Stay
Title: Stay
Paring: Henry / Ryeowook
Rating: PG 13
Disclaimer: General, fluff, a little drama maybe?
Summary: There were many times Henry was afraid of the music industry, but it's the time when it has nothing to do with him that it scares him the most.
The first time Henry had been afraid of the music industry was the day he boarded the plane to Korea. Of course he had been excited, but it became more and more real that he was leaving his family, his friends and everything he knew behind as he walked through the security checkpoint at the airport.
Glancing back he saw the group of family and friends seeing him off standing in a group, waving goodbye. They all looked so proud. With each step he took he wanted more and more to run back, hug them and never leave. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes but he held them back. He waved back with a smile and waited until he got past security and into the bathroom to cry.
He boarded the plane and watched his home grow farther and farther away, trying to ignore the feeling of wanting to go back. He couldn’t.
He had to go. For his family and friends.
~*~*~*~
The second time Henry was afraid of the music industry was the day he met the members of Super Junior. They had all just been told Henry would have a solo in their comeback single and were all left standing in the rather crowded rehearsal room.
Henry stood there awkwardly, wondering what to say. How was he supposed to fit into this group dynamic when they had been together for so long and he only just barely managed to speak the same language? There were so many of them and they were all already friends. How could anything possibly get more awkward? He was starting to think about bowing politely and leaving them to themselves when one of them came forward with a smile.
“I’m Ryeowook.” The small boy bowed.
“Henry. Nice to meet you.” Henry bowed back, watching as the boy with the pretty cheekbones smiled wider. Soon everyone else had introduced themselves, one after another, all thirteen of them, leaving Henry feeling rushed and confused, but they all seemed nice enough. Henry had just begun to feel slightly less awkward when the one who had introduced himself as Donghae bounced up to him gleefully, tapping him on the shoulder.
“You play the violin. Can we hear?” Donghae’s eyes were expectant and as large as his grin. He looked like a child asking for candy.
“Um…I…” Henry stammered nervously, but the look on Donghae’s face kept him from being able to refuse. He wondered if this look worked on everyone. “Sure.”
The chatter in the room died down and everyone watched Henry play one of the songs he’d learned over the years. Just play. It’s why you’re here. He shut his eyes and tried to ignore how nervous and embarrassed he was, the feeling of wanting to just go home lingering in the back of his mind.
When he finished and opened his eyes he nearly dropped the violin bow. Several of the others were moved to tears, all of them staring at him quietly in awe.
“I-it wasn’t that good…” his stammer returned as he replied in shock.
“Are you stupid? Of course it was that good! Yah, how are we going to work with this fool…” the one with flaming orange hair who had said his name was Heechul shook his head but looked none the less moved.
Soon they were all surrounding him and raving about how beautiful his playing had been, and how their song was going to be made even better by his solo. As Henry put his violin away and smiled shyly at the words of flattery being showered all around him he thought maybe he wouldn’t go home just yet.
He would stay for the music.
~*~*~*~
The third time Henry was afraid of the music industry had been after one of their performances of “Don’t Don”. It had all seemed fine at first. Wonderful even. The audience was cheering and singing along to parts of the song as Henry stood nervously backstage, waiting.
When his part arrived he hurried out and began to play the solo he had rehearsed until his fingers bled. He knew it by heart. The notes came out perfectly just as he had planned, but he could hardly believe his ears.
The cheering had stopped and had been replaced by loud, angry chanting. He didn’t quite understand what they were saying but it didn’t sound good.
He kept playing, but his fingers felt numb and he couldn’t seem to breathe. What had he done wrong? He finished the solo and rushed backstage again, feeling another stab of hurt when the chanting ceased as soon as he was out of sight.
He could feel the tears burning in his eyes as he made his way to the dressing room while the other’s finished the song. They said he was good…but clearly it wasn’t true. The fans wanted nothing to do with him. The tears fell from his eyes onto his violin case as he snapped it closed roughly.
Huddling back against the wall he drew his knees up to his chest and sniffled, tears still streaming from his eyes. He was glad no one was there to see. They were all still busy promoting the song. Surely no one would even miss him. And the fans would certainly be happy.
He glanced up, surprised when the door opened only a couple of minutes later and a few of the others walked in, laughing. The laughter stopped immediately when they caught sight of Henry’s tearstained face, which he hadn’t managed to hide quick enough.
