“Huh?”
– Let’s date. Why? Is there a problem?
Yuho wondered if he had heard wrong.
He wondered if hearing words through Inhan’s voice that he had never once wished for was actually reality. So Yuho kept asking Inhan back.
“What are you suddenly saying?”
– Ah. Are you dating someone right now? Then break up. Date me.
So this is how a confession can be made. Yuho realized anew.
While there were confessions meant to end everything, Yuho learned for the first time that there were also confessions that were only lies. The only thing missing was a confession containing love.
– Why? Hyung, you said you like me. Then we can date. Hyung confessed and I accepted. I don’t think there could be a happier ending than this.
Could this really be a happy ending? The ending of the two of them dating was an ending Yuho had never even imagined. And above all, Yuho knew all too well that Inhan couldn’t possibly like him.
“Why?”
So he had no choice but to ask Inhan the reason. Despite the opportunity for a happy ending he’d never even dreamed of arriving.
– What do you mean why?
“Why would you date me? You don’t like me.”
– Why do you think I don’t like hyung?
At Inhan’s way of speaking that left him speechless, Yuho got a headache. The “like” that Inhan was talking about couldn’t possibly be the same as the “like” he was talking about. And yet Inhan kept trying to make this nonsensical situation into reality.
– How would hyung know that?
“…Inhan.”
– If you understood what I’m saying, come back to the dorm tomorrow. If you’re not there when I come back after my schedule, I’ll leave again too. And I’ll never come back. Be prepared to pay the penalty fee.
“Why do you keep threatening me with your life?”
– Because it seems like that’s the only thing that works.
At Inhan’s words, Yuho was at a loss for words for a moment. Regret about his past actions toward Inhan came rushing in rapidly.
– Affection doesn’t work, pleading doesn’t work, but this kind of thing always works. Because hyung at least looks at me only when I’m hurt or broken.
“That’s not it.”
– Isn’t even saying you like me all a lie when you look at it? How can you treat someone you like like this?
At Inhan’s sharply pointed words, Yuho was being helplessly struck down. But Yuho could notice the sadness contained within them.
– See you tomorrow.
Because Inhan’s voice saying that was trembling, it was difficult for Yuho to answer. He should refuse flatly here, but it wasn’t as easy as he thought.
– Okay? Yuho hyung. We absolutely have to meet tomorrow.
“…Yeah.”
In the end, Yuho raised the white flag at Inhan’s pleading tone. Yuho became afraid that Inhan, who accomplished whatever he set his mind to, might even succeed at ruining his own life.
“Okay. Inhan. We’ll definitely meet tomorrow.”
And above all, Yuho came to miss Inhan.
* * *
It was finally the promised Monday.
“My beloved Yuho hyung. I really missed you so much.”
When Yuho opened the front door and entered the dorm, Yeomin came out right to the shoe cabinet to welcome Yuho. He hugged Yuho and clung to him for a while as if they had been living apart for years.
“You can’t go anywhere leaving me behind anymore. I can’t live even a day without hyung.”
“Can’t live even a day. You ate, slept, and shit just fine.”
At Yeomin’s continued whining, Raulie interjected. Yeomin instantly changed his expression and showed his dissatisfaction to Raulie.
“How can you say such things so openly? The kid doesn’t have even a speck of delicacy.”
Of course, Raulie lightly ignored Yeomin’s words.
“As expected of our Hyo hyung. Never breaks a promise.”
Raulie gave Yuho a high five with a hearty laugh, and Yuho immediately slapped palms with him.
“Raul. Did you do well?”
“Yeah. It doesn’t make sense not to do well just because hyung was gone for a few days.”
“Yuho. Did you do well? It seems like your face has gotten much worse in a week?”
Even Jueon, who was in the middle of cooking in the kitchen, stuck his face out to welcome Yuho. Yuho spoke to Jueon embarrassedly.
“I gained more weight though.”
He had gained about 3kg more than usual. It was the result of extreme starving and binge eating due to stress.
“You did. You’ve gained some weight. You’ve somehow become about twenty percent cuter.”
Saying that, Yeomin brought his hand to Yuho’s particularly soft cheek and began kneading it as he pleased.
“Stop bothering Yuho hyung and go call Taeyoon hyung.”
“Lee Raul, you can go. Why are you doing this to me?”
“Want to get hit with a spoon once?”
“No.”
Yeomin quickly detached from Yuho and headed to Taylor’s room. Raulie was helping Jueon by setting down spoons and chopsticks on the table. Yuho also put his bag down on the living room floor and helped Raulie.
“No. Six is enough.”
“Huh?”
Yuho was about to put eight side plates in their fixed spots on the table when Raulie stopped that action. Including the two managers, there were a total of eight people living in the dorm. But Jueon and Raulie were preparing meals for six people, excluding two.
