I shot an arrow into the air
It fell to the earth, I knew not where;
For so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to the earth, I knew not where;
For, who has sight so keen and strong
That it can follow the flight of song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend.

-          Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Sooyoung looked up from the poem she was reading; her eyes landing on the Literature teacher seated on the sofa. His body was spread over the length of the sofa with his back resting against the arm rest. One of his hands held a red pen, his forehead was etched in concentration but at the same time he managed to look so peaceful… considering that he was checking test papers. It still surprised her how she and Kyuhyun managed to have a friend like him, who constantly went out of his way when they needed anything. But it didn’t mean that Kyuhyun was still his favourite class. He remained fair to all his students.

“And the song, from beginning to end, I found again in the heart of a friend.” She found herself mumbling her favourite lines from the piece she just read.

Leeteuk looked up from the papers he was checking, smiling softly at the woman perched on one of the two beds in the apartment. “Did you like it?”

“Since when did I not like anything you made me read?” The brunette rolled her eyes good naturedly. “What did Kyuhyun oppa get?”

He skimmed through the papers he was through checking, raising her boyfriend’s paper up for her to see. “He got perfect.”

Sooyoung grinned proudly in reply. It was a Saturday and Kyuhyun was out working in the café again. An aced exam is the perfect way to greet him when he got home. “Awesome.”

His legs swung off the sofa, landing on the floor above his slippers; Leeteuk putting the test papers and his pen on the coffee table. “I’ve been wanting to ask you something.”

“What is it, oppa?” A questioning look crossed her beautiful face.

“I was wondering if you’d say yes if I offer you a job.”

She blinked. “What job?”

“Teaching assistant.”

“Whose teaching assistant?”

Leeteuk rolled his eyes. “Mine, of course.”

                Sooyoung looked completely and honestly shocked with his offer but her face soon changed into an expression that Leeteuk knew all too well. A sigh escaped his lips as he got up from the sofa and made his way to her bed, watching as tears slowly began to brim in her eyes. He climbed onto the bed, settling himself beside her. Taking her face in his hands, his thumbs quickly wiped the tears that had leaked from her eyes.

“Soo… You really should stop looking down at yourself.”

The brunette sniffed, shaking her head even if it was in his grasp. “Oppa, how am I going to help you when I’m paralyzed? I’m just going to be a burden to you instead.”

“Did you really think that I’d make you do things that are hard for you to do?” Leeteuk made a face at her, sighing once more when she mumbled an apology. “You can help me check papers, make lesson plans, pick the readings… Sooyoung, this is your chance. I know you want to be a Literature teacher and I know that you don’t want to depend on Kyu forever. This is your chance to help him and be whoever you want to be.”

“How will I even go there?” She asked; her shoulder sagging seemingly in the weight of her uncertainties.

“That’s easy. I can pick you and Kyu up every day and bring you home after school.” His face brightened as an idea dawned up him. “Think about it this way… At least you get to see how Kyu is in class… and you get to boss him around too.”

It did the trick. A feeling of relief washed over him as Sooyoung laughed freely. He knew just by the look on her face that she was going to accept his offer. “Oh, oppa… What did Cho and I do to deserve you?”

“Trust me… I’ve learned far more from the two of you.” He fell silent as the doorbell echoed throughout the apartment. “I’m sure that’s Hankyung.”

Sooyoung glanced at her wristwatch. “He’s an hour and a half late than usual…”

“I sent him on a grocery run.” The dark haired man answered the unspoken question. “We need to celebrate Kyu’s yet another perfect exam and your new job.”

She arched an eyebrow. “How were you so sure I was going to say yes?”

Leeteuk winked at him, hopping off her bed to answer the door. “Call it the-closest-thing-you-have-to-a-brother vibes.”

“You’re not having therapy today, Soo.” Hankyung grinned at her as he entered with numerous grocery bags in his hands before sending a pointed look towards the other man in the room. “Next time you’re going to ask me to buy this much, buy on your own… and you are banned for anything and everything that has fire, hyung.”

The older of the two men pouted before heading out to get the remaining grocery bags left outside. “You said what I cooked last time was meant to be barbecued.”

Hankyung made a face as he headed for the kitchen, settling his groceries on the counter. “It was supposed to be edible too, you know.”