“Henli?” Ryeowook crossed the room quickly, kneeling beside Henry, placing a hand on his shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” Donghae asked, going to Henry’s other side.
Henry buried his face in his hands and sobbed, partly out of embarrassment but mostly because he felt betrayed. “Why did you lie to me?” the words came out in his native tongue because he simply couldn’t translate them through the aching in his chest and ringing in his head.
“What did he say?” he heard Donghae ask as Ryeowook began to rub his back soothingly.
“He wants to know why we lied to him.” Kibum said, and Henry could hear the frown on his face.
“We didn’t lie to you….” Donghae sounded heartbroken, his hand on Henry’s arm.
“What do you mean, Henli?” Ryeowook asked softly.
“They were chanting at me! You said I was good but they don’t think so. They were happy when I was going off stage!” Henry wailed, again in English that Kibum translated in turn.
He could hear Donghae sniffling beside him and Kibum shuffling his feet nervously. Then Ryeowook’s voice spoke again, “It’s not that you were bad, Henli. You were wonderful…The fans just don’t take well to new people. They…”
“They don’t want me to be part of this.” Henry said brokenly, lifting his face to look at Ryeowook. Ryeowook’s eyes instantly filled with tears and he nodded slightly.
“But we do.” Ryeowook added, leaning forward and hugging Henry tightly. “Don’t listen to them, Henli.”
Donghae nodded and hugged Henry as well.
“They’re just too stupid to admit how amazing you are.” Kibum said, kneeling down and ruffling Henry’s hair.
Henry had never felt so unwanted. But as the others came into the room, all of them apologizing for the fans behavior and hugging him and telling him how great he was, he started to feel a little better. When Donghae spent the rest of the day doing silly things to try and make Henry laugh and Ryeowook stayed close, keeping their finger’s intertwined, Henry decided that as much as he wanted to go home, far away from those chants, he wouldn’t.
He would stay for his new friends.
~*~*~*~
The fourth time Henry was afraid of the music industry was shortly after he was told he would be part of a new sub-group called Super Junior M. He was proud and excited to have been chosen of course, but then he remembered the chanting.
Sitting on the plane to China next to Ryeowook, Henry began to wring his hands nervously.
“Henli, are you alright?” Ryeowook asked, putting down the book of Mandarin phrases he had been studying. His eyes were full of concern and he took one of Henry’s hands into his own.
“What if they don’t like me in China either…” Henry now began to fidget, running his thumb along Ryeowook’s subconsciously.
“Don’t worry, Henli, they’re going to love you.” Ryeowook reassured. “They won’t be able to not love you. You’re an excellent dancer, an even better musician and also completely adorable.” He smiled, reaching up to pinch one of Henry’s cheeks.
“Hyung!” Henry cried, his face flushing as Ryeowook’s hand returned to holding his. Ryeowook just grinned in a rather pleased way and turned a little more to face him.
“Henli,” the older boy sang his name in a sweet voice, “Teach me Chinese.”
While trying his best to teach Ryeowook with his somewhat limited Mandarin skills Henry started to realize how much this was just like the day he boarded the plane to Korea. Leaving what he knew to go to a place where he didn’t even properly speak the language all in hopes of becoming successful as a musician. He felt that nagging fear and desire to run home creep back over him again. But this time he told himself that he shouldn’t.
He would stay for his second chance.
~*~*~*~
Strangely enough it was the time that the situation didn’t have anything to do with him that Henry was the most afraid of the music industry.
The newly formed Super Junior M was scheduled to have a photoshoot for their album artwork at a nearby studio bright and early one morning. All seven of them only barely managed to file out of their beds, out of the dorms and into the van.
To say everyone looked tired was an understatement. Between lack of sleep and long rehearsals they were lucky enough to still be moving at all. And Ryeowook almost wasn’t. Out of them all, he seemed the worst. Even with the makeup the stylist had put on him, Ryeowook looked pale and exhausted. He sat quietly at the table in the room they had been ushered into, waiting for the photographer to tell him what to do. Even the man taking the pictures didn’t seem to have the heart to ask him to move and said they could take a few photos at the table.
Once they were done with group photos the photographer moved them all into another room for solo shots.
Ryeowook was lagging behind everyone else as they trudged down the hall and every so often he would sway. It was so slight that no one seemed to notice, but Henry did. Henry slowed down and fell back beside him, putting an arm around his waist as they walked. He grew more worried when the smaller boy felt like he was shaking as he leaned against him.
