Hyungwon stares blankly off into the distance, swinging his legs this way and that over the buildings below. He hears footsteps approaching from behind, but he doesn’t bother turning around to check who it is. There’s only one person throughout all these years it has been, after all.

“Hey, hyung,” Jooheon sighs, sitting beside Hyungwon. Though, granted, he doesn’t sit quite as on the edge as his same-age friend. He’s always been too much of a scaredy cat to sit with his legs dangling over the edge of a skyscraper. Hyungwon hums in acknowledgment, leaning back on his thin arms. He watches with detached interest as the cars on the streets below zip by.

“I don’t get why you like being up here so much,” Jooheon mumbles, instinctively scooting closer at the sudden gust of wind that rips between them. Hyungwon chuckles at his breath at the typical behavior, but offers his arm for the slightly-younger to grab onto anyway. Jooheon takes it gratefully, and loops their arms together to hold onto so tightly he nearly cuts off the circulation to the older’s arm.

“I don’t know,” Hyungwon admits in a murmur. “It’s just peaceful up here, unlike down there.” Jooheon his lips a little, as if wanting to argue but unable to.

After growing up on the streets, both men know exactly what’s awaiting them below.

The two men lean against each other, a comfortable silence forming between them. That's what Jooheon likes about hanging with Hyungwon, the fact that the taller doesn't always feel the need to fill silence with unnecessary chitchat. It’s incredibly relaxing, considering how that’s how the rest of their roommates are. Honestly, their shack has gotten unbearably noisy since Minhyuk had moved in with them… His and Kihyun’s bickering only ever seems to stop Kihyun is too busy making out with Changkyun to reply.

Suddenly, a scream rips through the air, and Hyungwon shifts ever so slightly to see what’s going on.

“Looks like the vans are back…”

Jooheon hums, tightening his grip on the slightly-older. Hyungwon finds himself grateful for the tight hold, for it lets him know Jooheon is beside him and not the one below them being dragged kicking and screaming into the mysterious vehicle.

“I wonder what all that is…” Jooheon mumbles. “It’s been going on for months. Why isn’t anyone asking questions? Who are they? Where are they taking these people?”

“They’re only taking riffraff like us,” Hyungwon answers bluntly. “No one cares about people like us. They don’t look, they don’t listen… Whoever these van people are, they chose the right kind of people to abduct. The ones nobody will miss.” Jooheon hums in acknowledgment, smacking his lips in displeasure at such a harsh yet true statement.

“The lovebirds have returned,” Kihyun comments, smirking over at Hyungwon and Jooheon knowingly. The two merely roll their eyes at the typical observation. Just because they hang out together more than with the others, the others are under the assumption they’re more than just friends despite how many times the two have informed them otherwise.

“Hyung,” Changkyun whines, glancing up from the boiling pot on the hot plate with a pout. “How long until we can eat? I don’t remember ramyeon taking so long.”

“It just started boiling, aga,” Kihyun tells him, staring affectionately at the younger. “Just give it a little more time.” The look is so love-stricken and blissful it almost gives Jooheon nausea… almost. Hoseok sighs loudly from the couch, and throws himself halfway off the moth-eaten furniture.

“The maknae is right,” Hoseok mumbles. “This is taking forever!” Hyungwon chuckles soundlessly, and squeezes Jooheon’s arm before separating from him and taking a seat next to the pot.

“Can I help?” he offers, sounding almost helpful. Kihyun and Changkyun share a look, to which Minhyuk laughs much too loudly. Hyunwoo chuckles as well, though, granted, it’s more of at Minhyuk’s laughter than the actual statement. Hyungwon pouts at their reactions, looking to Jooheon for help. It’s an expression Jooheon can never deny.

“I don’t see why not,” the younger interjects. “I mean, it’s ramyeon. How much harm could he do?”

“Aish,” Kihyun sighs in exasperation. “I mean, I know they say love is blind, but come on… It’s impossible for it to be that blind.”

“Jooheonney’s the only one who cares about me anymore,” Hyungwon mumbles, falling to the side dramatically to get a bit of sympathy. Of course, the only one that falls for it is Jooheon, who takes a seat as casually as he can next to the slightly-older and pets his hair comfortingly. Kihyun raises a brow at this, as if to say ‘And you’re still insisting on the stance that you two are just friends?’ to which Jooheon, of course, rolls his eyes.

Honestly, that hyung can be such a cocky pain some time… but Jooheon wouldn’t want it any other way.

A fact that he’ll never admit to, mind you, but a fact nonetheless.