Just a Foreign Exchange Student 8/?
title: Just a Foreign Exchange Student 8/?
pairing: main!SiHan side!EunHae YeWook KyuMin
rating: PG-13
notes: Romance, and a tiny bit of humor. Sorry for keeping you guys waiting! Hope this long chapter makes up for it! ^^
summary: The fundraiser begins in this chapter, and Hankyung finds out many interesting things from Siwon that may or may not make him like Siwon more.
We were finished with our dinner and just lounged in the chairs, talking and laughing. Donghae leaned forward across from me, getting closer with a big smile on his face.
“Remember that fundraiser we were planning on doing for the damages in that tree incident?” I nodded my head, slightly curious.
“Well, I want to hear more about your people auction idea. It sounds interesting.” I widened my eyes at the sudden attention he was giving me. I thought a bit at what he was talking about, and then smiled when I remembered.
“Oh that!” I laughed. “That was just an event we did in my previous school to raise money. See, we auction off students to teachers to do odd jobs for them. This goes on for about a week, and it is fun for everyone, really.” I explained. Donghae’s eyes gleamed with excitement. Kyuhyun leaned forward, joining in on our conversation.
“It does sound pretty interesting. So that means you’re going to do it?” I paused, staring at him. I never once thought about participating in a people auction, but now that he brought it up, I wasn’t particularly thrilled about doing it.
“Nah…” I shook my head as Ryeowook nudged my shoulder, listening into our conversation.
“Oh come on, Hannie. It’s your idea, so you should relax and have fun.” I nudged him back.
“If you think it’s such a great idea, why don’t you do it yourself?” He laughed and shook his head, waving his hands in protest.
“I honestly would, but I’m already doing a project for the fundraising. Actually, we all are, except for Yesung and Siwon. I stared at him in disbelief.
“How early do you plan things?” Yesung shrugged, staring at me from behind him.
“Early enough. We pretty much have to. Ever since we started that after school group, the teachers have been depending on us to schedule everything. It gets annoying sometimes.” Siwon nodded, agreeing with his statement.
“So anyways, Ryeowook’s doing a small bake sale, Kyuhyun’s in charge of the game section, Donghae and Eunhyuk are hosting a dance, and this is all going to be in a small space which Sungmin is going to be watching over. We’re doing this after school somewhere next week.” He leaned in close to my ear and lowered his voice, but still loud enough for them to hear.
“They’re trying to get me to participate against my will.” I chuckled hearing that, Eunhyuk flailing his arms.
“Oh come on, Siwon! Everyone would be spending millions if you joined the fundraising!” He cried out. Siwon slapped a hand on his mouth, shutting him up.
“Be quiet, Hyuk. We’re still in a restaurant.” He removed his hand, a taunting grin spreading across Eunhyuk’s face. “And anyways, there’s nothing for me to do, so I’d rather not be in it.” He sat back, crossing his arms over his chest.
“You’re going to be in it, because Eunhyuk has a very good point.” Kyuhyun flashed a mischievous smile at him. Siwon simply rolled his eyes and stood up, gathering his things.
“We’ll talk more about this later, alright?” They nodded reluctantly and followed him out the door.
The days dragged on, and as the teachers piled more and more work on us, I was actually looking forward to this fundraising that they were planning. It was sure better than all this homework. I sighed, forcing myself to write the last of the numbers on my math homework. I groaned and turned onto my back on the bed, feeling accomplished. I was so glad I could relax at the fundraiser that night and take my mind off of things. I sighed and thought it over, staring at the ceiling in pure comfort. Until Ryeowook’s face entered my sight range.
“Hello.” He said casually, staring at me upside down. I smiled at him, facing his blank expression. His face stretched out to a wide grin.
“Siwon wanted me to tell you to meet him at the gymnasium. He wanted to show you something.” At the mention of Siwon, I sat straight up, looking at him curiously.
“Did he say what he wanted to show me?” I was already getting up off the bed as Ryeowook shook his head.
“He just wanted me to let you know once you were done with your home-” But I was already halfway out the door before he even finished his sentence. It was rude, but it was more an act of instinct than anything. What did he want to show me? It was pretty weird that he would drag me out of my room at such a sudden time, but I didn’t mind. I made my way to the gymnasium and pushed open the doors to find Siwon and a bunch of others wearing shorts and a loose uniform.
I leaned on the doorway, watching with great interest. I never knew Siwon played basketball. I saw the ball soar through the air and land in Siwon’s waiting hands. He took off dribbling, making his way towards the other side of the court until a shorter man blocked him. He was noticeably shorter, but he was also noticeably stronger than Siwon. They glared at each other, and when Siwon found no way to get by him, he placed his feet together and jumped, the other man jumping with him. What really struck me was when the other man fell backwards, colliding with the ground. I was sure Siwon didn’t even touch him. Even Siwon looked confused as the ball sailed through the hoop. He ignored the sounds of cheering behind him and smirked at the man on the floor.
