“Hey, you guys are back! Huh, where's Mingyu-hyung,” Seungkwan asks with a tilt of his head.

Seungcheol and Jihoon exchange a glance, both of their faces mirroring that of conflict and weariness. Wonwoo shifts from his spot on the couch and stands up to join the members as they crowd around the duo. Gently, as if any sudden sound might scare them away like deer, Seungcheol says, “We need to talk.” And oh, Wonwoo's heard those words before, in various instances and circumstances, none of which were ever followed by good news. The other members seem to have the same idea as their faces pale considerably. “Mingyu is...okay, for the most part. The doctor couldn't figure out why he lost his memories, but he gave us an idea-”

“Let's just get to the most important part,” Jihoon interrupts.

“Right, well, Mingyu gets intense migraines when he's forced to remember. The doctor says we should just let the memories come to him instead of asking him to try and remember.”

A warm breeze moves the curtains and kisses the members clammy skin. The calmness and serenity, Wonwoo thinks, is wholly unsuitable for the information just unloaded on him. The sky should be falling, a thunderstorm raging, but instead birds chirp and it almost feels as if to mock them—him.

Seokmin, after an excruciating five minutes, breaks the silence first and asks in a hushed voice, “W-what do you mean?” The quiet spell seems to break and soon the other members hail Jihoon and Seugcheol with questions, one right after another with no break in sight. Jihoon's just a second away from shouting but Soonyoung luckily senses the impending story and shushes the members in a stern but softer voice than what the vocalist would have used. Soonyoung shoots him a small smile before his eyes dart to Seungcheol, the leader's face visibly exhausted but grateful for the silence one again.

“I mean,” he runs a hand through his messy hair, “that we can't do anything to make Mingyu remember Wonwoo.” All eyes train on said rapper but no one makes a move to speak. “It causes Mingyu a lot of pain to remember. Doctor says he most likely put some mental wall when it came to Wonwoo so putting any strain on him would hurt him.”

A soft buzzing slices through the tense air. Watching as Seunghcheol answers his phone, taking the conversation to an empty room, the members slowly disperse through the area. A few rest against a surface as if their legs would give out any minute, the maknae line take residence on the couch, but Wonwoo's the only one who stays rooted in his spot. His mind is on fire as he processes the information a hundred times over. Mingyu doesn't want to remember me. I cause him pain. Wonwoo tightens his fists and the urge to scream gnaws at his throat; it bangs against his chest like a caged beast demanding to be set free. This is my fault, he thinks weakly, all my fault.

“Is this what you wanted?”

“I'm sorry, what are you talking about Minghao?”

The members watch with anxiety as Minghao steps into Wonwoo's space. The brunette's eyes are lit a piercing golden fire and the members have never seen the dancer so fired up before. “You're the one who pushed Mingyu away,” Minghao states with a coolness that sends shivers down Wonwoo's spine.

Wonwoo isn't exactly weak but Minghao isn't just a beanstalk; Jisoo takes a step forward to break up the soon-to-be fight (all the signs point to a dirty brawl) but a pale arm holds him back. Wonwoo casts Jihoon a cursory glance, wondering if he was really going to let this happen, but Minghao's malice reminds him who he should be paying attention to.

“It's obvious that Mingyu's this way because you stopped being his friend.”

Wonwoo glares and hisses, “I never stopped being his friend!”

“Oh, really,” Minghao replies with his whole body, voice sarcastic and eyes rolling, “do you even know how depressed he was when you never wanted to go out with him? Didn't you notice the way he stared at you when you placed distance between him? Did you know that he thought you hated him—that he blamed himself!” Minghao steps forward with every deceleration until he's right in Wonwoo's ashen face. “Well, hyung, do you,” he shouts heatedly.

Finally, the members run to split the two up. Minghao simply shrugs off the hands though when Wonwoo remains silent. “Yeah,” the Chinese dancer jeers with disdain, “I thought so.”

Wonwoo's so caught up in his head that he doesn't notice the gently hand holding his fist. He looks up to meet Junhui's eyes, sundry emotions fluttering too fast for him to identify any. Slowly releasing his fists, Wonwoo stares at the angry crescent marks on his palm and then back to Minghao's retreating back. Just as the members hear a door slam shut, Seungcheol re-appears with concern and confusion etched on his features, phone clutched in his hand.

“I heard yelling and Minghao just glared at me. I was gone for three minutes, what happened?”

Jeonghan stares at Wonwoo before answering, “Just a small...fight.”

Hansol scoffs silently and mutters under his breath, “More like World War 3.” Fortunately, only the maknae hears this—puffs out his cheek—and nudges the rapper's side with his elbow.

Seungcheol looks skeptical but doesn't inquire any further. “The manager is bringing Mingyu over, he's going to need regular check-ups every week for a month and then we'll go from there.” Everyone nods their head before slowly, the very definition of snail's pace, migrating to different areas of the dorm.

