Sungmin went to his kitchen to cook their dinner, still with apprehensive feelings. They are going to be sleeping together tonight!!

"Oh my poor heart", Sungmin said while holding his chest. Though he felt like teenage girls jumping for joy when their idols smile at them, Sungmin knew that they have to talk about it sooner or later, regarding their relationship stage. Are they ready to move to the next stage of their relationship? Sungmin didn't have the answer and didn't want to think now.

After cooking, he put their laundry into the washing machine and started it. He then set the dinner table ready.

Kyuhyun has been unpacking and placing his toiletries in Sungmin's bathroom. He came out to the dining table when Sungmin was just about done setting it up and was about to turn around to walk back to his kitchen. He seemed preoccupied and didn't see Kyuhyun.

"Min..."

"Ufffff..." Sungmin bumped into Kyuhyun right at his chest.

"Ouch... Min... my chest....."

 "I'm sorry I'm sorry" Sungmin quickly moved away from Kyuhyun. "Are you ok?" Sungmin asked with concern, while rubbing Kyuhyun's chest to ease any pain.

Kyuhyun caught Sungmin's hand and kissed it. "Ahhhh, it's so much better now".

"Kyu, seriously, did I hurt you?" Sungmin was seriously concern.

Kyuhyun wanted to joke some more, but seeing how worried Sungmin was, he leaned over and peck Sungmin's lips "No you didn't hurt me, I was just joking. Relax ok" and he pat Sungmin's back. And when Sungmin still looked at him worriedly, Kyuhyun said "honestly, yes, my rib cage did hurt a little, but it's ok now, so you don't have to worry too much". 

"Okayyy" Sungmin smile a little. "Have a seat, I get our dinner ready". 

"Wait, I want to talk first" 

"Hmm? What about?" Sungmin said in surprise. 

Kyuhyun led him to sit on the sofa, and he sat next to Sungmin. "Min, tell me honestly, am I making you uncomfortable? If yes, what can I do to make you feel better?". 

Sungmin was surprised that Kyuhyun was very observant. It wasn't that he was feeling uncomfortable with Kyuhyun's presence, he just didn't trust himself. 

"I....." Sungmin started. 

"Hmmm...?" 

"I do really want you to stay here so that I can take care of you. It's just that maybe, I'm not used to having somebody staying and sleeping together in my room. Wait, don't get me wrong" Sungmin stopped Kyuhyun when he wanted to say something "I don't know, maybe to me, if we are sleeping together, it means we are moving towards the next phase in our relationship. Like, really lovers...." 

"We can just sleep, Min, we don't have to make love, if that's what you mean by being lovers. I just want to hold you all night long, having you close to me and seeing your face first thing when I open my eyes". 

"What if I expect more... after a while, I mean? Are we ready to move to the next phase?" 

"You mean the next phase is whether we are ready to make love?" 

"Yes... " Sungmin said nervously. 

"I am ready, but let's take things one at a time ok? At this moment, we are just going to sleep together, so don't be afraid of me and you just need to get used to me next to you. I'm not Sapphire Hospital's doctor right now, I am your boyfriend. So while taking care of me, just enjoy our time together as much as we can". 

"Ok Kyu" Sungmin felt more at ease now that they had clear the air. It was a good idea to talk about it and he was glad that they had this talk. Kyuhyun was indeed very mature for his age and always think of Sungmin's feelings. And when Kyuhyun pulled him into a hug, he responded and hugged Kyuhyun with all his love. 

"Let's eat? After that you can take a shower and I replace your bandage" Sungmin said, getting up. 

"Pull me up?" 

"You are so giant and you are asking me, a dwarf, to pull you up?" Sungmin laughed, but still attempted to pull his dear Dr Cho up. Laughing together, Kyuhyun got up but didn't let go of Sungmin's hand. 

"What did you cook?"

"Rice, chicken soup, Sigumchi Namul (Seasoned Spinach), fried tofu, and omelette". 

"I'm hungry already" Kyuhyun said while rubbing his tummy.  He helped Sungmin with plates, chopsticks and bowls, and pour 2 glasses of plain water. He felt so homely and love every minute of it. This is the life that he always wanted, having someone that he loves cooking for him and eating together with him. 

They talked about Kyuhyun's follow-up treatments and Kyuhyun's health as a whole. Though his wound is recovering well, his rib cage would need sometime to fully heal. This means that Kyuhyun shouldn't do vigorous exercise like jogging, so Sungmin suggested that he walks instead. 

"Ok then, I will drive you to Sapphire Hospital in the mornings, then once I come back home, I do some walking along the river, and then I rest and then I start clearing my emails. Sounds good?" 

"Provided you promise me that you will rest and not just work till I come back. But Kyu, I can take the subway, you don't have to send me to work ". 

"But I want to. I will even pick you up. I see how it goes" Kyuhyun chuckled while scooping some more rice. Sungmin's cooking is always delicious to him and he couldn't get enough. 

"I will become too pampered by you" Sungmin said while helping Kyuhyun to scoop more chicken soup. 

"Since you are taking care of me, I will take care of you too!" Kyuhyun smile happily. 

They cleared their plates and Sungmin reminded Kyuhyun to take his medicines. "Isn't it funny? A nurse has to remind the doctor to take his meds", Sungmin chuckled while washing a teapot to make oolong tea. 

