Work Text:
Sungyeol’s hair is bright red this time and Woohyun thinks it’s not bad actually, even if he does call him red pepper paste more often than not. But it’s not a bad look on him. However, what is bad, is that Sungyeol is here, interrupting Woohyun’s date and just seating himself at their table, stealing a forkful of their spaghetti.
“Oh, is that spaghetti carbonara? That smells so good!” Sungyeol says as he lifts the forkful of spaghetti to his mouth.
Woohyun turns just the slightest and glares at him, what are you doing here, he glares. Sungyeol looks up, cheeks full from chewing, and doesn’t say anything. Just smiles and chews.
“Uh, what am I missing here?” Kibum says. He seems mostly unperturbed by Sungyeol’s sudden appearance and instead sips at his strawberry lemonade.
Woohyun runs a hand over his face. “Nothing really,” he sighs. “This cherry tomato over here,” he gestures at Sungyeol with a flick of his head, “is Sungyeol. My best friend?”
“Ah,” Kibum nods. “The infamous Lee Sungyeol.”
Sungyeol already has another forkful lifted to his mouth but chokes and drops the fork onto the table when he hears his name come out of Kibum’s mouth.
“You know who I am?!”
Woohyun rolls his eyes. “Now you talk.” He picks up the fork and holds it firmly in his hand, away from Sungyeol.
“I may have heard some things,” Kibum replies, still sipping at his lemonade.
“What did you say about me, Nam Woohyun?!” Sungyeol gets up from his seat to pick a fight with Woohyun and Woohyun shoots Kibum a look, help me, but Kibum has his finger pressed to his phone.
“Snapchatting this.”
Woohyun groans.
*
The next time Sungyeol shows up is when Woohyun and Sunggyu are walking along the Han River at night. The two are sharing a bowl of fishcake skewers they bought from one of the food stands at the night market and are casually strolling, watching the lights play over the water.
Sunggyu is in the middle of explaining how he nearly died at a boxing lesson he tried out with Dongwoo the other day when there’s a sudden weight on his back and arms around his and Woohyun’s shoulders.
“Sunggyu hyung! Woohyunnie!” comes the the familiar voice and Woohyun doesn’t hold back his long suffering sigh.
“Oh, Sungyeollie. What are you doing here?” Sunggyu asks, pointing his fishcake skewer at him. Sungyeol bites off half of it and hums in satisfaction.
“Yeah Sungyeol, what are you doing here?”
Sunggyu glances over at Woohyun who rolls his eyes. As far as he knows, this hasn’t been the first time Sungyeol has crashed one of Woohyun’s dates like this but he shrugs. It’s not like Woohyun has actually been going on dates with people he’s interested in. He can’t, not when --
“You and Woohyunnie looked bored so I thought I’d come cheer you up.”
Sunggyu looks around for any sign that Sungyeol came here with someone and will leave them soon, but his search comes up empty. He looks over to Woohyun who’s staring at the ground and hmm’s to himself. Their conversation at the bbq restaurant earlier comes to mind.
I’m not really interested in dating anyone. I already have someone I’m comfortable with that way.
Sunggyu takes a long look at Sungyeol who’s yelling about something animatedly to Woohyun, who’s acting like he’s annoyed but isn’t bothering to hide the smile itching at the corner of his lips. Sunggyu hides a smile when Woohyun hits Sungyeol on the arm for whatever reason. He doesn’t say anything and instead takes another bite from his fishcake skewer. The night feels cold all of a sudden and Sunggyu shudders as he rubs at his arms.
*
The third time it happens, Woohyun and Myungsoo are out shopping at COEX and Woohyun pulls at his hair when he hears the too familiar voice.
“Myungsoo! Woohyunnie! Funny running into you guys here.”
Woohyun whips around to give Sungyeol a piece of his mind because this has happened too many times for it to be a coincidence anymore. However, he doesn’t anticipate Sungyeol so close behind and spins around only to come face to face with Sungyeol’s chin.
“Uh,” he smartly says.
“Hey.” Sungyeol doesn’t comment on their proximity. He just continues to look down at Woohyun, who is very very close to him. “What’s up?”
Myungsoo is still next to Woohyun when this happens and looks back and forth between the two of them and laughs.
“We were shopping, Sungyeol-ah.” Myungsoo says. “Do you want to join us?” Myungsoo grabs each of their hands and holds them in his, nestling himself in between them.
“Sure!” Sungyeol replies. He seems content to walk around with the two of them, talking over Myungsoo’s head to Woohyun. Woohyun looks up and makes eye contact with Myungsoo and squeezes his hand in apology before replying to Sungyeol. Myungsoo shakes his head and then throws it back in loud giggles. They go into multiple stores and when Woohyun leaves to the fitting room at SPAO, Myungsoo turns to Sungyeol sitting next to him on a couch in the waiting room. Sungyeol’s scrolling through his phone and Myungsoo shifts to put his head on Sungyeol’s shoulder.
