[Super Junior] Those Sweet Words
Those Sweet Words
Yesung / Ryeowook
2531 words
Summary: Like gradually grows into love- all it needs is a little time.
Author’s Notes: Beta-ed by K- who kindly corrected me about my knowledge of ancient Chinese legends. I phail so badly.
I just have to hear those sweet words
Spoken like a melody
-Those Sweet Words / Norah Jones
Ryeowook was talented, and he knew it. His parents, aunts and teachers sang praises of him, so when he joined the competition he had been completely confident of his abilities. There, he met others. Others better than him and it had shaken him out of the little world he had built for himself.
Meeting Jongwoon- no, Yesung, had shattered it.
Ryeowook remembered the first day he met Jongwoon- it was in a recording studio, where Ryeowook had been waiting three hours to meet the vocal coach who was working with a few of the older trainees. When he was finally called into the studio, there was one trainee left inside.
"They wanted to see if you two worked together," the vocal coach explained. "Take a look at this and we'll see if it works."
He handed Ryeowook a score and Ryeowook was terrified when he realised he was required to sight-sing. He was okay at it, not perfect, and he was worried that one stupid mistake would put him out of the game and…
The other trainee, Jongwoon, placed a hand on his shoulder. "You okay?" he asked.
Ryeowook turned to him and nodded, too shocked to speak.
They rehearsed two times before the vocal coach told them to give it a formal try, and they sang.
When they were done, the vocal coach was giving them meaningful looks, and he turned to Ryeowook and smiled before introducing himself.
Ryeowook had nodded and stuttered his name out in return, because that was the day he ever felt as though another person's voice could bring him to his knees.
But Ryeowook couldn't find it in himself to be angry, or jealous of Jongwoon's talent. When they were training (they had been thankfully exempted from a lot of the dance training, because the company must have known the direction they wanted these trainees to take), he found every opportunity to listen to Jongwoon practice.
Ryeowook thought Jongwoon sounded even like he was singing, when he was speaking.
One day, when they were thrown together in practice again, Jongwoon wasn't having a particularly good day. His voice went flat on several notes, and Ryeowook faltered, his voice failing as well.
Jongwoon pulled him aside after practice. "Hey," he said. "Why the miserable face?"
Ryeowook looked up and shook his head. They had both been chewed out by the vocal coach- he must have the right to be at least marginally miserable.
"You know, your voice," Jongwoon continued, while Ryeowook was still too caught up in his despair to pay attention. "It's strong."
Ryeowook paused.
"It's strong, and it never fails you," Jongwoon said with a grin as he sat down next to Ryeowook. "I'm constantly getting ragged by coach for not knowing how to control mine..."
"But you can," Ryeowook said quickly; eager to please. "Hyung, your voice, it's..."
"Before we set up a mutual admiration society," Jongwoon laughed, holding out a hand. "We both know that voice control is something I've got to work on. But you've got it. Don't let me bring you down, Ryeowook."
"You're not, hyung. I swear," Ryeowook said.
Jongwoon grinned. "That's good to know. Next time keep singing the melody... I'll follow."
He proceeded to walk out of the room, planning to make a dramatic, cool exit, but crashed headfirst into the door instead. Ryeowook started giggling.
He remembers those words even years later, every time he sings with Jongwoon.
* * *
Jongwoon was a really strange guy, Ryeowook deduced. He was sort of my-paced; did things as and when he liked them. He never really minded that his role in Super Junior was simply the "weird one”, never minded when the others ragged him about bring silly and never laughed at his jokes.
In the second year they knew each other, Jongwoon got himself a girlfriend. Ryeowook only met her once, bumping into the both of them at the movie theatre. She was petite, with long hair and a beautiful face. Ryeowook thought they were perfect for each other.
When they broke up four months later, Ryeowook was staying late in the studios when he heard Jongwoon's voice. He turned into the only studio that was still lighted- peering in.
It was just Jongwoon, sitting on the ground in front of his cell phone and singing a heartbreaking love song. When he was done with one, he sang another- and another.
