“Hongki, are you alright?”

 

“I'm fine.”

 

“Are you sure? You look a little flushed. Maybe you should drink some water.”

 

Hongki let out an undignified sneeze and gracelessly dropped his bag on the floor, sending a weary look at Yonghwa before raking his fingers through his hair and tying the long locks off his neck. A quick glance in the dressing room mirror caused Hongki to grimace as he took in the sight of his rosy cheeks and bruised forehead, a strangely colorful contrast between pink and blue. Along with the disheveled locks atop his head and dark circles under his eyes, Hongki looked like he fell asleep on the edge of a riverbank.

 

But, well, it was considerate of Yonghwa to only point out the rosiness in his cheeks, and not the dripping locks or soggy clothing. Though he could see Yonghwa silently studying him anyway, brow knit together and no doubt wondering why he was such a mess this morning, Hongki couldn't have been bothered to care.

 

Between stressing about his living arrangements and Jonghun's attempt to kiss him in the hallway, Hongki was far from being in the mood to play twenty questions with Yonghwa. Wordlessly, he unpacked his bag, sparing a glance at his colleagues across the room: Shin Hye, Sunny, Jessica, Minhwan and Jaejin—but oddly enough, no Seunghyun.

 

Hongki sighed.

 

Where was that kid always running off to? It was like trying to keep up with a puppy. Turn around for ten seconds, and suddenly he disappears. How did Yonghwa manage to keep up with him every day?

 

“You're not still mad at me, are you?” Yonghwa asked when Hongki said nothing and opted only to make his way over to the rack of clothes resting by the wall.

 

Hongki blinked at him, his eyebrows furrowing together. “I was mad at you?”

 

“You already forgot?” Yonghwa's brow nearly rose into his hairline, his mouth agape. He merely stared at Hongki for a moment, before he recovered himself by shaking his head and smiling a little. “And here I was, having a hard time all by myself. I was prepared to grovel, you know. I'm talking on my knees, nose to the ground, begging for your forgiveness.”

 

Hongki snorted. “I'm not stopping you.”

 

Yonghwa's eyes widened. “You really want me to grovel? Right here, in front of everyone?” He waved a dramatic arm around the room, and when Hongki merely aimed a meaningful look at his face, Yonghwa deflated a little.

 

“I thought you were prepared,” Hongki mocked, though inwardly his annoyance had faded. To be honest, he did forget he was mad at Yonghwa. Jonghun, that obnoxious, spoiled prince, had managed to push everything out of his mind. Everything except for him, and those dark eyes and wicked smirk.

 

Hongki would be lying if he said he wasn't the least bit affected by Jonghun's actions, but if he ever let him know how much his heart had thundered in his chest, or that the flush across his cheeks had been because of him, Hongki may as well wave the little white surrender flag. He wouldn't let Jonghun have that victory. He couldn't.

 

“I deserve that,” Yonghwa chuckled, and suddenly all seemed right in the world of friendship. “Hey,” he clapped a hand on Hongki's shoulder all of a sudden, his voice unusually soft. “You know you can talk to me, right? I mean, about anything. There's nothing you can't tell me. Even if it's really personal, or embarrassing, or something you've never been able to tell anyone, you can tell me. I'm your friend, you can trust me.”

 

Hongki could only stare at him for a moment, wondering where this surprise declaration had come from. Yonghwa had always been a bit more touchy-feely with the whole feelings thing, and though Hongki often bickered with him and avoided talking about the personal, he knew he could trust him.

 

Hongki turned to face him properly, pursing his lips and crossing his arms over his chest. “Well, now that you mention it, there is one thing that's been bothering me.”

 

Yonghwa leaned closer, eyes suddenly alight with excitement. “What's that?”

 

Hongki pointed a finger at his face. “There's an enormous booger hanging out of your nose.”

 

“What?” Yonghwa blinked at him, one hand self consciously flying up to his face. Hongki snorted and rolled his eyes, but Yonghwa let out a noise of indignation. “Hongki, you can't just joke like that out of the blue when I'm trying to be—oh my god, there really is a booger!”

