Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The thing about Chae Hyungwon is that he doesn't do charity streams.

Not because he's against charity—he's donated plenty on his own, quietly, without the performance of it. But the multi-hour collaborative events, the ones with six different streamers crammed into voice chat all talking over each other, the forced energy and manufactured hype—

It's exhausting just thinking about it.

But Hoseok had asked. And Hoseok doesn't ask for much.

"It's for animal shelters," Hoseok had said over Discord, voice doing that thing where it gets soft and genuine. "Four hours. You don't even have to talk much. Just… be there. Play support like you always do."

And because Hyungwon has the spine of a pool noodle when it comes to Hoseok, he'd said yes.

Which is how he ends up in a folding chair in the back corner of a convention center lounge on a Saturday afternoon, headset on, laptop open, already regretting every decision that led him here.

The event space is loud. There are five other streamers spread across the room—Hoseok is up front at the main host desk, mic'd up and radiating golden retriever energy. To his left, Shownu (real name Hyunwoo, but his handle was just so good it stuck) is doing last-minute tech checks, his calm presence a stark contrast to Hoseok's enthusiasm. The two of them run a lot of charity events together.

Further down, Minhyuk is adjusting his camera with the precision of someone who cares deeply about lighting, his setup decorated with small plushies and colorful LED strips. Next to him, Jooheon is already talking animatedly to his chat, his honey-blonde hair catching the overhead lights.

And somewhere behind Hyungwon—he can hear without looking—is Changkyun, the youngest of the group, probably bothering Shownu about something technical.

"Hyung, why is my audio cutting out?" Changkyun's voice carries across the room, whiny and dramatic.

"Did you check your cable?" Shownu's response is patient, like he's answered this question a hundred times before.

"I checked everything!"

"Check again."

There's shuffling, then: "Oh. It was the cable."

Shownu doesn't say 'I told you so,' but the silence implies it.

Hyungwon looks back at his setup—his camera is angled to catch just enough of him: hands on keyboard, the bottom half of his face, the edge of his dark hair falling into his eyes. His backdrop is a plain white wall. Minimalist. Intentional.

sleepyprince is live.

His chat is already rolling in, slow and steady. His regulars. The ones who've been there since he had 300 followers and streamed from his bedroom at 2 AM because he couldn't sleep anyway.

coffeecat: oh we're actually doing the charity thing
jintonic: hyungwon interacting with humans? in THIS economy?
sleepdealer: protect him

Hyungwon exhales through his nose—almost a laugh. His fingers hover over the keyboard. He doesn't greet chat. They don't expect him to.

The game lobby loads. Five other players. Hoseok's icon pops up first, username shinwonho. Then Shownu’s shownu, solid and straightforward. Minhyuk's yeoku, Jooheon's HEONY1HUNNIT, and Changkyun's imwhatiam with that lowercase aesthetic he insists on.

And then—

hamsterkii joins the party.

Hyungwon's eyes flick to the name. He knows it. Hard not to—Kihyun's been in his matchmaking games before. The kind of player who types "gg ez" after winning and "team diff" after losing. Loud. Aggressive. The type who plays DPS like a suicide mission and somehow makes it work.

Hyungwon had muted him twice in ranked.

Hoseok's voice crackles through the headset. "Okay, everyone here? Let's do intros for the viewers! We've got an awesome lineup today for the Paws & Play charity tournament—all donations go directly to local animal shelters!"

Shownu goes first, his voice deep and calming. "Shownu. I usually play tank, but I'll flex to whatever the team needs."

"That's our reliable hyung!" Hoseok announces warmly.

Minhyuk is next, his energy bright and infectious. "Lee Minhyuk, main healer, here to keep you all alive! And yes, my setup is cuter than yours, don't @ me."

His chat immediately starts @-ing him.

Jooheon laughs into his mic. "WASSUP EVERYONE! Joohoney here, I play everything badly but with enthusiasm. Let's get this bread for the puppies and kittens!"

"That's the spirit!" Hoseok cheers.

Changkyun's turn. "Changkyun. I'm a DPS player, and before anyone asks—yes, I'm the youngest here. No, I won't listen to any of you."

"He will absolutely not listen," Shownu confirms with the weariness of experience.

When it gets to Hyungwon, he unmutes. "Hyungwon. I play support."

Hoseok laughs, the sound warm and teasing. "Wow, the enthusiasm is killing me. Come on, man, give us something!"

Hyungwon considers this. "...I like cats."

"There it is!" Hoseok announces to his own stream with exaggerated enthusiasm. "He likes cats, everyone. Write that down."

"Does he like dogs though?" Minhyuk asks, pretending to be scandalized. "This is a dog AND cat charity, Hyungwon."

"I'm neutral on dogs."

"NEUTRAL?!" Jooheon gasps dramatically.

"Wow, what a politician," Changkyun mutters.

Hyungwon mutes again, already done with his contribution to the conversation.

Then it's Kihyun's turn, and his voice cuts through the casual chatter like a knife.

"Yoo Kihyun, main DPS, here to carry—" His voice is sharp, confident, the kind of tone that could cut through steel. "—and I guess babysit supports who don't know how to position."

"Oh, shots fired!" Minhyuk crows.

"I position fine," Changkyun protests.

"You died first in literally every round yesterday," Jooheon points out.

"That was strategic!"

Hyungwon's jaw ticks. He glances at his second monitor, where Kihyun's stream is open in a tiny window. The guy is grinning at his camera, all cocky energy and undercut styled too perfectly for someone about to scream at a video game for four hours.

coffeecat: oh no
jintonic: kihyun's in this???
sleepdealer: hyungwon's gonna murder him

"Alright, team!" Hoseok's voice brings them back to focus. "We're playing for charity, so let's keep it friendly. Mostly friendly. Shownu will mediate any fights."

"I will leave the voice chat," Shownu says flatly, which makes everyone laugh.

Hyungwon doesn't read the chat. Just queues into the first match.

ᯓ★

40 Minutes In

They're losing.

Not by much—it's close, back and forth, the kind of game that'll come down to one good play. But Kihyun is overextended, pushed too far into enemy territory, and Hyungwon can see it coming a mile away.

Kihyun's voice cuts through comms. "I'm going in—"

"Wait, no, they have ults—" Hoseok’s warning comes too late.

"I got this—"

Kihyun did in fact not got this.

Three enemies collapse on him. His health bar evaporates. The kill feed lights up red.

hamsterkii has been eliminated.

"WHAT—" Kihyun's voice explodes through comms. "Where was my team?!"

Hyungwon's character is halfway across the map. Still alive. Uselessly alive, because his DPS just fed.

He should let it go. Should wait for respawn, regroup, play for the next fight.

Instead, his fingers move.

He unmutes, his voice cutting through Kihyun’s complaints. 

"I need you."

The comms go quiet. Even the other players stop talking.

Hyungwon doesn't repeat himself. Just watches his screen as Kihyun's death timer ticks down. Five seconds. Four.

Kihyun’s voice comes back, more quiet, uncertain. "...What?" 

"Spawn. Come back to point,” Hyungwon says, his tone flat and matter-of-fact. “I need you."

There's a beat. Then—

Kihyun clicks his tongue. Tch. The sound is annoyed, maybe embarrassed, but his character is already sprinting toward Hyungwon's position the second he respawns.

"Yeah, yeah,” Kihyun mutters, though there’s less bite in his voice now. “On my way, princess."

Hyungwon doesn't respond. Just times his ability cooldowns, keeps Kihyun alive through the next fight. Kihyun dives again—reckless, stupid—but this time Hyungwon is there. Healing, shielding, enabling the chaos.

They take the point.

The game ends. Victory.

Hoseok whoops into the mic. "OKAY, OKAY, that was clean! Hyungwon, Kihyun, that last fight was insane."

"Yeah, well, I carried—" Kihyun starts, his cockiness returning.

"You died five times," Changkyun points out, laughing.

Kihyun doesn't miss a beat. "Strategically."

The voice chat fills with laughter. Hyungwon mutes again, a small smile tugging at his lips despite himself. His chat is moving too fast to read.

coffeecat: "i need you" ????? HELLO???
jintonic: THE WAY KIHYUN LISTENED
sleepdealer: i'm gonna need 3-5 business days to process this

He ignores them. Queues for the next match.

Across the room, he can see Kihyun's setup—just barely. The other streamer is leaning back in his chair, arms stretched overhead, grinning at something his chat said.

Hyungwon looks away.

ᯓ★

Two Hours In: The Break

Hoseok's voice cuts through the game sounds and chatter. "Okay, everyone, ten-minute break! Get water, stretch, we'll start the next set at 4:15. You're all doing amazing—we're already at 40% of our donation goal!"

Hyungwon pulls his headset off. The noise of the room rushes in—other streamers talking to their individual chats, the hum of PCs and equipment, the distant buzz of the convention floor outside.

He should stay in his chair. Check his phone. Drink water.

Instead, he stands, rolling his neck, and heads toward the snack table in the back.

Hyungwon notices a small vase of white carnations on the refreshment table—probably part of the venue's decoration. Without thinking much of it, he picks one up while getting his water, twirling it absently between his fingers as he walks.

He's reaching for a bottle of water when someone nearly collides with him, the carnation falls from Hyungwon’s hand.

"Oh—shit, sorry—" The voice is familiar. Hyungwon turns. 

It's Kihyun.

Up close, he's shorter than Hyungwon expected. Hair styled in a sharp undercut, blonde and a little too bright under the fluorescent lights. He's wearing a black hoodie, sleeves pushed up to his elbows, and he smells—

Hyungwon's brain stalls.

—like something clean. Expensive. Not cologne, softer. Laundry detergent maybe, or shampoo.

Kihyun stumbles back a step. His hair flops forward messily from the near-collision, falling into his eyes.

"Ugh, I just fixed this—" Kihyun complains, trying to brush it back with one hand, but it's not cooperating. He looks annoyed. Flustered.

Hyungwon doesn't think.

His hand moves before his brain catches up—fingers brushing Kihyun's bangs back, tucking the strand behind his ear. The touch is light, automatic, the way you'd fix a crooked picture frame.

Kihyun goes very still.

His eyes flick up. They're wide, dark brown, catching the light in a way that makes Hyungwon's chest feel tight.

They're close. Too close. Kihyun's face is level with Hyungwon's collarbone, tilted up slightly, and Hyungwon realizes—distantly, like he's watching himself from outside his body—that his hand is still near Kihyun's face, fingers barely touching the edge of his ear.

Kihyun inhales.

It's a small sound. Reflexive.

"You smell nice," Kihyun says, and the words tumble out before he seems to realize he's said them. His eyes go wide, like he's surprised at himself.

Hyungwon blinks. His hand is still hovering near Kihyun's temple.

Something in his chest does a weird flip.

The corner of his mouth twitches—barely, just enough to count as a smile. It's soft. Unguarded. The kind of expression that doesn't show up on stream.

Kihyun stares at him, and his ears are turning red, but he's not looking away.

"That's…" Kihyun's voice catches. He swallows."That's sweet. You don't usually—" He gestures vaguely at Hyungwon's face. "—do that. The smiling thing."

Hyungwon's brain is offline. He's still looking at Kihyun. Kihyun is still looking at him.

Neither of them move.

The moment stretches—three seconds, five, too long—

ᯓ★

Across the room, one of the event mods notices the live camera feed.

It's still on them. Blurred, out of focus, but on them.

The audio is supposed to be muted.

It's not.

"Oh shit—SHIT—" The mod scrambles for the soundboard, kills the feed.

The camera lingers for three more seconds before switching back to the host desk where Hoseok is cheerfully talking about donation incentives.

ᯓ★

Hyungwon and Kihyun don't notice the camera. Don't notice anything except each other.

Kihyun is the first to break the moment, clearing his throat and stepping back, rubbing the back of his neck in what looks like embarrassment. "Uh. Thanks. For the—" He gestures vaguely at his hair.

Hyungwon nods. His hand drops back to his side. "Yeah."

"Cool. So. Yeah," Kihyun says, his usual confidence seeming to have deserted him.

"...Yeah," Hyungwon echoes, equally eloquent.

"I should—get back," Kihyun says, gesturing vaguely toward his setup.

"Right."

Neither of them move for another beat.

Then Kihyun laughs—short, a little breathless—and turns back toward his setup, walking away with his shoulders slightly hunched like he's trying to make himself smaller.

Hyungwon watches him go, unable to look away until Kihyun is back in his chair, picking up his headset.

His pulse is doing something stupid.

He grabs his water bottle with hands that are steadier than he feels. Sits back down at his own setup. Puts his headset on.

His chat is exploding, but he doesn't look at it yet.

On his second monitor, Twitter is already loading without him having opened it—someone must have tagged him.

A clip is going viral.

"hyungwon fixing kihyun's hair for 15 seconds straight (my roman empire)"

2 million views.

Hyungwon stares at the screen.

"...Oh."

Chapter Text

Hyungwon doesn't check Twitter.

Not immediately.

He finishes the charity stream—another two hours of gameplay, careful not to look at Kihyun's setup across the room, careful not to think about the way his own hand had moved without permission, careful not to wonder why his chest still feels weird.

When Hoseok finally calls it, announcing they've hit 150% of their donation goal, Hyungwon is one of the first to pack up. Shownu gives him a small nod as he passes—they've worked enough events together that Shownu knows when Hyungwon needs to escape.

Changkyun, however, has no such awareness.

"Hyung! That was fun, right?" The youngest bounds over with entirely too much energy for someone who's been streaming for four hours. "We should do this more often! Maybe a whole series? I could set up a Discord server—"

"Changkyun," Shownu's voice cuts in, calm but firm. "Let him breathe."

"Oh. Right." Changkyun deflates slightly but rallies quickly. "But seriously, text me later! I have ideas!"

Hyungwon mumbles something noncommittal and escapes before anyone else can trap him in conversation.

The subway ride home is forty minutes. He puts in his earbuds, pulls up a playlist, and stares out the window at the passing lights.

His phone buzzes.

And buzzes.

And buzzes.

He ignores it until he's back in his apartment, door locked, shoes kicked off by the entrance. Only then does he pull out his phone.

127 notifications.

Hyungwon stares at the number, his thumb hovering over the screen.

He averages maybe ten notifications after a stream. Twenty if he does something weird in-game.

His thumb hovers over the screen. Then he opens Twitter.

ᯓ★

The first thing he sees is a notification from Hoseok.

@shinwonho: today was amazing!!! thank you to everyone who donated and to my favorite streamers for joining 💕🐾 check out @sleepyprince @hamsterkii @imwhatiam @yeoku @HEONY1HUNNIT @shownu

450 replies. 12k likes.

The replies are full of people praising the event, posting their favorite moments, thanking the streamers.

That's... normal for Hoseok.

But then he scrolls down.

@kpopxgaming:hyungwon fixing kihyun's hair for 15 seconds straight (my roman empire)  

📎 clip attached  

2.3M views

Hyungwon's stomach drops.

He clicks the clip with a sense of dread settling in his chest.

ᯓ★

It starts mid-break. The camera is angled away from the main host desk—focused on the back of the room where the snack table is. The footage is slightly blurred, out of focus, like the camera operator forgot they were still rolling.

Kihyun stumbles backward, nearly colliding with Hyungwon. His hair falls into his face.

Hyungwon's hand reaches out.

The angle catches it perfectly—the way Hyungwon's fingers brush through Kihyun's bangs, slow and careful. The way Kihyun goes still, eyes wide, face tilted up.

The audio is muffled but clear enough.

Kihyun's voice, soft and surprised: "You smell nice."

Hyungwon watches himself smile. It's small, barely there, but it's soft. The kind of smile he didn't know his face could make.

Kihyun, his voice quieter, almost wondering: "That's sweet. You don't usually—do that. The smiling thing."

The camera lingers. Neither of them move. The moment stretches, intimate in a way that makes Hyungwon's skin feel too tight.

Then the audio cuts. The feed switches back to Hoseok at the host desk.

The clip ends.

Hyungwon stares at his phone, his reflection visible in the dark screen.

Plays it again.

2.3 million views.

ᯓ★

He scrolls.

@hanji: i need to lie down

@softmonbebe: THE WAY HYUNGWON SMILED??? HE SMILED???? FOR KIHYUN????

