Ever since Seungri had discovered Seung Hyun’s preference for bottoming during he’d been making ually lewd comments when he saw him. He’d seemed to have marked Seung Hyun as less masculine because of it and made jibs daily.

Ji Yong wanted to hit him. There were only so many times a man can listen to some little punk call his husband a and make comments about ing him like one before he snaps and kills said little punk. Shouting at him didn’t help, in fact it only spurred him on, and the only reason the bastard wasn’t supporting a black eye was because Seung Hyun wouldn’t let him get his hands on the kid.

It was beyond frustrating and Ji Yong couldn’t understand why Seung Hyun just put up with it.

“The little ’s got to learn some respect!” Ji Yong shouted, and maybe it wasn’t fair to take his frustrations out on his husband, but Seung Hyun was doing nothing to stop Seungri’s behaviour. “Or what, do you like him mocking you? Calling us faggots and doing whatever the he pleases?!”

“Of course I don’t,” Seung Hyun snapped, but he wasn’t quite shouting like Ji Yong was. “But getting angry isn’t going to solve anything – all it’ll do is make him act out even more.”

“Oh, because you’re such an expert!” Ji Yong mocked. “You’ve known the brat for a week!”

“I never said I was an expert,” Seung Hyun glared. “It’s simple logic!”

“‘Simple logic’ would be kicking that little arsehole to the kerb!” Ji Yong argued.

“And what exactly would that accomplish?” Seung Hyun asked heatedly. “We’d only justify his feelings towards us!”

“He already knows I can’t stand him! He doesn’t need justification!” Ji Yong was ing fed up of this. A week the little had been with them, and in that time he’d already caused a rift between Seung Hyun and himself. This wasn’t the first, second, or even third time he’d found himself angry at Seung Hyun because of Seungri’s actions. “Stop ing babying the bastard! He might actually talk to you like a human being if you stop taking all his and punish him!”

“Punish him? And what exactly am I supposed to do?” Seung Hyun snapped, eyes narrowed. “Take away his iPod and send him to his room? He’s fifteen and been with us a week. You seriously think he’s going to listen to anything we say?”

“He will if you make him!” Ji Yong shouted, a threat in his voice towards Seungri, regardless of the fact that the teen was wasn’t in the room, but rather upstairs and most likely couldn’t even hear him.

Seung Hyun scoffed and rolled his eyes, almost causing Ji Yong to laugh in disbelief. Seriously, he thought Ji Yong was the one being unreasonable here? He couldn’t understand Seung Hyun’s reluctance to do anything. After all, Seung Hyun has even more reason to hate the kid than Ji Yong does seeing as the way Seungri talks to him. The little may tell Ji Yong he hopes he gets into a car crash when he’s leaving for work in the mornings, but he hasn’t taken to degrading Ji Yong at every opportunity like he has with Seung Hyun.

“Ji Yong, he isn’t going to listen to a word we say,” Seung Hyun sighed, and he sounded as fed up with arguing as Ji Yong felt. “He isn’t a normal teenager throwing a tantrum; he’s a kid from a messed up home who’s had to fight for himself his entire life. Of course he doesn’t like us! He’s probably been moved between dozens of foster homes with zero stability growing up. Then he gets dumped here, knowing it was a mistake, that it wasn’t him we wanted, and you expect him to be all smiles and charm? Be realistic.”

Ji Yong could reluctantly see his point, but that didn’t make the situation any better. Seungri didn’t have to act this way, he made a conscious decision to do so. He wasn’t a little kid, he was fully capable of understanding his actions and fully responsible for them. Seung Hyun shouldn’t be making excuses for him.

“So he needs to learn some respect,” Ji Yong said, but he didn’t shout this time. He’d had enough of shouting. “And he isn’t going to learn any by calling you a all the time.”

“I know, okay,” Seung Hyun conceded with a sigh. “But I don’t know how to make him stop. I’m just as damn clueless here as you are, Ji Yong. I have no idea how to handle him, even how to talk to him.”

“Well we need to figure something out,” Ji Yong said, by now all the heat vanished from his voice, but he was still agitated. “What about Chae Rin? Maybe she could give us some advice.

Seung Hyun nodded thoughtfully. “It wouldn’t hurt to try.”

