“We should really stop doing this” Seungkwan said as he watched Mingyu pulling his shirt off over his head.

 

“Yeah...” Mingyu replied in a whisper as he threw the shirt aside and leaned in to kiss Seungkwan's neck, “We really should.”

 

“I mean, what if we get caught?”

 

“Yeah, that would be terrible.”

 

“Last time?”

 

“Last time.”

 

They'd had the same conversation a dozen times over and it was never the last time. It all started a few months ago. They had gone out to dinner together, shared a bottle of wine. Nothing they hadn't done before. They decided to go to karaoke afterward, had another drink. Mingyu stared at Seungkwan as he sang an emotional song. He had heard Seungkwan sing before, of course, but that night he felt himself completely immersed in his voice. He had snapped out of it when it was his turn to sing. The mood of the night changed when Mingyu failed spectacularly at a song and Seungkwan couldn't stop laughing. He was still laughing when the song was over and Mingyu sat down next to him. It was funny at first but now Mingyu just wanted him to stop it. Before he knew it he leaned in and kissed Seungkwan on the lips, only for a second. Seungkwan stopped laughing.

 

“I...I just wanted you to stop laughing. I'm sorry.” Mingyu said awkwardly when Seungkwan was just staring at him in silence. He brought his face closer to Mingyu's.

 

“S-Seungkwan?”

 

This had been the beginning of their karaoke make-out and of their whole secret affair. The silent cab ride home took longer than the actual make-out. Neither of them knew how to talk about what had just happened. Should they even talk about it? Perhaps it was better to ignore it. They went to their rooms with nothing but an awkward 'good night'. Seungkwan was about ready to fall down on his bed and sleep the alcohol out of his system when the door to his bedroom opened. He stared into Mingyu's eyes and sat down on his bed without saying a word. Mingyu closed the door behind him, equally silent. He walked over to the bed and as he lowered his body he connected their lips in a passionate kiss that Seungkwan eagerly accepted. It didn't take long for them to get rid of each other's clothes. Still vaguely aware of the fact that they weren't home alone they did their best to keep their voices down while they joined their bodies.

 

Afterward, they both awkwardly put their clothes back on.

 

“It's probably better if we don't do that again.” Seungkwan had said.

 

“Agreed.” Mingyu had replied and he left Seungkwan's room before the morning sun could see him there.

 

But even-though they had agreed not to do it again, the next time they shared a hotel room it happened again. From that time on it happened every time they shared a room and it gradually started to happen in other places too. Sometimes it didn't go all the way, depending on the location and the amount of time they had, and every time they agreed that this time was going to be the last time.

 

But now, once again, they found themselves making out in a place where they thought no-one would think to look for them. They had gotten so used to not getting caught that over time they had gotten less careful. But if you want to have a secret affair and keep it secret it's best to keep the noise level down and always lock the door. Something they were reminded of when the door of the supply closet they were currently in opened and a loud gasp made them turn their heads. In the doorway stood Soonyoung, eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

 

“Oh...my...god. My eyes. My poor eyes. My soul. I have to tell someone about this. I can't handle this by myself.” He turned around and started to walk away. Seungkwan pushed Mingyu out of the way and ran after his friend, “No, wait! Please don't tell anyone. We weren't doing anything!”

 

Soonyoung stopped and turned around with a look of astonishment on his face, “Not doing anything? Seungkwan, his hand was under your shirt, he didn't even have a shirt and his mouth was latched onto your neck! I can still see his saliva shining on your skin for Pete's sake!”

 

“Who is Pete?”

 

“It's an expression! And don't try to change the subject!”

 

Mingyu, now with shirt, joined them, “Hey, Soonyoung, what's up buddy. You're probably wondering why I didn't have my shirt on. The thing is, I went to a forest and I was just asking Seungkwan if he could check me for ticks.”

 

Soonyoung crossed his arms, “And why were you feeling up Seungkwan then? Checking to see if he has a third ?”

 

“I, eeh...”

 

Seungkwan let out an annoyed sigh, “Ticks? Like he's going to believe that! And when were you supposed to have time to go to a forest!?”

 

Mingyu clicked his tongue, “Fine, you come up with something better then!”

 

“Guys!” Soonyoung interrupted their bickering, “Is either one of you going to tell me why you were making out in a closet together?”

 

Seungkwan sighed, “Okay, the truth is...we were making out.”

 

“I just said that you were.”

 

“But it only happened once!”

 

“And this time it really was the last time!” Mingyu added.

 

“You idiot, now he knows it wasn't just once!” Seungkwan felt a sudden urge to strangle Mingyu, and not in a weird way. “Look, Soonyoung, my friend, my good friend, it really means nothing. There is no need to tell anyone about this! We're never going to do it again anyway.”

 

“If you tell people it will only start unnecessary drama, so please keep it to yourself. Please.”

