"From the moment we met, I've been drawn to you," Jongho said, his voice thick with emotion. "And at first, I wanted to ignore it because I thought I would never see you again and you're," he winced. "Well, you're human, so I thought I was wrong. But then, you kept coming to the cafe I worked at and I saw you a few times at some events and at the shops and the more I was around you, the more I couldn't ignore that pull to be near you, to protect you." Jongho stared at Yeosang earnestly.

Jongho glanced away, seemingly taking a moment to collect his thoughts. Yeosang had the distinct feeling that he was missing something- that he wasn't picking up whatever Jongho was putting down. What was he trying to say?

_____________________________________________________________

Yeosang

Yeosang's hands clenched and unclenched, his fingers fiddling with his bracelet - the one Wooyoung gave him for his birthday last year - while he walked. His nerves had been building all morning. At first, he had been confident in his agreement to meet for lunch and had planned to make it clear to Jongho that he wasn't interested in him as anything more than a friend. But, as he watched the clock on the wall in loungeroom, anxiety bubbled in his stomach. And now, something akin to dread writhed in its place with every step he took towards the cafe. They had agreed to meet at the cafe when Jongho's shift ended and then take the bus to the city for lunch. 

His mum had sensed that something had changed between him and Jongho. Maybe it was obvious when Yeosang came home barely four hours after going to Jongho's, clearly lost in his thoughts. Or maybe it yesterday when she'd asked Yeosang what was bothering him and he snapped at her. He hadn't meant to. He was just so frustrated and confused. He had no clue what Jongho meant by what he said.

No, that was a lie. He knew exactly what Jongho meant. He just didn't want to acknowledge it. He didn't want it to be the truth because if it was, how oblivious had he been? Was he just like Wooyoung? Leading his friend on with his own obliviousness? Did everyone else know that Jongho liked him? Was that why everyone kept joking about them acting like an old married couple? 

He frowned as he thought back to his interaction with Jongho and Hongjoong. Had Hongjoong known? Could he smell it in Jongho's scent? Wolf hybrids could smell changes and meanings in scents, right? Yeosang's brows twitched as he thought over Hongjoong's behaviour that day. Hongjoong had been acting a little different, right? There were little things he did that he didn't usually do... Was it in an effort to annoy Jongho? 

Yeosang couldn't understand why that thought irked him, but it did. He didn't like the idea of Hongjoong purposefully upsetting Jongho. Yeosang's body flushed with an angry heat. Maybe it was because Wooyoung had done so much to upset him, even if not on purpose, that he didn't want anyone else to suffer from something similar. 

Or maybe it was because his heart beat just that little bit faster around Jongho like it had for Wooyoung... 

No. Yeosang cast the thought aside. That was silly. He didn't like Jongho as anything more than a friend. If his heart beat a little faster when he smiled or laughed or excitedly greeted him, then it was just because Jongho was a potential danger. He immediately cringed at the ridiculous thought of Jongho being a threat. He was so playful and kind. Even if he was an alpha, it didn't mean that he was inherently dangerous. Yeosang chided himself for having such a backwards thought.

He frowned when the cafe came into view. He began to drag his feet. His eyes automatically searched for Jongho through the windows out of habit while he approached the cafe. He paused by one of the trees planted in the strip of grass between the curb and sidewalk. Inside the small building, Yeosang could see Jongho laughing. He could almost hear the hearty sound that could send warmth blooming through his chest. 

But, as his eyes fell on the tall silhouette in front of Jongho, Yeosang's smile faded. The man with his back to Yeosang had vibrant red hair that was visible even through the tinted windows. Yeosang watched as the two embraced. Jongho wrapped his arms around the man's back, his forearms curving up so his hands could rest on the man's shoulder blades. 

Something ugly twisted inside Yeosang's stomach and constricted his chest. He turned away and glared at the asphalt road. The jingle of the door opening had him turning around, the familiar murmur of the cafe just barely reaching him. Jongho walked out of the cafe, his head turned in the direction of the man as he waved goodbye, a laugh still dancing past his lips. Yeosang's heart fluttered while his stomach twisted. 

Jongho turned around, jumping down the steps. When his eyes met Yeosang's, Jongho smiled. Yeosang's hand lifted in a wave, his body reacting before his distracted brain could catch up. Jongho returned the gesture while he took the final two steps in a single stride. He came to a stop in front of Yeosang. 

"Hey," Jongho greeted. 

