--

“Remind me again what you’re doing at my bachelor’s party?”

Suzy sighs before retelling her story. “Heechul, Sungmin and I played rock-paper-scissors to see who was the manliest enough to attend the ‘men’s’ party and…I lost. But they insisted that I go anyway because apparently I make a better man than either of them would.”

“True, true,” Eunhyuk nods. “In fact, I’m pretty convinced that you have more balls than Heechul and Sungmin combined.”

“…Thank you?” Suzy can’t decide whether or not she’s just been complimented.

The waiter comes by with their second round of drinks, and Eunhyuk finishes his in one gulp. Desperate for more, he snatches Suzy’s smoothie cocktail and downs that, and then moves on to Kyuhyun’s untouched mug of beer and finishes that off too.

Eunhyuk doesn’t even care that he’s receiving glares from both left and right. “Hey, this is a bachelor’s party, I’m the bachelor, and that means I get to do what I want.” He waves to the same waiter from before and orders another round of drinks.

“Hyuk, I know you feel terrible about what you did, but you shouldn’t drink too much too fast.” Suzy says in a soothing voice, though she only does so because she wants to get her drink first without Eunhyuk hogging it to himself. “I’m sure if you explain to Donghae what ha—”

“Wait, so Suzy knows now?” Eunhyuk interrupts, looking at Kyuhyun accusingly.

“Of course she does.” Kyuhyun might as well go ‘duh’. “Did you really expect Sungmin to keep something like that a secret?”

“Are you kidding me? What if he tells Donghae?” He bangs his head against the table. “Oh my God, he’s telling him right now, isn’t he? Oh God, my life is over, Donghae’s going to dump me…”

“Stop blubbering.” Kyuhyun claps his hand on Eunhyuk’s back, making him yell out in pain. “It’s not our business to tell Donghae. But Sungmin and I would really appreciate it if you videotaped his reaction for us to view at a later time. We’re running out of DVDs to watch at home.”

“You’re basically asking me to videotape my own murder. You heard what Donghae said—he’s going to kill me.” Eunhyuk continues to sob (without physical tears). “Why did we have to hire a wedding planner so damn bewitching?”

“How bewitching can a woman possibly be?” Suzy sounds a little hurt. “You guys used to hang out with me all the time back in high school and none of you have ever been tempted to cheat.”

“That’s different. You’re Suzy, she’s…Jieun.” Eunhyuk whines, kicking his legs under the table like a little kid. Clearly the alcohol is starting to kick in. And Kyuhyun has had just about enough of hearing about Jieun.

“Oh, get a ing grip, Hyukjae.” Kyuhyun almost never uses Eunhyuk’s real name—unless it’s really serious. “What do you actually even know about this Jieun? You and Donghae have been together since high school—even longer than Sungmin and I have been dating—and all this time I thought you loved him the same way I love Sungmin, but I guess I was wrong, because I would never do something like this to him.”

Eunhyuk’s head is starting to hurt. “You know Sungmin can’t hear you, right?”

“I know. And I don’t care because I’m not saying this to get brownie points, I’m saying this because this is how I feel.” Their drinks arrive and Kyuhyun quickly takes his beer before Eunhyuk can get his hands on it. “You’d think after everything you and Donghae went through, you’d know a little better.”

“Wow, so you’re really devoted, aren’t you?” Suzy sighs after taking a big sip out of her cocktail. “Why are all the good men taken?”

“I’m taken and I’m not a good man.” Eunhyuk mentally curses himself—he knew that he and Donghae should’ve just eloped.

“Lighten up, Hyuk.” Kyuhyun actually feels a little bad for snapping at him, since Eunhyuk just looks so pathetic right now. “This is your bachelor’s party. It’s supposed to be one of the best nights of your life.”

Eunhyuk swirls the soju in his tiny glass. “I hope Donghae’s having a better time than I am.”

--

“Is it me or has this place really lost its touch?” Donghae asks, noticing the way the strippers in the joint have all ran out of breath from just thirty minutes of dancing. “So much for my bachelorette’s party.”

“The night’s still young, Hae.” Heechul clinks his glass of tequila with Donghae’s. “Bottoms up.”

“I wonder how our men are doing.” Donghae muses. “I was hoping his bachelor’s party can help loosen Hyukkie up a little. He’s been acting kind of weird lately.”

“Is he? Hmm, I wonder why.” Sungmin shares a knowing look with Heechul before taking a sip of his red wine to keep himself from saying anything else. “Knowing my husband, he’s probably out somewhere declaring his undying love for me.”

“You are way too delusional.” Heechul shakes his head, holding in a burp caught in his throat. “Gunhee’s a total nut job but even he wouldn’t do that for me.”

