Sungjong found Woohyun at the bar as soon as he enters the business. He smiles as he quickly makes his way to the older man. He taps Woohyun’s shoulder as he takes the seat on the stool beside him.

“Woohyun hyung,” he greets.

“Ah, you’re here, Sungjong.” Woohyun smiles at him before he order a drink from the owner who also tend the bar for his young friend. “Sorry I call you so sudden,”

“Uhuh.” Sungjong shakes his head. “You know you can call me whenever you want, hyung. I will come to you as soon as I can.”

Woohyun’s smiles widen as he rubs Sungjong’s head. “You’re so nice, Sungjongie. If only Sunggyu hyung as nice as you.”

Sungjong tilted his head. “What do you mean? Is Sunggyu hyung being a jerk to you again?”

“Yeah…” Woohyun pulls his hand from Sungjong’s head. He takes a sip on his drink. “Sunggyu hyung is the nicest person to everyone but he is being a jerk to me. Again!”

“What’s wrong, hyung? What did he do this time?” Sungjong asks, trying to calm the older man down. The owner put his drink in front of him but he ignored it.

“It’s Howon…”

“Huh? What Howon hyung has anything to do with Sunggyu hyung?”

“Everything!” Woohyun flail his arms exasperatedly. “Everything…” he cried as he slump his head on the bar, back facing Sungjong.

“Are you…are you drunk, hyung?”

Woohyun turns his head to the younger. “No.”

Sungjong sigh. “I think you are.” He picks up his glass and sips a drink.

“Something happen at work today,” Woohyun says, eyes on the younger.

Sungjong put his glass down, turning his head calmly to Woohyun, an indicator to the elder that he had his full attention.

“Something that makes me flies on cloud nine. I want to tell Sunggyu hyung, to share this news and to celebrate. Hyung had an office dinner but he promise to have a drink with me,”

“So…Sunggyu hyung break his promise?” Sungjong guess.

“No.” Woohyun shakes his head, still on the table. “Sunggyu hyung ditch that office dinner but he went to eat with Howon.”

Sungjong frown. He slowly basks in the information thrown at him. Sunggyu hyung did what?

Woohyun straightens up. “Can you believe it? When I ask to meet at dinner, hyung reject the idea because he had already had plan. But hyung ditch that said plan to go eat with Howon. He wouldn’t do that for me but he can do that for Howon?”

“It’s…unbelievable,” Sungjong mutters, hands slowly balls to a fist.

“I’m right, right?” Woohyun look at Sungjong. “It as if Howon is his boyfriend and I’m just a mere friend to him,”

“I’m sure…I’m sure Sunggyu hyung had his reason,” Sungjong says through gritted teeth. He is mad. He is really really mad. He didn’t understand it himself. Why would Sunggyu do that? He won’t break his plan for his lover but he can for his friend? Is Woohyun too unworthy of Sunggyu’s time? Is Sunggyu feel bored of Woohyun already that’s why he rather spends them with someone he claim as his best friend?

“But I have my reason too. I really want to see Sunggyu hyung and tell this news to his face. But he stood me up,”

“Didn’t you say Sunggyu hyung promise to have a drink with you? When he comes later, you can tell him.” No matter how mad he feels, Sungjong has to be rational and not shows them in front of Woohyun. He doesn’t want to pour salt on his hyung’s wound.

Woohyun shakes his head. “Sunggyu hyung won’t come. He called earlier saying he had to cancel because Howon drink too much at their dinner. So hyung has to takes him home.”

Sungjong keep his mouth shut, too stunned to respond. So that’s how Woohyun knows Sunggyu ditch his office dinner. And he dare to say he will take care of Howon? What about his lover Woohyun? Sungjong shakes his head. No. No. he has to calm down. He shouldn’t make Woohyun any sadder than he is.

“What happen at work, hyung? You said you were on cloud nine. I’m sure it’s a happy one. Mind to share with me so we can celebrate?”

That does the trick. Woohyun jumps in his seat, smiling happily at the younger boy beside him.

“Yes. Yes. You wouldn’t imagine what happen today…”

And Sungjong just smiles listening to Woohyun blabbing. The sad and hurtful look he saw in Woohyun’s eyes completely disappears and the overly happy and excited Woohyun come back to life. Yes. No matter what, Sungjong swear he will always be by Woohyun’s side, even if his own lover left him behind.

“Wow. Really?”

“Eung!”

“Wow…it’s…we should celebrate it, hyung. Let’s drink tonight. It’s on me.”