“Better luck next time Kangin.” He sneered. The said man, Kangin, rose to his feet and glared at him.
“You really shouldn’t get on my nerves Siwon.” And with that, Kangin sauntered into the locker room, his bag slung over his shoulders. I stared suspiciously at the both of them. There was definitely some bad blood between them, but that didn’t bother me at the moment. How could Kangin have hit the ground without anything hitting him? Or maybe Siwon did hit him by accident, and I just didn’t notice. Siwon grabbed his back, slipping on his jacket as he walked towards me, smiling.
“I didn’t know you played basketball.” I commented, walking out with him. He shrugged, waving it off.
“That’s just something to do in my spare time. And according to Kyuhyun, it gets the ladies hooked.” He nudged my side. I laughed and pushed him playfully as we went outdoors. I shivered and rubbed one of my arms at the sudden cold air.
“Chilly day isn’t it?” Siwon said, looking up at the sky. I laughed and nodded, standing beside him.
“So where were you going to take me?” Siwon shrugged nonchalantly.
“Well, I was just going somewhere…and I was wondering if you’d like to come.” He said quietly. I squinted when another cold breeze came. I cocked my head a little and grinned.
“I have nothing else to do, so why not? Anyways, where are we going?” Siwon smiled tauntingly and started walking.
“You’ll see when we get there.” I crammed my hands deep inside my pockets, the cold weather getting to me.
I hurried to keep up with Siwon’s long strides, and I soon realized that we were heading into town. I remembered the shop that he led me into to buy bubble tea. I smiled as I recalled that short memory. But we didn’t stop in the middle of town like last time. Instead, we went to the very outside of the town. Everything became quieter and much more mysterious. I decided to stick close to him when we went between some tall buildings. This looked different compared to the normal hustle and bustle in the middle of the town. He stopped in front of one particular dark building and smiled. I stared at him in curiosity. What could be in there that made him so happy? It was run-down and worn, but a feeling of comfort arose when I heard laughter cries emanating from the building, causing Siwon to smile wider and shake his head. He shifted his gaze towards me and gestured me to the door.
“I volunteer at the orphanage. I told them that I was bringing a friend.” I raised my eyebrows. This was definitely something I didn’t expect. But I was overcome with interest as he held the door out to me. I took a tentative step in and was immediately greeted a rush of children flying past me. I laughed out loud when I saw two small children crowd around Siwon’s legs. Siwon bent down low and ruffled a girl’s hair.
“Nice to see you again, Yuki.” He smiled and turned towards the other girl.
“You too, Misso.” He stood up and stretched his back as the girl, Yuki, started jumping up and down. They only could have been at least eight years old. I stared at them in curiosity. Wasn’t the orphanage supposed to take care of the children? They were grimy and had rags for clothing. But their personalities made up for their dirty looks. Yuki tugged on his pants leg and pointed towards me.
“Who is he?” She asked, in a not so quiet whisper. I broke into a smile as Siwon exchanged glances with me.
“The friend I said I was bringing last week.” Yuki turned towards me and grinned, narrowing her eyes.
“More like a boyfriend, Siwon oppa!” Siwon shook his head in a helpless manner as I chuckled silently.
“Alright, enough of this conversation. Go and eat lunch, alright?” Siwon waved them off, but Misso started laughing with Yuki as they ran to the kitchen.
“So you can spend time alone with your boyfriend, Siwon oppa!” Their laughs echoed off the walls as they got farther away. I couldn’t stop smiling at their childish behavior, even when I turned to Siwon. He shrugged and bit his lip.
“I’m sure you’re very liked already, Hankyung.” He joked. I nodded along, staring at their retreating backs.
“They sure are…disobedient little things.” I commented, not really knowing what else to say. Siwon turned to a nearby window, peering through the foggy glass. I stood behind him, staring at the scenery.
“They must be very close with you, Siwon. How long have you been volunteering here?” Siwon leaned against the wall and turned towards me.
“Ever since I entered college.” I blinked. That would be about two years. I nodded, quite impressed with his dedication.
“You must be very committed. What made you work here?” He seemed hesitant in answering that question, his eyes dulling. He looked away for a short period of time before facing me again.
“Let’s just say you aren’t the only one with family problems, hyung,” He answered softly. “It seemed cruel for children to face the same problems I did when I was their age.” I didn’t really know how to answer that, and I didn’t pressure him to continue. It seemed like a topic that I had no part in. At that moment, a woman came out of the kitchen, flushed and cheerful.
“The children told me you were here, Siwon. You can go upstairs and feed the ones in room 203 their medicine.” She smiled and gestured him upstairs. She turned to me and grinned.
“Are you here to help him?” I blinked at her and smiled a little.
“I…I guess so.” She motioned for me to follow him and disappeared in the kitchen again after handing me a small bottle. I glanced at the bottle and realized that it was medicine. Siwon gripped my arm tightly and led me upstairs.
