The bright sunny day slowly becomes dark. It has been three hours and Ryeowook finally woke up with one of Jongwoon’s hand on his shoulder while the man staring at the paper on his lap with serious gaze.

A new song.

He smiled when Jongwoon noticed he has waken and praises him for keep holding his body without feeling any sore which led Jongwoon to laugh. But he frowned since he can see Hyukjae still sitting while looking at his phone. Ryeowook pierced his eyes but Jongwoon his back as if he knows how Ryeowook doesn’t like his presence.

“You’re still here?” Ryeowook asked, a bit of surprised but everyone can sense how he dislikes that fact. Unconciously, he raised his chin and for a mere ten seconds, Jongwoon thought he sees Cinderella’s step mother.

Hyukjae turns his head and nod. He sighs when he saw how Ryeowook rolled his eyes but he already told himself to not let go these all easily. He can accept how much Ryeowook dissed at him but he won’t take a step back.

“I want to talk with Donghae.”

“You—“

“He is waiting for three hours,” Jongwoon cut, his voice is really calm yet it feels like he warned his boyfriend to not talk harshly. “We didn’t go to check on Donghae since we want to wait until you wake up. Now, can you please check and ask him?” Jongwoon asked gently, a bit of sympathize to Hyukjae’s condition but still doesn’t want to cause a new fight between his boyfriend and his friend.

Eventhough Ryeowook never agreed to let Hyukjae talks to his best friend, Ryeowook knows Jongwoon is stating a true fact. He gives his last glare to Hyukjae before quietly walked to the stairs and knocks the door. No response from Donghae so he decided to just opened the door. When he entered the room, he found Donghae sitting on his bed, looking out to the window while his two hands caressing his tummy cautiously, like he is afraid he will hurt his babies.

“Hae,” He called softly.

Donghae doesn’t give any expression, he just nod but that is what make Ryeowook fear. He approached his best friend and hugged him from his side, his head buried in Donghae’s neck. It still feels like a dream that Hyukjae found out Donghae’s condition when both of them thought he would never knew.

“He found out the babies.” Donghae said in a small voice which sounds raspy. Ryeowook can see how red his eyes and nose are which means he has been crying for a long time.

He pulled his best friend to his arms and caress his hair gently. “Yes. But you don’t need to be worry, I’m always beside you. Remember?”

“But… he must be feel ashamed.”

Ryeowook crease his forehead.“Donghae,” He looked into his eyes and whispered, “I don’t know if he hates the babies or not. But you need to talk to him. He is still the father of them and he has right to know about them.”

With one gaze from Donghae, Ryeowook immediately knows the answer. This won’t be that easy to make his best friend accept the reality. He nodded when Donghae begged for giving him some time, not that night. He can’t face Hyukjae now and when he remembers what is their condition soon, Donghae can’t do anything but throw his gaze to his wedding ring. The only thing he has been holding hours ago.

Donghae doesn’t know what actually God plans for him. Why Hyukjae has to find out his condition when they will divorce? Why he has to know when Donghae has made a lot of plans to hide the babies from him? Why now… after all the things he does… after he gives up of their marriage?

“I’ll go and tell him to give you time, okay?” Ryeowook smiles and giving a to his shoulder before he goes.

Both Jongwoon and Hyukjae quickly shifted their gaze to Ryeowook when they heard his steps. A glint of hope can be seen through Hyukjae’s eyes, truly hopes he can talk to Donghae but all of his hopes has to tear apart when Ryeowook shook his head.

“Give him some time, Hyukjae. I’ll call you if he is ready to talk.”

Hyukjae would be lied if he said he is okay with that answer. No, he doesn’t. It’s hard for him to believe Donghae doesn’t want to talk to him now and how he really wants to know about his babies so bad. But he can’t put all blame to Donghae. He knows how this thing must be shocked the other.

Ryeowook crossed his arms, observing how Hyukjae sighs and smiled bitterly. He smirks when he sees how Hyukjae looked so desperate but can’t say anything. You deserve it, man.

