Woohyun exasperates a sigh as he drops his spoon on his bowl of cereal, causing a loud clatter of utensils. He shifts his gaze to the person right next to him—Sunggyu. "Aren't you going to stop?"

Sunggyu was taken aback from the question. "Stop what?"

"Staring at me." Woohyun frowns. "You've been like this the first day we met. Honestly, it's creeping me out." 

"Oh." Sunggyu only notices that his face was too close for Woohyun's comfort when he leans away and blinks back to reality. Something stings in his heart, a bit of pain, but he dismisses it and puts up an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry." 

Woohyun pauses at the unexpected apology. He didn't want Sunggyu to apologize because there was nothing to say sorry for anyways. If anything, Woohyun himself should be the one apologizing for practically forgetting about all of them. Forgetting about Sunggyu. 

He knows Sungyeol and Myungsoo are his friends, but Sunggyu was a different case. The older male gives him a unique vibe and aura, something different from Sungyeol and Myungsoo. 

They don't tell him what he and Sunggyu used to be too. Woohyun wanted to ask for himself, but then somehow he thinks it'd be useless since he kind of has an idea now of who Sunggyu exactly was in his life. 

And it wasn't just the longing stares or the lovestruck gazes, but every night since Woohyun's arrival about a week ago, when Sunggyu would think that Woohyun was already asleep, he'd enter the guest room and give Woohyun a kiss on the cheek. 

At first it felt odd, but for a stranger to give Woohyun a kiss every night, it sure didn't feel awkward or uncomfortable. Woohyun finds himself longing for more night after night. Sometimes before going to sleep, he imagines himself opening his eyes just before Sunggyu goes for the kiss. And he actually kisses back. 

Woohyun tries very hard to erase that imagination off his head. It was wrong. Plus, he knows he likes girls anyways. He wasn't gay, he knows deep down inside of him. At least that's what he tells himself.

Before he knows it, Sunggyu walks out from the dining area with a small sigh, alarming Woohyun. Sunggyu wasn't supposed to feel bad. Woohyun's job was to do the opposite of that. And lately, he thinks he's really been slacking off, so he was willing to do anything just to see Sunggyu smile.

"Sunggyu-ssi." Woohyun manages to run after him just when Sunggyu was about to go up their long spiraled staircase. 

Sunggyu turns back to the call of his name. His eyes looked different—sad. Definitely. Woohyun winces at the look on Sunggyu's face, guilt immediately entering his system. 

"I'm sorry about what I said…" The younger boy tries to smile to lighten up Sunggyu's mood. "In all actuality, I don't mind at all! You can stare at my face anytime! So please…" Sunggyu cracks a small smile. "…Be happy." 

"Don't worry about it." Sunggyu says with a happy tone, but Woohyun sees through it. It was only an act. "I'm just glad you're back."

He starts walking up the steps, leaving Woohyun alone to stare at Sunggyu's back. Once the older male reaches the second floor, he instantly locks himself up in his room. With a hand on his chest and his body dropping to the floor, Sunggyu cries. 

+

Woohyun asks Myungsoo for help. It was a few hours after his little encounter with Sunggyu, and Woohyun notices that Sunggyu hasn't left his room ever since. 

"What did you say to him?" Myungsoo asks curiously as he ate a bunch of bananas for brunch. 

"I told him to stop staring at me." Woohyun replies while gripping his head. "I think I offended him." 

Rolling his eyes, Myungsoo snorts and says, "You've offended him ever since you came back, idiot."

"H-Huh?"

"Think about it." Myungsoo gives Woohyun a blank stare. "You were gone for 5 years. You broke his heart the moment you disappeared and he went all mental. It was hard for all of us, but it was especially hard for him. He didn't stop looking for you until we forcefully told him to stop. You were gone, and he just had to accept it." 

He swallows nervously. Myungsoo's story was cutting through him like a sharp blade on bare flesh. He doesn't know why, but the story was painful. It just hurt him. 

"Hyung sued the hospital even if you disappeared under his care. His career dropped for a short while until he managed to stand back up and actually face reality again. It took him 5 years to accept that you were gone. But then—"

"But then I come back…" Woohyun continues, his face looking emotionless and cold. 

"Exactly." The other nods in agreement. "He's all ed up again, now even worse because you don't even know who he is. Of course it would offend him. So think about the things you'd say first before spitting them out. He's locked up in his room again, just like 5 years ago. I'm certain he's crying again."

Woohyun doesn't realize the wetness of his eyes. Something inside him was deeply remorseful even if his mind refused to bring back his past. It was the old Woohyun, maybe, crying too.

"I'm sorry." Woohyun says after a while. "I'm sorry I left. I'm sorry I came back—"

"Never apologize for that." Myungsoo stands up and ruffles Woohyun's hair just before he gives the younger male a short hug. "You coming back is something definitely worth celebrating for. Maybe not just today."

+

Woohyun borrows some of Sungyeol's clothes in Myungsoo's closet and dresses up nicely for the rest of the afternoon. He had just dried up his hair after taking a shower, and he was looking spectacularly handsome. Myungsoo hates to admit it himself, but Woohyun was really good-looking now that he's surpassed puberty.  

Nervously, Woohyun walks down the hallway to Sunggyu's room with a black button up shirt and a good pair of casual jeans. Myungsoo helped him style up his hair and also fold the sleeves up his elbows. He looked amazing, and he hopes Sunggyu would think the same thing too. 

All of this was Myungsoo's plan, really. Woohyun just had to accept for the sake of making Sunggyu happy. And it wasn't like he didn't want to either, because the idea of potentially going out on a date with Sunggyu sparked something inside of him. He wasn't just nervous now, he's also very much excited. 

But just before Woohyun could reach Sunggyu's door, the older male was already exiting his room and was about to head down the stairs when his eyes catch sight of Woohyun. 

It takes Sunggyu a few seconds to react. "You look nice." He says, a small smile on his face.

Woohyun chuckles embarrassingly and rubs the back of his neck. "Well, I'm going on a date."

Sunggyu's little eyes widen with surprise. "R-Really?" He stutters. "With whom?"

"With you." 

+

Sunggyu drives them to the restaurant they were going to eat early dinner in. It was the place Myungsoo suggested, and also the place where he and Sungyeol frequented. 

They sat down on their tables awkwardly, neither of the two saying a word. While Sunggyu looked around the area, Woohyun's eyes were on Sunggyu. 

Sunggyu looked amazing. His brown, straight