“You could say that I like to be their older brother.” I was brought to a small room with at least five beds. Small children were sleeping, tucked under the sheets. Siwon handed me a spoon and pointed to the other side of the room.
“You can take care of that side, while I stay over here, alright? Just wake them up and feed them two spoonfuls of this liquid.” I nodded and went to the first bed. In it was a small girl, gazing at me with big brown eyes. I smiled and slowly sat down on her bed.
“You’re helping Siwon oppa? How nice of you.” She commented softly, opening her mouth willingly. I looked at her sadly. Each one of these children must have had a rough childhood if they ended up here. As I progressed from one bed to the next, I noticed that each one of them was quiet and timid, not at all what I was expecting. Except for the last child. She had shining eyes, and didn’t stare at me secretively. Instead, she beamed widely and pointed to herself.
“I’m Soyeong. Nice to meet you.” I was a little shocked at her sudden boldness, but pleased nonetheless. I smiled back at her.
“I’m Hankyung.” I turned my attention back to the medicine. As I was pouring it into the spoon, I felt a warm touch on my thigh. I turned towards her and she was staring at me curiously, her hand resting on my leg. I though it a bit unusual but didn’t think much of it. She raised her head and smiled brightly, her eyes shining with curiosity.
“You’re not from around here, are you? You’re from China!” How did Soyeong know that?! I don’t recall ever telling anyone here that. I fed her a spoonful to prevent her from talking more. I was beyond interested now and decided not to answer her. When she swallowed, her smile was back as she kept her hand on my leg. I tried to ignore that happy smile as I poured the medicine a second time.
“Do you really like Siwon oppa like that?” I almost lost my grip on the spoon when she said that. I widened my eyes at her.
“What…what do you mean?” I replied cautiously. She rolled her eyes as if it was the most obvious thing ever.
“I’m asking if you like Siwon oppa the way you think about him.” I stared at her dumbfounded. By instinct, I looked over to Siwon and saw a child point to something on the bottle, causing him to laugh. And when I turned back to this girl…I couldn’t even speak. Who was she and what was she doing?! Soyeong couldn’t be like Donghae…could she? I fed her the second spoonful without another thought. She swallowed and cocked her head to the side.
“I’ll take that as a yes. But don’t worry, Siwon likes you too.” I could have just fainted right then and there if not my interest taking the better of me. My jaw dropped as I stared at her in horror.
“What are you talking about?!” I managed to say. She shrugged.
“I touched his wrist when he came in here. I think he’s done, so you should go now. Nice meeting you!” I laughed nervously, a little freaked out at her…supposed ability. I swallowed and nodded, getting up to where Siwon was. I laughed when I saw a young girl on his shoulders, her arms wrapped loosely around his neck. Siwon smiled and looked up at her. I noticed the way he tenderly touched her hand, and the way his face immediately brightened up when seeing her. With his towering figure compared to the girl’s, he resembled…a father. Who knows what he would do to me if he found out that I thought of him like that. Siwon set her down on the bed and made his way to the doorway, turning around to face me.
“You look so pale. You look like you saw a ghost!” I blinked at him and laughed, trying to forget everything Soyeong said.
“You could say that.” I breathed, still astounded by that mysterious little girl.
As we walked through the thick crowds in the middle of town, I couldn’t stop staring at Siwon from behind and think back to what Soyeong said to me. Did I really like Siwon the way Soyeong thought I did? And more importantly, what did she mean when she said that Siwon liked me too? I brushed those thoughts away. She was just a little girl, and children like her say anything at that age.
We arrived in school just when the fundraiser was getting set up. Siwon was immediately dragged away by Kyuhyun to another hall, right when we entered. Kyuhyun was saying something about a great idea for Siwon to be in the fundraiser as they walked down to another room. Before I could even open my mouth, I felt a small hand wrap around my arm, pulling me into their headquarters.
“Ryeowook, what are you doing?” He pushed me into a dressing room, and boy was he stronger than he looked! He handed me a suit and closed the door to the small dressing room. I stared curiously at the piece of clothing in my hands, when I heard his voice from outside.
“I’ve rounded up nineteen other students who are willing to participate in your people auction. Wear this suit, and I wish I could look at how it fits on you, but I have to get ready for the bake sale.” And with that, I heard the sound of fading footsteps. I stared at the article of clothing again and started stripping off my shirt.
I never was a big fan of fashion, but I had to say that it fit comfortably, and it was pretty good looking. The suit was a nice shade of black, and the tie that came with it was simply - oh dear Lord, I’m starting to sound like Ryeowook. I opened the door and was stunned to say the least when Ryeowook came barreling past with a cart full of food.
“Oh, hey Hankyung! Glad the suit fits nicely! It looks good on you!” I laughed, but before I could thank him, he was already out the door. He really was busy! I decided to follow him outside and see what all the fuss was about. My jaw went slack when I saw this fundraiser in person. It was more like a carnival to me! There was already a crowd of people swarming the many stands, and the decorations were amazing! Sungmin jogged up to me, flushed and smiling.
