ZhouHyuk- ...More Than My Dream

I Love You More Than My Dream

Zhoumi worked in a fancy restaurant as a waiter.  It was very high class and the customers were rich and classy.  But there was one customer who does not look rich or classy at all.  The customer was wearing a plain black shirt, dark blue jogging pants and a worn pair of sneakers with an old-and-soon-to-be-broken backpack.  The guard stopped that person from entering the restaurant.

"The restaurant may be high class because of the exquisite taste and expensive price of food but it never said anything about the customers' dress code.  Besides, I have the money."  The customer pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket.  Reluctantly, the guard allowed the customer to enter.

Zhoumi got interested in the customer because he was different.  He was bored of the usual rich, spoiled, narcissist, boastful people that makes Zhoumi wonder if they were really rich or just pretending to be.  "Good evening, sir.  My name is Zhoumi and I shall be your waiter for tonight."  Zhoumi introduced himself with a respectful bow before hanging the menu to the commoner-looking customer.

"Thank you."  The customer took a while to order as he went through the pages of the menu.  Zhoumi purposely gave the customer a menu written in English and wondered if the customer is actually struggling with the language and going to pretend that he actually knows how to read it or going to give up and say that he doesn't understand a thing.  Also, some title of the foods were French and had to be pronounced that way.

"I'd like to have choucroute garni." The customer spoke in perfect English without a hint of Korean accent in it.

Zhoumi was pleasantly surprised by it.  "Anything else, sir?  What about something to drink?"

"Strawberry shake.  That would be all."

Zhoumi was surprised again because he was actually expecting for the customer to order wine.  "Let me repeat you order.  Choucrate garni and strawberry shake.  I shall come back in a few minutes with your order."  Zhoumi took the menu, bowed slightly to the customer before leaving.

Zhoumi honestly wanted to get to know the customer more but the customer doesn't seem to be talkative unlike the usual braggarts and pretending to be rich people.  This customer was silent and looked out of place yet he had manners, polite and spoke perfect English than most customers here in the restaurant.

"As a waiter, you are not allowed to start a conversation.  You can only be engaged in a conversation if the customer starts one."  The management is strict so the waiters get punished for breaking that rule even though it was just a simple rule.

And when Zhoumi took the check book from the customer.  He was surprised to see a 100 dollar bill instead of the usual won.  Hundred dollars.  That's just totally a high tip.  He was going to thank the customer but the customer had already left the restaurant.  

"That guy is definitely someone rich pretending to be poor."  Zhoumi said to his fellow waiter, Kyuhyun.  He told Kyuhyun about the customer and what happened.

"Or he could be from a rich family that suddenly became poor or he could really be just poor and just happened to be intelligent and learned English and good manners from school."  Kyuhyun pointed out other possibilities.  "He probably won't be coming again or would take a long time to come again."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

But then the customer showed up again the next day and he even requested for Zhoumi to be his waiter.  Zhoumi was absolutely ecstatic to be serving the familiar face.  This time he observed that the customer was wearing a Batman shirt and washed out jeans with mismatched sneakers.  "It's good to see you back so soon, sir.  May I take your order?"

Since then, the customer would come once or twice every week.  The customer insisted that Zhoumi should call him Eunhyuk but Zhoumi ends up calling him Sir Eunhyuk because the management would punish him if he would call Eunhyuk by first name.

"We should go out some time.  I'll take you to a different restaurant.  By then, you should call me by my name without the sir part."  Eunhyuk winked before leaving.  Zhoumi found out that Eunhyuk wrote his cellphone number at the back of the receipt which he left with another $100 tip.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When Eunhyuk didn't show up in the restaurant for 2 weeks, Zhoumi finally took the courage to call Eunhyuk via cellphone.  "Hi!!! Um.. this is Zhoumi."

"I was wondering when you'd call!!!"  Eunhyuk sounded happy through the phone.  They proceeded to have a long conversation because nobody can stop them from talking to each other now.  Zhoumi wouldn't have other customers to take care of and wouldn't have to be afraid of the manager punishing him to talking too much.  They ended their phone conversation after Zhoumi agreed to Eunhyuk's Friday night dinner in a different restaurant.

Zhoumi didn't expect to be taken to another fancy restaurant.  He and Eunhyuk were both wearing casual clothes but they weren't the only ones.  The people inside this restaurant were mixed.  There were people who looked rich and glamorous but there were also people who looked casual and ordinary.  However, there weren't any judgment unlike in the restaurant that Zhoumi worked for.

"I wish my restaurant was like this instead."  Zhoumi said as he sat down.  He was still staring at the people and the design on the walls and the furniture and just about everything that his eyes could see.

"You talk as if you own a restaurant."  Eunhyuk commented.

"Maybe I will someday."  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

But maybe someday might not come because Zhoumi's father threatened him that if he won't stop hanging out with Eunhyuk, he won't allow Zhoumi to run the restaurant.

