***

“I love him so much, Aboeji.” He said earnestly, staring straight at the old man who had been going against him since years ago. Mr.Choi seemed mad about it and spoke loudly.

“Love is not enough!”

“It is.”

“You don’t know what you are talking about. What do you even understand about love?” he clutched his fist. “Say it, what will you choose between him and your career?”

“Siwon.”

Mr.Choi was taken aback by his straight answer in a split of second, Kyuhyun didn’t even think before answer, like he had been practicing to ask himself over and over again to the same question.

“You’re so stubborn.” He hissed. He opened the drawer of his deck and pulled out something, a brown envelope and it made Kyuhyun’s heart leaped in nervousness. “I am wondering if you will say the same thing after seeing this.”

Mr.Choi handed him the envelope. Kyuhyun took it and pulled something out. He hadn’t even fully pulled the photos out but his fingers trembled seeing a particular logo in the right corner of the photo, Dispatch. He couldn’t hide his emotion flipping through the pictures, they were the photos of them kissing on the day Siwon’s cancelled engagement happened.

“What are you going to do about it?” Mr.Choi whispered, his voice was gentler than before.

“What do they want? Why did they come to you instead of us?” Kyuhyun muttered; if he was scared, it didn’t show at all.

“It was a big price. Instead of coming to you, they came to me. They’ve been watching you all the time, it seems they got quite big fish.”

“Aboeji, this is our fault, we were so careless” He told himself million times that he would face it when it happened, he would stand like a proud human being of who he was. “I expect this to happen, but honestly, I never expect it happens this soon. Aboeji, I will pay whatever they ask, no matter how big it is, but please don’t let them outed Siwon hyung before his enlistment. They can’t do that, at least until he released from military.”

“What do you mean? Are you okay if they outed you before your enlistment?” Mr.Choi looked mad all of sudden.

“It’s not about me, Aboeji. Either they do it now or later, it is just the same for me. I will face it, I have been given a second chance to live, and I will never misuse it.” He smiled, contemplating “But Siwon hyung... He is a prince for everyone, he changes people’s world. It’ll be hard for him living like this, especially during military.”

He then got up from his seat and walked to the side of the table and kneeled down in front of Mr.Choi.

“I sincerely apologise for what we did. I hope Aboeji won’t tell Siwon hyung abou this. I will do my best to take care of this issue.”

The action startled Mr.Choi and made him feeling emotionally wrecked. He was moved to tears to the point he couldn’t even look at Kyuhyun anymore. He looked away and the tears fell from his eyes.

“Get up.” His voice was shaking. “Get up son” that made Kyuhyun looked up in shock.

“Aboeji...” there were many words stuck in his throat but he was utterly speechless with how Mr.Choi addressed him. He was still kneeling down on the floor when Mr.Choi touched his shoulder.

“Just get up... It’s cold on the floor.”

He then glanced at the photos on the desk, took them and tear them up. “If they want big fish, they will get big fish but they should prepare for the consequences as well. One shouldn’t come empty-handed.”

‘Is he approving us?’ ‘Is he telling us that he stands in our side now?’ ‘What will he do?’ Kyuhyun’s mind jumbled with questions. He knew Mr.Choi’s network was worldwide and he had many people working underneath him just like an iceberg, but for him to sacrifice his name and image just to stand for them, Kyuhyun could hardly believe it himself.

“From now on, you don’t have to worry about anything; I will take care of this. No one should play around with my sons.” His words were heart-warming but he didn’t look at Kyuhyun.

Even when Kyuhyun bowed out of his gratefulness, Mr.Choi didn’t dare to look at those pleading face anymore. He felt guilty for all those years he had been causing trouble to Kyuhyun’s and his son life. Asked Siwon to leave SJ before, forced the company to lessen Siwon participating in the group activities and take all abroad schedules, all the arranged wedding, banned any schedule that only featuring Siwon and Kyuhyun like CF and endorsement.

“I have been hard for you, sons. Your dad is sorry.” He whispered to himself in the empty room.

***

“Can you two not?” Eunhyuk looked at the couple frustratingly; they had just arrived at the practice room together with their favourite items in their favourite colours.

“What?” Siwon asked.

