[DRABBLES] I Won't Say
Title: I Won't Say. (5 times in which Eli and Alexander tried to ignore the UST between them + 1 in which they couldn't)
Group: U-Kiss
Pairing: Elixander (Eli/Alexander).
Rating: PG-15.
Warning: Bad English, lameness, language.
Summary: Prompt by ukissprompts.
N/A: Disney reference in the title, anyone? :D
#1.
U-Kiss was coming back from their successful hallyu concert in the Philippines; it had been fun, but also tiring as hell. When they found out that the flight back to Korea, thanks to the current not-very-touristic season, was almost empty, which gave them the chance to relax for during the way back. ‘Relax’ meaning ‘sleep like a dead person’, of course. The only one who hadn’t been able to even close his eyes was Alexander, restless for some reason; he’d be awfully tired when he got home, he knew that, but he just couldn’t sleep at that moment.
You know who could, and who was, sleeping since they had sat down? Eli. Eli was seating beside Alexander and seemed to be immersed in a deep state of comma. Alexander had already taken a picture to blackmail him later, grinning deviously while doing so, but now he couldn’t do anything funnier at him than just observe, so he was watching. Watching that prince-like face sleep, watching the calm puffs of breath that came in and out through his parted, rosy lips.
Alexander crinkled his nose slightly. People are not supposed to breathe through their mouths, but through their noses, right? So… he should probably close Eli’s mouth or he would wake up with his mouth dry, right? Careful not to awake him, Alexander held Eli’s chin delicately and slowly closed his mouth, gently pushing his lower lip with his thumb.
A flash of light attracted his attention; in the seat right in front of theirs, Kibum was kneeling on his seat and leaning over the backrest, pointing a camera to Alexander and Eli.
“Busted~” Kibum chanted victoriously, retreating to his seat with a devilish chuckle. Just then Alexander noticed that he was holding Eli’s chin as if he was going to kiss him, and also that, thanks to Kibum’s flash, Eli had waken up.
They stared at each other for a fleeting moment.
“Y-you were breathing through your mouth,” Alexander was quick in defending himself, releasing his soft grip on Eli’s chin to turn to the plane’s window right beside him. Eli blinked.
“Um, thanks. My nose is congested,” he got up. “I’ll be right back.”
And he walked to the toilet.
Alexander hated how Kibum seemed to be laughing at him.
#2.
It’s Kevin’s and Soohyun’s idea, to throw a surprise party for Kibum to celebrate the opening of HnB media. Kibum had been absurdly excited with the whole thing, and U-Kiss wanted to show that they supported HnB too; any better way than surprise him with a party? No, Kevin and Soohyun would say. No objections were made by the rest of U-Kiss, so they elaborated a very minute plan to surprise the man who never was surprised and scheduled everything to Saturday. Eli would drive the van - which Manager hyung lent with suspicion - and pick everybody up, with the food; then, they’d head to Kibum’s apartment, which would be Kibum-free (assured by his mother) and organize everything.
On Saturday, the plan was going on smoothly; they were now about to pick the last person, Alexander, who had the biggest amount of food stored in his apartment.
“Eli, ring the doorbell,” Soohyun asked when they arrived at Alexander’s apartment.
“Why me?” Eli objected. He was not very fond of ringing doorbells.
“Because you arrived first,” Dongho pointed out, taking Soohyun’s side.
They became engaged in a small argument, Eli not wanting to ring the doorbell and the rest of them telling him to ring the damn doorbell already. At a certain point, Eli leaned against the door, almost giving up, but at that exact moment the door was opened and he fell into the apartment… or better, right onto a pair of arms. Alexander’s arms.
When he looked up and saw Alexander’s face looking back at him, he quickly got up, cleaning his throat embarrassedly.
“You guys made such a ruckus that you didn’t even need to ring the doorbell,” Alexander chuckled and looked slyly at Eli. “But, you know, none of you should be embarrassed to ring the doorbell. Especially you, Eli.”
