Heechul expected to come home from the weekend and start doing fun things with a new friend. But Yunho wasn't free until the next Saturday. Friday night was uneventful. Even Leeteuk hadn't responded to his texts. Heechul figured his phone was off and didn't worry too much about it; Leeteuk was working after all and was probably in a recording studio where phones were mandatorily off. Boredom was a bad thing for Heechul but everything he wanted to do wasn't available for him. He eventually fell asleep with his phone hugged against his chest, waiting for a welcomed text vibration from either his Leeteuk or his new friend.

Saturday morning came and Heechul woke up to what he thought was Heebum purring in his face. Heechul's fuzzy morning vision confirmed his cat was nowhere to be seen. His heartbeat started racing as he realized the consistent vibration wasn't a text, but a phone call. Heechul sat up on his elbow, finding his phone under Leeteuk's pillow. "Morning," he answered without looking at who was calling.

"Hey, hyung." Yunho's voice replied.

"Hi. Man, what time is it?" Heechul mumbled, the sleepiness still in his voice.

"It's 8:30. Wake up, because it's also time for breakfast."

Heechul sat up tailor style and scrubbed his hand over his face before pulling it through his hair. "I thought we were doing lunch?"

"Small change of plans." Yunho smiled. "Also, hyung. Can I keep you all day?"

Thinking about his schedule, Heechul hummed. "Yeah. I may have to step aside if I get a phone call. But I'm free all day. What do you have planned?"

"Something fun. Bring something to swim in."

"Yeah, okay. Wait what? Swimming?"

Yunho just laughed. "Yes, hyung. Can you memorize an address, or you want me to text it to you?"

"Text it."

"Okay. Meet me there. I'll give you an hour, but I'd be really happy if you could make it a half hour."

"I'll work on it. See you."

"Bye."

Heechul ended the call and jumped out of bed. Bad idea, he teetered to the side and had to use the door frame to his bathroom for support; his legs were not ready to be awake yet. Regaining his balance, Heechul got into the shower.

Yunho leaned against his parked car, waiting for Heechul. He checked the time on his phone, nearing forty minutes. He crossed his arms over his chest against the chilly morning breeze sweeping across the ocean near the restaurant he'd given Heechul the directions to. Yunho wore bright blue and white swim trunks and a varsity hoodie from his Canadian alma mater. Some cars came into the parking lot and Yunho tried not to look too excited, his eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses.

Recognizing Yunho, standing against his car, Heechul pulled in to park beside him. He smirked at their matching style. Heechul's swim trunks were white with red hibiscus designs and he wore a hoodie featuring the logo for his restaurant, throwing in advertising any chance he got. Heechul got out of the car and lifted his sunglasses onto the top of his head. He had a smile as he looked at Yunho, but seeing the surfboards attached to the roof of Yunho's car, Heechul got suspicious.

"Surfing?" Heechul asked by way of greeting. Closing his car door, Heechul walked around to stand by Yunho, who was smiling, still leaning against his car.

"Yes. Don’t fight it." Yunho rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses and let his arms off his chest. "Took you long enough to get here."

"I have a beauty routine. I'm surprised you don't, actor boy." Heechul smirked.

"I do. Surfing."

Heechul sighed. "I don't surf."

"But you will, for me." Yunho grinned and nodded his head, indicating Heechul should follow as he led them to the restaurant.

"You're so full of yourself," Heechul laughed but followed. "I'm surprised you're hungry."

Yunho laughed and took his sunglasses off once they were inside, tucking them in his hoodie pocket. Heechul followed behind him to a booth next to the windows that faced the ocean view.

"Why don't you surf?" Yunho asked as he sat opposite Heechul.

"I've never wanted to," Heechul shrugged, looking out at the water.

"You've spent your life to this point in California, and never wanted to get to know the waves?"

Heechul looked at Yunho. "Well,"

"That's what I thought," Yunho interrupted, smiling.

"Wait," Heechul laughed, getting frustrated. "You didn't let me finish."

"I don't need to. You're interested, so we're doing it. But food first." Yunho picked up his menu, hiding his face behind it.

Heechul sat there, staring at him. He wasn't exactly sure how he felt being cut off and told what he'd be doing. But Yunho was right, Heechul had actually always wanted to try surfing, the right time just never happened for him, since he was nervous to go alone and none of his friends were surfing inclined. He was nervous now, knowing that they'd be out in the water after they ate. Heechul took his eyes away from Yunho and the ocean, looking at his menu.

