Unlike his fondness of Autumn, Jaejin wasn’t quite liking Winter. The cold that would keep on crawling on his skin, up to his spine and send him unpleasant shiver, and the snow that would prevent him from going outside and just have a nice day out. Of course he was fully aware that it wasn’t that he was the outdoor type, but he had his moments and he knew that he would definitely miss those random walks he would take alone just to clear his mind off.

Like any other cold night, his eyes fluttered open, blinking at the darkness of the room that he was in. It took his eyes a moment before they could make up basic shapes of the inside of the room - the bedside table that Jaejin wouldn’t want to knock over and the cupboard that he would be heading to pretty soon. He sat up, letting the duvet slide down from his chest, only to quickly pull it up to cover his body again when he was greeted by the cold.

Yet he knew it would remain uncomfortable for the rest of the night if he didn’t get his off the queen size bed. He really had to get something to layer him up because his skinny body could only do so much to keep him warm. The wooden floor was warm, serving its purpose during winter, but Jaejin tiptoed as quickly as he could to the cupboard, not wanting to wait any longer to put something on.

He opened the foreign cupboard, realising that it was probably his first time to actually have a look at the inside of it. Sighing, he squirmed at the shelves inside - his poor eyesight and the dark room did very little to help him recognising the folded clothes. All he needed was a sweater or a hoodie - that wouldn’t be too hard to find, would it?

“What are you doing?” a hoarse voice broke the silence that had been filling the room, startling Jaejin that was just about to pull out what he believed was a sweater.

The room was then lightened up, warm light shining from one corner of the room. When Jaejin turned his head around, he saw Jonghun sitting on the bed that he was sleeping on previously - hair all messy, pointing towards all direction.

“Trying to find something to put on. It’s cold,” he answered, finally pulling the sweater out.

“...cold?”

“Yeah. Can I borrow this?” Jaejin asked as he put on the sweater.

“Well you’re already putting it on... and it looks horrible on you,” Jonghun chuckled.

“I’m sorry that I’m a couple of sizes smaller than you,” he rolled his eyes.

He wanted to protest more but decided not to when Jonghun pulled him up to the bed even before he put a knee on it. His body literally slammed over onto the bed, getting dragged closer to Jonghun’s body heat. Skinship was something that he thought they had gotten better at, but he always felt out of place when the older guy initiated it. Sometimes, just sometimes, Jaejin wanted to be the dominating one.

If only he didn’t like it so much when Jonghun wrapped his arm around him and pulled him into an embrace.

“You’re like a muscular, slightly stupid, big bear,” Jaejin mumbled, snuggling closer.

“Slightly stup-- what?!”

“Nothing~. Let’s just go back to sleep,” he grinned.

---

As far as he could remember, Jonghun and Hongki had had countless fights since they first met. Their friendship wasn’t all about fluffy and giggly relationship. A couple of fist fights did take place and there was a phase where they weren’t talking to each for about a month because they were after the same girl (but the girl ended up with someone else completely anyway). But as they grew older, the less fights they had. Jonghun started to understand Hongki’s complex mind while Hongki had learned how to deal with the composer’s stubbornness. Yet of course, even now, there would always be that one time where they would sit opposite each other and do nothing but stare at each other intensely.

“A duet?”

“Yes. A duet.”

“With who?” Jonghun frowned.

“With the man that made this song, of course,” Hongki shrugged.

“The man that--... wait, but why?”

“Because his voice and mine blend together really well. Have you heard him sing? I mean, of course you have, but have you heard us sing together? Phenomenal.”

“...the question is... have you even asked Jaejin?”

Hongki’s grin and what was supposed to be a confident sitting posture didn’t die down at Jonghun’s question.

“Nope~, but he’ll agree. And even when he doesn’t, he’ll do it.”

“Don’t be stupid.”

“I’m not stupid. He’ll definitely do it. I just need to tell him to come, and he’ll be here.”

“Do you know how stubborn he is? Probably as bad as I am,” Jonghun shook his head not amusedly.

But it surprised Jonghun when Jaejin walked into the studio just about an hour later, looking like a lost puppy in a big unknown building. When their eyes met, Jaejin’s jaw dropped. The younger guy looked down to the phone that he was holding, seemingly checking something on it as he stepped back to check the studio number that was on the wall beside the door.

