Wonwoo stepped back into his apartment. He could really use some time away from most people currently sitting at his dinner table. As he approached Mingyu was berating Seungkwan for meeting with Jihoon and not telling anyone about it.

“Why would you even go see him in the first place!?” he asked.

“That's what I'd like to know.” Wonwoo spoke up. Seungkwan got up from his seat and looked at him.

“Like I told him. I saw how him ignoring you guys was affecting all of you and I thought it might help if someone called him out on it. I didn't really expect him to actually agree to meet me...”

Wonwoo sighed and found Minghao's eyes across the table. Silently they agreed that it was indeed unlike Jihoon. He turned his eyes back to Seungkwan. It bothered him that this Ruby had somehow thought that he was the right person to set Jihoon straight. But at the same time it seemed to have worked and he did believe Seungkwan's intentions were coming from a good place. But he still didn't feel like looking at his face right now. “Maybe it's time for everyone to go home.”

“But...dessert...” Jun said softly.

Wonwoo sighed again and ran a hand through his hair, “I'm sorry, Jun. I'm not really in the mood anymore and I'd like everyone to leave my house now.”

Silently everybody got up. Everyone except Minghao.

“Are you coming?” Mingyu asked.

Minghao stared at him and then at Wonwoo. He shook his head.

“But he said he wants everyone to leave.” Mingyu objected.

“He can stay.” Wonwoo replied for him.

Mingyu had planned to spend the night at his boyfriend's, seeing as it was right across the hall and Seokmin was going to be staying at Soonyoung's anyway. But it was more than likely that these two would contact Seokmin to discuss the current developments. “I'll be at Soon's if you need me.” he said to Minghao and he nodded in response. Part of Mingyu felt left out of the loop, but he and Hao hadn't been together for that long really and he understood this was a thing between them.

Hansol saw the slight look of hurt on Jun's face when Wonwoo said everyone but Minghao had to leave. But so did Wonwoo. He waited for Jun to be the last one to walk towards the door and he took his hand. “I'll try your dessert later, okay? I just need...some time.” He leaned in and they shared a quick kiss. He knew how much work Jun had put into this dinner, despite the impromptu nature of it, and he really did feel bad about kicking everyone out, but he needed to be with Daebaks only right now.

Once outside Hansol pulled Seungkwan aside. “Listen, I'm going to give Jun a ride home, okay? Can you ride back to your place with Mingyu or something?”

“Are you mad at me?” Seungkwan asked without answering his question.

Hansol sighed, “I just don't get why you didn't tell me.”

“I only wanted to help...”

Hansol took his hand and the back with his thumb, “I know. You just should have told us, you know? They've been trying to contact him every since he got locked up and he suddenly agrees to see you? You have to understand they're a bit upset about it.”

“I guess...”

Hansol lifted his boyfriend's face. He looked a little pale. “Are you okay?”

Seungkwan pulled his hand back and took a step back, “Yeah, I'm fine. You go home with Jun. I'll see you next weekend, right?”

Hansol nodded and watched him get into Mingyu's car.

***

“So, any other secret prison palls that we should know about?”

The car ride was quiet and Mingyu was obviously still pissed that Seungkwan hadn't told anyone about his visit to the Daebak leader.

“Can you let it go? I'm sorry I didn't tell anyone. I just didn't want to cause any unnecessary drama. What if he wasn't going to contact them? It would just hurt them more.”

“But-”

“Let it go, Mingyu!” Seungkwan yelled louder than he had intended. He felt frustrated, restless, his head hurt. He just wanted Mingyu to hurry up and get them back home. He spent the rest of the ride staring out the window and bouncing his leg up and down with very little patience in his body.

As soon as Mingyu parked the car he got out and slammed the door shut. He didn't even wait for Mingyu to get out. He went straight for his room, bag clutched tightly in his hand. He closed the door but let out a loud screech once he realized Soonyoung was sitting at this desk.

“Why are you in my room!?” Seungkwan snapped.

Soonyoung raised his eyebrows, “Bad day? I just wanted to know why Seokmin suddenly interrupted our passionate make-out.”

