Your Song [One-shot]
Title: Your Song [One-shot]
Word Count: 4,409
Pairings: Yesung/Ryeowook
Rating: PG
Summary: Ryeowook starts taking vocal lessons, only to meet Yesung, an amateur singer with hopes of becoming a professional. Yesung teaches Ryeowook more than he ever could have learned in a single vocal lesson.
Disclaimer: Title taken from "Your Song" by Elton John
It was Ryeowook’s first day at his voice lessons. He’d spent a month trying to convince his parents to pay for them. They were unsure of whether or not it would be a valuable spending of money; he mentioned an interest in pursuing music professionally. They remained reluctant but eventually gave in, telling Ryeowook that as long as he kept up his grades and did his best, he could continue with them.
Ryeowook was determined. He wanted to be a singer so badly. He’d do whatever it took to make it.
On his first day, he entered the vocal academy that was only a few blocks away from his high school. He walked down the hallway, hoping to find some sign of where he should be going. He looked at the bulletin board, a newspaper clipping catching his eye.
“Kim Jongwoon Wins Vocal Contest” written in large print topped the piece of paper. A picture of a good-looking young man with a microphone in hand got Ryeowook’s focus. He stared at it, reading the caption and the details of the contest. He knew in his heart that he hoped to be up on that bulletin board, the words “Kim Ryeowook Wins Vocal Contest” gracing a wrinkled newspaper clipping. He smiled to himself and made his way down the hallway.
Then he heard a voice, deep and soulful. It was someone practicing his scales in a nearby room. He followed the sound until he saw a slightly open door. His eyes widened; it was the boy from the bulletin board. He was standing next to a piano with what appeared to be the vocal teacher accompanying him. When he finished, he smiled and bowed at the teacher before making his way out. Ryeowook quickly moved so as to not appear like he had been watching. When the other boy came out, he merely smiled and nodded his head in Ryeowook’s direction, before making his way down the hall, a small briefcase in hand.
Ryeowook continued to stare until he was interrupted by a voice.
“Kim Ryeowook-ssi?”
“Ah, seonsaengnim,” he turned suddenly and bowed, “I’m Kim Ryeowook. Thank you for teaching me.”
“Come on,” the older man smiled, letting Ryeowook into the music room. Ryeowook walked in, an awestruck expression on his face as he looked at every detail of the small but mostly empty room. There were mirrors at the forefront and a large black grand piano in the corner. It was unlike anything Ryeowook had seen, at least in his daily life.
He then turned suddenly towards the teacher who had his back to Ryeowook, adjusting some music sheets on the piano. He turned to look at Ryeowook, a wide warm smile on his face.
“Ready to get started?”
Ryeowook nodded fervently, his own expression was one of eagerness and enthusiasm.
After an hour-long session, it was time for his first lesson to end. He seemed a little disappointed, not wanting it to end. He then remembered something suddenly and decided to ask the teacher about it.
“S-Seonsaengnim?”
“Hmm?”
Ryeowook fidgeted a little, grabbing at the bottom of his school uniform jacket, wrinkling it slightly.
“C-Could you tell me about Kim Jongwoon? I noticed he was the last student you were working with before I came.”
The teacher smiled and nodded.
“Jongwoon-ssi is a remarkable young man. He’s amazingly talented with a lot of drive and ambition. He’s passionate and a hard worker. He’s actually working towards an audition for a music company.”
“Really?”
“Yes. X Entertainment is holding an audition next month and Jongwoon is going out for it. He’s even got an idol name for himself-that is, if he makes it, which I’m sure he will.”
“A name? What is it?”
“Yesung.”
There was something about the name that made Ryeowook grin uncontrollably. He thought it was a cute name, but manly at the same time. He noticed that the teacher was giving him a questioning look and he immediately turned his attention back to the conversation.
“Seonsaengnim, could you help me with something?”
A week later, Ryeowook was getting ready for another lesson. He decided that day was the day he would finally speak to Kim Jongwoon, even if it was just a simple introduction. He cleared his throat and fixed his poster, adjusting his school tie and brushing off imaginary lint from his shoulders. The door suddenly opened, causing Ryeowook to hold his breath suddenly.
“Thank you again, seonsaengnim. I think we did better this lesson than before. See you next time.”
Ryeowook watched as “Yesung,” as Ryeowook began calling him in his head, came walking out after saying his goodbyes to his teacher. There was something about the way he moved that was graceful. If he ever were to become an idol, he would certainly be able to dance as well as the other idols out there. Ryeowook continued to stare only until Yesung looked at him and smiled cheerfully.
“Hello,” he said, his mouth opening to reveal sparkling white teeth. Ryeowook licked his lips and cleared his throat but almost as soon as Yesung appeared in front of him, he disappeared as well. Ryeowook started to speak but his throat went dry and he could nothing but watch as Yesung walked down the hallway.
He remained defeated, entering the music room and slowly shutting the door behind him.
The next lesson Ryeowook was more determined than ever. He wouldn’t let Yesung get by without a proper introduction. But as he made his way down the hall to the music room, he heard no familiar voice. He looked inside the room and saw a man sitting at the piano. He wasn’t sure if it was the vocal teacher or not.
He opened the door and cleared his throat, surprised to see Yesung looking back at him. He looked around, no sign of the teacher anywhere.
“I-I’m sorry. Am I interrupting?”
Yesung smiled awkwardly, “Not really. Seonsaengnim told me that he thought I should give you your lesson for this week.”
