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The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes...
Was sunlight.
Soft, warm sunlight spilling through the gap in the curtains.
For a second...
Everything felt normal.
Then I looked down.
Two small bandages wrapped around the backs of my hands.
Right.
I let out a slow breath.
Last night hadn't been a dream.
The nightmare had been real.
Everything after...
Had been real.
I turned my head slightly.
Minho was still asleep beside me.
His hair was a mess.
One arm was stretched across my waist like he'd fallen asleep halfway through making sure I was still there.
A tiny smile found its way onto my face.
"...You're drooling."
His nose scrunched almost immediately.
"...I'm what?"
I laughed quietly.
"You're awake."
One eye opened.
"...You lied."
"I did."
"You woke me up just to accuse me of drooling."
"I did."
He groaned dramatically, burying his face back into the pillow.
"...Rude."
I couldn't stop smiling.
He peeked at me again a few seconds later.
The smile faded almost instantly when his eyes landed on the bandages.
"...How're your hands?"
I looked down.
"...They sting a little."
He nodded slowly.
"Can I see?"
I held them out.
He was unbelievably gentle.
Like he was afraid touching them too hard would somehow make last night happen again.
"They look better."
"I think so."
He looked relieved.
Not completely.
Just...
Enough.
"You hungry?"
"...A little."
"Good."
He sat up, stretching with a quiet yawn.
"I'm making breakfast."
"I can help."
He looked at me.
"No."
"What?"
He pointed at my hands.
"Doctor's orders."
"You are not a doctor."
"I'm close enough."
"You have a business degree."
"Exactly."
I blinked.
"...That's not even remotely close."
"It has the word 'degree' in it."
I laughed.
"That's... the worst argument you've ever made."
"I know."
He smiled proudly anyway.
"I still stand by it."
By the time we made it downstairs, the house was already awake.
Chris was reading something on his laptop while drinking coffee.
Changbin was standing in front of the fridge with absolutely no plan whatsoever.
Felix was humming to himself while making toast.
Hyunjin sat at the island, scrolling through his phone.
Jeongin wandered in a few seconds later, still half asleep.
"...Morning."
"Morning," everyone answered almost at once.
I slid onto one of the stools beside Minho.
For a little while...
Everything felt wonderfully normal.
Until...
Felix looked up.
"...Oh."
I froze.
His eyes had landed on my hands.
The kitchen grew just a little quieter.
Not awkward.
Just...
Noticeably quieter.
Felix frowned.
"...You okay?"
I instinctively opened my mouth to say I'm fine.
The words reached the tip of my tongue.
Then stopped.
I looked down at the bandages.
Last night echoed quietly in the back of my mind.
"You don't have to pretend you're okay."
I took a small breath.
"...Not really."
The words felt strange.
Honest.
"But..."
I looked over at Minho.
He smiled softly.
"...I'm getting there."
Felix's expression softened.
"Okay."
That was it.
No questions.
No pressure.
He smiled before sliding the plate of toast he'd just made toward me.
"...Extra jam."
I laughed quietly.
"...Thanks."
"Doctor Felix's orders."
Minho looked offended.
"...Excuse me."
Felix grinned.
"I've been promoted."
"You don't even have a degree."
Felix shrugged.
"I have toast."
Chris looked up from his laptop.
"...Honestly, that's more useful."
Changbin nodded solemnly.
"I'd trust Toast Doctor."
Hyunjin didn't even look up from his phone.
"...That's the worst sentence I've heard this week."
Seungmin walked into the kitchen just in time to hear the last part.
He looked around the room.
"...What did I miss?"
Hyunjin sighed.
"Don't ask."
Seungmin looked at Felix holding the toast.
I looked at Minho.
Then at my bandaged hands.
He nodded once.
"...Toast Doctor."
Without another word, he poured himself cereal.
I burst out laughing.
Even Chris had to hide a smile behind his coffee mug.
For the first time since yesterday...
The weight in my chest didn't feel quite so heavy.
It was still there.
Probably would be for a while.
