May 26, Thursday, After School: GARDENS

You are at the gazebo with Kyuhyun the dog and you're practicing your dance moves to the song "Yeah!" by Usher for the dance club tomorrow.

"Ugh, it's too hard to do break dance moves here," you say. "Too little space!"

You slump down inside the gazebo hopelessly as Kyuhyun the dog your hand. "Kyuhyun, where do I practice?"

She just whines and tilts her head at you.

"Ugh. Do I just practice it in my head or something?" 

"Practice what in your head?" you hear a voice say.

You are startled. "Did you just talk?" you ask the dog.

"Yeah, I did."

You check her underbelly. "I thought you were a girl," you say, puzzled. "Why do you sound like a boy?"

Oh god, I'm going crazy...

"I am a boy. It's me, Kyuhyun."

"WHAT??? How did you turn into a dog???"

"What the heck are you talking about?"

You shake your head to snap yourself out of your seemingly vivid imagination. The real Cho Kyuhyun is standing beside you. He looks weirded out.

"OH, you're here," you exclaim. "Ehehehe..." 

"Yeah, I am," he replies tilting his head like Kyuhyun the puppy. "What are you doing?"

"Wallowing in a pit of self-pity," you say lifelessly.

He sits down beside you. "BESIDES that," he chuckles.

"Trying to practice my dance for the dance club tomorrow. The dance studio is occupied, the roofdeck is occupied, EVEN MY OWN ROOM IS OCCUPIED!"

"And you can find no other place except this one?" he asks.

"Yes..."

"I think I can help you there," he says. "Come with me."

"Okay..."

You both get up and he takes you to a part of the garden you've never seen before.

THE SHRINE

"Woah, what's THIS doing here?" you say.

"I have no idea," Kyuhyun says as he steps closer to the shrine. "I found it while I was wandering around. This is my favorite spot now." 

"Isn't it scary?" you ask, looking around you nervously. "What if someone died here?" o_o

"Nah, I don't think so. It's a shrine. It should be kept sacred."

"Will I be degrading it if I dance in front of it?"

"Of course not. You're not committing a crime by dancing, so it's perfectly fine."

"I don't know..." you hesitate.

"Come on, look," he says. He goes into the shrine and takes out an acoustic guitar. "I sing here all the time." 

"Really now?" you say, a bit impressed. "You SING?"

"Ummm... yeah," he says.

"Sing something for me!" you chirp.

"What-- But you have to practice your dancing."

"Siiiiiing for meeeee pleeeeaasee~~" you say, trying to be cute.

He narrows his eyes at you. "But it's embarrassing..."

"Oh, is your voice THAT bad? Don't worry I won't laugh... at least not so hard," you tease.

"HEY my voice is pretty okay, alright??" he argues.

"Prove it then!" you fold your hands over your chest.

With a determined look on his face, he sits down on the steps of the shrine and places his guitar in position. He begins to sing.

"No it’s not me, it really doesn’t make sense
Whenever I eat or sleep I only see you, I think I’m crazy
I hated you because you always torment me
How? I don’t know how, I have come to love you, it’s strange

My heart listens to you from head to toe
Though friends tease me, my heart only hears you..."

He looks at you. He seems like he's having a lot of fun singing.

"One two three you are smiling..."

You smile as well.

"You take my breath away..."

He's really good...

"Everyday I collect your smile to cook a dish called “Love”
Forever I love you love you
love you love you love you~"

Like, REALLY REALLY good... o_o

"Why don’t you leave me alone even for a moment?
Even though my heart is blocked, it still only calls for you
I’m excited when cooking for you so I whistle
Even though I cut my finger, my heart is happy thinking about your brilliant smile

My heart listens to you from head to toe
Though friends tease me, my heart only hears you
One two three you are smiling, you take my breath away
Everyday I collect your smile to cook a dish called “Love”

Passing the night, passing the night…pass again
Though my memory is fading
My heart and my smiling eyes will not leave you
Forever~

My heart listens to you from head to toe
Even though the whole world is laughing, my heart only hears you
One two three you are smiling, you take my breath away
Everyday I collect your spirit and kiss you to say I love you
Forever I love you love you
love you love you love you~

Oh my baby my love..."

Everything is quiet for what feels like a long time.

"Why did you not tell me that you could sing?? Godammit..."

"Nah, it's just a little hobby," he says. "My voice isn't SUPER good..."