“You like it?” I laughed and grinned.
“I love it! When you plan something, you definitely do it right!” Sungmin beamed and leaned in close to me.
“You should check out what Kyuhyun made Siwon do.” Sungmin smiled uneasily. I furrowed my eyebrows together and cocked my head slightly in confusion. Sungmin pointed all the way to the end, and if I squinted I could just make out the words…holy mother fu-
“Is that what I think it is?” I couldn’t help but break out into a disbelieving smile. Sungmin sighed and nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Kyuhyun really does astound me sometimes.” But I barely paid attention to what Sungmin was saying. This was something I had to see myself. I took off and ran to the other side of the fundraiser, and stopped in front of what I was afraid it was going to be. A kissing booth. A goddamn kissing booth.
With Choi Siwon sitting on the table.
“You laugh Hankyung, and I swear to God…” Siwon left his sentence hanging, raising an eyebrow, almost daring me to say something. A silly grin spread across mine as I stared up to that large red sign above Siwon’s head. Siwon took a swig from his water bottle and waited for my reaction. I crossed my arms and smiled amusedly at him.
“What is Kyuhyun doing this time?” I questioned. Siwon rolled his eyes, spitting out the water on the ground.
“Blackmail. What else is new?” I raised one eyebrow at what Siwon was wearing. I tilted my head back, meeting Siwon’s gaze again.
“Nice clothing you got there.” Siwon looked down and chuckled a little. He was wearing a black vest, revealing his tan skin and toned abs. A pair of loose jeans hung off his legs, meeting a pair of black sandals. I had to admit that I did like the baseball cap that was worn backwards on his short black hair. He gestured to my suit.
“I should say the same for you.” I broke into another smile. It was amazing how jokes could backfire on you like that. I rested my elbows on the table and looked up at him.
“So how much money have you raised?” He squeezed his eyes shut while biting his lower lip, a red tinge creeping on his face.
“Don’t even get me started, Hankyung.” I stifled a laugh as he opened one eye to peek at me curiously.
“Something tells me I don’t want to know.” Siwon hopped off, sticking a big “will be back” sign on the booth, walking off to the forest. He turned around and smiled back at me.
“You coming or what?” I chuckled and jogged over to him. “I’ve had enough of kissing random girls, so I’m going to relax a bit by the lake.” I shook my head and grinned like mad when hearing that statement. He noticed and playfully punched my arm.
“Hey! Don’t laugh like that! It’s disgusting how I have to kiss so many girls in one day!” I just laughed harder at that. I poked his arm when I recovered.
“At least you’re not going to participate in a meat market! A people auction is just as bad!” Siwon laughed and gestured me towards the lake. I recognized it as the one where we went swimming a few weeks back. I sat down beside a nearby tree and sighed, the silence comforting to me. I heard a shuffle of feet as I closed my eyes, and then a small plop. After a moment of silence, there was another soft plop. I opened one eye to see Siwon’s back facing me, and something in his hands. He flicked his wrist, and the object flew across the water, jumping twice before sinking. I opened my eyes in curiosity as he picked up another rock, flinging it across the surface three times before it sank. I smiled to myself in the shadows as he picked up yet another small rock.
“You know, maybe you are the golden boy everyone has been talking about.” I called out to him. He chuckled softly, but didn’t turn around as he flicked his wrist, the rock flying out of his hands in a graceful arc.
“And why is that?” I sighed, wondering why he was so oblivious.
“You’re a professional singer, actor, and dancer. You have a great sense of humor, a nice body, and I’m pretty sure you have a nice voice too. Not to mention that you’re a basketball player too. You volunteer at the orphanage, you can skip rocks, and did I forget to add that you’re some hotshot celebrity?” Hearing that, Siwon sighed and picked up another rock, throwing it across the lake.
“When one sees another as perfect, they fail to see the imperfections embedded within. I’ve made some huge mistakes in my life, Hankyung. Big mistakes that I cover up with all these good deeds that I do. Trust me, I’m not as perfect as I seem.” Siwon said, picking up yet another smooth rock. I don’t know what made me say it, or what provoked me, but I did anyways.
“You’re perfect enough for me.” I added softly. I closed my eyes again, hearing a heavy plunk, the rock not even making it to two jumps. There was a long silence after that, and even the sound of skipping rocks had stopped. I was about to tell him to forget everything I said, when I opened my eyes to the sight of him turned around, looking down to the rock that was in his hands. I caught a glimpse of one of his dimples showing up before he turned back around, skipping the rock across the surface five times.
“Same goes to you.” He mumbled. I don’t know if I heard correctly. It was so quiet, it could have easily been the wind. But when I saw the way his cheeks went up in a small smile, I knew that wasn’t just wind. I fiddled with my fingers and thought back to Soyeong.
