- Back to the evening when Junhyung and Hyunseung were absent from school -

Gikwang felt restless and tired from the moment he stepped into school in the morning. He dragged his tired body out of the classroom and towards the school gate. He have been crying every night since he left Dongwoon's house. His body felt light, but his head was so heavy that he felt like it could just drop on the ground if he haven't got the strength to keep it up. He was walking slowly towards the main building of the school when his phone rang. A wave of giddiness hit his brain all of a sudden. He grabbed onto the handrails of the stairs to stabilize himself before digging out his phone from his bag.

“Yoboseyo...?”

Gikwang shook his head to shake off the dizzy spells and tried to concentrate on the voice from the other line.

"Where are you?”

It was Doojoon. He sounded all serious and it made Gikwang's mind clear off slightly.

"I just reached the main building of the school, leaving the school now... Do you need me for council matters today?”

"Come to the student council office straight now. We will talk once you get here.”

And Doojoon ended the call. Gikwang didn't like the way things were going and he felt like something really bad just happened. He slowly walked towards the council room with heavy footsteps. Once he got there, he knocked on the door and got into the room after Doojoon's reply. He really didn't like the look on the president's face and he was wondering what did he do wrong. He don't remember screwing any documents up for the council, and don't remember committing any offences in school.

“You were looking for me...?”

“Yes... Hmmmm... How about you take a seat? You look really pale...”

“...I'm fine. I just want to know what did I do wrong...?”

Doojoon let out a sigh as he stood up to stand in front of his table. He leaned against the front of his table and looked at Gikwang with a sorry look.

“What happened between you and Dongwoon?”

"...How did you know about us? Did Seobbie told you?"

"No, Dongwoon's father came over just a while ago... He..."

Doojoon hesitated in his words and looked at Gikwang with caution.

"Its okay, just say it..."

"I don't think Dongwoon is the type of guy to ask his father to seek revenge for a couple's fight... So I guess that his father is not happy with you? He asked me to kick you out of the student council... Gikwang, I promised Yoseob to be a good student council president. But I can't help you much if he is in cahoots with the principal of the school..."

"I understand..."

"Gikwang, I will help you as much as I can, because you are Yoseob's friend. But you have to sort out your problems on your own. Dongwoon's father is out to get you. I heard from the other teachers that he even tried to bride his way into getting you out of this school. Did something happened between the two of you?"

“...No, it's okay. Thank you for offering your help, Doojoon... But... I will try to handle this matter on my own...”

“But you know that it wouldn't be solved under your own hands, Gikwang. I have to knock some sense into you before it gets too late... There's no reason to love someone and there aren't any rules. What you need is just basic instinct and you will know what should be done. If you continue hesitating like this, you will lose him for real...”

"I know what I should do..."

"No, you don't. Gikwang, stop running away. You are just avoiding the problem. This is not going to make the both of you see the future!"

Gikwang felt like someone just dug out his heart. His breathing and vision started shaking from the lack of oxygen in his lungs. Seeing how Gikwang's face was getting paler each second, Doojoon quickly held onto him and made him sit on the chair.

"Yah, you are running a fever!”

Doojoon took his phone and dialed Yoseob's number. Before Doojoon could speak to Yoseob, Gikwang pulled Doojoon's phone away from him and ended the call.

“Don't call Yoseob... I will be fine in a while...”

“How could you be fine?! Your face looks like someone threw a bucket of flour on you!”

Gikwang and Doojoon were busy arguing when Yoseob suddenly barged into the room with a loud bang of the door. The president and secretary jumped out of their skins with the grand entrance of the vice president.

"THE HOSPITAL JUST CALLED THE SCHOOL AND SAID THAT DONGWOON IS IN THE HOSPITAL!"

"WHAT?!"

Gikwang jumped out of the seat all of a sudden. He felt his vision getting blur as he got up too fast.

"Kiki?!"

Gikwang shook his head to clear it as he grabbed onto the corner of the table to stable himself. Doojoon quickly held onto him and let Gikwang lean towards him. Yoseob ran towards them and held onto Gikwang too. He was shocked to feel the hot temperature on their skin contact.

"W-what ha...happened..to...W-woonie...?"

"Why are you still concerned over him when you are already like this?!"

"...S-seobbie..."

"Aish! He was locked up at home by his parents. When his parents went out to work, he climbed out of his room window and fell ! A passerby saw him and called the hospital! Dongwoon was in his school uniform, so the hospital called the school up to inform them. His room is in the freaking second floor! That babo!"

Gikwang felt himself slowly losing conscious. His Dongwoon... His Dongwoon fell off the second floor... He needs to see Dongwoon, right now.

