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The air in the small dormitory is absolutely stifling. Not even joking about it made it any better, especially since literally no one laughed more than an awkward chuckle right now, and really, Noeul was dying. People never NOT laughed at his jokes...Or at least gave in to his mood-making abilities, but it felt so strained, and Noeul was a little disheartened.

As a social butterfly, the tall, lanky man needed to spread his wings and thrived best in positive, more upbeat environments, but this definitely wasn’t it. Things had been fine when he first arrived at the dorms, with Jinseok in tow. The younger slinking off like a grumpy cat, while Noeul found Seulki lounging sprawled out on one of the sofas in the living area, cartoons playing on the tiny television on the tiny stand positioned against the adjacent wall to the furniture. The dancer was quick to jump up and help him with his bags before Siha trailed out of one of the bedrooms while adorably rubbing at his sleepy eyes.

Slowly, everyone else started to arrive, and even Wei came out of his ‘meditation’ smelling of weed and looking very calm. Noeul sits legs criss-cross on the white carpet of the dorm common room, fingers restlessly picking at some weird long pieces of thread sticking out of the carpet while the rest of the room is bathed in silence.

Noeul liked interacting with others, but some of the members were determined not to get along, it seemed, and Noeul felt dejected and pouty. He was already friends with Sion-hyung since they composed together, and by extension, knew of Haneul, but not really on a personal level. On the other hand, Noeul was friends with Wei. Having met in rap lessons and learning of the other’s constant chillness and interest in recreational drugs, they clicked pretty easily. Though, this was a secret he hoped the others would never find out about - ever. However, he trusted Wei not to reveal anything. Their unspoken pact is still going strong, and Noeul couldn’t be more grateful.

Now, he just wanted to get off on the right foot with the rest. maybe make some good food together and watch movies or something… That would be nice! Noeul would try harder and make it happen. That’s all he could do.

‘Sion-hyung is easy to get out of his shell once he’s in a chill environment, so I just have to work on the others first, and he’ll come around after. Wei is relaxed pretty much anywhere, so that leaves everyone else.’ Neoul mused with a quick scan of bodies in the living area.

At his right, Seulki is sprawled out on his stomach, eyes fixated on the wall in an attempt to restrain himself from starting some kind of fight. At the same time, Siha props his sock-covered feet on the older’s back, flicking through a magazine that looks suspiciously bright and colorful, with an assortment of cartoon covered clothing. Noeul wouldn’t be surprised if it was a child's magazine with Siha.

Sion, their new leader, sits on the furthest end of the sofa, his phone crushed in a near-death grip while straining his eyes to stare at the tiny screen. He’s obviously pretending to be inconspicuous so that no one will call him out. That left a, frankly speaking, a pretty male that, even as a heteroual male, Noeul could admit because he had eyes and he wasn’t blind. He sat on the middle seat between Sion and that tiny Haneul dude flanking his right.

Noeul squinted at the boy in thought. Did he recognize him from practice or something? He knew he’d seen him somewhere but couldn't pinpoint just where. His name was Jun something, right? How the hell was he so pretty? Was he actually a girl?

Honestly, the guy looked better than a lot of females he’d flirted with in his lifetime… What with his very plump pair of lips, small nose, sharp jawline, and equally sharp yet expressive eyes all framed perfectly with a picture frame of shoulder-length brunette locks. Not to mention the dude was also tall and slim. Noeul was pretty convinced he had to be a girl… Although to be fair, Noeul thought the same thing about Haneul when he first met the tiny diva, and he was very wrong - according to the kick in the nuts he received… It didn’t stop Noeul from thinking he was pretty, though, and constantly annoying the younger by shipping himself with Haneul, despite being straight as hell. Again, eyes -

Actually, now that he examined the entirety of the group, it seemed like a lot of the members were fairly good looking, including himself of course, which would be good for their image, but at the same time, he didn’t want to come off as super flowerboy or something either - definitely not interested in that kind of concept.

Wei seemed to be the only one to stick out, but that was just because the Chinese boy didn’t seem to know what a brush was. And he spent too much time focusing on girls rather than taking a few seconds to look himself over in the mirror.

“Please stop thinking so loudly. It’s ruining my life,” Haneul piped up before Noeul could even speak, and he looked up in time to meet eyes with the shortest boy. Noeul opened his mouth to answer back, but Haneul cut him off again, “And don’t ruin anyone else’s life. Leave Junyeob-hyung alone. He’s sensitive.”

The tiny male spoke as if he could read Noeul’s mind, and he couldn’t help but laugh. Junyeob let out a quiet noise of displeasure, eyebrows furrowing as he turned over to Haneul like he had betrayed him.

“Hannie...Why would you say that? I’m not!” but the pout on his face said otherwise, the cute scrunching of Junyeob’s nose and little whine following suit. He was indeed sensitive. That much was clear as day.

