Hidden | YEONGYU/BEOMJUN

03

Beomgyu was sitting on the armrest of the couch, arms crossed, lips pushed into a pout that was definitely more dramatic than necessary, as his family scurried around the living room grabbing last-minute bags.

His dad was carrying a cooler of food, mom was fussing over Beomgyu's youngest sibling's hair, and his other siblings were fighting over who would get the window seat.

"Beomgyu, are you sure you're not coming to grandma's today?" his mom asked for the third time, turning to him with a worried frown.

"I'm tired, mom," Beomgyu whined, wiggling his socked toes. "My feet feel like they're falling off from all the dance practices, and I need to finish my essay too."

His dad raised an eyebrow, looking at him over the cooler. "You're going to burn down the house, aren't you?"

Beomgyu's lips twitched into a smirk, trying to hide it behind his hand. "Okay, dad."

His dad sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Your Yeonjun hyung is watching you from his apartment, Beomgyu."

The smirk only widened, and Beomgyu tried to hide the way his cheeks warmed at the mention of Yeonjun's name. His dad narrowed his eyes.

"I know you're planning something," his dad warned, adjusting the cooler in his arms. "Don't. Yeonjun is family now. He's been so much help around here. Stop holding a grudge on him."

"Yeah, yeah," Beomgyu sang, hopping off the couch as he went to kiss his three siblings goodbye, ruffling their hair, ignoring the way they shoved him off with yells of, "Ew! Hyung!"

"Bye!" Beomgyu waved, bouncing on his heels as they all filed out the door, his mom giving him one last worried look before sighing, "Don't skip meals, Gyu-ah."

Beomgyu gave them a two-handed wave, watching the family car pull out of the driveway, the rumble of the engine fading as they turned the corner, leaving Beomgyu standing alone on the porch, the early summer breeze ruffling his hair.

As soon as the car disappeared, Beomgyu let out a whoop, spinning on his heel as he dashed back inside.

The house felt huge when it was quiet.

It was still morning, sunlight streaming through the curtains, the ticking of the kitchen clock the only sound as Beomgyu flopped onto the couch, scrolling through his phone.

He checked the window across the street, expecting to see Yeonjun's silhouette by his window, maybe waving or sending him a teasing smile, but it was empty.

"Where the hell are you, life line?" Beomgyu mumbled, hugging a pillow, letting his legs dangle off the armrest.

Hours passed, and Beomgyu found himself sprawled on his bed, face pressed into his pillow, mind drifting between naps, his limbs heavy with laziness.

And then, well—he was a teenage boy alone in the house.

He rolled onto his back, cheeks flushed as he let his hand slip under the waistband of his shorts, biting down on his lip as he let out a shaky sigh, the room suddenly feeling too warm.

His mind, despite trying to wander, kept coming back to Yeonjun, the way he looked when he laughed, the way he smelled when he hugged him, the softness in his eyes when he looked at Beomgyu like he was the only person in the world.

His breath came out in stuttering pants, hips lifting off the bed as he let himself fall apart, his mind clouding with thoughts of Yeonjun, Yeonjun, Yeonjun—

And then—

Knock knock.

Beomgyu's eyes snapped open, a groan tearing from his throat. You've got to be kidding me.