The Words of Someone: [CH4] July 22
Kevin woke up in an awkward position. He wasn’t accustomed to Eli cuddling him so closely, much less with the young man’s arm around his torso. It wasn’t that it made him uncomfortable-in fact, that was what made him feel strange. It felt too comfortable, too familiar. “Um, Eli…” Kevin whispered softly, though daring not to move.
He could feel the young man beside him shuffling. “Hm…?” Eli groaned faintly.
“You’re… kind of close.”
Eli suddenly retracted his arm. “S-Sorry. I just… I guess I had a dream or something. My sleeping behavior. I either move a lot or get really comfortable.”
Kevin chuckled faintly and stood up. The shirt he wore was two sizes too big and so were the shorts he had on. They were Eli’s clothes, because they were generally more comfortable than anything Kevin had. This was because before the accident, Kevin would wear nothing but boxers to bed. Unfortunately, without his memory, it might be more than awkward to wake up that way next to ‘just a friend.’
Kibum and Soohyun were flirting viciously in the kitchen which received them a strange stare from Kevin. Eli, Kibum, and Soohyun entirely had forgotten that Kevin had no clue they were together. Soohyun laughed awkwardly and looked over at Kibum. Eli lightly shook his head, placing his hand on his forehead. This was just the morning for forgetting everything. It seemed as though everyone was trying to revert back to normal. Not yet.
“Are… are you two… sleeping together?” Kevin asked rather innocently.
Kibum nearly spat his coffee across the room. Soohyun smirked. “If that’s how you’d like to put it, ye-“
“SOOHYUN, SHUT YOUR FACE,” Kibum barked. “We’re together, yes.”
Kevin just laughed. “I have no idea how you met. But, if I remember correctly, you guys seem to argue a lot. It’s like you’re married.”
Kibum blushed and sighed, but he smiled. “Yeah, but we love each other.”
Soohyun grinned at that. Eli just smiled from his bedroom doorway. “I see Kevin is aware yet again that you’re together?”
Everyone just nodded and laughed. Kiseop and Dongho slowly dragged themselves from their slumber. Alexander was the last one to appear, though he must’ve been awake for awhile. He was already dressed in a nice suit, apparently ready for work. “What do you do, Alexander?” Kevin asked.
“Music production,” he responded. “A pretty renowned one, at that.”
“That sounds neat,” Kevin told him. “I’d like to get into music someday.”
Eli and Alexander looked between each other momentarily. Kibum just chuckled. “You’ve always really liked singing, huh?” he murmured, breaking the awkward silence.
Kevin nodded. “Yeah. That’s one thing I remember perfectly clear.”
Eli and Alexander just looked between each other again and brushed it off. It wasn’t at all the time to mention that Kevin was in fact a singer. Because, not only would it open doors too soon about that portion of his life, it might send him into shock if he uncovers the fact that he and Eli were dating. Although, it might not hurt getting him out of the house for a bit. He really hadn’t gone anywhere. “Hey, Xander,” usually quiet Kiseop began, taking a seat at the big dinner table they had. “Why don’t you take Kevin and show him the studio or something?”
Alexander was rigid and tense, but he nodded a bit as soon as he saw Kevin’s eyes light up. “Yeah, I could do that.”
Kevin’s smile only grew. “Really? That would be so awesome. I’ve always wanted to see a professional studio. I think it’d be so cool to sing in one!”
With that, Alexander led Kevin out of the massive apartment. Eli sighed heavily and shook his head. “Kiseop,” he said softly, “I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”
“It’s now or never, Eli. Shock is the least thing we have to worry about here,” Kiseop told him, rather sternly. “It’s either Kevin remembers, or you never get him back. That’s what the doctor has essentially told you.”
“I know, Kiseop. I know.”
The apartment then just went silent as Soohyun and Kibum stood in the kitchen, quietly preparing breakfast. Eli sat at the table with Dongho and Kiseop. Eli couldn’t wait for things to be normal again.
==
Alexander and Kevin drove in silence to Alexander’s work. It had been agreed over the phone that after awhile, because Xander knew he’d be busy, Kibum would come get Kevin. But he assured Kevin that there was no harm in going to visit. Unfortunately, Xander really could not assure himself of this. They parked and went pretty immediately to the recording studio where Xander had requested it just be the two of them-the miracles of text messaging. Kevin entered the booth and looked around at the soundproof walls like a kid in a candy store. “This seems vaguely familiar already,” Kevin stated.
Alexander just took a seat in front of the soundboard, peeking through the glass at Kevin. “Oh really?” he questioned.
