Why is this so long? 5k+ words. Why? At the start of the year I got a huge burst of inspiration to finish this story. I didn't expect to write so much, but I guess I have the random mix of music I like to listen to to thank for that. Technically this is the last chapter, but I'm planning on writing an epilogue that'll be more of an ending. I totally forget what I wanted to say as I was writing this, so I'll just say enjoy~

"You're in a hospital," Dongwoo tells Hyuna when he notices her eyes are open. He's been at her bedside for almost five hours. The doctor had informed him that she would be fine despite the amount of smoke she'd inhaled. He's relieved for the most part. Even after everything she'd done to him and his friends, he’s still worried about her. He must be crazy. Or in love—that was usually to blame for poor decisions.

How... What happened?

Her voice in his head catches Dongwoo by surprise. He'd forgotten she could do that. She must've realized she wouldn't be able to talk just yet; especially with the oxygen mask still on. "We're not really sure. Sungyeol carried you out before the whole place went up."

Sungyeol? Her eyes widen slightly. He's alive?

Dongwoo's afraid to ask what she could mean by that. He doesn't want to believe that she would willingly experiment on a person knowing they could die. "He is," he says instead.

Hyuna weakly lifts herself up to her elbows. From the concern in her eyes Dongwoo can already guess her next question. And my father? Where is he?

Looking down at his lap, Dongwoo hesitates before answering. It's not his fault, but still feels guilty. He can only manage to shake his head, the words stuck on his tongue. He looks up in time to see the pain in Hyuna's eyes. She falls back on the bed and stares up at the ceiling. She takes a few shaky breaths, fogging up the oxygen mask. "I'm sorry," Dongwoo whispers. He feels bad for both Hyuna and Dr. Moon. No matter what their intentions had been, the outcome is still unfortunate.

After a few minutes of quietly crying, Hyuna composes herself. As she's wiping the tears from her face, she looks at her wrists. No handcuffs?

"Why would... Oh..." Telling the truth had come up among him and his friends after they'd called the police. Dongwoo had argued against it and, surprisingly, Sungjong and Woohyun had agreed with him. Sunggyu and Howon were for it, but as Myungsoo hadn't wanted to choose sides, they were outvoted. "We thought about it, but, you know, that would've made things more complicated. Plus, it's not like they would've believed us. And I don't think using our powers would've been smart."

They're interrupted by a knock on the door. Sunggyu's head peeks into the room, the slightest of grimaces passing over his face when he sees that Hyuna's awake. He doesn't come in any further like he quite literally can't stand to be in the same room as her. "Woohyun and I are about to head down to the cafeteria. I just wanted to check if you're hungry."

Now that Dongwoo thinks about it, he doesn't remember the last time he ate. So much has happened that he hasn't even noticed. "You guys can go ahead," he tells Sunggyu with a reassuring smile. "I'll come down in a little bit."

Sunggyu frowns at that, but doesn't argue. "Yeah, sure." He leaves without saying anything else and Dongwoo suspects it's more so to avoid making any harsh comments on the other mind-reader.

He doesn't like me very much, does he?

Dongwoo can't help smiling at that. "No, not so much," he replies. It's really too bad things turned out the way they did. He thinks Sunggyu would've liked Hyuna if they'd been properly introduced.

But you still do.

It's a statement. A true one, at that. Dongwoo doesn't bother to refute it. "I know I shouldn't." She's not his first love, but the feelings are the same.

No, I get it. I still like you, too. The warmth in her eyes assures Dongwoo that she means it. But I think it's best for the both of us if this is the last time we see each other.

"I know." Dongwoo can't say he's surprised the first relationship he's had in years is ending so quickly (and terribly). That's just his luck. His bad luck. "At least we'll have a few days to say goodbye." At Hyuna's confused look, he reaches out to hold her hand. "I might've said I was your guardian when you were being checked in," he explains with an embarrassed blush. Hyuna's smile is evident despite the mask over . Dongwoo almost sighs in relief. He'd been afraid she would push him away now that they're not together.

