Chapter Text
"Hyung, did you call our manager?"
Jihoon asked Hyunsuk, who was busy monitoring their practice video. The two are members of the popular boy group Treasure, along with their eight members. From their trainee days to sold-out tours, they've stuck together through everything—shared ramen, late-night conversations, and life advice.
They just came back from their first US fan concert and are busy preparing for their next comeback.
Hyunsuk raised his left eyebrow and looked at Jihoon. "Huh?"
"I thought you called—ugh, never mind. Why would you even bother remembering…"
"Of course I called him," Hyunsuk said.
"And?"
"They said yes. You could go to Busan."
Out of happiness, Jihoon hugged Hyunsuk. It seems natural for both of them. Hyunsuk knew how clingy Jihoon is. And he doesn't mind. Not at all.
"What's with the celebration?" Junkyu, who just came in, asked.
"Ah, hmm…" Hyunsuk stuttered.
"Hyunsuk hyung asked for permission if I could have a short vacation in Busan—three days to be exact. They said yes," Jihoon proudly answered.
"Hyung! How about me?" Junkyu said cutely.
Hyunsuk laughed at his member's cuteness. "Don't worry. I asked for everyone. For the next three days, we're all on vacation."
"Wait, hyung, I thought you only did it for me," cross-armed Jihoon said.
"You're not Hyunsuk hyung's favorite," Junkyu teased Jihoon, and the latter pinched him in the arm. "Hyunsuk hyung, look at this kid resorting to pinching," Junkyu said.
Hyunsuk was looking at the two while bickering; Jihoon and Junkyu are known as the Tom and Jerry of the group. "Just go home, you two. I'm tired of watching you fight like kids."
The fans call Jihoon and Hyunsuk soulmates, and they smile through it, never confirming just how true that word really is. The two even announced themselves as the appa and eomma of the group, and the fans loved it.
Between them, Jihoon is more of the protective type, while Hyunsuk is the comforter. They complement each other despite having different personalities. Although Hyunsuk trained in their agency longer than Jihoon, he relies on the younger one a lot. They make decisions together.
Jihoon almost forgot why he went back to their practice room earlier than the other members.
"Hyung, I bought coffee for you."
"Eh? How about us, Jihoon hyung?" Junghwan, the youngest in the group, said while walking towards them. Junghwan, Haruto, Jeongwoo, and Asahi just got back from the building's cafeteria.
"Junghwa-na, you just ate. Hyunsuk hyung stayed here, so I bought one for him."
"If you say so, hyung," Haruto smirked.
Fans adore Hyunsuk and Jihoon's dynamic, shipping them in edits and compilations, never knowing how real the feelings actually are. It starts small. One of them always brings two coffees during practice. The other saves the last bite of his favorite snack. They fall asleep on each other's shoulder and smile a lot whenever they're together.
"Hyung, I was scrolling through my Twitter earlier. I read something and found it funny and cute," Jeongwoo said while peeling the tangerines he bought.
"What is it?" Jihoon curiously asked.
"Someone posted that it's like you and Hyunsuk hyung are a bundle. When someone is a fan of Hyunsuk hyung, that person eventually becomes your fan as well, and vice versa."
"Really? We look good together, right?—I mean, our dynamics," Jihoon said, wishing that the others did not notice how he almost confessed his feelings for Hyunsuk.
"We're back!" Yoshi said. He came back with Jaehyuk and Doyoung.
Hyunsuk walked to the front, facing his members. "Okay, let's practice one more time, then call it a day."
After their rehearsals, Yoshi went back to the dorm with Junkyu. The others stayed for a few minutes to have ramen and then went home together, except for Hyunsuk and Jihoon. Hyunsuk stayed at his studio for a while. He's not working. He was just sitting in his chair looking at the computer.
Since they will be having a three-day break, he has decided to open his Weverse Live.
"Hi everyone! We just finished rehearsing something. Okay, let's read comments first."
"What are we practicing? I can't tell yet."
"Comeback spoiler. Guys, please, no spoilers. I'll ask Ruto not to spoil anything."
"Who's standing behind me? Kids, stop! There's no one behind me."
"Why are you all commenting ghost emojis? Stop. I'm alone here, but I swear, I'm not scared."
.....
While reading comments from his Weverse live, someone knocked at the door.
"A ghost knocking? No, there's no such thing."
Hyunsuk opened the door but saw no one. While he was still holding the doorknob, he faced his phone. "Did you see that, guys? I opened the door, but there's no one out there. Aaaaahhhhh!" Hyunsuk screamed because someone held his hand.
Jihoon can't stop laughing while staring at startled Hyunsuk. "Hyung, it's me. It's me."
"Yah! Jihoon-ah!" Hyunsuk exclaimed.
Jihoon went inside and showed everyone what he brought.
"Hello, Teumes! I came here because I bought food at the cafeteria. I was about to eat these later, but I saw a notification that Hyunsuk hyung is currently doing a live. So might as well join him," Jihoon said while taking the food containers out of the paper bag.
