The ice cream in Jiyong’s freezer was only ever touched by one person; Jiyong didn’t even like the flavor. In fact, Jiyong barely even noticed it sitting there; blocking the way to the dumplings his mom had made and told him to freeze. Sometimes he would remember that it was in there and freak out because he couldn’t remember when the last time he had bought some was, and end up buying two or three tubs just to be safe. He would always come home afterward and sigh as he tried to shove the extra tubs into the freezer along with the two to three practically full ones that he already had.

Seunghyun rarely came over, and it was even rarer for him to come alone. He was the same way with everyone, very rarely appearing at their apartments just out of the blue like the rest tended to do. He had started coming by more often, especially after long days in the studio, but it was mostly because the other four now all lived in the same building again so it was easy for him to visit all of them at once; something that he actually really enjoyed doing since he had secluded himself in his large and expensive villa for reasons that even he could only really guess at.

Jiyong was well aware of this fact, you couldn’t live with someone for years not to notice things like that, especially things that were so blatantly obvious; he couldn’t stop himself from buying the ice cream though. Sometimes, and if he were honest with himself he would have to admit that it was significantly more often than just sometimes, but sometimes he felt that if Seunghyun knew the ice cream was there he would be more likely to come and visit; more likely to spend time with him. Jiyong knew that it was kind of a ridiculous and childish way to think, but he couldn’t stop it, and so he kept buying the ice cream.

Seunghyun came over to Jiyong’s apartment alone even less frequently than he went to everyone else’s; but when he did it was normally because he had finished talking out his frustrations and minor meltdowns with both Daesung and Youngbae and just wanted to be comforted. Jiyong knew that that was what happened, not because Seunghyun told him, but because Youngbae would always warn him quickly before Seunghyun arrived. It was mostly for this reason that Jiyong kept the ice cream stored in his freezer, well, this was the reason that he had decided was acceptable to tell people if they asked about his rather ridiculous amount of ice cream.

When Seunghyun would show up at his door, an obviously fake and overly boisterous smile on his lips, Jiyong would wonder what could possibly have caused Seunghyun so much pain that he needed to talk to two different people in order to calm himself down enough to eat ice cream on Jiyong’s couch. He never asked though, not even once in all of the years that it had been happening, which were admittedly not very many as they’d only all had their own places for about 3-4 years; but that wasn’t the point. The point, quite honestly, was that Jiyong was a good enough friend that he just let Seunghyun come in with no explanation; he never even hinted that he knew that Seunghyun had just come from Youngbae’s and Daesung’s before that.

The visits became more frequent once they were all living in the same apartment complex again, making Jiyong figure that Seunghyun must have just not felt like going through the trouble of visiting three different apartment buildings before. This made him feel horrible, the knowledge that Seunghyun was in so much pain over something that he wasn’t privy to was an awful feeling; he just wanted to erase Seunghyun’s pain. Of course, he knew that he was probably blowing the situation out of proportion, especially since even though the visits were more frequent, it wasn’t like they were regular or even really still very often. He kept his freezer stocked just in case, though.

Today was a little different though. Seunghyun seemed to still be upset when Jiyong opened the door, his phone still in his hand from the few moments previously when he had received notification from Youngbae of Seunghyun’s imminent arrival. To say that Jiyong was surprised by the disheveled look his older friend was sporting would be an understatement; he was completely floored. He had never seen Seunghyun look so desperate and upset and even just a little angry ever before in his life.

“Come in,” Jiyong murmurs, gesturing Seunghyun into the entryway with a sweep of his arm. “Is everything alright?” He asks tentatively after Seunghyun has finished taking off his shoes. Seunghyun doesn’t respond, but Jiyong thinks it’s because the older man seems to be struggling to decide on an answer. He gestures toward the living room as he makes his way toward the kitchen. “Go sit down, I’ll get some ice cream.” He says as he walks away.

Seunghyun doesn’t go into the living room, no, instead he follows Jiyong into the kitchen and stands with his hands on the corner of the island counter behind the refrigerator. Jiyong couldn’t help but to reflect that he was technically straying away from the normal order of the routine that they had fallen into for these visits, but there was something different about the atmosphere this time. He pulls open the freezer, trying to keep himself focused on the task he had set himself so that he doesn’t dwell on Seunghyun’s silent staring.

“Why do you always have that ice cream?” Seunghyun asks suddenly, causing Jiyong to fumble just a little bit with the package of ddeok he’d had to move out of the way in order to get to the ice cream in the back.

“What?” Jiyong asks, steadying himself and rearranging the contents of his freezer as he pulls out the tub of ice cream he’d been going for. He knew what Seunghyun had said, but he couldn’t think of a better reply.

“You always have ice cream when I come over,” Seunghyun says, his deep voice holding a note of hopeful curiosity, I sound that Jiyong wasn’t used to hearing. “You don’t even like ice cream, especially not this flavor.” Seunghyun finishes as Jiyong continues to busy himself with filling a bowl full of the substance in question. He shoves a spoon into it and shoves it in Seunghyun’s general direction with one hand while he holds the tub in the other.

“I do to like ice cream.” Jiyong says carelessly, using his now free hand to open the freezer to put the tub of ice cream away.

