Kyuhyun loved heights.

 

 

Every Saturday, he came to a tower named Kwangya and went to the rooftop bar on floor sixty-nine to sightsee Seoul while drinking wine. He loved the feeling of cool wind caressing his face and ruffling his hair. He loved how the bustling city seemed to quiet down looking from above. All in all, the tower was his favorite hang-out place. Kwangya had a unique characteristic that made it stand out from other towers— a glass staircase. Like any other building, Kwangya had elevators and escalators for accessing each floor. However, the futuristic-themed tower also had a glass staircase compartment encircling the tower for people who loved thrills. The said glass staircase, as its name suggested, was a spiral staircase made of glass with a metal handrail painted in the colors of purple-ish pink and blue— Kwangya's symbol. The staircase was enclosed by a transparent wall allowing people to see the scenery while climbing the stairs. Personally, Kyuhyun thought that the idea of a transparent staircase was cool but he wouldn't use it. Why would he do that when elevators existed? So, he had never stepped foot into that compartment despite frequenting the tower weekly.

 

 

Until today.

 

 

Kyuhyun decided to drop by his regular wine store to check out new arrival selections. Maybe he might buy some and have it at the rooftop bar. Normally, he would have used elevators without a second thought. However, he was in a good mood today and the store was located on the fourth floor, not too much of a hassle. So, he decided to use the famous glass staircase for the first time and enjoyed the city scenery while ascending the tower.

 

 

That was how he met a person who changed his life forever.

 

**************************************

 

Kyuhyun was about to arrive on the third floor when he saw a black-haired man sitting on the stairs. His small hands clutched the handrail so tight that colors were drained out of his knuckles. The stranger had his chin down so he couldn't see what he looked like, but he could see that he was shaking terribly. Doing his part as a good citizen, he decided to check on the man.

 

"Excuse me, are you al—"

"Ahh!!"

 

As soon as he placed his hand on the thin shoulder, the stranger cried out and threw his body at the handrail, hugging it as if his life depended on it. Now, that was quite an extreme reaction. Starting to get worried for real, Kyuhyun sat down on the stairs beside the smaller man and grabbed the man's shoulders. The other man jumped slightly under his touch so he squeezed his shoulders to ensure that he meant no harm.

 

"Hey, are you perhaps afraid of heights?"

"Y-Yes….I-I was climbing the stairs when I accidentally looked down at the glass stairs… After that… my legs become weak a-and I can't stand up…"

"But staying here won't help, right? Let's go. We're halfway to the fourth floor."

"B-But…"

"Everything will be fine. Slowly turn around without looking down, okay?"

 

The stranger nodded and did as he was told, very slowly turning his head to face him. Finally, Kyuhyun got to see the man clearly— cute with a hint of beauty and handsomeness, especially those widened almond-shaped eyes that stared at him. He smiled and introduced himself, still keeping his hands on the thin shoulders to keep the smaller man calm.

 

"Hello, I'm Cho Kyuhyun. You?"

"K-Kim Jongwoon…"

"Okay, Jongwoon-ssi, what are you doing here if you're afraid of heights?"

"That…"

 

Jongwoon-ssi tried to look down out of embarrassment but probably realized that below him was the glass stairs, so he shut his eyes tight instead. His cheeks (that Kyuhyun just noticed that they were chubby and looked squishy) heated up slightly.

 

"You'll laugh at me if I tell you…"

"I'm not the type to judge people."

"Really…?"

"Of course, but if you don't want to tell me then that's fine too. I'm just curious."

"No, I'll tell you… The truth is, I'm doing this to challenge myself, I mean, climbing this glass staircase to the rooftop floor."

"No offense but that sounds dangerous and not rewarding. I'm no expert but I believe that there's a better way to cure acrophobia."

"I'm not doing this to cure acrophobia, though if it got better after the challenge then that'd be great."

 

The black-haired man turned redder as he said the next sentence.

 

"T-There's someone I like. I fell in love at first sight despite not knowing the other person. However, I'm not sure if these feelings are genuine or just a fleeting emotion. That's why I came up with this challenge. I'll climb the stairs and, if my feelings don't change after reaching the rooftop, I'll confess to that person. There, my reason, feel free to say that I'm stupid…"

 

Jongwoon-ssi mumbled and pouted, and, for a second, Kyuhyun thought that the man was really cute.

