Chapter Text
Sunoo groaned in annoyance as him 6am alarm clock rang repetitively. Yawning in a half asleep state, the boy rose from his bed, slowly stretching as he did so, and turned the alarm off. He lifted his pillow to get his phone (yes, he always slept with his phone under his pillow - it gave him a sense of security), and checked his notifications. The group chat (the name was cringeworthy, in Sunoo's opinion) was loaded with a bunch of messages which Sunoo could not be bothered to scroll through, so he skipped to the bottom of the chat.
enha BOIS
wonie: guyysysss im bored can we go out? exams finished like 2 days ago and ive been alone in bed
riki: i cant make it hyung i have dance practice soz don't miss me too much 😙😙
wonie: bit rude . jay hyung can you make it ?
heeseung hyung: wow wonie, u definitely DO NOT have a favourite!!!
wonie: oh shush hyung as if u and jake hyung aren't 1000x worse.
jake hyung: heeseungie hyung and i are busy anyways, we have a date won. sorryyyy!! have fun with jay ;)
jay hyung: use protection
heeseung hyung: 🖕🖕🖕
jay hyung: yes woniee, im free! where should we go?
wonie: YAYY uhm i'll dm u , let's not disturb the others 🥰
sunghoonie hyungie: i love how everyone just forgot that sunoo and i exist? but, i'm hanging out with wonyoung anyways, so i won't be able to make it.
Sunoo blushed at the realisation that his favourite hyung remembered him, but then frowned after realising that Sunghoon was hanging out with Wonyoung, again. He has no reason to hang out if his favourite hyung isn't there, and he most certainly does not want to be third-wheeling the unofficial but clearly whipped Jay and Jungwon.
He texted the groupchat saying he'd rather not go because he was tired, although most of the people on the groupchat probably knew it was a lie.
wonie
wonie: hyung?
me: whats up won?
wonie: you sure u don't wanna come with us? i know sunghoon hyung is out with wonyoung and that might upset u
wonie: but, we still wanna hang out w u!! jay hyung and i can cheer u up ?
me: ahaha thanks woniee, but seriously - u two can have a cute date today instead!! i do NOT wanna thirdwheel, so i'll figure smt out :) love uu
Jungwon had replied, but Sunoo wasn't in the mood to check his phone. He got up and decided to get ready, and maybe go out and buy some groceries for his apartment. An hour later, Sunoo left his apartment and walked to his bus stop, waiting for the bus to arrive.
While waiting, he plugged his earphones in and pressed play on whatever album was playing. He quietly hummed along to the songs until his bus approached the stop, so he got up from his seat and walked into the bus. Finding a seat on the bus, he got out his phone and texted Ni-ki asking if he wanted anything. To Sunoo, Riki was his baby brother who he would always go out of his way to help. All of the "enha bois" were uni students, but Riki was a freshman, so Sunoo took it upon himself to look after the youngest. After 2 minutes of waiting, Riki told Sunoo he needed some strawberries, so Sunoo added it to his shopping list (while also begging Riki to not microwave the strawberries in text).
Sunoo got off at the last stop, which was around a 10 minute walk from the supermarket. On his walk there, he noticed the sky slowly got cloudier, and he was feeling a bit colder. To be fair, what did he expect? It was December - it was winter, and definitely not the right weather to be dressed in a half sleeved top and some shorts. But, of course, that was Sunoo's exact outfit.
Sunoo felt it get colder on his walk to the store, and decided to take a small break by sitting on a bench aorund 5 minutes from the store. He got his phone out and decided to scroll on Instagram, only to come across a post from Wonyoung herself.
The picture made him feel like shit already, it was a picture of Wonyoung's shadow next to another guy's shadow. Sunoo could recognise that figure anywhere. Tall, fluffy hair, and just a generally attractive aura came from the shadow. It was Sunghoons.
Why?
