“You make yourself out to be a lot different from what you are,” an alarming voice shook Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun turned in the direction of the voice, walking towards him was Heechul.

Kyuhyun turned back to the ocean, his bags laying loosely around him, “what do you mean?” He asked carelessly.

Heechul stood at about the same height as Kyuhyun, very thin and fragile looking. He was also very girly, straight mid-length hair. Large eyes. He stood beside Kyuhyun, resting an arm on the bar over the cemented ground. “You seem to care so much, that's not like you.”

Heechul and Kyuhyun were company to each other ever since they were placed in the same house as adolescents. It was strange, Heechul could always read Kyuhyun like he was transparent. Nothing got past his eyes.

“Is that so?” Kyuhyun asked monotonously.

Heechul propped his elbows on the bars and leaned his chin in his palms, “it's so quiet, too quiet. Why did you ask me to come?”

Kyuhyun didn't know the answer to this. Why did he ask Heechul to come? It was probably because Heechul was the only person he could find any type of reliance from. Protection, that wasn't what Kyuhyun needed, but he still wished for it... sometimes.

Kyuhyun didn't reply, but Heechul knew why. It was because Kyuhyun was scared. Scared of what? He didn't know, but he knew Kyuhyun depended on him... no matter how much he refused to provide any sort of shelter. He didn't know why Kyuhyun found safety in his presence, he never tried to protect him, never.

“Well, at least I get to meet your 'brother',” Heechul added, breaking the silence. He accented the 'brother' because he didn't find them in any way compatible, not from what he heard. “Does he know?”

Kyuhyun still remained silent, Heechul still knew the answer.

“Not planning to tell him?” Heechul asked, turning to Kyuhyun.

Kyuhyun continued to remain silent, Heechul could still read his thoughts.

“Sooner or later-” Heechul said, but was interrupted.

“Kyuhyunnie!” Eunhyuk yelled, sprinting towards the duo. Upon seeing Heechul, he stopped abruptly in front of Kyuhyun, stopping his mid-air hug. “Your friend?”

Kyuhyun crossed his arms, looking at the grinning Heechul to his left. Heechul hung an arm around Kyuhyun's shoulder, smiling widely.

“His brother,” Heechul exclaimed, landing a quick peck on Kyuhyun's cheek. “Kyuhyunnie? You actually let people call you that?”

“A kiss? You actually let people touch you?” Eunhyuk countered, sharpening his eyes. “You barely ever let me hug you,” he complained.

Kyuhyun threw Heechul a glare.

Heechul removed his arms and shrugged, “sorry, I'll mind my public display of brotherly affection. But you're the real brother, aren't ya?” Heechul asked, holding out a hand.

Eunhyuk shook the hand, smiling back politely while nodding, “Eunhyuk.”

“I'm Heechul,” he answered, “and these two pretty-” he was about to say before Kyuhyun nudged him. Heechul turned to him with innocent eyes, Eunhyuk started laughing.

“This is Ryeowook,” Eunhyuk said, laughing as if someone just made a hysterical joke, “and this is his girlfriend, Ga Seo.”

Heechul finally understood why Kyuhyun nudged him and grinned slightly, “I knew he was a man.”

“Uh-huh, sure,” Kyuhyun said sarcastically.

“I did! I'm used to pretty looking men, I look in the mirror enough,” Heechul quickly added. No one dared to laugh. Eunhyuk, Ryeowook and GaSeo couldn't tell if he was joking or not.

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes and hinted at a smile.

It was the first time any of the trio ever saw Kyuhyun smile, it was a precious moment.

“Well, let's go,” Kyuhyun finally said, striving hard to keep his laughter in.

“Don't laugh Cho Kyuhyun, I'm not joking!” Heechul cried, punching Kyuhyun's back as he grabbed the bags lying on the ground. “Cho Kyuhyun!” He shouted again.

Ryeowook watched the pair quarrel happily, his feelings were awkwardly mixed. He had never seen this side of Kyuhyun before and to see these reactions being stimulated by someone he has never seen before made him feel even more confused.

Kyuhyun carried Heechul's bags as well, an act of a gentlemen. That's right, Kyuhyun was never much of a gentlemen. They must have been really close.

Ryeowook glanced over at GaSeo, who slightly tugged on his arm sleeve. To reassure her sudden insecurity, he gave her a smile and kissed her lightly on the forehead. She smiled, and they followed closely behind Kyuhyun and Heechul, Eunhyuk beside them.

–

Eunhyuk felt oddly misplaced. Standing in between his brother, and his brother's brother, he didn't know what role he played in this trio. He was the biological one, and Kyuhyun never really made him feel as if he didn't belong, but he just couldn't get along with Kyuhyun like Heechul did.

“Kyuhyunnie...” Eunhyuk started, Kyuhyun looked up at him from his seat.

They were sitting on a cruise, but no one knew where they were heading except for Kyuhyun, and possibly Heechul.

“...are you hungry?” Eunhyuk asked caringly, sighing from his cowardly acts, he couldn't bring himself to ask Kyuhyun anything about his past.

Kyuhyun shot Heechul, who was watching the fishes in the ocean, a look. As if feeling his stare, Heechul turned around. “What?”

Kyuhyun ignored his question and shook his head at Eunhyuk, “are you?”

Eunhyuk shook his head, and then nodded, but shook it again. Heechul giggled at this cute confusing stage that Eunhyuk was going through.

“Why don't you, Ryeowook and GaSeo go get something to eat? Me and Kyuhyun will wait here for you guys... and gal.” Heechul suggested.

They eventually discovered that Heechul was the eldest in the group, almost twenty-seven years old. Although he was a goof-ball and liked to joke around, smiling often, he really did have a big-brother side to him.

“You know, kiddo...” Heechul started to lecture, taking a jacket out of his bag, “it get's cold around here...”

Everyone watched Heechul with expecting eyes, but was disappointed by his next action, “you should have warned me, it's a good thing I'm a smart man.”

Heechul threw the jacket over his shoulders and stretched his arms into the sleeves. Kyuhyun knew better than to expect anything from him, he knew he would have to wait an eternity to receive any warmth from him.

“Yeah, it's a good thing your brain has enough capacity for optimism,” Kyuhyun mocked, stretching his arms over his head, “it's not that cold, you weakling.”

Heechul pretended not to hear Kyuhyun's mean comment, returning to his seat and relaxing in the breeze of the ocean.

Eunhyuk smiled at Kyuhyun's cold yet sarcastic nature and turned to leave with Ryeowook and GaSeo. He had many expectations for this trip, it would be a good one, but it seemed he was the only one who thought this way.

Ryeowook followed behind Eunhyuk and GaSeo, who both clung to each of his arms, his mind heavy with a sudden burden overcoming him. He could feel something cold growing inside him, something foreign, something only he could understand... in time.