"Anyway, Woobin suggested somewhere to eat lunch," Bada says, his voice straining with false cheer as he twists in his chair to speak to everyone. "It's a bit early for lunch now. What shall we do in the meantime?"
"There's an arcade down the street," Pilgyu suggests. "We can play some games together there. Siwoo always says he wouldn't be seen dead playing half the games they have here."
Siwoo and Bada are similar in another way. They'd be perfect for each other if Siwoo wasn't the absolute worst person in the entire world. Bada's shoulders hunch and he nods towards his computer.
"Sounds good."
Taehyeon makes a decision. The second Siwoo directly says anything to upset Bada, Taehyeon will fight him. To the death. Taehyeon is surprisingly unathletic but he's confident that he can win against Siwoo. This is a matter of Bada's honour and hurt feelings. There is no way Siwoo is getting off lightly.
The group is spread thinly as they collectively make their way to the arcade. Siwoo and Pilgyu are way ahead of the rest of them, possibly power walking because running would be too obvious. Woojin is torn between scampering ahead to join them and hanging back with the rest of them. Taehyeon has his arm looped with Bada's and locked to his side. Whilst this was initially a display of Taehyeon's fierce loyalty, the warmth of huddling together whilst shuffling along the bustling, blustery street is nice.
Woobin is a bit strange. He is behind Taehyeon and Bada. He speeds up every now and then but never when Taehyeon intentionally slows down so that he can catch up. All the same, he is within earshot. Taehyeon keeps all his nasty thoughts to himself. There will be another occasion to slag off Siwoo.
"Hey," Woobin says almost cautiously. Taehyeon hopes his surprise wasn't visible enough to look like a flinch. Bada isn't laughing at him but that could be because he's looking back at Woobin. Woobin finally keeps pace with them, walking beside Bada and offering his kind, pink-cheeked smile. "Bada, you seem quieter than usual today."
"Oh. Is it really obvious?"
"When we were on the way to meet everyone you were different. More… chatty? You're really quiet now."
Taehyeon wonders whether Bada is keeping his nasty thoughts to himself too. Or he could be so distressed by the situation that he can't speak. Even their bestie telepathy is broken today. Seeing Bada's wobbly smile prompts Taehyeon to speak on his behalf.
"He's just feeling a bit down because he had a falling out with someone."
"That's such a shame," Woobin says. Sympathy adds weight to his voice and he hesitantly pats Bada's arm.
For now the gesture is nice. Taehyeon isn't going to add the rest of the details. Whilst Woobin might be a scrupulous young man, whichever side he takes would be a gamble. Pilgyu is outwardly social and nice enough but he probably knows what happened already. All three of Bada's Eoleunjeol friends siding against him would be a death sentence for all of his hopes and dreams. Taehyeon will do what he can to protect his precious friend.
"I fell out with someone too, Woobin," Woojin announces as he lollops back towards them. "Do you feel sorry for me too?"
Woobin smiles so warmly at Woojin that the air all around them thaws for a brief moment. "Poor Woojin. What happened?"
There is a pause where Woojin is very obviously trying to think of something to say. His eyes search around the street. If he doesn't hurry they'll arrive at the arcade where the music is too loud for anyone to give or receive sympathy. Taehyeon wants Woojin to hurry up so that he and Bada have the later chance to laugh about whatever stupid lie this kid makes up.
"Siwoo," Woojin says. Taehyeon might not be able to laugh about this lie. Woobin frowns and Woojin tugs on his arm to pull him closer. He stops walking to glance at Taehyeon and Bada before replicating their linked arms with Woobin. He goes on to say, "He wouldn't wait for me. He just kept walking really fast. My feelings are really hurt."
Taehyeon was expecting a lie that Woobin could at least pretend to be sympathetic about. Even he is struggling to keep the mirth out of his tone when he says, "Oh dear. Our poor Woojin must be so upset."
Taehyeon exchanges a glance with Bada. At least their bestie telepathy works to this extent. Neither of them can believe what they're seeing right now.
Catching up with Siwoo and Pilgyu in the arcade isn't too bad. The group mostly splits off into pairs to play on the machines. Taehyeon sticks with Bada as moral support. He doesn't go as far as letting Bada win. A better friend would have just let him take every victory. He isn't good at car racing, block stacking, or the claw machine. Bada is decidedly bad at everything but he's impressed when Taehyeon spins a skee-ball ball on the tip of his finger. Bada is also bad at that after asking to be taught how.
The whole time they are in the arcade, Taehyeon is tactical about where to go. He makes sure that at the air hockey table, Bada is positioned with his back to the rest of his other friends. He needs to focus on the positive things in life. As far as Taehyeon can manage, he is the only one in Bada's eyes. At least, that is what he hopes is the case.
Lunch is a less stressful affair, though not because Siwoo evaporates or anything as convenient as that. Bada is trying his hardest not to look Siwoo's way all by himself. It actually isn't as fortunate as Taehyeon would like.
Conversation is a burden left to Taehyeon. Pilgyu and Woobin talk too but Taehyeon is sure he's doing most of the work here. That might be because Taehyeon is obviously the authority on Dynasty of Destruction here but he doesn't know what else he is supposed to talk about. Discussing the fact that Siwoo is the world's worst person is probably off the table considering the crowd here.
