Sitting in a corner of the wall by the practice room door Daehyun watched his friend go through the motions of B.A.P’s new choreography for their comeback.  Youngjae’s focused eyes studied his reflection, making certain that there were no flaws in his steps as the music picked up.  A short smile curled the ends of Daehyun’s mouth into a smile knowing the obstacles Youngjae has overcome was poured into the passionate dancing before him.  When the song finally came to an end, Daehyun could not help himself but to clap his hands.

“Dae?” Youngjae blinked shifting his eyes to his friend’s reflection in the full-length wall mirror.  Finding the slightly older male push away from the wall to head his way Youngjae grabbed a towel draped over a chair where the CD player was situated in.

“You’ve improved a lot,” Daehyun teased.  “I don’t have to see you trip over your feet anymore.”

“You’re the only one tripping over your feet,” Youngjae shot back, wiping his face with the towel.  “What are you doing here?  I thought you went to go get some food?”

“I decided to wait so you can come eat with me,” Dae beamed sliding an arm around Youngjae’s shoulders once he was close enough.  Youngjae tried to shrug his friend’s arm away cringing his nose at Daehyun.  “Yah, I’m sweaty.”

“It’s not like I haven’t felt your sweat before babo,” Daehyun laughed with a wink.  Youngjae blushed in despite of himself playfully shoving Daehyun away.

“You’re the one who wanted me to sleep with you when I was still have nightmares just about every night,” Youngjae stated.  “So you can’t complain to me about it.”

“Who said anything about me complaining?”

“You always complain about me,” Youngjae rolled his eyes.

“Quite true,” Daehyun frowned, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes.  “So for my troubles you’re going to eat with me once you’ve had a shower.”

“At home or in public?” A year ago that type of question would not be necessary.  Now a year later, after the events leading to Youngjae’s kidnapping by one fan who blurred the lines between idol worship and love, going out in public when not related to work was a task Youngjae often found he avoided.  No matter how well he did with therapy, the lingering fear of reoccurrence stifled his social life tremendously.  Most days he preferred to stay in the dorms, ordering takeout if he wanted a treat or relying on the others to venture out to convenient stores for him.  Nobody minded, knowing how hard Youngjae struggled for a trickle of normalcy in spite of his recently developed xenophobia.

“We can get something to go if you’re not up to going out in public,” Daehyun offered.

“I have my anxiety medication, it will be fine.”  Reaching into his pocket, Youngjae produced a good-natured smile.  “We can go out and eat in public for a change.  I think I’m ready to venture out into the world again.”

“Are you sure?  You don’t have to push yourself.” A frown settled between Daehyun’s brows studying Youngjae’s face.  A few weeks ago being approached by a female fan outside TS while waiting for the van to be brought around caused Youngjae to suffer a massive anxiety attack leading Zelo and Jongup to rush the older back into the building to calm down.

“A few weeks ago, I would have been pushing myself.  Now I think I’m ready to at least try to make the effort to go out.  My therapist says I’m doing better for someone who went through such a traumatic experience as I did,” Youngjae replied.

“It’s all thanks to me,” Daehyun boasted, only joking on the subject nevertheless Youngjae wrapped his arms around Daehyun giving him a tight squeeze.

“Thank you,” Youngjae murmured softly

“Jae…” Encircling his arms around his friend, Daehyun smiled softly, running a hand through Youngjae’s hair.  “You don’t have to thank me.  I was never planning to give up on you even if the police and the others had.  I would have never stopped looking for you until you were by my side again.”

“Dorky romantic,” Youngjae laughed pulling back to give Daehyun a warm smile.  “Let me take a shower then we can head out.”  Nodding his head, Daehyun released his friend, going to sit down against the wall once more to wait for Youngjae to clean up. 

Flipping out his phone Daehyun scrolled through his pictures coming to find one date a year ago before the events of Soonim occurred.  Running his thumb over the goofy face on his screen Daehyun wondered if life would ever go back to normal.  Would he see that irritating grin ever again, or would the still awkward smiles Youngjae tended to grace the group with remain as testament of the trial they went through.

“Dae?” Youngjae popped his head into the practice room.

“Ready already?” Flipping closed his phone, Daehyun stood up from his seat.

“I took a quick shower,” Youngjae replied combing his damp hair from his eyes.  “So where do you want to eat at?”  Tapping a finger to his chin, Daehyun strolled over to Youngjae swinging his arm around Youngjae’s shoulders.

“How about barbeque?” Daehyun raised a brow.

“You just want me to come along so you don’t feel bad about shoving food into your face,” Youngjae teased.

“Perhaps you’re right, but you could use a few more pounds.”  Daehyun patted Youngjae’s belly, the grin on his face stretching wider.  Scrunching up his nose, Youngjae swatted at Daehyun’s hand.

“Babo.”

“As I said, I’m your babo.”  Kissing his friend’s cheek, Daehyun led his friend out the building.

“Yes, I suppose you are,” Youngjae agreed, a hint of a goofy smile ghosting across his lips.  Ruffling Youngjae’s hair, Daehyun thought that maybe he had nothing to worry about.  There was still a glimmer of resilient hope remaining to walk completely out of the darkness.

A/N: I made the decision over the last week to let this be the last chapter.  I know everyone is sad to see it go, I feel pretty conflicted as well, but leaving on the note of Youngjae getting better, of the possibility of whatever is blossoming between Dae and Jae only growing in the future, and pretty much everything is a good place to stop.  This last year working on both this and Fatal Love has been great.  I thank all my readers for their support and hope you all have enjoyed reading this.  I have several options for a new story but nothing set in stone.  Feel free to message me if you would like to see something that's been on your mind and just never had a chance to write it.  I'm pretty open at the moment.

Once again thanks for all the support I've had throughout the course of working on this.  It's because of you readers that I continue to provide material.  Until we meet again.