The silence that followed was absolute.

Hakyeon's eyes were wide and his face turned pale as he stared at the boy he knew as dead standing in the doorway. His whole body became rigid and he looked ready to faint.

"You okay, hyung?" Hyuk asked with a small frown, taking a step towards them. Hongbin pressed his lips into a thin line and closed his eyes as he heard Hakyeon jump out of his seat, trip over the chair, fall onto the floor, then scramble to get up. Taking a calming breath, Hongbin stood and gently pushed Hyuk towards the door.

"Stay in my room for a bit," he mumbled to him, then turned to Hakyeon who was now trying to figure out what was happening. Realization dawned on him and then he frowned, disappointment evident on his face as he looked at Hongbin.

"Lee Hongbin, tell me you didn't do what I think you did," he warned lowly, carefully getting up. Hongbin swallowed thickly and looked down at the ground in shame. Taking the silence as a yes, he took a few swift steps toward him and hit his exposed neck with the side of his hand. Hongbin flinched, but didn't move away, knowing he deserved it.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, not daring to meet his hyung's gaze.

"Are you insane?" Hakyeon hissed, his eyes widened in panic. "You do you it's illegal, right?"

Hongbin nodded.

"How did you even get it?"

Hongbin shrugged. Hakyeon steamed silently for a few seconds.

"Does he know?" he asked quietly, his voice softening slightly. Hongbin didn't say anything. Sighing heavily, Hakyeon turned around and raked his hands through his hair roughly.

"What are we going to do?" he muttered rhetorically.

"We can not tell him, for starters," Hongbin murmured, looking up at Hakyeon shyly.

"Please," he pleaded. "Don't tell him. He's so happy not knowing."

Hakyeon clicked his tongue as he thought, his gaze suddenly distasteful as it wandered around the kitchen.

"Of course I won't tell anyone," he promised in a clipped tone, then pointed a finger at Hongbin. "But you owe me one."

Hongbin let out a breath of relief, then nodded solemnly. The older boy picked at his nail for a few moments, then sighed again.

"I think I better go home," he said, then headed to the door. Hongbin followed after, exchanging a quiet farewell and closing the door before heading towards his bedroom. Hyuk better not have heard the conversation or, well...

Opening the door quietly, Hongbin found the younger boy lying still on the bed, eyes closed and a serious look on his face. Good, he was asleep. With the least disturbance possible, he got onto the bed beside him and lay down with his back turned.

Hyuk let out a slow breath, opening one eye a slit to see Hongbin seemingly asleep beside him. Having slept already that day, he didn't feel tired and just settled with staring at the ceiling and thinking.

What happened to him?

Obviously, he didn't follow Hongbin's order and stood just outside the kitchen, listening to the two of them. Nothing they said made sense; what did Hongbin do that was so terrible? And how was Hyuk involved?

And of course, the question that had been bugging him since the beginning: how the hell did he remember his own death?

Gritting his teeth, Hyuk felt the familiar feeling of burning just behind his eyes which he associated with crying. But his eyes were completely dry. He blinked hard and turned over, taking a shaky breath before settling down for a sleepless night.

...

When Hyuk was tired of rolling around in vain, he sat up with a sharp inhale and looked back at the sleeping Hongbin. He traced the older boy's features with his eyes, drinking in everything from the mop of maroor hair, to the high cheekbones, to the deep dimples, to the smiling lips...

Without thinking, Hyuk gently cupped Hongbin's cheek, caressing the lower lip with his thumb. The eyes of the boy under his touch fluttered open and Hyuk jumped away, wringing his hands together.

"Good morning, Hyuk-ah," Hongbin murmured sleepily, his smile somehow showing in his very voice. Did he not notice?

"G-Good morning, hyung," Hyuk stuttered back, then gave a small smile back over his shoulder. Hongbin cocked his head and his brows creased slightly.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, his heart sinking and a knot forming in his throat. He's been found. Hyuk had probably heard everything and now didn't want to speak to him.

Ah, Hongbin, how stupid of you. Nothing ever turns out right. he thought, pressing his lips together and propping himself up on his elbows.

"Nothing," Hyuk replied a bit too quickly and hurried out into the living room. Hongbin groaned in frustration and fell back into his bed, punching the pillow with one hand weakly before deciding he needed to explain himself.

"Hyuk-ah," he called out, stumbling out of bed and stepping into the living room. Hyuk's eyes widened slightly when he saw Hongbin come in, but he smiled.

"Yes, hyung?" he replied politely, watching warily as Hongbin sat down beside him on the couch. Hongbin sighed heavily and ran a hand over his face.

"Hyuk-ah, we need to talk."

Hyuk shifted nervously in his seat and cocked his head slightly, his face turning serious at the dreaded words.

"What's wrong, hyung?" he asked weakly, both hoping that it wasn't and wishing it was about what he heard the other night. He was scared of what he would hear, but he wanted to know. No, he deserved to know. It was his own life, after all, and he didn't understand what was happening to it.

Hongbin sighed heavily and trained his eyes on a spot of the floor near the couch. Just as he was about to speak, he frowned slightly and bent over, picking up the torn photo which was peeking out from under it.