Alright Soyeong, maybe you’re right. Maybe I did like Siwon…just a little bit.
pairing: main!SiHan side!EunHae YeWook KyuMin
rating: PG-13
notes: Romance, and a tiny bit of humor. Sorry for keeping you guys waiting! Hope this long chapter makes up for it! ^^
summary: The fundraiser begins in this chapter, and Hankyung finds out many interesting things from Siwon that may or may not make him like Siwon more.
We were finished with our dinner and just lounged in the chairs, talking and laughing. Donghae leaned forward across from me, getting closer with a big smile on his face.
“Remember that fundraiser we were planning on doing for the damages in that tree incident?” I nodded my head, slightly curious.
“Well, I want to hear more about your people auction idea. It sounds interesting.” I widened my eyes at the sudden attention he was giving me. I thought a bit at what he was talking about, and then smiled when I remembered.
“Oh that!” I laughed. “That was just an event we did in my previous school to raise money. See, we auction off students to teachers to do odd jobs for them. This goes on for about a week, and it is fun for everyone, really.” I explained. Donghae’s eyes gleamed with excitement. Kyuhyun leaned forward, joining in on our conversation.
“It does sound pretty interesting. So that means you’re going to do it?” I paused, staring at him. I never once thought about participating in a people auction, but now that he brought it up, I wasn’t particularly thrilled about doing it.
“Nah…” I shook my head as Ryeowook nudged my shoulder, listening into our conversation.
“Oh come on, Hannie. It’s your idea, so you should relax and have fun.” I nudged him back.
“If you think it’s such a great idea, why don’t you do it yourself?” He laughed and shook his head, waving his hands in protest.
“I honestly would, but I’m already doing a project for the fundraising. Actually, we all are, except for Yesung and Siwon. I stared at him in disbelief.
“How early do you plan things?” Yesung shrugged, staring at me from behind him.
“Early enough. We pretty much have to. Ever since we started that after school group, the teachers have been depending on us to schedule everything. It gets annoying sometimes.” Siwon nodded, agreeing with his statement.
“So anyways, Ryeowook’s doing a small bake sale, Kyuhyun’s in charge of the game section, Donghae and Eunhyuk are hosting a dance, and this is all going to be in a small space which Sungmin is going to be watching over. We’re doing this after school somewhere next week.” He leaned in close to my ear and lowered his voice, but still loud enough for them to hear.
“They’re trying to get me to participate against my will.” I chuckled hearing that, Eunhyuk flailing his arms.
“Oh come on, Siwon! Everyone would be spending millions if you joined the fundraising!” He cried out. Siwon slapped a hand on his mouth, shutting him up.
“Be quiet, Hyuk. We’re still in a restaurant.” He removed his hand, a taunting grin spreading across Eunhyuk’s face. “And anyways, there’s nothing for me to do, so I’d rather not be in it.” He sat back, crossing his arms over his chest.
“You’re going to be in it, because Eunhyuk has a very good point.” Kyuhyun flashed a mischievous smile at him. Siwon simply rolled his eyes and stood up, gathering his things.
“We’ll talk more about this later, alright?” They nodded reluctantly and followed him out the door.
The days dragged on, and as the teachers piled more and more work on us, I was actually looking forward to this fundraising that they were planning. It was sure better than all this homework. I sighed, forcing myself to write the last of the numbers on my math homework. I groaned and turned onto my back on the bed, feeling accomplished. I was so glad I could relax at the fundraiser that night and take my mind off of things. I sighed and thought it over, staring at the ceiling in pure comfort. Until Ryeowook’s face entered my sight range.
“Hello.” He said casually, staring at me upside down. I smiled at him, facing his blank expression. His face stretched out to a wide grin.
“Siwon wanted me to tell you to meet him at the gymnasium. He wanted to show you something.” At the mention of Siwon, I sat straight up, looking at him curiously.
“Did he say what he wanted to show me?” I was already getting up off the bed as Ryeowook shook his head.
“He just wanted me to let you know once you were done with your home-” But I was already halfway out the door before he even finished his sentence. It was rude, but it was more an act of instinct than anything. What did he want to show me? It was pretty weird that he would drag me out of my room at such a sudden time, but I didn’t mind. I made my way to the gymnasium and pushed open the doors to find Siwon and a bunch of others wearing shorts and a loose uniform.
I leaned on the doorway, watching with great interest. I never knew Siwon played basketball. I saw the ball soar through the air and land in Siwon’s waiting hands. He took off dribbling, making his way towards the other side of the court until a shorter man blocked him. He was noticeably shorter, but he was also noticeably stronger than Siwon. They glared at each other, and when Siwon found no way to get by him, he placed his feet together and jumped, the other man jumping with him. What really struck me was when the other man fell backwards, colliding with the ground. I was sure Siwon didn’t even touch him. Even Siwon looked confused as the ball sailed through the hoop. He ignored the sounds of cheering behind him and smirked at the man on the floor.
