They stepped out onto the rooftop and Seonghwa made sure to leave the door open a crack so it wouldn't lock on them. Minho took a moment to adjust to the crisp air but it seemed to sober him up a little. Seonghwa sat down on the cement rooftop, holding his head with his hands.

What the hell was he doing?!

If Hongjoong found out...he couldn't even imagine what would happen. He wasn't sure he could come back from it.

But he didn't want Minho to bother Hongjoong anymore. Especially with how wasted he'd been. Things would have gone downhill so fast if they'd stayed. He had to get him away. And he'd handle it. So Hongjoong wouldn't have to.

"Why did you take me here? Are you planning to finally take your revenge? I hate to break it to you but a fall from six stories would hardly be enough to kill me."

"But it would certainly end your career."

Minho shrugged.

"I think I'm doing enough of that on my own. It would honestly be a blessing to have an excuse to step away."

Seonghwa sensed he was referencing whatever had caused him to get so wasted. He held a hand out to help Minho sit down next to him. He sighed and accepted, sitting down on the cool concrete.

"What happened?"

"You don't have to pretend you care."

"I don't. But if I do it makes you a lot more likely to tell me. And the sooner you tell me, the sooner I can help you and send you away from Hongjoong."

"Fair point."

"So?"

"Well, nothing beyond my usual fuckery. I fucked over my healthy relationship by being an ass, got into a fight with Changbin because he took Jisung's side, and finally ended up getting Chan involved. So, guess who's suspended from performing with Stray Kids?" Minho laughed maniacally, shaking his head.

As much as he hated his guts, he felt himself feeling bad for him. He couldn't help but feel a little responsible.

After all, Minho wasn't having any problems before he'd gotten there.

"That's really shitty. I'm sorry."

"Fuck you. Why do you always get to be the good guy? Why do you always let me be the asshole? What can I possibly do that'll make you treat me like the piece of shit I am?"

"Minho, just because you're a piece of shit doesn't mean I have to treat you like one. I'm not trying to play the hero I just don't think being an ass to you will make your life any less shitty."

"It'd make me feel a lot less shitty for treating you as horribly as I did. And now Jisung. Fuck. You'd think I would have learned something after what I did to you. I guess I really am just fucked in the head."

"You can't just blame yourself. It's never just one-sided. Granted, it's probably mostly your fault. But it's mine, too."

Minho scoffed.

"What the fuck, Seonghwa? How can you possibly take the blame for me being a shit boyfriend?"

"You guys were fine until I came along and made you get involved in my relationship problems. I made you two fight that night. How could I not have any blame?"

"You seriously think that was your fault? Jesus, Hwa. Stop reminding me how much I fucked you up."

"Just because I can recognize when I should take responsibility doesn't mean I'm fucked up. I just want you to know it's not entirely your fault. Just like...what you did to me."

"Dear God, don't you dare tell me you think our shitty relationship was your fault too?"

"It was. I know it was mostly you but—"

"Park Seonghwa shut your fucking face. I won't let you take credit for any of it. What I did to you was entirely my fault. You have no blame. None."

"I let you walk all over me—"

"No, I, the shit boyfriend, walked all over you. You didn't let me do anything. I chose to do it. Of my own volition. None of that was your fault."

Seonghwa tried again to interject but Minho wouldn't let him.

"Seriously. That's the one thing I can't let you say. You need to know that. It was never you. Never."

"Fine. If that pleases you. It was your fault."

"Thank you. It does please me. Continue. Lay it all on me. Let it all out."

"Minho, I'm past it. I don't have anything left."

"Yes you do. Remember when you took time to write those corny love songs for me? And I didn't even let you finish before interrupting and talking about myself? How did that make you feel?"

"They were pretty corny...I wouldn't have wanted to listen to them either."

"Listen to yourself! You spent days—weeks even! Writing songs for me! And I never ever listened to one full song. Not once."

"Minho, stop. I know what you're trying to do. I'm not looking to play your games."

