HANCHUL.

Summary: It was then that Heechul thought. He should've treated him better.

He went to the window, settling the curtains to the side for him to be able to view the starry dark sky. Several months ago, he was never alone. A tall, slim yet muscular man would be in his room, his puppy playing with his cat until the two animals fight and hurt each other that they would be forced to call it a night. Last few months ago, he had company over several bottles of soju, whether it would be drinking his heart out because of a triple crown in Music Bank or when a reporter brings back the fact that he lacks everything except appeal and senseless entertaining babbles.

Now, he is on his own, save for his cats who always kept him company. In times like this, he really praised himself for being witty and snarky enough, if he was soft-hearted like Sungmin, he would never be able to fight and withstand complains of the neighbors and his fellow dorm mates. He was bombarded with complaints and pleas just to make him abandon the two creatures, but he never gave them the satisfaction of him giving in. He then sighed in relief as he saw his two cats sleeping on separate beds, because if he had been any weaker, he might have gone crazy because of lack of companion.

“See that? See that island across the sea? That’s mine. And that… That’s mine as well. Everything that you see, they’re all mine.”

He chuckled as he remembered another memory he enjoys going back to. They were in Hong Kong, shooting for their latest photobook. And the guy and him were pretending to be lovers in front fo the camera, him being the wife, calling the other guy “yeobo” which the other would just laugh and flail at. Those were the times when everything was still fine, they even went to a club after the photoshoot, disguising with their glasses and beanies, dancing with a few girls and guys as they try to the very best of their abilities to hide their identities.

Now, it is a thing that was next to impossible.

“What do you think of the first two contestants?”
“Eunhyuk-ah is okay… Sungmin… makes me puke.”

He can still remember how the whole studio burst into laughter when the other said those words. The other guy even went on with blaming him for all the profanities he learned and used. While the whole studio was busy laughing their hearts out, he was in the backstage, raising his fist in mid-air directed to the other man. Of course, the other just shrugged it off and gave him a thumbs-up from the audience, with the other guy him mouthing "good luck" just before he went out the stage.

He smiled at the memory of the other pinching his the moment they were changing in the dressing room, with him receiving a wink and a “honey, you did good today.” when he gave him a glare. He then heard him on the phone afterwards talking to his mom, saying that “Mama, Heechul won in the Ms. Intimate Note pageant. You should watch it when it airs, he looked really beautiful.” He wished he treated him better.

Suddenly, the sad and painful truth came crashing down on him. He will never be back. Heck, they wouldn’t even let them contact each other. He bought a new phone instead of just changing his number, his company’s CEO told him to change his number so he won’t be able to talk to him, but being the disobedient guy that he is, he still hoped.

He hoped and waited for 4 long months. And now he is beginning to think whether he should still continue waiting or not.

In times like this, he begins to wonder. Does the other really care about him? Was he happy that he was able to free himself from the abusive friend that kept him enslaved for 4 long years? Did he feel even a bit of sadness when he realized that he won’t be seeing him anymore like how he did?

It was then he saw his cellphone blinking and vibrating in his vanity. He walked towards it and looked at the number on the screen. He smiled. He picked up the phone and brought it to his ear, at the same time pinching his cheeks just so he would know if this was just a dream.

“Heechul yeobo… how are you? It’s been a long time.” The voice on the other line said. He smirked and chuckled, making sure that the other person hears it as well.

“Honey your face, after you’ve left me here? And now releasing a solo album? You better get back here or I’ll fly to China just to kick your .” He can practically hear the others’ laughter on the other line. He laughed with him as well.

An awkward silence soon follows suit, enveloping the two of them as they don’t know what to say next just to keep the conversation longer.

“Congratulations on the 4th album by the way… I bought myself a copy and the songs were good.”

“The mighty Kim Heechul is included there, of course it would be good.” He heard a chuckle on the other line. “You haven’t changed” The moment he heard it, it was then that he fell quiet. “Well... you have…”

“I hope it’s for the better then.”

“You’re not beside the great Kim Heechul anymore… do you think that’s better?" He went to sit on the bed just as his cat went to sit beside him. He scratched the cat's ear and felt it warming up against his fingers. He smiled.

“No. of course being with the great Kim Heechul is better.”

“Then go back here and serve me once more.”

“Heechul ah…”

“Hmmm?”

“I miss you.”

He scoffed. “Then go back here and tell it straight to my face.”

“You know that’s not possible.”

“Then don’t tell it if you don’t mean it.”

“Heechul-ah”

“What?! Stop calling my name. Just say what you want to say. You’re irritating me again.”

“Sorry… okay… sleep well. I’ll call when I have time again. Good night.”

Just after the other guy said those words, the phone beeped and the call ended, Heechul stared at his phone. He did it again. No matter how hard he tries to express what he feels, he always end up arguing with him, and it always end up not too good. He wished he could have been better, he wished he can turn back time and say what he really feels. He plopped on his bed and stared up at the ceiling, as one of his cats, the grey one, walked up to him and purred beside him.

He then called back the number after exactly an hour, a sleepy voice then making his heart beat thrice as fast as it already had.

“Hello?”

“Call me back now.”

“Heechul-ah”

“If you don’t want to then fine…”

“Ok… I will…”

He then ended the call, a smile decorating his beautiful face. A few seconds later, his cell phone was again blinking. He picked it up, this time, with a stupid grin plastered all over his face.

“Heechul-ah… why did you make me call? It’s a bit late… you should sleep too…”

“Heechul-ah… are you there?”

“I’m hanging up if you don’t say anything”









“Geng… I miss you too…”