CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

KYUHYUN & ZHOU MI

Kyuhyun was happy.

The morning light was strewn all over the walls through the colored glass. He yawned, stretched and moaned at the feel of his joints popping in delight. The sheets shuffling around his naked body as he turned toward the sleeping male next to him.

With a sheepish smile and a quiet chuckled he placed his palm in the slight divot where the back meets the waist. Blushing feverishly, he slowly and softly carried his fingertips up his spine until Zhou Mi would stir awake, moaning in the process. Kyuhyun placed his hand on the back of Zhou Mi's neck and played with the baby curls.

"Hmm," Zhou Mi hummed.

"Morning~" Kyuhyun whispered.

"Hmm," he repeated. Zhou Mi's eyes fluttered open like the first flight of a butterfly. "I'm tired."

Kyuhyun chuckled. "Really?" He plopped himself up onto his elbow to glance at the clock on the bedside. "Because I believe we've slept for more than twelve hours."

"Ugh," Zhou Mi groaned.

"I don't blame you. We went for about…" Kyuhyun paused to dramatically count on his fingers for the effect, "four? Five rounds?

"Six~"

"Six! Jeez," Kyuhyun said.

Zhou Mi couldn't sleep. Mostly because he spent most of the night thinking after Kyuhyun fell asleep on his chest. After not being able to sleep, he got up and paced around the room. As hard as he tried, he kept imagining someone else. It wasn't helping and he felt like he was selling himself rather than doing it for love.

He wasn't sure if he loved Kyuhyun but Kyuhyun had the kind of personality that made you want to be around him.

Kyuhyun noticed Zhou Mi spacing out and climbed on top of him. Rubbing his hands up and down Zhou Mi's stomach sides. "Up for another?"

Zhou Mi smiled. "You sure do ask for a lot."

"Because I like sex with Zhou Mi," Kyuhyun said as he moved his hands up to Zhou Mi's chest.

"That's all we are."

Kyuhyun froze. "What?"

"Sex Buddies."

Kyuhyun felt his heart drop. "Yeah…"

Zhou Mi looked at the clock on the bedside and snapped up; making Kyuhyun fall over to his side.

"Oh no! I have to go Kyu." Zhou Mi scattered around the room for his clothes.

Kyuhyun didn't really feel like stopping Zhou Mi after what he had said. His heart was beating in a state of panic and he had to fight the will to cry. He silently wrapped himself up in the bed sheets and huddled closer to them. More for comfort than warmth. Within moments Zhou Mi was already dressed and trying to turn on his phone.

"I'll call you later Kyuhyun." He said before he stumbled out of his room.

"Bye," Kyuhyun whispered.

Kyuhyun never received a call from Zhou Mi. He wasn't planning on it because Zhou Mi just came by whenever and only occasionally when Kyuhyun would ask. He didn't really feel like asking. He wanted him to be the one to come over.

But Sungmin came over. And Kyuhyun didn't mind…as long as Sungmin wouldn't touch his stuff. That would give away everything.

He came by around two with a box and that never ending smile of his.

"Hi Kyu~!" He sang.

Kyuhyun nodded. "Hey. W-what are you doing here?"

"It's our anniversary silly! I knew you would forget so I decided to surprise you!" Sungmin twirled the cake in his hands.

Kyuhyun did forget. He was too absorbed in his secret life of Zhou Mi and also forgot he had a boyfriend. Sungmin had evaporated from his memory. Evaporated like rain on a sunny day.

"Can I come in?" Sungmin whispered.

"Ah, Sorry!" Kyuhyun said as he opened to door wide enough for Sungmin. Letting him skip inside and stood there in front of him, his hands in his pockets and nothing to say.

"Kyu, are you okay? Should I come back later?" Sungmin pondered.

Kyuhyun chuckled and shook his head. "No, I'm fine. More than fine actually." He thought of Zhou Mi.

"Oh, okay then." Sungmin hugged the cake tighter to his chest. Wondering when Kyuhyun and him became so awkward. "Happy Anniversary~!" He smiled, holding out the cake with a red face.

Kyuhyun took the cake out of Sungmin's hands and turned towards the kitchen. Sungmin following close behind. He was lonely and Sungmin would keep him company…until Zhou Mi would text him.

Kyuhyun cut the cake as Sungmin sat across from him on the island, humming and twirling around on the stool. The sweet aroma of chocolate filling the air when Sungmin got up to start pulling out the plates.

"I'm amazed I still know where they are," Sungmin said, laughing.

