Hired to love you. Chapter 18
Kyuhyun woke up to the emptiness next to him. Somehow, he could feel the loss of a presence beside him. He opened his eyes and slapped his hand against the other side of the bed, feeling for something or rather, someone. Kyuhyun's eyes shot open, there wasn't anyone next to him. He sat up on the bed and wondered why Sungmin hadn't called him to wake up. SIghing to himself as he lazily dragged himself off the bed, Kyuhyun grabbed his specs form the bedside table and walked to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth before waking to his closet and grabbed a shirt out.
"Sungmin!" Kyuhyun called out as he walked out of his bedroom. Kyuhyun expected to see Sungmin standing in the kitchen busy with cooking but instead it was Sungjin. "Kyuhyun hyung..?" Sungjin bowed politely. "Morning.. where's Sungmin?" Sungjin's eyes widened. "Wasn't he in the bedroom with you hyung? I didn't want to wake you guys up cos i thought you guys may have been busy with..uhhum." Kyuhyun shook his violently. "He already wasn't in the room when i woke up.." "Maybe he went out to buy breakfast?" Kyuhyun shook his head yet again. "He wouldn't have.. He knows we have breakfast in the house already and even if there wasn't any breakfast, he would have cooked." Sungjin nodded. "Right... So thing is.. Where's hyung?" Just then, Sungjin's phone rang. "Omo!" answering the call eagerly, Sungjin put the phone to his ear. "Hyung!! Where are you? Gwenchana?!" Sungmin sighed into his phone. "Ne, i'm fine. Listen, i'm busy with something so i won't be home for the next few days. I want you to take good care of yourself, don't make me worry for you, got it?" Sungjin felt that something was wrong. It was as if Sungmin was going to leave him forever. "Hyung.. don't speak as though you aren't coming back.. it's scary." Sungjin laughed to lighten the mood. "Sungjin ah.. even if i don't leave today, i'll have to leabe you another day. Just get used to it, ne?" "Leave today..what does he mean by that.." Sungjin thought to himself. "Hyung, what are you saying?" Sungmin held back a sob which was threatening to escape from his lips. "Hmm? Nah, i just want you to study well. And take good care fo yourself. Mianhae sungjin ah. Jeongmal mianhae. Help me tell Kyuhyun that i love him. I really do. I'm sorry for doing this." Before Sungjin could protest, Sungmin hung up. "Hyung.. he.." Kyuhyn grabbed Sungjin by his shoulders and shook him. "Sungjin! What did Sungmin say? What's going on?" "He says that he's sorry for doing this.. I don't get it. He didn't say what he was doing.. but he said sorry.." Kyuhyun ran back into his room and opened the second closet, checking for Sungmin's belongings. "There're not here anymore... He meant to leave.." Kyuhyun slumped down on his bed. Why hadn't he realized. Why did Sungmin leave them. What had he done wrong and how could he get Sungmin back. All these questions filled Kyuhyun's mind. He was afraid. He was afraid that Sungmin would be all alone and lost. He didn't want Sungmin to suffer. Where would Sungmin stay? He wouldn't return to the mansion would he? As Kyuhyun lay on his bed with his limbs spread wide, he let his tears flow down his cheek, drenching his shirt. Had he really lost Sungmin?
Sitting under a tree, Sungmin didn't know where he could go to. All he could think of was that he was stupid for suddenly leaving like that. but since he had already packed up and left, he might as well continue with his plan. He felt really selfish and inconsiderate for leaving Sungjin and Kyuhyun behind like that but he didn't know how else to get Sungjin and Kyuhyun to forget about him. Getting up form his sitting place under the tree, Sungmin walked towards the bar. He needed to get drunk. He needed to forget about everything at least just for a second. Everything going on was too much for him to handle, he couldn't wait to die, then at least he could leave everything behind. Reaching the entrance of the bar, Sungmin used one hand to push open the door while he used his other hand to lug his suitcase in. "Welcome sir." the waitress standing at the door bowed before walking of to lead Sungmin to his seat. Sungmin sat down and looked through the menu. "Get me the strongest alcohol you have please?" "Yes sir." the waitress bowed again before walking off to get Sungmin's drink. "Are you.. by any chance.. Lee Sungmin?" Sungmin looked up to see a petite man standing in front of him. The petite man bowed. "I'm sorry.. you are?" Smiling, the man took a seat across Sungmin. "I'm Kim Ryeowook." Sungmin raised an eyebrow at the man. "Am i supposed to know you?" The man chuckled and nodded. "Kirin Highschool. Class 3" "Kirin High? I was from there too..." The man named Ryeowook laughed. "We were in the same form class silly!!" "Ah! I'm sorry. I apologize for my rudeness just now." Shaking his head, Ryeowook smiled warmly. "That's fine. I must've been acting weirdly.. Sorry for scaring you! I was just excited to see someone form highschool.. It's been a while.." Sungmin nodded. "Yes, it has been a long time since i've heard someone mention Kirin high..How could you recognize me by the way?" Sungmin thought his look had changed over the last few years. 'You still look the same, you know?" Ryeowook said chuckling a little. Sungmin pressed his cheeks together in exasperation. "No kidding? I look the same?" "Yes! You still look so cute hyung!" Sungmin was surprised that Ryeowook called him hyung. "Hyung?" "Ne, Hyung. You're older than me." "But weren't we in the same class?" Now Sungminw as really confused. "We were.. but that was because the teachers moved me a few grades up. Too smart for my own good." Ryeowook shrugged. "Ah.. i got confused for a moment." The waitress arrived with the drinks and set Sungmin's drink down on the table. "Go get him chips. He doesn't have to pay." Ryeowook told the waitress who nodded and walked away. "Wait.. you..?" Ryeowook did a hairflip and looked sideways at Sungmin before smiling. "I own this bar." Ryeowook answered matter of factly. "Woah. you don't look like you'd..." Ryeowook chuckled. "I look innocent? I know. Looks can be deceiving you know." Ryeowook leaned towards Sungmin and whispered in his ear. Sungmin shivered from the sudden chilly air. The waitress soon came back with a bowl of chips for Ryeowook and Sungmin. "So.. What have you been up to then?" Sungmin was shocked that Ryeowook was so direct. Eventhough Sungmin had just met him again after so many years, he felt comfortable around Ryeowook. "Um, well. I was home most of the time all these years." Ryewook was puzzled. "Mind telling me more?" Sungmin smiled. He wasn't uncomfortable with Ryeowook and somehow he didn't midn telling Ryeowwok everything.
