“Meow!”

Wonwoo turned his head from Boba to find the grey cat staring up at him. He smiled and reached down to pick him up. “Someone’s a little jealous, aren’t they?” he teased, holding him right in front of his face.

But he didn’t care. He was just happy human-Wonwoo was back, giving him an affirmative on the nose.

Wonwoo chuckled and continued to pet him atop the head. He placed him down on the notebook on his lap. “I’ve missed these guys.”

Mingyu smiled as he glanced around his feline-filled room. Since it was raining that day, they had the perfect reason to bring them all back in. After giving them all their much needed baths, Mingyu and Wonwoo welcomed their friends. Everyone was there; Boba, Sushi, Berry, Kiwi, and cat-Wonwoo were really enjoying the indoors.

“They’ve missed you, too,” Mingyu said from his desk. He didn’t bother adding the obvious fact that he’d also missed Wonwoo.

It had been a few days since Mingyu and Wonwoo finally reunited, and things couldn’t have been more pleasant. Somehow, they immediately fell back into their relationship together. That is, just comfortable conversations and even more comfortable company. Mingyu and Wonwoo never truly understood what made the other so special, but all they knew was being together was much better than being apart. And now they were together in a whole nother respect, one that Mingyu couldn’t have imagined months ago.

Wonwoo flicked his head up and asked, “How’s my boyfriend’s homework going?”

But some things really didn’t change.

Mingyu groaned and turned back to face his laptop. Kiwi, who was sitting on the desk beside him, could see his disgust. “Please do not call me that.”

Unable to contain his affection, Wonwoo grinned from ear to ear. “Aww, but my boyfriend’s just so easy to bother. How can Wonwoo not do that to him?”

Swiveling back to glare at him, Mingyu said, “Okay, stop calling me that. And how many times do we have to talk about speaking in the third person?” Thinking it through real quick, he added, “And I think you just did it wrong. How can you call me ‘my boyfriend’ and then refer to yourself as Wonwoo? That’s just grammatically wrong.” But still, Mingyu couldn’t help his lips from cracking a tiny smile.

Wonwoo laughed, “Okay, I’ll try to stop the third person thing. And I’ll fix my grammar.” He pointed at Mingyu and added, “But I like calling you my boyfriend. It’s fitting.”

Mingyu rolled his eyes. “I will leave you.”

But Wonwoo just smiled back at him. Looking down at the grey cat in his arms, he rubbed his belly and cheesily said, “‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.’”

Mingyu took a second to just stare. Blinking, he asked, in near disbelief, “D—did you just quote Shakespeare?”

Wonwoo grinned up at him. “‘To be or not to be: that is—”

“Oh my god, I am definitely going to leave you,” Mingyu immediately said.

Laughing at the exact part of his boyfriend that made him fall in love, Wonwoo replied, “I’m just saying it doesn’t matter what I call you. You’ll still be my boyfriend.”

With a small smile, Mingyu couldn’t argue with that. “Uh huh.”

Satisfied, Wonwoo turned his attention back to the grey fellow in his lap. “That reminds me though,” he said, his head. “Does this guy still not have a name?”

Before Mingyu even opened his mouth to answer, the name ran through his head. Wonwoo, that’s what I call him. But up until now, he hadn’t told anyone that. For a moment, Mingyu could just feel the embarrassment overwhelm his entire being. Part of him wanted to keep his mouth shut and just let that be his secret. But watching Wonwoo play with kitty-Wonwoo was too much for his heart to handle.

“Umm,” he uttered, nervously scratching the back of his neck. “Remember a long time ago when you joked and said I should call him Wonwoo? And I said I tried?”

“Yeah,” Wonwoo replied.

“Well, I decided to stick with that,” Mingyu admitted. “I call him Wonwoo.”

Turning his head to look over at Mingyu, Wonwoo couldn’t hold back his giant smile. “Wait, really?!” he exclaimed.

A faint blush brushed over Mingyu’s cheeks. “Don’t get too excited. He still doesn’t respond to it.”

“Ah, Mingyu! You really are smitten with me!” he cheered, lifting kitty-Wonwoo in the air. Smiling up at him, he said, “You have a beautiful name, my friend!”

Mingyu sighed and shook his head before turning back to his homework. “Why is it that every time I speak to you I regret it?”

Wonwoo smirked and let his heart flutter in his chest. Ever since they’d gotten together, Mingyu really stepped it up with his insults. And Wonwoo loved it. He knew what they meant in Mingyu-speak. “I love you, Mingyu.”

Not looking over at his boyfriend, Mingyu had to bite his lip to stop from smiling too big. “I love you, too.”

“Ahhh,” Wonwoo exhaled, returning to his own work. The cats were starting to make their way across the bed. “I don’t think I’m ever gonna get tired of hearing that.”

Never able to take Wonwoo’s cheesiness. Mingyu just tried to focus on his essay. “I’m already tired of hearing you.”

Wonwoo chuckled but before he could even reply…

Knock. Knock.

With the door already open, the two of them turned to find Seungcheol smiling at them. Mingyu had told him that things worked out with Wonwoo, but this was his first time seeing them back again.

And Seungcheol couldn’t have been happier to witness such a familiar sight. It had been so long. “Hey you two.”

Wonwoo smiled back. “Hey, Seungcheol.”

Mingyu turned all the way around in his chair. “Hey, hyung. Did you just get home?”

Seungcheol stepped into the room, looking around at all the cats. “Yeah, I just got back.,” he replied as he went to sit at the foot of the bed near Wonwoo. “I’ve been at the library all day, again,” he groaned. “I hate math.”

“I’ll trade you math for biology,” Wonwoo said.

Waving his hand in disgust, Seungcheol replied, “Oh ew, never mind. Biology’s even worse.”

Wonwoo sighed as he flipped aimlessly through his notebook. “I would argue, but you’re absolutely right.”

Mingyu watched as his roommate and his boyfriend laughed together. He smiled as Sushi lept into Seungcheol’s lap. Mingyu chuckled. “I hope you don’t mind that they’re all back.”

“Oh, no way,” he replied, softly rustling Sushi’s head. “If you’re happy, then I’m happy.”

And Mingyu knew that to be true. He nodded.

Turning to face Wonwoo, Seungcheol said, “It’s great to have you back too, Wonwoo.”

And it was then that Wonwoo realized this was the first time he and Seungcheol had seen each other in a really long time. He and Mingyu had reunited and fallen back into routine so easily that he’d forgotten the boy’s friends, and everything they’d done for him.

“Thanks, Seungcheol.” He let out a deep breath, a sigh of relief, before adding, “And thank you for...everything. I heard all about the story Jihoon was close to running and how it was you who stopped him.” He nodded firmly. All he could hope was that Seungcheol fully understood his gratitude. “So thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me.”

