Hello everyone ! I'm back with a new chapter ! I hope you'll enjoy it :3 Reminder; Still not a native English speaker, so please be nice ? Thank you ;P

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" What do you mean ‘I will need a costume’ ? " Chanyeol asked, looking at the guy sitting in front of him like he's grown a second head.

 

Jongdae was a great friend of him. Of them. They met during Chanyeol’s first year in high school, and they hit it off right away. When Jongin arrived the year after, Jongdae and him were already pretty close, thanks to the innumerable amount of times Jongdae came to Chanyeol’s place. 

  

" Well, Chanyeollie, it’s called a costume party, so I think that pretty much sums it up, you know ? " Jongdae put on a smug face while Minseok, his boyfriend, offered him his water bottle. 

 

" That doesn't make any sense. We litteraly just started the year, why would you throw a costume party ? " Chanyeol kept wondering why it was that of all people, his friends had to be the weird ones from school. 

 

" Your face doesn’t make any sense and no one is judging you for that " 

 

Ouch, this one hurts. 

The giant looked at his friend, silently trying to think of a come back, but it seemed like his brain wasn't in the mood for coming up with anything. (Later on, as he was lying in his bed, trying to sleep, he would hate himself for not saying anything, because goddammit " No but everyone is judging your for being stupid " was just there and he wasn't capable of thinking of it at the right time.) 

  

" Be nice with your friend, he could burn you down Dae. " 

  

Chanyeol smiled, thanking Minseok for trying to help him, and kept on eating his sandwich.

 

" And I could electrify his , who cares "

 

" I very much care, thank you " Says Chanyeol, looking offended by his friend’s words.

 

" Do not count on me to sooth your burns the day Chanyeol decides to give you a piece of his mind " The senior stood up, patting his boyfriend's shoulder and walked away, to the trashcan. 

 

" And he calls himself my Âme Soeur. " Jongdae mumbled and took a gulp of water.

 

" Guys " Jongin called them, sitting his tray on the table and throwing his bag on the floor, next to his best friend’s feet. " Have you heard ? "

 

" Your annoying voice ? We did yeah, much more than we needed to " The blond showed him his middle finger and his best friend smiled because Jongdae deserved it, for being a little . But still, he smiled and asked. " What is it this time ? "

 

" A new student will be arriving tomorrow " 

 

" You make it sound like it’s such a big deal " The giant answered. 

 

" He's a healer. " 

 

And that alone was enough to make them shut up. They were used to see people with all kind of powers, but healing was rarely sported by anyone. One of those great powers that kind of disappeared as time passed by. 

  

" What’s the gossip ? " Came Minseok’s voice, and they looked at him, sitting back down next to his boyfriend. 

 

" Just a new guy arriving tomorrow, a healer. " Jongin said again, getting a bite of his sandwich.

 

" Wow pretty cool. "

 

" Not as cool as my party though  " Jongdae loved having all of the attention to himself.

 

" Oh god, please, Jongin, tell him it makes no sense having a costume party in the middle of February ! " Chanyeol begged his best friend and the blond shrugged. 

 

" I think it’s cool, we'll have fun " 

 

" Actually Chanyeol, in France, and in a whole lot of other country as well, in February they do celebrate carnival, and they wear masks and costumes. I mean, I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of Rio’s carnival. Everyone has heard of it. It’s a pretty big deal in fact. "

 

" Thank you very much Min’. " Jongdae smiled, pretty proud of his boyfriend’s knowledge. " So now, enough of you being a giant pain in my " Jongdae decided it was best to ignore Jongin’s comment about Minseok being the literal pain in his " What are you gonna wear ? "

 

" How the should I know ? " Chanyeol pouted. " I literally just found out that I'm gonna need a costume, and the party’s at the end of the week. "

 

" Come on, you probably already had an idea for next Halloween, I’m pretty sure you know what to wear to my party. " His lips turned into another smile, and Chanyeol rolled his eyes.