"Hi." 

"How are you?" 

"Good. You?" 

"Good," Jongho hummed. Yeosang inwardly grimaced. This was awkward. They had never engaged in small talk like this. 

Jongho gestured up the street, "Shall we?"  

Yeosang nodded and they began walking side-by-side up the street. They walked in silence towards the bus stop three houses down from the cafe. Yeosang didn't go into the city often because it was almost an hour long trip. A small part of him left untainted by the anxiety beginning to seep into him again was excited to go there with Jongho, though. 

Silence draped over them as they stood together at the bus stop. The air seemed filled with anticipation, as if the world itself was waiting for one of them to speak. The familiar rumble and hiss of a bus pulling into the curb disturbed the quiet between them only long enough for them to hop on, find a seat and sit down. The stuffy air within the bus hung around them, enraptured by their stillness. 

Yeosang allowed his mind to focus on the soothing grumble of the engine vibrating through the chairs and windows. He leaned against the window with his arm, propping his head up on his palm and watched the outside world slide by. His eyes never locked on anything in particular, every scene forgotten the moment it passed. Jongho remained a stoic presence beside him, both reassuring and frustrating. Why won't he say something? Yeosang waited for him to speak, but he never did. The entire journey was filled with the mutterings of other passengers while the silence was dragged out between them, pulled taut in both directions like a rope toy between the jaws of two stubborn dogs, neither willing to give an inch. 

They hopped off the bus without a single word passing either of their lips. Jongho walked beside Yeosang, his head moving side-to-side. Yeosang tried to follow his gaze, but couldn't work out what Jongho was looking for. Then, Jongho turned towards Yeosang. Their eyes met and Yeosang's feet faltered to a stop, stumbling over thin air. Jongho steadied Yeosang with strong hands against his shoulders. 

"Thank you," Yeosang murmured, his cheeks heating. He glanced away while Jongho smiled softly. 

"Where do you want to go to eat?" Jongho asked. Yeosang stepped back, righting himself. He hummed as he glanced around. 

"I'm not sure. I don't come here often." 

A flicker of surprise passed on Jongho's face before he started looking around again. "Well, how about, what do you feel like eating?" He glanced at Yeosang before pointing across the road where a lot of people were walking in and out of a large building. Yeosang had a vague memory of it being a shopping centre. 

"That mall has a really good food court with lots of options. Or," he pointed down the street running adjacent to the shopping centre. "There are plenty of good restaurants and cafes along that street. If you're up for walking, we could find more places to eat and I think there is a smaller shopping mall about two blocks or so away."

Yeosang stared at Jongho for a moment with wide eyes. "You must come here a lot to know that." 

Jongho shrugged, "It's usually easier to meet Mingi here."

"Mingi?" 

Jongho glanced at him and flashed him a smile. "An old friend who is too energetic. I seriously have no clue where he gets all of that energy. He's like a border collie or labrador or something. I can barely keep up with him somedays." Despite his words, Jongho's tone was fond. Yeosang wondered who this friend was. He had never heard of him before. Sure, he and Jongho weren't super close, but he thought they were close enough  to share that sort of information. Hell, Jongho knew all about his ridiculous crush on Wooyoung and about his father's accident- he didn't know the details, no one did except for Wooyoung, but it still counts. At least to him it does. He didn't just go around telling everyone about the crash.

"Ah," was all Yeosang said. What else could he say? It was comforting to know that Jongho went out of his way to meet his friend. It only proved that the alpha was a good person, despite what misconceptions would have everyone believe about alphas. 

Yeosang's brows drew together as he wondered if he could do the same with Wooyoung. Maybe there was some city between wherever Wooyoung was and Yeosang's place that they could meet at and explore together. His hope wilted as soon as it blossomed, the harsh reality of his situation stripping him bare of this fantasy. A frown befell his lips. Wooyoung was still ignoring him. Wooyoung clearly never wanted to see him again. He was the only one clinging to their friendship like a lovestruck fool. 

Jongho looked back at him, a frown tugging his lips down as he saw Yeosang's crestfallen expression. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice heavy with worry. 

Yeosang's heart faltered and he scrambled to come up with an excuse for his sudden poor mood. It wasn't an appropriate time to mention Wooyoung. 

"I don't feel like eating anything," he said. He wanted to smack his head against the nearest wall. What a dumb excuse. Jongho's lips parted and his brow furrowed before he smiled.

