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Chapter 40 - An Assurance

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"I thought you're coming in late," Kyuhyun says as he sees Sungmin entering the travel and tours office where they will be claiming their tickets for the Philippines trip. Two days before, they planned to meetup. Actually, Sungmin was the one who initiated their meetup - he was planning something.

"It's because I am excited!" Sungmin says as he approaches Kyuhyun who is sitting on the guests' sofa.

Kyuhyun displays his rotten smile, so Sungmin curiously asks why he is smirking. Kyuhyun answers, "You are excited to claim the tickets for our Philippine trip?"

Sungmin snorts. "You're too full of yourself. Of course not! I am excited for the beach trip!"

It is Sunday, and it is also the day of their beach trip. They planned to meet up earlier so that they would be late for the bus that would take them to the beach for free.

"Come on, let us claim the plane tickets," Kyuhyun takes his backpack and walks towards the reception area. Sungmin follows him. Kyuhyun talks to the receptionist and asks her that they will get the tickets already. The receptionist tells them to give their identification cards and passports and to wait so that she can verify the requirements. After a while, the receptionist gives them the plane tickets scheduled for tomorrow's flight.

"What? It is tomorrow?" Sungmin asks the receptionist. "I-"

"Why, do you have plans for tomorrow?" Kyuhyun turns to him as he retrieves their identification cards and passports, and the tickets.

"No... it's just that... nevermind," Sungmin smiles awkwardly and gets the ticket from Kyuhyun. "Let's go!"

When Sungmin exits the office, Kyuhyun follows him and asks, "Don't tell me, you haven't told your parents yet about this?"

Sungmin nods.

Kyuhyun smiles. "Don't worry. If they know that you'll go with me, they would immediately let you."

Sungmin glances at him. "How did you know?" Kyuhyun walks ahead of Sungmin. Sungmin tries to catch up with Kyuhyun's pace. "Yah!"

"Because I already asked their permission yesterday," Kyuhyun replies, leaving Sungmin frozen in shock. "I know that you'll make this an excuse so that we could not go, so I went to your dad's law office and ask his permission. And do you know what he said to me yesterday? He told me that he and your mom liked me a lot as your friend, and because I was from Inhwan, they trusted me. He also asked me to take care of you."

"How in the world did you know where my father's law office was!?" Sungmin asks once again. He is still shocked that Kyuhyun desperately wants to go to the Philippines with him just to or make him mad or something. "Aish, I can't believe this!" Sungmin taps his forehead.

"Well, your father is a famous lawyer. Just some little deductions," Kyuhyun laughs.

"I hate you so much right now, Cho Kyuhyun. Damn it. I thought you'd not be able to have guts to ask their permission from them," Sungmin crosses his arms and pouts.

"I am telling you... I am wiser than you," Kyuhyun continues to laugh. "I am sorry, but you failed. I really need to go to the Philippines."

Sungmin sighs and puts his arms back on his sides. "You... you really want to see that someone?"

"I told you... he's special," Kyuhyun says.

"He? So... he is a guy, woah," Sungmin chuckles.

"Why?" Kyuhyun looks at Sungmin. "He is a he."

"Nothing," Sungmin tries to stop chuckling. Then, he changes the topic. "Does Donghae know?"

Kyuhyun shakes his head. "No. He does not even know that I am going to the Philippines. You are the only one who knows about this so I trust you."

Sungmin gulps. He feels a little awkward because he knows a secret about Kyuhyun, and probably, he has not told anyone about it before, except his late guardian and possibly Manager Han. He feels a certain weight in his mind and heart... more like a burden of some kind because he knows someone else's secret. No one has told him secrets that are still kept secrets. Yes, Ryeowook told him about his feelings for Kyuhyun, but it was not a secret anymore. However, he feels a little flattered because Kyuhyun was able to open up to him.

"Hey, are you alright?" Kyuhyun asks Sungmin as the former realizes that Sungmin stops talking.