After Sungmin filled Ryeowook in with everything, Ryeowook sighed. "I thought i was the one with a tough life.." Sungmin smiled bitterly. "So.. you really ran away form your boyfriend and your brother?" Sungmin nodded, eyes glued on the floor. "I didn't want to be a burden to them.. I thought that leaving them was for the best." Ryeowook nodded, understanding what Sungmin was saying. "I understand what you mean. I.. did that before too." Sungmin looked up. "As in.. you ran away from your.." Ryeowook nodded. "Ne, his father disapproved our relationship. He didn't want his only son to be... gay. My boyfriend and i decieded to elope but the morning that we were supposed to meet at the airport, i backed out. I didn't want to sow discord between him and his dad.. Family realtions to me, is more important. So i left him. His father probably told him that i was unfaithful or something but who cares. As long as he's happy and his father is happy. Then.. i should be happy too." Ryeowook smiled fondly as he remembered the days when his boyfriend was still around. "So.. you didn't contact your boyfriend at all after that?" Ryeowook shook his head. "Nope. No contact at all. He's the CEO of a company. I can't posibly contact him. I wouldn't wanna ruin his bright prospect." Sungmin nodded. "If you don't mind, which company?" Ryeowook smiled. "You could have just asked for his name. He's the CEO of Kim's Corp. His birthname is JongWoon. But he later changed his name to Yesung." Sungmin blushed, Ryeowook really trusted him to be able to tell him so much. "Ah.. you didn't have to tell me so much.." Ryeowook smiled. "That's okay. He's past tense. And they say that he got engaged shortly after I left him." Sungmin didn't know why but his heart suddenly ached, and it seemed to ache for Ryeowook. "By the way hyung, you said you left home right..Where are you going to stay at now? I mean, you said you can't go back to your own house and definitely not your boyfriend's then.. where are you going to stay?" Sungmin's eyes grew a little wider as he realized he hadn't thought of that yet. "I don't know wookie.. i really don't know." Ryeowook's face suddenly lit up. "You can come stay with me! I moved out of my parent's place so i'm living alone. If you don't mind, i have an extra room." Sungmin smiled and nodded his head eagerly. "That's great! Thanks so much!" Ryeowook pinched Sungmin's cheeks. "Aww, anythign for my cutie hyung!" Sungmin giggled at Ryeowook's silly look.
After all the drinks that he and Ryeowook downed to drown their sorrows, Sungmin felt lighter. He had relieved the burden that was weighing his heart down. But he knew that this cure was only temporary. When he woke up form his slumber, he would feel the pain again. But he promised himself to laugh it away. Heck, he was currently having fun with his long-lost friend, why think of such depressing things. Pushing all thoughts of Kyuhyun out of his mind, Sungmin slung his arm around Ryeowook's shoulder as Ryeowook fumbled to get his house keys out fo his pocket. "Ahhhhhh! Home!" Ryeowook shouted as he kicked the front door open. Sungmin walke to the couch and slumped down on it. He felt extremely happy and he didn't want the happiness to end. "Wookie! Let's drink some more!" Ryeowook looked over at his hyung and laughed, being a bar owner, Ryeowook wasn't as drunk as Sungmin. He was used to drinking many beers at once. "Hyung. I think you should go to bed now." Ryeowook walked to the couch and lifted Sungmin onto his back. "You're so heavy hyung." Ryeowook smiled as Sungmin wrapped his legs around his waist. Ryeowook felt as though he knew Sungmin for a lifetime already. He felt that Sungmin could be trusted. After all, someone who was willing to sacrifice his own happiness for the happiness of his loved one surely was a kind and gentle soul? Ryeowook held onto Sungmin's legs, noting how milky white his skin was. As Ryeowook placed Sungmin onto the bed, Sungmin whined loudly. "Kyu..." Ryeowook turned around and placed a hand on Sungmin's forehead. "Aish.. He's running a fever." Ryeowook couldn't help but stare at the lifeless body lying down in front of him. Sungmin seemed so vulnerable. Even more so than Ryeowook himself. Ryeowook couldn't understand how someone who seemed so weak could even have the courage to sacrifice himself. He admired Sungmin and pitied him too. He felt that Sungmin deserved to be treated better and he wanted to help Sungmin. Be it cheering Sungmin up or lookin for the person Sungmin loved the most, he wanted to help Sungmin. He wanted to protect Sungmin, though he didn't understand why he felt that way, he swore to himself that nobody would ever hurt Sungmin again as long he was around.