Okay so, it's been a while (like, two years!), but here it is: the next chapter of Effortless! I will finish this story! Even if it takes me twenty years! Yes!

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The next morning, Kyuhyun rolled out of bed with a groan. 

Moving Day.

Joy.

His own had been strenuous enough, what with all his furniture and game consoles and stuff, but now he got to relive it again, only this time with his best friend, who happened to have a penchant for collecting absolutely useless things and piling them all precariously on top of one another.

Changmin would be coming by with his stuff at noon, so Kyuhyun had about five hours to mentally prepare himself for the sure torture his muscles would soon go through. 

Better make a large pot of coffee...

But underneath all the reluctance Kyuhyun felt, there was a simmer of excitement to have Changmin nearby again. Though he'd never admit it, Kyuhyun had missed having his best friend around for the past few years. There had been times when Kyuhyun had turned to Zhoumi or Sungmin and almost said, "Hey, Changmin, remember when...?" only to realize it wasn't Changmin he was speaking to at all.

Kyuhyun smiled. When Zhoumi and Sungmin had heard Kyuhyun was going to be getting a new roommate, they had insisted upon helping with the moving in, leaving no room for their friend's feeble arguments. Well, at least this way all of his best friends would finally meet each other.

But why was Siwon's face coming to mind? 

Honestly, Kyuhyun didn't really consider Siwon a friend- more of an acquaintance, since they barely knew each other, but for some reason, a part of Kyuhyun wanted to include the man in his life. A few times, Kyuhyun had thought to ask Siwon if he wanted to help with the moving in, before realizing what an awkward situation that would be. 

And why would he even want to do something as menial as moving furniture, thought Kyuhyun with a shake of his head. Absurd.

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Kyuhyun took a sip of his coffee and swung open the door to the bookstore, but not before checking for a tall, clumsy businessman barreling around first. 

Mentally, he gave a triumphant whoop, and continued on his way to the counter. Isn't that guy a CEO? Doesn't he have better things to do than hang around a bookstore all day, every day? thought Kyuhyun, not for the first time.

Kyuhyun lifted the mug to his lips as he passed a bookshelf, preparing to take a sip, for once too preoccupied with thoughts to notice the shadow moving out from behind the bookshelf and...

Into him and his coffee. Goodbye, clean shirt and unspilled coffee.

"Why are you here?!" demanded Kyuhyun, interrupting Siwon's hasty apologies.

"Um..." Siwon, who had just begun to wipe down Kyuhyun's now-ruined shirt, gave a wounded look. "That's a bit rude..."

Calming down, Kyuhyun said, "What I mean is, don't you have better things to do, other than sit around the shop all day? Don't you have a job, a hobby, a girlfriend, maybe?" 

"Well, it's the weekend, my hobby is helping you around the shop, and no, I don't have a girlfriend." Siwon responded with a bright grin. "Why, are you curious?"

Kyuhyun fumed. "Of course not!"

"Just, the way you tacked that onto the end of your question there, made it seem a bit-"

"Aigoo what is all this ruckus going on out here?" Halmoni said, emerging from the back room like a serpent from its lair. She took a quick look at Kyuhyun and said, "Siwon you did this to him, didn't you? Go fetch Kyuhyun-ah a new shirt."

"Ah- no, that's not necessary, Halmoni, I'll be leaving in a few hours, anyway. I need to help my new roommate move in."

"Ah, that's right." Halmoni nodded. "Then, Siwon, go help Kyuhyun-ah when he leaves."

"Really, he doesn't need to-" Kyuhyun protested.

"Shush, boy, and let me have my morning in peace." the old lady stated with a glare before returning to her room.

The two boys looked at each other.

"Honestly, you don't need to-"

"I'd be happy to-"

"help," they ended at the same time.

Siwon grinned.

"It'd be my pleasure."

Kyuhyun opened his mouth to speak, but Siwon cut him off with a, "Let's not argue and let Halmoni have her morning in peace. Shall we?"

The younger boy glared for a moment, before turning away with a sulky, "Fine."

They returned to their duties, Kyuhyun not sparing one glance in Siwon's direction.

Siwon wilted.

Ten minutes of silence later,

"Hyung. Bring me these books." 

Kyuhyun waved a slip of paper in the air, ignoring the way Siwon immediately perked up and bounded over like an oversized puppy.

Five minutes later,

"Kyuhyun-ah... Here... Are... Your books." Siwon panted and heaved the six large encyclopedias Kyuhyun had requested onto his desk. 

Pointing to the top of a nearby bookshelf, Kyuhyun said, "Set them over there."

"Don't you need to use them?" 

"Later."

