congratulations || jeongchan

- 18 - Flushed -

Congratulations, how are you okay?

The air is cold and the sky is dark. I keep on tripping on the uneven ground and as my feet once again desperately try and find purchase I crash into someone who appears from the shadows.

I don't hear them coming.

"Shit, mate, are you alright?" I murmur fully ready to not listen to their answer and keep walking.

"Chan?!"

My eyes snap up at the voice. It's not that of the person I crashed into, but it's a voice I know all the same.

"Woojin?" I almost feel like staying. I almost feel like asking him how he is.

But I can smell Jeongin. On him. On the air.

And that reminds me, Woojin isn't your friend anymore.

It was kinda of like a divorce I've realised. When me and Jeongin broke up. We divided up our friends in a way similar to that of a divorce. Though it was always obvious who would stick with who. I'd still be lying if I said I didn't miss them. Hyunjin not so much. I feel like now I'm not dating Jeongin he's finally being, perhaps not nice, but civil to me. He just loves Jeongin. Lots. I guess he was right to not trust me straight away. I did end up hurting Jeongin after all.

I do miss Woojin though. Yes, we don't go quite as far back as Seungmin and definitely not as far as Minho, and yes he's nowhere near either of them, at all, but he's alright. And he was a good friend to me.

"Chan? Are you alright? You look really flushed."

"Hm?" I should have been listening. I should have not walked into his small coat shrouded friend who is hiding in the shadows.

I shouldn't be here.

"Chan." Woojin snaps his fingers in front of my eyes.

And I try and focus my eyes on him. I really do.

"Are you drunk?"
"Who's drunk?"
"No. Are you drunk Chan?"

Me? Drunk? Woojin knows I don't drink.

But at that moment I sway on my feet and the unevenly paved floor looms closer to my eyes.

Before I hit it, I hit something else. Again. The weak but well meaning grasp around my shoulders does little to slow my fall, however Woojin steps in as well.

They lower me down to the floor. And lean me back against a wall.

"I need to go." I try and stand up and fall again.

The coat wearing accomplice makes a sound of pain and concern.

It's probably Jeongin.

But even that thought doesn't cut through the haze in my head. My eyes still skim the world. And my heart still slows it's beating. The further away he is from me. The slower it beats.

"I need... need to..." My vision spins and I press a hand to my head.

"You need to sit down." Woojin interjects, calmly, "And you need to tell me what and how much you've drunk."

"You know he doesn't drink Woojin."

Yep. Jeongin's voice.

"Why are you here?" I ask quietly.
"Sorry?" Jeongin whispers.
"Wherever I go. You're always there. Do you still love me or something?" I laugh an empty laugh. How perfect that would be. How perfect that we would both still love each other. We could get back together and it would all return to how it was.