A/N: Mianhae means sorry. Thanks to one of my sweet commenter, Bella from winglin, I’m learning new words xD

Aein means lover.

And here are three dishes I mentioned in the chapter. Disclaimer or info: all from the Wikipedia and another site.
1- Japchae is boiled potato noodles with steamed spinach, roasted julienned beef, roasted sliced onion, roasted julienned carrots all mixed with seasoning made of soy sauce, sesame oil and half-refined sugar.
2- Gimbap (literally, seaweed-rice) consists of cooked rice, sesame oil, salt, and sesame seeds, sugar is often added as seasonings. Then it is placed on a sheet of gim, dried laver. The seasoned rice is spread on the laver, and then fried egg, julienned carrots, julienned ham, seasoned ground beef or seasoned fish cakes, pickled radish, seasoned spinach, and seasoned gobo and cucumber are then placed closely together on the rice, and is rolled in the manner similar to that of the Japanese sushi. Today, there are many varieties of gimbap: tuna, cheese, bulgogi, vegetable, and more.
3- Ddeokbokki consists of sliced rice cake, meat, eggs and seasoning. It is often sold by street vendors.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Donghae entered the classroom with the required books in his hands. Setting them on the table, he looked around. Where was HeeChul?

While he waited for his friend, he began thinking of the latest incidents.

‘Yunho got paired up with Jaejoong-ah. They are so perfect for each other… Yunho is really lucky to have such a loving person to be his partner. And Siwon-hyung just started his new love-life with Changmin all alone in their cosy apartment… although it’s quite big… I really like the breeze there…’

Donghae put his head down and closed his eyes.

‘HeeChul probably loves Yunho even today. Will I ever have a chance? The other guys were each other’s first loves. My first love apparently has a past with super strong but wasted feelings for someone who doesn’t even have a clue about it! Huh… Looks like I’m doing the same as HeeChul…wasting my first love like this.’

Suddenly someone slapped Donghae’s back really hard.

“Ouch!!!”

HeeChul chuckled, “Oops, too hard. Mianhae!” he bowed, still laughing.

“That’s my spinal cord you idiot!” Donghae shouted, massaging his spine. “And you are aiming to be a neurologist researcher…hmph.” He pouted. Donghae began as a best friend for Heechul (before he made a turn in his affections) and he continued to act as one.

“Hey! Stop being so mean!” Heechul sat beside him.

“I’M being mean? And who almost damaged my nerves?”

Heechul hugged him, “I said sorry…”

“It’s ok,” Donghae replied smiling. This was good enough for him. He didn’t have to take the next step in this relationship. He was happy the way they were.

Heechul wondered for a while, then looked at Donghae, “Like I asked Siwon-hyung, I’ll ask you something to which you must reply truthfully. Take an oath.”

Donghae sighed and exaggerated his next movements along with dragging his words into whining sounds, “I, Lee Donghae, hereby, take an oath, of telling the truth, only the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, no lies, no pretence, no pretension, and be honest, and answer, any of, Kim Heechul’s, questions~”

“…That took a full one minute.”

“I said it,” Donghae said looking distressed, as if Heechul wasn’t content with the oath. He feared he had to say that again in less than half a minute.

“Okay, now, down to the question,” he looked seriously at Donghae, who sighed in relief. Heechul was content! “Who do you like? I mean romantically.”

Donghae blinked. “I don’t like anyone.”

“You do. I can tell.”

‘How does Heechul know?’

“Donghae, tell me. You’re supposed to tell me everything, yet you hide this one. But I forgive you for that. At least, now that I know, tell me who it is!”

Donghae looked down. Then, putting on his most serious face, he looked right into Heechul’s eyes and said, “You.” He said the truth out loud right in front of that person. Dull confession.

Heechul frowned. “First you take the oath, then you look me in the eye, and now you make fun of this?”

‘I’m not making fun of anything Heechul…’ He laughed. “Serves you right! My back still hurts… Plus, you never told me about Yunho until I personally found out about it.”

“At that time we were just friends! Not best friends or anything! Oh come on Donghae-yah…” he put his special puppy face on, “please~?”

“Aww…” Donghae pinched Heechul’s cheeks. Then he smiled a wicked smile. “No.”

