NINE
🧬

"Taeyong! Taeyong!" Doyoung stumbled through the door of their dorm.

They were just dismissed and now, they only had 45 minutes to find out where they were going to hide him.

"Yes?" Taeyong walked out of Doyoung's bedroom with a "cape" (it was just a blanket) and a bowl of popcorn.

"Okay, look, you're going to hide." Doyoung said without explaining anything to Taeyong. He looked around, trying to find a place to hide him.

"Why? Are we playing hide and seek?" Taeyong asked, tilting his head at Doyoung's panic.

"Doyoung, calm down!" Kun said, walking towards Doyoung before he continued, "They probably don't even know who Taeyong is."

"That's.. a good point but what if they see him here? He's not a student,"
"We can just that's your boyfriend,"

"Boyfriend?!" Doyoung exclaimed, his face slowly giving into a bright shade of red.

"Yeah, it's bound to happen anyway-"
"This isn't the point!" Doyoung said, not wanting to hear anymore from Kun.

"May I ask who are 'they'?" Taeyong asked, clueless of everything that is currently happening.

"Mark, Renjun and Donghyuck. Just a couple of juniors," Doyoung replied briefly.

"Donghyuck is going to visit us?" Taeyong asked, seeming joyful about it.

"How.. do you know who Donghyuck is?" Kun asked, his curiosity calming him down.

"Donghyuck is Johnny's adoptive child," Taeyong replied innocently.
"Johnny's what?!" Kun and Doyoung yelled, slipping into another episode of panic.

"Well! If Taeyong knows Donghyuck then Donghyuck knows him too!" Kun said, panicking along with Doyoung.

"Why should I hide?" Taeyong asked, still munching on his popcorn.

"Because Donghyuck must not know that you're here or he'll tell Johnny and we will get in trouble, okay?" Doyoung answered calmly, eating the popcorn as well.

"Wait— Why does this taste better than the ones I make?" Doyoung asked, snacking even more on the popcorn.

"Now is not the time. We'll just have Taeyong stay in your bedroom and make sure no one enters." Kun decided,

"That's not a bad idea.." Doyoung looked at Taeyong to ask him if he's okay if the idea.

"I guess it is alright?" Taeyong replied,

"Great! Go! Go! Make sure you stay absolutely silent!" Doyoung walked with Taeyong to the bedroom and sat him down on the bed.

"Just. Stay. Quiet." Doyoung instructed, patting Taeyong's head gently.

"Is it a bother for me to stay?" Taeyong asked. The question caught Doyoung off-guard,

Doyoung's panic resided and sat down next to Taeyong.

"No, never. It's our— or at least, my choice that I brought you back here. Kun likes having you here, I like having you here too so don't worry, okay?" Doyoung replied with a soft smile,

"Okay.." Taeyong said but he was still unconvinced and Doyoung could tell that he was.

"Taeyong, you trust me, right?" Doyoung looked into Taeyong's eyes which made it difficult for Taeyong if he was wanted to lie.

"Yes, I do trust you." Taeyong answered without a sign of hesitation.

"Then trust me when I tell you that you've brought nothing but joy to our lives," Doyoung added before he stood up from the bed.

"It'll be okay. Don't worry." Doyoung left the room and closed the door.

Taeyong smiled to himself, hearing Doyoung's words were everything to him.

And it made him feel weird. In a good way.

🧬

"Wow, your dorms are bigger than ours.." Mark walked into the living room with awe.

"Not really, maybe you just have too much stuff laying around." Doyoung replied, shutting the door after the trio had entered.

Donghyuck was immediately on detective mode, looking for every possible sign of a robot being hidden in this dorm.

"Please make yourselves at home." Doyoung motioned over to the couches and walked towards the kitchen where Kun was making refreshments.

"Then I'll go ahead and take a nap on your bed then!" Donghyuck yelled, trying to stir panic within the older two.

"Doyoung..!" Kun whispered, nudging him slightly.

Doyoung glared at him, telling him to shut his mouth and remain calm.

"Hyuck, are you going to help us?" Mark asked, stopping the younger from getting closer to the bedrooms.

"No, not really. I just wanted to tag along." Donghyuck replied, sitting down next to Mark instead.

"Then maybe you should return home." Doyoung added, handing drinks to their junior.

"Why is that?" Donghyuck asked, his interests sparking up whenever Doyoung speaks.

"Because you're not going to help," Doyoung replied, looking at the younger with pure bitterness.

"Doyoung, don't be such a jerk," Kun sat down across the table, passing a drink to Renjun.

"Just saying.." Doyoung muttered under his breath, taking a seat next to Kun.

Donghyuck folded his arms over his chest and sat there.

+ hours later

"I'm hungry.." Donghyuck whined, slumping on the chair.

