Moments pass. Yunhyeong’s back rises and falls thrice, Hanbin blinks twice, and Jinhwan takes one long, staggering breath. Hanbin’s eyes soften when Jinhwan’s gaze falls, and he takes a few steps forward to rest a careful hand on Jinhwan’s small shoulder.

“Go lie him down on that booth seat, hyung,” Hanbin says quietly, pointing to the booth seat on the right.

Wordlessly, Jinhwan nods and stands, laying Yunhyeong down carefully on the soft cushion and brushing a few stray locks of his son’s fringe away from his face. Yunhyeong’s eyes are red and swollen and Jinhwan feels as though his heart is tearing into half. Just then, Yunhyeong's blanket is draped over him, and Jinhwan looks up to see Hanbin hovering behind him, eyes soft and sad, yet never losing its usual strength and steely ambition. Jinhwan looks so small before him, and that's all Hanbin needs to see for him to take control in this situation.

"What time is your last train home, hyung?" Hanbin asks.

Jinhwan sniffs as he glances at the clock and then lets out a shuddering sigh. "About 15 minutes ago."

Silence descends upon them, and for a long while there's nothing but the sound of Yunhyeong's even breathing and the occasional rush or honk of a car outside. Eventually though, Hanbin casts another look at Jinhwan - who's just staring brokenly at Yunhyeong as though nothing else matters - and makes up his mind.

"Hyung," Hanbin begins carefully, stopping in his advance towards Jinhwan when the older boy flinches at the sudden sound of his voice. Hanbin struggles to find the right words to say, wondering how he should best pitch his request to Jinhwan without scaring the elder into running away, but then finally decides that there's no point in being anything other than direct.

"Stay at my place tonight."

Hanbin's words are clear, strong in this moment of fragility and weakness. Jinhwan is staring at him now, the shock apparent in his eyes, so Hanbin decides to keep talking before Jinhwan can start to protest.

"It's 12.30 in the morning, hyung. There isn't a train left for you to catch. You could always take a cab, but we both know how expensive those are, especially with all the extra late night charges."

Jinhwan's mouth opens and closes as he tries to find the words to protest. Hanbin knows he's right, though, and he knows Jinhwan knows so, too.

"Look, hyung," Hanbin continues, finally closing the gap between himself and Jinhwan such that he's standing right before the latter now. "The last bus to my place runs at 12.43, and the bus stop is less than a five minute walk from here. There isn't a train left for you to take home, it's freezing outside, and Yunhyeong's already passed out. So just - " Hanbin takes a breath and reaches out to grab Jinhwan's arm gently but firmly. "Just let me help you for one night, okay? Let me - " Another deep breath. Jinhwan is looking straight at him now. "Let me take care of you."

Jinhwan's stomach flips at Hanbin's words and every fibre of his being is screaming at him to say yes, to take the easy way out and let this boy take care of him. How long has he waited for someone to utter these words to him? How long has Jinhwan just wanted to let himself be taken care of by someone else for a change? For so long now Jinhwan has kept his heart locked up and guard firm, knowing that he had to be strong for Yunhyeong and that his only purpose in life was to secure Yunhyeong's future and give him a life better than his own.

But suddenly here Hanbin is, walking into Jinhwan's life with his boyish grin and eyes full of promise, making Jinhwan smile more than he ever knew he was capable of and feel so much less jaded by the world. And now he's opening up his home for him and Yunhyeong, offering to help them and take care of them and it makes Jinhwan afraid: afraid of being coaxed out of the firmly built guard he has constructed around himself and Yunhyeong, afraid of placing his trust in Hanbin - even if it was only for one night - because trust leads to hurt just as every hello ends with goodbye.

The conflict must be apparent on Jinhwan's face, because Hanbin slides his hand further up Jinhwan's arm and holds his other arm with his remaining hand so that he's gripping him securely by the sides. Jinhwan stiffens and Hanbin almost regrets his actions, but Jinhwan doesn't pull away, and as the seconds tick by Hanbin feels Jinhwan's body relaxing into his grip, even as he fights to stay rigid.

"Let me do this for you, hyung. Please," Hanbin says again, softly, trying to convey his sincerity and willingness with his gaze. Jinhwan's eyes look so exhausted and spent that it tugs painfully at Hanbin's heart.

