Sungmin comes home after a rather tiring day and he finds exactly what he expects to find inside his apartment. There are two pairs of shoes in the hallway, one neatly placed in the corner, other thrown around carelessly. He sets his own shoes next to the neater pair and hangs his jacket onto the rack, next to the numerous hoodies and fur-hooded coats. He throws his mittens up to the stand, to accompany the beanies and gloves owned by the two residents of the house.

In the kitchen, Ryeowook's cooking. Sungmin tries to ask if he needs help, but Ryeowook denies him immediately. 

"You had a long day, just go and relax," he smiles sweetly and Sungmin knows better than to fight against him. He takes a quick peek at the cooking, trying to get some kind of hint on what they'll be eating tonight. He sets his bag of groceries onto the empty spot on the counter. As he tries to start unpacking it, Ryeowook slaps his hand away, giving him that one look that Sungmin knows says 'I'll do it, don't you even dare'. And he doesn't, nods and walks through the doorway into the livingroom.

On the couch, as usual, sits Kyuhyun. Or not so much sits, as lays in a very uncomfortable looking position, with his laptop propped up on his stomach and legs reached over on the coffee table, fingers tapping against the keyboard so fast it makes Sungmin's head hurt a little bit. He glances at Sungmin and then back at the screen. Sungmin puts on the television and shuffles through the channels until he finds something remotely interesting - a cheesy but somewhat entertaining drama re-run.

"How was your day?" Kyuhyun asks and Sungmin knows he's only half-interested, but they're roommates and Sungmin even dares to think Kyuhyun as a friend and it's normal to know what's happening in your roommate's life. Sungmin starts explaining and Kyuhyun nods and mutters little answers, even if most of his attention is on the game he's playing. But Sungmin's learned not to mention it, Sungmin's learned quite a lot of things about Kyuhyun that he doesn't mention.

Sungmin stops and turns to face Kyuhyun. "What about you?" He knows the answer already, because Kyuhyun is on a short, few day break, for some reason. Okay, it's a study break, but instead of studying, Kyuhyun spends it with his laptop and beer. Not that Kyuhyun doesn't want to study, not that he's lazy - he's just so damn intelligent, so academically talented that he doesn't require to spend all of his study break on actual studying. Sungmin is somewhat jealous, he's not stupid either, but he always required a lot of work, notes and tears to get a good grade from an exam.

"Nothing much," Kyuhyun snorts and Sungmin smiles too. "Hung out with Ryeowook."

"Ah, that's nice," Sungmin turns to the television again. He likes Kyuhyun and Ryeowook getting along. It would make a big difference if Kyuhyun wasn't fond of his best friend, since Ryeowook did spend quite a lot of time in their little apartment. It did help that Ryeowook and Kyuhyun studied in the same university, with the same major even.

Ryeowook brings Sungmin a bowl of food and a glass of milk, because Sungmin always prefers healthy drinks over the soda and alcohol Kyuhyun likes to down his meals down with. Sungmin thanks him and Kyuhyun whines when Ryeowook asks him to come get his own bowl. Kyuhyun wants Ryeowook to bring him his as well, but Ryeowook just shakes his head. "You've been sitting on the same spot for hours, I think it's time to get up," he huffs as he takes his place next to Sungmin, instantly into the drama playing.

Sungmin comes home, after getting out of work earlier than usually. He had dropped by the grocery store again, but this time because it's Friday and Fridays usually mean cheap red wine and phoning everyone Sungmin and Kyuhyun know to find a possible party. It had been snowning outside and snowflakes decorate the top of his head, but melt as soon as he gets inside. Instead of the usual sound of television or Kyuhyun's loud music, he hears singing.

It's easy to recognize Ryeowook's higher, clear voice. Sungmin hears him sing so often. Kyuhyun's voice is lower, more smooth, and they compliment each other in a beautiful way. Sungmin stands in the kitchen, taking out the bottles of wine and a sixpack of beer he had bought. It's very pleasant to listen to, so he stays listening in the kitchen for a while. He opens one of the cans, taking a quick sip before heading out to Kyuhyun's room, or where ever the sound is coming from.

