Sungmin had already knocked on the door once but there was no reply so he knocked again… but still no one replied so he took a deep breath and gave a twist to the knob and quite miraculously the door was unlocked.

Sungmin took a peek inside but couldn’t see Kyuhyun so he entered the room and looked around and found Kyuhyun standing in front of a large window right across the room while gazing out of it, lost in his thoughts.

Sungmin gave a small fake cough to make the other know about his presence in the room but perhaps the younger was far too gone in his fantasy world that he didn’t took notice of that.

“Kyuhyun,” Sungmin called out in a soft voice, hoping to not startle the younger but that plan went down the drain when Kyuhyun jumped a little in surprise and quickly turned around to see who had come after him.

“Oh Sungmin, it’s just you…” Kyuhyun said and the relief was evident on his face.

“Who were you expecting?” Sungmin tried to strike the small talk because he seriously didn’t know how to bring up what happened outside moments ago.

Kyuhyun gave a deep sigh and looked away from Sungmin before mumbling, “No one.”

And just like that the small talk Sungmin was hoping for came to an end in no time…

“I don’t mean to brag or anything but I am a really good observer.” Sungmin again started but this time he planned to jump right at the situation at hand rather than beating around the bush.

“And yet you keep bragging about it.” Kyuhyun commented with a somewhat hollow laugh, that didn’t set well with Sungmin who was used to listening Kyuhyun’s merry laughter.

“Well I can’t help it since I am stating the truth.” Sungmin shrugged.

“So what did you observe this time?” Kyuhyun challenge him.

“A lot of things.” Sungmin was glad to see that the younger was paying him attention now. “But first I wanna ask you… what just happened out there? I don’t want to offend you but I think you are gay already so why would you get angry like that? Why would the gift offend you so much?”

Kyuhyun again sighed before saying, “Everyone knows I am gay but that doesn’t mean I am allowed to own up to it… Siw- I mean he always tries to bring that up in front of everyone one way or another but at the end it’s just me standing in front of my Dad being scolded and degraded…”

“Kyuhyun you need to stop letting everyone walk all over you.” Sungmin said in a quiet voice.

“It’s not that easy.”

“It’s not exactly that difficult either.” Sungmin contradicted him right away. “You need to have a mind of your own, a mouth that would convey your thoughts and backbone to make you stand proud and tall.”

Kyuhyun looked up to his friend and Sungmin could see all the insecurities in the depth of his brown eyes.

“Kyuhyun just be proud of who you are and stop letting everyone tell you otherwise.” Sungmin told him seriously then suddenly his eyes reflected a little mischievous glimmer in them. “And I know you love him.”

“WHAT?!”

“I know you love Choi Siwon.” Sungmin said in a sing song voice.

“I HATE Choi Siwon.” Kyuhyun contradicted him and the little pink hue on his cheeks could easily be disguise as him flushing in his passion of hater but Sungmin knew otherwise.

“Love is a foreign feeling which can easily be disguise as hate; because it’s easier to say ‘I hate you’ than ‘I love you’.” Sungmin simply said making Kyuhyun to snort at him.

“What are you? A love guru?”

But before Sungmin could reply they both jolted up when the door of library was slammed shut. Both boys turned around and saw the fuming form of Mr. Cho striding toward them. Mr. Cho regarded Sungmin as he was the part of the book shelf; the said guy was leaning against so ignoring Sungmin’s existence he came to stand in front of his son and Kyuhyun mentally thanked God for placing a distance of huge study table between them or else he was sure that his Dad would be strangling him right then.

“Are you happy to pull such a stunt like you just did outside?” Mr. Cho’s booming voice echo throughout the library.

“But dad I didn-” Kyuhyun started but he was cut off by his fuming father.

“I don’t wanna hear any lame excuses.” Then giving a discrete look to Sungmin, Mr. Cho went on. “I would deal with you later but I want you to get your good for nothing out there-” pointing at the Hall outside. “-and cut that damn cake right this instant.”

