Chapter Seven

 

            The satin robe fell to the carpeted floor. It was an exquisite sight, the curves and flesh. The willowy neck, the outlined collarbones, the somewhat oddly-shaped s over leveled abdomen and arms and legs quite flawless were absolutely beautiful. The woman stood stark in front of the man until instructions were given out and the lady went over to the cleopatra, arms and legs positioned based on directions. With the diamond heart over her chest, Rose entrusted all of her to Jack, the artist professionally sketching every inch of her, like magic.

 

            Someone was at the door. Kyuhyun pressed the pause button on his laptop, left his bed and went to greet his visitor. The stopped footage showed Rose and her bare bosoms on the laptop screen.

 

            “Yo,” Kibum greeted as he took off his shoes by the house’s entrance.

 

            Kyuhyun crossed his arms and shifted his weight to one foot, curious.

 

            “I don’t remember inviting you over.”

 

            Kibum inched further inside the house where he used to run off to during elementary school to play video games with Kyuhyun. He felt nostalgic.

 

            “Auntie did. Just now actually,” Kibum said, pertaining to Mrs. Cho who was on a trip to Jeju. “Maybe she knew you weren’t going to invite me anytime soon. At least she remembered.”

 

            Kyuhyun followed Kibum to the living room where the older boy occupied a space on the couch. Kyuhyun sat beside him.

 

            “You know. I’ve been busy.”

 

            The room descended into silence as the two boys reminisced the previous years to themselves. The living room TV used to be a normal square box but a “40-inch wide screen TV took its place now. The furniture used to be plain and their prints were a bit awry and they didn’t match with the room’s atmosphere. Now, the Cho’s had two white leather couches, one in front of the TV and the other to its left, rotated so that it’d face the glass sliding doors that led to the garden and a pair of white rattan egg chairs to the right, a small coffee table in between them. Those were one of the few out of several changes that Kibum spotted. He did like the huge cream-colored carpet that took up the whole center part of the room. Even with socks on, Kibum could almost feel the soft, furry texture on his toes.

 

            Very nice choice, Kibum thought.

 

            “I’m going back to my room,” Kyuhyun said later and got to his feet.

 

            Kibum did the same and, like old times, raced each other up the stairs. Kyuhyun beat the older boy, like old times. Now that he got taller, arms longer as well, the narrow space in the staircase made his growth a sure advantage. Although Kyuhyun wasn’t as athletic as Kibum during their elementary days, his height compensated for it. Kibum would always roll his eyes at the younger man’s gloating. And he did that very moment as Kyuhyun, like old times, boasted about his growth. Kibum wasn’t going to admit it but he let his dongsaeng win that time. He was too busy wondering to himself whether the Cho’s second floor was renovated because it looked more spacious or it was only his imagination. When he entered Kyuhyun’s room, he concluded that the Cho’s - without even going to the bathrooms that were each located on the second and first floors, the kitchen and the yard, and the recreation room, even the studies - had fully modernized the once mix-matched household.

 

            “A lot happened to this house in the past five years, huh?” Kibum said, more of a statement than a question.

 

            Kyuhyun’s room grew. To the point that the 25-year-old had his own TV set over a stylish desk in one corner, latest desktop computer stuff in the other and one space solely for an electric organ and a garnish wooden stool. What surprised Kibum was that, all of those including Kyuhyun’s close-to-queen-sized bed, study table, black bean bag chair and swivel office chair, fit perfectly in their places and the room was still big enough for at least five persons to walk around in.

 

            “Huh? Uh. Yeah. Probably,” Kyuhyun answered, sitting on his bean bag and ignoring Kibum’s wandering eyes.

 

            The 26-year-old could spot an Xbox and its controllers below the TV and his dongsaeng’s precious PSP beside his precious laptop on the bed. Kibum seated himself on the bouncy mattress and pulled the laptop to him. The screen made him snicker.

 

            “Busy, eh?” Kibum teased.

 

            Kyuhyun was sitting on the swivel chair that went with his study desk. He was flipping through a magazine.

 

            “That movie is nice. The story and its depth,” Kyuhyun reasoned out, now rearranging his clients’ files on one side of the table. There were only three folders so he just stacked them up then disarranged them.

