airplanewishes | [PG] The sun is filling up the room (How long till we call this love?) [EXO] (1/2)

Title: The sun is filling up the room (How long till we call this love?)
Author: airplanewishes
Fandom: EXO
Characters: D.O/Chen
Genre: Romance, Friendship, Angst
Rating: PG
WC: 10,213
Summary: One moment, Kyungsoo was sleeping rather peacefully, dreaming of rapping and becoming a big star someday; the next moment, he's waking up to a break-up text from his boyfriend.

A/N: Thank you to khrysallis1106 for the beta!!!

This is for penipenpen because she's a big Chen fan! I hope you like this.

The sun is filling up the room (How long till we call this love?)

When Baekhyun and Kyungsoo break-up, it feels like it happens in the blink of an eye. One moment, Kyungsoo was sleeping rather peacefully, dreaming of rapping and becoming a big star someday, along with Chanyeol, one of his best friends; the next moment, he’s waking up to a break-up text from his boyfriend. We need to talk. Okay, so it’s not exactly a break-up text, but Baekhyun never tells him that they needed to talk about anything. He usually just…talks. So he scrambles out of bed, accidentally knocking over his alarm clock and hurries to wear whatever it was that’s on the floor to go over to his boyfriend’s house.

“It’s just not working for me anymore,” Baekhyun shifts from foot to foot, not meeting Kyungsoo’s eyes.

Kyungsoo looks confused because he truly doesn’t understand. He feels like he’s suddenly in a boxing ring and is punched without even knowing why he was there in the first place. He and Baekhyun seemed to be doing fine just the past couple of days. Well, they were, if you didn’t count the fact that Baekhyun just whined the whole time they were together and didn’t even want to kiss him or hold his hand. Still, this sudden change of heart (or didn’t he just see it coming?) makes him wretch out his guts later on.

Chanyeol is the first one to console him. Because he is his best friend, along with Baekhyun. The three of them grew up together. Kyungsoo remembers how Baekhyun threw sand in his eyes when they first met, which Chanyeol always jokes is the reason why Kyungsoo’s eyes became the way they were. Then Baekhyun would always counter that his eyes are what attracted him to him in the first place (and why he threw sand at him).

“You knew, didn’t you,” Kyungsoo says, after he’s wiped his mouth. It’s not a question. Because Chanyeol was always the one who seems to know how everything would pan out before it even happens. The thought makes his chest constrict.

Chanyeol hesitates, and then Kyungsoo knows. It’s the way Chanyeol falters and doesn’t say anything. Chanyeol always has something to say. He wonders how long this has been brewing and why no one’s told him.

He pushes Chanyeol’s hand off his shoulder.

“Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol calls after him. His name sounds broken in his lips and Kyungsoo stops to listen but Chanyeol doesn’t say anything more.

“I would never have done this to either of you,” Kyungsoo states indisputably. “Never.”

The betrayal stings his chest as he walks out into the sudden rain.

Kyungsoo skips lunch break because he hates answering questions and he hates seeing the looks on everyone’s faces. He knows that everyone pities him because he’s the stupid person and the stupid friend. Just how much more stupid can one person get? And he didn’t really need that right now because he has enough to think about. Like the fact that his two best friends in the world, the people he would do anything for, both cheated on him with each other.

He throws his backpack on the floor when he enters an empty classroom and walks up to the blackboard, chalk in hand. He isn’t really sure what he aims to achieve by drawing on the empty board, which eerily resembles the emptiness of his life, but he draws anyway because drawing always made him feel better.

There was a time where he used to think that he and Baekhyun would grow old together, with Chanyeol and whichever partner he decides he wants in his life. That had always been their plan because they felt inseparable like that. Planning their lives around each other had become like breathing, necessary and would kill them if not done.

He’s never minded that Chanyeol always tagged along with him and Baekhyun. It was the natural course of things. But this. This he cannot accept.

He takes a deep breath and stares at the board. Drawing used to make him feel better.

He puts the chalk down and slides to the floor, bending his knees towards him and buries his face on them. Maybe he should try shooting some hoops instead. Junmyeon would probably be up for that. Then he sighs again and bites his lip. Hard.

It’s the only thing he can do to stop from crying out loud.

