40

Kyuhyun

The Company's Verdict

PREVIOUSLY IN THE STRANGER NEXT DOOR:

“Maybe I can’t tell them or force them what to do.” She started a little less confident. “But be reasonable. No communication at all, both sides will suffer.”

“Please do explain.”

“Ok, Kibum.” She turned to Kibum. Kibum was surprised at the sudden attention to him. “how did you feel last time when you left. I think 2 years ago. I know for a fact Suzy sulking for the whole week, without a word from you. She hated doing things she loved.”

Kibum didn’t really know what to answer, so I jumped in.

“He was the same, until we pushed him to call her.” For the manager this was new. He didn’t know what we did in that week, he just knew Kibum hated doing every single thing in that week.

“My point exactly, Kyuhyun how did you feel when Lucas knocked on the wrong door that day when you were grounded, and he kept coming back. He was like a little brother to you. How did you feel leaving him?” The eyes of the manager were just pure horror. He didn’t know. He didn’t know anything and I know Mrs Jung didn’t only mean Lucas, I knew she knew everything about anything. Suzy always told her. She knew about my feelings towards Illiana.

“I felt like, leaving a piece behind” She probably knew about the airport scene too.

“Both parts will be miserable.” She said directly to the manager. “Without communication towards the other”

“What does this Illiana girl have to with all of this?”

“She’s Lucas’ sister.” Some bell began to rang in the manager’s head.

“Kyuhyun, she’s the girl? She’s the one who gave you trouble.”

“Well it’s more the other way around but yeah.” It was better to be honest now. “She’s that girl.”

“So you see, both sides will cause more trouble if you don’t let them communicate at all.”

The manager had a look you didn’t see very often. Reconsideration. Kibum could see it too. Did Mrs Jung just break the manager?

--- Manager's Verdict

The manager looked at me.

“She’s the one you said you didn’t like. Now it’s all about this girl.” His eyes peered right through me. “Kyuhyun? Tell me the truth now. What’s the deal with you and this Illiana?”

I didn’t know what to do, whether to lie again or to tell the truth. I looked at Kibum who gave a nod to tell the truth for once. But Mrs Jung was shaking her head not to tell the truth. This was so cruel; I still didn’t know what to tell the manager. If I told the truth would he pull some strings and could we stay in contact with them or do we loose it all?

“Kyuhyun? Are you going to give me answer? Or not? If not I’m going to assume you …”

“I’m in love with Illiana.” I blurted out, I never really said it out loud and I should be saying this first to her and not to our manager. Mrs Jung face palmed herself and Kibum nodded. What was Mrs Jung her deal? She had cried out before Suzy had gone through with something before? Was this the same thing? But I didn’t get much time to think about it.

“She’s in love with him too. If only she could remember” Kibum interrupted my thoughts. A second face palm for Mrs Jung.

“Ok, you two can go now, and Mrs Jung I kindly to ask you to leave.” Our manager had some expressionless face and Kibum and I didn’t know what to think of it. Nor what will happen to us.

“Yah, I’m not done with you” (Mrs Jung)

“Now, please, leave.”

We stood up and Mrs Jung followed us out. Closing the door carefully

“I think we did good boys” She straightened her jacket and walked away. Kibum and I were confused. We didn’t get a verdict at all and Mrs Jung didn’t seem to have any more words.

Day 2 of Illiana being awake and I still couldn’t see her. I asked Kibum if we could visit the hospital but he didn’t stop. He went straight home ignoring the question. He didn’t like the manager’s verdict although maybe it would change and I wanted to go to Illiana. At some point I just started texting Lucas who ignored me for two days, God may know why. I could guess he was to busy with his sister being awake and his mother just left them alone again to return to Kenya.

On the morning of day 3 everything went overboard, we had interviews to do and radio shows plus we were planning another comeback and SM TOWN concert was nearing so we had it a lot busier than the previous days

In the afternoon, Sungmin stood for our door, but he hadn’t had his luggage with him so I guessed he wasn’t ready to return. He was here to take me to Doctor Shim to talk about the dreams I had because no one would go with me and Leeteuk forced him to make up with me again. He would go crazy when he heard what I had to say.

So at around 4pm we were in the hospital.

“Sungmin, Kyuhyun? What are you two doing here, Illiana can’t see you.”

“We’re not here exactly here for Iliana” Sungmin announced ‘We’re here to talk to you about Kyuhyun”

“How is Illiana?” I asked.

“You know I can’t give you that information unless your blood related or married to the family. What’s going on with you? If you’re here something must be wrong. Please sit”

Looking around in Shim’s Office it was settled to be cosy, 2 sofas with a little table in the middle and than a table with three chairs around with computer and documents sprayed over it. We took place in the sofa. Shim took the other one.