"Send me there! Send m-"

Gikwang's legs gave way and his body was sent all the way down, but lucky the two other males held onto him tightly.

"KIKI?! Kiki! Answer me! Don't scare me! Yah!"

"...W-woon..."

Gikwang mumbled unconsciously. Yoseob really feel like slapping him. He is already at the situation where he is running a high fever that made him unconscious, but he was only thinking of Dongwoon.

"Seob, call the cab. We need to send him to the hospital."

"You can take care of him there while I check out more about Dongwoon with doctors. It is better than letting Gikwang kick a fuss when he wakes up."

Yoseob quickly called for a cab while Doojoon called the teacher to tell them about the situation, leaving out the fact that Gikwang wants to find Dongwoon. The two boys carried the unconscious down and into the arrived cab and rushed towards the hospital.

"Doojoonie.. Why..."

"Seobbie, I promised you. I stopped taking bribes."

"No...I meant... Why did you help Kiki when you didn't like him...because of the past...?"

"I'm not that hardhearted, Seobbie.. I know how it feels to chase after your loved one even if our future seems impossible. I want to give him a push, but I think I pushed him a little too hard. This boy is too fragile..."

"Kiki always keeps secrets to himself. He consults only me and no one else. He have never learn to trust others to let his heart out, and Dongwoon invaded his heart without him knowing..."

Yoseob swiped off the bangs sticking onto Gikwang's forehead. Doojoon didn't like the sadness that was filling Yoseob's eyes. He hugged Yoseob tightly and kissed his forehead.

"He will be all right, love. I will do my best to protect him too. Because I treasure what you treasure."

"Thank you for understanding, Doojoon-ah..."

Yoseob leaned back and snuggled his face into Doojoon's neck.

-~-

Hyunseung slowing led Junhyung towards his car and onto the passenger seat. When Hyunseung wanted to put Junhyung's seat belt on, their lips were so close that they almost touched. They stared at each other for a moment before Hyunseung leaned back in surprise and took a step back. He awkwardly coughed and closed the passenger door before getting into the driver's seat.

"Ummm... I have to warn you beforehand... I drive really slowly, so you might end up getting back later... Are you okay?"

"Don't worry... I'm fine... Just a little exhausted... I will get my chauffeur to send you back later..."

"Just worry about yourself right now."

Hyunseung started driving after Junhyung set the destination on the car's GPS tracker. The elder male just drove according to the road stated on the screen. The ride was filled with awkward silence most of the time. Hyunseung keep telling himself to concentrate, but he kept remembering of the scene where their lips almost touched...

"Seung..."

Junhyung broke the silence when the car came to a stop when the traffic light turns red.

"Yes?"

"I have yet to officially ask you this... Jang Hyunseung, will you let me be your boyfriend...?”

“...”

“Can I be the one to bring smiles to your lips each day...? Can I be the one...that make you want to look forward to living each day? Can I be the protector of your life, be the one to give you a hug when you need, to be there for you when you are in trouble, to lead you the way when you are lost and to pick you up when you fell down?”

“...Isn't that what you have been doing this past year...”

Hyunseung's voice got softer and softer at the end, with light blushes crawling up his cheeks. Junhyung felt like running his fingers over the chubby cheeks, he wants to feel the warmth under his hand and hug Hyunseung tightly in his embrace.

"You know how much you mean to me... Why are you still asking me something so obvious..."

“Seung... I need you to tell me clearly, to tell me that you are willing to accept me... And that I am allowed to love you...”

“...You hopeless man... I love you, Jun... And I want you to love me too...”

Hyunseung's cheeks got even redder, he looked at the steering wheel of the car while playing with his hands. Junhyung smiled and slumped onto his seat.

“Th-thank you... Seungie...”

Hyunseung started the car when the light turns back to green. The car slowly moved towards the destination and they passed the security after a few questioning. Hyunseung pulled the car over at the front of the apartment's lobby. There were staffs opening their doors for them and Hyunseung slowly passed them the car keys when Junhyung told him to.

Hyunseung and another male staff helped Junhyung up the stairs towards his apartment since he only stays at the second floor. After getting Junhyung onto his bed, the staff took out the stuffs in Junhyung's pockets as it was dropping out of his pants and placed them on the nightstand. Hyunseung unintentionally saw the numerous missed calls by an unregistered contact number, but he didn't think much of it. Hyunseung thanked the male staff.

"I will get the family doctor to check on Junhyung-ssi."

"Thank you so much."

The staff smiled and left the room. Hyunseung took Junhyung's shoes off and lets him lie on his bed comfortably. Junhyung looked at Hyunseung with half lidded eyes, he have been drifting in and out of sleep throughout the ride.

