"Where's Hee Chul-hyung?" Ki Bum looked nothing but worn out from filming. He'd been working for twenty-two hours straight when he received a frantic call from Dong Hae. Apparently, Hee Chul had walked out on the rest of the members and locked himself in his room and never came out since. EeTeuk was worried and so was everyone else. He was glad the director decided to pack up earlier than expected when he can barely make out the words coming out of Ki Bum's mouth. Ki Bum was sure the director credited it to his lack of sleep but Ki Bum was just worried about his hyung. EeTeuk can only trust Ki Bum to pacify Hee Chul.

"He's still in his room." Shin Dong answered, holding the master keys.

"No one attempted to talk to him yet?" He caught the set of keys with one hand when Shin Dong threw it to him. His three hyungs shook their heads simultaneously and he rolled his eyes. He knew how afraid they were of Hee Chul; especially when he's on a foul mood. It will be suicidal for anyone to even look his way. "Okay. Before you send me to the lion's den, can you at least tell me what happened first?" Sitting himself on the couch beside a traumatized Dong Hae. He wanted to know what the best approach would be. He’d always been the most analytical of them all. He didn’t know if it was a blessing or a curse.

"Ryeo Wook wanted to. . ." EeTeuk scratched his head. "Ki Bum-ah, do you know what day it is today?" He asked instead. He figured it will be the easiest way to let Ki Bum know.

"It’s Han Kyung-hyung’s birthday, isn’t it?" He replied in his usual monotone and EeTeuk’s eyes widened, guilt flooded his features once more. "So Wookie-hyung wanted to. .?" He prompted impatiently.

"He wanted a little celebration. He was feeling guilty that nobody even remembered but the truth was, only Jung Su-hyung forgot--"

"Hey, do you really have to rub it in?" EeTeuk spat. "It’s just that so many things are going on in my mind right now."

"--and that everyone was just too scared to even mention his name because of this irrational fear called--" And in a much lower tone, "Heechulophobia." Dong Hae continued like EeTeuk didn’t interrupt him.

"Sung Min was hypervetilating because Hee Chul-hyung broke his bottle of vintage wine before he can even have his bunny teeth on them. And now, what shouldn’t happen, happened and we don’t know what to do. Si Won went straight to Singapore for a CF filming. " Shin Dong explained fully. Si Won would have rushed in to help but he’s overseas and the last resort was to call Ki Bum. However busy he was at the moment. Ki Bum’s mouth twitched several times, his hand caressing his chin.

"Ki Bum-ah, we’re afraid he’s going to get depressed again. You know how long it took for him to recover." EeTeuk eyed him worriedly.

"I’ll talk to him." He stood up and stretched. He mentally psyched himself to be as calm and collected as possible.

"Deh. I am going to prepare the guestroom." EeTeuk sighed. The guestroom was formerly Han Kyung and Hee Chul’s bedroom. Hee Chul tranferred to a smaller room and never stepped into that room since Han Kyung left.

"Komawo, Hyung-ah. Go to sleep guys. It may take a while." Ki Bum took a deep breath before knocking on Hee Chul’s door softly. No answer. He looked for the key labeled Q. Yes, it was supposed to be a maid’s quarters. Who would think that the almighty Kim Hee Chul would choose to room in a servant’s quarters? That’s how traumatized he was after the Chinese member left. He opened the door and struggled to see in the dark before he made out of Hee Chul’s figure on top of his bed, curved in a ball. He fumbled for the light switch but before he can even turn it on,

"Press that and die." The ball threatened. Ki Bum gulped and walked over to the lava lamp instead and psychedelic light flooded the room.

"Hyung." He called and sat on the bed beside Hee Chul. "Gwenchanayo?" He asked.

"Um." Hee Chul grunted and sat up. Hee Bum came rolling on the bed and meowed before it crawled to Ki Bum's lap and his neck. "She missed you."

"Only Hee Bum?" He pouted, caressing the lovely silver cat.

"Of course. I always see you on TV, on commercials, on the internet. How can I miss you?" Hee Chul huffed. Thankfully, the room was relatively dark or his dongsaeng would know that he’s lying. He missed Ki Bum. He missed Kang In. He missed Han Kyung. He missed the Super Junior of old.

