The knock at the door was unexpected. Hangeng hardly ever got visitors. 

Cautiously, he opened the door an inch at a time. 

"Heechul?"

A sopping wet Kim Heechul stood before him, clutching a bag and trying to wring out his shirt as he opened the door.

"Hi...Hannie," he murmured looking up. "I um...I need a place to stay..."

"Heechul I don't think - "

"Hannie please I don't have anywhere else to go you're the only person I know in this city!" Heechul pleaded. 

"Okay, okay come in," Hangeng opened the door fully to let him in.

Heechul shuffled in the door and left his shoes at the entrance. 

"I'm going to get your floor wet, sorry but it's raining outside, and I didn't bring any money with me so I had to walk. You know this place is hard to find," Heechul said.

"I can find you something dry to wear," Hangeng replied. 

Heechul watched as Hangeng went to his wardrobe, while he searched he looked around the small apartment. 

"You haven't asked me why I'm here," he commented peering at the photos on the wall. He'd be lying to himself if seeing the photos of him and Hangeng there didn't make him happy.

"I figure you'd either tell me yourself or I don't have to know,"

"You know me so well." Heechul almost smirked. "Do you want to know?"

"Sure. I didn't even know you were in Beijing."

"I would have told you but you changed your number since the last time Siwon saw you," Heechul said. " wouldn't give it to me anyway, said I'd cause trouble if I called you."

"He's probably right."

"Probably." Heechul took the clothes Hangeng passed him. 

A few seconds passed, a few seconds of staring at each other, the awkward air around them was making Heechul uncomfortable.

"I'll change in the bathroom," he finally murmured and moved passed Hangeng into the small white bathroom.

Once he was inside the white walls he let himself breathe. 

Maybe he should have just taken his chances with the street. He looked horrible, one glance at the mirror confirmed it and he sank to the floor, burying his face in his hands.

It was a stupid idea to come here, he should have just it up and apologised to Gunhee and stayed in the hotel! Why did he have to be so stubborn?

"Heechul? You okay in there?"

"Y-Yes!" Heechul shot up in surprise. "I'm fine!" he called.

He changed into the dry clothes and emerged from the bathroom, finding Hangeng in the kitchen.

"I hung up my clothes," he mumbled.

"They'll dry there overnight. Are you hungrry? I was about to start cooking,"

At that moment Heechul's stomach agreed for him. Blushing he nodded sheepishly. "I haven't eaten yet no," he said climbing up onto a stool to watch.

After a moment of watching, he smelled rice being fried and his heart ached from the familiar smell.

"I fought with Gunhee," he mumbled. 

"Hm?" Hangeng turned to look at him.

"That's why I'm here. I'm here for a photoshoot, and Gunhee's my stylist so he came with me. We had an argument in the hotel...about something stupid now...so I left and didn't come back. I had no where else to run to so I came here rather than go back and apologise," Heechul got lower and lower as he spoke until he was lying face first on the counter.

"You always were impulsive and stubborn..." Hangeng sighed. "At least you had somewhere to go this time."

Heechul glanced up and shuddered, thinking of the last time he'd run away.

He'd had a fight with Leeteuk and stormed out but caught in the winter snowstorm without anything warm to wear, Hangeng had found him three hours later in the park and he'd been bedridden for two weeks afterwards.

"What were you fighting about?"

Heechul paused to think back on the argument. "A few little things at first, but then one really big thing..."

Hangeng stopped his cooking to listen. 

Heechul clutched the necklace around his neck. "He threw my necklace out the window. The one you gave me...I punched him. When I went out to find it I...just kept running..." 

"Why would he do that?" Hangeng reached out to hold the necklace Heechul was clutching in the light. It was silver, with two charms hanging on it. One was the Chinese symbol for "Hee" and the other and simple silver band ring. The ring had once belonged to Hangeng, but he'd left it to Heechul when he departed from the group. For the marks around Heechul's neck, it was obvious he rarely took it off.

"Because he's a jerk." Heechul spat. "He thinks I obsess over you. As if it hasn't been four years,"

"Obsess?" Hangeng went back to the rice he was cooking.

"He says I shouldn't need this anymore, he doesn't understand that it's precious to me, the insensitive jerk." Heechul grumbled. "He says I'm clinging to you but I'm not! I'm just remembering, it's not the same as obsessing."

"Does he even know where you are?"

"No. I didn't tell him and I don't have my phone on me."

"He'll be worried about you," Hangeng frowned.

"That's the whole point of running away. He won't worry if he knows I'm safe. Serves him right," Heechul muttered.

Hangeng shook his head as he served up the food. "So I'm guessing Gunhee's your new...uh..." 

"No." Heechul cut in. "It's not like that. Not exactly."

"Not exactly?" Hangeng sat at the counter opposite Heechul as they began to eat.

Heechul refused to look up and look Hangeng in the eyes. 

"It's not like that! Don't give me that look," Heechul whined.

Hangeng laughed. "Heechul it's okay I don't mind,"

"Gunhee's not my boyfriend. He's a friend." Heechul said pointing his chopsticks at Hangeng. "With occasional benefits."

Heechul shot a guilty look at the table. "But only occasionally. When I'm stressed."

Hangeng nodded as he ate.

"Yah, is it true you're dating Kai Tong?" Heechul said changing the subject.

"Ah, no, we went on one date but that was it."

"One? Aigoo she's not good enough for you," Heechul grumbled.

"True," Hangeng said.

"You deserve someone perfect, not some minx," Heechul went on.

"There is one girl who I think is perfect for me," Hangeng replied.

"O-Oh?" Heechul's expression turned to horrified. "Um...that's good...I guess..."

"I have a picture." Hangeng held up a photo from his wallet.

Peering closer Heechul realised it was him, dressed as HeeGain on stage.

He blinked up at Hangeng. 

"Surely it's too late for that..."

"Never."

"But..." Heechul looked away. 

"Heechul-ah, there's been no one since you."

"Really?" Heechul looked back, tears in his eyes. "But I...I've been..."

"It doesn't matter to me what you've done," Hangeng said. "Or who."

Heechul sighed. "Do you mind if I used your shower? I don't want to catch cold."

"Of course. You can use the towel in there."

"Thank you." Heechul quickly escaped the kitchen into the bathroom, to think and breathe.

Why did he come here? Why didn't he just stay home?