Little Maknaes KyuWook

Guilt

"Oh, it's Ryeowook. Hello?" Heechul announces before taking the call. He is with Siwon and the casts of My Ugly Ducklings at Sangmin's new house.
"Ryeonggu?" the older ask again when he gets no answer from the other side.
"Heechul hyung...where are you?" finally the younger speaks up, sounding more like a whine.
"I'm with the hyungs. And Siwon,"
"...oh,"
"Why?"
"Umm..."
Heechul turns off the speaker mode and excuses himself to an empty room at the end of the hallway.

"I'm alone now,"
"...Hyung, can we meet?"
"Sure, when and where?"
"You're not busy today?"
"This is my only schedule for today. I can just leave early,"
"Um...can we...meet at your house? You don't have to leave early. I'm still in Incheon so it'll take around 3 hours anyways,"
"Alright, just call me when you are nearby,"
"Okay..."
"Alright then. By the way...are you okay? Why so sudden and...you sound tired,"
"I'm...that's...why I want to meet you,"
"Oh, okay... Is it okay if I ask Siwon to come, too? We are carpooling anyways,"
"Yeah, sure. I'd actually...prefer that,"
"Okay, then. See you later,"
"Okay...bye, hyung,"
"Bye, love you. Drive carefully,"
"Okay...love you, too,"

They hang up and Heechul texts Siwon about the matter before going back to the living room.
"Jaehoon hyung, Heechul hyung and I might need to leave early. Something suddenly came up about our group schedule," Siwon gives the others a heads up, making up a reason as Heechul enters the room.
"Oh, okay. When are you going?"
"In about two hours,"
"Alright. Are you guys having another comeback?"
"Well, kinda...," Siwon glanced at Heechul, looking for help.
"It's...more like...just an event," Heechul attempts.
"Oh, okay. You guys must be busy, huh?"
"Yeah, all that stuff. Our motto is "open 365 days a year" anyways," Heechul jokes and succeeds when everyone in the room burst out laughing.

2 hours later...

"Hyung, I'm 15 minutes away," Ryeowook texted the older.
"Alright. We'll get going now. If you arrive before us, just go inside first. You know the passcode, right?"
"You didn't change it?"
"Nah, why would I? It's just you guys who knew,"
"Oh, okay,"

"Siwon-ah, let's go. The others are already near. Hyung we'll get going now,"
"Alright, see you guys later. Drive safely,"

10 minutes later...

Heechul presses his front door passcode and the door opens. As soon as he enters, the maknae is already waiting for them with a face Heechul and Siwon define as sad, his eyes glossy.
"Hey, you good?" Siwon asks before Heechul steps inside after taking off his shoes and being hugged by the maknae. The hug is not warm and cozy like always, it's just...tired. Slow, and tired. A hug looking for comfort, not giving. Both the older members are a little taken aback. In their 18 years of knowing Ryeowook, he's never acted like this.
Heechul wraps his arms around the maknae, stroking his back and hair as the younger nuzzles on his chest as though he can hide further inside.
"Hey...let's...go inside, okay?"

Ryeowook lets Heechul go but his face is still buried on the older's chest while he keeps one arm on the maknae's waist to support him, leading them into the living room.
"Sit here," Heechul sits beside the maknae on the couch as Siwon takes a bench from the coffee table to sit in front of them.
"You want some water?" Siwon offers but the maknae refuses.
"Can you tell us what's wrong?" Heechul ask.
"..." the maknae didn't say anything as he turned towards Heechul, looking for another hug as he sniffled and eyes full of tears.
"It's okay, take your time. We are here,"

"I feel guilty," Ryeowook starts after he calms down.
"Why?"
"Remember the VCR we recorded for fanparty?"
"Yeah...what about it?"
"I was paired with Eunhyuk hyung and the question was what do we envy the most about each other,"
"Ouh...yeah I remember that. You said everything but his face, right? Hah, that's a good one," Siwon interrupts.
"...yeah...but...not everyone like that apparently,"
"...don't tell me..." Heechul dares and the maknae just nods silently.

That night, Ryeowook spent the night at Heechul's house. Heechul tells the younger that they need to talk to the others about it and he agrees. As soon as the younger is asleep, Heechul informs everyone about what happened and Leeteuk insists that they gather at the dorm the next day, first thing in the morning.

It's the next day and everyone except Heechul and Ryeowook are already at the dorm.
"Ryeong, remember to tell them everything, okay? I've already told them a gist of it but I'm sure they want to hear it from you,"
"...m'kay,"
"It's alright, it's not your fault. I'm sure Hyuk doesn't care. If he did he would have talked to you,"

Half an hour later, they arrive at the dorm. Ryeowook is as nervous as he can be. They enter the passcode and into the house. As soon as the two step into the living room, Ryeowook is engulfed in a hug by Eunhyuk.
"I'm sorry you need to see all those comments but trust me, I don't care at all. If I did, I would have told you to stop years ago,"
"Told ya," Heechul interrupts.
"B-but...but still. Reading those comments made me realize that maybe, just maybe I did cross the line. I'm sorry,"
"It's okay. They don't know my feelings like you do. They don't know ME like you do. As long as I didn't say anything, you are free to joke around me like that, okay?"
"M'kay...thank you, hyung. But, I think I'll refrain from it...just to be careful," Ryeowook shrugs.
"If that's what makes you feel better," Eunhyuk smiles at the younger adoringly.

"Well, that's fast. I didn't even get to say anything?" Leeteuk adds, receiving peals of laughter from the members.
"Hey, you are off today aren't you?" Eunhyuk asks Ryeowook.
"Yeah," the maknae nods.
"Let's go somewhere fun," Eunhyuk suggested.
"Hmm?"
"Hey! That's unfair. I'm off today, too," Kyuhyun pouts, sulking.
"Well, me three," Siwon adds.
"Why sulking then? We can all go. I'm just asking Ryeowook first because well, he is the one in a "situation" right now?"
"Hmmph!" Kyuhyun doesn't buy that.
"Aww the baby is still sulking," Donghae pinched his chubby cheeks.
"I'm no baby!"
"Really? Well, you won't get your bottle then,"
"WHAT?! YOU PROMISED!"
"Be a good boy and stop sulking then. You can follow them wherever they are going, okay?" Leeteuk interrupts.
"Yes, daddy..." the maknae lowers his gaze, staring at his feet.
"Wait, so I'm on daddy duty today? Oh man,"
"Bro, WE are on daddy duty today,"
"Well, good luck babysitting," Heechul said as he stepped out of the door followed by Shindong and Yesung to go for their schedules.
"Take care, bye boys,"
"Byebye dada~"
"Byebye Wookie,"