The rain had ones again taken over the streets of Seoul, as Ryeowook was sitting on the window sill of his living room window, wrapped into a thick blanket and a hot cup of coffee in his hands. Blowing into the steaming liquid he adverted his eyes back to the world under him. The street was nearly empty as most people seemed to have found cover in one of the stores or house entrances. Just ones in a while some person hastily sprinted along the sidewalk, trying to cover themselves as much as possible from the heavy rain. Even the colorful umbrellas seemed dull through the heavy curtain of falling rain and it reminded the young man of the feeling in his heart.

It had been two weeks since he had witnessed Yesung confess to their second oldest and it was like the words kept still echoing inside his head. Of course he had gotten sick after spending hours out in the cold rain, gaining him a scolding from their manager. He had just turned out the older´s voice as their manager had continued to rant on about how thoughtless he was being. The older had finally given up after half on hour of not gaining any reaction from the Eternal Maknae, leaving with the order to take a week off and recover. Yesung had called innumerous times and send what felt like a hundred messages pleading him to answer his calls but Ryeowook had just blocked his number. He knew he was being mean but he wasn´t in the state to be confronted with the older yet.

The other members had called as well but he had just send them messages, that he wasn´t feeling like talking at the moment, before turning of his phone. Some of them had even passed by but he just pretended he wasn´t at home every time someone had knocked on his door. He just had wanted to be alone and after half a week members had seemed to have accepted the fact that he wasn´t feeling social at the moment.

As glad as he had been when his fever went down and he wasn´t coughing his lungs out anymore, he had dreaded the day he would have to join the others for schedules again. He still hadn´t felt ready for their questions and even less had he felt ready to face Yesung and Heechul, probably being all lovey dovey with each other. Therefore when it had been time for him to join the others for schedules again, he had only appeared as late as possible, avoiding everyone until their schedules started and leaving the moment it ended. Now, two weeks later he still kept avoiding the others as much as possible but the burning pain he felt for the first days and that appeared to rip his heat apart every minute of the day had turned into a dull aching pain, leaving his body numb ever so often.

Taking a sip of his drink he nearly choked on it in surprise when he heard a knock on the door. The members had stopped coming by, having accepted that he wanted to be alone at the moment. Freeing himself from his blanket, he placed the cup on the windowsill beside him before heading for the door. Throwing a glance through the peep hole he was even more surprised to see a happy grinning Sungmin in front of it. For a moment he considered just ignoring the older, but it was the first time he saw his friend after the other had started his military service and so he quickly unlocked the door, stepping aside to let him in.

Letting the slightly taller man to free himself from his jacket and shoes he quickly went to the kitchen to fill another cup of coffee. When he returned to the living-room Sungmin had already found himself a spot on the couch. Placing the cup on the coffee table in front of the older he quickly got his own cup before sitting down on the opposite side of the couch. He hadn´t even sat down fully when the other already spoke up, his voice laced with worry.

»Ryeowook-ah, what is wrong? «

»Nothing I am fine! « Even to himself his voice didn´t sound convincing and paired with his appearance it wasn´t surprising that Sungmin just raised an eyebrow before taking the younger´s hand into his own.

»Come on Ryeowook-ah, I was in the dorms earlier and the members told me that you have been avoiding everyone for the last two weeks. So what is it? « Not knowing how to react, the younger just kept quiet and so the older just continued. »Is it because of Jongwoon-hyung? «

The question nearly had the Eternal Maknae choking on his coffee again. Coughing lightly he starred at his Hyung in pure shock.

»H…How did you? «

»Come on Ryeowook, I would have to be blind to not see that you are having a crush on him for god knows how long. «

The statement caused the younger´s eyes to widen almost comically. He had always thought that he had been subtle about his feelings for the older, but having Eunhyuk and now Sungmin telling him outright, he might have been wrong. Suddenly a thought accrued to him and he could feel the burning pain return into his heart. Could it be that Yesung knew it too? Could it be that Yesung had set everything up to show him that he would never return his feelings?

Tears started b in his eyes as the mental image of their oldest main vocal holding Heechul´s hands tightly in his own appeared in front of his inner eye. He felt his throat tighten immediately and before he knew a single tear had escaped from the corner of his eyes, but before he could wipe it away angrily, he was wrapped into a warm, almost protecting hug.

»Ryeowook-ah, what happened? « Sungmin´s voice soft and comforting and before Ryeowook knew he had turned into a sobbing mess in the older´s arms, letting out everything he had kept to himself for the last two weeks. The older just listened quietly, his back comfortingly ones in a while. Even though Kyuhyun and Yesung were his best friends, there had always been a special connection between the two of them. Ryeowook had suspected it was because they were similar in character, but at this moment he didn´t care whatever reason it was. Instead he was just thankful for the other to be there.

It was only when he had final calmed down that the older let go of him before speaking up quietly, surprise obvious in his voice.

»Are you sure? Yesung and Heechul? «

»I saw them, Hyung! I…I saw him confess. I… « Before he could finish his sentence, the tears made their way back into his eyes and Sungmin grabbed his hand immediately. Giving it a comforting squeeze, the older nodded slightly before continuing.

»I know. I just can´t believe it! « Sungmin´s voice sounded so doubtful and when he continued, he sounded so sure that for a moment Ryeowook wondered if he had just imagined everything. »I was so sure he felt the same for you! We all did! « For a moment the older of the two fell into a thoughtful silence before suddenly speaking up again, startling the other slightly. »He can´t be in love with Yesung, I am sure! It must be a misunderstanding! « He nodded to himself as if he had just found the solution for something he had tried to figure out.

Ryeowook just starred at his Hyung in disbelieve. What was he talking about? How was this supposed to be a misunderstanding? He had seen Yesung tell Heechul he loved him, there was no doubt!

»Hyung, how is this supposed to be a misunderstanding? «

»I don´t know, but it has to be, Ryeowook-ah! You need to talk to him. «

»I can´t! I…« The Eternal Maknae didn´t know how to explain. He just couldn´t face the older yet. Suddenly he felt so stupid! He should have known it was a bad idea to fall for one of s. He shouldn´t have had any hopes that the other felt for him the same way. Yet, he had fallen for the other open-eyed.

His self-scolding was interrupted when Sungmin grabbed his other hand as well, squeezing both of them tightly.

»I understand, but Ryeowook, you can´t avoid them forever. Members are worried. «

The younger didn´t know how to respond to this. He felt guilty for making the others worried, yet he didn´t feel like he was ready to face the others and their questions. The older seemed to sense his inner conflict though and send him a reassuring smile.

»Just take your time, but maybe you should sent Teukkie a message. He´s getting seriously worried. « Still not sure what to say, Ryeowook just nodded before Sungmin finally changed the subject.

After that they spend the rest of the afternoon talking until Sungmin had to return to the military base, giving him another tight hug before leaving.

It was just a few minutes after Sungmin had left, when Ryeowook was on his way to make some dinner that it rang again. Assuming the older might have forgotten something he quickly opened the door, only to be surprised by an empty hallway. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, he was about to close the door when his eyes fell on the ground in front of his feet. Sitting there was a little stuffed giraffe holding a red rose and a little piece of paper.

Quickly looking up and down the hallway to see who might have placed it there, he got even more confused as it seemed there was no one around. Shrugging his shoulders he picked it up before closing the door behind him. Getting comfortable on the window sill again, after getting himself another cup of coffee, he pulled out the little paper from the giraffe´s arms before reading it.

            Dear Ryeowook,

            Please come to the old SM building tomorrow afternoon after your schedules.