Blood Brothers Chapter 3
Pairing: KyuTeukChul (yeah, you read that correctly), other pairings will appear later. The story also focuses on the bond between Heechul, Zhou Mi, and Hankyung as blood brothers.
Rating: M for violence and mature scenes
Chapter Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, suspense, romance, thriller
Disclaimer: fanfiction…speaks for itself. As much as I would love to own them, owning a human being is kind of morally and ethically wrong, so let’s not go there.
Summary: Revenge is a bittersweet fruit. Once you have taken a bite, the taste never leaves. It lingers in the throat, under the tongue, on every taste bud. Kim Heechul became used to the taste long ago.
Chapter 2 ----- Chapter 4
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Chapter 3
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Hankyung’s fingers rested above his keyboard, frowning as he stared at the screen. His eyes trailed over the updated information about the Cho family, and he sighed. He’d gone over the information three times over the course of the evening as he waited for Zhou Mi and Heechul to get home, and he hadn’t found anything significant that he didn’t already know.
He’d looked over Yumyeong Industries’ stock prices, exports and imports, and business transactions to see if there was anything useful there. Nothing they didn’t already know. As he scrolled down the page he paused.
How many times had he woken in the middle of the night to find Heechul staring at a computer screen or a TV or a file he’d managed to print out? They’d been young then, but even at that time Heechul had been fixated on this goal. He’d drunk in every ounce of information he could and had absorbed it like a sponge.
At first Hankyung had thought Heechul’s plot for revenge was stupid. And dangerous. He’d tried so many times to get the other boy to stop, to give up that part of him and live a normal life with Zhou Mi and himself in China.
Then he’d learned the whole story, had watched as Heechul stood in front of the casket that held his mother and didn’t cry, merely vowed revenge, and he realized that he would do anything he could to keep the fragile boy in front of him from shattering, even if it meant taking some of his hatred for himself.
That hatred had grown, festering, and now Hankyung wasn’t certain if it was really Heechul that wanted to destroy Yumyeong Industries or him.
He was pulled from his silent musing by the sound of his cell phone ringing. He looked down at the number and sighed, putting the phone to his ear, “Do you have anything new?”
“You wanted to know why Park Jungsu was at the aquarium the other day, didn’t you?” The voice asked over the other end, slow and steady.
Hankyung sat up a bit straighter in his seat. “You know?”
“Cho Kyuhyun was at the aquarium. He ran away from the business meeting at Yumyeong and hid at the aquarium. Park Jungsu went to go bring him back.”
Hankyung’s hand tightened on the phone. They were both there? He could have gotten rid of them so easily…especially the Cho boy if he had come alone without a bodyguard. He could have pulled him into a bathroom stall and strangled him. No one would have been the wiser, and that would be one person out of the way. They’d be one step closer to fulfilling Heechul’s wishes, and Heechul wouldn’t have been tied to the death in any way at all. It would have been perfect.
Hankyung cursed himself for his inattentiveness. He should have spotted the boy!
“You’ll be paid for the information. If anything else comes up, call.” Hankyung hung up first, staring down at the now dark screen of his computer as it turned off to save power. He heard keys turning in a lock and looked up just in time to see Zhou Mi and Heechul walk into the living room.
“I can’t believe you let the dress get ruined!” Zhou Mi whined softly, looking at the stained front in the closest he could come to mourning. “I picked it out so specifically…”
“I needed to make a first impression.” Heechul smirked, pulling his hair out of its bun and shaking it out roughly. “What better way than having him spill a drink on me? It’s the only way he’d follow me out of the main room.”
“Why couldn’t you have just talked to him in the ballroom?” Zhou Mi was unbuttoning the jacket of his tuxedo, turning his head to the side as he stretched out his neck.
“With everyone listening? God, even I could tell my talk sounded disgustingly fake. Only an idiot like that Jungsu would believe it for a minute.” Heechul laughed, before falling onto the couch, laying down in Hankyung’s lap. “Hannie…my back hurts, rub it for me.”
“Change out of that dress first. You reek like alcohol.” Hankyung muttered, shifting his laptop out of the way. Heechul pouted but didn’t move from his spot, grabbing the laptop and skimming the files. “Mmmm…find anything new?”
“Our contact called. Cho Kyuhyun was at the aquarium yesterday, that’s why Jungsu arrived.”