Hyukjae only nodded when Jongwoon asked him to keep calm and excuse himself to back to his apartment. Jongwoon sends him to the door while Ryeowook walks to the kitchen to prepare for their dinner and started to think the way to make Donghae eats his food later. Another bad habit of his best friend is, when he is stress he won’t eat.

He lets his boyfriend to help him set the table. He doesn’t cook as many as he planned but he is still making the best food. He cooked beef steak and soup for them and called his best friend to come and eat.

Jongwoon can sense how Donghae feels sad from the way the pregnant man walks and pours his rice just a bit. He knows how Donghae actually planned to hide the babies but now, all of those plans aren’t needed.

 Ryeowook pours the banana mixed with strawberries smoothie to his mug while Donghae pours the rice for them. Jongwoon quickly gets his plate, taking the spoon and pour more rice and beef to Donghae’s plate. Ryeowook smiles when Jongwoon shows his care to his best friend.

On the other side, Hyukjae drives to his parents’ house. Hyukjae’s face didn’t show many expression but it’s obvious from his eyes that he is sad and guilty.

He nods slightly when the maid opened the door for him and walked to the large living room, ignoring how the maid widened her eyes and gasped because the bruises on his face. He found his parents are watching their favorite show while his sister is cooking something in their kitchen which is not too far from the living room.

Mr and Mrs Lee surprised when they saw their son. It’s been a while for Hyukjae to visit their house when mostly they were meeting outside as in the café, restaurant, or his apartment, for these months. But what is the most surprising is to see their son’s condition. The usual handsome face is having bruises on his cheeks, corner of his lips, and chin. Not to forget his disheveled hair.

“What happened with your face? You had a fought?” Mrs Lee cupped his son’s face, worry can be seen through her beautiful face. The woman keeps scanning her son from head to toe. “Who beaten you?”

Mr Lee approaching them, watching as his son slowly put down his wife’s hands. Both of them stunned when they saw how their son looked at them. There is always something with that gaze and as parents it’s clear they have known it for years.

“Why? Is there something bad happened?” Mr Lee asked with a serious tone. Although it was quite late, they still feel happy to have their son visits them but both of them realised there is something wrong in Hyukjae’s expression.

Hyukjae swallowed his saliva hardly. He gazes randomly on the floor and unexpected shaky voice was out from his lips.

“Donghae is pregnant.”

Mr Lee widened his eyes while Mrs Lee closed due to shock. Both of them looked at each other, no one thought their son would find out this fast. Sora, who just came with her freshly baked cookies and a plate of pasta, frowned when she sees Hyukjae’s back tensed and their parents expressions.

“Hyukjae?” She puts the bowl and plate in the small table beside the couch and closes in surprise when she catches the sight of bruises over his brother’s face. But their parents states are more suspicious.

“What happened?”

By that question, Hyukjae finally gained all his focus and looked to his parents eyes. He quickly catches on something through their looked and take a step back.

“B-both of you already k-know?”

“Hyukjae—“

Sora frowned deeper and raise an eyebrow. “Know what? Explain to me!”

“Donghae’s pregnancy. Y-you know?”

It feels like something hard and big was hitting her. She stares at their parents and finally knows what makes them looked like that. He knows Donghae’s pregnancy. She shook her head frantically and stares at his brother, clearly showed she is shock and can’t believe what she heard. But Hyukjae once again catches up and chuckled bitterly.

I am the dumbest.

“So… all of you have known about his pregnancy but none of you told me?” It’s obvious that he is hurt with the truth. Why all of his family has known it but no one told him? Why all of them hide this improtant news from him?

“Hyukjae,” Mrs Lee approached her son and put her hand on his shoulder. “It’s not like what you think. We’re not telling you because Donghae wants to keep it as secret. No, don’t blame him. It’s just—“

“But you should have told me! Why all of you have to keep it as a secret?! I’m the babies’ father!”

The atmosphere change to tense. Hyukjae raised his voice but his eyes teary. He feels so dumb and left behind. What if today he didn’t find Donghae’s condition by himself? What if he didn’t come to their house today? They will still keep it as a secret from him? He doesn’t know anything? Donghae will sure to hide his condition until the end, right?

