Seungcheol and Jihoon didn't have the best first encounter in the world. For one, when the older saw Jihoon wandering around Pledis University's campus, he asked how "a little guy like you" managed to find their way in here. Needless to say, Jihoon straight up ignored him after that.

Although, fate had a way of bringing people together. Seungcheol had classes with Jeonghan, who knew Jisoo. And Jisoo and Jihoon produced music together, both avid guitar players. Seungcheol had never actually heard Jihoon sing but he assumed the guy had a higher toned voice given his appearance. So they ended up meeting each other once more, and Jihoon made a face when he recognized who Seungcheol was.

"I'm Choi Seungcheol. Look, I realize we got off on the wrong foot, but I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions and assuming things," Seungcheol said diplomatically, extending his hand for the smaller to shake. Jihoon sighed and accepted the greeting. "Lee Jihoon," was all he said as he pulled away. His voice was not as high as Seungcheol had expected, actually, it was probably lower than Jisoo's when he spoke. 

Jihoon usually had on a bored face, or one that was rather disinterested in the commotion that surrounded him. The only time his eyes seemed to show enthusiasm was when he and Jisoo discussed how they'd arrange a certain song. The older couldn't help but be fascinated as he watched the way Jihoon smiled. He felt something akin to jealousy whenever Jihoon actually laughed at something someone said. It was ridiculous. Maybe it was just Seungcheol's tendency to want to have the upper hand at things, but seeing that Jihoon seemed to enjoy everyone's company but his made him feel resentful.

He was walking by the dorms one day after stopping by to visit Mingyu when he heard something that resembled singing coming from a room. He approached one of the dorms to find that the door was left slightly ajar. He cracked it open and peeked in, hoping he didn't look too suspicious. He realized someone was sitting on a desk chair, facing away from him, his eyes glued to the computer screen in front of him as he fiddled with the guitar. Jihoon.

But the voice. Jihoon's voice was mesmerizing to listen to. It was sheer and sweet, coupled with the melodious strumming of the guitar. Jihoon would sometimes pause and adjust the lyrics to the song he was singing, then type something into the computer. The process then resumed.

Seungcheol was so enraptured he was unaware that he'd taken multiple steps into the flat, gradually approaching Jihoon. It was only when he carelessly stepped on an empty bag of chips on the ground that Jihoon whirled around, the guitar falling off his lap.

"WH-what the hell?!" Jihoon yelped, eyes landing on Seungcheol. "How did you get in here?!"

"Y-you left the door open," Seungcheol stuttered, almost regretful over the fact that Jihoon had stopped singing. 

"That damn Soonyoung, I swear...anyway, get out. How long were you even there?"

Seungcheol had no clue. Not long enough. "Um—I dunno—but listen, your voice is really nice."

Jihoon's pale face took on a rosier glow. "Y-you weren't supposed to hear it..." he mumbled. "A-anyway, do you not have any manners? Who just enters someone's room without knocking?" He glared at Seungcheol accusingly, though the effect was lost to the tinge of red still lingering in his face.

"I couldn't help it. I didn't want to disturb you."

"Well, we both see how well that worked out."

Seungcheol sighed. He may be assertive, but he knew when his presence wasn't wanted. "Okay, okay, I'm leaving."

Just as he was leaving, he heard it. 

"....th-thanks..."

Seungcheol smiled as he closed the door behind him. Maybe the kid wasn't as much of a brat as he'd thought.

"Seungcheol, I told you, the plasmodesma is only found in plant cells!"

"Well how was I supposed to know that?"

"Well, maybe if you actually studied..."

Seungcheol watched as Jihoon looked through the rest of his failed test. Molecular biology was so not his subject. He didn't know what he'd do if Jihoon wasn't taking the class with him. 

"Sheesh, you're hopeless," Jihoon muttered as he handed the test back to Seungcheol. "I even helped you study, too."

"I know, I know," Seungcheol mumbled, lying across his bed. They were in their third year of college and he and Jihoon had finally become roommates. It was honestly the best thing to hear Jihoon practice his singing in the corner of the room on his desk. Seungcheol would never grow tired of it.

It was quiet for a while, which neither of them really minded. It was never an awkward silence for them. More like a comfortable, let's-just-sit-here-and-do-nothing type of silence. Well, Seungcheol was doing nothing. Jihoon, on the other hand, was back to composing.

"So, are you still chasing after Jeonghan?" Jihoon asked casually, eyes on his computer screen.

Seungcheol nearly choked on the can of soda he'd just opened. "H-how did you know about—"

Jihoon turned to him, a sneaky grin on his face. "Because you're totally obvious." 

That cheeky little... "Shut up. And to answer your question, no. I'm pretty sure he and Jisoo are unofficially a thing, anyway."

Jihoon turned back to face his computer screen, a faint smile on his face. "I see."

"Why do you ask?" Jihoon wasn't normally the inquisitive type. Especially not when it came to romance.

"No reason. Just wanted to see you try and deny it."

"Well, what about you, Jihoonie? We never seem to talk about if you have any crushes," Seungcheol instigated, leaning forward a little.

Jihoon rolled his eyes. "I don't do romance."

"Aw, come on? Not even one tiny little crush? The cute guy next door, perhaps?" Seungcheol loved teasing the younger. It was just so amusing to see him pull faces and roll his eyes or whatever it was that Jihoon did.

Jihoon's face turned red, evidence that the words were getting to him. "No," he repeated.

"Then again, I'm guessing you'd be the cute guy in the relationship. Is it some thug? Are you into the dangerous type?" Seungcheol got off the bed and approached Jihoon from behind. 

"I don't have a type," Jihoon muttered, refusing to acknowledge the older behind him.

"Oh, I bet you do. Is it someone we know? It better not be Jisoo, because he's basically Jeonghan's anyway. Is it Jisoo?" 

The back of Jihoon's neck and ears were flushed scarlet. "No, and can you shut up? I'm trying to work here."

Seungcheol responded by draping his arms over Jihoon's shoulders, hugging him loosely. "Okay."

"How am I supposed to work like this?" Jihoon asked in exasperation.

"Just tell me who you have a crush on and I'll leave you in peace."

"I don't have a crush on anybody!"

"Then, what's your type?"

"I don't have one!"

Jihoon finally spun around. His entire face was rosy red, and Seungcheol patted himself on the back for making Jihoon so flustered. "Why does it bother you so much, anyway?"

Seungcheol paused. "Well...because you know who I once liked so it's only fair that I do too..."

Jihoon groaned. "Fine, my type is people who aren't annoying, aren't clingy, aren't demanding, and aren't you," he spat, turning back to his work.

Ouch. Seungcheol finally retreated, a pout on his face. "You're so mean, Jihoonie..."

Jihoon responded with a snort, eyes glued to his screen. Seungcheol gave up and flopped onto the bed, exhausted after failing a biology test for the 3rd time this semester.

When he awoke in a daze, he found that someone had placed a blanket over his body and shut off the lights. He turned, trying to figure out what time it was. 3:34 AM. Well, his sleep schedule was a mess anyway, so he got out of bed.

He heard rustling in their makeshift kitchen and peeked around the corner to find Jihoon sitting on a stool next to the kitchen counter, flipping through pages in a textbook, occassionally yawning and combating his drowsiness by taking a sip of coffee, the small overhead lamp being his source of light. 

"Jihoon, you're still up?" Seungcheol asked groggily, though not surprised. Jihoon often stayed up way past the hour he should.

