He twirled and twirled the yellow ring. Reading the writing on the ring over and over as he did that.

Jang Wooyoung. 2pm

     The ring was a gift from Wooyoung’s mother. In fact, each member has their own with different colours to mark their distinct personalities. Khun’s one is red, junho black, chansung white, junsu blue and taec green. Friendship rings she said when she gave it to them. So that when they wore it, they would always remember that they’re a part of a family. A family called 2pm.

     His mom even carved their name on the writings herself. Which made the gift all  the more precious to them, even if they don’t wear it often, but it was always kept safely by each member.

     That is why when Khun saw the yellow ring on his bedside table that evening, he was a bit puzzled on how did it manage to reach there. And it wasn’t there the night before. Of course Khun would know every single thing that would be lying around his room. He didn’t know why, but as soon as he picked up the ring, his head automatically looked around, scanning…looking.. for an explanation.. He had expected.. no. he had hoped that maybe, just maybe.. the owner would pop up from wherever it is that he’s hiding at, and surprised him.. and apologize to him.. for playing this cruel joke on him.. on them..

     And when he do apologize.. Khun thinks that he shouldn’t forgive the boy too easily.. he would feign mad.. for as long as he can before taking the boy into a hug.. He planned to hug the boy so tight, that the latter would regret ever playing this kind of joke on him.. yeah. He definitely  should do that.. any minute now.. 

     Khun waited.. seconds, minutes, hours passed by.. he kept on waiting. Still holding onto the ring as he sat on his bed. Waiting… he heard the sound of Taec and Junsu fighting. But the fight is more one-sided he thought as all he could hear was Taec taking his frustrations out on Junsu, and after a while, the slammed of a door was heard.

     Still waiting.. Khun wiped the tears from his cheek. He could feel his head hurting. Probably from crying too much. clenching the ring with one hand, Khun hunched over his body. His face in between his two hands. He couldn’t help but to break down again. This wait is too much for him… only a few hours had passed by, but it felt like an eternity to him. He was made aware of every sound in his surrounding. By his own labored breathing. the sound of Junsu murmuring in the room next to his.

“how much he means to me…

To us….

How proud I am of him..”

     He felt like adding how proud he is too.. and if it was him doing the talking, he would say how much he loves the guy.. his bestfriend, his confidante, his little brother, his laughing pill.. his vitamins.

     In his own trance, every little sound seems amplified. He could hear every little sound, except for the one that he’s longing for.

“khun hyung! Khun!” Woo shouted loudly as he knocked on khun’s bedroom door

Woo….?

     Khun snapped out of his thoughts and raised his head! He looked at the door to make sure he was not imagining things. He went to the door and raised a trembling hand to the knob. He opened the door slowly to find nothing outside. The dorm was in silent. No sign of what he had heard just now of being real.

     So he had… imagined it? But the voice sounded so real.. so loud and so close. He closed the door and retreated back to his bed. Resuming his old position.

     Was his brain playing a joke on him as well? He sighed.. clenching his hair in frustrations. As he was almost deep in his thoughts, he heard the voice again.

“khun hyung! Khun!”

………

“khun!! Opened the door quickly!”

But this time, he didn’t snap his head. Cause this time, he knows that the voice was just a part of the scene that is now replaying itself In his head. Precious memories. How could he have confused that with the  reality just now?!

“Youngie? What’s the matter?” Khun opened the door and tried to crane his neck around peering over the younger boy in front of him. Trying to find the source of the boy’s frantic calls.

“nothing. Just wanna ask if I can sleep on Channie’s bed tonight. The guy had me in a headlock in his dream apparently” Woo casually answered before inviting himself in.

“aish! You could’ve just knocked lightly. You made me panic for no reason!” khun complained. A bit annoyed that the guy had to woke him up in that way.

“ne hyung~ mianhe. Just wanted to scare you a bit. It worked!” wooyoung chuckled as he made himself comfortable on Chansung’s bed.

“and you still complained when I treated you like a kid sometimes” khun added sarcastically.

“well you do! Out of no reasons if I must add”

“whatever little guy. Just get some sleep. Im tired enough as it is.” Khun shifted his body on the bed and turned around to face the other boy’s back at the opposite bed. He waited for Woo’s reply as he deliberately prompted the other guy by calling him ‘little guy’

Woo turned his body around as well and gave khun a glare.

