Donghae had known this was a stupid idea.

Or at least he should have known.

Why had he even agreed?

(Okay he knew the answer to that, don’t ask).

When your stupid best friend comes up to you and says “hey let’s all go underage drinking!” he had decided to reply to that stupid question with an even more stupid answer: sure.

Donghae didn’t think the fake IDs would work.

He didn’t think they would be let in.

It had just been a stupid idea. A very stupid, stupid idea and now they were all regretting it.

Sungmin, who had suggested they do it God knows why, was blubbering all kinds of nonsense in Kyuhyun’s ear. Kyuhyun was supporting the other and the three of them stumbled out of the club, clothes stained with alcohol and smelly breaths to match. Donghae ran a hand through his hair and tried to steady his mind. Okay, well he wasn’t that drunk but he was a little tipsy. He had yet to start becoming drowsy or mumble idiotic things. Kyuhyun had a fair tolerance too, although his voice had started to slur. It was such a change from his usual sharp, smartass tone, but that was gradually making a comeback.

After a couple drinks, at first feeling excited to be breaking the rules and worried that they’d be caught, they sipped and chatted and laughed like morons. Their nerves slowly drifted away and they relished the fact they were doing something so daring (for them, anyway). Donghae actually didn’t have that many because he wasn’t crazy about the bitter taste, but he drank for the sake of drinking. This was a change for him. At home, he was babied and cooed at for his cuteness, but here he was an adult (or at least he liked to think that). Donghae was a good kid – he helped with chores, did his schoolwork, he studied, he had extracurricular activities and hobbies.

The trouble started when they slowly shifted to the dance floor, slipping into the throng of sweaty, moving bodies. It was when another girl came up to him and began dancing really close to him (if it could even be called dancing – she was feeling up his body and grinding on him) that he snapped out of his stupid trance and realised what was happening. Then Sungmin ungracefully vomited on the floor. After a lot of swear words, and getting over their initial shock, Kyuhyun grabbed him, grabbed Donghae from the very provocatively dressed girl, and dragged them out of the club with as much strength as his alcohol infused body could muster.

“Ow, Kyuhyun, stop pulling so hard,” Sungmin whined and hit the darker haired boy’s hand. “I don’t feel well.”

“Yeah, obviously,” Kyuhyun took in a deep lungful of the fresh air (or as fresh as Seoul air can get) and blinked a few times, trying desperately to sober up.

“It’s so cold out here… let’s go back inside!” Sungmin said and tried to twist out of Kyuhyun’s hold.

“Shut up Min,” Donghae said as he slapped his own face a few times, ignoring the weird, disapproving stares he received from people entering and leaving the club. It was obvious to anyone now, from the shocked and shaken looks on their faces that they were underage. But hardly.

“Hae, why are you so mean? What did I do? What did I do?!” Sungmin shrieked and Kyuhyun cupped a hand over his mouth.

“This was your dumb idea,” Donghae muttered, feeling some dizziness disappear.

Yep, this had been a stupid idea, has he said that yet?

“You agreed to come!” Sungmin managed to pull Kyuhyun’s hand away from his mouth to yell at Donghae.

Kyuhyun glared at a few people who had stopped to stare and then harshly tugged Sungmin’s arm. “Let’s just walk away from here at least. There’s a small convenience shop down the street, let’s buy some water for this drunk idiot.”

Donghae figured that was a good idea considering there could be some dangerous or questionable people hanging around here.

They had just been so happy that they finished all their exams and they were graduating in a week. Graduating! They figured they couldn’t end their high school years without even doing something wild, right? Donghae had thought it would be fun (and he wanted to show him that he was not a child anymore and that he could party and have fun and drink as well). But maybe he still was kind of a child. He was yet to like the bitter taste of alcohol or discuss ‘mature’ topics like politics (soooo boring) or let go of his attachment to Finding Nemo (he still cried during that movie, okay? Also he was forever trying to figure out what happens at the end to the other fishes in the tank once they escape, do they just stay in plastic bags floating in the ocean or what?).

They walked down the street to the small, lit shop that had never looked so welcoming. It was a big contrast to the dim club they had been in. Donghae eyed the candy in the shop but had to use all his restraint to stop from purchasing some. He would never hear the end of it from his friends if he bought some now. Kyuhyun shoved Sungmin into Donghae’s unsuspecting arms and gave the tipsy blond an irritated glare before saying to Donghae, “Look after the drunk.”

