"I want to know why you do it."
"Why I do what." he asked, stripping off his overcoat.
He flung it over the back of the couch without much thought as he began unbuttoning his shirt.
"Why you always save me. Every time I'm in trouble you always come...
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The room was silent. No one willing to start the conversation that hovered in the air of tension surrounding everyone. It was suffocating being in the same room as all of them. I wondered if I'd ever really get used to it. Everyone was present minus my mom. As much as I would have appreciated her support, I was more worried about the awkwardness this conversation could potentially have if she were here. I was perched on the sofa between Yunho and Mingi who had shuffled in sleepily. His feet dragging the floor as he flopped down on the furniture, head falling onto my shoulder without a word as he attempted to get a few more winks of sleep in before the others arrived.
The action worried me a little. My eyes flicking over to Yunho hesitantly, half expecting to find some degree of anger, or even annoyance at Mingi's proximity, but I was surprised to find neither. He did lean in a little closer, nose nudging my temple as he melted into me. It pushed me further into Mingi who hummed in delight, and I became sandwiched between the two. It was strangely comforting. And I needed that comfort if I was going to get through this discussion. I hadn't hardly come to terms with what happened between Yunho and I, and now, there was a good chance it would come to light in front of the rest of them.
My eyes found Jongho's across the room. He wasn't sitting, he had opted to stand near the door. I didn't know exactly how he knew, but the slight nod in my direction was a silent bid letting me know it would be okay. And I believed him enough for it to settle my nerve a bit. At the end of the night, at least one of them wouldn't abandon me. I jumped feeling Yunho nuzzle his way into my shoulder. Preferring to keep the earlier shenanigans from repeating, I shifted away, pulling the collar of Jongho's shirt higher up my shoulder to cover as much as I could.
Yunho frowned, watching me closely as I retreated and rejected his advances.
Pretending as if I didn't notice him watching me, I cast my eyes around the room. Seonghwa was stationed near the window, focused on the darkness outside. San and Wooyoung were seated on one of the various loveseats, Hongjoong chose a chair across from me and looked laid back. One leg thrown over the other, arms crossed in front of his chest as he leaned into the back cushion. He scrutinized the behavior between Yunho and I, and I didn't miss the way he looked rather amused when he saw me pull away from Yunho. Yeosang was the only other one. Standing in the middle of the room, waiting until everyone was present and comfortable before turning to me.
"I'll begin by saying that anything we discuss here in this room won't leave this room unless you want it to. The last thing I want is for you to be uncomfortable about being open with us and worried about the eight of us betraying that confidence you bestow."
I nodded hesitantly. I appreciated his words, but if I were being honest with myself, I was more afraid of the eight men in the room right now knowing what I had been up to more than I was about anyone outside of it knowing.
"Secondly..." He sighed, making sure he leveled a hard stare on everyone else. "Whatever is said, keep your heads. Getting upset or fighting with one another won't solve our problems and that's the whole reason I've called you all here."
