~*~

  “Everyone, I have some news to tell you,” Kyuhyun said, solemnly picking his head up to face his family. “I…um…”

  “Kyuhyun, where’s your little friend?” his mother asked, a fake smile plastered on her face as she referred to his ‘friend’.

  “That’s actually what I want to tell you guys.” He took a deep breath. “You see…Sungmin and I…we aren’t together anymore. We broke up; I’m seeing someone else now.”

  Suzy shuffled to his side, an awkward smile across her rosy lips. “That someone is me,” she pecked his cheek, “I’m so glad we ran into each other tonight.”

  “Yeah,” Kyuhyun nodded, his voice soft and broken, “me too.”

  Listening right outside the room was a teary-eyed Sungmin who had to put a hand over his mouth to silence his sobs.

~*~

  Two Hours Earlier

  Donghae was just settling down in the living room after a big, hearty Christmas dinner when his phone started to ring. “Oh, oh, it’s Sungmin,” he informed everyone (everyone meaning Heechul and Eunhyuk; everyone else was still in the dining room talking about ‘grown-up stuff’) as he put the call on speaker. “Hi Minnie! How’s it going?”

  “Terrible. The people here look at me as if I’ve killed somebody.” Sungmin griped, his voice slightly hushed. “Why did I come here again?”

  “Because you’re an idiot,” Eunhyuk answered. “Get out of there while you can, Sungmin. There’s still some leftovers here at Donghae’s house.”

  “Um, no there isn’t,” Heechul said, picking at his teeth with a toothpick. “I kinda ate them all.”

  Eunhyuk rolled his eyes, “Well, we can still whip up something for you. Come over before Heechul eats the whole house.”

  “I can’t. I told Kyuhyun that I can do this and I’m not going to back out.” He said. “Besides, I’m not leaving until I find out what his parents’ true intentions behind this whole scholarship are. Once Kyuhyun realizes that they’re only doing this to break us up, he’s not gonna want to go anymore, which means I will still have my boyfriend after graduation. It being here though. Everyone’s so…ugh.”

  “Oh, honey, I’m sorry,” Donghae consoled. “I’m sure things will get better soon. Keep us updated, mm-kay?”

  “I will,” he said. “Wish me luck.”

  “Luck~” they sing-songed in unison.

~*~

  Sungmin has barely talked to Kyuhyun the whole night, since his nosy relatives have been hogging him, droning on about girls they know who would be perfect for him and/or trying to convince him that this whole ‘gay thing’ is just a teenage phase. Sungmin wanted to sock each and every one of them square in the face.

  Unfortunately, he promised Kyuhyun he’d be on his best behavior tonight, so he just had to sit there and it up. Sungmin didn’t think it was possible, but his was now sore from sitting for so long.

  “Well, hi there, stranger,” a friendly voice said. “I thought you looked familiar.”

  Sungmin whipped his head around at the source of the voice. “Oh, hey, it’s you. Suzy, right?”

  “That’s right,” she nodded, shaking his hand. “You look just as pretty as you did when we first met. I love your hair.”

  Sungmin gestured for her to sit beside him on the sofa, wondering out loud why he hadn’t stayed friends with this girl who obviously knew how to push all the right buttons. “So, what’s new with you?”

  “Oh, nothing much. My parents are still trying to set me up with boys from rich families—which is exactly what we’re doing here. I told them Kyuhyun and I just aren’t compatible, but they never listen.” She said almost apologetically. “I didn’t realize you’d be here. You don’t really look like you’re enjoying yourself.”

  “I’m not,” he sighed loudly. “This is even worse than spending Christmas with my own family. At least mine have some respect for me; the jerks around here don’t even try.”

  “You’ll get used to it. Everyone in our community is pretty narrow-minded.” She shrugged. “Is there anything I can do to make your night a little better? We can probably break into their wine cellar or something, if you don’t mind squeezing into small windows.”

  “Oh, honey, I totally would, but this is the only formal dress I have and I can’t risk ripping it. Not here.” Sungmin stared at the sweet smile on Suzy’s face and thought to himself that if he could corrupt Donghae then he can corrupt this girl too. “Say, Suzy, if you yourself are looking for something to do besides sitting around in God’s waiting room for the rest of the night, maybe you can be of some assistance to me. You see, I have a plan in mind, but I’m not quite sure how to execute it.”

  “Well, as long as it’s harmless…” she said thoughtfully.

