It was a dark and stormy night…

 

Hyesung had been all ready to go to bed when what appeared to be the storm of the century suddenly lashed out in all its thunderous fury…  He quickly jumped into bed and tucked himself in when he heard the branches outside his window lashing around wildly in the frenzied wind…  As the storm increased in intensity, the rain starting falling in heavy torrents and the nightsky was lit up by sudden jags of lightning, bringing along with them, the thunder…  Hyesung cringed under his covers everytime the thunder shook the ground…

 

A spectacular streak of lightning took out the electricity in the whole building, plunging Hyesung’s bedroom into a deep darkness, occasionally punctuated by the lightning…

 

Did I forget to mention that Hyesung is also scared of the dark and all the creepycrawlie monsters which lurk in the dark?

 

Hyesung sighed and pulled his covers tighter around his head, squeezed his eyes shut and tried to fall asleep, but with every rolling crash of the thunder, it was panning out to be mission impossible…

 

And then he heard it…

 

That quiet insidious creak that was so out of place in the midst of all the other sounds of the storm…  The only other person who has access to this apartment is his boyfriend Eric, who was presently in New York, visiting his baby niece…

 

Hyesung took a deep breath and mumbled to himself, “Monsters don’t really exist in this world, Pilkyo, don’t be silly!”

 

And then he heard it again…

 

This time, it sounded like it was right next to him…

 

As Hyesung was frantically debating the merits of poking his head to see what kind of monster is about to attack him, he felt a hand (paw?  do monsters have hands or paws?  or –gulp- claws? tentacles?) insinuate itself under his covers and snake around his waist…

 

Hyesung lost it.  He sat up, let out an almighty scream and threw a punch at whatever was attacking him…  His fist made contact with something… soft and fluffy (?!)

 

A flash of lightning lit up the room again and Hyesung peeked open his right eye slowly to find Eric sitting on his bed, innocently holding up his Hello Kitty pillow (which bore the impact of Hyesung’s punch – poor pillow)

 

“Yah!! What are you doing here?!  Aren’t you supposed to be in New York??”

 

“Didn’t you get my email??  I told you I’d be coming home a week earlier to finalise some details of the new album??”

 

“Email??  Since when??  You haven’t sent me anything since you left for New York a week ago!!”

 

Eric whipped out his Blackberry and mumbled, “But look at all these emails I have been sending you throughout the whole of last week... There’s this one with the video of my baby niece smiling, and this one of me doing a heart dance just for you…”

 

Hyesung grabbed his Blackberry and took a look at the recipient list… 

 

“How many times have I told you that I will NOT be checking that silly [email protected] email account that you foisted on me???”

 

“But it suits you to a tee…”  Eric replied sheepishly…

 

“Aish~ OK, you can go home to your own apartment now…”

 

“I rushed here straight from the airport when I saw the storm brewing…  Are you sure you don’t need me to keep you company tonight??  Anyway I am too tired to walk back to my apartment so move over and make some space for me pleeease??”

 

Hyesung realised that in the midst of his pushing-and-pulling with Eric, he had forgotten to be scared of the thunder, the darkness and whatever creepycrawlies may lurk in the dark…  He let out a little giggle (for which he was glad was lost in the sounds of the storm and the engulfing darkness) and replied, “I guess I don’t have much of a choice, do I?  Seeing how comfortable you have already made yourself under my covers…“

 

Eric chuckled and pulled Hyesung into his arms, taking care to make sure that Hyesung was properly tucked in under the covers…

 

“Thanks Pilkyo-yah…  I’ll make you your favourite breakfast tomorrow… Promise!!”

 

“Just shut up and sleep ok??”  Hyesung snuggled closer up to Eric and drifted off into a blessed sleep, the fury of the storm kept out by Eric’s warm embrace...