Kyuhyun sat backstage as he watched Ryeowook’s solo on a TV screen. He wondered when this boy grew up so fast, since when he behaved around girls like that on stage.

He remembered all the KRY concerts, his solo’s that involved girls always had this cute side to it. And then there was Insomnia…

Kyuhyun chuckled when he thought back to Ryeowook’s awkward Super Show 2 performance. He remembered how nervous Ryeowook was, and how embarrassed he felt after it, how his cheeks were glowing underneath his layers of make-up. It was not his thing to dance with girls like that.

Even though Ryeowook wasn’t that shy at all when he was around the Super Junior members, he just wasn’t the kind of person to show it off on stage all the time.

‘There it comes!’ Donghae shouted enthusiastic. ‘The part is almost there!’ All the members gathered around the TV screen, but Kyuhyun just stared blankly. Would he really do it?

Loud cheers filled the room when Ryeowook pulled up his shirt to tease his fans.

‘He did it! Ryeowook did it!’ Donghae laughed and he high-fived Eunhyuk with a big bright smile.

Kyuhyun couldn’t cheer, he was stunned. He knew that Ryeowook planned to do this, that he trained hard for this. But he never believed that the ‘on stage shy boy’ would ever show off his body like this, and with such a self-confidence.

‘He sure enjoys it, look at him go!’ Eunhyuk pointed to him at the TV screen, moving his body like jagger, letting the female dancer touch the muscularly skin underneath his shirt.

Ryeowook walked into the backstage room, smiling nervously and showing a pink flush on his cheeks.
‘You did it Ryeowook! You finally showed them your true colors!’ Donghae patted him on his shoulder.
‘I’m sure you got rid of the innocent character now.’ Yesung smiled friendly and hugged him.

But Ryeowook didn’t listen to any of them, he walked straight to the couch where Kyuhyun was sitting and flopped down next to him, his heartbeat still pounding fast in his chest. The adrenaline boost making every limb shake.

‘Thank you.’ Kyuhyun snorted.

Ryeowook slightly raised an eyebrow, not understanding what Kyuhyun meant.

‘You officially made me the only Super Junior member that didn’t show any skin.’

Ryeowook didn’t know what to answer, so he decided to remain silent. But he regretted that decision when Kyuhyun stood up with a deep sigh and left the room to change into his next outfit.

‘What was that all about?’ Kyuhyun sat up straight when he heard that familiar high pitched sweet voice. ‘Are you ok?’ Ryeowook asked when he sat down next to Kyuhyun.
‘I’m fine, no need to worry.’ Kyuhyun lied with a smile on his face.

He knew he couldn’t fool Ryeowook like that, but he seemed to respect his lie and didn’t ask any further. Instead he Kyuhyun’s hair out of his face and cupped the younger boys face between his two small hands.

‘I love you, Cho Kyuhyun.’ He smiled ‘And you should start loving yourself a bit more!’ And he kissed him on his forehead.

---

Taiwan, the 4th and last day they perform in this country. It had to be the most amazing performance of all, but Kyuhyun never felt so miserable before. Ryeowook seemed more confident than ever showing off his muscles in front of the Taiwanese audience.

Not to mention everyone seemed to enjoy their own little striptease.

Loud cheers could be heard inside the venue, the audience was very clear about what they wanted to see, they wanted to see Kyuhyun stripping off his clothes for the watersplash.

But he had to disappoint them, again.

Everyone was back in the hotel, but Kyuhyun didn’t feel like talking or drinking. He decided to go straight to his hotel room to play some Starcraft.

He stared at his laptop, afraid to open it, afraid for what his hands would write on it.

He lost to his own fight and grabbed his laptop, opened Google and searched for his own name. Fancams, pictures so many comments and blogs, he didn’t know where to start.

But there they were, the comments that always seem to get his attention.

Kyuhyun oppa was so handsome~ but why didn’t he show us his skin! Even Ryeowook did!

Only one more strip until my life is complete!!

KYUHYUN OPPA WE’RE WAITING!! SHOW US YOUR ABS!

And there were some Photoshop manipulations, again his head placed on a perfect shaped body. No fat, no scars, it was smooth muscular and perfect.

