Y: Wounded Open
Be Extant, Stay Around
" I can't do this anymore; I'm struggling everyday
I can't dare to even hope "
Hankyung never understand how the last seven months he has been introduced to the younger, he has grown attached towards the smaller male.
Sure, the younger is quite attractive but he is very sure that that is not the 'x-factor' that lets him being so attached to someone who is not his type - hell, he is far from his type. Maybe, the reticent, introvert trait that Ryeowook shows at their first meeting in his restaurant that makes curiosity kills the Chinese man silently. It could be the sight of distressed Ryeowook on the day they were frantically searching for the smaller daughter that really troubles the latter.
Or perhaps, the amiable, bashful nature of Ryeowook - the younger exudes on the night he announced about the wedding offer that pulls him even deeper than he already is. But those are nothing compared to the anguish, nervousness written on the smaller face the night on the birthday party. The incident at the smaller parent house solidifies the new side of Ryeowook that the latter can't really grasp on.
He feels the urge to protect the delicate male from whoever tries to break the smaller.
It is a fact that the Chinese male knows every details of Ryeowook's life including the marriage. His friends always feeding him about the smaller male's tidbits and albeit he didn't ask for it, he's very thankful for that particular thing.
The taller met Kyuhyun for the first time at the birthday party the others plot a week in advance and of course, Ryeohyun is involved in the scheme. He even thinks that the lanky male is handsome than what he had pictured in mind. The joyful-turned-suffocated lounge area mirrored Ryeowook's expression well. He never thought there are someone who can really affect the smaller to the point where there is no other safe cliff to crawl except the edge.
From the story everyone has been telling, he didn't blame any of them two. Because he knows, he needs to hear the point of view from both parties but he supposes it's too late for that now. He resolves to find a way so the smaller has other options to teeter on instead the perilous edge.
A cold touch on the right cheek makes Hankyung jumps from the couch. Heechul is standing with defiant smile on his face while holding an ice pack, "Tell me what happened."
Ignoring him, the taller male plops back down across the male with a faint groan, "Nothing happened."
"Oh, really." Heechul walks over the taller and brings his left hand to both sides of the taller lower jaw only to tighten the hold.
"It hurts, damn it!" Shoving the hand away, Hankyung massages his side jaw lightly - Damn it bruised!
"Here, catch this." Amused Heechul sits across the taller male his blazing eyes focused on him, "Had a fight with Ryeowook?"
Reaching for the ice pack, the chef places it upon his jawline. "Thanks. It's not a fight." Turning to Heechul, he questions. "How did you know it was Ryeowook?"
Shrugging, he meets Hankyung's eyes briefly before averting them. "Well, you were late yesterday and I noticed that your face is perfectly fine before you went to fetch him. Anyway, it did look pretty nasty."
"Seriously, he is quite powerful for his type." Standing against the greyish-white corridor wall, Eunhyuk - out of nowhere - complains.
Looking over at the sudden voice, Hankyung sees Eunhyuk is rubbing his temple lightly - an attempt to soothe the headache, "His type?"
"The small, timid type."
"Certainly, looks can be deceiving." Sporting a loose white tank top, Siwon heads to the dark pastel green couch and sinks down beside Hankyung.
Agreeing with the statement, the Chinese male continues his little story.
"He punches me hard that my lips bled. He is surprisingly strong." By the time Hankyung has finishes his 'epic' battle with the smaller; everyone is already gathered at the living room except Shindong.
Sprawling on the wool rug, Eunhyuk claims, "I guess, I should be thankful that I'd only received a blow on the shoulder."
"When?"
"On the night of the birthday party. I was driving at that time luckily, Ryeohyun helps soothe it out."
"But you know what, Ryeohyun inherits his strength. She kicks me hard on the leg - " Donghae points out carefully after glancing briefly at Kibum, who sits in front of him " - the day we went to the amusement park."
Oblivious, Henry asks rather excitedly, "Only the two of you?"
No answers are given when Sungmin ushers everyone to take a bath before joining for a breakfast. "Hankyung and Kibum will help me out and the rest of you, please clean yourself. That is an order. Though, I'm sorry for the informal." The bitter stench of alcohol is disgusting Sungmin and he quickly heads to kitchen.
"My question hasn't been answered yet!" Kibum manages to catch Henry's word before disappearing to the kitchen; not really interested to know the answer.
"There's no answer for you, boy. Stop whining." Heechul rises to his foot before he pulls his shirt off and diving into the pool.
Puzzled with everyone's random action, Henry paces to kitchen - watching intently at the trio but his gaze only fixated to the architect. If looks could kill, Kibum would have die right then and there.
Fifteen minutes later, Zhoumi walks into the kitchen. Henry is there, too - they are one of the few people who finish shower early. So, he decides to help the trio. Walking the dining area, Zhoumi places the bunch of silverwares on the table. He then studies the singer beside him, "Snap out of it. You're not going anywhere by standing there."