“You really wanna know why we didn’t tell you?” His sister calm voice making him turned around. His body stiffened when his sister glared. If there is something can make him really afraid, it’s Sora’s anger and he knows perfectly he won’t win anything against his sister. “It’s because he loves you. He doesn’t want to be a burden for you and because he knows,” She stepped closer to her brother, making their mom moves aside. “You want the divorce to happen faster.”

“Sora—“

“Do you think he is happy all this time by hiding the babies from you? Do you think he is chubbier because he feels relaxed without you?” Sora smirked when his brother’s face becomes pale. “Because he loves you, he never told how hard it is. He knows you always felt tired after works so he choose to keep it far from you.”

Hyukjae faces becomes dark as he recalled how his life these months compared to Donghae’s. He slowly sits but everyone could see guilty covered his face. Mrs Lee pulled him in a hug, his back while Mr Lee pats his shoulder.

“It must be hard for him.” He whispered with eyes watery.

Mrs Lee his back. No matter how upset she is with his son decision and behaviour to Donghae, in the end Hyukjae is still her son. The son she loves and protects. She keeps hugging him and whispered, “If you wanna know more about how his hard journey during his pregnancy, you have to ask him by yourself.” She said with her soft voice while keep Hyukjae’s back. “He won’t hate you, Son.”

Mr Lee and Sora watching quietly but Hyukjae’s teary eyes doesn’t leave unnoticed by them. It’s unpredictable on how Hyukjae can be this emotional about his babies but all of them guessed this is a good start.

Mrs Lee sends her son to his room and Sora gives him a cup of tea. After saying good night, both of them left the man alone.

Hyukjae staring blankly to the crescent moon-shaped lamp on his bedside table. He remembers how Donghae admired it on the first time he came and how his face brightened when he received the same lamp that Hyukjae finally bought from another shop. He remembers how actually it’s very easy to make Donghae smiled.

I am a jerk.

He can’t sleep properly that night. All the information kept replaying in his mind and Donghae’s face… He really wants to talk with him but all his family –his parents and his sister– asked him to wait and let Donghae decides when they can talk.

He threw his glance to a small frame in his other bedside table. A picture of his 29^th birthday which was celebrated in his parents’ house. It was a picture with full family member and even had Donghae beside him, with his big smile and head leaned on his shoulder. He suddenly remembers something.

This is the first time in two years, Hyukjae comes alone without Donghae.

He glanced to the empty side of his bed. Mostly, they would spend their weekends in his parents house. They would watch movie together with his family, had dinner, or just talking and sharing. Donghae would help his mom to prepare the food while Sora, his father, and him would set the table in a small garden they have at the backyard. Mrs Lee would insist all of them have to take pictures together and Donghae will be the one who setted the camera.

He lets out a small sigh. Why does he feel weird for not having Donghae around him now? Didn’t he live alone for months? Why all of a sudden, he has to remember about him?

Hyukjae doesn’t know what kind of feeling he has now for Donghae. He feels guilty but in the other side, he also doesn’t know how to describe all his feelings for Donghae right now which more than guilty. But one thing for real. He cares for their babies.

.

.

.

Donghae caressed his tummy while staring blankly to the vitamins on his table. It was from Hyukjae who came this morning, wished to talk to him but he refused. He laid his head on his pillow and his eyes got teary again.

“Donghae? Hyukjae is in the living room. He comes to see you.” Jongwoon informed him that morning and Ryeowook his back. Jongwoon decided to stay for a few nights because he wants to make sure both Donghae and his boyfriend are always in a good condition and make sure Hyukjae is not going to force to talk with Donghae.

“Do you want to talk to him?” Ryeowook asked, never leaving him alone.

Donghae looked at Jongwoon and shook his head. He impulsively cover his tummy and leaned his head on Ryeowook’s chest deeper. Jongwoon smiles awkwardly but didn’t say anything. He just giving a small nod when Ryeowook looked at him with plea eyes.

