Passing the Guard

“How much longer is it going to be until you’re up? I wouldn’t have come so early if I’d known half of my day was going to be spent watching a bunch of unattractive guys flailing against each other. They’re all fully clothed too, there’s no redeeming factor to this day at all.”

Junhoe took a deep breath and counted to five before answering. “You’re not here to scope out dudes, Hanbin, you’re here to be my cheerleader. And you’re fucking failing.”

“Okay, number one—I’m not your fucking cheerleader. Number two—if I was I’d have worn a skirt and a wig strictly for entertainment purposes. This is so dull.”

Junhoe rolled his eyes as he watched his best friend stretch out next to him on the bench. They were sitting up at the top so Junhoe could get a good view of the floor. His first match was coming up soon, but he wanted to check out his competition for later rounds. To Hanbin’s point, Junhoe could have told him exactly when his first match was, but Junhoe hadn’t wanted to sit alone for two hours waiting.

Despite his complaining, Hanbin had been focused on the matches for the first hour, watching them with a technical eye that wasn’t quite as trained as Junhoe’s, but one that understood more than the casual observer or parent. Hanbin didn’t train in Jiu-Jitsu, but he and Junhoe had been best friends for twelve years now, and Hanbin had been coming to support Junhoe at his tournaments ever since he’d started them. Likewise Junhoe attended Hanbin’s boxing tournaments, and they both knew quite a bit about each other’s respective sports.

But just because they came to show support, that didn’t mean that they were always excited to be there for the full day. Junhoe had no cause to complain about Hanbin’s whining right now, because he knew he’d been nothing short of an absolute nuisance at Hanbin’s last competition, whining almost the entire time because he should have been at home working on a science project (that Hanbin had been quick to remind him that he’d had the entire week to get started on).

So if Hanbin was going to grumble about waiting around, Junhoe would just have to accept it. After today they’d be even again.

“Go get me a drink then if you’re just gonna lay here and bitch,” Junhoe replied, “I’m thirsty.”

“You’re always thirsty,” Hanbin teased back, “not that there’s anyone here worth thirsting over.”

Junhoe rolled his eyes again and shoved Hanbin’s legs off the bench. “Get yourself something too, might shut you up for a while.”

Hanbin sneered at him before making his way down out of the stands, heading for the concession area. Junhoe refocused his attention on the floor and the three bouts currently going on. The gym floor was divided up into three sections, and they had matches running concurrently for the first round. Junhoe recognized a few guys he always saw on the tournament circuit, paying them extra attention. There were other members of his club here but he never sat with them, instead keeping his distance and hanging with Hanbin.

He liked his clubmates, but they trained together nearly every day and Junhoe could only take so much of them at a time. He preferred Hanbin’s more amusing commentary to the dull chit chat of the other guys.

Sometimes Junhoe marvelled at how lucky he was to have found Hanbin so early on (though he’d never admit it out loud). As much as the term kindred spirits made him roll his eyes and gag, he couldn’t think of a more fitting title for his friendship with Hanbin. They were the perfect compliment to one another—similar where needed and just different enough to provide an opposing point of view during crucial moments—but what he was most grateful for was the fact that they were both unapologetically gay.

It had been awkward at first, coming out and dealing with their training partners (for the both of them, because you didn’t see many professional martial artists or boxers outing themselves) but he and Hanbin both had very strong personalities and weren’t the types of people who backed down under pressure.

Junhoe’s club had been a bit better about the news (his teammates were more awkward than hateful, but his coach had been surprisingly supportive from the beginning) but Hanbin had suffered harsher consequences of his honesty.

It made Junhoe laugh, though, because in the end Hanbin had come out victorious. One of the older (and much bigger) training students had been vehemently against training with a little fag bitch (as he’d spouted in Hanbin’s face one day) and had challenged him to a sparring match.

Hanbin had been the one who offered loser leaves the club terms.

Hanbin had then gone on to beat him via knockout (and when he’d come to a few seconds later, Hanbin had followed it up with a well-placed kick to the groin to add insult to injury).

Junhoe had never been more proud to call Hanbin his best friend.

That had been a year ago, and since then they’d both wet their feet in the dating scene. Hanbin had gotten a boyfriend first (and Junhoe had refused to own up to his jealousy for two weeks afterwards) but Junhoe had ended up having the longer (and better) relationship. They were both single now, though, and were constantly vetting potential love interests for each other. Junhoe had eyes on a classmate (he and Hanbin were nearly positive he was in the closet) while Hanbin was in a state of constant flirtation with one of his neighbours.

Junhoe didn’t like the neighbour, but he wasn’t sure if it was a legit dislike, or just jealousy again. He knew it was hypocritical of him but the truth was that he hated sharing Hanbin. Absolutely loathed it. He was trying to ignore the feelings, but he was so used to having Hanbin’s constant attention that not being the centre of his best friend’s world was a little tough to get used to. Hanbin never hesitated to make fun of him for it, and while Junhoe hated the teasing, he was grateful that Hanbin understood it, at least.

But he didn’t like thinking about emotionally complicated bullshit.

He checked the clock on the wall, grateful that he’d be up in thirty minutes. Once Hanbin got back with his water he’d wander down to find his coach and get warmed up, eager to get into the fight. Junhoe loved competitions, loved showing off (mostly because he always did well; he currently had an 83% victory rate) and he was expecting to rank well today. He always shot for complete annihilation, but he realistically was hoping to place top five. There were a few unknown competitors today with impressive records, so he’d grudgingly lowered his expectations from top three to five.

He might be cocky, but at least he was honest.

The first round of competition consisted of two matches, and the points earned from victories would decide who moved on. In the case of ties, overall points won during the round would break it.

Junhoe had never lost a first round bout ever. Two tournaments ago his first fight had been against the top ranked fighter (who’d beaten him three months earlier to win that particular tournament) and he’d honestly expected to experience his first early defeat then. But to his surprise he’d beaten his opponent. Hanbin had told him that he thought it was because the other fighter was distracted by his hair (Junhoe had just bleached it blonde) and Junhoe had dumped water over his head for being annoying.

He’d checked his fight listing for today but didn’t recognize the name of his first opponent. Kim Jinhwan. Junhoe had never heard his name before, which led him to believe that this guy must have just moved to Seoul. Even if he’d just been recently promoted up to purple belt, Junhoe would have seen his name at some point, since his closest teammate was a blue belt.

He didn’t know anything about him, and Junhoe was his first opponent of the day so he couldn’t even scout his first fight. He had no idea what the guy looked like, and he’d spent some time looking around in the stands for someone at his belt level who he didn’t recognize. There were too many people though, so he’d given up. He wasn’t worried anyway. He could take anyone.

Hanbin returned with his drink and they chatted for a few minutes before Junhoe bid him a momentary goodbye, heading down to meet with his coach and leaving Hanbin in the stands on his own.

Junhoe was ready for the match, eager to show himself off to the judges. He’d been working on his sweeps lately and was looking to put his training to the test against an opponent. Five minutes before his match was about to happen, Hanbin came down to give him a final word.

“I think I saw your opponent,” Hanbin said, and Junhoe turned to look at him, “he’s really short.”

Junhoe laughed, unable to help it. Had Hanbin really found the right guy? “How short?”

“He looks like he’s twelve.”

Junhoe laughed at Hanbin’s answer, his eyes sweeping around the floor. There. On the other side of the gym, there was a purple belt that Junhoe didn’t recognize, and Hanbin wasn’t lying--he was really short. Almost so small that Junhoe wondered if he was really supposed to meet him on the mat? Wouldn’t he just crush him right away?

“How am I supposed to fight him?” Junhoe asked.

“On your knees?” Hanbin replied, and it set Junhoe off laughing again.

“June-ya, don’t get cocky,” came the voice of his coach, and both boys bristled at being caught, “Mr. Kim, you can go and have a seat. You’ve been enough of a distraction already.”

Hanbin grinned and bowed to Junhoe’s coach before apologizing and excusing himself back up into the stands. Junhoe apologized as well, but his coach just shook his head and didn’t berate him any further. He understood that Junhoe’s way to blow off pre-match nerves was to talk shit. Junhoe was always polite to the face of his opponents.

“Don’t underestimate someone based on their size,” his coach started that lecture, though, and Junhoe took it in stride, “we’ve never seen him before, he may be powerful. Sometimes a more compact frame is a blessing, it provides more stability.”

Junhoe listened and nodded politely, though in his head he was already picturing himself standing victorious over the tiny little boy he was supposed to be facing. He really couldn’t have envisioned a better first match for himself.

They met on the floor and Junhoe couldn’t wipe the comical smirk from his face even as he bowed to his opponent. The kid looked even smaller up close. He also had a very cute heart-shaped mole under his right eye, and Junhoe thought it looked ridiculous. The kid didn’t look anything like a fighter.

Even though it was obvious that Junhoe was judging him based on his size, eyeing him up and down before smirking, Jinhwan just smiled back at him, open and friendly and eager. Eager for what? Junhoe pondered. An ass kicking?

Junhoe would gladly deliver him one.

Ten minutes later, though, he was sitting in the stands, fuming angry.

Turns out that Kim Jinhwan was a fucking prodigy. Junhoe had never been so thoroughly dominated before in his life. Jinhwan’s reflexes were lightning quick, his legs much stronger than Junhoe had expected. But beyond anything physical, Jinhwan’s most impressive quality was strategy. He recognized his smaller stature and he used it to his favour, seemingly walking into things only to reverse the moves to his own advantage.

Junhoe had scored the first takedown and he’d been so surprised when Jinhwan hadn’t so much as struggled, but as soon as they hit the floor Jinhwan took advantage of Junhoe’s momentary lapse in concentration to sweep him into a reversed position, and then to Junhoe’s utter humiliation the kid had actually claimed a fucking mount position.

Junhoe hated being mounted, despised it. It was an utter humiliation move in his eyes, and he much preferred being on the dominant side of the mount. But Jinhwan had mounted him three times in their fight. Junhoe hadn’t been able to mount Jinhwan at all.

Further humiliation had come at the end of the match as they shook hands. Jinhwan had leaned in close, whispering in his ear. Junhoe would never forget the words.

“I assume you just got promoted up from blue belt? Not a bad first fight, keep your head up, you’ll do better.”

It was obvious from the look on Jinhwan’s face that he knew that Junhoe was not a fresh purple belt. Junhoe had never wanted to knock someone out so bad before in his life.

Junhoe was sitting by himself in the stands (even Hanbin was keeping his distance for the moment) his eyes trained on Kim Jinhwan, who was across the gym floor celebrating his win with his teammates and friends. There was some guy there dressed in what Junhoe considered a very obnoxious hip hop get up (the sort of clothes Hanbin would probably wear, actually, and the comparison made Junhoe even angrier for some reason) and he was sitting next to Jinhwan, laughing and gesturing with his arms, as though he were recreating the fight.

Junhoe wished he had psychic powers, because he’d love to fling the entire stand they were sitting on into the wall. Hard. Really hard.

Two hours later found Hanbin once again in the concession line, buying drinks. After the humiliation of his first defeat, Junhoe had gone on to utterly decimate his second opponent. Hanbin thought it was a combination of anger after losing the first fight, and Junhoe needing to rake up an impressive amount of points in order to secure moving into the next round.

He’d moved on and had just finished his round of sixteen fight, coming in victorious. But he was still ruffled over losing the first one, so Hanbin had left him alone to stew while he bought him a drink. Throughout the day Hanbin had watched out for the other guy, Jinhwan, whenever he could spare a glance. He managed to destroy his second opponent the same way he’d destroyed Junhoe (which made Hanbin feel a little better, because it proved that he really was just that amazing) and even his round of sixteen fight had been impressive.

During boring matches Hanbin had found his eyes wandering into the stands, always looking for Jinhwan. Well, to be fair, it wasn’t really Jinhwan he was looking for--it was his friend.

The same guy who’s outfit had screamed obnoxious to Junhoe was indeed what drew Hanbin’s attention. One of the areas in which he and Junhoe differed was in their taste in music. They liked a lot of similar artists (most importantly Michael Jackson and Queen) but where Hanbin preferred hip hop, Junhoe was more into rock and blues.

This dude, though, was clearly into hip hop. Hanbin actually owned the same Been Trill snapback the guy was wearing, and he had his Supreme hoodie in three different colours. He walked with the kind of confident swagger that always drew Hanbin’s attention. Normally he’d find a way to go and talk to the guy (or at least make his interest obvious) but he couldn’t flirt with the friend of Junhoe’s newest sworn enemy.

After all, wasn’t it the friend of my enemy is also my enemy? Not the friend of my enemy is now my love interest? Junhoe would murder him if he knew.

But, of course, just as luck would have it--

“Hey, you’re friends with that big guy, right?”

Hanbin turned in confusion to the voice that was speaking behind him, his eyes falling on the very snapbacked figure he’d just been thinking about. “What big guy?” Hanbin was not about to get friendly with him, though, not after the pounding his friend had given Junhoe.

The guy smiled back and the first thing Hanbin noticed were his crooked front teeth. They made him think of a rabbit with the way they protruded.

“Junhoe, was it? The cocky tall dude that my midget best friend kicked the shit out of earlier.”

The laugh bubbled out of Hanbin before he could stop it. Shit. He was going to have to fight himself on this one, apparently. “Oh yeah, the little guy! He’s really good.”

Bunny boy smiled again and Hanbin felt utterly doomed at the way his heart fluttered in his chest. Fuck.

“If he hears you calling him little guy he might knock you on your ass next!” The comment was said with a cheery laugh, no trace of a threat to accompany the words. Fine. If this guy was going to play friendly, then Hanbin would have to do the same. Just out of politeness.

“Ah he can try!” Hanbin replied with an equally friendly smile, “I am a rather accomplished boxer, though, so he might be surprised at who ends up on the floor.”

To Hanbin’s horror bunny boy’s smile grew so wide his eyes were barely visible (and fuck if it didn’t make him look absolutely adorable) and he clapped an amiable hand on Hanbin’s shoulder.

“You box? That’s super cool! My older brother is into boxing. It seems like a fun sport.”

Hanbin smiled back. He really needed to find a way to end this conversation, because bunny boy was really tugging on him in the worst possible way. “Do you do any sports?” But as much as he wanted to end the conversation, apparently his brain had other ideas.

“Just basketball.” came the response, and Hanbin hated himself for getting excited over it. Junhoe was never going to forgive him. Never.

“I play basketball too! Hold the free throw record at school,” he replied, never one to shy away from bragging about his accomplishments. Bunny boy’s smile settled into something a bit softer (and dare Hanbin say even affectionate) and he just stared at him for a minute before speaking.

“Why don’t I get your number? We can shoot hoops together sometime, because I’m pretty good at free throws myself.”

There weren’t many times that Hanbin fantasized about having super powers (like stopping time, or erasing people’s memories) but he was dreaming about exactly that right now. Was he really about to exchange numbers with this guy? This guy, who was friends with the enemy?

“That sounds awesome!” Hanbin was horrified to hear himself give his number out, equally as horrified when he saved the number in his own phone (the guy’s name was Bobby, but Hanbin still saved it as Bunny Boy). They parted ways then and Hanbin wondered if he shouldn’t head to the bathroom to check his face in the mirror. Maybe he was coming down with something? (He was definitely coming down with something, and that something was an ass kicking as soon as Junhoe found out about the number exchange.)

He schooled his features and headed back up to the top of the stands where Junhoe was sitting (sulking) and handed him an ice cold Gatorade in his favourite flavour.

“What took you so long?” Junhoe asked, grabbing the drink and gulping it in irritation.

Had he really been that long? “Uh, long line at the register. Some grandma paying with a bunch of change.” Hanbin hastily uncapped his own drink and took a long gulp, hoping Junhoe wouldn’t continue on their topic.

Junhoe’s thoughts were actually still on his embarrassing defeat from earlier (the first time in five years that he’d suffered a defeat in the first stage) and he couldn’t stop thinking about that annoying short kid. What the fuck was name again? Jinhwan? Whatever. Junhoe had simply underestimated him based on his size, that was all. Jinhwan was most certainly not faster than him (okay not that much faster, maybe a tiny bit faster, a fraction if he had to admit to it) and his form was not better. He also was not smarter, not at all.

Junhoe had not lost to Jinhwan—he’d lost to himself. That’s all there was to it.

“Dude, you’re gonna open a portal to the underworld with all that brooding.”

Junhoe glared at Hanbin, annoyed to have been called out.

“Shut up.”

Hanbin grinned back at him, and maybe this was one of those moments where they were utterly terrible for each other. They were both poor losers, but they were also horrible at showing one another sympathy.

“Why are you even still pissed, anyway? You just destroyed your last two opponents, bro! You’re in a good position for tomorrow.” Hanbin took a swig of his own drink. Now that Junhoe was done, Hanbin was dying to get out of the gym and get some food, but Junhoe wanted to stay and watch the rest of the matches. Maybe since he was in a bad mood, he could convince him otherwise.

“Ah, you’re right,” Junhoe replied, because it was true, Hanbin was right. Why was he still sulking after one stupid match? Maybe if he was lucky he’d get to fight Jinhwan again tomorrow, and he’d be ready for him then. He wouldn’t underestimate him. “You wanna get out of here and get some food?”

“Do I ever, bro!” Junhoe went to change, leaving Hanbin to sit alone in the stands. He couldn’t resist looking for Bobby again, smiling when his eyes fell on him. He really hoped Bobby was going to have a shit personality, because Hanbin was falling for him hard.

“What took you so long? I’m about to pass out, I feel like a dying man in the Sahara!” Jinhwan whined when Bobby reappeared finally, drinks in hand.

“Bullshit, there’s a water fountain just in the hall!” Bobby laughingly replied, handing him a bottle of water.

“I don’t drink water out of a fountain,” Jinhwan shot back, mockingly pretentious, “I’m too good for that.”

“Ah right, you’re not one of the common folk,” Bobby carried on, “my apologies, His Royal Highness.”

Jinhan grinned and took a long gulp. “Apology accepted. Now explain your delay!”

It was Bobby’s turn to grin back. “I was just getting a phone number.”

Jinhwan huffed and rolled his eyes. “I can’t bring you anywhere.”

“I couldn’t help it!” Bobby protested. “I swear it wasn’t my intention! You’re gonna laugh when I tell you who it is, though.”

Jinhwan was almost certain that he probably didn’t want to know, but he’d play along, only because Bobby was his best friend and he liked dramatic reveals. “Please tell me it’s not one of the master class guys?”

Bobby laughed at the teasing attempt. “What? No, they’re what, like 30? Not into old dudes.” Bobby looked around suddenly, like he was checking to make sure no one was around. It had Jinhwan worried.

“Remember that guy whose ass you kicked in the first fight?”

Jinhwan’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Why would you get his number?!” Jinhwan almost couldn’t believe Bobby--almost.

“Not him!” Bobby replied, “his friend! I was behind him in the line for drinks, and I swear all I meant to do was say hi. But then he turned around and looked at me, and man, let me tell you…”

Jinhwan shook his head. On one hand, at least it wasn’t the guy he’d faced, because that kid just screamed arrogant asshole, and Jinhwan didn’t want Bobby dating someone like that. But on the other hand… If the guy was friends with him, then he was probably just as bad. Jinhwan didn’t reply to Bobby’s comment, he just gave him a disappointed shake of the head.

Bobby wasn’t deterred, though. “Seriously Jinan, he has the cutest face I’ve ever seen!” He really did. Bobby had a thing for cute guys. As much as he liked to look at dudes with hot bodies, he was the world’s biggest sucker for cute faces.

“Cuter than me?” Jinhwan whined, pouting at his best friend. He’d never heard Bobby gush so hard about someone he’d just met.

“Much cuter than you.” Bobby replied with a wink.

“Now I know you’re lying, because that’s impossible.” Jinhwan responded with a grin. “But in all honesty, are you sure it’s a good idea? What do you even know about him?”

“Nothing, hence why I want his number. You know, so we can talk?” Bobby sarcastically shot back.

Jinhwan grinned back at him. “Simmer down, I’m just trying to protect you from your own bad decisions.” He watched as Bobby just shook his head and smiled to himself, his habit when he was annoyed and didn’t want anyone to know.

“Wow Bobby, you’re actually giving me attitude over this? You really must have it bad for him.” Jinhwan laughed when Bobby blushed. This was an entirely different side of him that he’d never seen before.

“Ah, sorry. I just really like him? There’s something special about him. I know I just met him, but you know, sometimes you meet someone, and you just know that they’re right for you? Laugh at me all you want, Jinan, but that’s how I feel about him.”

If Jinhwan had been asked to write down a list of things he never expected to ever hear Bobby say, what he’d just said about this new kid he met would probably be right at the top, next to “I’m really attracted to women”. Bobby never really fell for people, or at least he hadn’t until now. Jinhwan actually thought it was sweet.

“Wow, look at you,” he said in wonderment, “it sounds like little Bobby Kim might be falling in love?”

Bobby reached out to punch him in the shoulder. “Shut up! I wouldn’t go quite that far, I mean, I just met the guy..”

Jinhwan couldn’t wipe the smirk off his face as he watched Bobby’s cheeks flush red. He resisted the urge to squeal, but honestly, Bobby being all cutely sentimental over some guy he’d just spoken to for the first time ever?

Jinhwan had to turn away to hide his expression, because the more he thought about it, the cuter it was. Bobby hated being called cute. He always wanted to be cool, wanted to be tough. But this? Blushing over some guy?

Jinhwan couldn’t help himself.

“Ahh, Bobby, this is so cute!”

And tomorrow, if Jinhwan lost the final, he’d blame it on the punch Bobby just gave his shoulder.

Still--worth it.

Junhoe slowly munched on a slice of pizza, his eyes on his best friend. Hanbin was exchanging text messages with someone, and it was starting to get on Junhoe’s nerves.

“Am I keeping you from something more important?” He asked, annoyed eyes on Hanbin.

“Something more important than you? Didn’t know that was possible.” Hanbin replied, though he took the cue to put his phone away. He’d actually been texting with Bobby, but he’d also exchanged a few messages with his mom--just to be safe in case Junhoe asked. Hanbin hated outright lying, he was terrible at it. He had no problem fudging the truth, though, or simply omitting information.

Junhoe grinned at the answer. “You sweet talker, you.”

Hanbin grabbed another slice of pizza, stuffing his mouth with a bite before mumbling a response. “Only the best for my top bro!”

“So, who were you texting anyway?” It’s not that Junhoe really cared so much who Hanbin was talking to, it was more that he was bothered about Hanbin texting someone else while they were supposed to be having dinner in celebration of Junhoe’s victories.

“My mom. She was telling me about Hanbyul’s day. She’s started teaching her how to count, so Hanbyul’s been going around the house counting everything.” That much was true, and Hanbin thought it was adorable. He loved his little sister, thought she was the cutest thing in the entire world.

“Aw, that’s sweet!” Junhoe replied, “when you get home she can count how much of a loser you are.”

“That’s not even tangible!” Hanbin answered. “How would she even count that?”

Junhoe shrugged. “Introduce her to experimental mathematics?”

Hanbin groaned and kicked Junhoe underneath the table. “That doesn’t mean what you think it means!”

Junhoe grinned and kicked him back. “Calm down, nerd! I was just trying to make a lame joke, okay?”

“Well it was lame, I’ll grant you that much.” Hanbin took another bite of pizza and tried to ignore his phone when he saw the new message light go off. This was ridiculous, honestly. He’d just met Bobby. He didn’t need to be texting him constantly right away. Shouldn’t he be establishing some sort of limit on their communication?

“So you’re coming for the whole show tomorrow, right?” Junhoe asked, grabbing another slice of pizza.

“Of course. What time’s your first match?” Bobby had already asked him if he was going back tomorrow, and Hanbin was thrilled to learn that Bobby would be there with Jinhwan again.

“I’m going there for ten.” Junhoe answered, grinning when Hanbin glared at him.

“That’s not a real answer!” Hanbin didn’t mind heading there early again (because Bobby was going to be there early with Jinhwan too) but it would be suspicious if he didn’t complain to Junhoe.

“Well, they might change the time of my first match, so I want to be ready!” Junhoe grabbed his Pepsi, taking a long swig of it before finishing off his slice.

Hanbin rolled his eyes and pushed his chair back so he could slink down in his seat a bit, all the better angle from which to glare at Junhoe. “Fine! Your mom driving again?”

“Yeah, she wants to come and watch me in the final too.” When he’d first started out competing, his parents had come to every tournament and stayed with him the entire time. But as he got older, Junhoe preferred them to come only for finals. It got awkward having to entertain family members in between his matches.

“Hope you make it that far!” Hanbin retorted, dodging the kick he knew was coming his way.

“Did you take a look at the brackets?” Junhoe asked him, and Hanbin shook his head.

“Was I supposed to?”

Junhoe shook his head in disgust. “Why do I keep deluding myself into thinking that you care?”

Hanbin grinned back at him. “Oh quit whining and tell me whatever it is you wanted to tell me.”

“If all goes well tomorrow, there’s a good chance I’ll meet that midget in the final.”

Hanbin had to fake his surprise. He hadn’t looked at the brackets, but Bobby had told him that if their friends won tomorrow, they’d be meeting at the end. “Ah, Jinhwan?”

“Whatever his name is,” Junhoe said, voice heavy with disinterest, “I hope I face him so I can get my revenge.”

Hanbin nodded, and while he wanted it to happen just so Junhoe would shut up about it, part of him worried that if they did meet again, Jinhwan would come out victorious a second time (and then he’d never be able to date Bobby--not that he was trying to, or anything).

“Well then you’d better kick ass in your quarter and semi!” Hanbin replied, and he quickly made a grab for the last slice of pizza. “I’ll eat this so you’re not sluggish on your feet tomorrow.”

Junhoe glared at him before falling into quiet contemplation about his matches. He wanted to meet Jinhwan again as much as he’d ever wanted anything--he needed to make up for his loss, needed to prove himself to everyone who’d seen the match.

He wasn’t trying to prove anything to Jinhwan, though, he didn’t care about the little shrimp that much (though it would be nice to give him a scathing victory comment). Jinhwan was so insignificant, he was nothing more than a little stepping stone to Junhoe’s development. Junhoe had been coasting for too long, his skills hadn’t really been tested. Jinhwan was just a blip on the radar, an outlier in Junhoe’s statistics. A reminder not to slack off.

If he spent all night planning his victory speech against Jinhwan, so what? That didn’t mean he actually cared about the kid’s opinion. Not one bit.

“Seriously, Bobby, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smiling this much before?” Jinhwan teased, pausing the movie they were watching (well, the movie he was watching--Bobby was more concerned with his phone) and staring at his best friend from his side of the couch.

Bobby frowned and put his phone down, knowing what Jinhwan was talking about and not wanting to have to admit anything. He’d been texting Hanbin for the past hour (it was so easy to talk to him!) and he guessed his excitement must have been showing on his face if Jinhwan had paused his movie to comment on it.

“I think it’s moving a bit fast, but as long as you’re happy I guess I’ll support you. Just promise me I’ll be your best man at the wedding?” Jinhwan teased again, nudging Bobby with his foot.

“Shut up, Jinan!” Bobby whined, grabbing a pillow and smacking Jinhwan in the head with it.

Jinhwan just laughed, though, not deterred in the slightest. “I think I’ve probably watched this in a movie before; it’s so nice to see it playing out in front of my own eyes!”

“Seriously, shut up before I kick your ass!”

“You are welcome to try. To make it fair I’ll handicap myself and tie one arm up.” Jinhwan grabbed his own pillow and whacked Bobby in the head, grinning when Bobby hit him again. Their pillow fight lasted a good minute before Jinhwan flung his to the floor and dove on top of Bobby, smothering him in a full body lock.

“Not fair!” Bobby whined. “You promised to never use your jiu-jitsu moves on me!”

“Yeah, well, I lied!” Jinhwan grinned and tightened his hold. “I’ll let you go when you answer a few simple questions for me.” Bobby groaned but Jinhwan only tightened his legs.

“Who’s the coolest guy you know?”

Bobby sighed. “Kim Jinhwan.”

“Who’s the toughest guy you know?”

“Kim Jinhwan.”

“Who’s the hottest guy you know?”

Bobby whined and struggled, but Jinhwan had his arms locked tight to his body. “It used to be Kim Jinhwan,” Bobby said, grinning when he heard Jinhwan grumble, “but it’s Kim Hanbin now!”

He was rewarded for his backtalk with a smack to the side of his head. Jinhwan still let him go anyway. “Eh, I can’t fault you for that one, I guess.”

Bobby scrambled up as soon as Jinhwan let him go. “You’re so strong for being so small.” Bobby complained, rubbing his arm.

“Ah, flattery will get you nowhere, but backhanded compliments will get you hit again!” Jinhwan threatened as he picked the remote up, stretching back out and putting his feet in Bobby’s lap.

Bobby let him do it, biting back a complaint. “So, now that we’ve exhausted conversation relating to my blossoming love life, should we discuss yours?”

Jinhwan snorted in response. “My non-existent love life, you mean?”

“We really need to do something about that already! You’d probably be more pleasant if we found you a nice boyfriend.” While Bobby himself had dated a few different guys, he only knew of one guy in Jinhwan’s life (some guy he’d dated last year when he was still living with his mom on Jeju Island). Despite being his best friend, Jinhwan had never really given him too many details about the guy. All Bobby actually knew about him was that he was older than Jinhwan and they’d had sex. Even that Jinhwan had told him accidentally.

“I don’t have time for a boyfriend, Bobby!” Jinhwan complained, wanting to drop the subject. It’s not that Jinhwan didn’t want a boyfriend (if he was being honest with himself, he actually really wanted a boyfriend, he missed having one) but there were too many obstacles and right now it was better to just forget it. He preferred to focus on fighting and school. A boyfriend would only distract from both.

Bobby rolled his eyes and pinched Jinhwan’s big toe, grinning when Jinhwan flinched and glared at him. “Come on, you need to live a little, Jinan! Don’t you want some hot guy to make out with?”

Jinhwan shook his head and was tempted to kick Bobby. “Doesn’t everyone? There are more important things, though.”

“What about that dude you fought? Hanbin’s friend, Junhoe? Now that’s a guy with a hot face!” Bobby had only brought him up to annoy Jinhwan.

“Ugh, that arrogant asshole? No thanks. No face is worth that attitude.” Jinhwan did not want to think about Junhoe’s face (because it was really hot) and he cursed Bobby for bringing it up.

“Come on, are you telling me you wouldn’t hit that if the opportunity presented itself?” Bobby teased, grinning when Jinhwan glared at him.

“Oh I’d hit him, alright, but it would be with my fist.” Jinhwan recognized Junhoe’s type from a mile away. He was the sort of guy who thought he deserved the entire world, handed to him on a silver platter. Spoiled brat, and judging from his fighting style, he was probably a bully at school too. You couldn’t pay Jinhwan to even contemplate the thought of kissing someone like Junhoe.

“So violent, Jinan! I bet it’ll be a passionate romance.” Bobby teased him again and paid for it seconds later when Jinhwan rolled to the floor and put him in an ankle lock.

“Do well on your fights, sweetheart, make sure you text me your results, okay?”

Junhoe grabbed his bag from the trunk of his mom’s car, slightly annoyed when she got out to give him a hug. Couldn’t she just drop him off with a simple goodbye and good luck?!

“I talked to your sister and she’s going to come too! We’ll all be there to cheer you on!”

Junhoe bit back the groan he wanted to utter, standing stiffly as his mother gave him a tight hug. He was shit with physical displays of affection from anyone, but especially his mom. At least in public. He hugged his mom all the time at home, but that was in private, where no one else would see. It’s not that he was concerned with his reputation or anything like that. Okay maybe he was. Maybe he didn’t want to look soft in front of anyone.

Whatever. If anyone laughed at him for hugging his mom he’d just kick their ass.

“Hanbin-ah, you look after my baby today! I’m thankful he’s got such a good friend to come and stay with him.”

Junhoe rolled his eyes in irritation as his mom also hugged Hanbin. They got along perfectly with each other’s families, and yeah, maybe he was being hypocritical again because if this were Hanbin’s mom dropping them off at one of Hanbin’s competitions, Junhoe would be making the same chummy jokes with her at Hanbin’s expense.

“Don’t worry about him, Mrs. Koo! I’ll make sure he’s well fed, and if he needs his diaper changed I can handle that too!” Hanbin teased, winking at Junhoe’s irritated glare.

“Shut up before I kick your ass!” Junhoe threatened him.

“Fat chance of that happening! One punch from these fists and you’ll be on the ground seeing so many stars you’d think you were watching Running Man.” Hanbin playfully retorted, and Junhoe’s response was cut off by his mom.

“Really now, boys?”

Hanbin turned to her with a smile, putting his arm around her shoulders. “Ah I’m only teasing! I’d never punch him, at least not in the face. It’s the only thing he’s got going for him.”

Junhoe shook his head, feeling betrayed when his mom laughed. She bid him good luck one last time before getting back in her car, and Junhoe waved as she drove away before turning back to Hanbin and playfully smacking the side of his face.

“Stop being a pest!”

Hanbin grinned and took it, though, always happy to help Junhoe’s mom embarrass him. “Your mom’s just worried about her little boy! Wants to make--OW!” Junhoe cut him off with another slap.

“Stop annoying me.”

“You know, you’re lucky it’s match day! Otherwise I’d totally hit you back.” Hanbin grabbed Junhoe’s bag out of his hands, slinging it over his shoulder. “Let me carry this for you, don’t want you to hurt yourself before your next fight.”

They made their way into the venue, stopping to check the schedule of fights. Junhoe had fought his first opponent before (twice) and had beaten him both times. He was feeling confident that he’d win that one. He studied the other bracket as well, mapping out Jinhwan’s potential opponents on his route to the final. Junhoe knew his quarter final opponent, but wasn’t familiar with either of the guys he might face in the semi. He’d have to watch those matches.

While they got settled in their usual spot inside the gym, outside the gym Bobby and Jinhwan were being dropped off by Bobby’s older brother.

“Kill it today, Jinan-ie!”

Jinhwan walked over to the driver’s side window, bumping fists with Bobby’s brother.

“Thanks, hyung! Thank you for driving us too, I appreciate it!”

Jiun waved his comment off. “Ah, no problem! Wish I had the day off so I could watch your matches. Make sure Jiwon-ie texts me, okay? I want to stay updated on your progress.”

“I’ll text you every single little detail!” Bobby replied, “I’ll send you so much you’ll block my number.”

Jiun shook his head and laughed. “You better not! Only important updates so I can sneak in checking my messages during work.”

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t go overboard,” Jinhwan promised, “we’ll send you a pic with my trophy after I win it!”

“That’s what I like to hear,” Jiun replied. “I know you’ll do your best! We’re all proud of you no matter the result, though.”

Jinhwan couldn’t keep the smile off his face at Jiun’s words—it felt so nice to have such strong support. “Thanks again, hyung. Hope work isn’t too bad today!” They stood back as Jiun pulled away, waving a final goodbye to Bobby’s brother.

“Ready to go in and kick ass?” Bobby asked, and Jinhwan grinned before sliding an arm around Bobby’s waist.

“Am I ever! It’s a nice day out to celebrate a few victories.”

Bobby’s arm snaked its way around Jinhwan’s shoulders and they walked into the venue together in good spirits. Jinhwan felt good about his chances today, confident and assured he could make it all the way through to the final. It wasn’t just conceited over-confidence, either. He’d studied all of his opponents, familiarized himself with everyone’s usual styles. There was a calmness in him borne of the knowledge that he was good enough to be victorious today.

“So, did you text your mom about yesterday’s results?” Bobby asked him, and the question made Jinhwan bristle.

“Nope. I’ll text her after I win the final.” Bobby didn’t respond with words—only a frown—and it got on Jinhwan’s nerves. “How many times do I have to tell you? It’s pointless to tell her much about my fights, she probably wouldn’t even respond to the message.”

“Give her a chance, at least.” Bobby replied. “You won’t know if she cares if you don’t even tell her.”

“She never cared when I was at home, why would she start caring now that I’ve left?” Jinhwan had come to accept his family’s disinterest in his jiu-jitsu years ago. He’d be lying if he said it didn’t bother him (though that’s exactly what he’d say if anyone asked him) but he’d decided to spend this year focusing on himself instead of worrying about trying to please his mother.

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder?” Bobby replied.

Jinhwan snorted in disagreement. “More like, absence makes the alienation grow deeper.”

Bobby sighed, giving up for the time being. “Alright, fine! Just mark it down in your calendar that I tried, okay?”

Jinhwan grinned and tightened his arm around Bobby’s waist. “I appreciate you trying, I really do. But I can’t spend my time worrying about making my mom happy anymore. I tried that for two years and I was miserable. This year is about me!”

Bobby tightened his arm around Jinhwan’s shoulders, relieved Jinhwan wasn’t upset with him. For Bobby, who was so consumed with family, Jinhwan’s situation with his was nearly unfathomable. But Bobby’s parents supported his dreams (everything from basketball to rapping) while Jinhwan’s family had a very strict life plan laid out for him, and it had never included jiu-jitsu. He still had trouble understanding that Jinhwan had chosen to follow his own dreams, letting it come between himself and his mother.

It just made Bobby that much more appreciative of his parents, and grateful as well for the way they so easily accepted Jinhwan into their family structure. Even Bobby’s older brother treated Jinhwan like his own flesh and blood, and Bobby was happy that he was at least able to provide Jinhwan with a makeshift family in the absence of his own.

But he still wanted to believe he could help Jinhwan sort it all out. He wanted to believe that Jinhwan’s mother would come around one day. She’d be crazy not to.

Quarter finals went exactly as planned—both boys easily defeated their opponents. Junhoe wanted another Gatorade after his victory, so Hanbin got up to wander off to the concession stand to get one, leaving Junhoe on his own, taking a selfie to send to his family. On the way there he typed a hasty text to Bobby, because after all the texting from last night and this morning, he really wanted to see him again.

- come buy drinks? -

Bobby’s response came quick.

- k wait 4 me -

Hanbin took his place in the lineup, his stomach fluttering nervously for some stupid reason. Was he really getting that into this guy? There wasn’t anything overtly special about Bobby (except for everything) so Hanbin wasn’t sure why he was freaking out over him so much. Was it just because Bobby was so obviously into him? Was it just the over-interest that was working its magic?

It’s not like Hanbin lacked for confidence, so that realistically couldn’t be it. Was it just his dumb face? The stupid bunny teeth? At that moment he felt a pair of (warm, big) hands settle across his eyes.

“Guess who?”

Hanbin couldn’t help but smile at the utter dorkiness of it all.

“With that deep voice, I hope it’s TOP!” Hanbin pulled Bobby’s hands away from his eyes and turned his head to look over his shoulder, frowning for comic effect when he saw Bobby’s face. “Ah, disappointment.”

Bobby sighed and shook his head (and tried not to freak out because Hanbin was still holding his hands?) before answering. “Hey, I’ll have you know I can actually do a pretty decent TOP impersonation!”

“Oh, can you?” Hanbin sarcastically asked, squeezing Bobby’s hands before dropping them. “You’ll have to demonstrate for me some time, then.”

“I will. And you’ll like it!” Bobby stepped up to the counter and placed his order before looking back at Hanbin. “What do you want?”

“Just order yours, I’ll get mine.” Hanbin wasn’t sure if Bobby was trying to buy his stuff too?

“Oh come on, let me buy your drinks! We can meet here again later and you can buy for me then?” Bobby offered, amused that Hanbin seemed so taken aback at the offer.

“Fine,” Hanbin gave his own order too, smiling as he watched Bobby pay for them, “I can’t believe you’re already asking me on a follow up concession stand date.”

“Oh, is that what this is?” Bobby asked with a grin, taking their drinks and stepping to the side. “Are we on a date?”

Hanbin glared at him (good natured glare, though, because he definitely did not want Bobby to think he was offended). “I was joking!”

“I was kind of hoping our first date would be something a little more special than buying drinks, but if that’s how you want it, then okay.” Without warning, Bobby grabbed Hanbin’s hand and swiftly brought it up to his mouth, pressing a light kiss to the back of it.

Hanbin couldn’t believe him. What a dork! It was cute, though. He really hoped he wasn’t blushing.

Bobby grinned and dropped Hanbin’s hand, watching his reaction. He’d been 99% certain Hanbin was gay and into him, but sometimes guys were a little further in the closet than they let on at first, and when you made a direct move it freaked them out. But Hanbin seemed fine. That meant he was definitely safe.

“If we were dating, I’d dump you for that,” Hanbin teased, “that was a class A dork move.”

“Sure was, if you mean a for adorable!” Bobby replied, beaming when Hanbin groaned.

“More like a for atrocious!” Hanbin whined, but his frown quickly turned to a smile when Bobby laughed.

“I really like talking to you, Hanbin.” Bobby couldn’t stop himself from saying it out loud. He and Jinhwan had excellent bantering skills, and he was pleased that Hanbin was just as entertaining of a conversational partner.

Hanbin looked away, certain he was blushing. Could they not get through one conversation without Bobby being cute? It was such a change from his typical conversations with Junhoe that Hanbin wasn’t sure what to do in response. No one had ever been so cute to him before.

“Anyway, with that awkward confession out of the way, we should probably get back to our respective partners.” Bobby didn’t want to say goodbye just yet, but he was supposed to be here for Jinhwan. Not just to flirt with Hanbin.

“Yeah, Junhoe’s gonna give me the third degree if I take too long,” Hanbin agreed, “but let’s schedule another concession stand date for later?”

Bobby grinned back and could barely restrain himself from popping a little kiss on Hanbin’s cheek. “Deal! Hope Junhoe’s semi-final goes well!”

“Same to you! Wish Jinhwan luck from me!”

Bobby let Hanbin walk out first (since they didn’t want to leave the hall together, lest Junhoe see them) and he watched his back as he walked away. God he had it so bad for Hanbin! He’d never fallen for someone so ridiculously fast before. In fact, despite having had his fair share of boyfriends, Bobby hadn’t actually experienced being in love before.

Maybe it was a little early to tell, but he kind of felt like maybe Hanbin would be his first? He hoped so. After enough time had passed Bobby walked back into the gym, climbing up the stands to where he’d left Jinhwan.

“How did the concession line date go?” Jinhwan asked with a smirk as Bobby sat down. “I watched it from here, by the way, if you lay down flat you can just see where you were.”

“Seriously?” Bobby asked, amused that Jinhwan would bother.

“I can’t believe you pulled the lame hands-over-the-eyes guess who! Pathetic.” Jinhwan took his bottle of water and shook his head.

“He thought it was cute!” Bobby retorted, even though it wasn’t exactly the truth.

“Did he really?” Jinhwan asked, because he knew Bobby was lying.

Bobby just frowned at him before shaking his head. “Okay fine, he kind of made fun of me for it.”

Jinhwan laughed and patted his knee. “I think I like this kid after all!”

“You better! I’m seeing him again.”

Jinhwan nearly choked on his water, laughing at Bobby’s admission. “Oh, are you? When?”

Bobby looked at his watch. “In an hour? After your semi-final.”

Jinhwan grinned. “Another Gatorade get-together?”

Bobby laughed and looked out across the gym floor. Hanbin was currently giving Junhoe a shoulder rub, and they were laughing about something. Just seeing him look happy made Bobby happy too. “Yeah, I bought his drinks this time, so he has to buy mine next time.”

“Well get me a bigger bottle, then!” Jinhwan teased, following Bobby’s line of sight and watching as Hanbin gave a shoulder rub to his rival. The gesture softened Jinhwan’s expectations for Hanbin just a little, but they also made him just a bit jealous.

“Hey, how come you never give me shoulder massages?” Jinhwan asked Bobby.

“Am I supposed to be doing that?” Bobby asked, looking back at his best friend.

“You would if you cared.” Jinhwan replied with a sniff, his lips pulled in a dramatic pout.

“Good thing I don’t care, then!” Bobby answered with a laugh, earning him a punch in the leg from Jinhwan.

“Come on, Bobby, be a little more like your new boyfriend!” Jinhwan teased, “just look at him, taking care of that asshole friend of his.”

“Ah stop it,” Bobby replied, face flushed in mild embarrassment, “we’re not dating, just interested.”

“Yet!” Jinhwan carried on. “Then again, it might all crash and burn later if Junhoe makes it to the final and I kick his ass a second time. What are you guys gonna do then?”

Bobby frowned and tried to just laugh it off. “Hey, he and I are more than just the sum of our best friends’ rivalry!” What would happen, though, if Jinhwan beat Junhoe a second time?

“You say that now, but everything might change. He seems like the type who probably tries to regulate who his friends date.” Jinhwan frowned, eyes back on the pair across the gym floor. Hanbin was still rubbing Junhoe’s shoulders. Probably wouldn’t even get a thank you for it.

Bobby gratefully pushed aside his worries about Junhoe getting in the way of his possible relationship with Hanbin, instead focusing on Jinhwan. “You know, Jinan, come to think of it, you keep bringing Junhoe up. You sure you’re not harboring something for him in there?”

Jinhwan shot Bobby a murderous glare. “Excuse me? That’s not even funny.”

“No really! I mean I know you have this rivalry and all--”

“He’s an arrogant dick whose ass I can’t wait to kick a second time , that’s all.” Jinhwan interrupted.

“You don’t even know that for sure!” Bobby teased. “You’ve met him once, you can’t judge him on that alone.”

“Sure I can, and I have.” Jinhwan took another sip of water, and Bobby just shook his head. If Junhoe did make it to the final, Bobby really hoped that Jinhwan would come out victorious again. He didn’t want to contemplate how his best friend would react if he lost to someone he was harboring such a bizarrely intense rivalry with.

“Hey mom! Yeah, it went well; yeah of course I beat them! Did you seriously doubt me? My own mother!”

Hanbin grinned as he listened to the phone exchange between Junhoe and his mom. He’d won his semi-final (though it had been closer than he would have liked) and was currently calling her to invite her to come and witness the final match. His opponent still wasn’t decided yet (the second semi-final was being set up right now). They had an hour and a half before the final match for their division in the tournament.

“Well you don’t have to come right now, the match isn’t happening until four,” Junhoe told her, rolling his eyes at Hanbin, “is Yejin coming too? Of course I want her to come! Tell her to take video and show that boyfriend of hers so he doesn’t step out of line.”

Hanbin couldn’t help it, he burst out laughing as soon as Junhoe said it. Yejin’s boyfriend was not exactly threatening (Hanbin thought he was kind of a nerd) but Junhoe was still protective of his sister anyway, despite her being three years older than him.

He paid for it though when Junhoe kicked his leg, glaring at him while he listened to his mom on the phone. Hanbin shook his head at him and threateningly punched his fist into his own palm. Junhoe was lucky he still had a fight left.

Hanbin looked across the gym, eyes finding Bobby, who was sitting in the front row, attention on Jinhwan. Hanbin smiled without really thinking about it, still charmed by Bobby’s mere existence. It was only worse after talking to him earlier (Hanbin still got goosebumps thinking about how nice Bobby’s hands felt on his face) and Hanbin couldn’t help but be concerned about the outcome of the final (provided Jinhwan beat this last opponent). Would he and Bobby really get together? Hanbin didn’t even know where he lived, or where he went to school. Would they really have time for each other? And what would he even say to Junhoe? ‘Yeah, so I’m dating the best friend of that guy you hate…’

It was stupid. Hanbin ought to stop thinking about him so much, but he couldn’t help it. Bobby was everything he found attractive in a guy (above all else he was confident, and Hanbin loved confident people, it was one of the reasons why he liked Junhoe so much) and Hanbin didn’t think he’d really find a guy who matched him as perfectly as Bobby seemed to.

“Okay I’ll see you in a bit, then. Yeah just come find me in the gym, we’re in the bleachers. Text me if you can’t find us!” Junhoe’s voice was mounting in irritation, and Hanbin grinned. His mom was probably being overly sweet in her chat with him. Junhoe had a hard time handling emotion from other people.

“Ugh! She’s so annoying sometimes.” Junhoe huffed as he stowed his phone away.

“Be nice to your mom! You wouldn’t be here without her.” Hanbin couldn’t resist the jab, and Junhoe frowned at him in disgust.

“Okay enough about the family shit, the semi’s about to start!”

They both turned their attention to the match (though Hanbin couldn’t help but look at Bobby a final time) and watched as Jinhwan lined up with his competitor.

Junhoe had been watching all of Jinhwan’s matches so far, trying to find a weakness to exploit. As confidently as he spoke about kicking Jinhwan’s ass, in reality he was a little worried. Jinhwan’s game was very tight, his balance was excellent. He fought each opponent as intelligently as he’d fought Junhoe, critical in his game plan.

Junhoe usually fought opponents with an aggressive plan of action, dominating them with his (usually) bigger size. But Jinhwan was every bit as aggressive as Junhoe usually, and he’d shut him down completely. He’d have to take a different approach with him, more reactive instead of aggressive. Try and exploit mistakes.

As expected, Jinhwan went on to win the match, and Junhoe’s gaze never left him as he celebrated his victory. Maybe it would be better for him if Jinhwan went into the fight overly confident after his first round defeat? He thought he knew Junhoe, he thought he was familiar with everything he had.

Junhoe would show him something unexpected. Jinhwan would be the one sitting in disappointment after their fight, while Junhoe would be the one holding the trophy.

“Regardless of who wins, I think we’re gonna have to elope.” Hanbin joked, standing by the counter and waiting for their order.

“Would you really run away with me?” Bobby asked, smiling cutely after asking the question.

“Well, I’d think about it.” Hanbin paid for their drinks, turning to face a now frowning Bobby after getting his change. “Don’t misunderstand! I have a little sister, she’d miss me if I left without a word.”

Bobby grinned at the new information. “How old is she?”

“Four,” Hanbin answered, and couldn’t help but smile in return at Bobby’s enthusiastic expression, “do you have any siblings?”

“I have an older brother, Jiun. He’s three years older than me.”

“Ah, so you’re the youngest and I’m the oldest!” Hanbin said, grabbing their drinks and moving to the wall.

“In our families, sure, but I’m older than you, so you’ll have to call me hyung.” Bobby leaned next to Hanbin, who grinned back at him.

“You sure you don’t want me to call you oppa?” Hanbin teased.

Bobby really hoped he wasn’t blushing.

“Ah, you can call me whatever you want!” Bobby replied, too embarrassed to tell Hanbin that oppa was exactly what he wanted Hanbin to call him. Maybe it was weird, but he kind of liked the way it sounded when Hanbin said it.

Hanbin thought back to earlier, his concerns about after the final. Time to just get it over with.

“So, what’s gonna happen after today?” He looked at Bobby, carefully schooling his expression. But Bobby’s confusion had him feeling confident.

“What do you mean?” Bobby wasn’t sure what Hanbin meant with the question. They’d exchanged numbers, surely they were going to keep talking?

“I don’t even know where you live.” Hanbin got to it quickly.

“Oh! Not that far from here, actually,” Bobby answered, “I live in Gwangjin. You?”

Hanbin felt relieved at the news. Bobby was just across the river. “We’re in Gangnam.”

Bobby’s face lit up in a smile as well. “Ah that’s not far! Honestly, I’d have gone across the city for you anyway.”

Hanbin could feel the blush spreading across his cheeks. He thought it was a bit stupid to be caught up so early, but at least Bobby seemed to be just as caught up as he was. Maybe it’ll be okay after all? “So, we’ll go on an actual date some time, then?” Hanbin asked him, just to be extra sure.

“Of course we will!” Bobby replied enthusiastically. “I mean, as long as you want to.”

Hanbin couldn’t help but laugh at the both of them, because they were both being stupidly awkward. “Yeah, I definitely want to.”

“Good, me too!” Bobby’s face turned a little red as well, because there it was, completely laid out between them, both of their emotions on display. Bobby had never exposed himself so completely to anyone before. “Junhoe won’t have a problem with us dating, will he?”

Hanbin laughed at the question. Junhoe would have a problem regardless of who it was Hanbin ended up dating, he knew that already. “Eh, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him!” Hanbin replied with a wink.

Bobby laughed at the answer. “Well, I’d say good luck, but I kind of want Jinhwan to win.”

Hanbin grinned at Bobby’s comment. “Come on, Junhoe already has one loss, Jinhwan needs one too so they can build up their rivalry for another tournament!”

Bobby laughed at him. “I’ll tell him that, see how he likes the idea! I can’t promise anything, though.” They both looked at each other for a moment, fond expressions on their faces. Bobby was the first to speak. “Alright, we should head back out. I’ll talk to you later, Hanbin-ah.”

“Bye, Bobby oppa!” Hanbin couldn’t help himself, and he knew it was worth it the second Bobby’s face lit up in a happy smile. Alright then. Oppa it would be.

Bobby left first, and Hanbin stayed behind, waiting for a moment before leaving. He didn’t expect to be joined.

“Did you just call that guy oppa? I didn’t know you had a new boyfriend.”

Hanbin looked up from the floor, eyes falling on an all too familiar face.

“Noona! You’re here already?” It was Yejin, Junhoe’s sister! Yejin’s expression was comical, and Hanbin wondered if he looked as terrified as he felt.

“Yeah, believe it or not, mom decided an hour ago that she and I would get lunch somewhere close. Wanted to be ready when my dork of a brother won his semi-final.” Yejin replied, crossing her arms over her chest. “But enough about that! Who’s the guy? And don’t say no one, okay, I can see the hearts in your eyes.”

Fuck. “Uh, just a guy I just met,” Hanbin replied honestly.

“He’s got a nice body, face could use some work though.” Yejin teased him.

“He’s got his good angles!” Hanbin said defensively, and she laughed at him.

“Ah it’s no big deal! You’ll always be the pretty one in your relationship.” Yejin winked at him and was about to walk away before Hanbin stopped her.

“Listen, can you, uh, not say anything about him?”

“Don’t tell me Junhoe doesn’t know?” Yejin looked at him incredulously. “Hanbin! You come to support my brother and instead spend your time flirting!”

“That’s not it!” Hanbin whined, wishing he didn’t have to explain. Yejin was good at keeping secrets, at least. “He’s best friends with the guy Junhoe’s fighting in the final.”

Yejin’s mouth dropped open in shock momentarily before she grinned at him. “Kim Hanbin! I can’t believe you!” She playfully punched his arm. “As much as I enjoy drama, I’ll keep your secret safe. I don’t want my brother going to jail for murdering his best friend.”

Hanbin grinned back at her, grateful she wasn’t upset with him, and that she was willing to keep his secret.

He really needed Junhoe to win.

An hour later the gym floor was set for hosting the final in the purple belt division. Junhoe’s coach was giving him last minute tactics revisions, while Jinhwan was stretching. Hanbin was sitting with Junhoe’s mother and sister (his father wasn’t able to make it, so they’d sent him pictures instead) but he was surprised to see that no one had joined Bobby to cheer on Jinhwan.

He wondered if Bobby would come to his next boxing competition? What would he do if he hadn’t told Junhoe about him yet? How was he going to handle telling his parents, but keeping it from Junhoe? It had potential disaster written all over it.

The simplicity of his looming love life depended on Junhoe winning. He’d date Bobby regardless, but if he could avoid having to deal with a moody and grumbling Junhoe, he’d be much happier.

Speaking of Bobby, Hanbin locked eyes with him and couldn’t stop from smiling when Bobby winked at him. His smile vanished when Yejin pinched him and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

“Okay, he’s got a cute smile, I’ll give him that!”

Hanbin shook his head, and a few seconds later his phone lit up with a new message.

-ur so cute when u smile :)-

Hanbin was torn between groaning at the cheesiness of Bobby’s message and revelling in the cuteness of it. His past relationship had been nothing like this, and he wasn’t even dating Bobby yet! How much worse would things get when they made it official? He looked back at Bobby, who was watching him with a fond expression. Oh, this was dangerous, openly flirting right in front of Junhoe, but Hanbin was still happy for it.

But there, in the middle of the mats, completely oblivious to the flirtation of their best friends, stood Junhoe and Jinhwan, the official in front of them. Match time had come and they stood face to face, ready for the fight.

“Fancy meeting you again!” Jinhwan greeted, friendly smile in place.

“Same. Don’t think the result is going to match though.” Junhoe replied as they shook hands.

“Agreed,” Jinhwan said as they went into their bow, his voice pleasant and sweet as honey, “I plan on making you submit this time.”

Junhoe couldn’t believe his gall! “Yeah well, FYI—I never submit.”

They stood up straight and faced each other, and Jinhwan’s expression made Junhoe think of a parent who was watching their kid do something cute but stupid. It was beyond patronizing. 

“Famous last words. I promise I’ll be gentle for your first time.”

It was honestly a skill, Junhoe thought, how cutting and mean Jinhwan could be with his words, all while retaining such a sweet expression on his face. It just made him hate the guy that much more.

“Whatever, midget. Prepare to get your ass kicked.”

Whatever reply Jinhwan was about to give was cut off by the referee clearing his throat.

“That’s enough, gentlemen. Adopt your stances and let’s begin.”

Junhoe took a deep breath and brought focus back to his thoughts. He’d almost allowed Jinhwan to throw him off his game plan with the pre-match trash talk. Terrible. Whatever. He was going to wipe the smirk off of that cute face anyway. He had plans to pin him and shove his elbow right into that stupid little heart mole.

Jinhwan, on the other hand, was every bit as calm and collected as he’d been all afternoon. He knew this kid after fighting him the day before (and watching his other matches). There was nothing in Junhoe’s arsenal that worried Jinhwan. Sure, he was bigger, stronger, but Jinhwan had him beat in terms of speed and accuracy and overall athletic ability. So far Junhoe had bulldozed his way through his matches, but Jinhwan had proven yesterday that he couldn’t be beat that way. He had yet to see Junhoe attempt any other style of fighting.

He took a deep breath and held it in until the official gave them the go ahead, at which point he advanced to meet Junhoe, both of them moving in to try and get inside each other’s guards. Jinhwan’s plan was to go for a leg sweep, dropping Junhoe from the start, but he was instead surprised with Junhoe’s opening move.

With a strong hold on Jinhwan’s arms, Junhoe dropped to his knees and flipped Jinhwan over his shoulder, landing him back first on the mat, and unlike their fight from the day before Junhoe did not let himself pause for a second when Jinhwan landed, instead locking his right arm up into a deep armbar, laying back and locking his feet at the ankles over Jinhwan’s right shoulder.

Jinhwan’s shoulder was burning at the tight hold, and the first thing he did was try to scramble out from underneath Junhoe, but the armbar was locked in too tightly and Junhoe was too heavy for Jinhwan to easily lift. Instead he grabbed Junhoe’s foot, using it as leverage, pushing it up in an attempt to get some of Junhoe’s weight off of his chest.

It was just enough for Jinhwan to finally push himself up into a sitting position, using his momentum to keep rolling forward onto his knees, taking Junhoe with him. Junhoe still had his arm caught up, but the angle wasn’t as painful anymore, and Jinhwan carefully got to his feet, aware that Junhoe could try and roll him again and Jinhwan would probably end up going with him unless that arm bar let up.

Junhoe was feeling excellent at the moment, pleased with himself for getting the first points of the match. He didn’t expect Jinhwan to tap out right away, not after their match yesterday, but he was surprised at the way Jinhwan was squirming his way to his feet. Junhoe was used to fighting guys closer to his size, so Jinhwan’s smaller stature was giving him a bit of an edge at the moment as Junhoe found that he was locking his legs a bit too far down, and Jinhwan was able to slip out of his hold.

He grudgingly moved his left foot and released his hold on his ankle, trying to gain a better position over Jinhwan’s shoulder as he got to his feet. It actually ended up working out in Junhoe’s favour, because as Jinhwan struggled to remain upright he was dragged forward by Junhoe’s heavier weight, and Junhoe seized the perfect opportunity to pull Jinhwan’s arm in further and lock his ankles behind Jinhwan’s neck in a triangle hold.

To Junhoe’s surprise, Jinhwan was actually strong enough to lift him off the floor, and when he lost the mat as a counterbalance his lock around Jinhwan’s neck slipped. Jinhwan had a hand on Junhoe’s knee and shoved his leg away at the same time as he dropped Junhoe’s weight back to the floor, and the sudden move had Junhoe losing his tight hold on Jinhwan’s right arm.

He put a foot against Jinhwan’s shoulder, trying to use his long legs in an attempt to get Jinhwan’s arm back in a locked position. But Jinhwan dropped into a crouch instead, getting closer to Junhoe on the mat so he could pull his arm back in closer to his body. He then dove across Junhoe’s legs in an attempt to pass his guard and regain control, but Junhoe used his legs to roll out, keeping Jinhwan from gaining the advantage.

They both scrambled back to their feet, but it wasn’t long before they were diving at each other again. Unlike the first match, this fight was closer. Junhoe fought with a different strategy, more intelligently as opposed to just aggressively. Jinhwan was still the overall aggressor, but Junhoe was able to block his attempts, trying to use Jinhwan’s moves against him.

It worked on a few occasions, and resulted in Junhoe gaining side guard twice, and even getting a mount position. Jinhwan seemed to be concentrating more on trying to get Junhoe’s back, which was resulting in fewer successful mounts. Where Jinhwan had beaten Junhoe readily on points in their first match, things were tighter this time around, and as the clock ticked closer to the end of the match Junhoe switched his tactics and moved in aggressively, trying to get past Jinhwan’s guard (who was currently lying on the floor beneath Junhoe), only for Jinhwan to block his mount with both knees. Junhoe was determined to power his way inside, though, wanting another three points to solidify his lead as they were coming up on what had to be the last minute.

But as Junhoe lunged forward, Jinhwan grabbed both sleeves of his gi, wrapping his fingers in them tightly to try and gain control of Junhoe’s arms, while he took the risk of bringing his knees up into his chest before digging both heels against Junhoe’s biceps, using the leverage to wiggle himself back a bit.

Junhoe felt like screaming—was Jinhwan trying to get a spider guard on him?! That wouldn’t end well for Jinhwan! Junhoe immediately pulled back against him, trying to get to his feet in order to pull off a stack pass, but again he was surprised at Jinhwan’s tenacity. Junhoe managed to get his right foot under him, but when he tried to get to his left foot, Jinhwan dropped his right leg down and jammed his knee into the back of Junhoe’s knee, collapsing his leg down. Junhoe tried again and Jinhwan denied him a second time.

Junhoe took a second to breathe and think, because the clock was still on his side.

Jinhwan did not, and the second Junhoe’s head dropped down and exposed his neck, Jinhwan drove his heel into Junhoe’s left bicep again, while simultaneously digging his left heel into Junhoe’s hip to control his forward movement. He dropped Junhoe’s left sleeve and instead sat up, grabbing a tight hold on the collar of Junhoe’s gi, pulling him forward and bringing his right arm inside his chest while popping his right leg up and behind Junhoe’s neck.

Before Junhoe could fight it, Jinhwan’s left leg was back up and hooking over his right ankle, locking the triangle choke in place. Jinhwan dropped his hold on Junhoe’s gi and reached forward, curling his own body up and grabbing the back of Junhoe’s head, forcing the full weight of the choke to compress around Junhoe’s neck.

Junhoe was stuck. Jinhwan’s lock around his neck was tight, leaving him no room to wiggle his arm out of it. He tried to get a grip on the back on Jinhwan’s gi, tried to get himself some kind of leverage, but suddenly his limbs felt heavy, leaden and tingly, and the next thing he knew he opened his eyes to see the face of the official looming over him.

What had just happened? Shouldn’t he still be in the triangle choke with Jinhwan? Unless…

Junhoe sat up and looked around, eyes falling suddenly on the beaming face of Jinhwan, posing for a picture and looking victorious.

For the first time in his competitive career, Junhoe had been choked out.

The stinging burn of rage and humiliation settled uncomfortably in his gut, made worse by the fact that he still felt heavy-limbed, still had pinpricks dancing up and down his arms. He wanted to get up and stalk away in anger, but he couldn’t actually get to his feet on his own. His coach approached him then, giving him a hand and saying something, but Junhoe wasn’t really paying attention.

He wanted to get the hell out of here and go home to nurse his wounded pride, but etiquette dictated that he still had to congratulate Jinhwan on his victory (and of course they had the medal and trophy presentation—not that Junhoe wanted his this time).

Seeing Junhoe on his feet, Jinhwan approached his opponent, friendly smile in place again. He stopped a distance away to bow, and Junhoe, who was feeling a bit better on his feet, pushed his coach’s arm away to stand on his own. He bowed back (only a half bow, because he could get away with that) and straightened up as Jinhwan approached him.

“Good fight,” Jinhwan said, and there was not a shred of malice in his eyes (which kind of made Junhoe that much angrier, because if Jinhwan presented only a polite and grateful face in victory that would make Junhoe an even bigger asshole for wanting to reach out and wring his neck), but then he leaned in to speak in a hushed voice close to Junhoe’s ear, “it wasn’t the submission I was hoping for, but it still felt really good.”

Jinhwan was lucky that Junhoe was still heavy-limbed. All he could do was stare back with fire in his eyes and fantasize about ripping Jinhwan limb from limb.

Jinhwan gave him an extra friendly squinty smile before bowing again and turning away. Junhoe finally let himself be guided back to the bench by his coach. He sat down heavily, hearing voices in his ear but ignoring them. He couldn’t believe Jinhwan had choked him out! The little midget cockroach had choked him out!

“Dude, do I have to suck your dick to get your attention?”

Junhoe’s angry inner monologue was interrupted by Hanbin’s abrupt question and he fixed his best friend with an annoyed sneer. “The fuck, Hanbin?!”

Hanbin grinned back at him, but looked sheepishly at Junhoe’s family and coach. “Uh, just making sure his hearing wasn’t damaged!”

“Sit down, idiot!” Junhoe glared at him, though he half wanted to laugh because he could just imagine the looks on the faces of the other three. Hanbin was very good at distracting from unpleasant situations.

Junhoe sat still while his coach looked him over, purposefully not listening to what he was saying. It was something about how Junhoe had been up on points, and yeah, he knew. Once again Junhoe hadn’t lost to Jinhwan—he’d lost to himself. Jinhwan had managed to get the hold only because Junhoe had dropped his head and shown his neck. That had been his mistake.

Under normal circumstances, Junhoe would be unhappy about the loss but still thrilled with having made it to the final and fighting well. But he’d never developed such an intense dislike of an opponent before, and he wasn’t comfortable with the idea of losing to Jinhwan twice in one weekend. It felt unsettling.

He didn’t think Jinhwan was a better fighter than he was (though he’d never fought someone who employed the spider guard so effectively) but he’d have to watch the fight again to see. Just to make sure that Jinhwan hadn’t simply been going easy on him in anticipation of trying to secure a hold, chasing after a submission the way he’d threatened to.

And maybe, if he was bored at some point, maybe he’d look Jinhwan up and find out where he trained. Find out if he’d be seeing him again anytime soon. Junhoe couldn’t let this defeat go.

He’d get his revenge.

Jinhwan settled comfortably back in bed, stretching his arms up over his head and yawning. He always slept well after tournaments (especially when he fought well) and tonight looked to be no exception. He was pleased with the outcome, though he was a little disappointed in the match itself. He was definitely going to have to watch it over again to see how he’d allowed Junhoe a better run this time. Junhoe had been up on him by three points when Jinhwan had gotten the triangle hold on him. Jinhwan didn’t like that at all.

He’d brought his trophy back to Bobby’s with him so his “surrogate parents” could celebrate his victory. Mrs. Kim had made him his favourite meal, and Mr. Kim had taken a picture he could use in order to create a painting from the moment (he’d already painted Jinhwan twice, but Jinhwan still felt special being asked again). Even Jiun had captured Jinhwan up in a tight hug when he’d gotten home from work, overjoyed at the victory and teasing Bobby over being the less accomplished of the two.

As he’d promised Bobby, Jinhwan had taken a picture and sent it to his mother to let her know about his victory, but he’d sent it nearly six hours ago (and had conveniently left his phone in his room while they celebrated so he wouldn’t keep checking for his mother’s reply).

But it was midnight and he was alone in the room now, trophy and medal on the table beside his bed, and with nervous fingers he unlocked his phone and checked his messages. There were a few new ones, but he didn’t read those right away.

Instead he opened the conversation between he and his mother, looking down at the picture he’d sent her (at 6:09), his own smiling face peeking out behind the trophy. According to the conversation notifications she’d opened the picture—

message read @ 6:12

But, as usual...

No reply.

“So what time do you wanna go see a movie on Friday? I have to go do some stupid family thing right after class, so I was thinking maybe we do like a nine o’clock? Get some food before?” Junhoe sank down next to Hanbin in their usual spot in the cafeteria, eager to dig into his lunch. He’d skipped breakfast again and he’d been certain that his stomach had been plotting to start eating its own lining during math.

Hanbin had been dreading this moment ever since he’d agreed to the date last night. He usually spent his Friday nights with Junhoe, but Bobby was busy the rest of the weekend and Hanbin really didn’t want to wait any longer.

“Bro, new tradition this weekend! Let’s do a Saturday movie instead!” Hanbin replied, wondering how much detail Junhoe was going to demand and how much he could skip.

Junhoe’s eyes narrowed immediately at Hanbin’s reply. “What’s going on Friday?”

Hanbin took a deep breath before answering. “I have plans.” Best to start with as little as possible and work his way up.

Junhoe looked annoyed at the answer. “Yeah, and they’re with me, asshole.”

“I have a date.” Maybe a sudden info drop would frazzle him enough into not demanding details?

“Fuck you mean you have a date?” Junhoe asked, and he sounded every bit as offended as he looked.

“Someone asked me out and I said yes.” Hanbin said, dreading having to give any further info. Why didn’t he come up with a fabricated story? Why? He’d had all day.

“Who the hell would ask you out?” Junhoe asked.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hanbin snapped back, playing into the offended game, hoping that maybe it could get him out of explaining himself.

“Sorry, that came out wrong,” Junhoe replied, “I just mean, why haven’t I heard about this guy until now?” Hanbin shrugged, and Junhoe pouted. “Unless it’s your neighbour?”

Fuck. Why hadn’t Hanbin thought of that?? It was too late to use him now, though. “Nope, not the neighbour. You, uh, don’t know this guy.” That was kind of a lie, well not really, because Junhoe didn’t know him, but he would certainly recognize him...

“At all?” Junhoe frowned, turning in his seat to look at Hanbin.

“Nope.” Hanbin met his eyes briefly before turning his attention to his lunch.

“What’s his name? Where did you meet him?”

“God, Junhoe, I didn’t think you’d want to play twenty questions!” Hanbin shot back, shovelling rice into his mouth.

Junhoe wasn’t falling for it though. “Don’t give me that bullshit, you always tell me about dudes you’re into. Who is this guy?”

“Fuck, give a guy a chance to eat first, mom.” Hanbin took a sip of his Pepsi, scrambling to come up with a story in his head. He could just tell the truth? Or at least partial? After all, it’s not like Junhoe would recognize the name.

“You’re acting super suspicious, Bin! I’m not gonna like this guy, am I?” Junhoe finally picked up his chopsticks, his stomach protesting at not being fed yet.

“Honestly, you’d probably like him,” Hanbin answered, and was about to say more but instead opted for another mouthful of food.

“But?” Junhoe prompted, because he knew how Hanbin’s brain worked.

But what? Bunny teeth.

“But, you’ll probably say he’s not good looking enough for me.” Hanbin answered, and he had to pat himself on the back because it was true. Junhoe was vain. Hanbin was not, but then when you had a face like Junhoe’s it wasn’t really surprising. You could afford to be picky.

“Bro, come on! How many times do we have to go over this? You’re nowhere near as ugly as you keep saying you are. You’re actually really cute, if you want my honest opinion. You’re not gonna date an ugly guy. Not on my watch.” Junhoe shook his head and felt like slapping some sense into Hanbin. He knew that Hanbin didn’t really think he was ugly, but he made enough self deprecating jokes about having a monkey face that it got on Junhoe’s nerves. He’d actually probably date Hanbin if he was a stranger, and Junhoe didn’t think about dating ugly people.

“Okay he’s not like, super ugly,” Hanbin actually thought he was pretty hot, at least at certain angles, “but he’s got a charm about him--”

“A charm?!” Junhoe interrupted. “Fuck, Hanbin! Love yourself, bro.”

Hanbin elbowed Junhoe. “Shut up!” Okay, this was actually going all right, maybe he’d just play up on the whole low standards thing that Junhoe always accused him of. Keep the topic off of who to save him from giving an answer.

“Seriously, I think I should meet this guy. I need to give him my approval before I let him take my Friday night plans away from me.”

“Absolutely not!” Hanbin replied, because there was no way Hanbin could get away with meeting Bobby in peace if Junhoe knew who he was.

“Come on, he doesn’t even have to know? Where are you meeting? We can go there together and hide, and you point him out when he gets there. I’ll wander up for a closer look, and then if I disapprove, we’re gonna go see a movie instead. If I approve, and that’s unlikely if you think I’m going to think he’s ugly, but on the off chance that I approve, then you can come out of your hiding spot and go meet him.”

Hanbin shook his head, half in amusement and half in disdain. Junhoe wasn’t even joking--he’d really do the whole thing if Hanbin agreed to it. “No! Honestly, it’s a first date, Junhoe, I might not even like him. If that’s the case I’ll text you and if you’re alone, which you probably will be because you’re annoying as fuck and I’m the only person who likes you, then I’ll skip out early and we’ll go see a movie.”

Junhoe huffed again, shovelling in another mouthful of food. Why was Hanbin being so difficult? It felt weird. Hanbin never kept information from him (even on those rare occasions when Junhoe wished he would) so the fact that Hanbin wasn’t telling him details about this guy painted the whole thing in a really suspicious light.

“Okay let’s rewind, you didn’t even answer my question. What’s his name, and where did you meet him?” When Hanbin took a little too long to answer Junhoe called him on it. “You’d better tell me the truth, asshole! Don’t try and lie to me, you know you’re terrible at it.”

Oh God, what could he say? How could he phrase this in a way that would explain his unwillingness to tell him anything in the first place?

“Okay, well, his name is Bobby--”

“Is he American?” Junhoe interrupted, surprised at the possibility. Hanbin’s English was far superior to Junhoe’s own (mostly because he’d spent four years in the US as a kid, so his pronunciation was annoyingly perfect even if his vocabulary had taken a hit recently) but was it good enough to date some dude from abroad?

“No, he just lived in the US for a few years, and kind of adopted his American name. He’s Korean.” Okay, so far so good.

Junhoe nodded, taking a mouthful of kimchi fried rice. When Hanbin didn’t say anything else Junhoe prompted him even with his mouth full. “Go on!”

“We met on the weekend,” Hanbin began, carefully leaving certain information out, “we met at the tournament.”

Junhoe looked every bit as scandalized as Hanbin had expected.

“I can’t believe you! This is why we have trust issues, asshole. You were there for me, what are you doing chatting some random dude up?” Okay, Junhoe knew full well that maybe he was being a little ridiculous with his response to the situation, but still! It’s not like he was off the mark. Hanbin went to Junhoe’s tournaments to support him. Not to look for a boyfriend.

“See this is why I didn’t want to tell you!” Hanbin whined, playing up his reaction. “It’s not like I went there specifically to scope guys out--”

“Bullshit! You whined about how there was no eye candy on the first day--”

“Well yeah but that’s eye candy! You don’t converse with eye candy, you just look at it.”

Junhoe shook his head in disgust. “God, and you call me vain!”

“You are!” Hanbin retorted, downing a bite of pork. “Anyway, I met this guy when I was buying drinks--”

“I knew it!” Junhoe interrupted again, “I remember you took a while to get back and I asked you and you said that there was just a huge line and only one person working.”

Fuck. “Well, that was true! And while we--”

“It’s a lie! You actually told me you were delayed because some old person was trying to pay with a ton of change. Holy fuck, Hanbin, you lied to me twice!” Junhoe dropped his chopsticks down onto his plate, appetite forgotten momentarily. Why was Hanbin lying to him?

Hanbin could feel his cheeks getting red and he quickly took a drink, swallowing it slowly and trying to stay calm in the face of Junhoe’s impending lecture. Any second now…

“This is exactly why you shouldn’t bother lying to me!”

Here we go.

“You’re a shit liar, you can never keep your story straight. God, you’d make the worst accomplice in a crime. I’d have to kill you afterwards in order to keep myself out of jail.”

Despite the lecture, Hanbin couldn’t help but grin. Junhoe was hilarious when he got upset. Maybe it was a dick move to lie to him about things, and maybe it was even worse for him to laugh when Junhoe called him on it, but he couldn’t help himself. Junhoe was honestly the most dramatic person Hanbin had ever known in his entire life and he loved it.

Junhoe paused in his rant, critical eyes on his best friend. Hanbin didn’t even look remorseful, Junhoe could see his eye smile already!

“I can’t believe my best friend is that selfish.”

“Oh come on!” Hanbin couldn’t help but laugh. “It wasn’t that bad!”

“Not that bad?! You sacrificed my hydration for a potential hookup!” Junhoe whined, picking his chopsticks up again.

Hanbin laughed even harder at that and felt tears at the corners of his eyes.

“Not to mention--” Junhoe started in again, “he’s not even hot? I think that’s the worst of it? I mean okay, fine, you’ve been single for a while and I get it, but if you’re going to compromise my health at least make sure it’s for a hot guy?!”

Hanbin nearly snorted Pepsi out of his nose and seconds later was caught in a coughing fit so bad that Junhoe reluctantly slapped him on the back a few times to help clear his airway.

“There’s your karma for lying to me, at least.” Junhoe remarked as Hanbin continued coughing into his fist.

Whatever. Hanbin would take it, so long as Junhoe didn’t ask for any further details.

Jinhwan had been going at it for over an hour already, taking advantage of the empty house to get in some practice for his upcoming examination. Even though Bobby’s parents never complained about the noise from his practice sessions (in fact they were the opposite, and encouraged him to play for them whenever possible) he still felt a little invasive about it.

He laid down on his bed to give his lips a rest, placing his trumpet down beside him, and reached for his phone. He read a few articles (celebrity gossip, a guilty pleasure) and was about to pick the trumpet back up when he got a message. He didn’t pay attention to who it was from and opened it, but the tone of the message made the sender so obvious that he didn’t even need to look at the name.

Heard about your results on the weekend—congrats! As always, I’m very proud of you.

He stared at the message for longer than he should have, torn between deleting it without saying anything and making a phone call. In the end he opted for a one-word response.

Thx.

Was it going to be the same after every competition this year? Forced into some attempted conversation by way of compliments? Jinhwan hated how much the words meant to him, how they had him switching back and forth between elation and rage, longing and detachment.

They were supposed to be over, so why was he still so stupidly caught up?

Whatever. It wasn’t worth obsessing over.

He stood and picked his trumpet back up, not wanting to waste his last hour of alone time. He needed to put in a lot of practice before his exam to make up for the time he’d lost over the weekend. He was planning on playing the first movement of Haydn’s trumpet concerto, and had been practicing it for over two months.

While he wanted to do the exam for his own reasons, he was also doing it to appease his mother. She desperately wanted him to place well and secure entrance into the music program at the National Arts University. He wanted it too, but…

Until two years ago he hadn’t really thought that there could be any option for him other than following his family’s plans, but then everything had changed. He’d gotten a new jiu-jitsu coach, a young guy who’d spent a few years studying in California with the legendary Gracie family, and his stories were everything to Jinhwan, they were whispers of a future he could probably have if he worked hard.

Just like that, his childhood dream of being named principal trumpeter with the Seoul Orchestra had been replaced with something that was both more exciting and a little simpler: opening his own jiu-jitsu studio. He’d still compete, of course, maybe internationally, representing Korea? But even if his dreams didn’t get that far, having his own studio and competing was enough. Training others in the sport that he lived for was enough to send him to sleep with a smile on his face most nights.

Or at least it had been. Still was, when he didn’t let his thoughts wander down certain paths. He looked back at his phone (he didn’t mean to, but his subconscious had gotten the better of him) and the red light had his stomach in knots.

He laid his trumpet back down and picked up his phone (maybe it was just a message from a friend?) because he wouldn’t be able to concentrate on his music with the uncertainty looming over him.

It was exactly what he’d been worried about, though, the same question he kept dodging and hedging and not answering.

You have a chance to look over that application yet? I know California’s a long way away, but you should really think about this, Jinhwan. I think you’d learn a lot, probably get your black belt in a year if you really studied hard! I don’t want you to waste your talent. Just think about it, okay? I’m always here for questions.

Always here for questions.

Where the fuck were the answers, though?

