Healing of soul is a long process that takes a lot of time and requires a lot of effort and patience, but the result will never let down those, who helped it to heal.

WooHyun was woken up by alarm clock going off close to his head. The sound was unfamiliar, as in it wasn’t his alarm clock, but never the less he opened his eyes with great effort as his eyelids seemed to weight a ton and everything before his eyes seemed foggy and blurred out and he knew this feeling far to well. It was waking up after crying.

A hand, that was definitely not his, reached over him to grab the still ringing phone, do some mystical finger movements on the screen and then sank back…around WooHyun’s waist, pulling his against as bare chest.

Yesterday came vividly back to WooHyun’s mind and he sat up immediately, startling still half-asleep SungGyu.

“We can still sleep for a bit.” The red-hair murmured and tried to pull WooHyun back down, but the later remained sitting, staring blankly at the floor next to the door as if that small space would give answers to what had happened.

“WooHyun…”  SungGyu sat up with as sigh, wrapping his arms around WooHyun’s waist and resting his chin on WooHyun’s shoulder. “Don’t worry.”  He spoke quietly as if what he said was a secret or something that should be treasured. “We will fix this.” He said and carefully, faltering a little, laid a kiss on WooHyun’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry.” WooHyun whispered, lowering his head and swallowing back a new set of tears climbing up in his eyes.

“Don’t be.” SungGyu said, tightening his grip around raven-haired one, “You have nothing to be sorry about.”

WooHyun bit his lower lip to stop it from trembling and clenched on SungGyu’s hands almost like his life would depend on it and in a way, it did, as his sanity for now most definitely depended on SungGyu.

“I don’t think this is something that can be fixed.” WooHyun said, his voice quiet, tightening his grip on SungGyu hands so much he was sure it hurt.

“Let me try.” The red-hair loosened his grip around WooHyun thus loosening WooHyun’s death-grip as well and slowly turned the later around. “Let me at least try.”

“Okay.” WooHyun nodded, keeping his gaze away from SungGyu, honestly being afraid of what he could see.

SungGyu’s fingers curled under his chin, making him to look at the red-hair despite his fear and WooHyun’s heart calmed down as he saw the same warm face he was used to see already for more than three months.

The red-hair smiled and slowly leaned forward, wavering before pressing a kiss on WooHyun’s lips.

The later squeezed his eyes shut for a second and then opened them letting out a sigh of relief when he still saw SungGyu in front of him.

“I think you should take this day off.” SungGyu said with a small smile and stood up. He moved kind of funny, not turning his back to WooHyun, but WooHyun assumed he just wanted to keep his eye on him.

“But… why?” WooHyun asked, looking up at SungGyu, who was already putting on a wife-beater and with his eyes searching for his dress-pants and shirt.

“To rest your mind a little.” He said, still with a small smile on his face.

“But how will you handle…”

“I’ve been working alone for years. I will handle everything.” He said and went back to WooHyun, to lean closer to him and place a kiss on top of his head. “Call Hoya and others and maybe spend a day with them. Just rest your mind a little.” He said and left, yet returned seconds after, just like he did most of the times, and quickly kissed WooHyun to which the later could only reply with a small smile.

He couldn’t rest his mind. The moment he stopped controlling it he remembered things that he weren’t supposed to remember, especially in a moment like that.

Calling Hoya and others was a good idea never the less.

Hoya picked up after the third beep and sounded rather sleepy.

“Will you guys come over today? As in you, DongWoo and SungJong?” WooHyun spoke after a short morning greeting, still sitting in SungGyu’s bed place, nibbling on the edge of the blanket with his fingers.

“You think SungGyu will be happy about that?” Hoya said and a sound of slapping could be heard, which indicated that he was trying to woke DongWoo up.

“I think… SungGyu isn’t happy at all right now.” WooHyun sighed.

“Why?” Hoya now sounded like he concentrated only in the conversation, forgetting about the sleepy-head next to him.

“Something happened and… Could you just come over, please?” WooHyun bit his lower lip and looked at his fingers messing with the blanket.