“So how can I help you guys out?”

“well, Kyu, go ahead” Sungmin said quite irritated to sit through my craziness again. He nudged me in my side to start.

This was kind of embarrassing, to tell some else your dream about the girl you’re in love with.

“Well, if you’re not going to start, I will. Leeteuk called me yesterday that Kyuhyunnie has been tossing and turning and screaming in his dreams, he said it were nightmares but they didn’t sound like any nightmares he had before.”

“So I see nothing wrong with it, he’s been worried about Illiana and hasn’t seen her since she woke up. Something I really wouldn’t do.”

“I really would like to see her.” I whispered.

“Better not, if you don’t want to go in shock again, I can’t tell you these things. So tell me about your dreams nothing to be embarrassed about I’ve heard all kinds of stuff lately.”

“Fine, I’ve been dreaming about a wolf. I know a wolf is all about leading you to your destination”

“Go on, go on.”

He was scribbling things down.

“So I don’t need the wolf’s guidance because I am the wolf in the dreams and every time Illiana appears. After that I show Illiana around I either die or be killed.”

“Wait a minute.” He walked up to the desk and searched for some kind of paper. “Where is it? Got it” He had the paper in his head. It was a paper where there was something typed on it. He sat back down and began to read it silently, when he moved the page to the bottom, the head became visible for us. To my surprise next to the word name stood Parker Illiana. 

“How long is this going on?” It seemed like he didn’t want to ask cause he could predict what was coming.

“Two to three nights I think”

“Have you ever had dreams about being a wolf in the past?”

“No”

“This is impossible.”

“What’s impossible?” Sungmin asked before I could.

“I’ve never in my life seen this before. You are dreaming the same things as her.” Sungmin and I didn’t expect. After a short break of silence I had the courage to ask

“How is that possible?”

“I have no idea, but tell me how does Illiana act in those dreams?”

“She’s happy when she’s alone, and at a certain moment you can see her becoming scared of something and either I die or I am killed. Watching her been tortured and feel her pain.” Should I really been telling him this?

“Has Illiana told you anything about her past, She won’t let anything loose about it.”

I shouldn’t tell him the things Illiana and Lucas told me in confidence. So I shook my head. I couldn’t tell him about Illiana’s past. I thought everything they told me would have scared other people away. I didn’t want Illiana and Lucas to end up with shrinks and others just because of it.  Because of me.

“Okay, than. I’m sure you know more than you let out. But I also think you don’t feel in the right place to tell me. And I completely understand that. So let me tell you this. Illiana is certainly afraid of something or better someone and that’s why you die and get killed in these dreams. When you dream the same things you both are probably thinking about each other and than there is a possibility to end up in the same dream. Nonetheless, her fears are far bigger than I thought. I think she’s been frightened to the death about something she wouldn’t say. Of something she wants to keep a secret. But it seems like she trusted you enough to tell you because you don’t seemed shocked”

Although he would understand, he wouldn’t take it lightly and go to Illiana immediately. 

“Illiana, may have a fear of losing you, apparently. Even though she doesn’t realise. I don’t think I’m going to bother her much about that. Could you tell me what the last dream was about?”

This was going to be hard, not knowing if Li already told him or not. Sungmin that didn’t know anything about it. He would probably tell me I was even more crazy, and if he knew maybe he would scowl me again and really forbid me to see or talk to Li.

“Has Illiana already told you?” I asked politely. I could see it on his face Illiana didn’t tell him about the horror nightmare of Sam carving his name in full in Illiana’s side.

He cleared his troath. “Well than, I think it’s probably best at this point. Kyuhyun-shi, when you began to feel weak or have massive headaches or something after these dreams, you have to come back and we are going to run some tests to see how this is all possible. Well have a nice day for what there is left of it and I think we will be hearing from each other again."

“KIBUM, KIBUM-AH WHERE ARE YOU?” Suzy was in front of our door, barging in the opened door held by a confused Eunhyuk. Sungmin has gone back to the others he just drove away after bringing me home. “KIBUM, YAH, did you not hear me yell?”

Kibum was in the kitchen with me. Making home made pizza or what looked like pizza. Actually it looked nothing like it. At all. Kibum looked up from making the tomato-sauce. 

“Oh, Suzy?”

“Did you not hear me?” Suzy hastily repeated. “Oh Hey Kyu.”

“Nope, what’s wrong?”

“Illiana is freaking out in the hospital, Doctor Shim just called me to come over. Mom and Lucas took the car to go shopping for dinner. Can’t you bring me?”

