it’s been a week since cat (they had established this after the long argument between minhyuk and hyungwon about how his tail is too fluffy to be called a dog minhyuk) changkyun had happened and he was more than a little frustrated about it. not because he feels uncomfortable with it, he was an expert on avoiding every solid surface with his tail now (except for avoiding hoseok, it can’t be helped if the elder always pulls it every time he’s near). but there’s one person that tend to avoid him at all cost when he’s in the room and the said person was currently standing at the edge of the kitchen as changkyun enters to get a cup of water.

“.. oh, h- hi changkyun. you sleep well today?” hyunwoo stumbles at his words, backing up till his back hits the wall discreetly but changkyun noticed. it would’ve been a lie if it doesn’t hurt to see the elder like that towards him. changkyun frowns, unconsciously shifting his tail down and ears flatten on his head. he shuffles on his spot while he sees hyunwoo trying to slip past him in one way or another.

the first time he did avoid changkyun was understandable and he didn’t blame him, who wouldn’t be surprised finding a person with real ears and tail attached to them like it’s their own body. it’s only a normal reaction and changkyun had been very considerate to avoid the elder as well. beside, the other member’s said he just needed time. but it’s already been a week and it’s becoming more obvious that hyunwoo has a problem with it. the other must’ve noticed that too, because every time hyunwoo avoids changkyun like a plague, they all shared a look that has changkyun feeling more dejected than he was before.

“hyung-” changkyun mumbles softly to catch hyunwoo’s attention, successfully doing so. but before he could finish anything he intend to say, hyunwoo mumbles something under his breath and he slips passed the younger with lightning speed. through all that, changkyun only blinks around the now empty kitchen. there’s a minute passed with changkyun only looking at the ground that hyunwoo once stood before he sighs heavily, dropping his gaze in defeat.

minhyuk pulls him out of his daze with a soft touch on his shoulder, smiling apologetically even when it’s not anyone’s fault that hyunwoo acted like that. the elder must’ve seen hyunwoo sprint off as the leader leaves him behind.

“don’t think about it too much kyunie” his voice was soft, calming, but there’s a slight waver in it that changkyun noticed so he only nods slightly, even if he doesn’t believe it. changkyun let out sigh in content once minhyuk started petting his head, running his slim fingers around the black fur of his ear and rubs it in between his fingers. as strange as it sounds, he like it when they pet his ears, it makes his body thoroughly relaxed by how soft and loving their touches were. he didn’t even realized his own body moving towards the elder, curling under minhyuk’s open arm, nudging his head closer to the hand and resting his body on the elder’s own.  minhyuk chuckles at how adorable changkyun was being, wrapping his arm more tightly around changkyun’s waist while still petting him.

they stay like that for a couple of minutes, basking on each other’s warmth, cuddling inside the kitchen. then just like that changkyun moves back and shoot the elder a warm smile, detaching himself from the comfort and goes on to get his needed drink.

--

maybe hyunwoo hates him, that’s probably it.

it’s human instinct give or take, humans tend to avoid things that are different. while avoidance was one of the action, hatred was also one of the options that people tend to do as well, building up as the time passes, the gnawing feeling of hating the things that are not acceptable in normal terms. beside, it’s not the first time he’s been ignored by the elder (and the other as well) it wouldn’t be any different now.

he was alone again inside the dorm, tangling himself on the couch with the blanket he took from his own bed, snuggling around as he waits for the others to came back from the schedules. its their last week of promotion and it will be hectic to say the least. changkyun misses being a part of that, misses being busy from all the packed up promotion or the unrelenting dance practice, but it was much better than leaving himself alone with his own thoughts. changkyun still overthink a lot, remembering the past a tad too much and it’s not good, he knows it. just that it’s harder not to think about it when there’s a certain member acting the way he used to before. it still hurts, changkyun thinks.

he buries himself on the warmth of his own blanket, intended to shut his thoughts off when he hears footstep echoes inside the dorm. he lay still on the couch, all snuggled up as he stares that same person who was avoiding him entered the room and his trails of thoughts came back at full force. hyunwoo stop dead on his track, staring at the maknae with wavering eyes that makes changkyun heart drops and aches a little.

the room feels a bit more colder than usual and nothing about it seems to make things better, not even the small forced smile that the leader gave him to hide the intention of running away that he will definitely do eventually. changkyun opted on staying still and quiet, burying his face till only his eyes that shows, the blanket cocoon wraps itself around his body in a tight wrap as some sort of protection, covering his ears as well as his tail in hopes that maybe it will ease the hatred from hyunwoo.

and just like that, hyunwoo stuttered something that changkyun didn’t hear before the leader turns on his heels towards his own room, leaving the younger with thoughts that soon will haunt him until dawn.

--

changkyun gasps when he feels a heavy pressure surrounding him. he thought it was only a dream but the pressure gets heavier with each passing second and he could faintly hear a whine. he open his eyes, realizing that minhyuk was currently trying to kill him. the elder was on top of his body, s