Jongin could not sleep at all. He hasn’t been sleeping well since the day he told Kyungsoo the truth that he knew why Baekhyun left, that he had a hand in helping him escape. Not that it was intentional, but he had to tell Kyungsoo. He did, and Kyungsoo chased him out of his room.

                Kyungsoo avoided him after that, refusing to pick up his calls and answer his messages. Eventually, Jongin stopped altogether. He figured Kyungsoo needed space, and maybe time to sort his feelings out. He respected him and his need for space.

                However, he could not stop thinking about the wide-eyed boy. He could still feel Kyungsoo’s lips on his, he could almost hear Kyungsoo’s soft laugh in his ears in the dead of night and even feel the tingle of the other boy’s skin on his. He couldn’t believe how infatuated he was with just one person. And that is really how love works. You will not believe that someone can be the epicentre of your world until it happens.

                He kept telling himself it wasn’t his fault, but the guilt ate him anyways. He tried talking to Chanyeol, but it didn’t seem to make things any better. Chanyeol asked him to be his best man, which he was originally going to decline. He actually thought about not going to the wedding altogether. He just couldn’t bring himself to be celebrating the marriage of two people who hurt the person he loved. It felt so wrong.

                But then again, Chanyeol is more than just his cousin; he is his best friend and childhood playmate. There was the time when everyone refused to teach Jongin how to swim because the kid screamed in terror at the sight of water, but Chanyeol endured hours of busting his eardrums, water splashes and scratches on his arm to actually help him overcome his fear of water. Jongin swims like a fish now, and if it wasn’t for Chanyeol, he wouldn’t even dip his toe in the baby pool. Chanyeol helped him find a prom date, drove him home secretly when he was drunk and even took the rap when he made a mistake. He had years and years of friendship with him, and that is very hard to deny.

                Almost a week after he was chased out by Kyungsoo, Jongin decided to distract himself. After class, he head out to the clubs. Strobe lights that would hurt your eyes, loud music pumping even faster than your heartbeat and many many shots of burning alcohol down his system, he found himself on the dance floor. His body moved to the beat, sweat dripping down like a leaky faucet until he couldn’t even feel his own body.

                When he woke up, he was back in his own room.

                Jongin sat up, feeling the headache shoot through his skull like a lightning and he had to go shrink back down again. He was shirtless and left in his boxers with a bucket beside his bed. His mouth tasted of vomit, which was disgusting and he smelled even worse. He turned to his side and tried to lift himself. There is a foot on the floor and it seemed to move. He lifted himself even more and found that the foot belonged to a body. The body of a rather small man with plump lips.

                The love of his life, Do Kyungsoo, was on the floor, his head rested on top of some clothes or towels of some sort. He was shivering and curled up in a tiny ball, knees close to his chest.

                “Kyu…” Jongin couldn’t even call his name, his throat hurt so much. He tried to get up without disturbing Kyungsoo. The bed creaked a little and Kyungsoo stirred.

                “Jongin, you’re up.” Kyungsoo straightened himself and got on his knees. “Are you okay? How do you feel?”

                “My head hurts…” he croaked out.

                “Hang on, I’ll get you an Advil.”

                “Kyung…” Jongin grabbed Kyungsoo’s sleeve weakly, stopping the boy from moving. “What are you doing here?”

                “You don’t remember?”

                “Remember what?” Jongin puzzled. Kyungsoo sat up on the bed and grabbed the Advil.

                “Take this, you’ll need it.”

                Jongin was thoroughly and terribly drunk. He was howling away on dance floor, bumping into random people and acting like a complete maniac. Frankly, so was everybody else on that dance floor anyways. A few girls caught wind of him and started dancing with him, but one man dragged him by the ear to a corner where he could barely even stand.

                “Jongin? What are you doing here?!”

                “Who’s that?” he hiccupped. “Is it the police? I didn’t do anything, I swear. I just had a couple of drinks.”

                “I’m not the police, I’m Leo! Don’t you remember me?” the man shook him harshly.

                “Leo? Hey Leo I’m Capricorn!”

                “Holy Christ you are drunk out of your mind. What are you doing here?!”

                “Just dancing away man. Get a drink yourself and dance like crazy! Party’s just beginning!”

                “Sweet Jesus you are high.”

                “I swear to high I am not God.”

                “Well, neither am I but I think you need to come back with me.” Leo tried pulling Jongin away but he tugged back towards the dance floor.

                “I wanna dance!!”

                “No you are coming with me!!”

                “But I want to dance!! You’re no fun! Mommy!! Leo is no fun!!”

                “I am not your mommy and your mommy isn’t here! At least I hope not,” Leo scanned the crowd. “Come on!!”

                “I’m not going anywhere!” Jongin sat down and ground and folded his arms, huffing and pouting like a small child. It’s apparent that drunk Jongin is really baby Jongin.

