Wedding Photos III
Title: Wedding Photos (III)
Pairing: Hinted Yewook, Yesung/Someone
Ratings: PG
Summary: Yesung recalls what happened, what has brought his wife and him together, and that very special person, who brought them together.
The very first time Yesung met her, had nothing to do with his profession of being a wedding planner at all. Or perhaps, just slightly, this little bit related to weddings. After all, this coincidental meeting has ended up in one.
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Yesung shivered slightly, clutching the jacket closer to his body. His younger brother, Sungmin, was staring into space with an expressionless look, that could be mistaken as being cold. Yesung knew better, his brother was hiding his emotions behind that blank façade of his, unwilling to believe in love, even though this was a different type of love. Yesung switched his view to the pile of white roses in front of him, unwilling to believe his eyes, the proceedings, the surroundings. The times they had shared together, every single moment that was filled with joy and satisfaction, seemed as though they no longer existed, with this sudden death.
"Brother?" Sungmin stated in a monotonous tone, nudging his brother in the side. Yesung swiveled his gaze to his younger brother, who stared pointedly at the rose in his hands, and then back to the pile of roses they had walked right up to now. Yesung clutched the rose tighter, feeling the thorns of the white rose piercing his thumb, a little. I don't want to let you go, but I have to. Goodbye, my beloved younger friend. Yesung thought, as he placed the rose gently on the ground, while the tears streaked down his face. Goodbye, my friend, my confidant, my other brother, my other soulmate.
Sungmin followed quickly after, releasing the flower straight from his palm, without even bending down. He earned disapproving glances from some of the older relatives, but he quickly turned his back on them, preferring not to show those treacherous tears in front of them. It was hard to believe, their friend was only 3 years younger than him, but he had been a victim of a hit-and-run accident. Sungmin clenched his fists tightly, swearing to himself that he would find the one that drove over his friend so recklessly, that his friend did not even stand a chance of being resuscitated, being pronounced dead on the spot by the paramedics. He, himself, was on the scene, as the scene unfolded right in front of the bridal shop that Yesung and he just opened. He was in a complete state of shock, and was still affected by it, preferring not to talk to anyone. He hated himself for not noticing the car plate number, and thus is unable to bring the driver to justice.
Yesung looked up from the flowers, to his friend's parents. Mrs Kim was holding on tightly to her husband, as if she might faint at any time. Anyone would, receiving news that your own dearest child had been killed so easily, like how a fire from a fire lighter could be extinguished with just a snap of the cap, as if the flame never once existed before. He swung his gaze across the spectators, as the coffin was slowly lowered into the ground. He closed his eyes, imprinting his friend's laughter and smile into his mind, promising never to forget all the times they had together. Hey, remember our childhood promise? I'm sorry I can't keep my part, my part to look after you and protect you as well, the way you swore to protect me. I'm sorry. Yesung opened his eyes, feeling that his tears had come to a stop, as if he no longer had anymore tears to spare. Goodbye, eternal magnae.
He noticed a forlorn and pale-looking female standing right at the edge of the procession, as if she was still stunned, and reluctant to join them. He saw Mr Kim motioning towards her, asking her to come and stand beside them, but she replied with a blank stare and a curt shake of her head. Mrs Kim had cried harder at her response, burying her head right into her husband's shoulders, while she sobbed. An emotion crossed her face so fast that Yesung almost didn't catch it, and she turned away, her movements stiff and rigid. She walked away from the funeral, her face taut and stretched. Yesung turned towards his brother, who had noticed who he was looking at.
"She's his girlfriend." Sungmin stated quietly, before dragging Yesung out of the cold and unfeeling burial grounds, towards the warmer vehicle that was waiting for them.
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Yesung was stoning, sitting down at the counter, his gaze on the road. He could still vividly remember the incident, as both he and Sungmin had stood right in the doorway, waving their hands excitedly at him. Within seconds, one life was snuffed out. Within seconds, such a precious life was gone. Without help, without aid, a life was knocked off the Book, by the fickle-finger of Fate. He flinched as he recalled the exact impact, and closed his eyes, trying his best to get rid of the scene.
Sungmin walked over and placed a cup of water in front of his brother silently, staring at the guy who had his face in his hands. Patting his shoulder slightly, Sungmin turned away and walked right into the studio, cradling the camera. That was the camera he gave him for a good job well done, graduating top of his class in his university course. Yesung thought to himself, unable to control that tide of emotions that was simply overwhelming him. He obstinately ignored the cup of water in front of him, preferring to keep his face covered to this hard and cruel world, the hard truth, the reality.
The bell rang in the air, signaling the presence of a customer. Yesung lifted his head slightly, a little weary to deal with any more requests and demands now, especially at this time. He stood up quickly, as he realized that the person is his own father.
"Father." A simple acknowledgement.
The elder raised his hand, holding his hand awkwardly out. Yesung automatically reached out, and grabbed the bag that was immediately dropped into his hands. Noticing the slight glint of tears present in those pair of eyes, Yesung wondered at the contents of the bag. His hands undid the top of the bag without emotion, glancing into the bag. What he saw make that wave sweep over him again. With a gulp, he quickly shut the bag, and nodded to his father, who went further into the studio to find Sungmin.
Yesung sat down on the chair behind him, gripping the counter for some support. He placed the bag on the table top carelessly, and the contents slid out, spewed over the top. Some personal belongings that his friend knew would remind Yesung of him, but the object that held the most affection for Yesung, that watch.
"And here we shall carve our names all into the back of our watches, sealing our brotherhood and friendship forever!" Sungmin proudly exclaimed his idea to his older brother, who ruffled his hair playfully. Yesung glanced at his friend, who nodded back. "That is actually a great idea!" He had praised Sungmin, who beamed so widely that he could light up the whole room. The three of them sat down on the hard, cold tiled floor, holding chisels in their hands that seemed too small to be doing this stuff, but they proceeded on and completed the job.