 

"On the contrary, I think you're very admirable and smart, Jongwoon-ssi."

"Am I?"

"Yes. After all, confessing without being certain about your feelings is a no-brainer, especially if the other person might not even know that you exist."

 

Kyuhyun frowned when the smaller man flinched at his words. Was he being too harsh? Maybe. He shouldn't judge this person even though he personally thought that confessing to a stranger was stupid. He was about to apologize but Jongwoon-ssi interrupted him. The black-haired man politely took his hands off his shoulders and carefully stood up despite his still-shaking legs (and Kyuhyun found out that the man was slightly shorter than him). It was obvious that Jongwoon-ssi was trying hard to not look down and held his chin high instead.

 

"I know that falling in love with someone you don't know is stupid. That's why I must do this challenge and prove that my feelings are sincere."

 

With that said, the shorter man ignored him and began to take another shaky step up the stairs while gripping the handrail firmly. Kyuhyun was worried so he decided to follow behind closely, with his arms spreading, ready to catch the other man if something happened. However, nothing happened and they finally reached the fourth floor after a short while. Jongwoon-ssi hurried to step out of the staircase compartment and into the tower. Kyuhyun followed the smaller man and came to stand beside him who was breathing in and out to calm down his fear. Obviously, it was none of his business but he still wanted to know.

 

"This is only the fourth floor."

"I know, just, that's enough climbing for today… Best taking it slow."

"So, you're going home now?"

"Yes. I have nothing else to do here."

 

Jongwoon-ssi glanced at him and gave him a small, polite smile, before inclining his head at him.

 

"Thank you again for checking on me but I should go now. Goodbye."

"Wait."

 

Kyuhyun took the thin wrist. He was surprised by his own actions too. Why didn't he want Kim Jongwoon to leave yet?

 

"Kyuhyun-ssi…?"

"There's a great wine store on this floor. Do you want to check it out with me?"

 

The black-haired man shook his head.

 

"I'm sorry but I don't drink."

 

Jongwoon-ssi freed his wrist from his grip and walked away, and Kyuhyun kept watching the shorter man until he was out of sight.

 

 

 

That was his first meeting with Kim Jongwoon.

 

*****************************************

 

The next day, Kyuhyun was supposed to stay home and play games just like every other Sunday. However, he couldn't stop thinking about the stranger he met yesterday— Kim Jongwoon. A unique man who was afraid of heights but tried to ascend the tallest tower in Seoul using a glass staircase as the means to prove his feelings for a stranger. He didn't understand either why this person drew his attention so much, to the point that he couldn't sit still and decided to check the tower out. Arriving at Kwangya about half an hour later than yesterday, Kyuhyun glanced up at the tall tower and immediately located the man he was looking for. Jongwoon-ssi easily stood out due to his snail speed climbing the stairs. Counting the floor, he quickly got inside the building and headed to an elevator, before going to the eighth floor where the man was currently at. He stepped out into the transparent staircase and climbed the glass stairs. Soon, he saw the back of a person whom he had been thinking of. Cautiously, he quietly crept up behind the shorter man and put his hand on the handrail, just in case.

 

"Jongwoon-ssi,"

"What the !!?"

 

Startled, the black-haired man jumped and stumbled backward. Luckily, Kyuhyun already predicted it so he was able to catch the man using his body. Jongwoon-ssi fell into his arms with a quiet yelp and closed eyes. He felt bad for catching the shorter man off guard after noticing how shaky the thin figure was so he quickly apologized.

 

"Sorry for scaring you."

"That voice… Kyuhyun-ssi?"

 

The black-haired man peeked one eye open to look at him and sighed. Then, Jongwoon-ssi carefully stepped out of his embrace and gripped the handrail to support himself while turning to face him.

 

"What are you doing here? I doubt you have any business with me."

"I'll be honest. You caught my attention, Jongwoon-ssi, so I want to see you again."

 

Jongwoon-ssi's hands comically slipped at his words and he stumbled forward. Again, Kyuhyun was able to catch the man but this time, he held the slim waist loosely to help keep the shorter man's footing. The way his new acquaintance blinked repeatedly while blushing slightly was very entertaining that he let out a snort.

