'What... is... this?' Jongdae's eyes got bigger by the second as he breathed over Minseok's shoulder, arms falling limp to his sides. Minseok set the envelope down and turned, holding him by the shoulders and speaking softly. 

'Hey, look at me. Jongdae! Look at me. Eunji's happy with Yejoon, and they've decided this together.'

Silence. 

'And it's not like they didn't approach you first. You even lived with them for a month, for goodness' sake!'

Silence. 

'And you saw Yejoon's better off now, you allowed them to do this, you said so.'

Silence. 

'So they're getting married next mo---'

'NEXT MONTH?!' Jongdae burst, eyes livid with surprise. 

'Are you angry, Jong---'

'No, but next month?! That's so fast!'

'Jon---'

'Do you understand how fast that is?!'

'Definitely.'

'Because---'

Minseok sighed with exasperation and slapped a warm hand to his husband's mouth, ceasing the chatter immediately. 

'Says the guy who did the exact same thing as Yejoon.'

Finally feeling Jongdae shut up, he retreated his hand and leaned against the kitchen counter. 

'... I... I---'

'Kim Jongdae, don't you refuse it. You had just come out of university. You were struggling to get an internship in any production house. Just because I listened to you pour out to me literally almost every day, just because I helped you get a shared apartment, just because I mentioned you to the owner of the production house nearby... you were thankful to me. Then you randomly showed up one day, saying you were in love with me.'

'That was true, because---'

'You had just graduated! So young, only twenty one!' Minseok raised his voice slightly. 

'But---'

'You didn't know a thing about me outside the cafe, outside my life as a barista! You didn't even know my name for a week!'

'Minseok!' Jongdae piped up with a much louder voice. Shocked at the loud voice, he coughed and lowered it to a comfortable level. 

'I admit, what I had was a crush on you. But I never felt the same for those other guys, they way I felt for you. You've no idea how happy I felt when you just looked at me and smiled at the cafe. How I'd look forward to talking to you. How you raised me up, actually made me feel alive. I felt lonely without you, always wanted to be near you. I may have been young, yes. But if that wasn't love... if that's not love, I don't know what is.'

Minseok leaned back a bit as Jongdae stepped closer to him with the last sentence, becoming stiff with uncertainity when the younger wrapped his arms around his waist. 

'I literally worked my off just to prove I was worthy enough for you, that I don't have to burden you all the time.'

'But you're worthy enough, you always were... and you were never a burden to me,' Minseok quietly said, averting his gaze. Jongdae cupped his face and leaned closer till their noses bumped. 

'And I loved you the whole time, didn't you see that?'

Minseok's eyes widened and he pushed his husband away. 

'Yejoon and Eunji are the exact same! He was as frustrated, as helpless as you in the start. Eunji was as insecure as me. Only, she must have felt it much more, having had Baekbeom already. Of course, she felt insecure when Yejoon paid more attention to his work and proposed to her when she had Baekhyun. But she still loved him, you knew. She was just scared that it was one-sided, but she still loved him. And he still loved her - he loved her the whole time.'

'How would you---'

'He works in one of our joints,' Minseok waved off. 

'You kept that a secret from me?!'

'Because I knew you'd make things weird for the poor guy. You've been in his shoes, you know how it is. Let them get married, already!'

'Why?'

'Because they're in love, just like how we were the whole time,' Minseok finished, eyes boring into his husband's soul. 

'You think about your bad behaviour, young man. They don't need this, they don't deserve this opposition from you,' he sternly added and left the kitchen. Jongdae slumped down on a chair and sighed, resting his head on the tabletop. 

'I hope Zitao will be fine in that new class,' Yixing sighed. 

'We had to send him there. He's Chinese, after all. He's better off at the school for foreign students.'

'But I couldn't help but cry when he did,' the younger added with another sigh. Junmyeon patted his back and let Yixing rest his head on his shoulder, leading them out of the children's room.

'... I'm not fin