Now, Ryeowook is arranging his vitamins –a gift from Hyukjae– on the table and some of it he has put in the tray to place it on the dining room. He smiles when he saw Donghae leaned to the pillow and crawling to the bed carefully.

“Are you hungry?” Ryeowook places a hand on his tummy and coo at how cute the bump feels.

“No.”

Ryeowook sighs softly and shifted himself to get closer to his best friend. He looked around the room and smiled sadly when he found a small frame of his best friend’s wedding picture on the bedside table.

“Wanna talk about him?” He asked, a smile still on his lips. Although Ryeowook has said he will call Hyukjae if Donghae already wants to talk to him, but the man still came this morning with a full basket the things that made Ryeowook winced by how many it is.

“Ryeo—“

“I’m not gonna force you to talk to him today or next day. Just wanna say… both of you have to talk.” Ryeowook stares at his tummy and pointed to all the things Hyukjae brought this morning such as vitamins, three boxes of milk, and healthy cookies. “He doesn’t hate the babies. If he hates them, he wouldn’t send these things.” Eventhough he doesn’t like what Hyukjae did and still can’t forgive him, Ryeowook wants both of them to talk because this involves the babies.

“But—“

“I know this is not easy for you,” Ryeowook grabbed his hand and squeezes it lightly. Of course, he can’t forget how his best friend suffered and how many tears he has for Hyukjae for all these time. But he also realise how important it is for them to talk. “you know you always have me by your side, right? I won’t let him to force you.”

Ryeowook knows what Donghae did the whole night after Hyukjae found out his condition. He pretended to sleep but actually he was fully awake. He remembered how Donghae cried silently and didn’t stop his tummy with back-faced to Ryeowook. He knew how his shoulder shivered and after that Donghae would stand and went to the toilet because he couldn’t control himself.

He knows how Donghae wanted to keep all of this as a secret because he doesn’t want Hyukjae to think the babies as a burden. He also knew how Donghae actually taking some projects to earn money and making plans for the babies. He knew his best friend will calculated the money for them and will always said there is nothing to worry about everytime Ryeowook asked him about his condition because he doesn’t want to cause more worries.

Ryeowook doesn’t hate the fact that Hyukjae has known Donghae’s condition. To be honest, he even surprised by how caring Hyukjae is to send all the good things and this morning he even came to talk with Donghae. Although Jongwoon said Hyukjae was looking sad, both of them are sure he will come again tomorrow.

Well, it’s too early for both of them to say Hyukjae is still in love with his best friend and they don’t want to raise their expectation. They prefer to call it as a care from the father to his babies.

Ryeowook slowly leaves the bed. He knows Donghae needs time to think and he won’t force him. He realises it’s actually hard for him to refuse to talk with Hyukjae when he is missing the man so bad.

When he walked down, he saw Jongwoon still sitting in front of his laptop and reading something. The guy raised his head and smiled when Ryeowook hugging his neck from the back.

“Have you eaten the fruits?” Ryeowook asked after sat on the chair besides Jongwoon.

“Yeah.”

Jongwoon giggled when Ryeowook leaned his head on his shoulder and muttered with a low voice, “I think my back is stiffened.”

“Is that your way to ask for a massage?”

Ryeowook chuckled but nods. In a mere second, he can feel Jongwoon’s hands squeeze his back carefully. He smiles, knowing how Jongwoon will always giving his best despite his own tiredness. He leaned his head on his shoulder and circling his hand to his boyfriend’s waist.

“Do you think Hyukjae still loves Donghae?” Ryeowook muttered and raised his head when Jongwoon stopped suddenly. His boyfriend looked at him with unreadable gaze.

“I don’t want to assume but it’s better to see what he will do.”

.

.

.

“He still doesn’t want to talk to me?” Hyukjae asked with his low voice on the next day. As expected, he comes again the next day and giving a basket with full of fruits to Jongwoon. Truth to be told, he doesn’t feel angry or blame Donghae for avoiding him, but he admits he feels sad to know Donghae doesn’t want to talk to him or even seeing his face.

