He quickly spun around and searched for the speaker. A tall, well-built man in a red-and-black uniform stood in front of the auctioneer, handing the latter a note.

Wow. Am I also popular with... guys? Kyuhyun thought unsurely. He was a little disconcerted by this, but it’s nice to know he had a diverse fanbase.

The auctioneer nodded, and then turn towards him. “Kyuhyun-ssi, would you mind joining Bidder Number 13 in the Business Lounge? Dongwook-ssi, one of our hotel’s butlers, will show you the way,” he asked.

Oh, so he’s not Bidder Number 13... Kyuhyun thought, relieved. But seriously, why was his bidder being mysterious like this? He or she should’ve just showed up here and not make him go all the way to - where was it again?

“Ah, yes, sure,” Kyuhyun respectfully agreed.

The hotel butler bowed courteously at him before leading the way. They stopped at the elevators, where the butler pressed the up button. Kyuhyun wondered where his bidder was meeting him. He was both curious and dreading it. When the doors opened, the butler motioned for him to get in first. Kyuhyun thanked him with a nod. The butler pressed the 3rd floor button, which had a label to its side saying, “Pool Area, Spa, Health Club, Business Lounge”.

Oh, yeah, the auctioneer said business lounge, Kyuhyun remembered. What in the world would we be discussing in a business lounge? Is he going to ask me to invest in something?

They arrived on the third floor, the butler leading the way once more to a glass door tinted so darkly that it’s almost opaque.

“Bidder Number 13 is in there waiting for you, sir,” the butler said, opening the door for him.

With another bow of thanks, Kyuhyun took a tentative step inside the business lounge. In front of him was the reception counter, which was, surprisingly, empty. Must be break time or something. Kyuhyun turned left and went deeper into the lounge. The room was L-shaped, with the reception area forming the bottom of the L. He was met by a row of luxurious cubicles arranged back-to-back, all equipped with well-padded leather mobile armchairs and high-end desktop computers. However, they all seemed to be shut off, except for one down the middle. There was a faint glow cast on the chair’s smooth leather, probably from the screen. Kyuhyun looked around once more, curious as to why the whole place appeared empty. It was also pretty quiet save for that computer’s low hum. What was going on?

The glowing computer screen drawing him in, Kyuhyun approached the cubicle. When he peeked at it, he was surprised to see that it’s on Starcraft’s starting page. A smile instantly lit up his face.

What, are we going to play? Because this definitely isn’t my first time, Kyuhyun thought smugly.

Checking once more if there’s anybody there and seeing no one, he took a seat and stared at the screen for a moment. That’s when he noticed that it wasn’t the actual game - it was just a screenshot of the starting page.

“Aish, what am I supposed to do with a screenshot?” Kyuhyun muttered to himself.

“I knew that’d get your attention,” came a voice from the cubicle opposite his. Startled, Kyuhyun’s head snapped up to see a smiling Lily, her chin resting on top of the cubicle divider, holding a golden chip. When she shifted it, the light hit the holographic image inside and it shimmered.

13.

~ ~ ~

Lily fought to keep the cheerful smile on her face. Kyuhyun’s expression shifted from startled to something unreadable when she showed him her bidder’s chip. She really thought he’d be glad to find out that it was her. That she won him. That she could have been 35 million won in debt right now if it weren’t for her angels.

---

“What do you think they’re doing now?” Siwon murmured, his back plastered against the wall outside the Business Lounge’s door.

“Can’t we just take a peek?” Donghae whispered back from beside Siwon.

“Andwe! They might be... you know. Having a private moment...” Siwon said. “It’s finally happening after aaaaaaaalllllllllll this time. I’m not letting you screw it up.”

“I let you drag me away from the perfectly cute girl who won me just to stand here - which, by the way, is so pathetic and lame - and you won’t even let me sneak a peek?” Donghae complained.

“Donghae, that room is filled with computers. You know how much technology hates you,” Siwon countered. “If the CPUs sense your presence, they’ll automatically implode. So stay put.”

Donghae gave his friend a nasty look but remained still. Really, why did he even agree to this? It was all Siwon’s idea, this stupid, rich, cupid-playing fool.

“I’ll give you that lifesize Iron Man figure we used in my drama,” Siwon said, trying to appease his friend.

Donghae’s eyes glittered along with his innocent, beaming smile. “For real?!” he asked excitedly, not unlike a little child getting told they’re going to Disneyland.

Siwon nodded, returning his friend’s smile. Donghae doesn’t know it, but he was really thankful that he went along with this plan. He was sure he couldn’t have done it all alone.

