It was mid-November and yet nobody except for Minsoo knew about Wooshin's and Miyeon's weekly planned hangouts. He figured out for himself that nobody needed to know anyways since she was still crushing on Xiao and it didn't sound like that would change any time soon. To Wooshin's misfortune said one knew his best friend too well to not having had noticed the change in his behavior towards her and had started making assumptions of what was going on between the two. Miyeon seemed more comfortable with him while Wooshin's shy smile came to surface way more often than before while talking to her. Now that Xiao was sitting next to Miyeon for a change who was sitting right across from Wooshin he could watch him more properly than he had been able to in the last few days. It was also worth mentioning that since a couple of weeks Wooshin didn't really seem to care if Xiao sat next to him or not. Usually the older one would always tell the younger to sit down next to him, both because he just wanted his closest friend right next to him and because he had once confessed he felt more secure with Xiao by his side since he was still fairly new to the group compared to the rest of them. It had only been around six or seven months now.
Maybe he's finally loosing up., Xiao tried to ease himself as he shoved down his pudding. He always had liked Hyemi's food, but today there was a bitter taste to it. He was sure it wasn't because of her cooking skills failing her this once, just something within himself. When had been the last time Wooshin and him had met up next to their shared job? Xiao let the spoon fall into his pudding. Now that he was actively thinking about it that must've been a few weeks ago. Whenever he had asked Wooshin if they should meet up at the weekends it was always the "I don't have time"-excuse that Xiao accepted without second guessing. Next to their friend group and his old friends from high school who were all part of Kuhn's gang now Xiao was sure Wooshin had no other friends. As stated multiple times before he was way too shy to go anywhere all by himself and meet new people. If it was for any other person on this table right now Xiao would've calmed himself down by thinking that they just had made new friendships they'd want to deepen a little.
The ringing of the school bell pulled him out of his thoughts as he wordlessly grabbed his bag to leave quickly, not caring about whom would follow him. Why was he caring about whom Wooshin was hanging out with so much anyway? Why did it bother him that, according to their behavior, something was going on between him and Miyeon? Why did he seriously have to crush on his best friend for life out of all the people he knew?

Xiao ruffled through his short black hair as he got into the changing room to change into his sports clothing after the last hour of regular classes. He was angry that Wooshin didn't seem to care about Xiao distancing himself from him. During the last three classes the two had shared and had sat together Xiao had given him the cold shoulder. Only talking when Wooshin had asked him something, speech quick and nonchalant, not even bothering to look at him. Wooshin either hadn't noticed or didn't care, but whatever it was of the two options it drove him crazy.
It was his first Wednesday of participating in the basketball club that Miyeon was leading. She had asked him last Sunday if he would like to join them since one person that was part of the club had left the university days ago. Truth be told he wasn't that much into sports, but as Miyeon had helped him with getting better at basketball in their regular sports class it had started to become something fun to him. Recently Kuhn had needed him more than ever, day and night, so the distraction would definitely be good for him. Additionally he'd be able to let some steam off regarding his anger and hurt towards his so called best friend.
As Xiao was warming up inside the hall Minsoo had surprised him by tipping on his shoulder from behind. The smaller one jolted as he had been so focused on making the ball land in the hoop perfectly.
"You here?", Minsoo asked, eyebrows raised in amusement. Xiao had never kept it a secret that he wasn't the biggest fan of sports. During his free time all that he did was join his father during his work as a cop, study for university, help the gang and go out late at night just to be tired the other day. Xiao had once said that there was something in the night attracting him to go outside during ungodly hours, walk around his neighborhood with the barely lit streets until he'd arrive at the rivers, watching them flow during the cold nights. He indeed viewed it as a hobby - and it was better than football or hockey. Xiao wasn't showing it often and especially not to everyone, but he was thinking a lot and was a thoughtful person. Chasing a some ball just didn't make any intellectual sense to him if he could also go outside and watcht the night do it's work. It was far more pleasant yet here he was.
