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"Hyunggu!"
Hyunggu stopped walking and turned in the direction of the voice that'd called his name. He spotted Shinwon walking towards him from his dorm building, a huge bag of chips in hand.
He waited until the older boy caught up with him.
"Hey, Shinwon-hyung. What's up?"
"Absolutely nothing," Shinwon replied. He threw some chips into his mouth. "I'm so bored, man. It's a Saturday night and I have nothing to do. Hyojong-hyung went to the club and didn't tell me anything and Yanan is studying with lover-boy Changgu. And I have no other friends besides you. Please tell me you're going somewhere exciting."
Hyunggu chuckled. "Sure, if you consider the convenience store exciting."
Shinwon groaned. "I need new friends."
Hyunggu put his hand on his chest, feigning hurt. "I'm insulted."
Shinwon rolled his eyes. "The convenience store is only exciting when you have money to spend. Which you, a first year, don't. And I don't either." He pouted.
"You can come with me if you want," Hyunggu said. "It's more exciting than walking around the dorm eating chips."
Shinwon sighed but began walking in the direction Hyunggu had been going in before he had stopped. Hyunggu followed.
"What are you going for?" Shinwon asked.
"Some stuff for Wooseok. He's sick."
"Aw, the giant is sick?"
Hyunggu nodded. "Yes, he is."
"Is he by himself or is Yuto with him?"
"I left Yuto with him."
"Do you think this will help them realize that they're gay for each other?"
Hyunggu busted out laughing. "You noticed too?"
Shinwon crunched on more chips. "Of course I noticed. It's so obvious. Like, the world should notice."
"No, Shinwon, it actually isn't that obvious. You're just a gay expert. I don't think even Wooseok knows." Hyunggu sighed. "He's oblivious to everything including himself. Yuto doesn't show it much either. He only acts up when I make him jealous."
"You do that on purpose!" Shinwon accused, pointing a finger at the younger.
"Yeah," Hyunggu admitted. "I noticed that his behavior changes a couple months ago. He gets defensive and quiet whenever I do stuff with Wooseok. I was hoping that Wooseok would notice or that Yuto would say something but neither of them have."
"You're a fucking genius, I didn't even know you were doing that on purpose." Shinwon was still in shock, his hand empty of chips for once.
"That's because, Gay Expert, I'm bi. I defy your powers."
"Blasphemy!"
Hyunggu laughed. "But if you've noticed that they like each other too, what do you think we should do?"
"Leave them for the night," Shinwon began to munch on his chips again. "This is a great opportunity for Yuto to be Wooseok's knight in shining armor."
"But I have to take back the stuff."
"Then leave it outside the door, they'll find it."
Hyunggu sighed. "Okay, I'll drop it off and then find something to do."
"You can chill with me," Shinwon said. "You're my only friend left and it's not even like I can go back to my dorm room because Changgu is there and their feelings for each other are so obvious that I feel like I'm gonna pop a vein every time I'm around them because I can't out them to each other."
Hyunggu rolled his eyes. "You're so dramatic."
"Listen, okay, I love setting up couples but I am not losing a hundred dollars to Hongseok-hyung."
"Lemme guess. You have a bet?"
Shinwon grunted. "Ever since I may or may not have ruined one of his relationships, he's put me on a ban from setting up couples and telling their crush about their feelings. If I do it, I have to pay him a hundred dollars."
"Yikes." Hyunggu held in his laugh.
Shinwon rolled his eyes and huffed. "Hongseok-hyung is so unreasonable."
"I literally can only imagine how you feel."
They pushed through the doors of the convenience store.
"Don't let me buy any more chips, I have a problem," Shinwon sighed.
"I got you, Hyung."
Shinwon followed Hyunggu as he wondered through the aisles, picking up everything he needed.
"You wanna go see a movie after?" Shinwon asked Hyunggu as he grabbed a box of tissues from a shelf.
"Yeah, sure," Hyunggu replied. "What do you want to see?"
"I don't even know what's showing right now. I figured we could just go and decide when we get there."
"Okay, that's fine."
Two minutes later, they were at the cash register.
"You don't want anything else?" Hyunggu asked Shinwon who had a bottle of water in his hand to pay for.
Shinwon shook his head. "I just ate a whole large bag of chips, I'm putting myself on a diet for the rest of the week."