Kyuhyun pursed his lips and nodded, dropping a slice of cake on each plate, making sure to grab the forks. Of course Kyuhyun noticed Sungmin pulled only a plate and bowl out.

"What's the bowl for?" He asked.

"You still like your cake in the milk don't you?"

"Yeah…"Kyuhyun proceeded and pulled the milk in the milk as it sloshed around the cake. He quickly tore a piece off with his fork before the cake turned too soggy. The taste hinted preserved memories as he let it stand in his mouth before swallowing.

"Aren't you going to eat yours?" He asked Sungmin; who sat poking the cake distastefully and with blank eyes.

"I'm not really hungry," Sungmin whispered. It was more like, Not in the mood.

"That's the first and with cake too."

Sungmin was knee deep in his thoughts and soon he would waist high. The endless questions and accusations that poked continuously at his brain, begging to be let out. A mass exodus all at once would only confuse him more than he was at the moment.

The white frosting on the cake reminded Sungmin of the ice cream and the Ferris wheel. The triangular shape reminded him of all the guitar picks he collected and the ones Kyuhyun bought for him. The brown cake, the heap of it all, reminded him of the dark lust that filled Kyuhyun's eyes that night. How, when he woke up, he found a note on the pillow with scribbled words in the shape of 'I'm sorry'. All he could muster up was the faint change of their relationship. Even after he was the one calling Kyuhyun but never actually seeing him until now. Sometimes only once a month for a short period of time.

Kyuhyun no longer looked pale. His eyes were bright like the sun and he glowed more. His skin was shiny and his hair all frayed about-a little wet from a shower. He looked better than when he saw him months ago.

A month of missed calls, un-replied text messages and the silent cries of his tears. Dropping to the floor with a thud louder than before in the ever so quiet walls of his room. His friends always cheered him up but it was never enough to fill the growing hole in his chest. His seams fraying and growing looser by the day. A, almost, broken doll.

Sungmin now looked like Kyuhyun five months ago. Swollen eyes in dark caves. Dull lifeless hair and plain skin that didn't even reflect the sunlight. He was the walking dead. The walking dead with a bruised heart.

So he needed to clear the stale air that drifted around him. Free the chains of his loss that were tightly clasped against his wrists. Try to set things right.

"Kyu?" He whispered.

"What?"

"What's wrong?"

Kyuhyun stopped chewing. "Nothing. I'm perfectly fine," he said.

"I meant with us. What's wrong with us?

"Like I said, nothing."

"Sungmin dropped his fork down on the plate, the clacking as metal met glass. "How can you say nothing Kyuhyun? How? Do you not see what is happening between us?" He paused, "I feel like I'm losing you Kyuhyun. Like you're longer mine to have. I feel like I'm stuck under a wave and there is no way for me to escape."

"Sungmin," Kyuhyun whispered, not bothering to look in his eyes. "Listen to me, there is nothing wrong with us. I'm just busy preparing myself for the company and then there's school…" he lied. Lied so easily that even he was starting to believe it.

"I want to believe that Kyu, I really do. You didn't even remember our anniversary and you usually do. You would even celebrate the first day we kiss, which was two months ago, or when we first held hands. Yet, those just flew right over your head." Sungmin's eyes welled with tears. "I want to believe that there is nothing wrong but what do I have to prove that true? To back that up." He couldn't even finish because the tears were already traveling down his cheeks, some wetting his lips as they would part and Sungmin would draw in a breath, shuddering at the cold, silent air.

Kyuhyun sighed. He didn't work well with tears but he didn't want Sungmin to leave. He didn't want to admit he did not want Sungmin to leave because Sungmin loved him. Kyuhyun knew Sungmin would never leave, even if he tried.

"It's over, isn't it?" Sungmin said. "You're avoiding me because you want to break up. Then let me do it." Sungmin paused, crying so hard that his whole body shook. "Kyu, I want to break up."

"No," Kyuhyun said, "No. ."

"Yes," Sungmin nodded.

"Sungmin, you can't."

"But I can Kyuhyun."

Kyuhyun dropped his fork and slowly walked over to Sungmin. Holding his arms out into a hug. He sighed when Sungmin shook his head and moved away.

"Sungmin, I'm sorry," he whispered.

"I don't believe it."

"But…"

"Tell me why. Give me reasons why I should accept your apology."

"Because…I love you," Kyuhyun lied, placing both hands on Sungmin's stained cheeks that were burned red form the tears and kissed him.

