Jongin had never been inside a boxing training ground before. The first impression he got from this place was: violent. Of course, not everyone who practices boxing has the vision to kill. But when he heard the creak of the boxing gloves hitting the punching bag, Jongin couldn’t help but form that thought. The way this place was properly lightened and clean was an aid to lessen the negative aura Jongin perceived.

And that was when Jongin found Seulgi, on the corner, constantly punching the standing sack. The color on her face was almost the same as the boxing gloves she was wearing and the sack she punched. Red. Sweat poured down from her temples and neck that was bare due to her high-ponytail hair. She was wearing a sleeveless black top and long track pants in the same color, and it was a surprise to Jongin to see the curves on her arms. Her muscles were robust. Every punch she cast was precise and sturdy. He did not expect the person he thought was very mushy and sensitive could actually slam and split someone’s body in half.

Then he was being challenged by Seulgi. He knew how angry and vexed she felt because of him, but he didn’t know how much was the limit. The unpredictability of whether he would cross that limit or not made Jongin uneasy.

“Fine. Let’s fight”.

Jongin took off his black sweatshirt, and it left him with a thin white t-shirt and his jeans. He put it near the locker with his sling bag as he followed Seulgi’s step to the ring.

It cannot be denied that Jongin’s heart rate astronomically increased when he had set his foot in the ring, with Seulgi right in front of him, looking more than eager to eat him alive. Jongin tried to let go of the mindset that he shouldn’t attack Seulgi because she is a girl. In this ring, both of them were fighters, no matter what their genders were. The two of them bowed down at each other first to make sure no one stole the start.

And less than a second after they straightened up their torso again, Seulgi quickly aimed her fist right onto Jongin’s shoulder. That man only managed to lower his body a little, so there was still a part of Seulgi’s fist that hit him. It still hurt, but Jongin could identify how much power she put. It was low enough to make him deduct that Seulgi didn’t really want to finish him—she just wanted to let go of the steam.

Seulgi then pulled her fist and aimed towards Jongin’s stomach, so she had to bend her head slightly to do it. Jongin took advantage of his taller figure to grab her shoulder and stab it with his elbow, weakening Seulgi’s punch to his stomach. Seulgi let out a loud squeal. She straightened her body to look at Jongin, and the man’s sly smile burned Seulgi’s spirit even more.

Without hesitation, Seulgi started using her legs to attack. She lifted her right leg to strike Jongin’s stomach with her knee, and she succeeded. It was Jongin’s turn to grimace. With Jongin’s condition still bent his body over in pain, Seulgi crashed her knee again, this time against his arm. Jongin slumped down.

“You like it?”, Seulgi rhetorically asked while panting. Jongin looked up only to be immediately greeted by a punch on his jaw. He fell backward before he quickly got up again. The blood felt salty at the corner of his lips.

The exhilarating feeling that emerged in his chest was confusing for Jongin because everything happened too fast it left no room to mull, but at least he knew that he liked it. He ignored the stabbing pain so he could focus on grabbing Seulgi’s right arm from the front. He twisted it along with her body, and he wrapped his arm around Seulgi’s neck with her back pushed against his chest. Seulgi shrieked when Jongin pressed his arm stronger. She kept scratching, punching, and grabbing his arm, but it didn’t work.

“Yes, I like it so much”, Jongin finally answered Seulgi’s question.

Seulgi gathered the strength on her right arm, and swung her right elbow back to hit Jongin’s stomach. The taller man hissed. He immediately let go of his arms from Seulgi’s neck.

Seulgi hurriedly got up while building a plan to attack Jongin. Two of them were both gasping due to the adrenaline pumping their blood at a wild speed. He was a meter ahead of her, his literal bloody smile plastered upon his face framed by his messy dark hair. Jongin was waiting for Seulgi’s move by raising both of his fists parallel to his chin.

