Leeteuk, Ryewook, Zhou Mi and Ryewook sat in the same bar that they met in a month ago. It had been a long day for all of them when they had decided to go get a drink and as they washed away their troubles in alcohol the two pairs found each other. None of them remembered who had broken the silence first as they had sat next to each other, but it was somebody who decided to make a joke about the couple smooching behind them and how love is pathetic. The way they all faked a laugh told them to never mention the subject again.

The joke that none of them wanted to hear started their friendship though. It was their unspoken rule that nobody talked about what had happened before they met each other. Romance was never mentioned and nobody ever made a comment about a pretty girl or boy. They ignored that part of their lives as the desperately fought to forget. In a way they did manage to forget in each other. Their friendship brought a sort of peace that was lost when the remembered their past; so they didn’t remember.

They didn’t remember, that is, until that night as they all sat together having a drink after work.

They were talking quietly, trying not to bother anyone else around them when Ryewook’s head popped up as he saw a familiar head of hair walk in the door. When he got a good view of the person he felt his heart drop; it was Henry.

Just like that, the peace he had found in his friends was gone as the memories came flooding back: their time spent together practicing, the piece they wrote together and the goodbye with no closure. Just like that, the stitches he had managed to sew his heart back together with came undone and his heart was bleeding again.

Henry saw him too and it was obvious from the look in his eyes that he was still hurting. It was his instinct that made him walk over to Ryewook, almost as though there were magnets connecting them that wouldn’t let them ever be apart.

“Wookie.” Henry said softly.

“Henry-ah.” Ryewook answered as he met Henry’s cautious gaze.

Leeteuk didn’t need any more communication as he slid out of the booth to let Ryewook out, giving him an encouraging pat on the back as Ryewook left with Henry to find a more private place.

When they ended up in the corner of the bar where the music wasn’t quite as loud and nobody could see them they remained silent, neither wanting to be the first to speak.

Ryewook was the first one to break as he couldn’t stand a silence that screamed ‘awkward’ at him.

“You’re back.” He stated the obvious as he couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“I am.”

“How long?” Ryewook asked and at this Henry smiled.

“When I went back I talked to my counselor and explained how much I loved it here and how I wanted to come and live in Seoul permanently. She suggested I transfer so that I could graduate here and get a job in Seoul. I talked to my family too and they said that they wanted what would make me happy. I’m back for as long as I want to be.” Henry said with a sly grin and Ryewook couldn’t help but smirk a little too, though it was not fully what he wanted to hear.

“What about…?” Ryewook started to ask but he couldn’t get the words out. Henry could fill in the blanks, but he still wanted to hear it so he raised his eyebrows at Ryewook.

“What about us? Are we…together again?” Ryewook finished, the lump in his throat sending a warning to his brain that tears were on their way.

Henry took a step closer and pushed Ryewook’s bangs out of his face before leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to Ryewook’s lips.

“I never left.” He muttered and Ryewook lost it as the tears spilled over. He could do nothing but hold Henry tight as he sobbed. It was the second time Henry had made him cry, but this time it was tears of joy.

Back at the table the others had become silent and uneasy. They had watched Ryewook leave with Henry and saw the two in the corner. It had brought back memories for all of them; memories they didn’t want to think about.

Han Geng and Kyuhyun were the next ones to walk into the bar. The boys sitting in the booth weren’t looking up as they moped about in their own thoughts. Han Geng was the first to spot them as he sat across the room from them with Kyuhyun, drink in his hand.

He contemplated going over and saying something. The thing was; he did miss Heechul. He hated himself for leaving, for lying to him. Fate seemed to be giving him another chance: a chance to fix things. His legs seemed to move on their own as he stood, leaving a confused Kyuhyun behind, and walked over to the other table. He didn’t have to say anything because Heechul immediately looked up and glared at him, daggers in his eyes.

“You bastard.” He muttered, standing as well and grabbing Han Geng by the wrist, dragging him out the door.

His friends were left behind, confused, but they had figured most of it out.

Once they were outside and hidden in an alley, Heechul slammed Han Geng against the brick wall of the building.

“How dare you come back here! After everything that happened you think you can just waltz up and talk to me again! You destroyed me, you know that? I loved you with everything I had and I was just a toy to you; a way to get over your girlfriend. I can’t believe you did that and after you had had your fun you left me to clean up my own heartbreak. I finally manage to gain back some of my peace and then you come back here and remind me why I lost it in the first place!” Heechul screamed in Han Geng’s face.

Han Geng knew he was right. He knew he had every right to be angry with him. It was his fault; his mess. He had to at least try and clean it up though.

“I lied to you.” Han Geng started, trying to push Heechul away from him so that he could look him in the eye better.

“I know that you idiot! Every time you told me you loved me, that you cared about me; it was all a lie! Our whole relationship was nothing but you lying to me!” Heechul spat in his face, turned his back to Han Geng and folded his arms, trying to hide the tears that threatened to fall.

“I lied to you when I told you it didn’t mean anything. I lied to you when I told you I didn’t care about you.” Han Geng started; his voice calm and Heechul stilled as he started listening.

“Continue.”

“I didn’t lie to you when I told you I loved you. I didn’t lie to you when I told you that you meant the world to me.” Han Geng spoke slowly and Heechul turned to face him, a hint of hope obvious in his watery eyes.