Ryeowook’s heartbeat quickened and he could feel himself starting to shake. He also felt a little flushed and it was like his tie was somehow tightening around his neck, making it hard for him to breathe, much less speak.
“E-Excuse me? You will be giving me my lesson? Pardon my rudeness, but why?”
Yesung shrugged his shoulders and turned towards the piano playing a few notes before answering.
“I’m not really sure. He just said that he had a great idea and before I knew it, I was here waiting for you to be your vocal teacher for the week,” he laughed, before playing a few more notes. He turned to Ryeowook and patted the spot on the bench, next to him.
Ryeowook could feel his cheeks grow even hotter as he silently made his way over to Yesung’s side, sitting down, his hands on his lap, gripping at his pants.
“I guess, we should formally introduce ourselves,” Yesung said out of nowhere. He turned to Ryeowook, facing him directly and bowed his head, “Hello, my name is Kim Jongwoon. I will be your vocal teacher for his week. Pleased to meet you.” He let out a small chuckle that made Ryeowook’s skin tingle a little.
He cleared his throat before introducing himself, his voice shaky as he did so.
“H-Hello, my-my name is K-Kim Ryeowook. Pleased to meet-meet you,” he smiled awkwardly, feeling his knees shake even though he was sitting down. He took a deep breath but when Yesung grabbed hold of his hands and placed them on the piano keys, he let out a loud noise, similar to a terrified scream.
“Shhh calm down. Just getting you into position.”
Ryeowook gasped for air, his shoulders repeatedly moving up and down. He stared at his hands and saw them placed on the piano keys. He then looked at Yesung, oddly, only to get another smile that made him melt. He sighed and closed his eyes, only to hear Yesung play a simple melody.
“That was beautiful,” Ryeowook said without thinking. He seemed calm, enough so that he wasn’t worried about saying anything stupid.
“Really?” Yesung laughed, “It was just something I’d been working on for a while. I’m interested in learning songwriting, but I think for now I should just focus on singing.”
Ryeowook opened his eyes and nodded. He looked at Yesung, his mouth forming a small smirk.
“What about you?”
Ryeowook coughed, “Me?”
“Yeah, what do you think about learning songwriting? Do you play the piano?”
Ryeowook nodded, his fingers tapping on the keys in front of him in ascending order, “I started learning when I was 6 and have been taking lessons ever since. My parents told me it would build character and make me more well rounded a.k.a. they needed an excuse to keep me busy while they were working.”
He let out an uneasy laugh only to frown and tap at the keys a few more times.
Yesung smiled, never letting a grin escape his face the entire lesson.
Ryeowook didn’t want the lesson to end but it had to eventually. He felt some pain knowing that he wouldn’t be able to have Yesung as a teacher again. He also knew he probably wouldn’t be able to spend time with him.
As he watched Yesung leave after a brief goodbye, he knew something else: he was beginning to fall for Kim Jongwoon.
The next lesson time came and Ryeowook was feeling a little anxious. He’d wanted to catch Yesung before he left, ask him if he wanted to hang out together some time. Even if he was older, was more likely busier than Ryeowook, he didn’t want to miss a chance to get to know Yesung better. As soon as that music room door opened and as soon as Yesung stepped out, he would strike.
“Do you want to hang out sometime?”
Yesung seemed caught off-guard but almost instantly his confusion changed to warmth and contentment.
“Hello, Ryeowook. I’d love to, when are you free?”
Ryeowook was elated. After the two made plans and exchanged contact information, the two of them parted ways until they would meet again. Ryeowook was eager to get the lesson over with; once it was over, it meant there was less time between then and when he would see Yesung again.
“I was afraid you weren’t going to show,” he said, standing up, getting up from the park bench he had sat on for an hour, just waiting for Yesung. He was too nervous and anxious to wait to walk to the park, so he got there as soon as he could and just sat there until their agreed meeting time.
“I wouldn’t do that to my friend,” Yesung replied, a toothy grin appeared on his face. That smile drove Ryeowook crazy in the best possible way. Pretty soon, the two made their way through the park to a spot underneath some trees. Yesung sat on a lifted root while Ryeowook sat on the grass, picking at the blades like he did when he was a child. Yesung watched as he did so, gaining some joy from the sight. He then crossed his arms and sighed, happily, enjoying the breeze that brushed past him.
“It’s a nice day today, isn’t it?”
Ryeowook looked up suddenly, the sun peaking through the tree branches, showering light down onto Yesung. It was a wonderful sight to see, to say the least. Ryeowook stared in awe before finally answering Yesung’s question.
“Ye-Yeah, it is. Better than yesterday.”
Yesung nodded, uncrossing his arms and placing his hands on each side of him.
“It rained yesterday, a lot. I’m surprised everything is so dry.”
A few more minutes of pointless chitchat, the two began discussing music.
“Have you ever given any thought to songwriting, Ryeowook-ssi?”
Ryeowook looked down, a little embarrassed that he hadn’t in fact, given songwriting a single thought. At least not before he met Yesung.
“I never really thought about it. 10 years of piano lessons has just taught me about repetition and routine if anything. It wasn’t like I was really learning about music; it just felt like a class at school, with memorization and regurgitation of what I’d learned to appease the teacher. I wanted to learn more; that’s why I asked my parents to pay for vocal lessons.”
Yesung seemed keenly interested in what Ryeowook was saying, making him feel a little unsure of how to react.
“That’s interesting. I mean, it’s a different experience than my own, in terms of working with music. I’d always wanted to be a singer, but like you, I didn’t really give songwriting a single thought. I only got inspired do start learning it recently when I heard about the auditions for X Entertainment. Do you know about them?”
