𝐒𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐭│𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐮 ✓

73

Odera

"How have you been Hannie?" Seungcheol said, legs swinging off the same rooftop he'd initially taken the younger to all those months ago. The spot had actually been a rather common place for the pair to slink off to when everything got a bit hectic and since Jeonghan's discovery of the stairs he came to not mind the view, relaxing after long days of nothing much.

"What's with that question, we're around each other all the time," Jeonghan smiled calmly, resting on the roof top and looking into the night sky that had soon come upon them.

"You know what I mean, it's been well over half a year now," Seungcheol said with a careful tone, since they'd gotten over the beginning their conversations never got too serious, usually being petty arguments or discussing the other boys.

There was a short pause as Jeonghan thought over the question, "I think I'm okay. I miss my friends and family a lot sometimes, I feel like you'd bicker with Joshua all the time if he were here and he'd complain about the silly things." Seungcheol laughed at the comment, "Jeonghan you just described yourself."

"Hmm well I guess we were quite similar. Then there's Seokmin too, he has a similar energy to Soonyoung and is always so bright eyed, sometimes he'd act a bit off around me but I think it was just how clingy I was with Joshua, we were best friends so of course I was often quite touchy with him but Seok had the most blinding crush, one of my main sources of entertainment was watching him struggle," Jeonghan reminisced, genuinely hoping now he was out the picture Seokmin would be brave enough to make a move, if he truly knew the pair's current situation he would've found it hilarious.

"So like Soonyoung and Jihoon then?" Seungcheol asked, "Hmm I guess but we also had our version of Wonwoo and Mingyu who go by the names Seungkwan and Vernon. They're total soulmates and have been together from a very young age but unlike our two idiots they were actually able to realise their feelings before I met them, also with a lot less sex. Gosh, at least I hope so, they're basically children and I enforced a strict holding hands only policy until they've had their ceremony at least which I hope Joshua is still reminding them of for me."

"You're so overprotective, it's sweet," Seungcheol complimented, happy to be hearing about Jeonghan's past in such a casual way when it was so rare. "I feel guilty for not checking up on Minghao more, I'm the one that knows what he's going through the best but I think Gyu has been talking to him," Jeonghan said, turning to meet Seungcheol's eyes. He felt a comforting hand placed over his, "Don't feel too pressured, just take it easy and try help him out in small ways if you want."

No matter how much they bickered, the pair worked well together; being the eldest they took it upon themselves to make sure they could hold the ragtag family together as much as possible and the mood was for now looking up. Minghao was settling in, their friends had become lovers and Chan seemed to be happier the past few months too.

Although it hadn't even been a year, Jeonghan felt an overwhelming connection to all the boys, past and present. He knew he shouldn't cling onto the past since there was no way back but he couldn't help but find links everywhere, all of them connecting in a large web he so wished to string together.

"We make a pretty good team huh?" Seungcheol said with a smirk, "What sort of cheesy line is that, you clearly need to read more literature so you can come up with something better," Jeonghan replied bluntly, "Okay, Wonwoo."

Jeonghan gasped, "That's the worst insult you've ever said to me!" He pretends to be offended, dramatically flinging his hand to his chest as the two soon broke into fits of laughter at the dorky little scenario they'd just played out even if no one was around to see it.

There was love there, it was clear but neither felt the need to mention it, they had time to spare. A deep mutual understanding ran between the pair, a constant subtext that told each other that they were there and it was okay. They didn't need a cliche fallen angel and sensitive bad boy romance, they were deeper than baseless stereotypes, they were just themselves and both were more than content with that than they had ever been before. They felt whole together, they'd never even kissed but it didn't feel like the right time for their relationship to develop. Both Jeonghan and Seungcheol knew they were more fulfilled with ensuring the happiness of their boys before themselves.

When they eventually returned, the majority of the lights were turned off and Jeonghan decided that he'd quickly visit the one light that still remained on in the apartment. As he approached Minghao's door he heard talking, "...Yeah and this one time Vernon was-" Jeonghan's mind instantly jumped into a different gear, Vernon? Maybe it was a different Vernon, who was he kidding the only people actually named Vernon were 65 year old men who enjoyed golf and his Vernon.

He breathed out slowly, approaching the door with a knock before entering. To his surprise he saw Jun spread out on the bed, attentively listening to Minghao's story who was sat painting on the floor.

The two pairs of eyes looked at Jeonghan expectantly since he'd broken into their little bubble. "Did you say Vernon, did you know my friends?" Jeonghan asked, honestly wanting to cry at the potential to just hear how they were doing.

Minghao's face dropped, he'd been avoiding it because letting Jeonghan know that he knew his friends also meant letting Jeonghan know his friends knew why he was in Odera in the first place.

"U-Uh yeah I guess so, I met Vernon and Seungkwan in December and then Joshua and Seokmin soon after the ceremony," He said, deciding just being honest was his best option while Jun sat silently watching the scene in front of him.

"I don't get it, why didn't you tell me sooner?" Jeonghan asked, of everyone he was least close to Minghao just due to the lack of time spent together but in his mind this was still a big enough deal to deserve an explanation.

Minghao let out a long sigh, unsure if he should just spill everything like he had been to Jun but it'd be difficult, Jun had no emotional connection to these stories but Jeonghan was the emotional connection in each and every one of them.

Figuring Jeonghan's question would shortly answer itself, he ignored it, "Sit down, there's a lot of explaining I have to do."