Jihoon looked up, his eyes beginning to look weary at the corners. "Mm, sorry, did I wake you up? I tried to be quiet," he responded.

"No, I got up on my own. You shouldn't be studying here, the lighting's too dim."

"I didn't want to disturb you."

Seungcheol smiled and pulled up a stool next to the younger. "I take back what I said about you being mean, so just come back and go get some sleep, okay?"

Jihoon stared at the textbook for a moment before slowly closing it shut. "Fine," he grumbled, getting down from the stool. He actually had to hop off since his legs were hanging above the ground and Seungcheol resisted the urge to call him out for him in the teasing way he always did. 

Seungcheol knew that even if Jihoon didn't seem like it, he was a caring person. Now if only Jihoon would show that kind of care while Seungcheol was actually awake, then he'd be all set.

"You're not coming to Hansol's?" Seungcheol asked, trying not to sound too disappointed. Jihoon was no party animal by any means, but would it kill him to show up once in a while and just let loose?

The smaller shook his head, his overgrown bangs ruffling over his eyes as he returned to his computer.. "Need to finish up the song Jisoo and I were working on. Sorry."

Seungcheol sighed. "You've been looking really tired lately, Jihoon. If you're not gonna go, at least promise me you'll go to sleep at a decent hour."

"I'll see what I can do. No promises, though."

Seungcheol walked up next to him. "Okay, eyes on me. How do I look?"

Jihoon glanced at Seungcheol, his eyes widening imperceptibly as he took in the older's appearance. Seungcheol knew he looked good, he always dressed to impress at these sort of gatherings. Tight fitting shirt and even tighter fitting pants. Decked out head to toe in black, a leather jacket loosely covering his torso. It was killer.

Jihoon didn't respond for a moment, quickly turning back to his computer screen. "You look fine," he muttered.

Fine wasn't good enough for him. "Aw come on, be more descriptive. Does my hair look okay? My makeup?"

Jihoon found Seungcheol's face and his eyes landed on Seungcheol's tinted lips. For whatever reason Seungcheol felt nervous as Jihoon examined him. It left his gut tingling, but not in an unpleasant way.

"Yeah, you look good. Now hurry on to your party or whatever." Jihoon's face was beginning to take on its more rosier counterpart, and Seungcheol smiled.

"Okay okay. You can just tell me that you think I look y. I wouldn't mind."

Jihoon choked on air, coughing harshly. "Wh-why the hell—would I—"

"Because you do, don't you?" Seungcheol lowered his voice, aware that goosebumps were visible on Jihoon's exposed arms. It excited him for no apparent reason.

Jihoon rolled his eyes, reaching for a nearby object and hurling it at Seungcheol. "Just shut it and go already, idiot."

Well, enough teasing for today. Maybe later. Seungcheol smirked and patted Jihoon on the head, narrowly avoiding a kick to the shin before leaving out the door. "Bye, Jihoonie!"

"Yeah, bye..."

Jihoon patted his own face, aware that they'd heated up. Stupid Seungcheol. What is he dressing up for, a strip club? Jeez...

He ignored the way his heart was thudding in his chest. After all, Seungcheol would always just see him as a little kid he could make fun of. Nothing more.

Jihoon finally finished rearranging and finalizing the song. He figured Jisoo was probably staying at the dorms as well, so he got off his chair and headed out. Sure, it was 2 in the morning, but who actually slept early on a Friday night?

As he approached Jisoo's dorm, he realized something was very wrong. An ambulance was parked outside their dormitory, and he watched as it pulled away, lights blaring.

Filled with dread, he reached Jeonghan and Jisoo's shared flat. The door was being closed and locked up by an employee. "What's going on?" Jihoon asked.

The guy looked at him. "The kid in this room was taken by the ambulance. Something about his legs not working. His roommate went with him, too."

"Wh-which one was it?"

"Um—the guy with black hair. His roommate had blonde hair, I think." 

Jisoo. Jihoon tried not to panic as he called Jeonghan. The latter didn't answer, which was rare of him, as he had his phone on him at all times. He then tried Jisoo, but that didn't work either. So he resorted to other measures.

"Jihoonie? What's up, you never call—"

"S-Seungcheol, is Jeonghan there?"

"No, he left a while back. Why?"

"C-can you try calling him?"

"Sure, but is everything okay?"

"Just call him. I-I'm hanging up now." Not giving the older the chance to argue, he disconnected the call, waiting anxiously as he paced back and forth in front of Jisoo and Jeonghan's room. After a minute, Seungcheol's name popped up on his screen and he nearly broke his phone trying to answer it. 

"Hello?"

"Yeah, Jeonghan's not answering. Is everything okay?"

"I-I think something happened—there was an ambulance here and some guy just came and he just told me—"

"Jihoon, calm down, you're talking really fast. Wait, where are you?"

"In front of their dorm."

"Okay, stay right there." And he hung up.

Seungcheol must have been speeding because he reached Jihoon in an instant. "Jihoon!"

Jihoon turned to him, eyes filled with worry. "Seungcheol..."

"I just overheard someone say something about Jisoo on a stretcher, what the hell's going on?"

"I don't know..."

Seungcheol took Jihoon's hand and stalked over to a group of students. "Did you guys see what happened?"

They all nodded. "An ambulance came and they carted that guy—Jisoo I think, on a stretcher into the ambulance. His roommate was with him. Then they went away."

"What happened? Was Jisoo unconscious?"

"Er...I don't think so..."

Seungcheol whipped out his phone, praying Jeonghan would answer. He still wasn't picking up, and now they were all worried. Seungcheol cursed, dragging Jihoon with him to the information center, hoping someone actually knew what happened.

The lady at the desk gave him a sad look. "We were just informed that he was taken because he complained his legs weren't working. That's all we know, I'm sorry."

"Which hospital?"

The lady gave him directions to the nearest hospital, and Seungcheol continued to grip Jihoon's hand as he pulled him outside. 

"Seungcheol, we can't just ask to see him. We have to have either been there or be family members," Jihoon pointed out as Seungcheol called a cab.

"I don't care, I'll make them let me in."

Jihoon didn't try and argue. He just sat next to Seungcheol as they reached the hospital. Not once did Seungcheol release his hand as they made their way to the front desk.

"Hong Jisoo," he stated to the clerk.

The woman shook her head. "We aren't allowing visitors right now. Come back tomorrow."

"Wait—"

"Seungcheol? Jihoon?"

The pair turned around and found Jeonghan, his face fatigued and eyes red at the corners. Jisoo's parents were close behind, his mother sobbing and father holding her tightly. 

"Jeonghan!" Seungcheol said, looking both relieved and anxious. "What's going on?"

Jeonghan merely shook his head, looking burned out. "I-it's Jisoo," he said in a gravely voice. He clearly did not look like he wanted to elaborate, so Seungcheol, still holding Jihoon's hand with his left hand, wrapped an arm around Jeonghan with his right, and the group called a taxi and headed back.

As they were walking Jeonghan back to his dorm, the latter turned and faced them. "Jisoo...he has brain cancer. Stage 3."

Jihoon's knees buckled and luckily Seungcheol was holding him up. He knew stage 3 brain cancer was almost always irreversible. It couldn't be...

Seungcheol stayed silent for a moment, trying to process the information. "How is he right now?"

Jeonghan cast his eyes down. "His legs aren't working, so he has to stay at the hospital. He was smiling when I saw him..." Jeonghan's eyes grew glassy and he sniffed. "I'm going now, goodnight." 

