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Chapter 63 - An Unforgettable Thank-You

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"I may be wrong but," Sungmin says to himself. "Is this really Jino's house?"

He knows he saw it clearly. The address indicated in the log book is where he is standing right now.

"There is only one way to find out," he steps closer towards the intercom. When he is about to press the button, someone calls him.

"Sungmin!"

Sungmin steps back and searches for the person who calls him. He sees Donghae waving at him. The latter approaches him. "Oh, hi."

"Ryeowook said you were in detention so you didn't go to work," Donghae grinned. "Was it tough?"

"A-Ah, not really," Sungmin scratches his head then he looks back at the gate, and Donghae looks at the gate as well then back to Sungmin.

"Hmm? Are you visiting someone?" Donghae asks. "I saw you running so I followed you."

"No," Sungmin lies and walks away. "I just stumbled in front of this house because it was too nice."

Donghae nods. "Alright. Do you want me to take you home?"

Sungmin shakes his head in reply. "It's alright, Donghae. I can go home alone."

"But Sungmin I-" Donghae follows Sungmin and holds his shoulder. Sungmin turns around to meet Donghae's eyes. Sungmin signals him to continue but before that, Donghae removes his hand from Sungmin's shoulder. "Listen... I... I want to tell you something you might know. I just want to clear it to you and to tell you myself that even if you already know, I am-"

"Why are you here?"

They both look at the person who speaks behind them. Sungmin approaches the guy who is unfamiliar to Donghae.

"I saw you through the CCTV outside," the young man says to Sungmin. "But you left. I thought you were looking for me."

"Oh yes, Jino," Sungmin smiles. "I was looking for you but... I think it's too late now, I think I must go. Let's just."

"Who is he?" Jino asks Sungmin. When Donghae is about to say something, Jino puts his arm around Sungmin's shoulder. "Don't tell me you have another boyfriend aside from me?"

Sungmin pulls himself in terror. "W-What?"

"S-Sungmin," Donghae murmurs, looking terrified for whatever reason Sungmin does not know. "Y-You have a boyfriend? Before a girlfriend, now-"

"You have a girlfriend, baby?" Jino asks and pulls Sungmin into a kiss on the side of his lips. Sungmin gets startled that he pushes Jino, enough for him to fall on the ground. Jino smirks and tries to stand. "That hurts, baby."

Sungmin yells angrily. "What the hell are you talking about!? We just met to-"

"I-I think I must go," Donghae suddenly speaks, giving both of them an awkward smile. "B-Bye," he says then rides the bicycle and drives away.

Sungmin gasps and turns to Jino again. "Why the hell did you do that!?"

Jino straightens his body. "I was just playing around. He is hitting on you, as I can see."

"What? He doesn't hit me. I don't even have bruises," Sungmin yells again. Jino laughs when he realizes that Sungmin is pertaining to a literal meaning.

"You're being too literal," he says. "Anyway, come inside."

"The hell? I won't. What if you kiss me again!?" Sungmin asks. "I am going home."

"Don't worry, my mother is currently inside. She is waiting for you," Jino tells Sungmin who is skeptical, but he chooses to believe Jino. "She was the one who bailed me out from jail."

"I can see that," Sungmin nods. "If you are lying, I would kick you."

"If you kick me, I would have you thrown to jail," Jino seriously says. Then he laughs afterwards when Sungmin takes it seriously. "I am just joking. My mom wants to thank you for helping the cops to arrest me."

Sungmin curves his eyebrows and he walks towards the gate. "Your mom is weird."

○●○

"Have some juice," Jino brings two glasses of juice and places it on the table in front of where Sungmin is sitting.

Sungmin looks around and even if he hasn't been to any other part of the house, he is sure that the house is big. "Wow, your place is big."

"Well," Jino sits beside Sungmin. "It is kinda big, especially now that I am usually living alone."

"Don't you have someone cleaning the house for you, doing the laundry and others?" Sungmin asks as he takes the glass of juice and drinks from it. "Your parents... you said they wee looking for your... b-brother."

