Sunggyu and Dongwoo live in a two bedroom apartment. Dongwoo was looking for a room to rent when Sunggyu was frustrated when Kim Heechul, his cousin, moves to Japan and left him the house to manage. It left Sunggyu in a pinch because if he can’t find a new housemate in a week, he had to pay full for the house. He was just a university student. He didn’t have that much money to pay for his own share, let alone for the whole apartment. Moving out and finding a cheaper room would be easy, if only he was not so busy with final assignments and study for exams. He thought of inviting Woohyun to move in but he knows better that Woohyun was also in a tight and he can’t leave his best friend, Sungyeol by himself.

That was when Howon, his childhood friend introduce Dongwoo to him. The two work together in a part time job at a café. Dongwoo was looking for a room because his was flooding because of piping failure. The owner needs to repair the room so Dongwoo need to find a new place pronto. They live together since, and Dongwoo easily befriended with Sunggyu’s boyfriend and his best friend, and his childhood friend. The six of them click right away and often do things together as a group. Sungjong join a year later when he was still a high school student. Now since Sungjong studying in a university in Seoul, it’s easier for them to get together as a seven group member.

Howon live by himself not far from Sunggyu’s house. Since he was far away from his family and he really look up to his childhood friend, Howon often comes to Sunggyu’s house to play. Because Woohyun is Sunggyu’s boyfriend, it was not a strange scene to see in the house as if it was his own.

The four of them sit at the dining table, enjoying Woohyun’s warm cooked breakfast. He came early in the morning, brought breakfast he already cooked in his own house. He was preparing the table when Howon barged in with bottles of soju, early in the morning.

“I was lucky to come early. I just thought of drinking soju and dried squid as breakfast. Who knows you are here with delicious meal,” Howon says, laughing.

“You shouldn’t drink in daylight, moreover in the morning,” Dongwoo replies, shaking his head.

“Yeah, Howon. You should eat actual food. Eat more. There’s plenty,” Sunggyu says.

Yeah. There’re plenty of side dishes Woohyun make and brought over, just to make sure his boyfriend have enough nutrient. But the breakfast meal he prepared today only enough for three people. Knowing Howon’s appetite, the three of them can only eat half of their actual share and the other halves went to Howon’s stomach.

Not that he care, and he is not that cheap. But Woohyun prefer if he was told earlier so he can prepare enough for them all, or more than enough for seven people. If it continues like this, Howon might eat all side dishes in the fridge that Woohyun brought that same morning.

Woohyun push his bowl of noodles to Sunggyu opposite of him. Sunggyu’s rise his eyebrow, asking a silent question. Woohyun replies with his eyes glancing at Howon beside Sunggyu. The elder smiles, patting Woohyun’s hand. He picks the bowl and put them beside Howon’s nearly empty bowl.

Howon lift his head to look at the new bowl slightly.

“Eat,” Sunggyu says.

“Wow. Thanks, hyung. You’re the best,” Howon says happily, quickly exchange his bowl with the new one and gobble down.

Sunggyu rubs Howon’s shoulder, smiling.

Dongwoo frowns looking at the bowl. It was as full as when they start eating. As if the previous owner of the bowl only eats a mouth or two. He looks at his side, Woohyun is drinking his juice to its last drop.

“Are you okay?” he whispers.

Woohyun put down the empty glass, looking at Dongwoo. “Yeah. Why shouldn’t I?”

“You didn’t eat much, do you?”

He smiles greasily. “I’m fine.” He tilted his head. “Why do you stop? You don’t like buckwheat noodles?”

“Even if I don’t like them, it will quickly change as my favourite since you’re cooking them,” Dongwoo says. “You want half of mine?”

Woohyun shakes his head. “No, you can finish them.” He looks at the two in front of him.

Howon doesn’t even lift his head from the bowl, Sunggyu is eating too and talking to Howon at the same time. It has been a week since the last get together. That means a week since Woohyun failed to talk to Sunggyu. He thought he can spend the day with his boyfriend and share the good news. But since Howon is also here, he doubts he can get the chance to talk at all. Sunggyu will scold him again about trying to have his full attention when he also needs to give them to Howon.

Woohyun sighs as he stands up from the seat, picking his utensils and went to the sink to wash them. Dongwoo just watch from the corner of his eyes as he eats his noodles. He looks at Sunggyu and Howon, and it seems like his housemate didn’t even care his own boyfriend had leave the table. What worse, he didn’t even realized the said boyfriend didn’t eat at all.

“Woohyun was too clingy, hyung. Don’t you feel uncomfortable?” Howon asks, finally lift his head from the bowl.

Sunggyu chuckles. “He was like that since the first time I know him. It’s not Woohyun if he is not that clingy,”

“But still. Don’t you feel uncomfortable, hyung? It would be annoying for me if I had someone hooked on my arms all the time.”

Sunggyu smiles. “Sometimes it was, sometimes it’s not. But I love him all the same.”

Howon grunts. “He was like a puppy following on your tail. He was like a koala clinging on your arm. Just wait until he hugs you and kiss you until you can’t breathe.”

Dongwoo was shocked as Sunggyu just giggle at Howon’s nags. What the heck he is talking about? Apparently they both know Woohyun was not at the table, so the guest can badmouth him. But did they realize that the object of their talk can hear them clearly from the sink, since it was just a couple of steps away and the water had stops running?

Slowly ever so painfully, Dongwoo turns to the sink. His heart drop when he saw Woohyun stands there with his back on the counter, facing them. His eyes unreadable and his face blank.

