Chapter 8
Clarity

Kyungsoo sighed and ran his hands through his hair as he walked up to the bus stop. He was sure by now that Luhan and Minseok had defiled every surface of his apartment.

He'd need a lot of bleach.

Or maybe matches and lighter fluid. would it be so bad to set it all on fire and start over? He wasn't sure anymore... Maybe what he really needed was to move away from this city, and say to hell with it for awhile. After everything that happened, maybe he just really needed to get away. 

Or... Maybe he just needed to take a risk. Shock the past few days out of his system. That sounded good.

He was suddenly jarred out of his thoughts when he walked straight into what he believed to be a wall.

When he looked up, however, he saw a hand reach down and help him up. A deep voice was asking if he was alright. The man was tall, and Kyungsoo couldn't notice much besides his ears if he were being honest with himself, but he finally snapped out of it and looked at the man's face, noticing he was on the verge of tears.

"Yeah, I'm okay... I had a long week, and I just need to get out of this place for a bit... "

"Same here... ever think of running away with a stranger?"

Kyungsoo bit his lip... What could it really hurt?

"No, but I think I'd like to." 

The man gave him a small smile and they walked to the nearest bus station together.

                                                                                                               -♡-
 

Jongin and Tao rolled around in bed, staying in later that morning then they had in forever. With the curse being broken, life was going to be a lot brighter for both of them in the future. Tao was already thinking of the type of promise ring to get for the man in front of him, and Jongin was just looking back at Tao with a look of pure love on his face.

Though they would both question why the curse was broken as the days went by, neither would find out until much later. 

And for now, neither of them truly cared beyond the person in front of them.

Jongin giggled quietly, catching Tao's attention.

"Something funny?"

"No, I just... this, this right here, you know?"

"Oh, I definitely know. what you said right now, made so much sense it's impossible not to know." 

Jongin laughed and playfully smacked Tao in the face with a pillow, causing the other man to laugh as well.

"It's just, I never thought we'd get our happy ending... I never thought you'd feel the same way I do... but you do, and we're going to have our happy ending and I just love you so much." Jongin wiped at his eyes and smiled.

"I love you too, Jongin. I never thought we'd get this chance, but we did. So I'm not going to waste it. you're my everything."

Jongin sniffled slightly and caught Tao in a kiss, pulling him closer. "Can you promise me we'll stay like this forever?"

"Babe, for you I can do anything."

                                                                                                                      -♡-

 

Xiumin and Luhan had made it back to their apartment before stripping and taking the last weeks worth of stress out one each other. Now, laying side by side Luhan was just looking at Xiumin. He knew he should have been angry with what had happened, furiously raging at what should have been his now ex-boyfriend. But he wasn't. instead, he had a smile on his face as he watched the sweating man beside him trying to catch his breath.

 Xiumin was still his and their life was going to continue on in the same way it had. Maybe it would even progress after they talked about what had happened.

Luhan at least thought it was a very good possibility. After all, He remembered wanting to date Xiumin from almost the moment they'd run into each other for the first time. Xiumin gave him a small tired smile and curled into his boyfriend's arms, resting his face against Luhan's chest, letting the man's heartbeat act as a personal lullaby. 

Luhan smiled and took a deep breath. Things were exactly how they should be again.

                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                   -♡-
 

Jongdae was clutching Baekhyun's limp form and sobbing. It had been hours at this point and Baekhyun still hadn't so much as twitched. 

Junmyeon had told Yixing to get over as soon as he could, see if there was anything he could do for Baekhyun, Or if he could possibly get Jongdae off of the man long enough to check for a pulse, but he had yet to arrive.

Jongdae jumped when he heard a small breathless sound, and quickly pressed his ear to Baekhyun's mouth. When he heard the sound again, he realized it wasn't coming from his friend, but the man on the couch. The Baek had sacrificed himself for.

Another breathless sound and Yifan shot up into a sitting position fast enough to make himself dizzy. Dry heaving, he gripped his head. If he was still alive, he was definitely going to change his ways. blinking to focus his eyes, he barely registered Junmyeon approaching him before his fell to the man on the floor, clutching the one who had helped him. he recognized the marks of the curse and took in a gulp of air that sounded like it could break into a sob. 

"No..no no no no. No, you didn't let him... tell me you didn't let him!" 

Yifan's legs threatened to fail him but he got over to the man on the floor, pulling him away from the man crying over him, it took a bit of strength that Yifan was sure he didn't still possess, but he managed to get the man into his arms before Jongdae started weakly beating on the man's back, his body wracked with sobs too strong to allow much force behind the blows.

"Why would you do this! you didn't deserve to live! He had so much more to offer this world than you do..." 

Yifan's breath made a hitching noise as he held Baekhyun close, a tear sliding down his cheek.

"You stayed with me, and you took the curse...even though there was so much pain, and it wasn't even yours to take... "

tears were falling on Baekhyun's face, one landing on his eyelid. Yifan quickly wiped it away, when a small intake of breath was heard, followed by a quiet, rasping voice.

"If that smeared my eyeliner you're dead, you crazy giant..."

"B-baek? " Jongdae almost launched himself over Yifan's shoulder to look at the smaller man, watching in awe as the blackened skin started to withdraw.Jongdae sighed and then chuckled in relief. "Leave it to Baekhyun to come back from the dead to avenge his eyeliner." 

Junmyeon chuckled and texted Yixing to let him know Baekhyun was going to be fine. he watched as Yifan looked at him with a look of awe. He'd really miss Baekhyun as a familiar, but maybe he could come visit.

Junmyeon walked over to Baekhyun and the others.

"Baek...you and I have a contract to work out when you're feeling better."

"Contract this, Myeon.." Baekhyun half wheezed out as he lifted his middle finger weekly. "I quit."
 

*IMPORTANT* I had this saved as a draft for a while and only came back to post it today since someone asked me about it. Updates may be slow as I am dealing with some personal things right now.


*original author note; Alrriiigghhht guys! I am soooo excited! this story is going to be finished soon! 

HUGE thanks to the readers/subs/votes/comments! :D  We've made it so far! woohoo!*

As usual excuse any errors in spelling, etc. 

-Miki