The next Monday morning, Jooheon waits with a nervous heart for Changkyun, Minhyuk, and Kihyun to meet him at the end of their street for them all to walk to school. The others all lived further away, though in the same apartment complex, so they had to take a bus to school. These four, however, are fortunate to be able to save the money from that daily fare with their own feet.

He isn’t too sure why he’s nervous. Maybe it’s because he’s been ignoring Minhyuk’s texts all weekend, too aggravated with the older to put up with his flimsy excuses. Or, maybe it could be because he knows Changkyun had run to tell Kihyun what he’d said that morning, and he’s frustrated that the younger had run immediately to their hyung… Or, maybe, just maybe, he’s frustrated with Changkyun because he hasn’t heard from the younger since the incident… the joke… the… whatever the hell it was.

Jooheon honestly can’t tell at this point how he had meant it, his pubescent brain working on overdrive ever since he’d left Changkyun’s house that Saturday.

He’d even had a dream the night before about Changkyun. They’d been kissing on Jooheon’s bed, the sheets crumpling up as they moved this way and that for the best angles. It had been just them, together, getting closer and closer until there hadn’t even been room to breathe… and that had been okay to Jooheon.

Of course, this morning he’d awoken in a sweat, pitching a tent of his own at the mere notion of what would’ve happened next if he hadn’t have woken up.

He presses his lips together, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head in an effort to get the thoughts from before out of his mind. It’d taken a while in the shower to get himself back to normal, and he doesn’t relish the thought of all that work being undone as soon as he sees the younger. Other than the fact of it being just outright annoying, he also doesn’t want to have to deal with a for the first half of day at school. He’d done it before, and no thank you. It’s no fun, no fun at all.

“Jooheon-ah!”

Jooheon turns on his heel, his expression becoming tighter at seeing Changkyun walking up, yes, but sticking close to Kihyun’s heel. Jooheon pushes on a smile, though, knowing how severe his expression can be if he doesn’t keep it in check. And, judging by Changkyun’s obvious anxiety, he knows he has to put the younger at ease around him somehow.

He doesn’t know why Changkyun has taken it so personally, anyway. It was just a joke, for crying out loud… right?

“Hey, hyung, Kyunnie,” Jooheon greets, making sure to stay where he is so as to not scare Changkyun off. The two come to a stop in front of Jooheon, though Changkyun still keeps pretty close to Kihyun’s side. Jooheon tries to pretend that he doesn’t notice, though he’s never been much of an actor, well, ever.

“Wait up!”

All three turn to see Minhyuk sprinting to keep up with them. He dramatically bends over upon reaching them, and holds up a hand as if to ask for a moment as he heaves in air.

“A beanie already, hyung?” Jooheon asks Kihyun, completely ignoring Minhyuk’s theatrics to glance up pointedly at the knit-beanie shoved down onto the older’s head. Kihyun pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose defiantly.

“Why not?” he asks, also reaching up to readjust his beanie ever so slightly. “It’s getting cooler out. Soon enough, it’ll be time to start wearing fluffy sweaters and winter coats.” Jooheon can only hum at this, unable to share the older’s clear excitement for the cold weather. He’d always been one to get sick during the winter, so the less of the cold months he’d have to suffer through the better.

“Okay,” Minhyuk says excitedly, straightening up with a brilliant smile on his face, “I’m ready. Let’s go.” He then stomps forward as if on a mission without even bothering to wait for a response. Kihyun clicks his tongue disapprovingly at the his same-age friend’s brashness, and hurries to follow. Changkyun stays behind, watching Jooheon silently until the other gestures for them to follow as well.

It takes the two youngers a full two blocks and a couple minutes of the others’ constant bickering to feel at ease enough to speak. Every time Jooheon would feel as if he can finally attempt at a conversation, he’d glance at Changkyun silently fiddling with his fingers and feel guilty all over again. He hadn’t realized his joke had made the younger so uncomfortable… He knows now he should apologize, absolutely hating this side of Changkyun. This is how he acts around strangers at parties and school dances, not his childhood friend.

“Eommaaaaaaa,” Minhyuk whines nasally, pulling away from Kihyun’s fiddling. The whine had pulled Jooheon out of his silent stupor, and he takes the chance to look over at Changkyun once more.

“Your tie is a mess!” Kihyun insists, reaching towards Minhyuk again to fix his clothing. The typical behavior brings a small smile to Changkyun’s face, the first one Jooheon had seen all morning, and he takes the chance.

“Kkungie,” Jooheon mutters. He knows Changkyun heard him, though, judging by his faltering grin. “I just wanted to apologize for the other day. I’d only meant to tease you, but you seem really put off by it. I didn’t mean to make you feel so on-edge…”

“I-It’s okay, hyung,” Changkyun tells him, glancing around nervously. Jooheon puffs out an annoyed breath at this, knowing it’s very much not okay.

“No, it’s not,” he says bluntly. “You’re stuttering. You only do that when you’re anxious. And you haven’t looked at me once all morning… You hate me now, don’t you?” He knows his last sentence is pathetic-sounding to casual ears, but to Changkyun that kind of question brings out a laugh. Jooheon even adds a pout for a better effect.

Just as expected, a slight chuckle slips from Changkyun’s lips.

“Never,” he answers sincerely, glancing over at Jooheon finally. A small smile plays its way across his lips, and Jooheon can’t help but smile, as well. Though, granted, it’s more out of relief than anything else.

“You didn’t make me uncomfortable, anyway,” Changkyun continues, his voice possessing a certain casualness that puts Jooheon’s mind at ease. “I know this is gonna sound cheesy, but it wasn’t you, it’s me.” He pauses at hearing Jooheon’s laugh of disbelief, for which he presently punches the older in the shoulder for. “I’m serious!” he insists indignantly.

“Sure, Kyunnie,” Jooheon says teasingly. Changkyun rolls his eyes, pouting in annoyance.

“It’s just something that I need to figure out…” he continues vaguely, earning a raised brow from the older.

“Okay…” is all he says in return, all air of joking dissipated. He wants to ask just what exactly it is he needs to figure out, if it means they can’t hang out again before he figures it out or if he needs space, but he doesn’t press his dongsaeng for now. He’ll just go with the flow, he decides. As an aspiring rapper, he’s very good at doing that… he hopes.