It wasn't until later that day that Rose managed to catch Minho alone. She had to confirm what his earlier comment meant and if she was correct, how did he find out that she was at KCON?
"Minho, what did you mean earlier?"
"I think you know."
"How do you know?"
"Your friend was a little too helpful."
"Anna."
"We guessed that you had spoken to her, which she confirmed. Why else would she check that our outfits were comfortable?"
"I may have asked Anna to look out for you for me. It was hard not being there."
"But you were there."
"Why do you think that?"
"It was just a guess, Chan had this idea that you wouldn't be able to stay away. I wasn't so sure but..."
"But?"
"Now I am."
"What?"
"Your reaction convinced me."
Rose stared at Minho who smiled smugly back at her.
"Fine. You're right. I went to KCON. Being away from you all was killing me and I had to see you for myself."
"You were at KCON?"
The pair looked to the side to see Jisung with a distraught expression on his face.
"Sungie? I'm sorry. I -"
"Why didn't you come and see us?"
"I wanted to... I didn't think -"
"You were right there the whole time and didn't tell us. We needed you. I needed you, and you weren't there. I didn't think you were there."
Minho walked over to Jisung and wrapped his arm around him. Rose's throat was tight with emotion as she watched them walk away. She barely managed to choke out the words that she had already said so many times that they felt like they had lost their meaning.
"I'm sorry..."
Going home with Bang Chan was odd. While she had been to his apartment before, she had never gone home with him at the end of the day and had never stayed there overnight.
Hyunjin and Jisung went straight to their rooms without a word from either of them. Changbin tried to diffuse the tension by making a big show of welcoming Rose and giving her a tour.
After bidding the rapper goodnight, the soulmates went to Chan's room where her luggage was already waiting.
"Let me make some room so that you can unpack."
"That can wait until tomorrow. You must be exhausted."
"I might as well do it now. I'm not sure I'd be able to sleep now anyway."
"Do you mind if I wash up?"
"No. Of course not. Go ahead."
Rose grabbed her toiletries and pyjamas out of her suitcase before heading to the bathroom. The door was closed. She wasn't sure was protocol the boys had, whether the door was always kept closed regardless of whether it was occupied or not. She knocked on the door to check.
"Almost done!"
Rose tensed up when she heard Hyunjin's voice. Before she could decide if she should make herself scarce for the boy's comfort, the door opened. Hyunjin looked shocked to see her there, perhaps forgetting for a moment that she was now living with them. He quickly put on a neutral face and walked to his room without a second glance.
After a sad sigh, she entered the bathroom and stopped just inside the doorway. It was a mess. Towels littered the floor, every available space was covered in toiletries and a pair of boxers hung over the shower. Rose took a closer look and was relieved to see that the actual facilities were rather clean. They must have a cleaner, she thought.
After changing into her pyjamas, washing her face, and cleaning her teeth, Rose left the bathroom.
"Woah, Noona sexy!"
Rose looked down the hall to see Jisung staring at her. She looked down at what she was wearing. It wasn't anything special, just shorts and an oversized t-shirt. Actually, the top might have been one of Chan's that she had borrowed.
Looking back up at Jisung she watched as he realised that he was supposed to be mad at her.
"I - I mean... Nevermind."
Her lips twitched into a smile as the Idol went to go back into his room but almost walked into the wall beside it instead in his haste to escape.
She headed back into Chan's room where she found him holding up two black t-shirts.
"Need help choosing? They're very different."
"Haha, I've heard that one be...fore."
Chan turned to look at his soulmate to see her barefaced, bared-legged and wearing one of his t-shirts that had gone missing.
The past few days were the rare times that he had seen her bare-faced. He knew that Rose felt the need to 'perfect' herself by putting on a face every day, an armor. The first time had been when they were on tour.
After being reunited, she hadn't any on during the day. When he asked why Rose said that she had spotted wearing makeup every day since she left him. No amount of makeup could hide the ugliness she saw after hurting her soulmate.
Chan had made sure to reassure her that she was nothing but beautiful in his eyes. Looking at her now he could still see the nervousness in her eyes from feeling vulnerable in front of him.
He holds the two t-shirts back up.
"I can't choose. Why don't you have them?"
"Me? But they'll be too big?"
"Wear them as pyjamas. Here this is your side of the wardrobe."
Rose watches as Chan hangs the tops back up in the newly cleared section of his wardrobe. Then together they emptied her suitcase and hung up her clothes.
"I'm going to get ready for bed. I sleep on the right if that's okay."
To be honest Rose hadn't considered that they would be sharing a bed. She had thought that she would be sleeping on the sofa and had been about to ask for a pillow and a blanket. Instead, she just nodded at him.
"Sure..."
As she lay in bed waiting for her soulmate to return, Rose's mind replayed the day in her head. Seeing all the members of Stray Kids again had been brought up a lot of emotions for both her and them.
As she remembered their reactions she thought about how Minho knew about her being at KCON and suddenly she realised that the dancer had implied that Chan knew as well. Her soulmate stopping that line of questing in front of everyone else implied the same thing.
Rose wondered why he hadn't said anything or asked her about it. She decided to mention it to him before she forgot so it wasn't hanging over their heads.
When he came back and joined her in bed they laid down facing each other and there was an awkward silence. While staying at his family's house in Australia she had slept in the guest room. When one of them finally spoke, Rose's voice was only a whisper.
"You knew."
"I know many things."
"That I was at KCON. I spoke to Minho."
"What did he tell you?"
"That you spoke to Anna."
"She didn't tell us you were there. She wouldn't say much about you at all."
"I asked her not to."
"I know. I forgive you."
"Chan... You can't - you shouldn't!"
"I think I forgave you to moment you walked out of my studio that day. It took me a little while to think it through, but I understand why you did it."
"But... What I said... I knew it would hurt you."
"I know. I am very aware of how I consider myself, whether I'm right or not. I still forgive you."
"I don't deserve you."
"I think the same thing about you, every day."
"What?! Why?"
"I ignored our bond the first time we met, pretended not that you weren't my soulmate... And it was the worst mistake of my life. You are so kind and passionate and the thought of what could have happened - if you hadn't forgiven me..."
"I never even considered not forgiving you. Oh."
The two stared into each other's eyes in understanding. Chan leaned in and gave Rose a kiss full of feeling. Pulling back he touched their foreheads together.
"I love you, my Rose."
"I love you, too."
-
"Hello?"
"Hello, Anna. It's Bang Chan of Stray Kids."
"Hi! No need to be so formal, Chan."
"Right. Sorry, Noona."
"So, what can I do for you?"
"Um, I need to ask you something."
"Of course! Anything for Stray Kids' Bang Chan."
"Where is Rose?"
"Anything but that."
"But you've spoken to her?"
"I have."
"She was here, wasn't she?"
"Chan..."
"You don't have to answer. I know I've put you in an awkward position. Sorry."
Anna sighed.
"She went back to England, to stay with her parents."
"Thank you."
Before he could hang up the phone, Anna panicked.
"Wait! She... I don't know what she said to you, the day she left, but whatever it was, she doesn't think she deserves your forgiveness."
"She deserves better than me."