A few weeks before SungMin's birthday...

"Mr. President, we need to close the academy now, so can you please put your hardworking arse to sleep?"

KyuHyun looked up from his laptop and the surrounding stacks of paperwork to see his secretary, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed. "I'll shut the building myself later, Vic." Victoria hummed as a reply, but did not leave. Instead, she walked over to her boss's large table and peeped at the first page of one stack of paper. She picked it up, curious. It seemed like every other page was marked with a post-it, and various notes were jotted down with black marker.

List of South Korea's Orphanages...

"What's this sudden interest in orphans, Kyu Kyu?" Victoria mumbled as she sifted through the pile of papers to find that they were all of the same topics. One of the translucent post-it notes wrote: Should be around these islands. There are few shops here and lots of rice and salt fields. Another yellow sticky note said: As requested---attached is a copy of details on the islands where the name has been recorded in the orphanages present. "None of your business, I'm afraid." KyuHyun nonchalantly replied, as he typed furiously on Google. Victoria raised a perfectly drawn eyebrow. "I don't want to pry, but this can't be good for your health. You have been going home on time lately, is something keeping you back?" KyuHyun shook his head to reject the idea, but otherwise gave no other indications of replying.

Victoria huffed. "Fine then, have it your way. I'll leave the keys on the front desk's drawer when you need it." She stated as she replaced the paper into their original positions. Her boss nodded in acknowledgement and realizing that nothing she says now would go through to him, she left the academy, hoping her stubborn boss would finish up what he was up to soon and head home.

-Clack-

"Ah! KyuHyun-ssi, you're back!" KyuHyun averted his gaze from the floor to the being standing in front of him. He glanced at his watch and scowled. "It's already 11pm. Why are you still awake?" Knowing that his servant sleeps early, to say that he was still up and awake was more than surprising. "W-well, you weren't home yet so I thought I'd wait for you--- But I was reading my cookbook, and I found it so interesting that time just flew past!" KyuHyun smiled. "Is that so?" SungMin set his bag and coat aside. "Would you like me to cook something for dinner?"

"Yeah. But just something light would do. Aren't there any leftovers?" KyuHyun asked as he filled a glass of water in the kitchen. SungMin followed suit and took out a few ingredients from the fridge. "No, I'm afraid we finished the food from this morning..." "Ah, I meant tonight's dinner." His servant stared at him for a moment, and then as if the thought just struck him: "Oh, I have not eaten anything for dinner." 

KyuHyun's eyes almost bulged out from his sockets. "WHAT? Why have you not eaten anything? Were you not hungry?" The former looked utterly confused, as if he could not even comprehend the questions thrown at him. "No... You said you weren't coming back for dinner, so I didn't have any food either. It's only right to eat when my master's eating." The mentioned master sighed and rubbed his temples. "If you're hungry, you should eat! Even if I'm not around, you need to survive too! What would I do if you fainted?! Have you been skipping dinner the past few days where I came home late? Never skip your meals again, alright?" SungMin lowered his head and apologized. "Yes, I haven't had dinner in three days, but I eat a lot in breakfast! Um, b-but KyuHyun-ssi shouldn't skip his meals either..."

Oh gosh. The pout on those pinkish lips was too cute. KyuHyun blushed bright red and coughed. "Fine then. Go and cook something enough for the two of us, we'll share."
SungMin nodded with a determined smile and quickly got to work.

"Hello?" "Hi. Min, I'm not going to come home in time for dinner today. Make sure you eat and sleep early today, okay?"

There was a pause on the line, and then a hesitant whisper. "K-KyuHyun-ssi... It has already been a week. Is everything alright? Are you having your dinners every night? I don't want to pry, but I'm worried." KyuHyun smiled. He could already feel the worry seeping through the phone line just by hearing the tone of his servant's voice. "I'm fine. I just have a lot of work to do these days. I'll reheat the leftovers when I get home, so don't worry about me. Just make sure you take care of yourself. Is that understood?" "...Yes."

With that, he hung up and continued his research. Another half an hour passed and Victoria popped in to remind him to lock the gates securely. Again, he paid little heed to the 'You-need-to-take-care-of-yourself-more' advices and continued working until late at night.

