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Soonyoung wakes up groaning with the worst headache he's had in a while. Blinking against the harsh sunlight streaming through the window, barely being able to open his eyes long enough. They all drank last night—like, a lot. Bits and pieces of the evening flit through his mind: laughter, loud games, and, judging by his slightly damp clothes, he probably fell into the pool at some point. Figures. Renting a house for a day and getting blackout drunk? What did he expect more than for this to happen?
He hears rustling next to him, followed by a loud groan. Soonyoung fights to be able to open his eyes, slowly cracking one eye open, he notices a mop of long, black hair splayed out on the floor beside him. Wait. Floor? He realizes with a start that he's lying on the cold, hard kitchen floor. Well, that explains why his back feels like it's been run over by a truck. Why does he always end up passed out on the floors, Soonyoung would never understand.
Soonyoung squints at the figure beside him. "Jihoon?" he mutters, barely able to believe it. Jihoon—responsible, hardly-ever-drinks Jihoon—is passed out on the floor. That's strange. Soonyoung doesn't even remember Jihoon drinking last night, let alone enough to end up like this. Something about it doesn't sit right with him. In all the years that he has known him, he has never seen the other in such a situation. Racking his brain over the bits he remembered from the previous night, Soonyoung could swear that the younger didn't touch even a sip of alcohol. So what the hell?
Despite that Grinning mischievously, Soonyoung leans over and starts poking Jihoon's cheek. It's a little mean, but come on, it's Jihoon. It's not always he could have the chance to tease the younger. He expects a grumble, a swat, maybe even a sharp insult to "get lost." What he doesn't expect though is for Jihoon's eyes to flutter open, blinking slowly and cutely then glinting the moment their eyes meet as if filled with literal starlight looking at him.
Soonyoung barely has time to process this when Jihoon suddenly grabs his hand that seconds ago was poking to keep it in place moving his head slightly to the left and bites him.
"Ouch!" Soonyoung yanks his hand back, cradling it like it's been maimed. "Did you just try to bite my finger off?"
Jihoon doesn't reply and instead props himself up on his elbows and starts crawling toward him on his elbows with an intensity that makes Soonyoung's brain short-circuit. What is even going on...
Before he can say or do anything, Jihoon plants his hands on either side of Soonyoung's head, leaning in dangerously close. Soonyoung's breath hitches. Jihoon's eyes are practically glowing, and—wait, is Jihoon trying to kiss him?!
"Jihoon, are you—"
His question is cut off as Jihoon pecks his lips, then collapses on top of him like a human-weighted blanket to not let Soonyoung any space to run away. Soonyoung lies there, frozen in shock only one thought racing through his head, Jihoon kissed him JIHOON JUST KISSED HIM. He doesn't even have time to react before Jihoon nips at his lower lip, and that is enough to snap him out of it.
"Okay, nope!" Soonyoung shoves Jihoon off with a burst of adrenaline, scrambling to his feet so fast he almost topples over. He grabs the first thing he can find for protection—a random empty juice bottle—and holds it out like a sword glaring at a newly standing Jihoon, eyes glowing extremely red and lips swollen.
Hold on why are his eyes GLOWING? Like actually GLOWING???
"Jihoon, what are you doing?! Since when do you just—just kiss people?!"
Jihoon shrugs, completely unbothered, rocking back and forth on his heels like an impatient kid itching to reach for Soonyoung once again. "Not people but you. I wanted to kiss you. Can't I kiss you?"
"No! You can't just—" Soonyoung sputters looking around but no one is in sight to even help him a bit, and ends up waving the juice bottle around like it's going to ward Jihoon off.
"Yes, I can," Jihoon says smoothly, darting forward managing to wrestle the bottle off his hand. Before Soonyoung can react, he's cornered against the kitchen counter.
"You want to kiss me? You were biting"
Jihoon smirks, leaning closer. "And what if I was? Admit it. You want to kiss me, too." Soonyoung's brain short-circuits for the second time in as many minutes. He has never before seen the other act this bold before and toward him from all people. Jihoon leans in again, but Soonyoung slips away like a frightened cat, darting to the other side of the counter.
This must be a dream. There was no other explanation. There was no way this could be real. Because even if he actually wants to kiss Jihoon he would not admit it. His mind must be playing tricks on him because there was no world where Jihoon would actually want to kiss him willingly.
"Stay away from me!" Soonyoung yelps, heart pounding. Something is wrong, terribly wrong...
"Why are you running?!" Jihoon calls rolling his eyes, chasing him around the kitchen from one side to another of the counter going around in circles.
"GUYS! EMERGENCY! IS ANYONE AWAKE? JIHOON WON'T STOP BITING ME!"
"CAN YOU STAY STILL AND LET ME KISS YOU COME ON" Jihoon starts running finally outrunning Soonyoung and ending up tackling him to the floor, they both fall with a thud and Jihoon manages to catch his hands before Soonyoung could even struggle and hold them away from his head with a triumphant smile. "I got you."
"What's going on in here?" Seungkwan walks in, rubbing his eyes, only to freeze in horror at the scene before him; Jihoon pinning Soonyoung to the ground, lips dangerously close to his neck.
"SEUNGKWAN, HELP!" Jihoon seems unbothered as he just lay there comfortably on the floor kissing the other's neck, trailing his lips over the expense of the other's collarbones.
Seungkwan runs off the kitchen screaming his lungs out trying to attract any person who is strong enough to get Jihoon off him, preferably Seungcheol or Mingyu.
Soonyoung whimpers a bit trying so hard not to show his emotions, There was no way he was going to show how much Jihoon is effecting him, even if he was slightly enjoying it, he still knew it was wrong.
A few come in and they just stare at them on the floor open-mouthed in silence, like they are seeing something extremely weird or abnormal, which in a way it is, it is not an everyday sight to see Jihoon like this.
"What the—" Mingyu starts, but stops mid-sentence as Jihoon's glowing red eyes meet his.
"Uh, is he... okay?" Joshua whispers.
"I don't think so," Jeonghan says dryly.
Seungcheol comes barreling a few moments later like a man on a mission, he stops for a second surprise clear on his face but to Soonyoung's pleading face, he leans down to clutch on Jihoon pulling him away.
Jihoon struggles like a feral cat, so much so that Seungcheol almost drops him until Seokmin reaches to help him restrain the other. Almost immediately Soonyoung scrambles to his feet and runs behind Jeonghan hiding.
"LET ME GO!" Everyone gasps when Jihoon's eyes shine in red so bright.
"What is wrong with him?" Joshua murmurs once again from the other side of a still wide-eyed Soonyoung, he wasn't in a bad shape or anything, he was just staring at Jihoon in confusion and amusement? hand covering his neck.
This was like a dream come true, something out of Soonyoung's own bucket list. Would he admit it though to anyone? No.
Everyone's head turns comically toward Jihoon when the other start sniffing, eyes turning softer and glowing less as they turn from red to pink, mouth wobbling.
"Why don't you let me kiss him?! I LOVE HIM!"
The room falls silent.
"What the hell is going on?" Seungcheol screams at that.
Soonyoung hides behind Jeonghan, clutching the elder's arm for dear life. "I don't know what's happening! He woke up, looked at me, bit me, and then—then he said he loves me! What am I supposed to do with that?!"
"Soonyoung I love you please!" Soonyoung stumbles backward and Jeonghan reaches for him before he can fall and break his neck or something ignoring the gasps in the room.
Soonyoung looks away heart hammering inside his chest... Yes this must be a dream. Jihoon would not be this sadistic to him...
"Did he just..." Mingyu asks and Minghao nodes from next to him slowly being brave enough to reach the other and peek at him.
