Ever since their trainee days Hansol and Seungkwan had been close. The other members in their group often made jokes and teased them about it. Seungcheol had reacted very surprised when Hansol had to explain to him how, no, he and Seungkwan were in fact not a couple. Not that he had never thought about it. He had. A lot. There had been a period of time when there was a definite tension between them, at least from Hansol's side. No, he was sure Seungkwan had felt it too. A tension where they almost. One of them would lean in almost too close, their lips were so close together they'd almost kiss, or they'd stare at each other almost too long. But it never went past almost.

 

It was for the best. Not dating, but wrapping themselves in a nice warm blanket of close friendship was for the best. They shouldn't date people in the same group. The risk of it turning sour was too big. That's what Hansol told himself. He had never really talked about it with Seungkwan, but he was sure he felt the same way. Or at least, he had been sure. As he was looking at Seungkwan and Mingyu making dinner together he became less and less sure.

 

Those two had been very close lately. Much closer than they used to be. They were hanging out after work, took selcas together all the time, and now they were making dinner together. Since when did Seungkwan make dinner? Hansol wondered. He was staring at them from across the room. Even when they were arguing they seemed to be having fun. Seungkwan looked so comfortable and happy around Mingyu. Wasn't that good? Why was it making Hansol feel so...not good?

 

His thoughts were interrupted by Soonyoung's voice next to him. “Those two have been flirting so much lately, it's driving me crazy.”

 

“I...I don't think they're flirting.” Hansol replied, trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince Soonyoung.

 

“Are you kidding me? Look, just look at that!” Just as he said it Mingyu put his arms around Seungkwan to guide his hand to show him how to cut onions. “Oh here, let me show you how to do something very basic that almost anyone can do by wrapping my tall handsome body around yours, Seungkwan.” Soonyoung said in a voice that was a very bad Mingyu impersonation. “Oh, Mingyu let me touch your arm and back casually as I walk by and laugh at your jokes that aren't even funny.”

 

“That's not what they're saying.”

 

“Well, duh. It's what they're doing though. I don't know what exactly is going on between those two, but they're definitely flirting. You should ask Seungkwan about it. Doesn't he always tells you everything anyway?”

 

Hansol didn't ask. He told himself it wasn't any of his business, but really he was just afraid of the answer. A few weeks went by. The more Hansol tried to not pay attention to the interaction between Seungkwan and Mingyu, the more he noticed. And the more he noticed, the more he started to realize his own feelings for Seungkwan that went beyond friendship. Way beyond. He needed to get a grip because his feelings started to claw it's way to the surface and along with his loving feelings for Seungkwan came feelings of jealousy and envy towards Mingyu.

 

<>

 

“Hansol?”

 

“What is it Seungkwan?”

 

“Mingyu's show is about to start. Do you want to watch with me?”

 

Do I want to watch how you look at him and feel like my heart is being ripped out? No thanks. “Sure, I'll watch with you.”

 

They sat down on the couch together. They were the only ones in the dorm right now. A rare occasion. Hansol tried to focus on the music program that Mingyu was an MC for, but Seungkwan was sitting so close. He lifted his arm and wrapped it around his shoulders. Hansol had done this before, being this close was nothing new for them and yet it made him nervous now. He was hyper-aware of every part of Seungkwan that touched a part of himself. He was aware of his body heat, of his breathing, the faint scent of his shampoo.

 

“Oh my god, he is so stupid!” Seungkwan suddenly yelled and Hansol turned his attention to the TV screen just in time to see how Mingyu had handed a rose to VIXX's leader Cha Hakyeon, who was now laughing awkwardly along with the rest of the people on the stage. For a moment Hansol's heart dropped, thinking Seungkwan was upset because Mingyu had given a flower to someone else.

 

“Can you believe this, Hansol? I told him to give a flower to his crush. I obviously didn't mean in front of hundreds of other people and on television!”

 

“Mingyu likes Cha Hakyeon?” Hansol's brain was a confused mess. Not only was Seungkwan not upset because Mingyu liked someone else, but he was the one giving Mingyu advice on how to deal with his crush? His crush that was, as it turned out, not Seungkwan.

 

“Yeah...he's been talking with me about it a lot lately and he asked for my help to confess his feelings. I honestly don't think Hakyeon will return his feelings, but you never know right?”

 

“And...you think giving a flower to your crush is a good way to let them know how you feel?”

 

“As long as you don't do it on freakin' TV, like some people. I still can't believe he just did that.” He threw his hands in the air and sighed. “Oh and . Can you not tell Mingyu that you know? Or that you now know that he likes guys? I don't think he'd mind you knowing, but it wasn't really for me to tell, you know.”

“Well...” Hansol said in reply, “he's the one who just very obviously nervous gave a flower to a surprised and somewhat flustered Hakyeon, so...I could have just deducted it myself without you telling me anything.”

 

Seungkwan chuckled and got comfortable against Hansol's side, “Yeah, I guess so. Thanks.”