He tossed the phone down and picked his trumpet back up, intent on putting it out of his head now that he’d read the message. Regardless of what he decided to do at the end of the year, he was still going to sit his music exam anyway.

But ten minutes into practice and the melody was sounding flat.

Fuck him!

Jinhwan picked his phone back up, but instead of dialing the number he wanted to dial (whether to scream curses or talk about California, he wasn’t entirely sure) he called his mom. She picked up right away.

“Hello sweetheart! To what do I owe this call?”

Jinhwan smiled when he heard her voice. His relationship with his mother was an odd thing, and it didn’t help his situation at all. She flat-out refused to support his jiu-jitsu (to the extent of ignoring it entirely), but she was his biggest fan when it came to his music.

“Just practicing for my exam,” he answered, “wondering if you had a few minutes to take a listen?”

“Of course I do, baby! Facetime me so I can see you, it’s been too long since I’ve seen your handsome face.”

Jinhwan groaned into the phone, but it still made him smile. He rang her on the video app, grinning and waving when her face popped up in his screen.

“Hey mom!” Despite the continued disappoint over her treatment of his fighting, he missed her ever since he’d left home. He didn’t miss the arguments about his future, though.

“Ah there you are! You look good. Bobby’s family is feeding you well, I see!”

Jinhwan smiled and nodded. “Yeah, they’re still out at work right now, Bobby has basketball practice so I’m home alone.”

“Ah, a good time for practice. Well then let’s hear it!”

Jinhwan set his phone up on his desk, adjusting it so he was visible to her. Even when he was upset, playing for his mom had a way of ensuring he focused entirely on the music, shoving everything else out of his head. It wasn’t fear of a poor performance that drove him to play well for her, but his entire love of music came from his mother. She was a principal violinist for the Jeju orchestra, and had been for as long as he could remember. He played well because it was the strongest bond that connected them, and he wanted it to continue flourishing.

He took a deep breath and started to play out of memory, the movements coming to him second nature. He got through three minutes of it before making a huge error—flubbing a note so terribly that he had to stop and laugh.

He was met by the ringing laughter of his mother over the phone, and he looked at her with a cutely apologetic expression.

“Ah, sweetheart! Was that your attempt at an ad lib?” She teased him, and Jinhwan grinned at her.

“It was a failed attempt, clearly!” That made her laugh too, and Jinhwan was grateful that she understood when to offer her actual critique, and when to laugh. He knew what he’d done wrong and he knew how to fix it, and she knew that he had it under control. But even the best musicians still made errors from time to time. It was an important part of human life.

“Well, I thought it was perfect up until then!” She continued. “Your playing is so gorgeous, sweetheart. Every time I watch you, I’m astounded at how well you play.” She paused for a moment to let it sink in, and he just smiled back at her. “I’m so proud of you, Jinhwan-ie.”

It felt so nice to hear those words from her.

“Thanks, mom!”

“Did your sister give you details on her performance in two weeks? You’ll be going to see her, won’t you?”

“Of course! I’m excited, Bobby’s dad is going to pick her up at the airport when she gets in, and we’ll have dinner with her on her first night.” Jinhwan’s sister, Seiyeon, was a flutist with the Jeju orchestra, and she was appearing in Seoul for a special show in two weeks time. Despite the six year age gap Jinhwan was very close with his sister. He saw her slightly more often than his mother, but he still missed her just as much.

“Oh good! I’m sorry I can’t come up as well what with our recordings going on.”

“I know, it’s okay. It’ll be nice for us to spend some time together anyway.” Jinhwan had been thinking about asking Seiyeon for her opinion on the possibility of California, desperate to discuss it with someone in his family. Not that Seiyeon was a big fan of his jiu-jitsu, but she didn’t flat out oppose it the way his mother did. Maybe she’d even support his idea if he presented it to her properly?

Probably not, but it was a nice fantasy.

“Hey, Mrs. Kim!”

Jinhwan pivoted in just enough time to catch Bobby as he launched himself into the video frame, waving excitedly at Jinhwan’s mother.

“Hello, Bobby! What a pleasant surprise!”

Jinhwan slung his arm around Bobby’s waist. “I thought you had basketball for another hour?”

“Got cut short, and it’s a good thing, too! Why don’t you ever call your mom when I’m around?” Bobby scolded him teasingly.

“She’s my mom, Bobby! Maybe I want her to myself!”

“He’s so mean, isn’t he? I’m really trying to make him nicer, I swear!” Bobby joked, and it earned him an elbow to the stomach.

Jinhwan shoved Bobby back onto his bed before looking back into the phone at his mom. “I guess I should go, but thanks for listening to my piece! Next time I’ll watch my breathing at that spot.”

His mom smiled back at him. “Of course you will, I look forward to hearing the entire thing next time, okay?” He nodded and promised he’d call her soon, and Bobby popped back up as Jinhwan was saying his goodbyes, waving to Jinhwan’s mom. Jinhwan plugged his phone in when the call ended, bracing himself for the question he knew was coming.

“Did she say anything about--”

“No, of course not.”

“Did you ask her--”

“No! Bobby, we’ve been over this, and I really wish you’d respect my feelings on the subject. I made peace with the fact that mom doesn’t care about my fighting, okay? I won’t keep hassling her about it.” Jinhwan hated having this conversation with Bobby over and over again. He knew Bobby meant well, but Jinhwan was growing increasingly tired of hearing it.

“But it’s important to you, so it should be important to her too.” Bobby laid down on Jinhwan’s bed, stretching out completely. Jinhwan turned to fix him with an irritated glare.

“Why are you so pushy about this? Why can’t you just drop it like I ask you to? Honestly, you’re stressing me out.” Jinhwan grabbed his trumpet and began packing it away. Maybe he’d take it back out when Bobby’s parents got home and play a little for them.

Jinhwan didn’t mean to get pouty, but it was annoying, the constant lecturing about how important family support was. In his opinion, Bobby was lecturing the wrong person.

“Sorry,” Bobby said, half serious and half sarcastic, “I just want your mom to support you.”

“Why didn’t you say something to her, then? Take the pressure off of me.” Jinhwan sulkily replied.

“Maybe I will!” Bobby replied with a grin. “Next time you get her on Facetime let me know and I’ll give you some family counseling.”

Jinhwan rolled his eyes and shook his head, but he knew the lecture was over for now. He climbed onto his bed next to Bobby, slumping against him until his head was resting on Bobby’s chest.

“How’d basketball go, anyway? At least before it got cut short?”

“Good!” Bobby’s response was enthusiastic. “I dummied Chanu on some free throws today, it was great!”

“What a badass, picking on junior players!” Jinhwan teased, reaching out to tickle Bobby, who squirmed out of the way.

“Hey man, they gotta learn!”

“Doesn’t Chanwoo usually school you on free throws? How do you know he wasn’t just letting you win?” Jinhwan couldn’t help but tease him over this, and he laughed when Bobby scowled at him.

“He wouldn’t do that, he’s got too much pride to fake lose, especially to me!” Despite the three year age difference, Bobby had taken Chanwoo under his wing, treating him like a real younger brother. Jinhwan thought it was cute. It didn’t help that Chanwoo had grown three inches over the year—he’d been shorter than Bobby when the year had started, and he’d just recently surpassed him in height. Bobby didn’t like talking about that, though.

“So, have you decided what you’re gonna wear on your date on Friday?” Jinhwan asked, rolling onto his stomach in order to look up at Bobby.

“Ah, I don’t know, I don’t need anything special, right? We’re just going to see a movie.” Bobby wasn’t really the sort who planned for things like this. But then again, he did really like Hanbin, so should he put in more effort than usual? Would Hanbin?

“You need to look good! It’s supposed to be warm on Friday, so wear a tank top under a jacket so you can show off your arms. You were wearing a hoodie on the weekend, he doesn’t know you have muscular arms, does he? Unless you’ve sent him shirtless selfies?” Jinhwan squeezed one of Bobby’s arms, grinning when he made Bobby blush.

“No, I haven’t sent him any selfies!” Bobby thought Jinhwan was onto something with the tank top idea. Hanbin was an athlete, so he probably liked guys with nice bodies. Probably…

“Good, wear your tighter jeans, too, it’ll emphasize your upper half.” Recently Bobby had started wearing baggy pants, and Jinhwan thought it was unfortunate. Bobby had a nice body, naturally lean and prone to building muscle on top. He was jealous of it, because despite being in top shape, sometimes Jinhwan thought he still looked a little soft, probably because of his face and his height. He envied Bobby’s ability to look intimidating.

“Do you think I should send Hanbin a selfie?” Bobby was still caught on the idea, but he didn’t know if it was too early to be sending each other pictures. He wouldn’t mind having a picture of Hanbin, though.

“Oh sure,” Jinhwan replied, grinning mischievously, “take it fresh out of the shower, complete with water droplets on your skin!”

Bobby pinched his arm. “I’m being serious! Would it be weird if I sent him one?”

Jinhwan studied Bobby’s expression, smiling when he saw that Bobby actually looked serious. “I can’t get over how cute you are with this whole thing! Honestly, I’ve never seen you act this way over a guy before.”

“What are you talking about?” Bobby questioned, not wanting to admit Jinhwan’s point.

“You’re actually asking me about timing. Is it too early to send a selfie? Are you kidding me? You never care about this sort of stuff!” Jinhwan was in a teasing mood, but he also thought it was really cute.

Bobby turned on his side, temporarily shoving Jinhwan away. Okay, maybe Jinhwan had a point, but still!

“I just don’t want to fuck this up.”

Jinhwan crawled up Bobby’s side until his chin was resting on his friend’s arm. “You’re not gonna fuck anything up by sending him a really hot picture of yourself, don’t be ridiculous.”

“You don’t know that! What if he thinks I’m being too pushy? That’s a possibility, right?” Bobby wasn’t usually so self-conscious about the hazards of dating, but he’d never met someone he liked as much as Hanbin. He couldn’t help but be nervous.

“So ask him to send you one first?” Jinhwan offered, eyeing Bobby’s phone and feeling mischievous.

“Nah, that would be weird!” Bobby wanted to. God he’d kill for a cute selfie from Hanbin!

“Gimme your phone,” Jinhwan demanded, grabbing it out of Bobby’s hand and typing in his password, “I’ll settle this for you.”

Bobby groaned and thought about taking the phone back, but he figured Jinhwan was just playing with him, trying to tease him into sending Hanbin a message. So instead he just laid back and let Jinhwan pretend to type out a message, not falling for his trick.

“Hi, cutiepie! Oppa misses your face, can you send me a pic? ” Jinhwan dictated, grinning back at Bobby. “Let’s see what we get!”

Bobby laughed at him. “Ah, that was good, I should take notes from the master.”

Jinhwan winked at him and was about to reply before the phone dinged with a received message. Bobby looked at him with wide eyes. Jinhwan hadn’t really sent that message, had he?

Jinhwan looked down at the screen, whistling in appreciation. “You know, I must not have gotten a good look at Hanbin! He’s even cuter than I remember. Kinda surprised he’s going out with you.” Jinhwan couldn’t help but tease, not dodging when Bobby pried his phone out of Jinhwan’s hands.

“I am going to kill you--” Bobby’s threat stopped immediately when his eyes fell on the screen. It suddenly didn’t matter what message Jinhwan had sent Hanbin, because the picture he got just now was perfect. Hanbin’s intense eyes were the focus, but Bobby also couldn’t help but stare at Hanbin’s perfectly pouty lips, too.

How on earth had he actually snagged this?

Jinhwan grinned as he watched Bobby. This was almost like seeing a cute romance movie play out right in front of his own eyes, and it was refreshing. “You’re welcome, by the way!”

Bobby blushed and flopped back against his pillow. He quickly set Hanbin’s picture as both his background and his lock screen. He’d change it before Friday, because maybe that would be a bit much.

“Are you gonna send him one back?” Jinhwan asked, amused at Bobby’s blissful expression.

Bobby looked at their conversation, only now seeing Hanbin’s request for a return photo.

They were really doing this.

“What should I send him?” Bobby asked, suddenly nervous. Hanbin had just sent him the single most perfect picture Bobby had ever seen. How could he possibly send him something as good back?

Jinhwan reached for the phone again, opening the camera up and snapping a quick picture of Bobby laid back against the pillow. Bobby had an interesting face, in Jinhwan’s opinion. Sometimes he looked like the most attractive guy to ever exist, and other times the only word to describe him was definitely ugly . Bobby’s appearance relied on good angles. Jinhwan had managed to capture Bobby at his best, his sharp features softened in a half smile, with the added benefit of Bobby’s arm tucked in behind his head and showing off his bicep.

“Here you go, and once again, you’re welcome!” Jinhwan grinned as he watched Bobby’s expression.

“Wow,” Bobby stared at his own picture, somewhat in awe that it was his own face, “you should be my personal photographer. I always take such shitty pictures, but yours always turn out so good!” He quickly set about sending it to Hanbin, his stomach clenched in nerves while he waited for a response.

“Just add it to my list of things I do perfectly!” Jinhwan replied, pleased at being able to help Bobby out. “Tell me what he says!”

Hanbin’s replies had come lightning quick and Bobby was beaming.

holy shit
holy SHIT?
how are you so hot
im so lucky
thx oppa ;)

Jinhwan grabbed the phone again just to read the messages, groaning out loud (though on the inside he was elated at Hanbin’s enthusiastic response) and he put the phone back into Bobby’s hand.

“God, you two are utterly disgusting, you know that, right?”

Bobby laughed and blushed, unsure how to handle the situation without looking like a fool. He always found it a little difficult to accept compliments (especially on his looks) but something about Hanbin’s compliments made him feel like the most attractive guy on Earth.

Friday couldn’t come soon enough.

“So that’s the story. It’s strange, right hyung? Why is he so against giving me more details? Something weird’s gotta be going on.”

Yunhyeong sighed, giving it a moment before replying lest Junhoe interrupt him with another five minute rant. He was supposed to be tutoring Junhoe in math right now (they should have started fifteen minutes ago) but Junhoe’s mind clearly wasn’t on it. Yunhyeong was mildly annoyed but he let it slide for two reasons:

1. He enjoyed the drama and liked that Junhoe was coming to him for advice;
2. He was still getting paid.

“I agree, it does sound a little fishy, but then again, you did mention your track record when it came to Hanbin’s attempts at dating, so it makes sense that he’d keep those details from you if he really likes this guy.”

Junhoe waved the comment off dismissively. “I don’t buy it. He’s never refused to tell me where he’s going before! It just feels weird, I feel like I need to spy on him and follow him on Friday.”

“Whoa, hold on! Now you’re getting to absurd levels of interest. You can’t stalk Hanbin, Junhoe! Just let him have this one date in peace.” Yunhyeong hadn’t realized the attachment issues between Junhoe and Hanbin were so dire. Maybe Junhoe needed a firmer intervention? For Hanbin’s sake.

“I wouldn’t stalk him! You’re making it sound so dramatic.” Stalk was the wrong word. He’d just follow Hanbin. Just until he got to where he was going. In case something happened.

“How does Hanbin put up with you? You’re insane.” Yunhyeong regretted the words as soon as Junhoe levelled him with an angry glare.

“I’m just worried about my best friend, okay? What if he got mixed up with some weirdo?”

“He already is mixed up a weirdo, Junhoe! Look in the mirror.” Yunhyeong grinned, proud of himself for the joke.

Junhoe just shook his head and looked away. He wasn’t being ridiculous, was he? He was just worried about Hanbin. Nothing more.

“Okay if you want my honest opinion,” Yunhyeong started, waiting until he could tell that Junhoe was paying attention, “I think you’re just jealous.”

“I am not!” Junhoe cut in. “I could get a date any time!”

“Not of Hanbin. You’re jealous of the guy he’s going out with.”

Junhoe laughed at the comment. “You think I want to date Hanbin? That’s hilarious, hyung, honestly.”

“No!” Yunhyeong really thought Junhoe would cut a lot of drama out of his life if he learned how to listen to an entire thought first before interrupting. “But you’re used to having Hanbin all to yourself, and now that he’s made plans without consulting you first, you automatically think that means he’s trying to replace you. So you naturally want to fight whoever this new guy is, because Hanbin’s yours, and you don’t want someone else getting involved that’ll take him away from you.”

Junhoe listened with growing irritation. Yunhyeong wasn’t right, no way. Sure, Junhoe was a little jealous at the idea of Hanbin hanging out with someone else, but that was just a tiny little part of the problem. A minor annoyance. Barely even an annoyance at all.

“He’s not mine, hyung! I don’t own him.”

Yunhyeong snorted. “Look in the mirror and tell that to yourself, I think it’s something you need to hear.”

Junhoe kept quiet, fighting back the urge to argue with Yunhyeong. He wasn’t possessive with Hanbin (okay maybe he was just a tiny bit, a mere fraction) and it probably sounded worse to someone outside of his head than it did to him. Whatever. He’d be fine. It was just one Friday. He could handle one Friday without Hanbin.

Probably.

“Are you always this obsessed with him, or did getting knocked out over the weekend knock the sense out of you as well?” Yunhyeong teased.

“I didn’t get knocked out!” Junhoe grumbled, “I got choked out. There’s a difference.”

“Not much of a difference, either way you got your ass kicked.” Yunhyeong thought it was good that Junhoe had lost over the weekend. While he liked the guy, sometimes his ego got a little out of control. Losing a fight was good for him.

“He didn’t kick my ass! ” Junhoe grumbled again, annoyed that they’d moved on to this topic. “I was actually kicking his ass, I just got unlucky.” He’d reviewed the footage again with his coach and felt a little better about the fight. He’d done a much better job the second time around of protecting his guard, and he’d been tighter in his movements. He was still nagged with a bit of doubt though because as good as he’d looked, Jinhwan had only seemed to be going for his back (trying to get a submission, of course). Would he have done as well had Jinhwan tried going for any mount at all?

“Choke outs are one thing, anyone could lock a choke if you get the positioning right,” Junhoe carried on, “but there’s no way that little midget could ever knock me out.”

Yunhyeong grinned at Junhoe’s response. Clearly the situation really bothered him. Yunhyeong thought it was good for him. “Midget? I thought jiu-jitsu was particularly useful when you fought against people who were bigger than you. So you don’t have to feel bad just ‘cause the guy was smaller than you.”

“I don’t need your fake sympathy, hyung! I’m over it, okay? Next time I fight the guy it’s going to be a different outcome. That’s all that needs to be said.”

Yunhyeong bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. Junhoe was entertaining when he got all riled up. But that was enough for one night. “All right, I’m sorry I brought it up. Back to math?”

Junhoe could have kept going, almost wanted to explain to Yunhyeong exactly how he planned to take Jinhwan down next time. But they’d already spent nearly half an hour of study time on this, and if Junhoe’s mother found out she probably wouldn’t let him fight in the next tournament.

“Yeah sure, back to math.”

Bobby fiddled with the zipper on his jacket, trying to keep his mind off of the time. Hanbin had texted him and said he’d be fifteen minutes late (which wouldn’t have been a problem had Bobby’s nerves not gotten the best of him and he’d showed up an hour early). He didn’t mind, because they had more than enough time to get food before the movie. But he couldn’t help but wonder why Hanbin was running late? Was he having second thoughts? Had he decided after all that he didn’t want to go out with him?

Bobby knew that wasn’t really the case. Hanbin’s text had ended off with an enthusiastic “can’t wait to see you!!” after all, so it’s not like he was being closed off and suspicious. But still.

Bobby just hadn’t looked forward to a date so much and he worried that maybe he was setting himself up for something unrealistic? Sure, he and Hanbin seemed perfectly compatible so far, but maybe they’d find things about each other that annoyed them tonight. Maybe he wouldn’t even want a second date? Or worse—he would, but Hanbin wouldn’t?

It’s not that Bobby was self-conscious (well he was, but not that much) but this whole thing seemed to be happening so quickly and didn’t those kinds of relationships always fizzle out? Jiun had warned him about that, had told him that when he’d been Bobby’s age, he thought he’d met the girl of his dreams and everything had been perfect for two weeks, but then they’d gotten bored with each other. It had happened to him twice, actually. The girl he was with now (who he’d been with for two and a half years) had been a different story. They hadn’t even been interested in each other at first, and had only ended up on a “date” because the people they were originally going to go out with hadn’t shown up.

Jiun liked to say it’s was God’s intervention, and while Bobby groaned and told him he was being disgustingly sappy, on the inside he actually thought it was probably true, and he wondered if God was the one responsible for scheduling that first round matchup between Jinhwan and Junhoe, ensuring he’d have a reason to talk to Hanbin?

It would be nice to know his relationship had God’s blessing.

His musing was interrupted by a swatting hand knocking his snapback off his head. He craned his neck to look at the intruder as he dove forward to grab his hat (it was new!) and scowled when he saw the grinning face of Jung Chanwoo.

“Chanu-ya! What the hell!” He slipped the hat back on and stood up.

“Sorry hyung, there was a bug on your head.” Chanwoo replied with a grin.

“The only bug here is you.” Bobby sulked back, still frowning.

“Oooh, that was clever, hyung!” Chanwoo laughed.

Bobby shook his head and tried not to grin. He liked Chanwoo a lot, thought of him like a younger brother even though Chanwoo teased him all the time. “Why are you bothering me, anyway? Go away, I’m busy.”

Chanwoo looked around the area before turning back to Bobby. “Ah right, I can see you’re here with all your friends! So sorry for interrupting you, hyung!”

“I’m actually on a date, so you need to go!”

“You’re on a date? With who, yourself?” Chanwoo laughed and Bobby bit the inside of his mouth trying not to smile.

“I’m waiting for my date, asshole! Get out of here.”

“Ah right, well, keep waiting, hyung! When you’re missing from class on Monday, I’ll know where to find you!” Chanwoo barely moved out of the way in time as Bobby lunged at him, running away and shouting a hasty goodbye back at him. Bobby laughed then as he waved him off, secretly grateful for the interruption.

He saw Hanbin when he turned around to sit back down and Bobby forgot to breathe for a few seconds. Hanbin was wearing his hair swept back off his forehead and Bobby almost didn’t recognize him. When he’d first looked at him, and every subsequent time, he’d thought Hanbin was cute. But this, with his hair swept back?

This had to be God giving his blessing, right?!

Hanbin approached him with a smile on his face and Bobby could see Hanbin’s eyes giving him a lengthy once-over and he was glad Jinhwan had helped him pick out an outfit. Hanbin’s smile was wider by the time his eyes made it back up to Bobby’s face.

“Hey, sorry I’m late! Had to drop my sister off with my uncle.” Hanbin stopped just in front of Bobby, smile faltering just a little at the look on Bobby’s face.

Bobby was still shocked over the transformation with the hair, but he quickly recovered and smiled back at Hanbin. “Oh, that’s fine, really! Not a problem, family first.” He couldn’t focus on anything other than how good Hanbin looked right now. Bobby honestly just wanted to lean forward and kiss him.

Hanbin smiled again after Bobby’s comment, but they stood in silence for a few seconds before he finally broke it. “You look really good, hyung.” Hanbin’s eyes were drawn back to Bobby’s chest, the tank top just tight enough to show off an outline of Bobby’s defined muscles. Hanbin loved muscular guys.

Bobby blushed at the compliment, feeling weirdly shy before getting a grip on himself. “Ah, thanks! But you’re the one who looks amazing tonight.” Bobby had been so fixated on Hanbin’s change in hairstyle that he hadn’t even paid attention to what he was wearing. But the ripped skinny jeans and white leather jacket definitely only reinforced how hot Hanbin looked tonight. Bobby almost wanted to skip the movie and suggest they do…other things.

But he didn’t want to give Hanbin the wrong impression. Concentrating on conversation might be hard, though.

Hanbin blushed too at Bobby’s compliment, pleased to hear it. He’d spent two hours agonizing over what to wear (and had changed his outfit four times, annoying his mother for her opinion) until finally his father had broken down and interrupted, gifting Hanbin with the new leather jacket he was wearing (“this was supposed to be a birthday present, but since you’re in dire need of something special, you’re getting it early!”).

Hanbin didn’t usually put such an effort into what he wore, despite having a minor interest in fashion, but he really wanted to make a good impression tonight. Which was probably stupid, because hadn’t he already made a good impression?

Bobby finally got his thoughts sorted out and kicked his brain back into gear. “So, do you have any preference about what we eat? There’s a bunch of places around.”

Hanbin shrugged. “I’m good with everything really. Whatever you want is okay with me. I’ll eat anything.”

Usually Bobby had no problem making decisions, but for some reason he was stupidly nervous over picking a spot for food. Sure, Hanbin said he’d eat anything. But what if he secretly hated whatever decision Bobby made? For a second Bobby couldn’t even remember what he liked!

It’s just dinner! Get a hold of yourself, idiot.

“Wanna just go for barbeque?” Meat was always a good option.

“Barbeque’s great!” Hanbin was happy with the option. Barbeque was a good way to make sure they kept up conversation, at least, neither of them would get sucked into just eating their meals nervously in silence. Without thinking about it Hanbin wrapped his hand around Bobby’s arm, his natural inclination towards being physically clingy manifesting right away. “Do you want to buy the movie tickets first so we don’t have to worry about getting them after we eat?”

Bobby didn’t hear Hanbin’s question, caught off guard by the hand on his arm. His heart stopped at the contact and he stared at the hand until Hanbin suddenly yanked it back with an embarrassed look on his face.

“Ah, sorry! Confession time—I’m actually really touchy. Sorry, it just happens, I told myself to watch it but--”

“No it’s okay!” Bobby interrupted, sorry that his reaction had looked negative to Hanbin. “I mean, we’re on a date, right? We should probably, like, you know--” ugh, why was this so difficult?!

Hanbin’s expression softened again and he seemed to know exactly what Bobby was trying to say, and suddenly they moved at the same time, as natural as breathing. Bobby’s arm raised just as Hanbin moved in under it, and when they settled Hanbin had one arm wrapped comfortably around Bobby’s waist while the other was folded up his chest, fingers clutching at the hand that was draped over Hanbin’s shoulder.

Their heights were a natural complement, Bobby thought, and he was elated to have Hanbin so physically close. It felt perfect to have him like this, it felt like this is how they should be. While Bobby wasn’t normally the sort who engaged in physical displays, he couldn’t help but want to be all wrapped up in Hanbin. He wanted to be obvious about it, wanted everyone to see them together and know.

Most of all he just really wanted to kiss Hanbin, and that desire was manifesting itself in the form of a dozen butterflies in his stomach and an almost feverish buzz in his brain of should he ask, should he just go for it?

Hanbin, on the other hand, felt more relaxed at the moment that Bobby’s arm had settled around his shoulders than he’d felt all week. Something about it just felt right, something about Bobby felt right. He never really put much thought into how long things would last (a relationship didn’t have to be long-term in order for it to be important, not as long as you got something worthwhile out of it) but for the first time in his life, Hanbin found himself hoping that things would stay like this for a long time. Hoping that Bobby would stay for a long time.

Hanbin tilted his head to the side and looked up at Bobby, about to ask him which of the three barbeque places close by he wanted to go to, but his voice faltered when he saw the way that Bobby was staring at him, open mouthed and adoring eyes. Hanbin smiled at him.

Bobby felt like his heart might burst.

“Uh, Hanbin, can I--”

The words stuck in his throat, not so much because he was nervous, but mostly because it was just too perfect.

But Hanbin seemed to know exactly what he meant, because his smile grew brighter and a second later he was pressing his lips to Bobby’s, and if it hadn’t been for Hanbin’s body firm and solid in his arms, Bobby’s pretty sure he would have melted.

“Hyung, can you check on my form, please?”

Jinhwan took a final swig of water from his bottle before replacing it on the bench. He was currently working a shift at the training academy, helping out with his second class of white belts. He really enjoyed helping to train the kids who were just starting out, thought it was exceptionally rewarding to see how quickly some of them grew. He didn’t mean to play favourites, but the one looking for his help now was his favourite (and the kid probably knew it, too).

“Of course, Minhyuk-ah! What are you working on tonight?” Jinhwan followed him over to his sparring partner, another young boy by the name of Seunghwan.

“We’re practicing chokes, hyung!”

Jinhwan smiled—he couldn’t help himself, the kids were so cute. He wondered if he’d been this cute when he’d started? A tiny, dorky little eleven year old who’d been pushed into the sport because his grandfather had been tired of him being bullied all the time. Jinhwan hadn’t even wanted to fight back then, but his grandfather had forced him into it. Two months later and he’d been grateful when it turned out that he was actually a natural at it.

“Alright, get in position, show me a rear naked choke.” He crouched down near the boys, watching them as they struggled into positions. He corrected a few things as they happened, and was quick to compliment what looked good. Finally Minhyuk got the hold on Seunghwan, but Jinhwan stopped him when he couldn’t manage to lock it in properly.

“Minhyuk-ah, you need to get your arm under the chin, you keep going over it.” Jinhwan demonstrated on Seunghwan, eventually leading Minhyuk over to the mirror to demonstrate on the boy himself.

“Come here and I’ll do it on you so you feel what you’re doing,” Jinhwan said, and once Minhyuk stood in front of him (with Seunghwan standing next to them watching) Jinhwan brought his arm up and positioned it over Minhyuk’s chin. “If I tighten it on you, how does it feel? You can still breathe, can’t you?” He asked, and Minhyuk confirmed.

“What you want to do is make sure you tuck your arm in under the chin, right up against the neck,” he pulled back on Minhyuk’s head just enough to slip his arm in where it needed to be and applied minimal pressure, “feel a difference already?”

Minhyuk got it, and Jinhwan repeated the same process on Seunghwan before sending them back to the mat to practice getting their arms locked in.

Maybe it was a little weird, taking joy out of teaching ten year olds how to choke each other out, but Jinhwan enjoyed it nonetheless. Maybe it just reminded him of himself when he was their age, remembered the surge in confidence that training had given him. In the span of six months, Jinhwan had gone from being a bullied “dork” to having more friends than he knew what to do with. The boys who’d previously teased him had all backed off and treated him with a new level of respect. It wasn’t so much the intimidation factor that made Jinhwan feel good.

It was just finally being accepted, finally being liked without having to change anything about himself (because underneath his new status as a tough guy, he was still a dorky kid obsessed with playing the trumpet). He was just also a burgeoning jiu-jitsu fighter who didn’t let anyone talk down to him or his new friends.

He liked to think that he was helping some of these kids find their way similarly, and was grateful that he was given the opportunity to help train them. He felt like teaching these kids was his calling in life, felt like it was what he was supposed to be doing. He still loved music, still took great joy and satisfaction from playing. But he just couldn’t compare the feelings he got from performing music for mostly adults to what he got from teaching young, impressionable kids how to feel good about themselves.

But training might not pay the bills the way music would (provided he got that spot in the orchestra, which he probably would unless he fucked up). Life wasn’t always about what you wanted. Sometimes you had to sacrifice your happiness if it meant survival.

He spent another ten minutes with the two before moving on to another pair of young fighters, pointing out areas in need of improvement and complimenting what was good. When the class finished he took a seat on the bench, checking his phone for an update from Bobby. His last update had come just before the class started, an excitedly long rambling mass about how stunning Hanbin looked, and how perfect they fit together, and how without even saying it out loud, Hanbin had responded to Bobby asking him for a kiss. On one hand Jinhwan thought it was cute. He was happy for Bobby, pleased to see him so caught up in someone else.

On the other hand he hoped Bobby was going to calm down with the over the top messages, because even someone who enjoyed romance stories as much as Jinhwan did had their limits.

This time the message was short and it came accompanied with a picture. Jinhwan’s breath caught in his throat for a second when he got it open--they really did look perfect together. Bobby’s message consisted of only a few words (hes so perfect im so lucky) and a lot of heart-eyed emojis. Jinhwan couldn’t help but grin as he read it.

bro ur being too cute im getting cavities cut it out

Jinhwan added a few heart-eyed emojis of his own to his message before sending it off. It was nice to see Bobby so happy, but at the same time it made him think of himself a year ago, when he’d been that happy. Being in love was addicting, and when you were in the moment, it was hard to focus on anything else.

Sometimes he missed it. Other times he wished it had never happened, because he’d been blissfully unaware of just how painful heartbreak was, of how it could creep up on you when you least expected it, how it never let you go even when you thought you were done with it.

“Jinan-ie, good work with the kids tonight!”

Jinhwan looked up, smiling at his gym’s head instructor, a black belt by the name of Dong Youngbae. He was a nice guy, almost had ten years on Jinhwan, but he was still friendly and open. He’d made Jinhwan’s move back to Seoul seamless when it came to jiu-jitsu.

“Thanks, hyung! I appreciate the invite to come and help out!”

Youngbae smiled back at him. “You’re very good with the kids, I like that. The kids seem to like you a lot as well, so it’s a good match. I don’t know if you were taking off right away, but I wanted to see if you were interested in reviewing your matches from the weekend? I have time now if you’re not on your way out.”

“Sure, hyung! That would be great.” Jinhwan hadn’t had the chance to sit down and really review his fights yet, and he was dying to watch that first one again. He could skip over the majority of the last one and get right to the choke, though. He had a feeling a lecture was waiting over that last match.

They relocated to Youngbae’s office after the last of the students left, Jinhwan taking a seat on the couch while Youngbae hooked his laptop up to the TV. They started out with the first fight, and Jinhwan couldn’t help but grin while he watched it. He’d totally owned that cocky little shithead’s ass in that first round. Watching it again now, Jinhwan thought it was one of his best matches.

Youngbae commented on his form and positioning, having nothing negative to point out, only positives. Jinhwan’s first round fights were often his best ones of any tournament he competed in, and he knew it had to do with his desire to set an intimidating first impression. He was trying to work on keeping his fire up at the same level for each round, but there was something magical about that first fight that captivated him every time.

It was nearly an hour later when they finally got to his final (they’d watched a few matches of some of Jinhwan’s fellow fighters as well; Youngbae liked to give Jinhwan the opportunity to critique other fighter’s forms and matches, it was a good way to train as an instructor). Jinhwan was hesitant about watching it. Not only did he know there would be a lecture he’d have to endure, but he also didn’t want to see Junhoe controlling the fight.

Right before it started there was a zoom-in close up of their faces, and Jinhwan couldn’t help but stare at Junhoe’s. Why were the hot ones always assholes?

They watched a bit of the match and as expected, Youngbae was full of questions.

“Why did you keep letting him get in your guard all the time? It looked sloppy, you’re normally better than that.”

Jinhwan knew he was in for a lecture--he’d been dreading this moment of the conversation. “Honestly I was trying to get him in a position to submit him. I wanted his back and kept trying to trick him into giving it up, but he defended it better than I expected.”

Youngbae gave him a disapproving frown. “Jinhwan, the final match of a tournament is not the place to be testing yourself. Fight your opponent with respect, don’t treat him like a sparring partner. That’s a poor attitude.”

Jinhwan bit the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning (he couldn’t help it, it was because he kept thinking about the disappointed look on Junhoe’s face after waking up) and tried to sound serious. “I apologize, hyung, I understand what you’re saying. It was a poor example for my teammates.”

“I hope you mean that,” Youngbae said, “I’ll be watching you the next time.” Jinhwan couldn’t help but let the grin take over, and he laughed when he heard Youngbae sigh.

“I’m sorry hyung, I shouldn’t be laughing.” Jinhwan bit the inside of his cheek but it was difficult to get a grip on himself. Youngbae wasn’t so intimidating when they were one-on-one like this.

“Ah, you!” Youngbae smiled back at him, shaking his head as he got up. “I heard from Eric,” Youngbae said as he started shutting down his computer, “he wanted me to talk to you about California, since you keep putting him off.”

Jinhwan sighed, wishing that he could find some easy way to get out of the conversation.

“I’m still thinking about it, I have a lot to consider.” That was a nice, evasive answer.

Youngbae didn’t take it, though. “What’s holding you back? Are you just nervous about moving away to train, or is there something else?”

Jinhwan hesitated, wondering how much he ought to admit to? There legitimately was the whole concern surrounding moving away. He had a decent grasp on English, but the thought of living by himself in an English speaking country was terrifying. Not quite as terrifying as talking to his mother about it, though.

“Mostly moving away,” he admitted, “my English is okay, and I’ve lived away from my family enough times that I’m alright with them not being with me. But it’s mostly the language barrier, and just the cultural thing.”

Youngbae joined him on the couch again. “Have you talked to Eric about that? He went through the exact same thing, I’m sure he could help you.”

Jinhwan shook his head. How was he even supposed to explain the situation? Nope, haven’t talked to my ex-trainer because he’s also my ex-boyfriend--surprise! No one knew there had been anything going on between them, and especially now that Eric continued to keep in touch with him, it was difficult for Jinhwan to keep a firm boundary. He wanted more space, but Eric continued crowding him (maybe crowding was the wrong word, because it was nothing more than occasional text messages—it’s just that Jinhwan thought about him so often that he felt crowded). The worst part though was that Jinhwan couldn’t really be mad about it. Eric just wanted what was best for Jinhwan’s career as a fighter (and Jinhwan hadn’t exactly told him that he didn’t want to talk to him, so it’s not like he was ignoring Jinhwan’s request).

“I know I should talk to him about it, but I haven’t.”

Youngbae sighed. “Ah, I don’t get you, sometimes. You have someone with every bit of information you could possibly need, and you keep dodging him? I know there has to be more to the story. I thought you were close to him, he trained you for two years, didn’t he?”

Jinhwan swallowed nervously, his mouth suddenly dry and his palms sweaty. Just tell him about your mom. Don’t tell him about your relationship with Eric. It won’t do either of you any good.

“We were, but, I don’t know,” Jinhwan shrugged and felt lost, “I guess maybe I’m just more scared than I want to admit.”

Youngbae smiled and squeezed Jinhwan’s shoulder. “I understand, it’s difficult. But you have a good opportunity, Jinhwan. Don’t let fear hold you back.”

Jinhwan grinned. “Yeah, yeah. The whole fear is a cage, break out of it lecture.” He laughed when Youngbae swatted his arm.

“Cheeky little shit. I think I invest too much of my time in you!”

Jinhwan wasn’t worried about Youngbae’s comments, because he was laughing and smiling. Had he managed to give him just enough to get him out of his hair this time?

“Let’s talk about this again in a few weeks, okay? Do some real thinking about it, and talk to Eric. He’ll have answers for you. It’s your life, Jinhwan, we just want you to make the most of it.” Youngbae ruffled a hand through his hair and despite the anxiety over the conversation, Jinhwan felt good now that he was out of it for the night.

“Thanks, hyung! I appreciate your concern, and I promise I’ll really think about it.” He would think about it, again, for the millionth time.

Maybe this time he’d finally talk to Eric too.

Maybe.

Probably not.

“Fuck, why can’t I get integers? This is bullshit!” Junhoe threw his notebook down in frustration.

“Didn’t you spend Friday with your tutor?” Hanbin asked, looking up from his nearly complete homework.

“Yeah,” Junhoe grumbled, electing to not tell Hanbin that he’d spent half the lesson complaining about Hanbin’s date, “none of it seemed to stick.”

Hanbin held a hand out for Junhoe’s notebook. “Give it to me, let me see what you’re doing.”

Junhoe handed it over, annoyed that he was having problems while Hanbin wasn’t. “I wish we could just skip this unit. Linear inequalities was such a good start to the semester.” He’d killed that first unit in class, feeling certain it was a sign that math class would go better for him this year than it went last year.

Hanbin grinned and looked over Junhoe’s attempts at solving their homework problems. “We’ll get your head wrapped around integers!” While he started correcting Junhoe’s attempts at solving the problems, Junhoe was on his phone reading a new message.

“Ugh, are you fucking kidding me?”

Hanbin didn’t bother looking up. “What are you crying about now?”

“I just got a message from Jaeho about our history project.”

“The one due on Tuesday?” Hanbin and Junhoe had history together, but were in different groups for this particular project.

“Yeah. He just talked to Wonbin, and apparently his computer died and he lost his part of the project. Jaeho was gonna put it all together today, but now we have nothing for Wonbin’s part!” Junhoe felt like throwing his phone at the wall.

Hanbin tsk’ed and continued correcting Junhoe’s math. “Should have had him write it on Google Docs like I told you! Didn’t I tell you that? After getting stiffed by him last year? I think I remember that conversation.”

Junhoe’s fingers tightened around his phone. “Yes, I fucking remember that conversation but it’s a bit late for that now so would you mind not mentioning it?” He hated it when Hanbin was right about something, his smug told-you-so attitude that made Junhoe want to slap an armbar on him and never let it go.

“Well, I hate to say I told--”

“You don’t hate it at all, shut up!” Junhoe started composing an angry text back to Jaeho, but just as he was getting to the end his phone died. “Fuck! Dead battery, of course.”

Hanbin grinned and had to physically bite his tongue to keep from teasing him about how he should have plugged his phone in when he got there. Junhoe was easy to tease, but sometimes Hanbin knew that he teased him about too many things at once.

“Figures, it died right in the middle of my message. I’m gonna send it on yours.” Junhoe made a grab for Hanbin’s phone and all Hanbin could do was turn and watch, Junhoe’s notebook momentarily forgotten in his lap, wide eyes on his best friend, stomach clenched nervously. His lock screen was a picture from his date on Friday. Him and Bobby. Any second now…

“What the fuck, Hanbin? This is your new boyfriend?” Junhoe stared at the phone in shock.

Hanbin swallowed hard and nodded, before realizing that Junhoe was still looking at the phone so his acknowledgement had gone unnoticed. “Yeah, that’s him.” Junhoe recognized him, didn’t he? Any second now and he was going to explode in anger.

“Dude,” Junhoe shook his head as he stared at the picture, “why did you lie to me?”

“What?” That wasn’t exactly the question Hanbin had been expecting, mostly because it lacked any expletives.

“I thought you said he was ugly? This guy’s actually kinda hot.”

Hanbin let out the breath he’d been holding. Did Junhoe not recognize him, then? Had he been worried over nothing?

“Seriously bro, this dude’s by far the hottest guy you’ve ever been with. Or tried to be with, even. Good job.” Junhoe was impressed. Sure, he could use braces with those crooked front teeth, and maybe he just knew which angles he looked good from--but he looked really good from those particular angles, so it was worth celebrating. But there was also something about the guy, some niggling feeling knocking at the back of his brain. “You sure I don’t know him, though? He looks familiar.”

Shit. “Uh, you probably just saw him at the venue, remember that’s where I met him?” Hanbin hoped his voice wasn’t shaking too hard when he spoke.

“Yeah, maybe.” Junhoe studied him a bit longer before swiping into Hanbin’s phone, where he was greeted with another picture of the guy, and he was impressed all over again. Good for Hanbin. At least he wasn’t being ditched for some ugly troll. Of course the guy wasn’t anywhere near as good looking as Junhoe was himself (hardly anyone was) but it was a step up from the last guy Hanbin had dated.

Hanbin took a few slow, deep breaths as Junhoe went about sending his message, calming himself down. Crisis averted. For now, at least. He was really going to have to figure this out, though, because he had no doubt that it would all come to a head eventually, and he really ought to figure out a way to tell Junhoe who Bobby was before he found out himself.

Junhoe set about re-writing his message to Jaeho (which was slightly less angry than the one on his own phone) and sent it off before composing another one to Wonbin (that was really angry, and he even included a line about how he should have been saving it on-line). Right after sending it he navigated back to the home screen, staring at Hanbin’s new boyfriend. He just couldn’t shake the feeling about him, and while he waited for Hanbin to finish with his math homework, he leaned back against the wall and thought back to the weekend, scanning his brain for where he might have seen him.

It hit him like a brick in the face (and it hurt just as much).

“You fucking traitor!” Junhoe threw the phone down on the bed before standing up, and the look of fear on Hanbin’s face was all the confirmation he needed. “He’s friends with the midget!”

Hanbin took a deep breath to stay calm. This wasn’t the first time Junhoe had flipped out on him (usually over matters slightly more trivial) but this was the first one where he thought the hurt feelings were somewhat justified, so he needed to tread carefully.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you first,” Hanbin said, “I was going to.”

“I don’t care if you were going to tell me or not! What are you doing, dating him in the first place?”

“I’m sorry, we just had a really good connection right off the bat. It’s not like I went looking for him, he just showed up behind me in line.” Hanbin remained sitting on the bed, hoping Junhoe would hear him out.

“You shouldn’t have even talked to him at all! I don’t care what kind of connection you had! I wouldn’t do that to you.” Junhoe stood with his arms crossed, staring hard at Hanbin. He was still a little in shock at the truth. How could he? “And I take back what I said earlier! He’s not hot at all, he’s an ugly troll! Exactly what you deserve for backstabbing me.”

Despite the severity of Junhoe’s negative reaction, Hanbin couldn’t help but feel like laughing. It was so like Junhoe to say something like that, calling Bobby a troll now, and Hanbin wasn’t upset about it. He’d learned how to read Junhoe perfectly over the years, and he knew the difference between insults that Junhoe meant, and insults he gave out to protect his own wounded pride. This was definitely in the second category, and Hanbin would let him have it this time.

“Did he spend the whole time talking about how much I suck compared to his little friend?”

“We didn’t talk about you at all,” Hanbin replied, “you or Jinhwan. And he wouldn’t say anything bad about you anyway, because he’s actually a really nice guy. Honestly, you’d like him if you met him.” Hanbin was sure of it. It might take Junhoe a while to accept him, but he’d like Bobby right from the start (even if he refused to admit it).

“I would not like him!” Junhoe fumed. “I don’t care how nice he is! It’s the principle of the matter.”

Hanbin didn’t say anything in response. It was a delicate situation right now. Usually he could tease Junhoe into getting over these blowups, but he had a feeling that it would only make matters worse this time.

Junhoe stood in silence, fiery gaze still on Hanbin. For a brief second he had a flash of Hanbin’s happy expression earlier when he’d asked him how the date had gone. He hadn’t seen Hanbin looking as happy as he had after a date ever. But still!! Hanbin was dating the enemy. It wasn’t right. It didn’t matter how nice he was, or how well they clicked. Junhoe couldn’t accept it.

“Are you gonna see him again?” Junhoe asked.

Hanbin met his eyes and nodded. It didn’t go over well.

Junhoe grabbed his notebook out of Hanbin’s lap, stuffing it in his backpack.

“Junhoe! Don’t be like this--”

“Like this? Hanbin, you’re my best friend, and you’re dating the best friend of my enemy?! You don’t expect me to be upset?”

“He’s not your enemy! You fought him at one tournament! You’re taking this rivalry too far.” Hanbin knew it was a risky move, calling Junhoe out on his intense reaction to Jinhwan. But it needed to be said, and it needed to be resolved. He didn’t expect Junhoe to stay after he’d said it. At best he was hoping that by the time Monday rolled around, Junhoe would be ready to pretend like the whole thing had never happened.

“Have fun with your new boyfriend.” Junhoe slung his bag over his shoulder and left the room, wanting to slam the door behind him, but the sudden appearance of Hanbin’s little sister stayed his hand.

“Junhoe oppa, are you leaving?” Hanbyul asked, standing in the doorway to her bedroom.

Junhoe smiled at her (it was a fake smile, of course, but she was only four, so she wouldn’t notice) and tried to speak with a happy sounding voice. “I have to go home, my mom called me.” She blinked at him in confusion and he thought about just rushing off down the hall and letting Hanbin come up with something to tell her.

“Okay!” Her confused look passed and she ran up to him to hug his leg. “Bye, oppa!”

Junhoe couldn’t curse the timing more. He was angry and he needed to stay angry (because there was no way he was going to let Hanbin come out of this unscathed) but it was hard to be angry with a cute four year old hugging you. He felt like a huge jerk.

“Bye, Byul-ah! You be good, okay?” He patted her head and she looked up at him with a big smile that reminded him of Hanbin’s face. Why did she have to be a near carbon copy of her brother?!

“You be good too, oppa!” She laughed and disentangled herself from his leg before running down the hall for Hanbin’s room. Junhoe sighed and continued on his way to the door, his anger burnt down to barely smoldering embers.

Damn little kids.

Hanbin was lying face down on his bed when Hanbyul ran into his room and tried to jump up next to him. He heard her whine in frustration when she couldn’t quite make it and he rolled over, hands reaching out to pull her up. He wasn’t sure what to expect from her, didn’t know if she’d overheard his argument with Junhoe. He’d tried to keep his voice down, but Junhoe was notoriously loud all the time.

“Oppa, can you read me a story?”

He hadn’t expected the request, but was glad for it. Might take his mind off of Junhoe for a bit.

“Of course I can! What story do you want?” He sat up and waited for her answer. She just shrugged and smiled at him.

“I don’t know! Go get one!” She pushed his arm with her foot and he couldn’t even scold her because she was too cute. Instead he got off his bed and made his way to her room, stooping down to grab a book from her shelf. When he got back she was sitting up by his pillow waiting for him, looking down at his phone.

“Oppa, who’s the boy on the phone?” She asked him as he sat down next to her.

“That’s Bobby,” he answered, taking the phone out of her hands and putting it on his bedside table, “he’s my new friend.”

“Do you like him?” Hanbyul asked, cuddling into his side as soon as he laid back against the wall.

“Of course I like him, he’s my friend.” Hanbin looked down at her, wondering if she meant another type of like. She’d recently started watching Disney movies and was beginning to grasp the concept of what being in love was.

“Do you kiss him?” She asked, giggling after asking the question.

“Byul-ah, that’s not the kind of question you ask people!” He laughed and tickled her.

She squealed and grabbed at his hands. “Oppa, no!”

Hanbin grinned and kept tickling her. “Do you want me to stop?” She nodded and tried to squirm away, but he kept his arms tight around her. “Okay, but you have to give me a kiss first!”

She quickly pressed a kiss to his cheek, laughing when he let her go. She laid down beside him again, still giggling. Hanbin stared at her fondly for a moment before opening the book he’d picked out.

Sleeping Beauty. Of course. He just had to pick one where a kiss plays an important role in the story!

He started reading it to her and she listened happily, and when the kissing scene came and went without commentary he thought that maybe she’d forgotten about her attempts at teasing him earlier. He finished the book and looked down at her, pecking a little kiss on her forehead.

“Oppa, why do you kiss boys?”

Hanbin was surprised at how calm he was with the question. He’d been expecting it given her new interest in Disney princesses, and he was relieved that it came now, when it was just the two of them.

“I like boys,” he answered, “some boys like girls, and some girls like girls. Some people like everyone, and some people don’t like anyone at all! When you get older, you can kiss whoever you want, as long as they like you.”

That answer seemed to make her happy. “I want to kiss girls! Boys are gross!”

He grinned and kissed her cheek. “What about me? Am I gross?”

“No! You’re the only boy that’s not gross.” She gave him a kiss back and hugged him, and Hanbin wasn’t even thinking about Junhoe anymore for the time being.

Junhoe was back to being angry again by the time he got home. He kicked his sneakers off by the door (but stooped down to rearrange them so they didn’t look messy, because his mom hated that) before stomping down the hall towards his bedroom. His parents were out for day visiting his aunt, so he didn’t expect any company.

But just before he made it to his room the door across from his opened and his sister appeared.

“Ah, it’s just you! I thought it was a herd of elephants!” She grinned at him but her expression fell short when she noticed the look on his face. Before she could say anything he ducked into his room.

“Hi noona, bye noona.” Junhoe felt a little bad for brushing his sister off but he wasn’t in the mood for company. She didn’t visit much, so he wasn’t even sure why she was here since everyone was supposed to be out.

He dropped his bag by the door and plugged his phone into the charger before dropping onto his bed. He was angry at Hanbin for more than just Bobby right now. He still didn’t understand integers and he had no way to communicate with his history partners until his phone charged. The whole thing was such an inconvenience! Aside from the personal insult, of course.

Two minutes later the door to his room opened, but Junhoe didn’t bother turning over to tell his sister to go away. He waited for her to say something, but instead he felt his bed dip down when she sat next to him.

“I know you’re bothered about something, so I brought ice cream and you’re gonna tell me what’s wrong!” Yejin settled back against the headboard and dropped a spoon in front of his face.

“Noona--”

“Don’t tell me to go away, June-ya. I’m your older sister, when you’re upset you have to tell me what’s bothering you. It’s the law.”

Junhoe huffed in annoyance (both because she was intruding and because she’d brought his favourite ice cream). He always caved when she did that.

“Come on, sit up and tell me what’s going on. Don’t make me eat this entire tub by myself, because I will! Then I’ll get fat and it’ll be your fault! Do you want that on your conscience? Hmm? Do you want a fat sister that no one’s going to love, so that means I’ll be stuck here harassing you for the rest of your life?” Yejin grinned as she took a bite of ice cream, intent on annoying him into conversation if she had to.

Ugh, fine! He picked up the spoon and sat up next to her, grabbing the container when she offered it. Maybe he’d just have a bit and then tell her to go away.

“Come on, out with it. I thought you were hanging out with Hanbin today? Did he finally dump you?” Yejin teased him, but she’d picked her words carefully. She remembered the guy she’d caught Hanbin flirting with last weekend, wondering if her brother had finally found out about him.

“I was with Hanbin,” Junhoe admitted, “but now I’m not.” He took another bite of ice cream, mostly to keep his mouth full.

“I’m not blind, dummy, something happened. Tell me about it and you’ll feel better.” She grabbed the ice cream back and took another scoop.

Junhoe really didn’t want to talk to her about it, he just wanted to stew some more. He was worried she might disagree with him and tell him he was overreacting. But she wouldn’t leave him alone until he told her.

“Hanbin has a new boyfriend.” Junhoe took another scoop of ice cream.

“And you’re angry about that why?” Yejin wanted to blurt out that she knew who he was, but then Junhoe would just get mad at her for knowing and not saying anything.

“Because he’s the best friend of that asshole who choked me out at the tournament.” Fuck, it sucked to say it out loud.

“Ah, that’s harsh.” Yejin tried to sound appropriately sympathetic. “Did you meet the guy?”

“No! Why would I want to? If he’s friends with that guy then he’s my enemy.” Junhoe could hear the lecture creeping into her voice already. Was it so much to ask for his own sister to be on his side?!

“Enemy? Don’t you think you’re being a little dramatic?” Yejin chose her words carefully, making sure she kept her tone light. “I get why you’re upset, but maybe he’s a great guy.”

“I don’t care if he’s a great guy,” Junhoe grumbled, “there are sides, and Hanbin is supposed to be on my side.”

“Junhoe, he’s your best friend, I don’t think he’s trying to upset you with this new boyfriend.” Yejin knew from experience that Junhoe was about to cut her off, and she slapped her finger over his lips to keep him from talking. “Did you actually talk to him about it, or did you just storm off in a huff when you found out?”

Junhoe didn’t answer her question. Damn her for always being able to point out when he was somehow in the wrong!

“June-ya, you can’t treat him like that,” Yejin said, “if he still went out with this guy despite knowing you’d be upset, don’t you think that means that maybe he really likes him? You should talk to him about it, have an open mind.”

Junhoe just frowned and shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that to him, date someone that I know he didn’t like.”

“Ah that doesn’t count, only because you’re so prickly at first glance that no one would ever fall for you right away!” Yejin teasingly said, taking another scoop of ice cream.

Junhoe looked at her with a pained expression. “It really hurts to hear you say that.” Okay it didn’t hurt that much (mostly because it was true), but he was upset that she wasn’t taking his side at all and he wanted to guilt her into being more sympathetic.

“Does it really?” She asked, and when he nodded she smiled. “Good! That’s probably how Hanbin felt when you just yelled at him and stormed off.”

Ouch.

“I love you, Junhoe, but you’re very selfish sometimes. I know Hanbin is used to it, and you’re lucky that he doesn’t get upset, but you need to work on it. You can’t always expect him to put you first. If he likes this guy, he’s going to date him, and as long as this guy treats him well, you should be happy for him. He’d be happy for you.”

Junhoe looked at the wall and frowned. God, he hated her lectures! They always had a way of digging in under his skin and making him feel terrible.

“Now call or text him and apologize for being a jerk, okay? I know you love him, and he loves you too, so it’s not like your little blowup is going to hurt your friendship. But you should apologize. I’m sure it would mean a lot to him.” Yejin studied his face for a moment, and when she saw the guilty look in his eyes she hugged him.

“I know you mean well, emotions are hard at your age.” She couldn’t resist teasing him one last time and she leaned forward to annoy him further by kissing his cheek. “You’re a good kid!”

“Yejin!” There was only so much abuse Junhoe was willing to take before yelling at her. “Stop being gross!”

“Gross?! You’re my little brother, I can kiss your cheek if I want to!”

“Ugh, get away from me!” Junhoe whined, scooting down the bed and taking the ice cream with him.

Yejin just laughed before she threw her spoon at him. “Eat the rest of that, you’ll feel better!” She winked at him before standing up and heading for the door. “I’ll leave you alone for now, but if you need me for anything, I’ll be in my room reading.”

Junhoe frowned at her (for show only--he actually kind of felt better after everything) and just as she was about to leave he called out to her.

“Hey, noona? What do you know about integers?”

Bobby frowned when he read the message from Hanbin.

guess who just found out who you are??

Even though when he’d asked, Hanbin had told him that he’d deal with Junhoe’s inevitable explosion towards Bobby’s identity and it wouldn’t get in the way of their dating, Bobby was still worried. Junhoe had been Hanbin’s best friend for almost his entire life. That would be like Bobby dating someone Jinhwan hated. It would never work.

Not that Junhoe had any grounds for hating him, but still. Was Hanbin really okay with them still dating despite Junhoe’s blowup? His phone buzzed with a new message from Hanbin.

you busy? can you chat for a bit?

Bobby definitely wanted to chat (he wanted more than a chat, and honestly it was hard to think about Hanbin without remembering the really hot kiss they’d had at the end of their date).

u wanna come over? since we r not busy now?

He figured it was a stretch, but any chance he could get to see Hanbin he’d take. He’d settle for a video chat if he couldn’t actually come for a visit.

yeah send me your address and i’ll come over!! might have to bring my chemistry book with me though cause i need to finish a reading

Bobby sat up excitedly at the accepted invitation.

awsum brign ur book an read here!!

He texted Hanbin his address, and Hanbin replied back right away and said he’d be over soon. Everyone was currently out (Bobby’s parents were visiting family and Jinhwan was having a trumpet lesson) so they even had the house to themselves for a bit.

Bobby started cleaning his room up, which mostly consisted of picking clothes up off the floor and stacking his books and video games neatly. He made his bed too, fixing the covers so it didn’t look sloppy.

He couldn’t believe he was going to have Hanbin at his place already! He thought again about Jiun’s warning of things moving too fast, but he waved it off.

Fifteen minutes after sending the message, Hanbin sent him a text saying that he was outside, and Bobby thought his heart might burst it was beating so fast. He buzzed Hanbin in and took a few deep breaths to calm down on his way to the door. Three minutes later there was a knock on the door and Bobby opened to find Hanbin in the hall, bag slung over his shoulder and wearing a Supreme snapback. Hanbin smiled at him and Bobby had to restrain himself from reaching out and poking his dimples.

Fuck, Hanbin was so cute!

“Hey, come in!” Bobby gestured him inside and Hanbin followed, stopping at the door to toe off his sneakers.

“Thanks for the invite,” Hanbin said, “Junhoe kinda bummed me out a bit more than I thought he would, so you’re a nice backup plan.”

Bobby grinned at him. For some reason Hanbin’s teasing joke (and physical presence) took away every concern Bobby had over whether or not things would end because Junhoe was being difficult.

“I’m just a backup plan?” He teased back, and Hanbin grinned at him.

“Is your family home?”

Bobby could feel himself blushing just a bit at the question. “Nope, just us for a bit, but they’ll be back later.”

Hanbin nodded and looked at him with an almost expectant expression, and for a moment all they did was stare at one another. Their stupor broke at the same time, though, and Bobby moved in to Hanbin’s space, reaching out to cup his cheeks as he leaned forward for a kiss.

Hanbin met him there, sliding his arms around Bobby’s back and happily meeting his lips for the kiss. It was soft and sweet and a tiny bit needy, and when they pulled back they both laughed just a bit.

It just felt so natural, Bobby thought, everything about Hanbin felt natural. It was a good feeling.

“Want a tour?”

Hanbin nodded and followed him as he took him through the house. They stopped in the kitchen to get some drinks, and that was when Hanbin made the first connection.

“Why are there so many pictures of Jinhwan on the fridge?” He asked, not bothered but just curious.

“Uh, actually to be honest I kinda forgot to tell you about that.” Bobby felt slightly nervous for a moment.

“About what?” Hanbin asked, looking up from a Polaroid shot of Jinhwan and a woman he assumed was Bobby’s mom--they had the same eyes.

“Jinhwan lives with me,” Bobby said, wishing he’d told Hanbin about it on their date, but it hadn’t really come up in conversation, “his family’s back on Jeju Island, so over the years he’s stayed with us any time he decides to spend a year on the mainland.”

To Bobby’s immense relief, Hanbin didn’t seem bothered by that at all. “That’s awesome! Well at least I hope it is. As much as I love Junhoe, I couldn’t imagine living with him.”

“Ah yeah, it’s good for us! Junhoe sounds like he’s way more work than Jinhwan is.”

Hanbin nodded. “Junhoe’s probably more work than anyone has ever been. But it’s nice that Jinhwan has always had a home with your family. Must make the separation a lot easier. How come he doesn’t just stay on Jeju though?” Hanbin went back to looking at pictures. Bobby’s home felt very cozy, there were family pictures everywhere. Hanbin thought that was a good sign. Family was very important to him, so seeing that Bobby’s family was so close made him happy.

“Originally he came to Seoul the first time for music,” Bobby launched into the explanation, “he was a bit of a child prodigy, he plays the trumpet, and there was a specific instructor his mom wanted him to train with. His grandpa came here with him, since his whole family still lives on the island. I met him at school; saved him from a bully and he told me I was his best friend. It felt so nice to hear that I didn’t bother arguing!”

Hanbin looked back at Bobby while he told the story. “That’s probably the cutest friendship story I think I’ve ever heard?” It really was, and Hanbin didn’t even find it hard to believe. Bobby really seemed like the type of person who would stand up for anyone, and it made Hanbin that much more confident in how well they clicked, since he had the same sort of personality.

Bobby grinned and moved closer to Hanbin, laying a hand on his shoulder while he pointed at a picture. “That’s our first Christmas as friends! He went back to Jeju during the break, but before he went he and his grandpa came over for dinner.”

Hanbin smiled at the picture--Bobby had been such a cute little kid! Jinhwan too was adorable. It was so weird to be seeing a picture of them as little kids, but it was nice. Without thinking about it he looped his arm around Bobby’s waist, pulling him a bit closer.

“The pictures are cute! I like how close your family is, it’s nice to know that.” He looked back at Bobby, smiling when he noticed that Bobby was blushing.

It was hard for Bobby to pay attention to what Hanbin was saying—they were so close and the fact that Hanbin kept getting closer to him whenever possible made Bobby’s heart pound. Would he ever get used to it? It was almost like Hanbin couldn’t help himself from grabbing some part of Bobby (he’d been that way during their entire date on Friday) and while Bobby wasn’t used to it, he liked it.

It was nice to feel wanted.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Hanbin wasn’t used to having someone stare at him the way he kept catching Bobby staring. It made him feel a little self-conscious. When he’d dated Woosung he’d always felt like his eyes had been judging his appearance (which was apparently ridiculous, according to Junhoe, because as far as his best friend was concerned, Woosung hadn’t been anywhere near good looking enough for Hanbin) and while Bobby always had an almost dopey look on his face when he stared at him, Hanbin still couldn’t shake the insecurity.

Bobby pecked his cheek before answering. “Because you’re the cutest person I’ve ever met, and I’m really happy I’m dating you.” God, Hanbin was turning him into such a sappy dork!

Hanbin laughed and shoved him away. “Ah, you must not have met many cute people. Anyway show me the rest of your house!”

Bobby picked up his glass of Pepsi and made for the hallway. A second later and Hanbin was back at his side, one hand clutching Bobby’s arm. It made Bobby’s whole body feel warm. After showing him around Bobby finally brought Hanbin to his own bedroom, and he felt nervous when they walked in. Maybe he should have cleaned more? Would Hanbin think he was messy?

But without a comment Hanbin walked into the room and dropped his backpack at the end of the bed, laid his glass on the bedside table, and then flopped face first onto Bobby’s bed. Once again all Bobby could do was stare.

“I like your room!” Hanbin said, half muffled with his face in Bobby’s comforter. Like the entire house, it was comfortable and welcoming. It’s not that Hanbin’s house was cold and uninviting, but something about Bobby’s just gave off the impression that a dozen people could all live here together and be happy. It was hard to describe, but Hanbin felt at home already.

Bobby flopped down next to Hanbin, fighting the urge to lay on top of him instead. “Thanks! Jinhwan and I used to share a room, but thankfully we don’t have to anymore.”

“How come you got your own room?” Hanbin propped himself up on his elbow to look at Bobby.

“My grandparents used to live with us too,” Bobby explained, “this is actually their place, we moved in with them when we came back from the US. But they moved in with my aunt two years ago, after her kids all got married and moved out. We were a little cramped with them, and my aunt was lonely. So it worked out! Everyone still comes over here for holidays, though, so we still end up having to room together during those times.”

“I got that feeling about your place,” Hanbin said, “it feels like a lot of people gather here. It’s very welcoming and warm.”

Bobby looked up to meet Hanbin’s eyes, and he knew Hanbin meant it honestly. It made Bobby feel good. “Thanks! You’re cool with meeting my parents later, right?” Bobby was excited to show Hanbin off to his family.

“Yeah, of course! But that means you’ll have to come over to my place next time to meet my parents.” Hanbin replied, and Bobby grinned.

“And your little sister!” Bobby said, excited about Hanbin’s younger sibling.

“She already knows about you,” Hanbin admitted, “she saw you on my phone today, actually. Asked me who you were.”

“Oh? What did you tell her?” Bobby admittedly had no idea how young was too young to tell kids about gay relationships. Would she even understand?

“I told her you were my friend, and then she asked me if I kiss you.” Hanbin grinned, still amused at her reaction.

Bobby was surprised. “Does she know?”

“Know what?” Hanbin asked, unsure what Bobby meant.

“That you’re gay?”

“Oh, that, yeah. Well as much as a four year old can understand. She’s just at the age where she’s making those personal connections and starting to understand what they mean.”

Bobby nodded, still curious. “How did you tell her?” He’d agonized over telling his older brother (which Jiun had chastised him for, insulted that Bobby had thought he might not support him).

“I just let her ask me when she put it all together. I dated a guy before you, Woosung, and she saw me with him a few times. But she wasn’t really old enough to notice that I was the only guy she ever saw kissing another guy. But then when she saw my picture with you, she guessed what it all meant. Then she just asked me why I kiss boys.”

“What did you tell her? Must have been a difficult conversation.” Bobby couldn’t even begin to imagine how you’d explain it to a kid. They’d probably have a million questions. Hanbin laughed at him though, and Bobby was confused. “Why are you laughing?”

“It wasn’t difficult at all!” Hanbin grinned. “I told her that I kiss boys because I like them, and then told her that when she’s older she can kiss whoever she wants. She said she hopes she kisses girls cause boys are gross.”

Bobby was floored at how simple it had been. “That easy? Your parents didn’t sit her down and have a big talk about it or anything?”

Hanbin shook his head. “Nope, and even if she had asked me in front of them, I don’t think they would have made an ordeal out of it. If you don’t treat it like it’s a big deal, then she won’t treat it like it’s a big deal, and she’ll think it’s normal. I don’t want her to think it’s something that needs a lot of explanation.”

“That makes sense,” Bobby replied, and he was impressed that Hanbin’s family had that outlook, “I wish we’d done that with my little cousins. They’re six and eight, and they treat me like I’m weird because of it. Probably wouldn’t have happened if it had been explained that simply to them.”

“Yeah, kids are pretty easy. I know she’ll probably have more questions as she gets older, so I don’t want her to feel like she can’t ask me, you know?”

Bobby was all smiles again listening to Hanbin talk about his sister. “It sounds like you’re really close to her.”

“I am, she’s my favourite person in the entire world.” Hanbin replied, winking at Bobby. “You’ll have to settle for being number two, well, three, Junhoe would be pissed if I ranked you above him already!”

“You can rank me above him for today at least, can’t you? Since he’s being a jerk?” Bobby teasingly pleaded, wiggling himself closer to Hanbin on the bed.

“Hm, I don’t know, do you think you’ve earned the number two spot?” Hanbin teased him, laying back flat on the bed as Bobby got closer. Hanbin wasn’t submissive by any stretch of the imagination, but there was something about Bobby that made him feel an odd sort of contentment in laying back and letting Bobby make the moves right now. Hanbin really wanted to make out with him, but he wanted Bobby to initiate it.

Bobby was more than happy to initiate, and when Hanbin laid back Bobby took it as the invitation it was. “I think I can convince you,” Bobby said, propping himself up on one arm right at Hanbin’s side, careful eyes on Hanbin’s face. Hanbin wanted him to get close, didn’t he? Bobby was sure it was an invitation, and he tried to go into it full of confidence (even though he was actually a little nervous). He slid over Hanbin, one knee on each side of him, and it was kind of crazy how much the move turned him on.

Bobby couldn’t help but feel slightly embarrassed at how quickly his dick got hard, and he hoped that Hanbin wouldn’t laugh at him (it should be a compliment, right?). He put most of his weight on his forearms, not wanting to crush Hanbin’s chest, leaning down until there was barely any room between them.

Hanbin was in exactly the same predicament as Bobby, wishing he’d worn jeans instead of sweatpants and grateful that Bobby at least couldn’t see it. Whatever. They were young, they were supposed to get turned on by each other, right?! Hanbin felt almost short of breath when Bobby got close, and even though he’d told himself he wouldn’t make any moves at all, he couldn’t help but reach out and loop his arms around Bobby’s back, pulling his body down against his own and the first thing Hanbin felt was Bobby’s erection poking into his hip.

Well, at least he wasn’t alone.

Bobby leaned his face down and brushed his lips over Hanbin’s, an electric pulse shooting through him when Hanbin’s arms wrapped around him tightly. Bobby prodded at Hanbin’s lips with his tongue, trying to be a little gentle but it was so fucking difficult! Hanbin’s lips parted and he met Bobby’s tongue with his own, and they kissed that way for a few minutes, Bobby on top and in control and Hanbin responding eagerly, arms holding Bobby tightly in place.

Bobby pulled back for a breather, flushed and panting. He didn’t even care anymore that his dick was digging into Hanbin’s stomach (because he could feel Hanbin’s against his leg) and he swore he could stay here and stare at Hanbin like this all day long!

“Am I number two yet?” Bobby asked, leaning on one arm to free up the other, laying his palm against Hanbin’s cheek, thumb brushing softly over the skin. Hanbin was all smiles at the contact, dimpled cheeks making him look way too cute as far as Bobby was concerned. There was no way someone as perfect as Hanbin belonged with him. No way!

“Yeah, you are,” Hanbin answered softly, “for today at least! I think I might need daily proof, though.” God, Bobby was perfect! Hanbin couldn’t believe how lucky he’d gotten. Junhoe would come around eventually. For now Hanbin would just focus on how amazing his boyfriend was.

“I’ll give you all the daily proof you want!” Bobby replied, leaning down to kiss Hanbin’s neck this time, emboldened by his response. Hanbin actually sighed out loud at the contact, which went right to Bobby’s dick. He probed at the skin with his tongue, and he must have found a weak spot because suddenly Hanbin was wrapping his legs around Bobby’s back, arching up against him, and Bobby was certain he might come from that alone!

Unfortunately the excitement didn’t last.

“Ah, Hanbin, your guard position needs a little work!”

Bobby immediately shot upright, looking over his shoulder. There, leaning against the doorframe and wearing an irritatingly smug look, stood Jinhwan.

“Oh, don’t let me interrupt you! Things seemed to be heating up and I always wanted to watch a live porn.” Jinhwan grinned and remained in the door, arms crossed casually over his chest.

Bobby reached behind him, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at him. “Fuck off, Jinan!” Bobby wanted to curse him for multiple reasons--not only had he just interrupted them at the worst possible time, but if he’d embarrassed Hanbin--

“Ah, to be young and so easily turned on!” Jinhwan teased further, eyes swooping obviously back and forth between Bobby and Hanbin.

Bobby groaned and finally climbed off of Hanbin, angry glare directed at Jinhwan. “To think, just earlier I told him how nice it was, living with you.”

“That’s what you get for lying to him!” Jinhwan joked, not bothered in the slightest. Maybe it was a little cruel, but in all honesty he kind of wanted to test Hanbin’s personality, and interrupting them mid-makeout was a good start for his experiment.

Hanbin’s heart was racing at the interruption. On one hand--it was cruel, the timing had been terrible! But on the other hand--maybe an interruption had been good. They’d hopped into an intense makeout so quickly, maybe a breather would be good? But he couldn’t help but be nervous. As much as he’d been telling himself all week that Jinhwan was probably a really nice guy and that he’d get along with him whenever he got to meet him, now that he was standing right here in front of him, his expression smug and calculating, Hanbin couldn’t help but feel bristled.

He thought about Junhoe. This must have been how he’d felt right before the fight.

Jinhwan smiled at Hanbin, intentionally making it as intimidating as he could. “Seriously, Hanbin, you should really put that thing away.” Jinhwan winked at him, grinning when Hanbin’s face turned beet red and he drew his knees up to hide the tent in his pants.

Bobby was on his feet in an instant, grabbing Jinhwan by the shoulder and pushing him into the hall. “What the fuck?!” Bobby hissed at him, angry at Jinhwan for the way he’d reacted to Hanbin. So much for a good first impression?

“Calm down,” Jinhwan replied, grinning at his best friend, “I’m just teasing you guys.” Bobby backed off and Jinhwan looked at Hanbin again, pleased that he hadn’t reacted in an angry outburst. First test was a success!

“You have really crappy timing!” Bobby replied, still glaring at Jinhwan.

“Okay, you guys take five minutes to get yourselves together, then come entertain me in the living room!” Jinhwan waved at a still blushing Hanbin before winking at Bobby and heading down the hall to his bedroom.

Bobby took a deep breath before turning back to Hanbin, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Hey, I’m really sorry about that, I don’t know what the fuck his problem is? He’s never done that before.” Bobby walked over to Hanbin, worried about his reaction. Jinhwan was usually really nice when he had guys over, giving him privacy and not doing anything to potentially embarrass him.

“Ah, it’s okay,” Hanbin replied, “better to be interrupted by Jinhwan than your parents, right?”

“Good point.” Bobby stood in front of him, concerned eyes on Hanbin. Was he embarrassed after Jinhwan’s intrusion? He was still blushing.

Hanbin looked up at Bobby, and when he saw how worried Bobby looked it made him smile. “Really, it’s okay!” Hanbin stood up and reached for Bobby’s hands. “Actually maybe it’s good he interrupted when he did.” Hanbin moved in closer, right until their bodies were touching, and Bobby couldn’t stop the shiver from running down his limbs.

“Mm, I guess things did get pretty hot,” Bobby replied, sliding one hand over Hanbin’s hip and settling in the small of his back, “weren’t you supposed to be studying chemistry or something?”

“Something like that,” Hanbin answered, running one of his hands over Bobby’s chest, breath hitching when Bobby’s hand slid down further to cup his ass, “I’m sure we’ll pick that up sometime.”

“I’ll make sure I lock the door.” Bobby said, biting his lip when Hanbin straddled one of his legs. Well, at least the momentary embarrassment of Jinhwan’s interruption didn’t seem to be putting Hanbin off.

“I’ll remind you if you forget.” Hanbin replied, leaning forward to press his lips against Bobby’s. Bobby let go of Hanbin’s other hand, trailing his fingers up Hanbin’s arm until he could slide them around the back of Hanbin’s neck.

Kissing Hanbin felt so good!

Just then Bobby’s phone went off, and he pulled back from Hanbin and groaned.

“We’re coming, Jinan!”

Hanbin grinned at Bobby’s yell. “Was that him calling you?” Bobby nodded, and Hanbin laughed.

“Hanbin, before we go out,” Bobby reached for Hanbin’s hands again, “I am really sorry he interrupted. I hope you’re not mad at him?”

Hanbin smiled and shook his head, touched that Bobby seemed to be so concerned. “You forget that Junhoe is my best friend. That was nothing! It was just unexpected, since it was our first time meeting each other.”

Bobby felt relieved at the answer. “Good! I was just worried, since Junhoe took it so badly. Jinan’s actually been really supportive of me dating you, so I was surprised that he acted like that.”

“Probably just testing me.” Hanbin answered, squeezing Bobby’s hands.

“Probably.” Bobby kissed him quickly before leading him out of the room and back down the hall to the living room, where Jinhwan was stretched out on the couch, TV remote in one hand.

“Oh good, you’re here! You missed the opening acts, but Bobby! Your favourite is a guest MC this week!” Jinhwan grinned at Bobby’s annoyed expression.

“Who’s that?” Hanbin asked, curious eyes on Jinhwan.

“Song Minho!” Jinhwan answered, laughing when Bobby glared at him.

“Ah, the good rapper in Winner?” Hanbin asked, his voice teasing.

“Don’t listen to him! I think he’s got a great voice, and his solo track in their album was really good.” Bobby was going to kill Jinhwan! One time he’d said he thought Minho was hot. Once!

“That track was hot, I like it.” Hanbin said reassuringly.

“Bobby thinks Minho’s hot too!” Jinhwan teased.

“Whatever, don’t listen to him, he’s attracted to Nam Taehyun!” Bobby could tease back, though.

“Shh! Don’t take my future husband’s name in vain.” Jinhwan replied with a grin. He wasn’t that into the guy, no more than Bobby was mildly attracted to Minho, but he wasn’t about to let Bobby tease him without playing into it. “I mean look at them! They’re on the screen right now! Taehyun is definitely better looking. What do you think, Hanbin?”

Hanbin met Jinhwan’s gaze, wondering if this was some kind of test. “Honestly I think Jinwoo is the best looking one in that group.” Jinhwan nodded, but said nothing, and Hanbin wondered what he was thinking?

“A safe answer!” Jinhwan finally replied before turning back to the screen. There was some new girl group on now that had debuted recently. He turned it up because he liked the song.

“Ugh, any reason why you turned this shit up?” Bobby asked, sinking down onto the loveseat and pulling Hanbin down next to him.

“I like it!” Jinhwan shot back, turning it up again just to annoy Bobby. “What do you think, Hanbin? It’s not bad, right?”

Hanbin was certain Jinhwan was testing him now. “To be honest, I’m not familiar with it.” He wasn’t.

“Fine, but it’s fun sounding, right?” Jinhwan pressed, curious if Hanbin would just go along with Bobby’s opinion or if he’d form his own.

Hanbin listened to the music for a bit before answering, because if Jinhwan was testing him, then he might as well give him an honest answer.

Bobby looked at Jinhwan and shook his head, trying to silently ask him what he was doing. Jinhwan just smirked at him, and Bobby felt like strangling him.

“Honestly, it actually is kind of fun,” Hanbin answered, “the more I listen to it, the more I like it. It’s not something I’d pick out, but I won’t turn it off.”

Jinhwan’s smirk grew even more obnoxious at Hanbin’s answer, and Bobby rolled his eyes. “You don’t have to humour him, Hanbin!”

“Yes he does!” Jinhwan replied. Hanbin was passing all of his tests so far, at least.

“I don’t mind.” Hanbin answered, smiling at Bobby and reaching out to take his hand. Bobby smiled back at him, pleased that Hanbin didn’t seem intimidated by Jinhwan’s questions.

Jinhwan thought they were cute together. There was a natural chemistry there that was hard to fake, and it made him happy to see it. As cute as Hanbin had looked in the few pictures he’d seen, Jinhwan thought he was infinitely better looking in person. There was a sort of regal look to his face, he looked like he came from royalty. It was kind of romantic, really.

That wouldn’t stop him from putting Hanbin to more personality tests, though, because Jinhwan made a habit of looking out for Bobby. His best friend was a little too nice and naive, and Jinhwan was always worried that someone would take advantage of him when he actually got serious. He didn’t think Hanbin was the type to do that, but better to be sure. People could be deceiving.

“Are you seriously gonna make us watch Inkigayo?” Bobby complained, mostly just for the sake of it.

“Oh I’m sorry, do you have something better to do?” Jinhwan asked, pointedly looking at Hanbin before looking back at Bobby.

“I was doing it, before you interrupted.” Bobby grumbled back.