 

Hongki couldn't help but let a smile slip, shaking his head at the disgusted face Yonghwa made as he fished around his pockets for a tissue.

 

“Oh, Hong—ki!” sang voice that was far too chipper and whimsical for so early in the morning. Hongki turned around, but was nearly knocked to the floor when Seunghyun barreled into him at top speed, a pair of arms encasing themselves around Hongki's shoulders and nearly taking them both to the floor.

 

“Get off me,” grumbled Hongki, but when Seunghyun flat out ignored him, opting only to continue to squeeze the life out of him, Hongki kicked him in the shin and shot him a look. “You're late.”

 

“I was out for an early morning stroll,” Seunghyun chirped, though he winced a little as he hunched over and rubbed his shin. “It's good for easing the stress levels, you see. Being an idol isn't all smiles and rainbows, and learning to relax is a very important skill to—”

 

“Fascinating story,” Hongki interrupted, his voice deadpan, before he grimaced and pointed at a chair in front of the mirror. “Sit. You look like a hobo.”

 

Seunghyun stood to his full height and made a theatrical show out of looking him up and down. “Look who's talking.”

 

“Real cute,” Hongki rolled his eyes before calling out across the room. “Shin Hye!”

 

“No, wait,” Seunghyun reached out and clasped a hand around his arm, smiling eyes pleading. “I want you to do it. My hair and makeup, I mean.”

 

Hongki made a face. What's with him all a sudden? “Why?”

 

“Because I want to talk to you,” he said simply, an easygoing smile settling at his lips.

 

Hongki sighed. “You have all day to talk to me.”

 

“But I have to talk to you now,” he insisted as he childishly stamped his foot against the ground. Hongki rolled his eyes, and Seunghyun's voice nearly drifting into a whine. “It's really important, hyung. It can't wait.”

 

Hongki blew a puff of air through his lips, and after running a hand through his hair, he looked at Seunghyun and relented. “Fine.” At Seunghyun's wide grin, Hongki stared at him sharply, raising his index finger in warning. “This better be worth it, Seunghyun.”

 

“My birthday's coming up soon,” he declared proudly once he'd been successfully corralled into his seat, to which Hongki responded by nearly falling on the floor.

 

Hongki stared at him incredulously. “That's what's so important?!”

 

“Well, yeah,” he grinned a wide, toothy grin, as though he'd just proudly proclaimed he won the lottery. “It's the day of my birth, you should be jumping for joy. I want confetti, balloons, the whole nine yards. It's a national holiday, you see.”

 

Hongki ran a hand over his face and shot Seunghyun a weary look. He could already feel the last shreds of his patience begin to fly away. The fact that he still had any after dealing with Jonghun was a miracle in itself, but Seunghyun was climbing up to a close second on the list of people Hongki would like to avoid as much as possible.

 

He was always too damn cheery, walking around with that idiotic grin, no matter the hour or day. Hongki was certain that kid was on something illegal. It just wasn't normal for one person to be that damn happy all the time.

 

Then again, whatever it is, maybe Hongki should try some. At least then he'd be too high and happy to care that Jonghun was as likeable as a tumor. A very large, cancerous tumor that the life out of everything he touched.

 

“Is there a point somewhere in this nonsense?” Hongki finally asked, to which Seunghyun replied with an even wider grin—if it could get any bigger, Hongki wasn't quite sure.

 

“I want you to be at my birthday party. August 21^st. It's a Tuesday.”

 

Hongki grimaced. “Yeah, see, the thing is, I have plans that day.”

 

Seunghyun's eyes narrowed in suspicion, though the smile didn't fade. “No you don't.”

 

“Oh, I have big, big plans. You know, counting the bathroom tiles, watching grass grow. The important stuff.” Or, the more likely case, finding a lovely little cardboard box to live in. Maybe he could even duct tape a few together and make a castle out of it, complete with a moat and a guardian dragon. All he'd need then was a cardboard crown, he'd be the most royal hobo on the street.