Yesung grabbed that watch, knowing that Sungmin would be receiving his as well. They had all placed their watches under the care of that friend, knowing that he was the most careful with their belongings among them three. The memories seemed too much, overflowing, that Yesung was unable to bear the pain of just recalling them in this place. Just give me some time, some alone time to myself, for now, for me. Yesung thought, as he walked out of the shop, tears threatening to spill over.
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Yesung drove his car aimlessly, not having an exact place in mind as to where his destination was. He fingered the watch in his other hand, staring blankly at the road in front of him. Turning the wheel and changing gears seemed to take a back seat in his mind, as images of him and his friend playing together seared and flashed across his brain.
"Yesung!" He shouted, as he approached his friend from behind. Yesung whirled around, a smile quickly lighting up his features. Yesung rested his hand on the younger's shoulders, peering carefully into those dark brown orbs of his. He smiled, as he saw himself in those eyes, beaming back widely, his reflection imprinted in the younger's eyes. "Hyung! Guess what! I got first for this singing competition today! All thanks to your coaching!" The younger male blinked and bowed furiously.
"Have you told your parents?" Yesung asked, knowing that his parents would be elated at the news. He shook his head, and stared back with a small smile gracing his features. "I thought I should tell you first, I thought you should be the first one to know."
Yesung parked the car quickly, his anguish evident as this particular memory turned up in his head. It was a long time ago, when Yesung was just 10, and he was just 7 years old. Although it was just a singing competition for young children, he had taken it very seriously, and that competition sparked off this camaraderie between the three of them. Yesung took a close look at the surroundings, surprised that he had driven to the playground that Sungmin and him used to play at. His mouth turned up into a wry smile, as he recalled how the three of them used to tease each other and throw away all their inhibitions there.
"Yah Sungmin! Out with it!" Yesung tickled his younger brother slightly in the ribs, causing Sungmin to gasp slightly at the sudden onslaught of attack. His friend had grinned mischievously as well, joining in on the attack. Sungmin fell onto the ground of the playground and started rolling about, in an attempt to avoid their fingers. He groaned once, before finally surrendering.
"Alright! She's just this girl I like! From my class! Now stop tickling me! It starts to hurt!" Sungmin crouched in a ball, his voice slightly muffled. Yesung looked at his friend, who still wore that grin on his face. They high-fived each other as they congratulated themselves on the job well done.
One Month Later
The three of them were in the playground, enjoying the night together. Yesung sat in the middle of them, with both his younger friend and brother pressed up against him. Sungmin had looked a little forlorn that day, his eyes a little red. Yesung nudged his friend with his elbow discreetly, who turned and gazed sleepily at Sungmin.
"Is something wrong, Sungmin?" Yesung asked, concerned. He had never once seen his brother this deep in thought before, unlike his usual cheerful and carefree nature.
"She….was…two-timing me." Sungmin mumbled into the crook of his brother's arm. Suddenly, the tears started flowing out. "I'm not believing in this thing called love again! Ever!" He shouted, before diving into his brother's arms to hide his face. Yesung hugged his brother tightly, silently cursing the girl that had caused his brother so much pain and heartbreak. His younger friend looked up, confused, and tentatively placed a hand on Sungmin's head, comforting him. Yesung locked gazes with his friend, who nodded back, and both of them held Sungmin together till the tears ran out, and they were all thoroughly exhausted.
Yesung touched the bench that he remembered they always sat on, sitting down carefully himself. This place held so many fond memories for all of them, and he could practically hear their laughter once again when he closed his eyes. He leaned back against the bench and made himself comfortable, tucking his head into his chest.
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"Yesung-hyung?" A voice questioned, sounding far, far away.
Yesung spun around quickly, searching for the owner of that voice. That familiar voice. "Where are you? I'm looking for you but I can't find you!"
"You don't have to see me to know that I'm here." The voice chuckled again, amused. "I'm glad you are coping fine. Sungmin looks pretty good as well." He chattered on.
Yesung clenched his fists tightly into a ball. "Yah! Didn't your mother always tell you to look left and right when crossing the road? Or to make sure that cars were stopping and slowing down you cross the traffic light, or…" He stopped, as a firm palm clamped his mouth shut from behind.
"Now. If you are going to lecture me, it wouldn’t be of any use. I can't use it here in heaven, there are no cars here." He started to speak, adopting that amused tone again. Yesung tried to free himself, and desperately tried to tear the hand away from his mouth.
"Yesung. Take care of yourself. I'm sorry to leave you so early." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Hyung, can you please help me take a look at her….I'm worried that she may do something silly…" His voice trailed off, as he lowered his arm.
"Magnae!" Yesung turned around, only to realize that his friend had disappeared.
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"…Mister?...Mister?..." Yesung woke up to find a small child prodding his leg carefully. He had slept on the bench. So that was just a dream? Untrue? Never happened, only existed in my imagination?
The small child pulled at his trousers again, capturing his attention. Yesung lowered himself until he was on the same level as the child before him. The small child giggled, pushing a piece of paper into Yesung's hands. As Yesung looked at the paper, puzzled, the young child quickly explained.
"I saw this person placing this piece of paper in your lap. He looks as if he is just 19 years old, and I hope I can grow to look like him in the future!" He giggled to himself, before continuing, "The paper flew off your lap, so I'm here to return what's yours." The child now looked solemnly at Yesung, before running off to find his mother.
Yesung pulled the piece of paper close to his eyes, squinting at the haphazardly written note. Such a familiar handwriting…. Yesung thought. He stiffened suddenly, as he finally noticed what was written on the paper. It was an address, and drawn at the side was a smiley that only the three of them knew, that they had invented together, that they swore that it would remain a secret as long as they all shall live. His eyes widening, he ran to his car, turning on the engine and driving to the address stated.