“Oh I’m so sorry!” Jinhwan apologized, obviously not meaning a word of it. “If you didn’t want to be interrupted you wouldn’t have left your door open. Was that supposed to be an invitation?”

Bobby huffed at the question, still baffled by Jinhwan’s behaviour. Hanbin, however, couldn’t help but grin and laugh at the question. He still wasn’t sure what Jinhwan’s game plan was, but he didn’t find him quite so intimidating anymore. He and Junhoe made a sport out of verbal attacks, after all, so he was used to the playful sort of banter that Jinhwan was making at the moment.

“It was an invitation to join, not an invitation to stand there and mock us,” Hanbin replied, smiling sweetly at Jinhwan.

Jinhwan’s expression was confused for a moment before settling into an appreciative grin. Alright. Hanbin could hold his own apparently! That was a good sign. Not that he wanted Bobby to date someone who would challenge him all the time, but he didn’t want him to date a pushover either. Something in between.

Bobby looked in confusion between Hanbin and Jinhwan. Was this a challenge? Was there some unspoken battle of wills going on? Bobby wasn’t one for that sort of thing, he preferred being honest and upfront and to the point. But maybe he’d let things go a bit longer, give them a chance to feel each other out. As long as neither of them seemed upset, maybe it would be okay.

“So, Hanbin, you’re younger, right?” Jinhwan asked, his tone light and casual, but his smile still a little too sharp. Hanbin nodded, and Jinhwan was amused by the suspicion in his gaze. “Then feel free to call me hyung. As the youngest one here, I think you should do something nice for me!”

Bobby was going to murder him!

“Like what, hyung?” Hanbin asked, playing along for fun. He remembered Bobby’s confused comment about how Jinhwan had been supportive of their relationship. If Jinhwan was truly that concerned, he wouldn’t have been supportive all week, would he? He was clearly just playfully trying to feel him out right now.

“Rub my feet!” Jinhwan made the request not just to see how Hanbin would react to it, but also to tease Bobby. He wouldn’t actually accept a foot rub from Hanbin. Not on their first meeting, at least.

“Jinan!” Bobby yelled, and if he’d had something within reach he’d have thrown it.

Hanbin bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. There was a playful gleam in Jinhwan’s eye that told Hanbin that his assumption was correct. “Ah hyung, but I’m your guest, so shouldn’t I be the one who gets the foot rub?”

“No one is rubbing anyone’s feet!” Bobby interrupted, looking back and forth between the two of them.

Hanbin couldn’t help but laugh, and he cuddled into Bobby. “Does oppa want a foot rub instead?” Hanbin teased, playful smile directed at Bobby.

Jinhwan laughed as well at Hanbin’s question, and that settled it—Hanbin had his approval. He wasn’t about to say it out loud just yet, though.

“Ooh okay, stop talking, I love this Teen Top song!” Jinhwan turned the TV back up, grinning at the annoyed groan he could hear from Bobby. He snuck a glance at Hanbin, pleased to see that he was paying attention to the TV again, though he was still cuddled up against Bobby. Hanbin seemed to be settled comfortably so far, engaging in conversation confidently, but without being aggressive or disrespectful. Jinhwan was liking him more with every second that passed. Bobby had really hit the jackpot with Hanbin!

Bobby was feeling a little out of sorts, honestly, annoyed that Jinhwan was forcing them to watch this idol music show, and annoyed that Jinhwan and Hanbin seemed to take to teasing one another so easily. Which was stupid—shouldn’t that make him happy? They were getting along, or at least he thought they were? It was still a little confusing.

But then Hanbin pressed a quick kiss to his chin and wrapped his arm around him and Bobby melted at the touch. Okay, maybe he was just being grumpy because Jinhwan had interrupted them mid-makeout. That was probably it. He wrapped his own arm around Hanbin and hugged him close and suddenly the song playing on the TV sounded a little bit sweeter to his ears.

Jinhwan left them alone for a bit, content to watch them cuddling in silence. Bobby wasn’t really the type who showed his affection much, but Hanbin seemed to bring it out of him. Jinhwan thought that was important. He wanted to see Bobby with someone who could light his face up in a smile just from a touch, and Bobby was beaming now that Hanbin was nestled up under his arm. This was honestly almost better than watching a movie, because even though they were a little over the top, it didn’t feel cheesy in person. It felt happy and pleasant and romantic.

It wasn’t long before the front door was opening, and Hanbin sat up straighter to get a look. It was a woman, and he recognized her face from the picture on the fridge.

“Jiwon-ah, come and help me!”

Bobby got up and Hanbin watched him, no complaint as he went to help his mother bring in groceries. He could hear Bobby telling his mom that he had a visitor, and she sounded excited when he said it was the boyfriend. There was something sweet about being called that in front of Bobby’s family. Hanbin looked across at Jinhwan, who was staring at him again. Hanbin thought they were okay, but something about Jinhwan was still a little confusing and uncertain.

“Alright Jiwon hurry with those bags, I want to meet this new boyfriend of yours!” Bobby’s mom was back, and Hanbin watched as she leaned down to peck Jinhwan on the cheek and ask about his trumpet lesson. Hanbin thought it was nice, the way she treated him like one of her own.

“Ah, you must be Hanbin, then!”

Hanbin stood up when she approached, bowing in her direction and reaching out to shake her offered hand. Bobby had her smile, and Hanbin felt welcome already.

“Yes, it’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Kim.”

“Jiwon wasn’t exaggerating, you are handsome!” She gushed, laying a palm against his cheek. “Such a regal look! My Jiwonie’s little prince, huh?”

“Mom! Don’t embarrass him.” Bobby said, coming up behind her to give her a hug.

“He’s not embarrassed, are you? Must be used to compliments, huh? I hope my son compliments you often?” She teased, and Bobby blushed. Hanbin thought it was cute (if slightly embarrassing) but he’d gladly take it.

“Ah, thank you!” Hanbin bowed again, and she smiled back at him.

“So polite, too! My Jiwon really found himself a nice boy, didn’t you baby?”

Hanbin grinned as he watched Bobby’s mom fuss over him. Bobby accepted it but tried to complain (Hanbin thought it was probably just for show, though).

“Now all we need is for our Jinhwanie to find himself a nice boy too, and then I’ll be a happy mom!”

Jinhwan grinned and looked back at Hanbin. “Know any hot guys you can hook me up with?”

Hanbin grinned back. “I do, the only problem is that he hates you.” Jinhwan looked confused for a moment before realizing that Hanbin was talking about Junhoe.

“Oh is he gay too? No wonder he kept letting me mount him in that first round.”

“Jinan!” Bobby yelled, wary of making any sort of sexual innuendos in front of his mother.

But she just laughed and ruffled Jinhwan’s hair. “Oh, you! Hanbin, will you be staying for dinner? You’re more than welcome! I’m making kimchi soup.”

Hanbin looked briefly at Bobby, who nodded at him hopefully.

“I’d love to stay for dinner, thank you for the invitation!”

“Wonderful! Jiwon, come help me in the kitchen for a bit!” She headed out of the room, and Bobby gave Hanbin one last smile before following her, leaving Hanbin alone with Jinhwan.

“Hanbin, come sit over here.” Jinhwan patted the couch next to him and looked at him expectantly. Hanbin figured it must be time for a lecture, and he obediently did as Jinhwan asked. He wanted to keep things positive between them.

“Alright kid, listen up.” Jinhwan’s tone turned serious. “Bobby has been my best friend for nine years, so I wanted to let you in on something, and I want you to pay attention.”

Hanbin nodded. “I’m listening, hyung.”

“In the entire time that I’ve known him, I’ve honestly never seen him as ridiculous and happy as he’s been since he met you. I don’t know what it is, but he’s absolutely crazy over you. So don’t fuck it up, please, he’d be heartbroken and then I’d have to break your legs.” Jinhwan’s expression and demeanour had softened with the commentary, and Hanbin knew he’d been correct in guessing that Jinhwan had just been testing him.

“Thanks, hyung. I really like him too, so I don’t want to screw anything up.”

Jinhwan smiled at his response. “Good! I know we just met, but I really like you so far, Hanbin. You bring out some good things in Bobby, and you’re fun to have around. I know I’m older than you, but I hope you and I can be friends anyway.”

Hanbin was touched by the request, and he nodded. “Of course, hyung!”

“Good! I know your friend’s giving you grief over dating Bobby, so I don’t want you to feel like you’ve got two people against you.”

Jinhwan’s comment touched Hanbin more deeply than he’d expected, and he stubbornly blinked a tear back. “Thanks, hyung! Junhoe will come around eventually, I know it. He just has a really closed off personality, so he has a hard time with new people. I know he’ll like Bobby when he meets him.” Whether or not he liked Jinhwan would remain to be seen. If Hanbin could get them together and Jinhwan could refrain from teasing him, they might have a chance.

“I’ll try to not be around when that happens.” Jinhwan replied with a grin.

“I’ll work him in slowly!” Hanbin replied. “Can I ask you a question, hyung?”

“Ask away.”

Now that the tension had been settled between them, Hanbin felt as though he could ask Jinhwan anything and get an honest answer. “Did you interrupt us earlier as a test? To see how I’d react?”

Jinhwan grinned and broke into laughter at the question. “Guilty! Usually I don’t give new crushes such a hard time, but Bobby fell for you really hard and I was feeling a little protective. I hope you don’t mind?”

Hanbin shook his head. “Of course not! Actually, I guess I’m kind of happy you did? It’s good to know that you’re looking out for him. It’s good to have friends willing to do that.” While the method would certainly be different, Hanbin found it kind of funny that Junhoe was probably going to do the same thing with Bobby when he eventually met him. They were both protective. Hanbin wondered if they had anything else unexpected in common.

“I leave the room for a minute and you’re already making a move on him?” Bobby returned, sporting a grin as he carried a plate of snacks.

“Just making sure he knows his place, right Hanbin?” Jinhwan jokingly replied, and Hanbin nodded.

“He read me the riot act.”

“Oh did he?” Bobby laughed and put the plate down.

“He took it well, though, so Hanbin’s got my approval!” Jinhwan said, serious eyes on Bobby.

“Ah so I’m officially allowed to date him now?” Bobby teased back, sitting down next to Hanbin.

“It’s official! You may now resume being a disgustingly in love dork, and I promise that if I ever walk by your room and see you two making out again, I’ll quietly close the door and leave you to it.” He winked at Bobby and nudged Hanbin.

“Couldn’t ask for more, right?” Hanbin replied, smiling at Jinhwan before looking back at Bobby.

“We’ll let him think that,” Bobby teased, “I brought cookies mom made, so help yourself! She’ll probably ask you about them at dinner so make sure you eat some.”

“I’ll never turn down a cookie,” Hanbin replied, reaching forward to grab one before settling back against Bobby’s chest.

“So Hanbin, Bobby said that you’re into boxing?” Jinhwan prompted, ready to discuss more personal matters now.

“Yeah, I am! I’ve been training since I was a kid. My dad and I actually train at the same gym together.”

Jinhwan’s expression faltered slightly at the answer, but he was quick to smile again. “That’s awesome, must be nice to train with him! Do you guys ever spar with each other?”

Hanbin nodded, not picking up on Jinhwan’s momentary shift in attitude. “Yeah, we have. Not often, cause he’s bigger than I am, but we’ve done it a few times. He actually knocked me out by accident once.” Both Jinhwan and Bobby laughed at the story. “To be fair, I was really tired, so he just landed a lucky shot.”

“So when do I get to see you in action?” Bobby asked, curious if Hanbin competed or just trained.

“I have a competition coming up in two weeks,” Hanbin answered, “you can come watch me kick some ass there.”

Bobby was excited at the news, and it came out in his voice. “Definitely! I haven’t watched a lot of boxing, so I’m excited to learn more!”

“Can I come too?” Jinhwan asked, curious to see Hanbin fight.

“Sure! It’s only a few hours, I’ll have two fights, one of which will hopefully be a final match. I’ve done pretty good in my last few tournaments.” Hanbin couldn’t wait to fight in front of Bobby. He took boxing very seriously, and he was very good at it. It would be nice to have someone new to impress.

“Nice to see we have another winner in the group!” Jinhwan joked, and at that comment Hanbin’s face blanked.

“What’s wrong?” Bobby asked, confused by the sudden shift.

“Ah, shit, it’s just that… Junhoe’s gonna be there too.”

“Ah, you’re worried about us meeting again?” Jinhwan asked, and Hanbin nodded. “I promise I’ll be nice.”

Hanbin frowned, feeling terrible. Now that he’d made friends with Jinhwan, he really did want him to come. But two weeks was a very short period of time in which to get Junhoe anywhere close to comfortable with Jinhwan there. “Hyung please! There’s a good chance he might be rude to you.”

That just made Jinhwan grin wider. “That’s fine, nothing I can’t handle. Honestly I can’t wait to see him again! I’ll be as polite as possible, I swear.”

“Actually that might just piss him off even more…”

Bobby slid his arm around Hanbin’s shoulders, squeezing him closer. “It’ll be okay, Bin! Maybe I should meet Junhoe first, let him get comfortable with me? Then I can be the mediator when they’re together and you’re fighting?”

Hanbin sighed in resignation. “Ah I guess it’s gonna have to do.”

It was going to be a long two weeks.

Monday morning saw Junhoe up and ready to make amends with Hanbin. After talking to Yejin about the situation, he was willing to admit that he’d maybe overreacted a bit. He still didn’t like the idea of Hanbin dating Bobby, but whatever. He’d just watch Bobby like a hawk, and if he stepped a single toe out of line, Junhoe would smash his teeth in.

But there had been something weird in the air between them all day, and Junhoe hadn’t know what it was. Hanbin had seemed a little tense, like something was coming that he was dreading, but every time Junhoe had asked him what his problem was, Hanbin had said there was no problem.

The problem presented itself after classes. Hanbin had asked Junhoe to meet him out back, on the bleachers by the soccer field. That in itself wasn’t weird, because they often sat out in the back field after classes, discussing the day’s events.

“So listen, there’s something I need to tell you.” Hanbin had been dreading this conversation all day, especially since Junhoe had apparently made up with him over his disagreement from the weekend (not that Junhoe had actually said it out loud, but Hanbin understood it when Junhoe met him normally in class).

“Fuck, finally! I knew something was up.” There was a smug upturn to Junhoe’s lips as he faced Hanbin.

“You know how I have my boxing tournament coming up in two weeks?” Hanbin started out simple, because who knows, maybe some family thing had come up and Junhoe wouldn’t be able to go anymore?

“Of course, you’re still fighting, right?” Hanbin’s boxing tournaments were always marked in Junhoe’s calendar right away so he’d keep his schedule open.

“Yeah, sure,” Hanbin took a deep breath before getting to the bad news, “well, I don’t think I need to tell you that I invited Bobby, right?”

Junhoe frowned but wasn’t surprised. “Yeah, I figured you would.” Whatever, he could deal with hanging out with Bobby for one afternoon. No big deal.

“Okay, well, he’s coming, and he’s bringing Jinhwan.” There. It was out. He’d said it. Now all he had to do was wait for the inevitable meltdown.

“What?” That had not been what Junhoe had expected to hear. “That midget asshole?” Hanbin couldn’t mean him, could he? Junhoe didn’t know another Jinhwan, and even if he did, there was only one Jinhwan that had anything to do with Bobby.

“Look, I’m sorry, I know the last thing you want to do is see him again--”

“Why the fuck would you invite him?” Junhoe was moving swiftly past surprise and was well on his way to anger now.

“It was an accident!” Hanbin said, pleading to be heard out.

“Accident?! You don’t invite people by accident, Hanbin!”

“It was! I went over to Bobby’s yesterday after your, well, after you left,” Hanbin tried to keep it peaceful, “and I didn’t know, but Jinhwan actually lives with Bobby’s family. So he was there. I told Bobby about the tournament and Jinhwan just asked me if he could come. I said yes before really thinking about it, but it’s not like I could say no, right? He was right there.”

Junhoe’s eyes narrowed in half anger and half disgust. “You absolutely could have said no! You’re dating Bobby, not Jinhwan, you don’t have to worry about being polite to him!”

“Junhoe, come on, can you please think about this from my perspective? Jinhwan is his best friend, I can’t be rude to him!”

“He was rude to me! Me, your best friend! Or did you forget that?” Junhoe couldn’t believe him! Just when he’d forgiven him for falling for Bobby, too!

“Junhoe, seriously, don’t be--”

“Uninvite him.” Junhoe’s tone was brisk, no-nonsense in his demand.

“I can’t uninvite him!” Hanbin replied, wondering if it would even be possible to smooth this out at all.

“You definitely can, and you should! If you don’t uninvite him, maybe I won’t go. Make your pick Hanbin. Jinhwan or me. You can’t have both.”

They were at an impasse—Junhoe staring angrily at Hanbin, and Hanbin wrenched in terrible guilt. It’s not that he wasn’t sympathetic to Junhoe. He understood why he didn’t want to see Jinhwan again, and honestly Hanbin would have much rather taken more time in re-introducing them. But he wasn’t about to rescind an invitation.

“I can’t believe you’re not taking my side!” Junhoe was hurt that Hanbin wasn’t even appearing to contemplate uninviting Jinhwan. It wasn’t fair! He’d had Hanbin first, why should he be the one inconvenienced by this?

“Look, I know that you’re pissed over the way Jinhwan treated you at your fight, I get it. But he’s actually really nice--”

“Oh hell no!” Junhoe hopped up from his spot on the metal bench, grabbing his backpack. “This is bullshit, Hanbin! I wouldn’t do this to you, why do you keep doing it to me?”

“Junhoe, come on! Just once, that’s all I ask--”

“Have fun with your boyfriend and your new best friend, Hanbin! I’m fucking done.” Junhoe couldn’t see anything past the rage he was currently feeling. He didn’t mean to be hurtful to Hanbin, but Jinhwan was an asshole, that much he was certain of! Hanbin didn’t get it, because Hanbin hadn’t been the one facing him. People like Jinhwan were manipulators, they were pros at appealing to a person’s good side to get what they wanted. But Junhoe had seen his true colours, and he wasn’t about to celebrate Jinhwan’s attempt at hacking back into his life.

Hell fucking no.

He was already dealing with having to share Hanbin with Bobby. There was absolutely no way he was going to add Jinhwan into the equation. It didn’t even matter that Jinhwan had beaten him (twice). Okay that was a lie. It mattered. A lot.

Over a week had passed and Junhoe couldn’t get over seeing Jinhwan’s stupid little smirk of victory. His arrogance still left a bad taste in Junhoe’s mouth, still made him feel like garbage under Jinhwan’s heel. No way in hell was he going to willingly breathe the same air as that asshole. Not a chance. Not even for Hanbin.

Hanbin sighed as he watched Junhoe storm off in a huff. That had sadly gone exactly as he’d expected. The only problem was that he didn’t think Junhoe would get over this as easily as he’d gotten over Bobby. What was he supposed to do, though? It would be rude to uninvite Jinhwan (just as rude as it would have been to not invite him in the first place) and Hanbin took pride in being an extremely polite person.

He pulled his phone out and began composing a text to Bobby.

‘hes pissed hes not gonna come’

Hanbin remained on the bleachers for a bit, feeling morose and sorry for himself. Was it really so much to ask, for Junhoe to get over himself and try one time to be friendly? It’s not like Hanbin wanted him to be Jinhwan’s new best friend or anything. Just co-exist for one peaceful afternoon.

Was he being selfish? Expecting too much?

‘u ok babe?????? :(’

Hanbin looked down at his phone, unable to help but smile at Bobby’s response. Cute.

‘im fine, just bummed out’

‘want me to kikc his ass????’

Hanbin couldn’t help but laugh at the offer.

‘hed probably kick your ass but thanks ♥’

‘ill get jinan todo it! wont help thm to b friends but maybe ull feel betetr??’

Hanbin laughed again. There was something about Bobby’s typos that made the whole thing even cuter to Hanbin. Before he could reply back, Bobby had sent him a picture. His lips were pursed as though he were trying to kiss the screen, and Hanbin saved it immediately in his own phone.

Junhoe would get over the whole thing eventually. Hanbin was honestly probably doing him a disservice by continually trying to cater to his (stunted) emotional needs. Junhoe needed to grow up a bit, and maybe it was just time to start that process now.

‘thx oppa! ;) made me feel better!’

Hanbin grinned as he sent his message back, and he looked around before taking his own picture, a return kiss that he felt a little dorky taking, but he supposed it was only fair. He sent it off and immediately Bobby flooded his phone with heart eyed emojis, and Hanbin laughed. Bobby’s good humour was infectious, and Hanbin was grateful to him for it.

Junhoe couldn’t stop thinking about Jinhwan during his sparring session, the smug look on his face, the arrogance in his expression and his words! He released his sparring partner from the armbar he’d locked on him, failing to notice the look of irritation on his partner’s face as he rubbed feeling back into his shoulder.

“Man, who pissed you off today?”

Junhoe hadn’t even paid attention to the question. “You ready to go again?”

The other fighter put his hands up and backed off. “Nah man, I still need to recover. You had that armbar locked in a little too tight. Maybe cool off a bit before you hurt someone?”

Junhoe heard the censure but disregarded it (his sparring partner was neither older nor of a higher rank, so Junhoe didn’t have to listen to him). “Sorry.” He wasn’t really sorry, but he gave the apology anyway before heading to the bench to grab his bottle of water.

“Koo, any reason why you’re trying to murder everyone tonight?”

Junhoe looked up from where he’d sat on the bench, because this time the question came from someone who was both older and more experienced than he was. Lee Seungri was still a purple belt like Junhoe, but while Junhoe had just recently been promoted, Seungri was currently training to advance up to a brown belt in the coming months. He’d been the one who’d helped Junhoe in his training to get his purple belt, and he’d ground Junhoe’s face into the mat enough times during sparring sessions to earn himself a place of high respect in Junhoe’s mind.

“I’m sorry, hyung? I didn’t catch that.” That was a lie—he knew exactly what Seungri had said, but he wasn’t quite ready to accept any kind of censure at the moment.

Seungri sat down next to him, arms crossed over his chest. “You’re aggravated tonight, I can see it in the way you’re fighting. You’re not paying attention to your partner, and you nearly hurt Minjae-ah. You know you’re not supposed to fight if you’re not in the right headspace for it.”

Junhoe nodded and bowed his head down, cheeks flushed in shame. He was a fucking purple belt, he was supposed to know better! Seungri was right. “I apologize, hyung.”

“Don’t apologize to me, apologize to Minjae. But you can do that later. First I want you to tell me what’s up your ass.”

Junhoe flushed again at the question. Damn Seungri and his stupid choice of words!! “Nothing, hyung.”

“Oh is that the problem then?” Seungri teased him.

“Hyung!” Junhoe wanted to murder him!

“Calm down, Junhoe-ya, I’m just teasing you! Ever since you got here tonight, you’ve had this look on your face, like you were planning someone’s murder. It’ll probably help you to talk about it.”

Junhoe took a slow and deliberate breath, calming himself down. He knew Seungri was right. He’d come to training directly after talking to Hanbin, and he was still angry about that whole situation. He felt betrayed and let down. Maybe it would be good to get someone else’s take on the whole thing. He was right, after all, so he’d probably feel better if he got validation for his angry feelings.

“Okay, fine, I’ll talk.” He gave Seungri a brief rundown on the situation, starting out with a description of how disrespectful Jinhwan had been to him at the tournament (maybe he’d dressed it up a bit and made Jinhwan sound a bit worse than he’d been, whatever, he was still a jerk) before explaining that his best friend had decided to go and date Jinwhan’s best friend. Seungri listened attentively, his expression remaining neutral through the story. Then Junhoe got to the fresh part, about Hanbin inviting Jinhwan to his boxing tournament.

“I’m not wrong, am I, hyung? Jinhwan’s my enemy, and my best friend decides to invite him out?”

Seungri frowned and shrugged. “You fought him once, Junhoe, you can’t judge a person’s entire personality based on what they’re like on the mat.”

“He was an asshole to me!” Was Seungri serious?!

“Were you an asshole back to him?” Seungri asked, and Junhoe’s face blanked slightly.

“Well, he’s older and he started it! What was I supposed to do, be polite to someone who’s talking shit right to my face?” Junhoe crossed his arms over his chest and sulkingly leaned back against the wall. He couldn’t believe he was the one being lectured right now!

“That’s exactly what you’re supposed to do. Part of your training is to keep a cool head and not rise to the goading of others around you. Treat others the way you want to be treated, and never lower yourself to their level if they mistreat you.”

Junhoe glared at the floor, not at all a fan of Seungri’s advice. All due respect, it was bullshit. If someone disrespected him, you could bet your ass that Junhoe would throw it back in their face.

“It’s a small sport, Junhoe-ya, you’re going to see this guy around again. If you hold onto your anger and embarrassment over him beating you, then you’ll never be able to conquer him the next time you meet him. He’ll face you calmly, while you’ll be brimming with anger, which will probably lend you to make a mistake. You can’t hold grudges in jiu jitsu, Junhoe. You have to be a bigger person.”

Junhoe was still seething, not ready to accept Seungri’s advice. He wanted to be mad, and he wanted someone to sympathize with him! Why was everyone taking Jinhwan’s side?!

“Junhoe-ya, don’t you trust Hanbin’s ability to judge character?”

Junhoe didn’t answer, he just frowned at the floor again.

“I suppose that might be a dumb question, since he’s friends with you.” Seungri teased, nudging Junhoe with his elbow.

“Not funny, hyung.” Junhoe moped back, feeling sorry for himself.

“You guys have been friends nearly your entire lives. Trust his judgement. Just because you had one bad experience with Jinhwan, doesn’t mean you’re always going to have a bad experience with him. Life’s too short to stay frosty with everyone.”

“I’m not going to be his friend,” Junhoe replied, voice brimming with aggression.

“No one says you have to be friends with Jinhwan. Just don’t try to be his enemy. The more you react to him, the worse he’ll act with you. Just be curt and polite, don’t rise to any of his jabs. You’ll be fine, it’s only for one afternoon, right?”

Junhoe nodded. “I still don’t think it’s fair! I’ve been there for Hanbin at every tournament he’s competed in! Shouldn’t I come first?”

“Ah, Junhoe, stuff like this happens when you grow up. The people that are important to you find other people who become just as important, and you have to learn to balance your relationships. Hanbin’s relationship with Bobby is new, it’s fresh, and he’s probably going to prioritize it above you for a little while. You just have to accept that.”

“No I don’t,” Junhoe replied, “I wouldn’t do that to him.”

Seungri grinned and put his arm around Junhoe’s shoulder, holding tight when Junhoe tried to squirm away. “You say that now, but that’s because you still prioritize yourself above everyone else. That’ll change when you fall in love.”

Junhoe snorted at the comment. “No it won’t.”

“Ah, you’re probably right! Lord help whoever falls in love with you.” Seungri put him in a loosely held headlock, rapping his knuckles across the top of Junhoe’s head.

“Hyung! Quit it!” Junhoe tried to squirm out again, but Seungri tightened the hold on him.

“Just think about your friendship, Junhoe. Is it really worth being angry at Hanbin over this? He didn’t intentionally set out to upset you. He’s caught in the middle, and you’re being a pretty shitty friend by not even thinking about his side of things.”

Junhoe squirmed harder because he really didn’t want to hear this. It wasn’t his fault! Hanbin chose to date Bobby, knowing full well who he was! Junhoe wasn’t about to feel sorry for making him choose a side.

Seungri loosened the hold then, critical eyes on Junhoe as he rubbed his neck and sat back up. “You feeling less angry, at least?”

Junhoe didn’t want to answer the question (because he was less angry) but there wasn’t anywhere for him to escape to. “Yeah, I am. Thanks, hyung.”

“Good. How about we spar for a while then? Even if you get mad again, you’re not going to best me on the mats!” Seungri stood up and extended a hand down to him, and Junhoe took it.

A little more sparring couldn’t hurt.

Jinhwan looked up at the darkening night sky, the deep blue chasing away the last bits of the sun as it dipped in the distance. He was in the backyard of Bobby’s house, sitting with his sister, Seiyeon. They’d just finished dinner with the family, and Jinhwan had asked her if they could talk for a bit. She was in town for a performance the following night, so if they didn’t chat now, they wouldn’t have a chance at all.

She was sitting next to him on a bench, holding one of his hands in between her own. “How is everything? School still going fine?”

“Everything’s really good,” Jinhwan answered, “my last year isn’t killing me yet.”

Seiyeon smiled and leaned against him. “Ah that’s good! We haven’t been able to talk much lately, I’ve been worrying about you.”

“You don’t have to worry about me, noona.”

“Of course I do, Jinan! You’re my baby, I always worry about you.” She pecked him quickly on the cheek and Jinhwan took it without complaint. In truth he didn’t mind. He was very close to his sister, and every time he left home he missed her terribly.

“How about your personal life? Are you dating anyone yet?” She asked, teasingly prying for information.

Jinhwan grinned and shook his head. “No, I’m not interested in dating anyone right now, actually.”

“What? These are prime dating years, Jinan! You’re gorgeous, are you telling me you don’t want to find yourself a cute boy to spend some time with?”

Jinhwan rolled his eyes at her comments. “How come you’re not dating anyone?”

“Oh don’t throw it back at me! I was dating someone, but he wasn’t quite what I thought, so I broke things off. Little too controlling.”

Jinhwan smiled at her comment, happy to hear that his sister was always willing to stick up for herself. “You’re getting old, noona! Pretty soon you might not find a man.” He teased, though of course he didn’t mean it. His sister was a wonderful woman, and while some people rushed to find a match, she was taking her time, and that made him happy.

“Ah, if a man doesn’t want me just because I’m not young, then he’s not worth having!” She replied, threading her fingers with his. “If I get old and I’m still alone, I’ll just come and live with you! So make sure you find yourself an attractive man, so we can both have someone pretty to look at.”

Jinhwan laughed at her request, feeling happy with their conversation. It was nice to talk with her like this, just the two of them. He knew it wasn’t going to last though, because she probably wasn’t going to respond well to the topic he wanted to discuss with her.

“I’ll make sure to get your approval before I ever settle down with someone, okay?”

She smiled back at him and nodded. “Okay! I’ll be a good judge.” They lapsed into a comfortable silence for a moment, content to sit together and watch the stars twinkle into view. There weren’t nearly as many visible in the city as there were on the island, and Jinhwan missed it almost every night.

“So are we going to talk about whatever it is you wanted to talk to me about?” Seiyeon asked, and Jinhwan took a deep breath before launching into it.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about my future, and about what I want to do. I know you’re not really the biggest fan of my jiu jitsu, but I’m really passionate about working in the sport as a profession.” Okay, there was the set up.

As expected, Seiyeon was floored by his intro.

“What exactly do you mean, as a profession?”

“I want to go study in the US. There’s a school in California--”

“Oh God, Jinhwan, this is about Eric, isn’t it?” Seiyeon shook her head and Jinhwan could already hear the disappointment in her voice.

“It’s not about Eric! It’s about me--”

“You need to let go of him, Jinan. Stop trying to impress someone who lied to you and used you!”

Jinhwan bristled at her comment, pulling away from her slightly, but still holding her hand. “He didn’t use me or lie to me, noona.”

“Oh, so you knew he was engaged, then, the whole time you were together?” Seiyeon turned to look at him, an accusing look on her face.

“No, that’s not what I meant--”

“He is married Jinhwan. You don’t need to do anything to impress him anymore!”

Jinhwan paused to take a deep breath, wishing she hadn’t jumped on this topic immediately. This honestly had nothing to do with his ex. Nothing.

“I promise, things between us are just professional. He wasn’t just my ex-boyfriend, okay, he was my trainer too--”

“Which just makes it worse! I can’t believe I never told mom about him. It still makes me angry.”

“Seiyeon, would you please drop it?! This isn’t about me trying to impress him! I promise you, I’m completely over him. I wasn’t really that upset about what happened anyway.”

Seiyeon’s expression turned sympathetic, and Jinhwan felt like screaming.

“Jinan, I understand, really. I think it’s our family curse—you, me and mom. We all fell in love with older men who screwed us over. And you, first love and all, it’s tough, I get it--”

“Noona please, I am not still hung up on him!” He just wanted to get back to the actual topic he wanted to discuss, which had nothing to do with Eric.

“Okay, fine, let’s say you are over him,” Seiyeon replied, “California, though? How are you going to get there? Who’s going to pay for it? You know mom won’t. You need money for a plane ticket, you need money for rent, for food! Where is that going to come from?”

Jinhwan frowned and wondered why he’d even bothered. Of course she was going to fight him on it, he’d known that from the beginning. He was just desperate for someone in his family to support him in this. He’d been hoping she’d have been slightly more open to the discussion.

“I just don’t understand why you can’t be happy with music. You have this perfect path laid out for you, guaranteed success! All you have to do is finish your education and keep practicing. You’re pretty much guaranteed a spot back home when you’re ready. All three of us could play together! I thought you wanted that?”

Jinhwan felt guilty at her comments, especially on the topic of joining Jeju’s symphony orchestra. Both his sister and his mother occupied spots on the roster, and Jinhwan was mostly a guaranteed lock to get started in the brass section when he finished training. His family was close with the conductor, after all.

“I do want that,” he answered, and it wasn’t even a lie, “but it’s just not the only thing I want.”

“Most people don’t get the luxury of turning away from a sure thing, you know,” Seiyeon continued, “most people would kill to find a path to a career doing something they love, and here you are, snubbing your nose at it in order to chase after something else. What would you even do as a professional fighter anyway? Do you get paid to fight in those competitions?”

Jinhwan was silent until realizing she was asking him honestly. “Right now, no, but the ones I’m in aren’t professional competitions, no one gets paid to be in them.”

“Are you even good enough to win in a professional fight, if you ever had one?”

Jinhwan couldn’t help but feel offended by her question, and that was evident in his tone of voice. “You’d know exactly how good I am if you ever came to watch me fight.”

“Jinan, don’t start this--”

“Don’t start what? Don’t be upset because you never even bother coming? You’ve never watched me, noona, and it honestly hurts. I want you to be proud of me; I’m a really good fighter!” Jinhwan had been itching to say as much for years, now, but he’d always held it back. But he was feeling hurt over her immediate dismissal of his dream, and for a moment he didn’t care about potentially making her feel guilty.

“Jinan, I am proud of you,” she said, “I just don’t like fighting of any kind.”

“But you’ve never even watched a match, you don’t actually know what it’s like.” Jinhwan couldn’t even look her in the eyes, and he sulkingly stared into the corner of the backyard instead.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what else I can say about it. But it still remains that I’m worried about whether or not you can support yourself off of jiu jitsu. What if you don’t win any fights? How would you make money?”

Jinhwan felt like ignoring the question in favour of sulking some more, barely able to carry on the conversation because he was feeling too sorry for himself. “I actually really want to be a trainer, I enjoy teaching the kids we get in, I’m good at it.”

“Can you really make money off of that? Enough to provide for yourself?” Seiyeon asked, and Jinhwan wasn’t sure if she was asking honestly, or sarcastically.

“After a while, yes. It wouldn’t be as lucrative as the music, but I don’t care about money, I want to do what makes me happy.”

Seiyeon shook her head again, sighing in frustration. “It’s so easy to say that you don’t care about money. We grew up with money, Jinhwan, you don’t know what it’s like to struggle. You’ve always had a good home, the best of everything.”

Jinhwan bit the inside of his cheek to keep from speaking up. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, he wasn’t stupid!

“Look, you know I love you, honestly Jinhwan you’re the most important person in my life,” Seiyeon turned to face him, her fingers gripping his hand tighter, “but you’re really not being realistic about this. I guess I can’t blame you, mom totally spoiled you.”

“She did not!” Jinhwan couldn’t contain the outburst. He wasn’t some spoiled brat who was used to getting everything he wanted! He’d worked hard for everything he’d accomplished so far.

“She did! I never got to flit between Jeju and Seoul just because I felt like it. I stayed home, even when I was offered positions here! I’m not bitter about it, I understand that she didn’t make as much at the time as she does now. She couldn’t afford to send me off to live with someone in Seoul every year the way she does with you.”

“What does it cost her to let me live with Bobby’s family, other than a plane ticket?” Jinhwan was confused by her statement. She was making it sound like their mom was paying some ridiculous tuition fee to a private school or something!

Seiyeon shot him a look of slight disappointment. “This is exactly what I mean, Jinan! Do you think she sends you to Bobby’s family for free? She doesn’t! She pays them to look after you, to make sure you can still have all the things you’re used to at home. They don’t have the money to provide for you out of their own pocket. But you don’t even realize that!”

Jinhwan felt like a stupid little kid at her comment. Was she speaking the truth? He hadn’t really ever thought about how much money he would have been costing Bobby’s family anyway, even if his mom wasn’t giving them money for him. He’d never thought twice about grocery shopping with Bobby’s mom and always picking out the most expensive brands of food. He’d just expected them to be able to afford everything, and of course Bobby’s mom never would have told him no. He was a guest (practically family at this point, but still a guest).

Seiyeon dropped his hand and instead pulled on his arm, pulling him closer. “I don’t mean to make you feel bad, Jinan, but you’ve led a very privileged life. You’re not used to thinking about things like that. So it just worries me, that you have this plan, but you don’t know what it really entails. I don’t want you to have this rude awakening that you’re not prepared for everything.”

Jinhwan looped his arms around Seiyeon’s back and buried his face into her shoulder, feeling miserable. All he’d wanted from this conversation was a little support, and instead he was coming away from it feeling like an immature kid who didn’t know anything.

“I’m sorry if this harsh, Jinan, but I’m your sister and it’s my responsibility to criticize you when you’re doing something stupid. Maybe it would be a better idea to focus on your music for now. Maybe when you start making your own money, you can think about going off to California to chase your other dreams then.”

Jinhwan didn’t respond to that comment. It hurt too much to think about it, to admit that he wasn’t preparing himself properly for what it really meant to move away. It’s not that he didn’t want to continue with his music. He still had a dream of performing in an orchestra, he wanted to be on stage performing beautiful music.

He just wanted to do it while holding a black belt in jiu jitsu. He wanted to open his own school one day, he wanted a place to display trophies and he wanted a captive audience to share his experiences with, the same way he’d been captivated when he’d started training. Was it really that selfish to ask for both lives?

“Listen, let me know when your next tournament is. If I don’t have a performance that weekend, I’ll fly up and watch you fight.”

Jinhwan sat up in surprise at her offer, blinking back the tears in his eyes. Was he really so desperate for family support that the mere offer of attention had him near tears?

“Will you really?”

Seiyeon smiled and nodded, blinking back her own tears. “I promise. I’m sorry I haven’t supported you in something you love. We’re all just so focused on the music, it’s easy to forget that someone can love two things equally. I might not like your fighting, but I can’t stop you from loving it. So I promise I’ll try and understand it, okay?”

Jinhwan nodded and hugged her again, a little overwhelmed by her words. That was all he wanted. Just the offer, the attempt. He didn’t need her screaming support and waving a banner. He just wanted her to care, wanted her to be proud.

“I want to sit with Junhoe oppa!”

Hanbyul bolted from her mother’s side towards Junhoe, who gleefully opened his arms wide for her, scooping her up onto his lap.

“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Hanbin’s mom asked, and Junhoe shook his head.

“Of course not! I have the prettiest girl in all of Seoul sitting with me, what’s not to love?” He wrapped his arms securely around her and she giggled in response. Junhoe loved Hanbin’s little sister, thought she was the cutest thing in the world. Of course it helped that she adored him and was always glued to his side whenever he visited.

Hanbin stood by and watched, amused at the scene. Usually his parents didn’t bring Hanbyul to his boxing competitions, but this time she’d asked to come and they weren’t about to tell her no. They were all fully aware that she might not understand the point of all the punching, but Hanbin’s parents had always believed in exposure first, explanation second. The less you treated something like it was wrong, the quicker acceptance would come, and there was a difference between a controlled environment like a boxing tournament and unnecessary violence on TV.

He was glad they’d brought her, though, because it would be easier to keep Junhoe in a good mood with her around. It had been a trying week leading up to today (after a worse week before that) and Hanbin was just ready for today to be over.

Last weekend he’d pretty much forced Junhoe into meeting Bobby, despite all the protests he’d made. It had gone exactly as expected: Bobby had been polite and Junhoe answered it with stone-faced suspicion.

Hanbin was tired.

Junhoe was nervous.

After meeting Bobby the previous weekend he’d been stewing over it all week and had reached an unnerving conclusion: Bobby seemed okay. Junhoe hated to admit it, but he kind of liked Bobby. He’d been very careful to ensure that neither Bobby nor Hanbin had figured that out, though, because he didn’t want Bobby to get comfortable. Hanbin was Junhoe’s best friend, and he’d be damned if some new boyfriend was going to slack off and treat him poorly. He wanted Bobby to stay on his toes, wanted him to feel like he had to prove himself every time Junhoe met him.

For Hanbin’s sake, of course. Junhoe didn’t share easily, he was aware of that, and it felt weird to share Hanbin with someone he didn’t know. When Hanbin had started dating Woosung, his first boyfriend, Junhoe hadn’t had quite as hard a time as he was having now, but that was because he’d known Woosung first. Even though he’d never thought that Woosung was good enough for Hanbin, he hadn’t exactly been terrible, either, and Junhoe had considered him a friend before he’d hooked up with Hanbin, so he knew he wasn’t just going to screw him over. They’d been able to hang out as three and Junhoe had never felt out of place.

But Bobby was completely unknown, Junhoe hadn’t had weeks to get to know him first. They didn’t even go to the same school, so Junhoe couldn’t watch him during times when Hanbin wasn’t around (he’d made a habit of watching Woosung for the first few weeks, making sure he wasn’t messing around behind Hanbin’s back). What if Bobby was messing around with someone else at his school? What if Hanbin was just a guy on the side? Junhoe had a hard time trusting people he didn’t know. Hanbin trusted very easily, which was half the reason why Junhoe was always so suspicious. Would Hanbin even notice if Bobby was acting suspicious? Junhoe wasn’t convinced he would.

Hanbin liked to tease him about it, said his suspicion would bite him in the ass one day. But that was fine. Better to be safe than sorry (especially if it involved Hanbin getting his hopes up over some asshole).

He wasn’t looking forward to seeing Bobby today, but he was even more worried about Jinhwan. Junhoe didn’t believe Hanbin’s assessment of Jinhwan at all. There was no way Jinhwan was as nice as Hanbin had said he was. Jinhwan was obviously a manipulator, a shill who wouldn’t hesitate to hide his true self and choose what he presented.

Junhoe thought Jinhwan was possibly even a bit of a psychopath. He’d know for sure after today.

For now Junhoe was content to sit with Hanbin’s family, flaunting his close relationship with them in Bobby’s face whenever he showed up. He’d been there when Bobby had met Hanbin’s parents (his mom in particular really liked Bobby, mostly because of how polite he was) but Hanbyul was still wary. Of course she was very shy with new people, but still. Her refusal to give Bobby a hug had made Junhoe’s day, and he felt a great solidarity with her.

Hanbin left them momentarily to go and join his team for a pre-tournament discussion (a glorified pep talk, Junhoe hated listening to them) so Junhoe entertained Hanbyul, who was asking him what he knew about birds (which wasn’t much, but he could bullshit his way through a conversation). Her questions ranged from normal (“how far can a bird fly before it gets tired?”) to hilarious (“do birds keep their food in small refrigerators?”) to terrifying (“what should I do if a bird gets into my room and tries to eat my eyes?”) . He didn’t know what had prompted the last question and he wasn’t about to ask and find out.

He loved it, though. Hanbin was the only friend of his with a sibling this young. Talking to a four year old made everything interesting.

Hanbin focused on the words of his trainer, always perfectly attentive regardless of how little he benefitted from any kind of pep talk. He knew what he needed to do, knew how to fight to his advantages. He didn’t need anyone else trying to hype him up, he had his own reasons for competing. But his teammates enjoyed the group talks, and despite not being the oldest, Hanbin was still the most accomplished one on his team here this weekend. There were four of them competing today, but some of their older teammates (who were too old for the age group in the tournament) were coming to cheer them on.

So Hanbin wanted to present a good image and be a good influence on the others. But he also wanted to look around a bit, see if he recognized anyone he’d be fighting. He had a few guys he considered his rivals (in the ring only, out of the ring they were quite friendly with each other) but he’d been too busy dealing with Junhoe to text any of them and ask if they were competing.

When his coach finished his speech Hanbin finally took a look around, and right away he spotted one of those rivals, Lee Chanhyuk. Despite being rather short, Chanhyuk was very quick and very scrappy. They’d fought four times already: two victories for Hanbin, one for Chanhyuk, and one draw. Their verbal sparring matches were every bit as entertaining in Hanbin’s mind. They waved to one another before making threatening hand gestures.

It was on his way back to join his family when Hanbin happened to look over at the entrance to the gym, his eyes falling immediately on his boyfriend. He tried to still the obnoxiously fast beating of his heart, annoyed that his body was betraying him by getting excited so quickly. He was here to fight, not flirt, and he needed to remain focused on the boxing. Still, it was nice to know that Bobby would be here, watching him. He made his way over to where Bobby was standing with Jinhwan, looking around for him.

Bobby gave him a hug when he reached them and Hanbin planted a quick little kiss on his cheek. It seemed to take Bobby by surprise. Hanbin hadn’t really discussed just how out he was in the boxing community, so Bobby had probably assumed he’d want to keep their relationship secret. Hanbin didn’t care who saw, though.

“Right on time,” Hanbin said by way of greeting, keeping one arm looped loosely around Bobby, “just finished my team meeting, so let’s go find my family.”

“Is your little sister here?” Jinhwan asked.

“Yeah, she actually asked to come. She’s never watched me box before, so it should be interesting.”

“Ah well, you’d better win, then!” Jinhwan replied, eyes scanning the room, looking for Hanbin’s family. He spotted Junhoe almost immediately, intrigued when he saw him with a little girl on his lap. That had to be Hanbin’s sister.

“That’s the plan! If I lose today, Bobby might think he’s a bad luck charm.” Hanbin teased his boyfriend, who grinned back at him.

“Just don’t get distracted looking for me, alright? I don’t want to give Junhoe another reason to hate me.” Bobby teased back.

“Ah don’t worry, you’re not that distracting!” At just that moment Junhoe happened to notice them, frowning momentarily before reverting his attention to Hanbyul. Once again Hanbin felt grateful for her presence.

Bobby frowned too when he saw Hanbyul sitting happily on Junhoe’s lap, engaging him in conversation. She’d been super shy when he’d met her the first time, despite his every effort to win her over. Bobby liked little kids, he thought they were adorable and their energy was always invigorating. But Hanbyul had hidden from him the entire time (half behind her mom, and half behind Junhoe) despite even Hanbin trying to coax her out.

He desperately hoped she’d like him more this time.

Hanbin’s heart pounded hard as he approached his family, feeling nervous and wondering if this was really a good idea? Didn’t he have enough to focus on today without worrying about how everyone was going to get along? Junhoe had promised that he’d be nice, as had Jinhwan. Hanbin couldn’t afford to spend any of his time worrying about them.

His mom stood up as they approached, a warm smile on her face as she greeted Bobby.

“It’s good to see you again, Bobby!” She beckoned him forward for a hug, and Bobby gladly hugged her back, touched that she seemed genuinely happy to see him. He’d been extremely nervous on the day that he’d met Hanbin’s parents, and even though they’d both been very nice to him, he was nervous about meeting them again. What if they’d changed their minds about him? What if they thought he wasn’t good enough for their son? Judging by their expressions he’d been worried for nothing.

“It’s good to see you too, Mrs. Kim!” Bobby replied, bowing before turning to greet Hanbin’s father.

“And this must be Jinhwan!” She gave him a quick hug too, which had Jinhwan smiling. It was nice to be welcomed immediately and with such affection.

“It’s nice to meet you!” Jinhwan replied, bowing as well. “I’m looking forward to watching Hanbin fight today. I haven’t watched much boxing before, to be honest.”

“Ah well if you have any questions, please feel free to ask me. Hanbin and I have been boxing together for a long time, haven’t we?” Hanbin’s father offered.

“He told us about the time when you accidentally knocked him out when sparring!” Jinhwan replied with a grin, and the older man laughed.

“Yes, I was just accidentally reminding him who’s the boss!” He joked, and Hanbin shook his head and moved next to his father.

“Do you hear that? Admitting in public that he purposefully kicked my ass?” Hanbin teased as he slid his arms around his dad and hugged him.

“It worked, didn’t it?” The older man replied, “never given us a single problem!” He patted his son on the head before looping an arm around his shoulders.

Jinhwan watched them with a heavy longing in his heart. He hadn’t heard from his own father in over three years. It was always a relief to see his friends have close relationships with their parents, but it hurt. Not that he really wanted to be close to his dad (because he’d never really been a good man, always disappearing and breaking promises) but if his dad had been a different person, maybe. He’d even welcome a step-father, as long as his mom was happy.

Ah well. He was close to Bobby’s father at least, maybe over time he’d be close to Hanbin’s family too? They both seemed like the type of parents who showered their children’s friends with warm affection.

Through all the greetings Junhoe remained quiet, using shy Hanbyul as a convenient excuse to not greet either of them. She currently had her head buried in his chest, but she kept peeking at the newcomers over her shoulder. Junhoe was secretly pleased that she hadn’t greeted Bobby yet.

“Junhoe, aren’t you going to greet your friends?” Mrs. Kim asked, noticing the one quiet member of the group. Hanbin had told her about Junhoe’s reluctance to be friendly with Bobby, citing the match a few weeks ago with Jinhwan. But he’d asked her to act like she didn’t know anything, so that’s exactly what she was going to do. Try to get him to talk.

Junhoe didn’t want to rude in front of her, so he turned towards Bobby, forcing a smile to his face. “Hey Bobby.” Bobby had told Junhoe he could call him hyung when they’d met, but it felt weird on Junhoe’s tongue, and he just couldn’t force it out. He wasn’t going to greet Jinhwan, though. He just couldn’t, not even for Hanbin’s mom.

Jinhwan grinned and leaned in closer to her when she frowned at Junhoe. “We know each other through jiu jitsu,” he began to explain, and at that moment Hanbin turned to look at him, face dropping in alarm as he listened--“I beat him at a tournament a few weeks ago so we’re not exactly friends.”

Jinhwan grinned as he watched Junhoe’s face drop suddenly, and seconds later Junhoe’s cheeks were burning red with barely suppressed rage and he looked away. Jinhwan originally hadn’t meant to do it. He’d promised Bobby (multiple times, actually, he’d promised Hanbin too) that he was going to be nice.

That had all gone out the window the second he’d laid eyes on him, though, the memory of Junhoe’s smug attitude from a few weeks ago changing his mind.

He’d apologize to Hanbin later.

“Ah, losses are just a part of life’s training!” Hanbin’s dad cut in. He didn’t have the full story behind Junhoe and Jinhwan, but it wasn’t difficult to piece it together now. “There’s no shame in losing a fight, as long as you learn something from it.”

“I’ll remember that later if I lose.” Hanbin said, desperate to get the attention off of Junhoe, lest he storm off. He was a little disappointed in Jinhwan for bringing it up, though. He’d promised to be nice.

“Don’t, because it doesn’t apply to you. You better win this whole thing!” His dad teased back.

“Ah, so much pressure!” Hanbin whined, frowning for effect and looking at Bobby.

Bobby’s expression was soft and amused, a little affectionate while he watched Hanbin being teased by his father. He liked Hanbin’s parents a lot, they were young and cool and joked easily.

“Don’t worry, Hanbin-ah! You’ll do well!” Bobby said, shooting him a double thumbs up. Hanbin smiled cutely back at him.

“That’s right! Can’t disappoint the new boyfriend!” His dad teased again, and Hanbin groaned.

“If I do lose, it’s because of the pressure you’re putting on me!” He whined, frowning at his dad’s amused grin.

“It’s okay, Bin-ah,” his dad said, “even if you lose, you’ll still be my favourite son.”

“I’m your only son!” Hanbin replied.

“Of course you are! When you get it right the first time, there’s no need to try again.” His dad replied, squeezing his shoulder. Hanbin couldn’t help but grin at the comment. As much as his father liked to tease him, Hanbin knew that he was very proud of him, for the important things and the little things alike. It was a nice feeling, to never feel like he needed to prove himself to either of his parents.

“Oh I like that,” Bobby cut in, “I’m gonna tell that to my brother!”

“Ah, don’t be inciting sibling rivalries!” Hanbin’s mom added, shaking her head at them.

“Speaking of siblings,” Hanbin spoke up, “Byul-ah! Kim Hanbyul! Why are you hiding? Come and say hello!” Hanbin called to his sister, who was still hiding in Junhoe’s arms. She peeked over her shoulder at him, shy smile on her face, and shook her head.

“Hanbyul, listen to your brother! Don’t you remember meeting Bobby last week? He wants to say hello to you!” Their mother sat down next to Junhoe, laying a hand on her daughter’s head.

Bobby watched them with a smile, hoping she’d at least look him in the eye this time.

After a moment of coaxing Hanbyul finally turned around, though she remained with Junhoe. She looked at Bobby, meeting his eyes for a second before looking away. It was enough to make him smile, though. She spent a bit longer looking at Jinhwan, and even waved shyly at him.

Jinhwan gave her a big smile back, waving at her too. But she hid in Junhoe’s chest again.

“I can’t believe how much your sister looks like you!” Jinhwan exclaimed, because it was striking. Their faces were very similar.

“Ah, don’t insult her!” Hanbin replied with a frown.

“You’re both beautiful!” Mrs. Kim exclaimed, content to leave Hanbyul with Junhoe. She’d warm up to the strangers eventually.

“Yeah, Hanbin! Hanbyul really does look like you, so you can’t call yourself ugly, otherwise you’ll be insulting her too.” Jinhwan teased.

“You’re not even ugly anyway,” Bobby interjected, “so quit it.”

While the three of them continued teasing one another, Junhoe listened in silence, pretending not to pay attention to them but listening intently. Bobby won himself points by continually showering Hanbin with praise, which Junhoe grudgingly granted him. Jinhwan continued to be a pest, even though it seemed like he was the only one who could see it. Hanbin’s mother took to Jinhwan quickly, which irritated Junhoe. Even Hanbin’s dad was joking with Jinhwan, and Junhoe hadn’t missed the fact that Hanbyul had actually waved at him.

The little traitor.

He couldn’t blame her, though. Kids liked people with soft faces, and despite being a huge jerk, Jinhwan did have a friendly face, as much as it pained Junhoe to admit it. He still hated the stupid heart-shaped birthmark, still wanted to punch it off of Jinhwan’s stupid face.

Stupid cute face that looked like a little pixie when he laughed. Junhoe wasn’t sure how he was going to manage making it through the day without snapping at him.

“I want to go say hi to a few people, you guys wanna come?” Hanbin didn’t have a fight scheduled for nearly an hour, so he wanted to go and get his greetings out of the way now.

“Of course!” Bobby was curious about meeting Hanbin’s boxing friends. Hanbin had mentioned a few of them, explained how he had a group of competitors he regularly met up with for dinners every other month. He thought it was a nice gesture.

“Why don’t the four of you go sit together? I’m sure you don’t want to be stuck with us all day.” Hanbin’s mom wanted to give the boys a chance to speak freely, hoping that maybe it would help Junhoe feel a bit more at ease with the other two.

That was the last thing Junhoe wanted to do. Maybe if they kicked Jinhwan to the curb… He didn’t really have a choice, though, because he wasn’t about to let Jinhwan spend the day with Hanbin, poisoning his ear. He gave Hanbyul a hug and a kiss on the cheek before standing up.

He refused to meet Jinhwan’s eyes, intent on ignoring him as much as possible. He walked next to Hanbin as he made his way down the bleachers, heading for the other side of the gym where Chanhyuk was sitting with his team. He liked Chanhyuk, appreciated his quick wit and sarcasm. He was Junhoe’s favourite out of Hanbin’s competitive boxing friends.

But Chanhyuk trained at a club with a rather homophobic owner, and it showed in the behaviour of a lot of his teammates. Junhoe knew that Chanhyuk caught a lot of flak for being friends with Hanbin, but Chanhyuk never let it bother him. Instead he tended to flaunt the friendship in their faces, showing that he wasn’t worried about going against the status quo at his club.

“Hey Chanhyuk-ie, your little fag squad’s here!”

Hanbin grinned at the attempted insult that greeted him. It was always the same old shit, to the point that it was more boring than anything now. “Sorry to interrupt your own circle jerk.” Hanbin replied, smiling brightly at the group.

“What did you just say?” The main instigator, Dong Jaesuk, made as though he were about to stand up, but Chanhyuk shoved him back down.

“Oh would you shut up for once, Jaesuk? Same thing every time, get a new opening line at least.” Chanhyuk brushed past his teammates, bumping fists with Hanbin.

“How are you, loser? What’s up, Junhoe?” He bumped fists with Junhoe as well, who nodded back at him. “Who are these two? Don’t tell me you have a new boyfriend?” Chanhyuk’s eyes flashed briefly over Bobby and Jinhwan, critical and curious.

“I do! Guess which one?” Hanbin asked, flashing a grin at the two in question.

“Gotta be this one,” Chanhyuk pointed at Bobby, “cause you don’t like short guys.”

“Hey! Watch it!” Jinhwan replied, faking insult.

“Ah hyung, don’t mind Chanhyuk! He’s actually shorter than you!” Hanbin relayed, and Jinhwan’s face brightened in a smile.

“I like him already!” Jinhwan replied.

“He’s the same age as me, though, so there’s a chance he may still grow a few inches!” Hanbin couldn’t help but tease them both.

Chanhyuk shook his head. “Nah, I’ve been the same height since I was twelve, I don’t think you’re at risk.”

“Me too.” Jinhwan replied, before Hanbin introduced them both properly. They chatted for another minute before Chanyuk’s coach called him back to the group.

Hanbin couldn’t just leave them without getting a final jab in, though. “Hey Jaesuk, I hope we face each other later.” He’d fought Jaesuk before and couldn’t resist setting him off.

“I hope so too, can’t wait to knock your ass out in front of your little bitch friends.” Jaesuk’s voice dripped with venom.

“You can try!” Hanbin replied with a laugh.

“Didn’t you kick his ass last time you fought, Hanbin?” Junhoe interjected, looking between the two.

“Yeah actually, I think I did!” Hanbin replied, grinning at Junhoe joining in.

“In fact, haven’t you beaten him each time you faced him?” Hanbin nodded, and Junhoe looked back at Jaesuk, grinning when he looked like he was contemplating getting to his feet. “I remember watching that fight! You were generous, actually.” He looked back at Hanbin.

Hanbin shot Junhoe a look of confusion at his comment. “How so?”

“Gave him not one, but two black eyes!” Junhoe replied, looking back at Jaesuk and winking at him. Jaesuk was about to get up but was restrained by a teammate, and Chanhyuk once again told him to shut up, before waving goodbye to the four as they left.

Bobby followed them in silence, intrigued by what he’d just watched. On one hand he’d felt super angry at the guy for talking shit about Hanbin just because he was gay, and had almost stepped in to challenge him. Which was stupid, because Hanbin could obviously handle himself.

But it had been nice to see Junhoe step in, and Bobby wondered how often they probably stuck up for one another? The way they’d jabbed back and forth had seemed so natural, almost like they were practiced at it. It was a little soothing to see. Despite Junhoe’s frosty behaviour towards him so far (and his unfair treatment of Hanbin for the past two weeks) Bobby knew that there had to be a side of Junhoe he had yet to see that kept Hanbin around. He assumed what he’d just watched was probably the tip of their real friendship, and it was nice to know that Junhoe was the type who wouldn’t hesitate to follow Hanbin into a potentially dangerous situation.

Jinhwan had drawn a similar conclusion, though he’d thought that half of Junhoe’s motivation had probably just been in instigating, prodding at Jaesuk’s insecurity. Not that Jinhwan himself could really fault that type of behaviour, because wasn’t that exactly what he’d done to Junhoe himself earlier?

It was refreshing to see that Hanbin was clearly unbothered by the hate, though. Jinhwan didn’t really talk much about his sexuality when it came to jiu jitsu. It’s not that he actively hid it, but he didn’t go around announcing it either, and if someone had insulted him directly to his face like that, he didn’t know if he’d have been as cool about it as Hanbin was.

But then he thought about Hanbin’s parents, and thought they were probably responsible for that attitude. Hanbin didn’t seem to hide anything from them, and they freely teased him without causing hurt feelings. Hanbin seemed to have a natural confidence that wasn’t easily shaken, and as much as Jinhwan liked to act the same, he didn’t feel it. It was just another thing to admire about him.

After greeting another two people Hanbin led them back to the bleachers, sitting a few rows up from the rest of his team. Despite a rocky start to the day, he was in a good mood now and felt a little better about the whole thing. He was oddly grateful to Jaesuk even, because one of the easiest ways to get Junhoe in a good mood was to give him the opportunity to talk shit to someone who truly deserved it.

Hanbin sat down in between Junhoe and Bobby, Jinhwan sat beside Bobby, and Hanbin hoped they could have a breakthrough of some sort before he had his first match. Not that he would be distracted during the fight, but he didn’t want to come back to an uncomfortable atmosphere.

Junhoe was in a much improved mood after their walk around, and he happily struck up conversation with Hanbin about the gossip they’d picked up from their chats with the other fighters. The best news was that Hanbin’s only serious hated rival in the boxing community (the same fighter he’d forced out of his own club two years ago by beating him in a fight) had been called up by the army, so they’d be free of him for two years at least! Even though they never faced each other due to their age gap, Hanbin still often saw him at tournaments, and snide, hateful remarks were always thrown in his face. They didn’t bother him, of course, but it was still irritating.

They settled in to watch the first fight, a contest between Jaesuk and another fighter. Whoever won this would be Hanbin’s opponent later on after he won his first round match. As much as he didn’t want to wish for Jaesuk to win, he really wanted to face him later just to put him in his place for a third time. Consistently beating guys who ran their mouths was one of his favourite things.

They watched the match and Hanbin paid attention to Jaesuk’s style, noting what had improved, and what hadn’t. By the end of the first two minutes, he was confident he could beat him. Jaesuk was a bigger guy and he liked to throw heavier punches, which only meant that he tired himself out more quickly. That was exactly how Hanbin had beaten him the first two times, and he didn’t mind using the same tactics a third time. If a guy didn’t learn after two times, he deserved to get embarrassed.

Jaesuk ended up winning his match by decision (and he was breathing heavily by the end of it), and Hanbin was pleased.

“Ah I can’t believe he won!” Bobby said, unhappy with the result because he remembered Jaesuk’s attitude from earlier. Guys like that didn’t deserve to win, regardless of how good they are.

“No, it’s good that he won!” Hanbin replied, leaning in closer to him. “That means I get to fight him later, and after watching this, I know I’ll win.”

“How are you sure?” Bobby asked, and it’s not that he doubted Hanbin--he just didn’t understand boxing.

“His fighting style hasn’t changed at all,” Hanbin answered, “he’s still a slugger, he always tries to go for knockouts because he’s got powerful arms. All he does is tire himself out. I’m really good at evading punches, so he’ll barely land anything on me.”

“That’s how Hanbin beat him the last two times.” Junhoe added, pleased as well with the result. “Just let him swing his arms around until he’s tired, then pop inside and land a nice uppercut. You knocked him out the first time, didn’t you?”

Hanbin grinned at the memory. “Yeah I did! Beat him on points the second time, which is when he got those black eyes. Kept jabbing him right in the face when he’d try and throw a heavy punch. I love beating guys who never learn.”

Bobby just stared at Hanbin while he and Junhoe described things, a little in awe at how ridiculously hot it was to hear Hanbin talk about boxing. There was a confident, almost smug sound to his voice, and Bobby was captivated by it.

Jinhwan enjoyed listening to them too, and he couldn’t help but notice the almost dumb expression on Bobby’s face as he listened to Hanbin. It was cute. Jinhwan hated to admit it, but it was also kind of cute to listen to Junhoe talk too? He was so genuinely excited about Hanbin’s boxing history that Jinhwan felt like maybe he’d misjudged him a tiny bit. He still thought Junhoe was an arrogant ass who needed to be put in his place, but it really did seem like he truly cared about Hanbin, and he sounded proud of him when he talked about him.

Whatever. You could be an asshole but still be good to your best friend.

They watched two more fights before Hanbin had to head down to prepare for his (one of which had been Chanhyuk beating a much bigger opponent). The fights had provided a good distraction from the potential awkwardness, and Hanbin worried about whether peace would remain in place while he was gone. It was easy to keep Junhoe and Jinhwan separate with he and Bobby in the middle. How would Bobby fare on his own?

“Good luck, Hanbin-ah! I’m looking forward to watching you kick some ass!” Jinhwan said, and he really was excited to see Hanbin fight. The matches so far had been more interesting than he’d expected. He’d tried watching a professional boxing match before, but he’d probably watched a dud. Jiu jitsu was the same way—if you didn’t practice the art yourself, you’d probably find a lot of matches boring because you didn’t understand the psychology and strategy behind the moves.

“Thanks, hyung!” Hanbin smiled back at him before turning to Bobby.

“I know you’re gonna kick this guy’s ass,” Bobby said softly, fingers rubbing lightly over Hanbin’s arm, “try not to be too hot, okay? I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle it.”

Hanbin grinned and leaned forward, quickly pressing a kiss to Bobby’s cheek. “I’ll try to look as ugly as possible, just for you!” Bobby grinned back and squeezed his arm before leaning forward to kiss Hanbin’s cheek in response, feeling bold enough for it. Hanbin smiled at the gesture before turning to face Junhoe.

“Kill this dude, bro!” Junhoe said, full of confidence that his best friend would get the win.

“You know I will!” Hanbin replied, bumping fists before heading over to see his family (where he got a kiss from his sister) before going down to meet with his coach.

When Hanbin left, there was a gap in between Junhoe and Bobby, and just as Bobby contemplated whether or not he should move over, he was surprised to see Junhoe slide closer to him. That was unexpected.

“So, Junhoe,” Bobby felt emboldened by Junhoe’s shuffling over and wanted to open conversation before the silence got awkward, “has Hanbin fought this guy before?” Maybe it would be best if he appealed to Junhoe’s knowledge and asked him questions. Wasn’t that a good way to get someone to like you? Asking them for help?

Junhoe hadn’t even realized he’d moved over, used to doing that when he was here watching with Hanbin’s parents. He took a moment to think about Bobby’s question, wanting to give an accurate answer.

“He definitely has, I think they’ve fought each other twice before, if I remember correctly? Hanbin won both times.” In fact there weren’t many people here that Hanbin had ever lost to. Hanbin had a very impressive record, rarely ever finishing at a tournament out of the top two. Junhoe thought that if Hanbin wanted to, he probably could have trained up even more and gone for a shot at making the Olympic boxing team. But boxing wasn’t something Hanbin wanted to take that seriously. His first love was science, and he wasn’t willing to give up on his education for sports.

Junhoe would drop school in a heartbeat if he could fight professionally.

“Ah that’s good! I wish I knew more about boxing. Sorry in advance if I ask you any stupid questions. I just don’t want to be that annoying guy who says something when he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” It had taken Bobby a few years to really understand jiu jitsu, despite watching almost every one of Jinhwan’s fights. He didn’t really have a brain for combat sports. Give him a tactical team game that involved scoring goals and he was fine. Subjective scoring in fights, though? Not his strength.

“It’s not a problem, hyung, I’ve been watching Hanbin’s fights for years, so I know boxing inside and out, pretty much.” Junhoe didn’t realize his slip-up until it was too late. Shit! Had Bobby noticed that he’d called him hyung? He tried to look at him out of the corner of his eye, and fuck! Bobby had a huge smile on his face. He’d noticed. Damn it. So much for remaining aloof and keeping Bobby on his toes.

“So, Junhoe, how long have you and Hanbin been friends?” Jinhwan asked, opting for a friendly conversation opener.

“Practically forever,” Junhoe answered, unsure why Jinhwan was asking, but figuring it was safe enough to answer, “since we were about five.”

“Did you meet at school?” Jinhwan knew that Bobby was probably giving him a warning look right now, confused about his sudden decision to play nice. He didn’t look at him, though, didn’t trust himself not to laugh at Bobby’s expression.

“Yep.” Junhoe certainly hoped Jinhwan wasn’t expecting him to ask questions back, because he had no interest in hearing about the beginnings of Jinhwan and Bobby’s friendship, especially not after slipping up with Bobby. He had to stay somewhat aloof.

“How come he’s into boxing and you do jiu jitsu?” Jinhwan asked.

Junhoe took a moment before answering, still suspicious of Jinhwan’s intentions. Why was he pretending to be friendly? There was nothing to gain without Hanbin here.

“He was always into boxing because of his dad. I actually tried it once but didn’t like it.” Junhoe answered honestly.

“What was different about boxing that you didn’t like?” Bobby asked, happy they were managing to have a decent conversation.

Junhoe shrugged, deciding he might as well continue with his honesty. “Didn’t like getting hit in the face.”

“Does Hanbin like taking it in the face?” Jinhwan teasingly asked Bobby, who looked at him in surprise.

“Jinan!” He couldn’t believe him! What an inappropriate joke!

“Oh calm down! I’m just teasing you.” Jinhwan grinned, amused at how scandalized Bobby’s expression was.

“Don’t make those kinds of jokes about Hanbin!” Bobby didn’t really mind them (okay they were a toe over the line, but he was used to Jinhwan saying things like that) but he really didn’t want him to say it in front of Junhoe. They’d been co-existing so peacefully! He didn’t want Junhoe to snap on Jinhwan for an indecent joke.

Jinhwan grinned and waved his concern off. “Oh it’s fine, I bet Hanbin would have laughed!”

Junhoe’s face crumpled in a disgruntled frown. Hanbin absolutely would laugh at that joke—hell Hanbin would make that joke! He didn’t like the idea that Jinhwan seemed to have Hanbin figured out already.

“Well, at least we know Junhoe doesn’t like taking it in the face. Or getting hit in the face. Which is a shame.” Jinhwan said, turning his gaze on Junhoe.

“Oh is it? And why is that?” Junhoe met Jinhwan’s stare, looking unimpressed.

“I think you could benefit from getting hit in the face once or twice.” Jinhwan replied, smiling sweetly at him.

“I’d benefit more from hitting someone in the face, once or twice.” Junhoe replied, annoyed gaze never leaving Jinhwan.

“Oh, it sounds like there’s someone on your mind already?” Jinhwan asked, feeling mischievous. He was surprised Bobby wasn’t trying to interrupt this yet.

Junhoe nodded. “Yeah, I can think of a guy.”

“Do I know him?” Jinhwan asked.

Junhoe laughed before answering sarcastically. “Yeah, actually I think you’re his biggest fan.”

Jinhwan knew that Junhoe meant him, but he decided to play with him for fun. “Why do you want to punch G Dragon in the face?” Junhoe’s expression turned confused, and Jinhwan fought to keep from laughing. “He’s a national icon, I don’t think that would be a good idea!”

“I wasn’t talking about G Dragon?!” Junhoe replied, annoyed that Jinhwan was trying to derail him. “I meant you!”

Jinhwan grinned and waved his answer off. “Eh, you’re not the first person to tell me that, probably won’t be the last.”

Junhoe shook his head in disgust. “Maybe you should take a hint.”

Bobby sighed in between them, annoyed that they’d both ruined their moment of peace. He was mostly annoyed that it was continually Jinhwan who was trying to instigate, though. He was supposed to be the one behaving! Bobby looked at him, annoyed to find Jinhwan grinning.

“Are you hearing this guy, Bobby? Threatening me in public! Me, his elder!” Jinhwan could see the anger and disappointment in Bobby’s eyes, but he couldn’t help himself. It was hard to be nice when Junhoe was so easy to rile up!

“Yeah and you deserve every bit of it!” Bobby countered, quickly taking Junhoe’s side. It wasn’t just that Jinhwan really was in the wrong, but Bobby wanted Junhoe to know that he didn’t approve of it. Bobby thought it was important for him to make friends with Junhoe. If he’d known Jinhwan was going to make things worse, Bobby would have uninvited Jinhwan himself!

Jinhwan knew he’d have to do some major damage control after today, but he was good at that. Temptation was hard to resist at the moment. “Well he can threaten me all he wants,” Jinhwan said, leaning forward in order to look at Junhoe, “I’ve already proved I can take him. Twice.”

Junhoe bit back the angry retort he wanted to make. At least Jinhwan was proving him right today—he really was an asshole. It felt weird to hear Bobby sticking up for him. Uncomfortable, actually. He didn’t want to feel like he owed anything to Bobby, and going against your best friend for the guy who doesn’t really like you was grounds for “owing him” .

“So, Junhoe,” Bobby was desperate to try and get over the hump, to distract from Jinhwan’s verbal jab, “when did you start training in jiu jitsu?”

Junhoe was tempted to ignore Bobby, and he would have, had it not been for Hanbin. He looked down at where Hanbin was standing, waiting to get his gloves put on. Hanbin flashed him a quick thumbs up, and the last thing Junhoe wanted to do was distract him. He repeated the gesture back before turning to face Bobby.

Time to be the bigger person and accept Bobby’s peace offering. He’d just ignore Jinhwan from now on.

“I started when I was ten. It was after I tried out boxing, actually. Hanbin fought in his first fight and I got jealous, wanted to compete too. I was actually supposed to go to a karate class, but my mom brought me to a jiu jitsu one by mistake. I really enjoyed it, though, so I stuck with it.” He hoped Jinhwan would have the decency to keep out of the conversation, at least, and that Bobby would recognize how meaningful it was for Junhoe to actually talk to him. He was doing it all for Hanbin.

“Ah, what a lucky mistake! Did Hanbin ever try jiu jitsu with you?” Bobby was grateful that Junhoe had answered his question. He’d thought for a second that Junhoe was going to ignore him instead.

“Yeah, he came to a few classes. He liked it, but boxing is more his thing. He’s better at hitting than grappling.”

“You guys make a dangerous pair, then!” Bobby joked, “anyone ever messes with you, you hold them and Hanbin hits them!”

Junhoe couldn’t help but grin at the slightly cheesy attempt, and he fucking hated it. Hanbin had totally been right.

He actually liked Bobby.

Fuck.

“Yeah, to tell you the truth we do have a reputation around school. A lot of guys tried to give us shit when we both came out, but anyone who ever tried anything got their asses handed to them. So guys stopped trying real quick.” Junhoe wasn’t just exaggerating. Hanbin had come out first, and on that day two of their classmates had tried to jump him from behind. Junhoe had stepped in, and ten seconds later both of the aggressors were sporting busted lips and bloody noses.

When a friend of the two had asked Junhoe why he’d stick up for a gay guy, Junhoe had made the split second decision to out himself as well. Another fight the following day had everyone keeping their distance, and keeping their mouths shut. Their short bout of being social pariahs was over quickly, and weeks later they both had more friends than they’d had before outing themselves.

Coming out stories rarely ever ended so well, and Junhoe was willing to offer monetary guarantee that things wouldn’t have gone so smoothly if they hadn’t done it together.

Bobby couldn’t help but smile at the story, because there it was—the deep bond of friendship that was hiding beneath Junhoe’s prickly exterior. Clearly they’d been through a lot together, and he understood Junhoe’s protectiveness over Hanbin a little better too.

“Alright, enough sappy stories! Hanbin’s fighting, finally!” Junhoe focused his attention on Hanbin again, because he was almost regretting telling Bobby about his history with Hanbin. It was a little too much, at least this early. He had to keep reminding himself that just because he’d admitted to himself that he liked Bobby, it didn’t mean that Bobby had to know.

Bobby looked down at the floor too, watching as Hanbin took his spot for the fight. Bobby couldn’t help but feel a little elated that Junhoe had actually had a full conversation with him. It was huge. Almost like Junhoe was using Bobby as a way to deflect his attention off of Jinhwan. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing that Jinhwan had been a jerk after all. If he’d been super polite, maybe Junhoe would still be stuck in his shell? There was no way to know for sure.

Jinhwan focused on the fight too, but he was also thinking about Junhoe’s story. He was surprised to hear that Junhoe had only come out as a reflexive move to defend Hanbin. That sort of behaviour went against his impression of him. He could have just defended Hanbin, said he’d stick up for his best friend through anything. But that apparently hadn’t been enough for him. He’d actually wanted to share in Hanbin’s burden instead, wanted to go through hell together instead of separately.

It was admirable, and Jinhwan wasn’t happy to hear it. Well, he was, because it meant that Junhoe was probably a better guy than he had him pegged as, and Jinhwan didn’t want Hanbin to be saddled with a best friend who really had a trash personality. But Jinhwan hated being wrong about people, and while he knew that his initial impression on Junhoe was based on a real part of his personality, he knew there might also be a good reason for that side to have come out. People were different on the mat during fights, bravado and insecurity making them act in a way that wasn’t how they truly were.

He was living proof of that, after all.

Maybe he’d completely misjudged Junhoe? And maybe Junhoe was vehemently against him as a result of Jinhwan’s own misconceptions?

Or he could be giving him way too much credit, and Junhoe was just fabricating stories when Hanbin wasn’t here. No way to know, and Jinhwan didn’t like to ignore his gut feelings.

Right before the fight was about to start a few guys took seats near the three of them. Right away two of them started talking shit.

“Hey isn’t this the gay guy? Can’t believe he’s still fighting.”

“Yeah man, fucking disgusting. I don’t know why they don’t ban him. Shouldn’t have to fight fags.”

Junhoe turned to face them, scanning them over to see if he knew them. They looked vaguely familiar, but not so much that he recognized them by name. He stared until one of them looked at him.

“Fuck you lookin’ at, blondie?” One of them asked, drawing the attention of his friend.

Junhoe stared him right back in the eyes. “Two assholes that need to get fucked.”

“You lookin’ for a fight?” One of them threatened, and Junhoe laughed in response.

“Yeah if you see someone worth fighting, let me know.” He focused his attention back on Hanbin, who was just touching gloves with his opponent, about to start the match. The guys muttered to themselves but didn’t say anything further, which suited Junhoe just fine. He didn’t want a distraction during Hanbin’s match.

Bobby was once again feeling bothered, wondering if this sort of thing happened at Hanbin’s tournaments all the time? He’d never encountered anyone who’d ever brought up Jinhwan’s sexuality at his events. Was boxing that much more homophobic of a crowd? Or was Hanbin just that much more out with his sexuality than Jinhwan?

He’d decided to let Junhoe handle it, though, since Bobby was out of his place here. Junhoe would know the appropriate course of action. For now Bobby focused on Hanbin, which wasn’t difficult. Bobby hadn’t known what to expect in regards to his fighting, but Hanbin was fast in his movements, weaving around his opponent’s fists, getting off some lightning quick jabs to the guys’ head.

It was hot. Hanbin was really good, and it showed! Even though Bobby didn’t know anything about boxing, he still thought Hanbin outclassed his opponent. He wanted to ask Junhoe for his opinion, but he was also wary of inviting comments from the pair sitting by them, so he kept his questions to himself for now, waiting for the end of the first two minutes.

When the bell rang Bobby turned to Junhoe, who had an impressed smirk on his face.

“I love being best friends with the best fighter at this tournament!” Junhoe said, and Bobby grinned at him, his question about just how impressive Hanbin had been answered with the statement.

“He was really good, wasn’t he?” Bobby replied, and he felt proud when he looked back down at Hanbin.

“That was a perfect first round! He’s clearly on a different level from this guy, this is a mismatched fight.” Junhoe was itching to look back at the other two, to rub it in their faces over how good Hanbin was. Maybe he would, if he was by himself. But he didn’t want to draw Bobby into something potentially troubling while Hanbin still had more fighting left.

“He’s really fast in there,” Bobby ventured, trying to find a good way to ask questions that wouldn’t make it sound like he didn’t know what he was talking about.

“Damn right he is, he’s dancing circles around this guy, it’s embarrassing. He’s always been really fast in the ring, doesn’t get tired as quickly as most of them either. Which is actually really funny, because it’s not like he does that much cardio training? He’s just naturally got a lot of endurance. I keep telling him he should up his training, he could probably make the Olympic team.”

Bobby looked at Junhoe in surprise. “He’s that good, you think?” While Hanbin was obviously good, Bobby didn’t realize that he was quite that good. Junhoe didn’t seem like the type to exaggerate about things like this.

“Definitely, his coach bugs him about it all the time too. Some people are made for certain sports, he’s made for boxing. But he’s more set on studying to get into a top university, and he says that committing to boxing will take time away from trying to have a life outside of school. Which, okay, he’s got a point there. But still, school isn’t going anywhere. His parents would support him if he took a break for boxing, I know they would.”

