TFAN, PART 15
Title: The Fight About Nothing
Author: aquariuslover
Pairing: KyuWook
Rating: R
Genre: Friendship, Love
Beta: unicornsinger
Summary: This is a completely fictional tale about the thin line between love and friendship, and how easily that line can become blurred.
TFAN Chapters
Ryeowook couldn’t help but think he was in some sort of special hell as he passed Kyuhyun’s father the salt with a big, huge, fake grin on his face that tried to hide his nerves.
“Thanks,” Mr. Cho said as he took the salt from Ryeowook.
“Kyuhyun eat…that’s one of your favorite dishes. We picked this restaurant for you, so eat up,” Mrs. Cho told her son, who had yet to touch his plate. Much to Kyuhyun’s horror, after practice had ended earlier in the day, Ryeowook had informed him of his parent’s plans…to make both Kyuhyun and Ryeowook go to a special church service with them, and then take them out to eat.
“So, Ryeowook, how did you like the services?” Kyuhyun’s great aunt who was visiting the family asked from across the table from him.
“It was very lovely,” Ryeowook told the older lady who was watching him closely.
“You don’t go to church much do you?” She asked him as she reached up and adjusted her glasses.
“No, Ma’am,” Ryeowook told her honestly.
“You should,” She told him with a severe look.
“I know,” Ryeowook told her as he shook his head in eager agreement.
“Auntie, they are very busy boys. Kyuhyun barely gets to go, and most of those times we drag him there kicking,” Mrs. Cho told her aunt.
“Only because I’m so tired, and you rob me of the little sleep I can get. God would want me to sleep and not be used to increase church attendance,” Kyuhyun told his mother.
“Kyuhyun…” Mr. Cho warned his son as he took a bite of tasty meat.
“It’s true, dad. I don’t like the new minister. The old one was never asking me to sing all the time,” Kyuhyun insisted as he played with the food on his plate without ever taking a bite.
“You love to sing, so don’t act like he’s giving you some hardship. You didn’t like the old one because he didn’t ask you to sing enough,” Mr. Cho pointed out.
“That’s true, honey. I can’t even begin to remember all the times you complained about the “unworthy” getting to sing, when you had to sit in pews and have your ears assaulted,” Mrs. Cho told her indignant son.
“He’s a vocal snob,” Ryeowook added with a smile as he tore into a piece of bread.
“Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?” Kyuhyun asked, turning to look at the man sitting beside him. Ryeowook, whose mouth was full, just shook his head no.
“Speaking of that…” Mrs. Cho said with a smile. “I want to know why everybody insists you two are fighting, and why Ryeowook has moved out of your dorm?”
As soon as his mother began to speak, Kyuhyun stuffed as much food as he could in his mouth to avoid answering any potential questions she might have for him.
“Are you jealous because Ryeowook has a girlfriend?” Mrs. Cho asked bluntly. In response to her question, Kyuhyun started to cough…with a mouth full of food. A piece of meat came flying out and almost hit his father in the face, who just barely managed to bat it out of the way in time.
“Smooth,” Ryeowook told Kyuhyun as the other recovered from coughing and began to stuff more food in his mouth.
“Not very mature, Kyuhyun,” Mrs. Cho told her son as his father let out a little chuckle. Kyuhyun just ate more.
“Well, you wanted him to eat,” The aunt pointed out while taking a sip of her wine. “Are you sure you don’t want a glass? It’s very fine,” the aunt asked Ryeowook, who had refused the wine earlier.
“I am trying to not drink as much,” Ryeowook informed her as he glanced at her quickly, then back to Kyuhyun who was turning green.
“I hope you’re being careful with this girlfriend of yours, young man,” The aunt warned.
“She’s not really my girlfriend, we just kinda went out,” Ryeowook explained, looking back at her.
“Well, be careful. These days, young people move so fast. What happened to the days when it took months before you were even brave enough to take the first kiss? Nowadays they kiss, and next thing you know, they are in bed together,” she informed the table with a disapproving frown.
“Auntie!” Mr. and Mrs. Cho proclaimed in shock. Ryeowook’s mouth dropped open, and his face turned red as her words hit very close to home. Kyuhyun started turning a darker shade of green and broke out in a sweat.
“Well it’s the truth - a sad truth, but the truth. Young people today don’t have any morals,” she insisted as she took another drink of her wine.
“Kyuhyun, are you okay?” Ryeowook asked the man beside him, as he studied him with obvious concern.