Donghae saw him enter the shop and grab a bottle of water from the refrigerated section. He glanced down at the baby-faced blonde and rolled his eyes when he saw Sungmin was half-asleep, still murmuring something incoherent.

“Great,” Donghae muttered as more pedestrians raised their eyebrows at Sungmin’s state. A few people even asked if he was okay.

Well I don’t know, lady with the oversized raincoat (it’s not even raining?), he’s half kneeling on the sidewalk, does he look okay to you?

Kyuhyun came out a few minutes later with a bottle of cold water and iced coffee. He had a very exasperated expression.

“Sungmin,” he said and his voice was tight. Donghae knew Kyuhyun was just as disappointed with how things had turned out as he was. In fact, out of the three, he had been the least eager to go, but since Sungmin wanted to try something daring and Donghae had his own reasons for agreeing, he decided to tag along. “Yah, wake up.”

When Sungmin just snuggled into Donghae’s jumper, Kyuhyun opened the bottle and flicked the water at him – right down his neck. Sungmin flinched and began yelling in a very slurred voice.

“Get over it you whiny baby,” Kyuhyun said and shoved the bottle into his hand. “Drink it all. And then drink this.”

Sungmin grumbled but obeyed, detaching himself from Donghae who glared at Kyuhyun because he had sprayed him with the water too. Kyuhyun took a sip of the coffee and then handed it to Donghae who also took a couple of sips – or gulps. Then they handed the rest to a slowly sobering Sungmin who swallowed the rest.

They shuffled to a bench a few feet from the convenience shop and sat down dejectedly.

“Well, this was a hell of a night,” Kyuhyun sighed. “I think I can feel a headache coming.”

Donghae rubbed his temples and nodded. “So, let’s just catch the next taxi and get out of here?”

Sungmin mumbled a ‘whatever’ before resting his head against Kyuhyun’s shoulder. They patiently waited, words not being spoken between them as the chilly, evening wind whipped across them. Donghae didn’t know what to think. This wasn’t him. This wasn’t what he did. Actually, this was completely out of character for all of them. Kyuhyun hardly ever left his room, opting to play games rather than hang out with them (“I have priorities and unfortunately my social life doesn’t make the cut”). Sungmin was quite social, but his hangouts with Donghae usually consisted of going to the shops to buy something, most certainly something pink. Donghae’s life was quite balanced – school, dancing and social activities.

He shook his head, if his parents found out he’d never hear the end of it. Luckily, they were all going back to Kyuhyun’s place because his parents were away on some business trip. Hopefully word never got out of their failed attempt to ‘party.’ His brother would forever about it and if he found out he’d just look even more childish in comparison.

As they saw a taxi approaching, Donghae sighed in relief. He wanted to have a warm shower and just snuggle into clean sheets. However, his desires vanished when he suddenly felt a lump in his throat as a small worry entered his mind.

“Do we have enough money?”

Kyuhyun, who was about to raise his hand to signal for it, froze with wide eyes. “I…” he pulled out his wallet and then his lips. Not a good sign. “I just used the rest buying the water and coffee. I didn’t have much to begin with…” His voice had gone small and uncertain.

Donghae felt a small surge of panic, but he quickly tried to stay calm. There were three of them here, they could put enough together. The taxi sped past but Donghae hardly noticed as he pulled out his very light feeling wallet and rummaged through the receipts and random cards he had inside. “Oh crap.”

Beside a few notes and coins, he had nothing. It was definitely not enough to cover the cost to Kyuhyun’s. Meeting Kyuhyun’s alarmed gaze, they both turned to the blonde between them who didn’t seem to understand the situation.

“Sungmin?” Donghae’s voice rose a little and he nudged the drowsy blonde.

“Hm?”

“Where’s your wallet?” Donghae asked impatiently.

Sungmin was a little disorientated but managed to pull out a pink wallet and place it into Donghae’s waiting hand. Donghae opened it, praying, hoping, and his heart sank when he was met with a similar sight of his own wallet. “What the hell Min? You had the most money out of us all!”

“Noooo…. I spent it,” Sungmin said and giggled at the end.

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes. “Look at him Hae. He’s wasted. He probably spent it all on drinks.”

“Oh . Oh ,” Donghae chanted and now he was starting to freak. Sungmin looked like someone who would never touch a drop of alcohol yet he had downed it like he was drinking an elixir. “We need to get to your place.”