They bid him goodnight, gloom hanging over the pair as they reached their own dorm. Seungcheol finally let go of the smaller's hand, his tight grip leaving Jihoon's palm reddened. Jihoon climbed into bed, all drive leaving him. 

"Jihoon?"

"Yeah?"

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Seungcheol."

The next day, the mood was overcast and dark. Jeonghan finally told the rest of their friends, and the news was devastating for all of them. Seungcheol gripped Jihoon's hand beneath the table, and Jihoon squeezed back just slightly. Whatever this meant, they'd be going through it together.

Eventually, they all got the chance to visit Jisoo at the hospital. He was recovering, slowly, but it was progress. Jisoo's smile never left his face as he greeted them, and Jihoon wondered how someone could be so strong despite the odds stacked against him. Jihoon had stopped going on his computer and working on his music, instead visiting Jisoo in his free time. Seungcheol noticed the change in Jihoon, as the smaller wasn't as sharp-tongued with him anymore. His eyes were always keen and thoughtful. 

About a month later, Jisoo's legs had fully recovered, and he could walk just like how he used to. The first thing he did was hug his parents, then Jeonghan. Jihoon felt something shift in the way they looked at each other. And the next thing he and the others knew, the two were kissing.

Well, as much as Jihoon hated public displays of affection, the action was so long-awaited and prized that he smiled. Eventually, though, a few people coughed, reminding them that they were present as well. Jisoo broke away first, blushing up a storm, while Jeonghan seemed more reluctant to let go, which they all found rather endearing.

Seungcheol had totally seen this coming and resisted the urge to yell "called it!" His eyes found Jihoon, who was actually smiling at the pair. It tugged at the older's heartstrings and he pulled the younger closer to him, noticing the fact that Jihoon leaned in to his touch. After some more hugs were exchanged, they gradually left the hospital. 

"I'm glad," Seungcheol said as they returned to the campus.

"Me too. Always knew they'd be a thing."

"Pretty sure everybody did."

They looked at each other, Jihoon's face breaking into a smile. Seungcheol was itching to pinch his cheeks, but the last thing he wanted was for that smile to disappear, so he contented himself to just keeping an arm wrapped around the smaller. 

Jihoon didn't say the other thing that was on his mind. That deep down, he was wishing for something similar to what they'd just seen. But no, he was fine with they way things were just now. He looked up at Seungcheol, feeling another smile threatening to expose itself. Maybe.

Jihoon walked back to his room one day to find balloons in his room. He stared at them, confused, when Seungcheol popped up.

"Happy anniversary! It's been a year since we became roommates!"

Jihoon rolled his eyes. "What the heck, who actually does stuff like this?"

"I do. Now come on, we have to celebrate!" Seungcheol pulled out a small heart shaped cake and placed it on the kitchen counter. Okay, the heart may be a tad bit excessive but the older couldn't help himself. 

Jihoon flushed. "This is so extra..." he muttered, sitting down on a stool.

"Anything for you, Jihoonie," Seungcheol crowed, and Jihoon smacked him lightly on the shoulder. That's when he noticed the writing on the cake.

Seungcheol + Jihoon forever! Happy 1 year anniversary!

Jihoon coughed, his blush deepening. "Where did you even get this?" 

"Some bakery downtown. Told them it was our anniversary to keep things simple."

Jihoon shook his head, face scarlet. "You're a complete idiot, you know that? They'll get the wrong idea. And aren't we too young to be married, anyway?" 

He regretted those word the moment they left his mouth. Seungcheol's eyes glinted and he smirked, leaning in closer. "Well, someone's been thinking ahead," he said, his voice growing lower and Jihoon hate hate hated that goosebumps were clearly showing on his skin. Dammit.

"Sh-shut up." He grabbed a plastic knife and cut a piece of the cake, shoveling it into his mouth to avoid having to speak. Seungcheol gave him an amused look before digging in as well. He could almost feel the taunting remarks Seungcheol was holding back and ate faster. He almost wanted to ask what are we? because lately, Seungcheol had been leaving him so confused. 

When Jisoo pulled out of school due to his health, the mood, which had been pretty light as of late, grew somber once more. It was just another reminder that Jisoo's health was going downhill. Jihoon's heart constricted everytime he saw the song that they'd been working on left unfinished. It was like Jisoo was already gone, and he hated himself for even imagining such a thing would happen.

Things finally hit the dirt one day when they all had a meetup at a local restaurant. The place was busy and really loud, so the group could talk as loud as they wanted. Everything was going fine until Chan stood up, pointing at Jisoo.

"I can't take it anymore!" the youngest cried out. "How can you be so happy all the time, hyung? We never seem to talk about the fact that you have cancer, that you're dying, that—"

"CHAN!" 

Jihoon couldn't believe that the normally sweet and more quiet of the group was exhibiting such behavior. He saw Jisoo's smile fade as Chan kept going, despite the fact that others were trying to get him to shut up.

The next thing he knew, Jeonghan had lunged at Chan with a ferocity he wouldn't never expected, and the pair hit the ground. Customers began turning their way, shouting, while their friends were screaming at them to stop.

Seungcheol and Mingyu were the quickest, yanking Jeonghan off Chan and pinning his arms behind his back. Jeonghan wouldn't relent, kicking at them to release him, and it scared them all so much. Seungcheol turned and to his shock he found Jisoo's body shaking with tears. He couldn't take it anymore.

"JEONGHAN, YOU ING IDIOT, LOOK AT JISOO!" 

And finally Jeonghan's bloodlust disappeared and he reached out for Jisoo. But before he could do anything, Jisoo landed on the ground, his legs giving away. Jihoon knew what was wrong immediately. Jisoo wasn't taking enough oxygen in. 

"Seungcheol—Jisoo's not breathing—!" Jihoon yelled, getting up and trying to push past the crowd surrounding him.

Seungcheol heard and was able to reach Jisoo quickly, tilting the male's head up and urging him to breathe. Jisoo was sobbing uncontrollably, and Seungcheol wasn't even sure he could hear him. Then Jeonghan was there, telling Jisoo he was here, and Jisoo's cries let up. But then Jisoo ran off to the restroom, Jeonghan following after him.

Seungcheol hadn't even realized how heavily he'd been breathing until he felt a pat on his shoulder. Jihoon looked down at him, hand outstretched. Seungcheol took it, nearly pulling Jihoon down with him as he stood up. 

"They'll...they'll be okay," Jihoon whispered, watching as the group around him were explaining to the staff what happened. Seungcheol nodded, pulling out his card since he'd offered to pay, then waiting until finally, the pair returned from the restroom, puffy eyed.

They headed outside, Jeonghan and Chan apologizing. Jihoon bit his bottom lip harshly, reliving what just happened. Jisoo had been so close to returning to the ER. Thank god he was okay. Well, as far as okay could go. 

He could see Seungcheol still shaken up over the incident and slid his hand into the older's, like it was the most natural thing to do. Seungcheol's grip comforted him, and Jihoon held onto the feeling while he could.

It was Jihoon's turn to check in with Jisoo. Jeonghan had vehemently requested that someone be with him at all times, and no one really was against it, so they all took turns hanging out in his dorm while Jeonghan attended classes.

Jihoon had gotten the resignation letter from Jisoo and frowned. "You quit the singing performance we were going to have," he cited. He didn't want it to come out accusatory or anything, just wanted some clarifications.

Jisoo's face darkened momentarily. "Yes, I'm sorry, but I don't want something to happen onstage. Besides..I think I'm beginning to lose control of my fingers," he whispered, and Jihoon heard his voice cracking at those words. "I-I tried tuning my guitar and fingers—they were so clumsy—they didn't feel like my own."