"How will you get them down, though?" 

Kyuhyun propped his head in his hand and smirked. "I wonder..."

Siwon felt his stomach sink.

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Another four hours later, and Siwon was ready to die. 

"Kyuhy- Kyuhyun-ah," Siwon wheezed out from under yet another stack of books. "It's nearly twelve..."

Please save me. 

"Oh, already?" Kyuhyun said, feigning ignorance, "But we were getting so much done."

Kyuhyun pouted and turned his gaze on Siwon. "Boo..."

Siwon's heart stuttered at the sight of Kyuhyun's petulant expression, and he almost wanted to comfort the boy before he remembered that, no, Kyuhyun was actually pure evil.

This boy is going to kill me with his antics.

"Anyway, you're right," Kyuhyun continued, "We should get going."

Siwon felt relief flood his body. He set the thick volumes he was holding on the table with a satisfying thud.

"... But not before you put those away," Kyuhyun added with his signature smirk.

Devil.

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Just before twelve, they pulled up to Kyuhyun's apartment in Siwon's car. Two teenagers, who Siwon assumed were Kyuhyun's friends, were already there, sitting on the steps to the building.

"Whoa, nice car!"

Siwon looked up to see a guy with chubby cheeks and a very, very pink shirt headed toward them. 

"Thanks," Siwon said with a grin.

The other guy- taller, ganglier, and wearing glasses- looked at Kyuhyun and squawked, "Kyuhyun, what happened to your shirt?! Your usual lack of fashion is to be expected, but sporting a coffee stain is just appalling!"

"Ah..." Kyuhyun said, waving off his friend's lecture, "Something happened at the shop. Siwon, this is Sungmin and that's Zhoumi," Kyuhyun continued, gesturing first to pink-shirt guy and then glasses guy. "Sungmin bites and Zhoumi mothers, so try to stay away from them."

"Hey! Not fair!" Sungmin exclaimed. "You bite, too!"

Kyuhyun laughed and put his arm around Sungmin to shut him up. "Anyways, this is Siwon, he helps around the shop and he's-"

A car honked from down the street, and the group looked up to see a minivan pulling up to the curb.

"Changminnie!!"

As soon as Changmin stepped out of the car, Kyuhyun jumped onto him, latching his arms around Changmin's neck as Changmin caught his legs with a surprised chuckle.

I've missed you, Changmin-ah, Kyuhyun thought as he wrapped his arms more tightly around his friend's neck.

I know, Changmin responded by pressing his nose farther into Kyuhyun's hair.

Off to the side, Siwon felt a tiny stab of jealousy. Kyuhyun's never hugged me like that... Just how close are they?

The pair disentangled themselves and began walking toward the others, but all Siwon could notice was how tightly Kyuhyun had intertwined his fingers with his friend's. 

"Well you've certainly never greeted me like that," Sungmin teased, pretending to be hurt.

"I fully expect you to say hello to me by leaping into my arms and crying 'Zhoumiiii' from now on. No other salutation will suffice," Zhoumi declared, arms crossed.

Kyuhyun gave a cheeky grin and said, "Guys, this is Changmin. Changmin, this is Zhoumi, Sungmin, and Siwon hyung."

"Hey," Changmin said, giving a short wave with the hand that wasn't currently holding Kyuhyun's.

Sungmin and Zhoumi looked at each other. 

"... What?" Kyuhyun asked.

"Nothing. Should we get started?" suggested Zhoumi with a bright smile. 

"Yeah!" Kyuhyun cheered and proceeded to drag Changmin back to his car.

"I'll prop open the doors," Siwon offered, walking toward the building.

Zhoumi and Sungmin stood in silence for a moment.

They shared a glance before Zhoumi cleared his throat and began, "Have you ever-"

"Seen Kyuhyun cling to someone-"

"And call someone hyung-"

"Without cringing before?"

They stared at each other.

"Nope."

"Only in my dreams."

Sungmin laughed and elbowed Zhoumi in the arm. 

"Yah! What kind of dreams have you been having?!"

Zhoumi sighed and said wistfully, "Nice ones."

"Guys, what are you doing?! A little help here would be awesome!" Kyuhyun shouted from the car.

"Really nice ones," Zhoumi sighed again as they walked over.

"-okay so you take that end, and- oh, Zhoumi! You grab that end, Sungmin and I will hold the sides," Kyuhyun ordered, gesturing to a wooden bookcase.

The four boys got into position.

"Hey! We're, like, holding the entire thing!" Zhoumi protested. "Guixian, you know these arms weren't meant for heavy lifting!"

"Oh, come on," Kyuhyun said, rolling his eyes, "Tell me that again after your next shopping spree."

