Eternal - i
Eternal 1/3 | Leeteuk, Ryeowook ( The Eternals) | PG | Angst, Romance
Everyone wants to be happy, even only for once in a while.
It’s been a while since Ryeowook last visited the Park’s residence or rather, Leeteuk’s house. He remembered the last time he was here, 5 years ago with his brother by his side. Leeteuk was still living with his noona and was on his final year in the University. Ryeowook had a lot of fun and he smiled at the memory of him begging his brother to come back there the next day. But now, the thought of living there doesn’t sound fun anymore especially not without his brother. Especially when he knows he’s not coming back.
A clicking sound was heard just behind the tall gate before it creaked open. When he was younger, he admired the automatic gates and wouldn’t leave it alone until Leeteuk showed him again how it works, but he’s too old for those kinds of things now isn’t he? What amused him is the bright smile on Leeteuk’s face while standing by the porch some meters away from him.
He loved Leeteuk’s smile. He loved how his eyes disappear and a deep dimple shows itself on his left cheek. It’s the same as how Leeteuk would smile at his brother. And Ryeowook wonders if that smile is for him.
With the jar in his arms and the small luggage on his back, he trudged towards the front door and gave a small smile to the other. Leeteuk pulled him into a hug, the white porcelain jar sandwiched between them, and before they knew it, they were a sobbing mess on the doorway. Ryeowook pulled away and pushed the white jar towards Leeteuk but the older just smiled, despite the tears and grabbed Ryeowook’s other hand pulling him to the living room.
They sat side by side on the couch and Ryeowook watched as the other poured him a cup of tea, already prepared on the center table. Sharing a comfortable silence for some minutes, Leeteuk cleared his throat before finally taking.
“Are you sure you want it to be tomorrow? It’s only been a week.” The older asked, his eyes falling to the white porcelain on Ryeowook’s hands. He didn’t miss the way Leeteuk turned away for a second and blinked the incoming tears away.
“My hyung… He always tells me to do things fast… Because the more time you spend thinking, the more you get uncertain… The more you wouldn’t want to let go.” He replied not bothering to fight back the newfound tears strolling down his already tear-stricken cheeks.
Leeteuk sighed and gave an uncertain smile. They finished their cups of tea in silence and Leeteuk showed Ryeowook to his new room. The elder watched as Ryeowook placed his bags on the floor and the jar he’s been holding, on the night stand, before he slowly climbed up the huge bed and curled into a ball as if the space around him is eating him up.
He slowly closed the door and leaned his back on it, finally letting his tears fall down. He knew he can’t be like this in front of Ryeowook. Not when he needs someone to lean on. He can’t be mourning and crying in front of someone who lost a brother and his only family, when he only lost a friend.
Loud sobs echoed the hallway and Leeteuk was sure it wasn’t one of his hushed ones. He hurriedly wiped his face and went back into the room, laid beside the sobbing boy and pulled him into a hug. His ever trained composure cracked when Ryeowook wrapped his trembling arms around him. He could only stifle his sobs and let the tears trickle down his face as he hug the younger, still shaking and sobbing. Never really trusting his voice, and even now that he’s so fucked up, he tried to calm down before singing a song, whispering the first few words, he doesn’t care if the song ends up being quite a mess too.
It’s the only thing he remembers Kangin telling him on how to stop Ryeowook from crying. He’s never an A+ singer, but Kangin compliments his voice. He’s nothing compared to Ryeowook and his brother when it comes to singing, but this is the only thing he knows how to keep the boy calm. They should deal with the embarrassment when both of them feel a lot better.
The next day both of them woke up feeling so tired and drained though it’s already 9 in the morning and they probably slept way more than the normal hours of sleeping. Leeteuk smiled to himself realizing he’s not in his own room, the blankets draped properly on him though he knows there were no blankets when they fell asleep the night before. Turning to his side, his smile faltered when he didn’t see Ryeowook and he got up in a flash almost causing him to tumble over the flat solid tiles.
“Ryeowook-ah” He called while going down the stairs, his heart almost leaping in relief when a head poked out from the kitchen door, smiling at him. “Hyung, I’m here. Hurry up let’s eat breakfast.”
Taken aback when he reached the dining table, he stared at the younger in admiration before bringing himself to sit on one of the chairs. “I’m sorry for causing you trouble on your first day in your new home. You didn’t have to… cook… this much… really…”
“It’s okay hyung, I love cooking… though, maybe I made more than I should have,” Ryeowook bit his lip and Leeteuk just had to laugh at how cute that was.