“Right now?” Kibum asked confused, looking at his not so clean cooking.

“No in like two weeks” Suzy rolled her eyes. “of course right now.”

“Okay okay, fine I’m coming, just give me a minute”

“Don’t take to long, Li needs me.”

“I’m going as fast as I can. Kyu, would you mind cleaning this up?” Kibum washing his hands and undoing the apron, so his clean clothes were showing.

“Fine, just go”

“I’m going I’m going” Kibum and Suzy walked out of the kitchen. “Suz, what’s with the bag?” I could hear Kibum ask from the hallway.

“Shim asked me to sleepover, to watch Li.”

“Kyu, what are those?” Eunhyuk came in the kitchen.

“Pizza’s” I said.

“THAT? Is pizza?” Hyuk tossed a mini-pizza on the table, the batch had just come of the oven. “You can’t call that pizza’s that is a brick. It’s hard and black. You let it burn the food AGAIN. Great maknae, you have still a lot to learn. Let me show you. Masterchef Eunhyuk will fix it.”

“Ooh This we’ve got to see” Leeteuk (who came home from his radio show) and Donghae came in the kitchen.

Hyukie cut out little circles out of the dough. Than placed it on the oven tray and sprinkled them with some oil. He carefully put the tomato-sauce that Kibum made on the little circles and added a little bit of cheese. I already cut some bacon and several sorts of vegetables like mushrooms, peppers (sweet and hot) (green and red), pineapple. We also had some fish and crustaceans. 

Suddenly my phone went off and I couldn’t pick up. I signalled Donghae to pick it up.

Donghae looked at the caller ID and started to smile.

“Hello Champ!, How’ve you been? It’s been a while hasn’t it? Wanna come over, we are making pizza, well Eunhyuk is, I don’t promise they will be any good though. But I guess they will be more edible than Kibum’s and Kyuhyun’s. I’ll leave the door open, OK?” Donghae ended the phone call and went to the hallway, without saying who called.

When he came back, someone brown haired, to tall for his age and blue-eyed followed him in the kitchen.

I hadn’t seen him in such a long time. I think it’s been since Illiana woke up. He looked at me when he came from behind Donghae. He obviously felt awkward. It has been awhile since he came over or since he talked to me.

“Look who’s here” Donghae bellowed out and took his place at the table again. I didn’t know why but all I could was just stare at the kid.

“I’m sorry” He squeaked while looking back to his feet. In the meantime I whipped my hands clean on the apron Eunhyuk was wearing. 

“AISH, Kyu now it’s dirty.” Eunhyuk pouted. “I kept it so clean.” Leeteuk made a gesture that now wasn’t a time to make a joke.

“I’m sorry” Lucas repeated. I squatted down in front of him, but with my apron on it was kind of hard and I unintentionally fell on my . Now I was the one looking up at him.

“You have nothing to be sorry about.”

“Yes, I do, I’ve been ignoring you and everyone else since 2 weeks before Illiana woke up and now I’ve been nothing but mad at you for no reason. I’m just returning this game. I don’t want you to think I was keeping it.”

“Lu?”

“I have to go now.” He turned and walked to the door. This was feeling more like a goodbye to me than a hello, how’ve you been doing? Can I come back? .

“Lucas, wait.” I scrambled up and ran after him. Before he could head out the door I stopped him. “Lu, what’s this all about?” waving the game in my hand, of course I lend it to him to get it back someday. But this was weird.

“I wanted to give it back to you, you don’t need to lend me another of your games since there is a possibility of not seeing you or the others again.” Something clicked in my head, he knew. He knew about the contracts. Mrs Jung must’ve told him.

“You know?” He nodded.

“I saw them earlier” his eyes were tearing up. “so I read them, I’m forbidden to see any of you or talk to any of you” a single tear escaped his eyes.

“You read them??? So Mrs Jung didn’t tell you about them?” He shook his head. “Lu, they aren’t final, we are trying to change them. Come here” Taking the little one in an embrace. I could feel him tearing up, sniffing.

“I – II thought you were mad at me because I was mad you in the hospital for coming even when I told you not to come, hyung.” 

“Why would I be mad at you, kid? You are way to grown up for your age, you know that right? Do you want to stay for a bit?” I broke us apart and he slightly nodded with a little smile on his face. “Here” I handed him a handkerchief. I smiled and ruffled his hair. “Come we are going to make you chef number 3 this evening.”

With Lucas being here again, everything will be alright.

