I guess that’s the end for me.

Shin Hye Sung thought as he turned the shower tap on and allowed the rushing hot water to engulf his senses, wishing for a moment that his own thoughts of helplessness would wash away together with the soapsuds that are competing their way into the water drain.  

All those years of hiding, of covering up—of self-vigilance—destroyed in a second, emotion-driven act.

But what was he to do?  They were attacking one of his closest friends, just because he decided to finally—officially—be together with the person he loved.  So what if that person also happened to be a guy?  Why do they care so much about it? He was pretty sure their lives would go on as it always had regardless of whom a celebrity chooses to marry.

He tried to keep quiet about the issue.  After all, it was not his issue to deal with, and he knew Ahn Chil Hyun—or more commonly known as Kangta--wouldn’t want to be defended at someone else’s expense.  Before the couple left for Canada, Chil Hyun even told him to turn a blind eye on the news, knowing that he’d likely get worked up over it. 

For three months, he has succeeded in eluding reporters who were seeking out his opinion on the matter, mainly because he is as one of Kangta’s closest friends in the industry.  However, it has started to become harder and harder to avoid the questions ever since Shinhwa’s promotion period for the year began, and despite the company’s attempt at blocking questions relating to Kangta’s wedding, some reporters still managed to squeeze it into the conversation.  Still, he was able to manage the questions well—until today, that is.

“I guess Kangta’s biggest mistake was letting the citizens know about this.  He should’ve just brought that secret to the grave.”

It was those words from PD Yeo—the one in charge for today’s interview schedule—that did it for Hye Sung.  Before he even realized what he was doing—and before anyone else could stop him—his right fist had already connected to PD Yeo’s left jaw.

Everything that happened after that was a blur to him. All he could remember was Junjin and Dongwan’s strong hold around his arms as they tried to hold him back from sending another flurry of punches to the PD, while the rest of the members gathered around the PD’s side, who was sent kneeling on the floor after Hye Sung’s initial punch.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Hye Sung?!” Eric exclaimed in rage as he put himself in between him and PD Yeo.

“Don’t you dare take his side!” Hye Sung shouted back while still trying to get away from Junjin and Dongwan’s grasp. “You have no idea what it’s like! You’ve never had to worry about getting shunned by society, just because you couldn’t help falling in love with someone of the same , but I do!”

The room came to a deafening silence at his words, and he finally managed to pull himself out of Junjin and Donwan’s grasp.  He straightened himself before looking up, only to be met by Eric’s stone-cold expression. “Y—you’re gay?”

Hye Sung’s heart sank at the caution in Eric’s words.  He knew he shouldn’t be surprised at his reaction—anybody would act the same way if they found out their best friend of 17 years turned to be different than who they always imagined him to be.  Even if he argued that there really was nothing different about him, that he was the same person and that his preference does not change anything about their friendship, he knew people would still treat that unintentional admission of his with caution.

He knew, and yet that did not stop his heart from shattering into a million pieces.  Because this was Eric we were talking about.  The Eric that was annoying as hell.  The Eric that insists they were best friends. The Eric that would throw a fit every time he moved to a new place, then would move close to him with the excuse that it was his mother who looked the place up—the  Eric who he had secretly been in love with for the past donkey years.

The same Eric who would soon find an excuse to stay away from him after this big revelation.