Eunhyuk POV

The next day I was awoken to a body landing on the bed beside me, stirring me from my sleep. I rubbed my eyes grumpily noticing surprised than anyone had the audacity to wake me up at an early hour. It wasn’t until I saw the time on my clock that I realized it was actually close to being the afternoon.

I sighed as I finally turned to look who had collapsed onto my bed, coming face to face with Heechul. I smiled warmly at him, until I remembered that he would be leaving in a few short days. He stared back at me, his eyes aglow with humor and hyperness and in an instant I was forced out of bed and to change into some real clothes.

“Where are we going?” I asked Heechul, too tired and lazy to feel like going anywhere. However, I felt comforted as Heechul placed a hat over my bald head and a scarf around my neck.

“On a date,” Heechul responded finally as he grabbed my hand and pulled me out of my room and out to his waiting car, not allowing me the time to say goodbye to my family. I sat in the passenger seat as Heechul drove to our next location. It was midday when we reached the city, traffic jamming up the roads as people moved about on their lunch breaks.

It took us thirty minutes to arrive in front of a small restaurant that I noticed quickly. It was where Heechul took me on our first date. I was hesitant to get out of the car remembering how our first date hadn’t gone over so well. “Don’t you want to spend time with me?” Heechul questioned me. I hesitated before getting out of the car.

“Why can’t we just have a date at the house,” I questioned him after I yawned again. I was hardly in the mood for a date. Heechul refused to reply to my stubborn mood, instead finding us a table to sit down at. We were waited on immediately then left in peace.

“Eunhyuk,” Heechul’s voice turned serious as he looked at me. “I-I know you are angry with me... for leaving you,” He said slowly, bowing his head to look at his hands. It was true that I was still angry with him. I wished over and over again that he would stay by my side during my treatment. “But there is something that I must say even if you deny that you aren’t angry. For me, my life consists of you as it has since Intimate Note,” Heechul continuously talked in a low voice so only I could hear.

“I know all of this already,” I sighed irritated. Heechul placed a finger over my mouth.

“Just listen. Your illness came as a shock to me. I had no clue how to react but from the very beginning I was planning to leave to go to the army. I was going to give you the choice to go back to Lee Donghae or with all my heart I hoped that I could make your heart fall for me. I thought that maybe I should change my decision and stay with you, but I realized more than ever before that I needed you to survive, even if that meant you couldn’t be with me. That the thing you need most in the world is the support that Donghae can give you,” Heechul explained his situation, making my heart nearly beat out of my chest. Since I knew Heechul it was the most heartfelt confession I have ever heard him say. I stared at him, my mind blank of what to say to that.

Heechul bowed his head, staring at the wooden table below him but it soon became noticeable that drops of water were appearing rapidly on the top of the table. I gasped, holding a hand up to my mouth. “Heechul...,” I called out his name slowly, unsure of what I could do to console him. In an instant I reached over, pulling his chin up to show his tear stained face, pressing my lips to his. My actions surprised me. In my head I was still screaming knowing that I was hurting Donghae by such a fearful act, however my eyes closed as the kiss continued on.

“Hyuk Jae...,” Heechul whispered my real name after the kiss ended. He rarely called anyone by their real name, no one more than me. I sat back in my chair looking away from him. I had nothing to say to him. I had no reason for the kiss that I gave him. I just knew that I didn’t want to see him crying. “W-Why?” Heechul posed the question I had been fearing all this time.

“Because you are ugly when you cry,” I answered simply, biting into my food so I wouldn’t have to continue talking. Heechul seemed to take the hint, eating his own food. We spent the rest of our time at the restaurant in silence, not bothering each other with meaningless words. However, as I sat back in the passenger side seat of Heechul’s car Heechul began speaking again.

“This is the last time that I will see you Eunhyuk until the day I leave for the army. Seeing you... it’s too hard.” Heechul drove off as I remained speechless. I wanted to see more of him. I didn’t want to send him off but this was the truth that I had to face. He was leaving and who knew when I would see him again...

Instead of driving back to my house Heechul drove to the apartment with the room of enchantment. “I don’t have time to go in today,” Heechul said almost forcefully. “But I hope you always remember the day we first came here,” He spoke again while looking up at the large building. I continued my silent reverie saying everything in my head rather than out loud and almost instantly I was back at my house, waiting at the door as Heechul walked away without a word spoken between us.

Long after Heechul left I remained at the door, upset and angry but also worrying about my own feelings. What had possessed me to kiss him in the restaurant? His crying face was too much for me to take that was for sure. I shook my head thinking that it was the medications that I was on, messing with my head.

