Bubble

15. Descent

"I wonder who is going to show up first," said Minho the next day as he stood at the small window by Bonita's apartment door. "The mad scientists crew or the Chris clan."

Bonita chuckled, rolling her eyes as she sat at the kitchen table. Bang Chan was sitting at the table across from her with his hands folded together. The two of them had explained to Bang Chan earlier that morning what had happened while he had been unconscious. Bang Chan had agreed to meet with Felix and I.N, but the whole situation made him nervous. Bang Chan was merely a stranger who was wearing a familiar face.

"You need to be on your best behavior with our guests," said Bonita as she looked over at Minho.

"You imply that I'm a nightmare..."

"Must I remind you about the fire Ramen?"

"Geezum, you're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Nope!"

Bang Chan smirked hearing their friendly banter. It helped to ease the knot of tension in his stomach. Bonita turned to look at him, giving him a reassuring smile. He was wearing one of Minho's maroon t-shirts and a pair of blue jeans. For whatever reason, it seemed to make his dark chocolate eyes and overall facial features pop. At least, that's what Bonita was telling herself as he sat there with a jawline that looked like it could slice butter better than a knife.

"I think I see someone coming," said Minho as his eyes focused on two people arriving at the bottom of the staircase.

Getting up from where she was seated, she moved to peek over Minho's shoulder. She recognized Felix standing at the base of the apartment staircase with I.N in tow. I.N looked hesitant, always drawing back from the stairs with his head down as Felix kept putting his hands on his shoulders to turn him towards it.

"I'll be right back," said Bonita to Minho as she opened the door and moved to step outside.

As her footsteps clinked on the metal staircase, Felix looked up at her. A small smile twitched across his lips.

"Hey there. Sorry. It's taking a second."

"It's my fault..." mumbled I.N as he still avoided any sort of eye contact.

It was clear that I.N was far more sober than the last time Bonita had met him, but with his sobriety also came a timider self. She could still see that he was in the same sort of pain as the other night, but he was trying to swallow it. Felix kept his hands on I.N's shoulders as Bonita moved to place a hand on one of I.N's.

"Hey...it's okay. I promise."

I.N looked up then, his cheeks coloring with a faint blush.

Minho and Bang Chan meanwhile remained in the apartment. Minho watched from the window as Bonita tried to coax I.N to come upstairs. Hearing a scrap of a chair across the floor, Minho turned to see that Bang Chan had gotten up from where he was seated to look over his shoulder. Before Minho could say anything to him, he moved to walk out the door.

When Bonita, Felix, and I.N heard the door open and someone step onto the landing, they all turned to look up at him. Bang Chan paused, looking down at the three of them for a moment. The moment he started to walk down the stairs, tears welled up in I.N's eyes. To him, it was like an angel descending from Heaven. He fell to his knees, shocking both Bonita and Felix as they turned to look at him. I.N stayed on his knees with his face down, burying his face in his hands.

"I shouldn't have come. I can't do this. I..."

I.N's words were drowned out as he felt someone placing their hand on his shoulder. Lifting his head, he focused his teary eyes on the person in front of him. He locked eyes with Bang Chan as he stayed crouched there wordlessly staring back at him. It caused tears to run in a slow, lazy river down I.N's face as time seemed to freeze for the two of them.

"You saved me again..." whispered I.N.

Unlike yesterday when I.N had been the one to hug Bang Chan, Bang Chan moved to initiate it this time. He wrapped his arms about him as I.N hugged him back, breaking into sobs.

- - -

After what happened the other day, they knew that Bang Chan shouldn't be outside for long without a disguise on. Bonita and Felix managed to get Bang Chan and I.N upstairs to the apartment, shutting the door in order to have the necessary conversation. I.N and Felix sat on the couch in the living room as they both studied the Bubble series DVD case.

"So that day we met," said Felix as he looked up from the DVD case, "you were trying to fix your DVD player because it ejected Bang Chan from his show?"

"Yes," said Bonita without missing a beat.

Minho — ever the watchful guard dog — stood near the window by the door still, half turned so he could watch the exchange. Bang Chan stood beside Bonita as Felix hummed at the confirmation, turning to look at I.N again. I.N's face was still red from crying as he looked up from the DVD case and at Bang Chan.

"It's uncanny how much you look like Chris, but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised since I based your character off him..." I.N paused, shaking his head before he looked over at Felix. "I'm not dead or dreaming, right?"

"No," said Felix. "Though I wonder the same myself."

"I'm sorry that I am bringing you both pain and that I'm not who you think I am," said Bang Chan, speaking to them for the first time.

"Even his voice sounds the same..." muttered I.N in awe.

Bang Chan flushed as he looked down at the floor. Before the awkwardness in the air could thicken, Minho moved to open the apartment door.

"The mad scientists crew is here."

"Mad scientists?" asked Felix and I.N both confused.

"Ignore him," said Bonita as Minho turned to fix her with a look, tsking as he stood at the open doorway. "He's talking about Changbin and Han. They are both interns at the hospital that Bang Chan was at the other night. They helped us to fake his death so we could sneak him out without him becoming a glorified lab rat."

Just as Bonita finished their introductions, Changbin and Han stepped into the apartment. They both sported casual navy blue t-shirts and light blue jeans. Both of them stared in shock seeing Felix and I.N on the couch.

"Who are they?" asked Changbin as Bonita proceeded to start round two of introductions in what had become quite the complicated tale.