The next morning, Minghao woke up to the soft rustling of curtains and the faint sound of voices coming from the kitchen. He sat up slowly, his head still a bit foggy from the events of the past few days. The room was unfamiliar yet oddly comforting, filled with small touches that felt… like home.
He walked out of the room and into the kitchen, where Mingyu, Vernon, Wonwoo, Jun, and Scoups were gathered. Mingyu was stirring something in a pot, his apron slightly crooked, while Vernon and Jun were arguing over how much sugar to add to the coffee. Wonwoo sat at the table, reading a newspaper, and Scoups was busy plating some food.
“Morning, Hao,” Mingyu greeted warmly, noticing him first. “How’s your head? Feeling any better?”
Minghao hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, it’s… better. Thanks.”
“Good,” Scoups said, his tone soft but firm. “We were worried.”
Jun walked over, holding a mug of coffee. “Here. I made it just how you like it… or, well, how you used to like it.” His voice faltered slightly, and Minghao could see the guilt flicker in his eyes.
Minghao took the mug, his fingers brushing against Jun’s for a brief moment. “Thanks,” he said quietly, sipping the coffee. It tasted familiar, like a memory just out of reach.
The five men exchanged glances, unsure of how to approach the topic that hung heavily in the air. Finally, Vernon broke the silence. “Hao… we know things are complicated right now. But we want you to know that we’re here for you, no matter what.”
“We made mistakes,” Wonwoo added, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “Big ones. And we’ll spend the rest of our lives making up for them if that’s what it takes.”
Minghao looked at each of them, their faces filled with a mix of determination and regret. He wanted to trust them, to believe their words, but the scars of betrayal and the haze of his lost memories made it hard. “I… I don’t know if I can forgive you. Not yet.”
“That’s okay,” Scoups said gently. “Take all the time you need. We’re not going anywhere.”
After breakfast, they decided to spend the day together. The five husbands did everything they could to make Minghao feel comfortable—taking him to places he used to love, showing him photos and mementos from their past together, and even sharing funny stories about their lives before everything fell apart.
As the day went on, Minghao found himself smiling more and more. The way Mingyu always tried to take care of him, Jun’s playful teasing, Wonwoo’s quiet but steady presence, Vernon’s lighthearted humor, and Scoups’ protective nature—they all felt… familiar. Like pieces of a puzzle slowly falling into place.
That evening, as they sat around a firepit in the backyard, Minghao looked at his husbands. “I don’t remember everything yet,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “But… I think I want to try.”
The relief on their faces was palpable, and Scoups reached out, gently taking Minghao’s hand. “That’s all we could ever ask for.”
For the first time in what felt like forever, Minghao felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they could rebuild what was broken.
============================================
The days turned into weeks, and Minghao slowly began to adjust to his new normal. His husbands were patient, never pushing him too hard but always staying close, ready to help him navigate the fragments of his lost memories. Each day brought small breakthroughs—familiar feelings sparked by the way Wonwoo handed him a book or the way Jun’s laughter echoed through the house.
One evening, they decided to take Minghao to the private garden behind their mansion. It was a place they used to visit often, surrounded by vibrant flowers and a small koi pond. Mingyu led the way, holding Minghao’s hand gently, while the others followed behind, each carrying small items for a picnic.
“This place feels… familiar,” Minghao murmured as they reached the garden.
“It should,” Vernon said with a soft smile. “You used to love coming here. You said it was the one place where everything felt peaceful.”
Jun spread out a blanket on the grass, and Scoups placed a basket filled with Minghao’s favorite snacks. “We thought it might help to spend time here,” Scoups said. “No pressure, though. Just… enjoy the moment.”
As the evening wore on, they shared stories—some from their past and others about their individual lives before they met Minghao. They laughed, teased each other, and for a moment, it felt like the weight of their shared history wasn’t as heavy.
But as the sky darkened and the stars began to appear, Minghao’s expression grew serious. “Why?” he asked suddenly, his voice breaking the comfortable silence. “Why did you lie to me? Why did you manipulate me?”
The question hung in the air, and the five men exchanged uneasy glances. Finally, Scoups spoke, his voice steady but filled with regret. “At first, it was selfish. We thought we could control everything—make you fall for us without considering how it would hurt you.”
“We didn’t think it through,” Wonwoo added quietly. “We didn’t realize how much we’d come to care for you… until it was too late.”
Jun’s usual playful demeanor was gone, replaced by raw honesty. “We were idiots. We thought we could fix things before you found out. But instead, we destroyed the trust you had in us.”
Vernon reached out, placing a hand on Minghao’s. “We know we don’t deserve your forgiveness, Hao. But we’re trying—because we love you. And we’ll spend the rest of our lives proving that to you.”
Minghao looked at each of them, his emotions a tangled mess. He wanted to believe them, to trust the love he saw in their eyes. But the pain of their betrayal still lingered, a wound that hadn’t fully healed.
“I need time,” he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know if I can ever fully trust you again. But… I’m willing to try.”
Mingyu’s grip on his hand tightened slightly, his eyes shining with relief. “That’s all we need, Hao. Time.”
The five men promised to be patient, to let Minghao set the pace. And as they sat together under the stars, Minghao felt a small, tentative hope bloom in his chest. Maybe, just maybe, they could find a way forward—together.