But surrounded by people arguing over whether toast qualified someone as a medical professional...
It was a little easier to carry.
Breakfast slowly turned into everyone talking over one another again.
Chris was trying to explain something.
Changbin kept interrupting him.
Felix insisted he was a qualified doctor because he'd made toast.
Hyunjin was somehow encouraging him.
Jeongin looked like he'd given up trying to follow the conversation five minutes ago.
Even Seungmin looked mildly entertained.
Normally...
I'd be right in the middle of it.
Laughing.
Adding something completely unnecessary.
Today...
I found myself watching instead.
Listening.
Smiling every now and then.
But...
I felt tired.
Not sleepy.
Just...
Full.
Like my mind had reached its limit.
I looked over at Minho.
He was laughing at something Changbin had just said.
Then, almost as if he could feel me looking at him...
His eyes met mine.
His smile softened immediately.
"You okay?"
His voice was quiet enough that only I heard it.
I hesitated before nodding.
"...Can we go upstairs for a little while?"
I almost apologized for asking.
Almost.
Instead, I just waited.
His answer came without even a second of hesitation.
"Yeah."
He stood up, setting his mug in the sink.
"We'll be upstairs for a bit."
Chris looked up from the table.
"Everything okay?"
Minho glanced at me before answering.
"Mhm."
"We just need a recharge."
Chris smiled knowingly.
"Got it."
Felix gave me a little wave.
"See you later, Toast Patient."
I laughed.
"...Bye, Toast Doctor."
He looked ridiculously proud of himself.
"I've always wanted a promotion."
Hyunjin groaned.
"Please stop calling yourself that."
I smiled all the way upstairs.
The bedroom door clicked shut behind us.
Instantly...
Everything became quieter.
No overlapping conversations.
No laughter echoing down the hallway.
Just...
Us.
I let out a breath I didn't even realize I'd been holding.
Minho noticed.
He always noticed.
Without saying anything, he stepped closer and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
Then he pressed a tiny kiss against my forehead.
"So..."
He smiled.
"What does Mr. Han want to do today?"
I shrugged.
"I don't know."
"...Okay."
"I just..."
I looked around the room for a second.
"I wanted it to just be us."
His expression softened.
"I can do that."
He reached for the remote sitting on the bedside table.
"Movie?"
"Mhm."
"Any requests?"
"Something easy."
"No emotional damage?"
I pointed at him.
"Exactly."
He laughed quietly.
"I think I know just the thing."
A few minutes later, we were both lying across the bed.
The curtains stayed half open, letting warm sunlight spill across the blankets.
Some animated movie I'd already seen at least five times played quietly on the television.
I wasn't really watching it.
I don't think Minho was either.
At some point, I'd ended up curled against his side without even realizing I'd moved.
One of his arms rested loosely around my shoulders.
Every now and then...
His thumb absentmindedly traced slow circles against my arm.
Not enough for me to really notice.
Just enough to remind me he was there.
After a while, he leaned down and pressed another little kiss into my hair.
I smiled.
"...What was that for?"
"Hm?"
"The kiss."
He thought about it for a second.
"...I don't know."
"No reason?"
"Nope."
Another small kiss landed against my temple.
"...That one?"
"Still no reason."
I laughed quietly.
"I think you're making reasons up."
"I don't need reasons."
He kissed my forehead this time.
"I just like kissing you."
Heat crept into my cheeks.
"...You're lucky you're cute."
"I know."
"Confident today."
"I'm always confident."
"You absolutely are not."
"I am when it comes to you."
I rolled my eyes, even though I couldn't stop smiling.
"...You're impossible."
"So I've been told."
Silence settled over us again.
Comfortable silence.
The kind where neither of us felt any pressure to fill it.
The movie kept playing.
Somewhere downstairs, I could faintly hear Changbin laughing at something.
It sounded distant.
Safe.
Without really thinking, I reached for Minho's hand.
He intertwined our fingers immediately, careful around the little bandages.
His thumb brushed lightly over one of them.
