Hyuk stirred and felt something pressing against his side. He opened his eyes and looked down to see a messy head of maroon hair resting on his chest and a limp hand in his lap, their fingers somehow intertwined. His eyes widened slightly and he raised his gaze again, looking straight ahead.

Well, that definitely woke him up.

In complete loss of what to do, he sat still, awkwardly looking down every few seconds to see if Hongbin was still asleep or not. He attempted to detach himself, but if he tried to move away, Hongbin would just pull him closer. There really wasn't anything else for him to do other than wait for the other to wake up.

After a sufficient time of sitting still, Hongbin finally stirred. In a panic, Hyuk shut his eyes and slowed his breathing, pretending to be asleep so he wouldn't have to face the awkwardness of seeing Hongbin like that. The older boy stretched slightly and looked up, almost springing away when he saw Hyuk's sleeping figure. He's forgotten he'd sneaked into his arms. He leaned over to see if he was asleep, then quietly stood and left to get ready for his day classes when he was sure he was. Hyuk opened one eye a slit and watched him leave, then, when the door closed, he got up and wandered over to the kitchen, letting the ripped photograph flutter onto the floor and slide under the couch.

Hongbin took a quick, cold shower to wake himself up, then dressed in a white collared shirt and black skinny jeans. After a few seconds of thought, he lightly lined his eyes, then walked back into the living room as if the previous night didn't happen.

"Good morning," he called to Hyuk and beamed a smile. Hyuk smiled back and looked back into the refrigerator. As Hongbin approached him, Hyuk straightened again, pouting adorably and frowning slightly.

"Why don't you have any gobchang?" he asked cutely, crossing his arms over his chest. Hongbin grinned widely and looked down at the ground. He bit his lip and shook his head.

"We have other foods," he insisted, walking over to the fridge and taking out a plastic container full of leftovers. Hyuk leaned closer to Hongbin and widened his eyes slightly.

"Please buy me some gobchang?" he asked again, touching Hongbin's arm and somehow managing looking up at him through his lashes even though he was taller. Hongbin pressed his lips into a thin line, trying not to smile, but he finally cracked and sighed deeply in defeat. Hyuk, knowing he won, smiled and kissed Hongbin's cheek.

"Thank you, hyung," he said brightly, closing the fridge and walking towards the door. "I will eat it well."

Hongbin rolled his eyes as he grabbed his jacket and backpack. He wanted to be annoyed, but who was he kidding. He missed this.

...

Hongbin hung back slightly, watching Hyuk borderline skip down the sidewalk towards a nearby restaurant. The troubles of the previous night seemed nearly forgotten and the young boy looked so happy and content being here, so Hongbin couldn't help but feel the same way. The bright atmosphere that Hyuk radiated was contagious and his eyes were almost always smiling, even when his lips weren't.

This is the Hyuk Hongbin wanted to remember and keep. He wanted to have someone to talk to, someone to laugh with, someone to buy food for, someone to cuddle. He wanted a person who could bring him joy with just one glance, not someone who reminded him of one's numbered days. That person Hyuk was before, the one that had illness eating away at him bit by bit, the one that had lost the ability to laugh, the one who was better acquainted with his notebook than any other human... That was someone Hongbin wanted to forget. What he wanted to cling to was the person that possessed his body before, the person he fell in love with. Maybe now it was possible to have him back.

"Come on, hyung," Hyuk whined, bouncing on his toes just outside the restaurant. A small smile tugged at Hongbin's lips and he quickened his pace.

"You're as impatient as ever," he remarked, stepping inside and glancing over his shoulder the the boy. "At least you called me 'hyung' this time."

"What are you talking about?" Hyuk asked, feigning innocence. "I always call you 'hyung."

Hongbin made an unimpressed noise and just walked up to the counter, ordering Hyuk what he wanted. The food came relatively quickly and the two of them left as soon as possible. There were classes to go to, after all.

...