“He was there?” Heechul sat up a bit in surprise, “We didn’t see him…”
“He escaped from the meeting.” Hankyung’s hand slowly rubbed up and down Heechul’s back, kneading the tense muscles. “Our information stated that he disliked his position as heir and anything that dealt with the business, but it seems worse than we thought. We can use that to get closer to him though.”
Heechul arched into Hankyung’s hand like a cat, and Zhou Mi half expected him to start purring as he settled himself back down in Hankyung’s lap, eyes drifting closed. “…neck too…”
“Idiot, your hair’s in the way.” Hankyung cracked a small smile, but Heechul was already drifting to sleep, his breathing evening out as he sighed softly.
Zhou Mi sat down beside Hankyung, moving Heechul’s legs and placing them across his lap. He began untying his heels, slipping the tall shoes off and letting them hit the carpeted floor with a soft thump. He paused, thumb running over Heechul’s heel, “Aish, a blister…he’s not used to these kinds of shoes…I told him to wear the other ones.”
“What are our plans for tomorrow?” Hankyung asked calmly, playing with Heechul’s hair as the other man mumbled in his sleep, trying to swat his hand away.
Zhou Mi pulled out his palm-pilot. “Xi Che ge is planning on looking around the university that Cho Kyuhyun attends. It’ll probably be the only place he’ll be able to contact him without alerting anyone else.”
“Like Park Jungsu.” Hankyung murmured grumpily.
Zhou Mi nodded, scanning the itinerary he’d made for the next day. “I have a meeting with Director Cho and Director Park tomorrow afternoon. You’ll be doing recon, posing as my bodyguard.”
Hankyung gave a gruff nod, rubbing circles against the back of Heechul’s neck as he watched Zhou Mi. “What did Park Jungsu think?” He still wasn’t content with the fact that both he and Zhou Mi would be somewhere else while Heechul went running around Seoul. It was true Heechul knew his way around the city better than they did, but he’d be defensless-relatively-and dressed as a girl and-
“I think he’s attracted.” Zhou Mi didn’t look up from the screen. “But Xi Che ge wants to have him fall in love before he crushes him, so he’ll need more time.”
“I don’t see why we can’t just kill them.” Hankyung pouted. Hankyung didn’t really like violence, but this…this way would be cleaner. And the sooner they destroyed Yumyeong Industries the sooner they could all go back to China and everything would be normal again. More normal than ever, because revenge wouldn’t be hanging over their heads then.
“It’s more painful to live with the knowledge that you have been utterly betrayed than to die, don’t you think?” Zhou Mi laughed, and the sound was chilling to Hankyung’s ears. Sometimes it was hard to remember that Zhou Mi was the youngest of the three, the one who pouted and teased and acted cute so he could get his way or so Heechul would take him shopping. The one who had whined until the other two had finally conceded and bought him a puppy.
Hankyung thought it was rather sad, that the three of them had such split personalities that they could become someone else in an instant. His grip on Heechul tightened.
“Let’s get him out of this dress and put him to bed.”
---
Kyuhyun stared down at the cellphone in his hands and glared as the screen told him that his game queue was empty and would he like to buy some more? He clicked yes, and then the screen politely told him that his account had been suspended and he would have to renew it.
He looked up to where Sungmin was driving. “You did this, didn't you?” My father probably ordered you to.
“Of course not.” Sungmin smiled from behind pink-tinted sunglasses. “I’m horrible with computers and things. One of the computer technicians did it for me.”
“…bastard…” Kyuhyun grumbled, slumping back against the leather seat. This was definitely turning out to be the worst week of his life. First he’d gone the entire night without an internet connection, now his phone didn’t do anything but call and text, and he wasn’t allowed to leave the house…except for school. Which was where he was currently headed.
Sungmin had also informed him that he had been ordered to stand outside each of his classes and escort him around campus during the week as part of his punishment. If that wasn’t enough, Jungsu had called him at an ungodly hour the night before to gush about some girl he’d met at the party.
Kyuhyun groaned, fumbling for his phone. Where was it? He peered through the darkness and saw something flashing on the floor. He reached down and pulled his cellphone out of his jean pocket and peered at the time, even as the phone continued ringing. 2:15? Who the hell was up at 2:15 in the morning? He didn’t seem to recall that usually he would be up right now playing Starcraft if he’d had internet.
“What is it, Jungsu?” He grumbled into the phone, glaring out into the dark expanse of his room because it hurt to look at the bright screen of his phone.
