A Good Day For A Bad Day

words: 3245

“I’d like to make a toast. It was an honor performing with you losers for 15 years; it was a good run.”

“Kyuhyun, sit your drunk down,” Ryeowook hollers from somewhere to the left of Hyukjae. The eldest holds in a chuckle as the youngest grumbles under his breath—something about being unappreciated—before plopping said drunk down next to him. “God, it’s not even twelve yet, Kyu, you need help.”

Kyuhyun takes a dainty sip of some wine, probably expensive, before he sticks his tongue out at Ryeowook. God, how were they lucky enough to get stuck with such a disrespectful maknae. Hyukjae also blames it on Heechul for babying the youngest just like the eccentric man babied Donghae—now look where they are. Hyukjae snatches the glass (not a wine glass, an actual drinking glass) and sets it on the table. The liquid was sloshing a little too freely for his liking; it’s as if Kyuhyun’s asking for the wine to stain the couch and beige carpeting.

Kyuhyun tries to swat the offending hand away but quickly gives up. “You know,” Kyuhyun starts, his speech not too slurred but from the dazed look he shoots Hyukjae, it’s fair to say the maknae was slightly tips. “You guys are my favourite hyungs.”

Ryeowook returns from the kitchen with a plate of sandwiches. “I thought Leeteuk-hyung was you’re favourite?”

Hyukjae snags a sandwich and shoves half of it in his mouth in one go. He briefly wonders if his jaw had unhinged because how cool would that have been?

“Isth ish ‘ly gewd Wook,” Hyukjae tries to say through a full mouth, ignoring Kyuhyuns blatant judging look. He tastest mainly egg and mayo, along with an interesting seasoning. Hyukjae can't tell if it's really that good or if he's just hungry. Still, free food is free food so he muches away happily.

“Ryeowook, you’re the only one I respect in here right now.”

“Rmphh!” Hyukjae tries to sound as angry as he can with a mouth full of food still. It doesn't sound very menacing, however; if Kyuhyun's lop-sided smirk is anything to go by. Really, the younger shouldn't do that so much or his face might get stuck like that. Halloween is coming up in a few months though, so maybe it'll be a fitting costume. Hyukjae lets a huff of air pass through his mouth as he thinks about Kyuhyun in a Chucky outfit again.

“You should call me hyung then,” Ryeowook all but demands.

Kyuhyun ignores the brunette. “Aaanyways, Teukie-hyung isn’t feeling so well still. He still thinks were his actual kids and I don’t feel like processing that right now. I mean, we've joked about it but I don't think I'm ready to pretend he's my mom. Also, Heechul is a bad step-dad.”

Ryeowook chooses not to comment and sits to Hyukjae’s right. After an almost painful swallow (god did he break a sweat?) Hyukjae flashes Ryeowook a grin. “Thanks for the food Wookie, that was really good.”

“It was just a sandwich hyung,” the brunette snorts but his cheeks color slightly. “Speaking of hyungs, have you talked to Donghae lately? I’m worried that he might go and do something more stupid like propose in public or something. He’s so unpredictable.” The singer shakes his head. The action reminds Hyukjae of a worried mother and the group doesn’t need another one of those. But still…he can’t blame the man for being worried, Donghae does act like he’s running on one brain cell sometimes.

“Well, if you count him barging into my apartment unexpected-“

“Like you did here?”

“You invited me Kyu. Anyways, no,” Hyukjae puffs out his cheeks momentarily, hands excessively brushing down his already perfect hair, “he’ll come barging into my apartment wanting to play or mooch my food. Don’t look at me like that! How am I supposed to bring the topic up? ‘Hey Hae, can we talk about your proposing thing even though it’s obvious we’re both uncomfortable and I’m still pissed because you didn’t even tell your best-friend about any of it?’ I might actually try and strangle him if I talk to him right now,” Hyukjae exhales, as he dramatically drapes himself over an unphased Kyuhyun.

Ryeowook’s eyes soften as he places a gently hand on the dancer’s shoulder. “Hyung, I know it’s hard but Donghae really trusts you. If any of us had a chance to talk Donghae through and convince him to take it back, it’d be you.”

“We’re not asking him to not propose,” Kyuhyun chimes in, sounding more sober, “just to lie on national TV.”

“How’s he even going to lie!” Hyukjae wails. “Just say he thought it was a funny joke? I mean, guys, Donghae’s dumb sometimes but I doubt the fans think he’d be dumb enough to just joke about something like marriage and stuff. Besides, do I look like Donghae’s keeper? He hardly listens to me when it’s just D&E promotions.”

“Well, what do you do when a dog misbehaves?”

“Get a new dog.”

“No, Kyuhyun.”

“Wait, am I the dog or Dongahe?”

Ryeowook groans as he hangs his head in his hands. “Hyung, I love you but you spend too much time with Donghae. It’s like you share one collective braincell, albeit you have most of it though. No, Donghae is the dog.” Ryeowook massages his temples, “Actually, forget the analogy. When someone, like a child, misbehaves you punish them like send them to their room or something.”

Hyukjae nods as he tries to get more comfortable, squirming in Kyuhyun’s arms as he finally manages to sit up. Squid Kyuhyun was always a nice surprise but right now having six foot of maknae wrapping around him is a pretty big hindrance. “So how should I punish him? And he has a girlfriend, wouldn’t he just run to her?’

“That’s a good point,” Kyuhyun quips, “but you’re his best-friend. Just say that if he doesn’t get his together you’ll lock him out of your apartment and won’t play with him.”

“Oh, so you want me to make him cry?” Hyukjae questions with a raised brow, although the judgmental look is incomplete as his bangs just hide his eyebrows. Hyukjae shakes his head as he gets up from the couch. “That’s a terrible idea guys. Besides, Donghae has been working out more lately and he might punch me in my pretty face if I make him angry.”

“So you’ve been paying attention to how much buffer he got,” Kyuhyun says with a waggle of his eyebrows. Hyukjae flushes and thinks briefly about slapping the smug look off of the maknae. Ryeowook, like the amazing person he is, slaps Kyuhyun for him. Not as hard as Hyukjae would’ve liked, but hey it’s something. “Yah, that hurt! Whatever, you guys aren’t my favourites anymore,” Kyuhyun sulks as he turns him attention to his neglected alcohol.

“I’ll think about talking to Donghae, but I can’t guarantee that anything will happen,” Hyukjae states before he walks to the door. “Now, if you’ll excuse me I have to meet up with Sungmin.”

Both perk up at the mention of in hiatus member. It’s kind of like saying Voldemort’s name except death doesn’t immediately follow.

“Well have fun,” Ryeowook shouts as Hyukjae leaves the apartment.

Fun, yeah right. He highly doubts anything fun will happen for the next few months, not with everyone running around like chickens with their head cut off. Maybe he should talk to Donghae? Nah, Hyukjae shakes his head, he’s perfectly fine just ignoring everything (including the fish) until he probably dies. Yes, what an excellent plan!

*

“Eunhyukkie, you’re here!” Sungmin runs up and Hyukjae can’t deny he’s happy to meet up with Sungmin. He wraps his arms around the shorter man before the older detaches and leads him through the quant restaurant to the back.

“Kangin-hyung? I didn’t know you’d be here,” Hyukjae exclaims as he wraps the elder in his skinny arms.

“Anchovy! Still twig thin I see,” Youngwoon grins, “You know, I go Youngwoon now, but for you I’ll make an exception. Sit, we have a lot to talk about,” the gruff man orders. Immediatel