-"¡callarse la boca!" -"Hazme."

SunKi: Like rum on a fire

“I cannot touch you, but I’m drawn to you,” Ni-ki sings loudly, making heads turn toward them in the streets. Sunoo tries to quiet him down, and fortunately, the boy next to him amiably drops to a murmur.

Sunoo grits his teeth and adjusts Ni-ki’s arm over his shoulders. This isn’t how he imagined the rest of his night would go.

Certainly not dragging a tipsy teenager out on the streets in the middle of the night to buy some hangover essentials for their hyungs who are passed out drunk in the living room of their dorm. But then again, Ni-ki has always had a way of convincing him to do the unfathomable, even if that meant taking a short walk to the nearest convenience store when both of them are under the influence of alcohol.

They should have been exhausted after performing for the special New Year concert, but Jungwon, ever the sweetheart, had prepared a small celebration for Sunoo’s coming-of-age. He was ecstatic of course, Sunoo has always loved surprises. Besides, he’d been excited at the thought of finally becoming an adult—something that he doesn’t fail to mention these days, much to the dismay of his members who still wanted to perceive him as the childlike joy that he is.

Eventually, they ordered late-night chicken delivery and Jay had even volunteered to prepare seaweed soup to complete the setup. It was supposed to be a quick thing, a small celebration for Sunoo and their successful debut year, until their delivery arrived along with a case of soju drinks.

The older members had strictly prohibited them from even drinking one glass, except for Sunoo who by their logic, has now gained the privilege to partake in alcohol.

Our Sunoo is an adult now so it’s alright, Sunghoon tells him, cheeks ruddy and voice slurred.

So Sunoo does, and one shot becomes two, and then three, until he’s finished a whole bottle by himself. At that point, he’s not even sure if he’s drinking water or if he’s just too inebriated to distinguish the taste of alcohol with his senses. Someone offers to drink the rest of his second bottle, and Sunoo obliges, and he should have looked twice before saying yes, because it’s their maknae who takes the bottle away from him and sneakily pours himself a drink.

But at that time it seemed insignificant—not with Sunghoon loudly recounting a wardrobe malfunction he experienced, or with Jake listening to him with such enthusiasm he starts crying at the part Sunghoon’s zipper got stuck. Somewhere in the corner, Heeseung has passed out and is likely not to move again until morning. Jay had complained of a headache a while ago, and Jungwon took it upon himself to take care of him. They retired inside Jay’s room and no one has seen either of them since then.

Sunoo doesn’t remember much of what happens after. But he does remember a warm body pressing behind him, arms tight around his waist, which he knows should’ve been uncomfortable but is familiar and pleasant instead.

He thinks he dozed off for some time, and when he opens his eyes, he finds the rest of the members completely shit-faced drunk on the floor. Heeseung still hasn’t moved from his position—dead to the rest of the world. Sunghoon is sprawled across the floor, mouth hung open and legs up against the sofa. Sunoo fights the urge to take a humiliating picture of his usually charismatic hyung—because he’s petty, and he wants revenge from all the teasing he’s been getting from him lately. Jake isn’t in any better shape with his face planted on top of his plate, chicken bits smeared across his handsome features. Really, the only one awake is Ni-ki—who, by the looks of it, had been drinking himself into a stupor.

It’s enough to turn Sunoo sober.

He takes the bottle away from the younger, and Ni-ki still has the gall to reach for it back. The room is a mess, his hyungs are out of it, and their youngest is clinging to him, whining for Sunoo to give back his precious drink, and throwing his body weight on the elder to stop him from going to Jay’s room.