A/N: It's still February 3rd where I am, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYUHYUN \O/

:DDD /incorrigible

Oh, and FLUFF ALERT for this chapter. I can't possibly post something angsty on his birthday, so... enjoy? xD

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There was something positively heavenly about having blueberry pancakes for breakfast.

Kyuhyun leaned back in pure satisfaction as he chewed on his last bite, savouring every fluffy sweetness and sour tang. From across the table, Siwon was watching him with mild interest and no little amount of amusement.

“Feel free to order another one if you want,” he offered.

“No, thanks, I'm already full,” Kyuhyun declined with an almost regretful sigh, and then gave Siwon's half-full plate of fresh fruits a look of barely concealed disgust. “Unlike you, I imagine.”

“You know this is what I eat every morning.”

“They're fruits,” Kyuhyun stated, unable to suppress a shudder. “Who the hell eats fruits—only fruits—for breakfast?”

“Thirty-three-year-old men with hard-earned, well-built figures to maintain,” Siwon replied with a long-suffering air. “Just be thankful that you're still sixteen.”

Seventeen, Kyuhyun almost said, but caught his tongue just in time. He only grinned instead and sipped his caramel macchiato in blissful silence.

The breakfast place was full on that Sunday morning. Kyuhyun looked around the pleasant, high-ceilinged room with interest, knowing very well that the exorbitant price displayed in the menu covered not only the delicious food and excellent service, but also the warm, inviting décor of the place. Pale winter sunlight streamed in through many glass windows framed by cheerful light-yellow curtains. A low hum of chatters filled the room as bits of conversations were shared between hearty bites and dainty sips. White-uniformed waiters and waitresses made their ways deftly but quietly among the guests, trained to flit in and out of notice without much fuss. From where he sat, everything seemed picture perfect, like a heart-warming scene from a Sunday movie.

That was until his eyes caught the sight of a middle-aged, rich-looking couple sitting two tables away who had been throwing furtive glances at his direction. Not far from them was a table of four women who were busily talking among themselves in low whispers, behind their manicured hands, and Kyuhyun only needed one look at their faces to know that they knew.

He could feel the agonising burn of shame in his chest, quick to climb to his face and made him look down at his white-knuckled fingers. Those looks never failed to make him feel awful. He should’ve insisted that they spent the day at home; it wasn’t all that special of a day anyway.

“Hey.”

Kyuhyun almost started at the sudden touch on his chin. He looked up and found Siwon leaning across the table, his expression firm.

“Don’t pay attention to them. They don’t know anything about you.”

Obviously they know enough, Kyuhyun wanted to retort, but Siwon’s thumb shifted to caress the corner of his lips—and the gesture was so gentle and affectionate that it stirred a ripple of warmth somewhere inside him. A little smile involuntarily bloomed on his face and he found himself nodding despite his silence.

One of the things which impressed Kyuhyun the most about Siwon was the fact that the man did not treat him like a shameful secret. Coming here for breakfast had been his idea, and even in public, in front of so many people from his own class, Siwon’s attitude toward him did not change in the slightest. Kyuhyun was certain that at least half of the guests knew who they were—not to mention the army of dedicated servers attending to their needs, all of whom were constantly and respectfully referring to Siwon as 'Mr Choi'.

Yes, Mr Choi. Of course, Mr Choi. Is there anything else, Mr Choi? Very well, Mr Choi.

Kyuhyun would probably have resorted to murder (or at least something very drastic) if he had to hear his own name so many times in the span of half an hour. Siwon, however, looked far from bothered if not completely unaffected—or maybe he was just too used to that sort of abuse to his name.

“How do you feel about a trip to Tokyo?” the older man suddenly asked. The question was so unexpected and entirely without rhyme or reason that Kyuhyun had to stare at him for a few seconds.

“Tokyo?” he repeated uncertainly.

“Yes. I have to be there on the 28^th for business and I'll probably stay there for a few days,” Siwon explained, tapping a finger on the saucer of his cup. “I meant to ask you last week, but you surprised me with that impromptu performance.”

Kyuhyun knew that he had turned into a deep shade of red. “You'll never let me live it down, will you?

“Not for a while, no,” Siwon answered mildly, complete with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

“Whatever. Hmph.”

“So what do you say?”

The obvious answer was yes—and Kyuhyun wanted very much to say yes. For one, he had never left South Korea; simply the prospect of seeing another country already brought him to a state of giddy excitement that he could hardly sit still. And then there was his weakness for Japanese games and comics, which only plied more reasons as to why he really shouldn't pass this chance. For all he knew, it might never come again.

“I’d love to go, but,” he swallowed, steeling himself, and took the plunge, “why would you take me?”

Siwon raised an eyebrow. “Like I said, I thought you'd be interested. And the new semester won’t start until next month, right?”

“No, I mean,” Kyuhyun paused, and carefully met Siwon's gaze, “why would you take me?”

As soon as comprehension sank, a frown settled across Siwon’s brow. “Does it matter?”

“I suppose not,” Kyuhyun mumbled, looking at his fidgeting hands. “I just don't want to be a bother since it's a business trip and all.”