“Serves you right, if you get sick,” Mrs. Cho told her son, but she then added, “but honey, you shouldn’t get sick so easily.”
Kyuhyun’s response to her was that he jumped up from the table, grabbed Ryeowook by the arm and headed to the restroom as fast as he could.
“Oh, dear,” Mrs. Cho said as she watched them hurry off with worried eyes.
“You shouldn’t be so worried about their friendship. It’s a true friend that you can puke in front of,” the aunt pointed out smiling, as she reached for her bowl of soup.
“I remember when he used to make us go with him when he had to vomit,” Mrs. Cho said with a sad smile, while looking at her husband as she fondly remembering Kyuhyun’s younger days.
Her husband looked up from his plate awkwardly at her. “Me too, and I gladly hand those reins over to Ryeowook.”
“Perhaps we should stop talking about vomit,” the aunt suggested as she eyed her soup suspiciously.
**************************
Kyuhyun burst into the restroom, almost trampling a short, elderly man in the process. Kyuhyun ran into a stall and started heaving up his meal, while Ryeowook apologized profusely to the elderly man.
“Young people today,” the elderly man could be heard complaining, as he left the restroom to just the two of them.
Ryeowook stopped at the sink and grabbed several paper towels and wetted them. He then went to the stall where Kyuhyun could be heard vomiting and opened the door and walked in to find Kyuhyun on his knees hanging over the toilet edge. Ryeowook squeezed himself closer to Kyuhyun and started to rub his back gently as the younger man tried to control his heaving. “Why do you do these things to yourself?”
“It..wor….worked,” Kyuhyun told him as he still hung his head over the toilet.
“It’s only working because we aren’t out there. As soon as we return, she will be on us again. She might wait till the waiter removes all the food from the table now, though,” Ryeowook told him as he reached around to press the cool towels to Kyuhyun’s forehead.
“I didn’t see you coming up with any great ideas.” Even in his pathetic state, Kyuhyun managed to sound snide.
“Maybe I am still too shocked from the church service. Really church? Your parents have never made me go to church before. I think somebody told mommy something today at the doctor’s office,” Ryeowook accused in a knowing tone, as Kyuhyun took the wet towels from him and pressed them against his forehead.
“I didn’t! I wouldn’t!”
“You can’t keep secrets from me, and she has lots more practice at getting them out of you,” Ryeowook pointed out to Kyuhyun, as he rubbed his upper back and shoulders.
“I can totally keep secrets from you.”
Ryeowook just rolled his eyes. “You should tell me if I should apologize to them.”
“Why would you have to apologize to them?” Kyuhyun had stopped vomiting, but he didn’t dare risk turning away from the toilet.
“Oh, I don’t know? Leading their son straight to hell?” Ryeowook offered as he stopped massaging Kyuhyun. He took a step back and looked out the restroom stall to make sure nobody else had entered the restroom. “I mean why else make us go to church?”
“They always make me go to church. It wasn’t like it was a special on how homosexuals are an abomination and how they are a going to spend an eternity in hell,” Kyuhyun pointed out as he reached a hand around to pat his back……his signal for Ryeowook to continue massaging him.
Ryeowook sighed and walked back and continued to rub the other man’s shoulders that were extra tense from the vomiting. “I swear if the minister had even mentioned anything like that, I would have fainted.”
“Um…hmmmm.” Kyuhyun told him as he relaxed into his touch.
Ryeowook jerked his hands away. “Rule five.”
Kyuhyun flushed the toilet and turned around quickly, looking up at Ryeowook. “Rules shouldn’t count when I’m sick!”
“You are always sick,” Ryeowook said, looking down at him. He truly was pale and sweaty. Ryeowook took the towel from him and started to wipe Kyuhyun’s forehead with it. “Were you feeling sick before your little stunt?”
“No, I just ate too fast,” Kyuhyun said, closing his eyes.
“You need to sleep, and you need to start eating better,” Ryeowook told the younger man who he couldn’t help but be concerned for.
“Come back to the dorm, and I will do both,” Kyuhyun said, opening his eyes looking up at Ryeowook smiling, his color slowly returning.
“No, I’m not moving back. I think you’re okay now. We should really get out of here,” Ryeowook said anxiously, looking down at Kyuhyun as he traced his face with the wet towels.
“Scared? Something always happens in boy’s love movies when the guys are left alone in the restroom,” Kyuhyun told Ryeowook, smiling up at him as one hand touched Ryeowook’s leg and began to slide up it.
