Ping woke up slowly, the kind of slow where his body felt warm before his mind caught up.
The first thing he noticed was an arm around his waist.
The second thing was that it wasn't his.
He stiffened—then relaxed almost immediately.
Keng.
Ping stared at the ceiling, memories of the night before drifting back in pieces: the bar, the alcohol, being carried, his own words spilling out without permission. His heart thumped harder.
I like you… no, I love you.
Ping swallowed and shifted slightly. Keng stirred but didn't wake, his grip tightening unconsciously, like he was afraid Ping might disappear if he let go.
Annoying.
Ping carefully turned his head to look at him. Keng's hair was a mess, lashes resting softly against his cheeks. He looked peaceful. Younger. Too gentle for someone who had once broken him so completely.
Ping reached up without thinking, stopping just short of touching Keng's face.
You make it so hard to stay angry, he thought bitterly.
He sighed and tried to slip out of the bed quietly
"Trying to run again?" Keng's sleepy voice murmured.
Ping stiffened. "You're awake?!"
Keng opened one eye, then the other, amusement flickering across his face. "You're not exactly subtle."
Ping sat up immediately, pulling the blanket with him. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"I was enjoying watching you panic," Keng replied lazily.
"Jerk," Ping muttered, avoiding his gaze.
Silence fell between them—thick, awkward, loaded.
Keng sat up too, resting his elbow on the bed. "How do you feel?"
Ping hesitated. "…My head hurts."
"And emotionally?" Keng asked softly.
Ping shot him a glare. "Don't ask questions you already know the answer to."
Keng smiled, but it wasn't teasing this time. "You remember everything, don't you."
Ping didn't respond. His fingers clenched the blanket instead.
"I meant what I said last night," Keng continued. "I love you.... Ping."
Ping's jaw tightened. "You don't get to say things like that so easily."
"Really? Well I know you love me too" keng said proudly.
Ping finally looked at him, eyes conflicted. "You kissed me."
"You kissed me first," Keng replied gently.
Ping looked away again. "That doesn't mean anything."
"Then why are you still sitting here?" Keng asked quietly.
Ping didn't have an answer.
Meanwhile.....
Rain woke up with a groan.
His head hurt. His throat felt dry. And something was… heavy.
He shifted—and froze.
An arm was around his waist.
Rain blinked, then slowly turned his head.
Jinn.
Very much Jinn.
Lying beside him, still asleep, hair slightly messy, brows relaxed. Too close. Way too close.
Rain's heart jumped. "What the—"
Memories crept in unwillingly. Being carried. Complaining. Being helped. Warm hands. Him hugging someone to sleep.
And then—
Rain glanced down.
He was under the blanket. Shirtless. So was jinn.
"…Oh no."
He carefully tried to move, but the arm around him tightened instinctively, pulling him closer.
"Stop squirming," Jinn muttered sleepily.
Rain stiffened. "YOU'RE AWAKE?!"
Jinn opened his eyes slowly, confusion flickering before realization set in. He immediately loosened his hold. "Oh—sorry. Did I—"
"You—!" Rain sat up so fast the blanket slipped. "Why are you in my bed?!"
Jinn rubbed his face, clearly processing. "You threw up on me and a little bit on yourself.I helped you clean up. You wouldn't let go."
Rain's ears burned. "I—what?!"
"You hugged me," Jinn said calmly. "And fell asleep."
Rain opened his mouth. Closed it. Then groaned and buried his face in his hands.
"This is so embarrassing."
Jinn watched him quietly, then smiled faintly. "You called me handsome too."
"DELETE THAT MEMORY," Rain snapped.
Jinn chuckled and stood up. "Relax. Nothing happened."
Rain peeked through his fingers. "Nothing?"
"Nothing," Jinn repeated. "I slept on the edge. You trapped me."
Rain paused. "…Oh."
An awkward silence followed.
Then Rain cleared his throat. "So… you didn't regret staying?"
Jinn met his gaze. "No."
Rain's stomach flipped. He stood up quickly. "I—I need to check on Ping."
Before jinn could say anything rain ran out changing into a suitable cloth.
"Piiiiing," Rain's voice sang from outside. "If you don't open this door right now, I'll announce to the entire floor that you spent the night in your boyfriend's room leaving your best friend all alone."
Ping nearly jumped off the bed. "RAIN!"
Keng chuckled and stood up. "Relax. I'll get it."
"No—!" Ping reached out instinctively but stopped himself.
Too late.
Keng opened the door.
Rain stood there, squinting suspiciously between the two of them. "Wow," he said slowly. "So this is what happened."
"Nothing happened," Ping said too quickly.
Rain grinned. "You're no longer wearing yesterday's clothes."
Ping cursed under his breath.
Behind Rain, Jinn appeared, looking far too calm for someone who had clearly also not slept alone. Tao and Bank soon joined them, arms crossed, identical knowing expressions on their faces.
"So," Tao said, dragging the word out. "Should we congratulate you now or later?"
Ping felt heat crawl up his neck. "There's nothing to congratulate!"
Bank laughed. "Sure. And we're blind."
Keng leaned casually against the doorframe. "You're all very noisy this morning."
Jinn glanced at Ping, then at Keng. "He looks different."
Rain nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. Like someone who gave in a little."
Ping snapped, "I did not!"
Keng looked at him, eyes warm, unreadable. "You don't have to decide anything now."
Ping paused.
"can you not worsen the situation," he muttered.
Keng smiled and turned his gaze to Rain and jinn .
"By the way," he said, eyes shifting away from Ping, "you two spent the night together, didn't you?"
Silence.
Ping blinked.
Rain froze.
Jinn stiffened.
Slowly—almost dramatically—the entire group turned.
All eyes landed on Rain and Jinn.
Rain's mouth fell open. "WHAT?!"
Tao's eyebrows shot up. "Oh?"
Bank folded his arms. "Is that so?"
Jinn cleared his throat. "…It wasn't like that."
Rain spun on him. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOT LIKE THAT?!"
Keng tilted his head, innocent. "So you didn't?"
Rain's ears turned bright red. "We— I— he—"
Tao laughed. "Wow. Look at him malfunction."
Bank nodded seriously. "Didn't expect you to give in first, Rain."
"I DID NOT GIVE IN TO ANYTHING!" Rain yelled, pointing wildly between them. "He just— I was drunk— and then—"
Jinn looked away. "…You didn't let go."
That was it.
Rain's face went completely crimson.
Ping watched in stunned silence as Rain grabbed his bag.
"I'm leaving," Rain muttered. "You people are insane."
He turned sharply and stormed off.
"RAIN—" Ping called.
Rain didn't stop.
Tao laughed so hard he had to lean on Bank. "That was brutal."
Bank smiled. "He ran."
Jinn stood there, quiet, eyes following Rain's retreating figure.
Keng glanced at him and smirked.
"Better go after him."
Jinn hesitated only a second—then walked off.
Ping exhaled slowly.
"…This group is exhausting," he muttered.
Keng leaned closer, voice low.
"Careful," he said. "You're part of it now."
Ping shot him a look—but didn't deny it.