bits and pieces

stay sober

"Hello, hyung?" Felix greets as soon as he picks up the phone. He was baffled to see his Minho-hyung calling  him since it's not... very necessary anymore.

"Lixie, god thank you so much for answering. Now I'm just going straight to the point, alright? I need your help with something..." His hyung then explained to him where he was and what happened and what thing he needs Felix's help for which made him stop and stretch an awkward silence between them.

"Hyung..." He drags hesitantly.

He wanted to help, but this won't be a really good idea. He doesn't think he can meet that person right now. He's still bleeding and he still hasn't healed. Now doing that would just be adding poison to his wounds.

"Please, Felix. I know this sounds stupidly insensitive, especially with what just happened, but I'm desperate. I really can't drag four grown-up men home at once." Minho huffed exhausted while he hears drunken laughter, slurred words and clinking bottles on the other end of the call, along with Minho cursing under his breath.

Felix knew how hard it could be to fend for their friends when they got a little too drunk. They have a hobby of talking too much, laughing at nothing specific too much, eating too much, and just being overall messy and loud. He doesn't know what's the occasion and what's the reason behind them going out for a drink instead of gathering to each other's place like they usually do. But what he do know is that he can't leave Minho to manage those drunkards alone especially when his place is in the opposite direction than the rest of them who lives around the same town.

"It's alright, hyung. I'm coming." He says, heart clenching in thoughts of seeing Hyunjin again after such a long time. Six months is too long. Every second without him is torturously too long.

"Thank you so much, Felix. I'll send you the address. I'll see you soon, alright? Drive safely." His hyung says, audibly delighted in Felix's decision to help.

They said bye shortly before Felix made a beeline for his keys, putting his shoes on and leaving his apartment with searing pain in the pit of his stomach.

He immediately found his friends once he made it at the said restaurant. They were doing their own things, Changbin eating like it's his last meal on a death sentence, Chan who's still drinking –messily pouring soju on his shot glass, Jisung who was clinging to Minho for dear life and Hyunjin who's always been a good drinker, never letting himself drink too much from his capacity since he's a good, and responsible man. And even if there were a few occasions that he does drink a bit too much –like now– he's never the one to cause anyone trouble and just sleeps it off. Though the downside of that is, he won't wake up until the next day or at least until he's been sobered up. It's both endearing and a pain in the ass sometimes.

"Oh, Felix!" Minho greeted, as soon as he met eyes with him.

He waved a little shyly since it's been months since they last saw each other.  "Did I make you wait too long?"

"No, it's fine. Now can you help me stuff these things in my car?" His hyung asks, referring to the three (3racha) who were so out of it to even greet Felix.

"Sure, hyung." He nods. "Let's get Sungie and Channie-hyung to your car first, then we come back for Binnie-hyung and... and Hyunjinnie after." He says, avoiding Minho's eyes that had become soft with pity through the obvious hurt in his voice, which he only shrugged vainly with a stupidly awkward laughter and a– "please, don't look at me like that, hyung. It's okay." before pulling over Chan –who first still refuses to let his bottle of soju go but eventually giving out and letting Felix help him to Minho's parked car on the side of the road, his Minho-hyung following behind him with a sleeping Jisung in his arms.