“I am not lying to you now when I tell you that: I love you Kim Heechul; and I miss you more than you can possibly imagine. I hate myself for lying to you and leaving you. I created a mess and I ed up. I am sorry for that, so sorry; but please give me a chance to fix it.” Han Geng pleaded, tears falling from his eyes as he didn’t even bother to try and hide the desperation in his voice.

Heechul moved closer, cupping his cheeks in his hands as he whispered his answer, trying desperately not to cry.

“You better not be lying to me now or else I will hang you by that tutu because I still love you too.” Heechul threatened and Han Geng couldn’t help but to laugh through his tears.

“You still have it?” He asked.

“Of course; I hoped that you would come back to me and that I would need it again. In some ways, I knew you would come back all along.” Heechul said; confidence radiating from his cocky grin as any threat of tears faded.

“Of course I came back, because I can’t resist you.”

“Well duh, I am Kim Heechul after all.” Han Geng could do nothing but laugh and lean in for a kiss.

Back in the bar Leeteuk and Zhou Mi were left alone. The latter had begun to feel as though somebody was watching him and when he looked around he saw someone he wasn’t expecting to see; Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun was obviously staring at him and Zhou Mi stared back, but neither made a move.

Zhou Mi let out a sigh. He knew that it was up to him. Kyuhyun had made a move when he told him that he loved him, but Zhou Mi had run scared because he didn’t want to be in love again. Now it was his turn, he had to fess up first because if he didn’t he would be stuck in this limbo forever.

“Go.” Leeteuk urged and kicked him under the table.

Zhou Mi got up slowly and made his way through the crowd of people to the booth where Kyuhyun was sitting, sliding in across from him.

“Hi.” He said shyly and Kyuhyun just stared at him blankly.

“Hi.” Kyuhyun said back.

That was the problem with two shy people in one relationship, silence easily replaced necessary conversation.

“I’m sorry.” Zhou Mi admitted, wanting to get the awkward part over with.

“For?”

“Not telling you this earlier. I love you, Kyuhyun.” Zhou Mi confessed and he saw a small smile tug at the corner of Kyuhyun’s lips.

“I love you too.” He replied and that was it.

There weren’t a lot of unnecessary words or dramatic confessions, it was short and simple; it was all they needed. They were both naturally quiet people and for quiet people words aren’t as vital to communication as silence was. Silence often times conveys emotions much better than words ever can.

With the other three gone Leeteuk was left alone, looking down at the table and twirling the drink in his hands. He felt more alone than he ever had and he wished that Kangin was there with him. He normally tried not to think about him, but seeing his friends reunited with those who were obviously their old lovers left him with no one and he couldn’t stop his mind from wandering. He found it funny how he could be fine one moment and on the verge of falling apart the next all because of one person.

“Feeling lonely , doesn’t it?” A familiar voice asked and when Leeteuk looked up he saw that a man had slid into the booth across from him.

“Kangin.” Leeteuk breathed and the other laughed at his response.

“You would think by your reaction that you didn’t recognize me, but I know you Teuk, and I know that you would know me anywhere; even if we met again in forty years without seeing each other you would know me.” Kangin joked and Leeteuk couldn’t help but smile at the breathy laugh he let out, even if it did sound a bit forced. Leeteuk had always loved Kangin’s laugh.

“Why are you here?”

“Because, like you feel right now; I was lonely.” Kangin explained and Leeteuk thought about responding but before he could Kangin was speaking again.

“You know, the weekend I went to visit my family I told my mom about you. I told her that I had finally found someone that I wanted to be with forever; that I had found my soul mate. At first she was happy for me, then I told her you were a man.” Kangin paused after this and met Leeteuk’s gaze; it was intense in the most comfortable of ways.

“She told me that I had two options: I could stop seeing you and she would welcome me back with open arms or I could continue being with you and my whole family would shun me.” Kangin finished and Leeteuk just shook his head.

“I can’t believe that. Why didn’t you tell me? I understand why you had to leave; I don’t blame you at all, Kangin.” Leeteuk said and gave Kangin’s hand a light squeeze across the table.

“That’s the problem with you; you are always looking out for others before yourself. I know how much I hurt you, because I was hurting too. I feel terrible and I realize that I made the wrong decision, because despite being surrounded by people who loved me I was lonely. I was unhappy and everybody around me saw that; including my mother. She never said it, but one day it was obvious in how she looked at me. She wanted me to come back; to be happy again because the only way I can be happy is if I am with you. Please forgive me?” Kangin asked and Leeteuk could do nothing but smile.

“Of course; I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

Life has its nasty ways of wedging itself into relationships and prying them apart. Sometimes it is simple things that destroy something as intricate as love. It isn’t always tragedies that are the most heartbreaking, sometimes it is just life. But while life can be nasty, it can also be kind. It would be nice to believe that fate will always bring us back to the ones we love; but this can’t always be true. There will always be heartbreak in the world, but there will also be love. Getting rid of the pain and bringing in the happiness is as simple as learning to love the little things and forget the fact that sometimes the world seems like the big bad wolf who is trying to eat something as kind as Little Red Riding Hood. Life isn’t about trying to climb to the top of the mountain no matter what; it is about taking it each hand hold at a time and taking time to enjoy the view. It isn’t about fretting over the fact that the rain ruined good plans, but taking time to dance in it because you can. Peace and happiness can be found in the simplest of joys, so remember the good and forget the bad, because as soon as you remember the bad your peace is lost.