The air in the room was silent, even the music the background seemed to have suddenly stopped. The remaining men just stood there listening to Kiseop’s hurried footsteps echo behind them, a few minutes later Kevin left to go chase after him.

Hoon saw Soohyun clench and unclench his fist, looking up to his boyfriend, he placed his hand over Soohyun’s fist in an effort to calm him down. “Soohyun, don’t…” Hoon whispered nodding his head towards Andy. Even with a language barrier, Andy himself could sense some sort of drama playing out and took this as his cue to leave.

Once he heard the door shut behind him, Soohyun couldn’t hold his anger in anymore. “What the hell was that Jaeseop?!”

AJ flinched as he heard Soohyun yell at him. He knew it was coming, AJ had realised what he had done the moment the words slipped from his mouth. “Do you know how much Kiseop wanted to come see you? How long he has been waiting for you to even respond to him?”

AJ just kept his gaze on the floor, he would let Soohyun yell at him till he lost his voice. He knew that deserved it.

“And you’re just standing there like none of this means anything to you! Don’t you love him?”

“Of course I do!” AJ snapped back.

Soohyun scoffed, “well you have a funny way of showing it. It should be you chasing after him, not Kevin.”

“You just wouldn’t understand…” said AJ in a whisper.

….

“Kiseop! Kiseop!” screamed out Kevin. The sun had set and even the bright lights of New York weren’t enough to help Kevin find Kiseop. Reaching for his phone, he dialled Kiseop’s number but it just rung out to his voicemail. Kevin caught the first taxi he saw, considering the only other place Kiseop would go to would be back to their hotel room. Putting his fingers to his temples he let out a long sigh.

“Rough night?” the taxi man asked him.

Kevin let out a dry chuckle. “Yeah, something like that.”

“So where are you off to?”

Kevin was about to answer the man’s question when he felt his phone ring is his pocket. “Kiseop! Where are you? Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Where are you?”

“I’m on my way back to the hotel. Are you there?”

“No. I’m still outside. Here I’ll text you the address, come meet me here please.”

“Of course, I’m on my way.”

Kevin jumped out of the taxi and quickly spotted Kiseop who looked so pale and glum he wanted to murder AJ for doing this to him. Kiseop looked at him and gave him a smile that broke Kevin’s heart. He was still trying to put on a brave face despite everything that just happened to him.

“So, looks like I’m just AJ’s friend.” Kiseop said is a staggered breath.

“Kiseop, I’m so sorry.” Kevin wrapped his arms around Kiseop’s shoulders as he felt his body shake against him.

“It’s not the fact that he called me his friend that bothers me, it’s just the way he said it. Like I meant nothing to him, like I’m some worthless piece of trash.”

Kevin pulled away from Kiseop. “Hey. You are not worthless and you are not a piece of trash!”

“I never should have come here.”

“As much as I would rather watch you two have one of your gross make out sessions, I think you made the right choice.”

“How?”

“You know the truth now. Even though you had to wait so long, at least you don’t have to stop wondering. Maybe it’s time to move on.”

“No! How can you say that Kevin? How the hell am I supposed to move on? AJ isn’t just some guy I have a crush on. He’s my first boyfriend. My first love. Heck, we came to his café the last time we were in New York and this is where he told me that he’d be with me forever!” Kiseop ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “I know, I sound like an idiot for even saying all of this considering what he said to me and him giving me the cold shoulder. But I just can’t give up on us, you said it yourself that AJ and I are worth fighting for. Even if he hates my guts or turns me away, I know deep inside that he still loves me. And if he can’t see it, I’ll make him see it.”

…

“Are you cheating on him?” asked Eli.

“What? No! Of course not!” AJ replied.

“Well should be thanking God that Kiseop was faithful to you. He’s a damn Ulzzang, he could’ve had anyone he wanted, but he waited patiently for you!”

AJ could take getting yelled at by Soohyun, but a scolding from Eli, he never saw it coming.

“I feel like Kevin has been more of boyfriend to Kiseop than you ever were.”

And there it was, AJ had realised where Eli’s frustrations were coming from.

“I’m not leaving here till I get answers from you Jaeseop.” Soohyun said firmly.

Letting out a sigh, AJ looked up to meet the eyes of his leader. “Look, I know it…ouch!”

The other three members watched as AJ placed his hand over his heart, eyes held shut tightly together. Taking a few seconds to regain his composure, AJ continued speaking. “What I said back then…argh!” AJ dropped to his knees, hand still clutching onto his left pectoral.

“AJ! AJ! Are you alright?” exclaimed Hoon running over to him, placing his arms around him.

“No…not again!” said AJ to himself through gritted teeth.

“! Eli, call an ambulance!” yelled Soohyun.

Eli whipped out his phone from his back pocket, but was waved off by AJ.

“There’s no need for an ambulance” said AJ.

“What are you talking about? You’re clearly not well!” said Hoon.

“It’s fine. I’m fine.”

“You nearly had a heart attack Jaeseop.” Soohyun clearly not impressed by AJ at all.

“It wasn’t a heart attack. I just did too many chest presses at the gym.” AJ joked to defuse the situation.

“Bull!” muttered Eli. “We saw the look in your eyes AJ, it was that of extreme fear.”

Hoon watched AJ take a seat on the couch and handed him a glass of water. “AJ…”

AJ took the glass from Hoon and saw the look in his eyes, he knew immediately what Hoon was going to ask him.

“No.” he simply replied back.

Soohyun saw the exchange between the two and knew something was up. “What is it?”

Hoon sighed, “AJ, I think it’s time you tell them.”

… 

A/N ~ sorry this chapter was kinda on the shorter side. I promise they'll get longer! Also want to say a big thank you to those who have commented/subscribed to this story! Hope I don't disappoint you guys! :P