She ran with a slight bow towards Jongin, and as fast as lightning, she attacked Jongin’s lower right ribs slightly faster before he grabbed her arms. She didn’t let her most potent fist because she was afraid it would damage Jongin permanently. But it worked. Jongin lurched down and stood up in an irregular pattern, clutching on his ribs. Seulgi’s hands actually felt sore after hitting Jongin’s bone, but she immediately held them back to punch Jongin in the shoulder. It seemed that the strike to his ribs earlier had reduced his strength by almost a hundred percent. He was on his knees. With Jongin’s weak condition, Seulgi only needed a small kick on his arm to make him fall to the ring's floor.

Jongin was officially defeated by Seulgi.

The way Jongin was lying in pain was an opportunity Seulgi took to occupy the man’s body right on top of his stomach, with both her thighs flanking Jongin’s waist. Seulgi’s left hand held his shoulder, which she could feel his heartbeat reverberating through his bones, then her skin.

She caught Jongin grinning at her.

“That’s so cool”, he said. His grin then turned into a laugh.

Seulgi tightened her squeeze on Jongin’s shoulder. “What?”.

“Just kill me”, one drop of blood on the corner of his lips trickled slowly down to his jaw. Jongin wanted to laugh louder, but most of Seulgi’s body weight was still pressing his core. He stared at Seulgi while still laughing and gasping for air. “It’s an honor for me if I could die in your arms”.

Seulgi still couldn’t discern whatever the Jongin was trying to do at that moment. Was he being sarcastic? Was he trying to flirt?

The words’ predictable’ and ‘Jongin’ would never belong in the same sentence.

So, she let go of her hand from his shoulder and set his body free from hers—all in silence. Jongin pulled himself up, still groaning from the pain.

“Am I forgiven now?”, Jongin looked at her with his frisky smile.

Seulgi sighed loudly.

~***~

The iron chair at the edge of the restroom was now holding the weight of Jongin, Seulgi, and the first aid kit that she had just picked up. Seulgi soaked the cotton with alcohol. She brought her face and hands closer to Jongin’s, then wiped the source of the blood on the corner of his lips first.

“Tell me if it hurts”.

“Aw!”, he immediately reacted. Seulgi was startled. Jongin opened both of his eyes and laughed.

“Do you really have a death wish?”, Seulgi pressed the cotton harder. This time, Jongin was really hissing in pain. “Don’t talk. I’m trying to wipe the blood”.

“Okay”.

“Shut up”.

Jongin pouted.

“Just stay still!”, Seulgi shrieked.

“Why are you still so mad at me?”, Jongin looked up. The coldness from the cotton was grazing the skin near his lips and jaw back and forth. “I already repent for my mistakes in the ring”.

“What mistake are we talking about, exactly?”. Seulgi ripped open the plaster from its cover and put it over Jongin’s wound.

“I was being inconsiderate”, he said. He felt Seulgi’s index finger was pressing the plaster softly to his skin. “If I were you I might react the same way. Just a little less dramatic”.

Seulgi nodded her head. “I admit that. It was my fault too for putting my personal feelings into our business”. She packed the alcohol bottle and the remaining plaster into the first aid kit box. Looking at Jongin still from the same near space, Seulgi told him, “I’m sorry for that. And this too”, she pointed at Jongin’s now covered wound.

There was an urge inside Jongin to avoid eye contact with Seulgi that he obeyed by looking to the wall a few meters in front of him. “I... I’m sorry too”, he stuttered. “But next time, just kill me in one go, alright?”.

“Why are you so obsessed with being killed? By me?”, Seulgi rolled her eyes. “Don’t make your therapist know my name”.

“How long have you trained for boxing and why?”, instead of replying with an answer, Jongin threw another question. “Is it for fun? Or do you have anger issues?”.

Seulgi looked down to the ground and hummed. “The anger issues one is correct”, she raised her index finger. “Studying psychology makes me understand myself better. But that was not the main reason”.

“What is that, then?”.

It took her a few seconds before she spoke. “I want to be brave. Like, can you imagine being harassed when you’re just minding your own business?”.

