"Thank You For Your Love"

Everyone was beat.

They finally got to return home after spending a week in Japan in order to promote their new Japanese album. It was great though, the sales were on top and the fans had a lot of fun during their release events. 

"Gosh I'm tired!" Jaehwan whined the moment they stepped foot in their dorms.

"Same," Wonshik let out a big yawn. 

"Welcome back," Taekwoon greeted them as he couldn't join the rest during their oversea activities.

"Miss us, hyung?" Jaehwan asked.

Taekwoon nodded.

"How are you feeling?" Hakyeon asked.

"A lot better. It was lonely without you guys around though..." his friend said.

"It's okay. We're back now right?"

"Mhmm."

Just then, Hakyeon noticed Hongbin walking back to his room without saying a word. Even though everyone was tired, they still had a lot of energy to chitchat in the living room. They told Taekwoon everything that he has missed during the time of his treatment. But Hongbin was rather quiet as soon as they got back home.

Hongbin suddenly realized it. He was finally home again. 

It was a lot of fun during their overseas trip to Japan and he even had the best birthday wishes in all years. 

He even took a glance at his backpack and saw the Hello Kitty keychain that he received from Hyuk and Jaehwan as his birthday present. He's really happy about everything, honestly he is. But for some reason, now that he's home again, his little bit of happiness seems to have disappeared.

"What is wrong with me?" he sighed as he flopped on his bed.

“Kong-ah?” Hakyeon popped his head in the room after noticing the younger leave without a word. “Are you okay?”

”Yeah, I’m fine. I think I’m just really tired,” Hongbin said. Even he doesn’t know what’s going on with himself.

”I see... then get some rest okay?” 

Hongbin nodded obediently.

“Oh, one second,” Hakyeon suddenly remembered something.

He dug into his luggage and found something. He took out a box and handed it to Hongbin.

”What is it?” the younger asked.

”A belated birthday present. Both Jaehwan and Hyogi got you something so I felt bad if I didn’t give you anything at all.”

”You didn’t have to hyung. You’ve already had dinner with me for my birthday with everyone else.”

”And Wonshik paid for that dinner even though I’m the oldest,” Hakyeon felt rather disappointed in himself as he thought about it.

”It’s really alright though,” Hongbin tried to cheer the older up.

”Open it,” Hakyeon said. “It’s nothing much but I thought you might like it?”

Hongbin unwrapped the present and inside was a watch. 

“I really didn’t know what to get you to be honest... you don’t really wear accessories either but maybe once in a while if you feel like wearing it...” Hakyeon said.

The watch was rather casual and not too flashy, just like how Hongbin likes to wear his outfits. Celebrity or not, Hongbin just liked to be himself. He doesn’t crave for brand names items or looking fashionable at all. The only times he worked hard on his airport fashion would be that their stylists insist on him wearing those clothes.

”Thanks hyung.”

Just then, Hongbin teared up.

”K-Kong-ah?” Hakyeon grew worried. “Are you feeling sick?”

Why am I crying? Hongbin wondered to himself as he tried to wipe away the tears. Seriously, what’s wrong with me today?

He took another look at the watch that Hakyeon gave him. 

It was black and silver. The bands were made of rubber for comfort and the face of the watch was both digital and manual. It had a blue background and silver stars on it. 

This was a present from Hakyeon. Last year was a cake too for when they were filming the web drama together. 

What about the presents he received the previous years? Or... the presents he might receive in the future? Will he still have that chance to continue to celebrate his birthday with s or Hakyeon for that matter? 

”Kong?” Hakyeon was really worried when the younger grew silent and in tears.

”Thank you,” Hongbin said. “I’ll definitely take care of it.”

”It’s really nothing. Are you okay though?”

Hongbin took Hakyeon’s hands and looked at the older directly in the eyes.

”Thank you. Thank you for everything. I know I don’t say it enough and I always take your kindness for granted. We’ve known each other for so long that I always think that you’ll be by my side forever,” Hongbin said.

”I’ll be here still even if it’s forever,” Hakyeon said as if it was an obvious fact and that there was no doubts about it.

”That’s what I always thought. But will that really be true? It’s another year gone by since we’ve celebrated my birthday together. Soon, we’ll have known each other for ten years. That’s a very long time but at the same time, it feels so short. You’ve helped me all this time in gaining confidence and helping me become an idol. I’m the way I am today because of you hyung. Because you never gave up on me,” Hongbin was sincere.

And Hakyeon can see it in the younger’s teary eyes.

”But I’ve also come to realize that things might change. Things might not be the same and we might not be together anymore. I’m afraid. I’m scared that one day, you will find your own path and move on without me. You’ll find other people you care for, other dreams to fulfill and you won’t be there for us anymore.”

”That’s not true. I’ll always be here for you,” Hakyeon told the younger.

”How can you be so certain? How can you guarantee that we won’t drift apart? How can you be so sure that next year, the year after that and the many years after wards, that you’ll still be here by my side?”

Hongbin teared up harder as he thought about all the worst possible scenarios in his mind.

”I’m scared of losing you. I’m scared that you won’t be there anymore to celebrate my birthday with me anymore. That you will just disappear from my sight to somewhere I can’t keep a hold of you,” his voice cracked.

Hakyeon was at a lost of words. As if the tears were contagious and the feelings were mutual, Hakyeon started to cry as well. He began to think just like Hongbin and the fear grew just as much.

”I’m scared too you know that?” Hakyeon said. “I’m scared that you won’t need me anymore. All of you guys used to depend on me so much because you were all still so young and new. Now, you can all do things on your own and find the paths you want without asking me. I’m scared that I’ll be thrown away once you’ve found the path that you’re looking for. I’m scared that you won’t need me anymore...”

”Hyung...” Hongbin tried to wipe both his and the older’s tears away. “I’ll never not need you. I’ll always follow you no matter what your decisions are, remember?”

”Of course I remember and I want to believe that. I want to believe that next year and the many years after that, you will stay by my side and follow me wherever we may be. Even if we aren’t idols anymore, even if everyone drifts apart, I still wish that you’ll be there for me Lee Hongbin.”

”I will. I promise,” the young said and leaned in to hug his precious leader in his arms. “Thank you hyung. Thank you for your love. Let’s be together forever.”

A/N: I actually really wanted to release a chapter for Hongbin’s birthday as oneshot but I didn’t have an idea until suddenly... I thought of this and kind of teared up just thinking about how long these two have known each other and still, together in the same group. I got a bit emotional just thinking about how much they probably went through together in order to be where they are today.