“You should sleep,” Yuta finally whispered to Taeyong.

Taeyong, who had been quietly rubbing Yuta’s back, tilted his head towards his friend. “Feel better?”

Yuta sat up. “Not really but I can’t have you sitting here all night.”

“Hey, night is my time to shine,” Taeyong said, proudly. He paused. “Want to watch a movie?”

Yuta thought for a moment. “Yeah, I’d like that. Am I picking?”

“Of course.” Taeyong smiled.

“Okay, pass me my phone, I have a whole list,” Yuta said, trying to smile back.

“Where is it?”

“I don’t know, I think I threw it somewhere around here when I came in,” Yuta said, sheepishly.

Taeyong looked around and found it easily on the bed. “Here. Now tell me what we’re watching.”

“Yeah, give me a—” Yuta stopped as he saw his lockscreen. It was a picture of Winwin smiling at the camera. He had taken it himself. It was probably his favourite photo in the world. He went to his gallery and deleted it quickly, changing his lockscreen to IwaOi fanart. He made a mental note to himself that from now on he would solely emotionally attach himself to fictional characters only. “Hey, Taeyong, if you ever see me with a Winwin lockscreen, could you take me aside and give me a nice kick to the shins?”

“What?”

“Uh, okay, um, where was I? Yeah, we’re watching Hotarubi no Mori e again,” he said quickly.

Taeyong set up Johnny’s projector and they settled down on the bed, stealing subtle glances at Yuta who seemed to be totally engrossed in the movie.

Yuta, however, was not engrossed in the movie. The hurt he felt had transformed into growing anger. At himself. At the hot tears that he could still feel imprints of on his face. Of having intruded on his friends. Of having run away and hidden in the safety of Taeyong’s presence. And, he was himself surprised at this, at Winwin.

Because here he was trying to distract himself by watching a movie he loved and now he found he couldn’t even enjoy it without thinking about Winwin because the guy had literally gone and dressed up as Gin from the movie on Halloween. To think that he had introduced Winwin to Gin! What was next? Would he dress up as Howl for the next party? And then Oikawa the one after? Might as well cosplay as Yuta’s whole watchlist and be done with it.

Winwin’s words came back to him. With you, I can’t differentiate between fiction and reality.

Wow, Yuta thought, I should have told him that he keeps doing that to me, in fact! Dressing up as Gin only to fight with me now. His ears were burning from embarrassment at having being called not only a liar but for all of feelings to be branded “YuWin” fanservice. Was it fanservice when you took care of me and watched 5 Centimeters per Second with me too, Winwin?

Sure, Winwin had been behaving oddly recently but Yuta had been so patient and so so accommodating. He had stopped being feelsy, even gone so far as to be totally platonic sensing that Winwin didn’t like his romantic advances. He had told himself that his feelings were his own business and he would deal with them on his own while being the supportive and caring friend that Winwin deserved.

And then to be called a charade! To be accused of lying and pretending by his crush himself…wow, talk about rejection of the century!

He took a deep breath, anger heating up his body in waves. “Where is Winwin right now?”

Taeyong who had dozed off, sat up quickly. “I’m awake, I’ve been watching…what?”

“I know you probably know where Winwin went to after banging the front door like that,” Yuta said, pointedly.

“No, actually…” Taeyong blinked very innocently. “I…I don’t know where he is. I’m sure he’s…”

Yuta lunged for Taeyong’s phone. “I saw you typing a lot, I know you and Johnny have been gossiping.”

“Okay, okay,” Taeyong rescued his phone. “I do know where he is. But Yuta…don’t go fight with him right now.” He looked miserable.

“I’m not going to fight with him,” Yuta said. “I am going to finish the argume—I mean, the civil conversation we were having. He didn’t give me a chance to shout—um, speak back.”

Taeyong gave him a look. “I know enough astrology to not let two Scorpio men have a shouting match when they both clearly need to cool down.”

Yuta opened his mouth and then closed it, a thought striking him. “Fine, but is he at Dreamies dorm? I hope he’s not roaming around or anger-dancing in the park.”

Taeyong’s frown softened. “No, he’s okay. Ten texted. He’s with Kun.”

Yuta nodded, a picture of calmness. “The movie is ending, we can sleep, I think. I’m tired.”

“Yes, yes, of course,” Taeyong said. “You’ll be okay?”

“I will be,” Yuta said, with a smile.

Taeyong lay down on his bed, feeling his back thank him for finally making it to bed. He had closed his eyes for the tiniest of minutes when he heard more than saw Yuta make a dash out of the room.

“Sorry, Taeyong!” And Yuta was gone, no doubt to confront Winwin now that Taeyong had got himself tricked into giving his location.

“ing Scorpio men,” Taeyong muttered and got up.

In defence of Yuta’s running speed, he did make it to the front door. He would have probably made it right out and fulfilled his mission. He was fully determined.

However, his plans hadn’t involved opening the front door to find Doyoung hauling in a very drunk Taeil who smiled at Yuta sweetly before promptly throwing up all over him and his plans.

-

Doyoung had made it to the grocery store pretty easily after leaving the Dreamies dorm. He hadn’t even worn the proper shoes for the cold night because he was confident he was going to find Taeil happily having ramen with his new friend. Honestly speaking, he was a bit suspicious of Taeil’s new friend. He scanned his chats with Taeil. Azhar, his name was? He was hoping he wouldn’t need to talk to a stranger.

Last time Taeil befriended a total stranger at the Han river and ended up losing his wallet. Before that, he had got scammed after joining a kdrama group chat by someone claiming to be Lee Minho’s manager (“Fans of Lee Minho-ssi, we’re facing a financial crisis, we need your help. Wire money to this number”). I’m the only responsible one in the hyung line, Doyoung sighed to himself. Oh the burden of the wise!

The part-timer at the counter looked up with a bored expression at him. Doyoung looked around. No sign of Taeil. It’s too early to become paranoid, maybe he’s in the back?

Looks like he would have to speak to a stranger after all. “Azhar?” he tried.

The part-timer took off his earphones. “You said something?”

“Hi, um, Azhar, right? I have a question for you.” Doyoung wracked his brain on how to pose the question without making it to Dispatch news tomorrow.

The part-timer made a face and gestured to his nametag. Yoon Dongwoo. “Azhar doesn’t have the night shift today. Are you going to buy something or…?”

“No, could you tell me…” Doyoung fixed his mask carefully and whispered. “How can I contact him?

Dongwoo gave him a suspicious look. “Are you here to steal something? I’m going to call the police.”

“No! No, I’m going to buy something.” Doyoung laughed nervously, making his way to a random aisle.

He texted on the Caretakers group chat, Please tell me Taeil is home.

JohnsBeans: He isn’t, you said you knew where he was?

CaptainKun: He isn’t here, also Ten and I have our hands a bit full right now, give us a few mins

DYDIY: He could be in one of the practicing rooms?

Woohoo: Jaehyun hyung and I just checked all over the building. Didn’t he say he hangs out with a friend at the grocery store?

DYDIY: I guess I have to do this then

JohnsBeans: What are you going to do???

Woohoo: Hyung???

Doyoung pocketed his