Seokmin stretched his legs out in front of him as he sat on the floor. Soonyoung was dancing like a possessed man, his body moving across the floor wildly but controlled, moving in a way Seokmin could only dream of. He was an adequate dancer but this, watching Soonyoung in his element, was magical.

He closed his eyes and tried to pretend it wasn't worrying him. His 'boyfriend's' ex, stunning and handsome and so confident, showing up from nowhere to make his life hell. Every time he thought he was getting somewhere with Joshua something set him back. He sniffled a little as he couldn't help imagining them catching up over coffee, laughing together over shared memories, enjoying their past together that he wasn't a part of. A whole world they shared and a side of Joshua that Seokmin had never seen. Seokmin wondered why they broke up. If it was  only because Joshua was moving then surely there was nothing to stop them getting back together. Nothing but him actually.

Maybe it was time to call the deal off.

The selfish part of him wanted to do everything he could to hold on. The sweet and caring part wanted to let him go. To let Joshua go back to his happiness. But was it happiness? Joshua didn't seem that happy to see him.

"What's up with you?" Soonyoung said loudly as he kicked at one of Seokmin's feet dragging him from his melancholy musings. "You look like your dog just died." "Joshua hyung's ex-boyfriend just showed up this morning. He was supposed to be in America but now he's here and they're catching up right now at the cafe." Seokmin looked up to see Soonyoung mouth form a cute little 'o' when he realised why Seokmin was miserable.

"Let me guess," he said slowly as he sank to the floor. "He's tall and handsome and wonderful and Joshua's probably going to go back to him now he's here and you know you can't compete with that." He smirked at the other boy sitting sullen and slumping against the wall. "And so you're just going to sulk and watch this other boy steal you man away right from under your nose."

Seokmin nodded again before his eyes widened in shock. "No! No, hyung, why would you say that?" "Well, they're together and you're here." Soonyoung's eyes sparkled with mischief and Seokmin nodded his agreement. "I-I thought they needed to catch up." "No, you chickened out and ran away, leaving them alone." Soonyoung leaned over and poked at one of Seokmin's cheeks and chuckled to himself. "Seriously, don't just sit around and let it happen, if you let him steal your man right out from under your nose you'll regret it forever."

Seokmin sighed. Soonyoung was kind of right. "What would you do Soonyoung hyung?" he asked and Soonyoung wiped his sweaty face on his t-shirt. "Me? I'd just find someone else, there's always more fish in the sea, or whatever," he winked at the other who pouted in response. "But if I was you I'd make him work for it. You really like Joshua right?" Seokmin nodded and had never felt more honest about anything in his life. He liked him so much the thought of this Jaehyun taking even one of Joshua's smiles was killing him. "So hold on to him. Be the best boyfriend you can be. If this other guy wants to steal him make it hard, Give him a fight." "A fight?" Seokmin's eyes widened and Soonyoung began to laugh loudly. "Not a real fight you idiot!"

Joshua sighed as he watched Jaehyun high fiving and hugging with his friend Mingyu in the café. He thought this part of his life was done. Sitting on the outer, feeling like a stranger, feeling like he wasn't worth being included in the conversation. He could overhear them chatting excitedly about 'catching up', getting drinks, mentions of some other boys Joshua didn't know. He sat on the chair and watched his hands, picking at the skin around the nails, hating the way his ex just rolled into his life again and made him like this. The way he used to be.

"I ordered you a latte," Jaehyun said as he slid into the seat across from him. "Mingyu said he'll put it on a tab and you can pay when we leave." Joshua opened his mouth to say something but instead he just let it go. It would be just this once. "So," the man across from him eyed him critically, "what's with the earrings?" Joshua shrugged. "Just thought they would be cool, you know, something different." "I guess," Jaehyun smiled in an amused way which made Joshua feel even smaller, "if you're into that sort of thing. Which you are." Joshua could see him staring at his necklace again, the sparkling birthstones laying side by side, their colours pairing perfectly and glimmering in the café's soft lighting.

