Donghyuk doesn’t miss the smug smile that crosses Jiho’s face when he breaks his huddle with Paloalto. The other judges look over at them, waiting for some indication that a decision has been made.

Jiho fixes his expression fast. From behind those sunglasses, it’ll be impossible for the camera to pick up on just how much he’s going to enjoy this. Because it’s pretty obvious what he’s about to do, Donghyuk doesn’t need to strain himself to sense the vengeful glee hanging in the air between them.

“Ah Supreme Boi,” Jiho sighs dramatically, “we pick the other guy.”

The Other Guy gives himself a rather sad, solitary round of applause. No one else looks particularly happy with the situation.

No one except Jiho.

His phone rings almost as soon as he’s finished giving Mnet a soundbite regarding his loss that he doubts will make it to the final cut of the show.

“How’d it go?” Namjoon asks down the line. Donghyuk can hear the barely concealed excitement tripping off the back of his tongue.

What a shame to have to burst his bubble, “lousy, I didn’t get through.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah”

Namjoon hums sympathetically, “Well I mean if the other guy deserved to win…”

“I dunno.”

“You don’t think he did?”

“No! Yes…it’s not like that,” Donghyuk takes a deep breath and marches himself out of immediate earshot of the other contestants, “it was Jiho.”

Namjoon is silent for so long that Donghyuk has to check his phone to make sure the line hasn’t disconnected. When the impending tirade of expletives arrives he has to shove the whole thing into his pocket to drown out the sound lest anyone else should hear.

“Yeah I know, he’s a jerk,” he mutters in response when Namjoon is done. Donghyuk hopes his boyfriend will take the hint and also lower his voice but the rather disapproving glare BeWhy casts him on the way to his recording is evidence enough that their whole conversation is ringing out loud and clear.

“How long has it been? And he thinks he can just treat you like that?”

“Namjoon…”

“I’m gonna have words with him!”

“That’s what you always say, and then the second you actually see him you’re all smiles,” Donghyuk snorts. Namjoon’s terrible at confrontation.

Namjoon huffs, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you do. It’s fine though, I’ll get him back.”

“Well I know you’ll-” Namjoon makes a rather unattractive spluttering noise when he realises what Donghyuk’s implying, “what do you mean you’ll get him back?”

Donghyuk shrugs, “I mean what I say.”

“Donghyuk…”

“Relax! I’m just gonna take him down a peg or two. And it serves him right for acting like our break up was all my fault.”

Donghyuk glances around to be sure that no one’s following him, and that no Mnet cameramen are paying him any mind, before ducking through the fire doors down to the judges changing rooms and scuttling along the corridor. He rounds a corner and, very sure that no one else is within earshot, turns his attention back to Namjoon.

Who of course, has nothing helpful to say, “it was your fault you guys broke up though.”

“Excuse you”

“Well I’m just saying,” Namjoon says carefully, “he walked in on you  my , not the other way around.”

This is, of course, very true. Donghyuk feels kind of bad about that one, he still flinches in embarrassment every time he thinks about Jiho wandering rather drunkenly into Ikje’s bedroom at a party to find him on his knees. They were never gonna win any ‘couple of the year’ awards but he can appreciate that it was a move.

It would all be rather mortifying if Jiho hadn’t so succinctly proven that two can play the ‘ move’ game.

“Well he’s never been angry with you for it,” Donghyuk snaps, “apparently this is all my fault.”

“It is all your fault.”

“I thought you were outraged that he was still pissed at me because of this? It takes two to a Namjoon”

“No it doesn’t!”

A door clicks open somewhere at the other end of the corridor and the sounds of the judges voices, still far off, echoe muddily down towards him. Donghyuk grins, “I’m just gonna have a little word with him, so we can clear some stuff up.”

“What the are you planning? Donghyuk? You better not up my very comfortable working relationship with Woo Jiho! What are you-” Donghyuk ends the call before Namjoon can get himself too worked up. He’s probably raging in the Bangtan dorms at this very moment, but out of sight, out of mind.

Donghyuk’s phone buzzes angrily with kakao notifications as Namjoon takes to other channels. 

Ah well, he’ll get over it. In the meantime, Donghyuk has a score to settle and a smile to wipe off Jiho’s face.