"Hyung?" Jihoon turns toward him with a sad puppy look on his face. "Will you attack Soonyoung if we let you go?" Jihoon looks quizzically at him and then shakes his head.
"I did not attack Soonyoung? I just love him." Minghao winces and shakes his head at the others, almost immediately his eyes change colors again to light blue as he bursts into tears alarming everyone. "WHY are you all mean to me? I HATE YOU ALL NO ONE LIKES ME HERE, all I wanted was to love Soonyoung!"
"Uh-oh," Minghao mutters, taking a cautious step back.
"No one here likes me!" Jihoon wails, thrashing in Seungcheol's grip. His eyes shining like a toddler's after being told no candy.
"Great. He's crying now," Seungcheol mutters, clearly at the end of his rope. Jihoon takes advantage of the distraction to wiggle free, sprinting out of the kitchen, the patter of his feet being heard all the way to the second floor. Moments later, the sound of a door slamming echoes through the house.
Everyone stares at each other in stunned silence.
"Well, that happened," Jun says, breaking the awkwardness as he calmly pours himself a glass of orange juice.
Mingyu looks around hopefully. "Breakfast, anyone?"
"Read the room, Gyu," Joshua sighs, rubbing his temples.
"Soonyoung are you okay?" Jeonghan turns toward the younger checking on him and Soonyoung shakes him off.
"I'm fine," Soonyoung says, though his voice cracks. "I was just surprised, a little scared at first but mostly for him not for me, he didn't actually hurt me, but... what is going on with him?"
"No one knows," Seokmin says, frowning. "But I'm pretty sure whatever it is, it's not normal Jihoon behavior. He doesn't even hug people, let alone—"
"Bite them," Minghao finishes.
"Exactly."
"And eyes don't just glow, that is not normally possible." Minghao points out.
Seungcheol groans, rubbing his temples. "Whatever it is, we need to figure it out before he goes berserk again. Everyone, keep an eye out for him." They disperse after that each going to do their thing.
*************
Soonyoung reaches the second floor to find Wonwoo knocking repeatedly on the bathroom that apparently Jihoon seems to hide in his knuckles white with frustration. "JIHOON I DONT CARE IF YOU HAVE TO MAKE OUT WITH SOONYOUNG BUT GET OUT OF THERE BEFORE I BREAK DOWN THIS DOOR!"
"NO" Jihoon's muffled voice comes through the door, followed by a series of loud sniffles. and Wonwoo groans in annoyance.
"I left my clothes in there, we need to get dressed and leave this place soon. Do something." Wonwoo gives the other a pointed look and Soonyoung rolls his eyes.
All he can hope that Jihoon would be a bit more sane.
Well here goes nothing...
Soonyoung gets closer to the door knocking once and talking softly. "Jihoonie, it's me." Almost instantly the sound of sobbing subsides as they hear a thud coming from inside. "Will you come out for me?" he tries, his tone even gentler.
After a long pause, Soonyoung could hear the lock click open but instead of Jihoon coming out the door cracks open slightly only enough to see Jihoon's blue eyes and he quickly reaches to grasp Soonyoung's arm pulling him in and closing the door so quickly.
"Hey—what—"
Jihoon turns to him, looking utterly miserable. His nose is red, his cheeks are blotchy, and his lips are trembling. "I'm sorry," he croaks, clutching Soonyoung's arm like a lifeline. "I don't know what's wrong with me." They both ignore Wonwoo's complains from outside as Soonyoung look at the teary face of the other.
"Ah Jihoonie what is going on with you?" The other hiccups in place as Soonyoung pulls him into his arms, Jihoon going pliant and so willing.
Really a sight from a dream.
"I don't know what's happening to me, I can't control it" Soonyoung looks down to Jihoon to see his eyes barely colored anymore, just a hint of blue in his irises.
"Are you back?" Jihoon pulls away slowly but stays close sniffing as if the presence of the older was tethering him to not lose himself further.
"I think so?" Soonyoung puts a hand on his cheek wiping the tears away.
Despite the situation Jihoon looked so god damn cute with his blotchy nose and red eyes, his cheeks were bunches up and Soonyoung was fighting the urge to coo at him and bite his cheeks and kiss him again.
Soonyoung sighs and sits on the bathroom floor and pulls Jihoon down with him. "It's okay," he says, patting Jihoon's head. "Let's figure this out, yeah? Start from the beginning. What do you remember?"
Jihoon hiccups, his tears slowing. "I—I woke up, saw you, and... everything felt different. I couldn't stop myself." He looks up at Soonyoung, "I just really, really wanted to kiss you."
Soonyoung feels his face heat up, but he brushes it off. Oh how long he wished to hear such things coming from the younger. "Okay, but you've never acted like this before. Did you eat or drink anything weird last night?"
Jihoon frowns, thinking hard. "I didn't drink alcohol, You know i don't do that. But I had some of that juice Mingyu made, but it's not like Mingyu would poison me or something right?" Both chuckle to themselves and look away.
They both sit in silence for a moment before Soonyoung asks. "Do you remember what happened earlier?" Jihoon winces right away and Soonyoung nods, that was an enough of an answer and enough for him to not even get his hopes up.
"I remember biting you... Sorry..." Soonyoung shakes his head laughing at the other's sad face.
"You didn't harm me it's okay, let's hope it was not permanent and it's already over. you went full vampire on me." It would have been even funnier if Soonyoung did not have feelings for him but oh well.
Jihoon groans, burying his face in Soonyoung's chest. "I'm sorry..."
Soonyoung's heart start beating even louder at the small gesture, Jihoon have never been this affectionate to him before, it was doing things to his fragile heart.
"It's fine," Soonyoung says, laughing softly. "At least it was me and not, like, Jeonghan. He'd never let you live it down."
"I just, I know how you feel about this and I should not force you into anything" Jihoon tries to get up slowly but Soonyoung shrugs grabbing the other so he could lie again on his chest.
And what probably makes it even worse is that Jihoon is aware of his feelings, a line they never crossed but both were always aware of its existence.
"Jihoonie I don't care about those things, I'm glad it was me and not someone else, whatever it was." Jihoon's ears redden as he sighs in place. "I think I would have lost it if I woke up to you kissing another member." That was true, It was enough for him to know that he will never have Jihoon but to see him be like that with another member? That would have broken him for real.
Jihoon moves slightly in place getting comfortable. "I think I would have woken up going out of my mind if that happened, at least it's you."
Soonyoung's heart breaks slowly but he holds it in, Jihoon knows he loves him but he cannot let this situation hurt him more than it already did, his heart is too fragile to break from just a kiss. But Soonyoung cannot also let Jihoon deal with this on his own even if he have to step over his heart. Soonyoung would do anything for him after all.
After the bathroom debacle, Jihoon seems to settle down, his eyes finally returning to their normal dark brown. For a while, things are calm. Too calm.
Soonyoung doesn't trust it. And maybe he should have listened to his guts since the start.
*************
They all gather in the living room, mostly trying to piece together the night before while Jihoon sulks on the couch, burritoed in a blanket his eyes completely a normal shade. He was still trying to look away from most of them pretending like nothing happened.
"I'm telling you," Mingyu insists, "I didn't put anything in that juice. It was just juice! Orange, maybe a little pineapple. That's it!"
"Well, something happened," Seungcheol says, crossing his arms. "Because Jihoon doesn't just wake up and try to eat Soonyoung's face."
"I didn't eat his face," Jihoon mumbles from under the blanket. "I kissed him."
"Not the point!" Seungcheol snaps.
"Guys, focus," Jeonghan says, sitting cross-legged on the floor. "What if someone slipped something into the juice after Mingyu made it? Maybe a prank gone wrong?"
Minghao narrows his eyes. "Who would even do that?"
The group looks around suspiciously, but nobody confesses to anything. Who would even confess that easily to such a deed.
