The next morning, Jisung was the first to wake up. He lay snuggled up between Minho and Changbin and felt very safe between the two.

Minho breathed calmly and evenly, which gave him a sigh of relief.

He was used to having nightmares himself, but Minho usually slept quietly and deeply.

He gently kissed him and brushed his hair out of his face.

A look at his watch told him that they had to get up soon. Sighing, he closed his eyes for a moment and snuggled even closer to Minho.

He felt the heartbeat of the elder in the palm of his hand and smiled. Like the beat of the most beautiful song in the world.

He kissed him again, finally got up with a sigh and went into the kitchen to make coffee. Since he lived with Minho, it was their tradition that the one who woke up first made coffee.

Smiling, he remembered all the times Minho had expected him in the kitchen with coffee after his night had been far too short when it had become late in the studio again.

Finally, he returned to the bedroom with four cups, instead of two as usual, and carefully placed them on the bedside table.

They had discussed that Chan and Changbin would bring them there together and in the meantime go to Chan's mom. So all three would have to get up soon.

A little cumbersome, he climbed over Changbin and then squeezed between him and Minho, who had moved closer together in the meantime.

Tired, Minho opened his eyes while Changbin turned groaning to the other side.

"Good morning baby," he said yawning and pulled Jisung to him.

"Good morning honey. I made you coffee," he said with a smile

"Thank you," Minho murmured and pulled Jisung to him to kiss him.

Next to them, Chan yawned and stretched.

"Good morning sweets," he murmured and grinned sleepy.

Jisung and Minho looked at each other, started laughing and threw themselves at Chan. Laughing, Chan tried to fend off the two, but he had no chance against both of them together.

But he managed to pull Jisung to him with his free hand and kiss him while Minho tickled him.

Through all the noise and laughter, Changbin finally woke up. But instead of helping Chan, or joining Minho and Jisung, he watched the three and took a cup of coffee.

The good mood of the three was contagious and at least at the moment no one thought of Minho's nightmare or that they had to get up soon.

A short time later, they sat on the bed grinning and out of breath and drank the coffee. It was a relaxed, beautiful morning, despite the exhausting night and what was ahead of them.

But at some point they had no choice but to get up and get ready.

This time, too, Jisung put on a sweater from Minho. Because even if the first conversation had gone well and his therapist seemed to be nice, he also knew that they had not yet talked about the difficult things.

While the others were already finished and waiting for him in the entrance, he quickly ran into the bathroom again and sprayed some of Minho's perfume on the sleeve of the sweater.

Minho had to smile when he saw the sweater and smelled his perfume.

He waited until Jisung had put on his shoes and jacket and then reached for his hand.

Jisung took a deep breath and finally opened the front door.

He felt much better than two days ago, but he still didn't feel really good. But he was more than willing to try to process what he had experienced and take another step towards a new life.

A life in which he lived together with Minho, Chan and Changbin. In which he stood on stage again with Chan and Changbin and they spend too many nights up in the studio. A life in which he could enjoy the beautiful sides of life together with the others without having constant panic attacks.

He also knew that there was a lot of work ahead of him before it would be like that. But he was sure that he would manage to go this way together with the others.

Chan sat at the wheel, Changbin in the passenger seat and this time Minho had no problem sitting in the back seat.

Jisung sat tightly cuddled up to him and played slightly nervously with his fingers.

Minho gently pulled him towards him, kissed him and ran his fingers through Jisung's hair.

"If it gets too much for you at any point, let him know and come to me. I'll stay in the waiting room all the time."

Jisung took a deep breath and nodded. Maybe at some point he would get at the point where Minho no longer had to wait for him in the waiting room. But at the moment he was incredibly grateful that Minho came along and would be there for him if something happened.

"Thank you," he murmured and leaned his head against Minho's shoulder.

"Always baby!"

The rest of the trip went silently and all four followed their thoughts.

When they arrived in front of the practice, Chan and Changbin remained in the car. Both pressed Jisung's hand and would have liked to have taken him in their arms and kissed him, but they didn't want to cause a big scene right in front of the practice.

Even if the public knew about Jisung's kidnapping, no picture of all three of them with tears in their eyes in front of a psychotherapy practice should exist in the press.

"See you later, little one. We are proud of you!"

Jisung nodded, took a deep breath and got out.

Immediately Minho was at his side and together they went into the practice.

Chan and Changbin looked after them.

They both knew that it was really not easy for Jisung to come here. Which made them both all the more proud.

"I would like to shower him with gifts, even if I feel like that's not the right thing to do," Changbin said and laughed.

"Maybe not with gifts, but we could organize a weekend trip. Maybe in two or three weeks. For let's say 3-5 days or so. Just the four of us. Just as Minho wanted it."

"That's a beautiful idea, baby. And with the help of your mum without us having to give our names. She for sure will help to give a break to her foster son. Let's go to her."

Smiling, Changbin reached for Chan's hand. He loved Chan's parents. Which was based on reciprocity. They had welcomed Changbin with open arms and took him for granted as part of their family.

"I think you are the only person who gets along so well with his in-laws," Chan said laughing.

"In-law?? I still don't have a ring on my finger baby...!"

Chan rolled his eyes with a grin and drove off.

꧁ ⸺ ♥ ⸺ ꧂