Leeteuk couldn’t make out where was he for a moment. Sleep still in his eyes, he glanced around the room ,incident from last night slowly absorbing in his mind. He was still at Heechul’s apartment. Kagnin and Shindong were still sprawled nearby deep in sleep.

He glanced over to find other people. Donghae was up and bouncing for reasons unknown annoying Yesung with his super excited behaviour. Eunhyuk and Siwon was challenging each other in push ups.

He got up stretching his sore muscles. Sungmin entered room with a big teddybear. Leeteuk gave him a questioning look.

“Ahh… our hyung is famous…”he said grinning, setting the bear at a corner already filled with gifts flowers, chocolates, plushies and what not.

Leeteuk nodded looking at the whole lot of gifts. Heechul seemed surely famous. He wondered whether those girls screaming  while Heechul performed, had  gathered outside the building. Thinking of which made him think of his own gift and eventually THAT picture. Though everyone was behaving fairly normal right now, he remembered all were freaked out last night looking at that picture.

He quickly glanced around. He needed to talk to Heechul and apologize for his stupid mistake. He wanted to tell him that he had no idea about it and had no intention of hurting the other.

“He is not up yet.”Zhou Mi smiled, offering him a cup of coffee. He smiled kindly at older, reading his mind perfectly.

Leeteuk nodded, thinking about how he should approach this situation when time comes when Ryewook called them for breakfast.

Siwon didn’t look much happy when he walked past Leeteuk to enter into kitchen.He had his usual stern look on but there was anger also. Leeteuk tried to ignore the look younger gave to him as he took his seat on table.

“So what are we doing today?”Eunhyuk asked.

“Don’t know. Since hyung doesn’t like to be alone on his birthday so we will be around him till party in the night.”Sungmin stated.

“Like he will be with us..!! I am so sure he will be busy on his phone chatting with his numerous friends as usual.”Shindong  said entering the kitchen.

“Let’s go to amusement park…It will be fun.”Donghae almost screamed.

“Aigoo..you suggest the same thing every year.Ain’t you still a kid”Kangin was up too by now.

Donghae pouted hearing the comment.

“Hyung likes to stick at home usually. I guess he will be lazing around all day.”Yesung stated his view.

Just then Heechul stormed out of his room.

“Aishh really  irritating.”he yelled to no one particular. He had held his phone a little too tightly and looked somewhere between angry and frustrated.

  Leeteuk stopped his eating just like everyone but he was the most worried out of them.He thought Heechul’s bad mood was due to his mistake.

After fuming over the unknown issue,Heechul glanced up to find bunch of people staring at him.

“What?”he asked in a low but scary tone.

Immediately, everyone was a little too much interested in plate in front of them.Everyone but Siwon and Leeteuk.

Siwon gave a worried look to Heechul but didn’t get any response.

Leeteuk was still forming the words he wanted to speak ,but suddenly he didn’t know what to say so he ended up staring at other once again.

Heechul raised an eyebrow but before he would say anything Ryewook pitched in.

“Hyung come have breakfast with us.I made eggs ..I have some extra for you since you like them. ”the petit man dragged other to the table, quickly fetching a plate for him.

Heechul signed looking at his plate.He didn’t  say anything as he started taking small bites.

Everyone ate in silence ,sensing the mood.

Leeteuk took this time to gather his thoughts,thinking what should he say.That he is sorry he didn’t know.But he didn’t want to bring up the topic again.The memories would be hurtful.But then what should he do.He surely needed to say sorry.

He slowly approached the slender man once everyone was done eating and were fooling around.Heechul had not spoken much he was sitting going through his mobile.

“Umm..Heechul ah”he started unsure about what to say next.

Heechul glanced up,his eyebrow raised.

“That…ummm..about that picture.I…I really didn’t know.”Leeteuk tried to read other’s expression but nothing could be told by them. They were plain.

“MianHae..”he continued apologetically. He wished Heechul would understand.

Heechul was still staring blankly.

“I didn’t want to spoil your mood or ruin your birthday.I just didn’t know. I should have asked someone before putting that picture.I…I will do anything to rectify that mistake.”he continued when he got no response.He somehow had to make it towards Heechul.

Heechul kept on staring at other for some time, before a smile came on his face…but it was an evil one.

“Anything??”he asked.

****

“WHAT??..No…no.no..NO”Leeteuk screamed.

The atmosphere in the apartment had suddenly filled with excitement ,everyone was running around to get ready.

“Wae?you said you will do anything.”Heechul argued.His mood seemed much better now.

