It wasn’t unusual for the boys to share moments of affection in their dorm. In fact, living together had turned them into a close-knit family, and no one embodied this more than Sunoo. But today was…different.
Sunoo had just woken up from his nap, his hair slightly tousled, cheeks puffed, and lips forming a natural pout. As he made his way to the living room in his oversized hoodie, rubbing his eyes sleepily, it was as though time stopped for everyone present.
“Look at him!” Jake whispered loudly, clutching his chest. “He’s so squishy today!”
“Squishy? He’s always squishy!” Heeseung corrected, practically melting into the couch. His eyes were fixed on Sunoo’s cheeks, which looked impossibly pinchable. “Sunoo, come here for a sec.”
Sunoo blinked, his doe eyes full of curiosity. “Why?”
“No reason,” Heeseung replied innocently, patting the space beside him. The moment Sunoo sat down, Heeseung’s hand darted out to gently pinch one of his cheeks. “How are they this soft? Are you even real?”
“Hyung!” Sunoo whined, but his voice only made the room’s atmosphere ten times softer.
“Let me try,” Jungwon said, leaning forward. “I’ll be gentle, I promise.”
“Guys!” Sunoo protested, but Jungwon’s fingertips were already lightly squishing his cheeks, his leader aura replaced by an uncontainable grin. “It’s like touching a marshmallow,” Jungwon muttered.
By now, Sunghoon was watching intently from his corner, arms crossed. “This is ridiculous,” he deadpanned, though his facade cracked when Sunoo tilted his head to pout at him. Without another word, Sunghoon swooped in, cupping both of Sunoo’s cheeks in his hands. “I just needed to confirm for myself.”
“You all have cuteness aggression issues,” Sunoo huffed, cheeks now rosy from all the attention.
“But it’s your fault!” Niki piped up, now joining the fray. “You’re like a plushie we want to hug all the time! That's why I like pinching your cheeks all the time”
Jay, who had been sitting back and watching with a fond smile, finally chimed in. “Alright, everyone, give him some space.” Sunoo sighed in relief, only for Jay to kneel in front of him and gently pinch his chin instead. “I get it now. He’s too precious.”
“You’re supposed to be on my side!” Sunoo exclaimed, clearly torn between annoyance and bashfulness.
“Sunoo, just accept it,” Jake said, pulling him into a side hug. “We love you and your adorable cheeks.”
At that moment, Sunoo’s pout softened into a small smile, though his cheeks stayed flushed. Maybe, just maybe, being everyone’s favorite target for affection wasn’t so bad after all.
Sunoo tried to escape the living room, cheeks still tingling from everyone’s relentless pinching and squishing. But before he could make it halfway to the hallway, Jake and Niki blocked his way.
“Where do you think you’re going, Squishoo?” Jake teased, spreading his arms wide like a barricade. Niki, the maknae, followed suit, mimicking Jake’s stance with a mischievous grin.
“‘Squishoo’? That’s not even my name!” Sunoo protested, puffing out his cheeks in frustration. Big mistake. Jake and Niki looked like they were about to explode from cuteness overload.
“I swear he’s doing it on purpose,” Niki said, pretending to clutch his heart. “You’re dangerous, Sunoo-hyung.”
“I am not!” Sunoo tried to dodge, but Jake was quicker, grabbing him in a back hug.