"...Do they still hurt?"
"A little."
"I'm sorry."
I looked up at him.
"For what?"
"I hate that I couldn't stop the nightmare."
My heart ached.
"You did."
He frowned.
"It had already happened."
I shook my head.
"No."
I lifted our joined hands slightly.
"You stopped me from facing it alone."
For a moment, he just looked at me.
Then he leaned down and pressed the gentlest kiss against the back of my bandaged hand.
So carefully that I barely felt it.
"...I can live with that."
I smiled.
"So can I."
The movie reached the halfway point.
Neither of us had any idea what had happened in it.
At some point, my eyes drifted closed.
Not because I was trying to sleep.
Just because, for the first time since the nightmare...
I felt completely, undeniably safe.
The last thing I felt before I drifted into a light nap was another tiny kiss against the top of my head.
This one...
He didn't even pretend it wasn't for a reason.
I woke slowly.
The movie was still playing.
I had absolutely no idea what was happening anymore.
The room was warmer than before, the afternoon sunlight stretching lazily across the blankets.
For a second, I just listened.
The television.
The faint laughter drifting upstairs from somewhere else in the house.
Minho's breathing beside me.
I turned my head.
He'd fallen asleep too.
His head rested against the headboard at an awkward angle, one arm still loosely wrapped around my waist.
A smile tugged at my lips.
"...You're going to wake up with a sore neck."
His eyes stayed closed.
"...Probably."
I laughed quietly.
"So you were awake."
"Mhm."
"You've been awake this whole time?"
"Only for..."
He cracked one eye open.
"...2 minutes."
"Liar."
"I learned from you."
I rolled my eyes, still smiling.
For a few moments, neither of us spoke.
I just looked at him.
Really looked at him.
The messy hair.
The sleepy eyes.
The tiny crease on his cheek from the pillow.
He looked at me the same way.
"...What?"
I shook my head.
"Nothing."
"You've got the 'I'm thinking' face."
"I do not."
"You absolutely do."
"...Maybe."
He smiled.
"What are you thinking?"
I hesitated.
It felt embarrassing to say out loud.
"...Come here."
His smile softened immediately.
Without asking why, he shifted closer until there was barely any space between us.
"Better?"
I nodded.
"...A little closer."
He laughed under his breath.
"I don't think that's physically possible."
"It is."
"Oh?"
I answered by slipping both arms around his waist.
"There."
He let out a quiet laugh, wrapping his arms around me in return.
"There?"
"...Mhm."
I rested my forehead against his shoulder.
For a long moment...
I just stayed there.
Feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing.
The warmth of his hoodie beneath my fingertips.
The quiet certainty that he was real.
That he was here.
Eventually, he tipped my chin up just enough for our eyes to meet.
"Hey."
"Hm?"
"You disappeared into your head again."
"...Sorry."
His eyebrow lifted.
I smiled sheepishly.
"...Right."
"No apologizing."
"No apologizing."
He nodded, satisfied.
"Better."
I looked at him for another second before quietly speaking.
"I think..."
I paused, searching for the right words.
"I just really want to kiss you."
His expression softened into something so gentle it made my chest ache.
"You don't have to ask."
"I know."
"I just wanted to."
A smile spread across his face.
"I'm really glad you did."
He closed the last little bit of space between us.
The kiss started slowly.
Unhurried.
Just the soft brush of his lips against mine.
For a moment...
Neither of us moved.
It was almost like we were making sure the other was really there.
I melted into it without even thinking.
His hand settled gently against my waist while mine rested at the back of his neck, my fingers disappearing into his hair.
The kiss deepened naturally.
Not rushed.
Not desperate.
Just...
Long.
Comfortable.
Every time I thought we were about to pull away, one of us would smile against the other's lips before closing the distance again.
It made me laugh quietly.
"What?"
Minho whispered.
I shook my head, my forehead still resting against his.
"...Nothing."
"You smiled."
"So did you."
"...I know."
A grin spread across his face.
"I couldn't help it."
Neither could I.
