“You like him”

Kyuhyun turned his head to the man beside him, staring at him with a confused face. He certainly did not expect those words to come out of the said man since he knew that he wasn’t the person to run up on other people’s business. Kyuhyun continued to stare at Jongwoon as he took a short glance at the little man in the kitchen, who was currently preparing a meal for the three of them. The man insists on letting them taste his newest recipe, he wanted someone that can honestly criticize his new dish, so the man decided on inviting his best friend and his hidden longtime crush, Jongwoon.

“That’s a little too much to assume, hyung” Kyuhyun whines as he took off his eyes on Ryeowook in the kitchen and looked at Jongwoon unamusingly. Jongwoon chuckled forming a small smile on his lips, turning his head to look at Kyuhyun and matched his grim look at him. “You’re right that assumption was wrong because you love him,” Jongwoon said teasingly, looking at Kyuhyun then taking a quick glance at Ryeowook, who was still in his own world in the kitchen.

“I know you love him, Kyu. It’s very evident by the way you look at him” Jongwoon added smiling at Kyuhyun, taking out his phone to check his social media accounts which is a huge hobby of his. Kyuhyun rolled his eyes as he looked at his hyung who was currently busying himself on his phone. He suddenly sighed as he remembered what his hyung told him just a while ago, did he really love his best friend? It was not impossible to fall for his best friend especially when he gets to spend most of his time with him. Well, it doesn’t really matter to Kyuhyun if he ever admits to himself that he loves his best friend because he knew how head over heels he is to the man beside him and it wouldn’t make much of a difference since he knows that Ryeowook has his eyes only for Jongwoon. Kyuhyun also didn’t want to ruin the friendship that he has with Ryeowook and maybe, just maybe his hidden feelings for him would be the cause of the downfall of their friendship.

Kyuhyun shook his head as he overwhelms himself with the thoughts that he may possibly be in love with his best friend. As Kyuhyun clears his head from his thoughts a while ago, Ryeowook called them in to tell them that he just finished making the meal that he prepared for them. Ryeowook starts preparing the utensils and the meal on the dinner table, as he was just about to finish preparing the table, Jongwoon’s phone suddenly rang with his brother as the caller. Jongwoon excused himself at the two who were already seated at the dining table. Jongwoon went to the living room and answered the call from his brother, he was told that there was a slight emergency at their café and his presence is needed at the moment.

After ending the call with his brother, Jongwoon looked at his friends who were currently waiting for him at the dining table while bickering with each other. He noticed the way Ryeowook would bicker on Kyuhyun and the man would just clearly ignore him but he can still see the small smile that Kyuhyun was hiding. Jongwoon chuckled as he continues to observe the two and he realized that this was the perfect opportunity for him to let them talk about their feelings and such. He was aware of the hidden affection that Ryeowook has for him but he knows that Ryeowook loves his best friend as well, he was just too dense to notice it and maybe the thought of Ryeowook liking him was also a huge distraction for Ryeowook. He could see the way Ryeowook smiles every time he was with Kyuhyun.

Jongwoon approached his friends who were still teasing each other with their random ideas, Jongwoon coughed to inform the two about his presence and the two immediately stopped with what they were doing. Ryeowook immediately fixed himself and made himself look presentable for Jongwoon as he quickly prepared the seat beside him so Jongwoon could seat beside him and so that he could stare at Jongwoon longer which was what he was planning to do all day as the three of them eat together.

“I’m sorry guys but something just came up in the café and Jongjin told me that I was needed in an instant,” Jongwoon said with a sigh as he looks at friends with a small smile, clearly not want to disappoint the two especially Ryeowook.

Ryeowook tried to hide his disappointment but the sudden shift of his mood can clearly be felt by everyone in the room. He looked at Jongwoon with a small smile as he nods at him, telling him that it was okay for him to take his leave. “It’s okay hyung! We understand that you’re really busy today” Ryeowook said with a smile but with a hint of disappointment in his voice.

“Don’t worry I’ll make it up to you guys soon!!” Jongwoon said as he made his way towards the door leaving Kyuhyun and Ryeowook alone in the dining area. As Jongwoon left the place, Ryeowook heaved a big sigh, slumping down his head on the table, clearly pouting because Jongwoon has just left. Ryeowook just wanted to spend time with the young man since the three of them didn’t hang out that often anymore since Jongwoon was currently busy at his café.

“Don’t be too disappointed Wook, I’m still here to criticize your food. Just pretend that I’m Jongwoon hyung.”

Ryeowook looked up to see Kyuhyun grinning at him teasingly, he looked at him with an unamused face but Kyuhyun only used this opportunity to wink at him. Ryeowook continued to look at Kyuhyun with an unamused stare as he stands up and quickly smacks the younger’s head earning a grunt from the latter.

“Yah Wook!! Why did you do that?!” Kyuhyun whined as he starts rubbing the spot where Ryeowook had hit him. “Because you look ridiculous” Ryeowook states, still clearly not amused from Kyuhyun’s antics. Teasing each other was quite ordinary with both of them especially since their age is not that far from each other. So it was very common to see them bickering all the time, Kyuhyun most especially have a habit of teasing Ryeowook as often as he can ever since he learns about the hidden crush he has for Jongwoon.

