Wonwoo looked on as Jun put down the countless bags of groceries he had brought with him on the table.

“What's all this?”

Jun beamed brightly at him, “Food!”

Wonwoo chuckled and stood up. He peeked into one of the plastic bags. “I can see that. But what is it for?”

“Dinner! I've been meaning to cook for you! You know what they say. A man's heart is in his stomach.”

Wonwoo raised an eyebrow, “Is that what they say?”

Jun nodded as he started to take out the ingredients.

“Not that I don't appreciate it, but didn't you buy a bit...much? You can feed an entire cat shelter with the amount of meat you have here.”

“Nah, it's fine!”

Wonwoo highly doubted that, but he didn't want to be a negative Nancy when his boyfriend was doing something sweet. So he stayed out of the way and let Jun take over his kitchen. It wasn't too long after he had started preparing his elaborate feast that he came into the living room with a sheepish look on his face.

“So, ehm...” he started and Wonwoo looked up from his laptop, “I'm starting to realize I am indeed making way too much food for just the two of us and I was thinking it might be fun if I invite Hansol and Seungkwan over to join us. Kind of like a double date thing. Is that okay?”

“Sure, I guess.”

“Awesome! I'll give them a call right away!”

Jun disappeared back into the kitchen and Wonwoo stretched his arms. He could hear Jun's voice coming from the kitchen. Most likely calling Hansol. It was then that Wonwoo started to realize what situation he would be in. It would be two Carrots, a Ruby, and him, a Daebak. Even taking away any gang affiliations, that by this point in time weren't as important as they might have been in the past, it would be him with his still very new relationship and two of his friends. It was exactly the type of social situation that he was uncomfortable with. He got up and walked over to the kitchen.

“And? Are they coming?” he asked as he peeked over Jun's shoulder to see what he was cooking anyway.

“Yeah! Sol said they'd be here for sure. Didn't really think he'd say no to free food anyway.”

“Okay. Good. So, ehm, just how much food are you making? Can I invite one or two more?”

“Wow, we're really talking dinner party then! Let's do it!” He turned around and held up a spoon to Wonwoo's mouth, “Here. Taste this. Does it need more salt?”

Wonwoo let Jun feed him and smiled, “Nah, it's perfect.”

Jun smiled and turned back around and Wonwoo walked back to the living room and picked up his phone. It took a moment for the other person to answer.

“Hao? Yeah, it's me. Listen, can you please come over to my house for dinner tonight? Jun is cooking but he made way too much so he invited Hansol and Seungkwan. I'll be surrounded by Carrots and Rubies.” He could hear Minghao click his tongue.

“Can't you ask Seok?”

“I would but he'd bring Soonyoung and I'm not sure I can take a whole dinner with those two. Especially if Seungkwan is also there. I need someone a bit more quiet. Please, Hao? You can bring Mingyu.”

Minghao sighed and reluctantly agreed.

<>

“Who was that?” Seungkwan asked after Hansol shoved his phone back into his back pocket.

“Jun. He asked us over for dinner at Wonwoo's tonight.”

“Like a dinner party?”

“Nah, he just made too much food I think. I said we'd go. Is that okay?”

Seungkwan shrugged, “Sure. We were going to have dinner together anyway. Might as well be at Wonwoo's house I suppose. Although that might be weird...how well do we really know him?”

“Not that well. But he's Jun's boyfriend now so...”

Seungkwan nodded and hummed. He took out his own phone from his bag and handed it to his boyfriend. “Take a picture of me with Mingyu's painting. I like to have photographic evidence of my support for him.”

Hansol chuckled and started to snap some shots of his boyfriend posing in front of the painting Mingyu had made. They were out on a quick date to the art gallery and Hansol had to admit that he was quite impressed by what he saw. He handed Seungkwan his phone back and stared at the painting again. “You know, I wouldn't have thought from just looking at him, but he's actually really talented at this art stuff.”