Hyunggu quirked his eyebrow, remembering the last time Shinwon had claimed such a thing. "If you say so." More like a diet for a day, he thought.
They began the five minute walk back to the dorm.
"Let's give them some time." Shinwon stopped Hyunggu from going in the direction of the dorm.
"What?"
"Before you carry back the stuff, let's give them some time together. Let's go do something to kill time," Shinwon said.
"But Wooseok–"
"Is probably still sleeping."
"But what if–"
"They'll be fine, Hyunggu. If anything happens, Yuto will call you. Can you live with another half hour away?" Shinwon raised an eyebrow.
Hyunggu sighed. "Fine."
Shinwon turned and walked in the opposite direction, expecting Hyunggu to follow.
"This will work, I'm telling you. What did you call me?"
Hyunggu rolled his eyes and rushed to catch up with the older boy. "The Gay Expert."
"Exactly." Shinwon playfully hit Hyunggu's arm. "But I'm a relationship expert in general, too, for your information. Any girls or guys on your radar?" He leaned towards Hyunggu, a mischievous grin spread across his face.
Hyunggu pushed him away. "No, Hyung."
"Aw, that's unfortunate."
"No, it really isn't. Relationships are complicated."
"And how would you know? You haven't dated anyone at least since you came into college."
"That was only a year ago," Hyunggu pointed out. "I had a girlfriend in high school and I've seen enough movies to know what it's like."
"But you obviously don't know what it feels like," Shinwon retorted. "It's complicated but it makes a difference if your feelings are complicated or not."
"And when was the last time you were in a relationship?"
"That's beside the point."
Hyunggu scoffed. "I get that you're a relationship expert, Hyung, but please save me the lecture on relationships."
"Why–"
"It's the furthest thing from my mind right now, okay? I don't need it occupying my mind. I have enough things to think about already."
Shinwon sighed. "Fine. You're missing out, though."
"I'll be just fine."
They reached a small street market on one of the lanes leading to the Main Street of clubs in Seoul.
"Hey, I know this lady that sells the best kebabs ever right down here," Hyunggu said, his mind straying from the topic of relationships.
"I'm on a diet for the rest of the week, dude."
"You can start your diet from tomorrow, you have to taste this." Hyunggu grabbed Shinwon's arm and pulled him along.
The vendor, a woman who looked to be in her forties, smiled when she spotted Hyunggu approaching her.
"Hello, Ajumma," Hyunggu smiled back at her and gave her a small bow in greeting.
Two minutes later, Hyunggu was looking at Shinwon eagerly as he tasted a lamb kebab.
"It's amazing, right?"
Shinwon took his time to chew, just to irritate Hyunggu. Eventually, he swallowed. "Ok, yes, it's the best kebab I've ever tasted."
Hyunggu grinned. "I knew it. I stop here every time I pass by."
They said goodbye to the vendor, exchanging bows and smiles and headed back to the dorm.
"It's safe to go back now, right?"
Shinwon nodded. "Yeah. Just drop off the stuff and then leave, okay?"
"But what should I tell them?" Hyunggu asked. "I'm always with Wooseok, especially when he's sick. They'll think it's weird if I just leave."
Shinwon shrugged. "Make up an excuse."
"Like what?"
"I don't know... something important. Like you have to help someone with something urgent," Shinwon suggested.
Hyunggu sighed. "Okay, I'll think of something."
~/~/~
As they climbed the steps coming from the common rooms, Hyunggu's phone rang.
He pulled it from his pocket. "Oh shit, it's Yuto." He answered the call and put his phone to his ear. "Hey, Yuto."
"Where are you?" Yuto's monotone voice got straight to the point.
"I'm walking up the stairs now." He gestured to Shinwon to hurry his lazy steps and began jogging up the remaining flight.
"Oh. Ok. Well, see you."
Yuto hung up and Hyunggu stepped off on the landing. Down the hall to the fourth door marked 0198. He motioned to Shinwon to stay back and keep quiet, and Hyunggu opened the door.
He was done in two minutes, giving Shinwon a thumbs up as he pulled the door shut.
"Movies?"
Shinwon nodded and they headed for the stairs. "How about McDonald's after? I need a burger fix."
Hyunggu chuckled. He knew that diet wasn't going to last. "Of course you do."