I leaned in first this time.
The next kiss lingered even longer.
The television continued playing somewhere across the room, voices blending into meaningless background noise.
I couldn't have told anyone what movie we were watching anymore.
I didn't care.
The only thing I noticed was him.
The warmth of his hand resting against my side.
His thumb absentmindedly tracing small circles through the fabric of my shirt.
The familiar feeling of his lips meeting mine again and again, each kiss unhurried, each one somehow making the room feel quieter than the last.
When we finally separated, it was only by a few inches.
"You keep looking at me like that," he murmured.
"Like what?"
"...Like you missed me."
I smiled.
"I did."
His eyebrows lifted.
"We've been together all day."
"I know."
"So how'd you miss me?"
I laughed softly.
"I don't know."
I reached up, brushing my thumb lightly across his cheek.
"I just did."
His expression softened.
Before I could say anything else, he leaned in once more.
This kiss was slower than all the others.
Gentle.
Patient.
It stretched into long, quiet moments where neither of us seemed interested in being anywhere else.
Time slipped by unnoticed.
Not because anything dramatic was happening...
But because being close to him somehow made everything outside the room fade away.
When we eventually pulled apart, I rested my forehead against his and let out a quiet breath.
"...I think that was what I needed."
He smiled, his nose brushing lightly against mine.
"I had a feeling."
I laughed under my breath.
"You always do."
"I try."
I slipped my arms around him again, holding him close without saying anything.
He hugged me back just as tightly.
Neither of us reached for the remote.
The movie kept playing.
Neither of us cared.
For the first time since everything had happened...
Wanting to be close to him didn't come from fear.
It came from something much quieter.
Something steadier.
I simply wanted him.
And somehow...
That felt like healing.
I don't know how much time passed before one of our stomachs betrayed us.
A loud growl echoed through the room.
Minho looked at me.
I looked at him.
"...That wasn't me."
He raised an eyebrow.
"It absolutely was."
"It could've been you."
"I refuse to take responsibility for your stomach."
I laughed, sitting up.
"You're ridiculous."
"I try my best."
He climbed off the bed first before holding a hand out to me.
"Come on."
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
Suspicion crept onto my face.
"...That sounds dangerous."
"I'm offended."
"You should be."
He gasped dramatically.
"I've never done anything dangerous in my life."
I stared at him.
"You once tried to stand on Changbin's shoulders to change a lightbulb."
"...That was innovative."
"It was stupid."
"It worked."
"It didn't."
"...It almost worked."
I laughed as he laced our fingers together and led me out of the bedroom.
The house felt quieter than it had that morning.
The late afternoon sunlight stretched across the hallway as we made our way downstairs.
Halfway down the staircase...
I heard laughter.
Then Jeongin's voice.
"No, no, not like that!"
"I am doing it like that!"
Élise.
I smiled before we even reached the kitchen.
The second we stepped through the doorway, I had to stop myself from laughing.
Jeongin stood in front of the stove with a wooden spoon in one hand, looking far more stressed than anyone cooking dinner should.
Élise stood beside him, sleeves rolled up, trying very hard not to laugh.
"I'm telling you," Jeongin said, pointing the spoon at the pan.
"It goes in after."
"It definitely doesn't."
"It does."
"It doesn't."
"It—"
She reached over without saying a word and gently moved the bowl out of his hands.
"There."
Jeongin stared at her.
"...You didn't even let me defend myself."
"You had your chance."
"I had half a sentence."
She smiled innocently.
"It was a very convincing half a sentence."
I couldn't help laughing.
Both of them looked over.
"Oh!"
Jeongin smiled.
"You guys are awake."
Minho frowned.
"...Were we asleep long?"
Élise glanced at the clock.
"About two hours."
I blinked.
"...Seriously?"
She nodded.
"Mhm."
Minho looked at me.
"...Guess we needed it."
"I think so."
The smell of dinner filled the kitchen.
Garlic.
Butter.
Something simmering on the stove that already smelled incredible.
I looked between the two of them.
"You made all this?"