"You're staying home today, okay?" Hongbin called over his shoulder as he pulled out leftovers that he decided he could salvage. Hyuk cocked his head slightly.

"Are you going somewhere?" he asked the older boy, then took a huge bite.

"I have classes," Hongbin told him, walking over and sitting down across from him. Hyuk pouted slightly, then continued eating quietly.

"Aw, don't be upset," Hongbin said, putting a hand on Hyuk's arm. "I'll only be gone an hour. If you want, I could call Hakyeon to co-"

"No, no, it's okay," Hyuk insisted quickly, his eyes widening slightly at the mention of their friend's name. Hongbin was silently thankful; he didn't know how the oldest would react to the whole situation.

"Alright, alright," Hongbin replied with a chuckle. Knowing he needed to get to class, he finished eating and stood.

"I'll be back soon," he promised, then took a step towards Hyuk. After a moment of hesitation, he kissed the top of Hyuk's head and quickly left, grabbing his bag and locking the door behind him. He was sure the smile on his face wouldn't wear away for the rest of the day.

...

Hyuk was pleasantly surprised when Hongbin kissed the top of his head. When he realized what had happened, he started blushing madly and was thankful that Hongbin left quickly without seeing his reaction. They've been together for so long and have gone much farther than that, yet that small show of affection sent his hormones out of whack.

When he finished his meal and cleared away his plate, he wandered into Hongbin's bedroom. In the back of his mind, he felt bad for intruding, but his curiosity got to the better of him.

Like the rest of the house, it was insanely neat with almost everything packed away, save for a worn notebook sitting on the desk, open and face-down. For a moment, he thought of taking a look, but he reminded himself that even though he was nosy, at least he could recognize when he was going too far.

Instead, he kept his hands clasped behind his back and read the spines of the books on his crowded bookshelf. There were a multitude of genres, none that really captured his attention, so he somehow found himself sitting on Hongbin’s bed, one hand absently running over the soft blanket. He glanced at the bedside table and smiled. Two framed photos stood upright - one of a couple he vaguely remembered as Hongbin's parents and one of Hyuk and Hongbin themselves. In this photo, both looked happy and healthy, Hyuk hugging Hongbin from behind and Hongbin peeking over his shoulder at him.

With a pleased sigh, Hyuk lay down on the bed, his hands folded on his stomach. It smelled like Hongbin's lingering cologne and it relaxed him considerably.

There was no telling how much time passed, he just knew that staying here, even if he was alone, was enough for him to drift off into the most relaxed sleep he's ever experienced.

...

Hongbin was humming slightly to himself as he walked to class. Ravi raised an eyebrow, shifting his weight as he waited for Hongbin to approach.

"You seem cheerful," he pointed out with an amused look. Hongbin shrugged and continued on into the building.

"I suppose," he replied, struggling to sound indifferent. Ravi cocked his head questioningly and hurried to catch up to him, slinging his arm around his shoulders.

"Come on, something happened. What was it?" he pressed. Hongbin shrugged again and tried to suppress his smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he insisted, pushing Ravi gently away and keeping his head down. Eventually, class started and Ravi stopped pestering him, but he eyed suspiciously Hongbin for the full hour.

...

Hongbin sighed heavily as he stepped back into his apartment. It's only been an hour, but he was so exhausted. Tossing his backpack to the side, he walked to his room, freezing in the doorway when he saw a figure lying on his bed. It took him a few moments to recognize Hyuk and he smiled brightly at the thought that he was sleeping peacefully in his bed.

As silently as possible, Hongbin approached him and sat down at the edge of the bed slowly, easing onto the mattress so the change in pressure wouldn't wake up Hyuk. His eyes softened and he gently trailed a finger along the angular lines of Hyuk's relaxed face. It was breathtakingly gorgeous, a masterpiece some people would pay millions of dollars to replicate. The effortlessness somehow made it even more appealing, giving him a calm, natural look that no amount of make up or surgery on anyone else's part could recreate.

