“Cho Kyuhyun! You’re wanted.” Leeteuk barged into the dorm after his hectic schedule, a frown straining on his face.

“What? Why?” Kyuhyun stood up, pushing aside his dinner hurriedly.

“I don’t know; something about leaving dorm premises. Just go find him,” Leeteuk answered warily and slumped onto a chair, demanding the whereabouts of the other members.

“A-alright,” Kyuhyun grabbed a jacket and left the building, searching for his manager to take him to the main SM building.

“Cho Kyuhyun,” the CEO stated.

“Y-yes, sir,” Kyuhyun mumbled. He had a gut feeling what was coming up. Dorm premises basically equals to ‘no clubbing’.

He opened his mouth to explain that it was a one-time thing, but the CEO beat him to it.

“I’ve been getting reports-well, one report- from a source that you haven’t been staying put in your dorms at night.” He emphasized the word night, dark eyes searching Kyuhyun’s trembling pair. They narrowed, suspicious like a wolf.

“I-It was just once, I swear. I will be staying in my dorm from now on.” Kyuhyun promised. It was an easy promise for him; he had no intention of returning to the club ever again.

“Kyuhyun,” the CEO started.

“Really, please trust me. I will never leave the dorms unless on schedule or to school. Please,” Kyuhyun insisted, his begging eyes dropping from the CEO’s gaze to the marble floor.

The CEO laughed without smiling.

“Very well, I suppose all young men nowadays need their share of…let’s say, excitement.” The CEO’s voice had semi-sarcasm dripping all over it.

“I understand, sir.” Kyuhyun’s heart dropped. It seemed that he can’t very much get out of this situation easily.

The two sighed simultaneously.

“As a newly debuted star, you have to work hard to maintain an image. I know you have a naughty, playful side, what with the maknae position and all, but what matters most are your fans. No matter how many songs we produce, how many shows you go on, it’s your fans that are going to decide your success. They are the ones that hold the key to reaching your dreams, Kyuhyun. And going to a club, where the possibilities of meeting your fans are endless, is suicide. It’s asking for them to throw the key into the ocean.”

The CEO paused for breath from his lecture and Kyuhyun let go of the mouthful of air he was capturing.

They absorbed in the awkward silence and Kyuhyun coughed, shattering the atmosphere.

“Going out so late you’re even catching colds,” the CEO scolded in a fatherly way and sighed again, letting the disappointed air file out of his pursed lips.

“Sorry, sir.” Kyuhyun bowed his head, wishing he was anywhere but inside the gloomy office.

“You can be dismissed, Kyuhyun. We can’t afford to let you leave the group; many fans already find Super Junior a joke. Just…stay away from clubbing, drinking and girls in general. Thank you.” With his soft words, Kyuhyun stood up bowed stiffly, exiting the room.

Stay away from girls? How can I do that?Kyuhyun knew he had no problem staying away from girls in general…but from Seohyun? He doubted his ability.

Just as he let out a breath of relief that all the possible troubles he could get into was over, he met his manager’s contorted face in the van.

“A girl has been living in the dorms?” the manager shouted, slamming down his iPhone.

Kyuhyun shrunk back.

“H-hyung-” Kyuhyun started, but the manager raised a threatening palm.

“Save your words, Kyuhyun.” the manager cruelly cut him off, shaking his head and inserting the key into ignition.

“Can I expla-” Kyuhyun tried again, but the manager curtly the radio. Whether to his dismay or happiness, he didn’t know, but Super Junior’s U came out and the manager was happily surprised.

“You guys are doing good on the charts,” he commented with a cold voice but Kyuhyun could hear the tid bit of serenity.

“Thanks, hyung.” Kyuhyun made another attempt to explain but the manager just gave a small smile and turned back into his rock hard pokerface again.

“Do you like her?” the manager asked out of the blue.

Kyuhyun looked up from his tangled fingers, surprised.

“Well, she…” he began, not quite knowing what words to describe Seohyun with. “She’s…nice? Pretty.” He mumbled, blushing the slightest shade of rose pink.

“One night stand?” the manager’s thick eyebrow disappeared into his cloud of hair.

“No!” Kyuhyun protested and the manager nodded. “Figured. That’s what I told the representatives; ‘no way would Kyuhyun play around with a girl like that. He’s much more mature than his age suggests’.”

Kyuhyun felt his heart elevate and he smiled widely.

“But I can’t talk them out of banning you from girls. The girl, at least. When did you guys meet?”