Ryeowook nodded, “Yes. But my parents would never let me audition for something like that. Training for so many years with no real guarantee at debuting. Plus, they wouldn’t want me to debut as an idol. It’s not what they have in mind for me. Since they’re paying for my lessons, I don’t see any point in defying them. I’m just happy they’re supporting my desire to be a singer, at all.”
“You’re lucky in that respect,” Yesung replied, sounding a little distressed.
Ryeowook looked at him, noticing the way his shoulders slumped and his facial expression showed a melancholy aura about him.
“Didn’t your parents support your dream,” he asked, sounding naïve as appropriate for his young age.
“Not really,” Yesung chuckled ironically, “they thought it was a waste of time, my lessons. They only agreed to pay for them if it meant that I was going to end up going off to university to become a doctor or a lawyer or something. When they found out I wanted to go to school to study for music, they cut me off. I had to get a job to pay for school and I started helping out a friend for some extra cash to pay for the vocal lessons. I’m lucky Seonsaengnim is aware of my situation and was willing to give me a very generous discount. He’s the one who told me about the X Entertainment auditions in the first place. He said if I was accepted, I’d never have to worry about money again.”
Ryeowook frowned a bit at Yesung’s words, feeling helpless in that he had no real way of making Yesung feel better about his past. But it didn’t seem necessary because Yesung’s mood shifted.
“But it’s not about the money,” he continued, perking up in his tone and physical state, “I just want to fulfill my dream. Even if I become an idol and debut with a group, just as long as I can sing.”
Ryeowook smiled. He felt a warm sensation in his chest; it actually felt like Yesung’s story was warming his heart. He looked at Yesung who stared off into the distance; there was nowhere else Ryeowook wanted to be.
The following week, on a day when Ryeowook didn’t have a lesson, he came to the vocal academy after his classes. He had asked the teacher the week before if he could use the music room. When he got permission, he made plans to use it for an hour to work on a little project of his own.
He opened the door and turned on the light. As he looked at the empty space, he smiled to himself, feeling ready to get down to work. He walked over to the piano and lifted the lid, letting his fingers slide down, touching all the keys. He laughed to himself.
He sat down on the bench before realizing he was missing something. He looked in the cupboards at the back of the room and found just what he was looking for: blank music sheets and pencils. He grabbed a few of each and made his way back to the piano, placing them gently on the piano lid.
He pressed one key, liking the sound and repeating it. He then pressed a few more keys, changing the sequence every so often until he got the right sound.
Eventually he got his melody; it was simple but he thought it worked well enough. Then he remembered; he needed lyrics. Yesung never mentioned lyrics writing but Ryeowook knew it made a song complete, so he got to work.
Your smile, it warms my heart
No good.
A smile like yours lights up a room.
Too cheesy.
A smile like no other, I can’t escape it
Yes, that would work.
A smile like no other, I can’t escape it.
You came into my life and changed it.
Ryeowook felt accomplished. Even if he was just getting started, he felt like he was doing something worthwhile.
Eventually he came up with a whole song, his first song. He was so excited he did the only thing he could do; he started to play it.
Playing the intro on the piano, he started harmonizing. He then began singing the lyrics, line by line.
A smile like no other, I can’t escape it.
You came into my life and changed it.
I can’t explain this feeling inside
I’ve never felt a rush like this
It’s been so long since I’ve laughed,
So long since I’ve cried
As he continued, he was unaware that he was no longer alone in the room. He continued playing his song, not hearing the footsteps walking into the room and the door slowly closing.
When he finished, he heard the sound of clapping and quickly turned around, afraid of who was watching him. He had reason to be, it was Yesung and though he seemed cheerful, he was the last person Ryeowook wanted to be caught singing by.
“That was amazing, Ryeowook, I can’t even begin-”
“What are you doing here?”
“What?”
“Why are you here? I thought I was alone.”
“Ryeowook-”
“You weren’t supposed to hear that. No one was!”
Ryeowook got up quickly, grabbing his music sheets. He ran out the door, embarrassed beyond description that Yesung, Yesung of all people had heard his song, the one thing he didn’t want anyone to hear.
When he got out of range of the vocal academy building, he slunk into a back alley, and leant against a brick wall, tears streaming down his face. He didn’t want Yesung to know how he really felt, even if it was as indirect as an ambiguous song he’d written in only an hour’s time.
He slunk down, crouching down, his face on his arms which were cradling his legs. He had his music sheets tight against his body, secure but not secure enough. It didn’t matter now, nothing did.
The following morning, he got into an argument with his parents. He didn’t want to go to his vocal lesson, no matter what the cost. It would be too humiliating to see Yesung, especially after the way Ryeowook had responded to Yesung’s presence. He was threatened that if he didn’t go to the next lesson, he wouldn’t be able to go to the following one. Basically, his parents would no longer be paying for his lessons, and Ryeowook wouldn’t be able to pursue his dream, at all.
He didn’t even manage to argue anymore, before storming out the door and making his way to school.
As the day went on, he debated back and forth, in his mind, about whether he should go or not. It seemed like a bad idea, point-blank, but he knew that he couldn’t let a little incident get in the way of his future. He didn’t want to be a lawyer or a doctor or anything else; he wanted to sing, no matter what the cost. Even if it meant he had to see Yesung, after an unintentional soul bearing.
