He spends an hour. Talks to his supervisor. About his work. His assistant duties. Then he shuffles out. Grabs himself a coffee. Heads to the library. Finds a table in a corner.

It . He needs to reply to emails. Go through some assignments. Return them to students. Give feedback. Then go back to his own studies.

But Donghae's so ing sleepy.

----

He has run to the cafe. Again. He is told: Hyukjae's not working. Donghae's pissed at himself. He ed up. Once more. Donghae runs all the way back. To the theatre. He's out of breath. But goes in to search.

Hyukjae's surprised. He hurries to him.

"Hey..." His eyes hold questions. But a smile tugs at his lips. "Don't you have work...?"

Donghae immediately holds his hand. Pecks that cute smile.

"I just needed to see you. Do you, um, do you have some... time?"

He expects no. But Hyukjae nods. Tugs on Donghae's hand. Leads him to a narrow corridor. It's somewhere backstage. Dimmer. Donghae recognizes it. But also not. There are strange whispers. Footsteps. He ignores them.

He just focuses. On Hyukjae's pretty face. The little shining lights. In his eyes.

"Hae, are you okay?"

"Are we alright?"

"Huh?"

"I m-mean, are we alright here?"

"For what?"

Donghae gently holds his waist. Kisses him. Leans him to the wall. Hyukjae lets out a sound. Startled. Pleased. Soon, it feels normal. It feels like him. His hands reach Donghae's face. Hyukjae kisses him back. Just as passionately. Donghae's so relieved.

"Hey," he pants. Presses him closer. Feels him quiver. "I love you, okay?"

He's about to meet his lips. Slip into his pants. Get him all hot and heavy. Swallow up his sweet moans...

Donghae's pushed away.

"What are you doing?" Hyukjae says.

"W-What?"

Hyukjae looks upset. Sounds upset.

What the ? Why?

No. Donghae came here to fix this.

"Why is it okay when you do it?"

"I'm sorry, what--?"

"You only remember me when you want , right? And because I agree to have , you think you've made everything okay, because it works for you?"

Hyukjae moves. Steps away.

"Nope. Off you go."

"W-What?"

"I'm busy too, you know? I've got a life too."

-----

Donghae jerks awake.

His heart's pounding. His head's pounding.

There are the whispers. The footsteps. Around him. Because he's in the library. He fell asleep... at the table.

Donghae groans. He's in pain. Physically. From this position. He rubs his face. His eyes. Presses his temples. Looks around blearily.

Damn. He needs caffeine.

-----

He makes it to his own classes. His pulse is rapid. It doesn't seem from the run. He better not be getting sick. Before class starts...

Donghae checks his phone.

It's the same two texts. From the morning.

"Hope you have a good day. Remember not to work too hard!"

"Sorry, I know it's important to you. I just mean you should take care of yourself too..."

----

Hyukjae didn't need to do that. The second text. Donghae wouldn't misunderstand. He knows: Hyukjae doesn't mean slack off. Fail. He'd never.

Donghae wouldn't get upset anyway! Even if Hyukjae did say so. He'd just call him stupid. Get mad at him. Hyukjae would say, okay! Tell him to relax. Not burst any blood vessels. And he'd giggle. Smile gummily. Donghae's heart would flutter. Feel so light. Free.

He'd fall in love. All over again.

Hyukjae should know. That he knows. It's how Hyukjae keeps being an idiot. Why he knows just when to be silly. When to give Donghae space. When to cut off his rants. Just kiss him.

----

"I know," Donghae types. "Where are you working this evening?"

Yes. He needs to submit work. Before midnight. But he can just go see. Hyukjae's face. Then hurry home. Sit at his desk. Focus.

Because he's struggling to. Now.

-----

The dream plays in his head.

What did Hyukjae mean? Why did... Donghae dream of it? Dream of him saying that?

Is it because: Donghae feels he hurt Hyukjae?

Or is it... simply true?

-----

He runs again. To SM Theatre. He pauses a moment. Before the building. To make sure. He's not dreaming. He blinks his eyes. Rubs them. Steps closer.

"Yunho?"

It can't be. He left. Two years ago. He lives in another city. With Tiffany...

Wait. They broke up.

"Hey!"

.

Yunho... comes to him. He's smiling widely. He grabs his shoulders. Then even hugs him.

Okay. He's real. Here. He... came? After breaking up with his girlfriend? For what?

"What are you doing here?"

Yunho seems taken aback. But he keeps that smile.

"It's nice to see you too," Yunho says. "I was here to see Hyukjae, actually. Now I'm gonna go see my profs and just say hello."

Hyukjae? Why does he need to see Hyukjae? For what? Wait--

"Ah, I see," Donghae says. "Um, I've gotta see Hyukjae too! I'll see you later--whoa!"

Yunho's grabbed his arm. "Hyukjae's gone."

"What?"

"He just left for work -- he said he couldn't take it off, or he would've spent more time with me now. But he said he'll try to see me this evening -- apparently, you're working on an assignment?"

Donghae is. Hyukjae would know. But... 

"H-He didn't... tell me that..."

"Tell you what?"

"T-That... he'll..."

Spend the evening with him. Or that he's working at the cafe. Why didn't he answer Donghae? Why would he ignore him? Donghae pats himself for his phone. Takes it out. Nervously. He checked, didn't he? He's been checking--

"..."

Donghae groans. Suddenly feels exhausted. Too angry. He steps around heavily. Drops onto a bench.

"Hey... are you okay?" Yunho's come beside him. "Donghae?"

"I forgot to send it," Donghae mutters. Miserably blinks at his phone. "He must think I'm ignoring him..."

The message he'd typed remains. He didn't even respond.

"Oh, I don't think he thinks that..." Yunho sits beside him. Pats his back. "He said you've been so busy you hardly know what time or day it is... he always sounds worried about you..."

Donghae glances up. On the one hand: he's irked. By Yunho's presence. Just... everything about him right now. It seems wrong. Donghae wants him to go away. But on the other hand...

He's curious. Yunho's words bring an ease. Mild relief.

"He... he said that?"

"Well, you've always been so studious and hardworking, haven't you? He knows that. He's been quite busy too... he always sounds kind of..." Yunho appears thoughtful. "Kind of... down? He's just been saying he's tired. But recently, after I told him about Tiffany... he got so sad. It made me a little worried, so..." Yunho turns. Smiles. "Thought I'd just check up on him and talk to him in person..."

Donghae has to take all that in. Right... Hyukjae was upset. About their breakup.

"I thought... I thought he was sad because maybe you were sad...." Donghae says. He hasn't actually thought anything. But his mind's thinking now. Trying to connect. Understand. "Were you upset when you told him?"

"What?" Yunho's surprised. "No -- I mean, yes, it's sad that we had to break up, but... I'm not depressed or hurt over it? Tiffany and I are still friends, I adore her, she's great -- but you know, we don't have time for each other. We just thought, it's not fair to her, to me. It felt like..." Yunho faces ahead. Leans back. "Like we got to a point where... we just continued for convenience? We're so used to each other, we know the