From the times you stayed with me

That scent still remains

This love has deeply settled inside me

The flower is withering

After the loud cheer and claps of the spectators died down, Heechul grabbed his two best friends' hands and bowed, ending their show for tonight. They got off the stage with a broad smile on their face as they once again received such positive responses.

"Good job, guys! The crowds went crazy with those sentimental lyrics and high notes."

Ryeowook complimented once they were resting near the bar station. Kyunghoon only grinned boastfully, fanning himself, while Heechul acknowledged the praise through his stare as he was gulping down a bottle of water.

"You can join us, Wookie. I know you have a voice."

They were all surprised when Yesung suddenly offered to the waiter. The reasons were one, as long as they saw, he rarely talked to Ryeowook so how the hell he suddenly called him with his nickname remained as a mystery; and two, when he got the idea that Ryeowook's voice was good.

"Ah, I'm mediocre, Hyung. I.. I gotta go now. Bye!"

It was obvious that Ryeowook was flustered if the red ears were the proof. Heechul tossed his empty bottle to the trash can before he walked closer to his friend. Yesung got the aura but he persistently acted as if his explanation was not being waited for, casually checking his phone.

"Do I miss something here?"

Heechul smirked seeing Yesung flinched even so little. He was about to pester the younger more when his phone suddenly buzzed. It was a message notification but what surprised him was a bunch of missed calls from the very same number— his professor. He did work overtime today but what made his professor called?

»»————-　♡　————-««

The night had gone gloom when Heechul arrived at his professor's house. The moon was nowhere to be found, hiding behind the dark clouds that scared the stars. He breathed heavily as he swung his jacket over his shoulder albeit his bare arms needing coverage to fight the chills. 

He heaved and punched the passcode before entering the house. He was mildly surprised to see Hyukjae was still awake, studying in the living room. He took off his leather boots, keeping them somewhere, and approached the little boy.

"It's already past 10, Hyuk. Why haven't you gone to bed?"

Strange. 

Hyukjae didn't answer, maybe focusing on his assignments, Heechul deduced. Not giving up, he moved to sit beside the boy and just then he finally realized that Hyukjae was crying although the boy quickly wiped his tears when he saw Heechul coming.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Heechul's words were laced with worries. But Hyukjae only shook his head and continued doing his tasks. Something was definitely off. Heechul tried again.

"Hyuk. What happ—"

"Hae has been fussing for hours, Unc— Maw. Daddy is with him."

Heechul frowned, keeping the warmth of being called with the endearment to himself, as Hyukjae seemed to be sad. Heechul finally grasped the possibility of why his professor called him a hundred times earlier. However, before he went to check on Donghae, he had a kid to cheer over here.

"Have you had your dinner?"

Hyukjae nodded, not lifting his head.

"Why were you crying?"

Heechul cautiously began as he draped his hand over Hyukjae's small form. He took a glimpse of the assignments and what he could see was only the trace of his mistakes in doing one number with some messy lines seemingly out of frustration.

"Hyuk-ah, are you sad?"

Sensing that the kid was having difficulty with answering his question, Heechul changed his method. Gladly, this time, Hyukjae responded— a nod it was.

"Are you upset?"

Another nod.

Heechul was slowly grasping the situation. His hold on the boy's body tightened.

"I wanted Daddy to help me but he was busy with Hae."

His breath got heavier the more he listened to Hyukjae's explanation. He the kid's hair as he asked softly.

"Is that why you were crying?"

"Daddy said big boys shouldn't cry and I am a big boy, that's why I stay here so that Daddy won't know I was crying."

"Never show me your stupid tears. That's useless and it won't change anything, you dickhead!"

Heechul had to hold his tears threatening to fall with all of his might because right now, he shouldn't mix what was happening to Hyukjae with what happened to him in the past. He rubbed Hyukjae's arm gently as he kissed his hair without him knowing—what he wanted to do now was only to comfort him,

because he knew;

he sympathized;

he shared similar pain.

»»————-　♡　————-««

The closer he got to the room, the clearer the cry became. Heechul sighed because he knew he would never get a warm welcome when he entered the room yet he had to. After knocking on the door, he creaked it open slowly. What he thought was absolutely right. Jungsoo, holding wailing Donghae, looked at him menacingly; his eyes taking the strange appearance with a heavy make up he currently had. It surely wavered him to take a step closer but he had to feed his ego as he still felt like he did nothing wrong.

"I performed longer because—"

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