 

Soonyoung looked from Seungkwan to Mingyu and back and sighed. “Fine. I won't tell anyone. I'll try to forget I ever saw anything. Even-though it's burned into my memory and I'm probably traumatized for life.”

 

Seungkwan and Mingyu both let out a sigh of relieve.

 

“But!” Soonyoung added, “You have to promise me that you're not doing this again. Keeping a one time make-out a secret, yes I am purposely pretending that this is the extent of it because my brain can't deal with anymore, that's one thing. But asking me to cover up your affair or whatever you want to call it is something else.”

 

They both nodded and promised.

 

After Soonyoung had left, telling them to get to the practice room asap while eyeing them suspiciously as he walked away, Mingyu looked at Seungkwan. “Are we really not going to do it again?”

 

“Well, we did promise.”

 

“Yeah...and we said it was going to be the last time anyway.”

 

“Although...” Seungkwan continued.

 

“Although?” Mingyu was very interested in although.

 

“If we were to do it again, and I'm not saying that we're going to, we technically only promised to stop this, but what exactly is “this”? He only saw us making out in a closet. We can just...stop doing that.”

 

A grin appeared on Mingyu's face. “Very sly, Mr. Boo.”

 

And so this time, like all the other times, wasn't the last time.

 

They were more careful than before, mostly limiting their encounters to the times they shared a hotel room again. But it had been some time since their last schedule that required them to stay at one and they both felt themselves having a harder time to control themselves than they thought they would. So one night, while all the other members were gathered in the living room, ready for movie night, they thought it would be safe enough to have a quick make out session. Just a few minutes. Just kissing. What would be the harm in that? Except that it became a lot more than a few minutes and more than just kissing.

 

Ten members were already gathered around the TV. They weren't in any rush so no-one had really noticed who was still missing or not. Except for Jun who had decided to check on what was taking Mingyu and Seungkwan so long. He wish he hadn't.

 

He walked back into the living room and sat down on the couch.

 

“Dude, you look like you've just seen a ghost.” Seungcheol laughed.

 

“I...I saw...something.” Jun said. His voice was even softer than usual.

 

“What did you see? What's going on?” Seungcheol asked suddenly worried. The others now also had their attention on Jun.

 

“They...they were...kissing and...touching...they might have been ...”

 

“Who? Don't tell me someone left open on their computer? Couldn't have been the first time that you saw .” Jeonghan inquired.

 

“No...upstairs...”

 

At this point Soonyoung took a look around the room and noticed two people were missing, “Dammit they promised me they'd stop! Are they at it again?” he blurted out.

 

Jun jumped up and looked at him with big eyes, “Y-you knew about this?”

 

“Kinda...they told me they'd stop doing it though!”

 

“Can someone spill the beans about who we're talking about here?” Jisoo demanded with a few agreeing murmurs from the others.

 

“Probably Mingyu and Seungkwan.” Jihoon said calmly.

 

Jun and Soonyoung turned to him and yelled in unison, “You knew!?”

 

Jihoon shrugged, “Those two aren't as secretive and discreet as they probably think that they are.”

 

Seungcheol stood up to calm everybody down, “To get things straight, you...” he looked at Jun, “...just saw Mingyu and Seungkwan making out, maybe more?” Jun nodded. “And you...” he now looked at Soonyoung, “...already saw this once before?” Soonyoung also nodded. “And you...” Seungcheol continued, now looking at Jihoon, “...also knew about this?” Jihoon nodded.

 

The room was filled with an unsure silence. “Does any of you know if they're just...doing stuff together or if they're like a couple or something?” Jeonghan wanted to know.

 

Jun and Jihoon shook their heads and Soonyoung told them what they had told him. It was just making out and they'd stop doing that. That last part was obviously a lie and according to Jihoon, who claimed to have sensitive ears, the first part was definitely also a lie.

 

“Either way,” Wonwoo spoke up, “It's really none of our business, is it?”

 

“Isn't it?” Jeonghan asked, “Two people dating could have real consequences for our team. What if they break up?”

 

“What if they are dating? Are we going to tell them to stop?” Hansol asked him.

 

Jeonghan sighed, “No...I would never ask anyone to do that.”

 

“Right,” Wonwoo said, “So maybe they're dating, maybe they're not, but for whatever reason they're uncomfortable telling any of us. So I say we pretend like we know nothing unless it becomes a problem somehow.”

 

Most of them agreed, but Soonyoung was pouting, upset that they had lied to him.

 

“Soon?” Seungcheol said, “Can you join us in respecting their privacy.”

 

Soonyoung scoffed, “If they want it to be private so much maybe they shouldn't get caught so easily.”

 

“Okay, so they're stupid. That doesn't mean we have to into their relationship. Although I'm dying to know what exactly their relationship is. Who made the first move? Are they in love? What positions do they-”

 

“Okay!” Jisoo interrupted him, “Let's just all agree to leave it be for now.”

