Chapter 19: “Now all my lies are proved untrue and I must face the men I slew. - Rudyard Kipling”

As he opened his eyes, there was nothing but that pure whiteness. Nothing but the lucid color of purity, all around him he noticed. Somehow, a minute later, he tried to move his legs, attempting to feel them. They seem to be missing. He moved his torso to his side, seeing by the bedside table a bunch of bouquets he clearly couldn’t stand. He never liked flowers since they just brought him itchiness. But they were the only thing having color. He tried standing up, but some tubes around his arms scared the of him that he lied back, afraid of what was happening. He looked at his fingers, around his right a tube was also attached to some vein. The total paleness of the room, plus his own trembling body in white cloth blinded him, as if not a single shade of rainbow was available.

A knock came, and the door opened, at last light entered. Kyuhyun stared at the visitor, none other than young Bummie, smiling such a precious greeting towards the maknae. He sat beside him, looking happily that he was awake.

“I didn’t die?” asked Kyuhyun roughly, clearing his throat. He hardly recognized his own voice.

The other boy chuckled at this question. “You barely made it.”

“How did I make it?” Kyu wondered, recalling still that the crash practically squashed both of his legs.

“God’s will,” Kibum sighed. “You’ve been asleep for three days. You were followed by Shindong-hyung that night. He said...he said you were driving fast, just by the intersection you crashed into a truck. Its pressure caused much on both of your legs, plus your left arm. Your head...well, it was lucky. You just had 5 stitches across the side of your head. Quite timely, your skull didn’t break from it. Overall, they say you can get out the hospital in two weeks time. The bad news is you’ll be staying in a wheelchair for about a month before being able to walk properly again. Both of your legs earned fractures. When hyung found you there, he said you weren’t breathing. He tried to give you CPR but drove you quickly to the hospital instead. I’m...pleased you weren’t stuck in a ward. SMEU Hospital has some pretty private rooms.”

“Guess no walking for one month,” Kyuhyun felt nauseated. He looked at the flowers by his side. “Who...brought me these? These are exquisite orchids from out of town.”

Kibum smirked. “I really don’t know. The hyungs might though. We take shifts in watching you these past three days. The other one, the roses, are from us. We tried picking something more of...Kyuhyun-like style. But...hyung-nim got tired and wanted to choose whatever was available. We sent you get well soon cards. Some people did too. You want me to read them for you?”

“Maybe...some other time,” Kyuhyun said. “Were you just by the dormitory?”

“Yeah, I went straight here once Wookie took off his turn,” Kibum answered. “We change two hours tops for each hyung.”

“Bummie-sshi, did you...did you bring...” he couldn’t even say the right words anymore. Did the crash loosen his speech development as well?

Kibum chuckled, standing up and pulling from his pocket the thing Kyuhyun had been looking for. “Your first love? I assumed you would need it.”

Kyuhyun smiled brightly, making Kibum even more cheerful than before. He never found Kyu to be this pleased. Hell, even when they shared one bunk bed, Kibum was never that close with the maknae. They were far too different. Despite both being serious, the two never bonded over anything. A few times they would talk but it really wasn’t like the closeness Kyu and Yesung-hyung had.

He handed Kyuhyun his PSP, as excitedly the maknae began playing.

“Kyuhyun, you’re so lucky,” Kibum told him.

“I know right. I should be dead right now,” he replied, eyes stuck on the console.

“No, I mean people taking care of you, always there for you. I never get this kind of attention much. Take it easy. You’re going to strain your eyes,” Kibum stood up, going over to the bouquets he received. One by one, all the pretty letters and get well messages---he opened them, admiring the colorful writings on each. There was this plain one, attached by a red yarn to the orchids Kyuhyun was referring to. He carefully opened it, the accented fragrance from the beautiful writing.

“Kyuhyun-sshi, the orchids are from some...girl but it’s signed as anonymous,” Kibum told him, grinning. He untagged the card and handed it Kyuhyun.

“Get well soon. I love you. I always will. I’m sorry,” Kyuhyun read distinctly, looking at the thrilled Kibum in shock. Studying carefully the handwriting, he felt his anger stirring up inside him, emotions all gathered. Exasperated, he crumpled the paper, surprising Kibum as he threw it to the ground. “Get rid of it.”

“Why? They’re pretty?” he himself was confused with the sudden mood swing.

Kyuhyun glared. “They’re not pretty. They came from an evil witch. Just throw them.”

“Who is it from? It’s signed anonymous. How could you know they’re from an evil witch?” Kibum wondered greatly. How could he let such beautiful creations be thrown away?

Kyuhyun frowned. “How can I not recognize her handwriting? This is how she writes. How dare her.”

“Who? Who exactly are we talking about here?”

“My mother sent me these,” he confessed, smelling again his hands when he touched that piece of paper. “Was my accident really huge that even someone outside Korea knew of it?”

“A few students here heard of it,” Kibum said. “But...they hardly know everything.”

“How could she know I nearly got myself killed?” Kyuhyun mused. “That witch. She has spies even in the university. She hadn’t ing called me in seven years or more and now she’s sending me expensive stuff? What is she trying to do, bribe me like what Dad is doing? Hell, my parents are ing losers.”

