Kyuhyun spent the rest of the night floating on a high after his extremely successful performance, resuming his duties clearing tables and serving drinks. Although one eye remained on Lee Donghae who was sitting back against the red brick of the café. Kyuhyun had never seen anything better adorn the bleak brick walls of his workplace, Donghae’s black and white outfit contrasting against the red walls. They exchanged occasional glances and a rare smile if they caught the others eye. None of which went unnoticed by Sungmin, who corned Kyuhyun on a trip to the dishwasher.

“If you don’t go and talk to him I will,” Kyuhyun acted flustered and confused at what Sungmin was talking about, although he knew straight away what the bunny was alluding to.

“What do you mean?” Kyuhyun avoided eye contact with his friend, focusing instead on stacking cups in the dishwasher, which suddenly required his undivided attention.

“Oh please Kyuhyun, you must have memorised the thread count of his sweater by now.” However he was met with a blank stare from the younger, frustrating Sungmin. “You’re staring at him like he’s a different species or something!”

“I…I’m not staring at him! I was just looking at-”

“The back wall?” Sungmin finished. “Kyu you’ve been working here for six years if you still find it that interesting there is something wrong with you.”

“That’s not it I-” Kyuhyun defended quickly but stopped when he was met with one of Sungmins trademark don’t-even-try-and-bull-me stares. “Ok so what I think he’s attractive? What’s wrong with me looking?”

“Nothing. But if you’re going to creep him out do it in your own time.”

“Am I creeping him out?” Kyuhyun panicked, making Sungmin laugh.

“No. I just wanted to see how you would react.” Kyuhyun hit his friend on the arm and ventured back out to the coffee shop, being cautious of where he looked first. But when he cast his eyes over the back table, Donghae was nowhere to be seen.

Disappointed, Kyuhyun went to clear the table, but found what looked like a note hidden under the coffee cup. He picked it up and stuffed it in his pocket, saving it from the prying eyes of Sungmin, or worse Heechul.

“I told you so. You missed your chance.” Kyuhyun ignored the taunts from Sungmin, instead willing the night to be over so he could finally read the note Donghae had left, presumably for him. He hadn’t seen anyone else talking to Donghae, and Sungmin was right, he was staring. And those glances he received from the stranger made him all the more eager to see what was on the paper.

Being wary of followers, (Sungmin had been known to tail Kyuhyun to the train station to see he got there safely. Despite the fact Kyuhyun was at least 5 inches taller than him Sungmin was extremely well trained in martial arts and is rumoured to be deadly.) Kyuhyun waited until he was seated on the train and 10 minutes out of Seoul before reaching into his new jeans pocket and pulling out a crumpled piece of paper with a watermark Kyuhyun couldn’t see in the bad lighting. On the paper was a scrawling of two sentences, both in Chinese, securing Kyuhyuns belief that the note was for him.

‘It was nice to meet you. I sincerely hope I can see you again.’ Attached at the bottom was a phone number with L.D next to it. Well maybe Kyuhyuns night wasn’t so bad after all.

However when he got home that all changed. His mother was home and had brought a date. Or more accurately some scum she picked up at the bar. Kyuhyun had to wade through empty beer bottles and cigarette butts that he knew would take him a few hours to clean in the morning. When he reached his mother’s room he tried not to listen but what he heard was something that both disgusted him, but unfortunately also that he was used to. He stuck his earphones in his ears and drowned out the world, unsure exactly what was blearing through his iPod but just glad that it was louder than his thoughts. Unconsciousness slowly overtook his mind, filling his head with dreams he would most likely not remember in the morning.

The next morning was hell for Kyuhyun. He’d woken up to his mother’s ‘date’ hunting through the house, taking anything that looked worth a bit of money.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” The man looked up from rummaging through the vase case in Kyuhyuns lounge room.

“So you’re the bratty kid you’re mother hates?” As much of a blow as that was, Kyuhyun ignored it. Instead he snatched the vase out of the strangers hand and shut the door.

“You can leave now,” Unfortunately this was not a new experience for Kyuhyun, he was used to kicking his mother’s strange men out of the house while she was still sleeping off last night’s copious amounts of alcohol.

“Just who the do you think you are boy? I’ll leave when I damn well please.” The man looked at Kyuhyun menacingly. “You know what? I might go have some more fun with your of a mother. She’s a good shag you know?” Kyuhyun cringed at the mention of his mother doing such things with this creature. And as much as he hated anyone else saying it, he knew his mother was a . But she was still his mother and since his father left he’d sworn to protect her.