I guess this'll be a long goodbye.

Dongwoo lifts Hyuna's hand and leans down to press a kiss to the back of it. "I should make the most of it, then."

Sungyeol should be happy to be alive; he should be grateful. And there is a small part of him that wants to be. But a much bigger part just feels wrong. He feels like a freak. Which is ironic considering his recent friendships, but they were born that way. He's just a science experiment.

At the sound of the door opening, he turns over in the hospital bed and closes his eyes. He doesn't have the energy to entertain whoever it is. He just wants to be alone.

"I know you're not sleeping." Woohyun's voice is soft and gentle and it only makes Sungyeol feel worse. The scratching of the chair legs on the floor tells Sungyeol the other's taking a seat next to him. "I'm not gonna make you talk to me. You went through a lot and you're probably still dealing with things. Just know I'm here for you whenever you're ready. And I'm really happy you're okay." He rests a hand on Sungyeol's shoulder and squeezes slightly.

Sungyeol wants to turn over and tell Woohyun he's not okay. That he doesn't know if he'll ever be okay. His whole life has changed. But he doesn't move at all. He stays committed to feigning sleep. Eventually he really does fall asleep. When he wakes up Woohyun is gone and Myungsoo is in his place. The younger man looks half-asleep in his seat. Reaching out, Sungyeol lightly plucks Myungsoo's forehead. "You know, that's what beds are for," he says when the other focuses on him.

Myungsoo smiles sleepily. "Then you should give me your bed since you don't seem to need it anymore."

Sungyeol expects him to ask too many questions or get sappy, but instead Myungsoo continues joking with him. They go back and forth about who deserves the bed more and Sungyeol manages to laugh despite feeling like the world was ending a few hours before. It's exactly what he needs right now. He doesn't think about the last few days or what's happened to him, what he can do. He'll have to deal with it eventually, but it doesn't have to be today.

"Where's Howon," Sungyeol asks during a lull in their conversation. He might've been unconscious for a really long time, but he can remember everyone else visiting him except Howon.

Myungsoo smiles like he knows something, although Sungyeol can't say what that is. "He's probably right outside. Like he's been since you got here. If he stays there any longer, I think he'll have to apply for a change of address."

"He didn't come in?" Myungsoo shakes his head, weird smile still in place. "Why not?" On the one hand, Sungyeol would rather Howon not see him like this. After Dr. Moon's experiment and the fire and passing out, he must look like a total wreck. On the other hand, though, he's a little offended. He'd thought there was something between the two of them even though they've never addressed it. He couldn't have been the only one who was worried. Surely Howon had wanted to know that Sungyeol was okay.

"You'll have to ask him," Myungsoo shrugs. He leans forward to rest his elbows on the edge of the bed. "Or do you want me to ask him for you?"

Sungyeol scoffs with fake incredulity. Like he's not that interested in what's going on in Howon's head. "Yeah, and while you're at it, why don't I give you a note for him that says, 'do you like me, check yes, no, or maybe'?" His voice is dripping with sarcasm. He doesn't need a wingman. That's way too embarrassing. He should make his own moves.

Myungsoo sees right through him, but chooses to change the subject. "Are you hungry? I haven't eaten anything all day." He rubs his stomach as if to prove his point.

"I guess. Maybe something small."

The creepy knowing smile is back on Myungsoo's face as he leans even further over the bed. "Do you want me to ask Howon to get it for you?"

Sometimes having friends really .

Sunggyu wakes up to tears on his pillow. It's still dark outside, the moon high and bright in the sky. Woohyun's arm is draped over his middle. He's comfortable by all means, yet his heart feels like it's being squeezed tighter and tighter. He spends a minute taking deep breaths and trying to figure out where this sudden sadness is coming from. When he focuses on the emotions, he realizes they aren't his own. It's just like back in the record store when he'd felt that Dongwoo was in trouble.

