Promise
Heechul was busy fixing his things since he would be leaving for the training in a few days. The dorm was unusually quiet. Maybe the other members had their schedules. Heechul stopped when he heard footsteps in the living room.
“I thought you guys had a schedule.” Heechul called out.
There was no response.
Heechul didn’t feel the need to panic. It may be just a fan who somehow opened the door. There was no way it could be a thief, right? After a few minutes, he decided to just go out and find out who it was. The living room was still dark when he came out. Heechul’s heart started to race. Weren’t thieves the only one who didn’t turn on the light? If that was the case, he was utterly unprotected. What would he do?
“Hyung . . .” a voice suddenly called out.
Heechul spun around quickly and whacked the person’s head. “Yah! Get away from me!”
The said person crouched down on the ground and rubbed his head. “Heechul hyung, why did you hit me? Aish. It hurts.”
“Yesung? Is that you?’ Heechul crouched down also.
“Yeah.” Yesung looked at his hyung.
“Why didn’t you turn on the lights, idiot? Anyone would have hit you.”
Yesung stood up, still holding his head. “I accept your apology, hyung. I know you didn’t mean it.”
Heechul smiled at him before turning on the lights. He was glad that Yesung finally understood how he does things. Yesung sat down on the couch and stared unseeingly. Heechul noted his dongsaeng’s expression. Was he bothered by antis again?
“Whatever they said, it’s not true, okay? Stop frowning.” Heechul sat down also.
“It’s been two years, hyung, two long years.” Yesung replied quietly.
Heechul stared at him then it clicked. He sighed before answering. “Kibum will come back.”
“I don’t know anymore, hyung.”
“Didn’t he promise he would? You should trust him.”
“Promises are meant to be broken.” Yesung answered sadly.
Heechul looked at Yesung closely. He had never seen his dongsaeng so negative before even when a lot of netizens doubted his ability. It hurt him. It honestly did because everyone thought that Yesung was all smiles and jokes. He would never show anyone how hurt he was if he could manage. For him to let his guard down, it was so unusual.
“Come on, Jongwoon. You don’t really believe that, do you?” Heechul asked.
Yesung stared at his hyung before sighing. “I don’t know. I mean, he just left. Then a few days, he called to tell me that he will come back so I waited. I waited for two years. He’s still not here.”
Heechul didn’t know what he could say to that so he just kept quiet. The silence was . . . eerie? Suffocating? It was hard for Heechul also. At first, he didn’t get why tears were forming behind his own eyes until Yesung said it.
“Hyung, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been selfish. I know you’re hurting too.” Yesung looked at his hyung apologetically.
Heechul just laughed but his tears were already falling. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Yesung sighed, knowing that Heechul denied things most of the time. “Hangeng hyung called the other day and said he wanted to talk to you. You should call him.”
Heechul didn’t reply and just turned his attention elsewhere.
“Well, I’ll be in my room, hyung.” Yesung stood up to leave.
“You should call Kibum, too. I know he’s too scared to call you first.” Heechul whispered.
Yesung laughed then headed to his own room. He closed the door and laid down on his bed. Was he going to call Kibum? He didn’t know if the younger wanted him to call him anymore. Maybe what Heechul said was just to get back at Yesung but what the turtle lover had said was true. Hangeng really did want to talk to Heechul but of course, Cinderella had to pretend that he was busy with some nonsense. Luckily, his relationship with Kibum wasn’t as complicated. Well, not that there was even a relationship to begin with. Yesung was still in deep thought when his phone suddenly rang. Looking at the caller ID, Yesung had to swallow hard before answering.
“Bummie?” Yesung said in a small voice.
“It’s me, hyung.” Without even seeing him, Yesung knew the younger was smiling.
‘Why did you call?”
“Can’t I call for no reason?”
‘You never did before so, why now?”
Kibum sighed. “I miss you, hyung. I feel bad that I haven’t fulfilled my promise yet.”
He knows. He remembers. Yesung thought with tears falling. “It’s not that late yet. Want to grab a snack with me?”
“That would be perfect.”
You’ll never know if a promise is broken until you give up.
