"Put two tablespoons of sugar, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper, and then stir..."

Hyesung scrunches his eyebrows as he tries to absorb whatever he was watching on television. He shifts his position; now fully facing the television, his eyebrows still meeting at the center of his forehead.

"Let that simmer a bit..."

He sighs as he presses mute on his remote and faces the ceiling, sighing heavily.

"What's the point, Shin Hyesung." He mutters to himself, lifting his right hand towards his forehead and closing his eyes, trying to clear his mind of all thoughts.

He's been lying on the sofa in the past hour, trying so hard not to think about what was happening that day. It's been creeping up on his mind every few minutes, to the point of being irritating. He's made up his mind, nothing or no one will be able to change it.

"Perhaps." He mutters to himself, opening his eyes, breathing heavily, and shifting his position again on the sofa, now with his back turned away from the television. "But." He continues, then laughs weakly, "Nevermind." he finishes closing his eyes again.

Buzz.

Hyesung's thoughts stop as he slowly turns towards the center table. His mobile phone has been lying there untouched for the past hour.

He knew what this was about.

He refuses to check it.

Buzz.

His mobile phone lit up again as another set of messages came through.

He closes his eyes tightly, trying to block all sound and thought.

Buzz.

Sighing heavily, Hyesung turns from where he was lying and stares at his phone, blinking and buzzing rapidly on the wooden table.

He was sure this was the group chat, as no one would actually message him like this other than the boys.

And he was also quite sure... that they were looking for him.

Covering his face with his hands, he sighs yet again and abruptly sits down, ignoring the slight dizziness that follows his movements due to his blood surging on his head. He closes his eyes a bit to regain normality in his system and then picks up his mobile phone from the table.

We've arrived. Where are you guys?
Sent by Park Choongjae

On the way, I'm picking up some stuff on the store. Hyesung there?
Sent by Kim Dongwan

No. Is he with you Minwoo Hyung?
Sent by Park Choongjae

No. I thought he was coming with you?
Sent by Lee Minwoo

Oh. No, he wasn't. I thought he'd ride with you today, since his car is being fixed at the moment. Andy?
Sent by Park Choongjae

Hyesung laughs at the obvious confusion going on the group chat, not minding one bit that he was the one who caused it.

The buzzing from his mobile phone stops as no response from Andy comes. He stares at his mobile phone for a bit, waiting, but there was no message coming from their maknae.

Ofcourse, Hyesung knew very well he didn't talk to Andy about going with him to the venue of today's event; In all truth, he didn't talk to anyone about carpooling. He was sure he wasn't going.

Still he was curious what Andy would've said and what they would've reacted if they found out he wasn't carpooling with anybody.

Or maybe he was just being dramatic.

"Stop it, Hyesung." He says to himself after a few minutes of staring at his mobile phone, it's screen unlit. He was about to it back down on the center table when it lits up again as a message comes through.

Hyesung's not there yet?
Sent by Eric

Hyesung almost chokes on his own saliva at this. He presses on the power button and places his mobile phone back on the table, stands up and walks towards the kitchen to check for anything to eat. He opens the fridge realizes he didn't do any groceries the past days. There was basically nothing ready to eat and his only option if he wanted to live is either to dine out or have deliveries. Or cook.

Yeah he can cook...but then...

"Damn it." Hyesung says as he closes the fridge with a bang. Several bottled drinks shook as he did so, creating a tinkling sound that was heard as the door of the fridge slam shut. Shaking his thoughts he proceeds to walking toward his room, now thinking of just sleeping the day off. Yeah, maybe he'd do that. Then when he wakes up the next day (if he manages to sleep until the next day), he'd tell everyone that he was sick and was bed ridden all day and that he didn't get to read their messages.

Then he remembers that messaging apps actually inform the group chat who read the messages.

"Stupid." Hyesung says as he enters his bedroom and turns on the lights. He pulls the comforters and slid into the covers, ready to take a nap or else stare into space until the heavens actually allow him to go to sleep and send his mind into a wonderful land where only happiness exist and there's no heartbreak.

Or Eric.

Sighing loudly he raises the covers above his head and shuts his eyes, trying so hard to push the sinking feeling from his stomach, swerving all his thoughts to something or someone more pleasing to think about, suppressing the aching feeling from his heart... trying so hard...so very hard... to escape this reality, maybe then, maybe then...

A tear slids from Hyesung's eyes.

" you." He mutters under his breath as he wipes his tears angrily. " you, you, you, you Eric!" he says as he pulls away the comforter from his head and lays on his bed, his eyes cast overhead.

Eric's smiling face swims from his blurring vision as more tears fall down from his eyes, into his cheeks, down to the pillows under his head.

"DAMN YOU!" Hyesung screams, shutting his eyes again and curling on top of his bed, his hands embracing his stomach.

Ding. Dong.

Hyesung's eyes fly open.

Ding. Dong.

Unmoving, he stares at his white walls, his breathing heavy.

"Hyesungie?"

