"i was trying to avoid you."

"i was trying to avoid the conversation." junhui answered, but minghao just turned to leave. usually, junhui wouldn't call for minghao since junhui thought that minghao would only turn around, scream at him and leave.

but this time, junhui stopped minghao. what is this, a kdrama? hand grab? really, junhui? the taller thought, after grasping minghao's wrist. "can i ask you something?" minghao doesn't answer, turning around to face junhui. junhui takes this as permission to talk. "why do you hate me?"

minghao laughs, as junhui's grasp on his wrist loosened in surprise. junhui didn't know why he laughed, and he was confused. "you finally asked why."

"it's beyond my understanding. i don't get how sometimes we're in good terms, sometimes we're the normal duo that always bickers, and sometimes you just shut me off."

"it's not beyond your understanding. it's pretty simple." minghao sighed, crossing his arms. "you're....you're cool. your ability is great, you're better than me, that's why i hate you."

junhui didn't expect the answer that he was given. in fact, it only made this while situation more confusing. why would you hate someone who you think is cool? junhui shot minghao a confused look before minghao continued.

"when we first met, our underboss made us pair up for our first mission. we were youngsters at the time, so we were awkward and you were too quiet. i thought i was better than you, but when you basically did everything in our mission, you got all the praise from our underboss and all the commendations. while me? i tried fighting with you, but i only got a back injury. they said, while training me, i was the best secret weapon that they had. but when you came along, i wasn't. i was ready to prove that i was the best one, but i was wrong, they were right. you were the best." minghao grunted after his last sentence, expressing his resentment.

"but m-minghao!" junhui shut his eyes tight, annoyed at what minghao just said. "you're the one who's cool!" junhui's hands turned into fists, his lips pursed tightly while his eyes were shut in anticipation.

"i'm not, junhui. you stole all the praise and all the attention from me, and i hate you for that—but can i blame them? you're the best. even i know that."

"minghao, you're cool but i don't hate you!" junhui exclaimed. "i like you because you're keeping me on the ground! i like you because you're the first friend i made, though you insulted me always! i like you, because you took me out of my shell! i like you, because watching you being in control of your power helped me be in control of the red demon! i like you because you always stick with me though you hate me!"

minghao only gave junhui a subtle smile, before speaking. "okay." then minghao left.

finally, a morning without an anime opening blasting from the speakers on the hallway. jihoon stretched, not bothering to put on his fuzzy slippers. he walks outside and goes directly to the elevator.

jihoon came to a sight of a normal morning, the members swarming the kitchen for breakfast while the others chatted while eating cereals or granola bars. "oh! shrimpy!" soonyoung called, making jihoon roll his eyes. jihoon walked to where soonyoung sat, where next to him, an empty bowl was waiting.

"rolling your eyes too early in the morning will destroy your day." soonyoung pointed to the empty seat beside him. "eat up! we're going to do something today!"

"what, a mission again?!" jihoon asked, grumpily grabbing the cereal.

"we're going to update our profiles!" soonyoung said. jihoon snorted, finding how low soonyoung's happiness was. but hey, he doesn't judge! "well, we can't change any of our information, we're just adding you in."

"i don't know what i want for a codename." wonwoo truthfully said, placing the empty bowl that he used in the dishwasher. "how will you choose your codename?"

jeonghan turned to wonwoo, being the one who was asked. "i think angel would do fine. i was born in october 4."

'1004'. jeonghan smiled to himself, pleased at the imagination of people calling him angel. that would fit him. (he lowkey wants to hear it from joshua, but whatever)

"how about you, jihoon?" jihoon propped himself up from the chair to get milk, glancing momentarily at wonwoo.

"i don't know."

"how about i decide for yours?!" soonyoung stood up from his chair, making a creaking sound. "woozi. that sounds nice, doesn't it?"

surprised, jihoon turns and nods. "it is. where did you get that?"

soonyoung proudly crossed his arms and held his chin up. "i got it from 'uri jihoon', combining 'u' and 'ji', then you change the spelling. woozi." jihoon was confused. "it fits you, shrimpy! uri jihoon is cute, and it kinda sounds like 'chibi' and you're chibi—"

seungcheol, who was passing by, smacks the back of soonyoung's head. "let him choose for himself, no-eyes."

meanwhile, chan was contemplating wether to put 'dino' on his profile, or something more sensible. he was just fond of dinosaurs, that's all.

"i think i'm gonna go with woozi." jihoon says, shoving the spoon full of milk and cereal into his mouth. he chews, before he spoke again. "i can't think of anything else."

"wow, he acknowledged your idea." mingyu commented, stretching to get ready for today. soonyoung made a comment about mingyu's stretching, just to get back at him. the others continued eating breakfast while chatting, but they didn't notice junhui.

junhui exchanged the handsoap by the sink with shampoo. it was a boring prank, but he enjoyed every second of laughing at seungcheol. "i swear to god, if you keep on doing these pranks, you're going to do all the chores!"

minghao, who watched the situation, felt a smile creep up his lips.

"okay, we're done!" seungcheol exclaimed. chan was trying to back away, but seungcheol caught him just before he was too far. "time to train, chan...." chan whined, getting dragged to the elevator.

"we'll get going!" vernon said, waving a hand at joshua who stayed behind. the others followed him.

"okay! thanks for your help!" joshua replied, referring to the documents regarding the profile updates, "HEUSC, send the file format as pdf." joshua commands his virtual assistant, then he waits for a confirmation.

"file sent, sir."

joshua smiled, swirling in his swivel chair. "okay, time to play some good shit." joshua opens steam on the computer in front of him.

"i.... i never thought i'd hear you curse." jeonghan's voice was shy—and it surprised joshua. joshua jumped in his seat, turning to his right where jeonghan was. he stayed behind, apparently. "you play computer games?"

"yeah." joshua turns back to his computer. jeonghan walks to where joshua sat, watching him fiddle around with the cursor as his game loads. "i find it fun. vernon plays with me sometimes, too."

the lounge page of the game shows, which joshua disregarded scanning. he immediately clicks on 'new game'. the game loads again. "babe, you're too fast. i didn't even get to read the name of the game."

joshua shows discomfort upon hearing the nickname again. "uh, about that..."

"about what?"

"the nicknames and the flirting." joshua replied, clicking impatiently on the game. it lagged because of joshua's consistent clicking, so joshua spoke again while he waited for the game to work again. "is that a thing that you do with friends, or are you naturally like that? do you like me?" at the last question, joshua swings his swivel chair to face jeonghan.

jeonghan was taken aback by the last question. he looks away while he blushed, fumbling with his fingers. "i didn't mean to give you that message, i just found your looks really attractive so i.. yeah, i did that."

joshua was enlightened, but fazed. jeonghan, who shamelessly flirted with him all day yesterday, is now shy. "to be honest, i'm unco-uncomfortable with the nicknames...." there! joshua spat it out, now all he had to find out was what jeonghan's reaction will be. offended, humoured, or...?

"it's hard not to try to flirt with you! i mean, you're gorgeous!" jeonghan reasoned, pouting a little. "but if you don't like the nicknames... i can't make you sit through my list of endearments. what's your real name?"

woah, okay. joshua just got told that he was gorgeous. "hong jisoo."

"jisoo is boring, lots of people have that name...." jeonghan fell into the trench of thoughts, while joshua processed all the information.

"wow, um, okay, ouch."

"i'll settle on one nickname so you won't be uncomfortable anymore!" jeonghan exclaimed, disparaging joshua's comments. "i think i'll call you joshuji!"

a/n: god this has so much drama and angst