“Kyuhyun-ah. Did you just offer to help him?” Kibum said surprised as he eyed their intimate position, mouth gaping open and closed like a dying fish.

“Of course Kibum hyung! Why shouldn’t I? I’m not going to let you keep this little bunny to yourself you know.” Kyuhyun replied, a teasing grin on his face as sneakily pressed a kiss to Sungmin’s cheek, the blonde stiffening in shock as he felt the cellist’s plush lips linger on his skin.

“By any chance… are you two dating?” he asked hesitantly, wary of the answer as he stared at the two underclassmen currently before him.

Sungmin immediately opened his mouth to tell him that no, of course they weren’t dating (Kyuhyun didn’t even like him!) but was cut off, a warm hand quickly covering his mouth under the pretense of his cheek.

“Aigoo, my little Minnie. Are you blushing? Of course we are hyung. Why else would I offer to tutor him? You know I’m not that generous except to those very dear to me.”

With those words, Kyuhyun released his hold on Sungmin and instead quickly took his hand, intertwining their fingers together the way a couple would. Sungmin felt his cheeks heat up as the taller man’s larger hand enveloped his own, unconsciously giving him a sense of security and comfort as Kyuhyun gave his hand a squeeze.

Their hands felt right clasped together, Sungmin thought, as he bowed his head to hide his flaming face. His heart skipped a beat as Kyuhyun’s face loomed over his, the handsome man stooping a little to brush Sungmin’s bangs out his eyes. He forgot all about being mad at Kyuhyun for hugging him out of nowhere, his mind completely focused on the man in front of him.

The sound of his own pounding heartbeat rang in Sungmin’s ears as Kyuhyun’s fingertips traced over his forehead before trailing down his cheeks and stopping at his jaw, tilting his head up to meet the cellist’s gaze.

“Don’t hide your face Sungmin. I think you’re beautiful when you blush like that. Especially if it’s because of me.”

Their moment was interrupted by a loud squeal as the two turned back to the now fan-girling senior, a faint pink apparent on both their faces.

“Aish Kyuhyun. I didn’t know you had this in you. How did you get this cute little boy to fall for someone like you eh?” Kibum teased the cellist as he gave Kyuhyun a slight jab in the ribs.

“Obviously with my charm and cello skills. Nothing says attractive like my y vibrato hyung. Which you don’t have by the way.” Kyuhyun replied, his characteristic snarky tone making Kibum laugh in exasperation.

Clearly both the quiet ice princes were quite different when they’re in their circle of friends, Sungmin thought as he observed the duo with a smile.

“Kyu, now that I know you two are dating, I really do have to chastise you though.” Kibum told Kyuhyun as he geared up for a long and lengthy lecture. “Your Sungmin was burning up here with a headache while you were just happily playing that cello during rehearsal. Now be a responsible boyfriend and take your baby home before he gets worse. “

Hearing this, Kyuhyun immediately put his palm on Sungmin’s forehead, worry etched on his face as he felt the boy’s unnatural body temperature.

“Come on Minnie. I’ll go talk to Heechul to let you go early. I’ll take you home alright?” Kyuhyun told the pouting blonde as he put a finger on his lips, shushing Sungmin’s protests that he was fine.

Stalking off to find Heechul, Kyuhyun rapped twice on the director’s office door before walking in, eyeing a certain frazzled Music Department head who had been a little too close for polite society to the smirking director, the diva currently resembled a kitty that had just been rewarded with a bowl of milk.

“Yah, Cho what do you need. My office isn’t somewhere that you can just barge in you know.”

Kyuhyun let out a sigh in contempt.

“Yes Heechul. Now if you weren’t so busy with your little boy toy right here” –Hankyung had the decency to look scandalized while Heechul simply shrugged – “ You would’ve known that your little cousin was having a raging fever. Now I’m going to take him home so excuse us from rehearsal alright?”

Not waiting for the director’s response, Kyuhyun his heels, about to walk out the door, before Heechul hollered at him to stop. Raising his eyebrows, the tall sophomore turned his head back with a tired look on his face.

“Yes? What else do you need?”

“Yah. Stop with that insolent tone brat. I’m the teacher here alright. And anyways, who is my Minnie to you that you of all people are going to take him home? I never saw you even talk to him for goodness sake.”

With a wicked grin, Kyuhyun shrugged his shoulders and faced the director with a confident look on his face.

“Why director, I’m his boyfriend. Guess you really don’t know much about your cousin eh?”

Heechul’s face paled. What was this idiot talking about? His little Sungminnie got a boyfriend without telling him? Kyuhyun had to have been his first boyfriend too!  And why Kyuhyun? What was going on in his bunny’s head when he accepted this arrogant brat? Quickly jumping up from his seat, the orchestra director was about to go and strangle his little bunny cousin before he was hastily shoved back down by the cackling cellist.  

