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The “CORTIS Spill Secrets After Sipping the Truth Serum” interview had already dissolved into complete chaos long before the next cue card came out.
Martin had nearly fallen out of his chair twice. James laughed so hard he kept losing his place in the script, shoulders shaking while the staff behind the cameras weren’t doing much better, their muffled cackling bleeding into every take.
Half-empty blue “truth serum” drinks cluttered the table between overturned cue cards.
“Okay, okay,” James wheezed, dramatically fanning himself before finally flipping to the next question.
“This one’s bad already.”
“That means you’re enjoying it,” Seonghyeon drawled from beside him.
“Very much.”
James straightened in his seat and cleared his throat with exaggerated professionalism.
Across the table, Keonho looked immediately interested.
James scanned the card once before breaking into another grin.
“Oh, this is evil.”
“Read it,” Martin demanded without even lifting his head from the table.
James looked directly toward Keonho, already laughing before he started.
“Keonho,” he read aloud, “go around the table and determine what kind of appeal each member has: cute or handsome?”
The room exploded instantly.
“No hesitation!” Martin shouted.
“You have to answer immediately!”
“You can’t change your mind halfway!”
The rest of the members chimed in.
He only leaned back comfortably in his chair, completely relaxed beneath the screaming.
“Easy,” he said.
Keonho pushed himself up lazily, rolling his shoulders once while the members continued yelling over each other.
“Let’s start with the children,” he announced.
Juhoon protested automatically in his head, though the corners of his mouth betrayed him immediately.
Keonho laughed quietly under his breath before walking behind him.
Juhoon felt him before he touched him.
Warmth settled at his back first—broad and familiar—followed by the weight of Keonho’s hands landing on his shoulders. His palms spread naturally against the fabric of Juhoon’s jacket, fingers curling just enough to steady him.
Comfortable.
Possessive without realizing it.
Juhoon straightened instinctively beneath the touch.
“Juhoon,” Keonho said softly near his ear.
His voice was bright by nature, playful enough to fill any room effortlessly. But lowered like this—it turned warmer somehow.
Softer.
“You are…”
He paused deliberately.
Juhoon stared forward with painful composure while his pulse kicked hard against his ribs.
“…cute.”
The entire set erupted.
Juhoon failed instantly at hiding his smile. His eyes curved first, shoulders loosening before the grin finally appeared—small, helpless, entirely too fond. For half a second, he even leaned back slightly into Keonho’s hands before catching himself.
Being called cute by Keonho always sounded different.
“Dang,” James wheezed from across the table.
Keonho only laughed brightly and moved on.
He trailed around the table and stopped behind Seonghyeon, draping an arm loosely over the older member’s shoulder.
“You are handsome.”
“OHHHHHHH!”
James nearly tipped sideways out of his chair. Martin slapped the table so hard the drinks rattled. Even the staff behind the cameras lost composure. Juhoon’s smile faded before he could stop it.
Because obviously.
Obviously Keonho would categorize the rest as handsome too.
That was what made sense.
Cute for Juhoon.
Handsome for everyone else.
Separate.
Different.
Something that belonged only to him.
But then Keonho moved again.
James?
“Cute.”
Martin?
“Cute.”
The realization hit immediately. Only Seonghyeon was handsome.
Juhoon stared ahead quietly while laughter exploded around the room again.
Something unpleasant curled low in his chest. Not because Seonghyeon was handsome—he was. Everyone knew that.
But because Juhoon fully understood what the fans would do with it.
The edits.
The comments.
The way people would immediately pair the two of them together over one stupid answer.
And worse—
Juhoon hated the sharp disappointment creeping beneath his ribs because part of him had wanted Keonho to see him differently too.
Not just cute.
Not grouped together with everyone else.
Something distinct.
Something only Keonho reserved for him.
Keonho dropped back into the seat beside him afterward, still laughing as he lightly smacked Martin's thigh.
“Oh wow,” James yelled. “He categorized everybody immediately!”
“He went straight to the point,” Juhoon muttered.
His smile looked convincing enough for the cameras. But not convincing enough for Keonho.
Because he noticed immediately.
Juhoon always looked composed on camera—relaxed posture, smooth voice, calm and collected expression no matter how chaotic things became around him. But Keonho knew him too well now.
The subtle tension in his jaw.
The way his eyes stopped softening.
The quieter silence settling around him afterward.
Keonho suddenly felt warm beneath the studio lights.
Too warm.
He grabbed the ridiculous blue drink and took a long sip just to hide the heat creeping into his ears.