“Get out of my house before I call the police.” The man laughed at him before Kyuhyun held the vase up in his hand, threatening to smash the guy over the head with it. He could never do it of course, but he didn’t know that. Smile faltering, the man took a step back, tripping over the cabinet.

“Fine. But you know damn well I’ll be back little boy.” Kyuhyun resented being called a little boy, he was 22 after all. But he’d do whatever it took to get this guy out the door. He watched the creep walk out and slam the door behind, no doubt waking his mother up. Kyuhyun had hoped to clean the apartment before his mother got up, but that hope was dashed when the sound of her door opening was followed by a curse when she no doubt ran into it.

“Stupid thing,” His mother grumbled as she emerged from her bedroom which reeked of cigarette smoke and stale alcohol. She tightened her fraying dressing gown tie before glancing around the room, clearly not finding what she wanted. “Where’s Sam?”

“He’s already gone.” Kyuhyun started cleaning up the lounge room, which looked like it hadn’t been touched in three days.

“You kicked him out didn’t you?” He knew what was coming. Kyuhyun cursed himself for not making coffee. His mother with a hangover was not an easy thing to tackle without caffeine for both of them.

“He was trying to rob us.”

“Bull! You just hate me being happy don’t you?” The smash of a bottle got Kyuhyuns attention as he saw his mother holding a broken beer bottle, broken glass littering the floor at her feet.

“No mum, that’s not true you know that. Put the bottle down please.” He moved to take the weapon from his mother’s shaking hands but jumped back as she lunged at him.

“No you’re trying to ruin my life you selfish bastard!” It was clear to Kyuhyun that his mother was still drunk and on the verge of passing out again. As she stumbled toward him, Kyuhyun grabbed her arm that had the bottle, making her drop it. She lashed out with her other hand and slapped him across his face, overbalancing herself in the process. Kyuhyun barely caught her before she hit the ground. He helped her into the old, battered lounge chair only to be slapped away again. “Go away. Don’t you have work or something?”

“Yeah…sure. I’ll be back later ok?” When Kyuhyun only got a grunt in reply, he grabbed his wallet and left the house, being careful to lock the rickety door behind him. He didn’t have to work, but it would be a bloody battle if he stayed home. He decided to call the only place he thought of. Work.

“Hello?” He’d purposely called the office, any of the staff would immediately know something was up if he called the shop.

“Yesung-hyung, are you busy?”

“Kyuhyun-ah? No why, what’s wrong?” Well maybe it wasn’t just his workmates that could pick him.

“Nothing hyung, I was just wondering if you needed me to come in today?”

“No we’re fine, Siwon offered to take your shift. Why Kyuhyun-ah? Do you need more work?” There had been more than one occasion that Kyuhyun had asked his boss for more shifts to cover his mother’s drinking.

“No. I’m just bored I guess,” Kyuhyun couldn’t tell his Yesung what had happened, his boss had enough on his plate without worrying about Kyuhyun as well. His melodic laugh that echoed through the phone line made him even more determined to keep up the appearance.

“Well thank you for your enthusiasm Kyuhyun but we’re covered here. Why don’t you call Sungmin? He’s off today as well.” Everyone at the shop knew about Kyuhyun and Sungmin close relationship so it wasn’t a surprise to Kyuhyun that his feminie friend was suggested, but he had been to Sungmin three times already this month so he didn’t want to bother him again. He thought of going shopping with his tips from last night, (his performance apparently impressed a lot of people) but he thought he should save that in case he needed it at home.

Absentmindedly Kyuhyun got off the train at his normal stop only 100 meters from the café. He wandered in the general direction of the shop, not watching where he was going, without realising he was in the direct path of someone who made no effort to get out of the way. When they collided Kyuhyun immediately bowed in apology but was stopped by a delicate hand on his shoulder, pulling him back up.

“I should take every chance I get to have you bow for me but you’d never forgive me,” Kyuhyun straightened up at the familiar voice and met eyes with a certain red haired colleague of his.

“Heechul-hyung? What are you doing here?” He knew Heechul lived on the other side of Seoul and this was his day off.

“I was in the office when you called Yesung and he told me what you said. Are you on your way to Sungmins?” Kyuhyun shook his head at his hyung, unsure of what to say because he really didn’t know what he was doing.

“I just got off here automatically. I don’t really have anything to do I just needed to get out of the house.” Well he was forced out of the house but that wasn’t something Heechul needed to know.