Yesung signaled quickly as he drove at a reasonable pace. Magnae? You gave me that paper, didn't you? He did not believe it, unless he saw it with his own eyes. He started to question his sanity as well, and wondered if he had lost everything, when his friend had died.
"Yesung-hyung?" The voice came from the window, a small knock announcing his friend's presence. Yesung walked carefully in the dark to the windows to pull them open, and his friend crept inside quietly. Yesung glanced at the form perched on the chair, smiling a little to himself. He stared at his friend, questioning.
"…Hyung? Does….love actually hurt that much? Seeing how Sungmin cried the other day, I don't know how to approach this topic at all….I'm afraid I will end up like Sungmin-hyung, crying and hurt at the end of the day, unable to appreciate this at all." He mumbled quietly at the floor, but Yesung heard every word clearly.
Yesung walked over to his friend, sitting on the table. He glanced at the figure that was still looking at the floor, before chuckling a little and ruffled his friend's hair. As his friend lifted his gaze to look at him, although Yesung thought that it was impossible to see each other in a room so dark as this, Yesung embraced his friend tightly, wrapping his arms around him. "No matter what happens to you in love, I will be there for you. If you break up and need someone to comfort you, find me, come to my window at night and knock. If you want someone to share your fears, come find me. If you want someone to assure you and make the world seem right again, find me." Yesung whispered in the dark, as he felt his friend tentatively wrapped his arms around him.
"Hyung, thank you." He mumbled.
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Yesung pushed the door open, as soon as he noticed that it was not locked. He gaped at the pieces of glass on the floor, as he stepped carefully and made his way around. Another crash in the room beside him nearly made him jump onto one by accident, and he silently cursed himself. He peeked into the other room, only to duck in time as he noticed something being thrown against the wall.
Shatter
Yesung quickly ran into the room, noticing that the person who was throwing the objects around was his friend's girlfriend. "Stop!" Yesung commanded, as he grabbed her hand to stop her from throwing another glass vase against the wall.
She glared defiantly back at him, her hatred plain in her eyes. "Let go of me." She nearly snarled, frightening Yesung just a little, but he still managed to keep his grip firm and prevented her from lifting that vase in her hands. As his eyes roamed around the room, he noticed that countless of picture frames had met their death, pieces of glass littered the whole room, and he noticed that she was cut by the glass. Her feet were bleeding, but she didn't seem to care, only to continue throwing objects around the room. Pictures were everywhere on the floor as well, and Yesung couldn't help but noticed pictures of her and his friend, smiling widely into the camera, gazing into each other's eyes as they took those pictures. His heart gave a twist as he realized what she was doing.
"Are you insane? He left you physically already, and now you are trying to erase him emotionally as well? What did he exactly do to deserve this treatment?" Yesung practically growled into her ear, angry, and unable to keep the emotion out of his voice. His eyes flared, as he realized how his friend's girlfriend was trying to hard to get him out of her life. He unconsciously tightened his grip around her arm, to the point that it started to hurt.
She tried to wriggle free from his grasp, but soon found out that it was pointless fighting against someone who was stronger than her. Glaring straight right into Yesung's eyes, she flared. "Because he is occupying every single moment of my life. I hate him for dying this way, for leaving me alone in this world to deal with this myself, I hate him for leaving me alone, when he knows I'm so afraid of being alone, of being solo. I hate him for leaving me in this way, without even saying a proper goodbye, or even allow me to tell him 'I love you', just one time." She sagged slightly, spent.
Yesung loosened his grip on her arm, helping her into a chair. He sighed, as her words hit an exact sentiment within him. Magnae…you left too early. He walked over to the storeroom and brought out a broom and a dustpan, and started to sweep up the fragments on the ground. Her eyes followed him around the room as he carried out his duty, focused solely on this task. After cleaning the room, he walked over to her, and patted her slightly on the shoulder.
"I miss him too." Yesung whispered softly, trying hard to fight against the tears that were once again growing in his eyes. She looked up, and she wrapped her arms tightly around Yesung. Yesung felt his shirt starting to stain slightly, and he knew she was crying her heart out for her lost love, her love who died too young, his friend who he loved so much, who left him too early. Yesung carefully hugged her as well, holding her in his embrace, as he broke down as well, for that magnae that had left him too early. Yah, you left two broken hearts here, and you are no longer here to heal us both…
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"Yah, magnae! What's wrong! Why have you been avoiding me lately?" Yesung asked, demanding an explanation from his friend. He had squirmed a little under his fierce gaze, switching his weight from foot to foot as he debated silently within himself.
"Nothing's wrong, hyung." He tried to run away, but Yesung caught and held on to his arm tightly, unwilling to let him go just like that. "Explain yourself today."
His friend had turned his eyes towards him, and he felt the full impact of his eyes begging through his eyes, the windows of his soul. "Hyung, just let me go." He stated, before twisting his arm right out of Yesung's grasp. "I don't want to fall into this any deeper than I should." He mumbled so softly, that Yesung thought he wouldn't have heard it, if he had not been straining his ears so hard to catch any reasonable explanation that fell from his friend's lips.
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"….Hyung? Thank you for visiting her every afternoon all this time. Helping her cope with my death, and your loss, I don't know how you actually managed to deal with this! Perhaps I have underestimated you! You are my greatest hyung ever!" He exclaimed proudly, as Yesung spun around again, trying to spot his friend in the dark room.
"Magnae? Where are you? I'm just fulfilling your part, your duty, if you are still….." Yesung trailed off as he bit down on his lip tightly, preventing his lips from trembling.
"Do you mean…alive?" He chuckled slightly. "Don't worry, it's okay. I'm glad you find company in your grief, when both of you are crying over me." He stated, his tone sounded a little accomplished. "And if you two really get together, seeing the way how you two are getting really close these days….I give you two my blessings." He chuckled playfully, as he hugged his hyung from behind, as he usually did as he left Yesung's dreams.
