[FIC] Next Door, Next to You
Title: Next Door, Next to You
Pairing: QMi (MiXian)
Rating: R (Swearing, Sexual Situation)
Genre: AU, Romance, Comedy, Drama
Summary: Stages of newly-found romance and reaching life-long dreams; falling in love and crumbling down -- a step-by-step experience in which Kyuhyun and Zhou Mi have never faced before.
--
Time: 2:04AM
Māmā hé Bà Ba,
I’m sorry for disappearing on you like this
but I just got confirmed with the agency I was
applying months ago. I’m finally going to
Korea to pursue the ultimate dream! I’ll make
you proud, I swear! And I’ll take care of
myself. So please don’t worry, alright?
Oh, my cab is here and I’m leaving
at 3:15AM. Take care. I love you, thank you.
-Zhou Mi
P.S. I, uhh, took a few, no, some bucks from Dad’s
account. Please don’t hunt me down, pops.
Jiàn dào nǐ!
--
Instant noodles for dinner for at least 3 months now had become some kind of routine-meal for Kyuhyun who could only afford so little with his school-day and part-time-night life. He wasn’t really complaining because it got him by and he wasn’t really getting sick due to over-dosage of preservatives. And, oh, those convenient noodles did grow on him. Well, kind of.
“This again? Don’t you eat anything else? There are other foods here, at the healthy picks section, you know?” Kyuhyun simply shrugged and paid, exiting the store and waving-thanks to Manager-store Hankyung who stood worried behind the counter.
Like he had a choice to choose something else, Kyuhyun thought bitterly, when he was the only one supporting himself after he ran away from home. How long had it been since he last saw his big sister Ahra who took off with the same reason as he? A better question was why were their parents like that? Forcing them to something they didn’t like? Obviously Ahra was against it and so was Kyuhyun when he finally realized that taking up Medicine wasted two years of his life when he could do something he really wanted - Computer Programming.
So now he was here, alone, walking back to his little apartment with noodles at hand at the dead of the night. He’d be lucky if the dogs down the trash bins in front were not out to chase him again. He had enough of those, seriously. Them mutts should have leashes.
“Ah, please, please no. I don’t have food and I don’t think my clothes and files would taste good either and-AH!!”
What greeted him was a spectacle of one stranger surrounded by those dogs - little growling dogs. Normally, it wouldn’t his business to assist or help since, well, everyone had their problems to deal alone but apparently the spectacle blocked his only gate to his crib. Kyuhyun had no choice unfortunately.
He whistled a familiar tune and the dogs turned to him and when he raised a fist like how man who was about to punch someone’s lights out, the rascals whimpered and scampered away altogether. Ah, works every time.
Now that his obstacle was removed and that he was ready to chow down because he was really, really hungry from all that bus-boying down at cafe he was working on, Kyuhyun had an abrupt stop when the stranger literally gather himself to Kyuhyun and saying this words he didn’t understand, complete with sparkling eyes effect.
Ah, he caught one, because the stranger finally stopped talking alien. “Thank you, thank you so much! I thought those cute dogs will eat me!”
Even an idiot could understand that broken Hangul that stranger was rambling but Kyuhyun wasn’t not about to stay for lively chats at the evening. He had an impatient stomach waiting to be fed.
Unfortunately, the stranger was as dense as a rock, Kyuhyun mused, when he was still being followed to his door and was still rambling about getting lost and some agency the stranger was looking for. Star Museum Agency? Whatever that was, Kyuhyun didn’t give a damn. His head was already aching with hunger.
“B-by the way, I think I’ll be living here from now on! I’m from Wuhan, China and my name is Zho-
The door slammed shut with a startling sound. And never once Kyuhyun took a good look at the stranger. Except for his annoyingly orange hair.
--
This was not the best time to be running late for work, not when he was requested to check-in early because tonight was Opening Bar Night and Heechul had made it crystal-clear that if he were late, he was as good as dead. Something about pleasing the customers to reel in more money for Heebum’s new castle litter box. Kyuhyun didn’t understand but with Heechul happy, more money for him too.
So instead of the usual long route he took, there was an alley leading to the cafe that would take him there in a matter of minutes.