I woke up in the practice room. Lucas had taken my bed last night because he was so tired after our little “sleepover fest”. He fell asleep in the sofa in between me and Leeteuk who were watching a movie he might like. He may be grown up for his age but he still liked cartoons, I put “Rio” in the DVD-player last night. But it didn’t take long or he fell asleep. So we decided we put him in my bad. I rang Mrs Jung to not worry about Lucas. That he was fine and sleeping in my bed. Mrs Jung told me he had to come home before noon, because Li was coming home.

I heard knocking on our front door and since I was the only one who apparently woke up, I went to the front door. With a night robe flung over my nightwear I went to the door, not caring I had bed hair and everything. 

“Mr Cho, is this how you open your door? Didn’t we learn you anything?” I rubbed my eyes and yawned. I looked at the person in front of me. I couldn’t believe it, or I thought I was still dreaming, well this was more like a nightmare.

“Sir” I said shocked “What are you doing here?”

“May I come in?” Still not fully aware it was him.

I just motioned him in.

“Go wash up Mr Cho, we’ll talk afterwards. And wake up Mr Kim too. This matter concerns him too.” I nodded sleepy, not knowing what was going one. And why would the CEO of our company be at our doorstep?

I went to Kibum’s and Leeteuk’s room. Leeteuk had been sleeping Sungmin’s bed all these days that it became a habit.

“Yah, Kibum-ah, Wake up” Rubbing in my eyes with one hand and shaking him with the other.

He slapped my hand away, turning around to the other side and sleeping further.

“Kibum-ah, Come on wake up.” Shaking him again.

“Kyu, too early, too early.” He moaned.

“CEO is here. You gotta wake up.”

He sprang up “WHAT? CEO? HERE? WHY? WTH is he doing here?”

“He wants us to talk to him.”

“Sh***tt this is about Suzy, Lucas and Illiana”

“The contracts?”

“Yes, Kyu THE CONTRACTS” he said a bit annoyed that I hadn’t figured it out sooner.

“Lucas is still here, sleeping.”

“Damn, we can’t let the CEO see him. What are we going to do?”

“Hope he doesn’t wake up” I shrugged. I had no idea. I was to nervous to think about Lucas right now. All sorts of thoughts went through my head. There were thoughts about how it was a possible that they don’t give them contracts and neither we get them. Or there was a possibility the contracts may have been even more strict or maybe the were less strict then they already were.

10 minutes later we were in the living room with the CEO. We both were on a nervous break down.

“Mr Cho, Mr Kim, you know it’s impossible for us to cancel those contracts. But with the influences of your manager and Mrs Jung we are revising the contracts.” A slight feeling of happiness went through my body. They were going to make them less strict.

“But if a single one of you violates one rule on it, you’re out.”

Slight feeling of happiness away.

“Do you both understand that?”

Kibum and I shared a glance at each and while we weren’t that comfortable with the decision, it’s the best we could get. For now. We just had to be careful about what we do.

We slowly nodded in agreement.

“Okay, than I have to go. I have still a lot of work ahead of me, I bit you a nice day further”

“On that same moment, my door of my room started to slowly open. If it’s Lucas we are so screwed. I looked at Kibum motioning with my eyes to the door. A slight fear went through him. The next thing I knew, was that I was running to my door to close it again and Kibum was pushing the CEO out.

“Hyung” a sleepy voice behind me said before I could close the door. It wasn’t loud, just loud enough. I closed the door with a loud thud hoping the CEO didn’t notice a thing.

Kibum looked behind him.

“Has he heard it?” I mouthed.

“I don’t know” Kibum mouthed back. Still trying to push the CEO out. “Yes, sir, absolutely. Yes, we know our schedule the manager is picking us up later. Goodbye sir, have a nice day.” And with that he closed the door. He slummed his back to the door and gave a deep sigh.

“phew, that was close.” 

I opened the door to the room, only to find a flustered and confused Lucas standing behind it.

“Hyung?? Did I do something wrong.” Now with the door wide open. Just to see a relieved Kibum at the other side of the living room, plumping down in the sofa.

“Lu, are you ok? No, why would you have done anything wrong?”

“Ok” Still with some confusing in his eyes. “You sure? I didn’t do anything wrong?”

“No, Lucas you didn’t.” Kibum said from the sofa. “We are just …” Glancing at me to end the sentences.

“just a little jumpy today that’s all.”

Kibum’s phone went of. 

“Ooh, Mrs Jung, goodmorning. Right right …. Yes … of course…..We’ll send him home now…Do I need to pick up Suzy at the hospital? OOOh cab.”

“Yah, Kibum, you just heard about the contracts and you’re already breaking the rules”

“Kyu, How am I breaking the rules if I don’t know what they are yet?” He did have a point there, but still we needed to be extra carefull