"Let’s take a stroll for a while," Bible offered.
They were in Seoul, Korea, preparing for a performance the next day. The final practice had just ended, and though it was already past midnight, the city was still bustling with people. Bible and Build walked side by side, their fingers occasionally brushing against each other. Each light touch sent tingles through Build’s body.
"You can hold my hand, you know?" Bible broke the silence.
"No, people might recognize us."
"So? It’s not like they can say anything about us holding hands," he said, offering his hand.
"Still no," Build insisted. He was afraid if he held Bible’s hand, he might never want to let go.
"Okay," Bible replied, slipping his hands into his pockets. He began walking ahead, and Build noticed his change in demeanor.
Was he upset? Probably.
Build tugged on Bible’s shirt, but Bible didn’t look back. "We’re not boyfriends yet, remember?" Build said playfully, trying to lighten the mood.
Bible glanced over his shoulder, his eyes clouded with a hint of dejection. But he didn’t stop, continuing to walk forward.
It had been months since Bible had started courting Build, and although Build loved his consistency and the way Bible made him feel cherished, he still wasn’t ready. His past relationships hadn’t ended well, and he feared the same could happen with Bible. He didn’t want to lose him.
"Ble," Build called softly, catching up to walk beside him again.
"Hey, are you mad?" Build asked.
"No," Bible responded, but his brief answer didn’t feel convincing.
Build stopped walking, hoping Bible would notice. He did, glancing back at Build, who pouted—a move that always worked on Bible.
"I’m not mad. Come here," Bible said, his lips curling into a smile.
Smirking, Build ran toward him, and they resumed walking side by side. This time, though, Bible kept his hands in his pockets.
Eventually, they found a bench by the seaside and sat down, enjoying the calm breeze.
"Have you ever liked Us?" Build asked, surprising even himself with the question. He wasn’t sure why he asked, but he suddenly wanted to know.
Bible sighed, as if he had answered this a hundred times before, though Build had never asked it in this way.
"It did cross my mind," Bible admitted.
A wave of unease washed over Build. What if… he thought.
"But then, when I hung out with him more, I realized he’s a great friend. Reliable, funny, but I could never love him romantically. Not like I love you. I think it’s obvious. Some people are just better off as companions," Bible shrugged.
His words cut through Build’s overthinking, soothing the anxiety that had started to rise.
"How about you? Nodt?" Bible’s question put Build on the spot.
How was he supposed to admit that he had feelings for Nodt at first? What if it hurt Bible?
"I, uh—" Build stammered.
"You don’t have to answer. I know," Bible said, his voice soft, as if he could sense Build’s hesitation.
"I’m sorry," Build blurted out. "But I don’t like him now, I swear."
"You don’t have to apologize for liking someone else. We’re not boyfriends, remember?"
"Yet," Build corrected him. "Not boyfriends yet," he emphasized, hoping to lighten the mood again.
Bible scrunched his nose, trying not to smile but ultimately failing.
"Let’s head back," Bible said, still smiling as he stood up.
As they were walking back to their hotel, they spotted Us, clearly drunk, holding a beer bottle. Both Bible and Build rushed over to him.
"What happened?" Bible asked, helping Us stay upright by holding his arm.
Us looked up, his eyes red from crying, and immediately hugged Build, sobbing into his shoulder.
"JJ got too deep into his character as Time," Us sniffled.
Build glanced at Bible, who looked enraged. He felt the same. Anger wasn’t even a strong enough word for what he was feeling. Us didn’t deserve this.
"Let’s take him inside," Bible suggested, and together they helped Us to their room.
They laid Us down in their unit, making sure he was comfortable before sitting down to process everything. Bible started pacing back and forth, the frustration evident in his every move.
Eventually, Bible stopped at the door, his hand on the doorknob as if he was about to storm out. But before he could, Build grabbed his arm. Their eyes met, and Build could see the turmoil in Bible’s expression—rage, sadness, confusion.
Silently, Build shook his head, and Bible’s gaze softened. He let go of the door and sat beside Build on the couch, running his hands through his hair in frustration.
"He doesn’t deserve this," Build began.
"No one does," Bible muttered, still looking angry.
"I know, but we can’t just barge into JJ’s room. We have a performance tomorrow. Us wouldn’t want us to jeopardize everything just to seek revenge, especially when we don’t know the whole story yet. Calm down, okay? Us is my best friend too," Build said softly, trying to calm him down.
They sat in silence for a while before Bible moved closer, intertwining their hands. Build leaned his head on Bible’s shoulder, closing his eyes.
As Bible gently rubbed his thumb over Build’s hand, the tension in the air seemed to dissipate.
"I’d never do that to you. Never," Bible whispered, his voice full of quiet intensity.
"I’d kill you before you even thought about it," Build teased, making Bible chuckle, and for the first time that night, they both felt a little lighter.
