Written by: lahdeedah000

For: midnight

Prompt: Super Junior M's "Destiny"

A/N: So, uh, this is my first time writing a one-shot, don't kill me. >.<  I also apologize for any typos...  /hides

~*~*~

Yesung had been happily snuggling his pillow off in dream land, when an obnoxious, yet unfortunately familiar, beeping penetrated his subconsciousness. He fought his own body for as long as he could, trying to hold onto his dream, before giving up with a groan.

Yesung to his back, reluctantly opening his eyes and throwing his blankets off himself, stumbling to his feet. He didn’t even bother checking the clock, just padded out of the room while yawning. This routine was only too familiar.

Yesung didn’t even hesitate or stop to knock as he pushed open the door to another bedroom, quickly locating the source of the noise. He switched off the alarm clock with an annoyed twitch of the eyebrow, before making his way to the bed.

“Kyuhyun-ah, how many times do I have to tell you—”

Yesung stopped abruptly when he realized no one was on the bed. Huh. This was new. He blinked couple of times, not quite processing the situation since his mind wasn’t fully awake yet. If Kyuhyun wasn’t asleep in his bed, where was he?

All of the Super Junior members had crazy irregular schedules, and all of them relied heavily on the use of alarm clocks to wake up for whatever schedule they had next. Yesung, however, was probably the lightest sleeper on planet earth, and the incessant ringing of any alarm clock anywhere in the dorm was sure to wake him. One particular member, however, never seemed to be able wake up from an alarm clock alone, instead requiring Yesung himself to do the job. Sometimes Yesung was convinced that Kyuhyun was faking the entire thing, wanting to torture his boyfriend by forcing him to wake him every morning. After all, how did Kyuhyun wake up on time when Yesung wasn’t there?

Yesung’s question pertaining to the maknae’s whereabouts was soon answered as he felt two arms encircle his waist from the back, and an added weight pushing him down onto the bed, face first.

“Ha I got you!” a gleeful voice said, chuckling slightly as Yesung squirmed in an attempt to be free of the added weight.

“Kyu-ah, what are you doing? Get off! You’re so heavy! And don’t you have a schedule this morning? You’re going to be late!”

“Aish you worry too much, I have it all under control. And I’m not heavy, you’re just a weakling.” The tease left Kyuhyun’s mouth easily, but he still rolled off of Yesung, and instead lay beside him. After all, that way he’d have a perfect view of Yesung getting flustered.

“I am not! And that’s not even the point! You’re going to be late for your schedule!” Kyuhyun had to hold in his chuckle at Yesung’s defensiveness and attempt to change the subject.

“Suuurre, whatever you say. And I already told you not to worry about it, I cancelled it with manager-hyung earlier.” Kyuhyun said this with as straight a face as he could, the gears in his heading turning. Teasing Yesung was probably his number one hobby, even before Starcraft, and he wasn’t about to pass this chance up.

Just as he was anticipating, Yesung sat up abruptly, looking down at Kyuhyun with confusion written clearly on his face. “Why? Are you not feeling well? Is something wrong?” Yesung’s brow was furrowed, worry and concern clearly etched into it. It took all of Kyuhyun’s self-control to not smile. Instead, he put on a slightly hurt face.

“Hyung, you don’t remember what today is? It’s our one year anniversary. I thought we could just take the day off and spend time with each other. How could you forget?”

Yesung’s eyes immediately widened as he tried to back-pedal, not suspecting anything mischievous on Kyuhyun’s part.

“No! No, I didn’t forget! I swear! I just didn’t want to interfere with your schedule or anything, I promise! I already got you a present too! I can prove it! Kyu, there’s no way I could ever forget something like that!” Kyuhyun watched, amused, as Yesung tried to defend himself, his arms gesturing wildly with his explanation. And he was telling the truth, how in the world was he supposed to forget the day that they finally confessed their feelings for each other?

“Okay, okay, I believe you,” Kyuhyun finally interrupted Yesung’s panicked rambling, and only then did Yesung notice the smirk that Kyuhyun had on his face.

“Why you…” Yesung’s face flushed when he realized Kyuhyun had just been teasing him, swiftly grabbing a pillow and began whacking Kyuhyun on the head with it. Kyuhyun only laughed, covering his face with his arms.

“It’s not funny!” Yesung protested, finally setting the pillow down and glared at Kyuhyun, but it turned out to be more of a pout than a glare.

“Of course it’s funny! You’re so gullible, Yesung!” Kyuhyun laughed aloud this time.

“I am not gullible, and it is not funny.” Yesung continued to glare at Kyuhyun, but when he only continued to laugh, exhaled in a huff.

“Fine, then, hahahaha I’m sooooo funny,” Yesung mumbled sarcastically, standing up from the bed and turning away as if to leave.

Now it was Kyuhyun’s turn to widen his eyes. “Wait, hyung, you’re not actually mad, are you?” Yesung, while he didn’t particularly enjoy Kyuhyun’s teasing at all, had never been upset about it before. Kyuhyun had been about to say “I know you’re not mad”, but changed it last minute as the words left his mouth. What if he really was mad? Had he pushed Yesung past his breaking point with his nonstop teasing? He, too, stood up from the bed, and looked at Yesung’s back almost pleadingly.

“Noooo, of course I’m not upset. Why in the world would I be upset?” Yesung’s frame almost seemed to be shaking, and Kyuhyun winced inwardly at the amount of sarcasm that dripped from his words. His heart twisted slightly, immediately regretting his teasing earlier. He was such an idiot. It was their anniversary today, and look what he managed to do in just the first ten minutes of this day. While a part of him felt like Yesung was overreacting, most of him only felt resentment towards himself. He knew, out of the two of them, he was the rude one, the “insensitive” one when it came to words, and Yesung was the sensitive, understanding one. How could he expect Yesung to put up with his snarkiness 24/7 and never snap? Kyuhyun hated apologizing, absolutely loathed lowering his pride, but when it came to Yesung, he would do it willingly. He didn’t think he could stand it if Yesung talked to him any more in that cold tone.