Jino stands and turns away from Sungmin, but he speaks. "Yeah. There is a cleaning lady every Wednesday and Saturday. My dad is in other country, and he was looking for my brother there. My mom is going out any minute now. She'll also continue to look for my brother, I suppose."

"Where?" Sungmin puts back the glass on the table. "W-Where are they searching?"

"You know," Jino sits on the one-seater sofa beside the three-seater sofa where Sungmin is sitting. "My dad loves my brother so much. He's always an honor student. He is charismatic and good-looking. He is perfect. My dad thought he was. Compared to me, he was far better. I knew it. But I never held any grudge against him that time. He was good to me and whenever my parents scolded me, he would be there for me and he would tell them that it was his fault. And everything would be normal again. But one day, he left us without telling us anything. After that, my parents looked for him and I... I was left alone here.

"They rarely came back home. They didn't even know that I finished elementary with honors because I wanted them to be proud for me. And now that I am in middle school, I don't know when they would start to notice me. Ever since I graduated elementary, I started to grow rebellious. I started doing bad things in school. Bullying, cheating, asking classmate to pay for my lunch so that the teacher would call for me and one of my parents would go home for me. I would want to receive scoldings, punishments and the like, but there were none so I knew from then on that they didn't care for me. So I tried to steal just so they would actually scold me severely but until now, there is none."

After Jino's narration, Sungmin faces Jino who is looking away. "Bailing you out from jail is a clear sign that they still care for you. Hello, after everything you've done, they are still going home."

"But that isn't enough!" Jino shouts. He calms himself down afterwards. "To be honest, now, I despise my brother so much for not showing up. Whatever he has done, may it be right or wrong, my parents would still go to him, ask him to go home, find him, take him back here. I-it's unfair," Jino's voice starts shaking. He swallows hard before speaking again. "I'm here for them. Why can't they see it?"

Sungmin smiles. Jino finds it insulting so he stands and yells at Sungmin.

"Why are you smiling!? Do you think this is funny?" Jino asks.

"No, I don't think that it is funny," Sungmin says and stands. He approaches Jino and taps his shoulder. "But I guess I am smiling because you are getting the wrong idea about things."

"What is wrong then?" Jino's tears finally flow and he forcefully wipes it from his eyes.

"You know that you are there for them, right?" Sungmin says. "The more you should understand your parents. Your brother isn't. That is why they are looking for him. That is why they exert effort and give time to look for him. You are here and you are luckier because whatever your brother's reason was, you are here, enjoying this life. Enjoying this luxury. Do you know that your brother is living poorly somewhere? That he needs to work just to earn money? That he even forgets his own life just to bring better future for you?"

"Why should he leave us then!?" Jino asks angrily. "If he can also experience these things, why would he rather want to live like a deprived soul!?"

Sungmin isn't able to answer. He doesn't know why Kyuhyun is doing it too. In the first place, he lied to him, telling him such things that were deeply moving but completely false. He told him that he and Jino's parents died, that he left Jino somewhere to live a comfortable life. Yes, he is living comfortably but that doesn't change the fact that he hurt him by leaving his family. But why would Kyuhyun do such things? He doesn't know himself. But there is only way find out.

"Jino..."

Sungmin and Jino both look at the middle-aged woman who just arrives at the living room. "Mom?"

The woman runs towards Jino and hugs him. "We are sorry for neglecting you. For not paying attention to you these days. We were worried about your brother because he was away, but you were here, and because we knew that you could stand on your own. We thought that you would understand, and I am really sorry for thinking that way as if you are non-existing. We love you, Jino. Not only your brother but also you. I hope you would believe that."

Jino cries and hugs his mother tightly. "I am also sorry for giving you troubles. I should have understood better."

Sungmin smiles at the sight. When Jino pulls himself from the hug, he introduces Sungmin to his mom. "He is Sungmin, Mom. He was the one who helped the cops to arrest me. But I am thankful to him that everything became clear to me."

Jino's mom bows and greets him. "Sungmin, I am very thankful that you were able to take care of my son today."

"It's nothing," Sungmin says.

"Oh, and he said that he knew where my brother was!" Jino says excitedly.