“Yes Father.” Kyuhyun gritted his teeth in annoyance but agreed nevertheless.

Mr. Cho seemed satisfied so he left the two alone.

“See!! You let everyone walk all over you.” Sungmin pointed out as soon as Kyuhyun’s Dad left.

“What do you expect me to do?” Kyuhyun all but shouted in frustration.

“Do what you want to do… don’t let them lead your life. If anyone disgrace you then make a retort at them, don’t let them get away that easily. You are the CEO of one of the biggest companies in Korea, for crying out loud!! Don’t take any kind of crap people throw at you… learn to defend yourself with words as well.” Sungmin tried his best to raise his friends self esteem and by the calculated look on Kyuhyun’s face he was sure that he would get to see some improvement.

“You are right Sungmin but… I don’t wanna say bad things to Siwon Hyung.” Kyuhyun said and looked away in embarrassment.

Sungmin chuckled at the cute sight and he thought ‘Ah young love!’

“Who said anything about ‘bad things’, huh? Since you love Siwon then… you could flirt with him. That would leave him tongue-tied as well.” Sungmin suggested with a nonchalant shrug.

“What?! My dad would kill me.”

“But like I said don’t let them lead your life.”

Kyuhyun fell in deep thoughts at his friend’s words…

*=*=*=*=*=*

Kyuhyun walked with measured yet confident strides as he came out of their personal library, every guest turned to look at him but Kyuhyun didn’t paid them any attention as his eyes swept the whole Hall and finally came to stand at his target. With a smirk pulling at his lips Kyuhyun walked toward him.

Siwon saw him coming toward him and he let a smirk of his own slide on his face.

“I am sorry for earlier. I realized it was really rude of me to not thank you for the wonderful gift you brought me.” Kyuhyun said in a loud clear voice as soon as he came to stand in front of Choi Siwon.

“It’s okay yo-” Siwon started saying but Kyuhyun held up a hand to stop him, which made the smirk on Siwon’s lips to drop and replace by a grimace.

“Thank you Siwon Hyung for your gift.” Kyuhyun said with a cheerful voice then making his voice a little deep and husky he went on. “But next time I would prefer it if you tied a ribbon across your own neck and present yourself as my gift.” Kyuhyun smirk grew wider and with a small pat on Siwon’s arm Kyuhyun turned around to head to the big cake waiting from him.

.

.

Sungmin was the only person who was smiling like an idiot at that moment since everyone else had their eyes and mouth wide opened.

*=*=*=*=*=*

Lee Hyukjae was dying with boredom… okay so Cho Kyuhyun finally grew some balls and presented them with quite an interesting show but unfortunately it only lasted for a few minutes so Hyukjae was back to being bored. This party was boring like hell.

At first when Hyukjae had arrived at the party with his father he wanted to leave right away because LEE FREAKING DONGHAE was also at the party, if Hyukjae knew he would be here then he would had made sure to fake a stomach ache or appendix just to avoid this party. But the problem was not just Lee Donghae being there… it was the constant stare of Lee Donghae directed at Hyukjae which had him most uncomfortable. So finally Hyukjae said all the mean things he could to Donghae when he got the chance, he knew he hurt the guy but in his defense Hyukjae will tell you that he couldn’t possibly go to Donghae and say ‘Hey! Even though my Dad hates you and you are my biggest Rival but since you are hot as hell and you had me restless for ten days now so can we make out?’ Now that would have gotten Hyukjae in big trouble.

Finally the cake was cut… just one bite and Hyukjae knew it had not a single speck of strawberry flavor in it so it was sooo not made for him.

“Can we leave now?” Hyukjae asked his father in a quiet voice but didn’t forget to put a little whininess in his words.

“Not yet Hyukjae.” Mr. Lee told his son.

“But I am tired and bored. I wanna leave Dad.” Hyukjae being the diva he was again whined to his Dad then pouted to emphasize his words.

“Just wait for one more hour then we would leave I promise.”

“But we have already congratulated the Cho Family so what are we waiting for now?”