"Yah! What do you mean! You cheeky person!" Yesung elbowed his friend, only to feel his elbow reach the air….
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"Yesung…? Oppa?" Yesung woke up to see her staring right into his face. He became flustered, as he quickly stood up and busied his hands. Clearing his throat nervously, he turned so that his back faced her. "Uhm yes?" He asked.
"Oppa…." She fidgeted slightly. "Will you….will you go with me to visit his grave today? It has been one year since he left us…" Yesung snapped his head up, as he whirled around to look at the calendar. Arhh, yes, it has been a year. Magnae, I still miss you every single day. "Alright, let's go." Yesung stated, as he grabbed his car keys on the desk and his coat, ushering her out of the shop. Sungmin had left earlier, as his brother knew that Yesung would want to spend some alone time, thinking about their friend. Somehow, Yesung was always the closer one with their friend, as his friend always confided in him and ran to him whenever he was in trouble.
In the car, she snapped her seatbelt close as she tilted her head slightly to gaze at Yesung. Yesung shifted a little, uncomfortable, as he continued to focus on the road ahead. "Oppa…..thank you. Thank you for helping me this past year…I don't know how I would have managed otherwise." She stated, blushing a little, as she switched her gaze onto the road as well.
"Uhmm. You are welcome." Yesung replied. As he pulled over into a parking spot, she leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Yesung jumped a little at the contact, and turned to face her.
"Thank you. I think I'm really glad that your friend has such a great hyung. Throughout this past year, I have learnt to cope with my loss, and deal with it well. I think he meant for me to move on, as he appeared to me in my dreams last night, telling me to move on, to find……" her voice trailed off as she quickly opened the car door and stepped outside, taking with her the bouquet of flowers. Yesung widened his eyes. Magnae, you appeared in her dreams as well? And you told her the same thing?
Yesung stepped out of the car, and they walked side by side towards the grave. Yesung stole glances of her out of the corner of his eyes, noticing that she had become more confident, and not as emotionally burdened as the first time he remembered meeting her in her house. Magnae….was it your plan to do this?
Noticing that he had lagged behind a little as he was too absorbed in his own thoughts, Yesung quickly ran and caught up with her. He quickly twined his fingers around her hand, as he tugged her hand, pulling her right beside him. She blushed furiously, as she wrapped her own fingers around his. I don't want to lose any more time thinking about stuff that I always asked myself to think of in the past, I don't want to lose any more time like how I did before, thinking about us, magnae.
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Two years had passed, since his friend left them. Yesung fixed his bowtie carefully in the mirror, and Sungmin walked into the room cautiously, snapping pictures of his brother in his wedding suit professionally. Sungmin nodded his approval, smiling slightly at the image of his brother in the mirror. He reached over, smoothing out a crease in the suit. Yesung looked at his brother through the mirror, and Sungmin caught the unspoken question in the eyes of his brother.
"Yes hyung, I think he would be very proud of you. He would be very happy for you, and for his ex-girlfriend, my soon-to-be sister-in-law. Somehow, I sense that he would be celebrating, displaying his joy to every single person in the room now, if he was still with us. I think he would be beaming so brightly now, seeing the two people he love the most together, and enjoying life now." Sungmin answered, before dipping his head slightly to stare at the ground. "I still miss him, but I know the present is more important than the past." Sungmin mumbled under his breath, before lifting his head again. "I will be waiting outside, all the best, groom." Sungmin smiled, before sweeping out of the room.
Magnae? Thank you for what you made me experience. For your presence. Even though you left us at such a young age, I really appreciated every single moment you were there with us. And now, even at this juncture, it was you who brought the two of us together. We got over our loss with each other, and you were the one who encouraged us to be together, and realize our true feelings in the end. Magnae, I miss you, and I love you, and I thank you.
Turning slightly, he spotted through the window that his brother had fixed his gaze on a couple in the distance. The two guys were sitting side by side, chuckling and laughing at some unknown joke between them, the joke that only belonged to them, like how Yesung used to feel with his friend. He was glad that his friend had realized it as well, and both of them had drawn apart slightly after that realization. He knew that deep down, he will always remember his friend, and the way he used to feel. Switching back to reality, he smiled slightly, as one of the guys brought of a ring from his pocket, and waved it slightly in front of the other. The other had gasped, and then nodded his head almost immediately.
Yesung smiled to himself, wondering if this resembled the way he had proposed to his wife.
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"…..Wife?" Yesung asked quietly, as he hugged his wife from behind.
"Hmm…?" She replied, twisting her head slightly to spot Yesung's expression.
"….Do you mind, if we name this baby after him?" Yesung asked again. "He's the one that taught me so much, and the one that brought us together after all…."
"I don't mind. I want to thank him too, and I thought that this was the best idea. I was about to discuss it with you…but it seems like you have pre-empted me, once again." She chuckled slightly, leaning in his embrace.
Yesung smiled. "Honestly? You also thought of this?"
She nodded, closing her eyes as Yesung placed his hand gently above the slightly prominent bump. The baby was 3 months old now, and would soon come into this world in another 6 months.
"Yah….Ryeowook….I look forward to seeing you in another 6 months." Yesung stated simply, as he kissed his wife on her cheek.
-------End of Wedding Photos-------
A/N: oh wells. that's the end of wedding photos! the trilogy? ^^ Hope you guys enjoyed it! I really enjoyed writing my favourite 3 pairings in under this title, and I hope you guys have enjoyed it as well! All of them have somehow some happy endings in the end, just like how we can make the best of it after reality twists it into something so unrecognizable we cannot even do anything about it. I'm really very emotional now because I read aidenrose's fic, and another fic by cheonsa. It's a sad day today. T_T Comments are <3s, so please do comment?
And guess who are the guy couple at the end? ^^ All stories are inter-linked, now you know the link....
