Siwon disembarked from the aircraft as soon as he could. That meant pushing his way to the front as soon as the thing landed and doors opened. He apologized for his rude behavior but really, can anyone blame a man in love? 

Kyuhyun used to come to the airport to welcome him when he first started this weekly commute. But now that he’s a seasoned traveler (Kyu’s words, not his), Kyuhyun trust his ability to get himself into the town and to his apartment without aid. 

Poor Siwon. That simply means a total loss of 3 hours private time with Kyuhyun. And that explains his haste in getting off the plane and dashing madly back to the apartment where Kyuhyun will be waiting for him. 

Or not. 

Siwon unlocked the door and stepped into the tiny alcove eagerly announcing his arrival. Then his face fell. 

“Who are you?” 

For lounging on the floor of Kyuhyun’s tiny sitting room/dining room/bedroom was a strange man. 

“@#$%^&*#” The stranger jumped to his feet immediately and started spouting Japanese. His eyes are wide open with surprise and embarrassment. 

Siwon took stock of the fellow before him. Short as a turnip (OK, that’s Siwon’s personal unfair bias), well worked out body, a shock of caramel hair, and the face, good grief, an exact copy of a manga tragic prince. 

More importantly, what is such a looker doing in his baby’s home? 

“What?” Siwon responded in his native tongue. 

“Oh, a Korean.” The stranger smiled with relief. “Hi, I’m Donghae. I’m Korean too!” 

“What are you doing in my house?” Siwon demanded brashly.

“Your house?” Donghae asked in surprise. 

OK, so Siwon isn’t big on technicalities either. 

“Yeah.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry….but I thought….” Donghae stammered. 

“Siwon-sshi!” Siwon pivoted at the familiar voice calling his name. His face lifted to mirror Kyuhyun’s as the latter enters the tiny apartment. Behind him followed another stranger.

What is this? Strangers Open House Day? 

Siwon can’t help feeling upset. He has so limited time with his baby and these yahoos are intruding on them. 

“Kyu!” Donghae called out with a level of familiarity Siwon finds unacceptable. “Minnie hyung!”

“Hey Hae.” The man behind Kyuhyun responded.

“Siwon-sshi, meet Donghae, and Sungmin.” Kyuhyun proceeded with the introductions. “Hae hyung, Minnie hyung, this is Siwon-sshi. The person I was telling you about.” 

What? Wait a second, what has Kyuhyun been saying about me to these strange people? 

Siwon secretly fumed while the other two appraised him openly. 

“Hello.”

“Erm, hi!” 

“Yes, I’m Choi Siwon. Nice to meet you.” 

Siwon scrutinized Sungmin with a critical eye. The small built man came with a very delicately chiseled face, almost womanly. His demeanor speaks of quiet obedience. But something dangerous lurks in his finely winged eyes that send shivers down anyone’s spine. 

“I found Hae hyung and Minnie hyung at the community center. Minnie hyung teaches judo, and Hae hyung teaches modern dance.” Kyuhyun chattered excitedly as he moves to the kitchen to put together some tea things for his guests. Siwon moved forward to help him as an effort to reclaim his territory here.  

The ye old ‘You guest, me host and owner of this land. Back off!’ tradition. Sungmin and Donghae seem to have caught on and sit down quietly. 

“I was so happy to find fellow Koreans here!” Kyuhyun said to Siwon. “I missed hearing and speaking our language. And Minnie hyung here is a great cook, he made so many of our traditional dishes for me!” 

Siwon can’t help feeling a stab of jealousy as he studies the pure joy radiating on Kyuhyun’s face. That kind of joy used to only radiate for him alone, and caused by him alone. But now…. 

“ ~ so I invited them over today so we can meet!” Kyuhyun natters on as Siwon carries the full tray to the low table. 

The casual conversation that followed would have been real awkward if Siwon continued to scowl. But he did not have a heart to continue after he caught the worried look on Kyuhyun’s face. He reverted to businessman cheer mode and became the life of the party. 