“Jongwoon, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that, you know me right? Hyung?” Kyuhyun held his breath, waiting for a response from Yesung. When he got none, he extended his arms, gently laying his hands on Yesung’s shoulders. When Yesung didn’t shrug him off, he slowly turned him around.

“I’m sorry, I really—” Kyuhyun broke off, staring aghast at Yesung. No, he wasn’t crying; rather, he wore a cheeky grin on his face, his eyes glinting with mischievousness and triumph. Kyuhyun stayed frozen as he realized what Yesung had done.

“Who’s the gullible one now?” Yesung asked lightly, cocking his head at Kyuhyun. When Kyuhyun didn’t reply and still stood with at deer-in-the-headlights look on his face, Yesung laughed and detached himself from Kyuhyun’s grip, plopping down onto the bed.

“Y-You…” Kyuhyun stared at Yesung’s smug face for a few more moments, realizing that before, Yesung was probably shaking from laughter, not anger. With that realization, he launched himself onto the bed.

Yesung brought his arms up to shield his face, thinking Kyuhyun was going for the pillow to whack him much like he did before. What he didn’t expect was to almost have the life hugged out of him.

“Don’t do that anymore, it’s not fun,” Kyuhyun mumbled, his face nuzzled against Yesung’s neck. “You scared the crap out of me, I thought you were really mad…”

Yesung’s grin softened into a gentle smile, and he returned the tight hug. “That’s not fair, you do it all the time,” he pouted.

“But you expect it from me. I’m the rude maknae, I’m supposed to get away with things like that.” Kyuhyun hugged Yesung even tighter, inhaling his scent. He was so relieved, all he wanted to do was hold Yesung right now. He didn’t care if it made him look weak and like a love-drunk idiot, because that was exactly what he was. It felt so good, holding Yesung in his arms, and at the same time being held. It was so warm, so comforting. Part of him wished they could just stay in that same position forever. Because right now, Yesung was his.

“But that’s not fair!” Yesung almost whined, resting his chin on Kyuhyun’s brown locks. However, his expression was something of extreme contentment. Despite the fact that he was having a hard time breathing, Kyuhyun was squeezing him so hard, he couldn’t help but feel happy at what just happened. Kyuhyun was stubborn and prideful, and yet he had been so quick to apologize. Yesung didn’t need Kyuhyun to say it out loud, his actions were more than enough. Kyuhyun loved him.

“How is not fair? I can act that way because it’s expected of me. You can’t, because you’re supposed to be naïve and gullible so I can tease you.” Kyuhyun argued with his flawed reasoning, still not letting go of Yesung. Rather, he pressed his face even more into Yesung’s neck, causing Yesung to squirm slightly from the ticklish sensation.

“Well, I think you’re rubbing off on me then,” Yesung chuckled slightly, his chest vibrating against Kyuhyun’s. “But now you know I’m capable of the same things you are, so you can expect them more often, neh?”

“No! That is unacceptable and I refuse that idea!” Finally, Kyuhyun let Yesung out of his death grip, but still held onto his hand. While his voice was rather petulant, but he couldn’t help but grin at Yesung.

“Yah, why are you smiling like that?” Yesung brought his free hand up to tap Kyuhyun’s cheek lightly.

“What, I’m not allowed to smile?” Kyuhyun raised an eyebrow, before bursting out into laughter.

The two of them lay there for a few more moments, just enjoying the playful atmosphere and the warmth of the other’s presence. It was so simple, yet so perfect. When they were with each other, being happy was just so easy. They didn’t need anything else besides each other, because together they were complete.

“So, what’s my present?” Kyuhyun finally spoke, a sly grin on his face.

“Hmph, I was thinking about not giving it to you anymore.” Yesung jut out his bottom lip petulantly.

“Fine, how about I show you my present first?” Kyuhyun didn’t argue back like Yesung expected, only smiling at him with an excited look in his eye. Now Yesung was curious, since Kyuhyun was obviously very proud of whatever it was.

“Okay, if it’s good then I might consider giving you yours,” Yesung relented, earning a light smack on the arm from Kyuhyun.

“Come on then, you slowpoke turtle!” Kyuhyun pulled Yesung up by the arm, dragging him out into the living room.

“Wait, aren’t you going to let me get dressed first?” Yesung protested, looking down at himself and his blue-green pajamas.

“No, it’s not like we’re going anywhere…yet.” Kyuhyun smirked, pushing Yesung down onto their couch. Yesung watched curiously as Kyuhyun the TV and DVD player, pushing the play button. He then jumped onto the couch next to Yesung, an almost shy smile on his face.

The screen was black at first, but soon scripted words appeared; slowly, line by line, as soothing music was played in the background.

It’s our one year anniversary…

It doesn’t feel like a year’s gone by, has it?

But even now, it feels like we’ve been together for forever.

………bleh that was so cheesy.

But I guess it’s true too.

Even if we’ve only been officially been “together” for one year

It’s been longer than that.

Much longer.

The point we’re at now, it’s only the convergence point

Isn’t it?

Two completely different people

Two conflicting personalities (understatement, kkk)

And seriously, two separate paths.

But somehow, somewhere along the way

Our paths joined.

It was gradual

God, so freaking gradual I didn’t even notice at first.

But it happened.

It’s our one year anniversary

But it’s been longer than that

Yesung could almost feel himself tearing up at the words. It was not only true, but he could feel the time and effort Kyuhyun had poured into it. Kyuhyun was most definitely not the most expressive with words, and for him to be able to write something like this…

He turned to look at said person, almost cooing out loud at the fiery red tint of his cheeks. Kyuhyun, for once, was embarrassed.