“Better luck next time Kangin.” He sneered. The said man, Kangin, rose to his feet and glared at him.
“You really shouldn’t get on my nerves Siwon.” And with that, Kangin sauntered into the locker room, his bag slung over his shoulders. I stared suspiciously at the both of them. There was definitely some bad blood between them, but that didn’t bother me at the moment. How could Kangin have hit the ground without anything hitting him? Or maybe Siwon did hit him by accident, and I just didn’t notice. Siwon grabbed his back, slipping on his jacket as he walked towards me, smiling.
“I didn’t know you played basketball.” I commented, walking out with him. He shrugged, waving it off.
“That’s just something to do in my spare time. And according to Kyuhyun, it gets the ladies hooked.” He nudged my side. I laughed and pushed him playfully as we went outdoors. I shivered and rubbed one of my arms at the sudden cold air.
“Chilly day isn’t it?” Siwon said, looking up at the sky. I laughed and nodded, standing beside him.
“So where were you going to take me?” Siwon shrugged nonchalantly.
“Well, I was just going somewhere…and I was wondering if you’d like to come.” He said quietly. I squinted when another cold breeze came. I cocked my head a little and grinned.
“I have nothing else to do, so why not? Anyways, where are we going?” Siwon smiled tauntingly and started walking.
“You’ll see when we get there.” I crammed my hands deep inside my pockets, the cold weather getting to me.
I hurried to keep up with Siwon’s long strides, and I soon realized that we were heading into town. I remembered the shop that he led me into to buy bubble tea. I smiled as I recalled that short memory. But we didn’t stop in the middle of town like last time. Instead, we went to the very outside of the town. Everything became quieter and much more mysterious. I decided to stick close to him when we went between some tall buildings. This looked different compared to the normal hustle and bustle in the middle of the town. He stopped in front of one particular dark building and smiled. I stared at him in curiosity. What could be in there that made him so happy? It was run-down and worn, but a feeling of comfort arose when I heard laughter cries emanating from the building, causing Siwon to smile wider and shake his head. He shifted his gaze towards me and gestured me to the door.
“I volunteer at the orphanage. I told them that I was bringing a friend.” I raised my eyebrows. This was definitely something I didn’t expect. But I was overcome with interest as he held the door out to me. I took a tentative step in and was immediately greeted a rush of children flying past me. I laughed out loud when I saw two small children crowd around Siwon’s legs. Siwon bent down low and ruffled a girl’s hair.
“Nice to see you again, Yuki.” He smiled and turned towards the other girl.
“You too, Misso.” He stood up and stretched his back as the girl, Yuki, started jumping up and down. They only could have been at least eight years old. I stared at them in curiosity. Wasn’t the orphanage supposed to take care of the children? They were grimy and had rags for clothing. But their personalities made up for their dirty looks. Yuki tugged on his pants leg and pointed towards me.
“Who is he?” She asked, in a not so quiet whisper. I broke into a smile as Siwon exchanged glances with me.
“The friend I said I was bringing last week.” Yuki turned towards me and grinned, narrowing her eyes.
“More like a boyfriend, Siwon oppa!” Siwon shook his head in a helpless manner as I chuckled silently.
“Alright, enough of this conversation. Go and eat lunch, alright?” Siwon waved them off, but Misso started laughing with Yuki as they ran to the kitchen.
“So you can spend time alone with your boyfriend, Siwon oppa!” Their laughs echoed off the walls as they got farther away. I couldn’t stop smiling at their childish behavior, even when I turned to Siwon. He shrugged and bit his lip.
“I’m sure you’re very liked already, Hankyung.” He joked. I nodded along, staring at their retreating backs.
“They sure are…disobedient little things.” I commented, not really knowing what else to say. Siwon turned to a nearby window, peering through the foggy glass. I stood behind him, staring at the scenery.
“They must be very close with you, Siwon. How long have you been volunteering here?” Siwon leaned against the wall and turned towards me.
“Ever since I entered college.” I blinked. That would be about two years. I nodded, quite impressed with his dedication.
“You must be very committed. What made you work here?” He seemed hesitant in answering that question, his eyes dulling. He looked away for a short period of time before facing me again.
“Let’s just say you aren’t the only one with family problems, hyung,” He answered softly. “It seemed cruel for children to face the same problems I did when I was their age.” I didn’t really know how to answer that, and I didn’t pressure him to continue. It seemed like a topic that I had no part in. At that moment, a woman came out of the kitchen, flushed and cheerful.
“The children told me you were here, Siwon. You can go upstairs and feed the ones in room 203 their medicine.” She smiled and gestured him upstairs. She turned to me and grinned.
“Are you here to help him?” I blinked at her and smiled a little.
“I…I guess so.” She motioned for me to follow him and disappeared in the kitchen again after handing me a small bottle. I glanced at the bottle and realized that it was medicine. Siwon gripped my arm tightly and led me upstairs.
