Jongwoon avoids Kyuhyun which by the way, is really, really hard considering that now, they’re both regular players of the university’s basketball team. Well, Jongwoon isn’t one of the starting players, yet, as well as Kyuhyun but Kyuhyun is the first option to substitute one of the starting players. The coach says that soon, Kyuhyun might even compete to be one of the starting players among the five aces of the team because of his genius skill as the point guard. It doesn’t matter if he shoots but his passes always, always creates shoots and that’s very essential.

He knows it isn’t Kyuhyun’s fault because the younger downright admitted to him that he doesn’t like Yoona. As a matter of fact, Kyuhyun seems to despise Yoona and not that Jongwoon encourages hatred towards other people but Jongwoon can’t blame Kyuhyun for not liking Yoona. Not even like-like as in girlfriend but like as a person.

But even though Jongwoon tries to think as rational like that like he always tries to do even when everything is messed up, whenever he remembers Kyuhyun and Yoona kissing (Well, okay. They’re not kissing but Yoona’s lips were on Kyuhyun’s so what will Jongwoon call that besides kissing?), he can’t help but feel mad. And don’t get Jongwoon wrong because he knows that he doesn’t have any right whatsoever to feel mad but could anybody blame him?

So during practice, imagine the torture for Jongwoon of having three hours with Kyuhyun but not talking, not interacting and completely avoiding but not really ignoring the younger one. Yes, as much as it’s hell for Kyuhyun, it’s a lot hell-er for Jongwoon.

“Gather around, gather around,” the coach claps his hand, trying to get everybody’s attention. When everybody settles themselves in front of the coach, Coach Gu announces, “Winter Cup is just around the corner, everybody. I want you all to concentrate on your training. We have this on our hands, alright? We don’t want to lose it, do we?”

A loud “Yes!” comes from everybody.

“Go home,” Coach Gu finishes. “Rest well. The first elimination round will be announced within this week. Winter Cup officially starts nest week, do you understand?”

“Yes!”

“Rest well, you guys.”

Everybody piles out of the gym to get ready to go home, take a short shower first, change and leave. Jongwoon is particularly faster that anybody because he doesn’t want to be left alone with Kyuhyun. He figures he didn’t sweat that much and decides to take his shower at home, though he’s not sure how to explain to his parents why he sweat that much. He resolves he can go to a cheap public sauna first before going home.

He immediately gets his things on his locker and walks out of the locker room.

He leaves the gym and walks until he’s on the pathway going to the university’s gate.

He stops at the beginning of the pathway.

“Kyuhyun,” Jongwoon says quietly, surprised that the younger man is standing there, his back leaning on the wall. “What are you doing here?”

“Hyung,” Kyuhyun starts, a hint of edginess audible in his voice, like he’s hesitating about something. “Are you avoiding me?”

Jongwoon stares back at Kyuhyun as the younger holds his gaze on him. He’s not sure how to answer that because yes, he’s avoiding Kyuhyun. Anybody who’s looking close enough can see that because whenever Kyuhyun sits beside Jongwoon, Jongwoon would excuse himself to “do something” and when he comes back, he’ll sit on a different place. Whenever Kyuhyun talks to him, Jongwoon will answer civilly and then leave. Whenever Kyuhyun approaches him, Jongwoon will respond but not the way he used to, with smiles and warmth.

And Kyuhyun misses that, terribly if he might add.

But what will Jongwoon tell Kyuhyun? Sure, he’s avoiding Kyuhyun but for what reason?

“What are you saying, Kyuhyun? Of course, not,” Jongwoon fakes a chuckle and smiles at Kyuhyun even if the smile doesn’t reach his eyes and looks a poor replica of his usual genuine one. He takes the easy way out and further adds, “What makes you think that?”

Kyuhyun doesn’t answer and merely looks at Jongwoon, like he’s trying to see through the older man but isn’t able to.

“I’m not avoiding you, okay?” Jongwoon clarifies, holding both of Kyuhyun’s shoulders, his voice filled with determination and resolve but for one moment, Kyuhyun hears him falter. “I got to go, Kyu. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

Kyuhyun still doesn’t answer so as much as Jongwoon feels like he’s dragging his feet to move, he decides to leave. He wants to leave because he can’t bear to see anymore of Kyuhyun’s forlorn, rejected expression and that any second, Jongwoon might burst and demand what truly is Kyuhyun’s relationship with Yoona.

“She’s not my girlfriend, hyung.”

Jongwoon hears Kyuhyun’s low, but gentle and soothing voice, making him stop his steps and pauses one or two meters away from Kyuhyun, his back facing Kyuhyun.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Kyuhyun repeats, insisting and if his voice sounds like it is hesitating a while ago, now it’s full of resolve and purpose, like there’s a reason Kyuhyun is saying all this. “Im Yoona isn’t my girlfriend. She usually bugs me and appears from God-knows-where to irritate and piss me off. She often tells me that she likes me and we should go out on a date. She decides for herself that she’s my girlfriend but I have no consent over that. I don’t even like her, hyung. I won’t ever like her, for heaven’s sake!” Now, Kyuhyun is throwing his hands on the air in frustration and with a small voice, he looks down and mutters, “I like someone else.”