“Call my mommy,” Sungmin said and if Donghae wasn’t about to start hyperventilating he would have teased Sungmin on his choice of words.

“Hell no,” Kyuhyun snapped. “She’ll murder us for doing this to her baby Sungmin. And she’ll tell our parents too. My parents will never let me stay by myself again. I have a gaming marathon this weekend!”

Donghae had no idea what a gaming marathon was, nor did he care. He wanted to tell Kyuhyun his stupid gaming life was the least of his concerns but he bit his tongue. When Kyuhyun got started about his games, he never stopped. Ever. Like goes on for three hours and only shut up because he passed out. 

“Then what do we do? We don’t have enough to get back!” Donghae said.

Kyuhyun sighed. “I don’t know. Maybe… maybe we can call your brother?”

“My brother? He’ll tell mom and dad straight away!” Donghae said angrily.

“No… he’s cool…” Kyuhyun tried.

Seriously, Kyuhyun, how many times have you even met him? You hardly come out of your room.

“He will. He will, I know he will,” Donghae said and crossed his arms. He, also, did not want his brother to know. It wasn’t so much his parents knowing… more a certain someone else. “Anyway, he’s away on a study trip right now.”

Kyuhyun groaned and leaned back on the bench. He was thinking hard about their dilemma.

Donghae could feel panic rising and he never dealt with it well. “This is all your fault!”

Sungmin felt the glare on his face and looked up. It was as if that angry look snapped him out of his drowsiness. Sungmin was weird sometimes. “What?”

“You suggested it!”

“You agreed!”

“I didn’t want to!” Donghae yelled back but that was a lie. He knew why he had agreed… though he didn’t really want to admit that to himself just yet.

“Liar!”

“I…” Donghae clutched the roots of his hair and lowered his voice when he saw people giving them strange looks and muttering ‘teenagers these days.’

Hey, you were one too.

Kyuhyun told them both to shut up before he clasped his hands together, eyes serious. “Donghae. I have a plan.”

Donghae glanced up. “You do?”

God bless Kyuhyun and his intelligent brain.

“This is when you have to use those puppy dog eyes God gifted you to beg for money.”

God bless Kyuhyun for he has no brain.

“S-Sorry?” Please tell me I didn’t hear correctly.

“We have to beg. Or more specifically, you have to beg.”

Donghae choked on his own saliva at the words. Kyuhyun had spoken them dead seriously. “Y-You’re kidding right?”

“Do I look like I’m kidding?”

Do I look like I want to get on my knees and ask people for money?

“No. What? N-No!” Donghae protested stubbornly. “Why do I have to do it?”

“Because you have those eyes that people can’t resist. Close your gaping mouth Hae, you use those eyes to your advantage all the time.”

“No I don’t!” he objected but even he knew he was lying. His eyes were his ultimate weapon. As Kyuhyun gave him the cockiest look, he pointed at Sungmin. “He does too!”

“Then you can both do it. Pretend your brothers or something and one of you are sick and dying. Seeing as Sungmin already looks like that he should do that role,” Kyuhyun said flatly.

“What?” Sungmin cried and was feeling his face as if by touching it he could confirm he was still alive and beautiful.

“And try to cry if you can Donghae, make them really pity you,” Kyuhyun added and began pushing them off the bench.

Donghae couldn’t believe what Kyuhyun was suggesting. He gaped as he tried to keep himself on the bench, pushing back at Sungmin to push Kyuhyun. “No! I refuse! If we have to do it, so do you!”

(“HEY! STOP PUSHING ME! I’M FRAGILE.”)

Kyuhyun scoffed like that suggestion was so below him. “Please. Do I look like the kind of person you want to give your money to?” He adjusted his jacket and sighed. “Besides, I’m dressed too expensively to look homeless. See this jacket? Designer brand.”

Sungmin blinked. “WHAT? Are you saying I dress poor? Come here you little !”

Donghae restrained the violently swearing Sungmin and rolled his eyes at his friend’s idiocy. Of all things, that was what provokes him? Kyuhyun groaned, frustrated, and threw his hands up in the air.

“Then what do you suggest we do Donghae? Sungmin? I’m not staying here all night and we’re not walking so don’t even suggest that! My house is miles from here!” Kyuhyun added as Donghae, like he predicted, was about to start suggesting they try the journey on foot.

“Why don’t we pay halfway and –”

“Like a couple bucks is going to get us halfway,” Kyuhyun snorted.