“Hey,” Junhui calls softly while placing his hand on a dazed Wonwoo's shoulder, “are you okay?”

“Yeah, I'm fine. I just...” Wonwoo offers a shrug of his shoulder, unsure of how to finish. He avoids Junhui's eyes and instead looks at the lively (from what he can guess going off of body language) conversation Soonyoung and Jihoon are wrapped in. The conversation cuts off; however, and both the unit leaders are staring at Wonwoo with varying expressions. Soonyoung, a man trying to find answers in the haystack of Wonwoo's eyes; Jihoon, the unsettling calm before a major storm. Is this all his fault?

“Yah, don't go and blame yourself solely. No one could have saw this or prevented this from happening.”

In some sense, Wonwoo knows Junhui is right, but—

“Maybe so, hyung, but you aren't the one Mingyu forgot...”

All the love's still there I just don't know what to do with it now

When Mingyu is brought back it's already late afternoon, the day is already more than half over despite the fact that it feels like the giant puppy has been gone for centuries now. For a split moment everything falls back into place, they crowd around Mingyu with questions but mostly comments of concern. Nothing but Mingyu fills their mind, but when Wonwoo tries to reach out for Mingyu's hand, a hopeless habit they used to do, Mingyu steps back and stares at him like he was about to be attacked.

During the half-hour of waiting for Mingyu to return, Minghao locked himself in a spare room, the members choosing to let him cool off. No one brought up the confrontation, successfully at least, because that's a whole can of worms no one wants to release just yet. Standing here though, with Mingyu so close but at the same time out of his reach, Wonwoo realizes that Minghao's anger has only just started. The dancer didn't cool off, but rather the anger went from explosive to Antarctic cold.

Minghao suggests—demands, really—in a disquieting tone, “Hyung, maybe you shouldn't touch Mingyu.”

“I,” Wonwoo watches as Mingyu ducks his head and shuffles closer to Minghao, “y-yeah, okay,” he croaks out before stepping back. The members stare at one another in unease before they slowly fill the gap Wonwoo left.

Jeonghan gingerly leads Mingyu to the couch as the unit leaders are left to talk to the manager. Unsure of where to go, not wanting to eavesdrop on the conversation but not wanting to scare Mingyu, Wonwoo ambles his way into the kitchen. He replays the one-sided argument with Minghao again as he watches Mingyu smile at the rest of the members. It's all the same, the same smile, laugh, voice; the same Mingyu. At least, that's what Wonwoo wants to think but he knows it's wrong. Perhaps it's the same Mingyu for them, but it isn't for him. Wonwoo's reminded of that when he catches Mingyu's eyes and the brunette seems to lose his vibrancy.

A star dies.

Wonwoo looks away first and, deciding that he has no place in what is happening right now, slinks off to his room. He climbs into the bottom bunk and stares blankly at the bars of the top bunk-bed.

“You do know that isn't your bunk, right?”

Scrambling up, Wonwoo stares at Seungcheol. “Oh, hyung, you aren't with Mingyu?”

The leader takes a step forward but doesn't go any farther.

“I should be saying the same thing.” Wonwoo hums softly but doesn't offer any reasoning, not that Seungcheol needed it. “Listen, Wonwoo, there's something I didn't tell the team. Seeing as it's you Mingyu forgot though, you should know. The doctor,” a nervous hand runs through the elder’s hair, “he said that Mingyu chose to forget you. I don't...I don't know why he would do that, but the type of amnesia—he's inflicting it on himself.”

“Hyung, I don't really follow...?”

With a heavy sigh, Seungcheol leans against the wall and closes his eyes briefly. When they reopen, the colour seems duller and more melancholic, if that was even possible.

“What I mean is that Mingyu won't regain his memories if he doesn't want to. He'll fight the process if he wants and you know how Mingyu is, the kid will happily live with holes in his memory if it meant not getting hurt.”

“I don't blame him.”

Seungcheol frowns. “Wonwoo-”

“It's alright hyung, I mean, who wants to remember something if it will only cause pain...?”

“Wonwoo,” shouting invades Seungcheol's sentence causing the leader to peer down the corridor. Wonwoo wonders what the leader sees but he doesn't dare move from the bed. The leader turns back to him, “Hey, don't be a martyr. You can still be around Mingyu, it won't kill him. All I'm saying though, is that you let him go before and maybe you weren't able to see it, but he was still focused on you.”

No, Wonwoo knows that. Knows it more than anyone else and that only makes him feel guiltier.

“This isn't like that. Now, if you give up on Mingyu, he won't be waiting around or keep looking in your direction. If you let him go, it'll be for good. Until he remembers, that is, but even then who knows what will happen...”

