Turns out, Ryeowook was really good with women. In fact, so good that not only did Seohyun immediately love him; she just couldn’t wait to hear everything he had to say. And Ryeowook had been happy to oblige, seeming to completely forget about Kyuhyun and the promise he’d made ten minutes ago.  

“That fact of the matter is, your boyfriend came off as very obnoxious. I’d call you a saint for looking past that sort of first impression but you’re probably more than aware of that by now.”

Kyuhyun snorted. That was ridiculous. Not only was that so not the way they’d met, the guide was making it sound like he should be the bratty kid Seohyun had to babysit. It didn't help when she just agreed with him.

“Oh, Kyuhyun has been in a moody streak for a while now.”

“I’m surprised you even noticed -”

“Shh!” Ryeowook cut him off. “Don’t interrupt!”

Fuming, Kyuhyun fell back against his seat.

The three of them were huddled in one of the booths in the dining lounge. Ryeowook sat on one side while SeoKyu sat on the other. Light was streaming in through the windows, but Kyuhyun was feeling far from bright as he prepared for the list grievances his girlfriend was about to add.

But she surprised him. Slipping her hand over his, she gave his a squeeze, “But you know, Kyuhyun actually left a very positive first impression on me. He was very courteous.”

Ryeowook raised a questioning brow, “Was?”

“Is.” Seohyun corrected with the slightest hesitation, “The love of my life wouldn’t be anything less.” Turning her head, she gave Kyuhyun a fond smile.

Wait, was Seohyun defending him? It took all of his will power not to gape in surprise. She hadn’t said she loved him since his last proposal. After he’d proposed. What came over her?

Ryeowook nodded in agreement with Seohyun. “You have a point. Only a wonderful boyfriend would plan a trip like this. Beautiful beaches, amazing cuisine … he sure treats you well. Maybe he just doesn’t like me?” He said with a pout.

Seohyun giggled and clung to Kyuhyun’s arm. Tugging his sleeve, she gave him an expectant look. Unable to refute his girlfriend’s innocent eyes, he relented.

“I like you.” The words were awkward and stilted.

Ryeowook pouted a little harder, feigning disbelief.

“Really?”

“Really”

“Really, really?

“Really, really”

“Really, really-”

 “Okay! Yes, I like you. You’re perfectly…okay,” Kyuhyun hesitated, but seeing his girlfriend trying and failing to not laugh at their four-year-old banter, he couldn’t deny that Ryeowook was good. He hadn’t made Seohyun laugh in a while.

Dropping the cutesy act, Ryeowook shrugged. “I’ll take it. Though I suppose I should check up on breakfast. They really shouldn’t be taking so long.” Standing up he shot them suggestive look, “You two just continue the conversation without me.”

Watching their guide walk away, Kyuhyun felt his nerves replacing his annoyance.

“Awww, I like him.” Seohyun said when Ryeowook had left the room.

“Yeah? All the more reason to switch hotels.”

“Oh Kyu, jealous already? Can’t you go ten minutes without my attention?”

“No! I mean, yes.” He bit back the ‘obviously’ on the tip of his tongue. “It’s just…doesn’t he seem odd to you?”

“He’s a little blunt, but if I can deal with you…”

“No, like cocky almost. I mean, he totally distorted our conversation from this morning, but if you’d been there, you would’ve heard some pretty snarky comebacks.”

Seohyun rolled her eyes. “Oh, the nerve of someone, daring to push you back.”

“But he’s the worker and I’m paying his bills! Have you even seen any other guests? I bet they got fed up with him and left.”

“Kyu, let it go. It’ll do no good to have you bickering with our translator all week. And besides, he’s cute.”

“Humph” Kyuhyun pouted. Of course. Seohyun never warmed up to strangers quickly but that annoying kid of all people becomes her new best friend. “I’m cute too.”

Slipping her arms around his waist, Seohyun gave her boyfriend a soft hug, “Of course you are. Not to mention very y. I only got caught up in Ryeowook’s chattiness and I didn’t mean to ignore you. Even though, you’re very to ignore.”

“Well, being acknowledged on our anniversary vacation would be preferred.” Kyuhyun tilted his head to face her, “And if you could stop treating the guide like your new pet, I might be able to act pleasant.”

Seohyun pulled back from him scrunching up her nose, “Fine. I won’t get ‘too’ friendly with him. But if you want to get cozy you better remember to brush your teeth in the morning. Your breath reeks.”

“What are you talking about?” He said, intentionally leaning closer to her, “I’m minty fresh.”

“Oh! Kyu! Don’t!” She scooted backwards as her boyfriend breathed in her face. Finding this extremely amusing, Kyuhyun just slid closer, grin on his face. With his lips inches from hers, Seohyun tried jerking away, but she was cornered in the booth. 