Ryeowook sat down on the ground outside the studio, drew his knees up to his chest and listened. He hadn't realised he'd fallen asleep until someone was nudging him awake.
"Hmm?" he looked up.
Jongwoon was smiling at him. "Hey. Why are you still here?"
Ryeowook was awake in an instant, afraid that Jongwoon would realise that he had been listening- that he had been eavesdropping on Jongwoon and his sorrow.
"I..." Ryeowook stammered.
"C'mon. Let's take a cab. I'll send you home," Jongwoon said, helping Ryeowook up. Ryeowook nodded and followed, wishing he could do more for Jongwoon than just follow.
* * *
It wasn't a conscious effort, caring about Jongwoon. It happened gradually, and if Ryeowook really had to pinpoint a date and time it started, it was probably that night he had returned to the dorm to see Jongwoon packing his bags hurriedly, looking frantic as he searched for his shoes.
"Hyung?" Ryeowook asked.
"Oh, Ryeowook," Jongwoon turned to him, running his fingers through his already messy hair. Jongwoon’s hair was never, ever messy. "Hey, I'm sorry. I've got to..."
"Where are you..." Ryeowook started, before he saw the frenzied look in Jongwoon's eyes. "What's wrong?"
"It's my Dad. I'll be back in the morning, for the schedule," Jongwoon said, and he smiled at Ryeowook's look of horror and said, "Don't worry. I'll be back soon."
“They’re there,”’ Ryeowook pointed helpfully at the shoebox half hidden under a pair of Donghae’s boots.
“Thanks,” Jongwoon said, grinning as he unearthed his black Converses, the shoes he always wore when he was travelling. “I’ve told Manager hyung, let Eeteuk-hyung know okay?” he said, giving Ryeowook a quick hug, before running out.
Even though Jongwoon had been smiling, when he hugged Ryeowook, he was trembling.
Ryeowook stayed up all night until Jongwoon sent him a message-
He's fine.
It was only then that he let himself close his eyes and fall asleep.
* * *
Ryeowook hadn't realised how important Jongwoon had become to him until the day Sungmin called with the news that Jongwoon had fallen off the stage during a rehearsal.
"What?" Ryeowook squeaked, and everyone turned to look at him. Too frantic to explain, Ryeowook put his phone on speaker.
"... He says he's okay now, just that he felt shoulder pains... the doctor said he just needs to stay a while, for observations."
"Who?" Donghae asked.
"Oh, Donghae! Ryeowook, you put me on speakerphone? It's Jongwoon-hyung, but everyone, don't panic, and make sure Ryeowook doesn't panic as well...”
Kyuhyun turned to give Ryeowook a look- that was definitely not someone trying not to panic, because Ryeowook was panicking.
"He's fine, and Jungsu-hyung is worrying enough for all of us, so... don't worry, okay?"
Hangeng wrapped an arm around Ryeowook's shoulder as Donghae continued chatting with Sungmin.
"He's okay," Hangeng smiled.
Ryeowook managed a tiny nod. At that moment, he hated the car he was in, hated his band mates, his company, the managers, the foreign country whose language he couldn’t understand.
All he wanted was to go home and be with Jongwoon.
* * *
Jongwoon held out both hands expectedly. "Presents."
Ryeowook shook his head. "Hyung, you're... a hyung."
"I don't think it discounts you from giving me a present, since you, oh I don't know, went to China," Jongwoon grinned.
Ryeowook laughed and pulled out the bags; everything in those bags was bought at the duty free at the airport. There wasn’t much time to do any decent shopping- Ryeowook did not remember a time he wasn't bent over Chinese books or sleeping on a bus, leaning on Hangeng's shoulder...
"Cool," Jongwoon grinned, attacking the bags and pulling out things from it. Bottles of perfumes and lotions plus strange biscuits with Chinese words all over the packaging that had him inspecting it like it was a biohazard rather than food.
"Hyung," Ryeowook stammered out, after Jongwoon had ripped two different packets of biscuits apart.
Jongwoon looked up, biscuit crumbs all over his chin.
"I'm glad you're okay," Ryeowook managed to say, reaching for the box of tissue on the dresser and handing it to him. "I wish I were here."