Yunho set his menu down and looked at Heechul. He seemed lost in thought and Yunho smiled. "I wasn't trying to make you stop talking," Yunho said, leaning over to point out his favorites on the menu. Heechul looked up at him with an unreadable expression and Yunho blinked, wondering if he'd offended his hyung. "I mean," he backpedaled, sitting against the backrest of the booth. "You don't have to surf if you don't want to."

Wondering at the sudden change in Yunho, Heechul laughed softly, shaking his head. "I want to. I'm just not used to-" Heechul paused, smiling. "You. I'm not used to your personality. You're like a big happy puppy that refuses to hear no."

"What?" Yunho laughed at that. "A happy puppy?" He asked.

"Well, I don't know," Heechul chuckled. "You're just excitable. Don't get me wrong. I like it. It's just different."

"Good different?" Yunho asked, looking at Heechul's expressions, learning them.

"Yes, good different." Heechul smiled warmly at him. "I like it."

"Good," nodding, Yunho smiled when the waitress came over, giving her his order. He watched Heechul as he talked to the waitress, thinking about happy puppies, silently agreeing with the older man. "Do you equate everyone you meet to animals?" Yunho asked when the waitress took their menus and left.

Heechul thought about it and shook his head. "No, not really. I probably could. But I wanted you to understand me without being offended. Puppies are cute and cuddly right? Nothing wrong with that."

Yunho laughed. "Cuddly now?"

"Yah. That's not what I meant. I meant, how could you be offended at being called a puppy? An innocent little baby critter." Heechul sighed, shaking his head. "Apparently it's possible."

"I'm not offended," Yunho said, smiling when Heechul looked up at him. "I'm just enjoying how I come across to you."

Heechul smiled. "A happy puppy." Heechul slid his hands into his hoodie pocket and looked out the window, leaving Yunho a chance to stare again. The waitress interrupted both of their thoughts, placing their drinks before them.

"Hyung, you wanted to know how I know so much about you?" Yunho asked, pulling his hot chocolate closer to warm his fingers.

"Yeah," Heechul said, reluctant to get into deep conversation this early in the morning. He watched Yunho's face as the younger man looked at his drink cup and eventually into his eyes.

"I'm a method actor," he said softly. "I get into the head of the character and let the character get inside mine. I tend to think about people in terms of stories and characters within the big plot of life."

Heechul nodded, not sure how to respond, but wanting Yunho to continue.

"When I look at you, I can see this pain behind your eyes. It's like you haven't always been taken care of the way you've wanted to be. But when you smile, it reaches your eyes. And you always smile biggest when you talk about other people. So I think I'm just as interesting to you as you are to me."

Smiling softly, Heechul waited for Yunho to continue.

"And I like the smiles like the one you have now. I know I'm right when you give them." Yunho chuckled. "So I want to get closer to you, because I want to learn your story. I want to learn how you express yourself. Because while having a happy puppy around is different to you, you're different for me too." Yunho paused. "If I had to put it in terms of animals. You're like a big cat, a black jaguar, that's had a hell of a life but is now living at a sanctuary. There's darkness and power but you're still young and vibrant in the right circumstances."

"I guess I'm a little nervous," Heechul said. "I feel like you already know me more intimately than you should. But you still don't know anything about me." Heechul laughed softly. "You don't know my favorite things, or which three things I'd take to a deserted island."

Yunho nodded. "You're scared I'll get to know you better than your boyfriend does?"

Heechul took a deep breath and sighed. "Yes." He searched Yunho's eyes. "I'm scared you already do. I mean, look at us. We've only met twice, both times weren't exactly eye opening or happy even, but we're talking like we've been friends for years."

"Is it wrong to be comfortable around friends?" Yunho asked.

"No," Heechul shook his head.

"You're worried you'll get too comfortable?"

Heechul nodded, looking into Yunho's eyes, the worry easily readable in his expression.

"Hyung. I won't do anything you don't want me to."

Heechul laughed softly. "Yeah. That's what I'm worried about too. We'll keep getting closer and closer mentally and then I'll want you to."

Yunho nodded, looking at his own hands. "Well it's not for me to say, how you'll feel. I can tell you I like to find out about people. I will ask you all kinds of questions," he looked to Heechul's eyes. "I'm bound to make you uncomfortable and probably cry. And we'll get closer and closer. But I'll draw a line at close friends, because you're not mine. And I won't treat you as if you ever could be mine."