Turns out, the two are in the bathroom, sitting in the bathtub opposite of each other. There are music sheets covering the floor, filled with scribbles and markings. Sungmin gives them a questioning look when he opens the door. Ryeowook just giggles and reaches out for Sungmin to give him his can. Sungmin offers it to him and sits on the closed toilet seat. "What's up?" he asks as he folds his legs indian style, wiggling his socked toes. 

Ryeowook gives him back his drink. "We got a new assignment today," he glances at Kyuhyun. Even if the two studied in the same place, their courses weren't the same. Kyuhyun was a year younger than Ryeowook, too. Sungmin raises his eyebrows, it was absurd that two people from different years and courses were assigned together.

"You two?" Sungmin asks.

"Yeah, us and this one guy called Yesung," Kyuhyun nods and clears that this Yesung guy is their senior, on his last year and about to graduate next spring. "He chose the song, but we don't know it. So that's why we're practicing it here."

"In the bathroom?" 

"The acoustics are better than in any other room," Ryeowook shrugs. Sungmin accepts this explanation and drinks more. Kyuhyun hums the melody of the song and Ryeowook leans out of the tub to scribble something onto one of the music sheets. He lifts the one with the lyrics to his lap. He looks down at it and pouts. "The lyrics are so sad. It kind of makes me think if Yesung had a reason to choose this song." Kyuhyun looks at Ryeowook and Sungmin catches the frown on his face.

"Maybe it just fit his voice?" Sungmin offers. Ryeowook looks at him.

"He is such a great vocalist, that could be possible too," Ryeowook smiles and looks at the lyrics in his lap again.

"But so are you," Kyuhyun says suddenly, causing both men to look at him. He dodges their looks by focusing on his own hands. The room is quiet for a while, until Sungmin speaks.

"Do you have plans for tonight?" 

Both younger ones shake their heads. Sungmin drinks a bit more and gets out of the bathroom to find his phone and call someone who might know something. After a couple of texts, facebook messages and phonecalls, he's talking to Victoria. Kyuhyun has opened a can of beer too, Ryeowook is fixing his hair in the bathroom. Victoria tells Sungmin that there is a houseparty at the dorms where majority of the Chinese students live. Ryeowook is excited to go, many of his favorite juniors will probably be there. Kyuhyun is a bit hesitant, and Sungmin doesn't know why. 

Out of the three, Ryeowook loves parties the most. He loves the buzz of being drunk, he loves socializing and he loves letting go, even if just for one night. Currently, he's hanging on the neck of someone he has never met. All he knows is that he's from China, his arms feel amazing around him, and he's just as drunk as Ryeowook is. Next to them, Victoria is laughing with a girl Ryeowook has seen somewhere. Kyuhyun is with them, too, but he's quiet even if another girl is desperately trying to get him dance.

Ryeowook hasn't seen Sungmin in a while, but he's not worried. Sungmin knows how to take care of himself. Ryeowook is not as good at that, but he hopes someone will take care of him if he s up. 

The guy is kissing his neck and Ryeowook sighs, his drink shaking in his hand. He doesn't know if it's because he's nervous or if he's aroused. Every emotion is blending into one big, drunken mush in his head. He feels a bit nauseous, but drinks more to make it go away. The beer and the various hard liquors he has downed during the night are in danger of coming back up and he pushes the guy away. He tries to grab him again but Ryeowook pulls away. He makes it to the other side of the room and throws up in the corner, right next to a couple who are currently liplocked. Fortunately, the two girls kissing are Sulli and Krystal who help Ryeowook to the nearest bathroom to empty the rest of the contains of his stomach into the toilet.

He doesn't know what's happening, someone offers him a cup with water in it and he drinks a bit, slumping down onto the bathroom floor. He hears worried voices, someone's asking where Sungmin is, someone's his hair. Then, he hears Kyuhyun. He can't see properly anymore, but he feels as two people hoist him up. He recognized the cologne of the guy he had been with earlier, his arms are around him again. But it's only to help lift Ryeowook onto Kyuhyun's back. The younger exchanges a few words with the other guy and Sulli before he leaves the bathroom and the whole house. It's cold outside, but Kyuhyun's back is radiating warmth through his thin hoodie.