“Seungie... I love you...”

“...Stop being so mushy and sleep. You tired yourself out just now...”

The door was knocked and a pretty woman in formal wear with long hair and fringed pinned back come in with a male wearing a doctor coat. The female was pretty and has a body that would smitten males and smiles that would melt hearts. She bowed lightly to Hyunseung and looked at Junhyung.

“Jun-ssi, I bought Dr. Lee here to check on you. Should I inform Sir and Madam?”

“No... Let them rest... Tell them tomorrow if they ask about me...”

“Sure.”

Hyunseung recognized the doctor, he went to Neverland with his boyfriend to announce their anniversary when he first visited. His name was Donghae... if Hyunseung didn't remember it wrongly...

“Hyung... Mianhae...”

“Aish, Junhyung-ah, what happened?”

“I...”

Hyunseung took a deep intake of breath. He was about to tell Donghae that it was his fault that Junhyung ended up like this when Junhyung cut in.

“I'm sorry, Donghae hyung... I overestimated myself... I thought I was over this phobia... I tried taking the lift and...”

“Junhyung-ah, you know it is dangerous when you do things like this... Lucky you had a friend with you, what if you were alone and fainted in the lift?”

“Mian...”

Donghae sighed and took out kits from a bag he took in along with him. He took out a ear thermometer and a stethoscope. He took Junhyung's temperature and after that listened to his heartbeat while looking at his watch. Hyunseung was looking anxiously at Donghae, hoping that Junhyung will be all right. Hyunseung noticed a soft stare towards him and when he turned towards the stare, he came in eye contact with Junhyung who was lying on the bed with a soft smile. Hyunseung bit on his lips in guilt. Junhyung mouthed out, Don't worry.

“Take your anti-anxiety pills and rest. You overexerted yourself tonight... You will be all right after a night's sleep. And when I say sleep, you sleep throughout the night. Don't start stressing yourself about this phobia and rest!”

“Deh, hyung... Thank you...”

After giving a few more instructions to the pretty female in the room, Donghae left a room with an order on Junhyung.

“Sleep! And you better get well by tomorrow.”

“Good night, hyung...”

The room was only left with Hyunseung, Junhyung and the pretty woman. Hyunseung slowly walked towards Junhyung.

“I'm sorry...”

“Don't be... It's late already, let the chauffeur send you back and get to bed early, okay?”

Hyunseung nodded. He wants to hold Junhyung's hand for the last time before he goes back today, but he don't know if he is allowed to. His eyes kept on Junhyung's exposed hand outside of the blanket his body was in. Junhyung, who always takes notice of every move Hyunseung makes, noticed the gaze on his hand. He reached out to Hyunseung and held onto his hand. Hyunseung was a little taken aback at first, but slowly look up into Junhyung's eyes and smiled.

“Namji, can you please get me by medicine...?”

“Sure, Jun-ssi.”

Namji, whose real name is Nam Jihyun, walked out of the room to get Junhyung's medicine.

“...Who was that...?”

“The caretaker of my apartment. Her name is Nam Jihyun. You will see her a lot... if you are willing to come here...”

Junhyung tugged on Hyunseung's hand to let him sit down on his bed. Hyunseung sat down with his hand still tightly interlaced with Junhyung's. He looked down on their hands with a shy smile. Junhyung smiled back too, rubbing his thumb on the back of Hyunseung's hand.

“Can I...call you...Baby...?”

Hyunseung couldn't hold the smile on his lips. He nodded slightly. The sudden knock on the table made Hyunseung jumped up from the bed and pulled his hand away from Junhyung's. The exhausted male frowned slightly at the lost of contact. Namji came back into the room with another female staff with a bottle and a cup of water placed on a tray. Namji, who was also a observant person, noticed the blush on Hyunseung and frown on Junhyung.

“I'm sorry for interrupting, but Donghae-ssi insisted on having you take the medicine and sleep early.”

“I understand... Bring it here to me...”

The female staff placed the tray on the nightstand and took out a pill from the bottle. Junhyung took the pill and swallowed with the cup of water passed to him by the staff. Junhyung laid back on his bed with a sight of relief.

“Namji... Please have the chauffeur send Hyunseung back... And make sure he gets into his house safely...”

Junhyung is getting sleepy, the anti-anxiety pill comprises of drowsiness effect.

“Seungie... I will see you in school tomorrow...”

“Rest well, Junnie.”

Hyunseung lightly hooked his fingers with Junhyung before leaving the room. Junhyung was too drowsy to stay awake, and he slowly drifted to sleep.

