[FIC] Next Door, Next to You, CH3
Title: Next Door, Next to You
Pairing: QMi (MiXian)
Rating: R (Swearing, Sexual Situation, Mature Content)
Genre: AU, Romance, Comedy, Drama
Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING. You probably know that already, don't cha?
Chapters: 1 - 2
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: 4:17PM, Korea Time
I guessed it worked that I did my hardest.
Now the hitting had stopped, even the
instructors want me to start looking
for openings. I'm so thrilled!
But then, I had to spend my earnings
because I needed to new clothes.
My instructor was wigging out, how
my clothes seemed to cycle. Hahaha.
And, oh, I got pierced today.
It hurts pretty bad.
Time to go where Kui Xian is!
Mood: Pleased
--
He had been, as what Heechul would lightly put it, 'a walking sex, what the hell happened to him!?' when he and the two saw Zhou Mi entering from the door. He had glasses resting on his nose and black fitting attire they never knew that suited him perfectly, with an aura that screamed New Mi!
A wonderful eye-treat for the opening evening. And Kyuhyun swallowed rather uncomfortably before rummaging over the pantry for utensils, pretending not to unsee. He wasn't sure why he was fidgeting like an idiot.
Heechul smirked whilst leaning against the counter to have a good look at the smiling Chinese. "Who raided your closet, boy? You look hot. Flaming hot. Are you free tonight? Take me out?" -- Just then Zhou Mi made a face, an unapproving face. -- "What, don't look at me like that! I'm just kidding!"
"Don't mind him. Hyung hits on just about everyone here." Shindong told over the bar area, giving him the thumbs-up next. "Cool outfit, yo."
"T-thanks." Zhou Mi muttered a little embarrassingly before slipping on his usual blue apron, his glasses askewing a little bit - still not used with the accessory. "The instructor back at the agency was, uh, persistent that we'd start wearing proper clothes. Proper clothes meant something like this. So, yeah, I shopped a little...?"
"More like a lot to me." Heechul pointed a very glinting silver ring on Zhou Mi's finger that was never there before. Even that diamond stud on his right ear. Sexy. "Well, anyway, that's great and all but we gotta prep up the store so you an-- KYUHYUN! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING!? Step back from the door and come here!"
It would have been a great escape plan by Kyuhyun to get away from tonight's job with Zhou Mi - feigning to study for tomorrow's grueling Math test - but when he was caught like a robber trying to get away from the crime scene. it had gone terribly wrong.
"And don't use that there's-Math-test-tomorrow-that-I-need-to-study-for-so-gotta-go-home excuse on me because that's the lamest one you could come up with since last time. That's right, stay where you are."
Kyuhyun bit his lower lips, quickly skimming at anything - and he desperately meant ANYTHING - to get him away but, alas, Heechul dragged him to where Zhou Mi was and pushed him next to the man.
"Okay, now I have my minions at my beck and call, check this shit out."
Kyuhyun watched, much to his dismay, at what looked like an assembled mini stage next to the bar. That wasn't there before, he knew, but it didn't look out of place either. It had little spotlights on the ceiling and a mic stand at the middle. Right beside it was mini DJ booth. And Heechul had made it utterly obvious that he was excited to use it soon. Or now.
"So, gentlemen, how about I hear you sing some songs up there?" Complete with Heechul's thumb towards the stage, grinning like the madman-manager that he was.
"WHAT? Hyung, you're up to no good agai--
"I, uh, haven't tried singing. Reall--
They said at the same time, making Zhou Mi to look at Kyuhyun who did the same. It was as if mimicry in its oddest form when Zhou Mi opened his mouth just as Kyuhyun did. The two zipped it, unsure what to do next. Then it was quiet again, except for Shindong's rattling cooking back at the kitchen and Donghae popping then unpopping his head out at the corner, as if trying to go unnoticed.
Heechul, oblivious, continued. "No employees of mine are sissies here so you better haul your asses up there on the stage or I'll--
The chimes rang pleasantly - there was a customer - and Heechul left the two, gracefully welcomed whoever it was with a dignified manner and cool smile, only to miss a step and hit his head on the antique painting hanging close to the door. The customer gawked for a moment before helping the manager up.
"Hyung! What are you doing here?" Kyuhyun asked, quite surprised, missing the point that Heechul slipped again and seemed to purposely avoid gazes with Hankyung who was holding his arm to support him. Hankyung just smiled, his grasp firm but gentle all the same.
"I was around the neighborhood and you told me you worked at Dangerous Cinderella Cafe. And I'm a little hungry too." He paused and looked around, taking in the ambiance and soothing cottage-like interior. " So... who's Cinderella here? A very pretty lady, maybe? Is she the owner?"
"You're holding him. Actually." Donghae, coming out of nowhere, pointed and cackled. "You look funny, Heechul-hyung!"
"I--oh. OH."
Heechul managed to dumbly slip away from Hankyung's grip, fixing his clothes and then clearing his throat. "Yeah, well, welcome and I'm the pretty man who owns this shack. Donghae, get his orders." Then Heechul left, like a tamed hurricane, to the kitchen which soon followed by a loud crash and the sound of falling pots and pans and Shindong's, "WHAT THE HELL BOSS!?"
"He's mad, isn't he?" Hankyung said, worried, before sitting down. "Do I offend? Is it because I always pick him up every time he falls? Then again, is he always clumsy like that?"
