Final

*flashback*

He sat in his usual place, the seat by the window, tapping his finger on the table thoughtfully. It was another beautiful night. It was considerably late and the city had become quieter. He stared out of the window. The rooftop café had a stunning view. Looking down, the city lights were like candles, each light the gentle flame, igniting warmth. Looking up, there were faint glimmers of stars, twinkling with hope. Something felt different about the night. The night was dazzling, but there was no inspiration for his next story still. Naturally, his thoughts drifted… to a very, very long time ago…

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Night falls and all is quiet,
I think of you once more.
The moonlight reflecting the memories you leave;
clear as crystal.

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“Sir, your latte,” a voice broke his train of thoughts. Something about the voice caused him to look up. Surprise filled his eyes. A familiar pair of brown eyes stared right back at him, and that heart-warming, contagious smile- a sudden warmth flooded his long empty heart. “Wookie?”

“Kyu! Wow, it’s really you! No wonder I thought that back view was familiar,” he laughed. He smiled. He missed his cute laugh so much. “Long time. Could you spare some time for an old friend?” He pursed his lips. “I have to work and-“

“It’s okay. I’ll explain. Sit.” He cut in. He sat down obediently. “You haven’t changed one bit. You don’t call the shots here, you know. So, if I’m fired, you take responsibility.” He chirped.

“Sure,” he replied and called for a cup of hot chocolate.

“You still remember my favourite drink?”

“Course. You’re my best friend.” Inside, he smiled bitterly. They were best friends since childhood. Best friends forever. He felt a stab of pain.

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If regret could inflict physical wounds,
I would have died,
countless number of times,
for you.

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“Best friend indeed. You didn’t even bother to keep in touch with me after going to Tokyo.” he complained, pouting. Kyuhyun grinned apologetically.

“Sorry, I needed to sort out my thinking. I’ve never seen you here before?”

“And so? How would you know?”

“I come here every night. This place gives me inspiration.”

“I just started work here. I do buy your books and follow on your news.” he told him.

“Really? Thanks then,” he couldn’t resist ruffling his hair. “So, what’s a rich lady like you doing here, working? How can your honey let you do this?” His expression hardened but he quickly put on another smile. But Kyuhyun saw the pain in his eyes.

“Can’t I?” he tried his best to hide the pain with a smile. He frowned.

“Best friends share secrets with each other. Best friends never lie to each other. Now, I wonder who was the one who told me all that?” he joked light-heartedly. Tears came to his eyes. He panicked inwardly. “Hey, hey, come on. What happened?”

“He stood me up on the day of our wedding. I was all dressed up, I really felt like the prettiest, happiest, luckiest, bride in the world. But, he never came to pick me up. And, all he left was a message on my phone, saying he’s sorry, but he really can’t commit.” Ryeowook wasn't crying, but Kyuhyun could see him trying to keep the tears in. He rather Ryeowook let all his tears out.
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Seeing your tear-stained cheeks,
watching you suffer the bitter winter
quietly without complaints,
I only realise now.

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“Yesung, that jerk? What the hell, he promised and swore to me that he’ll…” he stopped, realising he'll only make Ryeowook more upset.. “Wookie, I’m sorry. Don't be sad over him. He’s not worth it.”

“I'm not. I'm over him. Don't worry,” he answered with a forced smile. Kyuhyun felt as if someone stabbed a knife into his heart and then set it on fire. He felt furious. Indignant. Fuming. Infuriated. Most of all, pained. Pained to see the person he loved pretending everything was fine.

How could he have let someone do this to him? Didn't he vow to protect him at all costs? Now he broke his own vow by entrusting Ryeowook to someone he thought he could trust to protect him.

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I bleed when I see you cry.
I want to hold you tight,
to comfort you;
to fill up the holes in your heart.

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He let his anger remain silent. He was sad enough. There was no need for him to express his anger.

“Wookie, if you need to cry, I'm here, okay?”

“I'm fine. Really.” Ryeowook managed a smile.

“Better guys out there. His loss.”

“I've never met better guys.”

“One's right in front of you now.” He grinned playfully and strike a pose. He laughed and rolled his eyes.

“Self-praise is no praise.”

“Don't you think so?” He did a cute sad face, earning another laugh from him.

“Probably, yeah, but you're my best friend. So it doesn't count,” he giggled. Ouch!, that hurt. He pushed the negative thoughts away and just smiled.

“So I don't stand a chance?” He kept his voice a safe, joking tone.

“I have so many suitors after me. You can join the queue and I might consider,” Ryeowook joked right back, sniffling, pushing the unhappy past out of his head.

“Atta boy, that's the way,” he encouraged with a satisfied grin.

