Mingyu looked at Jihoon from across the cafeteria table with concern in his eyes.

“Don’t tell me you stayed up all night. Again,” he said with a grim tone.

“I need to finish this in order to make it for Jisoo’s album.”

“I know, but do you really have to stay up all night for that?”

Jihoon gave Mingyu a look that made him sigh.

“Sorry, I know this is a big deal for you, and I’m not exactly helping anything by nagging,” Mingyu said, desperation in his voice.

Jihoon’s eyes softened. He wished he could stop his bad working habits and not make Mingyu worry, but when he’s in front of his computer, he couldn’t stop himself until he’s satisfied. He does not get satisfied easily.

Mingyu looked as if he was deep in thought before saying, “Give me 90 thousand Won.”

Jihoon gave him a questioning look, to which Mingyu answered, “It’s your eating expense for this week. Don’t worry, it’s enough. I can work with that and come up with a variety of healthy meal.”

When Jihoon didn’t hand him the money, Mingyu said, “What? You’re doubting my skills?”

“Of course not,” Jihoon replied flatly. “But you don’t have to bother.”

“Are you kidding me? I can’t make you stop being a workaholic. The least I can do is to make sure you get enough nutrition to stay healthy.” Mingyu said with a firm tone and a glare.

Jihoon was about to open his mouth to protest when Jeonghan, Wonwoo, and Jun arrived at their table.

“Jeonghan-hyung!” Mingyu said to Jeonghan with a pout. “I want to cook for Jihoon too, but he won’t listen to me.”

Jihoon and Wonwoo rolled their eyes at Mingyu’s cute act.

Jeonghan said to Jihoon. “You should let him take care of you.” His gaze was firm, albeit he couldn’t hide the fatigue in his eyes.

“He should take care of you. You’re the one who’s having it tougher. With all that practice and thesis?” As Jihoon said that, he looked more closely at Jeonghan’s features. God, he looked so tired, Jihoon couldn’t help but frown.

“He already does. He can manage to take care of us both. Just let him, okay?” Jeonghan’s gaze softened and it made Jihoon shed his frown.

Jihoon sighed before reaching to his pocket, pulling out a wallet and taking some money from it. He handed it to Mingyu who grinned at Jihoon’s surrender.

 

---

 

Tonight Mingyu cooked some garlic vegetable saute. He packed the food in two boxes, one box is slightly bigger than the other. He dropped by Jihoon’s place and gave him the smaller box. Now he’s on his way to Jeonghan’s place.

It was 8 PM. Usually he went to Jeonghan’s place earlier than this, but today Jeonghan said that the practice would last longer. The red haired said he’d be back by 8 and he would text Mingyu when he arrived. He hadn’t text yet but Mingyu thought he’d just go and wait inside. He knew where Jeonghan put the spare keys anyway.

So, with canvas tote bag in his hand, Mingyu headed to Jeonghan’s apartment. He could feel his light steps and he smiled. Well, he’s going to see his boyfriend, so why wouldn’t he be happy? Then he remembered how people around him said he looked like an idiot when he smiled at Jeonghan (or at the thought of him). Mingyu chuckled at the thought and snickered at those people in his head.

The cheerful mood lasted until Mingyu arrived just two houses from Jeonghan’s place. He saw Jeonghan coming out from an unknown car. Mingyu tilted his head so that he could see who’s in the driver’s seat. It was none other than Hong Jisoo. Mingyu’s grip on his bag got tighter.

For a while Mingyu just stood there, watching Jeonghan waved his hand to Jisoo and walked towards the apartment. Mingyu didn’t move for quite some time after Jeonghan went inside and Jisoo’s car was no longer in sight.

When he finally knocked Jeonghan’s door, Mingyu was feeling uneasy. The growing tense in his chest didn’t disappear even when he saw Jeonghan’s smile peeking from the door.

“How’s Jihoon? I didn’t saw him at the company today so I thought he must be working at home,” said Jeonghan from the dining table.

Mingyu didn’t turn his face as he open the box of food and moved the contains to a bowl. “The usual. Eyes glued on the screen, drinking coffee every 5 minutes or so.”

Jeonghan chuckled. “We should rat him out. Let Jun do another coffee inspection at his place.” Mingyu didn’t laugh along.

When Mingyu put the bowl on the table, Jeonghan was ready with chopsticks in his hand. He quickly took some of the food to his mouth.