1 am.

-Clack-

KyuHyun stepped into his warm apartment and draped his coat on the cloth hanger. He was about to turn off the lights for the living room when he noticed a figure on the couch. There, his servant was curled up into a ball with a sleeping bird next to him (in a cage, of course). He sighed in resignation as he carried the man to his room. "Honestly, you'll catch a cold if you sleep there." He whispered while gently placing SungMin onto his bed. After ensuring that his little servant is warm and toasty, he went ahead to heat up the leftovers that SungMin left for him on the table.

An hour later, he went to bed, exhausted. "Mmmnn..."
KyuHyun looked up, suddenly feeling wary. SungMin was fidgeting on the bed, and ended up rolling over, facing KyuHyun. "Mmm..." A content purr sounded from the fair-skinned male and Kyuhyun's shoulders slumped in relief. He couldn't, however, suppress the smile that formed as the bunny curled up and edged closer to his body.

Feeling the fatigue catching up, he yawned and decided to get under the covers as well, resting for the next day ahead.

The next morning

"KyuHyun-ssi! Before you go..." The said man turned his head, halting the process of cracking open the door that seemed to be unaffected by the cold winter winds outside. "What is this?" He enquired, as SungMin presented a paper bag with a few boxes in it. "Obento!" SungMin beamed, and all he could do was scrunch up his eyebrows in confusion. "Why would you give me bento boxes?"

His servant sighed in resignation. Upon realizing what he did, he blushed in embarrassment. "U-uh, I mean, you haven't been coming home lately, and have been skipping meals--- your paling skin is proof of that," He clarified when KyuHyun gasped in surprise. "I don't want you to get sick, especially in this weather, so I asked noona for some bento vacuum lunch boxes. The red ones here are for your lunch, and the blue ones are for dinner. That way, you won't have to keep eating leftovers." SungMin explained as he pointed at the different boxes in the bag.

"...Thanks." The sincere reply was soft and came out shyly, but SungMin received it nonetheless. At that moment, KyuHyun's phone started to ring. The smartphone revealed Victoria's name and KyuHyun huffed in annoyance. Picking up the phone, he gratefully took the bag and left with a half-smile. Half, because he was elated that someone cares about him so much. And half, because his secretary was barking complaints at him for not finishing his work on time.

"Honestly, if you would only pour the same amount of attention you do towards these orphanages to your duties, I wouldn't be nagging you right now." Victoria grumbled the nth time that day, as she rushed to photocopy a stack of documents. KyuHyun glared at her through his black-rimmed glasses and tried to bring his focus back into reading the contracts and letters. "Here are the copies of the signed documents. Are you done signing the letters? The academy opens in thirty minutes and I need to inform the tutors---"

The dark clouds on top of KyuHyun's head increased in volume and a few strands of lightning dropped down. "CAN YOU PLEASE SHUT UP?" Thankfully, his secretary stopped yapping away, even though she continued to look through the signed papers on his desk.

After the cycle above repeated for four hours, KyuHyun's stomach growled, indicating lunch time. He was back to looking through the orphanages in the whole of South Korea and the growling of his stomach ended his current conversation. "---Yeah, thanks, JungSoo-hyung. I'll stop bothering your lunchtime now. Say hi to YoungWoon for me." He hung up as soon as the speaker started to shout about how disrespectful he is.

He was about to ignore his stomach's calls for food when he accidentally kicked a white paper bag on the floor. Immediately, little flowers bloomed around him as he recalled the morning's happenings. "Thank goodness for SungMin." He faked tears of happiness as he dug into the four-course meal set.

That night

"I'm pretty sure it's around this area, KyuHyun. According to your other sources, this orphanage seems to be it." The said male grinned from ear to ear. "Alright! I'll jot the information down. Yes, yes. Thank you so much!"

And with that, KyuHyun proceeded to book air tickets online.

First of January, after the party.

"I'm going to visit my orphanage?" SungMin asked, shocked.

