly know what he was apologizing for, but the other boy seemed like he was getting upset.

As Jonghyun put the car in drive and pulled out his parking space, he turned for a quick glance at Changhyun. He was looking down at his shirt and picking at various pieces of lint he found there. He immediately felt like a total for making the boy feel uncomfortable (though he found that nervous habit of his absolutely adorable). He prayed that he didn’t ruin the few moments he had left with him.

“Hey,” Changhyun looked up at him, “so you want me to take you straight home?”

“Yes please. Do you remember the way?”

“Pshh, of course I remember the way! I’m not THAT useless.” He stuck his tongue out at him.

“You’re going down the wrong street.” Changhyun said with a smirk.

“What?”

“I live the opposite way, down that way,” he pointed in that direction, “you went down the wrong street pabo.”

It took a few moments of him checking the street signs, remembering the way he went last night, and checking the signs again before it really set in that the boy was right, “Son of a !!” He yelled in frustration, “You know you could’ve said something sooner!”

Changhyun laughed at him as he cursed a few more times while looking for a place to turn around at.

“I guess you’re more useless than you thought huh?” Changhyun said with an impossibly wide grin on his face.

“Shut up.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Jongdae still wasn’t home when Changhyun got there. But he still kept his goodbyes with Jonghyun quick just in case. He didn’t have a key but he managed to find their landlord on property and she was more than happy to let him in his apartment when he told her he locked himself out.

He took a quick shower, got changed, and began the doing the household chores. As busy as he was trying to keep himself, it wasn’t doing much to keep a certain redhead out of his head. His smile, his laugh, his dumb humor………..his lips…….Shut up!!! He tried telling his brain. It usually listened to him, but not this time.

Just a few more minutes……. He thought as he vacuumed the floor. He wondered what would have happened if his roommate had come home just a few minutes later. Was he really gonna kiss me? It sure seemed like it.

He tried not to wonder what it would’ve felt like, he really missed being like that with someone. It wasn’t that Jongdae never kissed him, but when he did it was usually for a specific reason (especially after he moved in). That reason was usually and he hardly ever kissed him during the act which left him feeling empty and used.

“I’m just glad I could be there for you.” He recalled the redhead saying to him as he washed the few dishes for yesterday morning (there was none from dinner for obvious reasons). He didn’t know if he meant it or not (he had a feeling that he did though), but just those words alone meant so much to him.

Nobody has ever said they wanted to be there for him, let alone actually BE there. And the way his hand felt when he held it, so warm and gentle. And being that close to him; looking into his eyes, felt so…………….intimate. More intimate than every time he’s slept with his boyfriend combined.

And then there’s that cologne of his………..he stopped for a second as he contemplated smashing Jongdae’s favorite blue mug into tiny little pieces. Of course he wouldn’t actually do it, but still it was a nice thought. He sighed and rinsed out the spared mug before putting it in the dish washer and turning it on.

As he went to collect a week’s worth of laundry, his thoughts drifted back to Jonghyun and his y smelling cologne. The memory of wearing his jacket at the grocery store last night came back to him, and he couldn’t help but laugh at himself.

I can’t believe I did that. He thought as he remembered sniffing the boy’s jacket hoping that he wouldn’t get caught. So stupid. But he really couldn’t help himself.

All of a sudden he had a thought. He stopped during his task of gathering the dirty laundry from the hamper in the bedroom and walked over to the dresser in the corner. He picked up the half empty cologne bottle (half of which was probably sprayed on him at one time), took the top off, sprayed a bit into the cap and took a whiff. He grimaced; it was nowhere near the y sent from the other boy.

He began contemplating the thought of throwing it out the window and watching the nasty sent (which gets all over him when his boyfriend is trying to…………well, get all over him) smash into a zillion bits and pieces until he heard the front door open.

He put the spared bottle back on the dresser and dragged the collected laundry out into the living room.

“Changhyun?” Jongdae seemed surprised to see him.

“Mrs. Hwang let me in.” He knew that’s what Jongdae was wondering, seeing how he didn’t have a key and all.

“Where were you baby? I looked for you last night but I couldn’t find you.” He walked up behind Changhyun and put his arms around him.

Liar. Which made Changhyun not feel bad in the least about the lie he was about to tell, “I was in the laundry room. They forgot to lock it again so I stayed in there.” He seemed to buy it.

He turned him around to face him and cradled his face in his hands, “I’m glad you’re okay baby.” He pressed a soft kiss onto his lips and held him in his arms. The tender moment only made Changhyun tense up. Sweet moments like this were only for one reason and one reason only, to lure him into a false sense of security (that effect wore off a long time ago).

He let him go and sat down on the couch after grabbing the remote from the arm of the chair. Changhyun had grabbed the detergent from under the sink and a bottle of water out the fridge. After returning to the living room, he handed the water to Jongdae and some quarters from the nearby coin jar.

He looked around to make sure he had everything he needed and began towards the door.

“Remember what we talked about last night okay?” Jongdae called out to him.

“Yeah,” he replied without turning around…………big mistake. Changhyun jumped as he heard a loud noise behind him. Jongdae had thrown the remote down on the coffee table. He turned around to see him get off the couch and slowly walk towards him.

“What was that?” He said in a tone that was no longer sweet and loving, but now low and intimidating.

“I…….I mean, yes. Yes, I…….I remember.” Changhyun backed up till he was against the door, “I’m sorry.”

Jongdae stood there in silence for a few moments, holding his gaze on the boyfriend that was cowering away from him. He reached out to his cheek (which made Changhyun flinch) as he left a kiss on the other one.

“Good boy.” He said as he returned to the couch to watch tv.

Changhyun quickly went outside and closed his eyes for a second as he leaned back against the wall next to their front door. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself before he sadly made his way toward their complex’s laundry room.

Wishing all the way there that he could relive last night and once again be in the comforting presence of a certain redhead.