"You're adorable. You don't need to be upset about that. We can just get something to drink from one of the cafes or we can even just walk around- whatever you want to do, I'm happy with that." 

Yeosang's heart did a flip while his stomach churned. Jongho was staring at Yeosang with so much adoration that he didn't know what to do. On one hand, it made him want to vibrate out of his body in response to the excited thrill it sent up his spine. On the other, it made him want to throw up. He wasn't used to seeing someone look at him as if he had hung the stars in the sky. His mouth twitched upwards, curling delicately into a soft smile. Jongho's own smile widened into a pleased grin. 

I don't deserve this. 

Yeosang started at the sudden and very loud thought. He didn't know where it came from, but he didn't like the bitter taste it left in his mouth, as if the mere thought alone was enough to turn Jongho's soothing chocolate fudge brownie scent into ash upon his tongue. 

He forced his smile to stay on his face and shoved the thought into a dark part of his mind to be forgotten about. "Okay, well, how about we go to one of your favourite cafes and get some drinks and then walk around for a while?" 

Jongho nodded. "Sound great. The Liter is a good cafe. The staff are really nice. It's one of my favourites." 

"Lead the way," Yeosang gestured down the path as he spoke. 

Silence settled over them once again while they weaved their way between other wolf hybrids and humans. Many of the people they passed were dressed in casual clothes and dawdled along the street while chatting to each other. The few they saw wearing crisp and sharp business attire strode past with purposeful strides, phones either held to their ears or held in their hands while they tapped away at the screen with just as much haste as their pace. 

When they reached the cafe, a woman dressed in a floral dress with long hair draping over her shoulders in ebony waves held the door open for them. They thanked her and she offered a polite smile before walking away, a grape ade in one hand and the small hand of her daughter in the other. The child was happily carrying her own yellow-orange drink, which Yeosang presumed to be a mango frappe. 

The line was barely two strides away from the door and many of the tables were occupied by chatting patrons. Although so many people chatting in a closed in space made for a rather loud place, it wasn't as loud as some of the cafes Yeosang remembered visiting when his father used to drive them around to different places for a family day on the weekends. He allowed his eyes to rove over the large room. It was modern and clean but managed to retain an air of comfort with its soft lighting and upbeat music playing in the background. If he listened closely, he could just barely hear what song was playing. It sounded like IU's 'Celebrity'. 

"Do you know what you want?" Jongho's voice cut through the din of voices and pulled Yeosang out of his thoughts. He hummed, slowly turning his head to look at Jongho. The alpha stared at him expectedly while gesturing to the large menu screwed into the wall above the counter. 

"Pick whatever you want, I'll pay." 

Yeosang opened his mouth to disagree, but Jongho held up his hand and settled his qualms with a stern stare. There was no changing his mind. So, Yeosang looked at the menu and pondered over the options. His eyes lingered on the matcha drinks and his lips twitched while he decided what drink he felt like. 

After a long minute of debating with himself, Yeosang decided to order the matcha latte. He relayed his decision to Jongho who nodded and repeated it to himself quietly before stepping forward as the line moved up. The conversations of those around them filtered between them, filling in the companionable silence that had fallen over them while they waited to order. 

"Sooyoung hasn't been sleeping well lately," an exhausted woman said at the table beside them. Her friend sitting across from her made an empathetic sound. 

"Poor baby. I hope she recovers soon. Did the doctor give you any medication for her?" 

The mother shook her head and heaved a great sigh. "No. He said that all we can do is keep her cool and wait until her fever breaks."

The friend tsked. "What good is all the medicine in the world if we can't do anything for our children when they're hurting?" 

Their conversation faded into the background as Jongho and Yeosang stepped up to the counter. 

"Hello," the cashier greeted while her co-worker rushed behind her, four drinks carefully balanced between her hands. Yeosang watched in awe as she deposited them on the bench without spilling a single cup. "What would you like to order?" 

"Could we get one matcha latter and one strawberry yogurt, please?" Jongho asked. 

Yeosang stepped back while Jongho paid for their order. He searched for a spare table and spotted one towards the back of the cafe. There was no window, but a light fixture hung over it, casting it in a soft orange glow. Jongho stepped up beside Yeosang. 

"There's a table near the back there," Yeosang pointed in the table's direction. 

"Do you want to go sit down? I'll wait here for our order." 