“You could say that I like to be their older brother.” I was brought to a small room with at least five beds. Small children were sleeping, tucked under the sheets. Siwon handed me a spoon and pointed to the other side of the room.
“You can take care of that side, while I stay over here, alright? Just wake them up and feed them two spoonfuls of this liquid.” I nodded and went to the first bed. In it was a small girl, gazing at me with big brown eyes. I smiled and slowly sat down on her bed.
“You’re helping Siwon oppa? How nice of you.” She commented softly, opening her mouth willingly. I looked at her sadly. Each one of these children must have had a rough childhood if they ended up here. As I progressed from one bed to the next, I noticed that each one of them was quiet and timid, not at all what I was expecting. Except for the last child. She had shining eyes, and didn’t stare at me secretively. Instead, she beamed widely and pointed to herself.
“I’m Soyeong. Nice to meet you.” I was a little shocked at her sudden boldness, but pleased nonetheless. I smiled back at her.
“I’m Hankyung.” I turned my attention back to the medicine. As I was pouring it into the spoon, I felt a warm touch on my thigh. I turned towards her and she was staring at me curiously, her hand resting on my leg. I though it a bit unusual but didn’t think much of it. She raised her head and smiled brightly, her eyes shining with curiosity.
“You’re not from around here, are you? You’re from China!” How did Soyeong know that?! I don’t recall ever telling anyone here that. I fed her a spoonful to prevent her from talking more. I was beyond interested now and decided not to answer her. When she swallowed, her smile was back as she kept her hand on my leg. I tried to ignore that happy smile as I poured the medicine a second time.
“Do you really like Siwon oppa like that?” I almost lost my grip on the spoon when she said that. I widened my eyes at her.
“What…what do you mean?” I replied cautiously. She rolled her eyes as if it was the most obvious thing ever.
“I’m asking if you like Siwon oppa the way you think about him.” I stared at her dumbfounded. By instinct, I looked over to Siwon and saw a child point to something on the bottle, causing him to laugh. And when I turned back to this girl…I couldn’t even speak. Who was she and what was she doing?! Soyeong couldn’t be like Donghae…could she? I fed her the second spoonful without another thought. She swallowed and cocked her head to the side.
“I’ll take that as a yes. But don’t worry, Siwon likes you too.” I could have just fainted right then and there if not my interest taking the better of me. My jaw dropped as I stared at her in horror.
“What are you talking about?!” I managed to say. She shrugged.
“I touched his wrist when he came in here. I think he’s done, so you should go now. Nice meeting you!” I laughed nervously, a little freaked out at her…supposed ability. I swallowed and nodded, getting up to where Siwon was. I laughed when I saw a young girl on his shoulders, her arms wrapped loosely around his neck. Siwon smiled and looked up at her. I noticed the way he tenderly touched her hand, and the way his face immediately brightened up when seeing her. With his towering figure compared to the girl’s, he resembled…a father. Who knows what he would do to me if he found out that I thought of him like that. Siwon set her down on the bed and made his way to the doorway, turning around to face me.
“You look so pale. You look like you saw a ghost!” I blinked at him and laughed, trying to forget everything Soyeong said.
“You could say that.” I breathed, still astounded by that mysterious little girl.
As we walked through the thick crowds in the middle of town, I couldn’t stop staring at Siwon from behind and think back to what Soyeong said to me. Did I really like Siwon the way Soyeong thought I did? And more importantly, what did she mean when she said that Siwon liked me too? I brushed those thoughts away. She was just a little girl, and children like her say anything at that age.
We arrived in school just when the fundraiser was getting set up. Siwon was immediately dragged away by Kyuhyun to another hall, right when we entered. Kyuhyun was saying something about a great idea for Siwon to be in the fundraiser as they walked down to another room. Before I could even open my mouth, I felt a small hand wrap around my arm, pulling me into their headquarters.
“Ryeowook, what are you doing?” He pushed me into a dressing room, and boy was he stronger than he looked! He handed me a suit and closed the door to the small dressing room. I stared curiously at the piece of clothing in my hands, when I heard his voice from outside.
“I’ve rounded up nineteen other students who are willing to participate in your people auction. Wear this suit, and I wish I could look at how it fits on you, but I have to get ready for the bake sale.” And with that, I heard the sound of fading footsteps. I stared at the article of clothing again and started stripping off my shirt.
I never was a big fan of fashion, but I had to say that it fit comfortably, and it was pretty good looking. The suit was a nice shade of black, and the tie that came with it was simply - oh dear Lord, I’m starting to sound like Ryeowook. I opened the door and was stunned to say the least when Ryeowook came barreling past with a cart full of food.
“Oh, hey Hankyung! Glad the suit fits nicely! It looks good on you!” I laughed, but before I could thank him, he was already out the door. He really was busy! I decided to follow him outside and see what all the fuss was about. My jaw went slack when I saw this fundraiser in person. It was more like a carnival to me! There was already a crowd of people swarming the many stands, and the decorations were amazing! Sungmin jogged up to me, flushed and smiling.
