Taekwoon supposed everything was going to go back to normal after their basketball game. It had been proven that Wonsik was still very much taken with Hongbin to Hongbin’s petty satisfaction, and during the post-game dinner Hongbin had artfully manoeuvred things so that he was sitting with Wonsik on the other side of Hakyeon and Taekwoon, Jaehwan stuck at the opposite end of their table with Sanghyuk and Sungjae. After about two hours of Hongbin’s undivided attention and being stuffed to the gills with grilled pork Wonsik was looking blissed out.

Taekwoon wondered why he’d even thought Jaehwan could somehow manage to fascinate Wonsik enough to undo the spell Hongbin had Wonsik under. Some things were just a fact of life, undeniable and unchangeable.

Hakyeon next to him heaved a sigh, unenthusiastically shoving meat into his mouth. Without a word Taekwoon patted his arm sympathetically, understanding the sentiment with which Hakyeon was stabbing pork with his chopsticks.

You know I don’t hate Hongbin, right? Like, I’m vvvv mad about what he’s doing, but I don’t hate him, came the message from Hakyeon once they were all home later that night, meaning Hakyeon was still stewing about it.

Yeah. Wonsik’s just your baby. Don’t worry about it, not like I’m okay with how Bin’s behaving either. Taekwoon typed back, the glow of his phone illuminating his face in the dark of his room.

- I rly don’t want to see him get hurt, and him getting hurt is the only way this whole story is going to end. Can’t you talk to Binnie? Make him just.. stop being an ?

- Hakyeon, just the day before ytd Hongbin told me he didn’t care what Wonsik did and that he was glad Jaehwan’s around so Wonsik would stop hanging off him like always. And then you saw what happened today.

- He said that?! Bastard. Why can’t he just back off? He doesn’t want Wonsik but he doesn’t want anyone else to have him either. You know what maybe I do hate him.

- Are you saying Jaehwan wants Wonsik? There’s actually stg happening between them?

- No, I don’t know. But there *could* be, if Hongbin would just STOP IT.

- I dunno, Hakyeon. I really have no idea what to do.

- -_______________- goodnight then. I’ll see you at 613 tomorrow.

Taekwoon pushed his phone under his pillow and rolled over onto his back. Hongbin was being a , that much was obvious, but Hongbin was also not stupid. He had to know he was in danger of completely ruining his closest friendship permanently if he didn’t stop playing with Wonsik like this, and Taekwoon internally shook his head at the thought that at the party the next day with the influence of alcohol and ridiculously loud music who knew what even more stupid decisions Hongbin was going to make.

Taekwoon remembered something and slid his phone out from under his pillow again, squinting at the bright screen once he unlocked it. He typed a quick message to Eunkwang and the other seniors from music society, begging off from their dinner tomorrow evening. Sanghyuk’s pout at Taekwoon’s earlier admission that he already had plans for Saturday night had weakened his resolve not to go to the 613 party, and plus now it looked like he was going to have to keep an eye on Hongbin and curb the damage the jealous idiot had the potential to cause.

When did I become a babysitter for demonic dongsaengs, Taekwoon wondered ruefully.

*

Taekwoon had never actually been to a 613 Saturday party all his years of living in the apartment below them and drinking their ‘sorry for being so noisy’ beer offerings they left outside his house on Sundays, so despite himself he was quite curious about the people who had started this west dorm block weekend institution. He knew they were girls, because the male and female floors alternated, and the first glimpse he had of the owners of 613 was a tanned girl with her crop top showing off a rather impressive stomach tattoo as she poured out shots at a table in a corner of the living room crowded with bottles of beer and plastic cups of liquor. The music was chill and the party wasn’t as crazy as he always thought it would be – mostly people in small groups talking and nursing drinks, but maybe the party hadn’t hit full swing yet.

He was called over to the sofa pushed up against the wall by a voice he recognised as Wonsik’s, and he tugged at Hongbin behind him to pull him in that direction until he could see that Wonsik, Hakyeon and Jaehwan had colonised the couch, spreading themselves out to save the extra space for Taekwoon and Hongbin. Jaehwan was perched on the arm of the sofa that Wonsik was leaning back on, effectively leaning back comfortably on Jaehwan; Taekwoon imagined he could feel Hongbin’s thorns start to bristle at the sight as Hakyeon scooted over close to Wonsik to make space. Hongbin sat down daintily next to Hakyeon as Jaehwan handed him a beer, which he took without saying a word.