It’s only two weeks later that Kyungsoo decides to come out from hiding. He’d had too much of wallowing and crying and too much hiding that he was starting to become a hermit. Too much time by himself isn’t healthy, as he had discovered, judging by the piles of video games he had finished. He figures that he should start reentering into the social world again and talk to his friends. It’s come to the point where he realized that he couldn’t just ignore all of them forever. That, and Sehun’s texts and whining voice calls had become truly annoying after a while.

He ignores Chanyeol’s stumble and Baekhyun’s sharp gasp when Kyungsoo arrives and squeezes in between their huddle on the steps of the building. He puts an arm around Jongin and asks, “What are we doing this weekend?”

“Kyungsoo,” Sehun chirps. He pulls him away from Jongin, who makes an off-putting noise at being pushed aside, and wraps his arms around his waist. Kyungsoo pats his cheek. “My texts and calls finally got to you.” Kyungsoo pats his cheek with a little more vigor after that.

Junmyeon and Jongin exchange a look, which he decides to ignore. He knew everyone was going to be like this, awkward and stuttering before dissolving into smiles, like nothing uncomfortable has just transpired. Good, he couldn’t help but think. He did feel a bit of resentment for all of them. There was no reason for them to not know and not tell him that something was going on with Baekhyun and Chanyeol behind his back. As his friends, he wished that they’d be more that than scared and just told him outright.

“My cousin’s here,” Junmyeon tells him with a smile and Kyungsoo smiles back in turn. It was Junmyeon’s thing: smiling and having everyone smile back even when there wasn’t really anything to smile about. “I’m picking him up then meeting with everyone for some bowling.”

“Or billiards,” Jongin pipes in, pulling Sehun back to his side, blatantly showing Kyungsoo this show. Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and Jongin grins at him.

“Bowling sounds fun,” Sehun seals the decision for them before Kyungsoo could even make up his mind. Junmyeon amusedly smiles at him, while Jongin gives him a squeeze. The boys probably intended for the youngest boy to shut up and let Kyungsoo decide.

Kyungsoo doesn’t really care, though, what they do. It’s been two weeks of hanging out at home by himself and his television set so it doesn’t matter to him what form of enjoyment they do, as long as he was actually with people.

“Okay then,” Junmyeon claps his hands and glances at his watch. “I’ll see you guys at around seven at the bowling alley.”

The group disperses. Jongin and Sehun go off together, while Junmyeon starts fixing his things to leave as well. Kyungsoo stands there, not really sure what to do anymore, when Baekhyun clears his throat. From his peripheral vision, he sees Baekhyun shift in his stance, opening his mouth and closing it again, obviously at a loss for words. Silently, he’s glad that Baekhyun didn’t know what to say. There really weren’t enough words in the world to make what he did less repulsive, less betraying.

It is Chanyeol who speaks instead. And Chanyeol, for all his long limbs and wide mouth, is never really one for perception, especially when flustered. “Are you mad at us?”

Junmyeon freezes, slowly getting up from his position bending over his bag. Baekhyun pinches Chanyeol, who flinches and realizes how stupid the words that came out of his mouth sounded. Kyungsoo wants to laugh at how they ridiculous they all were. But he doesn’t. And he doesn’t answer Chanyeol’s question either.

“Can I go with you?” Kyungsoo asks instead, his eyes on Junmyeon. “To pick up your cousin?”

There’s a crinkle of concern that twitches Junmyeon’s eyes as he blinked at him. It was to be expected. Junmyeon was always the more mature one out of all of them, the fatherly, smothering one, always gathering them together and picking up after all of their messes. Sometimes, he thinks that Junmyeon actually feels what they feel. He then wonders what he must be feeling with this love triangle mess.

Junmyeon smiles at him. And Kyungsoo inwardly sighs, with a wish that, at times like these, he was more like him.

The ride to the bus station is quiet. Junmyeon is on the wheel, eyes fixed on the road, and Kyungsoo’s sitting in the passenger’s seat, watching the trees and houses pass them by. Although he finds the quiet disconcerting these days as it makes him think too much, it’s the only thing he would accept. All the time he spent in his head was enough for him to start slowly recognizing the fact that there’s more to his life than Baekhyun and Chanyeol and thinking about them—

“You don’t have to keep torturing them, you know,” Junmyeon suddenly breaks the silence, startling him.

