Jihoon, the name repeated itself in Seungcheol’s mind. The man, who ran away from him, was sitting right in front of him. Seungcheol didn’t know if he wanted to run right over to him and touch him to make sure it was true, or if he wanted to run out of the building.

A small touch on his back brought him back from his thoughts.

“Hey, our coffee’s ready,” a voice said in his ear.

Seungcheol turned around to his boyfriend and smiled, “Good.”

Seokmin had frown on, “What’s wrong? You look like you saw a ghost.”

“Would you believe me if I said I had that ability?” Seungcheol asked as he grabbed their cups.

With a shiver, Seokmin said, “Please tell me that I didn’t fall in love with someone who sees ghosts. I would be scared of what was around all the time.”

“You would still stay? Despite the fact that I can see ghost?”

Seokmin grinned, “As long as they don’t bother us, I’m good.”

Seungcheol handed a cup over to Seokmin, and Seokmin grabbed his unoccupied hand. They smiled to each other as they walked out of the cafe, to take the elevator to Seungcheol’s office. He wouldn’t allow himself to look back. If he really did have to ability to see ghosts, then that was what Jihoon was to him now. No matter how much his heart was telling him to turn around, Seungcheol wouldn’t allow himself to.

After having a small conversation with Seokmin, a publisher from their company, Seungcheol told his boyfriend to get to work. Seokmin left with a smile.

Seungcheol waited ten minutes before he allowed himself to run to Seungkwan’s office. Without knocking to announce himself, he let himself into his business partner’s office. He slammed the door closed and started to pace in front of Seungkwan’s desk.

“Seungcheol, what is going on?” a confused Seungkwan asked.

With fisted hands, Seungcheol stopped in front of his friend. “Jihoon.”

Seungkwan sighed and closed his eyes. When he opened them back up, Seungcheol was still waiting.

“You saw him then?” Seungkwan calmly asked.

“What do you mean by that? Why are you so calm? He disappeared for a year and suddenly shows up in our cafe. Why is he here?”

Seungkwan looks at him, blinking, “He goes by Woozi when he works here.”

“Woozi?” Seungcheol grimaces. “Work here?”

“Yeah,” Seungkwan explains, “He’s a webtoonist, You even approved of his hire a week ago. He came here this morning for a meeting. If you didn’t have a late morning with Seokmin, you would have met him then.”

Seungcheol was quiet with the information. He felt like he didn’t know anything about Jihoon.

“Are we going to talk about it?” Seokmin asked from across the tiny dinner table. The two were at Seungceheol’s, having dinner. Well, Seokmin was eating, Seungcheol was pushing his food from one end to the other.

Seungcheol looked up, confused with Seokmin’s question, “What do you mean?”

Seokmin sighed, placing his chopsticks down, “Seungcheol, you never mentioned it, but I know about Jihoon. I heard about what happened. Despite all that I still loved you.”

“I love you too,” Seungcheol said with a frown. He mean it. When Seungcheol was still getting over Jihoon he walked around lost in thought of his ex, and when he came to he was in Seokmin’s office. Seokmin was staring at him confused, but he smiled at Seungcheol with the most beautiful eyes. Seungcheol wondered if he could get lost in there more often.

They started talking and Seungcheol found his happiness again.

“But you need to talk to him,” Seokmin said to him. “Don’t you?”

Seungcheol looked back to his plate of uneaten food, “It’s been a year already, and there really is no reason to talk to him.”

“Yet you’re still hung up over him.”

“Really, Seokmin, I don’t want to talk to him. I have you and that’s enough.”

Seokmin screeched his chair back, “No it’s not. You still have unfinished business with him. And until you talk to him, having me is never going to be enough. Talk to him, then we can really move on with our lives.”

Getting up, Seokmin left Seungcheol’s place.

Seungcheol shook his head at the thought of the two people who left him alone in pain.

The day after Seokmin left him, Seungcheol had lunch with his two best friends.

“What should I do?” Seungcheol asked, still not touching his food in front of him.

Joshua looked him sadly, “Well, first of all, you should really eat your pizza. You’re losing weight again, and the pizza doesn’t deserve this.”

Seungcheol rolled his eyes as he picked up a slice of pizza. He barely tasted it as he took a bite and managed to swallow without throwing up.