It's like time has come to a standstill as they both stand there and wait for Jinhwan to reply, but when Jinhwan finally deflates helplessly and mumbles out a broken okay, time surges forward once again as Hanbin's face breaks into a relieved, wide grin and he gently squeezes Jinhwan's arms before dropping his hands and stepping away. Jinhwan feels the loss of Hanbin’s touch and warmth too soon for his own liking.

Hanbin glances at his watch before addressing Jinhwan again. "We have eight minutes before the last bus to my place leaves the stop.”

Jinhwan nods and fidgets with his sleeves, unconsciously pulling them down his wrists till they cover his fingers, and Hanbin can’t help but notice yet again just how tiny Jinhwan is, dwarfed in his own sweater. “I’ll just, um, grab my things and lock up,” Jinhwan says, hurrying to the back room to shrug on his coat and fetch his backpack, simultaneously fishing the keys to the cafe from his bag. When he re-emerges from the back room, he sees that Hanbin has already folded Yunhyeong’s blanket and has helped him retrieve Yunhyeong’s winter coat from the storeroom.

“Thank you,” Jinhwan rushes out gratefully, dropping the keys onto the booth seat before carefully gathering Yunhyeong into his arms so as to avoid stirring him. Jinhwan gently lays Yunhyeong's head onto his shoulder as Hanbin swiftly plucks the keys off the seat and drapes Yunhyeong's winter jacket over his body, not forgetting to pull the hood over his head so that he's fully covered up. Jinhwan places one hand atop the jacket to prevent it from slipping off, and Hanbin smiles in response to the gratitude that Jinhwan is trying to express with his eyes.

Cafe keys in one hand and Yunhyeong's blanket in the other, Hanbin walks ahead of Jinhwan to hold the door open for him as they step out into the cold. Under Jinhwan's instructions, Hanbin manages to lock up the cafe quickly and then they're making their way to the bus stop, shoes crunching on the asphalt beneath them and breath coming out in puffs of air that dissipate into the dark winter sky.

-

“Well, this is it.”

Hanbin pushes open his apartment door and holds it open for Jinhwan, who mumbles a quiet thank you and steps inside. Hanbin flicks on the switch and light bathes the living room, before he kicks off his shoes and does the same for the hallway light. It’s not a luxurious apartment by any means but it’s most definitely comfortable, much bigger than Jinhwan’s for sure. In the living room sits a blue sofa and two darker blue armchairs off to the side, with a television set against the wall. The living room leads to the kitchen and the hallway, with four doors lining its sides. Somehow, watching Jinhwan glance around his apartment makes Hanbin nervous, as he finds himself wanting Jinhwan to like his home. Spotting one of his jackets and a pair of his jeans lying haphazardly across the sofa, Hanbin swiftly snatches them off the couch and hides them behind his back. Jinhwan cracks a small smile at that, and Hanbin is glad to see his first real smile of the night.

"You have a really nice place," Jinhwan says softly, hyper-aware of the sleeping boy in his arms.

Hanbin rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, and Jinhwan's smile grows slightly wider at the endearing habit.

Hanbin drops his bag onto the edge of the sofa. "Does Yunhyeong need to wash up, or?" Hanbin trails off, gesturing to the little boy.

Jinhwan shakes his head. "I'm just going to let him sleep. He showered before we went to the cafe, anyway."

Hanbin nods. "I'll show you to the spare room, then."

Jinhwan toes off his converses and removes Yunhyeong’s shoes, placing both pairs neatly by the front door before following Hanbin down the hall and to the room at the end. Hanbin pushes the door open and flicks on the switch, stepping aside to let Jinhwan in. The room is fully furnished: a bed on one side, a desk against the wall and cupboards lining the opposite side.

“I used to have a roommate,” Hanbin explains. “But his family decided to migrate about three months ago so this room has been unused since then.”

Jinhwan nods in understanding, and then Hanbin moves forward to pull the blanket down the bed and flatten the pillow so that Jinhwan can lie Yunhyeong down. Jinhwan puts Yunhyeong down gently, plucking the winter coat from his body before covering him up with the blanket. Yunhyeong doesn't stir one bit, the only sign of movement coming from his small fingers that curl unconsciously into tiny fists before uncurling again. Jinhwan bends over his son to press a quick kiss to his forehead and Hanbin looks away, feeling as though he's intruding on a private moment.

When Jinhwan straightens and turns around, Hanbin shoots him an encouraging smile. "Shower?"

Jinhwan pales. "You're already letting us stay at your house for the night, for nothing at all. I'm not going to use your hot water."