As Seungcheol listened, he smiled, glad to hear that he was able to really protect Wonwoo, someone Mingyu held so dear. Seeing them together was exactly what he wanted. But at the reminder of Jihoon, something tore at his heart. He couldn’t explain it, but he wasn’t 100% pleased like he should have been.

But still he smiled as he stood back up. “No problem, buddy.” He swiftly looked between the two of them. “I’m here for you guys, no matter what. I’m just glad I could help.”

“Thanks, hyung,” Mingyu said as he watched him walk towards the door. But he squinted at him a bit suspiciously. Something was off.

Scrunching his lips, Seungcheol patted the door frame as he headed for his own room. “You guys have fun.”

Wonwoo listened as his footsteps faded into the distance. He looked over at Mingyu and said, “Ya know, I told him thank you, but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay him for what he’s done.”

“Yeah,” Mingyu sighed, “I know what you mean. Without Seungcheol and...whatever he had with Jihoon, everything would’ve been different.”

Nodding, Wonwoo acknowledged that greatly, but he was referring to something else. “No, I mean Seungcheol did a lot for me even before that.”

Mingyu tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

Fondly remembering their early stages of getting to know each other, Wonwoo knew there was always one person of whom was relentlessly on his side, even if he was Mingyu’s person. “Seungcheol’s always kinda cheered me on,” he explained. “Ever since we first met and you introduced me to him in the library, he’s been like...guiding us together, I guess.”

But Mingyu was still confused. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s hard to explain, I guess,” Wonwoo admitted, trying to grasp the right words. “Seungcheol’s just always been really aware of how much you hate relationships, right?”

Mingyu nodded. “Yeah, of course. I made it pretty clear.”

Wonwoo rolled his eyes, but kept his smile. “Right. Well, he always told me not to give up with you. When I was just learning about what made you you, Seungcheol was the one who told me to hold on.”

“Wait, really?” Mingyu asked, never hearing about this before.

“Yeah,” Wonwoo said, petting his kitty counterpart. “Whenever I ran into him outside of your apartment, he always had something encouraging to say about us. And...I don’t know. That really helped me.” He paused to smile. “Seungcheol saw something special in us, and he was way more confident in the beginning than I was.”

His mouth hanging slightly open, Mingyu didn’t realize how much Seungcheol was really looking out for him this entire time. He didn’t just protect him from Jihoon, in a way that Mingyu still didn’t truly understand, but he was pushing for his relationship with Wonwoo. Thinking back, Mingyu could recall all the times Seungcheol about dating Wonwoo. He hadn’t realized that it wasn’t just teasing; he was talking about something he was actually rooting for.

And that just reminded Mingyu of how amazing his friends were. Seungcheol had always been there for him. He shouldn’t have been so surprised; this was no exception.

But in that moment of realization, Mingyu was also brought back to when he first found out about Seungcheol and Jihoon. When Seungcheol almost brought Jihoon into the apartment. He had felt so betrayed, so deceived. Frustrated and disappointed. In that moment, all he’d cared about was that Seungcheol went behind his back. He only saw how awful Jihoon was and how disgusting anyone associated him must’ve been. He’d completely forgotten about everything else Seungcheol ever did. But now...he could see a bit more clearly.

And as all of this ran through Mingyu’s head, Wonwoo asked, “So what was up with him and Jihoon?”

“Huh?” Mingyu uttered, shaking himself out of his thoughts. Coming to, he said, “Oh, uhh, I’m...actually not so sure.”

“You haven’t talked to him about it yet?”

“Not really,” Mingyu admitted. “Not since the day he actually went to talk to Jihoon.” He was an emotional wreck that day, but he could still remember some of what Seungcheol said. “He said he stalked Jihoon like Jihoon stalked you. He was trying to bother him enough that he would give up.”

Hearing it for the first time, Wonwoo let out a scoff of disbelief. “That’s pretty brilliant, but sounds nearly impossible. I don’t know anyone who’d be able to stand seeing Jihoon that often.”

And Mingyu once had that same thought. But as he sat there, he knew there had to be something more to Seungcheol and Jihoon other than just a rivalry. It had to be something strong enough to get Jihoon to change his mind. Mingyu had absolutely no pull with the boy, but Seungcheol did. Seungcheol and Jihoon had something…

And that reminded Mingyu of Seokmin and Soonyoung. , he thought. Could it be the same thing? Seokmin and Soonyoung were in love, but apparently Seokmin would have let that all go if Mingyu wasn’t okay with it. Is that how Seungcheol feels?

Wracking his brain, Mingyu stared off at nothing particular as he said, “I think Seungcheol does more than just that.”

Wonwoo looked up to find Mingyu’s blank stare. “Mingyu.”

He shook himself again. “Yeah?” he quickly replied.

“Are you okay?” he asked, a bit concerned.

But he wasn’t really. The pieces were finally fitting together for him. That “off” feeling he was getting from Seungcheol...it was the same as Seokmin’s guilt. It was there cause Mingyu’s friends let him have a much tighter hold on their emotions than he ever thought.

There was something between Seungcheol and Jihoon, and it was important. And Mingyu realized living without it was hurting one of his best friends.

Quickly getting to his feet and heading out the door, he told Wonwoo, “I’ll be right back. I gotta talk to him.”

Slightly startled, Wonwoo watched his boyfriend swiftly leave. “Oh, okay!” he called after him.

As Mingyu made his way down the hall, so many thoughts were filling his mind. But he knew what he had to do. If Seungcheol was anything like Seokmin, this mattered

Slowing down his heartbeat, Mingyu let out a light sigh as he walked up to Seungcheol’s open door. Collecting himself, he knocked against it and gently said, “Hey, hyung.”

Seungcheol was bent over, looking for something under the bed. “Yeah?” he replied as his head shot up.

Mingyu stepped into the room and took a seat at the end of Seungcheol’s bed. Looking to his friend, he couldn’t believe how much he’d missed before. It was so clear now. He sighed once more and said, “Thanks again for everything.”

Giving him a funny look, Seungcheol crouched down, sorting through his things. “Like I just said, no problem man.”

But Mingyu knew there was more to it. “I’m sorry for how angry I got at you...for the Jihoon thing.”

Seungcheol paused. His breath caught in his throat as an image of the last time he saw Jihoon popped in his head. But he tried not to let it get to him. Standing back up, he smiled at Mingyu. “Don’t worry about it. It was stupid.”

And even in that, Mingyu could hear how off it was. Something was wrong, and Mingyu finally realized what it was. Knowing his friend better than that by now, he raised an eyebrow at him. “Was it stupid?”

