Mi Appartieni

Chapter Thirty-Six

          Joshua knows that if he takes Jeonghan's hand then Seokmin would let him go. Seokmin wanted whatever Joshua wanted.

Joshua wants to take Jeonghan's hand because that's all he's ever known; Jeonghan. But at the same time, he can't leave Seokmin's side. Seokmin who has protected him, rescued him and loved him unconditionally since they met.

Joshua sighs as he closes his eyes. "Joshua." Jeonghan says firmly. Joshua looks at him again. "Come here." Joshua exhales deeply. He steps back. He steps away from Jeonghan.

Joshua moves to Seokmin's side again and grips his arm. "No, Hannie." He says softly.

Seokmin looks down at Joshua incredulously. He choose him. Joshua chose him over his best friend. Seokmin couldn't help the warmth that spreads through him. He wants more than anything to kiss Joshua right now. He chose him.

Jeonghan shakes his head in disbelief. "Joshua, what the hell are you doing? He kidnapped you, he held you prisoner, he's hurt you and now he's stalked you."

"That's not true." Joshua protests calmly, "Seokmin has done nothing but protect me. He's always given me a choice. He would have let me leave Italy if I asked him sincerely but I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to leave him. He never once hurt me and I told him to come to Boston when I found out he was alive, he didn't stalk me."

"How are you alive anyway?" Seungcheol says to Seokmin, "That shot should have killed you." "You need to work on your aim." Seokmin replies stoically. He didn't care about anything at this point but the fact that Joshua was choosing him over anything else. 

"You need to work on that mouth of yours." Seungcheol spits back. "Stop!" Joshua says, shutting up their bickering.

Jeonghan reaches forward and grabs Joshua's arm again. Seokmin holds out his hand to stop Jeonghan, not willing to let Joshua go anywhere as long as he didn't want to. And he's made it very clear he doesn't want to leave Seokmin's side. Jeonghan shoots Seokmin a death glare.

He turns back to Joshua though, "Joshua I don't know what the fuck has gotten into you but just stop! You can't be anywhere near this monster!" Jeonghan panics, feeling his best friend slip through his fingers as he pulls Joshua toward him.

"He's not a monster!" Joshua fights against Jeonghan, "Just let me explain everything and you'll understand!" "This I will never understand! Just get away from him!" "No!" "Why Shua?!" "Because I love him!"

Jeonghan stops and lets go of Joshua. His eyes are wide with disbelief. Seungcheol's eyebrows raise in shock. Seokmin's jaw goes slack.

Seokmin can't believe, cannot fathom the words that have just come out of Joshua's mouth. The warmth that he felt in his heart and the light that enveloped him felt so intense, Seokmin was sure it would never leave him again.

Joshua, the one who has brought him happiness for the first time in his life, loved him back. Joshua loves him. Joshua loves him, Seokmin. 

All Seokmin wanted right now was to hear Joshua say it again. He wanted to hear it a hundred - no - a thousand times more. If it was the last thing he heard then he would die a happy man.

Joshua has never been so sure of anything in his life. How could he not love Seokmin? He felt anxious when he wasn't around, he felt like something was missing when they were apart, he craved him and never felt more safe in his arms. He knew it was love.

"You - You what?" Jeonghan manages to get out. "Jeonghan, you once said to me that you would try to understand as long as I was happy and safe. Well with Seokmin I'm safe. He protects me from anything and everything. Just before you got here my super was about to attack me and Seokmin saved me."