Jongin's eyes fluttered open, his vision slowly becoming clear. What he first saw was the white ceiling of an unfamiliar room. if it weren't for the sweet smell coming from outside, he would've thought that he's at the hospital. He tucked his elbows on the velvet bed and realized that the room wasn't his.

His eyes lingered around the room only to find out that there was someone beside him.

Jongin squinted his eyes and leaned closer to the sleeping boy. 

Ah. He remembers.

He glanced at his wrist watch. Its already 6 in the morning. Argh, I've slept so long. He scolded himself before slowly getting out of the bed, careful to not wake up Kyungsoo who was snoring peacefully from the other side.

He stood up and hurriedly put on his shoes. The light that passed through the window glimmered and a small cut from Jongin's arm could be seen.

"KKAEBSONG AREUMDAWO NANEUN AREUMDAWOOOO~"

Jongin heard a familiar voice from outside.

This triggered him more to just escape before the owner of the voice recognizes him and slices him to death. He went towards the window and attempted to jump out.

"YOU HEARD THE KKAEBSONG NOW DO THE YEHET!"

What the hell is that language? Jongin snickered from Baekhyun's loud voice. Hyung didn't even change, he's still bratty and loud. He released one leg on the window but got surprised because the height was too much for him to bear. He cursed silently for his only last escape was the door.

Why did I even sleep here? He asked himself again and tip-toed towards the door.

 All of a sudden, he stopped at his tracks when he heard Kyungsoo groan. He glanced at the boy and found out that he was still asleep or yet he hoped he was. His mind was telling him to go but something that was stronger than force was pulling him towards the sleeping boy. His feet walked the opposite direction--- towards the bed.

Kyungsoo's face was scrunched up and his eyebrows were knit together. He looked like he's having another bad dream.

Maybe it's the effect of alcohol? Jongin thought. He let out a sigh and pat Kyungsoo's arm to sooth his hyung. He even hummed to have Kyungsoo back to his own comfortable sleep. He isn't sure why he's doing this but all he knows is that he has to.

He remembered the times wherein they tucked themselves to bed together, play jokes and Kyungsoo would hum sweetly against his hair. He would be hugging Kyungsoo's small waist and when the peace had come, he would nibble kyungsoo's stomach, making him hiss and then on laugh.

Another part of him is asking, do you really miss it?

But of course, Jongin doesn't admit that.

It's too late for that.

Kyungsoo was the sweetest person he'd ever known. He didn't know whose fault was it. Whose fault had the bigger share of mistakes?

Who was the real enemy?

Guilt.

Straight two words and 7 letters.

Say it.

Jongin nibbled his lower lip and leaned on the sleeping boy, "Hyung," He paused a bit. "Pretend that nothing had ever happened last night."

Then he parted away, standing up.

Who was he in Kyungsoo's life to do this?

Who gave him the opportunity to hurt Kyungsoo?

Round and round, over and over, all he had ever done was to hurt him.

That opportunity had become an addiction.

An addiction to greediness.

For one last time, he gazed at Kyungsoo's peaceful face, memorizing it.

"Good Morning hyung, don't be late for work." That was his last mantra before he turned his back, slowly opening the door and eyes wandering at the small hall way to escape Baekhyun's possible wrath.

Neither did he know is that he didn't notice a small tear that ran down Kyungsoo's cheek,

Maybe that was a small form of saying, don't go.

Maybe.

It was Kyungsoo to answer.

Jongin held his breath deeply before heaving a sigh. He slowly walked down the stairs, praying that Baekhyun or Chanyeol won't notice him or it'll be a complete wreck.

He was nearing the end of the stairs when---

"EUAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"Yah! You scared me!"

Baekhyun grabbed the rolling pin and pointed it at Jongin. "Aha! I knew that it was you! Why are you here huh? Why did you come out of Kyungsoo's room!?" Baekhyun screamed loud enough to wake up someone.He ran towards Jongin and hit his arm with the rolling pin. Jongin yelped and told his hyung to stop, "Yah! Hyung! Can't you just greet me a hello? It's been years!"

Baekhyun ignored the younger and hit him again, "I don't greet people who breaks into the house! Why did you even comeback you little---"

"Please stop hitting me!" He pleaded and shielded his arms. Baekhyun let out a frustrated sigh. "Alright, you better leave before Kyungsoo wakes up Kim Jongin. I don't want you joining our breakfast." Then he rolled his eyes.

Jongin scratched his nape. "Of course..." His voice trailed off. "That was what I'm going to do! I was going to go already."

Baekhyun put both of his hands on his waist like a scolding mother.

