Falling asleep on the couch was never intentional for Winwin but of late he couldn’t help it. He was feeling tired for the past two months and Winwin almost always finds himself dozing off on the couch instead of his bed. Typically Winwin would go straight to his room he shared with Yuta and Doyoung. But there were times when he wanted to watch TV to improve his Korean and he thought what better way than to watch dramas. Unfortunately, he often falls asleep halfway through and wakes up in the middle of the night feeling chilly and cramped, grumbling his way back to their bedroom wishing he had a blanket on him when he falls asleep on the couch.

Practice all day for nine sometimes twelve hours straight not to mention other activities like filming and photo-shoots takes its toll. Their hectic schedule was draining and by the end of the day Winwin could barely move a muscle. But their packed schedule was far from his thoughts at the moment. It was Taeyong who occupied his mind.

It has been a week since Winwin almost cried from embarrassment. Their comeback was imminent and everyone was on edge. Especially their leader Taeyong. During their break from practice for their new song Limitless, Winwin’s leg was being massaged by Yuta. Winwin kept touching his right knee and Yuta noticed so he offered his help in relieving the pain somewhat. While kneading on Winwin’s leg, Yuta was telling him what to do later on to ease muscle strain, so he had to lean close to his ear for Winwin to hear over the loud music. They both jumped when Taeyong practically shouted at them to break up their ‘therapy’ session and come back to formation. Winwin felt his face flush and imagined he looked like a ripe tomato. He tried to apologize but Taeyong’s glare stopped him. Since that fateful day, Taeyong would snap at him, more often than not ignore him as well. Specially when he and Yuta were together.

It came as a shock to Winwin, for the Taeyong he knew was always sweet to him. He loved how Taeyong took care of him, ready to assist in every way he can even when Winwin felt he didn’t need any. He always looked up to Taeyong because of it. This Taeyong he didn’t agree with. Winwin wondered why he was acting the way he did, but could find no reason behind it. Perhaps it was the stress of the comeback, especially when two new members were to join them. That must be it. He didn’t feel that bad about the way Taeyong behaved all of a sudden. He understood that being a leader, Taeyong had a huge burden to carry on his shoulders. Just that he missed the Taeyong he was accustomed to.

So there he was once more, lying on the couch trying to concentrate on the tv show, mindless of the other members who were preoccupied with their own activities. He couldn’t concentrate on the drama so he let his mind wander off. Naturally he thought of Taeyong. Little did they know but he kept a little secret, tucked away inside the very recesses of his heart. A secret he had kept hidden for a long time. He loved Taeyong. No, it wasn’t brotherly love. He had fought with this feeling for some time now, perhaps since he first debuted with Taeyong in Fire Truck. Winwin argued with himself more often than not. How could he not fall in love with their leader with the constant attention he had given. He tried not to be affected by the somewhat special care Taeyong bestowed on him but he found it difficult to ignore. He knew Taeyong was just being kind to him so he would chastise himself constantly about cherishing Taeyong’s actions whenever he would shower him with affection. Brotherly affection, he would correct himself. Sighing from his unwanted thoughts of their leader, who by the way was upset with him, he dozed off.

The moment Winwin woke up he was surprised to find a blanket over him. Wrinkling his brows, he wondered who placed his soft wool blanket over him. Someone must have known he felt the winter chill whenever he woke up before midnight to finally go to his own bed. Shrugging he thought it must be Yuta or Doyoung as he lagged his way up to the bedroom to get some proper sleep, huge blanket in tow.

At around 10:28 the following evening, Winwin was lazing on the couch once more after speaking with his parents. He missed them dearly having no chance to spend a longer holiday with them. His loneliness was overwhelming and he felt tired with his body battered from practice the whole day. He fell asleep.

Once again, when Winwin woke up before midnight on the couch, a blanket was laid over him neatly as if it was done so with love and care. Winwin couldn’t explain it but he was touched by the tenderness and thoughtfulness of the act. Instinctively, he felt that someone was genuinely concerned for his well being. Curious, whenever he got the chance to ask other members they merely shrugged and said it might have been Yuta or Taeil or Jaehyun or some other member. All seven of them said the same thing. All but one, the one member Winwin wouldn’t dare talk to at the moment. But it couldn’t have been him. Taeyong was always scowling at him when Winwin would catch his eye and most especially when he would glance his way while he talked to other members.

Just this morning, Jaehyun was hugging Winwin while they were sitting huddled together taking a break and Yuta joined in, pinching Winwin’s cheeks. He tried to free himself from his attackers but as they were fooling around, Taeyong walked over to them and said curtly, “hey this isn’t a skinship party. Get up, we need to get back to work.”

“What’s up with him?” Jaehyun asked softly, so Taeyong won’t overhear. “He’s been acting so weird lately.”

“Pre-menstrual syndrome I think. He’s having a really long PMS period,” Yuta said and laughed devilishly.

Winwin could only watch Taeyong walking back towards the audio system. What indeed was wrong with Taeyong. It started to worry him.

The blanket spread over him no longer surprised Winwin when he woke up on the couch, for this has been happening for four days in a row like clockwork. Not only the blanket was making Winwin curious but also Taeyong was increasingly grumpier by the minute. No, almost hostile, snapping at him and everyone else. They all avoided him now whenever possible. It was a tense atmosphere during practice session and even at the dorm. But it was still understandable because in two weeks their comeback will be happening. So Winwin attributed Taeyong’s odd behavior might be due to stress but he definitely felt something else was adding fuel to the fire. It was frustrating for him, because he cared about Taeyong and wanted to ease his troubles. Was there ever a way, with Taeyong avoiding everyone’s attempt at a decent conversation? But Winwin was determined. He wanted to know why everyone was denying a simple act of placing his blanket over him. The dilemma though is he now suspects someone but he needs to catch him red-handed and Winwin wants some answers. Oh yes, he’s getting them. Winwin had an idea brewing in his head. Winwin knew he may be innocent, or should he say clueless, but he wasn’t stupid. He hoped what he suspected was correct. He needed it to be.