Kyungsoo hesitates and his eyes find the scenery that they pass by even more interesting. He’s never talked to any of them about the current situation or the fact that this could potentially change the dynamics of their friendships forever. He knows that it was unfair to the group, not fixing things, but he didn’t think he should be the one to initiate it. He’s the victim in the whole thing.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kyungsoo finally speaks. He actually does know what Junmyeon is talking about. Chanyeol and Baekhyun had been trying to talk to him for days, but he never wanted to listen. There isn’t anything they could say that would make anything okay. But he wasn’t about to admit anything. Especially not to Junmyeon, who was in his fatherly mode again. “And please don’t patronize me about how it’s not their fault and about how these things happen because you know they are in the wrong. I don’t know in what plane or space it’s ever right to cheat on your partner with your best friend, who also happens to be your best friend,” he suddenly snaps and he bites his lip after he’s done. Junmyeon was just being nice and totally didn’t deserve any of the words he just spewed out at him. Contritely, he looks over at Junmyeon. “I’m sorry.”

Junmyeon doesn’t respond immediately. Then he lets out a quiet sigh, coupled with a comforting smile. “Of course, you’re right,” he agrees with him. “I do know that they’re wrong. There’s nothing that can justify what they did.” He pauses quickly, but long enough to meet his eyes before turning his attention back on the road. “I just said that because it’s making you suffer, too, not talking to them.”

Kyungsoo merely leans back on his seat and closes his eyes. That was exactly the reason why everything was so hard. Because, no matter which way he looks at it, he lost three things: his boyfriend, his best friends, and himself.

Jongdae’s the quiet type. The whole ride from the bus station to the bowling alley, Junmyeon’s cousin only said three words: Hi, thank you, and yeah. Then nothing. Not even when Junmyeon kept the conversation going on the car and Kyungsoo was forced to indulge him and talk about things he wouldn’t normally talk about (like wildlife in South Korea). Maybe Jongdae was just shy, or something. But, it was weird, seeing as he and Junmyeon were close and hadn’t seen each other in years. He’d have thought that they would be catching up nonstop.

He becomes slightly more relaxed in the bowling alley, but he still doesn’t talk. He gets wide-eyed at Sehun poking his cheek, the youngest, but really tall boy poking his tongue out as he studies the beautiful bone structure that Jongdae’s face had. Jongin, meanwhile, sulks in a corner as this is happening. Kyungsoo almost laughs when Jongdae takes a step back when Chanyeol towers over him as he introduces himself.

“You look like you’re having fun,” Jongin sides up to him, arms crossed on his chest.

Kyungsoo merely raises an eyebrow at him. Jongin could be very childish when he wants to be, which was all the time. Such trait comes out more when he thinks Sehun is flirting with other cute boys and he gets jealous.

“You do know that Sehun is just naturally curious, don’t you?” Kyungsoo tries to make him feel better. But Jongin merely makes a face at this and it’s obvious that he knows Sehun is naturally curious, but that it doesn’t make him feel any better. It also probably doesn’t help that Jongdae is actually cute, with his dark, searing eyes, wide mouth, and his jet-black hair covering his eyebrows.

“You don’t think he has bad breath, do you?” Jongin elbows Kyungsoo. “He hasn’t said a word since he got here.”

“Junmyeon’s staring at you,” Kyungsoo tells him instead of answering. Junmyeon has always had some sixth sense on whether someone’s talking about him, or if something’s saying something mean about anyone to someone.

“Oh crap.” And Jongin ducks to Sehun’s side, pulling him away rather harshly from Jongdae, before Junmyeon could reach him.

“He’s not mute and he doesn’t have bad breath,” Junmyeon clarifies, settling on the space beside him. Kyungsoo doesn’t even dignify that with a response because the whole thing is ridiculously funny and he knows that if he even opens his mouth, he will just laugh and Junmyeon will just end up even more upset. Especially since Kyungsoo is supposed to be more mature than Jongin. But, as it turns out, Junmyeon is more upset than he let on. “I’m going to kill that kid,” he mutters.

The last time Junmyeon had said that was when Jongin had decided to do something “nice” for Junmyeon and washed all of his clothing without even breathing a word about it. All Junmyeon’s clothes had shrunk and he had to live off on Kyungsoo’s and Baekhyun’s donations for weeks until he could get a proper wardrobe back together.

“Go ahead. No one’s stopping you,” Kyungsoo encourages him, smiling a little, just as Jongin slips onto the lane, dragging Sehun down with him. It wouldn’t hurt anyone in the group if Jongin gets a little beating for all his rambunctiousness. He’s pretty sure Sehun wouldn’t mind as well. “It would be a great reflection of how much you value us as your friends. It will be your legacy.”

