The showcase was scheduled for two days and two nights. On paper, everything seemed a lot more cut and dry.

Fly to Tokyo in the afternoon.

Drop off luggage at the hotel.

Report directly to the stadium for dress rehearsal.

Return to the hotel for a late dinner.

Report back to the stadium at 10am.

Perform from 2pm to 5pm.

Free evening for sightseeing.

Report back to the stadium at 10am.

Perform from 2pm to 5pm.

Fly back to Korea.

Easy. So easy. And yet Ryeowook should’ve known he wouldn’t have it easy at all with Kyuhyun there. He hadn’t even wanted to join the showcase as a stylist. He hadn’t wanted to be involved period. But the company had explained in no unclear terms that “Cho Kyuhyun is one of our biggest clients and he wants you. You’re going.”

And so Ryeowook went.

The flight was relatively short and uneventful considering he had managed to book an earlier flight than the rest of the staff. Having to sit next to Kyuhyun for roughly three hours in a small enclosed space sounded like he was asking for trouble. With his luck, he’d get caught up in Kyuhyun’s pace like always.

When he arrived at the hotel, he wasn’t surprised to find that each room would be for two staff members. That was standard. Very standard. What surprised him was who counted as “staff”.

“Is there a mistake?” he asked the hotel manager.

The man scanned the booking documents and shook his head. “I’m sorry, sir. Your reservation states that your room is for one Kim Ryeowook and one Cho Kyuhyun.”

He was going to kill someone.

Ryeowook fumed in their room for the entire hour and a half that it took for Kyuhyun’s entourage to arrive. By the time Kyuhyun unlocked the hotel room door, Ryeowook was livid. The idol just smiled innocently when their eyes met. “Glad to see you got here okay. How was the flight?”

“Why are we sharing a room?” Ryeowook barked, arms crossed and lips drawn down in a stiff frown.

“Oh, the staff said it would be convenient for you to do my makeup this way,” he answered smoothly, setting his travel duffel down on the other bed. Kyuhyun shrugged off his coat. “Isn’t that true?”

“I do your makeup at the venue anyway.” the stylist responded evenly, anger simmering visibly. “Why would they think I’d do it here?”

Kyuhyun thought for a moment, tapping his chin. “Well, isn’t it pretty common to apply makeup before going outside? Since we’re in another country, I think the staff want me to look my best even when we’re just traveling from place to place.”

Silence.

Ryeowook uncrossed his arms, standing up and walking toward Kyuhyun. “If you try anything funny, I swear I’ll never do your makeup again.”

The idol actually seemed disturbed this time. He reached up, but his hand was smacked down before he even made contact. Ryeowook gave him a warning look and Kyuhyun lifted both hands up in surrender. “Okay. Understood. You won’t even realize I’m here. Promise.”

Ryeowook looked nowhere near convinced. Sighing, he closed his eyes, trying to ease a growing headache. “Do your best, Kyuhyun.”

The man smirked, “I will.”

Ryeowook should’ve known better. Why did he challenge him? Why? What compelled him to encourage Kyuhyun to try harder--sarcastic tone or not?

The dress rehearsal had been relatively pain-free. It was routine and most of it was spent testing microphones and machinery at the venue. As for Ryeowook, he did his part in styling Kyuhyun to perfection and then his main backup dancers as well. There was really only one song that had any dancers, too, making it that much easier to just doll everyone up once and never again for the night.

What he struggled with was, as expected, the night.

“This is totally a date.” Kyuhyun set the menu aside as the waitress walked away.

“There are literally twenty other staff members in this restaurant,” Ryeowook retorted flatly.

The idol brushed the comment aside. “We’re sitting alone together, though.” As if to emphasize the point, he closed a hand over Ryeowook’s on the cushions.

Yanking his hand away pointedly, the stylist threw Kyuhyun a stern glare. “There are only two person booths in this restaurant. I also don’t know why I have to sit with you.”

“You wanted to?” Kyuhyun offered.

“No.”

“Don’t be shy.”

Ryeowook considered buying Kyuhyun hearing aids for Christmas.

The first night seemed to have gone off without a hitch.

Ryeowook’s opinion changed though after entering the waiting room at 10am on the first day of the showcase.

“Your sleeping face is pretty cute.”

Ryeowook froze while the other stylists in the room were suddenly making a racket. Kyuhyun just leaned back comfortably in the makeup chair, pleased to answer any and all questions thrown his way.

“Is he a quiet sleeper?”

“Not sure. I was sleeping too,” Kyuhyun responded amiably. “I woke up though to see him hugging a pillow and buried under the comforter. His face was squished against the sheets.”

His listeners cooed affectionately, chattering about how adorable Ryeowook was.

Kyuhyun nodded along earnestly. “He’s so cute! Do you know he has a serious facial routine? It took him nearly an hour last night.”

“What do you use?” one of them asked, giving Ryeowook a shocked look. “Is that why your skin is so nice?”

Coming back to himself, he blurted, “Why are you telling everyone everything?” His face was red, clearly flustered. “And all of you also have long skin care routines, I’m sure.”

One woman clicked her tongue, shrugging. “I don’t take an hour to do mine.”

Ryeowook sighed. “He’s exaggerating.”

“It was definitely an hour,” Kyuhyun defended, “I know because I stayed up so we could go to bed together.”

“WHAT?!”

Ryeowook made sure to be extra inconsiderate as he did Kyuhyun’s hair.