 

As Jongin was going on and on about various costumes ideas (some of them Chanyeol couldn’t even understand the reference), you could suddenly see Jongdae’s mark starting to glow, just where his hand meets his wrist, and that’s how their friends knew that Minseok and him were holding hands under the table. 

 

It worked in a very mysterious way, their marks. They knew little about it.

They knew, for example, that most of the times, the mark would be found between the tip of the fingers, and the elbow. 

 

Chanyeol’s, Jongin’s and Minseok’s marks were on their forearm. A little black curve, resting peacefully under their skin, awaiting to come to life.

 

For some others, like Jongdae or even Chanyeol’s dad, the black mysterious spot was on their wrist,  moving with every drift of the hand.

 

It was a pretty rare sight to see the mark anywhere else, but, throughout history, it did happen. They heard about people who could cover their mark with just a t-shirt, the black curve resting just above their heart. Or that one guy, from Africa, his mark hiding behind his ear. 

 

Those were rare cases. It did not happen a lot, but it would be a lie to say that it never happened.

 

The thing is; there was always something. From the very beginning ’til the absolute end. Through the history, no one ever heard of someone being born without a mark. That was a fact that everyone knew. 

 

No matter where on the planet, no matter how small, how poor, how different. Everyone was meant to be with someone else. Everyone had his own, personal Âme Soeur. Their plus one, their special someone. The person who would make their mark glow. 

 

Right now, Jongdae’s mark was glowing under Chanyeol’s eyes, and that alone meant that Minseok’s mark was glowing as well. Just a touch of their skin, and the little black curve came to life. 

 

The senior offered a smile to Chanyeol, knowing how much he wanted that glow for himself, and then looked over the blond who was still talking about costumes for the party,  with his boyfriend. 

 

 

 

It was almost 10pm when Jongin suddenly appeared into Chanyeol’s room, once again using his teleportation’s power. The taller looked at him from head to toe, before bending down and finishing to tie his shoelaces. 

 

Chanyeol, after thinking about it for a while, finally decided to go as The Joker from DC. He knew it was a safe choice, anyone who wasn’t leaving under a rock knew the character, and he wouldn’t have to explain who he was all night long. He was actually one of Chanyeol’s favorite villain as well, and he honestly thought he was rocking the green and grey hair.

  

" Did you just happen to have a Joker kind of suit lying around in your closet or what ? " Jongin asked, looking at Chanyeol’s choice of clothes. 

 

" What if I did ? " He asked, standing up, eyeing the way his best friend’s chose to be the famous David Bowie for a night, red and blue lightning striking down his face. It was a pretty simple costume honestly, but as always, it fitted Jongin pretty well. It reminded Chanyeol of the poster of the same guy hanging in Jongin’s bedroom, above his bed. It was kind of weird to see Jongin with his hair darker than usual, he was blond for such a long time that Chanyeol almost forgot how the guy looked like with brown hair, but as everything else, it suited him. The color would be gone tomorrow anyway, he thought. 

 

" You’re a dork, Chanyeol. " 

 

" Well, maybe the dork should just stay here ? You know, I’ve got my Tumblr tab ready to be explored. "

 

" Nope. No. It’s okay, you’re just fine, let’s go ! " Jongin came closer, grabbing his best friend’s wrist, and before Chanyeol could say anything, they already were in front of Jongdae’s house. 

 

"  You could have at least let me bring a coat you know, just for the sake of me not freezing my to death "

 

" Should I remind you you’re a walking fireplace ? " Jongin let go of his wrist, and together they went in. 

 

 

 

 

The music was loud, and Chanyeol wasn’t particularly fond of it, but it did seem like everyone was having a great time. He could see in the corner of his eyes, some people he knew from school, and some others he’s seen before, in another one of Jongdae’s party. The room was full of colors, with all the different costumes and masks, and it was pretty cool honestly, not that he would ever admit it. 