“Where’s Sanghyuk? And Sungjae?” Taekwoon asked, accepting his own beer from Jaehwan and surveying whatever of the apartment he could see.

“They should be here soon,” Hakyeon answered, giving Taekwoon a subtle look.

Taekwoon knew what that look meant, and he tried to make sure he wasn’t sporting the same expression as they sat together and took in the party. They’d all thought Hongbin had made his claim clear at the basketball game, but clearly life, or at least life as far as it concerned Jaehwan and Wonsik, wasn’t playing by Hongbin’s rules. The way Wonsik was leaning back on Jaehwan and would ever so often turn back to say something quietly to him even while he was talking to Hongbin was almost something Taekwoon felt like he had to avert his eyes from while he waited for the Hongbin explosion to come. It felt – intimate. It made him nervous.

Strangely enough, Hongbin was being much quieter than usual, sitting slumped slightly and curved against Taekwoon like he needed the physical contact. There was no flirting, no dimples, no attempt to try to capture Wonsik’s attention. When someone talked to him he replied, and when they didn’t Hongbin just stared quietly out at the crowd, people-watching and sipping his beer. This, more than anything, was making Taekwoon more and more anxious; he found himself rubbing Hongbin’s arm as if to comfort him, and then dropped his hand at the ridiculousness of it.

Right on cue, Sanghyuk and Sungjae appeared in a burst of noise, and Taekwoon breathed a soft sigh of relief. Hopefully the two of them with their nonsense would help things from getting too awkward – Hongbin was acting like the wounded ex-lover and Wonsik was the bastard, rubbing his relationship with his new man in innocent Hongbin’s face. Sungjae and Sanghyuk brought over more than enough shots for everyone in two trips and Sungjae immediately suggested a drinking game, wasting no time.   

“We’re irresponsible college students dressed up all pretty and surrounded by alcohol,” Sungjae declared. “We should get drunk.”

“I’m very responsible,” Taekwoon grumbled. He shifted over, Sanghyuk wiggling himself into the last tiny bit of space on the sofa next to him and laughing when Taekwoon turned to give him an exasperated look. Hakyeon came back from the bathroom and sat down next to Taekwoon, Hongbin now sitting at the end of the sofa, Jaehwan, Wonsik and Sungjae having moved to sit cross-legged on the floor facing them. Sungjae started explaining the game which was basically a variant of scissors, paper, stone, only each move now was ‘kiss’ ‘hit’ and ‘drink’.

“You have to move fast round the circle. A and B play, then B and C, then C and D, and so on. You put out a number with one hand. Odd numbers are kiss, even numbers are hit, and five is drink. Whoever has the bigger number wins, and zero is bigger than five. The loser has to get kissed, or hit, or drink depending on what they put out. If both people put out the same thing then you both have to do the action.”

“How am I supposed to remember all of that?” Hakyeon started to complain, but Wonsik leaned up to smush a hand over his mouth to quiet him.

“The fun is when people get it wrong,” Sungjae grinned. “Then you have to drink. Ready??”

Sungjae started, and lost immediately to a wildly cackling Sanghyuk and had to finish a shot. Sanghyuk quickly turned to Taekwoon and won again in a second, already moving delightedly to flick Taekwoon on the forehead while Taekwoon protested loudly, trying to block him to the laughter of the others.

“I’m the hyung, how can he hit me?”

“It’s just a game, Taek,” Hakyeon said, laughing. He wasn’t laughing a few moments later when Taekwoon won his round with him and flicked him on the forehead, hard.

“Oh, I see how it is,” Hakyeon glowered, turning to Hongbin. Hongbin lost on his five to Hakyeon’s zero, and quietly downed the shot Sanghyuk pushed into his hands. The first kiss came next when Hongbin won against Jaehwan, and Taekwoon knew he wasn’t the only one holding his breath as Jaehwan stood to give Hongbin a quick peck on the cheek amidst cheering from the younger ones. Hakyeon next to him sighed as the game proceeded, and Taekwoon knew they were both fearing Jaehwan could have ended up with eyes scratched out or something. Hongbin hadn’t reacted to the kiss, his eyes downcast during it which the others, catcalling, took for shyness; Taekwoon was getting seriously worried.

Another two rounds and many of them were sporting red foreheads from being flicked, each winner trying to be more brutal than the last. Sungjae had gotten up to get more shots, and Taekwoon wondered if he was going to end up with more people passed out outside his apartment by the end of the night. More kisses had been handed out, too; Taekwoon had endured a soppy kiss from Hakyeon on his forehead and Sungjae had grabbed Sanghyuk to kiss him full on the mouth which had ended up with Wonsik nearly getting kicked in the face by Sanghyuk’s long flailing legs.

