Eric is coughing as he sits up on his hospital bed with his back against the wall, legs under the blanket and an IV needle stuck into his left arm. He’s just been admitted last night due to fatigue. His filming schedule has been crazy indeed, with 5-days-straight outdoor night shootings amidst the cold late autumn wind and some early winter showers; so much for filming in sunny LA, when day time is used for sleeping instead.

He has Hyesung’s literary bible on his lap and the old poem in his hands. As he rereads the poem, he recalls the bittersweet dream he had the night before he left for LA:

They, Eric and Hyesung, were standing hand-in-hand by a tranquil beach at sunset. The horizon was a breathtaking view of orange and violet. The dream was short, but so vivid that Eric could hear the waves crashed into rock cliffs in the distance and felt the breeze brushing against his hair and skin. Hyesung was smiling at him with eyes staring straight into Eric’s soul. Then Hyesung hugged him. Eric closed his eyes and felt warm all over. But when he opened his eyes again, he was alone. He was alone, but not lonely. He couldn’t see Hyesung, but he could feel him inside, like their souls have merged into one. He felt lost, and then found. Even without Hyesung being around…

Tears roll down Eric’s cheeks, and he only realizes it once he sees drops of them on the paper he’s holding. He quickly wipes his tears and tries calming down. Andy’s on his way to visit him, so he needs to look normal.

As he had told Eric before, Andy is indeed coming to visit him in LA. Thanksgiving is still two days away, but since Eric is hospitalized, Andy doesn’t see the point of waiting for the holiday to see his eldest ‘brother’.

“Hyung!” Andy enters the VIP room with a huge grin on his face.

“Hey… *cough cough* C’mere, you!” Eric’s tired face lights up.

Andy approaches the bed and hugs Eric tightly for a while. He then says, “So this is where you’ve been hangin’ out, huh?”

“Naah… *cough cough* Just got in last night *cough cough*,” Eric responds.

“So what’s goin’ on? What did the doctor say?” Andy asks, obviously concerned.

“*cough cough* The doctor hasn’t said much, still waiting for test results *cough cough*. It’s probably just the cold,” Eric tries smiling between his coughing.

“Alright, fine. I believe ya,” Andy smiles back.

"You haven't told the others, have you?" Eric gives Andy an interrogating look.

“Of course, not. You said you didn't want them to worry, especially Hyesung Hyung. And speaking of Hyesung Hyung, you do remember what day today is, right?” Andy has a meaningful smirk on his face.

“Err… Thursday? *cough cough*,” Eric has a puzzled look on his face.

“Nooo… It’s his birthday! How can you forget?!” Andy scolds Eric.

“But it’s only the 26^th!” Eric argues.

“But it’s already the 27^th in Seoul,” Andy shows Eric his watch.  

“Ah~ *cough cough* Right!” Eric nods.

Andy sets his phone on speaker and dials Hyesung’s number. They can hear Eric’s ‘Right Back’ playing.

“Eo~ Andy yah~,” Hyesung’s voice was hoarse.

“Eo~ Hyung! Where are you? Did I wake you?”

“Yep. What is it?”

Andy whispers to Eric, “Hana, dul, set!” Then both of them shouted, “HAPPY BIRTHDAAAAAAYYYYY!!!”

Hyesung has to pull his phone away from his ears, because Eric and Andy scream so loud. And it’s a good thing that Eric is in a VIP room so there are no disturbed neighbors.

“Yah! I know it’s my birthday! Why do you guys have to be so annoying?!? And what’s all that noise?” Hyesung can hear Eric’s coughing.

“Oh… That’s just Eric Hyung coughing… So, we’re the first to call, right?? The others haven’t called you, right??” Andy sounds like a 5 year-old.

“Yea, whatever… Now why is Eric coughing again? He sounds terrible,” Hyesung’s obviously on his concerned-mommy mode.

“Oh… That…” Andy got cut by Eric’s gesturing for him to stop talking and bring the phone closer to Eric’s mouth.

“Eo~ Hyesung ah~ *clears throat* I’m fine... It’s just the cold,” Eric tries to reassure the worried Mama Bird.

“Well, it better be… Or else…” Hyesung sounds like he’s trying to scare the disease away, “I told you to cut down on the cigs, didn’t I?!?” He continues, this time scaring Eric a little bit.

“Wh… *clears throat* Yeah… Yeah… Of course you did… How can I forget? *clears throat* Yeah… And I’ve cut it down. Honest! *clears throat* Scout’s honor!” Eric reflexively raises his right hand, and then quickly turns it into a fist aimed at Andy after noticing his quiet giggles.

“Fine, you’re off the hook this time. Andy yah~ Could you please make sure that your keun hyung walks his talk?” So, apparently, no one’s really off the hook, including Andy. And this time, it’s Eric’s turn to giggle quietly while signaling Andy to end the conversation.

“Oh… Ne, Hyung. Arasseo~. Sorry to wake you up and happy birthday once again! We gotta go now… Bubyeeee….” Andy quickly ends the call before the naggy birthday boy can nag some more.

“Maaaan… To think that he used to be one of the heavier smokers among us…” Eric shakes his head.

“Yeap… I guess he's really learned his lesson… And so have we, no?” Andy reminds Eric and himself of what happened to Hyesung last year.