“Let me plan on it,” Junmyeon pats his shoulder, moving to take his turn to bowl. But before he leaves he turns to him again, and Kyungsoo just knows that he’s going to impart another one of those things that he’s sure Junmyeon doesn’t think changes lives. “Jongdae’s just looking for a friend.” Kyungsoo shifts his eyes to the mentioned male, who’s staring at Jongin and Sehun laughing on the floor. “Just like you.”

Sehun’s the youngest in their group, the one who’s supposedly the annoying but cute one, so you let everything annoying that he does slide. Except Sehun doesn’t act like that. Well, he does, but not really. He’s clingy and whiny when he wants to be, but he’s more serious than anything or anyone in the group, except for, maybe, Junmyeon. He’s meticulous about things and takes his schooling very seriously. It’s quite rare for them to be out with Sehun on a school night. He always says that going out on a school night was a waste of time and wasn’t going to help him achieve his goals. But there are times when he takes advantage of his status, mostly when he wants bubble tea or ice cream or any form of food out of nowhere.

Jongin’s the one who acts like the baby most of the time. Only a couple of months older than Sehun, he takes advantage of the fact that Sehun doesn’t want to be treated like an infant and takes his place instead. He clings and whines and pouts and do all other things that he thinks youngest kids gets away with. Kyungsoo’s sure that it only makes each one of their friends smack him right on the face. But no one does. Because that’s Jongin’s charm. He’s the mood maker of the group. Rarely seen unhappy or frowning, he makes everyone laugh with his antics, sometimes exasperatedly, but there’s always some form of happiness when he’s around.

“Heyyy!” Jongin happily greets him as soon as he walks into Kyungsoo’s apartment without any sort of warning.

“I really don’t know why there are things such as doorbells or knocking when there’s a person like you who just ignores them,” Kyungsoo comments without looking up from his reading. Sundays were usually his time for himself. He supposes this isn’t going to be one of those Sundays.

Jongin merely flops down the sofa right beside him, making sure to make it dramatic so that Kyungsoo is actually lifted up from his seat, and peers at his book. “Don’t you ever do anything else but read when we’re not around to bug you?” he asks, making a face.

“No,” Kyungsoo answers plainly, turning a page.

Jongin sighs and lays his head on Kyungsoo’s lap, turning on his side so that he was more comfortable. This alerts something in Kyungsoo’s head. Jongin is affectionate and sweet, but he isn’t really the type to seek it out. Yet, here he is, in Kyungsoo’s apartment.

“What’s wrong?” Kyungsoo asks, closing his book and putting it down beside him.

“I just want things to be back to normal,” Jongin finally speaks after a couple of seconds of silence. He slowly turns on the sofa and looks up at him.

“What do you mean?” Kyungsoo wants to know confusedly, ignoring the fact that he’s lying straight to his friend’s face. “Things are normal. Or are you and Sehun fighting again?” Things are far from normal, but he isn’t going to admit that right out loud, especially when it still stings just thinking about it.

“We’re not,” Jongin shakes his head. “This isn’t about me and Sehun. Just… I don’t see you as much anymore. And the guys are always wondering where you are and Sehun’s always asking me…”

There isn’t really a way he could answer this to make him feel better. The decision to stay away was made by him because there’s only so much of Baekhyun and Chanyeol handholding that he can handle.

“Are you being jealous because Sehun misses me?” Kyungsoo teases instead, a smile quirking up his mouth as he looks down at him.

“Of course not,” Jongin makes a face indignantly. “You’re not Sehun’s type.” Kyungsoo merely smirks. “But, Kyungsoo…” he hesitates.

“I’m sorry,” Kyungsoo states, breathing deeply, and finally admitting to the changes. “I didn’t mean for this to be such a mess.”

Jongin sits up and leans his head on his shoulder. Kyungsoo’s arm comes around him, pulling him closer. For some reason, he and Jongin is close like this. They have a certain bond that was different with how he was friends with Chanyeol and Baekhyun. While Chanyeol and Baekhyun had known everything about him, Jongin is there for the things he really needs someone to commiserate with. Jongin immediately swoops down to him and comforts him without him even asking. He realizes now that he really appreciates this fact.

“We’re sorry, too, you know,” Jongin confesses. “I mean how could we not know that—.”

“None of this is your fault,” Kyungsoo cuts him off. Despite his slight anger for them not telling him, it really wasn’t their fault. He leans his head on Jongin’s and wonders how things could become so messy. Those guys are his life; they are what made his life fun and bearable.