“You should just forget about him,” Jeonghan said as he wiped his mouth, “What right does he have to come back and disturb your life? He was the one to walk out on you. Tell him to rot in hell and continue on with Seokmin.”

Joshua sighed with his face cupped in his palms, “Why do I like you again?”

“Because I make a darn good cake, and you have a sweet tooth,” Jeonghan said as he smiled at Joshua.

Joshua turned to Seungcheol and said, “You’re never going to stop thinking about him. I know for a fact that you haven’t stopped thinking about him, even after this year. Even when you have Seokmin. I still catch you lost in thought, thinking about that shorty.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Seungcheol despairingly asked, not denying Joshua’s accusations.

“You still love him, even after all that he has done to you,” Jeonghan said, more a statement than question.

Seungcheol grimaced with his eyes closed. He was holding his head, worried that he would lose himself even more than he already had.

“As much as I hate the kid,” Jeonghan said to the troubled Seungcheol, “He affects you in a way that no one can, not even Seokmin. There is never going to be anyone other than Jihoon for you, and you know it. If you’re going to break Seokmin’s heart, you better make sure that you’re doing it for a good reason. Talk to Jihoon.”

Seungcheol groaned, wondering if he wanted to laugh or cry at the thought of Jeonghan giving him the push to do exactly what he wanted to do for the last week.

It wasn’t hard, trying to find which office belonged to Woozi. His assistant, Minghao, had the information for him within minutes.

With shaking hands, wobbly legs, and a pounding heart, Seungcheol made his way to Woozi’s floor. He couldn’t think straight, knowing that he would be in the presence of Jihoon again very soon. With his thoughts going askew, Seungcheol had to stop every now and then, whispering to himself that everything would be okay. No matter how much he knew it wasn’t okay, he had to make himself believe it.

He finally found himself in front of Woozi’s door, 5017. For one small moment he wondered if Jihoon was even in. He berated himself for not asking Minghao if Jihoon even came into work. But he had to try, he would never know if he didn’t try. Hands already in a fist, he brought out his right hand and knocked on the door in front of him.

The only thing he could hear was his loud heartbeat. He was sure everyone on that floor could hear it as well. Seungcheol waited, blood draining his body. Goosebumps spread throughout his skin, and a cold sweat found themselves on his skin.

“Come in,” a voice said from the other side of the door.

It broke Seungcheol out of his spell. Just hearing Jihoon’s voice made his heart ready to climb out of his throat. With shaking hands, he turned the door handle and pushed in the door.

Seungcheol looked up at Jihoon and caught his eyes. Without taking his eyes off of him, Seungcheol closed the door behind him. He already knew what the room would look like, he’s been in many of them to talk to his writers. Shelves where on every wall possible and a huge circular desk took up space in the middle. Jihoon was in his seat, in front of a huge screen. A pen in one hand, and paper in the other.

“Seungcheol,” Jihoon managed to get out. Both were frozen in spot. A heartbeat later, Jihoon finally gets himself enough together to stand up. With a bow, Jihoon apologized.

“Sorry, I’m new here but I never came to greet you.”

“Don’t you dare apologized to me,” Seungcheol angrily whispered.

Jihoon stood back up with coldness in his eyes. “What do you want Seungcheol?”

“Why are you back?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“Why else would I be in your office right now?”

Jihoon sighed, taking a moment to close his eyes and breath. When he looked back at Seungcheol, his cold eyes had turned soft, “I came back to the one person I loved more than the stars.”

Blood drained from Seungcheol’s body.

“I came back because I didn’t know what else to do with myself. I came back hoping that I could explain everything to the everyone. I came back because I foolishly thought I would have open arms to come back to.”

“But I can see that I wasn’t needed anymore. So I’ll finish up my contract your company, then disappear.”

“What-what are you talking about?” Seungcheol asked.

“You have someone new,” Jihoon said to him, “You’ve moved on. It’s time I do too.”

“You’re the one who moved on,” Seungcheol angrily hissed at Jihoon. Everything coming out of Jihoon’s mouth was confusing him more and more. “YOU left me a year ago, or did you forget! I heard you left with Soonyoung. I knew you guys were best friends, but how could you do that to me out of nowhere.”

Seungcheol wanted answers out of him. He didn’t want any of his vague answers. “Tell me, why would you think that you would have me to come back to when YOU BROKE UP WITH ME?”