And then it happened, because of course it had to – Wonsik lost to Jaehwan, putting out a ‘kiss’ move.

Taekwoon stiffened, wanting so badly to look across Hakyeon to see Hongbin’s face. It was ridiculous – this whole thing was ridiculous – but he actually felt sorry for Hongbin. 

Jaehwan whooped, Wonsik trying to hide his face in his hands, and Taekwoon tried to laugh just so that nobody would notice he was on tenterhooks. Hakyeon was smiling, too, and Taekwoon felt Sanghyuk rest a hand meaningfully on his shoulder as Sanghyuk waited to see what would happen. Taekwoon didn’t dare turn to look at Sanghyuk. Maybe if he pretended hard enough everything would be fine.

Jaehwan tipped Wonsik’s blushing face up by the chin and moved in to kiss him – a proper kiss, soft on the lips, and Taekwoon couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Jaehwan could have made it a joke kiss, played the fool; or just given him a short kiss on the cheek – but , this was a real kiss. Jaehwan kissed Wonsik once more before they both opened their eyes – they had closed their eyes! – and Jaehwan grinned his troublemaker grin at Wonsik blushing so hard he was totally red.

Taekwoon didn’t know what to do. This – this had gone too far.

“That’s it,” Sanghyuk was loudly declaring, pushing a protesting Sungjae’s face away. “You’ve given Sungjae ideas. I’m not sticking around for Sungjae to try to outdo that kiss if I lose the next round. I don’t want to play anymore.” Sanghyuk got to his feet as Jaehwan complained, Hakyeon also getting up to stretch and Taekwoon quickly doing the same. The game was effectively over, and Taekwoon had never felt a gush of gratitude this strong towards anybody as he did towards Sanghyuk in that moment.

He looked back at the sofa for Hongbin – but Hongbin wasn’t there. Taekwoon looked up quickly, just in time to see Hongbin vanish out the front door.

*

By the time Taekwoon had pushed his way out of the crowd and out the front door, Hongbin was nowhere to be seen in the corridor. Taekwoon checked their apartment, and downstairs, but he wasn’t there, Taekwoon cursing his ability to disappear so quickly. He decided to try the roof as a last-ditch idea, remembering that one time a few years ago they’d gone up there together with a very illegal blunt to make sure the smell of weed wouldn’t fill their apartment. They’d both felt sick the whole of the next day, and Taekwoon had made Hongbin soup. Taekwoon still remembered that.

Hongbin was indeed there, in a corner of the roof and looking up at the stars. He looked so small for a moment that Taekwoon’s heart panged a bit, looking at the idiot who had dug himself into this mess. Wonsik was always going to fall for someone else eventually, and Hongbin was always going to take it badly.

Taekwoon walked up and sat down next to him, Hongbin turning round sharply to see who it was.

“Oh, hyung, it’s you,” he said in welcome, and then went back to looking at the sky. Taekwoon didn’t know what to say, so he didn’t say anything. He just inched closer until their shoulders bumped and hoped his presence was comfort enough; they were quiet together like that for a long time.

“That was his first kiss, you know,” Hongbin finally said, and Taekwoon blinked at him in surprise. “He’s never kissed anyone. Or gone out with anyone. He’s still a ,” Hongbin said with a short laugh that sounded painful. “Because of me.”

Taekwoon put an arm around Hongbin, hoping it didn’t feel too condescending or pitying; Hongbin would hate that. He let Taekwoon’s arm stay over his shoulders, however, almost like he didn’t feel it.

“I always thought, in the end,” Hongbin swallowed, eyes looking suspiciously bright to Taekwoon’s alarm. “In the end, it would be me.”

“Bin,” Taekwoon said softly, watching Hongbin try to get himself back under control. “You don’t even feel the same way about him. Can’t you be happy he’s found someone else he may like?”

Hongbin didn’t answer, and Taekwoon pulled him closer to lean his head on Taekwoon’s shoulder. This baby, Taekwoon thought.

“Am I so easily replaced, hyung?” Hongbin asked, voice small, laced with the threat of tears.

“Bin,” Taekwoon repeated. “He’s not a toy for you to own, to not want to share with others. He can’t live his whole life like this when you don’t return his feelings. Especially when you can be such a bastard about it sometimes.”

