Whirr… whirr… whirr…

Kyuhyun stood by the massive printer, waiting patiently as it churned out page after page. He was in the university library, and it was all quiet around him – students were cramming for their final exams. The only sounds were the constant flipping of pages and the occasional scratchy sounds of a pen on paper. Oh, and the printer in front of him.

More than once, students seated near him would glance up in annoyance as the printer beeped to signal it was out of paper or out of ink, but Kyuhyun ignored them. He’d graduated last year, but his girlfriend was still in her final year, so he often hung out with her on campus.

Checking his watch, he silently willed the printer to work faster. It was one o’clock, but he knew his girlfriend’s exam would end in two hours. There was still plenty of work to be done, and he wanted to be sure he would be all done and ready when she was.

Finally, the printer spat out its last sheet, and Kyuhyun felt like punching the air in triumph. Catching sight of the librarian’s stern look, he sheepishly lowered his arm and looked around. Spotting one empty seat at the far corner, he quickly rushed to it.

Spreading the papers out in front of him, Kyuhyun sorted through them meticulously. He smiled at some of them; they brought back such tender memories for him. Once he had the papers in proper order, he peered into his backpack and mentally went through a list: Scissors check. Tape, check. Papers, check. Camera, check. Flower, check. Velvet box, check.

Satisfied that all was in order, he made his way down the stairs, out of the library. Along the busy hallway, he was relieved that the special spot he’d chosen was fairly deserted, no doubt because all the students were either in exam halls or mugging in the classrooms. Once the exams ended, all hell would break loose since this hallway was the only one that led to the student cafeteria.

Kyuhyun suddenly felt nervous as he studied the brick wall, devoid of any posters or markings. Would she be happy or embarrassed, he wondered. Realizing that it was probably too late to think of a back-up plan, he hankered down to work.

Carefully, he took the folder of printouts out of his bag, then lay it down on the floor. Next came the scissors and the heavy-duty tape. Humming a song softly, he set about cutting tiny strips of tape and sticking them on his arm and his shirt.

Once he’d run of real estate on his body, he took the first piece of paper out of the folder and stuck it to the wall. He took several steps backwards to check that it was straight, and when he was appeased by its position, he continued sticking up the rest of the papers he had printed.

“Kyuhyun!” He turned as he heard his name being called. Leeteuk, one of his friends, was coming towards him, camera in hand.

“Hyung!” Kyuhyun greeted. “What’s that camera for?”

Leeteuk smiled mysteriously. “A little project I’m working on.”

“Come on, hyung. Share with me! Don’t be so mysterious.”

Leeteuk shook his head. “It’s a surprise.” The older man glanced around and noticed the pieces of paper stuck to the wall. “What’s all this?”

Kyuhyun grinned. “Do you like it? It’s a collage I just stuck up.”

“Why is it all pink?” Leeteuk scrunched his nose. Pink wasn’t exactly his favorite color.

“Hyung!” Kyuhyun smacked him lightly on the upper arm for that comment. “Pink is my girlfriend’s favorite color, that’s why.”

“This is for her?” Leeteuk peered more closely at the collage, realizing for the first time that the paper contained pictures of Kyuhyun and his girlfriend.

Exasperated, Kyuhyun sighed. “Yes hyung, who else would I create a giant heart for?”

Surprised, Leeteuk took several steps back. True enough, there in the middle of the entire collage, was a giant pink heart, made up of several different pictures.

“Wow, Kyu! This is incredible!” Leeteuk gushed.

Kyuhyun puffed his chest out in pride. “Aren’t I creative?”

Leeteuk patted his head affectionately. “Yes, yes. You are. But what’s the occasion?”

Smirking, Kyuhyun echoed his earlier words: “A little project I’m working on.”

Leeteuk smiled in understanding, each knowing what the other man was planning. “In that case Kyu, would you let me take a picture of the collage?”

“Sure!” Kyuhyun posed in front of his handiwork, all ready for the camera.

“Without you in it,” Leeteuk deadpanned.

“Aww!” Kyuhyun pouted, but stepped aside nonetheless. When Leeteuk was done, and they had said their goodbyes, Kyuhyun checked his watch. Ten minutes to go.

Taking a deep breath, he focused his attention on a particular door, and waited.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

“That was the worst final of my life!” Your best friend whined. “I’m doomed, I’m screwed, and I’m going to spend the rest of my life as a janitor because I can’t get any other decent job!”

Grinning, you said nothing. She always had a flair for the dramatics, and you’d learnt early on just to keep silent when she was mid-tirade.

“Hey, do you wanna grab a bite?” she suddenly asked, the recent exam all but forgotten.

“Sure, I’m starving!” You agreed. Grabbing your bags, both of you wave to your classmates and head out towards the cafeteria.  

Along the way, you notice people ahead of you taking multiple glances at a particular wall. Wondering what’s so special about it, you too, take a second look, only to gasp in surprise.

Standing in front of a brick wall plastered from top to bottom with pink pictures is Kyuhyun, smiling at you with a rose in his hand.

“Oppa!” You shout happily. He didn’t tell you he was going to be waiting for you to finish your exam, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Catching you in his arms, Kyuhyun places a chaste kiss on your lips. “How was your exam?”

“It was alright,” you tell him. “But I don’t care, cos my life at university is O-V-E-R!”

Kyuhyun laughs at your enthusiasm. “But oppa, what’s all this?” You ask him, taking a closer look at the wall behind him. “Omo, are all these pictures of me?”

“Pictures of us,” he corrects softly. “What else do you see?”

“Erm…” you trail off, scrutinizing each picture carefully. “I see me getting ketchup on my face cos you smeared it on me!” You point at a particular photo, laughing at the memory.

“Anything else?” Kyuhyun sounds a little disappointed, so you look up at him in surprise.

“Erm… not really?”

With his arms still around you, he drags you a few feet away from the wall. Students are rushing past in front of you, occasionally blocking your view. Then suddenly, you see it and gasp loudly. “Is that a-“

Before you can complete your sentence, Kyuhyun has kissed you, robbing you of any breath. “Yes it is,” he whispers against your lips.

“And do you know what it means?” He asked, equally softly.

“That you love me?”

“That’s part of it, princess. But this heart also means that you’re a part of my heart. And I want you to remain there forever.”

“Oh Kyu,” you sigh at his words. “Of course I will.”

“So does this mean you’re saying yes?”

“What?” Now you’re confused. What did you just agree to?

“You just agreed to marry me!” Kyuhyun announced.

“I didn’t!” You protested. “Pabo, you didn’t even ASK me to marry me, how could I agree?”

Kyuhyun glares at you for calling him a fool, but then he suddenly goes down on one knee. “I’m going to ask now, so pay close attention alright?”

You merely nod, already feeling the tears gathering in your eyes. “I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” Kyuhyun tells you earnestly. “Will you remain in my heart forever? Will you marry me?”

A box has somehow appeared in his hands, and he’s cradling it like a precious treasure. Nestled among the velvet is a brilliant diamond ring, and with shaking hands, you reach for it. You pluck the ring out of the box, and present it to Kyuhyun.

“If you put this ring on me, I’ll say yes,” you tell him.

“Yah!” he shouts disgruntledly. “You’re supposed to say yes first!”

Laughing through the tears streaming down your face, you merely shrug. “Take it or leave it!”

Rising to his feet, Kyuhyun mutters a curse as he places the ring on your forth finger. Just as the ring reaches the end of your finger, you whisper back to him: “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Kyuhyun doesn’t say anything as he lifts you up into his arms, but no more words are needed as both of you seal your promises to each other with a kiss.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *