“What’s everyone doing out here?” a voice asked as Hongchul’s parents and two older boys walked up to them.

“Whoa! Hyung! It’s Infinite!” one of the boys cried in excitement.

“Yeah, pabo, they work with our brother,” the other said, rolling his eyes.

“Wah! Are you guys Hongchul hyung’s brothers?” Kangson asked, looking up at the two brothers.

“Hongchul hyung’s brothers?!” Woosoon cried, jumping up and dragging his IV along with him so he could greet them. “Anyeonghaseyo, Woosoon imnida!”

“What are you doing out here, Woosoon?” Hongchul’s mother asked. “Shouldn’t you be in there?”

“Oh, Dad and Appa kicked all of us out cause Dad is scolding Hongchul hyung for liking my brother,” Kyle stated.

“Yeah! They’re secretly dating,” Dongmoon added. “I saw it with my own eyes!”

“Hyung! We are not!” Woosoon whined, pouting.

“They... He... WHAT?!” Hongchul’s mother cried, her face going very red as she flared in anger. “My son is GAY?!”

“Ma, calm down,” the oldest boy said.

“No way!” she shouted just as Woohyun opened the door.

“This is unacceptable!” Hongchul’s father shouted as he glared at son, his face just as red. “How dare you betray us like this!”

“Father! Hongchul betrayed no one!” the other boy cried, exchanging worried glances with the older brother.

“First you go and become an idol without our permission!” Hongchul’s mother shouted. “Then you perform this stupid surgery! Now you have a ing boyfriend?!”

“You’re disgusting and we can no longer trust you. I knew we couldn’t trust you with the Nam brothers in your group, with their parents being gay and all,” his father concluded. “You’re no longer a son of ours! I refuse to pay your stupid surgery fee!”

“Let’s go, boys,” the mother said, turning away.

“No! I’m staying here!” the older boy said, walking into the room and sitting next to Sunggyu and Hongchul.

“Me too!” the other cried. “I would never abandon my little brother!”

“Suit your ing selves!” the father cried, before dragging his wife away.

Everyone was completely quiet as they watched the angry couple leave. No one had any words to say as they let the whole situation process in their heads. Hongchul was traumatized. He broke down into loud sobs, not being able to handle what just happened. His other brother rushed over to him and both brothers pulled him into a tight hug, Woosoon joining in slightly after.

“Nam Kyle! Kim Dongmoon! How could you say something like that to his PARENTS?!” Hoya suddenly shouted, turning on the two guilty trouble makers.

“W-we didn’t k-know,” Dongmoon whispered as Kyle avoided Sunggyu’s gaze.

“What did you say, Kyle?” Sunggyu asked, sounding very disappointed in him.

“Please,” the oldest brother said, letting Hongchul go. “It’s no one’s fault. Even we didn’t know they would react that way.”

“Yeah,” the other brother said, nodding his head. “The two were just playing around, trying to tease Woosoon and Hongchul, like normal brothers. They had no idea it would turn out this way. None of us did.”

“Let’s not focus on punishing anyone. No one’s at fault. Those two are just as upset and guilty as all of us,” Kwangsoo stated. “Let’s just focus on Hongchul for now.”

“I’m sorry to ask,” the oldest brother said, “but can we have some alone time with our brother?”

“Woosoon’s staying,” Hongchul blurted out through his thick tears. “H-he needs to r-rest. H-he’s sick.”

“That’s fine. He can stay.”

“Let’s go,” Sunggyu ordered, pushing everyone out of the room. “Get some sleep, my son.”

“N-neh, Appa,” Woosoon obeyed before Sunggyu closed the door.

“B-baekchul h-hyung, Y-yunch-chul h-hyung, th-thankyou,” Hongchul whispered as Woosoon slowly backed away to his bed. He felt out of place with the brothers.

“Anytime, bro! Baek hyung and I are always here for you!” the middle boy proclaimed.

“W-why c-can’t th-they b-be l-like W-woohyun-sshi and G-gyu-sshi?” Hongchul croaked out before hiccuping loudly.

“Probably cause they’re already gay,” the one known as Yunchul stated.

“Yah! Why are you being so blunt?!” Baekchul cried, smacking his younger brother.

“I was just answering his question honestly,” Yunchul replied.

“In a rude manner!” Baekchul retorted, glaring at his brother. “Is that how you speak to your traumatized brother?! Mother and father just disowned him! You have to be a little bit more sensitive!”

“Well I’m gonna disown them!” Yunchul cried. “After what they did to my brother! Esepecially right after he got out of surgery! It’s unbelieveable!”

“Unforgiveable,” Baek said with a sigh. “My baby’s suffering alot now.”

“”Woosoon!” Hongchul suddenly cried, watching as the young boy jumped up and rushed to the bathroom. He tried to get up, but the pain was too much. “Help me get to him, hyung.”

“You need to rest, Hongchul. You need to stay-”

“I don’t ING care about rest or whatever Hongchul shouted, trying once again to get up.

“I’ll help him, hyung,” Yunchul said, helping his younger brother stand up and lead him over to the bathroom.

“Woosoon-ah, are you okay?” Hongchul asked, leaning against the wall and sliding down to the floor.

“H-hyung,” Woosoon whispered, looking up at him with a very pale face. “I don’t feel well at all. I can’t handle this!”

“You’ll be okay!” Hongchul assured him, his voice cracking from all the crying. “You’ll make it, Woosoon-ah. You’re strong and you can get through this surgery. After this surgery, everything will be okay. ICEE and our fans are always standing by you, Woosoon. I’m always here too.”

“I want to be healthy so that we can dance with ICEE for our fans,” Woosoon said, sadly. “This sickness is just holding us back. Our fans need to be sitting ducks because of my stupid health. It frustrates me so much! I have to take a break from my life, my dream, because of this. Why can’t my stupid kidneys function like a normal person’s kidneys? Why does life have to be so ing hard!”

