Archive of Our Own ^beta

Han Jisung never liked to call himself a pick-pocketer. He often used “master of deception” or even a magician, if he was feeling particularly fancy. He didn’t often feel fancy.  

The time he spent learning the art of subtle distractions and speedy stealing was born out of necessity. If things were different, Jisung wouldn’t have been roaming the streets looking at people as targets instead of human beings. It was the way the world worked for him. Jisung tried not to dwell on the logistics of it; it was incredibly depressing. 

Oh, and one last thing-- Han Jisung never, ever , worked alone. 

Jisung walked down the alleyway, his eyes settling on his newest target. It was a man around his age, rather ordinary-looking from behind, with soft brown hair and a blue and white button down shirt. His jeans were standard denim, and he was carrying a bag over his shoulder. Jisung kept his distance, not wanting the other male to know he was tailing him. They emerged from the alley, and Jisung watched as his target began weaving through the throngs of people. 

Jisung hated crowds, but it did make his work a little easier. He sucked in a deep breath, adjusting the hood of his hoodie to sit more firmly over the black baseball cap he wore on the daily, slinking into the crowd. He was overly aware of his surroundings, but his eyes were trained in front of him. The sky was as blue as could be, and white puffy clouds hung overhead. 

There . The other man paused at a crosswalk. Jisung steeled himself, trying not to quicken his pace as he stepped beside his slightly taller target. He didn’t say anything at first. He just stared across the road as if he were about to walk across it. The walking light turned green, and Jisung meandered across the crosswalk. A couple walked towards them with a dog, and Jisung snuck a glance at the man. Exactly as expected , he thought to himself. He’d crouched down to pet the Samoyed puppy. Jisung stopped too, bending down to pet the puppy too. The bag the man had been carrying was on the ground, and Jisung had noticed a wallet peeking out of it. 

“What a well-behaved puppy!” He heard the man say. Jisung nodded in agreement, reaching out scratch behind the dog’s ear. He used his other hand to snag the wallet, sliding it into the back pocket of his jeans. His oversized hoodie fell back over his jeans. Jisung stood up and looked ahead. A small smile played at his lips as he made eye contact with a familiar face. Jisung passed the taller man, turning right into a side-street so that he could make his way back to his shared apartment. 

“Another successful outing?” Jisung’s head shot up, scanning his surroundings. Changbin was standing against the brick wall of the building to his left, one of his knees bent with his foot resting on the bricks. He had a cigarette hanging lazily between his lips, and what looked like a split lip. Jisung wasn’t particularly surprised, Changbin was argumentative when angry.

“How could you tell?” Jisung teased, smirking. He clapped his friend on the shoulder and motioned for him to follow, heading in the direction of their home base. Jisung pulled the wallet out of his back pocket, taking a look to see what was in it. When he flipped open the well-worn leather, something fluttered out of it towards his feet. Jisung crouched down to pick it up. It was a photograph, and it looked decently old. He froze, the color draining from his face. Jisung leaned down towards the image, blinking several times. His chest tightened with an emotion he didn’t feel often.

That can’t be right . He picked it up and shoved it back into the wallet. He put the stolen goods into his back pocket silently. Changbin didn’t comment, so Jisung just figured he hadn’t seen the photo. The rest of their walk was silent. Changbin exhaled a little louder here and there as he smoked, but he didn’t chat. They tended to save conversation until they were away from the prying ears of the city anyway.

Chan greeted them from the doorway of their run down, barely-livable apartment. They could have gotten themselves something more suitable to their tastes, but “borrowing” this facility didn’t cost them anything. The three of them worked in shifts. Jisung and Changbin were coming back from the evening shift, and Chan picked one of them to do the late night shift with him. They truthfully just alternated, and Changbin had done it last time so Jisung needed to get ready to be on the streets for the night.

“J, you up for the night shift?” Jisung nodded his head firmly.

“Yep,” He replied curtly, taking his seat at their makeshift table. Chan had prepared dinner (of sorts) as usual. Jisung was grateful for Chan. He stayed at their apartment during the day, a lookout for possible threats, but he also kept it as clean as he could. Jisung and Changbin spent the days out of the house, finding food and sources of income as often as they could. For the time being, the three of them were doing okay. Their supply of food was fuller than it had been in a long time, and none of them needed clothes. 

“Spill it,” Chan said suddenly. Jisung hadn’t noticed him and Changbin sit down, nor had he noticed them start to eat his noodles. He swatted their chopsticks away, shifting to pull the wallet from his back pocket. He placed it on the table, flipping it open to show the picture. Jisung shivered looking at it again. It looked like a memento from a trip or something, except Jisung was in the photo with the man he’d stolen the wallet from. The taller male had his arm slung around the waist of the person who looked just like Jisung, and they were staring lovingly into each other’s eyes. Jisung heard Chan and Changbin suck in their breath as they got a good look at the photo.

“Is that...you?” Changbin asked slowly, setting his chopsticks aside to pick up the photo. Jisung shook his head, his brow furrowed.

“No,” The image appeared in his mind and he sighed. “I mean, I know it looks like just me, but I’ve never seen that man before today. And look at how old that photo is!” Jisung carefully took the photo, turning it over to see if there was a date or writing on the back. It was blank, just as expected. He sighed and looked through the rest of the wallet. It had nothing special, just some cash and a few cards. He laid the cash and cards on the table, unable to put the photo down. He felt inexplicably drawn to it. Jisung knew it wasn’t a feeling he’d be able to describe to his friends, but he didn’t particularly care. He popped open his phone case, tucking the photo safely between the two. He clicked the case shut, and looked up to see Chan and Changbin staring at him. He made a face at them, as if to say “what do you want?”

“You’re gonna carry the photo with you?” Changbin leaned back on his hands, eyeing Jisung. Jisung nodded his head, slipping his phone into his pocket. 

“Yeah,” He held up a hand. “And before you ask- No, I won’t be explaining why.” He got up, glancing out the window. The sun was a tiny sliver over the horizon. Jisung pulled his cap down over his eyes, adjusting his hood. Chan was ready by the door, opting for a beanie to cover his hair, a black hoodie, and a black mask to cover his mouth and nose. Before they had fallen into a routine, Changbin had suggested they get face masks for their outings. Jisung had pointed out that if they wore a specific mask, it would give them a reputation. That was the last thing they wanted.

Jisung and Chan headed out together. They would start their night together, and eventually separate to cover more ground. Jisung stifled a yawn, rolling out his shoulders. 

“Rule number one,” Chan said suddenly, his eyes in front of him. Jisung straightened up.

“Never target a child,” He recited diligently, tucking his hands into the pockets of his pants. 

“Number two,” Chan continued, stepping over trash littered in the alley they were walking down.

“Never get caught,” Jisung kept his voice quiet, but firm. Chan did this every time they were on night shift together. Jisung knew it wasn’t because Chan didn’t trust him to follow these rules, it was more so just a routine that they’d both fallen into. Routine was hard to come by when left to fend for yourself in the streets, so they both valued it.

“And rule three,” Chan looked at Jisung now. Jisung met his gaze, noticing a glint of something in Chan’s eyes.

