“Oh come on already,” Youngjae urged, pulling the taller male from the car with the determination of a bull; his strength was useless against the reluctant young man but persistence paid off occasionally.

                “But why do I need to be here too?” Junhong pouted in a very unmanly reaction, hoping against hope his companion would take pity on him.

                “Because I’m starting to think I’m living with a robot and it’s never a good idea to go to a party alone,” he chided with a finger in Junhong’s face, matter-of-fact tone irreproachable.  “Besides, you need a social life or something beyond studying, your music, and skateboarding.  Please just give it a try since we’re already here,” Youngjae switched tactics, actively pleading with a pitiful expression which wasn’t tempered in the least by another pair of latecomers walking by.

                Junhong took a shallow breath and shook his head, brushing back red hair that Youngjae insisted was fine, though he wasn’t as sure.  “But I don’t even know anyone here,” he sighed, finally allowing himself to be pulled to his feet, towering over Youngjae even with slumped shoulders.

                Dark eyes behind chic glasses peered up at him skeptically and Youngjae brushed the blonde fringe of hair out of his eyes.  “You know me and seriously!  You’re probably one of the only freshman here so live it up, why don’t you?”  Without taking no for an answer, Youngjae began to drag Junhong towards the front of the house.

                In order to not look like a giant child, he relaxed enough to follow at a more confident pace, slowing his steps so he wouldn’t outdistance Youngjae in a matter of seconds.  “You owe me for this, Youngjae,” he reminded his roommate, lamenting the last minute housing issue that had cost him his freshman dorm placement and shunted him to the off campus apartments with his current companion.  It could have been worse though.  At least he’d been able to get registration sorted out just fine.

                “I know, I know,” the shorter male waved dismissively.  “Don’t worry.  We’ll figure something out,” he promised without looking back, focused instead on the house with thumping music emerging from the walls.

                “What am I supposed to do while we’re here?!” Junhong couldn’t help but ask, raising his voice when they got closer.

                “Mingle!” Youngjae grinned, knocking on the door when they reached the point of no return.

                Junhong stifled a groan and plastered a fake smile on his face when someone he didn’t know, big surprise there, opened the door to greet Youngjae.  At least they seemed familiar which was promising.  When the other young man looked at him, he waved once, remaining silent and well aware of the fact he was probably older than Junhong by several years.

                “Who’s your friend?” the stranger asked with a curious smile, only partially blocking the door until he got an answer, unaffected by the reverberating music streaming around him to assault the pair.

                “My roommate, Junhong,” Youngjae supplied effortlessly, clapping the taller male on the shoulder with an easy grin.  “This is my friend Hoseok.  We’re stuck in Chemistry together,” he explained leaning close.  Junhong nodded in understanding, unsure about social protocols, and was more than relieved when Youngjae continued anyway, “So when did this become your party?”

                “It didn’t,” Hoseok laughed back, stepping out of the way to usher them inside.  “I was just the closest to the door when you knocked,” he winked, raising his plastic cup in their general direction.  “Grab a drink.  Have fun!  I know Himchan’s around here somewhere,” he shrugged, gesturing towards the general gathering of people in the house.

                “Thanks,” Youngjae smiled, grabbing Hoseok’s arm in appreciation before he waved the other man off to turn his attention to Junhong while they walked towards the kitchen where a steady flow of people drifted in and out, all carrying various manners of cups and cans.  “Just relax,” he soothed, keeping his hand on Junhong’s arm as a grounding measure.

                “I am,” Junhong mumbled back, eyes wide as he looked around and debated his sanity in agreeing to this.  If he could just find someone he knew, he’d be okay, since he knew Youngjae would likely be deserting him in a minute.

                “Just don’t tell anyone you’re a freshman and you’ll be fine.  Despite your baby face, you can totally play off being older,” Youngjae promised with a straight face, leaving Junhong wondering if he was being a very effective troll or completely serious.  “Here,” he began, reaching around a couple people lingering in front of the table to retrieve two cups, a soda, and then bee lined for the ice bucket.  “Pretend you have something in this and just go with the flow,” he lectured, pouring out the dark, bubbly liquid into the cup before handing it off and peering around for the keg himself.

