It was the middle of the school year, and the air was finally warming up. The chill of winter had faded. With the football tournament approaching, practice had gotten more intenseâlonger hours, harder drills, relentless running. Gyuvin didn't mind, though. Pushing his body to the limit was easier than thinking.
He was sitting on the bench, catching his breath while his teammates ran another round of drills, when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out lazily, expecting another group chat notification or some dumb meme from Gunwook. But instead, it was a message from Hanbin.
Hanbin: Hey, Gyuvin! Hope you're doing well. I wanted to invite you to a little housewarming thing at our new placeâHao and I finally got an apartment together! It's nothing fancy, just a small get-together this Friday at 7 PM. Would love to see you there!
Gyuvin was surprised, but mostly, he was happy. Really happy. After everything, Hanbin and Hao had found their way back to each other and figured things out. They were fine now, solid. The same couldn't be said for him and Ricky.
He swallowed, thumb hovering over the keyboard. Since that day in the storage room, things had been... nonexistent. No late-night texts. No stolen moments. No word from Ricky at all. Gyuvin had told himself that was what he wantedâspace, time to think. Because he didn't just want to keep making out in dark corners, pretending it didn't mean anything.
Another shout pulled him from his thoughts. A ball slammed into the bench beside him, bouncing off onto the grass.
"Gyuvin, you good?" someone called.
He blinked, shaking himself out of it. Without thinking too hard, he typed a quick reply to Hanbin.
Gyuvin: I'll be there, hyung! Congrats!
Then he shoved his phone back into his pocket, grabbed the ball, and jogged onto the field.
That evening, Gyuvin stood in the elevator, watching his reflection in the mirror as he smoothed down his hair with one hand and clutched the neatly wrapped present in the other. It wasn't anything fancyâjust a box of snacks, a very Gyuvin kind of gift. He figured if nothing else, it would make for good emergency food during late-night cravings.
The elevator dinged, and he stepped out, making his way down the hall to the apartment. The moment he knocked, he was greeted by a burst of chaos.
Loud shouting. Clattering. A muffled "You're doing it wrong!" followed by an even louder "No, YOU'RE doing it wrong!"
Before Gyuvin could even process what was happening, the door swung open, revealing Hanbin's bright, smiling face.
"Gyuvinnie!" Hanbin beamed, immediately pulling him into a warm, crushing hug. Gyuvin hugged him back just as tightly, feeling a surprising sense of comfort in it.
Inside, the apartment was alive with energy. Gyuvin barely had a second to step in before another loud clatter echoed from the kitchen. He turned his head just in time to see Zhang Hao dramatically step out from the kitchen doorway, face blank as if nothing had just happened.
Behind him, Taerae stood in a cloud of flour, coughing aggressively.
Gyuvin raised an eyebrow. "Uh... what exactly is going on here?"
Hao, with perfect composure, dusted his hands off and shrugged. "Nothing."
A strangled noise of protest came from Taerae. "He's LYING. He almost burned the whole kitchen down."
Hanbin chuckled, stepping aside to let Gyuvin in. "They were attempting to bake."
Gyuvin looked between Hao, who was very clearly not acknowledging any fault, and Taerae, who looked personally victimized by whatever had gone down. He stifled a laugh. "Should I be worried?"
"Yes," Taerae deadpanned, before turning back to the disaster zone that was their kitchen.
Hanbin laughed, pulling Gyuvin toward the living room. "Come on, let's get you a drink. It's been too long."
As Gyuvin stepped into the living room, the first thing he saw was pure chaosâGunwook, Junhyeon, and Yujin sprawled out on the floor, aggressively button-mashing their controllers as if their lives depended on it. A mix of shouting, groaning, and absolute nonsense filled the room.
"DODGE, YOU IDIOT!" Yujin yelled.
"I AMâOH MY GOD, NOOOâ" Gunwook screeched as his character dramatically collapsed on screen.
Junhyeon threw his hands up in victory. "And once again, the superior gamer prevails."
Gunwook shoved him. "You literally spammed the same move the entire fight, that's not skill, that's cheating."
Yujin, completely unfazed, kept playing. "I don't even know why you guys try."
Gyuvin rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Do you guys do anything besides play video games?"
Without even looking away from the screen, Yujin shot back, "Like you're any better."
Gyuvin scoffed but had no actual rebuttal, so he just flopped onto the couch.
The door opened again, and in walked Matthew and Jiwoong.
