"No, no, Eric, not that! Change it!"

Eric's laughter echoes inside the car as Hyesung tries to pry his hand away from the buttons of the music player. Hyesung chuckles as he presses one of the buttons, the loud rap music dwindles while a soothing voice fills the car.

"Hyesung, I will sleep while driving through this. Change it." Eric says looking at Hyesung sideways, giving him an eye roll.

Laughing, Hyesung presses on the buttons again and this time, a pop song comes on, "There," Hyesung says as Bruno Mar's voice sounded through the speakers, singing That's What I Like, "Happy?" He says giving Eric a face.

Eric laughs, "Yes, better.", then out of nowhere, he starts singing with Bruno Mars from the radio, dancing on his seat, tapping the steering wheel.

Hyesung laughs and joins him; their loud voices joining in with the radio's music, the car almost shaking from their exaggerated movements.

"If you say you want a good time, Well here I am baby, here I am baby. Talk to me, talk to me, talk to me, Tell me what's on your mind." Eric sings while raising his hand and looking at Hyesung who was absolutely cracking up beside him.

Laughing, Hyesung joins in, "If you want it, boy come and get it, All this is here for you, Tell me baby, tell me, tell me baby, What you tryna do."

Then both of them sing the chorus together.

Chuckling Eric shakes his head, "Oh we should do this more often." He says looking at Hyesung, his eyes sparkling with happiness.

Hyesung gives him a grin, "We can try. But life happens Eric. You'd be busy." Hyesung says, pressing the volume to lessen it a little so they can talk properly.

"Pretty sure life is happening now Hyesung, but I'm still here." Eric says tapping the steering wheel intune to the next song that was playing on the speakers.

Hyesung looks at him, smiles and then glances towards the car window. Night has already fallen around them as they continued on to their journey. The venue was still an hour away though, not that Hyesung was in any hurry to get there. In all truth, he wants the road to continue on, and on, and on, and on; probably never ending, both of them never arriving. Just driving through this whole day--which he also hopes never to end, until they reach, or never reach, the ends of the world or the end of the time. It was going all too well for him. He was afraid it would all come to an end at some point, which he knew it will, within an hour. When they headed off right after the sun set, Hyesung decided to make the most out of their short roadtrip. Instead of feeling rather melancholy, he went ahead and became himself whenever he's alone with Eric, a mean feat as he's never done it for a long time. It proved to be a success as the first few minutes in, Eric has started laughing loudly, suggesting for them to sing while he drove so he wouldn't sleep and engaging in ridiculous singing which Hyesung has only seen him do while on a trip with him and him alone.

"So? When is the next one?" Eric says while patting the steering wheel, still engaged with the music from the radio, not minding Hyesung's sudden silence. Probably relating it again to what he was feeling this morning, and giving respect that he might still not feel okay.

Hyesung chuckles, "I don't know, you tell me."

Eric looks at him suddenly, his smile widening on his face, "Oh, you dare challenge me Shin Hyesung?"

Hyesung shrugs and chuckles, "I'm game."

Eric claps his shoulders and then back at the steering wheel, "Good. let's do it every month! Just you and me again!"

Laughing, Hyesung nods, "Sure. Whatever you say."

"Yes!" Eric says drumming the steering wheel, the side of his eyes crinkling from the huge smile that was plastered on his face.

They drive in silence after that; Hyesung looking out of the window, while Eric drives through the night. Giving Eric a side glance, Hyesung notices that he's in deep thought, and couldn't help but chuckle that he's probably thinking about where they'd go to next month; Eric gives him a side glance, winks and smiles wide, a tell-tale sign that what Hyesung was thinking was true. He was probably thinking of the most ridiculous things they could do together, plotting exagerrated ways to have a great time and going over where they would spend it. Reaching out, Hyesung places his hand on Eric's shoulders and squeezes them. Eric, surprise by this gesture, blinks and takes Hyesung's hand, intertwining it with his own. Instead of taking it back, Hyesung grips Eric's hand and gives him a smile, one which Eric returns, his eyes glistening.

Hyesung looks back at the window, gazing into the night, sighing as he did so.

"What's bothering you?" Eric says as he squeezes Hyesung's hand.

Hyesung breathes, "Nothing. I'm just." He gives Eric a look whilst pursing his lips, "Afraid."