Jinhwan listened in silence, curious about Hanbin’s situation regarding the sport. He kind of felt a bit of a kinship with him over it, was reminded him of his own struggles, trying to reconcile what everyone told him he should be doing, versus doing what he wanted to do instead.

They watched the second round, which was a mirror of the first. When the bell rang they celebrated, standing up and cheering, and Junhoe barely noticed the other two guys leaving. As much as he wanted to rub Hanbin’s victory in their faces, sometimes it was just as good to see guys try to slink away unnoticed.

They were interrupted again as they sat down, another unfamiliar voice speaking up.

“Hey, I’m sorry to bother you, but I just had a quick question!”

Junhoe turned around to face the intruder, his eyes falling on a guy who looked to be around his age, wearing glasses that made him look a little nerdy. Why was this guy talking to him?

“What?”

The stranger smiled at him, obviously trying his best to appear confident. “I couldn’t help but overhear you earlier, talking about your friend who just won--”

“What about it?” Junhoe asked, annoyed glare settling over the guy. Was he just here to talk shit? Couldn’t people just leave them all alone?

“Were you serious? Before, I heard guys mention that your friend who won, that he’s gay--”

Junhoe interrupted him, irritated already. There was always someone looking to start shit! “Yeah, he’s gay. I’m gay too.” He pointed at Bobby and Jinhwan. “They’re also gay. You got a fucking problem with it?”

The stranger shook his head, eyes wide with alarm. “No! No, not at all! It’s just that, ah, I started this whole thing wrong!” He paused for a second, composing himself. “I just moved back to Korea after studying abroad in the US for a few years, and I’m looking for a boxing gym to join, because I trained back in America. Your friend, well, he’s really amazing in the ring! So he must train at a good gym. And I just thought, if he’s gay, well, I’m actually, I’m gay too, so…”

Junhoe rolled his eyes at the guy, annoyed at the interruption. What guarantee was there that this guy wasn’t lying? Did someone set him up to come over and bother them?

It was Jinhwan who extended the offer of friendship. “Have a seat, you’re being awkward standing up!” He smiled and gestured at the bench in front of them, and the kid sat down. “I’m Jinhwan, what’s your name?”

The newcomer smiled back at him. “Ah, thanks! I’m Kim Donghyuk.”

“Well, Donghyuk, this is Bobby, and the unfriendly one is Junhoe. You’ll have to forgive him, as I’m sure you overheard, he’s used to people talking shit about Hanbin, who’s the guy that was fighting. He probably thought you were coming over to cause trouble.” Jinhwan understood Junhoe’s suspicion, but he had a good feeling about this kid. He seemed genuine.

“Ah, thank you! I really didn’t mean to be a bother, but I’m still trying to figure out which gym to join. Like I said, he was, wow, he was really impressive!” Donghyuk blushed a little as he spoke, grateful to Jinhwan for being friendly.

“He was, wasn’t he?” Jinhwan replied, amused at Donghyuk’s attitude. He was a cute little dork. “Don’t be too impressed though, you might make his boyfriend jealous.” Jinhwan motioned to Bobby, who shook his head.

“Ah, no, don’t misunderstand!” Donghyuk was quick to say. “Like I said, I need somewhere new to train, and he’s really amazing. It’s not really easy being gay in boxing, so, I just thought it would be easier to find a gym with someone like me.”

Bobby was quick to offer his hand next when Donghyuk clarified his interest in Hanbin. He hadn’t been worried about him anyway! Just confused. Donghyuk clearly wasn’t a threat. “I’m sure he’d be happy to introduce you to the owner.” Bobby offered, wanting to make amends for the slightly frosty greeting they’d given him.

“Ah, really? I don’t want to impose, if you can give me the club information, I can go on my own. I don’t want to be a bother.” Donghyuk smiled back, and Jinhwan wished he had the information to give him. He looked expectantly at Junhoe, who probably had all the details. Would he actually be nice and give them, though?

Junhoe was aware of Jinhwan’s eyes on him, and he was debating his options. Did he feign ignorance and hope the kid would go away? Or did he prove Jinhwan wrong and give him the information he wanted?

“It won’t be a bother, really, Hanbin will be happy to talk to you.” He could just give the kid the info and have him leave, but he honestly thought Hanbin would probably prefer to take him down and introduce him himself. That’s what Junhoe would do, if he was met with the same situation. The longer this kid stuck around, the less Junhoe thought he was an impostor, and he understood exactly how unwelcoming the community could be towards gay guys. Best to stick together.

“Who am I talking to?” Just then Hanbin rejoined them, leaning over onto Bobby’s shoulders, friendly smile in place as he locked eyes on Donghyuk.

“You’re back, congrats on the victory, bro! This is Donghyuk, just moved here from the US and wants to join your gym. He’s gay too.” Junhoe conducted the verbal hand-off, giving Hanbin all the pertinent information.

Hanbin grinned at Junhoe’s introduction. “It’s nice to meet you!” Hanbin replied, reaching out with a handshake. Donghyuk took it, and within a minute Hanbin was leading Donghyuk back down the bleachers, towards his coach.

A silence settled over the other three as they waited for him to come back. Things were in a weird state of peace at the moment, a position none of them had expected to be in.  There was still the possibility that as the day wore on, patience would wear thin and tensions would snap. But for now all three of them were feeling positive. Junhoe liked Bobby, Jinhwan didn’t think Junhoe was quite so bad anymore, and Bobby was perched carefully in the middle, hoping that Hanbin’s victory would keep up the good spirits for the rest of the day.

“Junhoe, come buy me a drink!” Hanbin lightly punched Junhoe in the shoulder, grinning when Junhoe glared at him.

“Ugh, seriously? Your boyfriend is here, but you’re still making me run your errands? How annoying.” Despite the protest Junhoe stood up, watching as Hanbin leaned down to peck a quick kiss on Bobby’s cheek before leading the way down the bleachers. Junhoe didn’t think twice about going with him, they usually did everything for each other at their tournaments anyway. It would feel weird to have his waterboy duty taken away just because Bobby was here. They didn’t speak on their way to the concession line, but once they got there Junhoe was surprised when Hanbin suddenly enveloped him from behind in a hug.

“Bro, what the fuck? Did you take a nasty shot in the head or something?” Junhoe complained. He didn’t really mind, of course. Actually he was secretly happy for the hug. He felt like he’d earned it so far today.

“What, I can’t give my best bro a hug?” Hanbin teased, tightening his arms around him.

“Ugh, Hanbin, you’re so gay.”

They approached the counter and Junhoe made his order, not bothering to ask Hanbin what he wanted. He already knew. Hanbin kept quiet until Junhoe paid and handed him his Gatorade. But instead of heading back into the gym, Hanbin grabbed Junhoe’s arm and pulled him off to the side. Junhoe looked at him in confusion, curious about what he wanted.

Hanbin hoped this wasn’t going to backfire on him, but Junhoe seemed like he was in a decent mood. “I just wanted to say thank you.”

Junhoe’s look of confusion only deepened at the remark. “For what? My stunning good looks?”

Hanbin grinned and leaned against the wall. “No, for being nice to Bobby, and for not rising to Jinhwan’s prodding. I know you didn’t want to spend the day with them, but, I appreciate that you’re being good about it.” This could go one of two ways—Junhoe would either appreciate the thanks but brush it off, or he’d use it as an opportunity to launch into a tirade about how much he hated hanging out with them, how much he disliked Bobby and thought Hanbin could do better, and how regardless—Hanbin owed him huge for this terrible day.

What Hanbin got was a little of the first option, but with added commentary that he didn’t expect.

“Look, I know I haven’t been the biggest fan of you and Bobby, and I’m sorry, okay? He’s not that bad of a guy after all, or at least he isn’t so far. He’s kind of alright.” Junhoe rambled the words out quickly, not good when it came to verbal outpourings of anything resembling emotion. “As for Jinhwan, did you really think I’d be an asshole to him? In front of your family?”

Hanbin couldn’t help but feel guilty at the question, because he actually had expected it of Junhoe. He shouldn’t have, though, because as much as Junhoe liked to complain about people behind their backs, he was usually fairly polite to their face (provided he paid the person any attention at all). It was rare for him to instigate a bout of disrespect. Hanbin should have known to expect better of him regardless of how much Junhoe had protested over the past week.

“I’m sorry, you’re right, I guess I was just worried because you’ve been so against this all week.”

Junhoe leaned next to Hanbin, shifting his gaze from Hanbin to the wall. “You’re my best friend, Bin, I’d never intentionally be an asshole to someone you invited out. Not unless they really crossed a line.”

“I know,” Hanbin replied, leaning closer to Junhoe until their shoulders were touching, “I’m sorry Jinhwan hasn’t been as nice to you. He promised me he would be, and to be honest I’m really shocked that he’s acting like this. I really didn’t think he would.”

Junhoe rolled his eyes at the response. “Yeah well, I told you he’s an asshole, didn’t I? But you didn’t believe me.”

Hanbin grinned. “Mark this down in your calendar so you don’t forget it!” He still wasn’t convinced that Jinhwan was that bad, but he’d reserve judgement until he got to talk to him. Maybe Jinhwan was being an ass out of his own insecurity? It was hard to judge, since he didn’t know him that well.

“Don’t worry, I’ll remind you constantly.” Junhoe grinned back at him, and just hearing Hanbin acknowledge it all made everything feel better. He knew Hanbin wouldn’t really side with Jinhwan over him, but sometimes Junhoe let his insecurities get the better of him. As much as he hated to admit it, he’d been a little afraid that Hanbin’s relationship with Bobby might have opened a space for Jinhwan to invade and take over as a new friend. That hadn’t happened, though, and Junhoe felt more confident now that it wouldn’t. Hanbin still had his back. “Anyway enough about Jinhwan. Since we’re being gay, I guess I kind of need to apologize to you.”

Hanbin looked at him in surprise—Junhoe rarely ever verbally apologized for anything. He preferred to apologize by way of actions instead, which Hanbin was very good at reading. But a verbal apology? “Should I record this for posterity?”

“Bro, I’m trying to be serious!” Junhoe whined. “I admit that I, may have overreacted about Bobby.” Junhoe rushed the words out, embarrassed now that he was saying it out loud. God, he hated apologizing!

Hanbin was still caught off guard by the apology and he wasn’t sure how he ought to respond to it. He could always just shrug it off like it was no big deal (which Junhoe would probably appreciate) but at the same time, this was a prime teasing opportunity…

“Can you say that again? Slower this time? Speak into the camera?” Hanbin teased, moving closer to try and hug him.

“Fuck off, Hanbin! Don’t make me dump the rest of your drink over you head!” Junhoe moved away, annoyed that Hanbin was teasing him. This was exactly why he didn’t like apologizing! It was always so awkward after!

“Ah, there’s the Junhoe I know and love!” Hanbin replied, watching Junhoe’s face as he fought back against the smile that was trying to come out. “I told you that you’d like Bobby, didn’t I?”

Junhoe let out a resigned sigh and let Hanbin get close. “Yeah well, I’m still watching him! If he slacks off at all, I’ll call him on it. I let Woosung get away with a lot of shit because he was your first boyfriend and I didn’t have the high expectations I have now. Bobby better stay on top of shit, otherwise he’s gonna catch a fist.”

Hanbin grinned and felt like half the weight he’d been carrying around all day was lifted. Even without Jinhwan baiting Junhoe, he hadn’t expected them to be friendly, he’d expected Junhoe to be frosty towards both of them all day. But admitting that he liked Bobby? This was way more than Hanbin had hoped for, and it made everything else worthwhile.

“Not to make this situation any more awkward for you, but I really appreciate you telling me that you actually like him. I’ve honestly been really worried, I hate being at odds with you over things.” Hanbin knew that he was running the risk of too much emotion for Junhoe all at one time, but he didn’t think he’d get another chance for this to come up in conversation, and he felt like it was important that he remind Junhoe how important their friendship was.

Junhoe frowned at the comment, feeling a little guilty. “I know, I was an ass, I’m sorry, okay? I really mean it. I’m just not good at, all this stuff,” Junhoe floundered for a way to explain himself, but he knew that Hanbin would get what he was trying to say. He always did.

“I know, and I forgive you!” Hanbin teased, wrapping his arms around Junhoe in a tight hug. He was surprised when Junhoe actually hugged him back.

“Let’s get back out there and forget we ever had this conversation?” Junhoe asked, because there was only so much of this mushy stuff he could take.

Hanbin grinned and pulled away, beyond placated with Junhoe’s actions. “Deal! If they ask what took so long, I’ll say you were primping in the bathroom.”

Junhoe grinned and ran his fingers through his hair. “That’s believable.”

The moment Hanbin and Junhoe were out of range, Bobby turned to Jinhwan with a less than friendly look in his eyes.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Bobby hissed at him, wanting to pack a lecture into the short moment they’d have before Hanbin got back.

Jinhwan grinned sheepishly, not surprised that Bobby was calling him out. “I’m sorry, I just--”

“I don’t care, Jinan!” Bobby interrupted. “You promised you’d be nice to Junhoe! You promised me and Hanbin! Now you’re making me look like a jerk too because you’re my best friend!”

Jinhwan didn’t answer right away, instead locking eyes with Bobby and reading all the emotion in there. Bobby was angry, sure, but he was also scared. That made Jinhwan feel like crap, but at the same time he thought that Bobby was probably overreacting slightly.

“I think I kinda misjudged Junhoe a little, to be honest.” Jinhwan admitted, but Bobby cut him off again.

“You need to apologize, to Hanbin at least! You know how worried he was about today!”

“I will! God, calm down. You’re acting like I spat in Junhoe’s face or something.” Jinhwan knew he was in the wrong, but Bobby definitely was overreacting. It hadn’t been that bad. Bobby was just feeling nervous because he liked Hanbin so much—which was a first for him, because Bobby had never put so much concern into what previous guys he’d dated had thought. Jinhwan would think the whole thing was cute if he wasn’t the one being lectured.

“I just feel like this is on me, you know? I kept telling Hanbin not to worry, that you’d be nice. You made me look like a liar.” Bobby couldn’t help but unload on Jinhwan now that he’d started. He would have been okay if Hanbin hadn’t just blatantly whisked Junhoe away for a private chat! What was that supposed to mean?! What was he saying to him? Apologizing for the shitty behaviour of his boyfriend’s best friend?

It wasn’t that serious to Jinhwan. “Oh give him some credit, Bobby, Hanbin’s a smart kid, he’s not going to hold you accountable for me! You’re getting too worked up.”

Bobby frowned and wanted to say more, but he bit his tongue instead. Was he overreacting?

“He’s probably just asking Junhoe what he thinks about you,” Jinhwan said, “I mean let’s be honest, you’re the one who really needs to be friends with Junhoe. I’m not that important to the equation. Hell I probably made you look good, now that I think about it!” Jinhwan had been surprised that Junhoe had been so civil to Bobby, after all. Was it because he’d been the greater of two evils to Junhoe? Was that how he worked?

“I don’t want you left out though! I’m not splitting myself between you and Hanbin, I want us all to be able to hang out together.” Bobby retorted, not about to accept Jinhwan’s attempt at deflecting his unfriendly behaviour.

“We will, okay? Like I said, I think I misjudged Junhoe. He seems a lot less arrogant today.” Jinhwan wasn’t totally convinced of that, of course, but he had to placate Bobby with something right now.

“I think both of you misjudged each other, and if you’d quit being a dick, he could start to see that. Instead you’re just proving him right.”

Jinhwan waved his comment off. “Yeah, I get it, okay? I’ll apologize, I promise. And I’ll be nicer to Junhoe for the rest of the day.”

“If you don’t you’re leaving, got it? I don’t care if you have to take the bus home.” Bobby was still feeling a little grumpy, nervous because there was still no sign of Hanbin. He was definitely having some kind of chat with Junhoe, and Bobby’s nerves were frazzled. What if Jinhwan had fucked things up? What if Junhoe was complaining, what if he was giving Hanbin an ultimatum?

He didn’t know why he was getting so worked up. Jinhwan was probably right about it all, it probably wasn’t serious. Bobby just didn’t want anything to go wrong.

Jinhwan grinned and slung his arm around Bobby’s shoulders. “I have honest good intentions! I’ve seen the error of my ways!”

Bobby snorted and shrugged him off. “That’s what you said this morning before we walked in. Forgive me if I don’t buy it a second time.”

But Jinhwan knew he’d made just enough of a dent in Bobby’s angry disappointment and concern for the moment. He’d fix this. Maybe he and Junhoe wouldn’t be friends any time soon, but he’d smooth it over with Hanbin, at least.

Finally the other two were on their way back, and Bobby felt relief flood through his system at the smiling expression on Hanbin’s face. Even Junhoe looked happy, and Bobby hoped that was a good sign. They stopped for a bit to chat with Hanbin’s family, and Bobby couldn’t help but smile when Hanbin picked his sister up and kissed her.

“He’s so cute with her,” Jinhwan said, and Bobby nodded.

“Yeah he is.”

“Makes him even more attractive, doesn’t it?” Jinhwan teased, and Bobby nodded again. “Bring her a present next time, maybe she’ll finally say hi.”

Bobby huffed and pushed him away, though he laughed at the end. “I think I might have to. I still can’t believe she waved at you! That’s more than I’ve gotten.”

Jinhwan grinned and laughed at him. “I’ll make sure I put in a good word for you when I talk to her next.”

A minute later and they were joined by Hanbin and Junhoe. Junhoe sat down immediately in his usual spot, while Hanbin stood in front of Bobby, looking down at him with a happy smile. That pretty much killed Bobby’s nerves. Whatever Hanbin had wanted to talk to Junhoe about, it couldn't have been that serious. He’d been worried for nothing after all. Bobby reached out for Hanbin’s hand and tugged him down until he was sitting in front of him.

“Let me give you a shoulder massage while we wait for your next fight?” Bobby prompted, and Hanbin eagerly settled back against him.

Jinhwan watched them, pretty certain that Bobby had only offered the massage to alleviate his own nervous energy. “I can’t believe this double standard.” Jinhwan quietly complained, pouting when Bobby looked at him.

“What are you whining about?” Bobby knew exactly what Jinhwan had meant, but he played along anyway.

“In all the years he’s come to my fights, not once has he ever offered to give me any kind of massage. Said he never knew how, didn’t want to risk injuring me. Now here he is, suddenly able to work some magic.” Jinhwan sighed dramatically, grinning when Bobby laughed.

“He complained when he saw you giving Junhoe a massage at the tournament the other week,” Bobby ventured, cautiously bringing it up.

“It was just after he’d asked for your number,” Jinhwan added, “couldn’t take his eyes off you!”

“Way to make me sound like a creep!” Bobby joked, pleased when he saw that even Junhoe was grinning.

“Well, I can’t blame you!” Hanbin replied. “I looked pretty cute that day.”

“You look cute every day.” Bobby said, and grinned when both Junhoe and Jinhwan groaned at the same time.

“Just disgusting,” Jinhwan replied, though he still grinned at them, “is he doing a good job with your shoulders?”

Hanbin nodded. “It’s pretty decent,” he replied, before a cheeky grin crossed his lips, “not as good as Junhoe’s shoulder rubs though!”

Junhoe smirked at the comment. “Of course not!”

“But to be fair, Junhoe and I have been giving each other shoulder massages for years, so I’m sure if Bobby gets in a lot of practice, he’ll be just as good!” Hanbin added.

“Ugh, seriously?” Jinhwan whined, punching Bobby lightly in the arm. “I can’t believe I’ve been stuck with a dud all this time!” He grinned when Bobby pouted at him.

Junhoe watched them, biting his tongue to keep from pointing out that maybe, if Jinhwan were nicer, he’d have gotten some shoulder rubs over the years. But he couldn’t go and instigate right after Hanbin had made a point of thanking him for being nice. Besides, Jinhwan didn’t seem to be instigating anything with him right now, so he’d keep the comment to himself.

He was just glad to note that he and Hanbin seemed to have a tighter friendship than Bobby and Jinhwan. Not that it should matter, because friendship wasn’t about competition. Maybe Bobby and Jinhwan expressed their closeness in a different way. It wasn’t really a matter that ought to concern him.

Hanbin hadn’t been lying—Bobby wasn’t quite as skilled with his fingers as Junhoe, but what he got out of Bobby’s shoulder rub was different. The closeness and affection made him feel light, no worries on his mind anymore. It was a nice reset before his next match.

“So when’s your next fight, Hanbin?” Jinhwan asked, curious about what they planned to do regarding lunch.

“About an hour and a half. Dad’s going to go pick up some food soon, he’s getting enough for all of us. So when they get back we’ll eat, if you guys are hungry.”

Jinhwan looked at him in surprise. “Really? That’s so nice of him, I was just going to ask about lunch, actually.”

“Good timing, then!”

They spent the next while talking about Hanbin’s boxing tournaments, sharing stories about entertaining opponents and fights. The conversation flowed smoothly despite the potential tension between Junhoe and Jinhwan, and Bobby was surprised that Junhoe didn’t seem to be bothered by either of them at the moment. He happily engaged Bobby in conversation and even answered Jinhwan’s questions without complaint. He wondered what Hanbin had said to him just before?

Jinhwan was curious too. Junhoe’s mood had noticeably improved, there was no trace of the tense aloofness he’d been displaying prior to the fight. He still had Bobby’s words in his mind, but wondered if he really needed to bother? Hanbin didn’t seem upset with him at all, and Jinhwan wondered if apologizing would just make everything weird again?

Maybe he’d just send him a text. Hanbin didn’t seem like the type who held on to grudges (unlike the rest of them). He was going out on a limb, sure, but apologizing over text could be easily explained if Hanbin took offense to it. Jinhwan didn’t expect him to, but he figured he’d get his explanation in place in case things got weird.

Bobby had stopped the shoulder massage by now, but Hanbin was still leaning back against him, happy for the cuddle. Even though Bobby had told him that he usually wasn’t into being touchy, he never seemed to be bothered whenever Hanbin got them close. Jinhwan had mentioned that Bobby had softened up around him, and the thought of that made Hanbin happy. It was cute that someone who usually held themselves back in public was so open with him now.

Bobby and Junhoe were discussing Hanbin’s last fight with Jaesuk, the instigator from earlier, and Hanbin let Junhoe tell the story, not wanting to interrupt what appeared to be a bonding moment between his best friend and his boyfriend. His phone buzzed in his lap, a new message from… Jinhwan? Why was he sending a text when he was so close? Hanbin brought the message up, and his expression brightened when he read it.

-sorry i was a jerk to junhoe today. should i apologize or would it make him mad?-

Well, there was his own theory proven correct—Jinhwan couldn’t be that much of an asshole if he was inquiring about apologizing. Hanbin thought it must be legit, because if Jinhwan wanted to apologize just to try and save face, he wouldn’t bother to ask for Hanbin’s opinion first. He’d just do it, and if Junhoe took offense, well, that would just make Junhoe look like a jerk, wouldn’t it?

But if he was asking first, that meant that he actually wanted the apology to be accepted, right?

-nah, best to leave it hyung, hes not good with apologies-

He glanced over at Jinhwan, smiling and winking at him. Jinhwan smiled back before looking down at his phone, nodding at Hanbin’s response and typing one back. He felt good about his decision. Just like he thought, Hanbin wasn’t that upset with him—not if he’d called him hyung over text. Something about Hanbin told Jinhwan that he wasn’t the type to hide his feelings if he was upset.

-i thought so. i am sorry, i promised id be nice and i was a jerk! ill make up for it-

Hanbin didn’t bother replying to the message, but he did look back at Jinhwan again, giving him a thumbs up instead. Junhoe would probably be suspicious of the texted apology, but Hanbin wasn’t. Life was too short to go around second guessing everyone’s intentions. Maybe Jinhwan really didn’t care about apologizing to Junhoe, maybe he was just trying to save face in front of Hanbin. But as long as he continued to be nice and polite, Hanbin didn’t really care. All he wanted was some degree of harmony.

They joined Hanbin’s family a bit later for lunch, and on their way over Hanbin whispered to Bobby that he wanted him to sit next to Junhoe to keep up their friendly interactions. Bobby was feeling good about Junhoe. After spending the past while asking him questions (questions he could have asked Hanbin, but he got the impression that Junhoe liked being asked for his input), he thought that Junhoe had moved on from a cool acceptance of Bobby’s presence to actual warm friendliness and he followed Hanbin’s advice, wanting to cement their newly formed bond.

Hanbin sat in between Bobby and Jinhwan instead, and Jinhwan slid closer to him to whisper in his ear.

“I really am sorry.”

Hanbin grinned and shook his head, mouthing thanks back at him. Jinhwan smiled in reply before digging into the food Hanbin’s father had brought for them. Everything felt peaceful, and Hanbin felt like things might actually work out, given enough time.

It was almost time for Hanbin’s final match, and as expected (and as he hoped) it was against Jaesuk. He was looking forward to beating him a third time, especially in front of Bobby.

They were still sitting with Hanbin’s family, and Hanbyul was currently sitting in Hanbin’s lap. To everyone’s surprise she’d been happy to sit in the gym during the entire thing, alternating between watching the matches and colouring. She’d surprised Hanbin by asking him to show her how to do the punches, and he was currently explaining all the different types to her.

“At this rate we won’t have to worry about her when she gets old enough to date,” Junhoe said, watching as she practiced a punch on Hanbin’s leg, “she’ll kick anyone’s ass.”

“That’s the plan!” Hanbin answered, grinning when she hit him again.

“I’m glad you’re teaching her, but maybe she should find a new target so she doesn’t injure you before your final,” his mom said, grinning when Hanbin winced after a particularly hard hit.

“Not a bad idea. Any volunteers?” Hanbin asked, looking around at the other three. “How about Bobby oppa?”

“No!” Hanbyul replied, hiding her face in Hanbin’s leg.

“I think it would be good, Bobby’s very strong, so you won’t hurt him!” Hanbin said, prying her back up. He was determined to get her close to Bobby today, by any means necessary.

“Yeah, come here with me, Byul-ah!” Junhoe called, “we can both beat him up!” He held his hand out and Hanbin pushed her in Junhoe’s direction. She laughed and went to him, but refused to look at Bobby, still feeling shy in front of him.

“Come on, show me your moves!” Junhoe said, coaxing her into it.

Bobby was surprised that Junhoe was trying to help them out. Sure, he’d been exceptionally nice ever since the break earlier, but trying to help him get close to Hanbyul? That he hadn’t expected, but he took it as a final sign that he had Junhoe’s full approval.

“You can either punch him or kiss him!” Hanbin teased, “take your pick Byul!”

Hanbyul laughed and finally peeked out from Junhoe’s arm, her eyes on Bobby. She reached out and lightly hit him on the arm, before hiding in Junhoe again.

“Ah that was weak! You hit me harder!” Hanbin teased her, moving next to Bobby. “Watch this, I’ll show you how to do it!” Hanbin grinned at Bobby before hitting his arm with a flurry of light punches, and even though they didn’t hurt at all, Bobby still played it up like they did.

“No, quit it! You’re too strong for me!” Bobby whined, leaning over against Jinhwan.

“Take your beatings like a man!” Jinhwan teased back, pushing him back into Hanbin’s path.

“Come on Byul, hit him while he’s hurt!” Junhoe encouraged, and suddenly she did that, laughing as she faced Bobby and hit him a few times. Bobby pretended to be hurt, crying out with each hit while Hanbyul laughed.

Finally Hanbin grabbed her, grinning at her. “Good job! You showed him who’s boss!”

“Yeah, now Bobby knows not to upset Hanbin!” Junhoe joked, and Hanbin followed it up.

“Yeah, that’s right! Did you hear that? You have to be nice to me!” Hanbin pulled Hanbyul down onto his lap. “So you better get used to always giving me what I want!”

Bobby grinned back at him, happy to play along. “What do you want right now?”

“A kiss!” Hanbin answered, grinning when Hanbyul peeked her head towards Bobby at the request. She hadn’t asked him about kissing boys since that first time, but she still seemed curious.

“I think I can manage a kiss.” Bobby answered, leaning closer to him. He noticed Hanbyul staring too, but he didn’t make it obvious so she wouldn’t get embarrassed. He gave Hanbin a quick kiss on the cheek, and Hanbin smiled when he felt it.

“That’s good! Byul-ah, give me a kiss too!” Hanbin asked, and she did as requested, kissing his other cheek. “Thank you! Bobby was pretty nice, right? Do you think he should get a kiss too?”

Hanbyul quickly looked at Bobby, who was giving her a pleading look, before looking back at Hanbin and nodding.

“Okay, kisses for Bobby! How about we both give him a kiss?” Hanbin asked, curious if she’d go for it. To his surprise she shyly nodded.

Bobby almost couldn’t believe it! To go from barely a look to a kiss all in one day? He leaned in closer to them, excitement prickling his skin. Hanbin kissed him first, but then seconds later Hanbyul kissed him too, though as soon as she did she shyly hid in Hanbin’s chest again.

That was okay though. Bobby was elated with her already.

Junhoe watched them with a grin, amused at Hanbyul’s turn around. And okay, so he’d been watching Bobby closely through it all, and he seemed genuinely happy that Hanbyul was finally acknowledging him. It was…sweet. It won him more points.

Junhoe looked back down at the floor where the next match was being set up, and he was surprised when seconds later Hanbyul was at his side again, tugging on his sleeve. He looked down at her with inquiring eyes, not exactly prepared for her question.

“Oppa, do you like to kiss boys too?”

Junhoe’s eyes went wide and he looked quickly at Hanbin, unsure what he was supposed to say. She’d never asked him anything personal before, and it felt weird to be asked. Hanbin was no help though, grinning wickedly, almost like he’d been expecting it and was content to enjoy the show.

Junhoe looked back at her, unnerved by her amused expression. He had the fleeting suspicion that this question might not have come from her at all. He looked back at Hanbin, narrowed eyes searching his best friend’s face for clues.

Hanbin grinned back. “Answer her, Junhoe!”

Junhoe frowned and looked back at her. “Why are you asking me? This isn’t a question you just ask anyone, Byul-ah. It’s personal.” Okay, so it was kind of a cop-out answer because he felt weird answering her about it.

Hanbyul just grinned back at him, and he knew this couldn’t all be her concoction, could it?

“Does Jinan oppa kiss boys too? Maybe you can kiss him.” Hanbyul looked back at Hanbin after making her comment, giggling at him. Hanbin barely kept a handle on his own laughter, shocked at her question. She’d whispered the first question in Hanbin’s ear, about who Junhoe liked to kiss, and he’d told her to ask him. He hadn’t expected her to add Jinhwan into the mix, though!

Junhoe could feel his face turn beet red at the comment, and behind him he could hear both of Hanbin’s parents trying to stifle their own laughter. Next to him Bobby’s face was slack with shock, like he also didn’t know how to respond.

Jinhwan, however, was quick to jump in. “I don’t know about Junhoe-ya, but I like kissing boys!” He smiled at Hanbyul, who smiled back at him before looking back at Junhoe.

“You should give Jinan oppa a kiss!” Hanbyul squealed, laughing after saying it.

“Uh, I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Junhoe floundered, still embarrassed. Oh hell no! What was Hanbin doing?!

“It’s just a kiss, it’s harmless!” Jinhwan teased, and he really hoped he wasn’t digging himself a second grave today. But this was too funny, and he couldn’t help but play into her request.

Bobby wasn’t sure which way this was going to go, and he glanced quickly between Junhoe and Jinhwan. Junhoe didn’t seem like he was taking great offense to the idea at least (and if it was that bad, Hanbin would probably step in and sort it out), so hopefully Jinhwan’s teasing agreement with Hanbyul wasn’t going to upset Junhoe. Maybe it would actually help, then? Jinhwan had been on his best behavior after their chat, and he’d been trying to appeal to Junhoe’s favour.

Junhoe looked at Hanbin, desperate for him to call an end to this. But Hanbin just shook his head back at him.

“I swear, I didn’t put her up to this!” Hanbin said, certain that Junhoe was asking exactly that.

“How about I just give you a kiss instead?” Junhoe replied to Hanbyul, desperately trying to get out of this situation. If Hanbin really hadn’t told her to say this, then what could he do? She didn’t understand the tension that existed between he and Jinhwan. She probably thought they were friends, since they were here together…

It was especially uncomfortable, though, because ever since the break earlier Jinhwan had been… quite pleasant for the rest of the afternoon, nothing at all like he was in the morning. He’d even bought Junhoe a drink without asking earlier, just as a polite gesture.

Maybe Jinhwan was trying to play on Hanbyul’s attempts at bridging their friendship? Or maybe he was just trying to make himself look good in front of Hanbin’s parents, and his asshole nature would come out again later. Junhoe was suspicious, but he wasn’t as hell bent on being negative as he was before.

“Kiss me and kiss Jinan oppa!” Hanbyul requested, laughing again.

Jinhwan grinned and moved closer, sitting on front of them and sticking his cheek out. Okay, he really hoped Junhoe wasn’t upset over this, because he thought it was actually hilarious.

When no one jumped to his defence (he’d been counting on Hanbin’s mom to save him, at the very least!) Junhoe groaned and hoped this wasn’t going to backfire on him. He gave Hanbyul a kiss on the cheek before leaning forward and hastily pecking Jinhwan as well, sitting back up and trying to ignore the snickering of Hanbin’s father. Like father, like son!

“Kiss Junhoe oppa too!” Hanbyul demanded of Jinhwan, pleased with herself. Jinhwan had been waiting for the request, and he spared a quick glance at Hanbin and Bobby. Hanbin looked like he was enjoying this, and even Bobby looked amused, though he was understandably a little more concerned.

Jinhwan looked back at Junhoe, grinning at his uncomfortable look. He was clearly embarrassed, cheeks still tinted red from blushing, and Jinhwan couldn’t help but think, for just a moment, that it was actually a cute look on him. Maybe he’d like to see it again.

Jinhwan leaned forward and pressed his lips to Junhoe’s cheek, his soft kiss putting Junhoe’s barely there peck to absolute shame. Hanbin couldn’t hold the laugh anymore, turning to bury his face in Bobby’s shoulder. Jinhwan pulled back and was amused at the fact that Junhoe was staunchly refusing to look at him, and his cheeks were even redder now.

Jinhwan hated to admit it, but it was definitely cute.

Maybe there was hope for them yet?

It’s been a week since the tournament (which Hanbin won, of course), and Junhoe’s slowly been losing his mind with each passing day—but for once it had nothing to do with Jinhwan. He’s had a more pressing problem, and its name was Kim Donghyuk.

“I mean, he just won’t leave Hanbin alone, it’s annoying!” Junhoe bit the tip of his pen, his irritation manifesting in the grinding of his molars against the plastic of the cap. He’d tried to keep it to himself over the past week, tried not to say anything to Hanbin about it, but now that he was alone with Yunhyeong, everything was coming out.

“But wasn’t that the whole point of introducing them? Like, you said it yourself, it’s a pretty toxic environment at times for gay guys. It’s only natural he’d want to cling to Hanbin. Or is that the problem? He’s trying to move in on Hanbin, and isn’t looking to be your friend too?” Yunhyeong had listened with a critical ear and he was pretty sure he had Junhoe’s problem figured out.

“No, he talks to me too!” Junhoe retorted, annoyed eyes on Yunhyeong. “He knows I’m gay, so of course he keeps trying to be my friend.”

“And are you trying to be his friend back, or are you being a jerk?” Yunhyeong asked, amused that Junhoe could have such good intentions, but such poor delivery.

“I’m not being a jerk!” Junhoe answered, offended by the question. Okay, so maybe he wasn’t quite as welcoming as Hanbin. But it’s not like he was being rude to Donghyuk! But he was kind of annoying. Always there. Always waiting. Always smiling.

“Are you sure?” Yunhyeong teased. “You might not realize that you’re being off-putting. So maybe he’s clinging to Hanbin more because you’re scary.”

“I am not scary!” Junhoe replied, annoyed as well as offended now. “He’d be fine if he wasn’t there all the time! It’s not that he’s there at all. It’s just,” he struggled to find the right sentiment, “it would be nice if he tried making some other friends? You know? More than just me and Hanbin?”

Yunhyeong grinned and reached out to pat Junhoe’s knee. “How many other guys are openly gay at our school?”

“There’s a few--”

“Are there? I know there’s Woosung, but I’ll be honest, I only know about him because of how often you’ve complained about him. Ever since he and Hanbin broke up, I actually haven’t seen him with any other guys. I haven’t seen anyone who’s as out about it as the two of you. Clearly, being out seems to be important to Donghyuk. Do you know how he’s been treated by other classmates?”

Junhoe shook his head without thinking about it. “No, why would I care? I’m not his babysitter.”

“Well maybe that’s the reason why he’s sticking to you guys? It’s already hard enough to move to a new school and make friends, especially if you’re coming back to Korea after being away in America. I’m guessing things must be really different. But since he’s gay, he might not be welcomed by other guys. You and Hanbin got a lot of shit when you came out, I remember that. Maybe, instead of complaining about him, you could try paying attention to Donghyuk? See if he’s being treated poorly by your classmates? I’m sure he doesn’t want to seem like a pest, but maybe you’re the only guys that talk to him? I’m sure he’ll make more friends over time, you just have to be patient. He’s only been here a week.”

Junhoe frowned at Yunhyeong’s advice. Okay maybe he had a bit of a point. It was still early. It was just too much, though, too many new people! Over the space of the past month he’d gone from having Hanbin completely to himself to having to share him with a new boyfriend (which wasn’t so bad, because Bobby went to a different school, so Junhoe still had Hanbin to himself during the day) but now he had to deal with Donghyuk, who was in their class and constantly around! It was more than he could handle.

Yunhyeong grinned and went back to checking over Junhoe’s homework. Everything was always so dramatic with him! Yunhyeong almost felt bad for this new kid, he hoped he was tough enough to deal with jealous Junhoe. “Anyway, enough about Donghyuk. How are things with Hanbin’s new boyfriend? You didn’t say much about spending the day with him at the tournament.”

Junhoe let go of the Donghyuk conversation for now, relieved that he’d been able to get it out of his system without having to complain to Hanbin. Bobby was an easier topic to discuss now that Junhoe had made peace with his feelings about it.

“It went well,” he answered, “Bobby’s a good guy, I like him.”

Yunhyeong stopped what he was doing and stared at Junhoe with a shocked expression. When they’d met for their tutoring session last week, Junhoe had been explosive in his anger over the relationship, citing Bobby’s friendship with that other guy who’d kicked Junhoe’s ass. To hear such a turnaround in only a week’s time was almost alarming.

“Did you get hit in the head again?” Yunhyeong asked, grinning when Junhoe glared at him. “No, I’m serious! The last time we talked, it sounded like he’d killed your family or something, you were pissed about Hanbin dating him. And now you actually admit that you like him? Junhoe, this is huge!”

Junhoe rolled his eyes at Yunhyeong’s response. God, he could be so irritating! “Whatever, hyung, I didn’t know him the last time we talked, but I know him now and I think he’s okay. I’m still watching him, of course, waiting for him to slip up.” Well, he was trying to. Unfortunately, Bobby was actually very disarming when he was happy. He had an infectious sort of personality that had a way of tearing down your walls when you were trying to stay alert.

“Well, I’m happy it went well! How was the other guy?” Yunhyeong was still surprised, and he wondered if things with that other guy had gone better than expected too?

“What other guy?” Junhoe asked, not wanting to say Jinhwan’s name out loud. He was still processing what had gone on between them.

“Oh come on, Bobby’s best friend! The guy who kicked your ass? He was there too, wasn’t he?”

Junhoe frowned and nodded. “Ah, yeah, he was there.”

“And?” Yunhyeong prompted, wondering what Junhoe’s deal was. He clearly didn’t seem like he wanted to talk about him.

“He’s fine. Better than expected.” Well, sort of? Junhoe’s verdict on Jinhwan was still out. He wasn’t quite the monster Junhoe had thought he was, but still… Time would tell. After all he only had one day’s worth of being around him. The possibility still existed that Jinhwan would show himself negatively. Of course it also existed that Jinhwan really was a nice guy, and the asshole Junhoe had seen at first was only a front.

“Wow, seriously?” Yunhyeong was shocked again! “I was expecting to hear stories of a bathroom brawl between the two of you.”

Junhoe glared at him again. “Never say never.”

“So what happened to make you think he’s not so bad?” Yunhyeong asked, genuinely curious.

Junhoe shrugged, because he did not want to think about that too much. He’d tried to block certain parts of the day out of his mind, but he was having a bit of difficulty doing just that—namely the stupid kiss. It was embarrassing, the way that he kept catching himself thinking about it.

Junhoe wasn’t a big fan of kissing, to be honest. It always felt awkward to him. But Jinhwan had kissed him so easily, soft and pleasant and Junhoe still blushed when he thought about it. Fuck! He was thinking about it again!

Yunhyeong was watching him and he noticed that suddenly, out of nowhere, the pink tinge of a blush was creeping over Junhoe’s cheeks. Junhoe. Blushing?! “Okay something happened, you need to tell me!”

“What?! Nothing had happened, what are you talking about?” Junhoe panicked and choked a refutal out.

“You’re blushing! Something happened!”

“I am not! Aren’t you supposed to be checking my work, hyung?! Mom doesn’t pay you to come here and talk!” Oh god he needed Yunhyeong to shut up right now about Jinhwan!

Yunhyeong picked the discarded notebook back up, along with his red pen. “Fine, I guess you have a point. But I am not letting this go! If you don’t tell me what happened, I’ll find out myself.” Yunhyeong looked down at the page and got back to work.

“God, hyung! Just leave it alone, okay? Otherwise I might not tell you anything anymore!” Junhoe glared at him, even though Yunhyeong’s eyes were still caught in his homework. He couldn’t handle it if anyone else knew what had happened. If Yunhyeong even thought about asking Hanbin…

“Please, you won’t be able to restrain yourself!” Yunhyeong teased, grinning as he crossed out numerous incorrect equations. He wasn’t sure anymore what Junhoe was worse at—interpersonal relationships or mathematics.

“Hey, honest question, your mom makes really good money, so how come you don’t go to a fancy school like this one?” This wasn’t the first time Bobby had been here, of course, but he’d never really paid attention to the building before. The surroundings never meant shit, because all he cared about was coming in and mopping the floor with the opposing team. But now he was in Hanbin’s school, walking down hallways that Hanbin walked down every day, and he couldn’t help but notice the difference. It’s not that Bobby went to a poor school, or anything. It’s moreso that Hanbin’s school was extremely posh.

Jinhwan walked next to him and shrugged. “Well, she did ask me if I wanted to enroll somewhere different this time, but I said no. I don’t care how fancy the classrooms are—if you’re not in them, then why bother coming to Seoul at all?” Jinhwan answered, and even though he was being honest, Bobby still groaned at the answer and pushed him away.

“I mean it! You could be here, you’re rich enough. So why aren’t you?” Bobby didn’t often think about the different economic brackets their families were in, but it definitely existed. His family got by easy enough, but he knew that was mostly because both of his parents and his brother worked. Three incomes kept them afloat. However, he also knew that Jinwhan’s mom made more money than the three of them combined. You could tell the difference by the clothes they wore.

Jinhwan’s thoughts drifted to what his sister had told him. Maybe Bobby didn’t know either? “Well, she already pays your parents money for me, so it would be like paying double tuition.”

Bobby looked surprised. “Does she really?” His parents had never mentioned that they get money for Jinhwan staying with them.

“Yeah, I didn’t know either until Seiyeon told me a few weeks ago. Just one of those things that makes sense, but you don’t really think about? It doesn’t matter, though. I like our school. It has you, that’s what keeps bringing me back!” Jinhwan teased and latched onto Bobby’s arm.

Bobby grinned and accepted that as an answer. He was glad that Jinhwan didn’t feel bad going to a regular public school instead of a rich private school. But still, Bobby couldn’t help but wonder how different life would be if his parents made more money. He could have met Hanbin earlier, if that were the case.

Ah, Hanbin invading his thoughts again! Bobby was happy with the relationship, happier than he’d ever been, really. But he found himself thinking about Hanbin all the time and he wondered if maybe he was getting a little too attached? He never thought he’d be the type of guy to daydream about another person, never thought he’d ever feel so co-dependent. It was honestly a little scary sometimes, because what if Hanbin didn’t feel as strongly about him?

He was pretty sure Hanbin did—they texted constantly throughout the day, and Hanbin had even gotten himself on a schedule, Bobby had noticed. Different types of messages at different times of the day, selfies at the same time each day like clockwork, so Bobby had come to expect them. The more he thought about it, the sweeter it was. The only problem was that Bobby had never wanted sweet. It took some getting used to (not Hanbin, but himself, his own needs and desires).

Jiun told him that maybe he’d just been afraid of commitment, never wanted to get hurt before (which Jiun thought was stupid, his brother told him that getting hurt is part of growing up, it’s important to know that someone can hurt you and that you’re strong enough to get over it).

Oh well. Bobby didn’t have to worry about that now, because there was no way Hanbin would ever do anything to hurt him. They were both crazy about each other, and Bobby hoped they always would be.

But today would be an exception, because today he and Hanbin were in direct competition. They had a basketball game and they both expected to win. Bobby thought back to their very first meeting, when they were trying to figure each other out, how they’d talked about basketball. They’d gotten together since then to shoot hoops, and Hanbin hadn’t been exaggerating—he had a wicked free throw completion rate.

Of course that was something Bobby was going to use against him, and he’d already told his teammates to watch out for Hanbin, to always guard him whenever he was hanging back. They’d both promised each other that whatever happened in the game today wouldn’t affect their relationship.

They reached the gym and parted ways there—Bobby headed off with his teammates to the locker room, while Jinhwan wandered over to the bleachers to take a seat. He wasn’t the only one from his school that had come a spectator, but he wasn’t really in the mood to be social with any of them at the moment. He liked sitting on his own to watch Bobby play so he could pay attention to the game.

Just as he was about to sit down, though, he spotted him.

Junhoe.

Jinhwan might not have been feeling up to watching the game with his other school friends, but oddly enough he found the thought of Junhoe’s company appealing. They hadn’t seen each other since Hanbin’s boxing tournament, and Jinhwan was curious to see how Junhoe would react to him.

He was going to be nice, though, whatever reaction Junhoe gave him. Or at least that was his plan. Sometimes things happen and he ends up speaking before thinking and it gets him in trouble. But he wanted to try. For Hanbin. Maybe for himself, too. Junhoe showed a sliver of a potential fun side on the weekend, and Jinhwan wouldn’t mind seeing if he could unearth a little more.

He crossed the floor and didn’t pay any mind to the sets of eyes that followed him, going straight up to the top row where Junhoe was sitting in the middle. Jinhwan couldn’t help but stare a little appreciatively—Junhoe’s blonde hair suited him so well, and he had it swept back, a little spiky on top. Junhoe’s physical attractiveness definitely helped Jinhwan’s decision to play nice.

Junhoe noticed Jinhwan as he was halfway up, eyes widening in surprise. He looked frozen for a moment and Jinhwan almost laughed, but Junhoe caught himself and nodded, and Jinhwan thought that meant that he wasn’t about to bolt away, at least.

Okay, be nice, be nice, be nice, be--

“Did you miss me? Want another kiss?” Jinhwan teased as he took a seat next to Junhoe. Fuck, could he not go one meeting without teasing Junhoe?!

Junhoe looked away and Jinhwan noticed how quickly his cheeks flushed. Cute.

“Kidding! I just wanted to come over and say hi before the game starts. Thought the boys might appreciate us being social on our own.” He tried to lighten things back up and hoped that Junhoe wouldn’t get flustered and retract.

Junhoe couldn’t believe his luck! Did Hanbin know Jinhwan was coming to watch? Why hadn’t he gotten a warning?! He’d been excited at the prospect of finally having some time by himself to watch the game (originally Donghyuk had said that he’d come and watch it with him, because he liked basketball, and Junhoe had thought about developing a case of food poisoning just to get out of it because he was done being social for this week, but then Donghyuk had opted this morning in favour of a study session with a teacher instead and Junhoe had been so relieved he’d felt like crying) and now Jinhwan was here?!

It’s not like he could tell him to go away. Junhoe was many things (cold, aloof, socially awkward) but rude wasn’t one of them. His only hope was that one of the senior classmen might spot Jinhwan as an opposing student and tell him to go sit on his side of the gym. Until then, Junhoe would just have to put up with him.

It would have been a hell of a lot easier if Jinhwan hadn’t brought up the damn kiss! Junhoe had finally managed to go a whole day without randomly thinking about it. And now this?!

Jinhwan waited for his response, wondered what was on Junhoe’s mind. Had he screwed up a potential bonding moment by teasing him? He was still trying to figure out how to work Junhoe, and now he knew for sure that teasing was really going to have to take a back seat if he had any hope of some semblance of friendship.

Maybe he should go back over with his classmates? Give Junhoe some space? He really didn’t want to, but he was reminded again of Seiyeon’s lecture on selfish behaviour. Of the two of them, Junhoe was clearly the one who was having a tougher time dealing with him. Jinhwan really ought to put his needs first.

“I don’t want to bother you for the whole game, don’t worry! Like I said, just coming over to say hi.” Jinhwan was about to stand up and head back over, but Junhoe’s entire demeanor suddenly changed.

“No, stay here!” Junhoe wasn’t looking at him, though, and Jinhwan followed his line of sight down to the gym doors, wondering what had Junhoe suddenly eager for him to remain? Someone had just entered the gym and was looking around in the stands, and suddenly the figure was waving at them.

“Oh hey, isn’t that the kid from boxing?” Jinhwan recognized the guy, the one who’d been looking for info on joining Hanbin’s gym. Donghyuk?

Junhoe grumbled under his breath and grudgingly confirmed Jinhwan’s suspicion. “Yeah, that’s him.”

Jinhwan noticed that Junhoe didn’t sound pleased about Donghyuk, but before he had a chance to ask, Donghyuk’s smiling face was right there in front of them.

“Teacher had to cancel, so I decided to come watch the game!” He exclaimed, eyes on Junhoe briefly before shifting to Jinhwan. “You’re the guy from the tournament! Ah, I forgot your name though, I’m sorry!” Donghyuk’s smile was still bright but a little sheepish and Jinhwan thought he was just adorable.

He patted the seat next to him. “Jinhwan! You’re Donghyuk, right?”

Donghyuk nodded and sat down. “Ah, I feel even worse now, you remembered my name and I forgot yours!”

Jinhwan grinned and patted his knee. “Don’t feel bad! I’m sure you’ve met a ton of new people this week, you have way more new names to remember than me.” Jinhwan liked him immediately. Donghyuk was warm and friendly and practically the polar opposite of Junhoe.

Junhoe was glad to at least have Jinhwan as a buffer between he and Donghyuk. Like he’d told Yunhyeong, it’s not that he disliked Donghyuk. Not at all! Donghyuk was a really nice guy, super friendly, and under normal circumstances Junhoe would easily accept him as a friend. He’d even be super protective of him.

But God Junhoe was tired of constantly being around him, because Donghyuk was all energy, all the time; it’s tough for him to handle. It was funny, though. A minute ago and he’d wanted nothing more than for Jinhwan to excuse himself away to the other side of the gym, and now Junhoe wanted to hug him in relief for staying. If a senior classman came by now and tried to kick Jinhwan out of their section, Junhoe would fight for him to stay.

Jinhwan was piecing together the same concept. It was like the tournament—Junhoe had spent weeks being uncomfortable with the very idea of Bobby existing in the same space, but then as soon as Jinhwan had shown up and gotten in Junhoe’s face, he’d warmed up to Bobby.

Maybe the key to Junhoe was being the lesser of two evils? Jinhwan thought it was kind of cute, really. When presented with two poor options, most people would simply flee the scene. Junhoe instead sought to make the less irritating option into a good option.

Jinhwan could work with that.

“So, Jinhwan, how come I haven’t seen you around school?” Donghyuk asked as he propped his backpack up behind him.

“I don’t go here,” Jinhwan admitted, “I’m only here for the game.”

The look on Donghyuk’s face was comical at first, but then he let out a sigh of understanding. “Ah, right, you’re best friends with Bobby! Of course you go to his school.” There was another surprised look on Donghyuk’s face then and again Jinhwan thought it was a little funny, almost felt like laughing.

“If you’re best friends with Bobby, then are you older too?” Donghyuk asked in a bit of a panic, and Jinhwan grinned at him.

“Yeah, if you’re the same age as Hanbin and Junhoe, then I’m a year older than you.”

Donghyuk clumsily half bowed right there next to him. “Ah, I’m sorry! I haven’t been speaking respectfully to you--”

“It’s okay!” Jinhwan laughed at him. God, Donghyuk was so cute! “Relax, it’s not a big deal.”

Donghyuk looked half relieved, but half upset still. “It’s just that, after living in the United States for so long, I keep forgetting about age ranks. People don’t care in America, if someone’s older than you it’s not a big deal, just don’t be a jerk and everyone gets along.”

“Really? Sounds kind of nice, to be honest. Less complicated socially.” Jinhwan replied.

“Is it ever,” Donghyuk whined, “I keep getting busted by older students for not speaking respectfully to them. So, uh, it’s been tough settling back in.”

Jinhwan heard the little wobble in Donghyuk’s voice and his eyes were on him immediately. “Are you getting shit for it?”

Donghyuk shrugged and smiled at him, and even though he barely knew him, Jinhwan could tell the smile was fake. “Ah, it’s not a big deal. It’s not like I walk around wearing a sign that says ‘I just moved back after spending five years in the US, go easy on me’! I shouldn’t be forgetting so much, it’s not like I didn’t spend over half my life here as a kid.”

Jinhwan frowned. Donghyuk had him feeling protective already! He put an arm around his shoulders and hugged him a bit closer. “Ah, don’t worry about those people! They should be able to figure it out. I mean it’s not like you’re speaking rudely to them, right? Sometimes people pay too much attention to what you say, when they should be paying attention to how you say it. It would be one thing if you refused to use honorifics and talked shit to their faces too. Then you know it’s intentional. But if you’re being nice and forget to use them, they should understand that you don’t mean it disrespectfully.”

Of course Jinhwan was aware that he was being highly hypocritical at the moment. He busted guys all the time for not speaking to him respectfully. Donghyuk’s situation had him second guessing his own actions though, and from now on he would try and take his own advice.

Donghyuk brightened up at Jinhwan’s comments. “Ah, thanks! Um, is it okay if I call you hyung?”

Jinhwan smiled at him. “Of course!”

Junhoe listened to their exchange, a guilty feeling creeping up from the pit of his stomach. He didn’t know Donghyuk had been having a difficult time readjusting to life in Korea. Yunhyeong’s advice haunted him: ‘Maybe, instead of complaining about him, you could try paying attention to Donghyuk?’ No wonder he’d been glued to Hanbin if he’d been having problems connecting with everyone else. As annoying and exhausting as he could be at times, now that Junhoe knew he was having trouble, he was going to have to help him out a little.

The sooner Donghyuk adjusted, the sooner he could make more friends and maybe not be stuck to their sides all the time?

“Who’s giving you shit?” Junhoe asked, peeking around Jinhwan. “Everyone knows you’re the guy that just moved back from America, no one should be bugging you.”

Donghyuk looked a little surprised at the question but he smiled and shrugged it off. “Ah, it’s not a big deal! I don’t keep track or anything.” The shift in his attitude was noticeable, though, the momentary drop nothing but a blip on the radar.

“Well, if anyone bugs you again, let me know who and I’ll have a chat with them.” Junhoe meant it, too. He hated bullying behaviour.

“What are you going to do? Tell off an older student?” Jinhwan teased, but he was curious. He wouldn’t put it past Junhoe to do exactly that.

“Being older doesn’t give you a free pass to be an asshole, so yeah, I would.” Junhoe answered, and he looked Jinhwan in the eyes as he said it. He didn’t mean it aggressively, though. He was actually pleased that Jinhwan had seemed so concerned for Donghyuk, especially when he barely knew him. It was yet another sliver of proof that probably meant that Jinhwan really wasn’t so bad.

Jinhwan just grinned back, satisfied with Junhoe’s answer. He could appreciate Junhoe’s blunt behaviour if it was being used to protect someone else.

Any further conversation was cut off then as the announcer gave a ten minute warning call for the game to start. Donghyuk bounced excitedly next to Jinhwan, his eager puppy behaviour back in place. He was happy to have found Jinhwan here, relieved at how welcoming he was. Donghyuk was having more trouble fitting back in than he wanted to let on, and so far the only guys who gave him the time of day were Hanbin and Junhoe (Hanbin moreso than Junhoe). It was an uncomfortable situation because Donghyuk was such a social butterfly. He’d gone from having a mountain of friends, from being class president every year, to being an outcast.

He was trying to find his way, and while Hanbin was always really nice, Donghyuk had been starting to feel like Junhoe didn’t like him much. Maybe he just had a hard personality to gauge, though? He seemed friendlier now.

While they continued discussions in the stands, Bobby was rallying his team in the locker room, giving them a last minute pep talk. As the captain, that was Bobby’s responsibility. It was a hard won responsibility, at that. When he’d decided to come out last year, he’d gotten a cold response from most of the team. He’d spent the year proving himself over again, and by the end of the season the decision to name Bobby as the replacement for their graduating captain had been unanimous.

It was a good feeling, knowing that he’d probably single-handedly changed some stances on what gay guys were like. There was still prejudice, though, and of course some of the guys still didn’t like that he was open about being gay. But he’d earned his support, and it felt good.

Nobody knew he was dating the star point forward of the opposing team, though, and Bobby and Hanbin had decided to keep that information strictly private. While some of his teammates knew he had a new boyfriend, none of them knew who he was. Bobby had tried to keep details to himself, but Hanbin’s name had slipped out a few times (first name only, never family name).

He really hoped nothing came out today. It would just make things too awkward.

Hanbin was thinking the same, his mind half on the pre-game pep talk going on in his team’s locker room, and half on what it was going to be like, playing Bobby’s team. Hanbin had faced a similar tough time with his basketball teammates coming to grips with his sexuality, but with the amount of points Hanbin scored during their last season, the complaints had ground to a minimum.

Things were going well for him this year, even with the position change. He’d been playing as a shooting guard last year, but with a few key forwards graduating off the team, his coach had decided to try him out in the small forward role instead. Hanbin had gone into it brimming with confidence on the outside, but he’d been nervous on the inside. He’d been used to scoring plenty of baskets from the three point line, hanging back out of the main action, and now he was right up front.

Turns out he’d been worried for nothing. Aside from good shooting skills, one thing he’d come to cherish about being up front was having more of a hand in controlling the flow of action. The combination of he and point guard Yoongi’s plays had yielded to even greater team chemistry on the court this season. On top of all that, there was yet one more skill Hanbin had discovered about himself.

Drawing fouls.

All in all, it had really carved out a very special niche for him in the team, and he relished being untouchable. It was a good feeling, when everyone recognized how important you were.

But how would it go today, playing Bobby’s team? As luck would have it, Hanbin had been injured last season when the teams had played (and he’d even been too grumpy about it to want to watch the game, conveniently using a science project as a means to escape coming out to watch—of course he hadn’t bothered to tell anyone that the project was only extra credit, something he’d asked his teacher specifically to assign him to get him out of watching).

He’d grown up since then, though, and he’d never miss a game (even one he couldn’t play in) if he could help it.

Game time came and Hanbin couldn’t stop himself from looking for Bobby, smiling when he caught his eye. He really hoped the game wasn’t going to cause any trouble for them, because they were both highly competitive people. Hanbin hated losing, though he was okay at dealing with loss when he’d done his best and was simply outclassed by someone else.

Bobby had a tougher time dealing with defeat, sulky and grumpy after losing. They’d promised to meet later regardless of the outcome, loser buys the winner dinner. Maybe dessert too.

The game started out quick, with Hanbin’s team taking the lead early on. Bobby saw it all from his position on the court as point guard, saw the dangerous combination of Hanbin and his team’s captain. Bobby tried to adjust on the fly, directing his team in a way to attempt to minimize Hanbin’s skills up front.

But damn if Hanbin wasn’t quick on his feet!

Bobby groaned when the referee called Seunghoon on a foul against Hanbin--again. It was like everything he’d told them prior to the game was clearing out of their heads. Bobby stood on the line and watched as Hanbin effortlessly sunk both of his foul shots, putting his team up by seven points, now.

Whatever, they could recover. Bobby looked to his coach and called for a line change. It was time to bring out their own secret weapon, power forward Chanwoo. On his way out Bobby grabbed his arm, speaking into Chanwoo’s ear. “Watch their number three, he keeps drawing fouls.”

“Gotcha, hyung!” Chanwoo answered, eager to get his name on the scoreboard. Five minutes later and Chanwoo had managed to even the score up. Bobby and Hanbin were both taking a breather on their team’s benches, recharging before their next line change.

Hanbin frowned as he watched Chanwoo sink a three point shot right before the buzzer ended the first quarter. Whatever. He was starting the second quarter, so he’d get his team ahead again no problem.

That was soon the theme of the entire game—each team leap frogging the other, passing the lead back and forth. Bobby commanded his side well, trying to avoid the magnetic pull Hanbin seemed to have when it came to fouling in the box. But Bobby’s rival, Yoongi, kept setting Hanbin up perfectly, either to sink baskets or draw fouls. Bobby was starting to fear that the final result would simply come down to the luck of the timer—who would have the ball at the final second?

Halfway through the third quarter Bobby was hit with another concern. Hanbin was going in for a layup, only to be tripped up by one of Bobby’s centers, Jooheon. He hit the wood hard, knee first. Bobby barely held himself back from going over to him, reminding himself that this was not his place to be checking on him. Instead he rounded on Jooheon.

“I told you to stop fouling him!” Bobby yelled, letting his frustration out on his teammate. Hanbin was hobbling off the court with help, and Bobby felt terrible. If Hanbin was really hurt…

“It was an accident!” Jooheon yelled back, bristling at the censure.

“The whole lot of you, it’s like you can’t stay away from him!” Bobby muttered, loud enough for Jooheon and the others to hear, but not for the crowd. He needed to cool off and get his head back on.

“Why are you so upset?” Minhyuk, the line’s shooting guard, questioned. “I mean, not to be that guy, but Jooheon did just take out their leading scorer. You’d think you’d be happy about that.”

Bobby was about to answer, but Minhyuk’s comment reminded him that his anger had more to do with the fact that it was Hanbin who was hurt, and not that Jooheon had fouled him. He had to remember to react in his team’s best interests, and not his heart’s.

“Yeah, I know, but I just don’t like the idea of us only winning because someone got injured,” Bobby said, trying to fake a reason for his anger, “I don’t want us to get a reputation as a team that fouls all the time. And you guys have been all over him.”

“Weren’t you the one telling us to be all over him?” Minhyuk asked. “He has a reputation for drawing fouls, I’m sure he’s not taking it personally.”

“Yeah, yeah, just, be smart!” Bobby said. “I’m sick of giving up points on foul shots.” At that point the referee was calling for them to line up, Hanbin’s team taking those shots Bobby had just mentioned. Since Hanbin was injured, Yoongi took both of them in his place, netting both baskets.

As they moved back into position to restart the game, Bobby held the ball and waited for Minhyuk to finish tying his laces back up.

“Hey, hyung?” Chanwoo sidled up to Bobby, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “What was your boyfriend’s name again?” Chanwoo grinned at the momentary look of panic on Bobby’s face. “It was Hanbin, wasn’t it?”

Bobby was going to murder this kid! Trust Chanwoo and his perceptive ways! “Whatever you’re insinuating Chanwoo, don’t. There’s more than just one Kim Hanbin in Seoul.”

Chanwoo grinned even wider. “Thanks for confirming his family name, hyung!” Bobby nearly choked on his own saliva—fuck! He couldn’t believe Chanwoo had baited him into revealing more information!

Bobby looked at him with serious eyes that caught Chanwoo off guard. “Don’t say a word--”

“Chill, hyung! Your secret’s safe with me.” Chanwoo winked at him. “And look, he’s not injured after all! So you don’t have to kill Jooheon.”

Bobby looked back at their bench, watching as Hanbin got to his feet, jumping a few times on the spot to test his knee out. Bobby breathed a silent sigh of relief. He managed to catch Hanbin’s eye, who winked at him before turning back to his coach.

Time to get his head back in the game.

The game ended up coming down to a matter of luck at the end after all. Right up until the final second on the clock, Bobby’s team had held onto a one point lead. Like clockwork though, Hanbin had drawn a foul and sunk both of his shots in order to secure victory. Junhoe grinned, leaning back against the wall and watching as Hanbin celebrated on the floor.

“Ah, what a thrilling game!”

Jinhwan frowned, disbelief at the last minute change in outcome. He could see it on Bobby’s face, the irritation of a defeat that he hadn’t been able to prevent. Oh well. He knew Bobby had plans with Hanbin for after the game, but given that Bobby had just lost, Jinhwan thought it might be prudent if they didn’t leave the boyfriends alone at the moment.

“Wanna crash their date? Bobby said they made plans to have dinner after the game.” Jinhwan looked at Junhoe, hoping he’d say yes. Sitting with him during the game had been surprisingly fun. Junhoe had a great mind for snarky commentary, and Jinhwan had found himself laughing often. Donghyuk had eased into the conversation by the second half, and Jinhwan had noted that Junhoe actually seemed to go out of his way to include Donghyuk in the conversation more.

“Is it loser pays?” Junhoe asked with a grin, and Jinhwan grinned back.

“Unfortunately! Knowing Bobby, I thought it might be a good idea to drop in and ensure competition doesn’t get in the way of romance!” Jinhwan joked, pleased that Junhoe hadn’t declined.

“Yeah, why not? I’ll never turn down free food!” Junhoe answered, surprising himself by accepting. Whatever. It didn’t mean anything.

Donghyuk busied himself with his backpack while he listened to them discuss the post-game meal plans, quietly waiting to see if they’d extend the invite. He told himself not to be upset if they didn’t—he would almost be like a third (fifth?) wheel, after all. Boyfriends and their respective best friends.

Jinhwan glanced briefly at Donghyuk, who seemed to be taking an extra long time with his backpack. He looked back at Junhoe, motioning to Donghyuk. Jinhwan wanted to invite him, but he remembered his thoughts from earlier: what would be best for Junhoe?

Junhoe caught Jinhwan’s glance, and he was frozen momentarily as he debated his options. Invite Donghyuk? Make an excuse so it was only the four of them?

No, that would be cruel.

“You coming, Donghyuk?” Junhoe asked him, annoyed just a little when he saw Jinhwan smile at him out of the corner of his eye. Like a parent hoping their child would make the correct choice in some sort of test. But he focused back on Donghyuk just in time to see the look of relief that flashed across his face briefly before he locked it away behind a smile.

“Ah, I don’t want to intrude! Are you sure? I do have a lot of homework, I could just go home.” No, don’t give excuses! He knew it was just his own insecurity acting up, and he hoped Junhoe wouldn’t pounce on the opportunity to take the invitation back.

“I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t sure!” Junhoe replied. Maybe he should have been a little nicer in that reply? He thought about Donghyuk’s admissions earlier about having trouble fitting in. If Donghyuk declined dinner, Junhoe would just have to force him.

Jinhwan covered any potential awkwardness from Junhoe’s blunt answer. “You’re coming! You have to meet Bobby properly, after all!”

Donghyuk was convinced by their answers. “Okay, hyung! I’ll come!”

Junhoe nodded, relieved the situation hadn’t gotten weird. Being super nice to everyone could be tiring, after a while. Donghyuk descended down the bleachers first, and before Junhoe made to follow him, Jinhwan looked back at him.

“That was nice of you,” Jinhwan whispered, genuine smile on his face.

It made Junhoe blush. He wasn’t used to dealing with people happily pointing out when he did something nice! “Yeah, well, I feel bad for him.” Okay, that was half true, but also half a cop out answer? Jinhwan just laughed though, and even though the laughter was directed at Junhoe, he didn’t actually feel offended by it? It just felt like the teasing of a friend. Not that it made it any easier for Junhoe to accept it. “Ugh, whatever, hyung!”

Jinhwan looked back at Junhoe with an expression that was all pleasure, and it took Junhoe a second to figure out why.

Had he just called Jinhwan hyung?

Fuck.

Since he was paying Bobby insisted on his favourite pizza place. They crowded into a booth, Bobby and Hanbin on one side, Junhoe and Jinhwan on the other, and Donghyuk in the middle. Hanbin couldn’t help but find it interesting that instead of maneuvering the layout so he’d be next to Donghyuk (or alone) Junhoe had instead allowed himself to sit next to Jinhwan. Unexpected.

Of course, having their post-game date crashed was also unexpected, but maybe it was a good thing? Bobby was noticeably moody, which Hanbin had never experienced since they’d started dating. It was easy to understand, because the game had been so tight the entire way through, and Hanbin didn’t like losing either. It’s not that Bobby seemed upset with him at all—he was just quiet. Still smiling (maybe smiling a little too widely, a little fake?) but Hanbin could just feel the tension Bobby was holding.

Would it be better in a group? Had it been Jinhwan’s idea to crash the date, because he knew Bobby, knew he’d be weird after losing? As much as he was happy that they were doing a group thing (because it gave them all a chance to bond more) Hanbin had also been looking forward to having a night alone with Bobby. They hadn’t had the chance to have time by themselves since Hanbin had gone over to Bobby’s (which hadn’t lasted long, of course, because Jinhwan had intervened). Every time since then they’d been with their friends. He’d take whatever he could get, of course, but he wanted some degree of privacy too.

Bobby’s mind was torn between trying to pay attention to the group and trying to process the game. Though he’d met his friends with a smile and hadn’t protested them coming along on the dinner date, he was honestly annoyed about it. He hated losing, hated coming in second. The fact that he’d lost to his boyfriend was strange. It’s not that he wanted to be able to rub Hanbin’s face in his victory, or anything, but it did feel just slightly intimidating?

The whole relationship, sometimes, felt intimidating.

Despite being younger, Hanbin just seemed more settled than Bobby felt—settled with his own self, with his needs and desires and abilities. That on its own was one issue, but when he topped it with how damn good at everything Hanbin was? Boxing, school, his confidence in himself, even the way Hanbin spoke was impressive (Bobby sometimes felt like a kid when he listened to Hanbin talk). Now basketball? The one area where Bobby felt like maybe he could have beaten him?

Ah, it was a dangerous line of thought, the need to compete with your boyfriend. It wasn’t important, none of it was. Bobby was sure he was only feeling this way because of the game, and because he suddenly had three more people to deal with. He’d be fine once he got over it. He didn’t want to seem like he was having a bad time, so he knew he had to be proactive if he was going to get his head on straight for the rest of the night.

Bobby reached for Hanbin’s hand, squeezing it in his own. At least he had Hanbin beat there, he thought with a grin. Bobby had tough, masculine hands, while Hanbin’s were smaller, looked almost delicate. Which of course was hilarious, given that they could knock a guy three times his size out. Hanbin looked up at him then, eyes curious, lips softly smiling, cheeks all dimpled, and Bobby felt like he wanted to bury all of his concerns.

None of it was important, not when Hanbin smiled at him like that.

Hanbin wasn’t sure what the cause was, but Bobby seemed to be less tense suddenly. Even if they couldn’t be alone, Hanbin was at least happy that they had gotten a booth to sit in! He moved closer to Bobby, never once breaking their stare.

“Can we at least order first, before you two start eating each other? I’m starving.” Jinhwan teased, grabbing a menu.

“Starving for affection? I told you to get yourself a new boyfriend!” Bobby teased back, his mood bubbling back up. All Hanbin’s doing.

“You even have two eligible bachelors to choose from, right here!” Hanbin added, grinning and winking at Junhoe, who was suddenly red faced (a fact that wasn’t lost on Hanbin).

“Ah yes, my choice between the strong, silent type, and the bubbly angel!” Jinhwan replied, looking at Junhoe and laughing before looking at Donghyuk and winking.

“I’d go for the bubbly angel,” Hanbin teased, “the other one might seem like the strong and silent type, but once you get to know him, you realize he becomes irritatingly loud, all the time!”

“Shut up, Hanbin!” Junhoe replied, glaring across the table at him.

“Ah I see what you mean,” Jinhwan replied, looking at Junhoe and grinning, “the type who likes to hear himself talk?”

“You’ll be lucky if it’s only talking!” Hanbin answered. “If you get him singing, then you’re in trouble!”

“I’ll have you know, I have a great singing voice!” Junhoe answered, clearly annoyed.

“Does he?” Jinhwan asked Hanbin.

Hanbin locked eyes with Junhoe, amused at his reaction. Contrary to the grumpy outward behaviour Junhoe was actually in a good mood. Hanbin knew that if he was truly upset he’d be dead quiet. As long as Junhoe was yelling and drawing attention to himself, he was fine.

“It’s decent at best.” Hanbin answered, and Junhoe scoffed out loud in utter disgust while the others laughed.

“We’ll have to have a demonstration later, then!” Jinhwan ventured. “I sing too, so maybe a sing off?”

“Me too!” Donghyuk added. “We can start our own vocal group!”

“Excuse me, there are five of us here?” Hanbin added. “Bobby and I can rap, so together we can form an idol group!”

Bobby loudly protested, shaking his head. “No! I refuse! Jinan makes me watch enough idol music shows, I’m not doing it!”

“Don’t be a spoil sport!” Jinhwan admonished. “Be a team player!”

“No way! Do you see how they make some of those groups dress? Not happening.” Bobby adamantly refused.

“Funny that the one guy here who only does team sports is the only one who’s not being a team player!” Hanbin teased, clinging to Bobby’s arm and pulling him closer.

“Good point. Gonna have to strip you of that captain’s position!” Jinhwan added, while Bobby continued to grumble.

“Maybe he’s just not that good?” Junhoe cut in, outwardly happy now that someone else was the target.

It was Bobby’s turn to get ruffled. “I’m actually a pretty decent rapper! I could probably make it on Show Me The Money!” Okay, that was a stretch—he had the voice for it, sure, but he didn’t exactly write enough of his own stuff to seriously contemplate it. But no one needed to know that.

“Why don’t we go do karaoke after we eat?” Donghyuk suggested.

“That’s actually not a bad idea!” Hanbin agreed.

“Let’s do it!” Jinhwan agreed, looking at Bobby and hoping he wouldn’t protest. But Bobby was all smiles at Hanbin’s excitement, and he was certain Bobby would come along.

They ordered soon after, two large pizzas to share between them (Jinhwan offered to pay for one, since he was the reason the party was bigger) and they even managed to talk about the game without Bobby getting moody (which Jinhwan found very interesting—it had to be Hanbin’s influence, which he thought was rather cute).

Talking about basketball naturally led to school, and that’s when the first problem popped up. Everything was fine until Hanbin and Donghyuk got to talking about math, and Hanbin let it slip that Junhoe wasn’t exactly the sharpest student in that particular subject.

“Wait—you’re having trouble with integers?!” Donghyuk crowed, looking at Hanbin and laughing heartily.

Hanbin thought it was every bit just as funny. “Right? I don’t get it, he even has a tutor specifically for math, and he’s still flunking the integer section!” Hanbin quickly met Junhoe’s gaze, feeling a little guilty for outing his secret failure. It wasn’t the first time, though, Junhoe wouldn’t hold it against him.

“Shut up, Hanbin!” Junhoe yelled, annoyed at him for talking about it.

“Integers, though?” Donghyuk repeated, giggling into his fist. Okay, maybe this wasn’t winning him any points with Junhoe, but still!

“God, both of you, fuck off!” Junhoe’s previous good mood was seriously starting to deteriorate. This was exactly why he was concerned about Donghyuk’s addition. He was used to Hanbin teasing him about math, but Hanbin was his best friend and there were certain things that best friends could get away with doing that regular friends couldn’t. But Donghyuk seemed to be every bit as smart as Hanbin, and Junhoe couldn’t help but worry. Would Donghyuk’s intelligence pull Hanbin away at all?

Jinhwan thought it was all in good fun, but a momentary glance at Junhoe had him guessing otherwise. Usually he’d be annoyed by someone who had no problem dishing out teasing but couldn’t stand taking it, and a week ago he would have considered this as proof that Junhoe was definitely a spoiled brat.

But he thought again about his behaviour in the gym before the game, the way he’d seemed uncomfortable with Donghyuk at first. Clearly it wasn’t a case of Junhoe disliking him, because they’d gotten friendly at the end. Jealousy, then? First he had to deal with Hanbin’s new boyfriend, and now suddenly he’s got a very loud, very in-your-face new friend, whose energy matches Hanbin’s much better than it matches Junhoe’s. Insecurity? Junhoe took a chance and invited Donghyuk, only for Donghyuk to turn around and join Hanbin in a bout of teasing?

Well, if Junhoe needed someone on his side, Jinhwan could provide some back up.

“Can we reschedule this discussion in a few hours when I need to go to bed? Cause you’re boring me to tears right now with all this math talk.” Jinhwan added, grinning good naturedly at Hanbin.

“I’m sorry, is this going over your little pea brain, hyung?” Hanbin teased, amused that Jinhwan was joining in.

“Sorry, the rest of us don’t speak nerd. But you and Donghyuk go on and do your little math equations! Junhoe and I will come find you later and kick your asses!” He nudged Junhoe, who looked at him and smiled.

“The two of you think you could beat us?” Hanbin exclaimed, looking at Donghyuk. “Do you hear that? These jiu jitsu kids, they like to talk tough!”

“It’s cute!” Donghyuk answered. “We could take them.”

Jinhwan made a face at Junhoe, who was looking a little less upset at the moment now that everyone’s pride was equally up for grabs.

“Take us where? Out to dinner as an apology for wasting our time?” Junhoe replied, face pinched in irritation, like he thought the conversation was below him.

“Nah, more like take you to the hospital after we knock you on your asses.” Hanbin grinned at him.

“The only doctor we’ll be seeing after we fight you is Doctor Feelgood!” Jinhwan answered, winking at Hanbin.

“Is Doctor Feelgood a urologist?” Donghyuk asked, to whooping laughter from Hanbin and a look of resignation from Jinhwan.

“Ah, fuck, you win this round, I can’t come back from that.” Jinhwan answered with a grin, impressed with Donghyuk’s quick witted comeback. He was fitting in nicely.

“Ah, Donghyuk I didn’t know you had that in you!” Hanbin replied, reaching out to pat Donghyuk’s shoulder.

“You’d be surprised at what I’ve had in me.” Donghyuk answered with an innocent smile, causing Hanbin to laugh again, and Junhoe to spit his drink out in shock.

Bobby, however, was still stuck on Donghyuk’s joke. While Donghyuk and Jinhwan were busy teasing Junhoe, Bobby leaned over to put his mouth to Hanbin’s ear.

“What’s a urologist?” Bobby asked, because he hated not understanding a joke.

Hanbin grinned and turned to look at him. “It’s a doctor you go see when you have problems with your dick.”

“Ah, like sex problems with your dick?” Bobby asked, and Hanbin nodded. Bobby grinned, impressed now that he understood the joke. Hanbin suddenly leaned into him and kissed his cheek, and Bobby smiled back at him. “What was that for?”

Hanbin just smiled and shrugged. “Nothing.” But he looked away with an annoyingly smug expression.

“What?” Bobby whined, chasing after him. “Why are you smiling like that?”

“It’s just, that was cute.” Hanbin answered, which Bobby found infuriatingly not helpful.

“What was cute?” By now the others were watching them, and Hanbin grinned.

“When you two were busy teasing Junhoe, Bobby leaned over to me and asked ‘what’s a urologist?’ ” Hanbin said, and it made Donghyuk and Jinhwan laugh.

“Oh, that’s cute!” Donghyuk replied.

Bobby felt like smacking Hanbin. “Hanbin! You’re making me look stupid!”

“You’re not that stupid, hyung,” Junhoe interrupted, “I don’t know what a urologist is either.”

“Ah, you’re both idiots, how cute!” Jinhwan teased. He patted Junhoe’s leg, who glared at him (but didn’t make a move to bat his hand away).

While Junhoe was a little annoyed, it was mostly at Hanbin, but he still glared at Jinhwan for good measure. He was feeling oddly grateful, though, that Jinhwan had come to his defense earlier. It was weird and he wasn’t sure how he ought to feel about it. Jinhwan kept smiling at him too, and his smiles made Junhoe think about the damn kiss again! Everything seemed like it came so easily to Jinhwan, no expression ever looked awkward on his face. Not that he had a cute face, or anything. It was just a face.

