Why?

~Sungmin POV~

Where. Is. He? He’s been gone for three days now and there’s no sight of him! Not even a phone call! I swear, Leeteuk is going to burn a path right through the floor with how much he’s pacing.

“I’m sure he’ll show up eventually, Teukie-hyung,” Eunhyuk said, sitting on the couch with Donghae.

“Yeah, he’ll call soon,” Donghae followed.

All Leeteuk could do was smile at the pair, “Yeah, he’ll come back soon.” The two smiled at him before turning their attention back to the television. Ryeowook was in the kitchen while Siwon and Shindong were out looking for said missing person. Seriously, he may be my hyung, but I’ll kill him for making me worry like this.

“Why did he do this?” Leeteuk mumbled. Eunhyuk and Donghae were focused on the television, so they weren’t paying attention to us.

“I don’t know, Hyung,” I sighed, “I think he just needs time...”

“Three days isn’t enough time?” Leeteuk raised an eyebrow.

“Hyung...” Before I could even say what I wanted to say, the door opened and Shindong and Siwon walked in, soaking wet.

“It’s raining hard out there,” Siwon said, shivering slightly to get warm.

Shindong took his coat off and sighed, “No sign of him. We honestly don’t know where else to look.”

Leeteuk sighed, “Thanks for trying guys. Go dry off. Siwon-ah, you can stay here tonight.”

Siwon nodded and the two went to dry off before they each caught a cold. Leeteuk collapsed on the chair beside where I was sitting on the floor. He held his face in his hands, frustrated. I frowned. I couldn’t just sit here and watch this.

“Where’s Yesung-hyung?” I asked. Leeteuk shook his head.

“In the dorm upstairs,” he said, “He’s probably...” He didn’t need to finish his sentence. Anyone with a brain would know that Yesung was upstairs ing about Heechul in privacy. He was really angry...

I stood up from my spot on the floor and went to the door. I grabbed my coat and umbrella andn put some shoes on.

“I’m going out to look,” I said, “I can’t just sit here.”

Leeteuk nodded, “Be careful, Sungmin-ah.” I grinned.

“Aren’t I always?” I asked, showing off some aegyo. It worked, since he chuckled a little before I walked out the door. If only I could hear that more often. Life would be great...

I ran down the stairs of the building and got in my car. I started driving around Seoul, looking for any place that Heechul might be. Then, suddenly, my phone started ringing. The number was unknown. Maybe it was Kyuhyun?

“Hello?” I answered.

“Is this Lee Sungmin?” Well, I didn’t recognize the voice.

“Yeah...who’s this?” I asked.

“It’s Lee Hongki,” he replied, “And I’m here with Heechul...”

“Hongki-ah! Come back here!” I heard Heechul whine on the other end. Great, he was drunk...again.

I sighed, “Where are you?”

“At a bar,” Hongki told me, “The one that just opened last week. Heechul called me here for a drink, but it’s gone too far. And...I think he needs a member more than he needs me...”

“Ok, I’m on my way. Thanks, Hongki-ssi.”

“Just hurry, please.” I hung up the phone and turned the car around. Heechul...what are you doing now?

I arrived at the bar and parked in the parking lot. I grabbed my umbrella and ran into the bar. The music wasn’t playing that loud and it was pretty calm. Well, except for...

“I’M FINE! JUST GIVE ME ANOTHER!”

Heechul-hyung...

“Sir, I really think you’ve had enough. You’ve gone through four bottles already!” the bartender told him, calmly. But, Heechul wouldn’t back down.

“I’M THE CUSTOMER, AND I WANT ANOTHER ROUND!” Hongki was beside him, watching him with pity in his eyes. I walked over and patted Hongki on the back. He turned around and I smiled at him.

“Thanks for watching over him so far,” I said, “I’ll take it from here.”

Hongki smiled slightly, “Sorry I couldn’t help him. I tried to stop him, but...well, you know how pushy he is...”

I chuckled humorlessly, “Yeah, I know. It’s ok. Go get some rest, I’ll bring him back.” Hongki nodded and left the bar. I took his spot next to Heechul as the bartender handed him yet another drink. Just before he grabbed it, I took it and downed it before he could.

“YAH!” he shouted at me as I slammed the glass back on the counter. I almost gagged at the taste. It was absolutely disgusting. And it was making my head spin.

