KIBA ; STRAY KIDS

72 ; KIBA

I wasn't joking when I said I was staying the week. I had paid for a week, so I was staying here, plus, I needed the time away to think and to regain consciousness again. The past week was a tiny bit of a blur, especially since HongJoong told the members to visit me every day to make sure I was still breathing.

It was usually 1 or 2 members of ATEEZ a day to visit me. On the 2nd day, it was just Wooyoung but we went to a national park together and he just hugged me as we watched some ducks swim by. It started a dating scandal surprisingly, so I thought I ruined another career, so I spiralled for a second, but he didn't leave my side.

He did a V-Live the next day and called out all the news reporters for having no shame and stuff and people praised him for it and asked him how I was doing and asked about the bruises on my face. I had been ignoring my phone, scared of opening anything, or doing something stupid if I seen anything from the news reporters. All the calls and messages I received had been unanswered.

But the week was over, and I was unlocking my phone for the first time since the start of the incident. 

God. 55 calls just from Seungmin alone. A grand total of 1,056 messages. I just sighed and decided to call Chan.

"Hello?" He answered quickly, "Kiba?"

"Chan?" 

"Kiba! Holy shit, are you okay?" He asked panicked and I smiled softly at his worry. 

"I'm okay." I spoke in my phone, "Sorry I caused so much trouble."

"Ah Kiba, I don't care about that." He said softly, "I was so scared. I thought..."

"You thought I killed myself." I whispered with a soft nod, "I was going to."

There was pause on both sides of the phone, and I waited for him to say something but instead I heard a soft sob. I didn't realise how much I was hurting people, I thought it would be easier if I just stayed out of the way. I guess Hongjoong was right.

"I'm glad you didn't." It was simple, but probably very hard to say so I was grateful he said it.

"HongJoong stopped me." I said, "He made me realise maybe I was making a wrong decision."

"I need to thank him." Chan said, "I couldn't find you. I'm sorry for being a shitty leader and letting you down."

"You could never be a shitty leader, Channie. I just put you through too much shit." I said and we were silent for a while.

"Please come home. We've been speaking to the police about everything." Chan explained and a sudden sadness washed over me again, but I was stronger than this, I know that now, "They said they can't arrest you because your parents have no proof of you stealing from them."

"What?"

"Yeah, something about looking at their bank statements." Chan said more determined this time, "There's no proof of 30,000 coming out of their banks and nothing of the money being forcefully taken."

"COME HOME NOW!" I heard through the phone suddenly and I could tell it was Han, his voice shaky and I wondered if all of them were listening to the call.

"Please come home Kiba." Chan whispered.

"I will." I whispered back and we sat in silence for a few seconds before a voice breached the silence.

"Seungmin hasn't been the same since you left. He struggles to eat a little bit; I don't think he knows we notice." Chan whispers, "He's drained of all energy. He's not our puppy anymore Kiba. He needs you more than ever."

I started crying, I miss him so much. To think I was that selfish to just leave him like this.

"I'm coming home."

I ended the call, wiped the tears from my cheeks. I grabbed my suitcases and hauled them down to the car park where my car had been parked for a week straight and only used once. I shoved my suitcases into the back, a new drive rushing through my body, desperate to get to my favourite person in the whole world.

I was driving fast down the roads which were busier than the last time I drove them. I thought if I don't go to jail for theft then I might for speeding and reckless driving.

I got to the dorms eventually. There was no dispatch now, and it was almost completely silent even though the news was still fresh. I left my suitcases and rushed into the building, into the elevator, and onto the floor where our dorm was. I opened the door quickly, and Chan was the first to stand up at the rush I was causing.

He bounded over, his arms open and pulling me in tightly. I could tell he was gripping me tight so he would stop the tears, and then suddenly I was engulfed by a group of people. All of their arms squeezing me as if they didn't believe I was really here. I heard a lot of sniffing and cries, but all I could do was bask in the loving warmth.

"I'm so sorry everyone." I whispered.

"You should be asshole." Han stuttered out, and I smiled even though he had tears coming out of his eyes. I looked at everyone, and all of them had red ringed eyes, I hugged them all once more, and that's when I realised.

"Where's Seungmin?" I asked, and they all looked at me silently until Changbin hyung grabbed my hand softly.

"He's sleeping. It's all he's done for the past week." He whispered and I nodded before slowly walking to Seungmin's room which he shares with Felix.

"Kiba?" I turned back to Felix's soft voice, "He's in your bed."

I nodded before turning away from their room and heading to my own. I opened my door slowly and peered inside. He was sleeping soundly on my bed, but his face was red, and his eyes looked a little swollen. I smiled sadly at the sight of my baby.

"I'm sorry to have cause all this pain love." I whispered before I lifted up the blanket after taking off my shoes and climbing in beside him. I stroked his cheek lovingly, glad that the last time wasn't actually the last time.

His eyes blinked open, and he looked at me for a few seconds before he burst out crying and climbing into my arms. I held him, cradled him, whispered sweet nothings into his ears to calm him down. His hold on me was the strongest, like he simply could never let me go again. I held him just as tight, telling him he didn't ever have to let go again.

" I thought you were dead." He whispered into my chest, his own chest heaving up and down desperate for air.

"Calm down love. I'm right here." I said, and he hit my chest a few times before looking at my face.

"I should be comforting you idiot." He said before he reached up with his arms and aggressively brought my head down so he could kiss my forehead.

"I think you need it more than me angel." I chuckled softly, and we spend the rest of the day cuddling, and comforting each other. There was nothing else to say or do but be in each other's arms.

It was this moment that I knew I had to marry him regardless of anything. It was also this moment that I knew the rest of the members knew about us, and fully approved of it.