Why did Wonyoung get to have Sunghoon? She already had everything. She had looks which anybody and everybody would kill for. She had boys and girls basically begging to date her. She had a 'sweetheart personality' and was genuinely adored by everyone. Why couldn't she let Sunoo have his best friend?
Sunoo started having a small crush on Sunghoon when he was in the last year of high school. Sunghoon joined Sunoo's class and sat next to him in chemistry. Sunoo was pretty smart, so Sunghoon asked him for some help in chemistry, and, who was Sunoo to decline the offer? (especially from such a cute guy?)
Eventually, the two boys grew closer, and so did their friendship groups, eventually going from 2 separate groups, to one bigger group. His crush on the older boy grew, and had lasted for 3 years by now, and Sunoo constantly watched the Sunghoon reject others, go on dates with others, and even crush on others, while he just stayed by his side. To Sunoo, the entire situation sucked. Till now, his hyung had only gone out with girls, so Sunoo had already made the assumption that his best friend was straight, and therefore, he was unable to ever date him.
Even so, Sunghoon liked Wonyoung, and Wonyoung liked Sunghoon. Honestly, Sunoo thought it made sense. They were Ken and Barbie, the perfect pair, and had nobody ever heard of Ken being with a guy.
Sunoo knew he would get nowhere with this crush. He knew it was unrequited love. Yet he couldn't help but hope that somehow he would end up with Sunghoon. He rejected so many people, just because he was a delusional, stupid boy, thinking that his popular straight crush, might just like him back.
What a fucking idiot.
Without even realising it, Sunoo was a sobbing mess on the bench. His tears wouldn't stop coming, and the cold air made the entire situation much much worse for the boy. He tried wiping away his tears, but felt them almost instantly get replaced with new tears. He tried to make himself quieter - Sunoo thought his sobs were pretty annoying. He literally had no clue what he was going to do - everyone who crossed the crying boy sent judgemental looks in his direction. What did he expect?
"Sun?"
That voice. That voice which was the reason for his tears in the first place. That voice which simultaneously belonged to his best friend. Why was Sunoo hearing that voice?
He slowly looked up to meet eyes with a concerned Sunghoon, and a rather annoyed looking Wonyoung beside him.
Fuck. He just wanted to cry even more now, he wanted to go to Jungwon's bed and cuddle him and cry. Cry, cry and cry.
"Sun, what happened? Fuck, it's so cold here. What are you doing out alone?"
This was what made him feel worse. That horrid feeling in his stomach felt 10 times worse now, because Sunghoon was so caring. He cared for Sunoo, always making sure he was okay. Sometimes, it pissed Sunoo off.
"Sunoo. Answer me, what happened, hm?"
Before Sunoo was even able to answer, he saw Sunghoon stand up and tell Wonyoung something.
She heard her protest, saying something along the lines of "This was our day out!! That's so fucking unfair", but somehow Sunghoon got her to leave.
The act made Sunoo blush. For no fucking reason. His delusional mind was telling him lies, saying, Sunoo!! He chose you over Wonyoung. He likes you back!!
Suddenly, he felt Sunghoon sit next to him and put an arm around the younger boy.
"Sunoo, if you don't wanna tell me what's up, that's ok. I won't force you. But, I'm taking us home, ok? There's no point in crying out in this freezing weather. And, fuck, Sun, didn't you check the weather forecast?" Sunoo looked up to see Sunghoons worried yet loving eyes. He knew his hyung loved him, but it was just 100% platonic. As if he was his big brother. He watched Sunghoon take his sweater off frantically, and watched as his hyung handed it to him.
"Wear it, it's warm." Sunoo just nodded and did as he was told, internally screaming at the fact that he was wearing Sunghoon's sweater.
"T-thanks, hyungie, uhm, sorry for crying like that" Sunoo finally spoke, feeling insanely embarrassed about the past 5 minutes.
"Shh, it's ok Sun," Sunghoon patted the younger boy's head, quietly reassuring him.
"Come, let's get you home."
The two boys stood up, but when Sunoo looked up at Sunghoon he saw the boy staring at him.
