[fic] Siwon/Zhou Mi - SJM - (please don't) drown me in roses - Oneshot
Title: (please don’t) drown me in roses
Author:
fonulyn
Rating: PG13 (? language)
Pairing: Siwon/Zhou Mi, Heechul, Kyuhyun, Donghae
Disclaimer: I own no one, only my dirty imagination.
Summary: In which Siwon is torn right out of a romantic novel, and Zhou Mi isn't exactly thrilled. (Originally posted here!)
Comments: This is written for
sujuexchange's holiday exchange (go check out all the awesome fics posted this year, go go!), for meiface. First time writing the pairing and I probably had too much fun with the side-characters but oh well~ Enjoy :D
“Now,” Heechul grunts as he pushes himself off the floor, stretching his hurting back until it gives a disturbingly loud snap. “We only need models fabulous enough to match the awesomeness that is our designs.” He leans back against the wall, elbows resting on his knees. “Which is impossible, obviously.”
The way he glances at the sketches strewn all across the floor is almost affectionate, like a proud father looking at his children at a particularly proud moment. He has all the reason to, they worked their fingers to the bone drawing, colouring, erasing, correcting, smudging and starting from scratch once again. Zhou Mi is smiling at least equally happily, his eyes shining as he brushes the eraser residue off the latest piece. “Oh we can manage,” he states, positive. “The clothes will compensate any and all shortcomings!”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Heechul smirks, but one can see how his posture is already a lot more relaxed than before. Finishing the designs means they’ve done the most important part. Now it all comes down to finding suitable models and actually putting together the clothes for the show. They have a small army of helpers from their course, people in charge of the stage, lighting and music, but it doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be perfectionists enough to try supervising everything.
The next thing they know is a shadow landing on their drawings, preceding an actual Donghae who plops down seconds later. “Did you guys already find models?” He asks, mouth half-full of crisps.
Heechul yelps and barely manages to save the plan of a bright yellow dress with polka dots from underneath Donghae’s feet. He frowns at the younger man, smoothing out the nonexistent crinkles on the paper. “No. Or yes. We have a few but not enough.”
“We took almost everyone who auditioned,” Zhou Mi takes over, shaking his head shortly when Donghae offers him the bowl of sour cream and onion. “There was one guy who kept on tripping over his own two feet, of course we had to turn him down.”
“Or the girl who didn’t stop talking! She was so annoying,” Heechul groans theatrically.
Zhou Mi gives him a look, half-amused and half-exasperated. “You didn’t need to be so rude to her, though.”
The only answer he gets is a shrug. Donghae seems mildly interested in asking more details but he doesn’t get the chance, not before another voice cuts in from the couch. “Heechul is just annoyed she was prettier than him,” Kyuhyun mumbles without even looking up, his eyes glued to the screen of his laptop.
“She was not,” Heechul is quick to defend himself, his voice rising before he gets momentarily distracted by the greasy fingers Donghae is extending towards one of his precious sketches. He slaps them away, ignoring the resulting pout. “Stop making a mess. Otherwise I’ll make you wear that dress, you know I will.”
“Sure!” Donghae’s smile is a little too sunny. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”
Momentarily, Heechul is torn between scowling and laughing, but then decides for the latter. “I’ll give it to you, you look quite fabulous in drag,” he smirks. “Of course not as good as me, but.”
“Hey guys! That is actually a brilliant idea!”
They all turn to look at Zhou Mi. Even Kyuhyun raises his gaze from his computer to arch a questioning eyebrow. “What? Dressing Donghae in drag?”
“No!” Zhou Mi waves a dismissive hand at his roommate, practically vibrating with excitement over his realization. “Dressing Donghae in these!” He gestures towards the drawings at their feet, considering them for a moment before picking up a sketch of a dark, modernized suit. “Imagine him in this. He has a dancer’s body, he knows how to carry himself with confidence, he’s not bad on the eyes…”
Heechul eyes the drawing warily, then Donghae, then the drawing again. Thoughtfully he worries his lower lip between his teeth. “Alright. Donghae, you just got yourself a job.”
It’s impossible to say who looks more thrilled, Donghae or Zhou Mi, with the way they’re both squealing enthusiastically as they high-five over the bowl of crisps. Next Donghae turns to look at Heechul, eyes all bright and innocent. “Kyuhyun would make a good model too!”
“No!” It’s not the first time Kyuhyun and Heechul speak in unison, neither of them sparing it a single thought.
Donghae pouts. “Why not? C’mon. He’s got a good figure and he doesn’t look bad. He’s surprisingly popular amongst the ladies for being such a nerd!”
“Hey,” Kyuhyun protests but doesn’t get any further before Heechul cuts him off. “I’m not having him walking in my designs showing off his acne pits and ridiculous haircut.”
“There is nothing wrong with my haircut!” Kyuhyun has the audacity to look offended, his fingers stopping completely on the keyboard. “If Donghae can pull off modelling those rugs of yours I can do it twice as good.”
“And we can smooth out his skin with make up,” Zhou Mi supplies helpfully.
Kyuhyun doesn’t even have the time to realize he’s basically trying to talk himself into the fashion show. When Heechul finally gives his consent and agrees to make Kyuhyun a model too, he simply huffs and focuses back on fixing the loop in his MatLab code that keeps bringing him back to the excessively balding hamster. He completely misses the victorious grin his friends share.
Even with the additions of Kyuhyun and Donghae, they are still a couple of models short. Zhou Mi is kind of bummed since he would love to walk the show too, and he knows he could pull it off better than most of the models they’ve raked up. He also knows they are both needed backstage, to make sure everything works out properly and they avoid the biggest fashion catastrophes.
For a while, it seems like everything works out just about perfectly. Donghae is eager to help and shows up for fittings even when he isn’t needed. Kyuhyun is less enthusiastic but he lets Zhou Mi drag him along whenever he has to try a costume or two. They both turn out to be surprisingly good at the whole modelling business, too, which of course leads to Heechul taking all the credit and telling them it was all because of his intense model training program.
Then, three weeks before the actual show, one of their main models has an accident on the soccer field and breaks his ankle. Heechul is furious. He curses the whole sport and everyone who plays it, throws a proper temper tantrum and only then calms down to think about it. They already consider Zhou Mi filling in but he is built considerably slimmer than the previous model and no one wants to go through altering all the outfits.
Resigned, Zhou Mi already took in the seams of a pair of dress pants and begins on a silk shirt, trying to ignore the insane amount of re-adjusting he’d need to do in less than twenty days. That is when Heechul barges in, slamming the door open so fast it’s surprising it doesn’t come off its hinges. “I’ve got us a model!” He grins triumphantly.
“A model?” Zhou Mi turns to look at him, surprised. This sounds too good to be true. “What kind of a model?”
“A real model,” Heechul emphasizes, his smile even widening as he takes a seat next to the sewing machine, looking up at his friend. “As in, a person who has walked fashion shows and posed for the fucking Vogue and all! You have actually seen him, wait,” he turns to furiously go through his bag, making a victorious sound when he finds the magazine he’s looking for. “Here.”
Zhou Mi takes the magazine and it’s already flipped open, the glossy pages bent. That is the last thing on his mind when he sees the pictures though, his eyes widening. “Choi Siwon!?” He nearly squeaks and suddenly, it’s a little bit harder to breathe. “You got us Choi Siwon!?”
Already the fact that they will get a professional model is more than enough to qualify as friggin’ awesome, but getting Choi Siwon, one of the hottest new models in the industry, one whose fame has skyrocketed within the past few months making him an idolized celebrity? That is beyond their wildest fantasies and if Zhou Mi didn’t know Heechul so well he would think he is lying.
“How did you do that?” Zhou Mi looks at his friend, not even trying to cover his shock and, admittedly, how pleased he is about this.
Heechul is brimming with satisfaction, grinning like the Cheshire Cat himself as he swirls around in the squeaky chair. “I have my connections~” he sing-songs. “He is also doing this completely free, did I mention? Apparently he used to study here for a while before he dropped out to pursue his career, and he feels like doing it as a favour to his old school and fellow students.” He doesn’t need to add that Siwon, judging by his height and his build, is roughly the same size as the model they lost. It means only slight alterations to the clothes instead of redoing them all.
“This,” Zhou Mi beams, “is the best thing that could have happened to us!”
In person, Choi Siwon turns out to be a complete and utter disappointment.
Actually, he is everything Zhou Mi expected him to be. He is tall, he is handsome, he is polite, he moves like a, well, model and he is a perfect gentleman through and through. He holds the doors open for Zhou Mi, offers to carry his bag, smiles at him and attentively listens to his every word. He is always charming and wraps everyone he meets around his little finger.
