Somehow, Jinyoung has become very important for Jaebeom. Maybe it was because they met at the older's most vulnerable time. Maybe it was because Jinyoung doesn't have anyone else. Maybe... just maybe, because both needed each other. Regardless the reason, Jinyoung has become an extremely important person for Jaebeom, he's constantly in his thoughts, and often Jaebeom finds himself wondering when he's going to see the younger again, looking forward to those moments.

Jinyoung is that important that Jaebeom talks about him... a lot.

"I feel my position as oldest and childhood friend is being threatened, even when your Jinyoung can't be your childhood friend but I feel threatened okay?" Jackson complains when they meet one day for lunch, after Jaebeom, effortlessly, ends up mentioning Jinyoung because something reminded the older of his new friend.

"No one is going to take that title from you," Mark reassures Jackson, a comforting hand on the younger's thigh to which he clings to, always hungry for affection, for touch.

"I'm sure hyung never talks about me with that look in his eyes," Jackson continues, turning to look at Mark with big pleading eyes, talking about Jaebeom as if he weren't sitting across from them. "I'm sure he only looks annoyed when he talks about me."

Mark chuckles, ever so fondly, pulling Jackson to rest his jealous head on his shoulder, softly patting his head covered in a baseball cap, as usual.

Jaebeom rolls his eyes. He loves Jackson and he doesn't always looks annoyed with his friend, only occasionally. Jackson is just being overdramatic and Mark dotes on him too much.

"He clearly doesn't feel the same about you or me as he does for Jinyoung-ssi," Mark explains softly while Jackson fists the older's jumper. "If he did, then he and I would have a serious problem."

Jaebeom tilts his head, trying to get the full meaning of Mark's words, but apparently he's too slow and Jackson too fast. The younger pulls back, eyes wide in shock and realisation as if he finally understood the meaning of life. Mark only nods, clearly communicating with his boyfriend without uttering words, and leaving Jaebeom completely out of it.

Jackson turns to stare at Jaebeom with new eyes, mouth slightly open and Jaebeom is feeling extremely uncomfortable.

"Ohhh," the younger voices, nodding his head slightly. "I see."

"What do you exactly see? It's making me nervous, I have no idea what's going through that head of yours." Jaebeom asks, feeling anxious indeed.

"It's totally okay, hyung," Jackson says, comfortingly, which is more unsettling than anything. "You haven't realised yourself, but it's totally okay. When you do, you'll understand how beautiful it is."

"You don't make sense. Speak clearly," Jaebeom asks, feeling heat blooming on his cheeks, although he doesn't know why exactly.

Must be the way Jackson and Mark are staring at him.

"It's fine, I'm sure he's a wonderful person, worthy of your feelings," Jackson speaks, his tone soft and velvety, his voice with an inflection that makes Jaebeom's guts twist unpleasantly.

"I don't like your tone," he deadpans, breaking the eye contact and trying to hide his blush. "I just said how that guy looked like Jinyoung. You talk as if I were swooning over him instead."

Jaebeom doesn't need to look at Jackson to know the heavy stare that carries too much meaning, and Jaebeom isn't willing to deal with that right now.

How weird is it to see someone and be reminded of another person you're fond of? The guy was tall and slim, his frame elegant, his hair jet-black and perfectly styled. Once the young man got closer Jaebeom realised it wasn't his Jinyoung, but another man, not nearly as handsome or graceful as his friend. Obviously, he felt disappointed and wished it had actually been Jinyoung instead.

"You talk so much about him, I think it's necessary we meet him," Mark comments and Jaebeom can hear how Jackson is nodding his head with so much strength he probingly hurts himself. "When are you going to introduce us to him? I'm really curious to meet the person that became so important for you so fast."

"Someday," Jaebeom whispers, feeling uncomfortable with the idea of sharing Jinyoung.

For all his oddity, Jinyoung is charming and interesting, someone who makes you want to get to know him better. Jaebeom can guess Jinyoung and Mark will get along perfectly, and Jackson will make his way to Jinyoung's heart like a puppy, unstoppable. Thinking about that, about Jinyoung paying attention to others and making new friends makes him feel less special, and for some reason Jaebeom wants to be special for Jinyoung.

"You don't need to be so reluctant, no one is gonna steal him from you," Mark comments as if he could peek in Jaebeom's petty brain. He turns to stare at his friend bewildered, giving himself away. "I'm already in love and I have no eyes for anyone else. And Jackson better be the same." Mark's smile as he says that is so sweet and threatening at the same time it makes Jaebeom shiver, but Jackson looks impossible fond, cooing at the older. "And your Jinyoung better know his place, too."

"He's not my Jinyoung. It's not like there are more out there or anything," Jaebeom complains, just not to address the issue about being in love and becoming a threat for others. That implication Mark stated makes Jaebeom too uncomfortable.

Mark gives him a dead glance and Jaebeom knows exactly what it means.

"I know there are plenty of other Jinyoungs, especially Park Jinyoungs, but not in our circle. That's what I mean, we don't need to state specifications."

"He's yours, though," Jackson speaks again. "You're the only one that knows him and for us that makes sense. We only associate him to you."

Jaebeom feels the heat coming back to his cheeks, stronger, brighter. He doesn't want to grin, but the corners of his mouth tug upwards, pleased with the idea of the connection with Jinyoung in his friends' eyes. But then he's so appalled with how possessive his thoughts can be.

It's never easy or simple how he feels about Jinyoung.

"Introduce us," Jackson insists. "I wanna see if you two look so much as soulmates as I imagine it."

"Idiot," Jaebeom deadpans, throwing a used napkin to his friend, hitting right on his forehead.