“Hongki-hyung... he told me to meet him here. He said it was urgent?” Jaejin mumbled. “This is the right room, but why are you here?”

“Well... it’s technically my studio,” he answered.

“Eh?!”

Sighing, Jonghun shouted, calling Hongki that had gone to the pantry. It was rather disturbing to see Hongki rushing back to the studio only to wrap his hand around Jaejin. Jonghun's clutch tightened in his grip, trying to stop himself from throwing a masile bomb towards his own best friend. "That's my boyfriend you're hugging, so would you mind?" Jonghun pierced his eyes at Hongki.

"Oh don't be so stiff, Hyung. It's just a hug," Jaejin laughed, putting his arm around Hongki as well.

"Yeah, Jonghun. It's just a hug. You have no idea what else we've done behind your back."

"What does that supposed to mean?!"

"Well, we shared a bed when we were in Japan," Hongki grinned.

Jonghun was about to throw his punch at Hongki when he saw Jaejin laughing his out, burying his face to Hongki's shoulder. Now when did they get so close like that? What did he miss?

"Now young man, hands, or face, off my best friend. You're here to do a recording test not rubbing my jealousy on my face."

"Recording test? What?!!"

"Yes, boyfriend. We're gonna do a duet!" Hongki grinned.

Jonghun watched Hongki dragging Jaejin to recording room, who seemed very unwilling by the unpleasant look that newly discovered composer was throwing Jonghun. Years of friendship still sometimes surprised Jonghun every time Hongki managed to get what he wanted without even really trying. It felt almost as if the higher being up there was playing favorite where Hongki always won and Joghun would be outside of the ring, watching Hongki claimed the victory while he shook his head in wonder.

"And his not your boyfriend, . He's mine. I share more bed with him than your one time in Japan!" shouted Jonghun to Hongki before he sat down to deal with his mixer.

---

Despite the fact he had been dragged into a recording unwillingly (more like unknowingly), and despite how surreal everything seemed to somehow have a temporary job, all that Jaejin felt right now was excitement. It had been ages, literally, since he had been to Seunghyun and Minhwan’s shared apartment; but he knew better than letting Minhwan preparing the welcome-home party for Seunghyun all by himself.

The apartment wasn’t any bigger than Jaejin’s, maybe even smaller. It had only one bedroom and one bathroom, a small kitchen but quite a spacy living slash dining room. They didn’t have a dining room, all the eating was usually done in front of the TV. Jaejin sometimes wondered how the two of them could share an apartment because it was more like an apartment for one person instead of two.

And speaking of Minhwan, the boy had been beaming, way to happily because his not-too-long-gone roommate was finally coming home. His lips were pulled from ear to ear, the smile hadn’t been fading away since Jaejin got there. There was also this guy that Jaejin had never met before, helping him with the food that he was trying to save from Minhwan’s weird recipes.

“What did you say your name was again?” asked Jaejin.

“Kim Myungsoo, hyungnim,” the boy answered.

“Just hyung… please,” Jaejin sighed. Being the youngest in the family, and had been spending his time with only Jonghun and Hongki lately had made him feel rather foreign towards the idea of being a hyung.

“But I’ve heard a lot about you. You seem to be so cool!”

“How long have you known Minhwan and Seunghyun for?” he quickly changed the subject, not feeling talking about himself.

“I’ve known Minhwan since junior high school, Seunghyung was when Minhwan went to the same school with him.”

“How come I never knew you existed?”

“I moved away for awhile, my dad got transferred for work. I came back here for university, then somehow I managed to get in contact with Minhwan and Seunghyun again.”

“Still, why didn’t I know you?”

“Because you’ve been busy with Jonghun-hyung,” Minhwan interrupted, sending what Jaejin believed was supposed to be a wink. “And Myung hardly hang out with us anyway.”

Jaejin decided to seal his mouth when he saw the nasty look Minhwan was throwing this stranger. Minhwan was a lovely guy, but he tended to get clingy – meaning, a sulking Minhwan wouldn’t be something too weird to see. Whoever this Myungsoo guy was, he could only assume that he had done something bad.

“Minhwan…” Myungsoo whined.