Ryeowook has no idea how and when they got back to Kyuhyun and Sungmin's apartment. He remembers the door opening and Kyuhyun laying him down onto his own bed. He takes off his clothes, save from his boxers and the t-shirt and leaves him to sleep in Kyuhyun's room.

Sungmin wakes up between Minseok and Luhan, all three and hungover. He remembers their names, because Minseok goes to the same gym as he does, and Luhan's name was ghosting on both of their lips all night. He regrets his spontaneous only for a while, cursing beer and the shots of Chinese liquor Zhou Mi kept daring him to drink. His head hurts as he gets up, glancing as the two boys on the bed cuddle close together, like little kittens. He pulls on his jeans but can't find his shirt, so he pokes Minseok until he blinks his eyes open and asks if he can borrow his shirt. Minseok mutters a quiet 'yeah' and closes his eyes again.

As he gets out of the dorm room, he bumps into Sulli. They decide to grab breakfast together and while they eat Sulli tells him what happened last night.

"Oh, Ryeowook...," Sungmin sighs and takes another bit of his sandwich. Sulli sips on her smoothie and places her chin on her palm.

"At least Kyuhyun took him home," Sulli reassures. "Good timing, though, because he was pretty much eating face with Zitao already."

"Who's he, then?" Sungmin's eyes widen. He has heard the name before, but he can't connect it to a face.

"He's friends with Victoria- unnie and Zhou Mi," Sulli says and digs out her phone to quickly search the same guy's facebook page and show his profile picture to Sungmin, who nods as he recognizes him. Sungmin has met him, too, he thinks he's very nice and polite but it still doesn't mean he wants him to hook up with his best friend, especially when drunk. 

Sulli and Sungmin finish their breakfast while laughing about last night. Sungmin tells her where he woke up and next to whom, and she almost chokes on her smoothie as she laughs. Sungmin gives her a mean look but laughs too. When they're finished, Sungmin pays for Sulli's meal. They hug before departing and Sungmin starts walking towards his apartment, head still throbbing from the hangover. He plays with his phone as he walks. There are a few hilarious pictures from last night he messages to his hungover friends, laughing as the reactions are a mix of 'oh my God', ' you' and a pile of laughing emoticons.

He reaches their apartment, unlocks the door and to his surprise, everyone's still asleep. What confuses him even more is that Kyuhyun is sleeping on the couch instead of his own bedroom. He peeks into Kyuhyun's bedroom and finds Ryeowook asleep in Kyuhyun's bed. He decides to let them sleep as he chooses to take a shower.

For the next week, Ryeowook is over every day. And most of the time he's over, it's spent in the bathtub practicing the same song with Kyuhyun. Sometimes, when Sungmin has time from work and his own study projects, he joins them with his acoustic guitar. Mostly he just listens. He puts off the volume of the television while they sing in the bathroom, so he can hear. It's beautiful, really. Their voices melt together like piece of chocolate into a hot glass of milk. Ryeowook's voice is a clear stream of water in the spring, Kyuhyun's a warm summer breeze late at night. Sometimes Ryeowook is fire and sometimes Kyuhyun is, but no matter who it is, the other is always the water that cools down the flames the other puts up.

Sungmin knows he can sing too, but he could never sing like the two are singing. He wonders for a while what the third member of their little group sounds like and what would he bring to the table. 

He meets this third member two days later. He's fairly tall, even if not as tall as Kyuhyun is. He has a deep voice and a dark look in his eyes. He comes to their apartment to discuss something with his group members and catches Sungmin's eye as Sungmin is going out for a run. Yesung smiles at him and his smile is full of mysteries Sungmin wants to solve. When he comes back, Ryeowook is gone but Kyuhyun and Yesung are talking by the kitchen table. Sungmin joins them and he can't ignore the electricity in the air between him and the eldest of the room. Kyuhyun gets a text from Minho asking him to hang out for a while since their mutual friend is in town and leaving tomorrow. Kyuhyun leaves the two together, saying that Yesung can stay as long as he want to and they can finish what they had been doing now when Kyuhyun comes back.

Sungmin offers him a cup of coffee and as he gives the mug filled with the hot liquid to him, their hands touch and the next thing Sungmin knows is that he's ing the other into his mattress with the bed creaking beneath them.

