wander [ hyunlix ]

37

The warmth of a crackling fire cast the room it heated with a comforting orange glow, a calming distraction from the raging storm outside.

Three boys stood rather awkwardly at the entrance to the cozy house, each shuffling quietly to take off their wet jackets and shoes and leave them in the entryway.

"Sorry," the hushed voice of a fourth boy resounded as he ushered the three into the main living space. "My grandma's sleeping. I don't wanna be too loud."

This kid, Yang Jeongin, was incredibly hopeful that he wouldn't get in trouble for letting guests in at random hours of the night. It had taken the others a good while to get there due to the storm, and numerous apologies had already been thrown at him from every which way.

"Oh, Chan, you can put that over there," a sort of host-responsibility seemed to jolt into Jeongin all of a sudden, as he gestured at the table for the eldest boy to set a small bag at.

"Your name is... Jisung?" Jeongin pointed to the light-haired boy awkwardly drying the screen of his phone off with the hem of his shirt.
Jisung nodded.

"And Minho?" Jeongin pointed to the taller boy clinging to Jisung's shoulder, who gave a tiny nod as well.

"Right," Jeongin clapped his hands together softly. "Since this is all kinda last minute, I'll let you guys take this as you will," he started, before taking a breath. "There is only one spare bedroom."

Minho raised a hand at once. "Mine."

Naturally, Jisung elbowed him in the side for this comment.

"What. You think I wouldn't share? I still call dibs." Minho kept his hand in the air.

Jeongin crossed his arms. "You alright with sharing, Jisung?" he asked, clearly too little in the know.

Before the boy could even answer, Minho cut in: "Why would he not be? We're dating."

Jisung sent the elder a wide-eyed glance which suggested that was news to him too. Yet he didn't comment, instead giving an absentminded nod of agreement.

Jeongin spared a look towards Chan, as if asking whether or not the eldest was okay with it.

Chan sighed. "It's fine. I expected it."

"I guess I'll show them to the room then," the youngest gestured, waving the group to follow along through the dimly lit halls of the house.

Small talk was only briefly able to fill the space left by the strangest of tensions in the air. The floorboards creaked beneath soft footsteps.

"Here you go," Jeongin said, reaching a sweater-pawed hand out and turning the handle to the door. "You guys can poke around in there, I don't care."

Minho and Jisung only shared a little look before stepping inside, Jisung's fingertips lingering at the other's wrist.

Chan stayed leaning next to the doorway, not feeling up to the task of following the lovebirds inside and dealing with any more of their antics that day.

Jeongin seemed to pick up on this.
"Ah," he snapped his fingers. "Right. You need somewhere to sleep."

Chan nodded slowly, as if the thought had just now occurred to him as well.