“Hyung, are you okay?” he asked before they entered the other room.
“I’m fine, Henli. Just tired.” Ryeowook said, his voice was quiet and breathy.
Henry was about to insist that Ryeowook stop lying and tell him what was wrong when the photographer called for the older boy to come do his pictures first. Going against every thought in his head that screamed for him to do otherwise, Henry let Ryeowook slide out of his arm and over towards the set.
Henry didn’t have time to see how the photoshoot went because he was swiftly hustled over to have his makeup and hair re-done by the stylists. They kept fussing over him, saying something about his cheeks and how young he was, but he wasn’t paying attention. If only they would just hurry up so he could make sure Ryeowook was alright. Much to his dismay, as soon as he managed to escape Ryeowook was nowhere to be seen.
“Hae-hyung, where did Wookie-hyung go?” Henry asked Donghae who was playing some Chinese word game with Zhou-Mi and Kyuhyun near the stylist’s tables.
“I think he said he was going back to the other room to rest.” Donghae said before shouting something about Kyuhyun cheating.
“Henry! It’s your turn!” the photographer shouted and Henry begrudgingly shuffled over in front of the camera. He did his best to pose and look cool like the photographer asked, trying to tune out the squeals of the stylist’s over how he looked far more cute than cool. Do it right the first time and you’ll be able to find Ryeowook sooner…
“Alright, thank you, Henry. Donghai!” the photographer called across the room to where Donghae was now pouting at Kyuhyun and Zhou-Mi, probably over having lost the game. Henry couldn’t be bothered to find out. He had to find Ryeowook.
Walking quickly back down the hall and into the first room they had been in, he found Ryeowook sitting slumped forward with his head resting on his hands at the same table again. He didn’t even seem to notice Henry had come in.
“Wookie-hyung, are you sure you’re feeling okay?” Henry asked quietly, not wanting to startle him.
Ryeowook’s eyes brightened slightly and he gave a weak smile when he finally noticed Henry’s arrival. Despite his concern, upon seeing the look on Ryeowook’s face Henry couldn’t help but smile back.
Ryeowook stood when Henry come over to join him at the table, opening his mouth to reply but instead he only produced a quiet gasp and he wavered, his eyes fluttering shut. He fell forward, nearly hitting the table at which he’d been sitting before Henry rushed forward and caught him.
“Hyung!” Henry cried, trying to quickly suppress the wave of panic coming over him. Ryeowook felt so light. Henry always realized that Ryeowook was small but he was even lighter than he looked. Henry’s arms fit easily around him as he carried him over and laid him on the couch.
“Ryeowookie-hyung! Wake up!” Henry called, patting the side of Ryeowook’s face carefully.
Slowly Ryeowook’s dark eyes blinked open and he looked up at Henry, confused. “Henli?”
“You fainted, hyung. You really should say if you’re not feeling well.” Henry frowned, putting a hand to Ryeowook’s forehead. He was surprised to find Ryeowook didn’t feel warm. If anything he felt colder than he should. “Do you want me to get manager-hyung? Maybe you can go home and get some rest now that they’re done taking your solo photos.”
“No, I’m okay. Thank you, Henli.” Ryeowook said softly and moved to sit up, but seemed a little light-headed, falling back against the cushions, shutting his eyes.
“Oh, hyung, that’s not true!” Henry cried when Ryeowook was unable to sit up on his own. Hurrying over to the water cooler in the corner he filled a cup and returned to the couch, placing it on the floor. “I promise I won’t tell manager-hyung, but at least let me help you.”
Ryeowook wearily nodded as Henry carefully sat him up. Keeping an arm around Ryeowook’s shoulders for support Henry sat beside him and handed him the cup of water with a very worried look. When Ryeowook took the cup in his shaking hands, for the first time Henry really noticed just how thin his fingers and wrists were.
“Hyung, you’re so skinny, when was the last time you ate?” Henry asked jokingly as Ryeowook finished the cup of water. When Ryeowook only stared at the empty cup in his hands silently it was suddenly far less funny. Henry felt his entire body rush over with a cold feeling that settled in his stomach leaving it aching. “Oh my god…”
“I’m okay, really…”
“Oh my god!”
“Henli, I’m fine.”
“No you’re not!” This was completely unacceptable and absolutely terrifying. Why hadn’t he realized before that he had never actually seen Ryeowook eat anything more than maybe a few pieces of fruit in the time they had spent together since Super Junior M was formed? “Hyung…why?”