Ryeowook suddenly jumped away from Kyuhyun’s touch. “What have you been watching?”
“Nothing,” Kyuhyun denied as he stood up suddenly as Ryeowook marched out of the stall.
“Why would you even watch…I can’t think about this!” Ryeowook told him, with his face bright red.
“Like you haven’t!”
“Your mouth is open but I can’t hear you,” Ryeowook told him, covering his ears with his hands.
“It’s not like I watch it all the time! I am not even going to watch it anymore. I was just curious. I told you I can’t be….well, you know, because of my dad.”
Ryeowook dropped his hands from his ears and pointed at Kyuhyun. “Curiosity is bad! Whenever you are curious again, you should think of your dad. Think of how wonderful he is. Think about how he fought to save your voice even when you lay dying! Then think of him dropping dead from a heart attack when he finds out about the things his only son is curious about!” Ryeowook ranted to Kyuhyun, then turned and hurried out of the restroom.
“I know that,” Kyuhyun told him, close on his heels.
“Hmmf!” Ryeowook huffed not even looking back at the other man who following closely behind him.
“I am totally not going to be curious anymore,” Kyuhyun told him as they reached the table.
“Curious about what? Are you feeling better?” Mrs. Cho asked as they approached the table.
“I’m fine. I was just telling him I don’t see what he sees in his so-called girlfriend,” Kyuhyun said, thinking fast on his feet as he sat back down.
“She isn’t my girlfriend,” Ryeowook insisted, taking his seat next to Kyuhyun.
“It doesn’t matter; he will never like anybody you date,” Mrs. Cho told Ryeowook as she examined her son closely for any signs of illness.
“That’s true,” Mr. Cho agreed as he reached over and took the last piece of bread.
“Why do you say that?” Ryeowook asked nervously as he gently kicked Kyuhyun under the table.
“Yes, why would you say that?” the aunt asked also very curious at their rather odd statement.
“He’s very particular when it comes to ‘his people’ and very selfish of whom they spend time with,” Mrs. Cho informed them all.
“His people?” Ryeowook paled at her wording and turned to glare a hole in Kyuhyun.
“She is talking about how I’m wonderful and get along with everybody, but there are some people I tend to be closer to.”
“The ones you tend to cling to!” Ryeowook shot back at him.
“Exactly,” Mr. Cho agreed.
“For years it was his poor sister. When they were little, he would never let her out of his sight; he would even follow her into the bathroom. Now he drags you with him instead,” Mrs. Cho informed them, smiling brightly at the memory of her children.
“Mom!”
“It’s true. When she started school and left him behind, he cried for days. They truly were inseparable,” Mrs. Cho said fondly remembering her crybaby son.
“No, matter how much his sister wished otherwise,” Mr. Cho said, laughing at his son’s embarrassment.
“The first guy she ever had over to the house stayed all of thirty minutes before Kyuhyun ran him off,” Mrs. Cho told the table, shaking her head disapprovingly at her son’s behavior.
“Good son,” Mr. Cho told him, encouraging such behavior.
“She wouldn’t talk to him for a month, but that didn’t stop him from harassing anybody who he thought was getting more of his sister’s attention than him,” Mrs. Cho explained, laughing at the disapproving look her son was giving her.
“Now I understand why she was so eager to study abroad,” the aunt offered as she finished her food with a chuckle.
“I guess she will just never be able to marry,” Mr. Cho added, perfectly happy with the thought of his daughter never marrying.
“Oh, she will marry,” Mrs. Cho told her husband knowingly.
“Actually, I have already found her the perfect husband,” Kyuhyun spoke up, surprising them all.
“You have?” Mrs. Cho asked confused.
“Yep, I think she should marry Sungmin,” Kyuhyun said as he nibbled on a piece of bread.
“Does Sungmin know this?” Ryeowook asked, his face breaking out in a huge grin as he looked at Kyuhyun.
“Nope, but I have it all planned out,” Kyuhyun informed him as he finished his bread, and then stole another piece off of Ryeowook’s plate.
“Well Sungmin is a nice young man. He has a nice head on his shoulders,” Mr. Cho said, approving of Kyuhyun’s choice.
“I think your sister will have to agree with this, so I wouldn’t plan the wedding just yet,” Mrs. Cho told them but she couldn’t resist laughing.
