After the meal, Chan helped Changbin up cautiously and walked slowly with him to his room, which made Changbin quite insecure.

"What... why aren't we going to Jisung's room?" he asked so quietly and miserably that it almost broke Chan's heart.

"I just want you to pack some things, Binnie. Don't worry!"

Before Chan had even finished speaking, Changbin opened his mouth to protest. Because in his head, everything that had happened since they had left the hospital, made him think of something completely different and made him instantly worried.

His thoughts were misplaced and the only explanation for him, why Chan and Jisung acted so strange was that they wanted to take him to a mental hospital.

That they were afraid that he had wanted to take his life and no longer knew how to deal with him.

Which wasn't the case at all. He had just wanted to suppress all the chaos and fear. And had wanted to silence the voice in his head that had blamed Chan for everything.

He hadn't planned to split his leg, let alone drink so much alcohol that he had to experience alcohol poisoning.

"Baby, breathe. It's all right. Do you trust me when I say it's going to be much better than anything you're just making up in your head?" Chan asked softly, cupping Changbin's face with both hands and kissing him gently.

"I... o-of course I trust you... but," Changbin whispered and his voice trembled clearly.

"No but, my angel. It's a surprise, that's why I don't want to tell you yet, okay? And if you can do this alone, I would quickly put a few more things in my suitcase," Chan replied quietly but firmly. He didn't quite understand what was going on in Changbin's head, but he succeeded in mentioning his own suitcase.

"All right," Changbin murmured softly and leaned for a moment against the older, who lovingly caressed his back and pressed a kiss on his temple.

"Let's go. Otherwise it will get too late."

Changbin took a deep breath and rubbed his head against Chan's chest before he pulled away from him and entered his room.

He looked around in amazement. His memories of the night were incredibly blurry and patchy, but his room had definitely not been so clean and tidy.

When he turned to thank Chan, however, he realized that he had already disappeared, which made him alone with the strange feelings in his heart.

Somehow he felt a terrible mixture of guilt, humility and gratitude and tears gathered in his eyes.

He had behaved terribly. And even though Chan and Jisung had been through exactly the same thing he had, they hadn't even begun to behave like him. They had even eliminated his chaos. Not even the blood stain on his carpet was visible anymore.

Almost angrily, he wiped his tears aside and swore to himself to deal with the whole situation differently from now on.

Sighing, he pulled his suitcase out of the closet and put it on the bed. Chan hadn't said what to pack, which is why he threw clothes in relatively indiscriminately. Some sweaters, pants and shirts, as well as underwear, sleeping-and training clothes.

More or less satisfied with it, he made his way to the bathroom to pack everything necessary. He had completely forgotten that Chan and Jisung had brought most of it to the hospital and that it was still in the bag next to the front door.

He almost ran into Jisung when he jerked around to get the things out of his hospital bag. A stabbing pain in his leg reminded him that he should probably make slower movements in the near future.

"Everything okay, Binnie?" the younger asked worriedly and couldn't resist pulling Changbin to him for a moment.

"I think so," Changbin murmured, leaning against the younger one. "Just need to remember not to make such jerky movements."

Jisung nodded understandingly and gently stroked Changbin's back. "Do you need anything? Do you want me to help you pack?"

"I'm almost done, I just wanted to get my toothbrush out of the hospital bag."

"I'll do that and you sit down here!" Jisung demanded firmly and slowly led the older to the next chair.

Relieved, Changbin let himself sink on it, even if he tried not to let it be noticed how much his leg hurt.

"Maybe we should still pack painkillers," Jisung muttered more to himself than to Changbin, but he nodded in agreement.

With that Jisung ran in the direction of the bathroom and then scurr around the apartment, while Chan had just disappeared.

"Okay, I'm ready, how about you?" he heard Chan's voice behind him a short time later and immediately the older's warm, big hands rested on his shoulders.

An uncertain smile appeared on Changbin's lips and he leaned against Chan. Felt again how safe he actually felt with the older one.

"I'm done too," shouted Jisung from the kitchen, where he just had put the used dishes in the dishwasher. Shortly after, he came out of the kitchen with rumpled hair and wet hands.