“Yeah. I guess you aren’t going to explain how, huh?”
“I feel it’d be best to remember on your own, Kev. It wouldn’t really help if we told you everything.”
“I know. I just wish it were easier to remember.”
Alexander really couldn’t stand the fact that Kevin was fairly miserable with his lack of memory. He toyed around with the microphones. Alexander let him sing a bit of a song that had played a few days ago on the radio-something by an American group he could vaguely remember. After awhile, Kibum showed up to take Kevin back home. “It was fun, Xander. Hopefully I’ll be able to come back eventually and make something for real,” Kevin said, grinning.
If only Xander could tell him. “It’ll be a good day, Kev. You’ll get big with that voice.”
Kibum and Kevin got in the car and began the drive home. The radio was softly playing. Currently the DJ was talking about leaving. “This is the Almighty Key, just preparing to sign off! The last song I’ve picked for today is ‘Without You,’ a lovely song sung by none other than the duo of Eli and Kevin…”
“Ah, maybe we should just-“ Kibum started, heading to shut off the radio or change it.
Kevin batted away his hand and turned up the volume a bit. “Eli and Kevin haven’t really been heard from much lately, though it’s uncertain why. The latest news stated they were just on hiatus from some sort of accident, or something. Hopefully they’ll return soon. As we all know, they’re a couple of the only openly gay singers we have in the industry currently, and they’re love for each other keeps their songs alive and well-remembered. Hopefully they’ll make a comeback soon! Ta-ta for now, fellow listeners!”
Kevin then returned the volume to normal to stare at Kibum as the song started playing. “I recognize this song,” Kevin said before he murmured some of the lyrics. He then heard Eli’s sweet voice and sighed. Again, his stare ended up on Kibum. “What do you want to say about this, Kibum?”
Kibum gripped the steering wheel and stared at the road. “I really… I don’t know. We couldn’t tell you yet, Kevin. We didn’t know how you’d react.”
“It would’ve been nice to know, I guess. It’s not like I forgot I was attracted to men. But really, why didn’t you tell me that’s why Eli’s been acting odd?”
“Because he wanted you to get better. He doesn’t want you worried about his heartache while you’re recovering.”
The rest of the car ride was filled with silence and the echoing lyrics from the radio.
==
When the two of them returned home, the house was fairly silent. Soohyun emerged from the bathroom, his hair a bit messy and wet. He’d just finished showering. “Kiseop and Dongho went shopping. Eli’s in his room. Might’ve fallen asleep or something.”
Kibum nodded a bit. Soohyun suspected something was amiss. Kevin said nothing and headed toward his and Eli’s bedroom. That was when Kibum told Soohyun. “He knows,” Kibum whispered. “The radio was on and that DJ, Key, played one of their songs. He talked about them. Kevin knows his relationship with Eli.”
Soohyun sighed. “Fuck,” he muttered. “So… what’s going to happen now?”
“I can only hope for the best,” Kibum murmured in reply as both of their eyes trailed toward that bedroom door.
Kevin entered the bedroom fairly quietly. Eli wasn’t asleep. He was just lying in bed, listening to music. He sat up when he saw Kevin though. “Oh hey, how did-“ Eli began before he was silenced with a kiss on the lips from Kevin.
Eli’s surprised face was relatively priceless. Kevin sat down quietly beside him. After a moment of silence, Kevin looked over at him, somewhat teary eyed. “I’m really sorry,” Kevin whispered.
“Sorry…? Sorry for… for what?” Eli asked, draping an arm around his shoulders to comfort the boy.
“Sorry that… I can’t remember,” Kevin told him. “I’m sorry I couldn’t remember how much I loved you.”
Eli stared at him, unsure of what happened. “Wait… how…”
“The radio. They talked about us. I wasn’t aware that… I didn’t know we were together. And I know… that must have… killed you. It must have hurt so badly to be sleeping next to the one you love when they couldn’t even remember the relationship they shared with you,” Kevin continued, sniffling as tears fell down his perfect cheeks.
Eli wiped away his tears and pulled him closer, holding him. “I wasn’t worried, Kevin… because regardless of the radio or not, I had hope that the love we shared would be remembered by you eventually. There just isn’t a way that something like that… could just disappear.”
Kevin looked up at him a bit and smiled. “Now I know why I was so drawn to you when I first woke up.”
They shared another somewhat awkward, small kiss and Eli pulled him into his lap and laid down with him. “You remembered, just not consciously. Things will get better, Kev. I… I think I can tell you I love you now. Would that be okay now?”