“Never linger,” Jisung stated, coming to a halt at the end of the alleyway. Chan usually veered right into the darker outskirts of town where the activity was shadier and the risk was higher, but the payoff equated to the risk. Jisung would go left, opting for the city night life. He’d never told Chan this, but he selfishly picked the city because he loved to look at all the lights. 

“You know how to find me if you need me,” Chan smiled, patting Jisung on the shoulder before turning away. Jisung watched him walk away, swallowing his anxiety. He turned towards the city, the lights already capturing his attention. He walked towards them as if they had pulled him in with a rope. Jisung stood on the edge of the sidewalk, looking around. The city was alive at this time. People milled around in the streets and on the concrete sidewalk. Some of them were more drunk than others, and Jisung paid close attention to the ones who were stumbling around.

He got close enough to a man to smell the alcohol on him. The stumbling man fell straight into Jisung. Jisung gasped and did his best to hold him upright. This was a little more involved than he usually gets, but Jisung had a plan. 

“Sir! Are you okay?” The man replied with nonsense. Jisung grumbled under his breath, cursing the world for having to make a living doing shit like this. “I’m gonna hail you a cab.” Jisung leaned out towards the road, signaling for a cab to stop. When he managed to get one, he guided the drunken man to the backseat. Jisung swiftly pulled the man’s wallet from his back pocket, paid the driver with some of the money, and shut the door to the cab. Jisung pocketed the wallet discreetly, merging with the crowds of people. 

He wandered aimlessly for some time, side stepping discarded cups and various other things that found their way to the streets of a busy city. Jisung scanned the streets as he walked, wanting to put distance between him and the first successful steal of the night. No one he’d passed felt right. 

Just then, Jisung spotted a possible target. He tended to target men. It was a habit he had developed accidentally. The thrill of being able to steal from them was significantly higher. Maybe it stemmed from some repressed anger, but Jisung decided it was yet another thing he wouldn’t dwell on.

As Jisung closed in on his target, his attention was momentarily diverted by an argument.

“Get away from me!” Jisung turned his gaze in the direction of the voice. A young woman was clearly distressed, and a nasty looking middle-aged man was following her. Jisung sighed loudly. He knew it was better if he didn’t get involved, but he couldn’t just leave. That woman was in possible danger, and there was something sweet about messing with the man. He pulled out a black mask, securing it behind his ears. He tugged down his cap, making sure it was snug on his head. 

Jisung shifted directions, beelining for the man and woman. He stepped in front of the woman, realizing the man had appeared shorter from a distance. Jisung shook off his nerves, and motioned for the man to step back. 

“Get the fuck out of my way, you rat,” The man spat angrily, grabbing the front of Jisung’s hoodie. Jisung inhaled sharply, but he’d given the woman enough time to escape. He couldn’t help but chuckle. What a big fucking mistake that was. The man shoved him, and Jisung stumbled. He’d forgotten to consider that this middle-aged man was a little drunk and muscly. Jisung swore under his breath and tried to make a run for it. He’d almost gotten away, but the sound of footsteps following him made Jisung pick up his pace.

“ Fuck ,” He swore, trying to get his bearings of the city. The drunken man likely wouldn’t be able to keep up with him for much longer, but Jisung wasn’t going to risk it. Jisung was nearing a crosswalk, and the light was red. He scanned his surroundings and decided his best option was to book it across the crosswalk.

A car horn blared, but Jisung didn’t stop. He hit the sidewalk after the crosswalk with the same speed he’d had before. He weaved around people, and he swore he could hear slurred swearing from somewhere behind him. Jisung was coming up on an alleyway, and he figured it would be a good place to escape.

Jisung veered into the alleyway, his pace slowed to a speedy walk. He turned over his shoulder to check if he was being followed, but when he turned back he rammed straight into something. Or, someone. They tumbled to the ground in a mess of limbs and surprised gasps. Jisung’s hat was knocked off his head in the process, and he scrambled to find it. He got up off of the poor stranger he’d body slammed, and quickly yanked his cap on. Before he could completely cover his face, he caught the gaze of the man lying on the ground. Jisung froze, his fingers resting in the bill of his hat. It was the man from the photo . Jisung recognized him immediately, a mixture of panic and uncertainty bubbling up in his chest. The other man stared at him in shock, and before he could say anything Jisung took off running. 

“No-- wait!” Jisung didn’t turn back. His heart slammed against his chest, and he was breathing hard. “Jisung!” Jisung wanted to scream. He wasn’t supposed to know his name. He wasn’t supposed to know his face. Jisung hated to admit it, but the sound of his name coming from that man was sickeningly familiar. 

Jisung was heading for Chan. This just wasn’t right. His head had started to hurt, and there was an uncomfortable feeling spreading in his chest. He slowed his pace down, confident he’d outrun yet another man. It would take some time to find Chan, but time was what Jisung needed.

That photograph. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that Jisung had found it. It was unsettling to look at, but at the same time it evoked such a strong sense of nostalgia in Jisung that he almost couldn’t bring himself to look at it. Jisung pulled his phone out of his pocket, chewing his lower lip. He pulled his case off just enough to peek at the photo. He sucked in a sharp breath as he stared at the small image.

“It really does look like me,” He muttered, growing a little annoyed. Why did life always require so many questions and never enough answers?

Chan was standing by a fence, his face shrouded in darkness. Jisung walked up to him quietly, suddenly realizing he hadn’t really needed to come all the way to see Chan. He felt a bit foolish when Chan looked up and spotted him. He felt like he’d been slugged in the gut when he saw the concern wash over Chan’s face.

“J!” Chan reached out, tugging on Jisung to check for injuries. “What happened? Why are you here?” Jisung shrugged away from his hands. 

“I’m fine,” He held his hands up, signaling he was not injured. “I just... ran into that guy again.” Jisung mumbled the last part, but Chan heard him.

“You ran into him?” Chan asked, furrowing his brow.

“Quite literally, yes,” Jisung replied with a slight smile. “Long story short, I was running from an angry drunk man, who called me a rat by the way, and, well, I collided with photo man in an alley,” Jisung explained, huffing when he mentioned being called a rat. He had momentarily forgotten that the mystery man with the photo had called him by name when he was running away. 

“Did anything happen?” Jisung tugged on his cap, thinking.

“Well, yeah,” He avoided Chan’s gaze for a moment, fiddling with his phone in his hand. “When I ran away, he called me by name.” Chan’s eyes widened, and he stared at Jisung in disbelief.

“He knew your name?” Jisung nodded slowly, recalling the moment he ran. He was certain he’d heard the man yell “Jisung” as he bolted. “This is starting to sound fucking crazy.” Jisung nodded in agreement. 

“I know!” He sighed and pocketed his phone, leaning against the fence next to Chan. “What do you think I should do now?” Chan patted the top of Jisung’s head fondly.

“Just head home and see if Changbin needs your help with anything,” He said, shrugging his shoulders. “I think you’ve had enough close-call encounters for the night.” Jisung nodded his head in agreement. Even if he could argue and refuse to go home, he knew Chan was right. Their whole shtick was not being found, so heading home was clearly the better option. Jisung waved to Chan, who had already visibly shifted back into work mode. 

He took the backstreets home. The night had turned quiet, and Jisung didn’t particularly want to be in the crowds of people anymore. He hummed a little as he walked, making sure to pay attention to his surroundings just in case his luck really had turned sour.