 

Hongki resisted the urge to sigh. He wished he was joking, but if he didn't find a way to make up his payments before the end of the month, it was goodbye apartment and hello cardboard castle of broken dreams.

 

“I want you at my party,” Seunghyun declared, to which Hongki responded with a snort.

 

“And I want a billion dollars. Looks like we're both out of luck.”

 

Seunghyun eyes gleamed with a smile. “If I give you a billion dollars, will you come to my party?”

 

“You don't have a billion dollars,” Hongki pointed out the obvious. Still, Seunghyun's smile didn't fade. Instead, it shifted into a smirk, gaze gleaming with mischief.

 

“You're coming to my party, even if I have to blackmail you into it.”

 

“Go ahead,” scoffed Hongki. “You've got nothing.”

 

“Oh, Hongki, you're sadly mistaken,” he drawled, and Hongki could only raise an eyebrow at him. Whatever it is Seunghyun thought he knew, Hongki couldn't care less. Knowing him, he probably just snapped a picture of Hongki picking his nose or something. Hardly blackmail material.

 

“My eyes and ears are everywhere,” continued Seunghyun, and this time he leaned a little closer, lowering his voice just above a whisper. “There is nothing that happens around here that I don't find out about. And it just so happens that I know about your secret little love affair.”

 

Hongki rolled his eyes again. “Gee, I must be really good at keeping secrets, because even I don't know about it.”

 

“I saw you, Hongki,” were the words Seunghyun sang out. “I saw you and Jonghunnie canoodling with each other in the hall.” For a fraction of a second, Hongki's fingers paused in the midst of tying Seunghyun's hair back, but he recovered himself just as easily, wiping his expression clean and hoping the cheerful boy in the chair hadn't noticed the falter—or the slight widen of his eyes.

 

Hongki grimaced. That was the last thing he needed, for Seunghyun to think there was something going on. Hongki would never hear the end of it, and he was certain the boy would go dancing down the halls, shouting it at the top of his lungs. Hongki would lose his job for sure, and then he really would be living in his cardboard castle in a damp, dark alley somewhere.

 

Much to Hongki's dismay, Seunghyun's grin widened once more, as though he'd noticed. As though he could tell where Hongki's thoughts had roamed. “You two were like a couple of , high school lust-bunnies. I'm willing to bet good money that you were one y stare away from jumping each other.”

 

“Seunghyun, why don't you take that overactive imagination of yours and turn it into something productive,” suggested Hongki, this time as he imitated Seunghyun's silly grin, chocked full of false enthusiasm. “Like poetry, or fanfiction.”

 

Seunghyun clicked his tongue. “You mean to tell me that you weren't thinking of grabbing him and kissing him senseless?”

 

“I'd sooner kiss a cactus,” Hongki deadpanned.

 

“Come to my party,” Seunghyun said once more, and the mischievous gleam in his eyes grew. “If you haven't changed your mind by then, I promise that by the end of the night, you'll be seeing him in a whole new light.”

 

Hongki rolled his eyes. “I highly doubt that.”

 

“Sounds like a yes to me,” cheered Seunghyun far too loudly, gathering the attention of everyone in the room. Still, his smile didn't fade, and even as Hongki finished up and moved across the room, Seunghyun continued to hum a cheerful tune, bobbing his head back and forth. Finally, me met Jaejin's gaze, who had been silently watching the entire exchange from his seat next to him.

 

“You're planning something,” accused the level-headed bassist, to which Seunghyun responded by dramatically widening his eyes to the size of dinner plates.

 

“Me?” He gasped and placed a theatrical hand over his heart. “I would never.”

 

Jaejin shook his head but didn't bother with a verbal response, not at all buying Seunghyun's little act. As Seunghyun's gaze drifted back to his reflection in the mirror, the grin he'd smothered came creeping back. He caught sight of Hongki's reflection, and suddenly Seunghyun's grin had shifted into a smirk.

 

Lee Hongki.

 

It's time to say hello to your new Cupid.