 

Jongin was heading straight to the kitchen, probably to grab a drink, and Chanyeol followed him. He wasn’t going to drink any alcohol, not after what happened the last time he drank, but he was kind of thirsty, like every time Jongin used his power on him. 

 

Stepping foot in the kitchen, he looked around him, pouring himself a glass of juice and looking for the host. 

 

 

" Heeeey, Park ing Chanyeol, it’s been months since I’ve seen you in one of those parties ! "

 

 Coming in, as unbearable as ever, Wu Yi Fan was holding onto his cup, and the two friends did not have any doubt about what was in there. He didn’t really make an effort to fit in, if we were all absolutely honest. The tall guy kind of threw on his basketball shirt with a pair a black shorts to play the part, but that was about it. This, was the Wu Yi Fan they could see at school every day, for practices, and for the big matches that the school’s team was, more often than not, winning. 

 

" Actually Yi Fan, you saw me two weeks ago and you said the exact same thing "

 

" Are you sure it was me Dude ? " Yi Fan seemed pretty perplexed, but that wasn’t anything new, they were used to him being so drunk that he barely ever remembered a thing. 

 

" Pretty sure yeah " 

 

Chanyeol offered him a smile and Jongin engaged himself in a conversation with the other one. Chanyeol and Yi Fan were more acquaintances than friends, and they never really had any connection. Jongin, on the other hand, seemed like he enjoyed being in his company, so Chanyeol left him there and went looking for Jongdae. 

 

 

 

 

He found his friend after fifteen minutes of intense research, who had him realized that most of the girls were dressed as Harley Quinn and wanted a picture with him for the sake of reliving the ‘amazing’ couple they once saw in a movie. He wasn’t the kind of guy that loved being the center of the attention, in opposition as Jongdae, so he politely refused and decided to go sit in a corner and wait for the night to end. 

 

Yeah, Chanyeol wasn’t that much of a social butterfly. His ideal Saturday night would have him on his bed, binge watching a TV Show or going through his Tumblr feed. So much for finding his Âme Soeur. Jongin was always the one pulling him out of his comfort zone and without him, Chanyeol would probably never leave his room. It’s not that he wasn’t comfortable with people. He was actually a pretty funny guy and he liked being around his friends and even sometimes around people he didn’t know. It was just that being at a party was always kind of a nightmare to him. Chanyeol could easily socialized, but the vibe around him wasn’t his thing. The music was far from what he would listen, and he hated having to scream to be heard. 

 

There was, maybe, also the fact that whenever he was with Jongin, everyone around would focus on his best friend. He was the handsome one, and Chanyeol, no matter how interesting he was, would always be left out, even though Jongin would try really hard to pull him in. People liked beautiful people. Chanyeol wasn’t particularly ugly, but he wasn’t particularly handsome either. Chanyeol was pretty basic. 

 

When his eyes fell on Jongdae, the small guy was already trying to grossly make out with his boyfriend. Minseok was having none of it, and with a flick at his lover’s forehead, he successfully made him stop. 

 

Chanyeol smiled and decided to abandon his decision to sit in the corner to join the couple. The older was standing out a lot with his bright orange hair. His face was covered in scars and he had a fake knife in his hand, which he used to poke Jongdae’s stomach when the guy started to come too close once again. He was wearing a dark blue overall with a striped black and red sweater, and even though he was supposed to be scary, Chanyeol couldn’t help but find him kind of cute. 

 

Jongdae was sporting a lightning scar on his forehead, round glasses on the tip of his nose, and a Gryffindor robe. His wand was in his right hand and he flicked it with a drift of his wrist to push the fake knife away. The tie around his neck was a bit lose, and Minseok decided to straighten it, smiling up at Chanyeol.

 

" Nice make up " The senior was always one to compliment Chanyeol. The taller never really knew how to react to it, so he just decided to smile and return it.

 

" Yours’ good too " Minseok thanked him and looked at his boyfriend, his arms inside the younger’s robe, comfortably resting around his waist. 

