DANIEL POV

We had wanted to drive those drunk idiots back to their homes, but it turned out to be impossible. Every time we tried even mentioning it, Changjo and Byunghun would literally start crying. So we simply decided to put them to sleep in my room, since I'd decided to spend this night with Chanhee.

After all, we had plenty to talk about.

While Chanhee was busy showering, I took my time with saying goodbye to Minsoo. He was still lightly chuckling for what happened a while ago and I was even surprised he wasn't jealous at Changjo for kissing me.

As the image of the kiss floated once again into my mind, I shuddered in disgust and lightly shook my head. I'm gonna punch Changjo tomorrow, and I'm gonna punch him hard!

“what's with the grimace”? Minsoo asked me, his arms wrapping around me as soon as I stepped a little closer. I eagerly leaned into his warmth and tried to secretly take a sniff of his perfume. Its intoxicating scent made me feel a little dizzy. But my next thought made me chuckle.

Byunghun is crazy about perfumes. Perhaps that's why he kissed Minsoo. But even though it sounds a little crazy, I'm even glad he kissed Minsoo. I would have killed myself if he'd kissed me.

And if I enjoyed the kiss.

But thankfully, I didn't have to go through such thing.

I knew that the thrilling sensation of having Byunghun around me disappeared quite long ago. But a tiny little spark was still there laying in the shadows and I'd rather not test it any further. Slowly, and a little painfully, I was starting to forget about my feelings for him, only deepening my feelings for Minsoo who makes me feel so safe, and so cherished. Maybe he's just a crush, maybe it's nothing serious yet because it's still too early for me to love again. But the truth is, I want it to develop even further. I want Minsoo to slowly win my heart over. I don't want him to just be a passing affair for me, or a simple crush, I want it all to be something more.

And my heart was telling me he would be.

“what did Byunghun drink”? I teased Minsoo, referring to the kiss he had with him. He'd know that answer the best because he'd tasted his lips.

I could only chuckle once again at my thoughts but it made Minsoo grimace all the more. “ask me what he hadn't, better.” he shuddered at the thought and I smiled, wrapping my arms a little tighter around his neck. “shall I erase the taste for you, then”? I softly murmured and his eyes slightly widened, but he nodded nevertheless.

At first, I kissed him slowly, letting both of us enjoy in each others warmth before he deepened the kiss and I let him take all the control over me. My heart was already fluttering and I even found myself being unwilling to let go of him. But as he broke the kiss, despite suddenly missing his lips, I knew that he had to go home. It was quite late and he had work to do tomorrow.

“see you tomorrow, Niel-ah” he softly whispered and pecked my lips one last time before he abandoned my house. I slightly pouted, but smiled afterwards nevertheless.

I ran upstairs towards Chanhee's room and found him drying his hair on the bed. As soon as he noticed my arrival, he slightly stiffened and even looked away. For a moment I could feel my heart breaking upon that, knowing fully well that it would be hard to recover our relationship after all that happened. Though we were both equally quilty.

I let him finish up his drying while I was taking a shower, but was determined to start talking to him as soon as I was done showering.

Though easier said than done.

I'd sat on the bed next to Chanhee and opened my mouth to utter something, but nothing came out. I couldn't even understand why I was so scared all of a sudden.

“it's alright if you don't want to share room with me.. I can sleep downstairs on the couch.” Chanhee muttered, obviously awkward. But as soon as he said that, I shook my head.

“I want to sleep with you.” I bluntly said and was unaware of my words until I saw Chanhee's lips curling into a teasing smile. “oh”? He played dumb and even pulled his shirt slightly up as if he wanted to hide his skin from me. I chuckled and playfully hit his shoulder. “yah I haven't meant it like that... ert...”

“I know.” he smiled, but it was not fully a happy smile. He was still feeling a little down I guess.

“you know, I think I really like Minsoo.” I tried distracting him and it seemed to work because the next second, his all attention was one me and he even seemed genuinely surprised.

“you do”? He hesitantly asked and I chuckled, laying down on the bed. I kept on nervously playing with the sheets.

“yeah... he's so caring and...” my cheeks reddened as I whispered the next word: “handsome.”

“aw, that's so cute.” Chanhee beamed and then laid next to me, this time looking at me in the same way he used to look at me. When the things weren't yet so awkward. And I had to admit that I missed those days.

I lightly shifted so I could find a better position and then I let out a quiet sigh.

“can I tell you something”? I hesitantly asked him and he curiously glanced at me, nodding his head along.

“have mom told you about my past with Changjo”? I questioned him and he nodded. I sighed in relief because I had something less to talk about.

“well, after we got separated... things didn't go so well between us anymore.. we'd often meet up or call each other, but the more we continued that way, the more we fought. He'd blamed me for not having enough time for him, that I didn't even want to visit him anymore and no matter how much I tried proving him different, he just wouldn't listen to me. I texted him one day and told him to meet me up at the park, despite having a feeling that he would not appear. But I still went there and waited for him, but... he didn't show up. However...” I paused for a while, examining Chanhee's face. He seemed totally engrossed in my story and I wondered if he'd want to hear more since it wasn't quite easy for me to talk about Byunghun in front of Chanhee.

“that was the day I met Byunghun.” Chanhee's body stiffened a little by hearing that and it saddened my heart. If it wasn't for my stupid exaggerating, we never would have even ended up like this.

“can I assume that you know that story? Since you'd been writing something for him...”? I curiously asked him and he nodded. “yeah.. I know.” he answered in a shaky voice and I immediately reached for his hand to at least somehow comfort him.

“I was really in love with him.” I said and noticed how Chanhee's eyes filled with pain in an instance. I only tightened the grip on his hand a little more.

“despite having all those hardships, I was really happy with him. However, as I had already told you that day I came back from Canada, time changes things. And so my feelings had changed too.” I was whispering by now and Chanhee only leaned closer so he could hear it better.

“when I saw him again, at first I'd thought that nothing had changed. I was still under the shock of returning back, so excited about living my life once again that I haven't even considered my feelings first. But gradually, even my heart was beginning to adapt to the fact that my feelings for him were not the same anymore. Adding the fact that I was slightly even obsessed with my anonymous friend. But since Byung was my first love, it was hard letting go of him. I was confused and didn't even know what I had to do anymore. I'd gotten so used to the face of my heart loving Byunghun that I... didn't know how to open it up for someone else to take that place. I wasn't sure if I wanted Byunghun gone from my life.” Chanhee's eyes were slightly teary, but he still kept on curiously listening to me.

“but now I'm sure. Byunghun is my past. Minsoo is my present. Hopefully the future too.” I chuckled. “so there's no need for you to feel guilty anymore.”

sensing that the boy in front of me was now seriously shaken, I immediately wrapped him in my embrace and awaited for him to calm down. These last days were a complete hell for him, I could tell that he was slowly losing his strength. But I wanted to help him regain it again. I wanted to assure him that he was not alon