It was warm when he woke up. He couldn't even remember having fallen asleep. Had those last things even happened? Had he brought his violin to the music store, met that man called Sungmin, been at Zhou Mi's? If yes, why was he in a bed then?

...

Why didn't it smell like his home when he was in a bed?!

Henry sat up and opened his eyes the second he realized that this place somehow wasn't his home but he immediately got dizzy. He blinked to make the dizziness go away and after a few seconds he looked around. This bed was bigger than his own, looked as if it was made for two people. There was a wardrobe on the left and a night table on either side of the bed. There was also a little desk with a laptop on it and in front of it was a chair. Someone had thrown their pants and a shirt over the backrest of that chair. But everything looked tidy so far. Only... where was he?

He got out of the nice and warm bed and opened the only door. The next room looked more familiar. The lights were and the living room he had been sitting in earlier was refelcted in the big windows. Did that mean he was still at Zhou Mi's? But... why? Hadn't they been watching TV? At least more or less? Why would he have fallen asleep then? Well, he hadn't slept well the nights before... but...

A delicious smell reached him and he sniffed softly. Was it already time for dinner? Someone hummed lowly and Henry had to smile when he recognized the melodie. He exited the bedroom completely and quietly closed the door. Then he walked to the kitchen without making a sound. For a while he just stood in the doorway and watched Zhou Mi. He seemed to be a good cook. And he seemed to have fun while cooking.

Without even knowing why he approached the other from behind and hugged him. Zhou Mi flinched and squeaked softly but Henry just leaned his head against the other's warm body. He didn't know why he was hugging the Chinaman. Maybe because he was still tired?

"Henry?"

"Hm?"

He could feel how the elder tried to turn around. Then the other chuckled lowly. "Did you sleep well, Henry?"

The younger man stepped back and yawned, then he nodded. "Yeah. Sorry for just falling asleep. I guess I didn't sleep well lately..."

Zhou Mi smiled. "It's okay. Just take a seat, dinner will be ready in a couple of minutes."

Henry nodded and sat down. He felt a lot more rested than before. "Zhou Mi?"

"Yes?"

"What time is it?"

"Half past six."

Half past six... "Damn it!" he cursed unintentionally, but when he noticed it he quickly covered his mouth. "I-I'm sorry, Zhou Mi-hyung. I'm sorry. It's just... I bet that my parents worry where I am. I-I should go home!"

"Why don't you just call them and tell them where you are right now? You can at least eat dinner here before you go." The older man almost sounded disappointed. But Henry was sure that he just imagined that as he hit his head.

"Oh god, I'm sorry, I'm so dump."

The other smiled. "It's okay. The telephone's on the table in the living room."

Henry nodded and quickly hurried out of the kitchen. Only then did he realize that he should have thanked Zhou Mi for carrying him into his bed. But he would have to do it later.

He quickly dialed his home's phone number and after already the first ring, his mother answered. "Yeoboseyo?"

"Mum, it's me."

"Henry! Oh my god, where are you? Why aren't you at home? We worry about you! Is everything okay? Are you injured? What happened? Do we need to-"

"If you ask then give him time to answer!" Kangin's voice interrupted Sooyoung's and the young woman took a deep breath. "Okay. Then let's start with the most important thing - are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I'm at a friend's."

"You mean Mrs Kim? Shall we come and pick you up?"

"No." Henry shook his head. "No, I'm not at Mrs Kim's. I met someone at the river I knew and then we decided to go to him. He cooked lunch and now he cooks dinner. I'm sorry I didn't call earlier, I just forgot the time." He decided to better leave out the fact there also had been another friend in the beginnning and that he had fallen asleep. His mother would only worry too much.

"Where are you?"

That was quite a good question. He knew where he was and he would always find the way back or the way to get to this apartement but... "I'm sorry, I don't know the adress. But it's one of those highrises, you know?"

"Since when do you go into one of those yourself?"

That indeed was a good question! "Well, I didn't know he lived in one of them..." he stayed with the truth.

"You should come home."

"No! He still cooks dinner! I can't go, leaving the meal all to him! That would be impolite!" That wasn't quite what he wanted to say but it was the argument that maybe was able to make his mother agree.

"But honey..."

"Mum, please. I'm a grown man, I can look after myself well enough. Just let me stay here for now, okay? I promise, I'll be back before 8, okay?"

"But..."

"Mum! It's okay. I've been sitting alone in our house all day for a week, I won't die just because I sit somewhere else with company!" Only when he had said those words  did he realize how sharphis tone had been and how much they had to hurt. "I-I mean.. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that! It's just..."

"It's okay. Just be back soon, okay?" He could hear that Sooyoung was about to cry.

"Mum, no! I..."

"See you later." The line went dead. Wonderful. Just what he didn't need! He sighed.

"Is everything okay?

When he looked up, Zhou Mi stood in the doorway to the kitchen. He nodded. "Yes. I guess. Just had a little argument with my mother..."

"You don't have to stay here if you don't want to."

"It's not like I don't want to - she doesn't want me to. She's just... too afraid. You know, she thinks I could go around the corner and die! Just like getting a heart attack or something! I mean, I have cancer, yes, that's true. But I will not die so soon! And I can take care of myself, she shouldn't worry so much!" Henry finally said what had been on his mind.

Zhou Mi walked over to him and sat down on the sofa beside him, leaned back with his arms crossed behind his head. "You told me you would die soon."

Henry looked down. "Yes. Soon. But it won't be a sudden thing. It will slowly exaggerate and become worse until I can't take it anymore. And then I will go to Leeteuk."

"The doctor?" The younger just nodded. "You know, it's normal for mothers to worry about their children. We