Yesung opened his mouth to say something, only to be cut off as he was suddenly grabbed and crushed into Kyuhyun, his back flush against the younger’s chest, who had his arms wrapped firmly about his waist.

“Shhhh, it’s not done yet,” Kyuhyun mumbled against his ear, but Yesung could clearly hear the embarrassment in his voice.  Deciding to let the younger keep some of his pride, Yesung only chuckled. Letting himself relax into Kyuhyun’s hold, he turned his attention back to the TV.

The music changed, and appearing on the screen was selca of the two of them, wearing sweaty, training clothes, with the blue, cloudy background of SM’s practice room clearly behind them.  It was old picture, and a rather…interesting picture at that, but Yesung clearly remembered the details to that particular photo.

~*~

It’s no secret knowledge that Super Junior started out as a temporary, rotating group that only became permanent after Kyuhyun joined. It’s also rather well known among ELF that even Kyuhyun had a hard time facing antis upon joining, and also the members.

Yesung clearly remembers his own thoughts when they were told of Kyuhyun’s addition, as well as them becoming a permanent group. It was probably one of the most mentally conflicting days in his life. All twelve members had been absolutely ecstatic to find out their tireless efforts had finally paid off, but all of them were wary of a new addition. Yesung’s heart had honestly dropped to the pit of his stomach when he found out Kyuhyun would be a main vocalist. To say he was insecure was an understatement. If he had to say so himself, he was probably the least popular and known member of Super Junior, despite his supposedly “artistic voice”. More competition was the last thing he needed. He truly held no ill will towards Kyuhyun himself, but was prepared to dislike him because of the circumstances. The entertainment industry was a tough place, where the fittest survived and the weak perished.

But moment he heard the kid sing, he felt something shift inside him. His smooth, deep, chocolate like voice filled him completely, and he knew there was no way he could hate him.

However, that by no means meant Yesung liked Kyuhyun either. Competition was still competition. While Yesung was relieved to find Kyuhyun at dancing as much as he did, if not even more, it was little comfort. Yesung was confident that with time, Kyuhyun would manage to sway those currently skeptical fans, and even become one of the most popular. After all, who would be able to resist that perfect voice and handsome features? Yesung was quiet, weird, and mediocre looking at best.

Yes, Yesung was jealous. Jealous of the younger’s talent, jealous of his looks, and the fact that he just seemed so much better. When one is jealous of another, it is rather difficult to like them.

Oh, and not to mention, Kyuhyun’s biggest charm; his witty, yet snarky attitude. Of course, when Kyuhyun first joined, he was meek, submissive, and polite; the epitome of an ideal magnae. But, it didn’t take long for his “true” colors to shine through. It happened gradually, of course. The occasional slipping of the tongue, forgetting to add the “hyung” as a suffix to his fellow band members, and sarcastic, critical comments.

Indeed, Yesung hadn’t even noticed until that particular day. Kyuhyun and he were in the practice room alone, rehearsing their newly learned choreography for “U”, long after the others had left due to the fact that they were both a bit slower on the uptake. Eventually, the two of them had just collapsed on the floor, sweaty and exhausted.

There was a rather awkward silence between them. Yesung, being Yesung, somehow decided he should take a selca of himself, despite his rather pathetic state. Even back then, he was a selca-taking master. He’d lifted his phone up to face, tilted his face to the perfect angle, and…

“BOOO!”

Yesung jerked, almost dropping his phone. Unfortunately, in the process of his shocked reaction, he’d pressed the “ok” button on his phone, taking a rather unflattering picture of himself, with a guffawing Kyuhyun behind him. Before he could even react, Kyuhyun had snatched his phone away from him, sending the picture to himself while laughing hysterically.

Yesung had been a cross between embarrassed, furious, and shocked. This was when he finally realized that Kyuhyun wasn’t quite as meek as he’d been acting, and he wasn’t exactly sure how he felt about that.

Kyuhyun, on the other hand, had found his favorite target to tease that day. To be honest, he didn’t even know what had gotten into him that day. Maybe he’d just reached his breaking point, and would’ve just burst if he didn’t play a prank on someone sometime soon. He’d been trying his absolute hardest to be accepted by his hyungs, but a meek Kyuhyun just wasn’t Kyuhyun. Yesung’s reaction had just been priceless, with his flustered countenance and inability to figure out what he should do afterwards.

It seemed to him that he’d gotten lucky, choosing the right person to prank first. He had a feeling that it wouldn’t have been very pretty if he’d pranked Heechul, Kangin, or even Leeteuk instead. And somehow, the fact that Yesung failed to reprimand him for his rudeness made Kyuhyun feel as if he was slowly being accepted as being a part of Super Junior, for real.

~*~*~

 “Yah, I still remember that,” Yesung head-butted Kyuhyun’s chest lightly, his cheeks slightly flushed when he recalled his reaction. “I didn’t know you kept the picture though.”

“Of course I kept it! It’s perfect blackmail material!” Kyuhyun snickered as a few more pictures of them during the “U” era appeared on the screen. Those were followed by pictures of the two of them laughing in a small, radio DJ room, which Yesung immediately recognized as “Miracle for You”.

That, to be honest, was when their true bonds of friendship had formed.

~*~

Kyuhyun probably guested on Miracle for You the most out of all the members, and Yesung quickly found himself unable to resist the quirky magnae. His jealousy didn’t disappear completely, but faded into the back of his mind. He could see how much Kyuhyun had been struggling with himself, trying not only to win the approval of the fans, but also his fellow members. Although Kyuhyun tried to hide it, Yesung could see how much each little rejection pained him, and how every little signal of approval excited him. How could he dislike him when he was trying so hard? Instead, his heart softening towards him, he began to enjoy being in the younger’s company, joking around, accepting the teasing comments, and, of course, singing.