  “I’m getting an idea. A really crazy idea.” He revealed, his eyes noticeably lighting up as he formed a plan in his mind. “And Kyuhyun’s going to hate me for it.”

~*~

  Kyuhyun rarely got angry at Sungmin; when he does, Sungmin doesn’t necessarily hate those moments, because Kyuhyun looks really hot when he’s angry. Like really hot.

  “Are. You. Out. Of. Your. ing. Mind?” Kyuhyun enunciated each word, his face blank and his voice deep and growly.

  Sungmin was a little . “Kyuhyun, just hear me out—”

  “No, Sungmin. You know I’m always willing to drop whatever I’m doing for you, but no way in hell am I doing this.” He stated firmly. “I damn well don’t want to pretend to be in love with a girl who I’m not even remotely interested in. Um, no offense, Suzy.”

  “None taken,” she shook her hands dismissively. “Can I have a say in this? I’d love to help you guys out, but even I don’t like the sound of this. Sorry, Sungmin.”

  “You guys are such a couple of wusses.” Sungmin sighed exasperatedly.

  “I don’t understand, Sungmin,” Kyuhyun held his head in one hand, thoroughly confused. “Why do you want to do this so badly?”

  “Don’t you see? If we pretend to be broken up and your parents take away the scholarship, then we’ll know that they only did it in the first place to drive us apart.” He explained. “If they don’t take it away, then…well, good for you.”

  “That’s it?” he said, clearly annoyed. “That’s…stupid. Instead of going through all this , why don’t you just straight up ask them?”

  Sungmin could feel his own blood start to boil. “It’s not exactly the easiest thing to ask someone, Kyuhyun.”

  “Did you ever stop to think that maybe my parents actually love me and care about me?” he ran a frustrated hand through his gelled hair.

  “It all just happened so suddenly; it’s almost too good to be true.” He said defensively. “Kyuhyun, they threw you out because you’re gay. And suddenly they become all forgiving and loving and they gift you with a free pass to a school overseas? Don’t you think it’s just a little suspicious?”

  “Sungmin, I know you don’t like my parents but—” Kyuhyun was too upset to even finish his own sentence. “Look, I’ve done a lot for you. The least you can do is support me about this one tiny thing.”

  “I am trying my best to be a supportive boyfriend, Kyuhyun, but this ‘tiny thing’ isn’t tiny, it’s huge.” Without even realizing it, both of their voices had risen. “You’re actually going to leave me for four ing years.”

  “You think I want to leave you behind?”

  “Well, it would explain why you seem so eager to go!”

  “Guys, please, stop.” Suzy intervened, remaining calm despite the tense atmosphere. “If you actually took a step back and look at things, you’re actually fighting because you love each other so much. I know you guys need to get rid of all the anger inside, but this is neither the time nor the place. It’s Christmas, you guys, come on.”

  “She’s right,” Kyuhyun sighed.

  “So…what, do we just kiss and make up now?” Sungmin asked, awkwardly opening his arms for a hug.

  “Later,” Kyuhyun said, and Sungmin put his arms down, rejected. “You want me to do something, remember? You want me to pretend that I’m dating Suzy now. And, let’s face it, you always get your way.”

  Sungmin didn’t know how to feel when Kyuhyun walked out of the room, his hand on the small of a reluctant Suzy’s back.

~*~

  Sungmin couldn’t bear to listen to Kyuhyun and Suzy’s announcement of their ‘relationship’ anymore, so he opened the doors to the balcony and wrapped his arms around himself as he settled himself smack down in the middle of the winter air.

  Not long after, he heard the doors open and there’s a warm hand on his shoulder. “Come inside,” Suzy said. “You’ll freeze to death out here.”

  “I don’t mind a little cold.” Sungmin shrugged, though anyone with a functioning pair of eyes could see that he was lying. His teeth were chattering, his shoulders were shaking and he could see his breath in the air whenever he spoke.

  “You’re crazy,” Suzy chuckled. Sungmin offered a small smile in return. “Are you okay?”

  “I don’t know,” this question he answered honestly. “I don’t think I have any right to complain. This whole thing is my idea after all.”

  Suzy rubbed her hands together, hoping to get some heat off the friction. “You really love him, don’t you?”

  He nodded, “It’s actually terrifying how happy he makes me.”

  Before Suzy could reply, the doors behind them opened again and Kyuhyun appeared holding his coat in his hands, ready to put it over Sungmin’s (who was nearly in an icicle-state) shoulders.

