"Here's the stats for this last week, sir. The index rose with the release of Jun. K Nim"
 

The assistant said putting on colored papers and Taecyeon sighed heavily.

He only knew that time had passed since that day on the beach, He didn't know exactly how many days because everything seemed the same every day, everything was so cold and dark despite the hot sunlight.

But it was not easy to forget, not when working in the same field and kept listening to his name every moment.
 

"Investors are excited about their next job."
 

The young lady continued as Taecyeon looked at his hand where the small stone was shining against the sun.
 

"I will not forget Minjun, I will keep you in my heart forever and I will love you until I die"
 

He thought by pressing the stone in his hand.
 

Minjun, for his part, began to wear a mask to pretend to be well in order to begin to love Seulong. He thought that in this way one would forget Taecyeon and start by matching the man next to him, however, each day was more difficult for the two.
Seulong and the others also felt it, the air had become uncomfortable and cold, the smile of Minjun was empty and the samples of affection had become like an obligation for both.
 

"We should tell him now, Nichkhun. It doesn't matter if that man is not his other half... this can't go on like this. Talk to Junho a few days ago, Taecyeon is also suffering."
 

Wooyoung set aside the clothes she was ordering and sat down beside his boyfriend
 

"Woo, I was thinking, I think I'd rather watch Hyung sleep."
 

He confessed the older man around Wooyoung's shoulders, bringing him to his chest.
 

"Then let's talk to him this afternoon. We have to end this all at once"

Nichkhun nodded in agreement.
-------------
"I'll come home if you need me call there"
 

Taecyeon almost ran, needing to get away from anything that reminded Minjun.
 

"You have taken away everything Minjun"
 

He whispered to himself driving the car of his company. He didn't use the car, he used to use a bicycle but lately he did not want to use it.
When he got home, at the door was the fluffy white cat with the gray ears that belonged to the neighbor.
 

"No friend, he will not come with me today either."
 

He said caressing the animal's soft head. In the past he would have screamed for him to leave but he understood the cat's heart, he missed it too.

He entered the house and saw the light from the room on.
 

"Junho? I thought you would go with Chansung to..."
 

He was silent when he saw another figure in the middle of the room
 

"S-Seulong, it's been a while. How have you been?"
 

He tried not to think of anything that could start a war but didn’t know that the war was already upon them.
 

"You know why I'm here, don't you?"

Seulong said coldly and Taecyeon cleared his throat as if to say something but said nothing.
 

"Before all, I want to ask... How did you meet him?"
 

Seulong's voice was of desperation, his heart was being pressed by his own hatred.
 

"I think that's irrelevant now. Just forget it, my friend, I'm not going to do anything."
 

Taecyeon said with a sincere smile and at the same time with pain inside.

"But you already did"

Seulong said walking a couple of steps near Taecyeon, their gazes met for a brief moment.

"What are you talking about?"

The tension bubbled over their heads like water in the fire that threatened to sprout at any moment.

"I thought you were my friend, but I was wrong as an idiot. You've stolen everything I had"

Taecyeon felt these words inside his chest like a sword piercing his previously wounded heart.

"This doesn't…"

How could he say that he had the same feeling? Although as Seulong, he didn't hate it and couldn't say those words.

"I don't want to say this again so stay away from us. No matter what you do, I will not give up with Minjun, I did it before but I will not do it now. Then, I will not ask as a favor, I demand that you disappear from our lives."

At that moment, rage had flooded the atmosphere, Taecyeon tried to reassure himself but Seulong continued to throw words like arrows at a wounded animal.

"Does he want it that way?"

Taecyeon asked then and Seulong arched a brow

"What?"

"Minjun, does he want me to go away? Because if it is so...."

Seulong's fist slammed shut on the wooden table.

"Are you kidding? Don't you listen to what I say? Get away from us"

Taecyeon also clenched his fists, raising his stern gaze.

"I'm sorry, but if it is not Minjun who asks, I will not do it. Not because you're in a relationship means that he belongs to you, it's not so."

