ᴀᴅᴅɪᴄᴛᴇᴅ

【31】

it was hwa's idea.

"we're going out," he said, barging into yunho's room after his mom let him in without knocking.

yunho blinked from his bed, still in the white hoodie he hadn't changed out of since yesterday. "i don't want to."

"i know," hwa said, walking into the kitchen like he lived there. "which is exactly why you need to."

"c'mon please yuyu, even auntie thinks you need to be outside. even if it's just a bit."

yunho sighed, running a hand over his face. "is it gonna be quiet?"

"not even remotely."

"hwa—"

"wang's party. woo's already picking out outfits. joong, san and jongho are friends with him, apparently they had a few studio sessions together."

"but that means early access to everything, but those three aren't coming it's just going to be the four of us. like it was from the beginning," seonghwa explained

"that sounds like a nightmare."

"that sounds like a distraction."

yunho didn't respond. hwa crouched in front of him, voice softening.

"look. i know what your dad said. i know you and mingi are having... well— complications. i know you're hurting so bad you can barely breathe. but let us carry it tonight. just for a few hours."

yunho stared at him, eyes heavy.

"we'll bring you home after if it's too much," hwa promised. "but come with us first."

___

by the time they reached the house, the sun had just set, and the street was already lit up with laughter and noise. the place was glowing from the inside out — warm windows, music spilling out, the front yard dotted with people holding red cups and leaning into each other like there were no bad things in the world.

woo was waiting by the door, hair styled, makeup done and smile wide, wearing something that shows way to much skin to be reasonable.

"you look alive," he said to yunho, handing him a drink.

"i don't feel it."

"fake it till you make it," woo grinned. "come on. yeosang found a couch no one's claimed yet."

inside, it was chaos — the good kind, mostly. music pulsing through the walls, bodies packed into the living room dancing without rhythm, the kitchen full of people yelling over one another. every room smelled like cologne and popcorn and spilled soda. someone was laughing in the hallway like it was the best night of their life.

yeosang met them near the stairs, holding a plate of cookies he'd somehow procured.

"someone's mom baked," he said, completely deadpan.

"we love a supportive parent," hwa muttered.

yunho hovered near them, drink untouched, shoulders stiff. he couldn't stop scanning the crowd, looking for danger where there was none. old habits.