Heechul watched as Yesung ran out of the dorm and smiled to himself. It looked like Kibum finally had the gall to call him. Now all that’s left was his problem. What was he going to do with Hangeng? He could call him but he knows he isn’t ready. He knows that once he heard the Chinese man’s voice, he’ll just break down and cry and start mumbling nonsense into the phone. No, he needed to find some other way. He walked to his bedroom and had an idea. He opened his e-mail and looked at all the messages he wanted to send Hangeng but never find the courage to do so.
To: hangeng
You’re stupid. How could you just leave me? What the fuck happened to forever together? Don’t ever show your face to me again.
To; Hangeng
I hate you, I really do.
To: Hangeng
I can’t hate you, no matter what. If you could see me now, you’ll probably laugh at my face, you stupid Chinese man.
To: Hangeng
Hey, I’ve watched your new music video. You look good as usual. And . . . why the heck am I even typing this?!
To; Hangeng
I miss you. We all do. Won’t you come back to us?
Heechul smiled sadly as he read every unsent message. He could remember when he typed it and what led him to type such things. He didn’t know why he couldn’t send any of them. Was he scared that Hangeng wouldn’t answer anyway? He started typing another message.
To: Hangeng
Yesung was being dramatic today. You know, the whole thing with Kibum. But I think they’re okay now. Even if it was dramatic, Yesung struck up something that caught my attention. He said that promises were meant to be broken.
Do you remember when you promised me that you would never leave me? That we would be always together forever? That you didn’t care if I was being a bitch because I was your bitch? Did you promise me all of those things just for nothing?
I always thought you were a man of your words but maybe I was wrong. Do you know what the kicker is? I still love you. It may sound unbelievable but I do.
Heechul groaned as he read the message he typed. “Oh god, it’s too sappy and whiny.”
With a sigh, Heechul typed another message again and made sure to keep himself in check. He just had to leave the sappy things when they do talk on the phone. He seemed contented with the message so he sent it. There’s nothing to do but wait now. He feels a smile tugging on his lips as he laid down to sleep. He had a good feeling about this.
To: Hangeng
I’m leaving in a few days and I want to talk to you. I promise I’ll answer the phone this time. And. . . . I miss you too. A lot.
“I thought you guys had a schedule.” Heechul called out.
There was no response.
Heechul didn’t feel the need to panic. It may be just a fan who somehow opened the door. There was no way it could be a thief, right? After a few minutes, he decided to just go out and find out who it was. The living room was still dark when he came out. Heechul’s heart started to race. Weren’t thieves the only one who didn’t turn on the light? If that was the case, he was utterly unprotected. What would he do?
“Hyung . . .” a voice suddenly called out.
Heechul spun around quickly and whacked the person’s head. “Yah! Get away from me!”
The said person crouched down on the ground and rubbed his head. “Heechul hyung, why did you hit me? Aish. It hurts.”
“Yesung? Is that you?’ Heechul crouched down also.
“Yeah.” Yesung looked at his hyung.
“Why didn’t you turn on the lights, idiot? Anyone would have hit you.”
Yesung stood up, still holding his head. “I accept your apology, hyung. I know you didn’t mean it.”
Heechul smiled at him before turning on the lights. He was glad that Yesung finally understood how he does things. Yesung sat down on the couch and stared unseeingly. Heechul noted his dongsaeng’s expression. Was he bothered by antis again?
“Whatever they said, it’s not true, okay? Stop frowning.” Heechul sat down also.
“It’s been two years, hyung, two long years.” Yesung replied quietly.
Heechul stared at him then it clicked. He sighed before answering. “Kibum will come back.”
“I don’t know anymore, hyung.”
“Didn’t he promise he would? You should trust him.”
“Promises are meant to be broken.” Yesung answered sadly.
Heechul looked at Yesung closely. He had never seen his dongsaeng so negative before even when a lot of netizens doubted his ability. It hurt him. It honestly did because everyone thought that Yesung was all smiles and jokes. He would never show anyone how hurt he was if he could manage. For him to let his guard down, it was so unusual.
“Come on, Jongwoon. You don’t really believe that, do you?” Heechul asked.