Placing the spoons and forks in its respective place, the designer converses with whomever within the range.
"We help Victoria picks two themes for her wedding. And with Heechul's advice, she agrees on the elegant concept for the wedding."
Turning his head, Hangeng questions, "The other concept is?"
"Romantic. It's for the reception. And it suits the small capacity perfectly I think."
"That's very clever of her." Sitting at the kitchen counter, Yesung who's just arrives, praises.
Handing plates of bacon to Yesung; Sungmin claims, "It's Ryeowook's idea."
Stepping into the dining hall, Heechul explains, "That kid thought it is appropriate after the massive wedding with many reporters come over."
They start eating once everyone sits at the table.
"Did she hire a wedding planner?"
Shaking his head side by side; Eunhyuk claims, "She has everything under her control. She even books the venue for the wedding and the reception herself."
"It must be awesome if the reception is being held at our summer house." Taking the triangle-shaped sandwich bread, Donghae states mindlessly without knowing he actually lightens all the residents' face at the table.
"That's a pretty good idea actually."
"Kibum, when is the due of the summer house?" Zhoumi responds to the composer's idea eagerly - the design of the soon-to-be summer house of theirs is somewhat fitting the romantic theme.
Calculating silently with his mind, he answers. "Early October is the fastest."
"Isn't a bit too late then? Two weeks after the wedding."
Practically delighted by the whole reception thing; Heechul quickly argues, "I don't see any harm on that."
"Me neither. Plus, she and Changmin will only invite their close friends. And it is benefiting us in a way." Shindong adds in after watching the heated discussion with different and amusing antics of his friends.
After breakfast, everyone starts to head out, attending whatever business they has that day. It's Saturday, though.
Successfully opening the door; Sungmin absent-mindedly asks without facing the other, "Is that a date?"
"If you want to call it a date, then it is a date." Putting the left hand on his front jeans, Yesung answers.
Turning himself around; Sungmin at the door entrance, studies the handsome male suspiciously, "Whatever, text me the details." Sungmin then proceeds walking into the house only to meet halfway when the raven black haired male clarifies, "No. I'm picking you up. Wait for me at 9."
Nearly dropping the key, Sungmin stands still at the spot as Yesung's step gradually leaving the house.
Trailing behind the young lawyer into the lavish restaurant, Sungmin notices the faint blush on the waiter's cheek. The fact the former chooses firebrick color shirt beneath the ivory jacket didn't help the worker either - he looks dashing! Sungmin though, never realizes that this friend of his has such attraction. Knowing the male for eight years now, he felt sorry for himself as he never really had a chance to look at people who close to him.
"I choose this restaurant for its marvelous spaghetti." Yesung says as soon as the waiter places the order for the night.
Bowing slightly for the food; Sungmin faces the male, "You went here before?"
Still facing the food on the table; Yesung nods, "With Kyuhyun, before the arranged marriage thingy."
They eat without saying a word to each other until Sungmin pops the rather deadly question Yesung can't answer or he doesn't want to answer it out loud - not yet.
"Do you think Kyuhyun still loves Ryeowook?"
So the taller shoots another question. "Do you think Ryeowook stops loving him?"
Playing with the fork mindlessly; Sungmin sighs under his breath, "I don't know. Its' been eight years now."
"Exactly, eight years." Looking straight at Sungmin, the young lawyer continues, "Don't you think you should move on, too?"
"Huh?" Surprised color Sungmin's features, he raises his head confusedly.
"I want us to move on. Stop deluding ourselves with the uncertain, stop wasting our life for nothing."
Maintaining the gaze; Sungmin tries to understand what the other male attempts to convey and he can't help to feel slightly irritated, "Loving Ryeowook is wasting your time, then?"
"No. Waiting for Ryeowook is wasting our time." Yesung looks upon his food momentarily only to stare determinedly at Sungmin, "Do we should wait for him for the rest of our life? No. We have our own lives and he has his. We're not going to stop loving him even if he chooses Kyuhyun all over again. We just have to be prepared for this. We all should move on."
"Are you really Yesung that I know?" Not backing away; Sungmin stares back at the male with a challenge look, "What happen to the man that loves Ryeowook with all his heart?"
"I discover that I'm not really love Ryeowook with all my heart." A hurtful look flashes in his orb but Yesung quickly recovers before he drops the stare at Sungmin's spaghetti, "Kyuhyun loves him more than I do. I wish that I'm always by Kyuhyun's side instead of Ryeowook."
For a moment, Sungmin continues staring at the taller male. He doesn't understand where this conversation is going neither he can apprehend the taller. This whole situation starts to irk him even more. "You know what? Thanks for the dinner and please forget this conversation. Act like it never happens." Standing to his feet, Sungmin quickly storms out from the restaurant.