“Hyunseung-ssi, please follow me to the lobby. I will have the chauffeur send you back safely.”

Namji smiled sweetly at Hyunseung. The Nam family has served the Yong family for years, therefore Namji had already been taking care of Junhyung since she was young. Junhyung had once requested the Nam family to let Namji serve the Yong family after she has graduated from high school. And during the period when Junhyung studied overseas, Namji was allowed to concentrate on studying until he came back. Namji was grateful to Junhyung since then, and has always treated Junhyung like her own blood brother. Junhyung had dropped several hints to Namji about Hyunseung. Junhyung told her that he has a different view in relationship, that he didn't care about rules when it comes to loving someone. Namji had always knew Junhyung's preferences, but she just didn't know that Hyunseung would be such a lovely boy.

Namji thought that Junhyung would choose someone a little more rough since she thought opposite character attracts, but it seems that just proves that Junhyung don't ever follow rules when it comes to love. He love what he loves.

“Hyunseung-ssi, thank you for bring Jun-ssi back tonight.”

“U-uhhh, n-no! It was actu-”

“Hyunseung-ssi, don't. Jun-ssi want things to be just the way he said it. So just let it be how he said it.”

Hyunseung blinked his eyes innocently at Namji before nodding his head and smiling at her.

“Thank you...Uh...Nam-ssi...”

“Just call me Namji will do. The chauffeur is here, just tell him where is your place and he will send you back. Have a good night rest, Hyunseung-ssi.”

Namji bowed ninety degrees to Hyunseung. The chauffeur opened the door for Hyunseung and waited for him to get in. Hyunseung bowed back to Namji and shyly got into the car after thanking the chauffeur. It took around twenty minutes for the car to stop at Hyunseung's house doorstep. The chauffeur helped to open Hyunseung's door.

“Thank you for the ride, Chauffeur-ssi! I'm sorry to bother you when it's already so late...”

“No problem, Sir. It is my duty to do so. Please get in safely.”

Hyunseung thanked him once again and bowed before getting back into the house. Once he was in the house, he was shocked out of his skin when he sees ten pair of eyes staring at him.

“W-why are all of you here...?”

All the seven boys from DUSK came over to his house and were having a small noraebang session with his parents and sister. Out of everyone out there, Hyunseung could clearly see that Zico have not enjoyed himself throughout the whole singing session. Zico was the first to stand up and walk towards him.

“How are you...?”

-~-

Ngh...”

Gikwang groaned, his head felt like something want sitting on it and his whole body felt like it was dislocated. He felt a stingy pain on his right arm, and was about to remove the pain to make it feel better when a pair of hands stopped him.

“What are you trying to do?”

Gikwang slowly opened his eyes to see Yoseob looking at him with deep frowns between his brows. He found his arm attached with an needle and linked to an IV bag. Was he really that sick that he was put on drips?

“S-seobie...”

Gikwang's voice was hoarse, and his throat felt like he had not drank for weeks. He wrapped his fingers around his throat and moans in agony.

"You were running a forty degrees high fever! Lee Gikwang, why didn't you take care of yourself?!"

Yoseob hissed through clenched teeth. Gikwang bit his bottom lip nervously, he looked up at Yoseob with guilty looks like a puppy who was caught doing wrong.

"Y-you...!"

Yoseob stomped his foot and groaned in frustration. He pulled on his own hair to vent his frustration.

"You better promise to take care of yourself from now on, I don't want ever seeing you getting yourself into such a situation. I wouldn't let you off the next time!"

"D-deh...!"

Gikwang squinted his eyes shut.

"And if you ever get yourself into this situation with the cause being Dongwoon, I don't care if he is standing or lying, I wouldn't let him off the hook too."

At the mention of his boyfriend's name, Gikwang jumped up from his bed.

"Dong-dongwoon! How's Woonie?! Where is he now? Where did he injured himself? Is he all right?!"

"Sit down!"

Yoseob pushed the panicking Gikwang back on the bed.

"Doojoon have been trying to get news about him since the time we hot here. But because Doojoon rejected the 'offer' made by Dongwoon's father in the morning, he refuses to tell Doojoon anything since he was siding you."

"..."

Gikwang clenched onto his head. Yoseob pushed him all the way down onto the bed and made the sick boy lie on his back.

"You lie back down and continue resting. Doojoon have been busy trying to get news, he will ring me up once he gets it. So rest."

Gikwang calmed down and look at Yoseob. Now that he took notice, Yoseob's eyes were red and puffy.

"Did you cry...?"

"...Trying tell me you wouldn't if I fainted in your arms and was unconscious for so long, I will hate you."

