They went back into the club silently, Daesung felt a pang of disappointment that disappeared as quickly as it came when Seunghyun’s hand slip away from his as they walked back into the dimly lit building, he peered at Seunghyun silhouette and sighed.

He looked so right, his handsome, prominent features half cast in blinking bright lights, Daesung suddenly felt dizzy from the over-whelming atmosphere.

He looked part of this world that Daesung was not.

Jiyong and Seungri were no where to be seen at the bar anymore, maybe they had separated, or maybe they’d gone to dance in the crowded dance floor.

Seunghyun frowned as people were shoving against them to get to the bar.

“Hey.” He whispered into Daesung’s ear “Do you want to leave?”

His hand slipped around Daesung’s waist to pull him away from the drunks who were stumbling to pass by them, Daesung felt his face heat up.

“But what about Seungri?...”

Seunghyun paused for a moment, “He’d be okay.”

Daesung felt guilty for hoping too much for Seunghyun’s answer, and even more when Seunghyun’s answer was the one that he’d hoped for.

Maybe it was the pounding bass in his ears, or the flashing lights, or the smell of alcohol wafting in the air that made him light-headed, but before Daesung could stop himself he was nodding and letting Seunghyun lead him out of the club.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be fine.” Seunghyun assured him once more as they piled onto the cab.

Daesung bit his lip but nodded in agreement, Seungri was always fine.

Seunghyun’s finger’s slipped around his once again and Daesung tried to ignore his pounding heart.

-

Seungri was all pouts and complaints the next day when he met Daesung at the bus stop.

“Ah hyuuuuung~” he scrunched his nose “How can you two leave me behind like that?”

“Aish, kid.” Seunghyun suddenly appeared from behind Seungri and knocked him on the head, earning another aegyo-filled pout from him.

“It was because you disappeared! And obviously you were having a great time, we didn’t want to cut your night short.”

Seungri only made a face but seemed to accept the explanation as he start launched into a ramble about last night.

Daesung felt guilty, not because he’d left the younger boy behind- since he knew by Seungri’s smile that he’d enjoyed the night a little bit too much, but because he’d hoped that Seunghyun would suggest doing so.

Seunghyun averted his attention from Seungri and looked at him, wiggling his eyebrows as if portraying some secret message.

Daesung broke into a chuckle then, ignoring how his heart dropped a little when Seunghyun slung his arm around Seungri to stop him from talking and lead him onto the bus.

He rubbed his fingers together, it was almost as if he could still feel Seunghyun’s warmth lingering between them.

He felt like something wasn’t right anymore.

-

They’d all gone to their separate classes and when lunch time came around, Seungri once again appeared in front of him, running and waving to him excitedly.

Daesung smiled at the sight, Seungri was always so energetic, it made him happy seeing him- he wished the younger one would stay like this forever, innocent and lively.

“Hyung! Let’s go find Seunghyun-hyung!” Seungri suggested with even more eagerness than normal that made Daesung curious.

“Sure.” Daesung felt his heart beating a little faster at the thought of Choi Seunghyun, he didn’t even want to admit it to himself, but the older man’s touches, his hugs and his gaze was all that was in Daesung’s mind the whole morning.

-

Seungri spoke into the phone loudly while dragging Daesung around “Hyung hyung where are you? Me and daesung are coming now!”

Before Daesung could get his head working again, they were standing in front of Seunghyun and Kwon Jiyong who was with him.

“Hyung!” Seungri bounced up to the older two, “Jiyong hyung annyong.”

He greeted his hyung's company with a happy smile.

“Annyong Seungri.” Jiyong smiled and ruffled his hair, causing Seungri to laugh shyly.

Seunghyun raised his eyebrow at Kang Daesung who approached him carefully.

“Hyung…” Daesung winced hearing himself, he didn’t want to seem off, but somehow his speech has hesitant and somehow…shy.

Seunghyun seemed to not realize though, or he chose to ignore it as he slipped his arm onto Daesung’s shoulders, pulling him along following the other two to the school cafe.

-

“So Jiyong hyung do you have a studio?” Seungri asked with curiosity as he wiped his mouth with a napkin after finishing the last bite of his sandwich.

Jiyong can’t help but to laugh at the younger boy’s rapid blinks as he looked at him with those panda eyes

“Yes. Well, it’s the school’s, but I work in it.”

