~Chapter 5 – No Other but You and I~

            Messing up comes with the territory of being in a relationship. It's full of nothing but trial and errors. And when neither Hyungwon or Minhyuk verbally established what they wanted, what they expected out of each other, it only makes errors more common. Boyfriends seemed too skewed of a word to describe them and mates was too permanent of a label for their uncertainties.

            No, 'their' wasn't right either. It's not 'their' because the only one who was uncertain was Hyungwon. He was a vampire with no experience in werewolves or imprinting. He never expected for all the centuries that he's survived to come to a point in his life where he would encounter a potential mate in the form of a unrestrained fluffy ray of sunshine named Lee Minhyuk.

            He didn't expect it. He wasn't prepared. He isn't sure how to proceed without messing anything up further. But at the very least Hyungwon knows he has to keep trying because in the end Minhyuk's feelings aren't the only thing that's real and he'd be completely moronic to deny that much. So Hyungwon chases after Minhyuk with everything he has in him; he goes after what he knows he wants to protect and cherish but in the end his idiocy let's Minhyuk slip through his grasps.

            Hyungwon is frantic and desperate. Panic rises and falls with his chest as he puffs for air. He wants to keep going after Minhyuk but the werewolf is out of sight and Hyungwon doesn't even know where to even start. He doesn't go home but he knows he can't keep wasting his energy running all over town and coming up empty. He pulls his phone out and calls Minhyuk's cell, each ring coming up empty, and his hope further plunging to the depths of worry.

            Regret.

            The feeling and thought fills his mind and swirls around raising chaos within him. Hyungwon knows he should have said something. Anything. But his mouth just wouldn't obey, wouldn't spill the honest truth because in the back of his mind there was always the nagging feeling that this wasn't really love and Hyungwon couldn't take that thought. He didn't want to be the only one truly falling.

            It's bull. A part of Hyungwon knows that too but the bigger part of him still wants some sort of confirmation that Minhyuk's love for him isn't composed of nothing more than an impulsive trigger-happy imprint bond. Frustration swells in Hyungwon's throat and he gives out a muffled groan.

            Hyungwon stands in the middle of the street, lost but not clueless. He stares down at his phone that's blaring Minhyuk's number at him with his thumb hovering over the call button once again. Minhyuk won't pick up no matter how many times he calls and he doesn't want to give up until he hears the other's voice but right now all Minhyuk wants is probably space. Hyungwon can understand that but he needs to know if the other is at the very least safe.

            The vampire scrolls through his limited contacts list and hits the call button on the one person he knows would be able to ensure Minhyuk's safety. The dial rings twice before the other line picks up.

            Hyungwon's voice seizes up but he swallows down the lump and squeezes out a meek, "Shownu…"

            "Minhyuk is home," responds the alpha immediately knowing the reason behind Hyungwon's call.

            Although Shownu's voice wasn't in any way blaming or angry but rather calm and reassuring, Hyungwon still found himself flinching involuntarily. He's relieved that Minhyuk is safe but that doesn't ebb his guilt in the slightest. "I-I know I probably shouldn't be asking but is Minhyuk okay?" He starts walking again, this time down the street and back towards the park.

            "…I wouldn't exactly say okay." Shownu pauses before adding on, "He was really upset when he got home."

            Hyungwon slumps down into one of the park benches and dumps his two grocery bags beside him as he readjusts his phone against his ear. Another wave of guilt washes over him, "I'm sorry. It was my fault."

            He expected Shownu to show some sort of anger at him or annoyance, something that indicated his disappointment in the situation but he's surprised to be comforted by the fact that Shownu continues on in a calm tone. "I don't think I'm the one you should be apologizing to if you believe it's your fault."

            "I know but-"

            "Minhyuk's waiting for you."

            Hyungwon in a breath.

            "Well…" Shownu coughs awkwardly, "He didn't exactly say it like that but he does want to see you, he just doesn't know how to go about it."

            "…I want to see him too," Hyungwon admits, "I tried to go after him but I couldn't catch up on time."

            "So what are you going to do now?" Shownu doesn't want to meddle but he knows the both of them could use the push.

            Hyungwon runs through the different scenarios available to him and he knows there's something he has to tackle first before he can really go after Minhyuk. "Can I ask you something? I don’t want to offend you or anything but-"

            "Just ask Hyungwon. I already told you I consider you as a part of the pack."

            Hyungwon's voice quivers after hearing that, "Shownu… The imprint bond… How big of a role does it play in a person's emotion? What they feel is it really still their own? Or is it actually… just the hormones going haywire in their bodies forcing them to feel the way they do?"

            "The imprint bond is just an extra push in the right direction," answers Shownu confidently, "Nothing can force the person to fall in love with their mate. You've heard of the stories where imprinted mates have rejected each other, feelings like this can't be forced."

            "What if they're looking forward to finding their mate?" Hyungwon still wasn't convinced, not yet. "What if one of them is willing to fall in love with whoever the bond dictated to be their choices?"

            "Was that what being with Minhyuk felt like?" questions Shownu.

            Hyungwon remembers back to Minhyuk's willingness to go at Hyungwon's pace, never pushing him for more than the other offered. Minhyuk made every effort to get to know who Hyungwon was and accepted him for it. There wasn't a single moment where Hyungwon thought Minhyuk was being insincere in anything the other ever did. No pressure between the both of them. It was just them and all the time they shared. So his answer only made the realization all the more prominent to him. "No. Not at all."

            "Then doesn't that just answer your own question? The imprint bond shouldn't hinder you. I think by now you realize that Minhyuk is someone you've come to love isn't he?"

            The pressure Hyungwon felt weighing down his chest suddenly evaporates as he sees his insecurities as entirely foolish. "…Hey Shownu?"

            "Yeah?"

            "Thanks."

            Shownu chuckles, "I'm heading to the hunting grounds to pick up Jooheon and Changkyun right now. Minhyuk is at home alone. Thank me after you go get your omega. "

            "Will do," Hyungwon say