jumil/jujae : drink it.

sixteen: reconciliation.

over the past few weeks, anyone who looked at hyunjae, even if it was just a slight glance, could tell something was VERY wrong. obviously thereby, how could his own best friend not? it didn't even need a glance for younghoon to start suspecting hyunjae. hyunjae's new inability to smile or ingest anything without wanting to vomit didn't go unnoticed by chanhee either. the couple knew something was wrong and knew they had to involve themselves in it before it was too late and hyunjae breaks down more than he already is.

younghoon and chanhee both have been through their own relationship problems and have worked most of them out by themselves. well, except the one where hyunjae was spying. but usually, they prefer to sort things out on their own, as they believe like it strengthens their bond in someway. however, when it gets so bad that you have to constantly see your best friend rotting away into his own shell, especially when that specific person is very unlikely to do so, for almost 2 weeks, you sometimes have no choice but to interfere.

so, younghoon calls hyunjae out of his house. despite hyunjae's multiple protests, younghoon's insistence was something hyunjae could not decline further, hence, he unwillingly agrees. it was about 7:30 in the evening when the pair decided to meet at a coffee shop near hyunjae's house. the two sit in cold silence. the waiter asks younghoon about his order. " i'll take an expresso, please." he replies.

"and you, sir?"

"i'm fine, thank you."

younghoon eyed hyunjae.

"okay, sir. make sure to call for me if you change your mind. and sir," the waiter turned towards younghoon, " your drink will be served in just a minute." younghoon smiles. "perfect." and thanks the waiter. the waiter leaves, leaving the two friends in the same dreaded cold silence like they were just a moment ago. younghoon analyzed hyunjae's movements.

rubbing his hands together.

nervousness.

avoiding eye contact.

denial.

newly formed dark circles.

insomnia.

refusing food.

worry.

younghoon had cracked it.

"sir, your expresso." the waiter returns with younghoon's drink. younghoon thanks the waiter again. as the server leaves, hyunjae, from the corner of his eye, can notice the server looking back at them. probably wondering why they are sitting in silence. he grows more anxious. his eyes still lay down as younghoon takes a sip of his drink, keeps it back on the table and inserts his hands into the pockets of his padded jacket once again.

"tell me what's going on between you and juyeon."

hyunjae stays silent.

younghoon violently gets up from his seat, striding towards the counter and quickly paying for his drink and dragging hyunjae out of the cafe with his arm. "hey, what are you doing? let me go!" hyunjae protested, despite being the same age, he was physically a lot weaker than younghoon and was not able to resist.

hyunjae was so busy trying to free himself from younghoon grasp he didn't even realize where they were going. younghoon slammed open the door and hyunjae's eyes widened.

the music, the sound of glasses, the people, the lights-

shit, they're at the bar.

younghoon was mercilessly dragging hyunjae in the bar, trying to find juyeon. and he did, juyeon was staring at them, with widened eyes and mouth slightly agape. a female co-worker of his, noticed this and pushed juyeon away from his place, and gestured younghoon to take him away, which he gladly did so. "annie, what are you-"

"nuh uh, you're coming with me." younghoon interrupted his conversation with his co-worker and ordered juyeon to follow him. feeling dominated and admittedly kinda scared, juyeon obeyed.

younghoon took them to the dark alleyway near hyunjae's house and made them stand next to each other.

"what are you guys doing? juyeon, you haven't been to practice in 3 weeks and have been constantly ignoring calls! and hyunjae probably doesn't even remember the time he actually ate." juyeon glanced at hyunjae, hyunjae's head hung low.

" now talk it out, and i'm not leaving untill you do."

the duo had no choice. younghoon stood back to give them some privacy. he took out his headphones and his phone, too. realizing he has no other choice, hyunjae sighed, and started first. "juyeon, i'm so sorry." he apologizes, sincerely.

"i'm sorry, as sincere as i could be. i can't imagine how much it hurt you when i said you were nothing but just a friend. i would've been as upset as well. it was wrong of me. i understand how we, as romantic partners, need to communicate our problems, set boundaries and respect one another. i'm sorry i failed to do that. "

he took a breath, wanting to say more, but juyeon cut him off.

"i'm sorry too, hyunjae. i just love you so much. you're my first love and the thought of me losing you like i had lost my grandma and many others scared me to death. i'm sorry i couldn't give you much time because of my work. but i want you to know my feelings for you are very real. i should have asked why you did what you did instead of reacting that way. will you forgive me, love? "

juyeon holds hyunjae's hands and rubs the back of his head as hyunjae cries into his shoulder. younghoon, who's watching from far away, wipes a tear or two. juyeon who notices, calls him over. younghoon hesitantly moves towards him.

"thank you, younghoon. for making us understand and communicating things out. we'll be better from now on and i promise i will make sure you never have to do something like this again. i can't imagine how painful it must have been for you to witness your friend being so sad all the time." juyeon thanks the young man, and also bows as an another form of apology, considering younghoon is older than him.

younghoon hugs juyeon. "i wish you were my friend instead of hyunjae, bastard didn't even thank me." younghoon scrunches his nose at his best friend. hyunjae laughs along his tears and gives his best friend a warm hug. just then, younghoon's phone rings. he smiles, immediately answering putting it on loudspeaker, he aligned his face to the camera as he waits for the video call to connect.

"baby, did you fix things between them?" chanhee says from the other end, younghoon faces his phone towards juyeon and hyunjae, who are holding hands. upon seeing the sight, chanhee squeals like a little girl, making all of them laugh. " i'm so happy for you guys! younghoon please buy some alchohol on your way back and bring these two as well. let's have a party, it's been so long!" younghoon smiles. "on the way, babe!" and hangs up.

"you two have to come with me by the way, no excuses."