After his one hour rant of how humans were small and meaningless in terms of the universe, Jae I finally declared that he was going to take a nap. 

 

“In this cramped- space??” Haneul yelled at him, already half-asleep himself; he stuffed himself with soup and was now full. You couldn’t even get him out of the tree house if you tried. “You’re gonna have to sleep outside on the grass-” 

 

“How dare you mention the word space after the conversation we just had,” Baekgyeol said back to him.

 

Dongin yawned. “Good thing it’s the weekend.”

 

“I thank everyone for your concern, Haneul, but I’m going to sleep,” Jae I persisted, stretching out his legs while ignoring their yelling of how he was pushing them. “The billions of lightyears that make up the cosmos and you won’t let me nap. We have bigger things to worry about-”

 

At the mention of the word nap, Daun perked up. “Oh, a nap would be VERY good right now-”

 

“Why don’t you two nap together?” Baekygyeol suggested, laughing immediately afterwards.

 

Uiyeon, who had taken a drink of his orange fanta, spit it out dramatically all over Haneul’s back, and then choked once he realized what he did. “Oh my god, I am so sorry-”

 

Jae I’s face turned red. “I- what the hell is wrong with you, Baekgyeol??”

 

“Oh, man, now this is funny,” Dongin said, taking the last sip of his Sprite. “So much tension in the air, this is great to watch.”
 

Horyeong wanted to comment about how they were talking about his brother, but he remembered his conversation with Daun earlier and held his tongue, instead deciding to say… “Daun kicks in his sleep, you guys wouldn’t like that-"

 

“That was one time,” Daun interrupted him. “ONE! And you stole the blanket anyways!!”

 

“You wanted the fan on anyways!!” 

 

“BECAUSE THE HOUSE HAD NO AC, HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW IT WAS GONNA TURN BACK ON IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT-” 

 

Baekgyeol raised his hands in the air. “I didn’t start that fight.”

 

“Believe me, Gyeol, we are all surprised,” Donghwi muttered. “And Jae I, it’s not even dark yet-“

 

Hwalchan pulled his pot of soup (well, it HAD soup) towards him. “I have to go soon, I need to study-“

 

“I’ll walk you home,” Dongin said, chucking his empty soda can into the plastic bag they brought in order to not leave a mess. “Hwi, when are you leaving? I feel like watching a horror movie.” 

 

Donghwi shrugged, leaning his head back against the wall. “Whenever you want,” he said, sighing. “Nothing’s waiting for me at home, anyways.”

 

***
 

 

“This crush has lasted longer than the last,” Haneul said Sunday morning, drying a glass with a hand towel.

 

Jae I didn’t look at him, instead staring hopefully at the wall, chin propped on his hand. “It’s amazing.”

 

Hwalchan his phone on the table when he felt it vibrate, still continuing to write with his free hand in his notebook. “Daun seems nice.” 

 

Baekgyeol groaned, letting his head hit the table. “I’m going to be the only single person left, I hate it here.” 

 

The four of them were in the ice cream shop, despite it being 8 am. Haneul was forced to open no thanks to his parents, Baekgyeol wanted ice cream for parents, and Jae I was bored. Hwalchan had attempted to study at his house, but it soon turned noisy with his siblings having friends over, so he headed over to the ice cream parlour thinking it would be silent and dead on a Sunday morning. With the presence of Baekgyeol… no, it was not. 

 

“At least you can look at people without being broken in pieces,” Haneul said. Holding the glass at eye level before letting go, the glass shattering on the counter. “Like that.” 

 

Jae I turned to look at him momentarily, disrupting his wall staring. “What the , Haneul-”

 

“There was a chip and crack, can’t use it anymore,” Haneul explained as he opened the cabinet underneath the counter, bending down to pick up the spare brush and dustpan he left in there. “Jae I, you were saying?”

 

Jae I sighed happily, crossing his arms over the table. “He’s so cool.”

 

Another thing emitted from Hwalchan, so he picked it up to answer it. “Dongin invited me to breakfast.” 

 

“Then go, idiot, he’s your boyfriend, what did you expect?” Baekgyeol said. “Haneul, can I have cookies n’ cream-”

 

“Forty thousand won,” Haneul interrupted him. “Hwalchan, if you’re worried about leaving us alone, we’re good to be honest, I’m stuck working here till three-”

 

“Is Hyogi not going to take your place today?” Baekgyeol asked. “Your parents barely make him work. Also I’m broke.” 

 

Haneul shook his head. “Congrats and yeah, you know, for me being the oldest…” he shrugged. “Honestly it might be why they’re against me going to college-” 

 

“I’m not afraid of leaving you guys alone,” Hwalchan said. “I’m afraid of being alone with him.” 

 

Jae I whipped his head to look at Hwalchan, Haneul wondering how he didn’t break his neck in the process. “What do you mean by being alone with him-”

 

Baekgyeol grabbed his spoon and stood up, gripping it tight. “Dongin better not try any funny business with you-"

 

“Don’t tell me Dongin is- is he.. Hurting you??” Haneul asked, his eyes wide. 

 

“No, no, it’s not- can you guys not make assumptions about this, please?!” Hwalchan yelled, slamming his hands on the table to get their attention. Well, it wasn’t really yelling, more like speaking at a normal voice but it was definitely louder than how Hwalchan normally spoke. “I’m talking about us- about him…” Hwalchan trailed off, bumping his two fists together. “You know-”

 

“Pounding- OH, ING!” Baekgyeol yelled for everyone in the whole parlour to hear, which they have never been more thankful for the place to just have them inside.