"You look sad.  What happened?"  Eunhyuk asked as they met up in the park near the restaurant that Zhoumi's family owned.

"My father said he won't give up the restaurant to me if I don't stop seeing you."  Zhoumi explained further when he saw the confusion on Eunhyuk's face.  "All these years I've worked in that restaurant as a dishwasher, a cook, an accountant, a waiter and sometimes even as a manager.  I suffered and worked hard hoping that my father will approve of me taking over that restaurant someday and now, something like this happens."

"So you wish that you never met me?  Are you regretting entering into a relationship with me?" Eunhyuk asked seriously.  "We could continue to see each other in secret or we could just completely stop.  It's up to you."

Zhoumi really didn't know what to do.  He was completely torn in between wanting to own the restaurant and being with Eunhyuk.  The restaurant had been his dream since he was a child.  Eunhyuk is his first love. "I'm not regretting every single moment I spent with you."

"Let's end this."  Eunhyuk suddenly said.

"What?"  Zhoumi couldn't believe what he was hearing.  "But you said that it's up to me.  I haven't even made any decision yet."

"I know but I hate seeing you look torn up between me and your dreams.  You have a dream of owning the restaurant since you were a child.  You only met me last year.  How could you ever love me more than your dream?" Eunhyuk whispered the question against Zhoumi's lips.  He felt Zhoumi's wet cheek against his own as they kissed.  "Good luck with the restaurant. I know you're going to be successful with it.  Goodbye, Zhoumi."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zhoumi was happy with how the business with his restaurant was going to a good direction but he felt that something was still missing or rather someone.  "I wonder what Eunhyuk is doing right now."  He asked to the air around him knowing that he will not receive an answer.

Zhoumi's father had been pressuring him to meet and date with daughters of rich businessmen.  He can't recall how many girls he dated for the past year.  He can't remember their names either.  No one compared to Eunhyuk.

It felt like de ja vu when he saw Eunhyuk enter in the restaurant that Zhoumi owns now.  Eunhyuk still had the same style of clothes from a year ago.  Even though Zhoumi wasn't a waiter anymore, he personally went to Eunhyuk's table to take his order.  He recited the words he first spoke to Eunhyuk.    "Good evening, sir.  My name is Zhoumi and I shall be your waiter for tonight."  

Eunhyuk was surprised to see Zhoumi acting like a waiter when he clealy isn't.  Zhoumi was wearing a business suit and not in a waiter's uniform.  "Why don't you have dinner with me and let the real waiters do their job?"

"Gladly."  Zhoumi grinned and slipped in the seat in front of Eunhyuk.  "How are you?  It's been so long!!! I'm really happy to see you again."  He knew that one of the waiters would probably report to his father who wouldn't be happy to hear that he and Eunhyuk were having dinner together but frankly, Zhoumi just felt so happy to see Eunhyuk right now, he'll deal with punishments and consequences later.

They talked a lot because there were a lot of things to catch up with each other.  Their food was mostly ignored and barely touched as they were both very engrossed with the conversation.  Zhoumi felt very happy that they could be comfortable like this as friends.

"We actually sat here and did a lot of talking for like... " Eunhyuk glanced at his wristwatch.  "...3 hours. Woah! I almost forgot about the date!!!"

Zhoumi felt his heart sink when Eunhyuk mentioned about a date.  "I wish you just completely forgot about it."  He said straightforwardly.

"Then I'll forget it." After Eunhyuk said that, both of them instantly knew that the feelings are still there in between them as Eunhyuk turned off his cellphone so his date couldn't contact him and stayed 2 more hours in the restaurant with Zhoumi.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I want you to get a girlfriend over the next 2 or 3 months, get engaged then get married next year."  Zhoumi's father said as he handed Zhoumi a folder filled with profiles of daughters from rich families.

Zhoumi stared at the folder in his father's hands but didn't accept it.  "What if I don't get married by the next year?"  

"I'll take over the restaurant again.  I'll only give it up completely after you get married."  Zhoumi's father placed the folder on the table in front of Zhoumi before leaving the room.

Zhoumi and Eunhyuk just recently became friends again and they both know that they still love each other but they're not in a relationship and yet, Zhoumi doesn't know how to deliver this news to Eunhyuk.

Zhoumi's father didn't say anything to Zhoumi despite knowing that Zhoumi and Eunhyuk were hanging out with each other again but Zhoumi has a feeling that it is the reason why his father wanted him to get married soon.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"You looked stressed."  Eunhyuk pointed out when they met up with each other at the restaurant where they first dated.  It was much comfortable compared to Zhoumi's father's restaurants.  Plus, the waiters here aren't going to spy on Zhoumi and report him to his father.

"I am.  Father wants me to get married by next year or he's taking the restaurant away from me again."  Zhoumi sighed.  "I guess I'm going to have to start seriously dating to one girl from the list of rich daughters my father gave me.  Maybe I'll even start to like her with time."

