Make Me STAY

Here Always

Changbin was brought out of his thoughts by his phone buzzing in his pocket. Trying not to disturb Rose he gets it out. It's a message from Minho.

LM: Dude the children are whining. Where are you?

The rapper had forgotten he was meant to be out getting snacks. Looking down at Rose he notices that she has fallen asleep. He brushes her hair away from her face as he thinks about what to do next.

SC: Change of plan. Something came up.

LM: What's happened?

SC: It's Chan-Hyung and Noona.

SC: Hyung went to the gym. Noona fell asleep crying.

LM: These two need to sort it out...

LM: Noona was crying? Are you with her?

SC: Yeah, I'm with her now.

LM: Good.

LM: I'll distract the little ones. Let me know if you need anything.

Changbin smiled at Minho's words. Despite their rough start, the dancer had become very fond of Rose. The whole group had. The rapper, especially, since he and Felix had met her before the others.

However, after Chan told him that she was his soulmate he told himself that he would be their cheerleader. That he would do anything and everything to help them be happy together. Yet, he couldn't help feeling differently as he watched them struggle. Seeing both of them hurting made his heart hurt too.

Changbin hated himself for the thought at the back of his mind.

Could I make her happier?

He tried to slide away from under her so that she could sleep, but she held onto him.

"Binnie, don't go. Stay with me."

The words were whispered and he wouldn't have heard them if he hadn't been so tuned in to her.

As such he couldn't bare to leave her. He settled back down after pulling a blanket over her and tried to both ignore and savour the feeling of having her in his arms.

When Rose woke up the next morning for a moment she had forgotten what had happened the night before. She felt the warm muscular body beneath her hand and the lingering feeling of being cared for and assumed it was Chan. But something was off, not in a bad way, but as if she was forgetting something.

It wasn't until she opened her eyes that she realised who she was in bed with. Rose looked up at Changbin's sleeping face with a smile until she remembered why she was with him and not Chan. She almost snuggled back into the rapper, not wanting to face the world or the events of the night before.

And it was very tempting. She remembered how Changbin found and took care of her last night. Apart from being embarrassed, it made her heart clench. The rapper had always been there for her ever since they first met at Wooyoung's surprise dinner party. Rose felt grateful to have him as a friend.

It felt funny to wake up in his bed though. She couldn't explain the feeling, but the obvious rationale was that she should be sleeping next to her soulmate. Yet that hadn't been possible. If she left Changbin's room where would she go? She couldn't face Chan's room and she didn't want to explain to any of the others why. Chan was their beloved leader she didn't want to put any of them in an awkward position like Changbin was now in.

Rose looked back at Changbin before laying back down in his arms. As she did, the rapper wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. She held her breath as she waited to see what would happen next. After a moment she relaxed and settled into the embrace. Although she knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the comfort of being in his arms brought.