“Kyuhyun!” Jungsu’s voice was breathless. “She’s perfect.”
“What?”
“I met her at the party. A girl.” Kyuhyun had never heard Jungsu sound so happy. At least, not after a party. And not after talking to a girl. It wasn’t that Jungsu didn’t like girls. He did. He liked girls a lot. But Jungsu was awkward with girls and intimidated by most of them. That probably had something to do with being surrounded by gold-diggers and opportunists. It was rather difficult to find a girl you could actually enjoy hanging around in the upper echelons of society.
Kyuhyun knew. He’d tried. Also, Jungsu had a rather…over-romantic ideal for girls and none of them ever fit the standard because really, girls like that didn’t exist.
So as Kyuhyun waited sleepily for Jungsu to continue, he couldn’t picture in his mind any girl that would fit Jungsu’s ‘perfect girl’.
“She’s not like all the other ones. She’s snippy and witty and sarcastic, but she can be sweet too and-”
Since when had that been Jungsu’s ideal girl? “How long have you known her?”
“Three hours.”
Kyuhyun rolled his eyes. “Ya, Jungsu, take this advice, she’s just like all the others. Now go to bed and let me sleep. Some of us have school tomorrow!”
“Wait, you were sleeping? Aren’t you usually playing Star-oooooooh….”
Kyuhyun hung up on him.
The car pulled to a stop and Kyuhyun opened the door the moment the engine stopped. Sungmin followed close behind, smiling brightly as he breathed in deeply. “The air is really nice, don’t you think?”
“It’s freezing.” Kyuhyun grumbled, stuffing his hands into the front pocket of his hoodie. “Why is it so cold in October anyway?”
They continued down the walkway, Sungmin holding his books and not answering except for a cheerful, “That was a rhetorical question, wasn’t it?” That made Kyuhyun think Sungmin had been spending too much time with him. His sarcasm was starting to rub off on the older man.
People were staring. People always stared at Cho Kyuhyun when he walked on campus…but people didn’t stare quite like this. They were probably staring at Sungmin, who was the least discreet bodyguard in the world with his pink glasses and hot pink t-shirt beneath his navy jacket…and brightly colored jeans.
“This is embarrassing.” Kyuhyun muttered, slipping on his large sunglasses before walking into the building.
“…as if no one would notice you with those on.” Sungmin snorted, but followed behind dutifully.
---
Heechul awoke in small incriments. At first all he could feel was a soft warmth covering his body, but then sunlight began streaming through the window and hit his face and he grumbled, grabbing something to put over his eyes.
That something happened to be an arm, and that arm was attached to a person, so pulling it all the way across the bed became a difficult task, especially when someone on his other side was kneeing him in the stomach.
“…damn Seasonings…why are your legs so long…?” Heechul grumbled, blinking sleepily as he tried to wake himself up. The alarm hadn’t gone off so he figured he still had a little bit of time to drift back to sleep, but unfortunately for Heechul, he needed more than just a little bit of time to go back to sleep once he’d woken up. A good hour or so would be needed and as he looked to the clock over the bare expanse of Zhou Mi’s back, he saw that he only had ten minutes.
“…might as well get up…” He grumbled, trying to free himself from the sleepy clutches of his two Chinese friends. Zhou Mi’s legs were tangled up in his own, the rest of his body hanging halfway off the bed. Hankyung’s arm-the one that Heechul hadn’t tried to dislocate-was wrapped loosely around his hips. The two were making it rather difficult to escape.
Somehow he managed to wriggle free and pull Zhou Mi further up on the bed so he didn’t fall off, all before he went to the alarm clock and canceled the alarm. He’d let the other two sleep a little more while he took a shower, then he’d wake them up.
Most people would think he was being considerate and giving them a few extra moments of sleep. Most people wouldn’t realize that he was the Kim Heechul who simply wanted to shower longer without the other two barging in and making him turn the hot water down because it was burning the skin off their backs.
Che. Wimps.
He figured that someone had undressed him the night before because he was now wearing nothing but a pair of boxers as he trudged into the bathroom and shut the door softly behind him. He turned on the hot water, not even bothering with the cold to even the temperature out. He looked into the mirror and winced. His face was still covered in makeup, and lipstick was smudged down the side of his chin. He figured the rest of said lipstick was over the sheets or someone’s skin, and he really hoped it would come out.
