Chapter 12: Of Movies And Restless Nights

“Goodbye Donghae!” Sungmin waved to his co-worker as the latter slid on the leather seat of the motorbike,wrapping his arms around his boyfriend.

“Have a fun date with your lover,Sungmin-ah!” Donghae yelled back as Hyukjae snickered at Sungmin’poker face.




“Little brats.”Sungmin mumbled under his breath,seeing Donghae tighten his grip around Hyukjae’s waist as the duo set off after throwing identical cheeky grins in his direction.

He glanced down at his wristwatch and sighed, ten more minutes until Kyuhyun arrives. Sungmin had been troubled with how the previous day ended- just how Kyuhyun had agreed to accompany him to the cinemas, an action that was unexpected but not unwelcomed..
 

“Ugh” Sungmin groaned as he felt his heart flutter again.

 

It’s a date.

 

He really wanted to smack himself for reacting like a teenage highschool girl over her first date. But then he had’nt really had any experience in the dating field- NBSB Club, remember?


And that led him to ponder about Kyuhyun’s past experiences and love life..

 

Sungmin shoved his hands into the pocket of his pants and murmured,”Just what the heck am I doing?”

It was all just a deal- an agreement so that they could get what they want, nothing more right?
 

But that did’nt mean they couldnt be good friends; Kyuhyun was surprisingly getting more comfortable to get along with, and Sungmin didn’t mind that. Not even a single bit.




"Sungmin-shi."

Sungmin turned towards the voice with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
 

It was the end of the day- after bidding Donghae goodbye,  Sungmin was waiting outside the office building for a certain Mr.Cho to pick him up for their movie date.


Kim Kibum swallowed hesitatingly before calling out for his employee who kept shifting his weight awkwardly from one foot to another.     
 

"Do you want to grab some coffee together? " Kibum asked while smiling softly at Sungmin.

"Umm.." Sungmin hesitated trying to figure out how to reject his boss gently.

 

"I'm sorry boss- but.." he mumbled.

"Ah, please call me Kibum, no need of formalities after office hours-" Kibum interrupted.

 

Sungmin flinched at the dazzling grin his boss was throwing him and spoke,"Uh, I-"       


Where are you Kyuhyun?
 

"Okay- Kibum shi? " Sungmin muttered.

"That's much better." Kibum beamed while raising his arm to touch Sungmin's shoulder."How about that coffee?"


Sungmin awkwardly smiled before stepping away slowly, "Kibum shi I-”



“I cant.”
 

Kibum’s eyebrows furrowed,” You cant-?”


Sungmin offered a polite smile and explained,”I’m waiting for my fiance, maybe some other time?”
 

“Oh, fiance? ” Kibum murmured with his eyes widening in surprise.

Sungmin nodded his head silently and twiddled his thumbs nervously feeling very uncomfortable at the situation.

“Have a good time then.” Kibum remarked after a while of being silent.



“Thank you boss.” Sungmin answered softly as his eyes kept wandering to and fro to see whether he could spot Kyuhyun’s audi..


“Have a nice weekend, Sungmin-shi.” Kibum murmured glancing at his employee with saddened eyes.

 

Sungmin nodded his head politely and rushed away from the spot in quick hurried steps. Gosh that had been so awkward- he could still feel Kibum’s piercing gaze as he walked forward. His boss was watching.


“Sungmin!”



Turning to the familiar husky voice, Sungmin’s eyes widened in relief,” Kyuhyun-ah!”

Kyuhyun smiled sheepishly and murmured,”I’m sorry for running lat-”





Within a few hasty steps, Sungmin launched himself towards Kyuhyun, bringing the taller male to a hug,”Kyuhyun-ah I missed you!”


“What the-” Kyuhyun mumbled finding himself with an armful of Sungmin.



“I’ll explain later, Kyu” Sungmin whispered as he wound his arms around the frozen male’s waist.


Kyuhyun exhaled shakily feeling his heart beat against his ribs violently. He wondered whether Sungmin could hear it thudding loudly.

 

Sungmin pulled apart and smiled affectionately while intertwining their fingers together,”Let’s go, Kyuhyun-ah”


Kyuhyun followed Sungmin in a daze, feeling lost at the absence of the delicious vanilla scent that had enveloped him just a couple of seconds ago.
 

A small smile etched across a man’s face as he turned away from sight of the affectionate couple.

“I wish you good luck, Sungmin-shi.” Kibum murmured  softly from a distance seeing Sungmin settling into the passenger’s seat beside his fiance with a happy smile.



~~



“So that’s what happened huh?” Kyuhyun asked finally after mustering courage as they drove in awkward silence.


“I’m sorry, Kyuhyun but I-”

Kyuhyun turned towards the fidgety male and mocked,”So what happened to your no skinship rule hmm?”

