Ji Yong has yet to ever perform at a party so when he first heard the band was booked for one he was a bit nervous. Even after, Seungho assured him it’s best when performing at these types of events. He promised that after performing the best booze and girls will be waiting for them. Of course, unless Ji Yong can somehow distract Young Bae who refuses to let him go alone he isn’t getting any of the booze or, in his case, boys.

​When they arrive, the house is a decent size considering they have a front yard and you don’t get much of those in the city. They did have to drive for about thirty minutes to get here so Ji Yong guesses that having to go to the outskirts is the price to pay if you want a yard…. and a pool, He mentally adds as they are lead into the back yard and it comes to sight. Maybe Bae wasn’t surprised but all this is new to Ji Yong. He can tell that the owners aren’t the richest but, he would kill to have grown up in a home like this instead of the apartment he and his sister had to grow up in.

“Make yourselves at home,” the host says as he turns to walk away.

And Ji Yong pulls Bae along with him to where the drinks are. He isn’t opposed to making this night fun, if he can't have the boys then at least the booze, right? Unfortunately a hand stops Ji Yong from lifting his cup off the table as he looks towards the pool wondering if it was safe for drunken people especially at night.

“Bae you need to relax…” Ji Yong starts without looking back at him. He doesn't need to see his friend’s disapproval he already knows it's there.

“No alcoholic beverages until after we perform.”

Ji Yong nearly jumps a foot high when he registers whose voice that is. He withdraws his hand as fast as he can and fights the urge to bring it up and cradle it to his chest.  He doesn’t want to look like he is disgusted or creeped out but apparently he fails at the later by the look he receives from Seungho.

Seungho claps him on the back as if to snap him out of whatever state he is in, “Hey man you all right? You look like you saw a ghost or something."

“Yeah, where are you guys setting up?” Ji Yong says as he tries to compose himself a bit embarrassed for being startled so easily.

He follows Seungho after telling Bae to have some fun to which his friend just shakes his head. The next hour is spent on setting up. Seungri had said that they would be making at least a thousand which is a good deal considering they played for a lot less at the bars. The host really likes their music and has seen most of their shows. They agreed on playing their songs and a list of cover songs that the band and the host picked out.

An hour later they are all set up and ready to play. Ji Yong glances across; watching people multiply number. He had to look a bit harder to spot Bae now.

After a few minutes they start playing. The mood is. Instantly lifted and people aren’t just mingling and drinking; now they're dancing too. They are all having fun and Ji Yong's worries melt away until he is relaxed. The people seem to not care what they play so long as they can dance or, in the case of the majority, nod their head to the music. Their 1st session quickly comes to an end. Almost immediately Ji Yong is able to focus on how rowdy the party has become. People are throwing people in the pool and others are just being drunk and loud. Plastic cups are littered around the yard and a considerable amount of them in the pool. Couples make out and drunks stumble around. They’re only doing three sessions but Ji Yong has a feeling they aren’t stopping this party until the cops come to break it up or everyone’s too wasted. It has only been about an hour after since this party started and the guests are already half drunk.  By midnight he guesses that the guests will be too drunk to function. A part of him wishes he was one of them but they have two more sessions to play and he wouldn’t trade them for the world.

He chats with a few girls who approached him. They surprise him with the ease they are able to latch on to him before he knows it they’re able to steal a few kisses from him. He isn’t even sure how it happened since he hadn’t had anything to drink. He doesn’t mind though for he is supposed to be straight to the world. He is pulled away from them eventually by Seungho to play the second session which goes by fast. As he separates and puts his guitar down he can see that he was right after all, it’s late and everyone is drunk off their asses. He is approached by two girls by the time he makes it to his former area. One's more in control of herself than the other who is visibly drunk. They’re pretty and if he could bring himself to, he might have said he felt attracted to them but he doesn’t. They would be excellent friends though or, at least, Dona would. Ma Ri is the wilder one but, he doubts she would even glance at him if he weren’t in a band. She's the kind of person who would like things like that. They both have money he can tell but, Dona has a way of not making it seem like she's flaunting it around. She asks him a few questions about music and, genuinely interested, asks about him before dragging her friend away.