“Don’t worry, we can just heat things up for lunch… or dinner… Oh, wait. We’ll be going to the sea today right? Should we wrap these up so we can eat it while on the way?” The elder asked and Ryeowook gave a soft smile, a moment later Leeteuk’s smile was mirroring the younger’s, completely at a loss inside the memories flashing in their minds. It’s not like they’re going back to the sea to play just like what they did a year ago for Ryeowook’s birthday.
While inside the car for the 2 hour ride going to the seaside, the two talked about almost everything under the sun, avoiding a very sensitive topic which is already given even without saying a word. And it’s not like Kangin’s still under the bright, harsh sun.
He doesn’t know why but Ryeowook hates the sun right now. He hates how it shines brightly, blindingly at almost everything, even when they don’t need it. It gives off heat, and almost everyone’s thankful for that, but you can’t be thankful when it’s being too much, too much that you’re starting to get burned.
He watched as the gray ash flows smoothly in between his fingers, the bright sun and it’s reflection on the water making the ash glitter as it merged with the wind.
Hearing a sniff some distance behind him, Ryeowook turned around and almost started crying when he saw Leeteuk’s tear stricken face, staring blankly at the now setting sun. His eyes bloodshot and puffy, but what made Ryeowook burst into tears is the smile painted on his lips. It’s not the smile Ryeowook liked the most. It doesn’t emphasize the deep dimple in his left cheek, it doesn’t show his perfect white teeth for his mouth remained closed, but it’s the most beautiful smile Ryeowook has seen for someone who’s saying goodbye to someone whom he used to shared almost half of his life with.
The white porcelain jar half empty, he took a deep breath before turning around completely and smiling genuinely at the older. He handed the jar to Leeteuk in which the elder took with trembling hands. His tears flowing endlessly down his cheeks as he let the remains of the ash escape his tight grip.
He placed the now empty jar on the ground and took Ryeowook’s hand in his unoccupied one. “Goodbye Kangin-ah. Goodbye…” He slowly opened his tightly clenched fist and both of them watched as a strong gush of wind blew the only trace of Kangin left with them.
When half of the sun was buried down the mysterious horizon, Leeteuk left out a heavy sigh before clapping his hands and turning to Ryeowook. “Alright, we have a long road ahead of us. Let’s get going?”
Ryeowook stared dumbfounded at first before bursting into a fit of laughter. He doesn’t know why, but with the smile in Leeteuk’s eyes he knows that his words really meant more than what it shows. “Yeah, I think so too.” Ryeowook said and Leeteuk slung an arm around his shoulders, just like how Kangin does before. He would have cried, but just like what Leeteuk just said, they should get going. And with the arms wrapped around his shoulders, he smiles, he’s never alone in this.
“Hyung, I thought you said we should get going now?” The younger asked as they sat by a cliff watching the whole city light up like dancing fireflies.
“Hmm…” The elder hummed before facing Ryeowook. “We should. And we are, right now. This is the first step.”
“First step?” Ryeowook raised his eyebrows and stared at the other. He faced the other fully and smiled, “Okay, so what’s the first step?”
“Call me Teukie.” Leeteuk laughed when Ryeowook frowned at him. “Teukie hyung. Call me Teukie hyung.”
“Oh, right.” Ryeowook chuckled, “Then call me Wookie!” The younger squealed.
It really is the first step. The first step in letting each other in, the first step in letting go, but not really forgetting… Those nicknames, just like what Kangin used to call them.
“Leeteuk-ssi” Ryeowook said firmly. “You don’t put plastic containers inside the microwave.” The younger stated, arms crossed in front of his chest.
“Right. I know that.” The elder just mumbled, “At least it didn’t melt…” Leeteuk kept his head bowed until he heard a stifled laugh beside him, and when he lifted his head, he saw Ryeowook clutching to his stomach laughing like crazy. “Yah, yah, yah! Are you making fun of me?” He said trying so hard to fight the smile creeping on his face.
“Absolutely not, hyung.” Ryeowook said before taking his apron off, then heading to the living room.
“Are you not eating?” Leeteuk asked, his gaze following the boy walking towards the hallway leading to the stairs and the living room.
“I’m sorry, I’m needed at school early today…” He smiled apologetically before dashing up to his room.
Leeteuk sighed looking at his food. It’s still too much for him to eat though it’s not enough for two people to share. He picked his chopsticks up and started picking the green peas out. It’s been two months since Ryeowook moved in with him, more than two months since Kangin died, two months since he took over taking care of his best friends younger brother… two months since Ryeowook started cooking for him. But it’s also been two months since he’s been constantly reminding Ryeowook that he doesn’t eat peas, and he doesn’t eat tons. He doesn't eat what Kangin eats, simply because he's not Kangin.
“Teukie hyung,” A soft voice sounded beside him and he didn’t have time to hide his sad expression before arms wrapped around his neck. “I’m sorry....”