While Eli ducked his head down, blushing embarrassedly, the rest of them shared a confused look, but Alexander had already went back inside, leaving the door open and talking loudly about the food, obviously waiting for them to follow him. They did.
Meanwhile, Alexander was killing himself inwardly. He should learn how to watch his goddamn mouth.
#3.
“You’re in a bad mood,” Kevin stated as the recording of Pops In Seoul was over and they exited the booth. The affirmation had been directed to Alexander, who had a very blank and slightly scary expression on. “What happened? Something’s wrong?”
“Wrong? No, not at all,” dismissed Alexander with a hand gesture. However, his face told the truth. “I’m all normal. I’m okay.”
Eli passed through them, giving a small wave while talking to the phone very happily, and Kevin was endlessly surprised when he saw Alexander’s eyes shooting balls of fire at Eli’s back and he understood.
“Don’t tell me you’re angry at Eli,” he said incredulously, crossing his arms while staring at his older friend with wide eyes. Alexander raised an eyebrow at him.
“Why would I be angry at Eli?” he threw back with a hint of disdain in his voice. “Because he’s cheesy to his girlfriends? Because he’s stupid when it comes to girls? I’d be an idiot if I were angry at him because of this. I’m fine, believe me.”
Kevin just waited until Alexander turned his back to him to make his ultimate face of frustration. He was getting truly sick of that.
#4.
“Awww~ so cute together! Alvin is the best! <3”
I love Alvin sooooooo much! They were made for each other >.<”
“When will the wedding be? Kekekeke Alvin hwaiting!! ^^”
Kevin doesn’t quite know why Eli had been so snappy at him lately. He didn’t do anything wrong to the older boy, so there was no clear reason at all. Unless it was… that. No, it was impossible. Eli certainly wasn’t stupid enough to be affected by that, was he? Was he?
He gets all over Dongho for a week, anyway. Just in case. Dongho suffocates.
#5.
In the night when U-Kiss goes to a noraebang, in order to celebrate the end of recordings for their new album, Soohyun manages to convince Eli to sing a Ne-Yo song. It’s not an easy task, trust me; Eli is very reluctant to sing, even though he knows the lyrics for that song by heart, because he’s a rapper and rappers can’t sing and that’s a fact. Soohyun takes none of that and keep insisting until he finally gives up and grabs the microphone, somewhat embarrassed.
“You’re the best thing I never knew I needed~” he sings the chorus very seriously, trying his best. Dongho and Kevin do the cheering, making impressed ‘oh’s and high-pitched ‘Eli oppa!’s to encourage him. “But now it’s so clear~ I need you here, always~”
The only reason why Soohyun insisted was to have a laugh. Not at Eli’s singing, of course, he was pretty decent at that actually; no, it was to have a laugh at Alexander’s face while he watched Eli. He had his eyes fixed on the other rapper, completely dazed, with a dreamy smile and little hearts in his eyes.
Ridiculous, just as much as it was cute.
+1.
‘Finally’ was the word of the day. Finally, they were filming their new MV. Finally, Kevin had his hair black again (by Kibum). Finally, everybody was full of energy, even though it was obviously going to be tiring. And finally, finally, finally Eli and Alexander had been struck really, really hard by their own UST.
It happens, of course, because of the outfits. In a moment, Eli is joking around with Kevin, asking him if he was looking hot even with his lip bleeding, etc. In the next, Alexander’s comes out the make-up booth, fully prepared to shoot the MV and Eli freezes, just like Alexander does when he sees Eli. The absurdly intense blush that invaded Eli’s face, the way how Alexander blinked multiple times, as if trying to see through an illusion, it was absolutely ridiculous. Soohyun had to bite Kibum’s elbow to remain silent and not burst out in laughter for apparently no reason.
Finally, they actually realized it.
