“Hyunseung...how do you know you love someone?” Dongwoon suddenly asked innocently as they sat in the living room of their dorm late at night. Hyunseung and a somewhat recovered Junhyung sat on the couch and watched the maknae play ‘Gran Turismo’ on the TV screen when the younger popped the question.

“Why do you ask?” Hyunseung replied, a little stunned at the sudden interest and scanned the maknae’s face who seemed engrossed in his current race, leading with quite a great distance from the other cars.

Dongwoon shrugged. “Just...I don’t know. I just wanted to know.”

“Have you found someone?” Junhyung cut in and tore his gaze from the race he already knew the latter was going to win, unless he managed to do something extremely stupid.

“What? No…” Dongwoon shook his head, a slight waver to his voice as a certain person immediately flashed before his eyes as if his brain easily connected the boy with the mention of ‘someone’.

“Eyyy~" Junhyung teased and chuckled. “You have, haven’t you? Who is it? Someone we know?”

Hyunseung chuckled and ruffled the maknaes hair, the boy being seated right in front of him on the floor. “My baby boy is growing up~" he teased further and earned a grumpy whine.

“Y-yah…” he retorted weakly, embarrassment evident on his reddening cheeks as he brushed off Hyunseung’s hand. “I-I just wanted to know, hyung~" he whined, feeling unfairly treated by his annoying older members and gasped when he realized he had been passed by the other cars in his race. “Yah! Hyung! Look what you did!” he scolded and concentrated on catching up before the finish line.

Junhyung laughed, not believing the maknae managed to screw up such an easy and sure win. “Pabo.” he scolded and nudged Hyunseung by his side. “Aren’t you gonna answer his question though?” he asked, secretly a little curious himself even though he wouldn’t admit that out loud and instead he gestured towards the TV screen to show his plan of distraction.

Dongwoon was about to secure his place at the top once again when his concentration was disturbed another time as Hyunseung placed a hand softly in his hair. “First of all, I imagine you’d get butterflies in your stomach even by the slightest action of that person you’re in love with.” he explained seriously.

“You’d like to spend all your time with that person, longing for her even when you’re separated for only a few minutes and considering your age...I’ll say you’d create a few...fantasies too.” he answered the question with a smile, watching as Dongwoon’s car went a little too fast in a curve and ended up on the surrounding grass, resulting in the latter losing valuable seconds to win.

Dongwoon restrained himself from throwing the gaming control across the floor in annoyance and turned around to glare at the smiling Hyunseung and the smirking Junhyung on the couch. “Hyung~” he whined and pouted, about to point meaningly at the screen when he suddenly choked on his own saliva and ended up coughing badly as the boy of his recent dilemmas obliviously entered the room.

Kikwang looked at the struggling maknae with a confused expression, wondering what was going on as the other rose from his seat by the gaming control and disappeared in the opposite direction, which meant out the front door.

“Don’t tell me he’s been infected by you.” Kikwang poked Junhyung’s head, earning a glare from the latter in protest as he sat down in Dongwoon’s place at the floor.

“I didn’t infect anyone.” Junhyung retorted grumpily and kicked the muscular boy with his foot lazily. “Where was he going this late at night anyway?” he asked, scratching the back of his head as he glanced at the door with a frown and gestured towards the maknae who had so suddenly left.

Hyunseung stared at Kikwang’s back in front of him with a blank expression, his brain trying to calculate what it was his gut was trying to tell him at the moment as a strong feeling of something filled his belly. “He really shouldn’t go out alone at night, you know.” Hyunseung stated and pushed a little at the boy in front of him with the tip of his foot.

Kikwang frowned and looked back at the older. “What are you bugging me for? Why don’t you go after him then, huh?” he said with a rather annoyed tone, earning surprised expressions from both of the members seated at the couch. Kikwang didn’t mean to sound so angry, being the one to almost always smile but perhaps he was pissed this time around.

“Hey.” Junhyung called softly, changing his tone completely in worry and surprise of the others sudden outburst. “Did something happen between you two?” he asked, searching the others face for any change in expression or hidden answers that the boy wouldn’t give away in words.