 

"Your face is really funny, Jongwoon-ssi."

"Now that's just rude. And what the hell do you mean by wanting to see me again?"

"It's exactly as I said. You and your unique challenge intrigue me so I want to keep watching you."

"Excuse me, but I'm not a clown despite my foolish challenge!"

"Of course not. No clowns are as good-looking as you."

"What the!!? Y-You're a weird one, not me! Please don't get in the way of my challenge!"

 

Jongwoon-ssi rolled his eyes and ignored him to continue climbing. Kyuhyun followed while keeping a close eye on the other man just in case he slipped again. He wondered if the man could feel his gaze because the shorter man seemed really nervous even just looking at that back, his ears burning red. He didn't interrupt Jongwoon-ssi and followed after him until they arrived on the thirteenth floor (after taking quite a while).

 

"Whew, I made good progress today! Now, if you're done watching me and your curiosity is sated, bye."

"Wait, Jongwoon-ssi, will you let me help you? Climbing the stairs, I mean."

 

Jongwoon-ssi raised a brow at him.

 

"Why would you want that? What would you gain from giving me a hand?"

"I hope to find the answer at the end of your challenge too. Why? Is my reason not sincere enough?"

"The problem is you, not your reason…"

"Pardon?"

"N-Nothing!! Are you sure that you want to do it? Help me? You know, it could get boring real fast…"

"Yes, I want to. Plus, I doubt I'll ever get bored watching you."

"You're making fun of me again!"

 

The shorter man pouted and glared at him, but it looked so adorable to him that he couldn't help smiling. After apologizing, they exchanged contact information and went their ways. Kyuhyun stared at a new number in his phone and smiled.

 

 

That was his second meeting with Kim Jongwoon.

 

*******************************

 

Before long, the next Saturday arrived and Kyuhyun found himself meeting Jongwoon again. During the past few days, they didn't contact each other, not even once, but they still met at Kwangya at the same time. Today, Jongwoon planned to climb at least twenty floors and he went along with a shrug. They began the challenge with Jongwoon walking ahead and him climbing closely behind, making sure that the other man wouldn't trip. The black-haired man climbed the glass stairs with confidence during the first few floors, before getting slower after reaching the tenth floor. Then, their journey completely halted when they arrived at the fifteenth floor.

 

"Jongwoon, are you alright? Do you want to stop for now?"

"N-No!! I just climbed two more floors after the last time… I-I must…"

 

Although the smaller man was trying to pull a brave facade, it was extremely obvious that he was really scared. Those frightened dark eyes darted around nervously, not knowing where to look. Jongwoon couldn't look down nor look out of the transparent wall, but he seemed unable to look ahead of him too. He guessed that the ascending glass steps before them probably reminded the shorter man how high in the air they were now. After pondering, Kyuhyun decided to climb up ahead of his new acquaintance. Suddenly, a small hand shot out and grabbed his cuff firmly.

 

"W-Wait!! K-Kyuhyun-ssi, are you going to leave me here…?"

"No, I'm trying to help you."

 

Kyuhyun smiled reassuringly and took the smaller hand off of the cuff, only to hold it in his hand instead.

 

"Kyuhyun-ssi…?"

"Hold my hand and look at me, Jongwoon."

 

The black-haired man was stunned by his words and went quiet. After that, his chubby cheeks gradually turned redder and his black eyes widened. Jongwoon nodded without saying anything but squeezed his hand in response. Smiling, Kyuhyun began to lead the shorter man up the stairs— one step, two steps, three steps, …, one floor, two floors, three floors… Hand in hand, they slowly but securely ascended the tower. Their eyes never left the other pair as they passed floors after floors, falling deep in a calm trance, not even realizing that they had surpassed the planned destination. Their spell was broken after someone climbed the stairs past them in a hurry, startling both of them.

 

"O-Oh, we're actually on the twenty-second floor now!"

"It seems like misdirection is really a great technique. Good job, Jongwoon."

"Mis.. direction…?"

 

Jongwoon's whole face suddenly turned crimson and he snatched his hand out of his hold, before dashing inside the tower. Kyuhyun caught up with the shorter man before he managed to run away.

