The sun was coming up, soft rays of light just breaking the skyline, filtering in through a low winter cloud cover. Through the single window that would never be clean because the building’s exterior hadn’t been washed in ages, the light fell around the lone figure of Hongbin, seated on the floor of their apartment, staring at his phone on the coffee table. Had he slept? He couldn’t remember, though his bloodshot eyes seemed to indicate he’d been up too long or perhaps cried.

For once it was his own clothes that cluttered the tiny living area, his coat was haphazardly tossed over the couch along with his jacket and tie dangling off the edge of the table, the shirt he’d worn to the theatre was untucked and wrinkled but he didn’t care. His hair stood up and back in tufts from his restless hands having combed through it to within an inch of his life. A part of him knew it was useless staring at his phone, it wasn’t going to ring until it was going to. It had taken him nearly 7 calls to Ravi’s hand phone before he realized the muffled jingle coming from their bedroom had been coming from the intended device. Of course, he forgets his phone on that night in particular.

Still, he’d been expecting something, a call from the station maybe? Did they still have him there? They hadn’t even told him what station they were being taken to. His gut sank further as the memory came back to him. Rushing through the still crowded theatre once the shock of watching Ravi getting taken had faded enough for him to move. But all he’d seen when he’d made it to the exit was Taekwoon glaring at an officer while he was placed into the back seat of a car. God, he’d actually tried running after it, like his legs could carry him fast enough to keep up.

And no one had been told anything about what had happened. Hongbin had hung around the theatre for another hour to try and find out, but the company line was they were ‘investigating an incident, your cooperation and assistance is appreciated.’ And all he’d got back from sending texts to the Manager Hakyeon had been that something terrible had happened, a disaster, a catastrophe, the very worst thing. The only sense of comfort he’d been able to find was knowing that both Ravi and Taekwoon were alive.

The light on his phone flicked on and he had it in his hands before the ringtone even had a chance to start. An unknown number flashed on the touch screen and swiped his finger across it to answer. “Hello? Ravi-yah? Ravi-yah, is that you?” All the sense of dread and worry that had been boiling inside him all night spilled through.

“Bin-ah.” Relief washed through Hongbin, wave after wave of it until he slumped back against the wall and slid down, his neck just barely propping his head up while his body splayed on the floor. He held the phone to his chest and sighed loudly. “Hongbinnie, are you there?”

“Yes, I’m here, I’m here.” He brought the phone back up but didn’t bother correcting his posture. “Ravi-yah, are you okay? Where are you? Do you need me to come get you? What did the police want? Are you alright? Are you hurt? I’ll come get you, tell me where you are.” There wasn’t a way for him to stop babbling. “I was so worried, I am so worried. Please tell me your okay, Wonsikie.”

The voice at the other end of the line gave a soft sort of laugh, but it sounded so worn. “I’m alright, Binnie. I’m with Taekwoon-ah. Last night, I can’t remember what time it was when I got out of questioning but Taekwoon-ah was there too. We ended up back at his place. I’m sorry I didn’t have my phone, I’m using his. We’re on our way to the apartment, but I thought I should let you know. What?” Hongbin could just barely hear another voice in the background, but it was surely Taekwoon’s. “Taekwoon-ah says to save his number.”

“I will,” Hongbin had to bite his tongue from asking even more questions, that was probably the last thing Ravi needed. It was enough to know that he was safe, and that he was on his way home. “Tell Taekwoon-ah I’m glad he’s alright, will you?” he added as well. They were both okay, Hongbin felt like he could sleep for days knowing that exhaustion from the night long vigil finally hitting him. “Have you ate? Should I make something?” Like rice, he thought dryly, plus he wasn’t sure that he was going to be able to function enough for making anything.

There was another muffled sound and he heard Ravi relay his message, though he didn’t expect anything back considering what he’d learned of Taekwoon. “We’re going to get something for all of us on the way. It shouldn’t take long, we’ll drop by my convenience shop. I want to tell Eunchan-ssi that I might not be in tomorrow.”