“I’m too fat. I have to be thin for our debut.” Ryeowook said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“That’s crazy! Hyung, you’re not fat. You’re not even close to fat. I just carried you over here and I swear I could have counted every bone in your body.”
“But they said…”
“Who said?”
“Management.”
Henry let loose a very colorful stream of words in English that had Ryeowook gazing at him, weak and once again confused.
“Henli?”
For some reason looking at Ryeowook now tore his heart into little pieces. The thought of Ryeowook starving himself just because of one comment by management made him want to cry…and for the first time, instead of waiting until he could be alone, he did.
“Oh, Henli, don’t cry…” Ryeowook said sadly, reaching a shaking hand up to wipe the tears from Henry’s cheeks. “I’m okay, really.”
“Hyung, you just fainted from only standing up. You haven’t eaten in who knows how long. You’re so thin that it’s scary and yet you think you should be thinner… That’s…not…okay…” Henry wept, forcing his brain to translate the words and send them out in Korean.
Ryeowook bit his lip, there really was no denying what Henry had said.
“I don’t think I like the music industry…” Henry sniffled, knowing that he had spoken again in English and that Ryeowook hadn’t understood a single word. When he felt frail arms wrap around him he hugged back desperately, his heart tightening painfully when it wasn’t hard at all to feel Ryeowook’s ribs through his clothes.
“Wookie…lets go get you something to eat.” Henry said, but kept close instead of moving, his head on Ryeowook’s shoulder. He wanted to take him to get food but never wanted to let go. If Ryeowook stayed there in his arms then he was safe…
“But I...”
“Don’t listen to them, Wookie.” Henry said, just as Ryeowook had about the chanting. None of what they had to say was real. This was real.
He had worked so hard to be a part of this industry and he never thought there would be so many things about it that could bring you crashing down. He had never been more afraid of now finally being a part of it in his life. But for once he didn’t want to go home.
When he heard Ryeowook let out a shuddering breath and whisper “I won’t” before pressing his face against his neck Henry realized he would never want to be anywhere else. When he felt the tears slipping from those high cheekbones onto his own skin he knew he would never leave.
He wanted to stay. For Ryeowook.
Paring: Henry / Ryeowook
Rating: PG 13
Disclaimer: General, fluff, a little drama maybe?
Summary: There were many times Henry was afraid of the music industry, but it's the time when it has nothing to do with him that it scares him the most.
The first time Henry had been afraid of the music industry was the day he boarded the plane to Korea. Of course he had been excited, but it became more and more real that he was leaving his family, his friends and everything he knew behind as he walked through the security checkpoint at the airport.
Glancing back he saw the group of family and friends seeing him off standing in a group, waving goodbye. They all looked so proud. With each step he took he wanted more and more to run back, hug them and never leave. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes but he held them back. He waved back with a smile and waited until he got past security and into the bathroom to cry.
He boarded the plane and watched his home grow farther and farther away, trying to ignore the feeling of wanting to go back. He couldn’t.
He had to go. For his family and friends.
~*~*~*~
The second time Henry was afraid of the music industry was the day he met the members of Super Junior. They had all just been told Henry would have a solo in their comeback single and were all left standing in the rather crowded rehearsal room.
Henry stood there awkwardly, wondering what to say. How was he supposed to fit into this group dynamic when they had been together for so long and he only just barely managed to speak the same language? There were so many of them and they were all already friends. How could anything possibly get more awkward? He was starting to think about bowing politely and leaving them to themselves when one of them came forward with a smile.
“I’m Ryeowook.” The small boy bowed.
“Henry. Nice to meet you.” Henry bowed back, watching as the boy with the pretty cheekbones smiled wider. Soon everyone else had introduced themselves, one after another, all thirteen of them, leaving Henry feeling rushed and confused, but they all seemed nice enough. Henry had just begun to feel slightly less awkward when the one who had introduced himself as Donghae bounced up to him gleefully, tapping him on the shoulder.
“You play the violin. Can we hear?” Donghae’s eyes were expectant and as large as his grin. He looked like a child asking for candy.
“Um…I…” Henry stammered nervously, but the look on Donghae’s face kept him from being able to refuse. He wondered if this look worked on everyone. “Sure.”
The chatter in the room died down and everyone watched Henry play one of the songs he’d learned over the years. Just play. It’s why you’re here. He shut his eyes and tried to ignore how nervous and embarrassed he was, the feeling of wanting to just go home lingering in the back of his mind.