 

Kibum scoffed.

 

             “Or is it because of that scene? You re-watched Titanic for about eight times back in high school. Don’t deny it. Ahra noona always told me what you were doing when you ‘didn’t feel like going out’ whenever the other guys invited you to the arcade.”

 

Kyuhyun plopped down on his bed, flat on his stomach to push the laptop screen down so Kibum would stop pestering him.

 

“You…”

 

“It’s also one of your favorite movies, right? I can’t believe I still remember useless crap like that.”

 

              Kibum smiled at his annoyed dongsaeng. He pulled his legs up and lied down, his head plunging into the pillows softly. Kyuhyun went to his electric piano. He didn’t use the wooden stool there and just stood, positioning his fingers on some keys.

 

“You still play?”

 

“If I wasn’t then I wouldn’t have this here now would I?”

 

“That’s nice.”

 

              Kyuhyun and Kibum took piano lessons when they were in 5^th grade. They played hooky during the first week but both their mothers found out and had all their video game consoles confiscated, only to be returned if they took their lessons seriously. They didn’t have a choice. Without ever owning up, Kyuhyun and Kibum very much enjoyed their piano classes. Why? Because they were both excellent at playing the instrument. Then Kyuhyun went and learned how to play the clarinet, harmonica and guitar while Kibum stayed loyal to the grand instrument. They were talented fellows.

 

“Your voice still in good shape?”

 

“Dunno. Yours? You still rap?”

 

Yes. They also learned how to sing.

 

“Nah. Medical school takes up most of my time. Even got lucky to get a vacation this year.”

 

Kibum laughed. Kyuhyun went back to his bean bag.

 

“I’m guessing the girl you like is your classmate? Hm?”

 

Kibum laughed again.

 

“The ever intelligent Kyuhyunnie.”

 

Kyuhyun chuckled lowly. He loved being right.

 

“You’re inspired at least. Without her, I bet you’d be failing in the next semester.”

 

“Unlikely,” Kibum replied. “Inspired or not, I’ll be sure to make it through.”

 

              Kyuhyun admired that mighty confidence oozing out of his childhood friend. Kibum was a humble man no matter how impressive he was but it was times like those that Kyuhyun could see why the man was so. It was his confidence.

 

“Auntie was talking to my mom earlier. Before she talked to me,” Kibum said. “How’s internship?”

 

“Fine. Were they talking about that?”

 

“Yeah. After mom told auntie about my medical school stuff.”

 

              Kibum sat up and looked at Kyuhyun, whose back was turned to him. Kibum scooted off to the other side of the bed and went through his dongsaeng’s desk. The three folders caught his attention.

 

“Can I look at these?”

 

Kyuhyun glanced at Kibum and the three folders, waving a hand as a permit.

 

“Clients,” Kibum said. “Oh? This kid’s cute. Ahn Sohee.”

 

Kyuhyun turned in his bean bag to see Kibum reading his youngest client’s résumé.

 

             “I bet all of the guys at her previous school had their eyes on her.” Kibum nodded, agreeing with himself wholly. He closed the folder and returned it, along with the other two, on the desk.

 

Kyuhyun was scrutinizing his Xbox controllers. He didn’t want any of his game consoles dusty.

 

             Kibum made it to the window, the frame just next to the electric organ. The neighborhood kids were running around the street, a man passed by on a bike with some kind of package squeezed into the built-in basket of the contraption and a lady on the other side of the road cradled a baby in her arms, probably lulling the sweet infant to sleep. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon. Kyuhyun finished cleaning up his Xbox and claimed his rightful spot on the bed. He stopped the program running on his laptop and shut it down. Kibum seemed like he was enjoying the scenery too much.

 

“So what’s wrong with her?”

 

Kyuhyun puffed up a pillow and put it against the headboard, reclining on it slowly.

 

“What do you think?”

 

“I wouldn’t be asking to get another question, Kyu.”

 

The younger man laughed.

 

“Nothing’s wrong with her. She just has to release some steam. She’s that kind of person.”