“Okay, I’ll,” Hongbin glanced around the room, at the mess he’d made of their tiny space in the span of one night, “be here when you get here.” He needed to clean. “Wonsikie,” his deep voice went quiet, ‘I love you.’ was what he wanted to say, “I’m so glad you’re okay. Come back quickly and safely, okay?”

“We’ll be there soon. Thank you for worrying about me, Bin-ah.” A pause drifted between them, silence waiting to be filled but left empty. “I’m hanging up now,” and the line clicked dead. Hongbin laid the phone on his chest again and took a few deep breaths. It was okay, everything was going to be okay, the words were on repeat in his head.

His eyes wanted to shut, but he knew if he did then he was at terrible risk to sleep. All the frantic energy that had kept him awake was slowly ebbing, but he pulled in a reserve of it so that he could be there to greet them. “Hongbin, get up, you lazy bastard, the living room is a mess,” his words bounced around the room to try and encourage himself, but the floor seemed so much more inviting than moving.

With a stretch of his limbs up into the air he slapped the ground at his sides and pushed himself up into a sitting position before crawling to his feet. Standing took too much effort, but the state of the room was starting to get to him. “Who do you think you are, Hongbin? Wonsik?” The dumb joke was enough to get him to smile and get started picking up his discarded clothes and straightening the cushions on the couch. At least it was something to do keep his mind occupied.

When the lock strip chimed he was already setting out dishes and chopsticks on their little coffee table. A few dishes of their normal kimchi and rice as well, because he had needed more to do. Cleaning such a small place had taken less time than he’d planned. “I’m home,” Ravi called out as the door slid open, slipping out of his shoes with a convenience bag over his arm. Behind him Taekwoon ducked his head in a small greeting as he entered.

Hongbin waited all of five seconds before he launched himself at Ravi, arms wrapping around his friend and holding tight. “You’re so stupid, I’m so mad at you, how could you leave your phone at home?” The words tumbled out of his mouth even while he clung tighter, it was hardly the welcome he’d thought of giving. “I was so worried!” Ravi’s hand came up and down his back but Hongbin merely dropped his head onto his shoulder and hugged him harder before letting go. “Sorry,” he offered a pathetic sort of smile, “I don’t know what came over me.”

“I’m sorry too, Bin-ah,” but Ravi was smiling at him and lifted a hand to run through Hongbin’s already disheveled hair. “You look like , have you been up all night???” He grabbed Hongbin’s face and peered at him. “You didn’t sleep at all, did you, your eyes are all red. Idiot, why did you do that?”

“Yah!” Hongbin batted at his hands and pulled a face of annoyance, “I told you I was worried, idiot.” And two seconds later they were grinning at each other. “Go put your food out.” Hongbin gestured to the table by the couch before squeezing Ravi’s hand tightly once and letting go.

He turned to Taekwoon and offered a smile, dimples popping out. It surprised him when the older man leaned closer to press a light kiss against his lips, and also ran a hand through his hair before pulling back with the same deadpan face he always had. Though all three of them knew that both roommates were seeing the singer, it’d never come across when they were all together. “Taekwoon-ah, I was worried about you too.” Hongbin admitted, drawing his lower lip in under his teeth. “I saw them take you from the theatre. I,” he offered a self-deprecating laugh, “I tried to chase after the car.”

“Sorry I didn’t call.” Taekwoon kissed him again, on the cheek. “Thank you for worrying about me, Hongbin-ah.” A warmness settled into Hongbin’s chest and he ushered the other man the five paces it took to get to the living area where Ravi was already setting out a pile of triangle kimbap and ddeokboki.

For a moment he just watched as Taekwoon made his way to settle at the table, while Ravi bustled around it before plopping down at his spot. A week ago they’d been in the exact same places, but so much had already changed. It almost made his heart hurt to realize how much he liked them there, all three of them, sharing a meal in their tiny cramped space. Even if it was convenience food. A small smile tipped his lips up and he walked to the mini counter in their kitchen to bring over glasses and a carafe of coffee.

Conversation was at a minimum during breakfast, the elephant in the room stood unaddressed but it seemed that was how they all wanted it to stay. Murder and death was hardly the way any of them wanted to start their morning.