Jihoon’s hands tightened around the pen, crumbling up the paper in the other. “I did it for Soonyoung. Soonyoung asked me to do it and I did it. My best friend was dying, and his last dying wish was to travel with me.”

Seungcheol’s face twisted with confusion and pain. As much as he hated Soonyoung for running away with Jihoon, he was a friend of his as well. “Soonyoung? Dying? Where is he now?”

“In his hometown’s burial site. In a jar,” Jihoon sighs, telling him.

“He’s...” Seungcheol didn’t want to finish the sentence.

“Soonyoung passed away two months ago. I didn’t know what to do with myself, so I thought I would come home. But there isn’t much home to come to.”

“Why!?” Seungcheol screamed, “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

Jihoon had it, he couldn’t hold it in anymore. He screamed back, “How would you feel if you found out that Soonyoung was in love with me? He didn’t want to travel with me as friends, he wanted to travel the world with the love of his life.”

Tears fell down Jihoon’s cheeks. “He’s loved me for as long as I’ve known him. But I never loved him back. He stupidly waited for me, thinking that I would love him back. Then I met you, you big doofus, and he never had a chance but he still held on. Soonyoung knew he was sick and never told me till it was too late, and I-i...”

Seungcheol couldn’t watch Jihoon crying. He walked to the entrance of the circle desk and engulfed Jihoon into an embrace.

“Seungcheol,” Jihoon cried out, “My best friend died and I couldn’t do anything for him. He died in my arms and I had to watch. My Soonyoung, he’s gone.”

His own tears come down his cheeks, Seungcheol couldn’t believe that the bright Soonyoung wasn’t with them anymore. He knew Jihoon’s sobbing would make him go dizzy, so he held onto Jihoon, letting him cry.

“I was so foolishly selfish. I thought you would wait for me. I thought that if there was one person who loved me more than Soonyoung, it would be you. But Soonyoung is gone and you’ve moved on.”

“You foolish boy,” Seungcheol whispered into Jihoon’s hair, “You really are selfish.”

Jihoon had enough energy to punch Seungcheol in the chest, “That’s for slapping me, you jerk. Now let go of me and disappear.”

“I-i still love you,” Seungcheol didn’t know how else to say it other than to say it. It pained him to say it, thinking of Seokmin, but Jihoon, the love of his life, was right in front of him.

“Seungcheol,” Jihoon said, stepping away from Seungcheol’s hold, “Don’t you think we all had enough heartbreaks. You can’t just do that to your boyfriend.”

“What’s worse than breaking up with my boyfriend is continuing to go out with him despite the fact that I know I love someone else.”

“You still love me, even after saying all those horrible things to you?”

Seungcheol scoffed, “Like you said, I’m a doofus.”

“Don’t you want to think about it before you do something stupid?”

“I’ve thought about it for a year. I thought I hide it well, but everyone knows it. I would drop everything and anything for you. You’re the reason why I sleep at night and the reason why I wake up, cause I know I would be waking up to your beautiful face. Just the thought of you made life easier to live. You’re the reason why I’m standing here. You can continue questioning my love for you for the rest of our lives and I would continue fighting for you everyday.”

Jihoon was quiet, with a small frown on his face, “Why did you start dating again then, when you felt this way?”

Seungcheol sighed, “Because I-... I was just so lost, I was floating around, not really living. He made me see the light. He made me alive again. If it wasn’t for him, I would still be locked in my apartment.”

“And you would give that up for me?”

Seungcheol tilted his face, “Like I said, I would fight for you everyday. The only reason why I floated around, or was locked in my apartment, was because I knew you were out there somewhere. I was happy enough knowing that you were alive and happy. Seokmin may have grounded me and allowed me to be alive among the living, but my reason for existence will always be you.”

That night, after leaving Jihoon to work, Seungcheol asked Seokmin if he could go over to his place to talk with him. He hated himself, but he wondered if Seokmin already knew what was going to happen. Seungcheol couldn’t give up Jihoon, he just couldn’t. He loved him way too much. From the top of his head to the tip of his toes was filled with love for Jihoon.

Seungcheol arrived at the promised time, taking a seat on Seokmin’s couch. Seokmin, himself, sat down next to Seungcheol.

“Seokmin,” Seungcheol started.