Jeongin proudly folded his arms.
"We did."
Élise smiled.
"He means I cooked..."
"...And he taste-tested."
"I was quality control."
She laughed.
"You stole three pieces of chicken."
"I was making sure they were safe."
"They were safe after the first one."
"...I needed confirmation."
Minho leaned over to me.
"I respect the dedication."
"I knew you'd take his side."
"I always take the side of free food."
Jeongin pointed his spoon at Minho.
"Exactly."
Finally, someone understands me."
Élise rolled her eyes with an affectionate smile.
"I've learned arguing with him is impossible."
I watched the two of them bicker back and forth over whether tasting half the meal counted as helping.
It reminded me a little of...
Us.
Not in the same way.
Just...
In the comfortable way they smiled without realizing it.
The kind of smile that only showed up when being around someone had started feeling effortless.
I felt Minho's shoulder bump lightly against mine.
"What?"
He'd caught me staring.
I smiled.
"...Nothing."
"Liar."
"I was just thinking."
"Dangerous."
I nudged him with my elbow.
"You're impossible."
"I've heard that today."
"More than once."
He grinned.
"I'll consider that an achievement."
For the first time all day...
The knot in my chest had disappeared completely.
Not because I'd forgotten last night.
I hadn't.
But standing in the kitchen, surrounded by people arguing over recipes, stolen chicken, and whose fault dinner almost burned...
Life felt ordinary again.
And somehow...
Ordinary had become my favorite feeling.
After dinner, I had fell asleep.
But something felt uneasy.
I woke with a sharp breath.
For one terrifying second...
I couldn't remember where I was.
Darkness.
A familiar ceiling.
The quiet hum of the fan above us.
My heart hammered painfully against my ribs.
The nightmare still clung to me.
Not as strongly as last night.
But enough.
Enough that my chest felt tight.
Enough that I wanted to get out of bed.
My hands curled into the blanket beneath me.
I stared at the bandages wrapped around my knuckles.
A quiet reminder of what had happened the last time.
The bathroom.
The blood.
Minho's voice.
"I've got you."
I swallowed hard.
I could leave.
I could quietly walk into the bathroom.
I could tell myself I wasn't going to lose control this time.
...
Or...
I slowly turned onto my side.
Minho was asleep beside me.
One arm was tucked beneath his pillow, his face half-hidden against it.
His breathing was slow.
Steady.
I watched him for a few seconds.
I hated the idea of waking him.
He looked so peaceful.
My chest tightened again.
Another shaky breath escaped me.
"...Min."
It came out barely louder than a whisper.
He didn't move.
"...Minho."
This time, I gently touched his arm.
His eyes opened almost immediately.
Not startled.
Just...
Sleepy.
"...Sung?"
I couldn't make myself look at him.
"I..."
The words caught in my throat.
"I had another nightmare."
Silence.
Not the uncomfortable kind.
The kind where someone is waiting.
Giving you time.
"I didn't want to wake you."
I admitted quietly.
"But..."
I looked down at my hands.
"I also didn't want to be by myself."
I felt the mattress shift.
Then warm arms wrapped around me before I had time to think.
No questions.
No panic.
He just...
Held me.
I let out a breath that sounded suspiciously close to a sob.
"I'm sorry."
He gently nudged my forehead with his.
"What did we say about apologizing?"
A tiny smile appeared despite everything.
"...I'm working on it."
"I know."
His thumb brushed slowly over the back of my bandaged hand.
"I'm proud of you."
I blinked.
"...Why?"
"You woke me up."
His voice was still thick with sleep.
"But there was something incredibly certain about it.
"You told me."
I looked at him.
"I almost didn't."
"I know."
"I almost went to the bathroom."
His hand tightened around mine.
"But you didn't."
A tear slipped down my cheek.
"No."
"I didn't."
He smiled softly.
"I'm really proud of you."
I buried my face against his shoulder.
"I was scared."
"I know."
"It still felt real."
"I know."
"I don't think it ever stops feeling real right away."