@kiisvocals: "you smell nice" KIHYUN WHAT HAPPENED TO SELF PRESERVATION

@sleepywon: i've watched this 50 times and i still can't believe this is real

@randomgamer: okay but the way they just... stood there. looking at each other. for WAY too long. hello???

@hyungwonfiles: BREAKING: local streamer discovers emotions, causes internet meltdown

@kpopxgaming: update: the clip is now at 2.5M views and climbing. hyungki nation we are THRIVING

Hyungwon keeps scrolling.

@shiptok: they're literally in love and don't even know it yet i'm SICK

@monstaverse: making a 3 hour video essay about this brb

@kihyunsgf: hyungwon really said "let me fix that for you" and expected us to be NORMAL about it???

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ⤷ @sleepdealer: [replying to @kihyunsgf] he doesn't even know he did anything we're in the trenches

@babychangkyun: wait i was at this event and i MISSED IT???? i was literally in the bathroom

@shownu_protection_squad: shownu in the replies to hoseok's tweet just said "good event" while 2 of his streamers are going viral for THAT. king of minding his business

Hyungwon locks his phone with more force than necessary.

Sets it face-down on his desk.

Stares at the ceiling.

"Oh no."

His phone buzzes again. He considers ignoring it, but it might be important.

It's the group chat. The one with all six of them that Hoseok created months ago and named "Charity Squad 💕."

Changkyun

HYUNG

HYUNG HYUNG HYUNG

DID YOU SEE

Minhyuk

of course he saw changkyun

everyone saw

THE WHOLE INTERNET SAW

Jooheon

im crying this is the funniest thing that's ever happened

kihyun's probably having a meltdown

Shownu

Leave them alone.

Changkyun

but hyung this is GOLD

i cant believe i missed it

i was getting snacks

SNACKS HYUNG

i missed ROMANCE for SNACKS

Hoseok

guys maybe we should give them some space

Minhyuk

you literally tagged them both in your tweet

Hoseok

....

that's different

Shownu

Everyone stop texting. They need time to process.

Changkyun

but—

Shownu

Changkyunnie.

Changkyun

fine

but im INVESTED now

hyung can i AT LEAST come over later

Shownu

You're already planning to.

Changkyun

...yeah

Hyungwon puts his phone on Do Not Disturb and buries his face in his hands.

ᯓ★

Kihyun's Side: The Realization

Kihyun doesn't check Twitter either.

Not right away.

He gets home, drops his bag by the door, and collapses face-first onto his couch. The stream was exhausting—four hours of forcing energy, of banter, of keeping up the hamsterkii persona.

And then there was... that.

The hair thing.

Kihyun groans into a pillow.

He'd said "you smell nice" like some kind of idiot. Out loud. To Hyungwon's face. And then Hyungwon had smiled—

Kihyun flips over, staring at the ceiling.

Okay. It was fine. It was a weird moment. Nobody saw it. The cameras were focused on the hosts, the mics were muted, it was fine.

His phone buzzes on the coffee table.

He ignores it.

It buzzes again.

And again.

Three messages from Jooheon light up his screen.

Jooheon (3 unread)

dude

DUDE

CHECK TWITTER

Kihyun frowns. He unlocks his phone with growing trepidation.

89 notifications.

He opens Twitter, his thumb moving almost against his will.

The first thing he sees is a trending tag.

#hyungki – 47.2k tweets

"What the—" Kihyun sits up so fast he nearly falls off the couch.

He clicks it with a sense of impending doom.

ᯓ★

#hyungki

The timeline is chaos.

@kiisvocals: we really went from "kihyun and hyungwon hate each other" to "hyungwon tucking kihyun's hair behind his ear while kihyun sniffs him" in ONE stream

@hyungwonfiles: HYUNGWON SMILED. THE MAN WHO DOES NOT SMILE. SMILED. AT KIHYUN.

@shippertrash: i'm gonna need them to get married actually

@hamsterprince: the way kihyun said "that's sweet" like he was SURPRISED hyungwon was being nice to him.... baby

@sleepdealer: hyungwon really looked at kihyun like he hung the moon and expected us not to start planning their wedding

Kihyun's face is burning.

He finds the clip. Watches it with his heart in his throat.

"Oh my god."

He watches it again.

He sees himself from the outside. The way his eyes went wide. The way he leaned into Hyungwon’s touch without meaning to. The way Hyungwon's fingers linger. The way Kihyun's voice goes soft—"you smell nice"—like he forgot how to be loud. The way they just... stand there, looking at each other, until the feed cuts.

2.6 million views.

Kihyun locks his phone.

Unlocks it.

Opens his DMs, where Jooheon has sent approximately fifteen messages.

Jooheon

so are you gonna talk about it or???

Kihyun types back with shaking fingers.

Kihyun

theres nothing to talk about

The response is immediate.

Jooheon

LMAO SURE

you told him he smells nice. on camera. and then stared at him like he was the sun.

Kihyun

i did NOT

Jooheon

2.6 million people would disagree

Kihyun closes the DMs before Jooheon can send more messages that he doesn't want to read.

His phone immediately buzzes with the group chat.

Charity Squad 💕

He watches the messages roll in—Changkyun's chaos, Minhyuk's teasing, Jooheon's laughter. And then Shownu's calm intervention.

Shownu

Leave them alone.

Shownu

Everyone stop texting. They need time to process.

Kihyun feels a rush of gratitude for Shownu, even though he knows it won't last. Changkyun is already protesting.

He types quickly.

Kihyun

thank you shownu hyung

Shownu

You're welcome. Call me if you need to talk.

Changkyun

KIHYUNIE HYUNG

YOU'RE ALIVE

Kihyun

barely

Minhyuk

so are you gonna address it on stream or

Kihyun

absolutely not

Jooheon

coward

Kihyun

yes. fully. i am a coward.

Hoseok

for what its worth i think it was really sweet

Kihyun

im turning my phone off

Changkyun

WAIT

are you and hyungwon hyung gonna collab more???

because the engagement was INSANE

like genuinely this is good for both your channels

Kihyun stares at that message.

He hadn't thought about it that way.

Shownu

Changkyun has a point. The numbers were very good.

Minhyuk

shownu hyung being practical about the romance. love that for you

Shownu

I'm being practical about their careers.

Jooheon

but also the romance right

Shownu

…

Also the romance.

Changkyun

KNEW IT

Kihyun closes the group chat, but his mind is racing.

The engagement was insane.

And maybe... maybe that wasn't a bad thing.

He opens Twitter again, unable to help himself.

Scrolls through the tag. It's everywhere—memes, edits, screenshots, theories.

@sleepywon: do you think they know yet

@kpopxgaming: [poll] will hyungki address The Clip on stream?*  

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⤷ Yes, and it'll be awkward: 34%

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ⤷‎ No, they'll pretend it didn't happen: 52%

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⤷ They'll double down and kill us all: 14%

@hanji: i made a 30-second loop of hyungwon smiling and i've been staring at it for 20 minutes send help

Kihyun's thumb hovers over the search bar.

He types: sleepyprince

Hyungwon's Twitter loads. His last tweet is from three days ago—a screenshot of a game with the caption "gg."

No mention of the clip.

Kihyun doesn't know if that makes it better or worse.

ᯓ★

By Sunday morning, the edits are everywhere.

Someone makes a soft, aesthetic video—clips of Hyungwon and Kihyun from past streams, slowed down, set to some indie song about longing. Every look, every accidental moment of coordination in-game, every time their usernames appear in the same match.

3.1 million views.

Another person makes a crack edit—Kihyun dying repeatedly in-game, Hyungwon saving him every time, the Titanic theme playing over it.

1.8 million views.

A thread goes viral analyzing their "dynamic."

@monstaverse: okay so let's talk about hyungki: a thread

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎1) they've been in matchmaking together for MONTHS and 

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎kihyun used to trash talk him

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎2) hyungwon muted him. TWICE.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎3) but during the charity stream hyungwon said "i need you" 

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎and kihyun IMMEDIATELY listened

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎4) and THEN the hair moment happened

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎5) conclusion: enemies to lovers 150k slow burn mutual pining

12k retweets. 45k likes.

Kihyun reads the whole thread while eating breakfast that he can barely taste.

Twice.

He doesn't retweet it.

But he doesn't not save it to his bookmarks either.

ᯓ★

Hyungwon wakes up to an email that makes his stomach drop.

From: [email protected]

Subject: Collaboration Opportunity

Hi Hyungwon,

We've been following your content and noticed the incredible engagement from this weekend's charity stream. The chemistry between you and hamsterkii (Yoo Kihyun) has really resonated with audiences.

We'd love to discuss a potential sponsorship deal—specifically, joint content featuring both of you. We think there's a lot of potential here and would offer double your standard rate for collaborative streams.

Let us know your thoughts!

Hyungwon stares at the email, his coffee growing cold in his hand.

He deletes it.

ᯓ★

Kihyun gets a DM on Instagram.

@streamsponcon: Hey! We rep several brands interested in sponsoring gaming content. Saw your clip with sleepyprince—brands are VERY interested in couple content right now. Would you be open to discussing rates?

Kihyun doesn't respond. Just stares at the message, his breakfast sitting heavy in his stomach.

ᯓ★

By Monday afternoon, the group chat explodes again.

Charity Squad 💕

Changkyun

okay so  

i got approached by a sponsor

they want to know if hyungwon hyung and kihyun hyung would be interested in couple content

Jooheon

WHAT

Minhyuk

changkyun you didnt

Changkyun

I DIDNT SAY YES

i said id ask

the money was REALLY good though

Shownu

Changkyun, that's not appropriate.

Changkyun

i know i know

but like

hypothetically

if they WERE dating

this would be great for them

Hoseok 

theyre not dating changkyun

Changkyun

YET

Minhyuk

hes not wrong

that clip was basically a kdrama scene

Jooheon

in HD

Shownu

Everyone stop

There's a pause in the messages. Then:

Hoseok 

okay but seriously

a few people reached out to me too

asking if they'd be interested in doing more collabs

no pressure obv

but the engagement was really good

could be good for both their channels

Shownu

Hoseok is right. From a business perspective, a collaboration would benefit both of them.

Minhyuk

shownu hyung is in his manager era

Shownu

I'm always in my manager era.

Changkyun

okay but are we gonna ASK them

or just talk about them like theyre not in this chat

Jooheon

theyre definitely reading this

theyre just not responding

i can FEEL hyungwon hyung's anxiety from here

He's right. Both Hyungwon and Kihyun are reading every message, phones in hand, not knowing what to say.

Kihyun looks at the clip count on his second monitor: 4.1 million views.

Looks at his follower count: up 15k since Saturday.

He types carefully.

Kihyun

yeah im down

There's a long pause. Everyone is clearly waiting for Hyungwon's response.

On the other side of the city, Hyungwon stares at his phone.

His subscriber count is up 12k. His last three streams have doubled in viewers—people waiting to see if he'll mention it.

He thinks about the email. The DMs. The attention.

Hyungwon

ok

Changkyun

OK?????

THATS IT????

JUST OK?????

Shownu

Changkyunnie.

Changkyun

sorry

im just excited

this is like watching a romance in real time

Minhyuk

can i be in charge of the wedding

Kihyun

there is no wedding

Kihyun

im leaving this group chat

Hoseok

WAIT

Before you go

Im setting up the collab for wednesday

7pm

Both of you be there

Hyungwon

ok

Kihyun

fine

Changkyun

I CALL DIBS ON WATCHING

Shownu

No

Changkyun

but hyuuuuuuuuuuuuung

Shownu

No. Give them privacy.

Changkyun

youre no fuuuuuuuuuuuun

Shownu

Changkyunnie.

Changkyun

fiiiiineeee

Kihyun locks his phone and sets it face-down on his desk, his heart racing.

Wednesday. He has until Wednesday to figure out what he's doing.

Across the city, Hyungwon does the same.

Neither of them knows this is the beginning of the end.

Or the beginning of something else entirely.

Chapter Text

The collab happens on a Wednesday.

Hoseok sets it up—sends them a Discord server, a time slot, a game suggestion (co-op horror, easy content, good for banter). He adds a little heart emoji to the message like that'll make it less weird.

Hoseok

you two will be great! just have fun with it 😊

Kihyun stares at the message on his phone, lying in bed at 11 PM the night before.

Kihyun

yeah for sure

Hyungwon replies three hours later, because of course he does.

Hyungwon

ok

The group chat, naturally, has opinions.

Changkyun

hyung you cant just say ok

show some ENTHUSIASM

Hyungwon

no

Minhyuk

what game are you playing???

Hoseok

co-op horror

Jooheon

OHHH thats perfect

nothing says romance like screaming together

Kihyun

its not a date

Changkyun

it IS a date

a work date

but still a date

Shownu

It's a professional collaboration. Stop making it weird.

Changkyun

THEYRE MAKING IT WEIRD

WE'RE JUST OBSERVING

Shownu

You're being nosy.

Changkyun

youre being no fun

as usual

Shownu

I know

Changkyun

…

Wait that was sass

Did shownu hyung just sass me

Shownu

Go to bed, Changkyun.

Changkyun

YOURE NOT MY DAD

Shownu

I'm your hyung. Close enough.

Minhyuk

this is domestic

Jooheon

which pair are we shipping again

Hoseok

BOTH OF YOU STOP

shownu is just being responsible

and changkyun needs sleep

Changkyun

i dont need sleep i need ANSWERS

Shownu

Goodnight, Changkyun.

There's a pause. Then:

Changkyun

fine

goodnight hyung

😤

Kihyun watches the exchange with a small smile before locking his phone. At least he's not the only one being teased.

ᯓ★

7:58 PM. Two minutes before the stream.

Kihyun is at his desk, mic tested, camera angled, lights adjusted. His chat is already gathering—faster than usual. He watches the viewer count climb before he's even gone live.

450 waiting.

He never gets 450 during a stream, let alone before it starts.

He takes a breath, centers himself the way his vocal coach taught him, and clicks "Go Live."

hamsterkii is live: CO-OP HORROR W/ A FRIEND

The chat explodes the second his face appears.

evrydaywithyoo: FRIEND??? LMAOOO

chaerrific: we know who it is

yookiki: HYUNGWON???

chae27909544: IS IT SLEEPYPRINCE PLS SAY YES

kikimii: MOM AND DAD ARE STREAMING TOGETHER

Kihyun forces a grin, leaning back in his chair with more confidence than he feels. "What's up, everyone! Yeah, yeah, I'm doing a collab tonight, chill." He crosses his arms, trying for casual. "It's just a game. Don't be weird about it."

The chat gets weirder about it.

shadowcreature: "don't be weird" challenge: impossible

kiuwu: KIHYUN BLUSHING ALREADY???  

chaessi_ramyeon: he said friend not hyungwon 👀

Kihyun ignores them, his practiced smile still in place as he checks Discord on his second monitor.

Hyungwon is online.

sleepyprince is live: horror game

Kihyun clicks over to Hyungwon's stream, telling himself it's just to check audio levels.

Hyungwon's camera is on. He's wearing a black hoodie, hood up, face half-hidden in shadow. His setup is clean—dark wood desk, low warm lighting, plants in the background. Aesthetic as hell.

His chat is calmer than Kihyun's. But still.

sleepdealer: oh we're doing this 

coffeecat: deep breaths everyone

jintonic: hyungwon if you're being held hostage blink twice

Hyungwon's face doesn't move. He's reading the chat silently, expression unreadable.

Then his eyes flick to the side—toward his second monitor. Where Kihyun's stream is probably open.

Kihyun's stomach does something weird.

He opens Discord voice chat, his finger hovering over the button before he clicks.

“Hey,” Kihyun says, and immediately wants to cringe at how uncertain he sounds.

Hyungwon's mic clicks on. “Hey.” His voice is deeper than Kihyun expected, with a slight rasp that probably comes from too much coffee and not enough sleep. 

“Ready?” Kihyun asks, finding his footing again. 

“Yeah”

Kihyun loads the game, and the familiar interface helps settle his nerves.

ᯓ★

20 minutes in of trying too hard.

The game is fine. Standard co-op horror—dark hallways, limited resources, jump scares every ten minutes.

But the vibe is off.

Kihyun is talking too much.