And in a matter of minutes, he was shocked to see that familiar stranger, not surrounded by dogs anymore but by a couple of gangly-looking men standing in the alley. He could not be mistaken - that orange hair and that awful Hangul, it was him alright. A meeting of some sort? His friends? What an awful choice of chums, Kyuhyun thought as he approached, making sure he’d walk fast enough to avoid being recognized.
“Don’t be shy! We are professional tour guides here in Korea so I’ll be taking this okay? It’s part of our service!” One man was cooing and he was reaching for the stranger’s bag but it was pulled away.
Kyuhyun watched as the stranger stammered, backing away. “N-no. I don’t need help and-STOP!”
“Why are these foreigners so stubborn? Dammit, just give us your damn bag!”
It was then that Kyuhyun comprehended that, oh great, they were no close chums but muggers in broad daylight. And the way that familiar stranger was retaliating with that frightened look; Kyuhyun knew that he’d be saving this guy again. Why, oh why? At the worst possible when he needed to get to work pronto.
That stranger owed him big time. A HUGE MOTHERFUCKER TIME.
“Dammit.” It was all he could say before darting forward. What was the great plan, he thought, and there wasn’t any, only to get himself to work in time by dragging that stranger away from danger and run like bloody hell. Without further ado, Kyuhyun sprinted, grabbed the stranger’s arm, heard a surprised squeak from said stranger (with a couple of angry “HEY’s!!”) and ran, ran and ran. Kyuhyun wasn’t looking back but knew the arm - still trembling and unsure - he was holding was secure and locked.
“It’s... It’s you again.” The stranger managed between heaves and Kyuhyun was sure he heard some kind of surprise mixed delight with that tone.
--
“KYUHYUN! You are precisely 23 minutes and-hello, who’s this hot stuff? I’m Heechul and you are currently conversing with the most beautiful man in Korea” Heechul all but un-waltzed towards the two, tossing his hair back with hand and smirking as if all spotlights were on him. Except, it wasn’t, because Cafe Dangerous Cinderella was jam-packed with customers and they, the customers, had no time to gawk at the infamous princessy-manager. “Okay, enough fanboying over me and start changing your clothes because Donghae’s out saving his hamster boyfriend from god-knows-what and Shindong’s being the barista that he shouldn’t.”
“Then who’s waiting the tables?” Kyuhyun asked, running inside the kitchen with Heechul and putting an apron on, forgetting completely the stranger fidgeting beside him as if he didn’t exist. That was then he watched his manager tossing another set of uniform to the stranger.
“Exactly. We are short of man-supply and I’m sure your friend here will be glad to be of help. Whaddaya say, Seasoning? Are you up for cleaning tables with style?”
Kyuyhyun watched how his manager flocked around the stranger as if amused by him since minute-one. Heechul seemed to like him and Kyuhyun didn’t understand it. He was sure to protest because, well, you just dont’ hire someone out of the blue due to scarcity of human resource inside a cafe establishment but...
“O-oh...! Sure! I know how to clean tables! I’ve been doing it with my mom’s restaurant back at home!”
“...What?”
“FABULUOUS!”
It was just a smile - a too sunny, blindingly bright smile enough to slice a face - that won many hearts of customers who seemed to be going back for more this one night. Kyuhyun decided that that person was no ordinary man - this so-called Chinese stranger; Kyuhyun watching him like a hawk every time he cleaned tables, waiting for anything, or something of clue of his identity.
Girls swooned over the new face and even shameless uncles whistling at him. Kyuhyun didn’t understand of it all but Zhou Mi knew, somehow knew, he’d be getting that kind of reaction because his smile grew wider enough to rival the golden star.
“Please come back again!” Zhou Mi waved enthusiastically at the leaving couple before taking the plates away, only to be greeted by the door chimes signalling new customers. Heechul had never been happy in all of his life and Kyuhyun had never been annoyed either.
“Ain’t he just adorable? I didn’t know you had a friend like him! You should’ve introduced me earlier! He’s damn fine and you’re being a total hog for keeping him to yourself.” Heechul whispered back at him and it made Kyuhyun skin crawl like never before.