‘Kyuhyun-ah…’
Kyuhyun looked up when he heard Ryeowook’s voice calling out for him. ‘Kyu-ah… what are you-.’ Kyuhyun wanted to close his laptop but Ryeowook seemed to be as fast as light and stopped him.
‘What are you doing here?’ Kyuhyun almost snapped.

‘Er… we share the same room?’

Kyuhyun could hit his own head for that dumb question.

‘Are you ok?’ Ryeowook carefully asked.

‘I am fine, no need to worry.’ Kyuhyun forced a smile. He didn’t want to bother others with his silly doubts.
‘Stop acting tough and spill it.’ Ryeowook sat down on Kyuhyun’s bed, arms crossed and eyes staring right into Kyuhyun’s.


Kyuhyun sighed and stood up. He walked uneasy through his room unable to find words to express what he was feeling right now.
‘Kyu-ah …’
‘Why do fans give me, such a pressure!’ He slapped his laptop shut and let himself flop down next to Ryeowook. ‘They have no idea about my feelings whenever I see their Photoshop manipulations, or comments!’ He let his face rest in his hands.

‘But why don’t you show them your body? There is nothing wrong with it. Maybe it’s not as muscular as they expect it to be, but really you look fine.’ Ryeowook grabbed both of Kyuhyun’s hands in his, so that he could see Kyuhyun’s face. ‘Is it the scar?’ He whispered.

Kyuhyun didn’t answer, all he did was sigh when he walked straight to the mirror. Staring at his own reflection, he lifted up his shirt until he revealed his scar.

‘It’s not that I’m ashamed of it.’ He finally said. ‘It’s a part of who I am, it hold many memories.’

‘Then what is it?’ Ryeowook asked.

‘I just don’t want people to pity me…’ He squeezed his hands tight around the fabric of his shirt. 'When I show it to them, I can guess their comments.'

Ryeowook stood up and walked towards Kyuhyun, who was still staring at his own reflection in the mirror. His two hands still holding his shirt up, just far enough to get a glimpse of the scarred piece of skin.

Kyuhyun was ready to drop his shirt down, ready to hide it again. But Ryeowook s his arms around his body and placed both of his hands on Kyuhyun’s stomach, both placed on the piece of skin that holds so many fears and memories.

‘You don’t have to show it if you don’t want to, you know?’ Ryeowook tightened his hug around him. ‘They will always be your fans, no matter what you do.’

‘Said the boy who trained hard to create abdominal for his fans.’ Kyuhyun sighted.

Ryeowook was ready to protest, his mouth already slightly parted to say his words, but Kyuhyun shut him up with his index.

‘Don’t … you would only make a fool of yourself.’ Kyuhyun said and Ryeowook relaxed his muscles, ready to hear Kyuhyun out. ‘Do you really feel better like this? Following diets? Train every day at the gym… this?’ Ryeowook squeaked when Kyuhyun lifted up his shirt without a warning.

‘It makes me feel more confident.’ Ryeowook said, more to the floor then towards Kyuhyun.

‘Because you gained more fans? But you know what Ryeowook? Most of them will leave.’ Ryeowook looked up at him, his eyes showing his defeat. ‘As soon as you decide to pick up your old character again, they will leave as fast as they came. You know why?’

‘Because they don’t care about me…’ Ryeowook murmured.

‘Precisely, they only care about your muscles right here…’ Kyuhyun placed his hand on Ryeowook’s stomach. ‘Real fans don’t care about your tummy being fat or trained, they want you to be happy. When you’re happy, they are.’

Six April, Super Show 4 Paris. An evening to never forget, so many European fans came over to see Super Junior in the city of love. The sapphire blue ocean lit up in the venue and it was hard to stay in character during the first two opening songs. But then the smiles were shown on the boys faces, bright and shining.

Also Kyuhyun stood on stage without the worries he used to have, he realized that the things he said to Ryeowook that night, were all about him as well.

Ryeowook smiled and winked at him. Both walking closer towards each other, something they planned a few days ago. They both grabbed each other’s shirt, already receiving many screams from the people in the audience who noticed their movement.
‘Just a little bit!’ Kyuhyun said with a nervous smile.
‘Trust me…’ Ryeowook whispered.
They both lifted up their shirts, far enough to see that they didn’t had any abs to show, far enough to see that they didn’t had the body their so called fans expected them too. But they didn’t care, because they know that in the end their real fans will always be by their sides.