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Language:
English
Series:
Part 1 of Better
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Published:
2025-12-09
Completed:
2026-02-08
Words:
44,598
Chapters:
22/22
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81
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57
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It’s not supposed to be like this

Chapter 22: Epilogue

Notes:

I’m so emotional right now. What do you mean it’s over? I want to keep updating this forever (I don’t, actually).

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Seven years later…

 

When Yeosang awoke, he tried to not let the fear take over him. 

It was just another normal day, everything was well in his house, he still had another body laying next to him in bed.

Jongho hugged him so tightly, unconsciously aware of how this day affected his fiancée, but, most importantly, how this specific day had been stressing Yeosang and everyone else ever since the new years. Yeosang could only be thankful for awakening with that comfort, with that strong, warm hold anchoring him. It helped ease some of the worry. He lingered closer to his lover, rubbing his nose against the younger’s until he heard the sleepy grumble.

“Morning,” he said softly.

“I know today is important, but can’t we sleep in?”

“It’s a day-long celebration, love. It starts with brunch and ends with getting drunk.”

“Why did we agree to that, again?”

“To manifest a successful cycle,” he closes in, landing a kiss on the still close eyed partner.

“Won’t be successful if I beat up a too drunk Wooyoung.”

“Not funny.”

“Sorry,” Jongho finally opens his eyes. “Are you feeling okay?”

“As okay as anyone scared of things repeating can be.”

“It won’t happen, I promise.”



8 makes 1 braincell

Yunho:

So…

Who’s hyped up for today?

 

Wooyoung:

@Seonghwa you better hold me back before I beat this fucker for suggesting brunch at 10am

 

Seonghwa:

On our end, everyone is excited, Yunho :) 

 

You:

We’re all nervously-excited for it! 

Jongho already blocked my access to the coffee machine, so be ready to hear about me ^^

 

Mingi:

Love that for us

 

Wooyoung:

@Seonghwa would you be kind enough to take care of drunk San so I can enjoy the after party?

 

Seonghwa:

No. I would love to take care of my boyfriend, actually 

 

Wooyoung:

And why are you two dating again?

 

Seonghwa:

Because Hongjoong asked me out.

 

You:

More like I forced him to do it or he would not be allowed to come home again.

 

Seonghwa:

Details.

 

Yunho:

So I see we will have fun today.

 

Wooyoung:

Meet me outside after the brunch and we will see just how much fun we will have.

 

San:

Why do you insist on keeping this attitude?

 

Wooyoung:

If you hate it so much, do something about it

 

San:

Oh, dw, I already have a plan

 

Mingi:

Please take this to your private conversation, some of us like our innocences

 

Jongho:

You have that?

Notes:

Okay, so work is done! Now allow me to be sentimental for a little bit about this work, as I say goodbye to these characters.

Thank you so much to you, the reader, for having stayed this long and having read my words.

This work was originally made by a teenager who didn’t feel heard and thought that their friendship was dying (yes, the same one that ended midway through this). I took refugee in writing because that was the only place that I knew that I would be heard and not judged. I processed feelings for the first time with this work and came to terms with some realities of me.
This work was, unironically, my motivation to push through my depressive episode (Wooyoung style)! So I’m proud of myself for that.
And with it, I always wanted people to read it and feel understood and hope that they could get better. Even if the kind words are coming from a fictional story written by someone who is really young. Any word of support is a good word of support, so please always keep in mind that there is a way to get better, always ask for help.
Although I’m not any wiser, now that I’ve rewritten this work that is so important to me, I’m happy I can look back to these moments and emotions and have another look to it and understand better why I made everything and how my mind was working through such a hard time.
I’ve finally managed to give my suffering characters the happy ending they deserved, and that I’d promised one day they’d get! I couldn’t grant them that the first time, but time gave me that ability. And I’m also proud to say that I’ve accepted these parts of me enough to forgive them so I can have my own happy ending. Because, unironically, I also am living what these characters went through, with the same people I wrote about a year ago.

Once again, thank you so much for reading and having used your time to give love to this story❤️

Notes:

kudos and comments are appreciated

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