"Oh crap. You're late, fam." Johnny feigns shock, one hand resting on his chest.

Yuta cringed at the nickname that pulls him deeper into his hangover. He missed two classes already. His feet wobbly from running from the school gates to this class he shared with Johnny before the bell rings.

"Did Taeyong came to your History class?" He asked, breathing heavily.

"Breathe, fam."

He stared at him in disbelief this time.

"Of course he did." Johnny answered, pushing Yuta and himself away from the door they're blocking where the students are coming out.

"Where is he?" Yuta halts.

"Why are you asking me? Aren't you two so tight." Johnny rolled his eyes. "Just text him."

"I don't-- I can't find my phone."

Johnny huffed in annoyance when he proved his suspicions. "So it's you. Ten was out with you last night. Where did you guys---hey I'm talking to you!"

Yuta sees Ten entering their next class but he surprise the younger by holding him on his collar and pulling him out of the classroom. Signaling Ten and the younger following him upstairs.

"How drunk was I last night?" Yuta asked in horror. Hands crossed to his chest because of the cold.

"Damn. You were walking on air." Ten said, amused. "You made out with a e."

Yuta covered his face in embarrassment. He remembers a bit of it.

"I had to pull you away and ask for the driver to lift you in the car."

Just now, last night's happening are coming down to him. He was too drunk, he made himself a wack. The next thing he remembered, made Yuta smacks himself. Literally, he slapped his own face making Ten gasped.

Without much in his head, Yuta stared blankly at the ceiling in the clinic. The school nurse probably figured it was hangover and keeps on giving him a sharp look instead of treatment pills for his migraine. So in 2 hours of doing nothing and feeling like a complete in the infirmary bed, he stood up and leave without any word.

He kept on running and was told by Jaehyun that the person he's looking for is heading to the gym. Walking past through the male students coming out of the gym locker room. Yuta sees Doyoung sitting on a bench, tying his shoes.

"Where's Taeyong?" He asked.

Doyoung isn't very fond of anobody. Especially Yuta. Without even looking the older in the eye, he gestures his finger to the changing room.

"Taeyong I---" he started.

Taeyong though, turned around and tried putting on his shirt quick. "Don't look! Don't look!"

"Tae, what---"

"Turn around! Turn around!" Panic can be heard in Taeyong's voice.

Yuta turned around. He's reminded of how cautious Taeyong is. Even when they were younger, he doesn't want to shower with Yuta because he says it's inappropriate. Always yelling at the younger when he sees him shirtless or only in boxers. It's still funny so he does it intentionally. One time, he barged in when Taeyong was showering and a smack on the head was what he got in return.

"Are you done?" He asked. He still hears rustling and tapping of foot.

"Shut up I'm---"

Taeyong was the one who shut up. Yuta turned around to help him pull his shirt down from the back.

"It was curled back here." Yuta says, tapping Taeyong's back who pried his hand away.

"Don't touch me." Touching stepped back, scowling.

"Touch." Yuta said when he jabbed the older's cheeck with his index finger.

Taeyong backs away again and Yuta could've sworn he's sobbing. About to cry. If Taeyong is avoiding him this much...then last night...what he did...wasn't a dream but rather a memory.

"." Yuta muttered. "I---I really did it."

Taeyong nodded in fear.

"I-- I'm sorry. I'm so sorry hyung." Yuta cooes. He's more anxious than sorry, though. They've known each other for 10 years, but he's never felt this nervous in front of Taeyong.

Taeyong didn't say anything.

"Hyung, I'll...I'll stay away."

"Don't ever drink again. Yuta. Promise me."

Yuta sighed in relief when he dropped off Taeyong to his Math class and he heads to his own room. Ten was sleeping on the desk they shared. They both despise biology so much.

"Ten." He called.

". I really wasn't going to school today. Johnny hyung literally carried me here." Ten says sleepily. "I didn't even drink much."

"Weak." Doyoung who sat in front of them, commented.

"Give him a hundred won for his opinion." Ten said.

"Not gonna change the fact that you're failing this class." Doyoung retorts.

Ten didn't respond anymore and chose to punch the air instead.

"He's right. You're failing this class." Yuta only agreed and Doyoung gave him a thumbs up before preceding on revising his notes.

"Fine, smartass." Ten clicks his tongue. "Hey, what happened? You left me at the rooftop. I was calling you in lunch too."

"I left my phone at home." Yuta says, hesitating whether he should tell Ten about what happened between him and Taeyong and decides not to. Before they part, Taeyong reminded him that he will always lend his shoulders to Yuta and the younger didn't have to drink away whatever's bothering him.

