Chapter 8

Haruka woke up in the middle of the night. It took him sometime to take in his surroundings, as he was not used to waking up in someone else's bed, let alone a house he was not familiar with. Donghyun was fast asleep, and so were Minwoo and Jeongmin, or so he thought. Haruka had left Donghyun's arm a long while ago, explained by how he was noy lying with his back to Haruka. Letting out a sigh, Haruka started plotting his grand escape. First, he had to get out of his bed without alerting the sleeping vocalist next to him.

It wasn't easy, but Haruka managed to jump over Donghyun and land down without a noise. He got to his feet and looked around only to notice Minwoo was not there. The door was open slightly. Minwoo was definitely outside. Haruka's escape plan has failed. Even if He leaves without Minwoo seeing him, the young idol will know for sure. He didn't want to break his heart... It would be cruel, right? He left the room, and seeing the the kitchen lights were on, he guessed Minwoo was there.

"Minu-san." Haruka called as he walked into the kitchen. Minwoo was placing an empty glass into the sink. He turned to Haruka with a faint smile.

"Haruka. I thought you were asleep." he said in a surprised tone. 'I hope it wasn't me that woke you up."

"No. I woke up on my own." Haruka replied, filling a glass of water himself. "You look troubled." That caught Minwoo off guard. He was troubled, but he thought no one would notice it. Haruka motioned for him to follow and went to the living room.. Minwoo did so. they both sat down on the couch in deep, uncomfortable silence, or so it was to Minwoo. It was for sometime before Haruka spoke.

"Minu... Is there something you want to tell me?" he asked. Minwoo looked up at him then stared at his lap again.

"Not really..." He replied after a brief moment of silence. 

Haruka's eyebrows furrowed. "Minu. What is bothering you?" Minwoo shook his head.

"It's not important..." he mumbled. Haruka scooted closer to him and put his hand on his shoulder.

"I know that look, Minu..." he said quietly. "What is it?"

"You..." he mumbled. "...You did say it..." Haruka leaned in with a curious look on his face.

"Say what?" Minwoo fiddled with his fingers and tried not to think of how awkward it was to be this close to Haruka.

"If we were friends..." he said finally. "You...never mentioned anything of it..." Haruka nodded slightly and sighed, turning his head away. Minwoo's usually smiling face was now frowning. Haruka hated he had to be the reason why young Minwoo felt like that. 

"You know, Minu..." Haruka began in a slightly gentle tone. "When I first met you, what was my very first thought of you?" Minwoo swallowed in anticipation.

"W-what...?" he asked nervously, and his voice failed him, it was almsot a whisper. Haruka took a sip of his long neglected glass of water.

"I hated you." he stated. Minwoo's face turned from anticipation to shock, and from shock to disappointment, all in a mere second. Haruka went on. "I didn't want to have any kind of interaction with you. The way you kept asking me questions, the way you spoke to me, to everyone. I just hated your guts..." he admitted frankly. Minwoo was going to burst at any moment. Haruka's words were like knives, thrown at him consecutively. "But..." His head to see Haruka, crouching in front of him with a gentle smile on his face. "Those feelings... They weren't true..."

"Haruka..."

"I liked you more than anyone else..." the black-haired idol went on. "I felt closer connection to you. You have this aura around you that makes me...." then he paused. "...makes me feel home..." 

"Haru-" Minwoo stopped when Haruka hugged him tightly, catching him off-guard.

"I'm sorry, Minu... Each time I tried to be true I... I remembered I will not be around forever..." Minwoo slowly hugged Haruka and rubbed his back soothingly, for the latter was crying, but silently. He had to let his emotions out, but that never meant he had to wake everyone up.

"Haruka, it's fine." Minwoo smiled when Haruka finally pulled away. "You leaving us doesn't mean we cannot stay friends."

"No..." Haruka wiped away his hot tears with his sleeves like a child and shook his head. "It happened once... They-"

"Maybe you old friends miss you." Minwoo cut in. "Maybe they are just... waiting for you..." Haruka stared at him for a while. Minwoo was right. maybe he was wrong. Maybe they were like him...

"Minwoo's right." Donghyun suddenly walked in, startling both teens, who looked at him as if they were, horror of horrors, something illegal. Haruka stood up suddenly with a panicked expression on his face. 

"Donhyon-senpai!" he exclaimed. "S-since when were you here...?" Donghyun chuckled.

"Well, we have been here since you played ninja and left the room."

"'We'?" minwoo  mumbled. Jeongmin stepped from behind the leader.

"And we have seen everything." he added. "I even have proof." he held up a camera. Minwoo's eye twitched.

"Everything?"

"Yes." Donghyun smiled.

"Even the...?"

"Embrace? Yes. that was quite romantic." Haruka's face turned red. Like a strawberry. His pale face made his blus look even more vivid. Donghyun and Jeongmin laughed. 

"It was just a hug, hyung." Minwoo pouted.

"Same." Donghyun shrugged. "Haruka, why did you leave? I missed you, you know." he said with a sly smile, enjoying the expression dominating Haruka's face; embarrassment. Haruka hid his face with his hands.

"Stop it..." he muttered.