 

<>

 

It was two days later and Hansol was preparing to make his move. He would have done it sooner, but he wanted to be alone with Seungkwan and if you're in a group with twelve other people that isn't always easy. He bought a flower and he was going to give it to Seungkwan. Right now. Yes. Really. He was going to do it. He told himself for the millionth time. He almost dropped the flower when his bedroom door opened and in came Seungkwan who walked straight to his mirror.

 

“Hansol, what do you think of this shirt? It's actually Soonyoung's, but I can pull it off right?”

 

“Seungkwan?” Hansol's voice was weak, but he knew Seungkwan must have heard him because he turned around to face him.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Seungkwan. I, eh, got you this flower? I forgot the name, but it's round and pink and beautiful and it reminded me of you, so...here” He stuck out his hand with the flower in it and waited for Seungkwan to crush his heart. Or to accept his feelings, but probably to crush his heart. Seungkwan took the flower and smiled.

 

“Aw, that's so sweet, Hansollie. Thanks”

 

Hansol waited for him to continue. To say something. But instead he was already looking in the mirror again, now posing with the flower.

 

“That's it? It's sweet?” He asked, his voice harsher than he had meant it to. He wasn't angry, he was confused.

 

Seungkwan turned around again and looked as confused as Hansol felt. “Wasn't it supposed to be sweet? Why are you getting mad at me?”

 

“I'm not mad, I'm telling you that I'm in love with you.”

 

“Wait, what? A-are you serious or is this your weird sense of humor that I don't always get?”

 

Hansol sighed and gestured to the flower in Seugkwan's hand. “I'm giving you a flower.”

 

“...?”

 

“Mingyu and Hakyeon?”

 

“...?”

 

“You told him to give a flower to his crush to let them know his feelings. Well, I'm doing that now. I'm letting you know that I want you to take my flower!” As soon as the words left his mouth he realized what that last part had sounded like and he immediately turned bright red. “No! I mean, wait. I meant to say that I like you. I have for some time, but I didn't think we should be dating because we're in the same group. But now I've decided that it's a stupid reason not to be together, so I think we should date. If you want, you know. I wasn't talking about . I mean I hope some day, when we're both ready...no...I mean...I haven't really thought about that. Well, I have, but I don't mean that-”

 

“Hansol?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Stop talking.”

 

“Okidoki.”

 

“You like me?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You want to date me?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“This isn't some weird prank or whatever?”

 

“Of course it's not. I would never do that.”

 

“You're right you wouldn't. You might be a total tsundere, but you're not mean like that.”

 

“I'm not tsundere.”

 

Seungkwan scoffed. “You so are. It's part of the reason why I was never able to figure out if you liked me back or not.”

 

“You like me?”

 

“Well, duh. I just didn't think dating someone in the same group was a good idea and I certainly wasn't going to risk ruining our friendship by confessing and being turned down. But...” He looked Hansol in the eye, a bit shyer than usual, “seeing as you already just did that and said there is no reason for us not to date I guess we have to now.”

 

Hansol chuckled shyly, “So that's it? We're dating?”

 

“I guess we are.”

 

“So...can I kiss you?”

 

Seungkwan blushed, but tried to seem unphased. “Sure, whatever.”

 

Hansol stepped closer and placed his hands on Seungkwan's hips. They both leaned in at the same time, causing their lips to crash together a bit rougher than intended, but despite the initial awkwardness it felt right. It didn't feel weird. The only weird thing was they hadn't done this a long time ago.

 

Hansol pulled back and smiled at his boyfriend. He could call him his boyfriend now, right? He softly his cheek with the back of his hand. “Thank god that tree didn't steal you away before I could kiss you.”

 

“What tree? Mingyu?”

 

“Yeah, Mingyu. You two have been very close lately and it was driving me crazy. I don't know what I would have done if you two had really been together.”

 

Seungkwan scoffed, “Yeah, right. Me and Mingyu. We'd probably just fight half of the time and have makeup the other half.”

 

Hansol scrunched up his face at the thought of Seungkwan and Mingyu in bed together.

 

Seungkwan reached up to pinch Hansol's cheek. “Aw, don't be jealous. I promise there is nothing between me and Mingyu. You're the only one I'll be having makeup with.”

 

Hansol eyes grew about three sizes at Seungkwan's comment and so did Seungkwan's when he realized what he'd said. “I mean. Let's have regular first. No, let's not have . I mean, not right away. I mean...I don't know what I mean. Please kiss me again so I stop rambling and embarrassing myself.”

 

Hansol did what was asked of him and they both got lost in each other. Until they were interrupted by a loud mixture of ooeeeh, my eyes!, and I told you they'd get together! With their hands still all over each other and messed up hair they slowly turned to look at the door opening to see their group members looking at them with smirks on their faces. Seungkwan untangled himself from Hansol's arms and attempted to straighten out his clothes. “What? You've never seen two boyfriends kiss before? It's 2018, get educated.”