“I don’t know…” Kikwang answered, his shoulders slumping when he thought back to the many times the maknae had seemed to avoid being in his presence all together and even the small expressions of hurt that seemed to reflect in the brown orbs whenever they locked gazes these days. “...We don’t really talk anymore.”

Hyunseung sighed and dragged a hand across his face in exasperation. “What is with you guys and avoiding each other?!” he asked in annoyance, raising his arms to the sky as if turning to a higher power for help in his position of misery. “God...I’m surrounded by stupid people.”

Junhyung punched Hyunseung’s arm with a glare, making the boy snap out of his act and rub at the sore spot instead. However, he ignored the rapper and turned to the spacing member seated on the floorboards with a serious expression. “This won’t do.” he stated. “You’re going out that door right now and you’re gonna find our maknae, make up with him, bring him back and return through that door with a smile!”

Kikwang blinked at Hyunseung’s demanding tone, finger pointing to the front door and eyes glaring hard at him. When the boy didn’t make a move to rise from his seat despite the threatening, still probably in shock from the raised voice from the vocal, Hyunseung stood up to drag the stunned boy to the front door and almost threw him out without his shoes. “Don’t come back unless this is cleared up, okay?”

Kikwang stared at the closed door in front of him, eventually reaching up a hand to scratch the back of his head numbly as his mind didn’t really comprehend what just happened. With Hyunseung’s words ringing inside his head, the latter slowly his heel and started walking down the street in an aimless search for the runaway maknae.

***

The streets were dark and cold, despite the season as Dongwoon walked along it without a real destination guiding his feet. Not many people occupied the pavement as the time was even past the party hours and they were most likely at home and in bed. Like how the maknae was sure he should be too. But Hyunseung’s answer to his question earlier provided a string of thoughts in the poor youngster’s brain that he couldn’t possibly push away.

Butterflies in my stomach? Check. Longing for even the slightest touch? Check. Fantasies?...Double check.

Dongwoon sighed and halted in his steps, staring down at the pavement beneath him with a frown. Maybe he should just accept the fact that he was in love? That in fact he was gay. The vocal felt a shiver run down his spine, a pleasant one, one that made a small smile creep it’s way upon his lips as he felt the butterflies flare in his stomach once again. He liked this, being in love, even if it may mean he was gay and in love with someone who would never look at him the same way.

But Dongwoon didn’t care, not right now as the feeling of happiness filled his chest upon the thought of Kikwang’s toothy smile and crinkling eyes. He was in love and now that he said it out loud in his head, declaring the fact as the truth, he felt like a gate opened inside him and a weight lifting from his chest. Maybe he could live with this, accepting the truth and still live in his crush’s presence. Dongwoon exhaled deeply. He could do this. Now that he had cleared his mind, maybe he could even suppress it after a while when the time is right for him to move on.

With his mind somewhat at ease, Dongwoon continued walking with a relieved smile gracing his features. As he crossed the road, he felt someones peering eyes in the back of his head and when he turned around, his eyes locked with Kikwang’s worried gaze.

The maknae watched with surprise as the member ran across the road and caught up with him with a slight pant to his breaths. “What are you doing here, hyung?” Dongwoon asked and watched the other catching his breath.

“Me?” Kikwang frowned, stopping when he realized he actually didn’t know the answer to that besides the demands Hyunseung had given him. Well, he was kind of pissed at the younger for avoiding him all this while and the maknae was after all the one member he was the closest to out of them all. “The question is what you are doing here.” he said and punctuated his words with a poke to the others chest.

Dongwoon cleared his throat. “Uhmm...yeah...I just, wanted some fresh air, that’s all.” he smiled sheepishly and looked at the ground, avoiding Kikwang’s searching gaze. “Did you follow me here?” he asked and looked up.

Kikwang smiled awkwardly. “Yeah...Hyunseung kind of banned me from the house until we’ve become friends again so…yeah.” he scratched the back of his head nervously and watched the confusion on the others face. “You’ve been avoiding me lately…” he explained quickly, seeing a flash of realization in Dongwoon’s eyes.

