×Sunghoon's pov×

Sunghoon's laughter died down, replaced by a quiet hum of anticipation. The horror movie, which had initially terrified him into a screaming fit, now held a strange allure.

It wasn't that he'd suddenly become a horror aficionado; it was the peculiar thrill of watching something scary, knowing it was all just a fabrication.

He watched as the protagonist, a young woman named Sarah, stumbled upon a sinister truth about her quaint little town.

A sinister entity lurked beneath the surface, its presence felt in the shadows, whispering through the wind.

"It's probably just a bad dream."

Sunoo muttered beside him, his own apprehension evident in his voice. He was a self-proclaimed horror movie connoisseur, but even he couldn't deny the unsettling atmosphere the film had created.

Sunghoon found himself drawn to the suspense, his eyes glued to the screen, his heart beating a little faster with each eerie sound.

He was no longer afraid, not in the same way. He felt a curious excitement, a mixture of terror and anticipation that kept him on the edge of his seat.

Sunghoon noticed the way Jay clutched the armrests, his knuckles white, while Ni-ki buried his face in a cushion, peeking out occasionally with wide, frightened eyes.

A sudden crash on the television screen made everyone jump. Sarah, fleeing from the unseen entity, had stumbled into a dark room, knocking over a vase. The sound echoed through the living room, momentarily silencing their breathing.

"Oh my God."

Sunoo whispered, clutching his chest. His voice was barely a breath, and his eyes were wide with fear.

Sunghoon was even starting to feel a bit sorry for Sarah, her relentless pursuit of truth leading her into a dangerous, supernatural world.

"She should just leave."

Jungwon muttered, his voice laced with concern. It was like Sarah was their friend at that point.

"Yeah, she's just asking for trouble."

Sunghoon nodded in agreement, finding himself oddly invested in Sarah's fate. He wanted her to survive, to escape the clutches of the evil that haunted her town.

The climax of the movie arrived with a gut-wrenching scene. Sarah, cornered by the entity in a deserted church, fought for her life.

The entity, a shape-shifting demon with glowing red eyes, moved with unnatural speed and agility, its guttural roars echoing through the church.

They held their breaths, their hearts racing. They knew that Sarah was going to lose, that the entity would triumph.

But they couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope, a tiny spark of optimism that she might somehow pull off a miraculous victory.

In the end, however, the demon proved too powerful. Sarah, exhausted and wounded, was consumed by the entity, her final scream fading into the silence of the church.

The movie ended, the credits rolling on the screen. The living room remained silent for a long moment, the weight of the ending settling on them. Then, Sunoo let out a shaky breath, his face pale.

"That was... intense."

He said, his voice still a bit shaky, holding Ni-ki's hand tightly, looking around him.

"Yeah, I think I need a break from horror movies for a while."

Jay agreed, his eyes still fixed on the blank screen. Sunghoon nodded, feeling a strange pang of disappointment. He didn't really like the ending.

"I guess I'll be skipping the horror genre for a bit, too."

He said, his voice softer than he intended. But he just smiled. The movie was more interesting than he expected.

"Well, I think I'll stick to romantic comedies for a while."

Sunoo declared, his voice a mix of relief and lingering fear. Ni-ki, still clinging to him, nodded vigorously, burying his face in Sunoo's chest.

It wasn't that terrifying.

Sunoo laughed softly, the sound a little brittle. He reached up, gently stroking Ni-ki's hair. Ni-ki tightened his grip, his body trembling slightly.

"It was just... the suspense. I couldn't handle it."

He mumbled against Sunoo's shirt. Sunghoon chuckled, but he was feeling something more than jus a third wheel.

When would he find someone to be like that with? To be like Jay and Jungwon, or even better, like Sunoo and Ni-ki.

"Hyung, are you still frightened?"

Jungwon asked, looking at Jay, slowly moving his own hand to Jay's, wanting to hold it.

"Yeah, I'm a little spooked."

Jay admitted, his voice a low murmur. His eyes, however, were focused on Jungwon, taking in the way his lips were slightly parted, the way his brow furrowed in concern.

"But don't worry, baby."

Jay blurted out, the word tumbling from his lips before he could stop it. The room fell silent.

Sunoo and Ni-ki looked at Jay with wide eyes, their earlier fear forgotten in the face of this unexpected development.

Even Sunghoon, who had been staring out the kitchen's window since he got up to get some water, turned back, a hint of surprise in his gaze.

Jungwon swallowed, his cheeks flushing a deep red. Sunghoon was kind of used to Jay calling him that, but not right in front of Jungwon.

Suddenly, the living room didn't feel so menacing anymore. It felt intimate, almost cozy, like a haven.

As they settled back into their positions, Jungwon's hand brushed against his again. This time, Jay didn't hesitate. He took Jungwon's hand in his, their fingers intertwining.

Sunghoon smirked, looking at them. He'd definitely tease Jay about it until him and Jungwon would date.

Which would be a long time, since Jungwon always claimed that he was seeing Jay as a friend only.

"How about we watch... something with a happy ending?"

Sunoo raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at his lips as he wrapped his arm around Ni-ki's shoulders.

"Acting tough, but you're a scaredy-cat, aren't you?"

Ni-ki blushed even deeper, burying his face in Sunoo's chest again, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Don't tease me."

"Guys, I'm still single?"

Sunghoon grumbled, crossing his arms, looking away, pretending to be hurt and jealous.

"So are we?"

Jungwon said, raising his eyebrow, trying to understand what exactly was Sunghoon implying.

"Oh- I mean, yeah, of course you are."

Around two o'clock, when Sunoo and Ni-ki were about to leave, Sunghoon's phone started to ring.

Who the heck?

He looked at his phone, and it was Jake calling. But he would only call this late at night when there was something important going on.

Sunghoon reached out, and grabbed his phone, casually answering Jake's call, still a bit worried.