"Help us raise funds for our dream! Donate now and get a free hug."

"This is stupid."

Kyuhyun complained to his friend who was shouting at the passerby. Another friend who was holding a transparent plastic box turned to glare at him.

"If you can't think of another way to raise funds then shut up."

The lanky brown-haired man grumbled but obediently shut up. He, along with his four friends; Heechul, Hyukjae, Changmin, and Minho found a gaming team and planned to join an international league which was held in the United States. Problem was, they were four broke college students. Obviously, they couldn't afford the registration fee, air ticket fee, living expenses, and other necessary expenses. Three months ago, the five of them had been working to their bones to save money. Sadly, even after combining all of their savings it was only enough to buy an air ticket for two persons and a half. While they were drowning in hopelessness, Heechul was the one who suggested this silly idea to raise funds by doing absolutely nothing— giving a hug in exchange for money.

.

.

.

.

"My girlfriend will definitely kill me if she finds out about this." Changmin complained from beside Hyukjae.

"You think you're the only one who has a girlfriend to worry about?" Heechul shot back at his friend.

"I don't know about Heechul, but Changmin, I hope you rest in peace." Minho suddenly spoke up.

"What do you mean?" Changmin frowned.

"Your girlfriend is heading this way." Hyukjae shed some light for his friend.

True to Hyukjae's word, a beautiful girl with a scary smile was stomping their way. Changmin's face immediately turned pale. He quickly pushed a girl he was hugging away and rushed to Kyuhyun who was holding a donation box. Kyuhyun yelped when the box was forcefully snatched from his hands.

"What the hell!? Give me back my box! You know I don't want to be the one giving a hug!"

"Shut up! We've been too lenient with you so it's time to get your up and work!"

With that said, Changmin pretended that he was merely there to help carry the donation box and glared at Kyuhyun to get to work. Kyuhyun scoffed. He hated this idea the most out of all five of them, so he agreed to only carry the box. He was ready to get his box back but someone suddenly tackled him into a bear hug. His first instinct was to push the stranger away but he froze after hearing a quiet sob. The stranger in his embrace was a man a bit shorter than him. That soft black hair slightly tickled Kyuhyun's neck when the other man hid his face in Kyuhyun's shoulder. Those arms hugged around his back so clingy and desperately that he didn't have a heart to push him away. The man was sobbing so hard that his frail frame was shaking. He glanced hesitantly at his friends (not Changmin). They all signaled at him to do something so he gingerly hugged the black-haired man back. The shorter man flinched at the returned hug but soon indulged in it.

"Shh… It's ok. Everything will be alright…"

Kyuhyun whispered while patting that silky hair and hugging the man in his arms tighter. The shorter male sobbed even harder that he could feel his shoulder getting slightly damp. Urgh, he hoped no snot got on his shirt. He sighed in annoyance but continued to comfort the man anyway. The sooner this guy stopped crying, the quicker he would be free of this hell. With that thought in mind, he kept whispering soothing words and patting that soft hair patiently. It took them almost ten minutes but eventually, the stranger finally stopped crying. The shorter man slowly pulled himself away from Kyuhyun's embrace and glanced up at him.

*Ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump*

Kyuhyun's heart skipped many beats faster upon seeing the stranger more closely— arching dark brows, magnetic obsidian eyes, pointed nose, chubby cheeks, and pale pink full lips. A red tinge painting at the tip of his small nose and his glossy watery eyes made him look valuable like a lost child. He didn't know what had gotten into him when he gently brushed his thumbs along the tear-stained cheeks. The black-haired man didn't pull away from his touch but instead smiled half-saddening, half-grateful at him, and Kyuhyun temporarily forgot how to breathe.

"...Thank you," whispered the man, "for everything."

Before Kyuhyun got to respond, the black-haired man gave him a brief bear hug and quickly stepped away. Still maintaining his melancholy smile, the shorter man stuffed bills into his hand and walked away. Those hunched shoulders seemed so lonely that it pained him much more than he would like to admit. He was about to call after the man but his friends (minus Changmin who was busy placating his girlfriend) stopped him. Heechul quickly snatched a bunch of fifty thousand bills from his hand. He counted it carefully while Minho and Hyukjae were waiting expectantly.

