Kyuhyun slumped back against the cool stone wall, breathing heavily. The sun had disappeared behind the mountains at some point, and only pale light filtered through the open door of the cellar. He looked around at his handiwork, quickly deciding that he much preferred being an agent with some degree of importance.

Being a laborer was far from easy and relaxing. It was definitely mindless, but not the right kind of mindless. He pushed his dirtied sleeves up for perhaps the hundredth time that day and closed his eyes for the briefest moments.

“Are you done?”

Swallowing a groan, he looked up at the robust woman blocking the doorway. “Yes, I’ve finished,” he grunted, heaving himself off the ground.

“You’re a good worker for such a scrawny kid,” she chortled.

“Scrawny?” he blurted, blinking. Kyuhyun looked at himself, hardly thinking that he was scrawny.

“You won’t find a good woman with those arms,” she clicked her tongue, squeezing his lean muscles.

Kyuhyun decided to keep it to himself that he wasn’t interested in women. Nodding a bit, he looked past her. “What should I do next?”

“The work day is over, boy,” she laughed, “go to the lake just beyond the estate. That’s where you’ll find the most privacy for bathing.” The woman winked and patted him on the back.

Tossing a smile at her, he sighed and rubbed his shoulders as he headed down the road. There was nothing else on his mind but getting a nice bath and falling into bed. Well, perhaps seeing Ryeowook would be better than all of that, but after three days, he had begun thinking that he had been duped. The only thing keeping him from leaving the estate was his lack of money, the distraction, and his own prideful sulking.

How could he have been dumb enough to actually be fooled? That didn’t seem right. It couldn’t have been right.

Kyuhyun mumbled to himself as he threaded his way through trees and brush, searching for the private body of water he had been told of. If anything could calm him, it would be that.

After what felt like hours, he stumbled out into a moonlit clearing, seeing sparkling water. The surface was glassy and filled with ripples. Kyuhyun’s eyes drifted around, but soon settled on the figure rising out of the cool liquid. Their hair was long and dark, skin fair and smooth. Slender contours dragged Kyuhyun closer, his body unable to resist the sight of someone so breathtaking.

“Who…are you?” he called out softly.

The figure froze, slowly turning around.

Kyuhyun staggered through the water, slamming into the slender body with so much force, they fell over. Cool liquid raced up, cracking the surface as Kyuhyun crushed their lips together to the popping of bubbles and swishing of wet cloth.

Gasps tore through them as they rose to breathe, but Kyuhyun left barely a moment to regain composure as he dragged them back together, arms tightening around the person. He closed his eyes, chest heaving painfully. If it was a dream, he would hold onto it for dear life. If it was some freaky hallucination, that was even better.

“W-What are you doing here?” Ryeowook managed between kisses. He shoved weakly at the stronger male, feeling his mind going hazy.

“I came for you,” Kyuhyun mumbled, kissing down the smooth column of his throat. “What’s with this hair?” He tangled fingers into the near waist length locks.

“Disguise,” he breathed, squeezing the handsome one’s shoulders, trying to stay on his feet. “Let go of me…Kyuhyun!”

“I’m never going to let you go again,” he whispered, silence following. Kyuhyun dug his nails into Ryeowook’s soft skin, ignoring the groan of pain. “I can’t watch you walk away again.” He pulled back, loosening just enough to soothe the burning nail marks. “…You don’t know what I gave up to chase you here.”

“You’re crazy,” Ryeowook muttered, “This isn’t happening…this can’t seriously be happening.”

“Yeah it can,” he argued, slowly leading the small, hesitant figure towards shore. “It’s happening because I’ve been searching for you.” Kyuhyun gazed down at the moonlit male, face twisting in anguish. “There’s no one here…it’s just you and me. I’ve been chasing after you since you left that day. I…I really gave it all up this time. So please…don’t lie and tell me that you don’t want me. I could never have these emotions if you didn’t feel the same way back.”

Ryeowook said nothing, keeping his hands on Kyuhyun’s shoulders. Words didn’t dare escape him as tears slowly traced the pale skin of his face.

A brief smile crossed Kyuhyun’s lips before he leaned down, pressing a kiss to the silently crying figure. They slowly lowered to the soft earth, barriers being torn away and heat rising in the wake of shattered chills.