Tilting her chin up with his finger, Kyuhyun gazed into her eyes. It was always simple moments, like these. They made it hard to forget why he was with her. They brought back memories of their friendship which blossomed into a relationship and eventually love. As long as she could remember with him, their relationship would be one that would withstand everything.

Pulling her chin down, he gave Seohyun quick peck on the forehead, because he knew better than to kiss her with bad breath.

When he pulled back, she was blushing.

“This week is ours, right? For you and for me?”

“Kyuhyun…”

“No really. Is that what you want?”

Seohyun gaze drifted, “Is it what you want?”

“I think it is…”

There was a second of silence. Then she brought her eyes back to his, “I guess that means I’ll have to start noticing you.”

Kyuhyun smiled as a tension he didn’t realize he had evaporated.

“That’s a big change from the last few months.”

“Well, there’s no work to distract me now. I finished it all on the plane.” She gave him playful kiss on the nose. “This week will be just for us.”

Just for us

Little moments. Those were all he needed to remember.

They had met during his trainee days at SME. Back then, his dreams were completely oriented around his love for music. And consequently, so were his choices.

Seohyun had been sitting on the trainee shelf for a while, never having a group to debut with. He had intruded on her singing when he got lost in the large building. Instead of yelling at him, she introduced herself. Two singers with one shot at success and a die-hard determination? The attraction was instant. Despite no co-ed classes, the two had worked together, each pushing the other past the fatigue and pain of being a trainee.

After three months, they were both set to debut. He was to join Super Junior as a main singer while Seohyun would lead a new girl group. Three measly months. She had called him her “lucky charm.”

They kept in contact. There was no dating. It was more than just a rule written on their contracts, it was a simple principle that stemmed from their obsessive focus on singing. On fame. But still, they kept in contact.

It hadn’t been easy preparing to debut. Sometimes, she would call him on the verge of tears. From school, malnutrition, both? It varied. In turn, she had stood with him, behind the scenes, to shield him from the haters, critics, and ‘fans’. Sometimes from his own members. He constantly felt like he was going to die from the pain, both mental and physical. Yet somehow they had survived.

And for what?

Seohyun’s group just couldn’t get the popularity Lee Sooman had demanded while Kyuhyun - Well, there were consequences to joining a well established group. And with all the hate he’d garnered, he was more of a loss than an asset now wasn’t he?

Their contracts were swiftly terminated.

It had been heartbreaking. Kyuhyun had never felt so betrayed in his life. Betrayed by s, their fans, and the industry which had promised him debut if he was willing to work himself to death. And he had. It wasn't enough. Yet, through his failure to debut with Super Junior, the cheers of their fans, his father’s scornful “I told you so”s, Seohyun’s voice had cut through it all. She stood tall during the storm and held him with her. So together, they left the business that had treated them like garbage and made a real life for themselves.

One without music.

It had worked out quite well. He had successfully completed college with a license for law in record time. Together, they gained top positions in their companies, him in a law firm, her in marketing, where they now spent most of their days. Though they had only been dating for two years, it felt like much longer than that. They had chased their first dreams together only to watch them burn but had found each other in a new one: To craft a life together.

Lately, however, that dream too seemed to be fading.  She was always working on her endless stream of projects. He was just as busy. They never went out together. In fact, this one week trip would equal all their dates added up over the past six months.

And he, Kyuhyun, was scared. Scared that he would once again be rejected. Scared that he would lose the one person that stabilized him during the hardest time in his life. He was scared that they would finally fall apart.

But then…

(Ryeowook came. He approached the table promptly. With two steaming bowls of porridge balanced on his tray, the worker beheld the loving scene before him. Kyu and Seo cuddled up in the corner of the booth with eyes focused on each other.)

…then she said that. That this week was just for them. No work. No parents. No distractions. This dream was going to work out. Because she believed in it too.

(The dull thunk of ceramic bowls being placed on the glass table shook the couple out of their gaze. Seohyun’s attention was suddenly drawn to the hot breakfast.  Picking up her spoon, she nodded eagerly when the waiter’s gentle voice asked if she would like some cinnamon.

Smiling at her readiness to indulge, Kyuhyun picked up his own fork. His heart felt full and steady. Reassurance from the source of his nerves seemed to calm him down. Then, as he looked up to request a spoon, Ryeowook shot him a wink.

The words died on his tongue.

He ducked his head down quickly.)

Kyuhyun couldn’t imagine a life without his anchor but by the end of this week he wouldn’t have to. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

This was going to be longer, but then it got too long. =P

Anyways, I hope intertwining SeoKyu's backstory with the present situation wasn't too confusing. 

P.S. Do you guys prefer the longer chapters with multiple scenes or the shorter single scenes?