↱FORBIDDEN COLORS↲ ⇾seongjoong⇽

desperation

Maybe they weren't okay.

But it didn't really matter in the hustle and bustle of the days leading up to their tour.

Couldn't matter, not with dance practices and vocal checks, not with packing and preparations – not with six other people constantly around them, constantly holding them together like the family they were supposed to be.

Seonghwa was there constantly.

No matter what Hongjoong was doing, Seonghwa was there.

A distance seemed to constantly stretch between them, like an invisible pole keeping them away from each other.

But it didn't mean Seonghwa wasn't dancing in the same room as him, sitting several seats away from him at meals or at meetings –

Hongjoong was aware of him every second too.

He would catch the younger's glance and Seonghwa would offer a small awkward smile, and Hongjoong would nod and it would be like a confirmation of what they'd agreed to:

To not make a big deal out of it, to not lose each other, to play it off and exist how they had –

Which somehow translated in both of them to distance.

Which wasn't okay.

Hongjoong didn't like it.

He hated it, actually.

Hated that when he turned the corner too fast, almost running directly into Seonghwa, the younger sprung back, muttering a flustered, "oh, hyung!" before quickly regaining their proximity and ducking away with that same weak smile.

"Are you guys okay?" San asked from where he leaned against the kitchen counter.

"Yeah," Hongjoong brushed it off, completely ignoring Wooyoung's very pointed expression as he grabbed a cup of coffee and sat at the table.

"Did you fix it?" Wooyoung muttered to him, looking over the rim of his cup.

"You don't have to worry about it," Hongjoong said in answer.

"It doesn't seem fixed," Wooyoung accused.

"We talked," Hongjoong said.

"Maybe you should talk some more," Wooyoung raised a brow.

Hongjoong took a deep breath and focused on his coffee.

"You hurt him and I'll hurt you," Wooyoung warned behind his coffee cup, brow still arched.

"Feeling the love, Woo," Hongjoong scoffed back.

"I love all my bitches equally," Wooyoung jutted out his chin, "But don't you dare hurt my Seonghwa."

"I'm trying," Hongjoong assured, "I'm really, really trying."

Wooyoung must have sensed the seriousness in Hongjoong's tone because he dropped the joke in his.