A sound of the door opened could be heard from behind.

Yunho turned to see who come interrupting his training, when suddenly a high-pitched voice breaking the silent.

“YUNHOOOOO!” Changmin stepped in to the practice room. His thin body was wearing his usual oversized (it’s actually not oversized, Changmin was just too small) red and black patched jacket with long thick trouser. His hands were holding a already opened box of pepero.

Yunho raised his eyebrow, “What?” answered Yunho, annoyed by the sudden disturbance.

“Yunho, Yunho, Yunho...” Changmin ran happily toward Yunho. A wide smile was spreading on his mouth.

“Yunho, Yunho, do you know what day it is? Do you? Do you?” asked Changmin with his usual small voice. Changmin, somehow, shook the box of pepero in front of Yunho’s eyes.

Yunho frowned. Judging from the way Changmin cheerfully shaking the box of pepero in front of him, it must be Pepero Day, today.

It’s not that Yunho didn’t know. Yunho just... didn’t care.

That day was just another usual day for Yunho. Time to practice. Time to gearing up for his debut.

It’s seriously was no time for wandering around, with a box of pepero, asking people what day is it, when all they need to do was seeing the pepero box you bring along to know it was pepero day!

So, Yunho glared at Changmin angrily, “Changmin. Where have you been all this day?”

Changmin completely ignored Yunho’s question though.

“It’s Pepero Day! Yunho, let’s do a pepero kiss! Both of us!” Changmin said cheerfully. Seemingly ignorant of what he just said earlier.

Of course, Changmin’s sudden “kiss” request caused Yunho to froze.

What?

Kiss?

It’s not that Yunho had never kissed before... It’s just...

Okay, Yunho had actually never kissed before.

But, Yunho certainly didn’t want his first kiss to be a fourteen years old kid! Over a pepero biscuit, on top of that!

“Changmin!” scolded Yunho, both his hands were on his hips, showing an intimidating pose, “What are you thinking about? Do you know what time is it? It’s super late already! It’s about the time for us to debut, and, you just had to wander around babbling about pepero days’ craze... where are your other friends? Where is Junsu? I hadn’t see him for FOREVER! Where are the other guys?”

Changmin was surprised at first, but he collected himself as soon as possible, and said, “Err... I met Junsu earlier... he was with Hyukjae... but, Yunho, listen to me first. The thing is, Heechul and Jaejoong...”

Changmin haven’t finished his sentence when Yunho interrupted with a loud groan, “Urrrgghh... not with Hyukjae again. When will this guy finally get into their sense and practice accordingly...” Yunho ranted quietly as he about to rushed out of the practice room, searching for the rest of .

Changmin hurriedly blocking Yunho, “Yunho! Listen to me first!”

Yunho glared at Changmin again. This is the first time Yunho ever heard Changmin yelled at him! Yunho snickered, “What?”

Changmin pouted as he stared at Yunho with his wide innocent eyes, “We had to do pepero kiss first! Everyone already did! I met Heechul earlier, and he said that if I never did pepero kiss on pepero day with the person that I love, I will be single forever and will never marry that people!”

Yunho eyes widened.

Oh, God. Not again.

Just a few days ago, Heechul, Donghae, and Siwon nonchalantly teased Changmin about never having a girlfriend or boyfriend before. It happened because they were reading the very ridiculous  zodiac section on the magazine. Changmin’s zodiac, apparently saying that Changmin seems to be hopeless in love matter. They told Changmin that the only way to break the curse is to steal other person underwear with the same zodiac as him.

Poor Changmin quickly get caught by Yunho, apparently the person with the same zodiac as Changmin, when Yunho stepped into his room and found Changmin red-handedly taking Yunho’s underwear.

Yunho swear he could heard Heechul, Donghae, and Siwon’s laugh from across the room.

Now, that rascal Heechul just HAD to feed Changmin with another wrong info.

