Hunger

            It was the random text in the middle of the afternoon that worried Ryeowook.  If you come home and I’m dead, it was because I got revenge on your brother for last night…but it was worth it.  And btw, I love you.  Ryeowook decided that in the best interest of all parties involved: Kyuhyun, Heechul, himself, and his beloved apartment, he should not dally after work and return straight home.

            “Who loves you?”

            Ryeowook nearly dropped his phone when he realized that his most devoted student—who was maybe just a little in love with him—was standing over his shoulder. 

            “Hyungsik, it is not polite to read other people’s text messages,” Ryeowook said, turning around in his chair to face him.

            Hyungsik narrowed his eyes.  “Who?”

            “My cousin, Henry.”

            Hyungsik stared him down for a moment.  Then he nodded and handed Ryeowook his test paper.  “All right, but my cousin never says he loves me.”

            “I’m much nicer to my cousin than you are to yours, I imagine,” Ryeowook said, adding the paper to his pile.  “Now go ahead and read the next chapter in the textbook if you’re done so early.”

            Hyungsik grumbled to himself and returned to his desk.  Ryeowook looked at the text again, biting his lip, and replied, I’m not going to be happy if you’re dead when I get home.  You and I have unfinished business.

            A moment later, his phone buzzed again.  You forgot to say you love me back.

            For good reason.  My student saw that text! 

            Ryeowook set his phone on the desk and began to correct the English test papers that were already collecting on the corner of his desk.  That way, he wouldn’t have to take time out of his evening to do them later.  Only seconds went by before his phone began to vibrate on the desk.  Several students looked up at the loud interruption.  Ryeowook slipped the phone into his lap and quickly read Kyuhyun’s latest text.  Irrelevant.  I think you simply don’t love me anymore.

            I think I am going to call your editor myself and tell her how much time you’re wasting!

            You don’t know her number.

            I bet Changmin does.  And Yesung knows his number…I only have to walk down the hall to get it.

            You are a worthy opponent.  I will talk to you when you get home. 

            Ryeowook laughed at this, again receiving several curious looks from his students.  He quickly cleared his throat and typed out one last text.  And btw…I love you.

            So do I.

            Heechul woke to Kyuhyun repeatedly calling his name from the doorway.  Finally Heechul grunted and his brother’s new boyfriend took that as an indication to continue speaking.  “Hyung, I have your lunch ready.  Would you like it brought in to you?”

            Brought in?  If the boy was offering to serve him lunch in bed, perhaps he’d jumped to hasty conclusions about the young writer.  Seems he had some use, after all, even if he couldn’t cook.  Heechul grinned and cleared his throat.  “Yes, please.”

            “Just a moment,” Kyuhyun said, exiting the room. 

            Heechul didn’t bother to get up yet.  It was likely the boy would be a minute or two and Heechul still felt a little groggy from staying up so late and drinking too much the night before.  In fact, his mouth felt abnormally dry.  Hopefully the kid would think to bring him in something to drink as well.  Then again, he could always send him back into the kitchen to get something.  Kyuhyun kind of owed him since he let him borrow the car.  It was rather thoughtful of him.

            A minute later, he heard the door opening and turned over onto his back.  “I hope you brought in some cold water or ice tea as well.  I’m so thirsty.”

            Heechul felt the mattress give a little beside him.  “Oddly enough, one of the best cures for hangovers happens to be coconut water.  So that’s what I brought you.  I’m not sure about you eating tacos for lunch though.  That seems a little harsh for a recovering stomach.”

            Heechul knew that voice.  He knew that voice perfectly and it did not belong to his brother’s new boyfriend.  Nor did it belong in his apartment.  With any luck, he’d fallen back to sleep and he was simply having a nightmare.  Once he opened his eyes, he’d find Kyuhyun sitting on the bed next to him.  Heechul barely opened one eye. 

            Gunhee was holding a bottle of coconut water out to him. 

            Heechul screamed.  Then he hid under the covers. 

            “Do you think that’s going to work?” Gunhee asked.

            “How the hell did you get into my bedroom?”

            “If I tell you I teleported, would you believe me?”

            Heechul uncovered his head just enough to look at his friend and hairdresser.  Gunhee had begun to unwrap a taco from a tray filled with various Mexican foods, all individually wrapped.  He arranged the wrapper under him and then began to eat it. 

            “Did Kyuhyun let you in?”

            “It’s either that or I used my spider webs to scale the building.”

            Heechul sat up and glared at the door.  “He’s going to die.”

            “I think he thought of that likelihood and planned accordingly.  He grabbed his share of the lunch and said he was going to lock himself up in Wook’s room, with his headphones on to block out any screaming, and edit his story the rest of the afternoon.  Is he a writer?”

            “He was a writer.  He’s a corpse now,” Heechul said, jumping out of bed.  Then he doubled over in pain, holding his stomach.  “Oh, ow!”

            “Yeah, you really lived it up last night.  Have some water,” Gunhee said, handing him the coconut water. 

            Heechul snatched it from him and opened the bottle.  He sat back down in bed and drank down half of the contents.  “Is that what he brought me home for lunch?”

            Gunhee nodded, his mouth full of taco.  “It’s delicious.  Too bad you’re not feeling well enough to enjoy it.  You should probably eat some of the fruit he brought home for Wook instead.”

            “Why the hell would he bring me home tacos?”

            “I think he mentioned something about you ruining his chances of getting laid last night and wanting revenge on you, but I could have been wrong,” Gunhee supplied. 

            “Had I known he and my brother were getting it on, I would have gladly taken a taxi back home.”

            “Which brings us to the topic at hand,” Gunhee said, pointing over at Heechul.  “I was a little panicked this morning when I woke up and you were gone.  I searched the whole apartment building for you—the roof, the grounds, the parking lot—until I finally figured you must have left.  And you never even bothered to answer your phone when