Siwon kind of makes Zhou Mi feel like a girl who’s being wooed. Maybe that is why he doesn’t like him. It’s like interacting with a cardboard cutout instead of a real person with actual flaws and edges. Siwon is all polished surfaces and impeccably timed reactions. The only thing that is a little awkward about him is how he is so eager to please, so earnest and willing to try anything and everything.
It also feels a little disconcerting how he seems to direct most of his attention towards Zhou Mi. He never fails to include everyone present and never makes a big number of things, but to Zhou Mi it feels like he is being watched. He has no proof, every time he turns to look at Siwon he is looking away, but it doesn’t make the feeling fade in the slightest.
After three fittings, Zhou Mi is ready to do something desperate. Like, rip off his clothes and dance hula on the tabletops just to see if he could get any kind of a reaction out of Siwon. Of course he doesn’t do anything so drastic, but instead buys a whole litre of mint-fudge ice cream and drops down on the couch with the container and a spoon as soon as he’s home. He might have groaned theatrically, too, judging by the long look Kyuhyun gives him from behind his computer.
“That bad?” He asks, his fingers still flying on the keyboard. At least he has managed to conquer MatLab by now and can focus on the next part of his project, namely figuring out why the hell none of his calculations match with the results he gets from Excel.
Zhou Mi sighs again, for good measure, and digs his spoon into the ice cream. It’s still so hard the spoon bends a little but he doesn’t care, furiously scraping himself a mouthful anyway. “Yes! I am going to die of frustration before this project is over.” He looks at his crooked spoon and makes a sad face. “Or kill all of our cutlery.”
That seems to spark Kyuhyun’s curiosity and he leans over the desk, pushing his computer further. “Is your big shot model such a prick then? A diva you can’t work with?”
“No,” Zhou Mi shakes his head, going for another spoonful of ice cream. “Heechul is more a diva than he is. Siwon is… perfect. He makes no troubles, he spends more of his time with us than would even be needed, there is nothing he can’t possibly do and he is just, plain, perfect.”
“…and?” Kyuhyun frowns, confused.
“And he is so boring!” Zhou Mi cries. “How can someone be flawless and amazing at everything he does and have a rehearsed reaction to every moment you can think of?”
“Zhou Mi, he is a professional. He knows his job,” Kyuhyun rolls his eyes. “Shouldn’t you be happy he is easy to work with?” He gains no answer as Zhou Mi only snorts, reaching for the remote control to up the volume to drown out his flatmate’s voice. Kyuhyun rolls his eyes again, for good measure, even though he knows it’ll pass by unseen. “You’re going to get fat with all the ice cream.”
“You’re one to talk,” Zhou Mi grumbles. “You sit on your butt so much it’s doubled in width.”
“Says the one with no butt at all.” They have waltzed this discussion back and forth so many times they both lost count, and Kyuhyun’s reply comes automatic as he resumes cursing at his computer.
“I can’t hear you, the TV is on too loud!” Zhou Mi ups the volume even more, just in case.
The next day, Zhou Mi gets flowers.
It’s a huge bouquet of deep red roses - forty of them, Kyuhyun informs after staring at the arrangement for five minutes unmoving - delivered into their shared apartment in the early morning just when Zhou Mi is about to run to catch the right train to campus. He forgets all about his economics class when he stares at the long stem roses, obvious high quality, something he’s only seen in romantic movies.
There is also a little note tucked between the petals of one rose and Zhou Mi removes it carefully. He hesitates and a part of him doesn’t even want to read the card, but curiosity wins and he flips it open.
Call me? Siwon
Siwon’s handwriting is loopy and neat, the message written right in the middle of the card, like printed. For some reason that manages to irk Zhou Mi even further and quickly stuffs the paper into his pocket. Out of sight, out of mind, he reasons. Besides, he doesn’t even have Siwon’s number.
Zhou Mi ends up being late in class. When he returns back home Kyuhyun informs him that he did a quick Google search. Apparently the number of roses is as significant as their colour, and while everyone knows what red means, forty of them stand for genuine love and affection. “You, my friend,” Kyuhyun smirks and his eyes sparkle with mischief, “got yourself one very determined admirer.”
Somehow, Zhou Mi doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“I don’t get it!” Zhou Mi whispers to Heechul during their quick lunch break, trying not to attract any unwanted attention from the people around them. “How did he even know where I live? I’ve been getting flowers every single day for the past week!”
“Flowers?” Heechul looks interested and doesn’t even seem to consider focusing on any of Zhou Mi’s concerns before he gets a more elaborate answer to satisfy his curiosity.
Zhou Mi stabs his salad with a little more force than necessary. “Yes, flowers. It began with forty red roses last Tuesday. On Wednesday I got red carnations. On Thursday it was a bouquet of red chrysanthemums. On Friday orange lilies, on Saturday primroses, on Sunday red tulips, on Monday asters, on Tuesday moonflowers. And today I got forget-me-nots.”
Impressed, Heechul whistles. “Oh. Wow. You can open your own flower boutique soon!”
“Not funny, Heechul,” Zhou Mi sighs, leaning back in his seat. “Kyuhyun googled the flowers and guess what. They all mean love and devotion, in one form or another. The man is creeping me out!”
Unable to hold back, Heechul snorts and almost manages to spit his latte on the table. He is still cackling when he reaches for a napkin, obviously more than amused by his friend’s distress. “Well,” he drawls slowly, “I might have given him your address. Complete with your phone number, which I imagine he hasn’t used yet. And,” Heechul looks smug, all too happy with himself. “I might have told him you’re old fashioned and you love grand romantic gestures like flowers and chocolate.”
Zhou Mi groans, burying his face in his palms. “So that’s why there have been boxes of chocolate, too. C’mon, Heechul. Do you like to watch your friends suffer?”
“Actually,” Heechul waves a dumpling around before sticking it into his mouth, grinning around it. “I do.”
Zhou Mi decides he will have to talk to Siwon and tell him straight how things are. Unfortunately, it turns out to be impossible to get Siwon alone now that there’s only a week to go before their fashion show and they need to get everything done. So the flowers keep coming (different flower every day, their meanings varying from love at first sight to hopeless devotion, and Zhou Mi dearly hopes it’s not intended literally), the boxes of chocolate keep coming, and with those little notes that ask him out.
It is still a little creepy, but now that Zhou Mi knows Heechul is behind it all he doesn’t really consider Siwon criminally insane anymore. He simply thinks the poor man might’ve watched a few too many romantic comedies with grand confessions of love, and that he fails at romance, hard. At first he considers sending the expensive chocolates back, at least, but then he comes home to Kyuhyun sitting on the couch in the midst of five opened confection boxes, his lips smeared in chocolate.
“You could ask the lover boy to send more almond nougat,” Kyuhyun informs and although Zhou Mi can’t see him - there is a gigantic bouquet of tulips on the couch table, as well as some more roses on the kitchen counter - he can hear he has his mouth half-full of candy. “Also, the white chocolate is too sweet.”
Zhou Mi harrumphs, unable to hold back the hint of a smile. “It’s free chocolate, don’t complain. It’s going to stop soon enough.” Right then, right there, he knows he has to talk to Siwon even if it means having half of their team and a dozen models eavesdropping on the exchange. Things can’t go on like this. He has to think of Kyuhyun’s health and prevent him from outgrowing the outfits before the fashion show.
And well, maybe he doesn’t want to lead Siwon on, either.
The next day they have the final fitting. Zhou Mi is there early and for once, luck is on his side since the first person to walk into the room after him is no other than Siwon. He instantly greets him with a soft smile, indicating a slight bow like he always does in his perfect politeness. Zhou Mi knows he will chicken out if he doesn’t get right down to it and he speaks up before he can have second thoughts. “Could we talk?”
Siwon perks up at that, offers another one of his charming smiles and takes the seat next to Zhou Mi’s, while still facing him. “Of course.”
“It’s. It’s about the flowers,” Zhou Mi begins, not really knowing how to say what he wants to get across. “Could you please stop sending them?”
For a second, Siwon looks just confused. He is even frowning lightly and Zhou Mi thinks it’s the first time he has seen him not smiling. Oddly enough, it somehow makes him like him more. “Don’t you like flowers?”