“I think you’re dating the wrong one, Hanbin!” Donghyuk teased, “you should date Jinhwan, and let Bobby and Junhoe date each other so their IQs match.”

Hanbin was suckered in by Donghyuk’s giggling, not even disputing his suggestion. He really hoped neither of them would be upset with he and Donghyuk for the teasing. Bobby seemed fine, quietly shaking his head, so Hanbin looked at Junhoe, who looked just a tiny bit miffed. It wasn’t too bad though. Junhoe hadn’t retreated like he would have had he been truly offended.

“Ah Junhoe, don’t worry! You don’t have to be smart, you’re pretty enough to get by on looks alone!” Hanbin teased him.

Junhoe fought to keep the glare on his face, but Hanbin’s comment made him want to grin because honestly, it was kind of true? He was attractive, easily the hottest one in their group. He didn’t mind hearing it stated out loud.

“Yeah don’t feel bad, Junhoe-ya!” Bobby added. “At least you’re pretty. I’m dumb and I have an ugly face, so I’m screwed!”

“You are not ugly!” Hanbin retorted.

“Well I’m not pretty! It’s okay, I know my face isn’t my best feature.” Bobby grinned, looking from Hanbin to Jinhwan.

“Wanna know what Bobby’s team nickname is?” Jinhwan asked, much to Bobby’s protests. But Hanbin was curious, begging gaze on Jinhwan.

“Ah come on, Jinan, don’t sell me out like this!” Bobby complained.

“They call him Monkfish!” Jinhwan said, to muffled laughter from Hanbin, and a squeal of laughter from Donghyuk. “Go on, show them the face!” Jinhwan instructed Bobby.

“Ah, seriously?” Bobby complained again, but he didn’t really mind. He’d made peace with the teasing almost as soon as it had started from his teammates. When you didn’t take insults personally, life got a lot easier. Now he played into it, had even developed a specific look for it that made his teammates laugh. It had gone from potentially insulting to an affectionate sort of teasing.

“Do it!” Jinhwan carried on, grinning when Bobby made the face.

Hanbin sighed and shook his head, playing along with the teasing. “I could have lived happily without seeing that.”

“It looks scary at first, but there’s an addictive sort of quality to it?” Jinhwan added. “I have a picture of him doing it saved on my phone, every now and then I switch my lockscreen to it.”

“Ah, Jinan!” Bobby yelled, groaning when Jinhwan showed them his phone lockscreen—that was currently the picture in question.

Jinhwan sighed happily at it before putting his phone back down. “It’s a work of art.”

Just then their pizzas arrived and they put aside their conversation momentarily for food. One slice later, though, and conversation was getting back on track.

“So, hypothetically speaking, we do our own UFC tag team fight: Team Boxing vs Team Jiu Jitsu, who’s gonna win?” Hanbin asked, grinning at Junhoe.

“You’re joking, right?” Junhoe asked, expression of disbelief on his face. “We’d mop the floor with you, no contest!” He and Hanbin often discussed who would win in a fight if they faced one another, and not once had they ever come to a happy conclusion.

“Tough words coming from Junhoe the Janitor!” Donghyuk added, grinning when Junhoe looked at him with death in his eyes.

“I already have a stage name, thank you!” Junhoe replied, glancing at Hanbin. “What was it again?”

Hanbin laughed at the question, trying to remember what they’d come up with. “Jurassic Junhoe!”

Junhoe grinned and nodded. “Yeah, that’s the one!”

“Do you fight dinosaur style?” Donghyuk asked, happy when Junhoe actually laughed at the question.

“He does! Show him the T-Rex Takedown!” Hanbin suggested, collapsing against Bobby when a fit of laughter took over. The others looked between Hanbin and Junhoe, who was still giggling as well, surprised at the sudden onslaught of laughter.

Junhoe turned to Jinhwan, who was looking up at him in surprise. “Hold still, hyung, I’m gonna demonstrate!” Junhoe knew he probably looked ridiculous, but it was fine. It felt good to laugh, felt good to have a sudden reminder of the stupid shit he and Hanbin usually did, before things had gotten complicated recently.

He pulled his arms in close to his chest, hands flailing in mimicry of a T-Rex dinosaur, before getting to his feet and draping himself over Jinhwan’s back. He pressed one wrist into the side of Jinhwan’s neck and tried to wrap the other as far around Jinhwan’s throat as it would go (which of course wasn’t far at all). He couldn’t look at Hanbin at the moment, not until he finished explaining the move, at least. “Then you just, give a little headbutt and drag you down to the ground!”

Jinhwan thought it was both the cutest and dumbest thing he’d ever heard, and he decided then that his entire perception of Junhoe had indeed been wrong from the beginning. The arrogant, haughty brat was clearly an act for the mat. This was the real Junhoe.

He quite liked the real Junhoe.

“Sit down, you idiot!” Jinhwan shoved him back towards his chair, unable to help but laugh. God, Junhoe had an infectious laugh? Jinhwan couldn’t help but stare at him. Junhoe’s entire face scrunched up in a really cute way when he laughed, and Jinhwan was happy he was getting to see it now. He looked quickly across the table at Hanbin, who was still laughing hard. “You guys are ridiculous.”

“Did you have a dinosaur name too?” Bobby asked Hanbin, wiping the tears out of his eyes. Seeing Hanbin and Junhoe have a momentary meltdown laughing over stupid things was actually really nice to see. Like Jinhwan, Bobby thought that they were finally getting to see the real Junhoe, and he understood why Hanbin would put up with some of his more trying behaviour. It was worth it when someone could make you laugh that hard.

Hanbin grinned at the question and looked around the table before settling his gaze back on Bobby. “Oh yeah, I was Herbivore Hanbin! Instead of boxing gloves, I’m gonna fight with two heads of lettuce on my fists!” Hanbin answered, and it sent he and Junhoe collapsing into a fit of fresh giggles.

Bobby looked at Jinhwan, both of them shaking their heads in equal parts confusion, embarrassment, and amusement. It was cute but so stupid.

Donghyuk, on the other hand, was laughing so hard over the whole thing he was laying on his arms, one fist pounding the table top.

It took a few minutes, but eventually everyone calmed down, sitting up and wiping the tears of laughter off their faces. Junhoe was feeling good, grateful they’d had the opportunity to share something stupid about themselves. The laughter had been a good balm for the bits of awkward tension that had cropped up throughout the day.

Jinhwan reached for another slice of pizza, hungry again after laughing. “We never did resolve our debate, though. Bobby! What’s your opinion, as an uninformed third party? Boxing or jiu jitsu?” Jinhwan asked, putting him on the spot.

“No way! I am not getting involved!” Bobby answered, shaking his head and grabbing another slice of pizza. “You can’t make me pick!”

“Oh you’re picking a side, alright!” Jinhwan replied. “Don’t forget who sleeps just down the hall from you every night!”

“He can buy a lock for his door!” Hanbin replied, throwing his arm around Bobby’s shoulders. “But if he ever wants to sleep in the same bed as me, then he’d better pick boxing!” Hanbin threatened, all up in Bobby’s face. Bobby actually blushed at the warning.

“Oh that’s cold!” Jinhwan said.

“You shut your mouth!” Hanbin teased him back. “As I remember it, you were the one who got in our way the first time we really had a chance to make out!”

Jinhwan grinned and shook his head, playing ignorant. “I don’t remember that.”

“You’re so lucky I didn’t kill you that day!” Bobby replied.

“What happened?” Donghyuk asked, grinning as he looked between them.

“Well, I was visiting Bobby, no one was home--”

“Hanbin! They don’t need details!” Bobby jumped in, amused that they were actually talking about this.

“Speak for yourself, details are welcome!” Donghyuk replied with a grin.

“They were in bed together!” Jinhwan added, winking at Donghyuk. “Not really doing much, it was pretty tame!”

“We were just getting started!” Bobby replied.

“I thought you didn’t want to give any details?” Hanbin teased him back.

“Anyway, so I may have been watching for just a bit--” Jinhwan began before Donghyuk cut him off.

“Wait you were watching them while they were making out?” Donghyuk asked, face drawn open in shock.

“Yeah and when nothing exciting happened, I decided to interrupt.” Jinhwan replied, grinning at Bobby, who looked nearly murderous.

“It was such bad timing!” Hanbin replied, eyes sweeping around the table. Even Junhoe was grinning, which made him happy to see.

“It was really a test, though! See they’d just started dating, so I wanted to make sure Hanbin was a good kid!” Jinhwan admitted, winking at Hanbin.

Junhoe nodded beside him. “I can understand that.”

“No! You guys are crazy, you don’t test your best friend’s boyfriend!” Hanbin replied, mostly just to play into their comments.

“You absolutely have to! I’m glad you feel the same way. They’re lucky to have us.” Jinhwan said, looking at Junhoe.

“They don’t deserve us.” Junhoe replied, pleased that Jinhwan was playing right into his own thoughts. He was still a little guarded about it, still confused about why Jinhwan seemed so intent on forging an actual friendship. Was he still trying to make up for his initial blunder? Did he actually want to be friends? Junhoe knew that if he asked Hanbin, he’d say that obviously Jinhwan legitimately wanted to be friends. But Junhoe couldn’t forget that initial feeling he had. He couldn’t just ignore that and pretend it had never happened.

But still. Junhoe liked this friendly version of Jinhwan. Their personalities matched up pretty well. Hopefully time would prove that Jinhwan wasn’t just being a manipulative asshole.

Sing us something romantic! Bobby had asked, jokingly, of course, but he should have known better. He was sitting on the couch, Hanbin cuddled underneath his arm, and they were twenty minutes into watching their friends performing a Michael Jackson medley. It had started with ‘Remember The Time’ (Junhoe’s pick) before moving on to Jinhwan’s selection ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ (complete with an altered opening line of “hey pretty boy with the high tops on”) before Donghyuk had made them sing ‘You Are Not Alone’ . After the romantic medley was finished, they’d continued with more Michael Jackson songs, punctuating some of them with surprisingly decent attempts at the choreography.

While it wasn’t exactly the kind of night Bobby had been looking forward to, he was happy that despite having company, he and Hanbin still had a chance to be cuddly. He’d happily let the other three dominate the song selections for the rest of their time as long as Hanbin didn’t leave his side.

Hanbin was of the exact same opinion. At first he’d had every intention of singing, but he was too comfortable now on the couch with Bobby’s arm around him. This was exactly what he’d been hoping for tonight, the chance to be close. So what if their friends were right there? They were pretty engrossed in the music. Hanbin grinned as he watched Junhoe showing off his Moonwalk—they’d taken a special dance class together when they were thirteen, learning iconic Michael Jackson moves.

It was a nice way to end the night. The moments of awkward tension from dinner were gone completely now (Hanbin was thankful that Donghyuk was such a big Michael Jackson fan, it was an easy way to forge a bond with Junhoe) and Hanbin wasn’t entirely certain, but he thought that maybe, just maybe, it seemed like Junhoe and Jinhwan were really connecting? He hadn’t seen Junhoe smiling and laughing so much in a while, at least, Junhoe’s good mood carrying over from dinner.

It was nice after weeks of moody Junhoe. Hanbin finally had real hope that everything would work out well. Maybe even better than expected? He craned his neck to look at Bobby, who was watching the other three dancing with an amused grin on his face. Hanbin took his phone out, typing a message to Bobby, because this wasn’t exactly a conversation he wanted to have out loud, even if the subjects weren’t paying them any attention.

He nudged Bobby when he sent it, motioning to his phone. Bobby looked confused but took his phone out, reading the message and laughing right away.

-call me crazy but i think they might hook up?-

Bobby answered back.

-ur crazy!! wishful thinking??-

-no way! you think jinan wouldnt go for it?-

-jinan yeah, probly, but junhoe?? u think??-

-i havent seen him this happy since i broke up with woosung, haha-

Bobby actually snorted at Hanbin’s answer, pulling him closer and muffling his laughter in his hair. Hanbin laughed too, watching to make sure they didn’t draw the others’ attention. They were focused on the screen, though, trying to harmonize their way through ‘Will You Be There’.

After a moment of watching them (and now that Bobby was looking for it, he couldn’t help but notice that they did seem to be paying extra attention to each other) he whispered into Hanbin’s ear.

“Do you think we should let them, though?” He still wasn’t convinced there was anything there, wasn’t sure why Hanbin was suddenly thinking of the possibility. Bobby just wanted them to be friends. Anything more might complicate matters.

Hanbin grinned at the question, because Bobby definitely had a point. If they did hook up, the relationship would probably be way more volatile than his relationship with Bobby. Would Junhoe’s pride get in the way of Jinhwan’s teasing nature? Or would they call a truce between themselves and only team up on other people? And what about their jiu jitsu rivalry? How would that work out?

Of course nothing might come of any of it, and he might just be seeing something that wasn’t really there. Wishful thinking, like Bobby had said. But was that so bad, anyway? To want their best friends to date? He knew Junhoe could be a bit of a handful, but he felt like Jinhwan might just be okay with that? He’d have to watch for more signs.

Hanbin kissed Bobby’s neck right by his ear before whispering an answer. “I think we should subtly encourage it if it starts happening.” Bobby laughed and kissed Hanbin again, wondering if they were setting themselves up for disaster.

While he didn’t doubt for a second that Jinhwan would probably go for Junhoe, given the chance (because Junhoe was Jinhwan’s type, or at least as much his type as Bobby knew) he didn’t know if Jinhwan would actually be serious about it. Any time Bobby tried to grill Jinhwan on his future plans his best friend was annoyingly tight lipped. Jinhwan wouldn’t risk screwing things up that badly just for a bit of fun, would he?

No, of course he wouldn’t. Bobby was worried for nothing.

So when Hanbin texted him again a minute later, Bobby laughed.

-ok so i give them a month. if it takes longer than that for the hook up, ill take you out for dinner or whatever you want!-

-n if they dont hook up at all??-

-you still win! we got a deal?-

Bobby looked back up at the pair for a second, watching them and trying to gauge their levels of interest.

-yeah we got a deal!!-

“What colour do you want, oppa?”

Junhoe looked down at the two little compacts of eye shadow Hanbyul was holding and tried to suppress a grin. “Use them both!”

“Okay!”

He was currently at Hanbin’s, “helping” him to babysit his sister for the night. Hanbin’s parents were out for some overnight business trip, and Junhoe had come home with him right after class. Hanbin was making them dinner (really only reheating something his mother had left, but he’d made a big deal over needing to concentrate on it so he didn’t ruin it) leaving Junhoe to entertain Hanbyul.

When she’d asked him if she could do his makeup, he hadn’t had the heart to refuse her, and now he was sitting on her bed with absurdly red cheeks, about to have blue and purple eyeshadow applied. He was afraid to see what colour lipstick she was going to make him wear.

Hanbyul hummed to herself as she set about brushing eye shadow over his eyelids, and Junhoe wondered how much of it was getting on his cheeks compared to his eyes? Ah, it was worth it just to keep her happy, he supposed. There were worse ways he could be spending his evening.

“I’m finished!” Hanbyul said, and Junhoe opened his eyes, making a face while he looked at her that sent her giggling.

“How does it look?” He asked, fluttering his eyelids at her.

“Gorgeous!” Came Hanbin’s reply, who was standing in the door to the room. “Byul-ah, you’re getting so good at this!”

“I made you pretty, oppa!” Hanbyul said to Junhoe, before looking back at her brother.

“I just came by to tell you dinner’s almost ready,” Hanbin said, before grinning at Junhoe, “and we have guests coming over.” Hanbin didn’t have to clarify who the guests were—Junhoe could tell.

“Seriously?” Junhoe whined, though he didn’t really mind. Okay maybe he wasn’t excited to have Bobby and Jinhwan see him wearing a face full of badly applied make up, but whatever. He’d promised Hanbyul he’d keep it on for a while, and if either of them had a problem with it they’d have to face her wrath, and not his.

“Yep! Byul-ah, make sure you give him some pretty lipstick!” Hanbin added before disappearing again.

“Who is the guest, oppa?” Hanbyul asked Junhoe, back at her desk to pick out some lipstick.

“Do you remember Bobby and Jinhwan?” Junhoe asked, and Hanbyul nodded.

“From Hanbin-ie oppa’s boxing day? They’re both coming?” Hanbyul asked, excitement in her voice.

Junhoe had a sudden thought that would certainly help him out. “Yeah, they probably heard how good you are at doing makeup and wanted to see for themselves!”

Hanbyul picked out a shade and popped back up in front of him. “Do you think they will let me do makeup on their faces?” She asked him, hopeful expression lighting up her eyes.

Junhoe grinned at her. “I think so! Make sure you ask them nicely, they might be too shy to say yes at first.” Oh, this would be good! He pursed his lips for her then so she could apply the lipstick, not even flinching when she accidentally got some on his chin. No big deal.

He heard Hanbin talking and knew the other two must have arrived, but Hanbyul was still finishing his lipstick. Seconds later and a gasp at the door had him opening his eyes to see Jinhwan.

“Who is this pretty girl, and why hasn’t Hanbin ever introduced me?” He asked, grinning at the sight of Junhoe sporting a face full of makeup.

Hanbyul got a little shy at his appearance, smiling at him but not replying, instead abandoning her lipstick and clinging to Junhoe’s arm. Junhoe patted her on the head and looked up at Jinhwan, a challenging look on his face. One more shot for Jinhwan to slip up and act like a jerk.

“Byul-ah, remember what I told you?” He focused his sight back on Hanbyul, who was looking up at him. “Why don’t you go and ask?”

She smiled and nodded before shyly walking over to Jinhwan. He crouched down in front of her and smiled back.

“Did you do his makeup all by yourself?” Jinhwan asked her, and she nodded. “You’re so good!”

Hanbyul smiled and reached out to touch his arm. “Oppa, can I do makeup for you too?”

Jinhwan hadn’t been expecting that. He’d been trying to hold in laughter over seeing Junhoe with a ridiculous layer of makeup on (he didn’t want to hurt Hanbyul’s feelings, after all, even if Junhoe looked hilarious) but was he seriously going to subject himself to the same horror? He quickly looked back at Junhoe, who was watching him carefully, waiting for his answer. Apparently he had no choice but to say yes.

“Of course you can!”

Hanbyul responded with excitement, while Junhoe sported an amused smirk. It was actually cute, when he thought about it, that Junhoe would let Hanbin’s little sister slather makeup all over his face. Not a lot of guys would be willing to subject themselves to the whims of a four year old girl, and Junhoe hadn’t exactly looked embarrassed to be seen like this. He obviously seemed to care about her a lot.

Jinhwan stood up and grinned when Hanbyul grabbed his hand and pulled him over to sit on her bed next to Junhoe, and the closer he was the more Jinhwan wanted to laugh. It looked even more ridiculous up close.

“What colours should I put on you, oppa?” Hanbyul asked, looking at her array of cheap makeup.

Jinhwan was still looking at Junhoe, still trying not to laugh. “Um, I’m from Jeju Island, so you should make me look like an orange!” He suggested, pleased when Junhoe had to bite back his own laugh.

Hanbyul hummed out loud while sifting through her things, whining when she couldn’t find anything orange. “I don’t have that colour!”

“It’s okay, we can make him something else!” Junhoe was quick to reply. “Do you have green?”

Jinhwan watched as Junhoe knelt beside her, whispering ideas to her, and he couldn’t help but smile. This whole thing was getting cuter by the second! Seeing Junhoe interacting so closely with her just seemed so sweet and soft, and it reminded him of watching Junhoe the previous weekend with Hanbin, giggling over their fighter nicknames. It was nice, getting to see this other side of him. Maybe he was just assuming things that were incorrect, but Junhoe had struck him as the sort that didn’t really like to open up until he felt comfortable. Did this behaviour, playing with Hanbyul in front of him, did it mean that Junhoe trusted him, at least to some degree? He hoped so.

“Wait, I have to go get something!” Hanbyul ran from the room suddenly, while Junhoe sat back down beside him on the bed.

“Okay, get it out now while she’s out of the room!” Junhoe said in greeting.

Jinhwan smiled at him instead of laughing. “I think it’s sweet,” he said, “it’s nice of you to indulge her.”

Junhoe hadn’t really been expecting that, he’d been expecting Jinhwan to laugh and make fun of him. He was trying to keep his guard up about him, trying not to let Jinhwan off the hook too easily. But every time they hung out, Jinhwan showed better sides of himself, and Junhoe had yet to see the jerk side of him reappear since Hanbin’s boxing tournament.

“Seriously, a lot of guys wouldn’t sit through makeup, especially not for a kid that’s not even their own sibling. But you always seem really sweet with her, it’s nice.” Jinhwan thought the look of surprise on Junhoe’s face was hilarious given the makeup, and it was a struggle not to laugh.

“You know, she really likes you,” Junhoe replied, scrambling to change the topic because it just felt weird to hear it come from Jinhwan, “she usually doesn’t warm up to new people so quickly.”

Jinhwan grinned. “Yeah, Bobby complains that she’s still not that close to him. I think it’s just because he doesn’t know what to do with a sister. You have an older sister, right?”

Junhoe nodded. Had they talked about their sisters last weekend? Or had Hanbin said something about her? “Yeah, Yejin’s three years older than me.”

“Ah, my sister’s six years older than me! Practically ancient!” Jinhwan joked.

“Are you close to her?” Junhoe asked, curious about Jinhwan’s relationship with his family, but not wanting to ask the obvious question of why Jinhwan lived in Seoul while they didn’t. He didn’t really like getting too personal in conversations.

“We’re very close! After Bobby, my sister is the person I’m closest to. What about you and your sister?” Jinhwan wasn’t exactly keen to keep the topic of conversation on his own family, wanting to try and avoid any potentially troubling questions.

“We’re really close too,” Junhoe answered curtly, and any further awkward conversation was saved by Hanbyul’s reappearance.

“I found it!” she squealed on her way into the room, holding a small tub in her hands. Jinhwan watched her in curiosity as she stood in front of him, trying to unscrew the top. When she couldn’t get it she looked at Junhoe, who reached for it immediately and gave her back the open container.

Jinhwan looked down at it, curious as to what it was. Some sort of green cream? Probably some kind of face mask? Was she going to slather his entire face in it? Was this Junhoe’s doing? He had asked her for green, after all…

Only one way to find out.

“Are you sure we should leave them alone?” Bobby asked, turning to Hanbin once Jinhwan had disappeared from view.

“They’re not alone, they’re with Hanbyul!” Hanbin answered.

“Yeah, that’s why I’m worried! I don’t want you winning our bet.” Bobby replied, grinning as Hanbin leaned down to check on the food in the oven.

“Oh nothing will happen tonight,” Hanbin said, standing up and resetting the timer, “Hanbyul’s putting makeup on Junhoe.”

“She’s what? He’s letting her?” Bobby was surprised—he wouldn’t have pictured Junhoe submitting himself to that.

“It happens more often than you think,” Hanbin replied, “mom always gives her old makeup and Byul loves to put it on other people more than herself.” Hanbin pointed at the fridge. “See if you can find me on there!”

Bobby went over to the collection of pictures on the side of the fridge, immediately spotting Hanbin and his dad both wearing heavy makeup and looking ridiculous. It was endearing, though. “You’re not gonna make her do my makeup, are you?” He jokingly asked.

“Might get her more comfortable with you?” Hanbin teased, before walking over to stand behind Bobby, sliding his arms around him.

Bobby put the picture back on the fridge and turned around, checking to make sure no one had come back into the kitchen before cupping Hanbin’s cheeks in his palms and meeting his lips for a kiss. It had been a while since they’d been able to share a proper kiss without interruption, and Bobby was desperate. Hanbin seemed to be pretty desperate too, judging by the eagerness of his response.

They managed to get in a good five minutes of making out without interruption before the timer dinged on the stove, startling the both of them. Hanbin leaned back in for another quick kiss before pulling away and heading over to check on the food, leaving Bobby to catch his breath where he stood.

God, they really needed to have a longer time alone together. Kissing Hanbin was so much better than any other guy he’d ever kissed before, but Bobby wanted more than just kissing. Not that they’d even talked about that yet, but that was a conversation they definitely needed to have by themselves anyway. Hence the need for some actual alone time.

Hanbin deemed the food finished and took it out of the oven and just as Bobby was about to go and plaster himself to Hanbin again they were interrupted. Bobby felt like groaning in frustration, but that quickly abated as soon as he took in the state of his friends.

Junhoe had a face full of poorly applied makeup, but Jinhwan’s entire face was light green (except for bright pink lips). Bobby couldn’t hold back the laugh, wasn’t sure which one looked more ridiculous. Hanbin faced them with a little more grace, keeping his laughter to himself.

Jinhwan, for his part, just smiled at them for a moment before speaking. “I’m a pea.”

Hanbin couldn’t hold it in after the comment, turning away to face the counter, laughing so hard tears came to his eyes. Bobby was in the same boat, and Jinhwan himself had a hard time not breaking down as well.

Hanbyul excitedly ran to her brother’s side, wrapping her arms around his leg. “Oppa, he wanted to be an orange but I didn’t have orange!”

Hanbin wiped his eyes before leaning down to pick her up. “Well you did a very good job of making him a pea!” He could barely say it without laughing.

“Junhoe oppa said he should be a pea because he’s so small!” Hanbyul explained conspiratorially, whispering in Hanbin’s ear. The explanation just made him laugh again.

“What did she just say?” Jinhwan asked, standing with his hands on his hips and looking at Hanbyul as though she was in trouble. She just laughed and buried her face in Hanbin’s neck.

“She said green really suits you,” Hanbin answered, grinning when Jinhwan blew him a kiss.

“Okay enough talk about the little pea,” Junhoe cut in, “don’t I look fabulous?”

Hanbin briefly looked at him but had to turn away. Junhoe’s face after Jinhwan’s exclamation about being a pea was just too much for him to handle.

“You’re stunning!” Bobby answered instead, “just breathtaking!”

“Thank you,” Junhoe replied, “it’s hard work looking this good.”

They took seats around the table while Hanbin served dinner. Bobby and Jinhwan had eaten already, and when Hanbin sat down with Hanbyul, Jinhwan offered his help so Hanbin could eat in peace.

“Byul-ah, come and sit with me!” He motioned for her to join him, and to Hanbin’s surprise she did, slipping down from his lap and beelining for Jinhwan’s chair. He passed over her plate, curious eyes on his sister. She was still slowly warming up to Bobby, but she’d taken to Jinhwan drastically quick. It was cute, and he was grateful for the opportunity to not have to worry about making sure she ate. It’s not that Hanbyul was a fussy eater, but she was easily distracted at meal times.

Once dinner was done they congregated in the living room, where Hanbin had the brilliant idea of having Junhoe and Jinhwan reenact a fairy tale out of Hanbyul’s book—The Princess and The Pea. There were protests at first (mostly from Jinhwan, whose green face mask had started hardening over dinner and was pulling tightly at his skin, but they wouldn’t let him wash it off yet) but Hanbyul’s teary pleading had done them in.

Hanbin narrated the story and in the end Junhoe sat down on Jinhwan, who whined and complained about being crushed. Hanbyul loved it, though (as did Hanbin and Bobby, who recorded the good parts on his phone) and only when they finished the impromptu play were they allowed to go and wash their faces.

As Jinhwan washed the hardened mask off his face he looked at Junhoe, who was carefully wiping the eye shadow off.

“So, not to be suggestive about what you do in your spare time, but you seem pretty used to wearing makeup!” Jinhwan teased.

Junhoe grinned and reached for a fresh makeup wipe. “Did your sister not practice makeup on you when you were younger?” Junhoe asked.

“All the time!” Jinhwan answered, reaching for a wipe to take the lipstick off.

“Sometimes Yejin still does.” Junhoe replied, and as soon as he said it he felt like biting his tongue off. Why was he sharing that??

“Really? That’s cute!” Jinhwan replied, reaching for a towel to dry his face now that his lips were clean. Okay, doing it as a kid was one thing, and letting Hanbyul do it now was another, but Junhoe still let his older adult sister put makeup on him?! Jinhwan thought that was especially cute.

Junhoe blushed as he continued taking off the makeup. Ugh, why did I tell him that?! “Yeah, just for, like, complicated things she wants to practice? It’s not like I like it or anything!” So embarrassing. He was sure Jinhwan would tease him over it constantly!

Jinhwan just smiled and didn’t reply. When he finished drying his face he looked in the mirror. He didn’t look any different, and he was curious what the mask had been for? He touched his cheek and gasped out loud. His skin was so soft. He’d heard all the same commercials about skin softening creams, but had figured they were bullshit advertisements. But he could actually feel the difference!

“Okay you have to touch my face! This stuff made my skin super soft, it’s crazy!” Jinhwan exclaimed, reaching for Junhoe’s arm. Junhoe almost pulled away, but in the end he wound up with his fingers touching Jinhwan’s cheek.

“Yeah hyung, uh very soft.” Junhoe wasn’t sure why Jinhwan cared about how soft his skin was. Sure, it was nice, but it was also weird, touching Jinhwan’s face. Ah, there was that stupid little heart shaped mole! The one Junhoe had originally wanted to grind his elbow into.

Funny how things worked out. He was touching it now, but he no longer had the desire to elbow Jinhwan in the face. Which was good! Better to have a friend than an enemy, he supposed. He felt calmer these days, now that the mere thought of Jinhwan didn’t make him seethe with anger. He didn’t like being upset over things, and he’d been especially miserable being at odds with Hanbin. He’d even had an easier time dealing with Donghyuk’s constant presence this past week. Karaoke had been a huge help.

He finally dropped his hand from Jinhwan’s face, but stared at him for a moment as Jinhwan leaned in closer to the mirror to study his skin. Junhoe still couldn’t believe how friendly they’d become after their start. He had a lot of acquaintances, people he was friendly with and enjoyed being around. But there weren’t many people he would really consider a friend. Hanbin, obviously, and even though Yunhyeong was only supposed to be his tutor, Junhoe actually thought of him as a friend as well. Donghyuk was certainly becoming a friend (whether Junhoe wanted him to or not, which was just Donghyuk’s personality) and now he wondered… Would he soon consider Jinhwan a proper friend? It kind of seemed that way, strangely enough.

Once they finished in the bathroom they rejoined the others only to hear that it was bedtime for Hanbyul. After bidding her a goodnight (and kissing her cheek--even Bobby got to participate) Hanbin took her to bed, returning a short while later once she was sleeping, dropping back onto the couch next to Bobby, who immediately put an arm around his shoulders. Jinhwan sat on Hanbin’s other side, while Junhoe occupied a chair across from them.

Bobby was in the middle of discussing the upcoming playoff games for their high school basketball league.

“I can’t believe they changed the first round to Thursday, this year!” Bobby complained after reading a text message from his coach. “I hate weekday games, I always have too much energy to get to sleep.”

“Wait, this Thursday?” Jinhwan asked, voice rising.

“Yeah, why?” Bobby looked at his best friend, his brain raking over itself trying to figure out what might be getting him upset.

“You’re supposed to go to the concert with me on Thursday!” Jinhwan said, frowning at Bobby. Had he really forgotten already?

“Oh shit! I forgot about that,” Bobby winced, “I can’t skip the game though.”

Jinhwan knew there was no point in arguing because Bobby was right--he couldn’t skip the game. But that wasn’t going to stop him from complaining anyway.

“My mom bought that fourth ticket for you to come with us!” What was he going to do now? His mom was expecting Bobby to come.

“I’m sorry! It’s not like I asked them to change the game, it’s always been on Friday.” Bobby felt bad, but what was he supposed to do? He captained his team, he couldn’t leave them in the first round.

Jinhwan dropped his head back against the couch, annoyed mostly because there was nothing he could do about it. “Ugh, mom’s gonna be pissed!”

“What’s the concert?” Hanbin asked, curious about the complaints.

“It’s the London Chamber Orchestra,” Jinhwan explained, pausing to glare at Bobby, who’d chuckled.

“Sorry!” Bobby replied. “I mean, it’s nice but it just sounds so nerdy--”

“Shut up!” Jinhwan yelled at him, annoyed with his interruption.

“Are they really coming here from London?” Hanbin asked.

Jinhwan felt slightly mollified by Hanbin’s appreciative question. “Yeah, they tour a lot globally, I’ve seen them three times before. But this time is special because my favourite trumpeter is coming.”

“Mmm, Alison Balsom!” Bobby said in an overly sweet voice. “Jinan’s dream wife!”

“Shut up!” Jinhwan yelled again, tempted to get up so he could kick Bobby.

“Want me to knock him out?” Hanbin offered with a grin, and again Jinhwan felt a little grateful to him.

“Nah, might ruin your romance. I’ve been beating Bobby up for years, I’ll knock him around when we go home later.”

Hanbin grinned and suddenly an excited look came over his face. “So, you need a date for the concert then, right?”

“Yeah, you wanna come?” Jinhwan offered, and honestly he’d probably have a better time with Hanbin, who seemed to at least have a more open interest than Bobby did. Sometimes Bobby only came with him to things out of politeness, and not because he actually wanted to go.

“I wish!” Hanbin answered, and truly he did. He’d gone to a few shows of Seoul’s orchestra with his parents. “I have a game too, though, so I can’t. But I know someone who’s not busy on Thursday.” Hanbin directed his gaze at Junhoe, who hadn’t been paying that much attention to the conversation while he was busy texting on his phone.

“What about Thursday?” Junhoe asked, looking up from his phone.

“Jinhwan hyung needs a date for a concert, and we’re busy!” Hanbin answered.

Junhoe’s face went unexpectedly red. “Uh, I don’t know, what’s the concert?”

“It’s classical music,” Jinhwan explained, “an orchestra from London.”

“Oh, uh, I don’t know? I might be busy?” Was Hanbin seriously trying to get him to go out somewhere alone with Jinhwan?? As friendly as they were getting these days, Junhoe wasn’t sure if they were really ready to hang out by themselves.

“No you’re not, because I’m busy and you’re not doing what I’m doing and you have no other friends! Jinhwan’s mom already bought the ticket, all you have to do is wear a nice outfit and go.” Hanbin was determined to get Junhoe to accompany Jinhwan. It was the perfect opportunity for them to get closer! Okay so maybe not perfect, because Jinhwan’s mom would be there, but he felt certain they’d come out of it with a closer connection.

“If you don’t want to go, that’s okay, I know it’s not for everyone.” Jinhwan felt a little weird about bringing Junhoe. He and Junhoe had an easy co-existence now when they hung out as a group, but he thought that things would probably get awkward if they were alone, because he felt like Junhoe was only just starting to open up to him. It wouldn’t be like it was at the basketball game, where they had other people to distract them or the safety of having their friends in the same space. This would be Junhoe meeting his mother. He’d be comfortable bringing Hanbin, because he wasn’t the ball of awkward tension that Junhoe could be.

“I didn’t say that, I just might be busy, I need to check.” Junhoe looked  at Hanbin then, who was shaking his head in disappointment. “I like classical music, okay!”

“Bullshit!” Hanbin replied, grinning widely. “Name one composer!”

Junhoe knew some composers, okay, he wasn’t ignorant! He just couldn’t remember any of the names at the moment? They were all foreign, and foreign names were hard!

“Not even one?” Bobby asked, amused at the situation.

“I know some! I just can’t think of them right now!” Junhoe replied, face red in embarrassment. Man, fuck Hanbin!

“I can’t believe you, this is so pathetic!” Hanbin crowed with joy, laughing at his best friend.

“Fuck both of you, honestly!” Junhoe whined. He hated it when people made him look stupid!

“Really, you don’t have to come if you don’t want to,” Jinhwan cut in, actually feeling a little bad for him. Man, Hanbin really teased Junhoe hard sometimes. Jinhwan did the same thing to Bobby, so he couldn’t really say anything. But still.

“I do want to, though!” Junhoe replied, confusing himself in the heat of the moment. Did he actually want to go? Had he just cornered himself into this?

“I don’t know Junhoe, I don’t think you’re enlightened enough to appreciate classical music.” Hanbin knew he had to be careful—he wanted Junhoe to go with Jinhwan, thought they needed something like this to really develop the friendship. There was a very fine line he could walk when he wanted to bully Junhoe into doing something, an easy way to goad him into agreeing when he didn’t really want to. Hanbin wanted to make sure he didn’t cross it.

“I am so!” Junhoe was so annoyed he lashed out, trying to kick Hanbin from across the gap in between them. But Hanbin moved his leg and instead Junhoe just kicked the couch, cursing loudly.

Jinhwan couldn’t help but laugh at the situation, looking between Junhoe and Hanbin and Bobby, before finally settling his sights back on Junhoe, who was rubbing his foot. “Alright, quit yelling! You can come.” Jinhwan couldn’t help but smile at Junhoe, because his sulking, grumbling face was actually pretty cute?

Hanbin looked at Bobby, smiling slyly at him. Operation: Hook Up The Best Friends was off to a stellar start, and if Hanbin had his way, Bobby would be taking him out for a nice dinner very soon.

“Oh god why did I agree to this?” Junhoe whined, laying face down on his bed.

Hanbin was currently going through his closet, deciding on the best outfit for him to wear. “Because you’re a complete sucker when it comes to your pride taking a hit.” Black pants for sure, but he was undecided if he wanted Junhoe to make a statement with his outfit or just blend in. He’d asked Jinhwan for his advice, and Jinhwan had said that his mother actually appreciated interesting fashion choices, preferring bold to boring.

Junhoe grumbled into his pillow, because Hanbin had a point. How many times now had Hanbin suckered him into doing things, all because Junhoe had refused to say no? You’d think he’d have wised up to Hanbin’s manipulative ways by now, but no.

“So Jinhwan said that you don’t have to wear a suit jacket if you wear something really nice,” Hanbin mused, eyes lingering on a bright teal shirt he didn’t remember ever seeing Junhoe wear, “and she likes interesting fashion.”

“What’s your point, Hanbin? I don’t really own anything that interesting.” Junhoe didn’t bother looking, still slumped against the pillows. Just earlier he’d been fine with going, hadn’t felt that nervous. But now that Hanbin was here, picking out his clothes, suddenly everything felt way more serious. He was meeting Jinhwan’s mother. What was he thinking?! He barely had a hold on his friendship with the guy, and he was about to meet the family?

“When did you get this shirt? Does it still fit you?” Hanbin took the shirt out, turning to face Junhoe. “Hey, look at me!”

Junhoe sighed loudly before rolling onto his back. He immediately made a noise of displeasure. “Ah, that shirt, really? Yejin bought it for my birthday, I’ve never worn it. That colour’s over the top.”

“Yeah, that’s kinda the point! You wear the black pants with this, and then wear a black vest and a black tie, and it’s gonna look awesome.” Hanbin walked over to the bed, draping the shirt over Junhoe’s chest. “It looks so good with your blonde hair!”

“You want me to wear a vest? Are you crazy?” Junhoe didn’t like it. He liked simple fashions when he had to dress up—plain black and white, maybe a little grey to mix things up. Yejin had tried to convince him to add some colour, but he just wasn’t having it.

“I know you don’t own a vest, but my dad has some really awesome ones! You’re practically the same size, they’d probably fit you. Actually, ooh, what size are your feet?”

Junhoe sighed, afraid to answer. “275. Why?”

“Because my dad has these awesome shoes that’ll be perfect with your outfit!” Hanbin exclaimed. His father travelled overseas a lot for business, so his personal style was quite flashy for the average Korean man.

“Hanbin--” Junhoe warned, but he was cut off almost immediately.

“Seriously, they’re like the same shade as the shirt, but snakeskin!” Hanbin could picture it in his head, and he was jealous already. He loved those snakeskin shoes, but his father had bigger feet than he did, and they’d never fit him. “I could totally get him to lend them to you!”

“Hanbin! That’s ridiculous, I’m not wearing snakeskin shoes!” Junhoe grumbled. What would anyone think of him, he’d look stupid!

“You’re totally wearing snakeskin shoes! Don’t be a baby, take a chance.” Hanbin threw the shirt at him. “Try this on, I need to make sure it fits before I get ahead of myself.” He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, annoyed glare on his best friend.

Junhoe sighed dramatically again before getting up. “Ugh, fine! I’ll try the stupid shirt on.” He pulled his t-shirt off and pulled the button down over his arms, annoyed out of principle. “What’s Jinhwan wearing? I’m not gonna stand out, am I?”

“I don’t know, but he’s already given you the green light to wear something interesting so you’re doing it.” Hanbin pulled out his phone, texting his dad to see about borrowing the shoes. He knew they were probably expensive, but this was a very important occasion.

Junhoe sighed again and started buttoning up the shirt. It fit him perfectly around the chest, but the arms were a little short. “Uh Hanbin, sorry to burst your bubble, but the sleeves are too short.”

Hanbin shook his head and kept texting. “It’s fine, we’ll roll them up. It’s a hot look these days!” His dad replied immediately, asking why he wanted those shoes in particular. “Junhoe, look at me!” Hanbin waited until Junhoe turned to face him, confused expression captured in the picture that he sent to his dad with the caption “he needs all the help he can get!! can he borrow a vest too??”

“What did you take my picture for? Could have waited til I was ready at least,” he grumbled.

“Nah, it was better that you look lost and confused.” Hanbin replied, grinning as he read his father’s answer. “Dad said you can borrow his shoes, and he’ll get you a good vest too!” He tossed his phone on the bed before reaching for Junhoe’s arm. “Come here, let me do your sleeves.”

Junhoe stood while Hanbin went to work, still feeling nervous. “Hanbin are you sure about this?” He asked, genuinely concerned.

“What are you worried about?” Hanbin asked, finishing with one sleeve.

“I don’t want to look stupid,” Junhoe answered, “especially because his mom will be there! I’ve never met his mom or his sister, I don’t want them to think I’m an idiot or something.”

“They won’t,” Hanbin replied, “you’re going to look good, Junhoe! Even if you do stand out, better to stand out looking good than blend in looking bad.” He moved on to the other sleeve, rolling it up while Junhoe pouted.

“Are you sure I should do this?” Junhoe asked, feeling indescribably insecure. It was awkward enough to think about spending all night with Jinhwan only, but adding his family to the mix?! He’d been crazy to agree to it. “What if his mom starts grilling me about classical music? I couldn’t even name a composer the other day! I’ll be even more nervous with his mom there.”

“Here’s an important piece of advice my dad gave me,” Hanbin finished with the sleeve, nodding to himself as he took in the fit, “if you’re talking to someone who you want to make a good impression on, and they ask you for your opinion on something you know nothing about—don’t try to bullshit them, just be honest. Tell them you don’t really know anything, but then tell them that you’d like to know more about the subject, and then ask them for their opinion. People love to hear themselves talk, and the best way to make a good impression on someone else is to be a good listener.”

Junhoe frowned, because he hated pretending to care about other people’s opinions.

“Trust me! If she asks you who your favourite composer is, or what your favourite concerto is, say you don’t have one. Then ask her which one is her favourite!” When Junhoe still didn’t look convinced, Hanbin grinned and shoved the black dress pants at him. “Put these on. You have to remember, she’s a musician herself, right? She’s going to be full of opinions on music! Ask her about them. Ask her what her favourite piece to play is, what her favourite one to listen to is. Tell her you like to sing.”

Junhoe left his jeans on the floor and pulled the dress pants on, not sure if he could do what Hanbin was suggesting. “Sounds easy coming from you, but you know I’m not good with this stuff! What if I don’t sound sincere? I don’t want to sound rude.”

“I don’t think Jinhwan’s going to let you sound rude to his mom, he’ll help you out. And honestly, why are you so worried anyway? Not like you’re ever going to have to see her again, right?” Hanbin couldn’t help but put the thought in his head.

Junhoe wasn’t sure how much Hanbin’s advice was helping. On one hand, he did have a point—would he ever see her again after this? He couldn’t see why he would... Unless she came to see Jinhwan fight at the next tournament? Why else would he see her? And even then it wouldn’t matter anyway! Well, unless he had to fight Jinhwan. Oh god, what if he made himself look like an idiot and offended Jinhwan’s mother, and then she did come to the next tournament and then he choked and Jinhwan beat him again? She’d think he was useless!

This was potentially going to be a disaster.

“God, calm down! I can hear you fretting without saying anything!” Hanbin teased him, standing back to look over Junhoe’s outfit so far. “Those pants fit you really well, they go good with the shirt! That colour looks so good with your hair.”

“It’s weird, I feel stupid.” Junhoe couldn’t help but grumble.

“Junhoe, seriously, it’s going to be fine! Better than fine! I don’t know why you’re convinced she won’t like you.”

“We don’t even know what she’s like, Hanbin! What if she’s responsible for the asshole side of Jinhwan’s personality? What if she’s mean?”

“Do you think he’d bring you if she was mean?” Hanbin had thought that Junhoe’s concerns over the concert were kind of cute at first, but he was clearly very worried about it, and he wondered if maybe he’d pushed him a bit too early? While Junhoe clearly liked Jinhwan now, their friendship was still in a delicate stage. “He’s not a jerk anymore, you know that, right?”

Junhoe sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I know, you have a point. He’s a lot better than I expected. But I just can’t help but be nervous. I’d be fine if you were going to be there, but, I don’t know. I also don’t want to fuck up in front of him, either, you know? We’re finally getting along now. I don’t want him to regret that.”

Hanbin could barely keep the grin off his face at Junhoe’s last line—there was clearly something there in Junhoe’s brain, already putting Jinhwan on a pedestal. “You won’t fuck up. Come on, you’re usually not this nervous about things! Just be your confident self and you’ll be fine. Let me take a picture quick.” Without giving him much chance to prepare, Hanbin grabbed his phone and snapped a full body picture of Junhoe to send to his dad. “Even if you do say the wrong thing to his mom, I don’t think Jinhwan’s going to hold it against you. He’s been really nice lately, I can tell he likes you.”

Junhoe frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. He really needed to stop letting Hanbin talk him into things. “Yeah, if you say so.”

Hanbin tossed his phone back on the bed. “Okay, take those off and hang them back up. Dad said he’s got some good options picked out for you, so come back home with me after class tomorrow to pick them up.”

“Are you gonna have time to come over and help me get ready?” Junhoe pleaded, because there was no way he could prepare on his own. He’d probably cancel in a fit of panic.

“Of course! I can’t let you get all dressed up on your own.” Besides, it’s not like Hanbin really had anywhere to go tomorrow night—he’d lied about having a game of his own, his was still on Friday. As much as he would have liked to go with Jinhwan, he hadn’t been able to resist setting up this perfect opportunity for a “date”.

Junhoe felt a little better knowing that Hanbin would still be around to help him get ready. Which was kind of stupid because it didn’t really matter how he looked. It’s not like he was trying to impress Jinhwan or anything… He didn’t need to look good. He just needed to not look dumb.

“Thanks, Bin. I, uh, appreciate you helping me.” Junhoe carefully slid the shirt off, passing it to Hanbin and pulling his t shirt back on.

“Well, someone has to! You can’t help yourself, after all.” Hanbin teased, and two seconds later Junhoe threw the pants at his head.

“Wow, you uh, look really fancy!” Jinhwan was actually at a loss for words, looking at Junhoe. He would have pegged him as the type to wear the most boring suit possible to an event like this.

Shit, Hanbin was going to die when this was over! “Uh, Hanbin dressed me!” Junhoe quickly said, nervous and on the spot. He was overdressed, wasn’t he? He was going to stick out like a sore thumb, he knew it!

“Man, those shoes are sick!” Bobby exclaimed, impressed with the outfit. “Are they snakeskin?”

Junhoe was contemplating ways to kill Hanbin in his head as he answered. “Yeah, they’re actually Hanbin’s dad’s. So’s the vest.” Ugh, they didn’t need to know that!

“Seriously? Hanbin’s dad has some really cool stuff,” Jinhwan replied, still a little in awe of the whole picture, “I think you should let Hanbin dress you more often!”

Junhoe couldn’t tell if Jinhwan was being honest or joking, but he didn’t get the chance to ask before they were joined by a woman who could only be Jinhwan’s mom.

“Ah, is this the new friend?” She asked, her eyes lighting up as she took in Junhoe’s appearance. “Such a unique style! You’re going to turn all the right heads tonight, my dear!”

Junhoe bowed and thanked her, still feeling a little over the top. But at least she seemed happy with what he was wearing? Turning heads was a compliment, right? She wasn’t just being sarcastic?

“Yeah, this is my friend Koo Junhoe! This is obviously my mother!” Jinhwan waved between the two of them. “And here comes my sister, Seiyeon!”

Seiyeon actually paused to give Junhoe a long look, before nodding in appreciation. “It’s nice to meet you!” She looked at Jinhwan then, winking at him. Jinhwan just grinned back at her, still too shocked to joke around as usual. He was saved by the appearance of Bobby’s brother, Jiun. Jinhwan took advantage of the influx of new people to grab Bobby’s arm and drag him down the hall to his room.

Bobby figured Jinhwan probably needed help with his tie, or something, and was surprised when Jinhwan rounded on him as soon as they made it to his room.

“Okay, Bobby, what the fuck?!” Jinhwan exclaimed in a loud whisper, a look of near panic on his face.

“What?” Bobby looked at him with concern; he rarely ever saw Jinhwan so worked up.

“What do you mean what? Did you see him?” Jinhwan hissed. “He looks really fucking hot! How am I supposed to not stare at him all night?” Jinhwan almost couldn’t believe it. He’d always thought Junhoe was attractive, but the clothing choices just made him stand out in a way that had Jinhwan reeling.

Bobby suddenly remembered his bet with Hanbin. Fuck. The asshole did it on purpose! “Uh, make your sister sit next to him instead?” Bobby teased.

Jinhwan glared at him. “I just can’t get over how hot he looks tonight. Spiking his hair up like that too? Shit, I’m in trouble.” Jinhwan grinned then, still torn between wanting to thank Hanbin and wanting to strangle him. The shock of seeing Junhoe all made up was slowly wearing off. “You don’t think Hanbin will get mad if I hit on Junhoe tonight, will he?”

Bobby laughed back, though on the inside he couldn’t help but wonder if Hanbin had made Junhoe up for this sole purpose? “I think you should be more worried about Junhoe! But Hanbin would probably advise you to behave. You know how finnicky Junhoe can be.” Fuck it. He wasn’t going to try and influence this thing yet. It was too early.

Jinhwan frowned playfully at the answer. “Ugh, such a boring answer. Okay I gotta get back out there. I just had to say something otherwise I was probably gonna explode.” Jinhwan ran a hand through his hair. “Hey, I look good too, right?”

Bobby grinned and shook his head. “Yeah, you look cute.” He knew that cute was not the adjective Jinhwan wanted to hear at the moment.

“Bobby!” Jinhwan whined. “Tell me I look hot!”

Bobby grinned and shrugged. “You know I don’t like lying to you.” He barely dodged out of the way of a kick from Jinhwan. “Okay fine! You look hot. Not quite as hot as Junhoe, so people will probably question what you’re doing there together.”

Jinhwan glared at him again, though he appreciated the teasing because it helped to calm his nerves. “Yeah well, you’d know all about that, right? I’m sure that’s what everyone thinks when they see Hanbin with you!” He stuck his tongue out before darting out of the room, leaving Bobby to shake his head and laugh. Typical Jinhwan. He followed him down the hall, smiling when he saw how relaxed Junhoe looked talking to his brother. Knowing Jiun, they were probably talking about jiu jitsu.

“Alright well, I gotta get going for my game, but you guys have a good time tonight!” Bobby hugged Seiyeon, who wished him luck at his game, before hugging her mother, who also wished him luck.

“Kick ass tonight, Bobby hyung!” Junhoe told him, and Bobby couldn’t help but smile. It was still rare for Junhoe to call him hyung, and every time he did it made Bobby smile. He left the apartment with Jiun, who was going to drive him to the gym. Once he was in the car Bobby took out his phone, sending a quick text to Hanbin.

-good job wit jun he looks good!!!!-

He got a reply almost immediately.

-thanks! what did jinan think of it?-

-he wuz freakn out wen i left cuz he looks to hot!!!-

-good :)-

Bobby grinned at the message, all the proof he’d needed that Hanbin was doing all he could to speed the process along.

-u cheater!!! u did it on prupose!!!!-

-i did nothing wrong! im innocent!-

Bobby laughed at the message, feeling good before his game tonight. It was the first game in the preliminary round of the playoffs, and they were playing a low ranking team. He wasn’t worried about the game, but talking to Hanbin made him feel calmer anyway. It was too bad they both had games on the same night, because it would be the perfect opportunity for them to get together afterwards by themselves.

-hey good luck tonite wit ur game!!!!-

-oh you need luck more than i do tonight :)-

Bobby shook his head at the reply—even though he had always preferred to be the confident one in his relationships, he found Hanbin’s sometimes bratty arrogance to be kind of hot.

-u won 1 game by 1 point dont get cocky!!!-

-not being cocky! youll see what i mean soon :)-

Bobby read the response and couldn’t help but feel curious about what he meant? He was going to reply but Jiun was just pulling up to the front of the school now, so he slid his phone into his pocket and grabbed his bag.

“Thanks for the drive, hyung!”

“No problem! Call me when you’re done, if you need me to come pick you up.” They bumped fists and Bobby got out of the car, turning back to wave to Jiun before making his way towards the entrance. He took his phone back out of his pocket, eyes on the device as he walked towards the front stairs. He was almost at the door (and midway through typing a reply to Hanbin) when someone reached out and grabbed his shoulder.

He barely restrained the annoyed huff (in case it was his coach, or an adult) and was shocked when instead it was Hanbin. What…?

“Surprise! Thought I’d come cheer you on.” Hanbin grinned, clearly amused at his reaction.

“I thought you had a game?” Bobby asked, standing in front of Hanbin, his fingers closing around Hanbin’s forearms. He couldn’t believe he was here!

“I do, but not until tomorrow.” Hanbin explained, grinning mischievously.

“Hold on, so you lied?” Bobby’s mouth dropped open in shock. Had Hanbin planned this just to get Junhoe and Jinhwan together??

“I plan on winning our bet.” Hanbin replied, stepping closer to Bobby.

“I can’t believe you!” Bobby replied, though he had to laugh a second later. “And you made Junhoe get super dressed up on purpose too!”

“Of course I did! It worked, didn’t it?” Hanbin answered, laughing when Bobby shook his head, his expression clearly a mix of being amused and being annoyed. “But I also did it so we could have a night by ourselves. Well, after the game.”

“And what if I’m busy after the game?” Bobby teased—even if he did have plans, they’d be cancelled in a heartbeat.

“I have a feeling you’ll find a way to not be busy.” Hanbin expected that they might have to hang out for a bit with some of Bobby’s team mates in the event of victory, but even that was okay. Any opportunity to see Bobby was welcome.

Bobby couldn’t even pretend to dispute that, and instead of replying he kissed Hanbin on the lips and tightened his arms around Hanbin’s back. He was going to destroy that other team tonight.

Jinhwan couldn’t help but bounce his legs in nervous excitement, anxious for the concert to get started. He still couldn’t believe he was actually going to see his idol live in person! Even though it was the full orchestra, he was still hoping that maybe, if he was lucky, he’d get to hear her playing a non-trumpet concerto like she’d released on her recent album. Vivaldi, maybe?

“Would you control your legs? At this rate you might pound a hole in the floor.” Seiyeon teased him.

“I can’t help it!” Jinhwan whined.

“You’re worse than a child!” Seiyeon retorted, elbowing his arm.

“I was just thinking though, what if she plays Vivaldi? I might die.” Jinhwan grinned at his sister while she rolled her eyes back at him.

“Don’t be so dramatic! How do you deal with him, Junhoe? Is he like this all the time?”

Junhoe had been listening to their exchange, though he hadn’t had a single clue what Jinhwan had been referring to. He did recognize the name of Vivaldi. Not that he knew anything about him. Just the name sounded familiar. God, why hadn’t he done some research? Listened to some music?

Seiyeon’s question caught him off guard and he nearly panicked before getting a hold of himself. “Not all the time,” he said with a forced laugh, “just half the time.” He suddenly wondered exactly what Jinhwan’s family knew about him? What had Jinhwan told them?

“Noona, I’m serious! The amount of nights I’ve spent lying in bed listening to her version of Vivaldi, I can’t even count!” Jinhwan couldn’t help but grab his sister’s arm, laughing when she shook her head in mock disgust.

“Quit being embarrassing!” Seiyeon couldn’t help but smile at him.

“It’s Alison Balsom, though! I can’t help it.” Jinhwan couldn’t help but be excited, regardless of how much he’d probably regret it in the morning.

“I knew I should have told mom to get us seats away from you! It’s not too late, Junhoe can come and sit with us so he doesn’t have to listen to you squealing.” Seiyeon grinned and winked at Junhoe.

“Oh Junhoe’s fine, he probably has no idea what we’re talking about.” Jinhwan turned to look at Junhoe, who looked slightly panicked again. “You don’t, do you?”

Junhoe remember Hanbin’s advice—no point in lying. “Not a clue.”

Seiyeon laughed, a soft smile gracing her lips. “Ah, you’re lucky, then!”

“Alison Balsom’s my favourite trumpet player,” Jinhwan explained, “honestly she’s the greatest! Recently she put out an album, and she transcribed a few pieces that were originally written for the violin, so they’re quite difficult to reproduce on a trumpet. But she does it beautifully! Honestly she’s my biggest musical inspiration.”

Ah, the violin! That’s why Vivaldi had sounded familiar! “That sounds pretty cool.” Junhoe replied, and he meant it—not that he knew much about classical instruments, but he didn’t think the trumpet could sound as nice as a violin?

“I know it might not seem that exciting, but wait until you hear her!” Jinhwan replied, certain Junhoe would be wowed by her. Or at least he was hoping he would be.

“No, it is exciting!” Junhoe said, not wanting them to think he was completely indifferent to the show. He just wasn’t always the best at expressing himself.

“I’m going to interrupt your little squabble to go to the bathroom before the show starts. If mom gets back before me don’t let her sit next to you! I miss you.” Seiyeon stood up and ruffled Jinhwan’s hair before leaving their seats. As soon as she was gone Jinhwan turned to Junhoe.

“How are you holding up?”

“Fine, I’m fine.”

Jinhwan grinned at him. “Thanks for coming, by the way. I promise it’ll be more fun once the music actually starts!”

“It’s fine, really. I’m not bored or anything, I swear!” Oddly enough, Junhoe meant it. He’d been content sitting around, watching people and listening to Jinhwan and Seiyeon tease each other. It was actually comfortable.

“You look really hot tonight, by the way.” Jinhwan couldn’t help but compliment, just for an excuse to stare at him again. He knew Bobby’s advice was good, no matter how much he wanted to ignore it. Besides, he didn’t think Junhoe liked him quite enough to agree to make out with him just yet. But maybe, if Jinhwan kept working at it.

Junhoe swallowed hard at the compliment, his voice felt like it was literally stuck in his throat. “I look hot every night!” He replied, because sarcasm was always easy to fall back on.

“Well, I won’t disagree with you there. But you look extra hot tonight. Not to like, make things awkward or whatever! I’m still not over those shoes.”

Junhoe had never had a problem with accepting compliments (and it wasn’t that he was having a problem with it now) but it felt weird to be getting compliments from Jinhwan? It was nice (especially when the alternative would be insults) but still. Was Jinhwan just saying it to give a compliment, or did he mean something else?

Jinhwan wondered if he ought to keep going or stop. He didn’t want to freak Junhoe out, but at the same time… Even though Jinhwan had no intention of dating anyone right now, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have something casual? He wondered if Junhoe would even do casual. Was Junhoe even experienced? Maybe he’d ask Hanbin, because he felt like asking Junhoe would probably be nothing short of a disaster.

Junhoe felt like the silence was getting a little awkward, and he struggled to find a topic of conversation that didn’t revolve around his looks. “So, Hanbin said your mom does music too, right? What instrument does she play?” Might be good to gain at least a bit of knowledge now in case he got drawn into a conversation.

“Mom plays the violin, and Seiyeon plays the flute.” Jinhwan had a flash of sudden panic, looking up and seeing his mother making her way back towards them. “Hey, Junhoe, if mom asks, can you do me a favour and not mention jiu jitsu? Like, at all?” He felt bad for dropping the request on him suddenly. He really should have mentioned it to him in advance, but he’d been too excited over the show. But what if his mother started asking questions about how they’d met? Would she be frosty if she knew Junhoe was a friend from jiu jitsu? He’d like to think she wouldn’t be, but he wasn’t willing to risk the chance. He’d have to fake something on the fly if it came up.

Before Junhoe could ask why, Jinhwan’s mother was back, carrying a glass of wine. “My apologies boys, just had to catch up with an old colleague!” She sat down beside Jinhwan and looked past him to Junhoe. “So, we haven’t really had a chance to chat yet, and I’m curious about how the two of you met? Jinhwan’s actually never mentioned you before, Junhoe!”

Jinhwan spoke up before Junhoe had a chance to say anything. “At school, of course! Junhoe played basketball with Bobby last year, and turned out he likes singing, too, so we just naturally formed a friendship.” Jinhwan gave Junhoe a pointed look, as if to say ‘don’t dispute any of this, even though it’s all wrong!’ that left Junhoe quiet but perplexed.

Why the lies? What was he supposed to say if she asked him any direct questions?

“Why did you give up basketball?” Jinhwan’s mother asked, and Junhoe quickly looked at Jinhwan to see if he wanted to step in and fabricate something. When he was met with silence, though, Junhoe pulled a lie out of his ass.

“I just wanted to concentrate on my studies.” A plausible excuse.

“Ah, a serious academic! I remember when my Jinhwan-ie used to be more concerned with his schoolwork, in all subjects!” She reached out and brushed her fingers over his hair.

“I was a total nerd back then, mom!” Jinhwan retorted, grinning at her before shooting Junhoe a sheepish but grateful smile.

“Ah well, no matter anyway! All you need to do is pass your music exam and you’ll be set! I look forward to the day when the three of us can play on stage together.” She patted his head before taking a sip from her glass. “What are your plans for after high school, Junhoe?”

“Uh, well to be honest, I haven’t decided yet,” Junhoe said, unsure if it was wise to be admitting this to her, but then he remembered Hanbin’s advice--it’s not like he was ever going to have to see her again! “Probably something business related, but I wanted to leave myself some options.”

She nodded as though she thought that was a good idea, but Junhoe knew she was probably judging him for it. His parents harassed him all the time about picking a serious plan for after high school, but Junhoe really had no idea what he wanted. The only things he really enjoyed doing were singing, dancing, and jiu jitsu. Didn’t really leave him a lot of choices.

“Mom, are you bothering him over a career already? You’ve just met the poor boy!” Seiyeon returned then, patting Junhoe on the shoulder as she passed him. “Let him breathe.”

“It wasn’t an inquisition, Seiyeon-ah! Just a curious question with no judgement for the answer. It’s not always easy to know what you want in life.” She smiled at Junhoe in that motherly sort of way, as though she knew that he didn’t really have things figured out.

“So Jinan-ie, are you still freaking out over Alison?” Seiyeon asked, reaching out to pinch his cheeks. Jinhwan let her, even though he was just slightly embarrassed over letting her do it in front in Junhoe. But then he remembered Junhoe’s admission that his sister still used him for makeup practice. This was probably nothing to him.

“Of course! I think mom should let me have a glass of wine to calm my nerves.” Jinhwan joked, looking at his mom.

“Don’t pull those puppy dog eyes at me, they won’t work!” She replied, and Jinhwan huffed in pretend irritation.

Junhoe found it interesting, watching Jinhwan interact with his family. He was a different person around his sister, kind of bratty and whiny but almost in a cute way? Well, not cute as in physically cute (okay kind of physically cute?) but it was fun watching him push their buttons? Jinhwan’s sister reminded him of his own sister, which made him think of all the ways their sibling relationships were probably the same.

It was a lot of cute back and forth teasing, and even Jinhwan’s mom surprised Junhoe. She was a very sweet woman, almost the opposite of how Junhoe had pictured her. She seemed very warm and affectionate with both of her kids, and wasn’t as judgemental as Junhoe had anticipated.

Which again begged the question—why hadn’t Jinhwan wanted him to mention jiu jitsu? Maybe it was just because they hadn’t known each other that long? Maybe he didn’t want his mom to think that Junhoe was just a last minute stand in for Bobby. On that note, why was he here? Didn’t Jinhwan have other friends he could have invited?

He didn’t have long to ponder before the house lights went down and everyone was asked to take their seats. Despite it being a classical show, Junhoe still felt that there was an excitement in the air similar to a rock concert. When he thought about it, it wasn’t that surprising. When people truly loved music, they didn’t hesitate to show it. But still, Junhoe wasn’t really sure what to expect. Classical music was nice, but it was never something he’d been super excited over. Music was always better when it was live, though, and Jinhwan’s excitement for it was a little contagious.

But the moment the first note struck, it felt different, a palpable excitement that fell over the room. He was transfixed, the music sounded clearer and brighter than he would have imagined, and he had no idea what they were playing but it didn’t even matter. He loved it.

After a few pieces with the entirety of the orchestra, a lull in the music came and a blonde woman walked out to the stage to applause, and Junhoe could tell from Jinhwan’s audible gasp that this must be her—his trumpet idol. That was confirmed a moment later when Jinhwan grabbed his forearm, squeezing tightly. Junhoe looked at him in surprise, taken aback by the excitable smile on Jinhwan’s face.

Okay, it was kind of cute? Jinhwan stared at the stage, bright eyed and in complete adoration. Junhoe watched him instead, couldn’t help but stare. Jinhwan was still holding his arm but Junhoe didn’t mind. This moment obviously meant a lot to Jinhwan.

Junhoe focused back on her, watching as she played her pieces, and he couldn’t help but wonder--did Jinhwan play any of these songs? Was he learning them? Maybe he’d ask Jinhwan to play some time. Because Junhoe actually liked the sound of the trumpet, thought it was much prettier than he’d expected.

That might just end up being awkward, though. Best to scratch that idea. Maybe he’d just ask him about his favourite songs and maybe get an album, or something. When she finished her pieces and bowed to the audience Jinhwan finally took his hand back, clapping fervently. Junhoe clapped too, because she really had been extraordinary. He looked back at Jinhwan again, who sported an almost dreamy sort of smile on his face. It was cute, how happy the music made him. Junhoe wasn’t sure if there was anything that made him as happy as Jinhwan seemed right now. This was a different level of happiness, the sort you couldn’t get from yourself, the kind that came from loving someone else.

He almost felt kind of jealous.

“Hold it tighter, come on—if Chunghee weren’t such a weakling he’d have broken out of this by now!” Junhoe heeded Seungri’s words, tightening his arm around his opponent’s shoulder.

“Ah, hyung, don’t tease--”

“If you have time to talk, Chunghee, you have time to escape!” Seungri scolded, grinning to himself as he watched them grappling.

The increased pressure had Chunghee tapping out, and Junhoe released his hold but remained on his back.

“Ah, Seungri hyung didn’t lie though, did he?” Junhoe teased, and a second later his opponent slid out from under him.

“Ah this is unfair! You can’t both gang up on me!” Chunghee sat nursing his shoulder, while Junhoe looked at Seungri and laughed. Seungri grinned back at him.

“Good form, Junhoe-ya! Just keep it tight all the time, constant pressure is important. You had it locked in well, though, your stance was good.”

“Thanks, hyung!” Junhoe replied, pleased with the praise. They were training for another upcoming tournament, the first Junhoe would be having since he’d made peace with Jinhwan. He wasn’t sure how it was going to go down if they had to face each other. He was actually a little scared, not of the fight itself, but of what might happen between them.

He liked Jinhwan. Liked him quite a lot, actually, if he was being honest with himself. Seeing that other side of him at the concert, the excitable and fun side of him, enamoured and in love with the music… It was throwing him for a rather big loop and he still felt like he was caught in an inversion, he could feel it in the pit of his stomach, everything flipped around.

But what if it was all ruined if they fought each other? What if Jinhwan beat him again and was cocky about it, and he took it poorly in the moment and said something harsh in response? What if he won, and Jinhwan lost? What was Jinhwan like when he lost? Would it make him grumpy and angry? Would it get in between them?

His thoughts were interrupted by a bottle of water being tapped against his face.

“Here, drink up! You look lost in thought.” Seungri sat down on the mat next to him, and Junhoe took the water.

“Ah, sorry, hyung! I was just thinking about the tournament.” He took a sip of water, swallowing slowly.

“Worried about facing your arch rival again?” Seungri teased.

“Actually, hyung,” Junhoe hadn’t told any of them that he and Jinhwan were on friendly terms now, “we uh, we’re friends now.”

Seungri looked suitably shocked. “Friends? You and Kim Jinhwan? The little guy who beat you twice and you hated?” Junhoe nodded, while Seungri looked confused. “How did that happen?”

Junhoe didn’t really feel like talking about it (because now he was thinking about his intense overreaction to the news at first and he was a little embarrassed) but he probably didn’t have much of a choice, because Seungri was remembering as quickly as Junhoe. “Oh wait, your best friend’s dating his best friend, right? I guess you came around eventually?” Seungri grinned, also thinking about Junhoe’s overly dramatic response to the situation.

“Yeah we actually got to know each other, and I guess he’s not that bad of a guy after all.” Man, it was embarrassing to say it out loud?

“Wow, that’s huge, Junhoe-ya! You really despised him.” Seungri’s tone was a mixture of honest admiration and amused mockery, and Junhoe wasn’t sure which one was the prevalent emotion.

Junhoe frowned and took another sip of water. He really hoped Seungri wasn’t going to keep harping on about this. “Yeah, well, we’re friends now so it’s fine.”

“We’ll see if that lasts at the tournament, huh? What happens if you fight him?” Seungri asked it as a joke, but when Junhoe didn’t laugh he got a little more serious. “You worried about that?”

Junhoe hated admitting to stuff like this, but maybe it would be good to talk about it? He couldn’t do it with anyone other than Seungri, though. His other trainers probably wouldn’t really understand the depths of his concerns. But he was closest to Seungri, had shown enough of his personality for him to understand how his mind worked. “A little?”

Seungri shuffled a little closer until he was shoulder to shoulder with Junhoe. “What are you worried about? Him beating you again, or how you’ll react if he beats you?”

Junhoe shrugged. “Everything, honestly. I try not to take losses personally, but if he beats me again and teases me, what if I’m heated up in the moment and say something harsh back to him? What if I beat him, and he’s a sore loser? I feel like we just finally got to be real friends, and I don’t want that to get ruined by a fight.” Saying it out loud made it more real. Junhoe honestly didn’t have that many people that he considered a real friend. But he felt like Jinhwan was someone he wanted to be friends with? So he didn’t want to screw it up.

Seungri didn’t respond for a moment, sitting and thinking and staring. “You actually do really like him, don’t you? You’re not exaggerating when you say you’re friends.”

Junhoe nodded. “Our friends are really happy that we’re friends now, but that could get ruined if we act like assholes to each other. I don’t want to be the one that ruins it.” It felt weird to admit it all out loud, and he wasn’t sure that it made him feel any better. Just made him feel even more nervous.

“Have you guys talked about it?” Seungri asked, curious to be seeing this side of Junhoe. It wasn’t often that he admitted to vulnerability like this (it was often disguised with angry and defensive overtones). This was a rarity.

“No, do you think we should?” Junhoe asked, legitimately looking for advice. It would feel weird bringing it up, but maybe he was right? They’d had such a good night together on Thursday (Junhoe still thought about the end, when they dropped him off back home and Jinhwan had actually hugged him, packing every ounce of gratitude into the embrace he could muster up) and he wondered if they were ready to have a talk like that on their own?

“Of course. He might be feeling the same way, or he might not even be thinking about it at all. Maybe he won’t take anything personally that gets said, and if he doesn’t know that you might, then he might tease you if you react harshly without thinking about it, not expecting you to be bothered. So if you want to keep your friendship going well, you should bring it up.” Seungri wasn’t sure if he could actually see Junhoe doing that, but the fact that he was thinking about it was a step in the right direction, at least.

Junhoe nodded, still feeling weird about the whole thing. Maybe he’d ask Hanbin’s advice on how to bring it up with Jinhwan. “Thanks, hyung. I’ll try and take your advice.”

Seungri grinned and patted his knee. “Good! You spent long enough coming in angry every day, I don’t want a repeat of that! Now finish up with your water and you and I can spar for a bit! You need to try keeping that hold on someone with stronger arms than Chunghee.”

“Hey, hyung, is there anything that Jeeyoung is better at than you?” Bobby had waited until he and his brother were a few minutes into the woods, feeling more comfortable discussing this in the solitude of the forest’s running path. It was an uncomfortable topic for him to admit to out loud.

Jiun looked at his little brother, curiosity in his gaze. Bobby wasn’t looking back at him, though, and it had him slightly concerned. “Of course there is. Why are you asking?”

Bobby swallowed nervously, unable to look Jiun in the eyes. Usually his brother had to drag these kinds of conversations out of him with a pair of needle nose pliers, so it felt weird to launch into it on his own, even with the added distraction of their run. “Just curious how you deal with it.”

Jiun wondered if he ought to make Bobby stop running, if it would be better for them to sit down and talk. Maybe not, though. Maybe he needed something else to concentrate on while he talked. “Is this about Hanbin?”

“Can you just answer my question?” Bobby asked, insecurity nipping at his tongue. He didn’t mean to be so snappy, but how had Jiun figured it out already?

Jiun looked at him briefly again, but he answered. “There are definitely things she’s better than me at, but she’s my girlfriend, we’re not in a competition, so it doesn’t matter. It’s nice to see her doing things that she excels at. I don’t have to worry about her, because I know she’s strong, she can handle things on her own. Sometimes I ask her for help, same way sometimes she asks me for help with the things that I’m better at. It’s just a natural part of any relationship, finding the things that make you stronger as a couple than you would be alone.”

Bobby frowned at the answer. “I feel like that’s my problem with Hanbin,” he said, eyes still trained on the ground in front of him, “I don’t think I bring anything to the relationship.”

Ah, there it is! Jiun knew how proud of a person his brother was, so this conversation was important. “Ah, that can’t be true!” Jiun replied. “What is he better at than you?”

“Everything,” Bobby answered with a huff, “he’s way smarter than me, he’s a better athlete, he’s more confident, he’s got a plan for what he wants in life, he’s more mature than I am, he’s better looking than I am, his family’s rich--just, everything.” It made him feel so vulnerable, speaking it all out loud like this. But he was desperate to find some kind of answer.

“Ah, see those aren’t necessarily what you should be looking at! Intelligence, well you can’t help that, right? Some people are just born with a brain meant for learning, while the rest of us have to struggle to keep up. Athletics doesn’t count for anything—you’re both accomplished, and you’ve both taken what you need from it. Just because he’s got his boxing thing, doesn’t mean it diminishes your basketball! You can’t compare team sports and individual sports, and you’re a fantastic captain for your team. Looks, well, I feel your pain in that department, but if he thinks you’re attractive, that’s the only thing that should matter! As for maturity, well, you’re still teenagers, so he’s just unusual!” Jiun had no idea if he was saying the right thing to Bobby. He’d never been in the situation his brother was in.

“He’s not unusual, he’s impressive! I used to feel impressive, but when I compare us I don’t feel that way. And don’t say that no matter how good you are, there’s always someone better! That’s not the point.” Bobby fought to maintain control of his breathing and kept his eyes on the ground, dodging rocks and roots. He was glad he’d waited to talk until now, because it was easier to get everything out while focused on ensuring that he didn’t trip.

“The point is that you’re intimidated by your own boyfriend, right?”

Bobby nodded, and it made him feel like shit but it was true. “Yeah, I know it sounds stupid but I can’t help it. I don’t know what to do.”

Jiun wasn’t really sure what would be best for Bobby to hear right now, so he took his chances and just hoped it would work out. “Do you want to break up with him?”

“No!” Bobby’s answer was immediate and exact, and Jiun couldn’t help but smile.

“What do you want, then?”

“I don’t know,” Bobby wasn’t sure what he was even upset about, “I’m just not used to feeling this way about someone. I always dated guys who kind of looked up to me, you know?”

“You’re worried he doesn’t.”

“I know he doesn’t. Why would he?” Bobby tried not to sound whiny, because he wanted Jiun to treat this like a real question.

“Do you want him to?” Jiun spared him a glance again, trying to figure out what really had Bobby upset.

“I don’t know? I like him the way he is, honestly I don’t want to change anything about him. It’s me. I’m the one who needs to change. I need to be better.” No one had ever made him feel like he wasn’t good enough before, and it was a tough change in dynamic for him to navigate. Usually if someone was obviously that much better than him at things, Bobby wouldn’t even try to be friends with them. Hanbin had busted his way into Bobby’s life without any warning, though, and Bobby didn’t want to let him go over this.

“You’re worried he’s going to fall for someone better than you, aren’t you?” Jiun watched him, could see the insecurity plain as day on his face.

Bobby couldn’t answer with words, though, so he just nodded.

“Do you love him, Jiwon?”

Love. Bobby had never felt like he’d ever been in love before, he’d never been that deep into someone else. But Hanbin?

“I don’t know.” Nope. He wasn’t going to let Jiun bring love into this just yet! He wasn’t ready to think about that.

“Ah, Jiwon, I think you know. No sense in hiding the feelings.” Jiun reached out to grab his brother’s arm, pulling them both to a stop. Bobby tried to turn away from him, but Jiun wasn’t about to let him go. “Hey, it’s not gonna help anything if you’re not honest.”

Bobby crossed his arms over his chest, breathing hard even though he’d barely broken a sweat.

“Be honest, Jiwon. Are you in love with Hanbin?”

Alright, fine. Time to be honest. “Yeah, I think so.” Of course he was!

“Do you think he loves you?”

Did Hanbin love him? Bobby thought about it, pictured Hanbin in his mind. Thought about the way Hanbin smiled every time they saw each other (like Bobby was the only thing he wanted to look at), thought about the happy little sighs Hanbin would make when they cuddled up (they were so second nature he made them in public, too), thought about how every single day without fail, Hanbin would send him a good morning message (and a goodnight one, too). You didn’t do that for a passing crush, did you?

“He does.” Bobby was sure of it. Hanbin wasn’t the problem—it was Bobby’s sense of pride that was complicating matters.

“You just don’t know why he loves you, right?” Bobby nodded, and Jiun was pleased at how easily he’d figured out the issue. “Ask him why he loves you, then. Sometimes it’s easy to forget about the things we do really well because they don’t seem important to us. But when you ask someone who loves you why they do, you might be surprised at what you hear. I’m sure he’s got a ton of things to gush about, I can it in his eyes when he looks at you.”

Bobby’s brow furrowed in surprise at Jiun’s comment. “You think so?”

“Absolutely! Even mom told me the same thing after she met him.”

“She did?” Bobby was floored by that admission. He knew his mom had liked Hanbin after meeting him just the one time, but she hadn’t said anything to him more than “ah, Jiwon-ie, he’s very sweet!”

Jiun nodded, glad he had the opportunity to tell Bobby about her comments. She’d wanted to tell Bobby herself, but she’d been wary of pressuring him with sentimental thoughts. “She said that he looks at you like you’re the moon, bright eyed and full of wonder. She told me that she hoped you were going to be serious about him, because she was worried that he might get hurt if you weren’t.”

“Wait, mom’s worried about him and not me?!” Okay, he wasn’t quite sure how to take that?

Jiun laughed at his outburst. “Ah, mom’s a softie, she worries about everyone! But you have to admit, your track record hasn’t exactly been long-term, Jiwon. I think she could see how much he likes you, and she wants you to be with someone who thinks you’re as great as she does.”

“Yeah, well mom loves him, that much was obvious.” Bobby joked back, but he still felt a little weird about his mother’s comments. Okay, so he had dated a few guys (and a few girls before he’d come out as gay) but was it really that many for his mom to want him to settle on one person already? Should he be settling on one person already?

“I think mom will be devastated if you break up with him.” Jiun teased back. “Don’t feel like Mom’s not on your side, though. She knows you really well, so she knows what kind of guy is right for you, and she’s a really good judge of character.”

Bobby couldn’t help but smile at Jiun’s comment. That was something he hadn’t considered, but suddenly it made him feel a lot better. If his mom thought Hanbin was that good for him, then clearly there had to be something he was missing?

“Don’t overthink it, Jiwon. If you’re happy with Hanbin, be happy. Having a strong and loving connection with someone is the most important thing in a good relationship. There’s no point in anything else if you don’t have that connection.”

Bobby nodded, because it was a good point. His parents were still very much in love after all these years together, so clearly his mom knew a thing or two about what was important in a long-term partner. And Jiun was right about her being a good judge of character--she hadn’t really liked either of Jiun’s previous girlfriends, but after meeting Jeeyoung once, she’d whispered to her husband that Jeeyoung would probably be the one.