“It works out perfectly. They are two of my favorite people. She is a pig. He likes to clean. She can’t cook. He loves to cook. She doesn’t have a motherly bone in her body, and he’s rejoices in mothering. And the best part is that they both love me,” Kyuhyun informed them with a joyful smile on his face as he continued to eat off of Ryeowook’s plate.
“Sadly, loving you isn’t what counts when two people marry…they have to love each other,” Mrs. Cho pointed out to her son, amused.
“Oh, they will by the time I’m done,” Kyuhyun said with that devious look that always suggested he was up no good. Kyuhyun continued to pick food off of Ryeowook’s plate.
“Now I’m scared,” Ryeowook said, laying down his napkin and sliding his plate closer to Kyuhyun.
“My plan won’t go into effect for a couple of years, so don’t worry yet. I just have to lay some ground work,” Kyuhyun told them, smiling at the thought of the future success of his plan.
“Well, I’m confused. I thought this boy here was the one that your mother said you had attachment issues with?” the aunt said, looking at Ryeowook with confusion.
“He does,” Mrs. Cho confirmed. Ryeowook couldn’t help but nod his head in agreement. Mr. Cho just smiled at Kyuhyun who looked very insulted.
“Then, wouldn’t you want him to marry your sister?” the aunt asked honestly curious.
‘No,” Kyuhyun blurted out, horrified at the very thought of Ryeowook marrying some woman in the future, even his sister.
Ryeowook let out a nervous giggle. “Thanks for the compliment.”
“You know what I mean,” Kyuhyun said, defending himself as he reached a hand under the table and placed it on Ryeowook’s knee.
“I’m afraid I do,” Ryeowook agreed, as he knocked Kyuhyun’s hand off his knee.
“They are really like brothers to throw a sister in the mix would be incestuous,” Mr. Cho explained, causing both Kyuhyun and Ryeowook to pale.
“Okay, I want to know why you are living in different dorms?” Mrs. Cho said, changing the subject as she pushed her empty plate away and eyed the both of them.
“If you tell her, then none of us have to hear about it anymore,” Mr. Cho suggested with a smile.
“Don’t act like you aren’t concerned,” she told her husband, then turned to her son. “Kyuhyun, I thought if I put you back in the dorm you would be completely recovered by now. I mean, the rate of recovery in the hospital from the time you to made up with Ryeowook was nothing short of miraculous so what happened?”
“Mom!” Kyuhyun whined as he laid his head down on the table, refusing to look at anyone. “I told you it was the antibiotics.”
“We aren’t fighting,” Ryeowook spoke up and told the concerned parents. “We really aren’t. I just am not living with him, but I see him all the time. I know Sungmin blamed me, but it isn’t anybody fault but Kyuhyun’s fault if he doesn’t eat, take his medicine, or sleep enough.”
“I totally agree. He is an adult, even if he doesn’t always act like one,” Mr. Cho told Ryeowook as he watched his pouting son.
“You are right, of course; he is an adult and he needs to take responsibility for his own health. I guess I just don’t understand why you moved out,” Mrs. Cho told them.
Kyuhyun who had began to raise his head back up and stare daggers at Ryeowook, answered his mother, “We won’t let him smoke in our dorm.”
Kyuhyun’s eyes lit up in delight as Ryeowook opened his mouth to deny, “I don’t…”
“I know you say you don’t smoke that much, but with my health issues any amount is too much. Sungmin sacrificed his cats so he could still look out for me, but Ryeowook won’t give up smoking for me.”
“Oh,” Mrs. Cho said, and Ryeowook watched her in horror as he imagined seeing her opinion of him drop suddenly.
“Well the mystery is solved,” Mr. Cho said happily. “Ryeowook is a grown man. It’s his life and we may not agree with his choices, but they are his choices to make. A lot of people smoke; it’s not a sin.”
“Of course, you are right, dear. It’s just that after Kyuhyun had his lungs pierced with his broken ribs and was on the ventilator…we just have to be very protective of them. We wouldn’t want to encourage any bad habits,” Mrs. Cho said, trying to smile through her obvious displeasure.
“No,” Ryeowook agreed, speaking up quickly and nervously.
“That’s why he’s not living in the dorm anymore,” Kyuhyun said with a smile, taking delight in Ryeowook’s misery.
“Well that Sungmin sounds like a doll. I don’t blame you for wanting your sister to marry him. I bet he goes to church, too. We should bring him with us next time instead of…what was your name again?” the aunt asked Ryeowook with that old look of scorn back on her face.