Seungkwan looked at the painting with a soft smile on his face, “He is. I just wish his parents would think so. I know he's miserable trying to become a doctor. I mean...he likes people and all, but he struggles a lot. I try to help him by making him study, but I know it's not what he wants to do.”

Hansol had never really understood the way all the Rubies seemed to follow the path their parents wanted them to take despite their own ambitions. Seungkwan would probably still be doing that if it hadn't been for Hansol. The irony was that Seungkwan, unlike Mingyu, actually seemed to have been quite content with the career path he had been set on. Sometimes a small voice in the back of Hansol's head wondered if Seungkwan would ever start to resent him for how his life had changed since the start of their relationship.

<>

Jeonghan sat down on the slightly dirty chair and took a deep breath. The chair on the other side of the thick plastic was still empty. He hadn't told anyone that he was coming here today. He hadn't even told anyone about the phone call. It had been a few weeks since that night. A part of Jeonghan was being petty and didn't want to seem like he was rushing over as soon as Jihoon told him he could visit. Another part of him was nervous. Nervous about what he might have to say.

The door opened and he sat up a little straighter, tension running through his body. Jihoon sat down across from him. He was slightly thinner than Jeonghan remembered, but overall he didn't look bad. His hair was back to black. Jeonghan thought about how he would probably run his hand through it and attempt to style it a little better if it wasn't for the partition keeping them apart. Their eyes met and for a moment there was nothing but silence.

“Hey.” Jihoon's slightly hoarse voice broke the silence.

Jeonghan took a deep breath, “Hey.”

“Did you...” Jihoon shifted in his seat a bit, he looked uncomfortable with this unfamiliar vibe between them, “...did you have a good birthday?”

“I suppose.” Jeonghan replied, “I had a pretty great party thrown for me.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” Jeonghan was quickly growing tired of Jihoon's attempt at small talk. “Why did you suddenly decide to contact me?”

Jihoon averted his eyes, “I just...someone told me that I was being unfair for avoiding you guys and-”

“Someone?” Jeonghan interrupted him. As far as he knew Jihoon had been avoiding contact with everyone.

“Ehm, Boo Seungkwan.”

Jeonghan had to exercise a hefty amount of self-control to remain calm, “And how, exactly...” he spoke slowly, “...is it that Boo Seungkwan was able to tell you this?”

“He, eh, requested to be put on my visitor's list and I just wanted to see what he wanted so I agreed. He basically told me to get over myself.” Jihoon chuckled slightly, “He's an interesting kid, that one.”

His smile fell from his face immediately when he met eyes with his old friend again, “Jeonghan. I-”

All of Jeonghan's emotions from the last few months were starting to boil over. He didn't want to hear what Jihoon had to say anymore. It had been one thing to be ignored along with everyone else. But to know that Jihoon had agreed to see someone he barely knew just to 'see what he wanted' felt like a betrayal of their years of friendship.

“You called me a ...” he spoke softly and Jihoon stiffened at the memory. He knew that he had hurt Jeonghan with those words. He knew it would hurt him before he even said it and he had said it anyway.

“You ignored me for months...” Jeonghan continued, “...and when you finally tell me that you want to see me...No, you didn't even do that. You told me I could come see you. Like it's some sort of favor to me. And now you tell me you agreed to see Seungkwan, a guy you hardly know?” He scoffed and shook his head. “Why am I even here?” He stood up and stared down at Jihoon who had never looked so small. “ you!”

Without giving him another look he turned around and stormed out the door.

Jihoon sat deflated. “Come on, Lee. Time to head back.” the guard behind him spoke. He sighed and got up. The guard slapped his shoulder and laughed.

“Cheer up, Lee. A cute guy like you won't have any trouble finding another boyfriend. Especially in here.” His tone was mocking and rubbed Jihoon in all the wrong ways. He let his frustration get the better of him and he roughly pushed the guard away from him. Within seconds Jihoon found himself face first pushed against the wall with his hands on his back.

“Watch it, Lee. You don't want me to write you down for attacking a guard, do you?”

