BOOM!! You jerked awake as the lighting that tore across the sky responded with an ear-splitting thunder. It seemed to echo in the rapid beating of your heart that was pounding against your chest. You weren’t scared of thunder storms but it had been so unexpected that it caught you off guard.

“Well, so much for a full night’s sleep,” you muttered and sat up and looked around your room. The light from the street lamps shone through your windows and gave your room a rain speckled look. Just as your heart had settled down again another streak of lightning was answered with a roll of thunder that was freakishly close. Your heart jumped and began beating against your chest again. There was no way you were going to be able to fall asleep again.

You absentmindedly reached for your phone, which had been sitting on your bedside table and turned it on.  You had three missed calls. “Seriously,” you shook your head, “what do I have to do in order to get some sleep?”

Seeing that the last call was less than five minutes ago you decided to call back. The call had been from your brother anyway.

“Hello?” Seungcheol answered after only one ring.

“What’s up, S.Coups?” you replied, using his stage name.

“______, thank God,” Seungcheol paused for a breath. He seemed to be almost hyperventilating.

Now you were starting to get concerned. “Seungcheol-ah, what’s wrong?” you asked.

Seungcheol replied in a rush. “Woozi’smissingandwehavenoideawhereheisandIwashopingthatmaybeyouknewwhereheisorthatheiswithyouorthathecontactedyouor-”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Seungcheol-ah,” you lifted up your hand to slow him down even though you knew he couldn’t see you. “You need to slow down. I can’t help if I have no idea what you’re saying.”

“Okay, okay,” Seungcheol cleared his throat and began again. “Woozi’s missing.”

You’re heart dropped. “What?” you stood up.

“He disappeared after a meeting with the CEO almost an hour ago.” Seungcheol explained. “We thought he had gone back to the dorm but Joshua and Vernon just went to check and he wasn’t there.”

You fought the rising panic that threatened to overtake you. Woozi was your best friend. You had known each other since he and your brother had started training together years ago. Since he was only a few months older than you, the two of you hit it off right away. Plus he loved that fact that he was actually taller than you. “Okay,” you rubbed your eyes, “did you check his studio?”

“We checked everywhere, and ______,” Seungchoel’s voice dropped, “when I say we checked everywhere, I mean literally everywhere in the building, the dorm, and everywhere in between.”

You bit your lip. “What can I do?”

“He’s not picking up any of the members’ calls. He might pick up yours, though.”

“Alright,” you nodded, “I’ll see what I can do.”

Seungcheol exhaled. “Thanks you so much ______. I love you baby sister.”

“I love you too,” you replied and hung up. Then it hit you. Woozi was missing. Jihoon was missing. You best friend was nowhere to be found and no one was able to contact him. You dialed his number as fast as you could. “Please Jihoon-ah,” you begged as the phone continued to ring, “please pick up.”

Voicemail.

“Jihoon-ah,” you decided to leave a message, “where are you? You need to call me back so I know you’re okay. Please, please pick up, I am freaking worried about you!” You hung up and sighed. Where could he be?

Suddenly something started tapping against your window. You turned your head to see what it was and saw the dripping silhouette Jihoon outside your window. Scrambling as fast as you could, you flipped on the lamp and ran to the window to let Jihoon in.

“Jihoon, what the heck!” you exclaimed as the short boy climbed into your room.

“Sorry, ______, I didn’t have anywhere else to go,” Jihoon explained.

You shook your head as you looked at him from head to toe. He was still in his practice clothes and they were dripping from the rain. His pink hair was hanging in his face, obstructing his vision.

“Everyone’s worried sick about you, you idiot,” you smacked his shoulder.

Jihoon sighed sadly. “I needed to get away for a little while.”

“You should have told somebody.”

Jihoon looked at you through his hair. “Do you really think they would have let me leave?” he asked.

You didn’t respond. You knew Jihoon was right. You also knew he needed to get out of his wet clothes before he got sick. “Wait here,” you instructed and turned to leave.

Before you took two steps, however, Jihoon reached forwards and wrapped his arms around  your waist, halting you. You felt him lean his forehead against your back. “Wait,” he whispered.

“Jihoon-ah,” you attempted to turn around but Jihoon held you fast.

“Just, wait,” he whispered again, begging. Then you felt Jihoon begin to shake with breathless sobs. He was crying. Your best friend was crying.

You tried to turn around but Jihoon’s grip was still too strong. “No,” his voice cracked. “You can’t see me like this.”

“I won’t look,” you assured him in a small voice, “I promise.” You grabbed one of his hands and formed a pinky promise.

After a few seconds Jihoon’s grip loosened a bit and you were able to turn. Without looking at his face you wrapped your arms around Jihoon’s neck and held him while his vice-like grip returned and he buried his face in your neck. The warmth of his tears mixed with the bone-chilling cold of the rain that began soaking into your pajamas from Jihoon’s clothes. You didn’t care that the water would ruin the hardwood floor. Jihoon needed you right now. You reached up with one hand and began running it through Jihoon’s hair. It was as cold as ice with rain water.

Finally, after almost half an hour, Jihoon loosened his grip and stepped back, giving you a full look at his face. His beautiful eyes were red and swollen.