“It’s okay, Seungcheol,” Seokmin said with a sad smile, “I understand.”

“Seokmin, please, let me just say this.” With a nod from Seokmin, Seungcheol continued, “You’ve been a wonderful addition to my life. I don’t know how I would have been living for the last few months if it wasn’t for you. We both know I haven’t been exactly fair to you. You had to hear about my past from everyone around us. But you’ve been so great about it, and it made loving you so easy. You don’t deserve someone like me. And I would hate myself if I continued to lie to you. I’m just sorry that this went on for as long as it did.”

Seokmin smiled, “He must be pretty special.”

“He is,” Seungcheol smiled back, “He’s my everything. I don’t want to waste anymore time without him.”

Seokmin sighed, “I hate you, Seungcheol, but you deserve to be happy.”

“I hope we can still be friends.”

Seokmin smiled with a tear down his cheek, “Of course, I want to meet this Jihoon.”

Seungcheol didn’t want to seem too impatient, but he really didn’t want to waste anymore time away from Jihoon.

The next day, as late as possible, Seungcheol bursted through Woozi’s door.

“Jihoon,” Seungcheol screamed out.

Jihoon was sitting behind his desk, crouching over his screen. At the yell of his name, and his door being opened, he looked up. “Seungcheol? What are you doing here? It’s only been a day. Don’t tell me you harshly broke up with Seokmin already.”

“He took it pretty well,” Seungcheol said as he closed the door. “The work day is almost done, do you want to grab lunch. We can talk about all the places that you went with Soonyoung.”

Jihoon’s face scrunched up, “You want to know what I did with my dead boyfriend?”

The wind was knocked out of Seungcheol throat. Seungcheol forgot how to breath.

“Breath, in and out. Take in some air, let it out, take more in,” Jihoon coached Seungcheol. Jihoon got out of his chair and led Seungcheol over to the small couch he had in the corner of the the small office.

“You and Soonyoung?” Seungcheol asked as they both sat down.

Jihoon shrugged, “I thought you would have figured it out by now. I had to end things with you to start dating him. We only had the time that he gave us.”

“Tell me,” Seungcheol says to Jihoon, “I want to know.”

“You’re not going to like some of it.”

“Skip over those parts then. Tell me everything good about Soonyoung. He’s your best friend. We should remember all the good stuff about him.”

Jihoon’s eyes glazed over at the memories of Soonyoung, “We... we went all over the world. Just buying random plane tickets. We saw some of the most beautiful places. I have pictures.”

Seungcheol watched Jihoon intently, “I would like to see them later.”

Jihoon nodded and continued, “You know how Soonyoung and I loved to tell stories? We would tell a different one in every place that we went to, and record them down so we would never forget. The boy who smiled in every corner of the world. That’s who our stories was about. Soonyoung’s dream, ever since a child, was always to travel the world. He almost made it possible.

“When he was too tired to go anywhere anymore, he wanted to come home. So we boarded one last flight to Korea and waited. While he was still strong, we drove everywhere possible in Korea. But then he couldn’t even get out of bed anymore.

“It happened in the middle of the night. He called out to me and I knew it right away. One minute he was telling me how much he loved me and the next thing I knew it he was gone.”

They were quiet for a long time, with Seungcheol holding on to Jihoon. He had decided to let Jihoon talk. It didn’t seem like anybody else was with the two when they went off on their trip, and Jihoon must have had to hold in a lot while he was gone. If it was him, he would have wanted his friend to be as happy as possible too.

With Jihoon in his arms, Seungcheol held both their hands in front of them. He played with Jihoon’s fingers as Jihoon watched. Very quietly, Seungcheol told him, “I’m glad you came home to the one person you love more than the stars.”

Jihoon looked up to Seungcheol and smiled, “You know, I still want that stupid fairytale ending. Starting from Busan’s beach to retirement in Daegu.”

“Sounds good, I’ve been carrying this ring around for a year and it needs a home.”

A/N:

Me, the morning after writing all the whole story: Hmmmm, the title is so cute, Love You More Than The Stars...

Me, with a tilted head, lost in thought: *tilts head up and audibly gasps*

Me, who had come to an realization: Oh My God

Me, who couldn't believe it: Oh My Gawd

Me, with my SoonHoon heart: star in Japanese is Hoshi...

How is it that I didn't realize this when I was writing the story???