Jisung paused midstep. He scanned the area from left to right, confused. He felt weird . He realized he had suddenly become filled with a deep desperation, like he was searching for something. Jisung placed a hand over his heart, feeling it speed up even though he was standing still. It had been beating abnormally since he was talking to Chan, but Jisung had just ignored it. 

“Jisung,” He swore he heard his own name. He spun in a slow circle, beginning to feel really creeped out. “ Where did he go?” Jisung’s eyes welled with involuntary tears. He felt like a madman. Whose voice was that? Why was he suddenly feeling these strange emotions? Was someone searching for him?

He shook the thought from his mind and emerged into the city from the back streets, just a few blocks away from his apartment. He was hoping the feelings would fade, but they only intensified. Jisung felt like his feet were glued to the pavement. He wanted to scream and run, but something deep inside of him was telling him to follow the pull of the emotions.

Begrudgingly, Jisung let himself be pulled in the direction of this sensation. He didn’t expect for it to really do anything, but he found himself heading in the opposite direction of his apartment. He would never be able to articulate the feeling, the way they tugged at him like strings, so he just followed. Chan wouldn’t have to know, as long as he got back before sunrise. 

“Whoa,” Jisung exhaled slowly, standing in the middle of a plaza. The emotions had lulled, and he felt lost. He took in his surroundings, spotting a coffee shop, a convenience store, and various other small shops. He started walking towards the coffee shop, the scent of freshly brewed coffee wafting from the door as it opened and closed. Jisung didn’t think he even liked coffee. It wasn’t something he had the luxury of drinking. 

As he entered the shop, he felt disoriented. The room was slanting a little, and his knees felt weak. He pushed through the strange feeling, and forced himself to the counter. He didn’t know what he ordered, but he paid with cash he’d stolen and found a seat. Jisung looked around the small shop, and his gaze landed on a man sipping from a straw. Jisung almost couldn’t believe his eyes. 

“Him again?” he muttered, dropping his gaze to the floor. This was precisely why Chan had told him to go home. Jisung realized he didn’t know how to handle whatever force was pulling him towards this guy, and it scared him slightly. He quietly thanked the waitress who brought his coffee, and he took a sip. A gasp escaped his lips as the bitter taste hit his tongue. Had coffee always tasted this good? He sipped on the drink happily, deciding to ignore life for a moment. Chan would have a heart attack if he knew this is what he was doing, but Chan was also like an overprotective brother at times.

Jisung glanced over at the man again. He frowned when he realized he seemed...distressed. His hair was messy, and it looked like he’d been roaming for awhile. Jisung was hit with the sudden cognizance that he was likely the reason for this man’s distress. He chewed his lower lip, debating. He could walk up to him and demand answers here and now. However, that would be undoubtedly risky. What if he was dangerous? Or somehow connected to Jisung’s past?

Jisung felt the air around him darken at the thought. He hadn’t considered that his past could have followed him here, and that alone was enough to make him stay glued to his chair. His coffee was half gone when he looked up again. What a mistake that was.

They made eye contact. Jisung tried to pry his eyes away, but they just wouldn’t budge. The man rose from his seat, gasping for breath. Jisung stood too, unsure what to say or how to break the connection that had formed between them. The other man moved first, and Jisung watched with shaky hands as he approached. His heart rate sped up, and he tried to swallow the anxiety that was brewing in his stomach. 

“Who are you?” Jisung’s voice wasn’t as firm as he wanted, but it was loud enough to be effective. “What is happening right now?” The other man just smiled softly. Jisung suddenly got the feeling he’d seen that smile before.

“I am someone who promised you the stars,” He replied, and Jisung just stared at him. “Do you still like them?” Jisung tried not to make his expression wistful as he thought about the night sky. 

“Yeah,” He nodded slowly, thinking about how alive he felt when he walked under the stars. “Why do you ask?” The other man took a seat, and Jisung felt obliged to follow suit. Everything about this situation was wrong. This was lingering. This was exactly what Jisung had sworn to avoid. 

And yet, he couldn’t pull away. The warmth in the other man’s eyes comforted Jisung in ways he didn’t know he needed. He had questions, so many questions, and his mouth just wouldn’t stop. 

“Your favorite place to spend time together was stargazing.” His eyes glazed over and Jisung watched as he recounted a memory Jisung would never know. 

“What is your name?” Jisung asked suddenly. He thought back to how he’d been able to call Jisung’s name, but Jisung didn’t know his. “And I think you owe me an explanation as to how you know mine.”

“My name is Minho,” he said quietly. He was staring into Jisung’s eyes now. “And I know your name because in your last lifetime, I loved you.” 

“In my last lifetime ?” Jisung stuttered incredulously. His mind went to the photo in his phone case. Was that even possible? “How can you know me from my last lifetime?” Minho’s expression was vaguely pained. 

“It’s a bit of a long story…” Jisung scoffed, looking around.

“I’ve got time,” He deadpanned. Minho’s eyebrows rose in shock, but Jisung continued to stare him down. 

“O-okay,” Minho stumbled over his words, and Jisung noticed he seemed a little less confident. Jisung guessed he hadn’t planned on having to lay out their last lifetime in chronological order. 

“We were classmates. High school, to be exact,” Jisung nodded. They looked about high school age in the photo. “We had some mutual friends, but hadn’t ever really hung out ourselves until our third year of school. We clicked. From then on, we spent so many hours together. You know, we planned to go to the same college with a few of our other friends. Our lives had become, well, connected. College ended up not being our scene, so we dropped out and found a cheap apartment to rent together. It was a mess, nothing ever worked properly, but none of that mattered because we had each other.”

Jisung blinked, silently sliding a napkin across the table. Minho took it, dabbing at his eyes. The story wasn’t sad. He wondered what the tears were for. It struck Jisung then that for him to have had a past lifetime, he had to have died somewhere along the line. 

“Your health started to decline suddenly,” Minho continued, clearing his throat. “Neither of us knew how to handle something as big as that. We tried to live as best we could, but it was hard. You couldn’t work, and I was doing what I could to support you. I won’t sit here and lie to you, because it was really fucking difficult. I was watching the only person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with slip through my fingertips. 

When it became obvious that you weren’t going to last much longer, I made a decision. I wasn’t going to let what we had disappear with you. So, I pledged to you that we would meet again in your next life. I would find you in every life after the one we shared together. I told you I’d care for you, and make sure you had what you needed. Jisung, I…” Minho looked away from him, shoulders shaking. Jisung felt overcome with emotion, too. Tears welled in his eyes, and he didn’t bother to stop them this time. They fell in big droplets, landing in perfect circles on the table in front of him. 

“Does that mean you’re still in your original lifetime?” Jisung wanted to reach out and comfort Minho. He had never been the affectionate type, but maybe that was just him in this lifetime. He shook the thought from his mind. Minho nodded his head slowly.

“Yes,” he breathed. “I realized I’d stopped aging a few years after you’d passed away. At first, it was terrifying. Everyone around me just commented that I looked so young and fresh, but as time went by it became strange. So I left. I left our shared apartment, my family, and my friends to find purpose elsewhere.” Jisung leaned back in his chair. Purpose . The word brought a strange emotion to the front of his chest. Minho eyed him suddenly, and Jisung came across another discovery.

