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“Sure.” I force a light grin, leaning in to peruse the menu with him.

Things are good for now, I tell myself.That’s all I can ask for.

Minseok steps back into his apartment and plops onto one of the kitchen stools. He’s never been one to stress over a relationship, but he really thought Hyeri would be open to defining things by now.

He meant it when he told Hyeri they could start out casual. But he never said he had any intention of staying that way.

Maybe he needs to be more proactive in convincing Hyeri that they can have both their careers and each other. It will be hard, because he isn’t certain he’s fully convinced himself. But still, he has to try. Moon Minseok is someone who thinks it’s worth trying even if the goal feels impossible. That’s how he’s already come so far in his young life.

“Hey, Hyeong.” Jaehyung emerges from his room, carrying an empty bag of chips.

“Was that your dinner?” Minseok frowns, wondering if Hyeri’s right. Maybe he should spend more time here, if only to ensure his members eat more than salty snacks for meals.

“More like an appetizer.” Jaehyung opens the fridge and stares at the contents.

“Any Spam? We could make bokkeumbap.”

“Didn’t you eat at Hyeri-noona’s?”

“Yea but—” Minseok cuts off, turning to eye Jaehyung, who is considering a container of mystery pasta.

“Why do you think I was at Hyeri’s?” he asks carefully.

“Because you’ve been there every day this week,” Jaehyung says, clearly deciding the pasta is safe to eat as he pops the lid and digs in without even heating it.

Minseok sighs. He should have known. Jaehyung is always underestimated due to his resting confused face. It’s what endears him to fans. He seems so innocent. But he’s the most observant of the group. And he’s clearly picked up on what’s going on between Minseok and Hyeri.

“You haven’t told the others, have you?”

Jaehyung shrugs, shoving another spoonful of pasta into his mouth. “If you wanted us to know, you’d tell us.”

Minseok smiles, reminding himself that while astute, Jaehyung also likes to mind his own business. An introvert through and through, he doesn’t like gossip because it means he has to say more than a sentence at a time.

“Does it bother you?” Minseok grabs a mug and fills it with water. He slides it down the counter where Jaehyung catches it and takes a long gulp.

“Do you want my honest opinion?” Jaehyung asks.

“Yes.”

Jaehyung hums thoughtfully, taking another bite of pasta. He is not one to speak thoughtlessly, so he always takes the extra time if he needs it. He figures, if the other person wants a real answer, they should be willing to wait for it.

Finally, he takes a sip of water to clear his throat and says, “I think I was actually surprised nothing ever happened between you two before. But when it didn’t, I also thought you’d both moved on.”

“Well, we clearly haven’t.” Minseok grabs a mug for himself to fill with water, suddenly parched. He feels slightly uncomfortable talking about this. The relationship with Hyeri still feels too delicate. He’s worried that overanalyzing it will show the cracks. “I think I’ve liked her since before we even debuted. But it just wasn’t a good time to start something.”

Jaehyung looks surprised, then he gives one of his slow smiles. The kind that takes a minute to spread, but that any Jaehyung bias can tell you is worth the wait.

“Then I’m happy for you. I like you and Hyeri together.”

“Wow, really?” Jongdae steps into the kitchen. The look of anger on his face unmistakable. He no longer needs the assistance of a crutch, but the boot he wears makes his gait uneven. “You seriously gave me so much shit about not telling you that I was dating Sooyeon and you’re in a secret relationship?”

“It’s not a secret and it’s not a full relationship,” Minseok says.

Derision flashes across Jongdae’s handsome features.

Jaehyung gives a careful cough, as if to remind them he’s still there. “Hyeong, if it’s still new, maybe Minseok-hyeong just needed time—”

“That’s not the point. You acted all high-and-mighty at the beginning of the summer about how I screwed things up.” He jabs a finger into Minseok’s chest.