Fearless Chapter 1
Title: Fearless (Mult-Chp.)
Author: xlolitsnozomix
Pairing: Hanchul
Rating: PG-13 for now
Genre: angst, romance, AU, fantasy
Words: 1600
Summary: Heechul doesn't like the idea of having to share his already amazing lifestyle and perfect home with a foreign stranger aka THE EXCHANGE STUDENT. However, when he actually meets said stranger, things start to change. Heechul can't explain the utter attraction he feels for this other person invading in his life, neither can he explain the strange racing beats of his heart, the unbelievably real visions he keeps seeing, or unusual occurrences floating around the Kim Family Estate.
A/N: unexpectedly fluffy for me, tihs chapter...Enjoy the fluff while it lasts ~~ *evil laughter*
| Prologue |
Hangeng’s pillow makes a quiet flop when he lands face first on it and he sighs into the white, cleanliness of the freshly made sheets. It’s been a long day and the soft linen absorbs some of his jetlag and seasickness.
He’s not thinking about any of the worries that should be occupying his mind - like attending the new school in Korea after the weekend and knowing about three words of Korean in total, or searching for a dance studio around the neighborhood, or what he should do to help out his host parents. Rather, his thoughts have traveled elsewhere entirely and his eyes very gradually begin to close. He slowly drifts farther and farther away from the land of daily hassles and soon he falls into a restless slumber.
Wings. White and fluttering with layers of soft, white feathers. Wings filling his vision until he is nearly blinded by the brightness of them. And then suddenly, a bright flash of brilliant red. It takes Hangeng a moment to realize the vivid, scorching red burst of color is actually from a long strand of hair. Like fiery embers, the luscious locks of red hair float in front of him, as if rising in mid-air; and they brush past his face, tickling his nose.
Hangeng begins to feel his heart pump vigorously inside his chest and he remains awestruck as features of a face begin to emerge from the endless abyss of white and red. It’s inhumanly beautiful and ethereal. Something almost unreal. The eyes flow an eerie yet dangerous obsidian and the pale skin of death stretching tightly over bones is flawless; the mouth is pulled into a tight line and somewhere within the depths of those golden eyes is a pain so unbearable, so unimaginably raw and heartbreaking, that it makes Hangeng’s heart wrench in pain as the eyes stares motionlessly at him.
Then there is something sharp caressing Hangeng’s face and he is almost surprised to see that there are claws against his cheekbone. Hangeng feels that he should scream but he doesn’t because he’s so breathless, so mesmerized, and so undeniably attracted to this…creature. Then tears roll down its beautiful face and something touches Hangeng’s lips and he felt as electrical jolt pulse through him as he realizes the creature’s lips are pressing against his. There is a faint heart beat, but the fragrance of roses from its breath is what makes Hangeng realize…there is something strangely familiar about this being…
A voice in his head suddenly interrupts his train of thought,
“One last kiss for you…my love…I will find you again…” sings a voice so inhumanly melodic that Hangeng’s heart feels like it’s bursting and then shattering.
“Hangeng…” the voice purrs before all the brightness is consumed within the darkness of the shadows.
And then Hankyung is sitting up in his bed in the dark, a trail of cold sweat dripping down his back.
---
Sunshine streams in bright rays through the curtained windows in Hangeng’s room and he awakes to something rough and wet briefly pressing against his face and jumps up in his new bed, startled.
Suddenly finding himself face to face with whiskers and bright green, feline eyes, Hangeng can’t help but cover his mouth to hold in his yelp of surprise.
He doesn’t have much of a reaction time, though, because then suddenly, a voice interrupts his moment of confusion, “HEEBUMIEEE~ what are you doing in there? GET OUT HERE NOW!”
Hangeng glances quickly at the doorway and nearly loses his sanity when he sees Heechul standing at the door looking like a crazy cat lady…literally…
Heechul’s sporting three-sizes-too-big pink striped pajamas, and he already has two other tiny kittens in his arms, not including the one woke him up and currently sheepishly slinking out of Hangeng’s room. Hangeng nearly jumps out of his own skin, yet again, when Heechul shrieks a little bit and stares at Hangeng, wild-eyed, and stalks off in a hurry. Hangeng can’t help but crack a sleepy and dazed smile when he catches a glimpse of Heechul’s insane, red bedhead hair sticking out in in all directions resembling of a pineapple.