Hanbin pretends as though Jinhwan hadn't said a thing. "Shower it is," he replies with a grin, leaving the room to fetch Jinhwan a towel and some spare clothes and chuckling at the exasperated Kim Hanbin! Jinhwan whisper-yells after him.

Hanbin manages to shove Jinhwan into the common bathroom with an extra towel and some of his older, smaller pajamas without much difficulty, because Jinhwan is harmless and practically pocket-sized.

“If you don’t lock the door and start showering I’m going to have to barge in there and do it for you myself,” Hanbin threatens, grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

The sound of the toilet door locking immediately sends Hanbin into a bout of laughter.

About twenty minutes later, Hanbin is freshly-showered after taking his own bath in the master bedroom toilet and is preparing two cups of hot green tea when he hears the soft padding of feet against the wooden floor. Hanbin’s breath catches in his throat at the sight of Jinhwan in his clothes, finding it both extremely endearing and attractive at the same time. The plain white shirt is more than a size too big for Jinhwan’s small frame, and Hanbin feels his heart thud dangerously in his chest when Jinhwan lifts a hand to card through his still-wet hair and the collar of the shirt slides down his shoulder, revealing a silver of pale, smooth skin. Hanbin’s old pair of sweatpants fit Jinhwan nicely though, Jinhwan having rolled the ends up slightly so that they wouldn’t be grazing the floor.

“Um,” Jinhwan begins awkwardly, holding out the towel he had used in his hand.

Hanbin feels like dunking his face into the hot tea when he realises belatedly that he had been blatantly and most probably unnervingly staring at Jinhwan.

“Right,” Hanbin replies quickly, putting the cup in his hand down onto the counter before taking the towel from Jinhwan and dumping it into the laundry basket.

“Do you need a plastic bag for your dirty clothes?” Hanbin asks once he returns to the kitchen.

Jinhwan nods. “Yes, please.”

Hanbin pulls open a drawer and hands Jinhwan a plastic bag, the elder receiving it with thanks before leaving to pack away his dirty work clothes. Hanbin picks the two cups of tea off the counter and heads to the living room, setting one cup down on the coffee table for Jinhwan as he sits on one end of the couch and takes a sip from his own cup, enjoying the feeling of the hot tea warming his body.

When Jinhwan rejoins him, Hanbin hands him his cup and is delighted to see the small, grateful smile that spreads across Jinhwan’s face. Jinhwan is a constant reminder to Hanbin that there are many things in life to be grateful for, even something as simple as a cup of hot tea on a cold winter night.

“Is Yunhyeong sleeping okay?” Hanbin asks, watching as Jinhwan tentatively settles back into the sofa and grips his cup tightly with both hands.

“Yeah,” Jinhwan nods, then a guilty expression flits across his face. “He’s probably exhausted from all the crying.”

There are so many things Hanbin wants to ask and even more things he wants to know. Jinhwan is like a jigsaw puzzle that hasn’t been assembled properly, and Hanbin just wants to unpiece him before fixing him back up again, except that this time he’s going to do it right. But Jinhwan seems to sense the questions before they come and decides that since this conversation is inevitable, he might as well start it on his own terms, slow and careful.

“I just want to know,” Jinhwan begins cautiously, tightening his grip on his cup and unconsciously wetting his dry lips with his tongue. Hanbin is shocked at the hot flash of desire that sears through his body suddenly at that small action. “Why were you there, at the cafe?” Jinhwan finishes, looking at Hanbin briefly before his gaze darts away.

“I was there really early, actually. Before you even came in for work,” Hanbin looks down at the cup in his hands. “I was with a coursemate. We had an assignment to work on so we decided to do it at the cafe. I stayed after he left, because I wanted to see - ” Hanbin chances a glance at Jinhwan, who catches his gaze and flushes before looking down again. “Anyway, your co-worker came up nearing closing time to clean up. I was already starting to pack my things, so she just reminded me that the cafe would be closing soon and then she disappeared back down again. Nobody came back up after that, and I was actually on my way down the stairs when I heard all the yelling, and then, well, yeah.”

Hanbin stops talking and bites his lip, remembering how he had ducked in shock on one of the steps when the thunderous yelling began and had peeked through the grills of the staircase only to see Jinhwan stumbling frantically over to the storeroom. He had wanted to rush down and do something, anything, but knew that his presence would only make matters worse.