"Uhm, is something wrong hyung?" he fidgeted with the sleeves of the sweater, which was at least 2 sizes too big for him, and waited for Sunghoon to answer.
"I- hm? Uhm, oh, your- uh, the sweater! It, uh, it suits you more than it ever did on me," Sunghoon laughed softly, and Sunoo honestly felt like he could melt into that laugh. He looked down at the sweater and then realised it covered his shorts. Flustered, he pulled it up slightly so his shorts were actually visible, and he looked at Sunghoon once more. How much could he embarrass himself?
Clearing his throat, Sunghoon took Sunoo's hand into his own, and the two boys walked to his car. Sunghoon was such a fucking gentleman, it really really pissed Sunoo off - especially after Sunghoon opened Sunoo's car door, and even put his seatbelt on for him. Sunoo was sure that he was redder than a tomato at this point, but there was nothing he could do.
After around 2 minutes of fairly comfortable silence, Sunghoon broke it.
"Sure you don't wanna tell me what happened? It's just us now, I'm a good listener."
Sure, hyung. Of course I will tell you about how I have had a crush on you for 3 fucking years, and how I feel like killing myself whenever I see you hang out with Wonyoung because the two of you are fucking perfect for eachother. And I hate how I really just want a big hug from you, because that will make me feel a hundred times better and worse at the same time. Of course I'll tell you that I hate you because I like you.
"Oh, uhm.. It was really nothing, sunghoon hyung, it was just cold, I guess?"
The car slowly stopped, approaching a red light. Sunoo watched the older boy nod, then turn to look at him.
"Are you mad at me, Sun? You called me 'Sunghoon hyung' like everyone else does, but usually you call me Sunghoonie hyungie?" he pouted, tilting his head. God, he so knew he was killing Sunoo right now, right?
"What? Oh, hyungie! I'm just tired, sorry, I... I'm seriously not mad at you, I swear" Sunoo felt his words get quieter and quieter as he spoke.
He watched Sunghoon's pout turn into a grin, his cute dimples appearing, and his fangs shining so effortlessly. Why was he so gorgeous?
"When are you free, hm? I want to take you out Sun"
Of course Sunoo knew this wasn't the same 'take you out' he wanted it to be, but he would still choose that over finding out the elder had gone out with Wonyoung again any day.
"Ah, thanks hyungie!! I'm free all the time, I guess. Text me the date!!"
"Date?" Sunghoon teased. His smirk was obviously just a joke, so why did Sunoo's heart beat a little faster? (Lies, his heart beat a lot faster)
"H-hyungie!!" Sunghoon just laughed at his flustered friend.
If Sunghoon found Sunoo really cute that day - possibly even cuter than the girl he was on a date with - nobody had to know.
If Sunoo was falling more and more for Sunghoon, Jungwon had to know.
---
"HE GAVE YOU HIS SWEATER?! AND SAID YOU LOOKED GOOD IN IT? OHMYGOOOD HYUNG, HE IS IN LOVE"
Sunoo admits, Jungwon is much more of a hopeless romantic than he is, even though Jungwon is essentially dating Jay. That means, that when Sunoo and Sunghoon have the smallest interaction, Jungwon will feed Sunoo's delusions.
"Wonie, stop that right now and help me get over him!! I cannot continue to be falling for a straight guy who thinks I'm his little brother, so please?"
"Ugh, Sunoo hyung! He never told you he was straight, AND he never told you he sees you as a little brother! You keep assuming the worst and, hyung, it hurts to watch you feel this low. Honestly? The best way to get over someone is to confess. But I doubt you'd do that anytime soon?"
Sunoo shook his head to say a big, clear no.
"Hm, ok, let's think... OH I KNOW!! Hyung, I know just the right guy for you!!"
---
It was late at night, and Jungwon had just left Sunoo's home, leaving the boy to be alone with his thoughts. Jungwon told him he would set him up on a date with this guy he knew - Youngbin, who was 2 years older than Sunoo. Apparently, Jungwon had suspicions that Youngbin was Sunoo's type. Sunoo didn't say no to the date, but he knew he would be comparing the guy to Sunghoon every chance he got.