Woohyun laugh. “No you won’t. You will make me look bad if I let a student pay for my drink,”

“But…it won’t be a celebration for you if you had to pay.” Sungjong pouts.

Woohyun rubs Sungjong’s head. “You being here with me are a celebration enough. Let’s drink but I will pay. Sungyeol will have my head if he heard you’re wasting your money on me.”

-----------

“The whole group? Really?” Sungjong ask for the nth time.

“Yes. Yes. Stop asking. How many times do I need to tell you?” Sungyeol grumbled as he turns his steering wheel.

It’s Friday night and it means there no school or work tomorrow. As always, Sungyeol will pick up his little brother, Sungjong from university dorm. Sungjong usually spend his weekend in the hyungs’ apartment unless he had some urgent assignment or plan to do with his friends. But you can tell Lee Sungjong prefer to stay in the apartment since he can do his laundry without racing with other students, he can eat delicious home cooked meal provided by his Woohyun hyung, he can do his assignment or study without his roommates making so much noise, he can watch any series or movies or dramas on the television because the three hyungs would just watch them with him without complain.

Sungjong always look forward to weekend.

So why…he’s feeling uneasy about tonight? Sungyeol said Sunggyu ask the whole group to meet for a drink. The whole group means the three hyungs, Sungjong himself, Sunggyu, Howon and Sunggyu’s housemate, Dongwoo. Is it about Woohyun? Is it to celebrate?

Sungjong hope it is. But why his heart feels heavy?

And his bad feeling proven when he got to the table in the same bar he frequent with Woohyun a couple of days ago. The bar name Paradise, a simple and cozy bar where the group likes to go to have a drink. Furthermore, they’re close with the owner, Lee Jungyeop. He sometimes gives discount to the boys as they bring money to his business.

Sungjong smiles and wave to the older boys as he take a seat beside Dongwoo while Sungyeol opposite of him. Sunggyu is at the head of the table, with Woohyun at his right side and Myungsoo in the middle of Woohyun and Sungyeol. At Sunggyu’s left side is Howon and beside him is Dongwoo. Sungjong look at Woohyun’s face. It’s too calm to mean a celebration. If the meet is about Woohyun, the older boy will have a big smile and his face will glow happily. But since his face shows nothing, it means Sunggyu just invite them to have a drink since its Friday night.

It’s okay. I will change that face of yours. I will make you smile and everyone will congratulate you before the night end.

A second round of drinks did Sungjong knows what this meet is about. It’s Howon. Apparently Howon’s workplace is going under and everyone is in a foul mood worrying about their family and future. It’s already hard to find a job nowadays so if you had to leave your current workplace, it’s not a guarantee you can have a new work with the same salary. If anything, you can only get the basic no matter how much of an experience you are.

So…tonight is the cheer Howon up night. Sunggyu calls the group to ease his pain and to make him forget about his work and to suggest a new job for him. It’s working obviously. Because now Howon is smiling and laughing with everyone. Well…except Woohyun himself. He is smiling and he is laughing at any joke thrown at the table. But Sungjong knows him better. Even though they are kind of far seated and it’s hard to see with the distance and the dim light, Sungjong can perfectly see. Woohyun’s eyes are not smiling as his lips. He bore this unreadable sign in his eyes and if you ask him, he will only deny them.

“You can work at my place, Howon. We can always use a freelancer,” Myungsoo says.

“Thanks for the offer but I can’t.” Howon shakes his head. “I know nothing about photography or media,”

“It’s not that hard. You can start by typing articles. Anything will do; sports, lifestyle, health…” Myungsoo says.

Howon shakes his head again. “I can’t write. I don’t know how.”

Myungsoo slump in his seat, running out of ideas. He tries to help but if Howon himself not up to it, it’s not his fault if he wants to be an unemployed.

“You want to try mine? I’m sure you can do well,” Dongwoo suggest.

Howon turns to the man beside him, flabbergasted as if the man grows another head. “In sales? I can’t do sales,”

“You can talk better than me. You know how to pulls the crowd. Your sale will be higher than mine in short time,” Dongwoo tries to reason out.

“But…but I’m awkward with people I didn’t know…” Howon mumbled, lowered his head.

“It’s okay, Howon.” Sunggyu rubs Howon’s shoulder, trying to calm him down. “I’m sure there will be something for you out there,”

“Thanks, hyung…” Howon smiles a little before grabbing his pitcher and drink to its last content.

“Yah, slow down, Howon,” Woohyun says.

“Let him be,” Sunggyu says without turning to Woohyun.