 

“Fine.”

 

Just as they wrapped up this conversation the two in question entered the room and it immediately turned dead silent.

 

“Wow, what's going on here?” Mingyu chuckled, “Were you guys waiting for us? Sorry, we were just, eeh...”

 

“Playing a game.” Seungkwan quickly finished for him.

 

Soonyoung scoffed, but turned it into a fake cough when Minghao shot him an angry look.

 

“Seungkwan, I think you forgot to comb your hair today. It's a mess.” Chan said teasingly. Seokmin kicked him. Jisoo got up and announced he was going to start the movie so everyone had to be quiet. Mingyu sat down on an empty chair and Seungkwan squeezed himself in between Hansol and Seokmin. Some of the members couldn't help but occasionally cast a look at either Seungkwan or Mingyu, but if they noticed they pretended not to.

 

When Seungkwan was brushing his teeth and found himself alone with Hansol, however, it turned out at least he had noticed that something was off.

 

“Hansol? Is there something going on? Why did I feel like everyone was staring at me during the movie?”

 

Hansol spit into the sink and put his toothbrush back, avoiding Seungkwan's eyes, “I don't know what you're talking about, Boo.”

 

“Oh, come on. And before, were you guys talking about me? The whole room went quiet when Mingyu and I entered the room.”

 

“Y-you're just imagining things.”

 

Seungkwan gasped and pointed a finger at his best friend, “You just stammered! You're lying! Tell me what you know!”

 

“I-I don't know anything!”

 

“Is it my new hair? Does it look horrible? Did I gain weight? Was my MC-ing terrible? What? Please just tell me?”

 

Hearing Seungkwan start to doubt himself broke Hansol's heart and in an attempt to make it better he messed up. “No, no, nothing like that! It was just about you and Mingyu doing it!” He slapped a hand in front of his own mouth. Seungkwan turned white and his eyes big.

 

“W-what? What are you talking about?”

 

Hansol took a deep breath and decided that it was better to be honest here. “Earlier, Jun went to look for you guys and found you in bed together...”

 

“We weren't doing anything!”

 

“He said you were kissing and that you were ...and Soonyoung told us that he caught you guys once too. And Jihoon apparently also knew.”

 

Seungkwan's head was spinning. How could they have been so careless. He sat sat down on the edge of the bathtub and buried his head in his hands, “Oh my god, I'm so embarrassed...”

 

Hansol stood there awkwardly, unsure what to do or say. “It's not so bad...” he tried.

 

Seungkwan looked up at him and scoffed, “Not so bad? Hansol, this is horrible! I can't imagine what everybody thinks of me.”

 

“We...we just think that it's not really any of our business. Although we wouldn't mind some more information. I mean...I can't believe neither of you told me. Oh, and Soonyoung is kinda pissed you guys told him you'd stop and then didn't...”

 

“It's not my fault!” Seungkwan got up. “Everytime we say it's going to be the last time and I mean it! But then...we just end up doing it again anyway...”

 

“Why do you think that is?”

 

Seungkwan shrugged. Hansol wasn't sure, but he looked a bit sad.

 

“Seungkwan? Are you and Mingyu...are you together? Like a couple?”

 

Seungkwan shook his head. “No. I don't...I don't think that we are.”

 

“Do you want to be? Is that why you're sad?”

 

“I'm not sad.”

 

“You look sad.”

 

“Well I'm not!” Seungkwan said a bit louder than he had meant to.

 

“No need to yell. I'm just trying to be a good friend!”

 

“I know...I'm sorry. And I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, but...how was I supposed to tell you that I'm having with Mingyu, of all people.”

 

Hansol laughed at that, “A lot of people would consider Mingyu a catch, you know.”

 

“I just meant that it's weird, isn't it? Me and Mingyu...”

 

Hansol shrugged, “I dunno. You apparently both enjoy it enough to keep on doing it, so who cares if it's weird. But I do think you should figure out if you want it to be more than just physical, you know. Oh and maybe let Mingyu know that we all know that you've been doing it.”

 

Seungkwan nodded. “Guess I'll go talk to him...could you not tell the others that I know that you guys know?”

 

Hansol groaned, “Why?”

 

“I don't want to have to deal with all the questions...”

 

“Fine. I won't tell anyone. But...I also promised the guys I wouldn't tell you that we knew so...no guarantees.”

 

Seungkwan smiled, “I'll take my chances. Thanks, Hansol. Also for talking to me.”

 

“Anytime.”

 

Seungkwan went to find Mingyu and found him in his bedroom together with Jihoon. “Ehm...Jihoon, can you give us a minute? I need to talk to Mingyu about something.”

 

Jihoon didn't move, “I'm already on my bed. Go somewhere else.”

