Zhou mi grinned widely as he held up the chopsticks towards Kyuhyun for the third time.

 

"Come on, Kyu, try it!"

 

In response Kyu his lips into his mouth and mimed sealing them, smirking as Zhou mi rolled his eyes and gave up, eating the sweet beef himself.

 

"Was that good? Seriously Mimi, how did you even think of that....beef and honey..."

 

"You don't know what you're missing."

 

Kyuhyun smiled at him fondly for a moment, before laughing and reaching for the plate.

 

"Fine, fine, I'll have some!"

 

"Ah ah," Zhou mi smirked, slapping away his hand, picking up another piece with the chopsticks and placing a finger under Kyu's chin, "Let me do it."

 

He carefully slipped the piece of beef past the younger boy's lips and watched, satisfied, when Kyu's curious face lit up.

 

"Hey, that's actually pretty good!" Kyu was grinning happily at the weird but amazing taste.

 

"Told you." Zhou Mi said, scrunching up his face playfully before eating more himself. He felt Kyu's gaze and his eyes darted up to see his gaze fixed on Zhou mi's bottom lip.

 

"You've got a bit of honey..." Kyu trailed off, eyes lighting up mischievously. Slowly he leaned in and, before Zhou Mi realised what was happening, took his bottom lip between his teeth and gently removed the honey with his tongue before starting to kiss him.

 

They were sweet, teasing kisses, far off the passionate lip locks they had shared in the past (often when they were both virtually high off a performance or too drunk to see straight) but still Zhou Mi felt his heart beat faster and his palms get sweaty. When Siwon walked in, Kyuhyun was pecking along his sharp jawline and they were both giggling.

 

Unseen by the couple, Siwon smirked and leaned against the doorframe. They looked so happy together...He almost didn't mind giving up Kyu. He'd never grabbed his chance to tell the maknae how he felt, had always found an excuse to put it off. Now it looked like it was too late.

 

"Hey lovebirds," He chuckled, finding happiness in their shocked expressions and the way Kyu jumped far away from Zhou mi, his handsome face flushed. "We've got to be on stage soon, Kyu, why don't you go get your hair done?"

 

Zhou mi's eyes followed Kyu as he left the room, briefly admiring his and smiling faintly. When he'd disappeared his eyes switched to Siwon's face, which he noticed instantly dropped as soon as Kyu was out of sight. But of course it did. Zhou mi felt guilt pressing down on him, and decided he couldn't meet Siwon's gaze, looking intently at his entwined hands instead.

 

He knew he looked stiff and nervous now, which Siwon must have noticed, because he walked over and patted him twice on the shoulder before collapsing into the chair opposite where Kyuhyun had been sitting moments before.

 

"Relax Mimi, I'm not mad with you."

 

After a moment of tense silence, Zhou mi cleared his throat and spoke in a quiet voice.

 

"You should be."

 

"How could I blame you?" Siwon sighed, and Zhou mi looked up in surprise to find him smiling sadly, "I know exactly how enchanting Kyu can be. It's true then? You guys got together while he was in China?"

 

Zhou mi paused, then nodded and hung his head in shame.

 

"I'm so sorry Siwon. I...I should have known better...I should have stopped or said no, I knew how much you liked him! He was just so damn charming and I've always had a crush on him and I just didn't stand a chance and-"

 

"Hey. Hey. Calm down." He felt a comforting hand on the back of his neck, "Look at me?"

 

When Zhou mi looked up he saw Siwon’s forehead creased in a frown, the look of brotherly concern obvious on his face. He had always treated Zhou mi as younger despite the fact they were almost the same age.

 

“Stop feeling guilty right now. I missed my chance with Kyu, everyone knows I had a lot of time to…and anyway, you two deserve each other. Just treat him right ok?” Siwon went to pull away and stand up but Zhou mi gripped his forearm.

 

“You know I would never hurt him right?” He asked desperately, seeking approval, “I like him so much.”

 

“You make him happy Mimi. That’s more than enough for me.” Siwon grinned then, the usual genuine smile everyone was used to, and pulled Zhou mi into a brief hug. “Go and get ready, we’ve got to be on in a minute.”

 

___________________________________________

 

Zhou mi thought about the conversation with Siwon the whole time they were getting ready and walking to the stage. In fact he was so preoccupied that he only came back to his senses when they were all waiting to go on stage and Kyu’s hand fell onto his shoulder blade.

 

“You alright?” He asked softly, rubbing a circle on his back. In return Zhou mi flashed him a smile and nodded.

 

“Just thinking about something that’s all.” He whispered back.

 

“And now, the main guest for the night! Girls get ready, parents put your ear plugs in, it’s……SUPER JUNIOR!”

 

They all jogged out to loud screams, Zhou mi feeling the usual rush of adrenaline as they started singing and they could see the large studio crowd, as well as the television cameras dutifully capturing their every move. He loved this part of his job, relaxing into the performance and the incredible feeling of being in front of so many people who admired you.

 

As with any television appearance there was an interview afterwards, so he made his way to the sofa provided and seated himself next to Siwon- who gave him a knowing smile- and Hyukjae, who was his usual self. He was grinning playfully at Donghae who had stood behind him, and had pulled his sunglasses down to the tip of his nose in order to joke about checking him out.

 

Meanwhile Zhou mi felt warm hands gripping his arms, and turned round to see Kyuhyun’s smirking face above him. He mouthed ‘hello you’, but before Zhou mi had time to respond the interviewer was speaking.

