Soobin arrives at Yeonjun's house with two lattes and a brown paper bag. He's underdressed for the weather, wearing nothing more than a thin long sleeved shirt and jeans, and the autumn chill has turned his cheeks rosy. He hands Yeonjun the latte and bag as he walks right past him, as if he's just as comfortable in Yeonjun's home as Juwon is.

Yeonjun takes a sip, and his chest feels warm — from the latte, from the gesture. "You didn't have to."

"I'm saying thank you. Guess what I got on my essay?"

"An A?"

Soobin grins hard, a flash of white against his pink gums and lips.

"I knew you would. That was a good essay."

Instead of sitting down at his usual place at the table, Soobin settles into the couch. Wrapping his arms around a pillow, he gazes up at Yeonjun with shining, angelic eyes. "I'm really thankful, you know. I couldn't have done it without you."

Yeonjun rolls his eyes. "You would have found a study cafe."

"But you helped me edit. And it's not just that." Soobin looks at his lap and squeezes his pillow. "It's good motivation to study. Getting to see you."

The statement shocks Yeonjun and turns his stomach. He knew that Soobin didn't mind his company, but he felt he was little more than what he offered: a quiet space, a good cup of coffee, a few encouraging words. Soobin is kind, affectionate, but don't angels treat everyone that way?

"Oh, that's really... I didn't know that," Yeonjun says.

"I mean, we're not just acquaintances, right? You're my hyung."

Yeonjun smiles and sits next to him, their knees knocking together. "Yeah. Beomgyu's, too. Maybe one day we can all hang out together?"

Soobin nods. "That would be really fun. I heard you went clubbing.

"It was fun. I want to go again."

"Wow! What a bad boy!"

Yeonjun giggles. "Stop teasing me. Don't you have studying to do?"
"Honestly, not really."

They put on Gudetama — a TV show about an egg yolk and a baby chick who are trying to find their mommy — and sink further into the couch, soaking in the cuteness and giggling at the silly jokes. For a children's show, the humor is good, and Yeonjun listens to Soobin's laughs like they're songs.

Soobin leans over, resting his head on Yeonjun's shoulder. "Is this okay?" he whispers, and Yeonjun's not strong enough to speak, so he just nods.

He's felt so tired lately. He knows why, and he hates it. He wakes up earlier than Juwon to make him coffee and a lunch box. He spends the mornings doing chores for Juwon and the afternoons making Soobin's coffees, proofreading his essays or quizzing him with his flashcards. Sometimes, he uses the time to write. On days that Soobin doesn't come over, he goes to pilates class, because he wants to stay fit for Juwon, and then spends an hour or so reading at Beomgyu's cafe. Then, it's time to prepare dinner and keep it warm until Juwon comes home. He brushes his hair and puts on pretty clothes for Juwon, too. They always eat together, they always have sex, they always spend an hour or so afterwards cuddling and talking. Some nights, after Juwon has fallen asleep, Yeonjun sneaks out of bed to write.

He's exhausted, but he knows Juwon is more exhausted. He knows that Juwon spends his days in uncomfortable suits and dress shoes, being scolded by his superiors for missing deadlines he didn't know existed, for neglecting responsibilities that have nothing to do with his position. For bowing a centimeter too shallowly. His colleagues are stressed and unhappy, and they need someone to bully.

Yeonjun doesn't realize he's falling asleep until he jerks awake — his TV asks him, "Are you still watching?", and he can see his own reflection on the screen. He checks the time — 8:34 pm.

"Wake up," Yeonjun says, trying to shrug Soobin off his shoulder. "Soobin, Soobin. Wake up."

Soobin groans and turns his face into Yeonjun's shoulder.

"Soobin, you need to get up!" Yeonjun stands up, and Soobin startles, his pillow gone.

Soobin blinks at Yeonjun. "What's going on? We just fell asleep."

Yes, they fell asleep. They fell asleep, and now Yeonjun's late on dinner, and Juwon could have walked in to find another alpha asleep on Yeonjun's shoulder.

"It's late. I need to cook dinner for Juwon."

Soobin grimaces. "Is it that big of a deal?"

"Yes, it is, Soobin." Yeonjun takes a deep breath. Desperately, he doesn't want Soobin and Juwon to meet. "I need you to leave before he gets here."