 

"Jongwoon, what's wrong?"

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing! I'm totally fine, hahaha!"

 

Kyuhyun frowned at the fakest smile he had ever seen. Liar. It was as clear as day that Jongwoon hid something from him. However, he knew that they weren't close enough to ask the other party to share what they didn't feel like sharing. So, he changed the topic to something else.

 

"Jongwoon, are you free after this?"

"Yes. Why?"

"There's a great Italian restaurant on this floor. Do you want to have dinner with me?"

"What..? W-Why?"

"I want to get to know you more."

 

Jongwoon unbelievably turned even redder. The sight was so endearing and hilarious that Kyuhyun felt his heart reacting strongly to it.

 

"...Only if you agree to go to a cafe with me after that, desserts and coffee, you know…?"

"I don't like coffee but, fine, let's do that."

 

The black-haired man's radiant smile was so dazzlingly beautiful that Kyuhyun almost considered learning to drink coffee just to accompany Jongwoon.

 

 

That was his third meeting with Kim Jongwoon.

 

*************************************

 

Last night after they went home, they continued to chat via Kakao Talk and even exchanged a goodnight before going to sleep. The chat made him learn a lot about Jongwoon— same age (34), status: single, occupation: elementary school teacher, hobby: visiting cafes and photography, family: father, mother, younger brother, and two dogs, etc. He also told his new friend many things about himself. (Jongwoon sounded really upbeat after realizing that he was still single too. Maybe he was happy to find a comrade.) When they were talking about their love life, naturally, the topic of Jongwoon's crush came up. Out of curiosity, he tried to ask about the mysterious stranger, namely what kind of a person were they that Jongwoon was willing to go through such hardship to prove his feelings for. However, the other man was quick to change the topic so he wasn't interested in prying. Instead, he chatted about something else. After all, it was none of his business whom Jongwoon had a crush on.

.

.

.

"Why are we meeting inside the tower instead of at the glass stairs?"

"We're going to use the elevator today."

"I see— wait what!!?"

 

Jongwoon's face turned pale as he nervously glanced up at a glass elevator situated in the middle of the building.

 

"You mean… that one…? Or are we going to use a normal one further inside the tower?"

"No, we'll ride the glass elevator to the last floor we departed yesterday and continue to climb from there. You didn't think that we'll start from the first floor every time, right?"

"I-I didn't think that far… You're right, but… Do we really have to use the glass one…?"

"Jongwoon, it'll get harder for you the higher we ascend the tower. That's why you need to familiarize yourself with heights."

 

Kyuhyun offered his hand to the shorter man.

 

"Just focus on me and you'll be fine."

"O-Okay…"

 

Taking the small and soft hand, he led them to the capsule elevator and called it. The elevator stopped before them and Kyuhyun stepped in first. Turning back, he frowned after the black-haired man refused to follow him. Jongwoon who still stood outside of the elevator squeezed his hand tightly and looked at him with a pleading gaze, shaking his head repeatedly.

 

"Jongwoon, this is dangerous. Hop in before the doors close."

"But…"

"I won't let go of your hand so come to me."

 

Jongwoon stared at him in genuine astonishment. His expressive black eyes widened and his mouth hung open. After a moment, his new friend pouted.

 

"That's not fair…"

"Yes?"

 

While he was still confused by Jongwoon's no-context murmur, the shorter man had taken a step into the elevator and into his arms. A quiet 'ding' noise rang up at the same time his friend hid his face in his chest while shaking slightly. His small hands clutched the jacket lapel so hard that it became wrinkled. However, Kyuhyun didn't mind it and loosely put his arms around the slim shoulders to comfort the other man, patting his back lightly.

 

"You did amazing, Jongwoon."

"Really? Then… Can I stay like this until we arrive at our destination?"

"No, that'll defeat the purpose of using the elevator in the first place."

"That's not—! Ugh, fine…"

 

After grumbling under his breath, Jongwoon slowly looked up from his chest and looked into his eyes instead. For some reason, the shorter man was also blushing adorably. Adrenaline, maybe?

 

"Kyuhyun… Why are you treating me so nice like this…?"

"Hm? Well, that's what friends do, right?"