Hongbin pulled away to sit upright at that and Taekwoon slid his hand over to the back of Hongbin’s neck to gently smooth down the hair there, waiting for Hongbin to shrug him off. Hongbin allowed it, however, though he refused to look back at Taekwoon; Taekwoon suspected because he was firmly blinking back tears.

“I’m just saying not to do anything you regret before you lose him completely,” Taekwoon finally said. “He’s your best friend.”

“I don’t think he even wants me in his life anymore,” Hongbin said, voice wavering a little. “I ask him out or to come over and he’s always busy. Always with Jaehwan.” Hongbin’s voice turned hard at the name.

Taekwoon stood and held out his hand for Hongbin to take, and after a beat Hongbin took it, pulling himself to his feet and taking a deep breath. His lashes were wet but his eyes were clear – Hongbin had never been the crying sort.

“Binnie,” Taekwoon started, cocking his head at Hongbin. “Is this just about hurt pride, or is there another reason you’re so upset by all of this?”

“I don’t know, hyung,” Hongbin muttered, looking down at his feet. “I just – hate seeing them together.”

“Come on,” Taekwoon said, deciding to let it go. “Let’s go back. You feeling up to it?”

“Yeah, I’ll just go and get smashed then pass out outside the apartment for you to drag in,” Hongbin answered, turning to go. Taekwoon swung an arm over his shoulders again, catching him in a playful headlock while Hongbin put his own arm around Taekwoon’s waist, taking strength from his hyung.

“If when I get in there and they’re kissing again or something I won’t be responsible for what I do,” Hongbin declared once they’d walked down the stairs to the sixth floor.

“Don’t,” Taekwoon warned, letting Hongbin go as they walked into 613 once again. Hongbin spotted a friend from the basketball team and started in his direction, Taekwoon giving him an encouraging push and nod. He made his way back to the sofa, but none of the others were still there; he turned around, craning his neck, and with difficulty spotted Hakyeon laughing hard in a corner with a few girls, probably from his major. None of the others were anywhere to be seen until Taekwoon moved through the crowd to the drinks table to get himself another beer and he came face to face with Sanghyuk.

“Hyung,” Sanghyuk smiled happily, steadying himself with his hands on Taekwoon’s forearms.

“Where’s Sungjae?” Taekwoon asked, and Sanghyuk shook his head.

“Around.”

“For that matter, where’s Wonsik and Jaehwan,” Taekwoon murmured to himself. Sanghyuk was still smiling at him.

“You’re drunk,” Taekwoon proclaimed, and Sanghyuk nodded agreeably.

“Yup. I was just going to sit outside till my head cleared up.Come with me.”

“Was that what you were doing that night when you passed out in front of my house? Clearing your head?”

“I have no idea,” Sanghyuk turned back to tell him as Taekwoon pushed him towards the door. They took the lift down to the ground floor and when the cold night air hit them Sanghyuk gave a full-body shudder.

“Oh, it’s cold. Good.”

Taekwoon walked with him through the campus west dorm blocks, winding in and out of the little garden pathways that separated them and keeping an eye on Sanghyuk. Sanghyuk was rambling about ten different things at once, not really minding that Taekwoon wasn’t holding up his end of the conversation but just listening, amused.

“Kong sunbae is in love with Wonsik hyung,” Sanghyuk declared, absolutely certain, once they’d walked to the end of the blocks and turned around again.

Taekwoon looked at him out of the corner of his eye. “Kong sunbae?”

Sanghyuk beamed. “I am so glad you asked. So, so glad. It’s very amazing, and I thought it up all by myself.”

“What did you think up?” Taekwoon asked indulgently.

“Hongbin sunbae’s name is Hong and Bin. Bin sounds like ‘bean’ in English. Do you know English? I’m very good at English.”

“You are,” Taekwoon nodded.

“So bean in English, in Korean, I mean – yes, in Korean ‘bean’ is ‘kong’. So he is my Kong sunbae.”

“That’s very good,” Taekwoon told him, trying not to laugh and failing. “Have you told him his new nickname yet?”

“No, because he was off being sad. Right! Which brings me back to what I was saying. He’s in love with Wonsik hyung.”

“How are you so sure?”

Sanghyuk didn’t have the time to answer, however, because just at that moment he tripped over one of his feet and would have fallen into a rosebush if Taekwoon hadn’t caught him.

“You saved me,” Sanghyuk breathed adoringly, and then started giggling, wrapping an arm around Taekwoon to keep himself upright. “Damn it, why am I still drunk.”