Jinhwan purses his lips, looking over at Hanbin. “And then you came down - ”

“I came down when the yelling stopped and Yunhyeong’s wailing began,” Hanbin finishes, meeting Jinhwan’s gaze.

Jinhwan takes in a deep breath and lets it out in a shuddering sigh, before facing Hanbin again with a look that he hopes is enough to convey his sincerity. “Thank you,” Jinhwan begins. “For helping to calm Yunhyeong down.”

Hanbin’s lips twitch in a wry smile. “I didn’t really do much - ”

“No,” Jinhwan cuts him off before he can finish his sentence. “You were there and you consoled him and that’s all I care about.”

Hanbin smiles softly. “All right then.”

Silence falls upon them again. Hanbin places his now-empty cup onto the coffee table before shifting on the sofa, turning so that he’s facing Jinhwan now instead of the television. Jinhwan watches silently as Hanbin opens his mouth before closing it again, evidently wanting to ask him something but too afraid to actually say it. Jinhwan regards him closely, this boy who has become someone important and close to him over the course of the past few weeks, the one who has been able to take Jinhwan’s mind off the things that always weigh him down and has brought colour into his life with his jokes and antics and mischievous smiles. And now he has offered up his home for Jinhwan to stay the night without condition or explanation, had just done it out of the goodness of his heart and his concern for Jinhwan and the trust he has placed in the older boy.

Jinhwan supposes it’s time he returned the favour.

“I was in my final year of high school,” Jinhwan begins softly, fingers fiddling with the cup still in his hands. Hanbin’s eyes widen in shock when he realises that Jinhwan is taking the initiative to give him the answers he desires, but he makes sure to soften his expression when Jinhwan shoots him a tentative glance. He wants Jinhwan to know that he’s not going anywhere, and at Hanbin’s encouraging gaze Jinhwan’s lips curl in a brief smile before he neutralises his expression again. “When I told my best friend that I, um, I might - ”

Jinhwan doesn’t know when Hanbin had snatched the cup out of his hands and placed it on the table, but suddenly there are two strong hands holding his own. Jinhwan looks down at his hands in Hanbin’s and likes how his hands seem so small compared to the younger boy’s, such that Hanbin can wrap his fingers around Jinhwan’s hands comfortably and give them a firm yet encouraging squeeze to keep talking. Jinhwan finds comfort in their entwined hands and keeps going.

“I told my best friend that I might like guys.”

The deafening silence roars in Jinhwan’s ears after he blurts out his last sentence, too afraid to look Hanbin in the eye for fear of the disgust and repulsion he might see there. After a few long moments that feel like an eternity to Jinhwan, he tries to pull his hands out of Hanbin’s grasp, but instead he gets tugged back into place by Hanbin’s firm grip.

“Where are you going?” Hanbin asks, finally prompting Jinhwan to meet his gaze.

And Jinhwan finds no disgust there, no horror nor anger nor hostility. Instead he sees genuine curiosity and confusion in Hanbin’s eyes, probably because Jinhwan had just tried to runaway, and Jinhwan’s breath hitches in his throat when he sees that the softness and tenderness that has always been in Hanbin’s eyes when he regards Jinhwan has not faded away.

“I’m sorry,” Jinhwan manages to get out. “I - I just thought - ”

Hanbin shoots him a sad but understanding smile and gives his hands another squeeze, signalling him to continue his story.

Jinhwan in a breath. “I was relieved at first, because it was like he accepted me, you know? He didn’t say anything about it and just treated me the same. We had other friends, too, but he didn’t tell any of them, and for a while I thought everything was going to be okay.”

Jinhwan lifts his head for the quickest of moments before looking resolutely back down at their interlinked hands again.

“We got through our finals and there was this huge party at a club that one of the rich guys from our year managed to book for the night. I don’t like to drink, but my friends did. We were all jammed in this booth and then suddenly, my best friend stood, pointed at me, grinned stupidly, and announced to the table that I liked guys.”

Jinhwan’s face burns in embarrassment as the memories of that night come flooding back to him in waves, clear and fresh even though it’s been four years. Hanbin stays quiet and keeps his expression neutral, but has to tamp down the simmering anger he feels at Jinhwan’s of a supposed-best friend who betrayed his trust and blurted out a secret so private and intimate.