"So long..? How long was I unconscious?"

"More than ten hours..."

"...Seobie...You were here all along...?"

"...As I would leave..."

Yoseob pouted and sat on the chair beside the bed. He left tears gathering in his eyes again. He was so scared the whole time Gikwang refuses to open his eyes. Gikwang is his best friend, his one and only close friend which he could talk to and needs by his side. Gikwang used his unneedled hand to grad Yoseob's.

"Thank you for being by myself when I need someone..."

"Stop acting so disgusting..."

Gikwang chuckled lightly but immediately regreting when his throat burns. Yoseob poured a cup of water and brought it to Gikwang's lips.

"Drink it slowly."

Gikwang slowly swallowed the water, but his throat hurts so bad that even swallowing hurts just as badly. He sighed and dropped back on his pillow after finishing half the cup. Yoseob was about to open his mouth to say something when his phone rang.

"Yoboseyo?"

Yoseob could hear Doojoon's voice from the other line but was too muffled to understand what he was saying.

"How is Dongwoon...? Wh-HE WHAT?!"

Yoseob stared back at Gikwang in shock. Gikwang's heart dropped at the sight of Yoseob's face.

"What...Seobie, what happened to Woonie...? SEOBIE!"

"Dongwoon escaped from the hospital..."

"...WHAT?!"

Gikwang roughly pulled the IV needle out of his arm and was about to run out of the room when his head felt giddy and almost fell on the ground again.

“WHAT THE ARE YOU DOING?!”

Yoseob pulled Gikwang back into bed and roughly throw him back on the bed. Yoseob pressed on the emergency button for the nurse and held Gikwang's shoulders down on the bed.

“You lie down here and don't ing move an inch. I warned you, you move an inch, and I swear I will make you bedridden for the rest of your life, Lee Gikwang. Don't test my patience. I mean it when I say I wouldn't let you off if you hurt yourself again.”

Yoseob spoke through gritted teeth. Gikwang knew better to stay quiet. Yoseob was his childhood friend since young and he knew how fierce Yoseob could be when he gets angry. Gikwang knew exactly why Yoseob was angry but he couldn't help but worry about Dongwoon.

“Seobbie...Dongwoon...I want to see Woonie...”

Yoseob cussed and took out his phone and dialed Dongwoon's number. To his surprise, Dongwoon picked up the call.

“SON DONGWOON, WHERE THE DID YOU GO?!”

“Yoseob! I ran back to school but one of the student council member told me Kiki is sent to the hospital yesterday! WHERE IS HE?! WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?!”

“Both of you are babos, BIG BABOS! BOTH OF YOU WILL BE DEATH OF ME! ! YOU GET YOUR ING BACK TO XXX HOSPITAL, FLOOR XXX ROOM XX!”

And Yoseob hanged up the phone. He throw his phone on the cushion seat beside the bed in frustration.

“He is on his way here now, you ing keep your on this bed and don't ing move. I SWEAR, I WILL BURN THIS WHOLE HOSPITAL DOWN IF YOU MOVE AN INCH! !”

Yoseob is so pissed off. He kicked the leg of the seat and went out of the room.

“Sorry for worrying you... Seobbie...”

The nurse came in after Yoseob went out to fix the needle back into Gikwang's hand. Gikwang used his free arm to cover his eyes as he felt hot tears streaming down his face. He hurt his best friend because of his rash thinking. He used to be calm and sensible when he was not with Dongwoon. Woonie... what have you done to me...

-~-

HAIIII! DID ANYONE MISS ME? XD kekekeke! A longgggg update for you guys because i'm good. :P just kidding. XD kekekeke life have been really busy. I was having a part-time job and after that school reopened. Ahhh~ it because I'm in the last year of college and life is really hectic. I have only 4 more weeks of school and I will start my Major Project. Kekeke~ Idk if I will have more time to write by then, but I do hope so. Im trying to finish SOTD as fast as I can, but I don't wish to give it a sloppy ending.

Kekekeke~ so meantime, I will try to plan the beautiful ending for this, and yup! OwO do look forward to having Ubomb, Yongchan, Dooseob, Kiwoon and lastly Juran extra cuts. XD kekekeke! Thank you for reading! :D

I SWEAR, I HATE USING LJ TO UPDATE FICS. THE FORMATTING BIG TIME. UGH. PISSED ME OFF.

Preview of Chapter 22: Will Zico approve of Hyunseung's relationship? Will Hyunseung even tell Zico about their relationship? Did Dongwoon manage to meet up with Gikwang? What happened to Yoseob after leaving Gikwang's hospital room?