"Actually, that's..." Soonyoung placed his hand on the back of his head. "...what I was gonna talk to you about last night."

"What? What do you mean?" Minghao furrowed his eyebrows.

"Jun asked me for your number yesterday." Soonyoung looked away.

"What? Why?" Minghao pressed a finger on his right temple lightly.

"I-I don't know either. He just kept asking me for it." Soonyoung looked down. "Sorry."

Minghao took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "Why didn't you just tell me about it last night?"

"You were drunk." Soonyoung reasoned out. "You might end up doing something regrattable if I told you. So, I thought it might have been best to tell you when you're not drunk."

"He's not wrong." Jihoon said, leaning forward.

"Jun told me that he had something to tell you." Soonyoung said. "I told him that he could just tell me and I'd pass it to you, but he kept telling me that he needs to see you in person."

Minghao exhaled, sitting back down.

"Sorry." Soonyoung went closer to Minghao.

Minghao looked at Soonyoung and smiled weakly. "It's okay. It's not like there was anything you could do about it. I know you're also worried about me." Minghao sighed, getting himself together. "There's nothing I can do, is there?"

"Not unless you want to keep avoiding him." Jihoon said. "But of course, you can't keep doing that forever."

Minghao nodded.

The three boys were at Minghao's place right now.

Minghao felt a lot of things going into his head right now. He was surprised, confused, scared, and so many more complex and unexplainable emotions.

What if Jun knows?

Why is he calling out to me now?

Why? Why now?

Why now when I just started to move on?

When I no longer think of you as often as I used to?

When I'm trying new things?

When I'm finally trying to move on?

No, I'm alright.

I'm doing fine.

I've been doing well without you.

"You sure you'll be okay?" Soonyoung asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Minghao replied.

"I can stay here with you tonight if you don't want to be alone." Soonyoung said, worried about the boy.

"No, I'm alright. Why wouldn't I be? I've been doing fine." Minghao chuckled.

"But-"

"Soonyoung, just give him space." Jihoon interrupted. "Let's go. You're just bothering Minghao again." He said, pushing Soonyoung out the door.

"Wait-" Soonyoung struggled as Jihoon pushed him outside. "BYE MINGHAO!" He yelled as Jihoon succeeded in pushing him outside Minghao's unit.

Jihoon turned around to look at Minghao before they had completely left.

Minghao mouthed a small 'thank you' to Jihoon and smiled.

Jihoon nodded as he kept pushing Soonyoung in the hallway.

Minghao closed the door and took out his phone.

I can do this. It's not a big deal. I can get past this.

Xu Minghao:

jun
it's minghao

Wen Junhui:

oh hey hao
when are u free?
i was wondering if we could meet up

Xu Minghao:

i'm free this weekend
u?

Wen Junhui:

then lets meet at the weekend

Xu Minghao:

ok

Wen Junhui:

okiiii
i missed u a lot hao
im excited already

read

Minghao didn't know what to reply. So, he ended up not replying to it.

He missed me...

He chuckled, laughing at himself.

I'm feeling this way just from a text message? Pathetic.

He shut his phone off and threw it on the couch. He went to his bedroom and slowly lay himself down. He put a hand over his face, resting it like that.

That night, he wished for sleep to visit him. Unfortunately for him, sleep only visitef him until morning came and he had worn himself down.

And even more so unfortunate, it was a work day. So, he was here, dancing in the studio, teaching choreography, all tired and his eyes and body could shut down soon.

On the bright side, Soonyoung had offered to come in and take Minghao's place in teaching choreography. Due to Minghao's personality, he told Soonyoung that he was fine, but the stubborn hyung kept insisting that Minghao should rest. In the end, Minghao ended up giving in and slept in the clinic.

Soon enough, the weekend came.

Soonyoung had told Minghao that if he felt uncomfortable, he could accompany him to meet Junhui.

But of course, Minghao declined. Although, he did appreciate the thought.

Minghao walked in the restaurant and looked around. The place was fancy and obviously expensive. He often went to restaurants like this to meet with people of higher positions, idols, and other higher named staff, but he never really went to places like this just to meet friends or just to dine.

A male server walked up to him. "Do you have a reservation?" He asked with the standard customer-service-smile plastere

"Yes, it's under Moon Junhwi." Minghao said.

The server checked a list of names written on a navy blue clipboard. "Yes, I see. Right this way, sir." He looked up, smiled, and held his hand to the west direction, signaling to follow him.

The server led him to the section of the private dining rooms. He stopped as they reached one of the rooms in the hall and slightly bowed his head. "Please enjoy your dinner." He said as he slid open the door to the room.

"Hao!"

And there he was.