But while Mingyu had just come to this realization, Seungcheol had been suffering through it the entire time. Feeling his heart beat heavily in his chest, Seungcheol was trying to convince himself that what he just said was true. It was stupid. All of the different emotions that rushed through him when he thought of Jihoon, they were too much.

He shrugged. “Well, he’s a stupid guy, so yeah.”

Earlier Mingyu would have agreed, but…

“A guy with a change of heart,” Mingyu pointed out. Having witnessed how drastically one of his best friends could change Soonyoung, he could only imagine how the other did that to Jihoon.

“Yeah, that took a lot,” Seungcheol scoffed, his hands on his hips.

Mingyu asked, “You two really got to know each other didn’t you?”

“Sorta,” Seungcheol replied, but Mingyu was right. Seungcheol got flashbacks to all the conversations he shared with the reporter boy. There were so many moments that Jihoon really surprised Seungcheol, with the way he was so human. Seungcheol learned he had a heart, and a soul that ached for the truth. He was always defeated, but he persevered, even when he was being stalked. Nothing could get in his way, but he was still humble enough to back down when he finally realized he was wrong. Hell, Seungcheol had to admit, human was an understatement for Jihoon. He was more than just that. Picturing his soft cheeks, Seungcheol sighed.

“He’s…” But his voice dreamily dragged out as he remembered their last conversation. A conversation in which it felt like all of their progress faded away. Jihoon didn’t want anything more to do with him. And that hurt. Closing his eyes, Seungcheol groaned. “...THE MOST INFURIATING PERSON I’VE EVER MET!” Storming the room with a scowl on his face, Seungcheol let himself be reminded of all the terrible things he ever thought about Jihoon. He was spiralling as he complained, “GODDAMN, he’s such a ! He’s stubborn and arrogant and a smart ! He gets this stupid smug look on his face every time he thinks he’s gotten something out of you! Jihoon is by far the lowest of the low! And Jesus Christ, he ing has the dumbest hair I’ve ever—!”

“Hyung.”

Panting, Seungcheol paused and spun around to face Mingyu. For a second, he was so busy screaming about Jihoon he forgot he was there.

But Mingyu knew his friend better than that. He knew that feeling he had was right. “I know you like him.”

Seungcheol’s heart was racing. But just hearing Mingyu say that, he couldn’t accept it. “WHAT?!” he shouted, shaking his head. “Did you hear what I just said? How could I like Jihoon?!”

Mingyu waited for him to meet his gaze. “Seungcheol.”

Blinking a few times, Seungcheol could see it in his eyes. Mingyu already knew. Nervously, he said, “Yeah?”

Mingyu lightly grinned. “It’s okay if you like him.”

Seungcheol wasn’t sure how to react as all of the muscles in his body loosened. He didn’t even know that was something he really needed to hear. Still…

“Mingyu,” Seungcheol said, turning his stare to the ground. Shaking his head, he said, “I could never do that to you.”

“Do what to me?” Mingyu chuckled, trying to show his friend that he was alright.

His head still hanging, Seungcheol scratched his cheek and stepped over to sit next to Mingyu on the bed. He’d thought about this conversation so many times and all the ways it could go. None of them were exactly what he wanted...cause he didn’t know what he wanted.

He sighed. “You know what I mean.” He shrugged. “I never told you about Jihoon.”

“Seokmin never told me about Soonyoung,” Mingyu pointed out. “And look at them now.”

“Yeah but that’s different,” he groaned. “Soonyoung was never as bad as Jihoon. We all knew that. And when everything happened, it was Soonyoung who set it all in motion. Jihoon...wasn’t like that.”

Looking closely at the side of Seungcheol’s face, Mingyu could see all of his discomfort. “Hyung, you’re acting just like Seokmin did before we talked.”

“No, it’s not the same,” Seungcheol argued.

“Why?”

Clutching his head, Seungcheol groaned, “Cause Seokmin and Soonyoung are in love! Of course he was feeling all weird about everything with you. I’m not in love with Jihoon.”

“Hyung.”

Almost too scared to look, Seungcheol finally turned to see Mingyu’s compassionate gaze.

Mingyu smiled. “It’s okay if you love Jihoon.”

For a moment, Seungcheol just stared at him. Mingyu had been his best friend for so long, and for so long he had despised anything that dealt with...this sort of stuff. He hated relationships; no one could change his mind about that. Yet here they were. Mingyu was in love with somebody. And he was telling Seungcheol...it was okay for him to be too.

Slowly, a grin came over his own face. But not because of Jihoon. He reached over and gripped Mingyu at the back of his neck. Shaking him playfully, he said, “Look at you. Sitting here being alright with all these relationships going on.”

Pushing his friend away, Mingyu laughed, “Hey! It took a while, but I get it now!”

“Oh, you get it do you?” Seungcheol teased, raising an eyebrow at him.

Brushing off his shoulder, Mingyu admitted, “Okay, well I don’t get everything. But I get a lot of it.” Staring softly at Seungcheol, he said, “And I may not get exactly what’s between you and Jihoon, but it matters to you.”

Hearing that, Seungcheol bit the inside of his cheek. Turning away, he fiddled with his fingers. “Yeah, I don’t know about that.”

“So find out.”

Furrowing his eyebrows, Seungcheol immediately looked back at his friend. “What?”

“Don’t let me stop you from chasing after Jihoon,” Mingyu said.

“But, Mingyu—”

“But nothing,” Mingyu interjected. “Hyung, you have my full blessing to...find out what this is between you and Jihoon. You may not know what your reason is for wanting to be around him, but don’t let me be the reason not to.”

Just hearing Mingyu say these words made Seungcheol’s heart thump against his chest. This was what he needed. But he didn’t want it if Mingyu wasn’t sincere. “Are you sure?”

But with that, Mingyu knew he’d said the right thing. He smiled and patted Seungcheol’s thigh as he stood up. “Go for it, hyung. There’s gotta be something special about Jihoon if you’re the one who sees it.”

Seungcheol just breathed as he sat there letting his mind be ambushed by the short boy. “Go for it, hyung.” Seungcheol smiled to himself. If there was anything that was true about him and Jihoon, it was his persistence to go after him. Oh yeah, I’ll go for it.

— — —

Joshua smiled as he came back with their drinks. Taking the seat next to Jeonghan, he said, “Here you go, Jeonghannie. One Thai tea boba for my favorite guy.”

Jeonghan beamed at him. Sitting at the counter along the storefront window, they were enjoying some quality time together with bustling Los Angeles in the foreground. The cafe was alive and bright, booming with people like most popular spots in LA usually were. But thankfully, Joshua had an in with the owner.

Taking a sip of his drink, Jeonghan swiveled around to look at all the customers. “So you used to work here, huh?”