That night upon returning to their dorm, Winwin lay quietly on the couch after turning on the TV. He smirked at his trick before coming back home. Winwin went to the nearby coffee shop and ordered five, yes five, espresso shots and drank them all in one go. The barista looked curiously at him but Winwin just smiled. He felt slight palpitations but ignored it. Nobody died from caffeine, did they? But it was too late. Winwin closed his eyes halfway thru the drama episode and waited silently. Pretending to be asleep was difficult with all the coffee boost in his body but Winwin was a patient boy. He can wait.

Silence slowly crept the dorm as each member milled into their own rooms, dimming some parts of the dorm and leaving a lamp beside Winwin lit up. By that time Winwin was itching to move and give up. It seemed like almost two hours had passed when he finally felt the blanket slowly being spread over him. The person who was placing it on him even smoothed the creases with soft touches and Winwin felt him gently tucking the edges around him. His heartstrings were being tugged at by the tenderness of the act. Winwin felt his heart hammering in his chest. This was the moment he had been waiting for.

Quick as lightning, Winwin peeked from under his lashes and caught the wrist of the ‘perpetrator’ in his firm grasp. Winwin opened his eyes and was not surprised to see the man who occupied his heart for a long time.

“W-winwin...” Taeyong looked flabbergasted. He turned bright pink in a flash.

Without letting go of Taeyong’s wrist, Winwin sat up and pulled Taeyong to sit beside him as the blanket fell off of him. Taeyong looked like he was about to hurl.

“Taeyong...I knew it was you,” Winwin smiled as he witnessed Taeyong looking flustered. He still haven’t let go of Taeyong’s wrist. He could feel the pulse thumping against his fingers erratically. Good. His suspicions were correct. “We have a lot to talk about I think.”

Taeyong swallowed hard as he sat stiffly beside Winwin, appearing as if he wanted to be anywhere else except his present location. “Wha-what? OK, Sicheng, I’m sorry I was...difficult to you lately. I’m... just uh stressed out. I apologize, alright? We uh, can talk in the morning. Best you go back to your room. Everyone is asleep by now. You need to rest too, on your own bed.”

Taeyong was avoiding Winwin’s gaze but the latter held firm. Winwin couldn’t help his amusement. It was his ballgame now.

“Why, Taeyong.”

“Why...why w-what?” Taeyong faltered.

“You were jealous. Why?”

“Jealousy? Sicheng...” Taeyong was really nervous now, as he kept calling Winwin by his real name. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Winwin smiled as he said, “Taeyong, look at me please and be honest with me. You were jealous. Why?”

Taeyong sighed and met Winwin’s gaze. His large puppy eyes held a glint of deep emotion just waiting to surface. “Winwin, I’m really sorry if I hurt you. I actually felt guilty because... I was a little mean to you guys and I apologize. I felt guilty, that’s why I always placed the blanket on you.”

Winwin realized dragging the truth out of Taeyong won’t work. So he tried a different approach. Without letting go of Taeyong’s hand, Winwin lay back on the couch and pulled at Taeyong to lie down with him. The startled Taeyong couldn’t do anything but follow Winwin’s lead. They shifted so that Taeyong lay on his back and Winwin rested his head on Taeyong’s chest. He could hear Taeyong’s erratic heartbeat and Taeyong sighed. Winwin snickered at Taeyong who was stiff as a board.

“You can breathe you know.”

“I am breathing.”

Winwin put his arms around Taeyong and squeezed, making the latter frozen. Winwin lifted his head up to look at Taeyong’s face, white as a sheet of paper.

“I can feel you,” Winwin placed his hand on Taeyong’s chest above the heart and said earnestly, “I can feel it here. It beats for me.”

Taeyong blinked at Winwin, a serious note in his eyes that suddenly looked misty. Winwin then took Taeyong’s hand and placed it on his own chest where his heart should be. “Can you feel mine?”

Winwin’s gaze never left Taeyong, their eyes held the meaning they have been seeking for a long time it seemed.

“Winwin...”

“Can you feel my heart Taeyong? It beats only for you.”

Winwin tried to blink back the sudden rush of tears that threatened to fall. He can’t. Not now... But seeing Taeyong’s eyes fill with unshed tears, he smiled. Winwin knew then that all was not for naught. He had accomplished his goal.

Winwin forgot to breath when Taeyong cupped his cheek and lifted his head to reach Winwin and kissed him tenderly. Winwin felt the soft and gentle caress of Taeyong’s lips on his. It was magical.

When they parted, they smiled at one another as if reaching an understanding. Taeyong wrapped his arms around Winwin. Tugging at the blanket, Winwin pulled it over them and he nestled his head over Taeyong’s heart. Then as if on second thought Winwin started kicking it off. Taeyong glanced at Winwin looking confused.

"I don't think I'll be needing that now," Winwin said slyly.

"Why is that?" Taeyong asked.

“Because now I have you to keep me warm," Winwin whispered. "You will keep me warm during the cold winter nights, won't you Taeyong?"

Taeyong chortled but his voice cracked when he said, "You weren't this cheesy before."

Winwin smiled mischievously and said, "I'll take that as a yes." Then he reached up and planted a soft lingering kiss on Taeyong's lips before saying, "I love you."

“I...I love you too,” Taeyong said huskily, wrought with emotion, hugging Winwin closer to him.

Now Winwin felt complete.