Pairing: Hinted Yewook, Yesung/Someone
Ratings: PG
Summary: Yesung recalls what happened, what has brought his wife and him together, and that very special person, who brought them together.
The very first time Yesung met her, had nothing to do with his profession of being a wedding planner at all. Or perhaps, just slightly, this little bit related to weddings. After all, this coincidental meeting has ended up in one.
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Yesung shivered slightly, clutching the jacket closer to his body. His younger brother, Sungmin, was staring into space with an expressionless look, that could be mistaken as being cold. Yesung knew better, his brother was hiding his emotions behind that blank façade of his, unwilling to believe in love, even though this was a different type of love. Yesung switched his view to the pile of white roses in front of him, unwilling to believe his eyes, the proceedings, the surroundings. The times they had shared together, every single moment that was filled with joy and satisfaction, seemed as though they no longer existed, with this sudden death.
"Brother?" Sungmin stated in a monotonous tone, nudging his brother in the side. Yesung swiveled his gaze to his younger brother, who stared pointedly at the rose in his hands, and then back to the pile of roses they had walked right up to now. Yesung clutched the rose tighter, feeling the thorns of the white rose piercing his thumb, a little. I don't want to let you go, but I have to. Goodbye, my beloved younger friend. Yesung thought, as he placed the rose gently on the ground, while the tears streaked down his face. Goodbye, my friend, my confidant, my other brother, my other soulmate.
Sungmin followed quickly after, releasing the flower straight from his palm, without even bending down. He earned disapproving glances from some of the older relatives, but he quickly turned his back on them, preferring not to show those treacherous tears in front of them. It was hard to believe, their friend was only 3 years younger than him, but he had been a victim of a hit-and-run accident. Sungmin clenched his fists tightly, swearing to himself that he would find the one that drove over his friend so recklessly, that his friend did not even stand a chance of being resuscitated, being pronounced dead on the spot by the paramedics. He, himself, was on the scene, as the scene unfolded right in front of the bridal shop that Yesung and he just opened. He was in a complete state of shock, and was still affected by it, preferring not to talk to anyone. He hated himself for not noticing the car plate number, and thus is unable to bring the driver to justice.
Yesung looked up from the flowers, to his friend's parents. Mrs Kim was holding on tightly to her husband, as if she might faint at any time. Anyone would, receiving news that your own dearest child had been killed so easily, like how a fire from a fire lighter could be extinguished with just a snap of the cap, as if the flame never once existed before. He swung his gaze across the spectators, as the coffin was slowly lowered into the ground. He closed his eyes, imprinting his friend's laughter and smile into his mind, promising never to forget all the times they had together. Hey, remember our childhood promise? I'm sorry I can't keep my part, my part to look after you and protect you as well, the way you swore to protect me. I'm sorry. Yesung opened his eyes, feeling that his tears had come to a stop, as if he no longer had anymore tears to spare. Goodbye, eternal magnae.
He noticed a forlorn and pale-looking female standing right at the edge of the procession, as if she was still stunned, and reluctant to join them. He saw Mr Kim motioning towards her, asking her to come and stand beside them, but she replied with a blank stare and a curt shake of her head. Mrs Kim had cried harder at her response, burying her head right into her husband's shoulders, while she sobbed. An emotion crossed her face so fast that Yesung almost didn't catch it, and she turned away, her movements stiff and rigid. She walked away from the funeral, her face taut and stretched. Yesung turned towards his brother, who had noticed who he was looking at.
"She's his girlfriend." Sungmin stated quietly, before dragging Yesung out of the cold and unfeeling burial grounds, towards the warmer vehicle that was waiting for them.
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Yesung was stoning, sitting down at the counter, his gaze on the road. He could still vividly remember the incident, as both he and Sungmin had stood right in the doorway, waving their hands excitedly at him. Within seconds, one life was snuffed out. Within seconds, such a precious life was gone. Without help, without aid, a life was knocked off the Book, by the fickle-finger of Fate. He flinched as he recalled the exact impact, and closed his eyes, trying his best to get rid of the scene.
Sungmin walked over and placed a cup of water in front of his brother silently, staring at the guy who had his face in his hands. Patting his shoulder slightly, Sungmin turned away and walked right into the studio, cradling the camera. That was the camera he gave him for a good job well done, graduating top of his class in his university course. Yesung thought to himself, unable to control that tide of emotions that was simply overwhelming him. He obstinately ignored the cup of water in front of him, preferring to keep his face covered to this hard and cruel world, the hard truth, the reality.
The bell rang in the air, signaling the presence of a customer. Yesung lifted his head slightly, a little weary to deal with any more requests and demands now, especially at this time. He stood up quickly, as he realized that the person is his own father.
"Father." A simple acknowledgement.
The elder raised his hand, holding his hand awkwardly out. Yesung automatically reached out, and grabbed the bag that was immediately dropped into his hands. Noticing the slight glint of tears present in those pair of eyes, Yesung wondered at the contents of the bag. His hands undid the top of the bag without emotion, glancing into the bag. What he saw make that wave sweep over him again. With a gulp, he quickly shut the bag, and nodded to his father, who went further into the studio to find Sungmin.
Yesung sat down on the chair behind him, gripping the counter for some support. He placed the bag on the table top carelessly, and the contents slid out, spewed over the top. Some personal belongings that his friend knew would remind Yesung of him, but the object that held the most affection for Yesung, that watch.
"And here we shall carve our names all into the back of our watches, sealing our brotherhood and friendship forever!" Sungmin proudly exclaimed his idea to his older brother, who ruffled his hair playfully. Yesung glanced at his friend, who nodded back. "That is actually a great idea!" He had praised Sungmin, who beamed so widely that he could light up the whole room. The three of them sat down on the hard, cold tiled floor, holding chisels in their hands that seemed too small to be doing this stuff, but they proceeded on and completed the job.
