The next day Jackson and Bambam come back to check on Jinyoung’s condition. They left Jaebum and Youngjae to watch out for them while they took a rest, but since then they haven’t heard of any updates from the two guys.

They find Jaebum outside Jinyoung’s room, staring pensive at the floor while resting his back against the wall.

“Hey, Jaebum” Jackson eagerly calls the other. Jaebum quickly snaps his head towards them and places a finger against his mouth.

“What’s going on?” Bambam whispers when they reach Jaebum’s position.

Jaebum turns around and opens the door to Jinyoung’s room. Bambam and Jackson follow him silently as Jaebum walks towards their friend’s bed, stopping halfway.

“Youngjae and I dozed off for a moment and when we woke up they were already like this” Jaebum whispers, motioning towards Jinyoung’s stretcher, where Mark is snuggled against his boyfriend and looking at him with bright eyes.

“So it worked” Jackson says. “Mark is awake and he’s going to make Jinyoung wake up too”.

Jaebum smiles to them and nods. Bambam and Jackson smile too, relieved and excited about their friend waking up.

“Are they like…talking with each other mentally or something?” Bambam quietly asks after hearing Mark saying something, still staring at Jinyoung’s sleeping face.

“Yes” Jaebum whispers. “Youngjae and I listened to it for a while but then left because we felt as if we were disturbing their privacy”.

“But where’s Youngjae?” Jackson asks, looking at his surroundings searching for his ‘otter’ friend.

Jaebum shrugs his shoulders.

“I don’t know” he answers. “He said he needed to tell Kyuhyun and ran away, but Kyuhyun came a while ago to check on Jinyoung and Youngjae wasn’t with him. I wanted to look after him but I couldn’t leave the room unattended”.

“Then we’ll take over from here” Jackson says. “Go find your mate. If something happens we’ll call you, don’t worry”.

Bambam nods by his side and Jaebum smiles at them before giving both guys a squeeze on their shoulders.

“Thank you” he mumbles. “I’ll see you later”.

Jackson and Bambam smile to him as he leaves the room. Then they hear a chuckle on their backs and turn around to find Mark smiling at Jinyoung.

“Ah yes, I remember that” Mark mumbles.

Mark falls silent again and Jackson and Bambam stare at him a bit confused.

“Isn’t it a bit creepy?” Jackson whispers. “We can hear Mark but we don’t know what Jinyoung is saying. It feels as if Mark was talking alone and it’s weird”.

“True, but I also find it sweet” Bambam mumbles. “They really look good together”.

Jackson looks at his boyfriend with a ‘really?’ face. Bambam is about to argue when they hear Mark talking again.

“Do you remember that day when we were having lunch at the terrace and I dropped my chopsticks? I’m sure you thought I was the clumsiest person ever but I have to confess that it was your fault”.

Jackson and Bambam can practically hear Jinyoung sassily saying ‘my fault?’ as if he was awake.

“Yes, your fault” Mark continues. “That day was so hot outside, so you ed your shirt a bit and it nearly caused me a heart attack, that’s why I dropped my chopsticks. I was so taken aback by you exposing your skin that my hands stopped working and my chopsticks fell. But it’s okay because thanks to that I got you to feed me from your own chopsticks”.

Mark then chuckles again before snuggling impossibly closer to his sleeping boyfriend.

“Hey, it’s not my fault your skin is so captivating, Jinyoung” Mark whispers. “Everything about you is so damn attractive. You don’t know how hard it was for me to restrain myself from doing something inappropriate to you whenever you passed in front of me with those pants”.

“Okay, now it’s really disturbing” Bambam mutters. “Let’s leave them alone”.

Jackson and Bambam hurriedly leave the room. Mark glances at the door when he hears it closing.

Are they gone?

Mark smiles before resuming staring at the owner of that harmonious voice.

“Yes, we’re alone again” Mark whispers to him.

Finally! Why can’t anyone leave us in peace? I only want you with me now.

“Because they’re your friends and they are worried about you, Jinyoung” Mark answers, caressing Jinyoung’s hair with his fingers.

I know, and I appreciate it, but right now I just want to be with you.

“Fine. But just so you know, I was serious when I was talking about your pants”.

Kihyun is working along with Junmyeon’s pack to make antidotes enough for all of them. They have already done a lot, but as Hyunwoo suggested they are going to make some extra just in case.

“Hi, Kihyun!” Youngjae greets him appearing suddenly in front of him. “What are you doing?”

“Hi, Youngjae” Kihyun greets him back with a smile. “We’re making more antidotes”.

“Do you need help?” Youngjae eagerly asks.

“Don’t worry about that, we’re almost done” Kihyun answers.

Youngjae looks at him a bit disappointed before noticing someone else staring at them with a depressed face.

“Something happened with Changkyun?” Youngjae softly asks Kihyun.

“I’m punishing him” Kihyun shortly answers without even glancing towards Changkyun.

“But why?” Youngjae worriedly asks.

“I’ve discovered that when I was kidnapped Changkyun put the blame on Minhyuk. He mistreated him and I’m punishing him for it” Kihyun answers, glaring directly at Changkyun who pouts even more. “I like him but Minhyuk is my best friend and I won’t tolerate any bad behaviour towards him”.

Youngjae nods and then directs and apologetic glance towards Changkyun.

“Hi cuties” Minhyuk greets them, appearing by their side with Hyunwoo following closely.

“Hi Minhyuk” both Youngjae and Kihyun say in unison.

“Hey Ki” Minhyuk seriously says, “when are you going to stop torturing our poor Changkyunnie? I’ve already forgotten about that and he apologized too. Please stop making him suffer”.