 

That beautiful blush was instantly wiped out of the black-haired man's face, replaced by melancholy. For some reason, the lost light in the mesmerizing eyes made his heart throb in pain.

 

"I see… I'm really lucky to have a great friend like you then, Kyuhyun."

"Jongwoon?"

 

Jongwoon smiled but anyone could tell that it was a forced one. His friend stepped out of his arms and turned his back at him, gripping the handrail to support himself instead while keeping a calm facade; even though his face was pale and his shoulders were shaking. His friend seemed disheartened and scared that it made him worried. He wanted to see Jongwoon smile again.

 

"Let's go to see a movie after this."

"Huh?"

"Last night, you said that there's a movie that you want to see so let's go to the theater after we're done today."

 

At first, Jongwoon seemed hesitant like he wanted to decline the offer and Kyuhyun's stomach strangely dropped at the thought. He didn't even realize that he was holding a breath until his friend finally beamed at him.

 

"You're trying to cheer me up, don't you? Thanks! Kyuhyun, you're really sweet, too sweet that it's bad for my heart, actually…"

"Jongwoon?"

"Nothing! Hurry up and let's get today's part done!"

 

The elevator door opened and Jongwoon happily dragged him out. Kyuhyun let the shorter man pull him by his arm to the glass stairs while smiling subtly to himself.

 

 

It had only been their fourth meeting but Kyuhyun already got addicted to Jongwoon's infectious smile.

 

*********************************

 

Next Saturday, while they were riding an elevator to today's starting floor, Jongwoon suddenly asked a weird question.

 

"Kyuhyun, am I good-looking?"

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder so I can't answer that. Why the sudden question?"

"Well, you know, I wonder if my crush will think that I'm ugly because I've gained some weight…"

"You're not ugly, far from it, actually."

 

Kyuhyun blurted out that sentence without thinking. He didn't know why but the thought that his new friend looked down on himself bothered him a great deal. Though he didn't regret saying it because it brought a smile back on Jongwoon's face.

 

"Really…?"

"Yes. Plus, I think you look cute getting slightly chubbier, especially your squishy cheeks."

 

He smirked and lightly pinched the shorter man's cheek. The soft and smooth skin made his heart skip a beat, before jumping erratically when his friend pouted at him. Cute. He ignored the adorable whine and continued to play with the puffy cheek. He had so much fun teasing Jongwoon that he inwardly sighed when the ding noise rang, signaling their arrival at their desired floor. He reluctantly let go of the chubby cheek and led his friend out of the elevator. The walk to the glass stairs was filled with silence as he was busy sighing in his head, already missing the touch.

 

"Kyuhyun…?"

"Hm?"

"How about we make a bet? You know, to spice things up?"

"What bet?"

"Well… If I can climb more than ten floors today, you have to treat me to dinner. However, if I fail, you can pinch my cheeks as a punishment."

"I'm in."

 

Kyuhyun agreed without missing a beat. Whether or not Jongwoon could climb more than ten floors, he still won in the end. He didn't mind treating his friend to dinner because it meant a chance to spend more time with Jongwoon. And he didn't have to say anything about the pinching-cheeks prize. He definitely would love to feel those chubby cheeks again.

.

.

.

"K-Kyuhyun, can we stop here today? I know it's just four floors but…"

"It's fine. Don't force yourself."

 

Kyuhyun took the shorter man's hand and led them out of the stairs into the tower. After that, as per the bet, Jongwoon let him play with his cheeks to his heart's content. Although he was obviously overjoyed, he couldn't help but feel bad for his friend. Not only did Jongwoon lose the bet, but his cheeks also got abused like this. Maybe he should do something to make up for Jongwoon…

 

"Let's have dinner together, my treat."

"Eh? But you won the bet so why…?"

"Think of it as a comforting meal for losing. You deserve it."

"For real!!? Kyuhyun, thank you!!!"

 

He didn't expect the other man to be so happy to the point of throwing himself at him. Jongwoon hugged the life out of him while grinning widely. Those black eyes were sparkling in joy, so gorgeously that his breathing hitched for a second.

 

 

During their fifth meeting, something strange happened to his heart and Kyuhyun suspected that Jongwoon was behind it.

 

**************************

 

"Kyuhyun… I'm sorry but I have some important business to attend tomorrow, so I have to cancel our meeting… Sorry again!"