"I hate my life," Matthew announced dramatically, throwing himself onto the couch like he had just returned from war. "Being a broke student is worse than hell. I swear, I've been surviving off ramen for a month. I think my body is 80% sodium at this point."
Jiwoong sat down next to Gyuvin, shaking his head. "You say that like it's not your own fault. Didn't you just drop, like, 50 bucks on iced Americanos last week?"
Matthew gasped in full betrayal. "And what, you expect me to go through life broke and uncaffeinated?"
Gyuvin snorted. "I mean, judging by the ramen diet, kinda."
"That's different," Matthew said, pointing a finger at him. "One is a necessity, the other is survival. There's a difference."
Jiwoong sighed, but there was amusement in his eyes. "There really isn't."
Meanwhile, Gunwook had fully collapsed onto the floor, staring at the ceiling in defeat, Junhyeon was still obnoxiously celebrating his win, and Yujin had moved on like nothing happened.
Suddenly, the door swung open, and in walked Hao, Taerae, and Hanbin, each balancing trays of food like they were servers at a chaotic family restaurant.
"Alright, children," Hao announced, setting a steaming dish down on the table. "Dinner is served."
Instantly, everyone scrambled to take their seats, shoving and squeezing into place like a pack of overexcited kindergarteners at lunchtime.
Matthew dramatically wiped away a fake tear. "Finally, real food. I was starting to think I'd have to live off Cup Noodles forever."
Amidst the chaos, Jiwoong glanced around the table and frowned. "Wait... isn't there an extra chair?"
Matthew looked up from stuffing his face. "Oh yeah. Who are we missing?"
Hao, completely unbothered, took a sip of his drink before answering. "Ricky's coming. He's just running a little late."
Gyuvin nearly choked on air.
Ricky's coming?
His entire body tensed as if someone had just dumped a bucket of ice water over his head. He forced himself to take a sip of water to look casual, but his hands were gripping the cup so tightly he thought it might crack.
"Oooh, Ricky?" Yujin wiggled his eyebrows. "Of course, he's late. He's gotta make a dramatic entrance."
Gunwook leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Dude's too cool for us. Probably had some mysterious business to take care of."
Matthew laughed. "He's ike some rich CEO in a drama."
"I bet he was in some underground poker game," Junhyeon added. "Or closing a secret business deal."
Meanwhile, Gyuvin sat there, hands clammy, mind spiraling.
Gyuvin didn't know whether to run, fake an emergency, or sit there and pretend to be completely unaffected.
...He was screwed.
Nevertheless, the atmosphere at the table was lively, filled with the sounds of clinking utensils, laughter, and overlapping conversations. Everyone ate heartily, passing dishes around and stealing bites from each other's plates like a family that had done this a thousand times before.
"Okay, but seriously, how did you guys even afford this place? I swear, one day you were both crying about being broke, and the next, you have a whole apartment?" Taerae asked.
Hao, still smirking, leaned back in his chair. "Hard work, dedication, and a little bit of suffering."
Hanbin nodded, reaching for his drink. "Mostly suffering."
Gunwook snorted. "Nah, Hanbin worked at, like, five different places at the same time."
Yujin pointed a spoon at Hanbin. "No, literally. I remember seeing you teach dance in the morning, then run to tutor kids in the afternoon, and somehow still show up to practice with us at night."
Matthew, shaking his head. "And Hao wasn't any better. Dude was working at that one restaurant, then a café, and then randomly as a wedding violinist? Like, what kind of résumé is that?"
Gyuvin blinked. "Wait, you played at weddings?"
Hao let out a dramatic sigh. "Yes. Do you know how many times I had to hear Perfect by Ed Sheeran?"
Hanbin laughed, nudging Hao's shoulder. "He would come to my room and rant about every single couple like he was personally offended by their happiness."
Hao, completely serious. "I was."
Jiwoong leaned forward, grinning. "So basically, you guys slaved away for half a year just to afford rent?"
Hanbin grinned. "Pretty much."
Junhyeon, nodding solemnly. "And now you get to spend all that hard-earned money cooking for us freeloaders. Feels fair."
Gunwook gestured at the food. "Thanks for dinner, rich boys."
Hao picked up a fork and pointed it directly at Gunwook. "I swear, if you call me rich one more timeâ"
Ricky suddenly strolled in, casually shutting the door behind him. "Did I hear someone say rich?"
A collective yelp echoed through the room as everyone whipped their heads around.
"Jesus, Ricky," Hao clutched his chest. "Ever heard of knocking?"
