Wrong Number

            “Ryeowook!”

            Ryeowook sat at his desk, correcting his students’ tests, and ignored his brother’s calls from the other room.  He wanted to get them done that day so he could enjoy the rest of his short holiday break. 

            “Ryeowook!”

            He gave a defeated sigh as he set down his pen and stood up.  He went in search of his older brother and found him in the bathroom, fixing his hair. 

            “There you are,” Heechul said, looking at Ryeowook through the mirror.  “Call that y single friend of yours and tell him to get his to the party tonight.  He knows all those other friends in the music business and always brings someone interesting with.”

            “He’s not single anymore…although he refuses to tell me who he’s dating,” Ryeowook informed his brother.

            Heechul’s brows shot up.  “Then he’s either dating one of your ex-boyfriends or some guy you know and he’s afraid you’ll get pissed if you find out.  Do you two have a crush on the same guy?  That doesn’t seem likely, does it?  You don’t remotely have the same taste in men.”

            Ryeowook shrugged.

            “Invite him anyway and see what he says.  I bet he’ll still think about it if his new guy is working or something,” Heechul said.

            “Fine,” Ryeowook agreed, heading back to his room.

            “And I want a light dinner tonight if I’m going to drink as well,” Heechul called after him.

            Ryeowook sighed, but didn’t say anything.  Since Heechul’s last boyfriend had unexpectedly left him and moved back to China, he’d been horribly depressed.  He spent months moping around the house in his pajamas.  Seeing him willing to mingle in society again was encouraging and he wasn’t about to do anything to discourage it.  Perhaps he’d find the right guy at some point and move the hell out of his apartment.  Maybe he’d be alone again someday and could cook whatever the hell he wanted for dinner again.

            When Ryeowook reached his room, he closed the door and grabbed his phone from the dresser.  He immediately called Yesung before even looking at the time.  It was barely eleven.  Heechul being up before noon was throwing him off.  Yesung claimed that he’d be teaching private lessons until then and probably wouldn’t be home for a few minutes yet.  Just as Ryeowook was about to hang up, he heard an answer.

            “Hello?”

            This was not Yesung’s voice however, but another man’s voice.

            “Hi…I must…I must have dialed the wrong number somehow.  I was calling for Yesung.”

            “Ah, no.  You have the right number,” the man quickly said.  “But Yesung was just really in a rush this morning and forgot his phone on the dining room table.  I just decided to pick up because the phone said that Wookie was calling and I wondered what the hell kind of name that was…or if it was code for something.”

            “I’m Kim Ryeowook, his coworker,” Ryeowook said, smiling to himself because he was amused by the man’s response.  “You must be Yesung’s new boyfriend.”

            “Actually, I’m not,” he answered.

            Ryeowook suddenly realized that he shouldn’t have been so bold as to assume it.  What if this was a relative of his staying with him and he didn’t know of Yesung’s ual preference?  He could cause problems for his friend and colleague by saying such things. 

            “I’m single myself, so if you’re looking…” he teased.

            Ryeowook nervously laughed.

            “I’m his old college roommate, Cho Kyuhyun.”

            “The writer,” Ryeowook said, nodding as he began to pace his bedroom floor.  “He’s told me about you.  I thought he said you lived in Japan now.”

            “Things change,” he only said.  “I’m staying with him for a while to figure out if I want to buy an apartment in Seoul.”

            “Perhaps we’ll meet some time,” Ryeowook said.

            “I should hope so,” Kyuhyun said.  “I have all sorts of embarrassing stories to tell you about our college years.  Did you know that he talks in his sleep, for example?”

            “No,” Ryeowook said, laughing.

            “Who the hell are you talking to on my phone?” Yesung faintly cried out in the background.

            “I’m talking to one of your coworkers,” Kyuhyun informed him.  “Named Wookie.”

            “Give me that,” Yesung said.

            “But I just started talking to him,” complained his writer friend, his voice trailing off.

            “Ryeowook, I am so sorry,” Yesung said, getting on the phone finally.

            “That’s okay,” Ryeowook said.  “Kyuhyun was very entertaining to talk to.”

            “Yeah, I don’t know what’s gotten into him this morning.  He’s a little squirrelly.  He’s been writing through the night and he hasn’t actually slept yet,” he claimed.  “Normally, he doesn’t answer people’s private phones.”

            Ryeowook could hear Kyuhyun respond to Yesung in the background, but not clearly enough to make out any distinct words.  Yesung didn’t actually seem too upset though. 

            “Anyway, sorry for that.  What did you need?”

            “Need isn’t quite the right word,” Ryeowook said.  “But Heechul is holding a lavish party tonight and wanted me to invite you so you could mingle.  He likes having you in the crowd.  I told him you weren’t single anymore, but he’s still holding out hope you’ll come just to socialize.”

            “Are any of our other friends going?” Yesung asked.

            “My cousin, Henry, will be there.  You know him.  And then Hyukjae, Donghae, and Sungmin.”

            “Tell your brother I wouldn’t miss his party for the world and text me all the details so I don’t forge