DINO

If you ask Dino whether Jeonghan and Mingyu match, he’d say yes, for sure!

 

After all, it just seemed reasonable for the foolest of the bunch (sans Dokyeom) to end up together.  

 

Jeonghan hyung and Mingyu hyung are the epitome of manchildren—the kind of people Dino doesn’t aspire to be. As an upcoming adult, Dino is a firm believer that once you turn twenty, doing childish things should be kept to a minimum of twice a day. One is reserved for sipping on sweet hot chocolate before sleeping and the other, a freer doing—maybe an aegyo towards the hyung, a silly prank, or a cutesy selfie-taking galore on his camera using his fully upgraded snowpeach filter.

 

Well, Jeonghan hyung goes above and beyond it. Everyday, he exhausts all the possible opportunities to turn things around and make it more “exciting”. Yes Dino admits that it makes stuff more fun but it doesn’t change the fact that they are things well deserved of a roll of his eyes. Jeonghan hyung is also obsessed with everything and cute couply. He makes it a point to match his clothes with him every now and then. Even now, his wallpaper is a picture of Jeonghan hyung blowing a kiss towards him.

 

Mingyu hyung? He doesn’t need to explain. He’s a child period. One time, after Jeonghan hyung has finished annoying him with his perpetual “Dino, whose baby are you?, he passed by their room and managed to catch a glimpse of their messy bed heads poking out of layers of blanket they covered themselves with.

 

“Hyung, I'm still you’re only baby, right? Right?” he heard Mingyu hyung mumble—his voice whiny and rough at the same time.

 

Cringe .

 

He really, really considers dropping the hyung on their names when calling them.

 

 

SEUNGKWAN

 

Once upon a time, Seungkwan really believed that once Mingyu started dating, he would transform himself and put justice to the cute, attractive, sometimes brooding, boyfriend persona he adapted in instagram.

 

Oh how wrong he was.

 

Because somehow, when him and Jeonghan hyung got together, Mingyu just upgraded himself to a whole new level of lame.

 

His instagram routine evolved from just posting and looking at the fans comments to checking his account all day and giggling when he sees that Jeonghan hyung's secret account has viewed his story.

 

It’s annoying, really because “hey! Jeonghan hyung was literally there in person when you took that. I don’t know why you’re so happy!”

 

Everyday he seemed jumpier, more giddy. Like he’s in a never-ending sugar rush. He just has this energy in him. And an excited Mingyu? More energy to fight him.

 

And the worst part?

 

Jeonghan is always almost involved in the equation now. Which meant that his defeat is most probably secured already.

 

“Hyung! Don’t coddle him too much,” he complained one time when Jeonghan hyung joined one their banters. “Stop giving him the boyfriend privilege and side with me too!”

 

“Awww. Are you jealous, Seungkwannie?”

 

He scoffed. “Definitely not!”

 

“Don’t worry, you’ll always be my fave dongsaeng!”

  

VERNON

 

It’s a mystery.

 

Sometimes Hansol just stares off the distance and contemplates how Mingyu managed to snag someone like Jeonghan hyung.

 

Jeonghan hyung can be impatient sometimes. And Mingyu is definitely not a person to be with if you’re impatient.

 

Mingyu causes trouble a lot of times. He breaks things almost everyday. On a good day, his clumsy hands would just manage to spill milk on the table or sometimes drop a cellphone or two. But there are days when Vernon would wish that Mingyu doesn’t own a pair of cursed hands like he does now. He literally dropped a prestigious trophy in front of the press. He also can't forget when one time when they were forced to pay a huge amount because Mingyu hyung managed to burn the smoke extractor when they were having barbeque at a restaurant once.

 

For a long time, he wondered why. But finally, his question was answered when one time Jeonghan hyung brought a puppy home.

 

The puppy, which was their neighbor's, was the most frolicsome pup he has ever come across. It bumps on everything, nibbles on shoes, and has its drool dripping and spread on everything.

 

Still, the other likes kissing and hugging it because really, it is actually cute, clingy, and fluffy and makes Jeonghan hyung laugh a lot.