Hee Chul stiffened when Ki Bum snuggled close to him and hugged him. He thought he was supposed to be consoled? "Bummie-ah. . ."

"Hyung please? Just this once." He didn’t answer and patted his head gently instead. What did upset Ki Bum?

"You. . .you wanna talk about it?" Hee Chul scratched his head. He was never good at this. The younger boy just shook his head but sat up, he turned the lava lamp off harshly and as soon as darkness took over, he sobbed loudly. "Yah! Kim Ki Bum!" Hee Chul was stumped to see Ki Bum cry like there’s no tomorrow. The last time he did when his family decided they’re better off in Santa Monica and left Ki Bum alone in Korea.

Ki Bum, on the other hand, didn’t want his hyung to see him crying. No, he wasn’t even crying. He was wailing. He was well aware that he’s there because he needed to talk to Hee Chul and to prevent him from falling into depression again. He’s closest to Hee Chul in more ways than one because he was the most patient one in the group. The only person who can listen to Hee Chul while he went on and on about his hair, his skin, the weather, Hee Bum and whatnot. Even if most of the time, he just blocks off eveything he says and falls asleep with eyes wide open. But then, his own problems resurfaced before he can stop himself.

"What happened?" Hee Chul asked.

"R-Ri Na. . ." He can’t even continue. He can’t bear to say it lest it will come true. He shook his head madly.

Hong Ri Na’s manager Hong’s niece. And his girlfriend. For five years. On how they managed to hide it from the public, he didn’t know either.

"Omo! Why? What’s wrong?" Ki Bum and Ri Na’s the epitome of the perfect couple. Maybe because they were two of the most perfect people in Hee Chul’s eyes even if they don’t even know that. Ki Bum was his favorite dongsaeng and Ri Na’s undoubtedly one of his favorite people. Next only to Iris. Maybe because Ri Na takes good care of Ki Bum.

"Ri Na’s avoiding me. She’s not picking up my calls nor reply to my emails. I haven’t seen her for almost a month now. I asked Manager Hong about her but he doesn’t know anything either because he was with you guys on tour. And Ri Na moved into a different apartment and I don’t even know where it is." He blew his nose loudly onto the tissue that Hee Chul blindly handed him. It wasn’t very idolesque but he didn’t care. "Thanks." He mumbled. "I don’t know what to do anymore, Hyung! I was racking my brains, if I did something wrong or something that offended her somehow but I can’t remember anything!"

"We’ll help you, okay? Surely, someone knows where she is. We will pull some strings, Bummie-ah. Don’t lose hope. It’s not you." Then there’s a knock on the door before light flooded the room. Ki Bum yelped from the surge of light that stung his tired and wet eyes.

"Kim Hee Chul? What did you do to Ki Bum?!" The Super Junior leader interrogated. He heard some loud sobbing coming from the room across his and when he listened carefully, it wasn’t even Hee Chul!

"Why do you always think that I’ll malign people?" He snapped at him.

"Because you’re you." He stuck a tongue out at him and climbed the bed without invitation. "Ki Bum-ah, gwenchanayo?" Ki Bum shook his head and hugged Hee Chul’s bolster pillow tightly. The alert message of Hee Chul’s phone caught his attention before he can make out a heated remark. He grinned instantaneously when he read the message.

While he was busy typing a response, the two started making plans like the room’s owner wasn’t there. "Let’s sleep here tonight, Hyung. I missed you guys like hell."

"Good idea!" Ki Bum got up and rummaged through Hee Chul’s wardrobe and pulled out a cotton candy pink pyjamas and changed right in front of EeTeuk who’s already looking for the best position in Hee Chul’s bed. EeTeuk and Ki Bum were already occupying most of the space in his bed when the owner noticed what happened.

"Yah! What's this?" He thundered.

"Sleepover." The two chorused.

"Sleepover?! Let's!" Dong Hae and Shin Dong jumped into the bed.

"Aish!"

***************************************************************************************

A/N: Watch out for Ki Bum and Hee Chul's love stories on the succeeding chapters. It may or may not be on their own chapter but I'll give you hints:) Thank you for reading! And if it's not too much, please leave a comment:)

PS: I don't even know Hee Bum's gender. Haha