"By the way....dude..." Ten yawned. "Seulgi noona told me something."

"What is it?" He asked quick.

Ten look him in the eye and Yuta understands, he nodded sadly. The younger patting his back for sympathy.

"Then it's a chance for you now." Yuta tries to lift up the mood. He's supposed to feel heartbroken and disappointed , but he's surprised he isn't. But it's saddening cos he didn't want to lose a friend.

Ten shrugs. "Nah. If you didn't pass. How can I."

"Think about it."

"O...kay."

Taeyong was on the last paragraph of the essay he was working on when Winwin elbows him. He looked at the younger's paper and mentally cringed when he saw it empty. Winwin have yet to write his name even and they only have 5 minutes left to finish the seatwork.

He was expecting the younger will ask for help when he says, "Hyung, there's someone I know who likes you."

"Hmm?"

"She's a lower year. And ask if I can introduce you to her."

"Sure." Taeyong smiled.

"Really."

Taeyong nodded. "Why?"

"You're so easy. LOL." Winwin is laughing so hard.

"You're just gonna introduce us to each other. It's not like we'reㅡㅡㅡ"

"God, I'm kidding. I'll tell Jaehyun you agreed let's meet them tomorrow."

Yuta never felt so nauseated towards himself until that night when they were about to sleep. Taeyong moves on the further edge of the bed, almost falling, when he felt Yuta climbing up the bed.

Taeyong likes to be pleased, is what Yuta learned through all the years of knowing him. The older loves to sulk over little things only to see Yuta insanely on his knees to compensate. The older loves to play difficult but Yuta knows how to win him back all the time.

But that was before that drunk incident happened. The cold treatment is so upsetting that Yuta wants to smack himself. And still here he is, at the bleachers waiting for Taeyong's Economic class to finish. The bright sun isn't helping either but he has to sit there because Seulgi and Ten are in the field asking for Yuta's opinion regarding the cheerleading choreography they're making. He isn't even sure if Seulgi really wants him there but instead of commenting, he's just giving them a thumbs up or two.

"Hyung, what you doing there? It's hot." Jaehyun asked, climbing up and opening his umbrella to sit beside Yuta so he could cover the older. "Wow, Ten hyung is having the time of his life." Ten's crush isn't a secret to their circle of friends. "Are you okay?" Neither was Yuta's interest towards the same girl that turned him down.

He nods plainly. Of course he is okay, why wouldn't he?

"Winwin said his class with Taeyong got dismissed early?" Jaehyun says. He knows Yuta is waiting for the older's class to end.

"Is that so?"

Jaehyun nods. "But I think he's out on a blind date or something. Winwin set him up."

"Is that so." Yuta asked again, voice lower this time.

Taeyong sat there awkwardly. After Winwin introduced him to a lower year who's name he barely remember and after a small chat, it's just her and Winwin talking now. Taeyong figured the girl is rather interested in Winwin than she is to him, and it's good to see Winwin laughing and talking normally, although the sarcasm still lingers" his tongue a bit.

"I waited and looked for you at school." Yuta announced when he saw Taeyong at the kitchen.

Taeyong looks at him for a moment then to the wall clock. "It's 7:00pm. You should've use your common sense and figured I went home and my class ends at 4o'clock."

Yuta looks at him amused.

"It's my fault. I see." He says. He doesn't usually argue over Taeyong's sneers. But the older's response irks a little cos he's outside freezing in the cold of their dark school wondering where Taeyong went.

Taeyong only resumed on washing the plates.

"Who were you with?"

"Winwin walked me home."

"Who else?"

"Just Winwin. What's wrong with---"

"Why when you know I'm waiting for you." Yuta questions further.

Taeyong stopped what he's doing to face the younger. "I thought you were hanging out with Ten so I---"

"No. And I found out you're the one hanging around with---"

"What are you so pressed about?" Taeyong snorts.

"I don't even know."

"I kept calling you. I thought you gone out with Ten so I asked Winwin to walk me home because you wouldn't answer. Then I found your phone here." Taeyong smiled at him and hands him the phone he fished out from his pockets.

Yuta lets it all go and nods.

"Oh god, senpai."

Both Doyoung and Taeyong snorted at Winwin. The younger was too engrossed watching the anime on his phone and not participating on their group work the two are working on.

"Why are you watching that again?" Doyoung asked.

Taeyong is surprised that he even asked about it. The younger isn't usually interested in anything. Especially, Winwin. He's seen a lot of instances that Doyoung is ignoring the younger. Doyoung may not go well with their younger friends, but it seemed like the hyungs like him and Jaehyun too.