 

At one point, the puppy approached him, prodding his legs excitedly as it ran in circles between his feet. When he reached down to carry it, it immediately jumped towards his arms. For a second, the puppy just looked at him with his wide puppy eyes, assessing him like a stranger, before it a thick stripe of drool on his cheek.

 

God.

 

It was both borderline annoying and adorable.

 

“Ask him to roll over,” Jeonghan hyung urged.

 

“Really?” He asked surprised. “It does that?”

 

“Yes!” He answered excitedly. “It looks pretty goofy but he’s intelligent. He knows a lot of tricks!”

 

And that was how Vernon spent his whole afternoon— just play with the puppy and get fascinated while watching him do a lot of tricks. Vernon was not much of a pet lover but the puppy completely caught him by neck. For some reason it felt like he’s played with him before. There was a sense of familiarity, just lingering in the air all throughout the time he played with him. Him and Jeonghan hyung had fun dog-sitting it until the members who went out for practice came.

 

As usual, it was Mingyu who first caught his attention. For all his long-bodied and giant existence, Mingyu doesn’t put much effort in trying to be graceful. He watched him go straight towards Jeonghan hyung, stepping on every dog toy lying around the floor and creating as much noise as he can manage. He hovered over the other, sweaty and wet before he dropped down and placed a kiss on his temple--not before accidentally sneezing on him.

 

He watched Jeonghan hyung’s face turn red, pursing his lips like he was preventing profanities from spilling from mouth.

 

“YAH!”

 

Mingyu just laughed at him, obviously unapologetic before he rushed towards the room to shower. When he’s finished, he settled down beside Jeonghan hyung, pulling the puppy from his lap and then pushing a towel towards the other’s hands. Mingyu gave him a pleading look, and when Jeonghan hyung responded with a nod, he excitedly placed his head on the latter’s lap.

 

It was so disgustingly domestic that he can’t help but call for the puppy so he can have something to cuddle with too.

 

As he watched Jeonghan hyung dry Mingyu’s hair, the puppy suddenly jumped on his chest liked he wanted attention.

 

He looked and Mingyuand then back to the pup again.

 

He chuckled to himself finally realizing why the puppy looked so familiar.

 

Puppy is Mingyu.

 

Mingyu is puppy.

 

 

DOKYEOM

 

To Dokyeom, Jeonghan hyung is a lot of things.

 

He’s an older brother, a constant roommate, his best friend.

 

He’s also a teacher. People would say that Dokyeom’s the kindest but it was Jeoghan hyung who taught him to understand--to act based on reason sometimes because Dokyeom forgets and relies on his feelings too often.

 

Still, Dokyeom has also seen him in his worst days. When he’d find him more overbearing than affectionate. When all the stress would pile up only to be dumped towards him. He saw him lost his patience. Saw him get toxic or get controlled by blind rage. Sometime he lose tact and throw hurtful words at him.

 

Dokyeom likes Jeonghan hyung a lot but there are days when he just hated him.

 

Through all of this, Jeonghan hyung has always been stronger than him. More thoughtful. Would humble himself so he’d be the one to approach him first when they fight.

 

He’s seen him in both pretty and ugly but Dokyeom...

 

Dokyeom has never seen Jeonghan hyung so… vulnerable and heartbroken. No, not until a month after him and Mingyu decided to take their relationship to the next level.

 

He remembered the night Jeonghan hyung went back to their room—one he previously shared with him before the other moved out and exchanged places with Minghao so he can room with Mingyu.

 

He remembered seeing the way Jeonghan’s eyes drooped, his shoulder’s slouched inside his overly big hoodie. Dokyeom remembered freezing in his position—not so sure on how to deal with an unfamiliar situation.

 

Jeonghan hyung slid in beside him even though there was a another perfectly empty bed across them. He felt Jeonghan’s cheek on his shoulder, his hands coming up to clench tightly on the hem of his shirt. There was a pregnant pause, as he felt the body beside him shake. For what seemed like a long time, they just lay there snuggled like that, the silence broken by occasional sniffing from beside him.

