Chapter Text
“It’s my turn to pick the movie!”
“Well, your choices suck, so you’re not getting turns anymore.”
“That’s not fair!”
“You didn’t have to choose to watch the same movie over and over again, but you still did!”
“Sungjin hyung, Jae’s bullying me again!”
“Yah, you snake! That’s hyung to you-“
“Please. For once. Can you stop bickering? And I thought Wonpil and I were terrible.”
Dowoon opens his eyes.
This is a pretty normal situation for him to wake up to. Ever since Wonpil and Jae were properly introduced to each other (or more like, Jae burst through Sungjin’s home in hopes of finding Dowoon, not caring that Sungjin may have a housemate), they had many mornings like this. Sometimes Sungjin and Wonpil would sleep over at their place, and other times it’s the other way around.
“Who’s watching the stove?”
A string of curses ensues.
Yep, this is definitely Dowoon’s cue to get up.
He didn’t even bother brushing his teeth and just padded his way to the kitchen, when he was attacked with a hug.
“Dowoonie, look at Jae hyung!” Wonpil complains.
Oh, Dowoon looks all right. And it may seem like they’re in the middle of an argument, but Jae’s face is too soft and smiley to be convincing.
He mutters, “Uh. I don’t know what I’m supposed to see.”
“He’s being a meanie.”
Wonpil buried his head in between Dowoon’s shoulder blades, and Dowoon just patted Wonpil’s hands that were wrapped around his torso.
Jae is visibly amused with this entire situation.
“There, there. That’s just hyung’s way of flirting with you.”
“HEY-“ Jae already raised an accusing finger when Wonpil went to quickly wrap himself around Jae instead. Like a koala.
“Aw, hyung! Really? You could’ve just said so!”
“I’m giving you 5 seconds to get off of me-“
Dowoon shook his head at their hysterics and let them be.
Apparently during the time Dowoon was too busy hiding away from the world, Jae and Wonpil found out that they were soulmates.
He didn’t really know all the details, but it was a complete shock to everyone, except Wonpil.
He doesn’t know how Wonpil remains to be calm in weird situations like these. Dowoon probably had to learn a thing or two.
“At this rate, you should just move in with me and let them have their own place.”
He turned to see Sungjin in front of the stove, stirring something in the pot. Dowoon snickered.
“They’d burn the house down, hyung.”
“As long as it isn’t my house.”
Dowoon laughed even harder, and went to lean his chin on Sungjin’s shoulder. Sungjin is slowly opening up to having people touching him, and Dowoon thinks that maybe he has always liked it all along.
“They’re not even properly together yet, and they’re already being disgusting like this. We should just cancel these get togethers and just meet up only the two of us instead.”
“Ah, but where else will you get your daily dose of people screaming?”
As if on cue, the pair were wrestling on the living room floor, screaming each other’s faces off, with a lot of laughter in between.
Dowoon smiles.
They’re so good for each other. I’m glad they’re taking their time.
Both of them didn’t want to jump into a relationship straight away. They wanted to get to know each other first, learn everything about the other properly. It’s understandable, considering the entire situation that lead them to meet in the first place.
No wonder Wonpil was weird around Dowoon during those times.
But Dowoon respects that. He admires both of them for dealing with things so maturely, even if they bicker like children most of the time.
Unlike Dowoon.
Why am I such a coward?
He thought that he had enough of running away for a lifetime. Whether it’s running away figuratively or literally. But here he was, doing exactly that. What am I even doing?
Dowoon was staring at Younghyun’s number for the umpteenth time.
He knows Younghyun told him that they could talk things over after he made up with Jae, but he still hasn’t found the courage to yet. Wonpil used to pester him every day for the first month or so, but even then it got old. So Wonpil and Sungjin stopped talking about Younghyun altogether.
Jae, to his surprise, never brought it up either. The last time they spoke about Younghyun was the day Dowoon returned back to their home, where they had a long conversation about where Jae and Younghyun’s relationship stands.
“We work even better as friends.” Jae said. There wasn’t even an ounce of bitterness in his voice. Dowoon doesn’t know how long it took Jae to convince himself of it, or if he truly believed it from the start.
After that, Jae just never mentioned Younghyun again.
Until today.
They were having a game night, just the two of them, like old times. Dowoon was currently beating Jae’s ass at Mario Kart.
“Ready to give up, hyung?”
