He guided Sungmin towards the orphanage where the children who were busy playing came to a halt upon seeing Kyuhyun walk towards their home.

Sungmin noticed how a few amongst them stuck their tongues out at Kyuhyun and Kyuhyun sneakily did the same to them. Sungmin couldn’t help but chuckle at their childish exchange but he managed to control his voice. As they successfully entered the big place that might have been most probably accommodating over a few hundreds of homeless and parentless children, Sungmin came across many kids ranging from toddlers to teenagers. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness hit his heart at the sight of so many kids who had no parents and real home.

The walls were decorated with papers with drawings on them and childish portraits along with photos of children smiling or scowling or pouting, hung in beautiful yet simple frames. There were also some quotes and poems written on a few of the scrap papers stuck to the wall with childish writings on them. The walls were painted in sober and child-friendly colours of orange and pink and it brought out a soothing feeling to whoever stood to observe it or just give a look longer than just a mere glance.

Sungmin found himself standing outside a room along with Kyuhyun who had still not let go the former’s hand. Kyuhyun looked at Sungmin, “This is the room where the caretaker spends his time. Want to come in? We just have to inform him of our arrival and then we’ll be told of what to do to spend our time here.” he said.

Sungmin decided to take things in his own hands by dragging Kyuhyun inside instead, along with a bright smile. “I’m already excited!”

I’m so glad he liked my attempt. Kyuhyun thought as he was dragged inside.

Kyuhyun had planned to act manly and responsible and talk to the caretaker in an attempt to further impress the younger intern but Sungmin beat him to it by happily discussing about all that they were supposed to be doing to spend their time with the kids in the orphanage.

They were supposed to draw and paint with the younger ones and play athletic sports such as basketball or badminton. Apart from that, the two had to prepare lunch for the orphans which had actually panicked the two greatly. Did I ever mention the two were literally disastrous when it came to handling anything related to kitchen?

The first thing the two did after meeting the caretaker was to change their drenched clothes from earlier due to the heavy splashing the dolphins had kindly —sarcasm there— bestowed upon them which was then curtly followed by the generous —sarcasm yet again— rainfall.

I’d rather skip the disaster they created in the kitchen for the sake of cooking the lunch. All I can say is that two aprons, a big gas stove and a few ingredients were almost burnt.

Actually, I take back what I told about a few ingredients being almost burnt.

A few ingredients survived after a whole of their friends died in the battle. Yes, the poor ingredients were martyrs in the painful war they fought against the lethal KyuMin couple.

Nari would have found this to be romantic as well. I can already hear her saying, “I KNEW THESE TWO HAVE 100% COMPATABILITY!”

After coming up with a solution of ordering pizzas and burgers while a few demanded KFC, the two went ahead to spend some good time with the orphans where Kyuhyun was forced to sing after a heated game of basketball he had with a few teenagers of both the genders.

Did I mention that he was pathetic at it?

His team had literally disowned him by the end of the game.

Sungmin couldn’t control his laughter at the pitiful sight of the tall pharmacist falling face-first on the puddle of muddy water while trying to dribble the basketball, ending up slipping instead.

Coming back to the current situation after Kyuhyun had a thorough shower and another change of fresh clothes, everyone was sitting in a circle; anticipating the taller pharmacist to sing.

Sungmin was one among those anticipators, by the way.

He had never heard his preceptor sing before. Not even a slight humming. But the orphans who were familiar with Kyuhyun had revealed about the only quality of the lanky male they had come to like and appreciate. And that unique quality worth their precious appreciation was his singing.

Kyuhyun was sitting on a small stool with a keyboard placed on a table in front of him in the middle of the circle everyone had formed. He was watching Sungmin, whose anticipating eyes and small smile was building exciting nervousness in his heart.

A small orphan girl, who was sitting on Sungmin’s right side, had her head on Sungmin’s lap. In reality, there really was something about Sungmin that attracted younger girls to him because he was actually surrounded by girls of ages ranging from five to sixteen since the moment the intern got comfortable around with the orphans.

A small pinch of jealousy tugged at Kyuhyun’s heart —immature, I know— and he parted his lips, his vocal cords ready to bring the awaited song outside his mouth and reach those special ears who he had personally composed this song for after quitting composing for four years.

“The name of this song is ‘Hope is a dream that never sleeps’. And I’m glad my hope never slept.” He hit the keys with eyes closed and gave it his hundred percent shot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCe29PFqJ-8

“It doesn’t matter if I’m lonely. Whenever I think of you
A smile spreads across my face.
It doesn’t matter if I’m tired. Whenever you are happy
My heart is filled with love.”

The moment Kyuhyun’s soothing and serene voice hit Sungmin’s anticipating ears, he felt his heartstrings play music of its own. With a wide mouth, wider eyes and an unexplainable marathon his heart was in; he took in all the beautiful lyrics that somehow made him feel like they were written for him.

“Today I might live in a harsh world again.
Even if I’m tired, when I close my eyes, I only see your image.
The dreams that are still ringing in my ears
Are leaving my side towards you.”

Something unknown also told him that he had actually heard the first part of the song before but he couldn’t pinpoint,

Just when and where?

“Everyday my life is like a dream.
If we can look at each other and love each
I’ll stand up again.

To me, the happiness of those precious memories
Will be warmer during hard times.
For me, hope is a dream that never sleeps.”

‘And I’m glad my hope never slept’, he had said, thought Sungmin.

The second part of the song made Kyuhyun open his eyelids while his voice and fingers were busy doing their magic.

“Like a shadow by my side you always
Quietly come to me.
To see if I’m hurt, to see if I’m lonely everyday
With feelings of yearning, you come to me.”

Looking at Sungmin’s flabbergasted expression, Kyuhyun felt a gush of happiness and he released a smile in the midst of the singing he was doing.

“Even if the world makes me cry, I’m okay.
Because you are always by my side.
Like dust, will those memories change and leave?
I’ll keep smiling to ease my heart.”

The whole hall was filled with silence except the piano playing and Kyuhyun singing.

“Everyday my life is like a dream.
If we can look at each other and love each
I’ll stand up again.

To me, the happiness of those precious memories
Will be warmer during hard times.
For me, hope is a dream that never sleeps.”

Sungmin was like living those lyrics. The changes Kyuhyun made within himself ever since Sungmin got that kiss of his stolen by the taller were playing in his mind.

“No matter how many times I stumble and fall
I’m still standing like this.
I only have one heart.
When I’m tired you become my strength.
My heart is towards you forever.

So I swallowed the hurt and grief.
I’ll only show you my smiling form.
It doesn’t even hurt now.

I’ll always hold on to the dreams I want to fulfil with you
I’ll try to call for you at the place I cannot reach
I love you with all my heart.”

I love you with all my heart.

I love you with all my heart.

Sungmin’s heart was going haywire.

By the time Kyuhyun finished the whole song beautifully; ending it with the calming playing of the keys on the keyboard; a tear sneaked out of Sungmin’s eyes when the realization dawned into him that the song was indeed written specially for him. His heart just knew, it was…

Everyon