“you just wait Khun. I’ll built my body more and be as handsome as you one day!”

Khun chuckles and decided to ignore the last remark. He often wonders how is it that Woo doesn’t realize how attractive he is. He has his own charm that appeals to everybody.  Khun envied that part of Woo. He didn’t even have to try hard to make people like him. He was always honest with his feelings, and even if he sounded harsh, the others would still respect him for it. And he can make people laugh even when he talked casually. That, khun admires about him. He could always seem to make people happy. He lights up a room when he walks in, that’s for sure.

“yah khun! You’re already asleep?”

“nope. Still thinking about what you said”

“scared I’ll beat you one day huh?” woo asked jokingly. Khun could imagine his face painted with a smirk.

“you already have woo. Don’t you remember how many fanboys you have?”

“aish! Not that again! I told you they just admire me cause of my dancing. And my not so troublesome face.  Not in a gay-ish sort of way” Woo complained for about the hundredth time. Khun laughs as he knows that it’s a sore topic for Wooyoung. He’s aware that wooyoung likes the fact he’s being admired, even by boys, but he hated it when the members on how he gives out a gay appeal.

“wooyoungie hyung~ im your number one fanboy~ I love you” khun mimicked the voice of a caller during their interviewin a radio station the other day.

“Aish shut up!” They both laugh as Woo threw a pillow at Khun.

“you gotta admit that was hilarious Woo. Especially your face after the call.”

“and you guys weren’t helping either, laughing like the crazy bastards you are!”

“sorry youngie.. it was just damn funny!”

“it was wasn’t it? and his voice was even deeper than Taec. WOOYOUNGIE HYUNGG~” woo mimicked as well before joining the laughter again.

“you know woo.. im your fanboy too..” Khun added teasingly.

“im going to sleep outside now goodnight!” woo replied as he got out of the bed. Khun doubled in laughter.

“never gets old..” Khun laughed out loud as Woo jumped on him. After they had both calmed down, woo returned to Channie’s bed again and lie down. Both trying to regain their normal breathing pace. Khun doesn’t know why but he gets a kick out of teasing Woo. Most probably cause they’re so close to each other that khun knows, whatever it is that he teases him with, woo wouldn’t truly get mad at him. And he feels the same way too. He would never get mad at Woo. He’s not able to. That’s just it.

“ergh. Im all sweaty now.” Woo complained

“yeah me too.”

“! It’s 3 am. We have an early schedule tomorrow! Goodnight khun”

“Goodnight woo!”

“……………..”

“Youngie?”

“……..yeah?”

“don’t worry. You’re already handsome enough. Maybe not as me yet..but…”

“yah! Are you trying to make me feel better or what?” Khun chuckles

“sorry! But as ive said before, you’re handsome and cute enough. And you have lots of fans, and members who loves you for who you are. So don’t get too worked up on that topic okay?”

“are you kidding me? I was simply joking when I said that khun. Now you’re being all serious is no fun. you’re so weird” Woo whines.

“whoa… I was just saying! Anyways goodnight Woo. I love you buddy”

“yeah.. I love you too” and they both smiled as they drifted off to sleep.

     The three letter words that always gave them a sense of belonging. They were a family. Eventhough it may be quite weird for two straight guys to say that to each other, but it felt natural for them. Khun is not the type to keep his feelings to himself, so he doesn’t hold back when he wants to say anything to his close friends. And woo has gotten so used to hearing it, that he has become accustomed to say it as well. And they said it out of sincerity cause they know that the friendship they have is irreplaceable and one, wouldn’t be able to survive well without the other.

“take care woo! Good luck for your shooting! And don’t forget to buy channie’s snacks when you’re there” khun lightly said as he hugged Woo.

“yeah goodluck bro!” junsu added as he hugged Woo after that. Khun and Junsu were both up as they had a schedule as well later on.

“! I almost forgot about that! Yeah will do. Bye Junsu hyung. Bye khun hyung!” Woo shouted as he ran to Minjae who was already waiting for him outside of the dorm.

Bye Khun hyung….

     The phrase repeated itself over and over in his head.. echoing lightly till it became a strained whisper, finally bringing him back to reality.

