“Everything looks normal,” Dr. Choi stated, smiling and allowing the stethoscope to fall around his neck. Ryeowook returned the expression, buttoning his open shirt. “Have you been taking better care of yourself? Your heart sounds much stronger than just last month,” the doctor inquired, scribbling down notes about his patient.

Ryeowook couldn’t argue there. One month ago, during February, many things had happened that spiked his blood pressure and messed up the steady rhythm of his heart. The whole Valentine’s thing was horrible and then the confession to Sungmin about all of it was equally terrible. Ryeowook had never planned to tell his lover about the things that happened on his “date” with Kyuhyun…but something just ate at him.

After reading his roommate’s reply the next morning, he couldn’t help but feel like something more had happened – something more than just acting. Someone like Sungmin didn’t deserve a cheating boyfriend, that’s why a part of Ryeowook had prayed he would break his heart. If that were the case, then maybe Sungmin would be able to find a loving person to spend his time with instead of Ryeowook.

Just what sort of person was he? All throughout high school Sungmin had looked out for him, cared for him, done everything to protect their friendship. And what did Ryeowook do within two weeks of being lovers? He cheated. He had the nerve to glorify the act by saying it was all make-believe.

So after all of that, why was Sungmin still so persistent? Why did he want someone like Ryeowook – a low-life piece of…–?

“What are you doing?”

His eyes flitted up, surprise splashing across his face. “Kyuhyun…,” Ryeowook could hear the negativity in his tone but there was no way to suppress it. There was the one person who made his heart beat faster (in a good way), who made him want to be a bad person, who made him want to be a good person – who made him want to so much more than he already was, yet be everything that could destroy him. It was a confusing relationship.

Kyuhyun paused by the doorway for only a moment, scrutinizing the reluctance in his roommate’s words. After shaking off the initial reaction, he reached out, buttoning the last of Ryeowook’s shirt, and throwing the blazer over his shoulders. “Dongwoon is running all over the place looking for you. They’re already headed to the buses.”

“W-Why did you come get me?” he asked, slipping his arms into the jacket slowly.

“Who else would’ve?” Kyuhyun scoffed, brushing his hand over Ryeowook’s heart. “Is it normal, doctor?” he murmured, heavily masked worry etched in his eyes.

Dr. Choi looked up from his paperwork and smiled. “Yes, Kyuhyun. Everything is perfectly great. Oh, I completely forgot that today the StudGov is leaving for their overnight trip. Sorry for keeping you so long Ryeowook, you better get going.” He waved apologetically.

“Ah,” Ryeowook muttered, hurrying towards the door, tripping on the leg of a visitor chair. He stumbled forward, flopping down on the cot across from his own.

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes, taking the smaller boy’s arm and dragging him up. “C’mon, you’re already late,” he sighed, “Aren’t you the president? What sort of example are you setting for the student body?”

“Oh be quiet,” Ryeowook lightly hit the teasing boy’s chest, glaring at him half heartedly, “I just wanted to be sure that I would be okay during this trip.”

“Why does it matter?” he raised an eyebrow, apparently confused by the urgency of the other person’s need to be in tip-top shape. He had heard about the location of the trip and there was really no reason to be worried about physique. StudGov was just going to a boarding house for the night in hopes of “bonding” or something.

Ryeowook blushed, a reaction that Kyuhyun did not miss. He stopped walking, pushing the slender boy aside, fingers curled around wrist. “Excuse me…?” the question was careful, cold.

“H-Huh?” Ryeowook blinked, feigning what innocence he could muster.

Kyuhyun took a step closer, suddenly feeling ten times broader and taller than the meek form before him. “Why are you blushing?” he demanded in a controlled voice.

“I-I’m not!” he argued, wriggling in the grip, eye darting to the exit. “They’re really going to leave me behind, Kyu! I need to go—”

“—they won’t leave without their president,” the taller boy cut in sharply, free hand coming up to tilt Ryeowook’s chin. “I knew the old Ryeowook. After a month and a half of living together I know the present Ryeowook, too. Don’t you dare lie to me,” he stated lowly, near black eyes boring into fearfully widened ones.

Now what was he supposed to do? Kyuhyun had him practically pinned with an exit in sight. If Ryeowook only had a little more strength then he could make a dash for the door. He flexed his hand one more time but abruptly stopped after catching the annoyed glint in the other boy’s gaze. “It’s just…I…,” he fumbled over his words, trying to figure out an appropriate way to say it.

“Hmm?” Kyuhyun prompted softly, firmly.

How was Ryeowook going to say the next thing without pissing Kyuhyun off? There really was no way. It had to do with two of the things he was most strict about – Sungmin dubbed Stupid Bunny, and the forbidden three letter word.

After that morning where he suggested breaking up, Sungmin had come to find him and fiercely kissed him as if a whole other being had possessed that body and mind. There was something so cool and dark about Sungmin in that moment, completely different from the familiar, mild-mannered boy Ryeowook knew. Everything escalated from then on.

It didn’t feel like they were just best friends playing lovers anymore. When they were together, Ryeowook could truly say and believe Sungmin was his boyfriend. There was more touching, and kissing and hugging and blushing – all of which Ryeowook was perfectly fine with. He had fantasized about it before, but he never expected it to happen.

Sungmin being forceful was a stretch. Yet somehow, in the past month, he had proven himself capable of such a role.

Then again, it wasn’t particularly surprising when you thought about it. Ryeowook had heard about Sungmin’s fighting experience. The kid was a martial artist with plenty of physical ability.

The door creaked open.

“Speak of the Stupid Bunny,” Kyuhyun muttered, glowering at the dark haired beauty coming towards them, “and he’ll show up.”

Ryeowook took Kyuhyun’s surprise to his advantage and broke away. In a flurry of movement, he barreled into Sungmin’s familiar chest, hugging him tightly. “Sungmin I’m sorry I was at Dr. Choi’s office,” Ryeowook explained, slightly out of breath, “I wanted to make sure I was healthy…”

“It’s okay, Wookie,” Sungmin assured, large eyes twinkling cheerily, fingers brushing through his lover’s soft locks, “I would’ve waited for you.”

“I know,” Ryeowook grinned up, feeling Sungmin’s arm tighten around his waist, “I just didn’t want you to think I was playing around.”

Kyuhyun interrupted then, unwilling to hold his tongue any longer. “You sure have gotten clingier.”

“You have too,” Sungmin shot back without missing a beat. He smiled, eyes lowering back on Ryeowook. Sweetly, possessively, he pulled the slender boy into a kiss, lips tugging up and into a wicked grin. There was something oddly satisfying every time he proved their relationship to Kyuhyun, as if somehow Sungmin and Ryeowook were becoming more real.

“What…?” Ryeowook breathed once they broke apart, cheeks flushed, eyes warm.

“We should go,” Sungmin said, tugging on the other boy’s waist to lead him towards the door. “Bye Hound!” he called back.

Kyuhyun would never admit it, but in that instance, he was unable to think of even one retort.