Author: aquariuslover
Pairing: KyuWook
Rating: R
Genre: Friendship, Love
Beta: unicornsinger
Summary: This is a completely fictional tale about the thin line between love and friendship, and how easily that line can become blurred.
TFAN Chapters
Ryeowook couldn’t help but think he was in some sort of special hell as he passed Kyuhyun’s father the salt with a big, huge, fake grin on his face that tried to hide his nerves.
“Thanks,” Mr. Cho said as he took the salt from Ryeowook.
“Kyuhyun eat…that’s one of your favorite dishes. We picked this restaurant for you, so eat up,” Mrs. Cho told her son, who had yet to touch his plate. Much to Kyuhyun’s horror, after practice had ended earlier in the day, Ryeowook had informed him of his parent’s plans…to make both Kyuhyun and Ryeowook go to a special church service with them, and then take them out to eat.
“So, Ryeowook, how did you like the services?” Kyuhyun’s great aunt who was visiting the family asked from across the table from him.
“It was very lovely,” Ryeowook told the older lady who was watching him closely.
“You don’t go to church much do you?” She asked him as she reached up and adjusted her glasses.
“No, Ma’am,” Ryeowook told her honestly.
“You should,” She told him with a severe look.
“I know,” Ryeowook told her as he shook his head in eager agreement.
“Auntie, they are very busy boys. Kyuhyun barely gets to go, and most of those times we drag him there kicking,” Mrs. Cho told her aunt.
“Only because I’m so tired, and you rob me of the little sleep I can get. God would want me to sleep and not be used to increase church attendance,” Kyuhyun told his mother.
“Kyuhyun…” Mr. Cho warned his son as he took a bite of tasty meat.
“It’s true, dad. I don’t like the new minister. The old one was never asking me to sing all the time,” Kyuhyun insisted as he played with the food on his plate without ever taking a bite.
“You love to sing, so don’t act like he’s giving you some hardship. You didn’t like the old one because he didn’t ask you to sing enough,” Mr. Cho pointed out.
“That’s true, honey. I can’t even begin to remember all the times you complained about the “unworthy” getting to sing, when you had to sit in pews and have your ears assaulted,” Mrs. Cho told her indignant son.
“He’s a vocal snob,” Ryeowook added with a smile as he tore into a piece of bread.
“Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?” Kyuhyun asked, turning to look at the man sitting beside him. Ryeowook, whose mouth was full, just shook his head no.
“Speaking of that…” Mrs. Cho said with a smile. “I want to know why everybody insists you two are fighting, and why Ryeowook has moved out of your dorm?”
As soon as his mother began to speak, Kyuhyun stuffed as much food as he could in his mouth to avoid answering any potential questions she might have for him.
“Are you jealous because Ryeowook has a girlfriend?” Mrs. Cho asked bluntly. In response to her question, Kyuhyun started to cough…with a mouth full of food. A piece of meat came flying out and almost hit his father in the face, who just barely managed to bat it out of the way in time.
“Smooth,” Ryeowook told Kyuhyun as the other recovered from coughing and began to stuff more food in his mouth.
“Not very mature, Kyuhyun,” Mrs. Cho told her son as his father let out a little chuckle. Kyuhyun just ate more.
“Well, you wanted him to eat,” The aunt pointed out while taking a sip of her wine. “Are you sure you don’t want a glass? It’s very fine,” the aunt asked Ryeowook, who had refused the wine earlier.
“I am trying to not drink as much,” Ryeowook informed her as he glanced at her quickly, then back to Kyuhyun who was turning green.
“I hope you’re being careful with this girlfriend of yours, young man,” The aunt warned.
“She’s not really my girlfriend, we just kinda went out,” Ryeowook explained, looking back at her.
“Well, be careful. These days, young people move so fast. What happened to the days when it took months before you were even brave enough to take the first kiss? Nowadays they kiss, and next thing you know, they are in bed together,” she informed the table with a disapproving frown.
“Auntie!” Mr. and Mrs. Cho proclaimed in shock. Ryeowook’s mouth dropped open, and his face turned red as her words hit very close to home. Kyuhyun started turning a darker shade of green and broke out in a sweat.
“Well it’s the truth - a sad truth, but the truth. Young people today don’t have any morals,” she insisted as she took another drink of her wine.
“Kyuhyun, are you okay?” Ryeowook asked the man beside him, as he studied him with obvious concern.
