Younghoon and Qiang are the closest for a reason
"Where's Donghyun?" Younghoon asked as he plopped down on the couch. They had their morning and most of their afternoon free today before they would need to go to a prerecording. "Last I saw he was still sleeping," Kevin shrugged, eyes trained on the TV.
Younghoon furrowed his brow. Qiang was usually the first one awake out of all of them no matter how late they had slept the day before. It wasn't like him to lay in bed all day. He liked to be on his feet and doing something. Usually he would've spent most of his day today at the company's gym.
"I checked on him earlier," Kevin said without averting his gaze, "Tried to get him to get up and play some video games with me. Even offered to go to the gym with him. He said he just didn't sleep good and wanted to nap before we had to go to schedule tonight. I told Sangyeon hyung. I don't know what to do."
Younghoon sighed and stood up, patting Kevin's shoulder. "Don't worry, he'll be okay. I'll go drag him out of bed right now if I have to." Younghoon sauntered down the hallway, chewing the inside of his cheek. All of them knew how badly being away from home this long was affecting him. He usually did a good job of hiding it or distracting himself from it. Though the past few weeks seemed to be an uptake on things his family was doing that he couldn't be there for.
Younghoon didn't bother knocking on the door and walked into the room. The curtains were still drawn—a sliver of sunlight peeking through. Sure enough, there was a lump on Qiang's bed still while the all the others were made. Younghoon flipped on the light and snorted when he heard Qiang groan.
He sat himself at the edge of the better, leaning back against the older boy. "Can you shut the light off? I'm sleeping." He mumbled. "That so?" Younghoon asked, making no attempt to move. Qiang let out a frustrated sigh. "What do you want, Hoon?"
"You to get out of bed and come watch TV with me and Kevin." Qiang didn't say anything but he did peek his head over his shoulder to glare at the tall boy using his back as a chair. "I don't want to watch TV, I want to sleep. Now, please get off me and let me."
"Nope," Younghoon replied, popping the 'p'. "You're sad and moping and that's okay, but I'm not going to let you be sad and mopey by yourself." Qiang groaned again but didn't make an attempt to push him off or ask him to leave him alone.
"I'm not sad and mopey," he muttered like a child pouting. Younghoon flipped himself around so his chin was resting on Qiang's hip. "Oh, you most definitely are. You have been for a while. You're just not hiding it now."
"How would you even know?" Qiang snapped and Younghoon smirked at him. "Soulmates. I know everything. I could practically feel it all month." Qiang simply sighed again and Younghoon adjusted him to that he was laying on his back now and Younghoon could lay his head on his stomach.
"I'll be okay, Younghoon-ah," he said quietly, "Its just been hard not being there for things the past few weeks. I'll get over it." Younghoon quirked a brow. "You mean you'll be able to go back to ignoring it and compartmentalizing it thinking that none of us know how much it really is hurting you?"
"I hate you," Qiang growled. Younghoon let out a small laugh, pulling his phone out and opening up the racing game they all played together when waiting to go on stage. "You don't. Come on, log on. I want to play."
"Play by yourself."
"It's boring by myself. I can beat the computer."
"Play online with others."
"I don't like strangers."
Qiang looked at the black-haired boy in disbelief as he only just grinned back at him. "Hyung! C'mon! Play with me!" Running his hands over his face, Qiang snatched his phone from the charger. "Fine. Only one game. Then I want to sleep." Younghoon winked at him.
The two played one game and then that turned into another and an hour later they were both furiously tapping at their phone screens, sitting straight up in his bed. "That's cheating! You can't do that!" Qiang glared at him and Younghoon only smirked. "It's not cheating if we both know how to do it. Not my fault you didn't use it."
Qiang threw his phone down, crossing his arms over his chest. "This is dumb. I want to sleep. Get out now." He started pushing Younghoon off the bed with his feet. "But we have to get ready now!" Younghoon called out, "We're leaving in a little bit. You don't want to be the last one to shower."
Qiang groaned, not realizing just how long he had lost himself in the stupid car racing game with Younghoon. Younghoon stood up and brushed the imaginary dust off his jeans. "Last one to the bathroom pays for dinner tonight!" Younghoon turned and sprinted out of the room as Qiang flew out from under his covers.
"You have long legs! That's not fair!"
Younghoon was already in the bathroom and brushing his teeth with a smile. Qiang glared at him. Not only was he now never going to hear the end of him losing at their racing game; he was going to be forced to listen to it while Younghoon ordered everything off the menu.
"I'm thinking BBQ tonight, hyung. How about you?" Younghoon winked and Qiang only rolled his eyes. "Fine." Younghoon beamed at him and squeezed his shoulders. "I knew you'd agree!" He sauntered out of the bathroom but not before Qiang quietly called his name.
"Thanks," he murmured and Younghoon smiled warmly.
"It's a soulmate thing, hyung. No need to thank me."