"...Holy crap one million won! That guy gave you a freaking one million won for a hug!" Heechul shouted in disbelief and jumped around.

"We're one step closer to our dream!" Hyukjae shouted while shaking Minho's neck in excitement. Luckily for Minho, Changmin who finally cleared the misunderstanding with his girlfriend came to the rescue.

"One million… Just for something as simple as a hug…?"

While his friends were losing their minds to the huge profit, Kyuhyun only thought of that lonely back and melancholy smile. For that man to easily throw a million won in exchange for something as free as a hug, he couldn't fathom how desperate that man was for warmth.

Kyuhyun made a promise to himself that the next time he met the black-haired man, he would hug him for free as long as the man wanted.

****************************************

The next day, Kyuhyun volunteered to be the one giving out a hug. He looked around all the time hoping to see that guy. However, the black-haired man didn't show up even once no matter how long he waited. Soon the sun went behind the horizon and darkness slowly fell around the park. They decided to call it a day. Kyuhyun was very disappointed that he couldn't meet the man again. His friends all tried to cheer him up but to no avail. Kyuhyun dragged his feet and walked ahead of the group in silence. He wanted to be alone for now.

"W-Wait! Don't go yet!"

The voice made him stop in his tracks. Kyuhyun quickly snapped his head back with great hope. There, running toward them was the man whom he had been waiting for. The shorter man slowed down to a jog when he got closer to their group.

"D-Did I make it? I wanted to come sooner but the meeting took longer than expected. I took a taxi but the traffic was hellish so I ran here instead…"

The black-haired man stopped rambling when he noticed that the five men were on their way out of the park. He sighed and smiled sadly at them.

"Oh? You're going already? Well, it's my fault that I can't make it so—"

"There isn't a closing time for free hug business! Go ahead Mister!"

Hyukjae chimed in happily and pushed Kyuhyun to the black-haired man. The man blinked cluelessly at the younger's enthusiasm. But when he saw Kyuhyun, the man beamed at Hyukjae gratefully and took out his leather wallet. The man handed many yellow bills to Hyukjae before Kyuhyun got to say that he wouldn't charge him. His friends happily took the money and stepped back to give them privacy.

"Hey, don't go around throwing money like—"

"I miss your hug."

Whatever Kyuhyun wanted to say was completely gone upon hearing the black-haired man's words. Exactly like yesterday, the shorter man hooked his arms around Kyuhyun's back and rested his forehead on Kyuhyun's shoulder. His warm breath tickled Kyuhyun's neck and he bit his tongue to not make a weird noise. Trying to shift his attention from the even breathing by his ear, Kyuhyun held that slim waist firmer while sliding his fingers into the soft hair of moonless night color. He hummed absentmindedly and gently patted the other man's hair. The shorter man seemed to enjoy his service very much, because he hugged Kyuhyun tighter while purring quietly. Then, the black-haired man glanced up in his arms and smiled at him. Those beautiful obsidian eyes formed a crescent moon shape. Kyuhyun gulped. That warm and cuddly body, that even breathing tickling his ear, that low and husky purring, that arms hooking around him, and that gorgeous smile all were too much for his heart. He prayed to all higher beings that the black-haired man didn't notice his erratic heartbeat.

Gods answered his prayer in the worst way possible.

"Sorry…"

The shorter man murmured while pulling away from Kyuhyun's embrace. He took out his ringing phone and answered the call. Kyuhyun didn't know what they talked about but the man seemed upset at the person at the other end of the line. The black-haired man's answer was a single 'yes' and he ended the call with a tiring sigh. Glancing up at him, Kyuhyun's heart ached in his chest when a sad smile replaced a jovial one.

"I gotta go now. Thanks for the hug. Bye."

"Wait!" Kyuhyun caught the man's small hand, "will you come again tomorrow?"

The shorter man stared at their joined hands and, to Kyuhyun's horror, slowly took his hand off the larger one.

"Technically I shouldn't come, but," the man smiled in mockery at himself, "I think I'll need your hug again soon so, yes, see you tomorrow."

