Wooyoung slides open the door to go out into the living area that morning, stretching himself out as he walks to sit on one of the couches.

"Good morning."

Wooyoung is a bit startled by the sudden welcoming, rubbing his eyes to see Yeosang sitting across from him on the other couch, "Ah, good morning, Sangie. Did you sleep well?"

Yeosang feels his cheeks heat up at the old nickname, holding onto his legs as he sits crisscrossed, "I-I slept well, did you?" He asks, trailing off as he takes a closer look at Wooyoung's appearance.

He looks utterly wrecked, to say the least.

Wooyoung's loose nightshirt is hanging low beneath his collarbones to give an even better view of the marks Yeosang had seen last night when they got back from dinner. He sees the clearly irritated skin around Wooyoung's wrists, them being more reddened than how they were previously.

It breaks Yeosang's heart to see his best friend like this. What is Sunghee doing to him? Yeosang's mind starts running wild with what he's seen and he can't help but think the worst.

Wooyoung nods, "I slept well, too," he hums, but a confused look comes across his face as he looks at Yeosang. Why does he look scared?

"Woo, are you okay...?" Yeosang asks hesitantly, not knowing how to bring up what he's seeing.

Wooyoung's body eases when he hears that nickname coming from Yeosang's mouth. Oh, how he's missed hearing Yeosang call him so sweetly. He processes the question and tilts his head, "What do you--"

Wooyoung's sentence is cut off by the sound of a sliding door, Sunghee coming out of their room in only his pajama pants. Wooyoung lets out a nervous laugh when he sees his shirtless mate coming towards them, nervous about anyone seeing the scratch marks down Sunghee's back.

"This is where you went," Sunghee chuckles, wrapping his arm around Wooyoung and sitting with him so he can hold his mate, "You know I like to cuddle in the morning, Woo."

Wooyoung's heart strains with the only two men he's had in his life right here with him, tensing up at the nickname and when Sunghee holds onto him in front of Yeosang.

Yeosang senses some tension enter the room as soon as Sunghee comes out, watching him as he holds onto Wooyoung.

He calls Wooyoung 'Woo' too...?

Yeosang bites his lip to hold back from saying anything questionable.

"I know... I'm sorry," Wooyoung looks up into Sunghee's eyes apologetically.

Sunghee nuzzles Wooyoung's nose and gives him a soft kiss, a big difference from how Wooyoung's body looks, "Don't apologize, just don't leave me again."

Yeosang tries to look away, but he feels his breath catch in his throat when he watches Sunghee kiss Wooyoung. He feels his eyes start to well up with tears, but he holds them back. Yeosang knows he shouldn't be feeling like this right now. He knows he had years to reveal his feelings to Wooyoung and he never did. He knows he had every opportunity to kiss Wooyoung himself and he never did.

Yeosang let all of those chances willingly pass him by.

He can't regret them now, can he?

Sunghee pulls back from Wooyoung, still holding him tightly in his arms, but he turns to look at Yeosang, "Hey, I remember you... Kang Yeosang, right?"

Yeosang is startled out of his thoughts and he nods, "That's me..."

"You didn't turn out so bad, did he, Woo?" Sunghee rubs his hand up and down Wooyoung's arms, feeling the stiffness of his mate.

"You know he was my best friend, Sunghee," Wooyoung says quietly.

Was?

Yeosang starts to feel like he shouldn't be here and begins to regret leaving his warm spot in bed with Dongwoo this morning.

"He was so small in school," Sunghee laughs.

"D-Don't say that..." Wooyoung hums, some hidden anger rivets in the back of his voice.

"Now that I'm thinking about it.... Your mate was even one of the kids that would always stand up for you, right?" Sunghee says, thinking about the past, "I remember that kid had the biggest crush on you. It was pretty laughable back then, but look at you two now," Sunghee winks at Yeosang.