Hangeng sighs a little dreamily, flopping down on his new bed for a second time and inhales deeply, “Right, this new life starts here, today!” he tells himself excitedly, smiling a little involuntarily.
---
“Oi, this is bad, very bad…” Heechul hisses into the receiver end of his pink phone.
“Calm down, I’m on my way!” Sungmin replies hurriedly, meanwhile stuffing half a bagel into his mouth as he heads out the front door.
“This cannot be happening…omo…he saw me…AFTER I JUST WOKE UP, Minnie. You know what I look like when I-”
“Look,” Sungmin interrupts him, “everything’s gonna be fine, alright? I’ll fix everything, now just sit your skinny little butt down and wait for me.”
“But Minniee…” Heechul whines desperately.
“I’m sure he was too sleepy to notice you even standing there, Jesus fucking Christ, you don’t even like him! Why are you worrying so much?” Sungmin says exasperatedly into his phone.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I don’t like him…yet.”
Sungmin doesn’t say anything, just facepalms.
---
Heechul is at the dining table, sipping meekly on his orange juice and staring nonchalantly at Hangeng who’s currently in the kitchen, speaking in low murmurs with Heechul’s mom.
What the hell is he doing? Heechul sighs, quickly sneaking a glance at his phone in his lap again to see if Sungmin has texted him back yet.
“Heechul! Come here and help me distract Hangeng away! He’s trying to take over my job of making breakfast!” Heechul’s mother hollers from the kitchen. Her words are full of amusement though, and Heechul can’t help but feel a twinge of something - why won’t Hangeng bother him like that too?
He doesn’t have time to answer his own question though, because Hangeng suddenly invades his thoughts and lands ungracefully across the dining table from Heechul, a wide smile on his face.
“What do you want?” Heechul tries to say uninterestedly.
“Hyung, are you taking me to amusement park today?” Hangeng’s eyes are wide-excitement filling his voice.
“What? No…I’m…busy today…s-sorry…” Heechul says a bit unsurely. He tries to ignore him but Heechul’s stomach sinks a bit when he sees Hangeng’s devastated expression.
Heechul’s mom enters with a steaming plate of scrambled eggs. “Now, now, Heechul, didn’t you tell me you were going to show Hangeng around town? Don’t be so rude to our guest, dear. Plus I know you’re not busy.”
Heechul rolls his eyes. Bur his cheeks burn a little bit at the truth of her accusation. He really doesn’t have much plans - just doesn’t want to hang out with this Chinese kid all day and …well, and…do something embarrassing in front of said Chinese kid.
“I do have plans!” Heechul exclaims indignantly. “I’m going with Sungmin to…um, Siwon’s house. We’re going to … study,” he finishes lamely, feeling the urge to slam his head on the table.
Why does this Hangeng guy make him feel so nervous?
His mom nearly drops the plate of eggs from her snort of laughter. “You? Study? Probably not happening in a million years, Mr. Kim. Now you’ll take Hankyung over to Siwon’s with you and you make sure he has fun, won’t you?”
“But, mommm~” Heechul says under his breath, trying to avoid Hangeng’s suddenly mopey expression.
“You WILL take him with you or choose being grounded for the whole week next week. That’s all~” she replies ever so cheerily and fills both of their plates with eggs and rice.
Heechul groans internally, but feels a stab of guilt when Hangeng pulls his gaze away from Heechul’s face and sulkily dissects his eggs with his fork.
“It’s okay, Mrs. Kim, if Heechul-hyung doesn’t like me, I can just go around town by myself...I think it’s better if I discover things for myself, anyways,” Hangeng says suddenly, his grammar unexpectedly correct.