When he finished and opened his eyes he nearly dropped the violin bow. Several of the others were moved to tears, all of them staring at him quietly in awe.
“I-it wasn’t that good…” his stammer returned as he replied in shock.
“Are you stupid? Of course it was that good! Yah, how are we going to work with this fool…” the one with flaming orange hair who had said his name was Heechul shook his head but looked none the less moved.
Soon they were all surrounding him and raving about how beautiful his playing had been, and how their song was going to be made even better by his solo. As Henry put his violin away and smiled shyly at the words of flattery being showered all around him he thought maybe he wouldn’t go home just yet.
He would stay for the music.
~*~*~*~
The third time Henry was afraid of the music industry had been after one of their performances of “Don’t Don”. It had all seemed fine at first. Wonderful even. The audience was cheering and singing along to parts of the song as Henry stood nervously backstage, waiting.
When his part arrived he hurried out and began to play the solo he had rehearsed until his fingers bled. He knew it by heart. The notes came out perfectly just as he had planned, but he could hardly believe his ears.
The cheering had stopped and had been replaced by loud, angry chanting. He didn’t quite understand what they were saying but it didn’t sound good.
He kept playing, but his fingers felt numb and he couldn’t seem to breathe. What had he done wrong? He finished the solo and rushed backstage again, feeling another stab of hurt when the chanting ceased as soon as he was out of sight.
He could feel the tears burning in his eyes as he made his way to the dressing room while the other’s finished the song. They said he was good…but clearly it wasn’t true. The fans wanted nothing to do with him. The tears fell from his eyes onto his violin case as he snapped it closed roughly.
Huddling back against the wall he drew his knees up to his chest and sniffled, tears still streaming from his eyes. He was glad no one was there to see. They were all still busy promoting the song. Surely no one would even miss him. And the fans would certainly be happy.
He glanced up, surprised when the door opened only a couple of minutes later and a few of the others walked in, laughing. The laughter stopped immediately when they caught sight of Henry’s tearstained face, which he hadn’t managed to hide quick enough.
“Henli?” Ryeowook crossed the room quickly, kneeling beside Henry, placing a hand on his shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” Donghae asked, going to Henry’s other side.
Henry buried his face in his hands and sobbed, partly out of embarrassment but mostly because he felt betrayed. “Why did you lie to me?” the words came out in his native tongue because he simply couldn’t translate them through the aching in his chest and ringing in his head.
“What did he say?” he heard Donghae ask as Ryeowook began to rub his back soothingly.
“He wants to know why we lied to him.” Kibum said, and Henry could hear the frown on his face.
“We didn’t lie to you….” Donghae sounded heartbroken, his hand on Henry’s arm.
“What do you mean, Henli?” Ryeowook asked softly.
“They were chanting at me! You said I was good but they don’t think so. They were happy when I was going off stage!” Henry wailed, again in English that Kibum translated in turn.
He could hear Donghae sniffling beside him and Kibum shuffling his feet nervously. Then Ryeowook’s voice spoke again, “It’s not that you were bad, Henli. You were wonderful…The fans just don’t take well to new people. They…”
“They don’t want me to be part of this.” Henry said brokenly, lifting his face to look at Ryeowook. Ryeowook’s eyes instantly filled with tears and he nodded slightly.
“But we do.” Ryeowook added, leaning forward and hugging Henry tightly. “Don’t listen to them, Henli.”
Donghae nodded and hugged Henry as well.
“They’re just too stupid to admit how amazing you are.” Kibum said, kneeling down and ruffling Henry’s hair.
Henry had never felt so unwanted. But as the others came into the room, all of them apologizing for the fans behavior and hugging him and telling him how great he was, he started to feel a little better. When Donghae spent the rest of the day doing silly things to try and make Henry laugh and Ryeowook stayed close, keeping their finger’s intertwined, Henry decided that as much as he wanted to go home, far away from those chants, he wouldn’t.
He would stay for his new friends.
~*~*~*~
The fourth time Henry was afraid of the music industry was shortly after he was told he would be part of a new sub-group called Super Junior M. He was proud and excited to have been chosen of course, but then he remembered the chanting.
Sitting on the plane to China next to Ryeowook, Henry began to wring his hands nervously.