"Where is he?" Jino's mom asks. "We want to see him so bad."

Sungmin sighs. "I... I would be glad to take him here tomorrow."

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"Kyuhyun!" Donghae just barges inside the ice cream parlor running towards Kyuhyun. "Kyuhyun!"

Kyuhyun's eyebrows meet. "What!? You look like a dying walrus."

Donghae holds his apron and shakes him, looking at Kyuhyun as if he is dying. "Sungmin has a boyfriend!"

Ryeowook, who is cleaning the table, in shock, turns to Donghae. Kyuhyun, on the other hand, maintains a pokerface. "What!?" Ryeowook shouts.

Kyuhyun chortles and gets the glasses of milkshake from a table. "Seriously? This happened before, right?" 

"Kyuhyun's right. This might be another case of Luna or something-" Ryeowook reasons out.

Donghae removes his grasp from Kyuhyun's apron and goes to Ryeowook. "Ryeowook, I think it's real this time, because I saw him kissing Sungmin on the lips!"

Kyuhyun suddenly drops the glasses and the glasses break into pieces. Donghae and Ryeowook look at him worriedly. Kyuhyun squats and picks up the broken glasses without saying anything.

"Look, even Kyuhyun was shocked," Donghae comments. "I am serious, Ryeowook. Sungmin tries to deny but there is something between them. Sungmin was even denying it at first and he pushed the guy, but before that, he was standing in front of his house. I... I don't even know what to do anymore! It hurts, Ryeowook!"

"You're overacting, Donghae," Ryeowook laughs. Donghae is sure overacting, Kyuhyun thinks to himself, but he himself is shaking in anger, or more properly, jealousy. "I am sure Sungmin has reason why."

"Looking at the circumstances, I think he also enters the house with the guy and I don't know what they are doing right now-"

"Stop Lee Donghae and finish your work!" Kyuhyun yells angrily then he leaves after picking everything up. He goes outside to throw the garbage and broken pieces of glasses. "Seriously, that Lee Sungmin keeps on doing that! It pisses me off!"

He imagines what Donghae is saying, and seeing Sungmin being kissed by someone - not him - on the lips makes him want to kill someone right at that instant. And worse, he imagines them going inside the guy's house.

He kicks the large trash can twice before finally calming himself. "This ! He is such a flirt-"

His phone rings all of a sudden. He irritatingly gets his phone from his pocket. The caller is Sungmin. He presses the end-call button and puts it back in his pocket. But his phone rings again.

"Geez, what now..." Kyuhyun snorts and goes back to the ice cream parlor without answering his phone. The ring stops in a while.

"But I never heard that name from him," Ryeowook says to Donghae. Kyuhyun is able to hear it as he goes back. "I am his best friend so I guess, I would know. Unless he's keeping it from me too."

"I am going home," Kyuhyun says coldly as he removes his apron. He is about to enter the lounge when his phone rings again. He ignores it for the third time.

"Aren't you going to answer your phone?" Donghae asks Kyuhyun who just shrugs and gets the phone to end the call again. "Who is that anyway?"

"Someone who does not deserve being answered at this moment," He comments then enters the lounge.

"Is someone... asking Kyuhyun for a date right now?" Ryeowook asks Donghae. "He seems... different."

Donghae shrugs. "I think not. But I seriously think Sungmin is dating him! He seems older because he is taller!"

Ryeowook laughs. "That's your analysis aside from the fact that you saw him kissing Sungmin. You're weird, Donghae."

○●○

"What the hell!? Why isn't he answering the phone!?" Sungmin asks himself as he closes his phone. "I don't understand that guy."

He is now on his way home. Up until that moment, he is still thinking if he would tell Kyuhyun about Jino or not. He is confused but at the same time, he wants to know the truth about everything. If Kyuhyun is lying, why would he do that to him?

He gives up on calling Kyuhyun, but he sends him a text message. Whatever. He still needs to know. He thinks. Then he types, Meet me tomorrow at the playground near the square at eight in the evening. I have a surprise for you.

In just a short while, there is a reply. I don't want to.