“No, no-it’s not like that - I…just don’t want you to feel bored around us…cause we’re just …going to talk and stuff all day,” Heechul denies enthusiastically, his guilt settling in full force now. “I guess I can take all of you guys and show you around town, if you’d like,” he continues, nearly choking on his own words, realizing with shock at what just came out of his mouth.
Heechul, what have you done?! Sungmin would cry and bang his head on a nearby wall.
Hyung, why are you committing a sin and having such inappropriate thoughts about this ridiculously good looking Chinese boy? Siwon would scold.
Heechul’s glad he doesn’t have time to think about it any further since a cheerful, sunny voice that’s as familiar as Heechul’s back hand invades the slightly tense atmosphere.
“HEEEEECHUUUUUL~! Good morning, Mrs. Kim~!” Sungmin chirps gleefully as he slides into the seat between Hangeng and Heechul.
“Morning dear,” Mrs. Kim answers.
“Why is everyone so fucking cheerful this early in the godforsaken morning?” Heechul groans, holding his head in both hands. He feels a bit relieved at Hangeng’s less depressed expression.
“Kim Heechul, watch your language, young man,” his mom warns and Heechul pretends to yawn and not hear her, just glancing over at Sungmin to catch him smiling slyly at Hangeng and shaking his hand, obviously checking him out.
Heechul can’t explain why, but when he sees this, he instantly feels possessive and angrily grabs his phone from his lap, excusing himself from the room.
LEE SUNGMIN. BACK OFF. He’s straight. He texts Sungmin while in the living room, angrily stomping up the stairs afterwards.
Halfway up the stairs, he can hear Sungmin chuckling from the dining room, and his phone vibrates.
Why so jealous, Heechulie~? He’s straight after all, right? (; He wants to go with us to Siwon’s!!
Heechul fumes, then texts back, Whore. I’m going to steal Siwon from you. And isn’t at all surprised when Sungmin runs up the stairs after him all the meanwhile wailing pathetically about Siwon and unrequited love.
---
“He’s pretty cute! Never knew Chinese guys were that gorgeous~!” Sungmin gushes happily while he and Heechul are filling cups with ice in Siwon’s kitchen.
“Well, duh. When did my astoundingly good taste ever lead you wrong?” Heechul says.
Then he immediately regrets saying that.
Sungmin glares daggers at him, “Oh, I don’t know Heechul, maybe when you told me SIWON WAS THE PERFECT GUY FOR ME. And now he wants to adopt me as his brother when I am blindly in love with him?”
“It’s not that! I swear he likes you! It’s just…he…kind of loves God more…and can’t let himself be led astray?” Heechul bites his lip. “Haven’t you ever seen Coffee Prince? You’re just totally interpreting that ‘adopted brother’ thing wrongly…”
Sungmin just sighs.
“Don’t worry, I’ll hook you guys up soon, I promise. I’ll make him realize what an amazing person you are, that dense kid.”
“Whatever~ I bet you’re happy, you lucky whore. You get to live with an amazingly
cute-” Sungmin doesn’t get to finish his sentence, though, because Heechul shoves a freezing ice-cube in his mouth just on cue as Siwon and Hangeng casually waltz in the kitchen.
“Amazingly cute what?” Siwon pipes up, gratefully grabbing the nearest empty cup of ice and filling it with some apple juice.
Heechul wants to stab Sungmin in the face.
“NOTHING,” Sungmin says, gulping down the ice cube, at the same time that Heechul abruptly announces, “Cat, an amazingly cute cat.”
Hangeng looks at them both curiously, and finally shrugs it off, to Heechul’s relief.
He’s surprised though, when Hangeng says Heechul’s name, but then starts saying stuff in Mandarin to Siwon, instead.
“What the-! Why are you guys speaking in Chinese all of sudden?!” Heechul’s nearly speechless.
“Hyung, you don’t remember? I learned some Mandarin last summer at camp remember? I guess it’s just a coincidence that the exchange student is Chinese!” Siwon says happily, clapping a hand on Hangeng’s shoulder.