“I’ll ring her Monday,” Ji Yong said. It was already the weekend so she wouldn’t be working anyway. Besides, there was no need to ruin a third person’s weekend with Seungri. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and she’ll take the little away.”

Of course that wouldn’t really happen, but a person can dream, right?

He needed a damn cigarette. And that was a real , because he’d only stopped smoking two months ago (Seung Hyun did too, he refused to allow it when there would be a baby in the house – but look how that turned out). Unfortunately, there were no cigs in the house. Although he had sneaked one or two this past week to relieve the stress of dealing with Seungri’s in a non-violent way, he’d thrown the rest of the pack away after, not willing to admit he’d failed in quitting if Seung Hyun found them. Ji Yong hated failing.

Argument over, Ji Yong huffed out his lingering frustrations and backed off, heading for the kitchen to find something to snack on – it might keep his mind off the desire for that wonderful drag of toxic smoke through his lungs.

Seung Hyun left him to it, off to do his own thing, and Ji Yong was glad. Well, sort of. He wanted his own space for a while, but he felt a little guilty about it – guilty that he didn’t want his husband around, especially when they had only been married a few months.

This was all because of Seungri. If that little snake had never entered their lives he and Seung Hyun would be perfectly happy right now.

With more force than necessary Ji Yong yanked open the fridge door, almost succeeding in hitting himself in the face with it, but he had quick enough reflexes to dodge. It was a good job too, because how embarrassing would that have been?

He searched the insides of the fridge thoroughly, but there was very little in. A few bits and pieces, but not anything you could throw together to make a snack. Giving up, he closed the door and rooted through the cupboards, but to no avail.

“Seungri!” He shouted, loudly enough to be heard from upstairs where the teen was doing god knows what – probably coming up with new ways of making everybody’s lives miserable. “How much do you bloody eat?! We had enough food for days last night!”

There was no reply, and with a growl of frustration Ji Yong stomped up the stairs. Without bothering to knock he pushed Seungri’s door open and strode in.

The teen was laid across his bed, headphones on and his eyes closed, looking as relaxed as a cat sprawled out in a patch of sun.

Without pause, Ji Yong yanked the headphones away.

“Yah!” Seungri cried indignantly, immediately sitting up, a scowl fixing itself onto his face as he turned to look at the man.

“Where has all the food gone?” Ji Yong demanded.

“Jeez, no manners,” Seungri said, snatching his headphones back. “How the would I know, you dumb bastard?”

He moved to put them back on, but Ji Yong stopped him by grabbing hold of his wrist. “What did you do with it?”

“Don’t touch me!” Seungri snapped, yanking his arm out of Ji Yong’s grasp. “I don’t want infecting with AIDS.”

“Keep talking like that and it’s not AIDS you’ll have to worry about!” Ji Yong snapped. “Now answer my question!”

“Maybe the ing fairies took it,” Seungri snarked. “Oh wait – that would be you two wouldn’t it?”

His tone was so mocking Ji Yong didn’t know how he managed to rein in his temper, but somehow he just about managed it. With grit teeth he forced out, “You’re paying for it,” then he his heel and left before he said or did something he’d regret.

, he hated that kid so much. Everything about him, since the moment he laid eyes on him, just rubbed Ji Yong the wrong way. It wasn’t even his attitude alone, just his presence in the house made him furious. And the thing was, Ji Yong wasn’t even completely sure why. It’s not like he’d never dealt with heads before, on the contrary he’d had loads of dealings with total wankers, there was just something in particular about Seungri that got to him.

He sighed loudly, rubbing his hands over his face, forcing himself to relax. He stood there on the landing for a few minutes until his emotions settled and he no longer felt the need to maim any teenagers, then he made his way back downstairs.

He looked around for Seung Hyun and found him in the study, sat in front of the computer.

“What are you doing?” He asked, unable to see the screen from the doorway.

Seung Hyun glanced over to him. “Looking for a job,” he replied, eyes going back to the screen. “I’m fed up of hanging around the house every day.”

Ji Yong nodded, leaning his body against the doorframe. “Anything?”

Seung Hyun sighed. “Nothing yet. Well, nothing that isn’t minimum wage, anyway.”

