Before leaving, Yugyeom invited Youngjae to a cup of tea in a private room. Youngjae readily accepted the offer.

"Can you bring in your finest cheesecake?" Yugyeom asked as he handed the menu back to the waitress. She bowed before leaving.

"You like sweets so much so I thought you should be able to try them all before we leave."

Youngjae gaped at the array of sweet treats before him. Everything from chocolate-drizzled rice crackers to triple-layered melted custard cake graced his sense of smell and sight. He couldn't believe it. Yugyeom was too kind. "You didn't have to do this."

"I wanted to."

Youngjae dipped his fork into a plate of pralines. He took a bite and shimmied in his seat. "Delicious."

Yugyeom swallowed before opening his mouth to speak. He had to say what was on his mind. Now or never.

"Youngjae. There's something I have to tell you."

"Hmm?"

Yugyeom shifted forward in his seat. "I really like you."

Youngjae's mouth popped open.

"And I would like something more with you than just friends."

Youngjae lowered his fork before taking a napkin to his lips and wiping away the chocolate from his molten lava cake.

"There's already someone else." Youngjae understood the feeling he had been fighting to suppress for so long. All he had to do was let his mind speak for himself.

The realization that Jaebum had managed to steal his heart was as clear as liquid. He looked down at his lap. When had it happened?

Yugyeom looked off to the side of the room. "It's Jaebum, isn't it?"

Youngjae offered Yugyeom a sympathetic smile. Yugyeom sighed through his nose. He gave Youngjae a failed attempt at a smile.

#

Jaebum and Youngjae arrived shortly after 11 PM. The Hoon's insisted that they drop by on their way home for some bread and juice.

Once there, they discussed the trip with Mrs. Hoon and Yezi—whom despite her messy attire and disheveled hair—didn't seem the least bit embarrassed around Jaebum. Youngjae smirked. He would about it soon enough.

After a half hour around the table, Youngjae stood and excused himself.

"Make sure you two join us for dinner tomorrow."

Youngjae let himself be pulled into Mrs. Hoon's embrace. "Thank you," he said. The smell of her perfume was a strange comfort.

"Don't worry about anything, sweetie." She slid her hand up and down Youngjae's back. The motion swayed him into a temporary bliss. His nerves connected to the gentle motion as something familiar even though his mind struggled to recall the last time such a thing had happened.

"Thanks for watching over him," Youngjae said as he lifted JunJun into his arms. The pup had been running around so much earlier that he could barely keep his eyes open now. Youngjae lulled him back to sleep by the back of his ear.

"He was so much fun," Yezi whispered. She stood on her tiptoes to press a kiss to the tip of his forehead. "You should bring him over again."

"I will if you stop trying to take Jaebum away from me."

Yezi's eyes sparkled. dropped open.

"No, wait. I-"

She tilted her head to the side and closed her eyes as a full-frontal grin darted over her face. "Okay," she singsonged before turning on her heels and skipping over to her mother who was handing Jaebum the bag full of baked goods.

"Yezi, wait. I!"

Youngjae was helpless. He watched her hair sway from side to side as she retreated. He had been so tongue-tied that he hadn't been able to relay his thoughts into coherent sentences.

She stuck her tongue out at him. He hung his head.

Jaebum came up to Youngjae. "What was that about? Yezi won't stop grinning." The tote bag crinkled as he shifted it up higher onto his shoulder.   

Youngjae sighed. "Let's go home."

#

Upon arriving at their home, Youngjae went and tucked JunJun into his crib. On his way through the living room, he accidentally knocked into the table. The remote control fell onto the ground and the screen flicked on. Youngjae mentally slapped himself. Thankfully enough, he had set the sound to an extremely low volume prior to leaving for the trip.

He glanced at the screen as he moved to pick up the remote.

A set of words. That was all it took.

Every muscle in his body tensed. His head swelled. His heart picked up speed. Was he reading the byline correctly? Could it really be her?

With wobbly legs, he fell back onto the couch.

"... analyst assigned to this case is ruling her death as a suicide. Currently, we do not know anything else other than the fact that a newspaper clipping was found clenched in her fist. Details were not provided but rest assured that we will report on the latest. Back to you, Huan."

Youngjae reached for his phone but ended up knocking into the cradle of kinetic balls. The contraption toppled over onto the floor. A deafening boom cut through the silence as the glass shattered and the balls rolled every which way but Youngjae couldn't make sense of anything other than what he had just heard. Suicide.

With shaky hands, he unlocked his phone just as Jaebum rushed forward. "Youngjae, are you okay!?"

"I'm fine... Yes. I'm okay."

True to his initial assumptions, the search results turned up the image of the woman who had helped to ruin his childhood. The page was filled with articles reporting on the news of her death on top of the accusations held against her for child abuse and fraud.

"Heavens, you're crying!"

Youngjae reached up to touch his cheeks. "I guess I'm fine."

"Youngjae, tell me what's wrong." Jaebum raised himself from the ground to take a seat next to Youngjae but all Youngjae needed now was to be alone. For a moment. For a minute. How long was forever?

He moved Jaebum's warm hand away from his knee and stood. Any second now, he would collapse into the void that was his heart. Any second now he would suffocate while the world continued to turn. That's how life worked. That's what his life had been composed of. One breath to pull him through another day followed by a night full of breathless screams. No one's struggles were worth more than a fallen leaf.

"Here. Wait a minute. Wait until I go to the bathroom."

"But-" Jaebum reached out to grab Youngjae's wrist and pull him into a hug but Youngjae moved away before he could stand.

#

Once inside the bathroom, Youngjae closed and locked the door behind him. He let gravity take control as his legs collapsed under his weight.

Dead. She is dead.

He ran his hands over his tear-stained face.

Suicide. Dead. Was it even plausible?

He knocked the side of his head against the cupboard below the sink. When that proved to be futile, he slammed his head into the wall behind him. The relief was temporary; the rush of vile memories was quick to overcome the focused pain.

She's dead. All of the reports said so. She's gone. She can't hurt anyone anymore.

Youngjae repeatedly slammed a fist into his leg. The tears continued to rush over his face like a broken dam.

Love. Love. All he needed was someone to hold him. Embrace him and never let go. Please. Is anyone out there?

He collapsed onto the floor. Exhausted, he turned to the bliss that was his greatest adversary and strongest friend coupled into one: the darkness.

Sweet and tantalizing.

#

Some time later, Youngjae reawoke. He stayed glued to the ground for several minutes more before forcing himself into an upright position. He reached for his phone but realized that he had left it on the couch in the living room.

Heart still heavy and eyes still swollen, Youngjae walked back out to see Jaebum hunched over on the couch. He deftly twisted the snowglobe in his hands.

Youngjae took a step forward. The floorboards creaked. Jaebum looked up. "Youngjae." He shot to his feet and quickly hurried over. "Youngjae!"

Youngjae grinned. "That sushi was terrible. How long was I on the toilet?"

Jaebum remained silent. He took a deep br