"Why? We were just sleeping."

Maybe, on the outside, it was innocent. But, on the inside, something shameful was stirring. And perhaps it had crept into his dreams, into his sleeping face where Juwon could have seen it. That easy contentment, that sense of fun and curiosity he only feels when he's with the wrong people.

"Will Juwon get that angry at you, just for being late with dinner?"

"No, but... It means something to me, that I do it every night."

Soobin nods and gets up slowly, like a large map being unfolded. Sleep lingers on his face, in his slow movements, and it pains Yeonjun to send him into the world before he's properly woken up.

"I'm sorry for being rude. And kicking you out," Yeonjun says.

"It's okay," Soobin says. "You know, this is the first time you've ever called me my name."

Yeonjun texts Juwon to ask what time he'll make it home. He doesn't reply, so Yeonjun just gets to work on dinner. When the food is ready, it's nearly 10 — Juwon will probably be getting home soon. Yeonjun sets the table and sits down.

But fifteen minutes pass, and then thirty. Yeonjun calls Juwon — no answer. He puts his head down on the table and closes his eyes.

At 11, Juwon finally calls.

"I don't think I'm going to make it home tonight," he says.

"Oh," Yeonjun says. "But I made dinner for you."

"I'm sorry. Let's eat it tomorrow, we can heat it up, okay?"

It won't be as good tomorrow. "I can pack it up and bring it to the office for you."

"You don't have to do that."

"But you need to eat."

"I got samgyeopsal with a few of the guys here."

Yeonjun pauses. "Why didn't you tell me earlier that you wouldn't be coming home tonight?"
"I didn't know."

"But you went to get samgyeopsal, so you must have known you wouldn't be eating dinner with me."

"I just thought I'd eat two dinners."

"You just suddenly found out that you have too much work to come home?"

"Yes, Yeonjun, it happens," Juwon snaps. "I know that you've never had a job, but if you want to live in a nice apartment, and have a baby, then you need to accept that this is how it is sometimes."
Yeonjun swallows. "Okay."

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay? I love you."

"Love you too. Bye, alpha," Yeonjun says.

Sometimes, Yeonjun thinks Juwon wants Yeonjun to fight back, to get angry. But Yeonjun doesn't know how to do anything but cave in.

How could Juwon just not come home without saying anything until so late? Doesn't he know how much time Yeonjun spends alone, waiting for Juwon to come back? He finds it difficult to believe that an insurmountable pile of work suddenly appeared at 11pm. He had to have known earlier.

Is this how it's going to be when they have a baby? Yeonjun, alone with a screaming infant as Juwon pulls all-nighters at the office? Juwon's company only gives two days of paternity leave.

Yeonjun feels sick. He calls Beomgyu.

"Hyung," Beomgyu answers.

"Are you working?"

"I'm closing right now. Why?"

"Do you want to eat dinner? I cooked."

And yes, yes, yes, Beomgyu wants to eat. He wants to spend the night giggling with Yeonjun and teasing him. He wants to listen to music together, and show him Taehyun's instagram profile.

As they eat, Beomgyu tells him about how he purposely never learned to cook because taking on tasks like that seemed regressive, but now he's eating instant ramyeon every other night. Yeonjun offers to teach him some recipes, but Beomgyu says, "I'd rather just eat the food you cook." He laughs as he says it, so Yeonjun laughs too.

"But why'd you invite me here so late?" Beomgyu asks, slurping up his last noodle. Rather than sitting across from Yeonjun, he sits perpendicular to him, sharing a corner of the table. He's so close. "And where's your husband?"
"He's at the office. He didn't tell me until after I'd already finished cooking that wouldn't make it home."

Beomgyu frowns. "I'm sorry. That's shitty."

"It's not his fault — he found out suddenly."

"... That's bad luck."

Yeonjun tucks his leg underneath him. "It doesn't matter. Anyway, I had a lot of fun when we went out in Hongdae. I really want to go again."

"We should! Do you want to go to the same place?"

Yeonjun shrugs. "Wherever, it doesn't matter. But I... I was thinking maybe Soobin could come this time?"

Beomgyu nods, his grin eating his face.