“You like it?” I laughed and grinned.
“I love it! When you plan something, you definitely do it right!” Sungmin beamed and leaned in close to me.
“You should check out what Kyuhyun made Siwon do.” Sungmin smiled uneasily. I furrowed my eyebrows together and cocked my head slightly in confusion. Sungmin pointed all the way to the end, and if I squinted I could just make out the words…holy mother fu-
“Is that what I think it is?” I couldn’t help but break out into a disbelieving smile. Sungmin sighed and nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Kyuhyun really does astound me sometimes.” But I barely paid attention to what Sungmin was saying. This was something I had to see myself. I took off and ran to the other side of the fundraiser, and stopped in front of what I was afraid it was going to be. A kissing booth. A goddamn kissing booth.
With Choi Siwon sitting on the table.
“You laugh Hankyung, and I swear to God…” Siwon left his sentence hanging, raising an eyebrow, almost daring me to say something. A silly grin spread across mine as I stared up to that large red sign above Siwon’s head. Siwon took a swig from his water bottle and waited for my reaction. I crossed my arms and smiled amusedly at him.
“What is Kyuhyun doing this time?” I questioned. Siwon rolled his eyes, spitting out the water on the ground.
“Blackmail. What else is new?” I raised one eyebrow at what Siwon was wearing. I tilted my head back, meeting Siwon’s gaze again.
“Nice clothing you got there.” Siwon looked down and chuckled a little. He was wearing a black vest, revealing his tan skin and toned abs. A pair of loose jeans hung off his legs, meeting a pair of black sandals. I had to admit that I did like the baseball cap that was worn backwards on his short black hair. He gestured to my suit.
“I should say the same for you.” I broke into another smile. It was amazing how jokes could backfire on you like that. I rested my elbows on the table and looked up at him.
“So how much money have you raised?” He squeezed his eyes shut while biting his lower lip, a red tinge creeping on his face.
“Don’t even get me started, Hankyung.” I stifled a laugh as he opened one eye to peek at me curiously.
“Something tells me I don’t want to know.” Siwon hopped off, sticking a big “will be back” sign on the booth, walking off to the forest. He turned around and smiled back at me.
“You coming or what?” I chuckled and jogged over to him. “I’ve had enough of kissing random girls, so I’m going to relax a bit by the lake.” I shook my head and grinned like mad when hearing that statement. He noticed and playfully punched my arm.
“Hey! Don’t laugh like that! It’s disgusting how I have to kiss so many girls in one day!” I just laughed harder at that. I poked his arm when I recovered.
“At least you’re not going to participate in a meat market! A people auction is just as bad!” Siwon laughed and gestured me towards the lake. I recognized it as the one where we went swimming a few weeks back. I sat down beside a nearby tree and sighed, the silence comforting to me. I heard a shuffle of feet as I closed my eyes, and then a small plop. After a moment of silence, there was another soft plop. I opened one eye to see Siwon’s back facing me, and something in his hands. He flicked his wrist, and the object flew across the water, jumping twice before sinking. I opened my eyes in curiosity as he picked up another rock, flinging it across the surface three times before it sank. I smiled to myself in the shadows as he picked up yet another small rock.
“You know, maybe you are the golden boy everyone has been talking about.” I called out to him. He chuckled softly, but didn’t turn around as he flicked his wrist, the rock flying out of his hands in a graceful arc.
“And why is that?” I sighed, wondering why he was so oblivious.
“You’re a professional singer, actor, and dancer. You have a great sense of humor, a nice body, and I’m pretty sure you have a nice voice too. Not to mention that you’re a basketball player too. You volunteer at the orphanage, you can skip rocks, and did I forget to add that you’re some hotshot celebrity?” Hearing that, Siwon sighed and picked up another rock, throwing it across the lake.
“When one sees another as perfect, they fail to see the imperfections embedded within. I’ve made some huge mistakes in my life, Hankyung. Big mistakes that I cover up with all these good deeds that I do. Trust me, I’m not as perfect as I seem.” Siwon said, picking up yet another smooth rock. I don’t know what made me say it, or what provoked me, but I did anyways.
“You’re perfect enough for me.” I added softly. I closed my eyes again, hearing a heavy plunk, the rock not even making it to two jumps. There was a long silence after that, and even the sound of skipping rocks had stopped. I was about to tell him to forget everything I said, when I opened my eyes to the sight of him turned around, looking down to the rock that was in his hands. I caught a glimpse of one of his dimples showing up before he turned back around, skipping the rock across the surface five times.
“Same goes to you.” He mumbled. I don’t know if I heard correctly. It was so quiet, it could have easily been the wind. But when I saw the way his cheeks went up in a small smile, I knew that wasn’t just wind. I fiddled with my fingers and thought back to Soyeong.
Alright Soyeong, maybe you’re right. Maybe I did like Siwon…just a little bit.