“Okay. We’ll be there when SungJong’s classes are over.” He said and with a quiet ‘thank you, see you later’ WooHyun hung up.

The day passed by quickly, despite the fact that all WooHyun did most of the time was sitting on the living room floor and staring out trough the window at the far away city.

He was even afraid going downstairs to check on SungGyu and the diner and saw the red-hair only once after they woke up, when the later brought him breakfast and left again, leaving a kiss on WooHyun’s forehead like he already had done so many times before.

“Well, you look pathetic.” Hoya’s voice rang around the room and WooHyun turned away from the window to look at the trio climbing up the stairs – Hoya leading them while DongWoo and SungJong were both carrying trays with food.

“SungGyu won’t be happy.” DongWoo frowned a little as he saw a similar tray next to WooHyun on the floor.

“Why didn’t you eat, hyung?” SungJong asked sitting on the floor next to WooHyun and putting his tray in front of him. “SungGyu-hyung told as to bring you dinner as he only had time to bring you breakfast, but…” he looked at the almost untouched food.

“I wasn’t hungry…” WooHyun said. He wasn’t lying, but neither was he telling the truth. Each bite he tried to swallow got stuck in his throat and he thought he will choke, if he will try to eat. The food was great, like any other time when SungGyu cooked – the problem was in WooHyun and… guilt blocking everything in him.

“That is stupid.” DongWoo sat in front of WooHyun and took a spoonful of rice from his bowl, placed a piece of kimchi on it and moved the spoon closer to WooHyun. “Say ‘aaaaa’.” He said in a sweet tone, which was accompanied with actions of one who was feeding a child.

“I really don’t wan to…” WooHyun tried to turn away, but his stomach decided to growl loudly.

“He disagrees, now say ‘aaaaa’.” DongWoo said and repeated the same actions and this time WooHyun obliged and took the food from the spoon and slowly chewed it.

“Good!” DongWoo said with a smile. “If you wanted someone to feed you, you could have asked SungGyu. It could be romantic and stuff.” He continued, but his smile fell when WooHyun turned away.

“What happened yesterday?” Hoya, who had sat between SungJong and DongWoo, asked.

“I’m no longer sure about telling this.” WooHyun sighed and his stomach growled again.

“You need to eat and then we talk, okay?” DongWoo said and prepared another spoon with rice and side-dish.

“Thanks.” WooHyun said with a small smile and took the spoon from DongWoo’s hand.

They ate in silence, finishing up the grown cold set of food as well, and the it somehow calmed WooHyun down, despite the fact that he will have to tell everything anyway.

“So…” Hoya said with a sigh, when all dished were piled neatly on the trays, ready to be taken down later. “What happened?”

WooHyun bit his lower lip and looked at the faces of his friends before taking a deep breath and starting what he wanted or rather needed to say.

“Yesterday, we had a talk why he was acting weird when you were around.” WooHyun said, not looking at anyone of the three sitting in front of him. “It was nothing, actually, so it promised a good ending of a day.” He smiled a little, but then his smile fell. “We kissed and, dear god, everything was so good and when we moved further… In one moment I looked at him and…” WooHyun’s started to get teary so he squeezed them shut for a moment. “I looked at him and saw SungYeol.” He said, his lips starting to tremble as the said one’s face lingered before his eyes again.

“Ouh my god.” Hoya, who had sat stately, sank down. The expression on DongWoo’s face was unreadable and SungJong looked at WooHyun, his already big eyes wide, his mouth gaping open.

“Did… did he got angry?” DongWoo finally asked after a moment of silence.

“No…” WooHyun shook his head.

“What did he do?” Hoya asked.

“He just… hugged me until I calmed down and fell asleep.”

“And in the morning?” this time DongWoo asked the question.

“He was still holding me… his action hasn’t changed at all.” WooHyun said, a gigantic lump of tears suffocating him, but he tried his best to hold in.

“But that’s good, hyung.” SungJong spoke in his soft voice, placing his hand on WooHyun’s shoulder.

“I know that he’s upset. He’s just not showing it.” WooHyun said, a small sob breaking loose.