 

Kibum pulled the wooden stool with his foot and sat there, eyeing Kyuhyun who was currently playing with his PSP.

 

He never changed.

 

“Oh? So you know her that well now?”

 

“It’s been two weeks.”

 

Kibum his chin.

 

“Huh. I wonder if she’ll tell you any secrets. Or has she?”

 

Kyuhyun set his PSP down. He couldn’t play well if someone was talking to him.

 

“It’s confidential.”

 

“Oooh~” Kibum crooned. “I bet she has a boyfriend.”

 

“Why are you being extra annoying today?”

 

Kibum grinned.

 

“Sorry. Just wanted to make sure you’re the old Kyuhyun I used to know. It’s been five years. We stopped talking to each other and shiz.”

 

“Yeah, well,” Kyuhyun shrugged. “How am I?”

 

“Definitely the same old dork.”

 

              They both laughed. It really had been a long time. That Saturday with Sooyoung and Yuri was different. Kibum, on that very Sunday, finally felt reunited with his best childhood friend. Kyuhyun felt it too.

 

              Their stomachs began grumbling a little past one. Kibum didn’t eat lunch. After Mrs. Cho invited him, he immediately went over, the thought of food totally gone from his mind. Kyuhyun didn’t notice the time. He was too busy enjoying Titanic.

 

“We have left over pasta from this morning,” Kyuhyun mentioned as they went down the stairs to go to the dining room.

 

“Sure. Whatever you’re having.”

 

               From the stairs, to the right was the living room and the dining room was on the left. North of the dining room was the kitchen where Kyuhyun was banned from ever since he tried fixing something up for Mother’s Day of his last year in middle school. Ahra and Mrs. Cho had to scrape off kimchi sauce on the walls for two days. Mr. Cho wasn’t mad at Kyuhyun (“At least you tried but don’t do it again.”) because he, too, had similar mishaps whenever he was in the kitchen. Though not bad enough mishaps to get himself banned from the food-filled room.

 

“As long as I don’t cook anything then it’s all good,” Kyuhyun said as he set foot in the spotless kitchen.

 

              Kibum couldn’t remember the last time he visited the room but he was sure it wasn’t that instance when Kyuhyun had that Mother’s Day accident. He knew how to cook at least, even way back then.

 

              The plastic container that kept the pasta fresh was on top of the microwave. The heating device was placed on a separate counter from the sink and stove. Everything was so neat and orderly. Kibum felt like he was in a museum as he kept telling himself not to touch anything. Kyuhyun let the pasta settle on a white China plate he took out from one of the cupboards. He got Kibum to take two forks from a dispenser near the sink and made him go to the dining room with their lunch. Kyuhyun chose out a 250ml bottle of orange juice from the fridge and got hold of two glass cups. Normally Kyuhyun would follow his policy of ‘self service’ whenever Kibum came over. But that was a long time ago and they were all grown up. A little. So helping one another for lunch wouldn’t hurt, Kyuhyun decided.

 

“Eh? You didn’t bring other plates?” Kibum asked when Kyuhyun set the juice and cups on the table.

 

He sighed, taking a seat across Kibum.

 

“Can’t we just share? Washing the plates would be a hassle if we still get separate ones.”

 

Kibum clicked his tongue, handing over one fork to his obviously famished dongsaeng.

 

“Aren’t we lazy today, hm?”

 

“Hm?” Kyuhyun looked up, a dangling strand of pasta trapped in between his lips.

 

Kibum shook his head. He dug his fork on the plate and twirled it around, a bundle of pasta strings coiled the silver utensil.

 

Tok tok

 

The two boys stared at each other momentarily.

 

“Expecting anyone?”

 

“Nope.”

 

              Kyuhyun left the dining room then made his way to the door. He could see the reflection of the figure through the glass. He unlocked the barricades and welcomed another unexpected visitor.

 

~*~

 

              Back in Kyuhyun’s room, Donghae and Kibum played some street fighting game, monopolizing the newly cleaned Xbox set while Kyuhyun watched them from his bed. Donghae was loving the comfiness of the bean bag, Kibum occupying the swivel chair without a complaint.

 

“Lee Donghae.”

 

“Kim Kibum.”