Yesung grabbed that watch, knowing that Sungmin would be receiving his as well. They had all placed their watches under the care of that friend, knowing that he was the most careful with their belongings among them three. The memories seemed too much, overflowing, that Yesung was unable to bear the pain of just recalling them in this place. Just give me some time, some alone time to myself, for now, for me. Yesung thought, as he walked out of the shop, tears threatening to spill over.
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Yesung drove his car aimlessly, not having an exact place in mind as to where his destination was. He fingered the watch in his other hand, staring blankly at the road in front of him. Turning the wheel and changing gears seemed to take a back seat in his mind, as images of him and his friend playing together seared and flashed across his brain.
"Yesung!" He shouted, as he approached his friend from behind. Yesung whirled around, a smile quickly lighting up his features. Yesung rested his hand on the younger's shoulders, peering carefully into those dark brown orbs of his. He smiled, as he saw himself in those eyes, beaming back widely, his reflection imprinted in the younger's eyes. "Hyung! Guess what! I got first for this singing competition today! All thanks to your coaching!" The younger male blinked and bowed furiously.
"Have you told your parents?" Yesung asked, knowing that his parents would be elated at the news. He shook his head, and stared back with a small smile gracing his features. "I thought I should tell you first, I thought you should be the first one to know."
Yesung parked the car quickly, his anguish evident as this particular memory turned up in his head. It was a long time ago, when Yesung was just 10, and he was just 7 years old. Although it was just a singing competition for young children, he had taken it very seriously, and that competition sparked off this camaraderie between the three of them. Yesung took a close look at the surroundings, surprised that he had driven to the playground that Sungmin and him used to play at. His mouth turned up into a wry smile, as he recalled how the three of them used to tease each other and throw away all their inhibitions there.
"Yah Sungmin! Out with it!" Yesung tickled his younger brother slightly in the ribs, causing Sungmin to gasp slightly at the sudden onslaught of attack. His friend had grinned mischievously as well, joining in on the attack. Sungmin fell onto the ground of the playground and started rolling about, in an attempt to avoid their fingers. He groaned once, before finally surrendering.
"Alright! She's just this girl I like! From my class! Now stop tickling me! It starts to hurt!" Sungmin crouched in a ball, his voice slightly muffled. Yesung looked at his friend, who still wore that grin on his face. They high-fived each other as they congratulated themselves on the job well done.
One Month Later
The three of them were in the playground, enjoying the night together. Yesung sat in the middle of them, with both his younger friend and brother pressed up against him. Sungmin had looked a little forlorn that day, his eyes a little red. Yesung nudged his friend with his elbow discreetly, who turned and gazed sleepily at Sungmin.
"Is something wrong, Sungmin?" Yesung asked, concerned. He had never once seen his brother this deep in thought before, unlike his usual cheerful and carefree nature.
"She….was…two-timing me." Sungmin mumbled into the crook of his brother's arm. Suddenly, the tears started flowing out. "I'm not believing in this thing called love again! Ever!" He shouted, before diving into his brother's arms to hide his face. Yesung hugged his brother tightly, silently cursing the girl that had caused his brother so much pain and heartbreak. His younger friend looked up, confused, and tentatively placed a hand on Sungmin's head, comforting him. Yesung locked gazes with his friend, who nodded back, and both of them held Sungmin together till the tears ran out, and they were all thoroughly exhausted.
Yesung touched the bench that he remembered they always sat on, sitting down carefully himself. This place held so many fond memories for all of them, and he could practically hear their laughter once again when he closed his eyes. He leaned back against the bench and made himself comfortable, tucking his head into his chest.
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"Yesung-hyung?" A voice questioned, sounding far, far away.
Yesung spun around quickly, searching for the owner of that voice. That familiar voice. "Where are you? I'm looking for you but I can't find you!"
"You don't have to see me to know that I'm here." The voice chuckled again, amused. "I'm glad you are coping fine. Sungmin looks pretty good as well." He chattered on.
Yesung clenched his fists tightly into a ball. "Yah! Didn't your mother always tell you to look left and right when crossing the road? Or to make sure that cars were stopping and slowing down you cross the traffic light, or…" He stopped, as a firm palm clamped his mouth shut from behind.
"Now. If you are going to lecture me, it wouldn’t be of any use. I can't use it here in heaven, there are no cars here." He started to speak, adopting that amused tone again. Yesung tried to free himself, and desperately tried to tear the hand away from his mouth.
"Yesung. Take care of yourself. I'm sorry to leave you so early." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Hyung, can you please help me take a look at her….I'm worried that she may do something silly…" His voice trailed off, as he lowered his arm.
"Magnae!" Yesung turned around, only to realize that his friend had disappeared.
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"…Mister?...Mister?..." Yesung woke up to find a small child prodding his leg carefully. He had slept on the bench. So that was just a dream? Untrue? Never happened, only existed in my imagination?
The small child pulled at his trousers again, capturing his attention. Yesung lowered himself until he was on the same level as the child before him. The small child giggled, pushing a piece of paper into Yesung's hands. As Yesung looked at the paper, puzzled, the young child quickly explained.
"I saw this person placing this piece of paper in your lap. He looks as if he is just 19 years old, and I hope I can grow to look like him in the future!" He giggled to himself, before continuing, "The paper flew off your lap, so I'm here to return what's yours." The child now looked solemnly at Yesung, before running off to find his mother.
Yesung pulled the piece of paper close to his eyes, squinting at the haphazardly written note. Such a familiar handwriting…. Yesung thought. He stiffened suddenly, as he finally noticed what was written on the paper. It was an address, and drawn at the side was a smiley that only the three of them knew, that they had invented together, that they swore that it would remain a secret as long as they all shall live. His eyes widening, he ran to his car, turning on the engine and driving to the address stated.
