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Everyone was gathered at Jonghyun's house after receiving a text that Chaeyeong was coming home soon and he wanted to surprise her with a welcome home party. Everything was set up but everyone was afraid of what would happen when she returned. Everyone knew that her parents would only let her return home if she had chosen a husband. Just the thought of her coming home with someone else was unsettling for everyone.
They had only just learned that Jonghyun had no contact with her for weeks until she announced she was coming home, but they still set up the welcome party for him. She had told him she would come right over as soon as she got out of the airport, so now they waited. Jonghyun lived near the airport, so when she texted saying she was leaving the airport everyone became silent.
The waiting seemed torturous, but then there was a knock and no one was able to move. Everyone knew it was Chaeyeong, but everyone was afraid of what was going to happen when that door opened. Would she have some other man on her arm? Would she kindly break up with Jonghyun and then leave to meet the other man? Or would everything be fine? She knocked a second time and Jonghyun found his strength, standing up and heading for the door with all eyes on him in the dim room. He opened the door and was met with Chaeyeong's smile, and God had he missed that smile.
"Chaeyeong" Jonghyun said and brought her in for a hug, leaving all the worrying thought behind, "I've missed you so much"
"I've missed you too" She replied, letting go of her suitcase handle to have return the hug, her bag still in her other hand.
Jonghyun broke the hug, the thoughts coming back to him as he became awkward.
"Uh, you still have your bags, why didn't you let your parents take it back with them?" Jonghyun asked, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I have something to tell you" She started, placing her handheld bag gently on the stationary suitcase.
"Are we...?" Jonghyun trailed off, afraid of just the question but more afraid of the answer.
"No, it's not that, it's just well..." Chaeyeong started again, "I ran away from home, to put it simply"
"You ran away?" Jonghyun was shocked, what would her parents do when they found out?!
"I shouldn't still be living with them anyway, I should be on my own and work for a living rather than sit around until I get married" She replied, "So, I left, and I'm going to need a place to stay so I was hoping..." She smiled at him cutely, like a child trying to sweeten up their parents before asking for something.
"Of course you can stay here" Jonghyun replied, grabbing her bags for her, "Come on in, it's cold out there"
Chaeyoeng followed him into the house and when the lights turned on, Jinki, Kibum, Minho, and Taemin got up from Jonghyun's couch and on a countdown shouted "Welcome home Chaeyeong!". Taemin and Jinki each popped a party popper as she went to hug each of them, starting with Minho.
Everyone was thankful it was a happy reunion, no one would have really known how to comfort Jonghyun if their fears were true. Part of Kibum wanted to tell Jonghyun how right he was, but part of him wanted to stay away from him.
He had been without alcohol for a while, apologizing to Jinki every night they're together about what had happened. Kibum was just happy that the older boy did not get annoyed by it, he always listens to the same apology and always accepts it without a second thought. Although, that's what hurts Kibum's heart the most, Jinki's pure love for him.
Jinki really loves Kibum, to the point that Kibum would cry some nights when Jinki held him after accepting the same apology. It hurts because Kibum knows that Jinki doesn't have his heart, and the thought of him finding that out breaks Kibum's heart further.
Jinki deserves better than this, Jinki deserves someone who loves him more than he loves them. Kibum's thoughts are always this way, but he knows breaking up would only give Jinki more heartbreak than he deserves. So he distances himself from Jonghyun, a little more each day although it doesn't seem like it.
That's why he keeps apologizing, he's apologizing for his feelings, and he won't stop until he has stopped loving Jonghyun.
They had spent the day with Chaeyeong and Jonghyun, and now Kibum and Jinki were getting ready for bed. Kibum was already in bed, facing the window as he waited for Jinki to slip into bed behind him.
Jinki smiled at Kibum's still figure, knowing he probably hadn't even closed his eyes yet as he slipped into the bed facing Kibum. As Jinki pulled the covers over himself, Kibum spoke up.
"Jinki?" Kibum asked and Jinki knew what was coming.
"Yes?" Jinki replied, snaking his arms around Kibum.
"That night when I was drunk and yelled, you know I didn't mean it right?" Kibum asked and Jinki snuggled into his neck.
"I know sweetheart" Jinki replied.
"I'm so sorry I worried you like that though, and yelling at you like that" Kibum told him and Jinki hummed.
"I know you're sorry, and I forgive you" Jinki replied and placed a kiss on the back of Kibum's neck, "But, why do you keep apologizing?"
"Because no matter how much you forgive me, I can't forgive myself" And because I hate how I don't love you like you love me, Kibum gave Jinki the half-truth, his hands holding onto Jinki's as if he would disappear.
"You're always so hard on yourself baby" Jinki pulled Kibum closer.
Kibum let out a light chuckle, "You like to give me little pet names when you're tired" Kibum smiled and he felt Jinki smile into his neck.
"If you like them that much then I should start using them more often honey~" Kibum giggled at him.
"You're so cute when you're sleepy" Kibum told him.
"You're always cute darling" Jinki replied, a yawn following.
"I love you" Kibum said before yawning himself.
"I love you too" Jinki replied, burying his face back into Kibum's neck.
AN: End of my spring break and this is all I've gotten done D: I'm working on so many different things so I'm just trying to give each project the same amount of attention. And I was tagged and I haven't done it, I will do it if I have time but with school and the mass of tests coming I don't know what will happen