“Something will turn up,” Ji Yong reassured. “Listen, Seungri’s thrown out all the food or something, so I’m gonna go shopping. Is there anything in particular you want?”

“Shopping?” Seung Hyun asked, like it was a foreign word he’d never heard before. Then, faster than Ji Yong had ever seen him move Seung Hyun was flying past him and pulling on his shoes, a call of “I’ll go instead!” thrown back Ji Yong’s way before Seung Hyun was suddenly gone with a firm thunk of the front door shutting behind him.

Ji Yong stood for a few moments in surprise, staring at where Seung Hyun had been just seconds before. “Jeez,” he muttered to himself, “he really has been in the house too long.”

He switched the computer off and left the study, but then had nothing to do nor anyone to talk too. The need to smoke slowly crept back, like an insistent itch in the back of his throat he couldn’t be rid of no matter what he tried.

To hell with it, he was just going to nip to the shop and buy a pack of cigs. Seung Hyun need never know – he’d be back way before his husband. Decision made, he headed over to the hallway to grab a coat as it was a little chilly today (he noticed with a frown that Seung Hyun had left his).

There was a knock at the door, and Ji Yong paused, his hand extended towards his coat. He brought it back to his side and took a few steps to the front door, opening it. A bright smile that had eyes shaped into half moons greeted him, and Ji Yong’s own lips split into a smile in response.

“Young Bae!” Ji Yong called happily, pleasantly surprised to see his best friend. “What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Ji,” the man greeted, the smile on his face bright enough to shame the sun. “I sort of couldn’t resist seeing this devil teen of yours for myself.”

Ji Yong groaned, every conversation he’d had with Young Bae this past week coming back. He’d phoned him pretty much every day to about Seungri to him. “Don’t even ing talk about him, seriously.”

“That bad, huh?” Young Bae said sympathetically as Ji Yong moved aside to let him in, all thoughts of going to the shop gone.

“You have no idea. Come on, I’ll get us some beers.”

He led Young Bae to the kitchen, pulling two beers from the fridge and sitting down at the table with him, popping the caps and handing one over to Young Bae who took it with a smile of thanks.

“Where’s Seung Hyun?” Young Bae asked, looking around and seeing no sign of the other man. “And Other Seung Hyun,” he added after a moment.

“Picking up some shopping and in his room,” Ji Yong replied, scowling at the ceiling as if Seungri could see him.

“So, do I get to meet your ‘Hell spawn’?” Young Bae asked, a grin of amusement stretching his lips.

Ji Yong snorted. “You don’t want to, believe me.”

“Come on, he can’t be that bad,” Young Bae said. “You were once a teenager too - it wasn’t even that long ago. You always drove your parents crazy with all the stunts you pulled.”

“I drove your parents crazy too,” Ji Yong chuckled.

He and Young Bae always had fun as kids and teens; the best of friends since they met on their first day of school. Young Bae had been upset at having to leave him mum for an entire day, and Ji Yong had laughed and called him a cry baby (though secretly he’d only just finished wiping away his own tears). Young Bae had puffed up angrily and told Ji Yong off in all his seven year old glory, causing Ji Yong to stick his tongue out at him in retaliation. They didn’t get off to a good start, but then some bigger boy had laughed and called them babies and it was all out war. They dived on him, pinning him down until he took it back – he didn’t, instead a teacher dragged them off. But in the end they didn’t care that the bigger boy insulted them, or that they got in trouble with Ms Jang because they’d both found a new best friend.

Young Bae was even his first kiss. At the gawky age of thirteen when they were still figuring themselves out, they tried kissing to see if they liked each other ‘that way’. Immediately Ji Yong knew he didn’t; he loved Young Bae, but like a brother rather than a boyfriend. Young Bae knew from then that he didn’t like boys full stop and soon began drooling after pretty girls.

Young Bae had always been there for Ji Yong; when he needed somebody to confide in, when he needed somebody to rage to, when he needed somebody to share a secret with. And Ji Yong did the same in return for him. Ji Yong had been best man at Young Bae and Sandara’s wedding, and the following year Young Bae was best man at Ji Yong and Seung Hyun’s. They were a good fit, Ji Yong couldn’t ask for a better friend.