Yesung signaled quickly as he drove at a reasonable pace. Magnae? You gave me that paper, didn't you? He did not believe it, unless he saw it with his own eyes. He started to question his sanity as well, and wondered if he had lost everything, when his friend had died.
"Yesung-hyung?" The voice came from the window, a small knock announcing his friend's presence. Yesung walked carefully in the dark to the windows to pull them open, and his friend crept inside quietly. Yesung glanced at the form perched on the chair, smiling a little to himself. He stared at his friend, questioning.
"…Hyung? Does….love actually hurt that much? Seeing how Sungmin cried the other day, I don't know how to approach this topic at all….I'm afraid I will end up like Sungmin-hyung, crying and hurt at the end of the day, unable to appreciate this at all." He mumbled quietly at the floor, but Yesung heard every word clearly.
Yesung walked over to his friend, sitting on the table. He glanced at the figure that was still looking at the floor, before chuckling a little and ruffled his friend's hair. As his friend lifted his gaze to look at him, although Yesung thought that it was impossible to see each other in a room so dark as this, Yesung embraced his friend tightly, wrapping his arms around him. "No matter what happens to you in love, I will be there for you. If you break up and need someone to comfort you, find me, come to my window at night and knock. If you want someone to share your fears, come find me. If you want someone to assure you and make the world seem right again, find me." Yesung whispered in the dark, as he felt his friend tentatively wrapped his arms around him.
"Hyung, thank you." He mumbled.
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Yesung pushed the door open, as soon as he noticed that it was not locked. He gaped at the pieces of glass on the floor, as he stepped carefully and made his way around. Another crash in the room beside him nearly made him jump onto one by accident, and he silently cursed himself. He peeked into the other room, only to duck in time as he noticed something being thrown against the wall.
Shatter
Yesung quickly ran into the room, noticing that the person who was throwing the objects around was his friend's girlfriend. "Stop!" Yesung commanded, as he grabbed her hand to stop her from throwing another glass vase against the wall.
She glared defiantly back at him, her hatred plain in her eyes. "Let go of me." She nearly snarled, frightening Yesung just a little, but he still managed to keep his grip firm and prevented her from lifting that vase in her hands. As his eyes roamed around the room, he noticed that countless of picture frames had met their death, pieces of glass littered the whole room, and he noticed that she was cut by the glass. Her feet were bleeding, but she didn't seem to care, only to continue throwing objects around the room. Pictures were everywhere on the floor as well, and Yesung couldn't help but noticed pictures of her and his friend, smiling widely into the camera, gazing into each other's eyes as they took those pictures. His heart gave a twist as he realized what she was doing.
"Are you insane? He left you physically already, and now you are trying to erase him emotionally as well? What did he exactly do to deserve this treatment?" Yesung practically growled into her ear, angry, and unable to keep the emotion out of his voice. His eyes flared, as he realized how his friend's girlfriend was trying to hard to get him out of her life. He unconsciously tightened his grip around her arm, to the point that it started to hurt.
She tried to wriggle free from his grasp, but soon found out that it was pointless fighting against someone who was stronger than her. Glaring straight right into Yesung's eyes, she flared. "Because he is occupying every single moment of my life. I hate him for dying this way, for leaving me alone in this world to deal with this myself, I hate him for leaving me alone, when he knows I'm so afraid of being alone, of being solo. I hate him for leaving me in this way, without even saying a proper goodbye, or even allow me to tell him 'I love you', just one time." She sagged slightly, spent.
Yesung loosened his grip on her arm, helping her into a chair. He sighed, as her words hit an exact sentiment within him. Magnae…you left too early. He walked over to the storeroom and brought out a broom and a dustpan, and started to sweep up the fragments on the ground. Her eyes followed him around the room as he carried out his duty, focused solely on this task. After cleaning the room, he walked over to her, and patted her slightly on the shoulder.
"I miss him too." Yesung whispered softly, trying hard to fight against the tears that were once again growing in his eyes. She looked up, and she wrapped her arms tightly around Yesung. Yesung felt his shirt starting to stain slightly, and he knew she was crying her heart out for her lost love, her love who died too young, his friend who he loved so much, who left him too early. Yesung carefully hugged her as well, holding her in his embrace, as he broke down as well, for that magnae that had left him too early. Yah, you left two broken hearts here, and you are no longer here to heal us both…
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"Yah, magnae! What's wrong! Why have you been avoiding me lately?" Yesung asked, demanding an explanation from his friend. He had squirmed a little under his fierce gaze, switching his weight from foot to foot as he debated silently within himself.
"Nothing's wrong, hyung." He tried to run away, but Yesung caught and held on to his arm tightly, unwilling to let him go just like that. "Explain yourself today."
His friend had turned his eyes towards him, and he felt the full impact of his eyes begging through his eyes, the windows of his soul. "Hyung, just let me go." He stated, before twisting his arm right out of Yesung's grasp. "I don't want to fall into this any deeper than I should." He mumbled so softly, that Yesung thought he wouldn't have heard it, if he had not been straining his ears so hard to catch any reasonable explanation that fell from his friend's lips.
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"….Hyung? Thank you for visiting her every afternoon all this time. Helping her cope with my death, and your loss, I don't know how you actually managed to deal with this! Perhaps I have underestimated you! You are my greatest hyung ever!" He exclaimed proudly, as Yesung spun around again, trying to spot his friend in the dark room.
"Magnae? Where are you? I'm just fulfilling your part, your duty, if you are still….." Yesung trailed off as he bit down on his lip tightly, preventing his lips from trembling.
"Do you mean…alive?" He chuckled slightly. "Don't worry, it's okay. I'm glad you find company in your grief, when both of you are crying over me." He stated, his tone sounded a little accomplished. "And if you two really get together, seeing the way how you two are getting really close these days….I give you two my blessings." He chuckled playfully, as he hugged his hyung from behind, as he usually did as he left Yesung's dreams.