Yet before the two friends managed to start an argument, the front door of the apartment was opened from the outside, revealing a tall man with a big bag rolling behind him. The distinct mega-watt smile curved on now somewhat chubbier face. Seunghyun looked, wow, very healthy. He gained a couple of pound but Jaejin had no complaint on it. The younger guy looked like a walking skeleton anyway.

“Wow, look at you,” Jaejin stepped forward to his dongsaeng, giving him a hug. Though he’d do anything just to get away from the tense atmosphere between Minhwan and Myungsoo. “What did you eat?!”

“Me? Oh hyung, you should try their gyudon. It’s the best thing I ever had in my entire life!” he grinned. “Oh Minhwan!! I have missed you!!” Seunghyun quickly turned to Minhwan, the latter’s face quickly beaming again after that look he had on Myungsoo.

“Well, I had tried their gyudon. I lived there remember,” Jaejin frowned sarcastically.

Jaejin watched Seunghyun giving a quick nod to Myungsoo, a smirk on his face as he did that, but not saying anything about the guy being there at all. Now that had made him curious, his mind started to ask questions. Sometimes he hated being a prude and a curious lad in the same time. These two traits didn’t really go along well together apparently.

The four of them then sat down on the table before the TV, with about two plates of fried chicken that were enough to feed the entire floor if not because they had Minhwan among them and a big bowl of French fries that Jaejin had managed to save from over-seasoning (because Minhwan said a lot of garlic powder and white pepper would make it taste even better, and thank God he hid everything but salt before Minhwan did anything weird).

Seunghyun sat next to Jaejin, while Myungsoo sat next to unwilling Minhwan. Jaejin gave Seunghyun a small nudge, silently asking what was actually going on between Minhwan and Myungsoo. Seunghyun only whispered “I’ll tell you later.”

But Jaejin soon forgot about it when there was beer involved. He loved his alcohol and the beer that Seunghyun had bought from the duty free shop from Japan tasted so good, reminding him when he would just throw his papers aside, decided not to do any work for the rest of the night and watched any random show on TV with a couple cans of beer when he was an exchange student in Japan.

They ended up making conversation that didn’t make any sense, laughing away on the smallest thing that amused them, be it Seunghyun tripping his way to the kitchen to make some microwave popcorn (which Jaejin surprised he managed to do at all) or when Myungsoo accidentally knock over one of the beer cans, spilling the content to his black sweater.

Minhwan quickly grabbed some tissue and wiped the wet area of Myungsoo’s sweater, helping him with the mess that he had done. Minhwan didn’t say anything, just silently tried to dry the sweater while the other guy was only staring . It was rather awkward to watch if Jaejin had to be honest.

“Popcorn for the show?” Seunghyun whispered to Jaejin, squatting down beside him and putting a bowl of popcorn on the table.

“What show?” Jaejin whispered back.

“The show of the two lovebirds reconciling?” Seunghyun grinned.

The taller guy signaled Jaejin to follow him to the hallway, away from the boys. Reluctantly he did. He felt rather tipsy, knowing that he might have to crash the couch for the night because he wouldn’t be able to go home alone like this. He followed Seunghyun who seemed to be leading him to the bedroom that he shared with Minhwan.

“So the two of them are… a couple?” Jaejin asked.

“Nope. Not really. But they certainly like each other. Well, you know Minhwan. He’s clueless about this kind of thing. And Myungsoo… they’re similar in a lot of ways. Both are introvert, weird, dense. Then Myungsoo got busy, hardly replied Minhwan’s call or text, and Minhwan, being the way he is, sulked. I told Myungsoo to come over tonight so they both could just make up. Though, I don’t even think they both realize that they like each other.”

“Well, Minhwan sulked on you before. Does that mean he likes you that way too, Sherlock?” Jaejin frowned.

"No way. We’re like bros. Myungsoo is not a bro to Minhwan. Besides, both of them might just be the type that didn’t care about what gender you are. Not like you, biual or whatever. But you know, the type that falls in love with personality?”

“I don’t understand you sometimes.”

“Dude, I don’t understand you and Key either if I have to be honest. But maybe Minhwan and I are a little bit like Hongki-hyung and Jonghun-hyung?” he shrugged. “Bought you some stuff from Akihabara, by the way,” said Seunghyun, taking his big luggage from the floor, throwing it clumsily to the bed.

