Yongguk dragged his feet along the cement, all the while hiding his eyes behind his bangs and looking down at nothing. His fingers could barely hold onto the flowers he'd bought after he'd hung up on Jieun. He bought them for her, he tried to convince himself. Besides, Daehyun was a guy, so he probably wouldn't like flowers anyway. Right? Yongguk turned his head sideways to look at the colors. That was a mistake.

The sky darkened with his heart. The guilt was weighing down on him, and he felt even guiltier for not feeling this way sooner. He should've kept his promise; he should've been there; he should've been somewhere having fun with Daehyun right about now. His pace slackened, but that was alright. He didn't even know where he was going. All he knew was that he wanted to go back to the dorms and apologize. To do anything to make Daehyun forgive him for everything he'd ever done to hurt him and to say "I got you these flowers - I hope you like them" because he wasn't quite ready to say "Please accept my heart."

Wait - what?

Before he could think, his body was suddenly and unexpectedly pulled forward, the front of his shirt stretching and crinkling under a tightly clenched fist. Yongguk's head shot up, and his eyes widened and remained widened in surprise when he was met with a snarling, fuming Jongup.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?!"

Me? I could ask you the same thing, Yongguk thought. He was slow to get over his confusion and register what Jongup was saying to him.

"...Daehyun?!"

His ears perked up. "Huh?"

If possible, the younger's grip on his shirt tightened. Yongguk didn't break eye contact, but he was sure Jongup's knuckles were white from the way his hand was shaking. Then Jongup took a step closer. With piercing eyes that narrowed into slits, he said in a dangerously low voice, "Where. Is. Daehyun." He paused before adding, "Hyung," seething through gritted teeth.

Yongguk was stumped. He'd never seen Jongup this angry before - and his question was one he could not and would not answer. He pushed the other away, freeing himself of the death grip before stumbling back two steps. With a sigh, he brought a hand up to rub half of his face. "Look," he began, closing his eyes. "Daehyun wasn't there when I checked. I was just on my way home to apologize, so if you don't mind - "

"Gukkie!"

His eyes shot open, and only then did he notice the girl behind Jongup and where they were standing. "Jieun?"

--

"You came!" Pushing past Jongup, who hadn't budged since he'd been shoved away, Jieun ran to hug Yongguk. With her face buried in his chest, she whispered, "I knew you would come."

She looked back at Jongup in the corner of her eye and smirked, turning to fully face Yongguk. "What took you so long, Gukkie? I've been waiting for you."

Silence. Jieun felt as though she was hugging a statue. She pouted, clearly disappointed in his reaction. Isn't he glad to see me?

She pulled away to assess his expression which held nothing but surprise and disbelief. "Am I...is this...?" He furrowed his eyebrows. "Studio...?"

It took considerable effort for her to laugh it off. She playfully hit Yongguk's shoulder. "Silly. You promised you'd meet me here, remember?" Her eyes landed on the flowers in his hand. She gasped. "Are those for me?! Aww, Gukkie, you shouldn't have!" Jieun snatched the bouquet out of his hand, bringing the flowers up to her nose to smell them. I hate flowers. "How did you know that these are my favorite?!"

She was talking to herself and she knew it. Man, what was up with everyone today?! Frustrated, Jieun linked her arm with Yongguk's own limp one, pulling him toward the building. "Well, I guess I'll have to forgive you since you got me these flowers! Let's go inside now ~ "

They almost made it. Almost. But then Jongup had to speak and ruin everything.

--

Jongup couldn't remember being this angry in his life.

A part of him wanted to beat the crap out of Yongguk, leader/hyung or not. But Daehyun probably wouldn't be happy about that. Another part of him wanted to take out his anger on Jieun. Too bad she was a girl.

Damn my morals and self-control. Watching the two of them made him sick - the way Jieun had Yongguk wrapped around her pretty little finger, the way she manipulated him and the way he waited on her hand and foot. He didn't believe Yongguk one bit; he knew Daehyun would never leave so soon, would never give up so easily, and that the boy was still desperately clinging on to some kind of hope that Yongguk would show up. And the thing that hurt the most was that Daehyun probably would've forgiven him, too.