“Look at him,” Kibum says to Soohyun while they wait for Eli to be done with his solo shoot featuring Alexander’s friend. But they are not watching Eli, no sir. They are watching the way how Alexander’s knee is trembling, how strong is his grip on his water bottle and how his general body language just says ‘I’m going to fucking kill this fucking bitch’ in very clear words. “I hope his friend is not in danger, you know. He does look a bit too perilous.”
“It’s Eli who’s going to feel it. And I dare to say that he’ll quite like it, too,” Soohyun commented, smiling slyly. Ah, it was like watching a soap-opera. “Alexander doesn’t seem the type who’s usually in for rough sex, but I guess that, judging by his face, he can make an exception today.”
The director shouted action, so they shushed for a moment. Eli looked seductively at the girl from very close, even hovering his lips over hers. Soohyun nudged Kibum strongly, discreetly pointing to Alexander and making two horns over his head, as if saying that Alexander was turning into the Devil from anger. No one could actually say he was lying. The look in Alexander’s eyes was purely murderous.
“I bet two boxes of ppeppero that they’ll shag each other before we are done with the shooting today,” Kibum whispered to Soohyun as soon as the director said ‘cut’. Soohyun shook his head, humming negatively.
“I bet three that it’ll be tonight, as soon as we’re finished, in the changing room,” he said. “So I suggest you that we go change in the bathroom or something.”
“I bet three boxes of ppeppero and two cans of candy cane soda that it’ll take them 24 hours,” a new voice entered the conversation. It was Kevin, looking very disdainful with his gothic-chick style on. “You hyungs have no idea of how these two can be slow, really.”
“Oh, Kevin, you’re underestimating the power of UST,” Soohyun said very wisely. “Look at Alexander hyung. Look at the intensity in his eyes. He’s on his verge, I can sense it.”
“Still,” Kevin was firm. “I believe that, tomorrow, when everything will be already finished, Eli hyung will suddenly snap, drive to Alexander hyung’s apartment and kiss him senseless before even saying ‘hi’. I’m pretty sure it’ll go that way.”
“Guys,” Kiseop joined the conversation, whispering very secretively. “Is it just me or Eli is giving Alexander hyung looks that could totally rape him alone?”
Everybody facepalmed. Heodang Kiseop scores once again.
“It’s not just you, Kiseop. Actually, you don’t know half of the story yet,” Kibum said, shaking his head and chuckling. Then, he discreetly pointed at Eli, who was watching Alexander getting ready to his own solo shoot while muttering something frantically. “Can someone read what he’s saying? I’m curious.”
“Bet everything that it’s something along the lines of ‘he’s so damn fine, I want to sex him up’,” Kiseop said, shaking his head. “I knew that there was something shady in his head, y’know.”
“Guys, are you actually catching what Eli hyung is saying?” To everyone’s surprise, Dongho joined the chat too, apparently laughing his head off. “These two! Honestly, it gives me second-handed embarrassment.”
“You can actually make out what he’s saying?” Soohyun frowned. Dongho nodded.
“A friend of mine volunteers in a clynic for deaf kids and he taught me how to read lips,” he said.
“Well, then, translate it to us,” asked Kiseop, also hit by curiosity.
“It’s in English. I’ll do my best to translate it live,” Dongho compromised. “’How can’ uh? Oh, right, ‘how can someone look so hot in black, really, does he’, um, ‘does even know it? Does he even know how,’ wait… AH! ‘how motherfucking good he-“
“He actually used this word?” Kibum was about to laugh again. “Oh my.”
“He began rambling too fast,” Dongho curved his eyebrows in a sad expression, but his smile told everyone that he was holding laughter down. “Poor hyung. I hope he’ll get lucky tonight~.”
“Maknae! You’re too young to say these things!” Soohyun eomma exclaimed, scandalized.
“By ‘lucky’ I mean a kiss, hyung. What did you think I was talking about?” even though Soohyun bought it, Kevin felt the urge to laugh when he noticed how sarcastic the sentence had been. “Because-oh, hyung is coming, change the subject.”
