The tension in the air could be cut with a knife. Leeteuk added yet another pancake to Hyukjae's plate to somehow ease the atmosphere. It proved to be in vain. 

"Lover's quarrel?" Grandfather Lee bemused. 

Donghae glanced at Hyukjae from the corner of his eye. The teenager merely ignored the question and continued on with his breakfast nonchalantly. He frowned. 

"None that I am aware of, Grandfather." He haughtily replied. Donghae glanced again at Hyukjae. He expected something, a snort, a huff, a snarky remark - a reaction. Nothing came. 

Hyukjae finally excused himself from the breakfast table, grabbing his backpack. 

"I'm leaving for school." 

Grandfather Lee looked to Donghae. They always left together, after all. Donghae looked back, gnawing on his lip. He waited for Hyukjae to ask him to hurry - like he always did. He waited and waited. All he recieved, far too many moments later, was the sound of the heavy front doors opening and closing.

Hyukjae had left without him. 

Donghae couldn't focus. Not at school and definitely not at work. 

"Your face looks like you've been six days constipated." Heechul remarked as he worked the cash register. 

Donghae shook his head absentmindedly. 

"Hurdles in the married life?" Heechul urged, hitting bull's eye. Donghae shook his head some more, frowning deeper. Heechul sighed, dropping the subject as he continued his artwork of the ice cream parlor's logo. 

"I think I ought to apologize." Donghae finally declared, loud too, for he startled a focused Heechul. The manager raised a brow. 

"I did miss all ninety-eight of his calls. He must've been worried." Donghae continued, more to himself than Heechul. "But then again, when I came home he was fast asleep. How worried could he have been." 

Heechul wore that knowing smirk, opening his mouth to spout probably a snide remark that would irk Donghae's already stirred heart. He never spoke, though, for the next moment the door opened and introduced a slick haired customer that Donghae knew well. As the customer smiled charmingly, Donghae couldn't help but think that he wasn't in the mood. Not today. 

"Kibum." 

"Donghae doesn't seem like that kind of guy." Minho commented, tossing an orange slice into his mouth. 

Hyuk readjusted his hands to fall over his eyes, blocking them from the blaring sun. The boys were sprawled over the green grass behind campus. School had long ended, the only people remaining in the vicinity being janitors and watchmen. Hyukjae sighed. 

"You're probably right." 

Minho kicked a long leg out to nudge his best friend. "I am right." 

Hyukjae glanced up at the blue clouds with their soft outlines, making it hard to tell where one cloud ended and another began. The perfect scene. He snorted. Donghae loved this kind of . He would fetch out a camera and aim it at a cloud, claiming the cloud looked like a heart, a sofa, a lion. Hyukjae would shake his head and say no, 'it looks like a ing cloud you fool' and they'd both laugh. 

"The perfect scene." Hyuk mumbled, lost in his thoughts. 

"What?" 

Hyuk blinked. The scene faded to become reality. He collected himself, lips disappearing into a tight line. "Nothing. Let's get out of here."

And so they did. They drove around town, music blaring from the windows of their expensive cars. It was almost therapeutic. Soon the sky dimmed, as did their music and the wrinkles on Hyukjae's forehead. 

"Drop me to the parlor." 

Minho cocked a brow. 

"You were right. I'm overreacting and moreover, being a little . Donghae's not that kind of guy. There's no reason for all this." 

Minho cracked a smile, swerving the car into an opposite lane. 

Heechul watched from the register as his employee tugged on the strings of his apron. Donghae wore a look of obvious discomfort as he interracted with the well-dressed customer. 

"I'm a married man Kibum." Donghae merely stated for the hundredth time. 

Kibum ran a hand through his tousled hair. The somber look in his eyes had long faded to frustration. 

"He's not the one, Donghae. A high-schooler, arranged marriage. There's no love." 

Donghae clenched his jaw. "He loves me." 

"Do you love him?" Kibum challenged. 

Heechul watched as Donghae's eyes widened. He opened his mouth only to close it. 

"I - I don't know." 

Kibum leaned in closer. A newfound confidence surged through him. 

"You don't." He declared. 

An indignant fire awoke in Donghae's eyes. His eyebrows furrowed together. 

"How can you conclude that so easily?" 

"Because you still love me."

Two hands came to cup Donghae by the face. Before he could react, soft lips had landed against his own. Donghae stood wide-eyed as they moved. They felt different from the lips he had grown accustomed to; far too different from those that knocked him off his feet. Three years ago, this kiss would have been everything for him. But in the parlor, on that specific day, Donghae couldn't help but conclude that this kiss simply didn't feel right. It didn't feel like home. 

In midst of his racing thoughts, Donghae didn't notice the parlor bell ring or the door slam shut. He only snapped out of them when he felt a force pulling him away from the man kissing him. He fell back onto the floor. 

"Augh." Kibum cried as a punch landed against his jaw. He went sprawling over the counter top.

Donghae scrambled off the ground, throwing himself between the two men. He looked up, to meet eyes he knew all too well filled to the brim with unshed tears. They were red and merciless as the owner tossed him to the side. 

"Hyukjae -" 

"Don't." Hyukjae spoke with a voice as cold as ice. His fist was red and brusied as he stepped away from the two others. "Don't say my name like that. Just -" He took a shaky breath. "Don't." 

Hyukjae didn't look back as he walked out of the parlor. He couldn't think straight. His hands shook as he fetched his cell-phone and dialed Minho. 

"Hello?" 

"Come get me. We're going clubbing. Hardcore." Hyukjae smirked madly. "Like the old days."