“N-no.” Jihoon answered through his teeth and he felt the grip on his wrists loosen. He hated this place. He hated the fluorescent lights. He hated the way it smelled. He hated the guards. He hated the other prisoners. He hated himself for being in here. He hated himself for not contacting Jeonghan or any ot the Daebaks sooner and at the same time he hated himself for contacting anyone at all. Back in his cell he was at least glad his former cellmate had been released a few days ago and they hadn't given him a new one yet. If they had he was sure he would have beaten the crap out of him right now. In pure frustration he punched the hard cold wall. Again and again until he sank down on the floor where he stayed for the rest of the day, barely registering the throbbing pain in his hand.

<>

Wonwoo was silently listening to the conversations going on at the table and he had to say that this whole dinner party thing had been going surprisingly well. He had been a bit worried about feeling like an outcast in his own home, but instead found himself enjoying the company that he was in. Mingyu had proven himself useful by helping Jun out in the kitchen (and to Wonwoo's delight his cat didn't seem to like Mingyu. At all.) and Minghao seemed calmer besides him. The others all seemed to get along well too.

They were about to have dessert when the doorbell rang. Wonwoo had no idea who it could be, but got up to answer the door. To his surprise Jeonghan stood on the other side. He immediately stormed passed Wonwoo only to come to a halt in the middle of the room.

“Oh, sorry. I didn't know you had people over.”

“What's going on? Are you okay?” Wonwoo said as he closed the door. It was quite unlike Jeonghan to suddenly show up like this.

Jeonghan turned around to face him and he scoffed, “Pissed off is what I am! Who does he think he is! First, he calls me on my birthday to tell me that I can come visit him. Like his existence is some sort of gift to me or something!? And then when I go to see him he's just sitting there like it's nothing!”

Wonwoo scrunched his brows together, “Who exactly are you talking about?”

“Jihoon! That little-”

“You went to see him? When was this?” Wonwoo was taken aback by this information.

“Today. But I got so angry and stormed off. Can you believe he let Seungkwan see him!? Seungkwan!”

All eyes at the table turned to Seungkwan, including Jeonghan's. “No offense, Seungkwan, but what the ?”

“What I can't believe...” Wonwoo, who was the only person looking at Jeonghan instead of at Seungkwan, spoke with an anger filled calm much like Jeonghan had with Jihoon a few hours prior, “...is that he apparently called you on your birthday and you didn't tell me. Your birthday was weeks ago, Jeonghan. ”

Jeonghan turned back around. An awkward silence filling the apartment.

“I...”

“You're not the only one he's been ignoring, you know! What about the rest of us?” Wonwoo questioned.

“I know that. I just thought I should see what he wanted first.” Jeonghan tried to reason in his own defense.

“And you didn't even do that, did you?”

“I didn't come here for this judgment about how I should have handled the situation! I came here to rant about what an he is!”

Wonwoo scoffed. “Perhaps you're mistaking me for one of the people you've got wrapped around your finger. You can't keep me in the dark about stuff like this and then expect me to just focus on how you're feeling about it when it doesn't go your way! Bottom line is that you should have told us! I know you and Jihoon have a strong bond, but come on.”

Wonwoo was right. Jeonghan knew this. But he didn't want to hear it right now. So instead of trying to calm down and talk about it he smiled his fake smile he usually reserved for customers, “Well, I'm very sorry for disturbing your evening of...” he looked around the table to take in who were actually there, “...whatever kind of weird dinner party this is supposed to be. If you'll excuse me, I'll get out of your hair.”

He swung open the door and walked out, but Wonwoo wasn't having it. He followed him out.

“So that's it? You barge in, make a scene, and leave?”

Jeonghan pressed the elevator button and kept his eyes focused on it. “Yes.”

Wonwoo sighed. “Fine. Whatever. Thank you for ruining my evening by being a petty little .”

The elevator doors opened and Jeonghan stepped inside. By the time he turned around Wonwoo was already gone and the doors closed silently.