Heechul turns to look at Sungmin, feeling flabbergasted. Sungmin is pouting a bit, his gaze undoubtedly focused on Siwon’s lips. “Siwon, why don’t you teach me some Chinese, too?” Sungmin drawls, batting his eyelashes for extra charm effect.
Siwon just smiles like his usual, cheerful self, and then he and Sungmin slip out of the room, leaving a slightly awkward atmosphere in the room between Hangeng and Heechul.
“Yah, where you talking to Siwon about me just now?” Heechul demands-angry at himself for feeling his voice tremble a bit.
And then Hangeng does the cutest goddamn thing Heechul has ever seen in his life: He blushes - pink from his neck to the tips of his ears.
“I was …asking Siwon why you smell so good, like…roses…” then he literally runs out of the room.
Heechul lands on a nearby chair, his heart beating wildly and the ice in his cup nearly all melted.
---
That night, for dinner, Heechul can’t help but admit that Hangeng is possibly the most interesting person he’s ever met.
“This is amazing, Hankyung-ssi!” Heechul’s mother says with satisfaction, spooning up another bite of Beijing Fried Rice, as Hangeng calls it.
Heechul’s dad grunts happily, agreeing with her.
He can’t deny it, really. It really is one of the best things he’s ever tasted. Hangeng gratefully says thank you to his parents and glances at Heechul for a moment, probably to see his reaction.
Heechul melts a little bit more, and after dinner when Hangeng reveals that he can also play the little white piano in their living room marvelously well, and can professionally dance traditional Chinese dances-Heechul wonders to himself, Where the hell have you been, all my life, Chinese kid?
---
It’s a ritual they’ve always had-Heechul and Sungmin have always called each other before they went to bed every night. The tradition started ever since they had that catfight in the bathroom in seventh grade over Jung Yunho, the supposedly hottest guy in school. After that fight, they somehow turned from archenemies to besties. Their mothers had forced them to call each other and whole-heartedly apologize for their “atrocious behavior”. It was then that Heechul realized he really liked the way Sungmin’s voice sounded over the phone - kind of mellow and soft and calming. Sungmin, on the other hand, found Heechul’s biting sarcasm amusing.
“Yeah, so how long you think it’ll take you to get him to fall head over heels for you?” Sungmin says excitedly.
“He won’t, Sungmin. He’s straight, I told you already. He saw a picture of my cousin Hyori on my wall and commented that she was really pretty. What did I tell you?” Heechul sighs exasperatedly, feeling strangely unlike his sarcastic and overconfident self.
“Whoaaa, whoa, wait a minute. Did Kim Heechul just basically admit that he would not be able to seduce someone? What the hell is going on, Hee? The you that I knew yesterday would have answered, ‘three days’!”
Heechul pauses for a long time, the receiver end of his phone pressed tightly to his ear.
“I don’t know, Sungmin, I just don’t think…I don’t think he’s interested.”
“Shut up, Heechul. Whatever, okay? Just do your magic and everything will work out,” Sungmin snaps.
“At least Hankyung isn’t a wannabe priest like Siwon, who will never even LOOK at me that way. So stop being a sulky brat, and tell me what you wanted to tell me about yesterday. That dream shit, or whatever.”
“Ah, right…” Heechul says, suddenly remembering the strangely vivid visions he had yesterday on the dock.
He tells Sungmin everything that he remembers about the event.
There is a long pause after Heechul completes his story.
“I think your mom was right. Maybe you just had too much sun…” Sungmin says stiltedly.
“No, that can’t be it. Minnie, it was so, real. I can’t believe it was even all in my head. It was so vivid…I can still remember the smell of the pinecones…and those burning yellow eyes, and I…”
“Heechul, maybe you should wear a hat like I tell you to-”
“Those creature’s eyes looks exactly like Hankyung’s!” Heechul blurts suddenly and feels a chill at his own words.
It was the truth, but it was so eerie.
And that is when Heechul passes out for the second time that week, collapsing next to his dresser where he’d been standing. A flash of bright light, golden eyes, white hair, and his name being whispered like a mantra, “Heechul, Heechul,” is all he remembers before everything goes dark.
