"I'm sorry Mr. Cho, you can't pass! Professor Kim has expressly stated that we had to inform him first about anyon-"

"About anyone who's looking for him. I know, Monique, I know. Isn't it the 10th time already that I listen to the same story over and over again?" Kyuhyun sighed as he stood in front of the welcome info desk of the conservatory main building. In front of him, on the other side of the desk, there was Monique, the sweet girl who worked in the crew as a secretary for the music school. Pretty much everyone had been instructed by Ryeowook not to let anyone access to his office without being informed with a call.

Ryeowook invented such a stupid rule to successfully keep Kyuhyun away from him, because he knew his lover was the impatient type and couldn't follow his suggestion without cheating, where possible. In fact, Kyuhyun had been visiting the school for a week and a half, hoping to meet him like they usually did in the past. 

Kyuhyun used to stop by the conservatory whenever Ryeowook was in, and usually sneaked into his office with the help of the supportive secretaries - whom he knew so well - to wait for his boyfriend, surprise him and then head home together. It was routine for them, and Kyuhyun believed he could be doing the same thing, if he had showed up at Ryeowook's workplace those days. He needed to see him, to see that he was doing fine and maybe snatch one kiss or two, just to remind him that he was deeply loved. What he didn't take into account was that Ryeowook was too serious when he said they should have stayed apart for a while, because he either rejected any request of meeting, or disappeared from the school without prior notice.

The girl was already dialling the short number on the intercom, stirring in Kyuhyun the most straining feeling of exhaustion and frustration ever, as he nervously tapped the smooth surface of the white desk with his fingers, when her colleague caught Monique's attention and gravely shook his head.

"You won't find him in the office" he said, catching Kyuhyun's confused glance too "Professor Kim was off a lot earlier today, he didn't feel well and went home. I last saw him two hours ago speaking with the newbie at the exams registration desk about a couple of his students."

"What?! He...he didn't feel well?" agitated, Kyuhyun lightly hopped in his spot and smacked the desk with both hands.

The boy nervously cracked a shy smile, aimed at reassuring Kyuhyun at first, but it was of no help: "Don't...don't worry, Mr. Cho. It was only a headache, he took a couple of painkillers and drove home"

"Who the hell did let him drive after taking painkillers?!" Kyuhyun shouted, visibly angry over such a trivial matter. He was in flames, and any news about Ryeowook actually made him worry for nothing lately "It's dangerous! What if he suddenly dozed off?" he kept on rambling and both Monique and the other boy let him talk without actually listening to him anymore. 

Cho Kyuhyun had become overly sensitive after knowing what kind of painful experience Ryeowook had to go through.

Fishing his cellphone from the pocket and without thanking nor greeting the two, Kyuhyun turned away.

"What's wrong with them?" the boy at the desk kept his eyes glued on Kyuhyun's back and then whispered to Monique, who rolled her eyes to the ceiling and shrugged. She sighed and answered: "Lovers quarrel, I guess"

"Hey, there! Welcome back! How was work today?"

Ryeowook groaned as he closed the door behind his back. His keys happily jingled before he could leave them with the rest in the orange glass bowl placed on a little squared table in the hallway. Zhou Mi's voice reached him from the living room, where he was, sitting on the couch and focusedly reading a thick book.

"I can't believe it's already Saturday!" Ryeowook heavily exhaled, looking more exhausted than usual "The week's been extremely long"

Intently eyeing him, Zhou Mi chuckled from behind the yellowish pages: "What's wrong?" he asked and didn't lift his eyes from the lines.

"Nothing" Ryeowook walked past his best friend and left his bag on the kitchen table, before making his way to the counter and tiredly pouring some water in a glass, which he washed down in a couple of gulps, feeling immediately refreshed.

"Nothing?" Zhou Mi repeated, raised an eyebrow and threw at him a very suspicious glare "Are you sure?"

Ryeowook briefly looked around himself, as if he was trying so hard to remember something he had to do once back at home, but which had somehow slipped out of his mind. He took off his eyeglasses and left them on the table as well, lightly pinching the bridge of his nose and closing eyes to take in a long, deep breathe aimed at relaxing him a tiny bit.

"I...I don't know what I'm doing" he exhaled, finally snapping his eyes open and resting his hands on the backrest of a chair. He felt so tired and exhausted, plus his pounding headache didn't seem to leave him easily. Slowly, he padded his way to the couch and plopped on it, next to Zhou Mi, not knowing how to continue with explaining what was upsetting him.

Zhou Mi sighed, closed the book on his knees, looked for a little while the hardcover and put it away, placing it onto the near coffee table. The man was positive that the only reason for Ryeowook's upset mood could be nothing but Kyuhyun. It didn't take him too much to hear is name being pronounced by the pianist, and he knew that whenever Kyuhyun was the main topic of a discussion, he would have better kept all his well-trained concentration onto his friend and his words, if he wanted to be of any help to the poor, strained soul.

"Is it about him, about Kyuhyun, right?"

"Who else?" Ryeowook sniffed, but his eyes were only fixed on the sight ahead: a vast range of flower compositions neatly sat on a shelf next to the empty fireplace. Colorful, maybe a little bit faded on some leaves and petals, but still particularly, strongly scented despite being there for almost a week. They filled five different vases, some of which had been purposely bought because the house lacked of them.

"I guess you should reconsider your proposed deal..." Zhou Mi teased the petite man, unconscious waver evident in the way Ryeowook looked lost.

"It wasn't a deal! It was a punishment, I'm not ready to throw myself into his arms after what's happened!" Ryeowook insisted.

"Oh, dear! When was last time you said you thought of being mature enough to make wise choices? Beause I can't see any maturity in your way of thinking, Ryeowook" Zhou Mi rolled his eyes and made a grimace of disapprovement towards Ryeowook.

"What does that mean?" Ryeowook flashed him with a bad, bad glare "I can take care of myself, and if I decided to slow things down is because I don't want either of us to be hurt!" he overreacted and lifted arms up into the air.

"He's not yet divorced and it looks like Jiwon's doings haven't affected his life not even the tiniest bit, while I had to pay for everything in order to make it up for other people's mistakes. I want him to understand, get aware of the fact that we risked to reach the very end of the tunnel during all this while! He promised me to return already divorced, but in truth he's agreed to wait a little more for a child that isn't even his!" Ryeowook took his face in both hands now, bending over his knees, and began to torture his cheeks by slapping them, maybe hoping to wake up from that seemingly nightmare. The acting didn't help him at all, unless he wanted to have his face completely red by the slap marks, therefore he moved a hand in his hair and wildly ruffled it, almost on the verge of pulling it in distress for such a ridiculous situation of stand by.

"Aren't you happy to know that he hasn't been unfaithful to you, though?" Zhou Mi turned to him and with the softest voice ever tried to calm him down. He placed a hand on his back and started to soothingly pat it: "The baby isn't his, he just needs a little bit more time to sort things out, even because I seemed to understand that you were both threatened by a psycho that should get a bit quieter life instead of messing up with other people's, right?" said that, Zhou Mi's lips pursed in a tight line. He was a bit worried about that.

"I'm happy, I'm sincerely happy to know that there's no baby getting in between us, you can't even understand how much happy I am!"