"Okay, okay, I'll check the left room—oh shit, oh SHIT—" He's louder than usual, filling the silence, doing bits that feel just slightly forced. His hands are tense on his controller. "Hyungwon, where are you? Are you just gonna let me die? Wow. Rude."

"I'm getting supplies," Hyungwon replies, his voice calm and even.

"You're looting while I'm being attacked—"

"You're fine."

"I'm at half health!"

"That's fine."

The chat on both sides eats it up.

kkung: THE BANTER OMG

commafter: hyungwon is so done with him lmaooo

sleepdealer: married behavior

But something about it feels... performative. Kihyun knows his audience. He's good at this—playing up the chaos, the loudness, the reactions. But usually it's natural. Tonight it feels like he's trying.

And Hyungwon—

Hyungwon is barely talking.

He's playing the game competently, hitting objectives, staying alive. But his commentary is almost nonexistent. Just short responses to Kihyun's questions, his voice carefully neutral.

"Should we go through the basement or the attic?" Kihyun asks, trying to draw him out.

"Basement."

"You sure? The attic might have better loot—"

"Basement's faster."

"Okay, bossy," Kihyun says, aiming for playful but landing somewhere closer to nervous.

Hyungwon doesn't respond, just continues down the stairs in-game.

Kihyun glances at his second monitor. Hyungwon's face on camera is unreadable. Focused on the game. Not smiling.

Kihyun's chest tightens.

In the group chat that he definitely shouldn’t be checking mid-stream, messages are rolling in. 

Changkyun

theyre so AWKWARD

why are they so AWKWARSD

Minhyuk

because 4 million people watched hyungwon touch kihyun's face

Jooheon

and now theyre being WATCHED

Shownu

Stop watching their streams and let them work.

Changkyun

i cant NOT watch

its like a car crash

a very cute car crash

Shownu

Changkyunnie.

Changkyun

hyung youre watching too

i can see youre online

There’s a pause. 

Shownu

I'm monitoring the situation.

Changkyun

SURE

youre MONITORING

not watching with popcorn like the rest of us

Shownu

...I don't have popcorn.

Minhyuk

LMAO HE DIDNT DENY WATCHING

Changkyun

HYUNG

YOU HYPOCRITE

I LOVE IT

Shownu

This conversation is over.

Changkyun

no its not

what are you drinking

are you in your good chair

are you COMFY

Shownu

Goodnight, Changkyun.

Changkyun

ITS 8PM

Kihyun quickly exits the group chat before he gets too distracted.

ᯓ★

45 minutes in. 

They're in a safe room. The game gives them a two-minute breather to heal and reload.

Kihyun is sorting through his inventory, keeping up the commentary for his stream. "Okay, so I've got two med kits, a flashlight, and—Hyungwon, do you need ammo?"

"I'm good,” Hyungwon replies shortly. 

"You sure? Because last time you said you were good, you ran out in the middle of a fight and I had to—"

"I'm good."

There's an edge to his voice. Just barely.

Kihyun stops, his hands pausing on his controller. 

Hyungwon's jaw is tight.

“...You okay?"

"Yeah."

He doesn't sound okay.

Kihyun hesitates. The chat on both sides is picking up the tension.

honeybee: oh somethings wrong

jokernim: hyungwon sounds annoyed

kkung: please dont fight please dont fight

The game auto-saves. The safe room timer runs out.

They keep playing, but the atmosphere has shifted. Heavier.

ᯓ★

One hour in.

There's a jump scare. A monster bursts through a door. Kihyun screams—genuine, loud, the kind of reaction his chat loves.

His character gets grabbed. Health drops to critical.

"HYUNGWON—HELP—" Kihyun’s voice is high and panicked.

Hyungwon's character turns the corner, shoots the monster, saves him with perfect timing.

Kihyun takes a breath, his heart still racing. "Oh my god. Okay. Okay, you saved me. My knight in shining armor. My hero. My—" He's joking. Playing it up for chat. “—my Prince Charming."

The chat explodes.

kkung: HELLO?????

halfbaked: KIHYUN WHAT

chaessi_ramyeon: PRINCE CHARMING IM GONNA THROW UP

sleepdealer: oh he's BOLD today

Kihyun realizes what he said a second too late.

His face goes hot. "I mean—because of the username, you know, sleepyprince, it's not—"

"I know," Hyungwon cuts him off, his voice flat and cold.

His voice is flat.

Kihyun’s stomach drops. "Right. Yeah. Obviously."

Silence stretches between them, thick and uncomfortable..

They keep playing, but Kihyun doesn't make another joke for the next ten minutes. His commentary becomes mechanical, forced. 

ᯓ★

1 hour and 30 minutes. 

They're near the end of the game. One more boss fight.

Kihyun is still talking, but it's exhausting now. He's running out of things to say. The energy is gone, replaced by something

"Okay, so the strategy is—Hyungwon, you take the left, I'll take the right, and we'll—"

"We should split up,” Hyungwon interrupts. 

Kihyun blinks. "...What?"

“It's faster if we split up. You take the boss, I'll handle the adds."

“That's not—dude, that's a terrible strategy, we'll get picked off—"

"I can handle it."

"That's not the point—"

"Then what is the point?" His voice is sharper now, and edge of frustration cutting through his usual monotone. Cold.

Kihyun stops, his hands frozen on his controller. "...Never mind. Yeah. Let's split up."

They split up.

Kihyun dies in thirty seconds.

"WHAT—how did—" He stares at his screen, his character’s death animation playing. "Hyungwon, where were you?!"

“Handling the adds,” Hyungwon said flatly.

"I needed help!"

"You said you'd take the boss."

"I—" Kihyun cuts himself off, his jaw clenching. He takes a breath, forces his voice to stay level. "Yeah. My bad."

They restart the fight.

This time they win, but it feels hollow.

The ending cutscene plays, dramatic music swelling as the credits start to roll. 

Kihyun forces a laugh, trying to salvage the stream. "Okay! We beat it! That was—yeah, that was fun. Good game, Hyungwon."

"Yeah."

"So, uh, thanks for joining me, everyone. And thanks to Hyungwon for the collab. Maybe we'll do it again sometime."

"Maybe," Hyungwon says, and the word sounds like a door closing. 

"Cool. Alright. I'm gonna end here. See you guys next stream!" Kihyun waves at his camera, his smile straining at the edges.

He ends the stream.

Sits in the silence.

His chat is gone. The game is closed. Discord is still open—Hyungwon's icon is still green.

Kihyun stares at it, his hands trembling slightly.

Then Hyungwon leaves the voice channel.

Goes offline.

Kihyun closes Discord, the click of his mouse too loud in the quiet room.

He leans back in his chair and stares at the ceiling.

"...Fuck."

ᯓ★

He opens Twitter twenty minutes later, the damage is done.

@kpopxgaming: okay so that hyungki collab was... tense

@hamsterprince: did they seem off to anyone else or am i reading into it

@sleepywon: hyungwon barely talked and kihyun was trying SO hard im sad

@chaessi_ramyeon: the "prince charming" joke flopped so bad i wanted to die

@monstaverse: idk if this is mutual pining or mutual discomfort and i hate it

Kihyun locks his phone.

Doesn't open it again for the rest of the night.

ᯓ★

Across the city, Hyungwon is lying in bed, staring at the ceiling.

His phone is face-down on the nightstand.

He doesn't need to check it to know what people are saying.

He felt it the entire stream—the weight of performance. The expectation. The watching.

And Kihyun's joke.

"My Prince Charming."

It was just a joke.

Obviously.

Hyungwon closes his eyes.

His chest still feels tight.

Chapter Text

Kihyun is scrolling back to the tweets from the night’s fiasco, still the same hollow feeling in his chest. He sighs, locks his phone, but not before seeing one more tweet that makes his chest ache.

@sleepdealer: i think the pressure got to them. they were fine at the charity stream when it was natural. this felt forced.

He sets his phone face-down on his desk and presses the heels of his hands against his eyes.

His phone buzzes.

Jooheon

hey

you okay?

Kihyun stares at the message for a long moment.

Kihyun

not really

Jooheon

wanna talk about it?

Kihyun

not yet

but thanks

Jooheon

okay

im here when youre ready

for what its worth i think you did fine

it was just awkward timing

Kihyun

it was a disaster

Jooheon

it was ONE stream

youll get another chance

Kihyun doesn't respond. He's not sure he wants another chance. Not if it's going to feel like that again.

His phone buzzes with another message. This time it's Minhyuk in a separate DM.

Minhyuk

so

that was something

Kihyun

please dont

Minhyuk

im not teasing

im checking in

you seemed stressed

Kihyun

i was stressed

everyone was WATCHING

waiting for us to be cute or whatever

and we just... werent

Minhyuk

maybe thats the problem

you were trying to perform instead of just gaming together

Kihyun

how do i just game when 5000 people are watching and waiting for me to mess up

Minhyuk

...thats a you problem babe

not a them problem

Kihyun

i know

Minhyuk

want me to come over?

Kihyun

no

just want to sleep

Minhyuk

okay

text me tomorrow

i love you

Kihyun

love you too

Kihyun sets his phone on his nightstand and stares at his ceiling. His apartment is too quiet. Too empty.

He thinks about the charity stream. About how easy it had felt when it was just a moment. Just Hyungwon's hand in his hair, just a smile, just something organic and unplanned.

And then tonight—forced, performative, wrong.

He falls asleep still dressed, exhaustion finally dragging him under.

ᯓ★

Hyungwon's Apartment – 8:45 PM

Across the city, Hyungwon is lying on his couch, staring at his laptop screen.

The stream analytics are good. Really good, actually. Peak viewership was triple his usual numbers. Engagement was high. From a pure metrics standpoint, it was a success.

But it felt awful.

Piano jumps onto his chest, settling with all his weight directly on Hyungwon's diaphragm.

"You're heavy," Hyungwon tells the cat, making no effort to move him.

Piano purrs, kneading his claws into Hyungwon's shirt.

His phone buzzes on the coffee table. He considers ignoring it, but it might be important.

It's Shownu.

Shownu

You okay?

Hyungwon stares at the message. Of course Shownu noticed. Shownu always notices.

Hyungwon

i dont know

Shownu

Want to talk about it?

Hyungwon

maybe tomorrow

Shownu

Okay. I'm here when you're ready.

There's a pause, then another message.

Shownu

For what it's worth, I think you were protecting yourself.

Hyungwon

from what

Shownu

From caring too much too fast.

Hyungwon locks his phone without responding because Shownu is right and he doesn't want to admit it.

His phone buzzes again. This time it's Mingyu.

Mingyu

dude

DUDE

i just watched your stream

what HAPPENED

Hyungwon

nothing happened

Mingyu

you were SO COLD

like ice

that poor guy was trying so hard

Hyungwon

he was trying too hard

it felt fake

Mingyu

babe

it felt fake because you BOTH were performing

he was nervous

you were defensive

it was a mess

Hyungwon

i know

Mingyu

so what are you gonna do about it

Hyungwon

nothing

its probably better this way

Mingyu

BETTER???

hyungwon

i saw the clip from the charity stream

you SMILED at him

you never smile

Hyungwon

it was just a moment

Mingyu

it was a NICE moment

dont ruin it because youre scared

Hyungwon

im not scared

Mingyu

youre TERRIFIED

i can tell

you like him and it scares you

Hyungwon locks his phone again, but Mingyu’s words stay with him.

He does like Kihyun. That's the problem.

He liked the way Kihyun's ears went red when Hyungwon touched his hair. Liked the sound of his voice when it went soft instead of loud. Liked the way he looked at Hyungwon like he was seeing something that surprised him.

And tonight, Hyungwon had been so busy trying to protect himself from that feeling that he'd hurt Kihyun instead.

Piano meows, demanding attention.

"I'm an idiot," Hyungwon tells the cat.

Piano seems to agree.

ᯓ★

At 11:47 PM, the secret chat lights up.

definitely not spying 👀

It was created by Changkyun, members: Changkyun, Shownu, Jooheon, Minhyuk, Hoseok - notably NOT including Hyungwon or Kihyun

Changkyun

that was PAINFUL

Minhyuk

i aged 10 years watching that

Jooheon

what HAPPENED

they were fine at the charity stream

Hoseok

pressure got to them

everyone was watching

waiting for something

Minhyuk

and nothing happened

except pain

Changkyun

do we intervene

Shownu

No.

Changkyun

but theyre SUFFERING

Shownu

They need to figure this out themselves.

Changkyun

thats so BORING though

Shownu

It's respectful.

Changkyun

fine

but if theyre still miserable in a week can we THEN intervene

Shownu

We'll see.

Changkyun

ill take that as a yes

Shownu

That's not what I said.

Changkyun

but its what you MEANT

Shownu

...

Jooheon

are they doing the thing again

Minhyuk

what thing

Jooheon

the thing where they have their own conversation in the group chat

Hoseok

oh yeah theyre definitely doing the thing

Changkyun

were NOT doing a thing

Shownu

We're discussing Hyungwon and Kihyun.

Changkyun

exactly

wait

that sounded defensive

Shownu

It was just a statement.

Changkyun

okay

cool

yeah

Minhyuk

anyway

back to the ACTUAL problem

what do we do about hyungki

Hoseok

we give them space

Jooheon

and if they dont reach out to each other?

Shownu

Then we give them more space.

Changkyun

youre very zen about this

Shownu

One of us has to be.

Changkyun

...was that a joke

Shownu

Maybe.

Changkyun

i cant tell if youre being serious or not

its very confusing

Shownu

Good.

Jooheon

okay im leaving before this gets weirder

Minhyuk

same

Hoseok

goodnight everyone

They all log off, leaving just Changkyun and Shownu in the chat.

Changkyun

...theyre gone

Shownu

I noticed.

Changkyun

do you think theyll be okay

hyungwon hyung and kihyun hyung

Shownu

I don't know. I hope so.

Changkyun

me too

they seemed really good together at the charity stream

Shownu

They did.

Changkyun

...

goodnight hyung

Shownu

Goodnight, Changkyun.

Changkyun locks his phone and stares at his ceiling, wondering why his chest feels tight.

ᯓ★

Thursday morning, Kihyun wakes up to 47 notifications.

He ignores all of them except one text from Minhyuk.

Minhyuk

Coffee at 10?

Kihyun

yeah

They meet at their usual café—a quiet place near Kihyun's apartment that serves overpriced americanos and has good wifi.

Minhyuk is already there when Kihyun arrives, two coffees on the table.

"You look terrible," Minhyuk observes cheerfully as Kihyun sits down.

"Thanks," Kihyun says dryly, taking his coffee. "That's exactly what I needed to hear."

"I'm observant." Minhyuk leans forward, his expression softening. "So. Want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Going to talk about it anyway?"

Kihyun takes a long sip of coffee. "It was bad."

"It wasn't THAT bad—"

"Min. It was bad." Kihyun sets his cup down with more force than necessary. "We had no chemistry. I was trying too hard. He was barely trying at all. And everyone could tell."

"Okay, yes, it was awkward," Minhyuk concedes. "But I don't think it was as catastrophic as you're making it out to be."

"Did you read the comments?"

"I read SOME of the comments. And yes, people noticed it was tense. But Ki—" Minhyuk reaches across the table, his expression serious. "—people also noticed that you clearly CARE. That you were trying. That's not nothing."

"It felt like nothing."

"Because you're comparing it to the charity stream. When it was spontaneous and natural." Minhyuk sits back. "You can't recreate a moment like that on command."

Kihyun traces the rim of his coffee cup. "What if he doesn't want to try again?"

"Did he say that?"

"He didn't have to. You should have heard how cold he was."

"Maybe he was nervous too. Maybe he deals with nerves differently than you do."

"By shutting down completely?"

"Some people do that, yes."

Kihyun knows Minhyuk is right. He KNOWS. But it doesn't make the sting any less.

"I don't think I can do another collab," Kihyun admits quietly. "Not like that. Not with everyone watching and expecting something."

"Then don't," Minhyuk says simply. "Tell Hoseok you need a break. Take the pressure off."

"And if nothing happens?"

"Then nothing happens. And that's okay too."

But it doesn't feel okay. It feels like something ending before it really began.

ᯓ★

Hyungwon meets Shownu for lunch at a small restaurant near the studio. 

"So," Shownu says after they've ordered. "Last night."

"Do we have to talk about it?" Hyungwon asks, already knowing the answer.