“We already coaxed him,” Jongwoon said while accepting the basket Hyukjae brings and looking at the stairs. “Ryeowook is still asking. Have a sit first.”

Hyukjae lowered his head and smiled sheepishly while walking to the couch. He can’t help but think how their condition turned now. Weeks ago, it was him who didn’t want to talk to Donghae  avoided him and feeling it’s like a curse to meet him. But now? He doesn’t want but he remembers this is the first time Donghae really doesn’t want to talk to him and it makes him… guilty.

He has seen a few pictures of the ultrasonography from his sister phone. They looked cute and tiny and he had his mom to explain Donghae’s condition from the beginning of his pregnancy. From where he mostly didn’t want to eat and constantly throw-up until he is now, enjoying his pregnancy and started to eat more than before. It wasn’t really detail but at least, Hyukjae could know how actually it’s not easy for him.

They didn’t mention about how stressed he is but Hyukjae realised it well. Donghae looked so pale and stressed that time and he absolutely knows the reason behind it.

“Hyukjae,” Ryeowook’s voice suddenly filled the room and it makes him turned around with a fast heartbeat. Ryeowook looked at him without any expression and it makes him nervous even more although he has said to himself for not wishing too much.

He had spent his night to think about another steps he has to take after this. As what he said, he cares for their babies but if Donghae doesn’t want to let him talk, how to say his feeling to the other man?

As if Ryeowook can read his mind, he continued, “He still doesn’t want to talk to you.”

Hyukjae smiled bitterly and nods. He quickly bid a goodbye and Jongwoon muttered something like to send him to the door. Ryeowook looked at Hyukjae’s back without any expression. He knows it makes Hyukjae frustrated but somehow, he deserves it right?

Inside the room, Donghae standing near the window. His eyes turned sad when he looked at Hyukjae’s back as the man walking further to his car. There is no words can describe how his heart actually wants the man to come and talk with him. But on the other side, he also doesn’t ready to accept another fact if Hyukjae only wants their babies.

Am I sound so childish and selfish?

That question has played for countless time inside his mind. He can’t help but feels paranoid with every thoughts of Hyukjae wants to separate him from the babies. But on top of all, he realised Hyukjae actually only cares for their babies. Not him.

His eyes got teary again when Hyukjae opened his door but before he gets in, suddenly he raised his head and their eyes met. Donghae doesn’t immediately turned, he lets his eyes scanned how the one he loves looked that morning.

He loves how Hyukjae wrapped himself with a black long coat because the air is too cold nowadays. He loves how Hyukjae lets his hair the way it is without putting some hair gel. He likes how he still manages to look fresh but when his eyes met with Hyukjae’s hands (his left hand is on the car’s door which face to the window perfectly while his right hand is raised up as if he wants to wave), he can see perfectly there is no ring.

The wedding ring is not there anymore.

It is like a hard slap for him. Eventhough he has anticipated, it still hurts to know Hyukjae able to take-off the ring meanwhile here he is, stuck with all the feeling for the man. He feels so ridiculous.

Gradually, he closed the curtain and walked to his bed. It’s been three days for him to think of his acts toward Hyukjae. He kept questioning himself if it’s right or not for him to act like that, if he is too childish or not to avoid Hyukjae, if it’s him who is having too much expectation for Hyukjae. He feels so selfish, childish, stupid, and he admits he is a coward.

But Donghae doesn’t know Hyukjae is still standing for ten minutes, wishing he will back so he can look at him again and beg for him to talk with him. He doesn’t know how Hyukjae eyes turned sad with a heavy sigh and the guilt even grow stronger when he gets in his car.

Hello everyone!^^ Yep, another long chapter hahaha. Wish you guys aren't bored with this yet^-~ thank you so much for all your supports, comments, suggestions, subscribers, and upvotes❤️❤️❤️ I'm happy I can manage this update kkk^-^ Please take care and always be careful❤️❤️❤️ Wish the wolrd can back to its normal again soonT_T❤️ So, what do you think about this chapter? Should we torture Hyukjae more? ~.^