"It doesn't look like, though..."

"Why? Why doesn't it look like it? I'm freaking happy, I swear! The only baby that will ever get in between me and Kyuhyun will be our son, when..." Ryeowook snapped out.

"Don't rush too much, Wookie. Before thinking of a baby to adopt, you need to put away your stupid stubborness and take Kyuhyun back, before he gets fed up. I always thought he was a jerk, by the way you used to describe him, and maybe that was true back then, but now I can't do much but praise his infinite patience, his endurance skill is great!" Zhou Mi explained, earning a flashing glare by Ryeowook. He didn't pay attention to it and simply shrugged: "I mean, look at him! He's been in Paris for a whole month now and you're keeping away from him! Whose lover would faithfully wait that much and respect some weird rules set by a delusional boyfriend like you?"

The taller friend stood up and walked to where the flowers were sat. Gently his fingers touched and some of the now whitering petals and he sighed: "Look at what he did for you. He spent a lot to research and provide you with these wonderful flowers every day for a week since Monday, each one of them has a precise meaning, I looked them up on the internet. Pink camellias for longing; hyacinths and heather for forgiveness and protection; daffodil means that he respects you and thinks of you like the sunshine that warms his existence; hydrangeas for seeking your understanding; a mixed bouquet made of daisies, blue violets and dandelions that means loyal love and faithfulness. Now go in your room and check what I had to move there, because otherwise our house would have turned out into a greenhouse!"

Ryeowook didn't speak. It was true. All those flowers had a precise meaning and he had been receiving tons of them since the beginning of the week. Every day at a early hour - just so he was sure to find Ryeowook still at home - a courier was sent with baskets of high quality, expensive flowers and a little handwritten note to accompany the gift. 

Following Zhou Mi's suggestion, he stood up and walked to the bedroom, the same room that he had shared with Kyuhyun and that spoke of him in its every corner. There he stopped, awe-struck. A cover of vivid blood red roses and pure white calla lilies laid on the bed, on the black grand piano, on the carpeted floor and filled the room with a distinguishable strong and rich scent of antique and dreamy romance, well-balanced with the more fragile and delicate fragrance of lilies, soft like the fluffiest caresses left on smooth skin after a hot bath.

A loud, surprised gasp resonated through the corridor and reached Zhou Mi's ears, whom in the meanwhile had shifted his position to a more comfortable one again on the sofa. The tall man giggled, amused because he kind of expected Ryeowook to be deeply touched by the sixth gift and react that way.

No matter how stubborn and determined he might have acted, Ryeowook was suffering by his own hands, because of his own actions; he was just very deceived to find that Kyuhyun's wasn't available for him yet.

Perhaps he had always imagined in his mind, that on the day of their reunion, he would have immediately fused with Kyuhyun once again, busy at writing a brand new chapter of their lives together. Deception was making him react that way, though he was aware that Kyuhyun didn't deserve any of that treatment.

"So, do you like what you found?" his friend rose a little bit his voice, so that Ryeowook could hear him even from afar "Do you want to know what that means?"

Ryeowook appeared from around the corner, hands fisted and rubbing his eyes: "Shut up!" he hollered, a bit disturbed by the fact that Zhou Mi was making fun of him that plainly "I perfectly know what that means!" he whined.

"Good, I thought that you were too busy at giving up your fiancé for understanding that he's fervently waiting for you. Red roses are the highest symbol of passional love, while lilies are used to describe one's breathtaking beauty. This is the final invitation, Ryeowook. If you don't go to him right now, someone else will try to snatch him away. Be careful!"

Ryeowook gulped. He didn't particularly like the idea of finding Kyuhyun courting and papmpering a man that wasn't he himself. He didn't like the idea of those soft, plump lips tenderly smiling to someone else and make this new, imaginary lover blush and giggle like he usually did whenever he drowned into Kyuhyun's deep, loving gaze.

"I...I don't know what I'm doing, Mimi..." Ryeowook uncovered his eyes and revealed to be silently crying over the deep romantic meaning that all those gifts conveyed for him.

At first, that morning after waking up, he was incredibly disappointed that no courier had shown up at his door to deliver flowers for that weekend, and he was already resigning himself to the fact that no more gift would have come in. However that changed everything. Kyuhyun was sending a well-thought message using the flowers language. It was a hidden message that started with describing how much he longed for Ryeowook, and that ascended to the deepest and most intimate concept of love: the union between two souls.

He briefly wondered what he would be receiving on the following day, since it was Sunday. There was nothing else that could outstand passionate love and beauty, but Kyuhyun revealed himself to be keeping a lot of hidden aces to surprise Ryeowook.

After all, he was simply doing what Ryeowook had requested, that meant being courted and wooed all over again as if they were just casually dating. That went beyond simple dates though. Kyuhyun looked like he was fighting hard to keep his already too limited patience, and maybe Zhou Mi was right: if he didn't immeditely stop this stupid pull and push game, regardless of the experienced threats and dangers, Ryeowook would lose such a precious lover.

Zhou Mi sighed: "Come here, you silly" he gestured with a hand and opened his arms, because Ryeowook was again at his side, silently crying on his chest where he tried so desperately to drown his discomfort.

"This is hard! I thought I could do it, I mean, pushing him away until good news come but, he's being too romantic, too focused into trying to get me back! It's such a distraction and I don't know what to do!" Ryeowook whines muffled on Zhou Mi's t-shirt.

"I kind of understood that even before he had to resort to flowers in order to shower you in gifts. But Ryeowook, listen to me. You're feeling so torn because this is not what you've been wishing to do ever since Kyuhyun arrival" Zhou Mi his hair, and even if his touch wasn't the least similar to Kyuhyun's, it had this kind of coaxing, soothing effect on Ryeowook. Being Zhou Mi his best friend, he had shared with Ryeowook great portions of his sufferings, ever since the pianist was still in bad terms with Kyuhyun, before they could reunite and declare undying love for each other.

Every single contact Zhou Mi made to calm Ryeowook was driven by the deep friendship that bound them together.

"No, you're right! I wanted to be with him! I imagined to do a lot of things together right from the start and..." 

"It's not too late, Ryeowook!" Zhou Mi interrupted his friend, who had become a funny mess of hiccups and rolling tears "It's not like your relationship has been cursed forever. You just need to put your stinging pride away for a little while and run to him right now. Think of the present, not the future, even though it'd be advisable to plan it beforehand sometimes - he suggested, while looking down at the mass of hair that nuzzled on his shoulder - What I'm saying is that you faced a lot of troubles together and okay, he's still busy with another person right now, but that doesn't forbid you to go to him and spend your days with the man you love. I guess he musn't be handling it well all by himself. Think about having to fix the situation, fight for divorce, help Jiwon because she's homesick and in the meawhile needs all the necessary assistance and care until the baby's birth. If you add on to that the fact that he's longing for you, that all he truly needs is you by his side, then be careful, or Kyuhyun might either slip into depression or totally give you up."

And at those words, if at first Ryeowook seemed to calm down a little bit, now he was crying louder than before at the idea of Kyuhyun giving up on their relationship. He changed, he was stronger than before while handling lfe's issues, but Kyuhyun remained his weakness. Forever.

