“Pilkyo keeps bragging about how much you love him,” Eric complains, tying his shoelaces. “Not in a bad way, but he just won’t shut up about it. What did you do to him?”

Andy’s brain blanks out for a second. Hyesung had told people about it? Bragged, even? There’s a tight feeling in his chest, and he can’t help the small smile that forms on his lips. “I don’t know,” he answers, trying to hide his blush. “We hung out a few days ago, had lunch together.”

Eric straightens up, eyeing Andy curiously. “Huh,” he says after a while. “And you didn’t invite me.”

“We didn’t want you.” Andy’s retort comes quickly, and he sticks out his tongue. “Hyesungie-hyung’s my favorite. I’m not going to share him with you.”

“Hey, that’s not fair!” Junjin, who’s just walked in, protests with a pout. “Hyesungie-hyung’s my favorite too!”

Andy bounds over, punching his arm playfully. “You can’t have him! He’s mine!”

“Says who?”

They play-fight for a while, at least until Minwoo walks by and joins in. “What’s the problem?” he asks, clapping both on the shoulder. “Why don’t you tell your favorite hyung, hm?”

Junjin and Andy look at each other in surprise, and then burst out laughing. Minwoo shakes his head and chuckles, but he leaves them alone. “Kids,” he seems to say before walking away.

Finally, when Hyesung and Dongwan walk in, coffees in hand, practice begins for real, and there’s no more time to argue about who Hyesung likes better.

Except there’s always time to mull over it. Andy watches Minwoo explain - for the umpteenth time - that Hyesung’s moving in the wrong direction and smiles a bit. How many times has Andy explained this himself? Hyesung shakes his head, frustrated with himself, and Andy’s chest constricts. He shouldn’t blame himself; it’s just a mistake, one that anyone can make, one that they’ve all made before.

It’s not a big deal.

But maybe it is.

The music starts again, and Hyesung dances fabulously this time. Andy can’t help but smile, which is uncharacteristic of him in the practice room, so he quickly tamps it down.

Not before Dongwan notices, though.

“Awww, our cute little maknae is smiling for once!” he coos, slinging an arm around his shoulders. “What was it that made you so happy? Is it because you’re together with hyungs who love you?”

There’s only one whose love matters, Andy thinks, and although it’s a bit heartless, it’s true. He could survive solely off Hyesung, off his attention, but then again, isn’t he already?

“No, it’s because no one did so badly that I had to curse at them,” he responds cheekily, as he always would. Dongwan guffaws, his laughter echoing around the room.

“And that made you happy.” His laugh lines show, and he pats Andy’s head once before withdrawing his hand. “I’ll make sure to dance terribly next time,” he promises, “just to make you mad.” He skips away with a wink, off to bother Eric or Minwoo, leaving Andy alone in the room with Junjin.

For a while, they only play on their phones, but then, out of nowhere, Junjin asks, “Do you really think Pilkyo-hyung has a favorite?”

Andy’s heart lurches, and he loses his game. “I don’t know.” He throws his phone down on the couch and stretches. “Probably not.”

Junjin casts him an odd glance. “He’s been talking about you a lot lately,” he says. “And didn’t you hang out a few days ago?”

“Yeah.” Andy shrugs nonchalantly. His heart pounds, and the room suddenly seems too hot, but he tries to stay natural. “So? Don’t you hang out with him way more than I do?”

The realization hits Andy like a truck, like a bucket of cold water, like an arrow through his heart. He hangs out with Choongjae more than me. He hangs out with Eric-hyung more than me. He hangs out with anyone more than me. I was never, am never, will never be, the first choice. His first choice.

Junjin shakes his head, going back to his game. “Maybe.” He doesn’t sound mad, but Andy burns with shame. “I was just making an observation.” He stands up, smiling. “Get coffee with me?”

“That sounds good.” Maybe it’ll take his mind off Hyesung, and Andy follows Junjin out the door. Just as luck would have it, though, they haven’t even walked two steps before they bump into - guess who? - Hyesung.

“Sunho, Choongjae!” Hyesung perks up like a puppy, running excitedly to greet them. “Where are you going?”

“To get coffee,” Junjin answers, almost placatingly. “Does hyung want to come with us?”

Hyesung latches an arm onto each maknae (Andy’s arm instinctively comes up to circle his waist). “Nope!” he responds eagerly. “I already had some.”

It must be a funny sight, Andy thinks. Junjin’s 182, Hyesung’s 179, and he’s 175. It’s like Russian stacking dolls, all in a row. Then, at the exact same time, Hyesung pipes up, “Isn’t it funny how our heights are just going down, from Choongjae to me to Sunho?”

“Hyung, that’s exactly what I was thinking!” Andy playfully bumps his hip into Hyesung. “Stop stealing my thoughts!”

“Sorry,” Hyesung laughs, drawing Andy closer to his side. “It’s not like you said it out loud or anything, so technically, it wasn’t your idea first, but mine, since I was the one who said it first.”

“But hyung,” Junjin breaks in. “How do you know that it wasn’t my idea? I could have been thinking it way before Sunho thought of it too, and neither of you would have known.”

They continue to bicker the entire way down to the cafe, and for once, Andy’s happy. Really, truly happy, even though Choongjae’s right there and stealing attention (as he always does), even though Hyesung’s clinging to his baby bird more than Sunho, but Hyesung’s there. He’s there, and Choongjae makes it less awkward, and Andy’s grateful.

The coffee is cold, but Hyesung hands it to him with a smile, and Andy’s entire brain melts.

Practice? What practice? Work? What work? His entire purpose in life is to make Hyesung laugh, make him smile, and as long as he can do that, Andy’s life will be fine.

That's a wrap for Act I! Next week, we'll be getting into Act II :DD so pls look forward to that!