“Serves you right, if you get sick,” Mrs. Cho told her son, but she then added, “but honey, you shouldn’t get sick so easily.”
Kyuhyun’s response to her was that he jumped up from the table, grabbed Ryeowook by the arm and headed to the restroom as fast as he could.
“Oh, dear,” Mrs. Cho said as she watched them hurry off with worried eyes.
“You shouldn’t be so worried about their friendship. It’s a true friend that you can puke in front of,” the aunt pointed out smiling, as she reached for her bowl of soup.
“I remember when he used to make us go with him when he had to vomit,” Mrs. Cho said with a sad smile, while looking at her husband as she fondly remembering Kyuhyun’s younger days.
Her husband looked up from his plate awkwardly at her. “Me too, and I gladly hand those reins over to Ryeowook.”
“Perhaps we should stop talking about vomit,” the aunt suggested as she eyed her soup suspiciously.
**************************
Kyuhyun burst into the restroom, almost trampling a short, elderly man in the process. Kyuhyun ran into a stall and started heaving up his meal, while Ryeowook apologized profusely to the elderly man.
“Young people today,” the elderly man could be heard complaining, as he left the restroom to just the two of them.
Ryeowook stopped at the sink and grabbed several paper towels and wetted them. He then went to the stall where Kyuhyun could be heard vomiting and opened the door and walked in to find Kyuhyun on his knees hanging over the toilet edge. Ryeowook squeezed himself closer to Kyuhyun and started to rub his back gently as the younger man tried to control his heaving. “Why do you do these things to yourself?”
“It..wor….worked,” Kyuhyun told him as he still hung his head over the toilet.
“It’s only working because we aren’t out there. As soon as we return, she will be on us again. She might wait till the waiter removes all the food from the table now, though,” Ryeowook told him as he reached around to press the cool towels to Kyuhyun’s forehead.
“I didn’t see you coming up with any great ideas.” Even in his pathetic state, Kyuhyun managed to sound snide.
“Maybe I am still too shocked from the church service. Really church? Your parents have never made me go to church before. I think somebody told mommy something today at the doctor’s office,” Ryeowook accused in a knowing tone, as Kyuhyun took the wet towels from him and pressed them against his forehead.
“I didn’t! I wouldn’t!”
“You can’t keep secrets from me, and she has lots more practice at getting them out of you,” Ryeowook pointed out to Kyuhyun, as he rubbed his upper back and shoulders.
“I can totally keep secrets from you.”
Ryeowook just rolled his eyes. “You should tell me if I should apologize to them.”
“Why would you have to apologize to them?” Kyuhyun had stopped vomiting, but he didn’t dare risk turning away from the toilet.
“Oh, I don’t know? Leading their son straight to hell?” Ryeowook offered as he stopped massaging Kyuhyun. He took a step back and looked out the restroom stall to make sure nobody else had entered the restroom. “I mean why else make us go to church?”
“They always make me go to church. It wasn’t like it was a special on how homosexuals are an abomination and how they are a going to spend an eternity in hell,” Kyuhyun pointed out as he reached a hand around to pat his back……his signal for Ryeowook to continue massaging him.
Ryeowook sighed and walked back and continued to rub the other man’s shoulders that were extra tense from the vomiting. “I swear if the minister had even mentioned anything like that, I would have fainted.”
“Um…hmmmm.” Kyuhyun told him as he relaxed into his touch.
Ryeowook jerked his hands away. “Rule five.”
Kyuhyun flushed the toilet and turned around quickly, looking up at Ryeowook. “Rules shouldn’t count when I’m sick!”
“You are always sick,” Ryeowook said, looking down at him. He truly was pale and sweaty. Ryeowook took the towel from him and started to wipe Kyuhyun’s forehead with it. “Were you feeling sick before your little stunt?”
“No, I just ate too fast,” Kyuhyun said, closing his eyes.
“You need to sleep, and you need to start eating better,” Ryeowook told the younger man who he couldn’t help but be concerned for.
“Come back to the dorm, and I will do both,” Kyuhyun said, opening his eyes looking up at Ryeowook smiling, his color slowly returning.
“No, I’m not moving back. I think you’re okay now. We should really get out of here,” Ryeowook said anxiously, looking down at Kyuhyun as he traced his face with the wet towels.
“Scared? Something always happens in boy’s love movies when the guys are left alone in the restroom,” Kyuhyun told Ryeowook, smiling up at him as one hand touched Ryeowook’s leg and began to slide up it.