So if she thought Hanbin was the one for him, then he’d just have to work on himself a little bit harder.

“So how are things with Bobby?” Donghyuk asked, laying his pencil down and stretching.

Hanbin immediately smiled at the question, even though it made him feel like a bit of a dork. “Perfect, I think. I’m really happy with him still! Like honestly, there isn’t a thing about him I’d change?”

“Nothing at all?” Donghyuk asked, happy for Hanbin but still curious.

Hanbin shook his head. “Nothing I’ve found yet.”

“Not even the bunny teeth?” Donghyuk teased, grinning when it made Hanbin laugh.

“Nope! They have a special charm about them, I think.” It almost felt a little disgusting, but Hanbin really couldn’t think of anything about Bobby that he’d change. The more he got to know of him, the more it seemed that Bobby hit every single mark that he’d ever wanted in a guy.

“Ah, I’m  happy for you! It’s nice to see good people being happy.” Donghyuk meant what he said. Ever since he’d moved back, meeting Hanbin had been the best thing that had happened to him. He was a lifesaver, really, making Donghyuk’s transition back to Korea so much easier. Hanbin was a good guy who cared a lot about other people, and Donghyuk felt grateful that he’d met him.

“Hey, can I ask you a personal question? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.” Despite being friends for only a short period of time, Donghyuk still felt comfortable talking to Hanbin, felt like Hanbin had a much more lenient line for conversational topics than most others had. “Have you and Bobby, you know, have you fucked yet?”

Hanbin couldn’t help but blush at the question, looking away and laughing before turning back to Donghyuk. “Ah, no, not yet!” He laughed at Donghyuk’s lack of a filter. He wasn’t bothered by the question, though, because it was something that had been on his mind. He didn’t exactly have anyone to talk to about it, though.

Donghyuk was relieved he hadn’t thought the question was too much. He was used to having open and frank conversations with his friends back in the US, but he knew that a question like this wouldn’t be quite so welcome to most here. “Do you want to?”

Hanbin looked down at the floor again, still a little embarrassed despite wanting to talk about it. Did he want to have sex with Bobby? “Yeah, I do!”

“Have you ever before?” Donghyuk asked, curious about his answer.

“No,” Hanbin met his eyes again, “have you?”

Donghyuk shook his head. “No. Came close with the last guy I dated, but we just stopped at uh, fingering each other.”

“How was that?” Hanbin asked, curious for information. “I only dated one guy and the most we did was give each other hand jobs. He gave me a blow job once, but I never got to return the favour.” Honestly he’d been afraid to try, afraid of screwing it up.

“Ah, it was interesting! Like it kind of hurt at first? Not terrible, probably because we didn’t know what we were doing. But it ended up being really good!” Donghyuk had been terrified to try it at first, but he was glad for the experience. They’d done it a few times, all in preparation for more, but they’d broken up before getting the chance.

Hanbin nodded. “I want to do more with Bobby, but we just never get much time alone together.”

“Yeah, that’s tough.” Everything here was so much busier than it had been back in the US, and he’d noticed that the dating culture was even different. While some couples were overt in their togetherness, a lot of couples hid their relationships. It was difficult trying to navigate what was “normal” and what wasn’t.

Hanbin leaned back against the wall, twirling his pencil in his fingers. “With my old boyfriend I just always felt insecure all the time? It’s weird, I don’t know why. I always felt like he was judging me for everything? I don’t think he really was, but I always felt like I had to act around him. But with Bobby I don’t feel insecure at all. I feel like he’s always supportive, I feel like I could talk to him about anything and he wouldn’t laugh at me for it.” His relationship with Woosung hadn’t been that bad, and most of the issues had been caused by both of them being inexperienced in romance.

“That’s really cute, Hanbin. That you feel so good with Bobby. I’m jealous, wish I could find a guy that I can be myself around.” Despite the good parts of his last relationship, he’d felt similar to what Hanbin had described at times--a wariness to display everything in his personality.

“Yeah, the weirdest thing too is that my ex, we were the same age, but Bobby’s older. But it doesn’t feel that way? Even when we hang out with Jinhwan, he’s never fussed about speaking to him respectfully or anything. You’d think there would be at least a bit of awkwardness at first with someone older, right? There never was, not even from day one.” The more he thought about it, the more everything just fit with Bobby. Hanbin wasn’t the type who believed in fate or soul mates or anything like that, but it felt like Bobby was made for him? Maybe it was just youth and inexperience talking again, getting too high on something after experiencing something that hadn’t been as good.

He wanted to think that wasn’t it, though. Hanbin was a pretty realistic person, and he liked to approach situations thinking logically, liked to make sense of things. Things just naturally made sense with Bobby.

“That actually makes it even cuter, really. Bobby must really like you.”

Hanbin just smiled at the comment, because he was pretty sure that what Donghyuk said was exactly the case. Bobby seemed so much more into him than Woosung had ever seemed. He often caught Bobby looking at him with fond expressions, fonder than anything he was used to seeing. It was nice.

“Hey, Dong-ie? Did you ever give your ex a blowjob?” Hanbin could already feel his cheeks burning, and he was grateful that Donghyuk didn’t laugh at him for asking.

“Of course I did! Why, do you want some pointers?” He teased, grinning when Hanbin laughed nervously. It was cute, seeing him insecure about something for once.

“Uh, that wouldn’t be weird, right?” Hanbin desperately wanted pointers! He actually had no idea if Bobby was experienced or not, that conversation hadn’t come up yet. He’d like to at least have some idea of what to expect before they did, though.

“No, it’s not weird at all! It’s good, actually. What good are friends if we don’t share our knowledge, right?” Hanbin seemed to get a little more comfortable after that comment, finally able to look him in the eyes. “If you want I’ll even give you some pointers on fingering.” As quickly as it had cleared up, the blush spread across Hanbin’s face again and Donghyuk couldn’t help but laugh.

Hanbin laughed too, though, and even though he was a little embarrassed for asking, he was grateful to Donghyuk for offering. “Ah, thanks! I figure it’s better to go into it knowing something rather than nothing at all, right?”

“Absolutely! How good is your English, by the way? Cause I have a really good book I got in the US about gay sex that I can lend you, if you want? It’s really informative.” It had been a surprising gift from his older host family brother after coming out. Donghyuk had been nervous about telling his host family in the US, but they’d been very supportive of him. The book had come before his older brother had left for college: ‘Look, I know I don’t know much cause I’m straight, but I asked a gay friend of mine and he said this book is something you need to read if you’re into guys, so you better read it!’ Donghyuk had read it. He was willing to pass it on to Hanbin.

“Ah, really? I’d appreciate that! I can understand English really well, so I’d definitely read it if you wouldn’t mind.” Reading a book might help! At least it would be a way to have a general understanding of what was supposed to happen.

Donghyuk got up from his bed and crouched down in front of his bookshelf. He kept it there, behind a fantasy novel no one in his family would want to read. They all knew he was gay, of course, but that didn’t mean he really wanted them to see the book. It had some graphic illustrations that might shock his parents. He grabbed it from its hiding place and took it over to Hanbin, dropping it in his lap.

“It’s all yours! Use it well. If you have any questions, let me know.”

Hanbin couldn’t help but blush again, and it was really annoying. Whatever. It was just because this wasn’t a topic he was used to discussing with anyone—not even Junhoe! He’d be more comfortable after he read up on things. Definitely.

“Ah, you almost had it that time! Really get a good grip on the gi, Jinan! You keep letting it slip, that’s why I keep getting out.”

Jinhwan nodded. He was having a solo practice session with Youngbae in prep for the tournament. Jinhwan loved these sessions, he always learned something every time he fought Youngbae. Of course his black belt instructor could sweep the floor with him if he wanted to, but he still took time out to train with him. Jinhwan liked having mock fights with someone much better than he was. It helped to keep his focus sharp, keep his mind going.

He wanted to be sharp this time, because Seiyeon had surprised him when she said that she could come and watch. He wanted to be perfect for his sister, wanted her to be impressed with his skills and discipline. Wanted to prove to her why his dreams for the future deserved her respect.

“One more time, and this time really lock the fabric tight, okay? Because I’m going to try my hardest to get out of it, and if I do get out, you’re in trouble.” Youngbae threatened with twinkling eyes and an amused grin.

“I don’t like the sound of that, hyung!” Jinhwan replied before climbing back into position. They were practicing some advanced chokes. Youngbae was teaching him how to turn a failed sliding collar choke into a bow and arrow from the back, and they’d been at it for almost an hour now. Youngbae had started out letting him gain it easily, just to get a feel for it, but for the past fifteen minutes he’d been fighting back harder, and Jinhwan hadn’t been able to hold it yet. He was determined to get it this time, though. He knew what he was doing wrong—nothing to do but fix it.

The moment Youngbae gave him the go ahead Jinhwan focused, fingers flexing the fabric of Youngbae’s gi, twisting the collar and driving his palm into the fabric, locking his fingers on the inside. Youngbae was strong and wily and Jinhwan almost let him wriggle out, but he kept a firm hold and waited patiently, and soon enough he’d managed to get his other hand behind Youngbae’s knee, turning him onto his side, and he didn’t let go until he felt fingers tapping his arm signifying his trainer’s submission.

He laid on his back for a second, panting with exertion, but pleased with himself.

“Good job!” Youngbae said after finally getting his breath back. “That’s exactly how I want to see you holding that move. It was perfect!”

“Thanks, hyung!” Jinhwan replied, proud of himself for holding it on Youngbae.

“Take a breather for fifteen? I have to go make a call, but if you want to go again I’ll be back soon.” Youngbae got up off the mat and headed for his office, leaving Jinhwan on his own.

That was just as well, because he wouldn’t mind a short break. He didn’t move, just remained on his back, eyes closed against the glow of the overhead lights. He wanted a moment to think.

He’d been in a wondrously good mood since Thursday night. The concert had been spectacular, every bit as wonderful as he’d hoped. The music was beautiful and moving, and spending time with his mother and his sister had been needed. As much as he enjoyed being in Seoul with Bobby’s family, he missed his own.

But an unexpected blessing had manifested in Junhoe’s presence. At first he’d been a little worried over how Junhoe might be around his family, but he’d been polite and friendly and had navigated his mother easily. Jinhwan still hadn’t had the chance to explain to Junhoe why he’d come up with the fake story, but Junhoe hadn’t exactly asked anyway. All that mattered is that it had worked.

Junhoe had enjoyed the performance more than Jinhwan had thought he would, and on the way home had even taken down music recommendations from his mother about different albums to listen to. Jinhwan had thought it was cute, the way Junhoe kept asking his mother for her opinion on things. He was trying to leave a good impression, and Jinhwan appreciated that.

But of course there was the whole issue of Junhoe looking extra hot. Jinhwan still liked to picture him in his mind, made up attractively. It was a nice visual! He’d tried to keep that opinion to himself, of course, not wanting to make Junhoe uncomfortable. It was hard, though. At the end of the night they’d driven him home and Jinhwan had walked him to his front door, just for a moment to say thank you for coming out.

But as much to his own surprise as it had been to Junhoe’s, Jinhwan had reached out and hugged him. Junhoe hadn’t seemed to mind, of course, but Jinhwan knew where this was heading. The more time he spent around Junhoe, the more attracted to him he became. Not attracted for a relationship, though, just a hookup. Jinhwan didn’t want a relationship. Denied wanting a relationship when he got back in the car and his mother asked him if Junhoe had enjoyed their date. It wasn’t like that, he’d told her, but he didn’t think she bought it.

They hadn’t talked since then (except for Junhoe thanking his mother for the music recommendations) but Jinhwan didn’t really feel weird about it? He needed time to think about it all. As much as he’d love to hook up with Junhoe, it was probably a bad idea. If things went sour they’d all be right back where they were before—especially with another tournament coming up. What was going to happen if he fought Junhoe again? Would Junhoe take the loss hard? Or would he take it gracefully? Could they still have a friendly rivalry? Jinhwan tended to get cocky before fights, he couldn’t help it. What if Junhoe took it the wrong way?

Too many what-ifs to contemplate. Safer to put the thoughts out of his mind altogether.

He rolled over to his stomach and crawled over to the bench, reaching up for his phone but not quite in the mood to stand up. He laid back down on the mat and swiped his phone open, pausing for a second to look at the family picture he’d gotten Junhoe to take for him that night. He wished he could take a picture like that one day at a tournament. Maybe, if Seiyeon saw how good he was…

His phone rang in his hands, taking him by surprise, but he felt like hiding when he saw who was calling. Shit. He let it go to voicemail, feeling guilty about it. Two seconds later, though, a text message that Jinhwan grudgingly opened.

-I know you’re there, answer your phone! Youngbae told me you just made him tap out using a bow and arrow!-

Shit. Of course! Youngbae kept harassing him about talking to Eric. Jinhwan couldn’t believe he’d cornered him like this! What a betrayal.

He stared at his phone for a moment, eyes focused on the words, even though he was staring so hard he let his vision go blurry. Should he talk to him? Of course. He was being an idiot, it was just a phone call. He could handle a phone call. Right? No big deal?

He took a deep breath before calling Eric back, rolling onto his stomach as he waited for him to pick up.

“Well, that was like pulling teeth!”

Jinhwan couldn’t help it, he felt himself smile out of sheer muscle memory, and as much as he wanted to tell himself that the smile and subsequent fluttering feeling he got in his stomach was just a knee jerk reaction that didn’t mean anything, he knew that was a lie.

“Ah hyung, you’d make a terrible dentist, stick to fighting!” Eric laughed at his reply and Jinhwan closed his eyes, picturing him behind closed eyelids.

“Oh come on! I think I’d be okay. If the anesthesia doesn’t work, I’ll choke my patients out.”

Jinhwan hated how easily he laughed, hated how funny he still found him. Why did feelings take so fucking long to die??

“That would probably be bad for business?”

“My dentist business, sure. Might drive up the jiu jitsu, though?” Jinhwan could practically hear him grinning. “Alright enough playful conversation! I know you’re training for the upcoming tournament, and I just wanted to call and let you know that I’m going to be there.”

Jinhwan swore his heart stopped beating for a few seconds, everything just seemed to stop entirely. He should have expected this, why hadn’t he expected this?!

“Jinan? I’m bringing a couple of fighters up, but I wanted to see if maybe you wanted to get together for a bit? Finally have that damn talk about California?”

Jinhwan couldn’t breathe, was still stuck on the news. Eric. At the tournament. Seiyeon! Shit. This wasn’t good, not at all. What was he supposed to say? He didn’t want to see Eric, not at all (that was a lie) and he’d have to tell Seiyeon, have to explain that it was a coincidence, that he hadn’t known. Because she’d just think he was still hung up, right? (Was he still hung up?)

“I don’t know why you keep dodging me, Jinan, but if you’re serious about training in California, we need to talk about it. If you changed your mind and you don’t want to, that’s fine, let me know and I’ll quit bugg-”

“No! No I want to go,” Jinhwan interrupted, the words spilling out in a rush, “I’m sorry I haven’t called, I am.”

Eric didn’t reply at first, and Jinhwan could see the look on his face, the soft expression of understanding and concern. Finally Eric let out a long breath before replying. “Let me guess—you haven’t talked to your mom about it yet, have you?”

“No.” What more was there to say? Eric had been there in person, had seen the progression from the fifteen year old who cried when his mother refused to show up to the indifferent seventeen year old who didn’t even ask her anymore. He understood, but his understanding made Jinhwan feel inexplicably vulnerable, and he hated it.

“Jinan, the clock is ticking, kiddo.”

It was funny, sometimes, the things that felt the most like a slap across the face.

“Don’t call me that.” Those memories were too much, made him feel too much right now.

Eric laughed it off, though, and it made it all sting a little less. “Sorry, force of habit. So are you still up for talking about this face to face?”

Was he? Would it really be okay? “Yeah, actually I’d like that.”

“It’ll be nice to see you again. Good to catch up! I want to see you in action, too! Youngbae said you’re looking sharper all the time. I look forward to seeing that!”

Jinhwan couldn’t help but smile, because he wanted to show just much he’d improved, wanted Eric to watch him decimate his opponents. Maybe he kind of just wanted to see him too? Wanted to see what was different, what was the same.

That didn’t mean he wanted anything. Because he didn’t. Maybe he still kind of had feelings. But that’s all they were.

And they didn’t mean anything.

“I see you’ve brought your little protégé! Been hearing about this kid, gotta say I’m excited to see him fight.”

“Laugh it up now, Byung-sshi, you’ll be cursing me later, though.”

“Cursing you for what, Eric, making me laugh too hard? How old’s your kid, anyway? Ten?”

“The more you pile it on now, the worse you’re going to feel later when he kicks your fighter’s ass.”

“Only way that’s gonna happen is if Kyungil-ah trips!”

Jinhwan listened to the exchange and nervously pulled at the ends of his knotted blue belt, trying to ignore the jabs of the other trainer (he hadn’t missed the dismissive way the guy had quickly looked him over). This was his first appearance in a tournament as a blue belt. While part of him was proud at being selected to represent their club, another part of him wished he could have competed first in something local back on the island. When he’d looked over the bracket listing on the way in, he hadn’t recognized any names in his division. He’d recognized the majority of the green belt fighters, though.

“I’d love to stay and talk shit with you, Byung, but we’ll leave that for later." Eric ended the conversation and draped an arm around Jinhwan’s shoulders, quickly steering him into the gym. “Don’t worry about him, he likes to talk up his club all the time but I’ve seen every single one of his students fight, and not a single one of them can hold a proper omoplata.”

Jinhwan couldn’t help but grin, both at the comment, and at the arm around his shoulders. He’d only been training with Eric for about seven months but they had a very tight bond already. Even though he was his instructor, Jinhwan really preferred to think of him like the older brother he’d always wanted. “Ah hyung, I’m not worried!”

“Sure you’re not,” Eric replied, ruffling his hand in Jinhwan’s hair, “it’s good to be nervous, especially before your first fight at blue belt. It’s a big step up for you, so it’s important to respect your opponents.”

“I know, and I do!”

“Except this first one, you don’t have to respect Lee Kyungil, he’s got piss poor technique and he’s a snotty little brat on top of it.” Eric whispered into his ear, laughing at Jinhwan’s shocked gasp.

“Hyung!” Jinhwan couldn’t help but laugh, surprised at the words but kind of comforted? This was part of what made Eric stand out as a trainer. Maybe it was his relatively young age, but Jinhwan thought it probably had a little to do with all the time he’d spent in the US as well. He wasn’t quite as strict as the others.

“Don’t tell anyone I said that.” Eric joked back with him. “In all honesty, you definitely have a more solid technique than he does. I watched him two months ago and he was still looking sloppy in his defense. I really don’t think you’ll have trouble getting him into a submission? He’s got more power than you, but he makes a lot of mistakes. To tell you the truth, I think they promoted him up too early. I would have kept him at green if he were my student.”

Jinhwan smiled at the comment. Every so often Eric would talk about fighters from other clubs, pointing out their lacking points and how he would fix things for them. It made Jinhwan feel like he was really training with someone who knew what he was doing, who understood every little intricacy of the sport. Further than that, though, was that every time Eric happened to point out someone’s fault, it was against something that Jinhwan himself had mastered. So it kind of felt like Eric was saying, in his own way, “my student is better than this guy”.

It just made him feel special.

“When you fight this guy, Jinan-ie, try and get the submission, okay? I always tell Byung he needs to work on submission defense with his fighters but he brushes me off. Too much pride.”

“That doesn’t seem like a good response from a trainer. Does he have something against you?”

“Of course he does, it’s called jealousy.” Eric replied with a wink. “We fought each other two years ago when I was home visiting my family over the holidays. I was still a brown belt, he’d been in the circuit with his black for a while. It was just a fun sparring opportunity, since everyone was making a big deal out of my training with the Gracies in California. Scoffed when he saw me, made it obvious that he thought he was above me. I submitted him in three minutes.”

Jinhwan grinned at the answer. “What move did you beat him with?”

Eric grinned back at him. “What do you think?”

Jinhwan remembered his comment of earlier. “Omoplata?”

Eric ruffled his hair again. “Fucking right it was the omoplata.”

Jinhwan couldn’t help the feeling of butterflies in his stomach—it was just so nice to have such a comfortable relationship with him! He really looked up to Eric, respected him in a way he rarely respected anyone. For someone so amazing to be so friendly with him was really nice. “So you’re saying I should try and submit his fighter using an omoplata?”

Eric laughed at the suggestion, and it made Jinhwan’s smile even wider. “You’re so smart, Jinan-ie! Picking up on my hints.”

Jinhwan beamed at the praise. “I’ll do my best, hyung.”

“That’s all I ask, in the end! Even if you lose, as long as you learn something, that’s the most important part.”

“I know. But I still want to win anyway.”

Eric looked down at him in silence for a moment (direct eye contact that Jinhwan almost couldn’t handle) before nodding. “I have every expectation for you to win. But just fight your best and I’ll be proud of you no matter what.”

An hour later and they were sitting in the stands. Jinhwan had taken Eric’s advice and locked Kyungil up in an omoplata, right in front of his trainer, and secured a fast submission. The look of unrestrained pride on Eric’s face made Jinhwan feel almost invincible, like no one could even hope to defeat him.

“Really, Jinan-ie, it was just perfect all around. You could see it in the way you approached the fight, even. Your focus is no joke, kiddo! You’re scary on the mat.”

Jinhwan smiled at the English nickname. He hadn’t really thought much of it until one of the other students had asked him what it meant, pointing out that Jinhwan was the only one Eric ever called “kiddo”. Ever since then, Jinhwan beamed every time he caught Eric using it.

“I know, hyung, I’m lucky!”

“You’re not lucky, Jinhwan, you’re talented! You have a natural gift for this sport.”

Jinhwan laughed at Eric’s reply, at his almost offended tone. “No hyung, I mean I’m lucky that I have you as a trainer.”

Eric’s expression softened immediately. “Ah, Jinhwan! You’re too cute for this sport.”

“You’re not supposed to call me cute on matchday!” Jinhwan pretended offense, but in reality he’d gladly have Eric call him cute. Any compliment was welcome.

“It’s fine. The cuter they all think you are, the worse they’ll feel when you beat them, right?”

Jinhwan nodded, face still lit up in a bright smile. Eric believed in his ability, and right now that was all the support Jinhwan needed to get over the nerves of upcoming matches. He was a skilled fighter already, and he deserved to be here. Any time he questioned that, Eric always had a way of reminding him.

“Eric Kwon! Where the hell have you been?”

Jinhwan stopped in his tracks, flattened back against the wall and quickly looked around the hallway, searching for a familiar face that he wasn’t quite ready to see yet. The only people milling about were strangers to him, though, fighters, trainers, and their families.

“Woobin! Wow, have the years been unkind to you, my friend!”

The voices came from around the corner, and Jinhwan remained against the wall to catch his breath and slow his heart a little. He hadn’t been at the venue long yet and the first thing he’d done upon arrival was scout around for Eric. He hadn’t found him, though. He’d left Bobby in the stands while he’d gone to the bathroom (he hadn’t actually needed to go, but it was the only place left he hadn’t checked yet) and was headed back to Bobby now that his search had turned up empty. But Eric was right around the corner, and it was a little too close for Jinhwan to handle right now.

“Ah, still the same old asshole I see. How’ve you been? I haven’t seen you since you left for the US! Too good to keep in touch with an old friend, huh?” Jinhwan remained where he was, desperate to listen to the conversation. Maybe it would help calm his nerves a little. “I hear you have some genius new student? Had to go looking for someone worth your time after your little golden boy left you?”

Jinhwan’s breath caught in his throat at the comment, “golden boy”—they were talking about him. Jinhwan was Eric’s golden boy. Who was this new genius student, though? Must be someone brand new who hadn’t been training at the club when Jinhwan had left. He listened more closely, desperate to hear information.

“Ah, yeah is that what they’re saying now?” Eric’s teasing voice responded. “I guess they must be talking about you, huh?” A bubble of laughter that Jinhwan didn’t recognize met the question. “This is my newest student, Park Jimin! Jimin-ah, this is an old friend of mine, Jung Woobin. We actually started our jiu jitsu training together when we were kids, believe it or not!”

Park Jimin. Jinhwan etched the name into his memory, needing to remember it so he could check out where this kid was listed in the schedule. Was he a purple belt as well? Or was he still just a blue? If he was a purple belt, would Jinhwan get to fight him? How good was he really if he was being teased with the genius nickname? Could he be as good as Jinhwan was?

“I looked over the brackets, saw your old boy is here too! Kim Jinhwan! Watched him at the last tournament, still as lethal as ever. You really have a way with training the small ones, huh?”

“Hey, I don’t pick the superstars, they pick me!” Eric joked back, and Jinhwan felt so weird hearing his own name from some stranger’s mouth.

“Looks like they have a chance at meeting in the final, if they both get there. What odds are you taking if it happens? New kid versus the old kid? Who’s your winner?”

“Ah seriously, what kind of question is that?” Eric groaned, and Jinhwan’s heart raced suddenly, because he wanted to know what Eric was thinking. Wanted to know who he thought was better. There was no way he could be training someone better than him. No way. He’d have heard of this Jimin kid by now!

“Hyung!”

A new voice. Jimin?

“Hyung come on, why are you even hesitating?” The voice had a whiny, petulant quality about it that already had hairs standing on the back of Jinhwan’s neck. “You’re going to pick me, right?”

“Ah, Jimin-ah, you’re both excellent fighters--”

“Hyung, you’re seriously hurting my confidence right now!” Jinhwan couldn’t help but sneer at the whining response. He hated this Jimin kid already. It didn’t matter to him that Jimin was probably just being playful with his coach--it was irritating and bratty and Jinhwan felt like punching him already.

The group was laughing, though, and Jinhwan wondered what sort of looking Eric was giving Jimin? Did he look at him they way he’d looked at Jinhwan, back at the beginning? Affection and pride in his eyes? Had Eric gotten close to him, the way he’d gotten close to Jinhwan?

No. No, of course not. What he and Eric had had… Not possible now for someone else. If Jinhwan hadn’t been enough… No way some new kid would even come close. It was just professional. That’s all it could be.

“Ah listen to you, you big whiner! Of course I’d choose you to win it all.”

There it was. Eric had chosen Jimin. A sudden sense of rage flooded Jinhwan’s system, rage coupled with betrayal and jealousy and a childish desire to walk around the corner and tell Eric to go fuck himself. Eric thought he’d found a replacement for him? He’d replaced his golden boy with a genius?

Park Jimin was going to be destroyed.

Jinhwan pushed his way off the wall and stalked back into the gym, wanting to put as much distance between himself and Eric as possible. He knew it wouldn’t last long, but he couldn’t chance seeing him right now because he didn’t trust himself to react calmly. He paused at the board to look over the groups, eyes scanning for that fucking name.

Earlier he’d found out that he and Junhoe were in opposing groups with their only chance to meet up being all the way at the top in the final match. It was kind of exciting, the thought of fighting Junhoe again. A little weird since they were friends now. The match would undoubtedly be different than the last tournament. Jinhwan hoped he would be able to refrain from teasing Junhoe, but he hoped they’d be able to fight without any awkwardness afterwards. He’d try to win, of course, but he wouldn’t be malicious like he’d been the last time.

Park Jimin changed things, though. Jimin was in a third group, and Jinhwan’s heart sank when he saw that Jimin’s route to Jinhwan lay directly through Junhoe.

Jinhwan was torn. On one hand of course he wanted Junhoe to win, because he was a great fighter and he deserved to go as far as he could. But on the other hand, Jinhwan was desperate to face Eric’s new fighter. Wanted to destroy him right in front of Eric. Wanted to submit him using a damn omoplata just to rub salt in the wounds. Wanted Eric to watch as he dismantled his new genius.

God, he was starting to sound like some bitter ex. He needed to calm down before this affected him any worse. If he spent his fights focused on Eric, he’d possibly slip up and pay for it. He needed to refocus on himself and forget about this Jimin kid. Forget about Eric. He left the board and made his way back to Bobby, eager to see his face and hear his voice so he could use him to drive Eric out of his thoughts. Bobby was texting and from the look on his face Jinhwan was sure it was Hanbin he was talking to. Jinhwan was still surprised at the way Bobby was approaching this new relationship. He’d never been cute with any of his other boyfriends, never gotten mushy and ridiculous. It was sweet, the way Hanbin was changing him. Jinhwan liked seeing it on Bobby.

“Are you being gross right now?” Jinhwan teased as he approached, and he leaned down behind Bobby, wrapping his arms around his best friend’s shoulders, draping himself over Bobby’s back. He was cuddling in an attempt to push Eric further from his brain, and he was grateful that Bobby wasn’t pushing him away.

“Oh shut up,” Bobby replied with a smile, “they’re almost here. Listen though, before they do get here, do we need to have a talk about you and Junhoe?”

“What about us?” Jinhwan asked, shifting a little to look at Bobby’s face.

“He hasn’t said anything, but Hanbin thinks he’s nervous about what’ll happen if you guys fight each other. None of us want you guys being awkward and unfriendly again, so please be nice to him.”

Jinhwan grinned, not surprised that the request came from Hanbin. He always seemed to be two steps ahead of them all in terms of emotional intelligence. “The only time we might meet is if we both make it to the final, and in that fight you can’t afford to have any friends!”

“Jinan! I’m being serious.”

Jinhwan hugged him tighter. “I know, I’m just joking. I plan on being really nice to Junhoe all day, even if we do fight each other. I won’t be an asshole, not even as a joke. I know he’s more sensitive than I am.”

Bobby seemed relieved with the answer. “Okay good, just making sure. I’ve enjoyed watching you two get along, I think you’re good friends.”

Jinhwan grinned and tugged on the strings of Bobby’s hoodie. “I promise I’ll be good! I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“Can’t be disappointed if I don’t expect anything good.” Bobby teased back.

Jinwan laughed at his response and nuzzled his face into Bobby’s neck. Having him here was really helping at the moment, it was almost like Bobby knew that Jinhwan needed the physical closeness and light hearted teasing. “Ah, don’t be mean to me! I need your support today, it’s a big tournament!”

While Jinhwan and Bobby were being playful in the stands, Junhoe and Hanbin were just arriving at the venue. Junhoe hadn’t ended up saying anything to Hanbin about Jinhwan, deciding instead to play it by ear. If Jinhwan was in a friendly mood, than he hoped he wouldn’t have anything to worry about.

“Hey, let’s look at the brackets first?” Junhoe grabbed Hanbin’s arm and pulled him over to the board. Usually he never checked the brackets first and didn’t look at them until he had a team meeting. There was something about checking them right away that made him feel vulnerable, like he was worried about who he was going to be fighting. It was all a mental game, the pre-fight waiting period. But he wanted to know if there was a chance he’d be facing Jinhwan in his group.

Hanbin stood next to him and didn’t say anything, aware of the change in Junhoe’s pre-fight behaviour. He had a feeling it was because of Jinhwan, but he didn’t want to say anything. While this tournament was technically smaller than the last, there were far fewer belt classes participating, so that made for more groups within Junhoe’s belt range. Unlike the last tournament, where there had been only two groups, this tournament had four. But Junhoe and Jinhwan were in opposing groups, and if Hanbin was reading things properly, the only time they might meet was in the final.

Junhoe was relieved to see it. While he wouldn’t mind fighting Jinhwan again, he did not want to fight him early on. It gave him plenty of time to judge Jinhwan’s personality today.

“Do you recognize anyone in your group?” Hanbin asked, looking over the names.

“Yeah, I know I’ve fought one of them before, beat him of course.” Junhoe studied the other two names. “I know one of the other guys, but haven’t fought him since I got promoted. I don’t recognize the third name, though. Some guy from Jeju island. I wonder if Jinhwan knows him?”

Hanbin couldn’t help but grin when Junhoe mentioned Jinhwan. Things seemed to be going well in that department, judging from Junhoe’s continued casual mentioning of Jinhwan in conversation. He always seemed to find some way to bring him up. Hanbin hadn’t drawn attention to it, of course, because he knew it would probably make Junhoe awkward.

“Do you know anyone in his group?” Hanbin asked.

Junhoe studied Jinhwan’s group, looking over the names and club attachments. This was a country-wide tournament, after all, unlike the previous that had been city only. He only recognized one name in Jinhwan’s group.

“One guy, but I haven’t fought him either.” It was interesting to see so many names he didn’t know. Were they all older fighters who hadn’t competed in the past two tournaments ever since he’d gotten his purple belt? For the first time since promotion, Junhoe couldn’t help but feel young. He’d only had his purple belt for five months but there were probably guys here who’d been purple belts for years. Of course experience didn’t always mean you’d be a better fighter than someone new. Junhoe knew that when it came to the sport, he was better than average. He’d risen up quickly through the ranks at his club. It granted him confidence in the face of experience.

After spending another minute looking over the other competitors they headed inside and Hanbin immediately started making his way over to Bobby and Jinhwan. He stopped suddenly, though, and looked back at Junhoe.

“Do you want to sit with them for the whole thing? I didn’t even ask, I’m sorry. We can sit on our own if you want?”

Junhoe shook his head, a little confused about why Hanbin was asking. But then he realized that Hanbin had probably picked up on his nerves regarding Jinhwan, and Junhoe smiled at Hanbin’s thoughtfulness. “No let’s sit with them! I mean we’re not fighting today anyway, and I don’t want to deprive you of Bobby all day. The pathetic puppy dog eyes you’d be making at him wouldn’t be worth it.”

Hanbin huffed in disbelief. “I am not that bad!”

“Oh yes you are!” Junhoe replied, grinning as Hanbin reached out to link their arms together. He was so grateful that Hanbin still came with him every time because no matter how he was feeling, he could always count on Hanbin to pick up on it and be helpful in some indirect way. If things did start getting awkward between he and Jinhwan, there was no way Hanbin would let it happen, Junhoe was sure of that.

Jinhwan watched them walking in together and his heart felt even lighter at the sight of friends. Forget Eric! He didn’t need him. Not when he had such a good group of people to surround himself with. Jinhwan waved in greeting as they got closer. “Wow, fancy meeting you guys here! It’s almost like we planned this or something!”

Hanbin grinned back at him and he couldn’t help but think it was cute, seeing Jinhwan cuddled up to Bobby. Maybe people would think it was weird, seeing some other guy cuddling with his boyfriend, but they were best friends. Hanbin liked to do the same with Junhoe, after all, so it would be hypocritical of him to be upset at Jinhwan.

“I know, it’s a weird place to have a double date, right?” Hanbin teased, grinning when Junhoe playfully shoved him away. Jinhwan laughed and retreated from Bobby, while Bobby held his hand out and Hanbin took it, sinking down next to him on the bench.

“Should Junhoe and I go and sit by ourselves? You guys aren’t gonna be disgusting all day, are you?” Jinhwan teased, surprised when Junhoe came over to sit down next to him instead of staying beside Hanbin. It gave him a warm feeling, like Junhoe was actually seeking him out instead of just tolerating his presence.

“Probably not all day, but a good majority?” Hanbin teased back before quickly leaning forward to kiss Bobby’s cheek. Bobby kissed him back, and Jinhwan still thought it was adorable how quickly Bobby would do it now.

Bobby liked the change in himself too, the more he thought about it. Sure, it was weird, being all cute and cuddly with Hanbin in public. But it just made him happy, and that was the most important thing, he thought. It didn’t matter anymore if people thought he was too soft for wanting to kiss his boyfriend in public. Despite the confusion of his thoughts as of late, at the end of the day he was just happy to have someone who was so open in showing his affection. For whatever reason, Hanbin really was into him, and it felt nice to get constant reminders of it.

“We’ll give you guys a break when it’s time for you to fight, promise!” Bobby replied.

“Ah, so selfless!” Jinhwan teased.

“Yeah, Bobby hyung’s a real saint!” Junhoe added, grinning at the both of them.

Bobby still felt stupidly happy when Junhoe called him hyung. Everything in the group was just getting so peaceful and comfortable, and he was relieved that Junhoe really seemed to be relaxing when he was around them now. It was nice seeing a more playful side of him emerge.

“Jinan hyung, Junhoe mentioned that he’s fighting some guy from Jeju island in his group. We were curious if you knew him?” Hanbin asked.

Jinhwan focused a confused gaze on Junhoe, trying to remember the brackets. Jimin wasn’t in Junhoe’s group, so did that mean that Eric had brought other fighters to the tournament? “What’s his name?”

“I think it was Jang Soohyun?” Junhoe replied.

“Oh, I know Soohyun!” Jinhwan answered, surprised he’d missed his name. He must have been too focused on looking for Jimin to recognize anyone else. “We trained together when I was living on Jeju. He’s really good, his submissions are really tight, that’s what he spent most of his time focusing on. Make sure you protect your back, that’s what he always tries to go for.”

Junhoe was surprised at the sudden bits of information that Jinhwan was giving him. He’d trained with Soohyun for years, while they’d only been friends for a few weeks. “Were you guys friends?”

Jinhwan shrugged. “Ah, not really? I mean we were friendly, we got along, but he’s a year older than me and he takes age super seriously. Like if I ever spoke to him and wasn’t perfectly respectful, he’d be offended and would ignore me for the rest of the night.” Jinhwan grinned now that he was thinking about it. “Of course I used to make it a point of not speaking to him respectfully sometimes, just to annoy him. Actually, if you really want to get under his skin, when you’re shaking hands before the fight tell him that Jinhwan sends his regards to Soo-sshi! He hates that nickname!”

Junhoe laughed at the anecdote, amused at the name. Jinhwan really did have a bratty side to him, but Junhoe was seeing that it was very playful, and that made all the difference.

Bobby shook his head at them. “Ah Jinan, being a bad influence already!” He had to admit it was a little cute, though, the way Junhoe was coming more and more out of his shell around Jinhwan. He was starting to see more of that attraction Hanbin had mentioned, caught the way they sometimes looked at each other when they thought the other wasn’t looking.

Bobby had the sinking feeling that he was going to be losing his bet to Hanbin.

Junhoe was feeling good about the day, pleased that Jinhwan seemed to be in such a good mood and that he automatically had his back in fights against former club mates. It made him confident that if they did fight each other later, it would be nothing like their first fights. He probably wouldn’t even take Jinhwan’s teasing seriously either. That was only if they both made it to the final, of course. Nothing was guaranteed, especially not with a much wider spread of competitors. There were fighters here he knew nothing about, after all. He had to remember that. He was still fresh in the ranks as a purple belt, so he couldn’t afford to be cocky and overconfident. That had gotten him an ass kicking the last time he’d done it. He had to learn from his experiences with Jinhwan.

Hanbin had moved to sit in between Bobby’s legs so it was easier for him to see Jinhwan and Junhoe when they talked, and Bobby had his arms wrapped around Hanbin’s shoulders as he looked out over the crowd. He was scanning everyone there, and suddenly wondered if Jinhwan’s old trainer was here? It would make sense, if there were guys from Jinhwan’s old club. Of course he hadn’t been the only trainer, but any time Jinhwan had come to Seoul to compete, Eric had always come with him.

“Hey Jinan, who came from Jeju with the fighters? Any idea?” Bobby asked, and he just missed the involuntary tensing that had seized Jinhwan with the question.

“I don’t know, I guess we’ll see when Junhoe fights Soohyun.” Jinhwan replied, and he tried to keep his voice level, tried to not give himself away. Bobby didn’t know about Eric, after all. Didn’t know they’d dated, wasn’t aware of the extra layer of problems. Of course he’d ask about him.

“Don’t you still keep in touch with Eric? Did he say anything about coming?” Bobby asked, curious if they’d be seeing him. He’d always liked Eric.

Junhoe’s head snapped up at the name. “Eric Kwon?”

Jinhwan looked at him in surprise. “Yeah, he was my coach back on Jeju.” How did Junhoe know Eric?

“You trained with Eric Kwon?” Junhoe repeated, shocked at the revelation. “He’s amazing! I’ve watched his fights on-line so many times, he’s so good!”

Jinhwan didn’t respond at first, because it was just weird hearing someone else talk about Eric like he was some kind of celebrity. Jinhwan wasn’t sure why he was surprised though. Eric was something of a celebrity, at least in the Korean fighting world. It was just odd because Jinhwan knew him on a personal level.

“No wonder you’re so good!” Junhoe said. “Man, I’m jealous! Why did you leave if you had him training you?” Junhoe asked, legitimately curious. Eric was easily one of the top five fighters in Korea. How could Jinhwan give up training under him?

Jinhwan shrugged, unsure as to how he ought to respond. “I uh, just needed to get off the island,” true enough, of course, “and my trumpet instructor wanted me to come here for music anyway.” Kind of a lie, but believable.

“Ah, I see. That’s unfortunate though! I still can’t believe you actually trained with him! That’s amazing.” Junhoe was floored. Eric Kwon… He hoped he’d be here. Maybe Jinhwan could introduce him? Junhoe didn’t want to look like some kind of lame fan boy or anything, but he’d been watching Eric’s fights for years now. Eric had competed in international competitions, always faring well. It would be amazing to train with him.

“He’s just a regular guy, Junhoe-ya. But if he’s here I’ll introduce you.” Jinhwan really hoped Junhoe wouldn’t want to keep talking about him. Luckily he didn’t, and soon enough they were discussing music. Hanbin and Bobby were talking about their favourite tracks from Swings’ newest mixtape “Levitate”. Jinhwan wasn’t surprised, it was all Bobby had been listening to for the past two days since it had dropped. After twenty minutes it was time for Junhoe to head down and prepare for his first match, and Jinhwan went with him.

Hanbin and Bobby bid Junhoe good luck, opting to remain where they were sitting high up in the stands, and Jinhwan was certain they were just desperate for a little time alone together. It was fine, though, probably better if they stayed where they were. Jinhwan had enough on his mind already.

Junhoe was the first one to spot Eric, stopping and looking back at Jinhwan. “He is here!” Junhoe looked back at the bottom of the stands. “Is that the guy I’m fighting?” Junhoe asked, watching the guy who stood next to Eric.

“Yeah, that’s Soohyun.” Shit. What was he supposed to do now? Junhoe was fighting Eric’s trainee, there was no way Jinhwan could avoid him. His anger from earlier had abated with the help of his friends, thankfully, but he still didn’t feel ready for the meeting. He was going to have to acknowledge him, though. Junhoe wanted an introduction, after all. Could he handle it without being weird?

“Fuck, I can’t believe I’m actually fighting in front of him.” Junhoe couldn’t stop himself from making the comment, too surprised to filter out any stupid fan boy comments.

“Don’t be nervous,” Jinhwan replied, focusing his attention on Junhoe, “think of it this way—you need to kick Soohyun’s ass if you want to make a good impression, right?” Okay, he definitely had to make sure that Junhoe didn’t flop from nerves. The last thing he wanted was for Eric to see him being friendly with a nervous flop. He needed Junhoe to look impressive. Needed Eric to respect him. Needed Eric to worry that his precious little genius might not even make it to the final, not if he had to go through Junhoe.

“I’m good, I can do this. I was just surprised to see him.” Junhoe took a deep breath, calming himself down. He was grateful that Jinhwan was here, lucky that Jinhwan actually knew Eric so he wasn’t freaking out over him. Jinhwan didn’t seem affected at all that he was even here. It was good. Junhoe needed to leech off of that lack of celebrity intimidation.

“Come on, let’s get you ready. You’ve got this, I know you do. Like I told you, just watch your back and don’t let him get you in a submission and you’ll be good. You’ve got better attacking skills, so get points on him. Soohyun looks for submissions, not points, so just outlast him, which I know you can do. If you do try for a submission, go for his knees, they’re his weakest points.” All of Jinhwan’s training memories of Soohyun were coming out now, and he was desperate to fill Junhoe’s head with them.

“Thanks, hyung!” Junhoe replied, eating up every word Jinhwan told him. He wondered why he was so desperate to help? Was there bad blood between Jinhwan and Soohyun? Or did Jinhwan just legitimately want him to win? Whatever it was, Junhoe considered himself lucky for it. It always helped to know your opponent.

Jinhwan took a seat with Junhoe’s club mates, who looked a little confused to see him. Jinhwan didn’t say anything to them, though, watching as Junhoe walked out to meet Soohyun. His eyes continued to settle on Eric, watching him while he watched Soohyun. Jinhwan couldn’t help himself from feeling annoyed. Eric must have seen him by now? Hadn’t he noticed him standing by Junhoe? Why hadn’t he tried to make eye contact with him yet? Why hadn’t he texted him, said hello and confirmed they were still going to meet up later? The more Jinhwan thought about it, the more aggravated he felt.

Junhoe had better win his match. Jinhwan needed his victory, just for his own peace of mind. Eric wouldn’t have a choice but to acknowledge him, either at the end of the match or when Jinhwan went over to formally introduce them. He wanted to introduce Junhoe after Eric was forced to watch him beat Soohyun. Wanted to rub the victory in Eric’s face and make him regret his words earlier.

Suddenly Jinhwan realized that Jimin would probably be sitting by Eric to watch this match. He couldn’t be fighting right now (otherwise Jinhwan was sure that Eric would be with him, watching over his stupid little genius) so Jinhwan scanned the fighters settled around Eric.

He recognized Song Changwook (a fighter who was a year younger than Jinhwan, and who must have just only been promoted to purple belt) and Seo Insung (a brown belt three years Jinhwan’s senior) but there was one fighter he didn’t know, a purple belt with messy brown hair and chubby cheeks. Was that Park Jimin? Was that Jinhwan’s newest enemy?

He was so focused on the new face that he missed the start of the match. He gave his head a shake and focused his sights on Junhoe, watching him closely, judging his technique against Soohyun’s. Junhoe was a little taller and had a longer arm reach. Soohyun, for his part, looked respectful of Junhoe’s size, and they circled one another, trying to feel each other out.

Junhoe attacked first, gaining a takedown and powering his way into the guard position. Jinhwan nodded, pleased with the first act. Junhoe was listening to his advice. As the first round went on, Jinhwan felt like this was already a different side of Junhoe than he’d seen at the last tournament. He fought more intelligently, instead of simply powering his way through an opponent with the expectation of victory. Jinhwan liked what he was seeing.

The first round of the match was a technical affair, both fighters looking good but Junhoe was ahead on points at the end. Jinhwan was content with the round, Junhoe had obviously heeded every bit of his advice. He was confident in Junhoe’s ability to finish.

The second round went in a similar direction, and Jinhwan tried to keep his focus on Junhoe, but his eyes kept sliding to Eric, drawn to him instinctively. With only a minute left in the second round (and Junhoe still ahead on points, but the gap had closed a bit) Soohyun managed to attain guard position on Junhoe, ankles crossed against Junhoe’s back.

Jinhwan leaned forward in his seat, biting his tongue to keep from yelling encouragements. Junhoe was his friend but not his teammate. It already looked weird for him to be sitting with Junhoe’s team for his fight. It would look really suspect if he started giving instruction.

But Junhoe remembered Jinhwan’s advice and he took his time to think about his best option. He drove his elbows down against Soohyun’s thighs, loosening his legs up so his ankles uncrossed, breaking the lock around his back. He knew he’d have to be careful in his movements, knew he’d have to anticipate and think about how to escape if things went the wrong way.

He wanted to go for a kneebar on Soohyun, but he remembered Jinhwan’s warning that Soohyun was particularly dangerous when he went for the back. In order to get the knee bar, Junhoe would be showing his back. Necessary evil, unless he went for something different? But time was running out, and even though Junhoe knew he was up on points, it wasn’t by much. He wanted an impressive win, not a safe win.

So fuck being safe. He was fighting right in front of Eric Kwon—he wanted to be noticed.

He dug his elbows in again and quickly pushed off with his left foot, swinging up and over Soohyun’s leg, hooking his arm around the calf. He quickly twisted onto his side on the floor, grabbing Soohyun’s ankle with his other hand and arching his hips forward, applying pressure onto Soohyun’s knee.

He felt fingers gripping the back of his gi, an attempt by Soohyun to get leverage and break out of it, but it didn’t last long and seconds later he heard the tapping sound of Soohyun’s hand on the mat, followed by the official’s call for him to drop the hold. He did, rolling off of Soohyun and pumping his fists in excitement, pleased with his performance.

He sought out Jinhwan first, huge smile directed at him and he bowed in his direction, grateful for every bit of advice Jinhwan had given him. Soohyun had been a difficult opponent, and if Junhoe hadn’t known what Jinhwan had told him, every opportunity existed that he might have gotten himself into a very bad situation very quickly. Instead he’d followed a different approach, using his intelligence to anticipate the moves, managing to stay ahead of a difficult opponent the entire time. He felt proud of himself for the victory, prouder than he usually felt.

He turned around after bowing to his coach, seeking out his opponent. Soohyun had just risen from the mat, shaking his knee out. They bowed to each other and clasped hands after, sharing compliments on the fight. Junhoe completely forgot about Jinhwan’s teasing comments about Soo-sshi, too happy with his own performance to even want to tease him.

They quickly moved off the mat and Junhoe met his coach, who was standing now with Eric, both of them having what looked like a friendly conversation. Before Junhoe had a chance to say anything Jinhwan was there, grabbing his hand and pulling him in for a hug.

“Congrats, Junhoe-ya! You looked great!” Jinhwan meant it. The difference in technique and approach had worked against Soohyun, and he was happy that he’d been able to help. It felt good to be a positive influence on him.

“Thanks, hyung! I’m really happy with how it turned out.” Junhoe hugged him back, arms tight around Jinhwan’s back. He couldn’t keep the smile off of his face.

They were interrupted, though.

“Kim Jinhwan! I should have known.”

Despite being angry and annoyed and bitter only minutes ago, the sound of Eric’s voice saying his name had Jinhwan suddenly smiling, the expression emerging all on its own. He reluctantly let go of Junhoe, turning to face Eric.

God, he’d missed him.

“Come here!” Eric beckoned him forward with outstretched arms and Jinhwan couldn’t stop himself from bounding forward and hugging him, eyes closed briefly when Eric’s arms circled around him tightly. The hug didn’t last long, and Jinhwan reached back for Junhoe, finding his hand and pulling him forward.

“Hyung, this is my good friend Koo Junhoe! He’s a big fan of yours.” Jinhwan kept his promise of an introduction, grinning when Junhoe awkwardly bowed.

Eric watched them both with a smile. “Ah, I figured he must be a friend, since I see you’re not with the same club?” He winked at Jinhwan before focusing on Junhoe. “Impressive fight! You both did really well, that was a great opening match. I hope you’re proud of your performance.”

Junhoe’s heart felt like it was at risk of combustion. “Ah, thank you!” He replied, flustered now that the match was over. He kept telling himself that he had no reason to be so nervous in front of this guy! Eric Kwon was a regular person, just like anyone else. It was just the adrenaline that had him flustered, too much excitement and nowhere to expend it now that the match was done.

Jinhwan smiled as he watched Junhoe address Eric. Okay, despite everything he was feeling, all the confusion and skipping around between opposing emotions, it was sweet to see Junhoe so excited over meeting Eric—and it was equally good to see Eric be so nice to him, complimenting him honestly even though Junhoe had just beaten his fighter. Jinhwan turned away from them, wanting to give Junhoe a moment to himself with Eric.

Instead Jinhwan sought out Soohyun.

“Hey, Soo-sshi! Sorry about the outcome, but it was a good fight!” Jinhwan grinned at Soohyun’s annoyed expression.

“Jinhwan-sshi, disrespectful as usual!” Soohyun grumbled back at him.

“Ah, hyung, don’t be a sore loser!” Jinhwan teased, grinning when Soohyun glared at him.

“Did you tell your friend all about me or something?” Soohyun asked, because despite not being familiar with him, Soohyun had noticed that Junhoe had seemed to anticipate everything he’d tried to do. That sort of knowledge could only come from inside information.

“Of course I did! What’s the point in making friends if you don’t use them, right?” Jinhwan replied, grinning when Soohyun rolled his eyes. They parted ways soon after that, but not before Eric pulled Jinhwan in for another hug and whispered to him that they’d meet up after the day was over. Jinhwan readily agreed to it, and when he left Eric’s side he almost couldn’t believe the shift in emotion. He’d gone from blazing anger to content pleasure far too quickly. He wasn’t that easy, was he? Nothing more than simple attention could fix things? He was almost embarrassed for himself. He felt like some stupid kid with a crush, overlooking every shitty thing that person could possibly do just because they smiled in your direction. If hello and a smile could discard the anger, Jinhwan felt like he was potentially going to be in trouble later.

Maybe. Maybe not. The day was still young, and he still had to watch Jimin fight. Would Eric hug him after the match? Celebrate affectionately with him?

The irritation was already flaring up again.

“Hey, Jinan hyung, I just wanted to say thanks.”

Jinhwan stopped in his tracks at Junhoe’s comment, a little surprised to hear it.

Junhoe stood in front of him, a little nervous but still happy. “Honestly, I uh, don’t know if I would have beaten him without your help. I probably would have walked right into a submission.”

Jinhwan smiled at the comment, pleased to hear it. Junhoe hadn’t really struck him as the type who liked to admit when he needed help, and the fact that he was doing it now, given their short time as friends (and short time as rivals before that) had Jinhwan feeling even more surprised, but overall grateful. It felt good to help others, and he reached out suddenly to take Junhoe’s hand.

“You’re welcome! You know I could really see the difference in your approach this time. Last time I watched you fight, you didn’t really think as much as you did this time. I feel like you went into every fight with the expectation of winning, and you just reacted on the spot as the match went on. But this time you really thought about everything, you calculated every move you made. You looked really good, it was impressive.” Junhoe shook his head and Jinhwan grinned when he saw the faint blush that spread over his cheeks. “I mean it! I was really impressed.”

Junhoe’s face went a little red at Jinhwan’s reply, and he hoped he wouldn’t get teased for it. “Thanks, hyung. I feel better about this victory because of that. I mean, you’re right. I thought way more about everything in this fight. I took my time and weighed the pros and cons of every move. I usually don’t fight like that.”

“Well you can’t always fight like that, really only works when you know stuff about your opponent. Thanks for listening to all my advice.” Jinhwan wanted to tease him for blushing, but he kept it to himself. He felt like they were having a really important moment right now, and he remembered his comment to Bobby earlier. Junhoe was much more sensitive a person than he was. He had to be careful about when he teased him.

“Yeah, I just wanted you to know that I appreciate it. And uh, thanks for introducing me to Eric. I can’t believe I met him and beat one of his guys! And then he complimented me! I beat his guy and he complimented me.”

Jinhwan grinned and felt grateful to Eric for being so nice to Junhoe. “Yeah, he’s a really great guy, he always appreciates talent when he sees it. Anyway, let’s get you back to the lovebirds! You three can all be up on cloud nine together!” Jinhwan teased, and he was a little surprised but also pleased when Junhoe put his arm around his shoulders. They walked back to Hanbin and Bobby in the best of spirits.

Whatever happened with Eric would happen. Jinhwan was pretty sure he’d come out of it all unscathed as long as he stuck with his friends. His feelings were still confused, anger over Eric’s comments and the thought of being replaced was at war with the soothing happiness of just seeing him again. The pleasure of one simple little hug had him floating.

Whatever. Just because he was happy to see Eric, it didn’t mean anything. They’d had a weird end to their relationship, and Jinhwan probably just hadn’t gotten proper closure. Maybe that was all he needed. They’d split and intended to stay close, but Jinhwan had hidden from him instead. Maybe all he needed to do was stop hiding.

He had other people in his life. He didn’t need Eric anymore.

Jinhwan looked down at the floor and watched as the competitors for the next match prepared; his eyes were glued to one in particular. He wanted to go down closer to watch, but he didn’t want to make it seem obvious that he cared. Maybe he could use Junhoe as a cover? He wanted to watch it over with a critical eye, wanted to see if this guy was really worthy of that genius title. Maybe it was a joke, and he was obsessing over nothing.

“Hey, Junhoe?” Jinhwan turned his head to look his way. “Wanna come down and watch this match a little closer with me? This is the guy you might fight when you win your group. He trains with Eric but he must have come after I left, because I don’t know him at all.” He tried to sound as nonchalant as possible, tried not to make it seem like he actually cared. He aimed for mild curiosity.

Junhoe looked back at him, surprise etched into his expression. “Yeah, sure, that’s probably a good idea.” He hadn’t missed Jinhwan’s expectation of his victory, and it felt nice to hear it come from him.

“You two can stay here if you want,” Jinhwan turned his attention to Bobby and Hanbin, “save our spots and all.”

“Meaning: we better stay here!” Bobby replied, grinning back at his best friend.

Jinhwan grinned back at him. “If you’re dying to come, I guess you can. It might be a boring match though. We’ve never seen him before, so we just want to get a closer look at him.”

“That’s fine, I know when we’re not wanted,” Bobby replied, still teasing. He was actually more than happy to let the two of them go off on their own.

“Yeah it’s okay, we don’t want to interfere with your date.” Hanbin teased, laughing when Junhoe glared at him.

“Maybe we won’t bother coming back, you two are annoying.” Junhoe leaned over to flick Hanbin in the ear.

Hanbin grabbed his hand and held on to it. “Is that a promise? Since you guys have each other now, does that mean Bobby and I are free from jiu jitsu babysitting duty?” Junhoe didn’t reply, he just wrenched his hand out of Hanbin’s grip and flicked him again.

“You’ll never be free!” Junhoe teased, before standing up and following Jinhwan down to the lower level.

Hanbin watched them go before speaking. “I hope you’re saving up for that dinner, hyung.”

Bobby shook his head and tightened his arms around Hanbin. “I hope you like McDonald’s.”

“I demand a high class place! I’m a high class kinda guy.” Hanbin teased, twisting around to look up at him.

“I’m gonna sabotage them, just wait.” Bobby replied, laughing when Hanbin frowned.

“No, don’t you dare! They deserve each other.”

“Do you mean that as a compliment or an insult?” Bobby asked with a laugh.

“A little bit of both?” Hanbin answered, turning around and settling back against Bobby’s chest. The day was going well, so far. He got to be cuddly with Bobby, and Junhoe and Jinhwan seemed to be getting along very well. He took his phone out, typing an update text to Donghyuk, who wasn’t able to come due to a tutoring session his parents had booked for him (not that he needed it, but they wouldn’t let him out of it).

‘op: hook up is going good!! they dont fight til tomorrow and are being friendly now! ill update you if anything happens’

He waited for Donghyuk’s response (which consisted of heart and thumbs ups emojis) before slipping his phone back in his pocket. He curled his fingers around Bobby’s forearm and smiled when he felt Bobby press a kiss to the top of his head. He wondered what sort of a couple Junhoe and Jinhwan would be if they got together? Junhoe would probably be weird about public displays of affection, but Jinhwan seemed like the type who enjoyed it. Who would cave for who?

“When they eventually get together, and they will, who do you think is going to end up being the romantic one?” Hanbin asked Bobby.

“It would have to be Jinhwan, right? I can’t imagine Junhoe having a romantic side? You’re his best friend, you’d know if he even has one at all.” Bobby replied, amused at the idea. While Jinhwan enjoyed romantic movies, he wasn’t really certain if he could see him actually being romantic with a partner? It was a weird idea to contemplate.

“This might seem weird to you, but Junhoe’s favourite types of movies are romantic dramas.” It still surprised Hanbin sometimes.

“Seriously?” Bobby couldn’t help but laugh, having a hard time picturing it. “Actually, it’s the same for Jinhwan.”

Hanbin squeezed Bobby’s arm. “See! They are a perfect match!” Hanbin laughed, trying to picture them watching a drama together. “Does Jinan cry when he watches them?”

“I don’t know, does Junhoe?”

“I refuse to say!” Hanbin replied, laughing when Bobby leaned his chin on top of his head.

“I honestly can’t imagine Junhoe being romantic at all, but to tell you the truth, I actually wasn’t before I met you either.”

Hanbin snorted at the comment. “You’re romantic now?” He twisted to look at him again, grinning when Bobby pouted at him.

“I just mean that, well, I never would have even done this before,” Bobby replied, “I was pretty hands off with guys I dated. Getting me to do anything in public was like pulling teeth.”

Hanbin looked at him in surprise for a moment before smiling softly at him. “So, what you’re saying is that you caved to me?”

Bobby smiled back at him. “Don’t tell anyone, but yeah, I guess I kind of did.”

Hanbin settled back against Bobby again, a content smile on his face that only got wider when Bobby’s arms tightened around him. Knowing that Bobby had softened his public persona around him made Hanbin feel even more affection for him. He was glad the other two weren’t here to see his face right now, because he probably looked like a total dork. That was fine, though. It was nice to know that Bobby liked him so much that he was willing to change how he normally acted, just because Hanbin liked being affectionate.

Jinhwan had picked seats two rows up from the floor, happy for the convenient excuse of Junhoe. He’d tried to sit as far out of Eric’s line of sight as possible, not exactly keen on being seen. He didn’t know why he was so concerned anyway. It was perfectly normal to be curious about new opponents. It would be stupid of him not to watch Jimin. He didn’t have to sneak around.

Jimin was going to be fighting a guy that Jinhwan recognized. They’d moved up through the belt ranks at the same speed, but he hadn’t fought the guy since they were greens. It would be interesting to see how the match went.

“So why are you really so interested in this guy anyway? What makes him special?” Junhoe asked once they were seated, curious because as much as he appreciated Jinhwan’s help earlier, he wasn’t exactly sure that he believed that Jinhwan was here just to help him further.

“Just curious about him. I’ve actually never heard his name before, and the fact that he’s here must mean that he’s good.” No point in telling Junhoe that he’d overheard the conversation.

“I wonder why we’ve never heard of him? Think he moved recently?”

“Probably. That would make sense. If he just got promoted from blue, I’m sure you’d recognize him at least.” Jinhwan explained, and he wondered then where Jimin had moved from. Somewhere out of the country, obviously.

“When did you get promoted to purple, anyway?” Junhoe was surprised that he hadn’t asked until now. But it was a little weird that he hadn’t known who Jinhwan was until their first meeting. Surely they should have met at blue belt at some point?

“It’ll be two years in November,” Jinhwan answered, and he couldn’t help but laugh at the look of surprise on Junhoe’s face. “What? Why are you surprised?”

Junhoe shook his head, a little embarrassed to be called out. “Sorry, I just didn’t realize you’d been purple for so long, but it makes sense I guess. I was just wondering why we hadn’t fought at blue belt, but I guess that answers my question.”

“Why, when did you get your purple?” Jinhwan asked, because Junhoe did have a point. They should have met before, shouldn’t they?

“Just in June of this year.”

Jinhwan smiled at his answer. “Ah, you’re a little baby purple, then! No wonder I kicked your ass.” Jinhwan couldn’t help but tease, and when Junhoe just grinned and laughed back at him he sidled up closer to him. “You fought very bravely though, you did good!”

Junhoe grinned and shoved him away. “Oh shut up, hyung! I actually feel better about our fights, well, the second fight, anyway. I kinda made it easy for you in our first fight.” Junhoe did feel surprisingly better knowing that Jinhwan had been at purple almost a year and a half longer than him.

“Yeah you kicked your own ass in the first fight.” Jinhwan agreed, smiling now when he thought back on it. “You definitely fought smarter in the second match, but my vast experience countered your youthful exuberance.” Jinhwan grinned when Junhoe rolled his eyes at his remark.

“If you keep talking like that, I’m gonna go sit with Hanbin and Bobby again.” They both laughed at his comment. “So, hyung, you must be close to going for your brown belt then, huh?” Not that there was a strict timeline of belt advancement in the sport, but Jinhwan had been a purple for long enough to be granted the opportunity to advance.

Jinhwan nodded. “Youngbae, my trainer, said he was going to gauge my performance at this tournament to see whether or not he’d approve me to start prepping for the test. I want to, but you know, between that and my trumper testing, and just school in general… I don’t like thinking about it. Like I’m confident, and I’m sure I’ll do well, but it’s kind of nice to have a reputation built up? Like I know when guys come here and they see my name, a lot of them know who I am. When I go up to brown, I’m going to be back down at the bottom again. Not sure if my confidence can take that right now.” Jinhwan grinned and was almost surprised to hear himself say it all out loud.

“I get that,” Junhoe replied, “I was so nervous for my first fight at purple. Thankfully I’ve done well so far, honestly better than I expected to. But then I fought you, and my pride took a massive hit. I guess when I think about it, losing to you was probably a good thing? Reminded me not to be cocky.” Junhoe felt weird saying it around Jinhwan, because he didn’t often admit to this sort of thing. It was hard enough to say it to Hanbin. It was probably different with Jinhwan because he understood it better. Sure, Hanbin had his boxing, but that was different.

Jinhwan smiled when he heard the admission from Junhoe. “Yeah, well, you didn’t hear this from me, but that second fight made me remember not to be cocky too. I didn’t take you seriously, and you did really well. You’ve improved from then already, so I think you’re on the right path.”

“Thanks, hyung.” Junhoe was a little surprised to hear the praise, but it was nice. Felt good to hear it from someone who’d been his rival a month ago.

Jinhwan turned his attention back to the competitors, who were just now shaking hands. “Oh, match is about to start! I’m interested to see Jimin’s opponent too, Yungmin? I haven’t fought him since we were both green belts! It’s always interesting to keep tabs on guys you came up with.”

“Hoping that he won’t be as good as you?” Junhoe teased, and Jinhwan laughed.

“Ah, you know me so well already!” They didn’t talk after the comment, watching in silence as the fighters took their spots and waited for the cue to start.

Jinhwan couldn’t help but look for similarities between himself and Jimin. Of course they were both short, averaging smaller than the other competitors. Jimin didn’t come across as intense as Jinhwan thought he did, though, instead opting to smile while he waited to begin the fight. Jinhwan tried not to be irritated by it, but he couldn’t help but feel annoyed.

When they finally began with each other it was Jimin who went for a takedown first, but Yungmin managed to reverse him on the mat and attain a guard position from the back. Jimin fought patiently, though, building opportunities out of Yungmin’s errors. Twice he managed to convert Yungmin’s attempts at submissions into different holds for himself, and Jinhwan hated to admit it, but Jimin did fight very intelligently.

His style screamed Eric, something that Jinhwan picked up on easily. They had that much in common already. Jimin was a better fighter than Jinhwan had been hoping he’d be, and he could see why maybe he’d begun getting a bit of a reputation.

Junhoe watched him with interest as well, concerned already when he saw how quick Jimin was to reverse moves and slip out of holds. It reminded him a lot of fighting Jinhwan, actually. When the first round ended Junhoe looked at him and shook his head.

“He reminds me of you,” Junhoe said, “you guys fight the same.”

Jinhwan frowned, because that was the last thing he wanted to hear, even though he could see it himself. “You think so?” He asked, feeling sulky as he watched Jimin get a brief shoulder rub from Eric.

“Yeah, you’re both good at getting out of positions.” Junhoe wasn’t aware of Jinhwan’s behaviour towards the comparison, his eyes also on Jimin and Eric.

“Think he’s as good as me?” Jinhwan asked, trying not to sound as bothered as he felt.

“Hard to say, cause it’s only been one round,” Junhoe answered honestly, “but I think you’re more dominant? He didn’t dominate Yungmin as much this round. I mean okay he got more points and he’s obviously a better fighter, but he didn’t push as hard as you did, I don’t think?”

Jinhwan felt a little placated at Junhoe’s observations. Okay, sure it was a little petty, but hearing that Junhoe thought he’d fought better made him feel better. “Thanks, Junhoe-ya!”

“Like, you didn’t hear this from me, but you’re a little intimidating on the mat, even though you are small,” Junhoe grinned when Jinhwan grumbled at him, “but this guy’s not intimidating at all. Looks like the kind of guy who’d offer to do your homework just so you quit teasing him.”

Jinhwan laughed at Junhoe’s description. It was oddly accurate. “You’ve got a good way with words.”

“You say that like it’s the only thing I have!” Junhoe replied, pretending offense.

“Well, I mean, you do have your looks, but apart from that not much else, right?” Junhoe laughed at his comment, and Jinhwan was left feeling weirdly content. He never would have expected that he and Junhoe would fall into such easy conversation so quickly, but maybe Junhoe just wanted another friend more than any of them realized? Whatever it was, Jinhwan was happy for it. As much as he liked having Bobby come to his matches, it was nice to have someone else who truly understood the sport to pass the time with.

They watched the second round, critical eyes taking in everything as Jimin finished off Yungmin with a guillotine choke. Jinhwan was impressed, but not as impressed as he’d anticipated being. Jimin was good, for sure. Maybe even great.

But genius?

Definitely not.

“I thought you said Seiyeon was supposed to come today?”

Jinhwan looked back at Bobby, surprised it had taken him this long to ask. “Yeah, she was supposed to make it for today but something came up. She’s coming tomorrow, though! Booked her flight already.”

“Sorry she couldn’t make it, it would have been a good day for her!” Bobby replied, “you dominated all of your matches today. Almost like you were trying to impress someone.” Bobby teased him, and Jinhwan shoved him into the wall.

“Yeah, well, listen speaking of that, I kinda need you to make yourself scarce for a bit.”

Bobby looked at him with suspicious eyes. “Oh? What for?”

Jinhwan just smiled back at him. “Very personal conversation that I need to have,” he replied secretively, “I’m sure you won’t mind spending more time with Hanbin, right?”

“Ah, I don’t know, Jinan, I’ve been with him all day, kinda need a break?”

“Excuse me, I can hear you!” Hanbin spoke up from his seat on the ground next to Junhoe.

“See what I mean? It’s like a little puppy that won’t get out from under my feet.” Bobby teased, moving out of the way as Hanbin tried to kick him.

“I hope he bites your ankles!” Jinhwan replied, laughing when Hanbin crawled over to Bobby, branding his teeth and snapping at Bobby’s legs. They all laughed and Hanbin stuck his tongue out, panting at Bobby.

“Okay, I’m sorry! Go sit over there and be a good boy!” Bobby played along, patting Hanbin’s head.

Jinhwan couldn’t resist making a jab. “Wow, didn’t expect you guys to be this kinky!”

Bobby groaned and frowned at him. “Why do you always have to ruin everything?”

Jinhwan grinned and winked at him before looking at Hanbin. “What are you guys planning for the night anyway? We didn’t really talk about what we were going to do.”

“We’re meeting up with Donghyuk at a ramen place in Hongdae. We’ll bring Bobby with us, I guess, if we have to.” Hanbin grinned and looked up at his boyfriend, smiling sweetly at him before looking back at Jinhwan. “How long are you going to be? You wanna come join after?”

Jinhwan didn’t want to commit for sure, because he didn’t know how long he’d be. “I’ll call you guys when I’m done and see where you are. Be good to your hyung!” He teased them all before heading back into the building, looking for Eric.

There was the pressing matter of California to talk about, but Jinhwan was sure something more would come up. He carried his duffel bag with him into the bathroom, changing out of his gi and back into jeans and a t-shirt. He hadn’t bothered to bring anything especially nice, and he was glad for it now. Dressing up would have just made him feel awkward.

He pulled his phone out, reading a new message.

‘Just having a team debrief, be ready for you in fifteen?’

He’d sent it almost ten minutes ago now, so that only gave Jinhwan maybe five minutes to prepare himself. He sat down in the hall, his back to a row of lockers as he waited.

The day had been a weird seesaw of back and forth, emotional highs and lows. While he’d told himself that this talk needed to focus on information about moving to the US eventually, he’d be fooling himself if he wasn’t preparing to talk about things he wasn’t sure he was ready to talk about. Eric had always had a way of making him talk, figuring out how to weasel information out of him no matter how deeply buried it was.

Did he want to talk about personal things? Would it be a good idea?

No. Best not to open that can of worms. He hadn’t been honest with Eric at the time, there was no point in being honest now. Nothing good would come of it. Best to move on and stay moved on.

Provided he could, of course, and based on today’s flip flop feelings? He wasn’t sure if it would be possible for him. Maybe this whole thing was a mistake. Could he cancel? Come up with some reason why he had to postpone their talk? He just wasn’t ready, not for one-on-one. Why hadn’t he asked Youngbae to stay with him? That would have made sense, right? Not that he’d ever trained in the US, but he was experienced in the sport, older than Eric, maybe he’d have different insights?

But just as Jinhwan had his phone out, ready to write an apology over text message, there were voices at the end of the hall. He looked up and felt his heart leap up into his throat.

“Alright guys, head back to the hotel and shower up, get some food. I’ll be back later and we’ll go out for a bit, alright? Insung, if anyone gets into shit before I get back, your ass is on the line.”

Jinhwan watched as Eric gave a final chat to his fighters, remembering when he’d been a part of that group at one point in time.

“Ah, hyung, how long will you be? Should we wait until you’re back to get food? I feel weird eating without you!”

Jinhwan’s eyes narrowed at the voice, unable to stop the knee jerk emotional reaction.

“Ah, Jimin-ie! Just get food, you’ll be fine!” Eric laughed.

“Hyung, you should be taking us out for dinner, you know! It’s not right, going off and leaving us to fend for ourselves.”

Jinhwan watched it all with a growing sense of irritation. God, how could Eric stand him? How old was this kid? Why was he so clingy?

“I’m your trainer, Jimin, not your babysitter! Go cling to Insung, he loves it.” Eric playfully pushed him away.

“The fuck he will!” Insung grinned and pushed Jimin towards Changwook, who finally welcomed him with open arms.

“Ah, Jimin hyung, we’ll be fine! Think of it this way, if hyung comes with us, he’ll be picky about what we eat! This way we can have whatever we want!”

“You take pictures of your dinner and send them to me!” Eric teased them. “No one eat until I text you back with the all clear.” With that he waited for them to leave, and Jinhwan watched as Jimin turned around to wave pathetically to Eric. Jinhwan was annoyed when Eric waved back, couldn’t believe he was playing into such childish behaviour. It was embarrassing, and it just made him dislike Jimin even more.

But then Eric finally turned around, and Jinhwan couldn’t even bring himself to get up as he walked closer.

Focus on California. That’s the only thing you need to talk about. Just talk about California. Talk about your upcoming test for brown belt. Talk about jiu jitsu. Don’t talk about anything else.

“Hey, kiddo! Wanna go grab some food?”

Jinhwan smiled back and nodded, stuck his hand up and waited for Eric to come over and take it, waited to be pulled up from the floor.

He was fucked.

'i'm heeeere!! just parking now, where are you?'

'im coming!!!!!'

Jinhwan jumped up from his seat in excitement. “Seiyeon's here finally, I'm gonna go get her! Be back in a bit!”

The other three watched as he ran down the steps, in a rush to go find his sister.

“He seems excited,” Hanbin mentioned, amused at how quickly Jinhwan ran off to go and find her. He was the only one so far that had yet to meet Jinwhan's sister and he was curious to see what she would be like. Junhoe had liked her after meeting her, quick to compare her to Yejin.

Bobby had been wondering if Jinhwan was going to explain the situation with his family to them, but after saying nothing about it, Bobby decided to tell them at least a bit himself. “I didn't really want to say anything because it's not my place to tell you guys this, but this is actually the first time Seiyeon's coming to watch him fight.”

“The first time ever?” Hanbin asked, face dropping in shock.

“Yeah, actually both Seiyeon and his mom have never really supported the whole jiu jitsu thing,” Bobby explained, and he hoped Jinhwan wouldn't be mad at him later, but he thought that they deserved to know.

Junhoe thought back to their night together at the orchestra, suddenly making sense of Jinhwan's odd request. “I forgot to ask you about it, but when I met them, Jinhwan asked me not to say anything about jiu jitsu. Made me follow some story about being friends from school. I never got around to asking him why, but this makes sense.”

Bobby frowned at the comment. Typical Jinhwan, he thought to himself in disappointment, asking for a favour but not giving the full explanation. “Yeah, I don't know the whole story, because he's never told me even though I keep asking, but his mom has always ignored everything to do with the sport ever since he started. He used to try to get her interested, but she never budged, so he just gave up. Seiyeon never wanted to hear about it either, but I guess she changed her mind recently. That's why he didn't want you to bring it up.” Bobby told Junhoe.

“Are you serious?” Hanbin asked, still surprised and growing upset at the news. “That's bullshit, his mom should be supporting him!”

“I know, I try to talk to him about it, but he brushes it off and tells me not to worry. But anyway, guys it's a huge deal that Seiyeon's finally coming. So can you make sure you're extra nice to her? I don't want her to feel weird about coming. I want her to enjoy herself and have a fun day, maybe she'll keep coming.” Bobby looked pleadingly between them.

Junhoe felt conflicted, though, still thinking about that night. “His mom was so nice when I met her, though,” he said, “she was really welcoming. And he seemed so happy to be with her, he was excited the whole night.” Junhoe couldn't imagine his parents not supporting him to that degree in something he loved. How could you still smile and happily exist around someone who didn't support your passion?

“That relationship's kinda weird,” Bobby said, “when it comes to music, his mom is honestly the most supportive person in the world and they're super close. He video calls his mom a lot so she can watch him play, he does it all the time when he's feeling frustrated. I know she loves him, she's very proud of his music, and I know he misses being away from home. I guess he just doesn't want to argue with her since he's away? If he doesn't bring it up, she can pretend it's not happening, and then he doesn't have to deal with her being upset about it. I wish I could get him to talk about it more, but he always clams up about it.”

“That's garbage,” Hanbin replied, still angry about the situation, “I feel bad for him.”

“He's okay,” Bobby answered, touched that Hanbin was so mad on Jinhwan's behalf, “he says he's over it, he doesn't care anymore.”

“That's bullshit too,” Hanbin replied, “if he didn't care anymore then why's he so excited that Seiyeon is here?”

“I know,” Bobby sighed and leaned his chin on Hanbin's shoulder, “but it's his issue, and we just have to let it go.”

Junhoe didn't say much as he listened to them talk it over. He agreed with Hanbin, but he wasn't really the sort of person to get involved in someone else's life. Everyone made their own decisions, and Junhoe wanted no part of someone else's. He usually didn't put much thought into other people's problems, anyway. With the exception of Hanbin, Junhoe preferred to not know much about other people. It was too much work caring about someone else. But still...

“So please don't say anything to her about this, okay? Just be nice and make sure she has a fun day. I like Seiyeon a lot, I want her to keep coming, I think it's good for Jinan. So when she gets here just be nice, okay?” Bobby asked, hoping they'd both try and treat Seiyeon well despite knowing what they did.

“Got it,” Hanbin replied with a grin, “I'll make sure I'm extra charming!”

“Don't be, you might scare her off!” Junhoe teased, putting the information about Jinhwan's family out of his head. It was just easier to pretend he hadn't heard anything Bobby had said. It was Jinhwan's life, after all, it didn't affect him.

“If you didn't manage to scare her away, I think I'll be fine.” Hanbin replied, and they descended into a round of traded barbs and insults as they waited.

Jinhwan was outside standing on the front steps when he finally saw her. He almost couldn't believe she was here, willingly and of her own desire. It affected him more than he'd thought it would and he had to take a deep breath to try and keep his emotions in check as he watched her approach. He almost broke when she looked up at him and their eyes met—his sister looked near tears herself.

“Jinan-ie,” Seiyeon greeted him, reaching hands out to cup his face, “look at you! Such a nice looking uniform, you look so good.” She kissed his cheek before pulling him into a hug and Jinhwan wrapped his arms tightly around her back, closing his eyes as he buried his face into her neck. Get a hold of yourself, Jinhwan!

“Thanks for coming, noona,” he said, barely keeping himself together, and when Seiyeon seemed to want to pull out of their hug Jinhwan clung tighter, not ready to let her go yet. Seiyeon kissed his cheek again and waited until he was ready.

“I'm sorry I didn't come yesterday,” Seiyeon started to explain, “I told you I'd explain in person but that can wait for later. When are you fighting?”

“In about an hour,” he answered. After finishing the top in his group yesterday, this morning saw him fighting a semi-final and if he came out victorious he'd fight in the final in the afternoon.

“Oh good, we have a bit of time then,” she said, smiling and grabbing his hand, “my flight was a little delayed so I was worried.”

He held her hand tightly, elated that she was here but also mindful of why he'd come out to meet her without anyone else around. There was something they needed to discuss, something very important that he didn't want the others to overhear.

“Before we go in, though, I need to talk to you.”

“Should I be worried?” Seiyeon teased, and Jinhwan shook his head.

“No, it's nothing to worry about, but you need to know.” He pulled her away from the steps, heading for a bench on the school's front lawn. No one was around and he wanted a degree of privacy for the conversation. “I know you might be a little upset with me for not telling you about this, but I didn't want you to worry--”

Seiyeon cut him off, almost like she'd been anticipating his topic of conversation. “Is Eric here?” Her voice was a little harder, and Jinhwan could hear the difference in her tone.