Kyuhyun's heart skipped a beat when the man's dainty fingers hesitantly reached out to his, only for it to fall into an abyss when those fingers snapped back like a lighting. The black-haired man thinned his lips. He seemed like he didn't want to go yet but after another tiring and sad sigh, he turned his back at Kyuhyun and walked away without looking back.

"I wonder what happened to that guy," Minho spoke up from behind Kyuhyun, "he hands two millions won to a total stranger in exchange for a mere hug. If he wasn't filthy rich then…"

He is in desperate need of a hug.

Kyuhyun completed the sentence in his friend's place. At the same time, he wished that he could get to the bottom of whatever bothered the black-haired man and got rid of that sad smile.

*****************************************

The black-haired man arrived much sooner on the next day. He greeted them with a big smile while handing (yet another) one million won to Changmin. Although the man was smiling, Kyuhyun still noticed dark circles under his eyes and how those beautiful eyes were slightly red. Kyuhyun thinned his lips in dissatisfaction. This man was crying his eyes out again and he hated that he couldn't do anything to make it better.

Or maybe he could.

His pride swelled up in his chest when sadness in those eyes instantly disappeared after the man saw Kyuhyun. The black-haired man beamed cutely and literally jumped in his arms. Kyuhyun gladly returned the hug with as much enthusiasm. He also hummed and patted that dark hair knowing that the man liked it. True to his expectation, the shorter man's mood lifted up at once from his gentle touch. Sensing the man's positive mood, Kyuhyun decided to seize the chance to get to know him more.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes, go ahead."

"What is your name and how old are you?"

"Hmm… my name is Kim Jongwoon. As for my age, why don't you try to guess it?"

Kyuhyun was deep in thought. The man in his arms could be around his age if he was to look at that baby face alone. However, for him to carry around a million won with him, this guy had to be of working age already. And not just any working age, Jongwoon had to be at least a senior level in his career to easily spend a huge sum of money as if it fell from the sky. And the appropriate age for a senior employee should be…

"Twenty-eight?"

"Close enough. I'm thirty-two now."

"What!? You're twelve years older than me!?"

"Yep," Jongwoon hyung giggled (and Kyuhyun couldn't find any words to describe how much he loved it), "so, how does it feel hugging an antique?"

"I like it." Kyuhyun answered without hesitation.

"...You like antiques?"

"No, I like you."

At first, Jongwoon hyung stared at him without saying anything. Just as he thought that his confession failed, the older man's cheeks suddenly heated up into a lovely shade of pink. Actually, he could feel the other's erratic heartbeat through their touched chests that jumped as loud as his. Kyuhyun couldn't help himself and stared fixedly at those rosy cheeks. Then, his gaze shifted to a pair of full lips and completely stopped there. Jongwoon hyung was probably aware of his thought because the man blushed even madder. Seeing the black-haired man getting flustered only encouraged Kyuhyun more. With his burning gaze still gluing on those lips, he boldly brushed his thumb along the soft tissue and his own hungrily.

"I-I have to go now!"

Jongwoon hyung pushed him away and stuffed more yellow bills in his hand, being too flustered to realize that he had already paid for today's service. The black-haired man then ran away in embarrassment while Kyuhyun stared after him with a smirk.

"That was freaking smooth, dude."

Heechul praised him while patting his shoulder.

*************************************

Kyuhyun almost thought that he scared the older man away with his advance when the man didn't show up. However, just as they were about to call it a day, the familiar black-haired man approached them with an adorable pout that made his heart jump crazily. He quickly composed himself to keep cool and greeted the older man with a smirk.

"Hello hyung, I thought you didn't want to see me again after you ran away so fast yesterday."

"Hm! It's not like I want to come here or what! I just thought that I shouldn't waste my money so I'm here to get compensated!"

"What compensation?"

"Don't act innocent! Yesterday, I paid you twice but only got to hug you once, isn't that right!?"

"So you're here to get another hug," Kyuhyun whispered and pulled the shorter man into his arms, "in that case, I'll gladly give you the service you rightfully deserve."