“Why? Aren’t the manager hyungs eating?”
“No. Suhyung hyung and Inhan went to the drama schedule. They said they’d only come at dawn?”
At Raulie’s words, disappointment showed on Yuho’s face. He didn’t tell me that. Inhan, who told him to date but didn’t contact him once, felt cruel.
“Inhan didn’t tell you?”
“No.”
“He must still be sulking at hyung. So what do you do when you say you’ll withdraw without even consulting?”
“I’m sorry. I was short-sighted.”
“I don’t really care, so try to appease Inhan well. You know well how much he cherishes our team, hyung.”
“Yeah.”
At Raulie’s consistently straightforward words, Yuho felt guilty and reflected on not considering the other members.
Too many victims had occurred from just his one-sided love. Though it wasn’t a problem involving only unrequited love.
“Seon Yuho. You’re here?”
Taylor, who rarely participated in dinner, was led out of his room by Yeomin. Shaking off Yeomin’s hands holding both his shoulders as if annoyed was a natural action. Taylor was a cat-type human who detested not only aegyo but also skinship.
“Yes. Taeyoon hyung.”
“You completed the mission properly and came back on time, so I’ll skip the nagging.”
“Yes, thank you. Hyung.”
Having skipped Taylor hyung’s expected nagging time, Yuho’s dorm comeback process was going smoothly. Now only the final barrier of being alone with Inhan remained.
Yuho was already worried, but decided to focus on dinner with the members first.
Soon Juseung, who had finished parking and come up, joined the meal, and the six of them continued a harmonious dinner.
After finishing the meal, a drinking party continued in the living room led by heavy drinkers Jueon and Raulie, and the drinking session ended with Taylor, who was weak with alcohol, passing out and sprawling spread-eagle on the living room floor.
And Suhyung and Inhan didn’t return to the dorm even after the day had passed.
* * *
Even though we promised to definitely see each other. Inhan had already not shown himself in front of Yuho for three days.
To rationalize it with the reason that he was busy with drama filming, even contact had also been completely cut off starting from four days ago.
When the person who actually wants to avoid is me. Yuho was upset, but since he also wasn’t contacting him either, it was awkward to express dissatisfaction.
It was around 4 AM when Yuho opened his eyes at the sound of someone’s presence.
The reason he didn’t scream in surprise was because he had experienced the same thing several times before.
Back then he at least mentioned it beforehand though.
The sleep lamp he didn’t remember turning on had power. Thanks to that, Yuho recognized handsome Inhan’s face at a glance.
Your face got really bad.
Looking at Inhan’s face that had become haggard in a week, Yuho felt sorry for him.
According to what he heard from Suhyung, he paid the price properly for missing two days of filming. Still, it was really fortunate that it ended with just this much.
One of Inhan’s arms was wrapped around Yuho’s shoulder. Since Inhan’s sleeping habit was to hug anything while sleeping, there was no need to attach much meaning to it.
Still, he never expected him to come find his bed like this and sleep together.
Whether he’s saying let’s date or you’re disgusting so let’s keep distance, it would be nice if he’d just do one. Inhan was alternately dunking Yuho in cold and hot water.
Still, Yuho moved closer to Inhan and buried his face in his shoulder.
Because it felt like once today passed, an opportunity like this would never come again.
The next day when Yuho opened his eyes, Inhan had already left the dorm for a variety show schedule. Since it was a schedule with Yeomin, Yeomin’s room was also empty.
There were no messages left on his phone.
* * *
“Officially it’s maintained, but unofficially…”
“It’s a disbandment, right?”
Yeomin interjected at the words of the director in charge of the company’s entertainment business division. The director, who flinched at Yeomin’s words, hurriedly corrected his words.
“Rather than disbandment, it’s our position to push individual activities. Putting group activities on hold for a bit.”
“Until disbandment?”
“I’m saying let’s see how things go.”
“That’s saying you won’t release it.”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
The tense battle of wills between the director and Yeomin continued. The director had a headache. Even though Yeomin usually acted like a gentle lamb, he didn’t yield even an inch on unreasonable matters.
He thought disbandment would be easy since they were usually obedient kids, but it was a perfect miscalculation.
“You guys also have to think long-term now. Don’t the other members need to establish themselves quickly too?”
The director finally turned the arrow toward the members. This is all for you guys. Adding nonsensical excuses. Truly that director for that CEO.
“It’s true that we’re free to do whatever now, right?”
At the debate that seemed like it would never end, Jueon opened his mouth. The director welcomed Jueon’s words and quickly gave an answer.
“Just be careful about your private life. Jueon has to graduate from school, right?”
“Ah. That’s… we’ll see how things go.”
“Yeah. I’ll make it so you can consistently audition for acting. Getting the part will be each person’s responsibility though.”
In the end, it was no different from saying they wouldn’t do anything.
