Junhong, as it turned out, had also been avoiding the dorms. It was by mere coincidence that Jongup had spotted the tallest member hunched over in a nearby coffee shop, frantically scribbling in a notebook. He'd flinched so much when Jongup tapped his shoulder that his knee – already struggling for leg room – crashed into the top of the table. It took a bit of apologising and a few no we're not idols don't be silly before they could talk in some sort of privacy in their little booth.

“Yongguk-hyung cornered me before I went out today,” Junhong explained, “We ended up talking about it – no, not about you, I didn't say anything about you don't worry!” He added quickly when Jongup's face paled.

“Oh, okay,” he let out a relieved sigh, “What did you say to him then?”

Junhong swirled his drink around the cup silently and for a moment Jongup's stomach sank as he thought of the maknae and leader talking about him. His worries were quickly cut short by said maknae flopping down onto the table like a puppet with cut strings, almost knocking the little table number display onto the floor.

“I ended up grovelling and begging for forgiveness. I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't stand the way he kept looking at me like I'd let everyone down. I felt like such an idiot!”

Jongup looked down at the crumpled form of the taller boy before him, guilt sitting in his throat like lodged food. “How did he take it?” He asked, voice strained somewhat.

“Really well,” Junhong wailed, looking up at him with a miserable expression, “He was so reasonable about it and he just told me that I need to be more responsible and look at consequences and ended up giving me this huge lecture about maturity and adulthood. Ugh, I feel awful.”

Jongup nodded as his friend slowly straightened himself up and flopped his head back. There was a small quiet moment between them as they both mourned for the unfortunate situations they'd put themselves in. While Junhong wasn't aware of it, Jongup felt nearly sick. The whole time he'd been wrapped up in his own feelings he hadn't for a moment considered the situation the youngest member was now in.

“Oh ,” Junhong spoke suddenly, making Jongup flinch as the younger hit himself in the face, “I'm being an . You're in a harder predicament than me. I heard you talked to Himchan?”

The dancer visibly tensed up at the mention of their hyung's name and he looked down, pretending to be amazingly interested in the detail of the wood grain of the table. Junhong either didn't notice his discomfort or wasn't going to let him weasel out of it.

“How did that go? I'm guessing you didn't.... You know... Say anything about... It,” the younger waved a hand as he awkwardly danced around the subject. The maknae had been unexpectedly open minded about the whole situation and had looked after Jongup most of the night after he'd admitted his feelings.

Now Jongup once again was not making eye contact with probably one of the most supportive friends he could ask for as he tried to find the words. He took a small breath and Junhong leaned in a little bit.

“I punched him in the face.”

Junhong blinked and leaned back, blinked again and opened his mouth. He closed his mouth and raised his hands a little as if he was going to talk again, but lowered them back down to the table.

“Um. I think I misheard you,” he eventually said.

“Did you hear me say that I punched Himchannie-hyung?”

“Yes.”

“Then you heard me right.”

There was another silence between them ans Jongup swore he could see the cogs working in Junhong's brain as he tried to comprehend what was being said.

“Right,” the younger began, “You know when I said 'if this is what you're like when you have a crush'... Are you sure you actually have a crush and don't just really hate him and you're getting the feelings confused?”

Jongup stared at him. Minutes ago he'd looked upon this boy like he was the only security he had in this world and now he looked at him wondering how he was the same person who wrote lyrics for their recent comeback.

“Junhong,” Jongup began, “Himchan is the most wonderful, beautiful, amazing person in the whole world and I couldn't hate him even if he broke my legs and burned my merchandise.”

“I see,” the maknae nodded wisely and sat up straight, his chin like he'd become some sort of ancient wise man, “You're obsessed.”

“I'm not obsessed!” Jongup defended himself.

“Hmm, I've seen this before,” Junhong continued in that same faux-sagely way, “In many fans.”

“I am not an obsessed fan!” Jongup scowled at the taller boy.

“You love him so much you want to hit him.”

“That's not what it was!” Jongup slammed his hands down onto the table as he stood. His shout had caught the attention of the other customers in the coffee shop. The noise the table made beneath his attack attracted some scathing looks from the staff.

“Okay, okay sorry. I'm being an again. I'm just... I don't know, trying to get my head around the situation? Look, I'm just going to pay and we can go somewhere else you won't get stared at.” When Jongup's expression didn't change Junhong gave him a small hopeful smile as he tried again, “I'll buy you a take-away burger somewhere?”

Jongup agreed before he even gave it any thought.

“So,” Junhong said as they perched themselves on a bench near his favourite skate park, both with a bag of food from the closest fast food chain. “Why'd you hit him? I didn't even know you had it in you to hit people. I mean, you looked pretty scary that night and I thought you might hit me then but actually hearing that you really did punch Himchan... That's so weird.”

“You were scared of me?” Jongup asked, voice quiet.

Junhong looked up and saw the dancer's devastated expression. “No,” he insisted, “Not at all. That's not what I meant. You're the angel of B.A.P. You couldn't scare me even if it was-” he paused to search desperately for words, “Halloween and also foggy and you were dressed as Daehyun-hyung when he's really hungry and I had a whole cheesecake to myself.”

Jongup blinked and a small smile pulled at his lips, “Thanks, I guess?”

“Yeah you're basically the least-scary person I know. I've got at least 10 cm on you I can put to use.”

“Don't push it.”

“Sorry.”

Jongup watched the younger smile at him nervously and he felt a sudden rush of affection for the dorky, tall boy.

“So, why did you hit him then?”

The feeling of affection was quickly replaced by agonizing misery. He looked down at his half-eaten burger and almost didn't want it. Almost. He took a bite and mulled over how to explain.

“I don't know,” he sighed, “I think... I think I'm scared of him.”

“Scared of Himchan-hyung?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Jongup bit his lip and thought hard about what to say next, “I think... I'm scared of him hating me if he finds out.”

“He won't hate you. He literally loves you. Maybe almost as much as you love him,” at Jongup's pained expression he quickly tried to remedy himself, “I mean he'll still be your friend I'm sure. I don't think he's the sort of person who kicks people down for thinking he's attractive. He'd probably marry himself if he could.”

Jongup laughed a little as he picked at his fries and Junhong grinned. “So, are you going to confess to him? I can get a bag of fake sakura petals and I'm sure we can find a school girl outfit to fit you.”

Jongup threw a handful of fries at the younger's face. “I am not ever in a million years going to confess to Himchan.”

Junhong spluttered a little as he batted away the greasy food, “If you don't confess you'll just get worse than you are now! I'm sorry, I don't want to be rude but you're an lately. Either you confess or you just... Find a better coping method.”

Jongup signed and bit into his burger, not wanting to talk any longer.