Jihoon felt his heart twist at those words and sat down next to him, placing his hands over Jisoo's fidgeting ones. He could see that even when Jisoo smiled back at him, his eyes were afraid. 

"C-can we stay like this?" the older asked quietly.

"Of course." 

So that was how Jisoo ended up falling asleep on Jihoon's shoulder, their hands together. When Jeonghan arrived, Jihoon could already see the face he was about to make and glared at him threateningly. He was only doing this for Jisoo. He watched Jeonghan tuck Jisoo in tenderly before turning to him.

"Thanks," he said, smiling down at him.

Jihoon waved him off. "Don't worry about it."

Of course, Jeonghan ended up blabbing to Seungcheol about it, and so Jihoon had to resort to throwing empty paper cups at him to try and get him to shut up.

"Aw, you'd never let me fall asleep on your shoulder," Seungcheol whined, and Jihoon tossed yet another object at him. "Just shut up, will you?"

When Seungcheol heard from Jeonghan, who was snickering slightly over it, it left him with that familiar feeling of envy. Which was beyond stupid of him because the situations were completely different. Still, the fact that Jihoon had a soft spot for Jisoo...he couldn't help himself. 

Then again, lately Jihoon and Seungcheol had begun holding hands out of habit. It seemed like the younger didn't seem to mind, and it made Seungcheol feel giddy, like he'd accomplished something big. And of course he noticed whenever Jihoon squeezed back.

But Jihoon was always so different, so gentle around Jisoo. Seungcheol could hardly believe it when he saw Jihoon go up first and hug Jisoo at Hansol's latest party. Jihoon would never have hugged Seungcheol first. True, Jisoo had just said something really corny and sweet, but still. Seungcheol was corny 24/7 and could barely get a reaction out of Jihoon besides maybe a red face if he tried hard enough.

"What?" Jihoon asked as he saw Seungcheol looking at him. The pair were alone as everybody had shifted outside.

"Nothing. You really care about him, don't you?"

And there was Jihoon's typical pink face. "Well, of course—I mean, we've known each other for a while—and right now, he's, you know..."

"I know I know, I'm just teasing you," Seungcheol said, pulling Jihoon closer to him in a semi-hug as he always did. "You really look like a different person when you're with him. It's sweet."

Jihoon mumbled something incoherent, his face still on fire.

And then the strangest thing happened. 

Jihoon looked up at Seungcheol, his eyes landing on Seungcheol's lips. And the older's breath hitched in his throat, realizing how close they were, how easy it would be to close the distance between them. They were all alone, it was possible. Jihoon's lips were red from the fruit punch, looking all the more tempting, one hand on Seungcheol's chest. I could do it. I could totally do it.

But then the moment was gone and Jihoon was pulling away, the back of his neck red. "We should go meet up with the others now before they do something stupid."

"Y-yeah," Seungcheol replied, his voice slightly breathless. What was that? What was I going to do just now?

Jihoon's heart was racing as he stepped outside, allowing the cool air to combat the heat on his face. Dammit, Lee Jihoon. Get it together, will you?

The group was all sitting on the ground outside, trying to set sparklers off with little success. Jihoon watched them, wondering what this new development was. Wondering how long he'd have to fight these feelings that were growing in his chest.

Seungcheol sat down next to him, hands curling into the grass as he stretched in place. "I'm already so tired," the older mumbled.

"You can always go back in and take a nap. I doubt they'll notice."

Seungcheol turned to him, his eyes flickering to Jihoon's legs. "Found a better place," he announced, and before they knew it, Seungcheol's head was lying on Jihoon's lap.

The youngest flinched in surprise as Seungcheol looked up at him with a smirk. "You don't mind, do you?"

Jihoon sighed. Whatever. "Do what you want," he replied, looking away.

Seungcheol wondered what caused Jihoon to change so much. Was it Jisoo? Jihoon had always been so sharp with his words and refused to show affection, at least not with others watching. And everybody had noticed by now that Seungcheol was lying there.

Well, whatever it was, he was happy nonetheless. And a part of him was hoping for more. And hoping that Jihoon did, too.

Things took a turn for the worse one day when Seungcheol received a call from Soonyoung, who in a choked voice said something about Jisoo being back at the hospital. Seungcheol didn't wait, he left class and headed straight there. Soonyoung kept crying, so Seungcheol could do nothing besides wait. He got a call from Jihoon asking why he hadn't shown up to class and responded that he was at the hospital. So the next thing he knew, Jihoon was there next to him, sitting on a bench with their hands entwined. Only the oldest ones in their group of friends showed up, being the sole ones informed. And then the doctor revealed the terrible news.

"He's progressed to stage four."

Jihoon felt like his lungs had constricted and took sharp breaths. He put his head in his hands. "How are we going to tell the others? His parents?"

"I can't...I can't believe this," Seungcheol said, and it was clear from his wavering voice that he was trying not to cry. 

And when Jeonghan realized that Jisoo was being taken away from him, Jihoon put his face on Seungcheol's shoulder, the pain becoming too much.

Eventually, they all had to leave, and the moment they reached the dorm, Jihoon headed straight to the bathroom and closed the door before losing it. Tears streamed down his face like a waterfall, he held onto the edge of the sink tightly, his knees shaking. Choked sobs escaped his throat as the truth hit him like a meteorite. He heard Seungcheol open the door and come up behind him, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug, trembling violently as he cried as well.

They stayed like that for a long time. It could have been hours, it could have been days, or maybe it was just a few minutes. But eventually Seungcheol let go of Jihoon, his eyes red. And Jihoon turned around, clutching the front of Seungcheol's shirt tightly. Tears continued to silently slide down his face. Jihoon was so adept to holding back his pain, that when he let go, it all came out at once and didn't stop, so the tears came ceaselessly.

Seungcheol reached out and wiped Jihoon's tears away with his sleeve, cupping the younger's face with his hands. "It's late, we should go to bed..." he murmured in a hoarse voice.

Jihoon didn't answer, just gazing back at him with gleaming eyes. And Seungcheol didn't want to let go. He pulled Jihoon with him onto his bed, embracing the younger beneath the covers. Jihoon didn't protest, just accepted the embrace as the pair fell asleep in each other's arms.

Jihoon woke up, feeling like . His eyes were heavy and his face was still damp from shedding tears. He groaned and rolled over, and ended up face to face with Seungcheol. He let out little yelp from surprise before trying to back away, then realized Seungcheol's arms were locked in place around him, meaning no escape. 

Worse still, Seungcheol was already wide awake, his eyes on Jihoon.

He smiled at the younger, whose face was already starting to redden. "Good morning." His voice was still husky.

"M-morning," Jihoon stammered, struggling to get out of Seungcheol's hold. The older responded by squeezing him even tighter. "S-Seungcheol, we have class..."

"Don't feel like it."

Jihoon sighed. "At least let go of me."

"Mm....don't feel like it."

"Seungcheol..." He could see how weary and red the older's eyes had become. Without thinking, he reached out and lightly grazed Seungcheol's cheek with his fingers. Seungcheol froze, not expecting that at all.

"Are you alright?" the smaller asked, looking at him with somber eyes.

"W-well, for the most part," he responded, still lost in the feeling of Jihoon's hand his face. It gave Jihoon the opportunity to break out of Seungcheol's arms, sitting up in the bed. Seungcheol stared at him, aware that his heart was thumping a bit too fast.