“But I actually loved biology when I was in high school, Dongho!” Kibum, the quickest thinker among them, rapidly commented as Alexander got near them. “You just have to give it a chance!”
“Botany is the worst subject ever, but the rest is actually pretty cool,” to everyone’s surprise, heodang Kiseop followed suit. One could believe he wasn’t even faking it. Wait. He probably wasn’t… “When I was studying cytology, I used to paint all my cells with crayon. My notebook was so colorful…”
“Hey, people,” Alexander greeted them casually. “Why are you all gathered there?”
“Dongho was talking about school,” Kevin said, pinching Dongho’s cheeks for a greater effect. “Whose the next solo shot is?”
“I don’t know,” he said simply, looking around. They all counted mentally. Three… two… one… “Hm, why are we missing a member?”
“You mean Eli?” Kibum looked around too, playing innocent very well. “He’s probably in the changing room. The make-up on his lip is bothering him.”
“Oh, I see,” Alexander faked disinterest. Kevin almost jumped when he heard the director calling him. “So, I’ll see with Manager hyung if I can grab some food. Anyone interested?”
Soohyun, Kiseop, Kibum and Dongho shook their heads at the same time. Alexander just mumbled an ‘okay then’, going away, and they almost laughed out loud when they realized that he wasn’t going to where Manager hyung was, but to the changing room’s general direction.
“May the Lord enlighten these two,” Kibum raised his hands. “Or they might go actually insane.”
Soohyun wins the bet.
All of them have to go change in the bathroom, but they’re more relieved than annoyed by this fact, since they know they’ll be seeing better days from that night on: no more creepy sideway glances, no more awkward coughs when arms brushed, no more that stiff ‘hahaha’ embarrassed laughter of Eli’s or Alexander’s loud voice piercing their ears with sentences full of denial. They’re pretty optimistic about it, yes.
Few days later, Soohyun gives Eli one of the ppeppero boxes he earned in the bet, suggesting him to play the ppeppero game with Alexander. The way how his face lights up is hilarious.
Group: U-Kiss
Pairing: Elixander (Eli/Alexander).
Rating: PG-15.
Warning: Bad English, lameness, language.
Summary: Prompt by ukissprompts.
N/A: Disney reference in the title, anyone? :D
#1.
U-Kiss was coming back from their successful hallyu concert in the Philippines; it had been fun, but also tiring as hell. When they found out that the flight back to Korea, thanks to the current not-very-touristic season, was almost empty, which gave them the chance to relax for during the way back. ‘Relax’ meaning ‘sleep like a dead person’, of course. The only one who hadn’t been able to even close his eyes was Alexander, restless for some reason; he’d be awfully tired when he got home, he knew that, but he just couldn’t sleep at that moment.
You know who could, and who was, sleeping since they had sat down? Eli. Eli was seating beside Alexander and seemed to be immersed in a deep state of comma. Alexander had already taken a picture to blackmail him later, grinning deviously while doing so, but now he couldn’t do anything funnier at him than just observe, so he was watching. Watching that prince-like face sleep, watching the calm puffs of breath that came in and out through his parted, rosy lips.
Alexander crinkled his nose slightly. People are not supposed to breathe through their mouths, but through their noses, right? So… he should probably close Eli’s mouth or he would wake up with his mouth dry, right? Careful not to awake him, Alexander held Eli’s chin delicately and slowly closed his mouth, gently pushing his lower lip with his thumb.
A flash of light attracted his attention; in the seat right in front of theirs, Kibum was kneeling on his seat and leaning over the backrest, pointing a camera to Alexander and Eli.
“Busted~” Kibum chanted victoriously, retreating to his seat with a devilish chuckle. Just then Alexander noticed that he was holding Eli’s chin as if he was going to kiss him, and also that, thanks to Kibum’s flash, Eli had waken up.
They stared at each other for a fleeting moment.