Hyesung in a breath and closes his eyes, unwilling to believe what his mind was telling him.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Ding. Dong.

"Syungie?"

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Ding. Dong.

"I'm here."

Ding. Dong.

"Outside."

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Waiting for you."

Hyesung closes his eyes at this. More tears fall down from his cheeks.

He waits, but there is no more knocking. The ringing of his doorbell stops too. Breathing heavily, Hyesung opens his eyes and slowly sits down on the bed, he casts his eyes over to his wall where a photo of him and Shinhwa was framed.

They look so happy in this one. A celebration of sorts. He was super elated at that moment, he remembers...something great happened...

Eric was smiling at him in this photo.

He presses his lips together, they tremble. Tears were threatening to fall down from his eyes again. Hyesung lifts his hands and wipes his tear drenched face, slowly he climbs out of his bed, his heart beating fast. He moves out of his bedroom, and into the living room. Finally, he faces the main door.

Breathing heavily, he blinks his eyes several times and presses his hands into them. He fans himself a little, looks up at the ceiling and evens out his breathing, making sure that he would look normal the moment he faces his visitor. After a few minutes, he shakes his head, his whole body and unlocks his door. The sound ricochets on his ears as he slowly opens the main door of his apartment.

Eric was sitting on the floor beside his door.

Hyesung's breathing stops.

Eric turns toward him, a surprise expression crossing his features, which turn into a smile, then a grin as he stands up from where he was sitting. His whole face lit up.

Hyesung purses his lips and tries to smile, "Hi." He says nonchalantly.

Eric grins wider and faces Hyesung, taking his whole image in.

"Welcome ba-" Hyesung starts to say.

Eric grabs him and embraces him hard. Hyesung's face flashes confusion as he stares into the walls of the apartment building, Eric's arms crushing him in his embrace. Hyesung's hands stay limp on hs sides, not knowing what to do.

"I'm home." Eric whispers.

Hyesung bites his lower lip, tears threatening to fall down on his cheeks. He lifts both of his arms and encircles Eric's body, hugging him back.

Eric burrows his head onto Hyesung's shoulders; Hyesung could feel him smiling on his thin shirt, "I missed you." Eric says, his voice muffled by Hyesung's clothing.

Hyesung looks up, sighs and presses his lips, trying hard not to smile. He pushes Eric away from his body and steps away from him. Eric's face contorts in confusion and disappointment, an image that pierces through Hyesung's heart.

Feeling guilty, Hyesung gives him a small smile, "Sorry, I'm actually not feeling well today." He says shrugging a little.

Eric looks at him and notices his puffy eyes, he raises his hand towards them, but Hyesung dodges his touch and presses his lips. Hurt flashes on Eric's eyes but he shakes them off and gives Hyesung a smile instead.

"Oh." Eric says nodding his head, "So that's why you haven't been answering on the messages." He says his voice understanding, Hyesung nods at this, "Even if you've read them." Eric finishes.

Cursing on his head for being stupid, Hyesung scratches his head and bows it a little, "I didn't have the energy to reply, I'm so sorry." He says his voice small.

Eric nods at this, his features showing disappointment. He gathers his breathe and gives Hyesung a smile, "That's alright."

Hyesung gives him a thankful grin, which immediately erases the disappointment on Eric's face, "So what brings you here?" Hyesung asks, his voice level.

Eric shrugs, "I came to fetch you."

Hyesung's eyebrows meet at the center of his forehead, confusion enveloping his features and his thoughts, "Fetch...me? But why?" He asks tilting his head, still unable to comprehend everything. Surely, Eric doesn't mean what he thinks he meant? He was to drive there with--

"Yes silly." Eric says smiling, "I figured since your car isn't here, I'd take you to the venue myself." He says giving Hyesung a thumbs up sign, Hyesung opens his mouth, but Eric shakes his head at this, "Don't worry about it, Andy's taken care of it."

Hyesung's mouth forms an O. So that's why Andy wasn't responding on the group chat.

But...then again...why?

Eric reads his thoughts and grins, "Ofcourse I'd fetch you.", He raises his hand on Hyesung's shoulders and squeezes it, "You're my bestfriend."

Hyesung's breathing stops.

"So, go and dress up," Eric says pushing him back inside his apartment. Unable to speak, Hyesung nods his head and turns toward the main door. They go inside his apartment and Eric settles on his sofa, unmuting the television. Hyesung stands beside Eric, staring at him, unable to move, unable to form proper thought... only his heart was moving, and it hurt his chest.

Eric looks at him and raises his eyebrows, "Ya. Don't just stand there, go and get dressed already." He says pushing Hyesung towards the bedroom.

Hyesung nods his head and turns towards his bedroom, not knowing what to do, not knowing what to think, not knowing what to feel.

"I'll be waiting for you." Eric shouts at Hyesung's back, as Hyesung enters his bedroom.

Hyesung shuts his door and leans on it. He lifts his head towards the ceiling, his vision blurring.

Tears run down his face as Eric's voice echoed through his head.

"You're my bestfriend."