“Of course he is…” Hoya said, leaning a bit forward to put his hand on WooHyun’s knee. “…but just think how much you mean to him, if he’s keeping it all in.”

“How can you all keep all that in when you’re around me?” WooHyun asked and he could feel how both SungJong’s and Hoya’s hands tense for a moment.

“We’re not holding anything in.” DongWoo spoke, moving forward a little and taking WooHyun’s hands in his. “We know why you did what you did and that you’re more sorry than anyone and… this proves it.” He kept silent for a short moment and then continued. “We’re your friends and I don’t want to bring up more pain, but… we know that you don’t have anyone apart from us… and SungGyu.” He said squeezing WooHyun’s hands a little. “So we’re here for you and we always will be.”

“So if you think that we hold something against you because of SungYeol…” Hoya said also moving closer and placing his hands on DongWoo’s. “…know that we aren’t. We all know you couldn’t have helped him anyway.”

“And think positive.” SungJong joined in, placing his hands on Hoya’s. “It’s SungYeol. He could outsmart anyone here and he can outsmart anyone there, so he’s fine and perhaps happier than ever. Don’t feel guilty.”

WooHyun could feel the lump in his throat climbing higher and higher and he just couldn’t bring his eyes up to look at his friends.

“SungJong’s right.” DongWoo said, smiling lightly. “We’re talking about SungYeol. I bet he’s talking some pour soul in to oblivion right now, smiling as widely as only he can.”

“Let SungGyu be next to you.” Hoya took over the talking. “Because it’s not guilt that’s pushing him away from you. It’s you being afraid to be who you are and… being afraid of hurting him.”

“He’s a great hyung.” SungJong nodded, his big bright eyes glistering with tears.

“I don’t know...” WooHyun shook his head and finally looked up at his friends.

“No, you do know.” DongWoo interrupted him. “You know us and you know him. Time to know yourself and… let go of everything.”

“Thank you.” WooHyun muttered out before all three of his friends wrapped him in a hug.

“Now.” Hoya spoke, his voice going back to the serious tone he usually had in his speech. “The diner is closed now, right?” he asked and WooHyun glanced at his phone that was lying next to him on the floor and nodded. “Then we should go.” He said and stood up. “We’ll check if maybe SungGyu needs some help before we go, but you, calm down and wait for him to come upstairs.”

DongWoo and SungJong also stood up taking the trays with empty dishes.

“We’ll come over some other day again.” DongWoo said with a smile and together with SungJong followed Hoya downstairs, leaving WooHyun alone for a moment to gather his thoughts and feelings.

SungGyu was currently washing the last dishes and a small sigh broke form his lips when three trays were put on the counter next to the sink.

“He ate and is now waiting for you.” DongWoo said and before SungGyu could say a word took a towel and started to dry off the clean dishes.

“Do you have anything else to do?” SungJong asked, his school uniform jacket neatly folded on the backrest of then only chair in the kitchen and sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up, sinking his hands in to the water next to SungGyu’s and starting to wash the dishes they brought from upstairs.

“Just… lock the register…” SungGyu looked at them, his eyes wide.

“Good!” Hoya said with a nod and hooked his arm around SungGyu’s shoulders. “Let’s go lock the register.” He continued and pulled SungGyu along to the main hall, grabbing a towel on his way, so the later could dry his hands.

“Tell me, what do you feel for WooHyun?” Hoya asked as soon as they both were in the main hall and SungGyu had taken the towel from him.

“Excuse me?” SungGyu looked at him with a quite puzzled gaze.

“What do you feel for him?” Hoya repeated leaning against the counter.

“He’s…” SungGyu put the towel on the counter and went to the register. “He’s the most important person in my life right now.” He said letting out a sigh afterwards.

“And what happened yesterday…” Hoya said quite quietly.
“I can fix that.” SungGyu said with a small nod. For a moment the only sounds around were SungJong’s and DongWoo’s voices from the kitchen and SungGyu checking the content of the register, locking it afterwards.

“You really think… that you can fix him?” Hoya asked when SungGyu had done working at the register. This wasn’t a question full of doubt, but rather full of hope or even was more like a quiet plead. “You might not even know how broken he is.”