~*~*~

And sure enough, a few pictures later showed the formation of Super Junior’s first sub-group, KRY.

“You know, I really didn’t want to include Ryeowookie since it’s only supposed to be about the two of us, but since it’s KRY I had to,” Kyuhyun complained.

“Well, I’m glad you did because without Wookie there wouldn’t be KRY,” Yesung chided.

~*~

But it was true. The three of them fit together like a puzzle. Their voices were completely different, yet somehow, or maybe because of those differences, the harmonies they produced were heavenly. Kyuhyun’s deep, smooth bass, Yesung’s strong, husky baritone, and Ryeowook’s clear, bell-like tenor. Pure perfection.

But they clicked together not only with their voices. Yesung and Ryeowook had already been rather close, and at this point Yesung had not only already fully accepted Kyuhyun, but also found himself caring about the other’s well-being. Ryeowook himself was probably the first to fully welcome Kyuhyun to the group as well, being the kindred spirit that he was.

Kyuhyun himself couldn’t have been more happy. Finally, he felt as if he was being acknowledged, and to be placed in a sub-unit with two people he probably felt most comfortable with made him absolutely overjoyed.

~*~*~

“You know, I think one of the main reasons why I was so happy to be in KRY was because I was with two other people I could tease almost endlessly without any consequences,” Kyuhyun said with a thoughtful expression, his voice playful as he looked down at Yesung, who was snuggled tightly against his chest.

“Yah! I think you should say you got lucky!” Yesung retorted lamely, unable to come up with a reasonable comeback since he knew it was pointless. Especially since he was currently trapped with Kyuhyun’s arms around him.

“Nahh, you and Wookie-hyung are just too nice and gullible half the time,” Kyuhyun smirked, squishing Yesung even more into his chest, earning a startled yelp, effectively smothering any other protests the elder might have made.

However, Kyuhyun quickly sobered up soon after, knowing what was next.

Yesung felt the change in mood in Kyuhyun, and his brow furrowed. Everything so far had been in chronological order, and so he, too, had an idea of what was coming up next.

~*~

Sure enough, a few more pictures later, the screen went black, the music fading away. Instead, Yesung’s husky voice, choked with emotion, filled room.

And our magnae, Kyuhyun.

Even though you might not be able to hear my voice right now, I think you’ll laugh when you hear this broadcast later.

You were often a guest on Miracle for You. You would make fun of me if I make any mistakes.

And although you’re a dongsaeng, you would tease me, but you’re our team magnae that I can’t dislike.

Hyung is praying for you to get up and be healthy right now.

If you come on air with the other Super Junior members again, I won’t get mad even if you tease and fool around.

Let’s be strong, okay?

From, Yesung.*

~*~*~

By the end of the voice message, Yesung couldn’t hold the tears in any longer. The memories were too fresh, even though Kyuhyun was right there, holding him, whispering comfortingly in his ear. But his own voice brought it all back, the fear of losing someone so precious.

~*~

If their life was a cheesy drama, the moment Yesung found out about Kyuhyun’s accident, and that he only had a 20% chance of living, he would’ve ran to hospital without a care, realized his love for him on the way there, and confessed his heart the moment he reached him, crying his eyes out the entire time. But, this was real life, not a cheesy drama where Kyuhyun would’ve heard everything while in his coma, then, after surviving of course, confessed his undying, reciprocated love.

Yes, this was real life, not a drama that Ryeowook would watch and cry too. Yesung didn’t realize his love, and nor did he confess to Kyuhyun who was in a coma. Even in hindsight, Yesung wasn’t sure that he even loved Kyuhyun yet in that way, at that point.

What he did know, though, was that he couldn’t stand losing Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun, their teasing, rude magnae that acted more mature than most of them, but was still hurt just as easily. Kyuhyun, who pushed his way through all the anti-fans and into his hyungs’ hearts. Kyuhyun, who he loved. Not yet as lover, but as someone he held tightly to his heart.

He resolved to treat Kyuhyun better, to spoil him, to let him all he wanted. He could accept that Kyuhyun was more popular than him, because he was their magnae. As long as he got better, he didn’t care what he needed to do. He just wanted him back, healthy and snarky. He hated himself for not warming up to him faster, for not being there for him right from the start. He’d do anything to make up for it.

Kyuhyun, upon waking up, felt as if the world had changed utterly and completely. Not only his hyungs, but the entire world doted on him. He got his way no matter what, and everyone suddenly became protective of him. Not to say that they were uncaring towards him before, because they weren’t, but the amount of love that was sent his way was almost overwhelming.

In some strange, sort of twisted way, Kyuhyun was almost glad he was in the accident, that he’d almost died but survived. He couldn’t help but wonder, how much longer would it have taken for things to progress to the stage they were in if that didn’t happen? Or would he have been an outcast for forever?

Along the same train of thought, he couldn’t help but feel a seed of resentment. Did it really take him almost dying to make the members fully accept him as their magnae? For the fans to love him just as much? For his own father to support him in his career?

Kyuhyun immediately felt guilty after those thoughts appeared in his head, but couldn’t completely banish them. He knew he was being ridiculous, that the members had long since accepted him, that true antis would always be antis, and he ought to be happy his father saved his career, but the human mind was complicated, always full of doubt. Thankfully, with all the encouragement, love, and care, Kyuhyun found himself unable to dwell too much on those things anyways.

One of the people Kyuhyun couldn’t feel any resentment towards though, no matter how miniscule, was Yesung (among others, including Donghae and Ryeowook). After hearing the message he’d posted on his Cyworld, he just couldn’t. The promise Yesung had made was impossible to keep, they both knew that, but it made Kyuhyun feel so indescribably happy when he saw Yesung’s efforts to achieve it.