Hyuk watched silently as Hongbin cradled the photo with both hands, pressing his thumb against the surface to cover Hyuk's face. It took Hyuk a few seconds to notice the swelling of tears in his hyung's eyes and he automatically scooted closer, gently resting one hand between the other's shoulder blades and rubbing his back softly. Hongbin leaned against him for a moment, swallowing down his tears, then took a deep breath and pulled away, wiping the wet patches below his eyes with the heel of his hand. Still confused as to what was going on, Hyuk didn't speak and continued comforting Hongbin with his touch.

Finally, Hongbin cleared his throat and spoke quietly.

"You remember your death, right?" he asked bluntly. Hyuk, slightly taken aback, frowned but nodded once. An uncomfortable silence followed.

"How do you know?" Hyuk questioned.

"Because I was there when you died."

Hyuk stared blankly at a point on the wall.

"I died..."

"Yes."

"But I'm here..."

"Yes, well... Yes."

"How?"

Hongbin swallowed and averted his gaze, gritting his teeth.

"I brought you back," he said in a voice just above a whisper.

"How?" Hyuk pressed, turning to look at Hongbin. His silence irritated him and he bit his lip, trying to be patient as Hongbin gathered his thoughts.

"What I did was...wrong," Hongbin finally made out, glancing down at his hands. Hyuk waited for an elaboration. After a few minutes, it seemed like there wouldn't be one so he sighed and put an arm around his hyung's shoulders. Hongbin leaned into him again, still silent, not knowing how to explain to his lover that he wasn't even human.

"You don't have to tell me now," Hyuk whispered against the soft maroon hair he was buried in. He felt Hongbin nod slightly and he lay back, keeping Hongbin held close. They naturally curled against each other, the shorter of the two against Hyuk's chest and with arms wrapped around him.

Their eyes closed and somehow they fell asleep again, Hongbin's clenched fist relaxing and the crumpled paper falling to the floor.

...

An uncomfortable silence settled through the apartment since that night.

Though Hyuk constantly tried to make friendly conversation and pretend nothing happened, Hongbin shied away from him and barely spoke. Maybe it was guilt or maybe regret, but the older boy stayed out of the house as much as possible, always finding excuses to go early to and stay longer after his classes and to visit his friends.

"Hyung~" Hyuk whined one day. As usual, Hongbin showed no sign of hearing him. With an angry huff, he purposefully walked over to where he was seated on the couch and knelt between his legs.

"Hyung~" he tried again, a hint of annoyance in his voice. Hongbin didn't acknowledge his presence and continued reading his book. Hyuk wrinkled his nose at the barrier between them and pried the book from his hands, ignoring Hongbin's protests and setting it down farther down the couch. He was finally able to force Hongbin's gaze to meet his and stayed silent for a moment.

"Hyung~" he insisted again.

"What?" Hongbin mumbled, trying to pull away, but Hyuk gripped his shoulders to keep him facing him.

"I want to see my friends," he told him sternly and Hongbin dropped his head as if he was scolded.

"I've told you before-"

"Hyung!"

Hongbin winced at Hyuk's raised voice, but knew that he deserved it. Hyuk took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment, then continued in a calmed tone.

"Hyung, it's been almost a month since I've moved back in. It's been longer than that since I've seen my friends. Why can't I go?"

"Fine."

Hyuk was slightly taken aback by the quick agreement, but recovered quickly and nodded, releasing his shoulders.

"When?"

Hongbin thought for a moment, then shrugged.

"How about now?"

Hyuk raised an eyebrow.

"Now?"

Hongbin nodded.

"Why not?"

Hyuk stood and brushed off his knees.

"Okay, yea. Let's meet them."

Hongbin nodded again, slightly uncertain. Only after he had already agreed did the potential consequences of the situation sink in. He managed a small smile in Hyuk's direction and pulled out his phone, calling Taekwoon. As the phone rang, Hyuk migrated to the kitchen in search for food. When Hongbin thought the older boy wouldn't pick up, the receiver clicked and there was a quiet, "Yoboseyo?"

"Good morning, hyung." Hongbin stayed silent for a moment, then asked for him to come over.

"Now?" Taekwoon asked uncertainly and Hongbin made a sound of confirmation.

The line stayed silent for so long, Hongbin held his phone away from his ear to see if they were still connected. Finally, Taekwoon sighed.

"Okay. Twenty minutes."

Then the line went dead.

Well then.

Hongbin called Hakyeon who agreed enthusiastically, and Wonshik who couldn't come due to recording conflicts. Though he was the same age as Hongbin, the young rapper had been scouted and got a record deal with Jellyfish, an entertainment company. Lastly, there was Jaehwan.

It only rang once before the excitable boy picked up.

"Yoboseyo?"

Hongbin pulled away the phone slightly at the near-yell, but then gathered himself and asked him over.

"Sure, Bean. I'm on my way. Do you need me to bring anything? I could buy some snacks. Do you even have any food?"

Hongbin smiled and leaned back, the loud rambling somehow calming him with the familiarity.

"Actually, our fridge is almost empty," he admitted and chuckled when Jaehwan listed off the food items he would buy.

"See you in five," Hongbin cut him off and hung up.

"Are they coming?" Hyuk asked, walking in. Hongbin's heart sank slightly when he remembered the reason he asked them over, but nodded.

"Wonshik can't make it, but Hakyeon, Taekwoon, and Jaehwan will be here soon." He stood and started towards the bedroom. "Make yourself presentable."