“Oh...I’m sorry, hyung. I didn’t mean to and I promise it will stop from now on so please don’t be mad at me.” Dongwoon looked at Kikwang with big pleading eyes and the other could do nothing but just nod in return. “We cool?”

“Yeah...I guess so.” Kikwang frowned, startled at how quickly their little quarrel was solved and silently wondered if he had been overreacting all along. “That’s all?”

Dongwoon nodded in return, knowing that he couldn’t exactly spill the real reason for the sudden distance and decided to keep on walking down the street to avoid the subject altogether, making sure to grab kikwang’s hand before doing so. “Let’s go take a walk, hyung~”

***

“Did you really just do that?” Junhyung chuckled at the pacing Hyunseung in front of him and laughed as Kikwang’s numb expression popped up before his eyes. “He was speechless, hyung!”

“Well, seeing that you guys clearly can’t take care of yourselves, I have to play the freaking peace man and love adviser or what not to solve your mess.” Hyunseung flung his arms in the air, gesticulating wildly as he thought of all the twisting relationships they seemed to have nowadays and Yoseob’s small revelation yesterday didn’t exactly help the statement.

~Flashback~

“Hyung…” Yoseob called softly as he the tap and rinsed his hands under the warm water. Hyunseung hummed, cleaning his own hands in the porcelain sink beside the others and looked up through the mirror upon the uncertain call. “Can I tell you something?”

Hyunseung frowned but softened his expression immediately when Yoseob’s eyes met his through the reflection of the mirror. “Sure, anything Yoseob.”

The boy looked down into the sink, the water running but his hands resting at his sides as he inhaled sharply. “I...I think I might be gay.” he rambled out, avoiding to look up through the mirror and see the expression on Hyunseung’s face, afraid of what he might see. Perhaps a pair of judging eyes.

“Yoseob…” Hyunseung called, surprised by the confession but quickly adapting as it wasn’t the first time he had experienced such a revelation. “Hey...It’s okay.” he said, reassuring the other as he turned to hug the small boy in his arms. “It doesn’t change anything...I promise.”

“T-thank you, hyung.” Yoseob felt a wave of relief fill his body as those arms tightened around his small frame and he tried hard to hold back the lump of tears that burned in his throat. He had gathered up a lot of courage to confess his true and inner feelings to and now when it was over, he felt so much lighter he actually could cry.

“Anything for you my friend.”

~Flashback end~

“I swear this group is turning gay for each other.” Hyunseung muttered to himself and stopped pacing around the room to glare at the door.

“What did you say?” Junhyung asked absentmindedly while tapping away on his phone, trying to beat Doojoon’s high score on a silly game even though it proved almost impossible and he ended up cursing loudly a few times at the screen.

“Nothing. And you should stop that cursing, Junhyung.” Hyunseung scolded, poking the said boys head before making his way to the washroom. “I’ll go sleep.” he announced and closed the door.

Junhyung only hummed, too concentrated on his game to really notice his surroundings, including the leader who were shuffling to the couch and slumped down beside the rapper with a yawn. “What are you doing?” he asked and leaned close to peer on the rapper’s phone, only then earning the boys attention. “Yah...that’s not how you do it, Junnie~.” Doojoon complained immediately as he saw the other were playing his current obsession on the phone. “Give me that. I’ll show you how it’s done.” he said and snatched the phone from the others grip, only to have it taken back within seconds.

“Play with your own phone.” Junhyung muttered, glaring at Doojoon as he secretly wished he could just wipe off that stupid and playful smile from the others lips. “Stop smiling.” he complained. “You look stupid.”

Doojoon grinned and tilted his head as he kept staring at Junhyung’s face, earning a slight embarrassed pink color on the boys cheek and a shove to the shoulder. “Aish...You’re so embarrassing I’m gonna puke.” Junhyung said and dragged his hand across the others face to get rid of that strong gaze on him, it felt weird and something foreign inside his chest made him squirm uncomfortably under it. He felt vulnerable.