The interview moved on after that.
Questions became more ridiculous as the segments continued, and the members slowly dissolved into louder laughter and dramatic reactions as the drinks loosened everyone up. The atmosphere stayed playful, chaotic, easy.
Except Juhoon kept getting quieter.
Not enough for viewers to notice. But enough for Keonho to feel it.
Then Martin picked up the next cue card.
“Juhoon,” he read dramatically, already grinning before he even got through the question, “name a favorite rap or singing moment from another member that made your heart beat faster.”
The table exploded immediately.
“Fanservice again,” James cried internally, mentally bashing his head against the plain white table.
Keonho immediately glanced toward Juhoon with a sheepish grin before looking down at his drink like he knew what to expect.
“Oho…”
Juhoon caught the movement from his peripheral vision but refused to look at him directly.
Instead, he answered calmly.
“You on Fashion,” he said while pointing at Martin. “I like the verse.”
Keonho blinked then plastered a robotic smile automatically. But before he could fully process it—
“And I like your verse too,” Juhoon added smoothly, pointing toward Seonghyeon beside him.
Keonho’s smile froze.
Not entirely.
Just enough.
“I think the verses on Fashion are really nice,” Juhoon continued casually.
The words sounded harmless.
The tone sounded calm.
But Keonho heard it.
The jealousy buried underneath.
Small.
Quiet.
Trying very hard not to exist.
And with what's happening at the moment, Keonho understood exactly how Juhoon had felt earlier.
“Thank you for that,” Seonghyeon replied innocently.
Martin narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Juhoon, “Telling the truth right now?”
“Yeah,” Juhoon answered immediately.
Their glasses clinked together moments later.
Keonho drank deeply. And somehow the sweet drink still tasted bitter going down.
The final blow came later during Seonghyeon’s segment.
“Show us a photo of another member saved on your phone.”
“I got some,” Seonghyeon snorted while unlocking his phone. “Let’s pick the funny one.”
Juhoon already knew what photo Seonghyeon will choose.
Of course he knew.
Still, a stupid part of him hoped Seonghyeon would choose literally anything else.
Martin making a meme face. James asleep with his eyes open. Even an embarrassing photo of himself.
Anything. Just not—
“Let me see,” Keonho said excitedly.
Then Seonghyeon turned the screen around proudly.
It was Keonho asleep in the waiting room. White sleeveless shirt. Hair messy. Arms wrapped around himself against the couch.
Cute.
The fans would lose their minds over it.
“It was from five minutes ago,” Martin explained while laughing.
Everyone reacted warmly.
Juhoon didn’t.
His expression simply… stilled.
Not angry.
Not upset.
Just quiet in that dangerous way that sat heavily beneath the skin.
Only five minutes left, he told himself.
I can survive five minutes.
Unfortunately, social media made it worse.
Much worse.
By the time they got home after practice the next day, Juhoon already felt both physically and emotionally exhausted.
The dorm smelled faintly of shampoo and body wash after everyone showered. Wet towels hung over chairs. Someone left socks in the hallway again.
Juhoon lay flat against his bed staring blankly at the ceiling while James studied him from across the room.
“…You good?”
“Yeah,” Juhoon answered automatically.
James clearly didn’t believe him. But he only sighed and stood.
“Oh right,” he added casually before leaving, “the interview uploads tonight.”
The second the door shut, silence swallowed the room whole.
Juhoon stared at his phone for a long moment before opening the app anyway.
Instant regret.
The comments flooded endlessly beneath the video.
“Keonho only calling Seonghyeon handsome while everyone else got cute.”
“KeonHyeon chemistry is insane.”
“I KNEW he’d put Seonghyeon in handsome.”
Juhoon stared at the screen expressionlessly.
But his jaw tightened. The bitterness in his chest felt painfully familiar now.
Ah.
So this was how Keonho felt before.
He laughed quietly at himself and dropped the phone onto the blanket.
“So lame,” he muttered under his breath. Yet somehow his feet still carried him out of the room anyway. Because no matter how embarrassed he felt, Juhoon hated unresolved feelings more.
When he knocked on the other room door, Seonghyeon immediately called for him to come in.
The room was a complete disaster. Clothes everywhere. Bags half-open. Martin’s hoodie somehow hanging from the lamp.
Juhoon sighed on instinct.
“Keonho’s in the living room, hyung.”
Juhoon blinked.
“What?”
Seonghyeon only smirked knowingly.
