Hyesung’s early for once, Andy notices. He hides a smile behind his hand as he walks into the cafe. Hyesung has his head down, hat pulled low over his face, and Andy can’t help laughing.

He’s had that stupid cap for well over ten years now, and no matter how much the members tease Junjin about keeping old clothes, Hyesung’s the one they really need to worry about.

“Hey, hyung.” Andy slides into the seat across the round table. “What a surprise, you’re early.”

Hyesung lets out an amused snort and takes a sip of water. “And what a surprise, you’re not late,” he teases, handing him a menu. “Order, kid. I’m starving.”

Andy’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “Oh? You waited for me, hyung?” He tries to hide his burning cheeks with the menu. “I’m flattered,” he manages to say before flagging down a waiter. Fortunately, Hyesung does not order the most expensive thing on the menu, and Andy breathes a sigh of relief for his wallet.

“So, Sunho.” After the waiter leaves, Hyesung leans forward, and Andy panicks slightly. “What motivated you to be nice and pay today?” Hyesung props his chin on his hand and blinks cutely. “Is hyung your favorite and that’s why?”

Andy laughs awkwardly, avoiding Hyesung’s eyes. He’s pretty sure Hyesung would be able to tell if he lied, so he doesn’t. “Yeah,” he admits, flushing red again. Hyesung laughs, and Andy buries his face in his hands. “Stop itttttttttt, people will recognize us…”

“Aww, you’re so cute, Sunho,” Hyesung coos, ruffling Andy’s hair. “You’re my favorite too, you know.”

Andy hadn’t known, but Hyesung’s words make his heart leap, and he raises his head excitedly. “Wait, really?” Hyesung nods like it was obvious, but in his shock, Andy’s brain stops working, and he blurts out, “Stop lying, everyone knows you like Jin better.”

Hyesung recoils in shock. “What do you mean?” He sounds hurt, and Andy shifts uncomfortably in his seat. “Sunho, you know that’s not true.” Hyesung crosses his arms, and suddenly, a surge of anger rises in Andy’s chest. Before he knows it, something’s snapped, and he’s turned defensive, accusing, unable to stop the words tumbling out of his mouth.

“But hyung, you always hang out with him, and it’s not like the fans don’t know, and it’s ing terrible to see everyone shipping Jinsyung and the Birds, and hell, even Ricsyung, because god knows you don’t actually act like that in real life!” Andy doesn’t know what he’s talking about anymore, but he continues to throw the words at Hyesung. “Is it so bad if I want there to be some semblance of truth out there? That you don’t just hang out with Choongjae or Eric-hyung, that you hang out with the rest of us too, that you care about both your baby birds?”

“Lee Sunho--”

Before Hyesung can say anything else, the waiter reappears, a wary look in his eyes. “Here are your orders, sirs,” the young man says carefully, placing the trays down. “One English breakfast with coffee, and one pancake platter with orange juice.” He backs away as quickly as possible, and Hyesung takes this chance to interject.

“Sunho, I don’t know why you’re so mad, but I’m sorry if it was my fault.” He pushes his food away and reaches for Andy’s hand. “Let’s talk through this, okay? I don’t want to fight with you, especially here and today.”

But Andy is too far gone. He rejects Hyesung’s advances of peace with a jerk of his head. “Hyung, you care about me too, don’t you?” he asks, almost crying. Hyesung opens his mouth, expression conflicted, but Andy goes on. “If you care so much about me, then why don’t we ever hang out on TV? Why don’t we ever interact during concerts or broadcasts? Why do you only ever talk to me when we’re alone?”

“Because I ing love you too much!”

Hyesung explodes, and the entire restaurant freezes to look at them. Even Andy is shocked into silence. Who is this person in front of him? It’s not Hyesung. Hyesung hardly gets seriously angry, and he would never stand up so abruptly, never accidentally knock his glass over. It shatters into a million pieces. Sparkling crystal shards scatter, and orange juice spills all over the floor, but both Hyesung and Andy can only stare at the mess.

Orange - like them, like their friendship, their brotherhood - broken, just like this? The food lies untouched on the table, and Hyesung bows ninety degrees, to the other customers, to the staff, and hurriedly helps clean up. It was a hidden camera prank, he explains in a flat-out lie, as Andy joins the clean-up crew. We didn’t think this through very well, we’re so, so sorry.

Then, suddenly, Hyesung’s grip is vice-like on Andy’s arm, dragging him out of the restaurant and into Hyesung’s car.

“What the actual ?” he snarls, starting the engine with a sharp twist of the key. “Why did you have to go bring up something like that, and in public? Lee Sunho, you haven’t been an idol for twenty years for nothing.”

Andy feels small, faces the window, curls into himself. “I’m sorry, hyung,” he says softly, but Hyesung is too angry to just let the matter go.

“No, tell me,” he demands, stopping at a red light. “Tell me what the I’ve been doing wrong, huh? What, no words to say now?”

Hyesung’s face is contorted in anger, and Andy is scared. Scared, afraid, terrified that Hyesung might resort to violent methods, that Hyesung might hate him forever, that Hyesung might…

Leave.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he keeps repeating, pressing his fingers over his eyes. “I-I don’t know what I was saying, can we just--”

“Let this go?” Sometimes, Andy wishes Hyesung didn’t know him so well. “Sunho, you embarrassed the entire group back there. I can’t just let this go.” He glances over, and Andy can read the conflict in his anger. “I just want you to tell me what I’ve done wrong, why you’re mad at me, so I can improve.”

Andy can only shake his head, and Hyesung doesn’t press. They don’t speak for the rest of the ride, even when Hyesung pulls up in front of Andy’s apartment building. They stay silent, even when Andy opens the door and steps out, even when Hyesung rolls down the window, leans an arm out, hesitates, and ultimately backs away.

They don’t speak for a while.

eeeeeep a fight!!! (did yall notice my convenient ORANGE juice? ;PP) also WHO ELSE IS ING EXCITED FOR AUGUST COMEBACK!!! i'm ing dying whebrgsuejrzsd