There are many drawbacks when it comes to living with six other men, in Kihyun’s most educated opinion. They’re messy, loud, moody… and, when one of them gets sick, they all get sick due to their unending clinginess.

So, when Hyungwon walked in with yet another cold after walking in the rain like a moron, Kihyun could see all too well how this was going to turn out.

He’d warned them about keeping distance, but did they listen?

No. No, they most certainly did not. But, that’s nothing new… unfortunately.

Changkyun had been the first to fall to the sickness, but that’s always how it is. He can never say no to snuggling with one of the older members. Then, when Changkyun got sick, Jooheon and Minhyuk quickly followed suit. Hyunwoo, also one with a certain weakness for cuddling no matter how macho he may seem, is the last to fall, but he does, indeed, fall.

This leaves Kihyun with almost nowhere to go for safety. He chances aiding them in their recovery as much as possible, but he can’t do much. He’s the main vocalist, for god’s sake. Besides, Hoseok could quite literally die of starvation if Kihyun weren’t well enough to cook for him.

However, there is one place he can go… and that’s to Hoseok’s bed.

When Kihyun asks Hoseok if he can sleep in the older’s bed until the others—who’re camping out in the second bedroom throughout the duration of their collective ailment—fully recover, Hoseok doesn’t know quite how to respond. He seems much more flustered than usual, but Kihyun can’t really blame him for that.

Ever since they’d gone on their Beautiful tour, things had been different between them. Hoseok had gotten clingier since Hyungwon had to stay back in Korea for a while, and Kihyun had only grown more and more fond of the older. They’d always been close, to an extent, but things had just… somehow changed, all of a sudden. Kihyun had found himself growing jealous of how Hoseok would laugh at the other members’ jokes, of how he’d smile at others.

Kihyun’s felt such a way before concerning the older, back during their pre-debut days, but he’d pushed them away. He’d managed to distract himself with debut and then comebacks, always finding something else to deal with aside from his ever-growing affections for his sensitive hyung.

Now, it seems, there’s nothing to distract him…

That night, Kihyun awkwardly clambers into the bed next to the older. Hoseok practically squishes himself against the wall, very blatantly trying to keep distance between him and his dongsaeng. Kihyun can’t help but smirk at the action despite his own exhaustion after spending an entire day caring for five other men… It’s cute, no matter how futile the attempt.

“I won’t bite, hyung,” Kihyun chuckles, turning on his side to face the older. He pastes on the cockiest grin he can possibly conjure up, just to cover up his own racing heart more than anything. The older man glances over at him over his bare shoulder, biting uncertainly on his bottom lip. Kihyun would honestly coo if things were normal between them… but, he’s stopped by his own wish to keep things friendly between them.

“W-Well,” Hoseok mutters, his gaze not quite meeting the younger’s, “I just… I know you’ve been avoiding me, Kihyunnie, so I thought I’d try to give you space if you wanted it…”

Kihyun’s heart drops at the older’s words, having not realized he’d been so obvious in his attempts to detach himself from Hoseok. It makes him feel incredibly guilty, as that’s the last kind of treatment Hoseok could ever deserve. It must show on his face, as Hoseok turns to face him fully now, quickly flopping over onto his other side.

“I understand why!” he quickly adds, as if to console Kihyun. “I know that I annoyed you during our world tour, so of course you need your space now! I’m just sorry that I got on your nerves so b-badly…” Kihyun in a breath of dismay through his lips.

He’d never thought of how Hoseok might take him pulling away… Of course, he knows he should have, but he’d been so caught up just trying to keep things safely in the friend zone that he hadn’t considered the older’s side of it. He moves before he can stop himself, set on just assuring the older that it wasn’t his fault, and gently grabs for his hands under the sheets.

Their faces are so close now that Hoseok’s warm breath tickles his nose, and Kihyun has to gulp down hard any butterflies that fill his stomach at the proximity.

“It’s not that, hyung,” Kihyun tells him before he loses his nerve. “It’s definitely nothing you’ve done. It’s more my fault than anything.”

Hoseok stares at him quietly, seeming somewhat unsure on how to process what he’s been told. His brow creases together, and his face morphs into a confused pout that Kihyun just wants to kiss away.

“But, you haven’t done anything…” he mumbles. There’s a light to his eyes that Changkyun sometimes gets whenever he’s asking what a particular thing means, a sort of innocent curiosity and yearning to understand that makes Kihyun’s heart scream with affection at a pitch even their most passionate fans couldn’t match.

“I have,” Kihyun says before he can stop himself. Hoseok’s questioning look only deepens at this, but Kihyun doesn’t dare go on. That is, until Hoseok tightens his grip around his pudgy hands, and asks for him to in that particular way that always makes Kihyun melt into compliancy.

“Kihyunnie… I d-don’t underthtand…”

“Well, it isn’t that hard,” Kihyun tells him, his voice coming out rushed and slightly strained, like word vomit. “I like you, hyung, as more than a friend or bandmate. But, I know we can’t have that kind of relationship, so I try to avoid you whenever my feelings get to be too much.”

Hoseok blinks repeatedly, as if that’ll somehow make Kihyun’s words make any more sense.

“Sorry…” Kihyun mutters, quite sure now he’s messed up on a monumental scale. “Just forget I said anything, okay? For both our sakes.” He then drops his hold on the older and turns away, hoping that its too dark in the room for Hoseok to see his burning ears.

He can’t believe he just confessed like that… This was supposed to be a secret he carried to his grave! But, now Hoseok knows, and now everything’s changed for the worst.

At least, that’s what the main vocalist thinks before a pair of strong, familiar arms wraps around his small waist. He turns back around to see the sincerest look on the other man’s face he’d ever seen in all his life. It’s enough to make his heart break a billion times, and then some.

“I th-thought you knew…” the older mumbles, his voice barely audible in the still room. “I l-l-like you, t-too, K-Kihyunnie…”

There’s many things Kihyun wants to do in this moment. He thinks of kissing Hoseok long and hard, like how he would if this were a drama. He contemplates merely smiling coolly and turning back around. He even considers throwing himself atop the man for a steamy scene to commemorate such a confession… But, then, he comes up with something much better.

He merely leans close for a quick peck on the lips, and then snuggles close to Hoseok’s well-toned chest. He presses his ear close, and smiles upon hearing the quickening rate of the older’s beating heart. Hoseok seems to get the message, and tightens his hold around the younger. He tangles their legs together, keeping the least amount of distance between them as possible.

Kihyun falls asleep quickly that night in the older’s arms, wondering just how he’d managed to avoid such a moment for so long…