Cheese Fondue
Title: Cheese Fondue
Pairing:Yong Hwa/ Seo Hyun
Genre: Romance, cheese and other stuff
Rating: PG
Summary: You chose to be happy. And being happy doesn't have to be complicated.
Seo Hyun drew in the wintry air, letting it fill her lungs until there was no room for breathing. And then she let it out, in one loud puff. She ran her tongue along her lips, chapped and dry from the cold. It was a relentlessly freezing afternoon. The barest rays of the sun were visible at the horizon. She clutched on the sleeves of her sweater as she felt the coldness seeped through the thickness of her clothes.
Seo Hyun watched as the world around her went by, lethargic and slow. Below, she could see a few people walking down the streets, a blur of unhurried striding - a mother holding on to her children, a couple linking each others’ arms, an old man tapping his watch.
A smile crossed her lips.
In rare moments like this, she felt like a passive onlooker, a silent observer. She was used to people constantly in her face, trying to delve into her thoughts and actions, and make news out of every single thing. She was used to the glaring lights of the camera, its flashes momentarily blinding her each time; of the gossips and rumors that go about each day, some surprising her with their absurdity.
“Hyun.”
Seo Hyun turned around to see Jung Yong Hwa standing behind her, his breath warm on her cold cheeks. Her heart had a sudden thump, and she had to swallow hard because it seemed as if that odd beat sent her heart to her throat. The way her heart accelerates in his presence or how at times, her chest feels so overwhelmed and ready to burst that it makes her shy and awkward.
“Oppa…” she muttered, embarrassed at their closeness.
Yong Hwa flashed his toothy smile at her. “I went to your room. You weren't there, so I assumed you were here.”
“That’s quite an accurate assumption, Oppa.”
His stare was making her weaker, she felt as though the ground beneath her would collapse any moment. Unconsciously, she ran her tongue again along her lips. Uh-oh. She caught herself regretting the gesture as Yong Hwa’s eyes darkened, his gaze fixed on her lips.
“What did you do that for?” Yong Hwa asked, his eyes unfocused.
Seo Hyun pressed her lips together. “Hmm?”
“Aigoo, Seo Joo Hyun,” he smirked. He knew too well she did not mean to entice him, but seeing her at the verge of panic was amusing. “Are you trying to seduce me, young woman?”
Her eyes widened at his implication. “Ne?!”
He closed the gap between them, trapping her body against his. “Don’t look at me with those innocent eyes.”
A resounding smack landed on his shoulder, making him stagger backwards. “Yaa, Jung Yong Hwa! I’ve been here for almost an hour now, in the cold! Try doing that and let’s see if your lips don’t crack!”
“You want me to moisturize it?”
“Yaaaaaa!” Seo Hyun exclaimed, her cheeks burning from embarrassment. Yong Hwa’s laughter rang through her ears. So acute was her embarrassment that she swore she could provide heat to a couple of homes that night.
“What? I’m trying to be helpful,” Yong Hwa teased, his lips trembling from holding back his laugh. Taking out a lip balm from his pocket, he chuckled loudly. “Here, take this. What were you thinking, Seo Hyun-ah?”
The initial embarrassment she felt turned into utter amusement; she laughed so hard tears started to form at the rim of her eyes. Their laughter, a string of beautiful notes, echoed across the vast space. Slowly, their laughter subsided and they stood silently, facing each other. Yong Hwa stared into the deep wells of her eyes; he didn’t quite understand the way Seo Hyun looks at him like he is a prize rather than a sacrifice, how she loved him so purely. It scares him, sometimes, that he might break her.
“Hyun…” He straightened his arm, an invitation for her. With a smile, Seo Hyun slipped her fingers between his.
“Yo~ong…” She chimed playfully in an attempt to dissipate the awkward moment.
Yong Hwa stared at their entwined hands and wondered how something as simple as this moment be so perfect it almost moved him to tears.
“Oppa…”
“Hmm?”
“I’m just curious…”
Yong Hwa tugged at her hands, squeezing it lightly. “Curious about what?”
“Do you really like girls with single eye lid?”
“Mwo?!”
Seo Hyun pouted, deliberating whether her query would ruin the moment. “Anio. Forget it.”
“Jashik,” Yong Hwa ribbed. “Is this about Kim Yuna-ssi?”
Hesitantly, she nodded. “I’m just curious.”
“Why? You’re jealous, aren’t you?”
Seo Hyun pulled her hands away, but Yong Hwa grabbed it back. “Forget I asked. I was just curious.”
Taking a deep breath, he looked at her straight in the eyes. “I thought I made it clear before that I like girls with pure and innocent eyes. But apparently, my girlfriend here forgot it.”
“But you said it yourself. Your ideal girl is Kim Yuna-ssi…” Seo Hyun prodded, her pout becoming more defined.
“We signed a contract together for an endorsement. You knew about it, right?”
“Ne.” Her eyes lowered to the ground, avoiding his gaze.
Yong Hwa tipped her chin up. “You still don’t believe me, do you?”
“Ah, chincha! My Unnies teased me nonstop because of that! They told me I should get my eyes done since you like monolid girls! Why didn’t you tell me ahead that you would say that!? I mean, Kim Yuna-ssi is pretty and her eyes, well… ah, chincha! The more I think about it, the more I feel that you really like her!”
He can’t help it; he chuckled loudly at her speedy grumbling. “Do you have any idea how cute you are right now?”
“I’m serious, Oppa! Do you like her?”