Joshua chuckled, only admiring the side of his boyfriend’s beautiful face. “Yep, up until a few months ago. Vernon wanted me to focus on my school work more.”

“Hansol’s really responsible,” he commented.

“He sure is,” Joshua chuckled. As Jeonghan turned back around, he couldn’t help but bite down on his straw. The boy was just so handsome.

And sensing his gaze, Jeonghan gave him a snide, side-eye. “Are you managing to keep your grades up?”

“I don’t know,” Joshua said, lazily falling onto his elbow. “There are a lot of distractions lately.”

“Oh wow, so you’re blaming me?” Jeonghan laughed, shoving Joshua’s shoulder.

With a huge smile, he replied, “I should be okay. Finals won’t be until after you leave, so I’ll study a lot then.”

“Good, good,” Jeonghan said, but a part of himself ached from being reminded of having to say goodbye to his love.

And Joshua felt the same. But he focused on what Jeonghan had said. It wasn’t their time apart, but their time together that mattered. He was going to make the most of it. No more hurting cause of his dad. No more loathing the universe. At least, not while Jeonghan was still with him. All he wanted to do was love the boy as much as he could while they were still physically together.

Without another thought, Joshua reached forward and took his boyfriend by the chin. Diving forward with the greatest of ease, he sealed a kiss, making his insides flip.

Jeonghan felt his whole body melt as their lips parted. He let out a fluttering sigh as he smiled. “You really are something, Jisoo-ah.”

Blushing a little, Joshua turned back to his drink. Stirring the straw, he replied, “You better remember that when you’re on the other side of the planet.”

He chuckled. “Trust me, when I’m back there, I bet Wonwoo’s gonna get real tired of me talking about you.”

Imagining that, Joshua cracked up. “Oh my god, you’re gonna embarrass me!”

“If I’m lucky,” he smirked.

Joshua shook his head, but kept his smile. “Are you gonna see Wonwoo when you get back?” he asked.

Jeonghan thought it over as he took a sip of his Thai tea. “Mmm, I’ll probably try to. But the schedule’s kinda tight when I first get back. Depending how I do here, there could be more training for the next competition.”

“Wow, you’re just always occupied with swim, huh?”

He smiled. “Yeah. So even if you were in Korea, we probably wouldn’t get too much time together anyway.”

Joshua grinned, knowing that Jeonghan was just saying that to make him feel less bad about the long distance. “So do you ever have a hard time keeping up with your school work?” he asked teasingly.

Jeonghan scratched his chin. “Mmm, not usually.” With a cheeky smile, he raised an eyebrow at his boyfriend. “I normally don’t have such handsome distractions.”

Choking on his milk tea, Joshua coughed as he covered his mouth. Laughing through the pain, he couldn’t help it with how cheesey Jeonghan could be. “I can’t tell if you’re complimenting me or yourself!” he laughed.

Laughing with him, Jeonghan leaned over to Joshua’s beautiful cheek. “What’s wrong with both of us being handsome?”

Joshua honestly could not believe how much this boy made his heart race. His eyes lit up every time they met his. Finally catching his breath, he just smiled. “You are so extra.”

“Extra handsome, you mean,” he jokingly added.

Joshua just shook his head. As long as Jeonghan continued to be this way, it didn’t matter where they were in the world. Joshua would love him.

“Sure baby, if that’s what you want to tell yourself.” But Joshua never needed to argue with the boy on that.

— — —

Walking underneath their umbrella, Wonwoo smiled up at Mingyu. He looked so good wrapped up in his black coat and checkered scarf. “Are you sure you wanna eat here?” he teasingly asked.

Mingyu couldn’t help but grin. He reached out his hand for his boyfriend to take it. It was so cold outside, but Wonwoo always made him feel warm. The second their fingers laced together, he replied, “It’s been a while. I miss it.”

With the rain pounding around them, it was almost hard to hear. Wonwoo leaned closer to him, getting rid of any space that kept them apart. “To be honest, I don’t really remember the food.”

“The only food related thing I remember is Donut,” Mingyu replied with a smile.

Cuddling his head against Mingyu’s shoulder, Wonwoo said, “I hope he’s alright. This rain is coming down really hard.”

Mingyu had been thinking the same thing, but just as the restaurant was coming into view, he was flushed with relief. He let out a grateful sigh. “I think he’s alright.”

As they walked closer, Wonwoo could gradually see the brown blob sitting in front of the store come into focus. He chuckled when they stopped and stood before their friend. Squatting down, he smiled. “Long time no see, buddy.”

For a second, Mingyu just watched. At first, Donut seemed confused, shivering from the cold and the slight fear from being approached. But once he took a moment to really look, he realized it was a friend. Standing up and stretching out his limbs, Donut made his way over to let Wonwoo pet him.

Wonwoo laughed as he listened to him purr. “We’ve missed you too.”

Now under the awning as well, Mingyu closed the umbrella and joined the two on a lower level. As happy as he was to see Wonwoo, Donut seemed to light up even brighter when he saw Mingyu’s face. He shifted his attention to the cat loving boy and gave him the adoration he deserved.

His heart leaping in his chest, Mingyu lightly smiled. “Glad to see you’re okay.”

Now it was Wonwoo’s turn to admire his boyfriend. He could never get over how much joy this boy exuded anytime he was with one of his cat friends. It was beyond beautiful. It was intoxicating. And Wonwoo just loved him so much for it.

Mingyu scratched Donut’s head a few more times before standing back up. “It was good seeing you, Donut,” he said. He reached out his hand so Wonwoo could stand up as well.

But before Donut could even pout, Wonwoo looked down and reassured him, “Don’t worry. We’ll be back.”

With a final wave, the two of them walked into the restaurant where they were very cheerfully greeted.

“MANSAE!”

Mingyu smiled. He’d almost forgotten about that. Right. One of those places.

“Hi and welcome to Mansae!” the hostess welcomed them.

Usually, Mingyu would take an awkward moment to find a response, but luckily he had Wonwoo.

“Thanks,” Wonwoo politely replied. “Table for two.”

She smiled as she grabbed their menus. “Right this way.”

Wonwoo wrapped his hand in Mingyu’s as they followed her to a table. She gestured to the seats and asked, “Is this alright?”

Mingyu was prepared to sit down, but he noticed Wonwoo’s eyes turn to a booth along the store’s front window. It was where they had sat the first time they came. “Actually, can we sit over there?” he asked as he pointed.

“Sure thing,” she replied, leading the way over and setting their menus down.

“Thank you so much,” Wonwoo said as they slid into their seats.

“Of course. Your waiter will be right with you.”

Mingyu relaxed his shoulders as he slipped out of his jacket. “Thanks.”