“That!” He pointed to the orange beanie Siwon was wearing. “I know you like orange.... but, that doesn’t mean that colour is wearable, like come on orange beanie?? And you Kyuhyun, you are a blue freak, I am so done with it all the blue things you stuffed in the dorm and now you get a blue bracelet too, Gosh.... ”

“Wae... It’s nice! Besides...you don’t know what the charm of this bracelet is.” Kyuhyun lifted his hand and swirled his arm around.

“What’s the charm?”

“Only special people should know this.”  He said cheekily.

“Yah!” he tried to kick Kyuhyun but shielded by Siwon. “Ne, I will leave you two. Huh!”

After Eunhyuk left them in peace, Siwon whispered “I am special enough to know right?”

“Hm.... let me think.” He titled his head a little and shook his head “No.”

“What? Why? I am your boyfriend!”

“It’s not the case.” He pouted.

“But..... It makes me wonder if that bracelet was a gift from someone...”

“Stop your jealous-freak head hyung! I bought this myself!” he waved his arm, showing off the blue cruciani bracelet on his wrist “It is said if the bracelet broken off on its own, your dream will come true.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Cool right?”

“This is my first time hearing something like that. What is your wish anyway?”

“That is a secret. In order it to be achieved, I have to lock it in the deepest of my heart so only me and God know.”

“Ah...I see, I see. I also want to be with you forever, baby.” Siwon said coolly while pulled Kyuhyun closer and planting a kiss on the top of his head.

“What” Kyuhyun said flustered for getting caught. “I don’t wish something like that!” but the blushes on his cheeks seemed to say the opposite.

“I love you too baby.”

***

The night before the last concert, SJ gathered in the dorm talking about things and did a small farewell party for Eunhyuk, no matter how many times he kept telling himself that everything was going to be fine, the training, the long to perform, to be SJ member again, to be in his arm again, his mind kept telling him all the scary things he dreaded so much. Whether people will remember him when he came back, whether he will be a better person, whether that someone will still be there to embrace him.

Kyuhyun who was lounging in the couch next to Eunhyuk could see how Siwon looked upset about something, he didn’t know what it was, so he moved to sit beside Siwon when everyone was busy encourage Eunhyuk.

“What is it hyung? You looked upset...” he said the back of the handsome man.

“It’s.... I suddenly remember of what Teukie hyung said.” He spoke softly

“What did he say?”

“Couple usually broke up when the boyfriend went to army, because no girl wants to wait for two years...”

Kyuhyun could see where this lead to. He held Siwon’s shoulders and made him look at him in the eyes.

“What Teukie hyung said is 100% right. It must be painful to wait for two years; it is understandable if girls want to break up before his boyfriend served the country.”

Siwon was getting more upset with Kyuhyun’s words, he hang his head low and covered his face with both hands.

“But I am not a girl. Neither you are... you will be gone for two years, and then I’ll be gone for two years too. Four years of separation, it will only work if we make it works. Shouldn’t I be more worried if I had waited you for two years, but when it’s my turn to go, you will leave me?”

“Of course no! I am not going to leave you, ever!”

“Then it’s settled. There is nothing to worry, because just like you I’m pretty sure I will never leave you, too.”

Siwon looked at Kyuhyun whose eyes bored at him too; Siwon could only see sincerity and love in his eyes.

“Are we in the same boat now?” Kyuhyun whispered

“Yes, we are.”

Super Show 6 Encore, Seoul

It was an intense feeling the moment they stepped on the stage for their latest concert this time around. Half of the members were going to army, so they decided to set the super show in a halt until at least some members released from the army to fill the empty space. It means they have to wait for two years before that happened.

Siwon tried to hide the tears in his eyes when he talked about his enlistment which was just a few months to go, the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat. The only person who could whisk the weary was standing beside him, but he couldn’t hug Kyuhyun, so he just glanced at him who was smiling sweetly, by that Siwon was reassured again that everything was going to be okay.

Kyuhyun was no different, it was so real that night, and the separation was in front of their eyes,

“For a while, the hyungs that I love will be going somewhere...then I will be going somewhere too.”

Kyuhyun would miss standing beside him on stage again, laughing and playing around on stage; it would be a little boring that no one attacked him like Siwon usually did.