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Give me a chance to give you happiness,
let me be responsible for your smiles.
The promises I've made for the future is still waiting;
waiting for our love's new beginning.

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“Kyuhyun! Hitting on the staff?” A guy who just walked in interrupted them with raised eyebrows.

“Donghae, don't crap.” He quickly stood up and gave the tall, lean guy a friendly punch in the chest.

“I'm sorry, sir, I'll get back to work.” His head was bowed low with a guilty expression on his face.

“No. Cafe's going to close in half hour anyway. You can go home. I'll send you.”

“Kyu, I have to work, you know.” he hissed, his face flushed slightly red.

“First staff, I've seen talking like that to the boss on the first day of work,” the lean guy chuckled. Seeing his startled expression, he laughed even harder. “Looks like he didn't tell you, this is his cafe. I'm just the unnecessary supervising manager here. He insisted on hiring me.”

“Hae, without you I would never known how to make business here work,” he turned to Ryeowook and continued with a laugh, “Hae's my personal finance manager.”

“Kyu! Why didn't you tell me?” He was open-mouthed, but still looked as adorable as ever.

“You didn't ask.” He blinked innocently, trying to resist his lips from curving up. “Anyway, would it have mattered?” he shrugged nonchalantly.

“Not really, but... “ he was speechless. He grinned triumphantly. “Seeya, Hae,” he grabbed Ryeowook hand and pulled him out of the door.

“Cho Kyuhyun!” he screamed as he tried to pull his hand from Kyuhyun tight grip. They approached a black motorcycle. Kyuhyun passed him a helmet. he glared at him.

“Come on, Wookie, you have no reason to be mad at me,” he struggled to suppressed his laughter. He looked so adorable.

“Oh don't I? You left me all alone, ran to Tokyo, then come back, and even then did not look for me. Now, we meet by coincidence and you didn't even tell me that you owned a cafe.” He laughed in amusement. He narrowed his eyes at him.

“Don't be so petty,” he pinched his cheek. He huffed, and stalked off. He was really amused now, but he tried not to smile as he chased after him. “Wookie, don't be like this. Wookieee, come on. At least let me send you home.”

“I can go home myself.”

“Please Wookie?” He did his puppy eyes.

“No!” He stuck his tongue out childishly even though he was already smiling on the inside. He saw his mouth twitch and grinned to himself.

“Okay, suit yourself,” he said with a shrug. He turned and walked to his vehicle. Ryeowook bit his lip as he sneaked a peek. Seeing him putting on his helmet, he fumed. That idiot, why didn't he continue chasing me? He was just going to play with him for awhile. Now Ryeowook was really mad, he stomped off in the direction of the bus stop.

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Time cannot be reversed
no matter how we rewind the clock.
The madness and immaturity then,
now seem so cruel and ruthless.

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Then he stopped in his tracks and turned his head. He left, he really did. Now Ryeowook felt less of anger as the hurt and disappointment kicked in. His best friend was always there for him. No matter how Kyuhyun , he was always there. When he didn't do well in examinations, had a fight with his parents, got rejected by his crush. Kyuhyun is always there to cheer him up and help him whenever he needed him. Always there no matter how he made him go away. So what had changed? Did their friendship change?

Suddenly Ryeowook felt at a loss. All the tears he had been holding back, all the obstacles and failures he had faced, all the unhappiness he had to endure, they hit him like a sudden storm. And he didn't even know why he suddenly felt this way. Hadn't him been strong for the past two years? So why was he feeling so weak and vulnerable now?

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But in this world,
there is no guidebook
to teach us how to love,
love the one that loves us back.

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“I leave you for five minutes and you end up crying?” It was the voice he longed to hear. He only cried harder. Kyuhyun didn't abandon him after all. He didn't abandon him like his ex-fiancé had. He was still here. He was here, comforting him with his tight, warm embrace. He wrapped his arms around him and let his tears flow down.

He needed this. How strange that he only saw that now. He needed to cry. He needed to let everything out. He needed this so bad. What seemed even stranger to him was that he needed him. He needed his comforting murmurs. He needed his arms around him. He needed him so badly, that he didn't ever want to let go even after his tears had stopped.

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Seeing your tear-stained cheeks,
watching you suffer the bitter winter
quietly without complaints,
I only realise now.

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“I'm sorry.” Ryeowook voice was raspy and came out barely even a whisper. He kept his eyes closed, because he didn't want to meet his gaze and also because he didn't want to explain himself. Maybe he could pretend to be asleep. He hoped Kyuhyun wouldn't probe.

“Don't be. Why should you be? I should be the one to say sorry,” he murmured with a sigh and Ryeowook hair tenderly. He felt outraged at himself. Why did he leave him? Why did he try to play a prank on him?