 

" Nice to see that you came " Jongdae was genuinely happy " Gotta love the work you put into that " He wasn’t only referring of his make up, but also of his clothes, and Chanyeol knew, at the sound of his voice, that he wasn’t actually that surprised to see that Chanyeol worked on his costume. Well, you gotta say, the tall guy loved himself a good cosplay. (Like Jongin said; he was a bit of a dork, but that’s what made him so lovable) " Where’s Jongin ? " 

 

" Last time I saw him he was talking with Yi Fan in the kitchen. "

 

" I see. Come on, tell me you’re gonna dance tonight ? "

 

" I wasn’t planning on doing that in fact. "

 

" Yeah, I know what you were planning. Sitting all by yourself and wait until you can finally go home. That’s not what a party is about Chanyeol, so move your , grab yourself a drink and enjoy your youth ! " The taller knew that Jongdae was only saying that for his own good, but really, he kind of hated it.

 

" Leave the guy alone Dae, you know he’s not that fond of partying. At least he came, you gotta give him credit for that " Minseok smiled up to Chanyeol. " Try to have fun ok ? "

 

" I always have fun when I’m with you guys. Well, at least when I’m with Minseok hyung. "  Jongdae grunted. 

 

" One day I’m gonna kick your Park. "

 

" That’s because you’re too small to punch me in the face " 

  

Chanyeol was pretty proud of himself with that one, it wasn’t everyday that he could shut Jongdae up. 

 

 

  

It was around midnight when Chanyeol asked Jongin to zap him home. His giant of a best friend tapped him on the shoulder, and without a word, Jongin already knew what the guy wanted. After a mildly wild debate, the tall guy reluctantly accepted to stay a bit longer, and just for good measure, decided to leave Jongin alone.  

 

Jongin wasn’t having that much fun. It was a good party, he couldn’t deny it, but just as much as he loved partying, he also loved being around people who would take his mind far away from what his life was. Chanyeol was good at that, and he would lie if he said that from time to time Jongdae and Minseok weren’t pretty damn good at it as well. But tonight, he wasn’t feeling it.

 

Still, he decided to stay because no matter how much his best friend hated to be here, he also knew that Chanyeol needed it. He needed to be around people and he needed to get out of his comfort zone. He wasn’t going to find his Âme Soeur while lying in his bed, eating potato chips, and fanboying over his favorite TV Shows characters (they all ing knew that Castiel and Dean were meant to be, for God’s sake). 

 

Jongin was smiling, as always, and everyone around him seemed to find that endearing. He was kind of thankful for the fact that they were all a bit blinded by his lies, but again, maybe they wanted to be blind. People never really want a real answer when they ask if you’re ok. They hope you say yes, smile, and they nod while feeling better about themselves because they did give you attention. 

 

He was kind of bored, seeing all those faces smiling up to him. They never really tried to know him. Jongin was a popular guy, with handsome features, and he was giving a lot of his person (literally), people were always trying to get in his good side (read; in his pants), and maybe, Jongin was using that for his own amusement (more like; he wanted to think about anything else than real life) but sometimes it was just a bit too much, and even himself was tired of it. 

 

He grabbed himself another drink and left the kitchen, to go anywhere else, as long as those two girls that were almost grinding themselves against him all night long weren’t there. He knew he would find Chanyeol sooner than later, but he thought that maybe, it was a good idea to leave him alone for some time. The guy wouldn’t meet anyone new if they were together all the time, they would just talk among themselves and that would be it. 

 

He started going upstairs, where there would be less people. It probably wasn’t the best idea, really, because that would also mean less music, and more thinking, but right now he didn’t want to be around any of those people. Opening a door that would lead him to Jongdae’s room, he went to turn on the light and looked around him. The room was familiar, it wasn’t the first he came in here, and it probably wasn’t the last either. 