"Yes."

Hyungwon sighs, slumping in his chair. "It was a disaster."

"It was awkward," Shownu corrects. "There's a difference."

"Not to me."

Shownu studies him for a long moment. "What happened?"

"I don't know. I just—" Hyungwon struggles to find words. "Everyone was watching. Waiting for us to be... something. And I froze. I couldn't be natural because nothing about it felt natural."

"Because you were performing."

"We were BOTH performing."

"Yes," Shownu agrees. "But you were performing distance. He was performing interest. Neither of you was being real."

Hyungwon picks at his napkin. "I hurt him."

"Probably."

"That's not comforting."

"It's not meant to be. It's meant to be honest." Shownu leans forward slightly. "Hyungwon, do you like him?"

"I don't know him well enough to like him."

"That's not what I asked."

Hyungwon is quiet for a long moment. Then, quietly: "I liked the moment. At the charity stream. I liked the way it felt."

"And last night?"

"Last night I was so busy trying not to feel anything that I ruined any chance of feeling something good."

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing. It's probably better this way."

Shownu gives him a look—the same look he's given Hyungwon countless times before, patient but disappointed.

"What?" Hyungwon asks defensively.

"You're going to give up without even trying."

"I'm being realistic."

"You're being scared."

"Same thing."

"It's not." Shownu sits back as their food arrives. "But I can't force you to take a risk you're not ready for."

They eat in silence for a while. Then Shownu says, casually, "Changkyun was worried about you last night."

"Was he?"

"Sent several messages in the group chat. Very concerned."

"He's always concerned about something."

"True." There's a pause. "He's very... expressive."

"That's one word for it."

"It's not a bad thing."

Hyungwon glances at Shownu, noticing something in his expression. "You text him a lot."

"He texts me a lot. I respond."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know what you meant."

"And?"

"And nothing." Shownu's voice is carefully neutral. "We're friends."

"Uh-huh."

"Don't."

"I didn't say anything."

"You're thinking very loudly."

Hyungwon almost smiles despite everything. "Takes one to know one."

Shownu doesn't respond, just continues eating, but Hyungwon notices he checks his phone when it buzzes, and his expression softens slightly when he reads whatever message came through.

Interesting.

ᯓ★

They don't stream together again.

They don't text.

They exist in separate spaces, connected only by mutual friends and the lingering memory of a moment that feels further away with each passing day.

Kihyun throws himself into solo content. His streams are good—chaotic, engaging, entertaining by every metric.

But they feel hollow.

Hyungwon does the same. Games through his backlog, does a few variety streams, fills his schedule until there's no time to think about bright smiles and blonde hair and the feeling of someone else's presence that he definitely didn't imagine.

The secret group chat continues. Changkyun continues to worry. Shownu continues to be calm and measured about it, though he checks both their streams more than he'd admit.

And somewhere in the space between what happened and what could have been, two people who might have been something decide that maybe some moments are meant to stay moments.

Even if it hurts.

Chapter Text

Three weeks after the disastrous collab, Kihyun is halfway through a solo stream when his doorbell rings.

He's in the middle of a boss fight, fingers tense on his controller. "Hold on, chat, someone's at my door—" He pauses the game, pulling off his headset. "This better be important."

kiuwu: plot twist its hyungwon

evrydaywithyoo: LMAO imagine

yookiki: with flowers

Kihyun ignores the chaos in his chat and goes to check the door.

It's Jooheon, holding takeout bags and wearing a determined expression.

"I'm intervening," Jooheon announces, pushing past Kihyun into the apartment.

"I'm literally streaming—"

"I know. Tell them you're taking a break." Jooheon sets the bags on the kitchen counter with the confidence of someone who's been here a thousand times. "This is more important."

Kihyun sighs but goes back to his setup. "Okay, chat, taking a fifteen-minute break. My friend is being dramatic. I'll be back."

He mutes his mic and turns to Jooheon. "What's so urgent?"

"You've been miserable for three weeks."

"I'm not miserable."

"You're doing that thing where you smile but your eyes are dead."

"That's just my face."

"It's not." Jooheon starts unpacking the food—Chinese takeout, Kihyun's favorite. "And I know it's about the Hyungwon thing."

Kihyun's stomach clenches at the name. "There is no Hyungwon thing."

"Exactly. And that's the problem." Jooheon pulls out containers, the smell of fried rice filling the apartment. "You had a moment. A really nice moment. And then you had one bad collab and gave up."

"We didn't give up. We just... moved on."

"To being miserable separately instead of potentially happy together?"

"Jooheon—"

"No, listen." Jooheon's expression is serious now, none of his usual playfulness. "I've known you for five years. I've seen you stressed, anxious, perfectionist—all of it. But I've never seen you smile the way you did in that charity stream clip."

Kihyun looks away. "It was just a moment."

"So make another one." Jooheon opens a container, pushing it toward Kihyun. "But this time, do it without the pressure. Without the cameras. Without everyone watching."

"How?"

"Text him. Ask him to get coffee. As people, not streamers."

"He hasn't texted me in three weeks."

"Have you texted him?"

Kihyun is quiet.

"Exactly." Jooheon picks up chopsticks, pointing them at Kihyun like a weapon. "You're both sitting in your respective corners waiting for the other person to make a move. It's ridiculous."

"What if he doesn't want to see me?"

"Then he'll say no. But at least you'll know." Jooheon softens. "Ki, you regret the collab because it went badly. But you'll regret not trying again even more."

Kihyun picks at the fried rice, his appetite non-existent despite the smell. "I don't even know what I'd say."

"Start with 'hey.'"

"That's your advice? Hey?"

"It's a classic opener." Jooheon grins. "And then follow it up with 'want to get coffee?' See? Easy."

"Nothing about this is easy."

"The best things never are."

They eat in silence for a few minutes. Then Kihyun says, quietly, "What if I try and it's just as awkward as the stream?"

"Then at least you'll know you tried. And maybe—" Jooheon meets his eyes. "—maybe it won't be. Maybe without the cameras and the chat and the pressure, you'll find that moment again."

Kihyun doesn't respond, but something in his chest loosens slightly.

After Jooheon leaves, Kihyun finishes his stream on autopilot. His chat asks if he's okay. He says yes. They don't believe him.

At 11:47 PM, alone in his apartment, Kihyun opens his phone.

Scrolls to Hyungwon's contact—just his username, sleepyprince, because they've never actually exchanged real names in DMs.

He types: hey

Deletes it.

Types: want to get coffee?

Deletes it.

Types: i know the collab was weird but

Deletes it.

Closes the app.

Opens it again.

This is ridiculous, he thinks.

But then he remembers Hyungwon's smile. The way his fingers felt gentle in Kihyun's hair. The way something had shifted in his chest when their eyes met.

He types quickly before he can overthink it.

Kihyun

hey

i know we havent talked in a while

but i was wondering if you wanted to get coffee sometime

no cameras

no pressure

just us

He sends it before he can delete it again.

Locks his phone.

Sets it face-down on his nightstand.

Stares at his ceiling.

His phone buzzes.

He doesn't check it. Can't check it. If it's a rejection, he doesn't want to know right now.

It buzzes again.

He closes his eyes.

Buzzes a third time.

"Oh my god," Kihyun mutters, grabbing his phone.

Hyungwon

yeah

id like that

when?

Kihyun's heart does something complicated.

Kihyun

tomorrow?

if youre free

Hyungwon

im free

2pm?

theres a cafe near the convention center

quiet

Kihyun

perfect

see you the

Hyungwon

see you then

Kihyun locks his phone and lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Across the city, Hyungwon is doing the same.

ᯓ★

Hyungwon had been lying on his couch, Piano on his chest, when his phone buzzed.

He'd almost ignored it. Almost.

But something made him check.

And there was Kihyun's message.

His first instinct had been to say no. To protect himself from another awkward encounter, another failure.

But then he remembered what Shownu had said at lunch last week: You're going to give up without even trying.

And what Mingyu had texted him yesterday: youre allowed to want things you know

So he'd said yes.

And now he's lying on his couch, phone in hand, trying to figure out what he just agreed to.

ᯓ★

A group chat somewhere changes its name to Operation Hyungki.

At 11:52 PM, Changkyun's phone explodes with notifications.

Jooheon

I DID IT

I MADE KIHYUN TEXT HYUNGWON

Changkyun

WHAT

WHEN

HOW

Jooheon

showed up at his place

brought food

gave him a pep talk

im basically a relationship counselor now

Minhyuk

did he actually text him though

Jooheon

i assume so

i told him to

Changkyun

ASSUMPTION ISNT CONFIRMATION

WE NEED INTEL

Shownu

Stop spying on them.

Changkyun

WE'RE NOT SPYING

WE'RE BEING SUPPORTIVE FROM A DISTANCE

Shownu

That's literally spying.

Changkyun

SEMANTICS

Hoseok

guys maybe we should just let them figure it out

Changkyun

ABSOLUTELY NOT

WE GOT THEM INTO THIS

WE HAVE TO SEE IT THROUGH

Shownu

We didn't get them into anything.

Changkyun

THE CHARITY STREAM WAS YOUR IDEA

Shownu

That was for charity.

Changkyun

AND ROMANCE

DONT PRETEND YOU DIDNT NOTICE THE CHEMISTRY

Shownu

…

Changkyun

SEE

YOU NOTICED

YOU CARE

YOU’RE INVESTED

Shownu

I care about them being happy.

Changkyun

TOGETHER

YOU CARE ABOUT THEM BEING HAPPY TOGETHER

Shownu

...Yes.

Changkyun

VICTORY

Minhyuk

changkyun is really good at getting people to admit things

Jooheon

its a talent

At 12:03 AM, Shownu's phone buzzes with a separate DM.

Hyungwon

kihyun just texted me

Shownu

And?

Hyungwon

he asked me to get coffee

Shownu

What did you say?

Hyungwon

i said yes

Shownu

Good.

Hyungwon

im terrified

Shownu

That's normal.

Hyungwon

what if its awkward again

Shownu

Then it's awkward. But at least you'll know you tried.

Hyungwon

youre annoyingly wise

Shownu

I know.

Hyungwon

...thanks

for not making this weird

Shownu

You're welcome.

Shownu switches back to the group chat where Changkyun is still typing in all caps.

Shownu

Hyungwon said yes to coffee.

The chat explodes.

Changkyun

HOW DO YOU KNOW

DID HE TEXT YOU

WHY DOES HE TEXT YOU AND NOT ME

Shownu

Because I don’t type in all caps

Changkyun

RUDE

BUT FAIR

Jooheon

WHEN IS THE COFFEE DATE

Shownu

You guys are planning to do something.

Minhyuk

we should stake out the cafe

Hoseok

WE SHOULD NOT

Changkyun

WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD

Shownu

Changkyun, no.

Changkyun

shownu hyung YES

we need to make sure it goes well

Shownu

We need to give them privacy.

Changkyun

privacy is BORING

Shownu

Privacy is respectful.

Changkyun

…

Fine

but only because youre using your Serious Voice

Shownu

I'm always using my serious voice.

Changkyun

exactly

its very effective

Jooheon

are they flirting

Minhyuk

i think theyre flirting

Hoseok

theyre not flirting

Changkyun

WE'RE NOT FLIRTING

Shownu

We're not.

Minhyuk

sure jan

ᯓ★

Kihyun arrives at the café fifteen minutes early because of course he does.

It's a small place, tucked between a bookstore and a vintage clothing shop. Quiet. Low lighting. Exactly the kind of place where you could have a conversation without being recognized.

He orders an iced americano and sits at a corner table, his phone in his hand, trying not to check the time every thirty seconds.

1:47 PM

1:48 PM

1:51 PM

His phone buzzes. 

Jooheon

good luck

just be yourself

Kihyun

what if myself sucks

Jooheon

then hes an idiot

but hes not

so youre fine

Kihyun locks his phone, a small smile on his face despite his nerves.

At 1:58 PM, the café door opens.

Hyungwon walks in.

He's wearing a black sweater and dark jeans, his hair unstyled, falling into his eyes. He looks... softer than he does on camera. Less guarded.

Their eyes meet across the café.

Kihyun's heart does that stupid thing again.

Hyungwon walks over, and Kihyun stands without thinking, suddenly unsure if they're supposed to hug or shake hands or just... stand there.

They stand there.

"Hi," Hyungwon says, his voice quiet.

"Hi," Kihyun echoes.

"Should I—do you want me to order first, or—"

"Yeah, go ahead. I'll be here."

Hyungwon nods and goes to the counter. Kihyun sits back down, his hands trembling slightly.

This is fine. This is normal. Just two people getting coffee.

Except it's not normal because his chest feels tight and his heart is racing and he can't stop watching Hyungwon at the counter, the way he orders quietly, the way he runs a hand through his hair while he waits.

Hyungwon comes back with his drink—black coffee, no sugar—and sits across from Kihyun.

They look at each other.

Neither speaks for a long moment.

"So," Kihyun starts.

"So," Hyungwon echoes.

They both laugh, awkward and nervous, and somehow that breaks the tension.

"This is weird," Kihyun admits.

"Yeah."

"I'm not good at this."

"At what?"

"Talking. Without the game. Without..." Kihyun gestures vaguely. "Without something to do with my hands."

Hyungwon glances at Kihyun's hands, currently fidgeting with his coffee cup. "You could just... fidget."

"I am fidgeting."

"Then you're doing great."

Kihyun laughs again, and this time it's more genuine. "You're different than I expected."

"Different how?"

"Less... serious, I guess? On stream you're so quiet. I thought you were just naturally cold."

"I'm not cold. I'm just..." Hyungwon pauses, considering. "I'm just not good at performing. Gaming is my thing. The talking to chat part—that's exhausting."

"So the charity stream..."

"Was exhausting. And then the collab—" Hyungwon's expression shifts, something like regret crossing his face. "I'm sorry. About how that went."

"I'm sorry too," Kihyun says quickly. "I was trying too hard. I do that when I'm nervous. I go full chaos mode instead of just... being normal."

"I do the opposite. I shut down."

"So we're both disasters."

"Apparently."

They smile at each other, and this time it feels less forced.

"Can I ask you something?" Hyungwon says after a moment.

"Yeah."

"Why did you text me? After three weeks?"

Kihyun looks down at his coffee. "Because Jooheon told me I'd regret it if I didn't. And because..." He looks up, meeting Hyungwon's eyes. "Because I keep thinking about the charity stream. That moment. And I wanted to see if it was just a moment or if it could be something else."

"And?"

"I don't know yet. Do you?"

Hyungwon is quiet for a long time. Then, carefully: "I think it could be something else. If we let it."

"Without the cameras?"

"Without the cameras," Hyungwon confirms. "Without the chat. Without everyone watching and expecting and shipping."

"Just us."

"Just us."

They sit in silence, but it's comfortable now. Easy.

Kihyun takes a sip of his drink. "So what do we do now?"

"Talk, I guess. Get to know each other. The real versions. Not the stream versions."

"Okay." Kihyun leans forward slightly. "Tell me something real about you. Something you've never said on stream."

Hyungwon considers this. "I have a cat named Piano who hates everyone, and I'm pretty sure he's plotting my death."

Kihyun laughs, bright and surprised. "That's the most relatable thing I've ever heard. Does he judge you when you lose games?"

"Constantly. He sits on my desk and stares at me like I'm an embarrassment."

"Cats are brutal."

"The worst." Hyungwon's lips quirk up. "Your turn."

"Okay, um—" Kihyun thinks. "I organize my apartment obsessively because if things are messy, my brain feels messy. Like, I color-code my game cases."

"Control issues?"

"Anxiety issues disguised as control issues."

"Fair." Hyungwon takes a sip of his coffee. "Do you ever tilt so hard you have to walk away from the PC?"

"Are you kidding? Last week I died to the same boss seventeen times and had to take a two-hour walk or I was gonna throw my controller."

"What boss?"

Kihyun tells him, and Hyungwon's eyes light up. "Oh, that one. Yeah, the hitbox is broken. You have to dodge left, not right."

"I WAS dodging left!"

"You were dodging too early."

"How do you know?"

"Because I died to it forty-three times."

Kihyun stares at him. "Forty-three?"

"I'm patient. And stubborn."

"That's... actually kind of attractive."