----------

“Sungjongie…” Woohyun cried as he hugs the younger boy.

Sungjong pats his head, calming him down. “There, there, hyung.”

“You’re early. I thought you will be back late…” Sungyeol says.

“Or tomorrow,” Myungsoo added.

Woohyun didn’t replies, he just hugs Sungjong tighter.

Woohyun stay for a while after breakfast. But when there was no sign Howon will left the apartment, let alone give some space to the couple even though Woohyun had sent hints about wanting to talk, he choose to excuse himself. Furthermore, Sunggyu was no help at all. He refuse to give in when Woohyun ask him to take a walk outside or just went to the bedroom to converse. It’s as if Sunggyu was worried to left Howon alone. Well, not like he will be alone since Dongwoo was also there. But…sighs. Woohyun didn’t know why Sunggyu doesn’t want to talk to him, without other ears in the same room.

Woohyun went straight home to vent his frustration, or to fill his stomach at least. He enters the apartment to see Sungjong sits on the floor with his back on the foot of the couch, while Sungyeol and Myungsoo on the couch, watching some movie. Woohyun runs to Sungjong and wrap his arms around the boy, catching those three in surprise, since they never thought Woohyun will be back just two hours after he left.

“What’s wrong, hyung?” Myungsoo asks.

“Howon is being a jerk,” Woohyun says, pulling from the hug but one arm still around Sungjong’s waist.

“Why?” Sungyeol asks.

“Howon came. And he eats a lot. I swear he will eat everything I brought over before noon.”

Sungyeol and Myungsoo look at each other as Sungjong rubs his shoulder.

“You never complain, Woohyun. Didn’t you like it if people eat your food?”

“That’s not it!” Woohyun pulls from Sungjong to look behind him. “Howon being a jerk. And Sunggyu hyung is an idiot,”

“Woah. Calm down, Woohyun. What’s wrong? You never talk badly about Sunggyu hyung,”

“Because Sunggyu hyung badmouth me, that’s why,”

“He did what?” Sungjong asks, bewildered.

Woohyun shakes his head. “Howon is a jerk. Sunggyu hyung is an idiot…” he cried. “I want to talk. I want to spend today together with Sunggyu hyung, just the two of us. But Howon was there. So Sunggyu hyung won’t even look at me. He didn’t even stop me from leaving. No. He even didn’t send me to the door.”

Myungsoo looks at Sungyeol, at a loss of words. He hope the older can talk to his childhood friend to calm him down. Myungsoo can cool him down but when Woohyun rant about his lover, he didn’t know what to say other than let him pour his frustration. He can be a listening ears but not a talking person.

“I think you’re just jealous,” Sungyeol says.

“I’m not!”

“You know Howon’s situation right now. That’s why Sunggyu hyung gives his full attention to him, to make sure he didn’t feel sad or stress,”

“But it doesn’t mean he can’t send me to the door. I bet you Sunggyu hyung didn’t even realize I was gone,”

“I bet you Sunggyu hyung had his hands full of Howon. Why don’t you be supportive and try to understand him better?”

“What about me then?”

“That’s what I said, you’re just jealous. You’re jealous Sunggyu hyung spend his time on Howon but not you. Gives him time okay? Once Howon on his feet again, you will have Sunggyu hyung’s attention all to yourself.”

Woohyun turns to the younger whose hand rubbing on his arm, trying to soothe him. “What do you think, Sungjong?”

Startled, Sungjong’s hand stop moving. “Um…I think…” He side glance his older brother and caught his signal. “You’re not jealous, hyung. You’re just frustrated that Sunggyu hyung choose Howon hyung over you,”

“In short, you’re jealous,” Sungyeol says.

“I’m not!” Woohyun flail his arms, nearly knocking Sungjong. “I’m not jealous. Why are you like this too, Sungjong?”

“What? I didn’t say you’re jealous, hyung. I said you’re frustrated,” Sungjong tries to straighten out. “It’s different,”

“It’s the same,” Sungyeol says.

Sungjong hiss at his older brother while Myungsoo hit him on his ribs.

“What? It’s true.”

Woohyun snort as he circled his arms around his chest, mumbling how he was all alone and everyone turns their back on him. Sungjong pats and rubs his shoulder, to calm the older down. His movie on the television screen forgotten. It was faint but Sungjong can clearly hear since he is closer, the sound of Woohyun’s singing tummy.

“Hyung…did you at least eat over there?” Sungjong asks, afraid of the answer.

“No…”

“Why?” Myungsoo jump slightly.

“Howon is a big eater, I said just now,”

“Yeah…so?” Myungsoo asks, didn’t understand what Howon’s big appetite has anything to do with Woohyun singing stomach.

“I gave my share to him.” Woohyun lift his fingers. “Half of Sunggyu hyung’s share.” He put a finger down. “Half of Dongwoo’s share.” A finger down. “And a full of mine.” Two fingers down leaving the little finger standing proudly. “I think I only eat half a spoon of soup.”

Myungsoo jump from the couch and runs to the kitchen to look for leftover buckwheat noodles for the eldest to eat. Sungyeol’s mouth opens wide in shock. Sungjong’s hand stops moving, exactly on Woohyun’s arm. He can feel the bones in once toned arm of the elder, and it makes him worry if the other neglects his own meal.

“He eats a lot but I think it still not enough for him. I bet you he will clean Sunggyu hyung’s fridge in no time,” Woohyun says, oblivious to the worry look the brothers and his childhood friend thrown at him.

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