 

Sungmin flushed embarrassedly and mumbled in protest,”That was just an avoid-big-trouble hug!”


Kyuhyun looked at the flushed appearance of the male seated next to him in amusement,”Are you sure you didnt just want to squeeze me?”

 

“Yah- Cho Kyuhyun! Sungmin protested indignantly as Kyuhyun proceeded to chortle.


“Okay okay- ow! No need to punch me,” Kyuhyun smiled as Sungmin hit his shoulder lightly after huffing in annoyance.
 

So cute.




Kyuhyun suddenly asked,” Your boss- he’s not doing any thing inappropriate ,right?”


Sungmin patted Kyuhyun’s arm in reassurance,” Nothing to be worried about.”
 

“Are you sure?” Kyuhyun eyed Sungmin skeptically as they pulled over the cinema.Removing the car key from ignition, Kyuhyun opened the door of the car.


“Of course! I just have to work there for a month and a half and then I can quit the job.”Sungmin insisted as they got out of the car.


 

Leading Sungmin towards the cinema, Kyuhyun remarked,” Well, just call me if he says anything, okay?”


“Alright.” Sungmin answered with a soft smile as he pushed the door open.




They stood at the ticketing counter while staring at each other.Kyuhyun sighed and spoke,”I know what you’re gonna say now, Sungmin.”

 

“But I am gonna pay for the tickets.”


“No.”


Sungmin narrowed his eyes and protested,”Oh come on, Kyuhyun. We’re watching this because of me remember?”



“But Sungmin-” Kyuhyun argued.

 

Sungmin leaned down to the ticketing counter and looked up at Kyuhyun,”Okay, how about I pay for the movie and food today and we could go out for lunch or something next week?”


“Ugh you’re so stubborn! Alright.” Kyuhyun gave up.

 

“Two tickets to The Conjuring please.” Sungmin requested to the person seated inside the counter.


The teenager boy eyed the happy smile on Sungmin’s face and asked,”This movie is for adults only.”
 

Much to Kyuhyun’s surprise, Sungmin cursed under his breath,”Not this again.”



“Sungm-”



“Look kid, I’m 24 years old ...” Sungmin complained while sliding his driver’s license towards the bored teen.


The boy sat up straight in his seat and scratched his neck awkwardly,”Ah, I apologize sir.”
 

Sungmin simply sighed while shaking his head as the boy proceeded to ask them their choice of seat.


As Sungmin collected the tickets after handing out a couple of money notes, the boy called out to Kyuhyun,”Have a nice time watching it, you’re lucky to have a boyfriend who looks so young~”


 

“What?!” Sungmin squeaked in mortification.


The boy simply rolled his eyes and mentioned in a bored voice,”Next person please.”


Kyuhyun laughed.
 

~~
 

As they walked along the aisle, Kyuhyun asked,”So you get mistaken as a boy often?”



“Ugh unfortunately yeah, the other time I’d forgotten my identification and that punk at the ticketing counter refused me in. Can you believe that?” Sungmin exclaimed indignantly.

Kyuhyun simply shook his head in response,”Wow.”

 

Sungmin squinted his eyes and glanced at the tickets in his palm,”I cant see anything.”He mumbled under his breath.


A pair of gentle fingers took the tickets from Sungmin’s grasp,”Let me see.”Kyuhyun murmured gently at the bewildered male as he tried to read the seat number.



“137-A and 137-B” Kyuhyun spoke finally after a few seconds.

“Oh thank god, let’s go.” Sungmin spoke while walking along the aisle with Kyuhyun right behind him.



“Popcorn?”

Sungmin offered the tub of crunchy caramel popcorn to Kyuhyun as they settled in their seats comfortably beside each other,”Ah, thank you.” Kyuhyun mumbled while reaching for the popcorn tub.


“Hush, the movie is about to start.” Sungmin whispered softly as the lights in the cinema hall dimmed.




Kyuhyun swallowed nervously as the theatre was enveloped in an ominous atmosphere as the movie started playing.

What genre was this movie again? He couldnt help but worry.



Kyuhyun shifted his weight into the seat as a deathly pale life sized doll, with a gruesome smile etched across her lips came into view.

He heard Sungmin inhale sharply as the camera zoomed into the doll’s face marked with stains of blood and scars. It was menacing.



“Holy ing !” Sungmin gasped as the silent environment was interrupted by frantic knockings on the door.


“What is this--” Kyuhyun whimpered as the scene shifted into a room- completely covered in red ink and torn furniture.



A one sided smile from the ghoulish doll.





“Aaaaaah!” Kyuhyun and Sungmin screamed as the screen blackened with sickening noises in the background.





Sungmin shifted closer towards Kyuhyun and reached for the latter’s hand, intertwining their fingers together as the airconditioner enveloped them in biting coldness.




“Oh my god. Oh my god.”Kyuhyun squeaked in fright while Sungmin covered his eyes with his free hand.