“He is.” He met her gaze for a moment, calm and collected as he gauged her reaction. “It's a national tournament, so he brought some of his students. I knew he was coming, but I didn't want you to stress about it. That's why I didn't tell you.”

Seiyeon nodded, accepting the information thought she wasn't happy about it. “Have you talked to him?”

Jinhwan nodded. “We had dinner last night.”

“Dinner? Whose idea was that?” Seiyeon asked, clearly unhappy with the news.

Jinhwan fought to stay calm, though he was tempted to brush off her concern and tell her to stop meddling in his business. But if he wanted her support, he knew he had to be mindful of her own feelings too—and while she knew part of what had happened between he and Eric, he'd kept a lot from her. He couldn't fault her for being upset. “It's not what you think, okay? It wasn't that kind of dinner--”

“Jinhwan, I'm sorry, I'm trying to be calm about this but it just makes me really uncomfortable.”

“I know, but I mean it, nothing happened--”

“I certainly hope not!” Seiyeon replied, almost yelling. She lowered her voice after realizing how loud she'd responded. “You have to understand, Jinan, this whole situation-”

“I know, okay? There's no need to discuss it.” He hoped she wasn't going to make him discuss it.

She was, though. “I just don't like the idea of him taking you out for dinner. Not when he has a wife back home.”

Jinhwan bit the inside of his cheek to keep from snapping back at her. Yes, Eric was married, but it wasn't real! But that wasn't Seiyeon's business. Some things had to stay private. Jinhwan knew the truth about everything, and that was enough. “Noona, I know it bothers you, but I mean it, the dinner was not like that. We just needed to talk about things, okay?”

“What sort of things? Relationship things?” Seiyeon snapped back, trying her best to remain calm but having a hard time of it.

“No, jiu jitsu things!” Jinhwan replied, his voice raising higher than he'd meant it to. Stay calm. Focus on the truth. “We talked about me possibly going to California. I've been putting off talking to him about it, but this was a good opportunity to get questions answered that only he can answer for me.” He paused, taking in her expression. “Seiyeon, please don't be upset about this. You're here to support me, right?” He paused again, and her expression softened a little. “Well, he's a big part of my support system, okay? Whether you like it or not. He's the reason why I'm so good, he's the reason why I want to keep fighting. Not because it's what he does but because I'm really good at it, and he trained me and believed in me and told me I could do it. For years, when no one else did.” He knew it was a huge risk, invoking her guilty conscience, but it was the truth, after all. All those years when Jinhwan could have used support from his sister, and she'd withheld it. Could she blame him for cherishing the support he'd gotten elsewhere?

“I'm sorry.” She crossed her arms and looked away, blinking tears out of her eyes that made Jinhwan feel bad.

It wasn't his fault, though. “Seiyeon, please don't cry about this, okay? I'm sorry to bring it up--”

“No, you were right to,” she interrupted, wiping at her eyes, “you're right. I wanted nothing to do with this part of your life, so I can't be mad. It's just hard, because I just think about how upset you were when he broke up with you. I remember finding you crying in your room, it was heartbreaking and I've never forgiven him for hurting you.”

Jinhwan took a deep breath, keeping himself together and focused. He really owed her a full explanation. “I lied to you about what happened,” he told her, his voice soft, “not about everything, I mean okay the reason we broke up is the truth, but how it happened was a lie. I was upset and hurt, but it was my own fault, not his. If I'd been honest with him and told him my feelings, it would have been different. But I didn't, and instead of telling him how hurt I was, I just kept it to myself. I lied to you because I wanted someone to feel bad for me, and I didn't think about how you would feel. I'm sorry.”

Seiyeon shook her head, sighing out loud and wiping her eyes again. “Jinan--”

“I'm sorry, okay? I really am. I acted in a selfish way, and I didn't think about what it would do in the long run. I just wanted you to be upset for me in that moment. I should have told you the truth.”

She didn't answer right away, and for a moment they were caught in silence, neither knowing what to say. Eventually Seiyeon broke the silence.

“Just answer me one thing, Jinan.” Their eyes met again, and Seiyeon took his hand again. “Do you miss him?”

Jinhwan didn't hesitate before answering. “Of course I miss him. All the time.” It was true, and after their talk last night he felt better about the whole thing. “But I realized something after we talked last night. I miss him, but I don't actually want to be with him again. Does that make sense? Like I miss when we were together, but I wouldn't go back with him, if I could. Things are too different now, I don't think it would work. But I still miss him. I probably always will.”

Seiyeon nodded, understanding written on her face. “Sounds like dad.”

Jinhwan was surprised at the comparison, but it kind of made sense. There was one big exception, though. “It is like that, but Eric was good for me, at least. Not like dad.”

Seiyeon took a deep breath and blew it out loudly, closing her eyes momentarily before looking back at him. “If you say so, then okay. I'll accept it, and I won't hold anything against him. I'll trust you. I guess it's just hard sometimes, to remember that you're growing up and you're not my baby anymore. You're almost an adult now. I have to trust that you know what's best for yourself. I'm sorry I haven't been doing that. I should have.”

“Ah, noona, I probably don't always know what's best for me!” He joked, before leaning in to hug her. She laughed and hugged him back and Jinhwan felt like the entire world had been lifted off his shoulders. That had been the heaviest conversation they'd had in a long time and he'd managed to come out of it with exactly the response he'd wanted. He was grateful to his sister for listening to him and trusting him, and he knew that he had a lot of work ahead of him in order to prove that he'd earned that trust.

“Ah, you're smart, Jinan-ie! But I'll still be here to call you on any stupid decisions you make.” She ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek and Jinhwan grinned back at her.

“Good, I'll be counting on you! We should head inside now, though, the guys are probably wondering what's taking so long.”

“Who's here with you? I thought you usually just came with Bobby?”

“Usually, but I have a bigger group, now. Bobby, Hanbin, and Junhoe--”

Seiyeon's eyes went wide at the last name. “Junhoe from the concert?”

Jinhwan's expression dropped when he realized he'd never told her the truth about him. “Ah yeah, that Junhoe. Listen, um, about him...”

Seiyeon's expression turned annoyed and she smacked his arm. “You little liar! Let me guess—he's not a school friend, is he?”

Jinhwan couldn't help but grin in response to her irritated reaction. He didn't even have to say it out loud for Seiyeon to know when he was obviously lying to her. “No, he's not. We actually met last month at a tournament.”

Seiyeon sighed loudly. “I can't believe you lied about that! Why wouldn't you tell me the truth?”

“Because I thought mom would flip out if she knew he was a jiu jitsu friend!” Jinhwan replied, and he knew she'd understand that train of thought at least.

Seiyeon nodded at the comment. “Well, I can't fault you for that. But still, you could have told me!”

“I know, I'm sorry! It just slipped my mind. It's actually kind of a funny story. We fought each other and we both immediately hated each other. I was here with Bobby, and Junhoe was here with Hanbin, that's his best friend. To make a long story short, Bobby and Hanbin met each other when they were buying us drinks, and now they're dating.”

Seiyeon laughed at the story. “Ah, teenage drama! And what about you and Junhoe?”

“What about us?” Jinhwan asked.

Seiyeon frowned at his answer. “Oh, is he straight?”

Jinhwan grinned and shook his head. “No, he's gay too! But nothing is going on, okay? We've barely been friends for a few weeks, we're not dating.”

Seiyeon grinned back and took up a teasing tone. “Well, he's very attractive, so don't turn your back on that opportunity!”

“Noona!” Jinhwan groaned. “Don't tease him, okay? He's actually very sensitive, so he might get upset if you tease him too much.”

Seiyeon sighed again and shook her head. “Ah, forget what I said then. If he can't handle being teased then he'd probably be a terrible boyfriend for you!”

Jinhwan laughed at her comment. She had a point. “Oh one last thing, actually. If Eric comes up in conversation, can you not say anything about the fact that we dated? Because no one else knows about that. I didn't even tell Bobby.”

“You didn't even tell Bobby?” Seiyeon repeated, her tone one of disbelief. “Your best friend? Why not?”

“Ah it just wasn't a good idea, you know the whole trainer thing? Could have gotten us in trouble.”

“I understand why you wouldn't tell other people, but Bobby? That's just surprising, I thought you told Bobby everything.”

Jinhwan shrugged. “It was just easier not saying anything. So promise you won't say anything about it?”

Seiyeon nodded. “I promise, not a word!”

“Thanks, noona! I appreciate it.” Jinhwan hugged her one last time before getting up. “Okay, let's go!” Seiyeon took his hand again as they made their way inside and Jinhwan happily held it, beaming as he made his way back to his friends. She was here finally, everything else today was a bonus.

Bobby was watching for them, concern growing slightly when it took a while for them to come in. It was probably nothing, he told himself. Probably just Jinhwan being an emotional sap with his sister and not wanting anyone to see. Bobby wouldn't put it past him. Hanbin and Junhoe were still trading insults and Bobby was impressed at how long they were able to keep it up. He thought it was cute. Hanbin almost seemed younger when Junhoe was around, he was more of a dork. Bobby liked seeing his dorky side.

It was weird, though, because sometimes Hanbin did things that Bobby would have judged past boyfriends for, would have teased them for, even. But everything Hanbin did was cute in his eyes. So Hanbin was a good distraction while he waited for Jinhwan to come back; Bobby laughed along with them and couldn't help but appreciate how well the four of them were working out. Whatever did or didn't end up happening with Junhoe and Jinhwan had better not mess anything up for their group.

Bobby was the first to spot Jinhwan and felt all the tension he'd been holding onto slip away at the happy looks on the siblings' faces. He squeezed Hanbin's arm to get his attention. “Okay, they're here! Be nice, guys.”

Hanbin sat up excitedly, watching as Jinhwan climbed the stairs back up to them, his sister following behind him. He could see their family resemblance already. Jinhwan looked so happy to be here with her that it made Hanbin forget about what Bobby had told them earlier.

“Hey, noona!” Bobby called out, standing up to greet Seiyeon. “You look beautiful today!”

“I look beautiful every day, Jiwon-ah!” Seiyeon replied, pulling him into a hug.

Bobby laughed at her response. “Ah, of course you do!”

Seiyeon pulled back and looked down at Hanbin quickly before looking back at Bobby. “Is this the new boyfriend?”

Bobby grinned and looked at Hanbin quickly. “Yeah, this is Hanbin!”

Hanbin stood up and bowed quickly before addressing her. “It's nice to meet you, Seiyeon-sshi!”

“Oh don't be so formal!” Seiyeon replied, smiling at him. “If you're friends with Jinan-ie and dating Jiwon, then you're pretty much family already!” She pulled him into a hug too, and Hanbin happily hugged her back. She held him at arm's length for a moment after their hug before looking back at her brother. “Ah Jinan, you have such pretty friends now!”

“Hey! What do you mean, now?” Bobby exclaimed, frowning at her.

“Jiwon, you're a sweet boy and that's all that matters.” Seiyeon teased. “It says a lot about your personality to nab such a cute boyfriend!” She winked at Hanbin, who blushed at her comment.

“Ah, noona, I'm not that much better looking than Bobby!” Hanbin replied, playing coy.

Seiyeon didn't buy it, though. “Don't be modest, I'm sure you own a mirror! Speaking of pretty friends, though, I see you, Junhoe-ya!”

Junhoe grinned at the exchange. “Hey, noona!” He greeted her warmly, standing up to accept a hug as well.

“Jinhwan told me he lied about how you actually know each other,” she said, grinning when Junhoe laughed, “so it's nice to meet the real you! Are you fighting too today?”

“Yeah, I'm in the other semi-final, actually!” Junhoe replied, grinning at Jinhwan. “So we might be fighting later.”

“If we do he'll be losing,” Jinhwan replied, “I beat him twice already.”

“I let you win!” Junhoe joked back. “I like to lose every now and then to fabricate an illusion of modesty.” He said to Seiyeon, who laughed.

“Ah, cute and a good sense of humour! If only you were ten years older and straight!” Seiyeon teased, grinning when Junhoe blushed.

“Noona!” Jinhwan whined, “you promised!”

Seiyeon just patted his cheek. “I know what I promised, and it was something different!” They took seats then, chatting for a bit before Jinhwan had to head down to prepare for his fight. He was actually a little nervous about the match, because while he was familiar with his opponent, Ha Siwon, he'd never fought him before. Siwon had a good five inches on Jinhwan, at least thirty pounds, and no less than five years. It wasn't the first time he'd fought someone much bigger than he was, but Siwon's body type was of a stronger build than Jinhwan had ever fought before. Siwon also boasted a rather stellar record, much like Jinhwan.

He knew he could beat Siwon—he had the skill. But sometimes skill alone wasn't enough.

He was sitting with Youngbae, discussing tactics and potential moves he could try. They'd watched all of Siwon's matches together the day before, looking for weaknesses Jinhwan could exploit. He couldn't afford to make any mistakes in this match, especially not with Seiyeon watching. He wanted her to be impressed, and nothing would be more impressive than a victory against someone of Siwon's size.

Jinhwan got to his feet when it was finally time to take the mat. Youngbae stood up with him, one final shoulder rub while Jinhwan started shaking his limbs out in preparation for the fight. “You've got this guy, Jinhwan. Just follow our game place, feel him out for the first round. Let him advance on you, just worry about getting a feel for him and how powerful he is. Don't worry about actually going for any big moves until the second round.” Jinhwan nodded, knowing that it was the smart approach. “This match will be a really good test for you. If you pass this one, then we'll start looking at setting up a test for your brown belt.”

Jinhwan snorted at Youngbae's comment, turning to playfully glare at his trainer. “Wow, hyung! Way to pile the pressure on.”

Youngbae grinned back and patted his head. “You want to win, don't you?”

Jinhwan laughed as he looked back out at the mat, his eyes falling on Siwon. He could handle this. It's not like Youngbae wouldn't let him test for the brown if he lost. The important thing wasn't really the victory but how he fought. Some victories were earned, while others were lucky. Youngbae would consider a well fought loss to be a better result than a lucky victory. Anyone could capitalize on a mistake. Jinhwan didn't want to make a mistake.

When he stepped out to take up his spot his eyes fell across Eric, who was sitting near to watch. Jimin was there next to Eric, of course, but Eric's eyes were focused on Jinhwan, and as soon as he noticed Jinhwan's attention Eric smiled at him and shot him a quick thumbs ups. Jinhwan smiled back, feeling buoyed by Eric's presence.

He thought about their conversation the night before and felt a warm surge of confidence flood through his limbs, bolstered by the memory of what they'd talked about. All of Jinhwan's concerns from the day before, insecurities dredged up by that overheard conversation, those had all been put to rest after their talk.

“Hey, what's your problem, huh? Why are you suddenly giving me short little one word answers?” Eric asked, confused eyes on Jinhwan's face.

“Nothing.” Jinhwan answered with a shrug, realizing too late that he was being every bit as obvious as Eric had called him out over. He couldn't pretend that nothing was wrong if he kept acting like something was.

Eric was well-versed when it came to Jinhwan hiding things, though. “Come on, out with it! I can tell when something is bothering you. You know you'll feel better once you get it over with.”

God, Eric could be so infuriating! Acting like he knew it all (even if he did know it all). It was the same thing every time. But it usually did help, though, when he talked. Should he ask and get it over with? Would Eric laugh at him for being petty? Or worse—would he confirm Jinhwan's fears and admit he'd been telling the truth?

“If I guess right, will you tell you me what's bugging you?” Eric playfully asked, and Jinhwan hated how much it made him remember. So many of their conversations in the past had started this way, Jinhwan afraid to express his concerns and worries, and Eric always able to pry them out of him.

Fine. He'd play along. For old time's sake. “Take a guess, then.”

“It's Jimin, isn't it?”

Fuck. How was Eric always so good at this?

“Don't think I didn't notice you coming to watch every single one of his matches. You took quite the interest in him.”

Jinhwan shrugged and hoped his face wouldn't give it all away. “Well, I've never seen him before, never even heard his name. Of course I was interested.”

“Why, because he trains with me? You didn't care that much about the others. But you watched every single one of Jimin's fights, from close, too. Are you worried about him?”

“Why would I be worried about him?” Jinhwan asked, and he knew from Eric's grin that he'd sounded every bit as defensive as he hadn't wanted to.

“I don't know, Jinan, you tell me.”

Jinhwan let out an annoyed huff of breath. How did Eric always manage to talk him into letting his secrets out? Every time. “I, uh, overheard you talking about him this morning.” He was embarrassed to be admitting to this already.

Eric's expression softened though, and he looked thoughtful. “What did you hear?”

Jinhwan pouted and tapped his chopsticks against his plate, already feeling like a whiny kid for even bringing it up. “It was when you first got to the venue, I was in the bathroom and I heard your voice. Someone was asking you about your new genius student.”

“Ah, of course. Did you hear the whole thing?” Jinhwan nodded, and he felt like he was fifteen again, moping quietly while Eric talked him through every problem he was having—family problems, school problems.

He briefly looked up at Eric, their eyes meeting. “Do you really think he's better than me?” Jinhwan hated himself for asking, hated that he actually cared about the answer.

Eric's expression was hard to read. “No, of course not. He's really good, definitely my best student right now, but he's not at your level.” They stared at each other in silence for a moment before Eric smiled softly at him. “You can't really be surprised that I said it in front of him, can you? Unless you expected me to tell him that he's not as good as you?”

Jinhwan flushed and looked away, embarrassed shame colouring his cheeks, because wow, he actually had expected Eric to tell Jimin that he wasn't as good as Jinhwan, hadn't he?

“Ah, Jinan! I'd be disappointed in you if it wasn't so cute.” Eric chided him, reaching out to pat Jinhwan's hand.

Jinhwan laughed at himself, hating how childish he'd sounded. But he couldn't hide how he felt, and honestly this had nothing to do with their relationship. Eric was more to him than just his ex-boyfriend, and when it came to jiu jitsu Eric's opinion would always matter to Jinhwan. “Okay, but how do I know you're being honest now? What if you really do think Jimin is better than me?”

Eric's expression was serious now. “You saw him fight today. Do you think he's better than you?”

Jinhwan thought about it seriously, recalled what he'd watched. Jimin was an excellent fighter, absolutely. But was he at Jinhwan's level? Was he that good?

“No. I think I'm better than Jimin.”

Eric smiled softly at his answer. “Then why do you care so much about what I think?”

The question sobered Jinhwan up in a way he hadn't expected, because it wasn't something he'd expected Eric to ask him outright. He didn't have an answer because he wasn't ready to admit it to Eric. Couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

“Do we have to play the guessing game again?” Eric asked him, and Jinhwan frowned and shook his head. This was one secret he wasn't going to let Eric pry out of him, no matter how hard he tried. “I kept wondering why you keep avoiding me all the time, Jinan. I asked you if you wanted to keep in touch or if you needed some distance, and you promised me you were okay with it. You promised it didn't hurt, remember?”

Of course he remembered. He thought he'd done a convincing job at the time. Was he betraying himself now?

“You lied about that, didn't you?”

Jinhwan didn't answer. But he didn't have to. Eric had him figured out, and he couldn't even deny it. It was true.

Eric sighed and rubbed his fingers across his face. “Ah, Jinan. I wish you'd been honest with me about your feelings. I was always so good at reading you, but I was so focused on my own problems. I should have seen it, though, I don't know how I missed it. I'm sorry.”

Jinhwan wanted to dispute him, wanted to tell him no, that he never should have figured it out. Wanted to apologize for not hiding it better. It was pointless anyway, because the relationship had grown into something it was never supposed to be. Neither of them had meant to fall in love. That hadn't been the point. Love is what made the whole thing end. It would have been better if Eric had never figured him out.

“I'm sorry too.” Sorry about so many things.

It was funny, though, how admitting to something you'd desperately been trying to hide ended up making a big difference anyway. He felt a better resolution about things after last night. Maybe he still didn't have exactly the kind of closure he wanted, but it was something, an acknowledgement of what might have been had their situations been different. It was enough to clear the cloud of bitter regret that gripped his chest every time he heard Eric's name.

And Jimin? Jinhwan wasn't particularly interested in Jimin anymore. He was just another student with a fancy nickname, nothing more. He'd beat Jimin later if he faced him. Jimin still had to get through Junhoe, after all. Regardless of who won that fight, Jinhwan was confident that he'd be the one victorious at the very end.

He just had to get through Siwon first.

He took his place in the centre of the mat, bowing when Siwon joined him. They shook hands as well, and Jinhwan felt an odd calmness when Siwon addressed him, no trace of the usual pre-fight arrogance.

“Kim Jinhwan-sshi, you and I finally meet!” Siwon said with a touch of mirth.

Jinhwan grinned back at him. “Ah, I feel like hyung has been avoiding me these past two years!”

Siwon actually laughed at that, and it made Jinhwan feel a little less nervous. “I was thinking the same! Thought maybe you were waiting to grow a few inches.”

They grinned at each other, and unlike other matches, Jinhwan didn't feel annoyed by the joke. Maybe he was finally maturing a little?

“I gave up on that dream years ago, hyung!” Jinhwan replied, and Siwon laughed. The official called for their match to start then, and they clasped hands again before wishing each other a good fight. Jinhwan felt calmer now than he'd felt all weekend.

His eyes briefly found Eric again, and the little nod Eric gave him had him feeling a renewed sense of confidence. Eric knew he could do it, Youngbae believed he could win, and Seiyeon was finally here watching him.

Siwon didn't stand a chance.

The matched started quickly with Siwon on the attack and Jinhwan patiently fending him off, getting a feel for him. They went through one round without much action, a few mounts here and there, a few half-hearted attempts at submissions that were easily slipped out of. They were both fighting cautiously, showing one another a great deal of respect. It wouldn't last, of course. By the end of the round Siwon was up on points, which was fine by Jinhwan. He'd learned what he needed to learn about Siwon. He wasn't planning on letting this fight end on a decision.

Before the second round started Jinhwan looked up into the stands, waving to Seiyeon. She was beaming back at him, and the pride in her expression gave him an extra boost. She'd finally come to watch him fight, and she was going to watch him win.

He took Siwon by surprise at the start of the second round, twisting inside his grip and going for an attempt at gaining Siwon's back. He held it long enough to get the first points of the second round before Siwon managed to flip him over his back and down to the mat. But Jinhwan was ready and twisted himself to wrap his legs around Siwon's back, gaining himself an open guard. He gripped Siwon's lapel, debating if he should go for a spider guard. But Siwon blocked him, driving an elbow down into Jinhwan's thigh.

Jinhwan didn't release the guard though, instead locking his heels around Siwon's back and curling his fingers in the fabric of the lapel. He was looking to try something a little crazy, confident he could pull it off based on Siwon's fighting so far. He was just trying to get him in the position he wanted.

When Jinhwan refused to unlock his heels Siwon stood up to try a stack pass, and that was exactly what Jinhwan had been hoping for. He waited until Siwon was nearly upright before dropping his legs from around Siwon's waist, barely touching toes to the floor before hopping up again and wrapping one leg around Siwon's front, sandwiching Siwon's left arm in between Jinhwan's arm and leg, while he swung his other leg up and around Siwon's back, following his right arm as it hooked around Siwon's neck.

The momentum of his jump carried through his body and he reached down with his left arm, hooking it around the back of Siwon's left knee, dragging him down with all of his weight dangling off of that shoulder. Siwon flipped over top of him and Jinhwan tucked himself in underneath, rolling their combined weight across his shoulders on the mat. As soon as they landed the roll he brought his right leg up and tucked it behind his other ankle, locking his legs in place while he wrapped his fingers back in Siwon's lapel and tugged hard to complete the bow and arrow choke.

Siwon tapped out and Jinhwan released it immediately, rolling to his feet and jumping up in victory, spinning on his heel to find his sister's face in the crowd. Seiyeon was on her feet, jumping in excitement and shaking Bobby's arm. Jinhwan waved at her and she looked so proud of him that he had to look away before it made him cry. He gave his attention to Youngbae next, who was on his feet and looking extremely pleased. They'd discussed the potential of the flying bow and arrow choke, but Jinhwan couldn't believe he'd pulled it off so perfectly. He accepted a hug from his trainer before turning to meet Siwon, who was back up on his feet.

“Guess you don't need those extra inches after all, do you?” Siwon said, and Jinhwan grinned back at him.

“I guess not! Thank you for the great fight, hyung!” They shared a brief hug before pulling apart and heading back to their teams. Jinhwan was elated. He couldn't wait to get back to Seiyeon and hear her thoughts. He climbed up into the stands, eyes on his sister the whole way. She reached out for him as soon as he got there, hands cupping his cheeks before pressing a kiss to his forehead. “I'm so proud of you, you're amazing!”

Jinhwan couldn't believe how good it felt, hearing her compliment after such a long time spent chasing after it.

“When I saw how big your opponent was, Jinan, I was so worried! I thought, how on earth are you going to beat him? And then you did that flip thing? I can't believe it!”

Jinhwan grinned, amused at Seiyeon's complete bewilderment. It felt good to have put on such an impressive victory for her to witness.

“I'm so happy I got to see you like that! I mean, I should have been supporting you all along, and really it shouldn't matter even if you had lost. I can see how important this is to you. I'm sorry I haven't been here. I really am.” She looked at him with tears in her eyes and Jinhwan could feel tears filling his own eyes.

“Ah, noona, it's okay. I forgive you.” It felt like a weight was lifted from his shoulders after saying it. He had her now, she wasn't going anywhere. He didn't need to hold on for anything more.

She kissed him again and hugged him, and that was when Jinhwan finally looked past her to see his friends. Bobby had his face half hidden in Hanbin's shoulder, but the look of relief in his eyes was enough for Jinhwan. Hanbin was wearing the biggest smile on his face, touched by Seiyeon's overwhelmingly positive response. Junhoe was smiling too, but the moment Jinhwan looked at him he averted his gaze, almost shyly, and it just made Jinhwan laugh.

He had everything he needed right here.

“Now that I'm through, it's time to get Junhoe through!” Jinhwan plunked himself down on the bench next to Junhoe, still on a high after his victory. “So we watched Jimin yesterday, and we know he's got a style that's very similar to mine. So keep aware of your space, don't let him get inside your guard because he's good at pulling submissions, you saw his reach yesterday, he's pretty flexible. Try to control his back, use your long arms to your advantage.”

Junhoe nodded, grateful for the pep talk, but the nerves were hitting him in an unexpected way. While he felt more confident about his chances with Jimin than he felt about his chances with Jinhwan later, he still felt more nervous than usual. But he'd watched all of Jimin's matches the day before and he knew what he could do, knew what he tended to prefer doing.

Regardless of outcome he had to be content with his results. This was his first national tournament at the purple belt level, and to finish top four was honestly better than he had any right to expect. It was easy to get caught up in expectations around Jinhwan, who had the skill and experience to expect placement in the top two. While Junhoe knew he was good, and he knew he'd definitely fought well in his matches, maybe he'd just gotten lucky to avoid certain other fighters in his group.

Usually when he got to semi-finals he wasn't met with an accompanying sense of dread over how he would place. He already considered top four the best victory possible. But today his stomach was churning with a strange apprehension. He wanted to win, but he also wasn't sure that he wanted to fight Jinhwan again so soon. He felt vulnerable. Maybe it was because he'd lost to him recently, or maybe it was because they were friends. He wasn't really sure.

He thanked Jinhwan for his advice before standing up, but before he could take a step further Seiyeon came to give him a hug.

“Good luck, Junhoe-ya!” She stood in front of him for a moment, like she was studying his face, and Junhoe was suddenly reminded of his own sister. Yejin was stuck finishing an important paper for school and wasn't able to make it today, so it was kind of nice to see Seiyeon.

“Thanks, noona.” Junhoe replied back, and suddenly Seiyeon hugged him again.

“Just do your best and we'll be proud of you, don't be nervous,” she whispered into his ear, and it was almost like she could sense the apprehension. She pulled back and patted his cheek and Junhoe felt a surge of brotherly affection for her. As comfortable and supported as he felt with the guys, sometimes the softness of a sister made all the difference. He was happy she was here today since Yejin couldn't be.

After Seiyeon came Hanbin, who dramatically hugged him and cupped his face.

“If you die, I'll throw the biggest party in your honour.”

Junhoe frowned at him but played along. “Eh, how does this benefit me?”

“I'll make it super exclusive,” Hanbin replied, “everyone will hear about it, but no one will actually be invited, so the whole school will be in a scramble to figure out who's going. I'll call it 'The Koo Junhoe Memorial Meltdown', because everyone will be having a meltdown trying to get a ticket. It'll be legendary.”

Junhoe laughed. This is why he needed Hanbin at these tournaments. He always kept him in good spirits despite the stress. “Alright, I accept your proposal, though I am a little concerned that you've given it this much thought. Are you expecting me to lose?”

Hanbin looked offended. “I just like to be prepared!”

“Sure,” Junhoe replied, rolling his eyes, “what did I do to deserve such a supportive best friend?”

“Probably offended some God in a past life.” Hanbin answered, and they both dissolved into giggles.

“Kick his little shrimp ass, Junhoe-ya!” Bobby yelled in support when they got a hold on their laughter.

“Are you talking about Jimin or Hanbin?” Junhoe replied, and Hanbin looked like he wanted to hit him, but he managed to hold himself back.

“Yeah, okay if you do end up losing, it better be due to life threatening injury!” Hanbin teased. “I won't accept anything less! Make it worth my while!”

“Keep talking and I'll make it worth your while to shut you up!” Junhoe replied, balling his fists and mock threatening Hanbin.

“That doesn't even make sense.” Hanbin replied, and it just sent them both laughing again.

Jinhwan came back to him just as he was about to head down to his coach.

“You'll have a good fight,” Jinhwan told him, “just remember my advice and be intelligent. Pay attention to everything and try to stay ahead of him. Anticipating his moves is really important.”

“Thanks, hyung,” Junhoe answered, and hearing Jinhwan say that he'd have a good fight was oddly comforting, “I'd invite you down to sit on the bench again but that might look a little suspect,” Junhoe joked.

Jinhwan grinned back at him. “Yeah, I figured as much so I'll just stay here. But you know what you need to do. Remember that when you're in there.” Jinhwan hugged him, and Junhoe thought again that it was nice to have another fighter here as a friend and not just a teammate. It really did make a difference.

As he walked down to meet with his coach he couldn't help but still feel weird about the fact that his usual pre-match confidence was lacking today. He wondered what the actual cause was. He hadn't felt this nervous before fighting Jinhwan the second time, and none of his other competitors from this weekend made him nervous either. Was it the common factor of Eric Kwon? Junhoe hadn't known about Jinhwan's connection the first time they'd met. Was it the problem now? Or was it the memory of losing to Jinhwan, and knowing that Jimin was very similar, right down to his small size?

Those thoughts occupied the back of Junhoe's head as he had a pre-match talk with his coach, discussing tactics. They followed him onto the mat, but Junhoe still couldn't help but grin when he towered over Jimin. He was even a little smaller than Jinhwan. But size meant nothing, after all, as Jinhwan had demonstrated time and again. The biggest difference between Jimin and Jinhwan was that while Jinhwan was all cocky attitude face to face, Jimin was nothing but a friendly smile, and instead of whispering jabs he politely wished Junhoe a good fight before bowing to him. Junhoe almost though he was a little too nice. How was he supposed to want to kick his ass?

That concern disappeared once the match got underway and Junhoe kept Jinhwan's advice on his mind, fighting more carefully against Jimin, wary of his dangers. By the time they got to the third round they were pretty even on points, with Junhoe only one ahead. He felt good, though, he felt like maybe he actually could win this thing if he continued being careful? Maybe he ought to use his big size to his advantage a bit more fully in the last round, dominate Jimin a bit more.

Thirty seconds into the round and Jimin was on his back, and when Junhoe tried to step over him to get a standing guard Jimin reached out and balled a fist into the sleeve of his gi, tugging on it to try and throw him off balance. He quickly raised his left leg up into Junhoe's hip, trying to control his forward movement, and when Junhoe reached for Jimin's leg, Jimin pulled himself up to grab Junhoe's free arm, again gripping the sleeve tightly.

Junhoe couldn't believe he'd just walked into another spider guard! Careless, absolutely careless!

Jimin kept him held back at the waist, and Junhoe thought about his options, trying to figure out what he ought to do. He could try to curl inside Jimin's leg and go for a lock, but that would only work if he managed to get both of his arms free. If not, then he'd be right inside Jimin's guard and from the back, no less! He was stronger than Jimin, so maybe if he tried to pull him into a stack pass, use his leverage against him?

As Junhoe contemplated, Jimin put his own plan into motion, curling his right leg up and over Junhoe's left arm, his foot sliding into place between Junhoe's legs, trapping his arm. Jimin let go of the arm as he drove his foot against Junhoe again, trying to kick him forward off balance. Junhoe squatted down, trying to sit back on Jimin's foot to keep himself stable. But suddenly Jimin dropped his hold on Junhoe's other arm and swivelled his body to the side, wrapping his left arm around the bottom of Junhoe's leg near his ankle.

Junhoe was totally caught in Jimin's hold, unable to get his leg free. He cursed when Jimin's left foot kicked into his other leg, the slide putting him off balance so he had no choice but to roll forward, all while Jimin shot over him, locking both legs around Junhoe's left leg and keeping his arms around Junhoe's right leg, pulling in tight into a knee lock.

Junhoe tried to roll himself out of the lock, but every twist had him gasping, his knee held tight in Jimin's grasp, and the grinding was almost unbearable. But it wasn't even the pain in the moment that had him worried—if he moved himself any further he might do damage to his joint, and screwing up his knee was not on his list of things to do.

He looked for the clock, but there was too much time left, over three minutes, and he couldn't hold out that long. There was no way Jimin would relinquish the hold, and the pain just increased constantly.

So with a surge of anger and bitter regret Junhoe made the decision to tap out, and the second Jimin released him he rolled onto his stomach, hands massaging his knee. He kept his face in the mat out of nothing more than wounded pride.

This was the first time in his tournament career that he'd ever tapped out. It didn't feel real, it felt like some kind of bad dream. He'd never been submitted in competition before. Not once. How had Jimin managed it? How had Junhoe allowed himself to walk right into it?

He remained on the floor, he didn't want to get up, didn't want to accept his defeat gracefully. Not right now. The fight had gone well right up until that damn spider guard! It was just like his second fight with Jinhwan! Fine until the spider. He should have been looking for it, should have anticipated it like Jinhwan had advised.

A second later he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he looked up into Jimin's face, irritated at the look of concern.

“Are you okay?” Jimin asked, and it nudged Junhoe out of his post-loss funk. What was he doing, laying on the mat like some bratty toddler who'd just been told no? His own pride had to take a back seat at the moment, because he needed to be a good competitor even in the face of defeat.

“Yeah, just pulled it a bit too much trying to get out, I'm good.” He let Jimin help him up, embracing him and exchanging compliments about the fight. Junhoe tried to remember in the moment that it actually had been a good fight until the end. He'd been leading, after all! It had been a tight match, sure, but he'd done a lot of good things, and he remembered being pleased with himself after the first two rounds. This wasn't a loss that he needed to be ashamed of. It was a learning curve, it was an indication that something was lacking in his training and in his own thought process during the fight.

He just needed to examine himself and figure out what the problem was. Losing was necessary, his coach always said, because if you were lucky in your matches and only ever won over your opponents, then you'd never know if you were doing something wrong. Clearly Junhoe was doing something wrong, and this was an opportunity to sort it out. After the match ended he stayed with his coach for a bit to talk things over, and he was surprised to find that his bitterness over the loss was mostly gone. He'd fought well, and now he had something to work on when he got back to training. There was no shame in this loss.

He made his way back up to his friends with a renewed sense of contentment, wondering if they would be shocked at his reaction to the match or not. Hanbin was waiting for him, no doubt with some sarcastic comment he would use to judge Junhoe's attitude with. Hanbin was good that way, using humour to feel Junhoe out instead of sympathy.

“Hey, Junhoe! After we're done here today we decided we're gonna go watch a movie.” Hanbin greeted him, grinning when Junhoe's narrowed eyes settled on him.

“What movie?” Junhoe played along.

“Arachnophobia!” Hanbin replied, laughing at Junhoe's annoyed expression. Hanbin had told the others to let him figure out how Junhoe was feeling after the loss before saying anything to him. Hanbin was always able to figure him out: an annoyed but snarky response to teasing meant that Junhoe was fine, while a quiet dismissal with no comment meant that he was not in the mood for conversation and needed time to himself first.

“Are you done?” Junhoe asked, standing in front of Hanbin with his arms crossed over his chest.

Hanbin grinned back at him. “We can watch 'It' afterwards, cause that guy totally clowned you!” Hanbin replied, grinning when Junhoe let out a loud sigh.

He was fine.

Jinhwan watched them closely, mindful of Hanbin's explanation regarding Junhoe's response. Hanbin hadn't stopped teasing him, so that probably meant that Junhoe was okay? Jinhwan hoped so, because he wasn't really good with half-sympathy. He was either the type to cuddle a friend while they cried, or to completely forget there was even supposed to be a problem. He didn't do well with walking on eggshells, and he didn't like to pry for information when none was on offer.

But Junhoe didn't strike him as the type who wanted anyone to pry. Either he shared or he didn't. That worked fine for Jinhwan.

“Arachnophobia would help,” Jinhwan spoke up, grinning when Junhoe turned his glare on him, “because I think he needs to be a little more afraid of spiders.” He knew it was a risk, joining Hanbin in his teasing, but this was kind of a test, wasn't it? If Junhoe got offended by Jinhwan's teasing but not Hanbin's, wouldn't it mean that they needed to work more on their friendship? If he didn't get offended, though, then it probably meant that Jinhwan had finally gained his trust?

Junhoe frowned at Jinhwan, but it was only for show. He'd been worried that Jinhwan might try to ply him with sympathy now that they were friends, and Junhoe didn't respond well to that unless he was looking specifically for it. But the teasing... That was what Junhoe preferred right now. He'd accepted the loss, so he'd rather take some jokes at the moment.

“I fucking hate spiders.”

Junhoe's gaze flitted between Jinhwan and Hanbin, and a second later he started giggling, and so did Hanbin, which led to Jinhwan and finally Bobby. The only one not laughing was Seiyeon, who was confused.

“Okay I'm lost,” Seiyeon said, looking between them, “why are we talking about spiders?”

Jinhwan looked at his sister before looking back at Junhoe, and two seconds later he and Junhoe were laughing even harder, much to Seiyeon's irritation. Bobby was the one who finally explained Junhoe's continued vulnerability to the spider guard, and finally she understood.

Junhoe sat down in between Jinhwan and Hanbin, and he suddenly felt oddly grateful for losing. Half of his nerves had been focused on fighting Jinhwan again later, and now that he no longer had to, it was like his mind was clearing everything out. He wasn't upset about the loss at all anymore, and he was proud of his top four finish. It was obvious that both Jinhwan and Jimin had more experience than he did, but that knowledge no longer bristled him in any way. It was just a new challenge, instead. He felt like he was finally being tested at a higher level. Even though he still had a lot to learn, he'd done well.

He looked at Jinhwan, who was watching as they set the floor for the brown belt semi-finals. He wondered, maybe, if Jinhwan would be promoted before they ever had the chance to fight again? He wanted to ask Jinhwan for his opinion on the match, but he didn't want to sound like he was fishing for compliments or sympathy. He just wanted the opinion of someone who had first-hand knowledge of fighting him. How had he looked against Jimin compared to how he'd done against Jinhwan?

Jinhwan was only too eager to give him his opinion.

“Shitty that you lost, but I hope you feel good about the match,” Jinhwan said earnestly, “you did really well against him, you controlled most of it.”

Junhoe nodded. “I do feel good about it, actually. It was a good match, right?”

Jinhwan smiled at him. “Yeah, it really was! You looked a lot better in this fight, I think if you watch this one and our second fight, you'll really see your improvement. Even though you did good against me, it was mostly my fault, I let you win a lot of those mounts because I wasn't fighting you seriously and was just focused on getting your back,” Jinhwan admittedly sheepishly, but Junhoe agreed with him.

“I know, I kind of figured that out after watching the match a few times.”

“But this time you fought a much smarter game, you made better decisions in terms of moves and you really worked hard to always counter his game plan. I could tell that you were anticipating his moves more, you just got a little careless at the end, but it happens to everyone at some point.”

Junhoe was pleased to hear the praise. “You think so?”

“Totally! You took more time to think, I could see that, you didn't rush anything. That's important at this stage, making sure that your instincts are the smart moves to make. Sometimes you instinctively want to do something, but your brain tells you that it's not the intelligent move to make. We just learn so many instinctual habits at training, but training and competition are two different things, so it's important to make sure you're making the right choices.” Jinhwan meant what he was saying. Junhoe really had shown a lot of improvement over the course of this weekend in comparison with their previous tournament. He was thinking differently.

“Thanks, hyung!” Junhoe replied, and he felt even better after hearing Jinhwan's words.

“I guess I'll put it this way. Despite having a lot of skill, I think the last time we fought you were thinking like an experienced blue belt, fighting at the top of his class. This time you fought like a purple belt who had more respect for his opponent, who knew that he had to pay more attention.” Jinhwan hoped Junhoe wouldn't take it like an insult. “I hope you understand what I mean.”

“I do.” It was an interesting way to look at it, but he was certain that Jinhwan meant it as a huge compliment.

“Just because you fight confidently with an expectation to win, that doesn't mean you're going to look like a good fighter. You might just look like an arrogant brat who got promoted too fast. Being cautious can sometimes make you look better.” Jinhwan was pleased that Junhoe seemed to get what he was saying, and he felt proud of himself for saying something that made Junhoe look so happy. Beyond that, though, he was also impressed with Junhoe's response to losing.

Jinhwan had expected him to react with a whinier attitude, moping around after losing and needing a bit of time to himself. That's what he'd been like after losing to Jinhwan both times. Then again, on both of those losses, Jinhwan had greeted Junhoe with arrogance and a superior attitude, so maybe it had been his own fault for bringing out Junhoe's negative response? Now that he was being nice to Junhoe, Junhoe could be nice back without any vulnerable insecurity.

It really made Jinhwan think about himself. Maybe his attitude towards his opponents on the mat needed to be considered. Could he really take another step closer to his black belt if he was copping an immature attitude to opponents? He'd have to pay attention to himself from now on and try his best to cut that sort of thing out. It only benefited himself, but part of succession into higher ranks was learning to be selfless and working to help those below him. That extended to his opponents as well as his juniors.

“I hope you have a good fight yourself later on, hyung,” Junhoe said, “you and Jimin do have a similar style, so it'll be interesting watching the two of you fight.”

Jinhwan fixed Junhoe with a grin. “So, now that you've fought both of us, who do you think will win later?” He couldn't help but ask, mostly just to hear Junhoe's answer.

“Oh you'll win for sure,” Junhoe replied, grinning at Jinhwan's slight look of surprise at the certainty with which he'd answered, “he's good, but you're better.”

Even though Jinhwan knew that he was better, it still felt nice to hear Junhoe say it. Compliments always felt nicer when they came from people that you really liked.

A multitude of thoughts ran through Jinhwan's head as he stood there before Jimin, contemplating what sort of approach to take with him. Their styles were similar, but Jinhwan was confident in his ability to switch things up more. There had been a few points in his matches where Jimin had looked loose, not keeping his moves as tight as he should. Jinhwan was always conscious of that himself. He also thought about his contemplations of earlier, about his attitude towards his opponents. Should he start now, and extend a hand to Jimin in a polite and courteous manner, wishing him luck?

It was hard to break old habits, though. “Ah, Jimin-sshi! It's nice to finally be able to fight someone shorter than me!” Jinhwan couldn't help but tease, and Jimin looked a little surprised at it, but he smiled politely anyway.

“I'm glad I can fulfil your dream of being the tall one!” Jimin replied, and he sounded so earnest about it that Jinhwan had to wonder if he actually meant it? Junhoe had said that Jimin had seemed so nice that it had almost felt a little off-putting. As Jinhwan looked at his cherubic smile he couldn't help but feel the same way. Not only was Jimin shorter, but he just looked younger too. Jinhwan felt like he was going to be fighting a kid.

Whatever. Jimin wouldn't be here if he was really as young as he looked.

Jinhwan looked past Jimin, finally meeting Eric's gaze for the first time. Eric didn't make any motions towards him this time (not that Jinhwan had expected him to) but he was sitting forward, ready to give the match his full attention. He held Eric's gaze for a few seconds, remembering their conversation from the night before.

Why do you care so much about my opinion?

It had been a good reminder for Jinhwan that he needed to put his own feelings towards the sport first, that he needed to worry about pleasing himself before anyone else. In the end he was doing all of this for himself, so of course his own opinion ought to matter the most.

The official called them together then, while the announcer called their names out. Everyone was gathered to watch the match, and Jinhwan felt proud to be standing there. He looked out briefly into the stands, finding his sister, his friends, and even previous opponents. Everyone was watching, and it bolstered Jinhwan's desire to do well. Just because he needed to keep his own feelings first, that didn't mean that he wouldn't care about everyone else's opinions too, and right now he wanted to give them reasons to think on him highly.

Jinhwan didn't even give Jimin a moment to think before coming at him, getting down low to the mat and popping up towards him, reaching up to claim Jimin's lapel on both sides, while Jimin grabbed Jinhwan's arms, trying to counter his move. But Jinhwan pulled him closer, tugging to test out his strength against Jimin, before sinking down to his knees and pulling Jimin up and over his back, using the strength of his legs to push up and get Jimin's feet off the mat, propelling him over his shoulder. Jimin landed on his back in front of Jinhwan, who was looking to gain his guard.

Jimin wasn't ready to be dominated just yet, scrambling to get out of Jinhwan's grasp. He shifted around until he was facing Jinhwan, who grabbed for Jimin's legs and tried to roll him to the side to take his back. Jimin didn't let him, and instead balled his fist into the sleeve of Jinhwan's gi and drove his left foot up into Jinhwan's shoulder. He was only able to secure one of Jinhwan's arms, but still tried to get his leg up and around Jinhwan's neck to pull him inside his guard.

Jinhwan was able to dodge the leg, keeping in control while he simply tested Jimin out for a bit. He wanted to see how strong he was, wanted to see how dangerous he would be if they got in a tighter spot. Jinhwan twisted the arm that Jimin had a grip on, eventually breaking Jimin's hold, and as soon as he did he grabbed for Jimin's leg, attempting to control it down and maybe get an early leg lock in place. But Jimin pulled his leg out and tried to grab for Jinhwan's arm again, but Jinhwan kept it just out of his reach.

They grappled for a minute back and forth until Jimin was able to get Jinhwan in a half guard, his fists holding tightly to Jinhwan's lapel. Jinhwan carefully got a bit closer and pulled Jimin towards him, getting his knees in underneath him, attempting to elevate Jimin slightly to keep him from trying to go around to his back. When he had him in the position he wanted Jinhwan stretched back and grabbed Jimin's belt, pulling him closer to get his own guard. Jimin managed to execute an inverted roll, escaping Jinhwan's grasp and landing on his back and sliding his legs up to Jinhwan's hips, and suddenly they were right back where they started.

Jimin got his legs up around Jinhwan's arms and reached for the sleeves of his gi. But Jinhwan managed to block the grab by sliding his knee into Jimin's armpit in a sliding pass, and then he pushed himself up and sprang forward, pressing his full weight down on top of Jimin's side, eventually gaining side guard. He remained there for a bit, applying pressure to Jimin, trying to tire him out a little while he caught his own breath.

Eventually Jinhwan tried to go for an armbar, and while he secured it he didn't quite manage to get it high up enough around the clavicle, so Jimin was able to pop his arm out of it, grabbing Jinhwan's foot and nearly getting him in a bad position. But Jinhwan quickly scrambled up and the end of the first round found them in a deadlock position, neither of them able to get inside the other.

They separate and head back to their coaches. Jinhwan was quiet as Youngbae offered him water and rubbed his shoulders, discussing vital points so far in the first round.

Jimin did better than Jinhwan had expected him to. He was stronger than he looked and he'd anticipated Jinhwan's moves. Not surprising, of course, given who he was training with. But still a little concerning in Jinhwan's opinion. He didn't like fighting a mirror of himself.

“Do you think I should change things up for the next round?” Jinhwan asked Youngbae, curious to get his opinion.

“He is anticipating everything, it's almost like you're fighting yourself,” Youngbae agreed.

Jinhwan was thinking of trying something that he'd never done while training with Eric. Something he didn't think Eric trained on himself. “I've never attacked from turtle when I trained with Eric,” Jinhwan said, and Youngbae nodded. Recently he'd started studying attacks popularized by Eduardo Telles, and while he hadn't quite perfected them yet, he felt like he might end up having to do something unexpected in order to get the kind of result he wanted.

“You've looked good doing it in training,” Youngbae said, “you'll just have to make sure that you don't let him get too locked in with his mount.”

Jinhwan nodded, knowing that he would be taking a huge risk. But in the end tournaments were the best training method to really test what he was learning. What would show better to Youngbae? Sticking with the safe routine, that would probably get him a victory (but by decision and last all three rounds), or testing out a new technique that would possibly get him a submission?

Jinhwan liked to avoid going the full distance whenever possible. Submission it would be.

They lined up again and this time Jinhwan didn't look at anyone else. He kept his eyes on Jimin, staring hard. It's not that he was trying to be intimidating. Maybe he was.

Jinhwan knew it would be a little dangerous to let Jimin get him in the position he wanted—it wouldn't be enough to stay two steps ahead, he'd have to stay five.

He started the attack again, going down for Jimin's legs and attempting a take-down leg lock, which he surprisingly almost got locked in. But in the end Jimin managed to pull out of it, rolling away and standing up. Jinhwan remained on the floor, waiting for Jimin to come back to him. He'd been up on points at the end of the first and was leading still in the second, so he had to be careful that he didn't look careless, because that wasn't his style and Jimin might realize something was up.

Jimin came back in and Jinhwan reached for his arm, grabbing one sleeve and pulling him closer, trying to get his legs up so he could attain a guard. Jimin didn't get too far inside, but eventually Jinhwan managed to get both feet up at Jimin's hips, still reaching for his other arm, giving the appearance of going for a spider guard.

It was a tactic Jimin recognized, of course, and he twisted his arm out of Jinhwan's grip quickly before taking hold of his knees and trying to roll him to the side. This was the tricky part. He let Jimin slide close to him, trying to go for side guard. Jinhwan retained awareness of Jimin's hand on his lapel as he rolled away from him, ending up on his knees in turtle guard, with Jimin's arm slung across his back and holding to his gi. Jinhwan waited just long enough for Jimin to scurry forward, looking to take Jinhwan's suddenly exposed back.

That was proof enough for Jinhwan that Eric definitely wasn't teaching Jimin what he was currently learning with Youngbae, otherwise he might have questioned Jinhwan's move. Jinhwan timed it perfectly, waiting for Jimin to start looping his other arm around Jinhwan's back. Before he had a chance to do that Jinhwan reached back and grabbed Jimin's left leg, holding tight while he executed a shoulder roll, Jimin's left arm getting caught underneath Jinhwan's back as he rolled over him.

As they rolled out Jinhwan locked his feet around Jimin's leg and gripped his foot tightly, sitting up and bringing his other arm up to trap Jimin's leg. He pressed the bony part of his forearm into Jimin's Achilles tendon, while hyperextending his foot forward.

Jinhwan knew he had it locked in perfectly from the sounds of distress Jimin was making. Jimin tried to sit up, tried to shuffle forward to relieve a bit of pressure on his foot, but by then Jinhwan had his left foot shoved tight against Jimin's hip, blocking him from moving forward. Jimin struggled, trying to get leverage against Jinhwan's blocking foot, but Jinhwan kept it locked in tight and twisted Jimin's leg until the pain was unbearable.

Jimin tapped out and Jinhwan dropped his leg, rolling quickly to his side and springing to his feet. Youngbae was standing up, proud applause meeting Jinhwan. He shared a quick hug with his coach before returning to the mat, meeting Jimin in the middle with the official. Jinhwan was announced as the winner, and after that he turned back to Jimin, bowing in his direction before offering his hand. Jimin shook it before unexpectedly surging forward to envelop Jinhwan in a hug.

Jinhwan hugged back, a little surprised but going with it. When they pulled back Jimin smiled at him. “Ah, Jinhwan-ssi, that was an honour to face you!”

Jinhwan grinned and laughed a little. “It was a great fight! You were actually better than I expected in the first round.” Jinhwan admitted, and he grinned again when Jimin looked a little shy at the praise.

“Thank you! I've heard so much about you, and now that we've fought I understand the hype.”

Jinhwan was surprised at the comment. Who was talking about him?

Jimin seemed to notice his confusion. “Everyone at the club talks about you, about how good you are. They made a lot of comparisons when I joined, it honestly made me a little nervous about fighting you!” Jimin admitted with a laugh.

Jinhwan just smiled at him, amused at the news but also feeling a little bad for the kid. It was tough to shine when you were in someone else's shadow. It felt a little weird to think that he was the shadow. Jinhwan didn't realize he'd left such an impression. They moved off the mat together, standing on the sidelines as they set up for the brown belt final next. The medals would be presented after the black belt final.

They were joined by their respective teams, and Jinhwan couldn't help but grin at the look of surprise on Eric's face. “Been studying Telles, have you?” Eric asked.

“I'm surprised to hear you don't!” Youngbae teased.

“I guess we'll have to start now, won't we?” Eric replied, slinging an arm around Jimin's shoulders. “You guys both fought an excellent match, be proud of yourselves!”

“Thank you, hyung, but Jinhwan-ssi fought better in the end!” Jimin replied, and oddly enough it actually tugged at Jinhwan's protective instincts a little. Which was weird. He was never in the habit of feeling sorry for his opponents. Then again, he usually didn't have personal connections to them either.

“He did, but don't feel like you were lacking.” Eric told him. “You pressed him to try something new and unexpected, after all.”

“That's true,” Jinhwan added, smiling at them, “I took a chance with that, I hadn't quite perfected it in training, but I felt like I needed to do something special. You matched me too well in the start.” Once again Jimin looked a little shy at receiving the praise, and it actually warmed Jinhwan's heart a little.

“What have you done to this kid?” Eric laughed, looking at Youngbae. “I don't think I've ever heard him say something so nice after a fight!”

Jinhwan laughed at the comment, but then it made him wonder—did he really have that kind of a reputation?

“I don't know, to tell you the truth,” Youngbae replied, “did you fall in love recently, Jinan-ie?” Youngbae teased, and Jinhwan shook his head in protest.

“No!” He laughed in reply, looking from Youngbae to Eric. “I'm not in love, I'm not with anyone!”

“Are you sure? Because you're not usually this nice.” Youngbae replied.

“Hyung, you're making me look bad!” Jinhwan laughed, shaking his head at the both of them.

“Maybe it's because Jimin is smaller than you,” Eric replied, “makes you feel like you have to be nicer.”

“Ah, hyung!” Jimin whined, and it didn't sound quite so annoying to Jinhwan this time. They stayed together and chatted for a bit longer before Jinhwan left to go find his friends and family. He accepted a hug from Eric before going, and the warm feeling in his chest followed him all the way up into the stands, where he was finally met with his group.

Seiyeon was the first one to him again, and Jinhwan could tell from her eyes that she'd been crying. He was pretty sure they'd been happy tears, though.

“Jinan-ie,” she kissed his cheek before wrapping him in a hug, “I'm so proud of you! I can't believe how good you are!”

“Thanks, noona!” Jinhwan replied, kissing her back.

“Junhoe explained the moves to me during the match,” Seiyeon said, “it was really helpful! It's hard to understand what's going on a lot of the time.”

Jinhwan looked at Junhoe, who just tried to shrug it off. “Ah, it was no problem! I wanted to make sure she knew how good you really are.”

“Okay I just have to ask one thing,” Hanbin interrupted, reaching out to lay his hand across Junhoe's forehead, “are you well?”

Junhoe batted his arm away. “What? Of course! Can I not do something nice without you questioning it?”

“You're never this nice, though! You don't even explain moves to your own sister!”

“That's what you're supposed to do when she comes to watch me!”

“You don't have some ulterior motive, do you? I'm just concerned.” Hanbin caught the punch that Junhoe tried to hit his arm with, laughing as they struggled with each other.

Bobby looked at Jinhwan, sharing a grin as they shook their heads. “Why do I feel like we're the parents, taking our kids out for the day?” Bobby teased.

Hanbin abandoned his struggles with Junhoe to turn around and face Bobby. “Does that day out include you buying us dinner?” Hanbin grinned mischievously at Bobby, who knew what he was hinting at.

“Not if I can help it!” Bobby replied, but it was starting to look more and more like Hanbin might just win their bet. Bobby wasn't even really sure if he should be trying to win. Maybe he just ought to accept the loss and help Hanbin set them up. It looked like it was going to happen anyway, given how close they were getting. He was still surprised at how close they'd been during the weekend, especially after Junhoe's semi-final loss.

Was it really mutual attraction? Or just friendship that was developing a little more rapidly on the mat? Maybe he'd have to ask Jinhwan for an update on his feelings. He'd leave Junhoe to Hanbin.

“I want to ask you something, but you have to be serious about it, okay? This isn't a joke.”

Hanbin looked up from his phone, casting a concerned look at his best friend. “Okay, I promise I'll give you a serious answer.”

Junhoe hesitated before asking, giving himself a final moment to decide whether or not this planned course of action might just be a big mistake. “After this weekend I've been doing some thinking,” he began, keeping his gaze on Hanbin, “I feel like for the first time I've really been tested with jiu jitsu. I mean, I know it's not the first match I've lost, but something feels different. Maybe it's because I was at a lower level, so it's not like my losses before were by really impressive and flashy moves or anything, you know? But I'm at a higher level now, doing harder stuff, and I just feel like I'm lacking something.”

Hanbin nodded, setting his phone down on the table. “That makes sense, Seungri told you that fighting at purple would feel different, didn't he? You'd get a wider array of fighting styles, and you'd face guys who were much better fighters.”

Junhoe nodded, though he'd forgotten Seungri's advice. Hanbin had a good memory for that sort of thing, though. “Well, as good as I felt about fighting Jimin, and I know I fought a better fight that time, I still feel like he was better than me at certain things. Like I really had to think hard about what I was doing, but he seemed like it was more natural to him? I watched the match back a few times and I feel like he fought more calmly than I did.”

“Did you mention it to your coach?”

Junhoe nodded, but he looked a little troubled. “I did, but I guess he couldn't really see it the same way. He thinks I've just lost a bit of confidence in myself.”

Hanbin was a little surprised at Junhoe's chosen topic of discussion. It wasn't often that Junhoe willingly brought up serious matters himself. “Well, you kind of have, haven't you? You told me you were nervous about fighting Jinhwan because you thought he'd beat you.”

“Sure, I said that, but that's not a confidence thing. I know I'm still a good fighter, but I have a lot to learn at this stage. You can still be confident even if you know you're probably going to lose to someone, right? Just because someone is better than me, that doesn't mean that I'm not good.”

Hanbin tried to keep himself from smiling too much. This was so strange to hear out of Junhoe's mouth. “You have a point.”

Junhoe nodded, feeling a little better about the discussion with Hanbin's reaction so far. “Anyway, back to Jimin, it was so obvious to me the more I watched the match back. I would always pause for a second to figure out what I should do, but he never did. He just seemed to go for things.”

“You used to fight like that too, so are you sure it's not just a confidence thing?” Hanbin asked.

“No, the difference is that I wasn't always concerned with doing the smart thing, I would do the dominant thing. But Jimin always did the smart thing, every single time. He never made a bad choice, and with as many good choices as I've made in my past matches, I used to make a lot of bad ones too. Sometimes I'd get lucky and my opponent wouldn't capitalize on them, but that doesn't hide the fact that I made them, you know?” Junhoe was certain he was right. If he wanted to really improve, then he needed to put his pride aside and look at the hard facts. When things were going your way, it was easy to overlook your mistakes. But when things stopped going your way, that's when you really had to buckle down and take a long hard look at everything.

Hanbin thought it was an interesting discussion for Junhoe to be having. He wasn't really the type who liked to admit to mistakes, preferring quiet correction without drawing any attention to the wrongdoing. But for him to admit out loud that he was lacking in certain ways... Hanbin was curious about the reason. “So what exactly did you want to ask me about, then?”

Junhoe was relieved that Hanbin had taken this all seriously so far, and he hoped he wouldn't laugh when Junhoe told him what he was thinking of doing. Junhoe didn't mind Hanbin's teasing the majority of the time, but something about this was making him feel vulnerable, and it wasn't something he was used to feeling. So he met Hanbin's gaze and held it for a moment, and when he saw only serious concern in Hanbin's expression he finally spoke.

“I was thinking of asking Jinhwan if we could train together.”

There—he'd said it. It was out, and it felt weird. Junhoe almost felt a little awkward suggesting it, like it wasn't a serious option.

Hanbin was shocked, but ultimately pleased and even just a little proud. Asking someone for help was not something that came easily to Junhoe. Even after all their years of friendship, Hanbin still sometimes had to bully Junhoe into letting him help him with certain things. It was just Junhoe's stubborn insecure pride. Hanbin wanted to promote this sort of thinking so he gave Junhoe a soft smile as he answered.

“I think that's actually a really good idea.”

“Do you?” Junhoe asked him, relieved Hanbin hadn't laughed at him, but also curious to know why he agreed. Mostly Junhoe was just seeking validation for his decision, and Hanbin always thought about things in an intelligent manner so Junhoe trusted his opinion.

“Oh, for sure. He was amazing on the weekend, his fights were really impressive. Everyone could see it, watching him. He stood out. But really, though, you're the one who would know best, because you've fought him. You know more than anyone if he's better than you are. If you think you can learn something from him, then go for it.”

“Do you think he'd want to?” Junhoe asked, and that was really his biggest concern. Would Jinhwan actually want to help him? If there was any chance of Jinhwan saying no, than Junhoe didn't even want to bother asking. There was only so much his pride could handle at one time, and asking for help was already taxing enough. Rejection would probably have him hiding his head in the sand for a week.

“Do you think he won't?” Hanbin asked, a little surprised that Junhoe was even contemplating rejection.

“I don't know,” Junhoe shrugged, struggling to find a way to voice what he was feeling, “we're still competitors, so maybe it would be weird? We're not at the same club, it might be awkward.”

“But he's said before that he really enjoys training people, right? He likes helping the kids at his club.”

Junhoe glared at him for that comment. “So you're comparing me to some little kid white belt now?”

Hanbin shook his head. “No, idiot! He likes helping people who need his help. You need his help. Why would he say no? I think, if anything, he'd be excited, right? Probably feel like it's a huge compliment, coming from you.”

Junhoe frowned, trying his best to tamper down the nerves that were unsettling his stomach. “I don't know, I mean I think so, but—”

“But you'd be embarrassed if he said no.” Hanbin answered, grinning when he saw Junhoe's expression confirm his suspicions. “What's more important to you? Getting help from someone who you think can help you, or being embarrassed for a day because you get turned down?”

As much as Junhoe needed to have the discussion drawn out like this, he still felt humiliated by it already. “I hear what you're saying. It's just, ah fuck, Hanbin. You know I'm shit at asking people for help.”

Hanbin laughed at that point. “Understatement of the year. But you brought it up, so you're going to do it. Tonight, actually.” Junhoe shook his head in protest but Hanbin just grinned and picked up his phone. “I'm gonna text Bobby and set something up for after school.”

“Hanbin, no, I think I should think about this a little more--”

“No fucking way. The longer you think about it, the less inclined you'll be to do it. I know you, I know how your brain works. You're asking him tonight, and if you don't do it, I'll do it for you.”

“The fuck you will!” Junhoe replied, bristling in irritation.

Hanbin grinned at his outburst. This was one of those moments when he unashamedly bullied Junhoe into doing something he didn't want to do. “Why don't I text him right now?” He met Junhoe's gaze. “Hey Jinhwan hyung, Junhoe really wants to learn some jiu jitsu moves from you, but he's too much of a chickenshit to ask. Can you subtly suggest it yourself when we meet up after school?”

“Fuck off, Hanbin,” Junhoe replied, falling for it the way he always fell for it, “I'll fucking ask him myself, okay? Do whatever you have to do to get him out. Don't say a word to him though.”

Hanbin rolled his eyes and started typing a message to Bobby. “Sure, Junhoe, whatever you say. I'll believe it when I see it.”

“I'll fucking do it!” Junhoe replied, and it wasn't until an hour later, when he was sitting in science class, that he realized that Hanbin had somehow managed to talk him into agreeing. He couldn't back out now, either. If he did, then Hanbin would pounce on the opportunity. He would just have to suck it up and ask Jinhwan.

They were sitting outside a little cafe in Hongdae, iced coffees for Jinhwan and Junhoe, milkshakes for Hanbin and Bobby, discussing the merits of open world RPG style video games versus linear first person shooters. Bobby had just started playing the new Fallout game recently, and Jinhwan was teasing him for wanting to spend so much time on it.

Junhoe had gotten up to head for the bathroom as Bobby started discussing the merit points of formulating relationships in video games when Jinhwan suddenly interrupted him mid-sentence.

“Oh my god,” Jinhwan gasped, eyes on his phone, mouth wide in shock.

“What?” Bobby asked, annoyed with his dramatic interruption. Sometimes Jinhwan did it for the dumbest reasons, just to draw attention to himself when he had nothing substantial to add to a discussion.

“Seiyeon just messaged me,” Jinhwan began explaining, “as a gift for winning this weekend, she just got us tickets to go and see our favourite violinist!”

Bobby groaned and rolled his eyes. “Wow, so exciting, so worthy of interrupting someone mid-way through a sentence!”

“No, you don't get it! This guy,” Jinhwan paused for a moment, looking longingly at his phone screen, “Seiyeon and I both love him. He's gorgeous!”

“Jinan, keep it in your pants.” Bobby teased, kicking him under the table.

“Okay, fine, Bobby you won't care anyway, but Hanbin! You would love this guy!” Jinhwan finally looked up from his phone, meeting Hanbin's curious expression. “Trust me, he goes by the name Amadéus Leopold--”

“Seriously?” Hanbin asked, voice heavy with skepticism. “That's his stage name?”

Jinhwan brushed his complaint aside. “With the way he plays and looks, he can call himself whatever the fuck he wants. Here, just watch this video and you'll flip out, I guarantee it!” Jinhwan cued up a video and passed his phone to Hanbin, who was a little more intrigued with Jinhwan's description.

“Jinan, my boyfriend is already nerdy enough, could you please stop?” Bobby teased. He hadn't ever heard Jinhwan mention this violin player before (and he wasn't that interested, really) but the second he heard Hanbin gasp Bobby's attention was focused on the screen.

“Oh my god,” Hanbin whispered, pausing the video to look at Jinhwan, “you weren't kidding.”

“Right?!” Jinhwan practically squealed in reply, excited that Hanbin shared his interest. “His show was sold out a minute after tickets went on sale, I've been dying to see him! I don't know how she got tickets but I can't believe it!”

“He might just be the prettiest man on the planet,” Hanbin replied, unpausing the video only to pause it again a few seconds later. “I mean his face--”

“The bone structure, right? His cheekbones kill me!” Jinhwan replied, stamping his feet on the floor.

Bobby rolled his eyes and slumped back in his seat. “He's a little too pretty, in my opinion. I mean, look at all the makeup he's got on! He looks so feminine.”

“Well yeah, that's why I said he's the prettiest man on the planet, and not the most handsome!” Hanbin replied, before teasingly nuzzling Bobby's chin. Bobby pushed him away though, and when Hanbin just grinned and started watching the video again, it made Bobby feel irritated.

“Don't be jealous!” Jinhwan shot back at him, grinning when Bobby gave himself away in his expression. “It's okay, Bobby! There will always be someone in life way hotter than you. I'm sure this won't be the last guy Hanbin swoons over that isn't you.”

Bobby was about to give a snappy response back, but Hanbin laughed at Jinhwan's comment, and it just ended up annoying him instead. Whatever. So Hanbin was into some pretty violin player, no big deal. It's not like he'd expected Hanbin to never comment about another guy again. It was some musician, not a guy in real life. There was no need for Bobby to feel threatened.

“Okay you have to take this back otherwise I will sit here all night and keep replaying it.” Hanbin said, sliding Jinhwan's phone back to him. At that moment Junhoe returned.

“Junhoe-ya! I know you've never heard of this guy either, so watch this video so you know who Hanbin is going to be rambling about all week.” Jinhwan teased, which made Hanbin laugh again and Bobby sulk. Junhoe's eyes widened as he watched the video.

“I didn't think you were into pretty guys, Bin.” Junhoe replied after watching the video.

“What do you mean? I've always liked pretty guys!” Hanbin replied.

“Then why do you always date ugly ones?” Junhoe teased back, and they all laughed about it. Except for Bobby.

“I don't date ugly guys!” Hanbin whined after he stopped laughing.

“Well Bobby's not exactly pretty.” Jinhwan added, eyes on his best friend. Bobby seemed a little sulkier than Jinhwan would have expected.

“Just because I like pretty looking guys, that doesn't mean they're the only type of guys I like!” Hanbin explained.

“So we know you're not with Bobby for his looks, obviously not with him for his intelligence either, so what is keeping you hooked?” Jinhwan asked, grinning when Bobby glared at him.

Hanbin turned to Bobby, smiling at him before letting his eyes trail down to his arms. “Muscles.”

That made everyone laugh again, but Bobby just gave a fake grin, trying to keep his irritation tamped down. “You're dating me for my muscles? That's it?”

“Well, your chest and your abs too.” Hanbin cheekily replied with a wink.

Bobby shook his head and tried to push him away. He knew in the back of his mind that he was being an idiot right now, but he couldn't stop the feelings from surfacing. It had never been this bad, never hit him this hard that maybe, just maybe, they weren't really a perfect match for each other. Or rather, maybe he wasn't the perfect match for Hanbin.

“Is that all?” Jinhwan prompted, still watching Bobby sulk about Hanbin's answers.

“He's got a rugged, manly charm about him too!” Hanbin replied, teasingly cuddling up to his boyfriend again. Bobby once more tried to push him away but Hanbin was persistent, needling his way in without realizing that Bobby was actually upset over it. Hanbin kissed his chin before staring up at him with a cute expression. “Oppaaaa-” he teasingly whined into Bobby's ear.

“Oh god, disgusting!” Junhoe said, kicking Hanbin under the table. “Take your lewd behaviour somewhere else!”

“Maybe I will!” Hanbin shot back, winking at Junhoe before turning back to Bobby. “I want another churro, let's go get one!”

“Go get it yourself.” Bobby sulkily replied, not budging when Hanbin stood up.

“Hyung!” Hanbin whined, pushing him towards the edge of his seat. “Come and buy me one!”

“Buy it yourself!” Bobby snapped back, crossing his arms over his chest. “You just spent the past few minutes gushing over how hot some other guy is, and you want me to buy you dessert now?” Bobby tried his best to sound like he was joking, even though he wasn't.

Hanbin bought the act. “Okay fine. I'll buy you one!” Hanbin said with a laugh.

“Oh go with him, Bobby!” Jinhwan huffed in irritation, but it was just for show. He could tell Bobby was still annoyed.

“Ugh, fine! You're all against me!” Bobby replied, glaring at Jinhwan and Junhoe.

“I didn't even say anything!” Junhoe added, laughing as he watched Hanbin struggling against Bobby.

“Guilty by association!” Bobby replied, grinning when it at least made the others laugh. But then he finally relented and stood up, and even though he wanted to stay annoyed, he couldn't help but smile softly when Hanbin stood next to him and looped his arms around Bobby's back, cuddling into his side as he led him away from their table.

He really had it bad for Hanbin.

“Okay, so I don't actually want another churro,” Hanbin quickly started to explain, “I just needed to give Junhoe some time alone with Jinhwan.”

“What? Why?” Bobby looked down at him, a frown creasing his face.

“Junhoe wanted to ask him something.” Hanbin replied with a smug look, and Bobby pulled them to a stop.

“He's not asking him out, is he?” Bobby asked, sighing in relief when Hanbin shook his head.

“Not yet! I'm sure that'll come soon enough.” Hanbin replied, grinning when Bobby's arm tightened around his shoulder.

“Not on my watch!” Bobby said.

“He's asking Jinhwan if they can train together.”

Bobby whined at the explanation. “Ah, really? That's almost as bad!”

Hanbin laughed victoriously before pulling Bobby along. “Yeah, it's only a matter of time, now!”

Bobby groaned, but secretly he thought it was nice, if not a little surprising. Junhoe hadn't struck him as the type to do something like that.

“So, hyung, I don't want a churro, but there is something that I do kind of want.” Hanbin said, grinning slyly back at Bobby as he pulled him towards the empty alleyway that ran along the back of a ramen shop near where they'd been sitting.

Bobby's interest was piqued at Hanbin's comment. “Oh? And what's that?”

Hanbin was quiet until they passed a stack of crates that was just tall enough to hide them from view. Without warning he pushed Bobby up against the wall and leaned in against him, his tongue pushing its way into Bobby's mouth.

Bobby's hands slid from Hanbin's waist down to his ass, squeezing as he pulled Hanbin in against him. When Hanbin's groin connected with Bobby's leg, Bobby grinned in triumph. Hanbin was already half hard, just from kissing him. Even though they were out in public Bobby decided to be a little mean. Just to make Hanbin pay for ogling the stupid violinist.

He slid one of his hands in between Hanbin's legs, squeezing Hanbin's dick until it made his boyfriend gasp.

“Hyung!” Hanbin hissed, half in censure and half in pleasure.

“Mm? Something bothering you?” Bobby asked, staring Hanbin in the eyes and squeezing his hand again.

Hanbin smiled and squirmed a little in his arms before leaning forward again to kiss him. Bobby moved his other hand from Hanbin's ass up to his neck, his fingers reaching up to rub at the buzzed hair at the base of Hanbin's skull. While Hanbin was distracted by the kissing, Bobby slipped his hand inside Hanbin's pants, grabbing him again through only his underwear.

“Hyung!” Hanbin hissed again, pulling his face back. His expression was pure excitement, though. “Would you quit it?”

Bobby gave him a clueless look. “What, I can't touch you anymore? I thought you liked it.”

Hanbin grinned and leaned his face into Bobby's neck. “Yeah, but we're out in public!”

“You're the one who pulled me down here,” Bobby replied, rubbing his hand until Hanbin was fully hard. Hanbin squirmed again and his breath hitched a little in his throat, and Bobby thought it was the hottest thing he'd ever heard.

“I just wanted a kiss,” Hanbin replied, though it was clear from the way that he was slowly pushing against Bobby's hand that he was more than okay with what they were doing, “you're so mean.”

“I'm mean, and you're mine.” Bobby replied darkly, and Hanbin kissed him again. All of Bobby's insecurities of earlier were chased back down his throat by Hanbin's tongue. So what if Hanbin thought some pretty little violin player was hot? Hanbin was still into Bobby, really into Bobby if this was any indication. Bobby couldn't care less about some stupid violinist. He was irrelevant.

Jinhwan had watched Hanbin and Bobby walk away with a bit of concern, worried about how jealous Bobby seemed to be getting over Hanbin's reaction to the violinist. Maybe he ought to talk to him about it, because Bobby wasn't really the jealous type (or maybe he'd just never dated someone he cared about enough before to be jealous over). But for now his more pressing concern was sitting right next to him. “Alright, obviously you need to ask me something, because that was a pretty awkwardly handled dragging off. So, out with it.”

Junhoe was surprised at Jinhwan's bluntness, and he took a deep breath before asking, steeling himself for whatever Jinhwan’s response would be. He wasn’t used to opening himself up like this, wasn’t used to asking someone else for help (at least not someone like Jinhwan, someone who wasn’t that far off from where he was, someone who wasn’t that much older than him).

“Well, I was thinking, you know after this weekend, I’ve just thought a lot about things. Ah, this is tough, I’m sorry. But, well, you and Jimin both beat me the same way, and it got me thinking, maybe there’s something wrong with the way I’m training?” Saying it felt like pulling his own teeth out, it was so awkward and painful. But it was out, and now all he had to do was wait.

Jinhwan looked at him in surprise, not expecting the direction he’d ended up going in. Was Junhoe asking him what he thought he was asking him?

“Do you want to train together some time?” Jinhwan came out and asked, smiling when Junhoe nodded.

He felt relieved that Jinhwan offered, relieved that he hadn't just been laughed at. “I don’t know, maybe it’s just because you’re both short, and I don’t have anyone that small at the club to practice with. But I feel like you both kept getting out of holds because my grip was off? And well, that stupid spider guard got me both times.”

Jinhwan grinned. “It did, didn’t it? I guess, since I’ll be going for my brown belt soon, I might as well share some of my secrets with you. It’s only fair.”

Junhoe was grateful he’d agreed to it, but he also couldn’t help but feel slightly embarrassed at having asked. Whatever. He didn’t need to feel weird! It was intelligent, asking Jinhwan for help. He could train with Seungri, but it wasn’t the same. Seungri was bigger than Jinhwan, but his fighting style was completely different, it was more similar to Junhoe’s. Junhoe had trouble specifically when it came to fighting smaller opponents. So it only made sense that he should train with smaller opponents.

“So when do you want to start? And where? Do you want to come to my club? Will your trainers be pissed?” Jinhwan asked.

Junhoe shrugged. “I don’t know, I don’t think so? I mean, it’s not like I think my training is lacking. But everyone at my club is taller, like it’s weird when I think about it. The only guys who are close to your size are like, kids.” Junhoe couldn’t help but laugh when he thought about it, especially when Jinhwan frowned and hit his arm.

“Okay, god, you don’t need to insult me!”

“I’m not! I’m just being honest.” Junhoe grinned and laughed again, which only prompted Jinhwan to hit him again. But he was smiling, so Junhoe knew he wasn’t really upset.

“Okay, are you free on Wednesday? Do you want to start then?” Junhoe agreed on the day, so Jinhwan made sure to get his phone number so he could text him directions to his club.

“Thanks, hyung. I appreciate you helping me out. I know it’s weird since we’re kind of competitors.”

“No, I’m happy to help! I mean, we’re competitors, sure, but we’re also friends, right?” Jinhwan replied, and the almost shy way Junhoe smiled back had him feeling like maybe training together was going to be a really good thing? They’d finally get to interact one-on-one, without Hanbin and Bobby around.

“Alright, so, Wednesday, then! I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too! I promise I’ll go easy on you the first time.” Jinhwan teased, and this time it was Junhoe’s turn to smack him playfully.

“Tighten up your hold,” Jinhwan instructed, looking in the mirror and adjusting Junhoe’s hand positioning, “you’re giving me too much room there, it’s barely any resistance at all.”

Junhoe did as instructed, getting used to altering his hold based on Jinhwan’s smaller size. “It feels so weird, like I feel like I’m not holding it tight enough.”

“Now that you say that, I wonder if maybe your problem isn’t that you can’t gauge a hold properly based on size, but that you’re not doing it that way at all? I feel like maybe you’re judging where you should grab based on your own arm span, if you know what I mean? Like muscle memory, this is how much space you normally have when you do this in training, because you always train with bigger guys? Like maybe you don’t actually focus on where your hands are based on your opponent, but you base them on where they are in relation to each other?” Jinhwan hoped Junhoe understood what he was trying to say.

Junhoe took a moment to contemplate what Jinhwan was saying. Was it true, maybe? It certainly made sense. “I think you’re right,” he replied, “I think I always do kind of default to the same spot regardless of who I’m fighting.”

“Okay so pay attention to that this time. Let’s start over. Try and ignore what your body’s telling you to do, and think about it instead. You know what to do, you just need to learn how to switch it up for someone smaller.” They untangled themselves and got back into a guard position, Junhoe on his back and Jinhwan on top.

Junhoe really hoped that Jinhwan had figured out his problem. Not that he liked the idea of having a problem, but better to pinpoint it if it did exist and learn how to overcome it. It was just weird that it was something no one else had picked up on before. Then again, maybe it was hard to figure something out if you didn’t experience it first hand, or if you didn’t make the right sort of comment that prompted the right sort of comment in return.

This time when he went for his hold, he focused on what he was doing instead of going from memory, looking at the placement of his hands on Jinhwan’s leg. It felt weird when he clamped it in, he felt like he didn’t have enough power on it. But Jinhwan tapped out after a few seconds.

