Kyuhyun

I’m jolted awake by the sound of loud crashing sound and I jerk up, startled. Realising that it’s only the weather outside – it’s pouring madly with bright lightning flashes and loud booming thunder echoing the skies, I sigh and calm down from the shock. But I realize that I’m not the only one awake when I hear fast breathing next to me.

“Ryeowook?”

It’s still dark and I can only catch a glimpse of Ryeowook’s face when the lightning flashes again and god, he looks awfully scared. I fumble to turn on the lamp next to me, lighting up the room and my breath catches because even in his oversized shirt, pale and exhausted face and messy hair, Ryeowook still manages to look beautiful. He looks frightened as he hugs himself with the covers, his eyes glued to the full-length windows.

“Hey, Ryeonggu, what’s wrong?” I ask sleepily.

“I… It’s nothing.” Ryeowook replies. “I… Kyuhyun, can… Can we…”

Ryeowook suddenly stops midway when another lightning flashes across the high-rise buildings accompanied by a ferocious thunder. He yelps and pulls the comforter closer to his body when a sudden howling of the strong wind echoes through the room.

I blink, “Are you scared?”

The curtains are tied to the sides and my room faces the city, thus I always like sleeping without untying the curtains. The weather outside have never bothered me and I’ve always thought that lightning are one of the prettiest thing that ever existed. On nights when the weather is like this, I’d spend my time just staring out of the window. I look at Ryeowook in a daze.

“It’s nothing, Ryeowook.” I say, pointing to the window. “It’s just the weather.”

“But the wind…” Ryeowook trails off.

“The wind is only because the windows are not shut properly, here.” I get out of bed and head to the windows where I shut them properly and the howling noises stops echoing in the room. Ryeowook looks a little relieved but still, when a flash of lightning appears, Ryeowook yelps. In a hurry, I quickly pull the curtains, blocking the view of the lightening outside. “There, is that better?”

Ryeowook nods and I get back to the bed, slipping under the covers. Ryeowook has stopped shaking now but occasionally jumps whenever there is a thunder. I chuckle finding this whole thing ridiculously cute. If this were any other person, I’d be annoyed as hell. Being disrupted while I’m sleeping just because of a stupid weather? Yeah, that’d pissed me off so bad. But this is Ryeowook and hell, he just looks cute when he’s scared. If this were any other person, I’d probably tell them to get over it and just go back to sleep. I wouldn’t even bother getting out of bed when I’m already so comfortable and contented under the covers and besides, I like watching the weather outside from the windows. But this is Ryeowook and…. Well, I guess it doesn’t really matter if I like watching the rain and lightning flashing across the buildings outside, it doesn’t matter how fascinating I find it when raindrops splatter against my window and it doesn’t matter how beautiful I find when the sky lights up in beautiful colours during a lightning strikes. It really doesn’t matter because I figured,

Ryeowook is the most beautiful.

No amount of colourful skies or flashes of lightning can match Ryeowook’s beauty and holy , as I’m thinking about this, I’m not trying to even deny the fact. I’m having feelings for Ryeowook, feelings that I shouldn’t and no matter how hard I try to deny, I just can’t get over it. I don’t even fully know this guy but yet, I find myself wanting to be with him, wanting to find out more about him. It’s strange because I’ve never had this feeling with anyone my whole life. And it’s even stranger when I realize that I’ve been having this feeling, this wanting to get to know more of him, since the first time I met him in the café.

There’s something about Ryeowook, the way he looks, the way he talks and the way his eyes dances so softly whenever he views the world. There’s something about Ryeowook that makes my heart jump and there’s something about Ryeowook that makes me want to hold him close forever. There’s something about Ryeowook that I’ve never really quite figured out yet but whatever it is, I know I’m having feelings for him. I like him, I like everything about him. I don’t know how that happened but I guess somewhere between pretending to be lovers and a husband towards him, my feelings towards him and marriage shifted.

“Thanks, Kyuhyun.”

I nod as acknowledgement and Ryeowook slips back onto the bed too, laying down next to me. We’re facing each other and we both stay, unmoved as we just stare at each other. I’m waiting for sleep to consume me but how do I fall asleep when Ryeowook is right here, next to me, when my reality feels better than a dream? Ryeowook doesn’t close his eyes too and I wonder just what he is looking so distracted about.