In an instant, he fell in love so deep that everything blinded him except the younger. Upon hearing about the arranged marriage between his cousin and the petite male, he felt that his world is crumbling down, waiting for the tide to wash away all of it - leaving him with nothing to hold for.
But he saw a speck of hope when he knew that his cousin is not very keen on the marriage as Kyuhyun dated someone else at that time. He continued to be the knight in the shining armor for the slender male.
However, around six months after the marriage, Yesung recognized the lanky male's subtle actions towards the smaller. Although, he was very sure that the petite didn't realize this but he can't help to feel threaten by the hidden motives of Kyuhyun. Certainly when the announced marriage - that has kept secret between the two for the whole sixth months - were told to both Kyuhyun and Ryeowook's close friends made Yesung felt even more restless. When there was this particular person tried to hospitalize the petite, he decided to be on the latter side for the rest of his life.
This is where he started to doubt the whole standing-by-your-side-forever thing.
Initially when Ryeowook flew to Paris, he and Sungmin took care of the small male until the younger chose to live with his aunt. Still, he visited Ryeohyun every weekend and each time he spent time with the little girl, he felt that the lanky cousin of his should knew about this.
He admitted that he is such a chicken for he never tried to find the courage to tell his cousin about the little girl.
Last two years, when his grandfather died, he didn't know what to feel. His senses all go to numbness and his emotion get tangled even more as he saw the lanky male didn't shed any tears throughout the ordeal. Then, the next day when all the family members panicked regarding the missing Kyuhyun, he searched for the male and surprisingly, he found the latter at his grandfather's grave - weeping over the loss. Watching from afar, Yesung let tears streamed down his face like a broken dam.
Both males are important for him and he still hasn't found the nerve to do any of that. Not until he decided to come back to South Korea and met their friend, Siwon - together they founded their own firm; Y&S Associate.
Unofficially, Siwon became his informant, told him about Kyuhyun's where about and sort - that's the very least he could do.
When he said that he missed Kyuhyun; at the lanky house last time, that's the truth. He missed his cousin terribly but whenever he was in front of the apartment, he turned around from the front door before collapsing on the floor - crying his heart out.
He said to Sungmin that all of them should move on already - in actuality, he said that more to himself. He knew Ryeohyun doesn't like them - Heechul, Sungmin, Kibum, Henry and him - she doesn't like that they would end up getting hurt - she told him that, before he leaved Paris for good.
Yesung realizes that he is crying in the pavement from the moment he starts reminiscing. And tears keep pouring endlessly at the thoughts of his died grandfather. The moment when he senses that he really misses his cousin, he feels like he doesn't has any bones left to hold him up. Feeling droplets of rain wetting his outfit, he crouches on the wet pavement and let the rain drenches his heart.
He then shows up at Kyuhyun's front door with a wide, wry smile across his face. "Can I stay overnight?"
"Sure." Confused male invites the soaking, shivering male inside, tagging the older cousin straight to the bathroom when the lanky male sees the puffy red eyes of Yesung. The other residents of the apartment don't have words to say anything except exchanging glances with each other.
Kyuhyun meanwhile leans against the wall across from the bathroom - thinking any possibilities that might have happened with his elder cousin. But the elder didn't say anything once he comes out from the warm shower. He just smiles the weird smile he always does every time he meets the lanky male's eyes.
"Where should I sleep?"
Holding his gaze; Kyuhyun lazily answers, "Here."
"Where do you sleep, then?" Wearing the clothes the lanky male lays it out on the bed, Yesung arches his eyebrow.
"Study room."
"Show me the study room."
They're both continue to stare at each other until Kyuhyun steps out from the master bedroom. Yesung gathers his wallet, cellphone and watch - slipping them in the sweatpants.
As soon as Yesung walks into the study room, he pushes his cousin out from the room and locks the room.
"Yah!" Knocking loudly on the door, Kyuhyun raises his voice, "What are doing? Jongwoon, open up!"
Yesung screams, "Thanks for the room, Kyu. You should sleep. It's getting late. Goodnight."
Reaching the door for another banging, Kyuhyun feels someone grasps his hand from behind. "Leave him be. He's going to be fine." Squeezing gently the lanky male on the shoulder, Kangin steers him towards the bedroom.
Leeteuk then comes out from the guestroom, which happens to be his and Kangin's room before knocking gently on the study room. "It's me, Leeteuk-hyung."
Opening the door tentatively, Yesung let the elder comes in. The dimple male brings over a pillow and comforter for him. Soon after that, the lawyer walks the elder to the door, when Yesung speaks softly, right before closing the door instantly, "Thanks hyung. Thanks for staying by Kyuhyun's side."
When the sun is rising the next morning, the lawyer changes into his last night shirt that has already dried and decides to make breakfast for the trio before fleeing from the apartment and leaving a note behind on the kitchen counter top.
'Thank you for the overnight. This is my gift for you guys. Enjoy it!'
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