"N-no," Sungmin coughed. "That's only one." The waves were growing bigger and he knew they would suck him in deeper and with more force that before. The aftermath of a destroyed heart frayed and strew all over the beach. Some hidden under the sand and other being lapped onto the shore as the tide would pull in and out. He was so caught up in the kiss that he gave in. Trying to remember the last time Kyuhyun kissed him but something was different. Kyuhyun tasted different and he smelled different. He smelled like a fresh rain instead of the usual smell of citrus orange that busted off his skin like the summer heat. His lips weren't moving the same way. They were lacking elegance and wanting and felt stiff to the touch but still Sungmin longed for it.

Kyuhyun felt his phone vibrate in his back pocket. He almost jumped at the feel of it and smiled into the kiss. He was so sure it was Zhou Mi that had text him. Sungmin's eyes were closed while his lashes lingered tears. Slowly, he pulled his hand back and pulled the cell phone out of his back pocket. Opening his eyes and holding the phone behind Sungmin's head, he looked at it and pressed the "View now' button and felt his heart leap at the words.

Sorry I didn't call. I'll be over tonight and I'll bring dinner. ^^

He had a good three hours before Zhou Mi could come over. All he had to do now was fix Sungmin and then everything would be the same.

He always got what he wanted.

He removed Sungmin's shirt and dragged his tongue over it, remembering when he would do that to Zhou Mi he would always give the sweetest moan but all Sungmin did was shiver and pull Kyuhyun tighter. It didn't have the same effect on him. Brushing that aside he rubbed Sungmin's bulge and finally received the moan he wanted.

Sungmin gave in. The original plan was to finish things but it felt wonderful to have Kyuhyun's hands on his skin again. The feeling of loneliness disappearing when Kyuhyun moved him onto the counter and felt the heat brewing in his groin. It felt normal to have Kyuhyun moving inside him and it also felt like it was lacking but he failed to notice that.

Sungmin was just too afraid to lose the first person he fell in love with.

Kyuhyun took another shower to erase the sweet smell that lurked in his pores. It took a couple scrubbings but he managed to finally smell the same. He frowned when he no longer smelled like Zhou Mi but he would later.

He wore simple converse, black jeans with a white shirt and black cardigan. He wasn't much for color because black and white matched everything. The doorbell finally rang and he ran downstairs; which seemed like forever. On the second doorbell ring, he opened the door and smiled at Zhou Mi who stood there with a huge bag of take out.

"Hey~!" Zhou Mi smiled.

"Hey!" Kyuhyun exclaimed.

Zhou Mi laughed and walked in, placing a chaste kiss on Kyuhyun's lips.

"What's this?" Kyuhyun took the bag from Zhou Mi's hands and opened it to smell the sweet aroma that made his mouth water.

"Chinese," Zhou Mi laughed.

"How ironic."

Zhou Mi hung his coat up in the closet and walked with Kyuhyun into the dining room.

"Could we not eat in here?" Zhou Mi asked.

"Then where do you want to eat?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to watch a movie I brought?" Zhou Mi pulled out a DVD out of his back pocket and wiggled it in front of his face.

"Ooh~!" Kyuhyun looked at it. "What is it?"

"You'll see," Zhou Mi strutted away and into the entertainment room while Kyuhyun followed.

He watched Zhou Mi attempt to put the disk in while he laid all the food out on the table. Breaking the wooden chopsticks apart and fixing the couch for them. Zhou Mi finally got it in and he shuffled over to the couch, settling next to Kyuhyun all snuggly.

Kyuhyun felt the warmth Zhou Mi gave off and leaned on his shoulder. Watching Zhou Mi get all excited at the Chinese food and pluck whatever he could in his mouth. His cheeks round and huge with food.

"Kiss me now," He joked, some food spilling out as he held back his fit of laughter.

Kyuhyun smiled. "Okay!" He reached up and playfully kissed him on the mouth.

"No!" Zhou Mi squealed and rolled over. Snapping his chopsticks at Kyuhyun.

"Here~!" Kyuhyun laughed as he tried to shoved another piece of chicken into Zhou Mi's cheeks. "I know your cheeks can hold more," he snickered.

Zhou Mi froze. He looked away and chewed his food slowly. Trying not to spit it out at the sudden distaste that filled his mouth.

"Mi, you okay?"

He turned back with a failed attempt at a smile. "I'm fine. Just remembered something."

The memories started flooding him again. He remembered Henry and his cheeks and then everything else unraveled. What he thought he forgot always returned with a blow harder than before.

He felt like a cheater.