“Why are you sorry? This has got nothing to do with you.” Ryeowook was puzzled and extremely guilty. Did he cause him to feel sorry because of his breakdown?

He smiled sadly. His poor boy. He was damaged so badly. And it was definitely his responsibility to fix him. He has to do that. Out of guilt, out of responsibility and ultimately, out of love.

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I bleed when I see you cry.
I want to hold you tight,
to comfort you;
to fill up the holes in your heart.

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“I should never have left you. I should never make you cry.” He said it more for himself than as an explanation or answer to Ryeowook question.

“It's not your fault. It's just that... my breakdown has nothing to do with you. It's not your fault,” He whispered.

“It is. It is my fault. I should never have gone to Japan. I should have stayed. I should have been here when he ditched you. I should have been here to comfort you. I should have been here to protect you from that jerk and everything else.”

He was stunned. Was that it? Was that what he was talking about? He wasn't talking about leaving him just now? Ryeowook felt something wet on his shirt. He opened his eyes and looked up. Was he crying? Was that water on his face his tears? Was his best friend, always smiling, always strong, crying now?

Ryeowook let go of his waist and touched his cheek. He wiped off the tears on his face. “Stop blaming yourself. You never thought Yesung was like that. We both thought he was sincere.” He only wanted to take away his tears but his own words reminded him of his own pain. His tears started falling again.

Kyuhyun watched him cry. He hated himself for being so weak in front of him when he needed him to be strong. He stared at Ryeowook. He can't cry, he can't. He needed to comfort Ryeowook and not let Ryeowook comfort him. Without a second thought, he crushed his lips onto him.

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Ryeowook was dumbfounded. His lips were on him. Him best friend's lips were on his lips. But what astounded even more was that he liked it, and his own lips were responding to his kiss.

He broke off the kiss after a while. They stared at each other intensely. His eyes were confused and Kyuhyun’s were unreadable. He was cursing himself inside. Why did he do that? He just ruined their friendship. They could never be the same again. But...

But he had responded, didn't he? What did that mean? He didn't push him away. He wasn't making a fuss. He was staring back at him. That had to mean something.

“I'm sorry, Wookie. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I love you.”

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I will protect you;
never let you get hurt.
I understand how it feels,
to watch the one you love cry.

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His words sounded unreal. Kyu just said he loved me?. He was taken aback. Shocked. But what made him even more confused than ever was the joy he felt when he heard Kyuhyun say the three words. He responded to his kiss. He liked it. He felt the sparks. What did that mean? Do I love Kyu??

But the possibility of loving him just occurred to him. Did that mean he had always loved Kyuhyun? Had he always loved him more than a friend? If that was the case, why didn't he realise sooner?

But how else could he explain that desire burning inside him, his desire to kiss him once more? How could he explain the emptiness he felt when he stopped chasing after him? How could he explain the arms that were unwilling to leave his waist?

Love? Was that it?

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Let me wait this time;
wait for you to love again.
Let me watch over you,
as we walk down the river of time.

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No one broke off the stare as the two confused hearts debated silently. Ryeowook studied the beautiful face he was staring at. I loved him? I loved him or not?

Kyuhyun was frustrated. He was concern that Ryeowook didn't love him the same way as he love him. That he was thinking of a way to let him down gently. While Ryeowook was trying to figure out how to break the news to him without hurting his feelings. He wanted to spare him that agony.

“Look, Wookie, I'm sorry for saying all that. I'm okay if you-” He was cut off. Cut off by Ryeowook lips. He was kissing him. He felt the joy surge through his body. He thought he was going to explode. Explode with happiness.

He was happy. More than happy. Absolutely overjoyed. He loved Ryeowook, and Ryeowook loved him back. He loved him, he always had, subconsciously. The sudden realisation was making his light-headed with joy. So, this was love. This love, was true and real. The love he thought he had for Yesung had never been love. He liked Yesung, he liked his presence and he liked how he felt around him. But he loved Kyuhyun, he wanted his presence, he wanted him, he needed his hugs. Was that why he had been so depressed? Was that why he had been so choleric? He always thought it was because of Yesung that he had felt that way.

No, it was never because of Yesung. It was because of Kyuhyun; because he wasn't there to comfort him; because he wasn't there to cheer him up; because he wasn't there to love him. Kyu was right; it was his fault.

“I love you.” Ryeowook whispered in his ear. Kyuhyun smiled and he smiled back.

~Love finds itself at funny places. Love is something unexplainable and uncomprehend able. Love is nothing, until a special someone comes along, and awakens the love in the heart. When found, an unexplainable joy will be felt, and if carefully taken care of, the love will be to keep forever.

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Updated! With 2000+ words:) ENJOY! Edited the grammar error:)