                “But Youngjae,” he tried to speak up, hands already clasped around the cup.

                “Nope,” the elder male interrupted, whipping around to spear Junhong with a glare.  “You’re still a baby and you can drink when you’re older.”

                The music pretty much drowned out his words since he was trying to keep his voice low and Junhong had to resort to reading his lips, which was easy enough, but he shook his head since the other male completely missed his intention.  He didn’t want a drink…  He just didn’t want to be left alone here without anyone he knew.  His ears perked up when someone else called for his roommate’s attention and he craned around to see the person he at least knew in passing: Himchan.  Youngjae talked about him quite a bit and stalked his Facebook page when he could so Junhong knew the pale, delicate features immediately, eye smile and easy grin appearing as if conjured.  He had black hair this time instead of blonde, which Junhong thought suited him better anyway.

                But with that, Youngjae was off limits and Junhong found himself completely alone in a sea of people.  Trying not to appear half as nervous as he was, he sipped at his drink, making a face at bubbly sweetness when the fizz tickled his nose.  It wasn’t one he preferred but it would do.  People bumped into him as he tried to make his way to a wall where he could at least feel like he wasn’t quite so exposed, tense from being the center of attention – no one could convince him otherwise.  A pair of distracted and very energetic young men clipped his arm on their way past and he whirled to apologize before one of them cut him off.

                “Hey!” the shorter one started, turning to look at him.  “Watch where you’re- holy crap you’re tall,” he blinked, actually having to tilt his head back to get a better look.

                “What are they feeding you?” his companion with platinum hair laughed, a dimple appearing in his cheek while he slung an arm over the other young man’s shoulder.

                “Um, food?” Junhong managed ineloquently, mentally face palming himself at the answer.

                “I should think so,” the platinum haired one smirked, smacking his friend on the arm.  “It’s alright, Yoongi.  Maybe he can let you in on the secret,” he teased with a slight slur, very much under the effect of whatever was in his cup.

                “Oh shut up, drunkie,” he snorted with a roll of his eyes.

                “I’m very sober!” the other retorted as both seemed to have forgotten Junhong was there.  Mostly anyway.

                “Then you need to drink more, Namjoonie,” Yoongi shook his head as he shoved his friend towards the kitchen.  Namjoon stumbled ahead and Yoongi paused for just a second to look back.  “And what did you say your name was?”

                “Junhong.”  Again, another beautifully awkward response…

                “Cool,” Yoongi smiled, his eyes nearly disappearing under the brown bangs as he stepped back, also slightly inebriated.

                “What the hell am I doing here?” Junhong sighed as he finally put his back to a wall, feeling marginally secure for the first time since he’d stepped into the house.  The music was good and the people were decent enough but he still felt sorely out of place.  Some sort of game was playing on the huge, flat screen TV in the den, around which he could see – and hear – several people screaming when something or other happened, but that was a place he was sure he didn’t want to be.  Not unless they were watching one of the extreme sports and he really doubted that.

                Small groups of men and women were laughing, scattered around various parts of the house and on all manner of furniture.  A few of them were trying to dance in a small circle in front of the stereo booming out music from the living room, one of the participants being Hoseok.  For a moment, Junhong was tempted to wander over and see about joining them, considering the type of dancing they were participating in, but then he noticed someone else walk by one of the doorways and his head turned almost involuntarily.

                All he got was a glimpse of were kohl lined eyes, noticeable lips, and feathery, dirty blonde hair that left him wondering if the figure was a guy or a girl.  Both were possible and he wanted to know, because depending on the answer, he could be more than intrigued.  One of the drawbacks to staying in his room all the time was a total lack of anything on the dating front and he refused to try the online approach… so he wandered off the wall and snuck to the nearest doorway to see if he could get a better look.  Walking through the crowd was easy since the majority of them drifted out of his path but he found himself peeking around the doorway like he was playing some sort of hide and seek game, and humming under his breath when he found the other figure.

                He was definitely a guy and Junhong pursed his lips thoughtfully, thanking his height for a change, since it let him see over the crowd enough to make out glimpses of a black holey thing on top of a black tank top underneath.  He had a red solo cup in one hand and a piece of pizza in the other, and he was conversing with a shorter, muscular male with squinty eyes and a puppy smile.  They both seemed happy and entertained but that didn’t have to mean something.

