A few days later Kevin met Hansu at the bus station in Banpo-dong. He breathed out with relief when he saw Hansu step off the bus. He had been unsure as to whether he would come at all.

Hansu was brisk with him. "I can't stay for long," he said.

"Thanks for coming all this way."

He looked at Kevin as though Kevin had just said something absurd. "I didn't come here for you. I want to see my Hyungsik again."

Kevin took him to the place that he had arranged to meet Hyungsik. Perhaps "arranged" was too strong a word. He had only sent a short message to Hyungsik: "I'll be with Song Hansu on Banpo bridge at 8pm."

There was no reply, but the time stamp notified him that Hyungsik had seen the message. He followed it up sheepishly with "I love you. Please forgive me." That message went unseen.

It was now 8:30 and Hyungsik had not come. Hansu tapped on his pockets out of impatience and boredom. He still kept a cigarette box in his pocket and even though now he wore civilian clothes Kevin still saw him in the private's uniform he had worn on the day they had first met.

"I'm sorry he's late."

"Do you even know if he's coming?"

He couldn't lie. "No, not really."

"Then he might not come at all."

Kevin could not answer.

"I won't stay for much longer." Hansu turned around and checked the street. On the other side of the road a man in a red jacket was standing by a shop window, his back to them as he stared at a poster in the window. He was the only person standing, although many people were passing either side of him. Hansu's eyes were fixed on him, so Kevin watched too.

Hansu turned back suddenly. "Before I go, I have one question for you."

Kevin gave his attention.

Hansu's voice lost its dry edge, and he said, almost kindly: "What took you so long?"

Kevin's voice caught in his throat. "I don't know," he said and then Hansu walked away.

He watched Hansu cross the road and push through the crowd to stand beside the man in the jacket. They stood side by side, both staring at the poster. Kevin watched them from a distance. He couldn't tell if they were speaking to each other.

How long has Hyungsik been standing there, he wondered.

For now, he could do nothing but watch them, and then he realised he couldn't even do that. It wasn't his business - it never was. In a state of mixed emotions, he made his way back to Minwoo's flat.
 

When Kevin returned to the flat, Minwoo had locked himself away in his secret room. Over the past week Kevin had made multiple attempts to get Minwoo to show him the room, or show him some music, but each time he was shut out.

This time he didn't bother trying. He went to the fridge to search for a cold drink, but stopped when he saw the group photo of ZE:A, the one where his face was covered. They had been the only people he had known better than himself, his most precious friends. He pondered how easily everything had fallen into shards, damaged beyond repair.

Minwoo burst out of the music room looking frazzled, his hair sticking up in different directions. He went to the fridge and frowned when he saw Kevin.

"What's going on? You disappeared for a couple of days. I thought you might have left the country again."

"Well, I'm back. But maybe it would be better if I left again..."

"Why do you say that?"

Kevin coughed and pointed at the photo. "You guys are mad at me. You even covered my face in the group photo."

Minwoo stared at Kevin in confusion, and then at the photo, and then he laughed. His laughter made Kevin's heart ache - only then did he realise just how much he missed its sound.

"That was an accident, I didn't mean to do that." He reached over and pushed the magnet so that it was now covering Kwanghee's face. "Is that better?"

Kevin nodded. "Yes, it is."

Minwoo stopped laughing suddenly. "I was mad at you, to tell the truth. Not mad that you left, but mad that you left and didn't tell us."

"There's nothing to tell."

"It's alright. I've since learned that no matter how close a friend may be, they will always have a side of them that you don't see. A secret life. Sometimes it's small, sometimes it's big."

There was a silence. Their brief moment of reunion had passed and now it felt like the gap between them was as big as ever. Kevin wondered if they would ever be close again.

At last Minwoo said, "Hyungsik was dating a soldier. What the ..." He chuckled his old boisterous laugh again and Kevin's worries were lifted.

Still Kevin couldn't laugh with him. He shook his head sadly. "I don't know what will happen to Hyungsik. I don't know if he'll sing again."

"I'll get someone else to sing for me." When he looked up he stared hard at Kevin. "Kevin-hyung... you can sing. You weren't as famous as Hyungsik, but you were a better singer."

Kevin looked at the floor. "Ah..."

"What are you saying? Did someone break your heart too?"

"No, no... but it's been a long time."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Kevin waited in the kitchen as Minwoo went to answer it.

He couldn't see them, but he could hear their voices.

"Hey Minwoo... is Kevin here? I want to talk to him. I yelled at him the other day, and I feel bad about it."

Kevin's heart leaped. Staying put in the kitchen, he heard Minwoo say:

"Sure, come inside."

Hyungsik hobbled into the kitchen. Even with his big red jacket, he looked beaten by the cold. His cheeks were pink and he was shaking. There was something shameful and apologetic about the way he looked at Kevin.

Before he could say anything, Kevin asked: "Did you meet him?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I did." He smiled suddenly. "Thank you..."

Kevin was about to ask more, but Minwoo came back in and slapped Hyungsik on the shoulder. "Have you eaten yet? I'm hungry, let's eat now."

While Minwoo was rummaging in one of the cupboards, Kevin leaned in to speak quietly with Hyungsik.

"What happened?"

"Ah..." Hyungsik made a long sound while he rocked on his heels. At last he said, "Three years is a long time..."

Minwoo made ramyeon and they sat together to eat. They were silent for most of it, Minwoo and Hyungsik because they were focused on eating, and Kevin because he was pondering what Hyungsik had just told him.

Three years really was too late for them... he had created a gap that was too hard to repair. Kevin stirred his noodles without eating them. He was hopelessly sad.

Hyungsik finished his bowl. "Wow, that was good. I miss eating ramyeon with you."

Minwoo chuckled. "Anytime."

"Kevin?"

"Eh?"

"You're not eating. Are you sick?"

"Ah..."

Hyungsik was staring at him with a searching expression. Kevin wanted to pour his heart out to him, tell him that he was sorry, but before he could say anything Hyungsik moved around the table to pull him into a hug.

"I'm really glad that you came home."