 

              They hadn’t introduced themselves the moment Kibum saw Donghae hugging Kyuhyun from behind on the way to the staircase. An introduction during such a time would’ve been awkward.

 

Kibum won the first three rounds, making Donghae frown. He kept demanding for rematches because of his pride. Kyuhyun smirked, amused.

 

“I’m going downstairs. Anyone want anything?” Kyuhyun inquired by the door.

 

“How unusual of you to ask that!” Donghae exclaimed, not tearing away from the TV screen. He was really close to beating his opponent.

 

“I know what you mean. He usually never cares,” Kibum added. He beat Donghae again, who called for another rematch.

 

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes.

 

“Sorry for being concerned.”

 

Kyuhyun stepped outside and shut the door.

 

“Juice will be nice!” Donghae and Kibum chorused. They weren’t sure if Kyuhyun heard them or not. They didn’t give a damn.

 

              Fifteen rounds all in all, Donghae still hadn’t won even once. Kyuhyun was taking his time downstairs, whether he was preparing the juice or not, no one knew. Kibum’s fingers started throbbing so they rested for awhile.

 

“Kyuhyun’s friend?”

 

“Best friend,” Donghae corrected.

 

              Kibum was hit by an abrupt flashback to five years back, in an email Kyuhyun sent saying that he met a strange senior in university. He never mentioned that senior’s name and Kibum didn’t have the chance to ask because said dongsaeng stopped sending emails and Kibum’s life became more hectic. Assuming Donghae was really Kyuhyun’s best friend, Kibum had one thought in mind: Ah, in those five years, he finally got himself a person he could call his best friend.

 

             There was a pang in his chest as the thought kept resurfacing in his head. He didn’t want to entertain whatever it was that bothered him and he certainly did not want to know what ‘it’ was.

 

Donghae waved a hand in front of Kibum, who had apparently spaced out.

 

“Hey~?”

 

“Sorry. Were you saying anything?”

 

Donghae nodded.

 

“Are you a hyung or a dongsaeng? Between us, I mean.”

 

Kibum paused.

 

“Uh. I’m older than Kyu by a year so…”

 

              “Dongsaeng then!” Donghae chuckled. “I’m Kyu’s senior by two years. We met in university but he’s a psych major and I’m in the business department. You won’t believe how we first met!”

 

               And there went Donghae and his storytelling. Around campus, usually in the library, Donghae would see Kyuhyun studying with a group. They were all guys but Kyuhyun stood out the most because of his cool appearance and laid-back aura. Even way over at the business department, Donghae would overhear from his female classmates about Kyuhyun.

 

               “That Cho Kyuhyun from the psych department… He’s so cool!” Donghae squeaked, imitating his classmates and acting all love-struck. Kibum listened, focused.

 

                Donghae continued with much animation. He went on about how girls would swoon whenever Kyuhyun passed by or looked their way. By that time, Donghae had already acknowledged his junior as his rival when it came to making girls swoon. Donghae was quite popular too (“They even made a fan club about me the moment I stepped into the university as a freshman student! It’s crazy!”) and Kibum noticed with the older man’s boyish looks and stuff. But what really intrigued Donghae was how Kyuhyun didn’t care about his popularity or the girls who gave him chocolates during V-Day, as if high school days repeated.

 

“I think he doesn’t even know how popular he was back then,” Donghae said. “Or he just really didn’t care. Who knows?”

 

              Then came Donghae’s first one-on-one talk with Kyuhyun. It took place in the library where Kyuhyun always stayed at in between classes because of his schedules. Donghae wasn’t meaning to go up to the younger boy when he saw him sitting alone but what urged him was when Kyuhyun took out a PSP from his bag and began playing.

 

“And ever since then, I made it a point to stay beside Kyu. I was like glue, you know. It’s funny.”

 

Kibum had a blank expression.

 

“Even after you graduated?”

 

Donghae nodded energetically.

 

“Yes!”

 

             No words followed after that as Kibum let ‘it’ rule his system. They went back to their versus game, the only sounds in the room were the noises that the virtual fighters made. Until after five minutes of awkwardness, Donghae started up another conversation.