Why was he saying this? Taecyeon knew he couldn't interfere but now it was his heart that spoke, like a pressure cooker alone exploded.

"No matter what you say Taecyeon, he's mine and you know it well so go away or I'll have to go away."

Seulong left the small house with a cold and angry expression, closing the door hard before leaving.

Taecyeon fell to his knees, panting as if he had run thousands of miles. His heart pounded and tears welled in his eyes... he couldn't go on.

Wooyoung had organized a "secret" family reunion in the kitchen of the house while Seulong had left.

"What's going on?"

Minjun asked, sitting down on the blue marble countertop.

"Nichkhun and I should tell you something hyung"

Wooyoung looked at Nichkhun and he gave a small leap clearing his throat

"You look sad hyung lately. We, I think we know the reason"

Minjun made a pout and nodded still not understanding where everything went

"We wanted to tell you before but we were not sure, so I'm sorry"

Nichkhun's words were only making Minjun nervous.

"Khun, just go straight"

Wooyoung repressed and shook his head.

"What hyung means is, Minjun hyung... before you awakened you were in a place near my old house"

"I know, you told me before"

Minjun rubs his hands together with curiosity

"This house belongs to..."

Wooyoung looked at Nichkhun a moment before clearing his throat.

"That's where Taecyeon lives."

Minjun's breathing was stopped in his lungs, so his heart began to beat hard.

"We didn't want to tell you because we thought it wouldn't make sense but now... Hyung, it doesn't matter if he's not your destiny. If you're happy that way, we will not stop you."

Minjun wanted to tell the truth, that in some strange and unknown way he had fallen in love with Taecyeon, but he knew that it would mean going back to sleep, he had thought about what Taecyeon said and he was right; He couldn't save him.

Going back to sleep wouldn't only be bad for him, also for Wooyoung and Nichkhun. He couldn't do that now that everything seemed to go well, he thought that having lived all that time with Taecyeon couldn't change anything, in any case, only he could know that.

"It doesn’t matter, Woo, Khun. I mean, Seulong is with me now and the rings are together too. There's no more"

Woo frowned, knew this would happen, Minjun was the kind of person who preferred the future of others than his own. He prepared to draw the letter under his sleeve.

"Are you sure hyung? Don't you want to know how we knew this?"

Minjun frowned, cleared his throat and twitched his nervous chest.

"I'm not..."

"He could see you hyung"

Wooyoung let the words go like a stream but for Minjun it was like a bullet in the heart.

"Stop..."

"He could see you, he could talk to you and..."

"STOP!"

Minjun shouted covering his ears but Wooyoung approached him and pulled his arms tightly

"You're not going to run away hyung, no matter what you think, we're already happy so we don't need your sacrifice. Can you hear me? It doesn't matter if you're asleep or awake, we will continue to be happy."

Wooyoung's words were harsh, even to Nichkhun, but he understood the younger. He knew that it was not his intention to say all that, those tears that formed in his eyes, he knew that tremor in the voice and that look. It was so obvious

"Woo... this is not right"

Minjun sobbed

"Who says it?"

Wooyoung asked back

"Seulong... I can't do this to him"

"So you're going to be with someone you don't love?"

The child's delicate voice had become grave, severe. Like wasp stings.

"I love him"

Minjun said in a voice

"But not enough, we're not idiots hyung. We realize that there is no love between you, that's why we do this. We want you to be happy for yourself and for no one else"

The strength in the grip of Wooyoung weakened and Minjun down from the counter locking himself in his room.

As soon as the door to the room closed, Wooyoung collapsed in the kitchen sink.

"I was very cruel"

He sobbed into Nichkhun's arms, patting him on the back.

"Was needed... You did better than I would have."

They stood there, hugging each other for a long while while Minjun was crying against his bed, cursing himself. Why did this even happen to him? Why should he pay for his father's sin? Why?

For the first time in a long time, he want to die. That would fix many things, wouldn't it? But a part of him, the logical part, knew that it was not so. Nothing would change with his death, only chaos would become greater.