His fingers combed gently through my hair.
"But..."
He kissed the top of my head.
"You remembered something this time."
I frowned slightly.
"What?"
"You remembered you weren't alone."
The words settled quietly inside me.
I hadn't thought about it that way.
I'd just...
Wanted him.
Not because he could make the nightmare disappear.
Because I trusted him enough to let him see it.
I closed my eyes again.
The fear was still there.
It hadn't magically disappeared.
But it wasn't consuming me anymore.
Minho's heartbeat echoed steadily beneath my ear.
His hand stayed intertwined with mine.
Careful around the bandages.
"...Thank you."
I whispered.
He smiled into my hair.
"You don't have to thank me."
"I know."
I hugged him a little tighter.
"I just wanted to."
Neither of us said anything after that.
We didn't need to.
The nightmare slowly drifted further away.
Not because I fought it.
Not because I ignored it.
Because this time...
I didn't carry it by myself.
I glanced up at the clock for what felt like the tenth time that afternoon.
Only a few minutes had passed.
"...You're looking at the clock a lot today."
I looked back at my therapist.
"...Sorry."
She smiled.
"You don't have to apologize."
I laughed quietly.
"...I'm still getting used to not saying that."
"I noticed."
I rubbed my hands together absentmindedly.
The bandages had been gone for almost a week now.
Only faint little marks remained.
I caught myself staring at them.
She noticed.
"You haven't looked at your hands nearly as much today."
I blinked.
"...I haven't?"
She shook her head.
"No."
"...Huh."
I hadn't even realized.
A small smile found its way onto my face.
"I guess I haven't."
For a few moments...
Neither of us spoke.
Then she leaned back slightly.
"So."
"How have the nightmares been?"
I thought about it.
"...Still there."
She nodded.
"But..."
I smiled to myself.
"I woke Minho up last night."
Her expression softened immediately.
"You did?"
I nodded.
"I almost didn't."
"I almost went to the bathroom again."
The words felt strange to say out loud.
"But..."
I looked down at my hands again.
"I remembered what happened the night before."
"And?"
"I asked for help instead."
Silence settled between us.
Not because she didn't know what to say.
Because she wanted me to hear what I'd just said.
Finally...
She smiled.
"That's a very big step."
"It didn't feel big."
"They usually don't."
I looked up.
"He told me he was proud of me."
"And how did that make you feel?"
I laughed quietly.
"...Embarrassed."
She smiled.
"And?"
I thought about it for a second.
"...Safe."
The word left my mouth before I could think about it.
Safe.
I hadn't realized how often I'd been feeling that lately.
Not just with Minho.
At home.
With everyone.
She nodded.
"I think that's a good place to stop today."
I frowned slightly.
"...Already?"
"You've done a lot of work these past few weeks."
She smiled warmly.
"I'd rather end today's session on a good note than keep digging just because we still have time."
I glanced at the clock again.
She was right.
We were finishing early.
I stood, slipping my bag over my shoulder.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
I started toward the door before hearing her voice again.
"Jisung?"
I turned around.
She smiled.
"I hope you're proud of yourself too."
...
I didn't answer right away.
Because...
I wasn't sure I was.
But...
For the first time...
I thought maybe I could be someday.
I smiled.
"...I'm working on it."
She nodded.
"I know."
The afternoon air was warmer than I'd expected.
I unlocked the front door and stepped inside the mansion.
"...I'm home."
Silence.
I slipped my shoes off and frowned.
"...Hello?"
Still nothing.
I checked the time on my phone.
Earlier than usual.
Most of them were probably still out.
I shrugged to myself.
Maybe I'd have the house to myself for a little while.
Honestly...
That sounded kind of nice.
I started toward the stairs.
Then...
A quiet laugh drifted out from the living room.
I stopped mid-step.
Another laugh followed.
I smiled to myself.
"...Guess I'm not alone after all."
Curious...
I turned toward the sound.
A quiet laugh drifted in from the living room.
I stopped.
Another laugh.
Softer this time.
