eucatastrophe (n.)
/ˌjuːkəˈtastrəfi/ a sudden and favourable resolution of events in a story; a happy ending.
- - -
"e-excuse me?"
"i'd like to return this." jun repeats, voice slightly quieter than before. "please?"
minghao reaches out hesitantly, taking the book in his hands. though junhui doesn't look like he's done just yet.
said boy removes the backpack from his shoulders, swinging it down and setting on the counter. he unzips the top, carefully dumping it's contents in front of minghao. it's filled with every receipt, every book he never returned, all the cheesy love notes he'd received. it was the history of their relationship in a bag.
"jun..."
"i'd like to return this," he says again, voice now quavering alongside the odd shivers his body is facing. "and i want to apologize. for hurting you."
"j--"
"i made a lot of mistakes. i didn't treat you right. i let my negative aura get to me, and then i pushed it on you. i'm so sorry, hao."
"this isn't how i should be reacting to feng's...passing. i shouldn't have taken it out on you, and i'm sorry. you deserve so much better than me. i'm sorry for making you fall in love with me, only to have you suffer with my problems. i'm sorry."
"so, i'm returning this. all of it." jun looks away, rubbing a hand over his eyes to stop the tears. "i'm sorry, minghao. i hope you can find someone who will love you just like they do in the books. i still love you, so, so much. but i'm toxic. and a horrible person for doing that to you. please, hao," he stops again. "let me go."
"i--"
"please, hao."
"no." minghao quickly says.
"...what?"
"i can't," the librarian huffs, head hanging low in embarrassment. "i can't let you do that, jun. i can't let you run away."
"hao, i hurt you." junhui says back, face twisting in serious contemplation, wishing to figure out what's going on within his ex-lover's mind. just the use of the nickname makes something in minghao's stomach churn.
"i know. but jun, none of what you're saying is true. we hurt each other equally. and since i still love you as well, i'm willing to forgive you. as long as you can do the same for me."
the tears threaten to escape jun's eyes now. "i don't deserve you..." he mutters. "i love you, minghao. i'm so sorry."
"say it again." minghao mumbles. "like they do in the books."
"i love you." junhui repeats.
"again, please. again, again, again."
"i love you, xu minghao. so much."
a smile finds it's way onto the librarian's lips as he circles the counter to reach jun, kissing the student's nose before holding him in a tight embrace.
"i love you too."
- - -
setting the bouquet of roses against the dirt, jun stands up, taking minghao's hand in his.
having used all their savings on feng's treatment, they weren't able to afford a funeral. the most they achieved was a burial. it was sad, but it was enough.
"he would have been happy, you know." minghao says. "that you came back."
"i'm happy that i did, too." the smile that junhui sends minghao seems too bright to be in a cemetery.
they walk out hand in hand, jun opening the cemetery's gate and leading minghao outside. jun looks deep in some sort of thought. minghao doesn't blame him-- venturing outside to face your brother's gravestone is not an easy feat.
as they venture down the street, minghao abruptly stops. jun does too, cocking his head in confusion.
"hao?"
looking there, at his face, minghao feels something in him shake with emotion. jun really did come back. even through the pain of loss, he came back for minghao.
"hao? what's wrong? please tell me."
minghao moves closer so that their breaths mingle, jun smelling like cologne as usual, and minghao like the pomegranates he had earlier. he moves a hand to cup junhui's face.
"hao, you're scaring me--"
he kisses him chaste at first. jun's cheeks are pink after each parting, but he doesn't let minghao get away. exchanging kisses seems so foreign, even after a few days.
"please don't run off again like that." minghao begs. "stay with me."
"i won't leave you, hao." junhui says, hugging the librarian's waist. "i promise, okay?"
minghao nods.
it's not that he doesn't trust jun...he's just having a hard time believing half the things he promises. all minghao wants is for them to be together and happy, like those days in the library. he wants that feeling again, and he wants it to last. all minghao needs is some reassurance.
"but, jun...that's not the only promise you're going to have to make today."
"what do you mean?" jun asks, now continuing with his walking. he rubs small shapes into the small of minghao's back.
"you still need to talk to chan."
- - -
chan's door seems so unapproachable now.
but minghao is there, helping him through it. he's got him.
he hesitantly presses the doorbell, quickly scooting back into minghao's arms. as cowardly as it is, jun just doesn't feel like facing his problems. not now, and not ever.
though, he has to. junhui wants his best friend back.
the now opened door has them face to face with a messy joshua clad in only a t-shirt (which has got to be chan's, as it is michael jackson merchandise.) his eyes widen in embarrassment. jisoo throws an awkward wave before gesturing for the two to enter the house.
"chan!" joshua calls once they enter. "someone's here to see you!"
there's a muffled noise and the sound of feet against stairs. jun feels more anxious than ever. he did let the guy down, mess with his head, and ignore him for a full week. it was only human for chan to be upset with him.
"it'll be okay." minghao keeps whispering, but it's not doing much to soothe his endless worry.
"who's here, josh?" a voice calls, showcasing the appearance of a disheveled, bed-head form of chan, stalking down the stairs with curious eyes. his gaze quickly meets jun's afraid one, locking.
"oh..."
there's a painfully awkward silence. looking close enough, jun almost thinks he sees a pink stain of strawberry milk on chan's shirt. it's so...typical of him.
"chan, i--" jun begins.
next thing he knows, jun's being thrown onto the floor in a bone-crushing hug, chan on top of him and crying like a child. he quickly hugs back, noticing how joshua and minghao watch the scene fondly from the corner of his eye.
"hey, stupid. stop crying."
there's a low laugh against his chest, to which jun returns. he doesn't need to explain. chan's back, and he knows. their apology is silent-- telepathic, almost.
somehow, he has all he ever wanted. the heart of a beautiful librarian, the loyalty of a charismatic best friend, and the friendship of an appreciative companion he never saw himself knowing. the feeling is unexplainable, something that has his soul quivering with adoration. an emotion that he wants to be last forever, be never-ending.
he chuckles at the thought. chan grins and so does joshua, minghao covering his mouth to hide a giggle. wen junhui believes that he truly has it all.
all because of a return policy.