                Junhong was busy debating what he should do when he felt someone tug on the back of his shirt, dragging him into the main room again and around to face a confused Youngjae.  “Do you have any idea how much of a creeper you look like standing there right now?!”

                “You kind of do,” his companion laughed gently, the face coming into focus as Himchan.  He reached a hand out in greeting and smiled, “Himchan.  It’s nice to finally meet you, Junhong.  Youngjae has told me all about you,” he winked, giving Youngjae a sidelong glance when the blonde looked mortified and Junhong was simply at a loss.

                “Not that much!” he defended himself, waving his hands between them, careful not to spill his drink.

                “Maybe just a little,” Himchan teased amiably, wandering around Junhong to get a glimpse into the other room.  “And who or what pray tell had your undivided attention a minute ago?” he prodded, biting his lip as he looked around.

                “Nothing,” Junhong shook his head, feeling trapped all of a sudden.

                “Oh ho!” Youngjae grinned like a loon, eyes bright as he focused on Junhong.  “Spill it!”  A single index finger was jabbed into Junhong’s face and he felt slightly intimidated by the action.  “I know when you’re trying to hide something.”

                “No you don’t,” Junhong retorted with a frown, shifting from foot to foot anyway.  They hadn’t lived together all that long, really only most of one semester.

                “Okay.  Maybe not but I can guess,” the other conceded while he hurried around to Himchan’s side so he could look for himself.  His height gave no such advantage however and he resorted to jumping in place before Himchan grabbed his shoulder, holding him still and making no effort whatsoever to stifle his amusement.

                “Seriously?” Himchan shook his head.

                “What?” the blonde shrugged, focusing on Junhong again.

                “Um…”

                “Come on,” Youngjae pleaded, tugging on the edge of his friend’s sleeve in a persistent and annoying attempt to gain an answer.

                Feeling like a fool, Junhong edged around enough to glimpse into the other room and frowned when he didn’t see the other man anywhere.  “He’s not there,” he admitted, unable to hide the resultant disappointment.

                “He?” Himchan tried to clarify with a raised brow and a twinkle in his eye.  At Junhong’s shy nod, he grinned even harder and practically bounced in place.  “What did he look like?”

                “Um, he was about this tall and,” he waved at his face to provide some manner of description as he fumbled along, blushing harder by the second.  It wasn’t until he got to the part about having food and drink in both hands that Himchan and Youngjae both looked at each other and nodded.

                “It’s gotta be Dae,” the former explained knowingly.

                “Daehyun,” Youngjae clarified.  “He’s a sen- ger,” he explained with only a minor hiccup and a bright smile to cover it up.  “With a penchant for food.”

                With a sly look at Youngjae, Himchan added, “Word is that he’s currently single and a bit picky.  But not too picky,” he winked at Junhong.

                “You should totally talk to him,” Youngjae encouraged with a light smack on his friend’s arm.  The deer in headlights response was utterly priceless.  “I could talk to him for you.”

                “No!” Junhong flailed, nearly dropping his drink.

                “Oh!  You should,” Himchan added his two cents, placing a hand on Youngjae’s arm.  “But JaeJae.  I’ve gotta go say hi to Jin real quick.  He hasn’t been feeling well lately.”  He leaned in quick to give Youngjae a peck on the cheek and rushed off to the newcomer at the door with very pretty features and beautifully shiny, brown hair.

                Junhong noticed other people with him but they were quickly ignored in favor of Youngjae who had a giddy look on his face before he realized his friend was still there.  “Honestly Junhong.  Just go.  What’s the worst that can happen?” he urged with a gentle shove… anywhere but their current location.

                “I’ll make a fool of myself,” Junhong stammered, heart hammering against his ribcage.

                “You’ll be fine!” Youngjae waved and promptly disappeared from the scene, vanishing into the crowd with relative ease.  That was certainly something Junhong envied some days…

                Gathering his courage, it still took him a few moments to actually get off the wall long enough to start his search anew.  Daehyun was nowhere to be found initially.  A quick scan of the ground floor revealed only Hoseok, who caught him briefly and introduced him to Taehyung, Jimin, and Jungkook, the latter of whom was introduced with a conspiratorial wink.  One look at him and Junhong knew the kid was even younger than he was, which was both alarming and a relief.  Oh well.  They weren’t too bad to talk to and he probably would have hung out with them more if he didn’t happen to catch a glimpse of who had to be Daehyun in the corner of his eye.