“Definitely,” Kevin murmured, curling up against Eli’s side.
“We’ll get the rest of your memory back. I promise…”
He could feel the young man beside him shuffling. “Hm…?” Eli groaned faintly.
“You’re… kind of close.”
Eli suddenly retracted his arm. “S-Sorry. I just… I guess I had a dream or something. My sleeping behavior. I either move a lot or get really comfortable.”
Kevin chuckled faintly and stood up. The shirt he wore was two sizes too big and so were the shorts he had on. They were Eli’s clothes, because they were generally more comfortable than anything Kevin had. This was because before the accident, Kevin would wear nothing but boxers to bed. Unfortunately, without his memory, it might be more than awkward to wake up that way next to ‘just a friend.’
Kibum and Soohyun were flirting viciously in the kitchen which received them a strange stare from Kevin. Eli, Kibum, and Soohyun entirely had forgotten that Kevin had no clue they were together. Soohyun laughed awkwardly and looked over at Kibum. Eli lightly shook his head, placing his hand on his forehead. This was just the morning for forgetting everything. It seemed as though everyone was trying to revert back to normal. Not yet.
“Are… are you two… sleeping together?” Kevin asked rather innocently.
Kibum nearly spat his coffee across the room. Soohyun smirked. “If that’s how you’d like to put it, ye-“
“SOOHYUN, SHUT YOUR FACE,” Kibum barked. “We’re together, yes.”
Kevin just laughed. “I have no idea how you met. But, if I remember correctly, you guys seem to argue a lot. It’s like you’re married.”
Kibum blushed and sighed, but he smiled. “Yeah, but we love each other.”
Soohyun grinned at that. Eli just smiled from his bedroom doorway. “I see Kevin is aware yet again that you’re together?”
Everyone just nodded and laughed. Kiseop and Dongho slowly dragged themselves from their slumber. Alexander was the last one to appear, though he must’ve been awake for awhile. He was already dressed in a nice suit, apparently ready for work. “What do you do, Alexander?” Kevin asked.
“Music production,” he responded. “A pretty renowned one, at that.”
“That sounds neat,” Kevin told him. “I’d like to get into music someday.”
Eli and Alexander looked between each other momentarily. Kibum just chuckled. “You’ve always really liked singing, huh?” he murmured, breaking the awkward silence.
Kevin nodded. “Yeah. That’s one thing I remember perfectly clear.”
Eli and Alexander just looked between each other again and brushed it off. It wasn’t at all the time to mention that Kevin was in fact a singer. Because, not only would it open doors too soon about that portion of his life, it might send him into shock if he uncovers the fact that he and Eli were dating. Although, it might not hurt getting him out of the house for a bit. He really hadn’t gone anywhere. “Hey, Xander,” usually quiet Kiseop began, taking a seat at the big dinner table they had. “Why don’t you take Kevin and show him the studio or something?”
Alexander was rigid and tense, but he nodded a bit as soon as he saw Kevin’s eyes light up. “Yeah, I could do that.”
Kevin’s smile only grew. “Really? That would be so awesome. I’ve always wanted to see a professional studio. I think it’d be so cool to sing in one!”
With that, Alexander led Kevin out of the massive apartment. Eli sighed heavily and shook his head. “Kiseop,” he said softly, “I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”
“It’s now or never, Eli. Shock is the least thing we have to worry about here,” Kiseop told him, rather sternly. “It’s either Kevin remembers, or you never get him back. That’s what the doctor has essentially told you.”
“I know, Kiseop. I know.”
The apartment then just went silent as Soohyun and Kibum stood in the kitchen, quietly preparing breakfast. Eli sat at the table with Dongho and Kiseop. Eli couldn’t wait for things to be normal again.
==
Alexander and Kevin drove in silence to Alexander’s work. It had been agreed over the phone that after awhile, because Xander knew he’d be busy, Kibum would come get Kevin. But he assured Kevin that there was no harm in going to visit. Unfortunately, Xander really could not assure himself of this. They parked and went pretty immediately to the recording studio where Xander had requested it just be the two of them-the miracles of text messaging. Kevin entered the booth and looked around at the soundproof walls like a kid in a candy store. “This seems vaguely familiar already,” Kevin stated.
Alexander just took a seat in front of the soundboard, peeking through the glass at Kevin. “Oh really?” he questioned.
“Yeah. I guess you aren’t going to explain how, huh?”
“I feel it’d be best to remember on your own, Kev. It wouldn’t really help if we told you everything.”
