1st September, 2011. 

Infinite had won after weeks and weeks for not being able to gain an award. Sungjong had immediately broken down once he saw the scores rising higher above the other two competitors. The other members started to tear up and break one by one (except for Myungsoo and Sungyeol). Their hard work (for one year and three months) had paid off. Sungjong tried to stop the tears but he really couldn't help it. He immediately leaned onto the person closest to him - Myungsoo. The older one allowed the younger one to rest on his shoulder and he patted his back while whispering soothing words into his ears. 

They were preparing to go back to the dorm to have a good rest. Before getting into the van, Sunggyu pulled Myungsoo aside and instructed him to sit next to Sungjong. Confused, he asked the leader why it had to be him. Surely having the other members to sit next to him would be okay too, not that he was complaining.

"Sungjong wants, no... needs you," Sunggyu said, worry hinted in his voice. "Quite frankly, I sense that there is something troubling him but you know how he is, he will brush it off if I were to ask him. He tells almost everything to you."

Myungsoo couldn't deny that. Even though Sungjong was close to the other members, the youngest would always come to him first.

"I thought he's crying cause we won?"

"Yeah but there's something still bothering him, I believe. Just be there for him, alright?"

Myungsoo nodded. The leader murmured sincere words of gratitude before getting into the van. Myungsoo seated himself next to a sleeping Sungjong. Tear marks stained his cheeks and seeing the youngest like this made his heart ache. He intertwined his fingers with Sungjong's while leaning his head on the headrest. Soon, he drifted off to sleep.

When Myungsoo woke up, he found himself back at the dorm, in his room. Dongwoo was in a deep sleep next to him. He began to panic. Who had brought him here? He could smell food from where he was lying. Woohyun must be cooking, he thought. He walked out of his bedroom. Sure enough, it was Woohyun. The older one turned to face him and greeted him with a tired but genuine smile.

"Sungjong is in my room. He suddenly came down with a fever," Woohyun told Myungsoo. A worried frown started to show on his face. "Sunggyu hyung is taking care of him right now."

Without any exchange of words, Myungsoo walked into that room Sungjong was in. The sick boy was lying on the bed, shivering. A basin full of water had been placed next to his bed. The silent boy went over to Sunggyu's side but his knees buckled at the last moment and he fell onto Sunggyu. Thoughts had suddeny flooded his mind. What happened to Sungjong? Why was this happening? 

Sunggyu positioned L so that his body was right next to Sungjong's. Unlike Sungjong, his head was in Sunggyu's lap and his hand was on top of Sungjong's. He sighed.

"Hyung...?"

He immediately shot up into an upright position and hovered slightly above Sungjong, concern shown in his usually emotionless eyes. His forehead connected with the wet towel that was on Sungjong's forehead. Sunggyu had left the room, giving the two of them some privacy. Sungjong breathed heavily at the closeness between him and L.

"Why are you here...?"

"Hmm, just checking on you. Heard you weren't feeling well." I missed you.

Sungjong slowly sat up, a weak smile shown on his face. "I'm fine, hyung. Thanks for the concern." Myungsoo wasn't going to believe that he was fine. Noticing that Sungjong was looking away, he forced Sungjong to look at him. The youngest faced him... well, without looking up. He hid his eyes behind his fringe.

"Sungjong, look at me," the older one demanded, not rudely though. "I need you to look at me."

Sungjong looked up and Myungsoo's heart cringed. It was not the usual cheeriness he would see in his eyes. Instead, that cheeriness had been replaced with, well... dullness. It was if the life was drained out of him.

"What happened...? Don't you dare tell me nothing happened."

The younger pursed his lips in uncertainty but he knew, there was no point in lying to Myungsoo once he finds out that something is wrong.

"It's just that... I don't know, I feel like I don't deserve any of these good stuff that's happening to me. After all, I don't think I contributed much to Infinite. I'm not that much of a good singer to begin with and I look way too feminine to be a dude and..." his voice wavered away but eventually, he spilled out all his insecurities to Myungsoo. The older one frowned inwardly, secretly blaming himself. He should have paid attention to Sungjong's inner feelings. Without realizing it, he had buried himself in the crook of Sungjong's neck and his arms around Sungjong's waist. The brown-haired boy was somewhat surprised at the sudden contact as Myungsoo wouldn't really do this but he returned the hug already.

"What are you talking about? You've contributed a lot to Infinite by just being you, you're a great singer... maybe not as great as Sunggyu or Woohyun hyung but still. You may look feminine but that doesn't mean you've got your masculine side too. I just like you the way you are," Myungsoo mumbled before snuggling closer to Sungjong (Hyung! I'm sick!) and drifting to sleep. Sungjong' body heat is warm. Just nice.

So that is how Woohyun and Sunggyu stumbled into the room, only to find Kim Myungsoo sleeping in the arms of Lee Sungjong.