[BtoB]

Eunkwang sat in his recliner watching the steam rise from his coffee cup, wishing he could simply drift away just as easily. It was something that he could zone out on, a distraction from his pain and real problems that he had been going through. He wondered when he even bothered to keep up the facade that everything was okay, when all he wanted to do was curl up in a tight ball and never wake up. What was the point of living, when there was nothing to look forward to? Sighing, he placed the mug on the coffee table. His stomach was upset and he didn't feel like drinking his coffee anymore. Leaning back in the chair, he let closed his eyes, drifting into troubled dreams. 

Minhyuk smiled as he walked up the steps to his friend's house. He hadn't seen Eunkwang in a while, so it would be nice to hang out with him. Humming to himself, he knocked on the door loudly. When he didn't get an answer, he stuck his key in the lock and pushed the door open. The house was quiet and dark, making him wonder if Eunkwang was even home. His car was in the driveway and he wasn't at work, so he must have simply left the lights off. Making his way to the kitchen, Minhyuk pulled a Coke out of the fridge and opened it. He shook his head when there still wasn't an noise in the house, other than his own. Shaking his head, he walked into the living room, which was the second most logical place for him to be. He might be watching television or something. 

As soon as he stepped into the living room, Minhyuk shook his head. His friend was sound asleep, his blond head lying against the back of the chair. It was such a different place for him to nap, since Minhyuk knew that he would usually nap in his bedroom instead. When he moved closer to Eunkwang, he saw the deep creases in his forehead, making him appear much older than he really was. He looked beyond stressed out, which concerned his him. Frowning, he touched him lightly on the arm. Eunkwang startled him by jerking awake, causing Minhyuk to jump back in response. The other man looked grouchy, until he saw that it was Minhyuk who had awaken him. Yawning, he stared at Minhyuk, finally smiling tensely. Minhyuk was concerned when he noticed the frailty of his smile. It was empty, and not something that the other man wanted to see. 

The slightly younger man shook his head, smiling back. "Tired? Maybe you're a vampire and that's the reason you stay closed up in a dark house." 

Eunkwang rolled his eyes at the joke, reaching for his now cold cup of coffee. Taking a sip of it, he made a sour face and set it back down. "Gross..." Glancing at his friend, he motioned toward the empty chair next to him. "Have a seat." Minhyuk grinned at him, grabbing the coffee cup and walking into the kitchen. 

When he returned to the living room, he had another Coke, instead of the coffee. "Here. This should taste better than that coffee...Now, anyway. So...why the hell are you sleeping in the dark?" he laughed. "During the day, anyway. Of course you would sleep in the dark at night."

Eunkwang grinned, unable to stop himself. He had missed Minhyuk's strange, ditzy humor. He winced and closed his eyes when Minhyuk walked over to the wall, turning the light on. "Yah! That's bright."

Minhyuk laughed, switching the light from on to off and back again, annoying Eunkwang even more. Now he was just being childish. "It's daytime, and most people have the lights on during the day..." He bounded back over to the chair and sat down, the caffeine seeming to have put him on a strange high. "So, again! What are you doing with the lights off...in the living room. I could understand if it was your bedroom, but here..." 

"I didn't feel like going to my bedroom," Eunkwang cut him off with an answer, knowing that Minhyuk could have gone on for an hour, talking about why he should be awake and not asleep. "So, how are your classes going? Anything or anyone interesting at school?" 

As soon as he changed the subject, Minhyuk began telling him about his school and the classes he was taking. He was going to school to be a chef and working with some of the best cooks in Japan. He seemed to be very happy with it, and would be moving up to sous chef soon. As he spoke, Eunkwang felt his own mood lifting from Minhyuk's happiness. It was difficult to stay depressed and dwell on his problems with his vibrant friend around. They continued talking, and Eunkwang wished that he would never leave. His happy energy was infectious, causing Eunkwang to actually start to enjoy himself. 

That evening after Minhyuk stayed for dinner, he stood up, smiling at his friend and cracking his knuckles. Eunkwang smiled as he thought about how many times he had told Minhyuk that it would give him arthritis, but it never stopped him from doing it. "Well, I should be getting back. We should do something together while I'm back in town, you know?" He smiled at Eunkwang, picking up his keys and jingling them in his hand thoughtfully. "Take care of yourself, okay?" Eunkwang knew that he had noticed his depressed state when he glanced at him with a knowing look. Minhyuk wasn't terrible perceptive, so the fact that HE had seen it meant that it was written on his face. 

Nodding, Eunkwang tensed when his friend hugged him. He was afraid that in his fragile state he would break under Minhyuk's embrace, but he managed not to. "It's been great seeing you, Minhyuk. I missed you." The other man studied his face as he spoke, knowing that something was wrong. He had known him long enough that he could read any mood he was in. 

"I missed you, too," Minhyuk replied quietly, and it was then that Eunkwang noticed the worry on his face. Despite wanting to cheer his friend up, there was something different about Minhyuk. It was something that he didn't want to let out, so Eunkwang left it alone. If he wasn't simply imagining the strange expression, he knew that Minhyuk would talk about whatever it was eventually. 

After Minhyuk drove away, Eunkwang stared after him. He really HAD missed him and knew that if he would stay home, everything would be great. All would be right in the world if he could simply keep his friend close to him. He knew that his depression would disappear, too. That night when he went to bed, he couldn't fall asleep very well. His mind kept going back to Minhyuk and his happy, vibrant personality. He knew how HE felt about the other man, but wasn't sure if the feeling would be returned. It might be something he would need to find out before he went insane. 

Over the next few days, Minhyuk stopped by several times a day. On the third day, he finally managed to drag Eunkwang out to a club with other friends of theirs. It was nice to see everyone and to just get lost in the atmosphere of the lights and sea of people. He felt better than he had