“The hot chocolate is ready!”

Everyone runs into the small living room, almost running over N as he set down the tray with 5 mugs of hot chocolate. “Don’t kill me!” N shrieks, barely getting out of the way with his hot chocolate as the members all grab theirs. All of them except for Hongbin, Ken, and Hyuk.

“N-hyung, there are only 2 mugs left,” says Hyuk, pouting. “There are three of us.”

“You can have it Hyuk-ah. Hongbin and I can share one,” suggest Ken, smiling as Hongbin just glares at him, but it is an innocent glare.

All of the members know about Hongbin and Ken’s relationship. They have since its beginning during the On and On promotions, although both of them denied it for the entire time until Plan V diary came up.

During the last episode of Plan V diary, they decided to tell everyone about their relationship, and were reciprocated with a unanimous “We know!”

Ever since then Ken was completely okay with being cuddly around the dorm, while Hongbin was still a bit closed off to the idea seeing as he wasn’t a big PDA person.

“Come on Binnie~” The elder cooed at Hongbin, pulling on the sleeve of his sweatshirt. “It will be fun. Cuddling and sharing a cup of warm hot chocolate...” Ken started daydreaming just thinking about it.

“Fine, I guess we can share,” the younger sighed, walking over to the couch and sitting down. “Well, are you just going to stand there?”

Ken is pulled out of his daydream by his boyfriend’s voice. Grabbing the cup of hot chocolate, he sits down and snuggles right up to Hongbin’s chest.

“Hongbin do you want the first sip?” asks the older of the two, blinking up at his boyfriend and pushing the mug towards his mouth.

Hongbin smiled softly, glancing down at his boyfriend’s hand with the mug in his face. Taking a sip, he revels in the warmth of the drink combined with the body heat of the vocalist beside him.

“Mm, N-hyung did really well this time,” Hongbin hums, feeling happier already. Setting the mug down onto the table, he shifts so that now Ken is the one sitting up and he is the one snuggling into Ken’s chest.

Ken laughs as his boyfriend settles down into his arms, purring slightly as he cards his hands through Hongbin’s soft hair. “I love your hair,” Ken murmurs, leaning down to kiss the other’s head. “I always have.”

“I know you do. Why do you think I spend so long trying to make it soft,” the younger says, not expecting an answer as he nuzzles the other’s neck.

“Oh,” Ken gasps softly. “I didn’t know you did that for me?”

“Of course I do it for you. Who else would I do it for?” Not expecting an answer for that one either, Hongbin reaches over and picks up the mug again, taking another sip. “Have some; I don’t want to drink it all.”

Taking the mug from the other, Ken takes a sip and looks back down at the visual, rubbing his hand in circles along the other’s back. “Oh, it is really good.”

“I told you it was,” Hongbin huffed. “How come your sweatshirt seems so much softer than mine?”

Now it’s the younger’s turn to pull on the sleeve of Ken’s sweatshirt, trying to get his attention away from the hot chocolate.

That’s the funny thing about Hongbin. He’s shy about showing affection when there are other people around, yet when it’s just him and Ken he becomes even more cuddly then N. Ken constantly wonders how that is possible, including right now, until Hongbin’s insistent tugging pulls him out of his thoughts.

“Because I put mine in the dryer, and you air dry yours,” he replies. “Babe, drink this before I finish it.”

Taking the mug back, Hongbin drinks the last few sips, appreciating the warmth and coziness of it.

Nuzzling his neck again, Hongbin leaves a gentle kiss and murmurs against the skin there. “I wish it could always be like this. Just you and I, cuddling like this.”

“It could be if you were more open to affection in front of the others,” Ken sighed, knowing he was just going to get the same response he always does. In his mind he says in his boyfriend’s voice, you know how I feel about public affection.

“You know how I feel about public affection,” Hongbin says, eliciting a giggle from the other. “What is so funny?” the visual asks, looking up at the other with raised eyebrows.

“Oh, nothing,” Ken says, still rubbing circles into the other’s back. “I just knew you would say that.”

“Then why do you ask?”

“Because I’m waiting for the day when I get a different answer,” Ken whispers, knowing that it will make the other feel bad.

Hongbin looks up at Ken, pouting slightly. “Does my lack of affection bug you that much?”

“No. Babe, oh my gosh, no. I was just thinking that maybe one day you’ll feel comfortable enough to be affectionate with me around the members, and not just in private.”

A soft “oh” is all he gets from the younger as he snuggles back down into Ken’s arms, not seeing their leader walk in quietly.

“Are you guys done?” N asks, startling both of the boys on the couch.

“Oh, N-hyung I didn’t hear you come in. Yeah we’re done,” Hongbin answers, not sitting up like he normally does, but instead snuggling closer to the elder.  Surprised, Ken looks from Hongbin, to N, then back to Hongbin.

“Okay, well I’ll just take this…” N says, walking over and grabbing the mug from the table, leaving the room and its two occupants.

“Hongbin…” Ken whispers, still in shock.

“I figured it was just N-hyung, so it was okay.” Hongbin murmured in response, his voice slightly muffled by the other’s sweater.

Ken was so surprised; he was sitting there with his jaw practically on the floor when Hongbin looked up at him.

“You look funny,” Hongbin laughed. “Babe, close your mouth.”

Ken looked down at the younger and closed his mouth, smiling as he kissed the other’s forehead. “I’m glad you did that. You have no idea how happy that made me.”

“I’ll have to get used to it at some point, so I might as well start now.”

Ken couldn’t keep his gasp in. “You are actually open to being affection? In front of other people?” Reaching his hand up to touch his boyfriend’s forehead, he asks “Are you okay? Are you sick?”

Laughing, Hongbin grabs the elder’s hand, intertwining their fingers. “Yes I’m okay. I just… I want you to be happy, and if that’s what it takes then I’m willing to do it.”

Ken puts his free hand underneath the other’s chin, lifting it up so that their eyes connect. “I don’t want you to be uncomfortable though…”

“I’m never uncomfortable with you,” Hongbin softly murmured, nuzzling Ken’s face. “If you’re happy, then I’m happy. Nothing will ever change that.”

Ken looked at his boyfriend with tears in his eyes. “I love you Hongbin.”

Reaching up to give his boyfriend a love-filled kiss, Hongbin echoes the statement.

“I love you too.”