“Come on, try it.” Yesung smiles encouragingly.

Wookie’s eyes find Yesung’s face. He bites his lip as he always does when he is nervous. Yesung noticed this gesture long time ago and he just loves it. It is so cute. Whole Wookie is so cute. He looks so innocent and vulnerable.

“It’s too difficult,” Wookie objects. He doesn’t believe in himself enough. Playing some easy melodies is a piece of cake, but... He can’t do this. How could he?

“It isn’t. You can do it. I know it.”

Wookie turns to the white keyboards; his fingers touch the smooth surface. He hesitates, but then he finally starts to play. He is able to play for a few seconds but after that he makes a mistake. He sighs, pulling away from the piano. He gives Yesung one sad look.

“I told you. I can’t.”

“Don’t give it up, Wookie. Come on, I will help you.”

Wookie freezes in surprise when Yesung grabs his waist and he places him on his lap. Yesung leans his chin on Wookie’s shoulder, pressing his palms on the backs of boy’s hands. Ryeowook shivers when Yesung’s warm breath tickles the sensitive skin of his neck. He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. He chases away an urge to release himself and run away. No... Yesung does not want to hurt him. He would never hurt him. Never. He repeats that word in his mind again and again, trying to calm down his frantically beating heart.

“Play.”

Yesung’s voice is quiet but he can hear him clearly. He opens his eyes, moving his fingers. He feels Yesung’s hands on his own ones. They don’t weight him down; they are so light that they almost don’t touch him... They lead him so inconspicuously that he nearly doesn’t realize it... Chills are slowly fading away; Yesung’s breath is not a threat anymore. He is completely steeped in music. He does not know how it is possible but the melody is fluent, faultless, perfect... Suddenly Yesung’s hands disappear and in another moment they wrap around his waist in gentle embrace. They do not press him, they just touch him. Yesung closes his eyes, hugging the tiny body, listening to music. He breathes in the smell of Wookie’s hair. Then he raises his head, placing a soft kiss on Wookie’s cheek. At that moment Wookie finishes the composition.

Wookie would like to ask what Yesung is thinking about his playing, but he does not want to disturb this magical moment. He can feel Yesung’s arms pressing him a bit tighter. Another kiss is placed on his cheek. Yesung does not say anything, hugging the boy, touching his skin with his lips. Wookie can feel shivers down the spine again. At this moment he is afraid of the older man. His body is tensely waiting for... In fact, he does not know what he is waiting for. And on the other hand he would like to stay like this...leaning against Yesung’s chest, pressed in his embrace, feeling warm breath on his face... He doesn’t understand himself. Does he want to release or not? Is he afraid or...or what? He is confused. He cannot grasp his feelings. What does he feel at all? Those shivers running through his whole body when he feels Yesung’s arms... Is it a fear? Or is it something else? Is it aversion? But then... Why does he want to stay?

+++

Raindrops are falling on a window sill, quietly drumming. Somewhere far away thunders disturb the silence but it is okay. They are still far away. But the storm is slowly drawing near.

He sits, looking at the wall lost in deep thoughts. Where should he take Wookie next time? He wants to make him happy. He wants to give him back those years of childhood they stole him. He wants to show him how beautiful life is. And maybe... He wants to show it himself as well. For some reason he suddenly wants to believe again that there are still good things in this world. But could he believe again? When he looks at his job, his family, all things Wookie had to go through... Is there hope at all? He has seen too many evil things. Pain. Sadness. Desperation. Death... Where is the hope?

“Sungie?”

He smiles. Wookie. If he wanted to find anything good, just one look at this boy would be enough. He holds out his hand to the boy. Wookie comes to Yesung’s bed, grabbing his hand. Yesung pulls him down to his bed, pressing him to his chest. Wookie closes his eyes, breathing in the scent of Yesung’s t-shirt. He smiles, feeling Yesung’s hand his back. He feels safe. And the approaching storm suddenly loses its scary face.

The room is dim although it’s only four p.m. The sky is dark, shadowed by black sinister clouds. They are so low, motionless. Wookie watches them through a steamed window. They are always so scary... But now, they are harmless. Now he is with him.

+++

He looks at the photos in old navy blue album. He is not sure where the thought to take out the photos reminding him his past appeared. Small lamp is the only source of light in the room. The sun has already set and the storm rages as it is not ever supposed to end. Yesung sits next to Wookie, sometimes he says some comment to describe the photo but actually, he is quiet for most of the time. His arms are still hugging the boy and he is leaning against Wookie’s shoulder. Wookie’s eyes explores photos, he recognizes Yesung and the others are probably his family. Mum. Dad. Little brother... Jinyoung. He sees his name written under the picture.

Yesung watches the smiling face of little boy. Although this is just a picture of one moment, it reminds him whole day. Memories capture him for a few seconds, dragging him back to the past.

“Yeshung! Look! Look!” Nearly six-year-old boy runs to his elder brother, raising his tiny hand with a small pearl shell on his palm.

Older boy smiles, ruffling his wet hair.

“It’s beautiful,” he says with a smile, kissing the forehead of younger boy.

“It ish for you! Becaushe you’re the besht brother in the world!” Jinyoung squeaks out with shining sparkles in his eyes. His tongue finds the hole between two sharp teeth as it always does.

“When will that tooth finally grow up?”

“When you stop to push it back with your tongue,” Yesung laughs when the boy frowns as he always does when Yesung tells him this sentence.

“Youngie, Yesung, come on! The lunch is on the table!”

The boy turns to the house, squeaking again.

“Pancakesh!”

Yesung smiles, slowly following his brother who is almost flying to their house. He chuckle when his mother starts to complain again that there is sand in the house everywhere. Jinyoung has probably forgotten to wipe his feet again.

“Come on, mum, sand is everywhere anyway,” he speaks up for his brother, lifting his tiny body up and placing him on his back.

“Giddy up! To the kitchen!” he yells. Black-haired woman just shakes her head but her gentle eyes smiles. How could she be angry with them?

“Go before your dad will eat it all.”

He the photo which was made the same day. They all were so happy. And they didn’t even suspect this is their last holiday. The last holiday they are spending together...alive.

“You loved him, didn’t you?” Wookie’s quiet voice disturbs the stream of Yesung’s thoughts, bringing him back to the present. Yesung looks it him, nodding. Wookie’s eyes find the boy in the picture again. He looks like Yesung. They have the same eyes.

Wookie feels strange pressure near his heart. He does not know what this feeling is, but the look Yesung is giving to the photo... He cannot describe it. He has never felt it before... But he doesn’t like it. It hurts.

“Do... Do you like me too?” He does not know why he is asking. He did not want to ask. And Yesung told him he does. He told him many times. So why? He doesn’t know...but at the moment he needs the assurance. Something deep inside him needs to hear it again.

Yesung turns his head, meeting Ryeowook’s eyes. He almost loses his breath again. He doesn’t understand what is happening to him, but when Wookie is looking at him like this... He feels...that something is different. He does not know what. Just something. Despite that the smile appears on his lips and his fingers leave the photo, Wookie’s cheek. And he places the kiss on his forehead as he did to his little brother.

“Of course I do.”