Jongwoon stared at him, and he laughed. "Idiot," he said affectionately.
* * *
Jongwoon's a really quiet sleeper. Ryeowook realised this fact two weeks after they had moved into the new dorm together, into the room they shared. Jongwoon slept curled up on his left, meaning he was always facing Ryeowook when he slept.
He didn't snore, and sometimes he slept so deeply it was like he was dead. Ryeowook found himself watching for the slight movements of Jongwoon's chest as he slept, timing his own breath with them before he would fall asleep.
* * *
Ryeowook was with Jongwoon and Kyuhyun the first day they heard the songs for the new album. Ryeowook thought the songs were really sad, even the up-tempo songs were about a man pinning for a girl.
"Why don't we ever sing any happy songs?" Ryeowook frowned.
"There's one," Jongwoon said, as he started to dig through the mountain of scores in front of them.
"Sad is what sells, isn't it?" Kyuhyun said rather diplomatically. "Hyung," he turned to Jongwoon as he read off the lyrics sheet in his hand. "How is it like liking someone even if you know it's hopeless?"
Jongwoon only smiled. "Pathetic."
Kyuhyun raised an eyebrow. "That's all?"
"It's pathetic, because I can't find another word that can describe the feeling you would have," Jongwoon explained, before turning to Ryeowook. "Do you know how that feels like?"
Ryeowook thought about the nights he stayed awake, just thinking about...
"I think I do, kind of," he said softly.
* * *
Jongwoon was watching Ryeowook pack. "If you roll the shirt, it'd be able to fit."
"It will crease," Ryeowook said helplessly.
"It won't. Give it here," Jongwoon said, holding out for the shirt. Ryeowook handed it to him, and Jongwoon rolled it up carefully before stuffing it into the suitcase. "See, this way it fits."
Ryeowook sighed. "I don't know what else I have to bring," he muttered.
"You should bring Ddangkoma with you."
"Hyung, I don't think I'll be able to bring a turtle with me," Ryeowook said, but there was a hint of a smile on his face. "He would get stuck in customs."
"I wouldn't know what to do without him," Jongwoon said sternly. "But think of the hours of entertainment he could provide you!"
"Hyung!"
Jongwoon laughed, shaking his head as he laid back down on his bed. "It's going to be weird."
"How?" Ryeowook asked, rolling up another shirt in the way Jongwoon had showed him and stuffing it into the suitcase.
"You not being around," he said. "I don't know. This time, it feels different. Like. It feels like you're not going to be here for a long time."
Ryeowook looked up from his suitcase. "Hyung?"
"I'll miss you," Jongwoon flipped on his side and grinned.
"Yes," Ryeowook nodded, looking down at his hands. "I'll miss you too, hyung."
* * *
Ryeowook had never stopped feeling lost in China- he blamed it on the language difference. He watched with some jealousy at the ease Hangeng slipped back into his native tongue. He watched as Kyuhyun picked up the pronunciation easily, moving on to learning how to intone his voice with the emotions of the lyrics of the songs they were learning.
He watched as Henry laughed, on the phone with his parents in Canada. There’s an air about Henry. He was the youngest, but he took it easy and never let anything get to him. When he was lonely, angry, or frustrated- he would play the violin.
"Hyung," Henry said with a half smile, holding his violin in his arms. "Let me play you something."
"What is it?" Ryeowook asked, looking up.
"It's a song for lovers," Henry said, propping the violin up and started to play. Ryeowook had heard it before- it was a piece Henry played for a television program, one that he practiced often.
The story of a poor scholar and the girl of a rich family, Ryeowook remembered. The boy had died after hearing of her impeding arranged marriage, and she had buried herself in his grave on the way to her wedding.
They were reborn as butterflies.
"I sort of believe in reincarnation, you know," Henry grinned, sitting down next to Ryeowook. "Lovers in this life will still be so in the next life, for three lifetimes. It doesn't matter who that other person is- man, woman, cousin, friend... It'd happen."
"Oh," Ryeowook whispered. "Henry," he said softly.
