Even After All This Time
Siwon sits at the piano, his fingers gliding gracefully along the keys. Heechul watches him, listening, the same way they all do, watching their beloved Siwon play and sing a song that seems to pull the very heart of them out of their chests. Heechul listens to the words, feeling the old, familiar ache deep in his chest growing, expanding, closing fist-like around his heart. His throat starts to clog, and he realizes that Donghae and Sungmin have stopped watching Siwon singing and playing, and are watching him instead. He pulls air into his lungs, wishing his eyes and his throat would stop burning. He knows he needs to push it away and swallow it, pretend the song hasn't ripped open the wound in his heart again. Siwon finishes, and they all clap, and now Leeteuk is watching him too, and even Siwon turns to face him. Heechul exhales and smiles, although it feels like concrete cracking open from an earthquake.
"It's amazing, Siwon." he says. They all agree, nodding and hugging him and congratulating him in turn. Gratefully, no one says anything to Heechul as they disperse, returning to whatever it was they were doing before Siwon arrived and asked for their attention to play the song he had just composed.
When they are gone, the only two left are Siwon and Heechul. Siwon looks at him, and Heechul understands.
"He called you, didn't he?" Heechul asks quietly. Siwon nods, looks down at his hands. Heechul knows this is hard for Siwon. A devout Christian, Siwon hadn't understood and had always quietly disapproved of HanGeng and Heechul's relationship. But he loved them both very much, and knew what Geng's decision to leave had done to his hyung. This song was his acceptance of it all, and while the lyrics had stung like an old war wound, he knew what it really meant.
"Thanks, Siwonnie." Heechul says, leaning over and hugging his friend. Siwon hugs him back, and Heechul goes back to his room, the echoes of Siwon singing "Don't Leave Me" echo in his head.
"It's amazing, Siwon." he says. They all agree, nodding and hugging him and congratulating him in turn. Gratefully, no one says anything to Heechul as they disperse, returning to whatever it was they were doing before Siwon arrived and asked for their attention to play the song he had just composed.
When they are gone, the only two left are Siwon and Heechul. Siwon looks at him, and Heechul understands.
"He called you, didn't he?" Heechul asks quietly. Siwon nods, looks down at his hands. Heechul knows this is hard for Siwon. A devout Christian, Siwon hadn't understood and had always quietly disapproved of HanGeng and Heechul's relationship. But he loved them both very much, and knew what Geng's decision to leave had done to his hyung. This song was his acceptance of it all, and while the lyrics had stung like an old war wound, he knew what it really meant.
"Thanks, Siwonnie." Heechul says, leaning over and hugging his friend. Siwon hugs him back, and Heechul goes back to his room, the echoes of Siwon singing "Don't Leave Me" echo in his head.