Author: xlolitsnozomix
Pairing: Hanchul
Rating: PG-13 for now
Genre: angst, romance, AU, fantasy
Words: 1600
Summary: Heechul doesn't like the idea of having to share his already amazing lifestyle and perfect home with a foreign stranger aka THE EXCHANGE STUDENT. However, when he actually meets said stranger, things start to change. Heechul can't explain the utter attraction he feels for this other person invading in his life, neither can he explain the strange racing beats of his heart, the unbelievably real visions he keeps seeing, or unusual occurrences floating around the Kim Family Estate.
A/N: unexpectedly fluffy for me, tihs chapter...Enjoy the fluff while it lasts ~~ *evil laughter*
| Prologue |
Hangeng’s pillow makes a quiet flop when he lands face first on it and he sighs into the white, cleanliness of the freshly made sheets. It’s been a long day and the soft linen absorbs some of his jetlag and seasickness.
He’s not thinking about any of the worries that should be occupying his mind - like attending the new school in Korea after the weekend and knowing about three words of Korean in total, or searching for a dance studio around the neighborhood, or what he should do to help out his host parents. Rather, his thoughts have traveled elsewhere entirely and his eyes very gradually begin to close. He slowly drifts farther and farther away from the land of daily hassles and soon he falls into a restless slumber.
Wings. White and fluttering with layers of soft, white feathers. Wings filling his vision until he is nearly blinded by the brightness of them. And then suddenly, a bright flash of brilliant red. It takes Hangeng a moment to realize the vivid, scorching red burst of color is actually from a long strand of hair. Like fiery embers, the luscious locks of red hair float in front of him, as if rising in mid-air; and they brush past his face, tickling his nose.
Hangeng begins to feel his heart pump vigorously inside his chest and he remains awestruck as features of a face begin to emerge from the endless abyss of white and red. It’s inhumanly beautiful and ethereal. Something almost unreal. The eyes flow an eerie yet dangerous obsidian and the pale skin of death stretching tightly over bones is flawless; the mouth is pulled into a tight line and somewhere within the depths of those golden eyes is a pain so unbearable, so unimaginably raw and heartbreaking, that it makes Hangeng’s heart wrench in pain as the eyes stares motionlessly at him.
Then there is something sharp caressing Hangeng’s face and he is almost surprised to see that there are claws against his cheekbone. Hangeng feels that he should scream but he doesn’t because he’s so breathless, so mesmerized, and so undeniably attracted to this…creature. Then tears roll down its beautiful face and something touches Hangeng’s lips and he felt as electrical jolt pulse through him as he realizes the creature’s lips are pressing against his. There is a faint heart beat, but the fragrance of roses from its breath is what makes Hangeng realize…there is something strangely familiar about this being…
A voice in his head suddenly interrupts his train of thought,
“One last kiss for you…my love…I will find you again…” sings a voice so inhumanly melodic that Hangeng’s heart feels like it’s bursting and then shattering.
“Hangeng…” the voice purrs before all the brightness is consumed within the darkness of the shadows.
And then Hankyung is sitting up in his bed in the dark, a trail of cold sweat dripping down his back.
---
Sunshine streams in bright rays through the curtained windows in Hangeng’s room and he awakes to something rough and wet briefly pressing against his face and jumps up in his new bed, startled.
Suddenly finding himself face to face with whiskers and bright green, feline eyes, Hangeng can’t help but cover his mouth to hold in his yelp of surprise.
He doesn’t have much of a reaction time, though, because then suddenly, a voice interrupts his moment of confusion, “HEEBUMIEEE~ what are you doing in there? GET OUT HERE NOW!”
Hangeng glances quickly at the doorway and nearly loses his sanity when he sees Heechul standing at the door looking like a crazy cat lady…literally…
Heechul’s sporting three-sizes-too-big pink striped pajamas, and he already has two other tiny kittens in his arms, not including the one woke him up and currently sheepishly slinking out of Hangeng’s room. Hangeng nearly jumps out of his own skin, yet again, when Heechul shrieks a little bit and stares at Hangeng, wild-eyed, and stalks off in a hurry. Hangeng can’t help but crack a sleepy and dazed smile when he catches a glimpse of Heechul’s insane, red bedhead hair sticking out in in all directions resembling of a pineapple.