As steam began rising from the shower he ducked his head and splashed water on his face in the sink, scrubbing furiously to get the makeup off. He was too tired to use the makeup remover, and it made his skin oily, so he preferred a good hot water scrubbing. That fixed everything, didn’t it?
He slipped off his boxers and stepped into the shower, letting out a satisfied hiss as the scalding water hit his back. He turned around, letting the boiling downpour hit his face and chest. His skin turned red as he blindly reached behind him for the soap.
He worked up a lather on his arms, mentally going over his schedule for the day. He’d eat breakfast, get ready, and head over to Yonsei University for the afternoon. He didn’t plan on meeting Cho Kyuhyun, but he wanted to spot him and maybe watch him for a while, study his behavior and the like, see if there was anyone at the university he hung out with.
Besides, from what he remembered there was a nice café outside the university that sold amazing cinnamon dolce lattes. The soap bubbles drifted down the shower and swirled around the drain and Heechul sighed, feeling the aches and pains that often shot up his body begin to disappear under the heat. He lifted his leg and brushed along the side of one scar tentatively.
The moment the shower door was slid open Heechul dropped his leg and turned with a glare, “Hannie! Ya, you scared me!”
“Sorry.” Hankyung grumbled sleepily, “Scoot over.”
Heechul did so and Hankyung hissed as the water hit him, “Turn the heat down, geeze. Are you trying to cook yourself?”
“I’d be delicious.” Heechul cocked his head back and gave Hankyung a flirty grin, “Don’t you think so?”
“Idiot.” Hankyung was glad that his skin was flushed from the hot water, it made hiding his blush easy. He simply grabbed the shampoo and squirted a small amount into his palm.
“Wash my hair.” Heechul ordered, tugging on the water-logged locks that plastered themselves to his bare neck and back. Hankyung hesitated, before giving in and running his shampoo covered hand into the wet tangles.
He worked the shampoo into a thick lather, fingers running nimbly along Heechul’s scalp, making the other man give a small grunt of pleasure. “Hannie, you always do it best.” Heechul leaned back into his touch.
“Heechul…” Hankyung swallowed, because his throat suddenly felt dry. Sometimes he wondered how he’d been able to live like this with Heechul day in and day out without snapping.
“What?” Heechul’s eyes had fluttered closed as he let the water spray him and Hankyung massage his scalp.
“Heechul I-”
And that was when Zhou Mi squeezed into the shower. “Ya!” Heechul yelled out, opening one eye as he was shoved against the wall, “Seasonings, what are you doing?”
“Saving money!” Zhou Mi smiled cheerfully, before grabbing the soap, “Where’s the sponge?”
---
Jungsu went to bed with a smile on his face and woke up with one stretching from ear to ear. He buried his face in his favorite pillow and breathed out deeply, smothering the small laugh that bubbled to his lips.
He rolled over onto his back, still grinning as he stared up at the ceiling. “…Gam Xi Che…” He whispered to himself, and then began laughing again. Those three hours the night before had been the best three hours of his life. Inwardly he thanked Kyuhyun for getting into so much trouble and not being able to come. What would have happened if he’d been there?
He wouldn’t have spilled his drink on her. Would he have noticed her at all? Of course, it’s impossible not to notice her. Everyone was looking at her last night. Even with the entire front of her dress stained with champagne she’d held everyone’s attention, drawing admiring stares as she and Jungsu had talked the entire night away in a small corner of the room sipping wine and eating hors d’oeuvres. They hadn’t danced once, nor had she asked him to dance, and Jungsu was silently glad for that. Finally, a girl who didn’t want to dance!
And then when they’d left the party his father had slapped him on the back and grinned with a, “I’m proud of you, son.” It hadn’t meant quite so much then, but now it made him let out another peal of pleased laughter. His father liked her. His father wanted the match.
“Well who am I to go against his wishes?” Jungsu grinned, before sitting up in bed. “Kangin!”
“Mmm?” Youngwoon yawned, sticking his head into the room. It was too early for someone to be this cheerful…they didn’t have to get up for another two hours so why was Jungsu running around stripping? The other boy had made it to the bathroom before he turned around with another dimpled smile to his bodyguard.
“Where are Director Gam and his sister staying?”
---
“…and don’t forget to finish reading International Business Networks by Casson and Cox for the next class. I want that report done by Monday.”
