Soonyoung sighs at his friend, a comforting hand through Jihoon's hair as the younger boy exhales shakily, wiping the tears off his face with his sleeve. It seems they always end up here, Jihoon thinks bitterly. Soonyoung comforting him when he has a fit over the dumbest crush of all time. And he's got nobody but himself to blame.

They don't speak this time, and Jihoon is grateful for that. It honestly feels as if he's taken one step forward and then two steps back too many before ending up falling off the edge. He knows he needs to get a grip, it's been too long for him to keep moping over this.

Jihoon takes in one last gulp of air and sits up, freeing himself from Soonyoung's arms, much to the other's alarm.

"Jihoon, are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you su-"

"Yes."

Jihoon cuts him off, rubbing at his face with his hands and slowly getting up from his bed, shuffling over to his cabinet to drink the glass of water Soonyoung had put there earlier when he barged into the dorm to find Jihoon in his room slumped over his bed, sobbing into the pillows.

Jihoon lifts the glass to his lips and chugs it down, already feeling much more refreshed than he was a few seconds ago. It's okay. He's okay.

Soonyoung eyes him worriedly when he finishes, not yet convinced.

"Are you still gonna go to class? You've already missed this morning's lecture."

Jihoon hesitates slightly before answering.

"I need to go get my folders before my next class. Minghao and Junhui might have them, I sort of dropped them when I, um, you know." He shifts uncomfortably, not meeting Soonyoung's eyes. The silence stretches between them and Jihoon wants nothing more than to hide under his bed and never leave. Seungkwan can bring him his favourite pastries and Hansol can tell him about the new book he's read that week. He'd have to forgo the use of a normal toilet but at least he won't be bothered by furiously charming, deceptive basketball captains ever again.

"Jihoon what the , no. And you call me dramatic?" Jihoon snaps out of his thoughts and blinks, noticing the number of people in the room has multiplied. Hansol, Seokmin and Seungkwan make their way in, closing the door behind them. Seungkwan gives him a rather unimpressed look, hand on his hip.

"And here I was, thinking you were the only intelligent one out of all of us."

He shakes his head, looking towards the sky and bringing a hand to his brow in mock exasperation. Hansol grins from behind him, settling himself down on Jihoon's bed while Seokmin has made a beeline for Soonyoung, wrapping himself around his boyfriend in an amusing but still sickeningly couple-like way. Jihoon wonders if he's always been this bitter towards people in relationships or if it's a recent development.

He's pretty sure it's the first one.

With his friends all gathered around to help him out though, Jihoon's spirits lift a little. Perhaps a good one centimetre off the ground, but Jihoon feels much lighter all the same. As long as he's able to keep one Choi Seungcheol away at maximum distance, he should be able to survive. He replays the thought in his head as he hears knocking at the door, leaving the room to answer it.

Must be Minghao and Junhui, he thinks. Or just Minghao, since he probably won the great soda debacle. Junhui will be off sulking over his loss as per usual.

His mind is still very much focused on the China-line duo as he opens the door, his eyes trained on the ground and forgetting that there is someone standing in front of him, who is neither of the constantly squabbling friends. Jihoon comes back to reality when he hears a cough, and his eyes widen as he notices a familiar pair of air jordans. A wave of déjà vu hits him as he slowly lifts his head, the breath leaving his body as he makes eye contact with person standing in front of him.

"Um, hi-"

A wild shriek cuts off the captain's greeting as