KyuHyun smiled and nodded. "We'll be leaving in two days. I have already planned the whole trip, so we'll be sightseeing as well." In contrast to his expectations, the birthday boy scowled and his face seemed to contort itself in concern. "Wouldn't this trip interfere with your work?" KyuHyun beamed and offhandedly managed to assure the worrywart: "Don't you worry, my academy closes for around two weeks at the beginning of every year." Once these words reached SungMin's ears, his expression softened significantly and the excitement that followed afterwards sparked the atmosphere.

Two days passed quickly for the two of them, and they turned out to be the earliest passengers on the plane. "I never knew that planes were so spacious!" SungMin gasped in awe as KyuHyun helped him buckle his safety belt. The latter laughed and said, "They usually aren't. I've requested for a larger airplane. Moreover, we're riding with first-class tickets." The cutie's mouth formed into an "O" shape and after the information was formally stored into his head, he cranked his neck to look behind him, where the separated curtains revealed rows and rows of smaller, compact economic seats.

"These first-class chairs seem much more comfortable. Why don't people request for first-class tickets instead?" SungMin, as usual, turned to his master for answers. The mentioned master just laughed at his naivety. "That's because there's a large difference between the prices of the tickets. Some people cannot afford the more expensive tickets, so they go for the economic ones." At this, SungMin started to fret about how KyuHyun was spending too much on him, but after that was taken care of, he suddenly looked depressed.

KyuHyun looked at him, concerned. "What's wrong?" The shorter male sitting next to him pouted. "It's so sad how some people can never afford the good seats." And with that, another wave of emotions swept by KyuHyun. It was a mixture of excitement, happiness, anxiety and... peacefulness? Ignoring the troublesome, contrasting feelings, KyuHyun regained his focus to reply his servant. "You're lovely, Min. But when you think about circumstances, perhaps people take the economics seats for different reasons. Some obviously cannot pay---" He tried really, really, hard to continue when SungMin's expression dropped, "But others, well... Some may have families too big to fit the first class compartments. Others may simply want to make friends with other passengers. Whereas tour groups always contain lots of tourists who later become like family, and would simply like to mingle. And think about it--- the seats in the economic compartment are much smaller and closer, aren't they?" A nod. "Perhaps lovers and close friends, as well as family members, just want that feeling of closeness. When you're in first class, the large seats and numerous barriers between the seats make it hard to talk and meet. It feels like the passengers are being segregated, even though the seats and services are indeed better, don't you think?"

When the stewardess came around after sensing that she wouldn't be interrupting a precious moment, SungMin was ready to order drinks with more zest and cheer as compared to a few minutes ago. And because of that, the two of them spent the airplane ride sweetly and without problems. Well, almost. SungMin cried too much and clung on too tight when the plane departed, because he wasn't prepared for the sudden change in air pressure. But otherwise, the one hour trip was nice and pleasant.

People stared as a sleek black Mercedes zoomed past the streets and stopped in front of the main entrance of SM Hotel. "It's time to get out, Min." KyuHyun said gently as the driver opened KyuHyun's side of the door. The both of them got out to a group of people wearing suits and business dresses.

"KyuHyun! You're finally here!" A man who looked slightly older than the both of them beamed. He had a small dimple on the side of his cheek which made him look younger than when he wasn't smiling. KyuHyun gave a small smile and gave a small hug. "Hyung! Thanks for giving us a room even though it's always filled here." The man laughed as if that was the silliest thing he has ever heard.

With a slap on the back, the man grinned. "What happened to you? You become so much more polite when he's around, eh?" The man nodded to SungMin, and that was when it clicked. This man was also at the New Year's Countdown party, but he seemed drunk and much less intellectual then. Then again, alcohol tend to have that effect on people.

SungMin's line of thoughts were disrupted when KyuHyun introduced the slim man. "Min, this is JungSoo-hyung, his business name is LeeTeuk. But he's just an old fart, so call him hyung." He couldn't help laughing when LeeTeuk kicked KyuHyun playfully. "Nice to meet you, hyung. My name is SungMin." LeeTeuk regained composure and smiled. "It's my pleasure. Now then, shall we head in? It's quite warm here compared to Seoul, but not much."