“Oh you did?”

“A limited edition of Nami’s key chain. You like her, right?” he mumbled.

Jaejin smiled, nodding in excitement. He stood by the bed, waiting patiently for his little gift.

“Wow… it really is a limited edition key chain. I saw it in the official merchandise site. Dude, you're the best,” Jaejin giggled, admiring the beauty in his hand.

“Of course I am,” Seunghyun grinned.

The taller guy stepped closer to Jaejin, smiling at the way Jaejin was looking at the One Piece character he just got. “I knew you’d like it…” Seunghyun mumbled. Jaejin nodded happily as he dangled the key chain before his eyes.

But the view was soon replaced by Seunghyun’s face, smell of strong beer quickly traveled to Jaejin’s senses. When Seunghyun kissed him, Jaejin just laughed. He thought this definitely wasn’t the time for a drunk Seughyun, but it had been awhile since he met Seunghyun so he might just let the younger guy off the hook for once.

Strangely, however, Seunghyun’s behavior was slightly different than usual. It surprised Jaejin when he felt Seunghyun holding on to his waist, literally pulling him closer. The drunk kiss that was usually in a form of a lousy peck seemed to be more of a proper kiss than anything else, especially when Jaejin started to taste alcohol.

“Dude, you’re drunk,” Jaejin pushed Seunghyun away, wiping his lips with the back of his hand.

Seunghyun stared at Jaejin, his round eyes were gazing into Jaejin’s.

“I’m not drunk…” he mumbled, tripping backward towards the bed, sitting down.

“Yeah, that’s what you always said when you’re drunk,” Jaejin laughed.

He remembered every single time Seunghyun got drunk. Seunghyun would get overly happy at first, then he’d get clingy to him. It usually ended with Seunghyun being quiet and out of no-where, boom, he’d kiss Jaejin. It was annoying at first, then it got funny after sometime, but it was to the point that it wasn’t out of the norm anymore.

“Did you mean when I kiss you?” Seunghyun tilted his head up to Jaejin, somehow looking rather sober and serious.

“When you’re drunk and kiss me, yeah.”

“I have always been sober when I kissed you.”

“No, you were not,” Jaejin shook his head, half laughing.

“Do you think I’d get drunk just because I drank some beer? Hyung, we’re having a proper, fully rational, conversation right now. I’m not drunk.”

Jaejin stood quietly, not quite believing what he was hearing.

“I’ve been wanting to ask actually. What is it that Jonghun did that made you return his feeling? I mean, I’m technically one of your best friends. We hang out all the time. We were in a band during high school. But you took Jonghun seriously when he kissed you for the first time, but not me! I wasn’t drunk when I first kissed you. It was just some orange juice with soda, then you just punched me and told me to sober up.”

He blinked, turning around before looking back at Seunghyun. He tried to find a small sign of insanity in Seunghyun, but he couldn’t. Seunghyun looked perfectly normal, smelled like beer but he seemed pretty normal now that he rambled out like that.

“I…” Jaejin started.

He took his phone, pressed one then the dial button – calling the person on his number one speed dial. After everything that Seunghyun just told me, and after everything started to sink into his head, all he could think of now was just to leave. He walked over to the living room, finding Minhwan who was cleaning the table and Myungsoo that was picking up the cans from the floor. Jaejin took his coat from the sofa, quickly putting it on as he tried to keep his phone against his ear.

“Where are you going?” asked Minhwan.

Jaejin glanced around to Minhwan, opening his mouth to answer the younger guy but ended up not doing so because the other line on phone just picked up his call.

“Jonghun-hyung! Pick me up at the coffee shop near Minhwan’s apartment building. Now, please,” Jaejin quickly said. “You’re near by? Good! I’ll see you there in five minutes.”

Minhwan and Myungsoo exchanged looks, not understanding what just happened.

“Hyung, you’re going home already?”

“Yes. See you when I see you, Minhwan. And nice to meet you Myungsoo,” Jaejin bowed.

Now what the hell was that all about?!

------

One more chapter (or two max, depending on how the development going). But sorry for the long wait! :Dv