“I do,” Zhou Mi answers, unable to be anything but honest when he’s being looked at like that, all earnest and expectant. “I like flowers. But I don’t like living in the middle of a flower shop, and I don’t like having flower deliveries every morning at the crack of dawn, I don’t like listening to my stupid roommate needle me about secret - or not so secret - admirers, I don’t like figuring out where to put the seventeenth bouquet when I ran out of space a dozen flower deliveries ago.”
Understanding is dawning on Siwon’s face and for a moment Zhou Mi feels bad for him. He offers a smile, even reaching to pat Siwon’s hand. “I appreciate the chivalrous attitude and all the effort you’re putting into this. It would be perfect if I was a girl and if we lived in the twenties.”
“But it’s not working now, is it,” Siwon more states than asks, meeting Zhou Mi’s gaze straight.
Zhou Mi takes a deep breath. “No. It’s not. Look,” he knows he speaks a lot when he’s nervous but he can’t stop himself from going on. “You’re a great guy, charming and hot and all that jazz. But I’m not looking for a relationship, or someone to drown me in roses, okay?” It sounds all too much like the classic it’s not you it’s me -speech, but he can’t take it back anymore.
The door creaks open and for once Heechul is like a saving angel, completely unaware of the moment he just walked into as he starts throwing orders to get Siwon into the last clothes that needed fitting. He excuses himself and goes to find the safety pins they seem to have misplaced.
It’s merely two hours later when Zhou Mi runs into Donghae in the cafeteria. He sits down with his large black coffee, opposite to Donghae and his huge portion of ice cream with probably fifteen different toppings. Zhou Mi thinks he does quite a good job at listening to the lengthy explanation of the current standings in Master’s League, but when Donghae suddenly stops talking it takes him a moment to realize it’s silent.
“I’m sorry,” he apologizes honestly, swirling the remains of his coffee in his mug. “I have so much on my mind right now.”
“Like how to get rid of an apartment full of flowers and how to fit Kyuhyun’s chunky thighs into the tight pants for the show?” Donghae throws in a good guess, grinning. His hair is pulled up on a messy half-ponytail, and he looks like he’s coming fresh from a dance practice. “Or maybe what to do with a hot model who is definitely into you?”
“Well,” Zhou Mi laughs, “all of the above?”
“You could make Kyuhyun exercise by bringing all the wilted flowers to the trash. And then you can go on a date with said hot model to make the flower deliveries stop.” Donghae seems more interested in licking his spoon clean than actually focusing on the discussion at hand, but his words do make sense. A lot of sense, actually.
Zhou Mi sets his mug down on the table. The coffee is cold already anyway. “I don’t know if I like him,” he admits, honestly.
“Hey,” Donghae looks up. “You’re not marrying him. You’re going out on a date with him. If you don’t like him, you dump him! See, I’m a genius.”
That makes Zhou Mi laugh. “Yes, I suppose so.” He doesn’t have anything to lose, anyway.
Donghae’s words stay on Zhou Mi’s mind for the rest of the hectic day, swirling and spinning somewhere in the background while he focuses on fixing the last outfits to match their standards. It’s mostly mechanical work and leaves him enough time to dwell in his thoughts, although he isn’t completely sure if it’s a good or a bad thing.
At moments like this he curses the fact both he and Heechul like to use a lot of sequins and pearls, and add little details into their designs. It feels like his fingers are going to fall off at some point from all this needlework, especially since he is the one it’s assigned to. It’s no wonder that at one point he manages to pierce his finger with the needle, a tiny droplet of blood seeping into the white shirt he is holding. “Oh shit!” He cries, quickly pulling his hand back although the damage is already done.
Cursing, he throws the cloth on the floor, rubbing his temples. He can also feel the beginnings of a headache, which obviously helps him tons in his frustration. Resigned, he reaches to grab the shirt again when movement in the corner of his eye catches his attention. “Oh. Siwon.” Whether it’s luck or misfortune, Siwon is standing a few steps away looking at him with a hint of worry on his expressive features.
“Do you need help?” Siwon asks politely, already taking a step closer as he motions towards the shirt still lying on the floor and Zhou Mi, bent over to reach for it. Quickly Zhou Mi grabs the shirt, summoning a polite smile from somewhere. “No, thank you. I’m fine.”
Siwon looks at him for a second but then simply smiles and indicates a bow. He has already turned around and is about to leave, when Zhou Mi speaks up. “Actually, Siwon?” He isn’t completely certain what compels him to do this, but it’s too late to stop anyway. “I could really use some distraction, with the way things are going. I haven’t had a free moment in weeks and I feel like I’m going insane. So. That date you keep offering me?”
He looks up and Siwon is just staring at him expectantly, like he has no idea where this is leading. Zhou Mi sighs a little, willing himself to stop babbling before he gets another foot into his mouth. “I’d like that. You know, if the offer is still on?”
When Siwon smiles it reaches all the way to his eyes and Zhou Mi has to admit those dimples are actually quite charming. “Of course it is,” he answers without a second’s hesitation. “Whenever you’re free.”
They schedule the date - Zhou Mi has a tiny moment of freaking out after he realizes he is going out with a famous model, after all, boring or not - for the following Sunday right after the fashion show on Saturday. Zhou Mi spends the whole Friday evening annoying Kyuhyun, asking him what he should wear (“Aren’t you backstage for the show?” “For the date, idiot!”) and going through every stage of pre-date stress he is quite prone to, especially when he’s stressed to begin with. He doesn’t shut up before Kyuhyun forcibly gets him down on the couch and forces him to sit through a whole movie-marathon with him.
At least soon it will all be over. Kyuhyun repeats that over and over, not really certain whether he is trying to convince himself or Zhou Mi more.
“Quick, get the lights!” The low hiss is enough to cut through the tense silence next to the stage and instantly the spotlight follows the model walking down the catwalk, illuminating the puffy pink cotton-candy dream she is wearing. It looks almost magical and although Zhou Mi wasn’t sure about the design before, now he is glad they included it. He knows a good model and good lighting go a long way, but it still wouldn’t save a horrible rag so he feels he is allowed to pat his own back.
He knows he is needed backstage though and with one last glance he leaves, slipping through the slightly ajar door into the room that is buzzing with people. The music is still audible but over it there are Heechul’s snappy instructions, the rustling of cloth as everyone tries to be ready for the next time they need to step out, people talking animatedly all around him. A part of Zhou Mi loves it like this, enjoys the way it’s too busy to even sit down for a second.
Donghae is too bouncy for his own good, grinning from ear to ear as one of the girls applies more make up on his face. If Zhou Mi wouldn’t know better he might’ve thought Donghae made the worst model in history, but he knows his friend can pull it off. At least if any of the rehearsals are anything to go by. Kyuhyun is grumbling and tugging on his pants, obviously not delighted that they are like painted on. It makes Zhou Mi grin and he heads towards the two, to make sure they are ready to go out in a couple of minutes.
On his way there he gets distracted by their main model, though. Quickly, he scans Siwon’s appearance from head to toe and he has to admit, the man looks absolutely stunning. It’s no wonder Siwon is one of the most eligible bachelors in the whole country, one of the celebrities men and women alike admire and want to get close to. He supposes he should count himself lucky, very lucky, that tomorrow he is going out with him.
Zhou Mi is pulled out of his reverie exactly two seconds later when Heechul screeches loud enough for everyone to drop whatever they are doing. “Oh fuck!” Heechul emphasizes, kicking the nearest chair until it clatters down on the ground. For a good minute everyone stares, unmoving, before Zhou Mi snaps into movement. “Heechul? What is going on?”
Turns out that the reason for Heechul’s fit was witnessing a blouse rip right when he was trying to fix it better on one of the models, the tear so big it would be visible to the furthest corners of the audience. They try their best to fix it with safety pins and get everything back together, but that is only the beginning of the disaster. Soon there are several outfits that either tear or won’t fit like they are supposed to, models stumbling on the stage and lights flickering on and off whenever they please.
Both Zhou Mi and Heechul are close to a nervous breakdown, running to and fro in their desperate attempts to save what can be saved. Kyuhyun is promoted from a model to technician and he is fighting with the lights, while there’s a small army of helpers trying to get the music back on properly instead of the same song looping nonstop.
No one knows how, but when the stage props catch fire that is like the perfect ending to the show. A highlight that was never expected.
When the firemen are getting the situation under control, the whole building is evacuated. The damage isn’t much, except for the ruined stage build and the flooded hall. In the midst of all the chaos Zhou Mi sits between Heechul and Kyuhyun on the stairs of the opposite building, Donghae at his feet, the concrete cold and damp but none of them really cares. For some reason Siwon opted to stay with them too, leaning against the wall to their left.