Curious, I walked toward the sound.
The moment I rounded the corner...
I froze.
Hyunjin and Felix were sitting together on the couch.
Not just sitting.
Felix was curled against Hyunjin's side, their hands intertwined between them.
Hyunjin looked down at him with that same smile I'd caught a few weeks ago.
The one he only seemed to have around Felix.
I smiled to myself.
They looked...
Happy.
Before I could quietly back away, Felix looked up.
Our eyes met.
"...Oh."
Hyunjin turned so fast I was surprised he didn't fall off the couch.
Silence.
"...Hi."
I offered awkwardly.
Neither of them spoke.
I sighed dramatically.
"Do I have terrible timing or incredible timing?"
Felix buried his face in his hands.
"...Both."
Hyunjin rubbed the back of his neck.
"...Probably both."
I couldn't help laughing.
"You know..."
I leaned against the doorway.
"...You guys are really bad at keeping secrets."
Both of them looked at me.
"...What?"
I smiled.
"I figured it out weeks ago."
Felix blinked.
"...Seriously?"
"Mhm."
Hyunjin frowned.
"...How?"
"I literally walked in on you making out."
Felix's entire face turned bright red.
"...Right."
"I'd forgotten about that."
"I hadn't."
Hyunjin covered his face with one hand.
"...Please don't remind us."
"I'm going to remind you forever."
Felix pointed accusingly at me.
"...You're mean."
"I learned from Minho."
"...Fair."
The room fell quiet again.
Not awkward.
Just...
Comfortable.
Felix looked over at Hyunjin.
Then back at me.
"...Actually..."
He smiled nervously.
"We were waiting for everyone to get home."
I tilted my head.
"Why?"
Hyunjin reached over and squeezed Felix's hand.
Felix took a deep breath.
"...We're telling everyone tonight."
I stared at them.
"...Really?"
They both nodded.
My face immediately broke into a grin.
"No way."
Felix laughed.
"...Way."
I crossed the room before either of them could react and pulled both of them into an awkward group hug.
"You guys..."
I laughed into Felix's shoulder.
"I'm so happy for you."
Felix hugged me back just as tightly.
"...Thanks."
Hyunjin laughed from somewhere in the middle of the hug.
"I can't breathe."
"That's okay."
"No, I actually can't."
I immediately stepped back.
"...Sorry."
He took an exaggerated breath.
"Thank you."
Felix rolled his eyes.
"Drama queen."
"Says the one who cried at a dog food commercial."
"It was emotional."
"It was about chicken."
"The dog looked happy."
I burst out laughing.
Nothing had changed.
Not really.
They were still the same Hyunjin and Felix.
Just...
A little happier.
I looked between them.
"So..."
Hyunjin smiled.
"So?"
"You want me to pretend I don't know?"
Felix nodded enthusiastically.
"Please."
"I want to see Chris's face."
"Oh..."
I grinned.
"I can absolutely do that."
Hyunjin narrowed his eyes.
"...You're enjoying this."
"So much."
Felix laughed.
"I knew asking Jisung was the right idea."
I held a hand over my heart.
"I would never ruin a surprise."
"...Unless it involved Changbin."
"That's different."
"How?"
"He deserves it."
Hyunjin nodded thoughtfully.
"...Honestly."
"...That's fair."
The three of us dissolved into laughter.
And for the first time in what felt like weeks...
The house didn't feel weighed down by heavy conversations or difficult memories.
It simply felt like home.
Tonight...
There was finally something worth celebrating.
Dinner came around faster than I expected.
Somehow, the hours between finding Felix and Hyunjin and everyone getting home had disappeared.
I'd managed to keep my promise.
Barely.
Every time Chris looked at me, I felt like he somehow knew I was hiding something.
He didn't.
I was just terrible at pretending.
The dining room slowly filled with familiar voices.
Changbin wandered in first.
"I'm starving."
Chris looked up from setting plates on the table.
"You've said that every day this week."
"And?"
"...Fair point."
Minho appeared a minute later, setting a bowl of rice in the middle of the table.
