"Get up!" you screamed into the KiWook apartment. "The both of you, wake up and get out here, now!"
            After a long moment, Ryeowook shuffled out of his bedroom, ruffling his bedhead with one hand, covering a yawn with the other. Kibum was already up, but he was still wearing his pajamas and the side his face was plastered against the table as he sat there, half-awake.
            "You sound like a freaking drill sergeant," Ryeowook mumbled.
            "She always sounds like that."
            Ryeowook chuckled, earning a glare from you—although not quite as scary as the one you sent Kibum, who only smiled angelically at you in response.
            "What's up?" Ryeowook questioned, only partially interested, as most of his attention was diverted to pouring cereal—one of his most favorite foods—into a bowl. 
            "We're going out," you announced. "Just the three of us, like old times. We're going out, and we're gonna have fun."
            Ryeowook pouted and said through a mouthful of cereal, "Does that mean I'll have to try and look good?"
            "It won't be hard for you," you oozed, trying to get him to agree.
            "Fine," Ryeowook grumbled, chugging the remaining milk in his bowl before carelessly placing it in the sink. "Let me go shave."
            You and Kibum watched him shuffle away again, as you sat next to him in companionable silence. Finally Kibum said, "What brought all this on?"
            "Nothing," you shrugged. "You all were so stressed about that showcase, so I wanted us to do something for fun just once."
            He studied your face for a moment. Then he got up and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. Taking a swig from it, he said simply, "It's really good to see you like this. Anyway, I'll get dressed now too. You know you can just make yourself at home."
            You sat there alone for a moment, then quietly told his vanished figure, "It's because of you, you know."

~*~

            You led the way the whole time, finally stopping at one large store.
            "Really, _____? Here, of all places? This is your idea of fun?" Wookie asked, bewildered.
            "Don't be a party pooper, Wook-ah!" you protested, smacking his arm. "I told you I was going to fix up your apartment. Now it's happening, whether you like it or not!"
            "The thing is, Wook, she's going to do all the shopping while we have to do all the carrying," Kibum said, though not unhappily.
            You led them again through the store, cheerfully greeting the employees. You pointed out a couch, saying, "You realize your apartment doesn't have one, right?"
            Wook paused, looking half-amazed and half-ashamed. "She's right…"
            You shook your head internally. It seemed to you like men simply could not function on their own. Kibum and Ryeowook were lucky to have you, you figured. "Let's pick out something really nice, then!"
            "And cheap," Kibum added. "Make sure you find something cheap."
            "This one," Ryeowook chose, happily plopping down on a fuzzy white loveseat. 
            Kibum looked at it critically before moving over to a wider leather couch. "This one is better."
            You pursed your lips and tapped on the red couch you had first caught sight of. "No, no, no, you're both wrong. Your apartment looks like a bland jail cell. It needs color!"
            "_____," Kibum said patiently. "Ryeowook and I are men. And all men need leather couches."
            You frowned at him. "And I am a woman. And all women are always right. I say this couch!"
            "No, this one!"
            "No, this one!"
            "This one!"
            "This one!"
            "But this one's so fuzzy!" Ryeowook said sadly, looking at his ignored choice.
            "Um, if I could be of assistance," one saleswoman interrupted timidly. "That red one is the cheapest."
            "Aha!" you cried triumphantly. "I was right!"
            "Fine," both your friends submitted dejectedly. You grinned widely, feeling like queen of the world. "Let's get some stuff for your kitchen!"
            Ryeowook zoomed ahead excitedly, looking like a kid in Santa's workshop as he went through the aisles of kitchen decor and appliances. "Look at how cute these spatulas are! And that microwave! So shiny! Ooo! I know! Kibum and I should get matching aprons!"
            Kibum looked more than uncomfortable, so you hastily said to try and spare him, "Uh, Kibum-ah is a terrible cook. We should probably just leave him out of this."
            It took hours of convincing, but you finally persuaded Ryeowook not to buy the entire kitchen section. You and Kibum moved onto the decor section, Wookie trailing behind happily, his arms full of appliances and other kitchen "necessities".
            As Kibum and Ryeowook bickered playfully over which girl group posters they should hang up, your phone vibrated. 
            Noona, do you want to see a movie later today~?
            You glanced at your friends, watching as Ryeowook took a rolled-up poster and started slapping Kibum's . You weren't going to get out of here for a while.
I don't think I'll be able to make it on time TT.TT But I’m gonna grab some coffee in a bit~you wanna come?
            A moment later: Sure! Which coffeeshop?
            Kona, of course!
            Okay :) Where are you now? We could go together!
            You hesitated again before answering. For some reason, you didn't want to tell him you were with Kibum, but you hated the thought of a relationship built on lies even more.
            Shopping with Kibum and Ryeowook~
            An even longer moment before a reply came. Okay. See you later, then.
            Your heart felt heavy for some reason, but you tried to ignore it as you stashed your phone away and Ryeowook came bounding up to you, gleefully waving a poster in his hand. 
            "I won! We're getting a giant S.E.S. poster!"
            "So?" Kibum grumbled bitterly. "I don't like girl groups that much, anyway."
            "Now, now, Bummie," you smiled, ruffling his hair. "No need to be a poop just because you lost twice today."
            "Sometimes," Ryeowook stage-whispered, "I catch him watching music programs on his computer, staring at girl groups’ legs."
            Kibum grabbed the poster out of his hands and whacked him on the .
 

