Hakyeon hums happily as he cooks dinner – Taekwoonie has to work till later today – on the empty apartment, body moving sinuously with the rhythm. While on days Taekwoon isn’t there to cook Hakyeon would normally order food from some dirty, cheap and greasy place, today he feels excited enough to try his hand on the kitchen; his date – he giggles a little at the word – with Literature student Kim Wonshik playing in his head. He’s not the best in cooking – there has to be something he’s not good at, otherwise, he’s pretty damn perfect – but at least it’s edible, and he gets to economize some of his scarce, precious money. Besides, it’s only rice and a vegetable soup. Not even he can do it wrong, right?

Wrong.

By the time Sanghyuk arrives, Hakyeon is whining to himself, pouting because for some reason the rice got stuck on the bottom of the pan, and the vegetable soup is getting browner, and why is it getting browner? He’s a twenty five year old dance major, and he’s supposed to be able to live independently; if things continue as they are, he’ll be forty and paying for Taekwoon to cook him meals, parting from the idea they won’t be living together by then, which he doubts. He possesses absolutely flawless looks, dance is ingrained in every cell of his body and yet, he can’t do soup without making it appear straight out of a swamp.

Sanghyuk shuts the door and takes off his shoes, going straight to the living room, not making any effort to recognize Hakyeon’s presence, making the oldest realize that his baby is angry for a reason he’s not aware of. The youngest may not be the most affectionate and touchy guy in the world, but he never simply passes through Hakyeon purposely without having the trouble of saying minimally his grumpy ‘I’m home’ or on his good days, let his hair be petted or knock shoulders with the older. He’s definitely mad, and a mad Sanghyuk is a very scary and sulky one.

Sighing, Hakyeon officially gives up on his attempt at cooking dinner – Taekwoon will appear later with some leftover cakes, and too much sugar is bad for him who has to maintain his weight, but whatever – and goes after the youngest of their little group, finding him draped over the couch, with his backpack thrown on the floor, papers scattering messily all over the floor and on his lap as the handsome lines of his face all creased up in a mix of what it seems to be worry, exasperation and bewilderment; his hair, much like the papers, falls chaotically on his face, and the black roots are starting to show, signaling Sanghyuk’s need to go to a hairstylist.

“Hyukkie~” Hakyeon mewls, preparing to throw himself on top of the director, whose dark brown eyes glance at him with disdain, cute nose scrunching up as his mouth curls into a snarl.

A single word makes him rethink the decision “Don’t.”

Normally a mad Sanghyuk is cranky, but today he just sounds… pissed off. Like, truly mad, and whatever happened, or whoever made him like this will pay; Hakyeon is used to take care of him from a young age – his eighteen year old self scolding a fourteen year old bruised Sanghyuk deep into the night more times than he cares to remember, an equally eighteen year old Taekwoon observing everything through sleepy eyes and quiet whispers –, and he admits he can be both protective and possessive of him and Taekwoon, overly so. He also knows how difficult dealing with Sanghyuk can be, and that the boy isn’t one to go sharing his opinions and feelings in what mattered the most, choosing to only offer a slight insight of his thoughts most times. He can be annoyingly frustrating and try to deal with everything by himself, carry all of his worries on his shoulders when Hakyeon is tired of offering his own.

Also, the blonde beneath him is a master of facades, that’s for sure, but not with him; Han Sanghyuk is Han Sanghyuk when at home, not the Director or the scary-guy-with-glares-capable-of-scaring-out-ghosts; he laughs at stupid jokes on his favorite animes and whines about what they’ll have for dinner. He occasionally does aegyo to gain something and is sassy, but gentle. For him to be using his scary mask there… things are serious.

“Sanghyuk-ah…” the dancer tries again, this time softly, kneeling by his side, next to his head. “Oi, are you alright?”

He sees the boy taking a deep breath, a bit of the tension on his brows – and he was serious when he said the younger will have wrinkles twenty years earlier than he should – relaxing, enough for him not to look ready to break all of Hakyeon’s teeth. “Just go away hyung; I’m not in the mood to deal with you right now”

… Wait, what?

Mildly scandalized by the words, it is Hakyeon’s turn to take a deep breath “Hyogi…”

“You didn’t listen the first time?! I’m busy hyung!”

“Yah! Don’t get sassy on me Han Sanghyuk!”

“If you ing went when I told you so, I wouldn’t need to sass you away!”

“You blame me? I’m just worried because you have this freaking constipated scowl on your dumb face!”

“Well, clearly I’m not happy or satisfied or willing to deal with annoying old men”

Hakyeon bites the inside of his cheek to contain the urge to slap the director; he only got like this when running away from a subject “Goddammit Sanghyuk, I wanna help, that’s it”

“I don’t need your help” the youngest expression loses some of its rage; it continues to lurk in the corners of his pretty brown eyes, ready to emerge. With the living room’s cheap light, they look bottomless pits of black. 

