By the time we make it back to my apartment, I am exhausted. Jeonguk tags along quietly, with far more energy than I.

Smiling as he places the bags onto the kitchen counter, he turns to face me.

"You look really tired noona, " he says, glancing at my tired eyes and labored steps. "You should get some rest."

I peek at the clock. It's only two in the afternoon, and I really could use a nap.

"But what will you do?"

His smile grows, morphing into something else entirely as he regards me with a look that I can't quite place.

"I could always join you, " he says, waggling his eyebrows at me like some sort of crazy person.

"Firstly, stop that, " I laugh, "or your eyebrows might fly away. Secondly, you're more than welcome to join me, if you're also going to take a nap. No funny business though, so if that's what you're hoping for, I'm afraid you're out of luck."

He pouts pitifully, pinkened lips pursing adorably, but follows me to my bedroom regardless.

I don't even bother to change, or remove my socks, far too tired to manage. Instead, I crawl eagerly into my monstrosity of a bed, and pat the space next to me, signalling that Jeonguk should join me.

Despite all of his teasing and innuendo, he suddenly looks a little green.

I chuckle, amused.

He shakes his head, golden hair settling against his brow stubbornly, and climbs in after me. I sigh happily, snuggling further into the sheets as Guk wraps a tentative arm around me from behind.

I can feel his breath against the shell of my ear, and I shiver slightly.

"That tickles!" I exclaim, attempting to scoot away even if only slightly.

But Jeonguk's arm pulls me closer instead, and further down so that his chin is now resting atop my head. I laugh a bit, happiness bubbling from within.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, " I reply softly, allowing myself to melt into his one armed embrace. "I'm just really happy, that's all."

And within minutes, I am asleep.

By the time I wake up the sheets are twisted all around us, and Jeonguk is snoring softly. I am half splayed out on his solid abdomen, and our legs are intertwined.

I smile, heart full of adoration in this moment.

For a moment, I'm afraid to move, afraid to wake him up and break the serene spell he's under. So instead, I simply lie there and study his sleeping face.

He looks so young like this. Youthful,carefree, and entirely at peace with the world around him.

But the moment is broken by the shrill cry of my cell phone, and I scramble away as Jeonguk begins to awaken. I snatch my phone from the bedside table, and flee to the living room, hoping that Jeonguk will still be able to get back to sleep.

"Why haven't you messaged me, or called me? You won't even let me come to your office during lunch hours lately, you're always gone! Don't you miss me? Does our friendship mean nothing to you?"

Lani's voice is frantic, distraught even.

"We live, like, two doors down from each other. If you're that upset, why don't you just come and visit?"

She squeals, and I can already hear her shuffling to the door.

"I'll be right there!"

"Hey, we have to be quiet though because my boy-"

With indignation, I realize that she's hung up on me. But the moment I put my cellphone down, I hear the sound of two doors opening at once.

I nearly panic.

Jeonguk is heading into the living room at the same time that Lani is walking through the front door. She turns around to shut the door behind her, and Guk emerges into my view with sleep tousled hair and groggy eyes.

"Noona, come back to bed…" he whines pitifully, rubbing his sleepy eyes with fists that look too large for him to be so cute.

I freeze, even as Lani whips around, startled by the sound of Jeonguk's masculine voice. Her wide eyes and startled cry surprises Jeonguk, who immediately stands ramrod straight. His eyes too, are now widened in alarm, and a faint blush has begun spreading across his face.

"Guk, this is Lani, you remember her from the office, right?"

He nods shyly, fingers suddenly seeking out my own digits for reassurance. And when he wraps his hand around mine, engulfing my smaller hand with his own, he seems to find his footing.

"I'm Kim Jeonguk, " he introduces himself quietly. "I'm Alice's boyfriend."

"Boyfriend huh?"

Lani's face has split into a wide grin, and she eyes Jeonguk mischievously. 

"Don't even think about it!" I warn.

"Oh but I have so much to say!" Lani exclaims, fixing Guk with an appreciative stare.

I frown, subconsciously squeezing Jeonguk's hand just a little tighter. This situation is extremely uncomfortable, and all I can think about is the fiasco that almost ruined my friendship with Lani.

"Alright, alright!" She cries, "stop looking at me like that, I'll stop!"

But I can't ignore the way she continues to eye Jeonguk appreciatively.

"So this is why you've been busy, " she laughs, finally tearing her gaze away from Guk to look at me. "Got a boyfriend, so you haven't the time for your best friend anymore!"

Her chocolate eyes are rimmed with amusement, rather than any real upset.

"It's not-"

"You don't have to explain yourself, " she chuckles. "I understand."

But does she really?

My face, set in a grimace, is ignored by Lani as she makes herself comfortable on my couch. Subconsciously, I squeeze Guk's hand just a little tighter, unknowingly alerting him to my discomfort.

"I think you should go, " Jeonguk demands, voice suddenly like steel, and without a hint of that shyness that is so uniquely Jeonguk.

For a moment, no one responds.

"Oh, you mean me?" Lani realizes with a start, turning to face Jeonguk once more. "I was invited! I come over all the time. Alice and I are besties."

She pulls at her dark hair absentmindedly, fixing Jeonguk with a simple smirk. So simple, and yet somehow, so incredibly inappropriate.

I pull at Jeonguk's hand.

"It's fine, Guk, really. I did invite her over."

"No." He refutes, stubbornly refusing to listen. "Out. I don't like the way you keep looking at me."

Lani stands, and her nose scrunches as she puts on her offended face, but Jeonguk doesn't give her the opportunity to open her mouth. He straight up pushes her to the door, and through it once it's been opened. She opens her mouth to speak, to argue, but he simply slams the door in her face.

"Uncalled for!" She yells through the door. "We're going to be talking about this come Monday!"

Worry is written on Jeonguk's face, in the way that his brows are furrowed, in the way that his soft eyes seem to become even softer, somehow, as he returns to me, and takes my hands in his own.

"Hey noona, you okay?"

His voice, gentle and prodding, returns me to senses and I realize that I was clenching my fists so hard that my fingers now ache.

"Yeah, " I whisper unconvincingly. "I'm okay."