That day in late November when Donghae called Lily up, it was Siwon who asked him to. Being the king of Twitter lurking, he was the first to see Lily’s sad tweets. He had noticed a little something between Kyuhyun and Lily, something not there between her and Donghae, ever since Shanghai. He actually really liked them together because for one, Kyuhyun’s sass is directed somewhere else, yet he also gets this softness when Lily’s around. As for Lily, she seems more... alive, when she’s with their maknae. Around Donghae, she leans more towards the sweet, quiet, girly side. But Kyuhyun brings the fire out of her, and Siwon thought that it suited her more. Of course, at first, he couldn’t say anything because he thought that she and Donghae were dating. He felt horribly guilty

That’s why after he read the tweet, he rang Donghae up and came up with the plan.

Siwon snuck a sideway glance at his partner-in-crime. He looked happy and contented, a tiny smile on his lips, probably imagining where he’s going to place the Iron Man figure. However, Siwon couldn’t help but wonder how he really felt about all of this. He got him to open up about everything that happened since Sydney, and even though Donghae said that he’s well on his way on getting over it, he couldn’t help but worry that this might still be hurting him a little. If it were him in Donghae’s shoes, it would. After all, he did have feelings for Lily. Just how deep those feelings were, Siwon had no idea, and that’s the reason for his worry. He just kept on reminding himself that Donghae readily agreed to this plan, so those feelings probably weren’t that strong from the beginning.

Still, this thing had to be done. Those clueless people inside were taking to long to realize things that are right in front of their faces. He should also thank his father for coming in at a very opportune moment. It was that same day, one of those rare days when he didn’t have schedules, and he was hanging out in his room reading tweets. Mr. Choi knocked and entered his room to tell him about the charity event as well as give him instructions about their annual donation. Since the foundation is celebrating a major anniversary, their usual 30 million won yearly donation was upped to 50 million won. And because they had another event to attend to that same night, as the eldest child, he should go represent the Choi family.

When Siwon read Lily’s tweet, it was as if destiny wanted it to happen. Bolts and knobs started to turn in his head, turning this family duty to an opportunity to help bring people in love together. He already had 50 million won to give anyway, so why not use it for the bidding? It’d all end up with the charity anyway, and this way would also be helping Kyu and Lily. Two birds with one stone.

When it was all set, he secretly asked those whom he didn’t sign up for in the auction to help Lily out when she wanted to bid for an item. He guaranteed that they wouldn’t have to shell out anything, that he’d cover everything. But as expected of his bandmates, they declined his offer of reimbursing them and said that it’s for the charity anyway, so they’ll take care of whatever Lily wanted to bid on. His heart was warmed by their generosity, yet he still insisted on paying for at least half of whatever amount Lily bids. Finally, they agreed on that.

---

“You’re speechless because you’re too happy that it’s me, right?” Lily said when Kyuhyun continued to not say anything. He kept on looking at the chip and then back at her with that pokerface of his. She had the urge to throw it at him just to get him to talk to her.

“Or are you disappointed that it wasn’t actually Dongwook-ssi who bid on you?” she joked, trying another approach after another minute of silence from her “prize”.

Kyuhyun only narrowed his eyes at her. Half of Lily wanted to strangle him for being stubborn. The other part of her, one that she’s trying so hard to ignore, wanted to run away and cry in a dark corner because maybe he was being like this because he really was disappointed that it was her. She shouldn’t have listened to Donghae and Siwon in the first place. Darn those two meddlers. She could have been perfectly happy being miserable with this one-sided love. It would’ve passed after a year or so... wouldn’t it? Then, she wouldn’t have had to suffer the heartbreak and humiliation of being rejected, just like, by the looks of it, she’s about to be...

“YA! Cho Kyuhyun!” Lily burst out, throwing all the negative thoughts into the air. What will happen, will happen. She had to know. “What the heck is wrong with you?!”

As sudden as her outburst, Kyuhyun jumped up from his chair and leaned in so close she could smell the faint scent of the BB cream on his face. Too shocked to even reflexively pull back, Lily found herself staring into those bottomless black pits, her stomach yet again filling with those pesky fluttering butterflies that made her want to throw up. The sound of her intensifying heartbeat boomed in her ears. She hoped he couldn’t hear it. He continued to stare back at her. She had to summon all her strength to stay put and not melt into a puddle. She didn’t want Siwon to have to pay for her shorting out the computers. She wanted to move away, to say something, to do just anything else because the pressure of this tensioned silence was threatening to make her explode. But his gaze held her there and she was completely helpless to its command.

All these thoughts running in her head, Lily fought to keep her face straight. If everything goes downhill, she could all chalk it up as a dare by Donghae and Siwon. Always gotta have a backup plan, right?

“You have 35 million won at your disposal.” Kyuhyun finally said, leaning back, his arms crossed on his chest.

“Yes, I do,” Lily replied confidently.

“Really.” he asked, the question sounding more like a disbelieving statement. He began to walk around the cubicle towards her.

“Really.” Lily confirmed, following him with her eyes.