 

“How about you? How do you know Kyu?”

 

Kibum smiled.

 

“Just a childhood friend.”

 

The screen showed Donghae’s character being KO-ed and the two boys watched in little fascination. Kibum inhaled, one… two… three… then exhaled.

 

“You win.”

 

Donghae glanced at Kibum, a smile on the latter’s lips.

 

“What? You did. For the sixteenth time actually.”

 

To that, Kibum just chuckled.

 

             They went downstairs because Donghae insisted on checking up on Kyuhyun. He was taking too long and made Donghae worried. Kibum just followed , deep in thought. Kyuhyun was in the garden, talking to someone on his cell phone. He didn’t know that Donghae and Kibum were already in the living room since his back was turned to them.

 

              Donghae made himself feel at home as he sat on one of the rattan egg chairs, Kibum on the couch where he previously sat on. He suddenly felt like leaving. Again.

 

“So Kyu never talked about me with you, huh?” Donghae paused. “Kibum, right?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

              “Oh!” Donghae clapped. “So you’re that Kibum Kyuhyun told me about. He always told me that you were an awesome guy and dubbed you as his best childhood friend ever. Has he ever told you that? Being his best—“

 

“Yes. He did.”

 

Donghae felt silly.

 

“Why didn’t I remember that earlier? Geez. But anyway, it’s an honor to finally meet you, Kibum-sshi.”

 

              Kibum looked over at Kyuhyun, who was still on the phone and oblivious of the two boys’ presences. He rose from the couch, at the same time accepting full defeat from ‘it’. Donghae was looking at him; the Donghae who turned himself to glue and was always there for Kyuhyun; the Donghae who, in five years time, became Kyuhyun’s best friend and beat Kibum’s seventeen years of growing up with that certain lanky dork; the Donghae who did whatever Kibum failed to do as Kyuhyun’s friend.

 

He bowed at Donghae and smiled.

 

“Likewise.”

 

~*~

 

             Hongdae after dark was always so picturesque; the hundreds of colorful lights from dozens of buildings, the mix of different kinds of music in the streets and the happy faces of the passersby – splendid. Another good thing about Hongdae after dark, especially in the summer, was the absence of the sun and its scorching brightness. It was the perfect time to watch a performance, when the wind would blow gently and the stars – thousands of them – blinking in the pitch-black sky.

 

            Kyuhyun stepped inside CKL café. He wore a plain dark blue shirt, jeans and his favorite sneakers. The building was packed with customers. On the platform, sitting on a bar stool, was a girl with a light brown acoustic guitar. Her hair was tied into a high bun, a white summer dress for her body and black wired sandals for her feet. A towel covered her lap down to her legs so as to not make the guys drool. Two employees were double-checking the sound system before they could go on with the performance.

 

“Pst!”

 

             Kyuhyun looked around and spotted the man he was talking to earlier on the phone, seated up front near the stage. He also wore plain clothes like Kyuhyun.

 

              “Sorry for the inconvenience. Hankyung hyung bailed on me ‘cause he had some business to attend to so…” Eunhyuk trailed off as Kyuhyun took his seat on the vacant chair across from the older.

 

“It’s fine.”

 

The people began to clap as the girl leaned over to the mic stand for a quick introduction.

 

“Good evening, everyone!” she greeted happily. “I’m Lee Ji Eun and I’ll be performing for all of you tonight. Please sit back, relax and enjoy the show.”

 

There went another round of applause as Ji Eun started off with an English song.

 

Kiss me, out of the bearded barley

Nightly, beside the green, green grass…

 

Eunhyuk stretched a finger to Kyuhyun, poking the man on his shoulder. They both leaned over the table.

 

“Were you busy when I called?”

 

Kyuhyun shook his head.

 

“A childhood friend came over. And Donghae too.”

 

Eunhyuk nodded.

 

“By the way,” Kyuhyun shot Eunhyuk a look. “Why did you want to come here so badly? You sounded desperate on the phone.”

 

              The older man grinned then shifted his attention to the girl on stage. An unpleasant thought turned up in Kyuhyun’s head and he shuddered a bit. Eunhyuk mentally laughed to himself.