Eric's eyebrows meet at the center of his forehead, "Afraid?" he says, his voice reeking with doubt, Hyesung nods, "You?" Hyesung nods again, "Shin Hyesung?"

Hyesung gives him a smile, "Yes?" He says squeezing Eric's hand, "I get scared a lot, as you know."

Chuckling, Eric turns the car to the right, "That's quite hard to believe." He says letting go of Hyesung's hand for a bit to change gears and takes Hyesung's hand again and rests both on his lap.

Smiling at this gesture, Hyesung looks at Eric's face, "Really?" He gives him a look of sarcasm, "Don't you guys pry on that every now and then by scaring me off?"

Eric laughs at this, "Oh." he gives Hyesung a huge grin, "not that scared." Hyesung rolls his eyes at him, "Or wait, is that what you're talking about now?" Eric says taken a back, looking incredulous.

Hyesung laughs and shakes his head, "No." then turning serious he says, "More of--life scared."

Eric raises his eyebrows at him, "Scared of life? That's deep."

Hyesung rolls his eyes at him, "Ha-ha-ha."

Eric chuckles and squeezes Hyesung's hand, "But seriously though. I don't take you to be afraid of things, life wise."

It was Hyesung's turn to raise his eyebrows at him, "What gives?"

"I've always thought you were brave." Eric says shrugging.

Hyesung looks at the road and smiles, "Really?"

Eric nods, "Yes."

Looking at Eric again, Hyesung asks, "How come?"

Raising his shoulders and shrugging, Eric says, "Just." He gives Hyesung a side glance, "the way you carry yourself."

Hyesung snorts and takes his hand away, turning his full body towards Eric's direction, "That could just be pretending, you know."

Eric gives him a look and then takes his hand again, "No it isn't." He says resting both of their hands on his lap, "I'm sure it isn't."

Hyesung smiles at their intertwined hands and then looks back at Eric's serious face, "How sure are you?" He asks, a smile lingering on his lips.

Eric gives him a side glance, "Pretty sure", smiles and winks, "It's you."

Hyesung laughs at this and continuously stares at Eric's face. His heart swelling on his chest.

Looking at the road infront of him, Eric plows on, seriously this time, "When we all left for the military, we've all had our own lives for a while. It was difficult." He gives Hyesung a side glance, "But you managed." Hyesung gives him a small smile, "You didn't falter." Eric looks back on the road, "In the end, we all came back to you."

Hyesung places his other hand on his chest, then turning his body back to face forward he says, "That's not brave, that's just me waiting."

Eric smiles, "Ah, but bravery isn't just about fighting off your worst fears or something like that." Hyesung raises his eyebrows at him, "It's also knowing and waiting. Like what you did."

Shaking his head, Hyesung chuckles and looks outside the car again.

Squeezing his hand and placing it on his chest, Eric mutters, "Don't downplay yourself Hyesung." He raises Hyesung's hand towards his face and kisses it, "You are brave."

Biting his lower lip, Hyesung gives Eric a look of amusement. Eric smiles and places Hyesung's hand on his cheeks, "I think you are." He says looking at Hyesung's eyes directly.

Turning his hand, he holds onto Eric's face and gives him a grin, "You always think I am."

Eric presses Hyesung's hand on his face, "Because you are." He takes it again and intertwine his fingers with it, "You just don't acknowledge yourself."

Hyesung turns away and gives a little chuckle.

The road is dark, but his heart feels like it is glowing.

Silence envelopes the car as they drive through the night, several minutes away from the venue. Hyesung gives Eric a side glance, his heart thumping on his chest. Worry starting to show on his face.

Eric gives him a glance, his eyebrow meeting at the center of his forehead upon seeing Hyesung's worried face, "What is it that made you question your bravery anyway?" Eric asks squeezing Hyesung's hand again.

Hyesung breathes, trying to calm himself, "Just, some things I should've done, but didn't." He looks at Eric, "Things I waited for until it was too late." He squeezes Eric's hand, "And still waiting for."

Eric's face turns serious, "Wow, that's deep."

Hyesung stares at his face, unaware that he was trying to memorize it, "Mhm."

Eric gives him a glance, "But why do you wait?"

Hyesung opens his mouth, breathes and bites his lower lip for a bit, "Maybe because I am not brave enough to do it.", He squeezes Eric's hand, "Still."

Eric smiles at the road ahead, "Well, maybe it's time you stop waiting."