"Miyeon kind of talked me into it. Figured out I'd need some new hobbies.", he replied as he threw the ball, sadly missing once again. He wasn't used to failure and it frustrated him, but he told himself that he was a beginner and it was fine.
As he came back Minsoo quickly took the ball from him, "If you'd find a new hobby that'd be great.", he said as he threw the huge ball with one arm only and it still landed perfectly inside the hoop, "At least we don't have to worry about you wandering outside in barely lit areas at like 3am or something.", the older chuckled and watched another student steal their ball with a short grin. He was a freshman Miyeon had put a lot of hope into so they let it slide.
"It's fine. I can defend myself.", Xiao deadpanned as Minsoo started stretching and he followed his friend's movements. Minsoo halted in his movement and looked up to him for a moment, "You defending yourself?", he teased with another grin of his. Xiao's built was rather on the thin side with slight arm muscles visible, but compared to Minsoo's towering height, his broad back and shoulders that had formed from slight fitness training and basketball only, he still looked like a small boy. Xiao rolled his eyes and sat down in front of him, stretching his legs. He knew Minsoo was only teasing him in a loving way, but look wise it was really laughable if he said he'd be able to defend himself yet he didn't go around showing off the method he used to defend himself. Well I'm pretty good with guns and due to my dad's job I have some at home and easy access to any guns you know from television in general. I never miss my target from any distance and people that are sometimes twice as old as I am fear me, but it's no biggie.
"Or wait", Minsoo said the moment Xiao wanted to answer him something witty, "Wooshin's probably protecting you from all the bad guys with his skills.", he laughed. If Minsoo was teasing like that it always meant that he was comfortable with the person and in a good mood, but Xiao was far from that now. The second he had mentioned Wooshin his eyes looked to the side to catch a glimpse of Miyeon who was talking to the freshman from earlier. He didn't dislike her, maybe he should? After all she seemed to be Wooshin's love interest and it looked like she reciprocated it. She would be one of the biggest reasons he'd never have a chance with him yet he couldn't be this mean to her. He liked Miyeon as a friend a lot; they even had some similarities. Both were honest and blunt natures with a different kind of humor. He had always gotten along with her and in his eyes it looked like she liked him too. She understood him in a different way. No, he couldn't dislike her. It wasn't in her power to choose whom would fall in love with her.
"Trust me, Minsoo. I really am able to defend myself without Wooseok.", he stated firmly and got up without another quick glance to his friend as Miyeon was gathering them all in a circle in the middle of the hall. Minsoo raised both his eyebrows at that name, but quickly stood up to follow his friend. Wooseok was Wooshin's original name while Wooshin was just a nickname Xiao had given them as children. Xiao had had trouble to pronounce Wooseok correctly so they had softened the Seok part to Shin. Said one had liked the slight name change so much and way more than his birth name that from then on when he met new people he would always introduce himself as Wooshin and way later let it slide in between conversations that neither Wooshin or Shin was his real name. Within knowing Wooshin for the last few months Minsoo couldn't recall a time where Xiao had ever called him Wooseok. In fact it wasn't even Wooshin. It had always been Shin.
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My favourite hobby is writing drama between my OTP, how about you?
I came up with this chapter spontenously tbh. I came to realize that even in the story I call some people by their real name and some by their stage name, just because I think some member's stage names are so fitting yet some are not. I always call Xiao Xiao, but never Dongyeol even though it still sounds cute, but Xiao just really fits him, his personality and looks. On the other hand I literally never call Minsoo Kogyeol, both because Minsoo is my favourite korean name and you can mispronounce Kogyeol so badly. I can't. It's worse enough that hi stage name is all over my Wild Love CD. Lastly, Wooshin is just Wooshin to me. The stage name sounds so soft and it means "God of rain" - and I love rain. Also realized that except for Sunyoul everyone just calls him Wooshin. I mean it's not the biggest name stage ever. I really feel like - how I explained it in the story - that Shin was used to make him have a softer image for his kind of pretty flower boy image while Wooseok makes me think of a person like Wooseok of Pentagon. A powerful and rather Here I am! person.
Did you all notice how protective the boys are of Wooshin by the way? I cried tears.