They always knew you leaving hit me hard. It was hard to concentrate on everything when you were there, always there in the back of my mind.

Everything reminded me of you.

When Donghae and Eunhyuk danced. Now Kyuhyun would join them sometimes.

Whenever Ryeowook made rice, he tried to avoid make it the way you did cause he knew that I couldn’t take it.

Leeteuk helped me close the gap.

But I knew it would never close.

Yet for some reason, after a while, they slowly readjusted.

They all readjusted.

To them, you were gone. You weren’t coming back though the door was open.

The door was wide open. And there was no one in the doorway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Heechul hyung?”

I looked up to see Sungmin closing the door and sitting down next to me. I faked a smile as I made room for him next to me.  He was our diva in training. Well, the diva next to me anyways. We all know that I was a better diva then he’ll ever be.

Also, his love for pink? Creepy.

Besides we all saw that I was a way better girl too!

I mean come on!

There was Lady HeeHee, the time I dressed up like a girl for the drama with Super Junior T and then there was Heesi-

I shut my eyes briefly, halting the memory before the rest could resurface.

Mask must stay up, mask must stay put, and the mask mustn’t fail . . .

I opened my eyes to see Sungmin looking at me with worried eyes.

“I’m fine,” I said. Good. My mask is still up. “What’s wrong?”

Now that I think of it, his eyes are red. They haven’t been that red recently.

The door creaks, and I snap my head up. I’m rewarded with a quick glimpse at . . .

A crying Donghae, Eunhyuk and Kyuhyun trying to shush them and comfort them as they vanish from my sight.

Crying?

“Hyung . . .” Sungmin started as I slowly turned to look at him. He handed me a letter.

Puzzled, I accepted it and then Sungmin jumped up, bowed and ran out of the room.

I listened.

I heard his footsteps run down the hall and into a room. There was the sound of crying and the desperation in the crying voices for the crying to stop. Or to try to stop, for it continued.

I looked at the letter and flipped it over.

As I slit the envelope open, I kept seeing you.

You when you’re smiling at me.

Laughing with me.

Crying with me.

You with me.

Hankyung . . . why did you have to leave?

I drew in a shaky breath as my finger slip through the envelope and it fluttered to the ground.

Opening it slowly, I began to read.

It was from the company.

“Kim Heechul. We are regretful have to inform you that your required military service for your country has arrived . . . ”

Soon the paper was fluttering the ground besides the envelope.

Well

This ing .

I, Kim Heechul, am going to the army.

I suddenly spun around mouth, half open, ready to rant to Hankyu-

But he isn’t here.

There is no one here.

And my mask stays on.

Always on . . .

Where is my prince?

After he left, he never called back.

Never texted back either.

I guess I should call him, but