Hangeng sighs a little dreamily, flopping down on his new bed for a second time and inhales deeply, “Right, this new life starts here, today!” he tells himself excitedly, smiling a little involuntarily.
---
“Oi, this is bad, very bad…” Heechul hisses into the receiver end of his pink phone.
“Calm down, I’m on my way!” Sungmin replies hurriedly, meanwhile stuffing half a bagel into his mouth as he heads out the front door.
“This cannot be happening…omo…he saw me…AFTER I JUST WOKE UP, Minnie. You know what I look like when I-”
“Look,” Sungmin interrupts him, “everything’s gonna be fine, alright? I’ll fix everything, now just sit your skinny little butt down and wait for me.”
“But Minniee…” Heechul whines desperately.
“I’m sure he was too sleepy to notice you even standing there, Jesus fucking Christ, you don’t even like him! Why are you worrying so much?” Sungmin says exasperatedly into his phone.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I don’t like him…yet.”
Sungmin doesn’t say anything, just facepalms.
---
Heechul is at the dining table, sipping meekly on his orange juice and staring nonchalantly at Hangeng who’s currently in the kitchen, speaking in low murmurs with Heechul’s mom.
What the hell is he doing? Heechul sighs, quickly sneaking a glance at his phone in his lap again to see if Sungmin has texted him back yet.
“Heechul! Come here and help me distract Hangeng away! He’s trying to take over my job of making breakfast!” Heechul’s mother hollers from the kitchen. Her words are full of amusement though, and Heechul can’t help but feel a twinge of something - why won’t Hangeng bother him like that too?
He doesn’t have time to answer his own question though, because Hangeng suddenly invades his thoughts and lands ungracefully across the dining table from Heechul, a wide smile on his face.
“What do you want?” Heechul tries to say uninterestedly.
“Hyung, are you taking me to amusement park today?” Hangeng’s eyes are wide-excitement filling his voice.
“What? No…I’m…busy today…s-sorry…” Heechul says a bit unsurely. He tries to ignore him but Heechul’s stomach sinks a bit when he sees Hangeng’s devastated expression.
Heechul’s mom enters with a steaming plate of scrambled eggs. “Now, now, Heechul, didn’t you tell me you were going to show Hangeng around town? Don’t be so rude to our guest, dear. Plus I know you’re not busy.”
Heechul rolls his eyes. Bur his cheeks burn a little bit at the truth of her accusation. He really doesn’t have much plans - just doesn’t want to hang out with this Chinese kid all day and …well, and…do something embarrassing in front of said Chinese kid.
“I do have plans!” Heechul exclaims indignantly. “I’m going with Sungmin to…um, Siwon’s house. We’re going to … study,” he finishes lamely, feeling the urge to slam his head on the table.
Why does this Hangeng guy make him feel so nervous?
His mom nearly drops the plate of eggs from her snort of laughter. “You? Study? Probably not happening in a million years, Mr. Kim. Now you’ll take Hankyung over to Siwon’s with you and you make sure he has fun, won’t you?”
“But, mommm~” Heechul says under his breath, trying to avoid Hangeng’s suddenly mopey expression.
“You WILL take him with you or choose being grounded for the whole week next week. That’s all~” she replies ever so cheerily and fills both of their plates with eggs and rice.
Heechul groans internally, but feels a stab of guilt when Hangeng pulls his gaze away from Heechul’s face and sulkily dissects his eggs with his fork.
“It’s okay, Mrs. Kim, if Heechul-hyung doesn’t like me, I can just go around town by myself...I think it’s better if I discover things for myself, anyways,” Hangeng says suddenly, his grammar unexpectedly correct.
