Taeyong stared at the clock with a set expression.

Taeil, sitting beside him on the sofa, saw his expression. "Taeyong," he began warningly.

"No," Taeyong got up, taking off his jacket. "This is it. I am so sick of this. If he doesn't want to have dinner with me, he should have just said so."

"He's busy, Tae," Taeil said, reaching for his hand. "Things happen. Let him explain."

"He's not busy. Night Night didn't even happen today. Everybody is out having fun while I'm here wasting yet another Friday night waiting and waiting, as usual."

Taeil laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "Not everybody is out and about. Doyoung is sleeping in and Johnny is practicing. I wonder where Yuta and Winwin are though."

"They're probably out having fun like other normal people!" Taeyong said.

His friend sighed. "What did Jae reply?"

"I didn't text him. Why should I text him as if all I have to do is sit around, begging for his attention? Can't he just be on time for once? You know what, I'm going out."

"Taeyong, Taeyong, wait, let me call Johnny. He'll know what to do."

Taeyong rubbed his eyes and sat down. "I was so excited for tonight. So excited."

The living room was quiet.

"Come on, let's go to your favourite restaurant. My treat," Taeil said, softly.

"I appreciate what you're doing but seriously I am in no mood for pity. Just go sleep," Taeyong replied, laying back on the sofa, covering his eyes with an arm.

Taeil stood up. "Have something to eat at least."

"Go away."

Taeil went to his room and looked around, wondering what to do. He picked up his phone and scrolled to Jaehyun's number. In the early days when no one else, not even the two themselves, had realized what was happening, it was Taeil who had noticed how much Taeyong and Jaehyun enjoyed spending time together. It was Taeil who had told Taeyong to go for it, knowing that Jaehyun would take ages to say something. And it was Taeil who listened to all of Taeyong's worries about Jaehyun. He had encouraged Taeyong so much but now he felt if he had messed up somewhere. Taeyong was miserable.

Things had begun to change around the Cherry Bomb release when their ratings went up and people started taking note, giving attention even when it wasn't welcomed. If it was Taeyong who was beginning to hold himself up against the sea of cameras, Jaehyun was the one who withdrew himself inwards. He had admitted once, just once, to Taeyong that the cameras made him awkward, that the shiny lenses felt weird sometimes.

Taeil knew how much every member suddenly began to value his own private lives and apart from his roommates and Taeyong who sought him out himself, he gave as much space as possible to the others, not interfering in their lives overly. He closed his eyes and breathed out. Maybe what he was about to do was interfering too but he had to do something.

He pressed the call button.

"Hello, Jaehyun?"

-

When the bell rang, Taeil sat up, feeling an overwhelming sense of unease. It had been nearly an hour since he had called Jaehyun to tell him, simply, that Taeyong was waiting for him. He had kept the call short but later he had worried if he had done right to call Jae without asking Taeyong.

Outside, the dorm door opened and Jaehyun stepped in. The living room was swathed in darkness and Taeyong watched him silently as he made his way to the leader's bedroom.

Not finding him inside, Jaehyun walked back into the living room slowly.

Taeyong's voice was low when he spoke up. "So, you're back home."

Jaehyun jumped slightly and peered into the darkness. He switched on the lights with a slight chuckle. "I didn't see you there."

Taeyong didn't say anything from his place on the sofa.

"You should have slept," Jaehyun began softly.

"I should have," Taeyong agreed shortly.

Jaehyun walked to him. "You're upset."

Taeyong let out a cold laugh. "No, no, I'm not. I'm just happy to sit here and wait for you for four hours! It's not as if I had anything better to do."

"Don't be like that," Jaehyun said in a tired voice, stung by his words.

"Sure, let's just pretend like always that everything is okay. After all, this has become standard behaviour for you. You know what, let's stop planning Friday nights. It's clear you're not into it."

Jaehyun drew back, frowning. "You're overreacting, Taeyong. I'm just a bit late. We can still go."

"I'm tired," Taeyong said, getting up to cross the room.

Jaehyun caught his hand. "Okay, but don't say I didn't ask later."

Taeyong pulled his hand away. "I'm not going to say anything."

Jaehyun watched him walk to his room, jaw ticking furiously. Making up his mind, he followed him inside. "You know, it's not as if you've never cancelled Friday plans."

"I have always had a valid reason," Taeyong replied angrily.

"So my reasons aren't valid? Seriously, you're something. Let me remind you, we didn't go for a month because of the sasaengs you spotted and all the manager business that came up because of that," Jaehyun said, equally angrily.

"Are we going to forget that it was you who was bothered by sasaengs following us around to the restaurant? I didn't see you stopping me from complaining to the managers then. Besides, I always give you a heads-up before itself. I've never made you sit for hours in anticipation only to be disappointed later."

"Wow, you really have no idea."

"Where were you today?" Taeyong asked, blinking.

Jaehyun's head dropped slightly. "I-I was out with some friends. I lost track of ti—"

"Well, you can go back to them." He added, under his breath, "Fucking friends!"

Jaehyun was quick to pick it. "So, I can't have friends now?"

"I never said that."

"No, but that's what you mean, right? You can go around with Seungcheol and the others and have a ton of fun but god forbid I get late because of my friends one day."

"Why are you bringing Seungcheol into this?"

"Why can't I?"

"He has nothing to do with this. It's your fault tonight and you know that."

Jaehyun clenched his fist. "Yeah, be cowardly and put the blame on me. Helps you sleep at night I suppose. I wish you had just pretended to sleep like last time so I wouldn't have had to listen to all this crap. I was happy before I came here."

Taeyong stared at him, both of them breathing heavily. Disappointment was etched across his face. "Noted."

Someone banged the bedroom door from outside. It was Doyoung hollering, "You guys are shouting too much. What's happening?"

"Forget about Friday plans from now on," Taeyong said, in a surprisingly calm voice.

Jaehyun nodded tightly and stormed out of the room. Doyoung tried to stop and ask him what was happening but he interrupted him with a curt, "Fuck off."

He was aware that Taeil was watching him from his room and that Mark was staring at him with an almost scared, apprehensive look from the dorm door. The bedroom door banged shut behind him.

Doyoung motioned towards Mark. "It's okay. They'll get over it. Let's go sleep." But his eyes were worried as he and Taeil exchanged glances.

[ bet you all didn't see that coming  >_<  it was so heartbreaking to write this chapter!

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? WE WANT TO KNOW. so don't forget to VOTE and COMMENT.

thank you for reading this, we adore you.

love, positive vibes and friends like taeil~~ ]