Before he knew it, the school day came to a close and he was on his way to the vocal academy. He decided he would definitely go to his lesson, but he would avoid speaking to Yesung. He didn’t care what he had to do to avoid conversation; he would do it.
He made his way down the hallway, past the bulletin board with Yesung’s picture, moving towards the sound of Yesung’s beautiful voice. He tried his best to resist it, ignoring the feeling it gave to him; the same feeling it always gave him. This wasn’t the time to be taken by Yesung’s voice. He needed to resist.
He stood outside the music room, back to the wall, holding his school bag close to his chest. He had his gaze lowered towards the floor, hoping it would do him good if he didn’t make any eye contact with Yesung. He’d treat him as if he were invisible; it was bound to work.
It didn’t and as soon as Yesung stepped out of the music room, coming face to face with Ryeowook, he grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him down the hallway.
“You’re going to have to talk to me some time, Ryeowook.”
Ryeowook wouldn’t look at Yesung, remaining silent and as immobile as he could. Yesung sighed, annoyed.
“Is this about me listening to your song? I swear, I didn’t mean to intrude on your private time. I just was so fascinated by the sound of your song; I couldn’t help myself. It just kind of pulled me in. I didn’t even realize I was in the room until you stopped playing, to be honest.”
Ryeowook sniffled a little, “That song was supposed to be private. No one was supposed to hear it, especially not you.”
“I’m sorry, Ryeowook. I just-wait, what do you mean especially me? Why would it matter if it was me who heard your song?”
Ryeowook looked away suddenly, tightening his lips so he wouldn’t actually let the real reason Yesung was barred from hearing the song, more than anyone. It didn’t matter, because Yesung figured it out almost instantly.
“Did you-Did you write that for me?” he asked, a tinge of happiness in his voice.
Ryeowook looked at him, his eyes wide like he had been caught red-handed. Yesung noticed and started chuckling, making Ryeowook sure that he was being made fun of for his childish efforts at letting Yesung know of his schoolboy crush. He wanted to run but he was stopped.
Yesung grabbed his arm and pulled Ryeowook in close for a warm embrace that threw the latter off. As Yesung held him tighter, Ryeowook slowly started to feel at ease, though he was still tense due to the sudden change in events.
Yesung pulled back a little and looked at him. Ryeowook wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t need to do anything except close his eyes as Yesung kissed him, sweetly. He pulled Ryeowook in closer, holding his waist, tighter and tighter. Ryeowook could barely breathe, his eyes began to water and tears slowly started to fall from his eyes.
He wasn’t sad, nor was he scared. He was happier than he had ever been. Yesung, rather Kim Jongwoon, was kissing him, returning the feelings Ryeowook was sure would never be returned. There was no better feeling, in his mind.
A month passed and Ryeowook was at the piano, writing another melody. It was just one of many that he had written in the few weeks since Yesung had kissed him. He was actually too nervous to do anything else at that moment.
He was waiting for news about Yesung’s audition, which was taking place that afternoon. Ryeowook kept glancing at his phone, hoping for a text message or a call. He just wanted to know what the answer was, good or bad; he wanted to know how Yesung was.
He continued to stare at the phone, only to feel two hands placed over his eyes and a low voice whispering to him.
“Guess who,” the voice said.
Ryeowook turned around suddenly and saw a smiling Yesung staring down at him.
“How are you?”
“Never mind, how I am,” he said, pushing Yesung playfully, “Tell me how it went! Did you get in? Oh, I’m sure you got in! They’d be crazy not to take you. You’re the best singer in the-”
Yesung put his finger to Ryeowook’s lips, signaling him to stop babbling. He laughed softly before nodding and saying in a cool, relaxed tone, “I got in.”
Ryeowook jumped up from his seat and jumped on Yesung, cheering and yelling with uncontrollable joy.
“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU GOT IN. I KNEW YOU WOULD. YOU’RE GOING TO BE A SINGER, JONGWOON. YOU’RE FINALLY GOING TO BE A-”
Yesung stopped him again, this time with a warm embrace and a passionate kiss. Ryeowook moaned softly into the kiss, feeling just as over the moon as he did when the two of them first kissed.
When the kiss ended, they hugged each other, their foreheads pressed together. Yesung held Ryeowook only to whisper, “I sang your song.”
Ryeowook looked at him strangely, moving away from him suddenly with a look of confusion on his face.
“YOU WHAT?”
“DON’T GET MAD, RYEOWOOK. THEY LOVED IT.”
“NEVER MIND THAT. WHY DID YOU USE IT? THAT WASN’T MEANT FOR ANYONE TO HEAR. DIDN’T I SAY THAT THE FIRST TIME? I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU. I JUST-”
“I love you, Ryeowook.”
Ryeowook stopped his ranting. He became motionless, his hands falling to his sides, his mouth open slightly. He turned his head and looked at Yesung.
“What?”
“I said, I love you, Ryeowook. There’s no way you couldn’t have heard that the first time.”
“Y-You love me?”
It was a little difficult for Ryeowook to fathom that Yesung could ever love him. No matter how close they’d become, no matter how many times Yesung kissed him he still wasn’t quite capable of imagining Yesung ever loving him.
But he didn’t want to be stuck in his thoughts.
“I love you too.”
He wanted Yesung to know how he felt. He didn’t want to remain insecure; if Yesung could get past the troubles of his past and move one step, one big step, closer to his dream, Ryeowook had to be just as strong, if not stronger. If there was one thing Yesung taught him, it was to seize any opportunity at happiness, no matter what.
