"Is he asleep?" Sungmin asked once Hyukjae set foot on the living room. "Is Hae ok?"

Hyukjae nodded. He threw himself on the couch and covered his face with his hands. He still could see clearly in his head how Donghae's body shaken up. He was scared as hell.

"So, what happen?" Sungmin asked. His voice sounded so urgent. "What's wrong?"

Hyukjae looked at sungmin and let go a big sigh. "I don't know, hyung. I was mad."

"Mad?" Sungmin asked. "Mad enough to make him suffer like that? Mad enough to stop caring? what's with you?"

Hyukjae kept his silent. He just stared at his shoes. He didn't know how to answer those questions. What was I mad about last time? He tought. He just shook his head. "I don't know, Hyung."

"No one care about donghae as much as you do. Everybody knows that. On the stage, on real life, you name it. The two of you are glued together. Both of you always support each other. So yeah..  I was really shocked to know that you would do this to Hae. I know you've been avoiding him for the past three days. And the worse of all, you're not even gave him his medicine?" Sungmin voiced risen. "You are the one that has been taking care of him, you should know better what happen if.."

"I know hyung. I'm sorry, alright? I made a mistake." Hyukjae cut sungmin's word. "I'm just human. Am I not allow to get mad? I'm not allow to make mistakes?"

Hyukjae's voice risen up. He tried so hard to control his emotion.

"I took care of Hae when he was sick. You know better, hyung. I was that close on losing my mind when he got into that accident, when he was in coma, you know the rest." Hyukjae's voice shaken up, his vision became blur as tears brimmed. "I never stop caring, Hyung. So please don't say that I stop caring."

Sungmin crossed his arms in front of his chest ang inhaled deeply. He looked at the man in front of him. All of sudden he felt uneassy, seeing him in such a mess. He looked all tired and sad. When was the last time he saw hyukjae happy? 

"Don't get me wrong, Hyung. I never wanted a credit out of it. Never. But I just wish...." Hyukjae's tears rolled down on his cheek. " I just wish he would listen to me, even once. Just once..."

Now Sungmin felt guilty. He kept his silent and just listen to him carefully.

"I'm not trying to hold him back. I was just concern about his health and that was it. "Hyukjae said. He looked straight into Sungmin eyes. "I was so mad when he said I was holding him back, that I was making him weak. But I wasn't mad at him. I was mad at myself. I was thinking, Oh God I made a mistake again? and I started to think that maybe I am making him weak, maybe I am holding him back. How can I never get everything right?"

Hyukjae let go a small sob out of his chest. Sungmin rushed to his side and wrap his arm around him, trying to comfort him. But it was too late. Hyukjae's tears were falling like rain.

"So yes, I step out. I gave him what he want. To be on his own."

"That's not what he want, Hyuk." Sungmin said softly. "He needs you more than ever now."

"See? My mistake again. I.. I kept making mistakes.."

"No, Hyukjae you need to stop being like this."Sungmin said, giving Hyukjae a light tapped on his back to shoothed him." You need to stop thinking that you're making mistakes after another. It will never end and it will ruin everything between you and Donghae."

Hyukjae wiped his tears and stayed silent.

"Let's work things out. You know how important this is for Donghae. I can understand why he did what he did. He was not just trying to get everything back after that accident for himself. Behind those hard work, beside his own dream, he was trying hard to fullfil his father dream. Have you forgotten how important that was for him?" Sungmin asked carefully. "I'm not saying he was right, I never agree of him pushing himself to the limit like he just did. But there are nine of us. Let's work things out."

"We could back him up. Change the choreo or something so it won't hard for him." Sungmin said. "I know you're good in that department so this is your chance to support him. It is better than asking him not to perform with us. You see, there's always way out."

Hyukjae looked at sungmin. "It's going to be hard hyung."

"I know. So share your burden with us." Sungmin said sincerely. "We will take care of Hae, ok? can you trust us?"

Hyukjae nodded. Somehow he felt so relieved. "Thank you, hyung. I'm sorry.."

"No, I'm sorry for saying what I said earlier." Sungmin said. "Let's just forget. We have so many things to do before the concert start. Let's just concentrate on  that, ok?"

Hyukjae nooded once again and said thank you. Sungmin was always wise. He was always came out with a way out and hyukjae admired him for that.

"Hyung, can you stay?" Hyukjae asked when sungmin excused himself. "Really, I don't want to be alone. I need someone to talk. I've been alone for so long..."

Sungmin got the message. since the accident, hyukjae withdraw himself. He became quiet and kept a distance from anybody. No one ever saw him smile not laugh. He had no time for himself. The whole energy and attention he devoted to caring for Donghae. He felt responsible for what had happened to him. So he put donghae above everything. Including himself. Hyukjae finally get it. He didn't want to be alone. Sungmin thought he was ready to share his burden. So Sungmin stayed.

-----------------

Donghae closed his eyes, trying to calm down. Behind this wall, dozens of reporters waiting for them. waiting for Super Junior. Waiting for him. Today was the official press conference for their up coming concert. Everyone was geeting ready. Even Donghae. Especially Donghae. He had been practicing all morning to answer any questions that might be filed. About the accident, about his absence so far, about joining back together with super junior. But still, he couldn't find a way to relax.