Sharing tteokbokki with Bada's Eoleunjeol friends isn't so bad. The spiciness of the sauce dulls the edge of Taehyeon's irritation and he doesn't feel quite so much like fighting to defend Bada's honour. As a good friend, he'll defend Bada's honour quietly.
They all put together to pay for the food. Whilst everyone else is searching their pockets for their wallets, Taehyeon catches something highly suspicious. Siwoo is whispering to Pilgyu and pulling faces. Wow. The audacity of him to invite himself here and now he's going to wriggle out of paying.
Before Taehyeon can find a subtle way of pointing this out to Bada and rolling his eyes, he realises that Bada can see quite clearly what is going on at the other end of the table. For some awful reason, Bada looks extremely worried. Their bestie telepathy is seriously malfunctioning right now. Siwoo doesn't deserve to be worried about to the extent that Bada might give himself wrinkles.
Woobin isn't too concerned but he is mostly focused on gathering up the money to pay. Whilst he's gone to count out the assortment of coins everyone dumped on him, Siwoo rushes out of the little snack shop. Pilgyu quickly follows.
"Unbelievable," Taehyeon mutters.
"What's unbelievable?" Woojin asks. "Has something happened with Woobin trying to pay?"
This is unbelievable too. "How would I know that?" Taehyeon asks. "Go and ask him if you think something is wrong."
To his credit, Woojin does get up to stand uselessly beside Woobin.
"Do you think he's okay?" Bada asks. Somehow, Taehyeon doesn't think this is a scathing indictment on Woojin's mentality. In fact, Taehyeon suspects Bada isn't talking about Woojin at all.
*
Siwoo is sick. Or so he says. He's so sick that Pilgyu needs to take him home. Taehyeon isn't stupid enough to believe the excuse but there isn't much he can do in this situation. Bada is quiet because he's worried about Siwoo. Woobin is quiet because he seems to think his lunch choice poisoned one of his friends. An unkind part of Taehyeon's mind wonders just how long all this pity is going to last. Bada and Woobin are the last people on earth who should be feeling guilty.
Woojin isn't quiet, but he isn't much good conversation. He's keeping up a running commentary of his athleticism and reasoning that he's definitely good enough to play sports with Woobin. Taehyeon is mostly surprised that Woojin isn't even leaving any gaps for Woobin to respond even if he were capable of such a thing. As though nobody in the world has a mouth except for him, Woojin keeps going on and on.
Their odd little group aimlessly wanders the streets, occasionally stopping to line up at the side of the road as a vehicle wriggles its way past them through the narrow alleys. This is perhaps the least fun Taehyeon has ever had in his life.
Whilst Woojin plans out his hypothetical playtime with Woobin, the theoretical playmate slows down his pace until he's just scuffing his shoes. Taehyeon is kind enough to keep pace with a miserable person, but he should think of something to say to at least shift the forlorn expression on his face.
"He wasn't sick because of the food," Taehyeon offers. "It's not your fault."
Woobin's gaze follows Woojin and Bada further along their path before he looks at Taehyeon. He looks so pitiful that Taehyeon knows for a fact he'd say all the same things if Woobin had held Siwoo down and poured poison down his throat. There is something to be said about being handsomely morose. Not everyone can look so endearing.
"You don't know that it's not my fault," Woobin says so quietly that Taehyeon needs to lean in close to catch the end of the words. He is just guessing that's what Woobin said. If he's wrong, he's sure Woobin will say something else impossible to hear.
"Nobody else is sick. I don't think food poisoning works that quickly anyway."
Woobin nods along with Taehyeon's words but he keeps his gaze fixed to the ground. Taehyeon isn't stupid. He can see the glaze welling into his eyelashes. He does have to crane his neck to see but if Woobin can't even evade Taehyeon's nosiness, things must be bad.
"Oh," Woobin says before mumbling something entirely incomprehensible. He crouches down and attempts to retie Taehyeon's shoelaces.
To say he's making a pig's ear of things would be putting it kindly, unless this is some new 'untying shoelaces' prank in which case he's doing a great job and Taehyeon is feeling sufficiently pranked.
Woobin opens and closes his fingers around Taehyeon's limp shoelaces a few times. Taehyeon will need to be the one to put them both out of their misery. As he crouches, his hands are almost numb from the cold. Still, he feels the chilled trembling of Woobin's fingers.
If Taehyeon stops to consider the situation, he could get some very silly ideas in his head. In this narrow alley they are crouching in relative seclusion between parked cars. No windows are overlooking them. In fact, the closest people to them right now are the friends becoming more and more distant.
Woobin leans in closer, his brow furrowed as he contemplates Taehyeon's hands, his face, and then his shoelaces. It all must be a glistening blur through the freshly brimming tears.
Taehyeon, as it happens, can accept that a very silly idea is making itself comfortable in the curious crevices of his mind. Should things turn out unexpectedly, the thought has plenty of places to hide away. Taehyeon has fewer options but he knows he can steal Siwoo's idea of pretending to be ill if worst comes to worst.
Woobin leans closer still and makes another attempt towards Taehyeon's shoelaces with clumsy hands. Or he might be intending for Taehyeon's hands after all.
Taehyeon kisses him. The peck is barely-there contact and it lasts one fleeting moment shorter than a blink. All the same, Taehyeon feels his heart hammering in his chest. This definitely counts. Nobody can take this away from him. He's had his first kiss. A real one.
And Woobin stops crying.