Yeosang nodded and began weaving his way through the cafe, stepping over bags slouching on the floor and skirting around neglected chairs pushed out from the tables by rambunctious children. He sighed in relief when he reached the table he had nearly tripped over children to reach. He slid into his chair and found his eyes automatically searching for Jongho. The alpha had moved closer to the bench where finished orders were placed for customers to collect. He was too far away to clearly make out his expression, so Yeosang looked away. 

Two women stood from their chairs, walking away from the table in front of him. They both wore white tops, blue jeans and white sneakers. One of them had long, dark brown hair falling freely down around her shoulders, while the other had tied her black hair up in a messy bun. The one with a messy bun also wore several bracelets made from cord and leather on her wrist. Yeosang watched them pass with interest. They were talking quietly to each other, the long haired woman smiling brightly while the other laughed softly. A tangy scent wafted towards him, making his nose twitch. They were betas. 

He looked down at the table and pondered if they were best friends or a couple. Admittedly, he didn't know much about betas. There wasn't as much information on them as there was on alphas and omegas. It was said to be due to them being a minority, but he knew that most alphas and omegas had little interest in betas asides from what their calming scents could offer them. It was sad that they were reduced to mediators and protectors. He didn't know if it bothered the betas, but he assumed that there were some who despised their expected roles in the world much the same as the humans born into family run businesses did. He frowned. Why couldn't life be enjoyable for everyone? 

He shook his head to clear it before glancing around the cafe. A few more tables were empty now. His eyes found Jongho once again. The alpha was staring out the window. Yeosang tilted his head, wondering what Jongho was looking at. He turned back around and Yeosang's eyes snapped to the table. His heart fluttered frantically in his chest, a mild panic scurrying through him at the possibility of being caught staring. He cleared his throat and straightened in his chair. So what if Jongho caught him? He was just looking around the cafe, it wasn't like he was watching the way Jongho's shirt stretched over his tensing and untensing bicep while he absently played with the receipt in his hands. Nor was he memorising the attractive line curving down from Jongho's jaw to his neck. He had no reason to feel flustered or panicked. None at all. 

He stared resolutely at the table, refusing to glance up even as there was a loud crash and the cry of a young child. He grimaced at the piercing wail, but did not deign to look up lest he found himself staring at Jongho again. He huffed in annoyance. He didn't like Jongho as more than a friend. That was why he was here. He needed to set things straight with Jongho so that the alpha knew he wasn't interested. He only thought of him as a friend. A friend and nothing more. And it wasn't because he was a wolf. It was because he was still very much in love with Wooyoung. There was no room in his heart for another- he didn't know if there ever would be. 

He worried his lip between his teeth, eyebrows creasing as he fell deeper into thought. He had loved Wooyoung for many years. He didn't even remember what it was like to not be in love with Wooyoung. Was there even a time before he loved Wooyoung? 

A shadow passed him. He blinked back into the present. He looked up and found Jongho smiling at him. 

"Here's your drink," he said. He placed the matcha latte down in front of Yeosang. 

"Thank you." He picked up his drink and took a sip while Jongho slid into his seat and did the same.  It turned out that a strawberry yogurt at this cafe was a yogurt drink with strawberry sauce drizzled generously down the sides and strawberry pieces piled on top. Yeosang eyed it warily. How could that be enjoyable? Jongho looked up and met Yeosang's gaze. He offered a small smile before taking another sip. 

"So," he said as he placed his yogurt drink on the table and clasped his hands together. Yeosang's spine immediately straightened. The air between them shifted, a seriousness settling around them. The sounds of the other patrons within the cafe became nothing but background noise. 

"So," Yeosang mimicked. He slowly lowered his drink with a trembling hand. 

"I want to say something- just to get it out of the way." 

Yeosang gestured for Jongho to continue. The alpha's shoulders were tense and his expression was caught somewhere between fear and uncertainty. His clasped hands tightened around each other, the skin going white from the pressure. It made Yeosang's insides twist uncomfortably. What did Jongho want to say that had him so nervous? 

"I'm just going to be straightforward with you. I don't want there to be any misunderstandings between us." He inhaled slowly, eyes locked on his drink that he was idly stirring. He looked up and Yeosang felt as though the breath was knocked out of him. The alpha's eyes were shining with sincerity. 

"From the moment we met, I've been drawn to you,"  Jongho said, his voice trembling with emotion. "And at first, I wanted to ignore it because I thought I would never see you again and you're," he winced. "Well, you're human, so I thought I was wrong. But then, you kept coming to the cafe and the more I was around you, the more I couldn't ignore that pull to be near you, to protect you." Jongho stared earnestly at Yeosang while speaking.

