congratulations || jeongchan

- 4 - Again -

But even with all my love, what we had
You just gave it up

"Jisuunngggg!!!!!" The guy who must be Felix ran at 'Jisung', squirty cream dripping from his hands, "HAVE A HUG BEST FRIEND-"

Suddenly he was on the floor, Seungmin standing over him, arm outstretched. The arm was ultimately Felix's downfall, Seungmin was too strong.
"Felix. No."

As Felix sat on the floor and pouted, Jisung doubled over in laughter; that was until Seungmin appeared with the can of squirty cream and let loose all over Jisung and his new clothes.

"You guys, what in the fresh FUCK IS THIS?" Minho yelled from the doorway, with me clinging to his arm. Jisung and Felix were new to no one apart from me and they seemed scary.

They all stopped, dead still, and looked at Minho with guilty eyes. Softly Seungmin mumbled, "Surprise birthday party?"
"Is that so?" Minho made his way into Felix and Jisung's apartment, a small smile slowly growing on his face.

He started giggling and looked at the three fear-frozen statues with tears of laughter in his eyes, "You were so scared! You all look petrified! Omg I'm dying! Your faces are the funniest fucking thing I swear to god."

Felix got up with a huff and flicked the remaining cream at Minho who just winked back as Seungmin made his way to the couch and Jisung went to go and get changed, but not without groaning loudly about his ruined clothes first.

"Chan?" Seungmin called kindly, patting the spot in between him and Minho on the sofa.

I walked over quickly, careful to avoid the cream and Felix who had sat back down on the floor.

But before I could reach the sofa a hand wrapped around my leg. When I turned Felix was looking me deep in the eyes, as if into my soul. His own eyes were calculating, full of thoughts I couldn't read.

Then Felix opened his mouth and in the thickest Australian accent he could manage, choked out the words, "G'day?"

"...Mate?" Felix launched himself at me, tackling me into a hug so we both ended up on the floor.

It was as if fate had at that very moment intertwined his hands with pride at this placement of people's he had created.

"A fellow Aussie! The world has never seen such happiness in a human being before!" Felix screeched.

Does he have to say everything with exclamation marks?

I was drowning. I was being crushed. This was it. This was how it would end. I would die on the floor of a friend of a friend's apartment, smothered by a weird Australian boy who very clearly couldn't speak Korean very well.

I guess there are worse ways to go.

"Felix. Down." At Seungmin's voice Felix released me. Fresh air flooded my lungs. Oh how wonderful oxygen was.

I nothing less than crawled over to Minho and Seungmin. My only safety in this room.

Just then Jisung walked back in and dragged Felix over to the other sofa as he desperately tried to brush some of the cream of his friend.

"So..." Minho started and trailed off. "This is my friend Chan. Chan say hi."

I raised a hand for a small wave; still weak from my lack of oxygen. Or maybe it was just my lack of sleep.

I lean over to the left slightly, "When you texted me 10 minutes after leaving my apartment telling me to come to an unknown address for a 'surprise party' I honestly don't know why I came, and how you managed to make it even more scary than I expected." I whisper quietly in Minho's direction.

It was at that moment I felt the familiar but painful scrawl of Jeongin's writing appearing on my arm. I pull up the sleeve of his hoodie to find a very hastily scribbled, 'would I ever?'

But then why didn't you wish me happy birthday?

It was like my heart was breaking all over again. It was like I was leaving all over again.

You remembered and didn't say anything? Is that how far we've fallen? I guess you do want me to just leave you alone.

And yet my hopeless, hopeless heart couldn't seem to help but sing a little tune of joy.

He replied. He replied. Yet the words seem empty. Yet it still doesn't fill the hole where I am missing part of myself.

"Hey? You okay?" I look up into Seungmin's eyes, they are full of concern and it takes all my effort to shake my head. And then the tears start to fall.

Minho zones out of his conversation and as he sees me his eyes widen in panic, "ohh, fuck." He whispers quietly, "Seungmin do something."

But in less than a few seconds Felix has leaped the gap between the sofas and put his hand on my knee, raising his face to become level with mine, "Yo, bro what's wrong?"

I don't care I've only just met him. I need someone now. Anyone. I lean forward and place my head on his shoulder. He wraps his arm around my back and hugs me tightly, letting me cry all over his expensive looking jacket.
"I miss him so much." I choke out.
"Who? Who do you miss?" Felix leans back and puts his hand under my chin, patiently looking on as I try to form his name in my mouth.

"Hey!-" I slide my eyes over to the doorway to see...

"Shit." Minho has already leapt over Felix on the floor and is at the door faster than I have ever seen him move, closing Hyunjin and himself outside the apartment.

But not before I see those eyes. How they go straight to me, and the hand at my chin, and Felix crouched before me, at the tears on my face and his black ink scrawl standing out against the pale skin of my arm as it rests on my knee.

The door closes, but not before I see his eyes shatter in shock and pain. I can't even begin imagine what he must be thinking. What he feels after seeing me after such along time.

I know how I feel.

It's only a single breath, but with one word, I feel everything falling apart all over again.

"Jeongin."

A/N - and they meet again. ('Meet'?) Shit hits the fan. Would it be a fanfiction without that?