"I think, you should tell him how you feel," Henry said with a half smile, and for a moment Ryeowook realised what Henry (and the others probably), must have known for a really long time.
* * *
Ryeowook came down with a terrible flu on the days before the Shanghai concert. Everyday after that was spent feeding him medicine to make sure he would be able to perform.
Jongwoon came up to see him as soon as the rest of the group reached the hotel, not even bothering to take off his jacket as he sat down on the bed next to the invalid.
"Hey you," he said, placing a hand on Ryeowook's cheek.
"Hyung," Ryeowook smiled, leaning into Jongwoon's cool, cool palm.
"You feeling better?" he asked.
Ryeowook was still pretty miserable, but he nodded and croaked, "Yes, I am."
"Liar," Jongwoon sighed, reaching for the pitcher of water next to the bed and pouring Ryeowook a glass. Ryeowook sat up and sipped obediently, not really registering that Jongwoon was watching to make sure he finished the glass.
The last thing Ryeowook remembered before falling asleep was Jongwoon singing a lullaby, softly, gently.
* * *
It really wasn't planned but the night they win the Daesung, Ryeowook blurted it out when Jongwoon wrapped an arm around his shoulders, as they were about to walk backstage.
"Hyung," he said, and the roar of the crowd almost drowned him out. "Hyung. I think I like you."
Jongwoon stopped in his footsteps, but then Hangeng gently prodded them along from behind, and they stumbled backstage.
"What... You said?" Jongwoon managed to stammer, holding Ryeowook at arm’s length, hands on his shoulders as the rest of the band rushed past them.
"I think I like you," Ryeowook confessed, then he's engulfed in a hug, and he can't really breathe. "Hyung, air. Hyung..."
Jongwoon finally let go of Ryeowook, and there was a wide grin on his face. It was infectious- it made Ryeowook want to laugh out loud.
That night, as they left the after party, Donghae leaning on Eunhyuk's shoulder and singing a nonsensical song into the night, Jongwoon leaned in close and sang in his ear-
Ryeowook smiled.
"Yes," he sang back in return. "Me too."
Yesung / Ryeowook
2531 words
Summary: Like gradually grows into love- all it needs is a little time.
Author’s Notes: Beta-ed by K- who kindly corrected me about my knowledge of ancient Chinese legends. I phail so badly.
I just have to hear those sweet words
Spoken like a melody
-Those Sweet Words / Norah Jones
Ryeowook was talented, and he knew it. His parents, aunts and teachers sang praises of him, so when he joined the competition he had been completely confident of his abilities. There, he met others. Others better than him and it had shaken him out of the little world he had built for himself.
Meeting Jongwoon- no, Yesung, had shattered it.
Ryeowook remembered the first day he met Jongwoon- it was in a recording studio, where Ryeowook had been waiting three hours to meet the vocal coach who was working with a few of the older trainees. When he was finally called into the studio, there was one trainee left inside.
"They wanted to see if you two worked together," the vocal coach explained. "Take a look at this and we'll see if it works."
He handed Ryeowook a score and Ryeowook was terrified when he realised he was required to sight-sing. He was okay at it, not perfect, and he was worried that one stupid mistake would put him out of the game and…
The other trainee, Jongwoon, placed a hand on his shoulder. "You okay?" he asked.
Ryeowook turned to him and nodded, too shocked to speak.
They rehearsed two times before the vocal coach told them to give it a formal try, and they sang.
When they were done, the vocal coach was giving them meaningful looks, and he turned to Ryeowook and smiled before introducing himself.
Ryeowook had nodded and stuttered his name out in return, because that was the day he ever felt as though another person's voice could bring him to his knees.
But Ryeowook couldn't find it in himself to be angry, or jealous of Jongwoon's talent. When they were training (they had been thankfully exempted from a lot of the dance training, because the company must have known the direction they wanted these trainees to take), he found every opportunity to listen to Jongwoon practice.
Ryeowook thought Jongwoon sounded even like he was singing, when he was speaking.
One day, when they were thrown together in practice again, Jongwoon wasn't having a particularly good day. His voice went flat on several notes, and Ryeowook faltered, his voice failing as well.