“I thought they would shove me to the ground or spit at me or throw me out of the club and demand to never see my face again. But they were all so drunk that they just laughed, mocked me and called me a bunch of names and told me that there was no way I couldn’t like girls because girls were hot and that it was probably just a phase I would grow out of. The topic didn’t last more than five minutes, though, because anyone who was sober enough to stand on two feet dragged themselves to the dance floor to party with everyone else. I was going to leave, really. I couldn’t stand being in there anymore and I didn’t know whether I should be crying or punching my friends in the jaw.”

Jinhwan’s lips twitch as he says that and Hanbin can’t help but smile, both of them probably finding the image of small and timid Jinhwan ever punching anyone hard to imagine.

“But then my best friend and another of my friends came back to the table with three girls from our year hanging all over them, and then they yanked me out of my seat and shoved me at one of the girls and told me that once I banged her, I would definitely realise that I liked girls, not guys.”

“,” Hanbin mutters, and Jinhwan’s lips curl in a wry, pained smile. “ing s,” Hanbin hisses.

Jinhwan’s eyes are sad as he continues. “They might be s but I was worse. I was so weak back then, so afraid of losing all my friends and losing their acceptance that I - ”

Jinhwan’s breath hitches and he doesn’t need to complete his sentence for Hanbin to know what he was going to say. When Jinhwan’s small body starts to tremble ever-so-slightly, Hanbin throws all caution to the wind and shifts till he’s right in front of Jinhwan, and then he’s gathering the elder into his arms, left arm looped loosely around his waist while his right hand rubs soothing circles onto the small of his back. Jinhwan’s head thumps onto Hanbin’s shoulder, and Hanbin’s heart leaps in his chest when he feels the elder burrowing subconsciously into the warmth of the fabric and the space between Hanbin’s neck and shoulder blade.

“You don’t have to say it,” Hanbin reassures Jinhwan quietly. “It wasn’t your fau - ”

“No,” Jinhwan cuts in, voice firm despite its wetness. Hanbin pulls back slightly when Jinhwan lifts his head so that they’re facing each other more comfortably. “It was my fault. They might have been s for taunting me but I was the biggest of all because I was weak and immature and I dragged an innocent girl into this mess.”

There’s regret and sorrow in Jinhwan’s eyes, but the clarity and strength shining from them when he admits to his own mistake makes Hanbin wonder if it were even possible for Jinhwan to be anymore beautiful than he already was.

Jinhwan looks away after a moment, and Hanbin takes the opportunity to take one of Jinhwan’s hands into his own again. A soft smile graces Jinhwan’s lips, and he continues.

“Everything went back to normal after the party that I could’ve been fooled into thinking that it never happened in the first place. Aside from my friends asking me how the was and me throwing up in the toilet because of the shame and disgust I felt at myself, nobody brought up the party again. As far as I know, my friends were convinced that me liking guys was just a stupid joke that was never true to begin with. And then everyone graduated, and people were making plans to study abroad, and then one day I got a phone call.”

Jinhwan looks up at Hanbin, who seems to know how this story is going to end.

"It was her, the girl I slept with after the party. I still remember her voice, cold and detached as she demanded that I meet her. So I did, I met her at the park and she looked me dead in the eye and told me that she was pregnant."

Jinhwan lets out the breath he didn't know he had been holding, but he feels his breathing pick up again when Hanbin brushes his thumb gently across his knuckles as a show of comfort.

"We sat there in silence for what felt like forever. I didn't dare say anything, or more accurately, I didn't even know what to say. I felt like a piece of ," Jinhwan laughs humourlessly. "That's probably an understatement. I had just potentially ruined this girl's future; I felt worse than the scum of the earth."

Hanbin wants to refute, wants to tell Jinhwan that it's okay to be weak and that everyone desires acceptance from their friends and wants to belong, to fit in, but he knows his protests will be futile so he just drags his thumb across Jinhwan's knuckles again. "Then what happened?" Hanbin asks.

Jinhwan exhales and the smile on his face is wry. "I ended up apologising, and then she started crying and she slapped me. I deserved it, honestly. I deserved worse than just a slap. She yelled at me hysterically for a few minutes and I just sat there and let her do it because I could see the regret so clearly in her eyes, too. She was a smart girl; she knew that she could've avoided sleeping with me if she had put up a fight, but she was so drunk that she didn't. Eventually she told me that she was going to keep the baby, but that once the baby was born she was going to put him or her up for adoption. She had already planned on studying abroad, and she wasn't going to change her mind just because of one stupid mistake. She never told me anything else, just said that she'd let me know when the baby was born but other than that, she never wanted to see my face again. And I don't blame her at all. I knew that I should've been getting much worse from her."

