Oliver had bought it with his first actual paycheck, a gift for himself to celebrate the end of an old life and the beginning of something new. It represented his success in stardom and his newfound family with IDOL. It was something he treasured. Something he would not give up easily.
"Yeah, my favourite pair," Oliver smiled, nodding at his words. "And when MinJae got so sick and sad. I lost that chance to see her." His expression broke, sorrow filling his frame. Regret, guilt. Casper's heart ached at the sight of his friend like that.
"You should have said something," Casper began to say.
"How could I? With JieMi's denial and MinJae's pain? I knew they needed me and so I hoped that the soul bond would draw me to her." Oliver replied, flipping the phone in his hands over and over again. "I guess I was stupid with that decision. Shouldn't have waited like this. I was stupid. Should have fought a little harder. Then maybe I wouldn't be sitting here without her in my arms."
His words, they tinged with his regret and self-loathe and Oliver snorted, shaking his head as he spoke. Casper winced, thinking of his own girl whom he had lost in his moments of stupidity.
Oliver continued. "The next time I see her," Oliver sighed. "Ezra's with her in our studio." Casper gulped, already getting a clear picture of the situation. "It sounded like he was fucking her."
Oliver growled, his eyes dark as his fingers twisted in the bedsheets. His nails digging into the fabric. "If I want to delude myself, maybe they were just doing some fucking heavy petting." Oliver snapped out with a deep, angry almost guttural snarl as he gritted his teeth through his words.
Fuck. Casper winced. He didn't know what he would do if that happened to him, he bit his lips. This would not be an easy situation to solve.
Oliver turned to stare at him, sounding exasperated. "I love all of you, you know that right?" Oliver sighed and Casper nodded. Oliver treasured their friendship more than anyone in the group. To him, they were his only family. "But seriously, Ezra?"
Casper grimaced. Theirs was a different friendship. Sure, they were all brothers, all best friends, but each friend had their own dynamics. Each had their own boundaries, rules and perhaps even levels of love.
"Fuck. If it had been JieMi I wouldn't be as angry. Maybe MinJae. Sure. Minnie I would understand. But Ezra?" Oliver snorted. "I felt fucking betrayed."
"Fuck," Casper breathed and Oliver smirked.
"Yeah, I don't know how I stayed calm, but I did. For her," Oliver paused, looking pained. "She didn't know." Oliver inhaled deeply, shaking his head. "She's young. Impressionable. Probably less sensitive to soul bonds."
Oliver swallowed, smiling as he spoke. "I decided to just stay back. Wanted to go all out, actually," he shrugged. "Wanted to go for her, steal her heart and everything. Confront Ezra about this. Tell him she's my soulmate that he should back the fuck off."
"You didn't," Casper realised.
"I didn't," Oliver nodded. "I stupidly stepped back because I realised he likes her too. Probably as much as me. Fuck, Casper." He let out a loose bark of laughter. "It kills me inside—"
Oliver stopped mid-speech to turn to look at Casper. "You know that bastard. He loves us so much, he hates fights. Hates going against us, would rather just let us have our way." Oliver's grin was grim as he continued. "But the look on his face when I mentioned her name."
Oliver inhaled sharply, shaking his head. "He told me I shouldn't worry because he wasn't interested. I think he didn't know it himself, but he was in love. He was in fucking love Casper." Oliver sighed, rubbing his cheeks. Casper gently took his hand, squeezing it supportively. "I could see it in his eyes. He was smitten."
Oliver lay back into the pillows, exhaling heavily. "I just couldn't do it. I told him it was fair game and I wouldn't go down without a good fight. Then I left because I couldn't look at him again."
Oliver laughed. "I've been ignoring him, stewing in my own thoughts. I know, it's cruel to drag it out like this but I just didn't want to end it like that for him." His expression was grim. "It'll hurt too much, knowing that his best friend stood in his way. That someone he loves is destined for his own best friend. It would hurt like a bitch."
"It would," Casper was lost for words. He didn't know what he would do if he were in such a situation.
"And suddenly he calls me telling me to back off from her and that she's fucked him over." Oliver shrugged with a laugh. "On one hand, I'm happy. It's easy for me like this. I've been texting her. Wanted to meet her soon." Oliver's lips twisted into a sad downturn. "But I'm curious about what she did too. I don't want this to end our friendship when I tell him the truth."
Oliver spoke. "Whatever she did to him. It doesn't sound good." He wrinkled his nose at that. "I might sound like an asshole, but I think I'll support her no matter what she did, you know?"
"That's natural, Liv. It's fine," Casper placed a hand on Oliver's shoulder, rubbing it gently. This wouldn't end well, but Casper had faith that their love for each other was stronger than that. "Don't worry about it, man. We'll talk to him, okay? We'll get through this."
"Yeah," Oliver sighed. "Life is just fucking confusing." Casper smiled at that.
"Come on, stop worrying about the future. We're brothers, we'll get through this," Casper soothed. "Hey, we've gone through empty stomachs and non-existent salaries. He'll come along." Casper said, even though he wasn't sure himself.
Would he really come along?
"We used to fight all the time over who gets the last bowl of rice," Oliver snorted. "Argue about stupid pet peeves like the right way to hang the toilet paper."
"We were young and stupid. Anyway, enough talk about us, I want to know more about her." Casper smiled, getting off the bed to stand. He would work on it. Their next course of action. But for now, he would try to get Ezra off Oliver's mind. It was better to solve one thing at a time, rather than dive into the shit pile in one go. "You can tell me all about her over breakfast. Maybe I can start by frying some eggs."
"You?" Oliver raised a brow, sitting up to grin at him. Casper's thankful that his best friend looked a lot better after spilling his thoughts. He had lost that weight on his shoulders and the tic in his jaw from the stress. "You must be joking."
"Hey, I may suck at cooking but I at least know how to fry eggs."
"The last time you made eggs you used the fucking knife to flip the eggs you stupid goon." The bright cheery smile on Oliver's face was back and Casper grinned, bounding after him.
They made a wonderful breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast. They were talking over another cup of coffee when the door clattered open noisily. Loud footsteps stomping in as someone fumbled to slip off his shoes, cursing a little as he stumbled into the room.
It was cold outside so the gush of air that drifted into the heated room sent a chill up his spine. Casper watched wide-eyed as JieMi stomped into the space cradling a person in his arms, luggage hooked on his elbows.
"JieMi?" Oliver called, confused.
Casper squinted, staring at the figure in his arms as JieMi approached them, clumsily dropping the luggage on the floor as he hoisted her up higher in his arms, propping her head on his shoulders.
The girl in his arms lolled, shifting a little as she slept. Was that Ha-Eun? He narrowed his eyes for a better look and recognition flooded through him. His heart picking up speed at the sight. No way.
It was his soulmate.