They’re a set, it seems. Like soft drinks bundled together with fast food (and when in the last time they had burgers Soonyoung is hungry), it seems pretty natural for them to stick to each other.

Soonyoung likes it that way. It just feels comfortable around him, that Seokmin is just slightly taller than him and feels nice and warm near him, their hands so close he could just inch his fingers out a little more until they come into contact.

That is not weird. It is a totally friendly thing to do. Like sharing bad jokes and far too much personal information, it is a sign that they are close with physical affection. Or touchy, as Jisoo would say while pulling a face. That hyung really doesn’t know anything. It’s not really his fault that Seokmin has a pretty nice body (y, his brain unhelpfully supplies. He tells it to shut up.) Who wouldn’t want to touch that all over? Okay, that came out weird. But still. Why did girls get to do their Best Friend hug and kisses? He wanted that too. (And more than kissing, his head unhelpfully provides again. This time he hits his forehead.)

Unlike what the entire band believes, Soonyoung most certainly does not have a crush on Seokmin. Nu-uh. Sure, he might have a tiny thing for his adorably wide smile that is all teeth and heart and finds himself smiling until his eyes get all screwed up and tiny because who wouldn’t find him cute? Seokmin is absolutely adorable. Impossible not to love- sorry, like.

So maybe he does have a teeny weeny crush. But like that small bug he raised in the dorm a while back, it’s really small and thus prone to being trampled on. These feelings would probably die like that bug, anyway. He can just admire Seokmin up close and keep his mouth shut. Saying anything or god forbid confessing would make their entire friendship so awkward because Seokmin obviously does not feel that way and that is clearly not what Seokmin wants even if Soonyoung might want that a little too dearly-

“How about you confess your disgusting not unrequited feelings and stop being lost in your head?”

Wonwoo steals his sports drink from him while he’s still trying to readjust to reality. Mine, he pouts as he grabs it back.

“Like you're one to talk.”

Because it is not fair that Jeon Wonwoo does absolutely nothing but still gets himself a boyfriend. Soonyoung still has no clue how they did it. One moment Mingyu was sitting on the opposite side of the practice room drilling holes into Wonwoo’s figure and the next thing he knows they’re doing gross things like holding hands and kissing in the practice room.

Unsanitary.

Soonyoung looks down on people like that.

(So maybe he is a little jealous. Or just jealous enough to throw his good friends into the pits of hell for showing off a disgustingly sweet and lovey-dovey relationship. Whatever. He is going to become a revoltingly good composer that will have all the members come begging for him to bestow some great dance moves on them. He won’t give it to them until they get on their knees. Seokmin doesn’t need to though. All he needs to do is give him that adorable wide smile that makes his knees go weak. And possibly kiss him. Jut a peck on the cheek.)

“Watching you guys pretend to be friends while mooning over each other is gross.”

“But we’re just friends!”

Wonwoo lets out a long-suffering sigh. Mingyu swings a protective arm over him before leading his precious boyfriend away. Gray matter was also precious in his day and age. Mingyu was pretty certain that stupidity was contagious, and he would be very displeased if his cute boyfriend who was obviously in love with him suddenly pretended that they were just friends.

He sees Seokmin on the other side of the room. Bad idea. He guides Wonwoo away. That one is just as bad.

---

That Seokmin is staring at an adorably dazed looking Soonyoung for the past five minutes is totally normal. He’s showing friendly concern over what has made his friend so beautifully lost in thought. Observing people you care for closely is something good friends do, like what Wonwoo does during practice with Mingyu, whoops, bad example. What Jeonghan does with Jisoo- damn, what is with this band? People need to stop be all disgustingly couple-y with each other. Platonic friendships are what’s in style these days. He would know. Soonyoung keeps reminding him.

It’s not as if friends aren’t close and touchy, right? That he lets Soonyoung lie on his lap when he’s really tired after practice and brushing away his soft hair is perfectly normal. That Soonyoung sometimes gets all clingy like the cutest koala bear ever is just part of Soonyoung being Soonyoung. Seokmin finds him absolutely adorable. He can’t see why anyone else wouldn’t.

He has the cutest best friend ever. He is so proud of it. The only thing he can think of that would make him cuter is if he just shut his eyes for a moment and let Seokmin kiss him, let him whisper sweet words into his ears-

Hang on. That sounded strangely like something Jeonghan would say about Jisoo. That strayed pretty dangerously into boyfriend territory. He takes it back. But he would be seriously irresistible like that, not like he isn’t already.