Jongup looked up just in time to see the two walking away from him and toward the recording studio. He didn't know why, but he wanted to try one more time. "You're a coward, hyung." Yongguk stopped in his tracks, head down. "He's still there and you know it. You didn't look hard enough because you were afraid of choosing, afraid of confronting you feelings. You took the easy way out, assuming that he got tired of waiting and went home rather than checking to make sure he was safe because you've always brushed aside and underestimated his feelings. You're a coward for breaking your promise and choosing her over him. You're a heartless coward who plays with other people for your own satisfaction. You're a coward who doesn't deserve someone as pure and special as Daehyun."

With that, he turned around in the direction from which he came. When he was almost at the corner, he added, without turning back, "You two are perfect for each other."

He ran as soon as he rounded the corner.

--

Yongguk let the words sink in. Jongup's words rang through his mind with so much truth that he didn't want to face: '"He's still there and you know it," "You're a coward," and "...you don't deserve someone like Daehyun." What was he supposed to do now?

He didn't like Daehyun romantically. He didn't. He didn't. He didn't. No. No. No no no. But he was his friend, and friends didn't break promises or lie to each other. He was the one who started this, and he was the only one who could make things right.

But was he too late?

The colors of the flowers in Jieun's hands brought him back to reality. He frowned, feeling more depressed than ever. "Jieun-ah, about those flowers... - "

"Oh, I just love them, Gukkie ~ ! They're so beautiful!"

Yeah? Well, they're not for you. Yongguk bit the inside of his cheek and said nothing. When she tried to pull him inside again, he finally spoke up. "I...should probably head home. You know, to check up on the other members." More like to check up on Daehyun. "Besides, it's getting pretty late. You should head home, too."

His real plan was to follow Jongup back to where he and Daehyun were supposed to meet. But Jieun must've sensed this, and she held onto him tigher, refusing to let him go. "You're not going to go look for him, are you?"

Well, no use lying now. "...yes."

"You can't!" Jieun's eyes were full of desperation. "You can't leave me for him! You'll stay with me, right, Gukkie?"

Those eyes would usually get him. Her touch and need for his presence would usually feel nice and wanted. But not tonight. He looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, Jieun-ah. I have to go."

He turned in the direction Jongup had gone, but he hadn't gotten three steps before arms wrapped around his torso from behind and stopped him in his tracks. Jieun sounded like she was sobbing.

"What makes him so important?! Why do you care so much about him?! Why do you always leave me to go to him?!"

That was it. Yongguk's patience tonight was wearing thin, even with Jieun. He spun around, breaking her hold to glare at her. "BECAUSE!" He yelled, visibly startling her. "Because, I...I...I..." Because what?

"AHH!"

Yongguk broke out of his thoughts to see Jieun on the ground, clutching her ankle with a pained expression on her face. "I-It hurts...."

He knelt down at her side in an instant. Was it because I pushed her? He gulped. "A-Are you o-okay?"

Tears formed in her eyes, and Yongguk thought that she was clearly not okay. Great. Just great.

"Come on. Let's get you inside."

--

It was nearly pitch-black outside. The streets were quiet. The only sounds Jongup could hear were his own footsteps and heavy breathing.

He'd reached the place, but there was no sign of Daehyun. He'd tried to call him on his way there, but the other didn't pick up. Jongup was getting more and more worried.

Dialing Daehyun's number as he ran around, hoping to find someone to talk to or an open shop nearby, Jongup searched and searched and searched. He wasn't sure how late it was, but judging by the few shops open and the lack of people on the streets, he guessed it was pretty late, maybe past ten. Their manager wouldn't be happy that they were staying out so late on their own, but that was the least of his concerns right now.

Jongup slowed to a slow jog to listen to his surroundings, his cell phone pressed to his ear. He must've called Daehyun at least twenty times and counting. On the twenty-second, he heard an all-too-familiar ringtone resound closeby. When he saw a tiny patch of light on the ground a few yards to his right, his heart pounded louder and harder than it had while he was running. Jongup peeled the phone away from his ear, not wanting to listen while it tried to connect. As he got closer to the phone, it took all of his strength to prevent his knees from collapsing.

Because next to the phone was Daehyun's mask.

Waaaahh ~ I'm back ~ !

It's been a while. ^^

I haven't given up/abandoned this story! It just takes me a while with my workload and such, huhu. ; ^;

Short chapter is short. I completely forgot where I was going with this, but I guess this works...?

Anway, I hope you like it, and I hope you'll continue to be wonderful and stick with me until the end ~ !