Moonglow Bay | ATEEZ

11. finalé

He was so grown up compared to how you remembered him. His dark locks had been bleached, complementing his honey-toned skin perfectly. He looked slimmer, fitter... older. If your calculations were correct, he'd be 21 now, turning 22 later that year. Long gone was the boy you knew in high school. A man stood before you now.

"I called him," Jongho said behind you. It took him placing a hand on your shoulder to realize you were standing. You couldn't remember getting out of your chair. "I hope you don't mind."

Looking back and forth between Jongho and Hongjoong, you felt yourself smile. As you stepped toward Hongjoong, Jongho's hand fell from your shoulder. The blonde man closed the distance between you.

Standing that close to him, you were able to catch glimpses of the boy you used to know. His smile only emphasized this; it felt as if no time had passed since you last saw each other. He seemed like a phantom. It was almost impossible for you to fathom that he was there with you, standing by your side once more. Tears began welling in the corners of your eyes, and as soon as Hongjoong saw them, he pulled you into his chest. His arms enveloped you in a hug you'd longed for since the day he left Moonglow Bay.

The two of you remained silent while you were in each other's embrace. When he pulled back, you could see tears in Hongjoong's eyes as well. With a laugh, he wiped away one that managed to slip down his cheek.

"Long time, no see, I guess," he teased, ruffling your hair.

With a short laugh, you pushed his hand away, and he took hold of your wrist to pull you into another squick hug.

"So," Hongjoong sniffled, walking the two of you over to the table where you were sitting before, where Jongho remained. "What's going on?"

The three of you talked until Dalbich closed its doors for the night, and then Wooyoung joined in on the conversation. It didn't take long to bring Hongjoong up to date on what had occurred since his departure from Moonglow Bay. After you'd finished, he was determined to hatch a plan, to help you find happiness once more.

Both Yunho and Mingi had been silent since that day at the beach. You'd been indecisive, unsure of what to do, and it backfired harder than expected. He was so desperate to speak to you after running into you. It pained you to walk away from him that day without saying anything, but with the way Yunho was reacting, you figured it was best to keep your mouth shut. Seeing Mingi dredged up so many forgotten feelings. You were desperate to remove all the dredged-up memories from your mind, to go back to the way things were before you were reunited with him. Every kiss, every cherished moment with him was overwhelming you, and you couldn't help but find yourself whisked away to the happiness you had only a few summers ago. Even still, you were finally content with him being nothing more than your first love, the one that got away. So why did he have to show up now, years later, and beg for you to come back to him?

At the same time, you couldn't blame Yunho for being hurt. Mingi was a threat to him, and you'd solidified that notion by being silent and dishonest with the both of them. All Yunho wanted was for you to love him, and you threw that back in his face by letting him think you'd replace him with a boy you hadn't spoken to in years. He'd been your rock, wholly dedicated to you since the beginning of your relationship. He'd been patient with you, waiting for years to finally take the chance to ask to be part of your life. He'd given you his heart, just as you'd given him yours. So why were you finding it so difficult to make your decision? The longer you waited, the higher the risk that you'd lose both of them. So who would it be? Who would you dedicate yourself to?

"Come on, Y/N," Hongjoong said, pulling you back to reality. "Is it even a question?"

Raking a hand through your hair, you realized your friend's words brought you the clarity you needed. "No," you said, triumphant. "It isn't."

"So what are you going to do about it?

It took a couple of persuasive phone calls, but by the time the clock struck midnight, your plan was set.

◌  ◌  ◌

The next morning, the group of you were positioned outside Dalbich Café, waiting for the opportune moment. Before you stood seven boys, all of whom impacted you in ways you never thought possible. Jongho and Wooyoung pulled some strings, for sure, but they managed to persuade everyone to come out for the moment of truth. As strange as it was, you needed them all here with you. Even the one whose heart you'd just broken.

"You feel okay?" Jongho asked, his eyes full of concern. As you breathed out, you could see Yeosang offering you a supportive smile over his shoulder, Seonghwa next to him with kind eyes.

With a nod, you shook out your nerves and turned to face the facade of the Choi family café. "I'm ready."

Hongjoong and Jongho stood on either side of you with Wooyoung and San flanking behind them. The seventh of the boys stood at a distance, still offering you his support. All I want is for you to be happy, he'd told you. I'll support you in whatever you choose.

"He's inside," Jongho murmured to you, keeping a hand on the small of your back for support. "Go ahead."

Letting out one final exhale, you removed your phone from your pocket and typed out a quick message, hesitating. Panic was beginning to set in, causing doubts to flood your mind. Your heart began to race.

I'm outside, your text read.

"What are you waiting for?" Hongjoong asked, and you turned to him.

"What if he says no? I've made him wait for so long..."

"Y/N, stop it," your friend said, offering you a faint smile. "If what you've told me about all this gives any indication of how he feels, then I know he loves you, and that he'll love you no matter what. Just send the damn message."

You sent it.

When you saw him exit Dalbich, you felt yourself relax. Now was the moment of truth. No longer would you trouble yourself with frivolous notions of who you loved. You knew exactly who you loved, and exactly who you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. Your friends helped you to realize that. Hongjoong helped you to realize that. After years of being unsure of yourself, of being confused by the path of your journey, you finally realized exactly why you were meant to come here. The people you'd met along the way, the memories you'd made in Moonglow Bay, led you straight to him. And now, they were all here supporting you, encouraging you to find the happiness you deserved after all this time. You felt the corners of your lips tug up into a grin. You were finally at peace.

"It's you," you said to the young man standing before you. "It's always been you."

He smiled.