Donghae is the naive child. Sensing the animosity gone from Siwon’s demeanor, he quickly loosened up and was making everyone laugh with his innocent questions and reactions. Sungmin is made of darker stuff. Although he responded accordingly, he refused to accept Siwon’s false cheer. A man of few words, his attention entirely focused on his Kyuhyun (which Siwon finds offensive as time went by).

At last it’s time to leave, Kyuhyun walked his guests to the bus stop while Siwon cleared the dirty crockery. When Kyuhyun returned, Siwon was just putting away the last teacup. 

“What would you like for dinner, Siwon-sshi?” 

You. Siwon thought instantly. Holy Shisus, what did I just say!? Siwon is stunned by his vicious thought. He’s sure it’s the residue anger he was feeling.  

Putting a smile on his face hurriedly, “Shall we call for take-out?” he asked. 

“Oh no, I wanted to cook you dinner.” Kyuhyun smiled. “I learnt a couple of new recipes at the community center.” 

“OK. And I’ll help.” 

Kyuhyun’s face suddenly became grave as he steps before Siwon and held his arms. Pinning his dark brown eyes on Siwon’s face, he stares with a trace of tenderness. 

“Are you feeling ok, Siwon-sshi?” 

Siwon was completely swept off his feet by how angelic Kyuhyun looked in this moment. Yet the undertones of his question made him uneasy. He squirmed in silence. 

“You know that Donghae and Sungmin are just friends.” Kyuhyun continues.  

And so are we. Siwon thought with a grimace. 

“I’m sorry if they made you uncomfortable.” Kyuhyun apologized. “Maybe this get-together is a mistake. But I really wanted them to meet you ~”  

Siwon’s heart slammed into his chest as he realized what a monster he was. Timidly, he placed his hand on the smaller man’s cheek and the soft smooth surface lightly with the pad of his thumb.

“I’m so sorry for losing my cool.” Siwon whispers. “It’s not that I don’t like them. I do, they are great fellas. I’m just being selfish. Our time together is so limited, so precious, I just felt they are taking it all up. It’s childish of me.” 

Siwon is relieved to see that he has finally managed to make Kyuhyun smile again. 

Unfortunately for him, that meant Donghae and Sungmin became permanent fixtures during almost every one of Siwon’s visit. 

“Beauty is either an airhead or he’s testing you.” Heechul deduced wisely.

“Another test?” Siwon sighed tiredly. 

“Or he’s hinting at you.” Hyukjae offers with a deadpan expression. 

“Hint?” Siwon and Heechul uttered together in surprise. 

“Yes, like ‘See, those are friends. You and me, we are not’. That sorta thing.”

Silence in the room as all 3 of them consider the possibility. 

“You Hyukkie, are a genius!” Heechul declared with a delighted clap and the said smart guy grinned. “And you, big dumb horsey, better get your gear in shape!”

 @ 

Siwon sat on the edge of the swimming pool with his legs dangling in the water. He watched Kyuhyun and Donghae splashing water at each other a distance away. His mind is wandering, it has been since Hyukjae’s remark back in Korea.  

Someone swam up next to him but remained silent. He took a tentative look and saw that it’s Sungmin and presently the man’s eyes are also locked on the same target as his own. 

“Kyu said you two are just friends.” Sungmin spoke up with a sneer on his beautifully curved lips.  

Siwon felt a painful stab in his chest but he remained silent, eyes fixed on Kyuhyun. He his lips absently as he studies the small man’s physique which is clearly shown under the wet and clingy sleeveless tee he is wearing now. Every curve, every dip, and oh, how his pale skin glowed like a luminous pearl under the sun! 

“But I know you are not considering him as just a friend. Kyu maybe, but not you.” Sungmin continued languidly. 