He has a beer in one hand now courtesy of Ma Ri. He doesn’t mind really, and as long as his bandmates don’t see, no one is stopping him from having this one drink.

He's approached by a handsome guy and it takes him a minute to register that it is Min Suk whom he had just been thinking about a few days ago. It’s shocking, really that the man is before his eyes. His child hood crush has grown well.

He's in jeans and a lose t shirt but, even then, his muscles can be seen. His hair is dyed some type of burgundy that makes his skin tone look nice. If he notices Ji Yong his lips slightly, he doesn’t say anything. It isn’t like Ji Yong is trying to check him out, he just can’t help it.

“Great performance, I believe I actually saw your solo the first time you performed with this band at a bar. What coincidence right?” Ji Yong nods; a light smile on his face. It had been years since he had seen this man. The lightness in his voice is something Ji Yong has always liked.

“It was a great song. At first I wasn’t sure it was you though. It was kind of a chaotic night and,” he took a moment to look Ji Yong over to which Ji Yong shifted a bit uncomfortably. Noticing this he gives a small laugh, “you’ve changed a lot.”

“Yeah? So have you.” Ji Yong replies; believe it or not he had a ton of questions he wanted to ask like, why are you here, how are you doing, but all of them sounded wrong in his head and he wasn’t about to make a fool of himself in front of the man Because after all these years min Suk still has the same effect on him as back then. His palms would sweat; his heart would beat a bit faster. The image of Min Suk jogging in the local park a few years back flashes through Ji’s head and he swallows looking down at his drink after noticing he was looking at him a bit too long.

Ji Yong doesn’t have to deal with trying to form his questions into proper sentences to keep the conversation going because, as it seems, Min Suk doesn’t want their interaction to end any time soon either.

“Dad, he’s doing better now, he got a good job too, and we’re nowhere near how we were before we went broke and had to move into the apartments but, he’s helping me out and I was able to enroll into college.” Min Suk had been working since Ji Yong had known him. He didn’t have the opportunity to go to college back then so Ji Yong's happy that he finally has that.  “We moved out too. I was hoping to see you before leaving but I never really had the opportunity to say bye or apologize for my sister.”

​Ji Yong cringes at the mention of min Suk’s sister, “its ok it wasn’t even your fault.”

​ “I know but I should have said something about her behavior all those times but I turned a blind eye for my mother’s sake.” Ji Yong couldn’t deny that it was nice hearing this from min Suk. That someone from their side knew that his sister was in the wrong.

Ji Yong smiles as they continue to talk about themselves. About how he is staying with Young Bae and not the apartments and about how he’s working at the library. He remembers why he liked min Suk so much now; he's an all-around good guy. His only flaw is his family more specifically his sister. 

Their conversation ends when Seungho comes, once again, to get him for the third session and this time he's disappointed at the interruption. They play and as he performs he pays special attention to Min Suk out of the corner of his eye. He’s watching their performance not too far from the small area that was prepared for them. He wants to ask for a phone number before the night was over and he'll only be able to do that if he sneaks away from Young Bae and the band but, that won’t be a problem since Bae is to distracted with his hands all over a girl who appears to be Dona. The last session of Ji Yong's first performance at a party ends like that. It’s a good experience and now they just need to pack up and then party.

Much to his surprise he didn’t even have to look for Min Suk. He was already waiting for him with two beers in hand. Ji Yong isn’t sure if Min Suk even knows he is gay but Ji Yong likes him even if only as a friend.

“, I should probably get going ,” Ji Yong says downing the last of  his beer even  After realizing that he is drinking a bit too much. If he drinks too much he could end up doing something stupid and that’s the last thing he needs especially in front of the band.

“Wait, your friend- ,” Min Suk’s hand clasps his arm while he nods for Ji Yong to look towards something.

Ji Yong looks and there is Young Bae. It is clear he is going to have to find another way home. Young Bae wouldn’t mind taking him home but Ji hasn’t seen him loosen up this much in a while, he really doesn’t let go too often. Interrupting him is a definite no. Ji sighs at the fact that his uptight friend is getting some while he isn't.       