Jongwoon pulled him aside after practice. "Hey," he said. "Why the miserable face?"
Ryeowook looked up and shook his head. They had both been chewed out by the vocal coach- he must have the right to be at least marginally miserable.
"You know, your voice," Jongwoon continued, while Ryeowook was still too caught up in his despair to pay attention. "It's strong."
Ryeowook paused.
"It's strong, and it never fails you," Jongwoon said with a grin as he sat down next to Ryeowook. "I'm constantly getting ragged by coach for not knowing how to control mine..."
"But you can," Ryeowook said quickly; eager to please. "Hyung, your voice, it's..."
"Before we set up a mutual admiration society," Jongwoon laughed, holding out a hand. "We both know that voice control is something I've got to work on. But you've got it. Don't let me bring you down, Ryeowook."
"You're not, hyung. I swear," Ryeowook said.
Jongwoon grinned. "That's good to know. Next time keep singing the melody... I'll follow."
He proceeded to walk out of the room, planning to make a dramatic, cool exit, but crashed headfirst into the door instead. Ryeowook started giggling.
He remembers those words even years later, every time he sings with Jongwoon.
* * *
Jongwoon was a really strange guy, Ryeowook deduced. He was sort of my-paced; did things as and when he liked them. He never really minded that his role in Super Junior was simply the "weird one”, never minded when the others ragged him about bring silly and never laughed at his jokes.
In the second year they knew each other, Jongwoon got himself a girlfriend. Ryeowook only met her once, bumping into the both of them at the movie theatre. She was petite, with long hair and a beautiful face. Ryeowook thought they were perfect for each other.
When they broke up four months later, Ryeowook was staying late in the studios when he heard Jongwoon's voice. He turned into the only studio that was still lighted- peering in.
It was just Jongwoon, sitting on the ground in front of his cell phone and singing a heartbreaking love song. When he was done with one, he sang another- and another.
Ryeowook sat down on the ground outside the studio, drew his knees up to his chest and listened. He hadn't realised he'd fallen asleep until someone was nudging him awake.
"Hmm?" he looked up.
Jongwoon was smiling at him. "Hey. Why are you still here?"
Ryeowook was awake in an instant, afraid that Jongwoon would realise that he had been listening- that he had been eavesdropping on Jongwoon and his sorrow.
"I..." Ryeowook stammered.
"C'mon. Let's take a cab. I'll send you home," Jongwoon said, helping Ryeowook up. Ryeowook nodded and followed, wishing he could do more for Jongwoon than just follow.
* * *
It wasn't a conscious effort, caring about Jongwoon. It happened gradually, and if Ryeowook really had to pinpoint a date and time it started, it was probably that night he had returned to the dorm to see Jongwoon packing his bags hurriedly, looking frantic as he searched for his shoes.
"Hyung?" Ryeowook asked.
"Oh, Ryeowook," Jongwoon turned to him, running his fingers through his already messy hair. Jongwoon’s hair was never, ever messy. "Hey, I'm sorry. I've got to..."
"Where are you..." Ryeowook started, before he saw the frenzied look in Jongwoon's eyes. "What's wrong?"
"It's my Dad. I'll be back in the morning, for the schedule," Jongwoon said, and he smiled at Ryeowook's look of horror and said, "Don't worry. I'll be back soon."
“They’re there,”’ Ryeowook pointed helpfully at the shoebox half hidden under a pair of Donghae’s boots.
“Thanks,” Jongwoon said, grinning as he unearthed his black Converses, the shoes he always wore when he was travelling. “I’ve told Manager hyung, let Eeteuk-hyung know okay?” he said, giving Ryeowook a quick hug, before running out.
Even though Jongwoon had been smiling, when he hugged Ryeowook, he was trembling.
Ryeowook stayed up all night until Jongwoon sent him a message-
He's fine.
It was only then that he let himself close his eyes and fall asleep.
* * *
Ryeowook hadn't realised how important Jongwoon had become to him until the day Sungmin called with the news that Jongwoon had fallen off the stage during a rehearsal.