Zhou Mi was now even more worried, and couldn't seem to find a way to make Ryeowook relax: "If I were you I wouldn't play with fire and accept what life is giving you. There's no way people can have it easy and play at their rules. Life and nature are always stronger and usually rule the game, you're no different Ryeowook" he tried to be straightforward with Ryeowook. Friends only deserved uttermost sincerity during hard times.

"Will he...will he forgive me?" Ryeowook mumbled after pulling back his head and noticing that his tears had streaked the other man's clothes. 

"Of course, he will! He's never been angry at you in the first place!" Zhou Mi held him by the shoulders and widely smiled. With a new grin on his face, that most of the times meant that he was up to something, Zhou Mi stood up and dragged Ryeowook along: "Now, dress up nicely and invite him out, since it's been a whole month that you're pushing back that dinner with him - he ordered - While enjoying the night, talk to him, be sincere with how you really feel for him, accept him back and don't be too obsessed by the marriage deal. He wants to be yours and he will be, you need to wait a little bit and keep the faith."

"I just wanted to be his first one, instead I will be marrying a divorced man, Mimi" Ryeowook pouted quite childishly.

"Does that decrease Kyuhyun's quality as a man?" Zhou Mi raised a brow in suspicion and Ryeowook shook his head, cheeks flushed in embarrassment: "Then, it's done! You see, the weakest person is always the one who loves the most. You've always been too weak when it came to Kyuhyun ever since I met you. But there's something I need to say. There's no mean you can be weak, if Kyuhyun, who loves you from the bottom of his heart, stays by your side. A couple is made by two people and only that way it solidifies into a stronger bond that is able to overcome even the toughest moments. Fight this last battle, but do it together, or before the war comes you'll find yourself with no one willing to watch your back" 

Ryeowook lowered his head and looked at how his fingers nervously played with the hem of his shirt: "Mimi, have you ever loved a person to the point your heart is physically unable to contain all your feelings and emotions and threatens to explode in pain? I mean, to the point that your chest actually aches in pain. Because that's how much I love him, that's how I feel every time I'm with Kyuhyun. The way he treats me, as if I were the only important creature living in the world, how he spoils me and loves me is just so addictive. I want to have him all for myself and show the world how much lucky I am, because when I saw him the very first time I already knew that he was the one for me"

Ryeowook was lost in his description of Kyuhyun, the gallant knight, and never once looked at Zhou Mi straight in the eye, too busy at keeping controlled his excitement at the thought of having such a nice guy that filled his days. His mouth opened up in a bright smile whenever the two syllables that composed Kyuhyun's name ventured on the seam of his lips, and Ryeowook looked too silly in love with that giggling grin on his face, which was too contagious to ignore.

Zhou Mi amiled too and grabbed Ryeowook's hands in his, so the pianist stopped to play with his clothes for a short instant: "I personally have to experience that yet. But that clearly makes me ask what the hell are you waiting for, Ryeowook? Aren't my words convincing enough? Do you still need to figure out a way to screw your life, or what happened to you has already been enough?" the Chinese man softly whispered, humming to get some acknowledgement nods from Ryeowook from time to time.

"I...I think I will..." Ryeowook began, his hand slipped out of Zhou Mi's hold and automatically went to his jeans pocket, where he found his cellphone.

"Don't think! Just do it!" Zhou Mi urged him, while watching his friend scrolling the contact list to reach his most favorite number: Kyuhyun's.

Suddenly, before Ryeowook could do anything else, the little device trembled in his hands and came to life. Kyuhyun's number appeared on the screen even before being highlighted by the cursor and Ryeowook didn't waste any second to pick the call, perhaps just one beep.

"H-hey" he mumbled at the phone, his eyes fixed into Zhou Mi's as his friend smiled, encouragingly.

"Ryeowook!" Kyuhyun exclaimed "How...how are you? I heard you didn't feel well at work, I heard you needed to take some medicines, I heard that..."

"Slow down, Kyu...please" Ryeowook couldn't refrain a giggle, upon hearing the rushing agitation that animated Kyuhyun's voice. He couldn't see his lover, but Kyuhyun was in his car, slumped against the backrest of the seat and running a hand in his hair, feeling distressed.

"I'm fine. It was just a headache and I didn't feel like examining my students for the rest of the day, I couldn't take in any other music piece anymore and had to take a break, that's all" sometimes it happened, especially if he had to check on the orchestra and there were plenty of different instruments rehearsing their chords all at once. It could result a bit...messy.

"How's your ear?" Kyuhyun's voice appeared just as worried and nervous as before.

"Don't worry. It's okay. I took some painkillers and my ear isn't affected at all. I'm fine, I said" Ryeowook smiled for how sweet it was for Kyuhyun to always check up on him, whenever he wasn't feeling good.

"O-okay, great!" Kyuhyun forced out a smile. What he truly wanted to do, instead of calling him at the phone, was cuddling on the sofa and make that his wrapping hug could soothe Ryeowook's state and keep stress away from him. He needed to feel their fusing warmth before going officially crazy at the loss of physical contact.

"K-Kyu?" Ryeowook called out his name after catching and encouraging tip of Zhou Mi's head in his direction.

"Y-yeah?" Kyuhyun lightly straightened his back on the seat and sat to attentively grasp whatever Ryeowook was about to say, after pronouncing his name in a soft whisper.

"I was wondering if you..." Ryeowook replied and stopped to bite his lips. He felt as nervous as a teenager about to ask his crush to be his date for the school's prom, and that was just too strange to say, considering that Ryeowook had done and achieved many greater things with Kyuhyun by his side already. Zhou Mi rolled his eyes and flashed him with a glare, annoyed by the huge amount of hesitation that was blocking Ryeowook on the phone.

"Tell him!" he mouthed in silence and Ryeowook blushed at the realization of his uncertainty.

He nodded and gulped down to ease the knot in his throat, but it just became heavier: "I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner out with me tonight" he said it, and had to repeat the same sentence twice because the first one just came out faster than light's speed.

"Of course I want to!" Kyuhyun brighted up and nodded at the phone, coherent that Ryeowook couldn't watch his over-reaction: "I mean, yes...that would be very nice" he decided to keep it low, following the strange rule that Ryeowook had set up between the two of them.

"Good!" Ryeowook couldn't contain a laugh, because he knew Kyuhyun was as impatient as he was to meet later, perhaps even more than he was in truth "Pick me up later at 8pm, okay?" he stupidly began to torture a lock of hair on the nape of his neck due to his nervousness "I need to talk to you and...gosh, Kyuhyun...I really miss you so bad" he softly revealed in something more than a whisper. Clutching the phone on his ear as if his words could better reach Kyuhyun through the speaker, Ryeowook forgot about Zhou Mi's presence and felt as if transported in a parallel dimension, alone with Kyuhyun. 

"I miss you too, baby" Kyuhyun responded and heartily smiled for the admission he most longed for "I'll be there when you're ready" 

"See you later!" Ryeowook hummed and breathed against the speakers; then he began to chuckle at his now silent phone upon realizing the silly behavior of a man in love.

His heart pounded against the wall of his ribcage, it wildly ran and was moved by the strangest mix of emotions ever. Ryeowook covered his blushing face with both hands, as he realized that he was slighty too excited for that date, and probably never felt the tiniest bit closer to that strange mixture of adrenaline and anticipation in his previous dates with Kyuhyun, at the very start of their relationship.