Seunghyun smiles softly and Jiyong only barely catches it before it is replaced by the weird look he’d had on before. “But not this ice cream.” He says and Jiyong feels his face start to heat up, so he shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly.

“I don’t like caramels either, but I have a box of them in the cupboard just in case.” It wasn’t a lie, but it felt like one as keeping a box of caramels for when Youngbae had a craving was completely different from his obsessive need to keep tubs of ice cream in his freezer on the off chance that Seunghyun might show up and want some. Seunghyun seemed to notice the wince that Jiyong gave after speaking as he shook his head and set the untouched bowl of ice cream onto the counter in front of him.

“Doesn’t everyone do that?” Seunghyun asks after giving a light scoff that only served to cause Jiyong to blush further. Jiyong had to force himself to nod, because admitting that he wasn’t the only who kept a box of candy hiding for Youngbae was basically the same as admitting that he was the only one who kept ice cream in his freezer for Seunghyun; because he was the only one who did that, and Seunghyun knew that.

“Yeah, well, I like to be prepared.” Jiyong says, and it sounds like a weak excuse to his own ears but he’s alright with that because he can just put up his leader-shield and act like nothing he does has any meaning behind being a caring leader.

“Liar.” Seunghyun says, and Jiyong knows that Seunghyun is now legitimately smiling and it makes him happy and scared all at the same time.

“Oh come on,” he tries, forcing himself to look into Seunghyun’s eyes as he pushes a smile onto his face. “Eat your ice cream and be happy, stop being a brat.”

Seunghyun smiles a little more brightly and moves to the chair he had been standing next to. Sitting down, he starts to eat the ice cream and hum just a little bit off-tune. Jiyong can’t help but to be bothered by this rather sudden change in mood. He crosses his arms over his chest and frowns at the happily eating man.

“What’s this? You come in all miserable and full of questions then you just give up and be all happy?” He sounds petulant and whiny and he would wince if it weren’t for the fact that he really wanted to know what was going on.

“You’ve always got ice cream for me.” Seunghyun says, his face becoming a mask of seriousness. “It’s like…You’re my ice cream…my sweetest ice cream, in fact.” If it weren’t for how serious Seunghyun looked, Jiyong was certain that he would probably have burst into some of the most raucous laughter he’d ever experienced. But he couldn’t, because even though what Seunghyun had just said were a couple of overly-cheesy lines stolen from one of Youngbae’s solo songs, they struck him much harder than they should have.

“Oh, shut up.” Jiyong says, settling on an over-exaggerated eye-roll to cover up the heat moving its way up his neck.

“No, it’s true.” Seunghyun says, pausing for a moment before shoving his spoon into the now half-empty bowl. “I don’t come over here for the ice cream when I’m feeling like , Ji. I come here because Youngbae forces me to, every time.” Jiyong is about to protest and say that that really doesn’t make him feel very good about himself, but Seunghyun continues. “Because he thinks that if I tell you that I get so worked up about the fact that you’re so perfect and easy to watch then I will stop being quite so upset about the fact that I can’t stop watching you.” Seunghyun didn’t even have the decency to be embarrassed by such an outright confession, but Jiyong almost expects that considering the man had been coming up to his apartment for the past few years on what it turned out was the insistence of his friends without saying anything. Seunghyun had the right to be completely deadpan about the matter.

“Oh.” Jiyong says, trying to figure out how to keep up his huffy and aloof persona when all he wanted to do was walk over to Seunghyun and maybe test whether or not the older man really felt the way he said he did.

“Stop gaping at me and kiss me before my ice cream melts.” Seunghyun says, childish impatience pushing its way onto his features. Jiyong finally allows himself to smile as he pushes himself away from the refrigerator and walks slowly across the short space between them. He leans over the island so that his face is directly in front of Seunghyun’s. But stops short and moves his head back a little when Seunghyun tries to connect their lips.

“You seem so damn sure that I want you.” Jiyong says, and Seunghyun scoffs before allowing a smirk onto his face.

“Because you do.” He says shortly, “Now hurry, or my ice cream will melt.” Seunghyun leans closer again but Jiyong leans back a little more.

“There’s more in the freezer.” He mutters, “You might as well give up on this bowl now.” And with that, he leans forward and presses his lips firmly against Seunghyun’s, trying to ignore the faint taste of the awful ice cream that the older man liked so much as the kiss deepened. Jiyong pulls back for a second and wipes his palm across Seunghyun’s mouth, and then his own.

“What are you doing?” Seunghyun mutters, confusion laced into his features and words. Jiyong shakes his head quickly and presses another kiss to Seunghyun’s partially parted lips.

“Getting rid of the taste.” He mutters, as he his lips and leans in again. Seunghyun chuckles lightly and pulls Jiyong’s head closer.

“I knew you didn’t like it.” He says lightly, before pushing Jiyong away slightly and pulling his bowl of ice cream closer. “It’s all melty! I want more!” He says on a whine.

Jiyong pouts only briefly before a smile worms its way across his lips. He moves away from the table and grabs the tub of ice cream out of the freezer; he couldn’t be upset, the ice cream wasn’t going to eat itself.