Ordinary Part 2
Title: Ordinary
Pairing: YeWook
Minor Pairings: MinKyu, ninja!HanChul
Part: 2
Rating: PG
Genre: au, romance, drama
Disclaimer: YeWook own each other
Warnings: Language
Summary: Ryeowook is just an ordinary person and Jongwoon is anything but.
Ryeowook ran through the heavy downpour, book bag over his head in an attempt to not get soaked. Normally, he would be home by this time, but Hyukjae had been slightly distracted at the meeting (something to do with his boxers). His parents would not be pleased.
When the rain became so heavy that he nearly ran into a pole he failed to see, Ryeowook decided he would rather face his parents’ wrath than risk a nasty cold and an even nastier concussion. He quickly ducked into a nearby empty coffee shop, grateful for the warmth.
“Welcome! I’ll be out to help you in a minute.”
Ryeowook froze. He turned around to face the Employees Only door, and sure enough a familiar figure walked out.
“Welcome to…Ryeowook!” Jongwoon’s face looked mildly surprised.
“Hello, hyung,” said Ryeowook weakly.
Jongwoon’s eyes took in Ryeowook’s shivering form. “Ryeowook! You’re completely drenched!” He ushered Ryeowook to a table, somehow removing his dripping school blazer along the way. “Stay here,” commanded Jongwoon, disappearing to the back room. He emerged shortly with a towel and began to gently dry the younger’s hair.
“I can do it myself,” mumbled Ryeowook, turning pink. To his surprise, Jongwoon did not insist on treating him like a kid; he merely patted Ryeowook’s cheek and wandered to the coffee machine.
“What kind of drink would you like?” called Jongwoon, taking a mug from the shelf.
Ryeowook pondered this for a moment. “Surprise me,” he finally said.
Jongwoon paused in scooping out coffee beans to stare at Ryeowook. Then his face broke out into a smile that lit up his features. His infectious laughter reverberated throughout the empty café, causing Ryeowook to join in.
“One cup of specially made surprise,” said Jongwoon, setting a cup in front of Ryeowook as he slid into the seat across from him.
Ryeowook smiled as he admired the heart coffee art. “Are you the owner?”
“No,” said Jongwoon, amused. “This is my part time job.” He eyed Ryeowook. “What are you doing out in this weather? Shouldn’t you be at home?”
Ryeowook shrugged and sipped his hot drink. “The student council meeting took longer than expected. Hyukjae hyung kept getting distracted.”
Jongwoon’s eyes lit up. “Oh, Hyukjae.”
Ryeowook tilted his head, confused. “You know him?”
Jongwoon shook his head. “No, I know Donghae. But he talks so much about Hyukjae, it feels like I do.”
“Likewise,” Ryeowook chuckled.
A warm, comfortable silence enveloped the two as Ryeowook finished off the rest of his drink. The pitter patter of raindrops against the café window sounded oddly like music to him.
Ryeowook bit back a grin as he observed Jongwoon. The older man looked nothing like a punk in his crisp café uniform. The eyeliner was still there, but it made Jongwoon look beautiful. He had a distant, dreamy look in his eyes as he hummed a tuneless song.
Ryeowook’s reverie was broken when he felt a finger touching the area between his nose and lips. He blinked and stared at Jongwoon, who looked blankly back at him. If he remembered correctly, Kyuhyun had said something about philtrums…
“Do you do that to everyone?” asked Ryeowook, strangely not feeling violated.
“Most, not all,” said Jongwoon, offering Ryeowook a smile. He stroked his chin thoughtfully. “You are one of the only ones that didn’t run away screaming.”
Ryeowook shrugged. Jongwoon’s weirdness was growing on him.
“Why don’t you want to go home?” asked Jongwoon suddenly.
Ryeowook nearly sprayed Jongwoon with the last mouthful of his drink. “W-what makes you think that?” Ryeowook returned, gulping before he could give Jongwoon an involuntary shower.
Jongwoon shrugged and took Ryeowook’s now empty cup away to the sink. “Just a feeling,” was the muffled reply from behind the counter.
“I love my parents,” Ryeowook sighed, not knowing why he was spilling the secrets not even his closest friends knew to a virtual stranger. “And I know they love me. It’s just sometimes they expect certain things from me. I feel like if I were to be myself, I would break their hearts.”
There was no reply.
“Jongwoon?” called Ryeowook uncertainly.
“Yes?” said Jongwoon, suddenly popping up behind Ryeowook, effectively scaring him.
To calm his heart, Ryeowook looked out the window. The rain was finally letting up and the sun was peeking out from behind the storm clouds. “I don’t really want to go home right now,” he admitted. He looked at Jongwoon, eyes wide. “You’re not going to make me go home are you?” he asked in a small voice.