"There are leftovers in the fridge, you can heat it up if you wish," Kun smiled briefly at the Donghyuck before he returned to work.

"Hmm.." Donghyuck got up from the chair and walked towards the kitchen. He opened the fridge like he would at home,

His eyes fell on a certain meal.

"This.. looks like.."

"Donghyuck! Uncle Taeyong prepared dinner for you!"

"Uncle Taeyong!" Donghyuck rushed down the stairs, nearly stumbling on the last few steps but Johnny was able to scoop the child up from the ground before he fell.

Johnny walked into the kitchen with Donghyuck in his arms, "Uncle Taeyong! Uncle Taeyong!" The child yelled, swinging his arms which almost hit Johnny.

"Yes, yes~ Uncle Taeyong is here!" Taeyong sang happily, placing dinner onto the table.

Johnny sat down with Donghyuck by his side,

"Beef!" Donghyuck identified the meal with pride expecting his praise from Taeyong.

"That's right." Taeyong smiled at the child, "Eat up!" Taeyong said, continuing to wash the dishes.

Donghyuck picked up a piece of beef and walked over to Taeyong. "Uncle Taeyong say ah~"

Taeyong smiled at the child, before he knelt down to his height and did what the child wanted.

Donghyuck fed Taeyong happily before he ran over to his seat to enjoy the rest of his meal.

"Thank you for the meal, Uncle Taeyong!"

Donghyuck found himself staring at the beef longer than he should've.

"Please don't leave the fridge open for too long!" Doyoung said, unbothered to look at Donghyuck.

"R-Right," Donghyuck replied, grabbing the container of beef and staring at it.

He placed in into the microwave, staring at the beef as it was heated. It was weird of him to do so.

He pulled it out as soon as it was done, ignoring how it burnt his fingers.

"Where are the chopsticks?"
"Third drawer."

Donghyuck pulled a pair of chopsticks from the drawer and popped open the container.

He took the beef to the dining table. "Y'all want any?" They were way too busy to answer him. "Fine. I see how it is,"

Donghyuck sat down in his seat and ate. It was exactly how it tasted 7 years ago. He wanted to tell himself it was just a coincidence but it can't be.

"Where is he, Doyoung? Where is he, Kun?" Donghyuck blurted his thoughts out loud.

The two paled. "What?" Doyoung asked, putting his tablet down in bewilderment.

"Huh? Nothing.." Donghyuck replied, returning to the container of beef.

Taeyong peeked out from the room, "It really is Donghyuck.." He thought as a fond smile grew in his face.

Donghyuck caught Taeyong staring at him and watched as he quickly disappeared from the gap.

"There's someone in there!" Donghyuck yelled, pointing at Doyoung's bedroom.

The group of students were startled by Donghyuck's sudden outburst.

"What?" Mark was the first to speak out of the shocked group.

"There! Is! Someone! In! There!" Donghyuck shouted, putting the food onto the table and marching towards the room.

Renjun hopped out of his seat and got a grip on Donghyuck's wrist. "Donghyuck! You shouldn't just enter our senior's room!" He yelled,

"I don't care. There is someone in there!" Donghyuck continued to yell, shaking his wrist out of Renjun's hand.

"Only me and Kun live here." Doyoung began, standing up from his seat and walking towards his bedroom.

"If you don't believe it then by my guest to have a look," Doyoung continued, reaching for the doorknob.

"What the hell is he doing?!" Kun wondered, he thought about some way to avoid what he hoped would not happen.

Doyoung let out a sigh and opened the door, praying with his entire life that Taeyong hid.

"There is no one there," Renjun said, stepping into the room to have a look around.

"Impossible, I saw someone's eyes!" Donghyuck looked around frantically.

"Donghyuck, please stop delaying our work." Doyoung returned to his seat, quietly cheering to himself that Taeyong knew where to hide.

Donghyuck stomped his foot and walked out of his room, "I'm leaving."

"What?" Mark said, startled by Donghyuck's sudden change of plans.

"Doyoung, Kun," Donghyuck said as he slipped on his shoes.

The two watched as Donghyuck opened the door,

"If you have Taeyong, please give him back. I'm worried, Johnny is worried. If you don't then pretend this didn't happen," Donghyuck added before he left the dorm in a rush to return home to Johnny.

"Who.. is Taeyong?" Mark asked, looking at the older students for answers.

"I have no idea," Doyoung replied coldly, returning to his own set of work to go through.

Kun, on the other hand, felt bad and Doyoung could feel his guilt radiating from him.

"Kun, are you going to go back to work?" Doyoung asked,

"R-Right.. I will."

🧬

yeet wonder what kun will do about his guilt
btw that pic of doyoung kicked me in the face i love him