Speak of the devil (well, he was too handsome to be a devil, so Sunoo wants to call him an angel but an evil one instead):
sunghoonie hyungie
sunghoonie hyungie: hey sun, feeling any better yet?
me: hi hyungie! and yes, i am!!
me: oh btw, about the sweater, when should i give it back to you ??
sunghoonie hyungie: keep it sunnn. i told you it suits u more than me, didn't i ?
Sunoo never failed to blush when he was talking to Sunghoon. This message wasn't helping. The sweater SMELT just like his crush. It was warm, it was cozy, it was pretty, and now Sunghoon was letting him keep it?? Ha, take that Wonyoung.
me: oh ?? thanks hyungiee 😭
me: its getting late hyungie, i'll go now to sleep ! sleep well :)
sunghoonie hyungie: goodnight sun ❤️
Sunoo felt like he could sleep in peace. Sunghoon gave him his sweater. To Sunoo, it was like the most special thing ever. Of all the people to give sweaters to. It was Sunoo. And now? Sunghoon sent him a red heart. Fuck, Sunoo's delusions just upgraded to a new level. (Who's complaining, though?)
---
The next day, Sunoo was sitting in a cafe near his apartment, dressed in a light blue polo shirt and some navy shorts that went well with the outfit. He was shyly looking at everyone who entered the cafe, wondering which of these strangers was going to come up to his table and introduce themselves as Youngbin.
Jungwon told Sunoo that the two boys should meet at 14:00pm, at a corner table in the cafe, so that it would be easy for the two to spot eachother. Now, it was nearing quarter past 2, and there were still no signs of Sunoo's date. The boy started to tell himself that not seeing Youngbin was fate - that Sunoo was meant for someone else (Sunoo likes to think that someone else is Sunghoon), until suddenly he felt a tall shadow appear over him. Looking up, Sunoo suddenly felt small under the eyes of a man who had eyes that pierced into Sunoo's soul.
"Kim Sunoo?"
"O-oh, uhm, hi- I'm guessing you're Youngbin Sunbaenim?" The sitting boy replied.
Youngbin nodded, taking a seat opposite Sunoo and he smiled brightly.
"Call me hyung, sweetheart." Youngbin smirked at the blush that was dusting Sunoo's cheeks. Sunoo was a blusher - everyone knew this. Sunoo would blush at almost anything, but Youngbin didn't know that. To him, he was the sole reason for the blush.
"So, Sunoo, tell me about yourself."
Sunoo started to tell the latter about how he loved dancing, but preferred singing because it made him feel at home. He liked to carry a book with him everywhere he went(not that he actually read them), and he always wanted a pet cat. The entire time the younger boy spoke, Youngbin was nodding his head, though his eyes seemed to constantly focus on the shorter boy's body. Near the end of Sunoo's ramble, he noticed the gaze, and started to get slightly uncomfortable.
"Hmm, thats nice Sunoo. Tell me, how do you look after your body that much?" Youngbin pointed at Sunoo's body with his eyes and a tilt of his head, and Sunoo suddenly didn't know how to reply.
"Oh- uhm, I... I'm not sure, I guess I dance a lot? I uhm, yeah I don't know.." The entire time the young boy spoke, the older one was smirking.
"So you don't exercise?" Sunoo shook his head to say a 'no' in response, and Youngbin's smirk only grew.
"Bet I could get you to lose some calories.." he winked, this time actually looking into Sunoo's eyes, commending himself for making the latter so red.
Sunoo, on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to go home and away from Youngbin. He immediately made Sunoo feel uncomfortable, the youngest knew that things wouldn't work out between the two.
"Hey, Sunoo... I was just kidding don't worry!! Anyways, let's go on a walk?" Youngbin laughed off what he had said earlier (Sunoo didn't find it funny in the slightest, though). Sunoo thought that going on a walk was convenient, it is usually what couples do at the end of their dates, right? So that meant his and Youngbin's date was coming to an end.