     He could still feel the way he hugged woo. Can still remember every moment of it. Eventhough it was just a brief hug. he can still feel it. The bestfriend that he has used to hug so many times before, now he wouldn’t be able to hug him anymore.

     Nichkhun ‘s cries turned to sobs.

     Something about being near the younger boy has always made him feel like he belongs. Eventhough he was closer with Taec and Jay at first since they’re the only ones who can converse in English, when he got to know Woo, despite the language barriers, they could always communicate well. Woo promised to help him in his Korean, in exchange that Khun would teach him English. And because of that, they had both gotten closer in the trainee days.

     Then, there was that time when he and Taec caught woo crying to himself after being scolded by Jinyoung hyung. They felt bad for him that they promised to treat him to ice creams to make him feel better. And surprisingly even to them, he did became the normal Woo again. What a kid!

     But each day, as he gets to know wooyoung more and more, he became to love that little guy more. He was like the little brother that khun has never had. Wooyoung kinda reminded him of his baby sister back home. Cherleen. He felt so protective over wooyoung because of that. Eventhough the guy was only a year younger than him. Sure, they’re all close with each other. But he couldn’t help but to favor the guy over the others sometimes. Woo was his confidante. And he, Woo’s as well. He could still remember their early debut days, when Woo would confide in just about anything to him, and him only. He was the newest member to be added in the oneday family, coming as a trainee later than them all, so he was a bit shy around the others at first. But khun brought him out of that bubble. And as their friendship progressed, he watch how the younger guy blossomed from a shy quiet boy, to a confident guy that can deliver laughters to many. It made him so proud. So proud to be the one that Woo trusted for just about anything in the first place.

Now the boy’s gone..

      He can still remember all the dreams that Woo has. The way Woo talked to him about his dreams. The things he had to go through in order to achieve that dream. All of the family dramas. How he had manage to overcome that by never giving up on persuading his dad. He wrote letters every months till his dad could finally accept his choice of career! That was something that Khun admired so much. the boy wasn’t just anybody. His passion for singing and dancing was beyond anything else. He’s such a special person. One that people would’ve been lucky to admit, was an acquaintance. He was a unique guy. Somebody whom, if Khun had never been able to befriend before, would be his inspiration. And since he did get to call woo as his bestfriend, the guy had become so much more than just an inspiration. He was khun’s source of strength. His vitamins. Apart from his own mom of course. Having to work in such a tight schedule away from his home has never been easy. And on top of that, to have to go through all the scandals and hatred, the prices that they have to pay for being in the spotlight, has never been easy to dealt with. But when s stood by his side, and when Woo is always there for him, even having the ability to sense his mood, and act accordingly to what khun needs, gave him the strength to carry on. And when woo himself is in misery, Khun would forget all about his own problems and would try to comfort Woo instead. That was how he managed to stay strong through jay’s departure. Cause Woo needs him. He needed to be strong for Woo, and the rest.

     To be honest, he kind of liked it when Woo was feeling down. Cause that is when woo needed him the most. He could always coax Woo out of his misery. And he’s always so proud when the rest acknowledges him as the one who could always make Woo happy. And he knows how much the fans liked to see them both together. So even if sometimes they do skinships in public just to please the fans, both of them doesn’t really  mind as they had become so comfortable around each other that the skinships they do felt natural.

Woo is so much more than just a friend. He’s a family. A precious part of Khun’s life.

     And he always will be, khun decided. He knows that woo will always have a special spot in his heart. He was so lucky. So lucky to have known Woo.

     After dabbing his tears with his sleeves,  Khun untie the plain silver white necklace around his neck and inserted the yellow ring through it. Liking the feeling of having something that belongs to Woo around his neck, just so he could feel closer to the boy.

     He knows that Woo wont like it if he continues to mourn. He just hoped that woo would bear with it for a little bit longer. And it all made sense to him now as to why the ring came to rest on his bedside table. The boy would always try to make Khun happy when he’s feeling down.

Thanks for the ring buddy. I miss you already.

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so.. yeah. they're not at the hospital yet. sorry for dragging it this much T_T this chapter just focuses on Khun. before they headed off to the hospital. after the talk he has with Taec at the kitchen. i hope you guys can imagine the timeframe cause im gonna keep on jumping here and there. ouh and thanks for commenting you guyss!! i really really appreciate it!! and i love replying to your comments! so please comment more kay? :)