love you later | yeonbin ✓

028

The next morning, Soobin wakes up to an empty bed. His mind is slow, needs some time to catch up to the events of the night before as the sun is glaring brightly in his face and the room temperature is rising. He's too hot, kicks off the blankets, but despite the temperature, his heart gets a little heavier when he realizes the heat is not radiating off of another body next to him.

He takes his time getting ready, takes a shower, and brushes his teeth before he makes his way downstairs. He's not quite sure what to expect after the previous night, doesn't want things to be awkward now that Yeonjun has shared so much with him. But when he gets to the kitchen, he finds it deserted, some leftover breakfast standing on the stove. There's some noise coming from the study, so he knocks on the door, peeking his head inside.

Yeonjun, Wooyoung, and San are hovering around the desk, perched over a big, old book. They haven't noticed him entering, too engrossed in whatever it is that they're looking at.

"What is this, some kind of cult meeting?" He keeps his tone light, is clearly joking, and when three heads snap up to meet his smile with their own, warmth spreads through his body that has nothing to do with the rising temperatures.

"Sure," Wooyoung says with a chuckle, "are you ready to pledge your loyalty to the Dark Lord?"

Soobin laughs, pretty sure that Wooyoung is kidding and that witchcraft isn't actually as spooky as the media has tried to make him believe over the years. San's soft giggle joins him, but it doesn't go past Soobin that one person merely smiles.

Yeonjun has styled his hair again, pushed it back for the first time in days. There are earrings dangling on the sides of his neck, his chipped manicure patched up and he's wearing makeup again. It doesn't cover up the redness in his eyes though, or the fact that his lips are slightly chapped from all the worrying and crying. It's like he's put up his walls again, tried to erase the traces of the night before, and Soobin frowns a little.

"What are you up to?" he asks lightly, stepping further into the room.

"Trying to find out why Yeonjun collapsed," San says, eyes focusing back on the text in front of him.

"Didn't you say it was just exhaustion?"

Wooyoung shakes his head. "I don't think so, not after how Yeonjun described the sensation. This wasn't a normal spell. If it had happened after he cut the string, sure. But with the sharp pain, the flare of light... I'm not so sure."

Soobin only hums.

"In any case," Yeonjun says, "we need to figure out how to prevent this. For next time."

Right. Next time. Because there is still an invisible string tied around Soobin's finger. He lifts his hand, absentmindedly runs his thumb across the gap in his mark. It feels heavier this morning, like there is a weight pulling at it, dragging him down. In all the chaos, he had completely forgotten about the fact that this was the catalyst for it all him wanting to get his string cut off.

"Soobin?" Yeonjun's voice interrupts his racing thoughts timidly.

"Hm?" Soobin's head snaps up, looking at Yeonjun. There's a worried frown on his face, and Soobin just barely makes out a "Let's go look for more books, San" in the background before they're alone, standing on opposite sides of the desk.

"Are you okay?"

"M fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

His voice sounds hollow, the words coming out as though he'd been rehearsing them. They don't feel right or true, but he also isn't quite sure what's wrong with them.