“What’s wrong? And don’t insult me by saying nothing I can see the mark on your cheek.” Kyuhyuns hand immediately flew to his cheek where a red mark suspiciously shaped like a hand was forming over his pale skin. He winced in pain when he rubbed it, trying to conceal his entire bruise with flushed skin, only to have his hand pulled away and Heechul replace it with his own soft and gentle hand. “What happened Kyu-baby?”

Heechul had been using his favourite pet name with Kyuhyun ever since he started working at the café. Even though he wasn’t the youngest anymore, the name had stuck.

“I threw one of mum’s dates out this morning. It’s my fault I should have known she’d be hung over.” Heechul grew a fierce and icy look in his eye as he pulled Kyuhyuns eyes up from the ground to meet with his own.

“It is not your fault for wanting to protect your home and your family.”

“Is that what it is?” Heechul had had this conversation with Kyuhyun many times before. He’d find him beaten and defeated, his inner flame virtually gone. He’d spend hours coaxing it back to life only to have Kyuhyun go back to that place and have a bucket of water poured on him again.

All of them had tried to convince Kyuhyun to leave, even Yesung, but Kyuhyun was extremely stubborn. Something Heechul normally admired, but there were times that it was irritating and particularly inconvenient. No matter how much they beg and plead Kyuhyun wouldn’t leave his mother. He and Sungmin had offered countless times to give Kyuhyun a place to stay and Siwon had even offered money, but he was far too proud to admit he needed help. So instead they assisted where they could, buy him new clothes, lavish birthday gifts and places to stay after a long night at work. But Heechul especially wasn’t happy with the way Kyuhyun simply accepted his situation.

“Come on, let’s go somewhere quiet.” Heechul placed his hand on the small of Kyuhyuns back and gently pulled the younger away from the busy street.

This is why 15 minutes later he was sitting in the back booth of a bar with Heechul, eating a bowl of peanuts.

“Sorry I know 10am is a little early to be in a bar but I didn’t want to go to work and Yesung would set that rabid turtle of his on us if we went to another café.”  Kyuhyun only laughed at Heechuls fear of their bosses pet. Granted he did speak to his turtle.

“You know we could have just walked around the park?”

“Do I really look like a person who walks around the park having a heart to heart talk?”

“You prefer to do it in a bar at ten in the morning?”

“Of course. It’s much manlier.”

“Yes hyung you always master the manliness in a situation.” Heechul threw a peanut at Kyuhyun’s head in response.

“Since when did this conversation become about me?” Kyuhyun smiled at Heechuls attempt to dodge the question. Although he avoided his hyungs eyes because he knew what was coming yet.

“Kyuhyun-ah –”

“Hyung wait. If you’re going to try and talk me into moving in with you or Sungmin then please don’t. I already told you I’m not leaving.” Heechul sighed sadly at his dongsaeng. It hurt him to see Kyuhyun so dedicated to something that was ultimately going to destroy him.

“It’s ok I wasn’t. But I do want to remind you that you deserve better.”

“No I don’t” Kyuhyun barely whispered, the shame clearly evident in his voice, although Heechul had never figured out what he was ashamed of.

“Cho Kyuhyun stop cheating yourself out of everything because you’re scared of something you don’t know! You’re ty summer job has lasted six years and you’re still supporting your mother who gave up on you years ago! It’s time you wake up and realise that you are worth so much more than what you’re giving yourself.”

 If anyone else had of said that to Kyuhyun he would have stormed out without a second glace. But he knew Heechul well enough now to know he didn’t mean any harm, this was just his twisted way of giving advice. Wanted or otherwise. He was about to attempt a protest when his phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Kyuhyun-ah. It’s Yesung. Are you still in the city?”

“Yeah I’m just with Heechul-hyung.”

“There’s someone here for you, he was asking for your number. I don’t want to just give it out, are you able to come in?” Panic shot through Kyuhyuns veins. Had the man from this morning figured out where he worked? Yesung didn’t even ask if he could give this stranger his number, he just straight up refused. Why would he do that unless she didn’t like the look of the guy? Kyuhyun considered hanging up the phone and running, but he couldn’t leave his friends to deal with the guy if he never showed up.

“Yeah sure hyung. I’ll be there soon.” When he hung up the phone Heechul had the same wary look in his eyes Kyuhyun had a moment ago.

“What is it?”

“There’s someone at the shop asking for me.”

“Who is it?”

“I don’t know.” Heechul expression grew colder.

“Could it be him?” Kyuhyun just shrugged but Heechul knew that his dongsaeng was scared of exactly that. “Kyuhyun I’m not letting you go in there alone.”

