Bored, Jongup clicked through YouTube, having already watched a parody of Attack on Titan he could only partly understand (he should probably brush up on his English… perhaps he could ask Junhong for help) and now looking through dance videos for inspiration. All the while he kept an eye on the clock, waiting for Junhong to come online.

The past few days had been tense, and Jongup felt guilty at the knowledge that he had had at least a small part in this through not allowing Daehyun to explain himself, instead simply shaking his head at the other’s actions. (It was something he had also discussed with Junhong, who had assured him that, being in the middle of it, it was hard to be objective.)

At least Yongguk had talked to Daehyun, which Jongup thought was not only good for the group, but also for the two of them separately, as things had been undeniably uncomfortable between them. And, from what Jongup had heard when he passed by his and Himchan’s room earlier, Himchan and Daehyun had made up, which made him very happy he had taken his laptop from there earlier.

However, although the problems between the other four were his business too, and although Youngjae was still a wildcard right now, he wanted to have a normal conversation with Junhong for a change. Or, well, a happy conversation, at least; he had been told before that his idea of ‘normal’ didn’t fit in with everyone else’s (which, in his opinion, said more about other people, though he generally kept that to himself).

It was funny – or interesting, rather – how the atmosphere had changed. Before, when Himchan and Daehyun were still plotting to get Yongguk and Youngjae, things had been strange at times, but somehow not tense. And now here they were: all in relationships, which you’d think would solve everything, but it clearly hadn’t. Sometimes it worried him, because what if he and Junhong would officially get together and their lack of experience would ruin the dynamics completely?

His ears perked up when he heard Skype go off and he hurried to accept the call, smiling when he saw Junhong. Not too long and his best friend would be back with him in person at last.

“How have you been?” he asked immediately when Junhong’s image appeared on the screen. “Is your leg okay?”

“It’s better,” Junhong replied happily, shifting in his seat, apparently seated at his desk instead of curled up in bed as Jongup had expected. “Even my mum now allows me to walk by myself.”

Jongup chuckled, though he could understand and appreciate Junhong’s mother’s protectiveness. “Good. Looking forward to coming back?”

Junhong nodded eagerly. “Himchan hyung texted me earlier to welcome me back and to tell me everyone missed me.” He looked at Jongup curiously. “He sounded pretty happy, so I guess things are better over there too now?”

“Yeah, people are making up,” Jongup confirmed, smiling a little. “Things should be fine when you get back.” And hopefully they’d stay that way.

“Great!” Junhong smiled before biting his lip nervously and looking down at his desk. “I was thinking… Should we do something for Daehyun hyung? I mean, we’ve been kind of blaming him for stuff… And I know he doesn’t know, but maybe he does? I don’t know, he might be able to tell, and I feel bad.”

Jongup raised his eyebrows, a small smile playing across his lips at Junhong’s rambling. “What happened to you telling me not to feel too guilty?” he teased.

“Yeah, I know…” Junhong sighed and leaned his head on his hand, gazing at Jongup intently through the webcam. “It’s just, I’ve been thinking since then, and we have been kind of hard on him. Don’t you agree?”

Of course he did. And he thought it was cute that Junhong wanted to make it up to him, but he realised they had once again ended up on the topic of their friends. Resigning himself to the fact that things would never be about just the two of them (and understanding the problems of their group members a little better), he let a sigh slip from his mouth as he thought of what they could do. “Maybe we can give him a cake?” he suggested.

Junhong furrowed his eyebrows, then seemed to think it over before nodding his head slowly. “That’s actually not a bad idea. He’s pretty forgiving when food is involved.” He smiled, his dimple standing out and making Jongup wish he could poke it. “I’ll ask my mum to make him one!”

“He’ll like that,” Jongup nodded. “I’m happy you’re coming back soon.”

“Because you won’t have to deal with everything alone anymore?” Junhong asked, blinking confusedly when Jongup laughed.

“Because I miss you. I thought we went over this already?”

Either the camera wasn’t working properly or Junhong really was turning red. Adorable. “Oh,” he stammered. “Right. Same.” He coughed and grinned, looking slightly embarrassed. “At least soon we won’t have to miss each other anymore, right?”

“Right,” Jongup agreed. “I won’t let you out of my sight for a while.”

Junhong smiled shyly at his words and Jongup resisted the urge to grin like an idiot. It was so easy to get the other flustered and he probably enjoyed getting him that way more than he should. His innocence was endearing and, sometimes, intimidating.

He wondered if Junhong was still thinking about kissing him. He knew he was, but he wasn’t sure how to bring it up without making him feel uncomfortable or making him think he was pressuring him somehow (though Junhong must know him better than that). But perhaps the fact that neither of them really knew what they were doing was a good thing, because it would make it so much more fun to figure it out together.

He wished he could tell him all that, but it seemed better to keep it to himself a bit longer, at least until he was absolutely sure Junhong hadn’t changed his mind. After all, he might return to find that he actually no longer liked Jongup that way, and he didn’t want to make things awkward between them.

“Any special wishes for when you come back?” he asked instead.

“Not really,” Junhong replied slowly, his head tilted as he seemed to contemplate the question more seriously than Jongup had expected. “As long as you’re all there it’s okay.”