~*~*~

“Don’t cry, you’re going to make me feel guilty I put that in,” Kyuhyun wiped Yesung’s wet cheek using his thumbs, but was holding back tears himself. He’d already done his own fair share of crying when he made this video, but Yesung didn’t need to know that. No, he definitely didn’t need to know that even now, hearing that message and Yesung’s voice hoarse from tears, but in the recording and now in real life, made his heart clench so painfully he wanted to bawl with him.

“No, don’t feel guilty, this wouldn’t be complete without it.” Yesung sniffed, trying to stop the tears from flowing. “But still…Kyu. What if you really did…I mean, I know you didn’t, but I can’t help thinking, I didn’t even know back then, if you really… would I have realized later and then regretted it forever?” Yesung knew he babbling senselessly, but he also knew Kyuhyun understood him.

Kyuhyun paused, before deciding to answer as truthfully as possible. “I don’t know, hyung. I don’t know. But it all worked out, right?” He cupped Yesung’s face in his hands, smiling gently when Yesung nodded, wiping away the rest of his tears.

“Look, it’s me in SJ-M promotions! Did you miss me then, hyung?” Kyuhyun abruptly changed the topic, pointing that the TV which now showed pictures of happier times. Yesung rolled his eyes, knowing Kyuhyun was attempting to lighten the mood, even though it was at his expense. But, he appreciated the effort all the same.

“No, actually I didn’t. You’re the one that missed me, am I right?” Yesung teased back.

“Pshhhhh yeah right, it was so fun in China, actually. Why would I miss you?”

They both laughed afterwards, knowing the other was clearly lying. No, they missed each other all right. But it was subtle then, something that bugged them from the back of their minds. Little random thoughts that popped into their minds, only to be dismissed soon after. Nothing they really dwelled on then. Only in hindsight did it mean much.

~*~

For Kyuhyun, it wasn’t so much that he missed Yesung himself; rather, it was like he missed the things they would do together. One of the main things was he missed having someone he could tease relentlessly without needing to fear retaliation. Kyuhyun, being Kyuhyun, already pranked and teased every single one of his band-mates, but Yesung had always been one of his favorite targets. Yesung, being the gullible man he was, often fell for Kyuhyun’s tricks, and did nothing for revenge afterwards. His promise was only a part of the reason. The other part, well, he just lacked the ability to do or say anything in return.

And so instead, Kyuhyun found himself bullying poor Ryeowook and Henry, and sometimes even Donghae. And yet somehow, he found it much less enjoyable than if Yesung was his target. The fact that they would both run off and tattle to Hangeng or Siwon was a bit of a killjoy in itself, but nevertheless it still didn’t seem like the main reason.

As for Yesung, at first he found a bit of relief at the separation from the overly-playful magnae, but it was soon replaced with a feeling of, was it emptiness?  Of course, Yesung had denied to himself that the feeling was emptiness; that idea in itself seemed to be ridiculous. But something did seem to missing from his already incredibly busy life. Only now did he admit to himself that it was probably his baby Kyu.

~*~*~

“Aha! I was right! Sorry sorry!” Yesung crowed triumphantly as the next group of photos appeared on the screen.

“Congratulations for knowing your own group history!” Kyuhyun added, earning a playful smack from Yesung.

“Oh shush, don’t be a meanie. Just enjoy the pictures. You chose them after all, right? Or did you?” Yesung wiggled his eyebrows.

“Of course I did!” Kyuhyun asserted, only to be shushed by Yesung once again. Kyuhyun pouted at this, grumbling slightly, earning another chuckle from Yesung. If this had been anyone else, they would’ve faced the wrath of the magnae, but since it was Yesung, Kyuhyun was reduced into a grumbling, petulant child.

~*~

Sorry Sorry, was the peak of Super Junior as a group. Everyone knew that. What many didn’t know, though, was that this was also the peak of Kyuhyun and Yesung’s friendship, at least before it developed into something more.

For Yesung and Kyuhyun, this time could almost be described as perfect. True, they were insanely busy, always rushing from one event to the next, but they were happy.  It seemed that whenever they were together, they were always laughing, teasing, or just basking in the warmth of the light atmosphere. Without realizing it, they started gravitating towards each other, wondering if the other was already back at the dorms, or if they had free time to watch a movie.

They were, simply, completely at ease and comfortable with the other. They enjoyed the other’s company, whether it was at practice or lazing around the dorms. No matter what they were doing, the time flew by. Enjoyable tasks became even more enjoyable, and tedious ones somehow became bearable with the other.

Kyuhyun, especially, seemed to feel the side effects of constantly floating on cloud nine. His taunts and pointed comments seemed to have lost their edge for some reason, and he found himself obeying his hyungs. Well, just one particular hyung, but still. The Cho Kyuhyun was losing his touch, and alarmingly, he didn’t even seem to care that he was.

~*~*~

“That’s when it probably started, huh?” Yesung commented softly, leaning his head on Kyuhyun’s shoulder contently. “And to think I just thought we were amazing best friends then…even though it was like nothing else in the world mattered when I was with you… ”

“You really are a pabo, aren’t you?” Kyuhyun rested his head against Yesung’s, his heart feeling so full and warm from the memories he thought it would burst.

“Hey, if I’m a pabo then you’re a pabo too!”

“Maybe I am, then.”

They both lapsed into a comfortable silence, knowing what was next, but no longer fearing the memories. Although the pictures Kyuhyun had chosen were mainly happy, they still triggered the same memories of a more desperate time.

Because that was when their world, Super Junior’s world, came crashing down.

~*~

First, had been Kangin. The bar fight had been a heart-stopping shock, but passed quickly as soon as he’d been proven to be only acting in self-defense. It was only a false alarm, something they feared, but hopefully would never come true.