Donghae sighed, feeling their options were very small. He really, really didn’t want to do this but he saw no other choice. He didn’t want to sit here all night. He pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts list with reluctance.

“What are you doing?” Kyuhyun asked slowly, eyeing Donghae’s phone like it was a bomb about to go off.

Donghae bit his lip. “I’m calling my dad –”

“No, are you crazy?!” Kyuhyun sputtered and pulled his phone away. “I said no! No parents!”

“Give me back my phone!”

“I said no!”

“Then what else do we do?” Sungmin joined in, tired.

Kyuhyun scowled at them and his eyes dropped down to Donghae’s phone in his hand. Then, very slowly, he smirked. Then scowled at Donghae like he was the cause of all their problems. “Donghae. You are such an idiot.”

Sungmin turned to Donghae with confusion but his expression was simply mirrored by the brunet. Donghae furrowed his eyebrows, wondering if he heard correctly. “What?”

“You're an idiot,” Kyuhyun repeated and his voice had changed into the sly, controlled tone they were all used to. “You have a boyfriend.”

“So?’

“You have a boyfriend.”

Donghae nodded. “Yeah, so?”

Sungmin gave Donghae a weird stare and sighed exasperatedly when Kyuhyun looked like he wanted to hit the brunet on the back of the head. “You have an older, college boyfriend who can drive.”

Oh.

Oh.

Donghae felt his face flush as it finally clicked. Then he scowled as he tried to snatch the phone from the grinning gamer’s grip. Kyuhyun pulled his hand, and the phone in it, from reach.

“Call him?” he asked though it was more like an order.

“No!” Donghae said stubbornly.

“Why? It’s not like he’s going to tell your parents, right?” Kyuhyun asked with a raised eyebrow.

Donghae clenched his jaw. No, he wouldn’t, but that wasn’t the point. “I don’t want to call him. It’s late and he has something on tonight.” (Hence why he is not with him now.)

“I’m sure he’ll come at your beck and call.”

“No…”

“Why not? Did you two break up?”

“No...” (We are never, ever breaking up – how can you even ask that? Shame on you.)

“Are you in a fight?”

Donghae chewed on his lip and that was a clear answer for the two of them. Sungmin instantly began soothing Donghae with kind words whilst Kyuhyun groaned with a “Fantastic, of all times.”

“Shh, Kyuhyun, shut your mouth.”

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes. “But I suppose it’s expected. There’s only so much he can tolerate – you do whine and act like a five-year old, like, all the time. In fact, if age was based on mentality your boyfriend would be a e.”

You be thankful for the oxygen you’re breathing right now Cho, Donghae glared heatedly at the other before the blonde one spoke.

“Whatever you fought about, I’m sure he will forgive you. I’m sure he’ll understand,” Sungmin said gently in his motherly voice.

Donghae turned to face him. He knew Sungmin well enough to know this soothing voice was not completely genuine.

“He’ll understand you just wanted to try drinking and I’m sure he’s done it too. Besides you can patch whatever your fight was about,” Sungmin said but his eyes screamed: call him right now Lee Donghae or I’ll bury you.

“Yah! You’re trying to… you’re just…” Donghae stammered for the correct words.

“Oh he’s your boyfriend. Get over it,” Kyuhyun snapped and then swiped something on Donghae’s phone. “I’m calling him.”

“NO!” Donghae protested but it was too late. “He’s at a party right now!”

“Pfft so? Hold him back Min,” Kyuhyun said and Sungmin pushed the brunet away from the evil black-haired boy with the phone now at his ear.

“Don’t! No!” Donghae said desperately. He didn’t want to speak to him and explain why they were in such a stupid situation. Especially not after their dumb argument. He prayed his boyfriend wouldn’t pick up and was too busy partying with his friends or whatever. However those hopes fell when a very smug smirk appeared on Kyuhyun’s stupid, stupid face (I am going to electronically beat the out of you in that game Starcrate or Starcrumbs or whatever).

“Hae?”

Even without the phone near him he could hear his confused voice. It sounded extra deep and husky over the phone. Donghae would have felt guilty for disturbing him if his stomach didn’t do those nervous (and happy) flips. He felt warmness flood through his chest that even so late at night and in the midst of ignoring each other because of an argument a few days ago, he would pick up his call.

Kyuhyun chucked the phone at him with a very stern ‘Don’t you dar