"Okay, Earth to Wook? Get yourself together now!" Zhou Mi exclaimed, squeezing and then pinching his right upper arm since Ryeowook didn't show any signal of waking up. The Chinese man suddenly stood up and pulled Ryeowook on to his feet, before grabbing him by the hips and hurriedly pushing him into the bathroom. It was then, that the pianist understood he wasn't really left alone to his deep, romantic thoughts.

"W-what are you doing?!" Ryeowook shrieked and blushed as he felt hands that weren't his already fiddling with his clothes. He shut his eyes close, squeezing them, and tried hard to fight against Zhou Mi's wandering fingers by hugging himself, so he could protect his body at the best.

"I'm undressing you, so you can finally step into the shower and start washing up!" Zhou Mi casually replied, throwing his friend's shirt on the cold, tiled floor and now ready to grab his belt to unbuckle.

"There's no need to, I can do it by myself!" red in the face, Ryeowook shrieked even louder, as his hands reached over Zhou Mi's and stopped him from completely pulling down his denim shorts.

Zhou Mi sighed and gave up. He moved away his hands and placed them both on his own hips, straightening his back as he started examining Ryeowook from head to toe: "I know that taking clothes off your body is a task only Kyuhyun can do, but I simply thought you needed a little help, since you looked a bit too lost in your thoughts!" he explained.

"What?! How bold of you, Mimi!" Ryeowook argued and his blush couldn't help but worsen at the mention of Kyuhyun busy at taking clothes off his lover's body very much. It was just Kyuhyun's favorite activity, among the others.

"Stop wasting time with your useless blabbering. Get inside already!" Zhou Mi shook his hand in the air and pointed at the shower box "You will come out only after smelling like the entire content of a shower gel bottle! I want you to be stunning tonight, ready to attract and seduce your fiancé - he turned to the door and stopped on the frame only to add another phase of the plan - I'm going to ravish your closet and pick the best outfit for you in the meanwhile. Plus, tonight dinner's my treat, I know where to send the both of you, so you can profit of some privacy to talk"

He was already in the hallway and Ryeowook about to start showering, when the taller man's head peeked into the door and showed a grin that naughtily stretched from one cheek to the other: "Ah, yeah! And don't forget to bring Kyuhyun home, when you're done. This house is also his!" and with that he disappeared, leaving Ryeowook alone to his preparations.

---ooo---

Nervously pacing back and forth the pebbled courtyard, Kyuhyun would risk to completely wear out his shoes soles sooner or later. Or consume the small, squared bricks on the groud, that made no real difference.

He arrived a bit earlier than what Ryeowook had told him over the phone, because he couldn't control his excitement for being unexpectedly asked out by his lover that afternoon. His hands, if not busy at frenetically fixing himself, worried not to look at his best, often played with his phone and went over to read the short message he had just sent out:

"I'm already downstairs, but take your time. I don't want you to rush out. I'll be waiting near the car"

"Don't worry, I'm ready. Five more minutes and I'll be out"

Those words were making his heart overflowing in hope. Kyuhyun, despite not being particularly keen to fashion or latest trends, had spent all his afternoon to doll himself up. He remembered how Ryeowook liked to dress him up, when he was too lazy to do that himself, and decided to play it safe while showing his best side to catch his lover's eye.

Dark, tight jeans hugged his thighs and lifted his just the way Ryeowook liked, because even if this one always denied it, his eyes would inevitably fall on the sweet curves of his fiancé's long, muscly legs and solid, round bottom. This time, instead of wearing one of his comfortable large t-shirts, a much more fitting white polo t-shirt enhanced Kyuhyun's shoulder line and broad back, one button was open on his lean neck to free the happily jingling chain that had Ryeowook's name initial hung on it. Neatly folded on his forearm there was a denim jacket resting, useful when the summer evening would have began to cool a little bit.

Kyuhyun looked at his reflection on his cellphone screen, now an improvised pocket mirror, and nodded in satisfaction after fixing some stray locks on his bangs, which was combed down on his forehead to give him the exceptionally good boy-next-door vibe.

The clicking sound of the main entrance door, which led into the building, immediately woke Kyuhyun from his trance. Hopeful, the tall man immediately turned and, despite the day was darkening, it couldn't certainly hide all the splendor and confidence Ryeowook was issuing with his presence. Kyuhyun remained frozen in his spot, totally astonished to see how beautiful his Ryeowook was, and his former smirk soon turned into an awe-struck grimace of surprise when his eyes wandered on the petite man approaching.

Ryeowook was wonderful and Kyuhyun couldn't tell whether it was the man's outfit that gave him this incredible, angelic aura or Ryeowook had always been radiating light on his own. While he pondered for long over the question - mouth particularly hung in awe and face heating up - Kyuhyun's eyes wandered on the beautiful figure. Ryeowook wore a sky blue linen shirt, whose sleeves were neatly rolled up on his elbows and showed his thin pianist's wrists, and a pair of ice grey skinny jeans.

"Have you been waiting a lot?" Ryeowook asked, a bit uncertain. His voice sounded like a crystal bell and Kyuhyun's heart wanted already to explode.

Kyuhyun immediately pulled himself together and vigorously shook his head: "N-not at all! I've just arrived, little less than ten minutes..." he replied as he opened his arms and allowed himself to hug Ryeowook. The petite man was drawn closer and crashed against Kyuhyun's chest, fitting under his neck as if he were just the missing piece of a puzzle. His beloved white musk perfume wrapped Kyuhyun and those sweet notes made the taller one feel pleasantly dizzy, as he let himself inhale Ryeowook's scent.

Wanting so bad to kiss him at this point, Kyuhyun simply leaned in and placed his lips on the crown of Ryeowook's head, refraining from showing too much impatience because he feared Ryeowook would have scolded him for not keeping things down, as previously suggested. What surprised him the most was that the same Ryeowook, after pulling back from the hug, entoured his arms around Kyuhyun's neck, tiptoed and pulled the taller man down so his lips could perfectly reach and warm up against Kyuhyun's ones.

Kyuhyun at first popped his eyes wide a little bit, watching as Ryeowook's lashes gently fluttered in the air so close to his face, which only gave him more the look of a celestial angel while the man led the kiss. Then his heartbeat increased its already fast pounding race and he simply dove in the little moment, letting himself savour the thin lips that ravished his own. He didn't want to go too much overboard though and, even though he wanted so bad time to still and leave them alone, Kyuhyun was forced to loosen his tight grip on Ryeowook's hips and set him free after a while. 

his lips in a satisfied smile, Ryeowook breathed: "That's good" and that was referred to Kyuhyun's short wait, not certainly because he was dying to get a proper kiss to taste...or perhaps it was linked to it as well, maybe just a tiny bit, Ryeowook was simply too good at being elusive "Shall we get going?" he asked, blinking his eyes in that innocent way of his.

"Sure!" Kyuhyun smiled and offered his arm as a true gentleman, which Ryeowook gladly accepted and hooked with his own, ready to be conducted to the sports car he knew so well and that Kyuhyun had retrieved from their house parking lot immediately after his arrival in Paris.

