The next couple weeks are utter hell for the poor maknae. It’s almost if he’s stuck between two divorcing parents, vying for his attention however they can while being at each other’s throats the majority of the time. He’s spread thin between them, helping out with speeches while doing his best to seem as unbiased as possible.

Meanwhile, the animosity between them seems to only worsen with every passing day. The whole school seems to wait with baited breath for their ultimate altercation. Which, they all believe, will be the one and only debate of the student election process.

But, it comes only three days before, in the musical hall.

Both had been putting up posters and schmoozing potential voters when it happened.

Kihyun’s blood boils in outrage and envy each time he glances over at his opponent. He can’t help but notice how many more people are flocking him for those high-class buttons and overdone muffins... He’s sure Hyungwon had only paid for such things, whereas Kihyun had stayed up late into the night for the past three nights making such paraphernalia. He grits his teeth at the thought, the bags under his eyes feeling fifty times heavier than a second ago as he remembers all the things he still has to do before the debate.

Silver-spooned bastard is probably paying someone to write his speech for him, too, he mentally grumbles behind his cordial smile. A group of girls approaches him, and he makes sure to smile so wide his dimples show. He typically doesn’t resort to such tactics, but the situation, in his mind, is getting pretty dire…

According to the last poll Hyunwoo and Jooheon had conducted on his behalf a couple days ago, Hyungwon had won over him… and not by a slim margin, either. Kihyun’s been scrambling to make up the lost ground ever since.

But, the girls seem unfazed and pass by Kihyun without a second glance. Kihyun watches, silently seething as they go instead to Hyungwon. They bat their eyelashes and practically throw themselves at him. He’d find the sight funny if it didn’t mean the loss of votes that it does.

“Something wrong~?” Hyungwon asks tauntingly, noticing easily Kihyun’s souring mood when the girls leave. He smirks over at Kihyun, and the older just snaps.

“You’re just running to piss me off!!” he accuses, his voice raising three pitches in an instant. “Why even put forth so much effort for something so trite?!?!?!! Is your life really that empty???” Hyungwon blinks, seemingly unfazed by the outburst. What little people remain in the hall quickly scurry off, not feeling the need to stick around for such an altercation. They can just hear about it later.

“What’s the matter, Kihyunnie?” Hyungwon asks, an oily smirk spreading across his lips. “Afraid of a little competition?”

The younger’s words hit the nail right on the head, and it snaps the last bit of patience Kihyun has for him. He lets loose on Hyungwon, calling him every little thing he could think of. He doesn’t even realize how close he’d gotten to the taller, literally inches from his face, until a pair of arms is pulling him back. He’s dragged away from his opponent, positively shaking in rage.

Hyungwon’s calm veneer has been wiped away, as well, and he’s yelling back at Kihyun with red eyes. Kihyun hadn’t even noticed him screaming anything, too caught up in his own head to do so.

Kihyun slowly but surely begins to come out of his mental haze, and glances around to see the entire student body watching them with wide eyes and slack jaws. There’s a flash from the old camera the school uses for their newspaper photographs, and he catches sight of several phone lenses being pointed his way.

This sobers him up greatly, and the indignant fire within him dies. He lets himself be dragged off, completely ashamed by his own outburst.

He’s definitely lost the election now.

“I don’t think it was that bad,” Hyunwoo shrugs, chomping down on the third bowl of popcorn he’s received since arriving at Kihyun’s house. Jooheon had dragged him there after school, heart set on providing Kihyun with all the moral support he was sure to need after what had transpired. Kihyun, of course, had immediately begun to prepare snacks for them, and he’s just sat down now to ask them just what they’re doing in his house.

“You weren’t there, hyung,” Kihyun chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. Ever since they’d arrived, he’d been acting as if the whole thing didn’t affect him too much. But, Jooheon can see behind the thin veil, a skill he’d acquired throughout his years of knowing the older boy, and he can tell Kihyun’s been beating himself up about the whole thing ever since it’d happened.

“We’ve seen the videos, though,” Jooheon interjects, causing the older to completely freeze in his seat. “And, I gotta say, you aren’t really that—”

“There’s videos?” Kihyun interrupts, sounding absolutely appalled. “I didn’t know there was someone recording!!! God,” he mumbles, hiding his face in his hands tiredly, “I’ve definitely lost the election now…”

“I don’t think so,” Hyunwoo says plainly around a mouthful of food. “The most you said was stuff about how Hyungwon-ah isn’t qualified for the job, and how the student body would be better off with literally anyone else governing them. That you wouldn’t care so much if you were losing to a worthy competitor, but because it’s some rich spoiled brat who thinks of most of the student populous like a piece of gum on the bottom of his shoe, it angers you more than anything.”

Kihyun gulps loudly, unable to believe he’d said such things to the boy without even remembering doing so. A part of him wishes badly that he remembered, as it seems to have been the moment he’d been waiting for ever since that fateful day they’d met. It had finally been the opportunity where Kihyun told the boy what he truly thought about him… But, at the same time, he can’t deny the smallest flicker of guilt in his heart.

“So, don’t worry about it,” Jooheon assures him, patting Kihyun on the shoulder. The boy gives him a grateful smile, pushing his hair up out of his face.

He sure does hope they’re right…

Hyungwon enters his empty house with a sigh, kicking off his shoes at the door and dropping the bag by the door. He’d announce that he’s home, but there’s no one here to answer back. He goes over to the living room and drops down onto the couch, turning on the television as soon as his body hits the furniture. He blankly stares at the screen, his thoughts very much not following the program.

He replays the altercation he’d had with Kihyun over and over in his mind, remembering the look of absolute rage on the older boy’s face. He hadn’t realized Kihyun truly… detested him so much. Sure, they’d been at each other’s throats for the past couple years, but Jesus, he hadn’t thought it was that bad.

The boy turns on his side, a song from a drama blaring from the speakers through the dark room. He closes his eyes, deciding to try and take a nap and forget this awful day. But, when he closes his eyes, all he sees is the absolute hatred in Kihyun’s eyes from before.

Eventually, he just sighs in defeat and opens them again, staring at the pristine fabric of the couch, losing himself in his own thoughts.