“You are, shush, it’s okay.” Haneul put his hand on the others head and practically pulled the long-haired boy’s head to his chest, with only a startled yelp from Junyeob. The long-haired boy ‘tsked,’ through his pout, helplessly attempting to pry the smaller boy off but to no avail, for Haneul only clung tighter with a downright evil laugh.

Junyeob’s loud whines broke Noeul out of his trance, and the realization of just what was said about him smacked the tall, lanky male in the face. The AUDACITY! HIM? A LIFE RUINER?? Noeul felt himself taken aback, hand coming up to fall dramatically on his chest, right over his lazily beating heart. He was as gentle and lovely as the autumn breeze! Even just a glimpse of Noeul had people gleaming like stumbling upon an unexpected rainbow.! Or so he told himself… But it was TRUE!

“But I didn’t even say anything yet, Hannie Honey, so how can I be ruining anyone’s life?”

“If you’re breathing, then you’re planning something, mate. No hate though,” Wei stated matter-of-fact without looking up from his phone. The only Chinese member of the group half-sits with his legs dangling off one arm of a plush armchair. White AirPods positioned in his ears create a quiet stream of music drifting through the air.

Noeul gasps dramatically before turning to stare at the younger one who betrayed his friendship. “Wei! How could you!? I thought we were bbfs!”

“It’s BFFs, idiot.” Haneul gives him a look like he’s the dumbest person to grace the earth just as Siha seems to perk up at the conversation, magazine slipping from his grip and forgotten to the maknae’s lap.

“What’s bbfs?” Siha innocently asks, his big brown doe eyes blinking so brightly, only enough to rival the boy's large grin and rosy cheeks. The energy that seemed to hover around Siha immediately brightens Noeul’s grin, and the older perks up like a dog, ears raising and tail wagging at the idea of elaborating for Siha’s interest.

The youngest’s mood was always contagious, so it seemed. He and Noeul fed off of each other’s auras. Siha didn’t even have to try hard to get anyone to fall into the palm of his hand. Noeul just thought he was too cute to say no to. It was impossible in his mind to be angry or upset with Siha around.

Noeul watches as the youngest bounces up and off of Seulki before landing next to himself, big eyes shining and sparkling up at the older, causing Noeul’s chest to warm, a coo falling from his lips. Siha was adorable, although, for being the maknae, he was unnaturally tall - like extremely and it was kind of off-putting and unexpected because of his baby face - though he still had that cute factor of naivety working for him, so it could be overlooked that he was almost the same size as Noeul’s own height already.

“It’s not BFFs, Hannie, it’s bbfs! Best bros forever!” Noeul exclaims happily, mirroring Siha’s excitement with ease before reaching out to ruffle Siha’s mop of messy locks. The maknae’s smile only widens until his near-blinding pearly whites are on display.

“Woah, that’s soooo cool! Can I be bbfs with you guys too?” Siha manages to squeak out, batting his eyelashes as his hands fidget in his lap with barely contained energy. Of course, Noeul finds himself nodding to the other, though before he can even get a word out, he’s already being reprimanded, as the smallest boy’s voice catches their attention.

“No siha, baby, you can’t play with them. They’ll try to corrupt you into Noeul’s evil schemes.” Haneul states, causing Siha to whine loudly in protest. The smallest male shoots him the stink eye, and Siha immediately turns away to look at Sion with what Noeul can only describe as puppy eyes.

Noeul might not be entirely ‘all there,’ but even he wasn’t blind to what was happening and the slight panic bubbling up in his chest. He blinks between Noeul and Sion, the youngest obviously widening his eyes and softening his baby face, sending the look pointedly at the leader who, Noeul thinks, biting back a small laugh, looks ready to die.

“Please don’t…” Sion starts, barely managing to hold back the fear in his tone as a very heavy sinister aura radiates from Haneul from over Junyeobs shoulder. It becomes apparent to Noeul just what Siha is trying to do with his sugary sweet tone, and boy is the brat testing his luck. But Noeul has to give him props. The kid has balls, he really does if he’s willing to pull this card out of the box so early in the game.

“But si-hyung! Hannie-hyung isn’t in charge of you.” Siha happily smiles, crescent moons plastered to the adorably round face that doesn't match with the complete evilness of his intentions, and Noeul laughs with mixed shock and surprise.

He really ing did it. Noeul blinks through his own loud bout of laughter. The maknae tried to pit Sion-hyung’s word against Haneuls. Damn, all this time Noeul had underestimated the maknae, and wow, he was either really stupid or brilliant - noeul couldn’t tell which way on the scales Siha leaned.

“Wait, what did you say, you little -“ Junyeob throws a hand over Haneuls mouth, a frantic, crazy look in his eyes while the long-haired male forces out anxio