"But it is!! No joke!" O_O

He turns red and smiles.

"Thanks..." he says shyly.

"Why don't you audition for SM Entertainment or something?" you ask.

"Nah, I don't think I'll be able to get in," he says. "That's like a shot to the moon. I'll just keep going to noraebangs and singing here. As long as I'm singing, I'm happy."

Aww... this guy can actually be so down-to-earth... :D Although he still has his douchebag moments hahahaha

"What's the title of this song?" you ask.

"I don't know yet..." he replies.

"You mean you WROTE IT???" you exclaim.

"Yeah, I did..."

"Holy cow... I'm gonna kill you if you don't at least try out for SM Entertainment auditions."

He laughs. "I'll think about it. I'm done singing, so now it's your turn. Do your dance."

"... In front of you?" you squeak.

"Uh... DUH?" he replies. "You're no fair. You want me to sing for you but I don't get to see you practice??"

=_=

Stupid Kyuhyun, turning my words against me...

"Fiiiiine..." you stand up and play your song. 

After you finish dancing, Kyuhyun claps. "Not bad, shrimp," he smirks.

"Thanks, evil videogame addict," you smirk back.

"It's unbelievable how you can dance like a man," he teases.

"That IS the intention," you nod. "It just kinda that I can't do my other breakdance moves because of my injured wrist (which was YOUR fault, by the way)." 

"Soooorrryyyyy," he says. "Hey, even like that, your routine looks pretty good to me."

"Not as good as I wanted it to be but I'll take what I can for now," you stretch.

It starts to get dark. You feel ready for the auditions tomorrow thanks to his logistics help. You walk back to the gazebo together. Kyuhyun leaves because he's meeting a friend who came from Incheon to see him. You decide to stay at the gazebo in case Flashlight Guy shows up tonight.

You take out your music player and listen to some more songs. You fall asleep with Kyuhyun the puppy.

Late Night: GAZEBO

When you wake up, it's really dark already. You can see the lights of the dorm from here. There is no sign of Flashlight Guy.

What the hell... Where ARE you? It's been so long since I've seen him. Maybe he's doing something for his club tomorrow? But those other days when no one was busy with anything, he wasn't here either...

What if something happened to him?

You see a figure coming out of the dorms. He is wearing glasses and business attire.

Is that a teacher?

Nah, it can't be...

You remember the incident last night when you were rushing to go outside.

Kim Kibum? o_O

He's going out again tonight? But he said he was going to just get a package yesterday. He CAN'T be getting another package today. What the hell is he doing?

What if he's been going to clubs every night in secret? .____.

You want to wait until Kibum returns to interrogate him but you remember that you have school early tomorrow plus an audition that you don't want to be tired for.

You return to your room.

ROOM 101

Heechul is dancing by himself to song that Yunho had assigned to the club members. You try to stifle your laugh because he just looks really awkward. He sings along to the song, "YEAH! YEAH! aksjdnfjnjksnfm YEAH! YEAH! ksajdfkajnknsjgns YEAH! YEAH!" 

"You don't have to sing along if you don't know the lyrics, you know," you grin.

"Oh, Haneul! You're here," he pants. "Argh, you caught me practicing my ultra-secret ultimate dance moves! Oh well."

"HAHAHAHA," you burst out.

"You may be laughing now but someday, I'm telling you, I will be a famous international singer-dancer!" he says with conviction.

"Whatever you say, hyung~" You plop onto your bed. The room is silent. You peek down at him. "Why did you stop dancing?"

"Because you're here and you might steal my ultra-secret ultimate dance moves!"

You laugh sheepishly. "Nah, I have my own choreography. By the way, hyung, have you noticed anything strange about Kim Kibum?"

"All the time," he says. "Why?"

"I mean, anything STRANGER than that," you say flatly. =_=

"Hm, not really, why?"

"I saw him just now going out."

"All students go out every now and then, stupid."

"He also went out late last night. He was wearing a suit and tie."

"Hmmm... That IS strange even for Kibum," Heechul says as he takes off his shirt. You look away. You've gotten used to these things by now.

"Where do you think he's going?" you ask.

"I honestly don't know," he says. "But it's surprising that he actually has a social life. I'm so jealous~ I want to go to a club but we have school tomorrowwww."

I'll find out sooner or later, Kim Kibum.

Stupid bookworm.