Yeosang swallowed slowly, his eyes wide. He had the distinct feeling that he was missing something- that he wasn't picking up whatever Jongho was putting down. What was he trying to say? Jongho glanced away, seemingly taking a moment to collect his thoughts. 

"I never believed I would find my mate- never even considered who my mate could be. It just never interested me." 

Yeosang's heart quivered, an inkling of understanding seeping into him. 

Jongho looked at him with an earnest expression. "You're my mate, Kang Yeosang." 

Yeosang choked on his spit. His face and neck burned while he coughed. He covered his mouth and turned away, wanting nothing more than to be able to sink through the floor and into the earth. Jongho stood swiftly and began fussing over Yeosang while he continued to cough. 

Once his surprise coughing fit subsided, Jongho sat back down. Yeosang sipped his drink, soothing his raw throat, while studiously avoiding eye contact with the wolf sitting across from him. Silence stood like a brick wall between them, a new brick layered on top for every second neither of them spoke. Yeosang's mind raced. He was Jongho's mate? Surely, he was wrong? How could he be Jongho's mate? He was human. Sure, there were mated wolf and human couples, but they weren't common and everyone knew that the bond wasn't real, not for the human anyway. Maybe the wolf felt the bond just as strongly as they would for a wolf mate, but the human never had such a feeling. They could be in love, but that love wasn't permanent- or at least, not as permanent as most bonds between mated wolf hybrids were. 

Yeosang's stomach churned. He felt sick. He came here to tell Jongho that he wasn't interested in him as anything more than a friend. How could he say that now? How could he say it without being a total piece of shit? He didn't want to hurt Jongho. He knew it hurt when anyone was rejected, but for wolves, a rejection of them as a mate could destroy them. Some eventually bounced back and in rare instances, found a new mate. Others took their lives. Yeosang glanced at Jongho. He wouldn't do that, right? If Yeosang was honest with him, he wouldn't want to kill himself, right? An alpha's pride was something, that's for sure, but Jongho had never really seemed prideful in the same way that other alpha's were. 

As if sensing his stare, Jongho looked up from his half-empty cup. They looked at each other without speaking for several seconds. Yeosang's heart thudded loudly in his ears. The air between them thickened. Even the scraping of chairs and the loud peal of laughter from a young girl could not breach the wall of tension around them.

"I'm still in love with Wooyoung," Yeosang said, smashing down that wall of silence and tension between them. His voice barely came out as more than a hoarse whisper and his eyes fell to the table.

"I know," Jongho whispered. Yeosang's eyes snapped up, his lips parting in pure shock. "I didn't tell you that you're my mate because I expect you to accept me as your mate. I told you because I wanted you to know how I feel about you." His solemn expression was sharpened by a tightness to his jaw as he spoke, as it the words were difficult to get out. There was an edge to his voice as if he was frustrated. He likely was; frustrated at Yeosang, at himself, at the world. 

"I'm sorry," Yeosang said. He felt obligated to apologise. If he liked Jongho, this wouldn't be a problem. If he stopped being so foolishly in love with Wooyoung, then maybe this conversation would be different. He wanted to smile and tell Jongho that he felt the same. He wanted to see Jongho's face light up with joy and surprise. But this, this was tearing at his already wounded heart. Jongho knew that he was hopelessly in love with Wooyoung, and yet, he still wanted to tell Yeosang how he felt to make sure there were no misunderstandings between them. How much was that hurting him?

"You don't need to apologise," Jongho said sternly. "It's not your fault. It is what it is." He shrugged. "I won't treat you any differently than I have been unless you tell me not to." 

"I would never," Yeosang said, aghast at the mere thought. "You're my friend Jongho." His voice took on a pleading tone. "And I never want that to change. I won't tell you to leave me alone or stop doing this or that just because I now know that I'm- that I'm your mate, but I will make it clear to you that I only see you as a friend. I want to get closer to you as a friend, nothing more. I'm sorry that I can't give you what you want, but I also know that there is someone better out there for you. Someone who isn't hung up on their oblivious bestfriend who's cut all ties with them." He smiled sadly, his eyes watering ever so slightly. He blinked away the tears threatening to fall. 

"Yeosang," Jongho's voice was strained. He did not say anything more, his unsaid words hanging heavily in the air between them. 