Kyuhyun mumbled a ‘yes sir’ with the rest of the class, slipping his books into his book bag. He stood from his seat and paused, seeing the other students file out of the class quietly. The professor was looking down at his desk, tidying up his files to put in his briefcase. The flood of students would make it difficult for Sungmin to get into the room…
He inched toward the window, doing his best to get there quickly but quietly enough not to alert the professor. The professors were probably in on everything too. College professors were always a little sketchy. You never knew whose side they were really on.
He reached the window and hurriedly opened it. He slipped his bag out first, watching as it slid down and hit the ground a few feet below him. He followed out a moment later, dropping into a crouch and grinning triumphantly to himself as he looked around for any sign that he had been spotted.
No one was looking his way.
Good. Kyuhyun slipped his hood up, putting his sunglasses back on as he headed to the back of the campus. It would be easier to get away undetected if he took a back road.
Besides, there was a café by the university that sold the most amazing cinnamon dolce lattes. Also, he figured that this would be a good time to go and look for his Fish Girl, as he had decided to call her. He figured she’d be fun for a while. She was different, and she was something that had caught his attention. Not many things could catch Cho Kyuhyun’s attention and hold it. Even less things could do that and not be a video game.
He figured that after a few dates he would get over her. The novelty would fade and she’d be just another pretty face that he’d seen, been interested in, and had gone after. Kyuhyun never cared for anything for very long. He had three lasting relationships. One was his friendship with Jungsu. The other was his bond with Sungmin that he didn’t know how to describe. The third was his love for Starcraft. He doubted that a fourth would ever be added to that list.
Cho Kyuhyun threw things away when they didn’t interest him any longer or when they annoyed him. If he couldn’t throw the bonds off; say, like with his father, than he would try his hardest to get them to sever those ties themselves.
Cho Kyuhyun was not attached to anyone he didn’t do the attaching to himself. It was easier that way, and it caused less problems. His small circle was enough for him.
Still…his small circle couldn’t amuse him forever.
And that was why he was now searching for Fish Girl.
“Ya! Cho Kyuhyun! Get back here right now! You have calculus in ten minutes!”
Kyuhyun’s head whipped around and he saw Sungmin leaning out the window, glaring at him. Kyuhyun broke into a run, leaping over a bush and almost getting stuck on it as he stumbled, fell, and managed to scramble back to his feet at the same moment Sungmin leapt out the window.
Geeze, did Sungmin have to make everything look like it was an action movie? Kyuhyun bet he’d strike a heroic pose when he leapt over the bushes too. He was almost as bad as Siwon.
No, no one could ever be that bad. Or that good, depending on your perspective. But right now Kyuhyun didn’t care. Kyuhyun was trying his hardest to escape from the man that was quickly gaining on him. Sometimes Kyuhyun wished he spent half the time at the gym as he did playing Starcraft. He’d be one of the fittest men in the world.
“Do you want to be grounded for the rest of your life? Get back here!”
Kyuhyun continued running, finally managing to get off the campus and come out on a side street, practically running into the person walking on the sidewalk. She let out a yell and he turned to apologize and stopped.
Fish Girl.
When he first saw her, it was only a glimpse of her face. It took only that glimpse to recognize her and react. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her along with him. “Come on!”
“What are you-” Fish Girl began, but was cut off as he pulled her into an alleyway and put a hand over her mouth. “Shhh!” They both remained silent, her struggling viciously against him as Sungmin ran past.
Kyuhyun let out a sigh of relief, letting go of her. “Are you alright?”
“What are you, a rapist?” She yelled out, slapping his hand away. “I have mace!” She reached into her purse.
Kyuhyun pulled his sunglasses off, “I’m not a rapist, I’m-No! No!” Kyuhyun waved his arms frantically, but she’d already pulled out the can-and sprayed.
---
“I’m so sorry!”
Kyuhyun groaned, “I can’t open my eyes!”
“Here, I’ll do it, sit still.” She peeled back an eyelid and squeezed the eyedropper. “Now blink.”
He did so, and the stinging was starting to subside. He could actually open his eyes without cringing in pain now. The first thing he saw was the worried face of his Fish Girl as she hovered over him anxiously. “Are you alright? I really am sorry. I thought you were a mugger.”
“I’m not.” Kyuhyun grumbled, “Ugh, my mouth was open and everything!” He whined, feeling tears rush down his cheeks as his eyes tried to flush everything out.
“Oh that’s so terrible, did they just break up?”
“Is he trying to pity her into continuing to date? How pathetic.”
“Shhh! Look, he’s crying so hard.”