Jongup frowned, but quickly put on a more neutral expression. He was happy Junhong would be pleased with simply seeing them, but it didn’t seem like enough, especially since they hadn’t been able to visit him nearly as much as they would’ve liked to do. As Junhong talked on about how much he was looking forward to dancing again, Jongup decided he’d have to come up with a way to make Junhong’s return memorable in some way, but nothing too extravagant, since that didn’t really suit him. And he thought he had an idea.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Youngjae folded his arms and frowned over at Yongguk. His boyfriend – sometimes it still felt odd to call him so – had entered his room earlier, claiming that he needed to speak to him about something important. This ‘something’ had turned out to be Daehyun.

It wasn’t that Youngjae was being deliberately cruel, just as he suspected Daehyun hadn’t intended to be either when he said those hurtful words. It simply seemed like every time he let Daehyun in too far, he only got hurt. And that was probably unfair – after all, Daehyun was one of his closest friends (though he didn’t dare call him his best friend right now) and he had plenty of good memories of their friendship, because Daehyun had been there for him through the harder times and he had done the same in return.

He also realised very well that he had hurt Daehyun too, but they were supposed to move on from the past, weren’t they? Sure, he hadn’t exactly been enthusiastic for Daehyun and Himchan when they got together, but he had tried not to make them feel too uncomfortable, and surely he deserved the same kind of respect concerning his relationship.

“I know you miss him,” Yongguk had stated before falling silent.

Of course Youngjae missed him. How could he not? But part of him wondered whether Daehyun wasn’t taking him for granted and was therefore taking things out on him. After all, Youngjae was willing to stay friends after being rejected, so why not use him as a way to vent frustrations? He’d stick around anyway. And perhaps that wasn’t at all how Daehyun thought, but at this point Youngjae simply didn’t know and he wasn’t in the mood to be used for convenience.

“Junhong’s returning tomorrow,” Yongguk added carefully when Youngjae remained quiet, making the younger roll his eyes.

He had been wondering when this would be brought up. After all, none of them, Youngjae included, wanted Junhong to come back to an unpleasant, tense atmosphere, especially since he was still healing and didn’t need any additional stress. He had been through enough. “That’s a cheap trick,” Youngjae stated, his jaw set.

Yongguk smiled awkwardly and shrugged his shoulders, not even denying that he was using the maknae’s situation to his advantage. Somehow Youngjae could appreciate that (he briefly wondered if he was a bad influence on the leader), and he scoffed before throwing up his arms in defeat.

“Fine, you win. But I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t want to myself.”

“I know,” Yongguk said, a small grin on his lips. “Which proves that you really do miss him.”

Opening and closing his mouth a few times, Youngjae stared over at Yongguk, deciding that the other had definitely become more scheming and trying to figure out how he felt about this change. He was torn from his thoughts by Yongguk’s fingers under his chin and blinked up at the older curiously, only receiving a gentle smile in return.

“What?” he asked, puzzled, shifting under the other’s scrutiny.

Yongguk hesitated before moving closer and pressing his lips to Youngjae’s softly. Youngjae’s eyes slid closed as he enjoyed the tender, too-short kiss, his hands grasping at Yongguk’s sleeves. When their lips parted, Yongguk smiled at him again and grabbed his hands, squeezing them.

“Yeah, I know, you’re very pleased with yourself,” Youngjae scolded without any heat. “I’ll talk to him later, okay? After… Well, after he’s done with Himchan.” Because he was fairly certain nothing innocent was going on behind those closed doors, and the way Jongup had avoided the area altogether did nothing to lessen this belief.

Yongguk nodded and held Youngjae’s hands against his chest, lowering his head. “There’s still time. No rush.”

Youngjae wanted to point out that those words kind of went against what Yongguk himself had said earlier, but then he was being kissed again and he decided it didn’t really matter.

He was still thinking of Yongguk and their earlier encounter when he entered the living room much, much later, Daehyun and Himchan lounging on the settee in there. When Himchan noticed him, he lifted his chin in acknowledgement and nudged Daehyun in the side, seemingly understanding why Youngjae was here.

Daehyun seemed nearly scared to see him and the look of pure betrayal on his face when Himchan told them he’d give them some privacy was almost comical.

“I don’t bite, you know,” Youngjae said as he sat down beside him, not missing Daehyun’s anxiety and wondering if it was because of him or because of the situation. “All I want to do is talk with you.”

“I’m sorry!” Daehyun blurted out, his face and tone guilty. “I really am. If I could take it back-”

“It’s fine,” Youngjae hurried to say. He had wanted an apology, a sincere one, but now that Daehyun was in the process of giving him exactly that it suddenly seemed less important. Daehyun definitely looked genuinely sorry, and, well, that was all he truly wanted. “Just- Don’t do it again, okay? I don’t think I’d be as nice about it a next time.”

Daehyun nodded quickly. “I won’t,” he promised earnestly. “…Are we still friends?”

Youngjae rolled his eyes at the question and smacked Daehyun’s arm, ignoring his exaggerated cry of pain. “Don’t be an idiot,” he scoffed. “Of course we’re still friends. I’m not sure we’re best friends at the moment,” he admitted, “but I want us to be.”

Daehyun grinned widely, clearly relieved – and happy. “Me too. We’ll work on it.” He hesitated, shifting awkwardly, until Youngjae rolled his eyes again and wrapped his arms around the other tightly.

“Hugs are still fine,” he mumbled, swallowing a lump in his throat when Daehyun returned the gesture. He needed his best friend back.

A/N: Well, it's been a while... ^^; A long while this time, whoa. By now we our boys are in a lawsuit with TS and I actually wondered if I wanted to continue non-AU fic, but I guess I could make it AU in that the company will actually treat them right here. But let me know what you think. In any case, let's not stop supporting or believing in them. ♥ They need it more than ever right now.