Sunggyu slips out of Woohyun's hold and eases off the bed so as not to wake the other man. He pulls on a shirt (either his or Woohyun's, it's too dark to tell) before leaving the room. Out in the hallway, he sees that the light in the living room is still on. Dongwoo's still awake. And crying, Sunggyu finds out when he gets to the other room. He stands frozen in his spot, caught off guard by his best friend looking so sad and broken.

Dongwoo must sense his presence. He makes a surprised sound when he looks up and starts quickly wiping at his face. "What are you still doing up," he asks too casually to sound natural. His voice is choked and he keeps sniffling.

Sunggyu doesn't respond as he steps into the room. He sits next to Dongwoo on the couch and pulls him into a hug. He means to hold the other until he gets everything out, but his eyes land on a large duffle bag sitting open and half-packed on the coffee table. His stomach drops along with his heart. He can't lose Dongwoo again. "Where are you going?"

Dongwoo doesn't look at him when he pulls away from the hug. He lets out a few more sniffles before he finally answers. "You guys don't need me here."

"Who told you that?"

"No one has to say it," Dongwoo argues. He's small already, but he looks even smaller now. "It's true. I—"

"It's not!" Sunggyu forgets to keep his voice down. He can't really be bothered at the moment, though. Maybe if he shouts it loud enough Dongwoo will believe it. "We do need you. All of us. Especially me."

Dongwoo wipes at a stray tear. "All I do is hurt people and cause trouble. I shouldn't have come back. Everyone's better off without me."

"Dongwoo, listen to me." Despite the firmness in his tone, Sunggyu is gentle as he takes ahold of both of his friend's hands. "None of that is true. No one blames you for what happened."

"What about Sungyeol?"

"He doesn't blame you."

"How do you know that?"

Sunggyu doesn't. He hasn't seen or spoken to Sungyeol since the hospital. His absence actually bolsters Dongwoo's claim. But Sunggyu won't ever admit that. "It's not your fault," he says instead. He'll say it a hundred times if it means Dongwoo will start to believe it. "You couldn't have known what she was planning. What she was going to do to Sungyeol."

Dongwoo's voice is small, like he already knows Sunggyu won't agree with him. "It wasn't Hyuna's plan. Her father did the experiments."

"That doesn't make it any better. She went along with it. She tricked you and used you and almost killed one of our friends." Sunggyu will never understand why Dongwoo still tries to defend her. Why he had stayed with her in the hospital. Or why he didn't want to report her. Even if it's love, there should be a limit.

"I know," Dongwoo sighs, "I know. I just meant she's...not all bad."

"Dongwoo—"

"Just—I don't—can we not talk about her anymore?"

Sunggyu doesn't need to see the pleading look in Dongwoo's eyes to comply. He starts to nod, but remembers the bag on the table and the point of their argument. "Only if you promise you're not going anywhere. With her or just in general." Dongwoo only sighs, not giving an answer either way. "Dongwoo," Sunggyu calls him warningly.

Dongwoo's face becomes even more serious. "I could erase your memories right now if I wanted to."

Sunggyu can't believe Dongwoo still wants to run. After everything they've been through—now and all those years ago. "You won't," he says with full confidence. "Because I'm your best friend. And you're not a coward."

"I did it before," Dongwoo argues. The fact that he's still only talking about doing it shows that he won't really go through with it. He's just looking for a good reason to stay. Sunggyu had thought their friendship was it, but it seems to be more complicated than that.

Squeezing Dongwoo's hands tighter, he waits until the other meets his eyes before speaking. "You're not going anywhere," he says firmly. "You don't get to cut and run on me again because you think it's for my own good. I can take care of myself and I'll take care of you, too, if I have to. I've known you all of my life and I love you, so don't you dare think I would ever be better off without you."

Dongwoo's already weakened resolve crumbles in a matter of seconds. Tears pool at the corners of his eyes. Sunggyu reaches up to wipe them as they fall, fighting back his own tears at the same time. When Dongwoo wraps his arms around him for another hug, it's much tighter and longer than before. Sunggyu hugs him back just as fiercely.

They stay like that for a long while. The apartment is silent and still, the tension no longer hanging heavily over the room. And then Sunggyu remembers something.

