Kyuhyun leaned over the ferry railing, watching waves foam and burst upon striking the sides. Though they tried to continue their path, the manmade vessel always proved stronger. Each time, the boat would cut through. Funny how something so unnatural so easily beat the natural course of events. Leaning farther over, Kyuhyun exhaled and closed his eyes for a moment’s peace.

“You aren’t seasick are you?”

Kyuhyun jerked. His elbows slid off the railing and he fell forward, instantly disorienting himself. Suddenly a hand caught him by the arm, pulling him back up.

Gasping from the sudden shock of nearly diving into the ocean, Kyuhyun turned to see Ryeowook by his side.

“Didn’t mean to scare you,” The guide smiled sheepishly, “I just came to check on you.”

“For what?” He croaked.

Ryeowook looked surprised. “To make sure you weren’t vomiting overboard. You looked a little sick during breakfast and I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

The guide's caring expression made Kyuhyun frown. He couldn’t say why but Ryeowook’s bright cheeriness was seriously amplifying his headache.

“I’m fine,” he responded as he turned his attention back to the waves, “The bottom deck is okay when you get used to it.”

"Are you sure? If it rocks too much you could always join Seohyun on the top deck-"

"I'm fine." He repeated.

“Well, okay…” He heard Ryeowook say. 

“Is your back feeling any better?” The guide said after a moment.

“Sort of. It doesn’t hurt when I move anymore so I guess the aloe vera worked.”

“That's good.”

They lapsed back into silence.

After a couple seconds of silence, Kyuhyun assumed the guide had left. He was surprised to see he hadn’t.

“Did you need something?” He asked Ryeowook who was just staring at his feet.

The guide looked up, startled, “Oh, um,” his cheeks blushed red, “No. Not really, I suppose; I just-”

A look of confliction flitted across his face and suddenly the smaller was striding up to him. For a fleeting moment, Kyuhyun panicked thinking Ryeowook was walking up to kiss him. His fears were calmed though when the guide simply rounded to the side and leaned beside him on the railing.

It was lucky he was looking at the sea and not Kyuhyun’s beet red face.

“I don’t really know how to start this,” Ryeowook began slowly, “but I need to talk to you about two nights ago. You know, when you came in for the towels.”

Kyuhyun froze. Their conversation, buried under yesterday’s sudden events, rapidly rose to the forefront of his mind. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he attempted to brush it off with a weak laugh.

“What’s there to talk about? You were upset. I comforted you. The end. That’s what friends are for right?”

Ryeowook didn’t say anything to that. Instead, he just looked down at his hands, smiling a little. That action itself made Kyuhyun’s heart beat faster.

“Is something wrong?”

“No. It’s just - You make it sound so simple.”

Kyuhyun had to look away. “It’s not complicated.”

“Oh, but it is,” he heard the guide take a breath, “You know Kyuhyun, for so long I wanted somebody who could understand why I was like the way I am. Somebody who understood that after rejection after rejection after rejection … It’s impossible to keep going. But you weren’t that person. That night at the piano, you didn’t make me move on. It's like, you reminded me why I should still try.

At first, I didn’t get it. It was bizarre to me that you would be able to affect me when we’d met so soon, but combined with everything else, you just made something …click.”

He could feel the smaller shift his eyes onto him.

"I hope I don't seem strange by telling you this because I really like it when we can be relaxed around each other. You kind of remind me that I'm here, you know? It's like I wasn't background music anymore. And I never thought I could feel like a performer again, but..." Ryeowook chuckled, "I guess you proved me wrong."

Silence. More waves splashed against the ferry.

“So anyways, I wanted you to know that and that I’ll be performing tomorrow. Come if you want. And if you need to talk to me about anything, you know I’ll be your friend too.”

In the moment, he couldn’t think of a single thing to say. He only stared at the waves. Shortly after, Ryeowook’s footsteps sounded then faded to nothing. 

“I don’t understand how you could do this.”

“What?” Yoona looked up from her phone, which she had pulled out the second Ryeowook left to check on Kyuhyun.

Seohyun fixed her with an icy stare. “How could you keep leading him on like this?”

“Excuse me?” Yoona slipped her phone back into the bag, “I don’t think I know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t you?”

Seohyun raised an eyebrow at her. Yoona suddenly felt hideously exposed, even though she had no reason to. Smoothing down her skirt, she put on her most innocent smile.

“No offense Joohyun, but you’re acting strange-”

“And you’re just plain acting.”

The wicked retort came with no hesitation. The coldness in the other girl's voice was almost enough to make Yoona falter. Almost.

“I’m really not sure what you’re implying,” She said, slipping on a worried expression, "Is something going on with Kyuhyun?"

The younger wasn’t biting. Leaned back in her seat with arms crossed, Seo Joohyun looked more than capable of ripping her to pieces. Meeting her glare, Yoona smiled. Nothing looked threatening on a baby-face like that. She was completely unprepared for what came next. 