“I should get you home. You can tell me your theories about Wonsik and Hongbin tomorrow,” Taekwoon said, and Sanghyuk nodded. “Have a hot bath and sober up.”

“That sounds really good,” Sanghyuk said as they walked back, Taekwoon pressing the button for level three while Sanghyuk leant back against the lift wall with his eyes closed. Sanghyuk led the way to his apartment, concentrating very hard on opening the door properly with his keys, but the moment he got the door open the both of them flinched at the sound of moans coming from within.

“,” Sanghyuk clamped hands to his ears and peered inside, seeing the entire apartment in darkness except for a low glow coming from Sungjae’s room, which also was where the was emanating from.

Sanghyuk hurriedly closed the door and looked at Taekwoon, who was trying very, very badly not to laugh.

“Hyung, I’m sorry. I can’t go in there. I can’t listen to – him – doing – that.”

“Then what are you going to do?” Taekwoon asked, hands on his hips.

“Well,” Sanghyuk trailed off, and looked up at Taekwoon with puppy eyes. Taekwoon sighed, but the puppy eyes were unrelenting, and so he finally turned around, beckoning with his hand for Sanghyuk to follow.

He helped Sanghyuk up the stairs to level five, and Sanghyuk collapsed on the sofa once Taekwoon let them both into his apartment.

“My old friend,” Sanghyuk mumbled against the cushions.

“You are not passing out there again,” Taekwoon said, grabbing his hand and yanking him upright. “I’ll lend you something to wear, go and have a shower. I’ll make coffee.”

Taekwoon took his turn in the shower after Sanghyuk came out in Taekwoon’s clothes, soft and worn, and Sanghyuk found rich coffee waiting for him on the tiny dining table; by the time Taekwoon was done, towelling dry his hair, Sanghyuk was curled up on the sofa with his hands cradling the hot cup of coffee looking snug and warm and much less tipsy, his hair forming a fluffy helmet around his head.

“This is good,” Sanghyuk said, indicating the mug in his hands.

“Mm,” Taekwoon acknowledged, picking up his own mug and settling down on the sofa to drink it, tucking his feet underneath him. Sanghyuk blinked sleepily as he sipped, looking so comfortable he could have melted into the sofa.

The silence was companionable, and Taekwoon found himself feeling content after the drama of the night. All the people at the party, and then having to look after Hongbin – Taekwoon frowned slightly. He really hoped Hongbin wasn’t doing anything stupid, right this moment.

“What’s wrong?” Sanghyuk was asking, looking at him concernedly, and Taekwoon shook his head.

“Nothing. I’m just worried about Hongbin. Kong sunbae, I mean.”

Sanghyuk beamed at Taekwoon’s use of the nickname. “Where did he go?”

“You noticed?”

“Sure. I was watching him.”

“Thank you for that, by the way. For breaking up the game. Really. I was panicking.”

“You don’t look like you ever panic about anything,” Sanghyuk said, raising his eyebrows.

“I was. It was so uncomfortable. And Hongbin ran away to the roof, to answer your question.”

“Poor Kong sunbae,” Sanghyuk whispered, taking another sip of his coffee. “You can see it in the way he looks at Wonsik hyung sometimes when he doesn’t think people are looking.”

“Really?” Taekwoon raised sceptical eyes to Sanghyuk’s, wondering how someone who’d barely known all of them for a month could see something he’d never noticed.

“Yes,” Sanghyuk answered simply, holding Taekwoon’s gaze. “But I don’t think he really gets it, himself. Trust me, hyung. I’m really good at these things.”

Taekwoon shrugged, non-committal. “I don’t know what to do about him. I don’t think he knows what to do about himself.”

“Especially now Jaehwan hyung’s in the picture,” Sanghyuk agreed, finishing his coffee. “Kong sunbae better figure it out before it’s too late.”

Taekwoon collected their empty mugs and brought them to the kitchen to wash, Sanghyuk following him and exploring their cabinets, ooh-ing and ah-ing over their snacks. Then he found their ramen stash, which led to Taekwoon having to cook ramen for them to share; Sanghyuk inhaling most of it and Taekwoon watching, impressed despite himself.

“Full?” Taekwoon asked, mock-sarcastically once Sanghyuk had drunk the last of the soup.

Sanghyuk gave a contented sigh, smiling up at Taekwoon and patting his stomach. “Drinking always makes me hungry. We could go out for gopchang now, actually, if you want. I’ll pay, hyung.”