Kihyun looks at Changkyun, who stares at him with hopeful eyes, before glancing back at Minhyuk.

“I will eventually forgive him” Kihyun says, “but he has to suffer a bit first. No one hurts my best friend and leaves unpunished, not even him”.

Minhyuk smiles a little, a bit overwhelmed that Kihyun cares about him that much. Hyunwoo also smiles at the two friends from behind.

“Changing the subject” Minhyuk says, now staring at Youngjae with a bright smile, “Youngjae, do you remember what you made me promise when we were prisoners? And what I made you promise back?”

“I remember” Youngjae answers, “I remember everything now”.

“Good!” Minhyuk happily exclaims. “Then I’m going to fulfil my promise now that you’re with me”.

Youngjae smiles widely, fully knowing what Minhyuk is about to do. Minhyuk turns around facing Hyunwoo, who is a bit startled by Minhyuk’s behaviour.

“Hyunwoo” Minhyuk softly says, taking Hyunwoo’s hand between his, “I remember when I first came to the S.U.S.F. and I messed up a lot, but you were always there telling me that it was fine. I clearly remember the day you came to me and told me you wanted me to accompany you in every mission as your shooter. You’ve been always with me but I’ve never been brave enough to tell you that I’m in love with you, since the beginning of this journey; but after being separated from you and having my memories erased I’ve made up my mind and I’ve decided that I had to tell you, just in case I don’t have an opportunity later”.

Kihyun and Youngjae stare at Hyunwoo as well as Minhyuk, anxiously waiting for his response. Hyunwoo’s mind takes a bit to absorb what Minhyuk has just told him, but when he finally realizes that Minhyuk has just confessed to him, a confession he has been waiting since long time ago, he can’t help but pull Minhyuk into a tight hug.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before either, Minnie” Hyunwoo softly says, “but I love you too. It has always been you, since the day we met”.

Minhyuk’s smile gets even wider and he hugs Hyunwoo back.

“Does that mean we’re boyfriends now?” Hyunwoo innocently asks.

“Super boyfriends!” Minhyuk yells while pecking Hyunwoo’s cheek.

Kihyun and Youngjae squeal by their side.

“That was so beautiful” Youngjae comments.

“I can’t believe it actually happened” Kihyun mumbles, rubbing a finger against his eye to dry a rebel tear.

“Are my eyes seeing correctly?” Jooheon asks, suddenly appearing besides Changkyun. “Are my parents finally getting together?”

“Excuse me, your parents?” Changkyun sassily says. “They are my parents!”

“But Hyunwoo is my dad!” Jooheon shouts while running towards Minhyuk and Hyunwoo and joining the hug.

“Seems like we have two kids now” Hyunwoo jokingly says, earning a lovely grin from Minhyuk.

“This moment deserves some drinks!” Jooheon yells while dragging Hyunwoo and Minhyuk away with him.

“Here you are” another voice comes in, startling Youngjae who hides behind Kihyun.

“Hi, Jaebum” Youngjae shyly asks. Kihyun frowns at him.

“Why are you hiding from me?” Jaebum asks.

“I’m not hiding from you” Youngjae answers, but both Jaebum and Kihyun know that he’s lying.

“No?” Jaebum says, also frowning. “Then mind telling me why are you behind Kihyun?”

Youngjae tugs on Kihyun’s sweater unintentionally. Jaebum’s jaw is starting to pop out from his face and Kihyun knows that’s a bad signal.

Then he remembers Youngjae’s strange behaviour from earlier and also something he said before and he giggles.

“He’s hiding because he remembers you two having ” Kihyun answers.

Youngjae stares at him terrified while Jaebum’s face softens.

“Is that true, Youngjae?” Jaebum asks.

Youngjae shyly nods his head, still not leaving Kihyun’s back.

“You shouldn’t be embarrassed of that” Kihyun tells him, grabbing Youngjae’s hand and pushing him forward towards Jaebum. “It is a normal thing for couples to do. I’m sure Hyunwoo and Minhyuk will be at it soon and I’m also going to do that with Changkyun someday”.

“Too much information” Youngjae hurriedly says, getting his revenge on Kihyun by pushing him away from him and Jaebum.

Kihyun laughs and gives him a wink before disappearing to join Jooheon getting drinks for Hyunwoo and Minhyuk.

Jaebum then approaches the now helpless Youngjae, who is fumbling with the hem of his sweater.

“Youngjae” Jaebum softly says while intertwining his fingers with Youngjae’s, “Kihyun is right. You shouldn’t be embarrassed of that”.

“But it didn’t only happen once, but twice!” Youngjae exclaims. “And somehow it feels weird, because it was me who did it but at the same time it feels foreigner. Am I making any sense?”

“I think I understand what you’re trying to say” Jaebum says, pulling Youngjae closer to caress his face. “If that is what troubles you we can always do it again. We’re mated after all”.

“I would like to” Youngjae says, surprising Jaebum. “But not now. Let’s go check on Mark and Jinyoung, okay?”

“Alright” Jaebum says, already pulling Youngjae with him. “But don’t run away from me like that again. I was worried I did something wrong”.

“Don’t worry, I won’t leave your side” Youngjae says, clinging onto Jaebum’s arm and making his boyfriend giggle.

Even though Jackson and Bambam agreed to not enter Jinyoung’s room again, they find themselves opening the door and sticking their heads inside, just to see Mark caressing Jinyoung’s hair while talking to him with a wide smile attached to his lips.

Jackson and Bambam look at each other, having a conversation with just their eyes. Both of them understand the message and finally they silently get in, approaching Mark and Jinyoung as quieter as they can to not disturb them.

Mark doesn’t seem to have noticed their presence