As the months passed by seamlessly, I grew more and more comfortable in Wonshik's house. Or just more and more comfortable with Wonshik himself. Actually, scratch that, too; Wonshik is just comfy. I readjusted my head on my pillow AKA Wonshik's lap.

We were watching something on TV in the living room, one of his shows. About halfway through, I'd gotten pretty bored and decided to take a nap. When I woke up, the show was going off, so I got up, went to the kitchen to get a box a jelly beans, and came right back to this spot where I currently lay popping jelly beans in my mouth.

I turned my attention back to the TV, and Doni and Defcon were tormenting EXO. I laughed aloud as the MC buttoned Tao's shirt wrongly and Kris was staring at him the whole time.

"I ship those two so hard," I said suddenly, causing Wonshik to jump. I chuckled as I tossed an apple bean up in the air and caught it in my mouth.

"Who, Tao and Hyungdon?" I scruched up my face.

"Ew, no. That'd be just... weird," Wonshik laughed a bit. "I meant TaoRis," another jelly bean. "Those two are so real."

"Baby, you sound like one of their fangirls," he laughed again and I just scoffed, keeping my eye on the show.

"Meh, whatever." He didn't say anything after that, and turned back to the screen. We both just silently watched the show for a few minutes, and I slowly began to run out of jelly beans.

"Stop throwing those up like that; you could choke," Wonshik looked down at me, seemingly worriedly. I disregarded what he said immediately and caught another one in my mouth. He pouted in defeat, and I meronged him.

Just as I tossed the last one up (cherry, my favorite!), Wonshik suddenly leaned forward and caught it in his mouth. I have to admit, it was a nice move, but I'm kinda upset over the loss of my candy. I sat up slightly to yell at him.

"Yah, that was the last one!" I sat up and pouted at him, and he had the audacity to laugh at my loss.

"Ahh, mianhae. Do you want it back?" He quirked an eyebrow and I glared at him.

"Yeah, I do actually," it was meant to be sarcastic, but I guess Wonshik didn't catch that. Instead of mocking me further he leaned in and planted a kiss right on my lips.

Though he surprised me, I did respond to his action. We kissed for a few seconds and then I felt him suddenly bite on my lip. I gasped, not because it hurt at all, but just because of the spontaneity of the action. He took the opportunity to use his tongue to pass the jelly bean into my now open mouth. I pulled away, completely flushed. He laughed at my expression.

"You're gross..." was all I mumbled as I chewed my candy and laid back down in my previous position on his lap. He knew I wasn't totally serious and chuckled yet again.

I began to doze off as the ending credits for Weekly Idol rolled, and I felt my eyelids close. They snapped open again when I felt a hand running through my hair. I turned to look up at Wonshik and he just stared blankly ahead, totally absent.

"What am I, your pet?" he startled out of his reverie and looked down at me.

"Sorry, my bad," he gave me a small smile and pulled his hand away. I reached and grabbed it, putting it on my head again.

"I didn't say you could stop," sure enough the petting started again, both of us now smiling at each other. Then his gaze started falling until he was totally expressionless again, and looked back up to the TV. I sat up now, stationing myself right next to him.

"Hey," he didn't come out of it, so I tried again and tapped his arm. When he finally looked back to me, I still kept my hand there. "Sweetie, what's up? What's wrong?" I looked at him, totally concerned and waited for an answer.

I didn't get one. He just dropped his gaze and kept it on my hand. Oh... I know now. Ever since Hongbin and Hyuk came all those months ago and we had that argument, he still tells me he hasn't gotten over it completely. "You're thinking about what Hongbin said, aren't you?" I asked in a careful tone. He nodded slightly in response, and I rubbed his arm a bit, comfortingly.

At that moment, I heard my phone ringing upstairs in my room. I pressed a kiss gently on Wonshik’s cheek, “Don’t worry over it, we’re fine,” I said reassuring him. I quickly hopped off the sofa and darted up the stairs, answering my cellphone without even checking the ID.

“Yoboseyo?”

“Hakyeon oppa…” My hand dropped slowly and my eyes widened in disbelief.

That’s Hyemi’s voice…

Said voice was still talking and I’d barely heard as my phone had been dangling my side. I replaced it to my ear and listened to what my old friend was saying.

“Oppa, how are you?” she piped. How could she speak so casually? I felt my fist clench by my side and the grip on my phone tightened. If she really cared at all she would have tried to comfort me from the start instead of brutally shunning me. I admit what I did wasn’t very smart, but she could have been there to help me through it. She just banished me without a second thought or another word about it, and now she’s talking like nothing had ever happened.

“How dare you,” I stated lowly into the receiver, complete anger and sadness in every fiber of my being.

“Huh? What are you talking—”

“Stop pretending I matter to you anymore, you could’ve called in all this time, but no you waited until it was convenient for you. You waited until the wounds you gave me were completely healed before appearing like this and tearing them open again.”

