It’s a quiet Saturday morning and they’re sitting at their cozy café, the one they’d visited almost a week and a half ago. Jongin has been dodging Junmyeon since the New Year party—leaving as soon as the man arrived to visit Chanyeol, letting his calls go to voicemail, etc. He struggles to control the rush of feeling bursting inside of him from having Junmyeon so close. This is exactly why he had to stay away.

“I’m glad we could meet today,” Junmyeon says, once their coffees arrive. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

“I’ve been busy,” Jongin says, and takes a sip even though it’s way too hot to drink yet. If he burns his tongue, he’ll resist the urge to talk too much.

“Selling tickets?”

The question rubs him the wrong way, and Jongin starts to get up.

Junmyeon takes a hold of his hand. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I just…I want to know why you’re mad at me.”

Jongin reluctantly sits back down. “I’m not mad.”

Junmyeon doesn’t believe him. He can see it in the way the other’s lips turn down a bit. “If this is because of what I said about you not being Chanyeol’s type—”

“It’s not about that.” Jongin takes another sip. Damn, that one scalded his insides.

“Then what is it?” Junmyeon asks, and he leans forward, brown eyes searching Jongin’s face for the answer.

It’s you, Jongin wants to say. After the party, there had been no denying the feelings growing inside of him. How his heart raced under Junmyeon’s looks. How his breath stalled whenever the other complimented him. How his daydreams at the booth now starred Junmyeon instead of Chanyeol.

Jongin didn’t want to lie anymore. “I’m afraid you will hate me.”

Junmyeon frowns. “I don’t think that could ever happen, but we won’t know until you tell me.”

His throat is burning up, and it’s not the coffee this time. It’s the knot of tears threatening to come out, because why did he have to fall in love so fast. “You don’t forgive easily, Junmyeon,” Jongin says. “You still haven’t forgiven your parents and that was years ago. How long will you stay mad at me for this?”

Junmyeon eyes widen, clearly taken aback by Jongin’s mention of his family issues. He sets his coffee aside and holds Jongin’s hand. “I’m not mad at them, I’m just…I don’t know how to face them and say sorry. But I am facing you here, and I won’t get mad. I promise you. I’ll—” His cellphone goes off with a boring preset ring. Junmyeon answers with a quick hello and then he’s off his seat. “Yes! We’ll be right there!”

“What is it?” Jongin asks, standing up too. He rubs his eyes quickly where the tears had inevitably gathered.

“It’s Chanyeol! He’s awake!” Junmyeon’s smile is blinding.

Jongin’s heart goes into overdrive as he drops some bills on the table and follows Junmyeon outside. They catch a cab to the hospital and race to Chanyeol’s room. The whole family is there already crowding around the bed along with Doctor Minseok and nurse Yixing.

Chanyeol looks a little worn out, but he’s awake and alert. He smiles as his mother coos at him and his father hovers nearby holding his hand. Kyungsoo is quiet, but he’s sitting at the foot of the bed, one hand on Chanyeol’s leg. Junmyeon goes to them, but Jongin stays by the door, not wanting to unleash his mess just yet.

“How are you feeling, Chanyeol?” Minseok asks. “Any pain? Nausea? Dizziness?”

“I feel great,” Chanyeol says.

“That’s good. That’s very good.” The doctor checks his pulse, his breathing, and asks him a few more questions, but everything comes out okay. “We’d like to keep you another couple of days for observation, and after that you’ll be free to go.”

Someone crashes into Jongin and he stumbles to the side. Baekhyun breathes hard as he stares at Chanyeol who is now grinning like a maniac. He’s all a mess, his coat put on backwards, his shirt buttoned wrong and his shoes…are fluffy dog-shaped slippers.

“You’re awake,” Baekhyun pants.

“You’re here,” Chanyeol says.

“Stating the obvious,” Kyungsoo says with his usual snark. “Brilliant.”

Baekhyun’s laugh is full of relief. “Where else would I be?”

Chanyeol’s grin goes impossibly wider, edging into creepy. But Baekhyun drinks it in and practically