Yeosang nervously shifts his eyes away from the situation, wishing he wasn't present, "He's told me stories about how he used to like me back then, yes..."

Wooyoung squeezes Sunghee's arm before he says anything worse to Yeosang, knowing Yeosang doesn't want to hear anything about this or think about how Sunghee bullied him back in their school days. He knows how much they despised each other and how Yeosang would hide from him if he saw him around the grounds.

"Have you two thought about pups?" Sunghee pushes through, asking what he's been curious about since he saw the couple, a smirk appearing on his face.

Wooyoung's eyes widened at Sunghee's question. What the hell is he trying to do? He looks up to his mate with his eyebrows furrowed, but Sunghee doesn't back down.

"I-- We... We agreed to think on it for a year..." Yeosang finally manages to choke out.

"Ahh... So you two will be deciding on it pretty soon, huh?"

"Y-Yeah..." Yeosang starts to fidget in his spot on the couch, glancing back towards the room where Dongwoo is probably still sleeping. He did eat a lot, Yeosang thinks, trying to distract his mind away from the thought of pups. He can't help but wish his mate were here right now in this uncomfortable setting he's found himself in.

"Woo and I decided to wait too, we're waiting a few years. Isn't that right, baby?" Sunghee squeezes Wooyoung's body towards him, "But boy, sometimes I just want for us to have a few pups now."

"Sunghee..." Wooyoung hums, shifting his eyes away from Yeosang in embarrassment. He never thought they would come to this, almost like they were strangers, and didn't even know the other anymore. Is Yeosang really the same boy from a year ago? Wooyoung isn't even sure he's the same from back then in all honesty.

Wooyoung does hope that Yeosang didn't catch eye of all the marks on his body, though. He doesn't notice it so much himself anymore since, over this past year, he's gotten used to his mate Sunghee being rough and quite mean, especially in bed. Sunghee has his own way of expressing love and Wooyoung's still not sure how he feels about it. All he can say is he's used to it.

Yeosang takes steady breaths to calm himself, about to say something else when Wooyoung interrupts him, seemingly to try and change the topic of conversation to something else.

"Where is Dongwoo? Is he still sleeping?" Wooyoung asks, looking at a few of the other males walking around their building and coming in and out. Everyone seems to be starting to get up now.

Yeosang eases at the name of his mate, "Ah, he's asleep in bed still."

"Actually, I'm right here, silly," Dongwoo announces, appearing behind Yeosang and he wraps his arms around him, letting them rest on Yeosang's chest as he gives the top of his head a gentle kiss.

Seeing the loving affection Dongwoo gives to Yeosang makes Wooyoung's heart drop, yet feel full at the same time. Yeosang's happiness is all he's ever wanted and as much as Wooyoung wished he could've found it with him, he's glad he was able to find it within his mate.

Yeosang giggles, squeezing one of Dongwoo's hands, pulling him around the couch to come sit with him, "You're finally up!" He smiles widely, his eyes closing into little half-moons as he shows his shiny teeth to his mate.

"Finally?" Dongwoo chuckles and leans Yeosang into his chest, holding onto him, happy to be back in contact with his mate. It always fills him with such joy knowing he has Yeosang by his side, "Have you been catching up with Wooyoung?" He asks, looking over to Wooyoung and Sunghee.

Dongwoo doesn't like seeing Sunghee here and he realizes that's what the uncomfortableness he sensed from Yeosang was coming from before he came out to sit with them all. He remembers back to their matching results and knew that Wooyoung had to have ended up with Sunghee. He hated that it was his mates' best friend's only option since he and Yeosang chose each other.

"Yeah, we've been chatting..." Yeosang responds, laying his head against Dongwoo.

"How have you been, Dongwoo?" Sunghee asks, keeping Wooyoung close to him in some sort of way to assert his dominance even though Dongwoo is clearly mated to Yeosang. It's just in his nature. Sunghee has always been overprotective over Wooyoung ever since they were mated.