But almost exactly one month later, that exact fear came true.

The entire group was sent careening into shock, and some, denial. They didn’t know how to deal with it. How could it happen to them? They felt betrayed, how could Kangin have been so irresponsible? And yet, he was their brother, how could they just abandon him, no matter what he did? Even if he’d hurt someone else?

Yesung was close to Kangin, extremely close. While it didn’t always appear that way on camera, they were the same age, chingus. They had a special bond. For Yesung, all of the members were his brothers, but Kangin’s hit and run really hit home. He knew Kangin didn’t mean to hurt anyone, how could he? He may look intimidating, but he was really only a big, cuddly teddy bear. He was human, he made mistakes just like everyone else.

But that still didn’t change the fact that his actions affected the entire group. For the first time in his life, Yesung didn’t know how to face a fellow member. Should he be comforting Kangin, or should he be angry with him? Yesung fought with himself every single day, what was right and what was wrong? The entire group was weighed down, and no one had answers. Kangin was withdrawn completely from all activities.

But that wasn’t enough. No, fate wasn’t done toying with them yet.

Two months later, Hangeng filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment.

Kyuhyun had been furious. Not even sad, or depressed like Heechul, just furious. He felt betrayed, completely and utterly. How could he do this to him? To their entire group? Without any warning? If he’d truly cared about them, why didn’t he tell them? Why did he leave without any warning, didn’t he know that the entire group would’ve been only too happy to help him, to negotiate? Why???

But after the anger had ran its course, Kyuhyun only felt broken. Not quite as broken as Heechul, who was literally a living corpse, but broken enough. Their entire group was broken. Not physically, but emotionally, mentally. Because no matter what, they missed Hangeng. Without him, they all felt incomplete.

Kyuhyun had respected Hangeng. Looked up to him. He’d always admired the man and his courage to be able to start afresh in a foreign country, where he had no friends or family. He’d been awed by his determination, his quiet yet firm demeanor. His kindness. Hangeng was a hyung that Kyuhyun had learned to depend on. So similar to Kangin, yet so different. But both had seemingly betrayed him.

Maybe he was childish in his anger, or simply too naïve. He knew Hangeng must have been suffering horribly as well, and Kangin too. But it was so much easier to direct the blame at one person. He just didn’t understand how one day, they were on top of the world, unstoppable, and suddenly, the world was crashing down in flames. It was surreal, but the pain was all too real.

And, despite all this, they needed to continue, to put on masks and pretend everything was fine. That was what hurt Kyuhyun the most. They weren’t fine. They were crying, broken, but weren’t able to show it. No, they had to be professionals.

One day, Kyuhyun had had enough. He snapped. He screamed at Leeteuk, who tried to hold back tears; at Heechul, who just sat there, stone-like and unmoving; at their manager, who told him to snap out of it; and finally, at Yesung. But suddenly, the screams turned into choked sobs, and Kyuhyun found himself enveloped in warm, protective arms.

While the rest of the members were trying to hold themselves together, most of their remaining energy went to Heechul, and rightfully so. But Yesung stayed by Kyuhyun, making sure he ate enough, slept enough, had someone to talk to. Kyuhyun was reminded that he had someone else he could depend on, no, someone he’s been depending on all along.

And the comfort didn’t only go one way. Kangin’s decision to enlist struck Yesung hard. He began to wonder if there were any other options, if he should attempt to dissuade him. He wondered if he’d been more understanding, more supportive instead of disapproving, Kangin would’ve changed his mind. Unnecessary guilt began to gnaw at him from the inside, but Kyuhyun was there to make him snap out of it, to talk sense into him.

Yesung was someone who didn’t like to worry his fellow band-mates, especially in times of crises. They had better things to worry about than him and his overactive brain. He could pretend everything was fine for as long as he pleased, and no one would notice.

But, Kyuhyun did. He pestered the elder relentlessly, threatening various actions to finally pry the fears from his lips. And, proceeded promptly to shatter those fears, using logic and fact to counter every single one of Yesung’s supposed guilts.

They understood each other. False reassurances only infuriated Kyuhyun, while Yesung needed to hear them. Kyuhyun needed time on his own to brood but also someone to tell him when enough was enough, while Yesung needed to have sense talked into him from an outside source. But often times, the other’s presence alone was comfort, and that was enough.

Soon, Kyuhyun found himself drowning in those concerned, brown eyes, forgetting the sadness, and instead feeling whole again. It was strange; when he was with Yesung, he forgot all of his troubles, forgot everything else that went on in the world. Flutters appeared in his stomach, blood rushing to his face. Those feelings weren’t exactly new, but they starting appearing at such alarming rates that Kyuhyun knew he couldn’t ignore it any longer.

~*~*~

“That’s when I figured out I actually liked you, hyung,” Kyuhyun confessed softly, his fingers running through Yesung’s hair lightly. “I’m pretty sure I did long before that, but that’s when I finally admitted it to myself.”

~*~

Kyuhyun had actually vehemently denied it to himself at first. He liked girls. The idea that he like Yesung was absolutely preposterous. He wasn’t gay, at least he didn’t think so. But, then what were those feelings? Why did he feel so happy when Yesung was around? Why did he feel so worried when the elder got sick or injured, more so than if anyone else had fallen ill? Why did he care so much when he hadn’t seen Yesung in a couple of days? Why couldn’t he resist anything Yesung asked of him, even if it made him look like an idiot? And why did he have to resist the urge to cling to him every single day?

It had been cumulating for years, all of those emotions and feelings. And it’d finally gotten to a point where Kyuhyun could no longer ignore it. He liked Yesung, more than a platonic friend. He could no longer deny it.

~*~*~

“Really? Then you realized a lot earlier than I did…” Yesung looked at Kyuhyun sheepishly.