“Henli, are you alright?” Ryeowook asked, putting down the book of Mandarin phrases he had been studying. His eyes were full of concern and he took one of Henry’s hands into his own.
“What if they don’t like me in China either…” Henry now began to fidget, running his thumb along Ryeowook’s subconsciously.
“Don’t worry, Henli, they’re going to love you.” Ryeowook reassured. “They won’t be able to not love you. You’re an excellent dancer, an even better musician and also completely adorable.” He smiled, reaching up to pinch one of Henry’s cheeks.
“Hyung!” Henry cried, his face flushing as Ryeowook’s hand returned to holding his. Ryeowook just grinned in a rather pleased way and turned a little more to face him.
“Henli,” the older boy sang his name in a sweet voice, “Teach me Chinese.”
While trying his best to teach Ryeowook with his somewhat limited Mandarin skills Henry started to realize how much this was just like the day he boarded the plane to Korea. Leaving what he knew to go to a place where he didn’t even properly speak the language all in hopes of becoming successful as a musician. He felt that nagging fear and desire to run home creep back over him again. But this time he told himself that he shouldn’t.
He would stay for his second chance.
~*~*~*~
Strangely enough it was the time that the situation didn’t have anything to do with him that Henry was the most afraid of the music industry.
The newly formed Super Junior M was scheduled to have a photoshoot for their album artwork at a nearby studio bright and early one morning. All seven of them only barely managed to file out of their beds, out of the dorms and into the van.
To say everyone looked tired was an understatement. Between lack of sleep and long rehearsals they were lucky enough to still be moving at all. And Ryeowook almost wasn’t. Out of them all, he seemed the worst. Even with the makeup the stylist had put on him, Ryeowook looked pale and exhausted. He sat quietly at the table in the room they had been ushered into, waiting for the photographer to tell him what to do. Even the man taking the pictures didn’t seem to have the heart to ask him to move and said they could take a few photos at the table.
Once they were done with group photos the photographer moved them all into another room for solo shots.
Ryeowook was lagging behind everyone else as they trudged down the hall and every so often he would sway. It was so slight that no one seemed to notice, but Henry did. Henry slowed down and fell back beside him, putting an arm around his waist as they walked. He grew more worried when the smaller boy felt like he was shaking as he leaned against him.
“Hyung, are you okay?” he asked before they entered the other room.
“I’m fine, Henli. Just tired.” Ryeowook said, his voice was quiet and breathy.
Henry was about to insist that Ryeowook stop lying and tell him what was wrong when the photographer called for the older boy to come do his pictures first. Going against every thought in his head that screamed for him to do otherwise, Henry let Ryeowook slide out of his arm and over towards the set.
Henry didn’t have time to see how the photoshoot went because he was swiftly hustled over to have his makeup and hair re-done by the stylists. They kept fussing over him, saying something about his cheeks and how young he was, but he wasn’t paying attention. If only they would just hurry up so he could make sure Ryeowook was alright. Much to his dismay, as soon as he managed to escape Ryeowook was nowhere to be seen.
“Hae-hyung, where did Wookie-hyung go?” Henry asked Donghae who was playing some Chinese word game with Zhou-Mi and Kyuhyun near the stylist’s tables.
“I think he said he was going back to the other room to rest.” Donghae said before shouting something about Kyuhyun cheating.
“Henry! It’s your turn!” the photographer shouted and Henry begrudgingly shuffled over in front of the camera. He did his best to pose and look cool like the photographer asked, trying to tune out the squeals of the stylist’s over how he looked far more cute than cool. Do it right the first time and you’ll be able to find Ryeowook sooner…
“Alright, thank you, Henry. Donghai!” the photographer called across the room to where Donghae was now pouting at Kyuhyun and Zhou-Mi, probably over having lost the game. Henry couldn’t be bothered to find out. He had to find Ryeowook.
Walking quickly back down the hall and into the first room they had been in, he found Ryeowook sitting slumped forward with his head resting on his hands at the same table again. He didn’t even seem to notice Henry had come in.
“Wookie-hyung, are you sure you’re feeling okay?” Henry asked quietly, not wanting to startle him.
Ryeowook’s eyes brightened slightly and he gave a weak smile when he finally noticed Henry’s arrival. Despite his concern, upon seeing the look on Ryeowook’s face Henry couldn’t help but smile back.
Ryeowook stood when Henry come over to join him at the table, opening his mouth to reply but instead he only produced a quiet gasp and he wavered, his eyes fluttering shut. He fell forward, nearly hitting the table at which he’d been sitting before Henry rushed forward and caught him.
