Eunhyuk stepped into the office, head down. It had been three years since he’d last seen the person he was about to face, three years since he’d, well, had his heart broken. He didn’t really know if he was ready to face him, but…it had been three years. That was enough. He was over him, he knew it. He had Sungmin now.

Then why was his heart thumping so painfully? It had to be nerves, he thought. This was a big job, and add that to what he wanted to ask Donghae and it all led to this feeling. So he closed his eyes and took a deep breath in, before looking up, straight at the man in the chair in front of the desk.

The hair was different; he didn’t recognize it, because the last time he’d seen Donghae, his hair had been the warm brown colour that suited him so well. But he recognized the way he sat, arms resting on the sides of the chair, legs stretched out. He pressed his lips together. It was all overwhelming, seeing this, what he’d been deprived of for so long. But he didn’t need it any more; Donghae was not that part of his life any more.

Sungmin was here now. He sighed. Donghae finally turned around and looked at him. His eyes widened slightly, and his fingers gripped the arms of the chair, before he breathed out slowly and blinked. “Oh.” Was all he said.

Donghae got it now. He understood why Leeteuk had been so nervous. Because Lee Hyukjae was standing right in front of him and he was expected to work with him for God knew how long. “Eunhyuk?” He asked. Why had he changed his name? His hair was different too, the dark auburn replaced by a dark brown. Donghae had to admit it suited him, the darker hair making him look older, a bit more dangerous, and a hell of a lot ier. But then, that could just be because he hadn’t seen him in so long.

He shrugged. “Hi.” He said shortly. “I guess we’re working together.” Again, he added silently.

Eunhyuk nodded his acknowledgement. The atmosphere was so weird. It was disconcerting. Three years ago, he wouldn’t have hesitated to make some sort of joke about how it wouldn’t be working. But that was a different time. Now they weren’t together, they were separate. They were Eunhyuk and Donghae, not Hyukjae and Donghae.

Donghae squirmed in his chair a little, uncomfortable. He placed a hand on his neck, refusing to look at Hyukjae again. He knew he was being childish, knew that they should have been past this by now, but they weren’t. They just weren’t and it was going to be so bloody difficult working together. He could feel Leeteuk’s guilty gaze on him, but he refused to look at him, either. He would have liked nothing better than to yell at Leeteuk about this, but it was hardly his fault. He was just trying to do his job to the best of his ability.

He’d just have to be a man and it up. He could feel the frown curving on his face. it up was not something he should be thinking about at this present time.

Eunhyuk swallowed as he looked at Donghae. He tried not to stare, but really, it had been so long since he’d last seen him that he knew he was drinking him in. He hadn’t changed much. His eyes were the same, maybe a little tired at the moment, but his arms were still toned and his cheekbones still sloped across his face in the same way. The only thing that was that different was his hair. He couldn’t quite get over the brightness of the hair. It made him look more…innocent. He didn’t like that idea.

Eunhyuk started guiltily. He didn’t understand why he was reacting like this. He thought that he’d gotten over Donghae, but obviously something was wrong… He was happy with Sungmin, he knew he was.

Leeteuk coughed. “Okay… Um, well Eunhyuk, if you could come with me so I can, uh, brief you?” He made it sound like a question, and Eunhyuk looked up, surprised. He nodded. “And Donghae, I think Ryeowook’s been waiting for you for ages. He was very excited about something.” He smiled weakly and turned to Eunhyuk. Donghae slowly got up out of the chair. He knew that Leeteuk was trying to make it easier, that he was avoiding any conflict for them, but it still pissed him off. It was a combination of stress and sleep deprivation, he thought.

He bowed his head to both Leeteuk and Eunhyuk, and left, accidentally brushing past Eunhyuk on his way out. He almost cursed. Instead, he muttered an apology and almost fled, walking briskly back to his office.

Ryeowook was there waiting. He smiled when  he saw him. “Hyung! How’d it go? Did you meet the guy that’s gonna be working with us? Is he nice? Did Leeteuk-hyung say anything about getting me that new lens?” He was almost bouncing up and down from excitement.

“Wookie, how can I answer those questions when you’re making me dizzy?” Ryeowook deflated a little.

His eyes became wide and worried. “So Leeteuk-hyung said I couldn’t get it?” His lower lip poked out and he looked as if he were ready to cry.

“Is that seriously all you care about?” Donghae asked, his voice a little sharp. He wasn’t meaning to be nasty, but he was totally on edge now and a hyperactive Wookie was something he was going to have trouble with at the moment. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge  of his nose. “I don’t know.” He told him. “Teukie-hyung didn’t mention it.” Ryeowook nodded slowly.

“Hyung…what’s wrong?” He asked quietly. “Why are you all…out of sorts? Did Leeteuk-hyung tell you something bad?” He honestly looked worried.

Donghae chuckled softly. “No… At least, not really. It’s just something I’m going to have to live with.” Ryeowook raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?” He sounded genuinely curious.

“Oh, I just have to work with someone I don’t want to.” Donghae brushed it off.

“Don’t you like them, hyung?” Ryeowook asked.

Donghae shook his head. “That’s not the problem. It’s not that I don’t like them. It’s that I like them too much.” Maybe even love him, he thought.