"You guys waiting for an invitation?"
"I was waiting for the food."
"You've been staring at it for five minutes."
"I was appreciating it."
Jeongin snorted.
"You were calculating how much you could eat before anyone noticed."
"...You know me too well."
I smiled to myself as everyone settled into their usual seats.
Élise sat beside Jeongin, quietly laughing as he immediately reached for the biggest serving spoon.
"I wasn't going to take that much."
She raised an eyebrow.
"You already have."
"...I can explain."
"I'd love to hear it."
"I'm... growing."
Chris looked across the table.
"You're twenty."
"I'm growing emotionally."
Hyunjin let out a quiet laugh.
"That's somehow worse."
The conversation drifted from one topic to another.
Work.
University.
Something Felix had watched the night before.
Changbin somehow managed to tell the same story he'd already told three times.
Nobody stopped him.
Minho's knee rested lightly against mine beneath the table.
Every now and then, his thumb brushed absentmindedly against my hand whenever we reached for the same dish.
Small.
Comforting.
Normal.
I caught Felix glancing toward Hyunjin.
Hyunjin noticed too.
Neither of them said anything.
Not yet.
I looked back down at my food before they could catch me watching.
Don't smile.
Don't smile.
Don't—
"...Why are you smiling?"
I nearly dropped my chopsticks.
Chris looked directly at me.
"...What?"
"You're smiling."
"I am?"
"A little."
I immediately tried to stop.
"...Maybe dinner's just really good."
Élise hid a smile behind her glass.
Jeongin looked between all of us, completely confused.
"...Why does it feel like I'm missing something?"
"No reason."
I answered a little too quickly.
Minho looked at me.
"...Sung."
"Hm?"
"You've got the 'I know something' face."
"I have a what?"
"The face."
"I don't have a face."
"You definitely have a face."
Changbin nodded.
"He has a face."
"...Thank you, Changbin."
"Happy to help."
The table dissolved into laughter.
I let out a quiet breath.
That was close.
A few minutes later, the conversation settled again.
The only sounds left were cutlery against plates and the occasional comment about dinner.
Then...
Felix cleared his throat.
Not loudly.
Just enough that everyone looked up.
He exchanged a quick glance with Hyunjin.
Hyunjin gave him the smallest nod.
Felix took a slow breath.
"...Can we tell you guys something?"
The room went quiet.
Chris immediately looked concerned.
"...Everything okay?"
Felix smiled.
"Yeah."
"It is."
He looked at Hyunjin again before reaching beneath the table.
A second later...
He intertwined his fingers with Hyunjin's.
Right there.
In front of everyone.
My heart warmed.
Felix smiled nervously.
"...Hyunjin and I are together."
Silence.
Complete silence.
For exactly two seconds.
Changbin blinked once.
"...Wait."
He looked between them.
"...Seriously?"
Hyunjin laughed.
"...Yeah."
Changbin looked at Chris.
Then at Seungmin.
Then back at Felix.
"...I owe Chris twenty thousand won."
Chris immediately grinned.
"I told you."
"You knew?"
"I suspected."
"I thought they were just really affectionate."
Seungmin looked completely unimpressed.
"...I thought everyone knew."
Jeongin stared at him.
"...Everyone?"
Seungmin nodded.
"...I figured it out weeks ago."
Felix pointed at him.
"...You never said anything."
"You never asked."
"...That's actually a good point."
Laughter spread around the table.
Chris stood up first.
Without saying a word, he walked around the table and pulled both Felix and Hyunjin into a hug.
"I'm really happy for you two."
Changbin joined a second later.
"So..."
He smiled.
"...Does this mean I win because technically I lost a bet?"
Chris looked at him.
"...No."
"Worth asking."
One by one, everyone congratulated them.
I caught Felix looking at me over Chris's shoulder.
He smiled.
Tiny.
Almost impossible to notice.
I smiled back just as subtly.
Our little secret wasn't a secret anymore.
And somehow...
That made me just as happy as the announcement itself.