The words are out before Kihyun can stop them. His face goes hot.

Hyungwon blinks, his ears turning pink. "Oh."

"I mean—"

"No, that's—" Hyungwon clears his throat. "Thanks."

They both look away, flustered, and the silence stretches.

Then Hyungwon says, quietly, "For what it's worth, I think your chaos is kind of attractive too."

Kihyun's head snaps up. "Really?"

"Yeah. It's... different from how I am. More alive."

"You're plenty alive."

"I'm a sleepy gamer who barely talks. You literally called me 'princess' on stream because I'm so passive."

"That was—I was being a dick."

"You were. But you weren't wrong." Hyungwon smiles slightly. "I play support because I like being in the background. You play DPS because you like being in the middle of everything."

"Opposites attract?"

"Maybe."

They talk for another hour, the conversation flowing easier now. Kihyun learns that Hyungwon started streaming because Mingyu dragged him into it. Hyungwon learns that Kihyun got into gaming as a kid to deal with anxiety.

"It's the only place where chaos is actually good," Kihyun explains. "Like, in real life, my brain going a million miles an hour is a problem. In games, it's an advantage."

"I get that. Gaming is where I don't have to perform. I can just... exist."

"Except when chat is yelling at you."

"I ignore chat half the time."

"I noticed."

They laugh, and it feels natural now. Easy.

"This is nice," Kihyun says after a moment. "Just... talking. Without performing."

"Yeah," Hyungwon agrees. "It is."

They stay in the café for two hours, talking about everything and nothing. Hyungwon learns that Kihyun wanted to be a veterinarian before music. Kihyun learns that Hyungwon wanted to be an architect but failed the math requirements.

They talk about their friends—about Jooheon's chaos and Minhyuk's meddling and Hoseok's eternal optimism.

"Shownu texted me last night," Hyungwon admits. "Told me to just be myself."

"Jooheon said the same thing."

"They're all very invested in this."

"This?"

"Us. Whatever this is."

Kihyun's chest feels warm. "Is it weird that I kind of like that they care?"

"A little. But also no."

When they finally leave the café, it's almost 5 PM. They stand outside on the sidewalk, the autumn air cool around them.

"So," Kihyun says, his hands in his pockets. "Was this... good? For you?"

"Yeah," Hyungwon says, and his voice is soft but certain. "It was good."

"Can we do it again?"

"I'd like that."

They're standing close, closer than necessary, and Kihyun can see the exact shade of Hyungwon's eyes—dark brown, almost black, with flecks of amber when the light hits them right.

"I should go," Kihyun says, but he doesn't move.

"Yeah," Hyungwon agrees, but he doesn't move either.

They stand there for another moment, and Kihyun feels like something is beginning. Something real. Something that might actually work this time.

"Text me?" Kihyun asks.

"Yeah."

"Good."

Kihyun turns to leave, then stops. Looks back. "Hyungwon?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. For giving this another chance."

"Thanks for asking."

ᯓ★

They part ways, both walking in opposite directions with matching smiles.

Kihyun pulls out his phone as he heads toward the subway station.

Kihyun

i had fun today

The response comes immediately.

Hyungwon

me too

Kihyun

same time next week?

Hyungwon

its a date

Kihyun

is it?

Hyungwon

...do you want it to be?

Kihyun

yeah

i really do

Hyungwon

then its a date

Kihyun grins at his phone, nearly walking into a pole. His heart is doing that stupid thing again.

Across the city, Hyungwon is doing the same.

Meanwhile, Jooheon texts him separately:

Jooheon

well???

how did it go

Kihyun

really well

were seeing each other again next week

Jooheon

YES

I TOLD YOU

Kihyun

yeah yeah

youre a genius

happy?

Jooheon

VERY

Across the city, Shownu gets a similar text.

Hyungwon

it went well

Shownu

I'm glad.

Hyungwon

really well

were going out again next week

Shownu

That's good. I'm happy for you.

Hyungwon

me too

i think i actually like him

Shownu

I know.

Hyungwon

how

Shownu

Because you smiled when you texted just now.

Hyungwon

you cant see me

Shownu

I can tell.

Hyungwon

thats creepy

Shownu

It's observant.

Hyungwon

same thing

Shownu

It's not.

ᯓ★

Operation Hyungki

Jooheon

IT WENT WELL

Changkyun

HOW DO YOU KNOW

Jooheon

kihyun texted me

theyre seeing each other again next week

Changkyun

YES YES YES

SHOWNU HYUNG DID HYUNGWON HYUNG TEXT YOU TOO

Shownu

Yes.

Changkyun

AND????

Shownu

And it went well.

Changkyun

DETAILS

Shownu

No.

Changkyun

HYUNG

Shownu

That's private.

Changkyun

YOURE NO FUN

Shownu

I know.

Minhyuk

okay but SECOND DATE

thats PROGRESS

Hoseok

im so happy for them

Jooheon

we did good

Changkyun

WE DID AMAZING

we should get matching jackets

OPERATION HYUNGKI SQUAD

Shownu

Absolutely not.

Changkyun

youre right

too subtle

we need SHIRTS

Shownu

Changkyun.

Changkyun

fine no shirts

but im making a victory playlist

Shownu

Do whatever makes you happy.

Changkyun

YOU make me happy hyung

Minhyuk

...

Jooheon

...

Hoseok

...

Changkyun

WAIT

I MEANT

THIS SITUATION

MAKES ME HAPPY

NOT

I MEAN

Shownu

I know what you meant.

Changkyun

oh

good

cool

yeah

Minhyuk

this is fascinating

Jooheon

should we leave them alone

Hoseok

yes

ᯓ★

They've been on six dates. Coffee, dinner, a movie where they barely watched the screen, another coffee where they talked for three hours and the barista had to kick them out at closing, late-night convenience store snacks, and a PC bang where they played games side by side for six hours.

It's working. Actually working.

They text every day. Nothing heavy, just—

good morning

how's your day

saw this and thought of you [image of a cat judging someone]

lol thats literally piano

They haven't streamed together again. Haven't even talked about it. This thing between them exists outside of cameras and chat and expectations, and it feels precious. Fragile.

On their seventh date, Kihyun suggests they skip the café and just walk around the neighborhood.

"It's supposed to rain later," Hyungwon warns, looking at his phone.

"So? We'll walk faster."

They don't walk faster.

They walk slowly, talking about nothing and everything. Hyungwon tells Kihyun about the project he's working on—a ballad for a singer he actually likes. Kihyun tells Hyungwon about his vocal coach's new obsession with breathing techniques.

"She made me lie on the floor and put books on my stomach," Kihyun says, laughing at the memory. "Said I needed to 'feel my breath.'"

"Did it work?"

"I felt like an idiot. But yeah, it worked."

They're near Hyungwon's apartment when the sky opens up.

Not a drizzle. Not a gentle rain.

A downpour.

"Shit—" Kihyun looks up at the sky, already soaked. "Your weather app lied."

"It said later. This is later." Hyungwon is getting drenched, his hair plastered to his forehead. "My place is two blocks away—"

"Let's go."

They run, laughing like idiots, dodging puddles and failing. By the time they reach Hyungwon's building, they're completely soaked, water dripping from their clothes onto the lobby floor.

The security guard gives them a look.

"Sorry," Hyungwon says, trying to wring out his jacket. "We'll clean up."

They take the elevator to the fourth floor, leaving a trail of water. Hyungwon fumbles with his keys, and Kihyun is shivering beside him, his teeth starting to chatter.

"Come on," Hyungwon says, finally getting the door open. "Let's get you dry."

Inside, Piano takes one look at them and leaves the room with an offended meow.

"He hates water," Hyungwon explains, heading to the bathroom. He comes back with towels—big, fluffy ones that he drapes over Kihyun's shoulders.

"Thanks," Kihyun says, his voice shaking slightly.

"You're freezing."

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine. Stay here." Hyungwon disappears into his bedroom and comes back with dry clothes—a hoodie and sweatpants. "These might be too big, but—"

"They're perfect." Kihyun takes them gratefully. "Can I—?"

"Bathroom's that way."

Kihyun changes quickly, and when he comes out, Hyungwon has also changed into dry clothes and is making tea in his small kitchen.

"Earl Grey okay?" Hyungwon asks without turning around.

"Yeah."

They sit on the couch, warm mugs in hand, and for a moment neither speaks.

Then Kihyun laughs.

"What?" Hyungwon asks.

"This. Us. We literally ran through the rain like it's some kind of romantic movie."

"It was your idea to walk."

"I know. I'm an idiot."

"You're not an idiot." Hyungwon's voice is soft. "You're... spontaneous."

"That's a nice way of saying impulsive."

"I like impulsive. It's different from how I am."

Kihyun turns to look at him, and there's something in Hyungwon's expression—something open and vulnerable that wasn't there before.

"I like how you are," Kihyun says quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

They're sitting close on the couch, the rain still pounding against the windows. Piano has ventured back, settling on the arm of the couch to watch them with suspicious eyes.

"I'm glad you texted me," Hyungwon says. "Three weeks ago. I'm glad you gave this another chance."

"Me too."

"I was... scared. Of trying again. Of it being awkward."

"It was a little awkward at first."

"But not anymore."

"No. Not anymore."

Hyungwon sets his mug down on the coffee table. "I want to try something."

"Okay?"

"Can I—" Hyungwon gestures vaguely. "Your hair is still wet. Can I—?"

Kihyun's heart does that thing. "Yeah."

Hyungwon shifts closer, and carefully, gently, he combs his fingers through Kihyun's damp hair, pushing it back from his forehead. The touch is deliberate this time. Not accidental. Not spontaneous.

Chosen.

Kihyun's eyes flutter closed.

"That okay?" Hyungwon asks quietly.

"More than okay."

Hyungwon's fingers linger, and when Kihyun opens his eyes, Hyungwon is looking at him with an intensity that makes his breath catch.

"I want to kiss you," Hyungwon says. "Is that okay?"

"Yeah," Kihyun breathes. "Please."

Hyungwon leans in, and their lips meet—soft, tentative, perfect.

It's nothing like the charity stream moment. That was public, accidental, charged with an energy neither understood.

This is private. Intentional. Real.

When they break apart, both slightly breathless, Kihyun laughs.

"What?" Hyungwon asks, his lips quirking up.

"We really did the whole 'caught in the rain' thing."

"Your fault."

"I know." Kihyun grins. "I'm glad."

"Me too."

They kiss again, and this time it's less tentative. More certain. 

Piano meows, offended by the display.

They break apart, laughing.

"Your cat hates me," Kihyun observes.

"He hates everyone. You're not special."

"Rude."

"But true."

Kihyun settles against Hyungwon's side, and Hyungwon's arm comes around his shoulders naturally, like they've done this a thousand times before.

Outside, the rain continues to fall.

Inside, warm and dry and together, they both feel like something has shifted.

Like they've crossed a line they can't uncross.

And neither of them wants to.

"Stay," Hyungwon says quietly. "Until the rain stops."

"What if it doesn't stop?"

"Then stay anyway."

Kihyun looks up at him, something warm blooming in his chest. "Okay."

They stay on the couch, talking quietly, kissing occasionally, just existing together. And when the rain finally stops hours later, Kihyun doesn't leave.

He stays.

And Hyungwon is glad.

Chapter Text

Kihyun wakes up on Hyungwon's couch, a blanket draped over him that wasn't there when he fell asleep.

Hyungwon is in the kitchen, making coffee, looking soft and sleep-rumpled in the morning light.

Piano is sitting on Kihyun's chest, staring at him with what can only be described as judgment.

"Your cat is on me," Kihyun says.

"He's accepted you," Hyungwon replies, not turning from the coffee maker.

"This is acceptance?"

"For Piano, yes."

Kihyun carefully moves the cat—who allows it with minimal protest—and gets up, stretching. "What time is it?"

"Nine. You mumbled something about not having a stream until noon, so I let you sleep."

"Thanks."

Hyungwon hands him a mug of coffee—made exactly how he likes it, because Hyungwon apparently pays attention.

They stand in the kitchen, drinking coffee in comfortable silence, and it feels so domestic, so natural, that Kihyun's chest aches with it.

"So," Kihyun says eventually. "We kissed."

"We did."

"Multiple times."

"Yes."

"And I stayed over."

"On the couch. Very chastely."

"Still."

"Still," Hyungwon agrees, his lips quirking up slightly.

"So... what does this mean?"

Hyungwon sets his mug down and turns to face him fully. "What do you want it to mean?"

"I want—" Kihyun takes a breath. "I want this to be real. Not just dates. Not just maybe. I want us to be... us."

"Together?"

"Together."

Hyungwon is quiet for a moment, and Kihyun's heart races, wondering if he's said too much too fast—

"Okay," Hyungwon says.

"Okay?"

"Yeah. Let's be together." Hyungwon steps closer. "Officially. Exclusively. Whatever words you want to use."

"Boyfriends?"

"If you want."

"I want." Kihyun grins. "I really, really want."

Hyungwon kisses him, soft and sweet, and Piano meows disapprovingly from the couch.

They break apart, both smiling.

"Should we tell people?" Kihyun asks.

"Eventually. But not yet." Hyungwon takes his hand. "Let's keep this just ours for a little while longer."

"I like that."

"Me too."

They finish their coffee, and Kihyun reluctantly says he should go home—he has a stream in a few hours, and he needs to change.

At the door, Hyungwon stops him with a hand on his wrist.

"Wait."

"What?"

Hyungwon disappears into his apartment and comes back with something in his hand.

A single white carnation from the bouquet on his kitchen counter.

"Here," Hyungwon says, tucking it behind Kihyun's ear with careful fingers, echoing the gesture from the charity stream but intentional this time. Deliberate. "For good luck."

Kihyun's breath catches. "You're such a sap."

"I know." Hyungwon is smiling that rare, soft smile. "You like it."

"I do."

They kiss one more time, and Kihyun leaves with a flower behind his ear and warmth in his chest.

On the subway ride home, he catches his reflection in the window and sees himself smiling.

Actually, genuinely smiling.

He takes a selfie, just for himself.

Doesn't post it.

Not yet.

ᯓ★

Operation Hyungki

Jooheon

guys

GUYS

kihyun just showed up at my place

WITH A FLOWER BEHIND HIS EAR

Changkyun

WHAT

Minhyuk

A FLOWER???

Jooheon

A WHITE CARNATION

BEHIND HIS EAR

LIKE THE HAIR MOMENT

Changkyun

OH MY GOD

SHOWNU HYUNG

DID HYUNGWON HYUNG DO SOMETHING ROMANTIC

Shownu

I'm not discussing this.

Changkyun

THAT MEANS YES

TELL US EVERYTHING

Shownu

No.

Changkyun

PLEASE

Shownu

Changkyun.

Changkyun

...

fine

but only because you asked nicely

Jooheon

he didnt ask

he just said your name

Changkyun

SAME THING

Minhyuk

are they official???

Jooheon

kihyun wont SAY

but hes GLOWING

like legitimately GLOWING

Hoseok

im so happy

Changkyun

WE DID IT

OPERATION HYUNGKI SUCCESS

Shownu

They did it. Not us.

Changkyun

WE HELPED

Shownu

Minimally.

Changkyun

YOURE SO HUMBLE

ITS ANNOYING

Shownu

Thank you.

Changkyun

THAT WASNT A COMPLIMENT

Shownu

I'm taking it as one.

Minhyuk

they really are flirting

Jooheon

100%

Hoseok

should we say something?

Changkyun

NO

LET ME LIVE IN DENIAL

Shownu

There's nothing to deny.

Changkyun

EXACTLY

WAIT

WHAT

Shownu

Nothing. Never mind.

Changkyun

HYUNG

Shownu

Focus on Hyungwon and Kihyun.

Changkyun

IM TRYING

YOURE DISTRACTING ME

Shownu

How?

Changkyun

BY BEING YOU

Jooheon

okay im leaving this chat

Minhyuk

same

Hoseok

good luck you two

They all leave the chat, and it's just Shownu and Changkyun.

Changkyun

...did they just leave us alone

Shownu

Apparently.

Changkyun

on purpose???

Shownu

I think so.

Changkyun

oh

Shownu

Yeah.

Changkyun

...

we should probably talk about that

Shownu

Probably.

Changkyun

but not now

Shownu

No. Not now.