"What?" Ryeowook squeaked, and everyone turned to look at him. Too frantic to explain, Ryeowook put his phone on speaker.
"... He says he's okay now, just that he felt shoulder pains... the doctor said he just needs to stay a while, for observations."
"Who?" Donghae asked.
"Oh, Donghae! Ryeowook, you put me on speakerphone? It's Jongwoon-hyung, but everyone, don't panic, and make sure Ryeowook doesn't panic as well...”
Kyuhyun turned to give Ryeowook a look- that was definitely not someone trying not to panic, because Ryeowook was panicking.
"He's fine, and Jungsu-hyung is worrying enough for all of us, so... don't worry, okay?"
Hangeng wrapped an arm around Ryeowook's shoulder as Donghae continued chatting with Sungmin.
"He's okay," Hangeng smiled.
Ryeowook managed a tiny nod. At that moment, he hated the car he was in, hated his band mates, his company, the managers, the foreign country whose language he couldn’t understand.
All he wanted was to go home and be with Jongwoon.
* * *
Jongwoon held out both hands expectedly. "Presents."
Ryeowook shook his head. "Hyung, you're... a hyung."
"I don't think it discounts you from giving me a present, since you, oh I don't know, went to China," Jongwoon grinned.
Ryeowook laughed and pulled out the bags; everything in those bags was bought at the duty free at the airport. There wasn’t much time to do any decent shopping- Ryeowook did not remember a time he wasn't bent over Chinese books or sleeping on a bus, leaning on Hangeng's shoulder...
"Cool," Jongwoon grinned, attacking the bags and pulling out things from it. Bottles of perfumes and lotions plus strange biscuits with Chinese words all over the packaging that had him inspecting it like it was a biohazard rather than food.
"Hyung," Ryeowook stammered out, after Jongwoon had ripped two different packets of biscuits apart.
Jongwoon looked up, biscuit crumbs all over his chin.
"I'm glad you're okay," Ryeowook managed to say, reaching for the box of tissue on the dresser and handing it to him. "I wish I were here."
Jongwoon stared at him, and he laughed. "Idiot," he said affectionately.
* * *
Jongwoon's a really quiet sleeper. Ryeowook realised this fact two weeks after they had moved into the new dorm together, into the room they shared. Jongwoon slept curled up on his left, meaning he was always facing Ryeowook when he slept.
He didn't snore, and sometimes he slept so deeply it was like he was dead. Ryeowook found himself watching for the slight movements of Jongwoon's chest as he slept, timing his own breath with them before he would fall asleep.
* * *
Ryeowook was with Jongwoon and Kyuhyun the first day they heard the songs for the new album. Ryeowook thought the songs were really sad, even the up-tempo songs were about a man pinning for a girl.
"Why don't we ever sing any happy songs?" Ryeowook frowned.
"There's one," Jongwoon said, as he started to dig through the mountain of scores in front of them.
"Sad is what sells, isn't it?" Kyuhyun said rather diplomatically. "Hyung," he turned to Jongwoon as he read off the lyrics sheet in his hand. "How is it like liking someone even if you know it's hopeless?"
Jongwoon only smiled. "Pathetic."
Kyuhyun raised an eyebrow. "That's all?"
"It's pathetic, because I can't find another word that can describe the feeling you would have," Jongwoon explained, before turning to Ryeowook. "Do you know how that feels like?"
Ryeowook thought about the nights he stayed awake, just thinking about...
"I think I do, kind of," he said softly.
* * *
Jongwoon was watching Ryeowook pack. "If you roll the shirt, it'd be able to fit."
"It will crease," Ryeowook said helplessly.
"It won't. Give it here," Jongwoon said, holding out for the shirt. Ryeowook handed it to him, and Jongwoon rolled it up carefully before stuffing it into the suitcase. "See, this way it fits."
Ryeowook sighed. "I don't know what else I have to bring," he muttered.
"You should bring Ddangkoma with you."
"Hyung, I don't think I'll be able to bring a turtle with me," Ryeowook said, but there was a hint of a smile on his face. "He would get stuck in customs."