“On the contrary, those trips are usually so mind-numbingly dull,” Siwon replied dryly. “You won’t be a bother, so don’t worry about that.”

A spark of hope lit inside of him. “And you want me to come with you?”

“Only if you want to.”

Kyuhyun could feel a pleased smile making its quiet way to his lips. “Alright then.”

“Excellent.” Siwon nodded, looking rather pleased himself. “I'll have Zhou Mi prepare everything for you. And one more thing.”

He reached across the table and put a small, thin box next to the bread basket. Kyuhyun stared at it, dumbfounded.

“Open it,” the older man told him.

Kyuhyun obeyed. Inside the box was a card—a business card, sitting askew on a bed of black velvet. It took him a long moment to make sense of the words neatly printed in the middle of the white space—and then another moment, twice even longer, to make sure that he could believe his eyes.

Yoo Young-jin

Vocal Instructor

And then came another moment, in which Kyuhyun was sure that he had stopped breathing entirely.

“From what I understand, he is one of the best,” Siwon spoke again, sounding perfectly casual, as if he hadn't just given Kyuhyun one of his life's greatest wishes. “He has his business number listed there at the bottom of the card. Give him a call tomorrow and arrange for a meeting. He wants to see you first—maybe to give you a test or two—but if he agrees to take you, then you'll be able to learn from one of the best. Look at me.”

Still unable to speak, Kyuhyun looked up slowly, finding Siwon's eyes on him. “You said that you were scared,” the older man continued, leaning forward, his voice falling a shade lower and softer. “And you should be. It isn’t an easy world you want to be in. But with that kind of voice, you definitely have a chance. Learn, practice, work hard, and once you’ve felt confident enough, join one of those singing contests. Let the world hear your voice and give them no choice but to fall in love with you.”

The sudden warmth that bled in his eyes caught him off guard. Kyuhyun blinked furiously to force the tears back, painfully aware that he was still in public. Humiliating himself by bursting into tears was the last thing he needed right now.

“You don’t have to do this,” he managed to speak after a long pause, trying not to wince at how weak and close to crying he still sounded.

“True,” Siwon smiled, his eyes gentle, “but I want to.”

Kyuhyun had to look away before the tightness in his chest could burst and undo all his efforts. His fingers curled around the box, holding tight like it was the most precious treasure in the world for him.

And it was.

“Thank you.”

“Well, everyone deserves a gift on their birthday, right?”

Kyuhyun whipped his head up so fast it made him feel dizzy for a moment. “How did you…” he faltered, gaping at the older man.

“I have my ways,” was Siwon’s nonchalant answer, although the brightness in his eyes was unmistakable. “Happy birthday, Kyuhyun.”

And there was that tightness again. Kyuhyun bit his tongue and dug his nails into the back of his hand, all to distract him from the lump in his throat. There were too many things he wanted to say that in the end he couldn’t even say any of them and chose to stare at his birthday gift in silence.

“Let’s go,” Siwon told him after he had settled the bill. Kyuhyun could feel many pairs of eyes watching them as they rose to leave, too blatant curiosity and no little disapproval swirling thickly in the air. But Siwon waited for him. His hand settled on Kyuhyun’s lower back, quietly guiding him as they made their way toward the entrance, side by side.

The hand didn’t leave his back, even after they had stepped out into the cold February air.

“I have a question,” Kyuhyun suddenly blurted, spinning around to face the older man. Even in his own ears, the words were too loud—too brazen, especially in broad daylight and in front of so many people to play witness by chance. “If I were to do something," he continued despite a sense of dread rising quickly in his stomach, “can you promise that you won't read too much into it? That... there's no ulterior motive or anything and it's just something I want to do?”

Siwon raised an eyebrow. “I should say it depends on the thing you want to do.”

“Just this.”

Then Kyuhyun hugged him. It was the most simple and childish thing he had ever done to anyone, let alone this man who had dragged him out of his house and into his bed. Siwon was clearly taken by surprise. His only reaction was to stand rooted to the spot, in the middle of the sidewalk, as the utter unfamiliarity of it wound tension around his form.

“Thank you,” Kyuhyun whispered, words bursting behind his lips and yet only a disjointed few coming out of his mouth. “Really, I just... I don’t know what to say. But I promise that I’ll try my best. I won't let you down.”

“Well,” Siwon cleared his throat as one of his hands came to rest on Kyuhyun’s back, “that’s good enough for me.”

“No, it isn’t,” Kyuhyun muttered, arms tightening around the older man. “It shouldn’t be. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

“Then maybe when the time comes, you can dedicate your first song to me and we'll call it even.”

Kyuhyun looked up, a budding grin half hidden in the warm folds of Siwon's coat. “Only if I also get to decide what’s for lunch and dinner today.”

Siwon laughed, the sound erasing all remaining awkwardness between them. “Whatever my birthday boy wants,” he conceded, kissing the tip of Kyuhyun’s nose.

And for once, Kyuhyun didn't care if the whole world was watching.

End

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Note: If this chapter causes you cavities, I sincerely apologise orz