"This is Chris," Jimin had introduced her when they met the mayor, "She's one of hyung's new friends and she's the one who had the idea of making a fundraiser for his dad."

"Hi," Chris bowed, reaching her hand out, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," the older man sent her a charming grin. His snowy hair fell over from his crown, eyes warm and smooth as honey, face lined with experience. She wondered if his son—who Jimin and Hoseok spoke so fondly of—had inherited his good looks.

They were seated in a corner booth of Jimin's diner. Chris wasn't very approving of the location as she was worried Hoseok would find out—he seemed to have eyes all around the town—but it was the only convenient place. With Jimin having to keep an eye on the diner and the mayor having to get back to his office down the street.

"Jimin's told me that you wanted to utilise our next fundraiser to raise money for Hoseok's father," he continued and Chris somehow saw a glisten flash through his eyes. Like a diamond turning in the light. She adored their bond.

"Yes, I was hoping to ask for some advice with it, perhaps organising a ball similar to your annual one or maybe a fundraiser like the ones you hold in the town square every month."

"I wouldn't mind changing the cause of this year's ball," he pulled out a notebook and started scribbling something down. "I don't know if he would want his condition revealed to the entire town, however."

"You're right, I'm a bit unsure about how to go about that, because I wouldn't want people donating to an unknown cause. But, like you said, it's not our story to tell."

"Well, I really like this idea of donating for my friend so I don't want to let this it go. Perhaps we don't promote it as a fundraiser?"

"But Hoseok said everyone really only participates in things like this to raise money for worthy causes—would that work?"

"He's not wrong," the mayor shrugged, "But town balls are quite the tradition in Alchemilla, it would be stranger for someone not to attend one."

"He also said the next ball was going to be dedicated to the school—"

"He only knows that because we've talked about it at family meetings, it hasn't actually been advertised."

"Would that really be okay?"

"Yes, of course! I think this is a brilliant idea! Would you want to plan it?"

"Honestly, I'd be honoured."

"It's decided then!" he clapped his hands together before standing, "I'm so thankful that you had come up with this idea. His father wasn't accepting any of our money and we didn't want to just sit back and watch it happen without doing our best to help him."

"Thank you so much for giving me the permission, I hope to make it unforgettable."

"I'm glad our Hoseokie met a friend who'd do something like this for him," he pat Chris and Jimin on the shoulders, "I hope you don't mind if I excuse myself, I've got to get back to the office now."

"For sure!" Chris motioned to the door, "I hope you have a great rest of your day!"

After their farewells, Chris flopped back into the booth and stared Jimin down after heaving a sigh, "Why didn't you say a word! I was sweating bullets talking to him!"

"Woah," Jimin let out a musical chuckle, eyes turning into crescents and cheeks glistening, "You had it in the bag, Chris, you didn't need me."

She couldn't help but feel her resolve diffuse faster than it had overcome her. Jimin somehow had that effect.

"Anyway," she pushed back the smile biting at her lips, "Do you guys have anything good for breakfast? I might as well have some before getting back to the hotel."

"Breakfast?" his eyes widened as he threw a quick glance at the door. Chris's eyebrows furrowed as she watched his orbs darken in some sort of worry.

"Yeah, food for the morning—are you okay?"

"Okay, so the thing is," he took in a breath, "Hyungsaidhewascomingforbreakfastsohe'llprobablybeheresoon—"

"He's what?" her jaw dropped, "You knew he was coming and you still thought it would be a good idea to have the meeting here? The meeting he is not supposed to know we had?"

"In my defence!" he started, "I knew we'd be done before hyung got here!"

"That doesn't help Jimin, what if we weren't?"

"But we are! And he won't ever know—hey hyung!" the boy's eyes had shot straight to the door and Chris followed them. Only to see her familiar friend walk in, bringing the sun with him. Sparkling eyes met his friend's, lighting up brighter as he walked to join him.

"Jimin! Buddy, I missed—" his voice cut off as his brown eyes rested on the woman in the booth. "Chris?"

"Good morning!" she swallowed the lump in her throat as she stood up.

That morning he'd asked her what her plans were for the day and she told him she had a busy day at the hotel. How was she going to explain being at the diner?

"Hey," he took her in fully, and she did the same. He was dressed in a baby blue sweater and his staple faded ocean jeans. Chris couldn't miss how his skin shone golden against it. Soft, gentle, much like the look in his eyes as he watched her. "What are you doing here?"

"Ask Jimin," she blurted, looking over at him.

The younger boy's eyes widened for the third time in a span of five minutes as he let out an exasperated sigh, "Two breakfast menus?" he asked.

Hoseok tilted his head at his friend and Chris observed the cogs turning in his head, "Sure."

He slid into the booth and she sat back down across from him, eyes dropping to her hands on the table.

"Is everything okay, Chris?"

"Hmm?" she looked up to catch his worried eyes and immediately waved her hands in front of her, "Yeah! I just came over to get some breakfast before work hits, I promise I'm okay."

"Alright," his face split into a grin that suddenly fired up her chest. Both him and Jimin always did that. She was sure they existed purely to bring the warmth of the sun to others' hearts.

"What are you thinking of getting for breakfast?"

"I normally get their bacon and eggs, it's to die for."