Soulmate idiocy apart, Jaebeom keeps the thought of introducing his friends to Jinyoung in his head. He imagines they'd get along, and although it makes him a bit jealous (he's never going to accept that out loud, though), he's sure it'd be fun. Moreover, his mother has also shown interest in meeting someone that makes Jaebeom speak so fondly.

His mother is doing great, better than anyone could expect. She won't be like she used to, but she's working hard to recover the best she can, to go back to her old life as soon as possible. Jaebeom is incredibly proud and by now he's totally used to her slower and simpler speech. He loves talking to her, more than he did before the accident, even more than he did when she was in coma. Now she listens, looks at him and answers and that makes him so happy.

Obviously, Jaebeom has talked about Jinyoung a lot, telling him how they met, his worries and how relieved he feels every time they meet again. And his mother, just like Jackson and Mark, has expressed her desire to meet the young man as well.

Jaebeom has been thinking about that all day, so when he goes to the rooftop by sunset, he's still figuring out what would be better, introducing Jinyoung to his friends first, or to his mother.

After finding Jinyoung again, they've been meeting every day at the hospital rooftop around sunset. They haven't agreed to it, at least not verbally, but somehow they ended up doing it every time. Almost unconsciously. By the time the sun is setting, Jaebeom says goodbye to his mother and heads to the rooftop instead of going home.

Today, when Jaebeom walks past the door that lead to the rooftop, Jinyoung is already there. His hands on the rail, body tilted back, face to the purple sky with almost no clouds when it's already November.

As usual, Jaebeom is struck with how ethereal Jinyoung looks against the sunset, his hair, quite long by now, dancing with the wind, becoming a wonderful mess. His pale skin that seems like it's never seen the summer sun is faintly tainted purple with the light of the sunset, as if it were trying to consume Jinyoung and make it part of it.

For a few seconds, Jaebeom just watches how Jinyoung is caressed by the wind, how he enjoys the bitting cold dressed maybe too lightly for the season.

It takes a while for Jaebeom to start walking again, towards Jinyoung until he stands by his side, his hands also on the rail, next to Jinyoung's, their skins in touch.

"You're here," Jinyoung mutters without opening his eyes, but now smiling wider to the sky.

"How long have you've been waiting?" Jaebeom asks, just watching his friend. The landscape is beautiful, the city painted in lilac and pink as the sun hides in the west; but for him Jinyoung is a more fascinating sight.

"Hmmm... a minute. An hour. A lifetime. I don't know," Jinyoung muses, vague and dramatic, but by now Jaebeom is so used he doesn't mind. He just understands Jinyoung hasn't been paying attention to time passing by, he's just being there.

"Are you cold?" He asks next, noticing Jinyoung is wearing nothing but jeans, a turtleneck and a hoodie. Not even a scarf. Whereas Jaebeom is in thick jeans, army boots, turtleneck, hoodie and a coat.

And a scarf.

"Hmmm," Jinyoung mumbles, not really denying or confirming Jaebeom's statement. "I won't die."

Regardless, Jaebeom takes his own scarf and wraps it around Jinyoung, carefully and gently. The younger finally faces him, his eyes showing his surprise, but not complaining.

"Getting a cold is annoying, even if it won't kill you," Jaebeom explains, his hands still holding the ends of the black scarf that now protects Jinyoung.

"You're like a mother sometimes," Jinyoung grins and Jaebeom only shrugs. "How's your mother doing?"

"She's great. The doctor said in a week or so she could be discharged," Jaebeom explains, his smile even wider. For a while longer she'll still have to use a wheelchair, but optimistically speaking, there'll be a day she won't need it anymore. "Ah, and talking about eomma, she wants to meet you."

Jinyoung raises his eyebrows, clearly surprised with how sudden Jaebeom just throws that ball.

"And my friends, as well. They keep nagging me to introduce you to them. They are so curious."

"Oh, and why is that? Do you talk about me that much? Good things or bad things?" Jinyoung sounds amused.

"I don't know," Jaebeom shrugs. " I just talk about you."

Jinyoung's smile slowly fades and Jaebeom can read how the younger starts feeling uncomfortable, as if now he were actually thinking about the possibility, and not liking it.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Jinyoung mutters, looking away, to the city. The sunset is over, always so fast, taking with it the beautiful colours that bathed the city and made it look so picturesque. Now it's just artificial lights, of every colour, shape and brightness.

"Why not? Are you nervous they won't like you or anything?" Jaebeom wonders, wanting to understand what's making Jinyoung uncomfortable with the idea.

"It's not that," Jinyoung replies in a whisper, leaning forward on the rail, propping his weight on his forearms now. "I just don't think it's a good idea. For you."

"Why is that?" Jaebeom insists.

"It just wouldn't. It would ruin things for us," Jinyoung's eyes look down, to the street thirteen floors under them, crowded with people walking in every direction

"I don't agree, I think it—"

"Hyung, leave it," Jinyoung cuts him in. "It's best to stay as we are right now. I don't want to change this."

Jaebeom doesn't fully understand, although he tries to. He likes their current dynamic and only existing in the other's company but disappearing when they part ways, not having any other form of keeping in touch. But at the same time, Jaebeom is greedy and wants more. He wants Jinyoung to be more part of his life.

However, he doesn't want to push Jinyoung to do something he's not comfortable with, knowing his friend walks a fine line between life and death, always looking forward falling on the latter side. He's afraid of what pushing Jinyoung could do to the younger. And just because he wants to be careful until he can actually predict Jinyoung a bit, he accepts that answer and doesn't bring it up again.

∞

I hope you enjoyed it. Things will get more dramatic after chapter 27.

Happy Easter!

Bel, xx