"The door wasn't locked," Ricky said, completely unfazed, slipping off his coat. "If anything, I just exposed how easy it would be to rob you all blind."
Taerae groaned, flopping back in his chair. "You've been living here for, what, two days? And you're already failing at basic security?"
Ricky walked over, setting down a large, neatly wrapped package. Instantly, all eyes landed on it.
"You brought a gift?" Hao's voice held a hint of surprise, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"Well, it's a housewarming party, isn't it?" Ricky shrugged, smirking. "I figured you guys could use some good art in here."
Hao eagerly tore into the wrapping paper, Hanbin hovering beside him with just as much anticipation. The second the paper fell away, an audible gasp traveled through the room.
It was a paintingâRicky's painting. A mesmerizing constellation stretched across the canvas, deep blues and soft pinks merging together like an endless sky, speckled with stars that seemed to glow. It was breathtaking.
"Holy shit," Taerae breathed.
"This is insane," Jiwoong added, leaning in to get a closer look.
Hanbin and Hao exchanged a glance, eyes shimmering with something beyond just appreciation. "Ricky, this is beautiful," Hanbin said, sincerity woven into every word.
Hao grinned, brushing his fingers over the painted surface like he was afraid it might disappear. "Thank you so much."
Ricky simply smirked, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Figured you'd like it."
Hao gestured toward the empty chair beside Gyuvin, a knowing little smirk playing on his lips. "Sit here."
Of course.
Gyuvin's shoulders tensed as Ricky slid into the seat next to him. Their eyes metâjust for a second, fleeting and unreadableâbefore they both looked away like nothing had happened.
"So, what took you so long?" Yujin leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. "Too busy being mysterious?"
Ricky exhaled a small laugh, stretching his arms behind his head. "Had a job. Helping out some students with their end-of-year projects."
A round of impressed noises circled the table.
"Damn, that's crazy," Matthew said. "You're younger than all of them, and you're helping them."
"Dude really skipped the whole struggling artist phase and went straight to being an art prodigy," Gunwook mused.
"That's what I'm saying," Taerae chimed in. "I saw him at the university the other day. Walking around looking all cool and nonchalant, acting like he owns the place."
"I do not act like I own the place," Ricky scoffed, shaking his head.
"You so do," Junhyeon cut in. "You've got that whole 'serious and unapproachable' thing going on since school."
Gunwook laughed. "I don't agree. Where was all that aura in high school, man? I remember you being just some kid whoâ" He suddenly paused, eyes lighting up mischievously. "Oh my God. Remember the first day of school?"
Junhyeon immediately burst out laughing. "Oh, when Gyuvin hit Ricky with the cake?"
Gyuvin groaned, covering his face. "We're really bringing this up again?"
Ricky sighed, but a small, barely-there smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "That was a traumatic experience."
"Oh, please," Gunwook waved a hand. "You should be thanking Gyuvin. That cake to the face probably knocked some sense into you. Maybe that's why you're so cool now."
Gyuvin peeked at Ricky through his fingers, heart doing something stupid and unexplainable in his chest. Ricky wasn't even looking at him, but he could tellâthe smirk, the way his fingers tapped absentmindedly against the tableâhe remembered that day just as vividly.
Hao, clearly entertained, leaned forward with a grin. "Oh yeah, the rivalry. How could we forget?"
Hanbin chuckled, shaking his head. "You two were actually the most annoying people in school."
"Remember when Ricky 'accidentally' kicked a ball straight at Gyuvin's face during gym?" Junhyeon said, barely holding back laughter.
"That was self-defense," Ricky said, entirely unbothered.
"You literally broke my leg!" Gyuvin shot back.
"I sprained your leg."
"Oh, so it's any better?"
Gunwook snorted. "And then Gyuvin got revenge by putting dye in Ricky's shampoo, and he walked around for, like, three days with his hair looking like a tomato."
Taerae, Matthew, and Jiwoong gaped at them in disbelief.
Matthew blinked. "Hold on, you broke his leg?"
"And you dyed his hair red?" Jiwoong added.
"This is actually insane," Taerae said, shaking his head. "Why were you guys like this?"
"Right?" Gunwook leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Honestly, the way you two were always at each other's throatsâ"
"âone could say you were kinda obsessed with each other."
Gyuvin stiffened. Ricky exhaled through his nose, lips pressing together in something that wasn't quite a smile.