Her answer silenced him.

“About a year and a half ago I was walking home from doing a group project. That was late at night, around 2 AM. I can’t stay at my friend’s house because I have morning class at 8. There was a small alley that I had to pass from my friend’s house and that was where—“, she stopped, her grip on the iron chair was tightened.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to”, Jongin lowered and softened his voice.

Seulgi shook her head. “I was catcalled and d by this man. I shouted and kicked him before I ran away”, Seulgi continued. “It’s...kinda sad that as a woman I have to learn extra skill to protect myself. But at least I can use it to knock my wicked ex”. She laughed, and the situation that felt tense prior now melted into a relaxed one.

Jongin stared at her from the side. Now it was Seulgi’s turn to avoid his eye contact.

“I mean it when I said you’re cool in the ring earlier. Not only your skill, but also your courage to use it”, he told her. “That, will answer your question about my obsession”.

Seulgi diverted her gaze into the man next to her. She beamed up widely.

“Did I hit you too hard? You’re being too nice today”.

Jongin raised his eyebrow. Now that he was in a harmonious state with Seulgi, he thought of the previous thrilling feelings that tickled his curiosity. Perhaps it was because of the adrenaline rush, or perhaps because he realized that Seulgi was an affable companion. Or maybe both.

“Consider this as your lucky day, then”.

~***~

Sehun and Seulgi agreed to meet Chanyeol a day before having dinner with Chanyeol’s parents. Discussing the do's and don’ts, and mainly catching up to Chanyeol’s life.

Chanyeol had left his household since the last year of his study, but since his apartment and his parents’ house were still in the same city, it didn’t really make a difference. He had been seeking jobs too and some reached out to him for interviews. He wanted to live freely right after he got his first job, and living freely meant that he got to see his boyfriend whenever and wherever he liked. He was 23. It would be kind of ridiculous if his parents were still involved in a lot of his life aspects, especially his love life.

Both Sehun and Seulgi arrived first at the cafe and ordered some drinks right away. Fortunately, Chanyeol came not so long after. Seulgi’s eyes lit up when she saw that familiar tall-figured man with dark grey hair and big eyes walk through the door and wave at them.

“Hi, sorry I’m late again”, he said as he sat down in front of them. Chanyeol landed his gaze on the man next to Seulgi first. “You must be Sehun, right?”.

Sehun nodded. “Nice to meet you, Chanyeol”, he offered his hand to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol greeted it with a warm and firm shake of the hand that he always gave to everyone. But now that he could see the person behind the service he used, Chanyeol took his time to memorize Sehun’s face thoroughly. His symmetrical face, sharp chin, and very fair-porcelain-like skin with a small scar on his cheek. He was attractive. Very attractive, even.

He smiled, let go of Sehun’s hand and greeted Seulgi.

Chanyeol told them both about his plan. He ensured them that this would be the last time he used their service. He would make himself busy by being a jobseeker so he could reject his parents’ demand, and eventually tell them that his busyness broke his relationship with Seulgi apart.

Sehun and Seulgi looked at each other after Chanyeol had done talking. They both nodded and agreed to it.

Except for Seulgi, who felt a part of her heart sink. She knew Chanyeol had a boyfriend. Hoping she could gain something more from him was wrong. That was why the time they spent as a fake couple was an opportunity for Seulgi to experience what she wanted to do with Chanyeol.

It felt like she really broke up with him. Seulgi took a deep sip on her iced matcha latte.

“I’ll go to the rest room”, Seulgi stood up and walked away before they said anything.

She went into the restroom and placed both of her hands on top of the sink’s edge. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she took some deep breaths to calm herself down.

You will be worse than Sooyoung if you want something more from Chanyeol.

Because unlike Sooyoung who thought Baekhyun was single, Seulgi knew very well that Chanyeol wasn’t.

Chanyeol’s boyfriend, you’re one lucky er.