~*~

            Later, at Kona, when you were online to order, you casually told Kibum that Henry was coming to join you. He shrugged and said it was fine, telling you that he needed to do the classic warning of not breaking your heart to him anyway.

            When Henry finally arrived, you stood up from where you had been sitting with Kibum and Ryeowook and Ryeowook’s Kona friends. You greeted with him a hug, and in turn, he kissed you full on the mouth. You were blushing when you returned to your friends, but Henry looked oddly satisfied.

            “Guys, this is my boyfriend, Henry,” you introduced him, a smile on your face.

            “I know Henry,” Kyuhyun grumbled. “He’s my friend, too!”

            Ryeowook smiled triumphantly, “I told you she was taken!”

            Sungmin and Jungsu glanced sheepishly at each other while Kyuhyun remarked, “And I told you she was pretty!” He turned to you and winked, while Henry pretended to punch him in the gut.

            “Henrrrry,” Jungsu said. “That’s a weird name. Henrrrrry.”

            Sungmin didn’t even try to pronounce it in the proper way you had. “Is Henli fine?”

            “Henli’s great,” Henry said with a laugh.

            Then Jongwoon—a sunbae you had just met today, who was apparently close with Ryeowook—complained, “You invite a friend, and he’s not a girl? I’m very disappointed, _____-ssi!”

            You grinned, linking your arm through Henry’s as you said apologetically, “Mianhae, sunbae. But from what I heard from my hoobaes, I thought you had plenty of girls to choose from yourself—but it seems like that’s just a rumor.”

            Ryeowook nearly spit out his drink in laughter. Jongwoon grinned in spite of himself and said, “I like you. You’re funny.”

            Kibum stayed quiet, simply listening. It was a lot easier to talk to just two people, like you and Ryeowook, than it was keeping up in the chaos that this current conversation was becoming. But he caught the last few sentences about you, and he couldn’t help but agree. You were funny, and as your best friend, he was sincerely happy that you were finally returning to your old self. He took a deeper look at Henry, wondering to himself if being with Henry really helped you that much. Did Henry even know about him? Did he hold her and comfort her like Kibum did? Or did she really like him that much, that she could just forget him?

            Henry caught Kibum staring at him and slipped that arm that was linked with yours around your waist instead. You barely noticed as you continued to talk to the other guys, but Kibum did. Henry glared slightly at him, and Kibum raised his eyebrows in return.

            What a weirdo, Kibum thought.

            Why does he keep staring at ______ noona like that? He knows we’re dating, Henry thought.
            They were distracted from their silent battle when they heard you cheering. They both shifted their gaze towards you as you cheered,

            “Yes, please! Do your piece right now, Ryeowook. I really want to hear what it sounds like with the full band!”

            They got up, each of them grabbing their stuff, which had been stored in the back room at Kona, the room they usually practiced in.

            “You sure it’s alright with your moms if we play now?” Ryeowook asked, already setting up his keyboard.