"If you do that, you won't be seeing me for a long time but then again that's not exactly a threat, is it?"  Eunhyuk chuckled before turning his attention back to the food and ate it.

"What do you mean?"  Zhoumi asked, bothered, confused and disappointed.  He doesn't want them to be apart again.

"We're both dating different people but not seriously so if you're going to start dating someone seriously, then I'll seriously give up on you and start to look for someone else too.  I was honestly hoping that this time around maybe you'd choose me over the restaurant but I guess that was just too much to hope for."  Eunhyuk tried to hide the bitterness in his voice by talking with his mouth full because he would rather be seen with no proper manner and unetiquette rather than sounding sad and bitter.

Zhoumi had a hard time believing because Eunhyuk doesn't look serious and he was eating a lot while saying it.  "Back then, I haven't decided if I should choose you or my dreams but you made the decision easy for me by breaking up with me.  Right now, we're not even in a relationship, what makes you think I would choose you over the restaurant of my dreams? I just thought we could be just really good friends."

"We're not in a relationship but I know that you still have feelings for me but sad to say, it's not as much as how I feel for you."  Eunhyuk had stopped eating and looked completely serious this time around.  

"How can you say that?"  Zhoumi asked, getting angry.  His hands were clenching the table cloth.  "On what grounds made you say that?"

"Back then, I gave up a lot for you.  What exactly did I give up?  I won't tell you unless you decide to be with me again which I really doubt that'll happen so you just don't really have to know anymore.  It's all in the past."  Eunhyuk stood up from his seat.  "I don't want to part ways with you in bad terms so I hope this won't be the last time we see each other.  Contact me before you start seriously dating someone." He left without saying goodbye, hoping that Zhoumi would contact him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

But even though Eunhyuk didn't tell Zhoumi what he gave up, somebody else decided to tell Zhoumi about it.

"My name is Hyukjae Lee.  I am the owner of the restaurant which you and Eunhyuk often went to for dates."  The owner of the restaurant personally showed up at Zhoumi's apartment.  "I came to tell you something."

"Are you offering us discount or something?" Zhoumi joked as he welcomed the owner inside his apartment.

"You know that Eunhyuk loves dancing, right? Well, he gave up on that and decided to take over the restaurant.  I asked him why and he said that he couldn't be with you if he doesn't have the restaurant.  I want to thank you for that.  I have been convincing him ever since he was young but he had been stubborn on being a dancer but after meeting you, he finally decided to take over the restaurant and I'm very happy about that."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zhoumi contacted Eunhyuk. They met up in a completely different restaurant that neither belonged to Zhoumi or Eunhyuk's family.  He told Eunhyuk about what Eunhyuk's father had told him.  "You said you couldn't be with me if you didn't own the restaurant but you broke up with me."

"I broke up with you because I was still a dancer at that time.  If you chose me back then, I realized that I would be the only one happy because I would be living my dream as a dancer and have you, the love of my life but then you wouldn't be living with your dream and that would be unfair."  Eunhyuk explained.  "So I broke up with you so I could train myself a bit and take over my father's restaurant.  Then I planned to try to reunite with you."

"But it's still unfair.  If I decide to be with you and work in the restaurant with you, then you gave up your dream as a dancer." Zhoumi frowned.

"No.  If you decide to be with me, I would hand over my family's restaurant to you and go back to being a dancer.  My father would love to have someone who is actually interested in owning the restaurant and I know you would bring more success in the restaurant that I'll ever do.  However, that would also mean you'll become your own father's rival in the business.  Are you up to that?"  Eunhyuk asked, hoping this time everything will finally work out.

"I'm happy with what you're offering to me but... I don't want to run your family's restaurant even if I like it more than my own family's restaurant but what I really want to own is my own family's restaurant."  Zhoumi reached out to hold Eunhyuk's hand.  "However, I'm not giving you up Eunhyuk.  Not this time around.  If my father won't accept us, then I will start from scratch and make my own restaurant."

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zhoumi started from scratch.  Eunhyuk gave up his own family restaurant and gave it back to his father because he wanted to help Zhoumi.  At first, Eunhyuk went back to being a dancer while helping Zhoumi at the same time but the time came when Eunhyuk's agency wanted him to travel overseas as a backup dancer for different artists.  Eunhyuk decided that he wanted to be with Zhoumi more than dancing so he resigned and fully focused on helping Zhoumi.

Although Hyukjae was disappointed that his son gave up the family restaurant, he was happy to see that his son was finally interested in working in a restaurant at least by helping Zhoumi.  He knew that one day Zhoumi and Eunhyuk will be successful.  He knew when that day comes they will take over Hyukjae's restaurant and make it as one of their branches.  He decides that he should just wait for that day to come.

Not everything worked out the way Eunhyuk originally planned but he and Zhoumi were happy and very much in love and in the end, everything will work out just fine.

THE END