 

 

Kyuhyun sighed for an umpteenth time while looking up at the tall tower, looking for a certain person whom he knew wouldn't be here today. He couldn't help but snort when he didn't see the black-haired man who was responsible for messing around with his heart. He knew that Jongwoon couldn't make it today but he still came to Kwangya, not that staying home was any better. He kept wondering what his friend was doing right now and couldn't get the man out of his head. For someone whom he only met five times, Jongwoon seemed to have a lot of influence on him…

 

"Heebongie, you have no idea what I sacrificed to come here with you today so you gotta treat me to dinner! The more expensive, the better!"

 

See? He heard Jongwoon's voice even though the man wasn't here. He really had it bad when it came to this quirky black-haired man—

 

 

Kyuhyun's blood froze in cold fury at what he saw.

 

 

Jongwoon was chatting with a handsome yet beautiful man while clinging to his arm. His eyes formed a crescent moon shape from smiling all-ears at the said man. Both men were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't realize that they almost bumped into him, as if he was just a mere speck of dust that happened to be in their way. Is this the important business that Jongwoon mentioned? Seeing another man? Even though he said that he devoted his heart to his crush? Wait. Kyuhyun shook his head. What if that guy was Jongwoon's crush? Actually, he somehow recalled that person as an owner of the rooftop bar where he frequented. If the owner was indeed his friend's crush then it made sense why Jongwoon tried to get over his acrophobia— to meet that person at the top of the tower and confess to him.

 

 

For some reason, the thought upset him to such an annoying degree that he decided to follow the pair discreetly.

.

.

.

.

Kyuhyun couldn't help but feel slightly bitter watching the bar owner carefully support Jongwoon's steps as they made their way up the glass stairs (with him following them from afar). That place, the person who held that small hand and guided Jongwoon, was supposed to be his. As Jongwoon's friend, it should be his duty to look after Jongwoon, not some flashy guy who won Jongwoon's heart by doing absolutely nothing. Did he even have the slightest idea of what kind of hardship Jongwoon had to go through just to get a little closer to him? Kyuhyun couldn't help the resentment manifesting through his facial expression. He just thought that his friend deserved better.

 

 

Or are you jealous of that guy for having Jongwoon's attention and heart?

 

 

Kyuhyun flinched when an uninvited thought invaded his mind. Jealous? Him? Why would he be jealous when his friend was having the best time in his life? Unless—

 

 

Kyuhyun almost ran up the stairs and separated the pair after seeing the smirking bar owner's face so close to Jongwoon, whispering something, and Jongwoon blushed profoundly in return. That man! How dare he played with—

 

 

His steps came to a complete halt when the hideous green monster forcefully dragged realization out of his heart— he had fallen in love with Jongwoon. It seemed unbelievable considering what little time they had spent together but love always worked in a mysterious way. Somewhere during those times helping Jongwoon conquer his fear of heights, he probably had fallen for this weird but interestingly adorable man. As soon as the truth came to light, the first thing that appeared in his mind was: should he stop helping Jongwoon climb the tower? If Jongwoon failed the challenge, he would give up on confessing to his crush, no? However, he shook his head immediately after the disgusting thought manifested. No. He liked Jongwoon's smile. A lot. So, he should help Jongwoon succeed. Or maybe he could make the man fall for him instead…? The two weren't an item yet so he should have a chance too, right? Kyuhyun's eyes lit up in determination. He looked up but found out that the pair had already walked far ahead of him. Being a man of action, he quickly dialed a certain black-haired man who caused a storm of emotions in his heart, ignoring the flashy guy who was with Jongwoon right now, and went with a direct attack.

 

 

"Jongwoon, can I pick you up tomorrow after you get off work? I miss you."

 

********************************

 

3 weeks later…

 

 

"I can't believe it! We finally made it to the last ten floors! Kyuhyun, did you hear that? We'll arrive at the last floor today!"

"...Yes, you work hard so you deserve it."