“Wow, she must have been a real bitch.”
“Aish!” Kyuhyun hissed, leaning back further in the seat and blinking back tears. Great, now everyone around them thought that he’d been dumped.
“Don’t feel so bad, I’m apparently the bitch who dumped you.” Came the soft voice of Fish Girl as she tsked, looking over his face. “Ya, this wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t had your hood up and been wearing sunglasses. You looked like a criminal.”
“What criminal would be this attractive?”
“Che.” Fish Girl placed her hands on her hips and stared at him incredulously. “This guy…so arrogant. Maybe I should spray you again.” She reached for her purse.
“Ah! No!” Kyuhyun waved his hands in surrender, groaning, “Really, this isn’t how it’s supposed to have happened.” Their second meeting was supposed to be romantic. True, she didn’t know they’d ever met before, but he was sure something would have clicked. Or rather, she would have seen how handsome he was and fallen for him. That didn’t seem to be the case. Instead…he’d gotten pepper-spray in the face.
“Here, drink some water.” She grabbed a cup from the table and handed it to him, pressing it to his lips. “And what do you mean, ‘how it’s supposed to have happened?’” Her eyes narrowed again, “Are you a stalker?”
“I am not a stalker.” Kyuhyun snapped back. Why wasn’t this girl like he’d pictured her? It seemed like only her outside was pretty. Inside…she was angry and vicious and terrifying. Well no, she was outwardly terrifying too. He really wasn’t quite certain what to make of her. Still, he couldn’t exactly say he didn’t like it. She wasn’t gentle like he’d expected. Or cheerful and bubbly. But there was something about her that drew him closer.
She let out a sigh, seeming to notice that she looked harsh as she softened her face, the worry coming back into her eyes. “Are you alright? Should I get you something besides water?” She looked around, “We are at a café…”
The burning taste in his mouth was starting to subside from the water and he really wanted something to wash the rest of the taste it down. “You know, to make up for it, you could give me your cellphone number.”
She paused, raising an eyebrow at him. “How many times has that line worked for you?”
None, because he’d never had to use it before. Most of the girls just offered him their numbers. This was his first time taking the initiative, and look what had happened. He’d been pepper-sprayed in the face.
He would not be deterred, however. He’d suffered through mace for this moment. Certain death was waiting for him at home but it would be worth it if he could get Fish Girl’s number. “Let me buy you a coffee.”
The girl laughed, a derisive sound, as she sat down on the chair beside him, one elegant arm resting on the table. “Do I look that easy? I only stayed here because I felt bad about the pepperspray, stalker.”
“I am not-” Kyuhyun stopped, because the look in Fish Girl’s eyes told him that she was enjoying his irritation. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying any more. Why wasn’t she being like all the other girls? What if he told her who he was? She’d be sorry then, wouldn’t she? She’d definitely be nicer.
But is that what you want? Don’t you hate the fact that everyone treats you differently because of your father? An inner voice sneered. Kyuhyun gulped down another mouthful of water angrily. But what could he do to get her number?
“If I guess the kind of coffee you like, you’ll let me buy you a drink and give me your phone number.” Kyuhyun finally spoke, grinning. The perfect plan! Girls were easy to guess, weren’t they? They liked sweet things. Or low calorie things…
He looked her up and down. Was she someone that watched what she ate and drank? She was wearing a pair of dark purple tights and a white lacy babydoll dress, complete with bright yellow pumps and matching handbag. Her hair was curled in loose ringlets and she wore simple makeup: lip gloss and a light eye shadow. She looked comfortable with herself, not uptight. No, she looked confident.
She knew she was pretty. When his gaze went back to her face she was smirking and he knew that she knew he’d been looking. And that yes, she agreed, she was sexy. “You’re pretty confident that you can guess.” Fish Girl leaned back in her chair and eyed him like a cat eyeing a mouse. “And bossy too. Alright, tell me what drink I like.” There was a hint of amusement to her voice, as if she knew he’d never guess.
The truth was, he had no idea. What if she didn’t even like coffee? No, this would be easy. She was a girl, and she didn’t look like a girl who dieted. Girls liked sweet things. Disgustingly fruity sweet things, either that, or chocolate. Yeah, Fish Girl looked like she liked chocolate.
Heechul watched the expressions play out on Kyuhyun’s face in hidden delight and relief. At first he’d been terrified that he’d ruined any chance of making Kyuhyun fall for him. He had, after all, sprayed him in the face with mace. Luckily for him, fate seemed to be on his side.