“I know. I just wish it were easier to remember.”
Alexander really couldn’t stand the fact that Kevin was fairly miserable with his lack of memory. He toyed around with the microphones. Alexander let him sing a bit of a song that had played a few days ago on the radio-something by an American group he could vaguely remember. After awhile, Kibum showed up to take Kevin back home. “It was fun, Xander. Hopefully I’ll be able to come back eventually and make something for real,” Kevin said, grinning.
If only Xander could tell him. “It’ll be a good day, Kev. You’ll get big with that voice.”
Kibum and Kevin got in the car and began the drive home. The radio was softly playing. Currently the DJ was talking about leaving. “This is the Almighty Key, just preparing to sign off! The last song I’ve picked for today is ‘Without You,’ a lovely song sung by none other than the duo of Eli and Kevin…”
“Ah, maybe we should just-“ Kibum started, heading to shut off the radio or change it.
Kevin batted away his hand and turned up the volume a bit. “Eli and Kevin haven’t really been heard from much lately, though it’s uncertain why. The latest news stated they were just on hiatus from some sort of accident, or something. Hopefully they’ll return soon. As we all know, they’re a couple of the only openly gay singers we have in the industry currently, and they’re love for each other keeps their songs alive and well-remembered. Hopefully they’ll make a comeback soon! Ta-ta for now, fellow listeners!”
Kevin then returned the volume to normal to stare at Kibum as the song started playing. “I recognize this song,” Kevin said before he murmured some of the lyrics. He then heard Eli’s sweet voice and sighed. Again, his stare ended up on Kibum. “What do you want to say about this, Kibum?”
Kibum gripped the steering wheel and stared at the road. “I really… I don’t know. We couldn’t tell you yet, Kevin. We didn’t know how you’d react.”
“It would’ve been nice to know, I guess. It’s not like I forgot I was attracted to men. But really, why didn’t you tell me that’s why Eli’s been acting odd?”
“Because he wanted you to get better. He doesn’t want you worried about his heartache while you’re recovering.”
The rest of the car ride was filled with silence and the echoing lyrics from the radio.
==
When the two of them returned home, the house was fairly silent. Soohyun emerged from the bathroom, his hair a bit messy and wet. He’d just finished showering. “Kiseop and Dongho went shopping. Eli’s in his room. Might’ve fallen asleep or something.”
Kibum nodded a bit. Soohyun suspected something was amiss. Kevin said nothing and headed toward his and Eli’s bedroom. That was when Kibum told Soohyun. “He knows,” Kibum whispered. “The radio was on and that DJ, Key, played one of their songs. He talked about them. Kevin knows his relationship with Eli.”
Soohyun sighed. “Fuck,” he muttered. “So… what’s going to happen now?”
“I can only hope for the best,” Kibum murmured in reply as both of their eyes trailed toward that bedroom door.
Kevin entered the bedroom fairly quietly. Eli wasn’t asleep. He was just lying in bed, listening to music. He sat up when he saw Kevin though. “Oh hey, how did-“ Eli began before he was silenced with a kiss on the lips from Kevin.
Eli’s surprised face was relatively priceless. Kevin sat down quietly beside him. After a moment of silence, Kevin looked over at him, somewhat teary eyed. “I’m really sorry,” Kevin whispered.
“Sorry…? Sorry for… for what?” Eli asked, draping an arm around his shoulders to comfort the boy.
“Sorry that… I can’t remember,” Kevin told him. “I’m sorry I couldn’t remember how much I loved you.”
Eli stared at him, unsure of what happened. “Wait… how…”
“The radio. They talked about us. I wasn’t aware that… I didn’t know we were together. And I know… that must have… killed you. It must have hurt so badly to be sleeping next to the one you love when they couldn’t even remember the relationship they shared with you,” Kevin continued, sniffling as tears fell down his perfect cheeks.
Eli wiped away his tears and pulled him closer, holding him. “I wasn’t worried, Kevin… because regardless of the radio or not, I had hope that the love we shared would be remembered by you eventually. There just isn’t a way that something like that… could just disappear.”
Kevin looked up at him a bit and smiled. “Now I know why I was so drawn to you when I first woke up.”
They shared another somewhat awkward, small kiss and Eli pulled him into his lap and laid down with him. “You remembered, just not consciously. Things will get better, Kev. I… I think I can tell you I love you now. Would that be okay now?”
“Definitely,” Kevin murmured, curling up against Eli’s side.
“We’ll get the rest of your memory back. I promise…”