Day 8 - 05:56 PM

POV: 707 Mode

Rocketing up from his seat in front of his computer screens, Seven all but threw open the door the moment he spotted Yoosung approaching the front of his house.

"Hello, Cutie! Ready for our sleepover?" He could hardly contain his smile at the sight of his boyfriend, (His boyfriend!) standing in front of him. Yoosung had initially been startled when the door opened, but he quickly relaxed when the familiar mop of red hair appeared in the entryway.

"Luciel! Isn't that tomorrow though?" Seven wasted no time in whisking the smaller boy off his feet and twirling them into his house with a grace that neither his appearance nor attitude belied.

"Yep! Just wanted to make sure you're prepared, though!"

"Of course I am! Except, I didn't bring the snacks with me. If I left them here they'd be gone by the time I came back tomorrow." After dropping the two of them onto his sofa, Seven let his head fall against Yoosung's shoulder as he tried to give his most convincing whine.

"Awww...my cutie Yoosung doesn't trust me not to eat all the goodies without him." Pressing a series of small kisses against the other boy's neck as he tried to stifle his giggles, Seven tightened his grip against his waist to prevent the young blond from moving. "If you're not going to share, then maybe I should just eat you up instead?"

The room was punctuated with laughter as Seven dug his fingers into Yoosung's sides, which was followed by shouting as he was subsequently chased around the house.

"Why are you trying to hit me!? This isn't cute at all!"

"You know I'm really sensitive there! Maybe next time you won't press on my ribs so hard!" Eventually, they both fell back onto Seven's bed, exhausted.

"I'm never chasing you again...How did you get so fast?"

"Years of running away from people trying to kill me."

"Ha ha very funny, but Jumin trying to get Elizabeth back from you doesn't count."

"I wasn't joking."

"Oh."

"Psyche!" Yoosung was suddenly trapped as Seven pressed a kiss to his cheek before wrapping both his arms and legs around his boyfriend, locking him in place.

"Luciel! I have to go home tonight! You can show me your baby koala impression tomorrow."

"Nooo I don't want you to go!"

"Release me or you're not getting any of my marshmallows!" There was a cry of despair.

"ANYTHING BUT THAT!"

Day 8 - 10:22 PM

POV: Jumin Mode

Jumin had canceled all his appointments for the rest of the day in favor of listening to V finally explain everything he'd been keeping to himself for the past two years. Throughout his explanation, Jumin kept silent so he wouldn't startle the other man into locking up like he had before. Although his chest felt uncomfortably tight several different times during V's retelling, he held fast until the end. It was somewhat late by the time everything was said, and V hadn't met Jumin's stare at all since he started hours earlier. At one point they had ordered dinner, and Jumin fought to keep his eyes on his food instead of letting them drift towards the teal haired man sitting next to him. Once they were finished, the bedroom was filled with a pregnant silence.

"Jumin..." Turning to finally look at his friend, his best friend, Jumin could see the trembling of V's shoulders as he wrapped his arms around himself. "Are you disappointed in me? Because I am."

"Jihyun. Please." He held his hand up to stave off the imminent flood of self-depreciating comments that he knew would spill out if he let them. "First off, do not such remarks about yourself again."

He fully turned towards V and slowly pulled his legs up so they could both sit on top of the bed together. Lifting one hand off the sheets, he dropped his gaze as he let his palm rest against V's cheek. He felt him lean into the touch like a cat and Jumin's heart started beating twice as fast.

"You have made mistakes, yes." Letting his thumb brush against soft skin, Jumin forced his breathing to steady. "That doesn't mean you cannot atone for them. A truly remorseful man would work to fix his wrongs, instead of running from them." When he lifted his head, he saw an energy in V's eyes that hadn't been there since they were still young boys dreaming about the future. "After all, who else would keep me from being too serious?"

At that, V let out a series of short laughs that had Jumin feeling like his mind was spinning out of control. It had felt like ages since he heard that playful sound from V.

"I do believe you're correct in that regard, Jumin." It had been even longer since he last heard that joking tone from his childhood friend. He let his hand fall away from V's cheek and settled with just being close enough to the other man to feel his presence.

"So you'll get the surgery then? It'll be harder for you to help people if you can't see, and there's no sense in punishing yourself additionally." He watched those crystalline eyes appraise him for a moment before V nodded in acquiescence.

"Even if I said no, I have a feeling that you wouldn't leave the subject alone for a minute." There was that teasing lilt again.

"Besides," V lifted his legs up so he could rest his head on his knees. "I'm not the only one with a secret to divulge tonight, right Jumin?"

Swallowing tightly, he could feel the rigid coil of fear in his chest as he registered just what V was implying. Though, if he were being honest with himself, it was partially his fault for being obvious.

"What is it that you would like me to say, Jihyun?" He tried to shove down the nervousness that was beginning to build in his throat as V reclined against the bed cushions.

"I don't want you to say anything you're not comfortable with saying." V closed his eyes and sank into the pillows while Jumin watched stiffly.

"...Jihyun..."

"...Yes?"

"You know you...mean a lot to me, personally."

"You mean a lot to me too, Jumin." Choking on air, he swiftly pressed his hand against his mouth to stifle his sudden coughing fit while V chuckled at his reaction. "No one blames you for being tongue tied. Confessions are hard, I would know." Now V was definitely playing with him.

Growling, Jumin moved to trap the shorter man beneath him, using his hands to pin V's arms to his sides.

"You've teased me for the last time, Jihyun." Their foreheads were pressed together and Jumin could feel himself getting dizzy just breathing in the same air as V.

"...What are you going to do about it, Jumin?"

"I'm going to kiss you now."

Light laughter pierced the heavy atmosphere.

"It's about time."

Day 8 - 11:50 PM

Zai had answered over fifty email threads today alone. She was so thoroughly worn out that she'd fallen asleep on her computer almost immediately after finishing the latest thank-you note written to another successfully invited guest. Her phone was opened to the RFA messenger, yet she didn't have a chance to even check on the chat because she'd become so engrossed in her work that she had forgotten all about it. However, even though she was asleep, her phone was still online.

The screen was covered wall to wall with neon green code for a few moments.

/ Unknown: ...Hello? /

/ Unknown: I can see you now... /

/ Unknown: Oh, are you asleep? How cute. /

/ Unknown: You must feel pretty safe in that little apartment... /

/ Unknown: But you'll be safer with me...with us. /

/ Unknown: ... /

/ Unknown: I'll be coming to get you soon. /

/ Unknown: I'm so excited that we can finally meet. /

/ Unknown: You'll love being here in paradise, I just know it. /