                “Um, I’ve gotta go,” he interrupted, already craning his head to follow Daehyun’s path.

                “Where?” Taehyung asked bluntly as he followed his gaze.

                “I thought I saw someone I knew,” Junhong replied, sticking as close to the truth as possible.  He didn’t do well when he tried to lie.  It just didn’t work.

                “Oh.  Cool,” Jungkook nodded in easy agreement.

                “Yep.  We’ll be around if you get bored and wanna hang out with the cool kids,” Hoseok laughed and posed, presumably going for something heroic but only coming off as strange.

                Taehyung bumped the back of his knee and sent him nearly falling to the floor in a startled heap while Jungkook tried not to laugh.  The instigator tried to play innocent as Hoseok rounded on him with mock anger and Junhong took that as his cue to leave, spying dirty blonde hair and a black shirt one more time.  A few steps closer and Daehyun seemed to have paused, eyes scanning the crowd lazily.

                When they reached Junhong, he stopped, locking gazes with the taller male and sending a half smile his direction.  Kohl lined eyes blinked, slightly puffy underneath, but no less mesmerizing.  It didn’t take Junhong more than half a second to realize he was staring and he looked away with the greatest of efforts.  “Oh crap,” he breathed, feeling his heartbeat like a hummingbird in his chest.  Okay, maybe not that fast but damn, was it hard to breathe in here?

                After a second, he looked back and felt his heart plummet when Daehyun was gone.  Where did he go?  Was he a ninja or something?  Brow furrowed, Junhong started to search for him again, dancing with the crowd as necessary, most of the passersby just fine except for one or two who were handsier than he anticipated.  “Whoa!” he yelped, guiding a very drunk, young woman’s hands away from his person with a nervous smile and goose bumps.

                “You’re cute!” she grinned, holding onto his wrists and beaming up at him with the squintiest eye smile he’d ever seen.

                “Sure,” he laughed, trying vainly to hand her off to someone else.

                “Dance with me,” she commanded in a cute but drunk tone, swaying where she stood and remaining on her feet only because Junhong helped her to.

                He opened his mouth to say something and then realized words probably weren’t going to work so he managed to maneuver her to a couch to sit on where she proceeded to dance as if she was standing up, leaving him scratching his head.  That didn’t keep him from attempting a quick retreat before she realized he was gone and he made it two steps until he saw Daehyun watching him with a bemused smile on his lips, partially hidden behind his drink cup as he took a sip and continued leaning against the wall.

                “Hi,” Junhong blurted with a wave, feeling the tips of his ears heat up when the word left his mouth.

                “She does that all the time,” Daehyun chuckled as he nodded towards the very drunk girl on the couch, seemingly unconcerned by what he’d witnessed and heard.

                “Oh?  Is she going to be okay?” Junhong asked nervously, voice rising higher than usual to his acute embarrassment.  For a brief moment, he couldn’t believe he was talking to the guy he’d been trying to get close to since he’d noticed him - which was only a few minutes to be fair - and then felt like an idiot because the conversation wasn’t going in any direction he would have preferred.

                “Probably,” Daehyun nodded in bemusement, tilting his head to look at Junhong curiously.

                A forced laugh emerged and Junhong looked around as if trying to find something to talk about.  He had no idea.  Maybe he could say something cool!  Like what?  Never mind.  That wasn’t going to work.  Oh!  Was there anyone nearby he could pretend he didn’t want to talk to?  Oh, that was stupid…  And it only worked in movies anyhow.  “I haven’t seen you around before,” he finally managed, returning his attention to Daehyun.

                “You’re the newbie,” Daehyun laughed in a deep, soft, delighted sound that went straight to Junhong’s head.