Donghae took a deep breath. This was the time. Everybody passed him. But he stood still, until hyukjae pushed his back lightly.

"Hyuk.."

"Everything's going to be alright." Hyukjae said, trying to assured him. "Trust me."

Donghae nodded and start walking. He walked behind  the rest of the guys. He felt comfortable with hyukjae's hand wrapped around his shoulder. The camera flashes as soon as he stepped foot inside the conference room. He smiled at them when they called out his name. He felt the warmest feeling inside. It was a mix feeling. Happy, worry, anxiaty, all mixed up together. 

So it was started. Hyukjae sat beside him on the left side, while Leeteuk hyung sat on his right. Leeteuk hyung manage to answer all the question that has been filed. There were some reason why the company made him a leader. This was one of it. He always good at public speaking.

Donghae kept his head down, busy looking at the floor, playing with his own fingers when suddenly one of the reporter popped the question for him. They were all nice to him, asking him how he was doing, and how  happy they were that finally he made a come back.

"Donghae-ssi, tell us do you think you can made a come back with your condition?"

"I believe so, yes." Donghae answered confidently. "Thanks to all the members, they are very supportive."

"Have you fully recovered from all the injury?"

"Not really, but ..."

"Is it true that you've been taking pain killers?"

How the hell did this reporter know? Donghae thought. But he kept calm.

"Uhm.. well, yes for awhile. But.."

"So it means that you were not in a perfect condition as we speak?"

Donghae turned his head to see hyukjae. But Hyukjae didn't look at him. What should I do...

"I'm working very hard for this come back. I'm recovering and I think I would make..."

"So what can you offer to your fans?"

What is this question? did the company allow this? They ussually selected the questions. Why they kept asking those annoying questions? Donghae thought. He became a bit uneassy now.

"Can you even dance? move around? running around the stage?"

Donghae turned to where Leeteuk hyung was sitting. But he wasn't there. So he turned to Hyukjae, but he wasn't there either. Donghae stood up and looked around. Suddenly he realized that he was all alone. The camera flashes again, the question just keep flying. Everyone kept asking the question and demanded the answered.

"Hyung?!" Donghae tried to find any of his hyung. Anybody.

"Do you think ELF would still love you?"

"Hyukjae.. where are you?" Donghae started to worry. All eyes were on him now.

"You don't have a great voice like Yesung-ssi or Kyuhyun-ssi. So what can you offer?"

Donghae suddenly felt so little. He was all alone. Really alone. 

"Can you even dance?"

"Dance? Did you see how he walk when he came in? He needed Hyukjae to support him."

Donghae covered his ears. "No!!! What is this? Why are you doing this?"

"Donghae-ssi, will you be like this forever? Is it permanent?"

"No!!" Donghae shouted. "I'm not disable. I'm.. I'm.."

"Does this mean that you're failing your father's dream?"

"What? No! Please.. please.. Stop it!" Donghae was panting hard. He kept covering his ears. "I'm not going to fail. I'm not failing his dream. I'm fulfilling it. Please stop it.."

"How? Donghae-ssi, so what can you do?"

Donghae's tears fell. "Why are you so cruel? I'm trying.."

Question kept popped up, over lapping, like a thousand arrows, aiming for his heart, no mercy. No one helping him, he was all alone. Completely alone. He begged them to stop between his tears. He couldn't bear it. Everything was just too painfull.

Donghae screamed as hard as he could. That was when he felt a pair of arms shaking his body gently.

"Hae, wake up! wake up!"

Donghae opened his eyes. Sweat was all over his body. He was panting hard, almost hard to breathe.

"Oh My God, you're shaken up." Hyukjae hold him tightly. "Sshh.. It was just a dream..calm down. Take a deep breath. come on.."

Donghae's breathing was short and heavy. He clucthed at hyukjae's body helplessly. He couldn't think clearly.

"Calm down, Hae." Sungmin said. "Are you ok?"

Donghae nodded. He tried to take a deep breath. He began to calm down.

"What happen?" Sungmin asked as he put his hand on donghae's back and draw a circle to comfort him.

"I'm scare, I was alone, Everyone left, I was alone... they kept asking questions, I can't answered them.. I just... I just.."

"Ok, stop."Sungmin said. "Don't tell us now. You need to calm down. Try to sleep Hae. You look so tired."

"I'm scare.." He said desperately. "Please don't leave me, Hyukkie.. jebal..."

"Have I ever?? Never! alright? calm down now. Breathe.." Hyukjae tighten his arms around him. But he let go as soon as he was calm.

Donghae was exhausted. He felt so comfortable on Hyukjae's arms that he soon began to drifted away. Hyukjae put his head on the pillow gently, pulled the blanket and cover his body.

"Please don't leave hyuk.." He said faintly as tries to fight to open his eyes. But he lost.

"I won't. "Hyukjae said as he hold his hand. "I won't. I promise.."

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