“Our thoughts and feelings are connected, aren’t they?” Minho looked at him in shock. He seemed to process the statement quickly. 

“Is that what that is?” He adjusted his jacket, resting his elbows onto the table. His nose was a bit red, and Jisung wanted to call it cute. He shoved the thought away as fast as it had entered his brain. If Minho had thought it too, his expression gave away nothing.

“This still doesn’t really make a lot of sense,” Jisung said slowly. He glanced at the window, and a string of swear words left his mouth. The sky was beginning to brighten with the light of sunrise, and he needed to be home before Chan.

“Well, that hasn’t changed,” Minho laughed softly, but Jisung was too busy picking up his things to absolutely book it home. He grabbed one of the napkins, pulling a pen he’d found earlier out of his pocket. Jisung scribbled his number onto it. He slid it across the table to Minho, already turning towards the door.

“Do with that what you will,” He called over his shoulder, dashing out the door. He sped in the direction of his apartment, ignoring the slight tug he felt. He couldn’t be pulled back to Minho. It was bad enough he spent literal hours sitting in that stupid cafe listening to Minho talk about their life together. And it was even more stupid of Jisung to be moved by the story. He’d felt the longing that Minho felt, and it made him want to start over. He wanted to give back the photograph and the wallet, apologize for stealing it, and try to get back the love he’d lost with Minho when he’d died in his past lifetime.

Jisung caught his breath before opening the door to his apartment. He could hear Changbin snoring, and from the looks of it Chan hadn’t returned yet. He silently celebrated his small victory and shut the door behind him, emptying his finds for the night on the table. It was a smaller pile than normal, but he had spent a considerable amount of time doing other things. His mind drifted to Minho as he changed into lounge clothes, crawling onto the couch. He had been adamant about letting Chan and Changbin have the mattresses. He let himself think about Minho. The brown haired boy was on his mind a lot, and Jisung was minding it less and less. 

Jisung turned onto his side, curling his body around a pillow. It took a while, but he eventually heard the sound of Chan returning home. He felt Chan put a blanket over him, and then the sound of his door clicking shut. Jisung fell asleep quickly, his mind full of Minho.

The next few weeks were the same. Jisung offered to take the night shift with Chan to sneak off to the coffee shop and meet up with Minho. He still did usual work before and after so he didn’t come home empty handed, but Jisung was really enjoying the routine he’d fallen into. Minho was so wonderful . In the strangest way ever, he felt like comfort. Jisung knew that around Minho, it didn’t matter what he said or did, he would still feel the same about him. Perhaps that was the result of their previous lifetime together.

“Why are you living such an unconventional life?” Minho asked, sipping as his iced Americano. Jisung eyed him, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I could ask you the same thing, bucko,” Minho laughed lightly, and held his hands up in defense.

“I guess I just mean, why are you choosing to live the way you do now when you’re so obviously capable of being so much more?” Jisung sat in silence for a moment, thinking. Before everything turned shitty, he was living a pretty good life. His parents loved him, and he had some awesome friends. After he had been forced to go away, he’d adjusted to his current lifestyle. Now that he was living in the shadows, it often felt like there was no way he could go back to any kind of “normal” life.

“When you live a life that is intentionally untraceable for long enough, you no longer harbor a desire to do things or live in a manner that is considered conventional or normal,” Jisung stated, his mind wandering to Changbin and Chan. They had taken Jisung under their wing, and he couldn’t imagine leaving them behind. All three of them had stories of heartbreak or betrayal that they carried with them, but none of it mattered when they banded together. “I don’t really care if I could try to integrate back into society. I like what I have now, the people that surround me care more for me than anyone I have ever known. There is no point in giving that up just to pursue something ultimately meaningless.” 

“Does that include me?” The confident smirk on Minho’s lips made Jisung want to slap him. He fidgeted, feigning confusion.

“Does what include you?” He asked, batting his eyelashes.

“In the list of people who surround you,” Minho explained patiently, his hands wrapped around his coffee cup. Jisung pondered the thought for a moment, knowing full well Minho could probably already tell what he was thinking.

“I think so,” He answered softly, ignoring the warm feeling in his chest. He smiled into his straw as he took a sip, enjoying the giggle that escaped Minho’s lips. It was well into the night, and Jisung knew he should be heading off to do some work, but he found it to be harder and harder to leave Minho. It was a disgusting revelation, but Jisung decided to roll with it against his better judgement.

The sound of the door opening caught his attention, and Jisung looked up to see both Chan and Changbin entering the coffee shop. Panic rose in his throat, and he knew he should move but he couldn’t. They weren’t looking at him yet, but Jisung knew better than to assume they hadn’t seen him. He was in his usual cap and hoodie combo, but he had gotten a little relaxed on covering his face. Minho tensed too, but Jisung knew it was because he felt the same panic. Chan was the first to come up to Jisung. His demeanor was cool and his expression was even under his cap, but Jisung knew he was just masking his emotions.

“J,” Chan said quietly. His tone was flat, and Jisung cringed at the lack of emotion. “Let’s go.” Jisung rose to his feet, his gaze landing on Minho. Minho was silent, but Jisung began to sense he wasn’t going to let Jisung be taken away.

“Do I have to?” The question slipped from Jisung’s mouth as he looked at Minho. Chan wrapped an arm around Jisung’s shoulders, forcibly moving him towards the exit of the coffee shop. 

“I wasn’t asking,” Chan ushered Jisung out of the door, Changbin hot on their tails. Jisung tore his gaze away from Minho to look at Chan’s face. His eyes had darkened and it sent a chill down Jisung’s spine. He shimmied away from Chan’s arm, standing with his arms crossed over his chest defiantly. 

“You can stand there and complain all you want, J, but you knew this would happen eventually,” Changbin commented, his hands deep in the pockets of his jeans. Jisung chewed on his lower lip, glancing back at the coffee shop. He turned back to his friends with a defeated sigh, slowly starting to move in the direction of their apartment. He dragged his feet on the ground, the guilt of disobeying his pack suddenly weighing heavily on his shoulders. Jisung had known he was acting thoughtlessly and bringing unnecessary complications on himself by developing a relationship with Minho, but he didn’t think he could’ve stopped it even if he tried. 

They entered the apartment silently. Chan took a seat at the table, and Jisung followed suit. This was always how they discussed issues or difficulties. Jisung sat in silence, his gaze fixed on the table in front of him. His shoulders were hunched forward, and his hands sat restlessly in his lap.

“Did you think Changbin and I wouldn’t know?” Chan asked quietly, folding his hands on the table. Jisung shook his head slowly, tears welling in his eyes. This was his least favorite part; whenever something happened, he always cried even if he knew he was in the wrong.

“No,” He replied quietly, trying to keep his voice steady. He didn’t look up at Chan or Changbin, knowing that if he met their gaze, he would really start crying. 

“Then why did you continue to meet him?” Chan flattened his palms against the table, and Jisung could feel the anger rolling off of him. He cringed slightly, and considered the question. “You know that explicitly violates our code, J.” 

“I know. I just--,” He trailed off for a moment, pressing his palms into his eyelids. “Do you believe in past lives?” He asked suddenly, looking up. Changbin furrowed his brow.