"I'm going to have breakfast," Jihoon mumbled, getting up and going to the restroom. It reminded Seungcheol of last night where they'd both broken down in there. Just the thought made him clench his teeth. As if hearing about Jisoo's condition wasn't heartbreaking enough, seeing Jihoon try to hide his tears was enough to throw Seungcheol over the edge.

Jihoon looked at himself in the mirror. Just as he'd expected, his eyes matched Seungcheol's, red and puffed up, and overall he both felt and looked like . As he was brushing his teeth, he saw Seungcheol come in behind him.

"You should really learn to knock, " Jihoon said as he spat out his toothpaste. "What if I was at the toilet?"

"We have a lock."

"It doesn't work."

"Oh, right."

Seungcheol started brushing his teeth as well, chuckling at his reflection in the mirror. "I look like I was either really high or really sad. Or maybe both."

Jihoon put the toothbrush back, toweling off his face. "That makes two of us."

He headed to the kitchen to pour himself some cereal. As he was eating, Seungcheol came in and sat next to him.

"Jihoon," Seungcheol's voice turned serious. "Don't try and hide your feelings all the time. It's...it's not healthy."

Jihoon munched on his food slowly, his eyes downcast. "Yeah...I know. Can't help it." He wasn't about to deny the truth.

"Are you still going to class?" 

Jihoon put down his spoon and faced him. "I-I guess. Better than staying here and doing nothing."

"I don't think I'm gonna go. Stay with me, please?" Seungcheol even pulled the puppy eyes. Dammit.

Jihoon smiled, he couldn't help himself. "Fine, whatever. Maybe I'll work on my History paper—"

"No, you're sleeping with me. Let's go back to bed."

Jihoon's eyes widened. "Wh-what?"

Seungcheol's eyes narrowed, a mischievous look in them that Jihoon was all too accustomed to. That didn't make him any less wary to it, though. "Let's sleep together. I like it more than sleeping by myself."

Jihoon's heart raced as Seungcheol leaned in towards him, a hand reaching over and wrapping around the small of his back. "Okay?" The older's voice had dropped several octaves once more, and Jihoon was on the edge of his seat, unable to look away.

"O-okay," he said quickly, and Seungcheol smiled, grabbing Jihoon's hand and the pair went back to Seungcheol's bed. "I would say good night, but it's 8 in the morning, so maybe not," the older said as he lay next to Jihoon. Thankfully, he wasn't coddling Jihoon's body this time, but one arm was still stretched lazily across Jihoon's stomach. "See you in a couple hours."

"Mm," Jihoon mumbled, wondering how the hell he ended up agreeing to this. In the past, he would've dropkicked Seungcheol for even suggesting it. I guess I've changed more than I thought. 

Still, change wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"So, Mingyu and Wonwoo are now a thing," Seungcheol said as he stretched across his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Yeah, I heard."

"It's like all our friends are hooking up these days. Next thing you know, we'll be the only single ones left."

Jihoon snorted. "I've always been single, so that's nothing new."

Seungcheol sat up, turning to face Jihoon who was on his computer, as usual. "Well, I can change that."

Jihoon choked on his drink—dammit, he really needed to learn to not be eating or drinking around this guy—and began coughing endlessly. Seungcheol noticed he wasn't letting up so he approached him worriedly, and finally Jihoon stopped, his face a mess.

"Sorry, didn't expect you to nearly die," Seungcheol said apologetically, patting Jihoon on the head. Jihoon flinched at his touch and spun around in his chair, arms crossed. 

"Okay, Seungcheol, I get that you're naturally a flirt, but could you at least not try that out on me?" he accused, ignoring the way his heart jumped at the older's words.

"But you're my favorite person to try it out on," Seungcheol contested, smirking when Jihoon flushed. God, he would never grow tired of the younger's reactions.

"You'll get people's hopes up if you keep pulling like that," the smaller replied, trying to keep his face neutral.

"What, am I getting your hopes up?" Seungcheol asked, feeling giddy at the mere thought.

"As if," Jihoon responded snarkily, turning back around. 

"Jihoon," Seungcheol said, and , he was back to using that stupidly low voice of his that caused butterflies to appear in Jihoon's gut. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah?"

"If I said I liked you, what would you do?"

Jihoon was sure he misheard what Seungcheol just said. He spun back around, trying to keep his calm facade going. "Wh-why?"

"I just need to know. So, what would you do?"

Jihoon gulped at the steady look in Seungcheol's eyes. It made him feel exposed and laid bare. And he hated that feeling of vulnerability. It was why when he first recognized his feelings for Seungcheol, he immediately shoved it into a corner of his heart and locked it away, determined to never reveal them, no matter what.

"I-I guess—um...can..can we not talk about this?" he said in a quiet voice, his words tapering off. He didn't trust himself enough to not lay out his heart for Seungcheol to see. 

Seungcheol frowned, furrowing his eyebrows. "Why? Does it make you uncomfortable?" The thought discouraged him, but he needed to know.

"N-no, it's just—I-I can't..."

"You can't what?"

"I just can't...."

"Jihoonie, you're gonna have to clarify."

"I can't let you know my feelings! Because goddammit Seungcheol, I've liked you since forever ago, but—"

. He'd said too much. He could see the look of disbelief on Seungcheol's face and stood up. "I'm leaving."

"Wait—Jihoon!"

But Jihoon had already flown out the door, his little legs much faster than they looked as he took off.

Seungcheol stood there, stunned. No way, did that really just happen? D-did Jihoon really just...confess to me?

Seungcheol realized his mouth was hanging open and shut it, flabbergasted beyond belief. And now his heart was catching up to him and he blushed vividly. Wait, I like him too, so that means...

But Jihoon had just bolted out of the room, which meant clearly, something was bothering him. Annoyed at himself or being unable to stop him, Seungcheol headed outside, looking around to see if he could find the guy.

Jihoon sprinted past curious onlookers, determined to not be found by a certain male that shared a room with him. He ended up at the other end of the campus, near the library before collapsing onto a bench in exhaustion. He looked up at the sky, cursing himself for blabbering too much. You idiot.

Truth be told, Jihoon hadn't always been so closed off. But after being ridiculed and mocked for his height back in high school, he'd come to realize that people couldn't be trusted, that one should close themselves off to avoid having their heart crushed. After hearing the stupid girl he'd had a crush on taunt him behind his back, Jihoon was certain nothing good ever came out of love. People would always see him as a child, so the best he could do was pull a stoic face and never show any emotions that would reveal the childish side of him.

But then Choi freaking Seungcheol showed up and things began to change. Seungcheol was so damn persistent, going out of his way to make sure they became roommates, and then always teasing him in a lighthearted way. But the damn flirting always left him a mess. It made him wonder if Seungcheol possibly had deeper feelings for him. Jihoon kept brushing it off, but eventually Seungcheol made his way into his heart. How could he not, with how damn extra he was, with the way he always hugged Jihoon and held his hands?

Jihoon was wandering the area aimlessly, this part of the campus being empty. He felt tears prickle his vision and clenched his fists. The sky was being helpful too, as it turned overcast and stormy looking. 

The next thing he knew, someone had grabbed him from behind, holding onto him tightly. "Jihoon," the voice of the very person Jihoon feared was whispering into his ear. 

Jihoon struggled, trying to pry Seungcheol off of him. But the older refused, burrowing his face into Jihoon's hair. "I'm not letting go unless you promise not to run away."