At the same time but in a different place, Chanyeol and Sehun were talking to each other.

“You’re new into this business, right?”, Chanyeol asked Sehun. “I saw your Instagram account. Still not so many posts, but all of them are positive”.

“Our talents are doing a good job”. With his right hand, Sehun grabbed his glass and sipped his drink from the straw. “I didn’t expect that too at first”.

“Are you exclusively serving the straights only?”.

“For now, yes. Maybe we can serve the others more discreetly someday”.

“I think the demands will be high as well”, Chanyeol folded both of his arms on top of the table. “So many people are closeted in our country. They usually use dating apps but it kinda promotes the hook-up culture that some people don’t want to engage in”.

“I know”, Sehun replied. “Sometimes people are just seeking for non-ual company to cease their loneliness. I’ll keep that in mind. For the moment, I want to focus on making our business steady first”.

“Please let me know if someday you want to expand your business”, Chanyeol smiled. “Maybe I’ll become one of your talents too”.

Sehun scoffed. “Don’t you have a boyfriend?”, he lowered his voice on the boyfriend part.

Chanyeol diverted his eyes to the table and pouted. “We...are not really in a good state currently”.

“Is it? Why?”. Right after he asked it, Sehun was hit by instant regret. “Ah, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be prying on that”.

“That’s alright. He agreed for me to rent Seulgi for my graduation, but for this time...”, Chanyeol sighed. “We agreed to go through the consequences when we decided to start dating before, but I guess it’s because we haven’t faced it yet. He felt like all these things really downplayed his position in my life. His workload is crazy too these days, so...he just can’t process everything thoroughly”.

Sehun nodded his head a few times. “So, you’re implying that you’re gonna break up with him soon”.

“I don’t want it to happen but it’s gonna happen someday”. An evident frown painted upon his face. “And the worst part is I thought I would have more time with him”.

For some parts, Sehun could understand the situation Chanyeol was in. And that was why then the air he breathed felt heavy and tight afterward.

“I know how that feels”, Sehun said. “And everything you feel might not be relevant to others, but it’s still valid, okay?”.

Chanyeol sighed. He looked up to Sehun and found him looking back too. Venting to someone who runs a partner-for-rent business might not be the scenario he ever thought about before, but it was worth it. Because it was Sehun. The man with a serene gaze and comforting words.

“Hey, why so quiet?”, Seulgi appeared from behind Chanyeol, smiling ear to ear. “What are you guys talking about?”.

As fast as lightning, Chanyeol raised the formerly downward corners of his lips into a smile. “Nothing much. Just asking about the business”, he said. Chanyeol looked at the counter a few meters behind Sehun and Seulgi. “I forget that I haven’t ordered something yet. Wait for me”, he changed his eyes’ direction into Sehun, like he was talking to him directly.

Chanyeol didn’t let go of his stare from Sehun when he stood up. Sehun cautiously looked at him back. Something was on Chanyeol’s mind, obviously—but the existence was yet to know because he had no clue at all.

“What’s wrong?”, Seulgi asked when Chanyeol was already away.

Sehun shook his head. “Nothing”.

~***~

The meal was delicious, and Chanyeol’s parents treated Seulgi like a princess. So, it wasn’t hard for Seulgi to be genuinely enthusiastic when Mrs. Park showed her ornamental plant collection in the backyard after they finished dinner. She also did not hesitate to answer personal questions that Mrs. Park threw at her. Which college do you study in? What major? Are your parents in Seoul too? Luckily, Seulgi’s parents actually live outside of Seoul, so she could anticipate if Aunt Park wanted to meet her parents.

But the most important event for Seulgi that night was how Chanyeol hadn’t broken the streak of being the nice ‘boyfriend’ to Seulgi.

Chanyeol arrived at the backyard while his Mom and Seulgi were talking. Realizing the sudden appearance of her youngest child, Mrs. Park instead said goodbye and let the two of them spend some time together. The door to the backyard was closed, leaving Chanyeol and Seulgi staring at each other.

