It was a long day for a young Lee Donghae. Today was actually fun if he though over it. Actually almost every day he met his boyfriend after school, and almost every day he spent the rest of the day until it turned dark playing with his boyfriend. He liked to eat various kinds of food and beverages, and he liked to play in an arcade with his boyfriend until he broke, and yet he still thought their time together was not enough. He knew Eunhyuk’s parent would be mad at him because he came home late every day, but he couldn’t let Eunhyuk went back without him smiling after the game they liked to play. And when it was time to go home, he felt like they should eat dinner together, but he had no more cash in his pocket. So yeah, they decided to just go home.

The Lee decided to stop by at the convenient store in his way back, feeling thirsty as he walked towards his cousin’s place. At first he didn’t remember he had to accompany his friend in his cousin’s place—well actually they knew each other but he couldn’t help but dragging his own in to his friend’s matter—but then he remembered on the corner of his house that he didn’t sleep in his place tonight, so he had to turn back and made a long way to Heenim’s place. Because their place weren’t that far but couldn’t be called near also, he didn’t take a bus or a taxi. And now he felt his throat was damn dry.

“What should I get…?” Donghae browsed around the beverages section to see things he usually bought. When he saw the beer cans, he remembered his cousin. “Should I buy him one or not?” but then again, he was underage so he couldn’t buy it. “He has more than this store has anyway.” Decided to not buy it, yeah. “A Korean must buy cider for his beverage, of course!” he took a can of cider, the one with lemon taste and brought that to the cashier. He decided to drink a little and rest his legs in front of the convenient store until he saw Kyuhyun walked pass him. “Hey Kyu—”

“You surely take your time to see me.” It was and old man’s voice that Donghae heard not just too far from his place. “I bet you didn’t have time even to change your school uniform. Got a fun date today?” Donghae could see Kyuhyun was sighing.

“I want to know why we should meet at this place?” Kyuhyun had himself surprised of what he said. He never talked back before and he never thought this kind of situation was happening. It felt like he was his father and his father was him who came to bring him back. It was almost the same with the situation months ago when his father had affairs. But Kyuhyun didn’t think he was in fault in this matter.

“You won’t come back home, right? And you won’t be coming to my office too if I ask you.” His father knew him so well he couldn’t say anything this time. “And do you know how worried your mother is? She even comes home drunk yesterday. She said she talked to Heechul all day.”

Kyuhyun was new to this information. Heechul didn’t tell him about the meeting he did with his mother nor did his mother come to his place. “I didn’t know…”

“Of course you didn’t know, you know your mother.” Mr. Cho then walked to an empty bench, patting the empty space next to him to let his son sit with him. “We talked yesterday. So many things we had discussed.” Kyuhyun hesitantly took a seat before his father. He should have known that his mother would ask Heechul about Sungmin. He didn’t prepare this and he didn’t know at all what Heechul had told his mother. “She said when she asked people about this little boy who had stolen your heart completely, everyone told her that he was a nice kid.”

“He’s not a kid anymore, Dad,” Kyuhyun whined a bit, oblivious to where he was right now. “And he’s not like a kid his age. Even when mom asks me, I would say the same thing.”

“If she asked you, would it feel better for her?” his father took a look at his own child, all in serious mode. “She wouldn’t know how nice your boyfriend is, and she wouldn’t be pleased at her curiousness.” Kyuhyun jerked when he heard it. His father did say Sungmin was a nice person—he didn’t hear it wrong. “She decided to accept your relationship.”

“R-really?” the young Cho could feel the warmth spread all over his body, something hard came forcefully in his throat that he couldn’t say anything. He could feel the sudden urge to hug his father, yet he still controlled his own body from doing such thing.

“She knew your boy had two brothers, and she liked the youngest one. She said they had no parent so she felt bad for them, and the only thing we could do is accepting your relationship. She said it would be a problem to others, but your happiness is the most important thing in our life. So I told her that I did my research about this Lee Sungmin.”

“Y-you know his name?!” Kyuhyun’s eyes were so round his father laughed at it. It wasn’t the right time for laughing though, Kyuhyun thought. But then again, Kyuhyun knew it. So he kept his calm and copied his father to be wise—or so he thought. “Of course, you’re the almighty President Cho—you can do anything you want. Even getting Sungmin’s contact to slave him in your company…”

Mr. Cho let out a wholeheartedly laugh at that. “So you know, how surprising. I bet Lee Sungmin told you about the job as soon as he got the email?”

