The sound of singing birds could be heard throughout the silent house. Everywhere you look, you’d see a passed out member on the floor or on the couch, and maybe even on the top of the roof.

                Donghae slowly opened his eyes and felt himself trapped in one’s embrace. He looked to see Hyukjae still asleep, his arms wrapped tightly around Donghae’s waist.

                Sighing in content, Donghae dug his head deeper into Hyukjae’s chest, falling back into the depths of slumber before opening his eyes suddenly right after. He jolted up and tried to move away from Hyukjae’s hold before ending up on the floor in the process.

                OH MY GOSH, JUST WHAT WAS I DOING IN HYUKJAE’S ARMS? WHY WAS HE EVEN HOLDING ME IN THE FIRST PLACE?! As Donghae started to panic, his head started to feel light as he tried to steady himself from all the hyperventilating he did.

                His head was starting to throb as he tried to recollect his memories about last night, but nothing came. All that had arrived was splitting pain that was spreading throughout his brain and he knew what it was. After watching Donghwa come home night after night in his middle school years, he knew what was going on . . . he was having his first hangover.

                Oh God, please help me . . . He thought as he held a hand on his head in attempt to stop the pain. He walked slowly to the bathroom and looked in the cabinets for Tylenol to help his aching head. There was none in sight.

                He sighed in frustration as he tried to remember what his mother and father would do whenever Donghwa had one of his repeating hangovers.

                He could always sleep, but after the little accident when he woke up, he doesn’t want to risk getting trapped again.

                Donghae sighed as he watched the others sleeping soundly in their comical positions. Shaking his head, he went through the drawers of his mother’s, hoping he’d find a list of things to cure hangovers.

                “Things Donghwa is allergic to, food Donghae can't eat, places Donghwa is banned from . . .” Donghae mumbled as he read off the titles of the small index cards that were neatly piled in the drawer. His eyes suddenly lay on an index card that was named “To Cure a Hangover”.

                The first thing on the list was sleep. Unconsciously, his eyes wandered off to a sleeping Hyukjae who was using the couch pillow as a substitute. Unknowingly, he felt the sudden twinge of instinct to rip off the couch pillow out of his hands and slide himself between those slender arms.

                Donghae hit his head on the table. DONGHAE YOU ARE STRAIGHT, STRAIGHT I TELL YOU! He tried to fan himself to cool his red face down as he read the second thing on the list, drink plenty of water. He automatically went into the kitchen and took out the jug of water that was resting in the refrigerator. He looked at the almost full glass and frowned. Will he even be able to drink it? The taste of alcohol was still evident in his mouth and water was not helping at all.

                He sighed and read the next thing on the list, a Mary. Immediately, Donghae crossed that off the list for a Mary sounded very much like an alcoholic drink, and he didn’t want to risk an even worse hangover. The next thing was Alka-Seltzer. Donghae sighed once again.

                Using his own knowledge, Alka-Seltzer may not be the best idea. All Alka-Seltzer varieties contain sodium bicarbonate, which will help settle a queasy belly by neutralizing stomach acid. Still, other ingredients, notably aspirin and citric acid, may irritate the stomach after a night of heavy drinking.

                He rubbed the back of his neck as the list ended there. What was he going to do now?

                Donghae paused at the sudden groaning near him and watched as Jung Soo was getting up from his position on the floor. Donghae stayed where he was as he watched Jung Soo yawn and stretch. He flinched when Jung Soo laid his eyes on him and gave him a hard stare.

                “Donghae, why are you in my house?” Jung Soo mumbled. Donghae face palmed.

                “Jung Soo-ssi, you’re in my house.”

                “Oh I am? Ugh, just how much did I drink last night?” Jung Soo mumbled to himself. Donghae furrowed his eyebrows when he saw Jung Soo get up easily, stretching and rubbing his stomach as he walked around the room, tidying things and waking the others up with no pain at all.

                Must be high alcohol tolerance or something . . .

                “Donghae, do you mind giving me a hand with waking the others up?” Jung Soo asked. Donghae shook his head as he walked over to the easier targets on the couch. They were awake in no time and that left only Hyukjae left. Donghae hesitated.

                Should he wake him up? He didn’t know what had happened last night but Hyukjae would know. What if it was all Donghae’s fault and he ends up getting angry at him again? What if the two of them had—Donghae didn’t even want to think about it.

                Gulping down his fear, he reached his hand out to Hyukjae and shook his shoulder gently. “Hyukjae-ssi, wake up.” No movement. He shook his shoulder harder. “Hyukjae-ssi, please wake up!”

                That’s when Hyukjae’s arm flung out and reached over to Donghae, bringing him down next to him. Donghae tried to get up but he couldn’t, Hyukjae was strong even when he was asleep.

                “Don’t move too much,” Hyukjae mumbled, still engaged in dream mode. Donghae stayed still, his face heating up at the familiar tingly feeling in his stomach. He looked toward Hyukjae, eyeing his facial features. He had this weird sense of déjà vu, but he ignored it, right now he was just focused on those plump lips in front of him.

                He was just about to lean in when he felt Hyukjae stir and he immediately moved back, panicking. Hyukjae slowly opened his eyes a Donghae stayed still, feigning sleep. The first thing Hyukjae did was let go of Donghae, making him fall of the couch before getting back to his senses.

                Hyukjae looked over at the floor and saw a groaning Donghae on the floor.

                “Sorry Donghae! I didn’t mean to hug you!” Hyukjae apologized. Donghae only groaned in pain as he mumbled a soft okay, curious about the tinge of hurt in his chest after his apology.

                Hyukjae got up quickly, helping Donghae up as last night came running into his mind. For the second time, Hyukjae had dropped Donghae on the floor. OH MY GOD, DID WE REALLY—? OH NO, NO, NO! This isn’t right! I’m straight, and Donghae’s straight! WHY DID WE KISS?!

                Hyukjae was starting to hyperventilate as Donghae moaned once again in pain. He looked to see Hyukjae breathing heavily and a thought came into mind. Did Hyukjae remember what they did last night? If he did, Donghae wasn’t even sure if he wanted to know. He watched as Hyukjae was looking at him with furrowed eyebrows.

                Does Donghae know what had happened last night? Hyukjae thought, crossing his arms. If he did, everything right now would just be awkward . . .

                Hyukjae frowned at the sudden disappoint growing in him. Was he that disappointed that Donghae doesn’t remember a thing about last night? Hyukjae had an idea why he was feeling this way, but he just wished it wasn’t true, not because he regretted it, but because he was scared he wouldn’t feel the same way.

                Hyukjae had realized that he has feelings for Donghae . . .

                Not the kind of feelings where it’s almost bromance, but the kind of feelings where Hyukjae actually wants to get intimate that included skin ship and flirting. He wanted to go on dates with Donghae and even feed each other strawberry pudding; he wanted to be in a relationship with him.

                But he was scared of just what the outcome might be.

                Suddenly, his head started throb against his skull as he thought about his taboo love for the country nerd. At least for now, he can worry about loving this adorable Mokpo fishie.

♦{Author's Note}♦

LOL I guess some of you are surprised that I have chapter 13 up. Well, it is to be expected. I mean, I did say the next update was June 10th, but I realized that since I have regents that following Thursday and Friday, I thought I may use that day to study. Even though I wouldn't be updating as much next week, I will continue making upcoming chapters!

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed ^^