After that, the group of people started to talk to KyuHyun. SungMin simply followed them quietly. When the group of people left, KyuHyun and SungMin checked in and got to their room. On the way to the room, which seemed to be on the topmost floor, they talked and SungMin realized the group of people in formal attire were actually the board of directors for SM hotel, which is a five-star hotel that is well known around the area.

Their conversation stopped when the hotel door was opened after a card was scanned. The room turned out to be a spacious deluxe room, containing a small kitchen at the side and a large bathroom that looked squeaky clean from the door that was ajar. The largest room was in the centre, where a queen-sized bed resided on one end of the room. A large plasma TV was placed directly on the opposite side of the room, just next to the entrance of the kitchen.

SungMin followed KyuHyun into the room, mouth wide with shock. The room was indeed smaller than KyuHyun's bedroom, but the interior design was so luxurious it took his breath away. As if on instincts, SungMin went straight into the well-built kitchen that consisted of monochrome colours, which exudes classiness. A long white wooden table lines the short walls, and there is a small island in between this table and a bar that was a meter away. 
All the furniture in the kitchen has marble tops and there are elegant high chairs placed along the bar. Each chair had it's own comfortable circular black cushions, and the structure of the chairs were all made of steel. The table is decorated with various items, such as a small oven, a steel toaster, a small knife set and a microwave. Next to all these is a small electrical stove that seemed expensive, much like the rest of the room. The sink is slightly further away from these items and is artistically made into a circular shape where the tap has a built-in heat sensor to prevent wastage of water.
When the long drawers are opened, steel cutlery sets are revealed sitting on top of velvet cloths, and pretty glass cups and ceramic plates are arranged nicely in the cupboards. There is a small fridge placed inside one of the lower cupboards, and in it is a range of different drinks, such as coffee bottles, beer tins and juice boxes. There is also a smaller drawer where snacks such as chips and biscuit packets are stored.

"Min!"

A shock of realization went past SungMin at that instant. "K-KyuHyun-ssi! Y-yes? I'm so sorry, I just thought the kitchen looked wonderful and---" SungMin's usual ramblings were cut off as he collided into KyuHyun's firm chest when he tried to rush to the other side of the room. A pair of large hands held him from falling. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to sound like I was ordering you," KyuHyun laughed upon seeing his servant's pale face.

As the colour slowly came back, the both of them got seated on the sofa-and-table set that was placed in between the TV and the bed. KyuHyun took out two boxes of juice and placed them on the table before they got comfortable.

"There you go. You rushed into the kitchen as soon as we arrived."
Another merry laugh, another blush.
"Were you hungry?" SungMin fisted his shorts, clearly embarrassed. "Um, no... I truly headed there just because it was so pretty." KyuHyun chuckled, leaning forward to open SungMin's juice box. "And I truly meant it when I said it was alright. However, you really don't want any food for supper?" SungMin shook his head and smiled at his master's consideration. "It's alright. I'm full from the nice dinner and desserts that were served on the plane. Hehe."

KyuHyun's face reddened. Oh gosh his giggle is so freaking cute!! "T-that's great. I'm happy you liked the food there." KyuHyun coughed, hoping it would help lower his sudden higher octave voice. "At any rate, we'll be up by 8 tomorrow morning. After breakfast at the hotel restaurant downstairs, we will use a van to reach this slightly old motel at 4 pm. By then it would be quite dark already, so we'll have an early night after dinner. The following day, we would use the same van and head to the village where your orphanage was." SungMin nodded as he took in the information seriously. When his master finished his last sentence, his eyebrows met in confusion. "KyuHyun-ssi, why do you know where my orphanage is? You've never asked me about it before."

At this, KyuHyun grinned. "It was easy. I simply asked around."

SungMin did not question any further, and thought: KyuHyun-ssi 's friends sure know their way around the country. 

After that, they continued to talk for a bit and headed for bed. Because they were used to sleeping on the same bed, none of them were actually embarrassed and simply slept the tiredness away.

SPPV212'S Note: Hi guys! Yes, I'm alive. I am really sorry this took so long. I've just finished my AS exams and is now preparing for A levels which is due in a month. After the exams I'll have a longer holiday, and hopefully I'll be able to post more by then. Again, I'm sorry *deep bow* and thank you so much for being patient with me for so long! >.<