Eyes Wide Open

Chapter Three

"There's no point in sticking around a place like that without Sungmin anymore." Hyukjae and I were right; Kyuhyun wouldn't come back because of the absence of his lover. "What more is there? Nothing, that's what. I only have you two, and that isn't even much."

Just as Kyuhyun turned to walk away from us, I reached out and clasped my hand around his wrist. My thumb and index finger overlapped, and even with how tight my grip was, he nearly slipped out of it. When he turned back to look at me, he was much different up close.

His cheekbones were very well defined, and the angles at which his face was suddenly seemed much more sharp than what they had been. Hyukjae and I exchanged glances, but there was no surprise in his. He knew this would happen; Kyuhyun was excelling us because he had left. He was becoming more perfect than both of us combined.

Hyukjae pulled my hand away from Kyuhyun, keeping his fingers firmly wrapped around my wrist. His slender fingers were tense against my arm, and his cool touch sent a shiver down my spine. He looked at Kyuhyun with an emotionless gaze, his lips parted slightly, ready to form the sentence he had for the younger.

"I see you've taken after Sungmin," Hyukjae kept his voice leveled, but I knew him. Frustration was brewing inside of him because he kew that Kyuhyun was ahead of him. He, of all people, was behind. Kyuhyun was the one with the problems, not him, but he was still behind.

Kyuhyun still held onto Sungmin, meanwhile everyone has gotten over it. I learned from Hyukjae not to become emotionally attached to a person. That is why Hyukjae is near perfect, and I am not. I love him. He has no emotional attachment to anyone. Or at least... Sometimes, he shows some sort of affection towards me, but then he scolds himself. He hates himself for days when he shows any type of affection to me, and then he goes back to the beautifully cold Hyukjae that I know.

"I've learned from the best," Kyuhyun shrugged, looking away from the two of us, the pain he felt evident in his features. "I've felt so much different ever since I left the group. There's no one holding me back and pulling me down anymore -- I can go farther now. I can be with Sungmin."

Hyukjae, his level of annoyance rising while his level of tolerance shrunk, let out a scoff, turning away from the younger and walking off. Kyuhyun looked at me and I cast him a brief, apologetic glance before turning gently on my heel and walking away.

When we returned, the rest of the group didn't question our absence. They didn't have time to. Hyukjae walked at a brisk pace all the way up to our room, his crisp steps echoing in the nearly silent hallway. I followed him, absolutely silent, as unimportant thoughts tumbled through my mind. We never returned downstairs, not even for dinner; there was no need to.

Later that night, Hyukjae pulled me into a tight embrace while imperfect drops of tears streamed down his cheeks. But instead of returning the rare affection, my arms hung loosely at my sides. Not even questioning his tears, I stood there unemotionally.

Because perfection came at a price. And it just so happened that Hyukjae was my payment.