This Day | Gyuhao (Threequel to Youth & The Aged)

- 58

| Chapter Fifty - Eight — Hao Soon is Soon enough? |

"I'm scared." Soonyoung admits, staring down at his suitcase after zipping it up.

Jihoon takes his hand, squeezing, "Don't be. I'm here. We'll all be there."

"Just—" Soonyoung takes his lip between his teeth, "How can you trust those people? How could you let them sleep here tonight knowing what they've been apart of? Don't you find this all a little too risky?"

"Risky?"

"People are forgetting what we have. Right here in this moment." Soonyoung takes a shaky breath, "Mingyu has the twins... and he needs to get back to them."

"I understand, Soon." Jihoon sits both of them down, the bed making a squeak noise that makes Soonyoung cringe, "That's why I'm promising you with everything I have that we will come back in one piece. Every single one of us."

"You can't be sure."

"But I will be." Jihoon smiles, interlacing their fingers, "Besides, we've taken on way worse.... it's just a lousy station."

"I used to work there, y'know."

"Right." Jihoon snorts. He had completely forgotten.

Soonyoung brushes it off, staring at the floor, "I just..." He shrugs, "I-I just can't imagine how scared he might be.... if he really doesn't know who we are... if he's really locked up in that god awful place, not knowing what he's done or why he's—"

"Hey, hey, hey." Jihoon pulls Soonyoung into a hug, stroking his hair, "Everything is gonna be okay. Besides, he knows you. You know him. Time will heal all, I'm telling you," Jihoon holds his husband close, "Let's just take it one step at a time."

Soonyoung sniffles, "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Jihoon grins, pulling back to peck his cheek, "Let's get started with getting him back first, okay?"

Soonyoung's eyes drift to the floor again, but he nods, "Okay..."

"Don't get hurt, you can't get hurt, you won't get hurt, I won't let you get—"

"Chae." Riki giggles, taking her hands, "You've been saying those exact words ever since the meeting. I'll be okay. And besides, Jungwon hyung said if I drop dead again, he'd get Yuqi to bring me back to life just so he can kill me." The boy pauses, gulping, "And I don't think he was kidding."

Eunchae laughs, punching his shoulder, "Then, stay by my side then." She eyes him briefly.

A pause.

Riki catches on, "Wait—"

"Promise?" Eunchae wiggles her pinky finger in Riki's face, hum so high pitched it rings throughout his ears.

Riki rolls his eyes, "Really? We're in our 20s."

"Never stopped me." Eunchae fans her finger in front of him, "Well?"

Riki huffs, twisting their pinkies.