“What does that have to do with the problem at hand?” Changbin’s tone wasn’t as calm as Chan’s. Chan resting his hand on Changbin’s knee, a silent sign to tone it down a little. 

“Remember the photo I showed you a few weeks ago?” Jisung fumbled with his phone case, pulling the photo out to lay on the table. Chan and Changbin nodded, leaning down towards the small image. “He and I are connected, guys. I know that sounds disgustingly cheesy and entirely impossible , but I swear to fucking God I’m not playing around.” Jisung set his hands down on the table, sucking in a deep breath.

“What do you mean by connected?” Chan leaned towards Jisung, his interest piqued. 

“He and I share thoughts and feelings,” Jisung explained slowly, holding his hands over his heart. “When I walked away from you after I saw him a few weeks ago, I was overwhelmed by this pulling sensation. It was like someone had tied a rope to my heart and had yanked it in their direction. I really was going to go home, but I decided to follow it. It led me right to Minho. Obviously, I was super unsure at first, but I really believe him, Bin.” Jisung looked between Chan and Changbin, silently pleading with his eyes. He knew they would never completely understand, but he hoped they would just believe him.

“I believe you, J,” Chan spoke up first. Jisung slumped, sighing in relief. Changbin patted Jisung’s head, a silent agreement. “I trust you, I just wish you had told us you were seeing him several times a week. I wouldn’t know what to do if something had happened to you…” He trailed off and tears welled in Jisung’s eyes again. He hadn’t realized how selfish it had been for him to do such a thing. He shook his head, scooting around the table to sit beside Chan. Jisung leaned into him, sniffling.

“I’m sorry, Chan,” He smiled slightly when Chan wrapped an arm around him. “I should have been honest with you from the beginning.” Chan nodded, tapping the bill of Jisung’s hat so it lowered over his eyes. Jisung laughed softly, fixing it. Changbin joined their hug, squeezing Jisung between himself and Chan. Jisung groaned softly, but he secretly really enjoyed moments like this. Chan and Changbin were his family, no matter what.

The next morning, Jisung woke to sunlight streaming in through the window. He shielded his eyes, groaning slightly. It was way too early. 

“ Jisung? ” Minho’s voice entered his thoughts, and he froze on the couch. He felt his heart rate quicken a little. It would always be jarring to hear someone else’s voice in his head. “ Are you awake ?” Jisung smiled mischievously, curling up as he turned towards the back of the couch.

“ No ,” He replied smugly, hugging one of the cushions against his chest. He would likely be out on the night shift again, and he was already thinking about seeing Minho.

“ Very funny ,” Minho’s tone was light, and Jisung laughed quietly. They were getting better and better at communicating via thoughts. At first, it had been monotonous and hard to convey emotion, but as they got closer it seemed their connection grew stronger. Jisung fiddled with a loose string on the pillow. “ Did everything go okay last night with your friends ?” Jisung smiled softly, turning onto his back. He nodded his head even though no one would see him.

“ Yeah ,” He turned his gaze to the center of the room as he heard Changbin’s door swing open. He was humming something Jisung didn’t recognize, and strolled into the living room looking chipper. “ They weren’t actually mad at me. I think they were just worried. ” 

“Good morning, J,” Changbin’s voice was singsongy, and the smile on his face told Jisung he’d been up to no good. Jisung’s gaze followed him all the way to their small kitchen, where Changbin began prepping breakfast for the three of them.

“Hi?” Jisung’s sat up on the couch, stretching his arms above his head. He didn’t really want to know what it was that had put Changbin in such a good mood. He got off the couch to shuffle into the kitchen, setting three places at the table with stolen fast food napkins and plastic silverware. 

“Can you wash those strawberries and cut out the bad parts?” Changbin used his elbow to motion to a small carton of strawberries. Jisung nodded and got to work. They had struck a deal with their local grocer to take the food they usually threw away. It was a good deal, and it left them decently well fed. Chan had sweet talked them into that deal, and Jisung remembered the first time Chan had returned with fresh food. They cried over stale bread and sour blueberries. 

“What’s with your mood this morning, Bin?” Jisung asked slowly, carefully rinsing the strawberries under cold water. Minho had gone quiet, so Jisung was hyper aware of his immediate surroundings.

“You’ll see,” Changbin replied cheekily, struggling with the dial on the stove. He got it to shut off after a few moments of swearing at it. Jisung chuckled at his friend’s foul mouth, diligently slicing the strawberries. He separated the bits with small flecks of mold, scraping them into the trash. He brought the berries to the table, popping one into his mouth. He hummed in delight, grabbing another to feed to Changbin as he cooked. 

“I’ll see?” Jisung echoed, thoroughly confused. Changbin couldn’t’ve been more vague. 

“Go get Chan, we’re ready to eat,” Jisung groaned, but headed in the direction of Chan’s room. He slowly opened the door, spotting Chan on his bed. He entered quietly, pondering the best course of action. He could make a loud noise and startle Chan, but that didn’t seem to be the nicest option. Jisung decided to shake Chan’s shoulder and call his name quietly.

“Chan,” He waited a few moments, pulling his hand away when Chan inhaled deeply. He smiled, giving his friend a pat on the head before turning to the door. “Breakfast is ready.” Jisung exited the room, knowing food was the chief motivator in getting Chan out of bed. He slid into his seat at the table, clasping his hands together in excitement as Changbin put a plate of fried eggs on the table. Jisung gasped when he spotted the bread. 

“I got bread for you,” Changbin grinned as he placed a piece on Jisung’s plate. Jisung put a hand over his heart, utterly moved.

“You are truly the best,” He gave Changbin two thumbs up, turning to see Chan emerge from his room. His eyes weren’t fully opened, and his hair was a mess. Chan took a seat silently, nodding as Changbin offered him bread. Jisung smiled to himself, patiently waiting for Chan to eat first. Chan motioned for Jisung and Changbin to start as he lifted a piece of the fried egg to his mouth. Jisung dug in, eating slowly to savor the food. 

They ate in silence for a while. It was a comfortable silence, all three of them were enjoying the food. Once Chan had woken up a bit more, he was the first to speak.

“So, J,” Jisung looked up, his eyebrows raising in surprise. 

“Yeah?” He questioned, setting down his utensils. He tore off a section of bread, eating it as he listened to Chan. 

“Are you taking the night shift again today?” Jisung looked between Chan and Changbin, nodding slowly. He had been taking the night shift every chance he got since his first meeting with Minho. Chan smiled, ducking his head. Jisung looked over at Changbin, who had an equally suspicious grin on his face. 

“You two planned something. I can feel it,” Jisung huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, looking between his friends. Neither of them said anything, and Jisung decided he would sulk until he broke them. After several moments of no success, Jisung gave up with a very loud whine. “Guys! You can’t just leave me out of the loop!”

“Oh really?” Chan questioned. Jisung went quiet, realizing his mistake.

“Touché,” He replied, earning a giggle from Changbin. This was fair treatment considering how long he’d left them in the dark about the situation with Minho. Jisung lifted his gaze, suddenly thinking about Minho. He gave him a telepathic poke, curious if the other male was busy. Not even a moment later, Minho was yelling in his head. 