“I love you, too, Jongwoon.”
THE END
Word Count: 4,409
Pairings: Yesung/Ryeowook
Rating: PG
Summary: Ryeowook starts taking vocal lessons, only to meet Yesung, an amateur singer with hopes of becoming a professional. Yesung teaches Ryeowook more than he ever could have learned in a single vocal lesson.
Disclaimer: Title taken from "Your Song" by Elton John
It was Ryeowook’s first day at his voice lessons. He’d spent a month trying to convince his parents to pay for them. They were unsure of whether or not it would be a valuable spending of money; he mentioned an interest in pursuing music professionally. They remained reluctant but eventually gave in, telling Ryeowook that as long as he kept up his grades and did his best, he could continue with them.
Ryeowook was determined. He wanted to be a singer so badly. He’d do whatever it took to make it.
On his first day, he entered the vocal academy that was only a few blocks away from his high school. He walked down the hallway, hoping to find some sign of where he should be going. He looked at the bulletin board, a newspaper clipping catching his eye.
“Kim Jongwoon Wins Vocal Contest” written in large print topped the piece of paper. A picture of a good-looking young man with a microphone in hand got Ryeowook’s focus. He stared at it, reading the caption and the details of the contest. He knew in his heart that he hoped to be up on that bulletin board, the words “Kim Ryeowook Wins Vocal Contest” gracing a wrinkled newspaper clipping. He smiled to himself and made his way down the hallway.
Then he heard a voice, deep and soulful. It was someone practicing his scales in a nearby room. He followed the sound until he saw a slightly open door. His eyes widened; it was the boy from the bulletin board. He was standing next to a piano with what appeared to be the vocal teacher accompanying him. When he finished, he smiled and bowed at the teacher before making his way out. Ryeowook quickly moved so as to not appear like he had been watching. When the other boy came out, he merely smiled and nodded his head in Ryeowook’s direction, before making his way down the hall, a small briefcase in hand.
Ryeowook continued to stare until he was interrupted by a voice.
“Kim Ryeowook-ssi?”
“Ah, seonsaengnim,” he turned suddenly and bowed, “I’m Kim Ryeowook. Thank you for teaching me.”
“Come on,” the older man smiled, letting Ryeowook into the music room. Ryeowook walked in, an awestruck expression on his face as he looked at every detail of the small but mostly empty room. There were mirrors at the forefront and a large black grand piano in the corner. It was unlike anything Ryeowook had seen, at least in his daily life.
He then turned suddenly towards the teacher who had his back to Ryeowook, adjusting some music sheets on the piano. He turned to look at Ryeowook, a wide warm smile on his face.
“Ready to get started?”
Ryeowook nodded fervently, his own expression was one of eagerness and enthusiasm.
After an hour-long session, it was time for his first lesson to end. He seemed a little disappointed, not wanting it to end. He then remembered something suddenly and decided to ask the teacher about it.
“S-Seonsaengnim?”
“Hmm?”
Ryeowook fidgeted a little, grabbing at the bottom of his school uniform jacket, wrinkling it slightly.
“C-Could you tell me about Kim Jongwoon? I noticed he was the last student you were working with before I came.”
The teacher smiled and nodded.
“Jongwoon-ssi is a remarkable young man. He’s amazingly talented with a lot of drive and ambition. He’s passionate and a hard worker. He’s actually working towards an audition for a music company.”
“Really?”
“Yes. X Entertainment is holding an audition next month and Jongwoon is going out for it. He’s even got an idol name for himself-that is, if he makes it, which I’m sure he will.”
“A name? What is it?”
“Yesung.”
There was something about the name that made Ryeowook grin uncontrollably. He thought it was a cute name, but manly at the same time. He noticed that the teacher was giving him a questioning look and he immediately turned his attention back to the conversation.
“Seonsaengnim, could you help me with something?”
A week later, Ryeowook was getting ready for another lesson. He decided that day was the day he would finally speak to Kim Jongwoon, even if it was just a simple introduction. He cleared his throat and fixed his poster, adjusting his school tie and brushing off imaginary lint from his shoulders. The door suddenly opened, causing Ryeowook to hold his breath suddenly.
“Thank you again, seonsaengnim. I think we did better this lesson than before. See you next time.”
Ryeowook watched as “Yesung,” as Ryeowook began calling him in his head, came walking out after saying his goodbyes to his teacher. There was something about the way he moved that was graceful. If he ever were to become an idol, he would certainly be able to dance as well as the other idols out there. Ryeowook continued to stare only until Yesung looked at him and smiled cheerfully.
“Hello,” he said, his mouth opening to reveal sparkling white teeth. Ryeowook licked his lips and cleared his throat but almost as soon as Yesung appeared in front of him, he disappeared as well. Ryeowook started to speak but his throat went dry and he could nothing but watch as Yesung walked down the hallway.
He remained defeated, entering the music room and slowly shutting the door behind him.
The next lesson Ryeowook was more determined than ever. He wouldn’t let Yesung get by without a proper introduction. But as he made his way down the hall to the music room, he heard no familiar voice. He looked inside the room and saw a man sitting at the piano. He wasn’t sure if it was the vocal teacher or not.
He opened the door and cleared his throat, surprised to see Yesung looking back at him. He looked around, no sign of the teacher anywhere.
“I-I’m sorry. Am I interrupting?”
Yesung smiled awkwardly, “Not really. Seonsaengnim told me that he thought I should give you your lesson for this week.”