“How should I know?” Seungkwan opened the door again, hoping his friend would get the hint that he wanted to be alone. He did not or he chose to ignore it.

“Well, apparently it had something to do with you and a visit to prison. He got a message from Wonwoo and left right away.”

Seungkwan groaned, “I just wanted to help and now everybody is mad at me. He's the one that ignored his friends. It's not my fault he agreed to see me. Now can you leave?”

“Don't you think that-”

“Leave!” Seungkwan reached out and grabbed Soonyoung's arm, “And get away from my desk!”

Soonyoung stood up but wiggled free, “Wow, dude. What's gotten into you all of a sudden?”

“Nothing! Just leave me alone!”

Soonyoung scoffed and shook his head, but left nonetheless. Immediately the door got slammed shut behind him.

Seungkwan sighed and slumped down into his chair. He opened the drawer and roamed around under the papers inside. He pulled out one of the pill bottles that he had hidden inside. He didn't even try to justify it to himself anymore. Headache, stress, any excuse worked at this point.

After calming down a bit he picked up his bag that he had dropped on the floor and took out the new bottle. The fact that he couldn't even understand the label was probably not a good sign about the safety of what was inside, but he didn't have the energy to care. He placed them with the others and closed the drawer.

<>

Before he was even back on the ground floor Jeonghan had pulled out his phone and waited for Jisoo to pick up.

“Are you with Cheol? Can you both come to my place right now? Yeah, yeah, everything is fine just...can you come?”

***

The doorbell rang and Jeonghan opened it so his two lovers could come inside. He had calmed down somewhat, but his clash with Wonwoo hadn't really helped his mood.

“So...” Seungcheol started as he took of his coat, “What's going on?”

“Nothing.” Jeonghan replied, quite unconvincingly. “Let's go to the bedroom.”

“Ehm, why?” Jisoo asked. He knew what Jeonghan wanted to do in the bedroom, but he didn't really like being called over so suddenly just for .

“Because I am in dire need to blow off steam and you,” he pointed a finger at Seungcheol, “you told me that I could blow off steam with you two instead of with a random guy I barely know. Well, I'm thoroughly pissed off and I need you two to come with me so we can have .”

“Do you want to talk about why you are so pissed off?” Seungcheol tried.

“No.” Not giving them the chance for further questions he already walked into his bedroom.

Seungcheol and Jisoo exchanged a quick look, both not sure what to make of Jeonghan's behavior. They followed him. Jeonghan was already taking of his clothes and mumbling to himself.

“...always acting like he's so much better...what does he know anyway. He wasn't there to see how he was just sitting there like he hadn't completely ignored me for months.”

Jisoo gently placed his hands on Jeonghan's hips from behind and placed a soft kiss on his bare shoulder, “What are you rambling about, sweetheart?”

“Stupid people.” His eyes shot over at Seungcheol, “Why are you still wearing pants?”

“S-sorry.” He swiftly started to undo himself of his clothes, but Jisoo wasn't going to give in so easily.

“Jeonghan, honey. Calm down.” He placed his hand on Jeonghan's arm to try to get him to turn around, but it got squatted away.

Seungcheol got closer and cupped Jeonghan's face with his strong hands, “Can't you tell us what's going on?” he asked with a kind of sincerity that made Jeonghan feel bad for the way he was behaving. He pulled his face away, but he allowed the both of them to stay close.

“On my birthday I got a call from Jihoon. He told me I was on his visitors' list. I went to see him today. He...something inside me snapped when I saw him. I guess I didn't realize how angry I was, am, with him. And then he goes and tells me like it's nothing that he had a visit from Seungkwan. I went over to Wonwoo to rant about it, but instead I got into a fight with him too. Please...” he looked up at the two of them, “...I don't want to talk about it any more. Right now I just want to have . Please.”

His last plea was so soft and vulnerable. Jisoo nodded and locked their lips together. Seungcheol kissed his neck. Jeonghan tried to lose himself and his thoughts about Jihoon through their touches.

<>

The next morning the three of them were sitting in Jeonghan's living room having coffee when the doorbell rang. It was Wonwoo. He looked into the apartment.