Dongwoo hums, "I've been pretty good. Yeosang and I have just been spending our first year together at home in Riverside. I know you two have been out helping with the aftermath of the Bloodbane and Essence situation, right?"

Sunghee nods, "That's right. We've had to move where we're staying pretty often. I wish I could just have my time with my mate," he says, nuzzling his face into Wooyoung's neck to take in his sweet jasmine scent.

Yeosang and Wooyoung find each other's eyes while their alphas talk among themselves, both of them seeing something different in the other's. Yeosang sees some sort of nervousness or coldness in Wooyoung's and Wooyoung sees guilt and comfort in Yeosang's. The stark difference between what they both see hits them right in the chest.

This is really how things had to turn out? Wooyoung smiles, trying to show Yeosang a happy and genuine smile. He was so happy to see him, really, but something was holding him back from fully putting on his real emotions. He felt so stuck and he has been feeling this same feeling ever since getting mated off.

Wooyoung's feelings confuse him so much. On one hand, he doesn't want to be with Sunghee, but on the other he does. It could be the mating bond causing the latter, but Wooyoung does feel positively towards Sunghee somehow. He's unsure if the positive feelings are what he could call love... No, he could never call it love. He knows what real love feels like because it's sitting right in front of him, sitting beside his mate.

Yeosang had left his gaze and turned to Dongwoo, being caught up in laughter at something he said as Wooyoung sits there emptily, staring longingly at the missed opportunities of his past.

Suddenly, there's the sound of a bell ringing, it sounding all throughout the Chrysalis grounds.

It must be time for their first class.

Sunghee and Wooyoung get up and start making their way out of the building and to the place where their lessons will take place. Yeosang's eyes linger on Wooyoung's back as they walk away, knowing his past feelings for his best friends are stirring once again. Why can't he just get over him...? Yeosang's internal wolf growls at him for still thinking of Wooyoung in such a way.

Yeosang's brought back to himself when Dongwoo takes his hand, standing up and leading him to the door with a bright smile, "Let's go, Yeo!"

Yeosang smiles back at his mate, it making his wolf purr when he sees the way Dongwoo looks at him. Yeosang has honestly found love within Dongwoo over the year they've been with each other. He finds comfort in being around him and he's always been so patient and understanding with Yeosang. He knows how much Dongwoo loves him and he can't help but feel like he's betraying his mate by still having feelings for Wooyoung. What is wrong with him...?

The bell finally stops sounding as Yeosang and Dongwoo step out of the building together to make their way to their first lesson.

~

San wakes up later that morning, seeing some of the guests still asleep in their beds like he just was, but the majority of the beds are empty. That includes Jongho's and Hongjoong's. San wonders where the two enemies went, but he doesn't want to get up.

His mind is clouded by memories of the previous night, a smile spreading across his face as he remembers standing outside of Seonghwa's bedroom.

San goes breathless as soon as Seonghwa slides open the door to his bedroom, revealing a sleepy figure in a flowing white night robe.

"Seonghwa..." San whispers, the name of his fated mate unconsciously coming out of his mouth.

Seonghwa's eyes widen at the sight of San standing in front of him.

What is he doing here?

His eyebrows furrow as soon as he remembers their situation and he tries to slide his door back closed but is stopped by San's outreaching hand pressing onto the top of Seonghwa's. Seonghwa instantly pulls away, the spot where San's hand just was tingling as if Seonghwa were just electrocuted in that concentrated area.

"Don't shut me out just yet," San says, his breath visible from the coldness of the night air, "Please, I brought you something."

"I don't want anything you have--" Seonghwa pauses as his eyes travel down to San's other hand to where a plate with a napkin on top of it is being held.

San smiles at Seonghwa's timidness, finding it somehow endearing how he always pulls always from his touch like that. He really doesn't like contact, does he?