The two of them sat on the steps beside the small staircase that connected the house floor to the backyard. Finally, time to be alone with Chanyeol. Seulgi glanced at the man beside her. Contrary to the expression Chanyeol always put on from the beginning to the end of dinner, his face looked glum.

“What happened?”, Seulgi asked. “You don’t look too happy”.

Chanyeol just mumbled at first. But then, he replied, “I want to tell you something but please keep it a secret”.

Secret. It was ambiguous. But it belonged to his private sphere. It was a privilege when Seulgi could be involved.

“Sure. I’ll keep my mouth sealed. What is it about?”.

That man’s heels pounded against the wall of the steps without a clear rhythm. “I think I’m gonna break up with my boyfriend”.

Seulgi immediately widened her eyes in surprise. Wasn’t it just yesterday that Chanyeol told her that he wanted to celebrate his graduation with his boyfriend? Seulgi thought their relationship was still the same. “So sudden? Why?”, Seulgi asked him.

“I want to solve our problem but he just keeps on insisting”, Chanyeol replied. “He doesn’t like it that I don’t have any strength to tell my parents about him. I told him that I wasn’t ready to risk everything yet. I just graduated, I don’t have a stable job yet, I still need my parents. If I’m being kicked out of the family, I don’t have anything to survive on. I don’t wanna live together with him, it would be a burden. I don’t think I can stay at my sister’s place either. I want him to wait until my life is settled, but when Mom asked you to have dinner, he just lost it. He blamed me for not being able to say no to them”.

Feelings of pity and guilt submerged from her heart after she listened to Chanyeol’s story. “He didn’t want to listen to you?”.

Chanyeol shook his head. “This is not the first time we have had this problem. He had introduced me to his brother and his mother, but I just can’t do the same thing. His Mom and brother are very welcome about it. I understand why he is mad, but...I don’t feel like he understands my situation”.

“So... you’re going to bid goodbye to him soon? Are you sure about your decision?”.

Chanyeol didn’t answer the question right away. He was silent for a moment, his eyes still looking at the wet grass from the rain that afternoon. “What do you think, Seulgi? Should I?”.

Seulgi found herself torn completely into two sides.

If she put herself in the shoes of Chanyeol, she would do everything that priorly seemed impossible in order to survive with his boyfriend. Getting a job fast, begging for his boyfriend not to leave, living with his boyfriend—whatever it is. Losing someone you love because of things beyond your control was the most painful level of a broken heart.

But of course Seulgi would turn a hundred and eighty degrees if she were herself. The Kang Seulgi whose feelings for Park Chanyeol were ardent. The time when Chanyeol’s status officially became single was something she should have been waiting for.

In the end, Seulgi shook her head. “Do anything you can to save your relationship with him first. But if in the end nothing can change his mind, then you know it’s the end”. She was quite satisfied with her diplomatic and impartial answer.

Chanyeol put a half-smile on his face. He looked at Seulgi. “I’ll try to do that. Thanks for your advice”.

Seulgi smiled fully. “You know that I’m here for you, right?”, she pointed her fist at Chanyeol, asking the man to reply as well.

Chanyeol clenched his fists, then tapped his knuckles against Seulgi’s. “I know. That’s why we’re friends”.

~***~

Breathing in muddy water wasn’t a feasible option to do, but that was what Chanyeol did. He was suffocated by the predicament he had with Kyungsoo, but letting go of everything would do no better. No matter what path he chose, he would end up wounded and damaged anyway.

He rang the bell on Kyungsoo’s apartment on Sunday morning without texting him first because Kyungsoo would always open his door for him. It was a privilege, and Chanyeol knew he kind of abused it lately.

And Kyungsoo did open the door. The moment he saw Chanyeol, he didn’t change his expression a bit. Perhaps Chanyeol should be thankful that at least Kyungsoo didn’t seem too bitter to see him, but it was just the bare minimum—and Chanyeol pitied himself for not being able to pass through that level anymore.