"I'm not hungry," Hyunsuk said.
Jihoon opened the food container, took a piece of fried potato, and fed his hyung. "Say ah!"
Hyunsuk laughed but opened his mouth.
"Very good, Hyunsukkie, our cute Hyunsukkie," Jihoon said in a cute manner.
The two stop reading comments and just continue having dinner.
[ Comments ]
… So why am I third-wheeling here?
… I'm also having dinner, and I feel like I'm having dinner with my parents
.… Just get married, you two!
… I have a boyfriend, but why am I so single while watching you two?
… Eomma, Appa, where are your eight chaotic children?
… Sukhoon, will you allow me to marry your son Jeongwoo?
.....
"Teume-ya, sorry, I'll turn off the live because we'll be going home. I promise to do live again once we're done with work. See you all soon! Jihoon-ah, say bye," Hyunsuk said while still eating.
"Bye, Teumes. Thank you for joining us. See you all soon. Don't worry, I'll take care of Hyunsukkie."
Weverse Live ended.
"Are you done eating? Let's go," Jihoon said in his soft and low voice, which Hyunsuk only hear when it was just them. Most of the time when all ten of them are gathered, Jihoon tends to speak in a tougher manner, especially when he uses the Busan dialect. But whenever it's just them alone, Jihoon is softer, calmer, and sweeter.
"Where are we going?" Hyunsuk asked.
"You'll see."
Half an hour later, they stopped at an ice cream store.
"Remember this store?" Jihoon asked.
"How could I forget? We bought ice cream here, and mine fell on the ground."
They went inside the store and were greeted by the staff.
"Good evening—oh! Hyunsuk and Jihoon from Treasure!" the staff excitedly said.
"Good evening. Two chocolate mint ice creams, please," Jihoon politely said.
When they got their order, the staff requested an autograph, which the two gladly gave.
Hyunsuk thought they would go straight home, but they stopped by at Mangwon Hangang Park.
"We'll eat our ice cream here, hyung." Jihoon opened the cup's lid and took the spoon from the packaging.
For years, Jihoon always made sure that Hyunsuk's favorite ramen was always in stock. Jihoon always leaves heating packs at Hyunsuk's walk-in closet because his hyung sometimes forgets to purchase them. Jihoon never mentioned it. He just made space.
Jihoon knows Hyunsuk's favorite snacks, his favorite place, his favorite scent, his lip product, and even his song playlist. Hyunsuk always calls him to ask if something he's eyeing is worth buying—and Jihoon is always present. They will call each other even at three a.m. and talk about nothing. Random video calls while busy doing their own stuff.
Hyunsuk never seemed to notice. Or maybe he did.
Sometimes, he'd glance over after one of Jihoon's sweet, quiet gestures—eyebrows raised, lips about to smile—but he never said anything.
Until one night...
It was late, past midnight, and they were the last ones in the practice room. Hyunsuk, sweat clinging to his neck, took his water bottle and found it empty. Jihoon walked over, unscrewed his own, and silently handed it over to Hyunsuk.
Hyunsuk looked at the water bottle, then at Jihoon. "Do you always do this?"
"Do what?" Jihoon asked.
Hyunsuk blinked. "Take care of me... Like it's normal."
"It is, hyung."
"Not for everyone."
… Silence...
Jihoon wanted to say, 'I do it because I love you.' But instead, he looked away. "You just leave a lot of stuff."
Hyunsuk smiled, soft and unreadable. He didn't say anything else, but when they walked back to the dorms—separate ones, like always—Jihoon noticed something new. Hyunsuk's hand brushed his. Just enough to make his heart race. But maybe it wasn't the right time to say it out loud yet.
But maybe—just maybe—Hyunsuk already knew.
.....
"It's late, let's go," Hyunsuk said. They finished their ice cream half an hour ago but decided to stay at Hangang Park for a while. None of them were talking; they were just silently admiring the peacefulness of the place.
"Hyung," Jihoon stopped Hyunsuk from standing up.
"Hmm?"
"I'm tired," Jihoon said.
"Yeah. That's why we should go so you could take a rest."
"I'm tired of not saying it," Jihoon replied.
"What?"
"I don't know," he lied. "Or maybe I do."
"Go on. Say it, Jihoonie."
Jihoon turned to look at him, eyes a little glassy, like he was afraid he might break something fragile.
"I think I've been saying it this whole time," he whispered. "Just not loud enough for you to hear."
The air shifted.
"I love you," Jihoon confessed.
Hyunsuk exhaled slowly, like something inside him had finally let go.
"I know," he said. "You're terrible at hiding it."
Jihoon laughed—half in relief, half in disbelief. "And you?"
"I love you too. Have for a while. I just… didn't want to ruin it."
"You didn't."
A quiet kind of joy settled between them. Jihoon leaned his head against Hyunsuk's shoulder. "What are we going to do now, hyung?"
"Now?" he said. "Now, I can finally kiss you without pretending I'm not thinking about it every second."
Jihoon turned to him, smiling fully. "Then stop thinking."