Kyuhyun hates being the only single one out of his friends. Well, sure, Minho's girlfriend Yuri is gorgeous and funny, and gets along well with Kyuhyun, it's still very awkward to just sit there when the two are more involved in making out or staring longingly into each other's eyes than socializing with Kyuhyun. And Sooyoung, Changmin's current girlfriend, is the same, but of course Changmin prefers to be fed by her and spending a ridiculous amount of time and smelling her hair and neck. Kyuhyun thinks its a bit weird, but Sooyoung likes it. And he sort of gets it, because her ex-girlfriend's hair always smelled intoxicatingly sweet as well.

Kyuhyun used to date a girl named Seohyun, but their relationship ended after a couple of months. They're still friends, Kyuhyun truly adores Seohyun and hopes whoever she decides to be with is better to her than he was.

One day, when Changmin and Minho are suggesting to go out again, Kyuhyun decides to lessen the awkwardness by taking Ryeowook with him. It's a bad idea, because it doesn't actually make anything any less awkward. Just more so. Because while the two couples are kissing and cooing over each other, Ryeowook and Kyuhyun exchange little uncomfortable glances and when their hands brush against one another they pull away quicker than the speed of light and focus on their own burger meals. No one is speaking, the only sound is the smacking from lips moving against lips and Ryeowook's finger tapping against the table.

Kyuhyun and Ryeowook make up an excuse to leave, but it's not like the four other people even notice their absence. They end up wandering around a park close by. They talk and walk until it's midnight and Ryeowook yawns and leans into Kyuhyun, linking their arms together. Kyuhyun doesn't really mind, there is no one around, and there is very welcome warmth radiating from the smaller body.

Yesung starts making frequent visits to join Kyuhyun and Ryeowook in practicing the song. They're still in the bathroom, because the acoustics are still better there than anywhere else. The song flows out of them so smoothly already, and Yesung is just a cherry on top to the perfect harmony.

Sungmin can't help but get lost in Yesung's voice. It's like smoke. It makes his toes curl, especially when he can hear it so close. When he joins them to listen what the song sounds like when all three sing it together, Yesung's voice fills the whole room. It's exotic and deep and so full of emotion. He sings with so much passion Sungmin can feel it.

When they're done, Sungmin excuses himself out of the bathroom. He makes dinner and when he's setting the table, the only thing he can think about is banging the everloving out of Yesung bent over the kitchen table. He composes himself as the others come to eat. Yesung tries to leave, seeing it's not really his place to be in their dinner table, but they all insist he's more than welcome. Yesung praises Sungmin's cooking to heavens and Sungmin locks eyes with him as he thanks him for the compliments. Ryeowook and Kyuhyun are too busy eating to feel the game of footsie going on under the table. Yesung and Kyuhyun leave after the meal, leaving Ryeowook and Sungmin to do the dishes. Ryeowook is strangely giggly, he's blushing and smiling to himself as he dries the dishes and puts them in their place in the cupboard.

"What got you in such a mood?" Sungmin smiles and elbows Ryeowook gently. Ryeowook bats his eyelashes at him.

"Someone," he laughs, covering his face. He's a bit embarrassed. "I think I have a little crush on someone..." he twirls around in his place. Sungmin's smile gets bigger. He's happy, but cautious, too. 

"It's Yesung," Ryeowook looks at Sungmin with the biggest smile, that drops immediately when he sees Sungmin's expression; wide eyes, mouth slightly open, not even blinking. "What's wrong?" he's a bit nervous now. 

"Oh, nothing!" Sungmin fakes a smile and gives Ryeowook a quick hug. The younger looks at him strange. Sungmin busies himself with the dishes again. Ryeowook continues twirling and humming hapy tunes under his breath, seemingly thinking nothing of Sungmin's reaction.

Sungmin chooses that he's going to end the budding relationship he has with Yesung, until he bumps into him at a grocery store one evening. Yesung is buying a bottle of lube and a pack of condoms and even if Sungmin stares at his shoppings with wide eyes, he doesn't seem embarrassed in the slightest. Just gives Sungmin a strange look, before reaching to the shelf to inspect another item.

"What would you recommend?" he suddenly asks, and Sungmin blushes, very uncharacteristic of him. Yesung holds up two bottles of flavored lube, one strawberry and one banana. Sungmin has seen the strawberry onebefore, on his ex-dorm mate's nightstand. Actually, he remembers the flavor, too.

