Hak Yeon was upset again.

Taek Woon folded his arms across his chest and watched with faint amusement as Hak Yeon bustled around the room grabbing miscellaneous items with a small pout decorating his plush lips. The singer chuckled and moved to lean against the side of the elder’s closet as he watched the other work. “So, mind telling me what pissed you off during recording this time?”

Hak Yeon froze in mid-action of shrugging off his jacket nonchalantly as though the other’s words from hours before hadn’t stung him. A slight frown creasing his brows, the leader draped the article of clothing onto a clothes hanger and stuck it back into his cupboard, shutting the doors without as much as making eye contact with his boyfriend. “Hmph.”

“Love…” Taek Woon began in a playfully warning tone as he straightened himself to his full height and stalked over to the leader, uncrossing his wiry arms and snaking them around Hak Yeon’s waist from behind, interlocking his fingers and resting his hands against the leader’s taut stomach. The singer leaned down to plant a kiss on the elder’s olive skin stretched over his exposed neck before pressing his lips to the other’s ear. “Are you going to tell me or do I have to tickle it out of you?”

The telltale pink dusts of a blush that graced Hak Yeon’s rapidly reddening cheeks gave him away even as his traitorous body swayed backwards to snuggle deeper into the singer’s embrace as though he naturally gravitated towards the younger’s presence. He attempted to wiggle out of Taek Woon’s vice-like arms to no avail. Either he was going to start hitting the gym, or Taek Woon was going to have to stop doing so. The minute crack in Hak Yeon’s defences was sufficient to bring the rest of the wall down and the leader sighed in defeat. “You chose me as the member you didn’t want to befriend the most when you were young, Taek Woonie. You said that I was annoying.”

Taek Woon unwound one arm to reach up and poke the leader’s flaming cheek. “I selected you because I knew you wouldn’t get offended if I did. I thought you would know I was only joking. Or was I wrong?”

Hak Yeon’s head snapped to the left as he attempted to glare down Taek Woon but failed adorably, only managing to look like a little kid throwing a tantrum in the singer’s eyes. “But why me? Why not Jae Hwan or… Or Won Shik? Heck, even Hong Bin, since you always say that his lame jokes are getting on your nerves. You answered the question so readily as though you didn’t put any thought into it.”

“But I did think through it carefully.” Taek Woon replied as he caressed the elder’s jawline with his finger before turning Hak Yeon around to face him. “They’re still kids, Hak Yeon ah.  I didn’t want to hurt their feelings. And you know that given my so-called scary image, the fans are bound to say that I’m bullying them again, unlike when I’m with you, because we’re the same age and we can joke around easily.”

Hak Yeon’s fingers curled into a fist that he used to punch the younger’s chest lightly. “Still, it hurt to have that coming from you.”

“Hey, I was merely trying to create more Neo moments subtly since you’re such an avid shipper of our OTP. I laughed when you tickled me with the balloon, didn’t I? I only laughed for you, too. Doesn’t that already show that you’re special to me?”

“You laughed when Hong Bin attacked himself with the balloon, too.” Hak Yeon argued back childishly.

“Don’t even try to blame that on me. You were the one whispering in my ear and telling me how dirty Hong Bin looked inflating that balloon.” Taek Woon flicked Hak Yeon on the forehead, leaving the elder to pout as he rubbed at the red mark rapidly forming against his dark skin. “How did you expect me not to have a reaction when he decided to release all that air back into his mouth?”

“Even then!” Hak Yeon protested feebly.

“At least I made full use of those two opportunities to give you indirect hugs, didn’t I? And none of the kids even suspected a thing because they thought we were trying to start a fight with each other as usual. Besides Jae Hwan. I think that kid was off somewhere trying to keep his eyeballs from falling out of his eye sockets from all the eye rolling he was doing.”

“Fine, you win…” Hak Yeon resented, jutting his bottom lip out and blew his cheeks up.

Taek Woon s his arms around the shorter one’s waist once again and rested his chin comfortably on his shoulder. “Aww, don’t pout. I love you too, okay?”

~~~

- 2^nd May 2013 -

It was late evening, around 10PM at night. Only the two oldest members were back in the dorm by themselves, the younger ones having been ferried the dessert café by their manager – a result of a lot of whining and the unfortunate event where the manager had to witness Won Shik’s aegyo – after their dinner together (Hak Yeon swore the kids were going to double their sizes by the end of this promotional cycle because no amount of dancing was going to help burn off the amount of sugar they consume in one sitting).

Hak Yeon was lounging in the bedroom sprawled out on his futon in comfortable sleepwear as he monitored their day’s activities on his mobile phone – Taek Woon was off somewhere unknown doing something by himself again – when he heard slight movement in the kitchen. He sat up and frowned. The others weren’t back yet… It can’t be Taek Woon, could it?

Phone clutched in his hand for protection, the scaredy cat tiptoed to the door and cracked it open slightly, leaving a gap wide enough for his cranium to poke through. He took a deep breath to reassure himself that there definitely was no ghost haunting the dorm before sticking his head out, peering as hard as he could in the direction of the darkened kitchen. Sure enough, he spotted a familiar looking 1.83m-tall silhouette wandering around in the tiny pantry. He clucked his tongue in disapproval and pushed the door wide open, marching into the living room.

“Yah, Jung Taek Woon! I thought you were a ghost! Why didn’t you turn on the lights if you were in here?” Hak Yeon huffed in annoyance as he prodded his boyfriend’s back with his index finger repeatedly. “You know I get scared easily when I hear weird noises in the dorm at night!”

He reached up to the light panel on the wall and flicked all the switches on, wincing for a split second as the warm orange light flooded the entire dorm. He could now see Taek Woon hovering protectively over a pot of water that sat on the stove, stirring it as it boiled. “What are you cooking? Didn’t we already have dinner just now?”

“I’m making ramyeon,” Taek Woon replied in his usual soft, breathy manner. He picked up the foiled packet from the marble counter and emptied the contents into the pot systematically. “I’m still hungry.”

“Oh, aren’t you a growing little boy,” Hak Yeon hopped onto the kitchen island right next to the emptied foil wrapper and patted his adorable boyfriend on the head, giggling as he swung his legs that hung off the edge of the counter about. “Silly, if you weren’t full you should have mentioned that when we were still at the restaurant. We could have just ordered another serving of meat.”

“It’s okay,” Taek Woon shook his head. He swatted the elder’s hand away and began clearing up the cluttered utensils lying around in the kitchen. “But the kids were so eager to get their ice-cream already. I didn’t want to make them wait any longer.”

Hearing Taek Woon’s reply made Hak Yeon’s heart swell with pride. This was the younger’s non-verbal way of showing love towards s. The main vocalist always had the kids’ interests in mind when he did things. He didn’t voice out his opinions straight, but was sweet and considerate in his own quiet manner. It made the leader extremely proud.

“Aigoo, are you listening to yourself now? You sound so cute I just want to pinch your cheeks. But I know you wouldn’t let me and may try to kill me instead so I won’t,” Hak Yeon cooed as he swung his legs about playfully. “I’m sure they wouldn’t have minded eating more. I’ll bet all of them were still hungry when we left. You know how they are, forever in search of food to eat. I could understand it if it was maknae, but the rest are in their twenties already. You’d think they would have ended their growth spurt by now. At the rate that they’re growing I’m going to become a midget.”

“Mmm, maybe,” Taek Woon hummed and returned to his position in front of the stove, staring at his food intently while it cooked slowly. They stood in complete but comfortable silence for the next few minutes, Taek Woon watching his noodles cook and Hak Yeon watching Taek Woon watch his noodles cook. Occasionally as the level of the boiling water began to climb he would turn the fire down to low heat, but beyond that there was no movement from the two until Hak Yeon cleared his throat.

“Uhm, Taek Woon ah… You know the interview and photo shoot we did for two weeks back…?” Hak Yeon began shyly, twiddling his thumbs and playing with the fingers that rested in his lap.

Taek Woon paused momentarily in fiddling with the gas knob as the memory of the magazine shoot came to mind. Two weeks ago… Ah. He’d worn a grey long-sleeved kitted sweater and black skinny jeans that day. That’s right, and he was given a foldable chair to pose with. The shoot had gone without a glitch and the main vocalist remembered how Hak Yeon had commented that he looked cool and that his pictures came out really well.

Did something come out wrongly? Taek Woon’s narrow feline eyes darted over to the elder worriedly. “Yeah… What about it?”

“The magazine was released today… The CEO told me about it and instructed me to go monitor…” Hak Yeon continued nervously. He took out his mobile phone from the pocket of his jeans and held it out to the younger. The screen was still lit, and on its display was the online article that was posted on Ten Asia’s website. “And I… Uhm… I read what you said in the interview.”

Taek Woon stopped in his actions again and looked up. Interview? What had he said in the interview that made Hak Yeon…? Oh. That interview. He turned towards his beau and found him squirming in his seat, cheeks lit up in a pretty shade of rose pink. Taek Woon picked up the tiny clenched fists and held them in his larger hands. “Hak Yeon ah…”

“Did you really…?” Hak Yeon whispered with veiled anticipation.

“Mean what I said? Of course,” Taek Woon replied without missing a beat. He moved to stand between Hak Yeon’s legs, slowly wrapping his arms around the elder’s waist. “One hundred percent, from the bottom of my heart.”

