Donghae was a pretty polite person, like he knew when to not question people as to not interfere with private stuff, or when and where to do things, such as listen and pay attention. He was taught proper etiquette by his mother (in what little time he had been with her), and Leeteuk's influence had made him develop even more polite behavioural manner. He didn't quite know why, it was just something that he'd been taught and had never faded away, always with him and present.

So he definitely knew it was wrong listening to Ryeowook as he spoke to Eunhyuk over his radio.

It was four o'clock in the morning, and it was Ryeowook's shift, so really he shouldn't have been up anyway, but he was, and he really, really couldn't stay away from listening in to what the two talked about.

They had taken refuge in a small apartment, decided their shifts and rested, rotating every once in a while. He had taken the first shift, Han Geng second and Ryeowook third, so why he was up? He honestly had no idea. Well... He did, but it was probably too superficial to be a reason to wake up.

[So, how are you guys? It's been a while since we last talked...] Eunhyuk's voice was crackled through the speaker.

"Yeah, it has been," Ryeowook chuckled softly. "And we've been fine, you?"

[Pretty good, we have five stones.]

"So do we!" Ryeowook huffed childishly. "And now all we have to do is go to Gwanjin!"

[Yeah, yeah, all we have to do is go to Gangdong, so were pretty close," Eunhyuk said teasingly. [So we'll beat you by a long shot!]

"Psh, who said we won't beat you?"

[You're so on.]

"Ha! Yeah right," Ryeowook cackled, Donghae shuffled against the wall more to be able to here better.

They continued to talk about more regular stuff, like how their fellow teammates were, or if their powers had done anything weird, and about what elements of the yoso-dol they had found. Eunhyuk spoke about how being with only Leeteuk was, again, and how he had discovered that the older like-liked Han Geng (like that wasn't obvious already) and what soldier activity they had seen (which wasn't that much if Donghae had to be honest). Ryeowook talked about the time Han Geng had been almost 'yanked' out of the sky, and when Donghae told them about Han Geng's 'so-called connection' with Leeteuk, Eunhyuk had added on to that, telling Ryeowook about how he could tell about the 'connection' in the first place.  They laughed a while after that, about how everything happened to Han Geng.

"So how are you feeling?" Ryeowook finally asked.

[Good, why?]

"You know what I mean," Ryeowook sighed exasperatedly. "How are you feeling?"

[About what?]

"About Donghae."

Donghae's heartbeat raced and a sense of dread flooded through his veins as silence filled the room. Why were they talking about him? Why was Lee Hyukjae talking about him?! This made Donghae feel uneasy. As much as he wanted to just leave and forget the whole event happened, he just couldn't pull himself away from the conversation.

[I told Leeteuk... Well, more he actually drew it out if me] Eunhyuk finally said shakily. [He told me just to stop thinking about it... So I haven't for a while now...]

"What did he say?" Ryeowook asked curiously. "Tell me.”

[He said he knew how I felt and he told me maybe I wasn't... Maybe I didn't feel like that towards him... Maybe it was just my imagination and maybe I just needed to stop and leave it for a while] Eunhyuk mumbled almost inaudibly. [So I have, but the thought is always there, never really 'gone'. I can't help it, and the more I think about it... The more I think it might be true...]

"Well, I certainly can't tell you how to feel Hyukjae..." Ryeowook said softly. "But I think admitting that you actually may feel something is a start."

[I actually don't know how to feel towards the whole thing...] Eunhyuk sounded uncertain, almost scared. [I mean... I... I don't really want him to know, he hates me as much as I 'hate' him.]

"Oh Hyukjae," Ryeowook chuckled as Donghae peered into the room slightly. "Donghae doesn't hate you... He just gets angry because you get angry at him..."

Donghae frowned, pressing closer to the door. Why were they talking about him? They still hadn't got to a point when they actually said what the reason they were discussing the topic of him. What was it?