Yesung stared at his hyung before sighing. “I don’t know. I mean, he just left. Then a few days, he called to tell me that he will come back so I waited. I waited for two years. He’s still not here.”
Heechul didn’t know what he could say to that so he just kept quiet. The silence was . . . eerie? Suffocating? It was hard for Heechul also. At first, he didn’t get why tears were forming behind his own eyes until Yesung said it.
“Hyung, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been selfish. I know you’re hurting too.” Yesung looked at his hyung apologetically.
Heechul just laughed but his tears were already falling. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Yesung sighed, knowing that Heechul denied things most of the time. “Hangeng hyung called the other day and said he wanted to talk to you. You should call him.”
Heechul didn’t reply and just turned his attention elsewhere.
“Well, I’ll be in my room, hyung.” Yesung stood up to leave.
“You should call Kibum, too. I know he’s too scared to call you first.” Heechul whispered.
Yesung laughed then headed to his own room. He closed the door and laid down on his bed. Was he going to call Kibum? He didn’t know if the younger wanted him to call him anymore. Maybe what Heechul said was just to get back at Yesung but what the turtle lover had said was true. Hangeng really did want to talk to Heechul but of course, Cinderella had to pretend that he was busy with some nonsense. Luckily, his relationship with Kibum wasn’t as complicated. Well, not that there was even a relationship to begin with. Yesung was still in deep thought when his phone suddenly rang. Looking at the caller ID, Yesung had to swallow hard before answering.
“Bummie?” Yesung said in a small voice.
“It’s me, hyung.” Without even seeing him, Yesung knew the younger was smiling.
‘Why did you call?”
“Can’t I call for no reason?”
‘You never did before so, why now?”
Kibum sighed. “I miss you, hyung. I feel bad that I haven’t fulfilled my promise yet.”
He knows. He remembers. Yesung thought with tears falling. “It’s not that late yet. Want to grab a snack with me?”
“That would be perfect.”
You’ll never know if a promise is broken until you give up.
Heechul watched as Yesung ran out of the dorm and smiled to himself. It looked like Kibum finally had the gall to call him. Now all that’s left was his problem. What was he going to do with Hangeng? He could call him but he knows he isn’t ready. He knows that once he heard the Chinese man’s voice, he’ll just break down and cry and start mumbling nonsense into the phone. No, he needed to find some other way. He walked to his bedroom and had an idea. He opened his e-mail and looked at all the messages he wanted to send Hangeng but never find the courage to do so.
To: hangeng
You’re stupid. How could you just leave me? What the fuck happened to forever together? Don’t ever show your face to me again.
To; Hangeng
I hate you, I really do.
To: Hangeng
I can’t hate you, no matter what. If you could see me now, you’ll probably laugh at my face, you stupid Chinese man.
To: Hangeng
Hey, I’ve watched your new music video. You look good as usual. And . . . why the heck am I even typing this?!
To; Hangeng
I miss you. We all do. Won’t you come back to us?
Heechul smiled sadly as he read every unsent message. He could remember when he typed it and what led him to type such things. He didn’t know why he couldn’t send any of them. Was he scared that Hangeng wouldn’t answer anyway? He started typing another message.
To: Hangeng
Yesung was being dramatic today. You know, the whole thing with Kibum. But I think they’re okay now. Even if it was dramatic, Yesung struck up something that caught my attention. He said that promises were meant to be broken.
Do you remember when you promised me that you would never leave me? That we would be always together forever? That you didn’t care if I was being a bitch because I was your bitch? Did you promise me all of those things just for nothing?
I always thought you were a man of your words but maybe I was wrong. Do you know what the kicker is? I still love you. It may sound unbelievable but I do.
Heechul groaned as he read the message he typed. “Oh god, it’s too sappy and whiny.”
With a sigh, Heechul typed another message again and made sure to keep himself in check. He just had to leave the sappy things when they do talk on the phone. He seemed contented with the message so he sent it. There’s nothing to do but wait now. He feels a smile tugging on his lips as he laid down to sleep. He had a good feeling about this.
To: Hangeng
I’m leaving in a few days and I want to talk to you. I promise I’ll answer the phone this time. And. . . . I miss you too. A lot.