 

Kyuhyun replied quite dishearteningly. Today, they will finally ascend the highest floor of Kwangya, the sixty-ninth floor, and Jongwoon will confess to his crush. During the past weeks, he had been trying hard to win the black-haired man's heart but his attempt went nowhere. Apart from meeting at Kwangya on the weekend, he increased their chances of a meeting by picking up Jongwoon after both of their work was done and having dinner together. Sometimes, they spent leisure evenings after dinner and even slept over at each other's house. He became more honest and affectionate with Jongwoon, often telling the man how adorable he was or pinching those cheeks whenever he had a chance. Although Jongwoon always blushed beetroot-red and got flustered every time he was showered with affection, nothing changed the smaller man's mind to give up the challenge. Kyuhyun tried to look at the bright side that his dear crush didn't want to give up after everything he had done, not that he still had feelings for the mysterious crush. However, a small, insecure part of him kept poisoning his mind— what if Jongwoon confessed and the crush reciprocated?

 

"Jongwoon, you're going to confess to your crush at the rooftop today, right?"

"Yes. I've come this far so I won't turn back!"

"What if he wasn't there?"

"He's always there for me."

"What if he turned you down?"

"I doubt it unless I somehow spectacularly misread the signs…"

"What if he was a bad guy and broke your heart?"

"Impossible. He's the sweetest, kindest, and most considerate person I've ever met. A-And the most good-looking too…"

"... What if he was only interested in your body?"

"I trust him and he never betrays my trust."

"What if he couldn't make you happy?"

"Happiness is achieved by both parties working hard for it, not relying on him alone, and, truthfully, I think we did fine so far!"

"But… what if…"

 

Kyuhyun tugged the small endearing hand and made both of them stop mid-stairs. A sign with the number "65" hung exactly above their heads.

 

"What if I say that I can take care of you better than him? Make you happier?"

"K-Kyuhyun!!? D-Did you just…?"

"Yes, Jongwoon, I love you. Will you give me a chance?"

 

He waited anxiously for any reaction. Then, his heart fluttered wildly seeing those cheeks heating up rapidly. That was a good sign, right? He clasped their hands and brought them to his lips, before kissing the shorter man's left ring finger, precisely where a wedding band should be.

 

"I love you," Kyuhyun repeated again. "Won't you give up on the challenge and choose me instead?"

"Kyuhyun… I…"

 

Biting his lip in conflict, Jongwoon went quiet for a while before speaking up.

 

"I can't. I just can't do that, Kyuhyun, not when this challenge gives me so many things, precious, irreplaceable things, and,"

 

Jongwoon squeezed his hand back and looked at him with a pleading gaze.

 

"I want you to see to it with me. Climb the last four floors with me and be there at the rooftop. I promise that I'll tell you everything after that."

"Jongwoon…"

 

The black-haired man neither accepted nor turned him down, just wanting to complete the challenge. As expected, he really couldn't change Jongwoon's mind after all. Kyuhyun sighed inwardly and nodded. Then, they continued to ascend the tower together, climbing the stairs side by side while hooking their hands firmly.

.

.

.

Floor 66

 

 

"I really am in love with you, Jongwoon."

"I know."

.

.

.

Floor 67

 

 

"I'm still not sure how I fell for you. I just know that I like being with you."

"I know."

.

.

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Floor 68

 

 

"One thing that I know for sure is, I really love your smile. That's why I intend to make you happy and never make you cry."

"I know."

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.

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Floor 69…

 

 

 

 

"Kyuhyun! We did it! I did it! I successfully ascended Kwangya Tower using the glass stairs!!"

 

Upon arriving at the rooftop, Jongwoon couldn't stop talking and grinning, feeling proud of himself for completing the challenge. Kyuhyun, on the other hand, was feeling anxious and worried. Even the stunning sunset couldn't calm the storm in his heart (though he admitted that the orange hue shining on the black-haired man enhanced the man's beauty to another level). He looked around the vast open-space area, searching for the shorter man's so-called crush. Then, he saw the charming bartender and his heart dropped to the floor, seeing the other party throwing a wink at Jongwoon. However, Jongwoon only smiled and waved back, not approaching the other man. Jongwoon continued to walk closer to the glass barrier at the edge, careful not to look down at the transparent floor, one step, two steps, three steps, four steps. The smaller man then abruptly stopped and glanced up. Breathing slowly to calm his nervousness, Jongwoon averted his eyes from the orange-blue sky and turned around to face him, the breeze gently ruffling his hair. Those captivating black eyes seemed to twinkle even brighter under the sunset and Kyuhyun found his feet taking him to the crescent moon-eyed man. He stopped in front of the man and Jongwoon smiled at him.