 

He heard people talking in the hallway, the door opened, and he honestly thought it was the two girls from before, thus, he zapped himself inside the closet. It’s not like he wasn’t capable of telling them off, it’s just that he didn’t want to be bothered. He knew the kind of girls they were, and they wouldn’t leave it alone that easily. Still, teleporting himself inside the closet wasn’t exactly his best idea, he had the entire house to do so. 

  

" I mean, I know I shouldn’t say things like that, but he is ing scary. " That was a guy’s voice but Jongin couldn’t recognize it. 

 

" Shh ! " His friend stayed silent for a few seconds, probably making sure no one would hear them. " Yeah, I know right ? Seriously, the guy’s already freaking scary as it is, what’s with the costume and all ? "

 

" Well.. It is a costume party.. " A third voice answered them.

 

" Still, when you know everyone’s afraid of you, you make an effort to look less scary. " That was the first guy.

 

" Or maybe we should just try to talk to him ? It’s not because everyone thinks he’s scary that he’s actually a monster, you know ? "

 

Jongin rolled his eyes, the conversation was stupid and he couldn’t care less about their opinion. They never tried to really know anyone, so he doubted that they would try for no matter who they were talking about. He zapped himself out of the closet, and wished with all his heart that the bathroom would be empty, or else he was in for some embarrassing situation. 

 

 

 

Chanyeol thought that going outside would be a good idea. He wanted some fresh air, and he wanted less music. Everything was way too loud inside, and he couldn’t stand it anymore. He sat on the edge of the pool, crossed legs, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. It was a bit chilly so he used his fire to warm him up. He could feel the power running through his veins and making itself at home. His body was feeling better already, and Chanyeol couldn’t be happier about the power he got. 

 

He created a small flame, on the tip of his index, and let it slide between his fingers, playing with it for a little while before letting it die in the palm of his hand. 

 

 

" Wow, that’s kind of cool " Chanyeol looked up to see a guy smiling down at him. He was wearing a sheep onesie over a pink shirt, and he was honestly kind of cute. 

 

" Ha, thank you " He smiled " Cute costume " 

 

" Yes ! I was going to wear the unicorn onesie but I thought I would keep it for a grander occasion ! " Chanyeol let out a little laugh, looking at the boy. " I like yours as well, your make up is really cool ! "

 

" Thank you " The brunet sat beside him without asking, and rolled up the onesie’s legs to put his feet in the water. 

 

" Haaaa, cold " Yes, we are in February, Chanyeol thought. " So, your power is fire ? "

 

" It is " 

 

" This is so cool. You might be able to do a lot of tricks with it right ?? "

 

" I can, I don’t do it often though.. One clumsy guy shouldn’t play with fire " The brunet laughed.

 

" Well, at least you can if you want. Mine isn’t really that fun. Useful, but no fun. " The guy smiled again, and he reminded Chanyeol of a little kid. " I’m Yixing, by the way, but you can call me Lay if you prefer " He’s Chinese, he thought. 

 

" I’m Chanyeol, and you can call me Chanyeol " Another laugh, and Yixing looked at him again. " What’s your power ? "

 

" Ha, well, I’m a healer " He offered him a sweet smile and Chanyeol tried not to look too surprised.

 

" You’re the new guy.. at school.. "

 

" That would be me " He scratched the back of his head, looking a bit embarrassed. 

 

" Being a healer might be amazing "

 

" I guess you could say that " Yixing stared into the water " I mean, at least I can help people, right ? " He smiled again.

 

" Yes, at least you can "

 

" Why aren’t you inside ? " Yixing looked at him, waiting for an answer, a sweet smile still on his lips, and Chanyeol couldn’t find it in himself to lie to him, not when he was looking so innocent. 

 

" I just don’t fit in that much " He saw something pass on Yixing’s face, but the smaller guy kept his smile in place. 

 

" You must be cold though "

 

" I don’t really have that problem " Chanyeol lifted his hand and put it on the guy’s shoulder, his warmth spreading through his back, and Yixing closed his eyes for a few seconds. 