“This is the end!” Heechul wails and Zhou Mi drops his head on Kyuhyun’s shoulder, who offers him a vaguely comforting pat on the back. They watch the firemen collect their equipment, preparing to leave. No one really wants to talk about the show though, so when Heechul speaks up again after a moment he has switched the topic completely. “That tall guy beside the truck is kind of hot.”
Zhou Mi makes an agreeing sound, distantly noticing the man. Donghae is the one to chirp up like a good cheerleader for his roommate. “You should go hit on him! It’s not like the day can get any worse.”
“You should’ve stayed inside and let him carry you out of the burning building,” Kyuhyun points out, gaining a murderous glare from Heechul as a reward.
They stay there, more or less silent, until the firemen have cleared off and pretty much everyone else has left. They watch the traffic flow by, until the first heavy raindrops start colouring the pavement at their feet. Heechul is the first one to stand up, with a huge sigh, stretching his back. “I’m going to go home. If you don’t hear from me by Monday you can assume I was depressed enough to do something drastic.”
Donghae flashes a smile. “Don’t worry I’ll keep an eye on him.” They take off and Kyuhyun drags Zhou Mi up from the stairs, telling him they should head back as well. It’s only then that Zhou Mi remembers Siwon, who has been silent the whole time. He turns to him, offering a soft smile. “You should go, too, Siwon,” he points out. “You’re going to get sick if you stand in the rain.”
Siwon straightens, his hands in his pockets. It looks like he wants to say something, but in the end he changes his mind and just flashes his dimpled smile. “Tomorrow is still on, right?”
“Sure,” Zhou Mi has to chuckle a little. It will probably do him good to get some distraction, instead of staying home and mulling over it the whole day. After a few words and good night wishes for them both Siwon goes his own way, leaving Zhou Mi alone with Kyuhyun.
Kyuhyun gives him a long look. “You look like crap.” No need to sugar coat it, anyway. “Remember the bottle of scotch Heechul gave you but you never touched?” After Zhou Mi’s nod he goes on. “I think it’s time we open it.”
Zhou Mi agrees.
The next morning Zhou Mi wakes up feeling like someone is hammering three inch iron nails into the back of his skull, the disaster from the previous night still running through his mind. He spends the morning moping around in his pyjamas until Kyuhyun kicks him into the shower and tells him to start looking human again. It actually helps, and by the time Zhou Mi emerges from the bathroom he feels halfway decent. Like life might go on after all.
He warms some soup and spends the afternoon on the couch, watching Kyuhyun play some new release he had gotten his hands on, neither of them saying a thing. Until Kyuhyun unexpectedly hits pause, turning a questioning gaze at his roommate. “Shouldn’t you get ready for your date?” It’s a good question, knowing that Zhou Mi can spend days agonizing over what to wear for an outing, if he happens to be in that kind of mood.
The question startles Zhou Mi, his eyes wide as he jumps upright. “Oh my god!” Frantically he tries to remember everything there is to consider before going out, to look at least somewhat presentable. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier!?” He doesn’t have any time to scold Kyuhyun further, though, not right now.
Zhou Mi is ready to go only five minutes after the time they agreed on. Of course, Siwon is there ten minutes early.
It’s not the first time Zhou Mi gets to eat in a five star restaurant but it’s certainly rare, and he doesn’t even realize how vocally he enjoys his food. He has a habit of clearly showing what he likes, expressions matching, and his friends have told him several times he tends to take it overboard.
“Do you always …relish your food like this?” Siwon asks, his tone perfectly polite, but Zhou Mi knows it’s code for asking how he can eat so much and still be so skinny. Not the first time he’s having that conversation in his life.
Zhou Mi digs his spoon into the tempting parfait, flashing a grin. “I am a poor art student. I go a week without eating and then I pick up a handsome stranger to treat me dinner in an expensive restaurant so I can binge eat so much I’ll explode. Rinse and repeat.”
“You think I’m handsome?” Siwon can’t keep the pleased surprise out of his voice. It makes Zhou Mi laugh.
“That’s what you picked from that?”
“Sorry, sorry,” Siwon apologizes immediately and somehow the way he says it sounds even catchy. They exchange matching grins and twenty minutes later Zhou Mi is explaining how important it is to know he is an art student, and how it differs from the nerdy things his roommate does, for example. It is quite easy to lose the track of time.
After dinner, they go to the movies - a classic dinner and movie date, but Zhou Mi doesn’t mind when he gets good food and an enjoyable movie out of it. It’s a new action movie that’s been running only for a week by now, so the theatre is full. Definitely not the best movie they’ve ever seen, but it’s entertaining enough to watch once.
When they exit the theatre, a cool breeze of wind makes Zhou Mi shiver and he is glad he brought a jacket as he pulls it tighter around himself. “Would you like to walk a bit?” Siwon asks, and Zhou Mi agrees. They talk about everything and nothing, except for the fashion show as they both know it’s a subject that has to rest for a while.
At one point, Zhou Mi realizes the failure of a show hasn’t crossed his mind in a good while.
Somehow they end up in a nearly empty fast food place, sitting in the corner table. Siwon insisted on paying, of course. Zhou Mi is stirring his milkshake with the thick straw, giggling at the elaborate way Siwon just described Heechul and how he told him Zhou Mi absolutely loves huge bouquets of flowers. It isn’t hard to imagine Heechul like that, and Zhou Mi has to admit some of Siwon’s word choices are absolutely brilliant.
It takes him a while to calm down his laughter, before he finally manages to speak. “How do you know Heechul?” Zhou Mi knows one could spot his curiosity a mile away, but he doesn’t even try to hide it as he blinks at Siwon, sipping on the milkshake.
“Through a common friend,” Siwon flashes one of those charming smiles of his. “Though I might have to cancel our friendship now.”
That makes Zhou Mi sputter another laugh. “Seriously, how did you even believe all the things he said to you!”
“About the roses?” Siwon arches an eyebrow. “I don’t know. You seem classier than anyone I’ve dated before,” he speaks earnestly and Zhou Mi’s cheeks heat up a bit, although he isn’t sure why, “so maybe I figured you might like things like that? The sappy romance movie things.”
“Well, I do. In moderate doses. But Siwon, let me tell you,” Zhou Mi is laughing again by now, the whole situation is more than a little amusing. “Drowning someone in roses is never, ever a good way to get their attention.” After a second he adds, “Kyuhyun enjoyed the chocolates, though.”
Siwon laughs.
Siwon walks Zhou Mi to his door. It seems exactly like a thing Siwon would do and somehow, Zhou Mi doesn’t really mind. At all. He’s in a good mood and he can honestly say he has enjoyed tonight more than he ever expected to. It’s not very far fetched to say he hasn’t felt this relaxed in months, but of course it’s partly because of the fashion show being over, disaster or not.
“I had a lot of fun,” Siwon smiles almost shyly as he looks at Zhou Mi through those impossibly long lashes, the annoyingly charming dimples appearing on his cheeks again.
This time, Zhou Mi doesn’t find it in himself to be irritated by any of it though, in fact he doesn’t pay much attention at all. Instead he offers a bright smile, meeting the other man’s gaze straight. “Me too.” He doesn’t really think before he goes on, the words spilling from his lips on their own accord. “You know, I wouldn’t object to another dinner, either. That is, if you’re paying.”
He gains low chuckles as a response and Siwon nods in agreement. “I know, the poor life of a student - ” “Art student.” “ - art student. I will be happy to feed you.”
Zhou Mi half doesn’t expect it, half does, and the next moment Siwon is cupping his jaw in his warm palm, kissing him softly. As far as first kisses go, this one ranks pretty high on Zhou Mi’s list, and thinking that makes him smile into it.
Siwon is still perfect. He still holds the doors open for Zhou Mi, offers to carry his bag, smiles at him and attentively listens to his every word. The difference is that now Zhou Mi has gotten a glimpse of the other sides of the man. It feels a lot less intimidating to know he is, in fact, human.
They part with the promise of meeting again, soon, their steps light as they go their ways.
When Zhou Mi gets inside he is humming to himself, smiling as he falls down into the couch face first. Kyuhyun makes an amused sound, reaching to poke Zhou Mi with his toes. “So he’s not mister perfect and boring anymore?”
Zhou Mi lifts his head enough to sneak a peek at Kyuhyun, who is grinning smugly at him over his cup of tea. With a soft sigh, Zhou Mi rolls over onto his back, a smile spreading on his lips. “No. I guess not.”
All in all, he supposes he could date worse men than Choi Siwon. He is pretty certain of that.