“Keep on dreaming.”
It was exhilarating. They shouted at each other, pushed each other, and tried to cheat by attempting to steal each other’s consoles and Dowoon loves this. Dowoon loves being with Jae like this.
He knew he couldn’t catch a break.
“When are you going to contact Brian?”
Dowoon’s character fell off the rainbow road. He gulps.
“It’s been 6 months.” Jae continues. He says it so neutrally, like he’s just stating a universal fact.
“I know.”
Jae pauses the game. “Then what are you waiting for, Dowoonie?”
To be completely honest, Dowoon doesn’t know either. But the falling out and reconciling with Jae really took a toll on him, that he doesn’t think he can take another emotional rollercoaster for the next 25 years.
“Well, he didn’t contact me either.” Dowoon knows it’s petty, but he says it anyway.
Jae sighs. “We both know he’s just giving you the time and space you need.”
Dowoon hugs his legs to his chest. He didn’t want to respond to that.
“Hey, look at me.”
Dowoon turns and immediately has his face cradled in Jae’s careful hands.
“What are you afraid of, Dowoon?”
He hates it. He hates that Jae can see through him like this. But Jae is looking at him so tenderly, and this is Jae, his Jae, and Jae wouldn’t judge him for all his intrusive thoughts.
“Hyung?”
“Yes?”
“What…what if it’s not enough that we just have matching marks? W-what if I’m not enough?”
He didn’t realize he has tearing up until Jae was wiping it away.
“Oh, you silly puppy.” Jae pulls him in.
Dowoon curls into Jae easily. Jae wrapped his arms around Dowoon, like a protective barrier. Like he could protect him from all the terrors of the world.
“You have always been, and always will be enough.”
Dowoon just got back from Wonpil’s. It was later than usual, he thinks that he should’ve just stayed the night there, but he promised Jae that he would be back.
He was approaching their apartment building when he saw a figure sitting on the front door steps.
By the time he was close enough to recognize who it was, the figure already spotted him as well.
“Do I need to throw a shoe at you again before you run away this time?”
Dowoon’s voice is lodged in his throat; his heart is literally jumping out of his chest. It’s Younghyun. His mind is screaming at him, as if he doesn’t already see it with his own two eyes. It’s Younghyun. It’s your Younghyun. It’s Y-
Younghyun stands up and approaches him, and Dowoon is still frozen on the spot. He couldn’t run away even if he wanted to. Oh, Dowoon misses him so much. He can’t believe how he survived all this while without seeing him. Did he change his hair? Or are the street lamps playing tricks on him? Oh wait, it really is a different color. Oh, its wine red. Wow.
Aphrodite, why did you have to make this man so beautiful?
Younghyun’s face to face with him now. If Dowoon reaches out, only a little, he could touch him with ease.
He was on the verge of another mental breakdown, when Younghyun decided to speak.
“Is it time?”
Dowoon frowns. “W-“
“Is… it time?” he repeats, tilting his head.
“For what?”
Then Younghyun smiled, “For us to start again.”
That’s all it took.
Dowoon practically jumped into Younghyun’s embrace, and wrapped his arms around him, and he can’t believe that this is their first time hugging like this. Younghyun caught Dowoon easily, holding him with such care, such affection, and held on so tight like he was afraid that Dowoon would disappear again, that Dowoon thinks he could burst from the overwhelming feelings.
All this time, his mantra has always been Don’t fall in love with him. Don’t fall in love with him. Not yet. Not yet. Not now. Not now.
He finally, finally feels the weight of the world lift off his shoulders.
“I’m sorry I took so long.” Dowoon mumbled into the space between Younghyun’s neck and shoulder.
They were still clinging on to one another, shifting their weight back and forth.
He couldn’t see it, but he could hear the smile in Younghyun’s voice.
“It’s alright. I would’ve waited for you forever.”
Dowoon held him tighter.
How absurd of me to think that I haven’t fallen in love with him already.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Younghyun pulled them apart, just a little. Their faces are so close to one another, Dowoon can feel himself blushing.
“So is it time? Shall we begin again?”
He’s looking at this boy, the boy that is his soulmate, and he’s the most perfect boy to ever exist, that Dowoon thinks he must’ve saved the universe in his previous life to have deserved such a beautiful person like this.
Dowoon leaned their foreheads together, smiles on both their faces.
“Yes. Now. Let’s start now.”