𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐃 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐋

ONE

"You're happy for them? Sian, you idiot." He leaned his head against the wall, lifting it and gently hitting it repeatedly against the wall. "Ugh." He sniffled as he unlocked the door to his family's apartment. No one was home, his parents were out with some friends, he roughly remembers Doyoung and Taeil being mentioned. He was more then glad that they weren't home, tears falling down his face. No wonder people always called him a crybaby.

He missed when he didn't know the boys. When all he had to care about was himself and his family. He was happy.

Well actually, he'd hate to see his uncle Xiaojun without his husbands, and to not have a good, caring friend like little sushi, or to even have petty arguments with Eleven. They made it so hard for him to not be madly in love with them.

Justin has the audacity to look so cute all the time, to smile no matter what, to be one big ball of optimism and sunshine. Eleven is just so hot, his small smiles that go missed by most are adorable, his hidden caring side was heartwarming. They balance each other out. Make up for what each of them lack. He remembers when him and Eleven would fight over who played with Justin, and how the latter would blush and stutter around them both. He remembers when Eleven would hold his face and whine about him crying for the nth time that day. When Justin went through a phase of holding and grabbing his hand no matter what. While arguing with Eleven over who loved little sushi more or who Justin loved more.

He remembers when Dami first sat him down and told him it was gonna be okay after they all had their first small argument. When he watched the two leap into each others arms on the first day back to school after summer. He vividly remembers loitering behind the two when they were excitedly planning what they were gonna do on their trip to the beach. Then how they apologised later for 'rubbing it in his face that he couldn't go'.

He remembers how excited he was to see them both after they got back. Until he was told the two were planning on staying and going to the amusement park on their own. Their first official date. Grabbing some tissue, he entered the kitchen, ready to reheat some stew his mama left for him. Wiping his tears, he smiled fondly at the sweet note that was left for him, his dad's scribbles faintly reading 'ɾҽɱҽɱႦҽɾ ɯҽ ԋαʋҽ α ɠυɳ'.

Dami and Cess attempted to comfort him earlier. Yet the two assumed he just liked Justin, not even acknowledging Eleven. They told him he'd find someone, someone who'd look at him the way they look at each other. He'd find someone like everyone else in his life has.

A ding filled the silent kitchen, his phone lighting up. Seeing his friends group chat notifications flood in. Mentions of double dates, trips, fun date spots, congratulations. Clicking on the chat he typed out a joking text, which he almost tormented himself with. Painfully, he clicked send.

Don't forget your resident third wheel is here!

✰ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ 💔 ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ✰

"Aha, look at the brand new seniors!" Taeho and Taehyun laughed among themselves, watching the familiar faces arrive at school. Jie whined as his boyfriend teased some as they walked past. "Stop it, it's mean." Taeho smiled and awed at him. "Sorry baby, anyway, what are we doing here? We have class soon." The eldest triplet questioned. "Minyoung is dropping Dami off."

"And we had to be here for that? Jie needs to nap before class." The latter coincidentally yawned, wrapping his arms around the taller. "Well, she said she might be a while because she had to take Sian too."

"Stop it, I'm not a baby."

"Oh shush, okay, big smiles you two." Minyoung's voice ringed out through the corridor, to which the trio spotted her phone in hand taking photos of the best friend duo. "Sian, quit moping, this is the last one."  Despite her hard exterior, the girl's soft spot was on full display as she snapped the photos. This was the third day of their senior year (her third day of college) and she wanted to make it worth while.

"Yah, are you done?" Taehyun questioned, earning a glare from his girlfriend. A nod followed, and she smiled at the new collection on her phone. Jie, who was absentmindedly looking around, noticed the blue aura radiating from Sian. Frowning he attempted to escape his boyfriend's arms, but failed as he was pulled in tighter. Defeatedly deciding to leave him be.

"What's happening here?" A angelic voice pondered, approaching her girlfriend from behind, peaking at the phone in Minyoung's hand. "Wait, we should take one together!" Cess moaned, shaking Dami's arm. "Papa took loads of us yesterday." She mumbled back, embarrassed from all of the attention. Sian stood apart from them all, leaning against the wall, checking the time repeatedly. It seemed unchanging. Jie still kept his eyes on him, deciding to whisper for his boyfriend to let go of him. To which he reluctantly complied.

"Hey, you okay Sian?" He asked in his native tongue, making the ones around them raise their brows. "All good, didn't sleep well." More like didn't sleep at all, his bags hung down. Jie was the closest to Sian (amongst the older kids) as his papa and Sian's mama were close. He could read him easily, but today he couldn't. Sian was a relatively emotional boy, everyone knew that. "You aren't sick, right?" Princess asked, going over to check the boy for a fever. "Hm, seems fine to me, do you feel sick?" He shook his head, attempting to let out a laugh to change the subject.

"I can call someone to pick you up, papa won't mind" Dami added.

"I'm fi-"

"Are we missing something, or did all of you already flunk college and are back?" A familiar husky voice queried. This is exactly what he didn't need right now, keeping his head down, he could see the shine of Eleven's gucci shoes below him and the glint of his large jacket wrapped around little sushi. "Are you okay, Sian? Do you need to go home? Someone go get their car." Justin fussed, picking up his head to check him. Taking the faint blush of shyness as an indication of a fever. "I'm fine, really? Couldn't sleep last night, that's all."

Eleven listened to the almost blaring speed of his heart and wanted to question him, but decided against prying. Grabbing his brand new boyfriend's hand, he tried to ignore the love he saw in the eyes of Justin as he stared at Sian. He himself having to strain to not return the gesture.

"Since you're all here, how about a group picture?" Minyoung yelled out, already guiding Dami and Cess into place. The three boys followed suit, posing for the photo. As the elder girl counted down, Sian tried to muster up a grin, even trying to joke with Dami before her sister took it. It worked, the photo came out as a perfect portrait to the fun life of a high schooler.

Yet if you looked closer, deeply into the eyes of the half Chinese's you would see them glued onto the happy couple in the corner. Both holding the biggest, brightest smile anyone has ever seen. Because they finally had each other.