Chapter 41

"Hyung? Are you alright?" Sanghyuk's worried voice asked. Even though they were conversing on the phone, he was still able to discern that Hongbin was not his usual self; he was even quieter than he normally would be.

"Ah, yes!" Hongbin exclaimed and it was followed by an awkward laugh. "Sorry, I was just thinking of Wonsik... Do you think that him and Ken-hyung already met or if they are contacting each other? Because I've seen it with my own eyes – It was Ken-hyung's number that I saw on Wonsik's phone screen..." He paused to try and think back of all the strange things that he saw his brother doing from the morning up until he last saw him – "Then! He labelled his text mate as 'J'! Isn't that Ken-hyung's real name? J? Jae? Jaehwan?"

Sanghyuk hummed as he thought through what he was just told, "It could be just a coincidence though? And are you sure about the numbers? Maybe you just saw it briefly and immediately thought it was Ken-hyung's because the numbers are similar? I mean... They've never met before at all, right? And Ken-hyung is also an idol." He snickered, "There is no way that Ravi-hyung could have possibly obtained his number unless he went through your phone and copied down the number. Have you thought about that, hyung?"

"You're right..." Hongbin admitted softly, now feeling small for jumping into conclusions, "I actually didn't think of that... But another thing that was bothering was that... I actually made him speak to Ken-hyung the other night...? And he was so upset about it that he even said that he hated Ken-hyung. I've seen him become angry before and that was like what...? During when our parents were getting divorced? And it's only now that I got to see him acting up again. I always ask him if he's alright or if something is bothering him but he just won't tell me... I don't know what to do anymore..." He said dejectedly.

"I don't think you should force him, hyung...?" Sanghyuk tried to comfort him. "You told me before that Ravi-hyung had always been the one to protect you and worry about you. But sometimes, it just won't work the other way around...? You're still brothers, I know. It's not fair, I know. But maybe it just isn't the right time? If you're meant to know then he'll probably spill the beans in time. Get it? Spill the beans?" He snorted and began to burst out laughing the moment he lost his self-control.

"You're not funny..." Hongbin muttered, but listened in to the former's fits of laughter anyway, shutting his eyes close and relaxing to the sound of it. 

"Aishh... It's just your sense of humour!" Sanghyuk whined childishly. "Your sense of humour , Hong beans!" He, again, continued to laugh the moment he made a pun out of his hyung's name.

Hongbin knitted his eyebrows, hearing his teasing. Nonetheless, he let it slide only because the sound of his laughter somehow helped him calm down. Maybe Sanghyuk was right. Maybe he truly was just forcing his brother and that was why Wonsik was upset and would not open up to him. But still, he could not shake off the memory of Wonsik who hissed, 'I hate him,' at that time when they were still at home, in their shared bedroom. Wonsik had a glare in his eyes and he was also shaking in anger when he said those words. It made Hongbin anxious; but the one thing that he wanted to avoid the most was for the rift between them to worsen –

"Oh yeah... Speaking of which," Sanghyuk said all of a sudden, interrupting Hongbin's train of thoughts, "I wanted to know if you want to go to the arcade with me? The one that we were supposed to visit before? It will be just the two of us today because I already asked N-hyung and he said that he had something important to do in the afternoon up until the evening. And I doubt that Leo-hyung will come with us. Oh! But how about Ravi-hyung? If he is willing to go? Is he even school? I swear to god that he never actually comes in?" He chuckled.

"Ravi's grounded," Hongbin explained to him, blinking, "And is N-hyung not going to be with Leo-hyung tonight? He's going by himself?"

"That's what I heard," Sanghyuk answered. And Hongbin could only imagine him nodding along. "Thought that he would go with Leo-hyung but you know... N-hyung said that he needed to do it by himself. God knows what he's going to do or where he's going. Oh but I asked him if he wanted to hang out tomorrow and he agreed to go with us if you're coming along?"

"Of course," Hongbin told him. "It's not like I am going to see him all the time anyway. How about Ken-hyung? Have you asked him? He seems busy these days since he's a rising idol and all, but you never know...? I'm pretty sure that he'd loved to go to an arcade too!"

"I kinda did," Sanghyuk mumbled, "But I kinda wanted just the two of us to go today... And besides, he said that his week was packed. He's filming for some drama and also doing some radio show... Kinda feel bad for him. And I also feel sorry for him since he wouldn't have time to spend with N-hyung at all." He heaved a deep sigh, "Why can't N-hyung just stay longer? You know, I asked him the other day if he wanted to live in one of our studio apartments and he declined my offer immediately."

Hongbin raised an eyebrow. "But why...? Is it because of money or something else?"

"Something else," Sanghyuk answered him. "He said that he had gotten used to living far away and he said that he was happier there..."

"Ah... But what about Leo-hyung...? Did he say if he already told Leo-hyung about it?" Hongbin asked him, remembering the tight friendship that the two shared.

"He probably hasn't. Anyway, he already made up his mind so we can only support him. He said that he would keep in contact. And if he said that he would, I trust that he really would," Sanghyuk tried to enlighten the former. "If says that he will come back, then he probably would. Just not immediately, but he eventually will."

Hongbin raised an eyebrow. "You believe in him?"

"I know him."

"I can't believe that your sister still remembers me..." N said dreamily, sighing. "It's been so long and she still does..." He glanced at his lifelong friend, hoping that he would speak to him after all the silence that went on between them. Their hands were still entwined and Leo had not once let go of N's hand. The only problem lied with the fact that Leo would not even look at him despite how many times he tried to get him to talk. His lifelong friend simply stayed as his quiet self and brooded over something N had not dared to ask. "Leo...?" N tried again, softly. He gently shook the latter's arm with his free hand. "Leo, listen to me... I need to tell you something important..."

And still, when Leo made no efforts on responding, N released a deep sigh and just laid his head on his lifelong friend's shoulder. "Ken told me that he cancelled his schedules fo