Instead of getting drown in the sadness of the last concert, Kyuhyun enjoyed the night to the fullest, he was happy he could stand on the stage and going to places, meeting people he never imagined he would meet before. He danced with his Hawaiian costume to the moving platform following members, until he saw a familiar face he recently had so much gratefulness for. He stopped still and bowed formally to the person dressed in casual suit in between the fangirls around him. Even from afar, Kyuhyun could see the smile on his lips seeing Kyuhyun bowed at him, he nodded his head slightly and Kyuhyun’s night was perfect, he couldn’t ask for more.

Dressed in his checkered shirt, Kyuhyun walked out from the wardrobe room to greet his guests who were coming to the concert, his friends, co-workers and SM family.

“Hyung!” he called out to the man wearing a long black coat and grey scarf around his neck. One of his hands was resting on the back of a woman Kyuhyun knew for some times too.

“Congratulations maknae!!!” he pulled Kyuhyun in a tight embrace, patted his back a few times, being a proud hyung he was. “That was a great concert!!”

“Thank you for coming hyung.... noona too. I was so nervous that many cool people watched the concert.”

“Like always, you are so sweet Kyuhyunie. Where is Siwon? I haven’t greeted him." Sunny said excitedly. 

“Ah...he is probably in the changing room, he will come over soon.” Kyuhyun said the same time Siwon appeared from the door. “Ah here he is...”

Siwon immediately came towards them and hug Sunny, the actress he claimed as his best friend despite the “Noona....thank you for coming.” And bowed while saying “Kijoon sunbaenim...”

Kijoon smiled grew bigger, he didn’t know seeing Kyuhyun’s happy smile when Siwon put his arm around his waist could make him happy too. He always had soft spot on Kyuhyun and it will remain the same because Kyuhyun deserved it.

After bidding their farewell, Siwon and Kyuhyun spoke at the same time “Are they dating?” and laughed at themselves.

“I bet they are.” Siwon said “They’ve been friends for so long.”

“Hm...Kijoon hyung ever said he likes someone but he never told me who. Maybe it is Sunny noona.”

“Siwon oppa!” a call stopped their conversation and both of them turned to look at the caller.

“Jiwon! Come here!”

Kyuhyun and Jiwon bowed at each other, it’s been a while...

“Let’s take a picture together!” Jiwon suggested while preparing his phone and directing them to look at the camera to take a selca. Kyuhyun was a bit hesitant, not like he disliked it, it was just...

“Don’t worry oppa. I won’t post it on SNS. Ok?”

Kyuhyun smiled at how accurate Jiwon read his mind. Siwon just waved at Jiwon who was at her way to get pictures with every member she saw.

“I’ll be head to the car first.” Kyuhyun said, taking two water bottles with him.

“Alright, I’ll send off mom and dad first.”

“OK.”

“Babe!” He called out again

“What?”

“Thank you for what you did to my dad.” Followed by a smiling Kyuhyun.

“Yeah. Send my kind regard to your ex-girlfriend, if she wants, I’ll give her my autograph.” He grinned playfully.

“Nice. She’ll probably give you Chinese ginseng.”

“I bet.” Kyuhyun managed to say before disappearing into the crowd.

***

“Hyung, are you with him?” Teddy heard Kyuhyun’s voice in the other end of the line, it was a common thing for them who was Kyuhyun meant by ‘him’

“No. Why?”

“His phone is off...”

“Ah...of course it is off, he is on the plane now...”

“What? Where is he off to?”

“LA of course, for the Kcon.”

“But, it’s still the day after tomorrow. Aren’t we supposed to leave together tomorrow?”

“Yeah, but Siwon asked for a reschedule last night.” Teddy said while checking the paper he was holding. “As far as I know, he doesn’t have any schedule other than the Kcon. Didn’t he tell you anything?”

“No. Nothing.”

“Are you two fighting?”

“No, we are not. We’re just fine yesterday night.”

“I’ll notice you when I know something, okay?”

“Thank you hyung.” After ending the call, Teddy slide his phone and went to twitter. Being a manager of Siwon, he was getting used to the habits Siwon and Kyuhyun have, checking on each other.

Teddy then scrolled his timeline and found a tweet Siwon posted just half an hour ago.

After script reading, I am about to leave for LA, Now I am ready for my own time. Yay... #koreaherald

“This doesn’t sound a good thing” Teddy muttered under his breath.

TBC

regards,

Serena H