She left them with a smile before walking away.

Unraveling his scarf, Mingyu turned his attention to the rest of the restaurant. It was a lot busier today. Plenty of people were out with their friends and family, all having a good time. He smiled as he turned to look at Wonwoo. “Good call on the table.”

Wonwoo laughed as he rolled up his sleeves. “I wasn’t sure if you were gonna notice.”

“Trust me,” he said, “I remember a lot from the first time we were here.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Wonwoo asked curiously.

Mingyu shrugged as he turned over the menu. “You were really weird in the beginning.”

Wonwoo scoffed. “Excuse me?!” he laughed.

“You cannot deny that’s true!” Mingyu chuckled back. “You smuggled me into an alley and took my clothes and you had this bruise on your face. I was so confused I had no idea what you wanted from me.”

Smiling fondly across the table, Wonwoo got a flashback to the first time they were here. He was so focused on how cute Mingyu was that maybe he was right. He was rather strange at the start. “Was I really that weird?”

Mingyu rolled his eyes. “Maybe it wasn’t weird, but you were weird to me. I’d just...never met someone like you before.”

From the way he spoke, Wonwoo could hear that he meant that in the sweetest way. Shyly, he looked down at the table and fiddled with his napkin. “Well, I’d definitely never met someone I wanted to know so badly before. So maybe you were weird to me too.”

Flipping over the menu, Mingyu just smiled. “You never ended up telling me how you got that bruise?”

“Did I not?” Wonwoo responded, surprised by himself.

The other boy shook his head. “You just said it wasn’t from Jihoon or Soonyoung and that it was from...ya know. But you never said anything else.”

Tilting his head, Wonwoo chuckled. “Huh. I guess you’re right.” With that, he turned his attention to the menu and skimmed over the items.

But Mingyu’s mouth hung slightly open before he slammed his hands down and said, “Would you just tell me how you got it!”

Startled, Wonwoo laughed as he realized his mistake. “Sorry, sorry!” he shouted through his chuckles, holding onto his stomach. Seeing the big smile on Mingyu’s face as well was making him all gushy. “It’s really nothing that exciting,” he explained, sitting back up straight. “I was in...Jakarta? I think? But yeah, I tried to get a guy’s jacket but he wasn’t so keen to give it to me and…” Doing the punching motion in the air, he said, “Bam. Right in the face.”

For a second, Mingyu felt just a little bad about what happened. Anyone punching his boyfriend suddenly got him pretty angry. If there was a fight, Mingyu was going to do all he could to be beside him. But then, he had to remind himself this was before he even knew Wonwoo so…

“You are so sad,” he said, shaking his head.

“What?!” Wonwoo cried out.

“You’re a world traveler and you can get hit that easily!” he teased, just happy seeing Wonwoo a bit riled up. In all honesty, the prospect of how amazing his boyfriend was for travelling like he did made Mingyu love the boy even more. But praising him all the time was no fun. “Where’s your defense?!”

“Hey, you weren’t there!” Wonwoo argued. “I put up a fight!”

“Oh, did you really?” Mingyu laughed.

Wonwoo laughed with him. “Yes! But I knew when to give up, and that’s when security was getting closer. But before I could disappear, he landed one on me.”

Mingyu scoffed, imagining how that scene would play out. Wonwoo really was something. “You’re insane.”

He shrugged. “I am what the universe throws at me.”

Mingyu smiled before again trying to figure out what to eat. “Glad it threw you here.”

And Wonwoo was glad about that too.

As the two of them sat there in that familiar scene, Wonwoo couldn’t help but again realize how far they’d come. He felt all fluttery thinking about those first few encounters that threw them into motion. So much had changed since it all began. But when Wonwoo thought it over in more detail, his insides scrunched when he realized what was still the same.

And when Mingyu glanced up, he could immediately see that. Wonwoo had a blank stare that fell to the table. His mood so suddenly shifted, and Mingyu didn’t like that. He slouched down to try and meet the boy’s gaze. “What’s on your mind?”

Feeling the strain in his chest, Wonwoo was all too familiar with this feeling, and that’s what was bothering him. “Nothing,” he lied, so used to covering it up.

But Mingyu wasn’t going to let that happen anymore. “What’re you thinking about?” he tried again, his eyebrows furrowed with concern.

Wonwoo sighed and slouched back into the booth. He closed his eyes and scratched his head. “I’m just...thinking.”

Leaning forward even more, Mingyu chuckled, “Are you really gonna make me beg you?”

That sweet tone was enough to make Wonwoo crack a small grin. His eyes still closed, he said the simple thing rattling his mind. “The universe.”

And with that, Mingyu felt the weight as well. Clenching his lips, he nodded and broaded his shoulders. “Ahh.”

For a moment, neither of them said anything. Mingyu knew that even when they got back together, Wonwoo would still be battling this...seemingly endless battle. Part of him let himself believe that it would all go away, and that Wonwoo would just be happy with him, but he knew the boy he loved much better than that. It stung Mingyu a bit to think that he wasn’t enough for Wonwoo to be okay with the universe, but then he had to remember: it wasn’t about him. It wasn’t about them at all. The universe was never going to stand between the two of them, but it would still be against Wonwoo. So Mingyu needed to be there and help with the fight.

Reaching out, Mingyu placed his hand on top of Wonwoo’s. Wonwoo flinched and his eyes immediately opened to find Mingyu’s soft smile. Gently, he said, “ the universe.”

Immediately, Wonwoo chuckled. There was something adorable about seeing such a cute face curse. He liked it. “Yeah,” he replied, turning his hand over and holding Mingyu’s. “ the universe.”

“Go ahead,” Mingyu said, gesturing forward with his other hand. “Let it all out.”

Wonwoo sighed, rolling his head. “It’s all the same, Mingyu-ah.”

“Then tell me again.”

He weakly smiled. Even if it was the same thing over and over again, the thing that nearly pushed the two of them apart, Mingyu was always ready to listen. And Wonwoo was grateful. He sighed again before letting it all off his chest.

“It’s never gonna stop, Mingyu,” he said, a little deflated. “Everything it’s ever done to me...it won’t end so easily. And I know I sound...ungrateful...because now there’s no more Jihoon and Soonyoung, and we’re together, but I’m still complaining—”

“You have every right to complain,” Mingyu interjected.

Wonwoo let out a puff of air before going on, “I just don’t know, dear. I still...feel all of it. All that resentment towards the universe. All the hatred for...jumping. I don’t know. It’s all still there. Maybe part of it is cause my grandma died…”

For a second, his voice trailed off. Mingyu held him tighter as he tried to find his words.

With a quivering sigh, he went on. “I don’t know. Things have changed, and so much for the better. But...we’re here again and…” He shrugged. “I still haven’t stopped.”