“Who’s Gunhee?” Sungmin asks.

“My hairdresser slash boyfriend.” He looks annoyed. “I’ve told you about him like a thousand times. Don’t you ever listen?”

“Well, I’m sorry, but sometimes you talk so much that I have to tune you out.” Sungmin shrugs, thankful that he has an endless supply of alcohol to get him through an upcoming temper tantrum from the older man.

“I talk too much?” he protests. “Sungmin, when you had a sore throat, you talked for two hours about how much it hurt to talk.”

“Yeah, well, my problems matter.”

“And mine don’t?”

Between them, Donghae sighs. They go through this at least once a week. Donghae usually enjoys seeing them bicker (one time he actually ate popcorn while watching them) but he’s just not in the mood right now.

“Could you two please not do this right now?” Donghae rubs his temples. “You promised I was going to have the time of my life tonight, but so far, it’s not looking like it.”

“Donghae, honey, you know a party’s not a party until a fight breaks out.” Sungmin points out, and Heechul nods in agreement. “What’s wrong anyway? I’ve never seen you look so down before.”

He sighs and decides it’s no use beating around the bush. “I miss Hyukjae.”

Heechul exchanges another look with Sungmin. “Wh-what do you mean?”

“Well, I’ve been working late hours nowadays and whenever I come home, Hyukjae’s already asleep. The only times I ever get to see him is during the morning, and occasionally when we go out for lunch, but I don’t know…something feels different.”

“Like what?” Sungmin shifts in his seat.

“I just feel like there’s this wall between us.” He shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t know, maybe I’m just being paranoid. Maybe I’m just not getting enough sleep.”

“Yeah,” Sungmin picks up his wine glass, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable with the topic. “Maybe.”

--

Donghae opens the door, decides he’s too tired to turn the lights on, and immediately regrets so when he trips on something on the floor, screaming as he falls on his face.

The figure moans as it starts to move, and Donghae screams again until the other person hits the light switch and he realizes it’s only Eunhyuk.

“Oh God, Hyukjae.” He puts his hand on his chest, feeling his heart beating like crazy. “You scared the crap out of me. What are you doing on the floor?”

“It’s just so comfortable here.” Eunhyuk has a goofy grin on his face as he crawls towards Donghae and wraps himself around him. “I was waiting for you to come home but then I realized how nice the floor felt against my face…”

“Are you drunk?” he asks, amused. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

“I don’t wanna.” He answers in a cute voice Donghae has never heard before. “I love you, Donghaek…”

“I love you too but ‘Donghaek’? Seriously?” Donghae does not approve. Nevertheless, he tries to stand up to drag the other to the bedroom, but Eunhyuk is stronger than he thought. “Hyukjae, I’m tired, can we please just go to bed?”

“But I like it here.” Eunhyuk pulls him down until both of their backs are on the floor. “Have I told you I love you? I love you.”

Donghae stops trying to fight it and just smiles against Eunhyuk’s hair. “You did. And I love you too.”

Donghae hears Eunhyuk giggle, which is weird, because Eunhyuk hasn’t giggled since high school. “Hyukkie, I don’t know about you, but lately I feel like there’s something going on between us. It might just be me…I don’t know…but I just want you to know, if there’s anything on your mind, you can always tell me. You can tell me anything. Okay?”

Eunhyuk mumbles something before falling asleep on Donghae’s chest.

And because Eunhyuk won’t let go of him and Donghae’s body is weighed down by the alcohol from earlier, they both end up sleeping on the floor that night.

--

Donghae wakes up to the sun shining in his face and finds himself in the warmth of his own bed. He wonders how he got here, since he doesn’t remember making it to the bedroom, until he hears pans clanging from outside.

He smiles, takes a whiff of the smell of breakfast in the air and hops out of bed. Sure enough, he finds his fiancé in the kitchen, struggling with the dishwasher, wearing the frilly apron that he bought for him some time back.

“Good morning,” he croons, wrapping his arms around Eunhyuk’s chest. “How do you feel?”

“Great.” He kisses his forehead. “I took a couple of pills, drank a few cups of coffee—”

“You drank coffee?” Donghae asks, surprised.

“Yes. I hated it. It was disgusting.” He grimaces. “But it did get rid of my hangover, and once I felt better, I thought I should surprise my wifey-to-be with breakfast in bed but someone got up earlier than I expected.”

“It’s good that I did. I have work in an hour.” He reveals, pressing a kiss on Eunhyuk’s shoulder. “Hyukkie, how come you always stay in on mornings? Don’t you have a job?”

“Donghae, I quit my job at TGIF like a month ago. Don’t you remember?” he reminds him.

He blinks a couple of times, “You had a job at TGIF?”