  He politely asked Suzy for a minute alone with his boyfriend and she left without question. Kyuhyun adjusted his coat on Sungmin, making sure it gave him at least a little warmth—Sungmin was turning bluer by the minute.

  “You’re going to die of hypothermia, Sungmin.” Kyuhyun said, standing so close that their shoulders were touching. “And I’m going to be right behind you.”

  Sungmin dared to look him in the eye, “Are you still mad?”

  “No,” he chuckled a little as he nuzzled Sungmin’s cheek. “I’m a little shaken up though; we’ve had fights before, but not like that. That was pretty intense.”

  “I hated it.” Sungmin admitted.

  “Me too,” he agreed, keeping his chin on the shorter boy’s shoulder. “It kinda though.”

  “Me too.” Sungmin laughed. A real laugh. But it didn’t last, because Sungmin’s brows soon furrowed together again. “Kyuhyun…when you said to me, ‘you always get your way’, you sounded a little…resentful.”

  “Sungmin—”

  “I’m sorry.” Sungmin swallowed. “Standing out here in the cold like an idiot has made me realize that I am an idiot. A selfish one, at that.”

  “You are no such thing.” Kyuhyun shook his head as he moved to stand behind him so he could provide him with even more warmth with a backhug. “I didn’t mean it to come out that way. I was angry. I was…I don’t know. I’m sorry if I hurt you.”

  Sungmin smiled, holding Kyuhyun’s arms around his waist. “Well, I’ve apologized to you and you’ve apologized to me. I guess we’re even now.”

  “Sungmin,” he spoke against Sungmin’s neck. “How long do we have to do this? This masquerade with Suzy, I mean.”

  “Until we can be sure that your parents’ intentions are real.” He said.

  “What’s going to happen if turns out they’re not?” he asked.

  “Well, it’s really up to you, Kyuhyun.” Sungmin dropped his gaze to the blanket of snow two stories underneath them. “I just—I don’t— I don’t even know anymore.”

  “Sungmin, don’t ever think that I want to leave you behind, because I don’t.” Kyuhyun said, his grip on his waist tightening. “In fact, that’s the part I hate the most about this whole thing.”

  “I really am trying my best to be okay about this whole thing.” He sighed, seeing a puff of his own breath come out in the cold air as he did. “We haven’t even been together for a year and already you’re being taken away from me. Why can’t London just be…here?”

  “That’s a good question,” Kyuhyun said with a small laugh. He was starting to feel the cold run in his veins, which only made him want to hold Sungmin even tighter (only he was afraid of cutting off his oxygen supply). “Love you,” he kissed his cheek, his lips tingling a little as they made contact with Sungmin’s cold skin.

  Sungmin just smiled. Kyuhyun nudged him, “Say you love me too. Wait…you do still love me, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, I love you, you big jerk.” Sungmin held his face with one hand and kissed his blue lips. “Hey. Go back in there and be with your girlfriend.”

  “What about you?” he let him go and allowed him to breathe properly again.

  “I think I’m just gonna make myself scarce for the night.” Sungmin tried to give Kyuhyun his coat back, but Kyuhyun insisted he keep it. “The guys are waiting up for me at Donghae’s house anyway. At least I can get myself drunk there.”

  “Sungmin—”

  “No, no, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked, putting his face in between his hands. Sungmin nodded and Kyuhyun kissed him on the nose just for being adorable. “I’ll drop by later if I can.”

  “Okay.” He smiled. “Are you done? Because my is like, frozen.”

  Kyuhyun laughed and kissed him again. “Merry Christmas, bunny.”

~*~

  “Hyukkie!” Donghae cooed as he pounced on his boyfriend and covered his face with sloppy kisses. “I love my present, and I love you, and yes, in that exact order.”

  Heechul merely stared at them, too tired to even make an expression of disgust and irritation. He had pretty much drunk all the liquor in the house, but he was still more or less sober, and he couldn’t be more annoyed at that.

  “Donghae, it’s another Nemo…dressed in girl’s clothes.” Heechul still hadn’t quite processed the preciousness of Eunhyuk’s gift for Donghae. “What’s the big deal?”

  “With a female Nemo to keep Nemo company, he won’t be lonely anymore when I’m with Hyukkie.” Donghae thanked Eunhyuk again with a big kiss. “On behalf of Nemo, I thank you, Hyukkie.”

