𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐄 ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ 𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 - 𝐡𝐨𝐠𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐮

⇛ 𝐂𝐇. 𝟒𝟖

"ji..." she slowly approached him, afraid that if she touched him he'd break. she carefully reached out, placing her hands on his face as tears gathered in her eyes. "you..."

he leaned into her touch, placing his hand over hers, feeling a sense of home in it. she carefully pulled him towards her, wrapping her arms around his waist as he felt tears cascade down his face. he had been avoiding this moment so much, scared that it wouldn't go well, but now that he was in her arms, he felt at peace.

"please, don't leave me." he sobbed and her heart broke into pieces.

"i never did and i never will." she told him, moving her head back so she could see his face again. "do you have the necklace?"

he nodded, lifting it from where it was under his shirt. "i felt it heat up from time to time and i knew you were still with me."

"i'm glad you knew..."

"okay, enough of the crying! i didn't drag him with me for this to be a crying fest. this should be a happy moment!" donghyuck yelled after wiping away his own tears. upon seeing this, jaemin and renjun laughed at him, poking his sides. "stop!"

"i am happy. i'm so extremely happy." yunhee told him, letting go of jisung. "you're all here."

"wait. not all of us. jeno! mark! get out here!" renjun yelled, his hands cupping his mouth.

mark came out a moment later, rubbing his eyes from tiredness. "why are you yelling?"

"we have guests." renjun sang, doing jazz hands at the three slytherins.

"ji...sung..." mark dropped his hands to his side and walked towards them. jisung winced, expecting mark to yell at him or hit him or do something out of anger.

"i'm so sorry mark. i—" he began, but mark wordlessly pulled him into a hug, patting his hair.

"it's okay." he whispered and a smile broke out onto yunhee's face at them getting along despite everything that happened.

jeno exited the tent next and beamed when he saw who was there. he pulled them all into a group hug, but of course, it was obvious that someone was missing. there wasn't the usual contagious dolphin-like laugh.

"where's chenle?" jisung asked, noticing the missing presence of his other best friend.

"he left us..." yunhee replied, averting her eyes to her feet.

"what? what do you mean?"

"we kind of fought and then he disappeared. we haven't seen him in a few days." mark told them.

"that doesn't sound like something chenle would ever do though. he wouldn't just up and leave without yunhee." jisung replied.

"i know... it was because—"

the four froze.

the horcrux... could they tell them about it? would it be a good idea? they were all friends and cared about each other so much, yet they still had their doubts about who to trust.

"—he was upset about yunhee not giving him enough attention." jeno finished and the others seemed to have bought it.

"that makes sense..." jaemin mumbled. "i'm sure he'll return soon."

"i-i don't think he will." yunhee said and jisung turned to her, a displeased look on his face.

"don't say that. he may be having one of his stupid moments, but he cares about you so he won't be able to keep this up for long. he'll come back, alright?"

"alright." she replied and he leaned down placing a kiss on her forehead, then wrapped his arm around her, dragging her away.

"let's catch up."