"Reminds me of my past relationship, really. The feels." Winwin explains, eyes still on his phone.

"I hate your choice of words." Doyoung informed him.

Taeyong chuckled a little. "He's kawaii."

Doyoung glared at him. "Not you too----. Oh. Yuta hyung."

"What about him?"

"Nothing. He's Japanese."

"He doesn't need subtitle when watching anime." Winwin butts in. "Yuta hyung looks like japanese too."

"You look Chinese." Yuta appears, causing Winwin to roll his eyes and shut up.

They were having breakfast on a Saturday morning and was about to finish when Taeyong suddenly says, "I don't like you hanging out with Ten. I think he's bad influence."

Yuta wanted to laugh and immediately cancelled his schedule with Ten that day. They were supposed to skate at the plaza. So he asked Taeyong to come with him to the mall instead.

"Hyung, you are so cute." Yuta says, amused.

They were at the grocery section and Yuta stood there with the pushing cart, watching Taeyong so absorbed in choosing air freshener. He's reading all the labels and they've been on the spot for 10 minutes.

"Answer your phone, someones calling you."
Yuta laughed. "It's Ten. I turned it off."

Taeyong looks at him. "Really?"

"We're supposed to go skating today. But you told me not to hang out with him." Yuta says so easily.

Taeyong stood up from his squatting position on the floor. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. You can go now if---"

"Nah." Yuta shook his head and smiling big. "I'd rather go to the mall shopping for freshener with you than skate with Ten."

"Why do you sound so sarcastic. I feel guilty." Taeyong pouts, embarrassed.

Yuta laughed again and walks towards Taeyong to pinch his lips which the older defensively pry his hands away and looking so offended. "Was it unsanitary?"

Taeyong nods, still pouting.

"Oh hyung, what am I gonna do with you. You're so cute!" Yuta says animatedly, pulling Taeyong near him.

"Yuta! S--stop making fun of me!"

"I'm only stating facts! My, so cute."

"Yuta!"

"Are you two a mom and dad?"

Surprised, both Yuta and Taeyong turned their heads to the source of the voice. It was a little boy with huge cheeks, a polaroid hanging on his neck and staring intently at them.

"No!" Taeyong screeched.

"Yes! Take a picture of us!" Yuta says out loud, putting his arm around Taeyong's shoulder and smiling brightly for the camera.

The child looks skeptic but still took a picture of them. He looks at the photo first before handing it to Yuta. "What's your name, mister?"

"I'm Yuta and this is Taeyong. What's yours?"

"Mingguk!"

"Oh my dad is calling me. Good bye!"

The boy ran to the vegetable section and disappears quickly, Yuta shouting a thank you before he looks at the photo in his hand, tucking it away from Taeyong's view.

"Look at you, you're still pouting how cute." Yuta laughs again.

Taeyong is trying to sport his stoic face but it's difficult when Yuta keeps on making fun of him. Although the younger's hearty laugh that he hasn't heard for awhile calms him a bit. "Give me that."

"No, no." Yuta puts it in his back pocket. "I'll frame this day we are mom and dad."

"I hate you so much." Taeyong huffed in annoyance, squatting down again to resume his search of freshener.

"I love you too."

Yuta wasn't laughing this time and Taeyong choose to keep quiet.

=> From: 10

TNX FOR DITCHING ME I WENT HOME ALONE WID A BROKEN LEG

To: 10

i went to the mall with ty

=> From: 10

HAHAHA NOT EVEN GONNA ASK ABT MY BROKEN LEG U ARE SO HOPELESS YUTA

To: 10

how's your leg

=> From: 10

..l..

On Wednesday night, they gathered since tomorrow would be holiday and they decide to have a quality time together. They haven't gone out as a whole now that they have Taeyong around, Yuta assures him it will be fun, no drinking and they will eat a lot.

"Why do the hyungs brought cars. Where are we going, paps?" Winwin asked Johnny.

"Just you wait. Taeil hyung said it's traffic." Johnny sighed. They've been waiting for half an hour.

"Momsie, where are we going?" Winwin asked Hansol.

"Square."

Winwin laughed. "We're gonna punch each other."

"When will Winwin shut up." Ten asked. He's usually as talkative and the hyungs often tells him to shut up when they gather around, but definitely not now since he's brooding over his broken leg.

"Come here." Taeyong tells Winwin who hugged him by surprise.

"It's so cold. It's so cold." The younger whined, causing the others to laugh."Hyung, hug me back." Winwin pleads to which Taeyong obliged. The night air was freezing.

"Ah what the ! My leg! My leg!" Ten screamed.