"You know," he starts, his chin resting on Dongwoo's shoulder, "I don't think erasing my mind would've done anything."

"Why not?"

"I think I would be able to find you even if I don't know who you are." He pulls back from their embrace to pat his chest. "I have my own Dongwoo-tracking device." At the confused look on Dongwoo's face, he laughs. That's not exactly how it works, but Sunggyu would like to think it might be like that one day. "Sometimes I know when something's wrong with you. I can feel what you're feeling, just strong emotions, though. And only with you. I've never felt anything like it with anyone else—not even Woohyun."

"How? Why?" Dongwoo still doesn't seem to understand it. (And if Sunggyu's being honest, he doesn't quite understand it either.)

Shrugging as he leans back into the couch, Sunggyu finally feels relaxed since the first time he woke up. "I don't know. It might have something to do with my powers. Woohyun says it's because we're soulmates."

Dongwoo laughs, resting his head on Sunggyu's shoulder. "I guess that makes sense. We do know each other the best. But I never thought you believed in that kind of stuff."

"I don't," Sunggyu says. He's not much of a believer in fate or anything like that. For him, things just are what they are; he doesn't usually see a deeper meaning. "But it kinda makes sense to me, too. And Woohyun says he doesn’t mind sharing me with you."

Sunggyu, Dongwoo, Woohyun, and Sungjong are already at the record store when Howon shows up. Despite their jobs and lives, they still make time to meet up and the store seems to be the place for it. But it's fitting. After all, it is where it all started; where they all met. And now that they share a bond (or more accurately, they share a secret) they have to stick together.

Howon hardly notices that Myungsoo isn't there yet. He's only scanning the store for one person. "Hey, when was the last time any of you guys talked to Sungyeol," he asks after a few minutes of overthinking the best way to phrase it. He'd been too nervous to visit Sungyeol while he was in the hospital and now he's regretting just sitting outside his room. As it is, he hasn't seen Sungyeol since the warehouse.

The others pause whatever they're doing to think it over. Sunggyu shrugs, not looking as concerned as he could. "Not since the hospital."

From his perch on the counter, Dongwoo shakes his head. "Me too," he agrees. "I figured he just needed some space, but he hasn't responded to any of my calls or texts."

"And he didn't even tell us when he was discharged," Sungjong adds. He's sitting on the stairs leading up to the storage room. They'd only found out that Sungyeol had left the hospital after Woohyun had gone to see him and a nurse informed him.

Howon looks at Woohyun, who'd immediately deflated at the mention of Sungyeol. "You haven't heard anything from him?" He can already guess the answer, but he still wants to make sure. They're supposed to be best friends; if Woohyun doesn't know where he is, then who else would?

Woohyun shakes his head, his lower lip jutting out in a pout. There's a crease between his eyebrows as he stares down at the counter. "He won't talk to me," he sighs dejectedly. If he could sound any sadder he probably would. Both Dongwoo and Sunggyu reach out to pat him on each shoulder.

The bell above the door jingles as it opens. All heads turn to look at Myungsoo who walks into the store with a waffle in one hand and his phone in the other. He freezes at the sudden attention, his eyes wide like a deer in headlights. "What about him," Sungjong suggests.

"What about me?"

"Have you talked to Sungyeol recently?" Howon cuts right to the chase. He's already decided to find Sungyeol himself no matter what. He has a lot he wants to say to the other, but more importantly, he just needs to see that he's okay.

Myungsoo shrugs, slipping his phone into his back pocket with a quickness that doesn't go unnoticed by Howon. "Not for a while," he says.

"He's lying," Sunggyu chimes in. He must've read Myungsoo's mind. Or maybe he heard his thoughts unintentionally.

Howon steps closer to his friend. He doesn't mean to be intimidating, but that must be how he looks because Myungsoo backs up immediately. He tries to keep his voice calm. "When exactly was the last time you talked to him?"