"Ah, okay sure !" Sunoo hesitantly replied. Just as he was about to stand up on his own, he felt a strong grip on his wrist pull him up, allowing him to stand. Youngbin then took Sunoo's hand into his own, and the two began to leave the cafe after Youngbin offered to pay.
"So, Sunoo. Ask me a question... anything!" Youngbin requested, as the two walked on a pavement, going in the opposite direction to Sunoo's apartment.
"Hm, have you had any past relationships?" Sunoo questioned, in hopes that his list of relationships would be so long, that Sunoo would have to leave by the end of it.
"Only one, actually. He was a pretty boy, like you, we just... disagreed on some things - you know? I wanted our relationship to go to the next stage, but he was, well, too much of a pussy. He never wanted to do anything fun with me, so I just had to leave him at some point." The tall boy said.
"If our relationship works out, which I think it will, you won't let me leave, will you Sunoo?" Youngbin attempted to make a sad face, but Sunoo was growing to hate the boy who had an unbelievably strong grip on his hand. He left his old boyfriend purely because he wasn't ready for some things? What a dickhead!
"Sunoo, answer me sweetheart." Youngbin stopped walking, and made sure Sunoo stopped too.
"You'll make sure you're ready for things when I am, right?"
Still, Sunoo didn't reply. He simply looked to the ground.
"Right. Doing this the hard way again? Fine by me, sweetheart." Sunoo felt his wrist ache as he was dragged into a small alleyway between the cafe and a park. What the hell was Youngbin doing?
"Youngb-" Sunoo got cut-off mid sentence by a hand covering his mouth.
"What am I doing? Well, I'm teaching you how to respect others, okay? I mean, I bet you wanted it anyways. Look at your outfit Sunoo, you're asking for it." Youngbin smirked.
"Jungwon told me you haven't had any past relationships, does that mean that these are virgin lips?" Sunoo tried to fight, as the latter stroked his lips gently.
"So... I'm going to be your first kiss, am I?" Youngbin leaned forward, taking his hand away from the latter's mouth.
"Please, I- Youngbi-" all of Sunoo's protests were continuously cut off by the taller boy, hovering over him like a predator to its prey.
Sunoo was sobbing, as he watched the latter take his sweet time in leaning forward, inching closer and closer to his lips. Youngbin trailed his fingers down Sunoo's neck, and he was just about to put his lips on the younger boys, but they got cut off.
"What the fuck are you doing?"
Sunoo knew that voice. He knew it all too well.
"Fucks sake man! I was just about to kiss my fucking boyfriend, who do you think you are to interrupt us?!" Youngbin replied in a shout, deciding to suddenly act protective, arms around Sunoo.
"Look, I don't know who the fuck you are, but it was clear that Sunoo didn't consent to whatever the fuck you had planned." Sunghoon growled. Sunoo knew that this side of Sunghoon was rare - it only came out when something really pissed him off.
"Y-you know Sunoo?" In that moment, Youngbin managed to let his guard down, and Sunoo saw the opportunity to kick Youngbin from behind. He did so, hearing a groan from in front of him, and then ran to Sunghoon's side.
"Sunoo, fuck, are you hurt anywhere?!" his hyung's voice came out panicked, immediately all his attention was on Sunoo, but when Sunoo told him he was fine, Sunghoon turned back to Youngbin.
"Look, I genuinely will not hesitate to kill you, if I see you near Sunoo again, okay? You saw him crying. You knew Sunoo didn't consent. Yet you continue?" Sunghoon was glaring at Youngbin, and if looks could kill, Youngbin would have been 6ft under by now.
"Hey look- Sunoo was dressed like a slut - look at him, he clearly wante-" Sunoo watched as his hyung punched Youngbin square in the face. The youngest boy there hated violence, and so he immediately shut his eyes closed, but he heard the aggressive sounds of punches being thrown, thuds, and kicks.