“You’re obviously looking for him.”
The living room lights were dim when Juhoon stepped out later that night.
The dorm had already gone quiet hours ago. Faint city light slipped through the curtains, painting pale lines across the floor and couch.
Keonho was asleep there.
One arm rested across his stomach while his phone sat loosely against his chest, screen dark. His broad frame sank deeply into the cushions, long legs spread carelessly across the sofa like he owned the entire thing even unconscious.
Juhoon’s chest softened immediately.
Cute.
Very cute.
He crouched beside the couch quietly.
For a moment, he only watched him breathe.
Then his fingers moved before he could stop himself. Gently stroking along Keonho’s cheek and across the bridge of his nose.
Warm skin beneath his fingertips.
Keonho stirred almost instantly.
His lashes fluttered open slowly, sleepy eyes unfocused for half a second before landing directly on Juhoon and softening immediately.
Without thinking, Keonho tilted upward and kissed him.
Warm.
Sleepy.
Soft enough to ache.
Juhoon froze against his lips.
Keonho barely pulled back, forehead brushing his lightly.
“What’s wrong?” he murmured, voice rough with sleep.
“Nothing.”
“Hyung.”
“I said, nothing.”
Oh.
That tone again.
Keonho smiled immediately against the pillow.
Calm voice. Controlled face. Quiet denial while looking deeply miserable. Meanwhile Juhoon had literally come searching for him at two in the morning.
“You’re jealous,” The younger said shamelessly while showing the older a wide cheeky grin.
Juhoon scoffed softly. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“You came all the way here.” Keonho argued.
“I was passing by.”
“You touched my face like I died in a drama.”
Juhoon’s ears turned pink instantly.
Keonho nearly lost his mind.
So adorable
“Is it about the comments from the interview?” Keonho asked knowingly, as if the older was an open book only he can read.
Silence.
That was answer enough.
Keonho’s teasing expression faded almost immediately after that.
He pushed himself upright properly now, close enough that their knees pressed together.
Even half-awake, his presence filled the small space easily—broad shoulders, warm skin, sleepy eyes fixed entirely on Juhoon.
“You know Seonghyeon-hyung only pushes that stuff because fans react to it.”
“I know.”
“And I only called him handsome because he fits that category.”
Juhoon finally looked at him then.
“And me?”
The question came out quieter than intended.
The latter stared at him like the answer was painfully obvious.
“You’re cute.”
Juhoon narrowed his eyes immediately.
Keonho burst into laughter.
Before he could pull away, the younger caught his wrist loosely. “Wait, wait—”
“No, because actually,” Juhoon interrupted calmly, which somehow felt more dangerous than if he sounded upset, “how come nobody noticed the matching blue jackets during the interview?”
Keonho blinked.
“The ones we both wore,” the older continued, his deep voice level despite the bitterness tucked neatly underneath. “But somehow you call Seonghyeon handsome once and everybody loses their minds.”
A beat of silence passed.
Then Keonho completely lost it. He doubled over laughing against the couch cushions while Juhoon only looked more offended by the second.
“That bothered you that much?” Keonho wheezed.
Juhoon crossed his arms immediately.
“I just think people are selective.”
The younger stared at him for another second after that.
Then another.
Before his entire expression softened into something unbearably fond.
“You are so jealous,” he whispered, sounding genuinely delighted by the realization.
“I am not.”
“You came here at two in the morning just to complain about—”
“I did not come here for that.” Juhoon cut him off sharply.
“—our coordinated outfits and the way fans reacted to Seonghyeon-hyung and me at the same time, hyung. That’s insane,” Keonho finished, visibly impressed.
Juhoon’s ears turned pink almost instantly.
Keonho nearly lost his mind.
God, this was adorable.
Before Juhoon could stand up and leave out of embarrassment, Keonho tugged firmly on his wrist.
Hard enough that Juhoon stumbled directly into him.
A startled breath left him as he landed across Keonho’s lap.
The position felt dangerous immediately.
Keonho sat deep against the couch cushions with his legs spread comfortably beneath Juhoon, one arm locking around his waist before he could escape.
The other slid slowly up the back of Juhoon’s neck, fingers threading into damp hair while tilting his head back just enough.
Controlled.
Certain.
Juhoon suddenly became painfully aware of how much smaller he looked like this. How easily Keonho held him there.
“You know,” the younger murmured, smiling against his mouth, “you get clingy when you’re jealous, hyung.”
“I do not.”
“You absolutely do.”
Then he kissed him again.
Longer this time.