“And just what’s it to you anyways?” Siwon asks brashly. His tolerance is frankly severely lacking for the man with the ugly smirk. 

“Oh, I am just checking out the enemy.” Sungmin replied with a secretive smile. His steely eyes tried to stare Siwon down. The taller man startled inwardly but refuses to back down. “And it’s not just for me. Hae is like a little brother to me and he’s just as interested in Kyu.” 

Siwon’s eyes shot back to where the two men were playing in the water. Donghae has managed to jump onto Kyuhyun’s back and wrap his arms around like a koala bear as Kyuhyun tries to shake him off. 

“We are just friends, we all start on equal footing.” Sungmin said with another short bark of laughter before swimming away. 

Siwon stay frozen on the spot. His heart is beating so wildly he is sure he is heading for a heart attack. The green monster that he has been barely holding at bay grew into a monstrous red one. All the things that he had feared and had kept him awake every single night is finally appearing. No amount of optimism is going to wish this away. A sudden surge of white hot anger made him wanted to wrap his hands around something and break it. 

Everything else after that was a blur. Siwon moved along with a numbed mind, allowing Kyuhyun to pull him along, ignoring Donghae’s concerned looks and Sungmin’s knowing sneers. It was almost a relief to finally reached Kyuhyun’s apartment again.  

“You look pale, Siwon-sshi. Are you feeling ok? After you suffering from heatstroke?” Kyuhyun asks frowning with concern. 

Siwon shook his head absently. 

“I’ll make you some tea and honey.” Kyuhyun offers as he busied himself in the kitchen area. “Minnie hyung said this is a good remedy ~” 

“Why won’t you call me ‘hyung’ too?” Siwon demands shortly. Kyuhyun pivoted and look at him funny.

“We are always just ‘friends’, aren’t we?” Siwon’s anger is slowly creeping up his body. 

“We ~” Words caught in Kyuhyun’s throat as Siwon shot up from his seat and within two long strides managed to pin him to the edge of the kitchen counter. “Si ~” 

“Quiet!” Siwon roared and the man under him mewled frozen in fear. Looking momentarily into the wide opened brown orbs, he pushed forward in one fluid moment crashing his lips against Kyuhyun’s. The other’s cold lips warmed up and melted into his with little effort.  

“…..!!!!!!” Kyuhyun screamed into his abuser’s mouth and struggled with all the strength he could muster. Siwon wrapped his strong arms around the squirming body and squeezed tight effectively immobilizing him so their lips will stay connected.  

Feeling a little bolder, Siwon slides further down, planting tiny pecks on the beautiful jawline, and onto the softness of the neck, and nipping. Painful yelps escaped Kyuhyun’s mouth but he is still held too tight to move his arms. 

“AHHH!!!!” Kyuhyun shrieked unexpectedly when Siwon bit into the base of his neck where the shoulder met, on the soft skin till a nice bruise formed. 

“You are mine! You hear me! Mine alone!” Siwon breathes huskily into Kyuhyun’s ear before biting down on his soft pliable lobe.  

Kyuhyun is crying silently by now. He has given up struggling, helplessness and pain overcoming him.  

Siwon left in the middle of the night. He probably planned to spend the remaining hours before his flight back to Korea at the airport. But Kyuhyun is past caring. 

Left alone and sprawled on the floor like a broken puppet when Siwon fled, Kyuhyun finally found the strength and will to pull his knees to his chest and assume the self-protective fetal position. His lower spine hurts, his back hurts, the areas where Siwon had griped too tightly hurt and are bruising, but more importantly, his heart hurts; it hurts so much that he is sure he’s going to die. 

The only saving grace was Siwon’s tears as he was him. Large droplets fell on his heavily bruised chest as the taller man slammed into him repeatedly with blunt brutality.

Siwon…..why…. 

Tears welled up in his eyes as he caught sight of the broken jar of honey lying not too far from him. He reached for a jagged piece of glass just within his fingers’ reach.