“But–”

“No means no, hyung. Leave… please”

The final word makes Hakyeon’s outrage go as fast as it came, and he blinks owlishly at Sanghyuk, not quite understanding. His mind soon is filled with all kinds of scenarios and schemes to kill whoever affected his boy to the point of him saying ‘please’, as he is well aware the word would immediately cause him to back off, for Hyuk never said it if not for serious situations. Hell, the last time he said it was two years ago, after one of their worst fights, and for him to be using it deliberately like this, purposefully creating a barrier he knows won’t be trespassed, is a stab on Hakyeon’s heart. Seeing the tired lines around his eyes and the unhappy curve of his mouth, Hakyeon hesitantly gets up, biting his lip so hard he actually feels the coppery taste on his tongue.

Sanghyuk doesn’t bother to follow his movements, instead turning back to the stack of papers on his hands and chest; he snaps his head towards the dancer when he bents down one last time to lightly kiss the top of dyed hair, an habit he has for years, which the youngest shows both annoyance and amusement when faced with; now, he throws a glare capable of melting steel on Hakyeon’s general direction, running his hand through the tresses as if wanting to erase the action.

The pain on his chest intensifies, and Hakyeon contains the urge to scold, cry, scream, coddle, slap and hug Sanghyuk, choosing to go to his room and stay there, since dinner won’t happen so soon. He lies on his bed, fishing his phone from his jeans’ pocket, noticing a small notification of a new message; it’s from Wonshik, inviting him for lunch again tomorrow on a place that has the best galbi on the university’s surroundings. The Literature student is absolutely ridiculous via text, sending too many emojis – a lot like himself, and he would deny this to his death – and typos, cutely trying to correct them and managing to make more mistakes. It rips a giggle out of Hakyeon, a giggle that quickly transforms into a hiccup.

Dependence is the defining word for their trio relationship, it is common knowledge within them; Hakyeon can admit that, the fact they care for each other in unhealthy amounts, that while they can survive without the other two, this is not a considered possibility. They have been through thick and thin together for almost seven years, saw each other’s flaws and qualities and learnt to accept them. Taekwoon and Sanghyuk deal with Hakyeon’s narcissist personality, Hakyeon and Taekwoon deal with Sanghyuk’s arrogant one and Sanghyuk and Hakyeon deal with Taekwoon’s thirty different barriers. They work

Maybe they’re doing things wrong.

Clicking on Wonshik’s icon – also ridiculous; is that a slug?! – he calls the boy; he needs a distraction.

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The soft bell clinks as Hongbin enters the small cake shop, giggling. On his hand, his cellphone shines with the conversations he’s been having with Youngji for the past twenty minutes since his part-time job ended; they already discussed all kinds of themes, ranging from the best places to sleep on the University, to the weird concoction the canteen ahjummas keep making every Thursday. Youngji thinks they simply throw all leftovers together, while Hongbin insists that that red, boiling goo is the mortal rests of some unfortunate soul.

He asks for the girl of his dreams to wait a little as he buys coffee for himself, before pocketing his phone, happily going to the counter. All the cakes look delicious – they taste delicious too, from Hongbin’s experience – but he has no enough money with him to buy a piece and his so desired green tea latte, which is top priority right now. One of his teachers went crazy that afternoon and gave his class an enormous essay do be done for the end of next week, and despite being past 6p.m, he heads for the library to start his research.

The noona from the counter blushes – like always – the moment she sees him, and stutters as she asks what he’ll want, and if he’ll want it to drink there or not; he opens his mouth to say that no, he won’t be drinking it on the shop, when an eerily familiar humming catches his attention. His head snaps in its direction and his mouth opens involuntarily at the vision his eyes are greeted with.

Taekwoon sits alone on the farthest table on the shop, between two walls. Differently from earlier today, when he was with Hongbin, he wears a brown jacket over a white shirt, and his hair, at this distance, appears to be wet. He hums to himself, distractedly chewing a piece of what Hongbin recognizes as whipped cream with strawberries cake, his favorite; his cheeks are really chubby, protruding like a squirrel’s, or a hamster’s.

“Mister..? You’ll want to drink your beverage here or must I make it for travel?”

