Sungjae frowned at the sight before him as he walked into the waiting room. His Donggeunie hyung was sitting on the couch with Ilhoon, Changsub and Minhyuk, but Hyunsik was sitting on his lap and his arms were overlapping with the ones wrapped around his waist.

"Sungjae-ah, Jiyong hyung is running late so we have to wait a while." Minhyuk informed Sungjae, filing his duties as the group's Mommy.

"I don't need a vocal teacher, my singing is perfect!" Sungjae yelled in a weird voice and pretended to storm off. While his hyungs laughed at him, he watched out of the corner of his eye and knew that he had caught Peniel's attention. He needed to think fast. Then he glanced around and saw Eunkwang sitting on a chair away from the members, memorizing his script for his musical. Perfect.

"Eunkwangie hyung~~" Sungjae yelled again in his weird voice as he skipped over to Eunkwang and then threw his arms around his neck. There, that'll show Peniel, Sungjae thought. He couldn't possibly kiss him the night before and then go around cuddling other people the next day. Sungjae was supposed to be everyone's favorite, not him. Only Sungjae's allowed to cuddle everyone and pucker his lips at them. But if he's going to act this way, Sungjae will show him who's boss.

"No no no, I'm busy, go bother your other hyungs." Eunkwang kept his eyes on his script and reached out one hand to push Sungjae's face away. Sungjae panicked a little inside. Eunkwang who was always up for cuddles was rejecting him, and that wasn't part of the plan.

"Eunkwangie hyuuuuuuung~~~" Sungjae had no other way but to show his aegyo. He was trying so hard to get Eunkwang's attention so he'd cuddle with him and Peniel would see, but Eunkwang wasn't cooperating.

"Sungjae, Eunkwangie hyung needs to work. Leave him alone and come over here." Ilhoon gestured for Sungjae to go to the couch. Damn Ilhoonie hyung, always so sensible and smart, thought Sungjae as he walked towards the couch with a bitter expression on his face. He saw that Peniel wasn't paying any attention to him, and was giggling about whatever with Hyunsik and Changsub. He plopped down onto the floor next to the couch and crossed his arms dramatically in front of his chest, followed with a loud "Hmpf!!" He watched as Changsub and Hyunsik sang the Korean 3 bears song, while Peniel rocked Hyunsik sideways as if he was a huge teddy bear.

"Woah, Sungjae looks grumpy! Sungjae quick, do a grumpy gwiyomi!" Ilhoon did his joker laugh and shoved Sungjae's shoulder lightly. Sungjae didn't feel like doing it, but he needed Peniel to pay attention to him so desperately. He made an exaggerated grumpy face and started counting. By the end of it as he was scratching his nostrils on the 7th gwiyomi, he finally saw what he had been waiting to see. Peniel was looking at him and chuckling to himself while the other members were sprawled across the floor in hysterics. Sungjae felt like pumping his fist in the air and yelling.

"Ilhoonie hyung, your turn!" Sungjae sat on the arm of the couch then looked straight at Peniel. Peniel gave no more than a small smile, then leant forward and laid his cheek on Hyunsik's back to watch Ilhoon. Sungjae didn't feel like being hyper anymore. He sat through Ilhoon's weird as hell gwiyomi, gave a fake laugh then pulled a long face. The members paid him no attention, partly because they thought Sungjae was still in character and because Ilhoon was funnier. Sungjae couldn't believe it. He wanted Peniel's attention, but he's not going to go up to him and ask for it. He would have to make him want to be with Sungjae himself, and it was going to be harder than he thought. As Sungjae was deep in his thought, the waiting room door flew open and their manager made a "get a move on" gesture. The 7 men scrambled downstairs half racing each other to the van. Sungjae hated this part. He liked his permanent seat at the back of the van, but his Donggeunie hyung always moved around. He sat next to him most of the time, but sometimes He would sit in the middle row, or the other maknae line member would have taken up the seat in the middle of the back row before Peniel got on the van. He panicked a little, deciding whether or not to grab Peniel. No no, he has to make Peniel want to sit next to him. 

But... Screw that. He hasn't spoken to or touched him all day. Sungjae was about to reach out and grab Peniel, but Minhyuk got there before him. Sungjae halted and stared in disbelief. No way! He had gone through so much effort, and now it was as if he was in his zombie survival game, there's Minhyuk hyung flying in with a helicopter and picking Peniel off the ground away from him, leaving zombie Sungjae hungry for brains. Well, figuratively speaking. Of course he didn't actually want to eat Peniel's brains, he was more hungry for his attention

"Donggeun-ah, I have an English assignment to hand in tomorrow. Would you mind helping me a little? There are words I don't know how to say in English, it's professional language..." Minhyuk went on and on as he led Peniel who was nodding vigorously into the van's middle row. Sungjae stood there, feeling more dumbstruck than ever. No, worse, he felt like he had just smashed a hundred watermelons with his head.

 

 

Peniel was uploading the sleeping shot he took of Changsub onto Instagram, when he felt a pair of eyes boring into the back of his neck. He spun his head around and scanned the maknae line at the back. Ilhoon was sleeping soundly like a baby, but Sungjae was squinting his eyes shut really hard. Peniel made sure that Jiyong hyung had his headphones in and everyone else was asleep, then reached over his seat to place his hand on Sungjae's knee.

"Sungjae-ah... I know you're awake." He called softly. Sungjae opened his eyes and moved his body to the edge of his seat so he was closer to Peniel.

"What's wrong?" Peniel squeezed Sungjae's knee gently. He saw Sungjae's face color slightly as he shook his head and shot him a sour look.

"If you say so then..." Peniel's hand retracted and was half way in the air, when Sungjae grabbed it and pulled it back down swiftly. Peniel's heart skipped a beat. Sungjae hadn't shown him that much affection that day, probably because of what he did the night before. Peniel appreciated Sungjae's sudden neediness, and held his hand back gently. He had to let Sungjae know that he was staying right here with him and he's looking at him alone. As if he understood, Sungjae's tight grip loosened a little as he gazed at Peniel with red cheeks. Peniel slipped his fingers through Sungjae's and waited, but soon he realized the maknae was feeling bashful and wasn't going to say anything. He knew he had to be the one to break the stalemate, so he lifted their intertwined hands and brought it up to his face. He planted his lips gently on the smooth back of Sungjae's hand.

"H-hyung..." Sungjae whimpered. Peniel looked at him cautiously, wondering if his little comforting gesture was too much.

"Do you not like me...?" Oh. So that was what it was all about. Peniel shook his head and smiled warmly. He knew the maknae was silly, but surely not silly enough to think Peniel didn't like him?

"Sungjae-ah, don't think too much. You already have very little brain cells left, don't over work them. Get some rest." Peniel released his hand and patted Sungjae's head lightly before turning back to face the front. He could still feel Sungjae's worried and burdened gaze on him. Feeling it was his duty to bring peace back to the boy, he turned around again. He took a deep breath and looked at Sungjae's feline eyes, making sure his attention was on him.

"I like you Sungjae, a lot." 

 

 

 

Hello viewers!

Sorry for the short chapter here, I've been out all day and my brain is dying (like Sungjae's) XD

Hopefully you find this chapter a little more interesting!

Thanks to all my subbies and viewers, and I appreciate the comments so lemme know what y'all think :P

Peace out.

Random thing of the day: Eunkwang's squidward face.

KThxBai