"I want to know why you do it."
"Why I do what." he asked, stripping off his overcoat.
He flung it over the back of the couch without much thought as he began unbuttoning his shirt.
"Why you always save me. Every time I'm in trouble you always come...
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It took less than two days for Mingi and Jongho to return. During that time, I tried to sort my feelings out, giving serious consideration to Yunho's words. I was hoping it would make the choice between six of them a bit easier, if I took a logical standpoint versus an emotional one. As much as I wished that was the case, it wasn't. I kept deferring back to how heavy a decision it truly was. Choosing a mate, one man to spend the rest of my life with, among seven I felt equally strong in my affections for. It was impossible. My eyes drifted towards Yunho, who had become the center of attention in the room filled with the men I was supposed to pick from. He took it upon himself to deliver the news. Thankfully, because I didn't know if I would be capable of it myself.
The silence was deafening by the end of his explanation. Some lost in thought, others trying to come to terms with what they were being told. No one outright rejected the idea, a good thing, I think, but the lack of sound was just as nerve-wracking.
"You said six. Who's not a part of the decision?" Yeosang spoke first.
He sat unusually straight in an armchair across from me. One of the few available seats, as the study we are currently meeting in didn't look to be made to accommodate so many people at once. I sat in another, the last seat to my right taken by Wooyoung. Seonghwa held his post at the edge of the room, eyes trained outside the window like they almost always were. The rest were scattered about the room, leaning against various pieces of furniture or standing tall with their arms crossed, making for an intimidating sight. Especially Mingi.
"Myself." Yunho answered. "My abilities won't serve the current purpose well enough for me to genuinely consider myself a good option. The rest of you have gifts that she could use."
"Yunho..." Mingi frowned, ready to dispute the accusations he made against himself until Hongjoong interjected.
"You decided this yourself? You're not just going along with this because you feel like you have to, are you?"
"He's right." San agreed softly. "We can find another way. You don't have to feel pressured to decide right now."
"Are you saying that for her sake or yours?"
My rebuttal lodged in my throat at the animosity thrown San's way. I whipped my head in his direction just as Jongho took a step closer towards his brother.
"What is that supposed to mean?" San sighed.
"There is no other option at this point. We all know it, she knows it. For you to pretend that we do only makes you sound like a coward who's afraid her choice won't be you."
San's jaw clenched, expression tightening as he tried to keep his own temper in check.
"You seem awfully eager to jump to conclusions. Are you so confident it'll be you then?"
"I've made peace with the knowledge that it probably won't be. Can you say the same?" Jongho sneered.
"Stop." I unconsciously grabbed the hand closest to me, which was Jongho's.
