The first time he heard about it, he was alone.

It was a day off, to say the least. Everybody needed the refreshment. With all the hectic promotions and fan meetings, the boys stressed themselves out. Seungcheol, Seokmin, and Vernon went to visit their respective families, while Wonwoo, Jeonghan, Jihoon, and Jisoo went out to eat. Mingyu and Seungkwan took a stroll, and Soonyoung and Chan busied themselves by dancing in the practice room. Minghao was currently in China to visit his parents, while Junhui… Well, he doesn't really have a plan so his stayed back at the dorm.

Junhui sighed as the deafening sound of the television blasted his ear. He couldn't find anything amusing. He saw Seungkwan's favorite show re-runs, the cooking show Mingyu watches, live guesting, and any other sort of entertainment. Soon after he pressed the next key of the remote control, he found himself watching news that was released today.

At first, he didn't listen; he just let the sound blared on his ears. However, a newsflash somehow caught his attention. Intrigued, he sat up straight and eyed the illuminating screen.

"A sudden outbreak of a newly found disease was found in a few countries. Asia has the most attacked. Scientists haven't discovered the name for it and named it—for the mean time—the ‘Bursting Flower. However, it can cause death if it wasn't cured. Symptoms may consist of stomachaches, heartburns, vomiting, and for some odd and unexplainable reason, your chest explodes flowers. Nobody knew what the cause of the disease is yet but luckily, researchers are studying for cures. Then again, we will be giving updates in the future."

He thought it was funny. Exploding of flowers? How can that happen? He snickered at the thought. Sure, it's deadly, but he didn't care; he won't have it, anyways.

Well, that was what he thought.

The first time he discovered he liked Minghao, he read the lyrics of their song.

Junhui and Minghao were alone at the office so that they could practice Minghao's Korean. Junhui pointed out the flaws of the latter and helped him pronounce the words or write the alphabet. The younger was busy writing sentences after sentences which Junhui checks every now and then.

He didn't know why he loves to stare at the other's soft features. He loved how Minghao's eyes weren't too big or how his lips aren't too plump. He loved how he would wear his earrings when he felt like it. He loved the fact that the other's body isn't too buff or too fragile. He was perfectly imperfect for who he is.

"Hyung," Minghao piped, he unconsciously woke up Junhui from his daydream. The smaller pointed to one of the sentences and asked, "How do you pronounce this?"

Junhui read the sentence. What's this? He thought. Minghao knew how to say this. He thought this to him a few weeks ago. "Didn't I tell you how to say this?"
"Yup." Minghao giggled and Junhui's heart can't take it.

Junhui frowned. What's this guy up to? "Then, why did you want me to say it?"

"I like how you say it."

Suddenly, Junhui felt his heart ache. He was dizzy and light-headed; he didn't know why he was feeling like this. What's this feeling? He didn't know why but it was sweet and addicting yet too bad for his condition.

‘I hope that we aren't tricked by familiarity and lose each other'

The first time it happened, it was in front of Wonwoo.

It was a usual day for Seventeen. Soonyoung's dance steps were troubling the others. Fortunately for Junhui, he didn't have a hard time on picking up the dances; he was just tired. As he eyed the others, he found himself staring at his Chinese companion.

Unlike Junhui, Minghao was still having a hard time. Despite being a dancer, he was confused and he took the steps, slowly. The brunette gave water to the younger as he said, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just tired." The smaller smiled slightly, his Chinese accent thick as always. The elder didn't know why he felt the need to take care of the weary boy.

That's where he felt his chest clench.

Junhui felt his heartbeat loud. It was booming; his ears rang and his eyes diluted. Most of all, his chest hurts and he was dizzy. His stomach made it worst as it ached and he wanted to throw up.

Minghao sensed something wrong. The elder wasn't speaking and Minghao noticed his knuckles whitened from the tight grip on the water bottle he held. "Hyung, what's wrong?"

"N…No... There's nothing wrong." Junhui shook his head as he chuckled. "Sorry for worrying you."

"Hyung, are you sure you're okay?" Junhui's head spun. With the weight of his heart and the solidity of his chest, he knew he had to go.

Junhui dashed out of the room after he stated that he will go to the restroom. Members wanted to ask but they were cut off when he slammed the door shut. He moved faster and he didn't know why. It was instinct, he thought.