"I wouldn't know what to do without him," Jongwoon said sternly. "But think of the hours of entertainment he could provide you!"
"Hyung!"
Jongwoon laughed, shaking his head as he laid back down on his bed. "It's going to be weird."
"How?" Ryeowook asked, rolling up another shirt in the way Jongwoon had showed him and stuffing it into the suitcase.
"You not being around," he said. "I don't know. This time, it feels different. Like. It feels like you're not going to be here for a long time."
Ryeowook looked up from his suitcase. "Hyung?"
"I'll miss you," Jongwoon flipped on his side and grinned.
"Yes," Ryeowook nodded, looking down at his hands. "I'll miss you too, hyung."
* * *
Ryeowook had never stopped feeling lost in China- he blamed it on the language difference. He watched with some jealousy at the ease Hangeng slipped back into his native tongue. He watched as Kyuhyun picked up the pronunciation easily, moving on to learning how to intone his voice with the emotions of the lyrics of the songs they were learning.
He watched as Henry laughed, on the phone with his parents in Canada. There’s an air about Henry. He was the youngest, but he took it easy and never let anything get to him. When he was lonely, angry, or frustrated- he would play the violin.
"Hyung," Henry said with a half smile, holding his violin in his arms. "Let me play you something."
"What is it?" Ryeowook asked, looking up.
"It's a song for lovers," Henry said, propping the violin up and started to play. Ryeowook had heard it before- it was a piece Henry played for a television program, one that he practiced often.
The story of a poor scholar and the girl of a rich family, Ryeowook remembered. The boy had died after hearing of her impeding arranged marriage, and she had buried herself in his grave on the way to her wedding.
They were reborn as butterflies.
"I sort of believe in reincarnation, you know," Henry grinned, sitting down next to Ryeowook. "Lovers in this life will still be so in the next life, for three lifetimes. It doesn't matter who that other person is- man, woman, cousin, friend... It'd happen."
"Oh," Ryeowook whispered. "Henry," he said softly.
"I think, you should tell him how you feel," Henry said with a half smile, and for a moment Ryeowook realised what Henry (and the others probably), must have known for a really long time.
* * *
Ryeowook came down with a terrible flu on the days before the Shanghai concert. Everyday after that was spent feeding him medicine to make sure he would be able to perform.
Jongwoon came up to see him as soon as the rest of the group reached the hotel, not even bothering to take off his jacket as he sat down on the bed next to the invalid.
"Hey you," he said, placing a hand on Ryeowook's cheek.
"Hyung," Ryeowook smiled, leaning into Jongwoon's cool, cool palm.
"You feeling better?" he asked.
Ryeowook was still pretty miserable, but he nodded and croaked, "Yes, I am."
"Liar," Jongwoon sighed, reaching for the pitcher of water next to the bed and pouring Ryeowook a glass. Ryeowook sat up and sipped obediently, not really registering that Jongwoon was watching to make sure he finished the glass.
The last thing Ryeowook remembered before falling asleep was Jongwoon singing a lullaby, softly, gently.
* * *
It really wasn't planned but the night they win the Daesung, Ryeowook blurted it out when Jongwoon wrapped an arm around his shoulders, as they were about to walk backstage.
"Hyung," he said, and the roar of the crowd almost drowned him out. "Hyung. I think I like you."
Jongwoon stopped in his footsteps, but then Hangeng gently prodded them along from behind, and they stumbled backstage.
"What... You said?" Jongwoon managed to stammer, holding Ryeowook at arm’s length, hands on his shoulders as the rest of the band rushed past them.
"I think I like you," Ryeowook confessed, then he's engulfed in a hug, and he can't really breathe. "Hyung, air. Hyung..."
Jongwoon finally let go of Ryeowook, and there was a wide grin on his face. It was infectious- it made Ryeowook want to laugh out loud.
That night, as they left the after party, Donghae leaning on Eunhyuk's shoulder and singing a nonsensical song into the night, Jongwoon leaned in close and sang in his ear-
Ryeowook smiled.
"Yes," he sang back in return. "Me too."