Kyuhyun almost stopped halfway before opening the door to Ryeowook's room. Why is he so scared? Why is he so worried? He knows he has
prepared everything he would say. He has thought about it while he was preparing this morning. He'll be telling Ryeowook about this and that. How
is Ryeowook's condition, what took him so long to wake up. He has thought about everything. But what will he say? Why can't he
remember? He has completed a nice speech for the man in the hospital. What should he say? What if Ryeowook blame him? What if
Ryeowook hates him? What if-

He startled shortly and turned to the side and saw Sungmin smiling gently at him. His hands warm on Kyuhyun's. Sungmin is here. The
calm in his night, the light in his darkness. "Don't worry, Kyuhyun. You'll be fine." are the words that he heard. Sungmin's voice is
sweet in his ears, and those words are the words he needs right now.

Yes, he will. Yes, he will be fine. Like a spell that always blind him, Sungmin's words has once again calm his heart down. He still
doesn't remember what he is about to say but he felt better because Sungmin's hand is next to his. He swallowed and looked at the
knob first...he's going to open it. His heart wants to leap out of his chest. He felt the coldness of the knob. No, he still can't.
Ryeowook will not want to see him. He hates Kyuhyun. He slept for 3 years and wouldn't want to see him at all because of what he has
done. He'll blame Kyuhyun for his state. He can't open the door knowing Ryeowook is inside.

Sungmin squeezed his palms knowingly once again. Kyuhyun looked at him, his eyes with obvious fear. Sungmin smiled at him, they're
eyes locked. The door has to be opened. They don't know what will happen inside but they have to try. Sungmin wants to escape from
all of these too, but Ryeowook deserves to see Kyuhyun and Kyuhyun deserves to see Ryeowook. And in his mind... Sungmin deserves to see
Kyuhyun and Ryeowook too. He knows the other is scared of what could happen; his self-blame has been existing for 3 years and now it
has to end. The door must be opened. If Kyuhyun can't do it... he'll be the one to turn the knob.

"Let's go, Kyuhyun." his voice is sweet and yet firm that they really have to do this.

The door opened and they both went in. Sungmin was leading Kyuhyun, his heart rate same as the other's, but he looks calm outside. He
has too. There are more people judging him in this room than Kyuhyun. He needs his confidence now. A deep breathe in.

Sungmin was the first one to walk while Kyuhyun seemed to froze halfway. He let go of the other's hand and walked forward. He
breathe in first and prepare his smile.

"Hi!" Sungmin said in a high pitched voice. Ryeowook, who is lying down, turned to him, with a smile. "Hyung..." his voice a bit
hoarse, his throat a little bit sore but he doesn't mind. He wanted to sit up but Jaejoong immediately stopped him, he shook his
head to show his disagreement. Ryeowook immediately pouted at his brother. Sungmin hyung is his best friend, why can't he welcome
him nicely?

"I'm glad you're back, Ryeong." Sungmin said with a smile. His heartbeat still twice its normal rate and he's just thankful that he
manage to say those words without choking. He held Ryeowook's hand gently. Ryeowook is really here; alive and innocent to everything.

Ryeowook smiled at him before his eyes roam around Sungmin's side and front and back. He wouldn't really want to be too obvious but
he really wish to see Kyuhyun. Sungmin is here, of course his best friend should also be here. They're like each other's shadow; wherever
one is, the other is sure to be there. Where is Kyuhyun? He wants to see Sungmin's bestfriend so badly. He frowned after a few
seconds when he didn't see anybody.

Sungmin looked at him with a childish glare. "Yah! Don't frown at me like that Ryeong." he secretly took a deep breath before saying
"I brought someone here to see you." his hands in his pocket as he said those cooly, he turned his back and check on Kyuhyun.

Ryeowook waited expecting-ly as Sungmin looked behind and saw Kyuhyun doubting whether he should walk another step towards Ryeowook
or not. Sungmin sighed and grabbed the other's arm and almost pull him close. Kyuhyun looked at him, his eyes asking. Why is Sungmin
forcing a smile?

