“I have a favor, and I think you’re the only person I can ask to.”

“…What’s that, hyung?”

“Please take care of Kevin in my place.”

“Wh-what?”

“I want to make sure that even if I have left, he will be taken care of by someone I know is capable of doing so. By a trustful person that is you, Eli.”

“B-but… why me?”

“Because I know that you love Kevin.”

Eli’s pupils dilated in surprise.

“I’m very aware of that; the way you look at us, the way you look at him.”

“Hyung, you did realize it, but why didn’t you say anything to me back then?”

Kibum shook his head and showed a gentle smile, “Why would I say something to you?”

“You are his boyfriend, aren’t you, hyung…?”

“Yeah, but you have the right to choose someone you love, and I shouldn’t stick my nose into it.”

“…………”

“And he’s all yours now.”

Eli furrowed his eyebrows, “What do you mean?”

“We just broke up. He’s no longer mine, Eli.”

**********

Eli squint his eyes, trying to adjust to the brightness from the lamp as he just woke up. It was still very early in the morning, yet his brain forced him to do so. It had become his new habit, he assumed. He looked to his left side, he was not there. A sigh was heaved. Eli rolled off the bed and went outside their shared room, shutting the door behind him softly. He was instantly greeted with the view of the dorm living room.

There, his eyes landed on a familiar figure sitting on the sofa. Alone.

Even from afar, Eli could see the violent shaking of Kevin’s shoulder. Languidly, he approached him and placed himself beside him. His eyes met the other’s glistening ones after he had pulled his face away from his palms and turned to him.

Ever since Kibum walked out of his life, Kevin always looked somehow tired; the cheerful glint in his brown eyes had disappeared, only the saddened stare left. The ever radiant angelic smile of his started to fade. And although he was smiling, Eli knew that he was actually breaking down inside.

And when the clock struck 3.30 AM, all the pent-up emotions would burst out of Kevin’s mind and body, bringing out crystalline tears and flushed face that only Eli could see.

First time facing that kind of situation, Eli had not had any idea of what to do. He only stared at Kevin sympathetically while his heart swelled so badly it hurt. However, as time went on, he had grown accustomed to such sight. He would automatically open his arms as if telling Kevin to come into his warm embrace. And Kevin would accept it by throwing himself to his chest and fingers clenching on his shirt. Like now.

“I miss him so much I can barely stand it anymore. I want to see his smile. I want to hear his voice. I want to hold his hand.” Kevin sobbed as tears kept streaming from his beautiful eyes and down his smooth cheek.

Eli had to admit, the palm of Kevin’s hand looked so cold and somewhat lonely. Eli used to see his fingers entwined with Kibum’s while they were walking. Now that Kibum had gone, he did not do it anymore; it was left as if untouched. Often, Eli wanted to reach out and hold it, but he dismissed the thought quickly. Kevin was not his boyfriend or anything, though he really loved him.

“I want to hug him. I want to kiss him...” Kevin finally ended his words as he gripped Eli’s shirt tighter.

At that crucial moment, Kevin just needed someone so badly to accompany him, to listen to his unspoken feeling, to console him. “Without him, my life seems so empty. I’m no more than a heartless person now because he took my heart along with him.” Kevin whispered between his sobs. His words shot straight to Eli’s heart.

That day, after Kibum and Xander had bidden their farewell to the members, Eli—accidentally—witnessed Kevin crying and clutching tightly onto Kibum’s arms as if not wanting to let him go. Even so, no matter how hard he insisted Kibum to stay, he could not make it happen, and he had probably known it himself. The contract termination was their CEO’s decision, and no one could change it. Not even the manager.

The following two days, Kibum called him to meet up somewhere far from the dorm, only the two of them, and told him the whole story behind his departure. Just before they parted ways, Kibum asked him to look after Kevin for him. His next words even implied that Eli should confess his feeling to Kevin. Eli could totally see through his lie; he knew, deep inside his heart Kibum still loved Kevin and did not want to let him go. The look in Kibum’s eyes was the same as Kevin’s now. 

Their hearts only belonged to each other…

Eli drew circles on Kevin’s back softly, soothing him from crying and sobbing, though he knew it would not work that much as he could already feel Kevin’s tears soaking his shirt, but he could care less. He just could not bear to see Kevin suffer. To see that beloved friend of his crying so hard like that made him sad as well. He could feel the pain, too. His other hand was placed on the back of Kevin’s head, caressing it to make the honey-blond feel comfortable and better.

Kevin eventually fell into a deep sleep in Eli’s arms; completely tired after crying all his heart out. In that state, Kevin seemed to become more vulnerable than he had already been. The sight was so heart-breaking that Eli felt a part of him dying every night.

Don’t you know that I love you so much?

I love you more than you love him.

Eli carried Kevin’s light body slowly and carefully back to their room, putting him on the bed so that he could sleep in a proper position, also covering him with a warm blanket. He then kneeled down beside the bed, staring at the angelic face and his white cheek with feathery touch because he did not want to disturb his sleep.

Smiling bitterly, for the umpteenth time in his life, he uttered the three sacred words that would always remain unheard of to Kevin.

Sometimes, though, Eli did wish Kevin had heard him...

~End of the Story~

A/N: How was it? Give me comments, please~

I know I have other stories to update, but I just can’t help working on this one! T_T

I’ll update the others soon! Don’t worry!