Kyuhyun hugged Sungmin from behind "Well to me, it's my other half who is reminding me to take my medicines" he smile and kissed Sungmin's neck. "Anyway, thank you Min, for this homecook meal. I love it a lot". 

"You are most welcome and I'm happy that you like it. I will try to cook more healthier meals, since my boyfriend is a doctor" Sungmin laughed while turning around. They smile at each other and of course, kissed again. 

After taking his medicines, Kyuhyun went to take his shower. He joined Sungmin on the sofa who was watching a KBS drama. Sungmin poured him a cup of oolong tea and pass the cup to him. "Drink this oolong tea, it's refreshing and helps you to digest your food better". 

"Really?" 

"Yes doctor, it does. I learn it from my grandma". 

"Oh how was your grandma? You went back to visit her, right?" 

The mentioned of his grandma immediately reminded Sungmin of the down period in their relationship. "She's ok" Sungmin said, looking down at his hands. 

Understanding the situation, Kyuhyun took Sungmin's hands. "Are you still upset about what happened during that surgery? I'm really sorry ok, I didn't know it was you and I really felt bad raising my voice at you. I should at least give you some background on the surgery first". 

"No Kyu, you didn't do anything wrong. Surgeons have every right to scold surgery assistants as any surgery is critical. And no mistakes allowed". Sungmin started tearing "I don't know why I was so upset, maybe because we were so happy together earlier on, then suddenly I was being shouted at. It made me realised that you are always the doctor, and I am always the nurse. We came from two different worlds and not compatible to be together" Sungmin sobbed silently but Kyuhyun noticed it. He immediately pulled Sungmin and hugged him. 

"Heyyy, why are you crying? I'm sorry if I make you upset again" Kyuhyun hugged him tighter. 

Sungmin shook his head. He was scolding himself for being dumb. He shouldn't be upset on that day and maybe all these wouldn't happened. 

"Sungmin, look at me" Kyuhyun lifted his chin. Sungmin looked at him with watery eyes. "I guess both of us were in the wrong, so let's just put that episode behind us and move on ok. What matters is our love for each other is stronger than before and that we are together now". 

"Kyu, what makes me more upset was you got hurt. If only I didn't leave you, maybe the stabbing wouldn't happened. You got hurt because of me" Sungmin sobbed again. 

"But it brought us together, right? So we should thank God, maybe what happened has a purpose. It was for us to realise how much we treasure each other and that we couldn't live without the other. While I was in so much pain, the only person in my mind was you. It made me realised how much I love you and that I want to live to see your face again" Kyuhyun tightened his hug. 

"I promised you again, I won't leave you, Kyu". 

"And I won't leave you. After I've recovered fully, move in with me, Sungmin. Move in to my apartment. Don't get me wrong, it's not that we couldn't stay here, but I bought that apartment a year ago, so it's a waste to sell it now". 

Sungmin nodded. He liked Kyuhyun's apartment too and felt happy that Kyuhyun asked him to officially move in with him. 

"Shall we go in and sleep? You need to wake up early tomorrow" Kyuhyun said, kissing Sungmin's forehead. 

"Ok, you go in first, I just need to hang my laundry and then switch off everything. I'll go to bed in 15 minutes time". 

"Then I'll help you. Let's go" Kyuhyun said standing up and pulling Sungmin along. 

That night, contrary to what Sungmin had thought, he slept through till morning! He didn't know sleeping in Kyuhyun's arm was very comfortable, and smelling him, hearing his soft snores, and feeling his warmth, made Sungmin felt like paradise and quickly doze off as well. 

1st week went by like a breeze. They were happy and do almost everything together. Sungmin felt happily blessed everytime he saw Kyuhyun's car approaching, on every evening to fetch him, and felt his heart skip a few beats due to happiness of being with Kyuhyun again. He missed Kyuhyun during the day and couldn't wait to go home each day to be with him. 

One afternoon after Kyuhyun's medical checkup at the hospital, Dr Park asked him if they could go for coffee at the hospital's cafeteria. Sungmin, who was with Kyuhyun at that time, excused himself to go back to his nurse station. Kyuhyun signalled that he would text Sungmin later so that they could go back together. 

"Here you go, Kyu. Black coffee without sugar" Dr Park gave him the drink that he has collected from the counter, after they had find a table and Dr Park went to order their drinks. 

"Thank you, hyung. How are you and how's the hospital?" 

"We missed you a lot haha. You are still one of the best, you know" Dr Park showed his thumb's up. 

"Ahh hyung, you are good too" Kyuhyun said, sipping his coffee. As usual, it wasn't the same as Sungmin's. "So what's up? Is everything alright?" Kyuhyun asked. 

"Everything is ok" Dr Park sipped his latte, and continued "Kyu, we have been offered a doctor's exchange program with Saint-Louis Hospital in Paris for 2 months, and our hospital's MD, Mr Lee, is suggesting to send you over for this exchange program as you are our top surgeon". 

"What.... ? Stay in Paris for 2 months?" .... 

"Yes, isn't it a good opportunity? You are still single and it's a good exposure..." 

"But I....." Kyuhyun stopped. How should he say he now has Sungmin? How could he stay away from Sungmin for 2 months? He couldn't even stay away for a few days, let alone for 2 whole months!!! He would miss Sungmin dearly!! 

Kyuhyun was quiet..  Should he just turn down this exchange program offer?....