“I bring us some coffee”, Chanyeol raised his right hand that was holding a paper bag of coffee and bread, still trying to smile at his boyfriend.

Kyungsoo didn’t say anything when he let Chanyeol inside, to the place that had been his second home after his own apartment. His actual home wasn’t even included in the list anymore.

The slices of bread were soon eaten up, the steam from the coffee that once was puffed was gone. And that was when Chanyeol finally brought up the dreadful conversation to the table.

“I have two job interviews next week”, he said. “I’m not really confident with the game developer company, but with the e-commerce company...I might have a bigger chance”.

Kyungsoo sipped on his now lukewarm latte and nodded. “That’s good. You have internship experience at a game studio startup before”.

Chanyeol tapped his fingers on Kyungsoo’s dining table. “You think so? I heard their salary was almost too good to be true”. He then continued, “The money I make will be able to support me on my own”.

“We’ve talked about this many times”, Kyungsoo quickly dodged with a response. “And I don’t know why you still want me to answer differently”.

This was the worst scenario Chanyeol had to face.

Fixating his stare at Kyungsoo in front of him, he then grabbed Kyungsoo’s hand and squeezed it lightly, as if he was afraid his bones were made from porcelain. “Listen, baby. If your problem is about Seulgi, soon I’ll tell my parents that I ‘broke up’ with her. But if your problem is about my parents, trust me—I really want to include you in my family too, but I can’t, yet. I promise I’ll live independently from them first before I do anything risky. Do you want to see me stranded on the streets because they kicked me out from the family?”.

Kyungsoo sunk his eyes on the interlocking hands of him and Chanyeol. “You know that we are just waiting for breaking up at this point, right?”.

“I don’t want to. I don’t want you to fail to recognize how much you meant to me, to my life. Please, Kyungsoo. I don’t want this to be the reason we broke up because we both know we can still fix it”, he tightened his hand on Kyungsoo’s.

Kyungsoo pulled his hand from Chanyeol and he stood up. He walked to the water dispenser to get some water.

“You never considered to live together with me?”, he gulped all the water from the glass with his back still facing Chanyeol.

“I can’t put another burden in you. You’re not a homeless shelter”.

“Even if I consented for it?”.

“No, Kyungsoo. I can’t live my life thinking that I’m dragging you down every day”.

The shorter man finally turned his back so he could have a face-to-face moment with Chanyeol again, two meters apart.

“You just don’t want to tell your parents that you’re living together with another man”. He walked away, ready to leave his dining room. But Chanyeol quickly stood up and grabbed his arms.

“Baby, please”, Chanyeol still clung into the idea that this relationship could be saved, plastered, bandaged. He looked at Kyungsoo straight at the eyes with fully-visible frustration. “I want us to have as much time as we can. I’ve done everything I can but there is just something that I can’t cross. Why don’t you do the same as me?”.

Kyungsoo widened his eyes and slowly released his hand, once more, from Chanyeol’s. “How? By letting you become someone’s boyfriend for two times and letting your parents believe you’re with a girl? For not being introduced to any of your friends? Your family? Not being included in your life’s essential events? What more should I do? Should I always be the shrub that you shove away so no one can see? What else? Tell me. Tell me what more should I do for you. I’ve given you another way but you won’t choose it too”.

“You’re guilt-tripping me”, Chanyeol immediately replied. “I’ve told you a lot that all you have to do is to wait! You already have everything on your own and me? My life just started, I don’t even have anything to hold on if things go south. You can’t wait anymore? You don’t want to spend more time with me? Is that all that you have right now?”. The frustration flared up into anger because there was no turning back—all Chanyeol could see was himself, himself, and himself. All alone. Kyungsoo didn’t want to be involved with him anymore.

“Stop making this work”, Kyungsoo said, his tone being higher and more austere. “This won’t do anymore”.

And here Chanyeol’s worst nightmare came.