"You know, Gyuvin used to be the worst student in school. Couldn't sit still of his ass for more than five seconds." Ricky said.
Gyuvin scoffed, stabbing his chopsticks into his rice with unnecessary force. "At least I wasn't acting like the main character in some kdrama, while no one cared."
Junhyeon, cackling, clapped a hand on Gunwook's shoulder. "Bro, they're still the same."
Gunwook nodded, pretending to wipe a tear. "They haven't changed a bit. Still obsessed."
"I am NOTâ" Gyuvin started, but Ricky cut in smoothly. "Please. Gyuvin was practically my biggest fan."
Gyuvin turned to face Ricky with a glare. "If by 'fan' you mean 'archnemesis,' then sure."
"Potato, potahto," Ricky said lazily, sipping his drink.
At this point, Taerae, Matthew, and Jiwoong were watching them like they were prime-time entertainment.
Ricky smirked. "You were just mad because I was better than you at everything."
Gyuvin let out an unhinged laugh. "BETTER THAN ME? You BROKE MY LEG."
"It was an accident."
"Oh my GODâ"
Gyuvin was mid-rant, fully preparing to pull out every single receipt of Ricky's past crimes, when Ricky, completely unfazed, picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks and shoved it directly into Gyuvin's mouth.
Silence.
Gyuvin went stiff, his brain short-circuiting.
Gunwook pointed at Gyuvin, eyes wide. "BRO, ARE YOU BLUSHING?"
"I AM NOTâ" Gyuvin tried to protest, but with a mouth full of food, it came out muffled and pathetic. He swallowed aggressively, avoiding eye contact at all costs.
Meanwhile, Ricky just sipped his drink. "You talk too much. Figured I'd shut you up."
Gyuvin nearly choked.
Hanbin was howling with laughter. "Brings back memories."
Gyuvin, now radiating sheer humiliation, grabbed his own chopsticks and pointed them dangerously close to Ricky's face. "I swearâ"
The evening carried on in a warm, chaotic blurâlaughter, teasing, conversations overlapping as everyone chatted about anything and everything. Plates clinked, chopsticks tapped against bowls, and the energy at the table never dipped for a second.
In the middle of it all, Gyuvin suddenly felt somethingâa tiny, almost hesitant touch against his arm.
A poke.
Subtle, barely there, but enough to make him glance to the side.
Ricky.
Looking effortlessly relaxed, like he hadn't just sent Gyuvin's heart rate through the roof.
"Pass me the meat," Ricky murmured, voice low enough that only Gyuvin could hear.
Gyuvin nodded, moving automatically, but thenâwithout really thinkingâhe picked up the meat and carefully began cutting it into smaller pieces.
Ricky, watching, tilted his head. "What are youâ"
Gyuvin, keeping his focus on the task, mumbled, "Just making it easier for you."
There was a pause.
Then, very softly, a quiet laugh.
Gyuvin finally glanced up, only to find Ricky staring at him with an unreadable expression, lips quirked in a way that made something in Gyuvin's chest go all weird and fluttery.
"You're so weird," Ricky said, shaking his head, but his voice was warm. Fond.
Gyuvin huffed, shoving the plate toward him. "Here."
And if Ricky's fingers brushed his a little longer than necessary when taking the plateâwell. Gyuvin decided not to think about it too much.
Jiwoong suddenly pushed back his chair, standing up with an air of mystery.
"I actually brought something special," he announced, his voice carrying over the chatter.
Everyone turned to look at him.
Jiwoong disappeared into the hallway. Seconds later, he returned, holding up a sleek bottle of whiskey like some sort of trophy.
There was a brief moment of silenceâthen:
"OH, HELL YES!"
Matthew, Gunwook, and Junhyeon practically cheered. Hao, however, immediately smacked Gunwook's arm.
"Don't encourage him," Hao scolded, while Gunwook rubbed his arm with a sheepish smile.
Jiwoong placed the bottle on the table with a satisfying thud. "Let's drink to celebrate this moment."
Everyone murmured their agreement, reaching for cupsâexcept for Gyuvin, who immediately shook his head.
"I'm not drinking."
Matthew, already halfway through pouring, pouted. "Oh, come on. Just this once."
"Yeah, it's a special occasion," Junhyeon added. "We're not gonna drink a lot. Just enough to, you know, toast."
"Who would you rather drink for the first time with if not us?" Gunwook wiggled his eyebrows. "You think you'll find better drinking buddies and more reliable hyungs?"
