Hyungwon doesn’t release his hold on Kihyun until they’re up the stairs, through the hall, and outside of the house. He slams the front door behind them both, his teeth clenched and a dark fury overtaking his eyes the likes of which seems impossible for someone his age to muster. Kihyun watches uneasily, able to imagine Hyungwon as a ticking bomb set to go off at just the wrong breath.

Hyungwon glares daggers into the grass beneath their feet, chewing on his thumb. Kihyun takes a deep breath, thinking if he doesn’t say something now the grass will just spontaneously combust from Hyungwon’s anger.

“Wonnie…” he starts, his tone soft and gentle as if he were speaking to a wounded animal, “talk to me. What’s wrong?”

Hyungwon laughs, actually laughs, at that. He looks back to Kihyun, disbelieving.

“You kiss another boy right in front of me , and you ask me what’s wrong???” Hyungwon scoffs, rolling his eyes. He turns fully to face the older, crossing his arms over his chest. When he finally meets Kihyun’s gaze, the anger dissipates ever so slightly, replaced instead by pain.

“I know you’re not stupid, Ki,” Hyungwon begins, his gaze dropping once more, as if unable to look at Kihyun as he goes on. “I know you’ve got to know how I feel about you, even if I’ve never said it… Hell, when Minhyuk said you had a crush on someone, I thought maybe, just maybe, you’d FINALLY woken up and realized how right we are for each other!!! But, no, I guess I was wrong. I guess Hyunwoo’s the one you like?? I mean, you were so eager to kiss him, I can only assume—’

“I don’t like Hyunwoo,” Kihyun is quick to assure the younger, shaking his head. This shuts Hyungwon up, his eyes narrowing to mere slits. He doesn’t seem as if he quite believes it, his entire body rigid with tension. Kihyun hesitantly takes a step forward, gulping thickly. “I… I was going to tell you the other day, but Min talked me out of it. He didn’t mean to! But, I guess I just psyched myself out…”

“Tell me what?” Hyungwon asks, though to anyone else listening the answer is obvious. His heart screams at him to dare to believe again, to believe in Kihyun, but he doesn’t dare to. Not until the old just comes out and says it. Kihyun pauses, taking a steadying breath, the slowest breath in all the world, before he gently reaches forward to touch one of Hyungwon’s hands.

“I like you , Chae Hyungwon,” Kihyun tells his best friend, his voice not even steady despite the heavy truth it carries. He smiles sheepishly, shrugging a single shoulder helplessly. “I just… I didn’t think you felt the same way, and I didn’t want to ruin us, so I thought keeping it to myself would be best.”

“Then why’d you kiss Hyunwoo?” Hyungwon demands, refusing to just melt into a puddle at the first word. He feels his shoulders drop, though, a relieved sigh escaping through his nose. But, he doesn’t want to leave Kihyun off the hook quite yet.

“Because… it was the game,” Kihyun says lamely, an unspoken apology in his voice. “I only agreed that we should play it because I thought Minhyuk had figured out a way to get it to land on you and me… I don’t think it landing on Hyunwoo was part of the plan at all.”

Hyungwon sighs through his mouth this time, dropping his arms to grip onto Kihyun’s hands as he steps closer. He fills the space between them, peering down at Kihyun due to their different heights, feeling as if he’s looking at the stars themselves with how Kihyun’s eyes twinkle up at him.

“So you… wanna kiss me~?” Hyungwon can’t help but say, a teasing lilt to his voice as he smirks. Kihyun chuckles breathily, humming in affirmation. He brings a hand up to cup Hyungwon’s cheek, and the younger leans into the touch. Kihyun then throws caution to the wind, stretching up on his tiptoes and presses the lightest of kisses against Hyungwon’s lips.

He’d been right before. Kissing Hyungwon is like kissing a cloud, or maybe cotton candy. His lips are soft and sweet, just like the boy they belong to.

Hyungwon opens his eyes after the kiss, smiling the widest, brightest smile Kihyun’s ever seen on his face. Kihyun can’t help but laugh, more air than sound. He leans up, looping his arms around Hyungwon’s neck to keep him close. Hyungwon’s arms snake around his waist, resting his forehead against the older’s with affection shining in his gaze.

“I like you, too, Yoo Kihyun,” Hyungwon finally says, his breath a whisper against Kihyun’s lips. “I like you a lot…” Kihyun can’t help but coo, petting at the hair att he nape of Hyungwon’s neck.

“Ditto, beanpole~” Hyungwon snickers at the nickname, shaking his head before leaning in for another kiss. The party music rages on in the house beside them, but neither boy hears it, stuck in their own little bubble of happiness.

“Ugh,” Minhyuk groans, walking behind Kihyun and Hyungwon to school the following Monday morning. He glares at their linked hands before looking up to their utterly smitten expressions as they gaze at each other while walking, finding the whole thing utterly sickening. “I can’t believe I helped you two get together… You’re worse than my brother and his wife after they got married.”

“Yeah, what great help,” Kihyun comments dryly, glaring at Minhyuk without missing a beat. “Getting me to kiss another boy in front of my crush was just… icing on the cake of last week. Perfect job, Min.” Minhyuk rolls his eyes, clicking his tongue defensively.

“You both got together because of spin the bottle!” Minhyuk defends. “That was the plan! So, yes, you’re welcome. I just better be the God Father to your children for all I did for you two. That’s all I’m saying…”

“As if,” Kihyun quips back, ignoring how his own ears blare red. “You’re not even responsible enough to take care of a pet rock, much less another human being!”

“At least tell them to call me Uncle Min!!” Minhyuk whines. Hyungwon chuckles, hiding his smile behind his free hand before tipping his head back.

“Absolutely not,” he says mercilessly. “I don’t want our kids any where near you!” Minhyuk pouts, crossing his arms over his chest.

“And that’s the thanks I get??? Wow! Check me never doing anything for either of you ever again !!!”

Hyungwon and Kihyun share a laugh, looking to each other at the ridiculous conversation. Though, Kihyun can’t help but affectionately nudge Hyungwon’s shoulder, a gesture that’s easily returned.

The softest of smiles pulls at Minhyuk’s lips watching them… Well, at least their ridiculous back and forth is finally over. He can finally see his friends happy, and that’s reward enough.