“You know,” Jongin speaks again after a short silence. “Jongdae has been asking about you.”

“What do you mean?” Kyungsoo wonders, lifting his head up to look at him. The subject change is jarring even coming from Jongin.

Jongin shrugs as he straightens up as well. “I guess he’s just curious about you.” Kyungsoo snorts. “He’s pretty cute, if you ask me.”

Kyungsoo slaps the back of his head and pushes him off of the couch. The way Jongin matchmakes is that he invents stories and hopes that it’s all true and that everyone will live happily ever after. Happily ever afters are sketchy for him now, though. He isn’t sure they existed anymore.

“I’ll make sure to tell Sehun that,” Kyungsoo retorts. He picks his book up once more, but Jongin grabs it from him and throws it across the room. “Very mature, Jongin.”

“I’m being serious!” Jongin declares seriously. “Why doesn’t anyone believe me when I’m being serious?” Kyungsoo shoots him a look that says everything and Jongin smiles sheepishly. “But, really, Kyungsoo, you never speak to Jongdae, never include him in conversations or in anything.”

Kyungsoo opens his mouth to deny this because he’s done nothing of the sort. Jongdae was Junmyeon’s cousin and, of course, he is going to be nice to him. Then he realizes that Jongin is right. There’s been no interaction between them whatsoever.

“Fine,” Kyungsoo sighs this time, suddenly remembering Junmyeon’s words too him. “I’ll make more of an effort.”

Jongin grins and gets off the couch. Kyungsoo is just starting to get comfortable on the couch again when Jongin latches a hand on his wrist. “Make me something to eat.”

He gets dragged into a weekend at the beach. No matter how many times he’s said no, he still found his clothes packed into one of his more worn-out backpacks (because Jongin was stupid). They’re all standing outside the van, bags all packed in the trunk, when Jongin suggests that they should all have buddies for the trip. It’s a stupid idea because their number is uneven. Before anyone can say anything, Junmyeon insists on being by himself, giving Kyungsoo a look. With Baekhyun and Chanyeol and Sehun and Jongin already paired up, he doesn’t really have a choice but to sit with Jongdae. Not that he doesn’t want to.

Kyungsoo sighs. One of the reasons he hates traveling is because he hates traveling (especially long drives). He doesn’t like the feeling of being stuck in a vehicle for a long time. It makes him dizzy and not in control of his bodily functions. But Baekhyun had always taken care of him, letting him lean his head on his shoulder and putting an arm around him as he tried to sleep.

He moves restlessly in his seat, not even speaking to Jongdae, and glances surreptitiously at the seats behind him, where Baekhyun and Chanyeol were. Before he can even lay his eyes on them, a hand clamps on his thigh, startling him.

“Don’t torture yourself,” Jongdae murmurs, his eyes on his game.

Kyungsoo follows his advice, feeling like his wrist had been slapped for doing something inappropriate. He leans against his seat, eyes closed. Of course Jongdae is right. Anyone else who might have seen him would say that he shouldn’t have to bury himself into any more misery. Why is he even here? He thinks he’s been too nice since he still hangs out with the group even when Chanyeol and Baekhyun are around. He groans quietly, his head starting to pound as the van starts to move.

Jongdae shifts lower in his seat. “Kyungsoo, lean your head on my shoulder,” he quietly tells him, interrupting his train of thought.

“What?” Kyungsoo idiotically asks. He looks at Jongdae and blinks. The cause of his surprise is more of the fact that Jongdae spoke to him at all and not that he just asked him to lean his head on his shoulder (although that is very surprising as well). He doesn’t forget that he’s noted how nice his name sounded from his lips.

“I’d rather you didn’t puke on me, so lean your head on my shoulder and get more comfortable,” Jongdae patiently repeats.

Kyungsoo glares at him. He opens his mouth to retort when Jongdae looks at with concern and shuts his mouth. “I’ll be fine,” he mumbles, sinking into his seat, trying to get comfortable.

Suddenly his head is grabbed and shoved onto Jongdae’s shoulder. Kyungsoo lets out what sounded like a groan and a yelp, but follows suit. He decides that he’s not going to fight him anymore since his head is already on his shoulder and it’s comfortable.