"Yah! What do you mean! You cheeky person!" Yesung elbowed his friend, only to feel his elbow reach the air….
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"Yesung…? Oppa?" Yesung woke up to see her staring right into his face. He became flustered, as he quickly stood up and busied his hands. Clearing his throat nervously, he turned so that his back faced her. "Uhm yes?" He asked.
"Oppa…." She fidgeted slightly. "Will you….will you go with me to visit his grave today? It has been one year since he left us…" Yesung snapped his head up, as he whirled around to look at the calendar. Arhh, yes, it has been a year. Magnae, I still miss you every single day. "Alright, let's go." Yesung stated, as he grabbed his car keys on the desk and his coat, ushering her out of the shop. Sungmin had left earlier, as his brother knew that Yesung would want to spend some alone time, thinking about their friend. Somehow, Yesung was always the closer one with their friend, as his friend always confided in him and ran to him whenever he was in trouble.
In the car, she snapped her seatbelt close as she tilted her head slightly to gaze at Yesung. Yesung shifted a little, uncomfortable, as he continued to focus on the road ahead. "Oppa…..thank you. Thank you for helping me this past year…I don't know how I would have managed otherwise." She stated, blushing a little, as she switched her gaze onto the road as well.
"Uhmm. You are welcome." Yesung replied. As he pulled over into a parking spot, she leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Yesung jumped a little at the contact, and turned to face her.
"Thank you. I think I'm really glad that your friend has such a great hyung. Throughout this past year, I have learnt to cope with my loss, and deal with it well. I think he meant for me to move on, as he appeared to me in my dreams last night, telling me to move on, to find……" her voice trailed off as she quickly opened the car door and stepped outside, taking with her the bouquet of flowers. Yesung widened his eyes. Magnae, you appeared in her dreams as well? And you told her the same thing?
Yesung stepped out of the car, and they walked side by side towards the grave. Yesung stole glances of her out of the corner of his eyes, noticing that she had become more confident, and not as emotionally burdened as the first time he remembered meeting her in her house. Magnae….was it your plan to do this?
Noticing that he had lagged behind a little as he was too absorbed in his own thoughts, Yesung quickly ran and caught up with her. He quickly twined his fingers around her hand, as he tugged her hand, pulling her right beside him. She blushed furiously, as she wrapped her own fingers around his. I don't want to lose any more time thinking about stuff that I always asked myself to think of in the past, I don't want to lose any more time like how I did before, thinking about us, magnae.
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Two years had passed, since his friend left them. Yesung fixed his bowtie carefully in the mirror, and Sungmin walked into the room cautiously, snapping pictures of his brother in his wedding suit professionally. Sungmin nodded his approval, smiling slightly at the image of his brother in the mirror. He reached over, smoothing out a crease in the suit. Yesung looked at his brother through the mirror, and Sungmin caught the unspoken question in the eyes of his brother.
"Yes hyung, I think he would be very proud of you. He would be very happy for you, and for his ex-girlfriend, my soon-to-be sister-in-law. Somehow, I sense that he would be celebrating, displaying his joy to every single person in the room now, if he was still with us. I think he would be beaming so brightly now, seeing the two people he love the most together, and enjoying life now." Sungmin answered, before dipping his head slightly to stare at the ground. "I still miss him, but I know the present is more important than the past." Sungmin mumbled under his breath, before lifting his head again. "I will be waiting outside, all the best, groom." Sungmin smiled, before sweeping out of the room.
Magnae? Thank you for what you made me experience. For your presence. Even though you left us at such a young age, I really appreciated every single moment you were there with us. And now, even at this juncture, it was you who brought the two of us together. We got over our loss with each other, and you were the one who encouraged us to be together, and realize our true feelings in the end. Magnae, I miss you, and I love you, and I thank you.
Turning slightly, he spotted through the window that his brother had fixed his gaze on a couple in the distance. The two guys were sitting side by side, chuckling and laughing at some unknown joke between them, the joke that only belonged to them, like how Yesung used to feel with his friend. He was glad that his friend had realized it as well, and both of them had drawn apart slightly after that realization. He knew that deep down, he will always remember his friend, and the way he used to feel. Switching back to reality, he smiled slightly, as one of the guys brought of a ring from his pocket, and waved it slightly in front of the other. The other had gasped, and then nodded his head almost immediately.
Yesung smiled to himself, wondering if this resembled the way he had proposed to his wife.
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"…..Wife?" Yesung asked quietly, as he hugged his wife from behind.
"Hmm…?" She replied, twisting her head slightly to spot Yesung's expression.
"….Do you mind, if we name this baby after him?" Yesung asked again. "He's the one that taught me so much, and the one that brought us together after all…."
"I don't mind. I want to thank him too, and I thought that this was the best idea. I was about to discuss it with you…but it seems like you have pre-empted me, once again." She chuckled slightly, leaning in his embrace.
Yesung smiled. "Honestly? You also thought of this?"
She nodded, closing her eyes as Yesung placed his hand gently above the slightly prominent bump. The baby was 3 months old now, and would soon come into this world in another 6 months.
"Yah….Ryeowook….I look forward to seeing you in another 6 months." Yesung stated simply, as he kissed his wife on her cheek.
-------End of Wedding Photos-------
A/N: oh wells. that's the end of wedding photos! the trilogy? ^^ Hope you guys enjoyed it! I really enjoyed writing my favourite 3 pairings in under this title, and I hope you guys have enjoyed it as well! All of them have somehow some happy endings in the end, just like how we can make the best of it after reality twists it into something so unrecognizable we cannot even do anything about it. I'm really very emotional now because I read aidenrose's fic, and another fic by cheonsa. It's a sad day today. T_T Comments are <3s, so please do comment?
And guess who are the guy couple at the end? ^^ All stories are inter-linked, now you know the link....