“Hey,” I softly call out, “What are you thinking about?”

“Hmmm?” Ryeowook snaps out of his daze. “Nothing, I guess. It’s going to be Henry’s first day of work. I feel nervous for him.”

“Don’t be, he’s in good hands.” I tell Ryeowook. “He’ll be working with a close friend of mine and I told him to take it easy with Henry.”

Just as I’m about to tell Ryeowook more about the job I arranged for Henry, an alarm goes off and Ryeowook turns around to the side table and switches it off. Ryeowook sighs and stretches, sitting up on the bed.

“I have to go and get ready for work.” Ryeowook sighs. “I didn’t even get much sleep because of the thunder.”

I take my phone and check the time and my eyes widens. “Ryeowook, it’s only four thirty! Why do you have to get up so early?”

“I take the bus to work and it takes me about an hour and a half from here. But the weather’s bad today and there’ll probably be a lot of people taking the bus too. I have to leave earlier so I’ll get a seat.” Ryeowook explains, getting out from bed.

I pull onto his arm and pull him back to bed. He lands with an ooof and looks up at me, confused. “Stay.”

“What?” Ryeowook blinks. “But I need to go to work.”

“What time do you start work?”

“Usually eight.”

“Okay,” I nod and yawn, picking up my phone. “I’ll text my driver to pick you up at seven.”

“What?” Ryeowook shakes his head, “No, Kyuhyun, it’s fine! What about you? You need to go to work too.”

“I can drive my own car.” I shrug, not seeing what the big deal was. “Anyway, I’ve been to your school and the neighbourhood around looks lonely and dangerous. I don’t want you to be walking alone there.”

“Kyuhyun, really, it’s fine.” Ryeowook tries to argue with me, fighting my grip of his wrist to get to the bathroom to show and get ready. “I’ve been walking through there for years now and nothing’s happened. It’s not even dangerous.”

I shake my head, refusing to let him go. I pretend to fall back asleep at his weak attempt to try to struggle out of my grip and I hear him grunting when I pull him again, making him fall onto the bed. Ryeowook sighs out loud, annoyed and when I end up laughing, he scowls and cross his arms across his chest.

I laugh, “Oh come on, Ryeowook, you’re married to a millionaire. I can’t just let my husband go to work on his own. What would the media think when they see you on a bus?”

This got Ryeowook thinking as he stops pouting and uncrosses his arms. He sighs and nods, “you’re right.”

“But I don’t want to burden you, Kyuhyun.” Ryeowook says, biting his lips. “I’m really sorry.”

“Ani, it’s alright. I can drive to work from now onwards since I admit, my driving skills are starting to get rusty with having a driver. My driver will send and pick you up from work now onwards. Just give him a copy of your schedule.”

I yawn and hug a pillow tighter, “Now go get some sleep while you still can.”

“Okay.”

***

“Hey, what are you doing?”

I walk towards Ryeowook while putting on my tie, getting ready for work. Ryeowook is in the kitchen stacking pancakes on a plate. When he hears my voice, he turns around and greets me with a shy smile.

“I’m making breakfast.” Ryeowook simply replies. “I figured since we’re leaving around the same time, might as well I get out of bed early and make some breakfast.”

I chuckle, “That’s really nice of you but you can just eat with Henry. I don’t eat breakfast.” Then I look around. “Is Henry awake?”

Ryeowook nods. “Yeah, I just woke him up an hour ago.”

“Did he throw a fit?”

“He did but it’s fine, I managed to wake him up and get him to go and take a shower.” Ryeowook then tilts his head. “Why don’t you eat breakfast?”

“I just don’t like it.”

“But breakfast is the most important meal-”

“-Of the day.” I continue rolling my eyes. “You sound like my mother.”

“But….It’s true.”

I shrug, my fingers fumbling with my stupid tie. “I just don’t like breakfast.”