“Y-you were breathing through your mouth,” Alexander was quick in defending himself, releasing his soft grip on Eli’s chin to turn to the plane’s window right beside him. Eli blinked.
“Um, thanks. My nose is congested,” he got up. “I’ll be right back.”
And he walked to the toilet.
Alexander hated how Kibum seemed to be laughing at him.
#2.
It’s Kevin’s and Soohyun’s idea, to throw a surprise party for Kibum to celebrate the opening of HnB media. Kibum had been absurdly excited with the whole thing, and U-Kiss wanted to show that they supported HnB too; any better way than surprise him with a party? No, Kevin and Soohyun would say. No objections were made by the rest of U-Kiss, so they elaborated a very minute plan to surprise the man who never was surprised and scheduled everything to Saturday. Eli would drive the van - which Manager hyung lent with suspicion - and pick everybody up, with the food; then, they’d head to Kibum’s apartment, which would be Kibum-free (assured by his mother) and organize everything.
On Saturday, the plan was going on smoothly; they were now about to pick the last person, Alexander, who had the biggest amount of food stored in his apartment.
“Eli, ring the doorbell,” Soohyun asked when they arrived at Alexander’s apartment.
“Why me?” Eli objected. He was not very fond of ringing doorbells.
“Because you arrived first,” Dongho pointed out, taking Soohyun’s side.
They became engaged in a small argument, Eli not wanting to ring the doorbell and the rest of them telling him to ring the damn doorbell already. At a certain point, Eli leaned against the door, almost giving up, but at that exact moment the door was opened and he fell into the apartment… or better, right onto a pair of arms. Alexander’s arms.
When he looked up and saw Alexander’s face looking back at him, he quickly got up, cleaning his throat embarrassedly.
“You guys made such a ruckus that you didn’t even need to ring the doorbell,” Alexander chuckled and looked slyly at Eli. “But, you know, none of you should be embarrassed to ring the doorbell. Especially you, Eli.”
While Eli ducked his head down, blushing embarrassedly, the rest of them shared a confused look, but Alexander had already went back inside, leaving the door open and talking loudly about the food, obviously waiting for them to follow him. They did.
Meanwhile, Alexander was killing himself inwardly. He should learn how to watch his goddamn mouth.
#3.
“You’re in a bad mood,” Kevin stated as the recording of Pops In Seoul was over and they exited the booth. The affirmation had been directed to Alexander, who had a very blank and slightly scary expression on. “What happened? Something’s wrong?”
“Wrong? No, not at all,” dismissed Alexander with a hand gesture. However, his face told the truth. “I’m all normal. I’m okay.”
Eli passed through them, giving a small wave while talking to the phone very happily, and Kevin was endlessly surprised when he saw Alexander’s eyes shooting balls of fire at Eli’s back and he understood.
“Don’t tell me you’re angry at Eli,” he said incredulously, crossing his arms while staring at his older friend with wide eyes. Alexander raised an eyebrow at him.
“Why would I be angry at Eli?” he threw back with a hint of disdain in his voice. “Because he’s cheesy to his girlfriends? Because he’s stupid when it comes to girls? I’d be an idiot if I were angry at him because of this. I’m fine, believe me.”
Kevin just waited until Alexander turned his back to him to make his ultimate face of frustration. He was getting truly sick of that.
#4.
“Awww~ so cute together! Alvin is the best! <3”
I love Alvin sooooooo much! They were made for each other >.<”
“When will the wedding be? Kekekeke Alvin hwaiting!! ^^”
Kevin doesn’t quite know why Eli had been so snappy at him lately. He didn’t do anything wrong to the older boy, so there was no clear reason at all. Unless it was… that. No, it was impossible. Eli certainly wasn’t stupid enough to be affected by that, was he? Was he?
He gets all over Dongho for a week, anyway. Just in case. Dongho suffocates.
#5.