“Nope. He treated me in his place when he got paid. I’m happy for him, but it’s too suspicious of you to give him errands like that. That’s also the reason why I let myself being here right now.” His father beamed. “And thank you… for giving him a fine paid job.”

“I did research of him when I saw you two in the Chinese restaurant back then,” he gazed at the dark night, some stars were appearing shyly. “I knew you two had this gaze of people who is in love, so I thought I had to know who this boy was. When I knew, I got the same thought as your mother. I was hoping he was a bad person and I could show you how bad he was, but nothing I could find. He focused too much on working, and I knew why he did so.”

“For his brothers.” Kyuhyun answered what his father meant. “His brothers are number one in his life. He can wreck his body up for his brothers’ sake.”

“Your mother did say Lee Sungmin is a great person. He’s perfect. The only taint in him is his fate.” Kyuhyun stunned. It wasn’t really his mother’s words—he knew it. It was someone else that had said the same thing to him. “So I decided to help him a bit, and let your mother taking an interest in him.” The old man then inhaled, thinking about how grateful his wife was when she talked about this Sungmin. May be it wasn’t wrong at all to let Kyuhyun had his own happiness with this Sungmin.

Kyuhyun couldn’t feel happier and more relieved than this. When he thought about Sungmin, he couldn’t help to think about his parent too. Sungmin was the first person who told him to talk to his parent, and so he couldn’t let his parent think badly about Sungmin. Sungmin was a great person, a hardworker one, lovely, and beautiful. Kyuhyun couldn’t help but falling to Sungmin’s hands. Luckily Sungmin had the mutual feeling so both of them could cheer each other for whatever problems they were facing. “So… don’t you want to ask me to go home?” he asked playfully as he relaxed his back on the bench. “Didn’t you come for that, Dad?”

His dad, despite of cold air, was laughing quite loudly and he had this feeling of not wanting to move from his place. It was nice to be able to talk to his only child, the thing he couldn’t do lately because of the matters they had recently, and he was thankful he could do this now. “It’s up to you. Whether you want to go back home or not it’s your choice. But don’t make your mother a mess because she can’t live without you.”

“You must be just hearing that old song in your car!”

----

“Oh, you’re home?”

The almighty Heenim was doing his works when his front door opened. Well, the only one who knew his password was his cousin and his friends, so he let them in without giving the intruder a glance. The school boy was walking in with mixed feeling—tired yet enthusiastic. “Hyung, is that right Kyuhyun’s mother visited you yesterday?!” the said school boy took a seat immediately when he saw the owner of the place.

“What? How did you know?”

Donghae, the school boy, smirked. He felt high because he knew everything about his friend just a while ago. Hopefully his friend wouldn’t be back too soon because he needed time to boost this to his cousin. “Well, I just got information.” He shrugged. “And I think Kyuhyun won’t be back early.”

“Don’t say something you don’t even know, stupid.” Surprisingly, Cho Kyuhyun came in like he wasn’t just meeting his father, although Heechul could see the sparkling in his eyes when he greeted him. “And don’t act like you’re a smartass or something because it looks OOC!”

“Why?!” Donghae shouted like a child, “why can’t I act like one?! I’m smart after all!”

“It’s noisy!” Heechul had to knock his head for bringing him back to reality. Really, his cousin was just so stupid he couldn’t handle him. “Anyway… for what Donghae just said…”

“I know it, hyung.” Kyuhyun cut him. “I know it and it’s okay.” He really meant that. He didn’t really need Heechul’s explanation about his mother’s situation because well, he already heard his father’s side. It was really heartwarming and he had to hold back his tears to show his father how strong he had become. “Anyway, what time is it?”

“It’s still early.” Donghae out of nowhere replied. “Do you guys want to grab anything? I’m dead hungry!”

“Then make us something,” Heechul replied in a boring tone. Well, he wouldn’t move from his place because he had so many things to finish. He should’ve brought Henry to help him instead. “But when I think about again, don’t. Don’t touch my kitchen. Just order something.”

“Let’s have pizza. Or jajangmyun. Or should I just go to Sungmin’s place?”

“Again?! Bastard, what’s the point of asking if you won’t be here anyway?” Donghae slumped his body on the couch besides the tall Cho, kicking him on the legs when he did so. They were oblivious to Heenim who was all ears. “I saw him waiting for you earlier, and I know by his look that you two had date today.” Donghae gave a glare to his classmate, though it wasn’t that effective. “Enough of him already! You haven’t spent your time with us!”