Kyuhyun just laughed at his occasionally overprotective hyung.

“Yeah right hyung. You fight worse than I do.” He was right. Heechul fought like he was scared of breaking a nail. Which to be perfectly honest he probably was.

“I’m going to ignore that. But I wasn’t talking about me. Come on they’ll meet us there.” Kyuhyun wasn’t game to ask who Heechuls contact was but considering where he and his partner lived it’s not surprising he has someone on hand who can fight.  

However when he and Heechul got to the coffee shop Kyuhyun was pleasantly surprised to see Sungmin leaning against the wall down the street with a backpack on the ground, no doubt containing some sort of martial arts weapon he was so skilled with. 

“Whose am I kick – Oh my god Kyu what happened to your face?” Kyuhyun just growled at Heechul who was snickering at the bunny, who managed to look fierce and threatening one moment and like an overprotective mother the next.

“It’s nothing Min, I’m fine.” Sungmin clearly didn’t believe him but gave Kyuhyun a look that told him that he would get every single detail out of him if it took all night.

“Come on Umma let’s go.” Heechul started dragging his favourite dongsaengs up the street when Kyuhyun slapped him on the arm.

“You make out with Min at every Christmas party don’t call him that!” Heechul laughed out loud, throwing an arm around Kyuhyun, half-jokingly and half protectively as they neared the entrance to the café.

“I know. And we have Henry this year! Won’t it be fun?”

“Don’t you go corrupting our maknae. You already ruined this one’s innocence.” Sungmin jabbed his thumb towards Kyuhyun.

At their very first Christmas party Kyuhyun had only been working there for three months and Heechul had gotten quite drunk and subsequently kissed everyone there, including Kyuhyun. The only words from Hangeng, his boyfriend were ‘Welcome to the family’. Since then Heechul had ‘welcomed’ every new staff member the same way, drunk or sober.

“Recognise anyone Kyu?” Kyuhyun glanced around the relatively busy café, looking for the scowling face he was faced with this morning. But he found no one. When he shook his head at Sungmin he and Heechul relaxed a little, still keeping an arm around Kyuhyun. A familiar voice caught his attention when he heard his boss’s voice behind him.

“I see you brought backup. Don’t worry he looks harmless I just wasn’t sure who he was. Kyuhyun, he’s waiting for you at the back.”  Kyuhyun motioned for Heechul and Sungmin to hang back. Whoever this was probably wouldn’t appreciate two snooping friends tagging along with Kyuhyun.

Kyuhyun wound his way to the back of the café, passing the kitchen to wave to the staff that were on today, and paused before entering the area that housed all the American style café booths. Yesung had installed them for privacy, although at the moment they were freaking Kyuhyun out a little. But when he turned to corner and cautiously gazed over the almost empty room, he wasn’t met with the expected yelling or violence.

“Kyuhyun-ssi!” Kyuhyun’s head snapped up at that voice. It swam in his head like a fog and blocked out any other sense. It was liquid honey and velvet mixed with smoke and water. It made Kyuhyun’s head spin with perfect clarity.

“Donghae-ssi. I didn’t know it was you.”

“I know sorry but I didn’t have your number and I wanted to see you again. Sorry that sounds desperate.” His soft laugh vibrated through the walls of the café, making Kyuhyuns knees weak.

“No not at all. I’m glad you stopped by. Sorry I didn’t call I was a bit caught up this morning.” Donghae smiled slightly, making Kyuhyun blush like crazy.

“That’s ok. I would ask you if you wanted coffee but I figure you must be sick of that by now.” Kyuhyun laughed in agreeance, not trusting his voice yet. “So I wanted to ask if you would like to have a drink with me.”

Normally Kyuhyun would’ve said no immediately, it was too risky, letting someone new into his life. Anyone he let in either left or betrayed him. Besides his friends at work he never spoke to anyone really, and even his workmates had never been to his place. He was too ashamed of the life he lived. However with Heechul’s advice sitting in the back of his mind and a gorgeous man sitting in front of him offering a night out, he seemed to have a change of heart and found himself saying something he hadn’t said in a long time.

“Sure I’d love to.”

I'm so so so so sorry it took me so long to update! But I just started year 12 *Eeeeepp scary!!*

But thankyou to everyone single person who subscribes to my stories and leave comments!! I love comments! :D Tell me what you think!! I can take critisism I'm a drama student :D

Also I'm considering making a trailer for this....If I can get around to it. Maybe.