'Sorry, I forgot you are getting so lovey dovey with Minwoo, eh?" he added, making Haruka feel even more uncomfortable. Minwoo was as red as Haruka was too They both couldn't look at each other, or at their hyungs.

"I think we have embarrassed them enough." Donghyun said, patting Jeongmin's shoulder. Jeongmin nodded.

"Yes, but we were just in time. Who knows what would have happened if we didn't interrupt them?" he smirked.

"Oh my God, I can't even think of it." the blushing duo just got up, rushed past the laughing duo, and headed straight back to the bedroom. Haruka climbed into Minwoo's bed and hid under the blankets, and Minwoo followed. Under the blankets it was dark, and their heads bumped into each other a couple of times before they finally got into comfortable positions.

"It's the first time..." Minwoo said after a while. Haruka looked at him with a confused expression.

"Firts time?"

"I've never seen you smiling before..." Minwoo turned to face Haruka, though they didn't actually see each other, they still could grasp some outlines. Haruka could see Minwoo's bright smile. "You look better like that, you know."

"Minu..." Haruka smiled a little. "Thank you..."

"Looking forward to hearing you laugh, okay?" Minwoo said with a chuckle. Haruka wanted to keep it in, but he couldn't. He let out a quiet giggle, then started laughing. Minwoo beamed. "Two wishes fullfilled in one night. Awesome."

"Couldn't help it, really..." Haruka breathed, resting his head on the pillow. "Hey.. Wouldn't I be bothering you here?"

"Nah, it's fine. i don't want my best friends sleeping next to my hyung."

"Jealous?"

"Eh?! Haruka!" the younger whined. Haruka smirked.

"Sorry, couldn't resist it." Haruka giggled.

'Would you like me to remind you of you face moments ago?"

"I-"

"Aw, lovers' quarrel!~"  Jeongmin's voice cooed, cutting off Haruka's sentence. Haruka muttered something under his breath before peeking out at Jeongmin.

"Mind you business, shorty." he muttered. Jeongmin rolled his eyes.

"I am."

"Why are you so annoying?"

"Why do you always sleep with your back to the wall?" haruka smirked.

"I like being cornered." he replied, pulling the blankets over him, leaving Jeongmin and Donghyun with their mouths hanging. Minwoo was just hiding and blushing beneath the covers.

"Wow... This Haruka is different from the Haruka we say this morning." Donghyun said with a smile. 'I like that change."

"Me too." jeongmin muttered. "Do you think he is opening up?" he whispered to the older.

"Is that a question?" he whispered back.

"Go back to sleep, gentlemen. The meeting is over." Haruka said suddenly. Both idols went back to their beds. As much as they wanted to sleep, they couldn't help but try and listen to what haruka was whispering to minwoo. Jeongmin was the luckiest, he was able to hear most of the conversation. 

"Minu... Can...c-can I ask you for a favour...?" Haruka asked in a nervous tone, a light blush dusting his cheeks. 

'Sure."

"Can you..." he mumbled something that Minwoo failed to hear.

"What...?"

"I said.." Haruka repeated, more nervous than before. " C-can you... hug me...?" minwoo blinked in surprise.

"Uh..."

"Just till I fall asleep...? Please..." he begged. "I... I can't sleep on my own..." his blush grew darker. Minwoo thought it over for a minute before nodding.

"Okay... if it will help you sleep..." he slowly and awkwardly wrapped his arms around haruka, who, like a baby, snuggled into his touch, yawning like a sleepy kitten.

"Thank you..." the black-haired idol smiled. "You know... it feels like the old days... When I used to sneak into my twin's bed to sleep with him by my side..."

"Don't you live alone?"

"I do now, but before, my brother was the one who always put me to sleep." Haruka said, adding a small laugh. "Even when I was 16, I would still sleep by him."

"What about the days where he-"

"I don't sleep." Haruka mumbled. "I can't... without someone by my side..."

"Why?" Minwoo asked in a whisper, patting Haruka's soft hair gently.

"I'm...scared..."

"Scared?"

"Of being alone..." Haruka finished his sentence. "My brother used to tell me stories, try to keep me entertained till i fell asleep. My room was dark and cold, his was warm and it made me feel safe... You... You have the same sweet smile he used to show me... That's why I...feel kind of connected to you." Minwoo shifted a little so that he was lying on his back, with haruka clinging to his arm like he had done to Donghyun before.

"If it's like this, then our bond would be as strong as the one you shared with your brother."

"Eh?"

"I don't want to be a mere resemblance to your brother. If it helps you feel home, even if you are staying for a little while, I'll do it. You won't be staying for long, but I want these days you spend with us to become the merriest times of your life." Minwoo smiled. "How does that sound?"

"Minu..." Haruka tried to hold back those happy tears that threatened to form in his eyes. He gripped tightly on Minwoo's arm.

"Hai... Minu-san.. Arigatou gozaimasu..." He closed his eyes with a blissful smile on his face. "Oyasumi, nii-san..." Minwoo yawned and closed his tired eyes with a satisfied smile on his face. Tomorrow, was a big day. And he had a lot to brag about the next day to his seniors.