Changkyun waits anxiously at the usual meet-up spot for school the following Monday morning. He chews on his bottom lip as he runs through the small speech he’d prepared for the older boy in question, shuffling from foot to foot as he mutters through his teeth. He’d gotten there early, just in case Jooheon would, too, but no one had shown up yet.

He hasn’t heard from Jooheon since the arcade incident the Friday evening before, but he can’t really blame his hyung for being so distant. He’d have done the same thing in Jooheon’s shoes. 

Finally, he hears a familiar set of footsteps approaching from behind, and he whirls around to see all three of his friends coming to join him.

“Morning, Kkungie,” Kihyun greets casually, smiling at him with an almost encouraging look in his eye as he passes him. Minhyuk teasingly winks and makes a kissy face at him, and Changkyun rolls his eyes at realizing the older knows, as well. Jooheon probably told him. Again, it isn’t as if he can penalize his hyung for that, since he had called Kihyun the night it happened, as well… Though, he’s got to admit, he doesn’t like the thought of Jooheon relying on someone else for emotional advice. 

That’ll all change starting today.

Jooheon nods at him silently as he approaches, obviously trying to avoid his gaze. Though, if he had bothered to look up, he’d have seen Changkyun trying to give him a smile to set his mind at ease.

“Hyung,” Changkyun calls, very much not undeterred by Jooheon’s blatant attempt to keep some distance between them. Jooheon hums through sealed lips, and Changkyun can’t help but pout a little. Minhyuk and Kihyun pretend to be oblivious to what’s going on behind them, but it’s all a very bad act considering how their talking is kept to a minimum. 

“I…” Changkyun tries to begin again, absolutely refusing to let Jooheon’s silence guilt him into abandoning his plan. “I’m sorry about the other day.” He pauses, unsure if he should elaborate. Though, judging by the rippling in Jooheon’s stature, he most certainly doesn’t.

“It’s okay, Changkyun-ah,” Jooheon sighs out, readjusting his backpack strap. It’s an obvious lie.

“It’s not that I didn’t like it, or that I didn’t want you to. I just—”

“It’s fine.”

The harsh tone in Jooheon’s voice causes Changkyun to visibly wince, and Jooheon can’t help but feel guilty for it. Though, he has to be like this now, he believes, for if he isn’t on his guard, he’ll do something to hurt the younger again. He doesn’t care what Minhyuk had said when he’d filled the older in on what had happened, he knows what he’d done had screwed up everything big time. Now, all that he can do is give the younger the space he needs, like he’d planned to do in the first place.

Granted, this is the last thing Changkyun wants right now, but Jooheon doesn’t know that. Yet.

“Hyung.” 

Changkyun’s hand snaps out to grab onto Jooheon’s wrist. The other two pause for a moment out of instinct, unsure which hyung he had meant. Though, at seeing how the younger two are staring at each other with unsure eyes, they share a knowing glance and continue on their way.

“I see you finally let Hoseok-hyung dress you,” Kihyun comments as they walk off, smirking at Minhyuk’s straightened tie and freshly-ironed shirt. “It’s about time. Now I can finally stop nagging you about your clothes like your mother.”

“You’ll just find something else to nag me about…” Minhyuk grumbles. He glances over at his same-age friend once more, both knowing all too well how accurate his words are.

Changkyun is at a loss as to how to put this to the older, his speech flying out of his mind. He knows exactly what he should say, what he wants to say, what he needs to say, but just doesn’t know how anymore.

“I got the message yesterday,” Jooheon finally says, his eyes glued to the pavement. His voice is so defeated it breaks Changkyun’s heart to hear. “You don’t have to apologize, Kyunnie. I understand, and I won’t do anything like that again. I promise.”

“Hyung,” Changkyun sighs, his hand slipping down from Jooheon’s wrist to his hand. “It’s not that. You misunderstood. I—” He puffs out an aggravated breath, pressing his lips together. He just can’t bring himself to sincerely say what he he’d planned, it all sounding so awfully rehearsed and insincere now. That’s never been their style. No matter what’s happened, it’s always been lighthearted fun that’d gotten them through it.

God, he thinks in annoyance, this has screwed everything up.

He thinks back to when all this had begun, which he considers to be the morning a few weeks ago when Jooheon had complimented his . That had been when his dreams had become too much, had finally reached the point of no return… He remembers what Jooheon had told him that morning, and how they had spoken in the arcade… He finds himself smiling, knowing now exactly how to say what he wants.

“No homo,” he starts, finally causing Jooheon to glance up at him with bemused eyes, “but I like you as more than a friend, hyung. I want to be with you.”

“No homo,” Jooheon mumbles after a moment, and Changkyun is vaguely aware of the older’s hands grabbing onto his, “but I feel the same way, Changkyunnie.” 

Changkyun’s heart feels as if it’ll burst. He smiles the most beautiful smile Jooheon has ever seen, and the older can’t help but take hold of his face and kiss him in delight. Changkyun’s arms circle around his hyung’s waist, just pulling him closer as he tries to revel in the moment. He prays that every morning can be like this, being kissed by this beautiful boy.

They separate all too soon, in Changkyun’s most humble opinion. He’s slightly breathless, adrenaline coursing through his veins as his skin becomes electrified wherever Jooheon touches him. Jooheon’s pupils are blown to three times their normal size, making quite the amusing sight in the older’s small eyes. 

“Come on, Kkungie,” Jooheon mutters in a gentle voice. “We’d better get going, or else we might be late.” Changkyun nods quickly, allowing himself to be dragged along by the older boy towards the school once again, his smile absolutely refusing to leave him throughout the entirety of the day. 

“I’m out of town for a month,” Hyungwon grumbles, pouting a bit as he glances around at his group of friends, “and everything’s changed. How could you guys allow all this to happen without me around??” He sits back in his seat with a defiant huff, his puffy lips puckering out in dismay. Kihyun chuckles breathily, shaking his head at his dongsaeng. Hyunwoo returns to the table with a tray of coffees from the counter, and slides into the place next to his boyfriend with a contented smile.

They’d come to this café to welcome Hyungwon back home, who’d been out of town with his parents. If he’d have known all this would happen in his absence, he’d have turned down the offer to go to Greece to expand their travel agency in an instant. After all, they’d been waiting for their two maknaes to get together for about as long as they’ve known them. For everyone on the outside, this has been a long time coming, and Hyungwon is extremely aggravated to have missed it.

“If it helps you feel any better,” Minhyuk interjects as he pulls Hoseok close to his side, “they didn’t start dating technically until last week.” Hoseok chuckles knowingly, and shrugs helplessly at Changkyun as he snuggles close to Minhyuk. Changkyun can’t help but laugh as well at the typically-possessive behavior, and leans his head on Jooheon’s shoulder with a cute little smile. Jooheon grins warmly at this, wrapping an arm around Changkyun’s shoulders happily. 

“It most certainly does not,” Hyungwon replies as his gaze finally lands on the newest couple. He pushes his long, black hair back out of his face, looking a bit too stern for the youngers’ tastes. “Tell me everything from start to finish. Now.”

Changkyun and Jooheon share a glance at this, smirking almost at their own love story. They play with each other’s hands under the table, tangling and untangling their fingers together just to tangle them up once again. Their eyes shine with a light of pure, unadulterated happiness, the likes of which few will ever find in their lives. Changkyun nods at his hyung, prodding the older to answer for them. Jooheon nods as well, knowing full well he’ll pick up when Jooheon needs to stop for air.

“Well,” Jooheon sighs, turning finally to answer the question, “it all started when I complimented Kyunnie’s …”