Eunhyuk’s hand trembled uncontrollably as he limped towards the life support machine.

A doctor, two nurses as well as the KyuMin couple had gathered in the hospital ward.

A sobbing Kyuhyun was trying to control himself from having a complete breakdown whilst comforting and hugging the wailing and distraught Sungmin who was trashing about in Kyuhyun’s embrace.

Eunhyuk froze in his tracks as he neared the machine.

On the bed, a man lay dressed in a patient’s gown and was swathed in bandages. His head and face were bandaged. His eyes were puffy and swollen. There were visible bruises on his face and on his arms. He was hooked up to the life support machine.

Eunhyuk caressed the injured man’s face gently. Eunhyuk was rather damaged himself. He too suffered bruises on his arms and on his face. Yet, his expression was a picture steeled with stoicism and determination, only betraying some form of emotion and tenderness as he touched the man.

“Hae, I’m sorry. Please don’t hate me. I’m doing this for your own good,” Eunhyuk whispered. “It pains me to do this, Hae. But I have to. Please forgive me. Go in peace Hae. Go in peace. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. Just go in peace. I really love you Hae,” Eunhyuk’s façade of calmness started to dissipate and disintegrate as he began to choke on his emotions and tears.

Eunhyuk could swear that he could see a tear or two flowing down from Donghae’s eyes. 

Eunhyuk turned away from Donghae and laboured towards the life support machine. Extending his still wobbly hands, he reached for a knob on the machine.

“Hyukkie, don’t do it!” Sungmin shouted in distress. “Please don’t!”

Eunhyuk withdrew his hands as he turned around to glance pensively at Sungmin and Kyuhyun who seemed to tighten his grip on Sungmin, before turning his gaze back on the machine.

He stretched out his hands again, reached for the knob of the machine and shut his eyes.

……

“Hyuk, annyeong!” a lady called out to Eunhyuk. “I’m leaving. Remember to turn off all the power and lock up.”

“Ne, Kahi noona. Annyeong,” Eunhyuk shouted from one of the studios.

Just as Kahi opened the door, a person suddenly breezed past her. She turned around and spoke politely, “I’m sorry. We’re already closed for the day. Can you come back again tomorrow?”

There was a bit of disappointment in the boy’s puppy like eyes. “I’m sorry. I know I’m late. I tried to rush as fast as I can over here after I had finished work.”

“Didn’t you see the sign? It says ‘closed’.”

“But the door wasn’t locked,” the boy reasoned.

“It’s already twenty past ten. We close at ten and open at two in the afternoon. Can you please come back then?” she said.

The boy looked apologetic. “I’m sorry. But I start work at 11 in the morning and only end around ten. I won’t be able to make it. I’m only here to enquire and register for a dancing class. I’ll only take five minutes of your time.”

“Kahi noona, what’s going on?” Eunhyuk asked as he emerged from the studio with a pail and mop in hand.

And he spotted a boyish looking boy standing at the school’s reception counter. He studied the boy a little. He had a rather square and broad face as well as few blemishes and acne on his face, but they did not diminish his pretty looks. His eyes were sparkling and lively.

“Well, this guy barged in here. I told him that we were closed for the day…” Kahi rattled.

“It’s okay noona. You can go off first. I’ll see to him,” Eunhyuk reassured Kahi.

And with that, Kahi left.

“Thank you. Thank you,” the guy burst out.

Eunhyuk flashed a smile. “I’m Lee Hyukjae. You can also call me Eunhyuk. I’m the co-owner and instructor of this dance school. What can I do for you?”

“Really?” the boy’s eyes lit up brightly. And in an unexpected move, the stranger suddenly grabbed Eunhyuk and hugged him, causing Eunhyuk to feel shocked.  

“Can you teach me how to dance?” the boy asked excitedly. “I want to learn how to dance. Can you teach me, please?”

This is weird, Eunhyuk thought to himself. “Sure, but please let go of me first.”

“I’m sorry,” the stranger apologised. “I guess I got too carried away.”

“It’s okay. Do you have any background in dancing?”

The boy shook his head.

“Then perhaps you would like to join the beginners’ group class. There’s one starting the first Thursday of next month at night, and another on Saturday afternoon. Each class is one and a half hours. It costs…”

The boy shook his head with a downcast expression. “I can’t make it. I have to work.”

“How about Sunday?” Eunhyuk suggested as he flipped a file which list the schedules.

“That would be great!” the boy brightened up again. “Would it start soon?”

“Probably in five months.”

“That’s so long! I can’t wait that long!” the boy exclaimed as he face fell into gloom.

“What about one to one classes?” the boy asked in a hopeful tone.

“It might be possible on Sundays. It’s about one hour fifteen minutes long as it is rather intensive. But it is much more costly.”

“How much does it cost?” the boy asked gingerly.

“XXX Won,” Eunhyuk replied.