 

“No offense but WHAT THE IS WRONG WITH YOU, BAEKGYEOL-” Haneul yelled at him, raising a glass besides him and pretending to throw it at him. “Scream a little louder, won’t ya, I think he didn’t hear you-”

 

“Wait, why would Dongin - isn’t his family home right now?” Jae I asked. “And on a Sunday-”

 

Hwalchan bit his lip, glaring at Jae I. 

 

“Look, I- I’m sure if you just tell Dongin you’re not ready, he’ll understand,” Haneul suggested. He grabbed a small waffle bowl from where the cones were kept. “And if he doesn’t I’ll kick his -”

 

“I- that’s the thing, too, he- he hasn’t exactly made a move or mention about it..” Hwalchan said softly, staring at his notes in front of him. 

 

Baekgyeol shrugged. “I mean, that makes sense, you know, you guys barely even grab hands.”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jae I asked him.

 

Baekgyeol raised up his hands in defense. “I’m not judging him, for crying out loud, I’m saying that, you know, we know he doesn’t like being touched, and Dongin knows that, he probably knows that it will take a while before they two get ual or anything.”

 

Hwalchan grabbed his sleeves and pulled them down. “Is that how other people see it?”

 

“Look, Hwalchan, I think… there’s no harm in telling him you're not ready, whether it has crossed his mind or not,” Haneul said. He scooped up some vanilla ice cream and set it on the waffle bowl, taking off his apron before heading out of the backline and towards their table. “If it makes you feel more peaceful around him, there’s nothing wrong with it.”

 

“Yeah, true, true, if you just isolate him he might think you’re mad at him,” Jae I added. “Just do what you think is best.”

 

***

 

Dongin took Donghwi’s glass bottle off his tray. “I’m not trusting you around glass anymore.”

 

Donghwi rolled his eyes, yanking the bottle back from Dongin. “You’re acting like I broke it around you.” 

 

“You might as well have- Horyeong.” Dongin tapped on Horyeong’s shoulder, startling him. “Tell him he’s not allowed to touch glass anymore.” 

 

Horyeong, who had appeared besides the with a tray in his hand, minding his own business, looked surprised when Dongin and Donghwi were looking at him. “Uh… why would he listen to me-”

 

“I’m not listening to anybody.” Donghwi set his tray on the lunch line and pushed it forward, the glass bottle of lemonade in his other hand. “Dongin, can you just tell me why you think Hwalchan was being weird yesterday?”

 

Dongin grabbed two bowls of kimchi, setting one of them on Donghwi’s tray. “His eyes were like… darting all over the place, like he was scared of someone coming in or something.” 

 

“Hmm… that’s weird... “ Donghwi grabbed two bowls of rice, setting one on Dongin’s tray just like what the latter did to him a few seconds prior. “Why don’t you try talking to him about it?”

 

“I was thinking of later today after school but I want us to be alone. The last thing I need is Baekgyeol rambling his head off-” Dongin looked behind him to see Horyeong. “What do you think, dude?”

 

Horyeong stared at them for about five seconds before grabbing a bowl of rice, concentrating his focus on his tray. “Maybe he just has anxiety.”

 

“I think you’re overthinking this but since you know him better than us, just talk to him if it bothers you, at least it shows him you care.” 

 

“But don’t be pretentious about it and respect whatever he says,” Horyeong added. “If you ask him five times what’s wrong he’ll snap at you.”

 

Dongin grabbed a serving of fried chicken. “Yeah, I know that too well from Donghwi over here-”

 

“Look, if I’m in a bad mood and you ask me what’s wrong, I’m going to feel more like ,” Donghwi explained. “And you know better.” 

 

“Well, thanks for exploding Friday night,” Dongin muttered his breath, though he knew Donghwi probably needed that fight. 

 

It wasn’t that bad anyway, probably last less than five minutes before Donghwi burst into tears about his fight with his dad. Nothing Dongin hasn’t seen before, unfortunately. 

 

“I’m sorry,” Donghwi repeated again, sighing. “I already made it up to you anyways.”

 

“Oh come on, I didn’t take all of your fudge,” Dongin said. “Did you buy more, though?”

 

Donghwi grabbed the pork belly, glaring at Dongin. “There was no more peanut butter, though.”

 

“Eh, I’ll live.” Dongin grabbed pickled radish, bumping his shoulder with Horyeong. “Hey, we’re playing Mario Kart at his house again, do you want to come with?” 

 

Horyeong shrugged. “If his two dogs don’t bite me, then I guess-”

 

Donghwi gasped, pressing a hand against his chest. “How dare you assume Kevin and Helicopter bite, they are so sweet-”

 

“Don’t they bite you dad all the time?” Dongin reminded him. 

 

Donghwi rolled his eyes. “Yes and I’d rather not talk about him.”

 

***

 

Addicts

 

Ice Cream

Seulchan how did you do it 

 

I’m dating a different Woojin

Do what 

 

I hate my real name 

Be a ?
 

I’m dating a different Woojin

I have done nothing to you today

 

I hate my real name

Today being the key word

 

Ice Cream

Get a boyfriend

I’m just curious don’t question me

 

I hate my real name 

Well now I want to ask questions

 

I’m dating a different Woojin

I mean… I don’t know

 

I mean I thought Woojin was cute and nice and whatever but when he asked me out I was taken aback tbh

 

I hate my real name 

Lee Woojin and Jeon Junggeun

 

A match made in hell

 

Ice Cream

Don’t you mean heaven 

 

I hate my real name

No

 

I’m dating a different Woojin

Stfu Zeth 

 

Anyways is this about Daun again 

 

Ice Cream

Yeah

 

I was going to tell him someone invited me over to play video games again but then he also told me he’s hanging out with that one guy again

 

I hate my real name

 

Should we question who invited you over?

 

Ice Cream

I’m not talking to you anymore