Jinhwan pauses for a moment, and the next smile that tugs at his lips is small but genuine, and Hanbin smiles too because he knows that Jinhwan is going to talk about Yunhyeong.

"I told myself that I would focus on my university applications and just wait till the day she called, but I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't counting down the months. I was afraid that she'd forget to call me, or just not bother to call me at all. But she did, and I rushed down to the hospital, and we went to the hospital nursery and she pointed at the baby boy in the second row, sleeping in the fourth crib from the right," Jinhwan is smiling now, recalling every detail with ease, and Hanbin thinks he's so precious. "We stood there without saying anything for a really long time, and when she turned to leave, I remember grabbing her arm and telling her that I wanted to keep the baby. I guess I wasn’t surprised when she just pulled away and told me that I could do whatever I wanted as long as I settled everything by myself. And that was the last time I saw her, walking away from me, down the hospital corridor.”

Hanbin is relieved to hear no longing or pain in Jinhwan’s voice as he speaks now. Instead his voice is sure and steady, and that’s how Hanbin knows that keeping Yunhyeong is a decision that Jinhwan will never regret, not for a moment or even for a second.

“So that’s your story,” Hanbin says, voice quiet so as to not disturb the peace that has settled upon them.

Jinhwan smiles, looking up at Hanbin. “That’s my story.”

Hanbin gives Jinhwan’s hand one last squeeze before holding onto it tightly, trying to convey his sincerity. “You are a good and strong person, Jinhwan hyung. Yunhyeong is lucky to have a father like you, who loves him as much as you do.”

Jinhwan’s smile grows wider, clearly unaccustomed to hearing such words. Hanbin vows to change that fact.

“I’m the lucky one,” Jinhwan replies. “Yunhyeong has made me become a better and stronger person. He gives me purpose.”

Jinhwan’s eyes soften in affection when he speaks of Yunhyeong. Hanbin wonders if Jinhwan could ever regard him with such fondness.

Hanbin chances a glance at the small digital clock beside the television set and realises it’s well past two in the morning. When Jinhwan lifts a hand to rub at his eyes, Hanbin decides to call it a night. He gets to his feet, and smiles at Jinhwan’s confused expression as he drops his hand.

“It’s really late, hyung. And it’s been a long day,” Hanbin explains, picking up the cups on the coffee table.

Jinhwan nods and stands, walking to the hallway and waiting for Hanbin to place the cups in the kitchen sink. When Hanbin rejoins him, they make their way down the hall before Hanbin brings up a final question.

“Hyung,” Hanbin begins, and Jinhwan hums in reply. “I, uh, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but do you - do you have work today?”

There’s silence for a moment, and Hanbin feels like kicking himself for asking such a sensitive question. There must be a pained expression on Hanbin’s face, because Jinhwan chuckles lightly, rubbing at his arm.

“I didn’t get fired, if that’s what you’re asking,” Jinhwan teases, laughing a little harder at the hyung that Hanbin lets out in a whine. “The manager did tell me not to come in tomorrow, though, and when I do come back in for work on Monday I’ll be on probation for the next two months,” Jinhwan shrugs a little helplessly.

Hanbin places a comforting hand on Jinhwan’s shoulder. “It’ll be okay, hyung.”

Saying that Hanbin is surprised is an understatement when Jinhwan reaches up to wrap both arms around Hanbin’s neck and pull him into a friendly hug. Hanbin can hear his heartbeat roaring in his ears and he hopes that Jinhwan can’t feel it from where his head is burrowed in Hanbin’s chest. When Hanbin loops both arms around Jinhwan’s waist, Jinhwan speaks up, voice muffled in the soft cotton of Hanbin’s white shirt.

“Thank you, Hanbin-ah,” Jinhwan mumbles, tightening his grip around Hanbin’s neck for the briefest of seconds. “Not just for letting Yunhyeong and me stay at your place for the night, but for listening to me and encouraging me and not running away. It’s more than I could ever ask for,” Jinhwan finishes quietly.

Hanbin pulls back slightly, just so that Jinhwan can lift his head and Hanbin can look him in the eye. “You deserve more than this, hyung,” Hanbin tells him, and he only says it because he believes it with all his heart. “You deserve more than you could ever know.”

