“Lee Sungmin, the relationship between the two of you isn't simple.”

“I don't know what you're talking about, hyung,” Kyuhyun replied, looking at Yesung innocently, “maybe you're just thinking too much.”

Yesung smirked, “I have a lot of connections, I know a lot of things,” he said, hanging an arm on Kyuhyun's shoulder, “I don't even need to think.”

Kyuhyun threw his arms up in surrender, “you know, it really bugs me that you know everything about everyone but you don't share.”

“I know, I love it,” Yesung grinned.

Kyuhyun began explaining very briefly to Yesung about his relationship with Sungmin, hiding a few facts here and there. It was hard for him to ever reject Yesung entirely.

Yesung felt a lot better after Kyuhyun told him the story, he felt as if there was a boulder taken off his shoulders, but it still didn't explain why Sungmin looked so familiar.

Suddenly something struck him.

“Kyu, I have to go! I'll call you guys later!”

Without waiting for Kyuhyun to respond, he ran off and disappeared. Kyuhyun wanted to follow after him, but he had something he had to settle.

–

“Young master, what are you looking for? Let us help you.”

Yesung ignored the men hovering around him, bugging him to quit rummaging through all the documents.

“Be quiet! You're giving me a headache!”

He finally found it. Lee Sungmin.

“...no way,” Yesung mumbled, his eyes were wide open.

“Young master, boss won't like it if he knew you were going through these files,” one of the men tried to explain, attempting to convince Yesung to leave.

“But... why would he... how...” Yesung continued to mumble to himself. He threw the document down and started out of the room, being escorted by three men in black suits.

Yesung sighed as he took a seat in the club, music playing loudly and people dancing all around him. The men were still trying to convince him to leave, but he wouldn't budge.

“Should I tell him...?” Yesung asked himself.

“Tell him what?”

Yesung looked up, finding Sungmin standing beside him. The men in black glared at Sungmin, warning him to leave.

“It's ok, you guys get back to work,” Yesung commanded.

“Boss won't like it if he knew you got involved with one of the esc- employees,” one of the men said.

“Ex-, ex-employee,” Sungmin corrected.

Yesung shook his head, “he's a classmate, just go.”

The men reluctantly left.

“I knew I've seen you before, I just never expected it to be at my families... club.”

Sungmin shrugged but it was obviously there was fear behind though calm eyes, “it's a small world, but to be honest, I really don't remember anything about working here as an .”

“I remembered you because you were one of the few who were willing to serve men,” Yesung said, “you were willing to serve anyone, you were desperate.”

“Is that so?”

“It wasn't money that you were desperate for,” Yesung added, “it was like you were trying to break away from something.”

“Is that so?”

“Pain,” Yesung started listing, “anger, fear, tears, shackles, jealousy, there are so many things that it could have been.”

Tears started forming in Sungmin's eyes, he swallowed hard and tried to hold the tears back but they slid down his smooth cheek, “is that so?”

Yesung remained calm, leaning back in his seat, “it wasn't because of family, was it?”

Sungmin was nearly choking on himself.

“Let me rephrase that, it wasn't because of the elders in the family.”

Sungmin bit his lip hard, trying to prevent himself from crying out.

“It's too late now,” Yesung sighed, “what's done is done.”

Sungmin finally allowed his eyes to blink, he finally let himself relax and waited for the fall of his tears.

“The memories came back?”

Sungmin shook his head, “not the memories, the feelings. Memories can be forgotten, but feelings never go away.”

Yesung nodded, “it was Kyuhyun, wasn't it?”

Sungmin forced a smile. He wouldn't admit it, not even if it killed him. But he couldn't deny it either, it wasn't something he could easily deny. He feared that if he denied it, then it would turn into a reality, he feared that if he said it wasn't for Kyuhyun, then all his feelings would disappear. These feelings were the only things keeping him alive.

“Oh, I didn't even realize... how did you know I was looking you up here?” yesung asked, sitting on the edge of his seat.

Sungmin laughed, “I heard you and Kyuhyun talking.”

“Ahh, I see... it's not that I mind, but it still surprised me to see you here,” Yesung explained, “that kid, he's a good one.”

“I know,” Sungmin smiled, “I know.”

–

Donghae, Kibum, Eunhyuk, Yesung and Kyuhyun were all gathered around the commons again, as bored as they could be.

“Did you guys realize that Sungmin is very popular among both men and women?” Kibum randomly asked.

Donghae nodded, “just like Ryeowook used to be before he moved.”

Eunhyuk fumed, “I miss Ryeowook, he was the baby of our group.”

They all looked at Yesung who stayed extra quiet every time Ryeowook was mentioned. He stared back at them but didn't say a word.

“Didn't he say he was coming back?” Kyuhyun asked, directing his question at Yesung.

Yesung shrugged.

“He did,” Eunhyuk answered for Yesung, “but it's almost been three years now, have any of you heard from him?”

They all shook their heads, looking towards Yesung again.

“Stop that! I haven't heard from him, I haven't spoken to him ever since he left!” Yesung shouted, his cheeks burning bright red.

They all laughed, wondering when it was that Yesung became so sensitive when it came to talking about Ryeowook. They all knew that Yesung and Ryeowook were a pair, and that Ryeowook's sudden migration came as a big shock to Yesung, but it couldn't be helped. They could only wait for his return and hopefully watch them patch things up. It was obvious that Yesung was waiting.

Waiting...

Watching the group from the floor above, Sungmin wondered if Kyuhyun would ever realize that he was waiting as well. It was pointless, though. Sungmin would never admit that he was waiting for Kyuhyun to realize his feelings and hopefully return them, he would never admit defeat, never.