“Woaaaahhh.” Seungri gasped with admiration, Daesung would have too- if he was not so focused on the way Seunghyun is staring at him with his piercing gaze.

“I want to see hyung!” Seungri looked at Jiyong with pleading eyes.

Jiyong chuckled, ruffling the younger’s hair “Of course you can.”

The four stood up from their table, Daesung was too distracted to catch what Seungri was rambling excitedly about to cause Kwon Jiyong to laugh once more.

Seunghyun finally tore his gaze away from Daesung as he was asked a question.

“No, me and Daesung have other plans.” He heard his deep voice say before Seunghyun grabbed his hand, causing him to jump with start.

“Let’s go.” He felt Seunghyun’s hot breath on his ear, making heat creep on his face again, and before he knew what was going on, he was being pulled out of the café.

If Kang Daesung had paid more attention, or if he had not been so absorbed in the fact that Choi Seunghyun was holding his hand- then maybe, just maybe he would have caught the expression on Seungri’s face as he turned away from the exiting pair to look at Kwon Jiyong- an expression of bliss happiness, and also...

Hopeful.

Present

Seungri groaned as he felt the cold air hit him as soon as he made his way down the stairs.

He should have worn a jacket, if only Choi Seunghyun hadn’t shown up so abruptly! In such an inhumane time in the morning too- the sun had not even risen yet, Seungri can only make out the steps briefly from the street lamps that dimly shone through from the ground floor.

He froze when he finally saw the light of the exit, because right outside, standing under the street lamp that he passes by every day- was a car that he thought, and wished to never see again.

Seungri swore under his breath.

Of course.

Of course he’d be here too.

How else would that licence-less bingu hyung have managed to make his way here- miles away from their home, at this time of the day?

Seungri considered whether he should just withdraw back into the shadows of the stairs and make his way back to the apartment- all be damned with that romantic reunion.

But it was too late, he had already been seen.

You see, it was not so much the car that he willed to never see again, but the owner.

Kwon Jiyong.

He felt his throat run dry at the sight of the man looking at him.

He hated himself for still not being able to forget, he hated how his heart did a frantic jump as soon as he saw the handsome man illuminated by the light, and most of all he hated how the first thought that ran through his head when we saw his car was:

“Did he come for me like Seunghyun-hyung came for Daesung-hyung?”

Because he knew the answer.

The answer was no.

The answer was always, always no.

And it’d taken him too long and too much to realize that.

“Seungri…” The man opened his mouth to start speaking but stopped short, his glance awkward and uncertain.

“I-I came with Seunghyun to find Daesung, I didn’t know…I didn’t know you were also here.”

Of course he didn't know, he never knew.

Seungri thought he’d be more disappointed than he was hearing those words come out of the man’s mouth, but maybe it was because he’d expected it, maybe it was because he’d been disappointed too many times already, maybe it was because he was numb from everything already, he really didn't feel anything.

After all, all the man had given him was crushed hope and disappointment.

Seungri nodded with a forced smile. “I see.”

Kwon Jiyong can’t help but to feel guilty when he laid his eyes on Seungri.

The smile on his face which was once bright and sincere was now a mere fake, polite stretch of the lips.

The words Lee Seungri had said to him on their last meeting still echoed in his mind.

A plea, choked up in sobs that he tried to hold back.

“…If you ever see me again, please pass by as if we’re strangers, don't look at me with that pitying gaze, don’t look at me at all, please.”

Lee Seungri turned to leave without a second glance at the man who he’d once stare at so longingly.

---

So pretty much, if you couldn't tell already- this story is about the ambigious relationship of being a little more than just friends, but not being lovers yet.

I tried to capture the emotions as much as I can, but maybe it's still a bit of a fail~

Maybe you guys can tell me any experience you have had with this kind of relationship?

But as you may have caught on from this chapter, the nyongtory arc will be major, major angst.

Their arc is loosely based on my experience, so naturally it'd be a bit more emotional than Todae, but that doesn't mean Todae is less worthy to read! T-T Actually, I didn't want the Todae story to be too emotional at all, but more calm and less drama yet sincere and realistic, I hope you guys can sense these emotion through my story~

Also, please comment! ///>w// It gives me a reason and motivation to continue~