"How are you feeling?"

Kyungsoo breathes out softly, eyes fixed at the older that is kind enough to visit him. "I'm... fine. Thank you... for coming."

Jongdae gives a slight headshake, lowering his gaze from the bandage on the younger's forehead to the bruises on the neck and it stops at the hands that are covered with scars. He was too shocked to even move when he arrived at the front door after Yifan had called for him and only back to his senses when the older had pulled his hand, telling him to call the ambulance. It has been a few days since that happened and he only has the courage to come today.

"Jongdae hyung."

"Hm?"

Kyungsoo takes a quick glance at the door before he stares at the older that has his eyes gaze softly at him. Jongin has left the room to give him and Jongdae some privacy and it still has a few hours until Sehun's shift ended. Jongin had told him about Yifan's visit and he knows sooner or later Joonmyeon and Jongdae would come to. And he knows he has some explaining to do but he doesn't know where to start. "I... I'm sorry..."

Jongdae watches as Kyungsoo lowers his head down, one hand tracing the scars on the other.

"I... did these... not Jongin like Joonmyeon hyung thought..."

Jongdae blinks as he digests the new information. His young master knows about those wounds? But the older never told him anything and the way Yifan was so collected at handling what happened that night, did he knew too?

"...and I never said anything... not denying when he said that..." Kyungsoo clenches his fingers, hoping Jongdae didn't catch the slight tremble on his hand just now. He should have said something, anything from letting Joonmyeon thought that Jongin was the one responsible for his condition but he didn't. He never knew why he didn't but then Jongin left him all alone and Joonmyeon hugged him, and everything fell together. "I created an escape that I didn't even knew I wanted."

"Kyungsoo..."

"I'm sorry... I knew what Joonmyeon hyung was thinking but I still went to him, asking him for help... because I knew he would..."

Jongdae breathes out, holding back himself from telling Kyungsoo everything. That he was the reason behind what is happening between Yifan and Joonmyeon. That his reckless action was what made the two people who clearly love each other acting like strangers. But he couldn't. He can see that the younger still doesn't know that Yifan and Joonmyeon aren't together anymore, and if Jongin hide even that, he doubts the younger would tell Kyungsoo about the deal.

"Hyung."

"Hm?"

"Is Joonmyeon hyung mad at me? Is that why he didn't come with you?" Kyungsoo purses his lips when Jongdae just stares at him, leaving his questions unanswered but the silence itself explains everything. Of course Joonmyeon would be mad at him. The older was kind enough to help him and let him stay for the night but he just disappeared like that, without a word, and then shamelessly crawling back to him, asking for his help again. And even worst, dragging Yifan into his mess. Who wouldn't be mad if they being treated like that?

Jongdae watches as Kyungsoo keeps fidgeting with the blanket that is covering his lower body. He was mad at his young master for suddenly doing something like that to Yifan but after what Zitao had told him about Jongin and the deal, he was furious, both at the two cousins. Of course Jongin was wrong for even thought of that deal but he is Jongin. The younger always does reckless things and of all people, his very own cousin should have known that but instead, he acted like him. He is just so upset at Joonmyeon that he couldn't look at the older, and hearing Chanyeol's name being mentioned the other night while Joonmyeon was on the phone didn't help at all.

"Hyung."

Jongdae turns to the door and sees Jongin walking in with a doctor. He gets up from his seat by the bed, making way for the doctor and heads to the door, stopping beside Jongin that is standing near it. "Can we talk?"

Jongin follows the older, closing the door as he exits the room. He walks towards Jongdae that is waiting at the end of the hallway and stands a few steps away right across the older when he reaches him. He actually has something to talk with Jongdae too.

"Kyungsoo..."

Jongin inhales.

"Are you going to tell me what is really going on with him?" Jongdae stares at the younger before Jongin gives him a headshake and he sighs. He knew he would get that answer but he just had to try. "Are you going to tell him about Joonmyeon hyung?"

Jongin purses his lips and shakes his head. This is what he wants to talk to Jongdae about. He is angry at his cousin for what the older had done but it was himself that made that deal. Kyungsoo has nothing to do with it. And he didn't tell Kyungsoo about what happened between Yifan and Joonmyeon not because he was afraid that Kyungsoo would hate him but because it will be a thing in the past. "Hyung."

Jongdae faces the younger.

"I told Yifan hyung about the deal." Jongin notices how Jongdae's eyes widen slightly at his words. "But he... he said it was fine. He said it wasn't my fault. He..."

Jongdae breathes out. So Yifan knows.

"I need to see him, hyung." Jongin glances towards the direction of Kyungsoo's room. He knows he had ruined something beautiful but he is going to fix it. He has to fix it, for Kyungsoo, that always had this small but the most beautiful smile on him whenever he saw Joonmyeon and Yifan together. And even though he wishes he was the reason behind the smile, being able to see and protect it are good enough for him. "I need to fix this but he wouldn't answer my call. And he refused to see me whenever I came by the cafe."