“Hongbin-ah?” Ravi eventually reached over the table to nudge his friend whose eyes were drooped almost shut. He set his chopsticks down with a gentle click and stood to walk around the small set. “Who do you think you are, Bin-ah? Me?” He laughed at his own dumb joke and reached down to help his friend stand. “Hongbins require at least six hours of sleep every day, you know that. It said so right in your user’s manual.” It was a testament to how sleepy the other boy must have been because he didn’t even pretend to protest being led to the bedroom. “It’ll just be a minute,” Ravi assured Taekwoon over his shoulder.

The bed was still made, exactly the way he’d seen the previous day when he’d tossed his phone under the pillow. Said traitorous phone was sitting on top of said traitorous pillow, but that wasn’t important at that moment. Hongbin was all but already half passed out by the time he got him to the bed; it was going to be difficult getting him to change into pajamas. “No sleeping yet, Bin-ah, let’s get you changed first.” Ravi moved to his friends extremely organized side of the closet and easily plucked out a pair of sleep pants and a tank top. By the time he’d turned around his friend had already stripped out of his shirt and was working at the catch of his pants.

They got him changed quick enough and Ravi pulled back the bedding so Hongbin could settle in, a rare chance to use the middle of the bed rather than his side, arms over the spread but the rest of him practically hiding underneath. “Glad you’re okay, Wonsikie.” His friend mumbled sleepily before tucking his chin over the covers.

“Go to sleep, Bin-ah.” Ravi smiled and smoothed a hand over the other boy’s forehead. Maybe Hongbin was pretending to be him though; Ravi had never seen his friend drop into sleep so quickly. Already he could see his breaths evening out, the worry line that had been stubbornly resting between his eyes all morning smoothed out. It was until he saw the shadow over the bed that he realized Taekwoon had entered the room as well. “Sorry,” Ravi whispered, looking up from his spot sitting on the side of the bed, “took longer than expected.”

But the other man only shook his head, “you love him.”

“Well, yeah, he’s my best friend. And look at him, nearly worried himself sick and he wasn’t even in trouble. You should have seen him last night, I thought he was going to fight a cop for me.” Ravi grinned and shrugged, missing the meaning of the tone Taekwoon had used. “I don’t think he’d have even been so upset if it happened to him.” It made him almost guilty, he’d been so shocked and paranoid. “I’m lucky.

“Hey, Taekwoon-ah, I don’t want him to wake up alone.” Ravi glanced down at his sleeping friend and back toward the other man. “I think I’m going to stay here with him, okay? Will you be okay? I don’t know what you had planned for the day since the… well you know.” Ravi didn’t want to ruin the moment by mentioning the murder.

To his great surprise, Taekwoon simply edged around to the other side of the bed and lied down next to Hongbin on his side, above the covers. “Okay,” was all he replied before motioning for Ravi to take up the other side of the sleeping boy. Ravi blinked a few times at his boldness, but couldn’t find the words to say. He waited for any sort of prick of jealousy that someone he shared the night with would so easily lie down next to someone else, but instead found only a warmth of gratitude that it seemed Taekwoon cared that much about Hongbin.

Ravi stood and just smiled with a nod, shifting around the room to fetch clothes that were more comfortable. A moments pause as he considered, but Taekwoon had already seen him bare . So, he changed in the room and tossed both his and Hongbin’s clothes into their small hamper. When he looked back, Taekwoon was propped up on his side watching Hongbin’s face silently. “Will you be able to sleep?” Ravi asked quietly, crawling back into the bed on the other side, getting under the covers as well. Being able to sleep was never a matter of question for Ravi.

“Doesn’t matter.” Taekwoon reached over to pull the covers up higher around Ravi, hand resting against his cheek for a moment before slipping back toward his side. On natural instinct, Ravi drew one arm out from under the blanket and reached to catch the retreating hand. He wove the fingers together and lifted his brows at the other man to see if it was alright. When Taekwoon didn’t pull away though, he smiled, and settled their linked fingers over one of Hongbin’s hands. “Go to sleep, Wonsik-ah.” It was only as his eyes were falling shut that he realized Taekwoon had called him by his real name. He kind of liked it.