Jihoon still hadn't said a word, but the desperation was clear. He kept struggling, and eventually Seungcheol turned him around. Seungcheol saw the tears overflowing in Jihoon's eyes and felt a sharb jab in his stomach.

"J-Jihoon? What's wrong?"

Jihoon shook his head, still trying to break free. Seungcheol lowered himself until he was face to face with the younger. "Dammit, tell me what's wrong or I'll kiss you right now."

Jihoon stiffened, looking up. The tears were silently making their way down his face just as the sky overhead began to pour, rain splattering onto the dry sidewalk. 

"I'm serious, you know." He leaned in, hands cupping Jihoon's face. 

Jihoon sniffed. "N-nothing. Let go."

"I'm one second away from kissing you."

"D-don't you dare..."

"Then tell me what's wrong!" he tried not to shout, but the anxiousness and worry was eating him alive.

Jihoon sniffed once more, his small hands unclenching the material of Seungcheol's shirt. "F-fine, but can you please let go?" His voice sounded so broken that Seungcheol had no choice but to relent and release him, even if every fiber of him was itching to hug the younger as tightly as possible.

"C-can you forget what I said back there? I didn't mean it," Jihoon lied, avoiding Seungcheol's eyes, his hair plastered to his forehead due to the rain.

"You didn't mean it," Seungcheol repeated slowly, narrowing his eyes.

"N-no. It was just a slip of the tongue."

"So you didn't mean it when you said you couldn't let me know about your feelings, that you've liked me since forever ago? All of that was 'a slip of the tongue'?" Seungcheol didn't mean to sound angry, but he could feel himself beginning to fume. "Bull."

Jihoon flinched. He could almost see the rage in Seungcheol's eyes. "I-it's the truth."

"Then look me in the eyes and say it again. That you don't like me. Say it." 

Jihoon looked at him, his knees trembling. The tears were still pouring out of his eyes as he stammered, "I-I don't like y—"

The sentence was cut off when Seungcheol yanked his arm with enough force to send him flying as their lips crashed against each other, Jihoon colliding into Seungcheol's arms. He gasped into the kiss and tried to pull away but Seungcheol was furiously holding onto him, his kiss turbulent and commanding. Jihoon was losing the will to fight as the kiss deepened and Seungcheol's arms wrapped around him, holding him in place. The rain was drenching them both, but neither noticed. Nor cared. It was too good to be true. 

Seungcheol finally let go, but his eyes were on fire, his jaw set as he stared down Jihoon. "Say it again, I dare you," he seethed.

Jihoon was trembling, his lips quaking as he tried not to sob. "S-Seungcheol..."

"Dammit Jihoon, why won't you just tell me how you really feel?" Seungcheol pleaded, his eyes growing condolent. "It's killing me, you know!"

And that's when Jihoon felt the lock on his heart click and his secrets fly out with it. "B-because—I'm scared—I'm scared Seungcheol—" he sobbed, and Seungcheol was already there, hugging him tightly, running a hand down his back. 

"Scared of what?" he asked softly, all anger from before disappearing in an instant.

"I don't—I don't want to be hurt—I don't want to cry anymore-" Well that sure turned out well, didn't it?

"Are you afraid I'm going to hurt you?" Seungcheol asked gently, rubbing Jihoon's back comfortingly. 

"N-no—I just—I'm afraid—I'm not g-good enough for you—" 

Seungcheol pulled back, frowning. "There's no way that's true, Jihoon."

But Jihoon kept crying, so he reached over and wiped the tears away, unsure if it was rainwater that littered the younger's face. "Y-yes it is—"

Seungcheol cut him off by kissing him again, this time less harshly and more tenderly, caressing the younger's face as his lips met Jihoon's tear dampened ones. 

"If you say that again I'm going to kiss you," he threatened once more as he pulled away.

Jihoon sniffed, blinking slowly. "Th-then...d-do you like me too?" The vulnerability in his voice was evident and it made Jihoon want to curl up into a ball and disappear.

Seungcheol smiled warmly, pinching Jihoon's cheeks just because he could. "Of course I do, dummy. Who threatens people with kisses if they don't like them?"

"Flirts like you?"

"Can I tell you a secret?" Seungcheol said, motioning for Jihoon to come closer. He then whispered into the younger's ear, "I only ever flirted with one person. And he's standing right in front of me."

Jihoon recoiled backwards, his face on fire. Seungcheol chuckled and held Jihoon's hand. "We should go back now, we're gonna catch a cold at this rate."

They left the dormitory as friends, and came back as lovers. 

And for both of them, that was all they needed.

Things weren't all smooth sailing, however. Because of Jisoo's condition, lots of people had grown downcast. Even the bright and cheerful Seokmin had grown out of character, going so far as to snap at Wonwoo in annoyance when the older had accidentally spilled some coffee on his sleeve.

And then there was Jeonghan, who was obviously affected by it all the most. He was the hardest to be around, as he would go off over every little thing. He once went off at Jihoon for being too slow in opening his locker to give something back to Jeonghan, causing Seungcheol to lose his cool.

"Jeonghan, stop taking everything out on us! He didn't do anything to you, and neither did I!" the oldest flared, arms crossed. 

"Just shut up," Jeonghan retorted, rubbing at his temple. He yanked the object out of Jihoon's hands and stalked away, clearly irritated.

"That guy..." Seungcheol muttered.

"Forget it, Cheol," Jihoon said. He could understand, to an extent, what Jeonghan was going through. The amount of stress and worry in his system was evident. Of course, taking it out on your friends wasn't right by any means, but Jihoon had experienced his share of doing the same, so he really wasn't one to talk.

Seungcheol turned to him,eyes softening. It always made Jihoon feel warm, seeing the way Seungcheol would look at him. "You changed, Jihoon. But I don't mind," he murmured, pulling Jihoon closer to him. "Not one bit."

Graduation rolled around, and summer finally arrived. None of their friends knew that the two were dating. Jihoon was vehemently against it, since the last thing he needed was even more teasing to have to endure. Seungcheol was less compliant on the manner, constantly asking Jihoon if they could announce it.

"Pleeeeease Jihoonie~" he said, turning to full puppy mode. "I want us to be able to kiss in public~"

"And that's exactly why I disagree," Jihoon replied, turning to face him. "PDA is not my cup of tea, no thanks."

"Why not~?"

"Because it's annoying."

Seungcheol pouted and Jihoon was beginning to wonder who was the older one in the relationship. "You're acting like a spoiled brat right now, you know that?"

"I'm your spoiled brat," Seungcheol replied cheekily, wrapping his arms around Jihoon. He then did what he knew always shook up Jihoon. He leaned forward, lips near Jihoon's ear as he lowered the pitch of his voice. "Jihoon..." he rasped, smirking when he felt Jihoon shudder at the words. "Let me tell our friends we're dating."

"Dammit, Seungcheol.." Jihoon protested weakly. Seungcheol leaned his head against the crook of Jihoon's neck. "You know you want to," he growled, knowing the words would stir up Jihoon, and wasn't surprised when he felt the hairs on the back of Jihoo's neck stand up.

"I hate you..." Jihoon muttered. "Fine, just get off me."

Seungcheol's smirk grew wider. "Aw, really? Thanks, you're the best~"

Jihoon rolled his eyes, his face overheating. "I really hate you, you know that?" 

Seungcheol leaned over and pecked Jihoon's lips, laughing when Jihoon scrunched up his nose. "You love me," Seungcheol replied, his voice still annoyingly low.

The word love left all sorts of jumbled up feeling swirling around in Jihoon's gut. "Shut up."