“Can you two leave?” He said bluntly. It wasn't really a question.

“Excuse me?” Seungcheol got up and stared at him.

“Guys, I'm sorry, but I need to talk to Wonwoo.” Jeonghan hoped they didn't think he had only called them over for . Although that's basically what he had done. If they were mad about it they were nice enough not to bring it up now and both of them put on their coats. Jeonghan said goodbye to them at the door and promised to call them later that day. Once they were gone he turned around to face his longtime friend. He felt silly about the way he had blown up at him yesterday.

“Wonwoo, I'm sorry about yesterday. I let my emotions get the best of me and I didn't take your feelings into consideration.”

“Or Hao's or Seok's.”

Jeonghan nodded, “Yeah. Did you talk to them?”

“You did see Minghao was actually there when you had your little rant yesterday, right?”

Jeonghan sighed with shaky breath, “I didn't really register it, I guess. I mean...I must have seen him, but I-.” He sat down on the edge of his couch, tears building up in his eyes. “I don't know what's wrong with me. Why am I so emotional about this?”

Wonwoo placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. He knew Jeonghan cared deeply for Jihoon, maybe more than he did about the rest of them, but this type of uncontrolled emotion coming from Jeonghan was not something he was used to and clearly neither was Jeonghan.

“Wonwoo, I'm sorry. I'll talk to Hao. And Minnie.”

“How did he look?” Wonwoo asked suddenly. “He OK?”

Jeonghan sniffed and leaned his head against Wonwoo's arm, “A bit thinner. His hair is back to black. But on a whole, yeah, he looked fine.”

Wonwoo scoffed, “How infuriating.”

Jeonghan chuckled. “Tell me about it...”

“Let's go see him together. You and me.”

Jeonghan looked up at him. “What about Hao and Seok?”

“I talked with both of them last night. You know how Hao has been saying that Jihoon must have his reasons for not talking to us. He's still standing by that, but seeing as he agreed to see Seungkwan and the fact that he called you must mean that he's changed his mind for whatever reason. But Hao said he's fine not going for now. I think he just wants Jihoon to tell him to come.”

“And Seokmin?”

“I don't think he can handle it right now. He was already very emotional yesterday just talking about it. I think it's best if I go see him first for now. Either by myself or together with you. Your call.”

Jeonghan didn't answer. He didn't even know what he wanted. As if he could read his mind Wonwoo spoke again.

“You don't have to decide right now, Jeonghan. We could even drive up there and you can decide as we arrive. I can just go in by myself at first or something and-” he stopped as something dawned on him, “Wait, did that little er even put me on his visitation list!?”

<>

Mingyu was having a good morning. He had gotten up early and finished that paper Seungkwan had been nagging him about, his boyfriend had sent him a selfie that was more adorable than anything Mingyu had ever seen in his life, and he cleaned up the kitchen. Yes, Mingyu was having a good morning. Until his phone went off and he looked at the message he had from his father.

I'm downstairs.

It was such a short ominous message. Why was he downstairs, how did he even know he was at Soonyoung's and not in his dorm room. He hurried down the stairs, hoping to catch him before he would enter his studio. But it was too late. The front door was closed, but the door to his studio was open. He walked in and saw his father holding one of his paintings.

Mingyu couldn't move. He just stood there and didn't say anything. He had never told his father about this place.

“Did you make all of these?” His father asked and he put the painting down.

“Dad, I...” he didn't finish. He didn't know what to say.

“Do you boys ever lock the front door? I just walked right in.”

“Why are you here, dad?” Mingyu knew this was the end. His father would make him get rid of all of his work. Tell him to grow up and stop chasing a useless childish dream. But then his father said something he wasn't expecting.

“I went to look at your work at that art gallery. It was really good.”

“W-what?” Mingyu must have heard wrong. His dad would never.

“You have a real talent, Mingyu.” He looked around the room and slowly started to walk around., studying some of the works as he went along. “Did I ever tell you that I never really wanted to become a doctor. Or rather, it was what was always expected of me and I never found a reason to go against it. I don't dislike medicine and I'm good at what I do, but I can't say that if it hadn't been a path that I was directed to take if I would have walked it on my own as well.”