 

"The height still frightens me but I'm not afraid to look ahead of me anymore. Plus, my feelings haven't changed at all… If anything, they grow even stronger and become more apparent. I guess that means I passed the challenge! So, it's time to confess my feelings now."

"Is your crush already here? Where?"

 

With his slightly pink cheeks matching the natural light, Jongwoon nodded joyfully.

 

"Here, right in front of me."

"Right in front…? Huh? Wait—"

 

Kyuhyun didn't have time to ponder what Jongwoon said because he was yanked forward by the collar until his lips crashed against something soft. His heart reacted even before his brain caught up with the situation, thrashing against his chest violently when the softness moved hesitantly. Before he got to return the touch, however, the sweet and warm sensation already disappeared, leaving only emptiness inside him.

 

"Jongwoon…?"

"Kyuhyun, I love you."

 

His eyes widened at the sudden confession from the man before him. Still clutching his collar with slightly shaking hands, Jongwoon stared at him in silent expectation. Those doe-liked black eyes vividly showed his image, only his, and Kyuhyun just realized that he was grinning like a fool right now.

 

"You love me too? Really? But what about your crush?"

"It's you."

"Huh?"

"My crush, the stranger whom I fell in love with at first sight, the reason why I want to conquer my acrophobia and climb the tower, the one whom I want to meet at the rooftop, everything, it has always been about you, Kyuhyun, only you."

"What—"

 

Suddenly, every meeting and interaction came back to his mind and everything made perfect sense. How come he never noticed it? Maybe he wasn't as smart as he believed. 

 

"If you have always been in love with me, then why did you turn me down in our first meeting?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Jongwoon pouted, "I don't want you to think that I fake all of that just to catch your attention. You weren't even interested in me at that time either… However, I'd be the biggest idiot if I refused your help when it's a perfect chance to win your heart. Didn't expect you to actually fall for me though, even confessing first…"

"You sly fox…"

 

Kyuhyun snorted and pulled the shorter man into his arms. He couldn't believe that he got outsmarted like this but he didn't mind it. He is willing to become a fool for Jongwoon. He thought to himself while tightening his hold around his (now) boyfriend and looked up at the sky. The almost-setting sun bathed everything in a deep-orange hue and Kyuhyun wondered why the view seemed more beautiful than ever when he saw it every weekend. His body also felt extremely light as if he could fly anywhere in the world with Jongwoon by his side as if Jongwoon was his wings; allowing him to soar up the bright sky, ascending higher until the world became a small blue marble.

 

"What should I do…?"

"Jongwoon? Are you alright?"

 

Jongwoon's voice snapped him out of his reverie and Kyuhyun realized that the smaller man was shaking in his arms. Looking around, he wondered if fear of heights finally caught up with his boyfriend. After all, they were at the highest floor of the tower with nothing but a glass panel preventing them from headbutting the earth.

 

"Is your phobia acting up? Should we go back inside the building?"

"No, it's not that, it's just…"

 

Jongwoon glanced up from his chest with rosy cheeks.

 

"... I'm so happy that my heart could fly away at any moment!"

"Hm? That won't do, right?" Kyuhyun chuckled, "I have no choice but to hold you tight then, so that you won't go anywhere and stay with me."

 

Watching those chubby cheeks turning redder made Kyuhyun's heart grow fonder. He lifted Jongwoon's chin up to meet his gaze and smirked, before slowly closing the gap between them. As if he was under a spell, Jongwoon's eyelids fluttered shut and Kyuhyun completely got rid of whatever space separated them apart.

 

 

Their lips met.

 

 

Their hearts ascended.

 

****************************************************************************

 

Author's note:

The prompt is acrophobia and I have a great time coming up with this story! Thank you for requesting this!

Wow, it's been a while since I posted here, hasn't it? Stuff happened and I struggled to get things done... Maybe I just feel burnout from everything  :") 

Anyway, thank you for always sticking with me throughout everything. Your support means a lot!

Take care and love you  <3