Hoseok paces outside of the dorm. He’s knocked on the door repeatedly, but there hasn’t been any answer. He takes out his phone, checking to see if Kihyun has tried to contact him. Of course, there’s nothing.

He sighs, hesitating only a moment longer before calling Kihyun. It’s been an hour since he and Minhyuk left the café, so surely Kihyun and Hyunwoo would be done talking by now.

The phone rings a few more times than it should, in Hoseok’s opinion, but finally someone on the other end picks up.

“Kihyunnie?” Hoseok asks, his heart beating madly in his chest with anxiety.

“He’s moving out, hyung,” Kihyun says in response, his voice breaking as he speaks. Hoseok squeezes his eyes shut at the obvious pain in the younger’s voice, wanting nothing more than to pull him into a comforting embrace. “I’ve ruined everything. Not even Hyunwoo can stand me anymore. I don’t know what to do.”

“Where are you right now?” is all Hoseok can think to say, already moving away from the dorm door.

“I’m at the usual group lunch spot,” Kihyun answers, sniffling.

“I’m on my way.” Hoseok then hangs up the phone. His vision becomes tunneled, the only thing he’s able to see being the path that’ll lead him to Kihyun.

“Hyung,” Minhyuk greets as he approaches, doing his best to sound as somber as possible. Hyunwoo sits outside the door to the dorm that’s now his, staring listlessly at the floor. He glances up at Minhyuk’s voice, his eyes drifting back down to his feet.

“I know I’m doing the right thing, Minhyukkie,” Hyunwoo murmurs, “but it’s just so hard to see him hurting.” Minhyuk smiles sympathetically, and goes to stand beside him. He then slides down against the wall, taking a seat beside the older.

“If you really believe this is for the best,” Minhyuk tells him as he leans over, resting his head against Hyunwoo’s broad shoulder, “then everything will work out. You’ve always had great judgment, hyung. You care about Kihyun, and wouldn’t do anything to hurt him if it weren’t for his own good. You need to trust yourself a bit more.”

“Thanks, Minhyuk-ah,” Hyunwoo sighs. He tilts his head up towards the ceiling and closes his eyes in thought. “You’ve been such a great friend to Kihyun-ah and me through all this, you and Hoseok.”

“Don’t mention it, hyung,” Minhyuk chuckles, doing his best to ignore the guilt clogging up his throat.

If he’s such a great friend, then why is he developing a crush on Hyunwoo when he’s so vulnerable? No, he isn’t a good friend. He’s in fact a pretty awful one, in his opinion. Hopefully, though, Hyunwoo won’t figure it out.

“Kihyun-ah.”

Hoseok’s sudden voice startles the younger, causing him to jump slightly. Kihyun glances behind himself, surprised to see the older standing over him. Didn’t he just hang up the call? How had Hoseok gotten to him so quickly?

The older sits down beside him, fighting the urge to wrap a consoling arm around the younger’s shoulders. He knows Kihyun wouldn’t think anything of it, but he would. The younger’s eyes seem sunken into their sockets, and the bags under his eyes are much more pronounced than they were that morning. He sits slumped forward on the bench, his shoulders seeming to try and become a sort of shell for the young man to crawl back into.

The two sit at the table for an interminable amount of time. Hoseok has no idea what to say to his heartbroken friend, while Kihyun can’t even bring himself to speak.

“I don’t know what to do now, hyung,” Kihyun finally says. He wipes at his nose, making sure it isn’t dripping. “I thought I had a handle on all this. I thought I’d finally gotten through it, but it all started again, and I’ve pushed Hyunwoo-ya away.”

“Not everything is lost, Kihyunnie,” Hoseok tells him. “I don’t know what it is you’re going through, but if you talk to someone about it I’m sure it could help. Once you get through it, I know Hyunwoo would be more than happy to come back.” Kihyun shakes his head adamantly, and Hoseok wonders if he’s misunderstood him. “I’m not meaning that you need to talk to me about it, per se… Just talk to someone. The school has this one counselor that helped me through some stuff I was going through last year. If you want, I could—“

“I can’t, hyung,” Kihyun interrupts. “I appreciate the offer, but it’s something I have to figure out on my own. I don’t feel right burdening anyone with it.”

“Even though you already are?” the voice whispers, causing Kihyun’s heartbeat to waver for a moment. “You’re more of a burden with each passing day, Kihyun. You know that.”

Hoseok pauses, feeling a shift in Kihyun’s attention. However, he doesn’t say anything about it. If it’s something to do with whatever’s bothering him, then he wouldn’t say what it is, anyway.

“Alright, Kihyun-ah,” Hoseok sighs, “but the offer stands. If you ever want to talk to an objective party, I’d be more than happy to set up an appointment for you.” Kihyun nods in acknowledgment, his eyes never leaving the table in front of him. Hoseok glances around them, noting the setting sun.

“Come on,” he says, moving to stand. Kihyun glances up at last, curious as to where he’s going. “It’s getting late. Let’s go get some dinner.”

“I’m not really hungry,” Kihyun mumbles, his eyes returning to the table. Hoseok purses his lips, setting a hand on Kihyun’s shoulder.

“You need to eat,” he tells the younger. “My guess is you haven’t eaten all day. Come on, it may make you feel better.”

Kihyun sighs, pausing a moment before finally nodding. Hoseok offers the younger a supportive smile, instinctively throwing an arm around his shoulders as they begin to walk.

“It’ll be alright, Kihyunnie,” Hoseok tells him in a soft voice. “Everything will work out for the best in the end. I know it.”

For the first time in two days, Kihyun finds a smile coming to him. He gives the older a grateful, whisper of a smile.

Even if Hyunwoo does leave me for good, he finds himself thinking, I know I’ll be okay as long as Hoseok stays by my side…