“Hyung!” Henry cried, trying to quickly suppress the wave of panic coming over him. Ryeowook felt so light. Henry always realized that Ryeowook was small but he was even lighter than he looked. Henry’s arms fit easily around him as he carried him over and laid him on the couch.
“Ryeowookie-hyung! Wake up!” Henry called, patting the side of Ryeowook’s face carefully.
Slowly Ryeowook’s dark eyes blinked open and he looked up at Henry, confused. “Henli?”
“You fainted, hyung. You really should say if you’re not feeling well.” Henry frowned, putting a hand to Ryeowook’s forehead. He was surprised to find Ryeowook didn’t feel warm. If anything he felt colder than he should. “Do you want me to get manager-hyung? Maybe you can go home and get some rest now that they’re done taking your solo photos.”
“No, I’m okay. Thank you, Henli.” Ryeowook said softly and moved to sit up, but seemed a little light-headed, falling back against the cushions, shutting his eyes.
“Oh, hyung, that’s not true!” Henry cried when Ryeowook was unable to sit up on his own. Hurrying over to the water cooler in the corner he filled a cup and returned to the couch, placing it on the floor. “I promise I won’t tell manager-hyung, but at least let me help you.”
Ryeowook wearily nodded as Henry carefully sat him up. Keeping an arm around Ryeowook’s shoulders for support Henry sat beside him and handed him the cup of water with a very worried look. When Ryeowook took the cup in his shaking hands, for the first time Henry really noticed just how thin his fingers and wrists were.
“Hyung, you’re so skinny, when was the last time you ate?” Henry asked jokingly as Ryeowook finished the cup of water. When Ryeowook only stared at the empty cup in his hands silently it was suddenly far less funny. Henry felt his entire body rush over with a cold feeling that settled in his stomach leaving it aching. “Oh my god…”
“I’m okay, really…”
“Oh my god!”
“Henli, I’m fine.”
“No you’re not!” This was completely unacceptable and absolutely terrifying. Why hadn’t he realized before that he had never actually seen Ryeowook eat anything more than maybe a few pieces of fruit in the time they had spent together since Super Junior M was formed? “Hyung…why?”
“I’m too fat. I have to be thin for our debut.” Ryeowook said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“That’s crazy! Hyung, you’re not fat. You’re not even close to fat. I just carried you over here and I swear I could have counted every bone in your body.”
“But they said…”
“Who said?”
“Management.”
Henry let loose a very colorful stream of words in English that had Ryeowook gazing at him, weak and once again confused.
“Henli?”
For some reason looking at Ryeowook now tore his heart into little pieces. The thought of Ryeowook starving himself just because of one comment by management made him want to cry…and for the first time, instead of waiting until he could be alone, he did.
“Oh, Henli, don’t cry…” Ryeowook said sadly, reaching a shaking hand up to wipe the tears from Henry’s cheeks. “I’m okay, really.”
“Hyung, you just fainted from only standing up. You haven’t eaten in who knows how long. You’re so thin that it’s scary and yet you think you should be thinner… That’s…not…okay…” Henry wept, forcing his brain to translate the words and send them out in Korean.
Ryeowook bit his lip, there really was no denying what Henry had said.
“I don’t think I like the music industry…” Henry sniffled, knowing that he had spoken again in English and that Ryeowook hadn’t understood a single word. When he felt frail arms wrap around him he hugged back desperately, his heart tightening painfully when it wasn’t hard at all to feel Ryeowook’s ribs through his clothes.
“Wookie…lets go get you something to eat.” Henry said, but kept close instead of moving, his head on Ryeowook’s shoulder. He wanted to take him to get food but never wanted to let go. If Ryeowook stayed there in his arms then he was safe…
“But I...”
“Don’t listen to them, Wookie.” Henry said, just as Ryeowook had about the chanting. None of what they had to say was real. This was real.
He had worked so hard to be a part of this industry and he never thought there would be so many things about it that could bring you crashing down. He had never been more afraid of now finally being a part of it in his life. But for once he didn’t want to go home.
When he heard Ryeowook let out a shuddering breath and whisper “I won’t” before pressing his face against his neck Henry realized he would never want to be anywhere else. When he felt the tears slipping from those high cheekbones onto his own skin he knew he would never leave.
He wanted to stay. For Ryeowook.