"Well whatever it is, I spoke with the owners to extend our stay until we figure this out." Seungcheol sighs giving his announcement earning multiples nods in return.
Later Soonyoung finds himself lounging in a hammock outside, trying to clear his head. The fresh air is nice, and the gentle sway of the hammock lulls him into a light doze. Maybe he can at least get his head over what happened this morning.
It's peaceful. Too peaceful.
That's when he feels it—a shadow looming over him, followed by a warm weight settling onto his lap.
Soonyoung blinks his eyes open to find Jihoon straddling him, his eyes glowing faintly pink.
"Uh... Jihoonie?"
"Shh," Jihoon whispers, pressing a finger to Soonyoung's lips. "You're asleep. This is a dream."
Soonyoung furrows his brow. "But I'm awake—"
"No," Jihoon insists, leaning closer. "You're dreaming, and in this dream, you want to kiss me."
Soonyoung is so stunned he doesn't even move when Jihoon grabs his face and leans in. Technically Soonyoung always wants to kiss him, he does not need to be dreaming to want that.
Jihoon's lips brush against his, and for a moment—just a tiny moment—Soonyoung kisses back. He can't help it. Jihoon is warm and soft, and he smells like the earthy shampoo Soonyoung adores.
But then reality slaps him in the face, and he jerks back. "Jihoon, what are you—"
"I knew it!" Jihoon beams, his eyes sparkling. "You do want to kiss me!"
If only he actually knew...
Before Soonyoung can argue, Jihoon leans in again, this time with more determination. He grabs Soonyoung's wrists to stop him from pushing away, but the hammock sways violently under their combined weight.
"HELP!" Soonyoung yells, though his voice is muffled as Jihoon tries to kiss him again.
It's not that Soonyoung does not want it, he would let Jihoon really do whatever he wants to him if it was any other day, but knowing that the younger could not control himself, that was a break dealer for him.
From inside the house, Seungkwan pokes his head out the door and screams. "NOT AGAIN!"
Seconds later, Seungcheol and Mingyu manage to wrestle Jihoon off of Soonyoung, though not without difficulty. Jihoon snarls, his eyes glowing bright red as he lunges at anyone who gets too close.
"Stay still, Jihoon!" Seungcheol grunts, struggling to hold him down.
"You don't understand!" Jihoon shrieks. "He loves me, and I love him! Let me go!"
Soonyoung does love him. That is a fact but watching the other be like this was killing him inside.
"Absolutely not," Seungcheol snaps.
Jihoon twists his head and bites Seungcheol's arm.
"OW!" Seungcheol yelps, dropping him.
Jihoon immediately bolts, but Jeonghan trips him with a well-timed foot, and he faceplants into the grass.
"Nice one," Minghao says, giving Jeonghan a thumbs-up.
Jihoon groans, rolling onto his back with a pout. His eyes flash pink, then blue, then back to red. "I hate you all," he mumbles. "None of you understand true love."
"True love doesn't involve biting people, Jihoon!" Joshua exclaims, exasperated.
"I don't hear Soonyoung complaining!" Jihoon retorts.
Everyone turns to Soonyoung, who's hiding behind Seokmin. "Don't drag me into this!"
Because in reality Soonyoung would never really complain to it and somehow whatever is twisted inside of Jihoon's head can sense that.
The chaos finally settles down when Jeonghan suggests giving Jihoon some "quiet time" to cool off. They lock him in the upstairs bedroom with snacks and water, though Jihoon glares at them through the door like a cat being sent to the vet.
"We really need to figure this out," Seungcheol says, rubbing his arm where Jihoon bit him.
"Agreed," Jeonghan says. "But I have to admit, this is kind of hilarious."
"I'm glad you're entertained," Soonyoung mutters, touching his lips absently.
Minghao notices and smirks. "You kissed him back, didn't you?"
Soonyoung turns bright red. "It was reflex!"
"Sure it was," Jun teases.
The quiet time doesn't last. Of course, it doesn't.
It starts with faint banging sounds from upstairs.
"Is he... throwing himself against the door?" Mingyu asks, looking up from his bowl of cereal.
The banging gets louder.
"Jihoon, stop it before you hurt yourself!" Seungcheol shouts, but there's no response. Instead, the door upstairs bursts open, and Jihoon appears at the top of the stairs, his eyes an eerie red again.
"I'M FREE!" Jihoon declares dramatically, pointing at Soonyoung, who immediately dives behind Minghao.
"Why didn't we tie him up?" Joshua groans.
"He's like a feral cat!" Minghao mutters, dodging as Jihoon barrels down the stairs.
Jihoon zeroes in on Soonyoung with alarming precision. "YOU! Come here! Let me kiss you!"
"NOPE!" Soonyoung yells, sprinting for the backyard.
The chase spills out onto the lawn. Jihoon is fast—shockingly fast for someone with such short legs—and Soonyoung is barely keeping ahead of him.
"Jihoon, calm down!" Soonyoung shouts, vaulting over a lawn chair.
"NEVER!" Jihoon howls, leaping over the same chair like a parkour expert.
The others spill out of the house, half-amused, half-horrified.
"Do we stop him, or do we just let it play out?" Seokmin asks, sipping a soda.
"I say we watch," Jeonghan replies, plopping into a lawn chair. Jun nods to his words phone already in hand as he films the chaos happening.
The backyard chase ends when Jihoon tackles Soonyoung onto the grass.
"Caught you!" Jihoon exclaims triumphantly, pinning Soonyoung's wrists above his head.
Now how many times were they going to still end up in this same exact situation?
"GUYS, HELP!" Soonyoung screeches, though his voice is muffled as Jihoon tries to kiss him again.
"Alright, alright, that's enough, You had your fun." Seungcheol says, stomping over. He grabs Jihoon by the back of his shirt and yanks him off like he's picking up a misbehaving puppy.
Jihoon squirms in Seungcheol's grip, biting at the air. "Let me go! Let me at him!"
"Someone get rope," Seungcheol says, exasperated.
"On it!" Seokmin says, running off to find some.
They manage to restrain Jihoon—barely. It takes Seungcheol, Mingyu, and Jun to hold him down while Seokmin ties his wrists with a jump rope he found in the storage closet.
"Why do we even have a jump rope?" Joshua asks.
"Not the time," Seungkwan says, glaring at Jihoon, who's wriggling like a fish out of water.
"You can't tie me up! This is oppression! I love him, and he loves me back!" Jihoon shouts dramatically.
"No one said he doesn't love you," Minghao points out, smirking at Soonyoung. "Right, Soonyoung?"
Soonyoung freezes, his face turning beet red. "I—I—WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?"
The situation takes an even wilder turn when Jihoon suddenly changes tactics. His eyes shift to blue, and he starts bawling.
"You're all so mean to me!" Jihoon wails, thrashing against the ropes. "I just want to love Soonyoung, and you're all trying to keep us apart!"
Seungkwan winces. "I hate when he cries. It makes me feel bad."
"Don't fall for it!" Jeonghan warns. "It's a trap!"
Jihoon sniffles loudly, looking up at Soonyoung with big, teary eyes. "Soonyoungie... You'll untie me, won't you? You love me, don't you? The rope is too tight and it hurts."
Soonyoung hesitates, and Seungcheol slaps a hand over his mouth before he can answer. "Don't you dare, Soonyoung."
Soonyoung reluctantly takes a step back and gives the younger an apologetic sad look. Then looks away, if he keeps staring at him for so long, he knows his resolve will break and he will give in to his heart and free Jihoon, screw everything else.
A few minutes later, Jihoon's tears dry up, and he switches back to snarling and biting mode.
"Okay, that's it," Jeonghan says, standing up. "We're getting to the bottom of this now. Everyone, to the kitchen!"