There's a long moment of silence as Myungsoo looks at everyone in the room. Like he's debating the right answer. His voice is small when he finally speaks. "T-today. I talked to him today."

"An hour ago," Sunggyu clarifies for him. The information elicits surprised noises from almost everyone else. While Woohyun, Dongwoo, and Sungjong rush to join Howon in crowding around Myungsoo, Sunggyu takes his time. They form a half-circle around him, effectively caging him in.

Myungsoo now has his back against the door, his head bowed with guilt. "Well, I mean," he starts slowly, "if we're being technical, I talked to him an hour ago, but I was also texting with him right before I came in."

"Why the does that matter?" Howon can't help blurting out. It doesn't matter to him how they were communicating; just the fact that they were at all.

"He talks to you," Woohyun asks softly. The betrayal is clear on his face, but Howon doubts it's meant for Myungsoo.

"Since you're forcing it out of me, I thought I should give you the whole truth," Myungsoo replies to Howon. He seems to be regaining some of the confidence he'd lost after being cornered. He turns to Woohyun next. "And I don't really care for your tone, but, yes, he does talk to me. I would say it's not personal, but it is." His voice softens a bit as he continues. "He didn't want to deal with you—all of you, actually, tip-toeing around him and treating him like he's made of glass. Or trying to get him to talk when he's not ready. Apparently, since I don't do any of that he doesn't mind talking to me."

Woohyun doesn't look any happier after hearing Myungsoo's explanation. "Have you seen him? How does he look?"

Shaking his head, Myungsoo takes a bite of his forgotten waffle. "Not since he got out of the hospital. He's been holed up in his apartment and he won’t let anyone in. He thinks it's safer."

That's all Howon needs to hear before he's pushing past Myungsoo and rushing out of the store. The others can deal with best friend. His only concern is Sungyeol.

It's not until he's standing in front of Sungyeol's door that Howon starts to second guess himself. Even after sprinting out of the store in search of Sungyeol—and then having to turn back around and get the other's address from Myungsoo—he'd been sure he was doing the right thing. Sungyeol has locked himself away from his friends, from the world, out of fear. Howon just wants to help him overcome whatever he's afraid of; he wants to be by his side. But who's to say that's what Sungyeol wants?

Howon doesn't let himself overthink things any further as he raps on the door. He's come all this way already and Myungsoo's probably told Sungyeol to expect him. He should follow through. "Sungyeol," he calls when there's no immediate response. "It's me. Howon. Are you in there?" He knocks a couple more times, harder.

The door opens slowly. The chain that's still in place only lets it open a few inches, giving Howon a view of half of Sungyeol's face. He looks thinner and paler, but still in one piece. That's more than enough for a wave of relief to wash over Howon. He takes a step closer instinctively. "What are you doing here," Sungyeol asks. He sounds tired, like the conversation is exhausting even though it's just started.

"I wanted...to see you."

Sungyeol's eye widens in surprise before he adopts a more apathetic expression. "W-well, you've seen me." The door slams shut without any warning.

Howon had been afraid he'd make a fool of himself again, but this is worse. He hadn't prepared himself for such a cold response. Of course, it wasn't going to be that easy. Sungyeol's avoided them for this long for a reason. He's trying to protect himself from the world, or the world from him. Howon showing up suddenly isn't going to change his mind. (Even if he'd secretly hoped it would.) "Sungyeol," he calls out again. He pounds on the door to make sure he has the other's attention. "Listen, I know I can't know what it was like for you, but I was there, too. It was hard. Probably the worst week of my life. And I was so scared." He turns around to lean back against the door and slides down to sit on the floor. He doesn't know if Sungyeol is listening to him or if he's even on the other side. "I hated the thought of you going through what I was going through, but there was nothing I could do. I was afraid if I used my powers they would hurt you, so I went along with everything until I could think of a way to get us both out. The only thing that kept me going—that kept me from losing myself to fear was you."

That's as close to a confession of his feelings as Howon can manage. He'd rather say the actual words when he's face-to-face with Sungyeol. It's feels more sincere that way.

