"So, I just think we need to take some time apart. I need to... figure things out." 

Kihyun waits with baited breath as he stands in front of his boyfriend, doing his best to keep a stoic expression despite the excitement within him. Changkyun hums, nodding his head as if this made all the sense in the world, and Kihyun thinks he's joking. 

"Okay, hyung. If that's what you really want." 

The breath sticks in Kihyun's throat, and his heart shatters into a billion pieces. His pride plummets back down to Earth, and his jaw practically slams against the floor.  

Changkyun... accepts this??? What the hell????  

The younger, seemingly oblivious to the older's turmoil, merely reaches forward, pats his shoulder, and leaves the room. Kihyun's frozen where he stands in this dimly lit, ty little break room, the water cooler bubbling off in the corner and the smell of stale coffee filling the air. He's absolutely dumbfounded, having been so sure the younger would fight for him. 

 

In fact, he'd been so sure about it, he'd made a bet with Minhyuk, the department's busybody. He'd staked his entire relationship on it, claiming Changkyun wouldn't give him up for anything. They'd been through too much to just throw it all away, right? After almost a whole year of flirtatious back-and-forths, of working late at night just to coyly spend more time with the older... After all the questioning, everything they'd risked despite the policy against fraternizing with your coworkers. They'd put their jobs and livelihoods on the line for each other, and this is how it ends?? 

 

Kihyun shakes himself out of his mental ranting just in time to see Minhyuk watching him from the doorway, propped up against the frame with an infuriating 'I told you so' smirk on. The shorter becomes conflicted suddenly between punching him square in the nose or screaming at him about how this is all his fault. He doesn't want to make a scene, though, as Changkyun is sure to notice, and he settles on only roughly shoving up against his shoulder as he passes him on his way back to his cubicle. 

Minhyuk seems all the more unphased by it, merely snickering under his breath and following Kihyun away from the break room. He branches off, though, strutting off towards Changkyun's cubicle. 

"Changkyunie~" Minhyuk calls, his overly sweet tone causing Kihyun's blood to boil as it oh-so easily reaches him over the incessant clacking of keyboards on the floor. Kihyun can just picture it so clearly in his mind. Minhyuk, the supportive friend, slinking his way into Changkyun's broken heart. He'd lean up against Changkyun's desk, run his hands through Changkyun's hair comfortingly, caress his scarred cheek. 

It's enough to make Kihyun snap the pen he'd begun twiddling with as soon as he sat down. 

No, he won't allow that to happen. He cannot allow his precious Kkungie to fall into the lecherous arms of that other man. He has to get him back, but he can't very well retract all the very good reasons he'd just listed to the younger for taking a break in the first place. No, it has to be Changkyun's decision.  

"K-Kihyunnie?" Hoseok's voice suddenly calls from one cubicle over. Kihyun turns to him, noting his raised brow of concern. "Are you okay?" Kihyun hums, merely shrugging a shoulder in reply. Hoseok pouts, this clearly not alleviating his worry. He glances over towards Changkyun's cubicle, his maw flapping open and closed at the most-likely scene of Minhyuk obviously flirting with the youngest on the floor. 

"Did you and Changkyunnie break up, or something?" he asks, seeming utterly confused. Kihyun's throat closes up, and he groans in annoyance as he wipes his face with his hands. Hoseok watches, a light of understanding filling his eyes, and he grips the thin wall tighter at being unable to give the younger a hug of consolation. 

"Don't worry," he tries, his tone tentative, "I'm sure it'll work out... Maybe you two can talk it out during the staff party tonight." 

Kihyun perks up then, having forgotten all about the party. He smiles then, his gaze brightening as the perfect solution to all this comes to him. He swivels in his chair to fully face the older, a teasing smirk setting on his lips. He lifts a shoulder, the movement somewhat slow, and he puts on the sultriest gaze he's ever mustered in his entire life. He knows it works, because Hoseok's gulping thickly as his hands begin to fidget and a bright red blooms up on his cheeks. 

"I'm sure something will turn out immensely well tonight~" he assures the older, waggling a brow. He says loud enough for Changkyun to hear, but Hoseok doesn't seem to notice. He's too busy blubbering about work he has to do and ducking back behind his wall.  

Kihyun can't help the small chuckle that escapes him as he casually glances around, as if he hasn't a care in the world. He purses his lips in disappointment, though, at seeing the younger hadn't looked or anything. He turns back to face his computer screen, telling himself to not give up.  

There's still plenty of time to have Changkyun crawling back to him. 

 

After work, the entire eleventh floor of Starship Enterprises piles itself into the miniscule, hole-in-the-wall bar across the street. Music booms from the grimy boombox in the corner, men in suits belting out off-pitched tunes. Kihyun watches bemusedly from the bar, thinking of how much he'd like to be up there. But, he has a mission, and he can't be distracted by hobbies now. 