“At 1a.m.?” Taekwoon asked incredulously. “Don’t be crazy. Anyway, I’ve already showered so I’m not going out again.” He put the ramen pot in the sink with their chopsticks, a needling Sanghyuk following him.

“You can shower again once you get back,” Sanghyuk pleaded.

“No,” Taekwoon said.

“Please?” Sanghyuk smiled winningly.

“No.”

“Fine,” Sanghyuk gave up, pouting. “Then let me listen to some of your compositions.”

Taekwoon stalled, making a face.

“Oh, come on, hyung,” Sanghyuk complained. “You don’t want to go for gopchang, you don’t want to let me listen to your compositions, what kind of friendship is this?”

Taekwoon reached out to squeeze Sanghyuk’s neck in punishment, pushing Sanghyuk before him into Taekwoon’s bedroom to shut him up. Sanghyuk happily scrambled onto Taekwoon’s bed to wait as Taekwoon went to unplug his laptop from where it was charging in the corner and brought it over to the bed, finding a spot to get comfortable next to Sanghyuk. He told Sanghyuk to dig under his pillow for his earphones and plugged them in, agonising over which song to let Sanghyuk listen to. None of them were really finished, and some of them would have sounded better as a duet, plus he wasn’t sure the drum machine he’d used on some were quite what the song needed –

Sanghyuk impatiently took the laptop off Taekwoon’s lap and settled it on his own, his long legs stretched out before him and hanging off the side of the bed. Taekwoon tried to get it back but Sanghyuk blocked him, clicking on the first song on the list in Taekwoon’s ‘mine’ folder.

They listened together in complete silence, Taekwoon dying slowly inside.

By the time the song finished Taekwoon had covered his face with his hands and Sanghyuk had to tug them down, peeling off each finger until Taekwoon finally looked at him reluctantly. Sanghyuk’s face was serious, and Taekwoon didn’t know what that meant.

“What do you call that song?” Sanghyuk asked.

“’Words to say’,” Taekwoon answered, and Sanghyuk shook his head at Taekwoon slowly, as if he couldn’t believe something, his face still deadly serious.

“Do you have any idea how good that is, hyung?”

Taekwoon ducked his head, the way Sanghyuk was looking at him making him painfully self-conscious. “It still needs a lot of work. It’s not that good yet.”

“If I could sing like that-” Sanghyuk shook his head again. “You wrote all of it yourself? And played the piano for it?”

Taekwoon nodded, still not looking up.

“I’m going to learn the piano for that song,” Sanghyuk said decisively. “And you’ll sing it while I play for you.”

“It’s really not that-” Taekwoon started again, but Sanghyuk picked up Taekwoon’s pillow and threatened to hit him with it.

“Hyung, I swear I will lose it if you say again it’s not that good,” Sanghyuk put down the pillow and put in his side of the earphones again. “I want to listen to the rest.”

“You could help me refine them, if you wanted,” Taekwoon offered quietly once a few more songs had been played, and the smile Sanghyuk gave him made something warm bloom in his chest.

They moved from that to listening to other music, Taekwoon showing Sanghyuk some of his favourite artists, sleepy Sanghyuk trying his best to stay awake but sliding further and further down the wall till he was lying in a loose L-shape, his legs still hanging off the side of the bed. Taekwoon took pity on him and went to close his bedroom door so Hongbin wouldn’t wake them when he came home in the middle of the night, and Taekwoon nudged Sanghyuk to make room for him to lie down too after he turned off his laptop and laid it carefully on the floor. He briefly contemplated sending Sanghyuk off home - surely Sungjae was done by now - but he didn't have the heart to move Sanghyuk when he looked so comfortable. If Sanghyuk turned out to be a snorer it was off to the couch with him.

He didn’t know when he’d dropped off to sleep, but a sudden drawn-out moan coming through the wall he shared with Hongbin’s room jerked Taekwoon awake. Hongbin rarely brought people home – he was generally really considerate about that, but it looked like this time was going to be different. A male voice, too – Taekwoon frowned a little, feeling like he knew the exact reason why Hongbin had chosen a guy tonight. He hadn’t heard Hongbin come in, and he hoped he wasn’t going to have to listen to the guy’s full vocal appreciation of how good Hongbin was in bed. He peered at Sanghyuk sleeping like the dead next to him, showing no sign Sanghyuk had heard anything at all.

There was no further sound from Hongbin’s room, however, and Taekwoon fell off to sleep again.

*