Picture of Love (Jung Hoseok fan fiction)

6. "It's alright if you like him. It's not the end of the world."

Entering the hotel, the girls  continue to prod and poke me with questions that I have yet to answer. The boys say goodnight and go to their room as the girls make themselves comfortable on my bed before I can even enter the room. "Goodness me." I say as I sit on Leyah's bed across from them awaiting judgement. 

"So...?! Where did this guy come form and why is he kissing you on the cheek?!" Carrie kicks off the questioning once more, nearly hanging off the edge of the bed. I laugh lightly to myself before answering. "Um, technically we met at Evan's club after that gig last Sunday." I stop and wait for them to take in this information. "We swapped info the next day at the local park... and...yeah." I awkwardly trail off, awaiting their response. It was silent for a few moments, I assume because they were thinking of their next approach. "Do you like him?" Vicky speaks, causing my heart to stop. 

I was expecting this question of course, but I never anticipated how the girls would react to my answer. How was I to answer anyway? Surely they would be disappointed if I told them the truth, if I told them I was merely attracted to him and planned to only sleep with him I'd be lying and I just couldn't do that. "Um...it's complicated. I guess. Because...uh..." Fuck.

"It's okay if you do you know?" I drag my gaze from the floor to where the voice was heard, which was a person I never thought I would hear say these words. Leyah.

"What?" Was all I could utter. 

"It's alright if you like him. It's not the end of the world." She answers with a lopsided, half smirk. I'm speechless. "But I-I said all those things. I told you-forced you to be like me...miserable." As the words leave my mouth, I realize this is the first time I'm admitting this aloud and I feel like shit for it. I forced them live in fear of affection and love for two years just because I was and after admitting to myself that I feel something for J-Hope, I see how utterly wrong I was for that. "I'm sorry." I say, too scared too look at them so I look to floor once more. I feel arms wrap around my shoulders and my face is shoved into Vicky's neck, that's when I notice the tears that started to fall from my eyes as they cascaded down her shoulder. 

"Don't apologize. You found someone you're fond of." She said, I could tell she was smiling just by listening to her, but her choice of words put me off. "And that's what scares me." I say into her shoulder. She loosens her grip on me enough to look me in the eye and I see the girls over shoulder, still on the bed, both holding comforting gazes. "We know...but I think you should just...let it happen." I whimper at the thought. "I know, I know, it's easier said than done, but Char, it's been two years since He Who Shall Not Be Named fucked everything up...I say it's a sign. Just give it a try? I mean for crying out loud, he called you, excuse my language, Charlotte and you didn't gouge his eyes out!"

I think back and laugh realizing she was right. I didn't let the girls, or the boys call me by my whole name, I only let my ex call me that once in a blue moon and I didn't even notice J-Hope hasn't called me anything, but that. I laugh some more, wiping away the tears. "You're right." 

"Damn right she's right! The whole table was shook when he did that!" Carrie exclaimed. Leyah just nods with a smile. I go to sit on the bed with the girls.

"Are you all sure about th-"

"Yes!" They all practically shout in my ear. I smile in response.  "Okay." More silence befalls the group before Carrie speaks up.

"Does this mean I can date now?" She asks sheepishly. I turn to her. "Yes Carrie. I'm so sorry I did that to you all." 

"No more apologies, we know why you did it. And we followed you for a reason. Trust me if we didn't believe in your rule we would have overruled you years ago." Leyah explains with a laugh. "I love you guys." I say absent-mindedly. "We love you too." They say collectively.