“Excuse me,” I called for the bartender, “I’ll have water, and can you give him some tea?” The bartender nodded and ran to get it. Heechul turned and studied me for a while before snorting.

“So, Jungsoo sent you to get me?” he asked, his words mashing together from his incoherency.

“Leeteuk-hyung didn’t send me,” I said, “Hongki called me. He’s worried about you.”

Heechul began to laugh, loudly. Some people in the bar turned to look at him, but he didn’t care. Either that, or he was too drunk to notice. Most likely the second scenario.

“Yeah, cause how can we not worry about Heechul,” he slurred, “The idiot who can’t do anything right. The vain bastard who tore Super Junior apart.” He rested his head on the counter, burying his face into his folded arms. I watched him, sadly. He really felt horrible for this, didn’t he?

“Heechul-hyung,” I said, reaching over to rub his back comfortingly, “It’s not your fault.” He shoved my hand away and glared at me.

“Don’t lie! You hate me as much as everyone else!” he shouted.

“Heechul-hyung...”

“Go ahead and say it,” he whispered, so quietly that I had to strain to hear it, “I’m a loser.”

“Yeah, you are a loser,” I said, harshly. Yeah, it wasn’t nice, but he needed to hear it. Heechul just chuckled and put his head back on the counter.

“Thanks.”

“But don’t think you’re a loser because of what you’ve done in Super Junior,” I continued, “You’re a loser because of what you’re doing right now. Sitting here at a bar, drowning your sorrows with alcohol. Do you feel better, Kim Heechul? Do you feel like you’ve accomplished something?”

He didn’t move. Not even a word. But, after a second, I saw his shoulders shake. I reached over and lifted his head to see them covered with tears. He then leaned over to me and leaned his head on my shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, “I don’t know how many times I need to say it for it to mean something...”

“Let it out, Hyung,” I whispered as he continued to cry. Finally, after a few minutes, he seemed to calm down. He lifted his head off my shoulder and I wiped his tears for him.

“Come on,” I said, standing up, “Let’s go back.” He nodded and tried to stand up, but immediately fell.

“Here,” I mumbled, grabbing his arm and slinging it over my shoulder. I left some money for the bartender and then started supporting him out of the bar. As I was walking to my car, I kept looking at Heechul. He kept stumbling on his way, even with my support. He kept mumbling and trying to let go of me, but then he’d just fall and I’d have to pick him up. I sighed and pulled my cell phone out, dialing the first number in my contacts.

“Hello?” he answered. Yes!

“Kyuhyun-ah...”

“What do you want?” he asked, coldly.

“Where are you?” Not like he’d tell me...

“You know I can’t tell you that...”

I felt anger rise in me all of a sudden, “Screw this, Kyuhyun! You need to get back here now!”

“I told you, Hyung. This is going to take months...”

No, he didn’t have months. He had weeks. Three to be exact.

“Well then you need to hurry up! This month long journey you have planned needs to end within the next three weeks!”

“Three weeks?! Why?!”

“Because...” Heechul then let go of me again and almost fell. I grabbed him just in time though, “Aish, Hyung stop it! You can’t walk on your own!” I slung his arm over my shoulder again and kept walking. He just kept mumbling, incoherently.

“Who’s with you?” Kyuhyun asked.

“Heechul-hyung...it’s a long story. Look, you need to get back here before September 1^st, Kyuhyun-ah.”

“Why? Tell me...”

I bit my lip and looked over at Heechul. I sighed, feeling my eyes tear up.

“Heechul-hyung is leaving,” I explained, “He’s enlisting in the army on September 1^st.”

“...W-What?”

“You heard me, Kyuhyun-ah,” I said, softly. We reached the car and I leaned Heechul against it, giving my shoulder a break.

“H-He’s leaving?” he asked, quietly. He sounded like he was in shock.

“Yes, in three weeks. You need to come back before then, Kyuhyun-ah. Please tell me you can do it...”

“I-I don’t know, Hyung,” he whispered, “I-I need to hurry. I’ll call you later.”

“Kyuhyun!” I shouted into the phone, but he had already hung up. I looked over at Heechul who was swaying in his spot, even though he had the car for support. I sighed and helped him into the front seat.

“Let’s get you home and sobered up,” I muttered, getting into the driver’s seat. I sighed and wiped the tear that fell from my eye. Why couldn’t we just get along? Why couldn’t we forget the past and move on?

Why?