Juhoon melted embarrassingly fast.
Keonho kissed like he did everything else—warmly, fully, with his entire body involved.
He guided the older backward against the couch cushion with slow confidence until he was half-pinned beneath him, trapped between the sofa and Keonho’s solid weight leaning over him.
Juhoon’s fingers grabbed instinctively at Keonho’s shoulders for balance.
And he seemed to enjoy that far too much.
“Someone might see,” Juhoon whispered weakly against his mouth.
“James-hyung’s out,” Keonho replied immediately. “Seonghyeon-hyung’s in our room. I don’t know where Martin-hyung is.”
Then he kissed him again before Juhoon could protest further.
Slow turned messy quickly.
Hot.
Keonho’s hand tightened firmly at Juhoon’s waist every time the older shifted beneath him, keeping him exactly where he wanted him.
His palm spread wide against Juhoon’s side, thumb brushing slowly beneath the hem of his shirt whenever he squirmed.
Like he enjoyed feeling him react.
Juhoon could barely maintain composure anymore, breaths turning uneven whenever the younger dragged kisses along his jaw and throat.
“Keonho,” he moaned softly.
The younger looked devastatingly pleased hearing his name like that.
His laugh vibrated warmly against Juhoon’s skin before he kissed him deeper again, stealing another helpless sound from him.
Juhoon hated how easily Keonho unraveled him.
Especially because Keonho clearly knew it too.
Keonho’s hand slid upward slowly from Juhoon’s waist, fingers spreading over his chest beneath the thin fabric of his shirt. The touch was broad and warm, resting there for a second before moving lazily downward again.
Not rushing.
Just touching him because he could.
Juhoon’s breath caught immediately.
Keonho noticed.
Of course he did.
His smile curled against Juhoon’s throat before he kissed lower, lingering beneath his jaw while his hand traveled back to Juhoon’s waist, squeezing firmly enough to pull him closer against him.
The position only made everything worse.
Juhoon could feel the full weight of Keonho leaning over him now—solid thighs pressing between his legs, broad shoulders boxing him into the couch while one hand stayed planted beside his head.
Completely surrounding him.
Completely in control.
He kissed him again before Juhoon could properly breathe, slower this time but somehow even more dangerous. His thumb brushed across the older’s ribs beneath the fabric while the other hand tilted his chin upward exactly how he wanted.
Every movement confident.
Certain.
Like he already knew Juhoon would give in.
And he did.
Embarrassingly fast.
Juhoon’s fingers tightened against Keonho’s shoulders as another quiet sound slipped out of him, softer this time, almost swallowed by the kiss.
Keonho immediately pulled back just enough to grin down at him.
“See? You are cute,” he murmured smugly.
Juhoon glared weakly despite the obvious heat spreading across his face.
“You’re annoying.”
“But you like me.”
Then he kissed him again before Juhoon could deny it.
Keonho smiled against his mouth like he could feel Juhoon unraveling in real time. And maybe he did.
Because every time Keonho kissed him slower—deeper—Juhoon’s composure cracked a little more beneath him.
His hand slid beneath the hem of Juhoon’s shirt this time, palm warm against bare skin as his fingers spread across his waist. The touch dragged upward slowly, deliberate enough to make the older inhale sharply against his mouth.
Keonho smiled immediately.
The cheeky grin against his lips was unbearable.
“Juhoon-hyung,” he murmured softly. “You’re so cute.”
Juhoon turned his face away instantly out of embarrassment, but Keonho only followed him easily, pressing another kiss beneath his jaw.
Warm.
Lingering.
Dangerously affectionate.
Juhoon hated how weak it made him feel.
Especially when Keonho’s hand settled flat against his stomach, thumb brushing lazily back and forth beneath his shirt while keeping him pinned comfortably against the couch.
“Keonho,” Juhoon warned quietly.
The younger only hummed against his neck.
Not listening at all.
His kisses turned slower after that, less teasing and somehow worse because of it.
He kissed Juhoon like he enjoyed taking his time—mouth warm and unhurried while his hand continued roaming over the latter’s waist and chest like he couldn’t stop touching him.
Juhoon’s breathing turned even more uneven.
Keonho seemed thrilled by that fact.
Every reaction pulled another grin from him.
Every shaky breath made him want more.
“You get so soft when you’re jealous,” Keonho whispered against his skin.
“I’m not jealous.”
“Hyung,” Keonho laughed quietly, “you literally came here to argue about—”
But before he could finish, Juhoon covered his mouth immediately with one hand.