Fate just can’t let something this sexy not get what he wants. Heechul inwardly grinned, continuing to watch Kyuhyun think. He’d played the part of an independent, straight-forward woman, but it was different than his tactic with Jungsu. With Jungsu there still needed to be a hint of refinement, a hidden, subtle feminine wile that whispered ‘yes, I am beautiful and strong but I'm really fragile on the inside, protect me’. Kyuhyun was different. Kyuhyun wanted confident, sexy, and a little wild.
Kyuhyun didn’t let people in easily, and he also lost interest quickly. Heechul had to be versatile and different with him. He had to be someone that Kyuhyun couldn’t predict, someone that Kyuhyun would enjoy hanging out with. He couldn’t allow himself to become someone gentler until Kyuhyun had fallen hard. Once Kyuhyun began to trust him, Heechul would be able to become softer and more like the woman that would inevitably win Cho Kyuhyun’s heart.
Heechul hadn’t studied the two for fifteen years to not know this much. He just needed to play the parts and the two would be eating out of his hands, like dainty little birds. Then his claws would come out and he’d crush them in his palm.
He would make sure that Yumyeong Industries and the families who ran it remembered Kim Heechul.
“White mocha espresso.”
Heechul blinked as Kyuhyun spoke. The younger boy looked confident with himself, his smug smile stretching. Heechul’s own smile tilted up a bit further. “You’re good.” He murmured.
Kyuhyun grinned, not realizing that he’d been worried. Excitement and pleasure fizzled in his stomach. He’d done it! Now he’d get her phone number and-
“But not good enough.” Heechul sighed, his smile turning into a sinister smirk as he blinked innocently at Kyuhyun, taking delight in the way the younger boy’s smile fell and panic set in. But that was enough torture for the day, and Heechul didn’t know if he could stand being in the presence of someone from Yumyeong much longer.
He simply reached over and grabbed the cell phone from Kyuhyun’s jean pocket, adding his number deftly. “There you go. Bring the coffee and get it right next time.” Then he stood and walked off, leaving a dumbfounded Kyuhyun in his wake.
Kyuhyun looked from the tantalizing sway of Fish Girl’s retreating backside to his phone, which she had grabbed from a pocket very close to his little Kyuhyun. Then the knowledge that he’d gotten her cell phone number processed and he lunged for the phone, hurriedly looking through his contacts.
Kim Cherry
Kyuhyun blinked. Kim…Cherry? His cell phone buzzed and he looked down at the message.
Once you guess my favorite drink, I’ll tell you my name.
--Kim Cherry
Kyuhyun couldn’t help the foolish grin that spread across his face, even as his phone began ringing violently. Was it her? He picked it up.
“You’re dead, Cho Kyuhyun.”
No…no it wasn’t…
----
Jungsu smiled to himself, lifting a hand to check his hair as he stood in front of the apartment he’d been told belonged to Gam Xi Che and her brother. He’d spent the 1 minute and 15 second elevator ride planning on how he was going to smile when Xi Che answered the door.
It was important how he presented himself, after all.
He slowly reached out to knock. The sound echoed and he looked around to see if anyone in the other apartments was going to come out to ask what the noise was about. The sound had seemed unnaturally loud.
“Uh, Gam Xi Che-ssi?”
No answer.
His smile began to fade a bit. Was she not there? He should have called first, he knew it! But he hadn’t wanted to seem like a creeper for getting her cell phone number from the files and they didn’t have a landline…
He also didn’t know if alerting her brother to the fact that he was interested would be a good thing. He’d probably kill him. He looked like he had the ability to kill someone. He also looked like he had the ability to be the sweetest boy on earth, but Jungsu was much more prone to believe that he was evil. There were no such things as sweet businessmen.
He also didn’t particularly want to ask his father for help, even though he felt that his father would probably do so gladly. If they merged with Hong Kong Trading…no, he wouldn’t use his father to get Xi Che! He would do this the old fashioned way…even if that meant coming back every day until she was home.
With that thought in mind he gave a determined nod and headed back to the elevator. As he walked in a boy carrying several white bags walked out. The boy turned to stare at him oddly before shrugging, heading to the same door Jungsu had been standing in front of.
“Ya, Heechul hyung, you aren’t home?” Donghae sighed, placing the bags down. “Good thing I have a spare key…”
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