You know, I still can't believe we both did some things
I don't even wanna think about

Suddenly, Wonwoo's life feels like some god-awful, cliché day-time drama he likes to tease Jisoo for watching. He's unable to sleep that night, thoughts of Mingyu on repeat in his mind. Mingyu, who used to follow him around like a puppy. Mingyu, who knew him the best out of everyone besides his immediate family. Even though Wonwoo knows better, he keeps expecting to see Mingyu back by his side when he opens his eyes but it's all a pipe dream. Mingyu isn't there and the fifteen steps separating them might as well feel like a few thousand meters. With a tired sigh, Wonwoo kicks off the covers and swings his pale legs over the bed. It's obvious that he won't be getting a lot of sleep tonight and staring at the wall won't help, so he might as well get something to drink. Trying his best to creep out of the room as quietly as possible, Wonwoo is just a few steps shy of exiting the room before a slurred voice catches his attention.

“Wonwoo,” Junhui rasps out with slurred words. Relaxing a bit, Wonwoo's eyes soften as he takes in the blonde's usually perfect hair now resembling a bird's nest. “What are you doing?”

“I'm just getting a drink hyung,” Wonwoo replies back softly as to not wake the other members up. The silhouette of Junhui, outlined in a white halo from the moonlight, seems to hesitate a little before slowly crawling back under the covers.

Going back to his task at hand, Wonwoo is surprised to find the kitchen lights on. He goes through the list of people it could be but comes up short. Approaching the kitchen with slow, deliberate steps, Wonwoo's muscles contract as he sees Mingyu. The brunette had the same idea as Wonwoo, apparently, but as he studies the glass held tightly in the younger's hand, Wonwoo realizes it's empty. The glass gleams under the fake lights; it doesn't even look like it was used yet.

Wonwoo takes a step closer, not wanting to call out Mingyu's name just yet, but he can't figure out why. The less space between them the more Wonwoo gets anxious. Mingyu could look up any second, and then what? Tell him to get away?

'If you let him go, it'll be for good'

Seungcheol's words reappear spontaneously. Wonwoo knows he doesn't want that, but what does he want? He forces the unsure feelings down and makes his way across the cold tiles. Mingyu's head is still tilted down, fringe covering his eyes, unmoving. One step, two step, Wonwoo finds himself in front of Mingyu.

“Hey, Mingyu,” he says softly, shaking the younger's shoulder gently as he goes to take the glass out of the brunette's hand.

Before he can take the glass; however, Mingyu's head snaps up and a shrill howl escapes his lips. The glass slips through their fingers as Wonwoo stumbles backward from Mingyu's hard shove. The sound of the glass shattering echoes hauntingly as Wonwoo watches Mingyu crouch down and cradle his head. Members rush in, skidding across the floor and some going to comfort the sobbing Mingyu only to have Seungcheol stop them. The glass shards glisten as they form a divider between the distressed brunette and them.

“What did you do,” Jihoon demands as he carefully side-steps the glass and brings Mingyu closer to him.

“I-I didn't do anything. I just, I touched him and then he,” Wonwoo stops miserably because it didn't matter. He can already feel the accusatory glances some of the members pass him.

Seungcheol frowns and seems to give a warning glance to Jihoon, “Stop. I'm sure Wonwoo didn't do anything wrong. It's been a stressful day for all of us, Mingyu especially.” Staring at the large, shaking mass next to Jihoon, the leader ushers the younger ones to go back to bed, leaving just the three eldest to console a crying Mingyu.

Jihoon brushes by him, aura dark and angry, but Wonwoo doesn't may it any heed as he stares at Mingyu.

“Hey,” Jeonghan slides into his view, “don't worry about Mingyu. He says it's just a bad migraine and that you woke him up at a bad time.” So he was sleeping, Wonwoo thinks as he chews on his bottom lip. “Go get some rest, alright. Trust your hyungs, we'll take care of Mingyu.”

Wonwoo has no doubt the trio will, but that doesn't stop him from looking over his shoulder every few seconds as he walks back to the bedroom.

Just say you love me and I'll say

"I'm sorry, I don't want anybody else to feel this way"

“It's not your fault.”

“I know but...it feels like it is.”

“Because you love him.”

“Maybe, but I love you.”

“Hey, that's my line.”

“I really mean it Junhui.”

“...I know...”

A/N: Oooooh boy there's a lot of things I wanna talk about, but I'll keep it to a minimum. First off, no, there won't be something huge huge happening in every chapter like Mingyu fainting or screaming. And yes, Wonwoo and Jun have an interesting relationship but it's probably not what you're thinking...kind of. We're gonna start to get into more drama rather than angst in the next few chapters though so be prepared! And with that said, it's poll time! In order to complete the outline of this story, I need to know how it will end, so there are three options. Keep in mind though, that happy doesn't necessarily mean fairytale ending happy it's just less sad than bittersweet and of course angst is just angst. Dont' forget to comment/subscribe, I love reading and responding to what you thought of the chapter^^

PS: The song of the day is brought to you by Mayday Parade's 'Stay'

PPS: If you guys wanna share this story with your friends I wouldn't mind