“Told you that you were a pabo!” Kyuhyun reminded Yesung triumphantly. Yesung only stuck his tongue out at Kyuhyun childishly.

“Bonamana’s next, right?” Yesung quickly interrupted Kyuhyun before he could speak. “Wait, never mind, don’t even respond to that.” This time, Kyuhyun was the one who stuck out his tongue.

~*~

In truth, Kyuhyun’s realization scared him. Because there was no way Yesung liked him that way. He was sure. After all, what were the chances? And yet, he couldn’t help but hope. That’s just what humans do. Kyuhyun didn’t want to hope, because that meant being rejected.

At first, Kyuhyun found himself attempting to avoid the man, but every single time he also found himself being drawn to him. Soon, he gave up trying to avoid him, it he simply didn’t have enough self-control.

Bonamana was a healing stage for everyone. They began to move on, realizing, with the support of each other and the fans especially, it wasn’t the end for them. Far from it. They were Super Junior, and they wouldn’t fall so easily.

Kyuhyun and Yesung became closer than ever, almost inseparable outside of their schedules. Yesung began to feel the strange symptoms that Kyuhyun had begun to feel much earlier, but failed to put two and two together. He wasn’t even denying anything to himself, he was just completely oblivious to the implications of his emotions.

A year passed like that, wounds long healed and replaced by scars that only hurt when probed.

~*~*~

“You know,” Yesung commented thoughtfully as the pictures entered the time of 2011, “I think that was when I started to like you, but I didn’t know I did.”

“No, really, Einstein?” Kyuhyun poked Yesung’s side. “If you did, you would’ve saved me a lot of grief! You’re so oblivious all the time, you know that?” He poked Yesung again.

“Well, then sorry, I couldn’t help it!” Yesung pouted without realizing it, earning yet another poke.

~*~

And yes, the year of 2011. To be honest, Kyuhyun was almost sure that things could’ve continued that way, probably for forever. Despite his own realization, Kyuhyun had been more than content with the way things were right then. He got to see his Yesungie almost every day, , hang out with him, and even cuddle him sometimes. What more could he ask for? Yesung already doted on him excessively, and Kyuhyun knew he was one of Yesung’s favorite, if not the favorite, dongsaengs.

But then, Heechul decided to enlist. This wasn’t a problem in itself, rather, it was the discussion that came afterwards. How were all the members going to enlist? In what order? Would they go one at a time, a couple at a time?

Kyuhyun couldn’t stand it. He couldn’t stand the thought of Yesung going off to the army, couldn’t stand the thought of not seeing him for two whole years. He didn’t want to lose Yesung, even if it wasn’t permanent.

He knew he didn’t even have to worry about it yet, Yesung still had a couple of years before he needed to enlist, but the idea wouldn’t leave him. And an even dangerous notion began to root itself in his brain. What if, what Yesung liked him back?

Kyuhyun, unlike Yesung, was observant. He noticed, that sometimes after a hug, or a particular tease, Yesung’s face seemed to tinted red. This was a new phenomenon, Kyuhyun was sure. If there was any change in his beloved hyung, he would know.

But confessing had always seemed to be out of the question. He had everything to gain by it, but also everything to lose. And Kyuhyun didn’t want to lose anything, much less everything.

And yet, the impending enlistments made him rethink. It was true, you only lived life once. He thought back to his own near death experience, and wondered if, god forbid, something similar happened to Yesung, would he have regretted not making a move, when he knew Yesung might actually return those feelings?

Kyuhyun became restless. Much depended on how certain he was that Yesung actually reciprocated his feelings. If he didn’t at all, Kyuhyun wouldn’t even consider the idea. Because then, confessing would not only make things awkward between them, it would also cause Yesung pain. He knew his hyung was much too caring for his own good, and would most certainly still accept Kyuhyun for who he was. Rather, he’d probably just end up blaming himself for not returning those feelings and causing Kyuhyun pain. That was just how Yesung was, and that was the last thing Kyuhyun wanted to make Yesung feel.

What Kyuhyun hadn’t counted on, however, was Yesung noticing his restlessness, and confronting him about it.

“Kyu-ah, what’s wrong? You’ve been a bit off lately. Like, you keep spacing out. That’s supposed to be my job!” Yesung’s voice held a slightly joking tone, but his eyes were serious and full of concern.

“Nothing’s wrong. I’m just a bit…tired.” Kyuhyun snorted derisively inside his head. As if.

“Kyu, I’m not going to buy that. Can you please tell me what’s wrong? I’m worried. You’ve been weird for like a month already.” Yesung bit his lip, looking at Kyuhyun almost pleadingly. “And…you’ve been avoiding me. Don’t deny it. Are you mad at me? If something’s bothering you, can you just please tell me?”

Kyuhyun’s eyes had immediately widened at Yesung’s observation. He was avoiding him? What? Kyuhyun wracked his brain, trying to find instances of this behavior. In his restlessness, had he actually been avoiding Yesung subconsciously?

While he’d been searching his memories frantically, Yesung had plowed on.

“I’m worried about you Kyu, and you know I usually give you space, but I can’t…I, I just need to know why you’re avoiding me. I care about you Kyuhyun-ah, and I can’t deal with you trying to avoid me…”

For some reason, Kyuhyun felt a flicker of hope at Yesung’s words. Once again, his hope began to taunt him. Kyuhyun knew he needed to make a decision. If what Yesung said was true, then no matter what he did, he would end up hurting Yesung. He would take a risk, he decided, but a small one. Hopefully, if he was wrong, Yesung would be oblivious enough to not notice what he’d been implying.

“Hyung, actually, I’ve…I’ve been getting funny feelings when I’m around you.” Kyuhyun made sure to phrase his words carefully, gauging Yesung’s reaction.