By the drawer, Kyuhyun’s cell phone rang vibrantly. Kibum opened it and passed the maknae his phone. He flipped it open, answering it grudgingly. Oh what perfect timing, he thought.

“Hello?” asked the very recognizable voice from his past, rough and grouchy it was, old and stiff, a tone of authority.

“Yes, what?” Kyuhyun responded harshly.

“Kyuhyun? Is this Kyuhyun?” because of the distance between the two was rather far, the reception was of bad quality. The language itself was rough because the man was speaking in English.

He smirked angrily, trying his best to speak the tone. “Yes, Dad. It’s Kyuhyun. Cho Kyuhyun.”

“How are you boy?”

“I am fine,” he answered, the only thing to respond when someone asked you that.

His father cleared his throat, now speaking in his native Korean tongue. “Do you need money for the bills?”

 “I do not need your money, Dad,” Kyuhyun pressed on, crossly replying. The old man sighed over the phone.

“I’m sorry son for being...the worst father there is,” he said. “If there’s anything I can do for you, I will do it.”

“I’m sorry too because there isn’t anything else you need to offer me,” Kyuhyun muttered. “It wasn’t your fault. You just can’t keep your hands off yourself that’s why Mom...Aish, never mind. I don’t need an appa. I don’t need an umma either. I don’t need parents. Who needs them? Certainly not a 19-year-old who is working his off in college.”

The other man chuckled happily. “It’s good you’re doing well in school. What do you want for Christmas?”

“I’m sorry I have to hang up on you,” Kyuhyun grinned and turned off his cell phone. He looked at Kibum, awestruck by his insolence even towards his own father.

“So you really are that kind of kid,” Kibum said. “The man’s apologizing. He’s doing everything he can to help you. Come on, Kyu. He’s your own father and---”

He glared at the boy. “He’s doing everything he can too for his other kids. My hyungs and unnies are all...earning bucks. One hyung is a pilot and another is an engineer. The eldest Unnie has three kids now and she’s a doctor. The youngest...she’s going to graduate this year in college, a Statistician.”

“So intellect does run in the family,” his company smirked.

He nodded, frowning. “I hate to admit it, but yes. But...he never really cared about me. He didn’t. Not like Umma but...they were both useless. I never had friends. I went to private schools when I was younger. I felt...like life itself was damn so silly. It didn’t...just like this room. It doesn’t have any color. Nothing interesting, just a few game tricks I’ve learned. Dad is only doing this to show me that he loves me, which is clearly a lie. I hate liars.”

“Yes, I’ve noticed,” Kibum said, looking at him grimly. “Kyuhyun-sshi, what do you think about me?”

“I think you’re an .”

“You’re very straight-forward too,” he remarked, laughing at his comment. “Is that all?”

The maknae twisted his lips. “You’re a complete jerk. You’re a total neat freak. I hate it when you wipe my shoes for me. I don’t like you doing that because you remind me of my butler. You’re an because you think you’re so cute the ladies would swoon every time they see you---especially that girl Yoona who in your class.”

He shook his head. “Not true.”

“Would I lie to you, Bummie-sshi? I nearly died and God gave me a chance again to tell you this,” Kyuhyun told him playfully.

“You always liked lying Kyuhyun-sshi,” Kibum stood up, turning his back on the injured boy. “That’s why you can’t expect everyone else to be telling the truth in front of your face.”

“Am I really a liar, Kibum? Or you just didn’t like me teasing you about Yoona?”

“Both,” he responded, grinning.

“Well, isn’t that settled then?”

Nodding, Kibum waited for him to finish his sentence before saying something. He sighed heavily, looking at him in compassion and sympathy.

“When you get back to the dorm,” he said, lowering his gaze. “I want you to tell your hyungs exactly what you think of them. Like now, for example, I would have never known that you felt that away about me. If you tell the other hyungs, I think they’ll reply with something you’ll never expect. Can you promise me that maknae?”

“No.”

“It’s the first time I’ve asked you something and you say no,” Kibum said, rolling his eyes.

Kyuhyun grinned. “Okay. I will promise. If only you play with me against hyung-nim and Wook-sshi. They’re the strongest...pair. I hate losing to them.”

“As usual,” he smirked, opening the door to see another hyung here to take his shift.

Eunhyuk peeked inside the room, happily entering to see Kyuhyun awake and scowling----the usual Kyuhyun was always like this. Kibum greeted his hyung by bowing, and hastily he left the room. Eunhyuk sat on the chair, oddly looking at Kyu as if something was amiss.

“Omo, Kyuhyun-sshi was more handsome when he was asleep,” Hyukjae told him.

“Thank you. You would be prettier too if you shut up,” Kyuhyun smiled, ignoring him as he continued playing his game.

-o0o-

“What is this? Does this look like news to you? Where did you get facts like this? Huh? That’s it; I want you out of this office!” Onew yelled at one of his boys who brought in an article, with surefire pictures to back it up, and it made the Editor-in-Chief terribly incensed.

The boy covered himself with his arms, hiding from the tyrant boss. He didn’t like him shouting at him but the story he brought was rather too scandalous, making Onew turn red. But what else could he do, it wasn’t his fault why someone forced him for a high price for something like this to be published.

Its headline: SMEU PUB EIC DATING CO-JOURNALIST.

“You brother excl