Hyesung breathes, "What?"

Eric looks at him, "Stop waiting."

Hyesung looks down and laughs bitterly.

"Do it." Eric continues his voice serious.

Hyesung turns away and looks outside the car window again, not speaking.

"Say it." Eric mutters.

Hyesung looks at Eric suddenly, his expression surprise.

"What?" Hyesung says, his eyebrows quivering.

Eric gives him a smile, "Say it."

I LOVE YOU. Hyesung's heart screamed.

"Don't think." Eric widens his smile, "Just say it. Do what you must do."

I LOVE YOU, ERIC. Hyesung's heart screamed again.

It was proving to be difficult to breathe for Hyesung now. His heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest.

"Be brave, Hyesung." Eric says lifting Hyesung's hand towards his lips again, pressing a kiss at the back of Hyesung's hand.

Hyesung stares at Eric's face, trying to keep his emotions in check, turning towards Eric's direction slowly.

Bowing his head, Hyesung asks in a low voice, "Have you ever?"

"Yes."

Hyesung lifts his face and looks at Eric's face, he was smiling, albeit sadly.

"What did you do?" Hyesung asks gripping Eric's hand.

Eric breathes for awhile, as if remembering the moment, he turns towards Hyesung, "I said it."

Hyesung's eyebrows scrunches at the middle of his forehead, "What did you say?"

Eric smiles, "I said," he then looks at Hyesung directly, "I love you."

Hyesung blinks, "What?"

Eric grins at him, "Don't you remember?"

Hyesung opens his mouth, "I..."

Eric turns towards the road, keeping Hyesung's hand on his chest, "I was drunk and I came home to you." He smiles a little, "That night I broke up with her, remember?" He gives Hyesung a side glance, his eyes glistening a little.

Hyesung in a breathe.

"What is it?" He asked Eric, his voice wary.

Eric's lips trembled, "We broke up." He said as tears fell down on his cheeks.

"I was so upset." He smiles a little at the memory, "But then I realized, I didn't have to be." he turns towards Hyesung again, "Cause I got you."

"Well." Eric breathed and shrugged, "I still got you."

Hyesung breathes heavily as the memory plays so clearly in his mind. He could see Eric's face that night, as if it was happening right infront of him now.

"And then I said, I love you." Eric continued on.

Hyesung turned towards Eric, "What's that suppose to mean?" He said smiling towards him.

Eric moved to get a better view of Hyesung's face, he smiled squinting slightly, "It means that I love you." He said as he grinned towards Hyesung.

Hyesung's eyes were stinging with unshed tears, as he looks at Eric's face. Feeling his heart thumping madly on his chest.

It hurt.

"But ofcourse," Eric gives him a side glance, smiling a little bitterly, "You'd probably don't remember it anymore." He chuckles and heaves a deep breath.

Hyesung opens his mouth, breathes, bites his lower lip and asks, "Did you--" He breathes again, "Did you mean that?"

Eric squeezes his hand on his chest, "I meant it then." He looks at Hyesung's face and smiles, not noticing the play of emotions there, "I mean it now."

Hyesung could hear his heart breaking into a million pieces again. How is that even possible?

He stares into Eric's face and could feel the sadness eminating from his heart.

Again, reality slapping him in the face, for wasting time waiting...

"Don't be afraid." Eric mutters, "I'l always be here. If all else fails."

A tear falls down on Hyesung's cheeks. He doesn't wipe it.

Eric gives him a small smile, "I will be here when they leave. I will always wait for you."

Another tear follows.

"And I'll always catch you, should you fall."

Several others race down on Hyesung's cheeks.

Eric lets go of his hand and lifts towards his tear stricken face. He wipes Hyesung's tears away, "Don't be afraid."

Hyesung closes his eyes as he holds onto Eric's hand, keeping it on his cheeks.

"Be brave, my Hyesung." Eric says, his voice shaking a little, "I'm here."

Hyesung nods while hundred more tears fall down on his cheeks.

He didn't want to think of what this would look like to Eric.

He just wants to break without hiding it anymore.

And he wanted to so very badly.

Knowing that all his fears are not real.

Because he'd always be there for him.

He just needs to be brave enough to tell him.

Even if it's only for the purpose of knowing.

And though Eric didn't say it, Hyesung could hear it clearly in his heart.

Be brave, Hyesung.

Be brave.

For me.