Their food came and Heechul got a chance to breathe and look away from Yunho's eyes. He wished someone could tell him how he was supposed to feel. Heechul wished more than anything that his loneliness would let him breathe easy without the weight on his chest and shoulders. Heechul smiled up at the waitress, thanking her as he willed the threatening tears to leave him alone.

"You're right," Heechul told Yunho as he spread his napkin over his lap. "I haven't had the greatest life. I've never been treated how I wanted to be, I'm not even sure of how I want to be treated," Heechul smirked and looked up at Yunho. "I doubt myself all the time. I wish someone would be able to tell me which choices to make and how to act, because I'm nervous all the time that I'll do it wrong. That my life will never be as good as it can be, because I've made a wrong choice."

Yunho watched Heechul between putting ketchup on his eggs. "What matters most to you?" He asked, picking up his fork and starting in on his food.

"I haven't really thought about that." Heechul replied, playing with his omelet.

"I'm sure something came to mind. Just say whatever Heechul, I won't judge you."

Heechul looked at Yunho, wondering if he'd meant to drop the hyung, or if he was absent minded. "I have a hard time believing that."

"That you won't be judged?"

Nodding, Heechul didn't look at Yunho as he started to cut up his eggs.

"I work on not judging anyone. Especially not people I like."

"I think that the right answer to the question of what matters most to me, should be me." Heechul shrugged. "But I've never been the type to care more about myself than anyone else."

"Would you go without as long as your friends or significant other are happy?" Yunho asked.

"Yes. I have before. I totally rewrote who I was to please an old boyfriend. His happiness was enough for me. I wanted nothing but to see him smile." Heechul sighed, setting his fork down and looking out the window.

Yunho stopped eating, slowly chewing the rest of his bite before sipping his hot chocolate to wash it down. "Hyung. We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to."

Heechul glanced at Yunho, with obvious tears in his eyes. "It's okay." He said softly. "It's just hard to look back and admit how bad off I was." He looked back out at the ocean. "I'm sorry I'm making this awkward."

"No. You obviously need some time. That's okay. I'd offer a hug, but I don't know if you'd want one." Yunho smiled.

Heechul only hid his face against his arm and let the tears fall from the edges of his eyes. Yunho was quiet for as long as he could stand. "I'm sorry in advance," he said and stood up from his side of the booth. He sat down beside Heechul and wrapped his arm around him, leaning his head against his shoulder. "I can't let you be sad alone." Yunho said softly.

Taking a shaky breath, Heechul slowly let his arm down, uncovering his face enough to wipe his eyes. "I'm really sorry. I don't even know why I'm crying."

"You do. And it's okay." Yunho squeezed him gently, lifting his head off Heechul's shoulder to look at his face.

"I had a really bad experience with an ex-boyfriend." Heechul explained. "So bad, I tried to commit suicide to get out of it."

"I'm so sorry," Yunho said after a brief pause. He took his arm away from Heechul, setting his hands on his lap and looking at the table. "I didn't know."

"I know you didn't, don't apologize. He's been out of my life for years, but I still get like this when I think about it." Heechul set his sunglasses on the table and pulled a hand through his hair. "I worry all the time that I'll end up in the same kind of situation again."

"But, Leeteuk doesn't treat you badly does he?"

"No. He's really respectful and almost too understanding." Heechul smiled.

"Well. Let's talk about something else. Like, why you haven't eaten anything yet." Yunho grinned and moved to his side of the booth again.

Heechul shrugged, smiling down at his cut up omelet. "I should do that."

They spent the rest of their breakfast time in relative silence, commenting on the food and atmosphere rather than asking hard hitting questions.

In the four hours that Yunho and Heechul had been at this thing called surfing, Yunho managed to get Heechul comfortable shirtless and effortlessly paddling out on his borrowed board, but he still couldn’t stand on a wave for longer than a few seconds. Beaching it after another failed attempt at catching a swell, Heechul sat in the sand and watched Yunho ride a wave to completion. He doubted he’d ever get that good, or look that good on a board. Muscles aside, Yunho looked like a natural out there, a confidence that came from years of practice. Heechul only looked that sure of himself in a kitchen.

Watching Yunho walk up the beach toward him, Heechul smiled and looked past him to the water as he sat beside him, brushing his wet hair back.