[... I don't mean to... I really don't mean to... It's just... Well, I've known Leeteuk and Geng practically all my life and you're one of my cognates...] Eunhyuk admitted, his voice quivering. [But I've had some rough times as a kid, and that kind of affected my social interaction ability... So I'm not used to certain emotions, especially this one.]

"It's okay, I understand," Ryeowook cooed jokingly. "I guess that's what happens."

[We are teenagers, we are allowed to feel all weird all the time, hormones and all]

"Who taught you about hormones?"

[Who taught you?]

"... Well played, well, my father was a teacher..."

[Hm, I had Leeteuk.] Eunhyuk said nonchalantly. [But yeah, hormones, teenage mind, blah.]

"... You'll be fine, besides, Leeteuk is right," Ryeowook said soothingly. "The time doesn't have to come immediately, you have time...”

[But what's if I don't? What if... What if he...] Eunhyuk trailed off. [Goes to...]

Donghae couldn't hear the last part, it was said too quietly for him.

"I never said you had all the time in the world," Ryeowook sighed shaking his head. "You don't have heaps and heaps of time, but you have enough... You can't put this off forever Hyukjae."

[... I just hope I can make up my mind in time...] Eunhyuk mumbled.

"Of course you will, I believe you can," Ryeowook encouraged. "Just... Follow your heart."

[I'll try, but no guarantees, okay?] Eunhyuk huffed. [But Ryeowook...]

"Yeah?"

[I'm scared]

Donghae ducked his head out of the room as another silence filled the area. He heard Ryeowook sigh before he began talking again.

"I know, and it's perfectly fine to be," The Light element answered. "Just don't over think it okay?"

[Thanks Wook...] Eunhyuk replied as Donghae shifted his head back into the doorway. [Uh... Love you...]

"Love you too 'Eunhyuk'," Ryeowook chuckled mockingly. "Goodnight."

Donghae blinked in confusion. Well, that had told him absolutely nothing about why they were talking about him. He heard the speak button on the radio click, and Ryeowook placed the device down on a table. The Light element sent out a photon beam, which swirled around a second before heading towards the door, towards him.

Before he knew it, the beam had wrapped itself around him and was dragging him into the room and in front of Ryeowook. Donghae's eyes widened as the younger looked down at him with a thoughtful face.

"I knew it."

"... I didn't mean to..." Donghae tried. "I seriously didn't, I... I just woke up and kinda felt something-"

"It's okay." Ryeowook shrugged nonchalantly. "I knew you were there, and were wondering why we were talking about you, so I kept the subject broad."

"... What were you talking about...?" Donghae frowned at him.

Ryeowook just smiled. "I can't tell you, you have to find out yourself..."

"... Why?" Donghae clenched his fists. "Why is everyone able to speak to him except me? Why am I the one who's just separated from the group? I feel like an outcast!"

It was true; he was an outcast, the only Guardian to not have a completely natural occurrence on Earth. Metal was man-made, a human made substance that had somehow merged its way into being a natural element. It hurt, it hurt knowing that he wasn’t ‘truly’ a part of the elements, he was just… A space filler.

"I'm sorry Donghae, I really want to tell you, but you heard, Eunhyuk needs time, his thoughts aren't clear and he's just a bit mucked up in the head..." Ryeowook told him. "It's nothing bad, I promise, if anything, it'd be progress."

Donghae pouted childishly, but he looked at Ryeowook with sad eyes.

"Promise?"

"In all honesty, I can't promise anything," Ryeowook admitted sheepishly. "But we're seeing them tomorrow; feel free to ask Hyukjae then."

"... I will..."

This was a mystery Donghae was willing to attempt to unravel.

---

Okay! I'm back guys!

Yeah, sorry, I've been a little busy with homework (more like procrastinating it *slapped*)

If you didn't know, the name of a person at the end of the title of a chapter is the person the chapter is focused on

Happy reading ^^