"I guess I'll get that too then," she folded her menu and Hoseok waved Jimin over.

"Jimin, how is it that the food here actually trumps anything I've had in other restaurants?"

He shrugged, "We just have the best recipes. If there's anything on the menu you'd like to cook, I can give you the recipe. Just don't tempt Hoseok hyung to stop coming in."

The man across from Chris snickered, "Impossible."

"I'm glad you like the food though, Chris," he told her.

"I did tell her it would be the best food she'd ever try," Hoseok gave a cocky grin, sinking into his seat, "Also, we'll get banana and maple waffles and one bacon and eggs."

"I thought you liked bacon and eggs too?"

"If you both get the same things, you can't share," Jimin whispered to Chris behind his notepad.

"Shut up," the elder boy shook his head, "Can you just get our orders?"

"Coming right up," his grin only widened, adding a wink directed at Chris.

"Anyway," her attention was drawn back to the boy radiating like the sun in front of her, "Been well? Even though it hasn't been long since we last saw each other."

"Yeah," Chris did her best to smile like he did, despite knowing she never could, "You?"

"As best as I can," and there it was again; a falter of his smile. Like the few seconds the clouds pass over the sun and everything turns dark, cold and lifeless. Like the night when the flowers close up and stop blooming. The ocean as it remains still, wind absent to push the water into waves.

And every time it happened—despite it being very rare—Chris felt her heart tear.

"You're so strong," she commented, eyes trying to find his as he stopped reading something over her shoulder to look at her, "You know that?"

"I wouldn't say—"

"No, don't dodge this too, Hoseok, you're so brave."

"I'm not—"

"Hoseok," she warned, "I'm not lying."

"Okay," he sighed, defeated, "Thank you, Chris."

"Here are your orders," a voice emerged from the aisle, and the pair watched Jimin place two trays in front of them, "Enjoy."

"I think the best thing I can do is try to keep my mind off everything, and spend as much time with him as possible. It is hard though, it's always staring me right in the face."

"I'm sorry," she was at a loss for words. It was the first time anyone she knew had to face a situation like this and she didn't know what to say, "Thank you for sharing this with me, I wish I could do more for you."

Within seconds, the clouds cleared, daylight came back, the waves were crashing against the shore. "Your smile, Chris," fireflies were dancing through his eyes, "Your presence, it's all enough. You're doing more than enough."

A lump grew in the back of Chris's throat, she wondered how someone could be as good as he was. She didn't know how else to describe him. He was just so good.

"Speaking of distractions," he started to pick at his food, "When are you going to tell me about why you broke up with Mr No Name?"

"Would that be a good distraction?" She asked, holding up a piece of bacon to offer him.

"Yes," he answered, staring down at her food. She nudged it closer to him, waiting for him to take it and he finally did, opening his mouth for her to pop it in.

"He's a great guy," she began, "We met after watching a movie, both of us there alone. It was an autumn evening and everything was just so perfect, from the way the dried leaves fell onto our jackets at the pace of his voice to how the breeze seemed to quieten in his presence.

"From then I learnt so much from him, he was perfect in every way, you see. He was incredibly skilled at his job—our job at the time—and amazing at handling the hard customer inquiries.

"But I guess something from the beginning really felt wrong," when Chris said this, she saw the thunder pass over Hoseok's expression once again, "I guess I'm grateful to him for pointing out the areas in which I should try to improve, and while he isn't wrong at all, it just became a bit much."

"Oh my gosh—"

"Maybe he was doing me a favour, I mean, nothing he said was wrong. I am overbearing, I am difficult to handle, I am a bit too career driven."

The pounding in her chest became too much, rising to occupy her ears. Chris had walls, sure, but every second spent with Hoseok she had felt them weaken. And here, right now, brick by brick she felt her walls come tumbling down.

"But I just didn't need to be reminded everyday. A part of me doesn't think it's a good enough reason to break up with him for that. The voices in my head, however, telling me that I'll never be half as talented as he, started to sound more and more like him every day.

"Maybe it was selfish on my part, but I didn't want to hear that."

"Wow," a sigh left his lips, a sound she never knew could hold so much comfort. For with it, she felt her burdens start to alleviate. Someone else listening to her, someone else knowing how she feels was all she needed.

"Yeah it's-"

"It's not selfish," he cut her off, and the baritone of his voice pulled her eyes to his, "That's toxic, that's so wrong. He was your boyfriend, it was his duty to love and respect you, not lecture you. I don't know how many times I have to tell you that you're amazing and worth all the good this world has to offer you, and I'm not just saying this as your friend.

"You don't have to do anything to be worthy of love, you just have to be you."

"Hoseok-"

"I hate him," he huffed, sitting back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest, "Asshole."

A small giggle bubbled up inside her, but only when it rose to the surface did she realise tears had pooled in the corners of her eyes. And through the bleared vision his image gave her so much consolation.

In that moment the only thought she'd had was of how grateful she was that the boy with hair of marigold and cheeks of azalea had crossed paths with her when he did. And even more grateful that their paths became twisted and intertwined in each other. She hoped it would stay that way.

hi angels! thank you for reading that chapter

how are you?

there will be 22 chapters to this story so we are halfway!!

hope you have a great day uwu i love you!