Ryeowook’s POV

Family is supposed to be our safe haven. But very often, it’s the place where we find the deepest heartache.

Tired. I was just so tired of it all. Mentally and physically. I was tired of my sickness, I was tired of the world, I was tired of myself. And now, as Heechul grabbed my collar and shook me with so much anger, I realized that I was tired of hurting my members. Again. And again.

“HOW LONG WERE YOU GOING TO LIE TO US? HOW LONG WERE YOU PLANNING TO KEEP IT A SECRET, RYEOWOOK?! HOW LONG!?”

Heechul growled into my face. Sungmin and Eunhyuk quickly came to my rescue and pulled the mad Heechul away and Donghae held out his arms for me and I ran into him, wanting any kind of comfort I could get. Heechul frightened me. Heechul continued struggling in Eunhyuk and Sungmin’s grip and Donghae held me closer to me, comforting me.

“Hyung! What’s going on?” Eunhyuk shouted over Heechul’s loud cursing. “Please don’t be mad at Ryeowook.”

“Heechul hyung, please calm down.” Henry said as innocent as a kid. “Please hyung, please tell us what’s going on.”

I wanted to run away at the poor boy’s confused and frightened tone. It wasn’t fair for Henry to have to be here, seeing this. He was still a kid in all our hearts and he loved each and every one of us, respected and truly looked up to us as his role model. Finally, at Henry’s frightened voice, Heechul stopped struggling and pushed Eunhyuk and Sungmin, his face still red but at least he was less violent now.

“I met your doctor.” Heechul simply stated voice so raw with so many emotions. “He told me everything, Wook.”

No. No. No. NO. I gripped onto Donghae’s shirt tighter and felt his shirt getting wet from my tears but I refused to let go. No one was supposed to know. No one was supposed to figure this out. Donghae rubbed my back and whispered words of comfort to me.

“Donghae, let go of him.” Heechul whispered sternly.

When Donghae refused, Heechul raised his voice. “Lee Donghae, let. Go. Of. Ryeowook. Now.”

No one ever dared go against Heechul when he was mad. Heechul could shake the whole world when he was mad with his loud voice but he could kill when he whispered. Donghae hesitated but I held onto him not wanting him to leave me.

“Hyung, what’s going on?” Donghae questioned with shaky voice.

“Why don’t we ask Ryeowook that?” Heechul urged his chin towards me. “Why did you lie to us about your treatments, Ryeowook?”

“Treatments?” Sungmin looked at me. “Is this about his chemotherapy?”

“Chemotherapy!!??” Zhou Mi gasped. “Wookie, what’