“That you did,” Young Bae chuckled. “Honestly, half the time I don’t think my mum could decide whether she wanted to kill you or hug you.”

“Haha, yeah,” Ji Yong agreed with a little laugh. “I got that feeling.”

He finished his beer and Ji Yong got a few more, dumping them on the table.

“I’ll just have the one,” Young Bae said, holding up his can. “I’m driving.”

Ji Yong shrugged, and opened up a second. “Sure. So, how’ve you been, man? How’s Dara?”

“We’re good. Busy, but good,” Young Bae grinned, a happy-dopey look on his face at the mention of his wife. “Lots of things to still do before she hits nine months.”

“Glad to hear it,” Ji Yong smiled, fiddling with his can. It’d been a while since he’d seen Dara; the last time was when the couple had announced that she was pregnant.

The insistent itch to smoke came back, and Ji Yong gulped down a few mouthfuls of beer. When that wasn’t enough, he pulled out his phone, playing about with the keypad just to keep his hands busy.

“You okay?” Young Bae asked, looking at his hands.

Ji Yong paused, stilling his fingers and nodded. “Yeah, just a bit hyper or something. Too much coffee probably.”

Young Bae nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer, but then Ji Yong’s finger began moving again of their own accord and he frowned.

“Seriously, man, what’s wrong with you?” Young Bae asked, eyeing Ji Yong’s fidgety hands.

“Nothing,” Ji Yong denied, but this time he didn’t stop. “I’m perfectly fine.”

Young Bae raised an eyebrow, having known him far too long to fall for that. Immediately Ji Yong felt himself crack under that look. Damn Young Bae, Ji Yong could never successfully lie to him.

“I’m just craving a smoke is all,” he waved it off like it was no big deal.

“I thought you stopped?” Young Bae asked with a frown.

“I did,” Ji Yong said flatly. “Then Seungri happened.”

“Ah,” Young Bae nodded in understanding, but Ji Yong had no idea what he was thinking. “Does Seung Hyun know?”

Ji Yong’s guilty look said it all.

Young Bae rolled his eyes. “Just text him to pick up a pack for you while he’s at the supermarket.”

“No,” Ji Yong stubbornly said. “I’ve quit as far as he knows.”

“But you haven’t quit,” Young Bae said disapprovingly. “You shouldn’t lie to your husband, Ji Yong.”

“I’m not lying!” Ji Yong defended. “Seung Hyun hasn’t asked if I started up again, and I haven’t mentioned it. That isn’t lying, it’s just choosing not to give out one little piece of information.”

“It’s as good as,” Young Bae argued. Suddenly, he reached across the table lightening fast and plucked Ji Yong’s phone right out of his hand.

“Yah!” Ji Yong protested, as Young Bae quickly began to tap away at it. “What are you doing?” He reached for his phone, but Young Bae moved back out of his way, never stopping in his typing.

“There,” he said with flourish moments later, handing the mobile back to its owner with a satisfied grin.

“What did you do?” Ji Yong asked suspiciously, checking over his phone as if it were damaged in some way.

“I texted Seung Hyun on your behalf, telling him to buy a packet of cigarettes.”

“Why? You hate smoking!” Ji Yong said, surprised that his friend would do that. Tell Seung Hyun maybe, but not ask him to get Ji Yong cigarettes.

“Yeah I do, but maybe you’ll be a bit less of a whiney sissy with them.” Young Bae grinned, amusement clear in his eyes and tone.

“Hey!” Ji Yong glowered. “I’m not whiney or a sissy. I’m manly. Manly!”

“Sure,” Young Bae laughed, not sounding in the least convinced.

Ji Yong grumbled to himself about irritating best friends, and Young Bae just laughed at him again.

They ended up trading joking insults back and forth, acting more like kids than adults, and Ji Yong had no idea how much time passed as they laughed and jibbed, drinks and cigarettes forgotten as they basked in their immaturity.

Some time later, they heard the front door open and Seung Hyun’s voice call out, letting Ji Yong know he was back.

“In the kitchen!” Ji Yong shouted back, and he heard the sound of footsteps getting nearer.

“Hey, hyung,” Young Bae greeted brightly as Seung Hyun walked in, bags in hand.