“ YOU ALMOST MADE ME SPILL MY COFFEE ,” A loud laugh escaped Jisung’s lips. Chan and Changbin looked at him curiously, but didn’t say anything. They began to clean up the table, so Jisung followed suit. 

“ Sorry, sorry! ” He replied, a cheeky grin on his face. Once everything was clean, Changbin disappeared into his room to get ready for their day of work. Chan went back to his room, but he would likely try to get a little more sleep before doing anything else. Jisung was severely lacking sleep, but he’d willingly traded it for time with Minho. He was the only one to blame for being a little extra tired, but it was worth it. 

As Jisung threw on his usual clothes for work, he felt the same tugging feeling he’d felt on the night he found Minho in the coffee shop. Instead of following the feeling, he decided to just exist with it for a moment. Jisung tugged on his cap, pulling up his hood. As he reached the door, Changbin emerged from his room. The two shoved their feet into shoes and headed out, gearing up for another day of making ends meet. 

“Spill,” Jisung said suddenly, cornering Changbin. Changbin held his hands up in defense, laughing. 

“Whoa! Cool it, J,” Jisung stood his ground, his hand pressed on the brick above Changbin’s shoulder. “There is nothing to spill!” Jisung wasn’t satisfied. Changbin was so easy to read, and this time wasn’t any different. His eyes were slightly widened, and the smile on his face was all-telling. Jisung removed his hand after another moment of silence. 

“Fine, but don’t think I’m unaware that you and Chan are up to something,” Changbin nodded, rolling his eyes. Jisung huffed and turned on his heel, leaving Changbin in the dust behind him.

As he worked, Jisung couldn't stop thinking about Chan and Changbin. Well, worrying better described what he was doing. 

“ Jisung ,” Minho’s voice startled Jisung, and he ducked into an alleyway after his gasp had shocked a small child. 

“ Yes? Is something wrong? ” Jisung plopped down on an overturned crate. Him and Minho didn’t communicate during the day very often. Jisung was busy with work and Minho respected that it was distracting to be in his head. 

“ I can feel that you’re worrying ,” Jisung’s lips formed a small “o” as Minho pointed out his ceaseless thoughts about his friends and what they’d been up to. Jisung sighed softly, tugging the brim of his hat down as someone walked down the alley.

“ Sorry, I just can’t stop thinking about them. They won’t tell me what they were up to and I know I kind of deserve to be left out after the way I treated them, but I still don’t like it, ” Jisung frowned, sliding his hands into the pocket of his hoodie. He hadn’t gotten much, just a few misplaced wallets and lost change. He slumped back against the wall behind him, feeling tired and a little frustrated. 

“ Don’t say you deserve that. I know you didn’t tell them about me, but I still don’t think that means you shouldn’t tell them how what they’re doing now makes you feel. Once you get into a routine of leaving each other out, it will be hard to break that cycle, ” Jisung rose to his feet. Minho was purposefully tugging a little more. Jisung wanted to go see him, but he would wait for their usual meeting time. He rubbed tiredness from his eyes, trying to find solace in the situation.

“ Thank you, Minho. I’m gonna get back to work. Shout at me again if I’m too annoying, ” Jisung relaxed his shoulders, shaking out his hands. He emerged from the alleyway, scanning up and down the road. He still had a couple hours left of his daytime shift, and Changbin wasn’t anywhere in sight. He sighed and trudged forward, looking for a target. 

As Jisung walked towards home, his body felt tired. He was exhausted, and work had felt extra difficult. He usually didn’t dwell much on the morals of it all, but it hung heavily over his shoulders recently. When he opened the door, ready to dive onto the couch for a much needed nap, he was stunned to see Chan and Changbin at the kitchen table. He stared at the couch longingly for a moment, sliding into his seat silently. He waited for the other two to speak first, as they were deep in conversation when he’d taken a seat.

“Hey, Ji-- Oh, whoa,” Chan’s brow furrowed as he spotted Jisung. He got up from his seat to check Jisung’s temperature. “Are you feeling okay?” Jisung leaned into Chan’s hand for a moment, murmuring a soft yes.

“I’m just really tired,” He whispered, letting his eyes flutter shut. He didn’t hear Chan and Changbin say anything other than that, but he did feel one of them carry him to their bed. It had been so long since Jisung had slept on anything other than the couch that he almost cried at the feeling of a mattress. He opened an eye just enough to see Changbin’s back as he exited his room. Jisung curled up on the bed, sleep coming quickly.

Jisung didn’t know how much time had passed, but when he opened his eyes the room was dark. He sat up slowly, his head feeling like it was full of cotton. He shivered despite the sweat that clung to his body. He threw his feet over the side of the bed, sliding down onto the hard floor. Jisung shuffled out of the room, peeking around the door to see Chan and Changbin lounging on the sofa. It was an odd sight, as they were both usually too busy to lay around at this hour.

“You’re still home?” His voice came out raspy, and his throat hurt. He coughed, a groan leaving his lips. Jisung hated colds, and this time was no exception. They stunted his work, and it was just generally extra shitty to exist while sick.

“J, you’re sick,” Chan stood up and pressed the back of his hand against Jisung’s forehead. He frowned, shaking his head. “It seems like you have a mild fever, too.” Jisung frowned. Does this mean he couldn’t go see Minho?

“Why don’t you just go back to my bed and I’ll go get some cold medicine,” Changbin stood up from the couch, already turning towards the door. Jisung watched his back, biting his lower lip. 

“I want to come with you,” Jisung stated firmly, moving to follow Changbin. Chan used his arm to block Jisung’s path.

“Oh come on, J! You look dead on your feet,” Jisung huffed, but he didn’t deny what Chan had said. He felt dead on his feet. 

“But…”Jisung trailed off and let his gaze fall to the floor. He didn’t need to say it. He knew Chan and Changbin would sense he wanted to see Minho. 

“You can tell Minho you won’t make it tonight, Sung,” Changbin gave Jisung a soft smile before pulling the door shut behind him. Jisung deflated a little. He nodded slowly and trudged back to Changbin’s room. He laid on his stomach, his arms underneath the pillow. He sniffled, being forced to breathe out of his mouth. He reached out to Minho first. 

“ Minho ?” He waited a few moments, trying to shake the fog that coated his brain. “ I can’t come see you today .” Jisung let his eyes fall shut as he waited for Minho’s reply.

“ Do you have a cold? ” Minho’s reply was gentle, and the question was so full of care it made Jisung’s heart ache. Jisung nodded even though Minho wouldn’t see it. 

“ Yeah, ” He could feel sleep tugging at him again. He lifted his head when he thought he heard the door to Changbin’s room. 

“ Oh, I think I see Changbin,” Jisung hummed in reply, his head falling back onto the pillow. It took him another few moments to process what Minho had said. He lifted his head, having to focus hard to communicate with Minho. 

“ You see Changbin? ” He echoed in confusion and disbelief. He heard Minho reply with a soft yes, and their connection went quiet. Jisung rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. What was Minho going to do? He hadn’t ever met Changbin before. Jisung spent a healthy amount of time telling Minho about his best friends, but he hadn’t let his two words collide yet. 