“I think…” SungGyu looked at the counter for a second or two and then looked at Hoya. “I believe I can fix him.”

“Thank you.” Hoya said right before SungJong and DongWoo came out of the kitchen.

“We’re done.” DongWoo said with a smile and Hoya straightened out.

“Then I guess we’ll be going now.” The later said and started to walk toward the door, SungJong and DongWoo following but stopped right before the door and turned around, “Don’t make him wait any longer.” He said and waved a quick goodbye. So did other two and disappeared in the dark street.

WooHyun was still sitting on the floor in front of the window, his knees pulled to his chest, chin resting on them.

A quiet movement behind him made him a little startled, but a familiar aura (he couldn’t call it any other way) soon embraced him as SungGyu sat next to him on the floor, looking at the far-away city lights just like WooHyun.

“I’m still sorry.” WooHyun spoke first, averting his eyes from the window and turning them to the floor.

“And I still say that you don’t have to be.” SungGyu said and WooHyun looked at the red-hair just to meet his warm gaze.

“What if I say that I’m sorry about being afraid?” WooHyun asked, still looking at SungGyu.

“Then I will say that you don’t have to be afraid of anything and anyone.” SungGyu said, wrapping his arm around WooHyun’s shoulders and pulling him closer. “I’m going to protect you.” He said and lightly kissed the top of WooHyun’s head.

“Even if I’m afraid… of my self?”

“Then… I am going to fix you.” SungGyu said, resting his head on top of WooHyun’s. “Will you sleep with me again tonight?” he asked, looking at the red, yellow and orange city lights.

WooHyun nodded in reply, letting his head to rest on SungGyu’s shoulder.

SungGyu’s room was yet again enlightened by the small nightlight, wrapping the four white walls in warm, honey like tone of orange.

SungGyu himself was sitting on one side of his bed place already in his sleeping clothes, hugging his knees and looking at nothing in front of him.

WooHyun quietly closed the door of the room behind him and SungGyu turned to him right away, a smile appearing on his lips.

He slowly took those few steps to the bed place and climbed under the blanket, his heart racing fast, thoughts being all over the place as he was still afraid of seeing things that were not real.

SungGyu lied next to him, his arm entwining WooHyun’s waist and pulling him closer, turning off the night light and letting the room to sink comfortable darkness.

WooHyun’s heart stopped racing, his thoughts calmed down and an indescribable feeling of peace and safety took over him.

He slowly turned around to face SungGyu and met others eyes looking at him trough the dark.

“Good night.” SungGyu said with smile in his voice, closing the small distance between them and pecking WooHyun’s lips.

“Good night.” WooHyun replied, hesitating a little bit, before snuggling as close to SungGyu as possible, resting his head on his chest.

Even in complete dark WooHyun could ‘see’ SungGyu smiling as he wrapped his arms tighter around WooHyun and placed a kiss on top of his head.

Nights from now promised to be way better as WooHyun could almost feel SungGyu’s promise of fixing him coming true with each steady breath of the red-hair.

He had finally started to heal.

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Hello! ^_^)v

Another update, which I hope you liked, because, well I kind of liked writing this pure friendship that stands above everything and this pure form of love that is ready to dry all tears.
Question: is it only me, or DongWoo really comes out really DongWoo-ish??? (I would so marry that dino, if not MyungSoo and the fact that DongWoo is short. He is so precious <3 *cough* anyway…)
Ouh, about the moment when DongWoo said that SungYeol is probably doing great – in ‘Can You Smile’ around this time, Yeol has already met Jiu/MyungSoo, so DongWoo’s quite right.
The title is taken from NELL’s mega-hit album (which is SungGyu’s favorite) ‘Healing Process’ (obviously).

This is the last update this year, so the next should be up soon after New Year’s Eve.

Have a great New Year party and don’t forget to make a wish in midnight!

P.S. I was wondering, would you guys would like a creative contest for this fic - like, fan arts/edits/videos? The winner would probably get a fic written for them (on their conditions). What do you think?