Sungmin smiled, lips stretched widely. He has prepared a ready smile this morning while he's in the bathroom. His jaws clenched while
his lips are stretch to show his teeth. He looks with that smile but who really knows what he feels? He looked at Kyuhyun
shortly and gave his hand a squeeze before encouraging him to go, without saying it.

Kyuhyun looked at him in the eyes. Go to him. That's what those eyes tell him. Sungmin looks at him as if encouraging him to go to Ryeowook.
Finally, a short slight smile from Kyuhyun. Insecure but still a smile. He turned to Ryeowook and stood in front of Sungmin and let go of his hand.

"Kyuhyun..." Ryeowook said with a delighted smile. He has been looking for the other since the time he woke up. He feels like he has
missed Kyuhyun and that he wants to be kept in his embrace for no damn reason. He just want to see Kyuhyun. He tried to sit up and
forced himself to do so even with his brother's disapproval. Jaejoong just shook his head because of that. He stood up and sighed
before deciding to walk out of the room.

Sungmin held his head high but his eyes avoided Jaejoong when the other looked at him sharply and bitterly as he reaches for the
door. How dare he come to show himself before Ryeowook? Have he got no shame to show his face here? After all he has done to
Ryeowook? He won't forget what Sungmin did. He stole Kyuhyun away from his brother. Jaejoong purposely bumped him on his shoulders and
Sungmin needed to step back to avoid falling. He regained his composure shortly after the contact.

Sungmin knows how much Jaejoong hates him but he doesn't care. No, he won't falter even with Jaejoong's judgemental eyes. He'll stay
here. He looked at his side when Jaejoong was already behind him. Of course, it is only natural for Jaejoong to hate him when he
found out about him and Kyuhyun. He had to stay strong when the older criticised him  for 'ing with his little
brother's boyfriend'. He quitted in the band club after that to avoid the other but he won't do that anymore. He has made himself
into who he is now because of what happened. He won't falter just because of Jaejoong's existence. Besides, he's not here to act angelic
in front of Ryeowook, he's here to encourage Kyuhyun to see the patient. He's not here for Ryeowook, he's here for Kyuhyun.

Jaejoong completely left the room upset and nobody really cared. Sungmin didn't even bother to turn to him after their slight contact. He doesn't care about
anyone in this room but Kyuhyun. He sighed deeply and watched Kyuhyun and Ryeowook's reunion.

Kyuhyun slowly conquer the very few steps towards the man in the hospital bed. He has heard his voice earlier; a little bit hoarse
but he knows it is Ryeowook's voice, he can speak now but Kyuhyun still can't believe what he is seeing. Ryeowook's eyes
are open before him. He moved, he sat up on his own; he struggled but he moved on his own. Kyuhyun looked at Ryeowook's wholeness.
His hair has grown longer and his head is free of bandage. His body has no more apparatus of life support. Ryeowook is breathing on
his own. He is sitting up alive for him to see. Ryeowook is really here. He's awake. He's smiling before Kyuhyun.

Kyuhyun slowly stepped forward towards Ryeowook's direction. Ryeowook has come back to life after being shot. He's not like his
father who failed to survive the bad injury. Ryeowook didn't abandon Kyuhyun. The best thing is that Ryeowook is smiling at him.
Kyuhyun's tears slowly came up. There's no more threat in Ryeowook's life. He's safe and alive and is looking at him. Ryeowook is
really awake, he's smiling before Kyuhyun. The image of Ryeowook's lifeless state, lying in his own pool of blood in the convenient
store immediately disappeared in Kyuhyun's mind.

"Ryeowook ah..." he said as he almost fell on his knees as he put Ryeowook to a tight embrace. There are mixtures of emotion in
Kyuhyun's eyes. A load of happiness, a bucket of gratefulness, a bit of guilt and security, are all in his heart. He tightened his
hold on Ryeowook, he's back and he's safe again. He grab the whole of the smaller man's back and almost crush it towards him. There is a
warm feeling in Ryeowook's embrace. Kyuhyun could just close his eyes and let the tears fall.

