Zack slowly pulled away from V, if he held on anymore he'd never want to let go. V smiled, his turquoise eyes showed nothing but love and care. Zack picked up the pieces sniffing. Love that wasn't going to be towards him. Why did this happen? Why did V and him get along so well? Why did he have to harbor these painful feelings towards him?

That wasn't fair. V picked up one of the pieces with Rika's smile. He clenched it in his hands and brought it to his heart. Zack watched. Though they were sitting right next to each other it felt like they were miles apart. He looked away, his heart tightening as this painful grip squeezed around it. Choking it. Zack held the pieces in his hand. V seemed to have said a little prayer before he slowly opened his eyes.

"Please don't look so sad." He smiled at Zack kindly. "I'm not mad at you."

"…"

"Here." He watched as V put the little shred of photo in his wallet for safe keeping. "I bought us cake. Something sweet for dinner. It's a little broken, heh, but I think it'll still suffice." He looked back at Zack. "Right?"

Zack forced a smile. "Yes. That'll be good."

"Good." V smiled back. He stood up and walked towards the kitchen. Zack clutched the pieces in his hands and put them in his pocket. He'd throw them out later. "Ah the food smells good." V called from the kitchen as Zack slowly made his way in. "What's this? Blood?" He looked up. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"Yeah. Sorry."

"Please, don't apologize. Let me see."

"It's really nothing. Just a cut."

"Let me see." V grabbed Zack's hands.

No…please don't touch me. His hands were warm and soft. They moved delicately over Zack's skin as he carefully pulled off the band aid. Don't…don't…I want to hold you so badly.

"Ouch. That looks bad."

"Yeah. Wasn't paying attention when I was cutting the food."

"Please, Zack, be more careful. I can't have my favorite person getting hurt."

"…" Zack smiled. A broken, hurtful smile. He was happy V didn't notice as he went back to his room to get more band aids.

They ate in silence but it didn't feel awkward, just…heavy. V happily opened up the cake, marble cake is what he had chosen, with vanilla icing and light chocolate shavings on the top. "Want a cherry?" V asked as he cut the non mushed up parts.

"No…that's okay."

"Really? You love those cherries."

"So do you."

"Oh? You remembered?"

Of course I did. "Yeah, since you wouldn't stop talking about it when we had Shirley Temples."

"Oh yes, I remember that." V smiled at the the thought. "Hyun was teasing us for drinking what was considered a woman drink. You took your's virgin right?"

"Yeah…I don't really like alcohol. I don't like what it does to people."

"A wise choice. I rarely drink myself, mostly at the RFA parties and with Jumin. He called by the way. Wanted me to take some pictures of Elizabeth 3rd."

"Are you going to?"

"I will. He's my friend." V smiled.

"Don't…show that smile to him."

"What?" V stopped dividing the maraschino cherries.

"!?" He didn't mean to say it out loud. "I meant, don't…uh…don't let him drag it out to long. When it comes to El he's pretty hardcore."

He arched a brow but didn't press on it. "Yes, he loves her very much." There was a pause and Zack feared that V was going to bring up Rika. "I suppose he'll buy more bows for her." He handed Zack a plate. "The last one was almost 30k."

Zack coughed. "What was it made of? The tears of the poor."

"Ha ha! Zack don't say that." V grinned. "…I'm…glad we're talking."

"Huh?"

"You were so quiet when we were cooking. And before that you were very short with me. I know you are feeling bad but I hate it most when you don't talk to me."

Zack suddenly didn't feel like having cake. "Me too." He forced himself to swallow a cherrie. It didn't even taste like anything to him.

Night fell and the two stayed up for a while watching Cupcake Wars. They didn't admit it to each other but they both seemed to like it. V yawned. "I need to get up early if I want to take some photos of the sunrise on the lake tomorrow. Would you like to come?"

"Sure."

"Good." V smiled. "Then may I wake you up?"

"Um sure." Zack figured he could just put on an alarm. Did V not trust him to wake up on his own?

"Alright. Good night Zack."

"Night." Zack changed the channel to some detective show. Was he looking over at where the picture used to be? Was he secretly angry at Zack for what he'd done? Of course he was who wouldn't be? He destroyed something precious to him all because, he thought Zack was mad at Rika for what she had done. And he was. He secretly hated her, even though he knew what she was like in the past he still hated her. No…he was jealous that she met V before Zack did.

Rika was sick and what she did was wrong but he couldn't get mad at her when she had major mental health problems. And the only person who knew was V. And he paid the price. Zack clenched his hands together. The TV started spouting some stupid commercial. "Shut up." He mumbled as he turned it off.

He got up and went into his room. Sitting at his desk he took the ripped up pieces of Rika's photo and tossed them into the trash…

…

He picked up the metal can and dumped it onto his desk. He opened his drawer and pulled out some white paper and tape.

It was nearly 5 in the morning. V was already dressed and had made coffee for the two. He held Zack's mug in his hand and gently knocked on the door. "Zack?" He whispered. No reply.

Slowly he nudged the door open. Zack never locked his doors. Including the apartment door, V always had to double check before they went to sleep. "Zack?" He saw the young man sleeping on his desk. Why'd he do that? Was he working on something? V placed the cup down and looked at the paper that was placed neatly on one side of the corner.

"!" On the table was the picture Zack had torn up. It was a bit messy but to V it looked like a beautiful mosaic. It seemed Zack had colored in the lines that didn't connect quite right with pastel coloring pencils. On the top of the page it read:

I'm So Sorry. Please Don't Hate Me.

V smiled. And petted Zack's hair.

Zack clenched his fist. Don't…please…

"Thank you." V whispered gently thinking the younger man was still asleep. The door closed gently behind him. Zack sat up looking at where the paper once was. He touched his hair, a warmth had spread from where V had touched him. Zack laid his head on the cold table before sitting up and rubbing his face.

It's time to put an end to these feelings.