Ryeowook suddenly jumped away from Kyuhyun’s touch. “What have you been watching?”
“Nothing,” Kyuhyun denied as he stood up suddenly as Ryeowook marched out of the stall.
“Why would you even watch…I can’t think about this!” Ryeowook told him, with his face bright red.
“Like you haven’t!”
“Your mouth is open but I can’t hear you,” Ryeowook told him, covering his ears with his hands.
“It’s not like I watch it all the time! I am not even going to watch it anymore. I was just curious. I told you I can’t be….well, you know, because of my dad.”
Ryeowook dropped his hands from his ears and pointed at Kyuhyun. “Curiosity is bad! Whenever you are curious again, you should think of your dad. Think of how wonderful he is. Think about how he fought to save your voice even when you lay dying! Then think of him dropping dead from a heart attack when he finds out about the things his only son is curious about!” Ryeowook ranted to Kyuhyun, then turned and hurried out of the restroom.
“I know that,” Kyuhyun told him, close on his heels.
“Hmmf!” Ryeowook huffed not even looking back at the other man who following closely behind him.
“I am totally not going to be curious anymore,” Kyuhyun told him as they reached the table.
“Curious about what? Are you feeling better?” Mrs. Cho asked as they approached the table.
“I’m fine. I was just telling him I don’t see what he sees in his so-called girlfriend,” Kyuhyun said, thinking fast on his feet as he sat back down.
“She isn’t my girlfriend,” Ryeowook insisted, taking his seat next to Kyuhyun.
“It doesn’t matter; he will never like anybody you date,” Mrs. Cho told Ryeowook as she examined her son closely for any signs of illness.
“That’s true,” Mr. Cho agreed as he reached over and took the last piece of bread.
“Why do you say that?” Ryeowook asked nervously as he gently kicked Kyuhyun under the table.
“Yes, why would you say that?” the aunt asked also very curious at their rather odd statement.
“He’s very particular when it comes to ‘his people’ and very selfish of whom they spend time with,” Mrs. Cho informed them all.
“His people?” Ryeowook paled at her wording and turned to glare a hole in Kyuhyun.
“She is talking about how I’m wonderful and get along with everybody, but there are some people I tend to be closer to.”
“The ones you tend to cling to!” Ryeowook shot back at him.
“Exactly,” Mr. Cho agreed.
“For years it was his poor sister. When they were little, he would never let her out of his sight; he would even follow her into the bathroom. Now he drags you with him instead,” Mrs. Cho informed them, smiling brightly at the memory of her children.
“Mom!”
“It’s true. When she started school and left him behind, he cried for days. They truly were inseparable,” Mrs. Cho said fondly remembering her crybaby son.
“No, matter how much his sister wished otherwise,” Mr. Cho said, laughing at his son’s embarrassment.
“The first guy she ever had over to the house stayed all of thirty minutes before Kyuhyun ran him off,” Mrs. Cho told the table, shaking her head disapprovingly at her son’s behavior.
“Good son,” Mr. Cho told him, encouraging such behavior.
“She wouldn’t talk to him for a month, but that didn’t stop him from harassing anybody who he thought was getting more of his sister’s attention than him,” Mrs. Cho explained, laughing at the disapproving look her son was giving her.
“Now I understand why she was so eager to study abroad,” the aunt offered as she finished her food with a chuckle.
“I guess she will just never be able to marry,” Mr. Cho added, perfectly happy with the thought of his daughter never marrying.
“Oh, she will marry,” Mrs. Cho told her husband knowingly.
“Actually, I have already found her the perfect husband,” Kyuhyun spoke up, surprising them all.
“You have?” Mrs. Cho asked confused.
“Yep, I think she should marry Sungmin,” Kyuhyun said as he nibbled on a piece of bread.
“Does Sungmin know this?” Ryeowook asked, his face breaking out in a huge grin as he looked at Kyuhyun.
“Nope, but I have it all planned out,” Kyuhyun informed him as he finished his bread, and then stole another piece off of Ryeowook’s plate.
“Well Sungmin is a nice young man. He has a nice head on his shoulders,” Mr. Cho said, approving of Kyuhyun’s choice.
“I think your sister will have to agree with this, so I wouldn’t plan the wedding just yet,” Mrs. Cho told them but she couldn’t resist laughing.