Mingyu wasn't sure what kind of point his father was trying to make so all he could think of to say was “Oh...”

“I was content following the path that was laid out for me because I never felt like it was the wrong one.” His father continued. “I never had a...passion. Something that I felt like I was meant to do.” He stopped walking around and looked at his son, “What does art mean to you, Mingyu?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why do you make art? Why do you continue to make art even when I've told you to stop spending your time on it countless times? I'm not asking as a judgment, I genuinely want to know your answer.”

Mingyu was quiet for a moment. No-one had ever asked him why he made art. “I guess...art...making art...it makes me feel alive. I can put all of myself into it and grow from it at the same time. I know it might sound stupid to you, but I feel like my art is as much a part of me as all the physical things that enable me to live.”

“And if you could quiet med school and pursue this art dream of yours, do you think it would bring you happiness? Do you think it would make you happier than you are now?”

Mingyu still couldn't tell if his father was about to snap at any minute and tell him to get over himself, but he answered truthfully, “Yes. I do. Because honestly I don't think I'll ever stop making art and if I did I would lose a part of myself. One of the best parts of myself.”

His father sighed and a soft smile appeared on his face. “All right.”

“All right?” Mingyu repeated, not understanding.

“You can quit medical school. I will no longer try to force you into being someone that you're not. But, and I want this to be very clear, I expect you to work hard on this. The art business is a highly competitive one and it won't be easy. It won't just be you making art. You need to make yourself known, network, maybe do some other work on the side. If you get into an art school I will pay for your tuition, but you can't expect me to keep paying for all your expenses until you make it as an artist. Do you think you can do all this?”

Mingyu's jaw was almost all the way down onto the floor.

“Well?” His father asked again and Mingyu snapped out of his silence.

“Yes! I will get a job! I will work so hard, dad! I will! I...I don't really know what to say. Are you serious?”

His father smiled, “Very. I've ignored what you want, who you are, for far too long. I convinced myself I was treating you the way I did for your own sake, but really it was because I was scared to let you be your own person. But I've come to realize that I was only pushing you away by trying to make you like me. I don't want you to me like me. I want you to be like you. And how about instead of saying something you paint me something? For my office. I'll pay you, of course.”

“You don't have to pay me!”

His father tutted, “Don't ever let people convince you to work for them for things like exposure or for favors. Treat being an artist as a passion and as a job.”

“I think it's okay if I paint something for my own father.” Mingyu mumbled.

“Suit yourself.”

“On second thought...please pay me.”

His father laughed loudly and Mingyu thought his father hadn't looked like the kindhearted and cheerful father he had known as a child for a long time. “Dad? Thank you.”

“You should thank your Chinese friend. He's the one who convinced me to go see your art in the first place.”

“My Chinese friend? You mean Minghao?”

“I don't know. He didn't tell me his name actually. Skinny guy, rides a motorcycle.”

“That sounds like Minghao.”

“Showed up at the hospital one day. He seemed to care for you a great deal. You should invite him over for dinner sometime. Your mother would like to meet him too, I'm sure. How about Friday?”

“Eh, yeah, sure...I'll ask him.” Mingyu's head was spinning. So much was happening all at once.

“I should get going. You better start figuring out how to get into art school. I suggest you ask Seungkwan for help. He has very good organization skills.” He walked passed his son and stopped for a moment to place his hand on his shoulder, “I believe in you, son.” Mingyu surprised his father by grabbing him in a tight hug.

<>

Mingyu had been lightheaded all day. Going around telling his friends about his father's sudden change of heart, asking his dad again if it was true. Now he was sitting on Minghao's sofa with a beer in his hand. Finally calmed down.

“My parents want me to invite you for dinner this Friday at our house, can you believe that?”

Minghao scoffed, “What time?”

“How about seven?” They both burst out in laughter. Mingyu put his beer on the coffee table and got closer. Seokmin wasn't going to come home that night and Mingyu had all the time in the world to try and repay Minghao for what he did for him.