Kihyun turns onto his back, staring at the too-close ceiling. Usually, he doesn’t mind how close it is. After all, he’s on a top bunk and it’s to be expected.  

But, tonight, everything’s different.  

Damn Starship, he can’t help but think ruefully, wondering if other trainees had to deal with this. So far into the competition… Why??? 

That night at dinner, they’d been introduced to their newest challenge: a kid by the name of Im Changkyun. He should’ve known that K.Will wouldn’t buy them all dinner for no reason… He had just been softening them for the blow.  

Kihyun should’ve seen it coming. The judges have made doubly sure to let Gunhee know he isn’t ready to debut, so of course they’d bring another rapper into the mix. Now, Gunhee either has to prove himself and face the challenge or start packing.  

He hopes for Gun’s sake he chooses the first option.  

Kihyun in an annoyed breath through his teeth, knowing he should go to sleep but unable to. His mind is just too wired right now. They’ll be getting their next mission soon, he knows, and he has to be aware enough for that. So, he slowly shifts around on his bed till he’s face to face with his ladder before shimmying down it. He figures he might as well try to have a glass of water or something, just to try and calm down.  

The trainee pads quietly through the dorm, doing his best to be as silent as possible. It’s in the dead of in the dead of night, and the last thing he wants is to wake up one of the others. If he manages to wake up Minhyuk accidentally—again—he’ll never hear the end of it.  

So imagine his surprise upon finding someone already in the kitchen.  

Kihyun doesn’t recognize who it is at first, though he thinks nothing of it. It’s too late into the night to try and figure out who it is judging by a nondescript frame in the dark, after all. He merely shuffles into the kitchen, as it’s nothing to find a fellow stressed out trainer awake at an ungodly hour with a debut mission looming over them. But, he notices the back growing rigid as he approaches, and his brow furrows in confusion as he goes to get a glass.  

Out of the corner of his eye, he notices the acne-scarred cheeks, the nervous tongue swiping across the bottom lip, and Kihyun realizes belatedly why there’s tension in the air.  

Im quickly moves out of the way as Kihyun moves towards the sink. The vocalist ignores it as he turns on the faucet and fills his glass. He chugs half of it in one go, uncertainty filling him. He knows he should probably say something, to be polite, but he can’t think of anything.  

“Sorry,” Changkyun mutters at last, bowing his head before turning as if to scurry from the room. Guilt and pity bite and Kihyun’s conscience, and he finds himself unable to keep from saying next what he does.  

“This is your home now, Changkyun-ssi. Don’t apologize for getting a drink of water when you want to.” He hears Changkyun halt mid-step, and he can’t help but turn, feeling the need to give the younger some reassurance.  

It isn’t as if he blames the kid, anyway. He just wants to debut like the rest of them. If anything, it’s Starship’s fault for putting them all into this ty situation.  

“Just… give everyone some time, okay?” he suggests, causing the younger to turn and face him. “We’ve just gone through a pretty bad loss, so we’re all in a bad place right now. Just give us some time to cope and come to terms with… this… and it’ll be alright eventually.”  

Changkyun seems unable to meet Kihyun’s gaze as he speaks. The young rapper nods once, his shining eyes glued to the floor. Kihyun purses his lips at this. He feels sorry for the kid, he really does. If he manages to debut, this entire scenario is gonna hang around him for his entire career. Starship has done him dirty, maybe even dirtier than the rest of them. He wants the boy to feel comfortable, to know they all won’t hate him forever. He knows that, for that to happen, he has to swallow his own pride.  

“… Look,” Kihyun finally says, sounding a bit defeated, “I know that when Yoonho and Seokwon can’t sleep, they usually want to cuddle for a while to calm down. Since you’re the same age as them, I figure that’s the same kind of issue you’re having. You don’t feel comfortable or safe here, and you need some kind of reassurance, yeah?”  

At first, Changkyun is so still Kihyun thinks the younger hadn’t realized he’d been asked a question. He just remains there, his eyes stuck on a spot on the floor near Kihyun’s feet. Kihyun’s about to pointedly prompt him to answer, but then Changkyun gives a short nod of his head.  

“Okay,” Kihyun says, glad to have gotten a response, much less a response telling him he’s right. “Come with me, then.”  

“W-Where?” Changkyun asks suddenly as Kihyun strides passed him and towards the bedrooms. Kihyun turns, doing his best to throw the younger a characteristic smirk to put him at ease.  

“Trust your hyung, dongsaeng,” he instructs. He can almost hear the surprised choke from the rapper at the suggested use of that particular honorific, and he can’t help but smile amusedly to himself.  

He leads Changkyun to his own room and points up to his bunk. Changkyun parts his lips to say something, a confused light painting his eyes, but Kihyun only makes a shushing motion before gesturing again to his bed. Changkyun frowns, hesitating only another second before climbing up into the bed.  

Kihyun follows once he’s sure Changkyun is comfortable, the twin-sized mattress not leaving much room for anything but cuddling. The small size forces them to lie in each other’s arms. The rapper lies there stiffly for a moment before Kihyun assures him that it’s okay. He then slowly relaxes, snuggling against Kihyun’s chest and burying his face into the older’s shirt.  

He lies so perfectly still for so long that Kihyun is sure he’s fallen asleep. He even feels himself drifting off after a while. That is, until Changkyun speaks, his deep voice thick with emotion.  

“Thank you… hyung.” 

Kihyun can’t help but smile into the dark, patting the top of Changkyun’s head reassuringly.  

“No problem, Changkyunnie.”