A/N: arguably my favorite chapter that ive written for this fic,, i hope i was able to convey how i kept imagining it going bc my heart is so soft for these two

A knock on the door made Heeyoung walk out of her apartment’s kitchen and stare at the main door. A quick glance at the clock told her it was around half past 11 at night, so she narrowed her eyes at the door because she wasn’t expecting any visitors that day, much less at such a late hour.

“Kyuhyun-ah.” The man was leaning on the wall by the door, waiting for her to invite him inside. Heeyoung stared at him for a minute, not really sure why he was there but noting the slight smell of alcohol. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Kyuhyun sniffed before turning his head to look at her. Heeyoung couldn’t help but chuckle at how he was pouting. Without another word, she took his wrist and pulled him inside, closing the door behind him.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence as Kyuhyun made his way to fall face down on her couch as if it was his own house. He moved his head to get a better view of the apartment and blinked the suitcases that were placed at the side. “Are you really going to go?” He asked in a small voice, the sad pout he had also evident in his tone.

“Honestly, imagine if I did this every time you all had a tour outside of Korea.” She said, shaking her head fondly at him as she took a seat on the floor.

Kyuhyun huffed at her words, feeling slightly defensive. “Yeah, but we still go back here once in a while in between concerts or sometimes you go to those tours with your family or you call us up.” He sat up quickly, whining when his head hurt from the sudden movement. “You’re going away for who knows how long! You said it yourself that you don’t even know! What the does that mean, Heeyoung-ah?!”

“What makes you think I wouldn’t be calling a lot if I go? Or that I won't pick up the phone if you call?”

“America is so far away. And you’ll probably be too busy.”

Heeyoung laughed at the downcast expression on Kyuhyun’s face as she got reminded of kids who couldn’t handle a whole day without their parents on the first day of kindergarten. She pushed herself off her spot on the living room carpet and moved to sit in front of her friend. “Aww, is Kyuhyun-ie going to miss me?” Her tone teasing.

He glared at her before crossing his arms and leaning back on the couch. “You’re going there alone. You know Heechul hyung is really worried too, right?”

“Of course he is, I’m the maknae of the family.” She waved it off. “The entire family is understandably concerned. But I can take care of myself. I have it all planned out and I also have backup plans, just in case. And I told you I might be back in around three months if the other piece I sent an audition for doesn’t go well.”

He scoffed. “Yeah, right. You’ll obviously get in, otherwise they would be so dumb.”

“What’s wrong, hmm?” Heeyoung asked again. “Is there something bothering you?”

“Who am I going to talk to now?” He complained before dramatically falling back on the couch, covering his eyes from the few lights Heeyoung had on with his arm. 

She hit his knee lightly and sighed. “Yah, Cho Kyuhyun. Am I your only friend?” With her knowledge of Kyuhyun’s habits when in this state, Heeyoung stood up to grab an extra blanket from the closet in her room. She spread it open and gently placed it on him as she continued nagging at him. “You have the members with you. I know you’ve gotten closer with Heechul oppa because you’re drinking buddies nowadays. You also have friends to play Starcraft with. Seokmin oppa can talk about music with you. Aigoo, Kyuhyun-ah, you’re so sociable, you have friends in musicals, in variety shows, and everywhere!”

“But you’re my best friend.”

Heeyoung smiled softly at his mumbled words, moving to sit at the floor as she combed her fingers through his hair. “You’re going to regret saying this so much when you’re sober.”

“I’m not that drunk.” He argued, keeping his eyes covered. “You are my best friend. So, it makes sense I’m a bit worried about you. What if you get hurt?” Kyuhyun sighed. “I’m not going to be there by your side to help you, so you have to stay strong, Heeyoung-ah. I mean, I know you are, but…”

“I’m worried about you too.” Heeyoung replied. “Maybe more worried now than I was earlier because you suddenly showed up here almost crying about how you’ll miss me. But I will miss you too, Kyuhyun-ah. You’re also my best friend, after all.”

“I am not crying.”

“Sure, you’re not.” Heeyoung allowed. “It’s just your habits when drunk. You become more clingy, you pout and whine a lot, and you get a bit sentimental or emotional, so you sometimes cry.”

“You’re going to be fine, right?” He asked, still refusing to actually look her in the eye and almost hiding under the blanket. “You’re judging me right now as if I’m the only one who has a habit of finding the other when there’s something we want to talk about. You visit the dorms a lot too.”

Heeyoung tilted her head, amused. “Are you saying I should book a plane whenever I miss you, or are you volunteering to fly out to America during those times instead?”

“We can’t do that.” He sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day. “We can probably call, but not that often. Why are we both so busy?!”

She laughed at his exclamation before calming down. “We’ll be fine, Kyuhyun-ah. We are both very strong, independent people who still have ways to contact each other when needed. The time will just pass by like a bit of rain shower, hmm?” She gently patted his shoulders at a constant slow pace. “Go to sleep. You’re already so tired.”

She waited patiently until his breathing evened out and Kyuhyun finally fell asleep. Heeyoung sighed before pulling herself up from the floor and adjusting the blanket again to cover him properly. Then she disappeared into her room to get a bit of rest until the time she needed to go to the airport came.

The sky was still dark when Heeyoung exited her room again, wearing a comfortable matching set of black sweatshirt and sweatpants. The clock read 3 A.M. when she did the final check on her things and started rolling the suitcases closer to the main door.

 “Kyuhyun-ah.” The figure sleeping soundly on her couch stayed motionless until Heeyoung approached him and shook his shoulder to wake him. “Kyuhyun-ah? I have to go now.”

“Mmm?” The other tried to sit up, but was still exhausted from drinking earlier and only having a few hours of sleep. “Now?”

“Yeah,” Heeyoung grinned at the mess his hair had become, gently patting some of it down while she talked to him, “I have to go now, but you can keep sleeping. Just remember to lock the door when you leave and double check if everything’s been turned off, please. You know the drill.”

“Mhmm.” Kyuhyun rubbed his eyes. “You’ll be okay, right?”

Heeyoung felt her eyes begin to water, but she held it in and forced her trembling lips into a smile. “Yes, I will. As long as you’re good too, alright?” She leaned forward to hug him, a warm embrace in the slightly cold early morning air.

“Bye,” she whispered once she stood up again.

“Bye.” Kyuhyun muttered and watched until she exited the door before falling back on the couch in the middle of the silent apartment.