Love is blind

I'm with you so I have nothing to worry about.

Donghae asked himself how he managed to forget the vital detail that his ex girlfriend Yuri worked at SM. How could he? But maybe those days with Hyukjae, despite looking the same from the outside, were so full of them together that he couldn't think of anything else. It was always like that, when it came to Hyukjae everything took second place ( it was so funny how all the signals of potential love were already there but he realized them only now).

He felt Hyukjae shifting his weight from one leg another, probably uncertain if stay or leave.

But Donghae brushed their shoulders trying to communicate in that gesture how much he wanted for him to stay ( and probably how much he would nag after him if he were going to leave).

“Hi noona” Dognhae said in what he hoped was a kind and casual tone, then he avoided an akward silence and added “how are you?” ok maybe that it wasn't necessary. He could feel how Hyukaje was internally facepalming.

“I'm fine”Yuri said and Donghae never was so grateful that she was a reasonable and kind woman.

“ you? I heard you are all working hard for your comeback.”

“Yes we are really busy. Me and Hyukaje have a special stage so we have even more work” he looked at Hyukjae in a clear invite to take the lead from that on.

“Sure, we are going to do a special stage for a song Donghae and I composed together a long time ago. It's hard but the choreography it's pretty cool” thank God Hyukjae was the social butterlfy among them.

“I look forward to the song. I'm curious to know what it talks about” Yuri commented, the last sentence more out of politeness than curiousness.

“Well it's about two persons fighting for the same love. More like a love triangle” Hyukaje said carelessly but somehow his words did somehting to Yuri, because she didn't reply back and seemed unable to comment anyfurther. Donghae and Hyukaje felt awkward and they stared silently at each other, Yuri's eye lingering more than necessary on them.

“Well it was a nice to meet you, now I have to go. Take care of you.” she said suddenly.

“Take care of you too noona.”

“Yuri, you can still call me with my name” she said with a sad smile that hurt Donghae.

“Sure. Bye Yuri.” He said sweetly.

And then she left, soft steps on the floor, a scent of flowers in the air. “Yuri's parfum” Donghae thought. Then he sighed.

Hyukjae elbowed him lightly, Donghae shook his head. “So?” it was a simple question but it had all the concern of the world.

“it's ok” Dognhae replied. Hyukjae hummed but he knew there wasn't really something to say because Yuri was Donghae's ex girlfriend so there was nothing he could do to change that. His only concern was for Donghae to not feel guilty for no reason. so they just kept walking, but he made sure to continue elbowing him, hoping that teasing him would make him forget the awkward encounter. It worked.

“yahh Hyuk stop doing that”

“Doing what? “ he smirked.

Donghae shook his head again but smiled back. He elbowed Hyukjae in return and smirked.

Hyukjae bent in two. ok maybe he elbowed him a bit too hard. He smiled widely.

He was happy Hyukjae was there.

“Ahhh. They are being too obvious”Sungmin commented while sipping from his orange juice.

They were in cafeteria of SM building eating by themselves because the others had different schedules during the break from practice.

“For once I'm not really curious about what's going on. I had enough with the changing room episode, thank you” said Kyhyun while munching his rice.

Sungming arched a brow in curiosity.

“ please don't ask, Maybe one day- after the third glass of wine- I'll tell you.”

Sungmin didn't pry any further because he spent too much years with suju member to know when let go. Like Kyuhyun said once, sometimes it's better not to know.

“Anyway like I was saying I'm worried. They seem to not have the intention to use any filter, they act so lovey dovey it's sickening

“ if you hadn't noticed before, they were always like that. Especially Donghae.

“Well ok. The thing is that now Hyukjae is not even trying to stop him. Which is dangerous”.

“I always knew the anchovy was a sugar coated lover”

“ Like you didn't whisper sickening sugar coated words to your past girlfriends”

“ Aish, don't believe to every word Hyukaje says!”

“ Kyu I'm your roomate. I heard you”

“ Whatever. We weren't talking about me, but about ridiculous Eunhae.

“Yes. Those kids...I wonder how many of us already noticed them”.

“From what I see... Jungsoo hyung suspects something. Jungwoon hyung is so near to realize it, I have to give him credit for this. Siwon knows there's something but he will probably act like he doesn't know a thing. Ah... such a good guy our horse! And I know for sure Heechul hyung knows.

“ Wait Heechul is on military duty” Sungmin replied

“ But he knows”

“ how can you...?”

“ I can bet all my video games on the fact that he knows” Kyuhyun sentenced.

“Ok, ok I believe you. Anyway if your guesses are right the only one clueless are Donghee and Ryewook.”

“Yes but they are not the type to show they know even if they do. I guess we'll have to ask them.