“But…he will be drunk sooner like this,”

“Just let him be, Woohyun,” Sunggyu warns, glaring at his lover. “He is sad. Let him drunk his sorrow.”

Woohyun keep his mouth shut, wincing as Howon slam the pitcher hard on the table and shout for another round of drink while Sunggyu just rubs his shoulder worriedly.

“Excuse me,” Woohyun whisper as he stand up and leave the table.

Sungjong watch the best friend of his older brother went to the bar, talk to the owner and then left to the toilet. The owner sent their round of drinks when Sunggyu also stand up and follow after his lover.

Sunggyu enter the toilet when Woohyun just walk out of the stall and went to wash his hands.

“What was that?” Sunggyu asks, leaning against the sink, arms crossed on his chest.

“What was what? I need to use the toilet,” he replies.

Sunggyu sighs. “I mean the one at the table,”

“What do you mean, hyung?” Woohyun tilted his head.

“You have been trying to talk to me as soon as we arrived. You were a mean to Howon. And you try to switch the attention to you instead,”

“I am not!” Woohyun half shout, stunned. “Why did you say so, hyung?”

Sunggyu sighs again. “I know you, Woohyun. You didn’t like it when all we talk tonight was about Howon. You like the limelight, so you’re mad when no one gives you attention.”

Woohyun’s eyes widen in surprise, his mouth open and close, open and close, like a dead fish. Did he really…? “I’m not, hyung. How could you…?”

“Howon is really in a tight right now. Can you be a nice friend and not thirst for attention, at least for tonight?” Sunggyu says softly, trying to coax his lover.

“Hyung, I’m…” Woohyun sighs. There was no way to prove himself innocent of the thought. “Sure. I paid for the round, I hope it cheer him up. I just hope he didn’t drunk to ruin his health.”

Sunggyu smiles at him, actually smiles at him since they sit at the table. He pats Woohyun’s arm fondly. “That’s my Woohyunie. I’m proud of you. Come let’s get back.”

Woohyun nods. “You go first, hyung.”

Sunggyu squeeze his arm, turns around and leave the toilet. Woohyun sighs. He put his hands on the sink to support his body. He suddenly feels weak and he feels nauseated. He looks at his face in the mirror when Sungjong come beside him.

“Hyung…”

Woohyun smile shortly at him. “What’s wrong, Sungjong?”

“Are you okay, hyung?”

Woohyun nods his head, looking at Sungjong’s reflection. “Yeah. I’m fine. What’s wrong, Sungjong?”

Sungjong eyed the elder beside him, not by the mirror but really look at him, searching any discomfort the other feels. He shakes his head. “I think I’m drunk. Will you accompany me for a fresh air?”

Woohyun frown. “How many did you drink?”

“Not much…”

Woohyun seems like he want to ask further but he knows better that he no need to. Without waiting for him to agree, Sungjong pulls Woohyun’s arm and lead him out from the toilet. They crossed the tables to go out of Paradise, didn’t care if their own group catches them or not. Once outside, Woohyun leaned his back against the glass wall. The bar is in the basement and had its own gate like a subway station entrance. They had to climb down the stairs through the gate to enter the Paradise Bar.

Sungjong sits on the floor beside Woohyun, pretending he had drink too much and now he is drunk.

“Are you okay? How much did you drink?” Woohyun asks, looking at the younger boy.

“How much the glass came?” Sungjong replies, as an answer and a question.

“You shouldn’t drink too much. It’s not good for your health.” Woohyun tsk, turning his head from Sungjong.

The younger chuckles. “We should celebrate, hyung,”

“We already did,”

“Just the two of us. I mean we should celebrate with everyone,”

“We can’t,”

“Why not?”

“Because tonight is Howon’s night. I would be too cruel to share the happy news while my friend is feeling down,”

“Hyung…” Sungjong calls, feeling sorry for his older friend.

Woohyun look at Sungjong. “It’s okay, Sungjong. You had celebrated it with me. It’s more than enough. But tonight, we should cheer Howon up,”

“But…”

A sound of a shout cut Sungjong off from his speech. Both Woohyun and Sungjong turn around to look at the source. A group of high school students circled around something or someone, not far from the gate.

“Yah! Yah!” Woohyun calls as he runs to the group. Sungjong stands up and followed after quickly.

-----------------------------------

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With this coronavirus spreading all around the world, my country is in the last days of 3rd Phase of Movement Restriction Order. We will continue the 4th Phase until mid May and God knows how far longer the Earth need to heal. 

Everyone, please take care of yourself and no matter where you are, please listen to your government order. Stay safe my dearies.