“It’s the best place to socialize with other businessmen Hyukjae. You should do that too.” Mr. Lee suggested and as he saw an old acquaintance of his so he walked toward him without waiting to see what his son had to say now.

“Socialize my !” Hyukjae mumbled as he turn to leave the Cho Mansion altogether with his mobile in his hand and his fingers furiously working on the keypad.

To: Eyeliner Buddy <3

Meet me at the club ASAP… I am heading there right now!

*=*=*=*=*=*

Hyukjae has already drowned one bottle of soju by the time his drinking buddies arrived and now he was at his third while the rest had just completed their first.

“I think I am drunk Kai.” Hyukjae heard his friend Kai's boyfriend Sehun cutely whine to him.

Kai laughed a little at his cutely pouting boyfriend before kissing his cheek sweetly and mumbling, “I think I am drunk too, baby.”

Hyukjae couldn’t help but feel a little jealous at the cute and loving display right in front of him. Hyukjae had always wanted his happy ever after with a cute boyfriend of his own but here he was crushing on the guy who his father hated to cores… Hyukjae had the worst luck out of all, thinking that Hyukjae gulped down the bottle of soju in one go.

“Hey! Slow down buddy. Mind sharing what’s going on, what’s troubling you?” Baekhyun, Hyukjae’s eyeliner buddy, stopped Hyukjae from drinking the bottle of soju which was quite useless since the bottle was already empty.

Hyukjae looked over at his friend and blinked lazily at him then noticing one important detail he somewhat accused his friend with, “Yah! You are not drinking!” He slurped out the words which got jumbled together because of his drunken state.

“Well someone has to be sober to get all of us home safe and sound right?” Baekhyun said with a laugh. “So what’s the deal?”

“I saw him… that hotty.” Hyukjae again mumbled out but since Baekhyun had heard this mumble jumble quite a number of times now so he had no problem understanding his friend’s words. “He was there too… looking all y… and hot… but I… called him… caveman… then he left.”

Baekhyun couldn’t help but laugh because he was expecting something big and better but his idiot friend never failed to surprise him.

“You are an idiot Hyukjae.” Sehun unexpectedly let out the comment making Hyukjae to make a face at him.

“That’s not something new.” Kai put in with a laugh.

Hyukjae was left to pout at his teasing friends but he was so drunk that he couldn’t bring himself to make a retort at them. Noticing that, Baekhyun had an idea; so he took out his mobile phone and opened the video camera but didn’t press the record button just yet.

“Say Hyukjae, you are really drunk right?” Baekhyun asked the lazily blinking friend of his.

“Very… very… drunk.” Hyukjae admitted with a lot of effort.

Baekhyun smirked before pressing the record button and directing his camera toward his nearly passed out friend.

“I have a secret to tell.” Baekhyun said and waited for Hyukjae to say something but when the said guy just kept looking at his friend then Baekhyun went on. “I like your sister Taeyeon.”

“Good… for… you.” Hyukjae slurped out and tried to give a thumb-up but failed making his friends to laugh at him.

“I wanna date her but I wanted your consent first… so can I date her?” The smirking Baekhyun went on, already knowing what the answer would.

“Of course… man!”

Baekhyun laughed again as he thanked his buddy and saved the video then sent it to his (already) girlfriend Taeyeon.

“You are so gonna regret this man!” Baekhyun told his friend who just furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

“You are such a devil for tricking him like this, Baek.” Kai said as he looked at his still confused looking friend.

“Everything is fair in love and war, my boy.” Baekhyun told Kai and Kai had just opened his mouth to reply back to Baekhyun but apparently his boyfriend didn’t like it when Kai had his attention on something other than him so Sehun climbed on Kai’s lap and attach his lips with Kai’s, silently telling him to concentrate on him and him alone.

Hyukjae who was drunk out of his mind saw what unfolded in front of him and his jealousy skyrocketed so he mumbled out “Must you… do that… in front… me?” before reaching for Baekhyun’s nearly full sujo bottle and taking a lo