“Please get rid of your starry-eyed gaze. You two are so disgusting I could puke.”

“We’re just friends.”

“I didn’t even say who.” There’s a vicious twinkle in Jisoo’s eyes, smugly raising his chin.

“Jeonghan, get your boyfriend off me. He’s bothering me.”

“Then go bother Soonyoung. Everyone will stop bothering you then.”

“We're just friends.”

Jeonghan raises his nicely manicured brow so high Seokmin feels his entire life being judged. To be fair, he did put a little less conviction into saying it this time.

---

Seokmin can sense Something Wrong with the aura of the dorm the moment he walks in. The vicious twinkle in Jisoo’s eyes appears to be pretty contagious, as everyone seems to have them now. To be honest, Seokmin feels a little intimidated. Anyone would be if you suddenly came back to eleven of you band members standing in a single row with glints in their eyes and smiles a little to wide.

“Where’s Soonyoung?”

If he’s in for a scolding he at least wants to get it all over and done with. Better to get one long scolding than multiple lectures.

“Where is Soonyoung, indeed?” Jisoo says. He’s a bad actor. Somehow Seokmin knows instinctively that the band is up to No Good and slowly backs towards the door.

“You don’t.” Now when did Mingyu sneak up behind him? He tries to make a run for it, but Junhui catches him, Minghao joins in. shoving him forward. Seokmin feels betrayed. Even Minghao has betrayed him. This is clearly the end. Where is Soonyoung? He needs to tell him to run away before he gets trapped too.

The largest closet in the dorm is opened and he’s unceremoniously shoved into it. He stares at a Soonyoung who’s sitting pretty calmly in it.

“What-“

“We’re not letting you two until one of you finally man up and confess.” Seungcheol says with his serious voice.

“Then you can come out of the closet!” Hansol is cackling along with Chan and he’s pretty sure they’re high-fiving out there.

 “We’re just friends!” They scream with perfect timing.

Eleven heavy sighs can be heard through the thin wood.

It’s pretty stuffy in the closet. He can see the sweat beading on Soonyoung’s forehead and he wipes it away gently.

“Okay?”

He nods. Honestly, even in the dim lighting he looks so heartbreakingly handsome and he can feel his heart going all fluttery at it.

He’s going to work up the confidence. Worse case, he can pretend he was just joking to help them get out of the closet.

He takes a deep breath, toes curling with a twisted sense of anticipation.

“I kind of like you!”

He says it with his eyes close but the moment the words leave his mouth his eyes fly open again. Because that was louder than he expected it to be and he could almost swear it sounded like Soonyoung’s voice as well.

Soonyoung is staring at him, eyes wide and mouth slightly open.

“Did you…” His voice catches and trails off as he moves a little closer. They’re just a breath apart right now, the heat rushing to his cheeks. But hey might be Soonyoung’s instead, seeing that he’s flushed a very pretty shade of pink and he looks so precious like that.

“… Yeah.”

Leaning just a little more in, he forces his eyes open as they interlock fingers and lowers his gaze. With a small nod, the both move in even more.

His soft lips are something Seokmin has never dreamt of feeling against his lips. But they fit so perfectly, plushy lips matching delicate ones as they move against each other to form the sweetest melody. When they pull apart, there’s a short breathless gasp before they start giggling. God, they are so stupid. They could have been doing amazing things like kissing earlier if only they stopped pretending.

“Don’t make out! I want my clothes to be clean.” Soonyoung can swear he hears Jeonghan putting up his nose and sniffling at that. But right now it doesn’t matter and he presses himself against Seokmin, so happy and so lucky and so blissful-

Light floods into the closet. Soonyoung whines.

“Shoo and go be disgusting elsewhere. I think my clothes feel offended by having to witness your terrible confession.” Jeonghan’s words are cutting, but there’s more than a hint of a smile on his face.

With their hands tightly locked to each other, they step out into the dorm.

---

That they’re friends is not a lie. They are friends, and a lot more besides that. Like boyfriends, maybe. Or lovers.

Soonyoung lets out a small smile at that. Lovers sounds really good to him. 

---

A/N: Turned out more comedy-esque than expected? Hope it lives up to what you were expecting though.