"I, uh- what," he splutters and Yesung smiles.

"Just wondering what you'd rather want to taste in me," he says in a low a voice and the words go straight to Sungmin's crotch. He whimpers, takes the strawberry flavored bottle and stomps to the cash register, cursing and swearing as he buys it. Yesung follows him, buys the packet and takes Sungmin's hand, leading him out of the little store.

His apartment isn't too far away. He has a very nice place for an university student but with a quick glance around when stepping inside Sungmin realizes he probably has a roommate, just like Sungmin does. Yesung walks straight inside and peeks in one of the rooms. Sungmin hears a sigh, rustling of clothes and sheets and Yesung steps back to let a brunette stand in the doorway. Sungmin doesn't dare to move from the door where he's standing. 

"Donghae!" he suddenly hears a shout, and he looks at the two people still talking, who are both glancing back at the bedroom. The shout sounded so familiar, and then another head peeks out from the door, draping himself over the brunette - apparently called Donghae. Sungmin scrunches his eyebrows together, because the blonde who's now pressing kisses onto Donghae's shoulder happened to be the ex-dorm mate Sungmin had thought about earlier. "Can you come back to bed?" he purrs. "It's cold and lonely, and I'm really, really ."

"Eunhyuk?" Sungmin snorts and the blonde blushes beet red as he looks at Sungmin on the door. "Nice to see you too," Sungmin says with sarcasm dripping from his voice as Eunhyuk hides himself behind Donghae. "What are you doing here?" Sungmin questions, even if it's fairly obvious why he's there.

"You know each other?" Yesung asks.

"How do you know him?" Eunhyuk hisses, still behind Donghae.

"What," Donghae says.

Sungmin walks up to the three others and his head to the side to see Eunhyuk better. "So this what you mean by being busy?" Donghae snorts at this. Eunhyuk peeks from behind his shoulder. He smiles sheepishly.

"I've been meaning to introduce you...," he steps completely from behind Donghae. "This is, uh. Donghae."

"I'm Donghae," Donghae says. Sungmin thinks that when it comes down to daftness, Donghae and Eunhyuk are a perfect match. 

"We've been dating for a while already," he looks at Donghae and the brunette looks back, for a moment they lock eyes and smile and Sungmin thinks it's one of the most disgusting things he has ever seen. Apparently Yesung thinks so too as he groans next to him. Eunhyuk tears his eyes away from the puppy ones on Donghae's face and looks at Sungmin again. "So, obviously him being my boyfriend explains why I'm here, since he's hyung's roommate... But why are you here?" 

Sungmin makes a gesture with his hands as he starts to speak, but obviously forgets about the bottle of lube still in his hands. Eunhyuk's gaze land on it, and he's back to looking like a firetruck. Donghae looks at the bottle, but doesn't understand what's going on. Sungmin looks at the bottle, then at the ground because there's this mutual moment of shared embarrasment that he'd rather not explain to Donghae or Yesung - or anyone, for that matter.

"Why are you two blushing like schoolgirls?" Yesung mutters and takes the bottlle from Sungmin, inspecting it like the instructions on the side would give him the answer on why the two were so embarrassed. Sungmin snatches it back, he's really not up for explaining his and Eunhyuk's last adventures with the same flavored brand, because that would lead to questions like "you used to be together?" and possibly some hurt feelings. They had never been together-together though, there was just a shared journey of self-discovery, with a lot of experimental ing and learning of new things. Without Sungmin, Eunhyuk had never found out his extreme kink for leather gloves and blindfolds, and likewise, Sungmin would still be blissfully unaware about the wonders of light . But it's all in the past, and Sungmin would rather not think about all the awkward and slightly humilliating moments they shared in the lower bunk - Sungmin's bed - of their shared bunk bed trying to figure out just what feels good and what should be left undone.

"You still didn't answer why you're here?" Donghae interrupts Sungmin and Eunhyuk's train of though, and even Yesung looks up from the bottle he's curiously looking at. Yesung rolls his eyes, waves the bottle in front of Donghae's face and pulls Sungmin towards his own room, since he's clearly had enough of the two other men.