“Hyung, there are two things that are erroneously wrong at your statement: he’s NOT my friend and I’m straight, dammit! I just found him last night being bullied by dogs then this afternoon by people! Stop getting ideas, sheesh.”
Heechul just rolled his eyes, counting change before re-computing them. “Yeah, right. Says the man who’s working under me. Why be so bashful? He’s a good-catch if I do say so. Look! Everyone just wants him.”
And as what as Heechul told, Kyuhyun did notice the obvious attention Zhou Mi was getting even if he weren’t on the cafe stage or even clad in striking clothes. He just donned a simple top, pants and apron!
Perhaps it was his hair - that flaming orange - that made him stood-out. Or his skin? Now that Kyuhyun had a clear look of him, he was freakishly white. Or maybe it was because of his height? Because compared to Heechul and him, that stranger was, unfortunately for Kyuhyun, taller.
“I like him, hyung! He’s really friendly!” Shindong added over pouring drinks; now the three of them watching the happily conversing new bus-boy. “Can we ask him to work here? It seems that he’s magneting more money for us!”
Heechul smugly smirked, watching with amused eyes the sight before him. “Yeah, I think I like him too. A little fixing here and there and he’d be our new mascot! Just like you, Kyuhyun! We need more pretty boys here. Maybe we could put up a wanted sign? That Donghae! He better check-in tomorrow or I’ll bash his face up!”
The night stretched longer with laughter and merriment and Kyuhyun, decided sans rationality and logic that he disliked that Zhou Yi or Chou Mi or whatever his name was.
--
“What?”
Kyuhyun made sure that it came out as an irritated snarl when he stopped walking and Zhou Mi stopped tailing him from behind like a lost frightened puppy.
“I, uhh, don’t know how to get back to the apartment and you’re the only one I know who lives in the same building as I do so...”
“Look, you don’t need me and you’re seriously getting on my nerves. When we get there, stop acting as if you know me, alright?”
And Kyuhyun thought he made his statement oh-so-clear when they arrived the building with awkward silence - Zhou Mi’s head hanging low and Kyuhyun pretending as if he was just alone - but when he was about to close his door, a hand grabbed it and pulled it open.
“Have I offended you? You saved me twice but you act so cold. You even shut the door when I was still talking and yet rescued me back the alley. You were watching me the whole time and you pretend I don’t exist just now. I-
Zhou Mi was all but calm. He even seemed panicky and out of breath. Kyuhyun didn’t know what expect or how to react, but when he finally said the last words he’d be hearing tonight, Kyuhyun was stunned.
“You-you’re the only one I have here. No one helped, no one even bothered but you did. I know this is too straightforward but please be my friend? I don’t know who else to turn to and coming here, to Korea, seemed like a bad idea but I don’t want to regret it either. I need to chase an important dream.”
Dream, he said. And Kyuhyun, for the first time, grew wondered what dream could it be this important. After all since he was also chasing a dream he couldn’t seem to reach just yet, a connection had been formed between them.
“Please... don’t close this door.”
--
Time: 3:27AM, Korea Time
I finally found a place to settle in because
hotels are too expensive! I only
have limited money. And time is
running out to find the agency! I might
not get in!
But then, today, it was an experience
I’d never forget and it would seem that my
neighbour, even though a little rude,
hot-headed, easily snaps, he
seems nice. He even made me work at
this cafe with an interesting manager.
Kyuhyun was his name and I’ll be calling
him Kui Xian from now on. Don’t laugh
because I give silly names, I know!
Time to rest! I’ll be up early
To find Star Museum Agency!
Zhou Mi, jia you!
Mood: Secured
--
A/N: OMG. I'm starting with QMi chapters again! After all this time of one-shots, I'm finally releasing multi-chapters because Zhou Mi's birthday is just around the corner! Please don't forget to greet him! The Gentleman is turning 25 (is this correct? :D) and he's still looking might fine!
Like what you read? Shall I continue? Please do review~
(and, to be honest, all ideas just popped out when I'm in the middle of writing this! I took, like, 6 hours to finish this! Do you guys like it?
PIMPAGE: Zhou Mi's newly established INTERNATIONAL FORUMS! Please join the Honey-Symmetry! :DDDD