Changkyun

okay

goodnight hyung

Shownu

Goodnight, Changkyun.

ᯓ★

They're at Hyungwon's apartment, gaming side by side on the couch—Kihyun on his laptop, Hyungwon on his PC that he's temporarily moved to the living room.

It's comfortable. Easy. They've been playing for three hours and barely talking, just existing in parallel.

During a loading screen, Hyungwon says, "Hoseok wants to do another charity stream."

Kihyun's hands still on his keyboard. "When?"

"Next month. Same setup as before. Six streamers."

"Are we invited?"

"Yeah." Hyungwon glances at him. "Both of us."

Kihyun is quiet for a moment. "Do you want to do it?"

"I don't know. Do you?"

"I asked first."

"So did I."

They look at each other, and Kihyun can see his own uncertainty reflected in Hyungwon's expression.

"The last charity stream is how this started," Kihyun says quietly.

"Yeah."

"And the collab after that was a disaster."

"Yeah."

"But we're different now."

"We are." Hyungwon sets down his controller. "We're together now. Actually together. Maybe it would be different."

"Or maybe the pressure would be the same."

"Maybe." Hyungwon takes his hand. "But we could just... game. Like we do here. Just with other people around."

"And if chat notices something?"

"Then they notice." Hyungwon squeezes his hand. "We don't have to confirm anything. We can just be us."

Kihyun considers this. The idea is terrifying and appealing in equal measure.

"Okay," he says finally. "Let's do it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. But—" Kihyun meets his eyes. "No performing. No trying to recreate the hair moment. We just game together like we're hanging out. Like this."

"I can do that."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

They shake on it, and then Hyungwon pulls him in for a kiss.

"We're going to be fine," Hyungwon says against his lips.

"How do you know?"

"Because this time, we know what we're doing. We're not confused. We're not scared."

"I'm a little scared."

"Okay, less scared."

"Much less scared."

"See? We've got this."

Kihyun hopes he's right.

ᯓ★

Charity Squad 💕

Hoseok

okay everyone!!!

so the last charity stream was AMAZING

we raised so much money

and people have been asking for another one

Changkyun

YES

when

Hoseok

next month

same setup

same cause

everyone in?

Shownu

Yes.

Minhyuk

absolutely

Jooheon

count me in

Changkyun

IM SO IN

Hoseok

hyungwon? kihyun?

you two in?

Kihyun

im in

Hyungwon

me too

Hoseok

YES!!!

this is going to be amazing

Changkyun

THE GANG IS BACK TOGETHER

Jooheon

this is either going to be amazing or a disaster

Minhyuk

no in between

Shownu

Or both.

Changkyun

shownu hyung made a JOKE

character development

Shownu

I make jokes.

Changkyun

you make observations that are occasionally funny

its different

Jooheon

theyre doing it again

Minhyuk

let them have their moment

Hoseok

ANYWAY

ill send details later

same venue as last time

this is going to be great

Another group chat became active that day. 

Operation Hyungki

(Changkyun added Jooheon, Minhyuk, Hoseok)

Changkyun

This gang is also back together.

THEY BOTH SAID YES

Jooheon

at the SAME TIME

Minhyuk

did you see that

they typed at the EXACT SAME TIME

Changkyun

THEYRE DEFINITELY TOGETHER

Shownu

Or they were just both looking at their phones.

Changkyun

SHOWNU HYUNG

LET ME HAVE THIS

Shownu

Fine.

Jooheon

this stream is either going to confirm everything or be super awkward

Minhyuk

no in between

Hoseok

we are going to be SUPPORTIVE

and NOT make it weird

Changkyun

i make no promises

Shownu

Changkyun.

Changkyun

FINE

i will TRY not to make it weird

Shownu

That's all I ask.

ᯓ★

Kihyun is at Hyungwon's apartment, and they're supposed to be practicing—running through games they might play during the charity stream, making sure their coordination is good.

Instead, they're making out on the couch.

"We should practice," Kihyun mumbles against Hyungwon's mouth.

"We are practicing," Hyungwon replies, kissing him again.

"This isn't—" Kiss. "—gaming practice."

"It's team building."

Kihyun laughs, breaking the kiss. "That's the worst excuse I've ever heard."

"But you're not arguing."

"No. I'm not."

They kiss for another few minutes before Kihyun finally pulls away, his lips swollen and his hair messed up from Hyungwon's fingers.

"Okay. Seriously. We should practice."

"Fine." Hyungwon sits up, adjusting his hoodie. "But for the record, this was more fun."

"Agreed."

They game for the next two hours, and it's easy. Natural. They communicate without thinking, cover each other's mistakes, celebrate small victories with fist bumps and shoulder bumps.

"We're good at this," Hyungwon observes during a break.

"We are. Think it'll be the same during the stream?"

"I think—" Hyungwon considers. "I think if we focus on the game and not on chat, it'll be fine."

"So ignore the twelve thousand people watching?"

"Exactly."

"You make it sound so easy."

"It's not easy. But we can do it." Hyungwon takes his hand. "Together."

"Together," Kihyun echoes.

ᯓ★

Kihyun can't sleep.

He's lying in bed, staring at his ceiling, his mind racing with all the things that could go wrong tomorrow.

What if they're awkward again? What if chat figures out they're dating? What if the pressure is too much?

His phone buzzes.

Hyungwon

youre awake

Kihyun

how did you know

Hyungwon

because im awake

and youre probably overthinking

Kihyun

maybe

Hyungwon

definitely

its going to be fine

Kihyun

you dont know that

Hyungwon

i do

because were different than we were last time

were together now

we know what we are

Kihyun

and what are we

Hyungwon

were us

and were good at being us

Kihyun

...okay

youre right

Hyungwon

i know

now go to sleep

Kihyun

only if you do

Hyungwon

deal

goodnight

Kihyun

goodnight

love you

There's a pause. They haven't said it much yet—only a handful of times, always in person, never over text.

Hyungwon

love you too

see you tomorrow

Kihyun

see you tomorrow

Kihyun locks his phone and closes his eyes.

Tomorrow. They'd figure it out tomorrow.

Together.

Chapter Text

Kihyun wakes up to three alarms and a text from Hyungwon.

Hyungwon

ready for today?

Kihyun

no

Hyungwon

me neither

Kihyun

helpful

Hyungwon

at least were panicking together

Kihyun

true

see you at 2?

Hyungwon

see you at 2

were going to be fine

Kihyun

keep telling yourself that

Hyungwon

i am

Kihyun gets ready with more care than usual. He picks an outfit that looks good but not like he's trying—black jeans, a simple white t-shirt, his favorite oversized flannel. Styles his hair just enough that it looks effortless.

His phone buzzes. The main group chat.

Charity Squad 💕

Hoseok

everyone please be there by 1:30

we go live at 2

same venue as last time

Changkyun

IM SO EXCITED

Minhyuk

cant wait

Jooheon

see everyone soon

Shownu

On my way.

Kihyun takes a breath, grabs his bag, and heads out.

ᯓ★

The convention center lounge looks exactly the same as last time—six streaming setups spread across the room, the same bright fluorescent lighting, the same nervous energy.

Kihyun arrives at the same time as Jooheon, who immediately pulls him into a hug.

"You good?" Jooheon asks quietly.

"Yeah. Nervous. But good."

"You're gonna be great." Jooheon squeezes his shoulder. "Just game like you normally do."

"That's the plan."

They walk in together, and Kihyun immediately scans the room.

Hoseok is at the main host desk, already setting up. Minhyuk is adjusting his camera, surrounded by his usual collection of plushies and LED lights. Shownu is doing cable management with the calm efficiency of someone who's done this a thousand times.

And Changkyun is—

"KIHYUN HYUNG!" Changkyun bounds over with entirely too much energy for 1:30 in the afternoon. "You're here! Are you ready? This is going to be so much better than last time!"

"Breathe, Changkyun," Shownu says from across the room without looking up from the cables he's organizing.

"I'm breathing!" Changkyun protests. "I'm just EXCITED."

"We can tell," Kihyun says, but he's smiling despite his nerves.

The door opens again, and Hyungwon walks in.

Their eyes meet across the room.

Kihyun's heart does that stupid thing it always does.

Hyungwon is wearing all black—hoodie, jeans, his usual dark aesthetic—and his hair is unstyled, falling into his eyes. He looks tired and soft and Kihyun wants to go over and kiss him hello except they're in public and there are already four other people watching.

"Hey," Hyungwon says, walking over. His voice is casual, but his eyes are warm.

"Hey," Kihyun replies.

"You ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"That's not very reassuring."

"I know."

Changkyun is watching them with barely concealed interest. Shownu catches his eye from across the room and gives a subtle shake of his head. Changkyun deflates slightly but doesn't stop watching.

"Okay, everyone!" Hoseok calls out, clapping his hands together. "Let's do a sound check and make sure everything's working. We go live in thirty minutes!"

They scatter to their respective setups. Kihyun takes the same corner spot as last time, and when he glances over, he realizes Hyungwon is a table away from him—closer than last time.

Intentional? Probably.

His phone buzzes. A private message.

Hyungwon

we got this

Kihyun

we got this

Hyungwon

just game

like were at my place

forget about chat

Kihyun

easier said than done

Hyungwon

i know

but try

Kihyun

okay

ᯓ★

2:00 PM

hamsterkii is live: CHARITY STREAM PART 2 - LETS GO

sleepyprince is live: charity stream round 2

Kihyun's chat floods in immediately, and the viewer count climbs faster than his first stream.

yookiki: HES BACK

kiuwu: CHARITY STREAM LETS GO

evrydaywithyoo: wait is hyungwon here too

imluvyoo: HYUNGKI CRUMBS????

kikimii: i need them to interact PLEASE

"What's up, everyone!" Kihyun greets his chat with practiced enthusiasm, leaning into his usual energy. "We're back for another charity stream! Same cause—animal shelters—and if we don't hit our goal, I'm legally required to become a cat dad. Let's raise some money so I can avoid that responsibility!"

His chat loves it.

kihyunmoments: KIHYUN AS A CAT DAD???

kih03: WE NEED TO SEE THIS

sharKiYoo: DONT DONATE GUYS LET IT HAPPEN

Across the room, Hyungwon's greeting is much more subdued, his voice low and calm through his mic. "Hi. Charity stream. Gaming for animals. Donate if you want. That's it."

sleepdealer: so eloquent

coffeecat: truly a wordsmith

jintonic: never change

Hoseok's voice comes through everyone's headsets, warm and energetic. "Okay, everyone ready? Let's do quick intros for anyone new! I'll start—I'm Hoseok, your host for today! We're raising money for local animal shelters, and we've got an amazing group here. Let's go around!"

"Shownu, tank and support. Let's do this." Shownu's voice is calm and steady as always.

"Minhyuk! I'm here to heal you all and look cute doing it!" Minhyuk winks at his camera, and his chat explodes with hearts.

"Jooheon, flex player, here to carry—or int, we'll see how it goes!" Jooheon laughs, and his chat sends laughing emojis.

"Changkyun, DPS, youngest here, carrying the team on my back—"

"You're literally silver rank," Shownu interjects mildly.

"Rank doesn't matter when you have heart, hyung," Changkyun protests.

"It does when you keep diving 1v5," Shownu replies.

The voice chat fills with laughter.

When it gets to Kihyun, he leans forward slightly, grinning at his camera. "Kihyun, main DPS, here to cause chaos and maybe win some games. Emphasis on chaos."

kihyumi: THATS OUR BOY

worldofyoo: chaos king

ineedyoo: no emphasis on winning?

kiyeons: winning is secondary to the CHAOS

Then it's Hyungwon's turn, and his voice comes through quiet but clear. "Hyungwon. Support. I'm here because Hoseok asked three times and I ran out of excuses."

sleepdealer: LMAO

coffeecat: hoseok is persistent

jintonic: the most hyungwon answer ever

"I'm very persistent!" Hoseok agrees cheerfully. "Okay, let's queue up! First game starting in three, two, one—"

ᯓ★

First Match: 20 Minutes In

It's different this time.

Better.

Kihyun isn't trying to perform. He's just playing—aggressive as always, diving into fights with his usual reckless confidence, calling out plays rapid-fire.

"I'm going in—"

"Wait for cooldowns—" Shownu starts.

"No time, they're low—" Kihyun is already moving, his character lunging forward.

And Hyungwon is there, keeping him alive, not saying much but his gameplay speaking volumes. His character appears right when Kihyun needs it, shields going up, heals landing perfectly.

"Kihyun, you're overextended," Shownu warns calmly.

"I know what I'm doing!" Kihyun insists, even as his health bar drops dangerously low.

"Debatable," Hyungwon says quietly, and his character teleports in, creating space, buying time.

They secure the kill together.

"See? Worked perfectly," Kihyun says, slightly breathless.

"Because I saved you."

"Because we work well together."

"Hm."

It's such a simple exchange, but Kihyun's chat notices.

moomoo514: they sound so comfortable

preacherman: not like the last collab

flower1993: what changed???

dior1110: character development

The match continues, and they fall into a rhythm. Kihyun dives, Hyungwon follows. Kihyun calls a target, Hyungwon sets it up. They're not talking much to each other directly, but they don't need to—their gameplay is communicating for them.

"Nice," Jooheon comments after they secure an objective. "You two are synced up."

"Practice," Hyungwon says simply.

"We've been gaming together," Kihyun adds, then realizes how that sounds. "I mean. Off-stream. Just. You know. Gaming."

kihyun6769: OFF STREAM

itsnotharditseasy: THEY GAME TOGETHER OFF STREAM???

kihoney: PRIVATELY???

forkihyun: oh my god

"That's what friends do," Hyungwon says, his tone completely neutral, and Kihyun could kiss him for the save.

They win the match.

ᯓ★

Break: 45 Minutes In

Hoseok calls for a ten-minute break, and everyone pulls off their headsets.

Kihyun immediately checks his phone. A private message from Hyungwon.

Hyungwon

youre doing great

Kihyun

so are you

Hyungwon

chat is suspicious

Kihyun

i noticed

Hyungwon

is that okay?

Kihyun

yeah

let them wonder

Hyungwon

i like that

Kihyun looks up and catches Hyungwon's eye across the room. Hyungwon's expression is soft, fond, and Kihyun has to look away before his face gives everything away.

"You two want snacks?" Minhyuk appears with a bag of chips, offering them around.

"Thanks," Kihyun takes some, and when Hyungwon walks over to grab water, they end up standing near each other by the snack table.

Not touching. Carefully maintaining friend distance.

But close enough that Kihyun can smell his laundry detergent, can see the slight dark circles under his eyes that mean he stayed up late gaming again.

"Sleep more," Kihyun says quietly.

"You first."

"I'm serious."

"So am I." Hyungwon's lips quirk up slightly. "You were up until 3 AM last night."

"How do you know?"

"You texted me at 2:47 complaining about a boss."

"Oh. Right."

They're smiling at each other, standing by the snack table, and Changkyun is definitely watching them from across the room with barely concealed glee.

"We should get back," Hyungwon says.

"Yeah."

Neither of them moves for another moment.

Then Minhyuk calls out, "Two minutes!" and the spell breaks.

ᯓ★

Second Match: 1 Hour In

This match is even better than the first.

They've settled into their groove, comfortable with each other's playstyles, anticipating movements.

"Coming in from the left," Kihyun announces.

"I see them," Hyungwon responds.

"Three low—"

"On it."

They move like they've been playing together for years instead of weeks. The rest of the team notices.

"Okay, you two are kind of scary," Jooheon comments.

"Scary how?" Kihyun asks, securing another kill.

"Scary like you share a brain cell," Minhyuk clarifies.

"Just one?" Hyungwon asks dryly.

"You're right, Kihyun definitely doesn't have a brain cell," Changkyun adds.

"HEY—"

"I'm kidding!" Changkyun laughs. "You have at least two brain cells."

"I hate you all," Kihyun says, but he's grinning.

The voice chat fills with laughter, and the game continues.

There's a moment near the end of the match where Kihyun gets caught out, separated from the team, three enemies closing in.

"Shit—I'm dead, I'm so dead—"

"No you're not," Hyungwon says, and his character appears, perfectly timed, creating space.