Yunho bet that both Heechul and Jaejoong, pepero-kissed in front of the kid, Changmin.

Yunho could almost see both doing that in front of him.

“Changmin, please stop with that. First, I don’t want to marry you in the future. Second, you. Don’t. Have. To. Pepero-kiss. Someone. In. Order. To. Marry. Them!” Yunho said, starting to lose patient.

Changmin eyes started to glistening with tears. His hands holding the pepero box tighter.

“No... but Yunho...” Changmin started sniffing.

“Yunho... I know... I know that Heechul and Jaejoong were just lying to me,” Changmin sobbed. Tears begin flowing down on his cheeks.

“Yunho... I’m not stupid. I know... I know that I don’t have to pepero kiss anyone in order to marry them. Or steal someone underwear to break a curse or whatsoever...”

“But... if I didn’t do it... I... I...” Changmin finally cried. His pretty face soon become wet of tears. His body trembling in sadness as he stared in Yunho with helpless look.

“I... I will never be their friend. I will never have friend. No one wanted to be my friend... Just... just because... I joined late... Just because... Huu... Huuuuaaa....” Changmin’s sentence soon lost, drowned by his cry.

Somehow, Changmin’s words made Yunho stunned in silent.

To think about it... Changmin was right.

No, actually, more than that. Yunho know the truth.

Changmin joined the agency just recently. He was, somehow, a special case.

Changmin was the youngest boy to ever join the agency and soon become the youngest trainee.

That, and the fact that Changmin passed the audition easily, just by doing a lame soldier-clap-dance, people started to envy him. Changmin then became the older trainee’s target of bully.

Yunho had actually lost count on how many time has Changmin did stupid things that the seniors asked him to.

And, on top of that, Changmin had always done it with high spirit and cheerful fit.

Nobody ever bother care if Changmin actually, deeply, broken inside.

Yunho shrugged. He took the pepero box of Changmin’s hand, grabbed a stick, and bit it in his mouth.

Changmin stared at Yunho confusedly.

“Okay, let’s do the pepero kiss,” Yunho said confidently.

Changmin still staring in confusion.

Yunho sighed, “Oh, well. Changmin. Shall we do it now or shall we never do it? You know? I really hate bullsh*t like valentine, white day, black day, or whatever. Those are just myth. They aren’t real. You have 365 days to give someone you love a prize. It doesn’t have to be on pepero day or whatsoever,”

“But, Changmin. I will do this pepero kiss for you. Not because you are afraid of what the seniors say, or if they gonna hate you if you didn’t do it. But, as a sign of our friendship. From now on, Changmin. I’m gonna be your friend. You don’t have to feel lonely again. You can depend on me as much as you want,”

“Also, Changmin, don’t tell them that you did pepero-kissed with me. That, will only make them happy and will bully you even more. Don’t worry about them bad mouthing you. Because, I will try my best to be always beside you and defend you when it needed,” Yunho said assuring the troubled Changmin.

Changmin, at Yunho’s words, finally stopped crying.

He slowly took a deep breath, wiping the tears using his jacket, and try to put on a slight smile toward Yunho.

Yunho nodded proudly as Changmin collected himself.

Changmin then, bit the other tip of the pepero biscuit. His eyes softly closing as he get ready to be kissed by his dearest senior, Yunho.

“And, Changmin,”

Changmin opened his eyes again. In front of him, Yunho could be seen flustered at their physical closeness.

Yunho gulped a bit, “If... one day I were to marry you... Changmin... please be reminded, that it’s not because we pepero-kissed this day. Okay?”

Changmin smiled, he giggled at Yunho’s words. Of course he understand. Didn’t he just said he isn’t that stupid?

Changmin at last, closed his eyes again.

Yunho reached for Changmin’s head, softly pulling Changmin’s head closer into him, as Changmin munched the pepero biscuit between them.