After a few moments of staring at the ceiling, Jisung was just about to fall asleep when he heard the door open. He couldn’t be bothered to check if it was Chan or Changbin. Jisung felt a cool cloth across his forehead. He opened one eye to see Chan sitting on the edge of Changbin’s bed. A lazy smile appeared on Jisung’s lips as he shut his eye. Chan wiped Jisung’s forehead with a cool cloth, keeping quiet. Jisung fell in and out of sleep, wanting to stay awake to listen for Minho again. He’d gone quiet after mentioning Changbin, and Jisung was anxious to find out what had occurred between the two. 

An indiscernible amount of minutes later, Changbin entered the room. He had a bag full of various medicines, and there was a surprisingly chipper smile on his face.

“I got the stuff,” He whispered, making Chan chuckle and shake his head. Jisung squinted into the dark room, his eyelids heavy with sleep. 

“Did you see Minho?” Jisung tried to keep urgency out of his tone. Changbin took a seat on the bed next to Chan.

“I was going to ask how you knew that, but y’all’s brains are connected or whatever,” Jisung sat up, reaching out to take the glass of water and medicine Changbin offered. “He came up to me in the convenience store. Honestly, he bought this stuff for you. Absolutely insisted, and I wasn’t about to have an old man make a scene in a Seven Eleven, so…” Chan laughed loudly, shoving Changbin. They giggled amongst themselves for another few moments as Jisung took medicine, drank water, returned the glass to Chan and settled back in Changbin’s bed. 

“Thank you,” Jisung murmured, hoping that Minho would hear it too. Chan patted Jisung’s head gently and left the room with Changbin. Jisung fell asleep quickly, full of cold medicine and a deep appreciation for those around him. 

“ Ouch! ” Jisung startled awake, sitting up drenched in sweat and breathing hard. He shielded his eyes and tried to clear his thoughts. Who was hurting? Had he said that as he woke up or was it Minho? 

“ Are you okay? Do you need me? ” Minho’s voice filled Jisung’s head and he relaxed, running his fingers through his hair. Sun was streaming in through the small window in Changbin’s room. It was pretty bright, and it had the warmth of late afternoon. 

“ I’m fine, I think I had a bad dream, ” Jisung replied, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He stood up slowly, shuffling to the kitchen. He was surprised to see that the house was empty. There was a note on the table that said Chan and Changbin had gone to work and that he should eat and take medicine. Jisung sighed, not wanting to cook for himself. He eyed the medicine, debating taking it on an empty stomach.

“ How are you feeling today? ” Minho asked, and Jisung slid into a seat at the table. He rested his chin on his hands, closing his eyes.

“ Tired ,” He replied. Jisung could crawl back into bed if he wanted, but he felt guilty leaving Chan and Changbin to do all of the work. Especially after the way he’d left them in the dark about his meetings with Minho.

“ Can I bring you some food? ” Minho’s voice was quiet, and Jisung perked up. His stomach growled, and a small smile found its way to his lips.

“ You would do that for me? ” Jisung got up from his seat, realizing he was sweaty and gross. He thought for a moment, deciding a quick shower would probably feel pretty good. 

“ Home made and everything, darling, ” Jisung paused. Minho hadn’t ever called him darling before. He wondered if it was something past-Jisung had liked to be called.

“ Let me know when you get here? ” Jisung thought about giving him his address, but he knew Minho would find him regardless. Jisung grabbed a clean set of clothes and took the world’s fastest shower, not wanting to use too much water or be in the shower when Minho arrived. He paced the small living room as he dried his hair. Jisung could tell Minho was using the pull. They had started to refer to their connection as such. It felt like a string knotted around Jisung was being tugged gently. The feeling was at first alarming, but now it offered a strange sense of comfort. 

Jisung could hear someone approaching his front door. He pocketed his phone, tossing the towel he’d used to dry his hair on the couch. A nervous breath escaped his lips as he tugged open the well-worn door. Minho stood in the hallway, a bag in his hand. Jisung just stared at him for a quiet moment. His hair was fluffy, and it laid nicely over his forehead. He always dressed well, and this time was no exception. He looked good . He wore jeans that hugged his legs, a black t-shirt tucked into the jeans, and a grey plaid jacket. Jisung thought the clothes looked expensive, but he didn’t really know for sure.

“Hi,” Minho said with a smile. Jisung grinned at him, stepping aside to let him enter the apartment. Minho didn’t say anything else as he beelined for the table. He emptied the contents of his bag onto it carefully. Jisung gasped at the spread of containers. There was so much food!

“That’s so much!” Minho laughed as he began opening them, and Jisung leaned in to see what he’d made. It all looked absolutely delicious.

“I wanted to leave food for your friends too,” Jisung’s heart swelled as he slid into his seat. Minho was so thoughtful, so caring. It was one of the many endearing things about him. His smile was another that Jisung adored.

“I probably should have told them you were coming over,” Jisung mumbled as he eagerly gripped his chopsticks. He set the ends of the chopsticks against his teeth, watching Minho finally take a seat. Jisung patiently waited for Minho to take a bite, smiling as the older male hummed in satisfaction. “You haven’t eaten yet?” Minho shook his head with a sheepish smile.

“I’ve been cooking all morning,” Jisung gaped at Minho, his chopsticks halfway to his mouth.

“You cooked all morning?” He echoed in disbelief. Jisung looked at the spread of food on the table in awe, unable to process Minho willingly gave up so much of his time to make it all.

“I really enjoy cooking,” Minho’s gaze grew a little distant. Jisung ate a few more small bites before pausing to look at him. He recognized the look on Minho’s face. He was thinking about the last lifetime. A soft sigh escaped Jisung’s lips as he gently set his chopsticks onto his plate. “It was something we did together a lot, actually. Before you got sick.” Jisung could feel the twinge of pain that rose in Minho’s chest as he began thinking about the previous Jisung. He thought about it for a moment, and reached out to gently graze his fingertips over Minho’s hand.

“I’d like to cook with you again,” His voice was soft, but firm enough to refocus Minho’s attention. The other male perked up, a small smile forming on his lips. 

“Would you be against me calling it a date?” Minho asked slowly, and Jisung stared at him in silence for a moment. Slowly, he shook his head. He didn’t mind at all.

“No, I don’t think so,” The two smiled at each other, some shyness in their gazes, but excitement in their hearts. They went back to eating the food Minho had prepared, enjoying the comfortable silence between them.

The door to the apartment banged open, and Jisung almost dropped his food. Changbin marched in first, Chan right on his heels, and Jisung deflated in their company. He realized he had left them out yet again, and guilt began to diminish his appetite. They finished work considerably early. Changbin met Jisung’s gaze first. Jisung didn’t sense any anger in his eyes, and as he shifted his eyes to look at Chan he was filled with relief. There were smiles on both of their faces. 

“Hello, hello,” Changbin took a seat next to Jisung, scanning over the food on the table. Jisung stared in confusion as Chan grabbed utensils for himself and Changbin, pulling up an extra chair to the small table. He quietly thanked Minho and dug in, a look of pure joy covering his face as he ate.

“You two…” Jisung trailed off, not exactly sure where he wanted to take the rest of that sentence. Minho spoke up, a small smile on his face.

“I told them I was coming. Well, Changbin specifically,” Jisung whipped his head around to look at Minho.