                “Right,” Junhong nodded in quick agreement, trying to explain further.  “Youngjae brought me- I’m with Youngjae- I’m Youngjae’s roommate!” he finally blathered, rolling his eyes at himself and rubbing the back of his neck while he glanced away.  It was the only reason he noticed someone else he wasn’t familiar with walking their direction.  But his attention was unmistakable and he seemed quite intent upon speaking to one of them.

                While dark eyes appraised them under a mop of black hair, Junhong shifted in place nervously.  Under different circumstances, he looked like he might be an alright guy, but the soft mouth wasn’t smiling and he carried himself like someone who knew how to act in a fight.  Junhong’s brain fizzled and he turned back to Daehyun who seemed slightly concerned by the appearance of the other male too.  Maybe they knew each other.  Were they friends?  Exes?  Current lovers?  Oh crap!  What if they were?  Did the new guy think he was hitting on Daehyun – because he was if he could get away with it.

                “Uh…” he mumbled, reaching towards Daehyun in an uncertain gesture, his attention fractured between the two males as the music suddenly became unbearably loud.

                He was just about to decide whether he needed to play dumb or tough when a hand grabbed him behind the neck and pulled him down so that lips pressed against his own, warm and soft and utterly intoxicating.  Time slowed down, sound receded, and Junhong became acutely aware of his hands resting against Daehyun’s sides out of simple reflex, fingers threatening to tangle in the flimsy netting.  “It’s my ex.  Just play along,” came the hurried whisper against his mouth, leaving Junhong stunned for the briefest of moments before he hummed a response.

                It took a lot of effort to school his expression but Junhong delightedly wrapped his arm around Daehyun’s waist and pulled him close when the other male slowed near them, appraising the situation with a thoughtful frown.  “Well Dae.  I was gonna say hi but it looks like you’re busy,” he chuckled with a deep, amused voice, the forecasted smile appearing on his face in a gummy and pleasant expression.

                “Yongguk!” Daehyun greeted with false cheer.  “I didn’t see you there,” he pretended, brown eyes dancing with mischief.

                “Obviously,” Yongguk responded with a dry snort.  “Who’s your friend?” he inquired, sizing Junhong up with a quick once over, neither threatening nor dismissive.

                Junhong would have answered for himself but he didn’t really know what was expected of him and he felt his stomach do a strange flop when Daehyun piped up, “My boyfriend.  Junhong.”

                “Well that was fast,” Yongguk commented, brow quirked in reevaluating his estimation of the young man.

                “I’m new to the area,” Junhong shrugged, trying to keep things simple.

                “And he is my guest so don’t you have somewhere else to be?” Daehyun rescued his newest companion, leaning against Junhong’s side while he waved at Yongguk dismissively, even going so far as to take another sip of his drink.

                “Hah!  Alright, Dae,” Yongguk grinned as he reached out to ruffle Daehyun’s hair.

                He never got that far when Junhong stopped him before Daehyun could brush the gesture away.  Both men seemed slightly surprised by the gesture, none more so than Junhong himself, but he simply kept the hand at bay with an open palm and a steady look, feeling his pulse race at his unexpected audacity.

                “See?” Daehyun shrugged as he made a face at Yongguk.

                “That I do,” the other man nodded appreciatively, leaning close to murmur in Junhong’s direction.  “Be careful with this one.  He’s trouble,” he winked, stepping back before Daehyun could swat him in indignation.

                “You’re one to talk!”

                “Nice meeting you, Junhong,” Yongguk waved while disappearing into the crowd, leaving the pair to their own devices once more.

                For his part, Junhong was distinctly unsure of how to act now that Yongguk was gone and he and Daehyun were still in contact with each other.  “I don’t know why Himchan keeps inviting him to these scenes.  He’s so damn clingy,” Daehyun grumbled, running fingers through his hair before he glanced up at his taller companion.  When Junhong didn’t respond, he reached up to snap his fingers in front of his face.  “Hey.  You still in there?”

                “Yeah!” Junhong yelped, taking a half step to the side to reestablish some space.  “I just wasn’t expecting…”

                “Yeah well.  If I say anything else, he doesn’t get the hint and sticks around to talk,” he explained with his arms crossed over his chest, cup leaning precariously in his grip.

                The knowledge that he’d been used stung a bit and Junhong couldn’t hide his disappointment when he murmured, “Oh.”

