"Don't you know what happened to people like us?" Stuttered Donghae through his tears. Eunhyuk felt a sharp pain inside of him when he heard Donghae's words, but he felt even more pained to see Donghae cry like that. Eunhyuk hugged Donghae, hoping that at least Donghae wasn't feeling at least half the pain that was he was feeling. The hug didn't help in the slighest. Instead, Donghae started sobbing harder, and Eunhyuk felt his own tears running down his face.

I do know what happens, Eunhyuk thought.

"Actor Hong Seok-cheon was at the peak of his career when he came out in 2000. He...he got fired from his job, and his company terminated his contract with him. He was rejected from every job he pursued in the entertainment agency since, and even his family pleaded with him to commit a joint suicide with them.  They couldn't stand the shame and discrimination anymore." 

Eunhyuk gripped Donghae harder. "S..stop," he croaked out.

Donghae didn't. "And..and...Kim Ji-hoo...eventually couldn't take it anymore. He hung himself less than a year after he finally told the public he was gay. What would become of us, Hyuk..Hyukkie? Someone would find out eventuallly. I know my dad's already dead, but I don't want to risk losing my mom, too...I don't want her to commit suicide..." Donghae took a deep gasp of air. "I don't want her to be ashamed of me..." Donghae took another gasp of his air, and his heaving sobs started causing his whole body to shake. "I don't want your family, which still remains so beautifully whole, to mistreat you, the most perfect and beautiful being I could imagine of..." Donghae finally looked up from the chest he was crying so hard into, and searched Eunhyuk's eyes. Donghae wanted to see an expression of contempt for his cowardice, disgust, or any feeling he thought he deserved...any feeling but the love that still showed in Eunhyuk's single-lidded eyes.

"Donghae," Eunhyuk finally said after a moment of heavy silence. "I don't care what happens. As long as I'm with you."