Jongwoon looked at him in surprise. “Why would I do that?”
“Because it’s your duty as a responsible adult?”
Jongwoon laughed. “Ryeowook, I’m anything but responsible. Besides…” He smiled affectionately at Ryeowook, eyes warm. “Why would I make you do something you don’t want to do? You’re welcome to stay until you’re sick of me.”
“Thank you,” whispered Ryeowook, a warm feeling spreading throughout his body.
-
It was Sunday, and somehow Ryeowook found himself in front of a familiar coffee shop. He was feeling slightly upset, and upon leaving the house, his feet led him there. Ryeowook hovered over the door, uncertain if he should go in or not.
Just as he decided against it and started to turn away, the door swung open, hitting him square on the forehead.
“Oh! I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you there! Are you…Ryeowook?”
Ryeowook smiled weakly up at a worried and confused Jongwoon. “Hello.”
“What are you doing here?” asked Jongwoon, pushing Ryeowook’s hand gently aside to observe the damage to his forehead.
“I wanted to see you,” said Ryeowook as casually as he could with Jongwoon’s intense gaze boring into his own.
“Nothing too serious,” announced Jongwoon, letting his hand fall from Ryeowook’s forehead. Ryeowook felt a sense of lost.
“You’re not working?” asked Ryeowook, noticing that Jongwoon was dressed once more in his black attire.
“No, I just needed to pick something up. I have another job to go to right now.”
“Oh,” said Ryeowook, disappointment evident in his voice.
Jongwoon laughed and pinched both of Ryeowook’s cheeks. “Want to come with me? I’ll take you on my bike.”
Ryeowook gulped, torn between his desire to have the older man’s company and his fear of riding motorcycles.
“You don’t have to come if you don’t want to,” Jongwoon added quickly.
“No!” cried Ryeowook, scaring both Jongwoon and himself. Ryeowook blushed. “No,” he repeated in a softer voice. “I want to go.”
Jongwoon seemed pleased with the answer. “Come on, I parked it over there.”
“What’s your bike like?” asked Ryeowook, hoping the small talk would soothe his anxiety.
“We’ve been through a lot together,” Jongwoon chuckled. Then he stopped. “We’ll have to hurry if you don’t mind. I’m running a bit late.”
Ryeowook stared. This was unexpected. Jongwoon’s bike was indeed a bike. Not a motorcycle as Ryeowook had assumed, but a bike that had pedals.
Jongwoon mounted his bike and strapped on his helmet before noticing the unmoving Ryeowook. “What’s wrong?” Then his eyes lit up with realization. “Oh, how careless of me.” He took off his helmet and strapped it on Ryeowook’s head. He leaned back to admire his work. “Alright, you’re good to go. Climb on. Hold my shoulders.”
Ryeowook obeyed, climbing onto the back of the back. “I wasn’t expecting this,” he confessed as Jongwoon kicked up the bike stand. “I thought you meant a motorcycle.”
“Bikes are more environmentally friendly. Besides, I can’t afford a motorcycle.” Jongwoon grinned back at Ryeowook before pushing off. “Are you disappointed?”
Standing at the back of the bike with both his hands on the other’s muscular shoulders, breathing in Jongwoon’s unique cologne, Ryeowook could honestly say he wasn’t.
-
“It’s so weird that you own a hair salon,” Ryeowook told Jongwoon, as he watched Jongwoon work on a customer.
“I like doing other people’s hair,” said Jongwoon, combing his customer’s hair straight. “It made perfect sense to open one.”
“Don’t forget who told you to go for it when you were hesitating,” snapped the customer. “And the person you practiced on.”
Jongwoon laughed. “How could I forget about you, Heechul? It would take a hard blow to the head for anyone to forget you. What color do you want your hair this time?”
Heechul sniffed and flicked his platinum blonde hair. “I want to go back to my original color. Hangeng had been nagging me about dyeing too much. He thinks it will ruin my hair and cause me to throw a fit.”
“How sweet,” commented Jongwoon.
Heechul sneered. “What about you and jailbait over there, you cradle-robber?”
Ryeowook blushed as Heechul’s attention turned towards him. “W-we’re not together,” Ryeowook stammered. He quickly reached down and picked up Ddangkkoma, petting the turtle’s shell to hide his embarrassment.
“Yeah, and Hangeng is the one that pulls the strings in our relationship,” snorted Heechul.
“Well, you are here, returning to your natural color, which if I may add, none of us has seen in several years, just because of what Hangeng said,” Jongwoon reminded.
“Shut up,” retorted Heechul. “I’m just tired of his nagging.”
Ryeowook giggled as he watched Jongwoon interact with his old friend. “You two are very close,” Ryeowook told Jongwoon after Heechul left, hair a fresh brown color.