Snapping out of his Taekwoon-induced trance, Hongbin turns to the counter noona, who seems just as dazed as him, the blush on her face redder “Hn? Oh yes, I will drink it in here”

She nods and sets up to make his green tea latte. For the whole three minutes she takes, the veterinary student maintains his gaze on the music student, admiring the smoothness of his voice, even in a sound as simple as a hum. The rhythm is similar to one of Sung Sikyung songs, and Hongbin wonders how his voice would sound in one of Park Hyoshin’s. He, Taekwoon and the counter noona are the only ones in the shop – it’s near its’ closing time – but the older boy doesn’t notice him, cold eyes scanning through a book; he also sips on a big mug, not once lifting his eyes.

He pays for his drink and in a bold move that could get him killed – or frozen to death – Hongbin courageously walks towards Taekwoon – he thinks he hears the noona gasping – and sits on his front. “Hello, Taekwoon-hyungnim”

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Lifting slightly his eyes, the first thing Taekwoon sees are dimples and a trembling smile.

Oh.

It’s Dimples, looking at him expectantly as he sits on his front, holding what Taekwoon identifies as the green tea latte. Ugh, gross.

Dimples greets him, his almond eyes shining with hope and apprehension; Taekwoon simply looks at him, silently disapproving of the ‘hyungnim’, as he already told the boy earlier today that he preferred to be called without overly long honorifics, yet he seemed to disregard his wishes. Again, this boy seems to do whatever he wanted, without considering other people. So, for that reason – and for not wanting to vocalize anything – he doesn’t say a word.

Dimples shifts uncomfortably on his seat, and sips at his drink nervously “So, hyungnim… How were your classes today?”

Seriously, this kid… He surely is something else, with his oh so failed attempts to make him talk, and while that could be annoying on Hakyeon’s part, and cute on Sanghyuk’s, Taekwoon doesn’t feel any of the two, instead feeling an unfamiliar, almost sadistic amusement directed at the squirming boy. It is kind of funny to see him so lost near him, and although he would never admit it, the music feels a little flattered at the attention Dimple has been trying to give him. He isn’t approached by guys – for friendship or more – and girls normally are too afraid of him to come closer, deciding it’s best to watch from a ‘safe’ distance. The rare times he is, people run away, intimidated out of their minds.

Feeling a little flattered doesn’t mean he’ll let Dimples confortable on his presence, or even make an effort to be more welcoming. No, he doesn’t need one more person on his life, for he has more than enough with Hakyeon and Sanghyuk. If he wants to keep accompany him, he can; Taekwoon won’t do anything to stop him, yet won’t incentive him either.

Dimples deviates his eyes from him, first his upper lip then his bottom one – his dimples are very visible with the action, and it distracts Taekwoon for one second –, his fingers fidgeting on the cup he holds. The boy he still doesn’t know the name of is probably very attractive to any standard, but visuals are of no interest to the compositor.

Taekwoon blinks, uninterested, but before he can return to his book, Dimples tries again “The tone you were humming before… It was… Sung Sikyung’s ‘On the Street’?

Hm, so the boy knows a bit about music. Deciding he deserved at least a bit of response, he tilts his head a little to the right, in a sign of confirmation. He picks his latte – hot, because it’s cold outside, and it’s dark and he’s eating whipped cream with strawberries cake – and gulps some of it, staring straight into Dimples eyes.

Whose cheeks become red “It is one of my favorites. Sung Sikyung and Park Hyoshin are the best, and Jellyfish Ent. know what they’re doing”

This picks his attention. He could never have imagined Dimples as someone who appreciated music – he is very pretty and his appearance is of an idol; girl groups perhaps? Very pop-y, electronic sounds – like Sung Sikyung’s and Park Hyoshin’s. It’s a good surprise, since at least now he won’t have to listen to a hormonal boy talking about short-skirts and ‘S’, ‘T’, ‘X’ lines; Dimples looks like he wants to stay.

In Taekwoon lifespan, he learned a few things. One of them is very simple:

If one wants to have him by their side, they have to fight. Hard.

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“You’re awfully cheerful today” Jaehwan comments, side-glancing Wonshik, who’s been smiling for the past twenty minutes, dumbly staring at his phone, a blue lollipop dangling from his lips.

Said boy’s smile only grows “Victory tastes sweet” he pops the candy loudly, winking boyishly.

“Ooooh?” Jaehwan propels his body forward, interested in the information; the bet lingers in the air around them, filling it with a tension that wasn’t there a few seconds ago. “Aren’t you cocky?”

The Literature student shrugs, dismissing the idea “Not cocky– I’m just that good”

Jaehwan rolls his eyes, turning his attention back to his drawings. After the somewhat successful meeting with Sanghyuk – after explaining with a little emphasis that he wouldn’t accept be treated like an inferior vermin, the boy had gotten surprisingly cooperative, even if sullen – he has a general idea of what he needs to draw to make this animation. Both decided to use a more anime-styled design, and since director apparently was able to only come up with depressing, cynical or horrifying scenarios, they reached an agreement that Jaehwan would only use more somber colors, preferably grays, dark blues and deep purples.

