Everything in Sunoo's life is perfect.
Perfect friends, perfect grades, perfect job, perfect apartment, perfect life. He has an audition soon with a record label about signing as a solo artist. He is always happy and always kind, loving, and caring...
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Since my friends had now roped poor, innocent Soobin into the mix, it was becoming increasingly evident that I needed more information on what was really happening. My best chance at that was Beomgyu. He's the only one with eyes and ears everywhere.
But Beomgyu was currently at dance practice with all the people I needed to ask him about.
I did get to text back-and-forth with Jungwon for a bit as I sat around, not knowing what to do. I asked him all about Jay and what was going on there.
I expected this happy and gushy story, but in reality Jungwon was flustered. Jay was very interested in him and very engaged, he had shown all of his interest to Jay, but the whole thing was very...unrushed. It's like Jay didn't want to say anything one way or another. Jungwon said at least he was getting to hang out with him - the rest will come.
It wasn't too long after that before Sunghoon called and a drunk Ni-Ki came tearing into the house. I know what he did, because he always does it on bad days. He buys a pint of whatever liquor he can find and just turns it up as fast as he can. So, this may not be pretty.
I let him rant and rave but put him to bed straightaway, hoping he would collapse from anger or stress or alcohol or both, and he did. I was relieved. He wasn't in a space for me to talk with him.
As soon as I knew it was safe, I called Beomgyu.
"It was a fucking disaster," he said as he answered the phone, "but it's entirely Ni-Ki's fault. He was so busy trying to one-up Sunghoon that he lost everything to Sunghoon anyway".
"Actually, that's basically all that he said when he came in. That Sunghoon took everything,"
"You don't need all this drama, Sun. Come stay with me. My brother's here as well, but he's honestly fairly chill."
"I would feel bad. But I promise, if things get worse I'll consider. Right now things are just...odd. Beomgyu?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think Ni-Ki wants to be with me again?"
"Yes." he answered without hesitation.
"But why now? Why not before?"
"Well, it probably always was, and he just thought it would eventually happen again. But the real 'why now' is that he sees what you really, truly look like when you're in love. It's a beautiful thing, Sunoo, seeing you this kind of happy. But I'd imagine it'd be pretty hurtful to watch it, thinking you've had that before, and realizing that you never did."
I nodded. "That makes sense. Thank you. You're the best"
"Of course I am!" he laughed, "Now you owe me the performance of a song that makes me famous".