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This entry was originally posted at http://rabenhorst.dreamwidth.org/90530.html. You can also comment there using OpenID!
Author:
fonulyn
Rating: PG13 (? language)
Pairing: Siwon/Zhou Mi, Heechul, Kyuhyun, Donghae
Disclaimer: I own no one, only my dirty imagination.
Summary: In which Siwon is torn right out of a romantic novel, and Zhou Mi isn't exactly thrilled. (Originally posted here!)
Comments: This is written for
sujuexchange's holiday exchange (go check out all the awesome fics posted this year, go go!), for meiface. First time writing the pairing and I probably had too much fun with the side-characters but oh well~ Enjoy :D
“Now,” Heechul grunts as he pushes himself off the floor, stretching his hurting back until it gives a disturbingly loud snap. “We only need models fabulous enough to match the awesomeness that is our designs.” He leans back against the wall, elbows resting on his knees. “Which is impossible, obviously.”
The way he glances at the sketches strewn all across the floor is almost affectionate, like a proud father looking at his children at a particularly proud moment. He has all the reason to, they worked their fingers to the bone drawing, colouring, erasing, correcting, smudging and starting from scratch once again. Zhou Mi is smiling at least equally happily, his eyes shining as he brushes the eraser residue off the latest piece. “Oh we can manage,” he states, positive. “The clothes will compensate any and all shortcomings!”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Heechul smirks, but one can see how his posture is already a lot more relaxed than before. Finishing the designs means they’ve done the most important part. Now it all comes down to finding suitable models and actually putting together the clothes for the show. They have a small army of helpers from their course, people in charge of the stage, lighting and music, but it doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be perfectionists enough to try supervising everything.
The next thing they know is a shadow landing on their drawings, preceding an actual Donghae who plops down seconds later. “Did you guys already find models?” He asks, mouth half-full of crisps.
Heechul yelps and barely manages to save the plan of a bright yellow dress with polka dots from underneath Donghae’s feet. He frowns at the younger man, smoothing out the nonexistent crinkles on the paper. “No. Or yes. We have a few but not enough.”
“We took almost everyone who auditioned,” Zhou Mi takes over, shaking his head shortly when Donghae offers him the bowl of sour cream and onion. “There was one guy who kept on tripping over his own two feet, of course we had to turn him down.”
“Or the girl who didn’t stop talking! She was so annoying,” Heechul groans theatrically.
Zhou Mi gives him a look, half-amused and half-exasperated. “You didn’t need to be so rude to her, though.”
The only answer he gets is a shrug. Donghae seems mildly interested in asking more details but he doesn’t get the chance, not before another voice cuts in from the couch. “Heechul is just annoyed she was prettier than him,” Kyuhyun mumbles without even looking up, his eyes glued to the screen of his laptop.
“She was not,” Heechul is quick to defend himself, his voice rising before he gets momentarily distracted by the greasy fingers Donghae is extending towards one of his precious sketches. He slaps them away, ignoring the resulting pout. “Stop making a mess. Otherwise I’ll make you wear that dress, you know I will.”
“Sure!” Donghae’s smile is a little too sunny. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”
Momentarily, Heechul is torn between scowling and laughing, but then decides for the latter. “I’ll give it to you, you look quite fabulous in drag,” he smirks. “Of course not as good as me, but.”
“Hey guys! That is actually a brilliant idea!”
They all turn to look at Zhou Mi. Even Kyuhyun raises his gaze from his computer to arch a questioning eyebrow. “What? Dressing Donghae in drag?”
“No!” Zhou Mi waves a dismissive hand at his roommate, practically vibrating with excitement over his realization. “Dressing Donghae in these!” He gestures towards the drawings at their feet, considering them for a moment before picking up a sketch of a dark, modernized suit. “Imagine him in this. He has a dancer’s body, he knows how to carry himself with confidence, he’s not bad on the eyes…”
Heechul eyes the drawing warily, then Donghae, then the drawing again. Thoughtfully he worries his lower lip between his teeth. “Alright. Donghae, you just got yourself a job.”
It’s impossible to say who looks more thrilled, Donghae or Zhou Mi, with the way they’re both squealing enthusiastically as they high-five over the bowl of crisps. Next Donghae turns to look at Heechul, eyes all bright and innocent. “Kyuhyun would make a good model too!”
“No!” It’s not the first time Kyuhyun and Heechul speak in unison, neither of them sparing it a single thought.
Donghae pouts. “Why not? C’mon. He’s got a good figure and he doesn’t look bad. He’s surprisingly popular amongst the ladies for being such a nerd!”
“Hey,” Kyuhyun protests but doesn’t get any further before Heechul cuts him off. “I’m not having him walking in my designs showing off his acne pits and ridiculous haircut.”
“There is nothing wrong with my haircut!” Kyuhyun has the audacity to look offended, his fingers stopping completely on the keyboard. “If Donghae can pull off modelling those rugs of yours I can do it twice as good.”
“And we can smooth out his skin with make up,” Zhou Mi supplies helpfully.
Kyuhyun doesn’t even have the time to realize he’s basically trying to talk himself into the fashion show. When Heechul finally gives his consent and agrees to make Kyuhyun a model too, he simply huffs and focuses back on fixing the loop in his MatLab code that keeps bringing him back to the excessively balding hamster. He completely misses the victorious grin his friends share.
Even with the additions of Kyuhyun and Donghae, they are still a couple of models short. Zhou Mi is kind of bummed since he would love to walk the show too, and he knows he could pull it off better than most of the models they’ve raked up. He also knows they are both needed backstage, to make sure everything works out properly and they avoid the biggest fashion catastrophes.
For a while, it seems like everything works out just about perfectly. Donghae is eager to help and shows up for fittings even when he isn’t needed. Kyuhyun is less enthusiastic but he lets Zhou Mi drag him along whenever he has to try a costume or two. They both turn out to be surprisingly good at the whole modelling business, too, which of course leads to Heechul taking all the credit and telling them it was all because of his intense model training program.
Then, three weeks before the actual show, one of their main models has an accident on the soccer field and breaks his ankle. Heechul is furious. He curses the whole sport and everyone who plays it, throws a proper temper tantrum and only then calms down to think about it. They already consider Zhou Mi filling in but he is built considerably slimmer than the previous model and no one wants to go through altering all the outfits.
Resigned, Zhou Mi already took in the seams of a pair of dress pants and begins on a silk shirt, trying to ignore the insane amount of re-adjusting he’d need to do in less than twenty days. That is when Heechul barges in, slamming the door open so fast it’s surprising it doesn’t come off its hinges. “I’ve got us a model!” He grins triumphantly.
“A model?” Zhou Mi turns to look at him, surprised. This sounds too good to be true. “What kind of a model?”
“A real model,” Heechul emphasizes, his smile even widening as he takes a seat next to the sewing machine, looking up at his friend. “As in, a person who has walked fashion shows and posed for the fucking Vogue and all! You have actually seen him, wait,” he turns to furiously go through his bag, making a victorious sound when he finds the magazine he’s looking for. “Here.”
Zhou Mi takes the magazine and it’s already flipped open, the glossy pages bent. That is the last thing on his mind when he sees the pictures though, his eyes widening. “Choi Siwon!?” He nearly squeaks and suddenly, it’s a little bit harder to breathe. “You got us Choi Siwon!?”
Already the fact that they will get a professional model is more than enough to qualify as friggin’ awesome, but getting Choi Siwon, one of the hottest new models in the industry, one whose fame has skyrocketed within the past few months making him an idolized celebrity? That is beyond their wildest fantasies and if Zhou Mi didn’t know Heechul so well he would think he is lying.
“How did you do that?” Zhou Mi looks at his friend, not even trying to cover his shock and, admittedly, how pleased he is about this.
Heechul is brimming with satisfaction, grinning like the Cheshire Cat himself as he swirls around in the squeaky chair. “I have my connections~” he sing-songs. “He is also doing this completely free, did I mention? Apparently he used to study here for a while before he dropped out to pursue his career, and he feels like doing it as a favour to his old school and fellow students.” He doesn’t need to add that Siwon, judging by his height and his build, is roughly the same size as the model they lost. It means only slight alterations to the clothes instead of redoing them all.
“This,” Zhou Mi beams, “is the best thing that could have happened to us!”
In person, Choi Siwon turns out to be a complete and utter disappointment.
Actually, he is everything Zhou Mi expected him to be. He is tall, he is handsome, he is polite, he moves like a, well, model and he is a perfect gentleman through and through. He holds the doors open for Zhou Mi, offers to carry his bag, smiles at him and attentively listens to his every word. He is always charming and wraps everyone he meets around his little finger.