"I'm not going to tell anyone about it, Kyuhyun," Sungmin suddenly tells Kyuhyun. He looks intently at Kyuhyun. "I promise."

Kyuhyun smiles and taps Sungmin's head. "I am pleased."

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"You went here together?" Donghae asks Sungmin as he sees him and Kyuhyun walking together.

"Uh... actually, we just met some-"

"We went to get our tickets. We'll go to the Philippines tomorrow," Kyuhyun cuts Sungmin and answers for him. Sungmin immediately looks at Kyuhyun who looks back at him. Kyuhyun turns to him and speaks again, "It's okay to tell him that we'll fly to the Philippines tomorrow, don't worry."

"Eh? Why... why the two of you?" Donghae asks. He sounds like he loses from a really difficult game.

"We had no choice. We tried a game and we won," Kyuhyun answers. "It is a rare opportunity so we grabbed the chance."

"I saw a booth in the plaza two weeks ago. Because I really want to go to an Asian country, and because I can't join the raffle alone, I asked Kyuhyun who just happened to pass by to join the raffle with me. Fortunately, we won," Sungmin explains half-truthfully.

Donghae does not speak anymore, but he looks like he is down because of what he heard.

After a few minutes, Ryeowook arrives and waves at the three of them. "Sorry, I am a bit late!"

"No worries, Jin and Lili are still not here," Sungmin smiles at Ryeowook who is secretly looking at Kyuhyun. Sungmin notices it and whispers to him, "So... are you going to do it today?"

When Ryeowook realizes what Sungmin is talking about, he blushes. "I suddenly feel nervous!"

"Don't worry! You can do it. It is now or never, Ryeowook," Sungmin tells Ryeowook.

Ryeowook smiles and nods. "Please pray for me."

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Sungjin and Sulli had arrived five minutes before the bus left. Of course, Sungmin scolded Sungjin for being late.

They are currently in the bus. Not an hour has passed since they left the city, and it will take almost three hours to get to the beach.

Ryeowook is seated beside Sungmin, Donghae and Kyuhyun are also seated just across Sungmin and Ryeowook. Sungjin and Sulli are in front of them.

Donghae isn't talking, but he wants to confront Kyuhyun about the Philippine trip with Sungmin which he was jealous of. He cannot contain his jealousy so even if he doesn't want to, he opens his mouth to ask Kyuhyun about it.

"Uhm... why did you accept Sungmin's invitation?" He begins, looking at Kyuhyun who has his eyes focused outside the bus. "You could have told me so that I could accompany him."

Kyuhyun does not look back at him but he speaks, "I knew that your passport hasn't been renewed."

"I could have renewed it!" Donghae says. "Besides, you hate Sungmin right? How can you stay with him outside the country?"

"I don't hate him. Or perhaps I disliked him before but I never said I hated him," Kyuhyun, at that time, looks at Donghae. "You made us closer, didn't you? Aren't you happy that we are already friends so that we can be peers?"

"I am happy but I feel-"

Kyuhyun looks away again as he cuts Donghae's sentence. "Don't worry. If you are worried about him, then I would promise you that I would take care of him the whole trip."

Donghae remains silent for a moment. But after awhile, he talks again, "I just don't want Sungmin to get closer to you to the extent that he'll fall in love with you."

Kyuhyun does not react to that but in his mind, he wants to punch Donghae for being so selfish. But isn't it he is also selfish?

"Don't dare fall in love with Sungmin," Donghae suddenly says, leaving Kyuhyun frozen for a moment. Donghae sounds like he is threatening him, but it also sounds like a joke at the same time. "I'll not forgive you if you fall in love with him."

Kyuhyun gulps secretly. He does not know why Donghae gets a little serious about that. Have his feelings developed from a simple crush to love that is why he is saying such things? He is kind of scared; he just doesn't want to admit it to himself.

"I'm holding on to your promise," Donghae smiles. "Please take care of him while you're out of the country."

Kyuhyun nods.

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《I apologize for the lame, short and late update. The beach trip will have four or five chapters including this. There are a lots of things that will happen. Hehe.》