“You definitely had it in the right spot that time,” Jinhwan said, “it wasn’t very strong and I could have gotten out, but your placement was perfect. How come you didn’t have it tight?”

“Ah, honestly it felt weird? I think I just need to practice holding it like that. I think you were right though, I’m just doing everything based on muscle memory from training. I think once I figure out how to keep it tight I’ll be fine.”

Jinhwan grinned back at him. “Great, so I take it this means that you want to spend the next half hour working out how to hold it tightly on me?”

“Pretty much, yeah?” Junhoe answered, grinning when Jinhwan frowned.

“I guess I shouldn’t complain, I have been kind of lonely lately.” He winked at Junhoe before getting back into position for him.

“Would it help if I promised to take you for dinner after?” Junhoe joked back.

“Well, I mean, I suppose I could do it out of the goodness of my heart, but who would say no to dinner, right?” Jinhwan replied. In all honesty, he was just happy that he’d managed to figure out Junhoe’s problem right away. This was part of what he really loved about helping to train others. He really liked being able to figure out a problem that was evading other people. It made him feel like this was indeed his calling.

They practised that particular hold for a little while before switching to leg locks, where he once again helped Junhoe figure out how to adjust his holds properly. Jinhwan was a little surprised at how easily Junhoe seemed to take to his advice. Even after getting to know him, Junhoe had struck him as the type who would bristle when it came to someone pointing out that he was doing something wrong. Not that there was anything wrong with that (because no one liked having their mistakes pointed out so openly) but Junhoe didn’t seem bothered at all with every little correction Jinhwan made.

Junhoe himself was surprised as well. He didn’t take criticism well, and usually had to struggle more to accept it with a calm expression. But for some reason having Jinhwan point out what he was doing wrong was easy. Maybe it was because Jinhwan had beaten him already, and Junhoe accepted that Jinhwan was just better than he was? He couldn’t pretend to be a better fighter than Jinhwan, because he’d already been tested and lost twice (three times, maybe, since he’d lost to Jimin, who had gone on to lose to Jinhwan).

Whatever it was he was happy, because this practice session really was useful. He felt like this was a problem he would need to unlock and master before he could really hope to advance. He knew how to do the moves properly, but actually applying them effectively was a whole other thing he had to learn, as Jinhwan was teaching him now.

After three different training sessions, Junhoe was seeing improvement. Adjusting his holds based on his opponent’s body size didn’t feel so awkward anymore. Jinhwan was teaching him how to properly do a spider guard now, correcting technique. Junhoe still couldn’t manage to get out of it when Jinhwan had it on him, but he wasn’t bothered yet. After realizing how much more experienced Jinhwan was in jiu jitsu, Junhoe didn’t feel as threatened by him anymore.

Instead he just felt grateful. Jinhwan didn’t have to help him. Even though they were friends, Jinhwan didn’t owe him anything. Yet here he was, a week later, still going out of his way to help Junhoe become better. What could he possibly be getting out of it? Junhoe wasn’t sure, but he appreciated it just the same.

“Okay so you’re doing a lot better with your adjustments now,” Jinhwan told him one day, “so I have an idea that might help even more. It’s something I used to do with Eric, actually.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?” Junhoe was intrigued at the mention of Eric.

“Sparring while blindfolded.” Jinhwan answered, grinning when Junhoe’s expression went slack with shock. “Trust me, it really helps! It’ll be awkward at first, because you’re so used to doing everything based on sight. But when you take that away, you learn how to judge things based on your other senses, and believe me, you see improvements right away. Because you can’t always see everything properly, right? Like when you want to go for a reversal, you just have to trust that your opponent’s body is going to be where you want it. Doing it all blindfolded gives you the same sense.”

Junhoe had never heard of sparring while blindfolded before. “Is this really a thing?” He asked, not against the idea, just surprised at it.

“I’m serious, why do you think I’m so confident all the time when I’m fighting? Part of that is letting your body learn how to naturally sense your opponent. It’s the same as when you were doing everything out of sheer muscle memory. Now that you’re learning how to adjust properly, I think it’ll be a good way to test how you’re really doing. Because you need to trust that your body is retraining itself properly, and that you won’t just do everything the way you did it before.”

“If you’re sure,” Junhoe replied, feeling a little weird about the idea. But he trusted that Jinhwan knew what he was doing, so if Jinhwan wanted to do this, then Junhoe would go along with him.

“I’m totally sure, trust me, it’ll be good.” Jinhwan had been just as skeptical of it when Eric had proposed it the first time, but it had done wonders for his understanding of spatial awareness. Of course, it had also kind of been the catalyst for their blossoming relationship, but he didn’t need to divulge that part to Junhoe. They were different people, in different situations.

“Okay. Are we going to start today?” Junhoe asked, curious about it.

“No, we’ll do it next time. We’re almost done for tonight, anyway.”

“Alright.” Junhoe was excited to try something new, even if he was still a little wary of it. Jinhwan's help had already improved his fighting. This would undoubtedly help too.

It was almost nine when Junhoe got to Hanbin’s. He let himself in, kicking his shoes off at the door and proceeding down the hallway to Hanbin’s room.

“Hey, Bin!” He greeted as he entered the room, dropping down on the floor.

“How’d the date go?” Hanbin teased, moving his leg before Junhoe had a chance to lash out at him.

“Training is going really well, thanks for asking,” Junhoe replied, “honestly I actually am learning a lot from him.”

“Oh yeah? Learning about anything more than just jiu jitsu?” Hanbin couldn’t help but tease him.

“Seriously bro, shut up! It’s not like that. He’s helped me figure out a lot of things I’ve been doing wrong, it’s useful.” He decided not to mention Jinhwan’s idea of blindfolded sparring. Hanbin would definitely tease him about it.

“Okay, fine, I’ll take your word for it.” Hanbin reached for a set of papers on his desk, handing them to Junhoe. “Here’s your history essay back, by the way. Don’t be afraid of all the red, I just want you to have the best mark possible.”

Junhoe groaned and flipped through the essay. “Can’t you just send me the digital file so I don’t have to re-type all of your corrections out?” Junhoe whined, not looking forward to fixing everything.

“Absolutely not! All you’ll do is change the colour back to black and delete wrong things. How are you going to learn how to write a better essay if you don’t correct your mistakes yourself? That would be like Jinhwan fighting your fights for you, and you just watching.” Hanbin hoped the jiu jitsu comparison would make Junhoe see the importance.

“Okay sure, but the difference is that I care about jiu jitsu. I don’t give a single fuck about this history paper.” He grinned back at him, amused when Hanbin glared at him.

“You better fix that paper! I spent two hours on it making corrections!” Hanbin was not going to send him the digital version (wasn’t even going to tell him there was a digital version, because he certainly did not keep a folder full of revised Junhoe essays to track his best friend’s progress with his writing).

“Relax, I’ll fix it! Can’t have you wasting your time on me for nothing.” Junhoe grinned.

Hanbin shook his head and watched as Junhoe slid the paper into his bag. “So how is training with Jinhwan, really? Are you getting along or you too insulted every time he tries to correct something?”

Junhoe grinned, because Hanbin knew him perfectly. “Nah, believe it or not, it actually doesn’t bother me when he corrects me? Which I know, is really fucking weird for me. I think it’s because he’s so much better than I am? Like, he’s going for his brown belt soon, and I haven’t even been a purple for six months yet. Training with him is like training with Seungri.”

“But you’re a little bitch to Seungri half the time!” Hanbin replied, laughing when Junhoe grinned.

“True, but I’ve known Seungri longer. He’s like a real brother! I harass him mostly out of brotherly necessity.”

“Bullshit, I’ve seen you! Sometimes you get seriously annoyed when he corrects your form.” Hanbin grinned at the remark as he made it, and Junhoe waved him off.

“Okay, fine, whatever! I haven’t been like that with Jinhwan hyung, I don’t know. I mean, I’ve never actually fought Seungri at a tournament? So maybe that’s the difference. Jinhwan beat me twice, so I can’t deny he’s better than me.”

“Wow, I still can’t believe you’re actually able to admit that out loud without cringing! Who is this impostor, and what has he done with my best friend?” Hanbin teased.

“Oh shut up! Shouldn’t you be happy? We’re not stressing you and Bobby out anymore?” Junhoe replied.

“Oh I am happy! Happier than you know, really.” Hanbin teased. “I’m glad you guys are finally able to hang out by yourselves without adult supervision.”

“Yeah speaking of that, how are you and Bobby? Been enjoying all the potential for alone time now that I’ve been out of your hair?” Junhoe teased back. To his surprise, Hanbin actually blushed at the question.

“Yeah, it’s been good.” Hanbin did not want to talk about this with Junhoe.

“Anything exciting to report?” Junhoe asked, amused when Hanbin seemed reluctant to talk. While they’d talked about their past relationships before, they’d never really gone into great detail about what they had (or hadn’t) done with their boyfriends. It wasn’t something they talked about often.

“Nope, not really.” Not for lack of want, of course. He and Bobby had made out a few times, but it hadn’t really gone past kissing and a few stolen moments of groping. It was hard to do much else when your parents were home.

“Wow, you’re boring.” Junhoe couldn’t help but tease him.

“You’re not exactly one to talk, okay? At least I’m dating someone, and he’s not too religious for a little fun.” While Junhoe’s ex had been a great guy, and Junhoe had been happy with the relationship, they hadn’t really done anything exciting in the four months they’d dated. They’d barely even had a proper kiss. They’d broken up when his ex’s family had gone to United States as part of their church’s mission group.

Whatever. Junhoe hadn’t really been ready for anything serious at that time anyway.

He was kind of ready for something now, probably. Maybe. If someone good enough came along. Maybe if Taewoon, his closeted classmate, finally came out… Junhoe would date him. He was still keeping tabs on him, and he was certain more than ever that Taewoon really was gay, and Junhoe was sure he was trying to fight off an interest in him. Slow but steady, and he’d probably win that race.

“I’m just holding out for someone good, alright? You found Bobby, so let me find someone too. Well, good for my standards, which are much higher than yours.” Junhoe grinned when Hanbin glared at him.

“You have someone good that’s already in your life, you know.” Hanbin replied.

“I know, but Taewoon’s still in the closet. I think he’s giving me signals though? Like I catch him staring at me all the time.” Junhoe was surprised when Hanbin shook his head.

“I’m not talking about Taewoon, you idiot!”

“Then who?” Junhoe asked, wondering who else Hanbin might be referring to.

“What do you mean, who?” Hanbin was shocked—was Junhoe really not seeing what was right in front of him? “Jinhwan!”

Hanbin’s answer almost felt like a slap across the face.

“Jinhwan? You think I should date Jinhwan?” Was Hanbin serious?

Okay, time to be careful… “I didn’t say you should date him. But if you’re just waiting around for an awesome guy, who’s really attractive and has a great personality and you know, is experienced, which someone like you really needs, then I’m just saying… Jinhwan kinda sounds like your guy, right? And he’s out, so you won’t have to worry about dating some dude who wants to stay in the closet.”

Junhoe frowned. “Jinhwan, though?” Okay, so Jinhwan was attractive. But was Hanbin crazy? They were finally friends, good friends, and Hanbin wanted him to potentially ruin that by dating him? He had to be joking.

“His family likes you, Junhoe! Seiyeon thinks you’re great, for some reason, I guess she has low standards too.” Hanbin grinned at him. “I’m just saying, maybe don’t shut that door before you really look through it?”

“Respectfully, Hanbin, that door isn’t even open. Jinhwan and I are totally not a possibility. No chance. I mean, what would happen if we did try, and it didn’t work out? You wanna go back to us not being friends again?”

“So don’t fuck it up?” Hanbin teased. Okay, time to back off a bit. If he pushed him too hard, nothing would happen just out of spite. “Look, forget I said anything. Go back to dropping crumbs for Taewoon to lead him out of the straight woods.”

Junhoe laughed at the comment. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“You know, like Hansel and Gretel?”

“Who?”

Hanbin looked at him in surprise. “The fairy tale! These parents didn’t want their kids anymore and took them into the woods to abandon them, but the kids laid a trail of breadcrumbs so they could find their way back home.”

Junhoe looked at Hanbin in horror. “What the fuck kind of story is that?”

“It’s a fairy tale, I read it to Hanbyul!”

“That’s a kid’s story?” Junhoe replied, shocked.

“Yeah, it’s one of her favourites.” Okay, so maybe it sounded worse when he didn’t mention the house made out of candy…

“I feel like I should report you for child abuse.” Junhoe joked.

Hanbin rolled his eyes and swatted Junhoe's leg. “Anyway, the point is, keep trying with Taewoon, and maybe he’ll come around after another year or two. Then you can both enter your adult years as virgins.” Hanbin laughed when Junhoe blushed.

“Oh shut up!”

“I’m just worried about you wasting the best years of your life,” Hanbin teased again, “it’s all downhill after twenty!”

“Oh quit it! Like you’re one to talk anyway? Or has Bobby made you a man already?”

Hanbin just grinned back at him. “Not yet, but it’s only a matter of time.”

Junhoe rolled his eyes and sat back. Whatever. Hanbin could talk all the shit he wanted. Just because he wasn’t sure if Taewoon was gay or not, didn’t mean he should abandon all hope. Even with Jinhwan there. Besides, why was Hanbin so sure it was a viable option anyway? Just because they were both gay, it didn’t mean they were a good match. Or that they wanted each other. If Jinhwan was interested, wouldn’t he have made a move by now?

Not worth the hassle. They were getting along. That was all that Junhoe cared about. He wanted Jinhwan to keep helping him train. Something would probably get fucked up if they started messing around with each other.

That sort of thing never ended well.

No point in even thinking about it.

“How's training with Junhoe?”

Jinhwan shovelled a spoonful of fried rice into his mouth before looking at Bobby and nodding. He took his time to chew and swallow before answering, because if Bobby wanted to start a conversation right in the middle of dinner, Jinhwan wasn't going to rush to answer him.

“It's going well.” He answered, giving an annoyingly vague response.

“Are you being nice to him?” Bobby asked.

“Teaching isn't about being nice,” Jinhwan replied, “it's about being precise.”

Bobby rolled his eyes at the answer. “You're not being an asshole to him, are you?”

“I can't believe you'd accuse me of that,” Jinhwan playfully answered, “what do you think I am, a brat?”

“Are you rhyming on purpose?” Bobby asked, huffing in irritation when Jinhwan simply smiled and took another big bite of rice. “Your rhymes are garbage, by the way.”

“Your cooking skills are garbage too,” Jinhwan replied, “I hate it when your mom works late.”

“Be grateful I made you food at all!” Bobby shot back, “I wasn't going to.”

“You shouldn't have,” Jinhwan teased, “I mean it honestly, I might have to go get my stomach pumped.”

“Well if you don't want it, don't eat it!” Bobby reached for his bowl but Jinhwan pulled it out of reach.

“I'll take my chances!” He took another bite and kicked Bobby under the table. “So, how are things going with you and Hanbin?” Jinhwan asked, curious to grill Bobby about his weirdly jealous behaviour.

“We're good,” Bobby answered, “why do you look like you think we're not?”

Jinhwan shrugged. “I don't, I was just checking in. You just seem way more serious about Hanbin then you've been about anyone else before.” Jinhwan took another mouthful of rice, chewing while he watched Bobby contemplate a response.

Bobby had discussed relationships with Jinhwan before, and he was right. Things with Hanbin were really serious compared to Bobby's previous boyfriends (if you could even call them that). But he wasn't sure if he was really ready to talk about it just yet. He was happy, but things still felt a little weird with Hanbin. Bobby sometimes felt a little too vulnerable. He was still trying to figure it all out.

When Bobby didn't reply Jinhwan pressed on, curious more than ever. Bobby wasn't often quiet in discussions. “You act different with Hanbin; don't think I haven't noticed.”

“Huh?” Bobby responded in confusion, wondering what exactly Jinhwan meant.

“You've never been a jealous guy, not that I remember. But you have a bit of a jealous streak when it comes to Hanbin.” Jinhwan watched closely as Bobby reacted, amused when he seemed to disagree.

“A what?” Bobby replied, surprised at Jinhwan's comment.

Jinhwan grinned and scooped up more rice, waving the spoon in Bobby's direction before answering. “If he mentions other guys, you get annoyed and almost seem kind of angry.”

Bobby frowned and shook his head. “Well, yeah. If you were dating a guy, would you want to hear him talk about other guys?”

“But you never used to care,” Jinhwan replied, “in fact I remember, vividly, when you were dating Jinyoung and we were at Jiho's party and Jinyoung kept talking about how hot Wonho was. You told him that if he liked Wonho so much he should go and fuck him.” Jinhwan grinned. “Remember that?”

“Your point?” Bobby replied (even though he knew Jinhwan's point and he was in no rush to agree with it).

“My point is that the old Bobby I know would have sooner broken up with a guy than act jealous because he talked about someone else.” Jinhwan said, flashing Bobby a smug look.

Bobby didn't really like where the conversation was going, but Jinhwan wasn't the type of person to back down from a discussion because it made someone else uncomfortable. “Yeah, well, none of those guys were serious, like you said.”

Jinhwan was still grinning. “You're in love with Hanbin, aren't you?”

Bobby couldn't help but blush at Jinhwan's question. He'd never been in love with anyone before, had never wanted to be in love. He thought about his conversation with his brother, about admitting his feelings out loud for the first time. He hadn't thought about it again since then, and thinking about it now just made him feel vulnerable for some reason. “I don't know, it's a bit early--”

“I honestly didn't think you'd fall in love for another few years, at least.” Jinhwan teasingly interrupted. “Not until after university and your mom started hassling you about settling down.”

“Shut up,” Bobby whined, annoyed with Jinhwan for going there.

“You're beyond whipped for Hanbin, though! God, Bobby, it's so cute.” Jinhwan could tell Bobby was getting embarrassed and he loved it. It was so rare to find a topic of conversation that had Bobby blushing.

“Shut up, seriously!” Bobby just felt like punching him, though.

“No really! Not to be crude, but like, is the sex that good?” Jinhwan teased, and when Bobby just looked at him and shrugged, Jinhwan's mouth dropped open in shock. “Hold on, are you saying--”

“That I don't know? Yeah, I'm saying that.” God why had Jinhwan gone here, and why was Bobby letting him? There was no way he could escape this conversation without Jinhwan prying more details than he had a right to.

Jinhwan's face was slack with shock. “You haven't fucked him?”

“Nope.”

“For real?”

Bobby glared at him, even though he knew why Jinhwan was surprised. “Why are you making it sound like that's weird?”

“Because it is weird! For you.” Jinhwan grinned now that he was thinking about it, because this just proved that Bobby really was head over heels in love with Hanbin, and Jinhwan approved wholeheartedly.

“We just haven't had the opportunity--”

“You've had plenty of opportunities--”

“Someone's always been home--”

“Since when has that stopped you? Hell, aren't you the same guy who boasted to me that he fucked Kenzo underneath the bleachers over spring break last year?” Jinhwan looked at Bobby with a smug expression, amused when Bobby's face turned beet red.

“Your point?” Bobby replied with narrowed eyes, annoyed with Jinhwan pushing this far.

“Has he even sucked your dick yet?” Jinhwan asked, and when Bobby's expression said it all (a resounding no) Jinhwan couldn't help but flick a spoonful of rice at Bobby's face. “Who are you?!”

“JINAN!” Bobby roared in irritation, both at the comment and the rice.

Jinhwan just laughed. “No really! I can't believe you're that in love with him! This is so cute!”

Bobby grabbed his napkin to wipe the grains of rice from his cheek. “I'm gonna pound your face in if you don't shut up!”

“It's cute that you think you can kick my ass, too.” Jinhwan replied, and in truth he was a little surprised. It's not that Bobby was some sexual God who went around sleeping with everyone—far from it. But Jinhwan did know for a fact that Bobby had ended two relationships over a lack of sexual activity. For him to go this long with nothing was a record.

Bobby glared at him in aggravation. He was annoyed over Jinhwan prying, but he was also annoyed because everything he was saying was the truth. And maybe he was also a little annoyed because nothing had happened between he and Hanbin yet. It's not that Bobby was in a rush. Hanbin was worth waiting for. But it would be nice for something more than just a kiss or a quick grope. Then again he hadn't exactly asked Hanbin how experienced he was. It would probably be a smart move, but still, it just felt a little awkward.

He didn't want Hanbin to feel like he expected something. Which was weird because he'd always expected things from any of the other guys he'd dated. But the relationship dynamics with Hanbin were different, Bobby respected him more. He just didn't exactly know how to deal with it.

Jinhwan shovelled the last of his fried rice into his mouth, watching Bobby in smug silence. He'd hit a bit of a nerve, apparently. It really was sweet, though, and Jinhwan was happy that Bobby was finally in a relationship with someone that he cared about. He got up from the table and carried his bowl over to the sink, rinsing it out before leaning down to hug Bobby and teasingly peck a kiss on his cheek.

“Thanks for dinner, Bob.”

Bobby swatted at Jinhwan. “Hey hold on, I never finished grilling you about Junhoe!”

“There's nothing to grill!” Jinhwan replied before slipping out of the kitchen. “Your relationship is way more fun to discuss!” Jinhwan yelled to him from the hallway, and Bobby was left alone at the kitchen table, annoyed about it all. Jinhwan could be so irritating when he tried.

His thoughts were interrupted by a text message from Hanbin.

-busy? hanbyul wants to say goodnight before she goes to sleep-

Before he knew it Bobby was agreeing to the video call and he felt a fluttering in his stomach, the kind you got when you were waiting for good news. (The kind you got when you were in love.) Seconds later and there was Hanbin, on screen with his sister, who was shyly waving to Bobby. It was still a slow going process with he and Hanbyul. She liked him now, of that he was certain, but she was still hesitant to approach him on her own, still didn't engage him in conversation without Hanbin prompting her.

That was fine, though. She was adorable and Bobby was willing to put in the work needed to win her over fully. Things like this were his reward, an unexpected goodnight video call, and Bobby thought that nothing was cuter than watching his boyfriend be adorable with his little sister. Moments like this were ones you shared with someone you had long-term feelings for.

Bobby's heart felt light as he watched them, and when he told Hanbyul to give Hanbin a kiss for him and she did, it made him think about his talk with Jinhwan suddenly. In the end it was stuff like this that was important. He could make out with anyone, but he wouldn't spend ten minutes saying goodnight to any of his exes' siblings. They ended the call and Hanbin promised to call Bobby again later, and Bobby was eager for it.

Worth waiting for.

“This is weird.” Junhoe felt oddly insecure with the blindfold on. Didn’t being blindfolded usually make people more open, because no one could see you making a fool out of yourself?

“I know, it’s going to be even weirder the first few times we grapple,” Jinhwan answered, tempted to leave his blindfold off. He’d promised Junhoe he’d wear one too, though, and he couldn’t go back on that. “Come on, stay near me so we don’t get too far away.” Junhoe approached him by listening to his voice, and Jinhwan reached out to grab his arm when he got close. “Okay stay there, don’t move.” He quickly slipped the blindfold on, and immediately his first thought was of the first time he’d done this with Eric.

He really couldn’t afford to think about that right now though.

He reached out, grabbing Junhoe’s arm again. “Okay, let’s just practice setting up guard position, so we can get a feel for it. Then from there we’ll do different things, okay?”

“Okay. Who’s doing what, though?” Junhoe stood by him, kneeling when he felt Jinhwan kneel.

“I’ll get on my back, you get in my guard.” Jinhwan kept a hand on Junhoe, constantly touching as he got himself into position.

Junhoe felt weird about it still, but that was mostly because the whole situation was just strange. When Jinhwan laid on his back Junhoe took up a position in between his legs and waited for Jinhwan to lock his legs up around his back. Maybe it was because he couldn’t see him, or maybe it was because of Hanbin’s bullshit teasing the other day, but for the first time ever Junhoe kind of felt like the whole situation was way more intimate than it had any right being.

He was right up against Jinhwan, Jinhwan’s inner thigh was pressing right into him--

Get a hold of yourself! Junhoe couldn’t believe his mind had gone right there, right away! He’d been in guard position with Jinhwan countless times, how was his brain going anywhere other than jiu jitsu right now?!

Jinhwan didn’t say anything, just let Junhoe get used to being in position without being able to see. He was trying not to think about Eric, trying to forget the way he’d reacted, being in Junhoe’s position… It had been embarrassing at first, but everything had worked out in the end. “Okay, you good?”

Junhoe was so edge that he replied in a strained voice. “Yeah I’m good!”

Jinhwan couldn’t help but laugh at the high pitch. “I know it’s weird doing this without being able to see, keep your cool. It’ll feel less weird soon, I promise. Right now just get a feel for this, practice doing some gi grips, after that I’ll get you to try getting out of my guard. Your hands know where to go, they just have to get used to doing it on their own.”

Oh sure, it sounded so simple, the only problem was that Junhoe’s hands didn’t exactly want to go where they were supposed to go right now. But he fought against that, because there was no way he was going to let himself get worked up right now. He had to think about something that was not sexual. Not sexual at all.

He grabbed at Jinhwan’s gi, fisting his hands in the fabric, trying to think of something other than Jinhwan’s too close body. God, this was terrible! He was going to kill Hanbin! This was all his fault for putting the damn thoughts in his head!

Jinhwan let his own hands grab Junhoe’s gi, fingers curling into the fabric. It had started out so innocently back then, it was kind of cute when he thought back on it. He remembered it well, lying on his back with Eric over him, and okay sure, so he’d been harbouring a crush on Eric then, before he’d known Eric was gay. He’d been scared, actually, when he’d first realized what was happening to his body. One second he’d been fine, and the next he’d felt like shrivelling up and dying on the floor when he realized his dick had gotten hard and was pressing into Eric’s thigh.

“Jinan, it’s okay, honestly! You don’t have to be embarrassed. I can promise you, you are not the first guy who’s popped a boner during sparring. Seriously, it’s okay.”

It wasn’t okay, though! If Eric knew how he really felt...

“Hey, come here, it’s okay!” Eric moved closer, drawing him into a hug, but Jinhwan resisted. “Jinan, I mean it. I can’t believe this is the first time it’s happened to you.”

Eric laughed, but Jinhwan just wanted to cry. God, he felt like such an idiot! For weeks now, he’d been telling himself that it wasn’t a problem, crushing on Eric. But it clearly was a problem now. He’d been fine before, sparring with him, because that’s all it had been. But for some reason the blindfold had changed everything. Instead of sparring, Jinhwan’s mind had gone right to some fantasy that Eric would probably hate him for.

He had to get over it, though. If he didn’t, wouldn’t Eric think it was weird?

“Jinan-ie, come on, you’re worrying me a little!” Eric laid a hand on his head, ruffling fingers through his hair, and that familiar touch had Jinhwan’s eyes watering.

What if Eric figured it out? What if he was so disgusted he refused to train with him again? What if he told everyone else? What if everyone refused to train him? His mother would be right. No one would want to train with a gay boy.

Eric didn’t push him for a bit, just sat beside him and played with his hair, but that made it all worse for Jinhwan. He couldn’t stop thinking about Eric. Couldn’t stop thinking about kissing him. Couldn’t stop thinking.

“Okay, clearly something is a bit more serious for you. You shouldn’t be this upset about it. If you want to talk about it, I’m here for you, okay? I promise, whatever it is, you can tell me. I won’t hate you.”

Hate him? Oh god, it was like Eric knew! Did he know? Was he lying when he said everyone got hard when they trained? Was he just trying to be nice?

“Jinan, please tell me what’s wrong. If you don’t, I might have to start guessing, and I really don’t want to potentially offend you.” Eric’s voice was soft, and Jinhwan wanted to believe him so bad. But what if he was faking it? What if he was just waiting for the admission, waiting to hear it with his own ears and gather the evidence needed to kick Jinhwan out?

He couldn’t tell him. He had to come up with something, quick! Some childhood trauma, maybe? What would be a believable story? Maybe something had happened to him at school, someone had made fun of him?

“Jinan? Maybe this isn’t going to help at all, especially if I’m wrong; if I’m wrong please forget what you’re about to hear,” Eric paused then, and Jinhwan waited, curious, certain that there was no way that Eric would possibly say anything that could actually help him right now--

“I’m gay. So trust me when I say that I understand how embarrassing it can be to get hard when you’re fighting with someone, especially if they don’t know.”

Jinhwan wasn’t sure he’d actually heard him. Had he imagined that? Had his brain heard what he wanted to hear? Had Eric actually said something else?

“Jinan?”

Finally he looked at Eric’s reflection in the mirror, not able to look at him face to face. Eric really had said it, hadn’t he?

“You’re really gay?”

Eric nodded. “I definitely am.”

Was this for real? Was it some dream?

“I’m gay too.” Jinhwan wasn’t even sure if he’d managed to say it out loud, he was so nervous about admitting it. But Eric smiled and ruffled his hair again.

“I know, kiddo. And it’s okay.”

Junhoe tried to keep his breathing stable, concentrating on each breath in and out. He had to combat this, had to fight it and beat it. He didn’t have any other choice. Of course, it wasn’t the first time he’d felt like popping a boner during practice, but it hadn’t happened for three years, at least? Back when everyone was younger and awkward. He was supposed to have it under control, though!

Jinhwan would probably laugh at him, he could picture it now. He’d have to bribe him not to tell Hanbin and Bobby. There was only so much teasing Junhoe could endure, and there was no way Hanbin would let this go! At least Jinhwan was gay, so it’s not like he’d get grossed out by it. That was his only saving grace right now.

Jinhwan grabbed Junhoe’s lapels, suddenly pulling him down and closer. “Come here!” He said jokingly, wrapping his legs tighter around Junhoe’s back. “Give it a minute, then try and break out of this.”

Junhoe barely managed to keep himself from yelling when Jinhwan pulled him down. Not helping! God, he didn’t think it could get worse but it did! It wasn’t just Jinhwan’s thigh now but his ass was resting directly on top of Junhoe’s dick...fuck he didn’t think he was going to make it, his mind was drawing a blank, he couldn’t think of anything to distract himself from the thought of Jinhwan’s ass resting against his dick--

“Junhoe? Try breaking out of it now,” Jinhwan instructed, trying to distract himself from his own battle with his memories, and a second later when Junhoe’s elbows dug hard into his thighs he actually yelled, surprised at the force Junhoe had used.

Junhoe hadn’t paid much mind to the force, just wanting to get out from Jinhwan’s guard. He needed a minute, seriously needed a minute!

Jinhwan cursed when he felt Junhoe pull away, momentarily annoyed at Junhoe for hitting him so hard. “Hey asshole, we’re training, no need to be so rough!” He bounced up from his position, grabbing Junhoe around the waist to wrestle him back down.

“Hey, let me go!” Junhoe yelled back.

“I told you to break out, not take a break!” Jinhwan replied, pulling Junhoe down onto the mat.

“Give me a minute, okay! I’m not ready for this!” Junhoe fought against him, cursing when Jinhwan flipped him and went for an ankle lock. He couldn’t anticipate anything with this stupid blindfold on! “Hyung, I mean it!”

“This is for smashing my thighs!” Jinhwan replied teasingly, locking the hold on him and straightening his legs. He ended up shoving his foot into Junhoe’s crotch, and when Junhoe cursed loudly Jinhwan realized why—Junhoe was hard.

He released the ankle lock and rolled away, not able to stop himself from laughing.

Junhoe quickly rolled to his knees, panting and embarrassed. Fuck. Jinhwan had noticed, and of course he’d made a bigger deal out of it himself than he should have! Of course Jinhwan was going to tease him now. So stupid.

“I can’t believe you almost gave me a charlie horse because you were trying to hide your boner!” Jinhwan said, lying on his back and kicking his legs in the air as he laughed.

Junhoe pulled his blindfold off and glared at Jinhwan. He couldn’t believe he’d overreacted! He felt like such a rookie right now.

“Seriously, this is so fucking funny! Have you never popped one during training before?” Jinhwan asked, finally reaching up to pull his blindfold off. He laughed again when he saw how angry Junhoe looked.

“Not since I was fourteen.” Junhoe ground out through clenched teeth.

“Wow, your control is so much better than mine.” Jinhwan replied, turning onto his side. “Seriously though, I can’t believe you freaked so much! I mean, I could understand if I was straight, but like, I’m gay, Junhoe! An erection isn’t going to bother me.”

“Shut up!” Junhoe replied, turning his attention to his own reflection in the mirror. God, this was so embarrassing!

“Don’t feel bad, though,” Jinhwan replied, before balling his blindfold up and throwing it at Junhoe’s head, “wanna hear a funny story?”

Junhoe glared at him again when he felt Jinhwan’s blindfold hit him. He didn’t answer, instead just glared back at him. Okay maybe being angry wasn’t helping either, but Junhoe didn’t deal well with embarrassment, and he hoped Jinhwan wouldn’t take the glares personally.

“So, the first time I ever sparred blindfolded with Eric, I got so fucking hard I almost cried.” Even though he was laughing, Jinhwan well understood how embarrassing the situation probably was. So he was willing to offer up his own embarrassing story in hopes that Junhoe would calm down quicker.

Junhoe looked at him in shock. “Seriously? How did he react?” Hearing that Jinhwan had popped a boner against Eric Kwon somehow made him feel better.

“He was really good about it.” Jinhwan replied, rolling over onto his stomach and crossing his arms under his head. “Told me I wasn’t the first guy it had happened to.”

“Shit, still, that must have been embarrassing. How old were you?”

“Sixteen, and yes, before you ask, I had a massive crush on him.” So Junhoe didn’t really need to know anything had come of that crush, but it couldn’t hurt to mention it.

“Wow.”

“Yeah that about sums it up.” Jinhwan replied, grinning at him. “So it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I mean honestly, I felt it, it’s definitely nothing to be ashamed of!” Jinhwan couldn’t help but tease him.

Junhoe’s cheeks flushed at the joke. “Ah hyung, seriously! That’s not funny!”

“I mean, you personally might be a bit of a dick, but physically you’re quite a lot of dick?” Jinhwan hoped he wasn’t pushing it too far with that one.

“Ah really! That’s crossing a line!”

Jinhwan got up to his knees, crawling over towards Junhoe, who was facing the mirror. “If you think that constitutes crossing a line, boy have I got some news for you!” Jinhwan jumped him from behind, arms circling around Junhoe and without warning his hand made a grab for Junhoe’s dick (which he was pleased to find was still hard).

“HYUNG!” Junhoe wasn’t ready for it and tried to scramble away.

Jinhwan let him go and rolled onto his back, kicking his feet in the air again as he laughed.

Junhoe wanted to elbow drop his face so bad right now, but he let it go. He was just making a big deal out of nothing again. It was fine. Jinhwan could have made this super awkward by acting weird, but instead he was trying to be playful. Maybe Junhoe just needed to stop being so serious about it.

Why had Jinhwan grabbed it with his hand, though? Junhoe stared at him, watched as he calmed down from laughing. Thought, briefly, how Jinhwan was kind of cute when he laughed like that, with his whole body. Wished he was laughing at something other than Junhoe’s own awkward reaction so he could join him.

Thought again about what Hanbin had said. Why wait around for someone who might not actually be gay when there was someone who was gay, right in front of him?

Dangerous thoughts, those, and Junhoe knew they wouldn’t lead anywhere good. He needed to remember why Jinhwan wasn’t worth pursuing. Needed to remember why it probably wouldn’t work out.

“So, are we gonna try this again?” Jinhwan asked now that he’d stopped laughing. “I promise you, it’s going to help. Don’t worry about getting hard again, I mean, I can’t blame you anyway. I’d probably get hard too if a nice ass was pressing down on my dick like that.”

Junhoe closed his eyes and took a deep breath in, releasing it slowly before opening his eyes and looking back at Jinhwan. Before he had a chance to say anything Jinhwan arched his eyebrows and blew an over the top seductive kiss at him, and for some reason that made everything okay, and Junhoe finally got over himself and started laughing.

Jinhwan hadn’t meant to get them giggling again, but it was probably a good thing for Junhoe to release that frustrated tension out before they resumed training. He was cute when he laughed, his eyes crinkling up and his mouth wide, his smile all teeth. Jinhwan rolled over onto his stomach, propping himself up with one hand under his chin. He stopped laughing before Junhoe did and just watched him. Should he go for it? Would it be a bad idea?

He didn’t want a boyfriend right now, but he wouldn’t mind someone fun to pass the time with. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad? Would Junhoe agree to an arrangement like that? Was it worth asking?

“Okay, let’s train again. I think I’m over that.” Junhoe forced himself to meet Jinhwan’s gaze, pleased to find Jinhwan smiling so fondly at him.

“Alright. Let’s spar for real, though? Loser buys the winner dinner?”

“No way! You’re more experienced than me, you’ll probably win.”

Jinhwan couldn’t help but grin. “Well I won’t lie, with the way you giggle over a boner I probably am more experienced than you.”

Junhoe just stared at him for a moment before pouncing at him and putting him in a light choke hold, trying to keep his own laughter at bay.

Jinhwan didn’t even try to get out of it, instead just wrapping his fingers around Junhoe’s arm. “Are you trying to tell me something?” He asked, grinning when Junhoe slung a leg over his hips—Junhoe was still semi hard.

“Yeah, you’re an asshole!” Junhoe replied.

“Well, I guess that answer makes sense. I was only asking because you have me in a rear naked choke,” Jinhwan said, “nice to see you’re thinking of me as a means to an end!”

Junhoe couldn’t believe he’d walked right into that one! He laughed, though, because it was actually funny, and he loosened the hold on Jinhwan, rolling onto his back and laughing. Jinhwan rolled on top of him, and Junhoe opened his eyes to look up at him.

Wasn’t he supposed to be remembering all the reasons why this was a bad idea?

Jinhwan grinned down at him, straddling his waist. Should he go for it? What was the worst thing that could happen? Surely Junhoe wouldn’t freak out from just a kiss, would he?

Junhoe was trying hard to keep tabs on himself, repeating a mantra in his head about how this is bad, this is bad, don’t go for it but the longer he stared up into Jinhwan’s eyes, the harder it became. This was a terrible idea.

If Junhoe was going to take offense, Jinhwan decided that he’d have done it by now, and he took that as a sign to proceed. He leaned down, hands shooting up to cup Junhoe’s cheeks as he pressed his lips softly to Junhoe’s, and when he didn’t squirm away or tense up Jinhwan let his tongue run along Junhoe’s lips, probing against them lightly until finally they opened up. Junhoe’s tongue pressed shyly into Jinhwan’s, uncertainty and inexperience spoken in a language Jinhwan recognized.

That was okay. He’d had the best teacher for this anyway, so he knew what to do.

Things wouldn’t get weird.

Junhoe wasn't even sure anymore how it had happened. One minute they were joking around and the next minute they were kissing. It was like a scene out of some TV drama, in fact he was certain that he'd probably watched something exactly like this before. How did they usually end up going? The couples expressed their attraction, tried to fight it, only to lose the battle and end up together in the end. Was that how this would end up going?

“Junhoe? Either I'm an even better kisser than I thought, or you've never had a proper kiss before.”

Jinhwan's teasing comment snapped Junhoe back to attention and he glared up at Jinhwan before promptly shoving him off. “Don't flatter yourself! You just caught me by surprise, that's all.”

Jinhwan actually laughed at him. “Right, and that's why the kiss lasted so long?” Jinhwan asked, grinning at him.

Had it lasted that long? It had seemed so brief—not that it mattered. “I didn't want to be rude!”

Jinhwan laughed again, like he thought Junhoe's answers were cute. “Wow, this is just like some TV drama, your reaction is so predictable!”

Jinhwan was thinking of TV dramas too? It didn't mean anything. Everybody would probably have the same reaction, it didn't mean their thoughts were linked or whatever. That was just stupid. Junhoe shook his head and continued glaring at Jinhwan. “Ah, you think you're such a comedian, don't you?”

“I bet you've been harbouring a secret crush on me for weeks now, haven't you?” Jinhwan teased again, his humour fed by Junhoe's glares. He remembered Hanbin's explanation about Junhoe, and how if he was really upset about something, he'd get quiet. But Junhoe wasn't really trying to hide from the situation, so Jinhwan thought it meant that he was okay with it. Probably just surprised.

It was Junhoe's turn to laugh (though it was an incredulous laugh of disbelief). “More like harbouring a secret desire to kick your ass.”

Jinhwan wasn't deterred, though. “Kick or kiss? You'll fail if you try the first, but if you ask sweetly I might just let you do the second.”

Junhoe watched as Jinhwan descended into another fit of giggles, and it knocked the wind out of his irritation. Okay, hadn't he actually been contemplating kissing him too? And then he'd gone and reacted like some idiot who was afraid of getting close? The past ten minutes had been nothing but Junhoe putting his own proverbial foot in his mouth. He needed to be cool about this, not some overreacting kid. “You should be kissing my ass instead.”

Jinhwan rolled onto his side and propped his head up on his hand. “That's an awfully disrespectful way to be talking to your hyung.” He was grinning, though, so Junhoe knew he wasn't actually upset. “And your trainer!”

Junhoe just rolled his eyes. “You gonna make me do pushups, hyung?”

Jinhwan's eyes sparkled with mischief. “I should. Test that upper body strength. It's important to have that after all.” He stared at Junhoe expectantly, like he was serious about the pushups. Junhoe stared back, and he kind of felt like they were in a standoff. Did Jinhwan really expect him to do pushups?

“Can you even do ten pushups?” Jinhwan asked, and Junhoe fell for it.

“Ten? Of course I can!” His response was accompanied by a look of disgust, like he was offended by Jinhwan's doubt. “I can do ten one-armed!”

Jinhwan smirked at the answer. Junhoe really was predictable if you knew how to play him. “You can? Then get to it.”

Junhoe was down in the pushup position before realizing that he'd totally walked right into it. Hanbin always teased him about how easy it was to get him to do whatever he wanted, and despite knowing how he did it, Junhoe kept letting it happen every damn time. He shook his head in disgust at himself before preparing to do the pushups. While he could do them one-armed, he'd never tried to do ten in a row before, and for his pride's sake he hoped he'd be able to do them without problem.

Jinhwan watched as he got started, and when Junhoe started struggling by the sixth he got up and crawled over to him. “Okay that's enough, I require something more impressive for the last four.”

Junhoe warily lowered himself to the floor (resting his wobbly right arm, glad for the break because he didn't think he'd have made it to ten) and looked back at Jinhwan. “What now, his royal highness?” He asked sarcastically (mostly to hide how much he'd been struggling).

Jinhwan suddenly pounced on him, laying across Junhoe's back. “Do the last four with me on your back!”

Junhoe had to stop himself before shoving Jinhwan off. Play it cool, stay calm, don't overreact. “Fine, I can do that.” He took a deep breath, annoyed that he was actually going to do this (and hoping that Jinhwan wasn't heavier than he looked).

When Junhoe pushed up from the floor Jinhwan readjusted his legs, his knees pressing into Junhoe's sides and his arms wrapping around his chest. Junhoe managed one pushup with Jinhwan on his back properly before Jinhwan ground himself lightly against Junhoe's ass, grinning when he felt Junhoe stiffen. Junhoe didn't say anything, though, and instead he went down for a second pushup, though his arms were wobbling a little.

Jinhwan closed his eyes and ground against him again, and by now his dick was half hard, enough for Junhoe to be able to feel it. Jinhwan couldn't help it—it was a hot situation and he was sure Junhoe wouldn't really be bothered. Besides, he did kind of want to bring up the fact that they'd kissed again. Maybe Junhoe wouldn't be so defensive about it now.

Junhoe couldn't help but wonder what Jinhwan was doing. First he'd kissed him, now he was grinding into him—was this all serious, or was he just being an asshole? Junhoe kind of wanted to ask, but he didn't know if he really wanted to talk about it or just pretend it had all never happened. He was still kind of hard himself, though, still had thoughts about flipping their positions and kissing Jinhwan again (just to remember what it was like, that was it, because he'd forgotten already) but he wasn't about to do it himself. Nope. If Jinhwan wanted to go for it, maybe he'd let him.

Junhoe managed the third pushup and was currently struggling with the fourth, and when he finally made it up to complete it he collapsed back to the floor directly after. Jinhwan dropped on top of him and sat up, straddling the backs of Junhoe's thighs. Jinhwan grinned before delivering a rather hard slap to Junhoe's ass.

“I'd say well done for finishing, but in truth that was a little pathetic! I think you should hit the gym and work on your upper body strength a little bit more.”

Junhoe blushed at the slap and kept his face hidden so Jinhwan wouldn't see. He had to fight to keep himself from rolling out from under him and scurrying away, because that would probably just make Jinhwan laugh again. He had to keep his cool. “You're a lot heavier than you look, hyung.”

“I should get Bobby to train you at the gym, have you seen his biceps? He could probably bench press Hanbin one-armed.”

Oh god. Hanbin. How would he react if he could see this? Junhoe didn't want to think about it, he'd never endure the teasing.

Jinhwan waited for a response, but when he got nothing he wondered if he was pushing it too far. But Junhoe wasn't tense or anything, his body wasn't stiff and uncomfortable. Maybe he was just winded from the pushups? Jinhwan grinned and drummed his hands against Junhoe's ass playfully. “Did that really tire you out this much? Maybe we should work on your stamina too.”

Junhoe was about to reply, but the tone of his response changed when Jinhwan pinched his ass. “Hyung! Would you leave my ass alone?” He looked back at him over his shoulder, slightly annoyed, but also a little embarrassed.

Jinhwan grinned back at him. “Oh sorry, was that your ass? I didn't realize you had one, it kind of just blends in with your thighs.” Jinhwan teased back, and he wasn't prepared for it when Junhoe suddenly sat up and grabbed his arm and tugged him down. Jinhwan didn't bother fighting it as Junhoe put him in a light choke hold, one leg slung over Jinhwan's to keep him locked. He was too busy laughing.

Junhoe wanted to be annoyed, but Jinhwan's laugh was addictive, and soon his frown was flipped up into a grin, and he shook with silent laughter of his own. Okay. He really needed to stop overreacting to Jinhwan's teasing, because it was much better to just laugh about it from the start.

Not that Jinhwan had really been worried, but he still felt relieved when Junhoe started laughing too, and it was nice, how comfortable he actually felt with him at the moment. They'd really come a long way in a short period of time. He wanted to comment on it, but he thought it would probably be a little too much for Junhoe. Instead he just focused on Junhoe wrapped around him, on the fact that he could feel, right against his leg, that Junhoe was clearly still very much turned on. Instead of being sentimental, maybe he'd just be flirty instead.

“So, I can feel that you're still interested, huh?” He pushed his hip up off the ground and into Junhoe's crotch, grinning when Junhoe tensed a little at the contact.

How was he even supposed to respond to that? It was embarrassing, Junhoe almost felt like a stupid kid with no control over himself—but maybe he was trying to fight a useless battle? He wasn't the only one, after all, he'd felt Jinhwan too, knew he was similarly affected. There was no need to be embarrassed about it.

“Don't flatter yourself, I get hard when I'm tired.”

Jinhwan laughed at the excuse. “You're such a liar! And you have shitty stamina too.”

“I meant I'm tired of your bullshit!” Junhoe replied, tightening his loose choke hold on Jinhwan. “You're an annoying guy, you know that, right?”

“An annoying guy who makes your dick hard.” Jinhwan answered back, and he was surprised when Junhoe simply released the hold instead of fighting back. Sometimes Junhoe was easy to anticipate, but other times Jinhwan was surprised.

Junhoe untangled himself from Jinhwan and rolled away, but he wasn't upset. Instead he couldn't help but laugh, because really, this situation was kind of ridiculous and he needed a minute to really come to grips with it all.

Jinhwan watched him with scrutinizing eyes until he was sure that Junhoe wasn't actually upset. “So, can we actually talk about that kiss? Now that you're not all defensive about it anymore.”

Junhoe remained on his back, eyes on the ceiling. What did he want to say about it? That he'd liked it? That he wanted to do it again? That despite it being kind of weird and a little overbearing, he liked Jinhwan's flirty behaviour? Wanted a bit more of it? Could he really admit that?

When Junhoe didn't answer, Jinhwan pushed on himself. Silence didn't always mean that Junhoe was unhappy, did it? “Listen, I'll be honest with you—I've actually been thinking about doing that for a while, now. Kissing you. I think you're really attractive.” There. He'd said it, as plain as he could, and now it was on Junhoe to respond.

Junhoe's brain felt like it was going to melt. Jinhwan was honestly attracted to him? This wasn't just some joke to him? Junhoe hoped he wasn't blushing, because it was a little more difficult than he'd thought it would be, accepting the interest of someone else. “Uh, yeah, me too.” Me too. What did he even mean by that? Did he want something with Jinhwan? Would it work out with them?

Jinhwan grinned at Junhoe's awkward acceptance and admission. “I knew it! You've been into me from the beginning, haven't you?” He couldn't help but tease.

Junhoe's defenses were up suddenly and without warning. “No I mean I think I'm attractive!” God was it really so hard for him to admit his interest in Jinhwan? Was his brain really that desperate to keep it from coming out?

Jinhwan bit his cheek to keep from laughing. Junhoe was adorable, there was no getting around it. “Ah, there we go, that ego of yours coming out again!” He teased back, amused at the attempted deflection. Junhoe was apparently going to be some work, but Jinhwan was up for a potential challenge. “I know I've been a little pushy today, and I'll just get to it and say it outright. I'm really interested in you, but I'm not really looking for a relationship. Just someone to have a little fun with.”

The words surprised Junhoe, and his disappointment surprised him too. What exactly had he been expecting? Wasn't this a better idea anyway? Less messy?

Jinhwan waited a moment, but when there was no answer again he kept going. “And by fun, I mean equal parts innocent fun and not-so-innocent fun.”

Junhoe finally sat up and looked at him, tried to school his own expression into something neutral. “So what, we just mess around with each other?” His throat felt a little tight at the question, and it made him annoyed with himself. He thought suddenly about what Hanbin had teased him about, entering his adult years as a virgin. No. That wasn't going to happen. Jinhwan was clearly experienced, and Junhoe wanted to share in that experience. Maybe it would be easier learning from someone when emotions weren't involved? He could do it.

Jinhwan was relieved when Junhoe didn't automatically decline. “Yeah, exactly that! Well, I wouldn't mind actually hanging out with you too, whether or not the two other idiots are around. I like you. As a friend, but you know, a really attractive friend that I wouldn't mind maybe fucking every once in a while.” He watched Junhoe's response, not surprised in the least when his bluntness made Junhoe blush. It was cute.

Fucking. Was Jinhwan expecting that right away? Did Jinhwan think he was more experienced than he actually was? Should he tell him the truth? Junhoe debated it all in his head, and he looked at Jinhwan and nodded, but couldn't quite make himself look him in the eye.

“If you don't want something casual, that's okay, just tell me. Or if you change your mind, let me know. I don't want to make anything awkward between us, okay?” Jinhwan knew all too well what developing feelings could do to a casual relationship, and he wanted to be upfront with Junhoe from the start.

Even though Junhoe wasn't entirely sure he'd be okay with just keeping it casual, he wasn't about to back down. “No we need to keep this casual. Even if I wanted to date you—which I don't—Hanbin would be unbearable. So we're not saying a word to anyone about this.”

Jinhwan nodded, amused at how defensive Junhoe was being. “I agree, they'd be terrible. But I mean it, though. Feelings change sometimes, so if that happens just let me know, okay?”

Junhoe shook his head. “You must think really highly of yourself if you think that I'd ever be interested enough to want to date you.” Hanbin liked to say that Junhoe had a disease that made him spurt comments out without thinking about them in the most inappropriate of times. Junhoe knew that he had to be sounding like he was hiding something, but he couldn't stop himself from speaking.

Jinhwan thought it was endearing, though. “Excuse me, but I would be the best boyfriend you've ever had if we did date! Then again, that might not be difficult to achieve. Have you even had a boyfriend before?”

“I have!” Junhoe answered, annoyed at the insinuation.

“How many?” Jinhwan couldn't help but ask, and it's not like the number of guys made a difference. He'd only ever dated Eric, after all. But sometimes it came down to quality over quantity.

Junhoe glared at him, annoyed that he was letting Jinhwan sucker him into this. “One.” He didn't have to be embarrassed about only having had one boyfriend! It's not like gay guys were in abundance or anything. And he had standards anyway.

“Did you even kiss him?” Jinhwan teased.

“Yeah!” Junhoe replied.

“With tongue?” Jinhwan asked, laughing when Junhoe didn't answer right away.

“You know what? Fuck you.” Junhoe sulkingly answered.

Jinhwan grinned. “Yeah on that topic, have you even had sex before?” He already knew the answer to the question, but the way Junhoe's face turned beet red was worth asking him about it. “Ah, why am I even asking, I know you haven't!”

“You don't know that!” Junhoe replied defensively, glaring eyes on Jinhwan.

“I'm pretty sure I do.” Jinhwan winked at him, amused at Junhoe's seesaw behaviour. “It's not a problem, by the way, we all started out that way. I know what I'm doing, so I'll take care of you.”

“I don't need to be taken care of!” Junhoe shot back, hackles raised. He tried to talk himself down, knew he was overreacting again, but he couldn't help it.

“I mean I'm being a good teacher with jiu jitsu, right? I can get you in bed and teach you the rear naked reach-around.”

And just like that, with one simple joke, Junhoe's defenses crumbled and he couldn't stop the laugh from bubbling up, and he hated how easy it was. Jinhwan laughed too. Maybe Junhoe wouldn't be so tough to crack after all.

Jinhwan crawled over to where Junhoe was sitting, reaching out to grab the blindfolds from where they'd been thrown. “Alright, now that we've come to an agreement, let's get back to training?” He offered a blindfold out to Junhoe, who looked at it with confusion.

“So that's it? We're just going back to training after that?” He wasn't sure what he expected them to do. But picking up where they'd left off wasn't it.

Jinhwan pressed the blindfold into his hand and winked at him. “Yeah, unless you wanted to do something else?”

“No! I just, ah fuck. Fine let's do this.” Junhoe took the blindfold and glared at him. Jinhwan was annoying and confusing at times, but then so was everyone that Junhoe was close to. Maybe that was just the type of people he attracted to himself.

“Okay, let's do this. If you can successfully escape my guard and get me in a submission three times, I'll give you a blowjob.” Jinhwan casually offered, like it was a normal occurrence.

Junhoe's face blanched in shock. “What?”

“You don't have to tap me, just lock something in. Blindfolded, of course. Three times. Think you can do it?” Jinhwan knew that part wasn't what had Junhoe staring at him in abject horror (which a lesser person may have taken offense to, but Jinhwan had a pretty good grasp on Junhoe's reactions by now). But he was being purposefully evasive.

“Here?” Junhoe asked, because his mind was still stuck on blowjob.

Jinhwan looked around and nodded. “Yeah. Unless you want to go home? Do it in the comfort of your bedroom?”

Junhoe couldn't answer, too shocked at the offer. “But, we're in public...”

“We're at my gym, and we're the only people here. No one else is coming in tonight, we're alone.” Jinhwan stared at him expectantly, like he didn't think the offer was worthy of all this discussion. Junhoe didn't answer, though, and Jinhwan was trying not to laugh. “Ah, is that a little too much for you then? Maybe just a handjob to get started?”

“No it's fine!” Junhoe replied without thinking. “Get your mouth ready cause I'm gonna kick your ass.” Without a second glance Junhoe slipped his blindfold back on, blocking himself from even thinking about Jinhwan's offer.

Jinhwan smirked in victory before putting his own blindfold back on. He really hoped Junhoe wasn't going to be too distracted, because he really wanted him to succeed. Maybe he should have set the bar a little lower. One successful evasion.

They got into position again and Jinhwan went easy on him for the first one, even though Junhoe was unexpectedly focused. It only took him a minute before he locked an arm bar on Jinhwan.

“Don't go getting cocky,” Jinhwan teasingly told him, “I was going easy on you.”

“Well you can stop.” Junhoe replied. “I won't learn anything if you go easy on me.”

“I can't disagree with you there. Come back then and let's give a second go?” Jinhwan said, and soon he was on his back again, Junhoe looming over him. Jinhwan fought back harder this time, but still didn't go all out. Junhoe escaped out quickly enough, but Jinhwan wasn't so quick to allow himself to be pulled into a submission move. Instead it was Junhoe caught up twice now, Jinhwan showing his superior skills.

Their fourth turn saw Junhoe victorious again after a few minutes.

“Ah that was good!” Jinhwan called out, laid out on his back and breathing a little heavily. “It feels like you're getting the hang of this better.”

Junhoe was sitting up on his knees, breathing heavily but feeling good. “Thanks, hyung! It feels less awkward now, at least.”

“I can tell, there's a big improvement from when we started half an hour ago. Let's switch it up though, I want to start with you in my rear guard this time.” Jinhwan wanted to test him, see if he could adapt easily now that he was getting the hang of fighting without using sight.

“Yeah, sure.” Junhoe shuffled towards the sound of Jinhwan's voice, nervous about starting in a different position. It was good for training, though. He couldn't just get comfortable with one way, they had to keep switching it up. He settled down on the floor and let Jinhwan get into position behind him, and when Jinhwan slid his legs around his waist and put an arm loosely around his neck, Junhoe thought about what he needed to do to get out of it.

It was easy to stay focused on the sport right now, instead of getting lost in thought about Jinhwan's offered victory prize. He couldn't afford to be distracted, not when he was doing something this important. They started their match and this time Jinhwan was really giving it his all. Junhoe struggled from the start, but he actually found it easier to concentrate while wearing the blindfold. There was no visual to get distracted by, all he could focus on was the feel of Jinhwan's arm around his neck and his legs wrapped over his waist.

He slid a hand underneath Jinhwan's arm, giving himself room to breathe, before pushing himself up into a bridge position and forcing Jinhwan back down onto the mat, using his feet to push himself to the side, trying to slide out from Jinhwan's arms. As he moved back he felt Jinhwan's left leg come up fully over him, readying to flip up into a top mount position, so Junhoe reached for the leg and grabbed it, rolling inside towards him and bringing his foot up to rest on Jinhwan's hip before grabbing his lapels.

It really wasn't so difficult to get his hands to go where they were supposed to. Thirty seconds later he got Jinhwan in an arm bar and that was good enough to pass the test.

“Wow, congrats Junhoe-ya!” Jinhwan praised, pleased with his performance. “That was a really good run!”

“Thanks, hyung.” Junhoe replied before reaching for his blindfold. “This was a really good idea, I feel like I'm really learning a lot.”

Jinhwan removed his blindfold too. It was nice to feel like he was helping him to become a better fighter, nice to know that he had things to teach him. Of course now it wasn't just jiu jitsu anymore. “So, you managed to get those three victories, and I'm a man of my word.”

Junhoe felt a sudden burst of shy embarrassment at Jinhwan's words, because he'd forgotten for a moment about his promise, he'd been so focused on jiu jitsu. Were they really going to do this? Here, right on the mats?

“You can keep your blindfold on if you want,” Jinhwan teased him as he crawled over, “that way you won't have to see my face when you cum in five seconds.”

Junhoe barely stopped himself from lashing out with his foot. “Oh, you think you're that good?” Not that he'd know, of course. It's not like he had anything to compare it to.

“It doesn't matter how good I am,” Jinhwan teased back, “if I'm the first person that's ever going to touch your dick that isn't you, then you're probably going to cum a lot faster than you expect.”

“How do you know you're the first?” Junhoe shot back, annoyed that Jinhwan seemed so smug.

“I'm not? Was it your only boyfriend? Or Hanbin? Have you guys ever messed around with each other?”

“Hanbin?” Junhoe's face crumpled in disgust.

“No? You wouldn't?” Jinhwan asked, a little surprised.

“Well, if I didn't know him, sure, but we've been best friends since we were kids, that's almost incest!” Junhoe stared back at him then, his eyes narrowing in thought. “Why, have you and Bobby ever done anything?”

“One time,” Jinhwan replied, grinning when Junhoe's eyes went wide, “just handjobs, back when he first came out to me. Anyway let's not get distracted. Unless you don't want your blowjob?”

Junhoe swallowed nervously before replying, trying to fake a sense of confidence. “Are we really doing this here?”

Jinhwan nodded. “Right here, right now.”

Junhoe looked around into the corners of the room. “There aren't cameras here, are there?”

Jinhwan grinned at the question. “Why do you care? You're already out.”

Was Jinhwan serious? “That doesn't matter!” He looked around again, but just because he couldn't see anything, that didn't mean nothing was there. “I mean, just because people know I'm gay that doesn't mean I want anyone to have a video of you, you know...”

“God, you can't even say it!” Jinhwan laughed. “You're such an inexperienced virgin, this is cute.”

“Shut up!” Junhoe yelled back at him, cheeks flushed in shame.

“I'm destroying your innocence, just like a dainty little flower!” Jinhwan couldn't help it, even though he knew he was skirting a line. Junhoe didn't reply, just looked away and shook his head. “Ah, Junhoe-ya! Don't be nervous, it'll be a good experience, I promise.”

“I'm not nervous!” Junhoe shot back, even though he was. “It's just, we're at your club, and I'm a guest here, and I just feel weird about it.”

“Wanna go make out on the mats at your club some time then so we're even?” Jinhwan asked, and the resulting glare from Junhoe was answer enough. “Honestly, there are no cameras in here, and no one is going to walk in. Where else are we going to get this level of privacy?”

Junhoe nodded, because he had a point. But still, wasn't this all moving a little quick? Sure, he'd agreed to it, but he hadn't really thought anything would happen this soon. He could always back out... If he needed to.

“Junhoe? I don't have to do this if you don't want me to.”

“No, I want you to!” There was that disease of Hanbin's making again, blurting words out without pause.

“Are you sure?” Jinhwan wondered if he'd pressured a bit too much? Or was it because he'd made a bigger deal out of Junhoe's inexperience? He wanted to ask, wanted to apologize for anything he'd said, but maybe that would just make Junhoe feel even more awkward. And if they didn't go through with it, he felt like nothing would ever happen, and maybe he'd just ruined everything.

Junhoe forced himself to look Jinhwan in the eye. It was too late to back out now, he'd look like an indecisive and inexperienced stupid kid. “It's not the blowjob that bothers me,” Junhoe hoped his voice didn't sound as awkward as he'd imagined, “just the setting. But it's your club, so, it's your call.”

Jinhwan nodded, and really there was no way he could call quits to it now. He didn't think he needed to worry anyway—he was sure that Junhoe was just nervous. Jinhwan would make it so good that the nerves would disappear, he was certain of it. “Alright then, since it's my club, let's do this.”

Junhoe nodded, though he still felt weird about it. He was about to get his first blowjob—shouldn't he be more excited about it? It's not like he didn't want it. But the timing was weird, and the setting, and Jinhwan...

“Do you want the blindfold? Honestly, if you're feeling weird it might make you less nervous.” Jinhwan asked, sitting by Junhoe's knees. “Hell, might make it feel even better, too!”

Should he put the stupid blindfold back on? Swallow his pride so he wouldn't have to look at Jinhwan after? “Do you think it would be better?” He asked, because it was easier to focus on the second comment rather than the first.

Jinhwan nodded, even though in all honesty it wouldn't enhance that much for Junhoe. It was already going to be an overload. But he was certain that Junhoe was nervous, and this would help the nerves. “Oh yeah, any time you take away one of the senses, it heightens the others, right?”

Junhoe nodded, because that sounded legit. “Good point. Alright then, you sold me.” He spared one last glance at Jinhwan (out of false bravado alone) before slipping the blindfold back over his eyes. Maybe it was just the suggestion, but the tension already felt even more real to Junhoe. Jinhwan lightly touched his leg and the move already had Junhoe stifling a moan.

Jinhwan couldn't believe he was actually about to blow Junhoe. How on Earth had he actually gotten him to agree to this? Was this really a good idea? Too late to back out of it now, though. Junhoe laid back on the floor and Jinhwan touched one of his knees, pulling his leg to the side just enough so he could kneel in between them.

He undid the knotted belt on Junhoe's gi and pulled it open, casting his gaze on Junhoe's chest. He couldn't help but grin wickedly at the indecency of it all, doing this right on the mats at the gym. He was pretty sure there were no cameras, but maybe he should have actually gotten up to check for sure. He reached for Junhoe's pants, untying the string first before slipping his fingers inside the fabric. Junhoe tensed and drew in a breath at the contact, and Jinhwan thought it was ridiculously hot. Something so simple, but it had such an effect.

He started pulling the fabric down, inching it over Junhoe's skin, and he was tempted to kiss his exposed belly but he thought better of it. If this really was the first time Junhoe was doing anything this intimate with anyone, Jinhwan didn't want to get him too excited before he even got to his dick. Junhoe was clearly a very proud person, and Jinhwan didn't want to ruin this before he really got it started.

“Lift your hips up,” he said softly, and Junhoe did as requested, allowing Jinhwan to pull both his pants and underwear down, exposing him completely. Jinhwan couldn't believe he was actually looking at Junhoe naked right now. On one hand it was exciting and invigorating, but on the other hand he felt like maybe he was taking advantage of him. Junhoe had seemed nervous, but Jinhwan had pushed.

Ah, he needed to bury those thoughts, though. It was normal for people to be nervous the first time they did anything. Hell he'd been nervous his first time too, to the point that he'd almost chickened out of it. But he'd gone through with it and the outcome had been life-altering. He wanted Junhoe to have the same experience.

Junhoe was glad he'd put the blindfold on after all. He was feeling strung out already and nothing had even really happened, except that Jinhwan had just exposed him.

Like that wasn't a huge deal...

He took a breath in and held it, tried to stay calm. God, could Jinhwan just hurry up and get to it already? The anticipation was killing him! Maybe he should have kept the blindfold off after all. What was Jinhwan doing? What was the holdup? His whole body was tense, held tightly and waiting to feel something. Junhoe worried a little that he might not even hold out long enough for Jinhwan to touch him, he was so wound up.

But then suddenly he felt a finger on his inner thigh and he let out the breath he'd been holding, breathing in heavily again. He wanted to yell at Jinhwan, wanted to kick him until he did what he was supposed to be doing. This was torture, it was cruel and inhumane and—

Jinhwan grinned at the way Junhoe gasped when he finally grabbed his dick. He wasn't even pumping, he just had his fingers wrapped around it, holding it tightly. But Junhoe's knees were shaking and his fingers were fisting his gi like he needed something to hold on to. He let out the tiniest, quietest little moan and Jinhwan was certain it had to be the hottest sound in the world.

Jinhwan leaned down, laying on the floor in between Junhoe's legs, hand still wrapped tightly around Junhoe's dick. He wondered how long Junhoe would actually last? Jinhwan couldn't tease him for it, he had to remember that when the time came. If he wanted to do this again he couldn't take any chances. He leaned his head down finally, greeting it tongue first.

Junhoe almost came on contact. The hand was one thing, but the tongue... He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from crying out, but seconds later when Jinhwan sucked the head into his mouth Junhoe couldn't help but yell, because the wet warmth was something he wasn't ready for.

Jinhwan swallowed him down as far as he could, coating the length of it in saliva, before bobbing back up to the tip and using his hand. Everyone was different, of course, but Jinhwan had only ever blown one guy before, and Eric had liked a lot of hand movement (Jinhwan liked it too, so hopefully Junhoe would like it the same way). He sucked for a bit before swirling his tongue around, deep throating it again to provide a little more lubrication for his hand. Junhoe's breathing was coming hard now, stunted and shuddering gasps punctuating every thrust of Jinhwan's hand.

Junhoe felt like he was going to explode. It was better than he'd expected, mind-blowing to the point that he was barely even thinking, all of his thoughts focused on Jinhwan's mouth and hand and what they were doing to him. His hands were balled into his gi and he kneaded the fabric in his fingers, moaning out loud without realizing it. He felt warm and tingly all over, and he knew what it meant, knew he was close, but it felt so much better than it ever had with his own hand, so much stronger, and when he finally came he wasn't even aware enough to warn Jinhwan, didn't even think about it.

Jinhwan was ready, though, because Junhoe's body had given enough tells—everything had been energized and electric and bouncy, but then suddenly he'd gone slack and that was the moment he came. Jinhwan swallowed it all because he didn't want to deprive Junhoe of anything this first time. Not that he thought Junhoe would even notice, because when Jinhwan finished and sat up, Junhoe looked like he was out cold.

Jinhwan's eyes roamed over Junhoe, taking everything in, still a little in disbelief that he'd just blown him. Junhoe had a pretty nice dick too, as far as Jinhwan was concerned. He'd enjoyed giving the blowjob, hoped Junhoe would want to do it again. Now he just had to wait around for him to come back to his senses. Jinhwan thought about fisting himself, because he was hard and desperate, but he didn't want to risk freaking Junhoe out, so he took a deep breath and forced himself to wait. This had been for Junhoe anyway. Jinhwan could hold off.

Junhoe wasn't sure how long he laid there for, breathing hard and still wearing the blindfold.

In short, it had been amazing. Better than he'd expected. Couldn't believe he'd actually contemplated not letting Jinhwan do it—what a stupid idea that had been. Thankfully his pride had gotten in the way of his nerves. Let that be a lesson for him.

“Junhoe? You still alive?” Jinhwan moved up to lay beside him, pulling slowly at the blindfold. Junhoe's arm came up to swat his hand away and Jinhwan laughed. “Come on, you can't lay here all night. I mean, I know I'm good, but I'm hungry, I wanna go get some dinner.”

Junhoe made a non-committal sort of grunt, because moving was the last thing he wanted to do.

Jinhwan reached out and ruffled his hand through Junhoe's hair, smiling when Junhoe sighed at the gesture. Okay, that was the sort of thing that made it all a little too cute. He'd have to be careful otherwise he might go and get himself attached. That was the last thing he needed.

“Come on, get up before I go and lock you in.” Jinhwan got up to his feet and headed over to the water cooler, filling a cup and downing it in one go.

Junhoe grumbled and finally reached up to slowly peel the blindfold back, squinting at the harsh glare of the overhead lights. He put the blindfold back into place but sat up, suddenly aware that his pants were still bunched up around his thighs and his gi was hanging open. He rolled over to lazily pull his pants up, yelling when Jinhwan walked by and swatted his ass.

“I brought you some water, drink it.” He knelt down by Junhoe and reached out to pull the blindfold off, grinning when Junhoe grumbled about it. He took the offered cup though, sipping at the water.

Junhoe drank the water because it was a good excuse to not say anything. What exactly was he supposed to say? Thanks for the most amazing experience of my life? That was a little too heavy handed. But a simple thank you didn't really seem like enough.

Jinhwan waited until he was finished before speaking. “Wanna go get some dinner with me?”

It wasn't the question Junhoe had been expecting. Was there not going to be a teasing question period? No how did I do from Jinhwan? Maybe that would be easier. He nodded and handed the cup back. “Yeah, sure! I'm actually pretty hungry.”

Jinhwan smiled and stood back up, heading over to get another cup of water. “You just fed me, so I figured it was the least I could do.” He didn't need to face Junhoe, just hearing his reaction to the comment was enough for him.

Junhoe choked on his own saliva. It took him a moment before he could stop coughing, and by the time he did Jinhwan was watching him with an amused expression. The asshole.

“Do you want some more water?” Jinhwan asked, grinning when Junhoe just glared back at him. “Are you sure? Not thirsty?”

“Fuck off, hyung.” Junhoe replied, but there was no fire behind the comment.

“I was going to, but I didn't think you were ready to wake up and see me jacking off in your face.” Jinhwan teased, and when Junhoe laughed at the comment Jinhwan knew for sure they'd be fine with their set up. “Come on, let's go shower quick and get changed, I'm starving.”

They went to a barbeque place for dinner and had beef, and Junhoe offered to help pay but Jinhwan waved him off and said that he wanted to treat Junhoe on account of his special occasion. It was an excellent meal and Junhoe talked animatedly during the whole thing, and Jinhwan was pleased to find that there wasn't a trace of awkwardness between them.

He walked Junhoe home, right up to his building, and he was almost sad to see the night end.

“So, we don't say a word of this to the others, right?” Jinhwan asked, grinning when Junhoe nodded.

“Not a word. I didn't even tell Hanbin we were sparring with blindfolds, he'd harass me enough about that. If he knew about everything else, ah no way. I'd be hearing about it for years!”

Jinhwan laughed, not doubting it. Bobby's reaction wouldn't be as intense as Hanbin's (and would actually probably be a little more protective, not even of Jinhwan, but of Junhoe) and he thought it was best that they keep it to themselves. They said their goodbyes and goodnights, and Jinhwan was about to turn and leave before Junhoe called back to him.

Junhoe was conflicted about the night ending too, but he also knew that he needed some time to himself to process what they'd actually done with each other. “Hyung? Thanks for dinner.” It wasn't exactly what he wanted to say, but it was less cheesy than anything else he could think of.

“Thanks for the appetizer.” Jinhwan replied with a wink, before waving him goodbye and heading back to the street. Junhoe stood outside his building and watched him go, a conflicting wave of emotions roiling over him.

Could he really do this? Just physical, without feelings?

Maybe, maybe not.

He could always pretend, though. If he ever caught feelings for Jinhwan, well, he'd just keep them to himself.

How hard could it be?

“Are you actually going to try doing the work, or are you just going to sit there staring at the paper? Because I have a history project I could be working on instead of sitting here watching you avoid your math homework.”

Junhoe sighed and looked up from his workbook, settling his eyes on Yunhyeong. “Sorry, hyung. I'm just kind of distracted.”

“Wow, really? I had no idea.” Yunhyeong replied, rolling his eyes for extra effect. “Would it help you to talk about whatever's distracting you?”

Junhoe shook his head right away, because there was no way he was telling anyone about Jinhwan. “No, it's personal.”

“Well if you're not going to talk about it, then we need to focus on math. Your mom doesn't pay me to sit around watching you daydream.” Yunhyeong frowned when Junhoe didn't seem moved by his complaints. Junhoe wasn't ever like this, quiet and almost kind of mopey. If Junhoe was bothered about something, usually he'd be rambling so quickly that Yunhyeong would miss half of the conversation. This was odd behaviour for him. “Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?”

Junhoe was about to say no again, but then it hit him suddenly that maybe he could talk to Yunhyeong about it. He just didn't need to tell him who he was talking about. Yunhyeong didn't tend to pry for more information than Junhoe ever gave, so he could probably get away with only giving him half the story.

“Okay hyung, here's a hypothetical situation for you: say there's this person you're friends with, and you like them as a friend. But then one day you realize that you think they're really hot, and then they tell you that they think you're really hot too, but they don't want a relationship. Instead they just want to, uh, you know--”

“Friends with benefits?” Yunhyeong helpfully offered, grinning when Junhoe blushed and nodded.

“Yeah that. And like, you say yes, because you wanna do that stuff anyway, but you've never, uh, done a lot of that stuff before. I'm not saying you've never done anything but this friend has done way more things than you have!”

Yunhyeong nodded and bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at Junhoe's overly defensive ramblings. He wanted to taunt him so bad, but somehow he managed to keep his comments to himself. For now, at least.

“So, what do you do?” Junhoe asked finally, a pleading look on his face.

Yunhyeong stared at him in confusion for a moment before answering. “I'm sorry, I'm not entirely sure what the question is. So you have this friend who's more experienced than you, and what, exactly? What's the problem? Isn't that good? They can teach you about things, right?”

Junhoe shook his head. “No, that's not the problem! Could you do that with them and not date them? What happens if you get feelings for them?”

Yunhyeong usually didn't pry into Junhoe's life (mostly because Junhoe tended to give him all the details all the time) but he was sorely tempted to pry now. Who was Junhoe's mysterious friend? Why the mystery? He'd have to save the questions though.

“Are you asking if I'd do it to begin with?” He asked, and Junhoe nodded.

“Yeah! Like do you think you could do it and not ruin your friendship with that person? What if you get feelings for them, and you decide later that you wanna, I don't know, date them or something. But they don't want to. Don't you think that would ruin your friendship?”

The look on Junhoe's face was almost challenging, Yunhyeong thought, though he wasn't sure what Junhoe was challenging him about: daring him to disagree, or daring him to ask who the friend was? “Well, I guess it depends on who the person is, to tell you the truth.”

“That's not important.” Junhoe interrupted, shaking his head.

“It is! You said it's a friend, right? So if this person is friends with other friends of mine, then it would be a different situation than say if the person was someone who none of my friends know. Because screwing it up with the first person would make the whole group awkward, so I'm not sure I'd do it. But the second person would only affect me, and if we have no shared friends, then there's no one that would be affected, so I'd probably think about it.”

Junhoe frowned at the answer. He wasn't even really sure what his problem was, to be honest. What he'd done with Jinhwan was amazing and he badly wanted to do it again. But he hadn't seen Jinhwan yet since they'd done it. What would it be like when they finally did see each other face to face? Would he be able to look him in the eye without thinking about it? Maybe he was overthinking things, though. They'd had dinner afterwards and he'd been perfectly fine. There was no guarantee that he'd see Jinhwan and immediately think about his mouth...

“Junhoe? Is your friend part of your group of friends, or is it someone separate?” Junhoe didn't really have that many friends to begin with, so Yunhyeong was curious about who it might be. Obviously not Hanbin, if he was still dating that guy. Maybe that new kid who was hanging out with them now, Donghyuk? He was gay, wasn't he?

“I'm not telling you anything! How do you even know I'm not the friend? Huh? Maybe I'm just trying to see what the other person would be thinking.” Junhoe didn't realize what he'd said until after he'd said it, and he felt like an idiot. Why was he getting so defensive? This was always his problem, turning what should be a small issue into a big one just to try saving a bit of face.

“Sure, you are,” Yunhyeong replied, “because I totally believe that you would proposition someone else with this arrangement. Totally your style.”

“I could!” Junhoe angrily retorted, glaring at Yunhyeong.

“Right, and what would you say to them? Hey, I know we're friends, but I think you're hot, you think I'm hot, you wanna do, uh, you know, the thing, with each other?” Yunhyeong mimicked, and it was worth it just to see Junhoe's face turn crimson.

“Shut up! I'd be cooler than that!” Junhoe shot back, embarrassed and wishing he'd just kept his mouth shut to begin with.

“You would not! You can't even say sex without blushing!”

“I can so!” Junhoe replied.

“Then say it right now.” Yunhyeong demanded.

“Sex!” Junhoe said, but it didn't really count because he was already blushing.

Yunhyeong shook his head in disgust. “You're not just going to go up to a guy and yell sex at him! I mean say it like you're going to ask about it!”

Junhoe was already mortified at how far off track their conversation had gone, but there was truly no turning back now. He couldn't let Yunhyeong win this conversation. “Fine, if you want proof so bad, here we go!” Junhoe sat forward in his chair and locked eyes with Yunhyeong. “Will you have sex with me?”

knock knock knock

Junhoe jolted back in his chair at the sound coming from his bedroom door, panicked eyes flitting between Yunhyeong and the door. Oh God, how loud had they been? What if it was his mom? His dad?

The door slowly crept open until Yejin ducked her head into the room. Junhoe was still panicked though, because if she'd heard it, clearly...

“I thought you were supposed to be studying?” She asked, eyes flitting between the two of them.

Junhoe was too nervous to answer, listening intently for the sound of other footsteps in the hall, wondering when his mother would come to strangle him.

Yunhyeong bowed his head apologetically. “Sorry, noona, for disturbing you--”

“I thought you were here to tutor my brother in math, not sex ed.” Yejin focused on Yunhyeong, her arms crossed over her chest.

“Well, to be fair, we were studying math,” Yunhyeong said, biting his lip to keep from laughing, “we were talking about what happens when two become one.”

Yejin ducked back out of the room, squealing in laughter in the hallway, and Yunhyeong sighed in relief. That could have gone really bad had she not laughed about it. Junhoe was a little calmer now as well, because if she'd been sent by their parents she'd have said so right away. Maybe they hadn't heard?

“Okay, that was well done,” Yejin said as she popped back into the doorway, “so I can't even be mad. But you guys really do need to get back to math, because if mom had heard that, you'd both be in serious shit.”

Yunhyeong bowed in thanks and Junhoe met his sister's devious gaze. “Thank you noona!”

Yejin smiled back at him. “When you're done, Junhoe-ya, come and see me. We clearly need to have a talk.” She nodded to Yunhyeong and exited the room, pulling the door shut behind her once more.

Both boys heaved a sigh of relief at escaping the situation unscathed. “Okay, now can we please get back to math?” Yunhyeong requested, because one close call was all he was willing to risk.

Junhoe nodded, though he was nervous about Yejin now. Just how much had she heard? What was she aware of? What could he possibly tell her? He was screwed.