Ryeowook wants to argue with me but Henry suddenly walks into the kitchen, his face annoyed that he has to get up so early. His eyes catches us and then he rolls his eye, walking straight to the table full of food and plopping down. Ryeowook suddenly takes me by surprise and slides his fingers against my tie and helps me to tie and adjust it. Once he’s done, he smiles and tiptoes and suddenly gives me a peck on my lips. God, does this guy knows what he’s doing to my heart when he does things like that? Even if it’s just all for the sake of pretending in front of his brothers, but man.

“Why don’t we eat something before leaving for work, yeobo?” Ryeowook smirks. “I made your favourite.”

This little brat. I don’t even like pancakes! But I can’t say no to him in front of his brother. We’re supposed to be a married couple and I’m supposed to be smitten over him. But still, I find myself smiling at how cute and sneaky Ryeowook is. Leaning down, I take the opportunity to cup his face and press my lips against his soft ones. I slide my hands down his arms slowly and tangle my fingers with his, pulling him to the table to take a seat. Ryeowook then helps to four damn pancakes onto my plate and then one on his plate.

Ryeowook clears his throat and gives his brother a bright smile. “Are you excited for your first day of work, Henry?”

The kid grunts in response with his mouth full. He doesn’t look happy and his eyes are bloodshot. Ryeowook then gets up and brings Henry and I a cup of steaming coffee. He pushes it towards his brother with a glint of worry in his eyes.

“Here,” Ryeowook says. “Kyuhyun told me that you came home drunk. Do you need some painkillers?”

“I’m fine.” Henry croaks, sipping onto the coffee.

“You know, maybe if you’re still not feeling well, you should…” Ryeowook trails off then turns to look at me, looking at me hopefully.

“What?” Then I realize what Ryeowook is trying to say and quickly shake my head. “Oh no, you’re not going to miss out on the first day of work. I have very strict rules about that.”

“But he’s sick!”

“He’s hungover because he went out drinking.” I argued back. “He should have known better.”

Ryeowook scowls in response and I look over to the kid who looks like he doesn’t give two about us. He’s just stuffing his face with all the food. Geez, he must be hungry. I sigh and then realize that I haven’t started eating. And my cheeky husband even stacked four pancakes onto my plate. This is annoying. I hate breakfast. I usually just get up and head to work and only eat during lunch. I just can’t fathom the thought of having something to eat at such an early time. I’m usually in a bad mood in the mornings too before heading to work. I don’t know, I just hate waking up from sleep.

But this morning is different. It’s interesting and hell, I was even greeted by a kiss. Maybe, having his brother here isn’t such a bad idea, you know. Taking a bite out of my food, I supress a moan from escaping my lips. My god, I forget how excellent a cook my husband is. And I don’t even like pancakes! But this is different. Four or four hundred, I bet if they’re all made Ryeowook, I can eat them all, no problem. Hiding my grin behind my coffee mug, I realize, maybe, just maybe, breakfast isn’t so bad after all.

***

When we’re done with breakfast and about to leave, I call for Ryeowook to tell him we’re leaving first and Ryeowook jogs out from the kitchen to me and Henry standing by the door. 

“Are you leaving soon?” I ask.

Ryeowook nods. “Yeah, your driver is picking me up in fifteen minutes.”

“Our.” I correct him and then pull him by his wrist and briefly kiss him. “We’ll get going first then.”

Ryeowook smiles at me and adjusts my tie again before he rest his hands against my chest and tiptoes to kiss my cheeks. “Alright then, see you later.”

Ryeowook releases me and then taps Henry’s shoulders. “Good luck, Henry ah.”

The kid, even if he looks like he wants to kill a whale right now, nods and gives a small half smile to his brother. Now, that’s kind of an improvement isn’t it? Ryeowook waves us off and we head down to the car park to my car.

We drive in silence and the silence is oddly peaceful. The kid’s just staring out of the windows, looking like he’s thinking hard about something and I rather not talk about whatever it is he’s thinking about. Now that I’m not with Ryeowook anymore, the whole good morning vibe is gone and I realize that , it’s early in the morning and I’m awake and going to work. Life . Just when I’m being super thankful for the silence, Henry starts tapping his fingers against the windows and after a minute, it started to get to me and it’s annoying as .

“Stop that,” I snap.

T