            “They love it when we play,” Jungsu assured. “And so do their costumers.”

            Sungmin added, “Well, as long as it’s not idol music. They hate idol music.”

            “Play, play, play!” you cheered excitedly. Henry sat down, getting ready to listen, and pulled you into his lap. You turned your head             to smile at him shyly. Jongwoon looked on in jealousy, while Kibum thought to himself, Wow, maybe she really does like him that much.

                  Ryeowook and the boys began to play, much to your delight. They were really, really good—they worked well together, and when they played, they looked like they really enjoyed it. Jungsu’s saxophone sounded really smooth even in the acoustics of the coffee shop, while Sungmin was surprisingly good on the guitar—better than most guitarists you had seen. And Kyuhyun had such a lovely voice, very unique. Wookie, of course, was perfect, and you found it so hard to believe that he had composed most of this.

            Jongwoon was enjoying it as well, having studied music himself. They were really quite good, and he was disappointed they weren’t all a part of his music department at SNU. He hated when talent got wasted at other schools just because of one entrance exam.

            Henry would’ve enjoyed it too, if it weren’t for the fact that your body was pressed so tightly against him, and if Kibum would stop staring at the two of you. Henry was convinced that Kibum had feelings for you. Why else would he be staring so much?

            They finished the song, smiling proudly. Ryeowook looked especially delighted as he said, “That was perfect! If it’s that good at the showcase in two weeks, I might just die of happiness.”

            “It was really good,” you praised. “All those times I listened to you rehearse it by yourself was worth it, Wookie.”

            The customers around Kona Beans were all applauding. Jongwoon also showered them in praise, saying, “You guys should make a permanent band or something. You work so well together.”

            “Yeah, sunbae,” Henry said, trying to make up for his lack of attention earlier, “I’m sure everyone is going to be so impressed. I’m jealous I’m not part of it! Next time you should invite me!”

            Ryeowook grinned, “Then how about you play for us now?”

            Henry shook his head, “Sorry! I didn’t bring my violin.”

            “Whoa,” Jongwoon said. “Someone as young as you got invited to perform at the showcase?”

            You smiled widely, taking Henry’s hand in yours. “He’s really, really good. I’ve been watching him practice. You’ll be amazed when you see it!”

            “It’s too bad about you don’t have your violin,” Jungsu mourned. “I’m in the mood for more performances.”

            You looked sideways at Kibum. He looked back at you, knowing exactly what you were going to say. You widened your eyes, silently begging him. He sighed and got up, dusting off his pants. His monologue worked well when he thought of you, but what was he supposed to do if you found out he was using you as his “acting partner”? “I’ll do my monologue for you, then,” he said reluctantly.

            “Don’t get too excited, Bummie,” you teased.           

            “You hush,” he said. “I’m only doing this ‘cause you asked.”

            “She asked?” Henry said, bewildered. “No one said anything.”

            Kibum ignored him, took a deep breath, and began, his voice clear, loud, and emotional, “You know when I said I knew little about love? That wasn’t true.” Kibum’s smiled guiltily. “I know a lot about love. I’ve seen it, centuries and centuries of it, and it was the only thing that made this world bearable. All those wars—pain, lies, hate—it made me want to turn away and never look again.”

            Here, Kibum sighed, somehow managing to sound both exasperated and happy. “But when I see the way that mankind loves...you could search to the furthest reaches of the universe and never find anything more beautiful.”

            Kibum began to pace, as if something was bothering him deeply. “So yes, I know that love is unconditional. But I also know that it can be unpredictable, unexpected, uncontrollable, unbearable and strangely easy to mistake for loathing, and...” He had sped up, but now he slowed down, saying these words slowly, as if he were pouring his heart into every word, “What I’m trying to say is...I think I love you. Is this love? I never imagined I'd know it for myself.”

            Kibum took deep breaths, as if to steady himself. “My heart...it feels like my chest can barely contain it. Like it’s trying to escape, because it doesn't belong to me any more. It belongs to you. And if you wanted it, I’d wish for nothing in exchange.