"Oh, wait!" Kyuhyun suddenly halted, his hand froze on the handle of the passenger door as he was about to held it open for Ryeowook.

"What's wrong?" Ryeowook tilted his head and watched as Kyuhyun kept him a little behind, while his head briefly disappeared inside the car, only to come out of it again with a long, thin and vivid blood red rose in his hand: "I forgot to give you this" Kyuhyun said, his eyes travelling from the frail, open bud to Ryeowook's twinkling eyes.

"Well, you literally flooded the house in roses with your last delivery" Ryeowook lightly chuckled, keeping his eyes on the lone flower, which he immediately grasped and carried under his nose, to smell its marvelous scent "but thank you. This is lovely, Kyu!"

He was trying so bad to keep from squealing all his excitement just after such a little token - that left to wonder how exactly he could lead his swinging mood further into the date - however he couldn't stop at all from showing his gratitude with another quick kiss on Kyuhyun's lips, which made the taller man chuckle in delightment, as if he himself were having his very first date with the longed crush from school days...which in a certain way was true.

"Get in" Kyuhyun finally opened the door and helped him in, then hurried to the driver's side and got ready to leave "Where are we headed?" he asked, already turning the steering wheel to pull out of the parking lot and face the enlighted Paris streets.

"Just a minute" Ryeowook rested the flower on his lap and fished his phone. After browsing some pages on the screen, he read a message from Zhou Mi and recited an address out loud.

"That's near the Seine..." Kyuhyun mumbled, furrowing brows and lightly tapping his fingers on the wheel, while trying to recall any particularly known restaurants in said area.

"Don't ask me" Ryeowook embarassedly replied with a shrug of his shoulders "This was Zhou Mi's idea actually" he revealed, ending up to mentally curse himself for blurting out that unwanted notion, because Kyuhyun's reaction was predictable at that point. The man suddenly stiffened on his seat and clutched his jaw in one unreadable displeased expression: "Oh, I see..." he neutrally hissed, gripping hard the steering wheel and forcing way too much his eyes on the road ahead.

"You really didn't want to go out with me, didn't you?" he asked, all of a sudden after an annoyingly glacial silence had fallen between them and had unpleasantly stuffed the air.

"No, Kyu...that's not it!" Ryeowook rushed to explain, hopping on his seat and turning to Kyuhyun, worried that it might be too late to clear the misunderstanding "Why do you think so? I really, really wanted to go out with you!" he stressed the last sentence with his unique high notes.

Kyuhyun furtively threw him a suspicious glare and then asked: "Then why did you pointlessly drag Zhou Mi into the discussion? What should I be thinking?"

"And why must you always misunderstand my words?" Ryeowook argued but, realizing that this was not the kind of date he wanted to have, the man soon tried to calm down and drew in a long, deep breath, in order to get ready to further explain: "Zhou Mi made tonight's reservations for us. He said he had a nice suggestion for a romantic dinner and asked to be entrusted with the task. That's all..." he concluded, before quickly adding "Oh, and that's also why I don't know much about it"

Now completely flushed in the face for the nth faux pas, Kyuhyun rounded lips and pulled them out in a pout of seemingly embarrassed understanding: "I... I simply thought..." he slightly stuttered before being cut off yet again by Ryeowook, who sighed: "I got what you thought there" the petite one picked up his rose and resumed to nervously play with the long, thin stem, which he rolled in between his fingertips and monitored with his eyes.

Once again silent, Kyuhyun decided to try and defend himself: "Ryeowook, put yourself in my shoes! I thought you didn't want to meet me at all these past days! You've been pushing back this dinner and avoiding me whenever I show up at the conservatory. No matter how many times I tried to ask you out, you would always be elusive and reject me. I apologize if I'm looking doubtful to you" he sighed and his lamenting voice was threatening to touch the notes of a breakdown.

"Okay, okay, listen..." Ryeowook turned to his left and placed a hand on Kyuhyun's thigh, which he began to gently back and forth, reassuringly "I don't want to spend all the night arguing with you, that's the least thing I want to do because I truly missed you Kyu, and I want to fully enjoy this date. Shall we rewind it all and start again from the beginning, so we can have a quiet, lovely dinner and nicely sort our things out? I need this, I really need this or..."

Kyuhyun bit his lips, still evidently thinking of his mistake from earlier, but then he agreed to the compromise and vehemently nodded: "Okay" he moved his hand - which didn't bother him during the drive - and placed it over Ryeowook's on his own thigh, stopping it from moving on his leg. His fingers curled and slowly slipped through the much slender ones of his lover, with whom he tightly held hands all throughout the short trip.

"Okay" Ryeowook repeated in a breath, softening at the sight of how perfectly their hands fit one with the other. Profiting of a stop at a red light and without letting go of the solid grip, he leaned towards Kyuhyun, cupped his cheek and turned his face so he could briefly, yet intensely steal from him another gentle kiss.

"From the beginning then" Kyuhyun spoke in the kiss, his lips tickling Ryeowook's. He cursed the bad timing of the traffic light that had just switched to green again, but even though he had to pull away from Ryeowook, he began to his lips so he could keep on savouring his lover's taste on them. Upon resuming his drive, he calmly asked: "So, you sid you liked the flowers I sent you, didn't you?"

"A lot!" Ryeowook excitedly replied, brighting up at once and smiling so warmly that he had to hide his face in the unfolded petals of the rose in his hand "I liked them a lot, especially today's delivery! It was wonderful, you know that it's my weakness" he giggled.

"Yes, I know and I had quite much fun while studying their meanings, in the end roses and lilies are what resembles you the most. Just like you, they're graceful and fragile, yet extremely beautiful" Kyuhyun looked more at ease, once he had started talking about his favorite topic overall: that was his lover.

Ryeowook suddenly chuckled a bit louder and istinctively grasped Kyuhyun's free arm: "I was so sad this past morning, because no delivery man appeared at home until late afternoon. Honestly, I sulked a lot at work, thinking that you wouldn't have sent me any flower today, but when I got home Mimi told me to check our bedroom. He moved them all there to clear the living room and, gosh Kyu! You had to see it with your eyes, the whole room is covered in flowers and it was awesome!"

"That must have been a really nice view to see, I wish I was there" Kyuhyun cracked a sad smile, of course still troubled by the fact that he wasn't allowed into his house yet.

"You will see it" Ryeowook whispered with a heartwarming smile printed on his lips while drawing circles on the other man's palm, and Kyuhyun stiffened at once, this time pleasantly surprised by those words.

Wandering near the river, they went back and forth down the accessible roads that sided both banks, scanning the area signalled on the gps screen after Ryeowook had input the correct address.

"Are you sure it's around here? I can't see many restaurants" Kyuhyun slowed down and ducked his head as he tried to look outside the windshield and read the various buildings signs.

"Let's stop and take a walk, perhaps it's too dark and we can't see the place. In case we cannot find it, I can just give a call to Mimi and ask him where he's sending us to" Ryeowook suggested and Kyuhyun agreed.