"Do you want to know why? Because I didn't want to get attached. I ignored you because I knew if I let you get to me I couldn't follow through on my goals. I needed to treat you like shit so that I could tell myself I deserved your spot. I fucked you over for the sake of my own conscience. How messed up is that? You were nothing more than a pawn to me."

Seonghwa grit his teeth.

"Minho, stop."

"No really! I didn't even look at you twice before I heard about your JYP internship! I hardly even knew you existed. And then when I saw how easy you would be to manipulate! How much of a people pleaser you are! What a teacher's pet! It was as if pushover was just written across your forehead! I knew it would be so easy to get it from you. So easy. You didn't even make it hard one time. You practically handed it to me on a silver platter—"

"SHUT UP!"

Minho smiled, having finally peaked Seonghwa's temper.

"There you go. Get angr—"

"What the fuck is wrong with you?! I just want to help you! You walked into my dorm drunk off your ass, harassing me! After everything you said to me the other night when you practically tore my head off?! You had no right!"

"Keep it coming, I like it when you get angry."

"God! You're such a fucking prick! I took you to get fresh air so that you wouldn't make a bigger fool of yourself than you already have! I'm sticking my neck out here to make sure you're not going to fuck things up any more than you already have!"

"Aww, I can't believe you still feel like you have to protect me. You'll never be over me, will you?"

Seonghwa sighed, his hands trembling with fury. But he remembered his members. Hongjoong. How it felt to lose control. He couldn't do it again. He needed to reign it in. Minho was egging him on. But he needed to resist. He wasn't thinking straight.

He couldn't take him so seriously.

"Minho, I'm sorry your life is in shambles right now, but that doesn't mean you can just come fuck up mine to feel better about yours. I'm helping you because you shouldn't be alone right now. That's it."

"Aw, Hwa. You're ruining our fun. You deserve to get a little mad. Come on, what's the worst you could say to me? I'm sure I deserve all of it. Who else can you really scream at? I've seen that temper of yours. I know how hard you must be trying to control it. This is your chance to let it out. Let me help you."

"Getting mad isn't going to solve anything."

"Well, it certainly can't hurt. Look at my face. Doesn't it make you want to scream profanities at me? At the very least, you could give me one good swing."

"Minho, I'm going to help you. I know you don't think you deserve it but I don't care. You're just a person. And you're suffering so much. I know you don't mean what you're saying."

"Oh, you know me so well? You, the guy that I pretended to love for over a year?"

Seonghwa realized his words weren't doing anything so he put an arm over Minho's shoulder and pulled him close.

Minho was startled at first, and he reached up to hold on to Seonghwa as he slid down towards his shoulder. But as Seonghwa held onto him, he couldn't help but release his pain.

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he buried his face in Seonghwa's shirt. Seonghwa felt his free arm flexing as he tried his best to keep down the rage he'd brought up for just a moment. He wasn't sure when he'd gotten that close to letting the blind rage since he'd gone off on Hongjoong.

And it was really hard not to let it take over. But not as hard as dealing with the aftermath.

He knew Minho was just trying to make himself feel worse. He wanted to brought down for the awful things he'd done. But he just needed someone to tell him it was okay.

Seonghwa let him cry for a while and found his rage slipped away almost entirely. Minho slowly sat up, not making eye contact with Seonghwa. He wiped his nose with his sleeve, looking over the edge of the building at the night sky.

"You didn't have to do that."

"I did."

"Why won't you let yourself hate me?"

"I do hate you. But I don't need to tell you that in order for it to be true. And it doesn't mean I can't still treat you like a human being."

Minho turned to face him, his eyes finally making direct contact with Seonghwa's. A small smile started at the corner of his lips.

Seonghwa smiled back. He waited for Minho to look away but his eyes stayed on him. He got a bit shy and looked down at his hands.

But just as he did, a hand reached around his head, grabbing onto the back of his neck and pulling him forward.

And then, their lips crashed together.

"H—hwa...?"