Siwon kind of makes Zhou Mi feel like a girl who’s being wooed. Maybe that is why he doesn’t like him. It’s like interacting with a cardboard cutout instead of a real person with actual flaws and edges. Siwon is all polished surfaces and impeccably timed reactions. The only thing that is a little awkward about him is how he is so eager to please, so earnest and willing to try anything and everything.
It also feels a little disconcerting how he seems to direct most of his attention towards Zhou Mi. He never fails to include everyone present and never makes a big number of things, but to Zhou Mi it feels like he is being watched. He has no proof, every time he turns to look at Siwon he is looking away, but it doesn’t make the feeling fade in the slightest.
After three fittings, Zhou Mi is ready to do something desperate. Like, rip off his clothes and dance hula on the tabletops just to see if he could get any kind of a reaction out of Siwon. Of course he doesn’t do anything so drastic, but instead buys a whole litre of mint-fudge ice cream and drops down on the couch with the container and a spoon as soon as he’s home. He might have groaned theatrically, too, judging by the long look Kyuhyun gives him from behind his computer.
“That bad?” He asks, his fingers still flying on the keyboard. At least he has managed to conquer MatLab by now and can focus on the next part of his project, namely figuring out why the hell none of his calculations match with the results he gets from Excel.
Zhou Mi sighs again, for good measure, and digs his spoon into the ice cream. It’s still so hard the spoon bends a little but he doesn’t care, furiously scraping himself a mouthful anyway. “Yes! I am going to die of frustration before this project is over.” He looks at his crooked spoon and makes a sad face. “Or kill all of our cutlery.”
That seems to spark Kyuhyun’s curiosity and he leans over the desk, pushing his computer further. “Is your big shot model such a prick then? A diva you can’t work with?”
“No,” Zhou Mi shakes his head, going for another spoonful of ice cream. “Heechul is more a diva than he is. Siwon is… perfect. He makes no troubles, he spends more of his time with us than would even be needed, there is nothing he can’t possibly do and he is just, plain, perfect.”
“…and?” Kyuhyun frowns, confused.
“And he is so boring!” Zhou Mi cries. “How can someone be flawless and amazing at everything he does and have a rehearsed reaction to every moment you can think of?”
“Zhou Mi, he is a professional. He knows his job,” Kyuhyun rolls his eyes. “Shouldn’t you be happy he is easy to work with?” He gains no answer as Zhou Mi only snorts, reaching for the remote control to up the volume to drown out his flatmate’s voice. Kyuhyun rolls his eyes again, for good measure, even though he knows it’ll pass by unseen. “You’re going to get fat with all the ice cream.”
“You’re one to talk,” Zhou Mi grumbles. “You sit on your butt so much it’s doubled in width.”
“Says the one with no butt at all.” They have waltzed this discussion back and forth so many times they both lost count, and Kyuhyun’s reply comes automatic as he resumes cursing at his computer.
“I can’t hear you, the TV is on too loud!” Zhou Mi ups the volume even more, just in case.
The next day, Zhou Mi gets flowers.
It’s a huge bouquet of deep red roses - forty of them, Kyuhyun informs after staring at the arrangement for five minutes unmoving - delivered into their shared apartment in the early morning just when Zhou Mi is about to run to catch the right train to campus. He forgets all about his economics class when he stares at the long stem roses, obvious high quality, something he’s only seen in romantic movies.
There is also a little note tucked between the petals of one rose and Zhou Mi removes it carefully. He hesitates and a part of him doesn’t even want to read the card, but curiosity wins and he flips it open.
Call me? Siwon
Siwon’s handwriting is loopy and neat, the message written right in the middle of the card, like printed. For some reason that manages to irk Zhou Mi even further and quickly stuffs the paper into his pocket. Out of sight, out of mind, he reasons. Besides, he doesn’t even have Siwon’s number.
Zhou Mi ends up being late in class. When he returns back home Kyuhyun informs him that he did a quick Google search. Apparently the number of roses is as significant as their colour, and while everyone knows what red means, forty of them stand for genuine love and affection. “You, my friend,” Kyuhyun smirks and his eyes sparkle with mischief, “got yourself one very determined admirer.”
Somehow, Zhou Mi doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“I don’t get it!” Zhou Mi whispers to Heechul during their quick lunch break, trying not to attract any unwanted attention from the people around them. “How did he even know where I live? I’ve been getting flowers every single day for the past week!”
“Flowers?” Heechul looks interested and doesn’t even seem to consider focusing on any of Zhou Mi’s concerns before he gets a more elaborate answer to satisfy his curiosity.
Zhou Mi stabs his salad with a little more force than necessary. “Yes, flowers. It began with forty red roses last Tuesday. On Wednesday I got red carnations. On Thursday it was a bouquet of red chrysanthemums. On Friday orange lilies, on Saturday primroses, on Sunday red tulips, on Monday asters, on Tuesday moonflowers. And today I got forget-me-nots.”
Impressed, Heechul whistles. “Oh. Wow. You can open your own flower boutique soon!”
“Not funny, Heechul,” Zhou Mi sighs, leaning back in his seat. “Kyuhyun googled the flowers and guess what. They all mean love and devotion, in one form or another. The man is creeping me out!”
Unable to hold back, Heechul snorts and almost manages to spit his latte on the table. He is still cackling when he reaches for a napkin, obviously more than amused by his friend’s distress. “Well,” he drawls slowly, “I might have given him your address. Complete with your phone number, which I imagine he hasn’t used yet. And,” Heechul looks smug, all too happy with himself. “I might have told him you’re old fashioned and you love grand romantic gestures like flowers and chocolate.”
Zhou Mi groans, burying his face in his palms. “So that’s why there have been boxes of chocolate, too. C’mon, Heechul. Do you like to watch your friends suffer?”
“Actually,” Heechul waves a dumpling around before sticking it into his mouth, grinning around it. “I do.”
Zhou Mi decides he will have to talk to Siwon and tell him straight how things are. Unfortunately, it turns out to be impossible to get Siwon alone now that there’s only a week to go before their fashion show and they need to get everything done. So the flowers keep coming (different flower every day, their meanings varying from love at first sight to hopeless devotion, and Zhou Mi dearly hopes it’s not intended literally), the boxes of chocolate keep coming, and with those little notes that ask him out.
It is still a little creepy, but now that Zhou Mi knows Heechul is behind it all he doesn’t really consider Siwon criminally insane anymore. He simply thinks the poor man might’ve watched a few too many romantic comedies with grand confessions of love, and that he fails at romance, hard. At first he considers sending the expensive chocolates back, at least, but then he comes home to Kyuhyun sitting on the couch in the midst of five opened confection boxes, his lips smeared in chocolate.
“You could ask the lover boy to send more almond nougat,” Kyuhyun informs and although Zhou Mi can’t see him - there is a gigantic bouquet of tulips on the couch table, as well as some more roses on the kitchen counter - he can hear he has his mouth half-full of candy. “Also, the white chocolate is too sweet.”
Zhou Mi harrumphs, unable to hold back the hint of a smile. “It’s free chocolate, don’t complain. It’s going to stop soon enough.” Right then, right there, he knows he has to talk to Siwon even if it means having half of their team and a dozen models eavesdropping on the exchange. Things can’t go on like this. He has to think of Kyuhyun’s health and prevent him from outgrowing the outfits before the fashion show.
And well, maybe he doesn’t want to lead Siwon on, either.
The next day they have the final fitting. Zhou Mi is there early and for once, luck is on his side since the first person to walk into the room after him is no other than Siwon. He instantly greets him with a soft smile, indicating a slight bow like he always does in his perfect politeness. Zhou Mi knows he will chicken out if he doesn’t get right down to it and he speaks up before he can have second thoughts. “Could we talk?”
Siwon perks up at that, offers another one of his charming smiles and takes the seat next to Zhou Mi’s, while still facing him. “Of course.”
“It’s. It’s about the flowers,” Zhou Mi begins, not really knowing how to say what he wants to get across. “Could you please stop sending them?”
For a second, Siwon looks just confused. He is even frowning lightly and Zhou Mi thinks it’s the first time he has seen him not smiling. Oddly enough, it somehow makes him like him more. “Don’t you like flowers?”