"What about Jihoon?" Mingyu asks, holding the struggling boy at arm's length like he's handling a rabid raccoon.
"Drag him if you have to," Jeonghan says, exasperated.
The group finally gathers in the kitchen. Jihoon is tied to a chair with more jump ropes, still glaring daggers at anyone who gets too close ready to bite at them.
"Alright," Jeonghan says, slamming a hand on the counter. "Whoever's responsible for this better fess up now, or we're never getting through breakfast."
"Why does it have to be one of us?" Jun asks. "What if it's, like, a ghost or something?"
"Ghosts don't slip love potions or whatever this is into juice, Jun," Joshua says, rolling his eyes.
"Maybe we should start by figuring out where the juice came from," Seungcheol suggests.
"Good idea," Jeonghan says, turning to Mingyu. "You made the juice, right?"
"Yeah," Mingyu says nervously. "But I swear, it was just juice! I didn't add anything weird!"
"Then who did?" Jeonghan asks, looking around the room.
Everyone exchanges suspicious glances. Jihoon, meanwhile, is gnawing on the edge of his chair.
The group takes a moment to regroup. Jihoon sits tied up in the chair, fuming silently, while the others deliberate about the juice situation.
"We need to keep him secured until we figure this out or at least until whatever he is on wears off," Jeonghan says, gesturing to Jihoon, who responds by baring his teeth like a very angry hamster.
"But we can't just leave him like this," Soonyoung says, fidgeting. "He's... kinda cute when he's tied up—WAIT, I didn't mean it like that!"
Everyone stares at him.
"Noted," Seungkwan deadpans.
"Anyway," Jeonghan interrupts before the conversation derails further, "Soonyoung, why don't you go grab some ice packs for Jihoon? His wrists might bruise from all that struggling."
"Uh, sure!" Soonyoung says, eager to escape the room and avoid further scrutiny. He scurries off toward the storage area.
As soon as Soonyoung is out of sight, Jihoon's eyes flicker mischievously.
"Why is he suddenly so quiet?" Minghao whispers, narrowing his eyes at the tied-up Jihoon.
Before anyone can answer, Jihoon lets out a small, almost imperceptible snap. Everyone freezes.
"What was that?" Seokmin asks.
"That," Mingyu groans, pointing, "was the ropes."
Jihoon, now untied, stands up slowly, his eyes glowing a familiar bright red.
"Oh no," Seungcheol says, already moving to tackle him.
"No but what is he? The hulk? The hell?" Seungkwan shrieks as he tries to avoid the running people.
But Jihoon is too quick. With the agility of a ninja, he ducks under Seungcheol's arms and sprints out of the room, cackling like a maniac.
"WHY DIDN'T WE TIE HIS LEGS?!" Jeonghan shouts as the group scrambles after him.
Soonyoung, oblivious to the chaos, hums a little tune as he rummages through a cabinet for ice packs.
"Found them!" he announces to no one in particular, turning around with a triumphant grin.
He freezes.
Standing in the doorway, blocking his exit, is Jihoon. His eyes are glowing red again, and his lips curl into a devilish smirk.
"Soonyoungie~" Jihoon croons, stepping into the room casually and with a swift motion of his leg he kicks the door swiftly locking it behind him.
"Uh... hi?" Soonyoung says, clutching the ice packs like a shield. "You're, uh, looking... red."
Soonyoung winces at his choice of words looking all around for any possible escape route.
Jihoon ignores the comment, stalking closer. "I missed you."
"Uh, okay I missed you too, but—WAIT, NO!"
Before Soonyoung can react, Jihoon grabs him by the collar and crashes their lips together.
The kiss is... a lot. It starts as a peck, but Jihoon doesn't stop. He pulls Soonyoung closer, his hands tangled in the older boy's hair as he deepens the kiss.
Soonyoung, caught off guard, doesn't respond at first. But then, like some part of him short-circuits, he kisses back. Because really would anyone blame him for kissing back the love of his life?
Big mistake.
Jihoon takes this as encouragement and backs Soonyoung against a table, his hands roaming. Soonyoung tries to push him away, but his resolve is rapidly crumbling.
"Jihoon, wait—"
"No waiting, they will be here soon." Jihoon murmurs, nipping at Soonyoung's lower lip.
The door suddenly bursts open.
"SOONYOUNG, WE—" Seungkwan starts, then stops dead in his tracks.
Behind him, Jeonghan and Minghao stare at the scene with varying degrees of shock and amusement.
Jihoon doesn't even flinch. Instead, he glares at the intruders. "Do you mind? We're busy."
"BUSY?!" Seungkwan shrieks, his voice hitting an even higher octave than they are used to.
"Jihoon, stop!" Jeonghan says, lunging forward to grab him.
Jihoon spins, snarling like a cornered animal. Before anyone can process what's happening, he bites Jeonghan's hand.
"OW! He bit me!" Jeonghan yells, clutching his hand.
"Why does he keep biting people?!" Seokmin wails from the hallway.
Jihoon uses the distraction to turn back to Soonyoung, who is still pressed against the table, looking half-dazed.
"See? They don't understand us," Jihoon says dramatically, cupping Soonyoung's face.
"Jihoon, I think you're possessed," Soonyoung says weakly. Too tired to fight off whatever this whole thing is.
Seungcheol and Mingyu finally arrive, armed with rope, duct tape, and a frying pan.
"Don't hurt him!" Soonyoung protests as Seungcheol wrestles Jihoon into submission.
"We're not hurting him, we're restraining him," Seungcheol grunts, dodging another attempted bite.
Mingyu raises the frying pan.
"NO FRYING PANS! YOU ARE NOT HURTING HIM KIM MINGYU OR I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" Soonyoung shouts.
"Oh, come on!" Mingyu complains but he still lowers his arm down. Opting to help Seungcheol handle Jihoon but instead somehow Jihoon managed to get a bite of him as well.
Mingyu looks at the frying pan longingly but the glare on Soonyoung's look made him sigh. He might as well live with it.
They eventually manage to drag Jihoon back to the living room and tie him to the couch. This time, they use duct tape and jump ropes. Jihoon glares at everyone, his eyes flickering between red and pink.
"I WILL ESCAPE AGAIN!" Jihoon declares, trying to bite through the tape.
"Not if we figure out what's wrong with you first," Seungkwan says, exasperated.
As the group starts brainstorming, Soonyoung sits down across from Jihoon, rubbing his temples.
"Why me?" he mutters.
Jihoon, even in his restrained state, smirks. "Because you're mine."
Soonyoung groans, his face burning.
"Don't worry," Minghao says with a teasing grin. "We'll get your feral boyfriend sorted out soon."
"He's not my—" Soonyoung stops himself. "...Thanks, I guess?"
The living room is quieter now, though tension hangs thick in the air. Jihoon sits on the couch, arms and legs bound with layers of tape and rope, looking like a particularly angry burrito. His glowing red eyes have dimmed, flickering uneasily, until—without warning—they shift to a soft, watery blue.
Seungkwan, who had been arguing with Mingyu about what to do next, notices the change first. "Uh... guys? His eyes—"
A quiet sob cuts him off.
Jihoon's head droops, his shoulders trembling. His lip quivers, and tears spill down his cheeks like a burst dam.
"Jihoon?" Soonyoung ventures cautiously.
"I'm so s-sorry," Jihoon stammers between hiccupping sobs. His voice wobbles, high and shaky.
"Oh no," Jeonghan says, rubbing his temples. "Now he's sad. This is worse than the biting."
"I didn't mean to scare you," Jihoon says, looking directly at Soonyoung now, his tear-filled eyes impossibly wide. His voice cracks. "I j-just... I love you so much, and it's so hard!"