"Then why didn't you leave earlier!? Aish, I don't want to even think about it." Baekhyun's forehead ceased. "I'd just tell Kyungsoo that Chanyeol took him to bed."He needed a plan for all of this to be saved and no one hurt at the end. 

"You can do that?" Jongin asked out in slight amazement.

"Rather him hurt!"

"You can give up Chanyeol for Kyungsoo?"

"Aish!" Baekhyun hissed and hit him again, this time slightly harder. "It's not that! It's called sacrifice! It's better than having kyungsoo looking stupid! Plus, I'd have Sehun for Kyungsoo!"

"Sehun?" Jongin asked like he's heard something not that amusing.

Baekhyun glared at him, "Yeah Why? It's time for him to open his heart again. It's time for him to be happy, don't you ever realize that?"

Jongin swallowed and bit his lower lip, "When does he sober? Tell him to go to work. I'd send him my sister's address." He changed the topic. Baekhyun scoffed at Jongin's words, "Yah Kim Jongin," He called out in a serious tone, wanting to know the truth, "Tell me,"

Jongin stared back at Baekhyun,

"Is cheating worth the hurt?"

Jongin felt that his tongue tangled.

Train of thoughts came crashing in him like waves and he couldn't bring himself to answer. Baekhyun's five words echoed throughout his ears like it was meant to ask him over and over again, like it was meant for him.

Seeing Jongin unresponsive, Baekhyun rolled his eyes once more. Of course he wouldn't answer that. 

Baekhyun decided to just let the question go, have Jongin think of his answer because the younger was seriously spacing out, "You should go. Just finish the case and leave him alone." He now crossed his arms, "And don't tell me the answer of that! Tell him that when time comes perfectly."

Jongin seemed to be brought back to reality. He lit a small awkward smile before bidding his farewells to Baekhyun and finally going back to Sehun's car.

"," He shrugged. "I still have to return this."

"Aigh, I am really the best love guru." Baekhyun smiled and clapped his hands before yelling a loud, "PARK CHANYEOL! ARE YOU STILL SLEEPING YOU BIG BASTARD? COME DOWN HERE NOW!" His voice was really loud to wake someone up and scare a kid.

And unfortunately,

"Oh Kyungsoo, you're awake." Baekhyun calmed down a bit when he saw Kyungsoo looking like a kid and rubbing both of his eyes, "Why are you shouting at this rate? Neighbors would hear you and they can sue us you know?"

Baekhyun smiled forcefully at Kyungsoo. "Are you sobered now? Go wash up, you smell alcohol again augh."

"Sorry." Kyungsoo apologized and massaged his temple. "But I'd like a cup of coffee to fully wake me up." Baekhyun nodded and went towards the counter to prepare Kyungsoo's coffee.

Kyungsoo yawned and stopped midway of the stairs; it feels like he needed to ask something, "Baekhyun," Kyungsoo called out curiously. "Who took me to bed?"

Baekhyun stopped stirring the dry ingredients and gulped. He hoped that his plans would work. The heck, why would he even ask that?

"Good Morning to you grumpy and the loud one." Chanyeol suddenly popped out of nowhere, wearing a bathrobe. He was fresh from bath and droplets of water was running down his neck. 

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes when he saw Chanyeol, "You are loving to walk around the apartment aren't you Yeol?"

Chanyeol smirked, "It's better to be fresh, right Baek?" And he winked at Baekhyun. Baekhyun sighed inwardly; Chanyeol's never going to help the situation. Plus his antics are making him blush in the highest shade of red.

"You took me to bed?" Kyungsoo curiously asked Chanyeol. Chanyeol scratched his nape, "Who did?"

"I Baekhyun couldn't even lift me towards my room."

Baekhyun knew that Kyungsoo was the inquisitive one and Chanyeol's possibly making a hole in his plans. "Ye-Yeah he did!" Baekhyun answered and poured hot water over the coffee. "Don't you remember Chan? You found him outside of the gate, looking cold."

"It was late though as far as I could remember." Kyungsoo answered and Baekhyun didn't like him squeezing his brain cells hard.

"Yah, don't force yourself to think okay? Sober up Kyung and contact Sehun. Minseok called at four, he's telling you to come by the law firm." Baekhyun told him in order for the latter to stop asking questions. Kyungsoo seemed to be convinced by his bestfriend's words and with that, he stepped down the stairs and grabbed his coffee.

Baekhyun seemed uneasy and with Kyungsoo beside him, he was aching to tell him a few words.

He doesn't know if it helps but,

"Kyungsoo," Baekhyun called out, not looking at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo wiped the coffee at the corner of his lips and stared at Baekhyun's back, "What?"

Baekhyun exhaled, "Don't let your grudge consume you okay? Don't ever tell him to let you go, tell yourself to."

--

i got my exordium tix omg