"I won't lead you on," Yeosang said. "I know how that feels. And I hate that I didn't even realise how you felt about me. Just as you gave me the option to tell you not to do certain things, I expect you to ask the same of me. If I do anything that hurts you or makes you think I want more than just your friendship, tell me. I don't want to give you false hope."

Jongho nodded slowly, his expression downcast. "Thank you for being honest," he said. He exhaled shakily and Yeosang's heart clenched. He wanted to apologise again. 

"How about we head home?" He suggested after another long bout of silence stretched between them. Jongho nodded. Yeosang stood, stretching as he did so. He glanced back and saw Jongho staring at the table. He hadn't moved an inch. 

"Jongho?" 

The alpha dragged his eyes away from the table and met Yeosang's with a forced smile. "Sorry, I was just thinking." He stood and followed Yeosang out of the cafe. Yeosang stared down at the half-empty drink in his hands but he no longer felt like drinking it. He frowned. He couldn't waste it though. Jongho had paid for it. It would be rude to not finish it. So, he brought the straw to his lips and sipped at his drink. 

They exited onto the busy street and began walking toward the bus stop. Jongho dawdled behind him, clearly lost in his thoughts. Every time Yeosang glanced back, however, the alpha would force a smile onto his face, but even that could not hide the sadness shimmering in his eyes. They discarded their empty cups into a bin and continued walking up the street. 

The bus they needed to return home pulled into the stop just as they were crossing the road. Yeosang glanced back at Jongho and signaled for him to hurry. They jogged up to the bus and hopped on. Yeosang inhaled deeply through his nose as he walked up the aisle towards the back of the bus where there was an empty seat. He slid into it and Jongho sat down beside him. 

The bus ride was just as silent as their journey to the city. Except, this time, it wasn't awkward or tense, it was almost melancholic. Worst of all, in the enclosed space of the bus with Jongho right beside him, Yeosang could once again smell him. Unlike it's warm richness on the way to the city, it was a muted fudge brownie scent, almost as though it were stale. 

His thoughts lingered on Jongho's scent, every inhale spent dissecting it for any changes. But, by the time they were pulling up to their stop, he still didn't understand what his scent meant. Did it mean anything? 

"I'm going to go home," Jongho said the moment they stepped off the bus. Yeosang turned to face him, eyebrows shooting up in surprise before furrowing. "I need to sort through everything I'm feeling right now so I can be a good friend to you," Jongho smiled at Yeosang, except, this time, it was genuine. "Thank you for being honest with me today."

"You too," Yeosang stuttered out. "You were honest even though you knew the outcome wouldn't go in your favour." He reached out and touched Jongho's arm gently. "I'm proud of you." 

Jongho's smile widened. "I think I now understand how you were able to handle being Wooyoung's friend and supportive of his relationships with others." 

"How's that?" Yeosang cocked his head, the crease between his brows deepening. 

"I'm happy so long as you are," Jongho said simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Yeosang grimaced. 

"Yeah, that's love alright," he chuckled mirthlessly. "If only Wooyoung was as smart and mature as you," Yeosang sighed. "Maybe we would still be talking." 

"Hey," Jongho said softly. He touched Yeosang's arm gently. "Don't think about 'what ifs' or 'maybes'. It's not worth it."

Yeosang nodded. 

Jongho cleared his throat and stepped back, his hand falling to his side. "Well, I'll head home now. But don't hesitate to message or call if you need me." 

"Bye." 

Yeosang watched Jongho walk away. They were heading in the same direction. They could have walked together, and yet, Yeosang remained at the bus stop until Jongho was out of sight before he began walking home. Jongho needed time to himself to process his emotions. Yeosang understood that too well. He too needed some time to think. 

A/N: Hiya! I'm back! 

Happy Mingi Day!

I had writers block for the longest time. I actually completed CH9, CH14 & CH15 before this chapter 😅 I even half-finished CH16 before I finished this. So, yeah, massive writer's block for this chapter. 

I am quite happy with this chapter to be honest. It's not the best, especially towards the end (can you tell I forced my self to just sit down and write it?), but I do like how it's turned out even though I was stuck on it for so long. I hope you enjoy this chapter and the next ^-^ Because yes, double update for Mingi's birthday! I will continue with the double updates until I've caught up on all of the chapters that should have been published over the last few months. I am back at uni though, so I don't know how I'll go with actually keeping my promise to get back into a monthly update schedule, but I will do by best.