"You're so fucking lucky that I stopped there, you know. God, if Sunoo wasn't here right now, you would be dead. I'm not fucking joking." Sunghoon hissed at the taller boy on the ground, turning to walk to Sunoo. Sunoo's eyes widened at the boy who walked towards him - his eyebrow had a cut on it, his lip had one too, and his nose was bleeding. He had a hold on his shoulder, so he probably hurt himself there too.
"Hyungie, oh my God- I'm so sorry-" Sunoo was throwing apologies to Sunghoon at a million miles per hour, but Sunghoon cut him off.
"Hey, hey, stop apologising, okay? None of this was your fault, I promise. Let's head to my car, ok?" Sunghoon put his hand out in front of Sunoo, which the latter willingly took, and the two boys left Youngbin on the ground in the alley.
As they entered the vehicle, Sunghoon let out a huge sigh, and turned to the younger boy.
"Sun. Are you actually okay?"
That was all it took. Sunoo couldn't stop himself from crying. He cried, and cried, and cried. He didn't want to, but how could he not? That was insanely traumatic for him, and he couldn't help but feel guilty about the damage that was done to Sunghoon.
"Let it all out, Sun. All of it, ok? If it's okay with you, can we go to my apartment?" it was more than fine with Sunoo. Honestly, the young boy felt like he spent more time in Sunghoon's apartment than his own. It brough him an insane amount of comfort. He nodded, and Sunghoon started driving.
Sunghoon didn't ignore the red marks on the latter's wrist, but that was a topic for later. A few minutes later, Sunghoon heard Sunoo's quiet sniffs, and realised the younger boy had stopped crying.
"Sunoo, who was he?" Sunoo turned to look at his hyung, and explained how he was a guy named Youngbin, who Jungwon knew from uni, and Wonie arranged a date for them.
"But hyungie! Please remember none of this was Wonie's fault!! He didn't know any better, I swear!!" Sunoo defended his best friend, because he worried that Sunghoon could get mad at Jungwon for even setting the two up on a date.
The latter smiled gently and spoke, "Sun, I'm genuinely not mad at any of you, okay? It wasn't Won's fault, or yours. It was that asshole's fault, and only his." Sunghoon replied.
---
The two boys were laughing while laying next to one another in Sunghoon's bed (neither of them mentioned the fact that Sunghoon held him so closely). This was a common activity for the two boys, except not recently, because both boys had been busy with exams (and Wonyoung, Sunoo thinks).
Finally, Sunghoon managed to get Sunoo's mind off of the unsettling events from earlier, and they were now talking about what new kdrama to watch. Sunghoon wasn't a huge fan of kdramas, but if his best friend wanted to watch kdramas, kdramas they would watch.
"Sunghoonie Hyung! Lets rewatch True Beauty? Pleaseee? You know how in love I am with Seojun and Suho!!" without even waiting for his hyung's reply, Sunoo started playing the show again, even though they had watched it thousands of times by now.
"Sunoooooooo" Sunghoon groaned, "how are you still shocked at everything in this show? At this point, even I have the script memorised."
It was things like this that made Sunoo fall even harder. Sunghoon paying attention to what Sunoo likes, Sunghoon spending quality time with Sunoo even though he probably already had plans. Who blamed him for having such a huge crush on his hyung?
Sunoo turned to look at his hyung, only to turn crimson red when he realised Sunghoon was looking right back at him.
"Your reactions are cute" Sunghoon simply said, smiling softly, then turning his attention back to the screen.
Sunoo wanted to know why Sunghoon did this. Surely this wasn't what best friends do?
At the same time, Sunoo wasn't complaining. Its not everyday that you get your crush to hold you in his arms and call you cute, right?
"Stay overnight Sun, I don't want you to be alone tonight, okay?" Sunghoon suddenly mentioned. The latter hummed in response, trying to ignore the butterflies that exploded in his stomach just because his best friend cared for him.
"Okay, hyung."