"Jun." Minghao smiled, as he entered the room.

The door behind him was closed as the server had left.

Junhui came in for a hug.

Minghao was taken aback, but pat the older boy's back.

I didn't know how much I missed this.

"Hao, I missed you!" Junhui smiled brightly. "Oh, right. Sit down. Sit down."

The two boys sat down on the chairs, facing each other.

"So, how are you? How's work? Is it fun? Do you like your work? Did you come here from work? What's new? Have you eaten yet? How is it living alone? Are you doing well?" Junhui fired up all the questions rapidly.

"Woah, I didn't know I was in a segment of fast talk interviews." Minghao chuckled, feeling the nostalgia of the ever-so bright and cheerful Wen Junhui. "Take it slow."

"Oh sorry." Junhui smiled. He looked up as he noticed the change in Minghao's hair. "Oh, by the way, your hair... it's brown."

"Oh, yeah..." Minghao touched the back of his hair.

"Brown looks really good on you. Looks cute. It looks almost just like mine." Junhui chuckled.

"I guess."

"Are you hungry?" Junhui asked.

Minghao smiled as he looked at all the food that was on the table. "Wait. This is..."

Junhui grinned. "Yep! I ordered all your favorite foods!" He said with a proud expression in his face.

Minghao looked at Junhui. "Thanks."

"Of course, anything for you, Hao." Junhui clasped his hands together. "Oh, right. We should take a picture together first before we eat."

Junhui took his phone out and snapped a photo of them together.

"Wow, we almost look like a couple 'cause we both have brown hair." Junhui chuckled, looking at the picture.

"Haha..." Minghao looked away.

If Minghao had heard that comment before Junhui got a girlfriend, his heart would've fluttered. He might've thought that he stood a chance, but now, his heart just feels heavy.

Because looking like a couple is as far as it goes.

Because being an actual couple will never happen.

"I'll send you the photo." Junhui said, pressing things on his phone.

Beep!

[Wen Junhui sent you a photo.]

Minghao took out his phone to check.

Junhui leaned in to see if the photo had been sent properly.

"What? Hao!" Junhui exclaimed.

"Huh? What?" Minghao slightly flinched.

"Why is my name on your phone just 'Wen Junhui'? Isn't that a bit cold?" Junhui pouted. "Your name on my phone is 'Haoieee☆'! It even has a star on it! A star! Only the people closest to me have a star on my contact list. Change it, okay? If you change it, I'll make it into three stars."

"Mm."

"What? Okay, okay." Junhui crossed his arms together. "I'll make it five stars. How's that?"

"You're just as childish as back then." Minghao giggled.

"Hey, that's rude! I'm older than you, you know?"

"Okay. Let's eat." Minghao said, putting his phone away and taking the chopsticks.

Junhui pouted even more, his eyebrows knitted together.

Minghao took some of the food on the table, put some in his plate. He took a bite, giving of a satisfied expression as he had chewed on the food in his mouth.

"Is it good?" Junhui asked, still pouting.

"It's good." Minghao smiled.

Junhui's pout immediately disappeared and turned into a proud smile. "Of course, I know the food you like more than anyone else."

Minghao scoffed. "Aren't you being too ambitious in that regard?"

"I- Does anyone else know the food you like better than I do?" Junhui took a second to think. "Wait. Do you have a boyfriend now?"

"No, I don't have a boyfriend right now." Minghao said firmly. "But I'm pretty sure that the spot for 'Who knows the food I like the most?' would've been taken over by Soonyoung or Gyu by now." Minghao cleared his throat. "I mean, time passed and I grew to like other food too. We haven't seen each other in a while, but I see Soonyoung everyday at work and Gyu often meets up with me. Meanwhile, we haven't seen each other since the reunion which was a more than a year ago."

I don't even know why I felt like I had to reason it out to him. I could've just told him that he doesn't know my taste buds as much as before. Period.

Junhui sighed. "Is that really true? I guess it is." Junhui looked down. He looked back up, but with a warm expression in his face. "But no matter what, you're still my best friend, you know? Even if we haven't talked in a long time."

Minghao chuckled.

He never really changed. He's just like how he was back then.

"Oh, by the way, I've been wanting to ask."

Minghao raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"

"Why did you change your number? You didn't even tell me. I had to ask Soonyoung for your new number." Junhui asked.

"Just... just because. No reason."

"When did you change your number?"

"Around the time we had our reunion with the rest of them."

"Oh... so that's why."

"Hm?"

"I messaged you the day after the reunion, but I didn't get an answer. I just thought you were busy, so I kept messaging you even after that." Junhui chuckled. "I was messaging you even after months. I thought you might be busy because of your work, but I just thought that even if you don't reply, it's okay. As long as you were able to read it, then it's fine." Junhui scratched the back of his head. "But I guess you never got to read it."