Jinhwan shuts his eyes when Hanbin drops his arms from around his waist and leans down to press the quickest of kisses to the crown of his head. “Good night, hyung,” Hanbin murmurs.

Jinhwan is glad that the hallway is shrouded in darkness because he can feel the heat on his cheeks. “Good night,” Jinhwan whispers, voice so soft it almost gets lost in the dark of the night.

With one final smile, Hanbin turns and walks to his room, opening the door and shutting it softly behind him.

Jinhwan stares at Hanbin’s retreating back and thinks that the younger boy looks so sure and strong.

-

A/N: I'm so sorry for the late update, but I'm back from my trip!! It was no doubt one of the best trips I've been on, and that's because I managed to catch my most favourite k-pop band in concert and I admit I was so emotional that I cried, haha. But that aside, I've definitely missed talking to you all and I hope you continue to enjoy the story!! If I missed out your comment by mistake, do let me know :-)

1icehoneysam4: it really makes me glad to know that you're into the story and I hope you continue to enjoy reading!! And yes, Yunhyeong was seriously a hero in the personality test and Chanwoo just made me want to wrap him up in blankets and take care of him forever ♡

victori: it's truly an honour to hear that you find a sense of realism in the story and that you would recommend it; ty for your sweet words and do continue to enjoy reading!!

rurutiaxx: ty for reading!!

YuirZa: haha don't worry, Jinhwan didn't get fired, but ty for your really cute comment :-)

JangRabi: ty for leaving such a long comment and for sharing your thoughts with me; it's not a lame comment at all and I'm really grateful that you find the story good :-) I'll definitely take your musings to heart and I hope you continue to enjoy reading!!

Vampyreunnie: !! I'm so glad to know that you feel the same way I do, that there might actually be superiors in the working world who are like the manager in this story. I wanted to try and ensure that the characters in this story were all different yet believable, so reading your comment truly made me so happy, haha :-) ty for reading!!

b2stdaehyunnie: "Kim Hanbin that little " YOU SAID IT seriously he is ruining me but ty for reading!!

fazkei: sorry the update took a while this time and thanks for reading up till now!! :-)

SyakieNuna: hope your question got answered when reading this chapter: he knew because he heard the yelling. Ty for commenting nonetheless!

taypes: ty for subscribing and reading!! :-)

esthieteentop: haha hope you continue to enjoy the story!!

chorida95: ty!!

Haesica123: haha I do believe that Hanbin and Jinhwan make really sweet and close friends irl and hopefully I can portray that here too :-) I want to include Junhoe everywhere I swear I love that little brat HAHA but I'm glad that you enjoyed Soohyun's character because I love Soohyun so bad she's so adorable and precious and well on her way to becoming my favourite girl in k-pop bandom ♡ thanks for reading!!

TOPfiiaaa: ty for your sweet comment and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!!

ashblue_: I'll do my best to make sure the story encompasses that feeling; thanks for reading!!

my_taeng04: hehe ty for reading and hope you continue to enjoy the story :-)

1988biased: hope this chapter answers your questions!! And yeah, I don't think I could ever write mpreg fic because I'm totally unfamiliar with the genre and how it works, haha. Ty for reading up till now and hope you continue to do so!!

Jiah07: I hope you liked this chapter because it covers the important parts of Jinhwan's story!! And ty for your sweet comment, I did enjoy my trip a lot!! :-)

eagle_eyed: !! We experienced the same thing seriously: I was watching Mix and Match and all the unreleased videos and from the get-go Hanbin's and Jinhwan's relationship caught me. They're so genuine?? Like their friendship (and Bobby too, ofc) is so real and so sweet and you can see that Jinhwan clings to Hanbin be it for fun or for strength, and Hanbin is clearly very very fond of and affectionate towards his hyung and how can you not ship them when Hanbin goes around calling Jinhwan Jinan hyung and they sit so close that they're practically breathing each other's air?? Ridiculous. Anyway, I'm honoured that you like the fic and I hope you continue to enjoy it!!

fujobaby: haha don't cry!! But ty for reading :-)

hanbinsenpai: sorry the update is later this time :-( hope you liked the chapter!!

azkhrf, flyfadeout2122, BaoZiXiuminnie: sorry it's late but it's here!!

red_kpop97: hope this chapter gave your question an answer; ty for reading!!

Merry Christmas to all of you lovelies!! ♡