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It’s been a long and tiring day, one of the worst in a long while, but you know that’s what to expect when a comeback draws near. You were prepared for aching muscles from dancing, ringing ears from the constant bickering of your fellow members and eyelids growing heavy from focusing for too long, and it definitely isn’t your first time performing so you're not at all surprised. Still, thinking about it does makes you a bit dizzy, although in a slightly giddy way.
I’m so glad we’re able to do this, you think to yourself, because working together with everyone like this isn’t something you can count on even after being in the business for this long.
You enter the room carelessly, looking for a secluded spot of your own to rest and recharge but finding something - or rather someone - else. You turn to leave as soon as you realise it but a small, soft-spoken sentence makes you stop in your tracks.
“You can come in, Yesung.”
You do as you’re told, closing the door behind you as you squint through the darkness towards the man who lays on the couch, the man who doesn’t need to look at you to know who you are. Your heartbeat increases as you step closer, the continuous silence making you anxious to the point of wishing you hadn't accepted the offer so easily.
“Do you have a lap I could borrow?”
You find yourself sitting down to guide his head to rest atop of your thighs before you know it, and it takes some time before you can relax, before the unease loosens it's tight grip on your chest. Leeteuk on the other hand finds a comfortable position almost immediately and after hearing a couple of deep breaths you understand that he’s asleep.
I’m so glad I didn’t run away, you think to yourself, because then you would have missed your chance to give the help you’ve always wanted to give.
You look down at the man in your lap, your Teukie-hyung - Jungsoo - who you could never see as just your hyung and leader no matter how hard you try, and who you could never let go of even though he fails to notice most of your embarrassing attempts to get his attention. You know that already when meeting his gaze for the first time you fell for him, and during all these years you’ve only fallen again and again, his kindness and beauty making it impossible for you to not give your heart away.
You carefully touch his face, minding the makeup as you move his bangs away from his eyes. In any other situation Jungsoo would have shied away, ignored you or laughed it off, but not now, and it makes you brave enough to reach out and graze his hand with your fingertips.
I’m so glad that he isn’t awake, you think to yourself, because it would have hurt too much if he asked you to stop.
You feel time pass by slowly, ever present tenseness in your back and neck showing themselves as you refuse to let yourself rest. You know that you both have dealt with severe back pain lately but you also firmly believe that Jungsoo has it worse - at least you didn’t have to throw yourself to the floor multiple times when shooting the MV and for that you’re very grateful but also worried, and so your eyes never leave the sleeping form of your dear friend.
You’re not prepared to hear your name and you jump a little, grimacing when you hear Jungsoo’s sharp intake of breath.
“We have to go back soon and you need to rest too, Jongwoonie.”
You struggle with speaking, feeling moved but also scared and you can’t tell him that the reason you’re like this is because you want the moment to last - but Jungsoo understands anyway, he always does.
“Had it been anyone else barging in here I would have told them to leave.”
And that’s all it takes for you to let go, and you feel almost ashamed for getting this happy about such a small comment but you can’t help it. You let out a tiny giggle as you finally relax into the couch and you feel Jungsoo grin against your fingers as he brings them to his lips and soon you hear deep breathing once more.
I’m so glad, you think to yourself as you close your eyes and exhale through a smile.
I’m so glad I stumbled upon you, Jungsoo.