There's no immediate reaction from Sungyeol. The door stays closed and there's not even so much as a creak of a floorboard to let Howon know he's not just talking to himself. It's disheartening, but he resolves to stay as long as it takes for Sungyeol to let him in.

That turns out to be about twenty minutes. The door opens suddenly, startling Howon from his thoughts and sending him falling backwards. Fortunately for him, the chain is still in place, so he doesn't end up on the floor. Half of Sungyeol's face looks down at him, amusement poorly hidden behind what's supposed to be anger. His lips curl up too much at the ends for it to be believable. "I'm still mad at you," he informs Howon.

"Um, for what?" Having not seen him in weeks, Howon can't recall having done anything wrong.

Sungyeol crosses his arms, finally starting to look genuinely angry. "You never visited me in the hospital. You just sat outside my room like a coward."

Howon stands up slowly. He has a reason for why he never went into Sungyeol's room, but it's probably not very good. That said, he admits he was a coward for not visiting Sungyeol. "I can explain." He doesn't expect that to be enough for Sungyeol. Especially since the door shuts in his face for a second time. But then he hears the chain sliding on the other side and when the door opens, he finally gets to be face-to-face with Sungyeol. A smile instantly spreads across Howon's face.

Wordlessly, Sungyeol steps behind the door as he pulls it open further. Howon accepts the invitation without hesitation. He looks around the apartment curiously, taking in the space that Sungyeol has found more inviting than the outside world. He notices charred spots around the living room where they're standing. On the floor, on the coffee table, on the couch, even on the ceiling. The memory of the Sungyeol walking out of the warehouse with flames surrounding him flashes in Howon's mind. He'd forgotten what the point of them being taken was. Hyuna and her father were trying to give people superhuman abilities. And somehow, they'd succeeded.

"You wanted to explain yourself," Sungyeol says before Howon can ask any questions. He walks over to the couch and takes a seat at one end. "So, start explaining."

Clearing his throat, Howon approaches the couch slowly. "Right..." He takes a seat at the other end, avoiding a burned hole in the black leather. "You want to know why I didn't visit you." Sungyeol doesn't respond, just continues to watch Howon with an impassive expression. "Um, I didn't go to see you because—well, I didn't—" Howon pauses to find the right words. Now is his chance to say what he should've said the night they were taken—actually, no, he should've said it a long time before that. "I like you," he says confidently. He even manages to look Sungyeol in the eye as he says it.

"You didn't see me because you like me?"

Howon lets out a nervous laugh. "Yeah, it's...yeah. I've liked you for a while now. At first Woohyun was the excuse for me not to say anything. I didn't think I could compete with your history. And then I wasn't sure if you liked me back, so I was afraid of being rejected. But after holding it in for so long I thought if I saw you it would all just come pouring out and you were already dealing with so much. I didn't want to add to it." Howon keeps his eyes on Sungyeol, trying to gauge his reaction. The other is still unreadable.

"You know..." Sungyeol smiles softly at Howon. That must be a good sign. "You really at hiding your feelings. You couldn’t be any more obvious. Everyone knows you like me."

A smile to match Sungyeol's breaks out on the older man's face. He turns on the couch to face Sungyeol. "It's good to see you're still humble," he jokes. Sungyeol nods happily in agreement. "So I just bared my heart, but it's kinda hard to tell if I was rejected. Could you..." He gestures at Sungyeol as if to say it's his turn.

Sungyeol doesn't look nervous to be put on the spot. He's probably had a lot of time to think about it. "I think you're, you know, too."

It takes a moment for Howon to connect the statement to the last conversation they'd had. He finally looks away from Sungyeol as he fights the blush spreading across his cheeks. The memory of calling Sungyeol beautiful to his face and now hearing Sungyeol say he thinks Howon is beautiful too is enough to make him want to hide from embarrassment. "I was hoping you forgot about that," he says.

