“Actually, how old are you?” he looks up from a book, finding Wookie sitting in a corner of his bed. He has become accustomed the boy doesn’t speak until he asks him. He has become inured to his gaze, his suspicious, distrustful chocolate eyes filled with a fear he can’t eliminate. Yet.

Ryeowook blinks several times; this question surprises him. He takes a breath to answer but at the end he just closes his mouth without a word. Because he realizes...he doesn’t know. He doesn’t have a clue. He didn’t celebrate his birthday for a few years. Actually...last birthday he remembers... He was seven. And these memories are too foggy. It was a time he was happy, he didn’t know what suffering is. It was before he...

“Wookie?”

He jerks, he didn’t even notice Yesung came to him, sat down on the bed and held out his hand to him. He cowers a bit but he doesn’t pull away. He lets Yesung’s hand slip into his hair. It gives him goose bumps but he doesn’t feel that terrible fear now which used to come with every touch.

“I don’t know,” he whispers quietly.

Yesung frowns. “You don’t know?”

Ryeowook nods, taking a breath.

“I don’t know how long I was there.”

Yesung freezes. “Where were you?” he asks as long as there’s chance the boy will speak. This is the first time he says more than two words.

“I...” Wookie starts, closing his eyes tightly. He doesn’t want to remember. “No,” he breathes out. “I don’t want...”

Yesung feels tiny body shivering again.

“It’s alright, you don’t have to tell me,” he says quickly.

He knows Wookie will need time. A lot of time.

+++

He sits on the couch with glasses on his nose, an open laptop lies on his knees. He is busy with his work. Ryeowook is sitting next to him; his look is fixed on the TV screen. But it doesn’t last long; he is not interested in that program. Instead he looks around a living room, he glances at Yesung but he doesn’t notice it due to his work.

He watches him for a few seconds until his sights catches a piano in a corner of the room. He has noticed it several times before and every time he looks at it his mind starts to fill with familiar feelings...hazy memories? Maybe, he doesn’t know. But something in his inside calls him to the instrument. Wookie gets up, slowly heading to the piano. His fingers glide over the cold surface of piano keys. Softly and carefully. He is afraid of every stronger touch which could disturb their charm. A silence in the house makes him nervous. He presses the teddy bear a bit tighter to his chest; his eyes find Yesung again. He freezes when he notices the man’s look is fixed on him.

Yesung smiles, he puts his laptop away, getting up. He can see a panic growing in Wookie’s eyes while he’s drawing near to him. He tries to smile a bit softer, sitting on the piano bench, looking deeply into boy’s chocolate eyes.

“Are you still afraid? Don’t you trust me?” he asks quietly. “I told you I’m not gonna let anybody to hurt you.”

He said it. He said it many times. And he is going to say it as many time as Wookie will need it.

Ryeowook’s eyes find the floor. He feels foolishly. He wants to get rid of this fear but it’s too deep inside him. He knows Yesung is not going to hurt him. He knows...but he doesn’t believe. He is afraid to believe. He feels an uncertainty all the time. What if he suddenly wakes up? And then...everything will be the same as it was...

A sound of piano catches his attention. He looks at Yesung’s hands. Elegant motions of his fingers, which fill the room with pleasant melody, enchant him. That sound is so familiar. He knows it, he is sure now.

His digits touch the keys, pushing them and one more time...

Yesung stops to play, looking wonderingly at the boy. Tone he’s playing are uncertain and a bit confused but...nice.

“Can you play?” he asks.

Ryeowook stops immediately, pulling his hands away. Yesung laugh quietly.

“It was really nice,” he praises him. Ryeowook refuses to raise his look, pressing his teddy bear. He doesn’t know why but these words have sent strange warmth to his chest.

“Do you want to learn it?” Yesung asks quietly. Ryeowook looks at him confusedly.

“I can teach you, if you want. What do you think?” he suggests with his typical smile, waiting for any response.

Instead the answer he receives just an uncertain nod. But it pleases him too. Finally Ryeowook starts to communicate with him. Maybe... One day it will be alright.

“Okay,” he says, raising his hand to boy’s cheek. He him slowly with the back of his hand. Wookie shivers but he doesn’t pull away. It makes Yesung smile. He turns back to the piano.

“It’s not difficult; you need just a little practice...”

Ryeowook listens quietly the tones, perceiving Yesung’s calm and silent voice which explain him everything... And he has a strange feeling he knows it all the time.

Tiny digits runs across the keys, simply tones bend in soft melody...

“Very well,” friendly female voice praises him, gentle hand his tousled hair. “One day you will be great musician.”

He looks up to that woman, to that smile which gives him love and safety. The smile which says so much...

“Wookie?”

The boy jerks, coming back to presence. He looks at Yesung whose eyes are fixed on him with solicitous glance. He can still see the last memory in his mind. He starts to understand... Memories which are coming back... Memories which were so deep inside him... Memories he has forgotten... They are memories of time before the happiness left his young life...

And now they are coming back because he can see the light again. Due to Yesung. Yesung gasps, astonished look fixed on the boys face. He doesn’t know what he should think about it...but he is charmed. Something has moved in his heart. Because now he’s looking at something he has never hoped to happen. He forgets how to breath when soft smile appears on Wookie’s lips.