 

 

 

><><><><

 

 

 

“Say, hyung,” Seunghyun casually began late that night as he barged into Jonghun's room without knocking, the door noisily whacking against the wall. Jonghun spun around in his desk chair and narrowed his eyes at Seunghyun, his dark gaze flickering with a threat, but Seunghyun merely grinned and trotted into his leader's room anyway, completely ignoring the unspoken warning for him to get out.

 

“What did I say about coming in here?” snapped Jonghun.

 

Seunghyun shrugged. “I don't know. I wasn't listening.”

 

“Get out of my bed right now,” the leader all but growled out when Seunghyun flopped onto the mattress, completely uninvited. In response, Seunghyun moved to rest on his side, propping himself up on his arm. Eyes gleaming with mirth and mischief, he then grinned at Jonghun who merely scowled back at him, no doubt debating whether or not he should toss Seunghyun out the window.

 

Behind Jonghun, atop his desk and around the floor laid a vast assortment of notebook paper. Some were crumpled, some were ripped, but all were stained black with ink. The realization caused Seunghyun's smile to widen. So Jonghun had begun writing again. When was the last time he did that? Months? A year? When had Jonghun quit writing music? Seunghyun couldn't even remember.

 

“So hey,” Seunghyun began again, planting the first of his grand plan. “Hongki told me he really likes sports cars. He said if he had a car, he'd love one of those fancy Italian made ones. He'd kill to take a ride in one. Something about zoom zooming his heart like a rocket.”

 

Jonghun merely stared at him, making a face as though trying to figure out what Seunghyun had just said. “What?”

 

“Yeah, that made more sense in my head,” Seunghyun winced a little and sheepishly scratched the back of his head, but he quickly perked up again, grinning as he shot to his feet. “Oh, but you know, it's funny. Our boss bought a new sports car a few months ago, but it's just been sitting in the garage collecting dust. I think he drove it one time and then called it quits.” Seunghyun clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Ah, what a waste of a cool car. Oh well, off to bed.”

 

He sang out the last part and waved Jonghun goodbye, all but skipping out the door like a hyper elementary student, leaving Jonghun sitting there, mouth agape and face scrunched into a comical display of bemusement. Shutting the door behind himself, Seunghyun gave himself a pat on the shoulder and smirked at no one in particular.

 

That's right. Plant the roots and walk away, quick and easy.

 

I'm such a genius, the hyungs are so done for.

 

“Seunghyun.”

 

Seunghyun looked up at the sound of his name, finding Jaejin in the doorway of his own room, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest. The stern expression on his face looked so out of place with that dorky bowl haircut of his, but Seunghyun merely smiled and offered him a face of utmost innocence.

 

“Yes, my lovely Jaejinnie?”

 

“I know what you're doing.”

 

Seunghyun placed a hand over his chest. “Why, I have no idea what you're talking about.”

 

“Seunghyun,” he warned, and suddenly Jaejin had stepped in front of him, blocking his path down the hall. “I'm only going to say this once. Stop it, right now. You can't just manipulate people for your own sick amusement.”

 

“I'm not manipulating,” Seunghyun denied, and when Jaejin only shot a pointed look at his face, Seunghyun sighed and the smile faded. “Okay, so maybe there's a little manipulation, just a little. But if it pushes Hongki and Jonghun closer and helps them realize their feelings for each other, no harm no foul, right?”

 

“What feelings?” Jaejin cried out in a hushed voice, hands raising in exasperation. “In case you haven't noticed, Hongki wants to kill Jonghun most of the time. Hell, he probably dreams about him getting hit by a bus.”

 

Seunghyun held his gaze. “Jaejin, my most favorite hyung ever,” Jaejin rolled his eyes at this, but Seunghyun simply leant closer. “When was the last you saw Jonghun take an interest in somebody? When was the last time you saw him be this... intense about someone? And Hongki, he stands up to him. He's not afraid of him. There's something there, Jin. I can feel it.”

 

“The only thing you feel are those spicy chicken wings you ate for lunch,” cracked Jaejin. “Heartburn isn't something to be taken lightly, you know.”