"Not a chance. And now I can't let you forget it either." Sungyeol's laugh sounds one hundred percent evil to Howon's ears. But even when it's directed at him, the other's mischievousness is still attractive. Or maybe Howon is just happy to see Sungyeol acting more like himself. The younger man is practically humming with excitement. It's a complete change from how serious he'd been when Howon first came. "So, you wanna see it?"

The question stuns Howon for a minute. He tells himself not to assume the obvious. "What... See what exactly?"

Sungyeol fixes him with an unimpressed stare. "My pet rock collection," he replies sarcastically. "I mean my powers, obviously. Myungsoo told you about it, right?"

Howon shakes his head. "I didn't really give him any time to." In his impatience, he'd stopped listening after hearing how Sungyeol was. It didn't occur to him at the time to ask what else had changed with Sungyeol.

"It's weird that I find that flattering, but thank you." Sungyeol scoots closer to Howon. "I've been practicing this for a few days," he informs the other, although Howon can't tell if he's being warned or not. Taking a deep breath, Sungyeol holds up one of his hands in front of himself. After a moment he snaps his fingers and a small flame ignites above his thumb. He easily blows it out like a candle before looking at Howon. "This is kind of a three-part trick. That was part one. Part two..." He raises the same hand palm side up in a fist. When he uncurls his fingers, a slightly bigger flame sits in the center of his hand. "And now part three," he says as he clenches his fist again, snuffing out the fire. Whatever his third trick is seems to require more focus. He stares at his closed fist for almost a minute, his brows furrowed in concentration. The next time he opens his hand, his fingers fan out as they're engulfed in fire.

Howon shoots out of his seat with a yelp. His panicked brain tells him to find something to put out the fire, but he can't seem to find anything as he looks around.

"Whoa, hey, relax." Sungyeol reaches out to him with his flame-covered hand before realizing what a bad idea that is. "It's fine," he assures Howon, twisting his hand to show that he really isn't burning. "It doesn't even hurt. See?" As Sungyeol wiggles his fingers, the fire around them fizzles out to nothing.

Although he'd already known what to expect, watching Sungyeol catch on fire in front of his eyes isn't something Howon had been prepared for. "Sorry," he mumbles as he sinks back down on the couch. Not for the first (or last) time, he feels like a complete idiot. "A little warning would've been nice."

Sungyeol scoots a little closer to Howon. It's seems like he considers patting Howon's shoulder comfortingly, but decides against it. "Well, I was thinking this kind of trick really only works if you don't know I'm gonna burst into flames. But other than that, it was good?" He looks hopefully at the older man, his bouncing leg giving away his nervousness.

"Of course," Howon insists. His near-heart attack aside, he's impressed. It had taken more than a couple weeks to gain control of his powers. And Sungyeol had even managed to do it without any help. (Howon doubts Myungsoo's suddenly become an expert.) "It was amazing. You're amazing." Somehow the compliment brings out Sungyeol's shy side. He becomes very interested in the hole in his couch. Howon shortens the distance between them even more so that their thighs are almost touching. "I mean it," he continues, "You're smart, funny, sweet, and absolutely beautiful—"

"Don't forget tall," Sungyeol interjects, meeting Howon's eyes with a smile.

"Yeah, tall. You're also tall."

Sungyeol inches closer to Howon. He folds his hands in his lap before wedging them between his thighs, until he settles for resting them on his knees. "I think you're all those things, too. Well, not so much the 'tall' part," he amends after a moment's thought. His eyes drop down to Howon's lips briefly. "But I'm sure you can make up for that."

That's as clear a signal as Howon needs. He takes his time leaning in; there's no need to rush it. Holding onto the back of the couch for support, he stops halfway and waits for Sungyeol to close the distance. It doesn't take long for the other to understand. His hand is warm when he places it on the back of Howon's neck. His lips are even warmer when they touch Howon's. It's surprisingly pleasant, though. Especially with how soft Sungyeol's lips are. Their mouths move in tandem, bringing them closer together and deeper into the moment.

Howon doesn’t think it can get any better than this. He’s grateful to have reached this moment after everything they’ve been through. Although he’s been telling himself things will be okay, now he finally believes it.