“It’s as if you have invited the others,” Heechul butted in, turning from his piles of works for a while. “I bet you did, though.”

“Well, I just want to hang out with everybody because it’s Friday!” this time the Lee was whined like a child. His mood was really unstable like he was in his period. “And I have ordered our pizzas and jajangmyun…”

“What? Seriously, you’re unpredictable…” Kyuhyun snorted. “Who will eat all of them?”

“You, of course. And it’s on you. I’ve ordered in your name anyway.”

“Damn, brat…”

----

“So, how are you feeling?”

Heechul brought back to earth of Kangin’s question. It was the end of their little party, table full of cans and leftover while Kyuhyun, Donghae, and Yesung were playing game in the living room. The two of them were moving to dining table because Kangin said he wanted to drink beer and he needed a company so Heechul followed him. Earlier Kyuhyun had told them everything. He decided to come back to his home tomorrow, so the food was really on him. Kangin wasn’t really surprised because he knew it would come eventually. He knew Kyuhyun’s mother was an angel herself, so she would choose Kyuhyun’s happiness beyond all.

“Why did you ask so suddenly?” Heechul knew that Kangin knew he was still feeling down. Although he said he chose to be Sungmin’s big brother, the feeling of wanting him to be his closest person was still too strong. Destroying his feeling of Sungmin wasn’t that easy, and nobody had helped him to forget his feeling. “I didn’t cry or anything.”

Kangin snorted. He took a sip of his beer can with eyes focused on the trio. “I know well when you’re hiding your feeling, .” He chuckled at his choice of words. “Look at Kyuhyun, looking all hype after all things he had suffered. It’s been so though for him.” Heechul had to look at the said boy when Kangin talked. He agreed. Kyuhyun was so messed months ago when his parent was still in war. Look at what Sungmin had done, it was the opposite of what he had done to Sungmin. He was a jerk, really.

“Tell me how to vanish my feeling towards him, Kangin,” Heechul said lowly, be sure nobody heard him. He was spacing out, his mind flied to the time he spent with Sungmin, to the first time they met in the café. “I don’t know anymore, I just can’t. When we meet, the thing I remember just his smile and that night. What should I do?”

Kangin went silent. Seeing his friend like this was hurting his heart. How badass Heechul was, he never thought Heechul was really serious when he fell in love. He thought Heechul would be forever alone because he never showed his affection towards anybody. But when it came to Sungmin, Kangin could understand because Sungmin could easily move people’s heart. But he didn’t think Heechul would be the one. “The only thing you can do for forgetting Sungmin is meeting someone new.” It was right, though. Two months ago he was dumped and thing he could think was that person. But his friend introduced him to this cute girl and he tried his way with her. He didn’t think about his ex aftermath. He thought it would work with Heechul too.

“It’s not as easy to find someone who’s my type.”

“Well, you don’t have specific type, no?” the younger one smirked. Heechul fell with whoever was handsome because he was gay anyway. And Sungmin was special case. “As long as he’s handsome. Or you can have an online blind date.”

“Are you crazy?” the almighty Heenim then gave his little dongsaeng a kick on his shin. “You’re seriously ed up! I don’t fall in love easily, bastard.” Heechul gulped down his drink. “I don’t think it’s going to work with me.”

“Well? Have you tried?” Heechul hesitated for a bit before he shook his head. “Then don’t say such thing! Try it first then talk to me again.” Kangin rolled his eyes before he opened another can. “I maybe know someone fits for you. He’s gorgeous but he’s gay so I can’t get him accompany me to a blind date. Want to try?”

Heechul sighed. “Do I look that desperate now?”

“Hell yeah!” Kangin almost shouted. Luckily the trio was so engaged in their game so they didn’t give a to them. “His name is Hankyung and he’s been in your café. I bet he has his eyes on you.” Giggling was the last thing Heechul wanted to see Kangin did. But he did anyway. And Heechul frowned to it. “I’ll tell him you’ll meet him next Saturday.”

“You owe me one, so I’ll get an expensive dinner for it.” He was Kim Heechul. He wouldn’t lose anything even for the small thing like this.

“Damn it—you’re the one who owe me one !”

Kangin couldn’t stop cursing all the night.

----

To Be Continued

Spoiler: next chapter is the end of this story ;;