 

“There are scandalous feelings hiding about, Jaejin,” Seunghyun whispered, the mischievous gleam return and dancing in his eyes. “And I'm going to drag those feelings out into the light, even if the hyungs kill me for it.”

 

Seunghyun maneuvered around Jaejin and made his way down the hall, but suddenly paused in his steps as though a thought just occurred to him. Turning around, Seunghyun looked at Jaejin and cocked his head to the side.

 

“Oh, and Jaejin. Guess what Jonghun's doing right now?”

 

Jaejin looked at him tiredly. “I don't know, plotting your murder?”

 

“He's writing,” Seunghyun replied softly, the words coming out a bit gentler than Song Seunghyun's usual cheerful drawl. “Do you remember the last time he did that? Because I don't. You still want to say there's nothing there?”

 

When Jaejin said nothing and merely stared at him, unsure how to respond, Seunghyun smiled victoriously. He disappeared into the room he shared with Minhwan a brief moment later, leaving Jaejin alone in the hall. With a sigh, the bassist blew a puff of air through his lips and ran a hand through his hair, only to notice Minhwan standing by him, looking at him curiously.

 

“Minhwan,” Jaejin sighed. “Forget what I said about Jonghun being crazy. I was wrong. The only crazy person here is Seunghyun. Don't spend too much time with him, his insanity will rub off on you.”

 

 

 

><><><><

 

 

 

“Excuse me, Hongki...sshi?” was the meek voice that trickled into the dressing room the following morning. Looking over from where he was in the midst of fixing Minhwan's outfit, Hongki's gaze fell upon a girl he didn't recognize, who had tentatively stuck her head through the doorway. Upon seeing him, she smiled. “Ah, there you are. The CEO wants to see you. He said it's really important. You have to go there right now.”

 

Hongki's brow knit together. “Who are you?”

 

She stood up straight and saluted him. “Third year trainee, Kwon Mina!”

 

Hongki blinked at her enthusiasm, wondering how she could be so perky at this hour—maybe she was related to Seunghyun, he briefly mused—but then he shook his head and returned to adjusting Minhwan's shirttails.

 

“Well then, Mina, why don't you go tell him he's going to have to wait? I'm busy.”

 

“No, you don't understand. He said it's really, really, really important that you go up to see him right now,” she emphasized dramatically, and Hongki could only stare at her. Something didn't smell right about this. “If you don't go, you're fired. Or so he says.”

 

“Is that what he said, huh?” Hongki murmured, briefly debating whether or not he should believe this far too perky trainee. He never understood morning people, and quite frankly, he didn't trust them. Especially morning people as bubbly as Mina. Nothing good ever came from bubbles and sunshine this early in the morning.

 

Still, he complied with the request anyway, deciding he'd rather not deal with another scolding from the company's head. Somehow, he just knew he was going to regret this.

 

“Wait, no, you can't go that way!” she cried out when Hongki began in the direction of the stairwell.

 

Hongki turned around and looked at her incredulously. “Why not?”

 

“Because... it's... haunted!” she blurted out, before she started nodding vigorously. “Yes, it's very haunted. There's an angry poltergeist living there, so it's been closed off until the company calls in an exorcist. For safety reasons, all employees must use the other stairwell.”

 

“Uh huh,” Hongki muttered as he crossed his arms over his chest. Perky smiles or not, Hongki had to admit, the girl was creative. He'd give her that much. But he still wasn't buying it. “And what's the poltergeist's name?”

 

“Um,” she blinked at him, and Hongki could practically see the imaginary light bulb above her head flickering with her hesitation. “Lu...cy? Lucy! Her name's Lucy!”

 

“I'm sure if we go talk to Lucy, she'll understand that I just want to use the stairs,” Hongki brushed off, making his way to the stairs again. Mina, however, grabbed at his arm with both of her hands.

 

“No! You can't! You have to go the other way!”

 

Hongki sighed. “Look, Mina, I'm not in the mood to play games right now—”

 

“GO THE OTHER WAY!”

