The smell of fried foods. Face painters, street performers. A whole town packed in one square.

They weave throughout the screaming kids and loving couples. As the sky dims down, the streets light up.

Ryeowook is nervous. The crowded square is making everything worse so he seeks out an all too familiar hand and Kyuhyun gives his a squeeze.

By the time they reach the stage, Ryeowook is trembling. One hand is curled around a piece of paper so tight it feels like it might crumble. The other is clinging to Kyuhyun so hard he feels like he might crumble.

A show coordinator runs up to them. He's saying he’s glad Ryeowook made it and telling him all the things to say to close the show. He asks Ryeowook what he needs, but the petite man doesn’t respond. So Kyuhyun tells the man ‘keyboard.’ He seems to understand this and walks away.

Ryeowook is so tense beside him. Kyuhyun turns to face him but his eyes are downcast. With the tips of his fingers, Kyuhyun lifts his head up so their eyes can lock together.

‘”I shouldn’t have come here,” Ryeowook whispers.

Kyuhyun smiles a slow, sad smile; the one he’s been wearing all day. Slowly, he takes Ryeowook’s other hand and frees the music crumpled within. And he holds it between them.

“You do so much for everyone else. Now you go do this for you.”

His eyes are so warm and loving and Ryeowook wants to ask him to stay here forever. But then the director calls. It’s time for him to perform. Kyuhyun releases his hand.

He walks up to the stage in a haze. Then, he is blinking at the too bright lights and shadowed faces. He can’t see Kyuhyun.

But Kyuhyun can see him. He watches from the shadows as Ryeowook tentatively approaches the microphone. He begins to speak and Kyuhyun smiles because the crowd is supportive and laid back. Ryeowook visibly relaxes with every word. He can’t understand the a word but he just likes to hear Ryeowook talk.

When he introduces his piece, the crowd claps enthusiastically, but before Ryeowook steps away from the stand, his eyes find Kyuhyun’s. And he leans into the microphone again.

“’If it is meant to be, make it be: that’s the name of this song.” He says in perfect Korean. And then he goes onto sing in perfect English.

“Hold still for just a second more, okay?”

The little girl giggled as the face paint brushed over her cheek. Ryeowook stuck out his tongue in exaggerated concentration which only made her laugh more. Luckily, he’d been working with restless little kids all day so his brush didn’t go too off track. When he finished, he whipped out the mirror for her to see.

“Ta-da!”

The little girl eagerly grabbed the frame, “Yay!” she cried and bounced over to her mother.

Ryeowook chuckled seeing her reaction. Little kids were so cute.

“Mommy, look! It’s a trouble cliff!” The little girl pointed excitedly to her cheek in the mirror, apparently forgetting only she needed the mirror to see it.

“No, no, sweetie. That’s called a ‘treble clef.’” The mother was correcting as Ryeowook wandered over.

“I guess you should come to our music school so you can learn all about those symbols, right?”

The mother smiled sweetly at him and pried the mirror from her daughter. “Thank you. We will definitely consider it.”

“Yay!” the little piped.

Ryeowook gladly took back the mirror and waved the little girl goodbye. She was off and running almost immediately to the drum circles.

‘Great, just what we need,’ he thought, returning to his post at the face-painting station, ‘More percussionists.’

He continued drawing musical signs on children’s cheeks for another half-hour. It was the cutest form of advertisement they had to offer for the music school he now taught at. At least in his opinion. The children laughed and asked him dozens of questions. The parents were just impressed he got them to sit still for ten minutes. Overall, Ryeowook was sure they would have plenty of new students once this summer festival was over.

He was just finishing up a sparkly guitar when Jonny jogged over to him.

“Hey, Wookie! It’s almost two-fifteen; you want to get over to the stage now?”

“Oh, yeah! Just let me finish up this little sweetie here,” He swiped a dash of glitter over the new girl’s cheeks before handing his station over to his friend. Jonny wasn’t a music teacher, but for some reason, Ryeowook was sure he’d be fine.

Jogging over to center stage, Ryeowook allowed himself to revel in the day. It was beautiful. The weather was perfectly blue and sunny and the festivities were blooming around him. The people,the food. Just wonderful. He wove through the crowd, waving those he knew and smiling at those he didn’t. It turns out, he knew a lot of people.

It’d been four months since he’d started working as a teacher at the local music school. It wasn’t really a school; more of an extracurricular place for any age. But it still paid pretty well. Ryeowook didn’t know how he’d landed a job there, but he had a sneaking suspicion Mr. Parker was involved. Once the hotel was sold (to become a golf course of all things) the man had made sure all his employees had some advantage for future employment. For Ryeowook, it was a strongly worded recommendation letter. And then some.

It was funny; he’d always wanted to be a teacher ever since the idol thing fell out. After not passing the exams in Korea, he’d become rather discouraged and gave up. But just look at where he was now! Teaching five to fifty year olds how to play sing and piano. That certainly said something about perseverance.

The musician smiled to himself. His career wasn’t the only thing that demanded some persistence.

His “relationship” with Kyuhyun was going rather well. Or, as well as a long distance one can go.

