Chauffeur

            “I want to go on a real date,” Ryeowook announced at the table while we were eating breakfast.  He’d been picking at the rice dish that Sungmin had made—which tasted delicious, he’s an excellent cook—and had been rather silent up to this point.  Now he was glancing over at his boyfriend of several months, gauging his reaction to the news. 

            “What if the fans see us,” Kyuhyun said.  “We could get swarmed.”

            “We could go out of the city and wear baseball caps or something,” Ryeowook suggested.

            “If the managers found out we went somewhere without telling them, they’d strangle us,” Kyuhyun said.

            “We won’t get caught if we’re careful,” Ryeowook insisted.  “We can go to a movie or something.  It’s dark in there.”

            “But the fans all know what my car looks like.  The minute we leave the dorm, the managers will know about it from them posting online,” Kyuhyun pointed out.

            He had a point.  They were like spies working for the enemy and while the managers didn’t dare make the older members stay in the dorm at all times, the younger members didn’t have that luxury.  “I could drive you to the theater,” I found myself offering.  “You could just duck down in the back seat so they wouldn’t know you’re there.  Then I could pick you up when you’re finished.”

            “Really?” Ryeowook asked, clearly excited.

            “Sure.  It’s the weekend, so I don’t have to record tonight.  I’ll just go drive around or something until you’re done or maybe visit my parents,” I said.

            “Hyukie, you’re the best!” Ryeowook said, jumping up and rounding the table so he could hug me.  “I love you!”

            “I love you, too!” I croaked, since he was kind of choking me in his excitement.

            “Ah, I think I’ll come with, too,” Donghae said.  “We can hang out together while we wait.”

            I was relieved at the idea of having someone to spent time with and the plans were all set for later that night.  It was adorable to watch them both get all dressed up.  As I thought it over, they’d hardly had much of a chance to go on a real date.  They’d been together for probably two or three months at that point and it could very well have been their first official date.  Kind of sad, actually, but I think they were just happy to be together in the first place and to have supportive hyungs around them. 

            It was kind of cute.  At first, they were trying to keep it a secret from everyone, as if we didn’t already have them figured out.  Come on!  Ryeowook giggles like a girl when Kyuhyun’s tickling him and the bed creaking?!  I mean, it was so bad, Kangin went into the room to try to tighten the bolts on the bed when they were both gone one day.  It helped a little.  Finally we just told them that we all knew.  The few who didn’t know right away had figured it out in short order. 

            The managers were still in the dark though and it was best to keep it that way for now.  As I said, it was a shame that they couldn’t go out on dates more together, but it would be worse not to be together at all.  They’d gladly stay home to eat dinner together or watch movies instead of going out if they thought it would risk their whole relationship, but sneaking out once in a blue moon probably wouldn’t do any harm, especially if they weren’t caught, which Kyuhyun’s pretty good at. 

            I also put on some of my most normal looking—but still somewhat stylish—attire for the evening.  I wanted to blend into the normal Seoul crowds, but I didn’t want to look untrendy.  You have to walk a thin line to meet both worlds, trust me, but I thankfully I had a lot of clothes even back then.  Donghae headed into my room as I was getting ready and told me he had a new song he had been writing all afternoon and began singing it to me. 

            I’ve always loved his music, even back then, and he’s gotten so much better as the years have gone by.  “What’s it called?” I asked, once he was done singing it.

            “One Love.”

            “It’s very good.  You’re improving, you know.”

            Donghae shrugged.

            I looked at him through the mirror.  “You know you’re good.  Right?  They’ll