The room falls silent.
Soonyoung blinks. "Wait. What?" It was different to hear Jihoon scream that all day when he had those angry red eyes, but hearing it now... When Jihoon's eyes were barely glowing, just a faint blue like what he had back in the bathroom... It felt more real.
Jihoon sniffles loudly, squirming a little against his restraints. His blue eyes shimmer, and his words pour out like a confession he's been holding back for years.
"I've always loved you, Soonyoung," Jihoon says, his voice raw with emotion. "I just... I didn't know how to tell you. And then you started talking about your feelings for me that one night, and I panicked because I thought... I thought I'd ruin us if I said it back."
Soonyoung's heart stops for a moment. "Wait. You heard me?"
Jihoon nods miserably. "You were drunk, but you were so serious. You told me I was the only person who made you feel like you could do anything, like you were enough even when you were falling apart. And then you laughed and said, 'But you probably think I'm annoying.'"
Soonyoung's breath catches. He remembers that night. He'd been feeling particularly vulnerable after a tough day, and Jihoon had stayed up with him, handing him water and pretending not to notice his tears. Because that was how Jihoon is always in his life, the shoulder he could always lean on, the only person that would understand him when everything feels too tough and too hard for him to handle on his own anymore. Jihoon will always then know what to do to make him feel better.
Jihoon continues, his voice barely above a whisper. "I wanted to say something back, but I was scared. You're Soonyoung—so bright and loud and fearless. I didn't think I deserved someone like you. And i didn't want to lose you to a stupid confession."
The group collectively gasps, their mouths hanging open in various states of shock.
"Wait," Seungkwan says, turning to Minghao. "Are we sure this isn't still the potion?"
Minghao shrugs. "He seems pretty lucid. And crying a lot. He stopped struggling as well."
Soonyoung steps closer, kneeling in front of Jihoon. His heart twists painfully as he looks at the other's tear-streaked face. "Jihoonie," he says softly, brushing a stray tear from Jihoon's cheek, "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"I thought you'd get over it," Jihoon mumbles, sniffling again. "That it was just a phase. And I didn't want to lose you as my friend. But now... Now I'm just embarrassing myself in front of everyone, and you're going to hate me. You're never going to even be my friend and I'm going to lose you either way and I..."
"Hey," Soonyoung says firmly, cupping Jihoon's face with both hands cutting off his rambling. "I could never hate you. Ever. You're... You're my favorite person. Always have been. There is nothing you could ever do that can make me hate you. EVER."
Jihoon's eyes widen, and for a moment, the blue glow dims entirely, leaving them their usual dark brown. "Really?"
"Really."
"Okay, this is cute and all," Jeonghan interrupts, clapping his hands, "but we still need to deal with the whole potion-induced mood swings thing."
"Yeah," Mingyu chimes in, "because I'm not getting bitten again. My arm still hurts!"
Jihoon's lips twitch into a faint smile, though tears still cling to his lashes. "Sorry about that," he mumbles, looking at Mingyu sheepishly.
"Wait, can we... untie him now?" Soonyoung asks, glancing at the others.
"No way," Seungcheol says immediately. "Not until we're absolutely sure he's not going to start biting people again."
"I won't!" Jihoon insists, his blue eyes turning pleadingly toward Seungcheol. "I promise!"
Seungcheol raises an eyebrow, unconvinced.
"Maybe let him go a little," Soonyoung suggests, his voice soft. "I'll stay with him. If he gets... bite-y again, I'll handle it."
"Soonyoung we had to get him off you multiple times, how will you handle him?" Jeonghan asks.
"Well that was before I knew how he felt so trust me in this and let him go" Soonyoung pouts at them waiting for a reaction.
The room collectively groans, but after a moment of deliberation, Seungcheol nods. "Fine. But if he bites anyone, it's on you."
Jeonghan smirks. "You'd probably enjoy it anyway."
"Shut up!" Soonyoung yells, his ears burning red.
As Minghao and Seokmin work on undoing Jihoon's restraints, Jihoon leans in toward Soonyoung, his eyes shy but steady. "Do you really mean it? That I'm your favorite person?"
Soonyoung smiles, his hand brushing Jihoon's over the faint traces of the rope. "Always."
Jihoon's lips quirk into a small, genuine smile, his tears finally starting to dry.
"Okay, okay, enough mushy stuff!" Seungkwan declares, clapping his hands. "Let's figure out who spiked Jihoon's juice before someone else ends up biting Mingyu."
"PLEASE don't put that energy into the universe," Mingyu groans.
The room buzzes with the aftermath of Jihoon's heartfelt confession, and while Soonyoung sits beside him, holding his hand like it's the most natural thing in the world, the rest of the group is already on edge.
"Alright," Seungkwan announces, pacing the living room like a detective in a crime drama. "We need answers. Someone spiked Jihoon's juice. That's a fact. And until we know who it was, no one is safe."
"From Jihoon or the juice?" Seokmin asks, holding up his bitten forearm.
"Both!" Seungkwan snaps, spinning on his heel to point at him. "Now. Who was responsible for serving drinks last night?" Seungkwan asks once again the same question for the third time.
Everyone collectively turns to Mingyu, who immediately holds his hands up in defense. "Hey! I didn't spike anything! I just poured the drinks we already went through this a thousand time. It was not ME! Can you all stop looking at me every time we start this conversation?"
"Suspiciously convenient," Minghao mutters, narrowing his eyes.
Mingyu glares at him. "You think I would willingly deal with a love-potion-fueled Jihoon? My arm says otherwise!"
"Wait a minute," Jeonghan says, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he leans against the back of the couch. "Why don't we ask the lovebird himself?"
All eyes turn to Jihoon, who is currently burying his face into Soonyoung's shoulder. "What?" he mumbles, peeking out with red-rimmed eyes.
"You're the only one who drank that juice," Jeonghan says, his voice teasing. "Anything weird about it? Taste funny? Smell different?"
Jihoon furrows his brow, clearly trying to remember. "I... I don't know. It tasted fine. Kind of sweet, maybe."
"That's not helpful," Seungkwan mutters, crossing his arms. "Okay, new plan. We divide and conquer. Minghao, you check the kitchen for anything suspicious. Jeonghan, Seokmin, you check the fridge for leftover juice. Mingyu—"
"Can I sit this one out?" Mingyu interrupts, pointing at his arm.
"No!"
"Fine..."
As the group scatters, Soonyoung stays behind with Jihoon. "You okay?" he asks softly, brushing Jihoon's bangs out of his face.
Jihoon nods, though his cheeks are still pink. "I just... I didn't think this day would go like this."
"Me neither," Soonyoung admits with a chuckle. "But hey, it's kind of nice knowing how you feel. Even if you did try to eat my neck earlier."
Jihoon groans, hiding his face again. "Don't remind me."
It was unreal for Soonyoung, to finally, FINALLY be able to hold the younger in his arms without the looming fear and thoughts of his feeling, without the guilt of him taking advantage of the other, who had no control over the situation while Soonyoung was enjoying the whole thing himself. But now? Now everything is different.
They're interrupted by a loud clatter from the kitchen. Minghao's voice echoes out. "Uh, guys? I think I found something!"
Everyone rushes to the kitchen, Jihoon trailing nervously behind. Minghao is holding up an empty vial with a heart-shaped logo on the side. "This was behind the microwave. Someone definitely spiked the juice."
"What does the label say?" Seungkwan asks, squinting.
"'Passion Brew: For love, laughs, and a touch of chaos.'" Minghao reads aloud, his voice deadpan.
"Who the hell thought that was a good idea?" Seungcheol groans, rubbing his temples.
"It wasn't me!" Jeonghan says quickly, holding his hands up. "I would've at least told someone for the drama."