"I saved you this from dinner... You left before we had dessert," San explains, getting goosebumps all over his body as he uncovers the small square piece of chocolate cake sitting in the middle of the plate. San looks back up to Seonghwa to gauge his reaction, "I hear that dessert is your favorite part."

Seonghwa's mouth salivates at the view of the chocolate cake, cursing himself for leaving dinner so early. Chocolate cake is his all-time favorite dessert that Chrysalis serves and he knows his favorite baker must've made it, too, just from the presentation.

Did San really bring this for him?

Seonghwa bites his lip and turns away slightly from San, crossing his arms as a cold breeze comes and whisps past them, "How did you get an extra piece anyhow?" Seonghwa hums, his voice quiet. Why does San bring out this more talkative side of him? He hates it.

San chuckles, leaning against the door frame of Seonghwa's room, causing Seonghwa to back up at the increased proximity between the two of them. He lays his head against the frame as well, admiring the way the moonlight shines down onto his mate when he's out of the way, "It's not an extra piece. I saved mine for you instead."

Seonghwa tightens his grip onto his own arms, shifting his body to hide himself from the light. He feels exposed with San looking at him like this and he doesn't like how the fact of San saving his own dessert for him makes him feel. He's not supposed to be feeling anything for the boy standing in front of his bedroom door. He's already basically arranged to marry Eunji.

Seonghwa stays quiet for a few moments, still thinking to himself. He needs to push down his feelings and thoughts for San just like he's done for the past year. Seonghwa knows they're only flaring up again because San is actually here, right in front of him to be exact... His wolf is trying to push Seonghwa forward, wanting to accept who he knew was his fated mate, but Seonghwa stood his ground. He didn't move. And he didn't flinch when San took a step further into his room.

San smirked at Seonghwa's silence coming back again. He thought he was making progress earlier with the number of words his fated mate spoke, but he can't be sure. San knows how much Seonghwa wants to push him away and he's going to accept it.

For now.

San takes a step into Seonghwa's room, noticing how he doesn't move at all. San moves in just one step further and places the plate of cake down onto the top of what seems to be Seonghwa's dresser. It feels much warmer in his room than outside. He's stood for so long out there he almost forgot how cold it really was.

"I'll leave this here for you, okay?" San says with a cautious voice, not wanting to overstep too soon, "I saw the way you looked at that cake when I uncovered it," He chuckles.

San backs up out of Seonghwa's room, his body covering the moonlight that was shining on them again. San sees Seonghwa still looking away from him and it leaves him with a heavy heart, "I just hope you look at me the same one day, Seonghwa. You're not going to be able to deny us as each other's mates for much longer."

Seonghwa is startled by this sudden confession, but he tries not to show how much it affects him. He does, however, lift his eyes back up to look at San, seeing how he's back out in the cold. The air coming from his mouth is a telltale sign of that and his wolf is wanting for him to ask for San to come back into the warmth, to be with him, but Seonghwa swears against it.

Their eyes meet and there's that same aching feeling in both of their chests, their bodies trying to tell each other that they belong together. The strain becomes worse the more they fight against it. Over the past year, they've both experienced intense bouts of chest pain due to the other. Fated mates who aren't together or truly mated after they meet go through these types of things every so often. It's the world's way of telling them that being away from one another is wrong.

San's gaze lingers, taking in all of Seonghwa's beauty. The way his deep chocolaty brown eyes shine like stars when they're connected to his own. It's mesmerizing and San can't describe how long he's wished to see his fated mate again.

This time is going to be it. San vowed to himself that throughout the course of the month he's here in Chrysalis, that he will finally get Seonghwa to be his. He's not going home with that same heartache that left him the first time.

"Goodnight, Seonghwa. Please sleep well tonight and enjoy your dessert," San says softly, giving Seonghwa one last smile before he turns around and begins walking back to the building he's staying in.

Seonghwa watches San leave, his voice getting stuck in his throat for a moment before he manages to get out real words.

"Thank you, San."

End of Chapter Seventeen