“You hungry?” Yunho asked.

Not realizing how hungry he was until food was mentioned; Heechul nodded and looked over with a smile. “I could definitely eat.”

“Awesome. How do you like surfing?” Yunho asked. “You caught some sun along with the waves out there.”

“Oh, god, am I burned?” Heechul asked, looking at his arms and legs.

“Not bad, since you 110 proofed your skin with sunscreen.” Yunho chuckled, shaking his head. “The sun won’t kill you. You might even look good in a tan.” Yunho gasped a breath and covered his mouth.

Heechul laughed and shoved him over. “The sun will kill you, and at least I won’t look like leather when I’m old.”

“You’re already old,” Yunho kept at it.

“You want a black eye to go with your tan?” Heechul laughed, holding up a fist.

“Mercy, Heechul hyung.” Yunho pleaded, hiding his face with his hands.

Heechul leaned away and smiled. “I did have fun. I like being out on the water and actually doing something besides swimming.” He looked at Yunho and gave him a warm smile. “Thank you. Really, thank you.”

Smiling, Yunho nodded. “Any time. I’m out here most mornings that I don’t have work. You should come.”

“I can probably only make it weekends, but I’d love to come out and get more practice.”

“Tomorrow?” Yunho smiled.

Heechul grinned. “That depends on how sore I am after today.”

With a chuckle, Yunho nodded and stood up. “Your legs are going to kill tomorrow. Kinda like the morning after a long night of .”

Heechul laughed and followed him up to their cars, helping get the boards on top of Yunho’s.

“Do you want to eat here again?” Yunho asked pointing to the restaurant they’d had breakfast in.

“Maybe. Oh, there’s actually a new place on the coast, not far from here.” Heechul opened his car and put a shirt on. “We should go there,” he said as he checked his phone.

Yunho pulled on a tank top and leaned on Heechul’s car, looking at his head over the top of it. Heechul looked up from his phone and smiled. “Sound good?”

“Yeah,” Yunho said. “I’m good for new things. What kind of food?”

“Spanish food. Like paella and albondigas, not tacos and burritos.” Heechul smiled.

“Sounds interesting.” Yunho nodded.

“All right. Follow me over?”

“I will.” Yunho stopped himself from asking if Heechul got any texts and moved into his car.

Sorry for the late reply. I’ve been working a lot. Leeteuk had finally texted, confirming what Heechul had figured. As he drove to the restaurant Heechul voice-to-text told Leeteuk it was all right and things here were fine. While he was at it, Heechul sent a text to Simon saying he wouldn’t be home for dinner, so not to wait around. He honestly didn’t know how long he’d stay out with Yunho and Heechul didn’t want to have to feel like he was in a rush to leave his new friend.

Heechul spent the whole weekend with Yunho. He found that their time together was more about self discovery, rather than learning more about his new friend. Yunho offered Heechul a different insight and perspective on himself and how he reacted to his environment. The feeling of wanting to be nearer to Yunho grew slowly on him, taking root in his mind and seeding from there. They only talked over breakfast and dinner, the majority of their time spent in the water, getting Heechul used to the feel of the surf.

“Are we coming out next weekend?” Heechul asked over dinner.

“I can’t next. I’ve got an audition.”

“An all day audition?”

“It’s how I work,” Yunho laughed softly. They’d opted Italian this night and he busied himself curling spaghetti noodles around his fork.

Choosing not to beg, Heechul looked at his food and debated going out alone. “Are you free sometime this week? I think I want to buy a board. But I wouldn’t know what to look for.”

“You’re serious?” Yunho asked with a mouthful, looking up at him. “Hell yes I’ll make time for that.

Heechul laughed. “I wasn’t expecting you to be so excited.”

“Happy puppy, remember?”

Rolling his eyes, Heechul shook his head. “Right.”

“How’s Wednesday? I’ll call a friend and have some options for you by then.”

“Uhm,” Heechul hesitated. “Actually, yeah. Let’s do it.”

“You’ve got it.” Yunho grinned like a kid who’d just been granted a birthday wish.

Wednesday came and Yunho not only had board lengths to choose from, but images and colors as well. Initially overwhelmed, Heechul had to take an afternoon to think about it but eventually settled on a standard size and a bright wave design. The board would be ready for him on the weekend, and Heechul had plans for it, with or without Yunho.