"We're going out," Henry said later that day, when Ryeowook was stretched along the couch, waiting for a nap to take him up.

He figured it wouldn't happen now, since the second Henry stated they were going out everyone volunteered to go with them, leading to a big argument that someone had to stay and "babysit" those who couldn't go. Ryeowook pulled himself up to a sitting position and Henry fell onto the couch at his side, grinning at the pandemoneum he started. Ryeowook just shook his head at the younger male, standing up from the couch and folding his arms across his chest.

"Why don't we all go?" Shindong suggested from the kitchen, which got every wiled up again.

"But Sungmin can't go, it's too bright out!" Siwon protested.

"And Zhou Mi ... isn't even here!" Kyuhyun added, though it sounded more of an accusation than anything.

Ryeowook looked down at Henry who only shrugged at him, letting his attention turn back to the scene in front of them. Ryeowook sighed, heading for the door, not caring really who followed him at this point. In fact, he was quite surprised that only three others beside Henry showed up at the elevator with him, but he said nothing as he waited for the lift to reach their floor. Ryeowook looked over his shoulder at Eeteuk, Heechul, and Donghae, wondering why only they were going.

"It's almost here," Henry said, tugging on Ryeowook's sleeve and pointing to the gaining numbers above the silver doors.

Ryeowook smiled, mumbling a thanks to Henry. Henry just shrugged it off and pulled Ryeowook into the elevator after the others, letting Heechul lean against the panel and press the ground floor button- there were too many of them to take just one car, after all, and using two for a group of five seemed pointless, Eeteuk explained on the way down, receiving a small murmer of agreement from the group as the elevator slowed to a halt.

When the doors opened the group piled out, Henry and Ryeowook at the rear, Heechul leading them, and they exited the apartment building and into the brightness that surrounded Seoul. Granted, there was still the looming black hole overhead, but it was growing noticabely smaller each day and Eeteuk figured it'd be gone in ten months. Ryeowook felt bad the one person who was the most excited about the black hole leaving was the only one who wouldn't be able to see it.

"... want to go?"

Ryeowook was drawn away from looking at the black hole when Donghae grabbed his arm, tugging hard enough to make him wince. Ryeowook looked at the older male, frowning at him and removing his arm from his grasp. He rubbed it gently, mumbling to himself.

"What is it?" he asked, feeling his eyebrows pull together.

"Eeteuk-sshi asked where you wanted to go."

"Henry was the one that offered the trip," Ryeowook replied, motioning towards Henry with his throbbing arm. "Ask him."

"You don't pay attention much, do you?" Eeteuk questioned, laughing loudly enough to draw the attention of a few passersby.

Ryeowook shook his head, sighing and trying to smile. He wasn't looking at Eeteuk, but rather at the numbers around him. He felt comfort in them, somehow, even if they were still slowly going down. Near a cafe he saw one that caused his stomach to twist and he pointed in the direction he saw it go.

"Good! I wanted to get some more pastries for Hankyung!" Heechul announced, excited, hair turning a few shades brighter as he started towards the shop.

Ryeowook looked at Henry, shrugged, and laughed as he followed after Heechul, trying to keep his eyes from glancing at Eeteuk, who was walking in front of him. Henry was doing a somewhat decent job of distracting Ryeowook, but he kept feeling his eyes pull towards Eeteuk. At least, when they walked into the cafe Ryeowook was relieved of having to worry about it, since Eeteuk went off somewhere in the back, out of sight.

There was also the case of the mysterious number that Ryeowook was so drawn to. When he walked towards it, Henry followed, clinging to his arm for some reason, and Heechul was quick to follow, nose in the air.

"Wait, excuse me!" Ryeowook called, just as the man was about to head up the stairs to the second floor of the cafe.

The man turned around, narrowed eyes practically slits as he glared down at Ryeowook from the first step of the stairs. He stepped down, though, and crossed his arms. Ryeowook took a step back, grinning shakily. It was true, then. His number was no lie. Above his head, almost as if they it been written with blood, in such a lovely script (probably one of the man's time), was his number, frozen in time forever.

ooooooooo1

"Ryeowook, you look like you've seen a ghost!" Eeteuk exclaimed, returning from wherever he had gone, laughing in such a way that caused the man in front of them to wince. His ears must be sensitive because of… Ryeowook never finished his thought, drawn out of his own little shell by a hard pat on his back. It caused him to stumble forward, pushing the man in front of him to the ground. Ryeowook managed to remain standing, though, and Heechul thumped him on the back again.