Ryeowook sat down back in his chair after hitting Kyuhyun as he sighed again and paid attention to the meal that he has prepared but feeling like he has just loosened his appetite because Jongwoon was not with them. “Yah! Stop being dramatic, Wook!! I’m still here to judge your food. Don’t you want your best friend to be here?” Kyuhyun said rolling his eyes as he grabs a spoonful of Ryeowook’s dish and starts munching on it. “This is delicious Wook!! Ahh, I’m so lucky to have you as my best friend, I get to eat all this delicious food because of you” Kyuhyun snickers as he continues munching the food that Ryeowook prepared for them.

“It would have been better if Jongwoon hyung was here” Ryeowook sulks, taking small scoops of the food that he had made for the three of them, he starts playing around with his utensils feeling the loss of his appetite all around his body as Kyuhyun continues eating the food that Ryeowook prepared. “You know maybe if you weren’t so dense, you would probably feel that Jongwoon hyung is not the only guy in this whole universe,” Kyuhyun said, gulping down his water, looking at Ryeowook with such a serious stare.

“I know that, Kyu! It’s just that my heart only wants Jongwoon hyung and no one else. Besides, it’s not like anybody would want me anyways so might as well have a crush that I know wouldn’t notice me, I guess?” Ryeowook pouts as he continues playing with his utensils and briefly looked at Kyuhyun, which was a big mistake because he could see how intense Kyuhyun’s stare bore at him.

The way Kyuhyun looks at him was something totally new, yet strangely familiar in his presence. He has seen Kyuhyun stare at him like that whenever he tells him the funny stories that he always experience or that kind of stories that could really lift someone’s mood. It was starting to get really awkward as they continue to stare at each other like that. But something came up in Kyuhyun’s mind that could potentially ruin the friendship that they have built or could make their connection much stronger.

Kyuhyun stands up abruptly as he walks on Ryeowook’s side of the dining table, he wasn’t sure what came up to his head but the urge to kiss Ryeowook right there and then, seeing him all pouty and sulky drove Kyuhyun’s mind to its extent. Kyuhyun musters up all his courage and thinks how he has always been in love with his best friend for years. Maybe Ryeowook wasn't the only one who is dense in realizing his feelings, maybe Kyuhyun was also too dense to realize the he loves being with Ryeowook, he loves seeing him happy and he loves how Ryeowook has that special effect on him. The familiarity of being in love with Ryeowook gave Kyuhyun a sense of confidence that he didn’t know he had inside him. But as he pulls Ryeowook to face him, so close that they could already feel each other’s breath, Kyuhyun looked at him with the same stare he did a while ago, the same amount of intensity and feelings could clearly be felt from Kyuhyun’s gaze. As Kyuhyun continues to stare at Ryeowook’s eyes, he could see what Jongwoon really meant of him being in love with his best friend, and honestly, he couldn’t bring himself to deny it anymore.

So Kyuhyun pulls Ryeowook’s face near him, closing the small gap between them as he kissed him like there was no tomorrow, making sure Ryeowook feel the hidden love he has for him from all those years that they have spent together. Kyuhyun closes his eyes feeling Ryeowook’s soft lips on his, the feeling of cloud nine came running up throughout his body and up to his heart, it was something that he didn’t know that could bring him pure joy and bliss, having Ryeowook so close to him like this was like a dream that he never knew he wished for but would fight with anything just to have that dream over and over again.

Ryeowook opens his eyes wide, as he feels Kyuhyun’s lips on his own, he wasn’t sure with what he should do. Ryeowook contemplates in his head if he should go and shove Kyuhyun away or return the kiss with the same amount of sincerity that Kyuhyun was making him feel. He was sure that he didn’t like Kyuhyun that way but as their kiss gets deeper, Ryeowook’s mind suddenly gets flooded by all the memories that they have shared. The soft smiles that they once shared every time someone does something silly to cheer up the other. At this point, Ryeowook was not even aware that he has his arms wrapped around Kyuhyun’s neck, as he kisses him back with the same amount of passion that Kyuhyun gave him. At this point, Ryeowook just threw away all his thoughts about Jongwoon and he could only think of is his best friend that made him feel something that no man can ever make him feel.

As both of them pulls away from the kiss, gasping as much air as they can, while looking at each other softly and feeling each other’s breathing slowly. Ryeowook feels the heat creeping up to his cheeks, looking away from Kyuhyun’s gaze, as he suddenly realized what both of them did. Kyuhyun chuckled as he sees Ryeowook getting shy from the kiss that they shared, and uses this opportunity to continue to tease the smaller, feeling giddy that Ryeowook kissed him back.

“You kissed me back, Wook.” Kyuhyun grinned from ear to ear as he pulls Ryeowook face again near him so that he could see Ryeowook’s reddening face. “Y-yah!! What has even gotten into you, Kyu? Why did you do that?!” Ryeowook flushes his face in embarrassment, trying his best to ignore Kyuhyun’s smile as much as he can but it was impossible, for Ryeowook could not dare to look away from the handsome smile that he was looking at.

Kyuhyun shrugged from Ryeowook’s question, still smiling from ear to ear, “I don’t know, I guess something or someone just made me realize how much I truly love you, Wook.” Kyuhyun seriously states as he looks directly on Ryeowook’s eyes, wanting him to know how sincere he is in saying those words. Ryeowook looked back to Kyuhyun’s gaze at him and felt something weird in his stomach and heart as Kyuhyun said those words, the fast thumping in his heart made Ryeowook confused yet familiar.

“Is it weird to say that my heart is beating so fast right now?” Ryeowook mumbled still feeling embarrassed under Kyuhyun’s gaze. Kyuhyun softly chuckled at him as he shakes his head and smiled at Ryeowook, pulling both of their foreheads together as he whispers,

“Not at all, Wook. Not at all”