                “I have got to call for help.” There’s only one person Leo called, and that was Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo rushed over to the club and found Jongin in a corner, his eyes in the back of his head and his head tipping sideways with drool and some bits of vomit coming up. Leo was standing guard, looking frustrated and a rather disturbed.

                “He is as drunk as a mad sailor, and curses like one too.” Leo rolled his eyes as Kyungsoo rushed to Jongin’s side and shook him.

                “Jongin? Jongin!”

                “Hrnx…Mommy?”

                “It’s me, Kyungsoo! Don’t you remember?”

                “Mommy! Take me home mommy! I’m tired and I want to go to bed.”

                “Come on Jongin,” with Leo’s help, Kyungsoo got Jongin back on his feet for about 3 seconds before his knees give in and crumbles down again. “Help him get on my back.”

                “You can’t possibly carry him can you? He’s so much taller and heavier than you!”

                “I don’t have a choice! Help me get him on my back and hail a cab!” Leo could not argue and did as he was told. Jongin was of course, so much heavier than expected but Kyungsoo lifted with all his might. He managed to lift Jongin’s knees up from behind him while the drunkard kept calling for mommy. They got into a cab, not before stopping behind a pot plant and letting Jongin spew all over it.

                “Mommy my head and tummy hurts…” Jongin whined as he rolled his body sideways.

                “Of course it hurts! You got yourself so incredibly drunk!” Kyungsoo chastised, actually sounding like a real mother. “What got into you young man?”

                “I just wanted to have some fun. I’ve been so lonely nowadays.”

                “What are you talking about?”

                “Firstly, you and dad have been spending so much time in New York you hardly come back. Secondly, that of a sister of mine is so busy letting her boyfriend her she hardly calls. Thirdly, everybody I’ve met in the modelling industry is a whack and yeah, no one likes me.”

                “That’s not true.”

                “Yes it is. And I want you to stop telling me about Chanyeol’s hyung’s wedding, okay? I’m sick of it. I already agreed to be his best man but can you just stop talking about it?”

                “W…why?” Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow.

                “Mom, this is all my fault.” Jongin coughed, his eyelids half shut and he breath becoming laboured. “There is this guy with big eyes and pink lips that I am so in love with. I hurt him. Because of Chanyeol, he’s not talking to me. I should have never…I should…”

                “Don’t be ridiculous. It has nothing to do with you.” Kyungsoo said. The taxi stopped, and Kyungsoo put Jongin on his back and carried him up the steps of their dorm building.

                “Mommy I miss him.”

                “I’m sure he misses you too.” Kyungsoo bit his lip. “He’s an for letting something like this destroy your relationship with him.”

                “You should see him mommy. You’ll like him.” Jongin slurred into the crook of Kyungsoo’s neck. “He’s really cute and pretty. And he can cook. And he sings. He’s a brilliant photographer. We’ll never have to hire anyone else to take our family pictures again.”

                Kyungsoo laughed at that one. He whipped out the keys in Jongin’s pocket and unlocked the door. Jongin fell face first on the bed. Kyungsoo helped him up and ed his shirt. “Kyungsoo-yah…”

                Kyungsoo looked at him in bewilderment. He thought he was ‘mom’. How did he switch back to Kyungsoo? “Yes?”

                “I love you.” And with that, Jongin’s eyes closed and he went to sleep. Kyungsoo looked at him, his hands still on the hems of his shirt. There was an invisible line that tugged onto Kyungsoo’s heart. The same line that helped to take off the rest of Jongin’s vomit stained clothes and made him sleep on the hard floor.

                Kyungsoo leaned forward to kiss Jongin after he had taken his Advil. It was the first kiss ince their fight and Jongin’s head hurt too much to enjoy it, but it was there.

                “I am a dickhead, aren’t I?”

                “No you’re not. What kind of dickhead would drag a drunkard back to his home, clean up his vomit and kiss his stinky face?”

                “The truth is, I was hurt by what you told me. At first, I thought I was mad at you,” Kyungsoo explaned. “But then I realized I wasn’t. I was mad at Baekhyun. Well, I was actually less mad and more upset, because everything I thought or everything I knew about him was ruined. He was not a perfect being and I had forgotten the most important rule, he is human.”

                “I wanted to talk to you again. But I was so ashamed of how I reacted I couldn’t bring myself to do so. It was embarrassing. There is this…pride I guess.” Kyungsoo shook his head. “When Leo called I rushed over. You called me mom and you told me you loved me.”

                “Oh god.” Jongin buried his face in embarrassment. “That explains it. My mom would never carry me across her back.”

                “I can see why. You are a heavy kid.”

                “I can’t believe I called you mom. And confessed. And vomited in front of you. And you saw,” he ripped the covers off. “You saw my body! And…and…oh god this is humiliating!”

                “It’s not,” Kyungsoo smiled. “I’ve never had anyone tell me that before.”

                “Tell you what?”

                “Everything you said about me. About how cute I was and how you thought I was perfect for you.” Kyungsoo explained. “It’s the kind of thing you dream about but when it happens it’s pretty surreal.”