“Hyuk Jae,” I was forced to turn and come face to face with my mother. She quickly wrapped a warm blanket over me. “Donghae is here to see you,” She informed me with a smile. I was unable to smile. “But you don’t seem too happy?” My mother’s smile faded.

“I-I... omma...,” I wanted to cry in her shoulder like I was a little boy again. “I don’t know how to feel,” I told her seriously. She didn’t reply but pulled down the hat on my head.

“Hyuk Jae... you are beginning to like Heechul yes?” She asked, raising her eyebrow. I wanted to shake my head refusing to believe that she had even asked that question but I was forced to stop and think about it. “Whatever is the right choice... your heart will make it,” My mother whispered to me placing her hand on my chest above my heart. I smiled at her, thankful for her never ending support.

“Hyukkie,” Another voice echoed through the room. When I looked up I came face to face with the man who has been my best friend for over ten years. Just like the last time I saw him, his face seemed forlorn and nearly tear stained. “I was hoping you could come with me... to visit my father’s grave,” He said slowly. Donghae’s father had always kept the two of us close together. After his death I became Donghae’s family, his protector... his everything.

“Of course I’ll go,” I said softly, feeling deeply sorry for him. I was also afraid of the time that I could no longer accompany Donghae during this hard time of the year. I said my farewells to my family before leaving the house once more with Donghae. This time I had to walk much further to the subway station.

“How are you feeling?” Donghae questioned me. I smiled at him knowing he was extremely worried.

“Much better today,” I replied simply. We continued to talk about things, smiling and laughing together as we always had. With him nothing ever changed, we were destined to be together forever as best friends. It was who we were meant to be.

During the subway ride to the part of town we needed to get to it got extremely busy and there were many people coughing loudly. Donghae, acting as my protector, made sure I was out of harms way, extremely wary of the people around me. It wasn’t until we got out of the subway that we both were relieved although there was still a possibility that I contracted something. Donghae apologize,d making sure that we would get a car on the way back home.

We remained silent as we walked to the grave site. I was sure that Donghae was thinking only of his father now, about all of the precious memories that he had with him and the memories they could of had together. I took his hand hoping to relieve some of the pain that he probably felt.

“Hyukkie... Without you... I’m not sure where I would be today,” Donghae kept his voice low as he overlooked his father’s grave. “When my father died... I felt so lost... I didn’t have the courage to keep going... but you were there...” He continued, his eyes shining with unshed tears. I remained silent as Donghae got down on his knees, putting his hands together and intertwining his fingers to pray. “Appa... you’ve given me so much. I miss you so much. I hope you are having fun wherever you are and I know you are looking down on me always. I hope I’m not disappointing you. Saranghaeyo,” He prayed in a whisper. I got down on my knees also.

Donghae’s father, if you can hear me... please look over Donghae. He misses and loves you so much. I’m afraid I won’t be able to help him for much longer so bring him someone that can make him as happy as you and I have been able to. God willing I will be able to meet you again soon.

I prayed in silence, not able to say what I was feeling out in the open because of Donghae. He would most likely scold me because of the way I was thinking and talking. I smiled as I stood back up, crossing my arms as I stared at the grave of Donghae’s father. Together with Donghae, we spent over an hour at the grave mostly in silence, continuing on to remember the past years full of joy, sadness, and stress continuously repeating.

“Thank you for accompanying me Hyuk Jae. I know it couldn’t have been easy for you,” Donghae said as we walked back towards the way we came. By now there was a car waiting for us.

“Not as difficult as it must have been for you, Hae,” I took his hand once again, holding it tightly as we walked towards the waiting car. It was never easy for the both of us to continuously visit his father’s grave, but it was something that must be done and something that wouldn’t be forgotten. We were both thankful to him. It was like this that we got in the waiting car, remaining silent and thankful the entire drive back to my house and it was like this that Donghae left with no other words to say, even though it was clear what he was thinking. I love you. Those three words that meant so much remained in the air but were never said.

Ahhh jinja mianhaeyo! I was caught up with the holidays and laziness and for a while I didn't feel like writing a single word because of all the papers I had to write for school. I hope you can forgive me and enjoy this chapter now. Also I should probably inform you that sadly the end is near. I'm not exactly how many more chapters it will take to finish it but I do have three endings for this story because I just can't make up my mind on one ending. Saranghaeyo to all of those who stuck around to finish reading this story and it was really unexpecting to get as many subbers as I got for this ff. Thank you so much!

and Happy New Year! May we see Heechul's safe return and a lot more EunHae moments ;]

LHY