“ And of course we are not going to do that Kyun-a”.

“ You are such a party pooper Min.

“ Hyung. It's Min hyung for you brat”

“ Of course. Anyway sooner or later we'll have to face this. It's not going to take too long for them to be discovered in the middle of something by one of us- I pray God it's not going to be me- and for that time neither of us can pretend it never happened.

“ Honestly I prefer to wait for Jungsoo hyung to realize it and leave the whole thing in his hands. I don't want to ruin their party so soon. However I also hope he will never find out because I know Jungsoo hyung will have to act as the leader and in the most positive scenario he will restrain them in the name of our sake”.

“ The alternative would be to warn ridiculous eunhae and suggest them to keep it quiet if they don't want for our leader to realize.

“ I guess. But how come I have the impression you are not going to help me in this?”

“Because it's like that? Hey you are the hyung I'm just the maknae.”

“ You really...!”

“ Ok I'll help you, don't be so menstrual”

“ Kyun-a!!” and he hit him in the forehead with his palm.

“ hey what's going on? Is our maknae being evil as always? How many times I told you Kyun-a to be a good boy?” teased the unmistakable voice of Hyukjae from behind Kyuhyun. They both froze but however Sungmin was the first one to recollect himself. He didn't' hear us didn't he?, but judging from Hyukjae's giant smile it was ok.

“ ha ha, you know how is Kyunhyun the untamed maknae or something like that.

Kyuhyun smiled proud as Sungmin shook his head. Hyukjae laughed and seated with them with his tray of food.

“ Where is Donghae? Wasn't he training with you?”

“ Yes” replied Hyukjae in a sigh

“ What did he do this time the fishy?”

“ He's just... well he juts overdid, nothing to worry about. That idiot.”

And both Sungmin and Kyuhyun wondered if with overdoing he was referring to that, then Sungmin noticed what seemed dangerously like a fresh hickey slightly visible near Hyukjae's collarbone and paled. “ Anyway he's in the toilet, he'll be back soon.” Hyukjae added, clueless to Sumgmin's stare.

The latter exchanged looks with the maknae, who seemed to have noticed too. They knew they had to do something. Sumgnin sighed,

Ridiculous eunhae.

Damn them.

Donghae was happy. He had just left Hyukjae collapsed on his bed as he exited to buy the strawberry milk Hyukjae wanted - more like he pretended- . It was so natural to adjust to this new routine of them, like it was always meant for them to arrive exactly at the point they were. Donghae wore a hoodie to hide most of his face. It was late in the night but it was better to not be noticed. He walked down the streets, towards the nearest convenience store. He walked relaxed and with calm using that time to reflect upon the late events of his life. It was funny how all changed in barely two months, he passed so much time suffering and now it was all gone. He didn't want to lie and say there weren't shadows in his current life, he was scared, of course, because since they started this sort of relationship their drive increased, and yes Hyukjae was right to be angry at him ( that was why he kicked him out of the room when he discovered he went around with a visible hickey for all day long). He felt again a teenager at the mercy of his feelings, unable to control his urgencies. He should have known that even that would have felt awesome with Hyukjae. The touch of his hands, the sensations of his lips on his skin, the warmness that came from his body. He just wanted to corner him every time they shared a room together which was often since they had to practice their stage. And he knew Hyukjae felt the same only he was better in controlling his feelings as always. They were on the line Donghae knew it , but... He desired him for so long that he just wasn't able to stop himself. He arrived at the convenience store and started to look for what he needed: strawberry milk. Yuri too used to like strawberry milk his brain thought. He frowned at that thought. Sometimes Donghae feared Yuri was only the female version of Hyukjae and that hurt him a lot, because she certainly deserved more than just being the reflection of his undisclosed desire for his bestfriend. He had beautiful memories with her, it was undeniable. He sighed again as he grabbed a whole package of strawberry milk. Then he turned the island meditating if grabbing some package of ramen just to find in front of him Yuri. She had a shopping trolley half full, probably to refill his empty fridge. Donghae knew the staff of Sm probably worked more than the singers and Yuri had really little time to do the house chores. He remembered the nights spent with her at convenience store buying ramen for both of them.

“ I needed some strawberry milk” she said to excuse herself and Donghae thought it wasn't really needed, because that was her neighbourhood too.

“ of course you like it afterall” he replied trying to smile. They never bumped in each other when they were going out and now that they broke up they met without scheduling it already twice.

She smiled too but then her eyes fell upon his crossed arms full of strawberry milk.

“night shopping. You know I have a demanding bestfriend who is obsessed with this too. He sort of forced me to buy him some”he didn't know why but he felt the need to justify himself which was ridiculous.

“Hyukjae” she replied with no hesitation. Donghae nodded and then, not really having something to say, he motioned to leave.