“No, no-it’s not like that - I…just don’t want you to feel bored around us…cause we’re just …going to talk and stuff all day,” Heechul denies enthusiastically, his guilt settling in full force now. “I guess I can take all of you guys and show you around town, if you’d like,” he continues, nearly choking on his own words, realizing with shock at what just came out of his mouth.
Heechul, what have you done?! Sungmin would cry and bang his head on a nearby wall.
Hyung, why are you committing a sin and having such inappropriate thoughts about this ridiculously good looking Chinese boy? Siwon would scold.
Heechul’s glad he doesn’t have time to think about it any further since a cheerful, sunny voice that’s as familiar as Heechul’s back hand invades the slightly tense atmosphere.
“HEEEEECHUUUUUL~! Good morning, Mrs. Kim~!” Sungmin chirps gleefully as he slides into the seat between Hangeng and Heechul.
“Morning dear,” Mrs. Kim answers.
“Why is everyone so fucking cheerful this early in the godforsaken morning?” Heechul groans, holding his head in both hands. He feels a bit relieved at Hangeng’s less depressed expression.
“Kim Heechul, watch your language, young man,” his mom warns and Heechul pretends to yawn and not hear her, just glancing over at Sungmin to catch him smiling slyly at Hangeng and shaking his hand, obviously checking him out.
Heechul can’t explain why, but when he sees this, he instantly feels possessive and angrily grabs his phone from his lap, excusing himself from the room.
LEE SUNGMIN. BACK OFF. He’s straight. He texts Sungmin while in the living room, angrily stomping up the stairs afterwards.
Halfway up the stairs, he can hear Sungmin chuckling from the dining room, and his phone vibrates.
Why so jealous, Heechulie~? He’s straight after all, right? (; He wants to go with us to Siwon’s!!
Heechul fumes, then texts back, Whore. I’m going to steal Siwon from you. And isn’t at all surprised when Sungmin runs up the stairs after him all the meanwhile wailing pathetically about Siwon and unrequited love.
---
“He’s pretty cute! Never knew Chinese guys were that gorgeous~!” Sungmin gushes happily while he and Heechul are filling cups with ice in Siwon’s kitchen.
“Well, duh. When did my astoundingly good taste ever lead you wrong?” Heechul says.
Then he immediately regrets saying that.
Sungmin glares daggers at him, “Oh, I don’t know Heechul, maybe when you told me SIWON WAS THE PERFECT GUY FOR ME. And now he wants to adopt me as his brother when I am blindly in love with him?”
“It’s not that! I swear he likes you! It’s just…he…kind of loves God more…and can’t let himself be led astray?” Heechul bites his lip. “Haven’t you ever seen Coffee Prince? You’re just totally interpreting that ‘adopted brother’ thing wrongly…”
Sungmin just sighs.
“Don’t worry, I’ll hook you guys up soon, I promise. I’ll make him realize what an amazing person you are, that dense kid.”
“Whatever~ I bet you’re happy, you lucky whore. You get to live with an amazingly
cute-” Sungmin doesn’t get to finish his sentence, though, because Heechul shoves a freezing ice-cube in his mouth just on cue as Siwon and Hangeng casually waltz in the kitchen.
“Amazingly cute what?” Siwon pipes up, gratefully grabbing the nearest empty cup of ice and filling it with some apple juice.
Heechul wants to stab Sungmin in the face.
“NOTHING,” Sungmin says, gulping down the ice cube, at the same time that Heechul abruptly announces, “Cat, an amazingly cute cat.”
Hangeng looks at them both curiously, and finally shrugs it off, to Heechul’s relief.
He’s surprised though, when Hangeng says Heechul’s name, but then starts saying stuff in Mandarin to Siwon, instead.
“What the-! Why are you guys speaking in Chinese all of sudden?!” Heechul’s nearly speechless.
“Hyung, you don’t remember? I learned some Mandarin last summer at camp remember? I guess it’s just a coincidence that the exchange student is Chinese!” Siwon says happily, clapping a hand on Hangeng’s shoulder.