"This brat!" He hisses and sends another text message. You have to come or else I would send Ryeowook a gift tomorrow and tell him it's from you. "This would make him obey me."

There is a ring on his phone. He smirks and he answers it. "You are seriously not doing that!"

"What!?" Sungmin laughs. "I am serious."

"What are you going to tell me, that you have a boyfriend? Sorry to say but I already know, thanks to Donghae," says Kyuhyun from the other line.

"The hell!? He is not my boyfriend!"

"But you kissed him!"

"Excuse me! He kissed me!" Sungmin rebukes. "And why does it matter anyway!?"

"Aish! Don't call me. I won't come. Give Ryeowook a present, the hell I care!" Kyuhyun yells and cuts the line. 

"What is his problem!?" He sends another text message. Fine. I would not do that. But I will be waiting there. If you don't come, I seriously would never forgive you.

There is no response.

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Sungmin's detention finished earlier than he thought, so he went to the playground earlier.

He sits on the swing and watches some kids playing. Then after a while, a group of kids gangs up a young boy.

"Hey! This place is ours! Go away!" says the leader. "Or you'll be beaten up!"

Sungmin stands and approaches the kids. "You shouldn't order people around."

"Who are you anyway!? You are old, we don't need you here," the leader says. Sungmin smirks. "Why are you smirking?"

"You don't know the legend, no?" Sungmin asks the kids who are paying attention to him. "At seven up to eight in the evening, the ghost would come here to eat young kids' soul. And that is..." Sungmin pauses and prepares to scare the kids."Me!"

And he does not fail. The kids, including the bullied one, runs away. Sungmin shrugs.

"What the hell?"

Sungmin returns to the swing. He suddenly remembers that he used to play there, and the kids were also afraid of him before. Back then, he wanted to become a lawyer, and the kids were not okay with that. But also, somewhere in those memories, a lost memory perhaps, there was a boy, about his age, and he saved him from bullies. He remembers his eyes, those eyes that were afraid but were smiling when he told the boy his dream of becoming a lawyer someday. He was the first person he had shared those dreams with, even just for a day, just to make the boy stop from crying.

There is something in those eyes that is so familiar. Those eyes look like...

"You're unbelievably early."

...Kyuhyun's.

○●○

"I thought you're not going to come," Sungmin speaks to cut the silence between them.

They are currently walking towards Jino's house, and Kyuhyun is still not aware of the reason why they are doing that. They reach the house and Sungmin presses the intercom without saying anything.

Kyuhyun waits for Sungmin to speak again.

"You said that you would not forgive me," Kyuhyun says. "Anyway, where are we?"

"I've found him."

Kyuhyun is about to speak when the gate opens and Jino and his mother appears. "Sungmin!" They are so excited that they both look at Kyuhyun. They look at each other. "I-Is this Yoonkwon?"

Sungmin furrows his eyebrows. "W-What? Yoonkwon?"

"My brother, Yoonkwon? I thought you took him with you," Jino asks. "Who is he?"

"I thought-"

"Whatever this is, I apologize. Maybe Sungmin has mistaken me for someone else," Kyuhyun, who gets the scenario, bows and apologizes. "Sungmin, let's go-"

"I thought you're Jino! Cho Jino?" Sungmin asks Jino. Jino laughs.

"You're mistaken! I am Choi Jino! Maybe the police officers have given you wrong information," Jino explains. "They keep on calling me Cho Jino."

Sungmin laughs awkwardly as Jino and Jino's mother laughs. "Ah! This !" Sungmin turns to Kyuhyun. "I am sorry, Kyuhyun! Let's go-"

"No, Sungmin," Jino's mother says. "You helped us a lot so let me treat you both... at least for dinner?"

Sungmin sighs. Kyuhyun taps his shoulder. "It's alright. Let's just eat with them."

○●○

Sungmin has been looking down every since they left Jino's house. They are finally on their way home.

"Come on," Kyuhyun nudges Sungmin's shoulder. "It's alright! At least, we get to eat sumptous dinner!"

Sungmin heaves a sigh. "I thought I was able to find your brother. And I am so disappointed because he is not your brother."