“Young Bae, hi,” Seung Hyun smiled back. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“Yeah, just dropped by for an hour or so,” he shrugged. “Need a hand?” He asked, nodding towards the bags, ever the gentleman. Ji Yong, not being a gentleman, couldn’t be bothered to move and so didn’t offer his help.

“Nah, its fine,” Seung Hyun said, setting them on the counter and pulling out the items to put away.

“Did you get cigarettes?” Ji Yong asked, he was pretty much dying for one now they’d popped back into his head, and there was no point in skirting around the subject after the text Young Bae sent. The cat was out of the bag now; Ji Yong had taken up smoking again. He did he best to ignore the twinge of failure.

Thankfully Seung Hyun nodded and threw him a pack along with a lighter, but he looked disapproving and Ji Yong didn’t meet his eyes as he caught them and immediately plucked one out. He noticed Young Bae looked a little hot under the collar and he too avoided Seung Hyun by taking a long swig of his neglected beer. Ji Yong didn’t mention that it was Young Bae who sent the text – no point in ratting out his friend when it was Ji Yong’s choice to start smoking again.

He lit up, and wasn’t sure whether he felt better or worse with that first drag of toxins.

“You could stay for lunch if you want,” Seung Hyun said to Young Bae once it was clear Ji Yong was avoiding his gaze. “We’ve got enough food.”

“No, but thanks anyway,” Young Bae said apologetically, then scrunched up his nose as he waved the smoke from Ji Yong’s cigarette away from his face. “Dara’s got an ultrasound this afternoon, so I’ve got to get back. I can’t wait, I love seeing that little blob on the screen!” Then he winced, like he’d said something wrong. “, sorry. I know how much you two wanted a kid.”

Ji Yong sighed, moving the cigarette away from his lips and stubbing it out in his empty beer can. The stupid thing wasn’t helping anyway. “No, it’s fine, Bae. You’re gonna have your first kid in a few months, you don’t need to feel guilty about that.”

Seung Hyun nodded his agreement. “Yeah, it’s great. Do you know the gender yet?”

The smile came back to Young Bae’s face; wide and excited. He looked ridiculously happy, and that damn eye smile had both Ji Yong and Seung Hyun beaming until their cheeks hurt. Damn Young Bae’s smile, it was like a superpower that automatically brightened the mood of whoever saw it, no matter how much they wanted to wallow in self-pity. “Not yet, but we could find out with this scan. We still haven’t decided if we should leave it as a surprise or not though.”

“What surprise?” A new voice asked, and a scowl immediately came back to Ji Yong’s face as Seungri walked in. “Who are you?” He questioned rudely the moment his eyes landed on their visitor.

Young Bae turned to the teen, looking him over – but it wasn’t in the least judging, just simple curiosity. Then he stood and held out his hand to him, a friendly smile on his face and a small, polite bow. “Dong Young Bae, a friend of Ji Yong’s since childhood. Nice to meet you.”

Seungri eyed the hand like it might be infected. He didn’t even tilt his head in the smallest imitation of politeness. “You’re not a too are you?”

Young Bae’s eyes widened and his hand dropped.

“Told you,” Ji Yong snorted. “And you didn’t believe me when I told you he was that bad.” He looked to Seungri, making sure to give him the dirtiest look possible. “No, Young Bae’s not gay, so no need to worry you’ll catch something. Now why not do us all a favour and off?”

“Whatever, this room reeks of homo anyway,” Seungri scoffed, then he was gone again as quickly as he appeared – but not before snatching a beer.

“Hey!” Seung Hyun called after him. “You’re not old enough to-” But the door slammed shut, and Seung Hyun cut off with a sigh. “…Never mind.”

“Well…” Young Bae said a few moments later, breaking the silence Seungri had left behind. “He seems…” He scratched the back of his head. Even a guy as nice as Young Bae couldn’t think of anything positive to say, and Ji Yong wasn’t surprised.

“That’s him in a good mood,” Ji Yong supplied, not at all helpfully as he popped open another beer.

“Wow, tough break, man,” his best friend said with sympathy, casting a glance at the door where the teenager had been.

“He’s starting school on Monday,” Seung Hyun said, joining them at the table after putting the food away and grabbing a beer for himself. “Hopefully having something to occupy him will mellow him out a bit.”