The boy gaped in shock as he stammered, “I…can’t afford…it…”

“Then you could join the group class or go enquire at another school.”

“But I heard that this school has one of the better teachers around. It’s near to my home and workplace. I…I…really want to learn dancing here.”

“But you can’t make it on weekdays. And you said you can’t wait for the classes to start in five months and you can’t afford the…”

“My father can’t wait that long!” the boy burst into tears.

This left Eunhyuk rather puzzled. “Excuse me, but what does your father have to do with you learning dancing?”

“I want to be able to dance for my father on television,” the boy choked. “He’s suffering from cancer. He only has a few months, maximum a year to live. I can’t afford the individual classes because they’re expensive. I still have to pay for my father’s medicine and drugs.”

Eunhyuk could only stare at the boy. He was unsure whether to believe the other party’s story and wanted to probe, but seeing the guy in tears made him hesitant lest it would sound hurtful and rude. No one would use their parents’ health as a joke or sick excuse, right?

“Excuse me. I’m not trying to burst your bubble here. But what makes you think you can get a television spot after you have mastered dancing?” Eunhyuk asked.

The boy stopped crying for a moment and shook his head. “I…don’t…know. I have a friend who works at one of the broadcasters. Maybe he can help me. Maybe you can help me.”

“What?” Eunhyuk exclaimed and shot an incredulous look at the boy who had a hopeful glint in his gaze.

“Can you teach me at a cheaper rate, please?” the boy pleaded softly. “I’m willing to work hard. I’m willing to do anything. I really want to do this for my father.”

“I can’t teach you,” Eunhyuk said. “If you’re doing it out for someone else’s sake, it just won’t work. It’ll be a waste of your time and my time.”

“It’s not that. I like to dance myself but I don’t know the basics. But my family is too poor to afford proper dance lessons. My father says that I have this talent in me. He wants me to pursue my talent.”

“Why don’t you show me what you got?” Eunhyuk challenged.

The boy took a step back from Eunhyuk. He took a long deep breath. Pretending that there was some music and strong music in the background, he nervously took a few steps to showcase his footwork, ing his body, while throwing his arms in the air.

Eunhyuk was rather amused. Firstly, the boy’s expression was awkward, and his body movements were rather stiff. And certainly, that wasn’t dancing. He was tempted to demonstrate some moves himself but held himself back.

“So how did I do?” the boy asked hopefully.

With a straight face, Eunhyuk replied coolly, “To be honest, bad.”

The boy became sullen again, “Okay, I get it. Thank you. I’m sorry for wasting your time.”

Just as the boy turned and was about to go, Eunhyuk grabbed him by his arm. “Your dancing is bad and amateurish, but I can fix that.”

The boy paused in his tracks.

“As long as you’re willing to work hard. Let’s meet twice a week. Each lesson is about 40 minutes. We can meet in the morning at nine thirty once a week and at ten in the evening on another day of the week. As for rates wise, pay me with whatever you can.”

The boy turned around. His eyes were ablaze and dancing with joy. “Really? You’ll do that for me?”

Eunhyuk nodded. “Aren’t you going to say ‘yes’? You better do so before I regret my decision.”

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” the boy jumped wildly.

All of a sudden Eunhyuk felt himself being squished. The boy was hugging him tightly. “Thank you Hyukkie Seon-saeng-nim.”

Eunhyuk didn’t know how to react to the boy except only to smile and nod his head. This boy must be bipolar, Eunhyuk thought to himself as he felt himself being hugged tighter. Yet, he felt an amazing feeling of warmth and fuzziness run through his body and his heart started to race.

“It couldn’t be,” he thought to himself. “It can’t be love at first sight.”

“Alright,” Eunhyuk said as he gasped for breath. “You can stop hugging me before I suffocate.”

The boy let go of his arms and stood back embarrassingly. “I’m sorry.”

“Anyway, what’s your name?”

“Lee Donghae,” the boy replied. “Dong as in east. Hae as in Sea.”

“Okay. Hak-saeng Lee Donghae. Report here on Tuesday at nine thirty. Don’t be late or I’ll change my mind,” Eunhyuk instructed.

“Yes! Hyukkie Seon-saeng-nim!” Donghae saluted with a sunny smile which Eunhyuk swore could have illuminated the darkest night sky. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know, I know. I've trolled. I've left you guys hanging about Chanyeol's fate. But you would have to wait for a while as I get EunHae's story done. 

I guess that you all have an idea on what happened to EunHae. Do you think Eunhyuk would turn off the life support machine or would he change his mind?

Anyway Easter is about to come. So Happy Easter everyone. I hope you would look forward to the EunHae story. I'm giving it two more chapters. 

Thanks for the comments and subscriptions. Keep them coming.

Thank you.

Do check out  and comment on my other fan fics if you have not already done so.

My other fan fics

KyuMin: Almost a love story

KyuMin: 60 Days c

It's You (너라고) Neorago (a YeWook fan-fic)