  “I feel so honored,” Eunhyuk tried his best to hide the sarcasm in his voice, he really did. “Now that Nemo’s not lonely anymore, maybe you can make me a little less lonely too.” His hand trailed up Donghae’s thigh, but it was soon swatted away.

  “No, Hyukjae,” he scolded. “I told you, remember? Abstinence can—”

  “Extend our lives,” he finished bitterly. “Yeah, yeah, I know, just shut up.”

  Donghae giggled at the childish pout on Eunhyuk’s face. He turned to Heechul to give an explanation, “Hyukkie’s just a little grumpy since he’s…deprived.”

  “Join the club,” was Heechul’s blank response.

  “Oh, Chullie, you don’t think we forgot about you, do you?” Donghae took one of the few remaining unopened presents under the tree. “Here. We all chipped in to buy this for you.”

  Heechul’s face actually softened a little as he accepted the gift. “I don’t know what to say,” he could not hold back his smile as he ripped open the packaging. The frown on his face soon returned when he took off the lid of the box and picked up the toy lying inside. “A ? Are you ing kidding me?”

  “It was Sungmin’s idea.” Eunhyuk revealed, shrugging. “I wanted to buy you a .”

  “We should’ve just bought a vibrating .” Donghae slapped Eunhyuk’s shoulder as the thought dawned on him.

  “That’s actually a pretty good idea.” Eunhyuk nodded. “You’re so smart, Hae. And you look so y in that tight sweater. Not to mention these skinny pants. Oh God, you’re killing me. Why don’t we go lock ourselves in the coat closet and—?”

  “Oh, shut up, Hyukjae.” Donghae rolled his eyes, putting his hand on Eunhyuk’s face and pushing him away. “Keep your hormones intact.”

  “I can’t.” Eunhyuk nearly growled.

  Donghae was obviously enjoying torturing him like this, as there was a sly grin on his face every time Eunhyuk voiced out his ual frustrations.

  Heechul actually felt sorry for him. “Here,” he tossed the into Eunhyuk’s lap. “You look like you need this more than me. Knock yourself out.”

  “Just so you know, Donghae, when I use this , I will be picturing TOP’s face instead of yours.” Eunhyuk stuck his tongue out at Donghae like a rotten little kid.

  Donghae retaliated by sticking his tongue out as well, and Heechul had to sit there in between them for the longest minute while they had a fight that would normally only go on between five-year-olds. Then again, Eunhyuk and Donghae were practically synonymous to ‘five-year-olds’.

  Heechul was saved by the bell soon enough; he immediately hopped up to his feet to answer the door and in trudged a human icicle otherwise known as Lee Sungmin. They put in more wood in the fireplace for him so he could get some heat in his body again.

  Sitting by the fire, Sungmin regaled the whole story of tonight’s events to his friends, none of whom were listening since Donghae was too engrossed in the gift Eunhyuk gave him (“Nemo’s going to be so happy!”), Eunhyuk was too busy thinking of a way to get into Donghae’s pants (“Maybe if I hypnotize him or something...”) and Heechul obviously had his head somewhere else (“I wonder what Siwon’s doing right now.”)

  Surprisingly enough, by the time Sungmin got his hands on some hot chocolate, Eunhyuk proved that he had been listening more than he let on when he showed up next to him with a plate of pie.

  “Sungmin, you are the most selfish person I know,” Eunhyuk took a forkful of the pumpkin pie, “but at the same time, you are also the most unselfish.” He offered it to Sungmin, but he shook his head and said he had no appetite.

  “I’ve heard those words from your mouth before, Min. It was when you were going through your eating disorder.” Eunhyuk managed to catch Sungmin with his mouth open just in time for him to shove the fork inside. “And I was clueless enough to believe it then. I know better now.”

  “Hyuk, please,” he chewed slowly. “I’m not that stupid as to have a relapse.”

  “Yeah, well, when you’re in love and you’re vulnerable, the mind can play some very dirty tricks.” Eunhyuk took a bigger forkful of pie and force-fed it to the frowning boy (who was still dressed in a tight dress with Kyuhyun’s coat hanging over his shoulders).

  Despite it all, it warmed Sungmin’s heart to know that Kyuhyun was still thinking of him, even though they were apart. The short text message that lit up Sungmin’s phone was enough for him.

Miss you ㅠㅠ
from: Baby Kyu <3

~*~

I’m updating so quickly nowadays, I don’t even know how I’m doing this lol ah not much humor in this chapter, so many emotions ^^;;;