“Hmm, I’m alive...” said Jeonghan with a muffled voice as he chewed happily. “It feels a bit weird though... Oh, maybe it’s because it’s not warm.”

“It’s because you came home late,” Mingyu snapped.

Jeonghan didn’t miss the irritable tone, but he didn’t show it and just kept munching. After another bite, he said, “I’ll heat it up.”

He was reaching out to Mingyu’s plate when Mingyu grabbed on the plate, preventing Jeonghan from taking it.

“I’m good.”

“You sure? It’ll taste better warm—“

“I said I’m good,” Mingyu said loudly. Maybe louder than he intended to, he realized that when he saw the shock in Jeonghan’s face.

“Okay...” Jeonghan said gently before bringing his own plate to the kitchen. They didn’t speak again even after Jeonghan was back with his reheated meal.

When they both finished, Jeonghan looked at Mingyu. “I think I’m going to sleep early. You should go home,” he said gently.

Mingyu looked back at Jeonghan. He didn’t realize it until now, but the red-haired had bags under his eyes. He looked extremely tired.

Mingyu felt his heart clenched at the sight. He thought of doing something, anything to make the other feel better, but he was still too full with bubbling heat and thoughts like “Why didn’t you bring your own car” and “Why Jisoo”. So he stood up from the table. He saw Jeonghan leaning to him for the usual goodbye kiss, but he walked straight to the door and left.  

 

---

 

Wonwoo was walking through a shopping street on his way home when he saw a familiar figure standing in front of one of the stores.

“Soonyoung,” he called.

The blonde turned at the voice calling his name and gave a big smile when he realized who’s calling.  “Wonwoo!”

“Shopping for dinner?”

“Yep, I’m getting—“ Soonyoung was interrupted by the store owner who asked for his order. “Two portions of the stew, kimchi, potato dish, and those delicious looking steam buns, please.”

Wonwoo raised his eyebrows. “You’re having all that by yourself?”

Soonyoung let out a chuckle. Wonwoo thought that when he laughed, his small eyes formed a line that looked like a smile. It was endearing and made Wonwoo’s own lips curved up.

“Jihoon’s not going out to eat with me these days and I’m not sure he eats properly. You know how he can be. So I’m bringing the food to him.”

Wonwoo’s smiled dropped a little at Soonyoung’s answer. He didn’t want to be the one who tell Soonyoung that his efforts would be in vain, but someone had to do it.

“Actually Mingyu’s cooking dinner for him now so you don’t have to...”

“Oh...” Soonyoung still had a smile on his lips, the one in his eyes faltered. But it was only for a split second. Soon, his eyes were gleaming again.

“I’ll just get him something else! Maybe coffee.”

Wonwoo was impressed at Soonyoung’s positive attitude and let out a small laugh. “I’ll tell Jun.”

“Come on. Don’t be a tattletale,” Soonyoung pouted, making Wonwoo’s laugh grew louder.

The store owner called Soonyoung and gave him his orders in a plastic bag. Soonyoung paid and said thank you before turning back to Wonwoo.

“Have you bought dinner?” he said, lifting up the plastic bag.

Wonwoo shook his head.

“Great! Your place? Mine?”

“Mine’s not far from here.”

And that’s how Wonwoo and Soonyoung ended up sitting on the floor of Wonwoo’s room, bowls of food between them.

“I didn’t peg you as the organized type,” Soonyoung said between his munches. Wonwoo just shrugged.

“There’s always clothes scattered on the floor of my room,” Soonyoung continued.

“Usually it’s the same for me. I never really organize, except for my books,” Wonwoo tilted his head towards the bookshelf on his left. “But Jun came over yesterday and started cleaning.”

Soonyoung let out a chuckle which made Wonwoo raised his eyebrows.

“Don’t tell me, he takes your clothes to the laundry too?”

“He often does that since he passes the laundry on his way home. Why?”

“How can he agree to do everything for you. He must really loves you.”

Of course Soonyoung didn’t mean love love. But a thought crossed Wonwoo’s mind. Maybe, just maybe, Jun’s is not a brotherly love.

No, not again.

Just because Jun was nice to him, he started to hope for something more. First it was Mingyu. Why is he being like this? To his own best friend. Is he that needy for affection? The thought scared Wonwoo.

Wonwoo felt he was losing his composure, but he tried to not let it show. “Of course. He’s my babysitter. He’ll do anything.”

Soonyoung snickered, “So you’re a baby?”. That earned him a slap to his arm.