Hongbin couldn’t help but smile to himself. Everyone was out – his brothers, Got7, and Yong Guk. The only ones home were himself, Hyorin, and Rina. It was a perfect chance for him to get some time alone with his beloved master.

You’re so in love with her, his beast teased, head over heels.

Yeah, Hongbin chuckled, can’t deny that.

So what’s the plan? The beast asked.

No idea, Hongbin sighed, realizing that he had to do something with Hyorin.

Well, the beast said, maybe there’s something in the basement. I think I saw a pool table down there the last time you went down there.

Yeah, Hongbin nodded, considering this option provided, but……I don’t know how to play.

Well, he could almost see his beast smirking, ask Hyorin to teach you.

That’s a great idea, Hongbin grinned happily before rushing off to find her.

--

“No,” Hyorin laughed, “you’re going after the solid balls.”

“Right,” Hongbin said, looking away embarrassed, “I’m not really good at this, am I?”

“You’ll get better with practice,” she assured him, “just stop trying so hard.”

“Right,” Hongbin nodded, watched carefully as Hyorin got ready for her next shot.

He wished he was as good as she was. But then Hyorin had been playing pool for a lot longer than himself thanks to her fathers, so she would naturally be the better player of the two. Apparently, Chen had put a rather large importance on teaching her how to play when she was younger. That was the first thing Hyorin had told him when Hongbin asked her to join him in a couple of games and it made him happy to have brought up such happy memories in her.

“Alright,” Hyorin said after sinking her target, “you’re turn.”

“Ok,” Hongbin got ready.

He looked around the table, looking for a good target. Finally he found a solid ball not far from a hole he could put it in. actually hitting it and succeeding in sinking the ball, however, was a totally different matter. To get to the ball, he had to either go through or around another, striped ball. Obviously he couldn’t go around, so he had to go through. The poor empath demon took a calming breath and just prayed that he used the right amount of force so he sent the one ball into the hole.

“Dang it,” Hongbin scowled when his target just missed going in, “why can’t I manage this? I’m hitting balls with another ball. Why is that so dang hard?”

“Calm down,” Hyorin told him, patting his shoulder, “it’s just a game.”

“One that you’re really good at,” Hongbin replied, “one that I stuck at. I bet you aren’t having any fun because I so hard.”

“You’re better than Sehun appa, Kai appa, and Tao appa,” she told him, “and I always have the most fun playing with them.”

“Huh?” Hongbin frowned, wonder why she’d have more fun playing pool with people who couldn’t play.

“They made it really fun,” she explained, “like, we’d just mess around and see who could mess up the best. And they were always joking and laughing. Skill didn’t matter.”

“Oh,” Hongbin nodded in understanding.

“Just have fun,” Hyorin finally said, patting his shoulder, “don’t worry about how bad you’re playing or how much fun I’m having.”

“Alright,” he nodded, flashing a small smile.

I could have told you that, his beast spoke up, but you wouldn’t have listened.

Yeah, Hongbin mentally sighed, probably not.

That’s why I like Hyorin as a girlfriend for you, his beast continued, you listen to her. If she tells you to have fun, you’ll try to have fun. If she tells you to stop worrying, you’d try to do exactly that. but if I told you that? nothing. Same with your brothers.

I get it, Hongbin huffed, I at listening to people.

Just so long as you understand the problems you make for the rest of us, his beast teased, now focus on your future girlfriend.

Shut up, Hongbin looked down, hoping that Hyorin wouldn’t see his bright red face, she’s not my girlfriend.

Not yet, his best shrugged, but one day.

You can’t know that, Hongbin argued, she could decide she likes someone else. Maybe shell end up dating N hyung.

Fine, his beast conceded, but I’m still cheering for you.

“Talking to your beast?” Hyorin asked upon noticing that Hongbin’s attention was with his own thoughts.

“Huh?” he blinked, “um, yeah. We were, um, just talking about some random thought.”

“You’re lucky,” Hyorin sighed, “I wish I could talk to my beasts the way you can talk to yours.”

“Maybe one day,” Hongbin smiled, “but it’s not all that great. it can be really annoying when your beast speaks up in the middle of a conversation. Or when you’re talking to someone who can’t know about them.”

Hey.

“You’re right,” she nodded, “that could be a bit of a pain. Now, are we going to keep playing or not?”

A/N: several thought. 1) The pool table is a throwback to ’12 Guardians’ when Chen had some one-on-one time with Hyorin’s mom. Also, the whole ‘Chen teaching Hyorin how to play’ thing is also a bit of a nod towards Guardians. 2) Look how embarrassed Bean gets when his beast talks about Hyorin being his girlfriend. So cute~! 3) No, Hyorin will never get to talk to her beasts like VIXX does with theirs.