 

Wincing at the sudden ringing in his ears, Hongki turned around and proudly walked in the direction of the opposite stairwell. Damn, for a girl so small, she sure could scream. And that look in her eyes was downright crazed. Such a bloodthirsty gaze... Hongki was certain he'd seen that very same look in the eyes of the lions at the zoo.

 

“Why is everybody in this company so crazy?” Hongki grumbled to himself, a sigh escaping his lips as he ran a hand through his hair. “I don't understand it. I should really just quit—mffghr!”

 

The moment he opened the door to the stairwell, a hand covered his mouth and an arm s around his waist. He was yanked back into a warm chest, and Hongki immediately found himself struggling against the strong hold, thrashing against muscular arms until he dug his elbow into a solid abdomen and sunk his teeth into the hand across his mouth.

 

“Ow, watch it!” was the pained hiss that resonating his Hongki's ears, and finally he had broken free. He spun around and stumbled away from dark eyes and raven hair. Jonghun stared back at him, dark gaze flaring with that ever present spark of fury. “Haven't you beat me up enough already?!”

 

“What are you doing?” Hongki demanded, shoving Jonghun backwards and wishing for his thundering pulse to still itself. God, he thought he was about to get murdered. “You can't just go around manhandling people like that!”

 

“I was waiting for you, dumb !” Jonghun hissed right back, before he recoiled a little and winced, one hand pressed against where Hongki had elbowed him. “Ah, it really hurts... Why the hell did you bite me?!”

 

Jonghun grimaced and lifted his hand, shaking his hand out as if that could somehow make the pain go away.

 

“Waiting for me?” Hongki repeated, before his brow rose incredulously. “Why would you be waiting for—oh, so the CEO wants to see me, huh? Nice try, I actually fell for it. Your accomplice out there is very creative, you know. Poltergeist my .”

 

Hongki grumbled under his breath and ran a hand through his hair, feeling so, so stupid for letting himself be fooled. He knew something was up when a trainee—not a manager, or one of the directors, or even the CEO himself—asked him to go upstairs for a meeting. That was officially the last time Hongki was ever going to give someone the benefit of the doubt.

 

God, what was wrong with Jonghun?

 

Did he think this was some kind of game? Was this how he got his kicks?

 

“Wait, come back here!” Jonghun grabbed at Hongki's arm when he turned around and tried to leave, and suddenly a set of keys was shoved in front of Hongki's face. “Look.”

 

“Congratulations, you have keys,” Hongki deadpanned, fishing his own keys out of his pocket and dangling them in front of Jonghun. “So do I. Wanna start a collection?”

 

“They're not mine,” Jonghun grumbled, gritting his teeth before speaking a little more calmly. “I stole them. From the CEO.”

 

Hongki let out a noise of disbelief. “Do you want an award?”

 

“No. I want you to follow me. Hurry up, will you?” Jonghun picked up a suspiciously stuffed duffel bag that had been sitting on the floor, the zipper almost bursting with the amount of junk packed inside—whatever that junk was, Hongki hadn't the slightest idea. It wouldn't surprise him if Jonghun had stuffed a body in there.

 

“I'm not helping you steal your boss's car,” Hongki hissed, watching in horror as Jonghun took Hongki's hand between his own as if he expected him to go along with this nonsense. Hongki yanked his hand back, making a face. He was willing to do a lot of things in this world, but burying a body with Jonghun was not on that list.

 

“Here's the thing,” Jonghun muttered, and suddenly the dark look in his eyes had shifted into an alarming seriousness. “I'm not asking, so you can't really refuse.”

 

“What are you—hey! Let me go!” Hongki cried out when Jonghun grabbed him yet again, only this time he dragged him out the door and toward the garage. “This is kidnapping! I refuse to be an accessory to a crime! You're not dragging me down with you! Choi Jonghun!”

 

“Will you shut up already?!” Jonghun snapped, grunting as Hongki tried and tried to shove Jonghun away from him. The raven-haired man merely held him tighter, arms wrapped securely around his waist. Hongki ignored the warmth radiating from Jonghun's body, and the fact that he could feel his breath sweep across his neck.

 

“Hey, you two! What are you doing?”

