Love is a Lie

CHAPTER 2 - YOUR NUMBER

<KIHYUN>

Song after song we practiced our dance through the afternoon and night. At first we were doing voice too, but as exhaustion caught us to us we left that behind and just worked on our moves, always trying to get them to perfection for our fans, but it never seemed enough, no matter how much we practiced.

Once we'd run through our choreography I don't even know how many times we all thought it would be a good idea to have an early night and start fresh the next day – we had the whole day to ourselves and we could spend it in that room. Everyone scattered around, most of us just sat on the floor, our sweat covered selves doing nothing but breathing. One by one everyone left the room to go wash up and eat something before bed until me and Jooheon were the only ones in the room.

"Do you wanna go next?" He asked, his head lolling to the side as he looked at me lazily.

"Go ahead." I shook my head, motioning over to the door, through which he left without another word. None of us were particularly chatty when we were tired and we'd gotten used to living in comfortable silence when it was the case.

With a deep breath I finally got up off the floor, stretching my arms and legs before walking over to the corner where I'd left my things, picking my towel up and draping it around my neck as I also picked my phone up and unlocked it.

[1 New Text - 00:53 AM]

From: Sulli
[Hey, long time no see, huh? I'm still kinda cheesed you got signed and didn't even tell me, those things hurt, you know?]

I had to read the text over a few times before I realized who that was. I hadn't talked to Sulli since she moved back to England halfway through Middle School. I had thought of her, of course, when I thought about my kid days there was no way to leave her out, but being completely honest I hadn't thought of reaching out to her or talking to her ever again. I hadn't even known I still did have her number.

I had to think, type and delete a few times before I finally settled on an answer.

To: Sulli

01:40 AM - I didn't even think to tell you, I'm sorry x

I really had to make an effort to reply with only those few words, though, because everything in me was screaming with questions. Why now? Why would she think to text me now? Why would she think to text me at all? Specially having it been what it had; I would never have thought she would do that, and I knew her well- or had; I guess the years do change people.

"Yoo," Minhyuk poked his head inside the room, "showers are free if you wanna go." I could hear Wonho's laugh right behind him and couldn't keep a chuckle of my own from escaping my lips.

"Meaning Hurry up Kihyun we're all hungry and we need you to make food." I nodded and pushed myself up off the floor. "I'm on my way, I'm on my way, fear not my children, mommy will feed you soon."

~~~~

"I thought we had a no phones rule when I cook." I pouted at Changkyun, who did a very good job at ignoring me.

"How else are we going to tell everyone how amazing your food is, though?" Jooheon grinned through a mouthful of food. At least they were enjoying it.

To be completely honest, the only reason why I was bringing it up was because I didn't want to be the only one not on my phone but I also didn't want to be on my phone, not when I knew I would keep checking it every five seconds to see if Sulli had replied, I didn't want to even want to do it, but I knew I would. Hearing – or reading – from her had been 100% unexpected, but I kind of took it as a good surprise. She made me think thoughts I hadn't in a long time, bring back memories I didn't know I still had in me, mostly of the two of us up to mischief, but also of me as a kid. Of course, that kid doesn't exist anymore, he's almost 100% gone, but not in a bad way, at least not completely. Of course I lost my innocence, but I also grew up, I met some amazing people – including the ones who sat at the table with me.

"Are you okay?" Hyungwon's eyebrow raised at me and I dragged my eyes along the members' faces, then cocking my head to the side in question.

"Wonho has been trying to get a picture of the chef for at least one minute, but you're not cooperating." Shownu explained, leaving a sheepish look on my face.

"Sorry," I shook my head a little, "I was just thinking." Then I pulled my bottom lip away from my teeth and my hand rose up to make a peace sign next to my face as the other raised my bowl with the food. I looked at the camera. And so began the photo taking for the night.

~~~~

"Are you gonna post it or what?" I asked, plopping down on the couch next to Hyungwon, who had been sitting there scrolling through photos for at least half an hour, reaching out to squeeze his cheek jokingly. He had stopped on that one the most, looked at it the hardest. It was a photo of him, taken by Wonho as he was trying to make a serious face, which is impossible when you have Jooheon behind the camera as well, so it came out as he was trying not to laugh, his lips pressed together, his cheeks squished out and his eyes half closed.

"Nah," He shook his head, "I was just wondering how many dumb photos like these there are out there, and  how glad I am that I haven't seen most of them." he chuckled, exiting the gallery and locking his phone. "Besides, Wonho has too much fun posting his pictures, I can't take that away from him." He pointed his chin as Wonho entered the room followed by Minhyuk.

"Hey, Ki, your phone was buzzing, here." Minhyuk hadn't even finished talking and he was already throwing something at me. My phone. Great. I'd been avoiding it like the plague for three hours and somehow, it had ended up in my hands.

"Thanks." I managed out, swallowing down my anticipation. I was feeling like I was back to being twelve, it was a dumb feeling to have, and stupid how much one text had affected me, but I couldn't stop it.

Wonho and Minhyuk sat down on the floor  talking as Hyungwon re started his scrolling through photos. That was it. I would have to unlock my phone and see if she'd texted me back, my ands were starting to sweat a little, I couldn't help any of those reactions from my body, even though my mind knew it was probably too late for her to be awake to reply. I crossed my legs up on the couch, my knee purposefully touching Hyungwon's leg, for support, even if one sided. I pressed the unlock button.

[2 New Texts ]

From: Sulli

2:28AM - Oh my god, I'm so sorry, my friends got hold of my phone and probably thought texting you would be funny but it was probably really rude, I'm so, so sorry

2:49AM - I don't know what it was, they deleted it, but again, I'm sorry it was really unnecessary, please forget it ever happened they're dumb

For some reason, it made me happy that she'd thought of me twice in twenty minutes, but that wasn't what I registered from all that, so I typed my thoughts.

To: Sulli

4:17AM - How come you still have this number?

[1 New Text - 4:18AM]

From: Sulli

Because paying for roaming is dumb when you have a card?

I hadn't been expecting her to reply that fast, I hadn't been expecting her to reply at all, so when my phone buzzed right after I locked it, I almost jumped out of the couch.

"You okay there buddy?" Chungkyun sneered, earning a nasty look in response. 

"I'm fine." I mumbled, opening my texts to write a reply.

To: Sulli

4:20AM - You're back in Korea?

[1 New Text - 4:21AM]

From: Sulli

Yeah, I moved back home three years ago.