Ryeowook’s heartbeat quickened and he could feel himself starting to shake. He also felt a little flushed and it was like his tie was somehow tightening around his neck, making it hard for him to breathe, much less speak.
“E-Excuse me? You will be giving me my lesson? Pardon my rudeness, but why?”
Yesung shrugged his shoulders and turned towards the piano playing a few notes before answering.
“I’m not really sure. He just said that he had a great idea and before I knew it, I was here waiting for you to be your vocal teacher for the week,” he laughed, before playing a few more notes. He turned to Ryeowook and patted the spot on the bench, next to him.
Ryeowook could feel his cheeks grow even hotter as he silently made his way over to Yesung’s side, sitting down, his hands on his lap, gripping at his pants.
“I guess, we should formally introduce ourselves,” Yesung said out of nowhere. He turned to Ryeowook, facing him directly and bowed his head, “Hello, my name is Kim Jongwoon. I will be your vocal teacher for his week. Pleased to meet you.” He let out a small chuckle that made Ryeowook’s skin tingle a little.
He cleared his throat before introducing himself, his voice shaky as he did so.
“H-Hello, my-my name is K-Kim Ryeowook. Pleased to meet-meet you,” he smiled awkwardly, feeling his knees shake even though he was sitting down. He took a deep breath but when Yesung grabbed hold of his hands and placed them on the piano keys, he let out a loud noise, similar to a terrified scream.
“Shhh calm down. Just getting you into position.”
Ryeowook gasped for air, his shoulders repeatedly moving up and down. He stared at his hands and saw them placed on the piano keys. He then looked at Yesung, oddly, only to get another smile that made him melt. He sighed and closed his eyes, only to hear Yesung play a simple melody.
“That was beautiful,” Ryeowook said without thinking. He seemed calm, enough so that he wasn’t worried about saying anything stupid.
“Really?” Yesung laughed, “It was just something I’d been working on for a while. I’m interested in learning songwriting, but I think for now I should just focus on singing.”
Ryeowook opened his eyes and nodded. He looked at Yesung, his mouth forming a small smirk.
“What about you?”
Ryeowook coughed, “Me?”
“Yeah, what do you think about learning songwriting? Do you play the piano?”
Ryeowook nodded, his fingers tapping on the keys in front of him in ascending order, “I started learning when I was 6 and have been taking lessons ever since. My parents told me it would build character and make me more well rounded a.k.a. they needed an excuse to keep me busy while they were working.”
He let out an uneasy laugh only to frown and tap at the keys a few more times.
Yesung smiled, never letting a grin escape his face the entire lesson.
Ryeowook didn’t want the lesson to end but it had to eventually. He felt some pain knowing that he wouldn’t be able to have Yesung as a teacher again. He also knew he probably wouldn’t be able to spend time with him.
As he watched Yesung leave after a brief goodbye, he knew something else: he was beginning to fall for Kim Jongwoon.
The next lesson time came and Ryeowook was feeling a little anxious. He’d wanted to catch Yesung before he left, ask him if he wanted to hang out together some time. Even if he was older, was more likely busier than Ryeowook, he didn’t want to miss a chance to get to know Yesung better. As soon as that music room door opened and as soon as Yesung stepped out, he would strike.
“Do you want to hang out sometime?”
Yesung seemed caught off-guard but almost instantly his confusion changed to warmth and contentment.
“Hello, Ryeowook. I’d love to, when are you free?”
Ryeowook was elated. After the two made plans and exchanged contact information, the two of them parted ways until they would meet again. Ryeowook was eager to get the lesson over with; once it was over, it meant there was less time between then and when he would see Yesung again.
“I was afraid you weren’t going to show,” he said, standing up, getting up from the park bench he had sat on for an hour, just waiting for Yesung. He was too nervous and anxious to wait to walk to the park, so he got there as soon as he could and just sat there until their agreed meeting time.
“I wouldn’t do that to my friend,” Yesung replied, a toothy grin appeared on his face. That smile drove Ryeowook crazy in the best possible way. Pretty soon, the two made their way through the park to a spot underneath some trees. Yesung sat on a lifted root while Ryeowook sat on the grass, picking at the blades like he did when he was a child. Yesung watched as he did so, gaining some joy from the sight. He then crossed his arms and sighed, happily, enjoying the breeze that brushed past him.
“It’s a nice day today, isn’t it?”
Ryeowook looked up suddenly, the sun peaking through the tree branches, showering light down onto Yesung. It was a wonderful sight to see, to say the least. Ryeowook stared in awe before finally answering Yesung’s question.
“Ye-Yeah, it is. Better than yesterday.”
Yesung nodded, uncrossing his arms and placing his hands on each side of him.
“It rained yesterday, a lot. I’m surprised everything is so dry.”
A few more minutes of pointless chitchat, the two began discussing music.
“Have you ever given any thought to songwriting, Ryeowook-ssi?”
Ryeowook looked down, a little embarrassed that he hadn’t in fact, given songwriting a single thought. At least not before he met Yesung.
“I never really thought about it. 10 years of piano lessons has just taught me about repetition and routine if anything. It wasn’t like I was really learning about music; it just felt like a class at school, with memorization and regurgitation of what I’d learned to appease the teacher. I wanted to learn more; that’s why I asked my parents to pay for vocal lessons.”
Yesung seemed keenly interested in what Ryeowook was saying, making him feel a little unsure of how to react.
“That’s interesting. I mean, it’s a different experience than my own, in terms of working with music. I’d always wanted to be a singer, but like you, I didn’t really give songwriting a single thought. I only got inspired do start learning it recently when I heard about the auditions for X Entertainment. Do you know about them?”