 

             Ji Eun sang the night away. English songs, Korean songs and even Japanese songs were delivered beautifully. Eunhyuk was like an enthusiastic fan boy as he cheered the singer on, his claps always the loudest ones among the audience. At some point, Kyuhyun moved his chair as far as possible from Eunhyuk who had his arms raised and swaying them ever so slowly. But Eunhyuk noticed and pulled his dongsaeng back. Ji Eun giggled at the sight.

 

Why can’t I love you in slow motion, take my time

Take away the pressure on my mind

Really get to know you but rewind

Wanna love you in slow motion…

Why can’t I?

 

             As Ji Eun sang her seventh song for the evening, Kyuhyun strode to the counter to order his favorite drink. He recognized the cashier. Left ear pierced thrice, other twice and the chipper aura that made Kyuhyun think of Donghae. Thinking back to it, Kyuhyun didn’t get the kid’s name. He peered at the boy’s name tag.

 

Minhyuk, eh?

 

“What will be your order, sir?” Minhyuk politely asked.

 

“One vanilla frappe please.”

 

Minhyuk gave Kyuhyun the receipt and pointed to the claiming area like last time.

 

“Cho Kyuhyun?”

 

              Kyuhyun turned around and saw a familiar face from high school. But Kyuhyun was more familiar with the voice since this man in front of him used to be the school’s top broadcaster.

 

“Seung Gi-sshi.”

 

Seung Gi smiled, dimples still very charming as they were back in the old days.

 

“It’s been a long time but I never forgot that laid-back aura you have,” Seung Gi laughed. “So what are you doing nowadays?”

 

“Psychology internship. My uncle flew to the States and made me look after his office. You?”

 

Kyuhyun thanked Minhyuk as the boy served the vanilla frappe. The two men stayed in their places.

 

“Mass Communication,” Seung Gi chuckled. “Oh. Are you with anyone?”

 

“Kind of. Are you?”

 

              Seung Gi glanced to his right and pointed at a table at the back where another strangely familiar woman stayed. Kyuhyun’s eyes widened upon recognizing Seung Gi’s companion.

 

“Hello!” Sooyoung greeted happily as Kyuhyun and Seung Gi approached her.

 

“Uh…”

 

Sooyoung tapped Seung Gi on his arm and whispered something, making the man go back to the cashier. Kyuhyun snickered.

 

“Lee Seung Gi? Seriously?”

 

Sooyoung blushed.

 

“We went to the same university okay? And he had always taken care of me even before you guys graduated,” Sooyoung explained with conviction.

 

“Okay~”

 

Just then, a figure appeared behind Kyuhyun, hands clutching at his shoulders.

 

“Found you!” Eunhyuk growled. “I thought you only…” he trailed off, seeing that Sooyoung was giggling at him.

 

Kyuhyun coughed to get his colleague’s attention.

 

             “This is Choi Sooyoung-sshi. She’s a close friend of mine back in high school.” Kyuhyun gestured to Sooyoung then she and Eunhyuk bowed slightly to each other.

 

“This guy here is Lee Hyuk—“

 

“Eunhyuk. Just call me Eunhyuk,” the gummy-smiled man said, Kyuhyun just shrugging off the interruption.

 

Seung Gi came back with two caramel macchiatos and bowed at the other man.

 

“Hello. I’m Lee Seung Gi,” he said with a dimply smile.

 

“Eunhyuk.”

 

Kyuhyun pulled his colleague to the side and excused the both of them.

 

“We shouldn’t disturb lovers, hyung,” Kyuhyun ‘whispered’ loud enough for Seung Gi and Sooyoung to hear.

 

The couple blushed as they watched Kyuhyun drag Eunhyuk back to their table.

 

“I’ll take a break before I sing my last song. Thank you,” Ji Eun announced and skipped to Eunhyuk and Kyuhyun’s table.

 

Kyuhyun left his vanilla frappe on the table as he offered his seat to Ji Eun, the girl hesitantly accepting because of embarrassment.

 

“Thank you.”

 

             Conveniently, one of the employees got a chair for Kyuhyun. They probably felt bad to see the fellow just standing there. Kyuhyun knew the boy who came over. Jungshin, he thought.