“No no director. You can’t go yell at my Sungmin right now. He has a fever remember? So just sit tight and finish up rehearsal while I take him home alright? He’ll be safe and sound with me.” Kyuhyun told a frowning Heechul as he slowly walked out of the office.

Looking back over his shoulders at the Chinese man sitting beside the director, Kyuhyun turned to a very surprised Hankyung, smirking at the poor confused foreigner.

 “Yah Department Head, keep Heechul busy alright?”

With this auspicious parting statement, Kyuhyun waved 2 fingers at the seething director and stuttering department head, his strides gaining speed as he walked back to where Sungmin and Kibum were waiting.

The blonde was clearly sick, his palms clammy with cold sweat and his temperature way too high to be considered normal. Kibum’s arms were wrapped comfortingly around the man’s shoulders as Sungmin closed his eyes, trying to rest a bit before he had to get up and walk home. Every muscle in his body ached now, his headache subsiding to a low throb as the rest of his body caught the contagious burn of the fever.

Sungmin groaned at the thought of walking home in the cold January weather. Being too poor to afford his own car despite of being the legal driving age, he had always simply driven to school with Heechul, his cousin’s job providing Sungmin with the perfect transportation despite him having to get to school hours earlier than the other students and leaving hours later. However, staying at school today was just not an option. He could get others sick, and it wouldn’t do him any good to stay in rehearsal.

“And it’s not like they’re going to miss my off beat playing anyways” he thought bitterly as he clenched his fists in exhaustion.

Leaving with Heechul today was obviously not an option. He knew Kyuhyun said he would walk him home, but that was obviously just a joke. Sungmin didn’t understand why Kyuhyun had suddenly claimed to be his boyfriend, acting sweet and kind, and in general, just completely opposite of what he had been doing just one day ago. Kyuhyun’s tender words today had caught him off guard, the cellist’s actions rendering his mind utterly confused as he contemplated the cause behind the man’s gestures.

This Kyuhyun was completely different than the Kyuhyun he knew in orchestra or the Kyuhyun he had fought with in the café. In those moments, Kyuhyun was warm, kind, and most importantly to Sungmin, Kyuhyun had made him felt safe. Sungmin knew that it was probably wishful thinking of his that the man had been acting this way because he liked him. No, Kyuhyun wasn’t the type to go after someone so much below his station. The ice prince had probably lost a bet with someone. There was no other explanation for it.

Sungmin’s thoughts were quickly interrupted as the very man he had been thinking about suddenly came back, the tall man crouching down to reach his eye level as he grabbed Sungmin’s hands.

“Come on bunny, we’re leaving.”

“Alright Kyuhyun. Bye Kibum! Thanks for helping me.” Sungmin replied in a cold tone to the cellist as he waved good bye to the French horn player.

The two walked in silence towards the exit, neither speaking as their clasped hands raised eyebrows across the room.

Once they were outside the school, Sungmin quickly let go of Kyuhyun’s hands and turned to face the man.

“There’s no one here. You don’t have to pretend anymore and you don’t have to send me home. Good bye Kyuhyun.”

He turned around to leave, but a hand quickly reached out to grab his wrist, pulling the weak feverish boy back towards the standing cellist.

“I wasn’t pretending Sungmin. Don’t ask me for an explanation right now, but just let me take you home. At least let me do that for you.” Kyuhyun whispered earnestly to the shivering blonde as he leaned forward to rest his forehead on Sungmin’s, the taller intertwining both of their hands together as he tried to express the truth in his words.

For some inexplicable reason, Kyuhyun just wanted to see Sungmin safe, safe and sound in his arms for as long as he could hold him. He really had no explanation for his sudden feelings, and certainly could not put it into words if someone had asked him to do so.

Deciding that actions were definitely better than words at this point, Kyuhyun quickly looped Sungmin’s arms around his neck and hooked the boy’s legs around his waist, giving the blonde a piggy back ride as he asked the man for directions to his house.

Embarrassed, Sungmin buried his face into the back of Kyuhyun’s coat as he mumbled out his address, that same feeling of security returning as he hugged the cellist tightly, not wanting to let go. Kyuhyun walked with a shy smile on his face, never minding the cold or the weight on his back as he felt Sungmin’s embrace, a warm feeling spreading from his chest to the rest of his body.

Both of them could feel the other’s heartbeat, erratic and slightly faster than normal. Both of their emotions were in turmoil, not understanding what the other wanted, each lost in their thoughts. But both knew that what they felt right then, they didn’t want it to end. They wanted that to last for a lifetime, this unknown feeling that both of them were experiencing for the first time.

Even when many more cold January afternoons will pass by in their lifetimes, their walk home that day will long be remembered. 

AN: Hope you guys like the romance in this chapter <3 The story is taking a little turn away from the comedy it started out with isn't it? I hope you guys will still like it and support it like before <3 On a side note, my school district is having a district wide music honor society social this weekend! I'm super excited <3 Hopefully the cellist behind the inspiration for Kyu will be there *crosses fingers*