“When did you tell them?” He asked in disbelief. Changbin hadn’t ever met Minho! 

“I saw Changbin at the convenience store, remember?” Jisung gasped, remembering the conversation they had. Minho had stopped Changbin at the Seven Eleven and paid for Jisung’s medicine. 

“He told you then?” Jisung looked over at Changbin, who was lost in some saucy noodles. Minho shook his head.

“He gave me his phone number, and so I texted him before I left,” Jisung leaned back in his chair, a little impressed with how thorough both Changbin and Minho had been. He was already communicating with his friends better than Jisung.

“You two have been texting?” Jisung asked softly, looking between the two of them. Minho nodded, and as Jisung shifted his gaze to Changbin he noticed something in his expression. Jisung didn’t know how to label the exact look on Changbin’s face, but there was something about it that told Jisung to press for answers. “What do you two talk about?” Minho set his chopsticks down and rested his hands in his lap.

“You,” Minho deadpanned. Chan choked on his food, and Changbin coughed a little. Jisung tried not to let his jaw fall open. He wasn’t sure why Minho’s admission to talking about him with Changbin shocked him so much, but it felt strange.

“You talk about Jisung?” Chan managed in between coughs. Changbin held up his hands, shaking his head.

“I mean, yes we did talk about Jisung for a bit but that isn’t the only thing we talked about,” Jisung sat back in his chair, thinking. He turned to glance at Minho, debating if he should just poke around in Minho’s thoughts for a moment. He ultimately decided against it and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Did you talk about food too?” Jisung asked, allowing himself to sound a little bratty. By the look on both Changbin and Minho’s faces, he’d hit the nail on the head. He and Chan laughed for a moment before Jisung lightly nudged Changbin. He was smiling too, unable to contain it. 

“Yeah, what about it?” Changbin grumbled, taking a sip of his water. 

“We were actually talking about some big stuff,” Minho commented, and Jisung noticed a tiny bit of shyness in his tone. “Important stuff.” Jisung just nodded his head slowly. He glanced at Changbin, but he didn’t seem eager to add anything to Minho’s statement so they just left it at that. 

After they were all full of Minho's delicious cooking and the table had been cleaned, Minho nudged Jisung’s shoulder.

“ Do you want to go for a walk with me? ” Minho asked and Jisung quickly nodded. He hesitated as he looked at Chan and Changbin, who were resting before they started the night shift. 

“Guys?” Jisung stepped towards them, sliding his nervous hands into his pockets. “Can I go for a walk with Minho?” His voice was quiet and he tried to soften his facial expression. Chan and Changbin exchanged glances and nodded their heads.

“Sure, but maybe don’t go into the super crowded parts of town,” Chan said, leaning his head back on the couch. Changbin had his head at the other end of the rickety sofa with his feet in Chan’s lap.

“Be careful, J,” Changbin mumbled, clearly on the verge of falling asleep. Jisung grinned at his friends, shuffling to the door to shove his feet into shoes and follow Minho. The night air was pleasant, and Jisung found himself looking to the sky. Minho must have noticed his gaze because he stopped too.

“You can barely see the stars here,” Jisung whispered. The lights of the buildings obscured what would have been a beautiful night sky. Minho sighed softly, tucking his hands into his pockets.

“Perhaps it is just another sign of the times,” Minho slowly began to stroll down the street, and Jisung lowered his gaze from the sky to follow. They weren’t in the heart of the city, so the sound of blaring horns, people, and music were slightly muffled by distance. 

They didn’t say anything for a while. Their footsteps  on the pavement filled the silence, and if they wanted to talk they didn’t necessarily need to do it aloud. Jisung’s mind was always full of thoughts, and sometimes they spilled over into Minho’s consciousness. This seemed to be one of those times.

“You’ve certainly got a lot on your mind,” Minho commented with a soft laugh. Jisung laughed shyly, glancing down at his shoes.

“Ah, sorry about that,” Jisung didn’t know where to begin explaining all that was going on in his mind. He’d reached a point in his relationship with Minho where he wanted things to progress, but he wasn’t willing to jeopardize anything he had with Chan and Changbin. Even if he was connected to Minho in strange, otherworldly ways, he also felt very close to Chan and Changbin. He owed a lot to them.

“I would never ask you to choose, you know,” Minho’s voice was almost a whisper. Jisung chewed on his lower lip and nodded his head. 

“I know that. I’m just…” He trailed off, sighing. He was worried. He was growing a little tired of the pick pocketing and the stealing. He was, most importantly, hopeful that he could find a way to exist in Minho’s life as well as stay in the one he had with Chan and Changbin. Minho fell in toe with Jisung, and silence overtook them. They had made it quite a ways away from the city, and the hustle and bustle had dissipated. Jisung’s hands swung at his sides, and he felt Minho slip his hand into his. Jisung was startled for a moment, but he gently tightened his grip. Minho’s hand was a little smaller than he expected, but it was warm and nice to hold. 

The streetlights were growing dimmer and dimmer as Jisung walked with Minho. By the time they reached the last two working lights, they were deep in conversation about which superhero abilities were the best and worst.

“Look, we both have firsthand experience with telepathy, right? But you cannot tell me it’s better than being able to shoot literal fire out of your hands!” Jisung exclaimed, his free hand moving expressively as he talked. Minho was already shaking his head.

“No! You’ve got it all wrong,” Minho motioned around them. “Fire can be destructive, and the ones who possess the ability are almost always temperamental and underprepared for that kind of responsibility.”

“But how does that make telepathy look better? You’re lurking in other people’s minds for your own benefit!” Jisung had stopped walking and stared up at Minho with his bright, wide eyes. “Stripped down to its essence, telepathy is kind of creepy!” Minho hummed in agreement, no longer really hearing Jisung. The two stared at each other for a moment. They were almost entirely in the dark. A single street light glowed a dim yellow above their heads, giving each of them a mild glow. Jisung had fallen speechless. There was more he wanted to say about fire, its warmth and its glow, but all he could see was Minho. The golden glow in his brown hair, the shape of his lips, the curve of his jaw, and the love in his eyes. 

Before Jisung could say anything, the distance between them closed. Minho’s lips found Jisung’s, their hands moved to hold onto each other, and they kissed under the flickering light. Minho kissed Jisung with a tenderness that made Jisung’s heart ache for more. The kiss felt like it lasted forever, and the universe was shifting under Jisung’s feet. He was tugged into the life he’d lived decades ago, and pushed back into reality. His hands found Minho’s shoulders like they had been there a thousand times before, and suddenly the world wasn’t so dark. Kissing him felt like fire, but the kind where the flame itself is small and the center burns a fierce white and blue.

 When Minho broke away to gasp for breath, Jisung let himself become grounded again. He felt that his cheeks were hot, and Minho still had his hands on Jisung’s waist. 

“Do you make a habit of kissing people like that?” Jisung broke out into a toothy grin. Minho laughed, a full laugh where he covered his face. Jisung laughed with him, feeling dizzy with elation. He’d begun to wonder what it might feel like to kiss Minho, and while he didn’t expect for it to happen this soon, he didn’t regret it one bit.

“Like what?” Minho asked innocently, sliding his hands into the pockets of his jacket. Jisung glanced up at him.

“Like you want to give them the stars.”