“No.”
“But…”
“I love you. I love only you, Seo Joo Hyun.” He let go of her other hand, and snaked his arm around her tiny waist. He heard her grunt in surprise, her eyes widening. “Now shut up and let me kiss you.”
“Ne?!” Seo Hyun felt her breath caught in her throat as his face came nearer.
“Jashik,” Yong Hwa whispered before touching her lips with his. He traced the soft contours of her lips. It was the softest of kisses that always shook him; how her lips press against his warmly; how, after a few moments, her lips part slowly, letting him take over; how their mingled breaths taste like a promise of a lifetime of bliss.
He raised his lips from hers long moments later, resting his forehead against hers. Seo Hyun opened her eyes slowly and stared into his. A smiled etched on her lips.
“Oppa,” she spoke in a soft voice. “Saranghae…”
“Don’t ever doubt what I feel for you again, Seo Hyun-ah…”
“Arasso~”
“And don’t ever listen to your unnies when they tease you. Your eyes, they're the prettiest pair I've ever seen.”
“Ne~”
“And… don’t ever smile sweetly at anyone.”
“Ne?!”
Yong Hwa playfully pinched the tip of her nose. “I’ve been hearing a lot about your fanboys, young lady. They sprung like mushrooms all around you. I wonder what you’ve been doing lately that’s gotten these boys’ attention.”
“Fanboys!?”
He nodded. “Those guys from VIXX, Kyu Hyun-ssi…”
“Kyu Hyun is just an oppa…”
“A comfortable one, so I’ve heard,” he finished. He watched her episode in Radio Star for two reasons. One, to see how Seo Hyun would deal with her unnies’ inevitable teasing, and two, to see how Kyu Hyun would react to it. He remembered cringing while Soo Young and Hyo Yeon casually brought up the dating rumors between the two.
“You’re jealous, huh?”
“I am.”
Seo Hyun giggled giddily, putting her hands up to squeeze his cheeks. “Aigoo… my choding boyfriend is jealous. Ottoke?"
She was about to lean over to give him a peck on the lips when her mother appeared by the doorway. “What are you two doing out here in the cold!?”
Yong Hwa reflexively bowed and sheepishly smiled at Seo Hyun’s mother. “Annyeong haseyo, Omonim…”
Seo Hyun guiltily kept her hands at her back. “Omma! How did you find us here?”
“Where else would you be? You can only date here, on the rooftop. I hate to break it to you, but in case you two haven’t noticed, it’s getting dark and it’s freezing our here. You will have to continue talking inside," her mother smiled teasingly.
Both had their eyes on the ground, smiling shyly at themselves. “Ne…”
“Come on in before you two catch a cold, especially you, Yong Hwa. I heard you weren't feeling well this morning.”
Seo Hyun glanced questioningly at Yong Hwa. “Eh, Oppa? You’re sick?”
"Anio, I'm okay now," he lied. Yong Hwa kept his eyes low, slightly shaking his head. True, he felt sick, but he didn't want Seo Hyun to worry about trivial things. He knew how busy their group was for the comeback and promo tours. Why, they hardly even see each other when they live two floors apart!
“Jung Shin told me when I went to check on you this morning,” Seo Hyun's mother disclosed.” You didn't even have anything on your fridge! What did you guys have for breakfast?”
Like mother, like daughter, Yong Hwa thought to himself. “We just had takeouts, Omonim…”
“By takeouts you don't mean pizza, right?” Seo Hyun’s eyes narrowed.
Seo Hyun’s mother let out a laugh. “Aigoo… Before you two quarrel over pizza, get in. Dinner’s almost ready. And Yong Hwa, call the others. Tell them I’m inviting them over for dinner.”
“Ne, Omonim.”
“Especially Jung Shin. You should treat your maknae better! Look at how thin he is!”
“Ne, I’ll go pick them up. We’ll be there in 5 minutes,” Yong Hwa winked at Seo Hyun and jogged towards the stairs. Less than a week ago, she was surprised to see all four members of CN Blue at her doorstep. She dismissed it as a joke when Jung Shin, Yong Hwa and Jong Hyun blurted out they were neighbors, until Min Hyuk confirmed it. ‘Seems like we’re going to be tagged forever as compatible neighbor chinggus,’ he jokingly added.
"I'm glad those boys decided to move in with us. I feel like our family's gotten bigger," her mother smiled at her.
Seo Hyun took her mother’s hands as they went down the stairs. “Omma, why did you accept him so easily? You know, as my boyfriend…”
“Hmm. Because I trust you, and I can see that Yong Hwa makes you happy.” She gave Seo Hyun’s hand a light squeeze.
“And?”
“He loves you, simple as that."
Her eyes grew misty. "But it's never that simple, Omma..."
"That guy's got a big heart and he loves you. I know he would risk his life for you in a heartbeat. You don't have to mull over it too much, if you've made the right decision or not. You chose to be happy. And being happy doesn't have to be complicated."
Her lips trembled as she tried to stifle a sob.
"Aigoo, my Joo Hyunnie... come here," her mother pulled her in a tight embrace and Seo Hyun swore she felt the warmth of summer. Closing her eyes, she felt the warmth pulsating through her whole being, like a thick blanket on a relentlessly cold winter. "You really love him, right?"
"Ne..."
"What's your heart telling you to do?"
For some reason, a tear trickled down Seo Hyun's face. "I don't know, Omma..."
"Maybe," her mother said gently, "you're trying too hard to hear it."