He glanced up at Mingyu and said, “And now I’m learning about all these loopholes the universe has. I mean, Joshua’s mom moving? Junhui’s grandpa stopping forever? What—what does it all mean?” Biting his lip, he gave a weak chuckle. “Joshua even got to stop. And I don’t mean that like I’m bitter cause he stopped and I didn’t. But even when he stopped...the universe wouldn’t let him know what for.” He shook his head. “Isn’t that just a little too cruel?”

Mingyu listened closely as his boyfriend went on, sounding oh so defeated. “I don’t know,” he quickly said. “I really just don’t know. It’s like…we went through so much together, Mingyu. And we’re finally...with each other.” Smiling at his boyfriend, he said, “And I couldn’t be happier about that.”

He blinked a few times before adding the last bit. “But I still can’t help but loathe the universe for taking me away from you in a couple hours. All that time I used to lose somewhere else, now it’s time we’re both losing.” And in that moment, it was as if Wonwoo struck the nail on the head. Choking up a bit, he said, “I hate the universe. And...I hate how much that eats me.”

Mingyu waited before he said anything. He saw the bitterness in Wonwoo’s eyes and could feel his tension. But now that the boy was done talking, it was Mingyu’s turn to help as much as he could. “I hate the universe too, Wonwoo.”

For some reason, that helped Wonwoo more than he expected.

“Trust me when I say I hate what it does to you,” he continued. “And I wish more than anything that I could jump in your place, just to relieve you from this nightmare.” Mingyu sighed, sad that that could never happen. “But I can’t, so I’ll be here to relieve you every time you come home.”

He softly looked at his boyfriend and smiled. “You may think you’re leaving me all the time, but...you can’t leave me...and I can’t leave you...if we’re together like this. For as long as you have to deal with the universe, I’ll be there to fight it with you. All that hatred, we can share it, so you’re not holding it alone. And maybe that way...it’ll slowly become less? I—I wanna help you make it less, Wonwoo.”

Wonwoo listened closely as Mingyu said, “I can’t make it stop. And...I’m so sorry for that.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Wonwoo quickly interjected, squeezing Mingyu just a bit tighter.

Mingyu chuckled. “But even if I can’t do that, I’m gonna help make it less. We’ll share the burden, okay? Because...for every random place the universe throws you, it’ll throw you right back to where you need to be.” He smiled a little brighter. “With me. Okay?”

Mingyu’s heart was racing. He may have spoke easily, but he knew his words weren’t enough. Wonwoo had a resentment towards the universe that lasted a lifetime. But he wasn’t speaking lightly when he said he would share the pain. Mingyu was in it with Wonwoo now. The universe was just as much his enemy, and he was going to be there for Wonwoo through it all.

Sitting there across from his boyfriend, Wonwoo had never imagined that he would find himself with someone like Mingyu. And for as much as he hated the universe, he was happy it placed him there. His chest pounding, Wonwoo didn’t have the words to express what that meant to him. Because Mingyu was already doing what he just said. Suddenly, Wonwoo felt less of the universe’s pressure on his body. He could breathe a bit better. He could think more clearly. And he knew he wasn’t alone.

Without saying anything else on the matter, Wonwoo just smiled, seemingly coming back to where he was before his thoughts wandered. He took a second before he quickly repositioned himself, standing up and leaning over the table to gently peck Mingyu on the lips. And just as quickly, he plopped himself back on his cushion.

Mingyu blushed, caught off guard by the attack of affection. Flustered, he spattered, “Wonwoo—I—what I said—you know—”

But Wonwoo didn’t need to hear anymore. He knew. With a cheeky smile, he looked back down at the menu and let out a long breath. “Where is that waitress? I think we’re finally ready to order,” he casually said.

But Mingyu couldn’t believe it. He stuck his tongue in his cheek and rolled his eyes. “Wah! You really are something, aren’t you?”

Wonwoo chuckled and beamed at the boy who was able to help him put his resentment aside. In that moment, there was less of it and he could just move on. It’s what he needed, and Mingyu could do that for him. “No, but my boyfriend’s really something.”

And with that, Mingyu was good to move on too. He smiled. “I can’t argue with that one.”

— — —

“I left my umbrella up there. Can you be sure to bring it home?” Jihoon said into the phone as he walked through the lobby of Pledis news’s building.

“Wait, you left your umbrella?” Soonyoung replied. “Are you sure you don’t want me to run it down? It’s pouring out there.”

And Jihoon could see that as he walked towards the exit. The rain was really coming down. “Yeah. I don’t wanna go all the way back up, and you don’t need to come down. I’ll be fine,” he lied. He knew he hadn’t been fine for a while now.

And Soonyoung knew the same. His friend wasn’t himself these days, and though Soonyoung was able to have full closure with abandoning their Wonwoo story, he knew Jihoon was having a harder time. And obviously there were other things too. It helped that he had Seokmin by his side. Of course he was always there for Jihoon, but Soonyoung knew there was something he was holding back. Still, he offered what he could.

“I’ll be home in a couple hours. Make some rice, yeah?” he goofily asked.

Jihoon scoffed as he stopped in front of the glass door. Everything before him was grey. Too bad it wasn’t as comforting that day. “Only if you stop by somewhere and get some meat,” he bantered.

“Deal,” Soonyoung chuckled.

There was a pause as Jihoon just stood there. He blocked the way as other people from his building walked by, all dressed in suits under their raincoats. They all looked so dignified, so established, something Jihoon was still lacking. He sighed.

“Hang in there, Jihoonie,” Soonyoung said through the phone. A little startled, Jihoon almost forgot he had it pressed to his ear. “We’re doing fine.”

Jihoon in his lips and lightly nodded, knowing full well his friend couldn’t see. “Yeah.”

“I’ll see you at home.”

“See you at home,” Jihoon said. He didn’t wait for Soonyoung to hang up first before he ended the call.

Jihoon shoved the phone deep into his pocket, to make sure it didn’t get wet. Zipping up his raincoat, he tossed on his hood and stepped out. Immediately, the sound of rushing water consumed him. His ears slowly adjusted to add the sounds of tires splashing in massive puddles and work shoes bouncing off the drenched concrete. For a moment, he just took it all in. Everything was so grey.

When he stepped out from under the building’s protection, his body was attacked by raindrops. Each one heavier than the last, Jihoon felt like he was being buried. And as journalists rushed past him, trying to stay dry, trying to keep their papers from being soaked, trying to save their equipment, he knew nothing on him had enough value to be protected. He wasn’t a reporter. He didn’t have a story. Who cared if he got wet?

