chapter 19 | cousin and boyfriend clash

 

Sunggyu gets home that day to find someone he wasn’t expecting to see in a while. “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night like a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear; beauty too rich for use, for earth to dear!” is what he hears as he opens the door to his house and steps inside.

           

            Sunggyu recognizes that voice all too well. “Sungyeol?” he asks loudly.

 

            Then he sees his cousin twirl out of the kitchen like a ballerina, quoting Shakespeare. “So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, as yonder lady o’er her fellows shows. The measure done, I’ll watch her place of stand, and, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.”

 

            “Why are you here? School hasn’t ended yet. Final exams are next week,” Sunggyu is thoroughly confused. His cousin, Sungyeol, always visited for the summer and stayed with Sunggyu’s family until the new school year. But school hadn’t finished yet so Sungyeol should still be home.

 

            Sungyeol looks at Sunggyu and his jaw drops. “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.”

 

            Sungyeol has always loved musicals and plays and especially Shakespeare, and Sunggyu guesses that Sungyeol has very recently read Romeo and Juliet or been in a production of it. His cousin was a respectable actor and never failed to show off his acting abilities, though he still acted like a child offstage.

 

            “Sunggyu, look at you! You’re so pretty now! What happened to the thick rimmed glasses, the baggy clothes and the boring haircut?”

 

            Dongwoo appears almost magically beside Sungyeol and grins. “It’s because Sunggyu has a boyfriend!”

 

            Sungyeol gasps and grabs Sunggyu’s hands. “Really? What’s his name? What’s he like? I can’t believe you got a boyfriend! I don’t even have a boyfriend!”

 

            “His name is Nam Woohyun and believe it or not, he’s the most popular kid in school!”

 

            Sungyeol narrows his eyes at Sunggyu. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

 

            --

 

            Saturday morning comes ‘round quickly, and Sunggyu is looking through his closet for things to wear. He settles on a white shirt, a white cardigan, and black skinny jeans. He fixes his hair into some semblance of order and applies light eyeliner. He makes his way downstairs and pours some cereal into a bowl.

 

            Sungyeol comes down looking fresh and well rested. He’s dressed in a white tee with pastel yellow jeans and he’s wearing his trusty earrings. “Morning, Gyu. You look pretty this morning,” he says as he makes his way to the fridge.

 

            “Thanks,” Sunggyu starts as he swallows a mouthful of cereal. “I’m heading out in a little bit.”

 

            “Oh? And where are you going? Can I come with?”

 

            “Ah, no, sorry, Yeollie. I’m going out with Woohyun today.”

 

            “Oh my! Woohyun, you say? Your “boyfriend”? Isn’t that just sweet.”

 

            “You still don’t believe I have a boyfriend, do you?”

 

            “I told you; I’ll believe it when I see it.”

 

            Sunggyu rolls his eyes. Sungyeol makes himself a cup of coffee and offers Sunggyu some. Sunggyu scrunches his nose up in distaste. “I don’t like coffee. It’s too bitter.”

 

            Sungyeol chuckles, “You haven’t changed at all.”

 

            Sungyeol and Sunggyu sit together at the kitchen counter talking about the past year and catching up on each other’s lives. Dongwoo enters the kitchen a little while later and grabs some toast. “Oh, you’re going on your date, right?” Dongwoo rubs his eyes and yawns; he’s half asleep still.

 

            “Why are you up so early? Usually you sleep in until late afternoon,” Sunggyu asks, watching in amusement as Dongwoo drags his way through the kitchen. He’s dressed and out of pajamas, which is even more surprising. “And you’re dressed? Are you going out today?”

 

            “I’m hanging out with Hoya and Yongguk today. They’ll be here in a little bit.”

 

           Sunggyu nods. Yongguk has been acting like nothing happened, like he never told Sunggyu that he liked him. Sunggyu thinks it’s better this way because he doesn’t have to lose his good friend over this. The doorbell rings then and Dongwoo goes to answer it, saying that it’s Hoya and Yongguk. Moments later, Dongwoo enters the kitchen again with their two friends trailing behind him.

 

            Hoya notices Sungyeol and his eyes widen. “I thought you weren’t going to be here until after exams. Which we should be studying for, by the way.”

 

            “I came early! Aren’t you happy to see me, Hobaby?”

 

            Hoya blushes. “Don’t call me that.”

 

            “And who might this be?” Sungyeol looks at Yongguk who’s giving Sungyeol a funny look.

 

            “Sungyeol, this is Yongguk. Yongguk, this is my cousin, Sungyeol,” Sunggyu introduces the two, finishing his bowl of cereal and putting the bowl in the dishwasher.

 

            “It is very nice to meet you. I am Sunggyu’s amazing cousin and the person he loves most in the world!”

 

            Yongguk tilts his head, slightly confused. Sunggyu blushes; Sungyeol will never forget that. “No, Sungyeol is just being his usual self. He’s not the person I love most.”