Ryeowook nodded, “Yes. But my parents would never let me audition for something like that. Training for so many years with no real guarantee at debuting. Plus, they wouldn’t want me to debut as an idol. It’s not what they have in mind for me. Since they’re paying for my lessons, I don’t see any point in defying them. I’m just happy they’re supporting my desire to be a singer, at all.”
“You’re lucky in that respect,” Yesung replied, sounding a little distressed.
Ryeowook looked at him, noticing the way his shoulders slumped and his facial expression showed a melancholy aura about him.
“Didn’t your parents support your dream,” he asked, sounding naïve as appropriate for his young age.
“Not really,” Yesung chuckled ironically, “they thought it was a waste of time, my lessons. They only agreed to pay for them if it meant that I was going to end up going off to university to become a doctor or a lawyer or something. When they found out I wanted to go to school to study for music, they cut me off. I had to get a job to pay for school and I started helping out a friend for some extra cash to pay for the vocal lessons. I’m lucky Seonsaengnim is aware of my situation and was willing to give me a very generous discount. He’s the one who told me about the X Entertainment auditions in the first place. He said if I was accepted, I’d never have to worry about money again.”
Ryeowook frowned a bit at Yesung’s words, feeling helpless in that he had no real way of making Yesung feel better about his past. But it didn’t seem necessary because Yesung’s mood shifted.
“But it’s not about the money,” he continued, perking up in his tone and physical state, “I just want to fulfill my dream. Even if I become an idol and debut with a group, just as long as I can sing.”
Ryeowook smiled. He felt a warm sensation in his chest; it actually felt like Yesung’s story was warming his heart. He looked at Yesung who stared off into the distance; there was nowhere else Ryeowook wanted to be.
The following week, on a day when Ryeowook didn’t have a lesson, he came to the vocal academy after his classes. He had asked the teacher the week before if he could use the music room. When he got permission, he made plans to use it for an hour to work on a little project of his own.
He opened the door and turned on the light. As he looked at the empty space, he smiled to himself, feeling ready to get down to work. He walked over to the piano and lifted the lid, letting his fingers slide down, touching all the keys. He laughed to himself.
He sat down on the bench before realizing he was missing something. He looked in the cupboards at the back of the room and found just what he was looking for: blank music sheets and pencils. He grabbed a few of each and made his way back to the piano, placing them gently on the piano lid.
He pressed one key, liking the sound and repeating it. He then pressed a few more keys, changing the sequence every so often until he got the right sound.
Eventually he got his melody; it was simple but he thought it worked well enough. Then he remembered; he needed lyrics. Yesung never mentioned lyrics writing but Ryeowook knew it made a song complete, so he got to work.
Your smile, it warms my heart
No good.
A smile like yours lights up a room.
Too cheesy.
A smile like no other, I can’t escape it
Yes, that would work.
A smile like no other, I can’t escape it.
You came into my life and changed it.
Ryeowook felt accomplished. Even if he was just getting started, he felt like he was doing something worthwhile.
Eventually he came up with a whole song, his first song. He was so excited he did the only thing he could do; he started to play it.
Playing the intro on the piano, he started harmonizing. He then began singing the lyrics, line by line.
A smile like no other, I can’t escape it.
You came into my life and changed it.
I can’t explain this feeling inside
I’ve never felt a rush like this
It’s been so long since I’ve laughed,
So long since I’ve cried
As he continued, he was unaware that he was no longer alone in the room. He continued playing his song, not hearing the footsteps walking into the room and the door slowly closing.
When he finished, he heard the sound of clapping and quickly turned around, afraid of who was watching him. He had reason to be, it was Yesung and though he seemed cheerful, he was the last person Ryeowook wanted to be caught singing by.
“That was amazing, Ryeowook, I can’t even begin-”
“What are you doing here?”
“What?”
“Why are you here? I thought I was alone.”
“Ryeowook-”
“You weren’t supposed to hear that. No one was!”
Ryeowook got up quickly, grabbing his music sheets. He ran out the door, embarrassed beyond description that Yesung, Yesung of all people had heard his song, the one thing he didn’t want anyone to hear.
When he got out of range of the vocal academy building, he slunk into a back alley, and leant against a brick wall, tears streaming down his face. He didn’t want Yesung to know how he really felt, even if it was as indirect as an ambiguous song he’d written in only an hour’s time.
He slunk down, crouching down, his face on his arms which were cradling his legs. He had his music sheets tight against his body, secure but not secure enough. It didn’t matter now, nothing did.
The following morning, he got into an argument with his parents. He didn’t want to go to his vocal lesson, no matter what the cost. It would be too humiliating to see Yesung, especially after the way Ryeowook had responded to Yesung’s presence. He was threatened that if he didn’t go to the next lesson, he wouldn’t be able to go to the following one. Basically, his parents would no longer be paying for his lessons, and Ryeowook wouldn’t be able to pursue his dream, at all.
He didn’t even manage to argue anymore, before storming out the door and making his way to school.
As the day went on, he debated back and forth, in his mind, about whether he should go or not. It seemed like a bad idea, point-blank, but he knew that he couldn’t let a little incident get in the way of his future. He didn’t want to be a lawyer or a doctor or anything else; he wanted to sing, no matter what the cost. Even if it meant he had to see Yesung, after an unintentional soul bearing.