He found a little empty spot down the river and there he parked the car; after a little while they were both walking again hand in hand on the Seine south bank. There the view on the lit river was a bit blocked by the huge boats that provided cruises for tourists, but it was lovely all the same. It reminded Ryeowook of the first dates they had after Kyuhyun had moved to Paris, and that immediately ignited in him nice memories of times spent together, when none of them had troubles or issues to desperately fix.

"You know what, I can skip the restaurant if you're here by my side and squeeze my hand this much. It makes me feel...secure?" Kyuhyun grinned and looked at their locked fingers, making Ryeowook sincerely laugh before he could pull one of his pouts and disagree: "It'd be disrespectful towards Mimi's kind thought for us, and besides that - the pianist moved the other hand to caress his stomach - I'm starving, I need food to keep me going and there's no way I can go back home without having dinner!"

"Don't worry, we will find the place" Kyuhyun switched hand to clasp Ryeowook's and with the other arm entoured the pianist's shoulders, pulling him closer so he could kiss his temple, extremely happy to hear Ryeowook lightly squeal in joy for the small gesture. Even though they had kicked the evening off undertone, it seemed that the two were slowly changing into better sides so they could enjoy their date properly.

"Aren't you hungry too?" Ryeowook secured his arm around Kyuhyun's waist and snuggled against the taller man's side, where he looked up to him with loving eyes.

"Just a tiny bit, I'm full of you actually" and there Kyuhyun slipped into his usual comfort, to the extent that could allow himself to voice out all his cheesy being.

Just when Ryeowook was about to reproach him of that and smack his chest, a strange middle aged man standing on the river bank and dressed in a suit that made him look like a butler, stepped forward and caught the two men's attention because he suddenly blocked the way.

They didn't have the time to question that behavior because the man cleared his voice and, sounding almost too polite and solemn, asked: "Are you Mr. Kim and Mr. Cho by chance?"

The couple turned to each other and exchanged a confused look. 

"Do you know a certain Mr. Zhou Mi?" the man asked again, to which Ryeowook shyly nodded, while Kyuhyun looked a tiny bit suspicious.

How could he tell they were whom he was looking for amidst quite a lot other people strolling along the river. There were quite a few Asians too, it was no exceptional thing to meet tourists there, but he had just mentioned Zhou Mi, maybe their friend had made a sort of descriptions of the two, so the seemingly butler could recognize them.

"Oh, good! I have already bothered too many tourists with my asking random questions, that I thought I would have never been able to recognize you anymore" the man smiled and let out a relieved sigh. Ryeowook and Kyuhyun couldn't help but express all their felt confusion with a mutual frown.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but Mr. Zhou Mi instructed me to wait for his two friends and them aboard" he continued and provided more info, which startled the couple even more. 

"Please, don't be scared and come with me. Everything's set and ready for a romantic dinner cruise on the Seine tonight. My name's Legrand and I will be your personal maitre. I will be in charge of checking that everything's of your liking tonight" the man explained with a full smile confidently showcased on his mouth, which kinda put them both at ease. He turned and stretched an arm into the direction of a short boardwalk that linked the boat to its bank station.

"Mimi's ideas..." warily, Ryeowook mumbled while following the man.

"Remind me to ask Zhou Mi if I can take a look at his bank account one of these days. Heck, I should have thought of organizing something similar for you way earlier!" Kyuhyun scoffed, a little irritated that he couldn't come up with such a nice idea to surprise his own significant other, before this one's best friend could do it instead.

Pushing away the istinctive habit of smacking Kyuhyun either on the arm or on the chest following every idiocy phrased by him, Ryeowook stepped on board and kept on following the man, who was leading the couple on to the large prow deck. There he suddenly halted and Kyuhyun would have probably bumped into him, if he hadn't stopped earlier and held the petite man by the hips. With a loud gasp of surprise Ryeowook couldn't convey in words all his delight for the wonderful sight that appeared before his eyes.

"Wow!" Kyuhyun wasted very few words instead, still focused at fighting his bewildered - and a bit dumb - expression of awe.

A round table was set for two with fine cutlery, porcelain dishes and crystal glasses on the very middle of the deck. Thin, tall red candles towered at the center of it and silently waited for someone to ignite the blazing flicker of a flame that would have burnt all night long. Near the table two people stood with smiley faces and soldier-like straight backs; to be more exact, they were young twins: a boy, who was there to work as a waiter in his neat black and white uniform, and a girl, who instead gracefully held in both hands a bottle of fine wine and that would have served as a sommelier.

On the left corner, in front of the table but a little distanced from it, four experienced musicians composed a string quartet and, upon watching their guests' arrival, resumed their rehearsals before they could perform the best out of their scores.

"Please have a seat" Legrand approached the table and showed the way "I'm telling the captain that we can start our trip, I'll be back in a few minutes"

Ryeowook stood frozen and simply didn't know how to tell his legs that they should move, however Kyuhyun fixed the problem and promptly grabbed him by an arm so to accompany the man to his chair, which he held out like a gentleman and signalled Ryeowook to sit down.

"T-thanks" Ryeowook fumbled, still focused at studying the romantic atmosphere with wide eyes of astonishment. When Kyuhyun was seated on Ryeowook's right side, the young waiter walked to the couple with a lighter in hand, greeted them and proceeded to light the candles, which soon burned atop of a floral decorations with vivid red roses and wild violets placed in a circle garland.

"Ah!" Ryeowook excitedly exclaimed, but his thrilled scream was covered by the violins which had started to play "We're moving!" he earnestly smiled and noticed how the boat was now sailing almost in the middle of the large river. He grasped Kyuhyun's arm and snuggled his cheek onto his lover's shoulder while he pointed at the dark deep water ahead, making Kyuhyun joyfully chuckle for such a reaction. Thinking about it, if he had known that his first date in Paris with his fiancé after a long, long wait would have been that wholeheartedly special, he would have gladly and patiently waited until Ryeowook was ready for it, instead of complaining too much.

"Do you like it?" the younger man asked and Ryeowook vigorously nodded.

"I still have to eat and fill my stomach, but this goes beyond my expectations of Mimi's abilities!" Ryeowook explained, focused at fixing his personal rose with the others in the garland, but since he couldn't make it fit, he simply rested it on the table, a bit farther from the set plates.

The girl came next and professionally filled the two men's glasses with a clear and bubbly champagne with which they briefly toasted, before being interrupted by the maitre who illustrated the menu contents and listed the servings.

That way dishes came one after the other and dinner started, during which they both occasionally fed each other if they weren't too busy at chatting about the date and how they felt about it. It was like they were getting to know each other for the first time, even though they didn't actually really inquire about each other's lives, or interests, or tastes...like one would do on the very first date. Everything was so relaxed and comfortable and, even if silence occasionally fell between them, atmosphere never got any weird, thanks to the music playing in the background too.

Playfully tipsy and stomachs very much full, after the last course - a lemon meringue ice cream cake accompanied by irish cream coffee - Kyuhyun stopped to play with Ryeowook's hands in his lap and gently tugged him. He pushed back his chair, stood up and asked to the pianist to do the same in order to follow him far from their dinner table and right in the middle of the clear deck.

"What do you want to do?" Ryeowook giggled, as he complied to the request and trailed after Kyuhyun, never pulling his hands out of the man's grip.