Jongdae’s shoulder feels strangely cozy. Kyungsoo audaciously buries his head more into his shoulder, moving his body closer to him, wanting to feel snugger. Jongdae repositions himself, still gaming, and Kyungsoo stiffens, thinking he was going to be pushed away; they weren’t that close, after all; they weren’t even really friends yet. But Jongdae just shifts closer to him, making sure that Kyungsoo has all the comfort that he needs. Kyungsoo relaxes and closes his eyes.

The first thing that they do when they arrive at the beach is attending a party. Junmyeon, despite looking boring and stiff, actually is pretty friendly and knows a lot of people from everywhere. The group disperses as soon as they see the big group, the bonfire starting as the sun approaches the horizon.

Kyungsoo decides to stay by the bar and just sit and sightsee. Although he isn’t really sure how people getting drunk and making out was a sight, he doesn’t really have a choice. He doesn’t want to hurt Junmyeon’s feelings and make him think that he doesn’t appreciate the things that he does for them. He searches the crowd and finds Jongin on the dance floor, which isn’t surprising, moving flawlessly to the beat. Sehun, meanwhile, isn’t bad himself. He’s learned a thing or two about dance from dating Jongin. A couple of spaces away from them were Baekhyun and Chanyeol, arms wrapped around each other. Kyungsoo immediately averts his eyes and grabs the first drink that he sees on the bar. He downs it and reaches for another.

“Want to walk with me?” a voice says in his ear.

He jumps, almost spilling his drink. Before he’s able to respond, Jongdae is already halfway towards the shore. Thinking there isn’t anything to lose and that this is an opportunity for him to talk to Jongdae, he decides to join him.

The night is comforting, quiet and serene, the waves almost mutedly meeting the shoreline. Kyungsoo buries his toes in the sand with each step, enjoying how the coarseness of it massages his feet. After a short while of just walking, Jongdae stops and faces the sea, his feet getting wet. Kyungsoo follows suit.

“Everything seems so simple here,” Kyungsoo comments, letting his eyes fall close to just enjoy the soft breeze. He tries to remember when the last time was that he’d felt so peaceful.

“Everything is simple,” Jongdae responds after a moment. “Or it should be. Then again, not everything is black and white.”

“No, not everything,” Kyungsoo echoes. He puts his hands in the pockets of his khaki shorts and looks out into the waters, breathing deeply. “I haven’t been to the beach in a long time,” he shares. “I don’t really remember the last time I was here.” He pauses for a bit. “I used to think I hated it.”

“I love the beach,” Jongdae simply states. “It’s peaceful. It reminds me that things are probably where they should be, that I’m right where I should be at the moment.” He pauses then smiles a little. “So do you not hate the beach anymore?”

“Do you think you’re right where you should be at the moment?” Kyungsoo asks at the same time.

They stare at each other and laugh. Kyungsoo smiles, suddenly more comfortable about this whole trip than a couple of minutes ago. The way Jongdae speaks, the timbre of his voice, there’s something about it that made Kyungsoo feel like he’s being wrapped in a hug, comforting and warm.

The flow of conversation after that turns considerably lighter and more at ease. They sit down on the sand, their feet wet with the water, and the smiles on their faces more genuine.

Kyungsoo talks about school, drawing and his friends. He tells Jongdae stories of Jongin’s silliness, Sehun’s impudence as the youngest, and how Junmyeon defends his bossiness. All his stories revolve around Junmyeon, Jongin and Sehun, as if Baekhyun and Chanyeol were never a part of his life. He hopes that Jongdae doesn’t notice, or if he does, doesn’t ask about it.

He doesn’t and Kyungsoo is relieved. Jongdae just shares stories of his life in China, how different it was studying there, how lonely he felt even when he’d found some semblance of family. He tells him how Junmyeon kept on sending emails regularly even when he’s barely replied to any of them, how he appreciates the fact that someone from where he originally was, tried their best to remind him that there is a place he can go back to if he needed to.

Afterwards, when the banter dies down, they just sit there, side by side and listen to the waves wash in and out.

Kyungsoo takes a deep breath as the sudden rush of emotion tears through him. The absence of Baekhyun and Chanyeol in his stories just made the whole situation seems more real. It hurts him more to think that this could be how things would be from now on. They would hang out, but not really, and the friendship would just fizzle out.

An arm slides up around him and he realizes that Jongdae has scooted closer to comfort him. His other hand reaches up to dry the tears he doesn’t even realize was falling from his eyes. Kyungsoo gives in to his embrace and cries on his chest.

Part 2