Into the Hornet's Nest

22

          Minho doesn't remember when, but he began spending a lot of nights at the apartment. He would go home with Binnie, something about coming home and seeing Hyunjin happily waiting for them became addicting. He would always tease Minho for looking so tired, would always break out into a small dance while they all stood in the kitchen as Minho cooked. They would rotate who cooked, but the boys convinced Minho that his food was always best. Although Hyunjin is taller, Minho would still feel his heart race whenever Hyunjin would steal food as it was cooking or wrap his arms around his waist begging for a spoonful of whatever Minho made, claiming to be the quality control. Sometimes Changbin would do it, and Hyunjin would yell at him for 'stealing his bit.' It was easy to get lost in his time at their place, sometimes staying over for days at a time, Hyunjin arguably even more excited to see him returning with Changbin as the days became consecutive.

          Whenever they felt the routine became too boring, the boys would stay with Minho, one sleeping in the attic and one in the spare bedroom. Hyunjin was always in the attic, claiming his defense as wanting to use the telescope again. It made Minho smile fondly every time, a tiny part of him feeling as if Hyunjin shouldn't be the one using it, but happy to not be the only one so in love with the stars anymore. He considered offering the boys to move in to help him with the bills, bringing it up and getting a bit too emotional while doing so. He couldn't bring himself to tell them how much easier it was to be in his own house with them there, so he brushed the offer off as a passing joke. Hyunjin seemed to catch his glossy eyes though, softly telling him that his studio is too far away to travel every day and soothing Minho with the promises of coming over more. Minho had smiled then, a real, vibrant smile that had both boys cooing at him. He was feeling better.

          Somewhere around day 216, Minho had heard Hyunjin talking about his days in school. About one friend that he misses most, a friend that used to light up a room and make everyone feel important. He talked about how his friend started working at a small convenience store shortly after finishing school, how they had lost touch when Hyunjin went on to start attending a dance studio and their schedules stopped syncing up. He talked about the boy's love of polaroid photos and how he had always known where to park his bike because of the boy's painted mailbox. Minho had never felt so uneasy at someone's words, nearly fainting when Changbin had asked the friend's name. He had to hold onto the counter as he heard Hyunjin begin to say Han, Minho cutting him off and croaking out a broken sounding Han Jisung. It had all been put into place then, Minho remembering seeing Hyunjin on Han's wall the one time Minho had been there, the boy looking younger but more or less the same. It seemed to be pieced together in the other's minds as well, their eyes going wide and rushing forward just as Minho's knees gave out under him. After so long of being okay, Minho had sobbed freely into his hands on the kitchen floor. Minho was shaking as he sobbed, Hyunjin sitting behind him and hugging him as close as Minho's sobs would let him. Of course Hyunjin reminded him of Han, Minho had thought. They had grown up together, spent summers at the lake and Hyunjin was on Han's fucking wall of sentimentality. Of course they are similar. Of course his mind had placed the two boys so closely in his mind.

          Changbin had offered him a drink, a strong one, and Minho had downed it with the tears still flowing. They had all been drinking lightly until that point, all of them needing something more after the shock of finding out something like that. Minho drank until he couldn't make his own anymore, Binnie refusing to help him or give him another, plopping Minho down on his couch and telling Hyunjin not to let him have anymore before going to Minho's spare room to try and sleep the alcohol away. Minho had been left with a very giggly Hyunjin, openly staring at his prettily flushed face and nearly empty glass. Hyunjin had refused to give Minho the last bit of it, Minho crawling over to him and frowning as Hyunjin emptied his glass. Minho had looked at the wet lips, the plump, plush looking wet lips that had been coated in alcohol and decided in his foggy mind that there was only one way to chase the remnants. So, he had kissed Hyunjin. He had sloppily licked against his lips, Hyunjin bursting into a fit of laughter as Minho tried his best not to remember the boy who had grown up with the friend in front of him. He had enjoyed the burn of the drink against his lips, licking over them and pressing their lips together again simply because he had wanted to. Hyunjin had kissed back then, pulling away with a giggle and then telling Minho to go to bed. Minho had hazily nodded, stumbling into his room while Hyunjin had opted for the couch, not trying to hurt himself on the stairs. Maybe Minho had had another drunken dream about Han. Maybe he had dreamt of kissing him again, of him coming home and of the four of them living together. Maybe he had woken up to an empty bed, no photo to roll over to and no photo of Han to glance at on his phone. Maybe he cried, his hangover headache only worsening. Maybe he cried until he heard the others waking up, maybe he cried until the two of them came to check on him. Maybe he cried even after that, with his two best friends laying in his bed with him to try and take the ache away. 

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Y'all doing okay?? I wasn't while writing this