Kyuhyun didn't reply. He simply halted and Ryeowook did the same, a bit off-guard when the tall man suddenly closed his arms around his thin waist and pulled his body closer, against his chest.

"Kyu?" Ryeowook's hands were both on the plains of Kyuhyun's chest, and then he noticed how Kyuhyun's heart was wildly beating.

The man simply smiled, his fingers pressed on the thin and almost see-through linen shirt somewhere on the small of Ryeowook's back: "Dance with me" Kyuhyun whispered, as he ducked his head to reach Ryeowook's ear and those words, let out in a blow of warm breath, hit him deep inside, to the point that Ryeowook had to press his body more flattened against Kyuhyun to avoid feeling shivers of pleasure rolling along his spine. 

He nodded, giving consent and slowly crawled both hands upwards on Kyuhyun's shoulders and all around his neck, where he got a steady hold of his lover and allowed him to tighten his embrace so they could start dancing. And so they did.

Following the soft rhythm of the strings, the two began to drown into the music, feeling it as the ultimate breath of life, the only common thread that pulled them closer and bound them tight like never before. Ryeowook tenderly swayed in Kyuhyun's arms, focused at discerning this one's heart beating in sync with the notes that filled the air. Paris had never seen such a love profusion like the night they had danced together on the typical street rhythms that overflooded the "lovers' capital" oldest areas, embraced by the light, blowing breeze and kissed by the sliver moon up above. At that point even ancient buildings that faced the Seine had to yield in front of them, because no amount of ever witnessed history through the centuries could stand up to what that singular, passionate chemistry was producing in barely the swing of a dance, nothing much.

Loving whispers sometimes intruded the normal flowing melody, soon followed by lighthearted giggles when Ryeowook heartily laughed at his lover's genuine cheekiness. He had always been so open and direct though, and he simply loved how Kyuhyun could pull out the perfect timing for all his hidden romance, which unexpectedly burst to show how much he truly cared, or just what his heart's wishes really were. It was rare but perfect, and it was exactly during those moments that Ryeowook remembered the reason why that apparently clumsy boy armored as a smartass had managed to breach into his heart during high school. Love was simple and effective back then, moreover not so high-maintenance at all.

The music grew for its final movement and Kyuhyun made them both whirl with a slightly stronger twist, to which Ryeowook chuckled louder as he braced himself better around his fiancé's neck and tilted his head back, profiting for once of the carefreeness of their lonely, intimate dance.

Still carefully and gently holding the petite man, Kyuhyun moved an arm and rested a hand on top of Ryeowook's head, where he immediately began to play with his soft locks, lightly raking fingers through them to move the longest parts of his fringe away from his forehead and eyes. Kyuhyun kissed him there, and once his lips had rested on the smooth, warm skin he simply stilled and let the time freeze, the breeze blow, the music play, as he indulged in the loving gesture, perfectly aware that Ryeowook was enjoying it, he could see it by the way his high cheekbones tinted of a lovely shade of carmine red. 

When the music died, their dance ended with it.

Kyuhyun unwillingly parted from Ryeowook and this one opened in an earnest smile, before he could walk some steps forwards and drag the other man with him. His hands let Kyuhyun go just a little while, so he could clutch the metallic railing and cautiously lean a bit over the border. His lonely self reflected on the dark, wavy water: "Look, I can even count the stars" like a child having so much fun with simple things and new discoveries, Ryeowook pointed at the river and there millions little, twinkling points shone as if stars had actually fallen on Earth and were sleeping in the depths of the riverbed.

Kyuhyun, who stood behind the other man, securely placed his hands on Ryeowook's hips, scared that he could follow too much his enthusiasm while leaning over the border. But when he did and shielded the petite body, holding it in place and gluing his chest on Ryeowook's back, Kyuhyun's head popped over his lover's shoulder in the shape mirrored on the water. He could clearly look at the both of them standing close together and for that reason he blissfully sighed: "Right, this sight is really beautiful"

"Indeed it is" Ryeowook confirmed with a smile, and also the fake one copied the gesture.

"Are you referring to the stars?" Kyuhyun's voice reached him from behind, a calm whisper in his ear and nothing more.

"Not, really..." Ryeowook smirked: "I'm referring to something else, something even more precious."

Ryeowook moved his hands, left the railing, and placed them on top of Kyuhyun's, which still rested on his stomach as a safety belt: "Look at that. That's my future mirrored in the water, can you see it too? - now one of his little hands moved from the previously pointed stars to the picture of two lovers lovingly hugging - It's a marvelous, handsome, tall man who's now standing by my side and holds me tight in his arms"

A bit relieved, perhaps too moved actually, Kyuhyun leaned in and dove his nose in Ryeowook's hair, inhaling his scent with huge breaths: "Then it's just the same sight I was referring to, and yes... it's wonderful" he planted a series of kisses on Ryeowook's temple, until this one had braced himself in Kyuhyun's hug and started giggling.

The sweet sound of his laughter faded away. It was replaced by some short, calm breaths. The petite pianist swiftly moved and spun around in the embrace. He was now facing Kyuhyun with a serious frown and lightly quivering pout, carefully looking for the right words to convey his message. In the end he decided to let it all go, to unleash it all, because having to confront with the last of his most childish actions was already too much embarassing to handle.

"Kyu, please. Please, come back home" a bit exasperated, he softly pleaded as his hands gripped on the man's clothes "I don't care about gifts if I can't have you, you are the biggest gift of all and I need you more than ever. I was stupid, foolish, I often asked myself who else I could lean on if you weren't there with me. I tried to pay you back with the same money, when you pushed me away, but I should have known better than to do it, because I was willingly giving up on the most wonderful thing ever happened in my life. I wanted to play with you and in the end it just shot me back, because my longing grew day by day... Here, I admit that my decision wasn't the wisest one, and probably... I did it because I was too jealous"

Kyuhyun cautiously smiled, even if he was a bit torn between putting up a judgemental frown to lecture his lover or simply forget everything. In the end he chose the second option, tired of playing along to a game that was depriving both of them of a long list of certainties: happiness, stability, comfort...

He held the little man closer and closer and reassuringly said: "Don't worry, there's no need to explain. I always knew that and I don't care to know what you did it for, because nothing and nobody can come in between us. We are way stronger and we will show it to the world, but anyway it feels good to have you admit it"

Ryeowook twitched his mouth in a little grimace and narrowed his eyes in a bad glare, not expecting Kyuhyun's usual cheekiness: "Hey, that's no flattery! I only said that I probably did it out of jealousy, not certainly because of it. I thought she was-" he tried to correct himself and even lightly smacked Kyuhyun's back while saying so. He was interrupted right when he was about to bring up Jiwon's pregnancy in their conversation and ruin it all. Luckily, Kyuhyun thought of a method to shut him up and immediately leaned in to peck Ryeowook's lips.

It was a light pressure at first, before a startled Ryeowook could stay still and succumb to Kyuhyun's growing moves. He followed each tilt of the head, he parted his lips so Kyuhyun could gently them and in the end slip his tongue past the seam of his lips. It was as if their dance had yet again begun, but this time only their tongues flicked and caressed each other, while their bodies remained still in each other's arms and Ryeowook couldn't help but sweetly moan until Kyuhyun was done with him.