Soonyoung looks down at Jihoon, who's staring at the vial with a mix of horror and fascination. "Jihoonie, you okay?"
"I'm fine," Jihoon says, though his voice wavers. His blue eyes start to shimmer again, and everyone collectively tenses.
"Oh no," Seokmin whispers. "Here we go."
Jihoon's lips tremble, and the tears start flowing once more. "I'm just so embarrassed!" he cries, throwing himself into Soonyoung's arms. "Everyone must think I'm crazy!"
"No, no, no, you're not crazy," Soonyoung says quickly, rubbing Jihoon's back.
"Yes, I am!" Jihoon wails, clutching Soonyoung's shirt. "I bit Mingyu! I bit half of you guys! I tackled you! I kissed you in front of everyone! And I—I ruined everything!"
"Okay, I take it back," Jeonghan says, snickering. "This is better than the biting."
As Soonyoung tries to console Jihoon, Minghao carefully examines the vial. "There's something written on the bottom. It says, 'Effects may intensify with emotional connection.'"
The room goes quiet.
"Wait," Jeonghan says slowly, a grin spreading across his face. "Are you telling me Jihoon wasn't just affected by the potion—he was already in love with Soonyoung? Everything he said earlier was real? And that is why he was hyper fixated on kissing Soonyoung specifically from all people?"
Jihoon freezes, his face buried in Soonyoung's chest.
"...I can explain," Jihoon mumbles, his voice muffled.
"Nope, we're good," Seungkwan says quickly, waving his hands. "Let's stop there before I lose more brain cells."
Jihoon looks up at Soonyoung, his tear-streaked face flushed. "I wasn't lying earlier," he whispers. "I really do love you. The potion just... made it impossible to hide my feelings."
Soonyoung's heart skips a beat, and he leans down, resting his forehead against Jihoon's. "You didn't ruin anything," he says softly. "If anything, I think you fixed us."
Jihoon's lips twitch into a small smile, his tears slowing.
"Okay, are they going to kiss again?" Seokmin asks loudly. "Because I really don't want to watch."
"Then leave," Jeonghan quips, smirking.
Jihoon and Soonyoung both laugh, their foreheads still pressed together.
"Should we really be laughing when we don't know who spiked the juice?" Mingyu asks, looking nervously at the vial.
"Oh, we'll figure it out," Jeonghan says with a devious grin. "But let's enjoy this chaos a little longer, don't you think? Plus I'm hungry. Anyone up for lunch?"
The others gradually disperse, each with their own theories about the mysterious vial, Seokmin and Joshua kicking Jihoon and Soonyoung out of the kitchen so they could cook something for everyone else. Jihoon shifts nervously, still tucked into Soonyoung's arms eyes back to normal.
"I can't believe I said all that in front of everyone," Jihoon murmurs, cheeks flushed. "They're never going to let me live this down."
Soonyoung grins, reaching up to gently flick Jihoon's forehead. "Are you kidding? They're probably too busy trying to figure out who spiked the juice. Trying to play detectives. You probably gave them the best entertainment they had in months. And anyway if anyone teases you..." He winks. "I'll bite them back for you."
Jihoon groans, hiding his face with his hands. "Don't say that! You're just going to make it worse!"
Soonyoung laughs, prying Jihoon's hands away from his face. "Hey, I mean it. You're way too hard on yourself, Jihoonie. What's the big deal? You told me how you feel, and honestly..." He pauses, his smile softening. "It felt good to hear it."
Jihoon looks up, his eyes still glassy but no longer brimming with tears. "You're not mad? Or... freaked out?"
"Why would I be mad?" Soonyoung says, tilting his head. "I've been waiting for this for so long, I thought I was imagining things when it happened. And freaked out?" He snorts. "Jihoonie, you bit Mingyu. You bit Jeonghan. You jumped off the top of the stairs like a full on animal without breaking a limb. You think this freaks me out?"
Jihoon chuckles, his shoulders relaxing. "I guess you've always been good at handling me."
Soonyoung's smile widens, and he cups Jihoon's cheek, his thumb brushing against the soft skin. "I don't handle you, Jihoon. I care about you. And if that means putting up with a little potion-induced chaos, then bring it on. At the end of the day you are still the same Jihoonie i fell in love with."
Jihoon's eyes flicker to Soonyoung's lips, and for a moment, the world outside the kitchen seems to fade away. Slowly, tentatively, Jihoon leans in, and Soonyoung meets him halfway.
This time, the kiss is slower, softer. There's no biting, no panicked yelling, just the quiet warmth of two people finally letting down their walls. Soonyoung threads his fingers through Jihoon's hair, holding him close as their breaths mingle.
When they finally pull apart, Jihoon's cheeks are flaming, but there's a small, content smile on his lips. "That felt... different," he whispers.
Soonyoung nods, his forehead resting against Jihoon's. "Yeah. It felt real."
Jihoon looks into Soonyoung's eyes, his own shimmering with sincerity. "I really meant what I said, you know. Even without the potion."
"I know," Soonyoung says softly. "And I've loved you for a long time, Jihoon. You didn't force anything. You just made me braver."
Before Jihoon can respond, there's a loud crash from the living room, followed by Seungkwan's unmistakable shriek.
"MINGYU, PUT THAT DOWN BEFORE YOU BREAK SOMETHING THIS IS NOT OUR PROPERTY!"
Jihoon sighs, leaning his forehead against Soonyoung's shoulder. "Why are we even friends with them?"
Soonyoung chuckles, his arms wrapping tightly around Jihoon. "Because they're as chaotic as we are."
Another loud thud echoes through the house, and Soonyoung kisses Jihoon's temple before stepping back. "Come on. Let's go make sure they don't burn the place down."
Jihoon nods, his hand slipping into Soonyoung's. "But you're not letting go of me, okay?"
"Never," Soonyoung promises, squeezing his hand as they walk back into the living room, ready to face the chaos together.
The noise from the living room grows louder as Soonyoung and Jihoon step into the hallway. Seungkwan's frantic voice echoes from the kitchen.
"Mingyu, if you break that vase, I will never speak to you again!"
Jihoon laughs softly, a hint of his old self returning. "Seems like the others are having a blast without us."
"Don't worry," Soonyoung says with a wink, "We'll be the calm ones in the group, Jihoonie. Let's go put out some fires."
They walk into the living room just as Mingyu attempts to climb on top of Seungkwan and the coach to reach a high shelf, all while holding a very fragile-looking vase in one hand.
"Mingyu, no!" Seungkwan yells, his voice cracking with desperation.
Soonyoung and Jihoon step in just in time, with Soonyoung grabbing Mingyu by the arm and pulling him back. "Okay, no more climbing the furniture, I don't care what stupid bet you two are on but how about you go help Seokmin in the kitchen?"
Mingyu pouts but nods, slinking away toward the kitchen, leaving Seungkwan with a look of pure exasperation.
"Finally." Seungkwan lets out a relieved breath. "I swear, I love him, but does he need to be this stubborn? Honestly i don't know where Seungcheol went, he could've at least handled the mess."
Jihoon, who had been quiet for a moment, suddenly tenses. His eyes, previously soft and a little lost, begin to shimmer with a dangerous red glint again.
Soonyoung notices it almost immediately. He watches as Jihoon takes a slow step forward, his eyes locking onto Soonyoung with an intensity that makes the air thick.
And then, in a split second, Jihoon lurches forward, his hands grabbing Soonyoung by the collar.
Soonyoung raises an eyebrow this time no longer panicking like before. "Jihoonie, not again."
But Jihoon doesn't seem to hear him. His eyes are glowing red again, his pupils dilated. "Soonyoung," he murmurs, voice trembling slightly. "You're so close. You're the only one I want. I need you, please..."