“Yoona. I heard you on the phone last night-”

“Wait, what?”

“- and I know you are cheating on Ryeowook. I don’t know with who or why or how and I don’t care. All I know is you better tell him before that dinky festival tomorrow or you’ll never be able to call yourself a decent person ever again.”

Yoona opened . Then she closed it.

“Wow,” she finally breathed, “Exaggeration much?”

“I’m serious, Yoona. How can you even look in the mirror after cheating on the sweetheart who’s been waiting for you all these years and then still have the nerve to lie about it?” Seohyun spouted all of it without even blinking. It was as if she’d been waiting for this scolding.

Yoona gaped, “Wait, wha - You don’t think I feel terrible about this? I knowingly hurt Ryeowook, my boyfriend of all people, and you don't think I feel bad? I feel like a monster!”

“Yet you continue deceiving him with every passing second.”

“Why do you think I flew out here? I couldn’t keep living this lie anymore; I had to end things right.”

“No. You want to end things with lies-”

“‘Cause that’s the only way to do it!”

Seohyun snorted, “Oh, so I suppose you’re going to tell me it’s only right for you to keep pretending? That you’re doing this for his own good? What kind of delusion are you living in?” She said shaking her head pityingly at the older.

Heart beating frantically, Yoona tried to speak, “I cannot believe I am having this conversation with you. This is my private business and you have no right to judge me on it."

"What else do I have to judge you on? As far as I can tell you've been faking since I met you."

Yoona bit her lip. How could she explain things to the girl who she was merely using to avoid facing Ryeowook? "Joohyun, Ryeowook and I ... Our relationship isn't so much a romantic one as a ... familial one. Ryeowook has been ridiculously dependent on me ever since he moved here for a lot of reasons and I sort of gave him that support he needed.

Lately though, I've sort of been waning him off because I met someone. I didn't tell Ryeowook because it would have hurt him and I couldn't do that. But then I realized, I want Ryeowook to stand on his own. And this is the way to do it.”

Seohyun stared at her for a moment. “That didn’t make any sense.”

“Ugh! Joohyun, you can't just understand this!”

"What's there to understand? You think ending your relationship with lies is a good thing-" 

"It was a relationship based on lies!" Yoona retorted, "I never loved Ryeowook. He's sweet and caring and smart but I don't love him and I never will. I stayed in the relationship for the fun and convenience but now it only holds me back and it holds him back too! Tell me: Why should I keep on going?"

Seohyun didn't say anything to that. She continued to stare at Yoona with that ice cold glare, though something had gone missing from her eyes, like she was thinking about something else. Yoona took deep breath.

“I’m asking you again, Joohyun to please stay out of this -”

“You still have to tell him,” Seohyun interrupted, her voice dead.

"What?" Yoona was incredulous. 

"You still have tell him you cheated, Yoona. That's not something to be excused and Ryeowook deserves to know-"

“Why should he know?” Yoona snapped, fully insulted, “Why should I tell him and hurt him even more? You said it yourself, Joohyun: My actions are despicable and selfish so why would I throw it all onto Ryeowook and make our break-up even worse? And don’t you dare say it’s the right thing to do because it’s not.”

Seohyun just stared at her.

Yoona exhaled, “I may regret not telling Ryeowook about this earlier but I will not tell him now. Not when he’s in such a vulnerable place. But don’t worry; by the end of this week, I will have ended my relationship with my boyfriend my way. And you will not have had anything to do with it,” She added threateningly.

 Snatching her bag off the seat, Yoona stood up, “Thank you, Joohyun for this invigorating talk. I think I’ll go join my boyfriend on the bottom deck, now. Feel free to join us.”

***

Seohyun watched coldly as the older walked away.

How could Yoona talk like that? How could anyone talk like that? Never had she heard reasoning as self-centered as the one Im Yoona had presented. Lying to protect people, willingly hurting the one she claimed to care about, and leading him on to prevent his heartbreak! Who did she think Ryeowook was; a five year old who needed her attention?

Seohyun was livid from the disgust. Yoona’s intentions were positively sickening and paired with the image of the poor guide beaming so happily; well it was almost enough to send her storming downstairs. 

“You missed a spot.”

The short busboy/waiter/chauffer sighed and wiped the table again.

Colin rolled his eyes at the boy’s attitude, but didn’t say anything. He was used to it.

They were in the rather empty dining room. He was doing paperwork at the bar while the younger muttered something about ‘holes’ and cleaning tables.

“I don’t get why Kat doesn’t have to help me today.” Jonny’s voice echoed aloud.

Colin didn’t even look up. “Your sister is cleaning the lobby. She still has about 50 more marbles to find before that slipping hazard is fixed.”

“I still can’t believe you counted how many marbles were in each vase.”

He snorted. “Had to. I always figured one of you guys would knock them over one day. Just didn’t think it’d be Wook who’d do it.” He said giving Jonny a pointed look.

