The sun was already setting when Heechul dragged Sunggyu into Chocoball, Heechul's very own nightclub. Sunggyu had been there a couple of times with his group members and friends. Chocoball boasted their privacy clause as their main attraction, hence the club became the main spot for celebrities to meet.

What happens at Chocoball, stays at Chocoball.

It also helped that upon entering the club, everyone was required to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Sunggyu had heard from Heechul about a couple of cases where the NDA was broken and the subsequent lawsuits. He secretly thought that Heechul made more money from the lawsuit than the club.

Tonight, like any other nights, the club was filled to the brim with celebrities and the who of who of South Korea. Sunggyu could see Hongki and his band on the stage and shook his head. He was sure that Hongki was performing without his company's knowledge, talk about rebelling.

His arm draped casually over Sunggyu's shoulder, Heechul pulled Sunggyu to the third level, the private area reserved permanently to Heechul and his closest friends.

The music was much more muted up there and Sunggyu leaned down over the railing to see the sea of people dancing downstairs. He squinted when he noticed that someone was humping on a plastic potted plan.

"Hyung, I think there's someone humping on your plant."

Heechul stood next to Sunggyu and passed him a tumbler of scotch.

"There's no telling of peculiar taste. As long as the plant is consenting." Sunggyu shook his head and was about to retort when Hongki arrived and draped his arms over both their shoulders.

"You're here! I thought you had rotted in Junhyung's house!" Hongki was sweating and Sunggyu could smell the scent of forest that followed Hongki everywhere. It brought back the memories of his weekends with Hongki back then, when Woohyun was only a friend. Sunggyu shook the memory off and smiled at his one time lover, curling his arm around Hongki's waist.

"As you can see, I'm still alive."

"And smelling like a brewery. How much have you drunk already?" Hongki took the tumbler from Sunggyu's hand and downed it in one swallow before turning to Heechul.

"I told you to bring him here sober."

"Hey, he's still standing and talking clearly. What's more do you want?"

Hongki shook his head and Sunggyu could feel Hongki's scent wrapping him comfortably.

"Why am I here anyway?"

"Sing with me. For old time sake."

Sunggyu was taken aback by Hongki's request and gently extricated himself from Hongki's arm.

"Hongki..."

"Everything is ready and waiting for you."

Sunggyu crossed his arms and glared at his two best friends.

"Come on, Gyu. You know you missed being on stage."

Sunggyu turned to look at the stage downstairs at Heechul's words and couldn't remember when was the last time he stood on one. Was it on the end of year show?

"But..."

"When you dumped me, you promised me one wish. This is what I want."

Sunggyu rolled his eyes when Hongki grabbed his hand and gave him his best puppy eyes.

"I can't believe you waited this long to use that wish."

"I have my priorities."

And that was that. Sunggyu was in a daze as Hongki pulled him downstairs and onto the stage. He just stood next to Hongki, hugging his bandmate in greetings and discussed the song they were going to perform.

Sunggyu wasn't able to perform his own songs due to a clause in his contract that came into effect when he left Woollim so they were going to perform Hongki's solo.

He exchanged a look with Hongki when they stood together side by side on the stage, his knuckles white around the mic. He almost jumped when the song started but before long he got into the right mindset.

Since when was it?
I thought I got over you but I guess I was wrong
I can't even stand for day and cry like I’m crazy
I don’t wanna believe

Sunggyu sang from his heart, remembering the time Hongki sent him the demo of this song. It was not long after Sunggyu ended their relationship for Woohyun. Sunggyu was feeling guilty until Hongki sent him the song and told him that this was their closure.

Sunggyu looked at his best friend and knew in his heart that they were truly friends again. They had been friends, ed, broke up and finally they had come to this stage where they were the best of friends.

It was comfortable singing with Hongki. Their duet was just like their friendship, competing with each other to be heard. They were best friends but they were also best enemies.

When the song ended, Sunggyu pulled Hongki into a hug amidst the crowds' cheer. He was grateful for everything that his friends had done for him. He thought they had washed their hands off him when the scandal erupted but he just realised that he was wrong.

Drenched in sweats and arms over each other's shoulders, Sunggyu and Hongki stumbled together to the third level where Heechul was waiting. They could hear Heechul's angry voice coming from the stairway and they exchanged a look.

"...I don't want you to meet him!"

Sunggyu stopped frozen when he saw Woohyun standing angrily in front of him, Heechul pulling on his arm ineffectually to throw him out.

"You have no right! You ditched him when he needs you!"

"What's going on here?" Hongki dropped his arm from around Sunggyu and stood in front of him, as if he was trying to protect Sunggyu. Woohyun ignored Hongki's question, he only had his eyes for Sunggyu.

"Sunggyu hyung..." Woohyun took a step forward and like bodyguards, both Hongki and Heechul moved to stop him from getting any closer to Sunggyu.

"I want to talk to you, hyung. I need to explain..."

"He doesn't want to talk to you." Heechul hissed and pushed Woohyun away. Hongki turned to look at Sunggyu and pulled Heechul with him.

"Come on, hyung. Let's leave them. We'll wait for you upstairs, Gyu." Hongki patted Sunggyu's back before dragging an objecting Heechul upstairs. Sunggyu took a couple of steps and leaned against the opposite wall from Woohyun, two steps higher.

"I watched you and Hongki on stage earlier. You two look good together." Sunggyu was uncomfortable with Woohyun's staring and looked anywhere but him.

"It wasn't planned. But I guess I needed that. Sometimes, they know me better than I know myself."

"You look thin. Are you even eating?"

Sunggyu sighed heavily and looked at his lover...no, ex-lover.

"Is that why you're here?"

"Hyung..." Woohyun took a step forward and reached out his hand but Sunggyu shook his head. With a sad smile, Woohyun lowered his hand back.

"I just want to tell you that you're still the leader of Infinite. That no matter what happened, you're still a part of us. That I... we still love you."

Sunggyu stared at Woohyun and tried to crush the hope that was blooming in his chest. Words, those were just words. They had gone and left him in the dust.

"It's too late, Hyun." Sunggyu turned his back to Woohyun and continued upstairs, missing Woohyun's whispered 'I love you' and the tears streaming down his cheeks.