“Yes.” He actually feels a little relieved that Donghae doesn’t remember. “But don’t worry, I promise I’ll find a job by the time we get married.”

“Don’t worry. There’s no rush.” He assures him as he helps himself to a plate of eggs. “You know, this whole wedding thing still hasn’t sunk into me yet. I cannot believe that you and I are going to get married in a week. Just think, by this time next week, you and I will be husband and wife.”

“Yeah,” his face falls. There’s the guilt again. “Sounds great.”

Donghae notices the look on his face. “What’s wrong?”

“Uh, nothing.” He takes the dishwashing gloves off and puts his hands on Donghae’s hips. “It’s all just so overwhelming. I love you, Hae. I love every little bit of you.”

“That’s sweet, Hyukkie, I love you t—”

But Eunhyuk isn’t finished yet. He proceeds to point out every part of Donghae that he loves, and presses a kiss to every part after he says it. “I love your lips,”—kiss—“your eyes,”—kiss—“your ears,”—kiss—“your arms,”—kiss—“your chest,”—kiss—“your shoulders,”—kiss—“your bellybutton—”

“Holy ,” Donghae interrupts with a small laugh. “What did you do wrong?”

Sometimes opportunities just have a way of presenting themselves. “If I tell you, do you promise not to yell?”

“I was just joking.” Donghae’s eyes widen in alarm. “What are you talking about?”

Eunhyuk takes a deep breath. “Donghae, I…I made a lapse in judgment. It was…it was so stupid that I actually want to kick myself for it. But I promise, it’ll never happen again—”

“What did you do?” suddenly, he feels very scared.

There’s no backing out now. “I…I kissed someone…”

The plate falls out of Donghae’s hand and breaks into pieces when it falls to the floor, just like Donghae’s heart. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“I’m so sorry—”

“Who is he?” he demands with a slight crack in his voice.

He hesitates, “It—it’s Jieun…”

“Oh my God.” He knew it. He knew something was up. But he didn’t anticipate this. Donghae feels like he’s getting punched in the stomach. He expects himself to cry any minute now, but it doesn’t happen. Instead he enters a calm, stoic state. “Are you…are you sleeping with her?”

“I’m not, Donghae. I swear.” He says, as if that could clean up this mess. “And nothing’s happening between us. Not anymore. She means nothing to me.”

“And yet she’s worth risking our relationship.” Donghae wipes the egg off his lip and leaves the kitchen. “I’m going to work.”

“What? No, Hae,” he gives chase when Donghae goes into the bedroom. He doesn’t get to go in because Donghae slams the door in his face. “Let’s talk about this. Please. I know I made a mistake, a stupid, stupid mistake, and I feel terrible about it. I am so, so sorry.”

“Clean up the mess in the kitchen and see if apologizing to it makes it better.” Donghae doesn’t say anything else to him after that, and when he comes out all dressed for work, he completely ignores Eunhyuk and leaves without as much as saying goodbye.

Distraught, Eunhyuk picks up the phone and calls Jieun.

--

Firing Jieun isn’t even the hardest part. It’s showing up at Donghae’s office with flowers and chocolate to apologize and getting snubbed.

“Donghae, please hear me out.” Eunhyuk gets on his knees. “I love you, I love you so much. What happened between me and Jieun is history. It’ll never happen again—”

“Go away, Hyukjae.” Donghae says without even taking his eyes off the computer (even though he isn’t really doing any work). “People are starting to stare.”

“I don’t care. Let them stare.” Eunhyuk claims. “I bought you your favorite flowers. And a box of chocolates, fish-shaped ones just the way you like it.”

“Can either of those take back what you did?” he asks, finally looking at him with the same blank face from this morning.

Eunhyuk’s voice becomes small. “No…”

“Exactly.” Donghae turns back to the monitor.

“But Donghae, we can get through this.” He insists. “I already fired Jieun. Let’s hire a new wedding planner. Let’s do it all over again. I want to start over.”

He shakes his head, “We can’t do that.”

“W-why not?” he asks, his brows furrowing together in worry.

“Because there’s not going to be a wedding.” He answers simply.

“What? No, no, Donghae, please—”

“At least not until you sort out this of yours.” He finishes. “Do you even still love me?”

“Of course I do.” He nods right away.

“Then why did you kiss Jieun?” he inquires, his face so serious that Eunhyuk can barely recognize him.

“I don’t know…” he says honestly, though he knows he’s not making it any better.

“Do you like girls again?” he asks further.

“I—I don’t know.” He says again.

 “Well, call me when you do know.” Donghae gets up from his chair and leaves behind Eunhyuk, who’s still kneeling on the floor with a bouquet of flowers which are already starting to wilt.

--