"Hyung~" Kihyun calls, drawing Hoseok's attention to him as he wraps his pink lips around the straw of his drink and slurps up the alcohol. Hoseok  his own lips, his gaze strained. "Would you buy me a drink~? I'm just loving this cocktail, but it's just so much, and I wanna be able to do shots for you later~ Oh, I mean, with you..." He throws Hoseok a wink, making sure that Chankgyun sees it from the seat he's currently occupying just behind the older. Hoseok stammers out an acceptance of the request, and he flags the bartender over to order another drink. 

"Y-You might want to thlow down, Kihyunnie..." Hoseok chuckles out, his voice thick with nerves. Kihyun hums, batting his lashes as a perfectly bright smile blazes across his features. 

"You're so kind, hyung," he compliments, reaching out to  Hoseok's well-toned bicep. "You're so caring, you just take care of everyone with these amazing, strong arms... You're so handsome, you have one of the best bodies I've ever seen~" 

"Th-Thank y-you," Hoseok says lamely, his eyes flitting this way and that as he looks at anything but Kihyun. The younger hums, glancing over at Changkyun's seat. Or, at least, where Changkyun should be sitting. The man seems to have gone, to where Kihyun doesn't know. He looks around, pursing his lips confusedly. "Y-You know, Kihyunnie," Hoseok goes on, "I'm fl-flattered and all by your fl-flirting, b-but maybe you should've be tho obviouth, yeah? The b-boss might see and—" 

"Mind if I cut in?" 

Kihyun's heart absolutely soars at the familiar bass tone murmuring passed his ear. Hoseok visibly deflates, as the shorter's reaction had been all kinds of obvious, and he mutters something in reply before shuffling off. Luckily for him, though, Minhyuk's looking for a dance partner and pulls him on the floor before he can get to the bathroom to sulk. 

Changkyun slides into Hoseok's seat, casually grabbing Kihyun's drink and taking a slurp.  

"That's rude," Kihyun nags him, snagging the glass from his hand and finishing it off in one gulp. Changkyun chuckles warmly, leaning to the side to rest his arm on the sticky bar. He props his head onto his hand, a knowing light to his eyes. 

"So, how're things going with Hoseok-hyung? You two gonna get married in the spring?" 

Kihyun feels as if his dongsaeng has just slapped him clear across the face. He splutters something about it being none of Changkyun's business anymore, and the younger only laughs again as he averts his gaze the arrival of Kihyun's second drink. The older downs half of it in one gulp, his head already feeling a little hazy. Maybe he should switch to water for a while. 

"Why doesn't it bother you?" he suddenly demands before he can stop himself. "We've been dating—oh sorry, had dated—for nearly a year, but you seem like you couldn't care less! Aren't you jealous? Don't you—didn't you—care about me at all???" His words just sort of tumble out thanks to his own anger from the day, a feeling that only spikes as Changkyun bursts into laughter, reaching over to pat the top of his head good-naturedly. 

"This isn't funny, you brat!!" he shouts at him, full-on pouting. Changkyun sobers up enough to coo, leaning forward to press a kiss to his cheek. Kihyun stiffens, flabbergasted by the affectionate touch. The younger's eyes sparkle with amusement. 

"Minhyuk-hyung told me you were going to test me," Changkyun finally says, grabbing Kihyun's second glass and drinking from it as he had the first. Kihyun, however, is in a breath of disapproval through his front teeth, the tips of his ears burning in embarrassment as he begins to mentally plot all the ways he could kill Minhyuk and get away with it. "I honestly was going to let it go on a while longer," Changkyun admits, "but I couldn't stand to hear any of that awful flirting anymore." 

"Yah yah!!" Kihyun protests, thwaking his palm against Changkyun's shoulder in retaliation. Changkyun just laughs more, shaking his head. 

"Honestly, I just feel bad for Hoseok-hyung," Changkyun teases. "He actually had to put up with it!!" 

"You can leave at any time," Kihyun spits at him, more agitated than actually upset. He turns on his stool, resolutely not looking at him. Changkyun bites back his own laughter, giving a soft 'awww' as he leans forward. He wraps his arms around Kihyun's waist and nuzzles his face into the older's neck, kissing at his red ears and swaying a bit to the song playing from the jukebox. 

"You know I love your bad flirting, hyung~" Changkyun coos. "I love you." Kihyun visibly deflates, huffing out a breath of defeat. 

"I love you, too, Changkyun-ah." 

He crosses his arms over his chest, silently vowing to never tell Minhyuk anything ever again.