Chapter six – “I used to think that I can manage this alone”

[2044 words – 2012.09.26]

        “Getting our pictures taken when we were drenched is a rare case, no?” Myungsoo was still talking about it even when they reached the dorm. It seriously pissed Sunggyu off as it was such an embarrassing day for him. He had to release his frustration by showering Myungsoo with his fists and the visual turned out to enjoy it, since he said that it was cute.

        They were lucky since there were some spare shirts on the company, which explained why they could go home with dry clothes.

        “I guess this will be the most memorable story for you,” Sunggyu said, rolling his eyes.

        Myungsoo laughed again as he entered the dorm, eyeing Sungyeol and Sungjong who were sprawling on the floor, watching the TV. “Hyung, Hyoan hyung bought us chickens! Your shares are in the kitchen!” Sungjong told them with an excited tone even when he was still lazing around on the floor. It’s rare for the manager to let them eat junk foods, of course they would be excited.

        “I ate one of Myungsoo’s  shares though,” Sungyeol said, sticking his tongue out at Myungsoo who was groaning in dislike.

        “I should eat now before Howon or Woohyun eat mine,” Sunggyu skipped to the kitchen, leaving Myungsoo to deal with the choding as he could even hear Sungyeol’s high pitched scream from the kitchen. But he forgot about them as soon as he saw the chicken boxes on the table, his favorite.

        Sunggyu took two of the box with his and Myungsoo’s names on them before showing them into the microwave, heating them.

        “Mine too, hyung,” Sunggyu jumped in surprise as Howon suddenly came into the kitchen, pushing his chicken box towards Sunggyu who finally shoved the box with his anhd Myungsoo’s right away, turning on the microwave.

        Howon mouthed a thanks before he stood next to Sunggyu and watched as the chickens were being heated. Sunggyu leaned to the counter and crossed his arms, mentally fighting with his own thought on whether he should ask or not, and finally he did.

        “You told Woohyun about me?” he started, coughing a bit as his voice cracked.

        Howon laughed a bit before he nodded, looking at Sunggyu. “Well, I got a feeling that you might need someone to rely on. And I thought that you trust Woohyun the most?” he said, raising an eyebrow.It didn’t fail to send a pang of guilt to Sunggyu. Howon’s right, he should have trusted Woohyun the most and yet he kept him in the dark.

        “Thanks… I used to think that I can manage this alone.”

        “So now you’ve realized that you can’t? Good. Why don’t you tell the others as well?” he suggested.

        Sunggyu frowned at the thought of having those pitiful looks from his other dongsaengs, and he just shook his head at the sign that it was not a good idea. “Anyway, you were with me back then before I passed out right?” Sunggyu tilted his head and see Howon’s reluctant nods, a sign for him to continue. “Can you tell me what happened? Err… woohyun kinda mentioned about the kiss, but I don’t know.”

        Howon stayed silent for a moment before he spoke up again. “So you forget what happened before you passed out except for the kiss and now you’re wondering who is the kisser?” Howon asked as he managed to sum it up. “Don’t ask me,” he said right away before Sunggyu could even respond.

        Sunggyu sighed, wasn’t sure if he could persuade the dancer to tell him or not, but he had to know anyway, so he wouldn’t feel guilty to whoever he kissed back then. “Okay, can you at least answer this question?” he asked again, taking a deep breath as Howon nodded.

        “Was it you?”

        The atmosphere was tensed for a moment after Sunggyu asked that. There was only the sound of the microwave that told them that the chicken was ready, and Sunggyu had to curse himself for killing the mood. “Well, the chicken is ready,” Sunggyu broke the silence with his akward laugh, moving to his side to get the chicken.

        And that’s when he felt a grip on his arm, forcing him to shift his look back to Howon. “I can’t tell you anything, but I can show you,” he said before he pulled Sunggyu closer, making the leader stumbled and bumped his body on Howon’s, confusedly looking at his face.

        “What—“ The question he was about to ask was immediately evaporated into the air as Howon suddenly put his hand behind Sunggyu’s head and leaned forward. Sunggyu was sure that he was about to explode with whatever emotions he had at that moment when Howon pressed their lips together.

        The kiss was rather rougher compared to the one he remembered, how Howon would move his lips against his and moved his hand down to squeeze his waist. It was like Howon was telling him to think, and Sunggyu did, until he was sure that this was a different kiss.

        It was when Sunggyu put his palm on Howon’s chest that the dancer moved away, breaking the kiss, the kiss that lasted