“I really do mean it when I said that we’re lifelong, Hak Yeon.” Taek Woon said tenderly as he gazed deep into the other’s eyes. His sincerity pierced straight into Hak Yeon’s heart and turned him into a leader-shaped mess of goo. “Except that we’re not just friends but lovers. I hope that society would be open enough to accept our relationship because one day, I want to marry you.”

“Taek Woon!” Hak Yeon gasped in surprise as the taboo M-word was uttered and his wide eyes shot up to look into Taek Woon’s deep brown orbs. “You said, you said – Is it, really…?”

“Marriage?” Taek Woon’s voice was low and serious and oozed with masculinity that made Hak Yeon light-headed and woozy on the inside. He felt his face flush and brought one hand up to fan his burning cheeks. “Yeah, I do want to marry you some day, Hak Yeon. That is how serious I am of this relationship. I want us to last lifelong and if an afterlife truly exists, beyond then too.”

Hak Yeon’s stiff expression softened like melted icecream as the corners of his eyes curved downwards into beautiful crescents at Taek Woon’s sincere words. He brought both hands up and cradled both sides of the younger’s face in his palms, gazing deep into Taek Woon’s eyes, conveying the overwhelming love he felt for the other that was threatening to explode in his heart.

“Me too, Taek Woonie. Me too,” Their lips met in a brief, fleeting kiss before they broke apart in wide, cheesy grins, foreheads pressed against each other’s and mouths a hair’s breath apart. “I love you.”

“Goodness gracious – Jesus Christ!” A colourful string of expletives was heard. Hak Yeon peeked over his beau’s shoulder to find Jae Hwan standing at the entrance of the dorm, hands covering his eyes as though he had just witnessed something vile. “Taek Woon hyung, Hak Yeon hyung! Could you please maintain that final shred of modesty and not do it right on the kitchen counter? I actually want to eat in there!”

“We’re not doing anything here, you little snot. We’re merely hugging.” Hak Yeon shot back snarkily, irritated at their little romantic moment having been interrupted, and unwrapped his shapely legs from his boyfriend’s abdomen reluctantly. “Stupid Lee Jae Hwan. Stupid er! You’re forever ruining our moments.”

The younger’s eyebrow cocked upwards as he narrowed his eyes in suspicion (though Hak Yeon thought he only looked silly doing so, like a semi-blind elderly man trying to read the right numbers off a sign board). “Are you sure you two were only hugging?”

“Okay, so maybe there were a couple of kisses here and there,” Hak Yeon consented after much thought. “But right now we’re only H-U-G-G-I-N-G, you annoying love-deprived prick. Besides, weren’t you always the one going on about how short I was and that I would never be able to reach Taek Woon’s head? Well now we’re finally at eye level with each other!”

“Aish, even then! How was I to know? All I could see when I came in was Taek Woon hyung’s back and your legs wrapped around his waist!” Jae Hwan groaned in annoyance and he kicked off his shoes, hands still over his eyes. “Given your track record of course I can’t help but to think that way!”

That statement started Hak Yeon off on his second bout of ranting. “Track record? What track record? Yah, Lee Jae Hwan, since when has Taek Woon and I done anything funny in this dorm? Heck, we’ve never even done anything “funny” before at any place at all! We’re still rated PG, kiddo, PG!”

“Geez, talk about PMS. Next time don’t be caught in such compromising situations then. At least be glad it was me who walked in on the two of you and not the others, who are still oh-so oblivious to the situation. Speaking of which, they’re fetching their things from the back of the van and are going to come in any minute now, so you might want to tidy yourselves up and save the hanky-panky for later.”

“You should really be thanking me for keeping your secret so well, honestly! I’m practically employed as your official wingman!”

Taek Woon, having heard enough of his boyfriend’s relentless ahjumma-like nagging, cushioned his hands under the elder’s bottom and picked him up from the counter – thus eliciting a very manly squeal from the other as he scrambled to wind his legs around the singer’s waist again in a koala hug – and turned around so that he faced away from the other main vocalist.

“You know, you can remove your hands from your eyes now.” Taek Woon instructed solemnly, bouncing Hak Yeon higher up his hip – and hence earning yet another delightful yelp – as he walked out of the pantry calmly. “We’re really not doing anything.”

“It’s fine, hyung. I’d rather not take the risk of scarring my poor innocent eyes again. Once is enough, thank you very much.” Jae Hwan waved his hand in the general direction of the kitchen before padding towards the bedroom. “Plus, I know that the two of you are still connected to each other in some way some how and I’d love to spare myself from the greasiness.”

“No, but! Jae Hwan ah! Wait–” Taek Woon’s eyes widened as he saw the haphazard manner the youngest one was progressing in. “Jae Hwan ah, hold on, don’t go in that direction! You’ll–” A loud crash was heard as the main vocalist walked straight into the door. “–Walk into the door.”

“What happened? What did that clumsy idiot do this time–” Hak Yeon twisted his body around in his boyfriend’s arms with much difficulty and almost doubled over in laughter when he found Jae Hwan lying spread-eagle on the floor with limbs sprawled out around him having been knocked out cold by the impact when his head collided with the doorframe when he tried entering the bedroom blindfolding himself. “.”

“Yeah,” Taek Woon scoffed and rolled his eyes in agreement. He heard the distinct whistling sound of water boiling and turned around to head back into the kitchen. “Ramyeon, love?”

Hak Yeon pecked his beau’s cheek lovingly before settling his head back against the younger’s firm shoulder, smiling in blissful contentment. “Yes please, I’d love to have some.”