In the night when U-Kiss goes to a noraebang, in order to celebrate the end of recordings for their new album, Soohyun manages to convince Eli to sing a Ne-Yo song. It’s not an easy task, trust me; Eli is very reluctant to sing, even though he knows the lyrics for that song by heart, because he’s a rapper and rappers can’t sing and that’s a fact. Soohyun takes none of that and keep insisting until he finally gives up and grabs the microphone, somewhat embarrassed.
“You’re the best thing I never knew I needed~” he sings the chorus very seriously, trying his best. Dongho and Kevin do the cheering, making impressed ‘oh’s and high-pitched ‘Eli oppa!’s to encourage him. “But now it’s so clear~ I need you here, always~”
The only reason why Soohyun insisted was to have a laugh. Not at Eli’s singing, of course, he was pretty decent at that actually; no, it was to have a laugh at Alexander’s face while he watched Eli. He had his eyes fixed on the other rapper, completely dazed, with a dreamy smile and little hearts in his eyes.
Ridiculous, just as much as it was cute.
+1.
‘Finally’ was the word of the day. Finally, they were filming their new MV. Finally, Kevin had his hair black again (by Kibum). Finally, everybody was full of energy, even though it was obviously going to be tiring. And finally, finally, finally Eli and Alexander had been struck really, really hard by their own UST.
It happens, of course, because of the outfits. In a moment, Eli is joking around with Kevin, asking him if he was looking hot even with his lip bleeding, etc. In the next, Alexander’s comes out the make-up booth, fully prepared to shoot the MV and Eli freezes, just like Alexander does when he sees Eli. The absurdly intense blush that invaded Eli’s face, the way how Alexander blinked multiple times, as if trying to see through an illusion, it was absolutely ridiculous. Soohyun had to bite Kibum’s elbow to remain silent and not burst out in laughter for apparently no reason.
Finally, they actually realized it.
“Look at him,” Kibum says to Soohyun while they wait for Eli to be done with his solo shoot featuring Alexander’s friend. But they are not watching Eli, no sir. They are watching the way how Alexander’s knee is trembling, how strong is his grip on his water bottle and how his general body language just says ‘I’m going to fucking kill this fucking bitch’ in very clear words. “I hope his friend is not in danger, you know. He does look a bit too perilous.”
“It’s Eli who’s going to feel it. And I dare to say that he’ll quite like it, too,” Soohyun commented, smiling slyly. Ah, it was like watching a soap-opera. “Alexander doesn’t seem the type who’s usually in for rough sex, but I guess that, judging by his face, he can make an exception today.”
The director shouted action, so they shushed for a moment. Eli looked seductively at the girl from very close, even hovering his lips over hers. Soohyun nudged Kibum strongly, discreetly pointing to Alexander and making two horns over his head, as if saying that Alexander was turning into the Devil from anger. No one could actually say he was lying. The look in Alexander’s eyes was purely murderous.
“I bet two boxes of ppeppero that they’ll shag each other before we are done with the shooting today,” Kibum whispered to Soohyun as soon as the director said ‘cut’. Soohyun shook his head, humming negatively.
“I bet three that it’ll be tonight, as soon as we’re finished, in the changing room,” he said. “So I suggest you that we go change in the bathroom or something.”
“I bet three boxes of ppeppero and two cans of candy cane soda that it’ll take them 24 hours,” a new voice entered the conversation. It was Kevin, looking very disdainful with his gothic-chick style on. “You hyungs have no idea of how these two can be slow, really.”
“Oh, Kevin, you’re underestimating the power of UST,” Soohyun said very wisely. “Look at Alexander hyung. Look at the intensity in his eyes. He’s on his verge, I can sense it.”
“Still,” Kevin was firm. “I believe that, tomorrow, when everything will be already finished, Eli hyung will suddenly snap, drive to Alexander hyung’s apartment and kiss him senseless before even saying ‘hi’. I’m pretty sure it’ll go that way.”
“Guys,” Kiseop joined the conversation, whispering very secretively. “Is it just me or Eli is giving Alexander hyung looks that could totally rape him alone?”