                “I don’t know why I fell so hard for a group that doesn’t even know me.” Kyungsoo dropped his head.

                “When you love something you often don’t know why,” Jongin sniffed, leaning back in his bed. “I should have told you earlier.”

                “I shouldn’t have told you to get lost. You’ve been nothing but wonderful to me.” Kyungsoo reached out for Jongin’s hand. “I’m the worst kind of boyfriend possible. My life revolves around two strangers and I let it take control of my every actions. I’ve been living as a fan all this while I think I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be Do Kyungsoo instead.”

                “Are you ready to move on then?” Jongin asked.

                “I think so. I want to. I want to move on.” Kyungsoo said. “It’s scary, stepping out of my comfort zone.”

                “We could run,” Jongin smiled. “Run away far enough so that the problem wouldn’t plague you. It’s really not as serious as you think.”

                “Yeah.” Jongin sat up and kissed Kyungsoo.

                “So we’re good?”

                “Yeah.”

                “Thank you for everything Kyungsoo.” Kyungsoo snuggled into Jongin’s warm chest and breathed in his scent, musky sandalwood mixed with alcohol and a tinge of vomit. But who cares? It’s Jongin that matters.

                I can’t tell you what went through Kyungsoo’s mind at that moment, but I can tell you one thing. It wasn’t Baekhyun or Luhan at all.

                                                                                *********************

                By the time I stopped crying, Joonmyun had already started making dinner. He gave me some time alone to myself, a hot bath and a set of clothes to change into (and yes, they are his).

                “Are you hungry?” he asked me, taking off his apron and putting the stew on the table. “Let’s have something to eat, shall we?”

                “Okay.” I sat down and took a spoonful of the stew. It was good, but it could be better. Maybe it’s me and my mood.

                “I know you had a fight with my cousin, but don’t worry too much. Kris’s bark is much worse than his bite. He doesn’t mean what he said.”

                “I’m probably jobless now.”

                “Don’t be ridiculous, Kris would be an idiot to let you go, you’re the best assistant he’s had in a long time.” Joonmyun scooped some stew out for me. “Though if you really are jobless then you can come and work for me.” He smiled.

                “I’m not sure if that would be fair.”

                “Screw fair, I just want to see you more often.”

                “That’s nice.” I chuckled. “Joonmyun?”

                “Yeah?”

                “You might think I’m crazy, but can you hear me out on this?”

                “Sure.”

                “I want to find Baekhyun.”

                “You do?” his eyes widen. “Why is that?”

                “Ever since he left, I have not been able to stop thinking about him. This case haunts me, even after a month. I can’t stand it. Everything that is going on is because of him, my fight, the lawsuit, Luhan….just…” I scrunched up my fists. “I can’t stand not knowing why he left. I just…I’m dying to know why. If I find him and I can talk to him, maybe I can convince him to come back.”

                “I don’t know about this…”

                “I just need to know he’s okay.” I told him. “I can’t stand it. He’s my friend Joonmyun! I…” the words got caught at my throat and I couldn’t continue. “I just…”

                “But what if he doesn’t want to come back?”

                “Then I’ll leave him be. But I just want to see him. I can’t stand not knowing where he is.”

                Joonmyun stares at me for a while and I could feel my own tears coming up again. He eventually puts the fork down. “Okay, we’ll look for him together. But we need a place to start.”

                “I know exactly where. The university dorm near my house. Baekhyun has a model friend who stays there named Jongin. Maybe he knows something.”

                “The things I do for you,” he grinned. “Is there something in it for me?”

                “Yes, you get to find Baekhyun and solve a mystery.” I said, downing my stew and running back to the room. “Get your keys ready!!”

                                                                ***********************

                “It’s so nice to be out here. It’s completely quiet.” Luhan said, letting his fingers curl around Sehun’s. They were walking down the streets and looking into shops lining it. They had nothing special in mind, but it was nice to just stroll around, especially in the dead of night and when it was cool and windy.

                “It’s been a while since you’ve had the chance to do something like this eh?”

                “Yeah, it makes me feel almost normal.”

                “Almost?”

                “Just almost.” Luhan laughed, letting his arm wrap around Sehun’s. Sehun brought his lover closed and sniffed his hair, loving the close proximity as they strolled on.

                “My nose is cold.” Luhan complained, rubbing his nose with his fingers.

                “Come here,” Sehun leaned over to kiss Luhan’s little pink nose.

                “Now my lips are cold.”

                “Coming right up.” Sehun smirked before kissing Luhan on the lips, tucking one hand underneath his chin and the other around his waist.

                “My entire body is cold.”

                “I can’t kiss your whole body, that would take me a lifetime.”

                “Yet it took you only seconds to rip my clothes off.”

                “That’s different.” Sehun teased and wrapped Luhan in his arms.

                No one seemed to hear the shutter of a camera going off in the distance; they were too wrapped up in their love.

A/N: This story is about to come to an end in a couple of chapters, so please do stay tuned if you want to know the ending! Love you guys!