“Oppa, I know I shouldn’t have reacted how I did, but I was scared—”

“How long have you known me? In all the years we’d been friends you didn’t think you could trust me enough to get me to stop and talk things though with me?! I’d never hurt you Hyemi, and if you were scared then I was terrified. I’ve accepted it now, but you contributed nothing at all! You just left me to figure things out on my own, and as clouded as my mind was, you didn’t even think for a second to help me clear it. I’m done with you, Hyemi!”

I didn’t even wait for a response before hanging up the phone and throwing down onto the bed. I pressed the heels of my palms into my eyes, trying to stop the angry tears that were relentlessly escaping them. I didn’t even try to choke back the sobs that came with them.

“Hakyeon…” I choked out another sob as Wonshik called to me from the doorway. Obviously I’d disturbed him with my yelling. I turned to face his direction and tried to wipe my eyes again.

“I—I’m sorry, I…” I hiccupped as the crying continued. I looked up to see Wonshik’s concerned face and was racked so hardly with sobs that my knees slowly gave in and I found myself sitting in the middle of the floor, crying my eyes out.

Wonshik’s arms found their way around my shoulders and he pulled me into his chest. I don’t know how long he sat there and let me soak his shirt, but he stayed rubbing my back comfortingly the whole time. I realized this is really similar to the first time we met, he found me crying my eyes out sitting on the ground, and for this very same reason, too.

He was there to quickly wash away all the sadness Hyemi had caused me, and he did it so easily without hesitation or questions asked. I cried even harder at how such a person had managed to find me, and I was simply amazed at how he’d immediately taken me in. My sobs were reduced to sniffles as I tightened my hold on my friend. He was there when she wasn’t. He never once made me feel unwelcome, just like Hyemi was for the entire seven years of our friendship, until that one day.

The cries started up again at the thought. I hadn’t known Wonshik anywhere near as long as I’ve known Hyemi, there’s nothing preventing him from exiling me just like she did. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost Wonshik, I don’t know if I could ever trust anyone else. Going through something like that twice… being betrayed by someone who’s supposed to love you… I began to wail.

“Sssh, it’s okay, Hakyeon,” he said, hugging me even closer, “Just cry it out, I’ve got you…” he spoke gently and slowly. I managed to lift my head up and choke back the sobs long enough to look into his eyes and utter his name.

“Wonshik…” He smiled sadly.

“Hmm?” he stopped rubbing my back, but he held his hand there.

“Y-you won’t—” I hiccupped, “You won’t leave me— like s-she did, right?” His expression changed, his eyebrows furrowed in disbelief and fear written all over his features.

“No, Hakyeon. Don’t ever think like that, I love you too much to even consider that,” he stated sincerely. I choked out one last sob before I felt myself smiling through the curtain of tears still coating my face. I pulled away from his hold and stood up, offering a hand to help him up afterwards which he took, smiling again.

“Sorry about…” I gestured to the huge stain of salty water and snot on his shirt. He just laughed and waved it off.

“It’s not a problem at all,” he walked over to the doorway and stopped to hold his hand out behind him. Without thinking, I made my way over to where he stood and took it and we continued down the stairs and into the kitchen.

I frowned a little when he let go, but when I saw him pull the tub of ice cream out of the freezer I immediately brightened up and grabbed two spoons from the cabinet. He sat down at the center island as I moved to get bowls.

“Don’t bother. It’s just more dishes, right?” he stopped me, and I turned around and shrugged. We are the only two here anyway. I sat down across from him and we dug in, eating in silence for a while before Wonshik spoke up.

“What happened, Hakyeon?” I should’ve known I wasn’t going to get off so easily. I sighed and pulled the cold spoon from my mouth.

“Hyemi and I were close for a long time; she was my best friend until the time I figured out I was into guys.” He looked at me in confusion and disbelief.

“She kicked you out just for that?” I kept my gaze on the spoon in my hand and shook my head slightly. Wonshik just sat attentively and patiently waited for me to continue. After another spoonful, I did, “I didn’t want to come to terms with it at first so… I—I tried to have with her.” I was too ashamed of myself to even bring my eyes to meet his.

“I take it neither of you ever apologized to each other?” My eyes widened and I smacked my forehead and groaned. I never thought of something as trivial as an apology that would make things better. Wonshik chuckled shortly and stood up from his chair, “What do you say we invite her over tomorrow?” he walked behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder, “Do you think you can handle seeing her again?” I looked up and nodded without a second thought. If we both forgave each other, neither of us would be burdened anymore.

“But… could you call her, though? I don’t know if she wants me to call back after all I said…” I felt my face warm from humiliation.

“Sure, I’ll get her number from your cell and then dial on mine,” I nodded again, stood up and collected the things from the counter. I turned to my friend and smiled gratefully.

“Thank you, yeobo…” there’s so much more I wanted to say, but I simply couldn’t find the right wording. I guess what I said sufficed, though, because in the next moment Wonshik and I were immersed in a vanilla-flavored kiss. 

A/N:VERRRYY short update today. :| But yeah, I've decided to split the ending into two chapters, the finale will be the next ^^