“Hey ‘Soo,” Sungyeol says, eyes not leaving his phone.
“Who told you Woohyunnie-hyung and I were out shopping today?” Myungsoo asks.
Sungyeol stops scrolling for a minute and the two sit in silence as they wait for Sungyeol’s answer.
“Sunggyu-hyung,” he answers after much deliberation.
Myungsoo pouts at him. “Sungyeollie, I know you miss Woohyun-hyung and all, but I want to hang out with him sometimes too.”
Sungyeol stiffens for the tiniest of seconds but his shoulders drop because Myungsoo is right. Neither of them say anything for the next couple of minutes but Myungsoo smiles and repositions himself on Sungyeol’s shoulder. He knows Sungyeol understands what he was trying to say.
Woohyun returns from the fitting room and shows them a graphic tee that he likes and says he’ll be back; he’s gonna go pay for it. He pats Myungsoo’s head and gently pushes Sungyeol’s head with a finger.
“Yah!” Sungyeol whacks at Woohyun and Woohyun giggles, dashing to the check-out. When he comes back, both Myungsoo and Sungyeol are standing, arms looped with each other’s. Woohyun squirms into Myungsoo’s side, linking his arm with Myungsoo’s and beams at them.
“Where now?”
Myungsoo looks at Sungyeol and smiles. “Sungyeollie said he was going to treat us to coffee!”
“What?! I didn’t--” but he sighs once he sees the warm grin on Myungsoo’s face and the mischievous upturn of Woohyun’s lips. He sighs again. “Okay. Coffee it is. But no one’s stopping me from getting an Americano!”
Woohyun and Myungsoo share a knowing glance before they set off, and they laugh at Sungyeol’s rambling along the way.
*
This is getting tiring Woohyun texts Sungjong.
Not my problem he instantly texts back. Woohyun raises an eyebrow because Sungjong is supposed to be at the library studying for an exam but shrugs and figures that means he’s free to call. He rings him right away.
Sungjong picks up after five rings, surrounding exasperated and Woohyun doesn’t have to see him to know Sungjong’s rubbing at his forehead.
“What is it hyung?” Sungjong asks. “Make it quick, I don’t want to leave my stuff unattended in the library.”
“That’s some dedicated studying you’re doing there, replying to my text right away,” Woohyun says instead.
“Hyung,” Sungjong emphasizes.
“Anyway,” Woohyun starts, and pauses to laugh at Sungjong. He can hear the eye roll. “I think Sungyeollie is trying to sabotage all my dates.”
“Dates?”
“Yeah, dates. You know, hanging out with your friends. It can be non-romantic too you know.”
Sungjong pauses. “Does Sungyeol know that?”
Woohyun hesitates. “...probably.”
“Have you asked him on a date yet?”
Woohyun stops and looks up at the sky. “Well...no.”
“Just ask him,” Sungjong says. “He’s just jealous and misses hanging out with you.”
Woohyun furrows his eyebrow. “How do you know that?”
Sungjong rolls his eyes. “Myungsoo-hyung and I live with him, hyung. Please. Just do this and save all of us.”
“Huh. Well all right then.”
“Bye hyung. Text me later.” Sungjong hangs up and Woohyun is too lost in thought to be miffed. His phone buzzes and he looks at the screen which lights up with Woohyunnie-hyung fighting ✩✩✩~!
*
Their so-called date ends up being a night in at Sungyeol’s apartment, huddled up on the couch and watching Zootopia. Sungyeol’s been yelling about it for weeks and Woohyun shrugs when Sungyeol brings it up. Might as well, he figures. Woohyun doesn’t mention how Sungjong had texted him earlier saying that he and Myungsoo were going out to eat for the night and that Sungyeol had been whining alone at home.
While Sungyeol pulls it up on Netflix, Woohyun goes into Sungyeol’s room to pull out the spare comforter he knows Sungyeol has in his closet. He brings it out, comforter overflowing in his arms and making it difficult to see in front of him, but throws it on the couch (“Hey! I’m right here you know!” “I know,” Woohyun grins at him).
Sungyeol grumbles but unfolds the blanket regardless as he pulls it around him. Woohyun slides under it, thigh pressing against Sungyeol’s. Sungyeol presses play and the two of them settle into each other. Sungyeol knocks his knees against Woohyun’s in a fit of excitement every now and then, and interjects comments about how awesome Judy Hops is, and Woohyun is content to sit in their shared space, truly breathing in Sungyeol for the first time in a long while.
Sungyeol actually falls asleep by the end of the movie, his head on Woohyun’s shoulder. But Woohyun just sighs and pulls the blanket closer to him and readies himself for the crick in his neck in the morning when he rests his head against Sungyeol’s.