One day, Jihoon had been working silently on his paper when he got a call from Jeonghan. Surprised, he answered, not sure what he wanted.

"Jihoon?" Jeonghan asked, his voice sounding worn out.

"Yeah?"

"Can...can we talk? It doesn't have to be in person, we can stick to the phone. I just—, I need to talk to someone, and you're the first person that came to mind."

Jihoon wondered what was going on. "Sure. Everything okay?"

"It's...it's just...Jisoo. He has 6 months left and—and I don't—I don't know what to do, Jihoon—"

6 months. That was too soon, much too soon. Jihoon felt his mouth go dry. "Jeonghan, calm down," he said, despite the fact that he wasn't feeling all too calm himself. "Where are you?"

"I-in my dorm room."

"Okay, sit down first. Just don't stay standing. Drink a glass of water if you need to. Are you eating properly?" He didn't know where these words were coming from. Maybe it was his natural urge to make sure things were all in place.

Jeonghan sighed through the phone. "Th-thanks, I'm feeling a bit better," he mumbled.

Jihoon smiled. "That's good. Now listen. I know it's hard, but you need to take care of yourself. Jisoo...he wouldn't like it if he saw you moping around all day." 

"Yeah..."

Jihoon was never good at comforting people. He strictly adhered to the logistic side of things. But somehow, he felt that he'd become better at emphathizing with others. "Do you want to keep talking about him?"

There was a long silence. "Not unless you have something you'd like to say."

This was going to be the stupidest thing Jihoon had ever done, but whatever. "Seungcheol and I are dating," he blurted out.

There was another silence. "I knew it!" Jeonghan exclaimed loudly into the phone, causing Jihoon to wince from the sound. "You two are always together, and he's so touchy with you—I need to tell Jisoo, he'll explode from happiness, I bet. Thanks Jihoon, gotta go, bye!"

And the line was cut off and Jihoon sat there, wondering what he'd just done.

"So..." Seungcheol's voice interjected gleefully, appearing from the kitchen. "What was that? I thought you were all about staying under the radar."

Jihoon blushed. "It-it just slipped out," he mumbled. But still, the news about Jisoo left him feeling forlorn. 

"Seungcheol..." he started, his eyes round with sadness. It caught the older's attention and he paused his musings, tilting his head. "Jisoo...he only has 6 months left." 

Seungcheol looked at him morosely. "Really...?"

"Yeah..." And the stupid tears were back. Why, of all people, did it have to be Jisoo? The guy was so sweet and caring and —the tears were pouring out.

"Oh, Jihoon..." Seungcheol whispered, reaching over and pulling him into a hug. Jihoon clung to him, his tears wetting the front of Seungcheol's shirt. It was like reality was constantly reaching out and yanking him back into place, and it hurt.

At the end of summer, the group finally got together at the beach. Jisoo and Jeonghan were together, of course, and it was like nobody else existed but them. Jihoon smiled, he could never really help himself when it came to those two. 

Seungcheol held his hand discreetly, looking down at him. "They're cute together, aren't they?"

Jihoon nodded, wondering if anyone could see that they were holding hands. No one seemed to notice as far as he could tell. Then again, why did he care? Seungcheol or Jeonghan had probably blabbed the fact to the world by now.

And as they watched the fireworks light up in the night sky, Jihoon thought things would be perfect if time stood still.

One day, they received a call that Jisoo had once again gotten into a critical condition. By the time they were allowed to visit him, Jisoo was moving around in a wheelchair, a delicate smile gracing his lips. 

"Hey guys," he said softly, waving at them. Jihoon waved back, his other hand holding Seungcheol's. Jisoo noticed and smiled. "You two are adorable."

Jihoon flushed while Seungcheol smirked. "Thanks, think we'll take over your place as the cutest couple on campus?"

Jisoo laughed at that, eyes twinkling in amusement. "Maybe, but I doubt it~"

It was December, the month that doctors had deemed would be the cutoff for Jisoo. Jihoon studied the older closely, trying to memorize the way his peach-colored hair ruffled in the sunlight, the way his hand covered his mouth while he laughed, the way his eyes sparkled. 

Seungcheol noticed and pecked Jihoon lightly on the top of his head. "He'll melt if you keep staring at him like that, you know. You look like a laser scanner or something."

Jihoon looked up at him, eyes thoughtful. "Seungcheol, your face is really aesthetically pleasing to look at," he said.

Seungcheol's eyes widened before he started laughing. "Is that your way of calling me handsome?" he asked in amusement.

Jihoon flushed. "I mean, like, your eyes are nice, and you have pretty lips—"

Of course, Seungcheol used those lips to silence him, cutting him off with a kiss. "You're so cute, Jihoon."

"Shut up."

Christmas came by, and Jihoon awoke to the sound of holiday songs blaring through the room. He groaned and covered his head with a pillow.

"Uh-uh, Jihoonie," Seungcheol scolded, pulling the pillow, as well as the blankets, off Jihoon. "It's Christmas! Time to get festive! I decked the room—"

"I'm going to deck you if you don't turn the music off," Jihoon threatened, holding up one fist. 

Seungcheol laughed and turned it down, approaching Jihoon who was sitting up in the bed. "Is that any way to greet your boyfriend?"

Jihoon responded by groaning once more, and Seungcheol leaned over and planted a kiss on his head like always. "I even set up a tree and everything!"

Jihoon's eyes found the miniature Christmas tree sitting on his desk. He smiled despite himself. "It's so tiny."

"Like you~" Seungcheol replied, chuckling when Jihoon swatted him with his hand. "Now come on, breakfast! We're going out to eat, so get dressed."

Jihoon shook his head, still smiling. "You're so into all this."

"I'm into you too."

"Goddammit."

Seungcheol kept laughing as they left the dorms and headed off campus. After a delicious (and expensive, where Jihoon was insisting he help pay but the older remained adamant) meal, Seungcheol suggested they go visit Jisoo at the hospital. However, their plans were cut short as Jeonghan had already shown up, wearing a Santa outfit and sleeping next to the peach haired male.

"Aw, how adorable," Seungcheol cooed as they left. "Jeonghan's so lazy, it's cute how he does this sort of stuff for Jisoo."

"Yeah, he really loves him," Jihoon replied, eyes softening. "It would be nice if things stayed this way."

They met up with their friends outside, getting all the necessary preparations for Jisoo's birthday. Jihoon's excitement was showing, as he kept smiling and his eyes were eager. Seungcheol wanted to melt at how cute he looked as they paraded around the store for decorations.

"Jihoon, why are you so cute~?" Seungcheol asked in a complaining tone of voice. 

Jihoon's smile momentarily turned to a pout. Which, by the way, heightened the cuteness. "I'm not."

"Yes you are. Oh, here, take these streamers." He tossed a pack to Jihoon, smiling at how domestic they looked, like newlyweds going shopping together.

Jihoon looked at the cart. "Aren't we getting too many streamers? Maybe some confetti stuff would be good."

"Mm, good idea. Try the next aisle."

By the time they'd reached the register, the decorations totalled an insane amount of money. Luckily they'd all pooled their money together, or Seungcheol and Jihoon would no doubt have gone broke.

On December 30th, they both awoke at the crack of dawn to head to the hospital and help set up. Jihoon was bubbly the entire time, and Seungcheol wondered how he'd lived so long without seeing this precious side of the younger. Their friends also showed up, though Seungkwan came in an hour late because apparently his alarm didn't go off. 