Sungmin sat at the couch in front of Ryeowook's bed. It has a slight distant from the two but he sees everything. He sees how
Kyuhyun's tears come up and fall out of his eyes just like when he found out about Ryeowook's almost dying state . He sees how
Ryeowook opens his arms to await for Kyuhyun's embrace. He sees how Kyuhyun almost crush Ryeowook towards him. He sees how their
feelings from 3 years ago came up again and he finally... he sees himself as if he is a non existence in Kyuhyun and Ryeowook's world.
Was it a mistake to bring Kyuhyun here?

No, he cannot turn away. He chose to bring Kyuhyun here... Even if he doesn't want to. It is something Kyuhyun deserves to see and
needs to see. Even if he said he won't go, Sungmin knows Kyuhyun wants to go. He saw it last night when he almost dive on the floor
to grab the phone after Hyukjae's announcement. He saw that early in the morning when he opened his eyes. He sees it right now as
well. His eyes are still on Kyuhyun and Ryeowook. The two are still in a tight embrace, with Kyuhyun being too emotional; crying and
sobbing shamelessly on Ryeowook's shoulder. Why does Ryeowook seem confuse with the way Kyuhyun cry for him? Who cares? They're back
together. He's not needed anymore. Sungmin should go now. He should leave but how? He can't even stretch his back to stand up. He's
rooted on his seat and can't even dare to move. His eyes are just too focused on them like a movie he wants to let go but couldn't.
He will stay here because he cannot get himself to leave. His eyes are lonely. It's a time's up for him, Kyuhyun won't need him
anymore. He won't ask Sungmin for comfort anymore. He wouldn't want Sungmin here anymore. Sungmin wanted to look down...or away from
the view of the couple but how? Even turning away is painful.

There was a sudden darkness that blocked Sungmin's view. Did he fainted? Did he hit himself with something hard and lose consciousness?
Was everything just a dream and he was thrown in a nightmare? It took him seconds to notice that his view has been blocked. He
crossed his eyebrows and looked up. Hyukjae took away his own hand to meet Sungmin's eyes. When did Hyukjae appeared before him?
When did he come to this place? How long has he been covering his eyes from seeing them? They looked at each for a long time.
Hyukjae is here standing in front of him, blocking his view so he cannot see.

"Let's get out of here." Hyukjae said a little too casually. Sungmin wanted to agree but he has really became weak to move. He opened
his mouth but words didn't come out. What does he want to say? He was caught off guarded by Hyukjae. Hyukjae didn't wait longer. No,
he won't let Sungmin witness this any longer. He took the other's hand and pulled him up and started walking without being bothered
to look at the couple in the bed. Sungmin watched Hyukjae as he cooly turned his back on him. Their hands are still together and the
other is still pulling him. This is Hyukjae. The person who has been loving him for a long time now helping him to escape this sweet
painful scene. They started walking but before he leaves, he took a glance at Kyuhyun. He's leaving with Hyukjae, should he tell
Kyuhyun about this? Should he excuse himself properly? But Kyuhyun is still busy keeping Ryeowook close to him...

His heart skipped twice when Kyuhyun suddenly turned to him. Their eyes meet and he just doesn't know what to do. What should he do?
He looked at him gently and successfully freed a small, quick smile. Kyuhyun felt glad when he saw that smile. He didn't feel
disappointed that Hyukjae is taking Sungmin away because he saw that smile. That smile is only for him. That smile tells him that Sungmin will be back.
He free the same smile too. Sungmin doesn't know why but it made him feel secured for a little bit. Kyuhyun will stay with Ryeowook, Sungmin with Hyukjae... but
after this Sungmin will be the one to stay with Kyuhyun.

------------------------------

Hyukjae was still holding Sungmin's hand as they walk. They sat down in a coffee shop nearby. He looked at Sungmin. The other smiling
just like how he smiled in front of Ryeowook. He has practiced it this morning. He thinks he looks fine with all of this. He thinks
he feels fine because Kyuhyun smiled at him shortly.

"Stop smiling, Min. You look ."