“A few days ago,” Kyuhyun replied, hoping he would not be asked where they met. He couldn’t afford to get into another scandalous activity with Seohyun or he’d be kicked out. No matter how much he wanted Seohyun to be by his side, he had given up so much to pursue his dream.

“That’s good, not too many strings tied then,” the manager noted. Kyuhyun could only nod silently.

“I’m sorry, Kyuhyun.” a warm hand was placed upon Kyuhyun’s shivering one and he struggled to not pull back with distaste.

“I can’t see her any more?” was all he could ask. The manager looked at Kyuhyun.

For the rest of the trip back to the dorm, the van was silent.

“It’s alright, I can…live it out in a hotel or something.” Seohyun murmured into her hands and looked up at Kyuhyun with as much optimism as she could muster.

“No you can’t! How can you afford such high expenses?” Kyuhyun protested and pushed her back onto his sleeping bag.

“Kyuhyun sunbaenim! I can’t possible burden you and your dream like this. I can find a job.” Seohyun shoved a few rice crackers into a weak, beige plastic bag and stood up.

“You’re already a trainee!”

“I have time on my hands.”

Kyuhyun grabbed his hair, his fingers digging into his skin. He was frustrated and he didn’t like it when he was speechless and unable to come up with a good response.

Seohyun stood there watching him with sad eyes, but she was strong and firm.

It went on for a long time. They bathed in the comforting silence and thought over the past few days with each other.

It was like reminiscing things that happened only two minutes ago. They didn’t have many thoughts and memories to replay but they kept rewinding the things they did together, not as friends, not as boyfriend and girlfriend, not even quite as themselves but as a person in general.

“If I say I’d miss you, will that jinx things?” Seohyun smiled a bit.

“Not if I say I’d miss you too,” Kyuhyun patted his hair down and sat.

“I’ll see you around the company for sure, right?”

Kyuhyun nodded quietly.

“But I’m still getting a job.” Seohyun added.

Kyuhyun groaned in utter frustration and dissatisfaction.

“Why?!” he complained and pushed aside his diary.

“Money doesn’t quite grow on trees. School admission isn’t quite for free.” Seohyun retorted.

“What are you going to work as? You are a trainee for the day, you have no time to get a normal job.”

“Not a normal job, but still a job. At night.” Seohyun sighed, swallowing back shameful sobs. She had in mind what kind of job is high-paying at night but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. Not yet.

Kyuhyun was less patient.

“A job at night? Like what? A stripper?”

his venomous words dug into Seohyun and she tearfully nodded.

“Its pay isn’t…bad.” She offered.

Kyuhyun grasped the sides of his head in shock. His innocent Seohyun…

“You can’t,” he roared.

“I can so. I can do whatever I want, Kyuhyun sunbaenim.” To add good measures, Seohyun avoided speaking in banmal.

“Just like what s do. They do whatever they want.” Kyuhyun harshly imitated Seohyun’s voice and she pulled back in shock.

“I-”

The bedroom door opened and the manager’s creased face appeared in the frame.

“Times up, Kyuhyun. I’ll driver her to wherever she’s going.”

Then he took a good look at Seohyun and his eyebrows furrowed, his lips straightening.

“Seo Joo Hyu-?” he didn’t quite finish his sentence, as Seohyun quickly stood up and pushed past him.

“Calling people s isn’t what I would consider ‘making a relationship not horrible’,” Seohyun replied coldly as she grabbed her plastic bag of necessities and rushed out the door.

The manager peered at Kyuhyun suspiciously.

“You called her a ?” his eyebrow rose again.

Kyuhyun hung his head.

“I didn’t mean it,” Kyuhyun said, and a hot tear rolled down his cheek.

--

I am sorry.

The reason why  I haven't been updating frequently is because I have been receiving harsh hate. Not just feedback for my stories but just...cruel private messages in general and I was depressed for a long time. I had written this last week and debated with myself whether or not I should post it. But here it is and I hope you guys enjoy. Anything you’d like to criticize, like storyline/plot, characters, grammar, etc is fine and welcome. Please don’t let my inconstant updates bother your interest for this SeoKyu story. Thank you and I hope you have the greatest of days.

@Eycha_ys83 I am so very sorry for neglecting this story. I will try to update as fast as possible without interfering with my school. Thanks for supporting, fellow EXOtic. Can I ask who your EXO bias is? (:

@jinnie: I am deeply sorry. Please read my reasoning above. I supposed SNSD will debut in two-three chapters' time.

@kyutie13: thank you for your support. The curse is not supernatural but just a jinx (like the five-year jinx for idols- not supernatural but happens often).