“He helped me a lot about a year ago when I was having some problems,” said Jongwoon, tone casual.
“When you dropped out of college?” asked Ryeowook before he could stop himself.
“Yeah.” Jongwoon looked at Ryeowook in surprise. “How do you know that?”
“Kyuhyun.”
“Ah, Kyuhyun.” Jongwoon shook his head. “How is he? He started ignoring me after I dropped out. Is he still mad?”
Ryeowook nodded. Before he could reply, a bell tinkled, indicating someone had entered the shop. To his surprise, he recognized the person.
“Donghae!” Jongwoon smiled happily. “How was your date at Moose World with Hyukjae yesterday?”
Both Ryeowook and Jongwoon were shocked when Donghae lifted his head to stare at them. His dull eyes were red and puffy, indicating that he had cried the entire night.
“He said he doesn’t love me, hyung,” Donghae said brokenly.
Jongwoon stepped forward and enveloped Donghae into a hug. “You can cry if you want. Just let it out.”
Donghae laughed bitterly, a joyless sound that was muffled by Jongwoon’s chest. “I already cried enough.”
Ryeowook stared at Donghae. “But this isn’t right!” Ryeowook protested. “I know Hyukjae hyung loves you! Anyone can see that! He never stops talking about you. And the way he looks at you…”
“I know he does,” said Donghae, peeking at Ryeowook over Jongwoon’s shoulder.
“What?” Ryeowook was now even more confused.
“I’ve always known that he loves me,” said Donghae in a distant tone. “He doesn’t though. He needs to figure it out himself; I can’t do it for him. But sometimes, I get so tired of waiting…”
Ryeowook bit his lip; it hurt to see someone as cheerful as Donghae in such a state. He wondered if Hyukjae knew how much he could affect Donghae.
“It’s painful, isn’t it?” said Jongwoon. “A requited love that is ignored is possibly the most painful thing in the world.” He paused and his two dongsaengs looked at him, waiting for some more words of wisdom. “Except perhaps the sound of someone who cannot play the violin who insists on doing so anyway.”
There was silence.
Donghae broke the quiet with a loud laugh. Ryeowook started laughing too and Jongwoon followed. Soon, the three were on the floor, breathless from laughter.
Ryeowook looked at Donghae, who seemed to have momentarily forgotten his heartbreak. Then he looked at Jongwoon, who was looking affectionately at Donghae. Jongwoon noticed Ryeowook staring and smiled.
That moment, in the little barbershop, was when Ryeowook knew that Jongwoon was something else entirely. He was the escape Ryeowook had been looking for.
-
“Hey, I didn’t know you played the piano.”
Having been allowed into the backroom when there were no customers, Ryeowook’s eyes had automatically zoomed in on the secondhand upright piano in the corner.
“I bought that after I quit college,” said Jongwoon, amused by Ryeowook’s enthusiasm. “I was passably good at playing, so I thought I would try my hand at composing.”
Ryeowook perked up. “You compose?” he asked excitedly.
Jongwoon shook his head. “Alas, I have the attention span of a goldfish when it comes to that. I have a lot of admiration for people who can compose. I much prefer singing songs than writing them.”
“You sing?” Ryeowook reached out a finger to touch the slightly yellow keys of the piano.
“Occasionally. I have a friend who can play the violin like no other. He can even dance while playing!” Jongwoon smiled at Ryeowook’s impressed face. “When we have nothing better to do, we go around and make music.”
“Seriously…” The most exciting thing Ryeowook did when he was bored was join Kyuhyun for a round of Starcraft.
“I’ll take you one day,” promised Jongwoon. He sat down on the piano bench next to Ryeowook, his proximity causing chills to go up and down the younger’s spine. “So what about you? Any music?”
“I love playing the piano,” said Ryeowook softly, stroking the ivory and ebony lovingly.
“You have pianist hands,” Jongwoon observed, placing his own next to Ryeowook’s. “You must be really good.”
Ryeowook flushed. “My dream was to be a composer,” he confessed, oddly comfortable telling Jongwoon, who he had only known for a month, his secret that only Kyuhyun knew. “I wanted to spend my life writing music.”
“Why the past tense?” asked Jongwoon, confused. He gently took Ryeowook’s hands and placed them on the keys. “Don’t you still want to do that?”
Ryeowook allowed his hands to rest on the keys for a moment. With a sigh, he removed his hands. “Things change. Expectations grow. But it’s okay,” said Ryeowook, waving it off with a small laugh. “I don’t really like composing anymore.”
Ryeowook knew that even though he could fool himself, he could not fool Jongwoon.
-
“Henry!”