“Won’t you ask me why Jaehwan-hyung?” Wonshik asks, and the older can hear the pout on his voice; and they called him the attention seeker.

“Didn’t you say you were good?” it’s Jaehwan’s time to smile, mocking the other while using his best innocent tone “I don’t see it”

“Hyuuuuung”

“Not interested” he singsongs, making a ponytail for the girl he’s drawing “You probably are bribing Cha Hakyeon’s affections out of him. If I know you, and I do, you’re buying him food or lip balm”

Wonshik’s eyes widen, and the lollipop almost falls from his lips “How do you– Wait, lip balm? Hakyeon likes lip balm? How do you even–?” his eyes glow, like in the day he proposed the stupid bet that has Jaehwan regretting his life decisions till today; more like the weird pink drink he accepted from Hongbin right before Wonshik got them stuck in this bet. His hazy mind – something not true; his alcohol resistance is great – thought it was a funny, challenging idea and look where he is. Dealing with a boy with all kinds of complexes and issues.

Ops, so maybe he talked too much.

“I know nothing” Jaehwan quickly turns. The eyes for the ponytail girl are getting too dark, and he sighs, reaching for an eraser. The other character – a girl with feline eyes and long curly hair – is complete, but he can’t quite feel satisfied with this one. At this pace, he’ll start again.

“Oh, you totally do! C’mon, help me here! What does Hakyeon likes besides this?! I promise to tell you about my progress!”

“Again: Not interested. Honestly Wonshik-ah, you expect me to help you woo Hakyeon when we’re both going against each other on this stupid bet of yours?” facing Wonshik dejected face, the Arts major chuckles, amused “You disappoint me”

“This deceptively cute face of yours hides a monster” Wonshik groans, snuggling as far as he could from Jaehwan on the couch – they spent way too much time there – concentrating on glaring the book he previously was reading. A few minutes pass like this, with them silent, the scrapping of Jaehwan’s different pencils on paper and the eventual flick of Wonshik’s book pages the only sounds on the precinct; then “Have you met Sanghyuk?”

Jaehwan feels a brief twinge of annoyance towards the younger “Yes, Wonshik-ah, I did”

“How is he?”

“He is himself”

“Urgh, you’re frustrating!”

“Took you too long to notice” Jaehwan shows him his tongue, winking cheekily as the younger grumbles and tears open another lollipop.

He talked too soon “I’m trying to make things easier for us– You help me with Hakyeon and I help you with Sanghyuk. Hongbin will never, ever, not in a million years make Jung Taekwoon like him” he gesticulates a lot while speaking, almost hitting Jaehwan’s arm and ing up his one hour and a half work “Sorry– Look hyung, you’re the one who knows the B1 trio the best, please?”

Jaehwan looks at Wonshik; sees the droppy eyes pleading to him, the small, button like lips pouting and the black hair starting to fall on his forehead, now the gel isn’t working that well anymore. This Wonshik reminds Jaehwan a lot of the first time he saw the boy, on a hot summer day of his second year, after one week ripping his hair out because his previous roommates graduated and left him to pay rent by himself. Okay, 19 year old Wonshik – being followed by a 19 year old Hongbin – had the weirdest hair in the world, white-blonde and triangular fringe, heavy combat boots and that preferred to be called ‘Ravi’, yet, was the same dork he’s seeing on his front now, four years later. The same loyal, cute-loving, sweet and awkward dork.

Argh, damn the soft-spot he has for the younger.

“What to do~?” he finally says, smiling in a way it’s cute; or so people said “Okay, Wonshik-ah, you win. But!” he adds, before Wonshik can say anything “You’ll buy me… a piece of cake for information”

The literature student smiles “Fine, just don’t blame me when you get fat”

As if to seal the deal, both his and Wonshik’s stomachs growl, and they laugh together.

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*appears from behind a rock* Hello?

So, I'm like, really late? Two months....

First, I would like to say sorry for leaving this fanfic without any update for so long; I was in a quest to write other things and together with college, I kinda slacked here, and while that's not the best explanation ever, it's what happened. For it, I'm deeply sorry

Thank you everyone who reviewed (our Jaehwan was very popular last chapter), subscribed and voted. You're all the best!

I'm sad to say that the next update will too take some time to be updated; I'm currently writing 3 one-shots to celebrate my 500 subscribers mark (a Suyeol, a Seho for those who like EXO, and a Luck for my beloved Starlights) and college is so consuming... Argh.

Anyway, thank you for sticking with me, and please tell me what did you think of this chapter!

See you all (hopefully) soon~

ps: My mistakes are my own, please feel free to point them out to me

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