"So, what do you want me to do?"

"Just call me when he returned home and I will..." Jongin frowns, stopping his sentence midway when the older is shaking his head. "Why..."

"Yifan hyung left the house." Jongdae purses his lips, noticing the slight panic on the younger's face. Yifan never came back after he had accompanied Kyungsoo to the hospital that night and he hasn't seen him since then.

Jongin tries to find his breath. What has he done? He didn't thought it would ended like this as he never even meant for it to become like that in the first place. He stares at Jongdae. "Is there nothing else I can do?" Because aside for Kyungsoo, Yifan and Joonmyeon just need to be together again. Because they were meant for each other.

"I can take you to his house."

Jongin's brows furrows at the older's words before it hits him and his face lights up. Of course. The house Yifan was living before he married Joonmyeon. "But..."

Jongdae watches the younger's shoulders sag down as his head lowers.

"...he even left the house. There is nothing I could say to make him change his mind."

"Tell him everything."

"He already knew everything. That I was the one behind his divorce. That I..." Jongin purses his lips when Jongdae looks at him, his head shaking slowly.

"You are not the reason... you can never been the reason."

Jongin's brows furrow. What is Jongdae trying to say? "Hyung, what do you mean?"

Jongdae breathes in, eyes fixed at the younger. "The marriage was never annulled."

+ + + + +

"So..."

Joonmyeon lifts his chin.

"...you already found my brother's replacement." Yixing doesn't miss the small jolt Joonmyeon made at his words and watches as the other lowering back his head, avoiding his eye contact. He tilts his head slightly to look behind Joonmyeon, where a tall male is standing outside the lobby waiting, before he shifts back to the person standing in front of him. "What is his name?"

Joonmyeon bites his lower lip, shifting his weight from one leg to another and forces himself to look up. "What do you want?" He hears the faint scoff coming from his front and he ignores it. He doesn't know what is Yixing doing here but unlike the other, he has nothing to say to the male. Chanyeol came all the way to pick him up for lunch and he can't make the younger wait.

"Huh, look at you. Finally revealing your true self." Yixing smirks when Joonmyeon is looking at him with the corner of his eyes, trying hard not to get angry at his what he just said. Joonmyeon can't blame him though. He came here with good intention. Jongdae sounded so sad when he asked the younger about Joonmyeon's whereabouts and he promised that he will make everything better. But then, Joonmyeon stepped out of the elevator with the that tall male and anyone can see at first glance that the two looked more than just friends.

"I need to go." Joonmyeon turns around but a hand manages to get hold of his wrist and he is forced to turn back around and faces Yixing again, the other is staring blankly at him.

"How could you do that to him?" Yixing releases Joonmyeon's wrist and exhales, staring at the male in front of him. He hasn't seen Joonmyeon since that time Jongdae asked for his help regarding the problem between Joonmyeon and Yifan but that doesn't mean he forgets how the other looked like that night while they were having their dinner. That small smile he had as he entered the kitchen with Yifan. He looked happy but that was all. There wasn't a glow, a dimmed glow, like what he is seeing right now.

Joonmyeon frowns when Yixing shakes his head at him, looking at him with the same expression Jongin had when he came to the hospital the other day.

"How could you do that to yourself?"

Joonmyeon purses his lips and takes a step back, eyes fixed at Yixing. "I don't understand what is it that you are trying to say and I don't have the time for it. My friend is waiting and..." His words trail off as he sees Yixing bringing up a large brown envelope before looking down at it. Something is churning at the bottom pit of his stomach when Yixing looks back up at him, his hand offering the envelope to him.

"I asked Jongdae to let me keep just this, because I had a feeling that you weren't yourself when you decided to do that. And I was right."

Joonmyeon takes the envelope off the other's hand, noticing how his own is trembling as he brings the thin envelope closer and stares at it. It was there on his desk in the study room that night when he came back from work. The brown envelope he gave to Jongdae was placed at the center of the desk before he moved it to the side, making room for much more important documents he had to look at. And he ignored the younger's judging eyes as he told him to give that same envelope to their lawyer the next morning. He purses his lips. He should have checked.

 "I told him to give you time, that maybe you would regret what you have done and I could give 'that' back to you, telling you that it was never happened and you and Yifan ge could be together again. Because Yifan ge would understand why you did what you did. My brother can only see good in people. And..."

Joonmyeon inhales.

"...he only loves you." Yixing sees Joonmyeon's lips trembling before the other bites the lower one, as if hoping he wouldn't notice and takes another step back. There was anger when he saw Joonmyeon with that tall stranger but the other's reaction just now at his words confirmed what he thought all along. And it is all that ever matters. He slips a hand into his jacket and pulls out a rectangular box before grabbing Joonmyeon's other hand and places the box in his palm.

Joonmyeon blinks, gazing at the box in his hand.