"God, how can you be so cute," Chan groaned and Changbin nodded approvingly.

Jisung came over and kissed them both one after the other. "Let's go, otherwise it will be damn late. And as usual, Chan can't take turns, even if this time has other reasons. It shouldn't get too late."

"Wise words," Chan laughed and nodded in agreement. He carefully broke away from Changbin and then went to get his own luggage and then Changbin's.

Jisung was already at the front door with Changbin and his own suitcase, busy putting on Changbin's shoes.

Before he made himself noticeable, Chan secretly took a picture of the two. His heart full of love for them. Love and hope that everything would be fine again.

It took a while until they had stowed the luggage in the car and were finally ready to leave, so it was already early afternoon.

But since Chan often enough couldn't sleep anyway, especially when he wasn't lying in bed with Jisung and Changbin, the late arrival didn't really worry him much.

The only concern he had had was whether the ferry would still be on duty that late. But he had checked that before they had left and if they progressed quickly, they would make it to the last ferry.

And at least at the moment it looked like luck was on their side.

Changbin sat next to him because Jisung had insisted that the older needed more legroom. He was busy writing something into his phone, which was why Chan just left him alone.

Jisung sat behind him, allowing Chan to watch him through the rearview mirror at least a little. He looked out the window, headphones on his ears and seemed to be in his own world.

Smiling, Chan focused on the street again.

They made it to the last ferry just in time. Because even though Chan had really made an effort, they had gotten into a small traffic jam. And then Jisung had to go to the toilet, for which they had stopped at a rest area.

All in all, Chan had recovered the lost time by driving just above the speed limit the whole time, yet they only had five minutes to get on the ferry.

With a little friendly expression, the doorman had opened the barrier for them again and let them go on the ferry.

Changbin was asleep, even though he had noticed where they were going in the meantime and Jisung had already buckled up, the second Chan had finished parking.

"I have to stretch my legs," Jisung whispered to Chan, who merely nodded and also unbuckled his seatbelt.

He had no problem driving long distances, even if he usually didn't have to do it himself anyway. But in the meantime his legs hurt a little.

"I think we should let Binnie sleep, what do you think?" Chan asked softly before opening the door.

"I think so too. He has a lot to process and looked pretty tired," Jisung whispered and got out.

Chan took one last look at the sleeping Changbin.

The younger one actually looked pretty peaceful. He had grabbed Chan's sweater, folded it and put it as a pillow between himself and the car window.

His hair fell untidy in his forehead and Chan had to pull himself together not to stroke it to the side.

"I love you, Binnie," he whispered, pressing a kiss on the younger's forehead as carefully as he could.

He was received by quite cool night air, which made him shiver. He clearly felt the difference between the fresh sea air and the smog of the big city.

Yawning, he stretched out and then went to the trunk to get his jacket out.

"Pretty cold," murmured Jisung, who followed him and rubbed his arms in a shiver.

"True. But actually I think it's really nice. It's just a little unfamiliar right now," Chan replied, handing Jisung his jacket before he finally found his own and put it on. "Shall we go to the railing?"

Jisung nodded without saying a word, grabbed Chan's hand and together they went to the back of the ferry and stood at the railing. Watched how they moved further and further away from the shore, until at some point only the lights in the darkness could be seen.

Chan had wrapped his arms around Jisung and pressed the younger tightly to himself. Took a deep breath of the cool sea air and enjoyed the peaceful, quiet moment.

The more distance they brought between themselves and Seoul, the easier it was for him to take a deep breath again. To grasp clear thoughts and to be himself again.

"I love you, Peach," he muttered, gently brushing his lips over Jisung's temple before pressing a kiss on it.

"That was somehow unexpected now," Jisung chuckled, just to snuggle closer to Chan. "I love you too!"

Chan took a deep breath and without him being able to do anything about it, tears gathered in his eyes. He couldn't even really explain why. It was kind of a mixture of pure relief, insanely much love, but also a big dose of panic. And although the love and relief definitely prevailed, the desperate panic also burned in his heart.

Sighing, he shook his head and leaned his head against Jisung's.

"Everything will be fine," Jisung muttered, turned around and wrapped his arms around him.

It's a Cold War
LET'S GO TO WAR
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