Cho Kyuhyun lived in Seoul, South Korea. He was a part time Business major student and lived with his family, helping out in the family restaurant. He was a bright university student with a bright future. However his life turned upside down when his father passed away leaving his mother to raise two children by herself. That is when he decided to be a part time student and help his mother run the family restaurant which was the only method of income for them to feed the family. But the restaurant was low in business recently and barely covered the monthly expenses. Even though their family was not poor their lives were not easy either.

Kyuhyun came home from his morning Economics class and dumped his backpack on his bed and his heel to go to the restaurant to help out his mother. He chose to go to school in the morning and work in the evening as most of their regular customers came for the evening hangout or for the dinner. He hastily walked out the door as he was already a one hour late for the work but something on the kitchen table stopped his. It was a familiar looking envelop. He knew what it was about even before he took it and opened it. It was a letter from the bank telling them to pay the late instalment for the loan. They’ve given two months before the bank take action and auction the house and the restaurant. This only meant Kyuhyun and his family is soon to be homeless.

Kyuhyun came to a screeching stop in front of the restaurant and dashed inside and joined his sister who was already back from the school and attending to the customers.

The evening went by and the crowd thinned until the dinner time. Kyuhyun let out a deep breath that screamed exhaustion and sat down on a chair to give some rest to his aching legs. That is when is phone rang indicating that he got a message. He fished for his phone in his back pocket and opened the message making an irritated grunt. The message was from one of his friends, Donghae to be precise.

Kyuhyun-ah, where are you? You’re late. Can you bring some snacks on your way here?

Snacks? Is he supposed to be somewhere? Kyuhyun thought to himself and was ready to call his friend to ask whether he is out of his mind when realisation dawned on him. His mouth was formed in surprised O. It was his best friend Ryeowook’s birthday and they were supposed to gather at the karaoke room for the celebration half an hour ago. How could he be so careless, it was his best friend’s birthday after all. He sprang off his chair removing his apron and threw it to his sister who walked out of the kitchen at that moment.

“Noona, Wooki’s birthday. I’ll be back soon.” He explained hastily and rushed out and peddled with all his might to the karaoke room.

He was thinking about the homecoming party that was arranged by his long-time friends later that night when he suddenly remembered that he was supposed to bring ramyun for his mother’s dinner. He spotted a small super market. He went in and grabbed some ramyun packs and headed to the counter when someone clashed into him. He was a lanky guy with soft brown locks and a bewildered look on his slightly scarred face. He seemed few year younger to Sungmin. Sungmin took a step back and gave way to the younger. Younger one mumbled a sorry and dashed out of the door as Sungmin waved his hand with an amused look on his face. Sungmin looked at the direction the younger one disappeared and stood there for few seconds smiling to himself as he recalled the half sorry and half thankful look on the younger’s face when he escaped.

Sungmin got back in his car with the ramyun and some other supplies for the new house and drove to his new home.

Kyuhyun reached the Karaoke room where his friends were gathered and ran in with the snacks.

“Kyuhyun-ah! You are late.” Said Donghae opening the door.

“Yeah, I know.” Kyuhyun replied while shoving the food onto Donghae and went straight to Ryeowook.

“Ryeowook-ah, happy birthday! I’m so sorry I was late. I was working at the restaurant.” He said hugging the shorter man tightly.

Ryeowook welcomed him with a bright smile on his face. He was always a kind hearted friend for Kyuhyun who he knew for the most his life.

“Oh, it’s alright. I know your mom need all the help she can get.” Ryeowook replied smiling after breaking apart.

“Alright let’s get started.” Said Donghae lighting the birthday cake while Kyuhyun dimmed the lights in the room. “Wooki-ah make a wish!”

Ryeowook stole a glance towards his best friend, smiling slightly while blowing the candles away.

“So what’s your wish?”

“Birthday wishes are not supposed to say out loud Kyu. So where are my presents?”

“Oh crap!” Donghae suddenly screamed startling other two. “I’m so sorry Wooki. I left your present on my bed and totally forgot to bring it. I’ll give it to you next time.”

“It’s okay.” Replied Ryeowook looking at his 5-year-old-stuck-in-a-27-year-old-body friend who was wearing a look as if he did the worst thing he could do.

“Well here’s my present.” Said Kyuhyun shaking his head at his careless friend. He walked towards the karaoke machine and flipped through the songs and stopped at a ballad Ryeowook loved.

“Oh, you know my favourite?” Ryeowook smiled and sat comfortably sinking into the couch where Donghae also joined him to enjoy the song.

Kyuhyun’s soft and angelic voice started to fill the small karaoke room bewitching the sole two listeners in the audience. Singing was Kyuhyun’s talent, his passion, his sacred obsession. That is when he escape into his own world leaving behind the harsh truths of life. He let himself drown in the music while he sang.

He came back to reality with the loud clap from Donghae who was smiling happily.

“You should sing Kyuhyun. Not only to us but for a bigger audience. You can be famous!” Donghae said excitedly as if he realised the most obvious thing.

“Oh, that’s an awesome idea Donghae-ah. I think the best idea you ever had.” Said Ryeowook also perked up at the idea. “We know you can sing better than most of the singers out there. Why don’t you let other people also know? You may be even able to land a record deal. And then you will be able to pay your debts and give the good life you always wanted to give your family.” He added breathlessly.

“But-” Kyuhyun started uncertainly.

“I know the best place to start!” Donghae cut in. “There is this club with both DJ-ing and live singing. A lot of casting agents from entertainment agencies come there. May be you will be able to land an audition.”

“Hang on, is this the place your crush works? Isn’t he a bartender or something there?” Ryeowook asked suddenly remembering something.

“No, he is a DJ. He-” Donghae cut short of words as he realised his friend was smirking at him.

“So you do have a crush on him?”

“No I don’t.” He said with a blush creeping up on his cheeks. “And you’re one to speak about crushes, Ryeowook-ah.” Donghae added pointedly.

“So Kyuhyun-ah, want to go and try?” Ryeowook immediately changed the subject as Donghae brought up a touching subject for him. Donghae was the only person he has revealed the secret that’s dear to his heart. He specially didn’t want to bring up the subject in front of Kyuhyun, whom by the way was lost in his own world as he considered the idea in his head. He didn’t seem to grasp the uncomfortable conversation of Ryeowook.

“I don’t know. I have to help out mom too.” He said slowly.

“Come on. Let’s try it once!” Ryeowook said knowing his friend is wavering between going and not going. “It can’t hurt, right?”

“Oh, alright then.” Kyuhyun finally gave up on his internal dilemma and surrendered to Ryeowook’s nagging. “But we’ll go tomorrow. I have to get back to the restaurant. There’s reservation for some kind of a party. So I have to help out mom.”

“It’s almost 10 o’clock. Who hold parties at this time?” Donghae whined as he wanted to hangout more with his friends.

“I don’t know. But I won’t be able to go to school tomorrow thanks to whoever it is. I even have an assignment to handover tomorrow. Maybe I should find an excuse to give to my professor for not coming.” Kyuhyun said more to himself as he contemplated about school next day.

“Kyuhyun-ah, you’re trying to do more than you can handle. I’ll lend a hand at the restaurant. I don’t have anything tomorrow. So, I can relax tomorrow.” Donghae offered as he watch his friend sympathetically.

“I would also come but I have to go home. Everybody is waiting for me since it’s my birthday.” Ryeowook added apologetically.

Three of them came out of the karaoke room and bid their farewells as Ryeowook turned and walked towards the direction of his house while Kyuhyun and Donghae peddled to the restaurant.