Ryeowook stopped spinning in circles and looked up from his position perched on the barber chair where he had just discovered a spiffy button that moved the chair every which way.
The guy who entered the shop could not have been older than Ryeowook by much. He had the cutest chubby cheeks Ryeowook had ever seen, and he carried a violin case in one hand.
“Hyung,” greeted this Henry person. “Are you ready to go?” Then he noticed Ryeowook. “Oh, are you a friend?”
Ryeowook nodded shyly.
“He’s coming with us,” Jongwoon told Henry, who nodded. Jongwoon smiled at Ryeowook and held out his hand. “Come on.”
Ryeowook jumped off the chair a bit too eagerly and grabbed the proffered hand. “Where are we going?” he questioned as he followed Jongwoon and Henry through the lit streets of Seoul.
“I don’t know. We usually just go where our feet lead us.” Somehow, Ryeowook was not surprised by this answer.
Henry’s feet led them to a semi crowded area in front of a popular mall. Ryeowook seated himself on the edge of the fountain to watch Henry tune his violin and put rosin on his bow as Jongwoon placed an upturn hat in front of them.
“Are you going to sing while he plays?” asked Ryeowook.
“Yes.” Jongwoon looked at Ryeowook carefully. “Do you want to sing with me?”
“M-me?” Ryeowook gasped. Henry started playing. “But I’ve never sang in public before!”
“And now you will.” Jongwoon pulled Ryeowook up to stand beside him. Ryeowook felt Jongwoon’s hand, warm in his own. “Don’t worry. Just sing from your soul.”
Before Ryeowook could reply, Jongwoon opened his mouth and sang. Ryeowook could have sworn that it was the most beautiful sound he ever heard. Low and husky, Jongwoon’s voice was like rough velvet that caressed him gently before wrapping around him, leaving him breathless and slightly dizzy.
His reverie was broken when Jongwoon nudged him gently. Without a wavering note, his eyes urged Ryeowook to join in.
Ryeowook took a deep breath for courage and opened his mouth, letting out the notes hesitantly at first, then with growing confidence after Jongwoon’s encouraging look. To his amazement, his high voice blended smoothly with the older’s baritone to create a perfect harmony.
Too soon, the song was over and Jongwoon was tugging him back to the fountain.
“We’re not going to sing this song?” asked Ryeowook, disappointed.
“Later. Henry is doing his special violin and dance performance right now.” Jongwoon turned to grin at Ryeowook. “So, how was your first time busking?”
Ryeowook’s cheeks flushed with excitement. “It’s amazing! Henry’s violin is amazing, your voice is amazing, it was amazing!”
Jongwoon chuckled. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. Ryeowook, you are amazing.”
Ryeowook’s blush darkened. “I’m nothing special,” he murmured, revealing his thoughts about himself.
“Maybe not on the surface.” Jongwoon tore his gaze from a moon walking Henry to stare meaningfully into Ryeowook’s eyes. “But deep down inside, there’s definitely something special.” He leaned in, not breaking their eye contact.
Ryeowook’s cell phone rang shrilly as Jongwoon was merely inches away. Ryeowook let out the breath he was holding, slightly annoyed by the disturbance. “Sorry,” said Ryeowook apologetically. Jongwoon sat back, expression completely blank.
Ryeowook flipped open his phone. “Hello?”
“Ryeowook, do you know what time it is?! Get home right this instant!”
Ryeowook winced and held the phone a safe distance from his ear as his mother’s voice boomed out of the device. “Mom, right now, I’m…”
“What are you doing that is so important that you’re wasting study time?” demanded his mom. “Don’t forget, you still have college entrance exams coming up.”
Quelling the desire to beg her for another hour, another minute, Ryeowook sighed and replied obediently, “Yes, mom. I’ll be home soon.” He stuffed his phone back into his pocket and stood up. “Sorry,” he said apologetically to the seated Jongwoon. “My parents want me to go home to study.”
“Not to encourage people to rebel against the people who spawned them, but don’t you want to stay longer?” Jongwoon’s eyes seemed to see right through Ryeowook.
Ryeowook bit his lower lip, torn between desire and duty. After a longer struggle than usual, duty won as it always did. “Sorry,” said Ryeowook, averting his eyes to avoid Jongwoon’s. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” He then turned and ran away from the magic of that night, back to his world.
-
“Sometimes, it feels like I can’t do all of that anymore. Sometimes, I just want to run away from it all,” Ryeowook tells Jongwoon one lazy afternoon at the barbershop.
“Then what do you do?” prompted Jongwoon.
“I come here,” said Ryeowook simply. He missed the worried look in Jongwoon’s eyes.
-
A/N: Second part! And the drama starts. The next (and last) part will be posted hopefully on Sunday. Comments are loved!