Jongwoon hyung huffed in annoyance but didn't turn down the hug. If anything, the shorter man actually snuggled closer to him. His lithe arms firmly hooked around Kyuhyun's back as he nuzzled his head against Kyuhyun's neck. The black-haired man seemed so content being in his arms that Kyuhyun couldn't help but smile fondly. He reciprocated the firm hug while humming happily. Their heartbeats synchronized perfectly as their relished in the shared warmth. A devilish smirk slowly made its way to Kyuhyun's lips when some idea popped up in his head.

"Ah!" Jongwoon suddenly cried out in surprise, "what are you doing Kyuhyun!?"

"I thought you might get bored of the same old hugs so I make it more interesting!"

Kyuhyun explained with a grin as he spun the older man around. Though he frowned inwardly at how light the man in his arms was. Even though he wasn't very athletic, he still picked up the older man by his waist and spun him around with ease. It was as if he didn't carry around a grown-up man but a small child. Jongwoon hyung who was caught off guard at first hit Kyuhyun's shoulder to make the younger let him go. However, the quiet complaint soon changed into the ecstatic laughter; a loud and lively laughter that warmed Kyuhyun's heart up a great deal. Starting to get dizzy, Kyuhyun slowed the spin and carefully lowered the older man to the ground. They had already stopped spinning but Kyuhyun still had his hands on Jongwoon's waist.  

"Jongwoon hyung,"

"Hmm?"

"I like you," Kyuhyun said and hugged the man tighter, "will you go out with me?"

After a very long period of silence, the shorter man gently pushed him away. Those beautiful eyes reflected myriad emotions within a span of a second— happiness, sadness, gratitude, guilt, hope, fear, optimism, pessimism, etc. Kyuhyun's heart sank when he saw the black-haired man slowly shook his head.

"I'm sorry…but I can't do that."

"Why not? You don't like me? You don't like men? You think I'm too young for you? You're worried that I'll be a burden to you? You think that it's too early for us? You think we should get to know each other more before going out? Or did you—"

"No, Kyuhyun, it's not about you, it's about me."

"What's it then…?"

"Kyuhyun…" Jongwoon hyung glanced at him guiltily, "I already have a boyfriend."

His heart literally stopped beating for a second. Disappointment drowned him and his very soul fell into an abyss. However, anger soon replaced that and instantly flared up within him. He gripped the older's slim shoulders and shook him harshly.

"A boyfriend?" Kyuhyun growled, "you mean the jerk who makes you cry until your eyes are all red and swollen? The stupid jerk who leaves his boyfriend so lonely that he has to pay a stranger a freaking million won just to get a hug? The jerk who can't even put a smile on his boyfriend's face so he has to rely on paying a stranger instead? You call a bastard like that your boyfriend? Hyung, just dump him in a trash bin where he belongs and date me. You don't deserve a jerk like him—"

"Stop, please…"

Jongwoon hyung said while avoiding his eyes and stepped back.

"I think I need some time alone to clear my head. Goodbye, Kyuhyun."

"Wait, hyung, don't go!"

Kyuhyun hugged the shorter man from behind. He held that slim waist so tight as if his life was depending on it while begging pathetically.

"I'm sorry for saying that but I mean every word of it! Jongwoon hyung, if it's me, I'll never make you cry so, please, give me a chance. I'll show you that I'm far better than your jerk boyfriend!"

His heart was crushed into a million pieces when the black-haired man detached his arms from his waist.

"I'm sincerely sorry Kyuhyun but I don't think I can accept your feelings now…"

With that said, the older man hastily walked away. He didn't even glance back at once. Kyuhyun could only stare after the man in depression. He wanted to run after his heart but his legs were fully paralyzed from heartbroken. He didn't even know that he was crying until Changmin handed him a handkerchief.

"Let's go back to our dorm and play games all night!"

Heechul said and got a nod from both Minho and Hyukjae. Kyuhyun didn't say anything. He couldn't say anything. He just let his friend take him back to their house, leaving his heart behind on the ground broken and unattended.

