STAY By My Side

Chapter 19: Anxiety, Nerves And All That Jazz

Annyeonghaseyo! How's everyone? Did you guys miss your favorite author-nim? Hehe 😜

If anyone thought I posted the same chapter again, then I'm so sorry guys. Wattpad was acting up. I remember posting the last chapter on the last last Sunday but it was suddenly under my drafts. So, I thought I would repost it and post this chapter this Sunday. Sorry for those who read it the first time I posted this but saw the same one reposted. Also, thanks for reading it guys. Anyways, let's get it!

Felix's POV

I was hopping and jumping like a crazy frog upon seeing the aquarium. "Lix, why are you so happy? Missed your friends this much?" Binnie hyung nudged my shoulder playfully. "You have no idea. They are my besties, hehe." "I think I have some idea," he said giggling along with me. We both bought tickets and went in. "Why is it so empty today?" I said bewildered. "Guard told me that today is a holiday," Binnie hyung replied like it's not that big of a deal. "Then how in the world did he let us in? How did he even sell the tickets if it's a holiday?" I was kinda scared if we were doing something illegal. "Chill. I told him my friend really wants to visit," he replied shocking me. "And he agreed?" He cleared my confusion saying, "Nope. He let us in when I accidentally dropped my hat and he saw who I was," he shrugged his shoulders before saying "seems like a fan." We both laughed out loud due to the situation.

I honestly had so much fun - Binnie hyung let me play with the fishies as long as I wanted to, there is no one to disturb us and I got to spend time with hyung. I am literally on cloud 9. We were both tired after all the walking and jumping around in the aquarium. We decided to have a meal first before heading back home. Hyung took me to the nearest traditional Korean restaurant and paid for the meals. "Hyung, you paid for everything." I said pouting making him coo at me. "Aigoo. You pay the next time we go out," he said ruffling my hair. "But Chan hyung won't let me pay when we all go out," I deepened my pout. "Ani. Pay the next time we both go out. Just you and me," he smiled making my heart beat faster. Why do you do this to me hyung? Don't you see the way you make me crumble whenever you say stuff like that?

Chan's POV

I carefully took the letter into my hands and traced the words written on it. My Baby Channie - the words I came to adore and admire these past few months. This person never changes the cover, it's literally the same. I'm sure they got these in bulk, haha. As always, I take my time in opening the cover; without tearing it much and putting it inside one of the books on my bedside table. There is the same greeting like letter waiting to greet me again. I caressed the letter lovingly, remembering all the times these letters made me happy, cheered me up or brought a thousand watt smile on my face. I slowly open the letter and start to read. "Chan, we need you here in 2." I put the letter on the table in a hurry when I heard manager hyung. "Coming hyung," I said and practically ran out the room as we had to go to the studio for recording our new song.

Jeongin's POV

Past few days have been kinda weird. I've been observing Han hyung's behavior towards Hyunjin hyung. Whenever Hyunjin hyung is close to me, Han hyung grows distant to me. It's like I go close to one and the other goes far away. Am I doing something wrong? Why is he like this? My thoughts ended with the ending of the recording. "Jeongin-ah, what is going on in that smart brain of yours?" Hyunjin hyung flopped down besides me. "Han... hyung. What are you doing there? Come sit with us," I was about to tell Hyunjin hyung about Han hyung but I saw him looking at us. I felt Hyunjin hyung stiffen besides me. "I'm fine. Gonna head out anyways," Han hyung replied. "But..." I was about to go drag him towards the couch but Hyunjin hyung beat me to it. "It's okay Jeonginnie. Let him go," he grabbed my hand and dragged us both out the studio. However, I saw the hurtful emotion Han hyung had in his eyes. "Hyung... Wasn't it kinda rude?" I asked astonished at Hyunjin hyung's behavior. "Was it...? I... I was... I didn't know what... I was doing," he said, fidgety all of a sudden.

I thought Hyunjin hyung was avoiding Han hyung because he's scared. But why would he be scared of Han hyung? Did Han hyung do something to him? Even then, the way Hyunjin hyung looks at Han hyung is different. It's almost like.... how I look at Hyunjin hyung. That's when it all made sense. Like a puzzle revealing itself. Hyunjin hyung likes Han hyung. He's avoiding Han hyung to forget him so that he doesn't get hurt anymore. That one piece of thought hogged my entire brain. That thought spread inside me like a plague. If I stay here any longer, I would break down. Somehow, I controlled the tears that were threatening to fall out of my eyes and balanced my mind. "Hyung, it's okay. Just go and apologize to him," I said softly shoving him towards the room we were in 2 minutes ago.

I ran into the nearest bathroom in order to avoid someone seeing me like this. I went into a stall and locked it. I couldn't hold it in anymore. I let out all the tears, the cries and the thoughts in my mind. "No. What if Hyunjin hyung likes Han hyung? He's trying to forget him anyways. That means I have a chance right? Stop it Jeongin. You can't think like this. Can't you see the way Han hyung glares at you when you are close to Hyunjin hyung or the way Hyunjin hyung looks longingly at Han hyung? Han hyung probably just doesn't know his feelings yet." I reasoned with myself in between sobs. I have to get this out of my system. "I'm gonna help them both even if it means I have to sacrifice my love," I cried even more upon realizing what I was planning to do.

Chan's POV

After coming back from the studio, I was on the way to my room when Hyunjin asked me for feedback on the choreo for our song. "Hyung, where's your laptop. I need it for a minute." I told Jisung that it's on my desk so he went to get it. After discussing with Hyunjin about the choreo, I got back to my room. I took a quick shower and sat down at my desk. Suddenly, I remembered the letter so I went to get it from my bedside table. I was shocked when I didn't find it there. I searched every corner of my room. "I remember putting it right here. Did I accidentally misplace it?" I prodded myself to think carefully but I couldn't recollect anything else. I was worried and started searching the whole dorm.

Minho's POV

I was going into the kitchen to cook something when I saw Chan hyung tearing the dorm apart. "Hyung...?! What are you doing?" I asked worried. "Nothing. Just can't seem to find something," he said getting back to searching. "Is it important? Tell me what it is. I'll help you search," I started searching without even knowing what it is. "Yeah. It's okay, Minho-yah. I'll search for it myself," he said. I prodded him for a while and that's when he told me that he was searching for the letter I gave him which was by one of his fans. "WHAT???? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST IT, HYUNG?" I screamed in disbelief. "Shhh... Minho. Don't shout." He shushed me. But I was trembling in fear. What if someone gets to it before we do? What if someone reads it? Oh shit. Manager hyung is also at home. "Hyung... where did you keep it last? Try to recall properly," I asked and he told me that he put it on the bedside table before going to studio and that no one went in except Han. I was praying with all my heart that it is not with Han. Anyone but Han... Not Han... Please no... I kept saying it like a mantra. As if me saying it again and again would somehow magically make it true.

That's it for now lovelies. Thank you so much for reading my story and voting for it. Means a lot. Please keep showering me with your love ❤️