They fight back-to-back, and it's not planned, not coordinated through voice chat, just instinct. Kihyun knows where Hyungwon will be. Hyungwon knows what Kihyun will do.

They survive. Barely.

"Holy shit," Kihyun breathes.

"Told you," Hyungwon says, and there's something in his voice—quiet satisfaction, maybe pride.

chaessi_ramyeon: THE SYNERGY

friedchaekin: THAT WAS INSANE

shadowcreature: how are they so good together

sleepdealer: ive never seen hyungwon this coordinated with someone

coffeecat: theyre literally in sync

jintonic: this is giving me FEELINGS

They win the match, and Hoseok is celebrating in voice chat.

"That was AMAZING! The teamwork! The clutch! We're already at 150% of our goal!"

"Let's keep it going!" Minhyuk adds.

ᯓ★

Third Match: 2 Hours In

By the third match, they're completely comfortable.

Kihyun is in full chaos mode, and Hyungwon is just... handling it. Enabling it, even.

"I'm diving."

"Of course you are."

"You gonna follow?"

"Obviously."

kiuwu: THE WAY THEY TALK TO EACH OTHER

chaerrific: SO CASUAL

evrydaywithyoo: SO DOMESTIC???

chae27909544: i need what they have

They're not trying to be anything. They're just existing together in the game, and somehow that's more compelling than any performance could be.

Near the end of the match, there's a teamfight—chaotic, everyone yelling over each other in voice chat.

Except Kihyun and Hyungwon.

They're quiet, focused, moving in perfect sync. Kihyun doesn't need to call out what he's doing because Hyungwon already knows. Hyungwon doesn't need to say where he's positioning because Kihyun can feel it.

They win the teamfight.

"How did you—" Jooheon starts.

"They're telepathic," Minhyuk says. "It's the only explanation."

"Or they're just good together," Shownu observes calmly.

"Scary good," Changkyun mutters.

The match ends—victory again—and they're all celebrating.

"Three for three!" Hoseok announces. "We've raised 200% of our goal! This is incredible!"

Everyone's cheering, and Kihyun catches Hyungwon's eye across the room.

Hyungwon is smiling. Just slightly, but it's there.

Kihyun smiles back.

ᯓ★

Final Match: 2.5 Hours In

"One more match!" Hoseok announces. "Let's end on a high note!"

They queue up, and Kihyun feels good. Really good. Better than he has at any stream in months.

This match is close—back and forth, both teams equally matched.

"We need to group," Shownu calls.

"On my way," Kihyun responds.

"Right behind you," Hyungwon adds.

They group up, push together, and in the final teamfight, everything clicks.

Kihyun dives the backline. Hyungwon keeps him alive just long enough. The rest of the team follows up.

Victory.

The voice chat explodes with celebration.

"YES!"

"WE DID IT!"

"THAT WAS PERFECT!"

Kihyun is grinning so wide his face hurts, and when he glances at his second monitor where he can see everyone's camera feeds, Hyungwon is smiling too.

A real smile. Not hidden, not subtle.

Just happy.

ᯓ★

Ending the Stream: 3 PM

"Okay, everyone!" Hoseok's voice is warm and energized. "We did it! We raised over 200% of our goal! Thank you so much to everyone who donated, and thank you to my amazing friends for joining me!"

"This was fun," Minhyuk says.

"Really fun," Jooheon agrees.

"We should do it again," Changkyun suggests.

"Definitely," Hoseok says. "But for now, thank you all! We'll see you next time!"

One by one, they start ending their streams.

Kihyun waves at his camera. "Thanks for watching, everyone. This was great. See you next stream!"

He ends it, pulls off his headset, and immediately looks across the room.

Hyungwon is already looking back.

They don't move toward each other—too many people, too many eyes—but the look they share says enough.

We did it.

We were good.

We're okay.

ᯓ★

They spend the next thirty minutes packing up equipment and talking with their friends.

"You two were amazing together," Hoseok says warmly, looking between Kihyun and Hyungwon.

"Thanks," Kihyun says.

"Really natural," Minhyuk adds. "Not like the last collab."

"We practiced," Hyungwon says simply.

"A lot," Kihyun adds.

"It shows," Jooheon says. "You two should collab more often."

Kihyun and Hyungwon exchange a glance.

"Maybe," Kihyun says.

"We'll see," Hyungwon adds.

Changkyun is watching them with barely concealed curiosity, and Shownu catches his eye, shaking his head slightly. Changkyun makes a show of looking away, but Kihyun can see him still watching from the corner of his eye.

They finish packing up, say their goodbyes, and Kihyun finds himself walking out with Hyungwon.

"Want to come over?" Hyungwon asks quietly once they're outside, away from the others.

"Yeah."

They take the subway together, sitting close but not touching, very aware of being in public.

"Chat was suspicious," Kihyun observes.

"They were."

"Does that bother you?"

"No." Hyungwon glances at him. "Does it bother you?"

"No. I kind of like it, actually. Letting them wonder."

"Me too."

When they get to Hyungwon's apartment, Piano greets them with his usual disdainful meow.

They order food, curl up on the couch, and pull out their phones to check the damage.

Twitter is, predictably, full of theories.

@kpopxgaming: okay so hyungwon and kihyun at the charity stream

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎A THREAD

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎1) they were SO comfortable with each other

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎2) they game together OFF STREAM

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎3) the SYNERGY

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎4) the way they looked at each other at the end

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎conclusion: somethings happening

@sleepywon: i need them to tell us if theyre together or just really good friends

the not knowing is killing me

@hamsterprince: maybe theyre just friends who game well together???

not everything is romance

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ⤷ @kihyunfiles: [replying to @hamsterprince] but what if it IS

Kihyun shows Hyungwon, and they both laugh.

"They're never going to let this go," Kihyun observes.

"Probably not."

"Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah." Hyungwon pulls him closer. "Let them theorize. We know what we are."

"And what are we?"

"We're us. And that's enough."

Kihyun settles against his side, and they spend the rest of the evening doing nothing—just existing together, no cameras, no chat, no pressure.

Just them.

ᯓ★

Operation Hyungki

Changkyun

OKAY

SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY HAPPENING

Jooheon

you think?

Minhyuk

the way they looked at each other

im not imagining it right

Jooheon

youre not

they were SO comfortable

Changkyun

MORE than comfortable

they were IN SYNC

Hoseok

they did say they practice together

Changkyun

OFF STREAM

ALONE

PRIVATELY

Shownu

Maybe they’re just really good friends. 

Changkyun

shownu hyung

with all due respect

youre wrong

Shownu

Maybe.

Minhyuk

MAYBE???

shownu hyung youre usually SO sure

Shownu

I'm sure they'll tell us when they're ready.

Changkyun

IF theyre together

Shownu

If.

Jooheon

i give it a month before something happens

Minhyuk

what kind of something

Jooheon

i dont know

but SOMETHING

Hoseok

well whatever it is

im happy theyre happy

Changkyun

same

but also

I NEED TO KNOW

Shownu

Patience.

Changkyun

i have NONE

Shownu

I've noticed.

ᯓ★

They're lying on the couch, Kihyun's head in Hyungwon's lap, Piano grudgingly sharing space on the armrest.

"Today was good," Kihyun says quietly.

"It was."

"Better than the last collab."

"Much better."

"Because we weren't trying."

"Because we were just being us," Hyungwon corrects, his fingers carding through Kihyun's hair gently.

"I like being us."

"Me too."

Kihyun turns his head to look up at him. "Do you think we'll ever tell people? Like, actually confirm it?"

Hyungwon is quiet for a moment, thinking. "Maybe. Eventually. When it feels right."

"What if it never feels right?"

"Then we don't. We don't owe anyone an explanation."

"But they'll keep speculating."

"Let them." Hyungwon's hand stills in his hair. "Kihyun, I don't care what chat thinks. I care about you. About us. That's all that matters."

Kihyun's chest feels tight in the best way. "I love you."

"I love you too."

They stay like that for a long time, just existing together, and Kihyun thinks that maybe Hyungwon is right.

Maybe this—just them, private and quiet and real—is enough.

For now.

Chapter Text

Kihyun is at home, halfway through editing a video for his YouTube channel, when he decides to check on Hyungwon's stream.

It's become routine now—whenever Hyungwon is live and Kihyun isn't, he'll have the stream open on his second monitor. Not actively watching, just... there. Present. Supporting.

Hyungwon is playing some indie puzzle game, his commentary sparse as always. His viewer count is good—higher than before the charity stream. People are still riding the wave of speculation about them.

Kihyun smiles, going back to his editing.

Then he glances at the chat.

sleepdealer: this game looks interesting

coffeecat: hyungwon's so good at puzzles

jintonic: big brain energy

Normal. Fine. But then.

thelastleaf: hes only getting views because of kihyun

Kihyun's hands still on his keyboard.

thelastleaf: everyone knows it

thelastleaf: using kihyun for clout

sleepdealer: what? no hes not

thelastleaf: the charity stream? the collab? all for attention

thelastleaf: riding kihyuns popularity

coffeecat: thats not true

thelastleaf: kihyun has 3x the followers

thelastleaf: hyungwon knew what he was doing

More users are chiming in now, some defending Hyungwon, some agreeing with the hate.

chaotikyoo: i mean the timing is suspicious

xiexiekih: he barely talked to kihyun before the charity stream

xiexiekih: now theyre besties?

thelastleaf: exactly

thelastleaf: its calculated

thelastleaf: using kihyun for viewers and its working

Kihyun feels his chest tighten, anger flooding through him hot and sharp.

On stream, Hyungwon's hands have paused on his keyboard. He's reading the chat. Kihyun can see the exact moment Hyungwon sees the comments—his jaw tightens, his shoulders tense.

"That's not—" Hyungwon starts, his voice quiet. "I'm not using anyone. We're friends. We game together because we enjoy it."

thelastleaf: sure

thelastleaf: thats why you never mentioned him before

chaotikyoo: convenient friendship

Hyungwon is silent for a moment, and Kihyun can see him trying to figure out what to say. How to defend himself without making it worse.

"I don't owe you an explanation about my friendships," Hyungwon says finally, his voice tight. "But I'm not using Kihyun. That's not—that's not what this is."

thelastleaf: whatever helps you sleep at night

thelastleaf: clout chaser

Kihyun sees red.

He's out of his chair before he consciously decides to move, grabbing his keys, his wallet, his phone.

It's drizzling outside—light rain, the kind that's more mist than actual drops. Kihyun barely notices.

He needs to get to Hyungwon. Needs to—what? Apologize? It's not his fault his fans are saying this shit. But they're his fans. His community. His responsibility.

There's a flower shop two blocks from his apartment. It's small, family-owned, the kind of place that's usually empty.

Kihyun bursts through the door, startling the elderly woman at the counter.

"Flowers," he says, slightly breathless. "I need flowers. White ones. Carnations if you have them."

The woman blinks at him, then smiles. "For someone special?"

"Yes. Very special. Please, do you have them?"

"Let me check the back."

She disappears, and Kihyun is left standing in the small shop, his heart racing, rain starting to come down harder outside.

The woman returns with a small bouquet of white carnations, wrapped in simple paper.

"These good?"

"Perfect. Thank you." Kihyun pays quickly, probably overtips, and is back out the door.

The rain is heavier now. Not quite a downpour, but getting there.

Kihyun runs.

Hyungwon's apartment is a twenty-minute walk. Kihyun makes it in twelve, sprinting through streets, dodging pedestrians, clutching the flowers to his chest like they're the most important thing in the world.

By the time he reaches Hyungwon's building, he's completely soaked. His hair is plastered to his forehead, his clothes are dripping, and the flowers—the flowers have seen better days. Half the petals are bent, water-logged, drooping sadly.

He doesn't care.

He buzzes Hyungwon's apartment.

No answer.

He's still streaming. Of course he's still streaming.

Kihyun buzzes again. Holds the button down.

The intercom crackles. "Hello?" Hyungwon's voice, confused and slightly annoyed.

"It's me. Let me in."

Silence.

"Kihyun?"

"Let me in. Please."

The door buzzes open.

Kihyun takes the stairs two at a time, leaving wet footprints on every surface. Fourth floor. Apartment 403.

The door opens before he can knock.

Hyungwon is standing there, headset around his neck, still clearly on stream based on the glow from his setup visible behind him.

He takes one look at Kihyun—soaked, breathing hard, holding destroyed flowers—and his eyes go wide.

"What are you—"

"I'm sorry," Kihyun blurts out.

"What?"

"I'm sorry. About the chat. About what they're saying. About—" His voice cracks. "I'm sorry."

"Kihyun, you didn't do anything—"

"They're my fans. My community. They're saying you're using me and that's—that's bullshit, that's completely wrong, and I'm sorry they're putting that on you."

Hyungwon stares at him for a long moment, then gently pulls him inside.

"You're soaked."

"It's raining."

"I can see that." Hyungwon closes the door, and his voice softens. "Why did you run here in the rain?"

"Because I was watching your stream and I saw what they were saying and I just—" Kihyun holds out the flowers. They're pathetic, drooping, half-destroyed by rain and his grip. "I needed to see you. To tell you it's not true. To—I don't know. I wasn't thinking."

Hyungwon takes the flowers carefully, like they're precious instead of ruined.

"These are carnations."

"For good luck. I remembered." Kihyun's voice is small. "They looked better at the shop."

"They're perfect."

"They're destroyed."

"They're perfect because you brought them." Hyungwon sets them carefully on his entryway table, then turns back to Kihyun. "You didn't need to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong."

"But they're my fans—"

"And they're wrong. You can't control what random people say in my chat." Hyungwon reaches out, brushing wet hair from Kihyun's forehead. "I don't care what they think. I know the truth. We know the truth."

"But what if people actually believe them? What if—"

"Then they believe them. It doesn't change what we are."

Kihyun's chest is tight. "I hate that you're taking heat for something that's ours. Our friendship, our—whatever this is. It's ours, and they're making it ugly."

"So we make it clear," Hyungwon says quietly. "Not to them. To the people who matter."

"Who?"

"Our friends. The people we actually care about." Hyungwon's hands are on Kihyun's shoulders now, grounding. "We don't owe the internet an explanation. But we can tell the people who matter to us."

Kihyun takes a shaky breath. "You want to tell them? About us?"

"I want to tell them that we're together, yes. That this is real. So when people inevitably ask them, they can shut it down." Hyungwon pauses. "If you're ready."

"I—" Kihyun stops, thinking.

He'd been so focused on keeping this private, on maintaining what they had offline, that he hadn't really thought about the implications of other people knowing. Of having to navigate questions and speculation and opinions.

But he also hates the idea of Hyungwon dealing with accusations alone. Hates that people think this is fake, calculated, anything other than what it actually is.

"I don't know if I'm ready for everyone to know," Kihyun admits. "But I'm ready for our friends to know. I'm ready to stop hiding from the people we trust."

Hyungwon smiles, soft and genuine. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay. We tell them. Together."

"Together," Kihyun echoes.

"But first—" Hyungwon glances back toward his setup. "I need to end my stream. And you need dry clothes before you get pneumonia."

"Oh shit, you're still streaming—"

"They can wait five more minutes." Hyungwon is already walking back to his setup. Kihyun stays in the entryway, dripping on the floor.

He watches Hyungwon sit down, pull his headset back on.

"Sorry, everyone," Hyungwon says, his voice calm. "Something came up. I need to end early today." His eyes flick to where Kihyun is standing off-camera. "Thanks for watching. Donate to your local animal shelter if you can. I'll see you next stream."

He ends it.

The room goes quiet except for the sound of rain against the windows and Kihyun's wet clothes dripping on the hardwood.

Hyungwon turns back to him. "Come on. Let's get you dry."

ᯓ★

Kihyun is wearing Hyungwon's clothes—sweats and a hoodie that are too long on him—and they're sitting on the couch with tea that Hyungwon insisted on making.

Piano has deemed the situation worthy of his presence and is sitting between them, judging Kihyun for being wet.

"I can't believe I ran here in the rain," Kihyun says, cradling his mug.

"With flowers."

"With destroyed flowers."

"Romantic flowers," Hyungwon corrects. "Very dramatic. Very rom-com."

"Shut up."

"I liked it."

"You're making fun of me."

"I'm not. I genuinely liked it." Hyungwon's hand finds his, lacing their fingers together. "Nobody's ever run through the rain for me before."