“Sorry for just showing up like this,” he apologized in a raw voice.

You smiled softly. “It’s fine. Now, wait here so I can get you some dry clothes.” Jihoon nodded and you walked out of the room. As soon as you were out of the room you sent your brother a text saying that Woozi was fine and just needs to be alone for a while. Then you grabbed some pajamas from Seungcheol’s old room and ran back to yours.

“Put these on and then give me your wet clothes,” you ordered and left the room again so Jihoon could change. You sat on the floor against the wall and thought about what had just happened. What had just happened? You had never seen Jihoon cry in person. The only time you had ever seen him cry was during the filming of Seventeen Project. It must have been something bad. Seungcheol had said that Jihoon disappeared right after a meeting with the CEO. Did the CEO say something to Jihoon? You sighed in defeat and ran a hand through your long hair.

Finally the door opened and Jihoon handed you a pile of soaking wet clothes. You took them from him and made the short trip down the hall to the bathroom where you deposited them in the bathtub. You’d put them in the dryer tomorrow. Then you grabbed a towel and made your way back to your room where Jihoon was sitting on your bed.

“Here,” you handed him the towel. “Dry your hair unless you want a cold.”

Jihoon smiled softly and took the towel. “Why aren’t you always this sweet?” he asked.

You smirked back and sat down next to him. “You want me to change my personality?”

“No,” Jihoon shook his head, “I like you just the way you are,” he stated and began rubbing his hair with the towel.

You leaned back slightly and looked at Jihoon. The pajama pants were way too long and dwarfed him. The shirt was huge and looked like it was three sizes too big. His pink hair was messy and damp. You smiled. He was adorable.

Jihoon set the towel down after a few minutes and looked at you.

“So,” you asked, “what’s going on?”

Jihoon sighed and looked at his hands. “I’m a failure,” he muttered.

“What?” you exclaimed in disbelief. “Jihoon, that is not true.”

Jihoon scoffed and looked at you. “How do you know?”

“Because I know you,” you explained. “You’re 18 and you write and produce all of Seventeen’s music. There is no one else in the world that can do that. You’re an amazing singer and can dance like no other. How are you a failure through all of that?”

“I can’t do it,” Jihoon said suddenly.

You’re eyebrows knit together in confusion. “What?”

Jihoon sighed and turned so his whole body was facing you. It was at that moment that you were able to see how tired he was. “I spend every extra second in my studio, writing, producing. When I’m not there I’m practicing with the members. And yet, through all of that, I feel like I’m not doing enough. I get credit for writing and producing but not for the songs themselves. I work so hard and yet I’m told to work harder, do better, that my work isn’t good enough.” Jihoon wiped away forming tears. “I know that makes me seem like a baby but just once I’d like to be told ‘good job’.”

“Don’t the members reassure you?” you asked.

Jihoon shook his head. “I’m the one they go to for help, remember? I’m the shoulder for everyone, which means that I don’t have a shoulder.”

You scooted closer to your best friend and pretended to brush off your shoulder. “Does mine work?” you asked. Jihoon smiled in his way that gave him little almost-dimples. “Listen, Jihoon,” you began and turned so you were facing Jihoon the way he was facing you, “even if they don’t say anything, they are grateful to you and appreciate all that you do. Without you, Seventeen wouldn’t exist. You hold them together.”

Jihoon sat there quietly for a little while. He knew you were right. It was just difficult to continue doing what he’s always done with no reassurance that he was doing well. He turned his head to look at your wall clock. 2:37 AM. “Oh my gosh you need to sleep!” He exclaimed and jumped off your bed, heading towards the window.

“Uh uh, nope,” you followed him and pulled him back. “You are not going back to the dorm tonight. You need sleep more than I do and I’m not letting you walk in the rain only to be kept awake by twelve obnoxious boys.”

Jihoon sighed. “Alright,” he gave in. “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

You shook your head. “You take the bed; I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“No, I’m not a jerk who’s gonna make his best friend sleep on the floor at her own house.”

“Ok, ok fine,” you held up your hands, “let’s split. You sleep under the covers and I’ll sleep on top of them.”

Jihoon raised his eyebrows. “Your brother’s gonna kill me.”

You made a face. “Then this will be the one thing he doesn’t know.”

“Fine,” Jihoon said and turned to the bed. He slipped under the covers and scooted over enough for you to have room. You switched off the lamp and jumped onto the bed right next to Jihoon but stayed on top of the covers.

Before you could say anything Jihoon scooted closer and wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into a fierce hug. “Thanks ______-ah,” he whispered and pulled away.

You smiled and turned to face him. Then, on an impulse, you leaned forward and placed a light, quick kiss on Jihoon’s soft lips. “Good job, Jihoon-ah,” you whispered back and then turned around, ignoring the way your cheeks were heating up and the way your heart was beating as if there had just been a crack of thunder.

Meanwhile Jihoon was lying in the same position, stunned. Then a smile played at the corners of his mouth. Jihoon reached up and touched his lips, breaking out in a full smile. You had kissed him. Letting out a quiet, content sigh, he shut his eyes.

That was the best sleep either of you had in a while.