still six hours onto being entrapped

several questions have been asked and answered by this moment.

they both wipe the stray tears that ran down their cheeks from laughing way too hard.

for the nth question, jihoon asks as it was his turn. he takes a while before calming himself down. he breathes in slowly, slightly unsure if it was okay to ask this question.

he decides to go with it anyway.

"have you....ever been in love?" jihoon musters up to ask that question.

soonyoung seems rather surprised when he was asked by that question. he stops wheezing from the laughs they just shared and composed himself, not expecting the question.

jihoon did not like that particular expression. he knew he shouldn't have asked that stupid question.

"y-you know what, don't mind that question. sorry for asking such a ridiculous one. you can ask now, we can skip my turn." jihoon said very flustered.

soonyoung stays rather silent, much to jihoon's dismay, until soonyoung's mouth opened up.

"i like to think that i already have..with my ex." soonyoung says softly.

"she was a dancer herself, and i thought that we would last long as we understood each other." soonyoung continues.

jihoon pauses to thoroughly understand what soonyoung was saying, and nods in understanding.

"...but i guessed wrong, i was wrong thinking that we would stay together forever, given that we were together for more than three years." soonyoung bitterly smiles.

"but then at some point in our relationship, we started to drift apart from each other, until one night when i came home dead tired from dance practice, i caught her humping to some other guy in our apartment."

"so i broke our relationship off." soonyoung finishes.

jihoon can't help but sympathize to what the other has been through.

"o-oh. i'm sorry soonyoung-ah, i wish i knew." jihoon sympathetically says.

soonyoung chuckles lightly. "it's okay, that was long over, i'm completely over that but you know in a sense, i'm grateful that we broke up."

jihoon flashes a puzzling expression. "how come?"

"well because i found a reason to move out and move in by myself in this new apartment complex. " soonyoung explains.

"and i was able to meet a certain someone." soonyoung continues.

"i know that it wasn't the best way possible, i may showed off an arrogant and pretentious pretense at first but i'm happy that the certain someone came to still know and understand me."

"it was a certain turn of events indeed, as we both suddenly had to go such an extreme situation, nevertheless, that certain someone gave me such a pleasing and memorable experience that i will forever remember for life.".

"and i believe that the certain someone made me think that it's still possible to love again.. but rather than in love, that certain someone had me more like immensely smittened by him."

at this point, soonyoung was looking directly at jihoon, with a seriously yet sincere expression.

jihoon was completely utterless, unsure of what to say exactly.

"you want to know who this certain someone is?" soonyoung says, before having his hand cup one of jihoon's cheek, stroking it softly.

jihoon melts into the touch, closing his eyes and gently leaning onto the touch even more, even letting one of his hand lay atop of soonyoung's hand in his cheek.

"it's you jihoon-ah." soonyoung reveals.

soonyoung takes another deep breath before mustering up all of his confidence.

"..i guess what i'm trying to say is, i like you jihoonie." soonyoung firmly says, his voice laced with earnesty.

"and that i want to give 'us' a try?" soonyoung mentions, pertaining the us to the two of them.

jihoon drops his hand on top of soonyoung's, looking at him now with wide eyes, clearly shocked from the confession.

soonyoung had a determined face, really glad and proud of himself for finally being able to let out what he was feeling for the other, naturally hoping that the feeling was mutual, he tried his best to disregard the nervousness from rejection.

but before anything, before he can hear any response from jihoon who just opened up his mouth.

soonyoung hears the sounds of metal clanking to each other, he also noticeably hear some other voices from the other side of the elevator doors.

they both look up to the doors slowly parting away from each other.

and on the other side of the door, men looking at the two distraught pair with a relieved expression.

"are you two okay?" one worker shouted.

they both nod their heads in response.

"okay now i'll need you both to gather your belongings, and then leave so we can do a thorough check-up on this contraption." one of the workers explain.

they both nod their heads once more, still feeling fazed on how things managed to escalate so quickly, but nevertheless still stood up to get all their stuff.

"who would've thought they'd arrived at such a crucial time. just when i was about to answer." jihoon says to himself.

"who would've thought they'd arrived at such a crucial time. just when he was about to answer." soonyoung simultaneously says to himself.

"such a great timing to be saved." they both sighed to themselves.

they both trudged their way out of the elevator, as the workers started to inspect the elevator.

despite the interference, they were still both grateful for finally being able to get out after six hours.

both basking in the fresh air and spacious surroundings.

"ah finally we're free!" soonyoung shots a bright grin at the smaller.

before jihoon could once more respond back, they hear a shout from both corners of the hallway.

"jihoon-ah!" wonwoo says from the left side of the hallway.

"soonyoung-ah!" junhui says from the far right side.

both roommates looked extremely relieved to see their respective roommate safe and well.

as wonwoo and junhui made their way to go to their roommate, jihoon made soonyoung face him.

"before anything else, i would like to say that yes, i very much like you too." jihoon says firmly, soonyoung's eyes widen from the abruptness but stays very ecstatic on the inside.

"the feeling is mutual!" soonyoung says giddily to himself.

"although if it's okay with you, before we put any labels, can we perhaps go out properly first, like have a coffee or movie date?" jihoon cutely asks.

"how could i say no to that? you're the absolute cutest, oh my god i can't believe you'll actually give me a chance." soonyoung exclaims.

"y-ya, i'm more grateful though, i still can't believe you like me in that sense, just when i thought i'd grow up alone for life." jihoon says, slightly embarrassed.

"how could you think that! you're the most lovable person i've met." soonyoung says sincerely, reassuring the other.

"jihoon are you okay?" jihoon can hear wonwoo even closer now.

"thanks for that uhm i'll get going soonyoung-ah. thank you for coping with me all throughout our stay in that elevator." jihoon softly says, before getting on his tippy-toes to peck his cheek.

soonyoung's cheeks reddened as he had his palm rest on top of the spot where jihoon just kissed.

he sees jihoon reunite with his roommate who bombarded him with questions, to which the smaller answered with reassurance.

jihoon who was now walking with his roommate back to their room glances one last time at soonyoung, before slowly smiling at him, mouthing him something that made soonyoung's heart jump out of his chest.

"i . like. you."

soonyoung deemed it too good to be true. regardless of being stuck in a metal contraption for what seemed like forever, it all turned out okay in the best possible way.

"i like you too jihoonie. a lot." soonyoung murmur softly to himself.

"huh did you say something bro?" junhui ears perk up.

"no its not for you." soonyoung says darting his tongue at him.

junhui rolls his eyes at him and darts his tongue back at him, both then continued to retreat back to their room.

"wait." soonyoung stops dead in his tracks.

"how will i reach jihoonie? i didn't get his number or whatsoever."

soonyoung continues to think hard on the spot before junhui breaks his train of thoughts.

"hey come on in already! minghao's waiting for me!" junhui shouts as he holds out the door.

soonyoung snaps back to reality and a thought comes up to him. "well looks like i'll have to court him the prince hoshi way."

he grins to himself, enthusiastic on what was going to happen next between the two of them.

"i'm really grateful for meeting you." soonyoung thinks, unaware that jihoon thought the same as they both settled down on their beds to rest.

-

aaah the book is almost done!!!! thank you sososo much for reading!

hope y'all enjoyed!:>>

PS. support svt's upcoming comeback 'hit' on 8.05 (6pm KST)!!!!

love all of guys!!