Kyuhyun stops from walking. Sungmin realizes that, so he turns around and waits for Kyuhyun.

"I thought you were lying about your history. And I... I thought he's the one," Sungmin reasons out. "Forgive me, Kyuhyun!"

"You've been helping me a lot and I appreciate that but," Kyuhyun slowly approaches Sungmin who remains looking at him. "I don't want to bother you anymore. Jino will be found... I feel that. I don't want to cause trouble anymore."

"But how-"

"Before I got there in the playground, Ryeowook and Donghae were talking about the thief you chased last Tuesday. You were late, that was why you got detention. And Ryeowook also said that you said that the thief's case was different than others, that was why they deduced that Jino was the thief and you fell in love with him. I learned that the thief's name is Jino, so I connected those information together, and I was right. But there was a missing link." Kyuhyun pauses. Sungmin waits for him to continue. "Jino is still in the Philippines, and it is very impossible that he has been studying here since grade school to middle school."

Sungmin closes his eyes tightly and knocks his head. "Seriously! I am so stupid!"

"No," Kyuhyun holds his hand, and Sungmin opens his eyes to look at him. Their eyes meet. "You're not. I am still thankful, Sungmin."

There is an awkward silence for a minute, Sungmin takes his hand back and looks away. "So... you went because of what you learned? Why didn't you tell me that you already knew it was not Jino?"

"I told you the reason earlier. I didn't want you to hate me forever. And I didn't want to lose your effort. I wanted to take chances," Kyuhyun answered truthfully. "But you know what? It was somehow successful. The chance might be wrong but gladly I met that person who kissed you. And if I learned that it was really my brother, I would forever hate him."

"You're an idiot! How can you hate your own brother? And he kissed me just on the side of my lips! Not that kind of kiss!" Sungmin tells Kyuhyun who laughs. "What?"

Kyuhyun pushes him on the wall, leaving Sungmin speechless. "It is still a kiss." Kyuhyun locks Sungmin in between him and the wall, and Sungmin suddenly feels that his heart is skipping a beat and he is blushing while Kyuhyun stares at him intensely. "To be honest, I don't like someone else kissing you. I don't like the idea of someone else kissing you."

"I-Is this a joke again, just like what you did to me before in the Philippines?" Sungmin looks away, trying to avoid Kyuhyun's intense stare. When Kyuhyun does not remove his gaze, Sungmin gulps and pretends to laugh. "D-don't look down on me! I won't let anyone kiss me, and besides I have never kissed-"

Kyuhyun smirks as he learns that Sungmin remembers that night in the Philippines. "Never been kissed? Really? Do you want me to-"

"T-tell me," Sungmin tries to remain calm and he faces Kyuhyun courageously. "You are that child who cries so much! I remember that I saved you before! And you were a coward back then, far from the Kyuhyun I used to know now!"

"Oh, that," Kyuhyun leans forward, his face about an inch close to Sungmin's. "Yes. I was that kid. I was a cry-baby, I know, but I am a changed man. And good thing, you remind me. Another reason to thank you. Great."

"C-Can you just let go of me or I'll-"

"You'll what?"

"I-I'll-" Sungmin closes his eyes tightly and pushes Kyuhyun but fails. No matter how strong he is when it comes to busting criminals, he gets weak whenever he's with Kyuhyun. Proven and tested. Twice, thrice, he loses count. "G-Go away, I said!"

"How about no?" Kyuhyun whispers as he looks at Sungmin's lips. "I'll make sure no one could ever kiss you and boast about it. I'll make sure that you would remember that kiss that you gave me last time, because  honestly, I can't forget it. I just want to thank you for everything, Lee Sungmin. Consider this as my payment for everything."

"K-Kyuhyun... I-If this another game, I swear I would not forgive you. I don't want you to make a fool out of me again..." Sungmin whispers for he is trembling - Kyuhyun's breath makes him tremble.

"Don't worry," Kyuhyun moves his face a half-inch closer, almost mumbling his own words, "I won't."

Before Sungmin knows it, Kyuhyun has already kissed him.

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《I was not able to apologize for my April Fools joke. XD So this chapter is my apology. XD》