“You look happy,” Jooheon comments, stuffing his chubby cheeks full of pizza. Changkyun hums noncommittally, poking his plastic fork at his measly salad. Kihyun’s been on him about eating a vegetable every once in a while, so he’d opted to get some green at the dining hall today… Which would’ve ben great, if not for the mix of leafy greens and colorful vegetables looking like it’s all been sitting in the sun for two days straight…

Jooheon pouts at the lackluster reply, reaching over to flick the younger’s forehead.

“Yah! Don’t ignore your hyung,” he complains around the greasy food in his mouth. Changkyun smirks at him, waggling a brow.

“You sure you should be eating that?” he asks, his voice a bit snarkier than usual. “I thought Hyunwoo-hyung and you were going to the gym later. What, are you trying to get more to work off to spend more time with your man, or something?” Jooheon rolls his eyes, making a point of taking an extra-large bite and smacking loudly while glaring into Changkyun’s gaze.

“What gives with the rabbit food?” he fires back, nodding towards the salad. “Your new guy a health nut or something?”

Changkyun doesn’t say anything, merely stabs a cherry tomato with his fork and shoves it into his mouth. The plastic piercing through the weak skin causes some juice to fly out, and it splashes against Jooheon’s cheek. The older shrieks in disgust, wiping it away immediately with the back of his hand. He lets himself smile at his own small victory as he pops the tomato into his mouth.

“What up, losers,” Minhyuk greets in his typically boisterous tone as he slams his tray down beside Jooheon’s. Fries leap out of his tray upon impact, and Minhyuk takes his seat with a deafening sigh. Kihyun sits beside Changkyun, across from Minhyuk, with a much softer demeanor, pursing his lips at his boyfriend’s typically messy behavior. Minhyuk winks at the shorter as he pops the fallen fries into his mouth, an action that earns a grunt of disgust from the other.

“You have no idea when they last wiped off these tables, Minhyuk-ah,” Kihyun protests, frowning as he begins eating his own food. “You could be swallowing countless diseases with those fries.”

“I’m used to it, swallowing your cu—”

“Okay, bye,” Changkyun interrupts, standing quickly from the table as all traces of hunger disappear. Jooheon watches him with a pleading gaze, his small eyes blown three sizes bigger than their usual size and shining with desperation.

“Kkungie, don’t you wanna spend time with your favorite hyung???” he asks, a small whine to his tone. Changkyun chuckles darkly, shaking his head.

“Sorry, hyung,” he says with a playful lilt to his voice, “that title’s reserved for someone else~”

Jooheon barks at him to explain as he saunters off, but he doesn’t turn back. No, he has somewhere much more important to be.

Hoseok slumps into his penthouse apartment, kicking out of his shoes and leaving them in the walkway. He tosses his keys into the little bowl by the door, and he shrugs out of his jacket before putting it on the nearby hook. He then shuffles towards the kitchen, needing a caffeine pick-me-up. He isn’t even surprised to find Changkyun there, typing away quickly on his laptop with ramyeon noodles hanging out of his mouth.

He glances up as Hoseok slides the mail he’d retrieved from the front desk onto the granite counter, slurping up the remaining noodles.

“How was work?” he asks politely, returning his gaze to his laptop. Hoseok hums, going for the fridge.

“Meetings were boring,” the older man sighs as he opens the fridge, pulling out a premade fruit smoothie. He’d never known such things existed until he’d met Changkyun. On one of their first shopping outings, Changkyun had taken them to a convenience store. He’d shown Hoseok all the things he liked, pointing with a smile as wide as a child in a candy store. Hoseok wasn’t too impressed… That is, not until Changkyun had dragged him over to the refrigerated section and pointed out the premade smoothies.

He’s been addicted ever since, and he makes sure to keep at least two weeks’ supply worth in the fridge at all times. He notes absently that he’s in fact getting low on such a supply as he closes the door, popping open the bottle and downing half of it in one gulp.

“How’s your essay coming?” Hoseok asks, glancing as he turns towards the college student. Changkyun lifts a single shoulder in a shrug, and Hoseok can’t help but chuckle at the wordless response. He walks over and wraps his arms around Changkyun, kissing at his neck and squeezing him tight. Changkyun whines at the attention, though he doesn’t pull away.

“Hyung, I need to concentrate,” he complains, pouting. “I came over in the first place because Minhyuk and Kihyun-hyung were being too loud again… If you’re gonna start with this, I’m just gonna go to the library.” Hoseok pouts, squeezing even tighter before pulling away in surrender. Changkyun hums, satisfied for now, and he focuses his attention back on his schoolwork.

Hoseok gets an alert on his phone, and he swipes it to see. It’s his bank, asking if he’s okay with the automatic monthly transfer to take place of 1,000,000 won to Im Changkyun. He hits yes and slips the device back into his pocket, calling over his shoulder for Changkyun to order whatever he wants for dinner. Changkyun gives another hum, and Hoseok has to bite back a sigh as he shuffles off to his room to change clothes.

His heart beats slow and cold, pumping unfeeling ice through his veins instead of blood. He hardens himself against the affection in the back of his mind from the soft moment that’s just transpired, careful to not let it show. He’s awful at keeping his emotions in check, though, so at least he had a good excuse to leave the room this time…

Careful, he silently reminds himself as he takes sanctuary in his room. He looks over to the bed once, where he wakes up next to his precious Changkyun more mornings than not now. He feels his heart skip a beat at just imagining the beautiful sight of his sugar baby asleep by his side, but he quickly commands it to resume its normal pace.

He can’t get attached, not like last time. Or the time before that, or even the time before that… He’s had so many sugar babies in the past, and none of them have worked out well because of his own tendency to grow attached. They’re not there for a real relationship, which is what Hoseok always inevitably wants, and so they leave. No harm no foul.

Of course, all the harm is done to Hoseok, the one standing there with his heart shattered in a million pieces as he had once again dared to hope that someone had grown to love him for more than his money.

He sighs, a heavy and doleful sound, as he moves to continue on his mission for clothes more suited for lounging about his apartment. He won’t let that happen again, not with Changkyun. He’ll break things off before he gets too attached. He won’t be the broken-hearted, not this time.