As they set up in one corner of the room, Jihoon was having difficulty pinning one end of the streamers to the wall. He looked around for a chair, but the next thing he knew, he'd left the ground. 

Jihoon yelped, turning to see Seungcheol holding him up by the waist. "Gotcha," the older said, and Jihoon blushed, turning back and pinning the streamers, until finally he was let back down.

Normally, this was the part where he'd hit Seungcheol for acting impulsively, but today was different. "Thank you," he said softly.

Seungcheol raised his eyebrows, confused. "What?"

"Thank you. For being you. I'm kinda always a jerk, but I really do appreciate being with you."

Seungcheol stared at Jihoon so long the younger was beginning to grow uncomfortable. Then he leapt at him, pulling him into a hug. "Awww Jihoon," he crowed.

Jihoon, for once, didn't struggle, but raised his arms and hugged back. "Yeah yeah..." he mumbled. When the older pulled away, his face was flushed.

"What am I going to do with you?" he mulled, looking thoughtful. "Well, we'll see later..." He winked at him before returning to the decorations, making Jihoon wonder just what this guy was planning.

"Guys, Jisoo's coming!" Soonyoung hissed, and everybody quieted down, waiting. Then Jeonghan removed the blindfold off him. 

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" they all shouted, pulling their confetti blasters. Jihoon wanted to laugh at the dumbstruck expression on Jisoo's face. They got out the cake, which was peach like his hair, and watched him blow out the candles. Then they handed him his photobook.

Jisoo's face was priceless. He looked through it, tears beginning to shine in his eyes as he read the notes the others had written for him. Seungcheol had taken a peek at Jihoon's writing while he wasn't looking at his heart tugged at how sweet his words were.

 

Ah, really. I'm no good at this sort of thing. But you know that, right? Really, I don't know what I would be without you, hyung. You never judged me, you never looked at me with disdain for the way I was. You were always smiling happily, and it inspired me. I always thought you looked the most beautiful while smiling.

When we worked on songs together, it felt like nothing could go wrong. I was always so comfortable around you, and you were always so genuine around me. It was my favorite thing, and I won't forget it. Ever.

Even now, you remain smiling. And I think to myself, surely there's no way someone could be this strong. But you proved me wrong, hyung. And I guess, in a way, you changed me for the better. And I'll always be grateful for that.

I love you, Jisoo hyung. 

-Jihoon

 

Seungcheol felt teary eyed himself when Jisoo thanked all of them. He then watched with a smile on his face as Jihoon began strumming the guitar. It was all Jihoon's idea, to perform the song. Of course, he'd made Jeonghan be the lead singer, since this was a love song meant for Jisoo. And as they sang, he contented himself with the tears of happiness sliding down Jisoo's face. When they finished, he realized everything was a bit blurry and got off stage, only to land in Seungcheol's arms.

"That was beautiful, Jihoon," the older whispered, and Jihoon smiled, letting his tears dissipate like rain.

Eventually, like all good things, the party came to an end. Jihoon hugged Jisoo tightly, and for some reason a feeling of apprehension was looming over him as he took in Jisoo's heartfelt smile. He closed his eyes, imprinting the image to his memory. Seungcheol was next, reminding Jisoo to take care of himself, and finally everybody departed.

That night, the atmosphere was slightly different between the two. When they reached the dorm, Seungcheol's eyes were obscure and mysterious. It made Jihoon's heart thud unknowingly, and when their eyes met, everything was forgotten as they shared kisses. They landed on the bed, and that was when clothes were discarded and things changed without them even realizing.

When Jihoon awoke that morning, something was bothering him. He couldn't pinpoint what. It was like a nagging feeling in the back of his mind, like he'd forgotten something. He noticed Seungcheol was already out of bed, on the phone with someone. When he hung up, his eyes were dark with worry.

"Jisoo's parents just called and asked if we knew if something happened to Jisoo, since Jeonghan wasn't answering. The hospital just gave them an emergency call."

And that was all it took. Both of them got dressed and bolted to the hospital. And when they reached there, and saw Jeonghan on the floor, crying his eyes out, and Jisoo's mother leaning against the wall, sobs racking her body, they just knew.

It was like time had stopped.

Jihoon doubled over, hitting the ground as the reality stabbed him like a knife.

Seungcheol held onto Jihoon tightly as he broke down.

 

It had finally happened, the thing they'd dreaded the most.

 

Jisoo had left them.

 

Forever.

 

Jihoon hated how the world kept on going despite the fact that it should've stopped 4 days ago. 4 days ago, when they reached the hospital and everything went wrong. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. His cheeks were hollowed out from barely eating, his eyes looked like they couldn't shed another tear. On the 3rd day, Jihoon nearly passed out just trying to get up due to how weak he'd become. Seungcheol had been more resilient, eventually pulling himself together despite the crushing reality and urging Jihoon to eat. Jihoon was pretty sure if Seungcheol hadn't been there, he'd be a rotting corpse right now, hidden under the covers.

"Are you ready, Jihoon?" Seungcheol asked softly, coming up behind him. Jihoon nodded tersely, not trusting his voice. Seungcheol pulled him into a hug. "You can do this, I believe in you," the older murmured into his hair. Jihoon nodded once more, and the pair walked hand in hand to meet with their other friends. Jeonghan arrived last, possibly the strongest out of all them. Even if his eyes were forlorn and pain-ridden, he'd kept himself together, going so far as to coax the younger ones to get up and take care of themselves.

They headed to the funeral home, Mingyu driving them there. His hands were shaking as he gripped the steering wheel, and Wonwoo offered to drive, but the younger steeled himself, trying to stay strong. Everybody was doing their best to hold themselves up.

After the procession, the casket was pulled up. The sight of the casket made Jihoon tremble in his seat, gripping Seungcheol's arm tightly for support as they walked up to see Jisoo and say goodbye. Tears burned in the back of his eyes but he managed not to lose himself completely. Seungcheol gazed at the familiar peach hair and how peaceful his face looked. Hopefully, wherever Jisoo was now, he wasn't in pain anymore.

The cemetery was a different story. Seeing Jisoo's name embedded onto the gravestone, Jihoon broke down, hugging Seungcheol tightly as the pain became overwhelming, while the older cried as well. He couldn't bear to see it anymore and tugged on Seungcheol's sleeve, and the pair made their way out.

Days passed. Weeks passed. Slowly, the atmosphere began to improve. All of them became closer to each other than ever before, having gone through the same painful experience. Seungcheol finally officially announced his relationship with Jihoon. Miraculously, Jeonghan hadn't told anyone but Jisoo, so some people were still surprised, although others snorted as if it hadn't been completely obvious.

One night, as Jihoon lay in bed, looking out a window, he caught sight of a shooting star.

"Seungcheol! Did you see that? It was a shooting star!" he said excitedly, sitting up.

Seungcheol smiled. "Ah, no. I missed it. Sorry."

However, not a second had passed when another shooting star flew by. Seungcheol raised his eyebrows. "Wow, that was pretty. Was there a shower scheduled for today or something?"

"Not that I know of."

One by one, more stars flew past. It was mesmerizing to watch. Jihoon counted 13 of them before the sky fell silent once more.

"Seungcheol?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't say this often, so listen up. I love you."

Seungcheol smiled, pecking Jihoon on the lips. "I love you too."

And as they looked up at the sky, Jihoon could've sworn he saw the constellations form a cat-like smile.

---

 

my first jicheol fic and I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out ^^

anyway, enough crying for today, I'm going to end this story once and for all <3

thanks for reading!