"Well, get used to it. I'm apparently very dramatic when I'm upset."

"I know. It's cute."

"It's embarrassing."

"It's both."

Kihyun leans his head on Hyungwon's shoulder, and for a moment they just sit there, listening to the rain.

Then Hyungwon says, "We should probably talk about how we're going to tell them."

"Our friends?"

"Yeah."

Kihyun sits up, thinking. "The group chat?"

"Too impersonal."

"All at once in person?"

"Too overwhelming."

"Then what?"

Hyungwon pulls out his phone, opens their main group chat.

Charity Squad 💕

He starts typing.

Hyungwon

can everyone meet up tomorrow?

kihyun and i need to talk to you all about something

The responses come quickly.

Changkyun

WHAT

ABOUT WHAT

Hoseok

is everything okay?

Minhyuk

sounds serious

Jooheon

im free tomorrow

Shownu

What time?

Hyungwon

2pm?

at my place?

Hoseok

ill be there

Minhyuk

me too

Jooheon

same

Shownu

Yes.

Changkyun

IM COMING

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT

YOU CANT JUST DROP THIS AND NOT EXPLAIN

Hyungwon

tomorrow

Changkyun

HYUNG

Shownu

Changkyun. Patience.

Changkyun

I HAVE NONE

Kihyun is reading over Hyungwon's shoulder, and despite everything, he's smiling.

"Changkyun is going to lose his mind."

"He's already losing his mind."

"Fair point."

Hyungwon locks his phone and sets it aside. "You can stay here tonight. If you want."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. It's late, you're already in my clothes, and Piano has accepted your presence."

"Has he?"

Piano meows, which could mean anything from "yes" to "I'm plotting your death."

"He has," Hyungwon confirms.

"Okay. I'll stay."

They watch a movie—something neither of them pays attention to—and fall asleep on the couch tangled together.

When Kihyun wakes up in the morning, there's a blanket over them that wasn't there before, and the ruined white carnations are in a vase on the kitchen counter.

Saved.

ᯓ★

They're both nervous.

Hyungwon is stress-cleaning his apartment even though it's already spotless. Kihyun is stress-organizing the snacks they bought, arranging them by type, then by color, then giving up and just putting them on the coffee table.

"They're going to be fine," Hyungwon says.

"I know."

"They're our friends."

"I know."

"They probably already suspect."

"I KNOW." Kihyun runs a hand through his hair. "I'm still nervous."

"Me too."

At exactly 2 PM, the doorbell rings.

They look at each other.

"Ready?" Hyungwon asks.

"No. But let's do it anyway."

Hyungwon opens the door.

All four of them are there—Hoseok, Minhyuk, Jooheon, and Changkyun crowded in the hallway. Shownu is coming up the stairs behind them, calm and unhurried as always.

"WHAT'S THE EMERGENCY," Changkyun demands immediately.

"Let them inside first," Shownu says mildly, reaching the door.

They file in, and Hyungwon's apartment suddenly feels very small with six people in it.

Everyone settles in the living room—Hoseok and Minhyuk on the couch, Jooheon and Changkyun on the floor, Shownu in the armchair. Hyungwon and Kihyun stand in front of them, and it feels weirdly like an intervention.

"Okay," Minhyuk says, leaning forward. "You're freaking us out. What's going on?"

Kihyun looks at Hyungwon. Hyungwon looks back.

"We're dating," Kihyun blurts out.

Silence.

Then—

"FINALLY," Changkyun explodes. "OH MY GOD FINALLY."

"I KNEW IT," Minhyuk yells.

"You owe me twenty dollars," Jooheon tells Hoseok.

"You were betting on us?" Kihyun asks, incredulous.

"Obviously," Jooheon says. "I said you'd tell us within a month of the charity stream. Hoseok said three months."

"I was being optimistic about your communication skills," Hoseok says dryly, pulling out his wallet.

"I'm so happy for you!" Minhyuk is grinning. "How long?"

"About a month," Hyungwon says.

"A MONTH?" Changkyun looks betrayed. "You've been hiding this for a MONTH?"

"We wanted to keep it private," Kihyun explains.

"Private is fine!" Changkyun protests. "But you could have told US!"

"We're telling you now," Hyungwon points out.

"Barely! We had to wait a whole day!"

"Changkyun," Shownu says quietly. "Let them talk."

Changkyun deflates slightly but doesn't stop vibrating with energy.

"So," Hoseok says, his voice gentle. "What made you decide to tell us now?"

Kihyun and Hyungwon exchange a glance.

"Some people were saying Hyungwon was using me for clout," Kihyun explains. "In his chat. And it—it wasn't true, obviously, but we realized we should probably tell the people who matter. So when people ask you, you can shut it down."

"Oh, I'll shut it down," Minhyuk says darkly. "Give me names."

"Min—"

"I'm kidding. Mostly." Minhyuk's expression softens. "But seriously, you two are good together. Anyone who says otherwise is an idiot."

"Agreed," Jooheon adds.

"You were really comfortable during the charity stream," Hoseok observes. "It makes sense now."

"We'd been dating for a few weeks by then," Hyungwon confirms.

"And you didn't tell us!" Changkyun is still stuck on this.

"We wanted to figure it out ourselves first," Kihyun says. "Without outside opinions or pressure."

"That's... actually very healthy," Changkyun admits reluctantly.

"Surprisingly mature," Jooheon adds.

"We're not children," Hyungwon says flatly.

"You literally play video games for a living," Minhyuk points out.

"So do you."

"Fair point."

Shownu has been quiet this whole time, just watching with that calm, assessing look. Finally, he says, "Are you happy?"

Both Kihyun and Hyungwon answer at the same time: "Yes."

Shownu smiles. "Then that's all that matters."

"That's IT?" Changkyun demands. "That's all you have to say?"

"What else is there to say?" Shownu looks genuinely confused.

"I don't know! Something more! Something—" Changkyun gestures wildly. "—more enthusiastic!"

"I'm enthusiastic on the inside."

"You're impossible."

"I know."

The tension breaks, and everyone starts talking at once—asking questions, making jokes, demanding details about how they got together.

Kihyun finds himself telling the story of the charity stream, the disastrous collab, the coffee dates. Hyungwon adds details, fills in gaps, and together they paint a picture of two people who stumbled into something that somehow works.

"So the rain yesterday," Jooheon says. "You were the reason why Hyungwon stopped his stream? I was watching Hyungwon's stream when he ended it suddenly. Chat was going crazy speculating about what the emergency was."

"He harrassed my buzzer and I found him soaked in rain water holding half dead carnations," Hyungwon added.

"Oh god."

"It was romantic!" Minhyuk insists. "Very dramatic. I approve."

"See?" Hyungwon says to Kihyun. "Romantic."

"Shut up."

They spend the next two hours just talking, and it feels good. Easy. Like a weight has been lifted.

When everyone starts to leave, Changkyun lingers by the door.

"I'm really happy for you guys," he says quietly. "Both of you."

"Thanks, Changkyun," Kihyun says.

"But if you hurt each other, I will commit crimes."

"Noted," Hyungwon says dryly.

After everyone leaves, Kihyun and Hyungwon collapse on the couch.

"That went well," Kihyun observes.

"Better than expected."

"Changkyun took it personally that we didn't tell him sooner."

"He takes everything personally." Hyungwon pulls Kihyun closer. "But he was happy for us."

"They all were."

"Yeah."

They sit in comfortable silence for a moment. Then Kihyun says, "What about everyone else? Chat. The internet."

"What about them?"

"Do we... tell them?"

Hyungwon considers this. "Not directly. Not yet. But we don't have to hide anymore either."

"What does that mean?"

"It means—" Hyungwon's lips quirk up. "—we let them figure it out."

"That's evil."

"That's fun."

Kihyun grins. "I like it."

"I know you do."

Outside, the rain has finally stopped.

Inside, something has shifted.

They've told their friends. They've stopped hiding.

What comes next is up to them.

ᯓ★

Operation Hyungki (success)

Changkyun

THEYRE DATING

Jooheon

we know

we were THERE

Changkyun

BUT THEYRE DATING

FOR A MONTH

A MONTH

Minhyuk

and they didnt tell us

Hoseok

they told us today

Minhyuk

BARELY

Changkyun

i cant believe they hid it

Shownu

They didn't hide it. They were private. There's a difference.

Changkyun

they hid it FROM US

Shownu

For good reason. They needed time to figure it out.

Changkyun

i guess

but still

Jooheon

okay but they were SO cute together

Minhyuk

the way they told the story

finishing each others sentences

Hoseok

im just happy theyre happy

Changkyun

same

but also

do you think theyll go public?

Shownu

Eventually. When they're ready.

Changkyun

how do you know

Shownu

Because I know them.

Changkyun

youre very sure

Shownu

I am.

Changkyun

...

okay

Minhyuk

anyone else notice that

Jooheon

notice what

Minhyuk

nothing

never mind

Chapter Text

Kihyun is setting up for his stream, adjusting his camera angle, testing his mic levels.

It's been a good two weeks since they told their friends. Easier, somehow, knowing that the people who matter know the truth. He doesn't have to watch what he says around them, doesn't have to carefully edit his stories to remove Hyungwon-shaped pieces.

His phone buzzes.

Hyungwon

streaming tonight?

Kihyun

yeah

starting in 10

Hyungwon

what are you playing

Kihyun

ranked

gonna tilt myself into oblivion probably

Hyungwon

sounds fun

Kihyun

you watching?

Hyungwon

always

Kihyun smiles at his phone, then sets it aside and pulls up his streaming software.

Deep breath.

hamsterkii is live: RANKED GRIND (sending it)

His chat floods in immediately.

kiisvocals: KIHYUN!!!

randomgamer: ranked lets gooo

evrydaywithyoo: time to watch him suffer

kiuwu: this is gonna be a disaster

kihyunmoments: cant wait

"What's up, everyone!" Kihyun greets with his usual energy, grinning at the camera. "We're doing ranked tonight, which means I'm either going to end this stream as a god or completely broken. No in-between."

evrydaywithyoo: betting on broken

kih03: lmao same

kiuwu: the kihyun ranked experience

"You have no faith in me," Kihyun says, but he's laughing. "Okay, let's queue up and prove you all wrong. Or right. We'll see."

He queues for his first match, and while waiting, he leans back in his chair, scrolling through Twitter on his phone.

There are still comments about him and Hyungwon—speculation, theories, ship edits from the charity stream. Some people insisting they're dating, others saying they're just good friends.

Kihyun doesn't engage with any of it. Just scrolls past, unbothered.

The match loads, and he's immediately in the zone—calling out plays, aggressive as always, diving into fights with his characteristic reckless confidence.

"Okay, going in—I see three low—I can get this—"

He gets it.

"YES! Okay, okay, that was clean. Chat, did you see that? That was CLEAN."

evrydaywithyoo: okay that was actually good

kiisvocals: HE DIDNT DIE

kihyunsgf: character development

kiuwu: dont jinx it

They win the first match.

"See? I told you. We're climbing tonight. Nothing can stop us."

He queues for the second match.

They lose.

Badly.

"WHAT—HOW DID—THAT WAS—" Kihyun sputters, staring at his screen in disbelief. "Okay. That was a fluke. My team was trolling. That doesn't count."

yookiki: copium

evrydaywithyoo: he's in denial

kiuwu: this is the kihyun we know and love

"I'm not in denial! They were literally running it down!" But Kihyun is grinning despite his protests. "Okay, next game. Redemption arc."

Third match goes better. They're winning, Kihyun is popping off, his mechanics sharp.

"This is it, chat. This is the game. Watch me carry—"

He gets ganked.

Dies instantly.

"OKAY WHO CALLED THAT. WHO IN CHAT JINXED ME."

kiisvocals: LMAOOO

sharKiYoo: called it

dior1110: jinx confirmed

randomgamer: this is peak content

They still win the match, but barely.

Kihyun is two hours into the stream, fully immersed in the game, when he vaguely registers movement in his peripheral vision.

Someone walking past the back of his setup.

His apartment isn't that big—his streaming space is in his living room, and the hallway to his bedroom is visible in the far background of his camera, though blurred and out of focus.

He doesn't think much of it. Probably just—

Wait.

He lives alone.

Kihyun's hands pause on his keyboard for a split second, his eyes flicking to the monitor showing his camera feed.

There, in the background. Blurred, barely visible, but definitely there.

A tall figure passing by.

His chat notices immediately.

randomgamer: WAIT

kihyun6769: DID SOMEONE JUST WALK BY

evrydaywithyoo: WHO WAS THAT

kiisvocals: KIHYUN???

yookiki: OMG

Kihyun keeps his expression neutral, focused on the game like he didn't notice anything.

"Okay, pushing mid—I need backup—anyone?"

His game character dies.

"Great. Awesome. Love that for me."

kiuwu: HES IGNORING IT

worldofyoo: WHO IS IN HIS APARTMENT

kiisvocals: KIHYUN EXPLAIN

itsnotharditseasy: KIHYUN YOU'RE NOT ALONE???

yookiki: IT LOOKED TALL

evrydaywithyoo: OH MY GOD

Kihyun respawns, continues playing like nothing happened, but there's a small smile tugging at his lips that he can't quite hide.

Another minute passes. He's focused on a teamfight, calling out targets, when—

A hand reaches into frame.

Long fingers. Careful, deliberate.

Holding a single white carnation.

The hand moves slowly, gently tucking the flower behind Kihyun's ear.

Kihyun doesn't look at the camera. Doesn't acknowledge chat.

Kihyun's eyes flick to the side, toward whoever is off-screen—the camera can't see them, angled too low, but Kihyun can—and his expression softens, not the practiced grin or the exaggerated reactions. Something else entirely. Fond.

He smiles—small and genuine, the corner of his mouth curving up, his eyes warm—and for a moment he's not performing at all. Just existing. Just happy.

The hand lingers for a moment, fingertips brushing Kihyun's temple, and then it's gone.

Kihyun reaches up, adjusts the flower slightly to make sure it stays, and goes right back to gaming.

Like nothing happened.

His chat is having a collective meltdown.

evrydaywithyoo: WHAT

kihyunsgf: THE FUCK

evrydaywithyoo: DID THAT JUST HAPPEN

kiyeons: A CARNATION

moomoo514: WHITE CARNATION

ineedyoo: LIKE THE CHARITY STREAM

yookiki: THE WAY HE SMILED????

kihoney: THAT WASNT HIS NORMAL SMILE

kiuwu: THAT WAS A BOYFRIEND SMILE

kiuwu: WHO WAS THAT???

kiuwu: TELL US IS IT SOMEONE WHOS NAME RHYMES WITH DAE JUNGWON???

evrydaywithyoo: IM SCREAMING

kiisvocals: KIHYUN EXPLAIN

kihyunsgf: HELLO???

randomgamer: ARE YOU JUST GOING TO IGNORE THIS

Kihyun is very much ignoring it.

He's playing his game, the white carnation bright and obvious behind his ear, a stark contrast against his dark hair and the muted colors of his setup. He's smiling more than usual, little private smiles that have nothing to do with the game.

"Okay, we won that teamfight—nice—pushing to their base now—"

forkihyun: HES REALLY NOT GOING TO ADDRESS IT

kiuwu: THE AUDACITY

imluvyoo: THE DISRESPECT

kihyunsgf: I LOVE HIM

kikimii: THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING

flower1993: BUT ALSO ADORABLE???

The match ends—victory—and Kihyun stretches in his chair, the carnation still perfectly positioned behind his ear.

"Good game, everyone. That was a solid win." He glances at his chat for the first time since the flower appeared, and his grin is absolutely evil. "What? You all seem excited about something."

kiisvocals: KIHYUN

kihyunsgf: YOU KNOW WHAT

kihyunsgf: THE FLOWER

kiuwu: WHO GAVE YOU THE FLOWER

yookiki: WAS IT HYUNGWON

randomgamer: PLEASE TELL US

"Flower?" Kihyun touches it like he just remembered it was there. "Oh, this? It's pretty, right?"

kiisvocals: KIHYUN

evrydaywithyoo: DONT DO THIS TO US

kiuwu: WE SAW SOMEONE

shadowcreature: WE SAW THE HAND

kihyunsgf: CONFIRM IT COWARD