 

Jonghun paused at the voice of one of the company's higher ups. Hongki followed his gaze, and immediately he caught sight of one the managers making his way up to them inside the musty-smelling garage. Yes, finally, someone who could call off Jonghun. Hongki was about ready to start calling the manager his savior, but then the muscular arm around his waist tightened once more, all but suffocating him in a vice against a crazy man's side.

 

“Damn it,” Jonghun grumbled. “This is why I told you to hurry up.”

 

Hongki's furious gaze flicked at Jonghun. “You're blaming me?!”

 

“Just come on.”

 

Jonghun tugged at him, urging him to keep moving, but Hongki planted his feet firmly on the ground, eyes flashing wildly at Jonghun. “No!”

 

“Oh, for crying out loud. Come here.”

 

“I already said I won't—HEY! YOU PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW! I'M NOT KIDDING! JONGHUN!”

 

Hongki shouted at top volume as he found himself lifted off the ground, heaved up and over Jonghun's shoulders as though he was nothing more than a oversized bag of flour. Jonghun stumbled on his feet but steadied himself before he could fall, and suddenly Hongki found himself unable to focus on any one thought, his mind spinning in fury and indignation. He hated it when people got physical with him, Jonghun had to have realized that, and the fact that Jonghun could just pick him up like this was all sorts of infuriating—even if a bit insulting.

 

He couldn't stand feeling helpless and out of control, but by having Jonghun lift him up like this, Hongki realized Jonghun had just taken away any semblance of control. He wasn't sure what to think, what to feel, and as he thrashed in Jonghun's firm grasp, wanting nothing more than to snap his neck right then and there, Hongki found that Jonghun was a lot stronger than he looked.

 

“Will you stop hitting me?!” Jonghun hissed once he'd finally set him down, right next to fancy and very expensive looking black sports car. The car that Jonghun was trying to steal, because apparently neither of them had enough of a criminal record. “I'm trying to do something nice for you!”

 

Hongki's eyes narrowed in disbelief, his nostrils flaring. “How is this doing something nice for me?!” Stealing cars was doing something nice for someone? Where the hell did he get his logic from? Hey, maybe next they could break into somebody's house, or rob a bank, or commit forgery.

 

It's like Jonghun wanted to become a convicted felon.

 

“Will you just trust me on this?” Jonghun snapped, and Hongki could only stare at him, eyes wide and incredulous.

 

“Trust you?! Are you insane?!”

 

“Obviously!” barked Jonghun, and for a moment, Hongki couldn't deny the fact there was a brief flicker of something strange between the furious flames burning so vividly in those dark eyes. It was only a glimpse, so quick Hongki wasn't even sure if he'd seen it, but then Jonghun opened his mouth once more, spewing out more fury as he pointed at the passenger side door. “Now open the door, put your grouchy, sassy on that seat, and shut the hell up so I can take you somewhere, damn it!”

 

“I can't just blow off work,” Hongki grumbled through gritted teach, and finally, the flames in Jonghun's eyes had dulled. His expression softened, and for a brief moment, as Jonghun stood so unnervingly close to him, Hongki found that his resolve had begun to melt. Jonghun had lit a fire in him, a fire that burned so brightly and so hot, it chased away any semblance of sanity and rationality.

 

“If that's all you're worried about, then it's fine. Let's go, please.”

 

Jonghun spoke quietly for once, dark eyes radiating nothing but a fierce intensity. The fire continued to burn, and suddenly Hongki had lost his mind, because the next thing he knew, he was riding in a stolen car with Jonghun at the wheel.

 

Hongki never said he made good decisions.

 

Especially when it comes to decisions that involve Choi Jonghun.

 

 

 

><><><><

 

 

 

A/N

Believe it or not, this is only half of chapter 7.
I decided to cut it here, because it felt like the best place to stop.
Don't worry, the things mentioned in the last chapter's note will be in the next update.
(I apologize for that, I know a lot of you are really looking forward to JongKi bonding with each other)
Don't hate me too much? :)

Chapter 8 should be here soonish. Maybe this weekend, if things go as planned.
Until then~