Yesung’s brow furrowed slightly, before carefully asking, “What kind of feelings? I, I think I might know what you mean…”

Kyuhyun knew it was now or never. He could laugh it all off right now, pretend it was a prank. It wasn’t too late. Or…

He’d crashed his lips into Yesung’s, his heart beating so fast and so loud he was sure the world could hear. His heart nearly shattered when Yesung broke away from the kiss, his eyes wide.

Kyuhyun stood frozen, feeling as if the world was ending. He could almost hear the rejection that was sure to come from Yesung. Why did he do that? Why—

“K-Kyuhyun-ah…” Yesung’s eyes were still wide, his voice shaky. Kyuhyun closed his eyes, waiting for the hurtful words.

But suddenly arms wrapped around him, and Kyuhyun opened his eyes, startled, to see Yesung hugging him tightly. He moved his arms to hug Yesung back uncertainly, while Yesung spoke again, his eyes squeezed tightly shut.

“J-Just, just give me a second.” Kyuhyun could feel Yesung’s heart thudding against his own chest, their paces matching each other. He felt his own breath become shallower. Did he dare hope…?

They stood there, it seemed to Kyuhyun, for almost eternity. He, too, had closed his eyes, hoping with all his heart.

Kyuhyun felt something brush his lips. He kept his eyes closed, fearing it was only a hallucination, when the feeling became stronger. It was still tentative, but Kyuhyun knew it was real.

The moment he opened his eyes, their gazes connected. Kyuhyun felt as if he should say something, but nothing came to him. And yet, he understood.

There was no turning back; their destiny had been decided.

~*~*~

“See, I told you you’d be glad eventually that we took that picture!” Yesung said proudly. Kyuhyun only shook his head.

“Okay, yeah, you were right, but that still doesn’t change how awkward it was! I basically just confessed to you, we kissed, and then suddenly you said you wanted to take a selca to “capture the moment forever”! You didn’t even confess back to me!” Kyuhyun was clearly still very put out over it. Who in their right mind would’ve done that? But clearly, his Yesung was one of a kind.

The result? A selca in which they were both blushing like a tomato, which was, in Kyuhyun’s opinion, absolutely unacceptable. Well, Yesung blushing like a tomato was fine, but himself? The great Cho Kyuhyun? Nuh-uh.

But unfortunately afterwards, Kyuhyun found himself compromising his pride more and more. The rest of the pictures, which were pure fun and fluff, held many such examples. One of the prime examples being their first “date”, but that was a whole other story altogether.

The only other photo that made Yesung tear up a bit was the full group picture of Super Junior, right after Kyuhyun and Yesung informed them of their newly established relationship. That process was much like Kyuhyun’s confession to Yesung; nerve-wracking to initiate, but almost easily accepted.

Finally, the last picture faded to black, and the same scripted font appeared on the screen.

But now that is all history

Kkkk I’ve always wanted so say that

But seriously, we’ve been through a lot

Literally, life and death

To most those may have been just pictures of the past

But we know better than that

They trigger the same memories, thoughts, emotions

For both of us, neh?

Words are unnecessary

And although some are painful memories

They’re still full of us, and our love

And that’s what makes us cherish them

Both the good and the bad

Yesungie-hyung~

We were standing right across from each other

But with a canyon in between us

Over time, the distance lessened

Until I could finally touch you

I could hold your hand tightly

It took forever for us to realize it

But together, nothing else matters, does it?

When I’m with you, even Starcraft seems boring

Trust me, that says a lot

And now you’re mine

And I suppose I can be yours too

(But you’re still mine first)

And that’s all that matters

Because…

“I love you.”

The words were whispered, but that didn’t detract from their meaning, or their importance. Their gazes connected, and Yesung felt absolutely breathless.

“I love you too.”

Their lips connected into a gentle kiss, much like their first. Except this time, there was no uncertainty, only confident care. And of course, there was no dominating or being dominated, no fiery passion. Just equality, and love. Perfection.

They broke apart seemingly after eternity, each blushing profusely, but not shying away from the other’s eyes. No more words were needed to convey what they felt at that moment. Their eyes, and crazy wide grins, were more than enough.

They grinned at each for a moment longer, before bursting into exhilarating laughter. They didn’t know what they were laughing about, except for the fact that they were happy, that at this moment, life was perfect.

Finally, exhausted from their joy, they lay panting on the couch, Yesung on top of Kyuhyun. As their heart rates returned to normal, Yesung sat up, smirking slyly down at Kyuhyun.

“Ehhh, I don’t know if that counts as a good present, Kyuhyun-ah. So I guess that means I can’t give you yours…what a pity…” Yesung had to stifle a laugh at Kyuhyun’s reaction.

“BWOHH?!” Kyuhyun sat up abruptly, almost knocking Yesung off the couch.

“Just kidding, Kyu-ah! I swear, you’re getting more and more gullible each day!” Yesung almost giggled as Kyuhyun crossed his arms, glaring up at Yesung resentfully. “Oh, come on, let’s go get it, okay?”

Yesung pulled Kyuhyun up, dragging him towards their shared room. Kyuhyun sighed dramatically, but couldn’t help but smile down at their interlocked fingers.

A/N: So. Yeah. Um...... xD This is my first one-shot ever, so I kind of winged it, and I honestly don't know what to say about this. I hope I haven't disappointed you too much, midnight. I feel like such a fail writer next to you, lol. Sorry for the amount of angst in this, I tried to make it fluffy, but my own life right now has kinda been filled with "angst", so I guess it just kind of worked its own way in.

Also, this turned out muuuuuchhhh longer than I expected. Hopefully not all of my one-shots will be this long, because I think I just might die. xD

*Yesung's message that he posted on his Cyworld after the accident is real, and I got the translation for it from here. I did not write it, nor is it mine.