Slowly, but sure. Until finally, Yunho’s lips touched Changmin’s.

xxx

“CHANGMIIIN! I’m home!” Yunho abruptly opened their apartment door. He slammed the door close, then throwing the shopping bag to the dining table. Rushed inside to the living room. the TV. Changing the channel. Eyes then, fixed to the TV’s screen as his favorite drama begin playing the opening soundtrack.

Changmin peeked from behind his room, through his laptop. He could be seen wearing his eyeglasses.

He frowned in annoyance as Yunho throwing the shopping bag to the dining table. He sighed, stood up, and walked toward the dining room. Changmin then inspecting the content of the bag.

“Wow, you finally brought the spinach and not the parsley,” praised Changmin with slightly mocking voice.

“They look the same for me,” Yunho said cheerfully. Eyes still staring at the TV.

Changmin had giving up telling Yunho the difference of both. So, Changmin just throw a deathly glare toward Yunho.

Changmin opened the refrigerator, placing all the foods Yunho had bought for them, inside.

A box of biscuit, somehow, could be seen between all the vegetables and frozen food.

Changmin took it while raising his eyebrow, “Pepero?”

Suddenly, Yunho laughed loudly.

“HAHAHAHA... Yeah... right... I bought that,” Yunho then turned toward Changmin, “Don’t it remind us of the past? You were such a small boy that time, Changmin! With sparkly wide eyes. Always blushed shyly when you talked,”

Changmin’s face flushed in red as he heard Yunho’s words.

“Remember... it was pepero day too. You brought yourself a box of pepero. Walking so cutely while at that. Asking to have a pepero-kiss with me. Changmin, do you also remember that you cried when I rejected you?” teased Yunho while still laughing.

Suddenly, the pepero box flew toward Yunho.

“AUCH!” Yunho exclaimed loudly.

“THAT WAS TWELVE YEARS AGO, YOU BRAT!” Changmin shouted as loud in embarrassment.

Changmin was right though. It was twelve years ago.

Lots of things has happened since that, as Yunho reminisced.

Yunho remember scolding all the trainee who bullied Changmin that time. Until they finally stopped teasing Changmin. Changmin then able to debut in peace a month after. With the senior who has turned into caring brothers for Changmin.

Two years after, most senior who also older than Changmin, debuted into different group. Yunho remembered that they finally, treated Changmin as their dearest respected senior-who-debuted-earlier, and most befriend Changmin afterward.

Five years after that, Changmin and Yunho group splitted up. In the edge of their disbandment, both Yunho and Changmin tried their hardest to bring back their glorious group back to it’s deserved throne.

After a long another five years of hardwork after their group sudden crisis, Yunho and Changmin finally successfully bring back their group to it’s fame. A year after that, Yunho proposed Changmin, they married just three months after that.

Yunho grinned toward Changmin, “You know. I can’t believe I actually married you! At pepero day also!” Yunho said while laughing. “It couldn’t be because we pepero kissed that day right? And I even said I don’t believe in myth!”

Changmin walked toward the sofa. He sat next to Yunho, while dropping a bottle on Yunho’s laps.

“It’s strawberry jam. Not tomato sauce,” Changmin said with gloomy voice. Yunho could see Changmin’s forehead wrinkled behind his eyeglasses. Yunho laughed again.

“Oh, God. Both are red. Of course I’d be mistaken,” Yunho said mischievously.

Yunho took off Changmin’s eyeglasses, he softly brushed Changmin’s lips with his other hand, then kissed it softly.

At that time, Yunho swore he could hear both hearbeats speeding up.

“Mmmhh....” Changmin slightly moaned. Yunho could feel his warm and soft lips pecking Yunho’s here and there.

“Happy wedding anniversary... dear, Changmin...” Yunho mumbled in between their kisses.

Yunho embraced Changmin toward his hug. Changmin hugged him back. Slipping his hands toward Yunho’s back.

“Happy wedding anniversary too, dear Yunho,”