Keonho burst into laughter.
God, he was cute like this.
Completely different from the calm, composed version everyone else knew.
Keonho caught Juhoon’s wrist gently and pulled his hand away from his face before kissing him again—deeper this time, enough to leave the other breathless against him.
The couch cushions shifted beneath them as Keonho leaned down further, his weight pressing Juhoon more firmly into the sofa.
One of Juhoon’s legs instinctively hooked around Keonho’s waist for balance.
Keonho noticeably paused.
Then smiled slowly against his mouth.
“That’s dangerous,” he murmured.
Juhoon immediately realized what he’d done and tried to pull back.
Keonho didn’t let him though.
His hand tightened at Juhoon’s waist instead, fingers flexing against bare skin beneath the shirt while he kissed him again, hotter now, like Juhoon accidentally gave him permission to lose control a little too.
Juhoon’s fingers tangled into the front of Keonho’s shirt without thinking.
That only encouraged him further.
The younger kissed down his jaw again, slower this time, lingering near the sensitive spot beneath his ear just to feel Juhoon shiver beneath him.
“You’re so cute, Juhoon-hyung,” Keonho whispered smugly in his ear. “Especially like this.”
Juhoon glared at him weakly.
Keonho only looked more pleased.
Then suddenly he shifted.
One arm hooked securely around Juhoon’s waist before Keonho sat back against the couch, dragging him upright with him in one smooth motion.
The older barely had time to process it before he ended up straddling Keonho’s lap properly this time, knees pressed into either side of his thighs while Keonho settled comfortably beneath him like this was exactly where he wanted him.
The new position made Juhoon inhale sharply.
Feels good.
Keonho’s hands immediately spread across his hips.
“Oh,” Keonho murmured softly, looking entirely too satisfied. “This is better.”
Juhoon hated how warm his face got from that alone. Especially because Keonho was staring up at him now. Not teasing for once.
Just looking.
Like Juhoon sitting in his lap was something unfairly pretty to him.
The realization made Juhoon’s chest tighten unexpectedly.
Then Keonho kissed him again.
Upward this time.
Slow enough that Juhoon felt himself melting all over again.
His fingers slid instinctively into Keonho’s hair for balance while his hands roamed lazily over the other’s waist and lower back, thumbs brushing small circles through the thin fabric of Juhoon’s shirt. Every touch felt heavier like this.
Closer.
More intimate.
Juhoon shifted unconsciously against him.
Keonho’s grip tightened immediately.
Their mouths broke apart for half a second. Both of them breathed unevenly in the dim living room. Keonho stared at him with an expression Juhoon suddenly didn’t know how to handle.
Too warm.
Too affected.
“Hyung,” he said quietly.
Juhoon’s stomach flipped at the tone alone.
“What?”
Keonho looked like he was debating whether to say something dangerous.
But instead of answering, he pulled Juhoon back down into another kiss—deeper now, enough to leave him dizzy almost instantly.
Juhoon’s composure finally cracked properly after that. His fingers tightened in Keonho’s hair while another quiet sound escaped him helplessly into the kiss.
Keonho groaned softly at the sound.
The noise went straight through Juhoon.
“See what you do to me?” Keonho whispered roughly against his lips.
And somehow that felt far more dangerous than anything else that happened tonight.
Then—
Footsteps.
Both of them jerked apart instantly.
Juhoon scrambled upright so fast he nearly tripped over the blanket left lying on the floor while Keonho grabbed the nearest couch pillow and pretended to fix it with suspicious concentration.
Seonghyeon walked into the kitchen silently.
Opened the fridge.
Grabbed water.
Paused.
Then slowly turned around.
He stared at them for a long moment.
Juhoon sat stiffly on one end of the couch, lips swollen and hair ruined beyond repair.
Keonho somehow looked even worse—shirt collar crooked, flushed cheeks, breathing uneven despite how hard he tried to appear normal.
“…You good?” Seonghyeon asked carefully.
“Yes,” both answered immediately.
At the exact same time.
Seonghyeon snorted into his water bottle. Then his gaze flicked briefly toward the hallway.
A second later, Martin quietly emerged from the corner, finally entering the living room after clearly waiting for confirmation that the coast was safe.
Seonghyeon nearly laughed again remembering Martin whisper-screaming into his pillow ten minutes earlier after accidentally walking out and witnessing Juhoon practically folded beneath Keonho on the couch.
Honestly?
At this point, he was just relieved the tension between them was finally gone.