Jihoon sure didn’t. Feeling the weight of his failure more than ever, he trudged over to a bench and plopped himself down, not giving a damn about the puddle he probably just sat in. Droplets started to drip from his hood onto his hair and down his face. But Jihoon just closed his eyes and let it happen.

This is what every day had felt like. Like he was drowning in an endless downpour of disappointment. And as dramatic as it all sounded, that’s what Jihoon felt. Nowadays, he was nowhere closer to getting the story he needed to become who he’d always wanted to be. Since he decided to pursue journalism, he hadn’t shed a single light of truth onto any matter. All he’d done was nearly destroy the lives of the innocent. And when he’d finally realized that, he lost years of his work. And on top of it all...he was feeling lonelier than ever. It was as if he was missing a familiar presence.

With all that seeping in, Jihoon didn’t know what to do. It was too much. Collapsing over his knees, Jihoon covered his face and held back the urge to scream. The rain pounded harder against his back, punishing him for every misstep he took. And all he could do was sit there and take it.

But as Jihoon felt it all come down on top of him, as his chest ached with every quivering breath he took, he didn’t notice the footsteps that were heading towards him. He could hear the sound of rain bouncing off the plastic of an umbrella, but it wasn’t until that noise was right above him did he look up. He was no longer being drenched, but joined by a familiar presence.

Seungcheol stood before Jihoon, holding up a clear umbrella that was now protecting both of them. Seungcheol anxiously stood there, gazing down at the soaked Jihoon. His hair was no longer that soft pink he had teased, but darker. His heart was pounding in his chest, but for better reasons this time. Standing there, he knew Mingyu was right. He gave a small smile. “Is this seat taken?”

Jihoon stared up in complete disbelief. Normally, Seungcheol popping up was expected. But now...it was different. And they knew that from the last time they met. But even so, just looking up to find Seungcheol made something inside Jihoon relax. Still…

“What’re you doing here?” he scowled.

But Seungcheol just grinned. Nodding towards the bench, he asked, “Can I sit?”

Jihoon quickly did a double take to see the spot beside him covered in water. Turning back to meet Seungcheol’s gaze, he was filled with uncertainty. But in that moment of just staring, he realized something. This was the first time Seungcheol had asked to join his company before just butting in.

Jihoon didn’t know what was going on, but it didn’t matter. “Yeah, sure,” he said, looking away and brushing it off like it was nothing.

Readjusting so the umbrella was still above both of them, Seungcheol sat down beside Jihoon, feeling the water soak into his jeans. But he didn’t care in the slightest.

Surrounded by nothing but rain and noise, the two of them didn’t say anything.

Jihoon didn’t know what was going on inside of him. He tried to keep his cool, like he did in every situation, but he was really starting to spiral. Jihoon sat there with his continued frustration and sadness, but now he wasn’t sitting there alone. And something about Seungcheol being there...broke him.

“Goddamnit!” Jihoon yelled before doubling over and covering his face again. He didn’t hold back his tears as they joined the raindrops drying on his face.

Holding up the umbrella, Seungcheol watched as Jihoon let out his cries. And he could slowly feel his heart crack as he witnessed Jihoon weaken before his eyes. There was nothing harder than seeing the strongest person he knew break like that. He listened as he heard the boy’s sorrow, trying his hardest not to cry as well. But he came for a reason. And he couldn’t leave.

Seungcheol took a deep breath as he very carefully scooched himself closer to Jihoon. It was so little that the boy didn’t notice through his pain. Anxiously, Seungcheol moved himself again, this time just enough that their sides brushed against each other.

And the second he felt that, Jihoon jolted. He caught his breath and turned his face out of his hands to look back at Seungcheol. The boy wasn’t even looking at him. He was staring straight ahead, keeping his breath steady.

For some reason, that sight calmed Jihoon down. Slowly adjusting his own breathing, he collected himself. Sniffling, he wiped his nose with the back of his hand and sat back up. Coughing a few times from the cold, Jihoon regained some of his composure. But as he moved, he continued to look at Seungcheol, unable to take his eyes off of him.

And Seungcheol could see that out of his peripheral, but he didn’t dare turn to meet Jihoon’s gaze. He was way too nervous.

Again neither of them said anything. Neither made a sound until Seungcheol closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, again startling the emotionally wrecked Jihoon.

Seungcheol let it out and tried to gather the words he’d been practicing to say once he got there. With Jihoon’s full attention, he said, “You may think I don’t have a reason to stalk you anymore, but that doesn’t mean you’re getting rid of me that easily.”

Jihoon froze. He just continued to stare.

But that was fine with Seungcheol. Opening his eyes, he drew the courage to finally meet Jihoon’s gaze. He could see the boy’s pain right there in his pink eyes. A pink that would’ve matched his normally fluffy hair. Seungcheol’s heart ached at what he knew must be the reason for those tears, but he cracked a small smile. “Ya know, you’re one hell of a reporter, Jihoon.”

Thoroughly unprepared to hear that, Jihoon could hear his heart as loudly as he heard the rain. But he tried his best just to listen to Seungcheol.

“Even now,” Seungcheol continued, “I can’t stop thinking about what you’re up to, what’s in that stupid little head of yours.”

Somehow, the insult made Jihoon feel more comfortable. Without him noticing, the corner of his lips went up ever so slightly.

But Seungcheol noticed, and it made him ever more tingly. But he had to say what he was going to say. Fighting his nerves, he scooched just a little closer to Jihoon, their hips now touching. “You’re doing a good job, and even if you’re done with Mingyu and Wonwoo…” He sighed. “...I can’t leave you alone yet.”

And as if there had been a knot stuck in his heart, Jihoon felt it unwind. For whatever reason, hearing Seungcheol say that...made him feel better, as if Seungcheol continuing to stalk him meant he had abilities worth watching out for. It was a weird combination of compliments and insults and even...complaints? Jihoon wasn’t sure what it all meant; there was surely something more there. But for now that didn’t matter. All that got to him was that...Seungcheol oddly believed in him.

Blinking a few times, Jihoon didn’t let any of that show. He took a moment to take in Seungcheol’s gaze before he finally turned away to just stare ahead of him. He had no idea what was going on, but he didn’t want to say anything. He just wanted to sit there...with Seungcheol. Maybe he could enjoy the rain now.

And that’s all Seungcheol wanted. He kept his eyes on Jihoon for a moment, letting his emotions take over. He did the right thing by coming, because Mingyu was right. There was something there. But that could wait. Seungcheol gently smiled and turned to face forward as well. For now, he was going to do what he knew Jihoon loved on days like these: just enjoy the rain.

— — —

5:40pm.

Wonwoo and Mingyu had gotten back from Mansae about half an hour ago and they had just been spending time laying in bed together. The cats were obviously enjoying it too. But, Wonwoo sighed as he read the time and reluctantly peeled himself from the bed.