Soonyoung chuckles nervously, his hands resting on Jihoon's shoulders to steady him. "Okay, okay, no biting anyone today, alright?"
The others, noticing Jihoon's sudden shift, freeze. Seungkwan gasps. "Not again, Jihoon! Please, not in front of everyone!"
"Don't worry, I've got him," Soonyoung says with a reassuring smile, but his voice is a little strained, a hand now gripping Jihoon's waist to keep him steady. "Come on, Jihoonie, let's take a break, alright?"
As Soonyoung leads Jihoon down the hallway to the bedroom, Jihoon stumbles with every step, his eyes flickering between shades of blue and pink. Soonyoung is trying his best to keep him steady, but Jihoon's erratic behavior makes it a little harder than it should be.
"Jihoonie, slow down, okay?" Soonyoung murmurs, trying to guide the younger one into the room. "You're freaking everyone out out there."
Soonyoung is already regretting bringing Jihoon into the bedroom. The moment the door slams shut behind them, Jihoon's hands are on him, pulling him in for a kiss, but Soonyoung quickly pushes him back, holding the younger man at arm's length.
"Jihoon, no, you're not in your right mind right now. You're not—" Soonyoung tries to catch his breath, but Jihoon's eyes are practically glowing so bright, his body trembling with that same intense energy.
"I need you, Soonyoung," Jihoon's voice is desperate, breathless. "I just need you to kiss me. I can't... I can't control it anymore. Please."
Soonyoung's heart pounds in his chest. He can see how badly Jihoon is struggling with himself, but he's not going to give in like this, not when the younger's mind is clearly all over the place.
"No, Jihoon. Not like this. You don't want to do this when you're not... sane." Soonyoung's voice softens, but it's firm. "I'm not going to take advantage of you like that."
Jihoon groans, his eyes starting to flicker between blue and pink again. His hands tremble as he reaches for Soonyoung, but this time, Soonyoung takes a step back, shaking his head.
"Jihoon, stop," Soonyoung says, his voice surprisingly steady despite the chaos. "We're not doing this while you're like this. You're not even thinking straight."
Jihoon looks utterly defeated for a second, his shoulders sagging as his eyes turn back to blue. "I... I'm sorry. I don't know what's happening to me. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
Soonyoung takes a deep breath, his resolve wavering as he watches Jihoon's expression crumble. He's seen Jihoon struggle with his feelings before, and the last thing he wants is for the younger to feel like he's being rejected, especially when all of this isn't even his fault and not right after they managed to confess their feelings.
He steps closer to Jihoon, gently placing his hand on his shoulder. "Jihoon," he says softly, "You're still you, okay? And I get it. I understand how you feel. I just... I want you to be fully you when we do this."
Jihoon looks up at him, his lips trembling slightly. "You... you understand?" His voice cracks. "Soonyoung, I just—"
Before he can finish, Soonyoung closes the distance, pulling Jihoon into a kiss. This time, it's deep and controlled, the passion behind it unmistakable. It's like Soonyoung is kissing the madness out of him, the fire in Jihoon finally giving way to something real. Jihoon's lips soften against his, and for a moment, everything goes still. Soonyoung can tell the exact moment all the remnants of the potion disappearing letting Jihoon's body sag slightly toward him.
Jihoon's hands move to wrap around Soonyoung's neck, pulling him closer, and Soonyoung's heart races. This time, it's his choice, his decision to give in. And when Jihoon responds just as eagerly, Soonyoung can't help but deepen the kiss, feeling all the emotions he's kept buried for so long rushing to the surface.
But then, midway through the kiss, Jihoon suddenly pulls away, his breathing ragged. His eyes snap back to their usual color, no longer glowing, no longer filled with that maniac energy. He blinks, confused, and his hand trembles as he pulls back further, his gaze locking onto Soonyoung's.
"I... I'm so sorry," Jihoon says, his voice shaking. "I don't know what came over me again... I didn't mean to... force you into anything."
Soonyoung blinks, trying to catch his breath. He knows the potion's effects have finally left, but despite all the moments they were in a similar position Jihoon had never regained his senses why he was mid action. So this might be scaring to come back to himself like this. Even if they already confessed.
"You didn't force me into anything," Soonyoung says with a small, reassuring smile. "It's okay. We both know how I feel about you."
Jihoon stares at him, still breathless, but now with a mix of confusion and vulnerability in his eyes. "I... I don't know what happened. It was like... one second I was okay, and the next, I just... wanted you so badly. I'm sorry, Soonyoung. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
Soonyoung shakes his head, stepping forward to gently touch Jihoon's cheek. "Jihoon, it's alright," he says, his voice calm but warm. "We've confessed. I'm not going anywhere. I know what you feel, and I know you didn't mean to go all... berserk on me."
Jihoon's eyes flicker again—this time, with something softer. "I didn't know how to say it, but I've always loved you, Soonyoung," he says, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've always... wanted to be with you. I just couldn't figure out how to show it."
Soonyoung's heart skips a beat, and he can't help but smile as he cups Jihoon's face in his hands. "You don't need a potion to show me that."
And with that, Jihoon leans in, pressing his lips to Soonyoung's once more—but this time, it's slow and gentle. The kiss is full of everything they've been holding back, full of love and sincerity.
When they finally pull apart, Jihoon rests his forehead against Soonyoung's, his breath still shaky but his eyes clear.
"I love you, Soonyoung," he whispers.
"I love you, too," Soonyoung murmurs, his hand gently brushing through Jihoon's hair. "Always have."
As Jihoon and Soonyoung pull away from each other, the air around them feels warmer, calmer. Soonyoung smiles softly, his hands still lingering on Jihoon's face, as they both try to catch their breath. Just as they start to lean in again, a loud knock sounds from the door, followed by a familiar voice.
"Soonyoung? Jihoon?" It's Seungkwan, his voice muffled through the door. "Are you two okay in there? The rest of us are still trying to figure out what's going on with Jihoon. You... you haven't been, uh, making out this whole time, have you?"
Soonyoung freezes, glancing at Jihoon, whose face flushes a deep shade of pink, even in the dim light of the room. Soonyoung chuckles softly, brushing a hand through his hair.
"Uh, no, we're fine," Soonyoung says, his voice way too casual considering the situation. "Just... just needed a minute. Everything's cool."
Jihoon looks at Soonyoung, his eyes softening. "I'm... I'm okay now," he says quietly, his usual nervousness creeping back into his voice. "I'm sorry again for what happened."
Soonyoung chuckles, leaning in to kiss Jihoon's forehead. "It's fine, Jihoon. We'll figure it out. Let's just go out there and try to work this out, okay?"
Jihoon nods, still a little unsure, but he's more relaxed now than he's been all day. He takes a deep breath, then turns toward the door. "Right... right."
Soonyoung stands up and opens the door, revealing Seungkwan standing on the other side, arms crossed, a skeptical expression on his face. The moment he sees the two of them standing there, Jihoon with his usual expression of apology and Soonyoung just... Soonyoung, Seungkwan raises an eyebrow.
"I swear, if you two were—" Seungkwan cuts himself off when he notices the slight flush still on Jihoon's cheeks. "Okay, fine. Not going there. But seriously, what happened? You two seem... okay, but it's like Jihoon had some sort of... transformation earlier and yet you managed to bring him back without us having to pull Jihoon off you again."
Soonyoung shrugs with a small smile, turning to Jihoon as they walk into the living room. "You'll have to ask Jihoon about that," he says teasingly. "It's his love potion moment. He went a little wild on me, but he's back to his normal, lovable self now."
Jihoon, still embarrassed, hides his face behind his hands, but he's no longer glowing with that crazy energy. His usual shy self is back in full force. "I... I didn't mean for it to happen like that. I don't know what I was thinking, but... I'm really sorry."