Jongwoon turns around slowly and walks back, towards Kyuhyun and when he’s about two feet away from the younger one, he stops and waits for Kyuhyun to look up at him before asking, certain gentleness contained in his dark eyes, “Why are you telling me this, Kyu?”

Kyuhyun’s frustrated expression softens as the familiarity between them returns.

Jongwoon waits as Kyuhyun takes a deep breath before answering, “I’m not sure, hyung. I just – Well, I just want to tell you, I guess.”

“You don’t need to explain all this to me. You know that.”

“I know. I just.”

“What?”

“Maybe I just don’t want you to think that Yoona’s my girlfriend and that I like her and that I kissed her back? Because she isn’t my girlfriend and I hate her, thank you very much, and I never kissed her back. She practically smashed her lips on mine but that’s all, hyung. I didn’t kiss her back, I swear.”

Jongwoon stifles a laugh, covering his mouth and looking down.

“You’re really funny, Kyu.”

“Hyung?”

“What?” Jongwoon looks at him, his eyes sparkling and Kyuhyun’s heart flutters.

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

“I understand, silly.”

“But really, hyung. She molested my lips!”

Jongwoon laughs, “Is it your first kiss?”

“No.”

Jongwoon smiles, “Who’s your first kiss?”

Kyuhyun shrugs, “Someone from middle school.”

“Well, at least she didn’t rob you off your first kiss.”

“I’ll sue her if she did!”

Jongwoon laughs.

“Hey, hyung?”

“What?”

“Let’s eat. We never got the chance to celebrate because of that lips molester,” Kyuhyun cringes as he wipes his lips over and over again.

“Where?”

“Wherever you like.”

Jongwoon smiles, “I know somewhere. Let’s go.”

Their relationship is still full of ambiguity, simple, yes, but no clear definition. Their relationship is one that can be distilled in such simple gestures and vague words. Kyuhyun takes Jongwoon’s training bag again as he lets the older one hop a little ever step he’s taking, walking a little behind Jongwoon to observe him and maybe, to hide a little smile as he watches him.

They’re only several meters away from the university’s gate when somebody runs passed Kyuhyun and almost knocks Jongwoon down because Jongwoon doesn’t expect somebody to run practically on him. Fortunately, Kyuhyun pulls Jongwoon’s arm just on time before the person’s body collides with Jongwoon’s.

“Hyung, are you okay?” Kyuhyun asks Jongwoon immediately.

Jongwoon nods and regains his balance. Then, looking at the person who almost knocked him down, Jongwoon looks at Kyuhyun and says, “Isn’t that Sooyeon-ssi?”

Kyuhyun looks passed from Jongwoon and yes, it truly looks like Sooyeon. “What’s the matter with her? Almost knocking someone down. She hasn’t changed!”

“Maybe, you should check on her some time, Kyu. She might have some problems.”

“Why would I check on her, hyung? Did you forget that she caused us our obligatory detention? Not to mention tripping Joohyun purposely.”

“No,” Jongwoon agrees, “but you know, she might be having a hard time.”

“Serves her right,” Kyuhyun retorts.

“Don’t say that,” Jongwoon says.

Kyuhyun looks at Jongwoon, suspecting if he’s truly an angel disguised in human form because really, how can he be so kind? After a while, Kyuhyun shrugs in defeat and says, “Fine.”

Jongwoon smiles and when Kyuhyun sees that, he doesn’t suspect anymore if Jongwoon is truly an angel. Minus the halo and the wings, Jongwoon’s smile is truly that which can belong to an angel.

“Hyesung-ah, here,” a young Kyuhyun holds a hand of a young girl, leading her towards a tree at the park of the city. It’s a tree behind all the trees. Nobody else knows its there besides Kyuhyun and Hyesung.

Hyesung smiles but doesn’t speak. It has become normal for Kyuhyun after a while, that there are days when they’re together and Hyesung will not speak at all. She will only smile, so much like an angel that it makes up for all the words that Kyuhyun is missing.

“Let’s eat,” Kyuhyun says, opening the basket that Hyesung carries with her.

It’s filled with different sandwiches, both her and Kyuhyun’s favorites. There are also two cups of ice cream and bars of chocolate and some candies. Kyuhyun is only young by then but at that moment, his life feels complete and perfect.

“Hyesung-ah?”

She looks at him. There’s a stain of ice cream beside her lips.

Kyuhyun wipes it with his finger.

She smiles at him, a sign of gratitude.

“Hyesung-ah,” Kyuhyun suddenly says, looking down and his face is very red. “Will you – Will you marry me someday?”

She stares at him for a moment, looking at Kyuhyun’s warm, brown eyes.

Kyuhyun looks back at her, gazing at her dark brown orbs, seriousness and determination in his eyes.

She moves and leans forward, closing the gap between her and Kyuhyun, and as much as a girl so young like her could do, she pecks Kyuhyun’s lips.

She moves away again and a stunned Kyuhyun stammers. “Is that – Is that an ‘I do’?”

She smiles at him, a sign of affirmation.