♦

"Hey, Donghae." Hyukjae whispers, although he isn't quite sure why he's whispering. They're leaning against the wall at the balcony of Donghae's apartment and there's nothing but silence and the stars against the canvas that is the sky.

"Hmm?" Donghae's eyes sparkle as he gazes at the stars.

"Beautiful." Hyukjae breathes, as he gazes at Donghae. Donghae turns to look at him questioningly. Hyukjae's eyes slightly widen and he turns away.

"T-The stars. They're beautiful."

Donghae smiles and he nods.

"Yeah." He closes his eyes.

"They're beautiful."

Hyukjae turns to look at Donghae who has his eyes closed and he isn't really sure of what he's feeling anymore.

The next time Donghae sees Hyukjae is a week later, when the latter turns up on his doorstep.

"Donghaeee..." Hyukjae slurs, tripping over his own feet as he stumbles into Donghae's arms. Donghae barely has the strength to steady Hyukjae and his eyes widen, his face flushed at the close proximity.

"H-Hyukjae ssi."

"Donghaeee..." Hyukjae repeats, snuggling into Donghae's neck.

Donghae uses all the strength he has to pull Hyukjae towards his room and onto his bed.

"Donghaeee... Let's go look at the starrrrrs...." Hyukjae whines, hands reaching out for Donghae. When he locates Donghae's hand, he grips tightly onto it, pulling Donghae down onto the bed. Donghae gasps slightly as he is pulled down to sit beside the man who he's known for two months, who is drunk and is lying on his bed.

"Donghaeee... Let's go... Let's go look at the stars..." Donghae smiles softly, his hands gently threading through the locks.

"We'll look at them. When you're not drunk." Donghae replies softly, now gently patting Hyukjae.

"I'm not.. I'm not drunk.." Hyukjae says, his voice unusually high, eyes half open.

Donghae only smiles, craning his neck slightly to look outside his window.

"Hyukjae-ssi, there are no stars tonight." Hyukjae opens his eyes just a bit more, and he snuggles further into the warmth of Donghae's hand.

"Then... Then I'll just look at you. I'll just... I'll just look at you Donghae..."

Donghae stops moving for a moment as he hears what Hyukjae says, his heart quickening and his cheeks flushed bright red. He looks down at the man trying to find the warmth of his hand and he smiles softly.

The next morning, Hyukjae wakes up to a splitting headache and the smell of strawberries. He opens his eyes, groaning at the brightness and his eyebrows furrow as he takes in the unfamiliarity of the room.

"Oh Hyukjae-ssi, you're awake." Donghae walks into the room, holding onto a bowl.

"Donghae?" Hyukjae says, quite unsure of whether he's dreaming.

"Hyukjae-ssi, don't you remember?" Hyukjae only stares blankly at Donghae.

"Remember what?" He isn't quite sure why Donghae's gaze on him falters and he looks slightly disappointed.

"Oh. Nothing much actually." Donghae says, his gaze now firm on Hyukjae, though his hands are slightly trembling.

"Here," Donghae hands the bowl of soup to Hyukjae who seems slightly more awake now.

"I thought you would need this, after last night. You know, with you arriving on my doorstep drunk and all." Hyukjae's eyes widen slightly at what Donghae says and he mutters a quiet "thank you" before he drinks the soup.

"Come to the kitchen after you're done, okay? I made pancakes." Donghae says, a smile on his face again. Hyukjae nods, a smile unconsciously spreading across his face as well.

As they eat the pancakes that Donghae made together, occasionally laughing over the silly jokes that they make, Hyukjae looks at Donghae and as he looks at the man across the table, he feels his heart thumping so hard it feels as if it's tearing out of his chest. He looks at the man whose smile is so bright he finds it hard to tear his gaze away. Donghae looks up and for a moment, they silently stare at each other. And for that moment, Hyukjae sees nothing but Donghae, and he can think of nothing, but Donghae. He looks down and tries to concentrate on his pancakes.

Hyukjae looks at Donghae and he is about to say something when he sees the uncomfortable look on Donghae's face.

"Donghae, are you okay?" Hyukjae asks worriedly as he sees Donghae's hands turning white from the tight grip he has on his fork.

"I-I'm fine." Hyukjae takes one look at Donghae's pale face and he knows something is wrong. He places his own fork down and as he looks at Donghae again, he sees him wincing.

"Donghae."

"I'm fine!" Donghae tries to smile and he stands up but as he does so, he stumbles and suddenly he feels himself falling to the ground. Everything around him is swirling and it fades from a mass of colours to white. Then everything turns black.

"Donghae!"

♦

Hyukjae tries to blink the tears away but the heat that keeps coming at the corner of his eyes doesn't stop. He lets the wetness slide down his face as he buries his face into his hands, body trembling. His head is in a mess and he can't really remember what happened. He only recalls gathering Donghae in his arms and sobbing, and how he held the pale hand throughout the whole ride on the ambulance. He bites his lip and he tries to understand how the man living in the apartment opposite his has such a big impact on him.

Hyukjae immediately stands up from his seat as he hears the doors of the operation theatre opening and he walks hurriedly towards the doctor.

"H-How is he?"

"Thankfully he managed to pull through. His condition is stable now. Any later... And he wouldn't have made it." Hyukjae almost breaks down again at the doctor's words and he feels his heart thumping painfully against his ribcage as he asks the doctor the thing he's been wanting to know.

"W-What's wrong with him?"

Hyukjae stares at the pale figure on the bed and he silently holds onto the hand that is still as pale as before. He thinks that Donghae doesn't deserve any of this. He doesn't deserve to be in so much pain. He doesn't understand how a man with such a bright personality needs to suffer like this. He doesn't understand. He really doesn't. As he brushes away the hair that is covering Donghae's eyes, he doesn't quite understand how the man who annoyed him at his doorstep two months ago became the same man he was so concerned for when he collapsed a few hours ago, became the man who makes his heart beat so quickly and who makes his mind a mess, in so many ways he can't really understand.

The stars are beautiful, but you are more beautiful. 

As Donghae opens his eyes two days later, Hyukjae greets him with a smile on his face and Donghae uses all his strength to say something but he's so tired that no words come out. Hyukjae only caresses his face gently and wipes away the tears that are trickling down Donghae's face, telling him that it's okay.