Yuta dropped his coffee, accidentally. "It's not even that hot." He picked up his cup without batting an eyelash to Ten who's in panic.

"It hurts you jealous !"

"Who's jealous?" Hansol asked.

Everyone is used to Ten being a vulgar and his constant offensive banters with Yuta so they just ignored him. Except for Johnny who asked for Hansol's help to nurse Ten's leg.

Yuta choose not to say anything.

"Did your hurt yourself?"Taeyong asked once they were in the car.

Hansol is the one driving with Ten on the front seat, Taeyong is in between Yuta and Winwin at the back seat.

"Not at all." Yuta assures him.

It will take 2 hours for them to reach their destination and on the first five minutes, Yuta wanted to jump off the car. He believes their group was obnoxious. Hansol is driving while Ten sat in the front and he's showing his face for Yuta to see. Also, Winwin keeps on bothering Taeyong and whining about and it to even hear him speak.

He wanted to sleep and could use a shoulder but when he looks to his left and saw the younger resting his head on Taeyong's already.

=> From: 10

HEY WANNA TRADE SEATS

To: 10

let's do that.

=> From: 10

NAH IT'S FUN WATCHING UR MISERY FROM THE FRONT MIRROR HAHAHAHAHAH

He wanted to ask Ten what misery he was talking about but opt to pull himself forward to pull at Ten's hair.

"! Let me go! I did wrong! Sorry! Sorry!" Ten pleads.

Hansol stops the car. "Yuta what are you doing?"

"I'm so hurt." Ten fakes a cry.

Hansol sighed when he figured the two are just playing around and resumed driving.

"Why are you shouting?" Taeyong who just woke up, asked Yuta.

"It's nothing."

"It's not nothing." Taeyong muttered and lay his head on Yuta's shoulder this time. "Don't get to trouble when I'm sleeping."

Yuta wanted to pull at Ten's hair again when the younger laughed and starts singing Careless Whisper.

Taeyong is at the library when someone back hugged him. He was about to say let go when he saw it was Winwin and not Yuta.

"Hyung, you have a fever!" Winwin says and sat beside Taeyong. "Let's go to the clinic."

"I already went there and they gave me medicines. I'll be fine." Taeyong assures.

"Are you sure, hyung?"

He nods and pulled out his notebook. "In this essay, we have to write about emotional experiences. You tell me a lot about your past relationship, right? You can write about her for this homework. I'll help you translate it in English."

"Oh." Winwin says. "Good idea. But it's a him, not her."

"What do you mean?" Taeyong didn't get what he said clearly.

"Mate." Winwin comes closer so he could stare intently at Taeyong's eyes. "He's a guy. I liked a guy. You have a problem with that?"

Taeyong pulled away because they are too close and Winwin could be joking and playing around again. "No, that's nice." He says.

"But he hurts me."

Taeyong noticed the change in his voice.

"I thought we had something special. But he ends up dating my sister instead."

And just then Taeyong believed him. "Are you okay now?"

Winwin looks up before saying, "It's been 2 years. I don't know. But I can't seem to like anybody as much as I like him."

"Cool story."

They turned their heads to Yuta who's walking towards Taeyong.

"Our practice got cancelled. We'll go home together." He says to Taeyong and glanced at Winwin who rolled his eyes at him. "I gotta go now, I have class." He pats Taeyong's head.

"Okay, see you."

"He has to in all the time." Winwin sighed.

"Are you uncomfortable around him?"

"Not only uncomfortable I want to kick his jaw. Ten hyung too. Oh god how I hate them." Winwin facepalmed, causing Taeyong to laugh. "How can you stand living with him? I'm just thankful Ten hyung is out of the dorm most of the time."

"Honestly." Taeyong smiled. "Yuta feels like home. I never felt so comfortable around anyone other than him."

"Oh really." Winwin sneered. "Cheese."

"What are you here for---Hey I didn't tell you to come in." Yuta pulled Winwin on the arm but the younger ignored and pry him away.

"Not for you." Winwin raised the paper bag he was holding to Yuta's face. "Taeyong hyung, are you feeling better? Did you take your medicines?" He says, walking to the kitchen.

"Taeyong, you're sick?" Yuta hurriedly followed and asked.

"You don't know?" Winwin halts on his step to face Yuta.

Yuta looks at him for a bit before turning to Taeyong who's looking at them in surprise. "Tae, you're sick and you didn't tell me?"

"Oh, I--- It's just---"

Winwin laughed. "You didn't tell him?"

"Get out!" Yuta screamed on top of his lungs.

-------

Sorry