“But what about your apartment and your car? And your job??” Hyukjae asked, grasping for straws.

It’s already mid-July. That means he’ll stay here for just a year and five months more….

“I’d keep my apartment. Ryeowook can continue renting and I can have a place to go home to when I visit here. Of course I plan on coming back every now and then to visit. But I think I’d sell my car. And my contract with LSJ is really just for two years.”

“Will LSJ let you go? You were originally hired as an intern, right? But you were assigned to lead and manage comebacks now. They’ve seen your talent and I’m sure they’d ask you to stay.”

Donghae smiled. “I am really grateful that they appreciate me. But of course they can’t refuse to let me go.”

“B-but how about the things you do here? What about making music? What about your friends?” 

What about me?

“I plan to submit songs to LSJ now that they recognize me. And of course I’d visit my friends.”

It took Hyukjae a few seconds but then he looked at Donghae’s eyes and finally had the courage to ask, “Don’t you want to stay?”

But before Donghae could answer, somebody knocked loudly and one of Kyuhyun’s friends suddenly opened the door with eyes wide in panic. “Hyukjae! Can we borrow your car? Kyuhyun suddenly couldn't breathe and passed out. I think he had an allergic reaction or something!”

Both Hyukjae and Donghae stood up immediately. “You guys shouldn’t drive. I’ll bring you to the hospital, let’s go!” Hyukjae said as he rushed to the living room. 

“Lift him up, I’ll meet you at the front. I’ll get the car from the basement,” Hyukjae told the friend as he hurriedly went out the door.

“We won’t all fit in your car. I’ll get mine too so we can all go together,” Donghae added as he followed Hyukjae outside. 

They were running down the stairs, not bothering to wait for the elevator, adrenaline flowing in their veins in worry for their friend. When they arrived at the basement, they immediately went to their respective cars. 

“Cheongdam Hospital is the nearest hospital here. I’ll bring Kyuhyun,” Hyukjae shouted as he slammed the door.

“Okay, I’ll follow!” Donghae shouted as Hyukjae drove away like a maniac. 

***

At around four in the morning, everyone was already able to calm down. Kyuhyun regained consciousness several minutes after being administered medication. But he had to be admitted for tests and to be observed longer in case of further reactions. Their manager was already there and Kyuhyun’s parents as well. Hyukjae, Donghae, and the three friends were slumped on the couches as their adrenaline from the emergency wore down. It turned out that Kyuhyun had an allergic reaction when he took his friend’s medication mistaking it for the soothing medicine he uses for his throat. 

Hyukjae looked at a tired Donghae. “Hae, really, thank you for helping out.”

“It’s no problem. I was so worried for Kyuhyun as well.”

“But it’s already morning and you have work in a few hours. You should go ahead and rest now.”

“You also have work, Hyuk. We both have to be at the agency at 9am for the choreography, remember?”

Hyukjae groaned as he realized this. Shindong interrupted them and said, “You guys should go and take a quick nap before you’d have to go to work.”

Hyukjae wanted to just collapse there instead of going back to the dorm alone. The exhaustion and the worry for his friend, coupled with the things he learned earlier from Donghae, makes him want to retreat in his shell and just shut out the entire world for now. 

Finding out that the family of the object of his affection suffered so much, and that he would only be able to be with him for less than a year and a half….it makes him want to scream at the unfairness of it all. 

He looked at Donghae again, and he wanted so badly to embrace him and just keep him there.

Donghae sluggishly got up. “Let’s go, Hyuk. Shindong hyung is right. We need to rest for a while. Especially you, you’d be even more physically tired today.”

Hyukjae stood up and nodded at Shindong and Kyuhyun’s friends, then bowed to Kyuhyun’s parents and patted a sleeping Kyuhyun, before silently following Donghae to the parking lot. 

Before entering his car, Donghae turned around probably to say goodbye but looked surprised to see Hyukjae standing close behind him. Wordlessly, Hyukjae pulled Donghae in his arms, embracing him tightly for a few seconds before letting go.

“H-Hyuk?” Donghae looked at him with unreadable eyes.

“Take care, Hae. I’ll see you later.”

“O-okay… You too, Hyuk.”

Hyukjae forced a smile and turned away to go to his own car.

***

A few hours later, Hyukjae was walking towards the practice room. He wasn’t able to sleep a wink, his mind a mess. As he entered the room, he saw Donghae already there talking on the phone. He heard him rearranging some stuff to ensure Kyuhyun would have ample time to rest.

After a few minutes, Donghae ended his call and turned around. He saw Hyukjae and walked towards him. 

“Hyuk~” Donghae whined and suddenly dropped his head tiredly on Hyukjae’s shoulder.

Hyukjae’s breath hitched at the action, but immediately recovered and patted Donghae’s head.

Yes, I should take all I can get as his friend. I should make the best out of the time I can have him her