The Sun In Our Eyes

2. Charade

Arrived at their dorm, everyone is loosening themself after a long day. Freshening up, cooking and lazying around. They all scattered around the dorm.

Heesung went straight to the sofa. Lying facing down, he released a huge sigh of relieve.

"Finally home." he let out a sigh with a groggy voice.

Sunoo was the last member to enter the dorm. He carefully took off his shoes, making his way to the room. His facial expression is rather blank and weary, unlike his demeanor earlier in the car.

Sunoo's nose and ears are looking quite red. Making his skin complexion look paller than he already is.

This scene was noticed by their eldest member. He hurriedly sat himself up on the sofa.

"Are you feeling sick, Sunoo?" he asked worrily.

"Hm? No. Why, hyung?" Sunoo replied perplexed.

"No, it's just, you look pale and lethargic." Heesung added.

"Oh. It's the weather. You know I'm sensitive to cold." Sunoo brushed him off. Wearing a faint smile.

"Okay, if you say so. Tell us if you're feeling sick anywhere okay?" Heesung reassured him.

"Okay! Heesung hyung you're so sweet." Sunoo put up the 'Ok' sign, trying to smile enthusiastically.

"Did you only notice that now?" Heesung scoff snobbishly, trying to be funny.

"What are you saying." Sunoo rolled his eyes upon his hyung's silly remarks.

Sunoo hastily went to the room. Took off his padded jacket and sat by the bed.

Sunoo run his hand across his face and sigh weakly. He looked at his fingertips that shows a hint of blueness in them. His palm, so pale showing signs of low blood.

He tried to conceal the fact that he has been shivering down to his bones ever since they arrived to their dorm building. The cold really has taken a toll on his already weak body.

He stood up and went to remove his makeup. The sight that he saw in the mirror sadden him. He pursed his pink yet pale looking chapped lips tightly.

'I can't let them see me like this.'

Sunoo put on a towel over his head to cover his face. He got out of the room and head to the shower.

The member all gathered in the living room area. The smell of ramen filled up the air. It seems that they are all hungry after their lively session in the car earlier.

"Sunoo hyung, we made some ramen. Join us." Jungwon offered.

"Wow, ramen! Okay, save some for me. I'm gonna go wash up first." Sunoo put on a cheerful front.

After showering, he put on some aroma-therapeutic fragrance and his usual baggy, long-sleeve shirt.

Such outfit is a must for him. In order to hide his body figure that has been drastically loosing weight for the past few months.

The last thing that he want is his member and the fans to be suspicious and worry about his body weight.

Sunoo smeared on a little chapstick on his lips and a few skin product to hide any hint of sickly feature on his face. He smacked his cheeks a few times in front of the mirror.

'Let's do this Sunoo! You look fine. You're fine.'

Telling himself a few words of affirmation before stepping out to join the rest.

He sat down with everyone and started to dig in his own share of ramen. While digging his share, his long sleeve rolled down a little bit from his wrist. His exposed wrist caught the attention of their youngest member.

Ni-ki suddenly grab Sunoo's wrist making him stop what he's doing. That caught him by surprise. The member were taken aback as well.

"What. What is it?" Sunoo asked. His eyes widened as he was so surprised by their youngest actions.

"Sunoo hyung, has your wrist always been so skinny like this?" Ni-ki genuinely asked.

Everyone's attention are now on Sunoo's wrist. Sunoo tried to act calm and composed.

"What are you talking about? Let me eat. I'm starving." Sunoo brushes off his question.

"Right. Did you loose weight?" Heesung asked.

"I don't know. Maybe. I haven't had the time to measure my weight yet. Why? Do I look like I've lost weight?" Sunoo replied, trying to sound as clueless as possible.

"Now that you mention it, he also lose a few fat on his face. See? You look like how you were back then before debut." Jungwon added. He was amused of how baby-faced Sunoo can be.

Suddenly Sunghoon grabbed Sunoo's waist. He pressed both his hand on Sunoo's waist to see if he really did lose weight. Sunoo was startled. He jolted and strongly recoiled.

"That was ticklish!" Sunoo shriek. He giggled a little.

"You're right. He did lose weight. His waist is so small now, I swear." Sunghoon added.

"Jay, here try and see for yourself." Sunghoon offered Jay to do the same thing as if it was so amusing.

Jay did and so does everyone else. Sunoo tried to reject their actions as he was feeling really ticklish. He started laughing and curling up on the ground.

"Stop it. I'm serious, it's so ticklish." Sunoo tried to fend off the member's attack while laughing uncontrollably.

"At least let me eat first, please." Sunoo plead. His eyes are so sparkly now that he teared up from the tackle. After their friendly tackling session, they resume their eating.

"Seriously, you seem like you lost a few weight, Sunoo. Are you sure you're okay?" Jake asked sincerely. Not batting his eyes off Sunoo.

Sunoo let out a small sigh and smiled sweetly.

"I'm fine. We have been dancing and practicing so hard recently, right? Maybe that's why. You're worrying too much, hyung." Sunoo tried to reassure him, not losing the smile on his face.

Everyone seems to believe Sunoo's reasoning so they decided to just take his word as it is.

While Sunoo is feeling relieve internally, he still put on a believable charade. Glad that he overcome the crisis that has been deeply worrying him. But for how long? How much longer can he keep this a secret?