 

" Oh my god, that is really an amazing power "

 

" Thank you, I like it too " A little laugh came out of both their mouths, and Chanyeol pulled his hand away, not wanting to be too touchy with someone he did not know. " Are you here alone ? You might not know a lot of people around here since you arrived this week "

 

" Ha, actually I’m here with my best friend. I lost him in the middle of the crowd while he was looking for the bathroom so I went out. I figured we would find each other again at any moment. "

 

" Your best friend is at our school ? "

 

" No, he’s Jongdae’s neighbor from down the street. He goes in a different school, well, for now " 

 

" Oh, I see " Chanyeol smiled. 

 

" What about you ? "

 

" I came here with my best friend as well, and Jongdae’s a close friend too " 

 

" That’s nice, where are they ? "

 

" I left when Jongin refused to take me home " He pouted, reminding himself of the debate he had with his best friend.

 

They kept talking for a bit. Getting to know each other without ever revealing too much. Yixing was a cute guy, and he was also kind of funny. His eyes were a bit off sometimes, like he wasn’t exactly living the moment, but it was okay, because he always asked again, if he didn’t hear what Chanyeol said. He was being careful not to let him think that he didn’t care, and Chanyeol was thankful for that. 

 

He was dying to touch his skin though. It felt like a vital need, pulling at the strings of his heart, and screaming in his head to do it. That was something Chanyeol had learned about himself when he was still a kid. He wasn’t able to meet someone, without thinking of his mark. Because what if ? What if he was the one ? What if, just by a touch of their skin, his mark started to glow ? 

 

He unconsciously slid his hand on his forearm, just where the black curve was hidden by the vest he was wearing, his fingers clutching around him. If Yixing saw him, he didn’t say anything and kept talking. About what, Chanyeol couldn’t tell. His mind was still on his mark, trying to think of a way to come up with the subject. It didn’t seem like anything was good enough. He couldn’t possibly tell Yixing that he wanted to touch him, because it would sound weird. He thought that he could maybe tell him the truth. Tell him how much this Âme Soeur thing was important to him and how much he needed to know if they were actually meant to be. Hell, the guy already walked to a tons of girls and boys to simply touch their skin at school. Pretending to fall or collide with them, just to know, just to be sure. That was probably a bit creepy, but that way Chanyeol was erasing all kind of doubts.  

 

So, here he was, mentally getting ready to ask Yixing, when a voice called out for his new friend. They both looked up to the pretty guy standing a few meters away. Yixing waved at him, and the guy came closer. 

 

" Ha, Yi’, I was looking everywhere for you ! " Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile as he saw how cute the guy was. A bunny sleeping mask was resting on top of his head, and there was a plaid covering his shoulders and the pajama he was wearing. Chanyeol felt the fresh air breathing against his cheek, and it reminded him of how cold it really was out there. Yixing was probably freezing.

 

" Sorry, I lost you in the crowd so I came out here and I made a new friend ! " The Chinese  guy offered Chanyeol a blinding smile, and the giant couldn’t stop himself from smiling back. A new friend, Yixing has said. Chanyeol was more than okay with that. 

 

" Hi " Chanyeol said.

 

" This is Chanyeol, he’s a friend of Jongdae "

 

" Oh, I see, nice to meet you, I’m Baekhyun " 

 

" He’s my best friend " Yixing started. " The one I told you about " 

 

" Yeah, I figured. " Chanyeol stoop up, greeting Baekhyun. 

 

" Yi’, I mean, you made a friend, that’s great and all, but you’re freezing your out there, why would you do that ? " The boy tightened the plaid around his shoulders, proving his point.

 

" Well, Chanyeol was very nice " The tall guy kind of felt embarrassed, knowing Yixing was staying just for him.

 

" Yeah, I get that, but still. Ugh, let’s get back inside, you’re gonna fall sick. Why would you even put your feet in the water ? " Yixing stoop up, laughing at his friend.