Sungmin smile immediately disappear, he looked down and felt embarassed that Hyukjae described him in the ugliest and most sarcastic
way. Why can't he hide this to Hyukjae? He's quite sure he looks well before he left the hospital.

He sighed deeply as he looked at his caramel frappe. It doesn't look appetizing despite the whip cream and caramel syrup on top.
Since when did he lose apetite to such sweet treat? He doesn't want to drink this. When a service crew walk closer to them, he
grabbed her attention. "Can you give me an espresso?"

Hyukjae crossed his eyebrows. "You don't like bitter drinks." he said, obviously weirded. He purposely got the caramel frappe for
Sungmin to make him feel a little better so why the change of preference?

"I do now."

The hot drink arrived and Sungmin looked at it for a long time. The small fog made him smell the special scent of espresso, even the
smell is bitter. His heart started beating fast, is he going to try this? His hand is closed to fist and is hesitating to give the
coffee a try. No, Hyukjae is watching him, he has to do this. He took his cup and was about to take in some of his hot drink when...

"It's not too late, Sungmin ah..." his cup hang on his fingers. What's not too late? He looked at Hyukjae who took his free hand and
held it tightly. "Kill it..." Sungmin looked at him confusedly. Kill what? What is Hyukjae talking about? Why does he look so serious?

"Your feelings for Kyuhyun..." Hyukjae said... Sungmin looked at him straight to the eyes. "Kill it." The way Sungmin looked at him
seemed empty but it already broke Hyukjae's heart. Why? Why is he looking at Hyukjae like that? His eyes are full of trapped emotions,
Sungmin has been keeping everything to himself and for what reason? He can't express how much he loves Kyuhyun and yet he cannot get
himself to leave. He can't express how much he doesn't like it when Kyuhyun goes to Ryeowook but he always smiles whenever the other
tells him he'll go to the hospital. Now he cannot even express what he feels with what he witnessed earlier and just forced himself
to smile.

Sungmin looked down at the other's hand. Hyukjae wants him to kill his feelings for Kyuhyun just like what he initially planned to do
3 years ago. It's not too late? Who is he kidding? Yes it is late. It's 3 years late. Ryeowook has slept for a long time that the
feelings he has grew bigger and unstoppable. No he won't kill it. Kyuhyun finally moved in with him. Nobody knows how much he wished
for this since they started this relationship. There's no reason to kill it. Ryeowook waking up won't be the reason for him to kill this.
Not anymore. Hyukjae squeezed his hand gently. His best friend. Yes, Hyukjae has gotten the position of being his best friend, a
friend who will always be there. A friend who always catches him off guarded, a friend who always slaps him with the truth.

Hyukjae's hand is warm against his...but that's it. That's all his hand can offer. He's not willing to hold it. He took his hand
away and held the cup with both hands before drinking it. He avoided the other's eyes and swallowed the coffee. Sungmin's face changed
a bit the moment his tongue tasted it. He didn't like the bitter taste, but the after taste lingers in his tongue. He put down the
cup and looked at it.

"I can't." he can't handle the bitterness of the coffee, he can't take seeing Kyuhyun embracing Ryeowook, he can't accept Hyukjae,
he can't kill this annoying feeling, he can't leave Kyuhyun. He can't stop being the Sungmin who is head over heels for Kyuhyun. He can't.

Hyukjae crossed his eyebrows and sighed as he shook his head. "Hyukjae ah..." he called. "Give him a chance before you ask me to
give up." Give up? Has he thought about it? No. That word is a pain in his heart. Giving up means losing Kyuhyun. Giving up means not being
with Kyuhyun. Giving up means dead at heart. He eyed on Hyukjae, his eyes has water. Was the coffee too bitter for his preference
that it pushed him to tears? No. It's the heart that is bitter.

"I'll be yours if he doesn't want me." he said. He looked down and planned to take another sip on the coffee but he stopped
half away because seeing it makes him remember the bitter taste.

"I don't want you to be mine." Hyukjae said while chuckling bitterly. Really? Sungmin looked at him. Hyukjae doesn't want him? No.
Not like this. Hyukjae doesn't want Sungmin to go for him like this. "I just don't want you to be hurt anymore."