                He nearly jumped when Daehyun sidled close with a dusting of pink in his cheeks, evidence of his drink settling in at last.  “Are you sure you’re only a freshman?” he asked with an accusatory glare at the taller male.

                Now how did he know that?  Junhong blinked in surprise and glanced up in confusion only to notice Youngjae ducking behind cover, as conspicuous as a bull in a china shop.  Ah.  That was how.  Turning his attention back to the still debating Daehyun, he nodded, “Yeah.  Why?”

                “Because you’re a surprisingly good kisser,” Daehyun confirmed, unfolding his arms to reach behind Junhong again.  “We should try it again just to make sure it wasn’t a fluke,” he explained before the taller boy could argue.

                With a surprised chirp, Junhong found himself closer to Daehyun than he thought would have been possible mere moments ago, tasting sweet alcohol on pliant lips.  A tongue swiped against his lips gently, sending a jolt of pleasant surprise through him which went straight to Junhong’s head.  “Wow,” he panted, trying to make sure he wasn’t dreaming or something.

                “Nope.  Not a fluke,” Daehyun hummed, releasing Junhong and settling back on his heels with his hand still clasped behind the taller boy’s neck.

                “Thanks?” Junhong smiled hopefully, reluctant to release the other male’s waist now that they were together again.

                Daehyun smiled, finished the rest of his drink, and then held the cup out to Junhong expectantly, rattling the remaining ice in the bottom.  “One more?” he prompted when Junhong was a bit slower than he expected.

                “Sure,” he nodded by rote, grabbing the cup quickly and missing the sensation of Daehyun’s hand on the back of his neck instantly.

                “I’ll be by the pizza,” he promised, dark eyes searching for the food before he got a response.

                Junhong watched him wander through the crowd and blinked when he realized he was still standing in one place.  Hurriedly, he rushed over to get the requested refill and was apprehended by Youngjae.  “Oh man!  You should have seen your face!” he grinned, grasping Junhong’s wrists in his excitement.  “When Yongguk was walking your way, I thought you were going to pass out!”

                “He kissed me,” Junhong beamed with a dreamy expression, letting Yongguk’s name go by without a second thought.

                “I saw!  And you’re welcome!” he added with a raised brow and a smug smirk.

                That got a reaction and Junhong handed the cup off for a refill before he made a face at Youngjae.  “What did you do?”

                “Oh nothing.  I just talked to Dae while Himchan worked his magic on Yongguk and voila!  Instant recipe for success!” he clapped, clearly delighted with himself as he bounced in place.

                “Here you go,” the would-be bartender winked, handing off the refilled drink.

                “Thanks,” Junhong nodded with a quick smile, turning his serious look on Youngjae.  “I could have handled it you know.”

                “Uh huh,” Youngjae nodded skeptically.  He pushed Junhong back towards the floor without further delay and simply added, “Make sure you guys exchange numbers or something.  I could give it to you but we don’t want you to appear needy.  Or like a stalker,” he tacked on as an afterthought, focus wandering at the mere idea.

                “Youngjae!”

                “Oh go on!  You’ve got a drink to deliver, remember?” he teased, waving at the taller boy before he spied Himchan and cheered happily.  “Channie!  Did you see?”

                Abandoned again, Junhong watched the tipsy young man rush over to a preening Himchan.  He debated getting annoyed for their interference and then just shrugged it off when he spied Daehyun at the food table, another slice of pizza in one hand and some mini appetizer thing in the other.  He had a drink to deliver!  And a sweet kisser to woo.  If he was lucky, maybe he could get another one before the night was out.

                The thought made him grin harder and he couldn’t stop the stomach flip that hit him when Daehyun spotted him coming.  “Junhong!  You should try these!” he gestured with the other hand not holding pizza.  “They’re really good!”

                As Daehyun crammed the morsel into his own mouth so he could take the cup from Junhong and then slide himself under the taller male’s arm, he couldn’t help but feel giddy at the prospect of what the evening may hold.  Junhong wasn’t sure but he was more than willing to find out.

(a/n: And that is all!  lol  That took me longer to finish than I would have hoped but it was entertaining for me to write.  heh  I hope you've enjoyed and I welcome any thoughts you might like to share!  Thank you!)