 

" I’m a healer, Baekhyun "

 

" That doesn’t mean you should run around practically . " Chanyeol smiled, hearing the concern in the guy’s voice. It felt like he was used to take care of Yixing, and that wasn’t that surprising, with the way the Chinese would be in his own world from time to time. 

 

" I’m not ! " He sounded offended, but he was still cute. 

 

" I’m sorry, it’s probably my fault, I did not realized it was that cold " Chanyeol nervously scratched the back of his neck, and Baekhyun looked at him perplexed, because how could he not realized it was freezing ? " I kinda used my fire to keep myself warm so.. "

 

" Oh, ah, yeah, okay.. " Baekhyun looked back at his best friend, trying to dry his feet to put his shoes back. " Well, he’d probably have been doing another stupid thing, so you know, at least he wasn’t by himself " He offered Chanyeol a smile and the giant stared at him for a few seconds. " Thanks for staying with him "

 

" My pleasure, really " 

 

" Park ! " They both turned their heads towards the voice, while Yixing was tying his shoelaces. " Jongin’s looking for you " Chanyeol whined a little. 

 

" Why ? "

 

" Because you said you wanted to go home ? " Jongdae looked at him like he was stupid. (Which is what he was probably thinking.)

 

" Yeah, like, two hours ago ! " A cat like smile appeared on his friend’s face and he came closer. 

 

" Didn’t know you would be so fond of my party Yeollie. " Chanyeol rolled his eyes. " I’ve seen you met Baekhyun and Yixing "

 

" You didn’t tell me you knew the new guy " Chanyeol said.

 

" I did not know him, I mean, I barely know Baekhyun, really. He was my neighbor like 6 years ago but then his family moved at the end of the street so we don’t see each other that much "

 

" Jongdae usually pays me a visit when he’s bored, but it seems like he’s got all the distractions he needs recently " Baekhyun smirked, looking at Jongdae.

 

" What can you say, Minseok knows some really good ways to pass the time " He wiggled his eyebrows and Chanyeol faked a gag. 

 

" Not sure Hyung would like to hear you say things like this "

 

" Just saying it like it is " Jongdae winked at his friend and looked at Yixing. " It’s nice to meet you, new guy "

 

" I’m Yixing, but you can call me Lay " The Chinese offered him a smile, bowing down a little. 

 

" I’m Jongdae, you can come to me if you need anything " He smiled.

 

" That’s so very nice of you ! " Yixing sounded kind of amazed, the guy really was cute, the giant thought.

 

" Anyway, DumbYeol, Jongin’s still looking for you everywhere "

 

" Good for him. I’m staying, I’ve found a new friend. And he’s nicer than him. " Jongdae rolled his eyes at his childish act, but smiled anyway.

 

" You go tell him that, he looked kind of pissed honestly "

 

" What ? Why ? What happened ? " Chanyeol frowned.

 

" No idea. Heard about some guy spilling his drink on him but that’s all. "  

 

" Huh.. I should probably find him "

 

Chanyeol looked at the three guys around him. Jongdae was nodding, understanding perfectly why Chanyeol was suddenly so tense. Jongin was rarely pissed off, it did sound a bit weird that he would be mad for something so trivial as someone spilling their drink on him. Then again, if Jongin was in one of those internal turmoil he sometimes had, it would make sense. 

 

Yixing was looking at him with a peaceful smile on his face, staying still and silent. The guy looked cute, but once again, it seemed like he wasn’t really there. It was just a tiny bit weird, but Chanyeol didn’t really pay attention to that, Yixing has been nothing else but kind with him.

 

The last one, Baekhyun, was looking at the pool, nodding absently. Once he felt Chanyeol’s prying eyes on him, he turned his head back and they stared at each other for a few seconds. There was something off about the guy, but Chanyeol couldn’t exactly say what. He didn’t know him, and they barely talked, but it felt like something wasn’t right. The small guy offered him a smile anyway, and waved a little, his fist still clutching around the plaid. 