"I found it in the waste basket in his room, sitting at the top of pile. Yifan ge isn't expressive but he can get angry too, you know." Yixing smiles softly when Joonmyeon shifts his attention from the box to look at him. He stopped by the house first before coming here and when he spotted the familiar box, he knew he had just got to bring it with him. "But he did bought it for you. I'm sure he was planning to give it you as soon as he comes home but..."

"Myeonie."

Yixing watches as the tall stranger steps beside Joonmyeon, putting his hand on the other's shoulder as they exchange glances. He doesn't know what their relationship actually is but he finds himself calm watching the taller shielding Joonmyeon from him while scanning him from head to toe. It is obvious that the taller is harboring feeling for Joonmyeon but it is also obvious that it isn't the same for Joonmyeon. "Joonmyeon."

Joonmyeon looks up, his eyes barely met with Yixing's over Chanyeol's shoulder.

"It is never too late."

Joonmyeon's heart stutters at the words and the soft smile on the other's lips as Yixing walks towards the glass door, getting farther and farther away before he is no longer in sight. He stares down at the box in his hand and the sound of crumpled paper makes him shifts his gaze to his other hand that has a tight grip on the brown envelope Yixing gave him. Is it really never too late?

"Myeonie."

Joonmyeon blinks at the call of his name and the sight of Chanyeol reminds him that he was going to have lunch with the younger before Yixing came and dropped everything on him. "Ah. We... we should go..."

Chanyeol watches the older staring at the two items in his hands without moving an inch even though the older was the one suggesting they should get going and he gnaws on his lower lip. That was the first time he saw that Chinese male but he could guess who he was. He lets out a breath when Joonmyeon still has his eyes fixed at the items and he brings one hand up, brushing the stray strands that fall on the older's forehead and meeting their gazes when Joonmyeon finally looks up to him, his eyes soft and full with longings. There was never a place for him, huh?

Joonmyeon stares at the younger's face and he is being reminded again. Right. Lunch. With Chanyeol. He planned that first so he should do that first. Yixing was at fault for coming without appointment so he is going to deal with these things later. Right now he has to go have lunch with Chanyeol. The younger was so kind and took his time to come and picked him up but he made him wait since Yixing insisted to talk to him. He should apologize to Chanyeol for making him wait. Maybe he can pay for their meal this time. "Let's..."

Chanyeol shakes his head, earning a frown from the older before he takes Joonmyeon's tiny wrist and leads him towards one of the benches inside the lobby. He settles himself beside Joonmyeon, eyes lingered on the items the older has in his grips before looking up, meeting with those rounds orbs. "I'm married." He smiles when Joonmyeon just blinks instead of widen his eyes at his confession. "But, of course you know about that." He doesn't know when Minseok had told Joonmyeon about that but he just kind of figures out that Joonmyeon already knew about it.

"Chan..." Joonmyeon purses his lips, his word unfinished when the younger puts a hand over his own, eyes staring straight into his as he tells him about his arrangement with Luhan. That the proposal came after he succeeded being the next heir, and how awkward it felt calling Luhan just by his name when Luhan was really like an older brother to him and they have been friends since forever.

"And because of that reason too, we will never like each other 'that' kind of way."

Joonmyeon catches the changed tone in Chanyeol's voice.

"You are so lucky... hyung."

Joonmyeon watches as the younger messes his own hair, his face scrunching in different ways.

"It is so weird calling you that! What is this aftertaste in my mouth?" Chanyeol juts out his tongue to look at it but he doesn't miss the small upward curve on the older's corner lips. Yes both he and Joonmyeon in an arranged marriage that has something to do with them being the heir of their respective family business but that is where the similarity between them ends. Unlike he and Luhan, Joonmyeon and Yifan found love and he is pretty sure the older wouldn't believe it if he show his and Luhan's marriage contract and what is written in it.

Joonmyeon follows when Chanyeol pulls him up by his arm before taking the brown envelope and the velvet box off his hand, putting it away on the bench as their eyes meet. "Channie..."

Chanyeol chuckles softly at his nickname that he doesn't even remember when the older started using it. He should have known that the name was Joonmyeon's way of telling him they will never be more than just a friend. But, maybe he did knew and decided to ignore it because that was what he did when he said yes to Joonmyeon's invitation to dinner even after what he saw at the wedding. "I don't know if you know but..."

Joonmyeon's brows furrow.

"...I love you, and always have been."

Joonmyeon breathes out at the smile the younger gave him. To say he didn't know is a lie but it wasn't just until recently. He didn't understand the heavy feeling weighing on him whenever he's with the younger but then Minseok's words cleared everything. "I'm sorry."

Chanyeol forces himself to keep smiling, hoping Joonmyeon won't notice his trembling hands. He had seen it coming but he didn't know it would be this painful. He guesses he loves him much more than he thought. He steps closer and pulls the older into a hug, squeezing Joonmyeon's lithe frame slightly. "Myeonie hyung."

Joonmyeon giggles and he is being squeezed a little tighter before it loosens and he feels water droplet on his shoulder. "Channie?"

"Be happy for me."