* Okay, I think I’m really going to fast forward because if I don’t, the plots are really going to get drier and slower. And it's going to get really boring :< *

Five days have passed and it was on a Saturday. Eugene has been spending her holidays in Italy while Hongbin has been practicing for their end of year performance together with getting used to VIXX’s songs.

Hongbin has been on his bed staring into his phone.

  “What are staring at hyung?” Hyuk asked as he laid down beside him on the practice floor.

  “Oh… I’m just dead worried for Eugene. I tried calling her but she won’t answer. It’s been a week since I last saw her,” Hongbin sighed. “Did something happened to her?”

  “Oh that…” Hyuk trailed off. “Nuna is actually in Italy.”

  “What? Since when?” Hongbin asked looking directly into him.

  “Since 5 days ago… She told everyone about this and actually asked for our help not to tell you,” Hyuk admitted.

  “Why wouldn’t she want to let me know?” Hongbin asked.

  “She doesn’t want you to worry and stuff. Especially when she had to leave only a few days after the incident, you guys were in a bad mood remember?” Hyuk reminded.

  “That was… ugh… but we solved it all already,” Hongbin whined. “Has she been contacting any of you?”

  “Yeah,” Hyuk nodded. “She called me and Ravi once in a while to check on you.”

  “Ugh… What will the time be in Italy?” Hongbin asked.

Hyuk took out his phone and checked the different time zones.

  “If the time now is 7pm, then… in Florence, Italy should be 12 noon,” Hyuk said after comparing the time zones.

  “And by then, she should be awake,” Hongbin continued. “Can you try calling her?”

  “Me? My phone? It’s gonna be an international call,” Hyuk pouted.

  “I’ll pay for your bills okay? Only for this month,” Hongbin told him.

  “Are you sure?” Hyuk squint his eyes.

  “Yes, now go call her,” Hongbin said.

Hyuk then dialled Eugene’s number and passed the phone to Hongbin. After a few rings, she picked up the call.

  “Hello?” Eugene said on the other line of the call.

  “Eugene-ah… are you in Italy?” Hongbin started questioning her.

  “Hong…bin oppa?” Eugene got caught red handed. “Why are you not picking up my calls? Do you know how worried I was when you kept declining my calls?”

  “I’m sorry… I didn’t want you to worry,” there was slight guilt in her voice.

  “Well at least picking my call once and telling me that you’re in Italy having a holiday!” he almost yelled.

  “Hyuk, don’t get too worked up,” Hyuk nudged him gently.

There was silence across the telephone line.

  “I won’t repeat the same mistake next time. From now on I’ll tell you wherever I go and I’ll always keep you updated,” Eugene said in a sad tone.

  “That’s not what I mean Eugene…” Hongbin said.

  “It’s okay oppa, I understand. It’s my fault too, I’m sorry,” she apologized.

  “Jeong Eugene…” Hongbin sighed.

  “Eugene ah, you have to attend the gathering now,” Kim’s voice could be heard.

  “Is that Secretary Kim?” Hongbin asked.

  “Yeah… Even though I’m having a holiday, I still have to do hotel admin stuff. I… have to get going oppa,” she said.

  “Okay… but! When are you coming back?” Hongbin asked before she ended the call.

  “In 2 days’ time, I’ll call you back when I’m done okay?” Eugene said.

  “Okay…” and with that Hongbin ended the call.

  “Ever since the accident, you’re quite short tempered,” Hyuk sighed.

  “Ugh… I know… sometimes I feel like I’m not being myself,” Hongbin sighed too.

All of a sudden, Hongbin received a call from N.

  “Oh hyung,” Hongbin picked up the call.

  “Hong…bin… ah… Whattt… aree you doing?” N asked drunkenly.

  “Hyung, did you drink?” Hongbin asked.

  “Yep! I drank a lottt of alcoholll. Mmm… cann you pick meee up?” N asked.

  “Okay, I’ll come right away,” Hongbin frowned and ended the call.

  “Let’s go, your leader is really drunk now,” Hongbin said while standing up.

Hyuk followed him and they went to their usual drinking place. They saw N and Ken being knocked out by alcohol.

  “Hyung- deul! Ugh… wake up! Let’s get you back to the dorm,” Hongbin said while trying to get the drunken N up.

Hyuk helped the drunken Ken up and the wobbled all the way to their van. They sat the two drunken members in and they settled in too. Just then, N started talking to himself.

  “Ughff… Poor little Hongbin… he must have suffered a lott…” N sighed. “If I should have been lenient on him before, all of these wouldn’t have happened… We would be practicing really hard and prepare for our comeback…”

  “Hyung, you’re really drunk,” Hongbin said as he drove.