The rest of the group is sitting around the living room, looking back at them with mixed expressions of confusion and amusement. Seungcheol, Joshua, and Mingyu are in deep conversation, trying to piece together the events, while the others are giving each other nervous glances.
"Is everything okay now? Is it over?" Joshua asks, glancing up from the papers he's been scanning.
Soonyoung chuckles. "Yeah, about that..." He shoots Jihoon a teasing look. "Apparently, he wanted to kiss me, bite me, and then maybe start an apocalypse all at once. But it's all good now. He's back to normal for good."
"Oh thank god" Seungcheol murmurs. "I got too tired from trying to restrain you. Your body is no joke."
Jihoon looks horrified as he shoots a glare at Soonyoung. "You don't have to tell them everything," Jihoon grumbles, his face a bright red. "I don't even know what happened to me."
"Don't worry about it, Jihoon," Seungkwan says, throwing him a wink. "You're not the first one to go a little crazy. We're all trying to piece this together."
At that moment, Seungcheol stands up, shaking his head in frustration. "So we still don't know how the potion ended up in Jihoon's drink?" he asks the group. "And we're still not sure who even brought it here?"
Mingyu looks like he's about to say something but pauses, scratching his head. "Maybe... maybe it was just a weird coincidence? A prank? Either way, I'm just glad it's over."
"So," Jeonghan says, standing up and brushing his hands off, "Jihoon's fine now, right? No more sudden kisses or bite attacks? Like are we totally sure?" He shoots a playful glance at Jihoon.
Jihoon glares at him but then glances at Soonyoung, who just smiles and gives him a quick, reassuring wink.
"I'm fine now, I could still earlier feel the potion swirling around my emotions but it's gone now." Jihoon mumbles, "and... I'm sorry to everyone for being... crazy." He looks at Soonyoung, his voice quieter but no less sincere. "And, Soonyoung... I really do love you. I didn't mean to... confuse you."
Soonyoung's heart skips a beat, and he gives Jihoon a soft smile, reaching for his hand. "I know, Jihoon. And I love you too. No potion necessary this time."
It was really fascinating how someone goes from never saying any love word or even initiating any physical contact to straight on throwing that three words sentence too often. Soonyoung might just have a new favorite word today especially being heard from the lips of this man standing in front of him.
"Okay, I think we can call this day an adventure and move on," Seungkwan says, clapping his hands together as if sealing the deal. "Now, let's figure out what happened to that love potion and if it's still lurking around."
Everyone laughs, the tension in the room finally easing. Jihoon and Soonyoung share a quiet, tender moment, knowing they've made it through the madness together.
But Jihoon still can't help but steal a glance at Soonyoung, a small, mischievous smile creeping onto his face. Soonyoung raises an eyebrow. "What are you planning now?"
Jihoon's grin widens. "Maybe I'll take you out for dinner... without any more potions. What do you think?"
Soonyoung can't help but laugh, reaching out to ruffle Jihoon's hair. "As long as you don't bite me, we're good."
"And if I do?" Jihoon asks an eyebrow raised.
"Well then I suppose I will have to bite back. Don't you think that will be only fair?" Jihoon's neck turns slightly crimson but he manages to compose himself and give the other an over exaggerated eye roll to which Soonyoung explodes into laughter at.
As the group finally gathers their things, ready to leave the house after the wild series of events, after giving up on trying to find the reason of the chaos since they were getting nowhere with their investigation. Soonyoung and Jihoon stand side by side, both feeling a mix of relief and amusement at how the day turned out.
The chaos of Jihoon's love potion-induced behavior seems to be behind them, but there's still a palpable tension in the air—everyone is still trying to piece things together. Seungkwan, still trying to understand how things went down, shoots Jihoon a look as they walk toward the cars.
"I still can't believe you were... biting everyone," Seungkwan mutters, rubbing his neck, trying to mask his discomfort. "And the glowing eyes? What even happened to you?"
Jihoon chuckles lightly, stepping ahead of the group with his hands in his pockets. "Eh, it was nothing. Just a little slip-up, you know? But hey, we're all good now." His voice is almost too casual, too carefree considering everything that happened.
The others start piling into the cars, with Soonyoung and Jihoon heading toward one of the vehicles. As Jihoon reaches for the door handle of the car, he pauses for a moment, raising one hand in the air like he's about to make some grand announcement.
"Oh, by the way, guys..." Jihoon starts, his voice turning mischievous as everyone pauses and looks back at him. "Did I not mention that I was the one who brought the potion?"
A collective gasp fills the air, and for a moment, everyone stands there, utterly confused, as the truth slowly dawns on them. Jihoon just grins, looking at their bewildered faces.
"You did what now?" Seungcheol says, eyes wide, not sure if he heard that correctly.
"Wait—what?!" Mingyu exclaims, his jaw dropping.
Jihoon shrugs nonchalantly, as if casually revealing that he'd just announced the end of the world. "Yeah, I was the one who brought it. I hoped it would give me enough courage to confess. I honestly didn't know it would cause all this or be this extreme, but... hey, it worked, right?" He winks at Soonyoung, who can't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
"You're kidding," Seungkwan says in disbelief, still frozen in place.
"Nope," Jihoon says with a smirk, reaching for the car door handle again. "But anyway, we all had fun today. It was such a fun weekend. I hope next vacation be this good. I trust you all to assure that."
And with that, without waiting for another word or even allowing anyone to respond, Jihoon jumps into the car, slamming the door behind him. Soonyoung chuckles, shaking his head at the madness of it all, before following Jihoon into the car.
The rest of the group stands in stunned silence for a few seconds, processing the revelation.
"Is he serious?" Joshua asks, breaking the silence.
"I can't tell if he's joking or not," Seungkwan says, still staring at the car that just drove away.
"But... why didn't you tell us earlier?" Seungcheol calls out, though it's too late to get an answer.
From the car window, Jihoon waves at them with a big grin plastered on his face, completely carefree, as if nothing unusual had happened at all. "Later, losers!" he calls out, making a peace sign from the open window of the already speeding car, leaving the group in total chaos once again.
As the car fades into the distance, the remaining members just stand there, staring after it.
"Well," Seungkwan finally says, breaking the silence, "this is officially the weirdest thing I've ever been a part of. But I'm never going near Jihoon's drinks again."
"Same," Mingyu mutters, rubbing his neck where Jihoon had bit him earlier.
Seungcheol, still processing, shakes his head with a small chuckle. "What a disaster... but also... how do we even ever top this?"
"Oh trust me we will" Jeonghan says eyes glinting "He did not just challange us to that and left us like this for me not to plan something"
"I don't like where this is going" Mingyu mumbles slowly
The front door opens after a while and a half sleepy Wonwoo comes out, everyone stares at him in confusion as he drapes his bag over his shoulder
"Are we leaving now? What did I miss?"
Seungkwan watches him in utter betrayal "Where Were you all day!"
"I was asleep? after whatever happened this morning I went back to bed" Wonwoo replies as he pulls his glasses off to clean them into his shirt
"You know what? You missed nothing. Yes nothing" Seokmin shakes his head "Today was ust a fragment of our imagination"
Jun snorts slightly as he pulls the other confused man with him toward a car assuring him that he will explain on the way.
"I think I know who our next target would be" Jeonghan mumbles slowly to Seungkwan and the other turn slightly to see where he was looking at.
"Ah..." That was all Seungkwan said "Sometimes i feel thankful that I'm on your good side hyung"
"Always Seungkwanie, now let's go home"
And maybe really this was not the worst of comedies that could really happen between all of them because who would have even expected such a random thing to even happen to them. And yet fate could be such a funny companion sometimes. No one is safe after all.