“Ughhh,” he groaned.

Mingyu sat up and watched his boyfriend get to his feet. “What’re you doing?”

“I should get going,” Wonwoo said, gesturing at his watch. “It’s almost 6.”

“Oh,” Mingyu said. He could see the dismay on his boyfriend’s face as he started to put on his shoes. Crawling across the bed to sit next to him, Mingyu asked, “Are you sure you have to go?”

Wonwoo chuckled. “Baby, you know I gotta get home before I jump.” But that fact obviously bothered him. He let out a heavy sigh. “You know how much I hate this.”

But Mingyu just smiled. He’d been thinking about this for a few days now, and the conversation they had in Mansae made it feel like the right time to bring it up. Mingyu reached over and put his hand on Wonwoo’s before he could reach for his other shoe. He turned to find Mingyu’s knowing smile. “What if you don’t have to get home?”

Amused by Mingyu’s cuteness but confused by his words, Wonwoo asked, “What’re you talking about? Baby, you know—”

“I mean,” Mingyu quickly interrupted. Slightly nervous, he said, “I mean...what if you jump from here?”

A smile immediately appeared on Wonwoo’s face as he heard his boyfriend’s suggestion. But he still couldn’t really process it. “You want me to jump from here?” he asked through a scoff.

Mingyu shrugged, but he knew the answer. “If you want to.”

Wonwoo could so easily read Mingyu’s excitement past that easy statement. He squinted at him suspiciously, making sure the boy knew what he was offering. “Then I’ll jump back here at 6am.”

Mingyu gave in and flashed a toothy grin. Standing up, he moved so he stood before Wonwoo. Reaching out, he took the boy by both his hands. “That’s exactly what I want.”

Feeling his insides get all warm, Wonwoo still couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Are you even awake at 6am?” he teased, raising an eyebrow at the boy.

Swinging their arms, Mingyu shyly admitted, “No, but...you could wake me up. Or…”

“Or…?” Wonwoo cheekily repeated.

“Or you could stop making me do this and just jump from here!” Mingyu finally exclaimed, shaking Wonwoo just a little more.

Wonwoo burst out laughing as he jumped to his feet. Throwing his arms around Mingyu’s neck, he wrapped the boy in a hug. “Okay, okay!” he laughed. “I just love messing with you!”

But Mingyu couldn’t resist him anyway. Hugging him tightly, Mingyu smiled into his neck. “I just want you to know I meant what I said,” he gently told him. “You’re not doing this alone anymore. And I’m here for you through it all.”

Overwhelmed by how much he loved this boy, Wonwoo smiled. Pulling away to just quickly leave him a kiss on the cheek, he quietly said, “I love you, Mingyu.”

Holding him tighter in their embrace, Mingyu chuckled. “I love you too.”

hi guys! heh heh....long time no...type XD ok yeah im so so so sorry for the slow updates guys! I know last time i said i would try to post more cause id have time to write during the summer, but tbh i just had an INSANE amount of writers block OTL this chapter was at a stand still for so so long and im just so sorry for that a lot of you probably forgot what even happened in the last chapter T_T agh but honestly tonight i just really wanted to bust out this chapter cause of all thats going on with seventeen and...its just been a rough day in the fandom BUT NO MATTER because we all love the boys so much and respect them and want whats best for them so...yeah XD i just love them so much and today i felt it a lot and wanted to get this posted. im so so sorry for any of the typos or weirdly worded things in there its currently 4am and i dont think my proofreading is as effective at this time XD ill probably go back and make like grammar edits tomorrow XD but i hope you guys like the chapter!!!

OH AND IM SO SAD THAT I DIDNT GET THIS CHAPTER OUT EARLIER BECAUSE I WANTED TO TELL YOU GUYS I WENT TO SEE SVT IN CHICAGO!!! Im from LA but i have some other out of state friends and we all just went to go see them and AGH OK ill keep it kinda short because i miss those boys so much and i was so sad hoshi couldnt be there but im so glad hes better now T_T BUT OK GUYS THE HITOUCH I WAS IN VIP SO I GOT A HITOUCH SO I WILL JUST TELL YOU THAT STORY XD (sorry i must sound so crazy its late!) ok this goes without saying but i love all the members so so smuch but to keep it short ill just give you like a highlights summary XD ok so my ultimate bias is woozi and during the hitouch when it got to his turn i held his hand in both of mine and looked him right in the eyes and said "i love you so much!" and ya know woozi he just smiled and nodded and i died and let go cause i thought the line was moving BUT FOR SOME REASON THE LINE HAD STOPPED THERE???? and oh my god i had already let go of his hand but i KNEW I WAS GOING TO REGRET IT IF I DIDNT DO SOMETHING SO I WENT BACK AND HELD HIS HAND AGAIN XD i was so unprepared i didnt know what else to say so i just said hi again! OTL he probably thought i was crazy jesus christ SO I DIED FROM THAT BUT I THINK THE PROUDEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE WAS WITH VERNON T_T i had this prepared ahead of time but i wasnt sure if id be able to say it but agh so when i got to vernon he was smiling and really cheery and when i held his hand I asked him "when you sleep, are you vernoff?" AND HE WAS NOT PREPARED TO LIKE THINK THROUGH A JOKE LIKE THAT SO HE LOOKED SO CONFUSED AND JUST LAUGHED AND SHOOK HIS HEAD AND WENT "WHAT WHAT??" AND UGH GUYS I WRITE FICS FOR YALL BUT RIGHT NOW I CANNOT BE ARTICULATE I AM SORRY JUST TRUST ME IT WAS MAGICAL I LOVE THEM ALL SO MUCH

ok sorry im done screaming XD but yeah i had a crazy weekend cause i actually also went to kcon LA cause my friend was a panelist and i got to be the moderator for her panel XD (Silv3rT3ar if you know her on youtube XD) but yeah!!! agh i miss svt so much T_T

ok i think thats all from me rambling im so sorry i forgot how i even talk here what are words idk UGH OH! but before i go idk if some of you guys saw but i wrote a Woozi one shot back in June that I posted HERE  but since i havent posted in forever i didnt get to tell you guys XD so yeah im sorry i think im slowly losing my mind right now wow it is late i havent been up this late in so long colors are starting to change beofre my eyes wow ok yeah this is really tmi you guys dont need to know this XD

ANYWAY! thank you so so much for reading i love you guys i hope you didnt read all of my rambling there wow this is not interesting i just ok i will leave and try to sleep XD THANKS FOR READING HOPE YOU ENJOY AND HOPE THE NEXT GAP ISNT SO LONG AHHH!!