“UGH! FINE! I’ll find out myself!” Heechul said and then turned around. Donghae was going to say something but the teacher had already entered the room.

~~~ ~~~

*Door Bell Rings*

Changmin quickly opened it. “Heechul-hyung!”

“Minnie! How’s your sugar-filled life going?” Heechul said as he threw his single-strap bag onto the bed and sank in it.

“Sugar-filled life?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t understand! Your life is full of ‘sweet’ things nowadays huh?”

Changmin smiled sheepishly. “Well, I have university and Siwon leaves early and comes home late at night sometimes, so we don’t have much time together…”

Heechul got up, “That’s heart-breaking. You guys are a new couple! You should spend more time with each other!”

“Yeah…You must be hungry-”

“I just ate lunch. Sit here, let’s talk.”

Changmin sat beside Heechul on the bed and faced him, waiting for whatever he wanted to say. Heechul smirked which made the other boy feel that something was up his sleeve.

“Did you do it yet?” Heechul asked.

Changmin blushed. He played with his fingers. No, they didn’t have much time together at all, and ‘that’ was out of the question.

Heechul lost his enthusiasm. “Sorry. I should have known when you said he comes home late at night.”

“No, it’s okay. And there’s nothing to be sorry about.”

“He should totally ask for a vacation or something, that hyung of mine. You know, unlike many masterminds of this world, he is exceptional. He understands emotions and how to express himself although he’s a genius and all that. He just needs the time to show you. So, I think it’ll work out fine. You’ll have some time together in a few days, I’m sure.”

Changmin smiled. He had hope, no doubt. And he knew how amazing of a surgeon his Siwon was. He didn’t want to rush things anyway.

“And Changmin, don’t get him wrong or be angry or sad or, most definitely, think that your relationship isn’t working out properly. Remember, he’s a very good doc so he has the pressure. As long as love is there, and you guys realise that, everything’s gonna go fine. After all, the drama you guys created can’t go to waste can it?”

“Hyung!”

Then he remembered something Siwon and he were talking about last night when the doctor came home early.

=Flashback=

Siwon and Changmin were sitting on their bed leaning against its headboard in a comfortable position. They were talking about many things, including the subject about Jaejoong which Siwon was yet not fully informed of.

“I’m glad Yunho kept following him,” Siwon said with a laugh.

“Ya, I think the beginning of their story is funny. Imagine it: Yunho-hyung staring at Jae-hyung and following him while Jae-hyung keeps cursing words at him.” Changmin grinned.

“Jaejoong totally deserves his new life.” He kissed his lover’s forehead. “You do too.” Changmin snuggled closer. Siwon caressed him.

Siwon suddenly wanted to tell Changmin something what Heechul told him to hide.

“Baby…I want to tell you something about … three people in our lives, but I think one of them wouldn’t like it if I told you the entire story…”

“Then just tell me half of it. You don’t want to betray their trust.”

“But I want to tell you the whole thing. Then again, you might react to it and have different views on things.”

“… Then don’t tell me…”

Siwon remained quiet and Changmin began to think if Siwon actually took his words. But then he spoke up, “Don’t tell anyone. Especially Yunho and Jaejoong-ah. And don’t react too much. It’s all past now and he doesn’t care anymore.”

Changmin sat up. “You’re scaring me, but ok.”

Siwon sighed, “Heechul…used to love Yunho.”

Changmin’s eyes widened. “So I was right…”

“You knew?!”

“No! I just thought so… but did he tell Yunho-hyung?”

“No…he doesn’t want to either. Everyone’s happy now and if that past comes back again, I’m afraid our peace will be disrupted.”

“Yeah, especially Jaejoong-hyung. He’ll be really depressed and start thinking otherwise, while Yunho-hyung will try to get rid of Heechul-hyung. Oh God! What a mess… Who else knows about this?”

“Only me…and you…and Donghae.”

“Donghae-hyung?”

“Yeah, he kinda found out. He could be better off as a detective than a neurologist.”

Changmin laughed at his joke. “Tell him that.”

Siwon laid his head on Changmin’s lap now. “But the main thing is that Donghae likes Heechul, very secretly.”

Changmin’s eyes dilated, then he frowned and sighed. “Another puzzle…And how did you find out?”

“I could tell the way he looked at Heechul. I think even Heechul guessed something was up.”

“The whole lot of you can become detectives,” Changmin said with a poker face. “And how could you ‘tell’?”

“I’ve had experience baby.”

Changmin became alert. “Eh?”

“No, no! I mean I have friends who are obvious. Donghae’s not obvious, but I had the feeling. Wait, lemme text Heechul about me telling you about Yunho.”

Reply from Heechul: *Changmin’s ok. But NO ONE ELSE!*

=End of Flashback=

Heechul waved his hand in front of Changmin’s lost-in-thoughts face. “Anyone in there?”

“Oh sorry. I was just-”

“Wandering off.” He finished for Changmin. “I know you were. Now listen to me. I was wondering if you could tell me something about Donghae.”

“Huh? But I don’t know Donghae-hyung much.”

“You’ll probably know. I’m sure Siwon-hyung tells you everything. He even told you about my affections towards Yunho so I’m sure. Siwon-hyung knows the looks and stuff about people when they fall in love. I wanted to go to him and ask directly, but he might not answer, so I thought you would tell me.”

Changmin gulped, “What is it?”

“Who does Donghae like?”

Changmin was afraid that would be his question and it turned out to be exactly that. “Hyung… I don’t know if I should say it…”

“Please Changmin, please!”

*Door Opens*

“Baby, are you home yet?”

Heechul started giggling like a girl, “Baby?”

When Siwon passed his bedroom door, he was taken aback. “Heechul?”

“So affectionate,” he got up from the bed, “what if I was someone else?”

“What are you doing here? Classes over or something?”

“Class begins at 3p.m. so I got time in my hands. What are you here for?”

“I have a nightshift from 7 o’ clock so I came home for a while.”

“Siwon, here.” Changmin handed him a glass of water. Siwon kissed him and made Heechul look away. “Woah hyung!”

“You are the one in a lover’s bedroom.” He drank the water.

“Nightshift?” Changmin asked.

“Yea…sorry. I’m home till evening though. We could go somewhere!”

“Uh, no it’s ok. You should sleep a bit now. Did you eat?”

“No, I was hoping you would cook me something,” Siwon said looking hopeful.

Changmin smiled, “Ok, I’ll prepare japchae and gimbap. Take a shower now.”

“I thought he didn’t know how to cook!” Heechul exclaimed when Changmin left.

“Who said? His cooking is so delicious! Yesterday he cooked me ddeokbokki and it was out of this world.”

Heechul laughed. “I never saw him cook. I should ask Yunho though. I’m sure he hasn’t seen his brother cook either.”

“Well, he is my aein,” he said proudly and gave a triumphant smile more to himself than Heechul. “I should freshen up now before he finishes cooking,” said Siwon and rushed to the bathroom.

‘I never got to know who Donghae likes…’ Heechul pouted. He walked into the kitchen and asked again, “Who does Donghae like?”

“…”

“Come on! Someone tell me!!!”

“Why do you want to know hyung?”

“Because!!! … Just because…”

= = = = = = =