"Help him up, then, Wookie-ah, you're the one who knocked him down!" Heechul ordered, hand still on Ryeowook's back.

"But…"

Heechul shoved Ryeowook forward, and because of the force Ryeowook stumbled to the ground, almost landing on the man. He could see his nametag, too, and he registered the name in his head. Yesung cleared his throat, but Ryeowook didn't look him in the eye, instead looking above his head at the number. He couldn't see the nasty look the man in front of him was giving him. He didn't know until he felt strong hands on his chest, pushing him. Ryeowook's reaction was instantaneous. He reached out a hand, pressed his fingers against Yesung's lips, and tried to pry them open while at the same time struggling against Yesung.

"Get off!" the dark haired male finally shouted, pulling himself away from Ryeowook and hauling himself to his feet.

Ryeowook was pulled to his own feet and was held there by strong arms. He could smell the weak scent of spice, immediately knowing that it was Donghae that held him back. It wasn't as if Ryeowook could do anything anyway, since Yesung was storming towards the stairs.

"What was his number?"

Ryeowook looked at Henry, enjoying seeing a large number, even if the last number was slowly falling backwards; two, one, zero, nine…

"Rui…?"

Ryeowook blinked, eyes lowering to look at Henry's face.

"It was stuck at one…"

Though the group had been silent before, there seemed to be a sudden awkwardness about the silence; an awkwardness that caused Ryeowook's stomach to clench tightly.

---

Shindong was the first to greet them when they got home, apparently having heard about the pastries Heechul had texted Hankyung about. Heechul was quick to send him off to the store to get pastries, mumbling about where he could put them, before he disappeared down the hall with Hankyung, practically on the Chinese man's neck.

"Did something happen?" Sungmin's voice questioned from very close, and Henry put a hand out, which just made Sungmin go whoa.

"You're too close, Ge," Henry told him, putting an arm around Ryeowook's waist and leading him down the hall.

Ryeowook could hear some footsteps behind them, but he remained silent and let Henry sit him on his own bed. He closed his eyes, trying to relax against his pillows, but he couldn't stop seeing the number against his eyelids. He opened his eyes and looked towards the door where most of the members in the dorm ahd gathered, staring in at him, all asking what happened.

"He saw a vampire," Eeteuk explained from behind them all, and Henry laughed when half the small group that gathered yelped in surprise. "He said his number was at one, so it has to be a vampire, right? He was far too good looking to be a zombie."

Ryeowook felt his cheeks heat up and he rolled onto his side, away from the giggles and remarks of his friends. Donghae was down the hall telling them about how Ryeowook nearly attacked Yesung and how he had been "all over him". Henry was quick to snap that Ryeowook wasn't all over Yesung, he was just investigating, and he quickly shut the bedroom door. The sound cut off immediately, and Ryeowook relaxed against his mattress, thankful for Henry's gift. He heard Henry open his drawer, having a feeling it was those pills for his stomach.

"Henry, please stop fussing," Ryeowook said, rolling over and sitting up. "I feel fine now."

However, when Ryeowook tried standing he swayed slightly, and probably would have fallen on the floor if Henry hadn't caught him. Even then, they still somehow managed on the floor with Ryeowook's cheek brushing against Henry's.

"So-sorry!"

When Ryeowook moved his head Henry pulled him closer, and Ryeowook shivered when he felt hands brush the back of his neck. He swallowed hard, his face now hovering just inches over Henry's. Henry wasn't looking at him, though. Instead, his eyes were closed, and Ryeowook realized it was because he was probably exerting all his strength to keep the noises in the room in the room.

"Henry... I have to get up," Ryeowook said, trying to pull away from Henry.

The younger male let him go but remained on the floor. Ryeowook quicky moved to the door and across the hall into the bathroom, pushing aside Kyuhyun who had apparently been trying to eavesdrop.

"Ya, what did you do to my hyung?"

"Ah, Ge, sorry..."

Ryeowook sighed, shutting the bathroom door behind him. He curled up near the toilet, wincing with each insult Kyuhyun said to Henry. He hoped that while he could hear it, Henry could not. The shouting went down the hall, and eventually out the front door, so Ryeowook closed his eyes and somehow fell asleep with his face pressed against the cool floor.

For some reason, he dreamt of Yesung.