  “Our Hongbin shouldn’t have been injured so much… How can I be so stupid?” N started beating his head and crying.

  “Hongbin- ah~” N slurred.

  “Yes hyung?” Hongbin answered.

  “Remember the time when you kept running away from the practice room a few weeks before our debut? And I had to go to your house and bring you back while you were aslee? Do you remember?” N asked drunkenly.

  “Yes hyung,” Hongbin nodded.

Hyuk looked at him and mouthed,” Really?” And Hongbin nodded again.

  “And then you realized that you actually belong in the practice room with us?” N slurred.

  “Aigoo~ And back then you had your long hair… You were so pretty~!” Ken joined in the conversation, but he had his eyes closed.

  “Hongbin- ah! You do know that I like your noona right?” Ken blurted.

  “You mean Eunbin noona? Of course hyung~ It’s written all over your face,” Hongbin said and Ken touched his face.

  “Really?” Ken smiled goofily.

  “Hongbin- ah~” N called out for him.

  “Yes hyung” Hongbin answered after being so used in dealing with his drunen hyung.

  “Do you remember back then we were so protected because we actually had a sasaeng fan already and it turned out to be-“Ken quickly covered his mouth.

  “You’re so noisyyy~ Keep quite already~” Ken slurred.

Hyuk sighed in relief quietly and took a quick peek at Hongbin.

  “N hyung must be really drunk,” Hyuk faked a laugh.

Finally after the noisy ride, Hongbin parked the van and they helped the 2 drunken members back in their rooms.

  “N hyung must be keeping a lot of emotions in him for so long… Why didn’t he want to share it with me?” Hongbin asked while looking at the sleeping N.

  “Because now, honestly speaking, you’re not the same Hongbin as the one before,” Hyuk admitted. “Now, you have a girlfriend, you’re somehow involved in fights here and there, and you’re mind is always pre- occupied with something else.”

  “Really?” Hongbin sighed.

  “Yup,” Hyuk nodded. “And again honestly, I’m saying this on behalf of the rest too.”

  “What is it?” Hongbin looked at him slightly disappointed.

  “We miss you hyung,” Hyuk gently smiled.

When Hongbin heard those words, his face softened.

  “Hyuk-ah…” Hongbin said.

  “We’re really thankful that you’re still alive with us,” Hyuk said.

With that, Hongbin gave him a bro hug, “Thanks dongsaeng.”

2 days later at the airport.

Ken, Hyuk and Hongbin were waiting at the arrival section for Eugene. Wearing casual clothes and a cap, they tried as much as they can to stay low and not to attract any fans. After much waiting, they saw Eugene with Secretary Kim exited from the gates with a few bodyguards. Hongbin’s heart skipped a beat the moment he saw Eugene, and then he realized how much he missed her. Eugene then spotted the three boys and ran towards them.

  “Oppa!” she ran towards Hongbin and gave him a bug tight hug.

  “I’ve missed you so much~!” Hongbin return back her hug.

They pulled apart from each other and Eugene gave a brief hug to Hyuk and Ken.

  “I never know you would come!” Eugene exclaimed.

  “How can we not when Hongbin hyung has been bickering with us?” Hyuk laughed.

  “Really?” Eugene laughed. “How’s everyone?”

  “Same old same, the other three are busy. While we are basically… busy too, but not so busy, get it?” Ken said.

  “Haha! Yeah, I get it,” Eugene laughed. “So you have schedule later on?”

  “Yeap, just a little practice for the special stage and a little bit of training for ISAC,” Hyuk informed.

  “ISAC? What’s that?” Eugene asked.

  “Idol Star Athletic Championship,” Hongbin said.

  “Right… What are you guys playing?” Eugene asked.

  “Ken hyung, Leo hyung and I will be wrestling. Ravi hyung will be competing in futsal with Leo hyung. N hyung and I will be competing archery,” Hyuk listed out.

  “Cool~ what about you?” she asked Hongbin.

  “I’m… still on medical leave remember?” Hongbin reminded.

  “Right… I almost forgot,” Eugene said.

  “Alright then, we’ve got to go, maybe tonight we’ll see you in the hotel?” Hyuk suggested.

  “But you’ll be tired from all the training,” Eugene pouted. “It’s okay, I’ll come down, or maybe we can meet next time.”

  “No! We’ll come down to the hotel. You will be suffering from jet lag really soon,” Hongbin said.

  “Are you sure you guys will be okay with that?” she asked while looking worried.

  “We’ll be fine,” they smiled.

With that, they bid their goodbyes and separate ways.