 

             “Right. Kyu, this is my cousin,” Eunhyuk said, turning his head to Ji Eun. “It’s her first time performing here so I wanted all the support I could get. That and I wanted to boast her to you and Hankyung hyung but—“

 

“Your cousin is really strange,” Kyuhyun remarked and made Ji Eun laugh. “Cho Kyuhyun. It’s very nice to meet you, Ji Eun-sshi.”

 

Ji Eun smiled.

 

“Please call me IU. It’s a nickname of mine,” she said courteously. “Are you Eunhyuk oppa’s colleague from work?”

 

Kyuhyun nodded. Eunhyuk was feeling a bit left out, ‘sniffling’.

 

“I’m sorry, oppa!”

 

“It’s fine. Don’t mind me…”

 

IU frowned at her cousin’s acting but Eunhyuk immediately showed her a smile. He never dreamed of making his beloved cousin upset.

 

Ah, family…

 

“I’ll get you some water,” Eunhyuk said then went to the counter.

 

Kyuhyun was finishing his drink while IU rubbed her hands together.

 

“Do they hurt?” Kyuhyun asked.

 

“Not at all. I’m used to it,” IU replied. “Uh… Mm…”

 

Kyuhyun blinked.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“Mr. - Mr. Cho?”

 

Kyuhyun chuckled.

 

“Just call me oppa. I’m younger than your cousin, you know,” Kyuhyun stated as a matter-of-factly.

 

“Kyuhyun oppa. Eh? Younger than my cousin? Really?”

 

“He’s twenty-seven, right? I just turned twenty-five last February.”

 

IU stared at Kyuhyun in awe.

 

“Wow~ so young!”

 

“Yes, indeed.” Kyuhyun agreed and slurped his drink one last time.

 

Eunhyuk returned with two bottles of water and gave one to IU.

 

“Thank you, oppa~”

 

             “Drink drink. It’s already sixteen minutes past eight. I have to get you home before nine or else auntie would…” Eunhyuk stopped and trembled. Kyuhyun was patting his back consolingly.

 

             The café doors burst open and in came a teenage boy, drenched in rain. Kyuhyun saw Minhyuk and Jungshin assisting the boy. Kyuhyun had a feeling that he saw the soaked guy from somewhere. He squinted and thought the boy resembled the performer that he, Kibum, Sooyoung and Yuri came across outside the café a few Saturdays back. But that was none of Kyuhyun’s business.

 

“Aha!” IU clapped her hands. “I know the perfect song to sing with this weather.”

 

“Oh?” Eunhyuk and Kyuhyun said in unison.

 

IU nodded and went back to the stage. The audience cheered once more.

 

“Officially Missing You,” IU spoke in English. She positioned her fingers on the strings of the guitar and began playing.

 

All I hear is raindrops, falling on the rooftop

Oh baby tell why’d you have to go

‘cause this pain I feel, it won’t go away

And today…

I’m officially missing you…

 

             The audience swayed in time with the beat as if they weren’t bothered by the storm. Her voice was so soft and gentle, the kind that made Kyuhyun remember the effortless days and sad, sweet memories. Then there was her.

 

             At the old school building’s rooftop, hair long and blown lightly by the wind, pretty hands on her hips and necktie loosely dangling around her ed collar, a vibrant laughter was carried off in a breeze. Bare-footed, unpolished nails, flawless legs stuck out from a short skirt, blazer wrapped around perfectly measured waist, curves accentuated by the white button-down of which two knobs from the bottom and the collar’s were unsecured, a flat abdomen faintly showing, neck so slender and the smile Kyuhyun wished for only him to see - meant for only him. The vision blurred out like light against glass and rain pouring, obscuring the reflection in ripples.

 

           Kyuhyun could hear his heartbeat in his head and grasped the sheer pain in his chest, wondering whatever was happening to him until IU voiced out the last words of the song and his hurt lightened by the unexpected truth the lyrics had delivered that he had to accept.

 

And I’m officially missing you.

 

--

Note: Titanic and the lyrics do not belong to me.  I simply borrowed such magnificent works of art.