“Woosoon, calm down,” Hongchul said, pulling the boy into a hug as he started crying. “Calm down, okay? You’re a normal person. There’s nothing different about you even though your kidneys don’t work like they’re supposed to. Don’t berate yourself, arraso? You’re perfect, do you hear me? Yes, life is frustrating and it’s understandable that something like this will make you agree. It would make me angry too. But don’t look down on yourself. You’ll get no where like that. Nam Woosoon, you are a beautiful person and I want you to believe that. Can’t you trust hyung? Can’t you trust what hyung says? Woosoon, no matter what, everything will fall back into place. Sure we have to go through a little delay, but that’s okay. Everyone’s patient. They will wait for us, because they love us. No one’s going to hate you because of some kidney surgery. Your health is what matters.”

“But my health makes me weak and vulnerable. It drags everyone down. Everyone’s activities are on hold because of me!” Woosoon weeped, Hongchul’s shirt as he continued to cry. “Because of me, everyone has to wait to release a song and go to group concerts. Because of me, fans have to be disappointed in us.”

“No one minds waiting,” Hongchul assured him. “We’re only happy if everyone’s together. If we have to wait for you to fully heal, then we’ll gladly do that. Every person in our group is a team member. We’re a team and we care for one another equally, Woosoon. We’re family and we’ll wait if we have to. No one’s disappointed. No one’s blaming you or me. They can still do activities and greet fans. Everything is fine, Woosoon. Stop worrying.”

“I just, I don’t... I can’t-” Woosoon cried into his chest, finally letting himself go.

Hongchul hugged him tightly, letting the boy cry his heart out. He didn’t think about anything but the boy in his arms. This boy meant everything to him. Maybe he should confess to him. It’s time that maybe he took a step further.

He could tell that Woosoon needed him more than anything. This affection, this attraction, Hongchul had no idea where it came from. But he was glad it came to him. This boy was his light. He was going to hold on to it, and finally turn it on.

Maybe they’ll have troubles with the public if the started dating, just like the troubles he had with his parents. Nothing could be worse than getting disowned by his parents, however. But Hongchul knew he had his hyungs, still. Baekchul and Yunchul would never abandon him. And then there was ICEE and Woollim, his definite family that didn’t judge him no matter what. And there was also Infinite and Woohyun and Sunggyu, who was supporting his every decision.

No matter what the public said, Hongchul’s going to fight for his love. Woosoon needed someone to protect and love him through everything. No matter the costs, Hongchul wants to be with him. Whatever happens, Hongchul will always hold on to him. Woosoon’s his everything now.

“Are you okay?” Woosoon suddenly asked in a weak voice, his tears finally dying down, and causing Hongchul to break out of his thoughts. “First Dad scolded you for something that’s not true, then your parents... doing that even though it’s not true because of my stupid brother’s big mouth. Everything went downhill from the surgery because of a non true ru-”

“It is true, though,” Hongchul said, shocking Woosoon and causing him to stop speaking. “It’s true. I like you. More so than a friend, or even a brother. I really really like you and I want to hold you close to me. I want to protect you from anything and everything. You are everything to me, Nam Woosoon. I. Like. You.”

“W-what?” Woosoon asked with wide eyes. “Y-you-”

“Yes, I do,” Hongchul said with a sigh. “I-”

“Woosoon, Hongchul,” Baekchul said, peaking his head into the bathroom. “The doctor’s here to see you.”

“Help me, hyung,” Hongchul told his brother. “Woosoon’s too weak to do so. I don’t want him to get hurt.”

“Alright,” Baekchul replied, helping his brother up. “Can you make it, Woosoon?”

“N-no,” Woosoon said, weakly.

“I’ll help you,” Yunchul said, walking back into the bathroom and helping the boy up.

“Thanks,” Woosoon replied as the boys helped the two out of the room.

“How are you two feeling?” the doctor asked once they were back in their beds.

“Woosoon’s not doing well at all!” Hongchul blurting out, staring worriedly at the younger boy.

“You’re in a worse state than me, hyung,” Woosoon said, softly.

“No I’m not, I’m-”

“Not physically, hyung. I meant mentally. And emotionally,” Woosoon stated. “Stop worrying so much about me when you’re hurting!”

“But I hurt when you’re hurting! I can’t not-”

“Hyung, I hurt when you try and hide everything! Don’t hide from me, hyung! I-”

“But won’t it hurt more if I let myself think about what happened? Wouldn’t it-”

“That’s why I’m here!” Woosoon suddenly shouted. “I’m here so that you have a shoulder to cry on! For once, who cares if I’m sick! You’re the one who matters right now! Don’t you understand my feelings? I care too much about you, hyung! I want you to think about what you’re feeling, or else it’s going to break you down even more! You just got out of surgery! You’re in pain! Your parents just disowned you! You’re in pain! Hyung, you just went through something very serious in the last couple hours! Right now my stupid sickness doesn’t matter! You matter. To me. What, you’re allowed to care about me, but I can’t care about you? You can’t care about yourself? That’s just stupid!”

“Woosoon, that’s not it. I just don’t want you to be getting any sicker because you’re worrying about me! I’ll be okay, Woosoon. I want you to take care of yourself-”

“And I want YOU to take care of YOU!” Woosoon exploded. “Is that so hard to ask for? For you to take care of yourself? You’re always endlessly worrying about me! Can’t you worry about your own health? Can’t I worry about you?”

“I never said-”

“Just don’t talk to me,” Woosoon whispered, turning away from him with tears in his eyes. “Let’s just talk to the doctor and then get some sleep.”

“Woosoon-”

“I said don’t talk to me.”