“I do,” Zhou Mi answers, unable to be anything but honest when he’s being looked at like that, all earnest and expectant. “I like flowers. But I don’t like living in the middle of a flower shop, and I don’t like having flower deliveries every morning at the crack of dawn, I don’t like listening to my stupid roommate needle me about secret - or not so secret - admirers, I don’t like figuring out where to put the seventeenth bouquet when I ran out of space a dozen flower deliveries ago.”
Understanding is dawning on Siwon’s face and for a moment Zhou Mi feels bad for him. He offers a smile, even reaching to pat Siwon’s hand. “I appreciate the chivalrous attitude and all the effort you’re putting into this. It would be perfect if I was a girl and if we lived in the twenties.”
“But it’s not working now, is it,” Siwon more states than asks, meeting Zhou Mi’s gaze straight.
Zhou Mi takes a deep breath. “No. It’s not. Look,” he knows he speaks a lot when he’s nervous but he can’t stop himself from going on. “You’re a great guy, charming and hot and all that jazz. But I’m not looking for a relationship, or someone to drown me in roses, okay?” It sounds all too much like the classic it’s not you it’s me -speech, but he can’t take it back anymore.
The door creaks open and for once Heechul is like a saving angel, completely unaware of the moment he just walked into as he starts throwing orders to get Siwon into the last clothes that needed fitting. He excuses himself and goes to find the safety pins they seem to have misplaced.
It’s merely two hours later when Zhou Mi runs into Donghae in the cafeteria. He sits down with his large black coffee, opposite to Donghae and his huge portion of ice cream with probably fifteen different toppings. Zhou Mi thinks he does quite a good job at listening to the lengthy explanation of the current standings in Master’s League, but when Donghae suddenly stops talking it takes him a moment to realize it’s silent.
“I’m sorry,” he apologizes honestly, swirling the remains of his coffee in his mug. “I have so much on my mind right now.”
“Like how to get rid of an apartment full of flowers and how to fit Kyuhyun’s chunky thighs into the tight pants for the show?” Donghae throws in a good guess, grinning. His hair is pulled up on a messy half-ponytail, and he looks like he’s coming fresh from a dance practice. “Or maybe what to do with a hot model who is definitely into you?”
“Well,” Zhou Mi laughs, “all of the above?”
“You could make Kyuhyun exercise by bringing all the wilted flowers to the trash. And then you can go on a date with said hot model to make the flower deliveries stop.” Donghae seems more interested in licking his spoon clean than actually focusing on the discussion at hand, but his words do make sense. A lot of sense, actually.
Zhou Mi sets his mug down on the table. The coffee is cold already anyway. “I don’t know if I like him,” he admits, honestly.
“Hey,” Donghae looks up. “You’re not marrying him. You’re going out on a date with him. If you don’t like him, you dump him! See, I’m a genius.”
That makes Zhou Mi laugh. “Yes, I suppose so.” He doesn’t have anything to lose, anyway.
Donghae’s words stay on Zhou Mi’s mind for the rest of the hectic day, swirling and spinning somewhere in the background while he focuses on fixing the last outfits to match their standards. It’s mostly mechanical work and leaves him enough time to dwell in his thoughts, although he isn’t completely sure if it’s a good or a bad thing.
At moments like this he curses the fact both he and Heechul like to use a lot of sequins and pearls, and add little details into their designs. It feels like his fingers are going to fall off at some point from all this needlework, especially since he is the one it’s assigned to. It’s no wonder that at one point he manages to pierce his finger with the needle, a tiny droplet of blood seeping into the white shirt he is holding. “Oh shit!” He cries, quickly pulling his hand back although the damage is already done.
Cursing, he throws the cloth on the floor, rubbing his temples. He can also feel the beginnings of a headache, which obviously helps him tons in his frustration. Resigned, he reaches to grab the shirt again when movement in the corner of his eye catches his attention. “Oh. Siwon.” Whether it’s luck or misfortune, Siwon is standing a few steps away looking at him with a hint of worry on his expressive features.
“Do you need help?” Siwon asks politely, already taking a step closer as he motions towards the shirt still lying on the floor and Zhou Mi, bent over to reach for it. Quickly Zhou Mi grabs the shirt, summoning a polite smile from somewhere. “No, thank you. I’m fine.”
Siwon looks at him for a second but then simply smiles and indicates a bow. He has already turned around and is about to leave, when Zhou Mi speaks up. “Actually, Siwon?” He isn’t completely certain what compels him to do this, but it’s too late to stop anyway. “I could really use some distraction, with the way things are going. I haven’t had a free moment in weeks and I feel like I’m going insane. So. That date you keep offering me?”
He looks up and Siwon is just staring at him expectantly, like he has no idea where this is leading. Zhou Mi sighs a little, willing himself to stop babbling before he gets another foot into his mouth. “I’d like that. You know, if the offer is still on?”
When Siwon smiles it reaches all the way to his eyes and Zhou Mi has to admit those dimples are actually quite charming. “Of course it is,” he answers without a second’s hesitation. “Whenever you’re free.”
They schedule the date - Zhou Mi has a tiny moment of freaking out after he realizes he is going out with a famous model, after all, boring or not - for the following Sunday right after the fashion show on Saturday. Zhou Mi spends the whole Friday evening annoying Kyuhyun, asking him what he should wear (“Aren’t you backstage for the show?” “For the date, idiot!”) and going through every stage of pre-date stress he is quite prone to, especially when he’s stressed to begin with. He doesn’t shut up before Kyuhyun forcibly gets him down on the couch and forces him to sit through a whole movie-marathon with him.
At least soon it will all be over. Kyuhyun repeats that over and over, not really certain whether he is trying to convince himself or Zhou Mi more.
“Quick, get the lights!” The low hiss is enough to cut through the tense silence next to the stage and instantly the spotlight follows the model walking down the catwalk, illuminating the puffy pink cotton-candy dream she is wearing. It looks almost magical and although Zhou Mi wasn’t sure about the design before, now he is glad they included it. He knows a good model and good lighting go a long way, but it still wouldn’t save a horrible rag so he feels he is allowed to pat his own back.
He knows he is needed backstage though and with one last glance he leaves, slipping through the slightly ajar door into the room that is buzzing with people. The music is still audible but over it there are Heechul’s snappy instructions, the rustling of cloth as everyone tries to be ready for the next time they need to step out, people talking animatedly all around him. A part of Zhou Mi loves it like this, enjoys the way it’s too busy to even sit down for a second.
Donghae is too bouncy for his own good, grinning from ear to ear as one of the girls applies more make up on his face. If Zhou Mi wouldn’t know better he might’ve thought Donghae made the worst model in history, but he knows his friend can pull it off. At least if any of the rehearsals are anything to go by. Kyuhyun is grumbling and tugging on his pants, obviously not delighted that they are like painted on. It makes Zhou Mi grin and he heads towards the two, to make sure they are ready to go out in a couple of minutes.
On his way there he gets distracted by their main model, though. Quickly, he scans Siwon’s appearance from head to toe and he has to admit, the man looks absolutely stunning. It’s no wonder Siwon is one of the most eligible bachelors in the whole country, one of the celebrities men and women alike admire and want to get close to. He supposes he should count himself lucky, very lucky, that tomorrow he is going out with him.
Zhou Mi is pulled out of his reverie exactly two seconds later when Heechul screeches loud enough for everyone to drop whatever they are doing. “Oh fuck!” Heechul emphasizes, kicking the nearest chair until it clatters down on the ground. For a good minute everyone stares, unmoving, before Zhou Mi snaps into movement. “Heechul? What is going on?”
Turns out that the reason for Heechul’s fit was witnessing a blouse rip right when he was trying to fix it better on one of the models, the tear so big it would be visible to the furthest corners of the audience. They try their best to fix it with safety pins and get everything back together, but that is only the beginning of the disaster. Soon there are several outfits that either tear or won’t fit like they are supposed to, models stumbling on the stage and lights flickering on and off whenever they please.
Both Zhou Mi and Heechul are close to a nervous breakdown, running to and fro in their desperate attempts to save what can be saved. Kyuhyun is promoted from a model to technician and he is fighting with the lights, while there’s a small army of helpers trying to get the music back on properly instead of the same song looping nonstop.
No one knows how, but when the stage props catch fire that is like the perfect ending to the show. A highlight that was never expected.
When the firemen are getting the situation under control, the whole building is evacuated. The damage isn’t much, except for the ruined stage build and the flooded hall. In the midst of all the chaos Zhou Mi sits between Heechul and Kyuhyun on the stairs of the opposite building, Donghae at his feet, the concrete cold and damp but none of them really cares. For some reason Siwon opted to stay with them too, leaning against the wall to their left.
