Another exhausting day. Many hours of practice with not enough time to rest or eat. Hoseok did his best as always to be energetic. It was tiring. So exhausting. He had to do it though, right? He was everyone's sunshine. This energetic and happy demeanor was what everyone loved about him. That was what everyone wanted to see.

"Ah, Hoseokie, calm down. We're all done." Namjoon spoke with such exhaustion in his tone.

"But I still have energy!" That was a lie. Hoseok was tired, just like everyone else. So why was he hiding it? He didn't need to put on an act around them. He knew they would understand that he was tired after all of that practice. So what was the reason of pretending?

Seokjin sighed and lightly pat Hoseok's shoulder."That's our Hoseok. Always so loud."

"His energy must be infinite." Yoongi ran a hand over his head to push his sweat-drenched hair back.

Oh, right. That was why he didn't express how tired he was. That was why he pretended to be what he wasn't. Even though Hoseok knew they would understand, he also knew what everyone had come to expect from him. Truthfully, it was his own fault. He brought this on himself.

"I know you guys are tired, but can we play a game or something when we get back home?!" Hoseok just wanted to spend more time with everyone. He knew they were exhausted and just wanted to shower then sleep. He also knew that spending more time with everyone else meant keeping up his facade longer.

Jimin let out a sleepy chuckle at Hoseok's excitement."I can play a game with you in our room, Hyung. I think everyone else just wants to go to bed."

Taehyung grinned a pointed to Jungkook."Kookie's already sleeping~" he cooed like an enamored child. Of course, they all acted that way with Jungkook, cooing over the maknae whenever he dozed off in the van. Despite being an adult now, he was still their baby brother.

Hoseok grinned widely at Jimin."I wanted a game with everyone! Maybe we should all just go to sleep then! I'm sure you're tired too, Jiminie!"

"Are you sure, Hyung?" Jimin asked mid-yawn."I won't mind staying up a bit longer to play a game with you."

"No, you sleep, Jiminie!" Hoseok cupped Jimin's face with both hand, squishing his cheeks."You're getting puffy with sleepiness! Get your sleep!"

As he interacted with Jimin, he felt a pair of eyes on him. Not just any eyes. His eyes. The eyes that always saw right through him, baring his insecurities and making him feel naked. The only eyes that saw the true Hoseok. He dared not look back at him, for he knew it was his own eyes that gave away his inner secrets. Hoseok didn't want to show those secrets, not in front of the others.

When they got back home, everyone made their way inside. Seokjin was leading half-awake Jungkook by his sleeve. They all headed to either their rooms or to shower. Hoseok went straight to his and Jimin's room. He closed the door and took a deep breath before sighing. It was time to calm down and get some much-needed rest. No more facade. He didn't need it through the night.

As he was getting ready for bed, Hoseok wondered if he should turn off the light or wait for Jimin. He figured Jimin was taking a shower. Maybe it would be okay for him to turn off the light now. Stepping over to the door, Hoseok reached for the light but stopped when he heard a small cough right on the other side of the door. That was the sign. Hoseok knew exactly what it meant. Looking down, he was greeted with a sight that became so familiar, a folded piece of white paper slipping beneath the door. Hoseok picked up the paper and gave a small cough, the signal that he got it.

Turning off the light, Hoseok made his way to his bed. He got beneath the blanket and grabbed his phone from his nightstand. Pulling the blanket up over his head, he turned on his phone screen to use the light, unfolding the paper. Before he got the chance to start reading, he was startled by the sound of the door opening, quickly poking his head out from beneath the blanket."Oh, Jiminie, get some sleep now."

"I will, Hyung." Jimin closed the door behind himself and got into his bed."You get some sleep too."

"I will." Hoseok laid in silence after that, just waiting for Jimin to fall asleep. As he waited, his phone and the paper remained in his hands beneath the blanket. As soon as he was sure that Jimin had fallen asleep, Hoseok ducked beneath the blanket and turned on his phone screen again. He shone the light on the paper, reading the message that was written there.

Hobi,

You work so hard every day. Again today, you worked hard. Your body works hard. Your brain works hard. Your heart works hard. You put so much energy and effort into everything you do for us. Do you put that much energy and effort into the things you do for yourself? Answer this question for yourself because I already know.

I see it every time I look at you. I see what you hide. It's in your eyes. Your eyes, like windows into your soul that only I know how to look through. I understand. Sometimes, the sun goes down. It burns out. The fire needs to rest before it can be reborn. Rekindled.

The absence of the sun may leave the world in darkness, but that darkness is beautiful because we know the sun is sleeping. Without this darkness, we wouldn't appreciate the light.

So come. Enjoy this darkness with me. I'll meet you on the roof at two am.

Signed,

Our Little Secret

How could Hoseok ever resist this? How could he resist the one who always understood him? He didn't have to pretend with him. He could show the darkness and put away the sunshine. He didn't have to smile or use a facade. With him, Hoseok was himself.

Getting out of bed just a few minutes before two o'clock, Hoseok made his way out of the bedroom as quietly as possible, being careful to not wake Jimin. He tiptoed through the hall and got up onto the roof."I'm here." he spoke with a softness that was usually absent from his typically-loud voice."The real me. With you, this is all I need to be."