“Hae, I think I might have found a way for you to smile.”

Dark orbs lifted to stare into almond-shaped eyes.

“But it requires surgery.”

Golden-tanned hands began trembling and clutching tightly at Hyukjae’s sweater. Because if anything, Donghae was most terrified of anything related to needles and medicine, considering the traumatic amount of hospital visits and numerous injections he had had since young.

“N-No.”

“Hae, please listen to me, I—”

“I don’t want it!!”

Hyukjae never brought up the issue again, because the sight of tears streaming down Donghae’s lifeless eyes was too heart-wrenching to watch. In the end the blonde simply tucked the younger’s head under his chin and allowed him to cry until his tears eventually dried out.

“I’m sorry. I won’t mention it again.”

“I—I’m sorry.”

“Shh, it’s alright, Hae. I will still love you no matter what.”

* * *

Donghae tugged anxiously at Hyukjae’s sleeve, obviously rather uncomfortable with the whole setting. Hyukjae was adamant that Donghae made at least a few more friends in school, so here they were in a quaint café in the lesser crowded part of town, waiting for Kyuhyun to make his appearance so Hyukjae could introduce his best friend to his boyfriend. Or the other way around.

Unfortunately, Kyuhyun was running late and Donghae was nervously playing with the hem of his shirt. Anyone passing by their table would probably think it was a date turned sour with the younger’s disinterested face, but Hyukjae knew better. He placed a comforting arm around the other’s waist and pecked him gently on the forehead, assuring the younger that everything was going to be alright.

“Sorry I’m late—whoa…”

Hyukjae grinned at his best friend’s surprised voice. “Hey, Kyu.”

“Uhm hi, Hyuk,” Kyuhyun answered while cautiously taking a seat before the couple. He was slightly intimidated by Donghae’s dark, lifeless eyes boring through his head and it somehow made him feel a bit awkward. “Hi, Donghae-ssi.”

“Glad you could make it on time,” Hyukjae mocked, checking the time on his watch for emphasis. “You’re like, twenty minutes late.”

Kyuhyun gulped because Donghae’s unwavering gaze was still on him. He ignored Hyukjae’s sarcasm and instead leaned closer towards the blonde to ask his own question. “Why is he here?”

Hyukjae frowned. “Rude.”

Donghae’s hands grabbed Hyukjae’s under the table because this was the reason why he didn’t want to make any friends in school or anywhere else. People always questioned his presence and he never could feel like he belonged. He preferred solitude where he could be as stone-faced in his own world instead of getting hurt each time people made random comments about him that felt like arrows to his heart. Hyukjae was the only exception though, but Donghae still didn’t think he was ready to open up to the rest of the world yet.

“Sorry. No offense, Donghae-ssi.”

“I wanted to introduce you to my boyfriend, Kyu. Donghae and I have been together for some time already.”

Kyuhyun’s eyes were as big as dinner platters. “Y-You mean the school’s Casanova has already been taken? And you only planned to tell me about it now?”

Hyukjae shrugged and placed his hand intertwined with Donghae’s on the table for the other to see. “At least I did tell you about it now, didn’t I?”

“Some best friend you are,” Kyuhyun grumbled, then gulped again because Donghae was still looking at him.

“Don’t be shy, Hae. Say hi to Kyu,” the blonde said, gently nudging his boyfriend in the side.

Kyuhyun did his best to offer Donghae his most polite smile, pretending not to be bothered by the way he was still being stared unblinkingly at.

“H-hi, Kyuhyun-ssi.”

The youngest let out a small exclamation of surprise.

“Well you don’t sound as unfriendly as you look,” Kyuhyun grinned, instantly erasing all previous thoughts about the unfriendly ‘zombie-eyed creep’ everyone else in school gossiped about. Donghae was just an unfortunate innocent victim of all the hurtful rumours. He untangled Donghae’s hand from Hyukjae’s despite the latter’s protest and bombarded him with all sorts of questions. “Has Hyuk been treating you alright? Or has he been bullying you like the monkey he is? How did you even end up with the monkey anyway?”

A little annoyed at having his boyfriend pulled away, Hyukjae still heaved a sigh of relief. Kyuhyun didn’t hate Donghae, and Donghae also seemed okay with his best friend, if the way Donghae obediently trotted after Kyuhyun to the counte