He bit his inner lower lip hard that if he continued for ten seconds more it would soon bleed. Through Kyungsoo’s eyes, he was desperately searching for any bit of care and tenderness left, and he found it—but it wasn’t enough to cover the heartache that started to claw into his chest. Why? Why was it have to be inadequate? Why didn’t he deserve more of it?

Chanyeol finally nodded and exhaled. “Fine. I guess this is the end”, his voice was quivering. “Love alone won’t be enough, right? For us. You said that before you date me”. He looked down to the floor, but afraid that a stream of tears would fall, he quickly looked up again.

Kyungsoo kept his head unmoved as he watched Chanyeol. “Be well. You’ll do great things”.

“Without you”.

“Without me”.

. Why does he agree to everything I said except THAT most important one?

He took a look once more at Kyungsoo, diving deep into his eyes, perhaps the last savoring he could do to that round pair of orbs.

And Kyungsoo did stare back, only that both of them were not in the same path, not driven by the same avidity and zest.

It was him against Kyungsoo now. Not him and Kyungsoo in one team against the world anymore.

~***~

being an adult, shoving away your feelings and showing up to the work like your heart wasn’t shattered into ashes the night before.

Chanyeol tried his best to make himself look sober after hours of drinking and passing out. He had to show up at this interview or else the answer from them would always be no. And so, he did. He woke up, took a shower, brushed his teeth five times to get rid of the alcoholic smell, and put on his formal clothes. Driving wouldn’t be safe—not because he might get arrested for DUI, but he might lose track of his procedural memory and end up getting in an accident.

So, Chanyeol took a subway to his potential workplace, while picking up every piece of sanity he had left.

It was extremely grueling to make space for thinking about himself when all that filled his mind was Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo. The first time they met at Chanyeol’s close friend’s party. When they walked together near the river and Kyungsoo tripped over nothing and both of them burst the longest, loudest laugh that day. When Kyungsoo sang him to sleep as the softness of his caress grazed upon Chanyeol’s hair over and over again. Everything, reminded him of Kyungsoo.

But did Chanyeol have any more rational choice than letting himself break down in this office? No. Chanyeol put a smile and shook the interviewer’s hand firmly before he sat down and answered whatever query that woman threw to him.

And before he realized it, his interview was finally over. Chanyeol walked on the pavement, almost didn’t give a damn about whether he would be accepted or not. All these seas of people and yet he felt so damn lonely. Could this day get any worse?

Yes, when his stomach grumbled loudly. He hadn’t eaten anything since last night. Sighing, Chanyeol kept walking. A fast-food restaurant near this block was the thing he could remember, so he went there.

He was a few meters from the destined place when he saw a figure and a face so familiar walk out of the door with a paper bag in his right hand.

Chanyeol shouted his name and ran to him.

“Sehun!”.

The called man stopped his step right away and looked around to search for the source of the voice. And when he found Chanyeol was approaching him, Sehun couldn’t help but become startled.

“Chanyeol?”.

He finally stopped running when he was less than a foot away from Sehun. What a really magical coincidence. Or maybe, it was not? Chanyeol couldn’t afford to think of why they met at this unthinkable place and time.

Sehun tilted his head and scrutinized Chanyeol’s face from nearby. The dark circle under his eyes and his puffed eye bag clearly told Sehun that he wasn’t in a good state.

And he asked him, “Are you okay?”.

It was the first are you okay question Chanyeol received since he got heartbroken yesterday.

He could feel the surge of warmth from beneath his eyes and the trembling on his lips.

Before it broke down into tears, he brought Sehun to his embrace.

So tight, that Sehun didn’t have a space to breathe and to think of any possible reason why Chanyeol was hugging him in front of a fast-food restaurant door.

“I’m not”, Chanyeol answered. “I’m not okay”.

~***~

Writer's note:

A bit late update because work has been craaazy the past week but I'm dying to write something for this story so here I am. Hope you're all doing good!