“Alright, alright.” Doojoon teased before stifling another yawn and stretching his tired limbs. “Aren’t you tired? You should go sleep, Junnie.”

“Yeah, I will. You can go ahead first.” Junhyung answered and earned a long sceptic look from the leader before he finally rose from the couch, after a few pushes and shoves from Junhyung that is. “Go!”

***

Dongwoon laughed loudly, head thrown back and eyes squeezing into half crescents as he held his stomach and hit Kikwang’s shoulder by his side. “I can’t believe you did that! That is just...Hyung!” he laughed again, leaning forward on the bench as he hunched over in a silent fit of laughter.

“Yah!” Kikwang whined beside him, trying to pout but not really managing to push back the smile that painted his lips as he watched the maknae’s face scrunch up in amusement. “I’m serious here!” he defended himself, crossing his arms childishly and watching as the other tried to calm down.

“I’m sorry It’s just…” Dongwoon held a hand in front of his grinning smile and tried hard to hold back another fit of laughter but as he met Kikwang’s gaze it proved more difficult than he had hoped and Kikwang could only sigh as Dongwoon hunched over again.

“She was pretty, okay? Yah, Dongwoon-ah! Stop laughing you little-” Kikwang grabbed the maknae’s head and flicked the boys forehead while forcefully holding the other in his grip, earning chuckles and snickers mixed with pleas of mercy.

“You met a pretty girl and you chose to pose in front of the mirror, hyung? I can just imagine how that would look!”

“Hey! I was 16!” Kikwang protested and hit the struggling maknae square on the head with his palm, not planning on releasing the boy any time soon and chose to ignore the string of protest leaving the others lips.

Everything was so peaceful as the two friends sat on the bench in the darkness of the night, the humid breezes of early summer brushing against their skin and the echoes of their laughter disappearing into the air. Kikwang was happy, truly enjoying himself at that moment with Dongwoon at his side and he knew it was these small but precious times of leisure he would truly remember.

“We should go home, Dongwoon-ah…” Kikwang said after the laughter had died down and the maknae were resting his head on his thigh as he gazed up at the stars shining brightly above them. He hummed, engrossed in the beauty of the universe and not quite absent to register what he should and should not do.

“I like someone.”

Dongwoon blamed it on the enticing stars, the thigh under his head and the warm hand that rested on his stomach for his inability to properly work his brain. He had no idea what he wanted with the confession, where he wanted it to lead but somehow he felt like the burning stars were whispering words of encouragement and he found himself lightening from an invisible weight lifting from his body.

Kikwang was taken aback, his body stiffening for a moment as he glanced down at the maknae’s fixed gaze on the stars. “Who?” he asked carefully, as if afraid he wasn’t in a position to ask in the first place.

Dongwoon smiled, feeling playful and thrilled like a little child spilling his secrets to his best friend on their way home from school. “Someone whose smile could shine brighter than aaaalll~ the stars up there, hyung!” he grinned and pointed up to the sky with mischief. It was okay if he could never confess entirely to , even this was enough to make his heart beat faster against his ribcage and the pulse rising in his veins but Dongwoon was determined that he could live with it. At least for a while.

“Aish, so corny~” Kikwang teased and ruffled the younger’s hair. “Who is this someone with the star bright smile then?”

“That is for you to ask…” Dongwoon rose from his lying position and stood up from the bench with a smirk. “...and for me to know.” he finished and started walking, leaving a beliwered Kikwang behind.

“Yah! Wait for me! You have to tell me who it is, dammit! You can’t just leave like that! Dongwoon-ah!”

---

I can't believe I'm updating and not studying like I should be... -_- Well well, here's your update~^^ I hope you enjoyed reading it even though it's quite a filling chapter and omo...Yoseob is gay too...and he confessed to Hyunseung about it and honestly I have no idea why I wrote that like omg what?! Some kind of scenario out of this is forming in my head but I don't know..., the whole band is seriously turning gay and here I was wondering if it would be unrealistic much to add Kiwoon...*sigh* Hyunseung is the only one left~ >_<

Enough rambling! Comment and subscribe! And silent readers? Thank you for reading too~ <3

Bye~