Make Me STAY

The Sound

Rose knew where she was as soon as she entered the room. Changbin and Minho had led her through the building, probably taking a long route just to confuse her, before opening a door and sitting her in a chair. It was Chan's studio. Her soulmate spent so much time in there that the room smelt like him: the comforting scent of home.

She didn't say anything as she waited for her blindfold to be removed, but her heart was racing. However, instead of her blindfold being removed, a pair of headphones were placed on her head. Someone adjusted them to make sure they were placed comfortably over her ears and in doing so brushed their hand against her skin.

Rose couldn't stop her breath from hitching at the contact. It was Chan and he was right in front of her. She hadn't been so close to her soulmate since the incident. When he had rejected her and left her alone and naked on their bed. She felt nervous around him now, unsure of what to expect from him. Yet she still longed for him. Even now she had to stop herself from reaching out for him.

Music poured through the headphones, a song that she had never heard before. Chan's voice started singing and Rose felt her heart clench with every word. He had written a love song for her. He still loved her. He was just as scared as she was.

The song ended and after a moment she spoke.

"Play it again."

She didn't listen to the whole song again before she was removing the headphones and her blindfold. Chan looked hesitant as he reached forward and wiped away the tears that were running down her cheeks. Rose laughed as she looked into her soulmate's eyes.

Holding his head between her hands, she pulled him forward as she pressed her lips to his. The kiss was full of love and forgiveness from both sides. Rose was sure she felt a sizzle as their bond started to heal. Time lost its meaning as the soulmates reunited as Chan refused to be the one to pull away. He never wanted Rose to feel like he was rejecting her ever again.

When she finally pulled back, it was her turn to wipe away the tears running down Chan's cheeks. Rose pecked him on the lips, but he stared at her as if he wasn't sure that what was happening was real. He looked so unsure, his eyes were full of pain, but also hope. All she wanted was to see him smile.

Rose leaned back in and rubbed their noses together until Chan started laughing.

They stayed that way for a while, holding each other and basking in the happiness being together again brought them. Once their positions became uncomfortable, they moved to the sofa and the serious talk began.

They held hands as Chan began.

"I feel like you're only with me because you have to be. You stayed away until you had no other choice."

"Not by choice. I tried, I tried to tell you... You're the one who didn't want me."

"Wait, what? What do you mean?"

"I heard you. You told Felix that you didn't want to meet your soulmate."

"When?"

"During KINGDOM. In your dressing room."

"KINGDOM? In our... how did you...?"

"I was coming to talk to you, to tell you that I was - that I'm your soulmate."

"Oh."

"Yeah..."

"I'm sorry. Back then... I wasn't - I didn't know -"

Rose leant her forehead against Chan's and stroked his cheek.

"It's okay."

They spent the rest of the day together, wrapped up in each other in Chan's studio. Starting from before they first met until today, they talked about everything each of them had been through, their thoughts and feelings. By the early hours of the morning, they were as close as two people could be. They understood each other, forgave each other, and trusted each other.