"Tell me about your new boyfriend then," Jaehyun said as Jeonghan put the cups down on the table. "This definitely yours?" he asked Joshua with a look and the man nodded silently as he took a sip. It was horrible. What he wouldn't give for a nice strong Americano over ice. "He's an angel. He's younger than me, you age actually, he's a singer. His voice is heaven." Jaehyun laughed loudly at that. "Better than mine?' Joshua nodded. His ex was a talented and charismatic singer and dancer but Seokmin's voice was rich and distinctive and put him under a spell.

"Wow," Jaehyun said as he mixed his latte with the straw. "You're in love with him." "What?" Joshua stammered out as he snapped out of his daydream. His mind had wandered a full circle from Seokmin's voice ringing out through the University theatre to his voice ringing out through the dark night of Joshua's room as he let him push inside his body. To his beautifully soft hands and back down to his own shaking as they held the plastic latte cup. "Joshua, no one knows you better than me-" "That's debatable," Joshua snapped uncharacteristically but Jaehyun was undeterred. "I can see it all over your face, how smitten you are, it's crazy actually."

The bells rang and the door swung open and Joshua's jaw dropped a little when he walked in. It was Seokmin, his Seokmin, but something was different. Something was more definite, more assertive, more focused. He watched the man walk towards him with a look of rapture and possessiveness in his eyes he'd never seen before. "Hi," Joshua stammered out as Seokmin pulled up a chair right beside him and nuzzled into his neck. "Hi, hope I'm not interrupting, but Soonyoung lost interest in the practice session and I kinda really missed you..."

The words were hot and heavy, tickling the hairs around the back of his neck, making Joshua giggle and blush. "You're not interrupting at all," he said making Seokmin break into a bright smile. "Good. I think it would be nice if we got to know each other." He turned his focus to Jaehyun but kept his hand firmly clamped on Joshua's thigh while he spoke. "When were you born?" he asked, the usual question when you meet someone new, and Jaehyun leaned back in his chair. "1997. You?" "Same," Seokmin leaned closer to Joshua, "what month?" "February 14th." Seokmin lost a little steam when he realised the other was older than him by a whopping four days.

"Mines the 18th," he said and Joshua wondered how he totally missed this detail. How he could have missed this fact, overlooked it, how such an important thing went unnoticed. Maybe it was only due to the fact that Jaehyun's celebrations always excluded Joshua. Maybe deep down he never really cared that much.

He looked from Jaehyun's amused stare over to Seokmin's steel gaze. He'd honestly never seen him look so serious but when their eyes met it melted immediately. "You got a thing for aquarians?" He flirted withe his eyes as he stared at Joshua's lips feeling emboldened by the new audience they had. "You're right on the cusp anyway," Joshua whispered and held his breath as Seokmin leaned over to peck him right on the mouth. Feeling especially brave, buoyed by the way Joshua leaned into the kiss, Seokmin slipped his tongue in. He kissed Joshua briefly, slow and gentle and soft, just enough without being too much. It was only then that Seokmin noticed the thick sweetness on Joshua's lips instead of the rich bitter flavour of his boyfriend favourite drink. "You didn't order that," he said as he eyed the milky drink watery with melted ice. "I'll get two Americanos to go and we can drink them while we walk back to campus. Unless you want to stay longer...?" Joshua quickly shook his head.

He watched Seokmin's figure all the way to the counter, admiring the broad width of his back and the roundness of his thighs, hitching his breath as Seokmin leaned over the counter to speak with Jeonghan. "Whipped," Jaehyun said as he smiled at Joshua making him blush up to the tips of his ears. Joshua just shrugged. He was whipped. He knew it and there was no point trying to hide it. "Him, Joshua  I was talking about him, you've really got him wrapped around your little finger."

Joshua couldn't help the smile cross his lips. Even if it was pretend he would enjoy the pretence a little bit longer. He'd enjoy it while it lasted.