I heard the muffled voices resonating from the other side of the wall and rolled over on the bed, my eyes adjusting to the dark when I opened them. I couldn’t make out the words but I knew they were fighting. Because of me. If I had never come here, MinJun and Wooyoung wouldn’t be trying to quiet their arguing to save mine and Junho’s ears. Just another thing to add to my list of -ups.

   Now that I was officially awake, I looked at Junho only to find his familiar deep blues’ staring straight at me from the other side of the bed.

   How long had he been awake?

   The question was of no concern once he reached for me and scooted his way into my arms and soon after, we both fell asleep.

   When I awoke the first rays of sun were barely peeking through the overcast sky, lighting the room in the most minimal way. I laid still for a moment before reaching for the body next to me, only to find the spot empty and quite cold. My mind raced in panic as I rushed out of the room and searched the apartment for any sign of him, a lump started forming in my throat at the voice in the back of my mind, telling me the things I dreaded most.

   Without a word, he was gone.

   Gone.

My lungs locked up and I gasped as I awoke, sitting straight up in the dark room. Slowly, my throat opened up and I could feel the oxygen returning to my brain, making me feel more than just a little lightheaded. Cold beads of salty sweat glistened on my face and neck and I wiped them angrily away as I looked at the sleeping mound next to me.

   As I watched Junho hug himself in his sleep, I had never felt more relieved, seeing him hog both of our pillows and nuzzle against them like a child.

   I lifted my weight off the bed as carefully as I could and I felt my muscles screaming a protest as my limbs were peeled away from the sleeping angel – sleeping alien. I shook the thought away as I left the bedroom door open, creeping my way into the main room of the house. Everything felt stuffy as I went over to the patio and slid the door open, walking into the cold fresh air and letting it clean me of the dampness that clung my shirt to my chest.

   The lights of the city flickered below and I watched the river rippling patiently, as if it were asleep at such a late hour of the night. I could see why MinJun was in love with Daegu. He always loved amazing things. It made since that he was no longer with me. I thought as I let out a sigh, only to be startled by the voice that called from the other side of the patio, and I watched the body step out from the dark shadows.

   “You should have a jacket on, you idiot!” The very man himself huffed, leaning against the railing and taking a long drag from his cigarette.

   “And you shouldn’t be smoking these.” I grabbed the stick from him and dropped it on the floor, crushing it under my foot.

   His pearl white smirk shined like moonlight. “You never did get over your addiction, did you? You just fooled yourself . . . as always.” For a moment he was quiet, until he reached into his pocket and pulled out another death stick from his pack, lighting it up and blowing the smoke into the air.

   “Stubborn .”

   “I pulled some strings.” The elder said, offering me the cigarette and I could only stare at him in disbelief as he looked at me, waiting for me to take it. “If the kid can pass a psych evaluation, they’re willing to put him in a relocation program.”

   Against my better judgment, I grabbed the smoke and took a deep inhale, feeling the one familiar burn crawl down my throat as I closed my eyes. “Do you think he can do it?”

   “Yeah, actually . . .” MinJun rook the cigarette when I passed it back to him. “I do.”

   Things felt lighter, I tried not to revel in the feeling too much but the feeling was unbelievable, like I could breathe again as I exhaled the smoke into the night air and gripped the railing tight in my palms. “Thank you.”

   He stayed silent, and I looked over to see him staring out on the cityscape with a certain look on his face that I had only ever seen one heartbreaking time before – on the day he left. “Don’t thank me,” MinJun’s voice cracked as he looked down at our hands, so close on the freezing cold rail. “I’m selfish as hell, Nichkhun . . . I don’t know what it’s gonna take for you to realize that.” I made to protest but he interrupted me. “I only did this for you, isn’t that stupid?” He laughed, wiping at his eye with the same hand he held the burning cigarette in. “To show you – to prove – that I never hated you. I know you feel like I did, but I didn’t and I never could. Even if I hated that place, it was impossible to hate you . . . So stop blaming yourself, dammit!”

   “Min~” I whispered into the air but he didn’t stop to look at me a he flicked his smoke and went inside, leaving me with this unspeakable feeling welling inside my chest.

Junho blinked tiredly as he sat in the car while I filled up the gas. I watched him, totally unaware of anything but his drooping eyes and puffy lower lip until the pump stopped and I pulled the nozzle out of the gas tank, getting back in the car as quickly as humanly possible and rubbing my chilled hands together.

   He looked pensive, alarmingly so.

   “Do you want to see the city before we go?” Junho perked up at my suggestion, looking eagerly at me with a soft nod.

   I took him to the riverfront, knowing his obsession with bodies of water, and wasn’t surprised when he jumped out of the car and ran towards the edge of the river, peering over the railing he smiled brightly at the sight, halting me in my tracks as I watched him from a distance. His unyielding beauty grabbed at my heart with no intention of letting go.

   He looked back and waved me over, and my feet moved on their own, walking up and wrapping my arms around him from behind with absolutely no care for onlookers.

   “I’ll never be what he was for you.” Junho whispered, his hand reaching behind to cup my cheek tenderly. “It’s alright.”

   My arms tightened around him and I buried my face in his neck because I couldn’t even say anything. After these couple days, how could I possibly explain that it was only him now, that this boy in my arms was the one that I loved most?

   “I already know,” He answered my unspoken question and I nuzzled my face into his hand more, for the first time I was grateful for his strange gift. “I see your dreams . . . and when you make love to me.” Junho turned around in my arms, pressing his chest to mine as he looked at me through ardent eyes that softened as he held my face in his hands. “I feel your fear.”

   My jaw tightened as my hands slipped behind the small of his back and held him as close as humanly possible. “How can I . . . How can I not . . .” I couldn’t even finish the sentence but, of course, Junho knew what I would say and he smiled almost mockingly.

   “Because fear has no meaning, my love.” He said simply, before leaning up on his tip toes and kissing me softly, like he was washing away the fear he was speaking of that took residence inside my heart.

   We kissed until we were breathless, then kissed some more. And by the time Junho’s hands were wrapped around my neck and he was practically hanging off of me, I was holding him up against my body with the most desperate need to keep this closeness. To feel this feeling that resonated between us in such a euphoric bliss that it left me speechless. It was as if he was showing me his heart in this kiss, and I greedily wanted more of it.

   But, as he reminded me constantly, everything has an end.

   Even the most amazing kisses in the world.

   And when we pulled away from each other, I frowned as if a part of me was being ripped from my body, which made Junho smile. “Let’s go home.” I nodded and held his hand the entire way back to the truck.  

NOTE: Hi lovelies!! This fic hasn't been updated in a while
but I just finished this chapter and wanted to show you guys
that I haven't forgotten about it.
I hope you guys liked the chapter, though it was short and please anticipate
the next chapter because there WILL be ANGST!