Gyuvin hesitated. His grip on his chopsticks tightened.
"Fine," he sighed, slumping in his seat.
A victorious cheer erupted around the table as Matthew immediately poured Gyuvin's cup with dramatic flair.
Ricky, beside him, leaned in slightly, voice just for Gyuvin. "You don't have to if you really don't want to."
Gyuvin's ears burned.
"It's fine," he muttered, avoiding Ricky's gaze.
Jiwoong raised his glass, his voice steady and sincere.
"To Hanbin and Hao," he began, glancing between the two. "Wishing you both all the best in academics, in life, and in... well, cohabitation."
A few chuckles rippled through the group, and Hao rolled his eyes, but his smile was unmistakable. Hanbin simply laughed, nodding in thanks.
"To Hanbin and Hao!" everyone echoed, clinking their glasses together before downing their shots.
Gyuvin, however, barely got his down before his entire body recoiled. His face twisted in an expression so comically disgustedâeyebrows furrowed, lips pursed, nose scrunchedâthat it looked like he had just been personally betrayed by the whiskey itself.
The evening blurred into a haze of laughter, clinking glasses, and the warm buzz of alcohol. Gyuvin vaguely remembered taking a few more shots after each toast, the initial bitterness fading into something almost tolerable. At some point, the room had started to feel a little too loud, a little too warm, so he quietly slipped away to the kitchen.
The cool night air greeted him as he leaned against the counter, staring out the window. The world outside felt calmer than the one behind himâwhere his friends were still chatting and laughing in the living room. His head felt light, and the city lights outside blurred slightly as he blinked.
The sound of footsteps made him glance back just as Hanbin entered the kitchen. Hanbin jolted slightly when he noticed Gyuvin standing there in the dim light.
"Jesus," Hanbin exhaled, placing a hand over his chest dramatically. "You scared me."
Gyuvin let out a lazy chuckle. "Didn't mean to. Just needed some fresh air."
Hanbin's eyes swept over him, and then he grinned. "You're so red right now."
Gyuvin groaned, rubbing his face. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm a little dizzy, so I figured I'd stand here for a bit before going back."
Hanbin nodded, stepping closer to lean against the counter beside him. For a moment, they just stood there in comfortable silence, the muffled sound of their friends' laughter filling the space between them. Then, Hanbin turned to him, his voice softer.
"By the way... thanks."
Gyuvin blinked, looking at him. "For what?"
Hanbin exhaled, his fingers tapping idly against the counter. "For what happened a few weeks ago. For helping me and Hao..." He glanced away for a second before continuing, "I don't know what I would've done if we hadn't made up."
Gyuvin observed him for a moment, the sincerity in Hanbin's voice clear. Even through his slightly fuzzy brain, he could tellâHanbin really loved Hao. It was in the way he spoke about him, in the way his expression softened just at the thought.
Gyuvin let out a small laugh, bumping his shoulder against Hanbin's. "Well, you guys are disgustingly in love, so I figured I had to do something."
Hanbin chuckled, shaking his head as they both stood there for a moment longer, letting the city lights and distant laughter fill the space between them.
Hanbin clapped a hand on Gyuvin's shoulder, snapping him out of his daze. "Come on, let's go back before someone thinks you passed out in here."
Gyuvin let out a dramatic sigh but let himself be pulled back into the living room. The energy was still highâhe remembered goofing around, laughing with Gunwook and Junhyeon, playfully shoving Yujin when he said something stupid. The warmth of alcohol made everything a little funnier, a little lighter.
But at some point, the night slipped through his fingers. Time blurred. One moment, he was joking with Matthew, and the next, he was lying on the couch, staring at the ceiling, watching the lights swirl in his vision.
He barely noticed when people started leaving. He heard voices, the shuffle of footsteps, the quiet hum of goodbyes. The warmth of the room felt distant, like he was floating just outside of it.
Then, a quiet conversation caught his ears from the corner of the room.
"Yes, I can take him, no problem."
"Thanks, I really appreciate it."
Gyuvin frowned slightly, trying to focus. Before he could make sense of it, someone sat next to him, close enough that he could feel their presence even before they touched him. Gentle fingers brushed against his forehead, fixing strands of his messy hair.
He turned his head, blinking slowly. Ricky.
Gyuvin's breath hitched.
Ricky's touch was light, almost absentminded, as if he wasn't even thinking about what he was doing. His gaze was unreadable, but his voice was steady when he spoke.
"Come on," Ricky said softly. "Let's go."