“It works out perfectly. They are two of my favorite people. She is a pig. He likes to clean. She can’t cook. He loves to cook. She doesn’t have a motherly bone in her body, and he’s rejoices in mothering. And the best part is that they both love me,” Kyuhyun informed them with a joyful smile on his face as he continued to eat off of Ryeowook’s plate.
“Sadly, loving you isn’t what counts when two people marry…they have to love each other,” Mrs. Cho pointed out to her son, amused.
“Oh, they will by the time I’m done,” Kyuhyun said with that devious look that always suggested he was up no good. Kyuhyun continued to pick food off of Ryeowook’s plate.
“Now I’m scared,” Ryeowook said, laying down his napkin and sliding his plate closer to Kyuhyun.
“My plan won’t go into effect for a couple of years, so don’t worry yet. I just have to lay some ground work,” Kyuhyun told them, smiling at the thought of the future success of his plan.
“Well, I’m confused. I thought this boy here was the one that your mother said you had attachment issues with?” the aunt said, looking at Ryeowook with confusion.
“He does,” Mrs. Cho confirmed. Ryeowook couldn’t help but nod his head in agreement. Mr. Cho just smiled at Kyuhyun who looked very insulted.
“Then, wouldn’t you want him to marry your sister?” the aunt asked honestly curious.
‘No,” Kyuhyun blurted out, horrified at the very thought of Ryeowook marrying some woman in the future, even his sister.
Ryeowook let out a nervous giggle. “Thanks for the compliment.”
“You know what I mean,” Kyuhyun said, defending himself as he reached a hand under the table and placed it on Ryeowook’s knee.
“I’m afraid I do,” Ryeowook agreed, as he knocked Kyuhyun’s hand off his knee.
“They are really like brothers to throw a sister in the mix would be incestuous,” Mr. Cho explained, causing both Kyuhyun and Ryeowook to pale.
“Okay, I want to know why you are living in different dorms?” Mrs. Cho said, changing the subject as she pushed her empty plate away and eyed the both of them.
“If you tell her, then none of us have to hear about it anymore,” Mr. Cho suggested with a smile.
“Don’t act like you aren’t concerned,” she told her husband, then turned to her son. “Kyuhyun, I thought if I put you back in the dorm you would be completely recovered by now. I mean, the rate of recovery in the hospital from the time you to made up with Ryeowook was nothing short of miraculous so what happened?”
“Mom!” Kyuhyun whined as he laid his head down on the table, refusing to look at anyone. “I told you it was the antibiotics.”
“We aren’t fighting,” Ryeowook spoke up and told the concerned parents. “We really aren’t. I just am not living with him, but I see him all the time. I know Sungmin blamed me, but it isn’t anybody fault but Kyuhyun’s fault if he doesn’t eat, take his medicine, or sleep enough.”
“I totally agree. He is an adult, even if he doesn’t always act like one,” Mr. Cho told Ryeowook as he watched his pouting son.
“You are right, of course; he is an adult and he needs to take responsibility for his own health. I guess I just don’t understand why you moved out,” Mrs. Cho told them.
Kyuhyun who had began to raise his head back up and stare daggers at Ryeowook, answered his mother, “We won’t let him smoke in our dorm.”
Kyuhyun’s eyes lit up in delight as Ryeowook opened his mouth to deny, “I don’t…”
“I know you say you don’t smoke that much, but with my health issues any amount is too much. Sungmin sacrificed his cats so he could still look out for me, but Ryeowook won’t give up smoking for me.”
“Oh,” Mrs. Cho said, and Ryeowook watched her in horror as he imagined seeing her opinion of him drop suddenly.
“Well the mystery is solved,” Mr. Cho said happily. “Ryeowook is a grown man. It’s his life and we may not agree with his choices, but they are his choices to make. A lot of people smoke; it’s not a sin.”
“Of course, you are right, dear. It’s just that after Kyuhyun had his lungs pierced with his broken ribs and was on the ventilator…we just have to be very protective of them. We wouldn’t want to encourage any bad habits,” Mrs. Cho said, trying to smile through her obvious displeasure.
“No,” Ryeowook agreed, speaking up quickly and nervously.
“That’s why he’s not living in the dorm anymore,” Kyuhyun said with a smile, taking delight in Ryeowook’s misery.
“Well that Sungmin sounds like a doll. I don’t blame you for wanting your sister to marry him. I bet he goes to church, too. We should bring him with us next time instead of…what was your name again?” the aunt asked Ryeowook with that old look of scorn back on her face.