 

            “Oh, don’t be shy Gyubaby. You know you love me the most. I’ll always be number one in your heart.”

 

            “Oh, Yeol, you have competition now. Sunggyu’s boyfriend should be here any moment,” Dongwoo says, suddenly awake.

 

            “I must meet this competition. He needs to get my approval to be near my baby Sunggyu.”

 

            As if on cue, the doorbell rings. Sungyeol’s eyes light up and before Sunggyu can stop him, he’s running out of the kitchen and to the door.

 

            “Wait, Sungyeol!” Sunggyu calls after him. He’s about to chase Sungyeol but Dongwoo and Hoya grab him.

 

            “Sungyeol needs to approve of Woohyun and we trust Sungyeol’s judgement so we’ll have to stop you for a bit, Gyu.”

 

            Around the corner, Sungyeol opens the door and is met with a surprised Woohyun. Woohyun’s never seen this person and they are in Sunggyu’s house, which confuses him. Sungyeol is surprised to see that Woohyun is so… good looking. How in hell did Sunggyu get a catch like this?

 

            “Hi, I’m looking for Sunggyu—”

 

            “Are you Woohyun?”

 

            “Yes?”

 

            “My stars! Are you really here for Sunggyu? The Kim Sunggyu?”

 

            “Yeah, is he here?”

 

            Sungyeol narrows his eyes. “I can’t believe my baby Sunggyu would… my innocent, lovely Gyubaby—”

 

            “Yeollie!” they hear Sunggyu call from the kitchen. Yeollie? Woohyun is beyond confused now.

 

            “Gyubaby, how could you replace me? The love of your life? The very bane of your existence? My love, Kim Sunggyu, how could you do this to me? Betrayal! Blasphemy! Why, Sunggyu? You’re breaking my heart! Is there no pity sitting in the clouds that sees into the bottom of my grief?” Sungyeol turns to face Sunggyu, who’s cheeks are flushed as he fumes at Sungyeol.

 

            Woohyun blinks. The white makes Sunggyu look absolutely angelic, and his heart skip a beat. Sunggyu marches up to Sungyeol and lightly hits his shoulder. “Yeollie, what is wrong with you?”

 

            “But you are betraying my love, Sunggyu! I am the only one in your heart!”

 

            “Yeollie!”

 

            “Don’t deny our love!”

 

            Woohyun isn’t sure if he’s supposed to be jealous or not, but the annoying feeling of watching someone hug and touch Sunggyu is starting to take over. Woohyun frowns.

 

           Sunggyu struggles from Sungyeol’s grasp and looks over his shoulder at Woohyun. “I am so sorry, Woohyun. My cousin here likes to joke around a lot.”

 

            “It’s no joke, my love. How could you possibly say that?”

 

            “Alright, Yeollie, I love you very much and you will forever be the only person in my heart. Can you let me go now?”

 

            Sungyeol beams and plants a wet kiss on Sunggyu’s cheek. Sunggyu grimaces and whines. “Yeollie!”

 

            Sungyeol finally lets go and Sunggyu desperately wipes his cheek to get the saliva off. “I’m leaving now!” Sunggyu announces and walks right past Sungyeol. He grabs Woohyun’s hand and pulls Woohyun away, slamming the door shut behind him.

 

            “What just happened?” Woohyun blinks.

 

            “My cousin is an idiot. He likes to joke around saying that we will eternally be together because once when we were little kids I said I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.”

 

            “Can I consider this adultery?”

 

            “No! I didn’t even mean it like that! I meant that we would be friends for the rest of our lives and I didn’t want to lose him as a friend. He misunderstood and now acts as if we’re in love. It’s just a big joke, though, and I don’t know why he continues it. But I swear he’s a five year old stuck in a teenager’s body.”

 

            Woohyun has never heard Sunggyu talk so much in so little time. Sunggyu takes a deep breath and looks at Woohyun. “So where are we going?”

 

            Woohyun grins and intertwines their fingers. “You’ll see!”

 

--

 

            “We must follow them. It is our duty to follow them,” Sungyeol announces when he gets back in the kitchen.

 

            “So you want to stalk them?”

 

            “Stalk is a very strong word. More like observe very closely.”

 

            Hoya sighs. “We’re not getting out of this, are we?” He knows Sungyeol all too well.

 

            Sungyeol grins. “Of course not! Now let’s go!”

 

            Okay. I lied. I only introduced one character. Sue me.

But most of you were right anyways. So hoo-rah! Maybe not in the next chapter, but the chapter after that I shall introduce the new character. 

AND IMAGINE SUNGYEOL QUOTING ROMEO AND JULIET. Is that not the best thing ever? 

And do not worry. Sungyeol is not in love with Sunggyu or secretly infatuated with him. It's just a friendly joke