Kyuhyun stopped short in front of her, raising his eyebrow a little bit more as a further challenge to her answer. Lily turned to face him, her expression mirroring his challenging look. Slowly, a corner of his lips started to turn upwards to form a tiny smirk. This infuriated Lily. She couldn’t figure out just what he was thinking. What’s with the smirk? Was he mocking her?!

“What, are you wishing that I didn’t so that you could tell the auctioneer and have my bid forfeited for the next one?!” Lily demanded, her arms flailing about in frustrated gestures.

“I did not say that,” Kyuhyun replied calmly, the tiny smirk still present.

“But that’s what you want, isn’t it? FINE. Fine, I’ll go tell him myself now.”

“That’s not what I--Lily!”

Not letting Kyuhyun finish, Lily pushed past him and made her way to the door. She was in such a haste to get away from there that she did so a little too forcefully, making him almost lose his balance. Her resolve to keep cool completely crumbled. Tears were already stinging the back of her eyes and she didn’t want him to witness her being pathetic.

~ ~ ~

“Lily! That’s not what I was trying to say!” Kyuhyun called after her. For someone who’s not athletic, he caught up with her quickly, just before she reached the door. As forcefully as she shoved him aside, he grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.

“What? What were you trying to say?!” Lily cried, eyes b with tears.

“I...” Suddenly, the words were stuck in his throat. This was it. All this time, he had anticipated and dreaded this point. He knew he shouldn’t be nervous anymore because he had all the proof he needed. Here she was right in front of him, after bidding an insane amount for him and no one else (Bidder 13 never showed up on the screen for any of the other items), close to tears because she thinks he didn’t want her. His dream has finally come true, so what was he doing standing there stupidly, mouth agape?

“Spit it out, Kyu, or just let me leave,” Lily said coldly, although her eyes were pleading.

Kyuhyun took a deep breath and said, “I... meant that if you didn’t really have the money, I would’ve gladly paid for it myself just to have you win me.”

~ ~ ~

It took a couple of seconds for his words to sink in.

“Y-you... you would?” Lily stuttered. Does he mean what she thinks he means?

“I would,” Kyuhyun agreed with a shy smile and lowered eyes.

“Why?” It was a cliche question, she knew, but her mind had gone blank. If he really meant what she thought he meant, then... could it be? That he felt the same way? Can something this wonderful actually happen to her? The thought brought a fresh burst of warm fuzziness in her stomach.

Kyuhyun raised his eyes to meet hers. “Same reason why you bid for me.” he said.

“Because someone already bid for Donghae?”

Lily mentally facepalmed herself. Why the heck did she say that? She blamed him for her muddled thinking. Her brain can’t function properly when he’s looking at her like that. Then he goes and takes a step closer, completely erasing what little space they had between them.

Lily unconsciously held her breath when Kyuhyun once again leaned in so close she could count his eyelashes and said in a low, almost whispery voice, “I was put to the bid first before Donghae. If you really wanted to bid for him, you would’ve waited for his turn.”

“I...” was all Lily could manage for a reply.

“But you didn’t. You bid for me,” Kyuhyun continued in that voice, ignoring her failed attempt to produce a coherent argumentative sentence, “which meant that you wanted me.”

“Well then, congratulations, Ms. Lao. I’m all yours.”

Before she could completely process everything, she felt his lips touch hers, evaporating all her thoughts. Somehow, the kiss scenes in all the cheesy rom-coms she’s seen over the years started popping up in her head, none of which accurately depicted just how stupefyingly amazing this felt. It wasn’t exactly fireworks. It felt more like riding a rollercoaster: that gut-left-in-midair sensation after a huge drop and the rush and exhilaration felt right after. It was equally as dizzying, yet she didn’t want it to end. Strangely enough, just like in movies, music started playing: Christmas at Hogwarts. As if this wasn’t already perfect.

It was. It definitely was, and she couldn’t believe that it was actually happening. Something only a month ago would’ve seemed so ridiculous to her, yet here she was, kissing Cho Kyuhyun of all people, and not one bit did she want to throw up. Cho Kyuhyun, the last person she’d ever think of falling in love with. And he feels the same way about her. She must’ve been a very good girl this year to get this ultimate early Christmas present.

Lily started to chuckle, which made Kyu pull back a little to give her a puzzled look. Still smiling, she brushed it off with a shake of her head and pulled him back in.

________

Siwon the secret KyuLy shipper. :)))

AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! I’m done with this chapter at LAAAST! After more than 1 month!!!^^ I’m so happeeeeee. I hope you all liked it. :D

Ah, I’m not so good with drama and build up... I’m sorry. I do hope it wasn’t anti-climactic. T.T

Thank you again to everyone who read, commented, and subscribed. There’s more so stay with me!^^

and also...

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!