Hurt? Since when is he not hurt? He's hurt every single time Kyuhyun spends his day in the hospital. He's hurt every single
time he'll remember that Kyuhyun throw his own future away. He's hurt everytime they'll finish making out because of his fear that
Kyuhyun will leave him after. He's hurt whenever he remembers that he shouldn't be the one to be by Kyuhyun's side. He's hurt whenever
he thinks that Ryeowook will wake up and he's time with Kyuhyun is up. When is he not hurt? He's so used to the painful feeling that
he thinks he needs it to know that Kyuhyun is still with him.

"I'm fine, Hyukjae ah..." he forced to continue the cup's journey closer to his lips. The smell is tempting and yet he knows that he
won't like the taste. He closed his eyes and stopped breathing before he took a sip. He swallowed it immediately not wanting for the
taste to linger that long.

"If you say so..."

Sungmin almost puked out the bitter liquid but he managed not to do so. He put the cup down and took a table napking to wipe his mouth.
He looked at the caramel frappe. The whip cream is melting gradually and it doesn't look that presentable anymore. He has two things
on the table; his caramel frappe and his hot espresso. He sighed and called the service crew once again. "Can you give me a glass of
water?"

Caramel frappe is too sweet for his tongue, espresso is too bitter. Water... He needs water to balance everything inside. Today is
like stuffs on his table; too sweet and yet too bitter. Their story is as well like this- too sweet to watch, too bitter to taste. He
needs water to wash everything away. He needs to be numb so he won't feel the pain. He's decided to just look at the drinks instead
of looking at Hyukjae. He stops breathing once in a while to stop the tears from coming up. He can't cry in front of his best friend.
If he does so, Hyukjae will hate Kyuhyun more.

Hyukjae watches him staring at the drinks. Does Sungmin really think Hyukjae doesn't know him enough to know that he's avoiding the
other? Is he that scared to falter in front Hyukjae? Does he not trust Hyukjae enough to show his real emotions?
The server came with his water. He drank it empty. The warmness beat the bitterness but the taste still lingered before he could
swallow everything.

Ryeowook will linger in their life before Kyuhyun takes action to this fate. What will Kyuhyun do? How long will Hyukjae stand to
watch all of them? When will Sungmin give up? What will Ryeowook do? He and his powerful innocence changed everyone's life. Now that
he's awake, what more can he do in Kyuhyun and Sungmin's world?

Sungmin sighed deeply... what has happened to him? Normally, eating sweets makes him forget about his stress, his frustrations, his
sadness but...

"Even these don't make me feel better." he looked up and and turned his face away from Hyukjae. He's thankful that the tears cooperated
with him as they fall on the side where the other can't see. He discreetly wiped it with his sleeve and sighed deeply again before
taking Hyukjae's strawberry milk shake. He took a little sip; it's sweet and sour at the same time but he likes it better than the
bitter sweet cups. He forced a smile and avoided looking at Hyukjae again.

Hyukjae looked away. His own tear glance seemed to be extra active these days as it seems like tears are coming out involuntarily.
He blinked and blinked again. No, he won't let it fall.

*Author's note: Are you guys ready? I'm not sure how many boxes
of tissues you will need but don't worry, author is not that evil *chehehehehhe!*
I'll try my best not to make you cry as hard as in MDL >:D 
I'll try... I'm thankful to those who has been commenting in my fic regularly.
You make me laugh with your comments and you give me ideas of what to do
in the next chapter. Keep up the goodwork alright? I already thought of an ending
but I won't end this yet. Evil author is not evil if nobody suffers. >:D

Offtopic: s happen. That's just it. I'm feeling a little bit ty with work
and I just need to let this out. I'm not confident and I know I for knowing
it and not doing anything about it. But just so everyone know I put my heart
in everything that I do. It that people are good enough to make me
question my own worth and ability. I hate this feeling.But I'm thankful to one of my friends
who told me 'it's just one the those days' Oh well, tomorrow is another
day. I'll make sure it won't be the same as today.

Have a goodnight everyone~!!^^