“You sure have been in a better mood lately,” Gemma mused, peeking at you from the corner of her eye as she folded laundry in the living room.

Shrugging, you mostly kept your focus on the boot you were lacing up as you sat on the couch. “Things just been looking up lately.”

She pursed her lips. “Does a certain motorcycle boy have anything to do with it?”

Your fingers froze. Ever since the party, you hadn’t spoken about Junmyeon - or his alter ego “Junie” - to either of your friends. As far as you knew, they both still hated him and would go into fighting mode if he was brought up. Since they didn’t know the whole story, you thought if you told them about where you now stood with Junmyeon, you’d get scolded for giving him a second chance. You were planning on figuring out a way to tell them. Eventually.

You just needed to figure out how to paint him in the most angelic light possible first.

“Why would you think that?” you asked, trying to remain casual.

Gemma snorted. “Don’t play that. Cam heard you on the phone this morning about ‘going for a ride on the bike’. It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together.”

Okay. You were caught. In your defence, Cam was usually in bed on Saturdays until at least ten o’clock. You didn’t think you needed to whisper in your call with Junmyeon at eight-thirty.

“Is he at least treating you well?” The fact that Gemma was giving you a little smile as she asked that surprised you.

You nodded, grinning from ear to ear. “Yeah, he is.”

“Good, good,” she nodded. “So, you guys have figured your crap out?”

Now that made you roll eyes. “It was just a misunderstand. We’ve worked it out and we’re fine now.”

“Okay.”

You narrowed your eyes at her, arms folded across your chest as you leaned back into the couch. “Why are you being so calm about this?”

Gemma went back to folding her laundry, obviously slowing down the process and putting too much focus on each step and sorting the clothes by type. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Seriously?” you scoffed. “I know for a fact that when that thing my freshman year happened, you and Cam were like bodyguards on the edge. This time around, I was practically a zombie and you’re just… fine that I’m still seeing him?”

“We’ve grown up since then,” she said simply.

You stared at her, trying to figure out what was going on in that head of hers. “Gemma….”

Right as she looked over at you, your phone buzzed. It was a text from Junmyeon saying that he was waiting downstairs for you. Saved by the bell.

Standing up, you sighed. “I’ll see you later.”

“Have fun on your motorcycle lesson,” she called out after you.

Your hand froze on the knob, the door barely cracked open. Did she just say “lesson”?

Looking over your shoulder, you tried to figure out if Gemma used that phrase coincidentally or if that was her subtle way of telling you that she knew who “Junie” really way. That would certainly explain her calm demeanor at the news of you still seeing the guy on the bike. If it was the latter, Gemm gave no indication as she kept on folding.

Oh, well. If either of them knew, they wouldn’t be able to keep it to themselves for long. So, you put that thought aside and left the apartment.

Junmyeon was parked just outside the door, engine roaring and rumbling, making the bike shake. He’d originally wanted to come meet you at your door, but you once again explained to him how nosy the other residents were and how it was best if he stayed outside, disguised under the helmet. As soon as you were just a few feet away, he flipped the visor up.

“You ready?” he yelled over the noise.

You nodded eagerly.

Junmyeon reached behind him, unbuckling a helmet from the back seat and handing it over to you. With fluttering anticipation, you snatched the helmet and slid it over your head. As soon as you were seated behind him, arms securely around his waist, he took off down the street.

It felt like you were flying as Junmyeon sped down the street. Brick and iron buildings gave way to trees that were covered in leaves changing from stark greens to vibrant reds and oranges. The city was far behind you and nothing but open road lied ahead.

Bravery suddenly washing over you, the craziest idea went off in your brain.

One by one, your fingers let go of each other until you were no longer clinging to Junmyeon. You stretched out your arms on either side of you, letting the wind whip through your fingertips. Even over the growling bike, you could hear Junmyeon laughing at your courageous act.

The job at the museum had been offered to you last week and Junmyeon had been overtly ecstatic for you when you told him. Only one little detail he didn’t know of yet: by summer, you would be off to a dig as an assistant in another country. You had wanted to wait until things calmed down first before you dropped that bomb on him. You wouldn’t be gone too long, just a month or so at the most. But still. That was at least thirty days away from Junmyeon.

So many unknown elements were ahead of you on the long road you would travel with Junmyeon. Moments like this with your wolf would be rare since he was the leader and responsible for so many lives. Already, a few different dates had been canceled because of pack emergencies. But that just would make the dates that you did get to go on even more special. And you would cherish everyone until you left.

Junmyeon would understand for the short trip away, you were sure. Maybe once you got wherever he was taking you, you would tell him. And you were coming back. You had to. Now that you had him, you weren’t ever going to let him go.