Then, it's a blur again, like it always is with Yesung. When the door is closed, Yesung kisses him, his fingers find the skin underneath Sungmin's shirt. And Sungmin kisses him back, he pulls him closer and a voice in the back of his head tells him he should feel bad about himself, but he can't hear it, because all he can register hearing is Yesung whispering dirty words into his ear.

Ryeowook is drawing hearts onto his notebook, and Luna notices this immediately. Ryeowook doodles quite a lot during boring lectures, but this is different, she can just feel it. Instead of directly asking him about it, she does what she thinks is the best idea; she send a group text to all the other music major girls, expecting either gossip or speculations.

Tiffany answers with a picture of Taeyeon, who is also drawing cute little kittens and flowers on her notes. The others aren't much help either, just commenting on how cute Ryeowook is. Luna hides her phone back into the pocket of her jacket and turns to Ryeowook. She leans her chin on her palms and props her elbows on the table. "Hi," she whispers and Ryeowook looks at her a bit strange.

"Hey...?" he answers, dropping his pen and flipping the page so the hearts and other doodles are hidden.

"What were you drawing?" she tries to peek to the notebook but Ryeowook hides it.

"Nothing," there's a slight pink dusting on his cheeks. Luna knows what's up, of course she does. She's known Ryeowook long enough, and she knows when he's crushing on someone. It does help that it happens quite often, there is always someone. It was Siwon a while ago, before that Baekhyun and a few weeks back there was Yunho. He doesn't really have a type, she has spent a lot of time figuring out this. In her defense, the lectures are really boring, and it's so much more entertaining to gossip about other people's love lives with Tiffany than focus on whatever the lecturer was talking about. This semester she and Tiffany had different courses, though, and that was why she had instantly stuck with Ryeowook, him being the only person she knew from this course.

She sighs and crosses her arms, as much a she's curious, she's not rude nor invasive. If Ryeowook doesn't want to talk, he won't and she'll leave it at that.

It's a Friday again, but Ryeowook, Kyuhyun and Yesung had reserved the piano room of the campus to themselves for the night to practice properly. Sungmin is left alone, but as it is a Friday, he decides to have a little fun. He calls Eunhyuk, since as they just reunited, he'd really want to know how the other is doing. He calls a few other friends too, and soon in his livingroom, spread on the couch, armchairs and the floor are him and Eunhyuk, Tiffany, Jessica and Hyoyeon. A bottle of wine is shared, they're chatting comfortably, throwing jokes and laughing together.

Another bottle of wine is opened and downed. Then another. Jessica and Eunhyuk make a trip to the grocery store and come back with beer and soju. The apartment is filled with laughter. Someone, probably Hyoyeon, gets a great idea all of the sudden, and asks everyone to quiet down as she clears and speaks two simple words.

"Strip. Poker."

Everyone roars with laughter, but they decide to play anyway.

Sungmin is drunk, but so are the rest. He's not very good in poker, but turns out Tiffany isn't either. Hyoyeon is winning, she still has most of her clothes on, whereas Tiffany is sitting in her bra and , still wearing both of her socks. Sungmin thinks it's quite funny, how she decided to strip off her shirt and jeans before the pink socks, but he doesn't really even mind. 

At some point, the strip poker turns into spin the bottle. Sungmin watches Jessica and Tiffany kiss, Tiffany still hasn't put on her shirt, not to mention the jeans, but Eunhyuk was kind enough to give her his hoodie for warmth. Next, Jessica kisses Eunhyuk and after that Sungmin and Eunhyuk share a french kiss, which makes the girls scream and laugh. It's Sungmin's turn to spin the bottle and it lands on Tiffany, who looks at him with blurry eyes from behind her long lashes. He crosses the distance between them, cupping her delicate face into his hands. Hyoyeon catcalls, but their kiss doesn't end even if the others are protesting that it's going on for way too long.

Sungmin doesn't notice that Eunhyuk leaves with Jessica and Hyoyeon linked to his arms. He notices the flat is empty when he finally pulls away from Tiffany. She giggles, her eyes wrinkle when she smiles and Sungmin can't help but kiss her again. And again. And again. Until they're both on the livingroom floor, with the carpet rubbing on Tiffany's soft skin and her long fingernails digging into Sungmin's hair.