"Nice!" Sungmin whooped, high-fiving Kyuhyun.

"Guixian?" Changmin looked confused.

"Oh, Zhoumi's Chinese. He sometimes goes back and forth between languages," Kyuhyun informed.

"Hey, instead of discussing my bilingual abilities, let's get this inside before my arms give out," Zhoumi began to whine.

"Oh my god, okay already" Kyuhyun laughed, raising his arms to support the side of the bookcase.

"Oh! Siwon hyung! You're back! Stay here and make sure no hobo tries to steal this guy's junk." Kyuhyun ordered.

"Hey!" Changmin objected.

Slightly bewildered, Siwon nodded with an, "Um... okay?" 

"It is not junk! We've been over this!"

"It is junk if it just sits around the house and serves no purpose other than cluttering up all our space!"

Siwon watched Kyuhyun and Changmin quarrel as they carried the bookcase into the building, smiling a little at how similar they were in temper. But, as he sat down on the edge of Changmin's open trunk, Siwon couldn't help but think, I wonder what it would take to get Kyuhyun talk to me so casually... 

Every time he and Kyuhyun talked, Siwon always had the feeling that the younger boy was holding back a little, that he wasn't entirely comfortable around him just yet.

Siwon frowned a little as he thought back to his conversation with Kyuhyun yesterday.

"Thank you, Siwon hyung, for driving me home... and for coming to the cafe with me." Kyuhyun said, smiling.

Siwon's heart skipped a beat at Kyuhyun's adorable expression.

"Oh. No problem." Siwon chuckled, scratching his neck. 

"By the way, hyung..." Kyuhyun trailed off.

"Yeah?"

"Uh, never mind. I'll talk to you later, 'kay? Bye!" Kyuhyun spun around and raced up the steps and into his apartment building, the door closing with a bang behind him.

That was weird, Siwon thought, slightly disappointed. What was he going to say... 

Just then, Kyuhyun's head popped out from behind the door with a quick, "Thanks! Bye, hyung!" before it closed again with a soft click.

Siwon stared at the door, unaware of the small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Furrowing his brow, Siwon remembered that, in the end, he hadn't really asked Kyuhyun about what he'd been about to say, too caught up in just being around the alluring boy.

Siwon looked up to see Kyuhyun and his friends heading back to the car, and he stood up to grab a box before Kyuhyun commanded,

"No. Sit." Siwon sat.

"Stay." Siwon stayed.

"Good boy."

Kyuhyun smiled and patted Siwon on the head before hauling, onto his hip, the box Siwon had been about to take, and promptly walking back to the apartment. 

"Whoa! You are whipped!" Zhoumi crowed.

"Kyuhyun's next unsuspecting prey, I'll bet," Sungmin grinned.

Smirking, Zhoumi added, "When they fall, they fall hard."

Siwon looked at them with an innocent expression. "I don't know what you mean."

"You totally do! Look at him, Zhoumi! Did you see that expression when Kyuhyun told him to stay?! I'll do anything for you. Just tell me, and I would die for you. For you, Kyuhyun-ah." Sungmin put one hand on his heart and held the other in front of him, gesturing dramatically to emphasize his words.

"Like he was completely hypnotized," Zhoumi agreed.

"Unfortunately for you, Kyuhyun always rejects his admirers. Right away. No exceptions," Sungmin divulged.

Siwon was surprised by the information. What reason could there be for Kyuhyun to reject anyone who asked him out? Does he have a... girlfriend?

"Hey, Changmin-sshi, do you know why Kyuhyun hates dating?" Sungmin called out to the approaching boy.

If he hates dating, I guess that's not it...

Changmin's steps faltered for a moment before he grabbed a box and paused. "Sorry, this might be a bit rude, but I think it'd be best if you wait for Kyuhyun to tell you himself..." Changmin took a few steps and then stopped again. "And, please don't ask him about it. He'll tell you if he wants to." Then, he proceeded to walk back to the apartment, box in tow.

"Well, that was a bit rude," Sungmin retorted.

"It sounded kind of serious, though..." Zhoumi suggested. 

"I guess..."

"Hey, what are you all standing around for? We've got boxes to move, people!"

At the sound of Kyuhyun's voice, they all stopped talking and tried to seem hard at work.

Kyuhyun looked at Siwon before adding, "Oh. Except you. You stay there, Guard Dog-sshi."

He smiled indulgently before petting Siwon's cheek.

"Aw, good puppy."

Picking up a box full of CDs, Kyuhyun walked off into the distance, not once looking back.

And the mystery heightens...

It seemed the more Siwon learned about the boy, the more intrigued he became.