You were messaging me...?

"I-I didn't know." Minghao's eyes were wide open and his lips slightly quivered.

"Yeah, I thought so." Junhui smiled. "It's okay though. You don't have to worry about it. I should've known when you weren't replying." He said, putting some food on his plate.

Minghao looked down and awkwardly continued eating.

It went on like that for three or four minutes. They just kept eating with no one talking.

Minghao paused for a second. "Jun."

Junhui looked up. "Yeah?"

Minghao swallowed and took a deep breath. "Soonyoung told me that you had something to tell me. He said that was why you wanted to meet up."

"Oh, yeah." Junhui smiled brightly. "Right."

Minghao looked at Junhui and the expressions in his face. To what he could see, it was like as if Junhui was both nervous yet excited. It definitely made Minghao wonder what it was about.

Junhui took something out of his pocket, but was hiding it with his hands.

"What is it? Just tell me." Minghao said, curious.

Junhui chuckled at the boy's impatience. He cleared his throat. "Hao, I need to tell you something."

"You can tell me anything."

Junhui reached for the pocket in his suit and took out a tiny blue box, placing on on the table.

"Jun...?" Minghao looked at Junhui.

Junhui pushed the small blue box across the table, bringing it closer to Minghao.

"J-Jun?" Minghao's eyes widened, stuttering.

It can't be...

No...

Minghao grit his teeth together and slowly balled up his fast, pulling his fist closer to him.

"Xu Minghao..." Junhui slowly opened the small blue box.

Minghao's eyes blurred up as soon as he saw what was inside the box.

"Minghao, will you... will you be my best man?"

Minghao's hand was shaking, but he was just silent.

"I'm getting married to Yuna. We haven't thought of a date yet, but maybe in a year or so. I haven't told anyone else yet. I wanted you to be the first to know." Junhui looked up to see Minghao's expression, but Minghao was just silent. "Y-You don't have to though! No pressure! I know that being a best man means having to do a lot of stuff for the preparation. But even so, I would really appreciate it if you were there at my wedding during the preparation.  You know, since you're my bes friend. So, I was thinking that if not the best man, then what about the one who brings the ring? I think they're called a ring bearer. I'm not sure, but..."

Junhui continued on, but as if there was a ringing on Minghao's ear, he couldn't properly hear Junhui's words.

No, it wasn't that he couldn't.

He refused to listen.

He felt his chest tightening, his breathing becoming irregular, and his smile falling apart.

"Hao." Junhui tried to reach for Minghao's hand.

"Yes?" Minghao snapped back from falling into the abyss.

Control your expressions.

You can't show Junhui anything.

You can't.

You shouldn't.

"You okay?" Junhui asked, concerned.

Minghao faked a cough. "Yeah, something didn't go down well. Was it the pork?" He hit his chest with his hands.

It was a ridiculous excuse, but his mind had gone blank.

Actually, no, it wasn't blank.

It was the complete opposite.

There were too many things, but he didn't want to think.

Not now.

He couldn't mess this up.

"Do you need water?" Junhui asked, holding a cup of water up to Minghao.

"No, it's fine. I'm okay." Minghao tried to smile, but he couldn't keep it up for long. "C-Congrats! Hahaha." He said, clapping.

He never knew how hard it was to say those words.

"I'm happy for you!" Minghao said with a wide smile and his eyes closed.

He wasn't sure how long he could keep this up.

"Congrats, Jun! That's really big news."

"Thanks, Hao." Junhui chuckled. "Will you do it though? The ring bearer. I would really appreciate it a lot if you could do that for me."

"Mm." Minghao smiled aggressively, his eyes still closed.

He felt like if he opened his eyes, tears would start rolling down.

"Really?!" Junhui's eyes brightened up, a wide grin forming on his face.

"Mm."

"You said it Hao! You're the one who said it! You can't take it back, okay?"

"Mm."

Junhui got up and hugged Minghao tightly. "You're the best!"

Junhui's hugs always felt warm to Minghao.

But at that time, the hug felt like thorns piercing into him.

He wanted to scream and cry.

But all he did was smile with his eyes closed.

It was the only thing he thought he could do.

There was nothing else.

END

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A/N: Thoughts? 'Cause I know y'all probably have a lot rn.

Btw, in case you didn't notice, this chapter is basically the entirety of the flashback in 五/Chapter 5.

Today marks the two whole months since I started writing this book. That's kinda scary.

Y'all can finally feel the end of this book nearing.

Also, this chapter was hella long. 2.6k+ words y'all. This just overthrew the previous longest chapter on my book.