Kyuhyun just shrugged, not really caring because Heechul was eccentric like that, easily swinging moods and personas.
Then Hankyung came into the picture and Heechul had been slipping ever since. Now why was that?
Kyuhyun didn't think and instead put on a little smile and welcomed more customers by the door, seeking their seats and assisting Donghae in taking orders. There'd be plenty of time for that and this was better than thinking another certain Chinese.
He was pre-occupied serving and placing porcelain plates down when a voice echoed around.
"Mic test, mic test. Uh, hello and, uhm, good evening...?"
He noticed Heechul by the Only Employees door, swinging his hand at Zhou Mi who was standing awkwardly at center stage, as if coercing more words, more greetings to say. When Zhou Mi gulped, trying to ease his nerves while fixing his askewed glasses again, Kyuhyun could only face-palm. What had his manager done again? And to Zhou Mi, of all people.
Music eased out from the speakers and everyone finally turned to the newly-built stage, curious. It was a melody Kyuhyun had never heard before, not that he was following the mainstreamed tracks but this melody was rather upbeat, not too fast but enough to be followed. He wondered if Zhou Mi would really sing.
And he did. Zhou Mi saying foreign words again like it was the simplest thing to do. The lyrics easily flowed out, like memorized text and the man just stood there, closing his eyes to feel more of the melody. He didn't sing? Then what he was doing just now, monologuing with tones? This was definitely music to one's ear.
Kyuhyun had never heard such a beautiful voice - like soft and sweet honey.
'Yi dui yi jiu wo he ni, you and me'
He heard it, loud and clear. Amidst mistranslation, Zhou Mi, claiming that he wasn't a singer, managed to pass an understandable message to everyone, to him.
What exactly was Zhou Mi? Kyuhyun wondered deeply and spent the rest of night listening to the voice that was trembling and confident altogether.
---
"That really scared me!" Zhou Mi finally let out, taking in the crisp evening-morning air and stretching, revitalized by the quiet night and soft breeze. "I never knew singing could be so fun and frightening at the same time! It's a whole lot different than modeling!"
"And you said you didn't sing?" Kyuhyun muttered, disbelieving, while turning to familiar corner, on their way back to the shared-building. "You fib."
"I didn't really. Well, not until now."
"Hnn."
"And there was one man who came up to me saying that he liked what I did. I guess I should be happy?" Zhou Mi contemplated and then smiling to himself, like a silly dork. "Next time, you should sing, Kui Xian?"
Kui Xian, he said and Kyuhyun made an abrupt stop, not quite sure what got him. What was that, a pet name of sorts? A code? Why was hearing this now?
"Tomorrow is training day again and you wouldn't believe the improvement that I did an--- Kui Xian, are you okay? You seem pale."
Zhou Mi said it again, this time much clearer and with hand a touching his shoulder. Kyuhyun mind spun for a moment there and tensed when what seemed like Zhou Mi's heat from his hand sipping inside his jacket.
"I-I'm fine." He managed out, rather awkwardly, before shrugging the comforting hand off of him and walked ahead, steps ahead from Zhou Mi. Well, this was rather new and Kyuhyun felt a little freaked out. Freaked out, freaked out of what?
Maybe the thought of closeness scared him shitless. But then, wasn't he close to Heechul-hyung who kept on pestering him out of randomest thing? Or to Shindong who shared to him just about anything under the sun? Donghae was there too, but then kept on disappearing, being the romantic guy he was to his hamster -- as what Heechul would always described to Donghae's lover. Was that figuratively or literally? Kyuhyun would have to find out soon.
Hankyung worried over him as well, like a brother ever since Kyuhyun started buying things from his convenience store. That was closeness too right?
But then, with Zhou Mi, there was tense and and fright. They were neighbors, for christ's sake and obviously from different worlds even though they lived practically next doors. Zhou Mi, from China, the model-to-be and him the... whatever he would make himself of. It had always been like that, a firm decision towards the future with no one. Because it was like that ever since he left home.
Still Zhou Mi cared and reached and Kyuhyun wasn't sure what to make of it. This closeness, he never knew, could exist with simple lunch-making and gentle touches.
"Kui Xian, you're shaking."
And he was, out of control, and he hadn't realize it until he felt a warm coat over him and Zhou Mi leading the way; his back right in front of him.
"It's getting a little frosty out here. And you must be tired. You gotta rest for tomorrow. You have school right? C'mon, let's go." Zhou Mi said before walking quietly and hugging himself to keep any heat.
The thing was, for Kyuhyun it wasn't cold at all.
--
Time: 2:48AM, Korea Time
I'm having all the luck in the world!
Buddha must be watching over me.
If Heechul hadn't forced me to sing,
I wouldn't know how fun it was.
I had wanted to tell something to Kui
Xian. But, oh well. Maybe next time.
There's still time left anyway.
Mood: Sleep---zzzzzz
--
A/N: Is there anyone keeping up with this fic? I dunno what happened and I just started writing like a maniac, trying to tap with my inner, err, self. I'm trying to depict something here but I'm unsure whether it's been understood or not. Oh my writer-skills are going on vacation and I seriously need to get back to work! Ugh. Am I even making some shit-sense?
Well, uh, if you did enjoy that, please leave cakes? *head-desks*