Changbin had banished Minho to the passenger seat, even if the elder had threatened him with punches for it.

"Min, why did you come along at all? You can't really exercise with your shoulder anyway."

Minho looked out the window for a moment before answering.

"Never skip leg day. You know. No, I wanted to give Chan and Ji some time together. He still blames himself for Ji's kidnapping and I think the two need some time to find back to each other again."

Instead of answering, Changbin concentrated on the road and thought about it. Minho was right. Normally, so before Jisung's kidnapping, the two had been closer. And although Changbin was together with Chan, hardly a day had passed when Jisung had not sat on the elder's lap, cuddled with him or even had fallen asleep in his arm.

Chan and Jisung had always been incredibly close. They had founded 3Racha and Changbin had completed them.

Even after Changbin and Chan had come together, this had not changed the closeness between Chan and Jisung.

But since Jisung's kidnapping, Chan had distanced himself somewhat from the youngest and had rather taken care of Minho.

"I don't even think he's aware of this, but Jisung needs him now more than ever at his side. Even if Chan blames himself," Minho said and smiled sadly.

"You're right... I've already noticed that," Changbin murmured.

The rest of the trip, both followed their thoughts.

"Min?"

Minho startled from his thoughts and looked around. They were standing in the underground car park of the label, but for some reason Changbin had not yet got out.

"Hmm?"

"I've been thinking a lot about something since we got out of the hospital, especially since last night. And already talked to Chan about it... but somehow it was never the right time to talk to you about it..."

"What are you talking about, Binnie?" asked Minho and looked confused at the younger one.

"When we went to the apartment to get our things, I really realized for the first time how bald and uninviting our apartment is... and since we have been living with you, I have the feeling that it is doing us good and, apart from the circumstances, we really feel comfortable with each other."

Changbin took a short break and took a deep breath.

"I don't want to go back to the old apartment. I don't know if this is a temporary feeling, but it doesn't feel right to be without both of you. Even though the time in the studio did good, I was really happy to drive back home to you. And I know that Chan exactly feels the same way."

Minho had tears in his eyes and reached for Changbin's hand.

"And that's why we wanted to ask you if you could imagine living with us and looking for a new apartment with us."

Now the tears ran down Minho's cheeks and he nodded exuberantly.

"I don't know what Jisung will say about it, but I would be very happy," Minho murmured. Before he could wipe away the tears, Changbin had stretched out his hand and gently wiped it away softly.

Finally, he leaned forward and kissed Minho.

"Do you think others might find this strange?" Minho asked him and the uncertainty in his voice was clearly audible.

Changbin shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe we shouldn't put it on social media or so... neither for you, nor for 3Racha it would be advantageous if it became public. And if our friends or relatives have a problem with it, then that's their problem."

Minho nodded slowly. Neither friends nor relatives came into question with him. He no longer had any contact with his mother, he didn't know his father and he did not know other relatives. He would only call Jimin would his friend, but knew that he would have no problem with it. And otherwise he didn't let anyone get so close to him. It remained to be seen how the families of the others would deal with it.

"Come on, let's do a little sport," Changbin said and got out. Minho followed him.

Fortunately, the gym was empty.

Together they did loose warm-up exercises, which Minho could participate in without straining his shoulder too much.

After that, Minho exercised his legs while watching Changbin exercising.

~~~~~~~

"Channie?"

The older one had closed his eyes and cuddled close to Jisung.

"Hmm?" he answered sleepily.

"Are you somehow mad at me?" Jisung asked quietly and began to pluck around Chan's T-shirt nervously.

Suddenly, Chan was fully awake and straightened up.

"How do you come up with something like that, little one?"

"Before all this happened, we were somehow closer... and if you are looking for closeness now, then that of Minho or Changbin," Jisung murmured quietly and sadly.

Chan stunned and thought about it for a moment. Thought about why Minho had gone to the gym with his gunshot wound in his shoulder, although that made no sense at all. About whether he behaved differently towards Jisung since he was back. About why he was now looking for more closeness to Minho.

Sighing, he pulled Jisung to him and felt tears running down his cheeks.

"Little one, I... I know you said I shouldn't blame myself for you being kidnapped... but I promised you back then to take care of you and that nothing would ever happen to you... I couldn't keep my promise and if I hadn't let you drive home at night, nothing would have happened to you at all...." Chan murmured and gently stroked Jisung's back, while the tears ran down his cheeks.

"Channie, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard... even if nothing had happened that evening, it could still have been that I had been kidnapped another day... or that they would have kidnapped you or Changbin...," he gently wiped the tears from Chan's face.

"Hmm.. you're probably right... but it just feels like it's my fault," Chan said sadly.

"Of course I'm right! Honey, it's not your fault! Those who kidnapped me are the ones to blame! You didn't do any of this to me, you even helped save me. Don't blame yourself for things that were absolutely not in your hands. After all, I don't do either..."

Chan shook his head in surprise. "When did you grow up like that?"

Jisung sighed theatrically. "I had to grow up quickly."

This made Chan laugh and he pulled Jisung to him.

"I love you, little one! That hasn't changed and it won't ever change!" said Chan, took a deep breath and kissed Jisung gently.

"I love you too Channie!"

He happily cuddled up to the older one again. He had been really worried if Chan was mad at him about anything.

Chan pulled him closer and kissed him on the temple.

"Little one, I don't know if Binnie has already asked you about it, but when we got our things out of the apartment, we talked about why we don't live with you and Minho together. And the last days we have spent together have only reinforced the desire in me. Binnie and I would like to move in with both of you..."

Jisung looked at him with big eyes and immediately began to grin. That was from one extreme to the next, but he didn't expect something like that to happen and he felt incredibly happy right now.

"YES!", he couldn't hold back, stuck himself and kissed Chan.

"Maybe we should wait for what Minho says about it," Chan said with a smile, but he also felt indescribably happy.

He hadn't even been aware of how much he had lacked the closeness to Jisung. How much they both needed each other and that, even if they were not a couple, they were very connected. More than other people would probably understand. But he didn't care. He loved Changbin, he loved Jisung and he also loved Minho. The kidnapping had been the horror for all of them, but they also were closer than ever before.

"If Minho says yes, I ask my parents if they can help us find a new apartment. They have good contacts with brokers here in Seoul."

Jisung nodded happily. Somehow the day had gone differently than he would have expected. First Binnie's breakdown, then the unexpected discussion with Chan and now plans for a shared apartment with Chan and Changbin.

And for the first time since his abduction, he felt completely happy and was sure that they could process what they experienced together. That he was able to process his trauma and that they would come out of it stronger than before.

꧁ ⸺ ♥ ⸺ ꧂