 “Yeah but not that..You know I hate it.”The older protested.

“Anything means anything isn’t it?So we are totally doing it.”Heechul was in no mood to listen to other’s excuses.

“Yah..but I am scared of heights.”Leeteuk sais trying to pursue other.

“Yeah that’s why it’s fun.”Heechul smirked wickedly.

“Say..don’t you feel guilty about what you have done? All I am asking you is this…I mean Bunjee jumping isn’t it fun?”he continued in mischievous tone.

“Yeah hyung it is..it is…Woah let’s go.”Donghae said all excited.

“It’s not when you are scared of heights.”Leeteuk hissed. It was true he wanted to make it up to Heechul but this..well this sounded scary. He was petrified of heights.

“Yah I don’t know .You said ‘anything’ remember? So we are going.Yahh…everyone get ready.”Heechul turned before Leeteuk could say anything.

Everyone was all excited and chirping here and there when Leeteuk came out all dressed up.He had found a little courage to go but he had fully planned to try to persuade Heechul on the way.

“Yah noisy people…let’s go.”Heechul said coming out of the room.

“I hope you are ready..”he said coming near to Leeteuk that evil grin still playing on his lips.

Leeteuk gave a troubled expression but he knew he had no escape from this situation.

Heechul kept on staring at other before his expression changed and he burst into laughter.Everyone was clueless as to what was going on but it didn’t matter he kept on laughing ,now pointing a finger towards Leeteuk,Imagining god knows what.

“What?what is it?”Leeteuk asked,looking confused.

Heechul paused catching his breath but once again burst into crazy laugh.

“That….Thing is….you see…  NOT telling you”he said somehow before bursting once again as he turned to leave.

He whispered something to very eager Donghae,the younger as well burst into laughter after hearing and taking a good look at Leeteuk.

“What’s with them?”Leeteuk was clueless what he looking funny?The green shirt and army green pants looked perfectly normal to him.

“Let’s go hyung..”Sungmin dragged him out of the house.

Outside everyone was still deciding who will drive with whom.Only two not participating were Siwon and Heechul.

“Let’s go.”Siwon said hopping on his bike handing a helmet to Heechul.

Heechul looked excited.

“Yay…I am in adventurous mood today…Let’s go…palli..palli”He stated wearing the helmet.

He glanced at Leeteuk once as he hopped on the bike.A mischievous grin came on his lips.

“See you there…Peter pan.”he screamed as Siwon started bike and sped away.

Leeteuk narrowed his eye not sure what Heechul meant by that.

“Hyung come with us…”Donghae pushed him settling himself between Leeteuk and Eunhyuk.

“Yay Let’s go and jump…so much fun”he sang happily.

Leeteuk gulped .What was the fun in flinging yourself from a very very considerable height….height..he was so much afraid of it.

“Hyung,you look nervous.”Eunhyuk asked as Sungmin started the car.

“I..I am scared of heights.”Leeteuk confessed.

“Oh really?But Heechul hyung said it was your idea and you were very much eager to do this.”Zhou Mi asked looking puzzled.

“That must be the devil in him...brat.”Leeteuk muttered under his breath,making everyone grin.But no one showed it on their faces.

“Aigoo hyung,it’s ok.May be you can only watch us. But I think it will be so much fun if you will actually do it.”Donghae stated.

Leeteuk nodded.He quickly needed to think how he could avoid jumping.

“But hyung looked quite cheerful.I mean when he came out of the room he was what..kind of scary.”Eunhyuk remembered Heechul’s cold gaze.

Leeteuk suddenly started feeling guilty again.May be he can go and jump…that might be helpful in clearing this feeling…after all Heechul had chosen this punishment for him.

“Yeah..may be..do you think it was him again?” Sungmin asked as car stopped on a signal.

“Yeah I was having same thoughts. He does this every year and spoils hyung’s mood.Why doesn’t he leave him alone?”Zhou Mi looked slightly irritated.

 “He is not ready to give up.He had made it clear that he would do whatever it takes.”Eunhyuk said.

“But his crazy attempts hurt hyung..he never thinks about this or how hard it would be for hyung..Selfish as usual.” Donghae was getting furious.

Leeteuk felt kind of lost.He somehow could make it out that this ‘he’ might be someone very close to Heechul may be that guy from the picture.But he was not getting the whole picture from conversation between these furious dongsaengs of his.

“Ummm…If I could ask,whom are we talking about?”he asked caustiously.He didn’t want to poke his nose in Heechul’s private life but he kind of wanted to know about it as well.