Everyone wants to be happy, even only for once in a while.
It’s been a while since Ryeowook last visited the Park’s residence or rather, Leeteuk’s house. He remembered the last time he was here, 5 years ago with his brother by his side. Leeteuk was still living with his noona and was on his final year in the University. Ryeowook had a lot of fun and he smiled at the memory of him begging his brother to come back there the next day. But now, the thought of living there doesn’t sound fun anymore especially not without his brother. Especially when he knows he’s not coming back.
A clicking sound was heard just behind the tall gate before it creaked open. When he was younger, he admired the automatic gates and wouldn’t leave it alone until Leeteuk showed him again how it works, but he’s too old for those kinds of things now isn’t he? What amused him is the bright smile on Leeteuk’s face while standing by the porch some meters away from him.
He loved Leeteuk’s smile. He loved how his eyes disappear and a deep dimple shows itself on his left cheek. It’s the same as how Leeteuk would smile at his brother. And Ryeowook wonders if that smile is for him.
With the jar in his arms and the small luggage on his back, he trudged towards the front door and gave a small smile to the other. Leeteuk pulled him into a hug, the white porcelain jar sandwiched between them, and before they knew it, they were a sobbing mess on the doorway. Ryeowook pulled away and pushed the white jar towards Leeteuk but the older just smiled, despite the tears and grabbed Ryeowook’s other hand pulling him to the living room.
They sat side by side on the couch and Ryeowook watched as the other poured him a cup of tea, already prepared on the center table. Sharing a comfortable silence for some minutes, Leeteuk cleared his throat before finally taking.
“Are you sure you want it to be tomorrow? It’s only been a week.” The older asked, his eyes falling to the white porcelain on Ryeowook’s hands. He didn’t miss the way Leeteuk turned away for a second and blinked the incoming tears away.
“My hyung… He always tells me to do things fast… Because the more time you spend thinking, the more you get uncertain… The more you wouldn’t want to let go.” He replied not bothering to fight back the newfound tears strolling down his already tear-stricken cheeks.
Leeteuk sighed and gave an uncertain smile. They finished their cups of tea in silence and Leeteuk showed Ryeowook to his new room. The elder watched as Ryeowook placed his bags on the floor and the jar he’s been holding, on the night stand, before he slowly climbed up the huge bed and curled into a ball as if the space around him is eating him up.
He slowly closed the door and leaned his back on it, finally letting his tears fall down. He knew he can’t be like this in front of Ryeowook. Not when he needs someone to lean on. He can’t be mourning and crying in front of someone who lost a brother and his only family, when he only lost a friend.
Loud sobs echoed the hallway and Leeteuk was sure it wasn’t one of his hushed ones. He hurriedly wiped his face and went back into the room, laid beside the sobbing boy and pulled him into a hug. His ever trained composure cracked when Ryeowook wrapped his trembling arms around him. He could only stifle his sobs and let the tears trickle down his face as he hug the younger, still shaking and sobbing. Never really trusting his voice, and even now that he’s so fucked up, he tried to calm down before singing a song, whispering the first few words, he doesn’t care if the song ends up being quite a mess too.
It’s the only thing he remembers Kangin telling him on how to stop Ryeowook from crying. He’s never an A+ singer, but Kangin compliments his voice. He’s nothing compared to Ryeowook and his brother when it comes to singing, but this is the only thing he knows how to keep the boy calm. They should deal with the embarrassment when both of them feel a lot better.
The next day both of them woke up feeling so tired and drained though it’s already 9 in the morning and they probably slept way more than the normal hours of sleeping. Leeteuk smiled to himself realizing he’s not in his own room, the blankets draped properly on him though he knows there were no blankets when they fell asleep the night before. Turning to his side, his smile faltered when he didn’t see Ryeowook and he got up in a flash almost causing him to tumble over the flat solid tiles.
“Ryeowook-ah” He called while going down the stairs, his heart almost leaping in relief when a head poked out from the kitchen door, smiling at him. “Hyung, I’m here. Hurry up let’s eat breakfast.”
Taken aback when he reached the dining table, he stared at the younger in admiration before bringing himself to sit on one of the chairs. “I’m sorry for causing you trouble on your first day in your new home. You didn’t have to… cook… this much… really…”
“It’s okay hyung, I love cooking… though, maybe I made more than I should have,” Ryeowook bit his lip and Leeteuk just had to laugh at how cute that was.
“Don’t worry, we can just heat things up for lunch… or dinner… Oh, wait. We’ll be going to the sea today right? Should we wrap these up so we can eat it while on the way?” The elder asked and Ryeowook gave a soft smile, a moment later Leeteuk’s smile was mirroring the younger’s, completely at a loss inside the memories flashing in their minds. It’s not like they’re going back to the sea to play just like what they did a year ago for Ryeowook’s birthday.