Everybody facepalmed. Heodang Kiseop scores once again.
“It’s not just you, Kiseop. Actually, you don’t know half of the story yet,” Kibum said, shaking his head and chuckling. Then, he discreetly pointed at Eli, who was watching Alexander getting ready to his own solo shoot while muttering something frantically. “Can someone read what he’s saying? I’m curious.”
“Bet everything that it’s something along the lines of ‘he’s so damn fine, I want to sex him up’,” Kiseop said, shaking his head. “I knew that there was something shady in his head, y’know.”
“Guys, are you actually catching what Eli hyung is saying?” To everyone’s surprise, Dongho joined the chat too, apparently laughing his head off. “These two! Honestly, it gives me second-handed embarrassment.”
“You can actually make out what he’s saying?” Soohyun frowned. Dongho nodded.
“A friend of mine volunteers in a clynic for deaf kids and he taught me how to read lips,” he said.
“Well, then, translate it to us,” asked Kiseop, also hit by curiosity.
“It’s in English. I’ll do my best to translate it live,” Dongho compromised. “’How can’ uh? Oh, right, ‘how can someone look so hot in black, really, does he’, um, ‘does even know it? Does he even know how,’ wait… AH! ‘how motherfucking good he-“
“He actually used this word?” Kibum was about to laugh again. “Oh my.”
“He began rambling too fast,” Dongho curved his eyebrows in a sad expression, but his smile told everyone that he was holding laughter down. “Poor hyung. I hope he’ll get lucky tonight~.”
“Maknae! You’re too young to say these things!” Soohyun eomma exclaimed, scandalized.
“By ‘lucky’ I mean a kiss, hyung. What did you think I was talking about?” even though Soohyun bought it, Kevin felt the urge to laugh when he noticed how sarcastic the sentence had been. “Because-oh, hyung is coming, change the subject.”
“But I actually loved biology when I was in high school, Dongho!” Kibum, the quickest thinker among them, rapidly commented as Alexander got near them. “You just have to give it a chance!”
“Botany is the worst subject ever, but the rest is actually pretty cool,” to everyone’s surprise, heodang Kiseop followed suit. One could believe he wasn’t even faking it. Wait. He probably wasn’t… “When I was studying cytology, I used to paint all my cells with crayon. My notebook was so colorful…”
“Hey, people,” Alexander greeted them casually. “Why are you all gathered there?”
“Dongho was talking about school,” Kevin said, pinching Dongho’s cheeks for a greater effect. “Whose the next solo shot is?”
“I don’t know,” he said simply, looking around. They all counted mentally. Three… two… one… “Hm, why are we missing a member?”
“You mean Eli?” Kibum looked around too, playing innocent very well. “He’s probably in the changing room. The make-up on his lip is bothering him.”
“Oh, I see,” Alexander faked disinterest. Kevin almost jumped when he heard the director calling him. “So, I’ll see with Manager hyung if I can grab some food. Anyone interested?”
Soohyun, Kiseop, Kibum and Dongho shook their heads at the same time. Alexander just mumbled an ‘okay then’, going away, and they almost laughed out loud when they realized that he wasn’t going to where Manager hyung was, but to the changing room’s general direction.
“May the Lord enlighten these two,” Kibum raised his hands. “Or they might go actually insane.”
Soohyun wins the bet.
All of them have to go change in the bathroom, but they’re more relieved than annoyed by this fact, since they know they’ll be seeing better days from that night on: no more creepy sideway glances, no more awkward coughs when arms brushed, no more that stiff ‘hahaha’ embarrassed laughter of Eli’s or Alexander’s loud voice piercing their ears with sentences full of denial. They’re pretty optimistic about it, yes.
Few days later, Soohyun gives Eli one of the ppeppero boxes he earned in the bet, suggesting him to play the ppeppero game with Alexander. The way how his face lights up is hilarious.