Since he’d left nine months ago, Kyu hadn’t once come back. However, between the essay-length updates Kyuhyun emailed him every week and the all-night video chats, Ryeowook felt like he had never left. Aside from the fact that they could never touch each other, things were really thriving between them. And Ryeowook fell further in love each and every night. It really did feel like they were dating…

“Ryeowook! You ready for your set?”

He snapped out of his daze. Ryeowook happily waved to the festival director, “Yep! All set!”

The blonde man nodded and turned to the next group. Ryeowook beamed, feeling more prepared than ever. You could even say he was excited.

“Ah, so I see you’re not nervous about performing anymore.”

“Yeah, I kind got over-” Ryeowook froze. Kyuhyun?

“Kyuhyun!”  He whipped around to see the handsome male leaning on a trashcan.

Without even thinking, Ryeowook flew into his open arms, burying his face in his chest. Ryeowook didn't even try to restrain himself. Months of not being near the person he loved had been torturous. He wasn't wasting a second with formalities. The comforting arms wrapped around him drawing him closer until their bodies were practically melded together. It seemed Kyuhyun missed him just as much as he’d missed Kyuhyun. Talking every night was no match for the volumes their embrace could speak.

Ryeowook pressed his face into Kyuhyun’s shoulder, willing himself not to cry.

“What are you doing here? You said – you said you couldn’t leave until August.”

“I guess I couldn’t wait any longer,” Kyuhyun whispered.

Ryeowook could feel the tears coming. They were his natural response to something and in the face of something so thoughtful... But he couldn’t cry; he had to perform in ten minutes.

Quickly, he pulled out of the hug. Kyuhyun released him very reluctantly, but his hands still lingered on his waist.

“What- How- Just-” He was at a loss of what to say. Kyuhyun just smiled at him. The sun made his brown eyes glow. Clad in blue jeans and white shirt, the taller man looked better than ever. As if reading his mind, Kyuhyun leaned forward and ran his fingers through Ryeowook’s hair.

“You look great.”

Ryeowook swallowed, “Not if you keep messing with my hair.”

The taller just smirked and continued to thread his slender fingers through his hair. Ryeowook didn’t stop him.

“I’m sorry if this is short notice. I just…” his hand rested, cupping the petite’s cheek, “I couldn’t sleep knowing you were so far away and not knowing if you were mine.”

Ryeowook sighed, settling back against the taller’s chest, “How did you not realize I am yours?”

“I won’t know until I ask, now will I?” Smiling, Kyuhyun took a step back and pulled out a little velvet box. Suddenly, Ryeowook’s heart started pounding furiously. Kyuhyun opened it facing him and pulled out a golden band ornamented with a diamond. He held it out slowly. But before Ryeowook could even reach for it, he swiftly tossed it in the trashcan.

The smaller could only gape.

“What was that!?” he demanded, horrified. Kyuhyun started laughing, though not maliciously, and Ryeowook could feel his face start to heat up.

“Seriously, Kyu! Was that supposed to be romantic? What the hell?” he snapped, digging through the trash.

“Wait no! Ryeonggu!” He felt an arm pull him back. Kyuhyun spun him around with a laugh, “That was supposed to be symbolic! The ring was meant for Seohyun last year and,” he shrugged, “I don’t want it around anymore.”

“Oh,” Ryeowook blinked, as the meaning of that sunk in, “Well you still shouldn’t throw it away like that; that’s a lot of money right there-”

“Ryeowook!” Kyuhyun dragged him away from the trashcan before he could start pawing through the trash again, “C’mon, just forget that. Don’t you want to see what I got you?”

“You got me something?” That was enough to make him forget all about the ring.

“Of course,” Kyuhyun smirked and held out the velvet box, “You didn’t think I was a complete dunce at romance, did you?”

Tentatively, Ryeowook picked up the box from his hand. Aside from the fact that Kyuhyun was admitting to trying to be romantic, Ryeowook was a bit afraid of what was inside. It was unusually heavy for jewelry and Ryeowook held his breath as he lifted the lid.

“It’s a rock,” he peered up at Kyuhyun, “You are a dunce at romance.”

Kyuhyun chuckled and pulled him into towards his chest. “Well, how about this,” he said, taking the box, “This is the rock that you gave me on August 15^th of 2013 otherwise known as the day I realized I was completely and totally falling for you. Remember the heart of salt?” Ryeowook nodded, laying his head down on his shoulder, “Well, a lot happened between then and now but I still want this rock to be the gift I give you when I ask you to be my boyfriend. Okay? Have I explained myself thoroughly this time? Here we go.”

Without moving or pulling away, Kyuhyun tilted his head and looked him right in the eyes, “Kim Ryeowook, do you take me, Cho Kyuhyun to be your loving boyfriend? For better or for worse? In sickness and in health? Halfway across the world or right by your side?”

And this time, Ryeowook definitely couldn’t stop the tears, “Of course I do,” he managed to get out before burying his face into his the crook of Kyu’s neck. Because it fit perfectly. And he heard his boyfriend whisper, “Of course I do too,” before softly caressing his cheek and guiding him into a long awaited kiss.

Hands , tongues dancing; Ryeowook barely managed to break them apart to say "I love you."

Kyuhyun grinned and leaned their foreheads together, "I love you too."

Ryeowook felt his heart soar with joy, “You are a genius at romance.”

“I know,” Kyuhyun replied.

Then they went right back to kissing right up to the moment, he was called to the stage.