            He looked out at the audience hope and fear shining in his eyes. “No gifts. No goods. No demonstrations of devotion. Nothing but knowing you loved me, too. Just your heart, in exchange for mine.” He finished, and stepped back, folding his hands behind his back. As he bowed slightly, his heart was racing and thoughts were moving through his head just as quickly. It wasn’t just that post-performance rush, either. This feeling was totally unfamiliar to him—his breathing was uneven, his palms were all sweaty, and the room felt a thousand times hotter. He didn’t understand…maybe it’s because it was the first time you were watching his “confession”? But it didn’t matter to him that you were listening. It didn’t matter at all. No matter how he tried to explain it to himself, he couldn’t shake the feeling of anxiety from his heart—he had poured so much of his own emotion to his performance, that it had felt so real, like he had just made an honest confession to the girl he loved. The emotions that twisted through his body felt too real to handle, especially since it was you he had been thinking of.

            No one noticed his anxiety. Everyone—you, the boys, the people crowding Kona Beans—was shocked into silence by his moving performance. Even Henry had nothing to say. You were the first to react—you got up and hugged him tightly, whispering in his ear, “That was so good. I’m so proud of you.”

            He hugged you back. “Thanks. I figured, if you could become the person you were before all this, then I could, too.”

            You felt yourself tear up. You hid your face in his chest. “I’m really, completely, inexplicably proud of you.”

            Henry could only watch, the jealousy written clearly all over his face. Ryeowook noticed and said, “Don’t mind it, Henli. They’re like brother and sister. You just met _____ recently, so you wouldn’t know, but they’ve been through a lot together.”

            Henry tried to calm down, especially when you let go of Kibum and came back to sit with him. The others got up to praise Kibum on his acting, telling him how genuinely impressed and touched they were by his performances. One Kona beans clerk with flopping platinum blonde hair went up to Kibum.

            “Whoa! That was awesome,” he enthused. Kibum smiled gratefully at the stranger, accepting his handshake and starting a conversation with him.

            You watched, smiling fondly as even random strangers complimented your best friend’s acting. After a while, you noticed Henry hadn’t been saying anything. You looked at him, noticing that he seemed upset. You wanted to see those cute dimples come back to his cheeks, so you asked, putting on some aegyo and patting him with your fists, pouting, “Waegeurae, Henli? Are you okay?”

            “Yeah, I’m great,” he muttered.

            You were surprised. This wasn’t like Henry at all. “Are you sure? Something’s definitely bothering you. What’s wrong?”

            He looked at you seriously, mulling something over in his head. Finally, he sighed and got up to leave. “I’ll let you figure that one out for youself,” he told you before walking out.

            “Hey, where did Henry go?” Kibum asked, returning to your side.

A/N: Omg this is so long. I started out with like 900 words and was going to publish it like that but then I added over 2,000 more LOL Anyway, first I have to disclaim that monologue. That’s from my favorite movie, Stardust; I did not write that beautiful monologue. Let’s just pretend Kibum recited it in Korean XD Ryeowook really does love cereal. Once he drank expired milk while eating cereal and didn’t notice XD And a lot happened in this chapter, although not as much as the last one. There was a lot more subtle stuff in the last one than this one. This one is clearly about A) the fact that you’re acting more like yourself and B) Henry’s jealousy. I think you’ve healed pretty well, huh? Not one single thought of him in this chapter. No scary flashbacks. Did you notice how in the beginning, you said to yourself that it was thanks to Kibum that you were better, but the entire chapter, he thinks it’s because of Henry? Awkward. Plus, it seems like Kibum’s got a lot of feelings to sort out. :OOO Anyway, please subscribe and comment~~~! Your comments light up my day like Kibum’s smile does ;DDD

P.S. Anyone watching “I Love Italy”? I’m on like the third episode or so~~~Kibum’s such a good actor *sobs* he needs more recognition. He’s a natural and he’s sooooo dedicated. Have you seen the article saying how he’s always uber-prepared for filming and hasn’t NG-ed once because of lines? SO PROUD OF HIM.

Btw, I wrote a TeukSo oneshot~~~if you, want read it here: http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/234966/because-of-a-kiss-leeteuk-romance-superjunior-kangsora-teukso-jungsu Actually don't read it yet hehehe. Read it tomorrow, after I edit it ^^;;