The Connect

Chapter Eleven

WONHO POV

Being happy can be painful. Because the happier you are when something bad happens, the more it hurts. It hurts a lot. The more you know happiness, the more you know pain.

When I got down to the kitchen, all I had in mind was Changkyun and how he'd have been mad I showered without him, how he'd have been playfully sulky and I'd have kissed him, playfully offered sexual favors in order to be forgiven.

But Changkyun wasn't there.

My smile faded when I didn't find him in the kitchen. The only person left in the house was Kihyun, sitting on the living room floor, playing video games, yelling at the players that were playing with him online.

"Kkung not back yet?" I asked Kihyun, standing by the kitchen door.

Kihyun noticed my presence in the room and put down the headphones and gamepad then gave me a small smile. "He'll be back soon." Kihyun told me.

"Hm..." I shoved my hands in my pocket and sighed deeply. "The guys didn't want to stay for lunch?" I asked.

Kihyun shook his head, fixing his eyes on the screen again, saying his goodbyes to the game players then standing up, stretching. "Heonie and Hyuk took the kids to that amusement park we all talked about and the others, you know..." Kihyun sighed, sitting down on the couch and patting the spot by his side. "They just made up so they want time alone."

"Thought you wanted to visit that park too." I sat down by his side and he smiled, patting my thigh.

"We haven't spent time together in a while." He said. "Just us."

I raised my eyebrows. "Oh?"

"Not like..." He scoffed. "You don't have to worry. I'm happy for you and Jjangkyunie. I'm moving on."

"Really?" I asked with a big smile.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"And... you're okay?"

"I'm okay." He bit his lip, smiling. "Just missed you. Just sitting down with you and watching a silly drama, eating fried chicken."

"Sorry." I whispered. "I... I'm just happy Kkungie is back, I didn't mean to neglect you or—"

"No, no." He tittered, waving his hands. "I'm not upset. I'm happy for you, I really am."

I smiled, furrowing my eyebrows. "You really are?"

He nodded. "I really am. I just... I want the seven of us to move forward, you know? Be happy. And I know you're your happiest with him."

I let out a breath of relief, smiling then pulled him close for a hug, wrapping my arms around him tightly. "Do you have any idea how happy this makes me?"

Happiness is scary. It can disappear in the blink of an eye and suffering will follow.

"Why's he taking so long?" I whispered to Kihyun, lying on the couch with my head on his lap as a music show played out on the TV.

Kihyun shrugged. "He'll be back soon." He said. "He probably has a lot to talk about with his manager, right?"

I sighed. "I guess."

Happiness is fleeting.

I get up from the couch to grab my phone upstairs to call Changkyun but his phone is sitting right by mine. It makes my heart ache. It makes me worry even more.