As soon as he opened the door to the restroom, light and colorful petals erupted in the air, as he fell down to the ground. He closed his eyes, expecting that the impact will hurt much lesser that it would, but he felt hands on both shoulders to keep him from falling. Slowly, he opened his eyelids, and he saw Wonwoo in front of him.

"Jun…? Wha… What's this?" The younger asked and helped Junhui leaned on the wall. Wonwoo offered the water on his hand to Junhui since the other left his at the room. Junhui didn't hesitate to drink it. He felt the fingers of the taller on his face and that's when he knew he was crying. "Junhui, we have to tell—"

"No! Won, don't… Just don't let the others know." He cut the other. He knew what it was. His memory was still fresh. H…how did I have… this?

"Feelings," Wonwoo gulped out. Junhui stared in confusion. Now he felt the younger's hands shivered. "You have unrequited feelings for someone. That's… That's the cause of the disease."

"H-how did you…"

"Because I found it out by myself." Junhui stared. Wonwoo had feelings for someone? Who? Junhui chuckled.

He knew who it was.

"It's Mingyu, isn't it?" He laughed. "It's Mingyu, right? You have it too."

Wonwoo loosened the grip and closed his fist. The boy looked down and moved beside Junhui as he held his legs. "…Yeah."

"You too are so close. It must be tough." He breathed a laugh. He saw Wonwoo gulped and held his legs tighter. Wonwoo is precious to Junhui—he knows how to keep a secret. It may be a bad thing that he found himself earning the disease, but it was fine that Wonwoo was the only one who saw it. If it was the other members, they would probably tell the whole staff to send him to the hospital.

"Of course it's tough." The younger gazed away. "It's tough to know that the person you love doesn't love you the way you love them."

"Thought he was gay for you." Junhui laughed but only earned a smack from Wonwoo. Fortunately, the other finally smiled. Junhui couldn't help but noticed how the other looked disheveled. He probably threw up, but at least his breath doesn't smell like anything funny. He washed his mouth with running water, idiot.

"First of all, he's not." Wonwoo fiddled with the fabric of his jeans. "If he was, then I wouldn't have this."

"Sad." This time, Junhui received a glare. "What?"

"No… It's nothing." The black-haired sighed and stared at Junhui. "How about you? Who's the guy?"

"Guy?" What does Wonwoo mean by 'guy'? Junhui's not gay. He knows himself after all. What on earth it Wonwoo saying?

As if he heard the other's thoughts, he implied, "We don't really talk to any girls, except for the managers. Besides, we didn't have any scheduled fan meet the past few weeks, and we were all stuck in the dorms all by ourselves last week. Who is it? Is he from the group?"

His throat dried up but his mouth spoke for itself. "…Minghao, I think. He gives me the funny butterfly feelings all the time." The brunette averted his gaze. He saw himself in the full-body mirror, distressed and wrecked. At least, Wonwoo looked better.

"Sudden feelings?" The younger asked as he, too, stared at his own reflection. Is that a sad smile? Junhui shook it off.

"Yeah, it just happened, I guess." The shorter chuckled at the same time he pitied himself. He was exhausted, but his heartbeat started to slow down.

"How can you be so accepting immediately?" Wonwoo teased while he hoped he would lighten up the other's mood.

"I don't know. How ‘bout you, how can you be so sure you'll keep the secret from the other members?" The elder cooed back. Wonwoo grinned and let out a laugh.

"Because I'm Wonwoo."

"Damn, yeah. You're Wonwoo."

He knew Wonwoo can keep it. This boy is introverted and always silent unless he wanted to say something. He's just scared if he will burst in front of the members. Worst, if they are in a fan meet. Junhui wondered how Wonwoo can stay calm when Mingyu is there beside him all the time.

Junhui noticed the colorful petals. There were red, yellow, pink, and odd yet colorful petals everywhere. The buds were huge and he didn't think he would survive bursting more of them.

"Hibiscus," Wonwoo stated, forthright and persuasive. He picked up one of the fallen petals and played with it. "They're so pretty and big."

"I know what else is pretty and big." The elder remarked with a teasing tone. Wonwoo gave him a sardonic gaze. Junhui only creased up a little before he calmed down.

Silence deafened their ears as they sat down quietly at the tiles of the bathroom. It's funny how the others weren't looking for them but while he was thinking about them, he felt his heart clenched.

"It hurts." He pointed at his chest. Wonwoo turned his black eyes to where he pointed. T