 

“Dokyeommie,” Jeonghan hyung finally said. “He told me he wished he didn’t ask me…” there was a pause, Dokyeom’s face heating up as he took in the words.

 

“…wished I wasn’t his boyfriend.”

 

Jeonghan hyung’s voice trembled, like he was preventing a sob from escaping his mouth.

 

“Where is he?” he asked, surprising himself on the intensity on which he said the words.

 

“He went out.”

 

Dokyeom pulled away without thinking, wanting to confront Mingyu. Only one month and he has the audacity to say that. For all his assurance and confident declarations, Mingyu seemed like he has no problem in throwing out such cruel words.

 

“No, don’t go after him. It’s my fault,” Jeonghan suddenly choked out and somehow Dokyeom only felt angrier. He was in awe how in such a short time, Mingyu had so much power over Jeonghan hyung, how a single set of words can make him break down like that.

 

“I said – I did—some mean things to him.”

 

“Just,” he breathed in sharply. “Stay here with me.”

 

And so Dokyeom did. Even if his heart was racing and was filled with so much unease, he forced himself to calm down.

 

Tomorrow morning, he’d really give Mingyu a piece of his mind.

WONWOO

 

Tap. Tap. Tap.

 

“Dude, chill a little.”

 

Wonwoo watched how Mingyu’s fingers still over the keyboard, his tense posture intimidating before he clocked his tongue and his body deflated like a balloon on his seat.

 

Mingyu has burst into his room that night, just a shy away from midnight. He was already in the middle of putting on his jacket, his eyes red and mouth set on a thin line on pale face. “Wanna go to a PC bang?” Mingyu asked then, his voice hoarse like he’s just been crying.

 

Mingyu didn’t say a word when they walked to the game room, just plopped on an empty space at the corner and proceeded to aggressively harass the keyboard in front of him.

 

“Is there a problem?”

 

Mingyu ignored him, just scratched his temple and sat up straight again. He reached for the mouse as if wanting to play again, looking like he has no intention to answer Wonwoo.

 

“Hey,” he called out, grabbing Mingyu’s fingers when he ignored him.

 

Mingyu turned his head towards him, giving him a glare. But Wonwoo didn’t back down, just stared back and raised an eyebrow at him.

 

They stayed like that for a moment, neither of them backing down, before finally, Mingyu exhaled loudly and looked up the ceiling.

 

“Jeonghan hyung.”

 

“Did you it up?”

 

A pained expression crossed his face and Wonwoo almost regretted asking the question.

 

Mingyu turned quiet in his seat, just thinking. Wonwoo waited as he watched plenty of expressions cross Mingyu’s face. He looked like he’s solving a hard riddle in his mind. Finally, as if he’s reached a conclusion, he closed his eyes and sighed, dropping his head on the computer desk with a soft thump.

 

“I hurt him, hyung.”

 

Looking at Mingyu curled up like that like a child made his throat constrict. Sometimes, it’s just so easy to forget that Mingyu can hurt too. He can’t help but reach out and ruffle his hair, pinching his ear a little in a gesture meant to comfort.

 

“I did tell you it isn’t always party in the paradise, didn’t I?”

 

Mingyu nodded. “We’d be able to fix this, right? hyung?”

 

“Yes. So let’s go home now and you can cool down there. You can sleep our my room if you want to talk.”

 

THE8

 

“Myungho hyuuuung,” Mingyu called out to him from the bed across him. “He still won’t talk to me.”

 

Minghao looked up from his book, breathing through his nose to prevent himself from scolding Mingyu.

 

“You literally whined about this for the 12th time. I said give him time,” he said it as gently as he can despite the slight frustration bubbling in his chest. He’s been stuck on the same page of his book for about 20 minutes now because Mingyu kept on bothering him with his fragile feelings. It’s not that he didn’t want to listen. But Mingyu has been repeating his and Jeonghan hyung’s relationship problems every chance he got. It’s not like his advice would change especially now that it seemed like there is currently no progress.

 

Thankfully, Mingyu was able shut up then, a pout appearing on his face which stayed in there until he finally succumbed to sleep.

 

That night Minghao also slept with fu