Kyu finally finished packing his stuffs into his two large luggage and dragged them to the front door. 

 

 

'Kyu are you sure about this?' Siwon came out from the kitchens. 

 

 

The singer plopped down on the couch and nodded with a brief sigh.  

 

 

'Where's Hae?' Kyu asked. 

 

 

'As planned. He's still at Heechul's place after their sleepover last night.' 

 

 

'Good.'

 

 

Siwon came and sat beside him with a worried expression. 

 

 

'What's up?' 

 

 

'I'm just worried about Hae.' Siwon sighed. 'He didn't even tell me he saw Hyuk.' 

 

 

Kyu reached over and patted his friend's shoulder. He understood how Siwon felt. 

 

 

Hyuk was back. And it seemed like he was trying ways to come back into their lives. Into Hae's life. 

 

 

After what every one had done for Hae, he was afraid just one move of Hyuk could destroy it all again. 

 

 

Without even doing much Hyuk had already caused such distress to both him and Siwon what could be next?

 

 

'Every thing is going to be fine Siwon.' Kyu promised.  'I'll chase them away.' 

 

 

It had to be so. 

 

 

---

 

 

Heechul found Hae hugging his knees on the bed beside him. 

 

 

'Oh you're already up Hae...' Heechul slowly sat up from the bed as well, rubbing the sleep away from his eyes. 

 

 

Hae burrowed his head into Heechul's chest. 

 

 

'So Kyu is leaving me as well?' Hae's voice sounded sad. 

 

 

Heechul heart ached as he wrapped his arms around the boy. 

 

 

'Silly baby, of course not. You know that right?' 

 

 

Hae shook his head violently and mumbled softly. 'They are always trying to find ways to leave me Chullie.' 

 

 

'Nobody's leaving you Hae. You know it's time he moved back to the dorms don't you?' 

 

 

Hae was silent and still in his arms and Heechul shook him a bit, 'Hae.' 

 

 

He pulled himself up and faced Heechul, his expression like that of a lost and scared puppy, 'Really? He's not leaving me?' 

 

 

'Aish! Yes you silly boy!' Heechul pulled him into a tight crushing hug this time. 

 

 

How he wished he could take away Hae's fears.  

 

 

But all hope was not lost. 

 

 

At least Hae was real with him. 

 

 

At least Hae showed his vulnerable side, those insecurities and fears that he had hidden so well from others, he showed them all to Heechul. 

 

 

And never once had Heechul broke this trust they had established. 

 

 

Not even to Siwon. 

 

 

Even though he knew this wasn't the best solution, he kept all of Hae's secrets with him well. 

 

 

Maybe that was the reason Hae continued to be so real and raw with him and how he treasured it. 

 

 

It was a bond that had been formed 8 years ago when Hae lived with him. 

 

 

When Hae came back from New York and found that he couldn't stand staying at Siwon's house any longer as the house reminded him too much of things he wished he could forget. 

 

 

'I saw Hyukkie everywhere I go!' Heechul could still feel Hae's gut wrenching sobs back then. Could still hear the desperation in his voice. 

 

 

He still remembered the incident like it happened just yesterday. 

 

 

Siwon frantic over the phone that Hae went missing while his doorbell rang unceasingly and there Hae stood, all drenched and sobbing. 

 

 

He would always remember how Hae had cried himself to sleep in Heechul's bed that night, chanting 'Hyukkie' throughout the whole night. 

 

 

As Heechul rocked Hae in his arms now, he knew it better than anyone else as well. 

 

 

That monkey face had been the center of Hae's world. 

 

 

Even right now. 

 

 

Even if nobody realized it. 

 

 

Even if Hae himself hadn't realized it, yet. 

 

 

---