“Kyu- that little g-girl.” Sungmin mumbled fearfully into Kyuhyun’s shoulder as an morbid spirit clutched at the screaming girl’s foot dragging her into darkness.




With his palms drenched in cold sweat, Kyuhyun trembled in shock,”Oh my god, why is this happening?”





Kyuhyun placed his chin over Sungmin’s head resting on his shoulder and mumbled,”Is that.. Oh my god!”



A ghastly woman was hanging onto a branch of an old tree with scars marring across her face and wrists.





Sungmin whispered as the scene shifted to a woman struggling against being bound to a chair,”Exorcism.”





Sungmin and Kyuhyun shrieked in unison as the spirit crazed woman gave a one sided smile before launching herself on the little girl.



“OH MY GOD.” Kyuhyun squawked while clutching on Sungmin’clothed biceps as the latter whimpered silently before burying his nose to Kyuhyun’s shoulder.




As the woman cackled psychotically while cornering the child, Sungmin whimpered while nuzzling his cheek against the fabric of Kyuhyun’s shirt,”Tell me when the scene is over.”



Kyuhyun gulped nervously as his left eye twitched at the blood dripping down from the corner of the woman’s mouth as she smirked horrifyingly.





Long before they knew it, the movie came to an end with all the people in the cinema hall shaken up.



Kyuhyun spoke cautiously to Sungmin who seemed to be staring at the screen in a dazed manner,”Sungmin.. The movie is over.”


Sungmin jumped at the low tremble of Kyuhyun’s voice and laughed hesitatingly,”That was nice.”





Kyuhyun breathed out shakily as Sungmin reached for his hand, interlacing their fingers together.



“Let’s get out,Kyuhyun.”Sungmin whispered softly as he stood up nervously from the seat.




~~


Kyuhyun eyed Sungmin and asked,”Are you sure you’ll be okay?”



After leaving the cinema hall, Kyuhyun had insisted on dropping Sungmin home, it was pretty late evening after all and watching the movie only made them both more squeamish.



Sungmin assured,”Yeah, dont worry.. I’ll be fine.”




After bidding Kyuhyun goodbye, Sungmin sighed and walked to the doorstep slowly. Ignoring his mother’s beaming face and his father’s teasing eyebrows, he rushed upstairs to his room.





“Ah, Sungjin-ah.”Sungmin exclaimed seeing his little brother falling asleep in the bathroom, while clutching the tooth brush into his mouth.



Sungjin jumped in surprise and glanced sleepily at Sungmin,”Hyung-nim, you’re home! I was waiting for you.”



Sungmin glanced guilty at Sungjin and answered,”I’m sorry Jin-ah, hyung will make up to you tomorrow,okay?”




Sungjin quickly rinsed his mouth from the tooth paste foam and mumbled,”So did you have fun?”




“The movie was good but some parts were really scary.”Sungmin admitted while getting out some fresh clothes from the closet to change into.



Sungjin mumbled sleepily,”The Conjuring is very scary, I was so frightened at that part-”



Sungmin furrowed his eyebrows together,”You already watched it,Jin? Alone-”



“I went with Jong-” Sungjin faltered seeing his elder brother gaze at him curiously.



“I’m very sleepy hyung! Goodnight” Sungjin mumbled while suppressing a yawn and rushed into his room.




“Weird.” Sungmin thought as he peeled off the shirt from his body.

 

He flexed his muscles tiredly, in relief as the cold air of the air conditioner fell on to his shoulders.



Sungmin threw his jeans carelessly across the wooden floor and grabbed a pair of loose cotton pants.





He slid into the bed covers comfortably ,rested his head against the pillow and sighed.





Sungmin couldnt fall asleep,flinching at the slightest sound outside, the scenes from the movie were troubling his mind.


“The hell.”He groaned while burying his nose into the pillow.





His phone blinked much to his surprise, indicating a new text message.


He rose to his elbows gently and stretched towards the bedside table to get his phone.
 

Kyuhyun: Are you still up?


 

Sungmin chewed on his bottom lip as his fingers moved against the screen to type a reply.



Yeah,just cant seem to fall asleep..


 

Sungmin reached for the bottle of water on the table and drank half of the contents as he waited for Kyuhyun to reply.


 

Kyuhyun: Me either. No sleep kkk

 

His eyes softened a little..

 

I guess the movie was really scary, huh?


Kyuhyun: You dragged me to it!!


 

Sungmin huffed out indignantly and typed,



 

I did not! You were the one who asked me!!


Kyuhyun: Alright alright calm down!




 

Sungmin blinked as his phone started vibrating, with Kyuhyun’s ID blinking on the screen.




With a soft smile etched across his lips, he pressed the accept call button and placed the phone to his ear.


 

Uhh comments? :))

They're getting closer now-finally huh? XD

~95anichan <3