Love Advice

            Ryeowook was busy folding laundry when Sungmin and Henry stopped by in the early afternoon on Tuesday to chat with him and, although he expected Kyuhyun to come home at some point and wanted to spend time alone with him, he made them some coffee as long as they promised to leave the moment his husband returned home. 

            “I love it when we have an album coming out,” Henry said, leaning back into the couch cushions and propping his feet up on the coffee table.

            “Get your feet off the table,” Ryeowook scolded him, sitting down beside him.

            Henry immediately removed his feet, momentarily forgetting his strict hyung’s preferences since he’d moved out of the lower dorm, and sat up in his seat.  He also grabbed a coaster off the nearby end table before daring to set down his coffee. 

            “Why do you love having an album coming out?” Ryeowook said, returning to his gentle tone of voice, which was a little unsettling.  The long absence from Kyuhyun was clearly starting to take a toll on him because he was starting to act at little more bipolar every day.  He could be sweet and motherly one moment, angry and lecturing the next.  Kyuhyun claimed that this was just Ryeowook’s natural personality, but Henry knew that these mood swings were far more severe when he was upset and Kyuhyun had been away from home for nearly a week at that point, which was a real test of Ryeowook’s patience.  Even if Kyuhyun did visit him in Japan, it still wasn’t the same as having him back at home and none of them were fooled by his momentary relief. 

            Henry cleared his throat and answered.  “I’m never bored when an album is coming out.  We get to travel all over and spend time together.  It’s fun!”

            “It’s fun, but it’s draining at the same time,” Sungmin said, sipping his coffee and wandering around the room.  “I like traveling, too, but when it’s for work it isn’t the same.  It isn’t like we get much time to enjoy the places we’re at.”

            Henry shrugged and took another drink of his sugared-up coffee.  “I suppose, but it’s still fun to see all of you more as well.”

            Ryeowook pat Henry’s knee.  “I’m looking forward to having Kyuhyun stuck doing activities that involve me as well for a change,” Ryeowook confessed.

            “Yeah, it’s weird seeing you two away from each other so much,” Henry pointed out.  “Whenever I’m here or at SM, I usually see both of you, not just one of you or the other.  It’s been weird.  It reminds me of seeing people after a breakup, like Yuhno and Jae.”

            Ryeowook narrowed his eyes and glared at Henry.

            Henry waved his hands in front of him.  “I didn’t mean you two act like you’re broken up…I just…I mean…”

            “Calm down, Wookie,” Sungmin said, walking back over to the couches after looking at his cell phone and taking a seat on the opposite one.  “You know what he means.  Now that we have a new album coming out, you’ll have plenty of time to up the flirting in public and I have no doubt that you will after last year’s promotions.  Especially now that Kyuhyun’s getting much more comfortable touching you in public.”

            “Possessive,” Henry corrected him.

            “No, clearly if he’s holding his hand and touching him during Treasure Island for no apparent reason when they’re alone on stage, he’s doing it just because he wants to promote their relationship more.  If we thought them practically groping each other during Happy Camp last year was bad, I’m sure that they can top it this year.”

            Henry laughed.  “Or rather, Kyuhyun can top it!  Right?” Henry asked, smacking Ryeowook in the arm.

            Ryeowook rolled his eyes and sighed.  Sungmin, on the