 

“So boys, you’ve had a great year so far and your new albums just come out…”

 

The same old thing every time. Why couldn’t they attempt to make it new? Open with a performance, and then a sofa too small for even half of them, an over-animated host, talk of the album (which he admitted was a necessity), followed by fan questions, maybe a game. Zhou mi loved how he lived, but at times it was so repetitive and he found his thoughts drifting away despite the fact they were on national tv.

 

“…Isn’t that right Zhou mi?” Henry’s voice broke through his daydreams and he locked gazes with him, taken by surprise at someone addressing him. Nodding slowly, he looked up at Kyu for help.

“The charity work you and Henry have been doing.” Kyu breathed into his ear as a prompt. Zhou mi sighed in relief that Kyu was there to save his skin then began talking animatedly about it.

 

 

The rest of the show continued as usual…However one of the fan's questions caught Zhou mi's attention and his ears pricked up.

 

"What's your favourite food?"

 

"Cream cake!" He blurted out instantly, and was surprised to hear a voice behind him say the same thing. Slowly, he turned around to meet Kyu's eyes. That's when they started laughing.

 

They both knew the exact reason for the immediate and identical answer. It had been when they were in China together.

-------------------------

"Do we really have to prepare all this amazing food? Just for an evening meal? You're so fussy." Kyu grumbled, clumsily chopping a spring onion into uneven chunks. Zhou mi knew his normal home routine involved little more than boiling ramen or putting things in the microwave, so with a sigh walked over to help.

 

"It's important to have a good and balanced meal in the evening, it gives you strength for the next day and helps revive you." Zhou mi preached to him as he demonstrated how to chop the onions, "besides, we have cream cake for desert."

 

"Saeng cream cake?" Zhou mi relished the sudden sparkle in Kyu's eyes. He knew it was his favourite, that was the exact reason he'd bought it, and seeing Kyu act like an excited five year old while they prepared the rest of the meal made it worth spending the extra money.

 

"Quick Mimi, I laid the table, let's go eat!!" Kyu cried, and Zhou mi heard him squeal 'cream cake!' Under his breath. He couldn't help but stretch his mouth into a wide grin as he sat cross-legged in front of the low table, opposite the happy maknae. It was a rare sight to see him so lively.

 

"Aww, it looks delicious!" Kyu cooed, picking up his chopsticks and grabbing a small rice cake, carefully coating it in sauce then...offering it to Zhou Mi. 

 

Kyu never offered his food to anyone, what was going on?

 

"Come on, Mi, it's gonna drip on my hand! Eat it!"

 

So carefully, Zhou mi opened his mouth and let Kyuhyun feed him. It tasted good, and he grinned, nodding.

 

"It's nice! You made the sauce just right." He praised, and a crafty smile spread over the younger boy's face.

 

"Really? You should show me."

 

Zhou mi grabbed his chopsticks and reached to pick up a rice cake, but Kyu's hand placed over his stopped him in his tracks.

 

"That's not what I meant." He said in a suddenly low voice. Before Zhou mi had the chance to react he'd shuffled to the opposite side of the table and was right in front of him...way too close to his face...grabbing his chin...and pressing their lips together.

 

So many feelings rushed through Zhou mi’s head in a split second. Amazement, happiness, surprise, confusion….guilt, when Siwon’s face and how much the Korean man liked Kyu sprang to his mind. Kyuhyun pulled away, making a show of his lips.

 

“You’re right. It is good.” He smirked, and Zhou mi gawked unintelligently at him, unable to speak. Kyu moved to his side of the table and carried on eating like nothing had happened, so eventually Zhou mi did the same, eating slowly and not daring to look up from the table. When they’d eaten enough, Zhou mi jumped up and ran to the kitchen.

 

“I’ve got the cream ca-“ He began, hurrying back and forgetting the little step that separated the dining area from the kitchen. So…of course, he went crashing to the ground, as did the cream cake. In fact, the cream cake flew directly into Kyuhyun’s face.

 

For a moment they both stayed like that. Zhou mi flat on the floor, face down and cursing in fast Chinese, Kyuhyun’s expression not really visible considering the whole cake was stuck over his face. Slowly, he peeled the cake off his skin, leaving behind a thick layer of cream cake.

 

“Mi….I know I said I liked cream cake, but you didn’t have to go that far.” Kyuhyun joked, some of it off his lips, “It tastes good though.”

 

“Does it? Well that’s one good thing I guess.” Zhou mi groaned, getting up slowly. Kyuhyun scooped up some more cream from the top of the cake and advanced towards him.

 

“Yep. Here, try some!” And with that he smeared it on Zhou mi’s nose and across his cheek. Zhou mi grinned and raised his eyebrows.

 

“Oh, you want to play this game?” He challenged, and Kyu gestured to his covered face as if to say ‘what do I have to lose’. Zhou mi grabbed a handful and threw it at Kyuhyun’s pajamas and it slowly descended into a fully fledged food fight until they were both messy as hell and laughing so hard their stomachs ached.

 

Kyuhyun pouted at the almost empty plate.

 

“I really wanted to eat that….but you know what, maybe that was a better use of it.” Their eyes met and Zhou mi saw that sparkle of amusement and happiness in Kyuhyun’s eyes that was so rare and so special to him.

 

 

“Zhou mi? Dude stop laughing seriously…” Eunhyuk was prodding his shoulder, and Zhou mi had to take some deep breathes to compose himself. Whenever he was about to stop, he would meet Kyu’s eyes again and break down into violent giggles.

 

What could he say? Kyuhyun always did this to him. He could make him happy whatever was happening, and he could do the same.

 

It’s a nice relationship to have, a relationship full of laughter.