Heechul didn't miss the way Hankyung slammed the fridge shut and muttered in Chinese to himself in the kitchen.

 

He looked on in concern, but he was already late for his schedule, he didn't have time to console him.

 

“Hyungs, how about we go drink?” Donghae suggested, also noticing Hankyung's dark expression.

 

“I have to go. You two laze about here while I actually go and work for a living,” Heechul joked.

 

Lightening the mood was his only defence in tense situations.

 

“Are you saying I don't work?” Hankyung snapped, spinning around to glare at Heechul. “All I'm here for is work you thick-headed ladyboy!”

 

Donghae gasped. “Hyung!”

 

Heechul froze, eyes wide, mouth hanging open in shock. “H-Hannie...”

 

Hankyung blinked at Heechul's voice, eyes turning apologetic.

 

“Heechul – ”

 

“I – I have to get to work,” Heechul rushed out of the room, tears beginning to fall from his eyes.

 

He heard Hankyung call his name, but he kept running to the car and got in before he could be stopped.

 

Wiping his eyes in a desperate attempt to stop crying, he just stared out the window in gloomy silence.

 

Eventually he managed to stop the tears falling.

 

“Hyung?” Sungmin wrapped an arm around Heechul, looking worried. “Are you okay? What's wrong?”

 

Heechul just shook his head. “I'm fine.” he whispered.

 

Sungmin held him and rubbed his back in comfort.

 

He put on sunglasses to hide his tear-stained face and schedule went on without another word.

 

This wasn't the first time Hankyung had snapped at him. It had been happening a lot lately.

 

Heechul had had doors slammed in his face, cruel words snipped at him, cold silences and plain ignoring.

 

But he'd never been yelled at before. And not insulted like that.

 

He tried to ignore it, but the insult ate at him like a cancer all day.

 

He and Sungmin arrived at Music Core early, and one by one the other members turned up for their evening performance.

 

Heechul just stared into space, in solemn silence.

 

“What's with him?” Kyuhyun asked.

 

“I think he had a fight with Hankyung-hyung,” Sungmin murmured.

 

“You mean someone actually put Heechul in his place?” Kyuhyun cackled.

 

“Kyuhyun shut up.” Sungmin warned.

 

“No no this is monumental. The Ice Prince got his feelings hurt? Aw. I didn't even realise he had feelings.”

 

Heechul let one tear slip down his face before standing abruptly, barging passed Kyuhyun and escaping the dressing room, rushing down the hallway.

 

He slammed into someone in his rush, and a hand gripped his arm to steady him.

 

When he looked up he saw Hankyung. He mumbled an apology and tried to get passed, but Hankyung held steadfast.

 

“Heechul, this morning I – I'm sorry I didn't mean it – ”

 

“Didn't mean it?! You were horrible!” Donghae's voice rang out down the corridor as he approached. “Get off him, hyung's probably mad enough.”

 

Donghae detached Hankyung's hand from Heechul's arm, but the older just stood there, staring at the floor.

 

“I'm not mad.” he mumbled.

 

“Why? I'm mad.” Donghae said.

 

“Just not. Hae, let's go inside.”

 

“Heechul – ”

 

“Don't talk to him. Come on hyung,” Donghae tugged along the lifeless Heechul back into the dressing room.

 

After a deep breath, Hankyung followed. He was stopped by Sungmin and Donghae.

 

“What did you do to him?” Sungmin demanded. “You broke Heechul-hyung!”

 

“I didn't mean to,” Hankyung said weakly.

 

“Didn’t mean to?! I – ”

 

“Min.” Heechul stood up and stepped over to them. He waved them back and kept walking until he reached Hankyung.

The members present looked on in concern, some fleeing the scene.

 

Heechul felt hot tears gather, and brought his hand sharply across Hankyung's face.

 

“Why?!” he half-shouted, half-sobbed. “Why are you doing this to me?! What have I done? What did I do to you I don't understand Hannie I'm sorry!” he burst into hysteric tears right there.

 

Hankyung pulled him to his chest and cradled his sobbing form against him as he continued to cry.

 

The members decided this was too private and shuffled out, until Sungmin finally dragged Donghae out too.

 

“You've been so distant and cruel lately, you shut me out and don't talk to me,” Heechul sobbed. “I don't know what's going on,”

 

“Heechul – ”

 

“How could you say that to me? Why Hannie, what have I done?”

 

“Nothing...I'm sorry. I am. I've just been so stressed out and tired lately I...I'm sorry. I never meant to, I'm sorry. I'm sorry,” Hankyung Heechul's hair, trying to soothe him.

 

“You've never taken that out on me before,”

 

“I know but, I'm not well.” Hankyung sighed.

 

“Not well?” Heechul looked up and blinked through his tears. “What do you mean?”

 

Hankyung hesitated. Should he tell him, about his liver? His sickness?

 

“I'm...sick.”

 

“Sick?”

 

“It's nothing, I'm just tired. I'm not thinking straight. I'm sorry Princess, I promise I won't do anything like this again,”

 

Heechul held Hankyung tightly, burying his face in his chest. “Okay.” he mumbled. “Tell me you feel this way next time, don't leave me in the dark. I thought you didn't love me any more.”

 

“Never. I love you forever Heechul.” Hankyung murmured. “I'll talk to you next time.”

 

“Okay. I love you too Hannie.” Heechul sighed, resting comfortably against him, fears finally soothed.