While inside the car for the 2 hour ride going to the seaside, the two talked about almost everything under the sun, avoiding a very sensitive topic which is already given even without saying a word. And it’s not like Kangin’s still under the bright, harsh sun.
He doesn’t know why but Ryeowook hates the sun right now. He hates how it shines brightly, blindingly at almost everything, even when they don’t need it. It gives off heat, and almost everyone’s thankful for that, but you can’t be thankful when it’s being too much, too much that you’re starting to get burned.
He watched as the gray ash flows smoothly in between his fingers, the bright sun and it’s reflection on the water making the ash glitter as it merged with the wind.
Hearing a sniff some distance behind him, Ryeowook turned around and almost started crying when he saw Leeteuk’s tear stricken face, staring blankly at the now setting sun. His eyes bloodshot and puffy, but what made Ryeowook burst into tears is the smile painted on his lips. It’s not the smile Ryeowook liked the most. It doesn’t emphasize the deep dimple in his left cheek, it doesn’t show his perfect white teeth for his mouth remained closed, but it’s the most beautiful smile Ryeowook has seen for someone who’s saying goodbye to someone whom he used to shared almost half of his life with.
The white porcelain jar half empty, he took a deep breath before turning around completely and smiling genuinely at the older. He handed the jar to Leeteuk in which the elder took with trembling hands. His tears flowing endlessly down his cheeks as he let the remains of the ash escape his tight grip.
He placed the now empty jar on the ground and took Ryeowook’s hand in his unoccupied one. “Goodbye Kangin-ah. Goodbye…” He slowly opened his tightly clenched fist and both of them watched as a strong gush of wind blew the only trace of Kangin left with them.
When half of the sun was buried down the mysterious horizon, Leeteuk left out a heavy sigh before clapping his hands and turning to Ryeowook. “Alright, we have a long road ahead of us. Let’s get going?”
Ryeowook stared dumbfounded at first before bursting into a fit of laughter. He doesn’t know why, but with the smile in Leeteuk’s eyes he knows that his words really meant more than what it shows. “Yeah, I think so too.” Ryeowook said and Leeteuk slung an arm around his shoulders, just like how Kangin does before. He would have cried, but just like what Leeteuk just said, they should get going. And with the arms wrapped around his shoulders, he smiles, he’s never alone in this.
“Hyung, I thought you said we should get going now?” The younger asked as they sat by a cliff watching the whole city light up like dancing fireflies.
“Hmm…” The elder hummed before facing Ryeowook. “We should. And we are, right now. This is the first step.”
“First step?” Ryeowook raised his eyebrows and stared at the other. He faced the other fully and smiled, “Okay, so what’s the first step?”
“Call me Teukie.” Leeteuk laughed when Ryeowook frowned at him. “Teukie hyung. Call me Teukie hyung.”
“Oh, right.” Ryeowook chuckled, “Then call me Wookie!” The younger squealed.
It really is the first step. The first step in letting each other in, the first step in letting go, but not really forgetting… Those nicknames, just like what Kangin used to call them.
“Leeteuk-ssi” Ryeowook said firmly. “You don’t put plastic containers inside the microwave.” The younger stated, arms crossed in front of his chest.
“Right. I know that.” The elder just mumbled, “At least it didn’t melt…” Leeteuk kept his head bowed until he heard a stifled laugh beside him, and when he lifted his head, he saw Ryeowook clutching to his stomach laughing like crazy. “Yah, yah, yah! Are you making fun of me?” He said trying so hard to fight the smile creeping on his face.
“Absolutely not, hyung.” Ryeowook said before taking his apron off, then heading to the living room.
“Are you not eating?” Leeteuk asked, his gaze following the boy walking towards the hallway leading to the stairs and the living room.
“I’m sorry, I’m needed at school early today…” He smiled apologetically before dashing up to his room.
Leeteuk sighed looking at his food. It’s still too much for him to eat though it’s not enough for two people to share. He picked his chopsticks up and started picking the green peas out. It’s been two months since Ryeowook moved in with him, more than two months since Kangin died, two months since he took over taking care of his best friends younger brother… two months since Ryeowook started cooking for him. But it’s also been two months since he’s been constantly reminding Ryeowook that he doesn’t eat peas, and he doesn’t eat tons. He doesn't eat what Kangin eats, simply because he's not Kangin.
“Teukie hyung,” A soft voice sounded beside him and he didn’t have time to hide his sad expression before arms wrapped around his neck. “I’m sorry....”