  

" Where is he ? "

 

" I told him to grab a t-shirt in my room while I was looking for you "

 

" Ok. Well, Yixing, Baekhyun, it was really nice meeting you. I hope we’ll see each other soon " 

 

He smiled before heading back inside, and walking right to the stairs. He knew the house by heart. He’s been there for days at a time, working on school’s project, or playing video games instead of doing his homework. When he reached Jongdae’s room, he didn’t bother knocking, opening the door to find Jongin sitting on the bed, his shirt and tie lying down beside him, and a black t-shirt stolen from Jongdae’s closet covering his chest. His hands were in his hair, and his eyes were closed. Chanyeol walked closer, slowly, and Jongin looked up.

 

" Took you long enough " 

 

" Sorry about that, I was chatting with someone " Jongin’s eyebrow went up, and he tilted his head a little.

 

" You made a new friend ? " 

 

" Let’s say I made a new acquaintance. What about you ? Made a new enemy ? " Jongin snorted and rolled his eyes.

 

" Just some guy who’s not capable of holding his cup straight. " Chanyeol sat beside him. "  No big deal. "

 

" If you say so. " The giant knew when to keep talking and when to stop. At the sound of Jongin’s voice, he knew that his best friend did not want to talk about it. Or about anything that would remotely remind him of the way he was feeling. So Chanyeol let the conversation drift away from Jongin, and closer to him.

 

" New friend huh ? "

 

" The new guy from school, his name’s Yixing "

 

" Glow ? " A little smile found his way on Chanyeol’s face, sometimes Jongin knew him better than himself.

 

" Don’t know, couldn’t touch him. Or his best friend for that matter. "

 

" There were two of them ? Damn Chanyeol, you really overdid yourself tonight didn’t you ? " There was a proud smile on Jongin’s face, and Chanyeol couldn’t feel happier to see it than right now. 

 

" What can I say, I gotta do what I gotta do ! " He winked, and Jongin looked at him.

 

" They came to you, right ? "

 

" Yeah, Yixing totally did. I was sitting by myself by the pool. " Chanyeol deflated, a little, non-comical laugh coming out of him.  A hand was ruffling his hair and the giant looked at his best friend. 

 

" It’s ok dude, at least you didn’t come for nothing "

 

" At least, indeed " 

 

 

 

 

It was maybe the way Chanyeol was breathing peacefully beside him, meaning he was sleeping like a rock. Or maybe the fact that his head finally stopped throbbing badly. Maybe it was the air around, making him feel home, in a house he wasn’t supposed to live in. Maybe it was just the fact that this, here, the moment, and the place. All of that, was safe. Maybe it was just being under a duvet, warm and soft, his back resting against a comfy mattress, and his head against a fluffy pillow. No matter what it was, it just felt right. So right that everything went wrong. His eyes starting to fill with tears and his heart starting to beat wildly against his chest. And he cried. He let it go. The silence was filled with his sobs and Chanyeol’s breathing. Jongin let the tears drown his face, and the thoughts pile up in his head. It wasn’t new, and it wasn’t surprising. It was just usual. Painfully usual. 

 

He buried his face in the crook of his elbow, his lungs hardly keeping up. He wasn’t expecting long fingers to slide across his palm, but he welcomed the warmness instantly and tightened his hand around his best friend’s. Chanyeol didn’t say a word, but Jongin felt it, the way he was spreading his warmth around him, making him feel life everything was going to be okay. And maybe it was. But Jongin couldn’t see it for now.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought we all needed a bit of a smiling Jongin. (well, I did, anyway.)

 

 

 

 

A/N : 

• Soooo.. Things aren't going that fast but I think it's better to take my time than to rush everything and end up disappointed you know ?
• I'm being a meanie with Jongin, and I don't even know why I'm like this, my poor little baby bear T-T
• Jongdae's a little . BECAUSE THIS IS HOW WE LOVE HIM.
• Who's your favorite for the moment ? :)
• Tell me what you think about it if you'd like, I'll answer as soon as possible !
• Take care of yourselves :3