Everone of them looked at each other.May be deciding whether to tell Leeteuk about it.

“It’s Hankyung..the one in the picture from last night.”Eunhyuk finally spoke.Leeteuk was already involved in this matter by now.I would be ok if he was told about it.

“A few years ago,that name..that man was dearest to hyung.A man which he came to love with all his heart.”he added.

Leeteuk nodded he had guessed it,that the man would be very close to Heechul .

“No matter how hard we try to deny it now,it was true that Hankyung made hyung happiest.Hyung used to smile so much in those days. He would be always like Hannie this and Hannie that.He would become total mushy around him.We thought that they two were perfect, Hankyung was really caring and the love could be felt.”Zhou Mi went back into time.

“So….something happened?”Leeteuk asked.If everything was like a fairytale then what happened suddenly?

There was total silence in the car for few minutes. But Leeteuk didn’t interfere, may be those memories were really sad for them.

“It was same old story…what is more important love? or your dreams..your career?”Sungmin spoke first.

“Singing was Hankyung’s passion.That’s why he came to Korea in first place.He wanted try his luck here.They met at a restaurant where he used to perform in his initial days. I guess it was love at first sight for Heechul hyung because he couldn’t stop talking about it after that.Later on Hankyung started singing at the club as well and things sparked up for them.”Donghae continued.

“Things were good for few years.Hankyung used to get frustrated sometimes because he was still struggling…but they used to manage it nicely.But then,it started to fall apart rapidly. One day Hankyung told hyung that he had received an offer from a big label in China.One of his friend there had submitted a CD of his performances there and they liked it.I had never seen hyung more happy than that day.He was literally bouncing.We all celebrated like crazy that day.Of course the thing was Hankyung had to frequent to China and would be away for some days but that was still ok.Then he left.”Doughae paused, sighing.

“At first we thought he had gone for few days… But then he called one day telling it was permanent. That he was not coming back.”Eunhyuk spoke up.

Leeteuk looked at him astonished.How could someone who was in so much of love do that?

“The label which he was working with had a problem with his preference,that he loved a man.That was not acceptable in their terms and conditions it seemed. A controversial new star is problematic right?...Just like that,he disappeared from hyung’s life..just saying ‘sorry’..saying he had no other choice…that was his reason.” Eunhyuk paused thinking about those days when it was hard to handle Heechul’s outbreaks.

“Hyung was…umm devastated, Yeah.”Zhou Mi picked up the conversation.

 “Seeing him like that was frightening .Like Hankyung took his soul with him.He locked himself up in his apartment for months..he wouldn’t talk,eat,sleep.We were scared we might lose him like that..we had to constantly look after him those days.We tried our best to bring him back to himself but hyung surely took his own time.But he snapped out of it somehow.But that incident left a deep scar on his heart.”

A cold silence fell in the car,making the environment dark.

“But it seems Hankyung…no Hangeng was not satisfied with this much.So one fine day after all those years, he called up hyung saying he made a mistake. Just when hyung was getting along with his life, he tried to screw it all over again. Some nerve he has.”Donghae spoke up, furiously.

“So he wants to get back?”Leeteuk asked.

“Yeah apparently. He said he can manage it somehow now that he is big star and all people might accept it..but I personally think it’s all bull….thank god hyung thinks same and is not giving in.But he keeps on urging it..It must not be easy for hyung..but that selfish person never thinks about it.The pain he caused was enough already…why don’t he understand? He thinks, after all these years he can return on hyung’s side and everything would be normal…as before.”

No one spoke after this, everyone was in deep thought. Leeteuk could have never guessed there was this much pain behind that smile. But then The vibrant smile he had seen in that picture…one which made him to choose that picture for the album…he had not seen it yet.

“That’s why we freaked out about that picture. Though hyung had a nice bright smile in that picture,it is filled with bitter memories.To think a person who made you so much happy causing you pain…”Sungmin tried to explain their behavior from night.

“They say the more you love someone the harder they hurt you.”Leeteuk kind of spoke to himself.

The atmosphere was pleasant. The scenery and the cool breeze flowing was enough to clear one’s mind and refresh it.All of them had reached the spot and were waiting for Siwon and Heechul.

“Looks like they are taking longest route available.”Shindong commented.

They were seating in the waiting area.Leeteuk who should have felt anxious was actually deep in thoughts.He couldn’t help but think about it.Heechul had gone through a rough period a very bad one…and all he could do was to remind the other about it on his birthday.The weight of guilt was building up.

****