Ryeowook woke up to a chill morning breeze and a sweet hand caressing his cheek. A smile naturally formed on his lips as he leaned into the touch. “Morning…,” he mumbled, slowly opening his eyes to see Kyuhyun leaning over him, “Kyu, why are you up?”

The standing boy was fully dressed, a backpack slung over one shoulder. “I’m taking a cab to the hospital. The school said I was allowed to go visit Donghae if I took along one of the administrators,” he explained, voice soothing like a story teller.

“Can I come too?” Ryeowook whined, trying to sit up, “I don’t want you going alone…,” he swayed unsteadily, apparently still dead tired.

Kyuhyun affectionately brushed his thumb across the sleepy one’s eyelid, encouraging him to sleep. “It’s fine,” he chuckled, “I want to see Donghae alone.” There was a slight quiver in his voice, but luckily Ryeowook was too out of it to notice. “I’ll be home late tonight.”

“Okay…,” the latter yawned, slumping forward against Kyuhyun’s hip.

He rolled his eyes, lips quirking up in a smile. Carefully, he pushed Ryeowook down and pulled the blanket back over him. Silently, he exited the room, locking the door behind him. The humor vanished from his face, replaced by a harder, colder expression – the sort of appearance most people associated with Cho Kyuhyun.

Just as he reached the bottom of the stairs, the front door burst open to reveal a worn and torn Sungmin. There was a starved sort of glint in the Stupid Bunny’s eyes, one that made him blind to the obvious boy standing in his path. Sungmin shoved Kyuhyun aside, making a beeline for the kitchen’s pantry.

“What the hell?” Kyuhyun muttered, shaking his head after only a second. There was no point in trying to figure out what was going on with the Stupid Bunny. Important matters waited for him once he got in that cab and came face to face with Donghae. A part of him wished Ryeowook had gotten up to come along, but then his pride kicked in.

Kyuhyun didn’t need someone to lean on. There was no way he was too weak to see his friend. Yeah. Ryeowook’s presence didn’t matter because Kyuhyun had always been the strong one in their relationship.

This time would be no different.

It took around an hour for Sungmin to pull himself together, but once he did, he headed straight for Ryeowook’s room. There were things to clear up, confess, and in general talk about. He knocked three times and waited for an answer.

In the meantime, he studied the gauze comforting his cut leg, immediately remembering what had happened only half a day ago in a certain basement.

Sungmin clenched his jaw, fingers tightening around the towel draped across his shoulders.

6 Hours Ago…

“I really love you,” Minho had laughed, voice light and delightful.

Sungmin froze, only mobilizing again after the thunder and lightning passed. The only words that dared to come out of his mouth were, “You…You what?”

The one who confessed appeared just as shocked though. He covered his mouth, eyes wide and blank.

“You…you said you love me,” he said quietly, trying to rehydrate his dry throat, “is that true?” Sungmin prompted uncertainly, body suddenly awkward and gangly.

Minho shook his head vigorously, colored face doing nothing to defend his position. “Ah, I mean, yes, I love you, but I also love Ryeowook, and Taemin too. I meant it as a brotherly thing,” he explained rapidly.

“That’s all?” Sungmin asked skeptically.

“Please,” he laughed shakily, “if I was in love with you why would I tell you in such a stupid way, especially knowing I’ve got no chance? I’m smarter than that, don’t you think, Sungmin?”

The one in question nodded ever so slowly. “I suppose so…”

The rest of the night had slipped by without words and then the morning came. Sunlight broke through the makeshift plug that had previously protected them from the storm. After only a few minutes of blinking and half-awake consciousness, the door flew out from behind them.

Sungmin had scrambled up, wincing at the pain in his leg. There was a middle-aged man standing over them, looking rather confused and then angry when he saw the flooding damage of the basement. If it hadn’t been for Minho’s quick thinking, they probably would’ve been stuck there listening to the construction worker lecture them.

“Who is it?” Ryeowook called sleepily.

“Me!” Sungmin retorted indignantly, trying hard to sound offended.

There was a crashing noise on the other side of the door and he immediately regretted teasing his lover. Ryeowook fumbled with the knob, jerking it open hurriedly. The force pushed him back and the boy slid across the floor, groaning at the pain blooming in his lower back. “Sorry Minnie,” he mumbled, “Don’t be mad…”

“I’m not mad silly,” Sungmin crouched down, picking the boy up and carrying him back to bed. “Are you awake enough to talk?”

“Yeah,” he replied, “where were you yesterday? I was so worried. I tried calling you but none of the calls went through.” Ryeowook blinked a few times, gathering his bearings. Sadness lingered in his large eyes, lips trembling. “I was scared something happened to you and Minho. That storm was really bad and I didn’t know if you were trapped in it or something worse!”

Sungmin tilted his boyfriend’s face up, kissing his lips. “It’s okay now,” he stated, “we’re both healthy and alive for the most part. Minho is going to see Key today too so everyone will get everything settled and organized.”

“Oh…that’s good then,” Ryeowook smiled, letting sleepiness take him over again, “I’m still glad you’re safe Sungmin,” he sighed contently, arms draping around Sungmin’s abdomen, “I’m so happy…”

He desperately wanted to talk about what happened last night, but the chance was slipping away with each passing second.  

Soon enough, he found himself somehow trapped in a cuddle with Ryeowook as sleep found both of them that early morning. Sungmin frowned up at the ceiling, cursing whatever sick force out there made telling the truth ten times harder than it should’ve been.

Ryeowook threw a leg over one of Sungmin’s, snuggling closer. The latter muffled a sigh. There was no way he could say anything for a while. Hopefully Ryeowook would be in a good mood when the morning fog dispersed and reality came back.