Sooyoung laughed at their banter. “What are we going to cook?”

“Uhh…” The Chinese native fished out his grocery list from his pocket. “Creamy Salmon, Zucchini and Herb Pasta, Thai Beef Salad, Chicken Rice Paper Rolls, Sri Lankan Fish Curry, Chinese Omelette, Moussaka, Potato and Leek Soup, Meat Pies with Homemade Ketchup, Peach Blossom Cake, and Strawberry Muffins.”

“Wow. Are you guys feeding an army?” She let out a low whistle. “And everything you said doesn’t… sound Korean.”

“Blame the genius out there. He really checked the Master Chef Australia website just to find anything he likes.” Hankyung nodded toward the direction Leeteuk had disappeared to as he began unpacking the groceries. “And I have the same question too… since, apparently, I’m the only one cooking.”

“I told Kyu to invite his friends in the café over for dinner.” Leeteuk said casually as he came back into the apartment loaded with plastic bags.

Hankyung’s eyes went wide. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?! I could’ve gotten back here much faster.”

His shoulders lifted in a shrug. “I forgot.”

“You’re getting old, hyung.”

“Just be thankful that Kyu wouldn’t be home for another couple of hours.”

Sooyoung bit her lower lip hesitantly as she watched the two men get everything ready. “Can I help?”

                The two men exchanged a look; Hankyung the first to move, heading over to her bed to pick her up in his arms. Bringing her to the dining area, he settled her on one of the chairs before he and Leeteuk began filling the table with various kitchen utensils, vegetables and everything else that needed to be cut, sifted and mixed. She sent the two a beaming, grateful smile, happy that she got to do something else instead of watch.

“You should be a chef instead of a therapist, oppa.” Sooyoung mumbled as Hankyung carefully handed her a knife and a chopping board.

“I can be both.” He smiled at her. “Besides, if I wasn’t a therapist… I wouldn’t have met you and Kyuhyun.”

Looking at the both men who were taking care of her and her boyfriend, Sooyoung knew she couldn’t get any luckier.

o-o-o-o-o

                Kyuhyun entered the apartment with Sunny, Changmin, Yoona, Shindong, Victoria, Eunhyuk and Hyoyeon right behind him; the delicious aroma welcoming all of them instantly. He could see that the dining table was piled with mouth-watering dishes and refreshing drinks. Hankyung was in the midst of bringing out numerous plates, glasses, chopsticks and spoons from the cabinets while Leeteuk and Sooyoung were fussing over what seemed like test papers. He knew at that moment that she accepted the offer to teach.

“Oppa!” Sooyoung’s face visibly brightened at the sight of him.

“UNNIE!!” Yoona squealed, running past everyone with Sunny hot on her heels before Kyuhyun could say anything. She hopped onto the brunette’s bed and hugged her tightly. “I missed you! I haven’t seen you in a while!”

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes. “There goes my hugging priority as boyfriend…”

“Hugging priority?” Shindong repeated as he stepped inside, chuckling. “Since when was there a rule that boyfriends should hug their girlfriends first before her friends?”

“Look at them.” He gestured over to Victoria, who was heading Hankyung’s way to kiss her boyfriend on the cheek. “It should be like that.”

Eunhyuk snickered. “Hankyung hyung, Kyubaby is jealous of you.”

A grumbling stomach made itself heard; Changmin soon smiling sheepishly. “What can I say… I’m a growing boy.”

Kyuhyun snorted. “You’re too tall to be a boy.”

“Children, that’s enough.” Leeteuk spoke before anyone else could. “Let’s eat?”

“You got perfect in your test, oppa.” Sooyoung grinned as her boyfriend approached her bed while everyone else trooped to the dining area.

“And you got a new job.” He grinned back at her, sitting down by her side for the meantime. “I can’t believe hyung at times…”

She nodded in agreement; her eyes flickering towards the group busy getting food. “I guess we’re just lucky when it comes to having friends.”

“Of course, we are.” Kyuhyun stood up; his arms soon wrapping around her slender body to lift her off the bed. “I’m lucky we became friends back then.”

“We’re lucky.” The brunette amended, lifting her head up just a fraction to kiss him.

“GET A ROOM!”

Yep, they were lucky to have friends like them.