Heechul turns to look at Sungmin, feeling flabbergasted. Sungmin is pouting a bit, his gaze undoubtedly focused on Siwon’s lips. “Siwon, why don’t you teach me some Chinese, too?” Sungmin drawls, batting his eyelashes for extra charm effect.
Siwon just smiles like his usual, cheerful self, and then he and Sungmin slip out of the room, leaving a slightly awkward atmosphere in the room between Hangeng and Heechul.
“Yah, where you talking to Siwon about me just now?” Heechul demands-angry at himself for feeling his voice tremble a bit.
And then Hangeng does the cutest goddamn thing Heechul has ever seen in his life: He blushes - pink from his neck to the tips of his ears.
“I was …asking Siwon why you smell so good, like…roses…” then he literally runs out of the room.
Heechul lands on a nearby chair, his heart beating wildly and the ice in his cup nearly all melted.
---
That night, for dinner, Heechul can’t help but admit that Hangeng is possibly the most interesting person he’s ever met.
“This is amazing, Hankyung-ssi!” Heechul’s mother says with satisfaction, spooning up another bite of Beijing Fried Rice, as Hangeng calls it.
Heechul’s dad grunts happily, agreeing with her.
He can’t deny it, really. It really is one of the best things he’s ever tasted. Hangeng gratefully says thank you to his parents and glances at Heechul for a moment, probably to see his reaction.
Heechul melts a little bit more, and after dinner when Hangeng reveals that he can also play the little white piano in their living room marvelously well, and can professionally dance traditional Chinese dances-Heechul wonders to himself, Where the hell have you been, all my life, Chinese kid?
---
It’s a ritual they’ve always had-Heechul and Sungmin have always called each other before they went to bed every night. The tradition started ever since they had that catfight in the bathroom in seventh grade over Jung Yunho, the supposedly hottest guy in school. After that fight, they somehow turned from archenemies to besties. Their mothers had forced them to call each other and whole-heartedly apologize for their “atrocious behavior”. It was then that Heechul realized he really liked the way Sungmin’s voice sounded over the phone - kind of mellow and soft and calming. Sungmin, on the other hand, found Heechul’s biting sarcasm amusing.
“Yeah, so how long you think it’ll take you to get him to fall head over heels for you?” Sungmin says excitedly.
“He won’t, Sungmin. He’s straight, I told you already. He saw a picture of my cousin Hyori on my wall and commented that she was really pretty. What did I tell you?” Heechul sighs exasperatedly, feeling strangely unlike his sarcastic and overconfident self.
“Whoaaa, whoa, wait a minute. Did Kim Heechul just basically admit that he would not be able to seduce someone? What the hell is going on, Hee? The you that I knew yesterday would have answered, ‘three days’!”
Heechul pauses for a long time, the receiver end of his phone pressed tightly to his ear.
“I don’t know, Sungmin, I just don’t think…I don’t think he’s interested.”
“Shut up, Heechul. Whatever, okay? Just do your magic and everything will work out,” Sungmin snaps.
“At least Hankyung isn’t a wannabe priest like Siwon, who will never even LOOK at me that way. So stop being a sulky brat, and tell me what you wanted to tell me about yesterday. That dream shit, or whatever.”
“Ah, right…” Heechul says, suddenly remembering the strangely vivid visions he had yesterday on the dock.
He tells Sungmin everything that he remembers about the event.
There is a long pause after Heechul completes his story.
“I think your mom was right. Maybe you just had too much sun…” Sungmin says stiltedly.
“No, that can’t be it. Minnie, it was so, real. I can’t believe it was even all in my head. It was so vivid…I can still remember the smell of the pinecones…and those burning yellow eyes, and I…”
“Heechul, maybe you should wear a hat like I tell you to-”
“Those creature’s eyes looks exactly like Hankyung’s!” Heechul blurts suddenly and feels a chill at his own words.
It was the truth, but it was so eerie.
And that is when Heechul passes out for the second time that week, collapsing next to his dresser where he’d been standing. A flash of bright light, golden eyes, white hair, and his name being whispered like a mantra, “Heechul, Heechul,” is all he remembers before everything goes dark.