"You two need to work this out," Wonwoo said, looking back and forth between Jeonghan and Jisoo. "We're sorry, we were going to let you work through this by yourselves, but it doesn't seem to be happening. The longer that this waits, the more pain that you both go through. Go. Talk. Don't come back out until something is figured out." And with that the younger pushed the two friends into the small room that settled inbetween the walls in the basement.

          It's strange. At one point, Jeonghan and Jisoo could talk about literally anything for hours on end. No awkward silences, no pauses that would signify the conversation ending anytime soon. Now though, it's completely different. Jeonghan felt like he could laugh hysterically at how stupid this situation is, how it doesn't have to be this difficult to talk to someone that he used to be so close to. But of course, he doesn't laugh, or do anything like that at all; this isn't the time. They need to do something to fix this, and quickly.

         Looking over at Jisoo, Jeonghan noticed slight changes in the other boy's appearance that he hadn't noticed before. Jisoo looked more lanky (despite always being as thin as a pole - which always worried Jeonghan, as he swore that wasn't healthy), he had faint bags under his eyes that despite his usual tiredness, had never actually resulted into actual bags - until now. Jeonghan couldn't help but wonder what had been causing Jisoo so much stress. He hoped that it wasn't over what they were going through - Jeonghan already felt bad enough about the situation, let alone if Jisoo was struggling with it so much.

        Not that Jeonghan wasn't struggling, but. He was coping.

        Neither one of them had dared to be the first to speak.

        Just a whisper, a short sentence from the other would've been nice. Anything, Jeonghan thought, to keep the silence above the waves that they were drowning in.

         Some things Jeonghan knew he had to do, despite really not wanting to. How difficult can it be to talk through your feelings?

         "Hey..." Okay, start small, Jeonghan thought. He didn't want to get right into things immediately. He wanted Jisoo to say something, do something that would tell him anything of what the younger was thinking, feeling. Jisoo looked up from the marble floor, looking at Jeonghan with a perplexed look on his face. It's like he couldn't believe that Jeonghan had just said something to him. Which, given previous times, Jeonghan can't blame him for being suprised.

         "H-hi." Jisoo's voice came out quietly, almost as if he wasn't sure about the one word greeting. Jisoo's eyebrows furrowed, then sealed his lips in a straight line.

         "I'm sorry... For everything. I just. I didn't mean to make things so difficult. I've wanted to talk to you, it's just... I..." Jeonghan's voice shook, words tripping over each other every now and then. Don't over think it, just say how you feel. You won't know unless you try. And with this final thought, Jeonghan let out a breath, and began talking.

         "Did I do something wrong? ....What happened to us? Everything was fine one moment, and the next we weren't even talking anymore. I've been avoiding you, and you've been avoiding me, and I'm sick of it. I know that I haven't been making this easier, but I need help here. I can't fix what's been broken if I don't know why it's broken in the first place." Jeonghan paused, watching Jisoo's reaction to his words. The other boy was staring at him thoughtfully, but with the neutral look on Jisoo's face, Jeonghan couldn't tell if it was a good thing or not. Continue.

         "I miss you, Jisoo. A lot. Our friendship hasn't been the same lately, and if there's anything that I've done, then please let me know. It's driving me insane." There. Not that difficult. Now the ball is in his court.

         Jisoo looked up, shaking his head and laughing quietly. Jeonghan gave him an odd look; this reaction definitely wasn't expected. Why was Jisoo laughing? Had Jeonghan said something unintenionally funny? Opening his mouth to speak, Jeonghan was cut off by Jisoo's laughter ridden answer.

         "You didn't do anything wrong, you idiot," Jisoo started, his laughter subsiding. Looking closer, Jeonghan could see tears in Jisoo's eyes. Please don't cry, Jeonghan thought, feeling sick from the fact that he had caused this beautiful person so much distress. You should never feel this way. I'm sorry, Jisoo.

          Jeonghan stayed quiet, prompting Jisoo to continue. As much as the older wanted to comfort the other, he knew that it wouldn't be the best idea. This needed to be waited out until something by Jisoo was said.

          "How come I feel this way towards you? This isn't normal. This isn't natural. If my family knew..." Jisoo mumbled to himself, half hoping that Jeonghan would hear him, half hoping that he wouldn't.

          Jeonghan heard. He didn't question.

          Jisoo spoke again, putting his face in his hands and rubbing his temples lightly. "I miss you too, Jeonghan. Don't ever think that I don't. I'll always miss you, even if you're only away from me for a second. I'm sorry that you felt like it was all on you, I promise that it isn't. It's just... the way that I've been feeling towards you lately, and the way that I've been feeling towards myself, it just isn't... something that I was ready to deal with. It still isn't, honestly."

          Listening intently, Jeonghan nodded, telling the other to continue when ready. "And I've been trying, so hard, to just ignore the feelings, to make them go away. But it isn't happening, and I'm so afraid..."

          Jisoo's eyes overflooded, and soon there were big tears rolling down his face. His cheecks puffed, face getting warmer by the second. Jeonghan forced his thoughts from his mind, his instincts taking over. Moving towards Jisoo, Jeonghan placed his arms around the smaller boy, bringing the other so close that their heart beats collided. Jeonghan whispered into Jisoo's hair, I'm so sorry, Jisoo, I never meant for this to happen.

          "I'm so afraid that our friendship won't be the same," Jisoo sobbed, clinging onto Jeonghan. His head was in the crook of the older boy's neck, letting wet, hot tears fall down the others skin. "I'm afraid that you won't look at me the same, or that you won't feel the same way that I do. That you won't want anything to do with me. Please don't stop being my best friend, I don't think I can do this without you." Jisoo hiccuped, breathing heavily.

          Everything that Jeonghan had been worried about slowly quieted. Jisoo had just confessed. Jeonghan hadn't, but now was better than never.

          Jeonghan hushed the other boy quietly, letting his eyes fall shut as he just held onto the other. Jisoo felt so warm in Jeonghan's arms, so calm, like it was a natural, common occurance between the two. Neither one of them wanted to let go.

          "I'm so sorry, Jisoo... I should've told you sooner. Your feelings aren't one sided. I... I've been feeling them, too. I don't know when, or how they started, they're just. There. And it's been driving me crazy," Jeonghan laughed quietly without humor, tears starting to develop into his eyes, also. Determined not to cry, Jeonghan held onto Jisoo tighter, running his hands through the others dark, short hair.

          "Even if I didn't return your feelings, I wouldn't stop being your best friend. Especially over something like this. Neither one of us chooses how we feel, towards each other or towards anyone else, either. I'm just so glad that you told me. Thank you, Jisoo ah," Jeonghan whispered, eyes still closed.

           And with that, the boys fell into a comfortable silence, holding each other close.

           ~

    A/N: So... sorry for the author's note, but I'm not really sure how to feel about this chapter?? I mean. I wanted to delay the confessions until later on into the story, but. It just seemed fitting. There's much more to happen though. Let me know what you think; comment, subscribe, anything. Thank you for reading!