“He knows something!” Changkyun worriedly shout-whispers to Minhyuk. Minhyuk raises a brow, two questions in his mind. One: How would Jooheon possibly know about anything going on between them? Two: Why is Changkyun whispering when they’re the only two in the dorm?

“You’re just getting paranoid,” Minhyuk finally decides on saying, waving off the maknae’s concerns. Changkyun pouts at being so easily brushed off, turning his back to the older man in silent protest. They’d been lying close together on the vocalist’s bed for some time, having meant to discuss their situation but just enjoying how comfortable it is to just be with each other. Minhyuk sighs loudly, scooting closer despite the small whine of protest from his dongsaeng.

“Look, if Heonney knew anything, he’d have already said. In fact, he’d probably have already blown the lid off the situation. Don’t you think?”

Changkyun doesn’t answer, not liking that his hyung is making sense. It isn’t in Jooheon’s nature to keep such a huge secret, much less to keep such a huge secret that has potential to hurt those he cares about as much as it does. If he knew, the first thing he’d done is go and tell Hyunwoo and Kihyun, and since the other two seem to be none the wiser, then surely it’s okay.

The maknae half-heartedly grumbles something about still being worried despite Minhyuk’s words of comfort, though he moves once more to snuggle close to the older. Minhyuk chuckles raspily, wrapping his arms around the younger’s waist and holding him close. He presses a kiss to Changkyun’s forehead, and it’s almost as if he can feel him melt against the gentle touch.

Hyunwoo’s never reacted like that with me, Minhyuk finds himself thinking, though he quickly pushes such thoughts away. It isn’t fair to compare your lover with your boyfriend, he reminds himself over and over. Changkyun’s soft fingers brush across his cheek, and Minhyuk’s eyes flutter shut at the intimacy. He stares at the maknae through a lidded gaze, slowly closing the distance between them until their lips touch.

Changkyun doesn’t pull away, though he knows he shoulder. He knows he should’ve taken up Kihyun’s offer to go run errands with him, or to have gone with Jooheon to his studio. Hell, he should’ve just gone to his own studio. He should’ve done anything to keep from being left alone with Minhyuk again, as he seems entirely unable to control himself when it comes to the older.

“This sounds great, hyung!” Jooheon compliments, beaming widely as he listens to the track Hyungwon had just helped him record. Hyungwon hums, his gaze thoughtful as he watches the progress bar move through the song.

“I don’t know,” he finally muses, his brow creasing together. “I feel like it’s missing something. Maybe we should add another growl or something?” Jooheon can’t help but chuckle airily, shaking his head.

“It’d get too repetitive if we added another one,” he tells the older. He plays the part again, just before the bridge, and finds himself agreeing with the vocalist. Something is definitely missing, but it isn’t a growl. It’s… “We can add a roll,” the rapper suggests. Hyungwon gasps as if that’s the best idea he’s ever heard, and immediately gestures for Jooheon to do just that.

Jooheon looks through his file of vocal additions, a folder full of nothing but his growls, trills, ‘hoo’s, ‘scurr’s, and basically anything else you can think of. After going through his different growls and deciding on one he thinks fits the song, he adds it in. He replays the song, and finds with pride that had been the only thing missing.

“Now it’s a finished track!” Jooheon announces, clapping Hyungwon on the shoulder in congratulations. Hyungwon smiles an adorable gummy smile, showing off how chubby his cheeks have gotten lately.

“Thanks for letting me work on this with you, Heonney,” Hyungwon says genuinely, his eyes sparkling. “It was a lot of fun.” He stands slowly from his swivel chair, stretching his lanky limbs. Jooheon waves off the gratitude, assuring him it wasn’t any trouble at all. “Do you mind giving me a copy? I want to play it for Hoseok-hyung.” Jooheon hums, nodding as he glances around his messy desk for a spare flash-drive.

“Kihyun-hyung would kill me if he saw this sty,” he mutters, chuckling impishly. Hyungwon bursts out laughing at this, agreeing with the rapper easily. Remnants of all their late-night ramyeons and other snacks litter the ground, and countless energy drink cans and bottles of water lie on the desk. Jooheon successfully finds what he’s looking for and plugs it in, copying the file onto the drive before handing it over to Hyungwon. The older slips it into his hoodie pocket, nodding to Jooheon and saying he’ll see him later before leaving the studio.

Jooheon sighs tiredly, that wonderful feeling of accomplishment swelling within him at finishing a project, even if it’ll never see the light of day on an official release. It’d been fun to just work on something with Hyungwon. He glances around his own studio once more, doing a small spin in his own chair to survey his surroundings.

Yes, Kihyun would definitely kill him if he saw this mess.

Good thing hyung isn’t coming around any time soon, Jooheon thinks, snickering mischievously as he begins shutting off all his equipment. He’ll just deal with it later.

After stopping by the convenience store by the dorm, Jooheon finds himself slipping his shoes off at home in the daytime, for once. Usually, he doesn’t get home from working on a piece until at least three in the morning, but, with the completion of the song with Hyungwon, he knows he won’t be doing anything else productive today.

Besides, it’s nice to get home at a decent hour every once in a while.

At least, that’s what he thinks until a soft, sensuous moan fills the air. Jooheon feels his shoulders deflate, rolling his eyes as he continues on his way to the kitchen to put up what he’s bought. He’d thought it’d be safe to come home now, as surely no one else would be around. But, apparently, he’d been wrong.

After popping a ramyeon into the microwave and opening a soda, he goes off in search of the couple. He isn’t usually one to interrupt such things, but honestly he’s in the mood for a good laugh, and interrupting either Minhyuk’s time with Hyunwoo or Kihyun’s time with Changkyun is sure to get them mad enough to entertain Jooheon for days.

He peeks first into the room Hyunwoo shares with Hyungwon and Hoseok, finding it empty, and then goes to his own room he shares with the other members. He bites back his own, sadistic laughter as he grins chillingly at the wooden door, clutching tightly his soda as he bursts into the room, ready to scream at whoever it is to put on some pants and come play video games with him.

A feel that immediately dissipates, however, at seeing who’s responsible for the noise.

Minhyuk, straddling Changkyun, kissing at his neck with a hand up the maknae’s shirt. Changkyun, staring up at him with wide, mortified eyes and cheeks splotched red.

Jooheon can’t process what he’s seeing. His eyes are wide, his mouth dropped open in shock at what he’s seeing. Minhyuk pulls away quickly, sitting up and separating himself from the maknae. Disbelief, confusion, and a strange, indignant rage all fill Jooheon’s mind. He knows he should say something, anything, but only two words fall from his lips.

“Um… what?”