Hyuk made a small noise in his sleep and turned his head to the side, his dark hair matting to the side of his head. Not wanting to wake up the boy, Hongbin stood, kissing his cheek softly before walking back into the living room.

As the door closed, Hyuk stirred. His first waking moments were assaulted with the scent of Hongbin's cologne and freshly washed sheets. It took him a little while to realize where he was, mostly because he didn't want to open his eyes, but he quickly stood, eyes widening, when he remembered that he'd fallen asleep on Hongbin's bed. Would the older boy be angry?

Hyuk checked the time and bit his lip, seeing that Hongbin would be home any second. If he wasn't already here. He raked his hands through his hair to make it presentable and brushed off the front of his clothes, glancing at himself in the mirror for a moment, then subtly slipped into the living room.

"Hongbin-ah?" he called out carefully, unsure whether the other was home. After a few moments of silence, Hongbin peeked out of a side door, his dimples showing even without an evident smile to cause them.

"Hyuk-ah?" the older male called back in a teasing tone. Hyuk smiled and walked over to him, his hands folded behind his back.

"What are you doing?" he asked in a sing-song voice. Hongbin's smile showed more clearly and he stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind him so that Hyuk, who was leaning around him to peek inside, couldn't see. Hyuk pouted slightly and looked away in faux offence, but couldn't keep up the front when Hongbin s a hand around his waist and leaned his head on his shoulder.

"Hyuk-ah," he drew out with a breathy laugh, swaying slightly. "Don't be upset. I'm not hiding anything from you for long. I'll show you eventually."

Hyuk rolled his eyes and pouted further, but rested his head against Hongbin's and loosened his crossed arms. Soon, they were hugging, Hongbin's head tucked under Hyuk's chin and their eyes closed calmly. After a few minutes, Hongbin sighed and pulled away.

"I have to make dinner," he said quietly, absently playing with the collar of Hyuk's shirt. "Whether you like it or not, Hakyeon insisted on coming over tonight."

Hyuk groaned and pulled away.

"Why?" he whined, crossing his arms again. Hongbin sighed and ran a hand through his hair, shrugging slightly.

"Sorry, but he wouldn't take no for an answer," he said apologetically. "You know how he is..."

Hyuk nodded and bit his lip. He puffed out his cheeks and let out a slow breath, then spoke again.

"You need any help?" he asked to which Hongbin shook his head.

"Just go get some rest, I'll call you out if anything."

Hyuk reluctantly agreed and returned to Hongbin's room, lying back down and staring up at the ceiling.

Hongbin got back to cooking, making a very simple meal of ramen since he was tired and not up for much trouble. Just as everything was finished the doorbell rang. Hongbin groaned inwardly and walked out into the living room. Deciding not to bother Hyuk, he just opened the front door, smiling at Hakyeon who was already grinning broadly.

"Good afternoon," the older of the two said brightly, stepping inside and walking towards the kitchen without invitation. Hongbin's smile wavered, but this behavior was expected, so he just closed the door and followed after him.

"How have you been? We haven't spoken in so long. Well, that's understandable, given what happened, but still. Are you doing better? I brought some sweet and sour pork for you. I know how much you love it," he rambled on, raising the plastic bag he was holding a bit, then setting it on the counter. Not knowing what to answer, Hongbin just smiled.

"I'm doing okay," he said finally, then moved to get plates to set the table. The two were silent briefly as ramen, rice, and pork was divided and they sat down.

"Thank you for the food," they both said in varying degrees of enthusiasm and they started eating. The food was, of course, delicious, but Hongbin kept thinking about Hyuk sleeping in the other room and how Hakyeon would react if-

"Good afternoon, Hakyeon hyung," a voice sounded from the doorway. Hongbin's eyes widened and he braced himself for Hakyeon's reaction as Hyuk stepped into the kitchen, patting down his hair innocently.