************************************

The next day, as he expected, Jongwoon hyung didn't come to see him. Kyuhyun wasn't sure if he was happy or sad at that. He knew that he should give up on the man but his foolish heart wouldn't listen to him. It kept repeating images after images of Jongwoon hyung's cute smile, his beautiful black eyes, his soft dark hair, his cuddly body, his cologne, his laughter, etc. The feeling of having the man in his arms haunted him both in his wake and in his sleep. He kept yearning for having the man back in his arms even though he knew it was impossible. He only knew Jongwoon hyung for four days but he already fell impossibly in love with him. He knew that it was foolish of him to be so depressed about a fleeting feeling like this. But he already loved Jongwoon hyung and he couldn't undo it, wouldn't undo it. So, he could only hope that time would heal his broken heart and that one day he could forget the man.

.

.

.

.

Only one day had passed but Kyuhyun already gave up on forgetting the older man. One day, just one day that he didn't see the man but he missed him so much that his heart throbbed painfully. How could he love someone he barely knew so much that it physically affected him? He didn't know but he swore that he wouldn't let Jongwoon hyung sway his heart again.

"Isn't that the guy Kyuhyun falling head over heels for?" Changmin spoke up.

"Shh! Don't point it out to him!" Heechul quickly shushed the man.

Too late. Kyuhyun already snapped his head to look at the direction. There, walking alone leisurely far away was Jongwoon hyung. Despite his promise that he wouldn't let the older man sway his heart, his legs already took him toward the man. He caught the man's small wrist and pulled him to stop. A smile slowly made its way to his face even though he was supposed to distance himself away from the other man.

"Jongwoon hyung! I miss you…"

Yep, forgot about distancing himself from Jongwoon hyung. He couldn't do that.

"Kyuhyun… Sorry, I'm in a hurry now…"

"Huh? Where are you going? Did you have an appointment with someone?"

Kyuhyun asked curiously. That was when he noticed that the black-haired man dressed more formal than usual. He even set his hair and wore accessories.

"Sort of… Today my boyfriend will propose to me so…"

"Oh…"

His smile disappeared at once. So that was why Jongwoon hyung dressed up, huh? Because he was on his way to meet his boyfriend who would soon become his fiance! No wonder Jongwoon hyung didn't even bother to stop and chat with him. Kyuhyun chuckled bitterly at his stupidity. How many times was he going to make a fool of himself again? He should give up on the older man already.

"So that's why hyung didn't come here yesterday, huh?"

"That and I'm not ready to see you now…"

"I… see…"

Kyuhyun scoffed at himself. He let go of the black-haired man's wrist with a sad smile.

"I wish you the best of luck then, hyung."

"Wish me luck…? Wait! Kyuhyun!"

He ignored the older man's calling and walked away with his chin high up. He had to do that or else he might fail to hold his tears.

*************************************

That day, Kyuhyun immediately went back to his dorm and told his friends that he didn't want to take part in the hugging service anymore. They didn't question him and left him alone. He stayed in his room all day and all night. Even when the next day came, he still locked himself in his room and ignored his friends. He was depressed that he was heartbroken even before he got to do anything. He just realized for real how life was unfair to humans.

His phone rang.

He knew that it was easier to take the call now instead of letting it ring, so he answered it.

"What's now?"

"We need your help. Changmin and Heechul left us to go on a date with their girlfriends. I know that you don't feel like leaving your room now but we can't do it with just me and Minho. Come help us. You don't have to give a hug. Just hold the donation box for us."

At first Kyuhyun wanted to turn down his friend's plea, but Hyukjae sounded so hopeless that he couldn't bring himself to deny the man. So, he dragged himself out of the dorm and headed to the park with a gloomy mood.

.

.

.

Kyuhyun arrived at the usual spot where they held their free hug service but found no one. He frowned while looking around confusedly. Where were his friends Minho and Hyukjae? Did his friends prank him or was this just an attempt to get him out of his room? Kyuhyun scoffed in annoyance. He was ready to head back to the dorm and continued to mope around, but someone tackled him from behind and hugged him tightly.