Before he knew it, the school day came to a close and he was on his way to the vocal academy. He decided he would definitely go to his lesson, but he would avoid speaking to Yesung. He didn’t care what he had to do to avoid conversation; he would do it.
He made his way down the hallway, past the bulletin board with Yesung’s picture, moving towards the sound of Yesung’s beautiful voice. He tried his best to resist it, ignoring the feeling it gave to him; the same feeling it always gave him. This wasn’t the time to be taken by Yesung’s voice. He needed to resist.
He stood outside the music room, back to the wall, holding his school bag close to his chest. He had his gaze lowered towards the floor, hoping it would do him good if he didn’t make any eye contact with Yesung. He’d treat him as if he were invisible; it was bound to work.
It didn’t and as soon as Yesung stepped out of the music room, coming face to face with Ryeowook, he grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him down the hallway.
“You’re going to have to talk to me some time, Ryeowook.”
Ryeowook wouldn’t look at Yesung, remaining silent and as immobile as he could. Yesung sighed, annoyed.
“Is this about me listening to your song? I swear, I didn’t mean to intrude on your private time. I just was so fascinated by the sound of your song; I couldn’t help myself. It just kind of pulled me in. I didn’t even realize I was in the room until you stopped playing, to be honest.”
Ryeowook sniffled a little, “That song was supposed to be private. No one was supposed to hear it, especially not you.”
“I’m sorry, Ryeowook. I just-wait, what do you mean especially me? Why would it matter if it was me who heard your song?”
Ryeowook looked away suddenly, tightening his lips so he wouldn’t actually let the real reason Yesung was barred from hearing the song, more than anyone. It didn’t matter, because Yesung figured it out almost instantly.
“Did you-Did you write that for me?” he asked, a tinge of happiness in his voice.
Ryeowook looked at him, his eyes wide like he had been caught red-handed. Yesung noticed and started chuckling, making Ryeowook sure that he was being made fun of for his childish efforts at letting Yesung know of his schoolboy crush. He wanted to run but he was stopped.
Yesung grabbed his arm and pulled Ryeowook in close for a warm embrace that threw the latter off. As Yesung held him tighter, Ryeowook slowly started to feel at ease, though he was still tense due to the sudden change in events.
Yesung pulled back a little and looked at him. Ryeowook wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t need to do anything except close his eyes as Yesung kissed him, sweetly. He pulled Ryeowook in closer, holding his waist, tighter and tighter. Ryeowook could barely breathe, his eyes began to water and tears slowly started to fall from his eyes.
He wasn’t sad, nor was he scared. He was happier than he had ever been. Yesung, rather Kim Jongwoon, was kissing him, returning the feelings Ryeowook was sure would never be returned. There was no better feeling, in his mind.
A month passed and Ryeowook was at the piano, writing another melody. It was just one of many that he had written in the few weeks since Yesung had kissed him. He was actually too nervous to do anything else at that moment.
He was waiting for news about Yesung’s audition, which was taking place that afternoon. Ryeowook kept glancing at his phone, hoping for a text message or a call. He just wanted to know what the answer was, good or bad; he wanted to know how Yesung was.
He continued to stare at the phone, only to feel two hands placed over his eyes and a low voice whispering to him.
“Guess who,” the voice said.
Ryeowook turned around suddenly and saw a smiling Yesung staring down at him.
“How are you?”
“Never mind, how I am,” he said, pushing Yesung playfully, “Tell me how it went! Did you get in? Oh, I’m sure you got in! They’d be crazy not to take you. You’re the best singer in the-”
Yesung put his finger to Ryeowook’s lips, signaling him to stop babbling. He laughed softly before nodding and saying in a cool, relaxed tone, “I got in.”
Ryeowook jumped up from his seat and jumped on Yesung, cheering and yelling with uncontrollable joy.
“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU GOT IN. I KNEW YOU WOULD. YOU’RE GOING TO BE A SINGER, JONGWOON. YOU’RE FINALLY GOING TO BE A-”
Yesung stopped him again, this time with a warm embrace and a passionate kiss. Ryeowook moaned softly into the kiss, feeling just as over the moon as he did when the two of them first kissed.
When the kiss ended, they hugged each other, their foreheads pressed together. Yesung held Ryeowook only to whisper, “I sang your song.”
Ryeowook looked at him strangely, moving away from him suddenly with a look of confusion on his face.
“YOU WHAT?”
“DON’T GET MAD, RYEOWOOK. THEY LOVED IT.”
“NEVER MIND THAT. WHY DID YOU USE IT? THAT WASN’T MEANT FOR ANYONE TO HEAR. DIDN’T I SAY THAT THE FIRST TIME? I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU. I JUST-”
“I love you, Ryeowook.”
Ryeowook stopped his ranting. He became motionless, his hands falling to his sides, his mouth open slightly. He turned his head and looked at Yesung.
“What?”
“I said, I love you, Ryeowook. There’s no way you couldn’t have heard that the first time.”
“Y-You love me?”
It was a little difficult for Ryeowook to fathom that Yesung could ever love him. No matter how close they’d become, no matter how many times Yesung kissed him he still wasn’t quite capable of imagining Yesung ever loving him.
But he didn’t want to be stuck in his thoughts.
“I love you too.”
He wanted Yesung to know how he felt. He didn’t want to remain insecure; if Yesung could get past the troubles of his past and move one step, one big step, closer to his dream, Ryeowook had to be just as strong, if not stronger. If there was one thing Yesung taught him, it was to seize any opportunity at happiness, no matter what.
“I love you, too, Jongwoon.”
THE END