 

“Please?”

 

Jihoon stared at Seungkwan and eventually caved. He got up with a grunt and took his pillow with him. When he walked passed Seungkwan he whispered, “Don't you dare do anything inappropriate on my bed.”

 

Mingyu sat down on his own bed, “What's up? Do you really want to talk or...”

 

“What am I, an animal? We just did it a few hours ago, jeez.”

 

“Okay, so, what's this about?”

 

“I have just been informed that everybody knows about us doing it.”

 

“What!? Why? How?”

 

“It seems that Jun walked in on us earlier.”

 

“What!? And he didn't say anything? He just watched us and left?”

 

“I don't think he watched us. I think he saw us and left and told the others. Then Soonyoung told them about that time he caught us and it turns out Jihoon already knew somehow as well.”

 

“Jesus...”

 

“Yeah...”

 

It was quiet for a moment, neither of them sure where to go from here.

 

“So, ehm,” Mingyu broke the silence, “What do we do now?”

 

“I dunno...I made Hansol promise not to tell the others that I know that they know. But, ehm...”

 

“What?”

 

“He also mentioned that maybe...there was a chance that we, or I, wanted this to be more than just...what it is now.”

 

“How do you mean? Like...a relationship? Boyfriends?”

 

“Ew, don't use that word, but yeah I guess so.”

 

'Oh...do you?”

 

Seungkwan sighed and sat down next to Mingyu on the bed, “I don't know...what about you?”

 

“I don't know either. I mean...what exactly would change if we decide to be...that?”

 

Seungkwan thought for a moment, “I guess it would mean that...we would be faithful to each other, no other people. And...that we'd also do things together that aren't just or fooling around.”

 

Mingyu nodded, “Have you been with anyone else since we started...you know?”

 

Seungkwan shook his head. “No. You?”

 

“Also, no.”

 

“Okay, so that part wouldn't change.”

 

Mingyu went over the current status of their relationship in his head and came to realize something, “We went to dinner together yesterday and we went to see a movie last week. Seungkwan, we're already doing all of the things you just mentioned.”

 

“, have we been in a relationship this whole time?”

“N-no. Have we?”

 

Seungkwan let himself fall back on the bed and groaned, “I don't know anymore, Mingyu.”

 

“I guess the only thing that we really need to know is whether or not we think of ourselves as being in a relationship?”

 

“Well, I haven't so far. But...I'm not totally opposed to the idea. I guess.” He sat back up again and locked eyes with the man next to him, “What about you?”

 

“Me neither. I suppose.”

 

Seungkwan scoffed, “Wow, we're like...the least romantic couple ever. I mean...if you want to be.”

 

Mingyu gasped in fake offense, “Excuse me, I'll have you know that I am very romantic! If you're going to be my boyfriend I will turn. it. on. I'm talking candle lit homemade dinners, rose pedals on the bed, couple outfits.”

 

Seungkwan couldn't help but giggle and he bit his lip, “Oh yeah? Sounds annoying. In a sweet kind of way...Maybe we should just do it then, be a couple.”

 

Mingyu tried to suppress his smile, “Yeah, it might be for the best, because I don't think we can go back to just having now. And I'm not ready to never get with that sweet of yours again.”

 

“I see what you mean with turning on the romance.” Seungkwan said sarcastically.

 

Mingyu leaned in, “Shut up.” He pressed a sweet kiss on Seungkwan's soft lips. It was a short one, however, as he soon pulled back. “What are we going to tell the others?”

 

Seungkwan groaned, “If we tell them they're going to be so annoying...wanting to know all the details and having opinions on everything.”

 

“Yeah...I know they mean well, but...”

 

“We could just...keep it between us?”

 

The next day Seungkwan went down to the kitchen first (he made Mingyu wait five minutes so it wouldn't be obvious) where he was greeted by a glaring Jihoon, who had spent the night sleeping on the couch and several other members. When Mingyu entered he pretended like everything was the same as ever. “Coffee, Mingyu?” Seungkwan asked, thinking the huge smile on his face wasn't obvious.

 

“Yeah, thanks.” Mingyu replied. A shy giggle escaped him when Seungkwan walked over to pour him coffee and their eyes met.

 

Jeonghan, sitting at the other end of the table, leaned in closer to Seungcheol to whisper in his ear, “Are we supposed to pretend like those two aren't totally in love with each other?”

 

Seungcheol shushed him and whispered back, “They'll tell us when they're ready.”

 

From behind Jihoon leaned in, “That's nice and all, but if those two make me sleep on the couch again so they can do it in my room I'm calling them out.”

 

Seungcheol nodded, “That seems fair.”

 

Mingyu and Seungkwan would tell their friends when they were ready. But for now, blissfully unaware of the whispering around them, they enjoyed being together in their bubble. And last night was the first time that wasn't the last time.