008.
Kyuhyun isn't one for extravagant displays of affection, but his boyfriend apparently is.
"Come to my work tomorrow, yeah?" Jongwoon says, smiling and tugging at Kyuhyun's hand, and he looks down before he sighs, smiling.
"Yeah, yeah okay.
Jongwoon grins, bright and beautiful before he pecks Kyuhyun on the cheek and runs off.
"Three o'clock!"
Kyuhyun sighs and digs his hands into his pockets. Well, at least it'll give him plenty of time to prepare his own gift for their anniversary.
Jongwoon's happiest when he's surrounded by kids, Kyuhyun knows that. So even if his pay is shit and he works bad hours, sometimes running to class with a balloon tangled around his wrist, he loves it. He wouldn't trade it for the world.
So at half past two, Kyuhyun lingers at the doorway of the shopping mall, watching as Jongwoon hands over balloons to the kids, grinning bigger than he usually does.
The children squeal in delight, and Jongwoon simply smiles, happy at their laughter.
Ten to three, Kyuhyun coughs and approaches Jongwoon, a lone balloon clasped in his right hand as he stares down at his phone. Jongwoon looks up at the sound, and stands.
"Hi," Jongwoon says, and arms reaching out for a hug, still grasping the balloon. Kyuhyun leans into the hug, smiling unconsciously.
"Hey, happy anniversary."
Jongwoon steps back, and grins, hands holding the balloon out. Kyuhyun raises an eyebrow.
"What, a balloon?"
Jongwoon, still grinning, shakes his head and his hands, the balloon jerking.
"Look!"
Kyuhyun follows the lines of Jongwoon's arms before stopping at his hands, fingers curled around a small, diamond ring.
"Is this--"
Jongwoon grins, eyes crinkling as he nods.
"Yeah, this is for you. Happy anniversary, Kyuhyun."
Kyuhyun takes the ring from him gingerly, careful of balloon string, and unties it. They watch as it floats to the ceiling before he looks down to the ring, sliding it onto his finger. It fits.
Kyuhyun swallows. Now his present seems lamer, pathetic even, in the face of this. Jongwoon bounces on the balls of his feet.
"Do you like it!"
Kyuhyun looks at the earnest smile, before leaning down and kissing Jongwoon on the cheek.
"I love it, okay. I'll have your present ready later, I'll call you when it's ready."
Jongwoon nods, still smiling before kissing Kyuhyun on the lips.
"I'll see you later then, I have to go to class now."
Kyuhyun nods.
"See you."
As soon as the sun sets and the doors of the mall close, Kyuhyun calls up Donghee.
"I need a favour," he says, licking his lips, and he hears the hearty laughter Donghee lets out.
"Sure, what's up?"
"Are you working tonight?"
There's a pause.
"At the mall? Yeah I am, why?"
"Can you lock one of the entrances? I need to do something."
There's another pause, suspicious.
"Are you going to vandalise it, jeopardise my job?"
Kyuhyun laughs.
"I wouldn't dare. I just need to stick some things up on the door, is that okay?"
"...Is this to do with Jongwoon?"
"...Maybe?"
Donghee laughs again.
"You guys are so weird, but okay. Coming over now -- the one near the fountain okay?"
"Yeah, that'd be great."
"I'll be done in around ten minutes, just come around then, yeah?"
"Yep, thanks a lot, I owe you."
"Yeah you do." There's a cheery note in Donghee's voice as he hangs up, and Kyuhyun sighs and gathers the papers together. Jongwoon better appreciate this.
Donghee gives him a cheery salute when he arrives, and Kyuhyun blushes, feeling twelve and ridiculously inexperienced at love. And cheesy, stupidly cheesy. Jongwoon better like this.
He grabs his masking tape and rips off a few pieces, sticking the first page on and stepping back. It isn't crooked, at least.
Through the night, as shoppers walk past him, curious, he sticks page after page on, covering the glass before he looks at his phone, finally finished.
Thirty minutes until midnight, he calls Jongwoon, licking his lips nervously.
"Hello?" Jongwoon asks.
"Hey, can you come down to the mall?"
Kyuhyun can hear the surprise in Jongwoon's voice as he replies.
"The mall? Why?"
"There's something here for you." Kyuhyun holds up his hand, the ring glinting at him mockingly, almost saying; pathetic, compared to me.
"Someth- sure, okay. I'll see you in a few then."
"Right, see you. Love you."
There's a breath on the other line, and Kyuhyun closes his eyes, wondering why he said that.
"Love you too, bye."
His ass freezes off slowly, bit by bit as he waits for Jongwoon to arrive before he hears the tell tale sounds of his car, obnoxious and loud in the silence.
"Kyuhyun, hey," he says when he jumps out, grinning when he holds his arms out.
Kyuhyun smiles unconsciously before he gives Jongwoon a hug and steps back, taking hold of his shoulders and spinning him.
"Do you like it?" Kyuhyun asks, licking his lips, tightening his grip on Jongwoon's shoulder as he looks at his work.
Jongwoon's breath leaves his body in a soft rush, lips unconsciously curving up into a beautiful smile that Kyuhyun has come to love. His eyes trace every piece of paper, from the ones taken on the day they met at Sungmin's party, to one taken just yesterday, of Jongwoon wearing his new earrings.
There are others. One of their music class, all fifteen of them crowded around a piano, and then another of the two of them in the ferris wheel, a hundred days after they first kissed (some boy's cheesy idea, probably Ryeowook's.)
The one in the middle, however, is Kyuhyun's favourite. It's of Jongwoon sleeping on the couch, hair loose and curling around his ears and mouth relaxed.
Jongwoon sees them all, sees all the images and clutches at Kyuhyun's hands.
"Do you like it?" Kyuhyun asks uncertainly, holding Jongwoon's hands tight.
"Are you kidding me? I'm fucking in love with it okay."
Kyuhyun sighs in relief and Jongwoon laughs before turning around, kissing him.
"I love it, okay?" he says softly, and Kyuhyun nods, smiling.
"Okay."