“I could give you a ride, but you have to wait a bit since, you know, he says motioning at his drink, "but, don't worry it won't be too long since I didn't drink that much.” Min Suk says as he smiles towards him. There was a visible awkwardness in his smile.

“Sure that would be a big help,” Ji Yong smiles back still unaware of what could have possibly made Min Suk feel awkward.

On the way to the parking lot he is stopped as he walks with Min Suk to the car.

T.O.Ps’ hand firmly grasps his arm. It takes quite a bit of Ji Yong to not panic at the suddenness of being grabbed. When he realizes who it is it take quite a bit of him not to show a bit of anger.

“Do you know-” TOP stops as if thinking his words carefully, “do you need a ride?”

Unless Ji Yong is to drunk or someone spiked his drink the bands leader is showing concern. Ji Yong feels his hold on him loosen until he lets his hand drop to his side.

“It’s ok I’ve got a ride.” He watches as TOP gives a slight nod and backs up.  Ji Yong considers changing his mind and going with TOP. The leader is probably suspicious about Ji Yong leaving with a man but Maybe Ji Yong is just being paranoid. Either way it's wrong to just leave with someone else when he already agreed to Min Suk’s offer.

“Hi, I’m Min Suk, Ji Yong's old friend and neighbor. I’m his ride home tonight,” Min Suk says as he stretches his hand towards TOP. TOP takes it, stating his own stage name. Ji Yong is too relieved to be embarrassed at his lack of manners and not introducing them.

“Thanks though and see you later,” Ji Yong adds as TOP walks away to a beat up black car. His only response is a wave of his hand over his shoulder.

“That guy, he gives me the chills,” Min Suk whispers close to Ji Yong's ear.

“Yeah,” Ji Yong replies as they reach the car.

“So where am I supposed to drop you off?”

Ji Yong's eyebrows crease. He really doesn’t want to go to his mom’s apartment but he really wants to give young Bae some space tonight. Min Suk seems to read his inner turmoil. Not to mention he is still a bit light headed going home and having his sister yell at him isn't an option.

“You can stay at my place and I can drive you to your place tomorrow, if you want.” he rubs the back of his neck as he waits for Ji Yong's response.  Ji Yong doesn't know how to reply but with an embarrassed thank you.

Several minutes later they arrived in the parking lot; the building’s nothing much but, it’s still a big upgrade from their old apartment building. It’s close to where young Bae's building is but still farther from Ji Yong's university.  Ji Yong moves to undo his belt leaning slightly to the left but before he can Min Suk’s hand stops his.

Min Suk’s calm demeanor changes and the sudden awkwardness he felt a while a go at the party returns.

"I'm sorry you had to see that."

Ji Yong stares at him confused. Min Suk retracts his hand moving it instead to clasp the stirring wheel; looks forward and then back at him. “I mean," He adverts his eyes looking to the wheel instead, “does he always do that in front of you. Shouldn't he respect you as his partner? "

 Ji Yong's eyes widen in comprehension and he lets out a small chuckle after a while. He is more surprised that min Suk thought he and young Bae are a thing than that he knows he's gay. Ji Yong was kind of accidentally on purpose making it known in his own subtle way “young Bae and I are just friends we're like brothers."

“Oh," min Suk replies leaning back on his seat after stealing a quick glance at Ji “sorry I assumed-"

"Don't sweat it; you're even giving me a place to stay."

"But, you are-"

"Yup" Ji Yong replies sensing his question before he can finish it. He could have denied it but, he knew that min Suk knew. "Does that make you uncomfortable?" He asks throwing him a small smile.

"No!" Min Suk says a bit too fast, "I mean, not at all"

"Ji Yong” Ji turns to face him at his name. Min Suk places his hand on Ji Yong’s again.

“Hmm?” Ji Yong hums in question as he looks back at him. Min Suk leans in and lays a soft kiss to Ji Yong's lips. As they separated min Suk’s apology is cut off. This time it's Ji Yong leaning in to nibble slightly on his lower lip. He's testing the water to seeing if min Suk is willing to let him. He isn’t disappointed when he does let him slip his tongue in. They separate, Ji Yong’s light headed, “don’t be sorry.”