“This is the end!” Heechul wails and Zhou Mi drops his head on Kyuhyun’s shoulder, who offers him a vaguely comforting pat on the back. They watch the firemen collect their equipment, preparing to leave. No one really wants to talk about the show though, so when Heechul speaks up again after a moment he has switched the topic completely. “That tall guy beside the truck is kind of hot.”
Zhou Mi makes an agreeing sound, distantly noticing the man. Donghae is the one to chirp up like a good cheerleader for his roommate. “You should go hit on him! It’s not like the day can get any worse.”
“You should’ve stayed inside and let him carry you out of the burning building,” Kyuhyun points out, gaining a murderous glare from Heechul as a reward.
They stay there, more or less silent, until the firemen have cleared off and pretty much everyone else has left. They watch the traffic flow by, until the first heavy raindrops start colouring the pavement at their feet. Heechul is the first one to stand up, with a huge sigh, stretching his back. “I’m going to go home. If you don’t hear from me by Monday you can assume I was depressed enough to do something drastic.”
Donghae flashes a smile. “Don’t worry I’ll keep an eye on him.” They take off and Kyuhyun drags Zhou Mi up from the stairs, telling him they should head back as well. It’s only then that Zhou Mi remembers Siwon, who has been silent the whole time. He turns to him, offering a soft smile. “You should go, too, Siwon,” he points out. “You’re going to get sick if you stand in the rain.”
Siwon straightens, his hands in his pockets. It looks like he wants to say something, but in the end he changes his mind and just flashes his dimpled smile. “Tomorrow is still on, right?”
“Sure,” Zhou Mi has to chuckle a little. It will probably do him good to get some distraction, instead of staying home and mulling over it the whole day. After a few words and good night wishes for them both Siwon goes his own way, leaving Zhou Mi alone with Kyuhyun.
Kyuhyun gives him a long look. “You look like crap.” No need to sugar coat it, anyway. “Remember the bottle of scotch Heechul gave you but you never touched?” After Zhou Mi’s nod he goes on. “I think it’s time we open it.”
Zhou Mi agrees.
The next morning Zhou Mi wakes up feeling like someone is hammering three inch iron nails into the back of his skull, the disaster from the previous night still running through his mind. He spends the morning moping around in his pyjamas until Kyuhyun kicks him into the shower and tells him to start looking human again. It actually helps, and by the time Zhou Mi emerges from the bathroom he feels halfway decent. Like life might go on after all.
He warms some soup and spends the afternoon on the couch, watching Kyuhyun play some new release he had gotten his hands on, neither of them saying a thing. Until Kyuhyun unexpectedly hits pause, turning a questioning gaze at his roommate. “Shouldn’t you get ready for your date?” It’s a good question, knowing that Zhou Mi can spend days agonizing over what to wear for an outing, if he happens to be in that kind of mood.
The question startles Zhou Mi, his eyes wide as he jumps upright. “Oh my god!” Frantically he tries to remember everything there is to consider before going out, to look at least somewhat presentable. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier!?” He doesn’t have any time to scold Kyuhyun further, though, not right now.
Zhou Mi is ready to go only five minutes after the time they agreed on. Of course, Siwon is there ten minutes early.
It’s not the first time Zhou Mi gets to eat in a five star restaurant but it’s certainly rare, and he doesn’t even realize how vocally he enjoys his food. He has a habit of clearly showing what he likes, expressions matching, and his friends have told him several times he tends to take it overboard.
“Do you always …relish your food like this?” Siwon asks, his tone perfectly polite, but Zhou Mi knows it’s code for asking how he can eat so much and still be so skinny. Not the first time he’s having that conversation in his life.
Zhou Mi digs his spoon into the tempting parfait, flashing a grin. “I am a poor art student. I go a week without eating and then I pick up a handsome stranger to treat me dinner in an expensive restaurant so I can binge eat so much I’ll explode. Rinse and repeat.”
“You think I’m handsome?” Siwon can’t keep the pleased surprise out of his voice. It makes Zhou Mi laugh.
“That’s what you picked from that?”
“Sorry, sorry,” Siwon apologizes immediately and somehow the way he says it sounds even catchy. They exchange matching grins and twenty minutes later Zhou Mi is explaining how important it is to know he is an art student, and how it differs from the nerdy things his roommate does, for example. It is quite easy to lose the track of time.
After dinner, they go to the movies - a classic dinner and movie date, but Zhou Mi doesn’t mind when he gets good food and an enjoyable movie out of it. It’s a new action movie that’s been running only for a week by now, so the theatre is full. Definitely not the best movie they’ve ever seen, but it’s entertaining enough to watch once.
When they exit the theatre, a cool breeze of wind makes Zhou Mi shiver and he is glad he brought a jacket as he pulls it tighter around himself. “Would you like to walk a bit?” Siwon asks, and Zhou Mi agrees. They talk about everything and nothing, except for the fashion show as they both know it’s a subject that has to rest for a while.
At one point, Zhou Mi realizes the failure of a show hasn’t crossed his mind in a good while.
Somehow they end up in a nearly empty fast food place, sitting in the corner table. Siwon insisted on paying, of course. Zhou Mi is stirring his milkshake with the thick straw, giggling at the elaborate way Siwon just described Heechul and how he told him Zhou Mi absolutely loves huge bouquets of flowers. It isn’t hard to imagine Heechul like that, and Zhou Mi has to admit some of Siwon’s word choices are absolutely brilliant.
It takes him a while to calm down his laughter, before he finally manages to speak. “How do you know Heechul?” Zhou Mi knows one could spot his curiosity a mile away, but he doesn’t even try to hide it as he blinks at Siwon, sipping on the milkshake.
“Through a common friend,” Siwon flashes one of those charming smiles of his. “Though I might have to cancel our friendship now.”
That makes Zhou Mi sputter another laugh. “Seriously, how did you even believe all the things he said to you!”
“About the roses?” Siwon arches an eyebrow. “I don’t know. You seem classier than anyone I’ve dated before,” he speaks earnestly and Zhou Mi’s cheeks heat up a bit, although he isn’t sure why, “so maybe I figured you might like things like that? The sappy romance movie things.”
“Well, I do. In moderate doses. But Siwon, let me tell you,” Zhou Mi is laughing again by now, the whole situation is more than a little amusing. “Drowning someone in roses is never, ever a good way to get their attention.” After a second he adds, “Kyuhyun enjoyed the chocolates, though.”
Siwon laughs.
Siwon walks Zhou Mi to his door. It seems exactly like a thing Siwon would do and somehow, Zhou Mi doesn’t really mind. At all. He’s in a good mood and he can honestly say he has enjoyed tonight more than he ever expected to. It’s not very far fetched to say he hasn’t felt this relaxed in months, but of course it’s partly because of the fashion show being over, disaster or not.
“I had a lot of fun,” Siwon smiles almost shyly as he looks at Zhou Mi through those impossibly long lashes, the annoyingly charming dimples appearing on his cheeks again.
This time, Zhou Mi doesn’t find it in himself to be irritated by any of it though, in fact he doesn’t pay much attention at all. Instead he offers a bright smile, meeting the other man’s gaze straight. “Me too.” He doesn’t really think before he goes on, the words spilling from his lips on their own accord. “You know, I wouldn’t object to another dinner, either. That is, if you’re paying.”
He gains low chuckles as a response and Siwon nods in agreement. “I know, the poor life of a student - ” “Art student.” “ - art student. I will be happy to feed you.”
Zhou Mi half doesn’t expect it, half does, and the next moment Siwon is cupping his jaw in his warm palm, kissing him softly. As far as first kisses go, this one ranks pretty high on Zhou Mi’s list, and thinking that makes him smile into it.
Siwon is still perfect. He still holds the doors open for Zhou Mi, offers to carry his bag, smiles at him and attentively listens to his every word. The difference is that now Zhou Mi has gotten a glimpse of the other sides of the man. It feels a lot less intimidating to know he is, in fact, human.
They part with the promise of meeting again, soon, their steps light as they go their ways.
When Zhou Mi gets inside he is humming to himself, smiling as he falls down into the couch face first. Kyuhyun makes an amused sound, reaching to poke Zhou Mi with his toes. “So he’s not mister perfect and boring anymore?”
Zhou Mi lifts his head enough to sneak a peek at Kyuhyun, who is grinning smugly at him over his cup of tea. With a soft sigh, Zhou Mi rolls over onto his back, a smile spreading on his lips. “No. I guess not.”
All in all, he supposes he could date worse men than Choi Siwon. He is pretty certain of that.
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