"Kyuhyun, I miss you…"

He hated how his heart still jumped at that voice despite everything. Kyuhyun took that small hands off his waist and turned around to face the person who broke his heart. Jongwoon hyung smiled sheepishly at him before tackling him into a bear hug. Kyuhyun struggled trying to detach the black-haired man off himself but to no avail. Jongwoon hyung kept hugging him while glancing up at him with a cute smile. Kyuhyun hated how his hope flared up from just a simple hug and smile, so he tried even harder to get the older man off him. Sadly, his attempt only made Jongwoon hyung hug him impossibly tighter.

"Hyung, let me go!"

"I won't! How can I let you go when I've already fallen in love with you!?"

Kyuhyun froze in the black-haired man's embrace.

"Hyung… What did you just say…?"

"I fall in love with you, Kyuhyun."

Jongwoon hyung replied while his cheeks slowly turned redder. The older man then nuzzled his face in Kyuhyun's chest to hide his flustered expression. Kyuhyun didn't want to believe it so he pinched his arm to check if he was dreaming or not. However, the pain he felt was so real that he doubted he was dreaming. But, if it wasn't a dream then… Kyuhyun cautiously put his arms around the shorter man and hugged him back. However, the black-haired man made no move pushing him away so he happily hugged the man firmer.

"Jongwoon hyung…" Kyuhyun whispered in disbelief, "did you really mean it? Those words you just said?"

"That I fall for you? Of course, I mean every word of it. I do fall in love with you even though we know each other for only a week."

"But… What about your boyfriend? I thought he was to propose to you?"

"That jerk?" The black-haired man sneered, "don't worry, I already dumped his cheating to where it belongs, a dumpster."

"Cheating…?"

"Yep, that jerk is only after my money and fame. Hell, he already has a wife and kids! Would you believe that!?"

Realizing that he was raising his voice thus drew attention to them, Jongwoon hyung took a deep breath to calm down and snuggled closer to him.

"Remember the first time we met? That day, I wanted to surprise my jerk ex so I went to his workplace without informing him. It was his co-workers who told me out of pity that the jerk is only interested in my money. They showed me a picture of his wife and children and told me that they've been married for seven years now. I don't know if his wife knows about me or not, and frankly speaking, I don't care at all. The only thing I care about is the fact that I've been supporting this family financially like an idiot for four years! I gave that jerk all my hard-earned money while I got nothing but empty promises in return! Ha, no wonder that jerk doesn't want to touch me. Aual my , that jerk is just a pure scum!"

Kyuhyun quickly comforted the older man when he began to raise his voice again. He kept whispering "it's alright," and "you have me," while patting his dark hair until the man calmed down.

"...Luckily, I didn't see him that day and I asked his co-workers to not inform him of my visit. Then I ran away. I was really sad and depressed. I felt like I'm alone in this world and that no one truly cares about me. I ran away to the park and I didn't know why my feet took me here but I'm glad it did. That's how I met you."

Jongwoon hyung glanced up from his embrace. His eyes were a bit red but there was no sadness in there, only pure happiness was found in those depthless orbs.

"To be honest, I didn't expect much from the free hug thing at first. It's quite common around here since there are many highschools and colleges around here and this is the easiest way to raise funds. I always help those students because I know how hard it is raising funds. Plus, I like hugging so it's a win-win for me. However, their hugs are all cold and shallow as if they do it out of necessity. But you, Kyuhyun, you're different."

The older man tightened his arms around Kyuhyun's waist. He rested his cheek on Kyuhyun's chest and closed his eyes. A small joyful smile was painted on his lips as he attentively listened to the younger man's heartbeat.

"You didn't just hug me but comforted me. You soothed me with your calming voice and chased sadness away by patting my head. Your arms that hooked securely around me made me feel safe and warm. For a moment there I really do believe that nothing can harm me when I'm in your arms. You even didn't mind me crying like a baby and dirtying your shirt. Kyuhyun, you may not realize it but your simple hug is the sole beacon that lights up my darkest day. I felt high and happy as if I was on drugs. My head was reeling and my heart was racing. I got addicted to your hug, Kyuhyun, I got addicted to your warmth and kindness and I wanted to stay in your arms forever…"

The black-haired man smiled wider when the heartbeat by his ear increased.

