Kihyun watches from the bench along the wall with an unreadable gaze as Hoseok focuses on helping Changkyun with the choreography. The maknae’s always been good at picking up choreo quickly, so he doesn’t see why he all of a sudden needs special help with learning it. 

“You okay?” Hyungwon asks, pulling the older’s focus off the two. Kihyun glances over, seemingly surprised, and a small grin comes to his pink lips. He nods, scooting closer despite how sweaty they both are and releasing a soft sigh. He turns his eyes back to the other members, watching now how Hyunwoo, Minhyuk, and Jooheon are joking around. Hyungwon’s gaze flicks between Kihyun and the others, or, rather, Kihyun, Hoseok, and Changkyun... 

“You’re not... having second thoughts, are you?” Kihyun’s brows shoot up, and he looks over again with a look of utter shock. 

“What?? Wonnie, of course not,” he answers, an incredulous chuckle escaping him. Hyungwon hums thoughtfully, his gaze seemingly glued to the wooden floor of the practice room. His eyes are clouded over in thought, those beautifully dark irises of his wavering in uncertainty. 

“It’s still early enough for you to back out, if you want,” the younger continues, as if Kihyun hadn’t said anything. “There wouldn’t be any hard feelings. Hyung would be happy, and you wouldn’t be looking at him and Kyunnie like that...” 

“Like what, yaja?” Kihyun asks confusedly, ignoring his own growing guilt. Hyungwon looks to him then, his face contorted into a look of disbelief. 

“Like you’re still in love with him.” 

 “Okay guys, breaktime over,” Hyunwoo suddenly says, unwittingly breaking into their conversation at the worst time. Hyungwon stands without hesitation, takes his place in the group formation as their leader goes to restart the song. Kihyun stares at his back for a moment, chewing on the inside of his cheek hesitantly before going to take his own place, which is coincidentally right beside the younger.  

Changkyun isn’t stupid. He knows Kihyun had been watching him and Hoseok, how they interacted, all day that day. After all, the older has never exactly been one of the subtlest men on the planet. But, he didn’t say anything. He bit his tongue as Kihyun practically glared holes into the back of his head, as Kihyun acted unnecessarily possessive when he’d tried helping Hoseok to get his things together.  

He also doesn’t miss how Hyungwon keeps his distance, watching with an unreadable gaze how Kihyun watches them.  

Changkyun isn’t stupid, but he’s starting to wonder if Kihyun is. 

That could be the only explanation for the older’s behavior now. All Hoseok had to do was start talking to someone else, and now Kihyun’s acting all jealous?? What kind of sense does that make??? Kihyun’s the one that broke Hoseok’s heart in the first place! Why can’t he give the older time to heal?  

He knows Hoseok notices this all, too, though the older doesn’t say anything. He’s probably doing his best to ignore how Kihyun’s acting, Changkyun thinks. The maknae knows he would do that in Hoseok’s shoes. 

He should’ve seen this coming. Of course Kihyun would try to pull this. It’s been three weeks since the initial breakup, and even if Kihyun had found him sleeping in Hoseok’s bed, he has no right to be mad. Not after how he treated the older... 

The maknae can’t help the vindictive pleasure that swells within him at noting how Hyungwon seems on edge due to how Kihyun’s been eyeing Hoseok and himself all day. He watches from the couch how Kihyun follows his new boyfriend, the one he’d—for some reason—left Hoseok for only three weeks ago. ...If he’s already having such clear doubts after such a short amount of time, then was it really the right decision? Changkyun doesn’t think so... 

“You should go talk to Hoseok about all this,” Hyungwon spits at Kihyun, the annoyance clear in his voice. “It’s up to you two on how to handle this, not me.” 

“Stop saying stuff like that!” Kihyun snaps back, stepping close in an attempt to close the distance. Hyungwon steps away, keeping the space between them. Kihyun visibly deflates, his eyes shining with hurt. After all, this is their first fight since becoming a couple. It took about three weeks, but it’s happening now, and Kihyun very much does not like it. “Wonnie, I chose you, I—" 

“Obviously not,” Hyungwon interrupts, crossing his arms over his chest, “if you’re watching Hoseok like that... You’re obviously having second thoughts, obviously regretting it.” 

“I’m not regretting anything,” Kihyun insists, his voice dripping with sincerity. “I don’t want to take back my decision. I... I’m very happy with you, Wonnie. It all feels different with you, better.” He pauses, closing the space between them in a single step, and takes Hyungwon’s hands in his, forcing the younger to uncross his arms. Hyungwon’s gaze softens a bit, though there’s still a hint of aggravation, of worry. “I just... I don’t know! It’s weird to see my ex moving on so easily when I’m the one who broke it off, I guess.” 

 Hyungwon hums thoughtfully, squeezing Kihyun’s hand slightly as if to console him. Kihyun sighs heavily, the guilt clear in his gaze, and the younger can’t help but pull him against his chest, hold him there in a comforting embrace. Kihyun practically melts into the touch, not typically one to just relax instantly like that, be held like he’s small and fragile. He wasn’t even like this with Hoseok for the majority of their relationship... But, like he said, everything is different with Hyungwon. 

“Maybe it’s... because it’s so different?” Hyungwon offers, his tone soft. “This isn’t an adjustment just for him, but for you, too. You two were together for almost a year! There’s bound to be some lasting feelings so soon after the breakup, especially when you’re seeing each other every day like this.” Kihyun can’t help but chuckle airily, pulling away only far enough to look into Hyungwon’s eyes. He has the smallest of smiles pulling at his lips, one that had never come when he was with Hoseok. 

“You know, Wonnie, you’ve got a pretty good brain in that beautiful head of yours~” he comments, teasing. Hyungwon scoffs, rolls his eyes.  

“Better than the one in your head,” Hyungwon replies, though he’s smirking good-naturedly. Kihyun laughs again, harder this time, as he pulls away. 

“Come on, yaja,” he sighs, tugging Hyungwon along by the hand. Hyungwon smiles so genuinely as he studies how their fingers look intertwined together like they are... So perfect. “We should try and jump ahead in the shower line if we can. I’m tired, but I won’t have either of us stinking up our bed.” Hyungwon’s cheeks burn at the term ‘our’, his heart hammering a bit harder against his chest. He likes when Kihyun refers to something that used to be his alone as something that’s theirs now, he likes it a lot.  

As they pass through the hall, Changkyun catches a glance of the happy couple. A glimmer of bitterness shines within him at seeing they’ve apparently resolved their issue so quickly. He doesn’t think it’s fair, not with how Hoseok’s still sulking in the living room... No, it’s not very fair at all.