Changkyun finds out that Hoseok’s searched up and watched his ASMR videos when he get a comment from a username that is obviously the name of some anime character. Hoseok’s profile pic is a 2D girl with big s, probably the same character in his username. At least, that’s what Changkyun assumes. He clicks on the comment.

Holy you sound so good. I can see why you get so many subs…
Side note though, why did you not wear your earrings when you met us? :( They look so cute on you

He could technically just message Hoseok in their private chat, but Changkyun shoots a reply back on youtube.

You like my earrings ayyyy

The almost immediate ping of a reply surprises Changkyun.

Yes
I can’t wear mine at work :(
At least let me live vicariously through you

He’s not sure why he can hear Hoseok’s pout through the text, but he does. Changkyun scratches his head for a moment, decides his shower can wait, then sits down and picks up his phone. The call goes through almost immediately.

“Hello,” Hoseok says first, almost bashfully.

“Hello,” Changkyun echoes, before he remembers what he called for. He tugs at his earring, the long dangling chain brushing his shoulder. He looks like a Kpop idol wannabe, but then again, he likes it, so who cares. “You know there’s no one stopping you from wearing earrings outside of work even if you can’t wear them at work.”

There’s an exhale, then –

“Yeah, I know.”

Changkyun waits patiently. And Hoseok continues.

“I just… I’m not sure. I mean, I can wear earrings on weekends and all but it’s not the same?” Another pause, and then, Hoseok huffs. “Ah, it’s silly, I guess.”

No it’s not, Changkyun thinks, but he decides to be gentler.

“Doesn’t matter if it’s silly, it can still bother you.”

Hoseok lets out a soft sound. Changkyun pictures him making a face over the phone.

“When did you become so mature, Changkyun-ah?”

It sounds like a diversion, so Changkyun just says, “Why does not being able to wear earrings bother you?”

“It…” There’s shuffling over the line. Changkyun wonders if Hoseok’s lying on his bed, getting comfortable. “I guess I just feel stifled, like I can’t do what I want, even if it’s something as pointless as wearing too many earrings. The men’s dress code at work is just so… boring.”

“Let me guess, no unnatural hair colour,” Changkyun offers. Ki always had obnoxiously bright hair – orange, pink, purple – but Hoseok was the one who had tried the wildest combinations – a very yellow blond, hot flaming red, and the weirdest one had to be pale grey with blue tips, like who even thinks of that? Still, it was clearly something he used to enjoy.

“Yeah. I can still dye it brown I suppose, but it feels rather pointless when I still have to put in time and effort to maintain the colour.”

Changkyun plops down on his bed, rolls onto his side. He thinks for a while how to best say what he thinks without assuming he knows how Hoseok feels.

“It’s not really about the earrings, is it?”

For a while, all Changkyun hears is Hoseok’s quiet breathing, barely there. After some time, Hoseok hums.

“Yeah, I guess not.”

Hoseok doesn’t elaborate. Changkyun doesn’t push. Instead, he tells Hoseok that he’s going to shower. They hang up shortly after, after Hoseok manages to make Changkyun tell him about his day while he glosses over his own.

Changkyun meets Ki by chance the next day.

“Oh, hey – Changkyun,” Ki exclaims when she comes up behind him at the mart.

“Hey.”

Changkyun resists the urge to shuffle, looking at Ki on the sharp tip of her nose rather than her eyes. She doesn’t have her usual winged eyeliner on, dressed in an oversized hoodie and sweatpants that’s seen better days. Still, there’s something like awe at seeing her that Changkyun can’t quite control, and he tries not to be the dumbstruck kid with a fat crush that he had been (still is).

“Are you cooking?” Ki asks, peering at Changkyun’s cart with what can only be called skepticism mixed with an equal dose of amusement. He’s not sure if he should be offended.

“Yeah. I learnt how to cook in the States. Couldn’t get used to the food there so I had to make my own.”

When he looks over, there are also fresh ingredients in Ki’s cart. Changkyun’s not surprised. Ki used to cook for them, once in a while, when they actually had ingredients beyond what they could steal from the convenience store.

“No fish?” Changkyun asks conversationally as he pokes around Ki’s selection. He remembers she had disliked food with strong smells.

“Ew, no. They smell bad.”

When they reach the cashier, Ki makes Changkyun go first, which Changkyun does but not without rolling his eyes.

“Is it because I’m younger than you?” he mumbles as he unloads his items, lets