"I don't care, I said" Kyuhyun ruffled his hair after parting. He had this exceptionally amused grin on his face while holding his gaze right at the same height of Ryeowook's, piercing the man's eyes with his dark eyes: "My little bunny is even prettier when jealous" he breathed and rubbed his nose against Ryeowook's, feeling that the latter one's face was getting much warmer and his red blush worse than before.

"Who's the bunny?!" Ryeowook seemed to heat up as he playfully dodged Kyuhyun's lips for the second time.

"You are" Kyuhyun repeated, this time not managing to hold a laugh. He cupped Ryeowook's face and turned him to the previous face to face position: "Come here and let me kiss you again. I'm envious, since the moonlight has been doing it much more than me and I feel in need to recuperate some points" and Ryeowook didn't make Kyuhyun repeat his request twice. It was almost never wise...

"Cheesy Kyu..." he chanted in the middle of shared pecks with his lover. He had just steadied himself better around Kyuhyun's neck and didn't seem to let go of the grip at all. After another prolonged kiss, he pulled a little bit away - though he was still owning Kyuhyun's lips with smaller, innocent pecks - and watched the man through his half-closed eyelids, and said: "...but I love it. I wouldn't trade you for anything in the world, not even your questionable cheekiness"

"I know" Kyuhyun reciprocated another peck, quickly leaning in as many times as he wanted. 

Ryeowook stopped him for a second and intensely looked right into his eyes, his hands were incessantly playing with his hairline on his nape: "And I love you" 

"I know that too" Kyuhyun wrapped him in a hug and their cheeks were momentarily pressed together.

"You're supposed to say it back!" surprised, Ryeowook protested from above his shoulders, but couldn't go on because a sudden chill possessed his back and made him jerk in the warm hold. Night was getting deeper and the pleasant breeze had turned cooler, affecting the light-clothed pianist, successfully mocked by the previous stifling hot evening and its unexpected yet typical summer temperature variation.

"Are you cold?" Kyuhyun asked, a bit worried and, even though Ryeowook had yet to reply to the question, he promptly took off his jacket and placed it around the man's shoulders: "Here. You can have my jacket to keep warm, I don't need it"

"It's getting cool though, are you sure?" Ryeowook asked back, letting Kyuhyun fix the garment and rub his back to accelerate the warming process. The tall man simply shook his head: "I don't know, but it might be the wine that heated me enough"

Ignoring the part about the wine, Ryeowook was once again pressing his lips on Kyuhyun's and then nuzzled under his neck: "Thanks" he said as he snuggled there.

"Wait"

Kyuhyun was holding Ryeowook by the hips and placed him to sit on the seats that sided the edge railing for a better view on the river. Those were tourists' favorite spots aboard, but that night the two men didn't care at all about touring the city and observing its sights. Finally seated, Ryeowook looked up at Kyuhyun who was intruding his legs with one of his and lightly began to straddle him. The pianist's back was rested against the railing, it was a bit uncomfortable to bear, but he didn't pay any attention when his eyes were attentively fixed on the man above him, whose warm hands were on his jaw and gently supported his head up high. Brushing his fingertips on Ryeowook's soft cheeks, he leaned down and whispered: "Now, close your eyes and hug me, like that" 

Ryeowook complied and moved his hands so that he could feel Kyuhyun's back bent over him, and somehow his mind travelled to another moment he could have felt the same movement under his touch. Kyuhyun kissed him for long, anything too demanding but it was sweet all the same.

"At this point are you sure it's the wine that fueled you enough?" Ryeowook asked, his eyes still closed and hands roaming on Kyuhyun's back, clutching his t-shirt in strong fists.

"What else?" Kyuhyun smirked in the kiss, as he held Ryeowook's face cupped in his hands.

"Me, for example" it was no question, but a statement.

"You?" Kyuhyun pulled away and intently looked at his lover.

"Yeah..." Ryeowook nodded and his lips before a small grin could subside on his lips: "I would prefer something else to keep me warm rather than your jacket, another kind of hug that can wrap me in a better warmth..." and he concluded his allusions with a clashing, innocent smile that didn't fit the content of his request's nature. 

"Be clearer please, what exactly do you want?" Kyuhyun asked, though a grin of understanding was already taking its rightful place on his lips; with a pout and puppy eyes Ryeowook playfully shook his head: "I can tell you what I absolutely don't want, that's going home now and part from you" he tipped his head to the approaching dock on the bank from where they had left, a couple of hours before. The trip was about to come to an end.

"Would you like to spend the night with me at the hotel?" Kyuhyun warily asked, though he was dying to get a nod of approval.

"Is there enough place for me?" Ryeowook blinked and asked.

"Even if there weren't, we can always stick close together and make it suffice. Does this help you to make up your mind?" Kyuhyun murmured, his caresses on Ryeowook's cheeks had gotten lighter and that way a bit ticklish, so that the man was already losing all his focus on the heard words, in need to sharpen his touchy feelings.

"Yeah, I think it might go. So, when are we..." he closed his eyes and roughly exhaled, blocked only by another swift kiss.

"Right away, if you want it" Kyuhyun smiled and freed Ryeowook of his weight. Stretching arms towards him, the tall man scooped the petite one in his embrace and helped him on his feet. Then he turned his head and saw the small crew of the boat arranging the preparations to dock.

Now their romantic cruise on the Seine had sadly reached its end.

Ryeowook didn't care. The cruise was fantastic, of course: they ate and filled both stomachs well enough, sipped wine and champange, chatted all through the dinner, enjoyed sightseeing Paris - even if they knew it very well already - danced and now, like everything in the world which followed a timeline, the fairytale was partially finished.

Only partially though, because they had already made plans according to what strong feeling of want they were both dealing with deep inside their hearts, therefore it didn't matter. The magic of the cruise could be prolonged somewhere else in a different way.

"I do want it, I think I'm finally ready for it" the pianist nodded and hid his joyful, anticipating expression under the crook of Kyuhyun's neck.

This one, feeling the importance of the moment, could only stay a couple of minutes still, hugged to his lover tight before his legs could receive the command issued by his brain. However, not wanting to ruin anything he took it slow and decided to show Ryeowook that his usual respect for him could also become something more similar to true worship itself.

"Good. Let's go then" hand in hand, fingers interwined together and firmly clutching each other's hold, the two lovers escaped in the night. The moon and stars had witnessed too much of their love and it was now time for them to sleep as well and quit their spying mission.

The clear night sky was gradually getting overcast by menacing, dark clouds and the romance of the atmosphere faded away. In its place a growing summer thunderstorm was pouring down, urging the poor, ignorant people to run and look for shelter somewhere.

Not them though.

Kyuhyun and Ryeowook were already safe, away from the wet danger. If they hadn't been too focused at finally making love, the relaxing, and sometimes comforting, sound of the rain would have reached their ears too. But maybe it was just another useless details. After all, the rain was so common, too typical, while their love had never meant simple routine, it was more than that, especially considering all the struggles and obstacles that had interposed in their adventurous path to reach for one another again.

Nothing mattered, but the weight of caresses, the softness of trailing kisses on boiling skin, passionate gazes of adoration and the act of love itself. 

There couldn't have been another better way for the two to reconcile, if not touching their hearts and claiming each other.