The younger rolled his eyes. “Oh har, har. I’m a klutz. That’s hilarious.”

“Oh I wouldn’t say a klutz. More like a walking hurricane.” The manager suggested, a smile playing on his lips.

“Yeah, yeah,” The shorter threw down his towel and started scrubbing the bar counter, “Speaking of Wook, when do you think he’s getting back today?”

Colin tapped his chin with the pen, “Well, if he’s being consistent with the tours I would say sometime this evening. Why do you ask?”

“I need to apologize for something a few days back and I haven’t really had the chance lately.”

"Why didn't you do it when you picked up his girlfriend?" 

"Too happy. I think he forgot other people were watching them."

Colin shuddered, “Stay a little later tonight. Maybe he’ll be back before midnight.”

“No way,” Jonny wrinkled his nose, “Every time I do overtime you make me do stupid stuff like sharpening your pencils and crap.”

“Hey, you want to pay for your sister’s college or not?”

“Not by doing this stuff. I could get better pay and an official title working as a secretary.”

“Ah, but your boss wouldn’t be nearly as accommodating and thoughtful as I am.”

Jonny snorted and turned away. Colin just smiled and went back to filling out his papers. The boy would have his new job soon enough. Or not. Maybe the new owners would keep him. Either way, he was finally selling the place to someone who actually knew what they were doing. 

Mr. Parker had been less than happy about this plan. The only reason he agreed was because Colin got Ryeowook to do the festival. Sort of. It hadn't happened yet but it would. Knowing Mr.Parker, the deal could have been a lot worse. Why the owner was so hung up on the singer was beyond him, but at least he would get the signature with very little effort.

And finally, they could all move on.

“Hey, did you tell Ryeowook he was performing at the festival?” The boy’s voice cut through his thinking.

“What - Oh yes. He knows about his performance now. Caused a bit of a violent reaction but he definitely knows,” Colin muttered under his breath.

“Okay, cool. Kat was just wondering because she hasn’t seen him at the piano recently.”

“He’s been working as a guide,” Colin replied, “I’d have to dock him if he were practicing piano.”

“Right, right…”

He went back to writing.

“Just wondering, do you think he’ll actually do it?”

“What?” Colin looked up at Jonny.

“Wookie. Do you think he’s actually going to perform tomorrow?”

“Of course he’s going to perform tomorrow. He’s Wookie.”

“That’s the thing. He’s Wookie” Jonny parroted back at him, “Remember that time Mr. Parker tried to get him to do one set at the summer festival and he freaked out?”

“Of course.” The shockingly volatile reaction had occurred three years ago and had prevented anyone from encouraging Wookie to do anything ever again. He didn't see how that had to do with anything though. Setting his pen down, Colin crossed his arms and leaned up against the counter.

“Why Jonny? Do you think he’s going to perform tomorrow?”

The worker made a face, but didn’t respond.

Colin sighed, “Let me lay this out for you. Wookie knows he can’t get out of this; there’s no one to replace him, and he’s playing the most important and standard parts of any festival. Wookie, who cannot disappoint complete strangers, would not disappoint the entire town, let alone your mother. Okay? I think he’s playing tomorrow.”

Jonny continued to look skeptical. After a moment, he spoke.

“Kat thinks he’s going to wimp out.”

Colin raised his eyebrows.

“We were talking about this last night and she said Wook would never be able to get through a performance. Like, maybe right before or during he'd give up. She said that’s why I should stop pressuring him to play professionally: because he’s mentally incapable of overcoming his fears. And Colin…” Jonny hesitated, “she said Ryeowook’s her example of what not to become.”

For a moment, no one said anything. Then Colin blinked and straightened himself.

“Well, then” he spoke softly, “I suppose your sister has her own set ready for Friday?”

Jonny looked at him strangely, “Um, yeah. Mom was against it at first but after Wook flipped out at her shop she put in Kat as her backup-”

“Then it doesn’t matter if Wookie performs. Your question is irrelevant,” smiling blankly at the smaller, Colin took the damp rag from his hand, “Why don’t you go help Kat tidy up the lobby and I’ll finish up in here.”

“But don't you think-”

“I said go.”

Catching the slight menace in his voice, the young employee hesitantly scampered off to help his twin sister with a troubled look on his face. As soon as he was out of sight, Colin tossed the towel aside.

Sighing, the manager gazed worriedly at his papers. He would never say it, but there was a problem. Unless he saw Wookie performing at the festival, Mr. Parker would never sign away the hotel. And if Wookie’s own friends didn’t believe in him, what were the chances of that happening?

Yeah... I don't know how that last scene ended up so long. I think because the OCs were supposed to play a bigger role but then I just never got around to it. XP

Anyways, thanks for reading and please comment with what you think the implications all these conversations have. Or just what you liked/disliked. I'd love either one. =)

Edit: I came after a couple hours and was wondering why I didn't have any comments. Then I realized this was still on "Hide Chapter" Aren't I brilliant?