“ wait Donghae.” he stopped. “ we used to be friends before starting our relationship can't we still at least be that?

“ Yuri I don't think is a good idea”

“ I know you are seeing someone so I know it's only friendship Donghae.

“ I don't have a girlfriend Yuri.”

“ maybe. But you have someone in your mind, you have that spark in your eyes, I know that spark Donghae” the latter was left mouth gaped.

“ sorry, it was rude of me, really rude. Just... nevermind”.

And with an apologetic smile she passed over him, not even stopping to grab her adored strawberry milk.

Donghae recollected himself, thinking about love and how was impossible to hide it when youso deep in it.

Hyukjae was starting to get impatient. Donghae left ages ago with only one duty: to buy strawberry milk, what the heck was that fishy doing? Maybe I kicked him too hard. Hyukjae yawned as he stood up to go to the kitchen and drink some water. In the kitchen he found Kyuhyun and Sungmin doing their night ritual of sipping expensive wine from fancy glasses, but well Kyuhyun and Sungmin were always a bunch of weirdos. He ignored them as he filled a cup with water. Somehow he felt observed but he didn't say a thing. He knew it was Kyuhyun, but if the maknae had something to tell him, Hyukjae knew that sooner or later he would have come to him.

He heard the sound of a door being open, then some steps and in less than ten seconds Dognhae was in the kitchen.

“guys" he said.

“ yah! What took you so long?” he whined

“ sorry. I just met an acquaintance and I stayed behind to chat a bit” Dognhae replied but Hyukaje knew in a blink of an eye that something was wrong.

“ Oh well at least you are here.”

“I bought some ramen too” he said taking them out of the plastic bag.

“Perfect I was feeling hyungry” said Kyuhyun grabbing them with no shame.

“ Nobody said it was for you, I'm hungry too!” Hyukjae retorted.

“ Really strawberry milk and ramen” Hyukjae nodded, ready to fight over the package. Sungmin sighed, because these kids, but then Hyukjae noticed that Dognhae wasn't there anymore so he gave up. “ ok just take it”. He said and rushed out of the kitchen to go behind Dognhae that was probably in his room.

“ smooth Hyuk, smooth” commented Kyuhyun who understood that something was going on.

“ Kyun-a what I have to do with you?”

“ what do you think it happened?”

“ it's really none of our business”

“ you do realize you were the one who said we had to talk to them?” Sungmin shook his head.

“ yes. But not yet. So now go and do some ramen for your hyung too”

“so bossy”

Sugmin punched him in the arm.

“ouch”.

“Hae what's wrong?” started Hyukjae as he got inside his room.

Donghae did a giant sigh.

“ nothing. I met with Yuri noona. Again”

Hyukjae arched a brow.

“ I met her by coincidence at the convenience store”.

“ I see” Hyukjae replied. He wasn't the best with words, and again he didn't know what he really had to say or if he had to say something. He sat with Donghae on the bed and circled his shoulders with an arm.

“Are you... do you feel guilty Hae?”

“ maybe but it's not that. Really. I stopped feeling guilty long time ago. It's just that she said she was sure I was going out with someone. She said it was obvious.

“women and their intuition” Hyukjae commented. He pecked Donghae's head. He asked himself if it was time to tell Donghae what Yuri asked him before they broke up. But what for?

“ Are we too obvious?”

“ if you continue assaulting me in every corner of SM building...”

“ sorry for that.”

“ silly! Yes you were a bit too enthusiastic. But you are Lee Donghae you are always a bit too enthusiastic. Nobody knows except us. So don't overthink. Let's live this naturally.”

“ how can you be this calm? I'm envious”

“I'm not. But like I said nobody suspects a thing. Just next time please don't leave hickeys or they think I'm fooling around again with women, and I really don't want to get scolded by Jungsoo hyung again.”

Donghae laughed hard and Hyukjae kicked him

“ just stop it, you idiot. I'm serious”

Donghae jumped on him and laid on him, starting kissing his neck and the corner of his jaw to land with his mouth on his lips. Kissing Hyukjae was something he was already addicted. He started to feel hot and needy as his hands caressed Hyukjae's muscles.

God. There was no turning back.

“ Kyuhyun, tell me that was a laugh.”

“ It was a laugh”

“ But do they really think we are deaf?”

“ what's your problem? More ramen for us!”

“Aish... you!”

“ I guess this means you have to talk to them tomorrow?”

“Oh god!”

Stupid Eunhae couple.

Author's note: yes I know. I'm sorry!And I didn't even come back with ! XD This chapter was hard to write because is somehow a turning point. Hope you liked it <3

thank you for your comments! I'm so thankful =D

ps: go check my new Kaisoo story