Everything around him was frozen. It was as though all of the world had ceased to exist, and all that was left were his thoughts.

"Kyuhyun. Say hello to Yoonmi." His mother prodded politely, though the slight agitation was clear to those whom knew her well. After all, Kyuhyun was staring at the girl, but did nothing else. What was he supposed to say in this situation?
When the awkward silence fell over them again, his mother took responsibility. "I'm sorry that he's like this~ He must be shocked at how beautiful you've grown~"

His eyes fluttered closed, and his hand lingered on the skin over his heart. He was certain that it was trembling just as much as the rest of his body was. This bed no longer felt warm and inviting, even with the most precious man in the world sleeping beside him.
He looked over at that angelic face, gorgeous even in his slumber, and he remembered each smile and laugh that had left those beautiful lips. Kyuhyun was thankful to have Ryeowook in his life. He was thankful to have somebody that cared for him so deeply, so intimately.
But, now, looking at Ryeowook had become difficult. Those loving words and tender touches, that obnoxiously wonderful grin, all weighed heavily on the younger, and he thought it was only a matter of time before he broke.

"H-Hello, Yoonmi." He finally greeted, giving a small bow as she did the same, "It's been a while since the last time I saw you."
Small talk. That's all that he was willing to give right now, because he hated every single moment that was passing in her presence.
"Ah, yes. It was in middle school, right? Before we went to different high schools."

He nodded his response, but otherwise said nothing. He knew that he shouldn't be rude or aloof with this woman, after all, it wasn't her fault that this was happening.
"They make such a picture perfect couple, don't you think?" Kyuhyun's eyes lazily shifted in the direction of the two women standing just a bit away from them. These two women had set this all up without any consent from him at all. The mothers that claimed to love their children so dearly were forcing them into a loveless marriage.

Ryeowook shifted, his eyelids parting just enough to sleepily stare back into Kyuhyun's sorrowful eyes.
"Kyuhyun-ah?" He whispered, sitting up to help wake himself up a bit more, "What's wrong?"
The maknae would miss that voice. The one that was still so perfect, even when heavily laden with sleep. He would miss waking up beside him, and holding him closely. He would miss laughing at his silly little mistakes. Because after he told Ryeowook about all of this, he knew that things could never be the same between them. In order to keep the group together, he would have to keep his distance from the eternal maknae after this all came out in the open.
He gave an uneven sigh, even his breathing was becoming rigid, and he shook his head. "It's nothing, Wook. I was just thinking." He promised, reaching up and running his long fingers through the other's short hair, "Just go back to sleep, yeobo."
Tugging on the other's arm lightly to convince him to lie back down beside him, Kyuhyun feigned a little pout. He couldn't tell him now, not tonight.
But he should tell him tomorrow.

Yoonmi's blush was obvious, though she tried to hide it by turning away from him a bit.
She really was cute, and it reminded him of why he'd had a crush on her in the first place. She was sweet, shy, innocent.
Just like Ryeowook.
Only, unlike Ryeowook, Kyuhyun didn't feel anything for her. No love, not even intense attraction.
He blinked his eyes, just once, and suddenly, she wasn't anything like Ryeowook at all.
"Should we take a walk?" Yoonmi's voice was soft, and she fidgeted a bit, hoping that her nervousness wasn't too clear.
He wanted to say no. He wanted to tell her that he was sorry, but he was already in love with somebody else. The most perfect, beautiful, kind hearted person in all of the world.
"I..." His words faltered immediately, and he, rather than saying the things that were truly being screamed within his thoughts, finished his sentence in the way that was expected of him, "would like that." Offering his hand like a gentleman, he saw into her eyes.
Whenever he looked into Ryeowook's eyes, he could tell what the man was thinking and feeling. It was like staring directly into his heart, soul, and mind. But it was different with her. He couldn't read her emotions at all.

Ryeowook finally gave in, lying himself back down beside his boyfriend. "Are you sure you're alright?"
"Of course I'm alright." Kyuhyun replied, snaking his arms around the smaller frame, holding him ever closer to himself. Just listening to the other's breathing, feeling the other's pulse against his own, had all become sickening. These were things that he used to love, but now, it only made him feel guilty.
He didn't deserve this warmth. He didn't deserve this tender affection. Because, while Ryeowook remained completely devoted to the man that was holding him so gingerly, Kyuhyun was preparing for the inevitable.
A wedding that marked the end of everything he knew.

"I love you, Kyuhyun-ah." She whispered, "And, I hope that someday, you'll learn to love me, too. I'll be the best wife and mother that I can possibly be. I'll try to become something perfect so that you can love me as much as I love you."

Kyuhyun swallowed hard.
He knew that he could never love her, but as long as she clung so desperately to that hope, he was doomed.
Ryeowook had already fallen back to sleep, but Kyuhyun couldn't even close his eyes.
10 minutes passed slowly.
Then an hour.

2 hours.

3 hours.
The digital clock shone with the numbers 5:47, and he knew that he had to fall asleep soon. Ryeowook would be awake by 7 to make breakfast, and he would have to be awake no later than 7:30 so that he would have enough time to eat, shower, and dress before they left at 9 for a photo shoot.
Forcing his eyes to close was a challenge, but he finally accomplished this task. But behind his eyelids lie reels of footage. Images of his time spent with Ryeowook, and flashes of the girl that refused to let him go. But worst of all was the voice in his head that told him that this was all his fault.
And he knew that it was the truth.
The only reason that he was going through with this marriage was because he was afraid to tell his parents that he was gay.
Or, rather, he was gay for Ryeowook. After all, Ryeowook was the only man that he'd ever even looked at in that way.
He felt his beloved shift closer in his sleep, and Kyuhyun's heart cracked a little more. There was no way that he could ever hold anyone else this way. There was no way that anyone could ever make him feel such strong emotions, both positive and negative, without doing anything at all. This was a place that only Ryeowook could hold.
And it was all going to be crushed tonight because Kyuhyun was afraid that his parents would never accept him like this.

"And we'll lace the white table cloths with gold. Won't it be lovely, Kyuhyun?" His mother's smile was warm and affectionate. She enjoyed planning this wedding. She enjoyed imagining her son giving her beautiful grandchildren.

But how was he supposed to do something like that when just /looking/ at Yoonmi made him sick?

"Sure." He replied, guilt flooding through him and tightening his throat in a death grip. His entire body ached with the realization that this was all really happening.

"Ah, you should be more excited!" His mother announced, lightly hitting his arm to get a rise out of him, "But, I suppose you're just nervous