"That's why I came to see you again on the next day. It was great being back in your gentle hug. Imagine how upset I was when the jerk ex had a gut to call me to have dinner together. I didn't want to go but I had no choice. I couldn't let him know that I already found out the truth so I had to leave you. I was happy when you asked if we'll meet again though. Because it means I'm not the only one who wants us to see each other again. I left in full spirit and I thought that I could easily dump his but…"

"You didn't," Kyuhyun finished the sentence for the man. Jealousy was clearly evident in his voice.

"...Turn out trying to pretend that those four years didn't exist was harder than I thought. In the end, I couldn't bring myself to break up with him despite everything. I cried all night at my own pathetic self and I miss you so much. That's why I came to see you earlier on the next day. I thought that I just needed some encouragement from you to get over him. But, Kyuhyun, you changed everything."

With their chests still pressing close, Jongwoon hyung held his face in his small hands. The older man caressed his cheeks absentmindedly as he continued the story.

"How you teased me and the way you looked at me, it changed everything. I ran away because I was scared, not at you but at my own racing heart, at my greediness to want more of your affection. I wasn't sure if this feeling is worth risking for but I still gave it a try. Then you confessed to me and my world was turned upside down. I'd never imagine that our short meetings could lead to something bigger than that. But your words were what I needed to step forward. I realized that I want to start anew with you but I can't do that unless I cut ties with my then boyfriend. So I told you that I can't accept your feelings for now but…"

"Hyung… Did you know that you broke my heart to pieces thanks to your vague wording!?"

"I actually didn't realize how vague my words were until you wished me luck yesterday… So… sorry? I guess?"

Kyuhyun wanted to headbutt the man so badly for messing with his heart. And he thought that he was heartbroken! He even acted like a stupid male lead in dramas punching a wall under running shower! So embarrassing! Kyuhyun had to take many deep breaths to calm down and not actually headbutting the older. Well, even if he wanted to he couldn't do that anyway because Jongwoon hyung was cheating his way out with a cute pout and puppy eyes. Kyuhyun sighed.

"Fine, I'll forgive you but only if you agree to go on a date with me."

"Of course I'll! ...But can we stick to something cheap? Your friends got me broke now…"

"Broke?" Kyuhyun frowned, "what did they do to you?"

"Well… Don't get angry, alright? They had good intentions and I wholeheartedly agreed to it too, so they didn't deceive me or swindled me or the like. And I kinda deserve it too so it's actually the right thing to do so—"

"Jongwoon hyung," Kyuhyun smiled, "what did they do to you?"

"...They wouldn't call you out here unless I agreed to sponsor your gaming team in the upcoming tournament. Don't worry though! I may not look like it but I'm super rich! I don't mind investing some of my savings on my boyfriend's career!"

"Hyung, this is exactly the reason why that jerk takes advantage of you! Actually, I want to say this since the first time we met, don't waste your money on a stranger you barely know!"

"It's not a waste though," the black-haired man tilted his head and smiled innocently, "because you promised that you'll make me happy, right?"

"...Did that jerk also say that to you?"

"Yep, how did you know?"

Kyuhyun massaged his temple. It seemed like he had a lot of work to do after dating Jongwoon hyung, for example, teaching him that he shouldn't trust everything someone said to him. Luckily for Jongwoon hyung though, now that Kyuhyun was here with him, let's see if anyone dared to deceive his innocent boyfriend! He would get rid of them like his enemies in games!

Kyuhyun made an oath to himself. At the same time, he couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of the situation. Who would have thought that he who hated this free hug idea the most would end up liking it so much? It reminded him of what someone once said that a hug was so powerful that it could cure sadness and bring happiness.

Apparently, it made you fall in love too.

He concluded. After this, he still had the tournament and his snooping friends to worry about. But for now, he wanted to indulge in the feeling of having Jongwoon hyung back in his arms. And you bet he wouldn't let go of the man no matter what, never, ever.

Kyuhyun hugged Jongwoon hyung a little bit tighter and smiled when his action was reciprocated. Fortunately for him, his boyfriend was quite clingy so surely he wouldn't mind if Kyuhyun wanted to stay like this longer, right?